如今吃什么,好早说给他们备办去。”
so that they have plenty of time to get it ready.”
我们八个人单替你过生日。”
The eight of us are going to throw a birthday party for you.”
宝玉听了,喜的忙说:"他们是那里的钱,不该叫他们出才是。”
Baoyu was delighted but demurred, “How can they afford it?
You shouldn't have made them chip in.”
晴雯道:§"他们没钱,难道我们是有钱的!
Qingwen demanded, “Do we have money and not they?
那怕他偷的呢,只管领他们的情就是。”
I think you ought to accept it in the spirit in which it was offered and not bother too much about where the money came from.
Suppose they stole it: what does that matter to you?”
晴雯笑道:"你如今也学坏了,专会架桥拨火儿。
‘Aroma is getting quite expert in the art of stirring up trouble between other people,' said Skybright. ‘I wonder who she picked it up from.”
宝玉说:“关了院门罢。”
Bao-yu gave orders for them to close the courtyard gate.
袭人笑道:"怪不得人说你是‘无事忙’这会子关了门,人倒疑惑,越性再等一等。”
But Xiren objected:“No wonder people say you're forever making a great ado about nothing.
If we lock the gate now that will arouse suspicion.
Better wait a bit.”
宝玉点头,因说:"我出去走走,四儿舀水去,小燕一个跟我去罢。”
Baoyu nodded. “I'll take a stroll outside then,”he said,“while Sier fetches water.
Xiaoyan can come with me.”
说着,走至外边,因见无人,便问五儿之事,小燕道:"我才告诉了柳嫂子,他倒喜欢的很。
When they were outside and he had first made sure that no one else was about, he asked Swallow what Cook Liu had said about Fivey.
只是五儿那夜受了委屈烦恼,回家去又气病了,那里来得,只等好了罢。”
“Only Wuer got so worked up that night she was hauled over the coals that as soon as she got home she fell ill again.
She can't come until she's better.”
小燕道:"我没告诉,不知芳官可说了不曾。”
“I didn't tell her,”was the reply. “But Fangguan may have done for all I know.”
说毕,复走进来,故意洗手。
He went back inside on the pretext of washing his hands.
已是掌灯时分,听得院门前有一群人进来。
Now, as the time came to light the lamps, they heard people approaching the courtyard gate and when they peeped through the window saw Mrs. Lin with a few other stewards”wives, the one in front carrying a big lantern.
大家隔窗悄视,果见林之孝家的和几个管事的女人走来,前头一人提着大灯笼。
Now, as the time came to light the lamps, they heard people approaching the courtyard gate and when they peeped through the window saw Mrs. Lin with a few other stewards”wives, the one in front carrying a big lantern.
晴雯悄笑道:"他们查上夜的人来了。
“They're making their nightly check-up of those on duty,”whispered Qingwen.
这一出去,咱们就好关门了。”
‘When they go out again we shall be able to shut the gate.”
只见怡红院凡上夜的人都迎了出来,林之孝家的看了不少。
Sure enough, the women on night-duty at Green Delights now trooped out into the courtyard to be inspected.
林之孝家的看了不少,又吩咐:“别耍钱吃酒,放倒头睡到大天亮。
‘Now, no gambling and no drinking!” said Lin Zhi-xiao's wife, when she had ascertained that they were all there.
众人都笑说:"那里有那样大胆子的人?"
‘None of us is that stupid,' said the women, laughing. ‘We wouldn't dare.”
林之孝家的又问:"宝二爷睡下了没有?"
‘Is Master Bao in bed yet?” Lin Zhi-xiao's wife asked them.
众人都回:“不知道。”
The women said they didn't know.
袭人忙推宝玉,宝玉靱了鞋,便迎出来,笑道:"我还没睡呢,妈妈进来歇歇。”
and he shuffled to the doorway in his slippers and smiled amiably at the assembled matrons outside.‘I haven't gone to bed yet.
又叫:"袭人倒茶来。”
Looking towards the house, he ordered:“Serve tea, Xiren.”