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周學道校士拔真才　胡屠戶行兇鬧捷報 - Examiner Zhou picks out true talent. Butcher Hu cuts up rough after good news

属类： 双语小说 【分类】古汉语经典 阅读：[5068]
周學道校士拔真才　胡屠戶行兇鬧捷報 - Examiner Zhou picks out true talent. Butcher Hu cuts up rough after good news
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周學道校...

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Examiner Zhou picks out...

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話說周進在省城要看貢院，金有餘見他真切，只得用幾個小錢同他去看。不想纔到天字號，就撞死在地下。眾人多慌了，只道一時中了惡。行主人道：「想是這貢院裏久沒有人到，陰氣重了，故此周客人中了惡。」金有餘道：「賢東，我扶著他，你且去到做工的那裏借口開水來灌他一灌。」行主人應諾，取了水來，三四個客人一齊扶著，灌了下去，喉嚨裏咯咯的響了一聲，吐出一口稠涎來。眾人道：「好了。」扶著立了起來。周進看著號板，又是一頭撞將去。這回不死了，放聲大哭起來。眾人勸著不住。

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When Zhou Jin fell senseless to the ground, his friends were greatly taken aback, thinking he must be ill.「I suppose this place has been shut up so long that the air is bad,」 said the guild head. 「That must be why he has collapsed.」「I’ll hold him up,」 said Qin to the guild head, 「while you go and get some hot water from the workmen over there to bring him to.」When the guild head brought back the water, three or four of the others raised Zhou Jin up and poured water down his throat till he gave a gurgle and spat out some phlegm. 「That’s better,」 they said, and helped him to his feet. But when Zhou Jin saw the desk he beat his head against it again. Only, instead of falling unconscious, this time he burst into loud sobbing. Not all their entreaties could stop him.

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金有餘道：「你看，這不是瘋了麼？好好到貢院來耍，你家又不死了人，為甚麼這『號淘痛』，也是的？」周進也不聽見，只管伏著號板哭個不住；一號哭過，又哭到二號，三號；滿地打滾，哭了又哭，哭的眾人心裏都悽慘起來。金有餘見不是事，同行主人，一左一右，架著他的膀子。他那裏肯起來，哭了一陣，又是一陣，直哭到口裏吐出鮮血來。眾人七手八腳將他扛抬了出來，在貢院前一個茶棚子裏坐下，勸他喫了一碗茶，猶自索鼻涕，彈眼淚，傷心不止。

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「Are you out of your mind?」 demanded Jin. 「We came to the examination school to enjoy a bit of sightseeing. Nobody has died in your family. Why take on like this?」 But Zhou Jin paid no attention. He just leaned his head against the desk and went on crying. After crying in the first room, he rushed over to cry in the second and then the third, rolling over and over on the floor till all his friends felt sorry for him. Seeing the state he was in, Qin and the guild head tried to lift him up, one on each side; but he refused to budge. He cried and cried, until he spat blood. Then all the others lent a hand to carry him out and set him down in a tea-house in front of the examination school. They urged him to drink a bowl of tea. But he just went on sniffing and blinking away his tears, looking quite broken-hearted.

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內中一個客人道：「周客人有甚心事？為甚到了這裏，這等大哭起來？卻是哭得利害。」金有餘道：「列位老客有所不知。我這舍舅，本來原不是生意人。因他苦讀了幾十年的書，秀才也不曾做得一個，今日看見貢院，就不覺傷心起來。」自因這一句話道著周進的真心事，於是不顧眾人，又放聲大哭起來。

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「What’s your trouble, Mr. Zhou?」 asked one of them. 「What made you cry so bitterly in there?」「I don’t think you realize, gentlemen,」 said Qin, 「that my brother-in-law is not really a merchant. He has studied hard for scores of years, but never even passed the prefectural examination. That’s why the sight of the provincial examination school today upset him.」Touched on the raw like this, Zhou Jin let himself go and sobbed even more noisily.

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又一個客人道：「論這事，只該怪我們金老客。周相父既是斯文人，為甚麼帶他出來做這樣的事？」金有餘道：「也只為赤貧之士，又無館做，沒奈何上了這一條路。」又一個客人道：「看令舅這個光景，畢竟胸中才學是好的；因沒有人識得他，所以受屈到此田地。」金有餘道：「他才學是有的，怎奈時運不濟！」那客人道：「監生也可以進場。周相公既有才學，何不捐他一個監進場？中了，也不枉了今日這一番心事。」金有餘道：「我也是這般想。只是那裏有這一注銀子？」

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「It seems to me you’re the one to blame, Old Qin,」 said another merchant. 「If Mr. Zhou is a scholar, why did you bring him on such business?」「Because he was so hard up,」 said Qin. 「He had lost his job as a teacher; there was no other way out for him.」「Judging by your brother-in-law’s appearance,」 said another, 「he must be a very learned man. It’s because nobody recognizes his worth that he feels so wronged.」「He’s learned all right,」 said Jin, 「but he’s been unlucky.」「Anybody who buys the rank of scholar of the Imperial College can go in for the examination,」 said the man who had just spoken. 「Since Mr. Zhou is so learned, why not buy him a rank so that he can take the examination? If he passes, that will make up for his unhappiness today.」「I agree with you,」 rejoined Jin. 「But where’s the money to come from?」

