CHAPTER 2 A daughter of the Jias ends her days in Yangchow city And Leng Zi-xing discourses on the Jias of Rong-guo House
卻說封肅聽見公差傳喚，忙出來陪笑啟問。那些人只嚷：「快請出甄爺來！」封肅忙陪笑道：「小人姓封，並不姓甄。只有當日小婿姓甄，今已出家一二年了。不知可是問他？」那些公人道：「我們也不知什麼『真』『假』！既是你的女婿，就帶了你去面稟太爺便了。」大家把封肅推擁而去。
Hearing the clamour of yamen runners outside, Feng Su hurried to the door, his face wreathed in smiles, to ask what they wanted. ‘Tell Mr Zhen to step outside,’ they were shouting. ‘Hurry!’ Feng Su’s smile became even more ingratiating. ‘My name is Feng, not Zhen. My son-in-law’s name is Zhen, but he left home to become a Taoist more than a year ago. Could he be the one you want?’ ‘“Feng” or “Zhen”, it’s all the same to us,’ said the runners; ‘but if you’re his father-in-law you’d better come along with us to see the magistrate.’
- clamour: to make a loud complaint or demand （傳喚）
- wreathed: to cover or surround something
- ingratiating: ingratiating behavior is intended to make people like you （諂媚）
- magistrate: a person who acts as a judge in a law court that deals with crimes that are less serious （縣太爺）
封家各各驚慌，不知何事。至二更時分，封肅方回來，眾人忙問端的。「原來新任太爺姓賈，名化，本湖州人氏，曾與女婿舊交，因在我家門首看見嬌杏丫頭買線，只當女婿移住此間，所以來傳。我將緣故回明，那太爺感傷歎息了一回，又問外孫女兒。我說：『看燈丟了。』太爺說：『不妨，待我差人去，務必找尋回來。』說了一回話，臨走又送我二兩銀子。」甄家娘子聽了，不覺感傷。一夜無話。
And they hustled him off, leaving the entire household in a state of panic, quite at a loss to know what the trouble could be. It was ten o’clock before Feng Su returned, and everyone pressed him to give a full account of what had transpired. ‘It seems that the new mandarin is a Hu-zhou man called Jia. He used to be an acquaintance of Shi-yin’s in the old days. He guessed that Shi-yin must have moved to these parts when he saw our Lucky in the doorway buying silks. That’s why he sent the runners here.
- transpired: If it transpires that something has happened, this previously secret or unknown fact becomes known
I explained what had happened to Shi-yin, and he seemed very upset. Then he asked me about Ying-lian, and I said she was lost while out watching the lanterns. “Never mind,” he said, “wait till I send some people out to look for her. We shall have her back in no time.” Then we chatted a bit longer, and last as I was going, he gave me two taels of silver.’ Mrs Zhen could not help being affected by this account. But the rest of that night we pass over in silence.
次日早有雨村遣人送了兩封銀子，四疋錦緞，答謝甄家娘子；又一封密書與封肅，託他向甄家娘子要那嬌杏作二房。封肅喜得眉開眼笑，巴不得去奉承太爺，便在女兒前一力攛掇，當夜用一乘小轎，便把嬌杏送進衙內去了。雨村歡喜，自不必言，又封百金贈與封肅。又送甄家娘子許多禮物，命其且自過活，以待訪尋女兒下落。
Early next day a messenger arrived from Yu-cun bearing two packets of silver and four bolts of silk brocade for Mrs Zhen as a token of the sender’s gratitude. There was also a confidential letter for Feng Su commissioning him to ask Mrs Zhen for Lucky’s hand as Yu-cun’s second wife. Enraptured at the prospect of doing a good turn for a mandarin, Feng Su hastened to urge upon his daughter the importance of complying with this request, and that very night Lucky was bundled into a small covered chair and carried off to the yamen.
- bolts: a metal bar on a door or window that slides across to lock it closed
- brocade: heavy cloth with a raised design often of gold or silver threads
- Enraptured: filled with great pleasure or extremely pleased by something
- hastened: to make something happen sooner or more quickly
- bundled: a number of things that have been fastened or are held together
Yu-cun’s delight goes without saying. Another hundred taels of silver were despatched to Feng Su, together with a number of good things for Mrs Zhen, to cheer and sustain her until such time as her daughter’s whereabouts could be discovered.
- despatched: to send something, especially goods or a message, somewhere for a particular purpose
卻說嬌杏那丫頭便是當年回顧雨村的。因偶然一看，便弄出這段奇緣，也是意想不到之事。誰知他命運兩濟：不承望自到雨村身邊，只一年，便生一子；又半載，雨村嫡配忽染疾下世，雨村便將他扶作正室夫人。正是：「偶因一回顧，便為人上人。」
Lucky was, of course, the maid who had once turned back to look at Yu-cun when they were living at the house in Soochow. She could scarcely have foreseen at the time what singular good fortune that one glance would procure for her. But she was destined to be doubly fortunate. She had not been with Yu-cun more than a year when she gave birth to a son; and a mere six months later Yu-cun’s first wife died, whereupon Lucky was promoted to fill her place and became Her Lady ship. As the proverb says,
Sometimes by chance, A look or a glance May one’s fortune advance.
- scarcely: almost not
- procure: to get something
原來雨村因那年士隱贈銀之後，他於十六日便起身赴京，大比之期，十分得意，中了進士，選入外班，今已陞了本縣太爺。雖才幹優長，未免貪酷，且恃才侮上，那同寅皆側目而視。不上一年，便被上司參了一本，說他「貌似有才，性實狡猾」；又題了一兩件徇庇蠹役，交結鄉紳之事。龍顏大怒，即命革職。部文一到，本府各官無不喜悅。那雨村雖十分慚恨，面上卻全無一點怨色，仍是嘻笑自若。交代過了公事，將歷年所積的宦囊並家屬人等送至原籍安頓妥當了，卻自己擔風袖月，遊覽天下勝跡。那日偶又游至維揚地方，聞得今年鹽政點的是林如海。
蠹：dù 比喻從中破壞或侵耗財物的人
When Yu-cun received the gift of money from Zhen Shi-yin he had left for the capital on the day after the festival. He had done well in the Triennial examination, passing out as a Palace Graduate, and had been selected for external service. And now he had been promoted to the magistracy of this district. But although his intelligence and ability were outstanding, these qualities were unfortunately offset by a certain cupidity and harshness and a tendency to use his intelligence in order to outwit his superiors; all of which caused his fellow-officials to cast envious glances in his direction, with the result that in less than a year an unfavourable report was sent in by a senior official stating that his ‘seeming ability was no more than a mask for cunning and duplicity’ and citing one or two instances in which he had aided and abetted the peculations of his underlings or allied himself with powerful local interests in order to frustrate the course of justice. The imperial eye, lighting on this report, kindled with wrath.
