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《红楼梦》翻译（七十）

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twin05 2010-09-19 09:27 | 只看楼主 树型| 收藏| 小中大 1 ^#

《红楼梦》翻译（七十）

原著
　　那边邢夫人因问凤姐儿鸳鸯的父母，凤姐因回说：“他爹的名字叫金彩，两口子都在南京看房子，从不大上京．他哥哥金文翔，现在是老太太那边的买办．他**子也是老太太那边浆洗的头儿。”邢夫人便令人叫了他**子金文翔媳妇来，细细说与他．金家媳妇自是喜欢，兴兴头头找鸳鸯，只望一说必妥，不想被鸳鸯抢白一顿，又被袭人平儿说了几句，羞恼回来，便对邢夫人说：“不中用，他倒骂了我一场。”因凤姐儿在旁，不敢提平儿，只说：“袭人也帮着他抢白我，也说了许多不知好歹的话，回不得主子的．太太和老爷商议再买罢．谅那小蹄子也没有这么大福，我们也没有这么大造化。”邢夫人听了，因说道：“又与袭人什么相干？他们如何知道的？"又问：“还有谁在跟前？"金家的道：“还有平姑娘． "凤姐儿忙道：“你不该拿嘴巴子打他回来？我一出了门，他就逛去了，回家来连一个影儿也摸不着他！他必定也帮着说什么呢！"金家的道：“平姑娘没在跟前，远远的看着倒象是他，可也不真切，不过是我白忖度。”凤姐便命人去：“快打了他来，告诉他我来家了，太太也在这里，请他来帮个忙儿。”丰儿忙上来回道：“林姑娘打发了人下请字请了三四次，他才去了．奶奶一进门我就叫他去的．林姑娘说：`告诉你奶奶，我烦他有事呢．'"凤姐儿听了方罢，故意的还说"天天烦他，有些什么事！”

　　邢夫人无计，吃了饭回家，晚间告诉了贾赦．贾赦想了一想，即刻叫贾琏来说：“南京的房子还有人看着，不止一家，即刻叫上金彩来。”贾琏回道：“上次南京信来，金彩已经得了痰迷心窍，那边连棺材银子都赏了，不知如今是死是活，便是活着，人事不知，叫来也无用．他老婆子又是个聋子。”贾赦听了，喝了一声，又骂：“下流囚攮的，偏你这么知道，还不离了我这里！"唬得贾琏退出，一时又叫传金文翔．贾琏在外书房伺候着，又不敢家去，又不敢见他父亲，只得听着．一时金文翔来了，小幺儿们直带入二门里去，隔了五六顿饭的工夫才出来去了．贾琏暂且不敢打听，隔了一会，又打听贾赦睡了，方才过来．至晚间凤姐儿告诉他，方才明白．

　　鸳鸯一夜没睡，至次日，他哥哥回贾母接他家去逛逛，贾母允了，命他出去．鸳鸯意欲不去，又怕贾母疑心，只得勉强出来．他哥哥只得将贾赦的话说与他，又许他怎么体面，又怎么当家作姨娘．鸳鸯只咬定牙不愿意．他哥哥无法，少不得去回覆了贾赦．贾赦怒起来，因说道：“我这话告诉你，叫你女人向他说去，就说我的话：`自古嫦娥爱少年'，他必定嫌我老了，大约他恋着少爷们，多半是看上了宝玉，只怕也有贾琏．果有此心，叫他早早歇了心，我要他不来，此后谁还敢收？此是一件．第二件，想着老太太疼他，将来自然往外聘作正头夫妻去．叫他细想，凭他嫁到谁家去，也难出我的手心．除非他死了，或是终身不嫁男人，我就伏了他！若不然时，叫他趁早回心转意，有多少好处． "贾赦说一句，金文翔应一声"是"．贾赦道：“你别哄我，我明儿还打发你太太过去问鸳鸯，你们说了，他不依，便没你们的不是．若问他，他再依了，仔细你的脑袋！”

