这天，程先生下班后到王琦瑶处，见她脸色苍白，坐立不安，一会儿躺倒，一会儿站起，一个玻璃杯碰在地上，摔得粉碎，也顾不上去收拾。
ONE DAY MR.
CHENG went to Wang Qiyao's after work to find her pale and flustered, lying down every so often and then getting up to pace around.
She even knocked over a glass, which shattered on the floor, but didn't bother to pick up the pieces.
程先生赶紧去叫来一辆三轮车，扶她下楼，去了医院。
Mr. Cheng hurried out to call a pedicab, came back in to help her downstairs, and then rushed them off to the hospital.
到医院倒痛得好些了，程先生就出来买些吃的做晚饭。
Having arrived at the hospital, she seemed to improve, and Mr. Cheng went out to get something for their dinner.
再回到医院，人已经进了产房，晚上八点便生下了，是个女孩，说是一出娘胎就满头黑发，手脚很长。
By the time he got back, Wang Qiyao had already been taken into the delivery room.
It was a baby girl.
She was born at eight o'clock.
They told Mr. Cheng that she had long arms and legs and a full head of black hair.
程先生难免要想：她究竟像谁呢？
This set him wondering, Just who does she look like?
三天之后，程先生接了王琦瑶母女出院，进弄堂时，自然招来许多眼光。
When, three days later, he brought mother and daughter home from the hospital, the threesome attracted quite a few curious stares down the longtang.
程先生早一天就把王琦瑶的母亲接来，在沙发上安了一张铺，还很细心地准备了洗漱用具。
Mr. Cheng had fetched Wang Qiyao's mother the day before, setting up a place for her on the sofa, and even going to the trouble of preparing a set of toiletries.
王琦瑶母亲一路无言，看程先生忙着，忽然间说了一句：程先生要是孩子的爸爸就好了。
Mrs. Wang was silent the whole time, but, as Mr. Cheng busied himself with the household chores, she blurted out, "If only you had been the child's father . . ."
程先生拿东西的手不禁抖了一下，他想说什么，喉头却哽着，待咽下了，又不知该说什么了，只得装没听见。
Mr. Cheng trembled and almost lost hold of the things in his hands.
He wanted to say something but his throat had closed up.
By the time he was able to speak, he had forgotten what to say.
So he simply pretended that he had not heard.
王琦瑶到家后，她母亲已炖了鸡汤和红枣桂圆汤，什么话也没有地端给她喝，也不看那孩子一眼，就当没这个人似的。
When Wang Qiyao came home the next day, her mother had already prepared a pot of chicken broth and the customary bowl of soup with red jujube and longan, which was supposed to be so nourishing for new mothers.
She handed the bowl to her daughter in silence.
She did not bother to even look at her granddaughter; it was as if the child did not exist.
过一会儿，就有人上门探望，都是弄堂里的，平时仅是点头之交，并不往来，其时都是因好奇而来。
Neighbors began to call on them, but they were only the most casual of acquaintances—the only contact they normally had with Wang Qiyao was waving hello as she went in and out of the longtang; now they came out of curiosity.
看了婴儿，口口声声直说像王琦瑶，心里都在猜那另一半像谁。
Each one went on about how much the baby looked like Wang Qiyao, all the while wondering who the father was.
程先生到灶间拿热水瓶给客人添水，却见王琦瑶母亲一个人站在灰蒙蒙的窗前，静静地抹着眼泪。
Going into the kitchen to fetch the hot water Thermos, Mr. Cheng found Mrs. Wang standing in front of the window, looking out at the overcast sky and quietly wiping away the tears.
程先生向来觉得她母亲势利，过去并不把他放在眼里，他在楼下叫王琦瑶，她连门都不肯开，只让老妈子伸出头来回话。
Mr. Cheng had always thought her a calculating woman.
Back when he used to call on Wang Qiyao, she would never even bother to greet him but always sent the maid down to talk to him at the door instead.
这时，他觉着她的心与他靠近了些，甚至是比王琦瑶更有了解和同情的。
Now, he sensed, she was much closer to him, perhaps more understanding and sympathetic even than her daughter.
他站在她的身后，嗫嚅了一会儿，说道：伯母，请你放心，我会对她照顾的。
He stood behind her for a moment before offering a timid attempt at consolation. "Don't worry, Auntie.
I'll take care of her."
说完这话，他觉着自己也要流泪，赶紧拎起热水瓶回房间去了。
With those words he could feel the tears welling up and hastened back into the room with the hot water thermos.
过了一天，严师母来看王琦瑶了。
The next day Madame Yan, who had not visited for ages, came to see Wang Qiyao.
She had long heard of the pregnancy from her servant Mama Zhang, who had seen Wang Qiyao coming and going with that protruding belly of hers; Wang Qiyao obviously wasn't worried about the rumors her pregnancy might stir up.
她已经很久没有上门，早听娘姨张妈说，王琦瑶有喜了，挺着肚子在弄堂里进出，也不怕人笑话。
The next day Madame Yan, who had not visited for ages, came to see Wang Qiyao.
She had long heard of the pregnancy from her servant Mama Zhang, who had seen Wang Qiyao coming and going with that protruding belly of hers; Wang Qiyao obviously wasn't worried about the rumors her pregnancy might stir up.
其时，康明逊和萨沙都销声匿迹了似的，一个闭门不出，一个远走高飞，倒是半路里杀出个程先生，一日三回地来。
Kang Mingxun and Sasha had by this time long vanished from the scene, one hiding out at home while the other fled far away.
Then, out of nowhere, appeared this Mr. Cheng, who suddenly started coming by at least three times a day.
严师母虽然不清楚究竟发生了怎样的事，但自视对王琦瑶一路的女人很了解，并不大惊小怪，倒是那个程先生给了她奇异的印象。
Although Madame Yan wasn't exactly sure what had transpired, she wasn't in the least bit taken off guard; in fact, she fancied herself one imbued with keen insights into the situation of women like Wang Qiyao.
Still, she was intrigued by Mr. Cheng.
她看出他的旧西装是好料子的，他的做派是旧时代的摩登。
She could tell from the fine quality of the old suit he wore that this Mr. Cheng had been a stylish man back in the old days.
她猜想他是一个小开，舞场上的旧知那类人物，就从他身上派生出许多想象。
She took him to be some kind of playboy whom Wang Qiyao must have known back in her dance hall days.
Madame Yan imagined all kinds of things about Mr. Cheng.
她曾有几回在弄口看见他，手里捧着油炸臭豆腐什么的，急匆匆地走着，怕手里的东西凉了，那油浸透了纸袋，几乎要滴下来的样子。
She had run into him a few times in the alley: he was always on his way to Wang Qiyao's with snacks like "stinky tofu," and would always rush briskly past lest the food get cold.
The grease from the tofu had already soaked the bottom of the bag and was about to drip through.