- cupidity: a strong feeling of wanting to have something, especially money or possessions
- outwit: to get an advantage over someone by acting more cleverly and often by using a trick
- cunning: Cunning people are good at planning something so that they get what they want, especially by tricking other people, or things that are cleverly made for a particular purpose
- duplicity: dishonest talk or behavior, especially by saying different things to two people
- abetted: to help or encourage someone to do something wrong or illegal
- peculations
- wrath: extreme anger
Yu-cun’s instant dismissal was commanded. The officials at the Prefecture, when notice that he was to be cashiered arrived from the Ministry, rejoiced to a man. But Yu-cun, in spite of all the shame and chagrin that he felt, allowed no glimmer of resentment to appear on his face. Indeed, he joked and smiled as before, and when the business of handing over was completed, he took his wife and family and the loot he had accumulated during his years of office and having settled them all safely in his native Hu-zhou, set off, free as the air, on an extended tour of some of the more celebrated places of scenic interest in our mighty empire. One day Yu-cun chanced to be staying in the Yangchow area when he heard that the Salt Commissioner for that year was a certain Lin Ru-hai.
- chagrin: disappointment or anger, especially when caused by a failure or mistake
- glimmer: to shine with a weak light or a light that is not continuous
- loot: money and valuable objects that have been stolen, especially by an army from a defeated enemy or by thieves
- empire: a group of countries ruled by a single person, government, or country
這林如海，姓林，名海，表字如海，乃是前科的探花，今已陞蘭台寺大夫。本貫姑蘇人氏，今欽點為巡鹽御史，到任未久。原來這林如海之祖也曾襲過列侯的，今到如海，業經五世。起初只襲三世，因當今隆恩盛德，額外加恩，至如海之父又襲了一代，到了如海便從科第出身。雖係世祿之家，卻是書香之族。只可惜這林家支庶不盛，人丁有限，雖有幾門，卻與如海俱是堂族，沒甚親支嫡派的。今如海年已五十，只有一個三歲之子，又於去歲亡了，雖有幾房姬妾，奈命中無子，亦無可奈何之事。只嫡妻賈氏生得一女，乳名黛玉，年方五歲，夫妻愛之如掌上明珠。見他生得聰明俊秀，也欲使他識幾個字，不過假充養子，聊解膝下荒涼之歎。
This Lin Ru-hai had passed out Florilege, or third in the whole list of successful candidates, in a previous Triennial, and had lately been promoted to the Censorate. He was a Soochow man and had not long taken up his duties in Yangchow following his nomination by the emperor as Visiting Inspector in that area. Lin Ru-hai came of an aristocratic family and was himself fifth in line since his ancestor’s ennoblement. The original patent had been inheritable only up to the third generation, and it was only through the magnanimity of the reigning sovereign that an exceptional act of grace had extended it for a further generation in the case of Lin Ru-hai’s father. Lin Ru-hai himself had therefore been obliged to make his way up through the examination system.
- nomination: to officially suggest someone for an election, job, position, or honor
- aristocratic: belonging to a class of people who hold high social rank
- magnanimity: kindness and generosity, especially toward an enemy or someone you have defeated
- reigning: being the most recent winner of a competition
It was fortunate for him that, though the family had up to his time enjoyed hereditary emoluments, it had nevertheless enjoined a high standard of education on all of its members. Lin Ru-hai was less fortunate, however, in belonging to a family whose numbers were dwindling. He could still point to several related households, but they were all on the distaff side. There was not a single relation in the direct line who bore his name. Already he was fifty, and his only son had died the year before at the age of three. And although he kept several concubines, he seemed fated to have no son, and had all but resigned himself to this melancholy fact.
- hereditary: (of characteristics or diseases) passed from the genes of a parent to a child, or (of titles and positions in society) passed from parent to a child as a right
- emoluments: payment for work in the form of money or something else of value
- dwindling: gradually becoming smaller in size or amount, or fewer in number
- concubines: a woman who, in some societies, lives and has sex with a man she is not married to, and has a lower social rank than his wife or wives
- melancholy: sad
His chief wife, who had been a Miss Jia, had given him a daughter called Dai-yu. Both parents doted on her, and because she showed exceptional intelligence, conceived the idea of giving her a rudimentary education as a substitute for bringing up a son, hoping in this way somewhat to alleviate the sense of desolation left by the death of their only heir.
- doted: (dote on someone) is to love someone completely and believe they are perfect
- rudimentary: basic
- desolation: the state of a place that is empty or where everything has been destroyed
且說雨村在旅店偶感風寒，愈後又因盤費不繼，正欲得一居停之所，以為息肩之地。偶遇兩個舊友，認得新鹽政，知他正要請一西席教訓女兒，遂將雨村薦進衙門去。這女學生年紀幼小，身體又弱，功課不限多寡，其餘不過兩個伴讀丫鬟，故雨村十分省力，正好養病。
Now Jia Yu-cun had had the misfortune to catch a severe chill while staying in his lodgings at Yangchow, and after his recovery, found himself somewhat short of cash. He was therefore already looking around for some more permanent haven where he could rest and recuperate, when he chanced to run into two old friends who were acquainted with the new Salt Commissioner and who, knowing that the latter was looking for a suitable tutor for his daughter, took Yu-cun along to the yamen and introduced him, with the result that he was given the job. Since Yu-cun’s pupil was both very young and rather delicate, there were no regular hours of instruction; and as she had only a couple of little maids studying with her for company who stayed away when she did, Yu-cun’s employment was far from arduous and left ample time for convalescence.
- recuperate: to become well again after an illness; to get back your strength, health, etc.
- latter: near or toward the end of something
- pupil: a person, especially a child at school, who is being taught
- arduous: difficult, needing a lot of effort and energy
- convalescence: a period to rest in order to get better after an illness
看看又是一載有餘，不料女學生之母賈氏夫人一病而亡。女學生奉侍湯藥，守喪盡禮，過於哀痛，素本怯弱，因此舊病復發，有好些時不曾上學。雨村閒居無聊，每當風日晴和，飯後便出來閒步。這一日，偶至郊外，意欲賞鑒那村野風光。信步至一山環水漩茂林修竹之處，隱隱有座廟宇，門巷傾頹，牆垣剝落，有額題曰「智通寺」。門旁又有一副舊破的對聯云：「身後有餘忘縮手，眼前無路想回頭。」雨村看了，因想到：「這兩句，文雖甚淺，其意則深。也曾遊過些名山大剎，倒不曾見過這話頭。其中想必有個翻過筋斗來的也未可知，何不進去一訪？」走入看時，只有一個龍鍾老僧在那裡煮粥。雨村見了，卻不在意，及至問他兩句話，那老僧既聾且昏，又齒落舌鈍，所答非所問。
A year or more passed uneventfully and then, quite un-expectedly, Lin Ru-hai’s wife took ill and died. Yu-cun’s little pupil helped with the nursing throughout her mother’s last illness and mourned for her bitterly after her death. The extra strain this placed on her always delicate constitution brought on a severe attack of a recurrent sickness, and for a long time she was unable to pursue her lessons. Bored by his enforced idleness, Yu-cun took to going for walks as soon as lunch was over whenever the weather was warm and sunny. One day a desire to savour country sights and sounds led him outside the city walls, and as he walked along with no fixed destination in mind, he presently found himself in a place ringed with hills and full of murmuring brooks and tall stands of bamboo where a temple stood half-hidden among the trees.
