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香玉（人花生死戀）：聊齋故事係列四合一（原著-注釋-白話-英譯）
原文：
勞山下清宮*，耐冬*高二丈*，大數十圍*，牡丹高丈餘，花時璀璨似錦。
注釋：
1．下清宮:山東嶗山的道觀。2．耐冬：山茶。3．丈：中國的長度丈量單位。按十尺是一丈算，兩丈相當於二十尺。而三尺為一米，則二十尺，也就是兩丈，則相當於七米差一點。那麽，英譯中這棵山茶的高就是大約七米。4．圍：古代周長的計量單位。周長一尺為一圍，也有半尺為一圍之說。如按前者，數十圍，就是數十尺，而按十尺為一丈來算，這棵山茶樹幹周長數丈。一丈為十尺，相當於三米多，那麽數丈，就是數個三米多，如果是五丈，那就是五十尺，三尺為一米，大概的周長不妨按這個數來翻譯，就算十五六米吧。這個數字似乎有點離譜。不過也別在意，這不是一個神話故事嗎？
加注：
蒲鬆齡曾到過嶗山下清宮，住在三官殿東廂房，看到院中一棵花團錦簇的山茶，靈感油然而生，寫下了膾炙人口的《香玉》。下文中提到的花神“絳雪”就是這株山茶的化身。蒲鬆齡寫作《香玉》的背景據說是：一天晚上他正在看書，忽然覺得一股香味撲鼻而來，朦朧中，發現窗外一女子的身影一閃而過，起身推門一看，沒見著人影，隻有滿院香氣襲人。這一夜，蒲鬆齡怎麽也睡不著，恍如夢中，隻見上清宮的牡丹仙子和院子裏的耐冬仙子來訪，求他為他們立傳，於是這株山茶便成了流傳至今的花神“絳雪”，時至今日，嶗山還設有一名為“絳雪”的旅遊景點。其實，絳為紫色，雪為白色，一紫一白構成奇特景致，因此作者便把花神稱為“絳雪”。而香玉，其實是牡丹的一種，株壯花碩，為白色，在皎潔的月光之下，冰清玉潔，越發顯得高潔脫俗。
白話：
勞山有座道觀叫下清宮，觀內有一棵山茶，高兩丈，粗數十圍，牡丹則高一丈多，花開時豔麗似錦，盡態極妍。
英譯：
There was a Taoist temple named Xiaqing Palace in Mt. Lao. A gigantic camellia there was about seven meters high with a perimieter of about fifteen meters,while the peonies, more than three meters high, were especially eye-catching when bursting into flower, bright and colorful.
原文：
膠州黃生舍讀*其中。一日自窗中見女郎，素衣掩映花間。心疑觀中焉得此，趨出已遁去。自此屢見之。遂隱身叢樹中以伺其至。未幾，女郎又偕一紅裳者來，遙望之，豔麗雙絕。行漸近，紅裳者卻退，曰：“此處有生人！”生暴起。二女驚奔，袖裙飄拂，香風洋溢，追過短牆，寂然已杳，愛慕彌切，因題句樹下雲：“無限相思苦，含情對短缸*。恐歸沙吒利*，何處覓無雙？*”歸齋冥思。女郎忽入，驚喜承迎。女笑曰：“君洶洶似強寇，令人恐怖；不知君乃騷雅士，無妨相見。”生略叩生平，曰：“妾小字香玉，隸籍平康巷*。被道士閉置山中，實非所願。”生問：“道士何名？當為卿一滌此垢。”女曰：“不必，彼亦未敢相逼。借此與風流士長作幽會，亦佳。”問：“紅衣者誰？”曰：“此名絳雪，乃妾義姊。”遂相狎。及醒，曙色已紅。女急起，曰：“貪歡忘曉矣。”著衣易履，且曰：“妾酬君作，勿笑：‘良夜更易盡，朝暾*已上窗。願如梁上燕，棲處自成雙。’“生握腕曰：“卿秀外惠中*，令人愛而忘死。顧一日之去，如千裏之別。卿乘間當來，勿待夜也。”女諾之。由此夙夜必偕。每使邀絳雪來，輒不至，生以為恨。女曰：“絳姐性殊落落*，不似妾情癡也。當從容勸駕*，不必過急。
注釋：
1．舍讀：住在某處讀書。2．短缸：短燈。缸，應該是“釭”，讀“缸”，燈座短的燈叫“釭”。3．恐歸：這聯詩的意思是：唯恐心上人被別人搶走，從而無處尋覓。詩句中有兩個傳奇人物，一是沙吒利，二是無雙。沙吒利，唐代番將，即外族將領的名字。據唐人《柳氏傳》記載，韓翊（讀“義”）與柳氏相戀。安史之亂時，柳氏被番將沙吒利掠走，後在虞侯許俊幫助之下，二人終得團圓。無雙，即劉無雙。據唐人薛調《無雙傳》記載，無雙與王仙客早有婚約，但因政治動亂，被收入宮中。王仙客在俠客古押衙的幫助之下，設計從宮中救出無雙。4．隸籍平康巷：戶籍隸屬平康巷。平康巷，泛指妓院。唐代長安丹鳳街有平康坊，也稱平康裏，是妓女的聚居區，後人因此將平康巷作為妓院的代稱，等同“青樓”。5．相逼：接近，靠近。6．酬：以詩文應和。“和”，應對，讀“賀”。7．朝暾：即朝陽。暾，初升的太陽，讀“吞”。8．秀外惠中：外貌秀麗，內心聰慧，即表裏皆美。惠，與“慧”通用。9．夙夜必偕：日夜不離。夙，早，讀“訴”。偕，在一起，讀“斜”。另如，偕同，和別人在一起（前往某地）；偕夫人，和夫人一起（前往某處參觀等）。10．殊落落：特別孤高不凡。11．勸駕：勸某人駕臨。駕臨，對某人到來的敬語。
白話：
膠州的黃生住在道觀裏讀書。一天，見窗外有一名女郎，身穿素淨的衣服，掩映在花叢之中。黃生心裏疑惑，道觀中怎麽能有這樣的美人，急忙走出去，可是女郎早已消失得無影無蹤。從此之後經常看到她。於是就隱蔽在樹叢中，等著她來。不久，女郎又帶來一名紅裳女子，遠遠望去，兩人都豔麗無比。漸漸走近時，紅衣女郎直往後退，說：“這裏有生人！”黃生突然站起來。兩名女子驚慌失措地跑著躲開，衣袖長裙隨風飄舞，香風迎麵撲來。黃生追過短牆，卻已靜寂無聲，於是對她們越發地愛慕起來，因此在樹上題寫詩句：“無限相思苦，含情對短缸。恐歸沙吒利，何處覓無雙？”回到書齋冥思苦想。女郎忽然進來，黃生立即驚喜地上前迎接。女郎笑著說：“你氣勢洶洶好像盜賊，令人恐怖；真不知你原來還是一名儒雅的斯文郎，見見你倒也無妨。” 黃生略微詢問一下女郎的生平，她說：“我的字叫香玉，委身青樓。被道士關在山中，實在不是心甘情願。”黃生問：“道士叫什麽名字？我應當為你洗淨這一恥辱。”女郎說：“不必了，他也沒敢逼迫我。再說借此機會與風流人士長期幽會，倒也不錯。”黃生問：“穿紅衣服的是誰？” 女郎說：“她名叫絳雪，是我的幹姐姐。” 於是就與她互相嬉戲調情。等到醒來時，天色已經泛紅。女郎急忙起床，說：“貪圖歡樂連天亮都忘記了。” 連忙穿衣換鞋，而且還說：“我和你一首詩，可別笑話：‘良夜更易盡，朝暾已上窗。願如梁上燕，棲處自成雙。’”黃生握著她的手腕說：“你真是外貌美麗，心裏聰明，讓人愛到忘死的程度。所以你離開一天，就如同分別一千裏。你要抽空常來，不要非等到黑夜。” 女郎答應了他。從此日夜廝守，總不分離。每次都叫她去邀請絳雪，可她就是不到，黃生以為紅衣女子恨他。女郎說：“絳雪姐特別孤高不凡，不像我這麽癡情。應當慢慢勸她來，不必過急。
英譯：
Huang, a scholar of Jiaozhou County, temporarily stayed and studied there. One day, through the window, he saw a girl in white appear among the peonies every now and then. Doubting whether it was only his optical illusion, he was going to have a look. But the girl had already vanished when he walked out.
From then on, Huang saw the girl frequently. One evening, he hid himself among the bushes waiting for her.
Shortly, the girl came together with another one in red. Even far off, he could see clearly that the girl in red was extremely beautiful. Coming near, the girl in red suddenly halted.
“Here’s a stranger!” she cried.
Huang stood up abruptly. Panic-stricken, the girls ran away with their long sleeves flying in fragrant wind. Climbing over the wall, he found they’d already disappeared.
On a big tree expressing admiration for them, Huang wrote a poem reading as follows:
Suffer serious lovesickness bitterly,
Stare the short lamp with a deep affection;
Fear lover will be kidnapped suddenly,
And maybe no where to be found again.
Back in his room, he was still buried in thought. The girl suddenly came in. He was so excited that he sprang to his feet immediately and greeted her cordially.
“You look ferocious like a bandit and scare me,” said the girl. “I don’t know you’re a gentleman.” She said continuously. “Now that you’re not a bad guy, there’s no harm to meet you.”
Huang asked her something about her life.
“My name is Fragrant Jade.” She said. “I’m shut here by the Taoist. I can do nothing but give in.”
“What’s the name of the Taoist?” he asked. “I’m willing to help you wipe out an disgrace.”
“Unnecessary,” Fragrant Jade said. “He didn’t dare to force me to do anything. It’s not so bad for me to take this opportunity to meet a gentleman frequently and secretly.”
“Who is the girl in red?” asked Huang.
“She’s Red Snow,” said the girl. “We’re sworn sisters.”
The two then lay in his bed. When waking up, it was already daybreak. Getting up abruptly, Fragrant Jade said, “I’v indulged myself in happiness so deeply that I’ve forgotten daybreak.” While putting on her address and changing shoes, she said, “I’d like to respond you with a poem. Please don’t laugh at me. The poem reads:
Time flies like an arrow on a nice night,
Morning sun shines window with golden light;
Hope we’re like swallows on the house beam,
Who live in pairs for ever with delight.
