韦小宝从上书房侍候了康熙下来，又到御膳房去。 过不多时，钱老板带着四名伙计，抬了两口洗剥得干干净净的大肥猪到来，每一口净肉便有三百来斤，向韦小宝道：“桂公公，你老人家一早起身，吃这茯苓花雕猪最有补益，最好是现割现烤。	Returning to the Imperial kitchens from his duties with Kang Xi in the Upper Library, Trinket did not have long to wait for Butcher Qian's arrival. This time the butcher had four assistants with him, carrying between them the neatly butchered, immaculately clean carcasses of two large, fat pigs, each, at a rough estimate, representing not less than three hundred catties of pork. 'Laurie Goong-goong,' he told Trinket, 'to get the most value out of this China-root pork, you want to eat some each day, as soon as you get up in the morning. It's best if you cut only as much as you need at one time and roast it straight away.
小人将一口猪送到你老人家房中，明儿一早，你老人家就可割来烤了吃，吃不完的，再命厨房里做成咸肉。”	I'll have one of these pigs carried to your quarters now. You'll be able to cut some off yourself and roast it first thing tomorrow. What you can't eat yourself you can get the folk in the kitchen here to make salt pork of.'
韦小宝知他必有深意，便道：“你倒想得周到。 那就跟我来。” 钱老板将一口光猪留在厨房，另一口抬到韦小宝屋中。	Realizing that there must be some hidden purpose behind all this, Trinket thanked him for the advice and offered to show him the way, whereupon Butcher Qian, leaving one of the carcasses and its two bearers in the kitchen, accompanied him to his room, followed by the other two assistants carrying the second pig.
尚膳监管事太监的住处和御厨相近，那肥猪抬入房中之后，韦小宝命小太监带领抬猪的伙计到厨房中等候，待三人走后，便掩上了门。	The Manager's quarters in the Imperial Catering Department were not very far from the Imperial kitchens. As soon as they were inside, Trinket ordered a young eunuch to take the two assistants back to the kitchens, with instructions that they were to wait for their master there with the other two, and closed the door after them.
钱老板低声问道：“韦香主，屋中没旁人吗？”	'Master,' said Butcher Qian, speaking in a low voice, 'is there anyone else in this apartment?'
韦小宝摇了摇头。 钱老板俯身轻轻将光猪翻了过来，只见猪肚上开膛之处，横贴着几条猪皮，封住了割缝。	Seeing Trinket shake his head, he crouched down over the pig's carcass and gently turned it on its back again so that its legs were pointing upwards. It was now possible to see that the slit-open underbelly of the animal had been drawn together and was being held in place by strips of pig-skin sewn across the slit.
韦小宝心想：“这肥猪肚中定是藏着什么古怪物事，莫非是兵器之类，天地会想在皇宫中杀人大闹？” 不由得心中怦怦而跳。	It was obvious that something very out of the ordinary must be concealed inside. Trinket could feel his heart thumping as he reflected that this might well be weapons which the Triads were smuggling in to be used in a killing spree inside the Palace.
果见钱老板撕下猪皮，双手拉开猪肚，轻轻抱了一团物事出来。	He watched as Butcher Qian tore off the strips, opened out the carcass, and very gently lifted a large object out in his cradled arms.
韦小宝“咦”的一声惊呼，见他抱出来的竟是一个人。	'Coo!' he gasped. It was a human body.
钱老板将那人横放在地下。	Butcher Qian laid the body on the floor.
只见这人身体瘦小，一头长发，却是个十四五岁的少女，身上穿了薄薄的单衫，双目紧闭，一动也不动，只是胸口微微起伏。	It was small and slight with an abundance of hair. To his astonishment Trinket found himself looking down at a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl. She was dressed in the flimsiest of summer garments, her eyes were tightly closed, and her body was completely motionless except for the gentle rise and fall of her breathing.
韦小宝大奇，低声问道：“这小姑娘是谁？	'Who is this girl?' he asked softly.
你带她来干什么？”	'Why have you brought her here?'
钱老板道：“这是沐王府的郡主。”	'She's the Little Countess,' said Butcher Qian. The Mu Family's Little Countess.'
韦小宝更是惊奇，睁大了眼睛，道：“沐王府的郡主？”	Trinket's eyes grew round with astonishment. 'The Mu Family's Little Countess?'
钱老板道：“正是。 沐王府小公爷的嫡亲妹子。	'Young Lord Mu's little sister,' said Butcher Qian.
他们掳了徐三哥去，我们就捉了这位郡主娘娘来抵押，教他们不敢动徐三哥一根寒毛。”	The Mus have kidnapped our Brother Xu, so we've grabbed her as a hostage, just to make sure they don't do Brother Xu any harm.'