　　金文翔忙应了又应，退出回家，也不等得告诉他女人转说，竟自己对面说了这话．把个鸳鸯气的无话可回，想了一想，便说道：“便愿意去，也须得你们带了我回声老太太去。”他哥**听了，只当回想过来，都喜之不胜．他**子即刻带了他上来见贾母．

　　可巧王夫人，薛姨妈，李纨，凤姐儿，宝钗等姊妹并外头的几个执事有头脸的媳妇，都在贾母跟前凑趣儿呢．鸳鸯喜之不尽，拉了他**子，到贾母跟前跪下，一行哭，一行说，把邢夫人怎么来说，园子里他**子又如何说，今儿他哥哥又如何说，"因为不依，方才大老爷越性说我恋着宝玉，不然要等着往外聘，我到天上，这一辈子也跳不出他的手心去，终久要报仇．我是横了心的，当着众人在这里，我这一辈子莫说是`宝玉'，便是` 宝金'`宝银'`宝天王'`宝皇帝'，横竖不嫁人就完了！就是老太太逼着我，我一刀抹死了，也不能从命！若有造化，我死在老太太之先，若没造化，该讨吃的命，伏侍老太太归了西，我也不跟着我老子娘哥哥去，我或是寻死，或是剪了头发当尼姑去！若说我不是真心，暂且拿话来支吾，日后再图别的，天地鬼神，日头月亮照着嗓子，从嗓子里头长疔烂了出来，烂化成酱在这里！"原来他一进来时，便袖了一把剪子，一面说着，一面左手打开头发，右手便铰．众婆娘丫鬟忙来拉住，已剪下半绺来了．众人看时，幸而他的头发极多，铰的不透，连忙替他挽上．贾母听了，气的浑身乱战，口内只说：“我通共剩了这么一个可靠的人，他们还要来算计！"因见王夫人在旁，便向王夫人道：“你们原来都是哄我的！外头孝敬，暗地里盘算我．有好东西也来要，有好人也要，剩了这么个毛丫头，见我待他好了，你们自然气不过，弄开了他，好摆弄我！"王夫人忙站起来，不敢还一言．薛姨妈见连王夫人怪上，反不好劝的了．李纨一听见鸳鸯的话，早带了姊妹们出去．

