The Deer And The Cauldron 3

The Deer And The Cauldron 3

第三回　符来袖里围方解 椎脱囊中事竟成

　　不一日到了北京，进城之时，已是午后，In which Whiskers and Trinket reach Peking, and encounter a Queer Old Eunuch Wrestlers and Eunuchs A few days later the two travelling companions drew near to the walls of Peking. It was noon as they entered the city.茅十八叫韦小宝说话行动，须得小心，京城之地，公差耳目众多，可别露出了破绽。韦小宝道：“我有什么破绽？你自己小心别露出破绽才是。你不是要找鳌拜比武吗？上门去找便是。”Whiskers warned Trinket to be extremely careful: the Capital was alive with Government spies, and he must on no account betray their identity. ‘I’m not giving anything away, ‘ protested Trinket. ‘You’re the one who needs to be careful. You’re the one who you said you were looking for a fight with Oboi. Well go ahead–just knock on his door. . .’

　　茅十八苦笑不答。当日说要找鳌拜比武，只是心情激荡之际的一句壮语，他虽然卤莽粗豪，毕竟已在江湖上混了二十来年，岂不知鳌拜是一人之下、万人之上的大官，怎肯来跟他这么个江湖汉子比武？自己武功不过是二三流脚色，鳌拜倘若真是满洲第一勇士，多半打他不过。Whiskers responded with a wry smile. The whole idea of challenging Oboi had been a wild impulse of the moment. The former Regent (as he knew only too well) would never waste his time taking on a run-of-the-mill outlaw like himself. Whiskers was not a bad fighter, in an average sort of way, but he was certainly no match for the Manchu Champion.不过既已在韦小宝面前夸下海口，可不能不上北京，心想带着这小孩在北京城里逛得十天半月，瞧瞧京城的景色，大吃大喝个痛快，送他回扬州便是。He had felt obliged to go through the motions (if only so as not to lose face with Trinket, who had witnessed his earlier boasting) and had therefore pressed on to Peking. Now that they had arrived he thought he might as well show the lad the sights for a couple of weeks, eat, drink, and generally have a good time. Then he would pack him off back to Yangzhou.鳌拜是一定不肯跟自己比武的，然而是他不肯，可不是自己不敢，韦小宝也不能讥笑我没种。万一鳌拜当真肯比，那么茅十八拚了这条命也就是了。Oboi would undoubtedly refuse the challenge–the important thing was that it should be that way round. Then Trinket would have no grounds for questioning his courage. And if, by some unforeseen chance, Oboi did want a fight, why then, by thunder, he’d give him one!两人来到西城一家小酒店中，茅十八要了酒菜，正饮之间，忽见酒店外走进两个人来，一老一小。那老的约莫六十来岁，小的只十二三岁。The two of them came to a little inn in the Western City, and Whiskers ordered wine and a light snack. They had just started drinking when an ill-assorted pair in strange garb walked into the room, one of them an older man in his sixties, the other a young fellow of twelve or thirteen.两人穿的服色都甚古怪，韦小宝不知他们是何等样人，茅十八却知他们是皇宫中的太监。那老太监面色蜡黄，弓腰曲背，不住咳嗽，似是身患重病。Trinket could not figure out at all what sort of people they were, but Whiskers knew at a glance that they were both Palace Eunuchs. The older one was sallow faced, stooped, and was constantly coughing. He seemed a very sick man.小太监扶住了他，慢慢走到桌旁坐下。老太监尖声尖气的道：“拿酒来！”酒保诺诺连声，忙取过酒来。The younger eunuch helped him to a table. ‘Bring me some wine!’ the old eunuch half wheezed, half squeaked. The waiter leapt into action. Clearly this was a man to be obeyed.老太监从身边摸出一个纸包，打了开来，小心翼翼的用小指甲挑了少许，溶在酒里，把药包放回怀中，端起酒杯，慢慢喝下。The old eunuch now brought out a little package, opened it, fastidiously scooped a tiny quantity of its contents on to the nail of his little finger, and tipped it into his wine. He replaced the package in his inside pocket, lifted the wine to his lips, and drank it slowly down.过得片刻，突然全身痉挛，抖个不住。那酒保慌了，忙问：“怎么？怎么？”那小太监喝道：“走开！啰里啰唆干什么？”那酒保哈腰陪笑，走了开去，却不住打量二人。A few seconds later his entire body suddenly went into uncontrollable spasms. ‘What’s the matter?’ gasped the terrified waiter. ‘Stand back!’ snapped the young eunuch. ‘And mind your own business!’ The waiter simpered and scraped, and backed smartly out of the way. But he kept a close eye on the two of them.老太监双手扶桌，牙关格格相击，越抖越厉害，再过得片刻，连桌子也不住摇晃起来，桌上筷子一根根掉在地下。The old eunuch was now leaning with both hands on the table, his teeth chattering loudly, his whole body twitching with ever increasing violence. Soon the table itself began to rock, and the chopsticks on it started falling to the ground.

　　小太监慌了，说道：“公公，再服一剂，好不好？”伸手到他怀中摸出了药包，便要打开。老太监尖声叫道：“不……不……不要……！”Even the young eunuch seemed worried now. ‘Goong-goong!’ he cried. ‘Take another dose!’ (Goong-goong was the term by which Court Eunuchs were addressed.) He fumbled for the package inside his master’s gown, extracted it, and was about to open it when the old man wheezed: ‘No . . . No more …脸上神色甚是紧迫。He seemed extremely agitated.小太监握着药包，不敢打开。The young eunuch clutched the packet tightly in his hand, not daring to open it.

　　就在这时，店门口脚步声响，走进七名大汉来。都是光着上身，穿了牛皮裤子，辫子盘在头顶，全身油腻不堪，晶光发亮，似是用油脂自顶至腿都涂满了。At this precise moment there were noisy footsteps at the door, and in came seven hulking great fellows in leather leggings, all of them stripped to the waist, their pigtails coiled on top of their heads. Their bodies seemed to have been smeared all over with some sort of animal fat.七人个个肌肉虬结，胸口生着毵毵黑毛，伸出手来，无不掌巨指粗。Their skin glistened, and gave off a repulsive odour. They had rippling, sinewy torsos, and dark, hairy chests. Their hands were great fat paws, ending in chunky stumps of fingers.七人分坐两张桌子，大声叫嚷：“快拿酒来，牛肉肥鸡，越快越好！”酒保应道：“是！是！”摆上杯筷，Wine!’ they roared, seating themselves around two tables. ‘Quickly! And bring us some roast beef and good plump chicken– pronto!’ ‘Straight away!’ panted the waiter, and set about frantically laying their table with cups and chopsticks.问道：“客官，吃什么菜？”一名大汉怒道：“你是聋子吗？”另一名大汉突然伸手，抓住了酒保后腰，转臂一挺，将他举了起来。酒保手足乱舞，吓得哇哇大叫。七名大汉哈哈大笑。那大汉一甩手，将酒保摔了到店外，砰的一声，掉在地下。酒保大叫：“啊哟，我的妈啊！”What would you like to eat, sirs?’ ‘Are you deaf?’ bellowed one of the men angrily. One of the others reached out a hand, grabbed the waiter by the scruff of the neck, and lifted him clean into the air. He kept him dangling there helplessly for a moment, squawking in terror, while the other men guffawed appreciatively. Then he sent him flying through the door. ‘Yeooow!’ cried the wretched waiter, as he landed with a thump on the ground.众大汉又是齐声大笑。茅十八低声道：“这是玩摔交的。他们抓起了人，定要远远摔出，免得对手落在身边，立即反攻。”The men roared with laughter again. ‘See that!’ Whiskers muttered under his breath to Trinket. ‘Now that’s a classic wrestling throw. Dump your opponent well clear, and that way he can’t spring back up at you.’韦小宝道：“你会不会摔交？”茅十八道：“我没学过。这种硬功夫遇上了武功好手，便没多大用处。”’Can you do that sort of thing?’ asked Trinket. ‘It’s not something I’ve ever learnt. Hard styles of kungfu like that are no use if you’re up against a real fighter, someone who knows what he’s doing.’韦小宝道：“那你打得过他们了？”茅十八微笑道：“跟这种莽夫有什么好打？”韦小宝道：“你一个打他们七个，一定要输。”茅十八道：“他们不是我对手。”’Could you beat them?’ Whiskers smiled. Thugs like that are not even worth fighting!’ ‘You’d be one against seven,’ said Trinket. They’d make mincemeat of you.’ They’d get nowhere near me!’

　　韦小宝突然大声道：“喂，大个儿们，我这个朋友说，他一个人能打赢你们七个。”茅十八忙喝：“别惹事生非。”’Hey! Big boys!’ yelled Trinket all of a sudden. ‘My friend here says he can take the seven of you on single-handed and give you a licking–‘ ‘Stop it!’ growled Whiskers. ‘Stop stirring things up . . .’但韦小宝最爱的偏偏就是惹事生非，眼见那七名大汉无缘无故的将酒保摔得死去活来，心头有气，听茅十八说一人能打赢他们七个，便从中挑拨，好叫茅十八教训教训他们。But that was precisely what Trinket enjoyed doing most in the world! He didn’t like the way they had treated the waiter, hurling him out of the door for no reason at all. So when Whiskers started boasting, he thought he’d make him teach them a lesson.七名大汉齐向茅韦二人瞧来。一人问道：“小娃娃，你说什么？”韦小宝道：“我这朋友说，你们欺侮酒保，不算英雄好汉，有种的就跟他斗斗。”The seven turned as one man and glared at Whiskers and Trinket. ‘What was that you said, tiny tot?’ ‘My friend here says you shouldn’t have done that to the waiter. He says you’re a bunch of cowards, and why don’t you take him on if any of you’ve got the guts一名大汉怒目圆睁，对着茅十八道：“王八蛋，是你说的吗？”茅十八知道这七人都是玩摔交的满洲人，本来不想闹事，One of them was already advancing towards Whiskers, glowering. Turtle-spawn! Did you say that?’ Whiskers knew that these men were all trained Manchu wrestlers. He wasn’t looking for trouble.但他一见满洲人便心中有气，又听那大汉开口骂人，提起酒壶，劈面便飞了出去。But somehow he only had to set eyes on a Manchu to feel his blood boil. The man’s taunt was the last straw. He picked up a jug of wine and hurled it across the room, straight at his face.那大汉伸手一格，岂知茅十八在这一掷之中使上了内劲，喀喇一声，酒壶撞上他手臂，那大汉手臂剧痛，“啊哟”一声，叫了出来。The man put out his hand, but the sheer intensity of Whiskers’ throw sent the jug crashing with such force into his forearm, that he went howling away in pain.另一名大汉扑将过来，茅十八飞脚向他踢去。满洲人摔交极少用腿，这一腿闪避不了，正中小腹，登时直飞出去。One of his comrades ran forward and this time Whiskers delivered a well-placed kick in the midriff. Manchu wrestlers seldom use their legs and the man was unable to dodge in time, and was sent flying through the air.

　　其余五名大汉“混帐王八蛋”的乱骂，纷纷扑来。茅十八身形灵便，使开擒拿手法，肘撞掌劈，顷刻间打倒了四个。With renewed cries of ‘Lousy turtle-spawn!’ the remaining five Manchus now surged forward. Whiskers moved like a flash, using a dazzling variety of grapples, holds, and punches, landing first elbow and then fist, and in a matter of moments he had four of them flat on the floor.

　　另一个斜身以肩头受了茅十八一掌，伸手抓住他后腰，举将起来，随即将他身子倒转，要将他头顶往阶石上捣去。The fifth (and last) Manchu turned and caught Whiskers’ fist on his shoulder; then he turned again, lunged, and seized Whiskers by the back. He lifted him up, spun him round, and was about to dash him head first on to the stone steps,茅十八双腿连环，噗噗两声，都踢在他胸口。那大汉口一张，鲜血狂喷，双手立时松开。when Whiskers locked his legs, uttered a couple of fearsome cries, and let loose with both feet, kicking with all his might at the man’s chest. The Manchu gasped, blood spurted from his mouth, and his hands fell limp at his sides.

　　茅十八顺着那大汉仰面跌倒之势，双足已踹上他胸口，双掌一招“回风拂柳”，斜劈而出，正中第一名被酒壶掷中的大汉后心，喀喇一声响，那大汉断了几根肋骨，爬在桌上。As he tumbled to the ground, Whiskers planted both feet firmly on his chest. Then he swivelled and with both fists lunged diagonally at the wine-jug victim, thumping him hard in the back, and noisily smashing in several of his ribs. Whirlwind in the WlllOWS Wdb Uic imiii^ ^. ,,___ and began hauling himself painfully up.茅十八一手拉住韦小宝，道：“小鬼头，就是会闯祸，快走！”两人发足往酒店门口奔去。Whiskers grabbed hold of Trinket: ‘You little brat! You certainly know how to stir up trouble! Let’s get out of here!’ The two of them headed for the door.

