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王孝廉村學識同科　周蒙師暮年登上第 - Provincial Graduate Wang meets a fellow candidate in a village school. Zhou Meng passes the examination in his old age

属类： 双语小说 【分类】古汉语经典 阅读：[4492]
王孝廉村學識同科　周蒙師暮年登上第 - Provincial Graduate Wang meets a fellow candidate in a village school. Zhou Meng passes the examination in his old age
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王孝廉村...

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Provincial Graduate Wang meets...

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話說山東兗州府汶上縣有個鄉村，叫做薛家集。這集上有百十來人家，都是務農為業。村口一個觀音庵，殿宇三間之外，另還有十幾間空房子，後門臨著水次。這庵是十方的香火，只得一個和尚住。集上人家，凡有公事，就在這庵裏來同議。

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In Xue Market, a village of Wenshang County, Shandong, there lived over a hundred families, all of whom worked on the land. At the entrance to the village was a Guanyin Temple with three halls and a dozen empty rooms. Its back door overlooked the river. Peasants from all around contributed to the upkeep of this temple, and only one monk lived there. Here the villagers would come to discuss public business.

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那時成化末年，正是天下繁富的時候。新年正月初八日，集上人約齊了，都到庵裏來議鬧龍燈之事。到了早飯時候，為頭的申祥甫帶了七八個人走了進來，在殿上拜了佛。和尚走來與諸位見節，都還過了禮。申祥甫發作和尚道：「和尚！你新年新歲，也該把菩薩面前香燭點勤些！阿彌陀佛！受了十方的錢鈔，也要消受。」又叫「諸位都來看看：這琉璃燈內，只得半琉璃油！」指著內中一個穿齊整些的老翁，說道：「不論別人，只這一位荀老爹，三十晚裏還送了五十斤油與你。白白給你炒菜喫，全不敬佛！」和尚陪著小心，等他發作過了，拿一把鉛壺，撮了一把苦丁茶葉，倒滿了水，在火上燎得滾熱，送與眾位喫。

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It was the last year of the Cheng Hua period of the Ming Dynasty, when the country was prosperous. One year, on the eighth of the first month, just after New Year, some of the villagers met in the temple to discuss the dragon lantern dance which is held on the fifteenth. At breakfast time the man who usually took the lead, Shen Xiang-fu, walked in, followed by seven or eight others. In the main hall they bowed to Buddha, and the monk came to wish them a happy New Year. As soon as they had returned his greeting, Shen reproved him:「Monk! At New Year you should burn more incense before Buddha! Gracious Heaven! You’ve been pocketing money from all sides, and you ought to spend a little of it. Come here, all of you, and take a look at this lamp: it’s only half filled with oil.」 Then, pointing to an old man who was better dressed than most: 「Not to mention others, Mr. Xun alone sent you fifty catties of oil on New Year’s Eve. But you are using it all for your cooking, instead of for the glory of Buddha.」The monk apologized profusely when Shen had finished. Then he fetched a pewter kettle, put in a handful of tea leaves, filled the kettle with water, boiled it over the fire and poured out tea for them.

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荀老爹先開口道：「今年龍燈上廟，我們戶下各家，須出多少銀子？」申祥甫道：「且住，等我親家來一同商議。」正說著，外邊走進一個人來，兩隻紅眼邊，一副鍋鐵臉，幾根黃鬍子，歪戴著瓦楞帽，身上青布衣服就如油簍一般；手裏拿著一根趕驢的鞭子，走進門來，和眾人拱一拱手，一屁股就坐在上席。這人姓夏，乃薛家集上舊年新參的總甲。

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Old Mr. Xun was the first to speak.「How much do we each have to pay for the lantern dance in the temple this year?」 he asked.「Wait till my relative comes,」 said Shen. 「We’ll discuss it together.」As they were speaking, a man walked in. He had redrimmed eyes, a swarthy face, and sparse, dingy whiskers. His cap was cocked to one side, his blue cloth gown was greasy as an oil-vat, and he carried a donkey switch in one hand. Making a casual gesture of greeting to the company, he plumped himself down in the seat of honour. This was Xia, the new village head for Xue Market.

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夏總甲坐在上席，先吩咐和尚道：「和尚，把我的驢牽在後園槽上，卸了鞍子，將些草喂的飽飽的。我議完了事，還要到縣門口黃老爹家喫年酒去哩。」吩咐過了和尚，把腿蹺起一隻來，自己拿拳頭在腰上只管捶。捶著，說道：「俺如今到不如你們務農的快活了。想這新年大節，老爺衙門裏，三班六房，那一位不送帖子來。我怎好不去賀節。每日騎著這個驢，上縣下鄉，跑得昏頭暈腦。打緊又被這瞎眼的亡人在路上打個前失，把我跌了下來，跌的腰胯生疼。」

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Sitting there in the seat of honour, he shouted: 「Monk! Take my donkey to the manger in the back yard, unsaddle it and give it plenty of hay. After my business here I have to go to a feast with Bailiff Huang of the county yamen.」 Having given these orders, he hoisted one foot on to the bench, and started massaging the small of his back with his fists, saying, 「I envy you farmers these days. This New Year I’ve got invitations from everybody in the magistrate’s yamen, literally everybody! And I have to go to wish them all the season’s greetings. I trot about on this donkey to the countyseat and back until my head reels. And this damned beast stumbled on the road and threw me, so that my backside is still sore.」