　　探春有心的人，想王夫人虽有委曲，如何敢辩，薛姨妈也是亲姊妹，自然也不好辩的，宝钗也不便为姨母辩，李纨，凤姐，宝玉一概不敢辩，这正用着女孩儿之时，迎春老实，惜春小，因此窗外听了一听，便走进来陪笑向贾母道：“这事与太太什么相干？老太太想一想，也有大伯子要收屋里的人，小婶子如何知道？便知道，也推不知道。”犹未说完，贾母笑道：“可是我老糊涂了！姨太太别笑话我．你这个姐姐他极孝顺我，不象我那大太太一味怕老爷，婆婆跟前不过应景儿．可是委屈了他。”薛姨妈只答应"是"，又说：“老太太偏心，多疼小儿子媳妇，也是有的。”贾母道：“不偏心！"因又说道：“宝玉，我错怪了你娘，你怎么也不提我，看着你娘受委屈？"宝玉笑道：“我偏着娘说大爷大娘不成？通共一个不是，我娘在这里不认，却推谁去？我倒要认是我的不是，老太太又不信。”贾母笑道：“这也有理．你快给你娘跪下，你说太太别委屈了，老太太有年纪了，看着宝玉罢． "宝玉听了，忙走过去，便跪下要说，王夫人忙笑着拉他起来，说：“快起来，快起来，断乎使不得．终不成你替老太太给我赔不是不成？"宝玉听说，忙站起来．贾母又笑道：凤姐儿也不提我．众人都笑道：“这可奇了！倒要听听这不是。”凤姐儿道：“谁教老太太会调理人，调理的水葱儿似的，怎么怨得人要？我幸亏是孙子媳妇，若是孙子，我早要了，还等到这会子呢。”贾母笑道：“这倒是我的不是了？"凤姐儿笑道：“自然是老太太的不是了． "贾母笑道：“这样，我也不要了，你带了去罢！"凤姐儿道：“等着修了这辈子，来生托生男人，我再要罢。”贾母笑道：“你带了去，给琏儿放在屋里，看你那没脸的公公还要不要了！ "凤姐儿道：“琏儿不配，就只配我和平儿这一对烧糊了的卷子和他混罢。”说的众人都笑起来了．丫鬟回说：“大太太来了。”王夫人忙迎了出去．要知端的——
霍克斯译文
When Lady Xing asked Xi-feng about Faithful’s parents, she learned that her father’s name was Jin Cai and that he and her mother lived as caretakers at the Jia family mansion in Nanking and seldom came up to the capital.
‘But she has an elder brother Jin Wen-xiang, who is one of Grandmother’s buyers,’ said Xi-feng, ‘and her sister-in-law is Grandmother’s chief laundress.’
The laundress was duly summoned and Lady Xing carefully explained what was required of her. The woman was naturally delighted and went off in a great bustle of self-importance to look for Faithful, confident that she had only to state her mission for the matter to be successfully concluded. Ill pre pared, therefore, for Faithful’s acrimonious rebuff or the strictures of Patience and Aroma which followed it, she re-turned to Lady Xing to make her report in a state of angry mortification.
‘It’s no good, I’m afraid. She just swore at me.’ Since Xi-feng was present, the woman dared not mention Patience, ‘That Aroma was there, too, helping her. Some of the things she said to me—well, I wouldn’t offend Your Ladyship’s ears by repeating them. I think you and Sir She would be well advised to buy a girl elsewhere. That little fool Faithful evi dently wasn’t meant for such great fortune—nor we to share it, seemingly.’
‘Whatever has this got to do with Aroma?’ said Lady Xing. ‘I wonder how she got to know about it.’ She paused for a moment. ‘Was there anyone else there?’
‘Miss Patience was there,’ said the woman.
‘I wish you’d given her a box on the ears then and told her to come home,’ Xi-feng put in hurriedly. ‘She went oft wandering somewhere or other as soon as I left the house and there wasn’t a sign of her when I got back. If she was there, she’ll have put in her pennyworth too, I suppose.’
‘Well, she wasn’t exactly there,’ said the woman, ‘she was quite a way off. I couldn’t see her very clearly. Maybe it wasn’t her, I could have been mistaken.’
‘Go and find her at once,’ Xi-feng said to the servants. ‘Tell her I’m back and Lady Xing is here and she is to come home immediately.’
Felicity hurried forward to report:
‘Miss Lin sent round three to four times to ask if Patience would go over to her place, -so Patience went to see what she wanted. I went there to call her back when you came in just now, but Miss Lin said would I please tell you that she wants Patience a bit longer to do something for her.’
‘She’s always asking Patience to do things for her,’ said Xi-feng,with pretended annoyance. ‘I wonder what it is this time.
Resourceless, now that her plan had misfired, Lady Xing returned home as soon as she had eaten dinner and in the evening informed Jia She of what had happened. After reflecting for some moments, Jia She ordered Jia Lian to be summoned immediately.
‘Jin Cai and his wife aren’t the only couple looking after our Nanking property,’ he began as soon as Jia Lian arrived. ‘Have him recalled immediately.’
‘Last time we had a letter from Nanking,’ said Jia Lian, ‘it said that Jin Cai was in a delirium and they’d already issued the money to buy his coffin. He may well be dead by now; and even if he isn’t, he’s probably unconscious and wouldn’t be much use to us back here. And his old woman is as deaf as a post.
‘Villain! Parricide!’ Jia She shouted, in instant fury. ‘Trust you to know that! Get out of my sight!’
Startled by his father’s unaccountable anger, Jia Lian retreated in a hurry. Shortly after he had done so, Jin Wen-xiang was sent for.
Jia Lian, not daring either to go back home or to go in again to his father, stayed near at hand in his outer study, waiting to see what happened. After a while Jin Wen-xiang arrived, and Jia Lian watched him being conducted through the inner gate by the pages. After a lapse of time in which he could comfort ably (had he been so minded) have eaten four or five meals, he saw Jin Wen-xiang come out again, but was still too scared to make inquiries. He did not do so until be had allowed what he thought was a safe interval to elapse after Jin Wen-xiang’s departure, and was then informed that his father had gone to bed. Only then did he dare to go back home; and it was not until Xi-feng informed him that night that he understood what it was all about.