　　只跨出两步，却见那老太监弯着腰，正站在门口，茅十八伸手往他右臂轻轻一推，要想把他推开。不料手掌刚和他肩头相触，只觉得全身剧震，不由自主的一个踉跄，向旁跌出数步，They had hardly taken two strides when they saw the old eunuch standing hunched up in the doorway. Whiskers gave him a little push on his right arm, intending to shove him out of the way, but his hand had no sooner touched the old eunuch’s shoulder than Whiskers’ whole body reverberated with a violent shock, the uncontrollable force of which sent him staggering back several paces.右腰撞在桌上，那张桌登时倒塌，这一退之势，带得韦小宝也摔了出去。韦小宝大叫：“哎唷喂，我的妈啊，痛死人啦。”茅十八猛拿桩子，这才站住，His left side collided sharply with a table, which toppled over at once, and the sheer momentum of his fall brought Trinket crashing down with him. ‘Ow!’ yelled the boy. That hurt!’ Whiskers summoned all of his strength and managed to haul himself upright.只觉得全身发滚，便如火烧一般。他心下大骇，看那老太监时，只见他弓腰曲背，不住咳嗽，于适才之事似乎浑若不知。His whole body was still tingling, as if he’d been badly scalded. He couldn’t believe it. The old eunuch was just standing there, hunched up and coughing, for all the world as if nothing had happened.

　　茅十八知道今日遇上了高人，对方多半身怀邪术，否则武功纵比自己为高，也决不能将自己轻轻一推之力，化为偌大力道。Whiskers knew he was up against a being of truly extraordinary powers, a practitioner perhaps of some black art. No ordinary opponent, however transcendant his prowess in the Martial Arts, could ever have made that feeble little push of his rebound in Whiskers’ face with such prodigious force.武功中虽有“借力反打”之术，“四两拨千斤”之法，但都是对方有多大力量打来，便有多大力量反击出去，决无将小力化为大力之理。There were similar techniques in the standard Schools, but they all involved equal degrees of thrust. None of them could transform a little push into the force of an earthquake!他急忙转身，提起兀自在大呼小叫的韦小宝，向后堂奔去。Whiskers turned around as East as he could, grabbed the howling Trinket and headed for the rear of the inn.

　　只奔出三步，只听得一声咳嗽，那老太监已站在面前。He had taken no more than three steps when he heard a cough and suddenly there was the old eunuch again, standing right in front of him.茅十八一惊，足底使劲，上身向前一扑，似是向对方扑击，身子却已向后翻出。Desperately Whiskers blundered on, trying his utmost to force his way through. He feinted throwing himself at his opponent, but in fact he threw himself backwards through the air.他双足尚未落地，忽觉背心上有股轻柔的力量撞到，急忙左手反掌击出，却击了个空，身子向前扑出，摔在两名大汉身上。As he landed he felt a light pressure on his back, spun round with reversed left fist to strike back, only to find himself punching thin air and stumbling heavily forwards, on top of the prostrate bodies of two of his earlier opponents.

　　这一交摔得极重，幸好那两名大汉又肥又壮，做了厚厚的肉垫子，才没受伤。Luckily they were both rather bulky individuals, since Whiskers landed on them with a resounding thud. The human mattress cushioned his fall, and saved him from major injury.那两名大汉腿骨折断，站不起来，手臂却是无恙，当即施展摔交手法，将他牢牢抓住。茅十八欲待抗拒，手脚上竟使不出半点力道，原来背心穴道已给人封了。The two men had broken their legs and were incapable of standing, but their arms were intact, and they were able to get a firm hold on him. Whiskers tried to fight back, but found that he had lost all the strength in both arms and legs: a vital point in his back had been blocked, effectively paralysing him.

　　他背脊向天，看不见身后情景，但听得那老太监不住咳嗽，有气无力的在责备小太监：“你又要给我服药，那不是存心害死我吗？这药只要多服得半分，便要了我的老命，咳……咳……咳……咳，你这孩子，真是胡闹。”He lay there on his belly, unable to see what was going on above him. He just heard the old eunuch coughing away, and wheezing petulantly at his young attendant: ‘Another gram and I’d have been done for . . .’ More coughing. ‘Silly child!’小太监道：“孩儿实在不知道。以后不敢了。”老太监道：“还有以后？唉，也不知道活得几天，咳……咳……咳……”小太监道：“公公，这家伙是什么来头？只怕是个反贼。”’I’m sorry, Goong-goong! I’ll know better next time!’ ‘What next time?’ grunted the old eunuch. ‘I may not live that long . . .’ More coughing. ‘Who’s this man with the whiskers, Goong-goong?’ asked the younger eunuch. ‘Looks like some sort of oudaw to me . . .’

　　老太监道：“你们这几位朋友，是哪里的布库？”一名大汉道：“回公公的话，我们都是郑王爷府里的。今天若不是公公出手，擒住了这反贼，我们的脸可丢得大了。”The old eunuch questioned the Manchus: ‘Which Prince’s household are you lot from?’ ‘We’re from Prince Zheng’s, Goong-goong,’ replied one of them. ‘We’re most grateful to you, sir, for stopping this brigand from getting away. We’d have looked pretty foolish otherwise.’老太监哼了一声，道：“那……那也是碰巧罢啦。咳……咳咳……你们也别惊动旁人，就将这汉子和那孩子，都送到大内尚膳监来，说是海老公要的人。”The old eunuch humphed. ‘Just a matter of luck . . .’ More coughing. ‘No need to make a big fuss. Just have him and his young friend sent along to the Imperial Catering Department, and tell them to lock them both up. Say it’s by order of Hai Dafu.’几名大汉齐声答应。老太监道：“还不去叫轿子？你瞧我这等模样，还走得动吗？”小太监答应一声，飞奔出去。老太监伏在桌上，不停的咳嗽。The men chorused their obedience. The eunuch turned to his attendant: ‘Well? What are you waiting for? Call for a sedan chair. Do you expect me to walk in this state?’ ‘Straight away, Goong-goong!’ The boy rushed off, and Hai Goong-goong leant over the table, still coughing.

　　韦小宝见茅十八被擒，想起说书先生曾道：“留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。”须得脚底抹油，三十六着，走为上着。他沿着墙壁，悄悄溜向后堂，眼见谁也没留意到他。正自暗暗欢喜，那老公公伸指一弹，一根筷子飞将出来，Trinket, meanwhile, seeing Whiskers held fast, decided to try and escape while he still could. He slid along the wall, sneaked out into the back courtyard of the inn, and was just congratulating himself on having escaped unnoticed when the old eunuch, with one flick of a finger, sent a chopstick flying through the air.戳在他右腿的腿弯之中。韦小宝右腿麻软，摔倒在地，再也动弹不得，张口便骂：“痨病成精老乌龟……”转眼见到一名大汉恶狠狠的模样，心中一吓，此后十来句恶毒的言语都缩入了肚里。It embedded itself in Trinket’s right thigh. The boy lost all sensation in his right leg, and slumped to the ground, cursing: ‘A pox on you, you filthy turtle!’ (He would have said a lot more, but one of the men was glowering at him in a decidedly unfriendly fashion.)过不多时，门外抬来一乘轿子。小太监走了进来，说道：“公公，轿子到啦！”老太监咳嗽连声，在小太监扶持之下，坐进轿子，两名轿夫抬着去了。小太监跟随在后。Presently a sedan chair was carried into the inn and the young eunuch attendant arrived to help his master into it. The sedan was carried out again, with the attendant following behind it.

　　七名大汉中四人受伤甚轻，当下将茅十八和韦小宝用绳索牢牢绑起。绑缚之时，不住向茅十八拳打足踢。Four of the seven Manchu wrestlers had only been slightly wounded, and these now bound Whiskers and Trinket securely. As they tightened the rope around Whiskers, they kept punching and kicking him.韦小宝忍不住口中不干不净，但两个重重的耳刮子一打，也只好乖乖的不敢作声。众大汉叫了两顶轿子来，又在二人口中塞了布块，用黑布蒙了眼，放入轿中抬走。At first Trinket let off a storm of abuse at them for so maltreating his friend, but a good box on the ears soon taught him to hold his tongue. Two more chairs were sent for, the prisoners were blindfolded and gagged, bundled aboard, and carried out.韦小宝只在七岁时曾跟母亲去烧香时坐过轿子，此刻只好自己心下安慰：This was only the second time that Trinket had ever ridden in a sedan, the first being when he was seven years old and his mother had taken him to burn incense in a temple. He tried to derive some comfort from the situation. “他妈的，老子好久没坐轿了，今日孝顺儿子服侍老子坐轿，真是乖儿子、乖孙子！”但想到不知会不会陪着茅十八一起杀头，却也不禁害怕发抖。’It’s a fucking age since I had such a comfy ride! Good of these boys to show old Trink a little respect!’ But when he reflected on the true nature of the journey, and that he might in fact be accompanying Whiskers to the execution-ground, he began shivering with fear.

　　他在轿中昏天黑地，但觉老是走不完。有时轿子停了下来，有人盘问，听得轿外的大汉总是回答：“尚膳监海老公公叫给送去的。”It was pitch-black in the sedan, and the journey seemed to last for ever. From time to time the bearers would stop, and when they were challenged to state their business one of them would reply: To the Imperial Catering Department. Orders of Hai Goong-goong.’韦小宝不知尚膳监是什么东西，但那海老公似乎颇有权势，只一提他的名头，轿子便通行无阻。Trinket had no idea what sort of a place the Imperial Catering Department might be, but clearly this eunuch Hai Dafu was a person of great influence. The mere mention of his name seemed to open gate upon gate.有一次盘问之人揭开轿帷来张了张，说道：“是个小娃娃！”韦小宝想说：“是你祖宗！”苦于口中被塞了布块，说不出话来。Once the curtain of the sedan was parted and a voice cried out, ‘Why, it’s only a kid!’ ‘And you’re only a tadpole!’ thought Trinket, and would have said so, had he not been rather efficiently gagged.

　　一路行去，他迷迷糊糊几乎要睡着了，忽然轿子停住，有人说道：“海公公要的人送到啦。”一个小孩声音道：“是了，海公公在休息，将人放在这里便是。”On they went, and Trinket was just starting to doze off when the sedan was deposited on the ground and one of the bearers called out:’Prisoners for Hai Goong-goong!’ ‘He’s resting, ‘ replied a childish voice. ‘Just put them in there.’韦小宝听他声音，便是酒店中遇到的那小孩。只听先前那人道：“咱们回去禀告郑王爷，王爷必定派人来谢海老公。”那小孩道：“是了，你说海老公向王爷请安。”那人道：“不敢当。”跟着便有人将茅十八和韦小宝从轿中拖了出来，提入屋中放下。Trinket recognized the voice as that of the young attendant they had seen at the inn. ‘We’ll be on our way now, ‘ said the bearer. ‘We’ll give His Highness Prince Zheng a report of what happened, and I’m sure he’ll be sending someone round to thank Hai Goong-goong.’ ‘Very well. Give His Highness my master’s best regards.’ After that, Whiskers and Trinket were dragged out of their chairs and bundled into a room.

　　耳听得众人脚步声远去，却听得海老公的几下咳嗽之声。Whiskers, Trinket, and Hai Qoong-goong The bearers’ footsteps died into the distance. In its place the two prisoners heard the sound of the old eunuch coughing,

　　韦小宝闻到一股极浓的药味，心想：“这老鬼病得快死了，偏偏不早死几日，看来还要我和茅大哥，替他到阎王跟前打个先锋。”and Trinket could smell the pungent fumes of some herbal decoction bubbling away. ‘Looks like the old bugger’s going to snuff it any day now!’ he thought to himself. ‘Why couldn’t it have been yesterday! Now he’s got us and he’s most likely going to send us off as an advance party to Hell!’四周静悄悄地，除了海老公偶尔咳嗽之外，更无别般声息。韦小宝手足被绑，手指脚趾都已发麻，说不出的难受，偏偏海老公似乎将他二人忘了，浑没理会。It was deathly quiet apart from the occasional burst of coughing from the old eunuch. Trinket’s hands and feet were still bound, and his fingers and toes were quite numb. It was becoming most uncomfortable, and to make matters worse it seemed as though their captor had utterly forgotten about them.

　　过了良久良久，才听得海老公轻声叫一声：“小桂子！”那小孩应道：“是！”韦小宝心想：“原来你这臭小子叫作小桂子，跟你爷爷的名字有个‘小’字相同。”After what felt like an eternity, the old eunuch could be heard, speaking very softly: ‘Laurel?’ ‘So that’s your name, you puny little brat!’ thaught Trinket.只听海老公道：“将他二人松了绑，我有话问他们。”小桂子应道：“是！”韦小宝听得喀喀之声，想是小桂子用刀子在割茅十八手脚上的绳子，过了一会，自己手脚上的绳子也割断了，跟着眼上黑布揭开。’Goong-goong!’ replied the boy. ‘Untie the prisoners. I want to question them, ‘ ‘Yes, Goong-goong!’ Trinket heard the sound of something ripping, and guessed it to be Whiskers’ ropes being cut. Then his own hands and feet were set free, and his blindfold was removed. He blinked and looked around him.韦小宝睁开眼来，见置身之所是一间大房，房中物事稀少，只一张桌子，一张椅子，桌上放着茶壶茶碗。海老公坐在椅中，半坐半躺，双颊深陷，眼睛也是半开半闭。此时天色已黑，墙壁上安着两座铜烛台，各点着一根蜡烛，火光在海老公蜡黄的脸上忽明忽暗的摇晃。They were in a large room, sparsely furnished: a table, a chair, and on the table a teapot and a cup. The old eunuch was sitting slumped on the chair. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes half closed. It was already dark, and candles had been lit in two brass candle-holders on the wall, casting a flickering light on his sallow face.小桂子取出茅十八口中塞的布块，又去取韦小宝口中的布块。海老公道：“这小孩子嘴里不干不净，让他多塞一会。”Laurel took the gag from Whiskers’ mouth, then began to remove Trinket’s. The boy can stay gagged for a while longer!’ ordered the old eunuch. ‘He only ever talks filth.’韦小宝双手本来已得自由，却不敢自行挖出口中的布块，心中所骂的污言秽语，只怕比之海老公所能想得到的远胜十倍。Trinket’s hands were free, but he did not dare remove the gag himself. The unexpressed abuse that now silted up in his mouth was of a degree of filth unimaginable even to the old eunuch.