韦小宝又惊又喜，说道：“妙计，妙计！	'Brilliant!' said Trinket, his surprise now mixed with pleasure.
怎地捉她来的？”	'But how did you get hold of her?'
钱老板道：“昨天徐天川徐三哥给人绑了去，韦香主带同众位哥哥，二次去杨柳胡同评理，属下便出去打探消息，想知道沐王府那些人，除了杨柳胡同之外，是不是还有别的落脚所在，徐三哥是不是给他们囚禁在那里，想知道他们在京城里还有哪些人，当真要动手，咱们心里可也得先有个底子。	'Yesterday, after we found that Brother Xu had disappeared,' said Butcher Qian, 'while you and the others went back to Willow Lane, I went off on my own to make a few enquiries. First of all I wanted to find out whether the Mu Family had any other places in the city besides the Willow Lane one where they might be holding him; and secondly I wanted to know how many more of them there are, so that we have some idea what we are up against if it comes to a fight-out.
这一打探，嘿，沐王府来得人可还当真不少，沐家小公爷带头，率领了王府的大批好手。”	Well—huh!—I can tell you the answer to the second question straight away. A lot. The young Lord Mu himself has come to the Capital and he's brought some of their best fighting-men with him.'
韦小宝皱起了眉头，说道：“他妈的！	Trinket frowned. 'Tamardy!
咱们青木堂在京里有多少兄弟？	How many Triads have we got altogether in the Green Wood Lodge?
能不能十个打他们一个？”	Enough to fight them ten to one?'
钱老板道：“韦香主不用担心。	'No need for you to worry, Master,' said Butcher Qian.
沐王府这次来到北京，不是为跟咱们天地会打架。	The reason the Mu Family is here now is not because they want to fight us Triads.
原来大汉奸吴三桂的大儿子吴应熊，来到了京城。”	It's because the traitor Wu Sangui's son, Wu Yingxiong, is in town.'
韦小宝点头道：“沐王府要行刺这姓吴的小汉奸？”	Trinket nodded. 'They've come to assassinate the Little Traitor, you mean?'
钱老板道：“是啊。	'Right first time, Master, ' said the butcher.
韦香主料事如神。	'I always said you were a smart one.
大汉奸、小汉奸在云南，动不了他们的手，一离云南，便有机可乘了。	As long as the Old Traitor and the Little Traitor are in Yunnan, they can't touch them; but as soon as one of them leaves Yunnan, it gives them an opportunity.
但这小汉奸自然防备周密，身边有不少武功高手保护，要杀他可也不是易事。	The only thing is, the Little Traitor is taking no chances with his security: he's brought a whole lot of first-rate fighting-men to protect him, so they won't find it an easy job to kill him.
沐王府那些人果然另有住处，属下过去查看，那些人都不在家，屋里却也没徐三哥的踪迹，只有这小丫头和两个服侍她的女人留在屋里，那可是难得的良机……”	I found out that those Mu folk do have another place in the city, but when I went to have a look there, the menfolk all seemed to have gone out, and there wasn't any sign of Brother Xu there either. The only people I found there were this girl and a couple of maids looking after her. It seemed too good a chance to miss, so—'
韦小宝道：“于是你就顺手牵羊，反手牵猪，将她捉了来？”	'So you went to catch a sheep, but while you were about it you thought you might as well take a pig,' said Trinket, slightly reconstructing the proverb.
钱老板微笑道：“正是。	Butcher Qian laughed. 'That's about it.
这小姑娘年纪虽小，沐王府却当她是凤凰一般，只要这小郡主在咱们手里，徐三哥便稳如泰山，不怕他们不好好服侍。”	Although she's only a young girl, she means all the world to the Mu folk. As long as their Little Countess is in our hands, Brother Xu will be safe as houses. There's absolutely no fear of their not looking after him properly.'
韦小宝道：“钱大哥这件功劳倒大得紧呢。”	'Brother Qian,' said Trinket admiringly, 'this is a major achievement.'
钱老板道：“多谢韦香主夸奖。”	'Oh, I don't know about that,' said Butcher Qian coyly. 'Anyway, thank you, Master.'
韦小宝道：“咱们拿到了小郡主，却又怎样？”	'So now we've got this Little Countess,' said Trinket, 'what are we going to do with her?'
说着向躺在地下的那少女瞧了几眼，心道：“这小娘皮长得可挺美啊。”	While they were talking, he had been stealing glances at the recumbent figure on the floor. She was very beautiful—though he phrased it to himself mentally in the debased language of the brothel.
