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Chapter: [[Hongloumeng/zh-en1/Chapter_2|2]] · [[Hongloumeng/zh-en1/Chapter_3|3]] · 4 · [[Hongloumeng/zh-en1/Chapter_5|5]] · [[Hongloumeng/zh-en1/Chapter_6|6]] · [[Hongloumeng/zh-en1/Chapter_7|7]] · [[Hongloumeng/zh-en1|← Contents]]
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= Chapter 4 / 第四回 =
== 薄命女偏逢薄命郎 ==
=== 葫芦僧判断葫芦案 ===

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! style="width:50%" | 中文原文
! style="width:50%" | English Translation (EN1, Hawkes/Minford)
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第四回
薄命女偏逢薄命郎
葫芦僧判断葫芦案
却说黛玉同姐妹们至王夫人处，见王夫人正和兄嫂处的来使计议家务，又说姨母家遭人命官司等语。因见王夫人事情冗杂，姐妹们遂出来 ,至寡嫂李氏房中来了。
原来这李氏即贾珠之妻。珠虽夭亡，幸存一子，取名贾兰，今方五岁，已入学攻书。这李氏亦系金陵名宦之女。父名李守中，曾为国子祭酒；族中男女无不读诗书者。至李守中继续以来，便谓“女子无才便是德”，故生了此女，不曾叫他十分认真读书，只不过将些《女四书》、《烈女传》读读，认得几个字，记得前朝这几个贤女便了；却以纺绩女红为要，因取名为李纨，字宫裁。所以这李纨虽青春丧偶，且居处于膏粱锦绣之中，竟如槁木死灰一般，一概不问不闻，惟知侍亲养子，闲时陪侍小姑等针黹、诵读而已。今黛玉虽客居于此，已有这几个姑嫂相伴，除老父之外，馀者也就无用虑了。
如今且说贾雨村授了应天府，一到任，就有件人命官司详至案下，却是两家争买一婢，各不相让，以致殴伤人命。彼时雨村即拘原告来审。那原告道：“被打死的乃是小人的主人。因那日买了个丫头，不想系拐子拐来卖的。这拐子先已得了我家的银子，我家小主人原说第二日方是好日，再接入门；这拐子又悄悄的卖与了薛家，被我们知道了，去找拿卖主，夺取丫头。无奈薛家原系金陵一霸，倚财仗势，众豪奴将我小主人竟打死了。凶身主仆已皆逃走，无有踪迹，只剩了几个局外的人。小人告了一年的状，竟无人作主。求太老爷拘拿凶犯，以扶善良，存殁感激天恩不尽！”
雨村听了，大怒道：“那有这等事：打死人竟白白的走了，拿不来的？”便发签差公人，立刻将凶犯家属拿来拷问。只见案旁站着一个门子，使眼色不叫他发签。雨村心下狐疑，只得停了手。退堂至密室，令从人退去，只留这门子一人伏侍。门子忙上前请安，笑问：“老爷一向加官进禄，八九年来，就忘了我了？”雨村道：“我看你十分眼熟，但一时总想不起来。”门子笑道：“老爷怎么把出身之地竟忘了？老爷不记得当年葫芦庙里的事么？”雨村大惊，方想起往事。
原来这门子本是葫芦庙里一个小沙弥，因被火之后无处安身，想这件生意倒还轻省，耐不得寺院凄凉，遂趁年纪轻，蓄了发，充当门子。雨村那里想得是他。便忙携手笑道：“原来还是故人。”因赏他坐了说话。这门子不敢坐。雨村笑道：“你也算贫贱之交了。此系私室，但坐不妨。”门子才斜签着坐下。