　　海老公道：“拿张椅子，给他坐下。”小桂子到隔壁房里搬了张椅子来，放在茅十八身边，茅十八便即坐下，韦小宝见自己没有座位。老实不客气便往地下一坐。’Bring in a chair for him,’ ordered Old Hai, and Laurel went to the next room to fetch a chair for Whiskers, who sat down on it. Trinket gathered that he did not qualify for a seat, and squatted unceremoniously on the ground.海老公向茅十八道：“老兄尊姓大名，是哪一家哪一派的？阁下擒拿手法不错，似乎不是我们北方的武功。”茅十八道：“我姓茅，叫茅十八，是江北泰州五虎断门刀门下。”Tell me something of yourself, ‘ began the old eunuch, addressing Whiskers almost politely. ‘Your name, and who your teachers were. I was quite impressed by some of your moves. Not bad. Certainly not part of our Northern tradition, ‘ ‘My name is Mao, Whiskers Mao, also known as Eighteen. I come from Taizhou, in the north of Zhejiang Province, and I studied in the Five Tigers School of swordsmanship, ‘海老公点点头，说道：“茅十八茅老兄，我也曾听到过你的名头。听说老兄在扬州一带，打家劫舍，杀官越狱，着实做了不少大事。”Hai nodded. ‘I have heard of you, sir. In your time I understand that you have caused quite a bit of trouble around Yangzhou, what with fights and brawls, and escaping from prison, and killing guards, and one thing and another . . .’茅十八道：“不错。”他对这痨病鬼老太监的惊人武功不由得不服。也就不敢出言顶撞。’You could say so, ‘ Whiskers had to acknowledge the superiority of this wheezing, consumptive old half-man after the extraordinary demonstration of powers he had witnessed. He was reluctant to challenge him openly.海老公道：“阁下来到京师，想干什么事，能跟我说说吗？”茅十八道：“既落你手，要杀要剐，悉听尊便，姓茅的是江湖汉子，不会皱一皱眉头。你想逼供，那可看错人了。”’And what are you doing up here in the Capital, if I may ask?’ continued Hai. ‘I’m your prisoner, so why not just do whatever it is you want to do with me and get it over and done with?’ replied Whiskers. ‘Kill me, chop me up; I’m a man, I can take it. But don’t expect me to name names. If you think I’m going to sing for you, you’ve made a serious mistake, ‘海老公微微一笑，说道：“谁不知茅十八是铁铮铮的好汉子，逼供可不敢。听说阁下是云南平西王的心腹亲信……”Old Hai smiled a barely perceptible smile. ‘Dearie me no! Everyone knows what a fearless fellow you are! I wouldn’t dream of trying to force you to, as you put it, “sing” for me! I’d simply heard that you were one of Satrap Wu’s closest and most trusted confidants and thought–‘

　　他一句话没说完，茅十八大怒而起，喝道：“谁跟吴三桂这大汉奸有什么干系了？你这么说，没的污了我茅十八豪杰的名头。”海老公咳嗽几声，微微一笑，Whiskers cut him short angrily: ‘Me, mix with that dog? Are you trying to insult me, are you doubting my honour?’ The old eunuch coughed several times, and then an inscrutable smile stole across his face.说道：“平西王有大功于大清，主子对他甚是倚重，阁下倘若是平西王亲信，咱们瞧着王爷的面子，小小过犯，也不必计较了。”The Satrap has given invaluable service to the Manchu cause, and my Master sets great store by him. If you were one of the Satrap’s confidants, I’m sure we could see our way to letting you off lightly–for his sake.’茅十八大声道：“不是，不是！茅十八跟吴三桂这臭贼粘不上半点边儿，姓茅的决不叨这汉奸的光，你要杀便杀，若说我是吴贼的什么心腹亲信，姓茅的祖宗都倒足了大霉。”’Well I ain’t!’ bellowed Whiskers. ‘I’ve had no truck with the dirty scum, and I don’t want any favours from him now. If you want to kill me, go ahead. But don’t dishonour my ancestors by linking my family name with that traitor!’

　　吴三桂带清兵入关，以致明室沦亡，韦小宝在市井之间，听人提起吴三桂来，总是加上几个“汉奸”、“臭贼”、“直娘贼”的字眼，Trinket had grown up at a time in China’s history when the common people in every street remembered only too clearly Satrap Wu’s role in betraying their country to the Manchus. They referred to him by a variety of names–none of them complimentary: traitor to the Ming Imperial House, lackey of the Manchu invaders, scum, rogue, knave, running dog–he knew them all.心想：“听这老乌龟的口气，只要茅大哥冒认是吴三桂的心腹，便可放了我们。偏偏茅大哥骨头硬，不肯冒充。但骨头硬，皮肉就得受苦了。常言道得好：‘好汉不吃眼前亏’，吃眼前亏的自然不是好汉。This old boy seems prepared to let us off if only Whiskers will just say he’s one of the Satrap’s men,’ he thought to himself. ‘But Whiskers is too proud and stubborn to do it. Pride’s all very well, but it won’t save our necks. No hero knowingly puts his head in a noose, as they say.咱们不妨胡说八道一番，说道吴三桂对咱哥儿俩如何如何看重，等到溜之大吉之后，再骂吴三桂的十八代祖宗不迟。”I can’t see why we don’t just make something up, tell a whopper, pretend that we’re trusted servants of the Satrap, or whatever you like, any old story, so long as it gets us out of here! Then we’ll have all the time in the world to curse the Satrap and eighteen generations of his ancestors, all the way back to eternity!’他手脚上血脉渐和，悄悄以袖子遮口，将嘴里塞着的布块挖了出来。海老公正注视着茅十八的脸色，没见到韦小宝在暗中捣鬼，He was getting a bit of feeling back in his hands and feet now, and held a sleeve in front of his face while he removed the gag from his mouth. The old eunuch was too busy studying Whiskers to notice Trinket’s manoeuvres.他见茅十八声色俱厉，微笑道：“我还道阁下是平西王派来京师的，原来猜错了。”’Well, I must have been wrong. I took you for one of the Satrap’s men, on a mission to the Capital.’

　　茅十八心想：“这一下在北京被擒，皇帝脚下的事，再要脱身是万万不能的了。豹死留皮，人死留名，茅十八一死不打紧，做人可不能含糊。”’I’m done for anyway,’ thought Whiskers to himself. ‘Here I am, a prisoner in the Capital, at the very feet of the Tartar Emperor–I’m finished! I might as well go out with a bang. At least then I’ll be famous for something when I die! Death is a small price to pay for my honour!’眼见韦小宝眼睁睁的正瞧着自己，便大声道：“老实跟你说，我在南方听得江湖上说道，那鳌拜是满洲第一勇士，什么拳毙疯牛，脚踢虎豹，说得天花乱坠。姓茅的不服，特地上北京来，要跟他比划比划。”As he reached the end of this brief train of thought, he saw Trinket staring at him fit to burst, frantically trying to attract his attention. ‘Very well then,’ announced Whiskers loudly, ignoring (or misinterpreting) his young friend’s agitation, ‘I’ll tell you the real reason I’m here! I’ve heard all manner of tales among the kungfu Brothers in the South, about this Oboi fellow, the so-called Manchu Champion–how he can knock a cow cold with his bare fists, take on tigers and panthers single-handed, and so on and so forth. Well, I for one don’t believe a word of it! And I’ve come here to prove it, to challenge him to single combat!’海老公叹了口气，说道：“你想跟鳌少保比武？鳌少保官居极品，北京城里除了皇上、皇太后，便数鳌少保了。老兄在北京等上十年八年，也未必见得着，怎能跟他比武？”The old eunuch gasped. ‘Fight Lord Oboi? You must be out of your mind! He is one of the great powers of the land; he is second only to the Emperor and the Empress Dowager! Why, you could live here in the Capital for ten years and still not have the tiniest chance of setting eyes on him, let alone fighting with him!’

　　茅十八当时还当海老公使邪术，后来背心穴道被封，直到此刻才缓缓解开，已知这是极上乘的内功武术。Whiskers reflected a moment. This old eunuch, whom he had originally suspected of dabbling in magic, was clearly a master of some highly advanced and esoteric School of Martial Arts. The paralysis he had so effortlessly inflicted, by merely touching a vital point on Whiskers’ back, was proof enough of this. His own strength was only now gradually returning. 瞧这老太监的神情口音，自是满人，自己连一个满洲老病夫都打不过，还说什么跟满洲第一勇士比武？The old eunuch, to judge from his manner and his accent, was himself almost certainly a Manchu. If he, Whiskers, was incapable of defeating this wheezing, consumptive gelding, what chance had he of ever beating the Manchu Champion? 他在扬州得胜山下恶战史松等人之时，虽情势危急，却毫不气馁，此刻对着这个痨病鬼太监，竟不由得豪气尽消，终于叹了口长气。His spirit had been so strong and defiant back at Victory Hill, when the odds had been so heavily against him and he’d taken on the Manchu guards. But somehow now, when confronted with this pathetic wreck of a eunuch, his courage utterly failed him. He heaved a deep sigh. 海老公问道：“阁下还想跟鳌少保比武吗？”茅十八道：“请问那鳌拜的武功，及得上尊驾几成？”海老公微微一笑。说道：“鳌少保是出将入相的顾命大臣，富贵极品，荣华无比。’Well,’ asked Hai, ‘are you still planning to fight Lord Oboi?’ Tell me,’ asked Whiskers, ‘is he as good a fighter as you are, sir?’ Hai smiled a strange little smile: ‘Lord Oboi is a mighty General and a great Minister of State. He is a man of untold wealth and rank.

　　我是个苦命的下贱人。跟鳌少保一个在天，一个在地，怎能相比？”他说的是二人身分地位，于武功一节竟避而不提。I am but a poor, worthless wretch. He is as high above me as the sky is above the earth. There can be no comparison.’ He had spoken of rank and wealth; but he had cunningly avoided any reference to Oboi’s ability as a fighter. 茅十八道：“那鳌拜的武功倘若有你一半，我就已万万不是对手。”海老公微笑道：“老兄说得太谦了。以老兄看来，在下的粗浅功夫，若和陈近南相比，却又如何？”’If he was even half as good as you, ‘ said Whiskers, ‘I shouldn’t stand a chance against him.’ ‘You do yourself an injustice, ‘ said Hai, still smiling. Tell me, how would you compare my own ability with that of Helmsman Chen?’ 茅十八一跳而起，问道：“你……你……你说什么？”海老公道：“我问的是贵会总舵主陈近南。听说陈总舵主练有‘凝血神抓’，内功之高，人所难测，只可惜缘悭一面，我这下贱人，没福拜见陈总舵主。”Whiskers started. ‘You . . . you . . . what do you mean?’ ‘I’m asking about your leader, Helmsman Chen. I’ve heard he practises some very advanced and rare styles of fighting, such as the Blood-Curdling Snatch. Unfortunately I have never had the honour of meeting him.’ 茅十八道：“我不是天地会的，也没福气见过陈总舵主。听说陈总舵主武功极高，到底怎样高法，可就不知道了。”’Nor have I, ‘ said Whiskers. ‘I am not a Triad member myself. I have heard that he is a very skilful fighter–but exactly what style he uses, I do not know.’ Hai sighed.

　　海老公叹了口气，道：“茅兄，我早知你是条好汉子，以你这等好身手，却为什么不跟皇家效力？将来做提督、将军，也不是难事。跟着天地会作乱造反，唉……”摇了摇头，又道：’I could tell that you were a man of true spirit, my friend! What a shame it is that you are not serving the Emperor’s cause. A man like you could so easily become a Governor, or a General. Instead of which you join ranks with rebels like the Triads . . .’ The old eunuch shook his head, and continued: “那总是没有好下场。我良言相劝，你不如临崖勒马，退出了天地会罢。”These people will come to no good. Take my advice: step back before it is too late. Leave the Triads, ‘

　　茅十八道：“我……我……我不是天地会。”突然放大喉咙，说道：“我这可不是抵赖不认。姓茅的只盼加入天地会，只是一直没人接引。江湖上有句话道：‘为人不识陈近南，就称英雄也枉然。’海老公，这话想来你也听见过。’I… I’m not. . . one of them, ‘ stammered Whiskers. Then suddenly he raised his voice. ‘But that doesn’t mean I’m against them! I would like to join their ranks one day; it’s just that until now I’ve had no one to sponsor me. There’s a saying among the Brothers of River and Lake: Who’s never yet met Chenjinnan Can’t call himself a proper man. Why, I believe you must have heard it too, sir. 姓茅的是堂堂汉人，虽然没入天地会，然而决意反清复明，哪有反投满清去做汉奸的道理？你快快把我杀了罢！姓茅的杀人放火，犯下的事太大，早就该死了，只是没见过陈近南，死了有点不闭眼。”As for myself, I’m a Chinese to the last drop of my blood, and though I may not be a Triad member, their battle cry is mine! Death to the Tartars! Long live the Ming! Do you really think I’d serve the Tartars and turn traitor myself? Kill me, and stop wasting everyone’s time! My crimes are great, I deserve to die. My one regret will be that I never lived to see the Helmsman with my own eyes!’