钱老板道：“这件事说大不大，说小不小，要听韦香主的意思办理。”	'It's a tricky business, this,' said Butcher Qian. 'I was thinking it was one for the Master himself to decide.'
韦小宝沉吟道：“你说怎么办？”	'What do you think we ought to do?' Trinket asked presently, as if he had been mulling the matter over in his mind.
他跟天地会的人相处的时候虽暂，却已摸到了他们的脾气。	He hadn't been with the Triads very long, but long enough by now to know the drill.
这些人嘴里尊称自己是香主，满口什么静候香主吩咐云云，其实各人肚里早就有了主意，只盼得到自己赞同，于是一切便推在韦香主头上，日后他们就不会担当重大干系。	It was all 'Master this' and 'Master that' and respectfully waiting to be told by the Master what they should do; but invariably they had already decided what they wanted to do and only wanted the Master's approval for doing it, so that if there was any question about it later, the Master would have sole responsibility for what they had done.
他对付的法子是反问一句：“你说怎么办？”	And so his invariable response to the invariable question was to turn it back on them: 'What do you think we ought to do?'
钱老板道：“眼下只有将这个郡主藏在一个稳妥所在，让沐王府的人找不到。	'Well, for the present,' said Butcher Qian, 'we've got to hide her somewhere safe and somewhere where the Mu people can't find her.
这次沐家来到京城的着实不少，虽说是为了杀小汉奸吴应熊，但咱们杀了他们的人，徐大哥又给他们拿了去，这会儿咱们天地会每一处落脚之地，一定能给他们钉得紧紧的。	There are a lot of them around in the Capital right now, and though it's to assassinate the Little Traitor that they're here, now that we've killed one of their people and they've kidnapped Brother Xu, you can be sure they're keeping a close watch on anywhere in the city where there are Triads.
我们便拉一泡尿，放一个屁，只怕沐王府的人也都知道了。”	From now on we shan't be able to take a piss or a shit without their knowing about it.'
韦小宝嗤的一笑，觉得这钱老板谈吐可喜，很合自己脾胃，笑道：“钱大哥，咱们坐下来慢慢商量。”	Trinket laughed. Here at last was someone who spoke his language. 'Sit down, Brother Qian,' he said. 'Let's take our time over this.'
钱老板道：“是，是，多谢香主。” 在一张椅上坐了，续道：“属下将小郡主藏在猪肚里带进宫来，一来是为瞒过宫门侍卫的重重搜检，二来是要瞒过沐王府众人的耳目。	'Thank you, Master,' said Butcher Qian, seating himself in one of the chairs and continuing. 'There were really two reasons why I hid the Little Countessinside this pig's carcass. One was to get her past the Palace Guard: they always search everyone at the gate. But it was also to get her past any of the Mu Family spies who might be out watching for us.
他奶奶的，沐公爷手下，只怕真有几个厉害人物，不可不防。	There are some really dangerous people among that Mu lot, you can't afford to take any chances.
小郡主若不是藏在宫里，难保不给他们抢了回去。”	If she's hidden anywhere other than in the Palace, there's no guaranteeing they wouldn't try to get her back.'
韦小宝道：“你说要将小郡主藏在宫里？”	'So you're proposing to hide her in the Palace?' said Trinket.
钱老板道：“属下可不敢这么说，一切全凭韦香主作主。	'Well, that's not really for me to say,' said the butcher. 'It's entirely up to you, Master.
藏在宫里，当然是普天下最稳妥的所在。	Mind you, look anywhere you like, you'll never find a safer place than this.
沐王府的高手再多，总敌不过大内侍卫。	However many of their ace fighters the Mu Family may have got in the city, they're not going to take on the Palace Guard.
小郡主竟会在皇宫之中，别说他们决计想不到，查不出，就算知道了，又怎有能耐冲进皇宫来救人？	Not that they'd ever guess she was in the Palace, anyway. But even suppose—it's very unlikely, but just suppose—they did find out she was here, they'd never try getting in here to rescue her.
他们如能进宫来将小郡主救出去，那么连鞑子皇帝也能绑架去了。 天下决没这个道理。	If they could get in to do that, they could just as well get in to carry off the Tartar Emperor, and they've never tried to do that yet because they know it's out of the question.
不过属下胆大妄为，事先没向韦香主请示，擅自将小郡主带进宫来，给韦香主增添不少危险，不少麻烦，实在该死之极。”	Of course, it was rather a nerve, taking it on myself to bring the Little Countess in here without consulting you. It means a lot of danger for you, Master. And trouble. I deserve to be hung.'
