zh-cn	却说秦氏因听见宝玉梦中唤他的乳名，心中纳闷，又不好细问。
en-us	Qin-shi was surprised to hear Bao-yu call out her childhood name in his sleep, but did not like to pursue the matter.

zh-cn	彼时宝玉迷迷惑惑，若有所失，遂起身解怀整衣。
en-us	As she stood wondering, Bao-yu, who was still bemused after his dream and not yet in full possession of his faculties, got out of bed and began to stretch himself and to adjust his clothes, assisted by Aroma.

zh-cn	袭人过来给他系裤带时，刚伸手至大腿处，只觉冰冷粘湿的一片，吓的忙褪回手来，问：“是怎么了？”
en-us	As she was doing up his trousers, her hand, chancing to stray over his thigh, came into contact with something cold and sticky which caused her to draw it back in alarm and ask him if he was all right.

zh-cn	宝玉红了脸，把他的手一捻。
en-us	Instead of answering, he merely reddened and gave the hand a squeeze.

zh-cn	袭人本是个聪明女子，年纪又比宝玉大两岁，近来也渐省人事。
en-us	Aroma had always been an intelligent girl. She was, in any case, a year or two older than Bao-yu and had recently begun to have some understanding of the facts of life.

zh-cn	今见宝玉如此光景，心中便觉察了一半，不觉把个粉脸羞的飞红，遂不好再问。
en-us	Observing the condition that Bao-yu was in, she therefore had more than an inkling of what had happened. Abandoning her question, she busied herself with his clothes, her cheeks suffused by a crimson blush of embarrassment.

zh-cn	仍旧理好衣裳，随至贾母处来，胡乱吃过晚饭，过这边来，趁众奶娘丫鬟不在旁时，另取出一件中衣与宝玉换上。
en-us	When he was properly dressed, they went to rejoin Grandmother Jia and the rest. There they bolted a hurried supper and then slipped back to the other house, where Aroma profited from the absence of the nurses and the other maids to take out a clean undergarment for Bao-yu to change into.

zh-cn	宝玉含羞央告道：“好姐姐，千万别告诉人。”
en-us	'Please, Aroma,' Bao-yu shamefacedly entreated as she helped him change, 'please don't tell anyone!'

zh-cn	袭人也含着羞悄悄的笑问道：“你为什么——”
en-us	Equally ill at ease, Aroma giggled softly. 'Why did you...?' she began to ask.

zh-cn	说到这里，把眼又往四下里瞧了瞧，才又问道：“那是那里流出来的？”
en-us	Then, after glancing cautiously around, began again. 'Where did that stuff come from?'

zh-cn	宝玉只管红着脸不言语，袭人却只瞅着他笑。
en-us	Bao-yu blushed furiously and said nothing. Aroma stared at him curiously and continued to giggle.

zh-cn	迟了一会，宝玉才把梦中之事细说与袭人听。
en-us	After much hesitation he proceeded to give her a detailed account of his dream.

zh-cn	说到云雨私情，羞的袭人掩面伏身而笑。
en-us	But when he came to the part of it in which he made love to Two-in-one, Aroma threw herself forward with a shriek of laughter and buried her face in her hands.

zh-cn	宝玉亦素喜袭人柔媚姣俏，遂强拉袭人同领警幻所训之事，袭人自知贾母曾将他给了宝玉，也无可推托的，扭捏了半日，无奈何，只得和宝玉温存了一番。
en-us	Bao-yu had long been attracted by Aroma's somewhat coquettish charms and tugged at her purposefully, anxious to share with her the lesson he had learned from Disenchantment. Aroma knew that when Grandmother Jia gave her to Bao-yu she had intended her to belong to him in the fullest possible sense, and so, having no good reason for refusing him, she allowed him, after a certain amount of coy resistance, to have his way with her.

zh-cn	自此宝玉视袭人更自不同，袭人待宝玉也越发尽职了。
en-us	From then on Bao-yu treated Aroma with even greater consideration than before, whilst Aroma for her part redoubled the devotion with which she served him.

zh-cn	这话暂且不提。
en-us	But of this, for the time being, no more.

zh-cn	且说荣府中合算起来，从上至下，也有三百余口人，一天也有一二十件事，竟如乱麻一般，没个头绪可作纲领。
en-us	The inhabitants of the Rong mansion, if we include all of them from the highest to the humblest in our total, numbered more than three hundred souls, who produced between them a dozen or more incidents in a single day.

zh-cn	
en-us	Faced with so exuberant an abundance of material, what principle should your chronicler adopt to guide him in his selection of incidents to record?

zh-cn	正思从那一件事那一个人写起方妙，却好忽从千里之外，芥豆之微，小小一个人家，因与荣府略有些瓜葛，这日正往荣府中来，因此便就这一家说起，倒还是个头绪。
en-us	As we pondered the problem where to begin, it was suddenly solved for us by the appearance as it were out of nowhere of someone from a very humble, very insignificant household who, on the strength of a very tenuous, very remote family connection with the Jias, turned up at the Rong mansion on the very day of which we are about to write.

zh-cn	原来这小小之家，姓王，乃本地人氏，祖上也做过一个小小京官，昔年曾与凤姐之祖王夫人之父认识。
en-us	Their name was Wang and they were natives of these parts. A grandfather had held some very small official post in the capital and had there become acquainted with Wang Xi-feng's grandfather, the father of Lady Wang.

zh-cn	因贪王家的势利，便连了宗，认作侄儿。
en-us	Conceiving an admiration for the power and prestige of this greater namesake, he had sought to link his family with the latter's clan by becoming his adoptive nephew.

zh-cn	那时只有王夫人之大兄凤姐之父与王夫人随在京的知有此一门远族，余者也皆不知。
en-us	Only Lady Wang and her elder brother – Wang Xi-feng's father – who chanced at that time to be staying with their parent on his tour of duty at the capital, knew anything about this. The other members of the clan were unaware that any such relationship existed.

zh-cn	目今其祖早故，只有一个儿子，名唤王成，因家业萧条，仍搬出城外乡村中住了。
en-us	The grandfather had long since died, leaving an only son called Wang Cheng who, having fallen on hard times, had moved back into the countryside somewhere outside the capital.

zh-cn	王成亦相继身故，有子小名狗儿，娶妻刘氏，生子小名板儿； 又生一女，名唤青儿：
en-us	Wang Cheng in his turn had died leaving a son called Gou-er, who had married a girl from a family called Liu and now had two children, a son called Ban-er and a daughter called Qing-er.

zh-cn	一家四口，以务农为业。 因狗儿白日间自作些生计，刘氏又操井臼等事，青板姊弟两个无人照管，狗儿遂将岳母刘老老接来，一处过活。
en-us	The four of them depended on agriculture for their living, and since, with Gou-er himself busy most of the day on the land and his wife busy about the farm drawing water, pounding grain, and the like, there was no one to look after Qing-er and her little brother, Gou-er invited his mother-in-law, old Grannie Liu, to come and live with them.

zh-cn	这刘老老乃是个久经世代的老寡妇，膝下又无子息，只靠两亩薄田度日。
en-us	This Grannie Liu was an ancient widow-woman, rich in experience of the world, who, having no son or daughter-in-law to cherish her, eked out her solitary existence by scratching a livelihood from a miserable half-acre of land.