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此時周進哭的住了。那客人道：「這也不難。現放著我這幾個兄弟在此，每人拿出幾十兩銀子借與周相公納監進場。若中了做官，那在我們這幾兩銀子。就是周相公不還，我們走江湖的人，那裏不破掉了幾兩銀子！何況這是好事。你眾位意下如何？」眾人一齊道：「『君子成人之美。』又道：『見義不為，是為無勇。』俺們有甚麼不肯？只不知周相公可肯俯就？」周進道：「若得如此，便是重生父母，我周進變驢變馬，也要報效！」爬到地下，就磕了幾個頭。眾人還下禮去。金有餘也稱謝了眾人。又喫了幾碗茶，周進再不哭了，同眾人說說笑笑，回到行裏。

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By now Zhou Jin had stopped crying.「That’s not difficult,」 said the same merchant. 「We’re all friends here. Let’s raise some money between us and lend it to Mr. Zhou, so that he can go in for the examination. If he passes and becomes an official, a few taels of silver will mean nothing to him — he can easily repay us. Even if he doesn’t pay us back, we merchants always fritter away a few taels one way or another, and this is in a good cause. What do you all say?」The others responded heartily:「A friend in need is a friend indeed!」「A man who knows what is the right thing to do, but doesn’t do it, is a coward!」「Of course we’ll help. We only wonder if Mr. Zhou will condescend to accept.」「If you do this,」 cried Zhou Jin, 「I shall look on you as my foster-parents. Even if I become a mule or a horse in my next life, 1 I shall repay your kindness.」 Then he knelt down and kowtowed to them all, and they bowed to him in return. Qin thanked them too. They drank a few more bowls of tea, and Zhou Jin no longer cried, but talked and laughed with the others until it was time to return to the guild.

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次日，四位客人果然備了二百兩銀子，交與金有餘。一切多的使費，都是金有餘包辦。周進又謝了眾人和金有餘。行主人替周進備一席酒，請了眾位。金有餘將著銀子，上了藩庫，討出庫收來。正直宗師來省錄遺，周進就錄了個貢監首卷。到了八月初八日進頭場，見了自己哭的所在，不覺喜出望外。自古道：「人逢喜事精神爽」，那七篇文字，做的花團錦簇一般。出了場，仍舊住在行裏。金有餘同那幾個客人還不曾買完了貨。直到放榜那日，巍然中了。眾人各各歡喜。

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The next day, sure enough, the four merchants raised two hundred taels of silver between them. This they gave to Jin, who promised to be responsible for any expenses over and above that sum. Zhou Jin thanked them again; and the guild head prepared a feast for the merchants on Zhou Jin’s behalf. Meantime Jin had taken the silver to the provincial treasury. As luck would have it, it was just the time for the preliminary test for the provincial examination. Zhou Jin took the test and came first of all the candidates from the Imperial College. On the eighth of the eighth month he went to the examination school for the provincial examination, and the sight of the place where he had cried made him unexpectedly happy. As the proverb says, 「Joy puts heart into a man.」 Thus he wrote seven excellent examination papers, then went back to the guild, for Jin and the others had not yet completed their purchases. When the results were published, Zhou Jin had passed with distinction, and all the merchants were delighted.

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一齊回到汶上縣，拜縣父母、學師，典史。那晚生帖子上門來賀，汶上縣的人，不是親的也來認親，不相與的也來認相與。忙了個把月。申祥甫聽見這事，在薛家集斂了分子，買了四隻雞，五十個蛋和些炒米、歡團之類，親自上縣來賀喜。周進留他喫了酒飯去。荀老爹賀禮是不消說了。

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They went back together to Wenshang County, where Zhou Jin paid his respects to the magistrate and the local examiner, and officials sent in their cards and called to congratulate him. Local people who were no relations of his claimed relationship, and perfect strangers claimed acquaintanceship. This kept him busy for over a month. When Shen Xiang-fu heard the news, he got the villagers in Xue Market to contribute to buy four chickens, fifty eggs and some rice balls, then went to the county-seat to congratulate Zhou Jin, who kept him to a feast. Mr. Xun, it goes without saying, came to pay his respects too.

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看看上京會試，盤費、衣服，都是金有餘替他設處。到京會試，又中了進士，殿在三甲，授了部屬。荏苒三年，陞了御史，欽點廣東學道。

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Soon it was time to go to the examination in the capital. Zhou Jin’s travelling expenses and clothes were provided by Jin. He passed the metropolitan examination too; and after the palace examination he was given an official post. In three years he rose to the rank of censor and was appointed commissioner of education for Guangdong Province.