On hearing her poem, Huang said, “You’re really elegant outside and clever inside. It makes me love you so much that I can even forget death. I feel a thousand-mile separation though parting with you only one day. Please try to find time to come here frequently later on and stay overnight.” The girl pomised.
From then on, Fragrant Jade came every night. But whenever he invited Red Snow, she would refused. Huang thought maybe that girl didn’t like him.
“My sister is aloof and proud like a lone flower appreciating its own beauty and fragrance. She’s quite different with me and doesn’t have wild and foolish love,” said Fragrant Jade. “We’d better persuade her patiently. It’s unnecessary to act too hastily.”
原文：
一夕，女慘然入曰：“君隴不能守，尚望蜀耶？*今長別矣。”問：“何之？*”以袖拭淚，曰：“此有定數*，難為君言。昔日佳作，今成讖語*矣。‘佳人已屬沙吒利，義士今無古押衙*’，可為妾詠。詰之不言，但有嗚咽。竟夜不眠，早旦而去。生怪之。次日有即墨藍氏*，入宮遊矚，見白牡丹，悅之，掘移徑去。生始悟香玉乃花妖也，悵惋不已。過數日聞藍氏移花至家，日就萎悴。恨極，作《哭花》詩五十首，日日臨穴*涕洟*。一日憑吊方返，遙見紅衣人揮涕穴側。從容近就，女亦不避。生因把袂*，相向汍瀾*。已而挽請入室，女亦從之。歎曰：“童稚姊妹，一朝斷絕！聞君哀傷，彌增妾慟。淚墮九泉，或當感誠再作*；然死者神氣已散，倉卒何能與吾兩人共談笑也。”生曰：“小生薄命，妨害情人，當亦無福可消雙美。曩頻煩香玉，道達微忱*，胡再不臨？”女曰：“妾以年少書生，什九*薄幸*；不知君固至情人*也。然妾與君交，以情不以淫。若晝夜狎昵，則妾所不能矣。”言已告別。生曰：“香玉長離，使人寢食俱廢。賴卿少留，慰此懷思，何決絕如此！”女乃止，過宿而去。數日不複至。冷雨幽窗，苦懷香玉，輾轉床頭，淚凝枕席。攬衣更起，挑燈複踵前韻*曰：“山院黃昏雨，垂簾坐小窗。相思人不見，中夜淚雙雙。”詩成自吟。忽窗外有人曰：“作者不可無和*。”聽之，絳雪也。啟戶內*之。女視詩，即續其後曰：“連袂人*何處？孤燈照晚窗。空山人一個，對影自成雙。”生讀之淚下，因怨相見之疏。女曰：“妾不能如香玉之熱，但可少慰君寂寞耳。”生欲與狎。曰：“相見之歡，何必在此。”於是至無聊時，女輒一至。至則宴飲唱酬*，有時不寢遂去，生亦聽之。謂曰：“香玉吾愛妻，絳雪吾良友也。”每欲相問：“卿是院中第幾株？乞早見示，仆將抱植家中，免似香玉被惡人奪去，貽恨*百年。”女曰：“故土難移，告君亦無益也。妻尚不能終從，況友乎！”生不聽，捉臂而出，每至牡丹下，輒問：“此是卿否？”女不言，掩口笑之。
注釋：
1．君隴：這兩句詩的意思是，連我都保不住，還指望得到絳雪嗎？詩中用的是“得隴望蜀”這一典故，語出《後漢書。岑彭傳》：“人苦不知足，既平隴，複望蜀。”2．何之：到哪裏去。之，動詞，去，望。何，哪裏。本來語序因該是“之何”，但賓語“何”是（疑問）代詞，按古漢語語法，在問句或否定句中，代詞應置於謂語動詞之前。3．定數：命中注定。4．讖語：語言吉凶的話。讖，讀“趁”。本文指被應驗的凶言。5．古押衙：設計救劉無雙的人。這裏指設計救人者。見前“無雙”的注釋。古，姓。押衙，官名，掌管皇帝儀仗並擔任侍衛。6．即墨藍氏：即墨縣姓藍的人。即墨，縣名，在今青島市東北部。7．穴：指把花挖走後留下的大坑。8．涕洟：（流）鼻涕。洟，音義皆同“涕”。9．袂：袖子，讀“妹”。10．汍瀾：流淚。汍，讀“玩”。11．再作：再生。12．忱：情誼。熱忱，熱情。13．什九：十之八九。14．薄幸：薄情，負心。15．至情人：極其重視情感的人。16．複踵前韻：依照前詩的韻腳。17．和：讀“賀”，和詩。和他人之詩，而用其韻。18．內：音與義皆通“納”，接納。19．．連袂人：伴侶。20．唱酬，用詩互相贈答。21．貽恨：遺留下仇恨。貽，音義皆與“遺”。
白話：
一天夜裏，女郎神情淒涼地進來說：“你連我都不能守住，還指望她嗎？今天就長久分手吧。”黃生問：“到哪裏去？”女郎一邊用衣袖擦淚，一邊說：“這是命中注定的，很難對你說清。那天你的佳作，今天變成讖語啦。‘佳人已屬沙吒利，義士今無古押衙’，這可真是為我吟誦的。黃生問她，她卻一言不發，隻是嗚咽哭泣。整夜都沒睡著，早晨天一亮她就走了。黃生感到奇怪。第二天有個即墨縣姓藍的人到下清宮遊覽，見到白牡丹，非常喜歡，掘出來就拿走了。黃生這才恍然大悟，原來香玉是花神，於是非常鬱悶惋惜。過幾天聽說姓藍的把花移栽到他家，當天就枯萎死掉了。悲恨至極，就作《哭花》詩五十首，天天到坑邊痛哭流涕。一天，黃生憑吊剛剛返回，遠遠看見紅衣女子在土坑旁邊痛哭流涕。他不慌不忙地走上前去，她也不回避。黃生趁勢抓住她的衣袖，相對淚流滿麵。隨後他攙扶著請她進屋，她也欣然聽從。女子歎息說：“從小一起長大的姐妹，一早晨的時間就斷然分離了！聽到你這麽哀傷，更增添了我的悲痛。你的淚水落入九泉，或許應當感動牡丹；然而死者的神氣已經散盡，你這樣倉促行事，怎麽能和我們兩人一起談笑呢？”黃生說：“小生命太薄，連自己的情人都傷害了，應當也沒有和兩位美人同時交往的豔福。從前屢次麻煩香玉，讓過來熱情地噓寒問暖，她怎麽再也不來了呢？”女子說：“我以為你一個年輕的書生，十之八九會薄情；可不知你原來還是一個極重情誼的性情中人。但我和你交往，是以情感相交，而不是以淫亂相交。如果日夜在一起粘粘乎乎，我可辦不到。”說完話她就告辭了。黃生說：“香玉長久離開，令我廢寢忘食。我還仰賴你能在這裏小住，以慰藉我對她的思念之心，你辦事為什麽這樣絕！”聞聽此言，女子這才留下來，住一宿才走。此後好幾天都沒來。冷雨幽窗，黃生苦苦懷念香玉，躺在床上輾轉反側，淚水灑在枕席上。於是攬衣起床，坐在燈下，依照以前的詩韻念道：“山院黃昏雨，垂簾坐小窗。相思人不見，中夜淚雙雙。”詩寫成後自對自地吟誦起來。忽然窗外有人說：“有人作詩，不能沒有人和。”一聽，原來是絳雪。黃生連忙開門請她進屋。女子看到詩後，隨即接續著道：“聯袂人何處？孤燈照晚窗。空山人一個，對影自成雙。”黃生讀後落下淚來，因此怪女子和他見麵的次數太少。女子說：“我不能像香玉那樣熱乎，但也可以稍微緩解一下你的寂寞。”黃生想和她親熱。女子說：“相見的歡樂，何必以這種方式來表達。”於是每當無聊時，女子就來一次。來到就和黃生一起設宴，邊飲邊用詩互相贈答，女子有時不睡覺就離開，黃生也隨她的便。他對人說：“香玉是我的愛妻，絳雪是我的良友。”每次一想問：“你是院中第幾棵？請早點讓我見識見識，然後把它抱到家中栽上，免得像香玉那樣被惡人奪去遺恨百年。”女子說：“故土難移，告訴你也沒有好處。妻子尚且不能始終如一，何況友人呢！”黃生不聽，抓起她的胳臂就往外走，每到牡丹花前，就問：“這是你嗎？”女子不說話，隻是捂著嘴笑。
英譯：
One evening, Fragrant Jade came sadly.
“You’re even unable to safeguard me. Let alone Red Snow,” said she. “I come here only for a long separation from you.”
“Where to go?” Huang asked.
“We’re doomed to separate from each other,” she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “You previous master piece has become a mysterious code which has made disaster come true. There is an ancient poem with two sentences reading:
The nice sweetheart has belonged to others,
No hero can save her from disasters.
Huang asked her about the details. But she only sobbed without saying anything. Worse of all, she couldn’t fall asleep all night. She left very early next morning. Huang felt quite curious.
Next day, a higher official came here making a tour of the temple. Catching sight of the white peony, he was very happy and uprooted it and took it away. Only after seeing this did he realize Fragrant Jade was a flower goddess. This made him suffer great mental agony.
A few days later, Huang learnt the white peony died on the very day it was transplanted in the garden of the higher official. With a deep hatred, he wrote fifty poems mourning over the death of the white peony and read them every day in front of the pit which was left after the white peony was uprooted.
One day, back into his room after his everyday mourning, Huang found a girl in red was weeping beside the pit. He readily stepped up but she didn’t evade him. Tears in eyes, he grasped her dress and asked her to go into his room. She didn’t refuse.
“My young sister was too simple and unaffected. She died before she knew it!” said the girl in red. “I felt much more sorrowful when I heard you sobbing. Your tears have already seeped into the nether world. This may be able to help my sister revive. But I think she has completely lost her vitality. How can she come here to have a talk with us?”
“I don’t have good luck so I can’t enjoy the happiness of being accompanied by two beautiful girls,” said Huang. “Fragrant Jade came here frequently before so I could reveal all my innermost feelings to her. But she doesn’t come again. Why?”
“I thought scholars like you were mostly lack of true feelings. I really didn’t realize that you should be so rich in feeling,” she said. “Yet I lay stress on friendship but not sex. So I cannot stay here day and night and keep an ambiguous relation with you.”
Finishing her words, she wanted to leave.