zh-cn	如今女婿接了养活， 岂不愿意呢，遂一心一计，帮着女儿女婿过活。
en-us	She therefore embraced her son-in-law's invitation with alacrity and threw herself enthusiastically into the business of helping the young couple to make a living.

zh-cn	因这年秋尽冬初，天气冷将上来，家中冬事未办，狗儿未免心中烦躁，吃了几杯闷酒，在家里闲寻气恼，刘氏不敢顶撞。
en-us	The season was now at the turn between autumn and winter. The cold weather was beginning, but none of the preparations for winter had yet been made. By drinking to allay his anxiety, Gou-er merely put himself more out of temper. He returned home to vent some of his spleen on his long-suffering wife.

zh-cn	因此刘老老看不过，便劝道：“姑爷，你别嗔着我多嘴：咱们村庄人家儿，那一个不是老老实实，守着多大碗儿吃多大的饭呢!
en-us	Grannie Liu could eventually stomach no more of his wife-baiting and intervened on her daughter's behalf. 'Now look here, son-in-law: probably you will think me an interfering old woman; but we country folk have to be grateful for what is in the pot and cut down our appetites to the same measure.

zh-cn	你皆因年小时候，托着老子娘的福，吃喝惯了，如今所以有了钱就顾头不顾尾，没了钱就瞎生气，成了什么男子汉大丈夫了!
en-us	When you were little your Ma and Pa could afford to indulge you; so now you're grown-up you spend all your money as soon as you've got any, without stopping to count the cost; then, when it's all gone, you start making a fuss. But what sort of way is that for a grown man to behave ?

zh-cn	如今咱们虽离城住着，终是天子脚下。
en-us	'Now where we live may be out in the country, but it's still "in the Emperor's shadow", as they say.

zh-cn	这‘长安’城中遍地皆是钱，只可惜没人会去拿罢了。
en-us	Over there in the city the streets are paved with money just waiting for someone to go and pick it up.

zh-cn	在家跳蹋也没用！” 狗儿听了道：“你老只会在炕头上坐着混说，难道叫我打劫去不成？”
en-us	What's the sense in rampaging around here at home when you could go out and help yourself?' 'It's easy for you to sit on your backside and talk,' said Gou-er rudely, 'but what do you expect me to do?

zh-cn	刘老老说道：“谁叫你去打劫呢?
en-us	Go out and rob?' 'No one's asking you to rob,' said Grannie Liu.

zh-cn	也到底大家想个方法儿才好。
en-us	'But can't we all sit down peaceably and think of a way?

zh-cn	不然那银子钱会自己跑到咱们家里来不成？”
en-us	Because if we don't, the money isn't going to come walking in the door of its own accord.'

zh-cn	狗儿冷笑道：“有法儿还等到这会子呢!
en-us	Gou-er snorted sarcastically. 'If there were a way, do you suppose I should have waited till now before trying it out?

zh-cn	我又没有收税的亲戚、做官的朋友，有什么法子可想的?
en-us	There are no tax-collectors in my family and no mandarins among my friends. What way could there be of laying my hands on some money?

zh-cn	就有，也只怕他们未必来理我们呢。”
en-us	Even if I did have rich friends or relations, I'm not so sure they would want to be bothered with the likes of us.'

zh-cn	刘老老道“这倒也不然。
en-us	'I wouldn't say that,' said Grannie Liu.

zh-cn	‘谋事在人，成事在天’，咱们谋到了，靠菩萨的保佑，有些机会，也未可知。
en-us	'Man proposes, God disposes. It's up to us to think of something. We must leave it to the good Lord to decide whether He'll help us or not. Who knows, He might give us the opportunity we are looking for.

zh-cn	我倒替你们想出一个机会来。
en-us	'Now I can think of a chance you might try.

zh-cn	当日你们原是和金陵王家连过宗的。
en-us	Your family used to be connected with the Wang clan of Nanking.

zh-cn	二十年前，他们看承你们还好，如今是你们拉硬屎，不肯去就和他，才疏远起来。
en-us	Twenty years ago the Nanking Wangs used to be very good to you folk. It's only because of late years you have been too stiff-necked to approach them that they have become more distant with you.

zh-cn	想当初我和女儿还去过一遭，他家的二小姐着实爽快会待人的，倒不拿大，如今现是荣国府贾二老爷的夫人。
en-us	'I can remember going to their house once with my daughter. The elder Miss Wang was a very straightforward young lady, very easy to get on with, and not at all high and mighty. She's now the wife of the younger of the two Sir Jias in the Rong mansion.

zh-cn	听见他们说，如今上了年纪，越发怜贫恤老的了，又爱斋僧布施。
en-us	They say that now she's getting on in years she's grown even more charitable and given to good works than she was as a girl.

zh-cn	如今王府虽升了官儿，只怕二姑太太还认的咱们，你为什么不走动走动?
en-us	Her brother has been promoted; but I shouldn't be surprised if she at least didn't still remember us. Why don't you try your luck with her?

zh-cn	或者他还念旧，有些好处也未可知。
en-us	You never know, she might do something for you for the sake of old times.

zh-cn	只要他发点好心，拔根寒毛，比咱们的腰还壮呢！”
en-us	She only has to feel well disposed and a hair off her arm would be thicker than a man's waist to poor folks like us!'

zh-cn	刘氏接口道：“你老说的好，你我这样嘴脸，怎么好到他门上去?
en-us	'That's all very well, Mother,' put in Gou-er's wife, 'but just take a look at us! What sort of state are we in to go calling on great folks like them?

zh-cn	只怕他那门上人也不肯进去告诉，没的白打嘴现世的！”
en-us	I doubt the people at the door would bother to tell them we were there.

zh-cn	谁知狗儿利名心重，听如此说，心下便有些活动； 又听他妻子这番话，便笑道：“老老既这么说，况且当日你又见过这姑太太一次，为什么不你老人家明日就去走一遭，先试试风头儿去？”
en-us	Who's going to all that trouble just to make a fool of themselves?' Gou-er's cupidity, however, had been aroused by the words of his mother-in-law, and his reaction to them was less discouraging than his wife's. 'Well, if it's as you say, Grannie, and being as you've already seen this lady, why not go there yourself and spy out the land for us?'

zh-cn	刘老老道：“哎哟!
en-us	'Bless us and save us!' said Grannie Liu.

zh-cn	可是说的了：‘侯门似海。’
en-us	'You know what they say: "A prince's door is like the deep sea."

zh-cn	我是个什么东西儿!
en-us	What sort of creature do you take me for?

zh-cn	他家人又不认得我，去了也是白跑。”
en-us	The servants there don't know me; it would be a journey wasted.'

zh-cn	狗儿道：“不妨，我教给你个法儿。
en-us	'That's no problem,' said Gou-er. 'I'll tell you what to do.

zh-cn	你竟带了小板儿先去找陪房周大爷，要见了他，就有些意思了。
en-us	You take young Ban-er with you and ask for Old Zhou that stayed in service with your lady after she married. If you tell them you've come to see him, it will give you an excuse for the visit.

zh-cn	这周大爷先时和我父亲交过一桩事，我们本极好的。”
en-us	Old Zhou once entrusted a bit of business to my father. He used to be very friendly with us at one time.'

zh-cn	刘老老道：“我也知道。
en-us	'I knew all about that,' said Grannie Liu.