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申祥甫道：「新年初三，我備了個豆腐飯邀請親家，想是有事不得來了？」夏總甲道：「你還說哩。從新年這七八日，何曾得一個閒？恨不得長出兩張嘴來，還喫不退。就像今日請我的黃老爹，他就是老爺面前站得起來的班頭。他抬舉我，我若不到，不惹他怪？」

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「On the third I prepared a small dinner for you,」 said Shen. 「I suppose it was because you were so busy that you didn’t come.」「You don’t have to remind me,」 said Village Head Xia. 「Since New Year, for the last seven or eight days, what free time have I had? Even if I had two mouths, I couldn’t get through all the eating. Take Bailiff Huang, who’s invited me today. He’s a man who can talk face to face with the magistrate. And since he honours me like this, wouldn’t he be offended if I didn’t go?」

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申祥甫道：「西班黃老爹，我聽見說，他從年裏頭就是老爺差出去了。他家又無兄弟、兒子，卻是誰做主人？」夏總甲道：「你又不知道了。今日的酒，是快班李老爹請。李老爹家房子褊窄，所以把席擺在黃老爹家大廳上。」

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「I heard that Bailiff Huang had been sent out on some business for the magistrate since the beginning of the year,」 said Shen. 「He has no brothers or sons, so who will act as host?」「You don’t understand,」 said Xia. 「Today’s feast is given by Constable Li. His own rooms are small, so he is using Bailiff Huang’s house.」

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說了半日，纔講到龍燈上。夏總甲道：「這樣事，俺如今也有些不耐煩管了。從前年年是我做頭，眾人寫了功德，賴著不拿出來，不知累俺賠了多少。況今年老爺衙門裏，頭班、二班、西班、快班，家家都興龍燈，我料想看個不了，那得功夫來看鄉裏這條把燈。但你們說了一場，我也少不得搭個分子，任憑你們那一位做頭。像這荀老爹，田地廣，糧食又多，叫他多出些；你們各家照分子派，這事就舞起來了。」眾人不敢違拗，當下捺著姓荀的出了一半，其餘眾戶也派了，共二三兩銀子，寫在紙上。和尚捧出茶盤，──雲片糕、紅棗，和些瓜子、豆腐乾、栗子、雜色糖，擺了兩桌。尊夏老爹坐在首席，斟上茶來。

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Eventually they started discussing the dragon lanterns. 「I’m tired of managing it for you,」 said Village Head Xia. 「I took the lead every year in the past, and everyone wrote down what contribution he would make, and then failed to pay up. Heaven knows how much I had to pay to make good the deficit. Besides, all the officials in the yamen are preparing lanterns this year, and I shall have too much to watch. What time do I have to look at the lanterns in the village? Still, since you’ve mentioned it, I shall make a contribution. Choose someone to be responsible. A man like Mr. Xun, who has broad lands and plenty of grain, should be asked to give more. Let each family pay its share, and you’ll get the thing going.」 Nobody dared disagree. They immediately came down on Mr. Xun for half the money, and made up the rest between them. In this way they raised two or three taels of silver, a record of the contributors being made.The monk then brought out tea, sugar wafers, dates, melon seeds, dried beancurd, chestnuts and assorted sweets. He spread two tables, and invited Village Head Xia to sit at the head. Then he poured out tea for them.

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申祥甫又說：「孩子大了，今年要請一個先生。就是這觀音庵裏做個學堂。」眾人道：「俺們也有好幾家孩子要上學。只這申老爹的令郎，就是夏老爹的令婿；夏老爹時刻有縣主老爺的牌票，也要人認得字。只是這個先生，須是要城裏去請纔好。」

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「The children are growing up,」 said Shen, 「and this year we must find them a teacher. This temple can be used as a school.」The others agreed.「There are a lot of families who have sons who should be in school,」 said one of them. 「For instance, Mr. Shen’s son is Village Head Xia’s son-in-law. Xia is always getting notices from the magistrate, so he needs someone who can read. But the best thing would be to find a teacher from the county-seat.」

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夏總甲道：「先生倒有一個。你道是誰？就是咱衙門裏戶總科提控顧老相公家請的一位先生，姓周，官名叫做周進，年紀六十多歲。前任老爺取過他個頭名，卻還不曾中過學。顧老相公請他在家裏三個年頭，他家顧小舍人去年就中了學，和咱鎮上梅三相一齊中的。那日從學裏師爺家迎了回來，小舍人頭上戴著方巾，身上披著大紅紬，騎著老爺棚子裏的馬，大吹大打，來到家門口。俺合衙門的人都攔著街遞酒。落後請將周先生來，顧老相公親自奉他三杯，尊在首席。點了一本戲，是梁灝八十歲中狀元的故事。顧老相公為這戲，心裏還不大喜歡，落後戲文內唱到梁灝的學生卻是十七八歲就中了狀元，顧老相公知道是替他兒子發兆，方纔喜了。你們若要先生，俺替你把周先生請來。」眾人都說是好。喫完了茶，和尚又下了一箸牛肉面喫了，各自散訖。