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這周學道雖也請了幾個看文章的相公，卻自心裏想道：「我在這裏面喫苦久了，如今自己當權，須要把卷子都要細細看過，不可聽著幕客，屈了真才。」主意定了，到廣州上了任。次日，行香掛牌。先考了兩場生員。

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Now though Zhou Jin engaged several secretaries, he thought, 「I had bad luck myself so long; now that I’m in office I mean to read all the papers carefully. I mustn’t leave everything to my secretaries, and suppress real talent.」 Having come to this decision, he went to Guangzhou to take up his post. The day after his arrival he burnt incense, posted up placards, and held two examinations.

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第三場是南海、番禺兩縣童生。周學道坐在堂上，見那些童生紛紛進來；也有小的，也有老的，儀表端正的，獐頭鼠目的，衣冠齊楚的，藍縷破爛的。落後點進一個童生來，面黃肌瘦，花白鬍鬚，頭上戴一頂破氈帽。廣東雖是氣溫暖，這時已是十二月上旬，那童生還穿著麻布直裰，凍得乞乞縮縮，接了卷子，下去歸號。周學道看在心裏，封門進去。出來放頭牌的時節，坐在上面，只見那穿麻布的童生上來交卷，那衣服因是朽爛了，在號裏又扯破了幾塊。周學道看看自己身上，緋袍金帶，何等輝煌。因翻一翻點名冊，問那童生道：「你就是范進？」

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The third examination was for candidates from Nanhai and Panyu Counties. Commissioner Zhou sat in the hall and watched the candidates crowding in. There were young and old, handsome and homely, smart and shabby men among them. The last candidate to enter was thin and sallow, had a grizzled beard and was wearing an old felt hat. Guangdong has a warm climate; still, this was the twelfth month, and yet this candidate had on a linen gown only, so he was shivering with cold as he took his paper and went to his cell. Zhou Jin made a mental note of this before sealing up their doors. During the first interval, from his seat at the head of the hall he watched this candidate in the linen gown come up to hand in his paper. The man’s clothes were so threadbare that a few more holes had appeared since he went into the cell. Commissioner Zhou looked at his own garments—his magnificent crimson robe and gilt belt—then he referred to the register of names, and asked, 「You are Fan Jin, aren’t you?」

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范進跪下道：「童生就是。」學道道：「你今年多少年紀了？」范進道：「童生冊上寫的是三十歲，童生實年五十四歲。」學道道：「你考過多少回數了？」范進道：「童生二十歲應考，到今考過二十餘次。」學道道：「如何總不進學？」范進道：「總因童生文字荒謬，所以各位大老爺不曾賞取。」周學道道：「這也未必盡然。你且出去，卷子待本道細細看。」范進磕頭下去了。

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Kneeling, Fan Jin answered, 「Yes, Your Excellency.」「How old are you this year?」「I gave my age as thirty. Actually, I am fifty-four.」「How many times have you taken the examination?」「I first went in for it when I was twenty, and I have taken it over twenty times since then.」「How is it you have never passed?」「My essays are too poor,」 replied Fan Jin, 「so none of the honourable examiners will pass me.」「That may not be the only reason,」 said Commissioner Zhou. 「Leave your paper here, and I will read it through carefully.」Fan Jin kowtowed and left.

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那時天色尚早，並無童生交卷。周學道將范進卷子用心用意看了一遍，心裏不喜道：「這樣的文字，都說的是些甚麼話！怪不得不進學！」丟過一邊不看了。又坐了一會，還不見一個人來交卷，心裏又想道：「何不把范進的卷子再看一遍？倘有一線之明，也可憐他苦志。」從頭至尾，又看了一遍，覺得有些意思。正要再看看，卻有一個童生來交卷。

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It was still early, and no other candidates were coming to hand in their papers, so Commissioner Zhou picked up Fan Jin’s essay and read it through. But he was disappointed. 「Whatever is the fellow driving at in this essay?」 he wondered. 「I see now why he never passed.」 He put it aside. However, when no other candidates appeared, he thought, 「I might as well have another look at Fan Jin’s paper. If he shows the least talent, I’ll pass him to reward his perseverance.」 He read it through again, and this time felt there was something in it. He was just going to read it through once more, when another candidate came up to hand in his paper.

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那童生跪下道：「求大老爺面試。」學道和顏道：「你的文字已在這裏了，又面試些甚麼？」那童生道：「童生詩詞歌賦都會，求大老爺出題面試。」學道變了臉道：「當今天子重文章，足下何須講漢唐！像你做童生的人，只該用心做文章，那些雜覽，學他做甚麼！況且本道奉旨到此衡文，難道是來此同你談雜學的麼？看你這樣務名而不務實，那正務自然荒廢，都是些粗心浮氣的說話，看不得了。左右的！趕了出去！」一聲吩咐過了，兩傍走過幾個如狼似虎的公人，把那童生叉著膊子，一路跟頭，叉到大門外。

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This man knelt down, and said, 「Sir, I beg for an oral test.」「I have your paper here,」 said Commissioner Zhou kindly. 「What need is there for an oral test?」「I can compose poems in all the ancient styles. I beg you to set a subject to test me.」The commissioner frowned and said, 「Since the emperor attaches importance to essays, why should you bring up the poems of the Han and Tang Dynasties? A candidate like you should devote all his energy to writing compositions, instead of wasting time on heterodox studies. I have come here at the imperial command to examine essays, not to discuss miscellaneous literary forms with you. This devotion to superficial things means that your real work must be neglected. No doubt your essay is nothing but flashy talk, not worth the reading. Attendants! Drive him out!」 At the word of command, attendants ran in from both sides to seize the candidate and push him outside the gate.