zh-cn	只是许多时不走动，知道他如今是怎样? 这也说不得了!
en-us	'But it's a long time since you had anything to do with him and hard to say how he may prove after all these years. Howsomever.

zh-cn	你又是个男人，这么个嘴脸，自然去不得。 我们姑娘年轻的媳妇儿，也难卖头卖脚的， 倒还是舍着我这副老脸去碰碰。
en-us	Being a man, you naturally can't go in your present pickle; and a young married woman like my daughter can't go gallivanting around the countryside showing herself to everybody. But as my old face is tough enough to stand a slap or two, it's up to me to go.

zh-cn	果然有好处，大家也有益。”
en-us	So be it, then. If any good does come of the visit, we shall all of us benefit.'

zh-cn	当晚计议已定。
en-us	And so, that very evening, the matter was settled.

zh-cn	次日天未明时，刘老老便起来梳洗了， 又将板儿教了几句话； 五六岁的孩子，听见带了他进城逛去，喜欢的无不应承。
en-us	Next day Grannie Liu was up before dawn. As soon as she had washed and done her hair, she set about teaching Ban-er a few words to say to the ladies at the great house – an exercise to which he submitted cheerfully enough, as would any little boy of four or five who had been promised an outing to the great city.

zh-cn	于是刘老老带了板儿，进城至宁荣街来。
en-us	That done, she set off on her journey, and in due course made her way to Two Dukes Street.

zh-cn	到了荣府大门前石狮子旁边，只见满门口的轿马。
en-us	There, at each side of the stone lions which flanked the gates of the Rong Mansion, she saw a cluster of horses and palanquins.

zh-cn	刘老老不敢过去，掸掸衣服，又教了板儿几句话，然后溜到角门前，只见几个挺胸叠肚、指手画脚的人坐在大门上，说东谈西的。
en-us	Not daring to go straight up, she first dusted down her clothes and rehearsed Ban-er's little repertoire of phrases before sidling up to one of the side entrances. A number of important-looking gentlemen sat in the gateway sunning their bellies and discoursing with animated gestures on a wide variety of topics.

zh-cn	刘老老只得蹭上来问：“太爷们纳福。”
en-us	Grannie Liu waddled up to them and offered a respectful salutation.

zh-cn	众人打量了一会，便问：“是那里来的？”
en-us	After looking her up and down for a moment or two, they asked her her business.

zh-cn	刘老老陪笑道：“我找太太的陪房周大爷的。
en-us	Grannie Liu smiled ingratiatingly. 'I've come to see Old Zhou that used to be in service with Her Ladyship before she married.

zh-cn	烦那位太爷替我请他出来。”
en-us	Could I trouble one of you gentlemen to fetch him out for me?'

zh-cn	那些人听了，都不理他，半日，方说道：“你远远的那墙畸角儿等着，一会子他们家里就有人出来。”
en-us	The gentlemen ignored her request and returned to their discussion. After she had waited there for some considerable time one of them said,' If you stand at that gate along there on the corner, someone from inside the house should be coming out presently.'

zh-cn	内中有个年老的说道：“何苦误他的事呢？” 因向刘老老道：“周大爷往南边去了。
en-us	But a more elderly man among them protested that it was 'a shame to send her on a fool's errand', and turning to Grannie Liu he said, 'Old Zhou is away in the South at the moment, but his missus is still at home.

zh-cn	他在后一带住着，他们奶奶儿倒在家呢。
en-us	She lives round at the back.

zh-cn	你打这边绕到后街门上找就是了。”
en-us	You'll have to go from here round to the back gate in the other street and ask for her there.'

zh-cn	刘老老谢了，遂领着板儿绕至后门上，只见门上歇着些生意担子，也有卖吃的，也有卖玩耍的，闹吵吵三二十个孩子在那里。
en-us	Grannie Liu thanked him and trotted off with little Ban-er all the way round to the rear entrance. There she found a number of sweetmeat vendors and toy-sellers who had set their wares down outside the gate and were being beseiged by a crowd of some twenty or thirty noisy, yelling children.

zh-cn	刘老老便拉住一个道：“我问哥儿一声：有个周大娘在家么？”
en-us	She grabbed a small urchin from their midst and drew him towards her. 'Tell me, sonny, is there a Mrs Zhou living here?'

zh-cn	那孩子翻眼瞅着道：“那个周大娘?
en-us	The urchin stared back at her impudently. 'Which Mrs Zhou?

zh-cn	我们这里周大娘有几个呢，不知那一个行当儿上的？”
en-us	There are several Mrs Zhous here. What's her job?'

zh-cn	刘老老道：“他是太太的陪房。”
en-us	'She's the Mrs Zhou that came here with Her Ladyship when she was married.'

zh-cn	那孩子道：“这个容易，你跟了我来。”
en-us	'That's easy,' said the urchin. 'Follow me!'

zh-cn	引着刘老老进了后院，到一个院子墙边，指道：“这就是他家。”
en-us	He led Grannie Liu into a rear courtyard. 'That's where she lives,' he said, pointing in the direction of a side wall.

zh-cn	又叫道：“周大妈，有个老奶奶子找你呢。”
en-us	Then, bawling over the wall, 'Mrs Zhou, there's an old woman come to see you!'

zh-cn	周瑞家的在内忙迎出来，问：“是那位？”
en-us	Zhou Rui's wife came hurrying out and asked who it was.

zh-cn	刘老老迎上来笑问道：“好啊?
en-us	'How are you, my dear?' said Grannie Liu, advancing with a smile.

zh-cn	周嫂子。” 周瑞家的认了半日，方笑道：“刘老老，你好?
en-us	Zhou Rui's wife scrutinized her questioningly for some moments before finally recognizing her. 'Why, it's Grannie Liu! How are you?

zh-cn	你说么，这几年不见，我就忘了。
en-us	It's so many years since I saw you last, I'd forgotten all about you!

zh-cn	请家里坐。”
en-us	Come in and sit down!'

zh-cn	刘老老一面走，一面笑说道：“你老是‘贵人多忘事’了，那里还记得我们？”
en-us	Grannie Liu followed her cackling. 'You know what they say: "Important people have short memories." I wouldn't expect you to remember the likes of us!'

zh-cn	说着，来至房中，周瑞家的命雇的小丫头倒上茶来吃着。
en-us	When they were indoors, Zhou Rui's wife ordered her little hired help to pour out some tea.

zh-cn	周瑞家的又问道：“板儿长了这么大了么！” 又问些别后闲话， 又问刘老老：
en-us	'And hasn't Ban-er grown a big boy!' said Zhou Rui's wife; then, after a few inquiries about the various things that had happened since they last met, she asked Grannie Liu about her visit.

zh-cn	“今日还是路过，还是特来的？”
en-us	'Were you just passing by, or have you come specially?'

zh-cn	刘老老便说：“原是特来瞧瞧嫂子； 二则也请请姑太太的安。
en-us	'Well, of course, first and foremost we came to see you,' replied Grannie Liu mendaciously, 'but we were also hoping to pay our respects to Her Ladyship.

zh-cn	若可以领我见一见更好，若不能，就借重嫂子转致意罢了。”
en-us	If you could take us to see her, that would be very nice; but if that's not possible, perhaps we could trouble you just to give her our regards.'