　　海老公道：“你们汉人不服满人得了天下，原也没什么不对。我敬你是一条好汉子，今日便不杀你，让你去见了陈近南之后，死得眼闭。盼你越早见到他越好，见到之时说海老公很想见见他，要领教领教他的‘凝血神抓’功夫，到底是怎样厉害，盼望他早日驾临京师。唉，老头儿没几天命了，陈总舵主再不到北京来，我便见他不到了。嘿嘿，‘为人不识陈近南，就称英雄也枉然！’陈近南又到底如何英雄了得？江湖上竟有偌大名头？”’I can understand why you Chinese should resent the Manchu conquest, ‘ said the eunuch. ‘I even respect you for it. And because you’re a man of spirit, I’m going to spare your life. I’ll give you a chance to see your Helmsman before you die! And the sooner the better. You can tell him Hai Dafu would like to meet him. I’d like to learn his Blood-Curdling Snatch, and see if it really is as deadly as they say. Tell him to come to Peking as soon as he can. There may not be much life left in this old body. If he does not come soon, I may never see him. Who’s never yet met Chmjinnan Can’t call himself a proper man. Ha ha! Is this Helmsman of yours really such a hero? Is he really so deeply revered by your Brotherhood of River and Lake?’

　　茅十八听他说竟然就这么放自己走，大出意料之外，站了起来却不就走。海老公道：“你还等什么？还不走吗？”茅十八道：“是！”转身去拉了韦小宝的手，想要说几句话交待，却不知说什么话才好。Whiskers was so completely taken aback by this offer of freedom that he stood up and remained there for a moment rooted to the spot. ‘Well, what are you waiting for?’ snapped the old eunuch. ‘Don’t you want to go?’ ‘Yes!’ said Whiskers finally, taking Trinket by the hand. He wanted to utter some final words of defiance but couldn’t think what to say.

　　海老公又叹了口气，道：“亏你也是在江湖上混了这么久的人，这一点规矩也不懂。你不留点什么东西，就想一走了之？”The old eunuch sighed: ‘Have your long years as an outlaw taught you so little? Are you going away without offering me anything at all?’

　　茅十八咬了咬牙道：“不错，是我姓茅的粗心大意。小兄弟，借这刀子一用，我断了左手给你。”说着向小太监小桂子身旁的匕首指了指。这匕首长约八寸，是小桂子适才用来割他手脚上绳索的。Whiskers sensed what was coming, and gnashed his teeth: ‘My apologies. Quite right of you to point it out. Hey, young man, ‘ he said, turning to Laurel, ‘lend me your knife a moment will you, and I will cut off my left hand for your master.’ He pointed to the dagger at the young eunuch’s side. It was about eight inches long. Laurel had used it to cut through their bonds.

　　海老公道：“一只左手，却还不够。”茅十八铁青着脸道：“你要我再割下右手？”海老公点头道：“不错，两只手。本来嘛，我还得要你一对招子，咳……咳……可是你想见一见陈近南，没了招子，便见不到人啦。这么着，你自己废了左眼，留下右眼！”’I’m afraid that won’t be enough, ‘ said Old Hai. Whiskers went grey in the face:’You want my right hand too?’ Hai nodded. ‘Yes–I want both of your hands. And, I had thought of asking you for both eyes . . .’ He coughed. Then I thought you’d probably want to see Helmsman Chen properly. So I’ve decided to let you keep the right one. But I must ask you for the left.’

　　茅十八退了两步，放开拉着韦小宝的手，左掌上扬，右掌斜按，摆了个“犀牛望月”的招式，心想：“你要我废了左眼，再断双手，这么个残废人活着干么？不如跟你一拚，死在你的掌底，也就是了。”Whiskers retreated a couple of paces and let go of Trinket. He raised his left hand menacingly, high in the air, palm upwards, with his right hand at an angle to it: this was the stance known as Rhinoceros Gazing at the Moon. ‘So you want to blind me in one eye!’ he thought to himself. ‘You want to cut off both my hands and leave me a useless cripple. I may as well die fighting!’

　　海老公眼睛望也不望他，不住咳嗽，越咳越厉害，到后来简直气也喘不过来，本来蜡黄的脸忽然胀得通红。小桂子道：“公公，再服一剂好么？”海老公不住摇头，但咳嗽仍是不止，咳到后来，忍不住站起身来，以左手扠住自己头颈，神情痛苦已极。Old Hai wasn’t even looking at him. He just went on coughing, and his cough became more and more violent until he was gasping for breath, and his usually sallow face was red and swollen. Take another dose, Goong-goong!’ cried little Laurel. Old Hai shook his head, and carried on coughing. Finally he stood up and gripped his neck with his left hand. He seemed to be in extreme pain.

　　茅十八心想：“此时不走，更待何时？”一纵身，拉住了韦小宝的手，便往门外窜去。

　　海老公右手拇指和食指两根手指往桌边一捏，登时在桌边上捏下一小块木块，嗤的一声响，弹了出去。茅十八正自一大步跨将出去，那木片撞在他右腿“伏兔穴”上，登时右脚酸软，跪倒在地。跟着嗤的一声响，又是一小块木片弹出，茅十八左腿穴道又被击中，在海老公咳嗽声中，和韦小宝一齐滚倒。’This is my chance!’ thought Whiskers, and seizing Trinket by the hand again he made a dash for the door. Old Hai grasped the edge of the table between the thumb and forefinger of his right hand, snapped off a piece of wood, and flicked it through the air. Whiskers was in mid-stride when the missile struck him on the right thigh, at the vital point known as Crouching Rabbit. The leg went dead instantly and crumpled up beneath him. There was another crack of breaking wood, and another missile flew through the air, striking his other leg on the corresponding point. As Whiskers crashed to the ground, dragging Trinket with him, another fit of coughing racked the old eunuch’s body.

　　小桂子道：“再服半剂，多半不打紧。”海老公道：“好，好，只……只要一点儿。多了危……危险得很。”A Drug, a Dagger, and a Qetaway ‘Just half a dose!’ begged little Laurel. ‘Half a dose won’t do any harm.’ ‘All right. But just… a little . . . Too much and I’m done for.’

小桂子应道：“是！”伸手到他怀中取出药包，转身回入内室，取了一杯酒出来，打开药包，伸出小指，用指甲挑了一些粉末。海老公道：“太……太多……”小桂子道：“是！”将指甲中一些粉末放回药包，眼望海老公，海老公点了点头，弯腰又大声咳嗽起来，突然间身子向前一扑，爬在地下，不住扭动。’Yes, Goong-goong!’ Laurel extracted the little package from his master’s inside pocket and hurried into the inner room to fetch a cup of wine. He scooped up a small amount of the drug on his fingernail. ‘Too . . . much . . .’ gasped Old Hai. ‘Yes, Goong-goong,’ said Laurel, tipping a fraction back into the package and watching his old master for a sign of approval. Old Hai nodded, before bending over double and coughing loudly again. All of a sudden he shot forward, collapsed on all fours, and began writhing on the ground.

　　小桂子大惊，抢过去扶，叫道：“公公，公公，怎么啦？”海老公喘息道：“好……好热……扶……扶我……去水……水缸……水缸里浸……浸……”小桂子道：“是！”用力扶了他起来。两人踉踉跄跄的抢入内室，接着便听到扑通一响的溅水之声。Little Laurel rushed to his side in a state of great distress. ‘Goong-goong! Goong-goong!’ he cried. ‘What’s the matter?’ ‘I’m . . ?boiling!’ gasped the old eunuch. ‘Help . . . me . . . into the tub … so I can . . . cool down . . .’ ‘Yes, Goong-goong!’ Laurel heaved him up and the two of them stumbled together into the inner room. Soon came the sound of a big splash.

　　这一切韦小宝都瞧在眼里，当即悄悄站起，蹑足走到桌边，伸出小指，连挑了三指甲药粉，倾入酒中，生怕不够，又挑了两指甲，再将药包折拢，重新打开，泯去药粉中指甲挑动过的痕迹。Trinket was observing all of this intently. He crept stealthily to his feet and tiptoed to the table. Using the nail of his little finger he tipped three more doses of the old eunuch’s drug into the wine, then two more for good measure. He folded the little package up carefully and then deliberately opened it again, thereby removing all trace of his actions. 只听得小桂子在内室道：“公公，好些了吗？别浸得太久了。”海老公道：“好热……好……热得火烧一般。”韦小宝见那柄匕首放在桌上，当即拿在手中，回到茅十八身边，伏在地下。From the inner room he heard Laurel’s voice: ‘Is that better now, Goong-goong? You shouldn’t stay in for too long.’ ‘I’m so … hot… I feel as if I’m on fire!’ wheezed the old eunuch. Trinket spotted the little dagger on the table. He took it, went back to where Whiskers still lay immobilized on the floor, and crouched down beside him. 　　过不多时，水声响动，海老公全身湿淋淋地，由小桂子扶着，从内房中出来，仍是不住咳嗽。小桂子拿起酒杯，喂到他口边。海老公咳嗽不止，并不便喝。韦小宝一颗心几乎要从心窝中跳将出来。海老公道：“能够不吃……最好不……不吃这药……”Presendy there was the sound of more splashing, and Old Hai soon reappeared through the doorway, dripping, and leaning heavily on Laurel. He was still coughing. Laurel picked up the cup and held it to his master’s lips but Old Hai’s coughing simply would not stop. Trinket’s heart was in his mouth. ‘It would be … much better if I could . . . manage without. . .’ panted Old Hai.小桂子道：“是！”将酒杯放在桌上，将药包包好，放入海老公怀中。可是海老公跟着又大咳起来，向酒杯指了指。小桂子拿起酒杯，送到他嘴边，这一次海老公一口喝干。’Yes, Goong-goong!’ said little Laurel, placing the cup back on the table. He folded the package up carefully, and put it back in the old eunuch’s pocket. Soon afterwards Hai was seized by another violent fit of coughing and pointed to the cup. Laurel picked it up again and held it to his lips. Old Hai drank it down in one gulp.

　　茅十八沉不住气，不禁“啊”的一声。海老公道：“你……你如想……活着出去……”突然间喀喇一声响，椅子倒塌。他身子向桌上伏去，这一伏力道奇大，喀喇、喀喇两声，桌子又塌，连人带桌，向前倒了下来。Whiskers gasped involuntarily. Hai looked at him: ‘If you think . . . you’re getting out of here alive . . .’ There was a sudden crash, and the chair collapsed under the eunuch, who threw himself on to the table with such prodigious force that both he and the table went crashing to the floor.

　　小桂子大惊，大叫：“公公，公公！”抢上去扶，背心正对着茅十八和韦小宝二人。韦小宝轻轻跃起，提起匕首，向他背心猛戳了下去。小桂子低哼一声，便即毙命。海老公却兀自在地下扭动。’Goong-goong! Goong-goong!’ cried the distraught Laurel, rushing forward and turning his back for one crucial moment on Whiskers and Trinket. In that instant Trinket sprung nimbly forward, raised the dagger, and drove it with all his might into the young eunuch’s back. Little Laurel gave a scarcely audible groan and sank dead to the ground, beside the writhing body of his master.

　　韦小宝提起匕首，对准了海老公背心，又待戳下。便在此时，海老公抬起头来，说道：“小……小桂子，这药不对啊。”

　　韦小宝只吓得魂飞天外，匕首哪里还敢戳下去？海老公转以身来，一伸手，抓住了韦小宝左腕，道：“小桂子，刚才的药没弄错？”

　　韦小宝含含糊糊的道：“没……没弄错……”只觉左腕便如给一道铁箍箍住了，奇痛入骨，只吓得抓着匕首的右手缩转了尺许。Trinket raised the dagger: a second time, and held it poised above the old eunuch’s back. Hai suddenly looked up and croaked: ‘Lau . . . Laurel. . . Something’s wrong with my medicine!’ Trinket froze with terror. Hai managed to sit up and turn around, and took hold of Trinket’s left wrist: ‘Laurel,’ he gasped, ‘are you sure . . . you didn’t make a mistake?’ ‘Quite sure,’ mumbled Trinket. His left wrist was held in a vice-like grip, and a shock of-pain went searing through him. He drew back his right hand, that still held the dagger.

　　海老公颤声道：“快……快点蜡烛，黑漆漆一团，什么……什么也瞧不见。”

　　韦小宝大奇，蜡烛明明点着，他为什么说黑漆漆一团？”

　　莫非他眼睛瞎了？”’Go . . . and light the candles . . .’ croaked the old eunuch. ‘It’s pitch-black in here … I can’t see a thing . . .’ That was odd, thought Trinket to himself. The candles were still burning brightly. Or had the old man been blinded . . . 便道：“蜡烛没熄，公公，你……你没瞧见吗？”他和小桂子虽然都是孩子口音，但小桂子说的是旗人官腔，一时怎学得会，只好说得含含糊糊，只盼海老公不致发觉。The candles are alight, Goong-goong,’ he mumbled. ‘Can’t you see?’ Trinket was Laurel’s age, but there was no way he could imitate the boy’s Bannerman Pekinese accent: hence the mumbling, in an attempt to fool the old eunuch.

