话说红玉心神恍惚,情思缠绵,忽朦胧睡去,遇见贾芸要拉他,却回身一跑,被门槛绊了一跤;唬醒过来,方知是梦。
We have seen how Crimson, after lying a long time a prey to confused and troubled thoughts, at last dozed off to sleep; and how later, when Jia Yun grabbed at her, she turned and fled, only to stumble and fall on the threshold of her room.
At that point she woke in bed and discovered that she had been dreaming.
至次日天明,方才起来,就有几个丫头子来,会他去打扫房子地面,提洗脸水。
until day dawned, when some other maids called her to help them sweep and fetch water Without washing her face or putting on any make-up,
这红玉也不梳洗,向镜中胡乱挽了一挽头发,洗了洗手,腰内束了一条汗巾子,便来打扫房屋。
Crimson's own toilet was a simple one: a brief look in the mirror while she coiled her hair, a quick wash, and she was ready to join the others in their sweeping.
谁知宝玉昨日见了红玉,也就留了心。
Now Baoyu had been so struck by Xiaohong the previous day that he would have liked to have her wait on him,
若要直点名唤他来使用,一则怕袭人等寒心;二则又不知红玉是何等行为,若好还罢了,若不好起来,那时倒不好退送的。
but he feared this might upset Xiren and the others; besides, there was no saying how the girl would turn out.If she proved satisfactory, well and good; if not, sending her away again would be awkward.
因此心下闷闷的,早起来也不梳洗,只坐着出神。
So he got up moodily and sat there brooding, not even troubling to comb his hair or wash.
一时下了纸窗,隔着纱屉子,向外看的真切,只见几个丫头在那里打扫院子,都擦胭抹粉、插花带柳的,独不见昨儿那一个。
Presently the shutters were taken down and through the gauze window he had a clear view of the maids sweeping the courtyard.All of them were powdered and rouged, with flowers or willow shoots in their hair, but he saw no sign of Xiaohong.
宝玉便靱了鞋,晃出了房门,只装着看花儿,这里瞧瞧,那里望望。
He went outside in his slippers to look around, pretending that he had gone out to inspect the flowers.
一抬头,只见西南角上游廊底下栏杆上似有一个人倚在那里,却恨面前有一株海棠花遮着,看不真切。
until he glimpsed, half-hidden by a crab-apple tree, a figure leaning over the balustrade in the southwest corner of the covered walk.
只得又转了一步,仔细一看,可不是昨儿那个丫头在那里出神。
He strolled round the tree and looked more closely.Yes, it was the girl of the day before, apparently lost in thought.
待要迎上去,又不好去的。
He was wondering whether to accost her
却说红玉正自出神,忽见袭人招手叫他,只得走上前来。
While Crimson stood there musing, she suddenly became aware that Aroma was beckoning to her, and hurried up to see what she wanted.
红玉答应了,便走出来往潇湘馆去。
The girl set off on this errand to Bamboo Lodge.
小红便走向潇湘馆去,到了翠烟桥,抬头一望,只见山坡高处都拦着帏幕,方想起今日有匠役在此种树。
Crimson hurried off in the direction of the Naiad's House.When she got to Green Haze Bridge, she stopped a moment to look around.
She noticed that cloth screens had been set up all along the side of the artificial hill, and remembered that this was the day on which the workmen were coming into the garden to plant trees.
因转身一望,只见那边远远一簇人在那里掘土,贾芸正坐在那山子石上。
She could just make out a knot of workmen digging a hole in the distance and Jia Yun sitting on some rocks supervising them.
红玉待要过去,又不敢过去,只得闷闷的向潇湘馆取了喷壶回来,无精打彩自回房内倒着。
Not having the courage to approach him, she proceeded quietly to Bamboo Lodge, borrowed a watering-can and took it back, then lay down in her room in low spirits.
众人只说他一时身上不爽快,都不理论。
The others, assuming that she was feeling unwell, paid no attention.
展眼过了一日,原来次日就是王子腾夫人的寿诞,那里原打发人来请贾母、王夫人的,王夫人见贾母不自在,也便不去了。
And the day dragged by, uneventful.The day after that was the birthday of Wang Ziteng's wife, and the Lady Dowager and Lady Wang had been invited to the celebrations.Since her mother-in-law did not go, neither did Lady Wang;
倒是薛姨妈同凤姐儿并贾家三个姊妹、宝钗、宝玉一齐都去了,至晚方回。
but Aunt Xue, Xifeng, the three Jia girls, Baochai and Baoyu went along, not returning till the evening.
王夫人正过薛姨妈院里坐着,见贾环下了学,命他去抄《金刚经咒》唪诵。
Not long before they returned, Jia Huan got back from school and Lady Wang gave him the task of copying out the text of that prolonger of life and highly efficacious prophylactic against sickness and misfortune, the Dharani of the Immaculate Diamond.
那贾环正在王夫人炕上坐着,命人点上灯,拿腔作势的抄写。
The boy took a seat on the kang in her room, ordered candles to be lighted, and set about writing with a great show of importance.
一时又叫彩云倒杯茶来,一时又叫玉钏儿来剪剪蜡花,一时又说金钏儿挡了灯影。
Now he called Caiyun to pour him tea, now told Yuchuan to trim the wicks of his candies, now complained that Jinchuan was standing in his light.
众丫鬟们素日厌恶他,都不答理。
As all the maids disliked him they took no notice --
因见王夫人和人说话,他便悄悄的向贾环说道:"你安些分罢,何苦讨这个厌那个厌的。”
noticing that Lady Wang was chatting with some other people, she whispered: "Be quiet.Don't be such a nuisance.You're only making yourself unpopular."