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「A teacher?」 said the village head. 「I can think of one. You know who? He’s in our yamen, and he used to teach in chief accountant Ku’s house. His name is Zhou Jin. He’s over sixty. The former magistrate placed him first on the list of county candidates, but he’s never yet been able to pass the prefectural examination. Mr. Gu employed him as tutor for his son for three years; and his son passed the examination last year, at the same time as Mei Jiu from our village. The day that young Gu was welcomed back from the school he wore a scholar’s cap and a broad red silk sash, and rode a horse from the magistrate’s stable, while all the gongs and trumpets sounded. When he reached the door of his house, I and the other yamen officials offered him wine in the street. Then Mr. Zhou was asked over. Mr. Gu toasted his son’s teacher three times and invited him to sit in the seat of honour. Mr. Zhou chose as entertainment the opera about Liang Hao, who won the first place in the palace examination when he was eighty; and Mr. Gu was not at all pleased. But then the opera showed how Liang Hao’s pupil won the same distinction at seventeen or eighteen, and Mr. Gu knew that it was a compliment to his son. That made him feel better. If you want a teacher, I’ll invite Mr. Zhou for you.」 All the villagers approved. When they had finished their tea the monk brought in some beef noodles, and after eating these they went home.

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次日，夏總甲果然替周先生說了，每年館金十二兩銀子，每日二分銀子在和尚家代飯，約定燈節後下鄉，正月二十開館。

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The next day, sure enough, Village Head Xia spoke to Zhou Jin. His salary would be twelve taels of silver a year, and it was arranged that he should eat with the monk, whom he would pay two cents a day. It was settled that he should come after the Lantern Festival, and begin teaching on the twentieth.

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到了十六日，眾人將分子送到申祥甫家備酒飯，請了集上新進學的梅三相做陪客。那梅玖戴著新方巾，老早到了。直到巳牌時候，周先生纔來。聽得門外狗叫，申祥甫走出去迎了進來。眾人看周進時，頭戴一頂舊氈帽，身穿元色紬舊直裰，那右邊袖子同後邊坐處都破了，腳下一雙舊大紅紬鞋，黑瘦面皮，花白鬍子。申祥甫拱進堂屋。梅玖方纔慢慢的立起來和他相見。

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On the sixteenth the villagers sent in contributions to Shen Xiang-fu, who prepared a feast for the new teacher to which he also invited Mei Jiu, the new scholar of the village. Mei Jiu arrived early, wearing his new square cap, but Zhou Jin did not turn up till nearly noon. When dogs started barking outside, Shen Xiang-fu went out to welcome the guest; and the villagers stared as Zhou Jin came in. He was wearing an old felt cap, a tattered grey silk gown, the right sleeve and seat of which were in shreds, and a pair of shabby red silk slippers. He had a thin, dark face, and a white beard. Shen escorted him in, and only then did Mei Jiu rise slowly to greet him.

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周進就問：「此位相公是誰？」眾人道：「這是我們集上在庠的梅相公。」周進聽了，謙讓不肯僭梅玖作揖。梅玖道：「今日之事不同。」周進再三不肯。眾人道：「論年紀也是周先生長，先生請老實些罷」。梅玖回顧頭來向眾人道：「你眾位是不知道我們學校規矩，老友是從來不同小友序齒的。只是今日不同，還是周長兄請上。」原來明朝士大夫稱儒學生員叫做「朋友」，稱童生是「小友」。比如童生進了學，不怕十幾歲，也稱為「老友」；若是不進學，就到八十歲，也還稱「小友」。就如女兒嫁人的：嫁時稱為「新娘」，後來稱呼「奶奶」、「太太」，就不叫「新娘」了；若是嫁與人家做妾，就到頭發白了，還要喚做「新娘」。

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「Who is this gentleman?」 asked Zhou.They told him, 「He is Mr. Mei, our village scholar.」When Zhou Jin heard this, he declared it would be presumptuous on his part to allow Mei to bow to him. And although Mei Jiu said, 「Today is different,」 he still refused.「You are older than he is,」 said the villagers. 「You had better not insist.」But Mei Jiu rounded on them, 「You people don’t understand the rule of our school. Those who have passed the prefectural examination are considered senior to those who have not, regardless of age. But today happens to be exceptional, and Mr. Zhou must still be honoured.」 Ming Dynasty scholars called all those who passed the prefectural examination 「classmates,」 and those who only qualified for this examination 「juniors.」 A young man in his teens who passed was considered senior to an unsuccessful candidate, even if the latter were eighty years old. It was like the case of a concubine. A woman is called 「new wife」 when she marries, and later 「mistress」; but a concubine remains 「new wife」 even when her hair is white.

