《红楼梦》翻译（七十三）

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twin05 2010-07-30 13:52 | 只看楼主 树型| 收藏| 小中大 1 ^#

《红楼梦》翻译（七十三）

原著
　　贾珍因想着贾蓉不过是个黉门监，灵幡经榜上写时不好看，便是执事也不多，因此心下甚不自在．可巧这日正是首七第四日，早有大明宫掌宫内相戴权，先备了祭礼遣人来，次后坐了大轿，打伞鸣锣，亲来上祭．贾珍忙接着，让至逗蜂轩献茶．贾珍心中打算定了主意，因而趁便就说要与贾蓉捐个前程的话．戴权会意，因笑道：“想是为丧礼上风光些。”贾珍忙笑道：“老内相所见不差。”戴权道：“事倒凑巧，正有个美缺，如今三百员龙禁尉短了两员，昨儿襄阳侯的兄弟老三来求我，现拿了一千五百两银子，送到我家里．你知道，咱们都是老相与，不拘怎么样，看着他爷爷的分上，胡乱应了．还剩了一个缺，谁知永兴节度使冯胖子来求，要与他孩子捐，我就没工夫应他．既是咱们的孩子要捐，快写个履历来。”贾珍听说，忙吩咐：“快命书房里人恭敬写了大爷的履历来。”小厮不敢怠慢，去了一刻，便拿了一张红纸来与贾珍．贾珍看了，忙送与戴权．看时，上面写道：

　　江南江宁府江宁县监生贾蓉，年二十岁．曾祖，原

　　任京营节度使世袭一等神威将军贾代化，祖，乙卯科进士贾

　　敬，父，世袭三品爵威烈将军贾珍．戴权看了，回手便递与一个贴身的小厮收了，说道：“回来送与户部堂官老赵，说我拜上他，起一张五品龙禁尉的票，再给个执照，就把这履历填上，明儿我来兑银子送去。”小厮答应了，戴权也就告辞了．贾珍十分款留不住，只得送出府门．临上轿，贾珍因问：“银子还是我到部兑，还是一并送入老内相府中？"戴权道：“若到部里，你又吃亏了．不如平准一千二百两银子，送到我家就完了。”贾珍感谢不尽，只说：“待服满后，亲带小犬到府叩谢。”于是作别．
霍克斯译文
　　 The family’s respect for tradition was, however, a source of great unease to Cousin Zhen when he reflected on Jia Rong’s status: for Jia Rong was only an Imperial College Student --- an absurdly insignificant title to write on a funeral banner; and the insignia to which Qin-shi was entitled would make a very poor showing when borne in the funeral procession.

By a stroke of luck the fourth day of the first seven-day period—the day on which official condolences were scheduled to begin --- brought a visit from Dai Quan, the Eunuch Cham berlain of the Da-ming Palace. Having sent his representative along well in advance with offerings for the departed spirit, he presently arrived himself, seated in a great palanquin and preceded by criers and men with gongs clearing the streets before him, to present his offerings in person. Cousin Zhen at once made up his mind to take advantage of the visit.

As soon as Dai Quan had made his offering, Cousin Zhen ushered him into the Honey Bee Gallery, invited him to be seated, and served him with tea. Then, entering into conversa tion with his guest, he quickly found occasion to mention the fact that he was thinking of purchasing a place for his son Jia Rong. The eunuch guessed what was in his mind, and laughingly inquired whether it was not with a view to adding a little pomp to the funeral that he had conceived this notion.

‘My dear Chamberlain,’ Cousin Zhen readily agreed, you have hit the nail on the head!’

‘Well, by a lucky coincidence,’ said Dai Quan, ‘there is rather a good place going at this very moment. The Corps of Officers of the Imperial Guard, which has an establishment of three hundred, has got two vacancies in it. Yesterday Lord Xiang-yang’s younger brother “Sannikins” begged me for one of them and sent fifteen hundred taels of silver round to my house to pay for it. He and I have always been good friends, as you know, and in any case I felt I had to do some thing, for his Grandpa’s sake; so I couldn’t very well refuse. “Piggy” Feng, the Military Governor of Yong-xing, has asked me if he can buy the remaining place for his son, but I haven’t yet had time to give him a reply. If our young friend here wants it, why not jot down his particulars and I’ll see what I can do.’

