Following the dissipation of the enthusiasm of May last year, another journalist came to understand the hobby of old Peking residents of raising birds. "The reason the birds sing is that once they are uncovered and given their little push, 'they think they are free.' But when the birds are hooded again, even the false sense of freedom deserts them and they fall silent."
一位記者終於領悟了北平老人家「養鳥」的個中真趣：他們在籠子外罩上黑布，偶爾掀開布幔，鳥兒驟見天光，誤以為自己自由了，就漫聲歌唱，眾老便在這時品評其歌藝身段，最後又蓋上布幔。