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閑話休題。周進因他說這樣話，倒不同他讓了，竟僭著他作了揖。眾人都作過揖坐下。只有周、梅二位的茶杯裏有兩枚生紅棗，其餘都是清茶。喫過了茶，擺兩張桌子杯箸，尊周先生首席，梅相公二席，眾人序齒坐下，斟上酒來。周進接酒在手，向眾人謝了擾，一飲而盡。隨即每桌擺上八九個碗，乃是豬頭肉、公雞、鯉魚、肚、肺、肝、腸之類。叫一聲：「請！」一齊舉箸，卻如風捲殘雲一般，早去了一半。看那周先生時，一箸也不曾下。申祥甫道：「今日先生為甚麼不用肴饌？卻不是上門怪人？」揀好的遞了過來。

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Since Mei Jiu spoke like this, Zhou Jin did not insist on being polite, but let Mei Jiu bow to him. When all the others had greeted him too, they sat down. Mei and Zhou were the only two to have dates in their tea cups — all the others had plain green tea. After they had drunk their tea two tables were laid, and Zhou Jin was invited to take the seat of honour, Mei Jiu the second place. Then the others sat down in order of seniority, and wine was poured. Zhou Jin, cup in hand, thanked the villagers and drained his cup. On each table were eight or nine dishes — pig’s head, chicken, carp, tripe, liver and other dishes. At the signal to begin, they fell to with their chopsticks, like a whirlwind scattering wisps of cloud. And half the food had gone before they noticed that Zhou Jin had not eaten a bite. 「Why aren’t you eating anything?」 asked Shen. 「Surely we haven’t offended you the very first day?」 He selected some choice morsels and put them on the teacher’s plate.

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周進攔住道：「實不相瞞，我學生是長齋。」眾人道：「這個倒失於打點。卻不知先生因甚喫齋。」周進道：「只因當年先母病中，在觀音菩薩位下許的，如今也喫過十幾年了。」梅玖道：「我因先生喫齋，倒想起一個笑話，是前日在城裏我那案伯顧老相公家聽見他說的。有個做先生的一字至七字詩，……」眾人都停了箸聽他念詩。他便念道：「獃，秀才，喫長齋，鬍鬚滿腮，經書不揭開，紙筆自己安排，明年不請我自來。」

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But Zhou Jin stopped him and said, 「I must explain — I am having a long fast.」「How thoughtless we have been!」 exclaimed his hosts. 「May we ask why you are fasting?」「On account of a vow I made before the shrine of Buddha when my mother was ill,」 said Zhou Jin. 「I have been abstaining from meat now for more than ten years.」「Your fasting reminds me of a joke I heard the other day from Mr. Gu in the county town,」 said Mei Jiu. 「It is a one character to seven character verse about a teacher.」 The villagers put down their chopsticks to listen, while he recited:A foolish scholarFasted so long,Whiskers covered his cheeks;Neglecting to study the classics,He left pen and paper aside.He’ll come without being invited next year.

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念罷，說道：「像我這周長兄如此大才，獃是不獃的了。」又掩著口道：「秀才，指日就是；那『喫長齋，鬍鬚滿腮』，竟被他說一個著！」說罷，哈哈大笑。眾人一齊笑起來。周進不好意思。

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After this recitation he said, 「A learned man like Mr. Zhou here is certainly not foolish.」 Then, putting his hand over his mouth to hide a smile, he added, 「But he should become a scholar soon, and the description of the fasting and the whiskers is true to life.」 He gave a loud guffaw, and everybody laughed with him, while Zhou Jin did not know which way to look.

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申祥甫連忙斟一杯酒道：「梅三相該敬一杯。顧老相公家西席就是周先生了。」梅玖道：「我不知道，該罰不該罰！但這個話不是為周長兄，他說明了是個秀才。但這喫齋也是好事。先年俺有一個母舅，一口長齋，後來進了學，老師送了丁祭的胙肉來，外祖母道：『丁祭肉若是不喫，聖人就要計較了：大則降災，小則害病。』只得就開了齋。俺這周長兄，只到今年秋祭，少不得有胙肉送來，不怕你不開哩。」

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Shen Xiang-fu hastily filled a cup with wine and said, 「Mr. Mei should drink a cup of wine. Mr. Zhou was the teacher in Mr. Gu’s house.」「I didn’t know that,」 said Mei Jiu. 「I should certainly drink a cup to apologize. But this joke was not against Mr. Zhou. It was about a scholar. However, this fasting is a good thing. I have an uncle who never ate meat either. But after he passed the prefectural examination his patron sent him some sacrificial meat, and my grandmother said, ’If you don’t eat this, Confucius will be angry, and some terrible calamity may happen. At the very least, he will make you fall sick.’ So my uncle stopped fasting. Now, Mr. Zhou, you are bound to pass the examination this autumn. Then you will be offered sacrificial meat, and I’m sure you will stop fasting.」

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眾人說他發的利市好，同斟一杯，送與周先生預賀，把周先生臉上羞的紅一塊，白一塊，只得承謝眾人，將酒接在手裏。廚下捧出湯點來，一大盤實心饅頭，一盤油煎的扛子火燒。眾人道：「這點心是素的，先生用幾個。」周進怕湯不潔淨，討了茶來喫點心。

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They all said this was a lucky omen, and drank a toast to congratulate Zhou Jin in advance, until the poor man’s face turned a mottled red and white, and he could barely stammer out his thanks as he took the wine cup. Soup was carried in from the kitchen with a big dish of dumplings and a plate of fried cakes. They assured Zhou Jin that there was no animal fat in the cakes, and pressed him to eat some. But he was afraid the soup was unclean, and asked for tea instead.