- mourned: to feel or express great sadness, especially because of someone’s death
- strain: a force or influence that stretches, pulls, or puts pressure on something, sometimes causing damage
- savour: to enjoy food or an experience slowly, in order to enjoy it as much as possible
- murmuring: to speak or say something very quietly
- brooks: a small stream
The walled approach to the gateway had fallen in and parts of the surrounding wall were in ruins. A board above the gate announced the temple’s name: THE TEMPLE OF PERFECT KNOWLEDGE, while two cracked and worn uprights at the sides of the gate were inscribed with the following couplet:
(on the right-hand side)As long as there is a sufficiency behind you, you press greedily forward.
(on the left-hand side)It is only when there is no road in front of you that you think of turning back.
‘The wording is commonplace to a degree,’ Yu-cun reflected, ‘yet the sentiment is quite profound. In all the famous temples and monasteries I have visited, I cannot recollect having ever seen anything quite like it. I shouldn’t be surprised to find that some story of spectacular downfall and dramatic conversion lay behind this inscription. It might be worth going in and inquiring.’ But when he went inside and looked around, he saw only an ancient, wizened monk cooking some gruel who paid no attention whatsoever to his greetings and who proved, when Yu-cun went up to him and asked him a few questions, to be both deaf and partially blind. His toothless replies were all but unintelligible, and in any case bore no relation to the questions.
- commonplace: happening often or often seen or experienced and so not considered to be special
- monasteries: a building in which monks live and worship
- wizened: small and having dry skin with lines in it, especially because of old age
- gruel: a cheap simple food made, especially in the past, by boiling oats with water or milk
雨村不耐煩，仍退出來，意欲到那村肆中沽飲三杯，以助野趣，於是移步行來。剛入肆門，只見座上吃酒之客，有一人起身大笑，接了出來，口內說：「奇遇，奇遇！」雨村忙看時，此人是都中古董行中貿易，姓冷號子興的，舊日在都相識。雨村最讚這冷子興是個有作為大本領的人，這子興又借雨村斯文之名，故二人最相投契。雨村忙亦笑問：「老兄何日到此？弟竟不知。今日偶遇，真奇緣也！」子興道：「去歲年底到家。今因還要入都，從此順路找個敝友說一句話，承他的情，留我多住兩日。我也無甚緊事，且盤桓兩日，待月半時也就起身了。今日敝友有事，我因閒走到此，不期這樣巧遇！」一面說，一面讓雨村同席坐了，另整上酒肴來，二人閒談慢飲，敘些別後之事。
Yu-cun walked out again in disgust. He now thought that in order to give the full rural flavour to his outing he would treat himself to a few cups of wine in a little country inn and accordingly directed his steps towards the near-by village. He had scarcely set foot inside the door of the village inn when one of the men drinking at separate tables inside rose up and advanced to meet him with a broad smile. ‘Fancy meeting you!’ It was an antique dealer called Leng Zi-xing whom Yu-cun had got to know some years previously when he was staying in the capital. Yu-cun had a great admiration for Zi-xing as a practical man of business, whilst Zi-xing for his part was tickled to claim acquaintanceship with a man of Yu-cun’s great learning and culture.
- tickled: to touch someone lightly with your fingers, making them slightly uncomfortable and often making them laugh
On the basis of this mutual admiration the two of them had got on wonderfully well, and Yu-cun now returned the other’s greeting with a pleased smile. ‘My dear fellow! How long have you been here? I really had no idea you were in these parts. It was quite an accident that I came here today at all. What an extraordinary coincidence!’ ‘I went home at the end of last year to spend New Year with the family,’ said Zi-xing. ‘On my way back to the capital I thought I would stop off and have a few words with a friend of mine who lives hereabouts, and he very kindly invited me to spend a few days with him. I hadn’t got any urgent business waiting for me, so I thought I might as well stay on a bit and leave at the middle of the month. I came out here on my own because my friend has an engagement today. I certainly didn’t expect to run into you here.’ Zi-xing conducted Yu-cun to his table as he spoke and ordered more wine and some fresh dishes to be brought. The two men then proceeded, between leisurely sips of wine, to relate what each had been doing in the years that had elapsed since their last meeting.
雨村因問：「近日都中可有新聞沒有？」子興道：「倒沒有什麼新聞，倒是老先生的貴同宗家出了一件小小的異事。」雨村笑道：「弟族中無人在都，何談及此？」子興笑道：「你們同姓，豈非一族？」雨村問：「是誰家？」子興笑道：「榮國賈府中，可也不玷辱老先生的門楣了！」雨村道：「原來是他家。若論起來，寒族人丁卻自不少，東漢賈復以來，支派繁盛，各省皆有，誰能逐細考查？若論榮國一支，卻是同譜。但他那等榮耀，我們不便去認他，故越發生疏了。」子興歎道：「老先生，休這樣說！如今的這榮寧二府也都蕭索了，不比先時的光景。」雨村道：「當日榮寧兩宅，人口也極多，如何便蕭索了呢？」子興道：「正是，說來也話長。」雨村道：「去歲我到金陵時，因欲游覽六朝遺跡，那日進了石頭城，從他宅門前經過，街東是寧國府，街西是榮國府，二宅相連，竟將大半條街占了。大門外雖冷落無人，隔著圍牆一望，裡面廳殿樓閣，也還都崢嶸軒峻；就是後邊一帶花園裡，樹木山石，也都還有蔥蔚洇潤之氣：那裡像個衰敗之家？」子興笑道：「虧你是進士出身！原來不通！古人有言，『百足之蟲，死而不僵』，如今雖說不似先年那樣興盛，較之平常仕宦人家，到底氣象不同。如今人口日多，事務日盛，主僕上下都是安富尊榮，運籌謀畫的竟無一個。那日用排場，又不能將就省儉。如今外面的架子雖未甚倒，內囊卻也盡上來了。－－這也是小事，更有一件大事：誰知這樣鐘鳴鼎食的人家兒，如今養的兒孫竟一代不如一代了！」雨村聽說，也道：「這樣詩禮之家，豈有不善教育之理？別門不知，只說這寧榮兩宅，是最教子有方的，何至如此？」
Presently Yu-cun asked Zi-xing if anything of interest had happened recently in the capital. ‘I can’t think of anything particularly deserving of mention,’ said Zi-xing. ‘Except, perhaps, for a very small but very unusual event that took place in your own clan there.’ ‘What makes you say that?’ said Yu-cun, ‘I have no family connections in the capital.’ ‘Well, it’s the same name,’ said Zi-xing. ‘They must be the same clan.’ Yu-cun asked him what family he could be referring to. ‘I fancy you wouldn’t disown the Jias of the Rong-guo mansion as unworthy of you.’ ‘Oh, you mean them,’ said Yu-cun.