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周學道雖然趕他出去，卻也把卷子取來看看。那童生叫做魏好古，文字也還清通。學道道：「把他低低的進了學罷。」因取過筆來，在卷子尾上點了一點，做個記認。又取過范進卷子來看。看罷，不覺歎息道：「這樣文字，連我看一兩遍也不能解，直到三遍之後，纔曉得是天地間之至文！真乃一字一珠！可見世上糊塗試官，不知屈煞了多少英才！」忙取筆細細圈點，卷面上加了三圈，即填了第一名。又把魏好古的卷子取過來，填了第二十名。將各卷彙齊，帶了進去。發出案來，范進是第一。謁見那日，著實贊揚了一回。點到二十名，魏好古上去，又勉勵了幾句「用心舉業，休學雜覽」的話。鼓吹送了出去。

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But although Commissioner Zhou had had this man driven out, he still read his paper. This candidate was called Wei Hao-ku, and he wrote in a tolerably clear and straightforward style. 「I will pass him lowest on the list,」 Zhou Jin decided. And, taking up his brush, he made a mark at the end of the paper as a reminder.Then he read Fan Jin’s paper again. This time he gave a gasp of amazement. 「Even I failed to understand this paper the first two times I read it!」 he exclaimed. 「But, after reading it for the third time, I realize it is the most wonderful essay in the world—every word a pearl. This shows how often bad examiners must have suppressed real genius.」 Hastily taking up his brush, he carefully drew three circles on Fan Jin’s paper, marking it as first. He then picked up Wei Hao-ku’s paper again, and marked it as twentieth. After this he collected all the other essays and took them away with him.Soon the results were published, and Fan Jin’s name was first on the list. When he went in to see the commissioner, Zhou Jin commended him warmly. And when the last successful candidate—Wei Hao-ku—went in, Commissioner Zhou gave him some encouragement and advised him to work hard and stop studying miscellaneous works. Then, to the sound of drums and trumpets, the successful candidates left.

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次日起馬，范進獨自送在三十里之外，轎前打恭。周學道又叫到跟前，說道：「龍頭屬老成。本道看你的文字，火候到了，即在此科，一定發達。我復命之後，在京專候。」范進又磕頭謝了，起來立著。學道轎子，一擁而去。范進立著，直望見門鎗影子抹過前山，看不見了，方纔回到下處，謝了房主人。他家離城還有四十五里路，連夜回來，拜見母親。家裏住著一間草屋，一廈披子，門外是個茅草棚。正屋是母親住著，妻子住在披房裏。他妻子乃是集上胡屠戶的女兒。

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The next day, Commissioner Zhou set off for the capital. Fan Jin alone escorted him for ten miles of the way, doing reverence before his chair. Then the commissioner called him to his side. 「First-class honours go to the mature,」 he said. 「Your essay showed real maturity, and you are certain to do well in the provincial examination too. After I have made my report to the authorities, I will wait for you in the capital.」Fan Jin kowtowed again in thanks, then stood to one side of the road as the examiner’s chair was carried swiftly off. Only when the banners had passed out of sight behind the next hill did he turn back to his lodgings to settle his bill. His home was about fifteen miles from the city, and he had to travel all night to reach it. He bowed to his mother, who lived with him in a thatched cottage with a thatched shed outside, his mother occupying the front room and his wife the back one. His wife was the daughter of Butcher Hu of the market.

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范進進學回家，母親、妻子，俱各歡喜。正待燒鍋做飯，只見他丈人胡屠戶，手裏拿著一副大腸和一瓶酒，走了進來。范進向他作揖，坐下。胡屠戶道：「我自倒運，把個女兒嫁與你這現世寶，窮鬼，歷年以來，不知累了我多少。如今不知因我積了甚麼德，帶挈你中了個相公，我所以帶個酒來賀你。」范進唯唯連聲，叫渾家把腸子煮了，盪起酒來，在茅草棚下坐著。母親自和媳婦在廚下造飯。

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Fan Jin’s mother and wife were delighted by his success. They were preparing a meal when his father-in-law arrived, bringing pork sausages and a bottle of wine. Fan Jin greeted him, and they sat down together.「Since I had the bad luck to marry my daughter to a scarecrow like you,」 said Butcher Hu, 「Heaven knows how much you have cost me. Now I must have done some good deed to make you pass the examination. I’ve brought this wine to celebrate.」Fan Jin assented meekly, and called his wife to cook the sausages and warm the wine. He and his father-in-law sat in the thatched shed, while his mother and wife prepared food in the kitchen.