韦小宝心道：“你将人带都带进来了，自己说该死，却也没死。	'You say yourself that you deserve to be hung,' thought Trinket, 'but you know damn well that you won't be.
把小郡主藏在宫里，果然是好计，沐王府的人一来想不到，二来救不出。	Still, it does seem the best plan to hide her in here. As he says, it's the one place they will never think of looking; and they'd never be able to get her out of here, even if they did.
你胆大妄为，难道我胆子就小了？”	Well, Mister Butcher Qian, if you had the nerve to kidnap her and smuggle her into the Palace, I suppose I ought to have the nerve to keep her here.'
笑道：“你这计策很好，我将小郡主藏在这里好了。”	He gave the man a smile. 'It's a very good idea,' he said. 'We'll hide her here then.'
钱老板道：“是，是，韦香主说这件事行得，那定然行得。	'If you think it's all right, I'm sure it will be,' said Butcher Qian.
属下又想，将来事情了结之后，小郡主总是要放还给他们的。 他们得知郡主娘娘这些日子是住在宫里，也不辱没了她身份，倘若老是关在小号屠宰房的地窖之中，闻那牛血猪血的腥气，未免太对不起人。”	'There's this to be said too, for hiding her here. When this business is over and the Little Countess is back with her own people again, it won't be any disgrace to her if they know that she's been kept all the time in the Palace; whereas if I were to keep her in the basement of my slaughterhouse—well, what with the stink of blood and offal round her all the time, it wouldn't be very nice for a person of her quality.'
韦小宝笑道：“每天喂她吃些茯苓、党参、花雕、鸡蛋，也就是了。”	'Unless you fed her on China-root and gave her Shaoxing wine to drink,' said Trinket mischievously.
钱老板嘿嘿一笑，说道：“再说，小郡主年纪虽然幼小，总是女子，跟我们这些臭男人住在一起，于名声未免有碍，跟韦香主在一起，就不要紧了。”	Butcher Qian laughed at the interruption before continuing: 'Besides, although the Little Countess is only a girl, being a member of the fair sex it wouldn't do much for her good name if she was kept with a lot of rough men; whereas being kept with you, Master, it won't matter.'
韦小宝一怔，问道：“为什么？”	'Why's that?' said Trinket in some surprise.
钱老板道：“韦香主年纪也轻，何况又是…… 又是在宫里办事的，自然…… 自然没什么。”	'Well,' said Butcher Qian, 'you're young too, and besides . . . besides . . . you work in the Palace, so of course ... I mean . . . it's all right.'
言语吞吞吐吐，有些不便出口。 韦小宝见他神色忸怩，想了一想，这才明白：“原来你说我是太监，因此小郡主交我看管，于她声名无碍。	The butcher was clearly embarrassed, and Trinket had to think for some moments before he saw why. 'Oh, I see. You mean because I'm a eunuch. If I'm the one guarding her, it won't do any harm to her reputation.
你可不知我这太监是冒牌货。”	But I'm only a pretend eunuch, you know.'
只因他并不是真的太监，这才要想了一想之后方能明白，否则钱老板第一句话他就懂了。	It was because he wasn't a real eunuch that he hadn't grasped sooner what the embarrassed butcher was getting at.
钱老板问道：“韦香主的卧室在里进罢？”	'Is your bedroom in there, Master?' asked the butcher.
韦小宝点点头。	Trinket nodded.
钱老板俯身抱起小郡主，走到后进，放在床上。	Butcher Qian took up the Little Countess in his arms, carried her into the bedroom, and laid her down on the bed.
房中本来有大床、小床各一，海大富死后，韦小宝已叫人将小床抬了出去。	There was just the one large bed there. Previously there had been a smaller one as well in which Trinket used to sleep, but after the death of Old Hai, he had had it moved out.
他隐秘之事甚多，没要小太监住在屋里服侍。	He had too many secrets to want a young eunuch attendant living with him in his apartment.
钱老板道：“属下带小郡主进宫来时，已点了她背心上的神堂穴、阳纲穴，还点了她后颈的天柱穴，让她不能动弹，说不出话。	'Before I brought her in, I closed the Holy Hall and Yang Cord points on her back and the Pillar of Heaven one on her neck so that she couldn't move or speak,' said the butcher.
韦香主要放她吃饭，就可解开她穴道，不过最好先点她腿上环跳穴，免得她逃跑。	'If you want her to eat anything, you'll have to open them up again; but before you do that, I'd advise you to first close the Ring Jump points on her legs so that she can't run away.
沐王府的人武功甚高，这小姑娘倒不会多少武功，却也不可不防。”	The Mu people are all very skilled in the Martial Arts, and though a young girl like this isn't likely to know much about that sort of thing, it isn't worth taking any chances.'