　　海老公叫道：“我……我瞧不见，谁说点了蜡烛？快去点起来！”说着便放开了韦小宝的手腕。韦小宝道：“是，是！”急忙走开，快步走到安在墙壁上的烛台之侧，伸手拨动烛台的铜圈，发出叮当之声，说道：“点着了！”海老公道：“什么？胡说八道！为什么不点亮了蜡……”’I can’t see anything . . .’ gasped Hai. ‘Of course the candles aren’t lit! Hurry up … do as I say!’ He loosened his grip on Trinket’s wrist. ‘Yes, Goong-goong!’ Trinket hurried over to the wall and tinkered noisily with the brass fittings on the candle-holder. There! They’re lit now!’ ‘Nonsense!’ gasped Hai. ‘Why won’t you do as I say, for pity’s sake!’

　　一句话没说完，身子一阵扭动。仰天摔倒。

　　韦小宝向茅十八急打手势，叫他快逃。茅十八向他招手，要他同逃。韦小宝转身走向门口，却听海老公呻吟道：“小……小桂子，小……桂子……你……”韦小宝应道：“是，我在这儿！”左手连挥，叫茅十八先逃出去再说，自己须得设法稳住海老公。As he was speaking he twitched convulsively and crashed to the floor again. Trinket gestured to Whiskers to make his escape. Whiskers beckoned to Trinket to come with him, and the boy made a move towards the door. ‘Laurel. . .’ he heard the old man groan. ‘Where are you?’ ‘Here, Goong-goong!’ replied Trinket. He waved Whiskers away with his left hand, the implication being that he would stay and deal with the old eunuch on his own.

　　茅十八挣扎着想要站起，但双腿穴道被封，伸手自行推拿腰间和腿上穴道，劲力使去，竟没半点动静，心想：“我双腿无法动弹，只好爬了出去。这孩子鬼精灵，一个小孩儿家，旁人也不会留神，他要脱身不难，倘若跟我在一起，一遇上敌人，反而牵累了他。”当下向韦小宝挥了挥手，双手据地，悄悄爬了出去。Whiskers tried to heave himself up, but his legs were still immobilized from the old eunuch’s earlier move: no amount of rubbing could bring them back to life. ‘I’ll have to crawl out!’ he thought to himself. The boy’s smart enough, he’ll probably be all right. He’s got a better chance on his own anyway.’ He waved to Trinket, and began crawling out on all fours.

　　海老公的呻吟一阵轻，一阵响。韦小宝不敢便走，生怕他发觉小桂子已死。声张起来，他手下出动围捕，自己和茅十八定然难以逃脱，心想：“这次祸事，都是我惹出来的。茅大哥双腿不能行走，不知要多少时候才能逃远。我在这里多挨一刻好一刻。只要海老乌龟不发觉我是冒牌货，那便没事。The old eunuch’s groans came in waves. Trinket was afraid that if he ran for it now, Hai might discover that Laurel was dead and sound the alarm–in which case both he and Whiskers would certainly be caught. This is all my fault!’ he reflected. ‘Old Whiskers can hardly move, and it’s going to take him an age to get away. The longer I can hold out here the better. The important thing is that the Old Turtle should think that I’m Laurel. 　　这老乌龟病得神志不清。等他昏过去时，我一刀杀了他，就可逃走了。”such a state he probably can’t tell anything. I’ll just wait for him to pass out, then finish him off, and disappear.’

　　过得片刻，忽听得远处传来的笃的笃铛、的笃的笃铛的打更之声，却是已交初更。韦小宝见烛光闪耀，突然一亮，左首的蜡烛点到尽头，跟着便熄了，眼见小桂子的尸首蜷曲成一团，很是害怕：“这人是我杀的，他变成了鬼，会不会找我索命？”又想：“等到天一亮，那就难以脱身了，须得半夜里乘黑逃走。”Presently he heard a gong striking a long way off. It was the watchman sounding the first watch of the night. One of the guttering candles suddenly flared up, and Trinket caught sight of Laurel’s corpse lying in a heap on the ground to his left. Then the candle went out. ‘I really have killed the boy!’ he thought to himself in terror. ‘His ghost will probably come after me for vengeance!’ Then another thought occurred to him. ‘If I wait till dawn it’ll be much harder to get away. I’d better try and escape now, while it’s still dark.’

　　可是海老公呻吟之声不绝，始终不再昏迷，他仰天而卧，韦小宝胆子再大，也不敢提起匕首往他胸膛或小腹上插将下去，知道这老人武功厉害之极，只要刀尖碰到他肌肤，他立时知觉，一掌打来，自己非脑浆迸裂不可。又过了一会，另外一枝蜡烛也熄了。

　　黑暗之中，韦小宝想到小桂子的尸首触手可及，害怕之极，只盼尽早逃出去，But Old Hai was still groaning and conscious. He lay there on his back, and Trinket knew he would never have the guts to stab him from the front. At the slightest touch of steel the old eunuch would surely spring into action, and one devastating blow from him would be enough to spill the entire contents of Trinket’s skull on to the floor. A few more minutes passed, and the other candle went out. It was now pitch-dark. Trinket knew that Laurel’s body was there. It was inches away. He could reach out and touch it. He was terrified and desperate to escape. 但只要他身子一动，海老公便叫道：“小……小桂子，你……在这里么？”韦小宝只好答应：“我在这里！”

　　过了大半个时辰，他蹑手蹑脚的走到门边，海老公又叫：

“小桂子，你上哪里去？”韦小宝道：“我……我去小便。”海老公问：“为……为什么不在屋里小便？”韦小宝应道：“是，是。”But whenever he made even the slightest move, Hai would groan: ‘Laurel. . . Are you still there?’ And Trinket had to reply: ‘Yes, Goong-goong, I’m here!’An hour or so went by, and Trinket had managed to half crawl half tiptoe a little towards the door, when Old Hai croaked again: ‘Laurel, where are you going?’ ‘I… need to piss . . .’ ‘Why not do it in the other room?’ ‘Yes, Goong-goong!’

　　他走到内室，那是他从未到过的地方，刚进门，只走得两步，便砰的一声。膝头撞在桌子脚上，海老公在外面问道：“小……桂子，你……你干什么？”韦小宝道：“没……没什么！”Trinket went in the direction of the inner room, which he had never been in before. He took a couple of steps into it and his kneecap collided noisily with the edge of a table. ‘Laurel!’ cried Old Hai feebly from the other room. ‘What are you doing?’ ‘Nothing . . .’

伸出手去摸索，在桌上摸到了火刀火石，忙打着了火，点燃纸媒，见桌上放着十几根蜡烛，当即点燃一根，插上烛台。见房中放着一张大床，一张小床，料想是海老公和小桂子所睡。房中有几只箱子，一桌一柜，此外无甚物件。东首放着一只大水缸，显得十分突兀，地下溅得湿了一大片。他正在察看是否可从窗子中逃出去，海老公又在外面叫了起来：Trinket felt about on the table and his hands encountered tinder and flint. He struck a light and lit a paper spill. There were a dozen candles on the table. He lit one and stuck it in a candle-holder. He was now able to see the interior of the inner room, which contained two beds, one large one, which he imagined to be Hai’s, and one smaller one, which must have been Laurel’s. There were a couple of trunks, a table, and a cupboard, but little else. To his right stood a large tub, and the floor all round it was wet with spilled water. Trinket was just sizing up the window as an escape route when the old eunuch called again:

“你干么还不小便？”’Why don’t you get on with it and have your piss?’

　　韦小宝一惊：“他怎地一停不歇的叫我？莫非他听我的声音不对，起了疑心？否则我小便不小便，管他屁事？”当即应道：“是！”从小床底下摸到便壶，’Why does he keep on calling me?’ thought Trinket in some alarm. ‘Perhaps he’s noticed my voice and is getting suspicious? What business is it of his if I piss or not?’ ‘Just starting!’ he called back, and reached under the smaller bed for a chamber-pot. 一面小便，一面打量窗子，见窗子关得甚实，每一道窗缝都用棉纸糊住，想是海老公咳得厉害，生怕受寒，连一丝冷风也不让进来。As he began filling it, he continued to scrutinize the window. It was securely fastened. All the joints were pasted over, probably to shut out the slightest draught, and to keep the cold from getting to old Coughguts, thought Trinket. 倘若用力打开窗子，海老公定然听到，多半还没逃出窗外，便给擒住了。他在房中到处打量，想找寻脱身的所在，但房中连狗洞、猫洞也没一个，倘若从外房逃走，定然会给海老公发觉，Anyway, opening it would be bound to make a dreadful racket. Old Hai would be sure to hear, and he’d never get away in time. His eyes roamed the inner room for any other form of exit, but there wasn’t even a hole big enough for a dog or a cat. As for the outer room, he’d never be able to get out of that without arousing Hai’s suspicion. 一瞥眼间，见到小桂子床上脚边放着一袭新衣，心念一动，忙脱下身上衣服，将新衣披在身上。Then he caught sight of a new suit of clothes lying at the foot of Laurel’s bed, and had a sudden brainwave. In a trice he had stripped off his own clothes and was clad in the young eunuch’s finery.

　　海老公又在外面叫道：“小桂子，你……在干什么？”韦小宝道：“来啦！来啦！”一面结扣子，一面走了出去，拾起小桂子的帽子，戴在头上，’Laurel! What’re you doing?’ called Old Hai yet again. ‘Coming! Coming!’ He made his way back into the outer room, still doing up the buttons with one hand, and removing Laurel’s hat from the corpse and putting it on his own head.

说道：“蜡烛熄了，我去点一枝。”回到内室，取了两根蜡烛，点着了出来。海老公叹了口长气，低声道：“你当真已点着了蜡烛？”韦小宝道：“是啊，难道你没瞧见？”海老公半晌不语，咳嗽几声，才道：“我明知这药不能多吃，只是咳得实在……实在……太苦，唉，虽然每次只吃一点点，可是日积月累下来，毒性太重，终于……终于眼睛出了毛病。”The candles have gone out. I’ll light some more.’ He went into the inner room again and came back with two freshly lit candles. Hai heaved a long sigh: ‘Are the candles really alight?’ ‘Yes,’ replied Trinket. ‘Surely you can see them, can’t you?’ Hai was silent for a moment. Then he coughed again and said: ‘I knew I shouldn’t have had any more medicine. But the coughing was so … It hurt so much . . . The stuff builds up inside me … and now it seems to have done something to my eyes . . .’ 韦小宝心中一宽：“老家伙不知我在他酒中加了药粉，还道是服药多日，积了下来，这才发作。”

　　只听海老公又道：“小桂子，公公平日待你怎样？”韦小宝半点也不知道海老公平日待小桂子怎样，忙道：“好得很啊。”海老公道：“唔，公公现下……眼睛瞎了，这世上就只有你一个人照顾我，你会不会离开公公，不……不理我了？”

　　韦小宝道：“我……当然不会。”海老公道：“这话真不真啊？”

　　韦小宝忙道：“自然半点不假。”回答得毫不犹疑，而且语气诚恳，势要海老公非大为感动不可。’The old codger doesn’t even know it was me!’ gloated Trinket, enormously relieved. ‘Laurel. . .’ The old man spoke again. ‘How have I treated you all this time?’ Trinket, needless to say, had not the faintest idea. ‘Very well, Goong-goong!’ he answered hastily, none the less. ‘Ah … It seems I’m blind now . . . You’re the only person I’ve got left. . . You wouldn’t ever leave me, would you?’ ‘Of course not!’ ‘Do you mean it?’ ‘Of course I do!’ insisted Trinket without the least hesitation, and with the most convincing sincerity. The old eunuch was sure to be greatly touched. 他又道：“公公，你没人相陪，如果我不陪你，谁来陪你？我瞧你的眼病过几天就会好的，那也不用担心。”

　　海老公叹了口气，道：“好不了啦，好不了啦！”过了一会，问道：“那姓茅的已逃走了？”韦小宝道：“是！”海老公道：“他带来的那个小孩给你杀了？”韦小宝心中怦怦乱跳，答道：“是！他……他这尸首怎么办？”’Goong-goong,’ he went on, ‘you know I’ll stay with you. I’d never leave you alone. Don’t you worry: your eyes will be better in a day or two.’ Hai sighed: Til never see again! Never!’ After a moment’s silence he continued: ‘Did that big fellow with the whiskers get away?”Yes!’ ‘And did you kill his boy?’ Trinket’s heart was thumping as he replied: ‘Yes, I did! What are we going to do with the body?’

　　海老公微一沉吟，道：“咱们屋中杀了人，给人知道了，查问起来，啰唆得很。你……你去将我的药箱拿来。”韦小宝道：“是！”走进内室，不见药箱，拉开柜子的抽斗，一只只的找寻。Old Hai seemed to brood deeply for a moment. Then: ‘It’d be very awkward if they found a corpse in our room. People would ask questions … Go and fetch my medicine chest.’ ‘Yes, Goong-goong!’ piped Trinket. He went into the other room again, but nowhere could he see a medicine chest. He opened the cupboard and searched every drawer.