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胡屠戶又吩咐女婿道：「你如今既中了相公，凡事要立起個體統來。比如我這行事裏都是些正經有臉面的人，又是你的長親，你怎敢在我們跟前粧大？若是家門口這些做田的，扒糞的，不過是平頭百姓，你若同他拱手作揖，平起平坐，這就是壞了學校規矩，連我臉上都無光了。你是個爛忠厚沒用的人，所以這些話我不得不教導你，免得惹人笑話。」

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「Now that you have become a gentleman,」 went on Butcher Hu, 「you must do things in proper style. Of course, men in my profession are decent, high-class people; and I am your elder too — you mustn’t put on any airs before me. But these peasants round here, dung-carriers and the like, are low people. If you greet them and treat them as equals, that will be a breach of etiquette and will make me lose face too. You’re such an easy-going, good-for-nothing fellow, I’m telling you this for your own good, so that you won’t make a laughing-stock of yourself.」

19
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范進道：「岳父見教的是。」胡屠戶又道：「親家母也來這裏坐著喫飯。老人家每日小菜飯，想也難過。我女孩兒也喫些，自從進了你家門，這十幾年，不知豬油可曾喫過兩三回哩？可憐！可憐！」說罷，婆媳兩個，都來坐著喫了飯。喫到日西時分，胡屠戶喫的醺醺的。這裏母子兩個，千恩萬謝。屠戶橫披了衣服，腆著肚子去了。

19
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「Your advice is quite right, father,」 replied Fan Jin.「Let your mother eat with us too,」 went on butcher Hu. 「She has only vegetables usually — it’s a shame! Let my daughter join us too. She can’t have tasted lard more than two or three times since she married you a dozen years ago, poor thing!」So Fan Jin’s mother and wife sat down to share the meal with them. They ate until sunset, by which time Butcher Hu was tipsy. Mother and son thanked him profusely; then, throwing his jacket over his shoulders, the butcher staggered home bloated.

20
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次日，范進少不得拜拜鄉鄰。魏好古又約了一班同案的朋友，彼此來往。因是鄉試年，做了幾個文會。不覺到了六月盡間，這些同案的人約范進去鄉試。范進因沒有盤費，走去同丈人商議，被胡屠戶一口啐在臉上，罵了一個狗血噴頭道：「不要失了你的時了！你自己只覺得中了一個相公，就『癩蝦蟆想喫起天鵝肉』來！我聽見人說，就是中相公時，也不是你的文章，還是宗師看見你老，不過意，捨與你的。如今癡心就想中起老爺來！這些中老爺的都是天上的『文曲星』！你不看見城裏張府上那些老爺，都有萬貫家私，一個個方面大耳。像你這尖嘴猴腮，也該撒拋尿自己照照！不三不四，就想天鵝屁喫！趁早收了這心，明年在我們行事裏替你尋一個館，每年尋幾兩銀子，養活你那老不死的老娘和你老婆是正經！你問我借盤纏，我一天殺一個豬還賺不得錢把銀子，都把與你去丟在水裏，叫我一家老小嗑西北風！」一頓夾七夾八，罵的范進摸門不著。

20
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The next day Fan Jin had to call on relatives and friends. Wei Hao-Gu invited him to meet some other fellow candidates, and since it was the year for the provincial examination they held a number of literary meetings. Soon it was the end of the sixth month. Fan Jin’s fellow candidates asked him to go with them to the provincial capital for the examination, but he had no money for the journey. He went to ask his father-inlaw to help.butcher Hu spat in his face, and poured out a torrent of abuse. 「Don’t be a fool!」 he roared. 「Just passing one examination has turned your head completely—you’re like a toad trying to swallow a swan! And I hear that you scraped through not because of your essay, but because the examiner pitied you for being so old. Now, like a fool, you want to pass the higher examination and become an official. But do you know who those officials are? They are all stars in heaven! Look at the Zhang family in the city. All those officials have pots of money, dignified faces and big ears. But your mouth sticks out and you’ve a chin like an ape’s. You should piss on the ground and look at your face in the puddle! You look like a monkey, yet you want to become an official. Come off it! Next year I shall find a teaching job for you with one of my friends so that you can make a few taels of silver to support that old, neverdying mother of yours and your wife — and it’s high time you did! Yet you ask me for travelling expenses! I kill just one pig a day, and only make ten cents per pig. If I give you all my silver to play ducks and drakes with, my family will have to live on air.」 The butcher went on cursing at full blast, till Fan Jin’s head spun.

21
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辭了丈人回來，自心裏想：「宗師說我火候已到，自古無場外的舉人，如不進去考他一考，如何甘心？」因向幾個同案商議，瞞著丈人，到城裏鄉試。出了場，即便回家。家裏已是餓了兩三天。被胡屠戶知道，又罵了一頓。

21
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When he got home again, he thought to himself, 「Commissioner Zhou said that I showed maturity. And, from ancient times till now, who ever passed the first examination without going in for the second? I shan’t rest easy till I’ve taken it.」 So he asked his fellow candidates to help him, and went to the city, without telling his father-in-law, to take the examination. When the examination was over he returned home, only to find that his family had had no food for two days. And Butcher Hu cursed him again.