雨村道：“方才何故不令发签？”门子道：“老爷荣任到此，难道就没抄一张本省的‘护官符’来不成？”雨村忙问：“何为‘护官符’？”门子道：“如今凡作地方官的，都有一个私单，上面写的是本省最有权势极富贵的大乡绅名姓，各省皆然。倘若不知，一时触犯了这样的人家，不但官爵，只怕连性命也难保呢！所以叫做‘护官符’。方才所说的这薛家，老爷如何惹得他！他这件官司并无难断之处，从前的官府都因碍着情分脸面，所以如此。”一面说，一面从顺袋中取出一张抄的“护官符”来，递与雨村看时，上面皆是本地大族名宦之家的俗谚口碑，云：
贾不假，白玉为堂金作马。
阿房宫，三百里，住不下金陵一个史。
东海缺少白玉床，龙王来请金陵王。
丰年好大雪，珍珠如土金如铁。
雨村尚未看完，忽闻传点，报：“王老爷来拜。”雨村忙具衣冠接迎，有顿饭工夫，方回来问这门子。门子道：“四家皆连络有亲，一损俱损，一荣俱荣。今告打死人之薛，就是‘丰年大雪’之薛。不单靠这三家，他的世交亲友在都在外的本也不少，老爷如今拿谁去？”雨村听说，便笑问门子道：“这样说来，却怎么了结此案？你大约也深知这凶犯躲的方向了？”
门子笑道：“不瞒老爷说，不但这凶犯躲的方向，并这拐的人我也知道，死鬼买主也深知道，待我细说与老爷听：这个被打死的是一个小乡宦之子，名唤冯渊，父母俱亡，又无兄弟，守着些薄产度日。年纪十八九岁，酷爱男风，不好女色。这也是前生冤孽，可巧遇见这丫头，他便一眼看上了，立意买来作妾，设誓不近男色，也不再娶第二个了。所以郑重其事，必得三日后方进门。谁知这拐子又偷卖与薛家，他意欲卷了两家的银子逃去；谁知又走不脱，两家拿住，打了个半死，都不肯收银，各要领人。那薛公子便喝令下人动手，将冯公子打了个稀烂，抬回去三日竟死了。这薛公子原择下日子要上京的，既打了人，夺了丫头，他便没事人一般，只管带了家眷走他的路，并非为此而逃；这人命些些小事，自有他弟兄、奴仆在此料理。这且别说，老爷可知这被卖的丫头是谁？”雨村道：“我如何晓得？”门子冷笑道：“这人还是老爷的大恩人呢！他就是葫芦庙旁住的甄老爷的女儿，小名英莲的。”
雨村骇然道：“原来是他！听见他自五岁被人拐去，怎么如今才卖呢？”门子道：“这种拐子单拐幼女，养至十二三岁，带至他乡转卖。当日这英莲，我们天天哄他玩耍，极相熟的，所以隔了七八年，虽模样儿出脱的齐整，然大段未改，所以认得；且他眉心中原有米粒大的一点胭脂记，从胎里带来的。偏这拐子又租了我的房子居住，那日拐子不在家，我也曾问他。他说是打怕了的，万不敢说，只说拐子是他的亲爹，因无钱还债才卖的。再四哄他，他又哭了，只说：‘我原不记得小时的事。’这无可疑了。那日冯公子相见了，兑了银子，因拐子醉了，英莲自叹说：‘我今日罪孽可满了！’后又听见三日后才过门，他又转有忧愁之态。我又不忍，等拐子出去，又叫内人去解劝他：‘这冯公子必待好日期来接，可知必不以丫鬟相看。况他是个绝风流人品，家里颇过得，素性又最厌恶堂客，今竟破价买你，后事不言可知。只耐得三两日，何必忧闷？’他听如此说，方略解些，自谓从此得所。谁料天下竟有不如意事，第二日，他偏又卖与了薛家。若卖与第二家还好，这薛公子的混名，人称他‘呆霸王’，最是天下第一个弄性尚气的人，而且使钱如土。只打了个落花流水，生拖死拽，把个英莲拖去，如今也不知死活。这冯公子空喜一场，一念未遂，反花了钱，送了命，岂不可叹！”