　　海老公突然怒道：“你在干什么？谁……谁叫你乱开抽斗？”韦小宝吓了一跳，心道：“原来这几只抽斗是开不得的。”

　　道：“我找药箱呢，不知放在哪里去了。”’What are you up to in there?’ snapped Old Hai. ‘Who told you you could rummage in my drawers?’ Trinket’s heart missed a beat. ‘So those drawers are out of bounds,’ he thought quickly. ‘I was looking for the medicine chest. I don’t know where you put it.’ 海老公怒道：“胡说八道，药箱放在哪里都不知道。”

　　韦小宝道：“我……我杀了人，心……心里害怕得紧。你……你公公……又瞎了眼睛，我……我完全胡涂了。”说到后来，竟哇的一声哭了出来。他不知药箱的所在，只怕单是这件事便露出了马脚，说哭便哭，却也半点不难。’Stuff and nonsense!’ cried the old eunuch petulantly. ‘Can’t you even find the medicine chest Trinket improvised frantically: ‘But I’ve just killed someone … I feel funny, I’m all shaky and afraid . . . And now you tell me you’re blind . . . Oh Goong-goong, I just can’t seem to do anything right at the moment He let out a great wail. He was terrified that his failure to locate the medicine chest would give him away. Wailing was one thing he could always fall back on with conviction.

　　海老公道：“唉，这孩子，杀个人又打什么紧了？药箱是在第一口箱子里。”

　　韦小宝抽抽噎噎的道：“是……是……我……我怕得很。”’Silly boy! Killing’s nothing! Nothing! The medicine chest is inside one of the big trunks.’ ‘Yes, Goong-goong!’ sobbed Trinket, most pathetically. ‘I’m just so scared . . .’

见两口箱子都用铜锁锁着，又不知钥匙在什么地方，伸手在锁扣上一推，那锁应手而开，原来并未锁上，He took a quick look at the two trunks. They were both of them padlocked, and he had no idea where to find the keys. Fortunately, the first padlock simply opened when he tugged at it. It had not been properly closed. 暗叫：“运气真好！这锁中的古怪我如又不知道，老乌龟定要大起疑心。”除下了锁，打开箱子，见箱中大都是衣服，左边有只走方郎中所用的药箱，当即取了，走到外房。Tm in luck!’ he whispered to himself. ‘If I’d had to ask where the keys were, heaven help me! The Old Turtle would certainly have tumbled to it then.’ He removed the padlock and opened the trunk. It contained mostly clothes, but on the left side he spotted a medicine chest of the sort used by peripatetic doctors. He took it out and went back to the other room. 海老公道：“挑些‘化尸粉’，把尸首化了。”韦小宝应道：“是。”拉出药箱的一只只小抽斗，但见抽斗中尽是形状颜色各不相同的瓷瓶，也不知哪一瓶是化尸粉，’Sprinkle some of the Decomposing Powder on the corpse!’ ordered Hai. ‘Yes, Goong-goong.’ Trinket opened the little drawers of the medicine chest one by one, and found them to be full of tiny porcelain bottles of different shapes and colours. Which of them contained this strange-sounding powder he had not the least idea. 问道：“是哪一只瓶子？”海老公道：“这孩子，怎么今天什么都胡涂了，当真是吓昏了头吗？”韦小宝道：“我……我怕得很，公公，你的眼睛……会……会好吗？”语气中对他眼病的关切之情，着实热切无比。’Which bottle is it?’ he asked. What’s the matter with you today, you idiotic boy?’ grumbled Old Hai. ‘Have you quite lost your senses?’ ‘I. . .’ Trinket hesitated. ‘I’m just so scared. Goong-goong, do you think you’ll be able to use your eyes again?’ He sounded most passionately concerned for the old eunuch’s sight.

　　海老公似乎颇为感动，伸手轻轻摸了摸他头，说道：“那个三角形的、青色有白点的瓶子便是了。这药粉挺珍贵，只消挑一丁点便够了。”

　　韦小宝应道：“是，是！”拿起那青色白点的三角瓶子，打开瓶塞，从药箱中取了一张白纸，倒了少许药末出来，便即撒在小桂子的尸身之上。Hai seemed touched; he stretched out his hand and patted the boy gently on the head. ‘It’s the little triangular bottle, the blue one with white spots. Be careful: the powder is very precious. You only need to use the tiniest amount.’ ‘Yes, Goong-goong.’ He took out the little bottle Hai had described, removed the stopper, found a piece of white paper in the chest, and tipped a tiny amount of the powder on to it. This he then sprinkled over Laurel’s corpse.

　　可是过了半天，并无动静。海老公道：“怎么了？”韦小宝道：“没见什么。”Minutes went by, and nothing happened. What’s the matter?’ asked Old Hai. ‘Nothing seems to be happening,’ replied Trinket.

海老公道：“是不是撒在他血里的？”韦小宝道：“啊，我忘了！”又倒了些药末，撒在尸身伤口之中。海老公道：“你今天真有些古里古怪，连说话声音也大大不同了。”’Did you sprinkle it on his blood?’ ‘Oh! I forgot!’ He tipped out some more of the powder and this time sprinkled it directly on the wound. There’s really something queer about you today,’ grumbled the old eunuch. ‘You even speak quite differently.’

　　便在此时，只听得小桂子尸身的伤口中嗤嗤发声，升起淡淡烟雾，跟着伤口中不住流出黄水，烟雾渐浓，黄水也越流越多，发出又酸又焦的臭气。眼见尸身的伤口越烂越大。尸身肌肉遇到黄水，便即发出烟雾。慢慢的也化而为水，连衣服也是如此。As he said this Laurel’s body started to make a sizzling sound, and to give off steam. A yellowish pus-like fluid started oozing from the knife-wound, the steam grew denser, the flow of yellow fluid more abundant. It gave off a bitter, acrid smell; the wound began to enlarge and suppurate, and the flesh all round it to show visible signs of decomposition. The yellow pus made the flesh steam on contact, and then gradually the flesh itself–and even the clothes he was wearing–liquefied.

　　韦小宝只看得挢舌不下，取过自己换下来的长衫，丢在尸身上，又见自己脚下一对鞋子已然踢破了头，忙除下小桂子的鞋子，换在自己脚上，将破鞋投入黄水。约莫一个多时辰，小桂子的尸身连着衣服鞋袜，尽数化去，只剩下一滩黄水。Trinket watched all this in dumbstruck amazement. He dropped his own clothes (the ones he had just discarded) on top of the corpse, and, noticing that his own sandals were broken at the toe, he pulled off Laurel’s, slipped them on, and added his own cast-offs to the decomposing pile. The whole process took about two hours. By the end of that time, Laurel, his clothes, and Trinket’s sandals and socks, were all gone, and all that was left was a puddle of pus. 韦小宝心想：“老乌龟倘若这时昏倒，那就再好也没有了，我将他推入毒水之中，片刻之间也教他化得尸骨无存。”’If only the Old Turtle had passed out!’ thought Trinket to himself. Then I could have chucked him on too. And that would have been the last anyone would have seen of him

　　可是海老公不断咳嗽，不断唉声叹气，却总是不肯昏倒。

　　眼见窗纸渐明，天已破晓，韦小宝心想：“我已换上了这身衣服，便堂而皇之的出去。也没人认得我，那倒不用发愁。”But Old Hai was still alive and coughing, and showing no signs of losing consciousness. The Dice are Loaded First light began to glimmer dirough the paper panes of the window. Trinket pondered his situation: ‘Now I’m all dolled up in these clothes, I can just stroll out and no one will even know who I really am … It’ll be a walkover!’ 海老公忽道：“小桂子，天快亮了，是不是？”韦小宝道：“是啊。”海老公道：“你舀水把地下冲冲干净，这气味不太好闻。”韦小宝应了，回到内室，用水瓢从水缸中舀了几瓢水，将地下黄水冲去。His train of thought was suddenly interrupted by Old Hai:’Laurel, tell me, it’s dawn isn’t it?’ ‘Yes, Goong-goong.’ ‘Fetch some water and mop the floor. There’s a nasty smell in here.’ Trinket scooped a few gourdfuls of water from the tub in the inner room, and washed the pus from the floor.

　　海老公又道：“待会吃过早饭，便跟他们赌钱去。”韦小宝大是奇怪，料想这是反话，便道：“赌钱？我才不去呢！你眼睛不好，我怎能自己去玩？”海老公怒道：“谁说是玩了？我教了你几个月，几百两银子已输掉了，为来为去，便是为了这件大事，你不听我吩咐么？”’After breakfast you can go and play dice with the others,’ said the old eunuch. Try and win something for a change!’ Trinket was somewhat taken aback by this, and diought for a moment the old man must be having him on. ‘Play dice? I don’t think I should. I oughtn’t to go skipping off and leave you, not when you’re blind–‘ ‘It’s not skipping off, silly boy!’ snapped the old eunuch. ‘All these months I’ve been trying to teach you, and all you’ve done is lose me hundreds of taels of silver. Don’t forget the cause, what it’s all for\ Don’t go against me now!’ 韦小宝不明白他的用意，只得含糊其辞的答道：“不……

　　不是不听你吩咐，不过你身子不好，咳得又凶，我去干……干这件事，没人照顾你。”海老公道：“你给我办妥这件事，比什么都强。你再掷一把试试。”韦小宝道：“掷一把？掷……

　　掷哪一把？”海老公怒道：“快拿骰子来，推三阻四的，就是不肯下苦功去练，练了这许久，老是没长进。”Trinket had no idea what this was all about, and mumbled back: ‘I never . . . meant to go against you, Goong-goong. I was only thinking of your health. You’re so weak, and coughing so badly. If I go and … do this, there’ll be no one left to take care of you.’ ‘You seem to have forgotten: do this and you will be doing something of the utmost importance. Go, try your hand again. See if you can throw.’ Throw . . . Throw what?’ blurted Trinket. ‘Bring me the dice!’ barked the old eunuch angrily. ‘And stop making feeble excuses! You’re just hopeless. All this time to practise and still you talk like a loser!’

　　韦小宝听说是掷骰子，精神为之一振，他在扬州，除了听说书，大多数时候便在跟人掷骰子赌钱，年纪虽小，在扬州街巷之间，已算得是一把好手，At the words ‘Bring me the dice!’ Trinket’s eyes lit up. In Yangzhou his favourite pastime, apart from listening to the storyteller, had always been watching the gambling. Though he was only a boy, in the dens of Yangzhou he was already considered a mean hand at dice.只是不知骰子放在什么地方，说道：“这一天搞得头昏脑胀，那几粒骰子也不知放在什么地方了。”There was only one slight problem: where were the dice he was now supposed to fetch? ‘My mind’s gone a complete blank, Goong-goong. I can’t remember anything. I can’t think where I put the dice.’海老公骂道：“不中用的东西，听说掷骰子便吓破了胆，输钱又不是输你的，那骰子不是好端端放在箱子中吗？”’Useless creature!’ growled Hai. ‘You’re just scared of playing. And why, for goodness’ sake? It’s not even your money. Go on, they’re in the big trunk, where they always are.’

　　韦小宝道：“也不知是不是。”进内室打开箱子，翻得几翻，在一只锦缎盒子中果然见到有只小瓷碗，碗里放着六粒骰子。当真是他乡遇故知，忍不住一声欢呼，’I suppose so, Goong-goong.’ Trinket trotted off into the inner room, and after rooting around in the open trunk he finally came across a little brocade box with a porcelain bowl inside it containing six dice. It was like seeing an old friend! He couldn’t help letting out a little cry of glee.待得拿起六粒骰子，又是一声欢呼。原来遇到的不但是老朋友，而且是最最亲密的老朋友，这六粒骰子一入手，便知是灌了水银的骗局骰子。And then, when he held them in his hand, he let out another little cry: for these were not just any old friends, these were very special, very intimate old friends. The minute they were in the palm of his hand he knew they were loaded–filled with mercury, and specially ‘weighted’. They were indeed the seasoned cheater’s bosom buddies.

　　他将瓷碗和骰子拿到海老公身边，说道：“你当真定要我去赌钱？你一个人在这里，没人服侍，成吗？”He returned to Hai with bowl and dice. ‘Are you sure you want me to go and play? Are you sure you’ll be all right here on your own?’

　　海老公道：“你少给我啰唆，限你十把之中，掷一只‘天’出来。”’Stop talking so much, and let’s see what you’re good for,’ said Old Hai. ‘I give you ten tries to throw me a Sky.’

　　当时掷骰子赌钱，骰子或用四粒，或用六粒；如用六粒，则须掷成四粒相同，余下两粒便成一只骨牌，两粒六点是“天”， In those days, gamblers used either four or six dice. With six dice, you had to throw four of a kind, and if the remaining two dice were Sixes the resultant combination was known as a Sky;两粒一点是“地”，以此而比大小。韦小宝心想：“这骰子是灌水银的，要我十把才掷成一只‘天’，太也小觑老子了。”但用灌水银骰了作弊，比之灌铅骰子可难得多了，two Ones made an Earth. ‘What an insult!’ thought Trinket to himself. Ten tries to throw a Sky–with loaded dice!’ But the dice he’d been used to were loaded with lead. Mercury was a lot harder to control.他连掷四五把，都掷不出点子，掷到第六把上，两粒六点，三粒三点，一粒四点，倘若这四点的骰子是三点，这只“天”便掷出来了，His first five throws produced nothing. On the sixth throw he had two Sixes, three Threes, and a Four: it only needed that Four to be a Three, and he’d have a Sky.他小指头轻轻一拨，将这粒四点的拨成三点，拍手叫道：“好，好，这可不是一只‘天’吗？”A deft little piece of finger-play on the part of Trinket, and hey presto! Four became Three, and there was his Sky! He clapped his hands and announced triumphantly: There! A perfect Sky!’