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內中一人問申祥甫道：「你親家今日在那裏？何不來陪先生坐坐？」申祥甫道：「他到快班李老爹家喫酒去了。」又一個人道：「李老爹這幾年在新任老爺手裏著實跑起來了，怕不一年要尋千把銀子。只是他老人家好賭，不如西班黃老爹，當初也在這些事裏頑耍，這幾年成了正果，家裏房子蓋的像天宮一般，好不熱鬧。」

19
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While they were eating the dessert, someone asked Shen, 「Where is the village head today? Why hasn’t he come to welcome Mr. Zhou?」「He has gone to a feast with Constable Li,」 said Shen.「These last few years, under the new magistrate, Mr. Li has done very well,」 said someone else. 「In one year he must make about a thousand taels of silver. But he is too fond of gambling. It’s a pity he’s not like Bailiff Huang. Bailiff Huang used to play too, but later he turned over a new leaf and was able to build a house just like a palace — it is very grand.」

20
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荀老爹向申祥甫道：「你親家自從當了門戶，時運也算走順風。再過兩年，只怕也要弄到黃老爹的意思哩。」申祥甫道：「他也要算停當的了。若想到黃老爹的地步，只怕還有做幾年的夢。」

20
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「Since your relative became the village head,」 said Mr. Xun to Shen Xiang-fu, 「he’s been in luck. Another year or two, and I suppose he will be like Bailiff Huang.」「He’s not doing badly,」 said Shen. 「But it’ll be several years before his dream of catching up with Bailiff Huang comes true.」

21
-

梅相公正喫著火燒，接口道：「做夢倒也有些準哩。」因問周進道：「長兄這些年考校，可曾得個甚麼夢兆？」周進道：「倒也沒有。」梅玖道：「就是徼倖的這一年，正月初一日，我夢見在一個極高的山上，天上的日頭，不差不錯，端端正正掉了下來，壓在我頭上，驚出一身的汗；醒了摸一摸頭，就像還有些熱。彼時不知甚麼原故，如今想來，好不有準！」

21
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With his mouth full of cake, Mr. Mei put in: 「There is something in dreams.」 And turning to Zhou Jin he asked: 「Mr. Zhou, these past years, during the examinations, what dreams have you had?」「None at all,」 replied Zhou Jin.「I was fortunate,」 said Mei Jiu. 「Last year on New Year’s Day, I dreamed that I was on a very high mountain. The sun in the sky was directly above me, but suddenly it fell down on my head! Sweating with fright, I woke up and rubbed my head, and it still seemed hot. I didn’t understand then what the dream meant, but later it came true!」

22
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於是點心喫完，又斟了一巡酒。直到上燈時候，梅相公同眾人別了回去。申祥甫拿出一副藍布被褥，送周先生到觀音庵歇宿；向和尚說定，館地就在後門裏這兩間屋內。

22
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By this time all the cakes were finished, and they had another round of drinks. By then it was time to light the lamps, and Mei Jiu and all the others went home, while Shen Xiangfu produced blue bedding and escorted Mr. Zhou to the temple to sleep, where he settled with the monk that the two empty rooms at the back should be used for the school.

23
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直到開館那日，申祥甫同著眾人領了學生來，七長八短幾個孩子，拜見先生。眾人各自散了。周進上位教書。晚間學生家去，把各家贄見拆開來看：只見荀家是一錢銀子，另有八分銀子代茶；其餘也有三分的，也有四分的，也有十來個錢的，合攏了不彀一個月飯食。周進一總包了，交與和尚收著再算。那些孩子就像蠢牛一般，一時照顧不到，就溜到外邊去打瓦踢毬，每日淘氣不了。周進只得捺定性子，坐著教導。

23
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When the day came to start school, Shen Xiang-fu and the other villagers took their sons, large and small, to pay their respects to the teacher; and Zhou Jin taught them. That evening, when he opened the envelopes containing their school fees, he found there was one-tenth of a tael of silver from the Xun family with an extra eight cents for tea, while the others had given only three or four cents or a dozen coppers apiece; so altogether he had not enough for one month’s food. He gave what he had to the monk, however, promising to settle his account later.The children were a wild lot. The moment Zhou Jin took his eyes off them, they would slip outside to play hopscotch or kick balls. They were up to mischief every day, yet he had to sit there patiently and teach them.

24
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不覺兩個多月，天氣漸暖。周進喫過午飯，開了後門出來，河沿上望望。雖是鄉村地方，河邊卻也有幾樹桃花、柳樹，紅紅綠綠，間雜好看。看了一回，只見濛濛的細雨下將起來。周進見下雨，轉入門內，望著雨下在河裏，煙籠遠樹，景致更妙。這雨越下越大。卻見上流頭一隻船冒雨而來。那船本不甚大，又是蘆蓆篷，所以怕雨。將近河岸，看時，中艙坐著一個人，船尾坐著兩個從人，船頭上放著一擔食盒。將到岸邊，那人連呼船家泊船，帶領從人，走上岸來。周進看那人時，頭戴方巾，身穿寶藍緞直裰，腳下粉底皂靴，三綹髭鬚，約有三十多歲光景。走到門口，與周進舉一舉手，一直進來。自己口裏說道：「原來是個學堂。」周進跟了進來作揖。那人還了個半禮道：「你想就是先生了？」周進道：「正是。」那人問從者道：「和尚怎的不見？」說著，和尚忙走了出來道：「原來是王大爺。請坐。僧人去烹茶來。」向著周進道：「這王大爺就是前科新中的。先生陪了坐著，我去拿茶。」