“Fragrant Jade has left for so long a time. I feel uneasy even when eating and sleeping,” he said. “I hope you can stay for a while so as I can stop thinking of Fragrant Jade all the time.”
Hearing his words, the girl stayed overnight and then left. But she didn’t appear for several days.
Cold rain dripping outside the silent window, Huang deeply missed Fragrant Jade and couldn’t fall asleep with tears wetting his pillow. Putting on clothes and getting up, he composed a new poem:
T’s raining at dusk in the mountain compound;
Sitting at the window with curtain down,
Suffering from lovesickness, no one in sight,
He’s in a flood of tears throughout the night.
Huang read it again and again. Suddenly he heard someone saying outside the window, “You’re composing poems. But how is it there is no one to respond you?”
Listening carefully, he realized it was Red Snow. Opening the door, she led her in. After reading his poem, she composed one too:
Where ’s my beloved sweetheart for the time being?
A lone night lamp shines over window.
On empty mount’n only one man sighing,
In pair I’m sitting with my own shadow.
Reading her poem, he was chocked with tears and complained of her indifference to him.
“I can’t treat you as cordially as Fragrant Jade. But I can still comfort you a little bit,” she said.
Huang wanted to do something intimate. But she didn’t agree.
“We’re very happy to meet each other. That’s enough. What’s the need to do that sort of things?”
Whenever he felt bored, Red Snow would come. What they did included eating, drinking, singing or poem-composing. Sometimes she left without staying overnight. Huang let her do whater she liked in her own way.
“Fragrant Jade is my wife. Red Snow is my friend,” he used to say like this.
Sometimes, Huang asked Red Snow, “Which one is you? Please tell me as soon as possible so that I can transplant you into my garden lest the evil doers should take you away like Fragrant Jade.”
“It’s hard for me to leave my native place,” said Red Snow. “And it’s no use to tell you the details. You can’t even save your wife, let alone a friend.”
Huang didn’t listen to her and dragged her out. Facing a certain peony, he usually asked, “It’s you?”
Covering her mouth with one hand, Red Snow only smiled without saying anything.
原文：
旋*生以臘*歸過歲。至二月間，忽夢絳雪至，愀然曰：“妾有大難！君急往尚得相見；遲無及矣。”醒而異之，急命仆馬，星馳至山。則道士將建屋，有一耐冬，礙其營造，工師將縱斤*矣。生急止之。入夜，絳雪來謝。生笑曰：“向不實告，宜遭此厄！今已知卿；如卿不至，當以炷艾*相炙。”女曰：“妾固知君如此，曩故不敢相告也。”坐移時，生曰：“今對良友，益思豔妻。久不哭香玉，卿能從我哭乎？”二人乃往，臨穴灑涕。更*餘，絳雪收淚勸止。又數夕，生方寂坐，絳雪笑入曰：“報君喜信：花神感君至情，俾*香玉複降宮中。”生問：“何時？”答曰：“不知，約不遠耳。”天明下榻，生囑曰：“仆為卿來。勿長使人孤寂。”女笑諾。兩夜不至。生往抱樹，搖動撫摩，頻喚無聲。乃返，對燈團艾，將往灼樹。女遽入，奪艾棄之，曰：“君惡作劇，使人創痏*，當與君絕矣！”生笑擁之。坐未定，香玉盈盈而入。生望見，泣下流離，急起把握香玉。以一手握絳雪，相對悲哽。及坐，生把之覺虛，如手自握，驚問之，香玉泫然曰：“昔，妾花之神，故凝；今，妾花之鬼，故散也。今雖相聚，勿以為真，但作夢寐觀可耳。”絳雪曰：“妹來大好！我被汝家男子糾纏死矣。”遂去。
注釋：
1．旋：立即，不久。2．臘：臘月。3．愀然：深色凝重或不快。愀，讀“巧”。4．斤：斧頭。5．炷艾：點燃艾絨球。炷，點，讀“住”。艾，即艾蒿，可入藥。把艾葉曬幹搗碎，團成絨球，針灸時點燃可以配合薰烤經絡穴位。6．更：舊時一夜分五更天。一更大約兩小時。更，讀“耕”。7．俾：使，讀“比”。8．創痏：創傷導致的疤痕。痏，瘡；傷口。讀“偉”。9．泫然：傷心落淚。
白話：
不久，黃生因為臘月來臨就回老家過年去了。到二月間，忽然夢見絳雪到來，她神色嚴肅地說：“我有大難！你趕緊去還能相見；晚了就來不及了。”醒來後感到很奇怪，就急忙叫仆人備馬，火速趕到山中。原來道士要蓋房，有一棵山茶，影響施工，工程人員要用斧頭砍掉。黃生急忙攔住了。夜間，絳雪來表示感謝。黃生笑著說：“從前你不實話告訴我，應該遭此厄運！今天我已經知道你了；如果你不到，我就點艾薰。”女子說：“我早就知道你會如此，所以從前我才不敢告訴你。”坐了一會兒，黃生說：“今天麵對良友，更加思念豔妻。好久沒去哭香玉了，你能跟我去哭她嗎？”二人於是前往庭院，在土坑邊涕淚縱橫。過了一更多的時間，絳雪擦幹淚水勸黃生停止哭泣。又過幾夜，黃生剛靜靜地坐下，絳雪笑著走進屋說：“給你報個喜信：花神被你真摯的感情所感動，讓香玉再次降臨宮中。”黃生問：“什麽時候？”女子答道：“不知道，大概日子不遠了。”天亮下床，黃生囑咐說：“我這次是為你而來。不要長期讓我孤獨寂寞。”女子笑著答應了。兩夜不到。黃生就到庭院去抱樹，邊搖動邊撫摩，頻頻呼喚可是沒有回聲。於是返回去，對著燈點燃團艾，想拿去薰樹。女子突然進來，奪過艾團扔掉，說：“你搞惡作劇，讓人大吃薰烤之苦，應該和你斷絕來往！”黃生笑著將她擁抱起來。可還沒坐定，香玉飄然而入。黃生望見，涕泗橫流，急起握住香玉的手。另一隻手握住絳雪，相對悲傷哭泣。等到坐下來，黃生握著香玉覺得十分空虛，好像在握自己的手，於是吃驚地問她，香玉淚流滿麵地說：“從前，我是花之神，所以實在；今天，我是花之鬼，所以空虛。現在雖然相聚，那你也別當真，隻把這當成作夢來看就可以了。”絳雪說：“妹妹一來實在太好啦！我可被你的男人糾纏死了。”說完她就離開了。
英譯：
During Spring Festival, Huang went back to his native place and stayed with his family. One night in February, he dreamt Red Snow came to see him.
“I’m facing with imminent disaster,” she said sadly. “If you come right away, we still have an opportunity to meet the last time. Or we’ll never meet again.”
Waking up, he felt very curious and asked his servants to make a quick preparation for departure. Back to the temple, he found that the Taoist was going to build a new house and the evergreen tree had to be chopped down because it hindered their work. Huang firmly stopped them from doing so.
At night, Red Snow came to thank him and told him that the evergreen tree was the protector of the peonies. On hearing her words, Huang suddenly remembered that Fragrant Jade had already told him something about the evergreen tree. She said that if he missed her he could light a worm-wood and then use the lighted wormwood to smoke the evergreen tree. Then she would appear immediately.
“You ought to meet this misfortune, because you didn’t tell me the truth,” smiled Huang. “It’s lucky you’ve come. Otherwise, I’ll smoke the evergreen tree.”
“I know you’ll do it,” said she, “so I didn’t dare to tell you about it.”
Sitting for a while, Huang said, “Facing you, my good friend, I miss my beautiful wife. I haven’t cried over her death for a long time. Would you please accompany me to cry?”
They came to the pit and cried sadly. Some time later, Red Snow dissuaded him from crying continuously.
A few days later, Red Snow came again shortly after his sitting down silently.
She said smilingly, “I come here just to report good news. The flower goddess was moved by your deep feelings. She allows Fragrant Jade to come here.”
“When?” he asked.
“Don’t know. But very soon, I think.”
At dawn, they got up. He said to her, “It’s just for you that I come back from my native place. Don’t let me feel lonely, please.”
Red Snow made him a promise. But she didn’t come over in the next two nights. Huang went to the evergreen tree. He encircled it with his arms, shook it, and caressed it. He cried and cried. But there was no echo at all. He came back into his room and lighted a worm-wood. Just at the moment he wanted to go out to smoke the evergreen tree, Red Snow suddenly came in and snatched over the worm-wood.
“What mischief are you up to?” she asked. “If you hurt me, I’ll cut off all relations with you forever!”
Huang smilingly hugged her. But Fragrant Jade drifted in before they could sit still.
Chocked with tears on seeing her, Huang stood up and hugged her at once. With one hand grasping Red Snow, Fragrant Jade faced Huang sweeping sorrowfully.
Sitting down, Huang firmly grasped her hands but he felt strange as if holding nothing at all.
To be asked, she replied, “Before, I was a flower goddess. But now, a flower ghost. So you’d better consider our meeting as something non-existing. Just treat it as a dream.”
Hearing her words, Red Snow joked, “It’s good for you to come. I have been deadly harassed by your man.”
After saying this, Red Snow left.