- Clan: a group of families who originally came from the same family and have the same name
- Disown: to make it known that you no longer have any connection with someone that you were closely connected with
‘There are so many members of my clan, it’s hard to keep up with them all. Since the time of Jia Fu of the Eastern Han dynasty there have been branches of the Jia clan in every province of the empire. The Rong-guo branch is, as a matter of fact, on the same clan register as my own; but since they are exalted so far above us socially, we don’t normally claim the connection, and nowadays we are completely out of touch with them.’ Zi-xing sighed. ‘You shouldn’t speak about them in that way, you know. Nowadays both the Rong and Ning mansions are in a greatly reduced state compared with what they used to be.’ ‘When I was last that way the Rong and Ning mansions both seemed to be fairly humming with life.
- Humming: (hun) to make a continuous low sound
Surely nothing could have happened to reduce their prosperity in so short a time?’ ‘Ah, you may well ask. But it’s a long story.’ ‘Last time I was in Jinling,’ went on Yu-cun, ‘I passed by their two houses one day on my way to Shi-tou-cheng to visit the ruins. The Ning-guo mansion along the eastern half of the road and the Rong-guo mansion along the western half must between them have occupied the greater part of the north side frontage of that street. It’s true that there wasn’t much activity outside the main entrances, but looking up over the outer walls I had a glimpse of the most magnificent and imposing halls and pavilions, and even the rocks and trees of the gardens beyond seemed to have a sleekness and luxuriance that were certainly not suggestive of a family whose fortunes were in a state of decline.’ ‘Well! For a Palace Graduate Second Class, you ought to know better than that!
- Ruins: the process or state of being spoiled or destroyed 遺跡
- Imposing: having an appearance that looks important or causes admiration
- Sleekness: the quality of being smooth, shiny, and lying close to the body, and therefore looking well cared for; the quality of not being messy and having no parts sticking out
Haven’t you ever heard the old saying, “The beast with a hundred legs is a long time dying”? Although I say they are not as prosperous as they used to be in years past, of course I don’t mean to say that there is not still a world of difference between their circumstances and those you would expect to find in the household of your average government official. At the moment the numbers of their establishment and the activities they engage in are, if anything, on the increase. Both masters and servants all lead lives of luxury and magnificence. And they still have plenty of plans and projects under way.
But they can’t bring themselves to economize or make any adjustment in their accustomed style of living. Consequently, though outwardly they still manage to keep up appearances, inwardly they are beginning to feel the pinch. But that’s a small matter. There’s something much more seriously wrong with them than that. They are not able to turn out good sons, those stately houses, for all their pomp and show. The males in the family get more degenerate from one generation to the next.’ Surely,’ said Yu-cun with surprise, ‘it is inconceivable that such highly cultured households should not give their children the best education possible? I say nothing of other families, but the Jias of the Ning and Rong households used to be famous for the way in which they brought up their sons. How could they come to be as you describe?’
- Pinch: to press something, especially someone’s skin, strongly between two hard things such as a finger and a thumb, usually causing pain
- Stately: formal, slow, and having a style and appearance that causes admiration
子興歎道：「正說的是這兩門呢！待我告訴你：當日寧國公與榮國公是一母同胞弟兄兩個。寧公居長，生了兩個兒子。寧公死後，長子賈代化襲了官，也養了兩個兒子。長子名賈敷，八九歲上死了。只剩了一個次子賈敬，襲了官，如今一味好道，只愛燒丹煉汞，別事一概不管。幸而早年留下一個兒子，名喚賈珍，因他父親一心想作神仙，把官倒讓他襲了。他父親又不肯住在家裡，只在都中城外和那些道士們胡羼。這位珍爺也生了一個兒子，今年纔十六歲，名叫賈蓉。如今敬老爺不管事了。這珍爺那裡幹正事？只一味高樂不了，把那寧國府竟翻過來了，也沒有敢來管他的人。再說榮府你聽：方纔所說異事就出在這裡。自榮公死後，長子賈代善襲了官，娶的是金陵世勳史侯家的小姐為妻，生了兩個兒子：長名賈赦，次名賈政。如今代善早已去世，太夫人尚在。長子賈赦襲了官，為人卻也中平，也不管理家事。惟有次子賈政，自幼酷喜讀書，為人端方正直，祖父鍾愛，原要他從科甲出身；不料代善臨終，遺本一上，皇上憐念先臣，即叫長子襲了官，又問還有幾個兒子，立刻引見，又將這政老爺賜了個額外主事職銜，叫他入部習學，如今現已陞了員外郎。這政老爺的夫人王氏，頭胎生的公子名叫賈珠，十四歲進學，後來娶了妻，生了子，不到二十歲，一病就死了。第二胎生了一位小姐，生在大年初一，就奇了。不想隔了十幾年又生了一位公子，說來更奇：一落胞胎，嘴裡便啣下一塊五彩晶瑩的玉來，還有許多字跡。你道是新聞不是？」
‘I assure you, it is precisely those families I am speaking of. Let me tell you something of their history. The Duke of Ning-guo and the Duke of Rong-guo were two brothers by the same mother. Ning-guo was the elder of the two. When he died, his eldest son, Jia Dai-hua, inherited his post. Daihua had two sons. The elder, Jia Fu, died at the age of eight or nine, leaving only the second son, Jia Jing, to inherit. Nowadays Jia Jing’s only interest in life is Taoism. He spends all his time over retorts and crucibles concocting elixirs, and refuses to be bothered with anything else.
- Duke: a man of very high rank in a country, or the ruler of a small independent country
- Retorts: a quick answer that is angry or funny
- Crucibles: a container in which metals or other substances can be heated to very high temperatures 指煉丹
- Concocting: to make something, usually food, by adding several different parts together, often in a way that is original or not planned
- Elixirs: a substance, usually a liquid, with a magical power to cure, improve, or preserve something
‘Fortunately he had already provided himself with a son, Jia Zhen, long before he took up this hobby. So, having set his mind on turning himself into an immortal, he has given up his post in favour of this son. And what’s more he refuses outright to live at home and spends his time fooling around with a pack of Taoists somewhere outside the city walls. ‘This Jia Zhen has got a son of his own, a lad called Jia Rong, just turned sixteen. With old Jia Jing out of the way and refusing to exercise any authority, Jia Zhen has thrown his responsibilities to the winds and given himself up to a life of pleasure. He has turned that Ning-guo mansion upside down, but there is no one around who dares gainsay him. ‘Now I come to the Rong household—it was there that this strange event occurred that I was telling you about. When the old Duke of Rong-guo died, his eldest son, Jia Dai-shan, inherited his emoluments. He married a girl from a very old Nanking family, the daughter of Marquis Shi, who bore him two sons, Jia She and Jia Zheng.
