话说薛姨妈听了薛蝌的来书，因叫进小厮，问道：“你听见你大爷说，到底是怎么就把人打死了呢？”
It was told in the last chapter how Bao-chai read Xue Ke's letter aloud to her mother, who then summoned the boy and told him to repeat whatever Xue Pan had said about his misadventure.
那一日，大爷告诉二爷说……”说着回头看了一看，见无人，才说道：“大爷说，自从家里闹的特利害，大爷也没心肠了，所以要到南边置货去。
“but I did hear Mr Pan tell Master Ke that. ”He glanced quickly round the room, and having satisfied himself that there was no one else present, continued: that he couldn't stand any more of the terrible scenes at home, and had decided to go on a business trip in the South.
这日想着约一个人同行，这人在咱们这城南二百多地住。
He decided to ask somebody to go with him a certain Wu Liang who lives more than two hundred ii south of this city.
大爷找他去了，遇见在先和大爷好的那个蒋玉函，带着些小戏子进城，大爷同他在个铺子里吃饭喝酒。
On his way to this man's house, who should he meet but that fellow Jiang Yu-han he used to be friendly with, on his way to the capital with some young actors.
The two of them went into a bar for a jug of wine and a bite to eat, and that's when things started to go wrong.
因为这当槽儿的尽着拿眼瞟蒋玉函，大爷就有了气了。
The waiter kept making eyes at Jiang, which made Mr Pan angry.
后来蒋玉函走了。
Well, Jiang left that same day.
第二天，大爷就请找的那个人喝酒。
But the next day, Mr Pan took this other man - the one he was planning to travel with - to the same bar for a drink.
酒后想起头一天的事来，叫那当槽儿的换酒，那当槽儿的来迟了，大爷就骂起来了。
Master Pan remembered what had happened the day before and, when the waiter was slow in bringing fresh wine, he started cursing him.
那个人不依，大爷就拿起酒碗照他打去。
When the fellow answered back, he threatened him with his wine bowl.
谁知那个人也是个泼皮，便把头伸过来叫大爷打。
Well, the waiter turned out to be a daring sort of rogue himself he stuck his head out and challenged Mr Pan to hit him.
大爷拿碗就砸他的脑袋，一下子就冒了血了，躺在地下。
Next thing, wham!
Mr Pan smashed the cup right down on top of his head.
Blood came spurting out, and the waiter went down,
头里还骂，后头就不言语了。”
cursing and swearing.
Then he came over all quiet. ”
薛姨妈道：“怎么也没人劝劝吗？”
“But why on earth did nobody try to stop them?” asked Aunt Xue.
小厮答应出来。
“Thank you ma'am.” So saying, the boy went out.
这里薛姨妈自来见王夫人，托王夫人转求贾政。
Aunt Xue went first to her sister and entrusted her with the task of enlisting Jia Zheng's support.
贾政问了前后，也只好含糊应了，只说等薛蝌递了呈子，看他本县怎么批了，再作道理。
When Lady Wang brought the matter up and gave Jia Zheng a detailed account of what had happened, he hummed and hawed and said that he could do nothing until Xue Ke's appeal had gone through the normal channels and the judge had issued his rescript.
这里薛姨妈又在当铺里兑了银子，叫小厮赶着去了。
Aunt Xue had the five hundred taels weighed out in the family pawnshop and gave it to the boy to deliver posthaste to Xue Ke.
三日后果有回信，薛姨妈接着了，即叫小丫头告诉宝钗，连忙过来看了。
Three days later, the letter they were waiting for arrived.
It was handed to Aunt Xue, who setit a lunior maid at once to fetch Bao-chai.
只见书上写道：§带去银两做了衙门上、下使费。
and read it out as follows:With the money you sent we have squared the yamen officers.
哥哥在监，也不大吃苦，请太太放心。
Brother Pan is not being ill-treated in jail; don't worry.
独是这里的人很刁，尸亲见证都不依，连哥哥请的那个朋友也帮着他们。
Our problem is that the people here are being very awkward.
Neither the dead man's family nor the eyewitnesses will cooperate.
Even Pan's so-called friend - the one he invited to travel with him - is on their side.
我与李祥两个俱系生地生人，幸找着一个好先生，许他银子，才讨个主意，说是须得拉扯着同哥哥喝酒的吴良，弄人保出他来，许他银两，叫他撕掳。
I and Li Xiang are strangers here, but luckily we found a good pettifogger, and after his palm was greased he came up with a plan.
He advised us to get hold of Wu Liang who was drinking with Brother Pan and bail him out, then offer him money to enlist his help.
他若不依，便说张三是他打死，明推在异乡人身上。
If he wouldn't agree, we could say he was the one who killed Zhang San then laid the blame on an outsider.
他吃不住，就好办了。
If that scared him, then it should be easy to handle.