原文：
香玉款*笑如前；但偎傍之間，仿佛以身就影。生悒悒不樂。香玉亦俯仰自恨，乃曰：“君以白蘞*屑*，少雜硫黃，日酹*妾一杯水，明年此日報君恩。”別去。明日往觀故處，則牡丹萌生矣。生乃日加培植，又作雕欄以護之。香玉來，感激倍至。生謀移植其家，女不可，曰：“妾弱質，不堪複戕*。且物生各有定處，妾來原不擬生君家，違之反促年壽。但相憐愛，合好自有日耳。”生恨絳雪不至。香玉曰：“必欲強之使來，妾能致之。”乃與生挑燈至樹下，取草一莖，布掌作度*，以度樹本，自下而上至四尺六寸，按其處，使生以兩爪齊搔之。俄見絳雪從背後出，笑罵曰：“婢子來，助桀為虐耶！”牽挽並入。香玉曰：“姊勿怪！暫煩陪侍郎君，一年後不相擾矣。”從此遂以為常。
注釋：
1．款：誠懇。另如“款待”，熱情接待。2．白蘞屑：白蘞的碎末。白蘞，中草藥名。蘞，讀“臉”。屑，碎末，讀“謝”。據《群芳譜》記載，牡丹有兩種栽種法。一是播種，二是插條。前者，則需用白蘞的碎末拌種，後者則需用少量硫磺塗抹枝條破口。3．酹：把酒灑在地上祭奠死者。酹，讀“淚”。4．戕：傷害。讀“槍”。此處指用斧頭砍下來移栽。5．布掌作度：用手掌衡量長度。6．助桀為虐：幫壞人做壞事。也作“助紂為虐”。桀和紂，夏代末期的暴君。
白話：
香玉熱情的笑容還像從前一樣；但和她互相依偎，仿佛用身體接近影子。黃生悶悶不樂。香玉也坐立不安自感慚愧，於是就說：“你用白蘞的碎末，再摻一點硫黃泡水，每天日給我灑一杯水，明年的今天我就能報答你的恩情了。”香玉說完就分別了。第二天黃生到道觀裏原來的地方一看，牡丹萌芽了。黃生就每天精心培植，還做雕欄保護起來。香玉來到，非常感激。黃生想把牡丹移植到他家，女子不答應，說：“我體質柔弱，再遭斧砍我可受不了。再說什麽東西該生長在哪裏，各有一定的地方，我本來就不適合生長在你家，違反這一條反而會讓我短命。隻管相憐相愛，自然會有團聚的好日子。”黃生埋怨絳雪不到。香玉說：“如果你非想強迫她來，我能讓她來。”於是就和黃生一起，舉著燈來到樹下，拿一根草，用手掌筆劃著，量樹幹，從下而上到四尺六寸的地方，用手按住，讓黃生用兩手一齊抓撓。不一會兒，絳雪從背後出現了，笑著罵道：“你這丫頭，來這裏助桀為虐呀！”於是和香玉手挽手一起走進屋內。香玉說：“姐姐別怪！暫時麻煩你陪侍我的郎君，一年後就不會再打擾了。”從此以後互相往來還和平常一樣。
英譯：
Fragrant Jade spoke and smiled as ever before. But Huang still felt she was like a shadow whenever touching her. He was very unhappy. Fragrant Jade felt much ashamed for this.
“Put some sulphide into clear water and give me a cup of it everyday. This day next year, I’ll come to repay you for your kindness.”
Fragrant Jade went away.
Next day, Huang went to the garden to have a look and surprisingly found the peony revived. From then on he took pains to cultivate the peony and also made a surrounding railing to protect it. When Fragrant Jade came, he expressed his heartfelt thanks to her.
Huang was going to transplant the peony in his home. But she didn’t agree with him.
“I’m too weak to bear harms anymore. Besides, all things have their own fixed places to live. I’m not suitable to live in your home. If you do exactly the opposite, my life will be shortened.”
Huang was afraid that Red Snow wouldn’t come again.
“We can let her come only by forcing her,” she said. “I can do it.”
With a lantern in her hand, Fragrant Jade led him to the evergreen tree and then picked up a straw. She measured the straw with her palm and then used the straw to measure the trunk, from below to above, and finally pressed the place four and half inches high. She asked Huang to scratch the bark. Shortly, they found Red Snow come from behind them.
Red Snow smilingly cursed Fragrant Jade, “I asked you to come here only for helping a bad egg to do evil?”
Huang brought them into his room.
“Don’t blame me, sister.” Fragrant Jade said. “I just want you to take the trouble to accompany him one year. After that I won’t bother you anymore.”
From then on, they got along with each other as usual.
原文：
生視花芽，日益肥茂，春盡，盈*二尺許。歸後，以金遺道士，囑令朝夕培養之。次年四月至宮，則花一朵含苞未放；方流連間，花搖搖欲拆*；少時已開，花大如盤，儼然有小美人坐蕊中，裁*三四指許；轉瞬飄然欲下，則香玉也。笑曰：“妾忍風雨以待君，君來何遲也！”遂入室。絳雪亦至，笑曰：“日日代人作婦，今幸退而為友。”遂相談宴。至中夜，絳雪乃去，二人同寢，款洽*一如從前。
注釋：
1．盈：增長。2．拆：開，綻放。3．裁：同“才”。4．款洽：熱情融洽。
白話：
黃生去看花芽，日益肥大茂盛，春天結束時，已經長了兩尺左右。黃生返回家之後，還向道士饋送金錢，囑咐他一早一晚精心培植。第二年四月王上回到下清宮，隻見一支花蕾含苞待放；他在花間流連踱步，花蕾搖曳將要綻放；不多時已經開放，花大如盤，居然還有小美人坐在花蕊中，才大約三四指長；轉瞬間飄然而下，原來是香玉。她笑著說：“我忍著風雨等待你，可你為什麽來得這麽晚！”於是就走進屋內。絳雪也到了，笑著說：“我天天代你作媳婦，虧得今天能引退作朋友。”於是設宴相談。一直到午夜，絳雪來離開，二人這才同床共枕，熱絡融洽一如從前。
英譯：
Huang found the peonies had shot out buds which growing bigger and bigger. By the end of spring, the new buds had become about two feet high above ground. He went back to his native place again. Before leaving, he gave some money to the Taoist and exhorted him to take a good care of the peonies.
Next April, he came back to the temple. He found a flower which was in fact in bud. He walked back and forth. The bud began to come into flower. And shortly it had already come into a flower which was large as a plate. A little beauty, as tall as a finger’s length, was sitting among the pistil. And in a twinkle, she drifted down onto the ground. She was Fragrant Jade!
Fragrant Jade said to Huang, “I’ve been waiting for you, braving wind and rain. Why are you so late?”
Then, Fragrant Jade entered his room. Red Snow came in too.
“I’ve been playing the role of a wife everyday.” Red Snow said smilingly. “It is only today that I can resume the role of a friend.”
They talked and talked. At midnight, Red Snow left. Huang and Fragrant Jade went to bed with their feelings profound as ever before.
原文：
後生妻卒，生遂入山不歸。是時牡丹已大如臂。生每指之曰：“我他日寄魂於此，當生卿之左。”二女笑曰：“君勿忘之。” 後十餘年，忽病。其子至，對之而哀。生笑曰：“此我生期，非死期也，何哀為！”謂道士曰：“他日牡丹下有赤芽怒生，一放五葉者，即我也。”遂不複言。子輿*之歸家。即卒。次年，果有肥芽突出，葉如其數。道士以為異，益灌溉之。三年，高數尺，大拱把*，但不花。老道士死，其弟子不知愛惜，斫*去之。白牡丹亦憔悴死；無何耐冬亦死。
注釋：
1．輿：車。讀“魚”。此處是動詞，用車載他回家。2．拱把：用手握起來。3．斫：用刀斧砍。讀“琢”。4。無何：沒過多久。
白話：
後來黃生的妻子死了，他就進山不歸了。當時牡丹已經粗大如手臂。黃生經常指著說：“我將來有一天死了埋在這裏，應當埋在你們的左邊。”兩名女子笑道：“你可別忘記。” 此後過了十多年，黃生忽然生病。他兒子來這裏，看著他非常悲哀。黃生笑道：“這是我的生期，不是死期，為什麽要悲痛！”又對道士說：“將來有一天牡丹下有紅芽茂盛地生出來，有一個放開五片葉子的芽，那就是我。”隨後就不再說話。兒子用車把他拉回家。隨即死去。第二年，果然有肥大的花芽冒出來，葉片正如他說的那個數。道士感到非常奇怪，就越發精心澆灌。三年後，已經高數尺，粗得能用手掌握起來，但是不開花。老道士死後，弟子們不知愛惜，就把它砍掉了。於是白牡丹也憔悴而死；沒過多久，山茶也死掉了。
英譯：
Later on, Huang’s wife died. He left his home and came into Mt. Lao and never went back home gain. The peonies had become large as pans.
Pointing the flowers, Huang used to say, “I once settled my soul in here during those years, so I should live here on your left side.”
The two girls laughed and said to him, “Don’t forget it.”
Over ten years later, Huang suddenly fell ill. His son came to take care of him. Facing his father, the young boy felt sorrowful.
Huang smilingly said to his son, “Today is a day for me to live, but not to die. Why do you feel so sorrowful?”
Huang then said to the Taoist, “All the peonies will shoot out red buds. The one with buds bursting into five leaves is me.”
After saying this, Huang kept silence forever. He was brought home and died right away.
Next year, some large buds were really shot out and each of them really burst into five large fresh leaves as Huang said. The Taoist felt very strange about it and took care of the peonies much more painstakingly.
Three years later, the peonies became several feet tall and their stalks were as thick as one could hold them by hands. The only problem was that there were no flowers.
After the Taoist died, his disciples didn’t take good care of it and worse of all they even chopped and removed it. The white peony gradually withered away and died at last. Shortly, the evergreen tree died, too.
原文：
異史氏曰：“情之至者，鬼神可通。花以鬼從*，而人以魂寄*，非其結於情者深耶？一去而兩殉之，即非堅貞，亦為情死矣。人不能貞，亦其情之不篤耳。仲尼讀《唐棣》*而曰‘未思”，信矣哉！*”
注釋：
1．花以鬼從：香玉死後為花之鬼。2．人以魂寄：黃生死後靈魂依附香玉之側。3．《唐棣》：古詩名。全詩四句：“唐棣之華，偏其反而。豈不爾思？室是遠而。”意思是：“唐棣樹開花，翩翩搖曳，難道不思念你？隻因家室離得太遠。”孔子讀後說：“未思，信矣哉！”意思是：還是不思念，你信不信！不然，再遠也無妨！此處引用孔子的話，表示如果情真意切，哪怕天高地遠也能忠貞相愛。
白話：
作者感言：“情感深厚，鬼神都能被感動。香玉死後為花之鬼，黃生死後靈魂依附在香玉旁邊，二人結交的情誼不可謂不深吧？一個死去兩個殉情而亡，即便不算堅貞，也是為情而死呀。人不能堅貞，感情就不會深厚。孔子讀過《唐棣》後就表示，如果情真意切，哪怕天高地遠也能忠貞相愛。
英譯：
Author’s Commentary:
If someone’s feelings are too deep, even the gods and ghosts can be moved. Xiang Yu died but she changed into a flower ghost who still followed her beloved Huang. Huang died but his soul still adhered to Xiang Yu. How deep their feelings are! After Huang’s death, both the white peony and the evergreen died one after another. Even if being far from being pure and chaste, they died because of true and deep feelings at least. Without being honest, he can’t have devoted feelings. After reading a classic poem, Confucius said: “If two lovers have true feelings, they would love each other profoundly no mater how far they are separated.”