- gainsay: to refuse to accept something as the truth
- emoluments: payment for work in the form of money or something else of value
- Marquis: a man of high social rank
‘Dai-shan has been dead this many a year, but the old lady is still alive. The elder son, Jia She, inherited; but he’s only a very middling sort of person and doesn’t play much part in running the family. The second son, though, Jia Zheng, has been mad keen on study ever since he was a lad. He is a very upright sort of person, straight as a die. He was his grand-father’s favourite. He would have sat for the examinations, but when the emperor saw Dai-shan’s testamentary memorial that he wrote on his death bed, he was so moved, thinking what a faithful servant the old man had been, that he not only ordered the elder son to inherit his father’s position, but also gave instructions that any other sons of his were to be presented to him at once, and on seeing Jia Zheng he gave him the post of Supernumerary Executive Officer, brevet rank, with instructions to continue his studies while on the Ministry’s payroll.
- Middling: medium or average; neither very good nor very bad
- Lad: a boy or young man
- Testamentary: 遺囑
- Payroll: a list of the people employed by a company showing how much each one earns 俸祿
From there he Jias now risen to the post of Under Secretary. ‘Sir Zheng’s lady was formerly a Miss Wang. Her first child was a boy called Jia Zhu. He was already a Licensed Scholar at the age of fourteen. Then he married and had a son. But he died of an illness before he was twenty. The second child she bore him was a little girl, rather remarkable because she was born on New Year’s day. Then after an interval of twelve years or more she suddenly had another son. He was even more remarkable, because at the moment of his birth he had a piece of beautiful, clear, coloured jade in his mouth with a lot of writing on it.
雨村笑道：「果然奇異！只怕這人的來歷不小。」子興冷笑道：「萬人都這樣說，因而他祖母愛如珍寶。那週歲時，政老爺試他將來的志向，便將世上所有的東西擺了無數叫他抓，誰知他一概不取，伸手只把些脂粉釵環抓來玩弄。那政老爺便不喜歡，說將來不過酒色之徒，因此便不甚愛惜。獨那太君還是命根子一般。說來又奇：如今長了十來歲，雖然淘氣異常，但聰明乖覺，百個不及他一個。說起孩子話來也奇。他說：『女兒是水做的骨肉，男子是泥做的骨肉。我見了女兒便清爽，見了男子便覺濁臭逼人！』你道好笑不好笑？將來色鬼無疑了！」雨村罕然厲色道：「非也。可惜你們不知道這人的來歷。大約政老前輩也錯以淫魔色鬼看待了。若非多讀書識事，加以致知格物之功，悟道參玄之力者，不能知也。」
They gave him the name “Bao-yu” as a consequence. Now tell me if you don’t think that is an extraordinary thing.’ ‘It certainly is,’ Yu-cun agreed. ‘I should not be at all surprised to find that there was something very unusual in the heredity of that child.’ ‘Humph,’ said Zi-xing. ‘A great many people have said that. That is the reason why his old grandmother thinks him such a treasure. But when they celebrated the First Twelve month and Sir Zheng tested his disposition by putting a lot of objects in front of him and seeing which he would take hold of, he stretched out his little hand and started playing with some women’s things –combs, bracelets, pots of rouge and powder and the like—completely ignoring all the other objects. Sir Zheng was very displeased. He said he would grow up to be a rake, and ever since then he hasn’t felt much affection for the child. But to the old lady he’s the very apple of her eye.
- disposition: the particular type of character that a person naturally has
- rake: a man, especially one who is rich or with a high social position, who lives in an immoral way, especially having sex with a lot of women
‘But there’s more that’s unusual about him than that. He’s now rising ten and unusually mischievous, yet his mind is as sharp as a needle. You wouldn’t find one in a hundred to match him. Some of the childish things he says are most extraordinary. He’ll say, “Girls are made of water and boys are made of mud. When I am with girls I feel fresh and clean’ but when I am with boys I feel stupid and nasty.”
- mischievous: behaving in a way, or describing behavior, that is slightly bad but is not intended to cause serious harm or damage
- nasty: bad or very unpleasant
Now isn’t that priceless! He’ll be a lady-killer when he grows up, no question of that.’ Yu-cun’s face assumed an expression of unwonted severity. ‘Not so. By no means. It is a pity that none of you seem to understand this child’s heredity. Most likely even my esteemed kinsman Sir Jia Zheng is mistaken in treating the boy as a future libertine. This is something that no one but a widely read person, and one moreover well-versed in moral philosophy and in the subtle arcana of metaphysical science could possibly understand.’
- severity: seriousness
- kinsman: a man who belongs to the same family as someone else
- esteemed: highly respected
- libertine: a person, usually a man, who has few moral principles and has sexual relationships with many people
- subtle: not loud, bright, noticeable, or obvious in any way
- arcana: 奧秘
子興見他說得這樣重大，忙請教其故。雨村道：「天地生人，除大仁大惡，餘者皆無大異。若大仁者，則應運而生；大惡者，則應劫而生。運生世治，劫生世危。堯、舜、禹、湯、文、武、周、召、孔、孟、董、韓、周、程、朱、張，皆應運而生者；蚩尤、共工、桀、紂、始皇、王莽、曹操、桓溫、安祿山、秦檜等，皆應劫而生者。大仁者修治天下，大惡者擾亂天下。清明靈秀，天地之正氣，仁者之所秉也；殘忍乖僻，天地之邪氣，惡者之所秉也。今當運隆祚永之朝，太平無為之世，清明靈秀之氣所秉者，上自朝廷，下至草野，比比皆是。所餘之秀氣，漫無所歸，遂為甘露，為和風，洽然溉及四海。彼殘忍乖僻之邪氣，不能蕩溢於光天化日之下，遂凝結充塞於深溝大壑之中，偶因風蕩，或被雲摧，略有搖動感發之意，一絲半縷，誤而逸出者，值靈秀之氣適過，正不容邪，邪復妒正，兩不相下，如風水雷電，地中相遇，既不能消，又不能讓，必至搏擊掀發後始盡。既然發洩，此氣亦必賦之於人。假使或男或女，偶秉此氣而生者，上則不能為仁人為君子，下亦不能為大凶大惡，置之千萬人之中，其聰俊靈秀之氣，則在千萬人之上；其乖僻邪謬不近人情之態，又在千萬人之下。若生於公侯富貴之家，則為情癡情種；若生於詩書清貧之族，則為逸士高人；縱然生於薄祚寒門，甚至為奇優，為名娼，亦斷不至為走卒健僕，甘遭庸夫驅制。如前之許由、陶潛、阮籍、嵇康、劉伶、王謝二族、顧虎頭、陳後主、唐明皇、宋徽宗、劉庭芝、溫飛卿、米南宮、石曼卿、柳耆卿、秦少游，近日倪雲林、唐伯虎、祝枝山，再如李龜年、黃繙綽、敬新磨、卓文君、紅拂、薛濤、崔鶯、朝雲之流，此皆易地則同之人也。」
Observing the weighty tone in which these words were uttered, Zi-xing hurriedly asked to be instructed, and Yu-cun proceeded as follows: ‘The generative processes operating in the universe provide the great majority of mankind with natures in which good and evil are commingled in more or less equal proportions. Instances of exceptional goodness and exceptional badness are produced by the operation of beneficent or noxious ethereal influences, of which the former are symptomatized by the equilibrium of society and the latter by its disequilibrium.
