“阿阿，木公公！……”
“Well met, Grandad Mu!”
庄木三和他的女儿――爱姑――刚从木莲桥头跨下航船去，船里面就有许多声音一齐嗡的叫了起来，其中还有几个人捏着拳头打拱；同时，船旁的坐板也空出四人的坐位来了。
Setting off an explosion of voices, Zhuang Wood-three and his daughter Ai-girl had just clambered down into the boat as it made its stop at Magnolia Bridge.A few of the people behind the voices clasped both hands together, pumping them up and down inwith the present-day world.
庄木三一面招呼，一面就坐，将长烟管倚在船边；爱姑便坐在他左边，将两只钩刀样的脚正对着八三摆成一个“八”字。
Calling out greetings, Zhuang Musan sat down, leaning his long pipe against the side of the boat.Aigu sat on his left opposite Basan, her scythe-shaped feet fanning out to form a V.
“木公公上城去？”一个蟹壳脸的问。
“Going into town, Grandad Mu?” asked a man with a ruddy face like the shell of a crab.
“不上城，”木公公有些颓唐似的，但因为紫糖色脸上原有许多皱纹，所以倒也看不出什么大变化，“就是到庞庄去走一遭。”
“Not to town.”Grandad Mu sounded rather dispirited.
But his dark red face was so wrinkled in any case that he looked much the same as usual.“We're making a trip to Pang Village.”
合船都沉默了，只是看他们。
Silence fell over the boat, as every passenger turned to look at them.
“也还是为了爱姑的事么？”好一会，八三质问了。
'The old trouble, is it?' Basan eventually inquired.
……这真是烦死我了，已经闹了整三年，打过多少回架，说过多少回和，总是不落局……。”
Three years it's been going on now - it's driving me mad.
All those fights, all those meetings, nothing ever settled.
他给他们说和也不止一两回了，我都不依。
He's tried sorting this mess out a couple of times now, but I've never agreed to his terms.
这回是他家新年会亲，连城里的七大人也在……。”
all his relatives are gathered for the New Year - even Mr Qi, from town.
“他老人家也出来说话了么？
So Bigman Seven's gonna say his piece too!
其实呢，去年我们将他们的灶都拆掉了，〔２〕总算已经出了一口恶气。
As a matter of fact, since we pulled down their kitchen range last year we've had our revenge more or less.
况且爱姑回到那边去，其实呢，也没有什么味儿……。”
Besides, there's really no point in Aigu going back there.”
他于是顺下眼睛去。
He looked down at the floor.
“我倒并不贪图回到那边去，八三哥！”爱姑愤愤地昂起头，说，“我是赌气。
'I'm not going back for the fun of it!' Aigu tossed her head angrily. 'I'm going back because someone's got to pay.
你想，‘小畜生’姘上了小寡妇，就不要我，事情有这么容易的？
That pig of a husband of mine jumped into bed with that young widow, then threw me out of my own home - think I should just lie down and take it?
‘老畜生’只知道帮儿子，也不要我，好容易呀！
And then that old pig he calls a father sides right in with him and he wants to dump me too.
Fat chance!
七大人怎样？
What about Seventh Master?
难道和知县大老爷换帖〔３〕，就不说人话了么？
Just because he exchanges cards with the magistrate, does that mean he can't talk our language?
他不能像慰老爷似的不通，只说是‘走散好走散好’。
Whatever Bigman Seven is, ain't no way he can be as thick-skulled as Old Master Wei. 'The best thing would be to dissolve the marriage,' that's all Old Master Wei knows how to say!
我倒要对他说说我这几年的艰难，且看七大人说谁不错！”
Matter of fact, I'm glad of the chance to tell Bigman Seven exactly what I've been putting up with the last few years-see what he says about who's got the right of it!”
只有潺潺的船头激水声；船里很静寂。
The boat was very quiet, with no sound but the plash of water against the bow.
庄木三伸手去摸烟管，装上烟。
as Zhuang Wood-three reached out, took up his pipe, and filled the bowl.
斜对面，挨八三坐着的一个胖子便从肚兜里掏出一柄打火刀，打着火线，给他按在烟斗上。
Diagonally opposite him, a fat man next to Basan fished a flint out of his waist pocket, struck it against the tinder, and held it to the top of Musan's pipe.