韦小宝想问他什么叫神堂穴、环跳穴，如何点穴、解穴，但转念一想，自己是青木堂香主，又是总舵主的弟子，连点穴、解穴也不会，岂不是让下属们太也瞧不起？ 反正对付一个小姑娘总不是什么难事，点头道：“知道了。”	Trinket wanted to ask him where the Holy Hall and Ring Jump vital points were and how you closed and opened them; but then he remembered that, as Master of the Green Wood Lodge and a disciple of the great Helmsman, he was probably expected to know about these things and felt sure his subordinates would despise him if they found out that he was totally ignorant of these matters; so he just nodded and said that he would. 'Anyway, ' he thought, 'I shouldn't have any difficulty in handling her. She's only a girl.'
钱老板道：“请韦香主借一把刀使。”	'Could you lend me a knife, Master?' said Butcher Qian.
韦小宝心想：“你要刀干什么？” 从靴桶中取出匕首，递了给他。	Trinket wondered nervously what he wanted it for, but stooped down nevertheless and extracted the dagger from inside his boot.
钱老板接了过来，在猪背上一划，没料到这匕首锋利无匹，割猪肉如切豆腐，一剑下去，直没至柄。	Butcher Qian took it from him and made an incision in the back of the pig's carcass. Unaware of the blade's incomparable sharpness, he was somewhat surprised at the ease with which it sank in, at once burying itself up to the hilt and slicing through fat and flesh as if it were bean curd.
钱老板吃了一惊，赞道：“好剑！”	'This is a good weapon you've got here,' he said admiringly.
割下两片脊肉，两只前腿，道：“韦香主留着烧烤来吃，余下的吩咐小公公们抬回厨房去罢。	In no time at all he had cut off the two forelegs and two large collops from the back. ''You can keep these to roast and eat yourself, Master, ' he said. The rest you can give to the little Goong-goongs to carry back to the kitchens.
属下这就告辞，会里的事情，属下随时来向韦香主禀告。”	I'll take my leave now. If there's any business in the Society to report, I'll let you know straight away, '
韦小宝接过匕首，说道：“好！”	'Right, ' said Trinket.
向卧在床上的小郡主瞧了一眼，道：“这小娘皮睡得倒挺安稳。”	He glanced towards the Little Countess lying on the bed: 'This girl—she's sleeping very soundly.'
他本来想说：“这小姑娘在宫里耽得久了，太过危险，倘若给人发觉，那可糟糕之极。”	He'd wanted to say, 'This girl better not stay here long. It's terribly dangerous having her here. If anyone were to find out, I'd really be in the shit, '
但想天地会的英雄好汉岂有怕危险的？ 这等话说出口来，不免给人小觑了。	But then he reflected that all members of the Triad Society were heroes who laughed at danger and would despise him if they heard him uttering such craven words.
待钱老板回去厨房，韦小宝忙闩上了门，又查看窗户，一无缝隙，这才坐到床边，去看那小郡主，只见她正睁着圆圆的眼睛，望着床顶，见韦小宝过来，忙闭上眼睛。	As soon as Butcher Qian had gone back to the kitchens, Trinket barred the door and checked the window to make sure there were no chinks or slits in the paper through which anyone could peep into the room, then, sitting on the edge of the bed, he inspected the Little Countess. She was staring fixedly at the top of the bedstead, and when she saw Trinket approach, she closed her eyes fast.
韦小宝笑道：“你不会说话，不会动弹，安安静静的躺在这里，最乖不过。”	He laughed. 'You can't talk and you can't move! All you can do is just lie there like a good little girl!'
见她身上衣衫也不污秽，想是钱老板将那口肥猪的肚里洗得十分干净，不留丝毫血渍，于是拉过被来，盖在她身上。	Her dress was still clean, and Trinket reflected that Butcher Qian must have done a good job of cleaning out the inside of the carcass. He threw a coverlet over her.
只见她脸颊雪白，没半分血色，长长的睫毛不住颤动，想是心中十分害怕，笑道：“你不用怕，我不会杀了你的。	From the snowy pallor of her cheeks, drained of all their colour, and the fluttering of her long eyelashes, he could tell that she was very frightened. 'Don't be afraid,' he said. 'I'm not going to kill you.
过得几天，就放你出去。”	Just wait a few days and I'll be setting you free again.'
小郡主睁开眼来，瞧了他一眼，忙又闭上眼睛。	The Little Countess opened her eyes wide, looked at him for a moment, and then quickly closed them again.
