亲爱的小文：

    你注意到警察局里消防车上的云梯（ladder）了吗？那种梯子升起来很高，可高出一百英尺。美国underworldslang把ladder叫做Jacob，你知道是谁吗？

    Jacobent.HeboughthisolderbrotherEsausbirthrightessofpottage”）.Later,JacobenforcedhisclaimbypretendingtohisblindandagedfatherthathehimselfIsaactheeantforEsau.EsauwassoangrythatJacobfledforhislife.

    Ontheedofa,Godpromisedtoprotectandblesshimhome.Muchencouraged,Jacobe.Therehefellonlovearryhidolderdaughter.Leah,beforehecouldhaveRachelforhise.

    OnthethatEsauethimtolive.

    EsauaincharacterinmanystoriesfoundinGenesis25-33.Thebestknooutofhisbirthrightfora“messofpottage”（Gen.25：27-34）,andthelossofhisblessingthroughtheplottingofhismotherandbrother（Gen.27）.EsauwasreconciledtoJacobafterthelattersreturntoPalestine20yearslater.

    BiblicalhistoryregardsEsauasthefounderoftheEdomitenation.

    Jacob就是现在以色列（Israel）人的老老老老老老老老老老……老祖宗。

    Messofpottage就是“因小失大”、“得不偿失”、“划不来”的意思。

    AJacobsladderisaladdermadeofropeorcable,usuallyordescendtosmallboatsalongside.HarborpilotsusuallycomeaboardviaaJacobsladder.

    TheJacobsladdergetsitsnamefromanincidentintheBookofGenesis（28：12）.ThepatriarchJacobfallsasleepandtheavision：“Andhedreamed,andbeholdaladdersetupontheearth,andhetopofitreachedtoheaven；andbeholdtheangelsofGodascendinganddescendingonit.”

    Jacobsladderhasbeenusedinatleastteanings.Asmallplantationresemblingaladderbearsthisname.InEngland,alsoericanscall“runs”inhosieryerlycalledJacobsladders.Noplyladders.

    Jacobsladder可以登天，所以美国黑社会的thievesLatin（盗贼的隐语，切口）就把梯子叫Jacob。

    植物里头花葱属（polemoniums）中的一种就叫Jacobsladder，因为它们有ladderlikeleaves。

    爸爸

    一九七五年十一月一日