22
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到出榜那日，家裏沒有早飯米，母親吩咐范進道：「我有一隻生蛋的母雞，你快拿集上去賣了，買幾升米來煮餐粥喫。我已是餓的兩眼都看不見了！」范進慌忙抱了雞，走出門去。纔去不到兩個時候，只聽得一片聲的鑼響，三匹馬闖將來。那三個人下了馬，把馬栓在茅草棚上，一片聲叫道：「快請范老爺出來，恭喜高中了。」

22
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The day the results came out there was nothing to eat in the house, and Fan Jin’s mother told him, 「Take that hen of mine to the market and sell it; then buy a few measures of rice to make gruel. I’m faint with hunger.」 Fan Jin tucked the hen under his arm and hurried out. He had only been gone an hour or so, when gongs sounded and three horsemen galloped up. They alighted, tethered their horses to the shed, and called out: 「Where is the honourable Mr. Fan? We have come to congratulate him on passing the provincial examination.」

23
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母親不知是甚事，嚇得躲在屋裏；聽見中了，方敢伸出頭來說道：「諸位請坐，小兒方纔出去了。」那些報錄人道：「原來是老太太。」大家簇擁著要喜錢。

23
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Not knowing what had happened, Fan Jin’s mother had hidden herself in the house for fear. But when she heard that he had passed, she plucked up courage to poke her head out and say, 「Please come in and sit down. My son has gone out.」「So this is the old lady,」 said the heralds. And they pressed forward to demand a tip.

24
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正在吵鬧，又是幾匹馬，二報、三報到了，擠了一屋的人，茅草棚地下都坐滿了。鄰居都來了，擠著看。老太太沒奈何，只得央及一個鄰居去尋他兒子。

24
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In the midst of this excitement two more batches of horsemen arrived. Some squeezed inside while the others packed. themselves into the shed, where they had to sit on the ground. Neighbours gathered round, too, to watch; and the flustered old lady asked one of them to go to look for her son.

25
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那鄰居飛奔到集上，一地裏尋不見；直尋到集東頭，見范進抱著雞，手裏插個草標，一步一踱的，東張西望，在那裏尋人買。鄰居道：「范相公，快些回去。你恭喜中了舉人，報喜人擠了一屋裏。」范進道是哄他，只裝不聽見，低著頭，往前走。鄰居見他不理，走上來，就要奪他手裏的雞。范進道：「你奪我的雞怎的？你又不買。」鄰居道：「你中了舉了，叫你家去打發報子哩。」范進道：「高鄰，你曉得我今日沒有米，要賣這雞去救命，為甚麼拿這話來混我？我又不同你頑，你自回去罷，莫誤了我賣雞。」鄰居見他不信，劈手把雞奪了，摜在地下，一把拉了回來。

25
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The neighbour ran to the market-place, but Fan Jin was nowhere to be seen. Only when he reached the east end of the market did he discover the scholar, clutching the hen tightly against his chest and holding a sales sign in one hand. Fan Jin was pacing slowly along, looking right and left for a customer.「Go home quickly, Mr. Fan!」 cried the neighbour. 「Congratulations! You have passed the provincial examination. Your house is full of heralds.」Thinking this fellow was making fun of him, Fan Jin pretended not to hear, and walked forward with lowered head. Seeing that he paid no attention, the neighbour went up to him and tried to grab the hen.「Why are you taking my hen?」 protested Fan Jin. 「You don’t want to buy it.」「You have passed,」 insisted the neighbour. 「They want you to go home to send off the heralds.」「Good neighbour,」 said Fan Jin, 「we have no rice left at home, so I have to sell this hen. It’s a matter of life and death. This is no time for jokes! Do go away, so as not to spoil my chance of a sale.」When the neighbour saw that Fan Jin did not believe him, he seized the hen, threw it to the ground, and dragged the scholar back by main force to his home.

26
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報錄人見了道：「好了，新貴人回來了！」正要擁著他說話。范進三兩步走進屋裏來，見中間報帖已經升掛起來，上寫道：「捷報貴府老爺范諱進高中廣東鄉試第七名亞元。京報連登黃甲。」

26
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The heralds cried, 「Good! The newly honoured one is back.」 They pressed forward to congratulate him. But Fan Jin brushed past them into the house to look at the official announcement, already hung up, which read: 「This is to announce that the master of your honourable mansion, Fan Jin, has passed the provincial examination in Guangdong, coming seventh in the list. May better news follow in rapid succession!」

27
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范進不看便罷，看了一遍，又念一遍，自己把兩手拍了一下，笑了一聲道：「噫！好了！我中了！」說著，往後一交跌倒，牙關咬緊，不醒人事。老太太慌了，慌將幾口開水灌了過來。他爬將起來，又怕著手大笑道：「噫！好！我中了！」笑著，不由分說，就往門外飛跑，把報錄人和鄰居都嚇了一跳。走出大門不多路，一腳踹在塘裏，掙起來，頭髮都跌散了，兩手黃泥，淋淋漓漓一身的水，眾人拉他不住。拍著笑著，一直走到集上去了。