- weighty: heavy
- uttered: to say something or to make a sound with your voice
- commingled: to mix an amount of money belonging to one person, business, or account with that of another when the money should have been kept separate
- noxious: Something, especially a gas or other substance, that is noxious is poisonous or very harmful.
- ethereal: light and delicate, especially in an unnatural way
- symptomatized: (symptomatic) If something bad is symptomatic of something else, it is caused by the other thing and is proof that it exists.
- equilibrium: a state of balance or a calm mental state
‘Thus, Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, King Wen, King Wu, the Duke of Zhou, the Duke of Shao, Confucius, Mencius, Dong Zhong-shu, Han Yu, Zhou Dun-yi, the Cheng brothers, Zhu Xi and Zhang Zai — all instances of exceptional goodness—were born under the influence of benign forces, and all sought to promote the well-being of the societies in which they lived; whilst Chi You, Gong Gong, Jie, Zhou, the First Qin Emperor, Wang Mang, Cao Cao, Huan Wen,An Lu-shan and Qin Kuai —all instances of exceptional badness—were born under the influence of harmful forces, and all sought to disrupt the societies in which they lived.
- benign: pleasant and kind
- sought: (seek) to try to find or get something, especially something that is not a physical object
‘Now, the good cosmic fluid with which the natures of the exceptionally good are compounded is a pure, quintessential humour; whilst the evil fluid which infuses the natures of the exceptionally bad is a cruel, perverse humour. ‘Therefore, our age being one in which beneficent ethereal influences are in the ascendant, in which the reigning dynasty’ is well-established and society both peaceful and prosperous, innumerable instances are to be found, from the palace down to the humblest cottage, of individuals endowed with the pure, quintessential humour.
- compounded: a chemical that combines two or more elements
- infuses: to fill someone or something with an emotion or quality
- cruel:extremely unkind and unpleasant and causing pain to people or animals intentionally
- perverse: strange and not what most people would expect or enjoy
- ethereal: light and delicate, especially in an unnatural way
- ascendant: increasingly successful or powerful
- reigning: being the most recent winner of a competition
- cottage: a small house, usually in the countryside
- endowed: to give a large amount of money to pay for creating a college, hospital, etc. or to provide an income for it
‘Moreover, an unused surplus of this pure, quintessential humour, unable to find corporeal lodgment, circulates freely abroad until it manifests itself in the form of sweet dews and balmy winds, asperged and effused for the enrichment and refreshment of all terrestrial life.
- manifests: to show something clearly, through signs or actions (顯現)
- asperged: (asperge)to sprinkle especially with holy water
- dews: drops of water that form on the ground and other surfaces outside during the night (露水)
- terrestrial: relating to the earth
‘Consequently, the cruel and perverse humours, unable to circulate freely in the air and sunlight, subside, by a process of incrassation and coagulation, into the bottoms of ditches and ravines. Now, should these incrassate humours chance to be stirred or provoked by wind or weather into a somewhat more volatile and active condition, it sometimes happens that a stray wisp or errant flocculus may escape from the fissure or concavity in which they are contained; and if some of the pure, quintessential humour should chance to be passing overhead at that same moment, the two will become locked in irreconcilable conflict, the good refusing to yield to the evil, the evil persisting in its hatred of the good.
- cruel:extremely unkind and unpleasant and causing pain to people or animals intentionally
- perverse: strange and not what most people would expect or enjoy
- incrassation: (incrassate) of a plant or animal structure
- coagulation: the process of becoming viscous or thickened into a coherent mass
- provoked: to cause a reaction, especially a negative one
- wisp: a small, thin line of cloud/smoke/steam
- errant: behaving wrongly in some way, especially by leaving home
- flocculus: a small loosely aggregated mass
- fissure: a deep, narrow crack in rock or the earth
- concavity: a concave line, surface, or space
- irreconcilable: impossible to find agreement between or with, or impossible to deal with
- hatred: an extremely strong feeling of dislike
And just as wind, water, thunder and lightning meeting together over the earth can neither dissipate nor yield one to another but produce an explosive shock resulting in the downward emission of rain, so does this clash of humours result in the forcible downward expulsion of the evil humour, which, being thus forced down-wards, will find its way into some human creature.
‘Such human recipients, whether they be male or female, since they are already amply endowed with the benign humour before the evil humour is injected, are incapable of becoming either greatly good or greatly bad; but place them in the company of ten thousand others and you will find that they are superior to all the rest in sharpness and intelligence and inferior to all the rest in perversity, wrongheadedness and eccentricity.
- recipients: a person who receives something
- amply: more than enough
- endowed: to furnish with an income
- perversity: the quality of being strange and not what most people would do or expect
- wrongheadedness: stubborn in adherence to wrong opinion or principles
- eccentricity: the state of being strange or unusual, sometimes in a humorous way
Born into a rich or noble household they are likely to become great lovers or the occasion of great love in others; in a poor but well-educated household they will become literary rebels or eccentric aesthetes; even if they are born in the lowest stratum of society they are likely to become great actors or famous hetaerae. Under no circumstances will you find them in servile or menial positions, content to be at the beck and call of mediocrities. ‘For examples I might cite:
- rebels: a person who is opposed to the political system in their country and tries to change it using force
- aesthetes: a person who understands and enjoys beauty
- stratum: one of the parts or layers into which something is separated
- hetaera: highly cultivated courtesan （藝妓/戲女等）
- servile: too eager to serve and please someone else in a way that shows you do not have much respect for yourself
- menial: menial work is boring, makes you feel tired, and is given a low social value
- beck: a small river
- mediocrities: the quality of being not very good
Xu You, Tao Yuan-ming, Ruan Ji, Ji Kang, Liu Ling, the Wang and Xie clans of the Jin period, Gu Kai-zhi, the last ruler of Chen, the emperor Ming-huang of the Tang dynasty, the emperor Hui-zong of the Song dynasty, Liu Ting-zhi, Wen Ting-yun, Mi Fei, Shi Yan-nian, Liu Yong and Qin Guan; or, from more recent centuries: Ni Zan, Tang Yin and Zhu Yun-ming; or again, for examples of the last type: Li Gui-nian, Huang Fan-chuo, Jing Xin-mo, Zhuo Wen-jun, Little Red Duster, Xue Tao, Cui Ying-ying and Morning Cloud. All of these, though their circumstances differed, were essentially the same.’