Cousin Zhen at once ordered someone to write out Jia Rong’s name, age and lineage on a sheet of red **. The following description was hurriedly prepared and handed to Dai Quan for his inspection:

Name:
JIA RONG
Place of Origin: (County) Kiangning; (Prefecture) Ying-tian-fu; (Province) Kiangnan.
Status: Imperial College Student
Age:
20
Great-grandfather: General Jia Dai-hua, C.-in-C. Metropolitan Barracks, hereditary noble of the first rank.
Grandfather:
Jia Jing,Palace Graduate of the year 17—.
Father: Hon. Colonel Jia Zhen, third rank (hereditary).

　　After glancing through it quickly, Dai Quan handed it into the keeping of a young eunuch secretary at his side.

‘When we get back,’ he said to the latter, ‘give this to old Zhao, the President of the Board of Revenue, with my compli ments, and ask him if he would kindly make out a commission for a captain in the Imperial Guard, fifth rank, and also the **s to go with it with these particulars filled in. Tell him I’ll call round tomorrow to pay in the money.’
The young eunuch bowed, and Dai Quan rose to go. Seeing that he could no longer detain him, Cousin Zhen showed him out as far as the main gate. As the eunuch was getting into his palanquin, Cousin Zhen asked him whether he should take the money to the Ministry or bring it round to Dai Quan’s own house.
‘Better bring a thousand taels, standard weight, to my house. If you go to the Ministry, they’re sure to fleece you.’
Cousin Zhen thanked him warmly.
‘When the period of mourning is over,’ he said, ‘I shall bring the young fellow round to your house to kotow his thanks.’
杨宪益译文
What distressed Jia Zhen now was the fact that his son was only a state scholar. This would not look well in the inscription on the funeral banner and it meant that the retinue would have to be small.
As luck would have it , however, on the fourth day of the first week of mourning servants with sacrificial offerings arrived from the eunuch Dai Quan, chamberlain of the Palace of Great Splendour, who followed in a great palanquin with an official umbrella and gonging and drumming to offer an oblation.
Jia Zhen ushered him eagerly in and offered him tea in the Bee-Teas ing Pavilion. He already had a scheme in mind and soon found occasion to express his wish to purchase a rank for his son.
Dai Quan rejoined with a knowing smile, “To make the funeral more sumptuous, I presume?”
“Your assumption is correct, sir.”
“By a fortunate coincidence there happens to be a good post going. There are two vacancies in the corps of three hundred officers of the Imperial Guard. Yesterday the third brother of the Marquis of Xiangyang sent me 1,500 taels and asked me for one of them; and since we are old friends, as you know, for his grandfather’s sake I made no difficulties but agreed out of hand. Who would have expected that Fatty Feng, Mili tary Governor of Yongxing, wants to buy the other appointment for his son; but I haven’t yet had time to give him an answer. If your boy wants it, make haste and write out a statement of his antecedents.”
Jia Zhen at once sent a servant to pass on these instructions to his secretaries. The man returned presently with a sheet of red **. After glancing at it Jia Zhen handed it to Dai Quan, who read:
Jia Rong, twenty, State Scholar of Jiangning District, Jiangning Pre fecture, Jiangnan.
Great-grandfather: Jia Daihua, commander-in-chief of the Metropoli tan Garrison and a hereditary general of the first class with the appella tion Spiritual Might.
Grandfather: Jia Jing, Metropolitan Scholar of the Yi Mao year.
Father: Jia Zhen, hereditary general of the third rank with the appella tion Mighty Intrepidity.
Dai Quan ordered one of his attendants, “Take this to Old Zhao, chief of the Board of Revenue, with my compliments. Ask him to draw up a warrant for an officer of the fifth rank in the Imperial Guard and to fill out a commission according to these particulars. Tomorrow I will weigh out the silver and send it over.”
Dai Quan then took his leave. His host, who could not detain him, saw him out. Before the eunuch mounted his palanquin Jia Zhen asked:
“Shall I take the money to the Board or to you, sir?”
“Just weigh out 1,200 taels and send it to my house. If you go to the Board, they’ll fleece you.”
Jia Zhen thanked him warmly and promised, “When the mourning is over I shall bring my worthless son to kowtow his thanks.” And so they parted.

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《红楼梦》翻译 （七十三）

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