《聊齋誌異》係列到此結束，敬請關注我的下一個係列。
原文：
勞山下清宮*，耐冬*高二丈*，大數十圍*，牡丹高丈餘，花時璀璨似錦。
注釋：
1．下清宮:山東嶗山的道觀。2．耐冬：山茶。3．丈：中國的長度丈量單位。按十尺是一丈算，兩丈相當於二十尺。而三尺為一米，則二十尺，也就是兩丈，則相當於七米差一點。那麽，英譯中這棵山茶的高就是大約七米。4．圍：古代周長的計量單位。周長一尺為一圍，也有半尺為一圍之說。如按前者，數十圍，就是數十尺，而按十尺為一丈來算，這棵山茶樹幹周長數丈。一丈為十尺，相當於三米多，那麽數丈，就是數個三米多，如果是五丈，那就是五十尺，三尺為一米，大概的周長不妨按這個數來翻譯，就算十五六米吧。這個數字似乎有點離譜。不過也別在意，這不是一個神話故事嗎？
加注：
蒲鬆齡曾到過嶗山下清宮，住在三官殿東廂房，看到院中一棵花團錦簇的山茶，靈感油然而生，寫下了膾炙人口的《香玉》。下文中提到的花神“絳雪”就是這株山茶的化身。蒲鬆齡寫作《香玉》的背景據說是：一天晚上他正在看書，忽然覺得一股香味撲鼻而來，朦朧中，發現窗外一女子的身影一閃而過，起身推門一看，沒見著人影，隻有滿院香氣襲人。這一夜，蒲鬆齡怎麽也睡不著，恍如夢中，隻見上清宮的牡丹仙子和院子裏的耐冬仙子來訪，求他為他們立傳，於是這株山茶便成了流傳至今的花神“絳雪”，時至今日，嶗山還設有一名為“絳雪”的旅遊景點。其實，絳為紫色，雪為白色，一紫一白構成奇特景致，因此作者便把花神稱為“絳雪”。而香玉，其實是牡丹的一種，株壯花碩，為白色，在皎潔的月光之下，冰清玉潔，越發顯得高潔脫俗。
白話：
勞山有座道觀叫下清宮，觀內有一棵山茶，高兩丈，粗數十圍，牡丹則高一丈多，花開時豔麗似錦，盡態極妍。
英譯：
There was a Taoist temple named Xiaqing Palace in Mt. Lao. A gigantic camellia there was about seven meters high with a perimieter of about fifteen meters,while the peonies, more than three meters high, were especially eye-catching when bursting into flower, bright and colorful.
原文：
膠州黃生舍讀*其中。一日自窗中見女郎，素衣掩映花間。心疑觀中焉得此，趨出已遁去。自此屢見之。遂隱身叢樹中以伺其至。未幾，女郎又偕一紅裳者來，遙望之，豔麗雙絕。行漸近，紅裳者卻退，曰：“此處有生人！”生暴起。二女驚奔，袖裙飄拂，香風洋溢，追過短牆，寂然已杳，愛慕彌切，因題句樹下雲：“無限相思苦，含情對短缸*。恐歸沙吒利*，何處覓無雙？*”歸齋冥思。女郎忽入，驚喜承迎。女笑曰：“君洶洶似強寇，令人恐怖；不知君乃騷雅士，無妨相見。”生略叩生平，曰：“妾小字香玉，隸籍平康巷*。被道士閉置山中，實非所願。”生問：“道士何名？當為卿一滌此垢。”女曰：“不必，彼亦未敢相逼。借此與風流士長作幽會，亦佳。”問：“紅衣者誰？”曰：“此名絳雪，乃妾義姊。”遂相狎。及醒，曙色已紅。女急起，曰：“貪歡忘曉矣。”著衣易履，且曰：“妾酬君作，勿笑：‘良夜更易盡，朝暾*已上窗。願如梁上燕，棲處自成雙。’“生握腕曰：“卿秀外惠中*，令人愛而忘死。顧一日之去，如千裏之別。卿乘間當來，勿待夜也。”女諾之。由此夙夜必偕。每使邀絳雪來，輒不至，生以為恨。女曰：“絳姐性殊落落*，不似妾情癡也。當從容勸駕*，不必過急。
注釋：
1．舍讀：住在某處讀書。2．短缸：短燈。缸，應該是“釭”，讀“缸”，燈座短的燈叫“釭”。3．恐歸：這聯詩的意思是：唯恐心上人被別人搶走，從而無處尋覓。詩句中有兩個傳奇人物，一是沙吒利，二是無雙。沙吒利，唐代番將，即外族將領的名字。據唐人《柳氏傳》記載，韓翊（讀“義”）與柳氏相戀。安史之亂時，柳氏被番將沙吒利掠走，後在虞侯許俊幫助之下，二人終得團圓。無雙，即劉無雙。據唐人薛調《無雙傳》記載，無雙與王仙客早有婚約，但因政治動亂，被收入宮中。王仙客在俠客古押衙的幫助之下，設計從宮中救出無雙。4．隸籍平康巷：戶籍隸屬平康巷。平康巷，泛指妓院。唐代長安丹鳳街有平康坊，也稱平康裏，是妓女的聚居區，後人因此將平康巷作為妓院的代稱，等同“青樓”。5．相逼：接近，靠近。6．酬：以詩文應和。“和”，應對，讀“賀”。7．朝暾：即朝陽。暾，初升的太陽，讀“吞”。8．秀外惠中：外貌秀麗，內心聰慧，即表裏皆美。惠，與“慧”通用。9．夙夜必偕：日夜不離。夙，早，讀“訴”。偕，在一起，讀“斜”。另如，偕同，和別人在一起（前往某地）；偕夫人，和夫人一起（前往某處參觀等）。10．殊落落：特別孤高不凡。11．勸駕：勸某人駕臨。駕臨，對某人到來的敬語。
白話：
膠州的黃生住在道觀裏讀書。一天，見窗外有一名女郎，身穿素淨的衣服，掩映在花叢之中。黃生心裏疑惑，道觀中怎麽能有這樣的美人，急忙走出去，可是女郎早已消失得無影無蹤。從此之後經常看到她。於是就隱蔽在樹叢中，等著她來。不久，女郎又帶來一名紅裳女子，遠遠望去，兩人都豔麗無比。漸漸走近時，紅衣女郎直往後退，說：“這裏有生人！”黃生突然站起來。兩名女子驚慌失措地跑著躲開，衣袖長裙隨風飄舞，香風迎麵撲來。黃生追過短牆，卻已靜寂無聲，於是對她們越發地愛慕起來，因此在樹上題寫詩句：“無限相思苦，含情對短缸。恐歸沙吒利，何處覓無雙？”回到書齋冥思苦想。女郎忽然進來，黃生立即驚喜地上前迎接。女郎笑著說：“你氣勢洶洶好像盜賊，令人恐怖；真不知你原來還是一名儒雅的斯文郎，見見你倒也無妨。” 黃生略微詢問一下女郎的生平，她說：“我的字叫香玉，委身青樓。被道士關在山中，實在不是心甘情願。”黃生問：“道士叫什麽名字？我應當為你洗淨這一恥辱。”女郎說：“不必了，他也沒敢逼迫我。再說借此機會與風流人士長期幽會，倒也不錯。”黃生問：“穿紅衣服的是誰？” 女郎說：“她名叫絳雪，是我的幹姐姐。” 於是就與她互相嬉戲調情。等到醒來時，天色已經泛紅。女郎急忙起床，說：“貪圖歡樂連天亮都忘記了。” 連忙穿衣換鞋，而且還說：“我和你一首詩，可別笑話：‘良夜更易盡，朝暾已上窗。願如梁上燕，棲處自成雙。’”黃生握著她的手腕說：“你真是外貌美麗，心裏聰明，讓人愛到忘死的程度。所以你離開一天，就如同分別一千裏。你要抽空常來，不要非等到黑夜。” 女郎答應了他。從此日夜廝守，總不分離。每次都叫她去邀請絳雪，可她就是不到，黃生以為紅衣女子恨他。女郎說：“絳雪姐特別孤高不凡，不像我這麽癡情。應當慢慢勸她來，不必過急。
英譯：
Huang, a scholar of Jiaozhou County, temporarily stayed and studied there. One day, through the window, he saw a girl in white appear among the peonies every now and then. Doubting whether it was only his optical illusion, he was going to have a look. But the girl had already vanished when he walked out.
From then on, Huang saw the girl frequently. One evening, he hid himself among the bushes waiting for her.
Shortly, the girl came together with another one in red. Even far off, he could see clearly that the girl in red was extremely beautiful. Coming near, the girl in red suddenly halted.
“Here’s a stranger!” she cried.
Huang stood up abruptly. Panic-stricken, the girls ran away with their long sleeves flying in fragrant wind. Climbing over the wall, he found they’d already disappeared.
On a big tree expressing admiration for them, Huang wrote a poem reading as follows:
Suffer serious lovesickness bitterly,
Stare the short lamp with a deep affection;
Fear lover will be kidnapped suddenly,
And maybe no where to be found again.
Back in his room, he was still buried in thought. The girl suddenly came in. He was so excited that he sprang to his feet immediately and greeted her cordially.
“You look ferocious like a bandit and scare me,” said the girl. “I don’t know you’re a gentleman.” She said continuously. “Now that you’re not a bad guy, there’s no harm to meet you.”
Huang asked her something about her life.
“My name is Fragrant Jade.” She said. “I’m shut here by the Taoist. I can do nothing but give in.”
“What’s the name of the Taoist?” he asked. “I’m willing to help you wipe out an disgrace.”
“Unnecessary,” Fragrant Jade said. “He didn’t dare to force me to do anything. It’s not so bad for me to take this opportunity to meet a gentleman frequently and secretly.”
“Who is the girl in red?” asked Huang.
“She’s Red Snow,” said the girl. “We’re sworn sisters.”
The two then lay in his bed. When waking up, it was already daybreak. Getting up abruptly, Fragrant Jade said, “I’v indulged myself in happiness so deeply that I’ve forgotten daybreak.” While putting on her address and changing shoes, she said, “I’d like to respond you with a poem. Please don’t laugh at me. The poem reads:
Time flies like an arrow on a nice night,
Morning sun shines window with golden light;
Hope we’re like swallows on the house beam,
Who live in pairs for ever with delight.
