话说贾政闻知贾母危急，即忙进去看视。
The cry that the Lady Dowager was dying made Jia Zheng speed over to see her.
见贾母惊吓气逆，王夫人、鸳鸯等唤醒回来，即用疏气安神的丸药服了，渐渐的好些，只是伤心落泪。
The shock of the day's events had finally taken its toll, and she was unconscious again and breathing fitfully.Lady Wang, with the help of Faithful and the other maids, eventually brought her round.
They persuaded her to swallow one of her combined dispersant and sedative boluses, which brought some slight relief.But she remained tearful and distraught.
贾政在旁劝慰，总说：“是儿子们不肖，招了祸来，累老太太受惊。
Jia Zheng stood by her side and tried to comfort her and rally her spirits:‘It is Brother She and I who have brought this misfortune on the family and caused you all this distress, Mother.
若老太太宽慰些，儿子们尚可在外料理；若是老太太有什么不自在，儿子们的罪孽更重了。”
Please try to take heart a little.We will do our utmost to set things to rights.
If you should suffer in any way, our burden of guilt will be unbearable!”
贾母道：“我活了八十多岁，自作女孩儿起，到你父亲手里，都托着祖宗的福，从没有听见过这些事。
‘I am over eighty now,' replied the old lady, ‘and ever since the day I came here as a girl and was married to your father, I have led a sheltered life.I have been blessed and protected by the family ancestors.
I've never even heard of such terrible goings-on as these.
倒不如合上眼随你们去罢了。”
I wish I could die and be done with worrying about you!"
贾政此时着急异常，又听外面说：“请老爷，内廷有信。”
Jia Zheng was at his wit's end when a servant outside announced a messenger from the court.
贾政急忙出来，见是北静王府长史，一见面便说：“大喜！”
He went out at once and saw that it was the Prince of Beijing's chamberlain. "Good news, sir!" were the chamberlain's first words.
贾政谢了，请长史坐下，请问：“王爷有何谕旨？”
Jia Zheng thanked him and offered him a seat. "What instructions has His Highness for me?”"he asked.
那长史道：“我们王爷同西平郡王进内复奏，将大人俱怕之心，感激天恩之语，都代奏过了。
"Our master and the Prince of Xiping reported to the Emperor your trepidation, sir, and your gratitude for His Majesty's magnanimity.
主上甚是悯恤，并念及贵妃溘逝未久，不忍加罪，着加恩仍在工部员外上行走。
His Majesty was most sympathetic, and mindful of the recent demise of Her Grace, he has resolved not to punish you, but instead to restore you to your former post as Under-Secretary at the Board of Works.
所封家产，惟将贾赦的入官，馀俱给还，并传旨令尽心供职。
Of the family property held under restraint, only that portion belonging to Sir She is to be confiscated.The rest will all be returned to you.
His Majesty urges you to resume your official duties with diligence.
惟抄出借券，令我们王爷查核。
‘The matter of the promissory notes will be investigated personally by my master.
如有违禁重利的，一概照例入官，其在定例生息的，同房地文书，尽行给还。
All those at usurious, illegal rates of inter est are to be confiscated according to regulations.
Those on which the standard rates are charged are to be returned to you, together with your title-deeds.
贾琏着革去职衔，免罪释放。”
Jia Lian is dismissed from his post, but will be released with-out further punishment."
贾政听毕，即起身叩谢天恩，又拜谢王爷恩典：“先请长史大人代为禀谢，明晨到阙谢恩，并到府里磕头。”
Jia Zheng rose from his seat and kowtowed in the appropriate direction for this act of Imperial clemency.He also bowed to the aide to express his profound gratitude for the prince's intervention on his behalf.‘Be so good as to convey my thanks to His Highness.Tomorrow I shall attend court in order to express my gratitude to His Majesty in person, and shall also present myself at His Highness's palace to make my kowtow.”
那长史去了。
The prince's aide took his leave.
少停，传出旨来，承办官遵旨一一查清，入官者入官，给还者给还。
Shortly afterwards a court official arrived to proclaim the Edict, followed by the officers entrusted with its execution, who supervised the proceedings scrupulously, confiscating only what had been specified, and restoring everything else to its owner.
可怜贾琏屋内东西，除将按例放出的文书发给外，其馀虽未尽入官的，早被查抄的人尽行抢去，所存者只有家伙物件。
Jia Lian's position was not to be envied.Some of the promissory notes and documents were returned, and none of his other property had been officially confiscated, but his apartment had been ransacked and nothing but the bare furniture had been left in place.
贾琏始则惧罪，后蒙释放，已是大幸，及想起历年积聚的东西并凤姐的体己，不下五七万金，一朝而尽，怎得不疼。
He had dreaded being punished and rejoiced at his release, but the loss overnight of all his savings as well as Xifeng's money seventy or eighty thousand taels at least was naturally galling;
且他父亲现禁在锦衣府，凤姐病在垂危，一时悲痛。
His father's imprisonment, Xi-feng's critical state of health: the strain was almost more than he could bear.
又见贾政含泪叫他，问道：“我因官事在身，不大理家，故叫你们夫妇总理家事。
And now he had to face Jia Zheng, who summoned him and berated him, barely suppressing a sob:‘I have, alas, been too busy of late with my official duties, and have paid insufficient attention to family matters.
I thought I could rely on you and your wife.
你父亲所为固难谏劝，那重利盘剥究竟是谁干的？
I can hardly remonstrate with your father for his misconduct; but this usury that has come to light - who in heaven's name is responsible for that?”
如今入了官，在银钱呢是不打紧的，这声名出去还了得吗？”
The documents have been confiscated, and both principal and interest are forfeit: but it's not the money, it's the appalling blow this will deal to our reputation!”