因用上等人参二两，王夫人命人取时，翻寻了半日，只向小匣内寻了几枝簪挺粗细的。
Observing that the prescription for these pills included two ounces of the best quality ginseng, Lady Wang ordered her maids to get out her own supply.
After much rummaging they found a few pieces not much thicker than a large hairpin in one of the little medicine-boxes.
王夫人看了嫌不好，命再找去，又找了一大包须沫出来。
of such poor quality that she made them look again.Presently they came back with a packet of ginseng rootlets.
王夫人焦躁道:"用不着偏有，但用着了，再找不着。
‘When one doesn't need this stuff, there is always plenty of it,' said Lady Wang testily. ‘It is only when we want some that you can't find any.
成日家我说叫你们查一查，都归拢在一处，你们白不听，就随手混撂。
“Time and again I've told you to make sure to put things back in the right place, but you never listen, just dumping them anywhere.
于是宝钗去了，半日回来说:"巳遣人去，赶晚就有回信的。
Baochai came back some time later to report that someone had been sent, and they should have the ginseng that evening
明日一早去配也不迟。”
in time to prepare the medicine the next morning.
王夫人自是喜悦，因说道："‘卖油的娘子水梳头’自来家里有好的，不知给了人多少。
Lady Wang was greatly relieved. “This is like the proverb:‘The pomade-vendor uses water for her own hair,”' she sighed.
宝钗笑道：§"这东西虽然值钱，究竟不过是药，原该济众散人才是。
‘Although ginseng is so costly, it is only a medicine,'said Bao-chai consolingly. ‘As such it ought to be given away to others, so that its benefit may be spread as widely as possible.
咱们比不得那没见世面的人家，得了这个，就珍藏密敛的。”
People in our position cannot behave like ill-bred parvenus who hoard their ginseng like an heirloom and can only under the most exceptional circumstances be induced to part with any.”
一时宝钗去后，因见无别人在室，遂唤周瑞家的，问：“前日园中搜检的事情，可得下落？”
Baochai left then, and as no one else was about Lady Wang summoned Zhou Rui's wife to ask the result of their recent search of the Garden.
王夫人听了，虽惊且怒，却又作难，因思司棋系迎春之人，皆系那边的人，只得令人去回邢夫人。
When she had somewhat recovered from her surprise and begun thinking what to do, it occurred to her that, as Chess was Ying-chun's maid and therefore really a member of Lady Xing's establishment, it would first be necessary to acquaint Lady Xing with the facts before proceeding any further.
周瑞家的回道：“前日那边太太嗔着王善保家的多事，打了几个嘴巴子，如今他也装病在家，不肯出头了。
Zhou Rui's wife had her own ideas on the subject. ‘Lady Xing was so angry with Wang Shan-bao's wife for meddling that she boxed her ears and Wang Shan-bao's wife has kept at home ever since, pretending to be ill.
不如直把司棋带过去，一并连赃证与那边太太瞧了，不过打一顿配了人，再指个丫头来，岂不省事。
It would be best simply to take Chess and the things we found along to her and let her work it all out for herself.
Probably she'll give Chess a beating and have her married to one of the boys and pick another maid for Miss Ying and that will be the end of the matter.
如今白告诉去，那边太太再推三阻四的，又说‘既这样你太太就该料理，又来说什么’，岂不反耽搁了。
But if I just go along and tell her, without taking Chess or the things, she'll probably think up some excuse for doing nothing. “If your mistress has found this out,”she'll say, “why doesn't she deal with it herself?
Why do you come here asking me about it?”
如今看了两三天，人都有个偷懒的时候，倘一时不到，岂不倒弄出事来。”
The women who've been watching over her the last few days are liable to grow slack.Suppose they do, and something happens — what then?”
周瑞家的听了吩咐，会齐了那边几个媳妇，先到迎春房里，回迎春道："太太们说了，司棋大了，连日他娘求了太太，太太已赏了他娘配人，今日叫他出去，另挑好的给姑娘使。”
Thereupon Mrs. Zhou called together some of her colleagues and led them to Yingchun's compound.
She told Yingchun, “The mistress says Siqi has grown up and her mother keeps coming to ask to have her back, so Her Ladyship's giving her back to be married off.
She's to leave today.
Another good maid will be chosen to wait on you, miss.”
迎春听了，含泪似有不舍之意，因前夜已闻得别的丫鬟悄悄的说了原故，虽数年之情难舍，但事关风化，亦无可如何了。
Ying-chun listened with tears in her eyes while Zhou Rui's wife explained what she had come about, and it was evident that the idea of parting with Chess distressed her; on the other hand, as she had now heard something about the raid from the other maids and knew that this matter was connected in some way with morality, she felt that however painful the parting might be, there was probably nothing she could do to prevent it.
哄了我这两日，如今怎么连一句话也没了？”
All through these last few days you have allowed me to go on hoping, but now, when the time comes, you won't say a single word to help me!”
周瑞家的等说道："你还要姑娘留你不成？
Zhou Rui's wife demanded, “You don't expect the young lady to keep you, do you?”
便留下，你也难见园里的人了。
‘Even if she did, what would all the other people in the Garden say?
And how would you be able to look them in the face after what you have done?”
你们不知他的好处，用起来得多少换买来还不中使呢。”
You don't know the value of ginseng.When we need it we have to pay through the nose, and what's bought outside may not be efficacious.”
彩云只得又去找寻，拿了几包药材来，说：“我们不认的这个，请太太自看。
Suncloud had to go off and search some more.
She came back bearing several packets of herbs. ‘I don't know what is in these, Your Ladyship.
除了这个再没有了。”
If there isn't any ginseng in any of these, then we really haven't got any.”
王夫人打开看时，也都忘了，不知是什么东西，并没有一枝人参在内。
Lady Wang opened the packets.
She had no recollection of what they contained and could not identify the contents, but she could tell at a glance that none of them contained any ginseng.