韦小宝寻思：“你沐王府在江湖上好大威风，那日苏北道上，你家那白寒松好大架子，丝毫没将老子瞧在眼里，这当儿还不是让我手下的人打死了。 他奶奶的……” 想到此处，伸起手来，见手腕上黑黑一圈乌青兀自未退，隐隐还感疼痛，心道：“那白寒枫死了哥哥，没处出气，捏得老子骨头也险些断了。	Trinket thought of the great awe in which the Mu Family were held by all the Brotherhood of River and Lake; of their stuck-up henchman the elder Bo—now dead, fortunately, struck down by one of his Triads—and his younger brother who had raged at him and nearly broken his wrist. (The bruise was still there, he saw on inspecting it, and only slightly fainter.)
想不到沐王府的郡主娘娘却落在我手里，老子要打便打，要骂便骂，你半分动弹不得，哈哈，哈哈！”	'And now their Little Countess is in my hands,' he thought. 'I can beat her and curse her as much as I want to, and she won't be able to move a muscle.'
想到得意处，不禁笑出声来。 小郡主听到笑声，睁开眼来，要看他为什么发笑。	The thought was so gratifying that it made him laugh out loud, causing the Little Countess to open her eyes to see what he was laughing at.
韦小宝笑道：“你是郡主娘娘，很了不起，是不是？	'Call yourself a countess, do you?' said Trinket. 'I suppose you think you're very superior.
你奶奶的，老子才不将你放在眼里呢！”	Well, to me you're nobody.'
走上前去，抓住她右耳，提了三下，又捏住她鼻子，扭了两下，哈哈大笑。	He grasped her right ear and gave it a few pulls, then he pinched her nose between finger and thumb and twisted it a couple of times, laughing as he did so.
小郡主闭着的双眼中流出眼泪，两行珠泪从腮边滚了下来。	The Little Countess had shut her eyes again, but two fat tears escaped from under their lids and coursed down her cheeks.
韦小宝喝道：“不许哭！	'Don't cry!' Trinket shouted at her.
老子叫你不许哭，就不许哭！”	'I forbid you to cry.'
小郡主的眼泪却流得更加多了。	But the Little Countess's tears ran even faster.
韦小宝骂道：“辣块妈妈，臭小娘皮，你还倔强！ 睁开眼睛来，瞧着我！”	'Hot-piece momma!' said Trinket exasperatedly. 'Being stubborn, are we? Open your eyes and look at me, you smelly little tart!'
小郡主双眼闭得更紧。	But the Little Countess closed her eyes even tighter.
韦小宝道：“哈，你还道这里是你沐王府，你奶奶的，你家里刘白方苏四大家将，有他妈的什么了不起，终有一日撞在老子手里，一个个都斩成了肉酱。”	'Huh! Think you're on your Mu Family estate still, do you?' said Trinket. Think you've got your tamardy Paladins to look after you? Grandmother's! What's so tamardy wonderful about them? I tell you this: if they ever come my way, I'll chop them into little bits, each one of them.'
	No response.
大声吆喝：“你睁不睁眼？”	'Open your eyes!' he hollered at the top of his voice.
小郡主又用力闭了闭眼睛。	But all the Little Countess's strength seemed to go into closing them tighter.
韦小宝道：“好，你不肯睁眼，要这一对臭眼珠子有什么用？	'All right,' he said. 'If you won't open your lousy eyes, you won't be needing them any more.
不如挖了出来，让老子下酒。”	I might as well cut them out. They'll make a nice little snack for me next time I'm having a drink.'
提起匕首，平放刃锋，在她眼皮上拖了几拖。	He took out his dagger and slid the flat of the blade a couple of times over her eyelids.
小郡主全身打个冷战，仍不睁开眼睛。	A shudder ran through her whole body, but she still would not open her eyes.
韦小宝倒拿她没有法子，说道：“你不睁眼，我偏偏要你睁眼，咱哥儿俩耗上了，倒要瞧瞧是你郡主娘娘厉害，还是我这小流氓、小叫化子厉害。	Trinket was at his wit's end to know what to do with her. 'You don't want to open your eyes but I want you to open them,' he said. 'All right, we'll play a little game and see who comes out best, the high and mighty Little Countess or the nasty little beggar-boy.
我暂且不来挖你的眼珠，挖了眼珠，倒算是你赢了，永远不能瞧我。	For the time being I'm not going to cut your eyes out.
我要在你脸蛋上用尖刀子雕些花样，左边脸上刻只小乌龟，右边脸上刻一堆牛粪。	I'll cut a little turtle on your left cheek and a cow-pat on the right one.