27
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Fan Jin feasted his eyes on this announcement; and, after reading it through once to himself, read it once more aloud. Clapping his hands, he laughed and exclaimed, 「Ha! Good! I have passed.」 Then, stepping back, he fell down in a dead faint. His mother hastily poured some boiled water between his lips, whereupon he recovered consciousness and struggled to his feet. Clapping his hands again, he let out a peal of laughter and shouted, 「Aha! I’ve passed! I’ve passed!」 Laughing wildly he ran outside, giving the heralds and the neighbours the fright of their lives. Not far from the front door he slipped and fell into a pond. When he clambered out, his hair was dishevelled, his hands muddied and his whole body dripping with slime. But nobody could stop him. Still clapping his hands and laughing, he headed straight for the market.

28
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眾人大眼望小眼，一齊道：「原來新貴人歡喜瘋了。」老太太哭道：「怎生這樣苦命的事！中了一個甚麼舉人，就得了這個拙病！這一瘋了，幾時纔得好？」娘子胡氏道：「早上好好出去，怎的就得了這樣的病！卻是如何是好？」眾鄰居勸道：「老太太不要心慌。我們而今且派兩個人跟定了范老爺。這裏眾人家裏拿些雞、蛋、酒、米，且管待了報子上的老爹們，再為商酌。」

28
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They all looked at each other in consternation, and said, 「The new honour has sent him off his head!」His mother wailed, 「Aren’t we out of luck! Why should passing an examination do this to him? Now he’s mad, goodness knows when he’ll get better.」「He was all right this morning when he went out,」 said his wife. 「What could have brought on this attack? What shall we do?」The neighbours consoled them. 「Don’t be upset,」 they said. 「We will send a couple of men to keep an eye on Mr. Fan. And we’ll all bring wine and eggs and rice for these heralds. Then we can discuss what’s to be done.」

29
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當下眾鄰居有拿雞蛋來的，有拿白酒來的，也有背了斗米來的，也有捉兩隻雞來的。娘子哭哭啼啼，在廚下收拾齊了，拿在草棚下。鄰居又搬些桌凳，請報錄的坐著喫酒，商議：「他這瘋了，如何是好？」報錄的內中有一個人道：「在下倒有一個主意，不知可以行得行不得？」眾人問：「如何主意？」那人道：「范老爺平日可有最怕的人？他只因歡喜狠了，痰涌上來，迷了心竅。如今只消他怕的這個人來打他一個嘴巴，說：『這報錄的話都是哄你，你並不曾中。』他喫這一嚇，把痰吐了出來，就明白了。」

29
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The neighbours brought eggs or wine, lugged along sacks of rice or carried over chickens. Fan Jin’s wife wailed as she prepared the food in the kitchen. Then she took it to the shed, neighbours brought tables and stools, and they asked the heralds to sit down to a meal while they discussed what to do.「I have an idea,」 said one of the heralds. 「But I don’t know whether it will work or not.」「What idea?」 they asked.「There must be someone the honourable Mr. Fan usually stands in awe of,」 said the herald. 「He’s only been thrown off his balance because sudden joy made him choke on his phlegm. If you can get someone he’s afraid of to slap him in the face and say, ’It’s all a joke. You haven’t passed any examination!’—then the fright will make him cough up his phlegm, and he’ll come to his senses again.」

30
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眾人都拍手道：「這個主意好得緊，妙得緊！范老爺怕的，莫過於肉案上子胡老爹。好了！快尋胡老爹來。他想是還不知道，在集上賣肉哩。」又一個人道：「在集上賣肉，他倒好知道了；他從五更鼓就往東頭集上迎豬，還不曾回來。快些迎著去尋他。」

30
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They all clapped their hands and said, 「That’s a fine idea. Mr. Fan is more afraid of Butcher Hu than of anyone else. Let’s hurry up and fetch him. He’s probably still in the market, and hasn’t yet heard the news.」「If he were selling meat in the market, he would have heard the news by now,」 said a neighbour. 「He went out at dawn to the east market to fetch pigs, and he can’t have come back yet. Someone had better go quickly to find him.」

31
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一個人飛奔去迎，走到半路，遇著胡屠戶來，後面跟著一個燒湯的二漢，提著七八斤肉，四五千錢，正來賀喜。進門見了老太太，老太太哭著告訴了一番。胡屠戶詫異道：「難道這等沒福！」外邊人一片聲請胡老爹說話。胡屠戶把肉和錢交與女兒，走了出來。眾人如此這般，同他商議。胡屠戶作難道：「雖然是我女婿，如今卻做了老爺，就是天上的星宿。天上的星宿是打不得的！我聽得齋公們說：打了天上的星宿，閻王就要拿去打一百鐵棍，發在十八層地獄，永不得翻身。我卻是不敢做這樣的事！」

