话说众人各自散后,宝钗姊妹等同贾母吃毕饭,宝玉因记挂着晴雯,便先回园子里来。
Remembering Skybright, Bao-yu left before the others and hurried back to his apartment to see how she was.
到了房中,药香满室,一人不见,只见晴雯独卧于炕上,脸面烧的飞红,又摸了一摸, 只觉烫手。
His rooms were filled with the pungent scent of herbs and Qingwen was lying all alone on the kang, her face flushed with fever, her forehead hot to his touch.
又摸了一摸,只觉烫手,忙又向炉上将手烘暖,伸进被去摸了一摸身上,也是火热。
He felt her forehead and found it burning to the touch.
Quickly warming his hands over the stove, he slipped one of them inside the bedclothes and felt her body.
That too was fiery hot.
因说道:"别人去了也罢,麝月、秋纹也这样无情,各自去了?"
“I don't mind the others going off,” he said, “but how could Sheyue and Qiuwen have the heart to leave you?”
两个人鬼鬼祟祟的,不知说什么。
They're whispering together in the front about something
便不出去,有不是,与他何干,你们素日又好,断不肯为这无于的事伤和气。”
And the two of you normally get on so well, she'd never risk spoiling your friendship over something that is no concern of hers.”
晴雯道:"这话也是,只是疑他为什么忽然瞒起我来。”
“You're probably right,” agreed Qingwen. “But why are they suddenly hiding something from me?”
宝玉笑道:"等我从后门出去,到那窗根下听听说些什么,回来告诉你。”
‘I'll go and find out what they're talking about,' said Bao-yu. ‘If I go out the back door and round the side, I shall be able to listen to them from outside the window.”
平儿道:“那日彼时洗手时不见了,二奶奶就不许吵嚷,出了园子,即刻就传给园里各处的妈妈们,小心访查。
‘It was when I was washing my hands in the Garden that day that I lost it,' he heard Patience reply. ‘Mrs Lian made me keep quiet about it at the time, but as soon as we got back she sent word round to the nannies in the different apartments and told them to investigate.
我们只疑惑邢姑娘的丫头,本来又穷,只怕小孩子家没见过,拿起来是有的,再不料定是你们这里的。
To tell the truth, we rather suspected Miss Xing's maid.
We thought being so poor and not used to seeing things like that lying around she might have been tempted.
We never dreamed that it would turn out to be one of your people. ‘It was Trinket who stole it.
She was seen by your Mamma Song.
再不料定是你们这里的,幸而二奶奶没有在屋里,你们这里的宋妈妈去了,拿着、这只镯子,说是小丫头坠儿偷起来的,被他看见,来回二奶奶的。
We never dreamed it would turn out to be one of your girls.
Luckily Madam Lian was out when Mrs. Song brought the bracelet back to me saying she'd seen young Zhuier take it, and she'd come to report it to Madam Lian.
我赶忙接了镯子,想了一想:宝玉是偏在你们身上留心用意、争胜要强的,那一年有个良儿偷玉,刚冷了这一二年,还有人提起来趁愿,这会子又跑出一个偷金镯子的来了。
‘I couldn't help thinking how considerate is to you girls and how proud of you all he is.
It's only two years since that girl Honesty stole the jade and there are some I could mention who are still gloating about it,
第二件,老太太、太太听见也生气。
For if this came to the ears of the old lady and Lady Wang, how angry they'd be!
三则袭人和你们也不好看。
and then it would be very unpleasant for Aroma and the rest of you.
所以我回二奶奶,只说:'我往大奶奶那里去的,谁知镯子褪了口,丢在草根底下,雪深了没看见。
So I simply told Madam Lian that the clasp of my bracelet was loose and so I'd dropped it in the grass on the way to Madam Zhu's place, when the snow was too deep to find it.
今儿雪化尽了,黄澄澄的映着日头,还在那里呢,我就拣了起来。’
When the snow melted, there it was, shining in the sun for all to see.
你们以后防着他些,别使唤他到别处去。
The reason I'm telling you this is so that you'll take precautions in future and not send Zhuier out on any errands.
等袭人回来,你们商议着,变个法子打发出去就完了。”
When Xiren comes back, you can talk it over with her and cook up some excuse for dismissing the girl.”
麝月道:"这小蹄子也见过些东西,怎么这么眼皮子浅。”
“It's not as if the little bitch hadn't seen plenty of things of that sort,” exclaimed Sheyue. “Why did she have to steal it?”
平儿道:“究竟这镯子能多重,原是二奶奶的,说这叫做‘虾须镯’,倒是这颗珠子重了。
‘It wasn't a particularly valuable bracelet,' said Patience. ‘It's one that Mrs Lian gave me.
It's what they call a “shrimp whisker” bracelet.
I think the pearl on it might be quite valuable.
一时气了,或打或骂,依旧嚷出来不好。
She'd be bound to flare up and start beating or cursing the girl; then the whole story would get out.
晴雯听了,果然气的蛾眉倒竖,凤眼圆睁,即时就叫坠儿。
Indeed, Qingwen's eyebrows had shot up and her eyes were round with rage.She wanted to summon Zhuier then and there.
晴雯服了药,至晚间又服二和药,夜间虽有些汗,还未见效,仍是发烧,头疼鼻塞声重。
Skybright had already had one dose of her medicine.
Towards evening she was given the second infusion.
But although she perspired a bit during the night, it didn't really seem to do much good.
She still had a temperature, her head still ached, her nose was still blocked, and she was still just as hoarse.
次日,王太医又来诊视,另加减汤剂。
In the morning Dr Wang came again, and after taking her pulses, made a few alterations in the prescription;