话说薛蝌正在狐疑，忽听窗外一笑，唬了一跳，心中想道：“不是宝蟾，定是金桂。
Xue Ke was in a quandary when giggling outside the window made him start.“That must be Baochan or Jingui,” he thought.
只不理他们，看他们有什么法儿。”
‘I shall ignore them and see what happens.”
听了半日，却又寂然无声。
He listened for a while but there was no further sound.
自己也不敢吃那酒果，掩上房门。
Not daring to touch the wine and sweetmeats, he closed the door
刚要脱衣时，只听见窗纸上微微一响。
and was about to undress when he heard a faint tap at the paper casement.
听见窗纸微响，细看时又无动静，自己反倒疑心起来，掩了怀坐在灯前呆呆的细想，又把那果子拿了一块，翻来覆去的细看。
He peered at the window but could see nothing stirring and suspected that he had been imagining things.Fastening his clothes again he sat down by the lamp to think hard, then picked up a sweetmeat and scrutinized it intently.
猛回头，看见窗上的纸湿了一块。
Turning his head abruptly, he saw that a patch of the window paper was wet.
走过来觑着眼看时，冷不防外面往里一吹，把薛蝌唬了一大跳，听得“吱吱”的笑声。
He went over to have a look, and jumped for fright when suddenly someone outside blew into his face.This was followed by more giggling.
薛蝌连忙把灯吹灭了，屏息而卧。
Xue Ke hastily put out the lamp and, with bated breath, lay down.
只听外面一个人说道：“二爷为什么不喝酒吃果子就睡了？”
A voice came from outside: ‘Are you going to sleep without trying the wine and sweetmeats?”
薛蝌只不作声装睡。
but made no sound, pretending to be asleep.
又隔了两句话时，听得外面似恨声道：“天下那里有这样没造化的人！”
“How on earth could anyone be such a fool!”someone sneered after another couple of minutes.
薛蝌听了似是宝蟾，又似是金桂的语音，这才知道他们原来是这一番意思。
This time he could not identify the voice with any certainty.
It sounded like Moonbeam, but there was something of Xia Jin-gui's expression in it too.
Whoever it was, there was no longer any doubt in his mind as to their intentions.
翻来覆去，直到五更后才睡着了。
He tossed and turned for most of that night, and it was not until after five o'clock that he finally fell asleep.
刚到天明，早有人来扣门。
At daybreak, somebody knocked at his door.
薛蝌忙问：“是谁？”
“Who's there?” he called.
外面也不答应。
When there was no response, he had to get up and open the door.
薛蝌只得起来，开了门看时，却是宝蟾，拢着头发，掩着怀，穿了件片金边琵琶襟小紧身，上面系一条松花绿半新的汗巾，下面并无穿裙，正露着石榴红洒花夹裤，一双新绣红鞋。
He found it was Baochan again, her hair dishevelled, her clothes loose.She had on a tight-fitting bodice with a gold border and rows of long buttons and loops in front, over which she had tied a none too new dark green sash.As she was not wearing a skirt, he could see her pomegranate-red trousers with floral designs and her new embroidered red slippers.
原来宝蟾尚未梳洗，赶早来取家伙。
She had evidently not yet made her toilet but come early to fetch the hamper to avoid being seen.
薛蝌见他这样打扮便走进来，心中又是一动，只得陪笑问道：“怎么这么早就起来了？”
Her appearance in such a costume dismayed Xue Ke. “You are up early,” he faltered, forcing a smile.
宝蟾把脸红着，并不答言，只管把果子折在一个碟子里，端着就走。
She blushed but did not answer, simply putting the sweetmeats back into the hamper, which she then took away.
薛蝌见他这般，知是昨晚的原放，心里想道：“这也罢了，倒是他们恼了，索性死了心，也省了来缠。”
Supposing that she was vexed by his behaviour the previous night, he thought, “Just as well.If they're annoyed, they'll give up and leave me in peace.”
于是把心放下，叫人舀水洗脸。
Feeling easier in his mind he called for water to wash in
原来和薛蟠好的那些人，因见薛家无人，只有薛蝌办事年纪又轻，便生出许多觊觎之心。
who seeing the Xue family deprived of its head and observing his own youth and inexperience, had caught the scent of money in the air.