*

That night Faithful was unable to sleep. Her brother came next morning to ask Grandmother Jia if he could take his sister back home for the day. His request was granted, and Grandmother Jia ordered Faithful to get ready. Faithful did not want to go, but overcame her reluctance because she did not want the old lady to suspect that anything was amiss.
When they were -home, her brother told her all that Jia She had said, promising that if she accepted, her position would be an honoured one: she would become ‘Mrs Jin’, and all the household would look up to her. But no matter what he said, Faithful set her face firmly against it all and obstinately con tinued to say ‘no’. In the end her brother had no alternative but to go back to Jia She and tell him that his sister was un willing. Jia She was greatly incensed.
‘Now look here,’ he said, ‘you go back and get your wife to tell her this: Sir She says:

The moon ever loved a young man.

He knows all about that saying. No doubt she thinks him too old for her and has set her heart on one of the younger ones Bao-yu, probably, or my son Lian. Tell her, if she has, the sooner she abandons hope in that direction the better, because if I can’t have her, she may be very sure that no one else in this family will dare to. That’s one thing. And here’s another. She may think that because she’s Lady Jia’s favourite, she can look forward to marrying outside one day and becoming someone’s regular wife. Well if so, just let her get this firmly into her mind: whoever or wherever she marries, she needn’t think she will ever escape me. If she dies or is prepared to live all her life an old maid, I might admit myself beaten; but otherwise, never. So unless she proposes to choose one of those alternatives, she’d better hurry up and change her mind. It will be a great deal easier for her if she does.’
Each sentence of the above had been punctuated by a nervous ‘Yessir’ from Jin Wen-xiang. Jia She continued.
‘Now don’t think you can fool me over this in the hope of getting better terms. Tomorrow I shall send Lady Xing over to have a word with Faithful herself. If Faithful still refuses after your wife has spoken to her, then that is no fault of yours and I shan’t hold it against you. But woe betide you if when Lady Xing talks to her she finds that she is willing!’
After a good many more ‘Yessirs’ Jin Wen-xiang withdrew and went back home. When he got back, he did not even wait to transmit Jia She’s message through his wife, but went straight in and told it all to Faithful himself It made Faithful so angry that for some time afterwards she was unable to speak. Finally, after some inward calculation, she answered him as follows.
‘Even if I am willing, you’ll have to take me back first, so that I can have a word about it with Her Old Ladyship.’
Supposing this to mean that she had changed her mind, her brother and his wife were overjoyed, and the latter at once undertook to go with her to see Grandmother Jia.
It so happened that when they arrived, Lady Wang, Aunt Xue, Li Wan, Xi-feng, Bao-yu and the girls, and some of the senior stewardesses from outside were all - there with the old lady sharing a joke. Faithful led her sister-in-law through their midst, knelt down at her mistress’s feet, and with tears stream ing down her face, proceeded to tell her what Lady Xing had said to her the day before, what her sister-in-law had said to her in the Garden, and what her elder brother had told her that morning.
‘When I refused, Sir She said it was because I fancied Master Bao, or else because I was saving myself to marry someone outside. He said that even if I were to fly to the world’s end, I should never as long as I live escape out of his clutches: sooner or later he’d have his revenge. But I’ve made my mind up, and I’m telling Your Ladyship here, in front of all these witnesses. I don’t care whether it’s Master Bao or Prince Bao or the Emperor Bao, I don’t ever want to marry anyone. Even if Your Ladyship herself were to try and force me to, I’d rather cut my own throat than marry. I’ll serve Your Ladyship until you leave this world for the next one; and when that day comes, I shan’t go back to my brother and his wife; I shall either take my own life or I shall cut my hair off arid become a nun. And in case anyone should think I don’t really mean this and am only saying it to get myself out of a corner, I call on heaven and earth and all the gods and the sun and moon to be my witness: if I don’t honestly and sincerely mean every word I say, may I be struck with a quinsy this very moment and matter burst out of my mouth!’
She had hidden a pair of scissors up her sleeve before she came, and as she uttered this oath, she undid her hair with her left hand and began hacking away at it with the scissors in her tight. The servants rushed forward to stop her, but before they could lay hands on her, she had already cut off a large hank. It was fortunate that her hair was so thick and strong. Observing with relief that she had not succeeded in cutting through all of it, the servants wound up what remained and refastened it on her head.