雨村听了，也叹道：“这也是他们的孽障遭遇，亦非偶然，不然这冯渊如何偏只看上了这英莲？这英莲受了拐子这几年折磨，才得了个路头，且又是个多情的，若果聚合了，倒是件美事，偏又生出这段事来。这薛家纵比冯家富贵，想其为人，自然姬妾众多，淫佚无度，未必及冯渊定情于一人。这正是梦幻情缘，恰遇见一对薄命儿女。且不要议论他人，只目今这官司如何剖断才好？”门子笑道：“老爷当年何其明决，今日何反成个没主意的人了？小的听见老爷补升此任，系贾府、王府之力。此薛蟠即贾府之亲，老爷何不顺水行舟，做个人情，将此案了结，日后也好去见贾、王二公。”雨村道：“你说的何尝不是，但事关人命，蒙皇上隆恩，起复委用，正竭力图报之时，岂可因私枉法？是实不忍为的。”门子听了，冷笑道：“老爷说的自是正理，但如今世上是行不去的。岂不闻古人说的：‘大丈夫相时而动。’又说：‘趋吉避凶者为君子。’依老爷这话，不但不能报效朝廷，亦且自身不保，还要三思为妥。”
雨村低了头，半日方说道：“依你怎么着？”门子道：“小人已想了个很好的主意在此：老爷明日坐堂，只管虚张声势，动文书，发签拿人。凶犯自然是拿不来的，原告固是不依，只用将薛家族人及奴仆人等拿几个来拷问；小的在暗中调停，令他们报个‘暴病身亡’，合族中及地方上共递一张保呈。老爷只说善能扶鸾请仙，堂上设了乩坛，令军民人等只管来看。老爷便说：‘乩仙批了，死者冯渊与薛蟠原系夙孽，今犯狭路相遇，原应了结：今薛蟠已得了无名之病，被冯渊的魂魄追索而死。其祸皆由拐子而起，除将拐子按法处治外，馀不累及’等语。小人暗中嘱咐拐子，令其实招。众人见乩仙批语与拐子相符，自然不疑了。薛家有的是钱，老爷断一千也可，五百也可，与冯家作烧埋之费。那冯家也无甚要紧的人，不过为的是钱，有了银子，也就无话了。老爷细想，此计如何？”雨村笑道：“不妥，不妥。等我再斟酌斟酌，压服得口声才好。”二人计议已定。
至次日坐堂，勾取一干有名人犯，雨村详加审问。果见冯家人口稀少，不过赖此欲得些烧埋之银；薛家仗势倚情，偏不相让：故致颠倒未决。雨村便徇情枉法，胡乱判断了此案。冯家得了许多烧埋银子，也就无甚话说了。雨村便疾忙修书二封与贾政并京营节度使王子腾，不过说“令甥之事已完，不必过虑”之言寄去。
此事皆由葫芦庙内沙弥新门子所为，雨村又恐他对人说出当日贫贱时事来，因此心中大不乐意。后来到底寻了他一个不是，远远的充发了才罢。
当下言不着雨村。且说那买了英莲、打死冯渊的薛公子，亦系金陵人氏，本是书香继世之家。只是如今这薛公子幼年丧父，寡母又怜他是个独根孤种，未免溺爱纵容些，遂致老大无成；且家中有百万之富，现领着内帑钱粮，采办杂料。这薛公子学名薛蟠，表字文起，性情奢侈，言语傲慢；虽也上过学，不过略识几个字，终日惟有斗鸡走马，游山玩景而已。虽是皇商，一应经纪世事全然不知，不过赖祖、父旧日的情分，户部挂个虚名，支领钱粮；其馀事体，自有伙计、老家人等措办。寡母王氏，乃现任京营节度使王子腾之妹，与荣国府贾政的夫人王氏是一母所生的姊妹，今年方五十上下，只有薛蟠一子。还有一女，比薛蟠小两岁，乳名宝钗，生得肌骨莹润，举止娴雅。当时他父亲在日极爱此女，令其读书识字，较之乃兄竟高十倍。自父亲死后，见哥哥不能安慰母心，他便不以书字为念，只留心针黹、家计等事，好为母亲分忧代劳。
近因今上崇尚诗礼，征采才能，降不世之隆恩，除聘选妃嫔外，凡世宦名家之女，皆得亲名达部，以备选择为公主、郡主入学陪侍，充为才人、赞善之职。自薛蟠父亲死后，各省中所有的买卖承局、总管、伙计人等，见薛蟠年轻不谙世事，便趁时拐骗起来，京都几处生意，渐亦销耗。薛蟠素闻得都中乃第一繁华之地，正思一游，便趁此机会：一来送妹待选；二来望亲；三来亲自入部销算旧账，再计新支；其实只为游览上国风光之意。因此早已检点下行装细软，以及馈送亲友各色土物人情等类，正择日起身，不想偏遇着那拐子卖英莲。薛蟠见英莲生的不俗，立意买了作妾，又遇冯家来夺，因恃强喝令豪奴将冯渊打死。便将家中事务，一一嘱托了族中人并几个老家人；自己同着母亲、妹子，竟自起身长行去了。人命官司，他却视为儿戏，自谓花上几个钱，没有不了的。