等到将来结了疤，你到街上去之时，成千成万的人围拢来瞧西洋镜，大家都说：‘美啊，美啊，来看沐王府的小美人儿，左边脸上一只王八，右边脸上一堆牛粪。	Then, when the cuts have scarred over and you go out into the street, people will come crowding round in thousands to gaze at the sight. "Oh, look!" they'll say. "How beautiful! The beautiful Mu Countess with a turtle on one cheek and a cow-pat on the other!"
’你到底睁不睁眼？”	Now will you open your eyes?'
小郡主全身难动，只有睁眼闭眼能自拿主意，听得韦小宝这么说，眼睛越闭越紧。	The poor Little Countess, mistress of herself only in the ability to open or close her eyes, now closed them even tighter.
韦小宝自言自语：“原来这臭花娘嫌自己脸蛋儿不美，想要我在她脸上装扮装扮，好，我先刻一只乌龟！”	'I see,' said Trinket, pretending to be talking to himself. The little tart knows she's not good-looking. She's decided she wants a bit of decoration on her face to improve her looks. All right, then. I'll carve the turtle first.'
打开桌上砚台，磨了墨，用笔蘸了墨。	He took the lid off an inkstone that was on the table, ground some ink in it, and dabbled the tip of a writing-brush in it until it was well soaked.
这些笔墨砚台都是海老公之物，韦小宝一生从未抓过笔杆，这时拿笔便如拿筷子，提笔在小郡主左脸画了一只乌龟。	The brush, the inkstone, and the ink-stick had all been the property of Old Hai. Trinket had never had a writing-brush in his hand before and held it like a chopstick. Carrying it over to the bed, he proceeded to draw a small turtle with it on the Little Countess's left cheek.
小郡主的泪水直流下来，在乌龟的笔划上流出了一道墨痕。	Her tears continued to flow, turning the drawing into an inky streak.
韦小宝道：“我先用笔打个样子，然后用刀子来刻，就好像人家刻图章。	'I'm doing the pattern with the brush first,' he said. 'I'll be going over it with a knife afterwards. That's what they do when they make seals, isn't it?
对，对，郡主娘娘，咱们刻好之后，我牵了你去长安门大街，大叫：‘哪一位客官要印乌龟？ 三文钱印一张！’	Ah, yes, Little Countess, I know what. When the carving's ready, I'll be able to take you out into Changan Street and set up there as a print-seller. "Roll up, roll up!" I'll say. "Buy a nice turtle print, three cash a sheet!"
我用黑墨涂了你脸，有人给三文钱，就用张白纸在你脸上一印，便是一只乌龟，快得很！	I'll have your face ready painted over with black ink, then as soon as a customer gives me his three cash: sheet of white paper, rub it over, peel it off, and there's a little turtle! Won't take a moment.
一天准能印上一百张。	I ought to be able to do a hundred in a day.
三百文铜钱，够花的了。”	That's three hundred cash. Quite a tidy little sum!'
他一面胡扯，一面偷看小郡主的脸色，见她睫毛不住颤动，显然又是愤怒，又是害怕。	All the time he was gabbling this nonsense, her eyelids never ceased to flutter. He could tell that she was both very angry and very frightened.
他甚是得意，说道：“嗯，右脸刻一堆牛粪，可没人出钱来买牛粪的，不如刻只猪，又肥又蠢，生意一定好。”	This gave him great satisfaction and inspired him to further idiocy. 'Hm, a cow-pat on the right cheek—no, I don't think anyone's going to pay good money for that. A fat pig would be better—a great big, fat, stupid-looking pig. That would sell.'
提起笔来，在她右边脸颊上干划一通，画的东西有四只脚，一条尾巴就是了，也不知像猫还是像狗。	He moved round to the other side with his brush and executed a crude drawing on her right cheek: a creature with four legs and a tail which could perhaps have been a pig but might equally well have been a cat or a dog.
他放下毛笔，取过一把剪银子的剪刀，将剪刀轻轻放在小郡主左颊，喝道：“你再不睁眼，我要刻花了！	Then he laid the brush down and took up a pair of silver-shears, the point of which he applied lightly to her left cheek. 'Now, if you don't open your eyes, I'll start cutting.
我先刻乌龟，肥猪可不忙刻。”	I'll carve the turtle first. The pig can wait till later.'
小郡主泪如泉涌，偏偏就是不肯睁眼。	The Little Countess's tears were now welling through the closed lids in streams, but still she wouldn't open her eyes.
韦小宝无可奈何，不肯认输，便将剪尖在她脸上轻轻划来划去。	And since Trinket was unwilling to admit defeat, there was nothing for it but to begin moving the point around on her cheek.
