你倒不像跟二爷的人，这些混话倒像跟宝玉那边的。”
‘You are more like one of Bao-yu's boys than one of the Master's.”
尤二姐才要又问，忽见尤三姐笑问道："可是你们家那宝玉，除了上学，他作些什么？"
Before Second Sister could ask any other questions, Third Sister put in,”By the way, what does he do, that Baoyu of yours, apart from studying?”‘
我们家从祖宗直到二爷，谁不是学里的师老爷严严的管着念书？
Everyone in the family since his great-grandfather's time, including the Master, had to do their ten years in the family school; but not him.
老太太的宝贝，老爷先还管，如今可也不敢管了。
At first his father tried to discipline him, but he's long since given that up.
成天家疯疯癫癫的，说的话人也不懂，干的事人也不知。
“Baoyu carries on the whole time like a lunatic, talking in a way that no one understands, and what he gets up to goodness only knows.
所有的好处，虽没上过学，倒难为他认得几个字。
The only good thing about him is that though he's never been to a proper school he's managed to learn to read.
二人正说之间，只见三姐走来说道：“姐夫，你也不知道我们是什么人。
They were interrupted at this point by San-jie herself, who had evidently been listening to their conversation and chose this moment to come into the room. ‘Set your mind at rest, brother-in-law.
今日和你说罢，你只放心，我们不是那心口两样的人，说什么是什么。
I am not one of those people who say one thing and mean another; I really do mean what I say.
从今日起，我吃斋念佛，只服侍母亲，等他来了，嫁了他去，若一百年不来，我自己修行去了。”
Until then I'll fast, chant sutras and look after my mother while waiting for him to come and marry me, even if I have to wait a hundred years.
If he never comes, I'll go and become a nun.”
贾琏没了法，只得和二姐商议了一回家务，复回家与凤姐商议起身之事。
And after that she was, indeed, most correct in her speech and behaviour.
There was nothing Jia Lian could do.
Having discussed some family business with Second Sister, he went home to tell Xifeng about his trip,
一面着人问茗烟，茗烟说:"竟不知道，大约未来。
then sent to ask Mingyan whether Liu Xianglian had returned or not. “I don't know,”said Mingyan. “Probably not.
等生了儿子，自然是知道的。”
Otherwise I would have heard.”
至起身之日已近，前两天便说起身，却先往二姐儿这边来住两夜，从这里再悄悄的长行。
As the time for his departure approached he announced that he was leaving two days early, but in fact he spent two nights in Second Sister's place, starting his journey secretly from there.
果见小妹竟又换了一个人，又见二姐持家勤慎，自是不消记挂。
Er-jie, too, showed herself so careful and competent in her management of the little household that he could see there would be no need to worry about either of them while he was away.
是日，一早出城，竟奔平安州大道，晓行夜住，渴饮饥餐。
Jia Lian left the city early on the day of his departure and thereafter followed the main road to Ping-an, putting up at some staging-post or hostelry each night and making shorter stops for meals and refreshments during the day.
方走了三日，那日正走之间，顶头来了一群驮子，内中一伙，主仆十来骑马，走的近来一看，原来不是别人，竟是薛蟠、柳湘莲。
and he had been three days on the way when a caravan of pack-horses came towards him escorted by a dozen or so men on horseback.
As they drew near he saw to his astonishment that among them were Xue Pan and Liu Xianglian.
贾琏深为奇怪，忙伸马迎了上来，大家一齐相见，说些别后寒温，便栋个酒店歇下，叙谈叙谈。
At once he spurred his horse forward to meet them, and after exchanging the usual courtesies they chose an inn in which to rest and chat.
贾琏因笑道：“闹过之后，我们忙着请你两个和解，谁知柳二弟踪迹全无。
‘After your little incident last year, the rest of us were anxious to make it up between you, but young Liu seemed to have disappeared without a trace.
怎么你们两个今日倒在一处了？”
How come you're together today?”‘
薛蟠笑道：“天下竟有这样奇事：我和伙计贩了货物，自春天起身，往回里走，一路平安。
‘It's a very strange story,' said Xue Pan. ‘My boys and I finished selling our stuff off in the spring and we've been on our homeward journey ever since.
Everything was going quite smoothly until a couple of days ago.
谁知前日到了平安州界，遇一伙强盗，已将东西劫去。
Then just as we were approaching Ping-an,
不想柳二弟从那边来了，方把贼人赶散，夺回货物，还救了我们的性命。
But just at that very moment up pops young Xiang-lian out of nowhere, drives off the robbers, gets all our stuff back for us, and saves our lives.
我谢他又不受，所以我们结拜了生死弟兄，如今一路进京。
When he wouldn't accept anything for his help, we became sworn brothers and have been travelling together.
从此后，我们是亲弟亲兄一般。
From now on we shall be like real blood-brothers.