24
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Soon more than two months had passed and it began to grow warm. One day after lunch, Zhou Jin opened the back gate and went out to stroll on the river bank. It was a small country place, with some peach trees and willows beside the stream, their pink and green beautifully intermingled. Zhou Jin enjoyed the scenery until it began to drizzle. Then he went back to his doorway to watch the rain falling on the river and mist shrouding the distant trees, making them look even lovelier. The rain was beginning to fall more heavily when a boat came downstream — a small craft with a matting roof which could not keep out the wet. As it approached the bank, he saw a man sitting in the middle of the boat and two servants in the stern, while in the bow were two hampers. They reached the bank and the man ordered the boatman to moor the boat, then stepped ashore followed by his servants. He was wearing a scholar’s cap, a sapphire-olue gown and black slippers with white soles. His beard was combed into three tufts, and he looked a little over thirty. Coming to the temple gate he nodded to Zhou Jin, then entered saying to himself, 「This seems to be a school.」「Yes,」 said Zhou Jin, accompanying him in and greeting him.「And you, I suppose, are the teacher?」「That is correct.」「How is it we don’t see the monk?」 the stranger asked his servants.But just then the monk hurried in, saying, 「Please take a seat, Mr. Wang, and I’ll make tea for you.」 Then he told Zhou Jin, 「This is Mr. Wang Hui, a new provincial scholar. Please sit down and keep him company while I go to make tea.」

25
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那王舉人也不謙讓，從人擺了一條凳子，就在上首坐了。周進下面相陪。王舉人道：「你這位先生貴姓？」周進知他是個舉人，便自稱道：「晚生姓周。」王舉人道：「去年在誰家作館？」周進道：「在縣門口顧老相公家。」王舉人道：「足下莫不是就在我白老師手裏曾考過一個案首的？說這幾年在顧二哥家做館，不差不差。」周進道：「俺這顧東家，老先生也是相與的？」王舉人道：「顧二哥是俺戶下冊書，又是拜盟的好弟兄。」

25
-

The newcomer showed no false modesty. When the servants drew up benches he promptly sat himself down in the place of honour of it, leaving the teacher to take a lower seat.「What is your name?」 he demanded.Knowing that this man was a provincial scholar, Zhou Jin replied, 「Your pupil is called Zhou.」「Where did you teach before?」「In the family of Mr. Gu of the county yamen.」「Aren’t you the man who came first in that test which my patron, Mr. Bai, supervised? He said that you were teaching in Mr. Gu’s family. That’s right. That’s right.」「Do you know my former employer, Mr. Gu, sir?」「Mr. Gu is one of the secretaries in our office. He is one of my sworn brothers too.」

26
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須臾，和尚獻上茶來喫了。周進道：「老先生的硃卷是晚生熟讀過的。後面兩大股文章，尤其精妙。」王舉人道：「那兩股文章不是俺作的。」周進道：「老先生又過謙了。卻是誰作的呢？」王舉人道：「雖不是我作的，卻也不是人作的。那時頭場，初九日，天色將晚，第一篇文章還不曾做完，自己心裏疑惑，說：『我平日筆下最快，今日如何遲了？』正想不出來，不覺磕睡上來，伏著號板打一個盹。只見五個青臉的人跳進號來，中間一人，手裏拿著一枝大筆，把俺頭上點了一點，就跳出去了。隨即一個戴紗帽、紅袍金帶的人，揭簾子進來，把俺拍了一下，說道：『王公請起。』那時弟嚇了一跳，通身冷汗，醒轉來，拿筆在手，不知不覺寫了出來。可見貢院裏鬼神是有的。弟也曾把這話回稟過大主考座師，座師就道弟該有鼎元之分。」

26
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Presently the monk brought in tea, and when they had drunk it Zhou Jin said, 「I read your examination essay over and over again, sir. The last two paragraphs were particularly fine.」「Those two paragraphs were not by me.」「You are too modest, sir. Who else could have written them?」「Although not by me, they were not by anybody else either,」 said the scholar. 「It was the first day of the examination, on the ninth, getting on for dusk; but I had still not finished the first essay, and I said to myself, ’Usually I write very quickly. What makes me so slow today?’ As I was racking my brains, I dozed off on the desk. Then I saw five greenfaced men leaping into the cell. One of them made a mark on my head with a big brush which he had in his hand, then darted away. Then a man in a gauze cap, red robe and golden belt came in, who shook me and said, ’Mr. Wang, please get up!’ I woke up, trembling, bathed in icy sweat, and taking the pen into my hand began to write without knowing what I was doing. From this one can see that there are spirits in the examination school. When I made this statement to the chief examiner, he said that I ought to pass the very highest examination.」