zh-cn	周瑞家的听了，便已猜着几分来意。 只因他丈夫昔年争买田地一事，多得狗儿他父亲之力，今见刘老老如此，心中难却其意；
en-us	From the tone of this reply Zhou Rui's wife was already able to make a pretty good guess as to the real purpose of the old woman's visit; but because some years previously her husband had received a lot of help from Gou-er's father in a dispute over the purchase of some land, she could not very well reject Grannie Liu now, when she came to her as a suppliant.

zh-cn	二则也要显弄自己的体面。
en-us	She was, in any case, anxious to demonstrate her own importance in the Jia household; and so the answer she gave her was a gracious one.

zh-cn	便笑说：“老老你放心。
en-us	'Don't you worry, Grannie!

zh-cn	大远的诚心诚意来了，岂有个不叫你见个真佛儿去的呢？
en-us	After you've made such a long pilgrimage, we won't let you go home without seeing a real Buddha!

zh-cn	论理，人来客至，却都不与我相干。
en-us	By rights, of course, Callers and Visitors has nothing to do with me.

zh-cn	我们这里都是各一样儿：
en-us	You see, we each have our own jobs here.

zh-cn	我们男的只管春秋两季地租子，闲了时带着小爷们出门就完了；
en-us	My man's is collecting the half-yearly rents in the spring and autumn; and when he's not doing that, he takes the young masters out when they go on visits.

zh-cn	我只管跟太太奶奶们出门的事。
en-us	That's all he ever does. Now my job is to attend to their ladyships and the young mistresses when they go out.

zh-cn	皆因你是太太的亲戚，又拿我当个人，投奔了我来，我竟破个例给你通个信儿去。
en-us	But being as how you are a relation of Her ladyship, and since you've put your confidence in me and turned to me to help you, I don't mind breaking the rules for once and taking in a message.

zh-cn	但只一件，你还不知道呢：我们这里不比五年前了。
en-us	'There's only one thing, though. I don't expect you know, but things here are very different from what they were five years ago.

zh-cn	如今太太不理事，都是琏二奶奶当家。
en-us	Nowadays Her Ladyship doesn't run things here any longer. It's Master Lian's wife who does all the managing –

zh-cn	你打量琏二奶奶是谁?
en-us	You'll never guess who that is:

zh-cn	就是太太的内侄女儿，大舅老爷的女孩儿，小名儿叫凤哥的。”
en-us	Her Ladyship's niece Wang Xi-feng. You know, Her Ladyship's eldest brother's daughter, that we used to call "Feng-ge" when she was a child.'

zh-cn	刘老老道：“阿弥陀佛! 这全仗嫂子方便了。”
en-us	'Bless you, my dear, for being such a help!' said Grannie Liu.

zh-cn	周瑞家的说：“老老说那里话。
en-us	'Oh Grannie, how can you say such a thing?' said Zhou Rui's wife demurely.

zh-cn	俗语说的好：‘与人方便，自己方便。 ’
en-us	'You know what the old saying is, "He who helps others helps himself."

zh-cn	不过用我一句话，又费不着我什么事。”
en-us	It's only a question of saying a few words. No trouble at all.'

zh-cn	说着，便唤小丫头到倒厅儿上悄悄的打听老太太屋里摆了饭了没有。
en-us	So saying, she instructed the little maid to slip quietly round to the back of old Lady Jia's quarters and ask if they were serving lunch yet.

zh-cn	小丫头去了。 这里二人又说了些闲话。
en-us	The little maid departed on her errand and the two women resumed their conversation.

zh-cn	刘老老因说：“这位凤姑娘，今年不过十八九岁罢了，就这等有本事，当这样的家，可是难得的！”
en-us	'This Mrs Lian,' said Grannie Liu: 'she can't be more than eighteen or nineteen years old. She must be a very capable young woman. Fancy her being able to run a great household like this!'

zh-cn	周瑞家的听了道：“嗐! 我的老老，告诉不得你了!
en-us	'Oh Grannie, you have no idea!' said Zhou Rui's wife.

zh-cn	这凤姑娘年纪儿虽小，行事儿比是人都大呢。 如今出挑的美人儿似的，少说着只怕有一万心眼子；
en-us	'Mrs Lian may be young, but when it comes to doing things, she's got an older head on her shoulders than any I've ever come across. She's grown up to be a real beauty too, has Mrs Lian.

zh-cn	再要赌口齿，十个会说的男人也说不过他呢！
en-us	But sharp! Well, if it ever comes to a slanging match, she can talk down ten grown men any day of the week!

zh-cn	回来你见了就知道了。
en-us	Wait till you meet her, and you'll see what I mean.

zh-cn	就只一件，待下人未免太严些儿。”
en-us	There's only one thing, though. She's a bit too strict with those beneath her.'

zh-cn	说着，小丫头回来说：“老太太屋里摆完了饭了，二奶奶在太太屋里呢。”
en-us	As she was speaking, the little maid came back, her errand completed. 'They've finished serving lunch at Her Old Ladyship's. Mrs Lian is still there.'

zh-cn	周瑞家的听了连忙起身，催着刘老老：“快走，这一下来就只吃饭是个空儿，咱们先等着去。
en-us	Zhou Rui's wife hurriedly rose to her feet and urged Grannie Liu to do likewise. 'Quick! After she comes out from there she'll be free for a few minutes while she has her meal. We must try and catch her then.

zh-cn	若迟了一步，回事的人多了，就难说了。
en-us	If we delay a moment longer, people will start coming in with messages and we shan't have a chance to speak to her.

zh-cn	再歇了中觉，越发没时候了。”
en-us	And once she goes off for her afternoon nap, we've really lost her!'

zh-cn	说着，一齐下了炕，整顿衣服，又教了板儿几句话，跟着周瑞家的，逶迤往贾琏的住宅来。
en-us	Grannie Liu got off the kang, adjusted her clothing, conducted Ban-er through a rapid revision of his little stock of phrases and followed Zhou Rui's wife through various twists and turns to Jia Lian's quarters.

zh-cn	先至倒厅，周瑞家的将刘老老安插住等着，自己却先过影壁，走进了院门，知凤姐尚未出来，先找着凤姐的一个心腹通房大丫头名唤平儿的；周瑞家的先将刘老老起初来历说明，又说：“今日大远的来请安，当日太太是常会的，所以我带了他过来。
en-us	Just before they reached them, Zhou Rui's wife planted them both in a covered passage-way while she went on ahead round the screen wall and into the gate of the courtyard. First ascertaining that Wang Xi-feng had not yet left Lady Jia's, she sought out Xi-feng's chambermaid and principal confidante, Patience, and primed her with a full account of Grannie Liu's antecedents. 'She has come all this way today to pay her respects,' she concluded. 'At one time Her Ladyship used to see quite a lot of her, which is why I thought it would be in order for me to bring her in.

zh-cn	等着奶奶下来，我细细儿的回明了，想来奶奶也不至嗔着我莽撞的。”
en-us	I thought I would wait for the young mistress to come back and explain it all to her. I hope she won't be angry with me for pushing myself forward.'

zh-cn	平儿听了，便作了个主意：“叫他们进来，先在这里坐着就是了。”
en-us	Patience at once made up her mind what to do. 'Let them come in here. They can sit here while they are waiting.'

zh-cn	周瑞家的才出去领了他们进来。
en-us	Zhou Rui's wife went off again to fetch her charges.