By the time Faithful had finished speaking, Grandmother Jia was trembling all over with rage.
‘I have only this one girl left that I can rely on,’ she said, speaking half to herself, ‘and now they are plotting to take her away from me.’
As she looked at those standing around her, her eye fastened upon Lady Wang.
‘You deceive me, all of you. You who are outwardly so dutiful: you are secretly plotting against me like all the rest. Whenever I have any good thing you come and ask me for it. All my best people you take away from me. Now I have only this one poor girl left to me; and because you see that I am nice to her, it infuriates you—you can’t bear it! And now you’ve found this means of getting her away from me, so that you can have me at your mercy.’
Lady Wang had risen to her feet as soon as Grandmother Jia addressed her, but dared not defend herself; Aunt Xue could not very well intervene when the object of these stric tures was her elder sister; and Li Wan had hustled her young charges from the room at the first hint of impropriety when Faithful began her complaint.
Tan-chun, always one of the more thoughtful members of the family, realized that however unjust the accusation, Lady Wang was in no position to answer back. She realized that Aunt Xue could not speak up for her own sister or Bao-chai say anything when her mother was silent and that Li Wan, Xi-feng and Bao-yu were even more disqualified from coming to the rescue. This was exactly the sort of situation in which a young unmarried granddaughter could be useful. And since Ying-chun was too docile and Xi-chun too childish, Tan-chun herself, after listening for a while at the window, boldly stepped into the room and faced her grandmother with an intrepid smile.
‘How can this matter have anything to do with Mother, Grandma? Can you think of any reason why a younger brother’s wife should be consulted about her brother-in-law’s private business?’
Grandmother Jia was at once all smiles.
‘Of course not, my dear. I am a silly old woman! Mrs Xue, you must try not to laugh at me. Your sister is a most dutiful daughter-in-law: not like She’s wife, who is so scared of her husband that she has no time for me - beyond what she does for form’s sake. I have done your sister a very grave injustice.’
Aunt Xue murmured something in reply, afterwards adding as a politeness:
‘The younger son’s wife is often the more favoured one. Perhaps you are biased, Lady Jia.’
‘No,’ said Grandmother Jia firmly, ‘I am not biased. Bao-yu,’ she said, turning to her grandson, ‘why didn’t you speak up when I falsely accused your mother? How could you stand by like that and watch her being treated unjustly?’
‘How could I take Mother’s side against Uncle and Aunt?’ said Bao-yu. ‘Obviously someone was to blame; but if it wasn’t Mother, who was I to say that it was? I could hardly have said that it was me. Somehow I don’t think you would have believed me!’
Grandmother Jia laughed.
‘Yes, I suppose you are right. Go and kneel down to your mother, then, Bao-yu. Tell her that I’m getting old and that she is not to be upset by what I said to her. Ask her to forgive me for your sake.’
Bao-yu quickly went over and knelt before Lady Wang. But before he could relay his grandmother’s message, his mother had laughingly prevented him.
‘Get up at once and don’t be ridiculous, Bao-yu I How can you possibly apologize for Grandma to me ?’
Bao-yu hurriedly got up to his feet.
‘What about you, Feng?’ said Grandmother Jia. ‘Why didn’t you try to stop me?’
‘I’ve been trying to restrain myself from blaming you for what’s happened,’ said Xi-feng. ‘I don’t know why you should pick on me.’
Grandmother Jia’s laughter was echoed by the others present.
‘Oh? Now this is interesting. I should like to know why you think I’m to blame for what has happened.’
‘You shouldn’t be so good at training your girls,’ said Xi-feng. ‘When you’ve brought up a beautiful young bulrush like Faithful, can you blame other people for wanting her? It’s a good job I’m only your granddaughter-in-law. If I’d been your grandson, I should have asked you for her for myself a long time ago. I shouldn’t have waited till now, I can tell you!’
‘Oh,’ said Grandmother Jia, laughing.’ So it’s all my fault, is it?’
‘Of course it’s your fault,’ said Xi-feng.
‘In that case I won’t try to keep her,’ said Grandmother Jia. ‘You can take her back with you.’
‘Not just now;’ said Xi-feng. ‘In my next life, perhaps. If a good girl in this life, I might be reborn as a man, and I can ask you for her then!’
‘Go on, take her with you!’ said Grandmother Jia. ‘You can give her to your Lian. See if that shameless father-in-law of yours still wants her then!’
‘Lian doesn’t deserve her,’ said Xi-feng. ‘All he’s fit for is a couple of sad old dumplings like me and Patience!’
This set everyone laughing.
A maid came in to announce someone.
‘Lady Xing, ma’am.’
Lady Wang hurried out to meet her.
What followed will be revealed in the next chapter.

