我也曾游过些名山大刹，倒不曾见过这话头，其中想必有个翻过筋斗来的亦未可知，何不进去试试。”
In all the famous temples and monasteries I have visited, I cannot recollect having ever seen anything quite like it.
I shouldn't be surprised to find that some story of spectacular downfall and dramatic conversion lay behind this inscription.
It might be worth going in and inquiring.”
雨村见了，却不在意；及至问他两句话，那老僧既聋且昏，又齿落舌钝，所答非所问。
who paid no attention whatsoever to his greetings and who proved, when Yu-cun went up to him and asked him a few questions, to be both deaf and partially blind.
His toothless replies were all but unintelligible, and in any case bore no relation to the questions.
雨村不耐烦，便仍出来，意欲到那村肆中沽饮三杯，以助野趣，于是款步行来。
Yucun went out again in disgust and decided to improve the occasion by drinking a few cups in a village tavern.
将入肆门，只见座上吃酒之客有一人起身大笑，接了出来，口内说:"奇遇，奇遇。”
He had scarcely set foot inside the door of the village inn when one of the men drinking at separate tables inside rose up and advanced to meet him with a broad smile. 'Fancy meeting you!”
雨村忙看时，此人是都中在古董行中贸易的号冷子兴者，旧日在都相识。
It was Leng Zixing, a curio-dealer whom he had met in the capital.
雨村最赞这冷子兴是个有作为大本领的人，这子兴又借雨村斯文之名，故二人说话投机，最相契合。
As Yucun admired his enterprise and ability while Zixing was eager to cultivate one of the literati, they had hit it off well together and become good friends.
雨村忙笑问： "老兄何日到此？
“When did you arrive, brother?”asked Yucun cheerfully.
弟竟不知。
“I'd no idea you were in these parts.
子兴道:"去年岁底到家，今因还要入都，从此顺路找个敝友说一句话，承他之情，留我多住两日。
'I went home at the end of last year to spend New Year with the family,' said Zi-xing. 'On my way back to the capital I thought I would stop off and have a few words with a friend of mine who lives hereabouts,
我也无甚紧事，且盘桓两日，待月半时也就起身了。
and since I've no urgent business I'm breaking my journey for a couple of days.I shall go on about the middle of the month.
另整上酒肴来，二人闲谈漫饮，叙些别后之事。
The two men then proceeded, between leisurely sips of wine, to relate what each had been doing in the years that had elapsed since their last meeting.
雨村因问："近日都中可有新闻没有?"
“Is there any news from the capital?” asked Yucun.
子兴道:"倒没有什么新闻，倒是老先生你贵同宗家，出了一件小小异事。”
'I can't think of anything particularly deserving of mention,' said Zi-xing. 'Except, perhaps, for a very small but very unusual event that took place in your own clan there.”
雨村笑道:"弟族中无人在都，何谈及此?"
“I've no kinsmen in the capital.
Who do you mean?”
子兴笑道:"你们同姓，岂非同宗一族?"
'Well, it's the same name,' said Zi-xing. 'They must be the same clan.”
子兴道:"荣国府贾府中，可也不玷辱了先生的门楣了？"
“The Jia family of the Rong Mansion.
You needn't be ashamed of the connection.”
若论起来，寒族人丁却不少，自东汉贾复以来，支派繁盛，各省皆有，谁能逐细考查？
“To tell the truth, our clan is a very large one.Since the time of Jia Fu of the Eastern Han Dynasty its branches have multiplied until now you find Jias in every province.Impossible to keep track of them all.
若论荣国一支，却是同谱。
The Rong branch and mine are, however, on the same clan register,
但他那等荣耀，我们不便去攀扯，至今故越发生疏难认了。”
but since they are exalted so far above us socially, we don't normally claim the connection, and nowadays we are completely out of touch with them.”
如今的这荣、宁两府，也都萧索了，不比先时的光景。”
Both the Ning and Rong branches have declined.”Zixing sighed. “They're not what they used to be.”
雨村道:"当日宁荣两宅的人口也极多，如何就萧疏了？"
“How is that possible?”They used to be enormous households.”
雨村道:"去岁我到金陵地界，因欲游览六朝遗迹，那日进了石头城，从他老宅门前经过。
'Last time I was in Jinling,' went on Yu-cun, ‘I passed by their two houses one day on my way to Shi-tou-cheng to visit the ruins.
路北，东是宁国府，西是荣国府，二宅相连，竟将大半条街占了。
Practically the whole north side of the street is taken up by their houses, the Ning Mansion on the east and the Rong Mansion adjoining it on the west.
大门前虽冷落无人，隔着围墙一望，里面厅殿楼阁，也还都峥嵘轩峻；就是后一带花园子里树木山石，也还都有蓊蔚洇润之气，那里像个衰败之家?"
True, there wasn't much coming and going outside their gates, but over the wall I caught glimpses of most imposing halls and pavilions, while the trees and rockeries of the gardens behind had a flourishing, opulent look.There was nothing to suggest a house in decline.”