子興道：「依你說，成則公侯，敗則賊了？」雨村道：「正是這意。你還不知，我自革職以來，這兩年遍游各省，也曾遇見兩個異樣孩子，所以方纔你一說這寶玉，我就猜著了八九也是這一派人物。不用遠說，只這金陵城內欽差金陵省體仁院總裁甄家，你可知道？」子興道：「誰人不知！這甄府就是賈府老親。他們兩家來往極親熱的。就是我也和他家往來非止一日了。」
‘You mean’ Zi-xing interposed, ‘Zhang victorious is a hero, Zhang beaten is a lousy knave?’ ‘Precisely so,’ said Yu-cun. ‘I should have told you that during the two years after I was cashiered I travelled extensively in every province of the empire and saw quite a few remarkable children in the course of my travels; so that just now when you mentioned this Bao-yu I felt pretty certain what type of boy he must be. But one doesn’t need to go very far afield for another example. There is one in the Zhen family in Nanking—I am referring to the family of the Zhen who is Imperial Deputy Director-General of the Nanking Secretariat. Perhaps you know who I mean?’ ‘Who doesn’t?’ said Zi-xing. ‘There is an old family connection between the Zhen family and the Jias of whom we have just been speaking, and they are still on very close terms with each other. I’ve done business with them myself for longer than I’d care to mention.’
- lousy: very bad
- knave: a dishonest man
- cashiered: to officially dismiss (= remove from a job) a person from a military organization, especially making them lose their honour at the same time
雨村笑道：「去歲我在金陵，也曾有人薦我到甄府處館。我進去看其光景，誰知他家那等榮貴，卻是個富而好禮之家，倒是個難得之館。但是這個學生雖是啟蒙，卻比一個舉業的還勞神。說起來更可笑。他說：『必得兩個女兒陪著我讀書，我方能認得字，心上也明白；不然，我心裡自己糊塗。』又常對著跟他的小廝們說：『這『女兒』兩個字，極尊貴極清淨的，比那瑞獸珍禽、奇花異草更覺稀罕尊貴呢。你們這種濁口臭舌，萬萬不可唐突了這兩個字。要緊，要緊！但凡要說的時節，必用淨水香茶嗽了口方可；設若失錯，便要鑿牙穿眼的。』其暴虐頑劣，種種異常。只放了學進去，見了那些女兒們，其溫厚和平、聰敏文雅，竟變了一個樣子。因此，他令尊也曾下死笞楚過幾次，竟不能改。每打的吃疼不過時，他便『姐姐』『妹妹』的亂叫起來。後來聽得裡面女兒們拿他取笑：『因何打急了只管叫「姐妹」作什麼？莫不叫姐妹們去討情，討饒？你豈不愧些？』他回答的最妙。他說：『急疼之時，只叫「姐姐」「妹妹」字樣，或可解疼，也未可知，因叫了一聲，果覺疼得好些，遂得了秘法，每疼痛之極，便連叫「姐妹」起來了。』你說可笑不可笑？為他祖母溺愛不明，每因孫辱師責子，所以我就辭了館出來。這等子弟必不能守祖父基業，從師友規勸的。只可惜他家幾個好姊妹都是少有的！」
‘Last year when I was in Nanking,’ said Yu-cun, smiling at the recollection, ‘I was recommended for the post of tutor in their household. I could tell at a glance, as soon as I got inside the place, that for all the ducal splendour this was a family “though rich yet given to courtesy”, in the words of the Sage, and that it was a rare piece of luck to have got a place in it. But when I came to teach my pupil, though he was only at the first year primary stage, he gave me more trouble than an examination candidate.
- recollection: a memory of something
- ducal: of or connected with a duke
- splendour: great beauty that attracts admiration and attention
- Sage: wise, especially as a result of great experience
‘He was indeed a comedy. He once said, “I must have two girls to do my lessons with me if I am to remember the words and understand the sense. Otherwise my mind will simply not work.” And he would often tell the little pages who waited on him, “The word ‘girl’ is very precious and very pure. It is much more rare and precious than all the rarest beasts and birds and plants in the world. So it is most extremely important that you should never, never violate it with your coarse mouths and stinking breath. Whenever you need to say it, you should first rinse your mouths out with clean water and scented tea. And if ever I catch you slipping up, I shall have holes drilled through your teeth and lace them up together.”
- pages: 伴讀
- coarse: rough and not smooth or soft, or not in very small pieces
- stinking: having a very unpleasant smell
- slipping up: making a mistake
‘There was simply no end to his violence and unruliness. Yet as soon as his lessons were over and he went inside to visit the girls of the family, he became a completely different person—all gentleness and calm, and as intelligent and well-bred as you please. ‘His father gave him several severe beatings but it made no difference. Whenever the pain became too much for him he would start yelling “Girls! girls!” Afterwards, when the girls in the family got to hear about it, they made fun of him. “Why do you always call to us when you are hurt? I suppose you think we shall come and plead for you to be let off. You ought to be ashamed of yourself!” But you should have heard his answer.
He said, “Once when the pain was very bad, I thought that perhaps if I shouted the word ‘girls’ it might help to ease it. Well,” he said, “I just called out once, and the pain really was quite a bit better. So now that I have found this secret remedy, I just keep on shouting ‘Girls! girls! girls!’ whenever the pain is at its worst.” I could not help laughing. ‘But because his grandmother doted on him so much, she was always taking the child’s part against me and his father. In the end I had to hand in my notice. A boy like that will never be able to keep up the family traditions or listen to the advice of his teachers and friends. The pity of it is, though, that the girls in that family are all exceptionally good.’