zh-cn	上了正房台阶，小丫头打起猩红毡帘，才入堂屋，只闻一阵香扑了脸来，竟不知是何气味，身子就像在云端里一般。
en-us	As they ascended the steps to the main reception room, a little maid lifted up the red carpet which served as a portiere for them to enter. A strange, delicious fragrance seemed to reach forward and enfold them as they entered, producing in Grannie Liu the momentary sensation that she had been transported bodily to one of the celestial paradises.

zh-cn	满屋里的东西都是耀眼争光，使人头晕目眩，刘老老此时只有点头咂嘴念佛而已。
en-us	Their eyes, too, were dazzled by the bright and glittering things that filled the room. Temporarily speechless with wonder, Grannie Liu stood wagging her head, alternating clicks of admiration with pious ejaculations.

zh-cn	于是走到东边这间屋里，乃是贾琏的女儿睡觉之所。
en-us	From the glittering reception room they passed to a room on the east side of it in which Jia Lian's baby daughter slept.

zh-cn	平儿站在炕沿边，打量了刘老老两眼，只得问个好，让了坐。
en-us	Patience, who was standing by the edge of the kang, made a rapid assessment of Grannie Liu and judged it sufficient to greet her with a civil 'how-do-you-do' and an invitation to be seated.

zh-cn	刘老老见平儿遍身绫罗，插金戴银，花容月貌，便当是凤姐儿了，才要称“姑奶奶”，只见周瑞家的说：“他是平姑娘。”
en-us	Grannie Liu looked at the silks and satins in which Patience was dressed, the gold and silver ornaments in her hair, her beauty of feature which in every respect corresponded with what she had been told of Wang Xi-feng, and taking the maid for the mistress, was on the point of greeting her as 'Gou-er's aunt', when Zhou Rui's wife introduced her as' Miss Patience'.

zh-cn	又见平儿赶着周瑞家的叫他“周大娘”，方知不过是个有体面的丫头。
en-us	Then, when Patience shortly afterwards addressed Zhou Rui's wife as 'Mrs Zhou', she knew that this was no mistress but a very high-class maid.

zh-cn	于是让刘老老和板儿上了炕，平儿和周瑞家的对面坐在炕沿上，小丫头们倒了茶来吃了。
en-us	So Grannie Liu and Ban-er got up on the kang at one side, while Patience and Zhou Rui's wife sat near the edge of it on the other, and a little maid came in and poured them all some tea.

zh-cn	刘老老只听见咯当咯当的响声，很似打罗筛面的一般，不免东瞧西望的，忽见堂屋中柱子上挂着一个匣子，底下又坠着一个秤铊似的，却不住的乱晃。
en-us	Grannie Liu's attention was distracted by a persistent tock tock tock tock not unlike the sound made by a flour-bolting machine, and she could not forbear glancing round her from time to time to see where it came from. Presently she caught sight of a sort of boxlike object fastened to one of the central pillars of the room, and a thing like the weight of a steelyard hanging down from it, which swung to and fro in ceaseless motion and appeared to be the source of the noise which had distracted her.

zh-cn	刘老老心中想着：“这是什么东西? 有煞用处呢？”
en-us	'I wonder what that can be,' she thought to herself, 'and what it can be used for?'

zh-cn	正发呆时，陡听得“当”的一声又若金钟铜磬一般，倒吓得不住的展眼儿。
en-us	As she studied the strange box, it suddenly gave forth a loud dong! like the sound of a bronze bell or a copper chime, which so startled the old lady that her eyes nearly popped out of her head.

zh-cn	接着一连又是八九下，欲待问时，只见小丫头们一齐乱跑，说：“奶奶下来了。”
en-us	The dong! was followed in rapid succession by eight or nine others, and Grannie Liu was on the point of asking what it meant, when all the maids in the house began scurrying about shouting, 'The mistress! The mistress!

zh-cn	平儿和周瑞家的忙起身说：“老老只管坐着，等是时候儿我们来请你。” 说着迎出去了。
en-us	She'll be coming out now!' and Patience and Zhou Rui's wife hurriedly rose to their feet. 'Just stay here, Grannie,' they said. 'When it is time for you to see her, we shall come in and fetch you'; and they went off with the other servants to greet their mistress.

zh-cn	刘老老只屏声侧耳默候， 只听远远有人笑声，约有一二十个妇人，衣裙窸窣，渐入堂屋，往那边屋内去了。
en-us	As Grannie Liu sat in silence, waiting with bated breath and head cocked to one side for her summons, she heard a far-off sound of laughter, followed presently by a sound of rustling dresses as between ten and twenty women entered the reception room and passed from it into the room beyond.

zh-cn	又见三两个妇人，都捧着大红油漆盒进这边来等候。
en-us	Then two or three women bearing large red lacquer boxes took up their positions on the side nearest the room in which she sat and stood there waiting to be called.

zh-cn	听得那边说道“摆饭”，渐渐的人才散出去，只有伺候端菜的几个人。
en-us	A voice in the far room called out,' Serve now, please!' at which, to judge from the noises, most of the women scuttled off, leaving only the few who were waiting at table.

zh-cn	半日鸦雀不闻。 忽见两个人抬了一张炕桌来，放在这边炕上，桌上碗盘摆列，仍是满满的鱼肉，不过略动了几样。
en-us	A long silence ensued in which not so much as a cheep could be heard; then two women came in bearing a small, low table which they set down on the kang. It was covered with bowls and dishes containing all kinds of meat and fish, only one or two of which appeared to have been touched.

zh-cn	板儿一见就吵着要肉吃，刘老老打了他一巴掌。
en-us	At the sight of it Ban-er set up a clamour for some meat and was silenced by Grannie Liu with a resounding slap.

zh-cn	忽见周瑞家的笑嘻嘻走过来，点手儿叫他。
en-us	Just at that moment Zhou Rui's wife appeared, her face all wreathed in smiles, and advanced towards Grannie Liu beckoning.

zh-cn	刘老老会意，于是带着板儿下炕，至堂屋中间，周瑞家的又和他咕唧了一会子，方蹭到这边屋内。
en-us	Grannie Liu slipped off the kang, lifted down Ban-er, and exchanged a few hurried whispers with her in the reception room before waddling into the room beyond.

zh-cn	只见门外铜钩上悬着大红洒花软帘，南窗下是炕，炕上大红条毡，靠东边板壁立着一个锁子锦的靠背和一个引枕，铺着金线闪的大坐褥，傍边有银唾盒。
en-us	A dark-red patterned curtain hung from brass hooks over the doorway. Inside, under the window in the south wall, there was a kang covered with a dark-red carpet. At the east end of the kang, up against the wooden partition wall, were a backrest and bolster, both covered in gold brocade, and a large flat cushion for sitting on, also glittering with gold thread.

zh-cn	那凤姐家常带着紫貂昭君套，围着那攒珠勒子，穿着桃红洒花袄，石青刻丝灰鼠披风，大红洋绉银鼠皮裙；
en-us	Beside them stood a silver spittoon. Wang Xi-feng had on a little cap of red sable, which she wore about the house for warmth, fastened on with a pearl-studded bandeau. She was dressed in a sprigged peach-pink gown, with an ermine-lined skirt of dark-red foreign crepe underneath it, and a cloak of slate-blue silk with woven coloured insets and lining of grey squirrel around her shoulders. Her face was exquisitely made-up.