杨宪益译文
To return to Lady Xing, she had learned from Xifeng that Yuanyang’s father Jin Cai and his wife were acting as caretakers in Nanjing and seldom came up to the capital. However, her elder brother Wenxiang was a buyer for the Lady Dowager, and her sister-in-law was chief laun dress in her apartments.
Lady Xing promptly sent for Wenxiang’s wife and told her what she proposed. Young Mrs. Jin was of course only too pleased and went off jubilantly to find Yuanyang, sure that her mission would meet with instant success. Instead, she was denounced to her face by Yuanyang and snubbed by Xiren and Pinger into the bargain.
She returned, angry and discomfited, to report to Lady Xing, ‘It’s no use, she just swore at me.’ Since Xifeng was present she dared not mention Pinger, but she added, ‘Xiren joined in her attack on me and talked a whole lot of other nonsense too, which doesn’t bear repeating. You had better persuade Lord She to buy another girl, madam. That little ** isn’t cut out for such great fortune, nor are we for such good luck.’
‘What has this to do with Xiren?’ asked Lady Xing. ‘How did she come to hear of it? Who else was there?’
‘Miss Pinger was there too.’
Xifeng promptly interposed, ‘Why didn’t you slap her face? Every time I go out, off she goes to amuse herself. When I got home today there was no sign of her. I suppose she took Yuanyang’s side too?’
‘Miss Pinger wasn’t there on the spot,’ replied Mrs. Jin. ‘It looked like her from a distance, but I may have been mistaken. That was just my guess.
Xifeng ordered a servant, ‘Go and fetch Pinger, quick. Tell her I’m back and Her Ladyship is here too. She’s wanted for something.’
Fenger hastily stepped forward to put in, ‘Miss [in sent a maid with a note several times to invite her over, so finally she went. As soon as you came back, madam, I went to fetch her, but Miss Lin asked me to tell you she’d like to keep her for a little, madam.’
‘Every day she seems to want her for something or other,’ remarked Xifeng, then let the matter drop.
As there was nothing more Lady Xing could do, she went home after dinner and told her husband that evening what had happened. Jia She thought the matter over, then summoned Jia Lian.
‘We have other caretakers besides the Jins in Nanjing,’ he said. ‘Send at once to have Jin Cai recalled.’
‘According to the last letter from Nanjing, Jin Cai has had a stroke, sir,’ replied his son. ‘Money for his coffin has already been issued there, and for all we know he may already be dead. Even if he’s still living he’ll be in a coma, so it wouldn’t be any use sending for him. And his old wife is deaf.’
Jia She swore. ‘You scurvy scoundrel !’ he fumed. ‘Quite a know-all, aren’t you? Get out!’
In consternation Jia [ian promptly withdrew. Soon he heard the order given to fetch Jin Wenxiang. He himself remained on call in the outside study, daring neither to go home nor to confront his father.
Presently Wenxiang arrived and some pages ushered him through the inner gate. He was with Lord She for the space of five or six meals, and after he left Jia Lian did not venture to ask what had been said. Not until late that evening, having ascertained that his father was asleep, did he finally go home where Xifeng cleared up the whole mystery for him.
As for Yuanyang, she passed a sleepless night. The next day her brother came and asked the Lady Dowager’s permission to take her home for a rest. The old lady agreed and told her to go. This was not what Yuanyang wanted
but she complied reluctantly in order not to arouse the old lady’s suspicions. Her brother told her what Lord She had said and what dignity she would have as his secondary wife. However, Yuanyang refused to consider it. Unable to change her mind, he had to go back and report this to Jia She.
Jia She flew into a rage. ‘Tell your wife to tell her this from me,’ he fumed. ‘Tell her these are my own words. ‘From of old, young nymphs have preferred youth to age. She must think me too old for her. I daresay she has set her heart on one of the young masters, most likely Baoyu or possibly my son. If that’s her scheme, tell her to forget it. For if she refuses me, who else will dare take her later? That’s the first thing.
‘‘The second is this: if she’s counting on the old lady’s partiality to her to find some decent husband outside, she’d better think again. For no matter whom she marries she’ll still be within my reach, unless she dies or remains single all her life, in which case there is nothing I can do. Otherwise, the sooner she changes her mind the better for her.’’
Wenxiang had expressed agreement after each sentence of this dia tribe. Now Jia She added:
‘And don’t you try to cheat me. Tomorrow I shall send the mistress to her again. If you’ve really told her and she still refuses, I won’t hold you responsible. But if when we ask her again she agrees, you’ll have to watch out for your head!’
Jin Wenxiang agreed hastily and withdrew. Upon his arrival home, without waiting to get his wife to pass on this message he told Yuanyang himself, reducing her to a state of speechless anger.
After some reflection she said, ‘Well, supposing I agree, you’ll still have to take me back to report this to the old lady.’
Her brother and his wife were overjoyed by this apparent change of heart. Her sister-in-law at once took her to the Lady Dowager, who happened to be chatting with Lady Wang, Aunt Xue, Li Wan, Xifeng, Baochai and the other girls, as well as a few of the chief stewards’ wives, all of whom were doing their best to amuse the old lady.
Delighted by this opportunity, Yuanyang drew her sister-in-law for ward and threw herself on her knees before her mistress. Sobbing, she told the old lady what Lady Xing had said to her, what her sister-in-law had told her in the Garden, and how her brother had threatened her today.
‘Because I wouldn’t agree, the Elder Master says I’ve set my heart on Baoyu. He swears I’ll never escape him, not even if I marry some one outside, no, not even if I go to the ends of the earth ‘ he’ll have his revenge in the end. Well, my mind’s made up. Everybody here can bear witness. I shall never marry so long as I live, neither Baoyu with his precious jade, nor someone born with silver or gold, not even a Heavenly King or Emperor!
‘If Your Ladyship tries to force me, I’ll kill myself rather than marry. If I’m lucky, I shall die before you, madam. Otherwise I mean to serve Your Ladyship till the end of your life; then, rather than go back to my parents or to my brother, I shall commit suicide or shave my head and become a nun. If you think I’m not in earnest and this is just empty talk which I’ll go back on later, may Heaven, Earth, all the deities and the Sun and Moon who are my witnesses choke me with an ulcer in my throat so that I rot away into a pulp!’

