贾雉见凤姐如此打扮,亦发酥倒,因饧了眼问道:"二哥哥怎么还不回来?"
He became quite ecstatic at the sight of her informal dress. 'Why isn't Cousin Lian back yet?'he asked, staring with fascinated eyes.
凤姐道:"也未可知。
“Perhaps.Men are like that.Bewitched by every pretty face they see.”
男人家见一个爱一个,也是有的。
“Perhaps.Men are like that.Bewitched by every pretty face they see.”
”
“Perhaps.Men are like that.Bewitched by every pretty face they see.”
凤姐笑道:"像你这样的人,能有几个呢,十个里也挑不出一个来。”
“How many are there like you?”Not one in ten.”
贾瑞听了,喜的抓耳挠腮,又道:"嫂子,天天也闷的很?"
Tweaking his ears and rubbing his cheeks with delight, the young man insinuated, “You must be very bored here day in and day out.”
只因素日闻得人说,嫂子是个利害 人,在你跟前一点也错不得,所以唬住了。
True, there was a time when I should have been scared to come, because people always told me what a holy terror you were and how dangerous it was to cross you;
凤姐笑道:“果然你是个明白人,比蓉儿兄弟两个强远了。
'It's true then,' said Xi-feng, smiling delightedly.'You really are an understanding sort of person --- so much more so than Rong or Qiang!
我看他那样清秀,只当他们心里明白,谁知竟是两个糊涂虫,一点不知人心。”
I used to think that since they were such handsome and cultured-looking young men they must be understanding as well, but they turned out to be stupid brutes without the least consideration for other people's feelings.”
贾瑞听了这话,越发撞在心坎上,由不得又往前凑了一凑,覷着眼,看凤姐带的荷包,然后又问带着什么戒指。
Inflamed by this praise, he edged closer.Staring at the purse hanging from her girdle, he asked if he might look at her rings.
凤姐悄悄道:"放尊重着,别叫丫头们看见笑话。”
'Take care!”said Xi-feng in a low tone.'The servants might see you!”
凤姐又悄悄的道:"大天白日,人来人往,你就在这里也不方便。
'Even if you stay, it's not very convenient here in broad daylight, with people coming and going all the time.
你且去,等到晚上起了更你来,悄悄的在西边穿堂儿等我。”
Go away now and come hack later when it's dark, at the beginning of the first watch.You can slip into the gallery west of this apartment and wait for me there.”
但只那里人过的多,怎么好躲的?"
“How can I hide there with people passing back and forth all the time?”
凤姐道:“你只放心,我把上夜的小厮们都放了假,两边门一关,再没别人了。”
I'll dismiss all the pages on night duty.Once the gates on both sides are locked, no one can come through.”
贾瑞听了,喜之不尽,忙忙的告辞而去,心内以为得手。
Hardly able to contain himself for joy, the young man hurried off, convinced he would have his desire,
盼到晚上,果然黑地里摸人荣府,趁掩门时,钻人穿堂。
and longing for the evening.That night, sure enough, he groped his way to the Rong Mansion, slipping into the entrance hall just before the gates were bolted.
果见漆黑无一人来往,贾母那边去的门已倒锁了,只有向东的门未关。
It was pitch dark and not a soul was about.Already the gate to the Lady Dowager's quarters was locked, only the one on the east remaining open.
贾瑞側耳听着,半日不见人来,忽听"咯噔" 一声,东边的门也都关了。
Suddenly there was a loud slam and the gate at the east end, too, banged shut.
贾瑞急的也不敢则声,只得悄悄出来,将门撼了撼,关得铁捅一般,此时要出去亦不能了,南北俱是大墙,要跳也无攀援。
Alarmed, but not daring to make a sound, Jia Rui stealthily crept out and tried it.It was locked―as tight as a bucket.Now even if he wanted to get out he could not, for the walls on either side of the alley-way were too high to scale.
此时要求出去,亦不能够,南北皆是大房墙,要跳又无攀援。
Escape was out of the question, for the walls on either side were too high to climb.
这屋内又是过门风, 空落落;现是腊月天气,夜又长,朔风凛凛,侵肌裂骨,一 夜几乎不曾冻死。
and this was the midwinter season when the nights are long and the bitter north wind seems to pierce into the very marrow of the bones.By the end of the night he was almost dead with cold.
好容易盼到早晨,只见一个老婆子先将东门开了进来,去叫西门,贾瑞瞅他背着脸,一溜烟抱了肩跑出来。
At last dawn came and a matron appeared to open the east gate.As she went over to knock on the west gate
贾瑞瞅的老婆子背着脸,一溜烟抱着 肩跑了出来。
and was looking the other way, Jia Rui shot out like a streak of smoke, hugging his shoulders.