zh-cn	粉光脂艳，端端正正坐在那里，手内拿着小铜火箸儿拨手炉内的灰。 平儿站在炕沿边，捧着小小的一个填漆茶盘，盘内一个小盖钟儿。
en-us	She was sitting on the edge of the kang, her back straight as a ramrod, with a diminutive pair of tongs in her hand, removing the spent charcoal from a portable hand-warmer. Patience stood beside her carrying a covered teacup on a tiny inlaid lacquer tray.

zh-cn	凤姐也不接茶，也不抬头，只管拨那灰，慢慢的道：“怎么还不请进来？”
en-us	Xi-feng appeared not to have noticed her, for she neither reached out for the cup nor raised her head, but continued picking ab-sorbedly at her hand-warmer. At last she spoke: 'Why not ask them in, then?'

zh-cn	一面说，一面抬身要茶时，只见周瑞家的已带了两个人立在面前了，这才忙欲起身、犹未起身，满面春风的问好，又嗔着周瑞家的：“怎么不早说！”
en-us	As she did so, she raised her head and saw Zhou Rui's wife with her two charges already standing in front of her. She made a confused movement as if to rise to her feet, welcomed the old lady with a look of unutterable benevolence, and almost in the same breath said rather crossly to Zhou Rui's wife, 'Why didn't you tell me?'

zh-cn	刘老老已在地下拜了几拜，问姑奶奶安。
en-us	By this time Grannie Liu was already down on her knees and had touched her head several times to the floor in reverence to her 'Aunt Feng'.

zh-cn	凤姐忙说：“周姐姐，搀着不拜罢。
en-us	'Stop her, Zhou dear !' said Xi-feng in alarm. 'She mustn't do that,

zh-cn	我年轻，不大认得，可也不知是什么辈数儿，不敢称呼。”
en-us	I am much too young! In any case, I don't know her very well. I don't know what sort of relations we are and what I should call her.'

zh-cn	周瑞家的忙回道：“这就是我才回的那个老老了。”
en-us	'This is the Grannie Liu I was just telling you about,' said Zhou Rui's wife.

zh-cn	凤姐点头，刘老老已在炕沿上坐下了。
en-us	Xi-feng nodded, and Grannie Liu sat herself down on the edge of the kang.

zh-cn	板儿便躲在他背后，百般的哄他出来作揖，他死也不肯。
en-us	Ban-er at once hid himself behind her back and neither threats nor blandishments would induce him to come out and make a bow to his 'Auntie'.

zh-cn	凤姐笑道：“亲戚们不大走动，都疏远了。
en-us	'Relations don't come to see us much nowadays,' said Xi-feng affably. 'We are getting to be quite strangers with everybody.

zh-cn	知道的呢，说你们弃嫌我们，不肯常来；不知道的那起小人，还只当我们眼里没人似的。”
en-us	People who know us realize that it is because you are tired of us that you don't visit us oftener; but some spiteful people who don't know us so well think it's our fault, because we have grown too proud.'

zh-cn	刘老老忙念佛道：“我们家道艰难，走不起。
en-us	Grannie Liu invoked the Lord Buddha in pious disavowal of so shocking a view. 'It's hard times that keeps us away.

zh-cn	来到这里，没的给姑奶奶打嘴，就是管家爷们瞧着也不像。”
en-us	We can't afford to visit. We are afraid that if we came to see you looking the way we are, you would disown us; and even the people at the gate might think we were tramps!'

zh-cn	凤姐笑道：“这话没的叫人恶心。
en-us	'Now you are really being too hard on us!

zh-cn	不过托赖着祖父的虚名，作个穷官儿罢咧，谁家有什么?
en-us	What if Grandfather did make a little bit of a name for himself and we do hold some miserable little appointment? What does it all amount to?

zh-cn	不过也是个空架子，俗语儿说的好，‘朝廷还有三门子穷亲’呢，何况你我。”
en-us	It's all empty show, really. You know what they say: "Even the Emperor has poor relations." It would be strange indeed if we didn't have a few!'

zh-cn	说着，又问周瑞家的：“回了太太了没有？”
en-us	She turned to Zhou Rui's wife. 'Have you told Her Ladyship yet?' 'No, ma'am.

zh-cn	周瑞家的道：“等奶奶的示下。”
en-us	I was waiting for your instructions.'

zh-cn	凤姐儿道：“你去瞧瞧，要是有人就罢；要得闲呢，就回了，看怎么说。”
en-us	'Go and have a look, then. If she has anyone with her, you had better leave it; but if she is free, tell her about their visit and see what she says.'

zh-cn	周瑞家的答应去了。
en-us	Zhou Rui's wife departed on her errand.

zh-cn	这里凤姐叫人抓了些果子给板儿吃，刚问了几句闲话时，就有家下许多媳妇儿管事的来回话。
en-us	Xi-feng told one of the servants to give Ban-er a handful of sweets, and had just begun a desultory conversation with Grannie Liu when a number of domestics and underlings of either sex arrived to report on their duties.

zh-cn	平儿回了，凤姐道：“我这里陪客呢，晚上再来回。
en-us	'I am entertaining a guest,' said Xi-feng to Patience when she came in to announce their arrival. 'Let them leave it until this evening.

zh-cn	要有紧事，你就带进来现办。”
en-us	But if anyone has important business, bring them in and I will deal with it now.'

zh-cn	平儿出去，一会进来说：“我问了，没什么要紧的。 我叫他们散了。”
en-us	Patience went out and returned a minute later to say that she had asked them and no one had any business of special importance, so she had sent them all away.

zh-cn	凤姐点头。
en-us	Xi-feng nodded.

zh-cn	只见周瑞家的回来，向凤姐道：“太太说：‘今日不得闲儿，二奶奶陪着也是一样，多谢费心想着。
en-us	At this point Zhou Rui's wife returned with a message for Xi-feng. 'Her Ladyship says she isn't free today, but that if you will entertain them for her, it will be just the same as if she were to receive them herself. She says please thank them very much for coming.

zh-cn	要是白来逛逛呢便罢； 有什么说的，只管告诉二奶奶。’”
en-us	And she says if it's just an ordinary visit she has nothing more to add; but if they have anything particular to say, she says tell them that they can say it to you instead.'

zh-cn	刘老老道：“也没甚的说，不过来瞧瞧姑太太姑奶奶，也是亲戚们的情分。”
en-us	'I hadn't anything particular in mind,' said Grannie Liu. 'Only to look in on Her Ladyship and your mistress. Just a visit to relations.'

zh-cn	周瑞家的道：“没有什么说的便罢；
en-us	'Well all right then, if you are sure you have nothing to say.

zh-cn	要有话，只管回二奶奶，和太太是一样儿的。”
en-us	But if you have got anything to say, you really ought to tell the mistress. It will be just the same as if you were to say it to Her Ladyship.'

zh-cn	一面说一面递了个眼色儿。 刘老老会意，未语先红了脸。
en-us	Zhou Rui's wife darted a meaningful look at Grannie Liu as she said this. Grannie Liu perfectly well understood the significance of this look, and a blush of shame overspread her face.

zh-cn	待要不说，今日所为何来?
en-us	Yet if she did not speak up now, what would have been the purpose of her visit?