在路不计其日。那日已将入都，又听见母舅王子腾升了九省统制，奉旨出都查边。薛蟠心中暗喜道：“我正愁进京去有舅舅管辖，不能任意挥霍；如今升出去，可知天从人愿。”因和母亲商议道：“咱们京中虽有几处房舍，只是这十来年没人居住，那看守的人未免偷着租赁给人住，须得先着人去打扫收拾才好。”他母亲道：“何必如此招摇？咱们这进京去，原是先拜望亲友，或是在你舅舅处，或是你姨父家，他两家的房舍极是宽敞的，咱们且住下，再慢慢儿的着人去收拾，岂不消停些？”薛蟠道：“如今舅舅正升了外省去，家里自然忙乱起身，咱们这会子反一窝一拖的奔了去，岂不没眼色呢？”他母亲道：“你舅舅虽升了去，还有你姨父家。况这几年来，你舅舅、姨娘两处，每每带信捎书接咱们来；如今既来了，你舅舅虽忙着起身，你贾家的姨娘未必不苦留我们，咱们且忙忙的收拾房子，岂不使人见怪？你的意思，我早知道了：守着舅舅、姨母住着，未免拘紧了；不如各自住着，好任意施为。你既如此，你自去挑所宅子去住；我和你姨娘，姊妹们别了这几年，却要住几日，我带了你妹子去投你姨娘家去。你道好不好？”薛蟠见母亲如此说，情知扭不过，只得吩咐人夫，一路奔荣国府而来。
那时王夫人已知薛蟠官司一事，亏贾雨村就中维持了，才放了心。又见哥哥升了边缺，正愁少了娘家的亲戚来往，略觉寂寞。过了几日，忽家人报：“姨太太带了哥儿、姐儿，合家进京，在门外下车了。”喜的王夫人忙带了人，接到大厅上，将薛姨妈等接进去了。姊妹们一朝相见，悲喜交集，自不必说。叙了一番契阔，又引着拜见贾母，将人情土物各种酬献了，合家俱厮见过，又治席接风。
薛蟠拜见过贾政、贾琏，又引着见了贾赦、贾珍等。贾政便使人进来对王夫人说：“姨太太已有了年纪，外甥年轻，不知庶务，在外住着，恐又要生事。咱们东南角上梨香院那一所房十来间白空闲着，叫人请了姨太太和姐儿、哥儿住了甚好。”王夫人原要留住。贾母也遣人来说：“请姨太太就在这里住下，大家亲密些。”薛姨妈正欲同居一处，方可拘紧些儿子；若另住在外边，又恐他纵性惹祸：遂忙应允。又私与王夫人说明：“一应日费供给，一概都免，方是处常之法。”王夫人知他家不难于此，遂亦从其自便。从此后，薛家母女就在梨香院住了。

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CHAPTER 4

The Bottle-gourd girl meets an
unfortunate young man
And the Bottle-gourd monk settles a
protracted lawsuit

When Dai-yu and the girls went to call on Lady Wang, they found her in the
midst of discussing family affairs with the messengers from her elder
brother and his wife and heard talk of their aunt’s family in Nanking being
involved in a case of manslaughter. Since Lady Wang was obviously
preoccupied with this matter, the girls went off to call on Li Wan.