这剪尖其实甚钝，小郡主肌肤虽嫩，却也没伤到她丝毫，可是她惊惶之下，只道这小恶人真的用刀子在自己脸上雕花，一阵气急，便晕了过去。	Although she had the most delicate complexion imaginable, the point was so blunt that it made not the slightest mark on her skin; but so great was her fear, that she imagined this horrible boy really was cutting patterns on her face and, from excess of emotion, she fainted clean away.
韦小宝见她神色有异，生怕是给自己吓死了，倒吃了一惊，忙伸手去探她鼻息，幸好尚有呼吸，便道：“臭小娘装死！”	Trinket got a shock when he saw the change that had come over her and wondered for a moment if she really had died of fright; but when he held his hand against her nostrils, he was relieved to find that she was still breathing. 'Little tart!' he said. 'You're only shamming dead.'
寻思：“你死也不肯睁眼，难道我便输了给你？	It was by now obvious that she would die sooner than open her eyes for him, but he was damned if he was going to admit defeat.
咱们骑驴看唱本，走着瞧，韦小宝总不会折在你臭小娘手里。”	'As the man reading the songbook while he rode his mule said, "We'll work something out as we go along,"' he thought: 'Old Trink's not going to be beaten by a smelly little girl like you.'
拿了块湿布来，抹去她两颊上黑墨，直抹了三把，才抹得干净。	He took a wet cloth and wiped the ink-marks from her cheeks. They came off fairly easily, revealing once more the beauty of her delicate, rather aristocratic features.
但见她眉淡睫长，嘴小鼻挺，容颜着实秀丽，自言自语：“你是郡主娘娘，心中一定瞧不起我这小太监，我也瞧不起你，大家还不是扯直？”	She had fine eyebrows, long lashes, a small mouth and a slightly aquiline nose. But Trinket was unimpressed. 'Little Countess Lah-di-dah,' he said. 'I expect you look down on a little eunuch like me. Well, I don't think much of you either, so that makes us quits.'
过了一会，小郡主慢慢醒转，一睁开眼，只见韦小宝一双眼睛和她双目相距不过一尺，正狠狠的瞪着她，不由得吃了一惊，急忙闭眼。	After a while the Little Countess began to regain consciousness and presently opened her eyes. Startled to see Trinket bending over her, staring, with far from friendly eyes, from barely a foot away, she quickly closed them again.
韦小宝哈哈大笑，道：“你终于睁开眼来，瞧见我了，是老子赢了，是不是？”	Trinket laughed gleefully. 'Ha ha! You've opened your eyes now and looked at me. I've won, admit it!'
他自觉得胜，心下高兴，只是小郡主不会说话，未免有些扫兴，要想去解她穴道，却又不知其法，说道：“你给人点了穴道，倘若解不开，不能吃饭，岂不饿死了？	It was agreeable to have won, but it rather took the gloss off his victory that she couldn't speak. He would have liked to open the vital points that would enable her to do so, but he didn't know how. 'Now that your vital points are closed, you can't eat,' he said. 'If they're not opened, you'll just starve to death.
我本想给你解开，不过解穴的法门，从前学过，现下可忘了。	I was thinking of opening them for you, but though I did once learn the method, it's such a long while ago that I can't remember it.
你会不会？	Do you know how it's done?
你如不会，那就躺着做僵尸，一动也别动，要是会的，眼睛眨三下。”	If you don't know, just lie there perfectly still. If you do know, blink your eyes three times.'
他目不转睛的望着小郡主，只见她眼睛一动不动，过了好一会，突然双眼缓缓的连眨三下。	He watched her intently as she lay there, inert and unblinking. After a long pause, very slowly and deliberately, she blinked her eyes three times.
韦小宝大喜，道：“我只道沐王府中的人既然姓沐，一定个个是木头，呆头呆脑，什么都不会，原来你这小木头还会解穴。”	'Thank heavens for that!' said Trinket delightedly. 'I was beginning to think all of you Mu people were dead from the neck up.'
将她抱起，坐在椅上，说道：“你瞧着，我在你身上各个部位指点，倘若指得对的，你就眨三下眼睛，指得不对，眼睛睁得大大的，一动也不能动。	He lifted her up in his arms and sat her down in a chair. 'Now look,' he said, 'I'm going to start pointing to places on your body. If I point to the right place, blink three times; if it isn't right, just keep your eyes open and don't move.
我找到解穴的部位，就给你解开穴道，懂不懂？	When I've found the right vital point, I'll open it up for you. Understand?'
懂的就眨眼。”	
小郡主眨了三下眼睛。	The Little Countess blinked three times.