Before coming in, she had hidden a pair of scissors in her sleeve, and while uttering this oath she let down her hair with her left hand and started cutting it with the scissors in her right. Maids and serving-women hurried over to stop her. She had cut off one lock already but, luckily, her hair being so thick, it was difficult to cut much. They lost no time in dressing it for her again.
The Lady Dowager was trembling with rage.
‘The only girl left I can trust, and they want to get her away from me,’ she quavered. Her eye falling on Lady Wang beside her, she cried, ‘So you’re all deceiving me, putting on a show of being dutiful but plot ting against me in secret. Whenever I have anything good you come and demand it from me. And my best servants too. Now I’ve only this one girl left, and seeing how partial I am to her naturally infuriates you. You’re trying to get her away from me, so as to get me under your own thumb.’
Lady Wang had risen to her feet but did not venture a word in self-defence. And Aunt Xue being her sister, could not try to shift the blame from her. Li Wan had quietly taken the girls outside when Yuanyang began her story.
Tanchun, however, had sense enough to see that it was not for Lady Wang to clear herself of these false charges, nor for Aunt Xue to defend her sister, nor for Baochai to defend her aunt, while Li Wan, Xifeng and Baoyu were in no position to protest either. It was now up to one of the girls to speak. But Yingchun was too naive, Xichun too young. So after listening for a while outside the window, she entered the room with a smile.
‘What has this to do with Her Ladyship?’ she asked her grandmother. ‘Just think, madam, how could a younger sister-in-law know that her elder brother-in-law was going to get a concubine? Even if she did, could she say anything?’
At once the old lady chuckled, ‘I’m losing my wits with age,’ she exclaimed. ‘Don’t laugh at me, Madam Xue. This elder sister of yours is a very good daughter-in-law, not like my elder son’s wife who’s so afraid of her husband she only makes a show of compliance to me. Yes, I was wrong to blame your sister.’
Aunt Xue murmured agreement, then added, ‘I wonder if you’re not, perhaps, rather partial to the wife for your younger son, madam?’
‘No, I’m not partial,’ the old lady declared. She continued, ‘Baoyu,