zh-cn	只得勉强说道：“论今日初次见，原不该说的，只是大远的奔了你老这里来，少不得说了……”
en-us	She forced herself to say something. 'By rights I ought not to mention it today, seeing that this is our first meeting: but as I have come such a long way to see you, it seems silly not to speak...'

zh-cn	刚说到这里，只听二门上小厮们回说：“东府里小大爷进来了。” 凤姐忙和刘老老摆手道：“不必说了。”
en-us	She had got no further when the pages from the outer gate announced the arrival of 'the young master from the Ning mansion' and Xi-feng gestured to her to stop. 'It's all right. There is no need to tell me.'

zh-cn	一面便问：“你蓉大爷在那里呢？”
en-us	She turned to the pages. 'Where is Master Rong, then?'

zh-cn	只听一路靴子响，进来了一个十七八岁的少年，面目清秀，身段苗条，美服华冠，轻裘宝带。
en-us	A man's footstep sounded outside and a fresh-faced, willowy youth of seventeen or eighteen in elegant and expensive-looking winter dress came into the room.

zh-cn	刘老老此时坐不是，站不是，藏没处藏，躲没处躲。
en-us	Grannie Liu, acutely embarrassed in this male presence, did not know whether to sit or stand, and looked round her in vain for somewhere to hide herself.

zh-cn	凤姐笑道：“你只管坐着罢，这是我侄儿。”
en-us	Xi-feng laughed at her discomfiture. 'Don't mind him; just stay where you are! It's only my nephew.'

zh-cn	刘老老才扭扭捏捏的在炕沿儿上侧身坐下。
en-us	With a good deal of girlish simpering Grannie Liu sat down again, perching herself obliquely on the extreme edge of the kang.

zh-cn	那贾蓉请了安，笑回道：“我父亲打发来求婶子，上回老舅太太给婶子的那架玻璃炕屏，明儿请个要紧的客，略摆一摆就送来。”
en-us	Jia Rong saluted his aunt Manchu fashion. 'My father is entertaining an important visitor tomorrow and he wondered if he might borrow the little glass screen that your Uncle Wang's wife gave you, to put on our kang while he is there. We can let you have it back again as soon as he has gone.'

zh-cn	凤姐道：“你来迟了，昨儿已经给了人了。”
en-us	'You are too late,' said Xi-feng. 'I lent it yesterday to someone else.'

zh-cn	贾蓉听说，便笑嘻嘻的在炕沿上下个半跪道：“婶子要不借，我父亲又说我不会说话了，又要挨一顿好打。
en-us	Jia Rong flashed a winning smile at her and half-knelt on the side of the kang. 'If you won't lend it, my father will say that I didn't ask properly and I shall get a beating.

zh-cn	好婶子，只当可怜我罢！”
en-us	Come on, Auntie, be a sport! Just for my sake!'

zh-cn	凤姐笑道：“也没见我们王家的东西都是好的?
en-us	Xi-feng smiled maliciously. 'I don't know what's so special about my family's things.

zh-cn	你们那里放着那些好东西，只别看见我的东西才罢，一见了就想拿了去。”
en-us	Heaven knows, you have enough stuff of your own over there; yet you have only to set eyes on anything of ours, and you want it for yourselves.'

zh-cn	贾蓉笑道：“只求婶娘开恩罢！”
en-us	Jia Rong's smile flashed again. 'Please, Auntie! Be merciful!'

zh-cn	凤姐道：“碰坏一点儿，你可仔细你的皮！”
en-us	'If it's the tiniest bit chipped,' said Xi-feng, 'I'll have the hide off you!'

zh-cn	因命平儿拿了楼门上钥匙，叫几个妥当人来抬去。
en-us	She ordered Patience to take the key of the upstairs room and get some reliable servants to carry it over.

zh-cn	贾蓉喜的眉开眼笑，忙说：“我亲自带人拿去，别叫他们乱碰。” 说着便起身出去了。
en-us	Delighted with his good luck, Jia Rong hurriedly forestalled her. 'I'll get some of my own people to carry it. Don't put yours to a lot of trouble!' and he hurried out.

zh-cn	这凤姐忽然想起一件事来，便向窗外叫：“蓉儿回来！”
en-us	Xi-feng suddenly seemed to remember something, and called to him through the window, 'Rong, come back!'

zh-cn	外面几个人接声说：“请蓉大爷回来呢！”
en-us	Servants in the yard outside dutifully took up the cry, 'Master Rong, you're wanted back again!'

zh-cn	贾蓉忙回来，满脸笑容的瞅着凤姐，听何指示。
en-us	Jia Rong came hurrying back, wreathed in smiles, and looked at Xi-feng with eyebrows arched inquiringly.

zh-cn	那凤姐只管慢慢吃茶，出了半日神，忽然把脸一红，笑道：“罢了，你先去罢。
en-us	Xi-feng, however, sipped very intently from her teacup and mused for a while, saying nothing. Suddenly her face flushed and she gave a little laugh: 'It doesn't matter.

zh-cn	晚饭后你来再说罢。
en-us	Come back again after supper.

zh-cn	这会子有人，我也没精神了。”
en-us	I've got company now, and besides, I don't feel in the mood to tell you.'

zh-cn	贾蓉答应个是，抿着嘴儿一笑，方慢慢退去。
en-us	'Yes, Aunt,' said Jia Rong, and pursing his lips up in a complacent smile he sauntered slowly out of the room.

zh-cn	这刘老老方安顿了，便说道：
en-us	Having all this while had time to collect herself, Grannie Liu began her speech again:

zh-cn	“我今日带了你侄儿，不为别的，因他爹娘连吃的没有，天气又冷，只得带了你侄儿奔了你老来。”
en-us	'The real reason I have brought your little nephew here today is because his Pa and Ma haven't anything in the house to eat, and the weather is getting colder, and – and – I thought I'd bring him here to see you...'

zh-cn	说着，又推板儿道：“你爹在家里怎么教你的?
en-us	She gave Ban-er a despairing push. 'What did your Pa tell you to say when we got here?

zh-cn	打发咱们来作煞事的?
en-us	What was it he sent us for? Look at you!

zh-cn	只顾吃果子！”
en-us	All you can do is sit there eating sweets!'

zh-cn	凤姐早已明白了，听他不会说话，因笑道：“不必说了，我知道了。”
en-us	It was abundantly clear to Xi-feng that the old lady was too embarrassed to go on, and she put her out of her misery with a gracious smile. 'It's quite all right. There is no need to tell me. I quite understand.'

zh-cn	因问周瑞家的道：“这老老不知用了早饭没有呢？”
en-us	She turned to Zhou Rui's wife. 'I wonder if Grannie has eaten yet today?'

zh-cn	刘老老忙道：“一早就往这里赶咧，那里还有吃饭的工夫咧？”
en-us	'We were on our way first thing this morning,' Grannie Liu chimed in. 'There was no time to think about eating.'

zh-cn	凤姐便命快传饭来。 一时周瑞家的传了一桌客馔，摆在东屋里，过来带了刘老老和板儿过去吃饭。
en-us	Xi-feng gave orders for a meal to be brought in, and Zhou Rui's wife went out and presently reappeared with a guest's portion of various choice dishes on a little table, which she set down in the east wing, and to which she then conducted Grannie Liu and Ban-er for their meal.