27
-

正說得熱鬧，一個小學生送倣來批，周進叫他閣著。王舉人道：「不妨，你只管去批倣，俺還有別的事。」周進只得上位批倣。王舉人吩咐家人道：「天已黑了，雨又不住，你們把船上的食盒挑了上來，叫和尚拿升米做飯。船家叫他伺候著，明日早走。」向周進道：「我方纔上墳回來，不想遇著雨，耽擱一夜。」

27
-

He was speaking with great gusto, when a small boy came in with a written exercise. Zhou Jin told him to put it down, but Wang Hui said, 「You go ahead and correct it. I have other things to see to.」 Then the teacher went to his desk while Wang Hui said to his servants, 「Since it is dark and the rain has not stopped, bring the hampers here and tell the monk to cook a peck of rice. Order the boatman to wait. I shall leave tomorrow morning.」 He told Zhou Jin, 「I have just come back from visiting the graves of my ancestors, and did not expect to run into rain. I shall spend the night here.」

28
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說著，就猛然回頭，一眼看見那小學生的倣紙上的名字是荀玫，不覺就喫了一驚。一會兒咂嘴弄唇的，臉上做出許多怪物像。周進又不好問他，批完了倣，依舊陪他坐著。他就問道：「方纔這小學生幾歲了？」周進道：「他纔七歲。」王舉人道：「是今年纔開蒙？這名字是你替他起的？」周進道：「這名字不是晚生起的。開蒙的時候，他父親央及集上新進梅朋友替他起名。梅朋友說自己的名字叫做『玖』，也替他起個『王』旁的名字發發兆，將來好同他一樣的意思。」

28
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While he was speaking, he caught sight of the name Xun Mei on the little boy’s exercise, and gave an involuntary start. He pursed his lips and his face was a study, but Zhou Jin could not very well question him. When Zhou Jin had finished correcting the exercise and sat down again as before, Wang Hui asked, 「How old is that boy?」「Seven.」「Did he start school this year? Did you choose that name for him?」「I didn’t choose the name. At the beginning of the term his father asked the new village scholar, Mei Jiu, to choose a name for him. And Mr. Mei said, ’My own name seems to be an auspicious one, so I will give it to him and hope that he will turn out like me.’」

29
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王舉人笑道：「說起來，竟是一場笑話：弟今年正月初一日夢見看會試榜，弟中在上面是不消說了，那第三名也是汶上人，叫做荀玫。弟正疑惑我縣裏沒有這一個姓荀的孝廉，誰知竟同著這個小學生的名字。難道和他同榜不成！」說罷，就哈哈大笑起來，道：「可見夢作不得準！況且功名大事，總以文章為主，那裏有甚麼鬼神！」

29
-

「This is certainly a joke,」 said Wang Hui with a short laugh. 「On the first day of this year I dreamed that I was looking at the list of metropolitan examination results. My name was on it — that goes without saying. But the third name was that of another man from Wenshang County called Xun Mei, and I wondered at this, since there was no provincial scholar from my county called Xun. Fancy it’s turning out to be this little student’s name! As if I could be on the same list as he!」 He burst out laughing, then went on, 「It’s obvious that dreams are unreliable. Fame and achievement depend upon study, not upon any supernatural forces.」

30
-

周進道：「老先生，夢也竟有準的。前日晚生初來，會著集上梅朋友，他說也是正月初一日，夢見一個大紅日頭落在他頭上；他這年就飛黃騰達的。」王舉人道：「這話更不作得準了。比如他進個學，就有日頭落在他頭上，像我這發過的，不該連天都掉下來，是俺頂著的了？」

30
-

「Some dreams do come true, though,」 said Zhou Jin. 「The day that I arrived here, Mr. Mei told me that one New Year’s Day he dreamed that a great red sun fell on his head, and that year, sure enough, he passed the prefectural examination.」「That doesn’t prove anything,」 retorted Wang Hui. 「Suppose he does pass the prefectural examination and have a sun falling on his head — what about me? I have passed the provincial examination. Shouldn’t the whole sky fall on my head?」

31
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彼此說著閑話，掌上燈燭，管家捧上酒飯，雞、魚、鴨、肉，堆滿春臺。王舉人也不讓周進，自己坐著喫了，收下碗去。落後和尚送出周進的飯來，一碟老菜葉，一壺熱水。周進也喫了。叫了安置，各自歇宿。

31
-

As they were chatting, lights were brought in, and the servants spread the desk with wine, rice, chicken, fish, duck and pork. Wang Hui fell to, without inviting Zhou Jin to join him; and when Wang Hui had finished, the monk sent up the teacher’s rice with one dish of cabbage and a jug of hot water. When Zhou Jin had eaten, they both went to bed.

32
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次早，天色已晴，王舉人起來洗了臉，穿好衣服，拱一拱手，上船去了。撒了一地的雞骨頭、鴨翅膀、魚刺、瓜子殼，周進昏頭昏腦，掃了一早晨。

32
-

The next day the weather cleared. Wang Hui got up, washed and dressed, bade Zhou Jin a casual goodbye and went away in his boat, leaving the schoolroom floor so littered with chicken, duck and fish bones, and melon-seed shells, that it took Zhou Jin a whole morning to clear them all away, and the sweeping made him dizzy.