On hearing her poem, Huang said, “You’re really elegant outside and clever inside. It makes me love you so much that I can even forget death. I feel a thousand-mile separation though parting with you only one day. Please try to find time to come here frequently later on and stay overnight.” The girl pomised.
From then on, Fragrant Jade came every night. But whenever he invited Red Snow, she would refused. Huang thought maybe that girl didn’t like him.
“My sister is aloof and proud like a lone flower appreciating its own beauty and fragrance. She’s quite different with me and doesn’t have wild and foolish love,” said Fragrant Jade. “We’d better persuade her patiently. It’s unnecessary to act too hastily.”
原文：
一夕，女慘然入曰：“君隴不能守，尚望蜀耶？*今長別矣。”問：“何之？*”以袖拭淚，曰：“此有定數*，難為君言。昔日佳作，今成讖語*矣。‘佳人已屬沙吒利，義士今無古押衙*’，可為妾詠。詰之不言，但有嗚咽。竟夜不眠，早旦而去。生怪之。次日有即墨藍氏*，入宮遊矚，見白牡丹，悅之，掘移徑去。生始悟香玉乃花妖也，悵惋不已。過數日聞藍氏移花至家，日就萎悴。恨極，作《哭花》詩五十首，日日臨穴*涕洟*。一日憑吊方返，遙見紅衣人揮涕穴側。從容近就，女亦不避。生因把袂*，相向汍瀾*。已而挽請入室，女亦從之。歎曰：“童稚姊妹，一朝斷絕！聞君哀傷，彌增妾慟。淚墮九泉，或當感誠再作*；然死者神氣已散，倉卒何能與吾兩人共談笑也。”生曰：“小生薄命，妨害情人，當亦無福可消雙美。曩頻煩香玉，道達微忱*，胡再不臨？”女曰：“妾以年少書生，什九*薄幸*；不知君固至情人*也。然妾與君交，以情不以淫。若晝夜狎昵，則妾所不能矣。”言已告別。生曰：“香玉長離，使人寢食俱廢。賴卿少留，慰此懷思，何決絕如此！”女乃止，過宿而去。數日不複至。冷雨幽窗，苦懷香玉，輾轉床頭，淚凝枕席。攬衣更起，挑燈複踵前韻*曰：“山院黃昏雨，垂簾坐小窗。相思人不見，中夜淚雙雙。”詩成自吟。忽窗外有人曰：“作者不可無和*。”聽之，絳雪也。啟戶內*之。女視詩，即續其後曰：“連袂人*何處？孤燈照晚窗。空山人一個，對影自成雙。”生讀之淚下，因怨相見之疏。女曰：“妾不能如香玉之熱，但可少慰君寂寞耳。”生欲與狎。曰：“相見之歡，何必在此。”於是至無聊時，女輒一至。至則宴飲唱酬*，有時不寢遂去，生亦聽之。謂曰：“香玉吾愛妻，絳雪吾良友也。”每欲相問：“卿是院中第幾株？乞早見示，仆將抱植家中，免似香玉被惡人奪去，貽恨*百年。”女曰：“故土難移，告君亦無益也。妻尚不能終從，況友乎！”生不聽，捉臂而出，每至牡丹下，輒問：“此是卿否？”女不言，掩口笑之。
注釋：
1．君隴：這兩句詩的意思是，連我都保不住，還指望得到絳雪嗎？詩中用的是“得隴望蜀”這一典故，語出《後漢書。岑彭傳》：“人苦不知足，既平隴，複望蜀。”2．何之：到哪裏去。之，動詞，去，望。何，哪裏。本來語序因該是“之何”，但賓語“何”是（疑問）代詞，按古漢語語法，在問句或否定句中，代詞應置於謂語動詞之前。3．定數：命中注定。4．讖語：語言吉凶的話。讖，讀“趁”。本文指被應驗的凶言。5．古押衙：設計救劉無雙的人。這裏指設計救人者。見前“無雙”的注釋。古，姓。押衙，官名，掌管皇帝儀仗並擔任侍衛。6．即墨藍氏：即墨縣姓藍的人。即墨，縣名，在今青島市東北部。7．穴：指把花挖走後留下的大坑。8．涕洟：（流）鼻涕。洟，音義皆同“涕”。9．袂：袖子，讀“妹”。10．汍瀾：流淚。汍，讀“玩”。11．再作：再生。12．忱：情誼。熱忱，熱情。13．什九：十之八九。14．薄幸：薄情，負心。15．至情人：極其重視情感的人。16．複踵前韻：依照前詩的韻腳。17．和：讀“賀”，和詩。和他人之詩，而用其韻。18．內：音與義皆通“納”，接納。19．．連袂人：伴侶。20．唱酬，用詩互相贈答。21．貽恨：遺留下仇恨。貽，音義皆與“遺”。
白話：
一天夜裏，女郎神情淒涼地進來說：“你連我都不能守住，還指望她嗎？今天就長久分手吧。”黃生問：“到哪裏去？”女郎一邊用衣袖擦淚，一邊說：“這是命中注定的，很難對你說清。那天你的佳作，今天變成讖語啦。‘佳人已屬沙吒利，義士今無古押衙’，這可真是為我吟誦的。黃生問她，她卻一言不發，隻是嗚咽哭泣。整夜都沒睡著，早晨天一亮她就走了。黃生感到奇怪。第二天有個即墨縣姓藍的人到下清宮遊覽，見到白牡丹，非常喜歡，掘出來就拿走了。黃生這才恍然大悟，原來香玉是花神，於是非常鬱悶惋惜。過幾天聽說姓藍的把花移栽到他家，當天就枯萎死掉了。悲恨至極，就作《哭花》詩五十首，天天到坑邊痛哭流涕。一天，黃生憑吊剛剛返回，遠遠看見紅衣女子在土坑旁邊痛哭流涕。他不慌不忙地走上前去，她也不回避。黃生趁勢抓住她的衣袖，相對淚流滿麵。隨後他攙扶著請她進屋，她也欣然聽從。女子歎息說：“從小一起長大的姐妹，一早晨的時間就斷然分離了！聽到你這麽哀傷，更增添了我的悲痛。你的淚水落入九泉，或許應當感動牡丹；然而死者的神氣已經散盡，你這樣倉促行事，怎麽能和我們兩人一起談笑呢？”黃生說：“小生命太薄，連自己的情人都傷害了，應當也沒有和兩位美人同時交往的豔福。從前屢次麻煩香玉，讓過來熱情地噓寒問暖，她怎麽再也不來了呢？”女子說：“我以為你一個年輕的書生，十之八九會薄情；可不知你原來還是一個極重情誼的性情中人。但我和你交往，是以情感相交，而不是以淫亂相交。如果日夜在一起粘粘乎乎，我可辦不到。”說完話她就告辭了。黃生說：“香玉長久離開，令我廢寢忘食。我還仰賴你能在這裏小住，以慰藉我對她的思念之心，你辦事為什麽這樣絕！”聞聽此言，女子這才留下來，住一宿才走。此後好幾天都沒來。冷雨幽窗，黃生苦苦懷念香玉，躺在床上輾轉反側，淚水灑在枕席上。於是攬衣起床，坐在燈下，依照以前的詩韻念道：“山院黃昏雨，垂簾坐小窗。相思人不見，中夜淚雙雙。”詩寫成後自對自地吟誦起來。忽然窗外有人說：“有人作詩，不能沒有人和。”一聽，原來是絳雪。黃生連忙開門請她進屋。女子看到詩後，隨即接續著道：“聯袂人何處？孤燈照晚窗。空山人一個，對影自成雙。”黃生讀後落下淚來，因此怪女子和他見麵的次數太少。女子說：“我不能像香玉那樣熱乎，但也可以稍微緩解一下你的寂寞。”黃生想和她親熱。女子說：“相見的歡樂，何必以這種方式來表達。”於是每當無聊時，女子就來一次。來到就和黃生一起設宴，邊飲邊用詩互相贈答，女子有時不睡覺就離開，黃生也隨她的便。他對人說：“香玉是我的愛妻，絳雪是我的良友。”每次一想問：“你是院中第幾棵？請早點讓我見識見識，然後把它抱到家中栽上，免得像香玉那樣被惡人奪去遺恨百年。”女子說：“故土難移，告訴你也沒有好處。妻子尚且不能始終如一，何況友人呢！”黃生不聽，抓起她的胳臂就往外走，每到牡丹花前，就問：“這是你嗎？”女子不說話，隻是捂著嘴笑。
英譯：
One evening, Fragrant Jade came sadly.
“You’re even unable to safeguard me. Let alone Red Snow,” said she. “I come here only for a long separation from you.”
“Where to go?” Huang asked.
“We’re doomed to separate from each other,” she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “You previous master piece has become a mysterious code which has made disaster come true. There is an ancient poem with two sentences reading:
The nice sweetheart has belonged to others,
No hero can save her from disasters.
Huang asked her about the details. But she only sobbed without saying anything. Worse of all, she couldn’t fall asleep all night. She left very early next morning. Huang felt quite curious.
Next day, a higher official came here making a tour of the temple. Catching sight of the white peony, he was very happy and uprooted it and took it away. Only after seeing this did he realize Fragrant Jade was a flower goddess. This made him suffer great mental agony.
A few days later, Huang learnt the white peony died on the very day it was transplanted in the garden of the higher official. With a deep hatred, he wrote fifty poems mourning over the death of the white peony and read them every day in front of the pit which was left after the white peony was uprooted.
One day, back into his room after his everyday mourning, Huang found a girl in red was weeping beside the pit. He readily stepped up but she didn’t evade him. Tears in eyes, he grasped her dress and asked her to go into his room. She didn’t refuse.
“My young sister was too simple and unaffected. She died before she knew it!” said the girl in red. “I felt much more sorrowful when I heard you sobbing. Your tears have already seeped into the nether world. This may be able to help my sister revive. But I think she has completely lost her vitality. How can she come here to have a talk with us?”
“I don’t have good luck so I can’t enjoy the happiness of being accompanied by two beautiful girls,” said Huang. “Fragrant Jade came here frequently before so I could reveal all my innermost feelings to her. But she doesn’t come again. Why?”
“I thought scholars like you were mostly lack of true feelings. I really didn’t realize that you should be so rich in feeling,” she said. “Yet I lay stress on friendship but not sex. So I cannot stay here day and night and keep an ambiguous relation with you.”
Finishing her words, she wanted to leave.
“Fragrant Jade has left for so long a time. I feel uneasy even when eating and sleeping,” he said. “I hope you can stay for a while so as I can stop thinking of Fragrant Jade all the time.”