　　海老公道：“别欺我瞧不见，拿过来给我摸。”’Don’t think you can fool me boy, just because I can’t see! Bring the dice here and let me feel them!’伸手到瓷碗中一摸，果然六粒骰子之中四粒三点，两粒六点。海老公道：“今天运气倒好，给我掷个‘梅花’出来。”韦小宝提起骰子，正要掷下去时，心念一动：He felt inside the bowl, and sure enough there were four Threes and two Sixes. ‘You’re in luck today! Now–throw me a Plum Blossom!’ Trinket took the dice and was about to throw again, when a thought suddenly occurred to him. “听他口气，小桂子这小乌龟掷骰子的本事极差，我要是掷什么有什么，定会引起老乌龟的疑心。”手劲一转，连掷了七八把都是不对，再掷一把之后叹了口气。It was evident by now that Laurel had not been much of a success as a gambler. If he, Trinket, now displayed his real skill it would start to look fishy. The Old Turtle might get suspicious. So he deliberately muffed it, seven or eight times in a row. He threw again, and gave a convincing sigh of frustration.

　　海老公道：“掷成了什么？”韦小宝道：“是……是……”海老公哼了一声，伸手入碗去摸，摸到是四粒两点，一粒四点，一粒五点，是个“九点”，海老公道：“手劲差了这么一点儿，梅花变成了九点。不过九点也不小了，你再试试。”’What did you get?’ asked Hai. ‘It’s a . . .’ Before he could answer, Hai reached out and felt inside the bowl. Four Twos, a Four, and a Five (the couple forming therefore nine). ‘Pretty damn close!’ commented Hai. ‘And not a bad score. Try again.’韦小宝试了十七八次，掷出了一只“长三”，那比“梅花”只差一级。海老公摸清楚之后，颇为高兴，说道：“有些长进啦，去试试手气罢，今天带五十……五十两银子去。”Trinket had another seventeen or eighteen throws, and finally threw a Long Three, which is only one below a Plum Blossom. After checking the dice with his fingers, Hai showed signs of satisfaction with his pupil: ‘You seem to have made some progress. Off you go now, try your luck. Take fifty taels of silver with you.’韦小宝适才在箱中翻寻骰子之时，已见到十来只元宝。说到赌钱，原是他平生最喜爱之事，只是一来没本钱，二来太爱作假，扬州市井之间，人人均知他是小骗子，除了外来的羊牯，谁也不上他的当。Trinket had already seen a dozen or so big ingots of silver in the trunk. Now, although gambling was of all things his favourite pastime, he’d never had the money for the real thing; and besides, in Yangzhou he’d had such a bad reputation for cheating that no one would have played with him for high stakes, except perhaps someone from out of town.此刻惊魂略定，忽然能去赌钱，何况赌本竟有五十两之多，那是连做梦也难得梦到的豪赌，更何况有骗局骰子携去，当真是甫出地狱，便上天堂，就算赌完要杀头，也不肯就此逃走了，只是不知对手是谁，上哪里去赌，倘若一一询问，立时便露出了马脚，那可是个大大的难题。Consequently, he could hardly believe his present luck. Not only was he going gambling, but he had fifty taels to stake, which was a bigger sum than he’d ever imagined in his wildest dreams! And he had a set of ‘old buddies’ to throw! He’d exchanged the darkest gates of Hell for a vision of Paradise! Escape was now forgotten. For this he would gladly give his very life! Mind you, he had no idea who he was supposed to play with, or where he was supposed to go. Finding that out was going to be his next problem. He couldn’t ask Old Hai straight out, or he’d give everything away.

　　他开箱子取了两只元宝，每只都是二十五两，正自凝思，须得想个什么法子，才能骗出海老公的话来，忽听得门外有人嘎声叫道：“小桂子，小桂子！”First he went to the trunk and took out two ingots, each weighing twenty-five taels. He was still wresding with the problem of how to wheedle more information inconspicuously out of Old Hai, when he heard a voice calling outside: ‘Laurel! Laurel!’韦小宝走到外堂，答应了一声。海老公低声道：“来叫你啦，这就去罢。”韦小宝欣然正要出门，猛然间肚子里叫一声苦，不知高低：Donkeys Trinket was on his way out to the ante-room to see who it was, when the old eunuch muttered after him: They’ve come for you. You’d better go now.’ Trinket was only too glad to be taken off: but just as he was hurrying out, he experienced a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. “那些赌鬼可不是瞎子，他们一眼便知我不是小桂子，那便如何是好？”只听门外那人又叫：“小桂子，你出来，有话跟你说。”These gamblers won’t be blind!’ he thought to himself. They’ll know straightaway that I’m not Laurel! And tiien what?’ ‘Come on, Laurel!’ called the voice from outside. There’s something I want to tell you!’

　　韦小宝道：“来啦！”当即回到内室，取了块白布，缠在头上脸上，只露出了一只眼睛与嘴巴，向海老公道：“我去啦！”’Coming!’ Trinket went back to the inner room, found a length of white cotton, and bandaged it round his head, just leaving two holes, one for his eyes and one for his mouth. ‘I’ll be off then!’ he called to the old eunuch, and hurried on out.

　　快步走出房门，只见门外一名三十来岁的汉子，低声问道：“你怎么啦？”Outside the door he found a man waiting for him (he looked about thirty-odd years old). The man took one look at the bandage, and enquired, sotto voce: ‘What on earth have you been doing to yourself?’

　　韦小宝道：“输了钱，给公公打得眼青脸肿。”那人嘻的一笑，更无怀疑，低声问道：“敢不敢再去翻本？”韦小宝拉着他衣袖，走开几步，低声道：“别给公公听见。当然要翻本啦。”那人大拇指一竖，道：“好小子，有种！这就走！”’I lost a pile of money, and Old Hai beat me black and blue!’ The man chuckled to himself, clearly not in the least surprised by the story. ‘Going to have another shot? Try to get it back?’ he asked under his breath. Trinket took him by the sleeve and drew him aside. ‘Don’t let Goong-goong hear,’ he whispered. ‘Of course I’m game for another shot!’ The man gave the thumbs up. That’s the lad! Plucky fellow! Let’s go!’韦小宝和他并肩而行，见这人头小额尖，脸色青白。走出数丈后，那人道：“温家哥儿俩、平威他们都已先去了。今日你手气得好些才行。”韦小宝道：“今天再不赢，那……那可糟了！”They set off together. The man had a small head and a tapering forehead. After a minute or so he turned to Trinket and said: The Wen brothers and Pingwei are already there. Let’s hope you have better luck today, eh?’ ‘If I don’t win today, I’m … finished!’ muttered Trinket.

　　一路上走的都是回廊，穿过一处处庭院花园。韦小宝心想：“他妈的，这财主真有钱，起这么大的屋子。”They went down one corridor after another, along covered walkways, through courtyards planted with flowers. ‘Boy!’ thought Trinket as they went along, ‘whoever owns this place must be rolling! This is a bloody mansion!’眼见飞檐绘彩，栋梁雕花，他一生之中哪里见过这等富丽豪华的大屋？Brightly painted flying eaves, gaily decorated rafters and columns–all around him he saw splendour such as he had never encountered in his entire life.

　　心想：“咱丽春院在扬州，也算得上是数一数二的漂亮大院子了。比这里可又差得远啦。乖乖龙的东，在这里开座院子，嫖客们可有得乐子了。不过这么大的院子里，如果不坐满百来个姑娘，却也不像样。”’We always thought ours was one of the smartest joints in Yangzhou–but it’s not a patch on this! Wouldn’t this just make a fantastic whore-house! But it’s so big! Where’d you find enough whores to fill it?’

　　韦小宝跟着那人走了好一会，走进一间偏屋，穿过了两间房间，那人伸手敲门，笃笃笃三下，笃笃两下，又是笃笃笃三下，那门呀的一声开了，只听得玎玲玲、玎玲玲骰子落碗之声，说不出的悦耳动听。At last they came to a side-entrance, and walked through two further rooms. His companion knocked on a door, three times, then twice, then three times again. The door creaked open, and as the unmistakable rattle of dice greeted his ears, Trinket experienced a thrill of pleasure.房里已聚着五六个人，都是一般的打扮，正在聚精会神的掷骰子。一个二十来岁的汉子问道：“小桂子干么啦？”带他进来那人笑道：“输了钱，给海老公打啦。”那人嘿嘿一笑，口中啧啧的数声。There were five or six men already congregated in the room, totally absorbed in their game. One of them, a fellow of twenty or so, asked: ‘What’s little Laurel been up to then?’ Trinket’s companion laughed. ‘Lost some money, and got a hiding from Old Hai!’ The other man sniggered.韦小宝站在数人之后，见各人正在下注，有的一两，有的五钱，都是竹签筹码。他拿出一只元宝来，买了五十枚五钱银子的筹码。Trinket peered over the intervening shoulders, and saw that people were placing their bets. Some were laying a tael, some half. They were using bamboo chips. He took out one of his ingots and bought a handful of half-tael chips, fifty in all.

　　一人说道：“小桂子，今日偷了多少钱出来输？”韦小宝道：“呸！什么偷不偷，输不输的？难听得紧！”’Hey, Laurel!’ called out one of the men. ‘How much did you steal today? Going to lose it all?’ ‘Shut up!’ hissed Trinket. That’s a lousy thing to say!’他本要乌龟儿子王八蛋的乱骂一起，只是发觉自己说话的腔调跟他们太也不像，骂人更易露出马脚，心想少开口为妙，一面留神学他们的说话。He had been going to let fly one of his barrages of turtle-abuse, but reckoned there might be a serious danger of his accent giving him away, and decided to play it cool and listen to them talking instead.

　　带他进来的那汉子拿着筹码，神色有些迟疑。旁边一人道：“老吴，这会儿霉庄，多押些。”老吴道：“好！”押了二两银子，说道：“小桂子，怎么样？”韦小宝心想：“最好不要人家留心自己，不要赢多，不要输多，押也不要押得大。”于是押了五钱银子。旁人谁也不来理他。The man who’d come to fetch him was about to place his bet. He hesitated, and one of the others called out: ‘Wu, old friend, go on, the bank’s having a rotten run of luck. Have a go!’ ‘I will!’ cried Wu, and deposited two taels’ worth of chips on the table. ‘What about you, Laurel?’ ‘I’d better be careful,’ thought Trinket. ‘I mustn’t win too much, or lose too much–or bet too much either!’ He put down half a tael’s worth. No one seemed to pay too much attention.

　　那做庄的是个肥胖汉子，这些人都叫他平大哥，韦小宝记得老吴说过赌客中有一人叫作平威，这平大哥自是平威了。

　　只见他拿起骰子，在手掌中一阵抖动，喝道：“通杀！”将骰子掷入碗中。The banker was a fat fellow, whom everybody called Ping. Ping picked up the dice and gave them a good shake, shouting out: ‘Last bets!’ He threw the dice into the bowl.韦小宝留神他的手势，登时放心：“此人是个羊牯！”在他心中，凡是不会行骗的赌客，便是羊牯。平威掷了六把骰子，掷出个“牛头”，那是短牌中的大点子。Trinket was watching him very carefully, and breathed a sigh of relief: The man’s a donkey!’ In Trinket’s eyes, any gambler who didn’t cheat was a donkey. Ping had thrown an Ox Head–not a particularly distinguished combination.

　　余人顺次一个个掷下去，有的赔了，有的吃了。老吴掷了个“八点”，给吃了。

　　韦小宝每见到一人掷骰，心中便叫一声：“羊牯！”他连叫了七声“羊牯”，登时大为放心。The others threw one after the other, and each time Trinket breathed silently to himself: ‘Another donkey!’ That made seven donkeys altogether. Some won, some lost. Old Wu threw an Eight Spot, and lost.他怀中带着海老公的水银骰子，原拟玩到中途，换了进去，赢了一笔钱后，再设法换出来。Trinket had the old eunuch’s mercury-loaded dice–his ‘buddies’–in his pocket. His plan was to let the game continue for a while, and then to switch dice, win a pile of money, then switch back.掷假骰子的手法固然极为难练，而将骰子换入换出，也须眼明手快，便如变戏法一般，先得引开旁人的注意。例如忽然踢倒一只凳子、倒翻一碗茶之类，众人眼光都去瞧凳瞧茶碗时，真假骰子便掉了包。Quite apart from the difficulty involved in throwing loaded dice, there was also the actual business of switching. This had to be done when no one was looking, and normally required a conjurer’s sleight of hand and a well engineered diversion–a stool kicked over, a tea-cup spilt.

　　但若是好手，自也不必出到踢凳翻茶的下等手法，通常是在手腕间暗藏六粒骰子，手指上抓六粒骰子，一把掷下，落入碗中的是腕间骰子，而手指中的六粒骰子一合手便转入左掌，神不知、鬼不觉的揣入怀中，这门本事韦小宝却没学会。The real experts were able to circumvent all of this by keeping the six loaded dice up their sleeve, grasping the regular dice with their fingers, letting the loaded dice drop from the sleeve into the bowl, and discreetly transferring the regulars into the palm of the left hand before spiriting them back into their pocket. Needless to say Trinket was not in this class.