why didn’t you point out my mistake and prevent me from blaming your mother so unfairly?’

‘How could I stick up for my mother at the expense of my elder uncle and aunt?’ he countered. ‘Anyway, someone’s done wrong; and if mother here won’t take the blame, who will? I could have said it was my fault but I’m sure you wouldn’t have believed me.’

‘Yes, that’s right,’ chuckled the Lady Dowager, ‘Now kneel to your mother and ask her not to feel hurt, but to forgive me for your sake on account of my old age.’

Baoyu stepped forward and knelt to do as he was told, but his mother instantly stopped him.

‘Get up,’ she cried with a smile. ‘This is absurd. How can you apolo gize for your grandmother?’

As Baoyu rose to his feet the old lady said, ‘And Xifeng didn’t pull me up either.’

‘I haven’t said a word against you, madam,’ retorted Xifeng laugh ingly, ‘but now you’re trying to put the blame on me.’

All the others laughed and the old lady cried, ‘This is strange! Let’s hear what you have to say against me.

‘Who told you, madam, to train your girls so well? If you bring one up as fresh as a sprig of young parsley, you can’t blame people for wanting her. It’s lucky I’m a grandson’s wife. If I were a grandson I’d have grabbed her long ago. I shouldn’t have waited till now.’

‘So it’s all my fault, is it?’ the old lady chortled.

‘Of course it is,’ agreed Xifeng.

‘In that case I won’t keep her. You can take her away.’

‘Wait till I’ve done enough good deeds in this life to be reborn as a man. Then I’ll marry her.’

‘You can take her and give her to Lian. See if that shameless father- in-law of yours still wants her then or not.’

‘Lian doesn’t deserve her,’ said Xifeng. ‘He’ll have to make do with scarecrows like Pinger and me.’

They were all laughing at this when Lady Xing was announced, and Lady Wang went out to greet her.

If you want to know what followed, read the next chapter.

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