Hearing his words, the girl stayed overnight and then left. But she didn’t appear for several days.
Cold rain dripping outside the silent window, Huang deeply missed Fragrant Jade and couldn’t fall asleep with tears wetting his pillow. Putting on clothes and getting up, he composed a new poem:
T’s raining at dusk in the mountain compound;
Sitting at the window with curtain down,
Suffering from lovesickness, no one in sight,
He’s in a flood of tears throughout the night.
Huang read it again and again. Suddenly he heard someone saying outside the window, “You’re composing poems. But how is it there is no one to respond you?”
Listening carefully, he realized it was Red Snow. Opening the door, she led her in. After reading his poem, she composed one too:
Where ’s my beloved sweetheart for the time being?
A lone night lamp shines over window.
On empty mount’n only one man sighing,
In pair I’m sitting with my own shadow.
Reading her poem, he was chocked with tears and complained of her indifference to him.
“I can’t treat you as cordially as Fragrant Jade. But I can still comfort you a little bit,” she said.
Huang wanted to do something intimate. But she didn’t agree.
“We’re very happy to meet each other. That’s enough. What’s the need to do that sort of things?”
Whenever he felt bored, Red Snow would come. What they did included eating, drinking, singing or poem-composing. Sometimes she left without staying overnight. Huang let her do whater she liked in her own way.
“Fragrant Jade is my wife. Red Snow is my friend,” he used to say like this.
Sometimes, Huang asked Red Snow, “Which one is you? Please tell me as soon as possible so that I can transplant you into my garden lest the evil doers should take you away like Fragrant Jade.”
“It’s hard for me to leave my native place,” said Red Snow. “And it’s no use to tell you the details. You can’t even save your wife, let alone a friend.”
Huang didn’t listen to her and dragged her out. Facing a certain peony, he usually asked, “It’s you?”
Covering her mouth with one hand, Red Snow only smiled without saying anything.
原文：
旋*生以臘*歸過歲。至二月間，忽夢絳雪至，愀然曰：“妾有大難！君急往尚得相見；遲無及矣。”醒而異之，急命仆馬，星馳至山。則道士將建屋，有一耐冬，礙其營造，工師將縱斤*矣。生急止之。入夜，絳雪來謝。生笑曰：“向不實告，宜遭此厄！今已知卿；如卿不至，當以炷艾*相炙。”女曰：“妾固知君如此，曩故不敢相告也。”坐移時，生曰：“今對良友，益思豔妻。久不哭香玉，卿能從我哭乎？”二人乃往，臨穴灑涕。更*餘，絳雪收淚勸止。又數夕，生方寂坐，絳雪笑入曰：“報君喜信：花神感君至情，俾*香玉複降宮中。”生問：“何時？”答曰：“不知，約不遠耳。”天明下榻，生囑曰：“仆為卿來。勿長使人孤寂。”女笑諾。兩夜不至。生往抱樹，搖動撫摩，頻喚無聲。乃返，對燈團艾，將往灼樹。女遽入，奪艾棄之，曰：“君惡作劇，使人創痏*，當與君絕矣！”生笑擁之。坐未定，香玉盈盈而入。生望見，泣下流離，急起把握香玉。以一手握絳雪，相對悲哽。及坐，生把之覺虛，如手自握，驚問之，香玉泫然曰：“昔，妾花之神，故凝；今，妾花之鬼，故散也。今雖相聚，勿以為真，但作夢寐觀可耳。”絳雪曰：“妹來大好！我被汝家男子糾纏死矣。”遂去。
注釋：
1．旋：立即，不久。2．臘：臘月。3．愀然：深色凝重或不快。愀，讀“巧”。4．斤：斧頭。5．炷艾：點燃艾絨球。炷，點，讀“住”。艾，即艾蒿，可入藥。把艾葉曬幹搗碎，團成絨球，針灸時點燃可以配合薰烤經絡穴位。6．更：舊時一夜分五更天。一更大約兩小時。更，讀“耕”。7．俾：使，讀“比”。8．創痏：創傷導致的疤痕。痏，瘡；傷口。讀“偉”。9．泫然：傷心落淚。
白話：
不久，黃生因為臘月來臨就回老家過年去了。到二月間，忽然夢見絳雪到來，她神色嚴肅地說：“我有大難！你趕緊去還能相見；晚了就來不及了。”醒來後感到很奇怪，就急忙叫仆人備馬，火速趕到山中。原來道士要蓋房，有一棵山茶，影響施工，工程人員要用斧頭砍掉。黃生急忙攔住了。夜間，絳雪來表示感謝。黃生笑著說：“從前你不實話告訴我，應該遭此厄運！今天我已經知道你了；如果你不到，我就點艾薰。”女子說：“我早就知道你會如此，所以從前我才不敢告訴你。”坐了一會兒，黃生說：“今天麵對良友，更加思念豔妻。好久沒去哭香玉了，你能跟我去哭她嗎？”二人於是前往庭院，在土坑邊涕淚縱橫。過了一更多的時間，絳雪擦幹淚水勸黃生停止哭泣。又過幾夜，黃生剛靜靜地坐下，絳雪笑著走進屋說：“給你報個喜信：花神被你真摯的感情所感動，讓香玉再次降臨宮中。”黃生問：“什麽時候？”女子答道：“不知道，大概日子不遠了。”天亮下床，黃生囑咐說：“我這次是為你而來。不要長期讓我孤獨寂寞。”女子笑著答應了。兩夜不到。黃生就到庭院去抱樹，邊搖動邊撫摩，頻頻呼喚可是沒有回聲。於是返回去，對著燈點燃團艾，想拿去薰樹。女子突然進來，奪過艾團扔掉，說：“你搞惡作劇，讓人大吃薰烤之苦，應該和你斷絕來往！”黃生笑著將她擁抱起來。可還沒坐定，香玉飄然而入。黃生望見，涕泗橫流，急起握住香玉的手。另一隻手握住絳雪，相對悲傷哭泣。等到坐下來，黃生握著香玉覺得十分空虛，好像在握自己的手，於是吃驚地問她，香玉淚流滿麵地說：“從前，我是花之神，所以實在；今天，我是花之鬼，所以空虛。現在雖然相聚，那你也別當真，隻把這當成作夢來看就可以了。”絳雪說：“妹妹一來實在太好啦！我可被你的男人糾纏死了。”說完她就離開了。
英譯：
During Spring Festival, Huang went back to his native place and stayed with his family. One night in February, he dreamt Red Snow came to see him.
“I’m facing with imminent disaster,” she said sadly. “If you come right away, we still have an opportunity to meet the last time. Or we’ll never meet again.”
Waking up, he felt very curious and asked his servants to make a quick preparation for departure. Back to the temple, he found that the Taoist was going to build a new house and the evergreen tree had to be chopped down because it hindered their work. Huang firmly stopped them from doing so.
At night, Red Snow came to thank him and told him that the evergreen tree was the protector of the peonies. On hearing her words, Huang suddenly remembered that Fragrant Jade had already told him something about the evergreen tree. She said that if he missed her he could light a worm-wood and then use the lighted wormwood to smoke the evergreen tree. Then she would appear immediately.
“You ought to meet this misfortune, because you didn’t tell me the truth,” smiled Huang. “It’s lucky you’ve come. Otherwise, I’ll smoke the evergreen tree.”
“I know you’ll do it,” said she, “so I didn’t dare to tell you about it.”
Sitting for a while, Huang said, “Facing you, my good friend, I miss my beautiful wife. I haven’t cried over her death for a long time. Would you please accompany me to cry?”
They came to the pit and cried sadly. Some time later, Red Snow dissuaded him from crying continuously.
A few days later, Red Snow came again shortly after his sitting down silently.
She said smilingly, “I come here just to report good news. The flower goddess was moved by your deep feelings. She allows Fragrant Jade to come here.”
“When?” he asked.
“Don’t know. But very soon, I think.”
At dawn, they got up. He said to her, “It’s just for you that I come back from my native place. Don’t let me feel lonely, please.”
Red Snow made him a promise. But she didn’t come over in the next two nights. Huang went to the evergreen tree. He encircled it with his arms, shook it, and caressed it. He cried and cried. But there was no echo at all. He came back into his room and lighted a worm-wood. Just at the moment he wanted to go out to smoke the evergreen tree, Red Snow suddenly came in and snatched over the worm-wood.
“What mischief are you up to?” she asked. “If you hurt me, I’ll cut off all relations with you forever!”
Huang smilingly hugged her. But Fragrant Jade drifted in before they could sit still.
Chocked with tears on seeing her, Huang stood up and hugged her at once. With one hand grasping Red Snow, Fragrant Jade faced Huang sweeping sorrowfully.
Sitting down, Huang firmly grasped her hands but he felt strange as if holding nothing at all.
To be asked, she replied, “Before, I was a flower goddess. But now, a flower ghost. So you’d better consider our meeting as something non-existing. Just treat it as a dream.”
Hearing her words, Red Snow joked, “It’s good for you to come. I have been deadly harassed by your man.”
After saying this, Red Snow left.