- doted: to love someone completely and believe they are perfect
子興道：「便是賈府中現在三個也不錯。政老爺的長女名元春，因賢孝才德選入宮作女史去了。二小姐乃是赦老爺姨娘所出，名迎春；三小姐，政老爺庶出，名探春；四小姐乃寧府珍爺的胞妹，名惜春。因史老夫人極愛孫女，都跟在祖母這邊一處讀書，聽得個個不錯。」雨村道：「更妙在甄家風俗：女兒之名亦皆從男子之名，不似別人家另外用這些『春』『紅』『香』『玉』等豔字。何得賈府亦落此俗套？」子興道：「不然。只因現今大小姐是正月初一所生，故名元春，餘者都從了『春』字。上一輩的卻也是從弟兄而來的。現有對證：目今你貴東家林公的夫人即榮府中赦政二公的胞妹，在家時名喚賈敏。不信時，你回去細訪可知。」雨村拍手笑道：「是極！我這女學生名叫黛玉。他讀書，凡『敏』字，他皆念作『密』字；寫字，遇著『敏』字亦減一二筆。我心中每每疑惑。今聽你說，是為此無疑矣。怪道我這女學生言語舉止另是一樣，不與凡女子相同！度其母不凡，故生此女；今知為榮府之外孫，又不足罕矣。可惜上月其母竟亡故了！」子興歎道：「老姊妹三個，這是極小的，又沒了。長一輩的姊妹一個也沒了，只看這小一輩的將來的東床何如呢。」雨村道：「正是。方纔說政公已有了一個啣玉之子，又有長子所遺弱孫，這赦老竟無一個不成？」子興道：「政公既有玉兒之後，其妾又生了一個，倒不知其好歹。只眼前現有二子一孫，卻不知將來何如。若問那赦老爺，也有一子，名叫賈璉，今已二十多歲了，親上做親，娶的是政老爺夫人王氏內姪女，今已娶了四五年。這位璉爺身上現捐了個同知，也是不喜正務的。於世路上好機變，言談去得，所以目今在乃叔政老爺家住，幫著料理家務。誰知自娶了這位少奶奶之後，倒上下無一人不稱頌他的夫人，璉爺倒退了一射之地。模樣又極標致，言談又極爽利，心機又極深細，竟是個男人萬不及一的！」
‘The three at present in the Jia household are also very fine girls,’ said Zi-xing. ‘Sir Jia Zheng’s eldest girl, Yuanchun, was chosen for her exceptional virtue and cleverness to be a Lady Secretary in the Imperial Palace. The next in age after her and eldest of the three still at home is called Yingchun. She is the daughter of Sir Jia She by one of his secondary wives. After her comes another daughter of Sir Zheng’s, also a concubine’s child, called Tan-chun. The youngest, Xi-chun, is sister-german to Mr Jia Zhen of the Ning-guo mansion. Old Lady Jia is very fond of her granddaughters and keeps them all in her own apartments on the Rong-guo side. They all study together, and I have been told that they are doing very well.’
- concubine: a woman who, in some societies, lives and has sex with a man she is not married to, and has a lower social rank than his wife or wives (庶)
- sister-german: 胞妹
‘ One of the things I liked about the Zhen family,’ said Yu-cun, ‘was their custom of giving the girls the same sort of names as the boys, unlike the majority of families who invariably use fancy words like “chun”, “hong”, “xiang”,“yu”, and so forth. How comes it that the Jias should have followed the vulgar practice in this respect?’ ‘They didn’t,’ said Zi-xing. ‘The eldest girl was called “Yuan-chun” because she was in fact born on the first day of spring. The others were given names with “chun” in them to match hers. But if you go back a generation, you will find that among the Jias too the girls had names exactly like the boys’. ‘I can give you proof. Your present employer’s good lady is sister-german to Sir She and Sir Zheng of the Rong house-hold. Her name, before she married, was Jia Min. If you don’t believe me, you make a few inquiries when you get home and you’ll find it is so.’
- vulgar: not suitable, simple, dignified or beautiful; not in the style preferred by the upper classes of society
Yu-cun clapped his hands with a laugh. ‘Of course! I have often wondered why it is that my pupil Dai-yu always pronounces “min” as “mi” when she is reading and, if she has to write it, always makes the character with one or two strokes missing. Now I understand. No wonder her speech and behaviour are so unlike those of ordinary children! I always supposed that there must have been something remarkable about the mother for her to have produced so remarkable a daughter. Now I know that she was related to the Jias of the Rong household, I am not surprised. ‘By the way, I am sorry to say that last month the mother passed away.’ Zi-xing sighed. ‘Fancy her dying so soon! She was the youngest of the three. And the generation before them are all gone, every one. We shall have to see what sort of husbands they manage to find for the younger generation!’ ‘Yes, indeed,’ said Yu-cun. ‘Just now you mentioned that Sir Zheng had this boy with the jade in his mouth and you also mentioned a little grandson left behind by his elder son. What about old Sir She? Surely he must have a son?’ ‘Since Sir Zheng had the boy with the jade, he has had another son by a concubine,’ said Zi-xing, ‘but I couldn’t tell you what he’s like. So at present he has two sons and one grandson. Of course, we don’t know what the future may bring.
‘But you were asking about Sir She. Yes, he has a son too, called Jia Lian. He’s already a young man in his early twenties. He married his own kin, the niece of his Uncle Zheng’s wife, Lady Wang. He’s been married now for four or five years. Holds the rank of a Sub-perfect by purchase. He’s another member of the family who doesn’t find responsibilities congenial. He knows his way around, though, and has a great gift of the gab, so at present he stays at home with his Uncle Zheng and helps him manage the family’s affairs. However, ever since he married this young lady I mentioned, everyone high and low has joined in praising her, and he has been put into the shade rather. She is not only a very handsome young woman, she also has a very ready tongue and a very good head – more than a match for most men, I can tell you.’
- congenial: friendly and pleasant
- gab: to talk continuously and eagerly, especially about things that are not important
雨村聽了，笑道：「可知我言不謬了。你我方纔所說的這幾個人，只怕都是那『正』『邪』兩賦而來，一路之人，未可知也。」子興道：「正也罷，邪也罷，只顧算別人家的賬，你也吃一杯酒纔好。」雨村道：「只顧說話，就多吃了幾杯。」子興笑道：「說著別人家的閒話，正好下酒，即多吃幾杯何妨？」雨村向窗外看道：「天也晚了，仔細關了城。我們慢慢進城再談，未為不可。」於是二人起身，算還酒錢。方欲走時，忽聽得後面有人叫道：「雨村兄，恭喜了！特來報個喜信的。」雨村忙回頭看時，－－
‘You see, I was not mistaken,’ said Yu-cun. ‘All these people you and I have been talking about are probably examples of that mixture of good and evil humours I was describing to you.’ ‘Well, I don’t know about that,’ said Zi-xing. ‘Instead of sitting here setting other people’s accounts to rights, let’s have another drink!’ ‘I am afraid I have drunk quite a lot while we were busy talking,’ said Yu-cun. Zi-xing laughed. ‘There’s nothing like a good gossip about other people’s affairs for making the wine go down! I’m sure an extra cup or two won’t do us any harm.’ Yu-cun glanced out of the window. ‘It’s getting late. We must be careful we don’t get shut out of the city. Why not continue the conversation on our way back? Then we can take our time.’ The two men accordingly rose from their seats, settled the bill for the wine, and were just about to start on their way, when a voice from behind called out, ‘Yu-cun, congratulations! I’ve got some good news for you.’ Yu-cun turned to look.
要知是誰，且聽下回分解。
But if you wish to know who it was, you will have to read the next chapter.
💛EXCERPT💛 ↓↓↓
所餘之秀氣，漫無所歸，遂為甘露，為和風，洽然溉及四海。
An unused surplus of this pure, quintessential humour, unable to find corporeal lodgment, circulates freely abroad until it manifests itself in the form of sweet dews and balmy winds, asperged and effused for the enrichment and refreshment of all terrestrial life.
- Humour作為名詞有兩個含義：①the ability to find things funny, the way in which people see that some things are funny, or the quality of being funny（幽默，滑稽）②the state of your feelings（心情，情緒，精神狀態）。這裡應該取其第二種意思，理解為天地間的“元”和“氣”；生物的“精氣神”。
MeTime 