zh-cn	凤姐这里道：“周姐姐好生让着些儿，我不能陪了。”
en-us	'Zhou, dear,' said Xi-feng, 'will you keep them company and see that they have enough to eat? I shan't be able to sit with them myself.'

zh-cn	一面又叫过周瑞家的来问道：“方才回了太太，太太怎么说了？”
en-us	Then calling her aside for a moment she asked, 'What did Her Ladyship say when you went to report about them just now?'

zh-cn	周瑞家的道：“太太说：‘他们原不是一家子； 当年他们的祖和太老爷在一处做官，因连了宗的。
en-us	'She said they don't really belong to the family but were adopted into the clan years ago when your grandfather and theirs were working in the same office.

zh-cn	这几年不大走动。 当时他们来了，却也从没空过的。
en-us	She said they haven't been round much of late years, but in the old days when they used to visit us we never sent them back empty-handed.

zh-cn	如今来瞧我们，也是他的好意，别简慢了他。
en-us	She said it was nice of them to come and see us today and we should be careful to treat them considerately.

zh-cn	要有什么话，叫二奶奶裁夺着就是了。’”
en-us	And she said if they appear to want anything, she would leave it to you to decide what we should do for them.'

zh-cn	凤姐听了说道：“怪道既是一家子，我怎么连影儿也不知道！”
en-us	'No wonder!' exclaimed Xi-feng when she had heard this account. 'I couldn't understand how they could be really related to us if I had never even heard of them.'

zh-cn	说话间，刘老老已吃完了饭，拉了板儿过来，舔唇咂嘴的道谢。
en-us	While they were talking, Grannie Liu came back from the other room having already finished eating, smacking her lips and sucking her teeth appreciatively, and voicing her thanks for the repast.

zh-cn	凤姐笑道：“且请坐下，听我告诉你：方才你的意思，我已经知道了。
en-us	'Sit down,' said Xi-feng with a smile. 'I have something to say to you. I quite understand what you were trying to tell me just now.

zh-cn	论起亲戚来，原该不等上门就有照应才是； 但只如今家里事情太多，太太上了年纪，一时想不到是有的。
en-us	As we are relations, we ought by rights not to wait for you to come to our door before helping you when you are in trouble; but there are so many things to attend to in this family, and now that Her Ladyship is getting on a bit she doesn't always remember them all.

zh-cn	我如今接着管事，这些亲戚们又都不大知道，况且外面看着虽是烈烈轰轰，不知大有大的难处，说给人也未必信。
en-us	And since I took over the management of the household, I find there are quite a lot of relations that I don't even know about. And then again, of course, though we may look thriving enough from the outside, people don't realize that being a big establishment like ours carries its own difficulties. They won't believe it if you tell them, but it's true.

zh-cn	你既大远的来了，又是头一遭儿和我张个口，怎么叫你空回去呢?
en-us	However, since you have come such a long way, and since this is the first time you have ever said a word about needing help, we obviously can't let you go back empty-handed.

zh-cn	可巧昨儿太太给我的丫头们作衣裳的二十两银子还没动呢，你不嫌少，先拿了去用罢。”
en-us	Fortunately it so happens that I still haven't touched any of the twenty taels of silver that Her Ladyship gave me the other day to make clothes for the maids with. If you don't mind it being so little, you are very welcome to take it.'

zh-cn	那刘老老先听见告艰苦，只当是没想头了， 又听见给他二十两银子，喜的眉开眼笑道：“我们也知道艰难的，但只俗语说的：‘瘦死的骆驼比马还大’呢。
en-us	When Grannie Liu heard Xi-feng talk about 'difficulties' she concluded that there was no hope. Her delight and the way in which her face lit up with pleasure when she heard that she was, after all, to be given twenty taels of silver can be imagined. 'We knew you had your troubles,' she said, 'but as the saying goes, "A starved camel is bigger than a fat horse."

zh-cn	凭他怎样，你老拔一根寒毛比我们的腰还壮哩。”
en-us	Say what you like, a hair plucked from your arm is thicker than a man's waist to folks like us!'

zh-cn	周瑞家的在旁听见他说的粗鄙，只管使眼色止他。
en-us	Horrified by the crudity of these expressions, Zhou Rui's wife, who was standing by, was meanwhile signalling frantically to the old lady to stop.

zh-cn	凤姐笑而不睬，叫平儿把昨儿那包银子拿来，再拿一串钱，都送至刘老老跟前。
en-us	But Xi-feng laughed quite unconcernedly and told Patience to wrap up the silver and also to fetch a string of cash to go with it. The money was set down in front of Grannie Liu.

zh-cn	凤姐道：“这是二十两银子，暂且给这孩子们作件冬衣罢。
en-us	'Here is the twenty taels of silver,' said Xi-feng. 'Take this for the time being to make some winter clothes for the children with.

zh-cn	改日没事，只管来逛逛，才是亲戚们的意思。
en-us	Some time later on, when you have nothing better to do, look in on us for a day or two for kinship's sake.

zh-cn	天也晚了，不虚留你们了，到家该问好的都问个好儿罢。”
en-us	It's late now, so I won't try to keep you. Give our regards to everybody who ought to be remembered when you get back!'

zh-cn	一面说，一面就站起来了。 刘老老只是千恩万谢的，拿了银钱，跟着周瑞家的走到外边。
en-us	She rose to her feet, and Grannie Liu, with heartfelt expressions of gratitude, picked up the money and followed Zhou Rui's wife out of the room.

zh-cn	周瑞家的道：“我的娘!
en-us	'My dear good woman,' said the latter when they were out of earshot, 'whatever came over you?

zh-cn	你怎么见了他倒不会说话了呢? 开口就是‘你侄儿’。
en-us	First, when you met her, you couldn't get a word out; then, when you did start talking, it was all "your nephew" this and "your nephew" that!

zh-cn	我说句不怕你恼的话：就是亲侄儿也要说的和软些儿。
en-us	I hope you won't mind my saying so, but even if the child was a real nephew you would still need to go a bit easy on the familiarities.

zh-cn	那蓉大爷才是他的侄儿呢。
en-us	Now Master Rong, he is her real nephew. That's the sort of person a lady like that calls "nephew" .

zh-cn	他怎么又跑出这么个侄儿来了呢！”
en-us	Where she would come by a nephew like this one, I just do not know!'

zh-cn	刘老老笑道：“我的嫂子! 我见了他，心眼儿里爱还爱不过来，那里还说的上话来？”
en-us	'My dear,' replied Grannie Liu with a laugh, 'when I saw the pretty little darling sitting there, I took such a liking to her that my heart was too full to speak.'

zh-cn	二人说着，又到周瑞家坐了片刻。
en-us	Back in Zhou Rui's quarters the two women sat talking for a while.

zh-cn	刘老老要留下一块银子给周家的孩子们买果子吃，周瑞家的那里放在眼里，执意不肯。
en-us	Grannie Liu wanted to leave a piece of silver to buy something for the Zhou children with, but Zhou Rui's wife said she wouldn't hear of it and refused absolutely to accept anything.

zh-cn	刘老老感谢不尽，仍从后门去了。
en-us	And so, with many expressions of gratitude, the old lady took her leave and set out once more through the back gate of the mansion.

zh-cn	未知去后如何，且听下回分解。
en-us	And if you want to know what happened after she had left, you will have to read the next chapter.