原文：
香玉款*笑如前；但偎傍之間，仿佛以身就影。生悒悒不樂。香玉亦俯仰自恨，乃曰：“君以白蘞*屑*，少雜硫黃，日酹*妾一杯水，明年此日報君恩。”別去。明日往觀故處，則牡丹萌生矣。生乃日加培植，又作雕欄以護之。香玉來，感激倍至。生謀移植其家，女不可，曰：“妾弱質，不堪複戕*。且物生各有定處，妾來原不擬生君家，違之反促年壽。但相憐愛，合好自有日耳。”生恨絳雪不至。香玉曰：“必欲強之使來，妾能致之。”乃與生挑燈至樹下，取草一莖，布掌作度*，以度樹本，自下而上至四尺六寸，按其處，使生以兩爪齊搔之。俄見絳雪從背後出，笑罵曰：“婢子來，助桀為虐耶！”牽挽並入。香玉曰：“姊勿怪！暫煩陪侍郎君，一年後不相擾矣。”從此遂以為常。
注釋：
1．款：誠懇。另如“款待”，熱情接待。2．白蘞屑：白蘞的碎末。白蘞，中草藥名。蘞，讀“臉”。屑，碎末，讀“謝”。據《群芳譜》記載，牡丹有兩種栽種法。一是播種，二是插條。前者，則需用白蘞的碎末拌種，後者則需用少量硫磺塗抹枝條破口。3．酹：把酒灑在地上祭奠死者。酹，讀“淚”。4．戕：傷害。讀“槍”。此處指用斧頭砍下來移栽。5．布掌作度：用手掌衡量長度。6．助桀為虐：幫壞人做壞事。也作“助紂為虐”。桀和紂，夏代末期的暴君。
白話：
香玉熱情的笑容還像從前一樣；但和她互相依偎，仿佛用身體接近影子。黃生悶悶不樂。香玉也坐立不安自感慚愧，於是就說：“你用白蘞的碎末，再摻一點硫黃泡水，每天日給我灑一杯水，明年的今天我就能報答你的恩情了。”香玉說完就分別了。第二天黃生到道觀裏原來的地方一看，牡丹萌芽了。黃生就每天精心培植，還做雕欄保護起來。香玉來到，非常感激。黃生想把牡丹移植到他家，女子不答應，說：“我體質柔弱，再遭斧砍我可受不了。再說什麽東西該生長在哪裏，各有一定的地方，我本來就不適合生長在你家，違反這一條反而會讓我短命。隻管相憐相愛，自然會有團聚的好日子。”黃生埋怨絳雪不到。香玉說：“如果你非想強迫她來，我能讓她來。”於是就和黃生一起，舉著燈來到樹下，拿一根草，用手掌筆劃著，量樹幹，從下而上到四尺六寸的地方，用手按住，讓黃生用兩手一齊抓撓。不一會兒，絳雪從背後出現了，笑著罵道：“你這丫頭，來這裏助桀為虐呀！”於是和香玉手挽手一起走進屋內。香玉說：“姐姐別怪！暫時麻煩你陪侍我的郎君，一年後就不會再打擾了。”從此以後互相往來還和平常一樣。
英譯：
Fragrant Jade spoke and smiled as ever before. But Huang still felt she was like a shadow whenever touching her. He was very unhappy. Fragrant Jade felt much ashamed for this.
“Put some sulphide into clear water and give me a cup of it everyday. This day next year, I’ll come to repay you for your kindness.”
Fragrant Jade went away.
Next day, Huang went to the garden to have a look and surprisingly found the peony revived. From then on he took pains to cultivate the peony and also made a surrounding railing to protect it. When Fragrant Jade came, he expressed his heartfelt thanks to her.
Huang was going to transplant the peony in his home. But she didn’t agree with him.
“I’m too weak to bear harms anymore. Besides, all things have their own fixed places to live. I’m not suitable to live in your home. If you do exactly the opposite, my life will be shortened.”
Huang was afraid that Red Snow wouldn’t come again.
“We can let her come only by forcing her,” she said. “I can do it.”
With a lantern in her hand, Fragrant Jade led him to the evergreen tree and then picked up a straw. She measured the straw with her palm and then used the straw to measure the trunk, from below to above, and finally pressed the place four and half inches high. She asked Huang to scratch the bark. Shortly, they found Red Snow come from behind them.
Red Snow smilingly cursed Fragrant Jade, “I asked you to come here only for helping a bad egg to do evil?”
Huang brought them into his room.
“Don’t blame me, sister.” Fragrant Jade said. “I just want you to take the trouble to accompany him one year. After that I won’t bother you anymore.”
From then on, they got along with each other as usual.
原文：
生視花芽，日益肥茂，春盡，盈*二尺許。歸後，以金遺道士，囑令朝夕培養之。次年四月至宮，則花一朵含苞未放；方流連間，花搖搖欲拆*；少時已開，花大如盤，儼然有小美人坐蕊中，裁*三四指許；轉瞬飄然欲下，則香玉也。笑曰：“妾忍風雨以待君，君來何遲也！”遂入室。絳雪亦至，笑曰：“日日代人作婦，今幸退而為友。”遂相談宴。至中夜，絳雪乃去，二人同寢，款洽*一如從前。
注釋：
1．盈：增長。2．拆：開，綻放。3．裁：同“才”。4．款洽：熱情融洽。
白話：
黃生去看花芽，日益肥大茂盛，春天結束時，已經長了兩尺左右。黃生返回家之後，還向道士饋送金錢，囑咐他一早一晚精心培植。第二年四月王上回到下清宮，隻見一支花蕾含苞待放；他在花間流連踱步，花蕾搖曳將要綻放；不多時已經開放，花大如盤，居然還有小美人坐在花蕊中，才大約三四指長；轉瞬間飄然而下，原來是香玉。她笑著說：“我忍著風雨等待你，可你為什麽來得這麽晚！”於是就走進屋內。絳雪也到了，笑著說：“我天天代你作媳婦，虧得今天能引退作朋友。”於是設宴相談。一直到午夜，絳雪來離開，二人這才同床共枕，熱絡融洽一如從前。
英譯：
Huang found the peonies had shot out buds which growing bigger and bigger. By the end of spring, the new buds had become about two feet high above ground. He went back to his native place again. Before leaving, he gave some money to the Taoist and exhorted him to take a good care of the peonies.
Next April, he came back to the temple. He found a flower which was in fact in bud. He walked back and forth. The bud began to come into flower. And shortly it had already come into a flower which was large as a plate. A little beauty, as tall as a finger’s length, was sitting among the pistil. And in a twinkle, she drifted down onto the ground. She was Fragrant Jade!
Fragrant Jade said to Huang, “I’ve been waiting for you, braving wind and rain. Why are you so late?”
Then, Fragrant Jade entered his room. Red Snow came in too.
“I’ve been playing the role of a wife everyday.” Red Snow said smilingly. “It is only today that I can resume the role of a friend.”
They talked and talked. At midnight, Red Snow left. Huang and Fragrant Jade went to bed with their feelings profound as ever before.
原文：
後生妻卒，生遂入山不歸。是時牡丹已大如臂。生每指之曰：“我他日寄魂於此，當生卿之左。”二女笑曰：“君勿忘之。” 後十餘年，忽病。其子至，對之而哀。生笑曰：“此我生期，非死期也，何哀為！”謂道士曰：“他日牡丹下有赤芽怒生，一放五葉者，即我也。”遂不複言。子輿*之歸家。即卒。次年，果有肥芽突出，葉如其數。道士以為異，益灌溉之。三年，高數尺，大拱把*，但不花。老道士死，其弟子不知愛惜，斫*去之。白牡丹亦憔悴死；無何耐冬亦死。
注釋：
1．輿：車。讀“魚”。此處是動詞，用車載他回家。2．拱把：用手握起來。3．斫：用刀斧砍。讀“琢”。4。無何：沒過多久。
白話：
後來黃生的妻子死了，他就進山不歸了。當時牡丹已經粗大如手臂。黃生經常指著說：“我將來有一天死了埋在這裏，應當埋在你們的左邊。”兩名女子笑道：“你可別忘記。” 此後過了十多年，黃生忽然生病。他兒子來這裏，看著他非常悲哀。黃生笑道：“這是我的生期，不是死期，為什麽要悲痛！”又對道士說：“將來有一天牡丹下有紅芽茂盛地生出來，有一個放開五片葉子的芽，那就是我。”隨後就不再說話。兒子用車把他拉回家。隨即死去。第二年，果然有肥大的花芽冒出來，葉片正如他說的那個數。道士感到非常奇怪，就越發精心澆灌。三年後，已經高數尺，粗得能用手掌握起來，但是不開花。老道士死後，弟子們不知愛惜，就把它砍掉了。於是白牡丹也憔悴而死；沒過多久，山茶也死掉了。
英譯：
Later on, Huang’s wife died. He left his home and came into Mt. Lao and never went back home gain. The peonies had become large as pans.
Pointing the flowers, Huang used to say, “I once settled my soul in here during those years, so I should live here on your left side.”
The two girls laughed and said to him, “Don’t forget it.”
Over ten years later, Huang suddenly fell ill. His son came to take care of him. Facing his father, the young boy felt sorrowful.
Huang smilingly said to his son, “Today is a day for me to live, but not to die. Why do you feel so sorrowful?”
Huang then said to the Taoist, “All the peonies will shoot out red buds. The one with buds bursting into five leaves is me.”
After saying this, Huang kept silence forever. He was brought home and died right away.
Next year, some large buds were really shot out and each of them really burst into five large fresh leaves as Huang said. The Taoist felt very strange about it and took care of the peonies much more painstakingly.
Three years later, the peonies became several feet tall and their stalks were as thick as one could hold them by hands. The only problem was that there were no flowers.
After the Taoist died, his disciples didn’t take good care of it and worse of all they even chopped and removed it. The white peony gradually withered away and died at last. Shortly, the evergreen tree died, too.
原文：
異史氏曰：“情之至者，鬼神可通。花以鬼從*，而人以魂寄*，非其結於情者深耶？一去而兩殉之，即非堅貞，亦為情死矣。人不能貞，亦其情之不篤耳。仲尼讀《唐棣》*而曰‘未思”，信矣哉！*”
注釋：
1．花以鬼從：香玉死後為花之鬼。2．人以魂寄：黃生死後靈魂依附香玉之側。3．《唐棣》：古詩名。全詩四句：“唐棣之華，偏其反而。豈不爾思？室是遠而。”意思是：“唐棣樹開花，翩翩搖曳，難道不思念你？隻因家室離得太遠。”孔子讀後說：“未思，信矣哉！”意思是：還是不思念，你信不信！不然，再遠也無妨！此處引用孔子的話，表示如果情真意切，哪怕天高地遠也能忠貞相愛。
白話：
作者感言：“情感深厚，鬼神都能被感動。香玉死後為花之鬼，黃生死後靈魂依附在香玉旁邊，二人結交的情誼不可謂不深吧？一個死去兩個殉情而亡，即便不算堅貞，也是為情而死呀。人不能堅貞，感情就不會深厚。孔子讀過《唐棣》後就表示，如果情真意切，哪怕天高地遠也能忠貞相愛。
英譯：
Author’s Commentary:
If someone’s feelings are too deep, even the gods and ghosts can be moved. Xiang Yu died but she changed into a flower ghost who still followed her beloved Huang. Huang died but his soul still adhered to Xiang Yu. How deep their feelings are! After Huang’s death, both the white peony and the evergreen died one after another. Even if being far from being pure and chaste, they died because of true and deep feelings at least. Without being honest, he can’t have devoted feelings. After reading a classic poem, Confucius said: “If two lovers have true feelings, they would love each other profoundly no mater how far they are separated.”
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