33
-

自這一番之後，一薛家集的人都曉得荀家孩子是縣裏王舉人的進士同年，傳為笑話。這些同學的孩子趕著他就不叫荀玫了，都叫他「荀進士」。各家父兄聽見這話，都各不平，偏要在荀老翁跟前恭喜，說他是個封翁太老爺。把個荀老爹氣得有口難分。

33
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When the villagers heard about Wang Hui’s dream that Mr. Xun’s son would pass the metropolitan examination in the same year as himself, most of them thought it a great joke, and Xun Mei’s classmates took to calling him Dr. Xun. But their fathers and elder brothers were annoyed. Out of spite, they went to congratulate Mr. Xun on being the father of a metropolitan graduate, until he was so angry he could hardly speak.

34
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申祥甫背地裏又向眾人道：「那裏是王舉人親口說這番話。這就是周先生看見我這一集上只有荀家有幾個錢，捏造出這話來奉承他，圖他個逢時遇節，他家多送兩個盒子。俺前日聽見說，荀家抄了些麵筋、豆腐干送在庵裏，又送了幾回饅頭、火燒。就是這些原故了！」

34
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Shen Xiang-fu told the villagers secretly, 「Mr. Wang could never have said such a thing. It’s all made up by that fellow Zhou. He saw that the Xun family was the only one in the village with money, so he spun this yarn to flatter them, in the hope that they would send him more food during festivals. Only the other day I heard that the Xuns sent some dried beancurd to the temple; and they have often sent him dumplings and cakes too. Depend on it, this is the reason.」

35
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眾人都不喜歡，以此周進安身不牢；因是礙著夏總甲的面皮，不好辭他，將就混了一年。後來夏總甲也嫌他獃頭獃腦，不知道常來承謝，由著眾人把周進辭了來家。

35
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Everyone was indignant, and Zhou Jin’s position became precarious. But since he had been introduced by the village head, they could not dismiss him; and he went on teaching as best he could for a year. At the end of that time, however, Village Head Xia also became convinced that the teacher was a fool, because Zhou Jin did not come often enough to flatter him. So Xia allowed the villagers to dismiss him.

36
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那年卻失了館，在家日食艱難。一日，他姊丈金有餘來看他，勸道：「老舅，莫怪我說你。這讀書求功名的事，料想也是難了。人生世上，難得的是這碗現成飯，只管『稂不稂莠不莠』的到幾時？我如今同了幾個大本錢的人到省城去買賣，差一個記帳的人，你不如同我們去走走。你又孤身一人，在客夥內，還是少了你喫的，穿的？」周進聽了這話，自己想：「『癱子掉在井裏，撈起也是坐。』有甚虧負我？」隨即應允了。

36
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Having lost his job, Zhou Jin went home. He was extremely hard up. One day his brother-in-law, Jin You-yu, came to see him and said, 「Don’t take offence at what I say, brother. But all this study doesn’t seem to be getting you anywhere, and a bad job is better than none. How long can you go on like this — neither fish, flesh nor fowl? I am going to the provincial capital with some other merchants to buy goods, and we need someone to keep accounts. Why don’t you come with us? You are all on your own, and in our group you won’t want for food or clothes.」「Even if a paralytic falls into a well, he can be no worse off than before,」 thought Zhou Jin. 「It can’t hurt me to go.」 So he consented.

37
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金有餘擇個吉日，同一夥客人起身，來到省城雜貨行裏住下。周進無事閑著，街上走走。看見紛紛的工匠都說是修理貢院。周進跟到貢院門口，想挨進去看，被看門的大鞭子打了出來。

37
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Jin chose an auspicious day, and they set off with a party of merchants to the provincial capital, where they stayed in a merchants’ guild. Since Zhou Jin had nothing to do, he strolled through the streets until he saw a group of workmen who said that they were going to repair the examination school. He followed them to the gate of the school and wanted to go in, but the gateman cracked his whip and drove him away.

38
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晚間向姊夫說，要去看看。金有餘只得用了幾個小錢，一夥客人都也同了去看；又央及行主人領著。行主人走進頭門，用了錢的並無攔阻。到了龍門下，行主人指道：「周客人，這是相公們進的門了。」進去兩邊號房門，行主人指道：「這是天字號了，你自進去看看。」周進一進了號，見兩塊號板擺得齊齊整整，不覺眼睛裏一陣酸酸的，長歎一聲，一頭撞在號板上，直殭殭不醒人事。只因這一死，有分教：『累年蹭蹬，忽然際會風雲；終歲淒涼，竟得高懸月旦。未知周進性命如何，且聽下回分解。

38
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That evening he told his brother-in-law how much he wanted to look over the examination school, and Jin had to tip the gateman to get him in. Some of the other merchants decided to go too, and asked the guild head to act as their guide. This time they simply sailed through the gate of the school, because the gateman, whose palm had been greased, made no attempt to stop them. When they reached the Dragon Gate, the guild head pointed to it, and said, 「This is the gate for scholars.」 They went into a corridor with examination cells on both sides, and the guild head told them, 「This is Number One. You can go in and have a look.」 Zhou Jin went in, and when he saw the desk set there so neatly, tears started to his eyes. He gave a long sigh, knocked his head against the desk, and slipped to the ground unconscious. But to know whether Zhou Jin recovered or not, you must read the next chapter.

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孙子兵法
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