　　有道是：“骰子灌铅，赢钱不难；灌了水银，点铁成金。”水银和铅均极沉重。骰子一边轻一边重，能依己意指挥。只是铅乃硬物，水银却不住流动，是以掷灌铅骰子甚易而掷水银骰子极难。骰子灌铅易于为人发觉，同时你既能掷出大点，对方亦能掷出大点，Lead and mercury are both heavy, and both enable the player to ‘steer’ the dice. Unlike lead, mercury is constantly moving, which makes it a lot harder to handle. But the trouble with lead is that it is easily detected. And because it is easy to use, it can be a liability if it falls into an opponent’s hands.但若灌的是水银，要什么点子，非有上乘手法不可，非寻常骗徒之所能。韦小宝掷灌铅骰子有六七成把握，对付水银骰子，把握便只一成二成。虽只一成二成。

　　但十把中只须多赢得一两把，几个时辰赌将下来，自然大占赢面。Mercury requires a degree of training and skill that is way beyond the common cheat. Trinket was an ‘intermediate’ with lead, but with mercury he was just a beginner. Still, even if he only pulled it off a couple of times in ten, over a long session he would be sure to win heavily.至于真正的一流高手，则能任意投掷寻常骰子，要出几点便是几点，丝毫不爽，决不需借助于灌铅灌水银的骰子，这等功夫万中无一，韦小宝也未曾遇上过，就算遇上了，他也看不出来。Of course, the real expert, the ultimate cheat, has no need of either lead or mercury. He can simply throw for whatever combination he wants and get it every time. Such wizards are one in a million, and Trinket had never encountered one–or if he had, had failed to detect him!

　　他见入局的对手全是羊牯，心想骰子换入换出全无危险，且不忙换骰子，他入局时有两只二十五两的元宝，一只兑了筹码，当下将另一只元宝放在左手边，以作掉换骰子的张本，又想：“小桂子既常常输钱，我也得先输后赢，免得引人疑心。”Trinket foresaw little trouble against these donkeys. He could afford to play it slow. He’d changed one ingot for chips, and kept the other to hand, with the intention of using it as a distraction later. Since Laurel had clearly been a poor player, he thought it more prudent to start off by losing.

　　掷了几把，掷出一只幺六来，自然是给吃了。如此输一注，赢一注，拉来拉去，输了五两银子。赌了半天，各人下注渐渐大了，韦小宝仍下五钱。With his very first throw he lost heavily. He went on playing, losing some, winning some, and as time went by he found himself down five taels. He never bet more than five mace at a time. The others meanwhile were placing higher and higher stakes.庄家平威将他的竹筹一推，说道：“至少一两，五钱不收。”韦小宝当即添了一根筹码。Eventually the banker Ping pushed Trinket’s measly little chips back across the table at him and announced that from then on he would insist on a minimum of one tael per bet.庄家掷出来是张“人”牌，一注注吃了下来。韦小宝恼他不收自己的五钱赌注，这一次决意赢他，心道：“你不肯输五钱，定要输上一两，好小子，有种，算盘挺精。我若用天牌赢你，不算好汉。”The banker threw the combination known as Man, and made a clean sweep of all the others. Trinket, riled at having had his five mace stake rejected, now resolved to teach the banker a lesson. ‘All right, my little fatty!’ he thought to himself. ‘You’ve asked for it!’他右手抓了骰子，左手手肘一挺，一只大元宝掉下地去，托的一声，正好掉在他左脚脚面。他大叫一声：“啊哟，好痛！”跳了几下。同赌的七人都笑了起来，瞧着他弯下腰去拾元宝。He took the dice in his right hand, and with his left elbow edged the ingot off the table. It landed with a thud on his foot. ‘Ow! That hurt!’ he yelled, and started jumping up and down. The others laughed heartily, and watched him as he bent down to retrieve the lump of silver from the ground.韦小宝轻轻易易的便换过了骰子，一手掷下去，四粒三点，两粒一点，是张“地”牌，刚好比“人”牌大了一级。平威骂道：“他妈的，小鬼今天手气倒好。”Trinket meanwhile had switched dice with the greatest of ease. He threw and out they came–four Threes and two Ones. It was an Earth, which beat Man. ‘Damn it!’ groaned Ping. ‘Your luck’s in today, you little brat!’

　　韦小宝心中一惊：“不对，我这般赢法，别人一留神，便瞧出我不是小桂子了。”’Steady on!’ thought Trinket to himself, not a little alarmed. ‘I’d better not overdo it, or they’ll soon know I’m not Laurel.’下一次掷时，他便输了一两。眼见各人纷纷加注，有的三两，有的二两，他便下注二两，赢了二两，下一次却输一两。”With the next throw he made sure to lose a tael. The stakes continued to rise, some betting two, some three taels, so Trinket put on two and won two; with the next throw he lost one tael.

　　赌到中午时分，韦小宝已赢得二十几两，只是每一注进出甚小，谁也没加留神。By noon his winnings amounted to over twenty taels, but he’d managed to achieve this by small, almost imperceptible steps, and without attracting too much attention.老吴却已将带来的三十几两银子输得精光，神情甚是懊丧，双手一摊，说道：“今儿手气不好，不赌啦！”His original companion, Wu, on the other hand, had lost every one of the thirty taels he had brought with him, and was looking extremely down in the dumps. This is not my day!’ he exclaimed, with a despairing gesture. ‘I’m quitting.’

　　韦小宝赌钱之时，十次中倒有九次要作弊骗人，但对赌友却极为豪爽。他平时给人辱骂殴打，无人瞧他得起，但若有人输光了，他必借钱给此人，那人自然十分感激，对他另眼相看。Now Trinket may have been a compulsive cheat, but towards a fellow gambler and friend he was the soul of generosity. Normally he had always been the butt of abuse, people had ganged up on him, and poured scorn on him. But if a fellow gambler was ever cleaned out, he’d always offer to lend him whatever he had, and this had several times won him undying gratitude and respect.韦小宝生平偶有机会充一次好汉，也只在借赌本给人之时。那人就算借了不还，他也并不在乎，反正这钱也决不是他自己掏腰包的。Indeed, this had been his only way of showing the finer qualities of chivalry and heroism of which he was capable. It was immaterial to him if the recipient of his generosity ever paid him back. (The money was never, strictly speaking, his own in the first place.)这时见老吴输光了要走，当即抓起一把筹码，约有十七八两，塞在他手里，说道：“你拿去翻本，赢了再还我！”On this occasion, observing Wu’s discomfiture and impending departure, he immediately grabbed a fistful of chips, about seventeen or eighteen taels worth, and stuffed them into his hand. ‘Go on, have another go! You can pay me back when you’ve won!’

　　老吴喜出望外。这些人赌钱，从来不肯借钱与人，一来怕借了不还，二来觉得钱从己手而出，彩头不好，本来赢的会变成输家。Wu was ecstatic. In his circle, gamblers never ever lent money. In the first place they reckoned they’d never get it back. And in the second place, it was thought to be inauspicious.他见韦小宝如此慷慨，大为高兴，连连拍他肩头，赞道：“好兄弟，真有你的。”庄家平威气势正旺，最怕人输干了散局，对韦小宝的“义举”也是十分赞许，说道：“哈，小桂子转了性，今天不怎么小气啦！”Trinket’s generosity gave Wu’s spirits a huge boost. He patted his saviour enthusiastically on the shoulder. ‘You’re a real friend, boy!’ The banker, Fat Ping, was having a run of luck, and the last thing he wanted was to lose a customer, so he too was full of praise for Trinket, ‘Laurel’s act of altruism. ‘Seems you’ve turned over a new leaf, eh, Laurie!’ he exclaimed. ‘Got used to you being such a skinflint!’

　　再赌下去，韦小宝又赢了六七两。忽然有人说道：“开饭啦，明儿再来玩过。”众人一听到“开饭啦”三字，立即住手，匆匆将筹码换成了银子。They carried on playing, and Trinket won seven or eight taels. Suddenly their game was interrupted by a voice shouting: ‘Lunch-time! Play adjourned until tomorrow!’ At the mention of lunch, everyone stopped and hurriedly cashed in their chips.韦小宝来不及换回水银骰子，心想反正这些羊牯也瞧不出来，倒也没放在心上。韦小宝跟着老吴出来，心想：“不知到哪里吃饭去？”Trinket hadn’t time to switch the dice back, but he reckoned these donkeys would never notice anyway. He left the room with Wu, quietly wondering to himself where they would go for lunch.老吴将借来的十几两银子又输得差不多了，说道：“小兄弟，只好明天还你。”韦小宝道：“自己兄弟，打什么紧？”老吴笑道：“嘿嘿，这才是好兄弟呢，你快回去，海老公等你吃饭呢。”Wu had lost practically all of the money he had lent him. I’l have to pay you back tomorrow, boy!’ ‘Don’t you worry,’ replied Trinket. ‘What’s a few taels between friends!’ Wu laughed: That’s very generous of you! You’d better hurry on back. Old Hai Goong-goong will be waiting to have his lunch with you.’

　　韦小宝道：“是。”心想：“原来是回去跟老乌龟一起吃饭，此刻再不逃之夭夭，更待何时？”’Yes, I’d better be off!’ Trinket nodded, thinking to himself: ‘Well, that may be what I’m supposed to do–go back there and eat with Old Turtle-face! But if I don’t make a break for it now, I never will!’眼见老吴穿入一处厅堂，寻思：“这里又是大厅，又是花园，又是走廊，不知大门在什么地方。”He saw Wu heading off through a hallway, and reflected oa the almost infinite number of hallways, gardens, and corridors there seemed to be in this enormous mansion. But where the hell was the front door?!只好乱闯乱走，时时撞到和他一般服色之人，可不敢问人大门所在。He went stumbling off, and kept nearly colliding with other people wearing the same outfit as his. But he hadn’t the courage to ask any of them the way to the main entrance.

　　他越走越远，心下渐渐慌了：“不如先回到海老乌龟那里去再说。”可是此刻连如何回到海老公处，也已迷失了路径，所行之处都是没到过的，时时见到厅上、门上悬有匾额，反正不识，也没去看。Patisserie Pekinoise He kept on going and going, but there seemed no end to the mansion. Soon he began to panic. ‘Perhaps I’d better go back to Turtle-head’s place after all. . .’ But even that course of action now posed insuperable problems. He was well and truly lost, wandering aimlessly from one strange room to another. Many of the halls and doorways had great inscriptions hanging in them or above them, which might have helped, had he been able to read them; since he couldn’t, he didn’t even bother looking at them closely.

　　再走一会，连人也不大碰到了，肚中已饿得咕咕直响。他穿过一处月洞门，见左侧有间屋子，门儿虚掩，Gradually he became aware that he was not bumping into people any more. The corridors were wellnigh deserted. His stomach had by now begun to feel extremely empty and was rumbling noisily. He made his way through a moon-shaped doorway, and saw a room off to the left, with the door ajar.走过门边，突然一阵食物香气透了出来，不由得馋涎欲滴，轻轻推门，探头一张。He walked towards it, and as he did so, the aroma of food came wafting out and set his mouth watering. He pushed the door lightly open and poked his head inside.

　　只见桌上放着十来碟点心糕饼，眼见屋内无人，便即蹑手蹑脚的走了进去，拿起一块千层糕，放入口中。There he saw a table laden with a dozen plates of the most delicious-looking cakes and snacks, and not a soul in the room. He tiptoed in, took a piece of layered cake, and began to nibble it.只嚼得几嚼，不由得暗暗叫好。这千层糕是一层面粉夹一层蜜糖猪油，更有桂花香气，既松且甜。’Yum-yum!’ he muttered softly to himself: layers of sponge alternating with layers of honey and lard, flavoured with cassia. It was light and sweet.维扬细点天下闻名，妓院中款待嫖客，点心也做得十分考究。韦小宝往往先嫖客之尝而尝，尽管老鸨龟奴打骂，他还是偷吃不误。Yangzhou was famous for its cakes, and the whorehouses always liked to serve their customers with the best and most mouth-watering varieties of patisserie. Trinket had often managed to get in a preliminary ‘tasting’, despite the combined (and irate) efforts of the madam and her various lackeys.此刻所吃的这块糕，显然比妓院中的细点更精致得多，心道：“这千层糕做得真好，我瞧这儿多半是北京城里的第一大妓院。”But this cake was something else! This was clearly in another class altogether. They certainly know how to make layered cake!’ he said to himself. Til bet I’ve stumbled into the number one whore-house in all of Peking!’

　　他吃了一块千层糕，不听得有人走近，又去取了一只小烧卖放入口中。他偷食的经验极丰，知道一碗一碟之中不能多取，这才不易为人发觉。He finished the piece of cake, and since there was still no sign of anyone coming, he crept over and popped a little steamed dumpling in his mouth. He was a crafty little scavenger, and knew he had to take one here, one there, to avoid being detected.吃了一只烧卖后，又吃一块豌豆黄，将碟中糕点略加搬动，不露偷食之迹。After the dumpling, a piece of mung-bean cake. Each time he remembered to rearrange the plate carefully afterwards.

　　正吃得兴起，忽听得门外靴声橐橐，有人走近，忙拿了一个肉末烧饼，但见屋中空空洞洞，墙壁边倚着几个牛皮制的人形，He was just enjoying the cake, when he heard the sound of cloth boots outside the door. Flip-plop–someone was coming! Quickly grabbing a pancake stuffed with minced meat, he looked around him for somewhere to hide: the room was bare, save for a few strange cut-outs leaning up against the wall (human shapes cut out of oxhide),梁上垂下来几只大布袋，里面似乎装着米麦或是沙土，此外便只眼前这张桌子，桌前挂着块桌帷，当下更不细思，便即钻入了桌底。and a number of sacks hanging from a beam, which looked as if they were filled with grain or sand. Otherwise there was just the table, which was spread with a table-cloth. In desperation, Trinket darted under it.