Li Wan’s husband Jia Zhu had died young, but fortunately not without
issue. He left her a son called Jia Lan who was now’ just five years old
and had already begun his schooling. Like most of the Jia women, Li Wan was
the daughter of a distinguished Nanking official. Her father, Li Shou-
zhong, had been a Director of Education.
Up to Li Shou-zhong’s time, all members of the clan, including the
women, had been given a first-class education; but when Li Shou-zhong
became head of the family, he founded his educational policy for girls on
the good old maxim ‘a stupid woman is a virtuous one’ and, when he had a
daughter of his own, refused to let her engage in serious study. She was
permitted to work her way through The Four Books for Girls and Lives of
Noble Women, so that she might be able to recognize a few characters and be
familiar with some of the models of female virtue of former ages; but
overriding importance was to be attached to spinning and sewing, and even
her name ‘Wan’, which means a kind of silk, was intended to symbolize her
dedication to the needle.
Thanks to her upbringing, this young widow living in the midst of luxury
and self-indulgence was able to keep herself like the ‘withered tree and
dead ashes’ of the philosopher, shutting out everything that did not
concern her and attending only to the duties of serving her husband’s
parents and bringing up her child. Whatever leisure this left her was
devoted to her little sister-in-law and cousins, accompanying them at their
embroidery or hearing them recite their lessons.
With such gentle companions to console her, Dai-yu, though a stranger
and far from home, soon had nothing apart from her old father that she need
worry about.

*

Let us now turn to the affairs of Jia Yu-cun, newly installed in the yamen
at Ying-tian-fu.
No sooner had he arrived at his new post than a case involving
manslaughter was referred to his tribunal. It concerned two parties in
dispute over the purchase of a slave-girl. Neither had been willing to give
way to the other, and in the ensuing affray one of the parties had been
wounded and had subsequently died. After reading the papers in the case, Yu-
cun summoned the plaintiff for questioning and received from him the
following account of what had happened:
‘The murdered man was my master, Your Honour. Although he did not
realize it at the time, the girl he purchased had been kidnapped by the man
who was selling her. My master paid him in advance, and arranged to receive
the girl into his house three days from the date of purchase, the third day
being a lucky day. The kidnapper, having already pocketed my young master’s
money, then quietly went off and sold her again to Xue. When we found this
out, we went along to seize him and to collect the girl.
‘But unfortunately this Xue turned Out to be a powerful Nanking boss,
who evidently thought that by money and influence he could get away with
anything. He set a crowd of his henchmen on to my young master and beat him
up so badly that he died.
‘Xue and his henchmen have now disappeared without trace, leaving only a
few retainers who were not involved in the crime. But though it is a year
since I first brought this charge, no one has yet done anything to help me.
I beseech Your Honour to arrest the criminals and to uphold the course of
justice I Both the living and the dead will be everlastingly grateful to
you if you do!’
‘This is monstrous!’ said Yu-cun in a towering rage. ‘Am I to understand
that a man can be beaten to death and the murderer walk off scot-free with
nobody lifting a finger to arrest him?’ and he took up a warrant and was on
the point of sending his runners to seize the murderer’s dependants and
bring them to court so that they might be put to the torture, when he
observed one of the ushers signalling to him with his eyes not to issue the
warrant. His resolution somewhat shaken, he put it down again and adjourned
to his private chambers, dismissing everyone except the usher, whom he
ordered to remain behind in attendance.
When they were alone together the usher, with a broad smile on his face,

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