31
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One of the neighbours hurried off in search of the Butcher, and presently met him on the road, followed by an assistant who was carrying seven or eight catties of meat and four or five strings of cash. Butcher Hu was coming to offer his congratulations. Fan Jin’s mother, crying bitterly, told him what had happened.「How could he be so unlucky!」 exclaimed the butcher. They were calling for him outside, so he gave the meat and the money to his daughter, and went out. The heralds put their plan before him, but Butcher Hu demurred.「He may be my son-in-law,」 he said, 「but he’s an official now — one of the stars in heaven. How can you hit one of the stars in heaven? I’ve heard that whoever hits the stars in heaven will be carried away by the King of Hell, given a hundred strokes with an iron rod, and shut up in the eighteenth hell, never to become a human being again. I daren’t do a thing like that.」

32
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鄰居內一個尖酸人說道：「罷麼！胡老爹！你每日殺豬的營生，白刀子進去，紅刀子出來，閻王也不知叫判官在簿子上記了你幾千條鐵棍。就是添上這一百棍，也打甚麼要緊？只恐把鐵棍子打完了，也算不到這筆帳上來。或者你救好了女婿的病，閻王敘功，從地獄裏把你提上第十七層來，也不可知。」

32
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「Mr. Hu!」 cried a sarcastic neighbour. 「You make your living by killing pigs. Every day the blade goes in white and comes out red. After all the blood you’ve shed, the King of Hell must have marked you down for several thousand strokes by iron rods, so what does it matter if he adds a hundred more? Quite likely he will have used up all his iron rods before getting round to beating you for this, anyway. Or maybe, if you cure your son-in-law, the King of Hell may consider that as a good deed, and promote you from the eighteenth hell to the seventeenth.」

33
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報錄的人道：「不要只管講笑話。胡老爹，這個事須是這般。你沒奈何，權變一權變。」屠戶被眾人局不過，只得連斟兩碗酒喝了，壯一壯膽，把方纔這些小心收起，將平日的兇惡樣子拿出來，捲一捲那油晃晃的衣袖，走上集去。眾鄰居五六個都跟著走。

33
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「This is no time for joking,」 protested one of the heralds. 「This is the only way to handle it, Mr. Hu. There’s nothing else for it, so please don’t make difficulties.」Butcher Hu had to give in. Two bowls of wine bolstered up his courage, making him lose his scruples and start his usual rampaging. Rolling up his greasy sleeves, he strode off toward the market, followed by small groups of neighbours.

34
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老太太趕出來叫道：「親家，你這可嚇他一嚇，卻不要把他打傷了！」眾鄰居道：「這自然，何消吩咐！」說著，一直去了。

34
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Fan Jin’s mother ran out and called after him, 「Just frighten him a little! Mind you don’t hurt him!」「Of course,」 the neighbours reassured her. 「That goes without saying.」

35
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來到集上，見范進正在一個廟門口站著，散著頭髮，滿臉污泥，鞋都跑掉了一隻，兀自拍著掌，口裏叫道：「中了！中了！」胡屠戶凶神走到跟前，說道：「該死的畜生！你中了甚麼？」一個嘴巴打將去。眾人和鄰居見這模樣，忍不住的笑。不想胡屠戶雖然大著膽子打了一下，心裏到底還是怕的，那手早顫起來，不敢打到第二下。范進因這一個嘴巴，卻也打暈了，昏倒於地。

35
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When they reached the market, they found Fan Jin standing in the doorway of a temple. His hair was tousled, his face streaked with mud, and one of his shoes had come off. But he was still clapping his hands and crowing, 「Aha! I’ve passed! I’ve passed!」Butcher Hu bore down on him like an avenging fury, roaring, 「You blasted idiot! What have you passed?」 and fetched him a blow. The bystanders and neighbours could hardly suppress their laughter. But although Butcher Hu had screwed up his courage to strike once, he was still afraid at heart, and his hand was trembling too much to strike a second time. The one blow, however, had been enough to knock Fan Jin out.

36
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眾鄰居一齊上前，替他抹胸口，捶背心，舞了半日，漸漸喘息過來，眼睛明亮，不瘋了。眾人扶起，借廟門口一個外科郎中「跳駝子」板凳上坐著，胡屠戶站在一邊，不覺那隻手隱隱的疼將起來；自己看時，把個巴掌仰著，再也灣不過來。自己心裏懊惱道：「果然天上『文曲星』是打不得的，而今菩薩計較起來了。」想一想，更疼得狠了，連忙問郎中討了個膏藥貼著。

36
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The neighbours pressed round to rub Fan Jin’s chest and massage his back, until presently he gave a sigh and came to. His eyes were clear and his madness had passed! They helped him up and borrowed a bench from apothecary Chen, a hunchback who lived hard by the temple, so that Fan Jin might sit down.Butcher Hu, who was standing a little way off, felt his hand begin to ache; when he raised his palm, he found to his dismay that he could not bend it. 「It’s true, then, that you mustn’t strike the stars in heaven,」 he thought. 「Now Buddha is punishing me!」 The more he thought about it, the worse his hand hurt, and he asked the apothecary to give him some ointment for it.

37
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范進看了眾人，說道：「我怎麼坐在這裏？」又道：「我這半日，昏昏沉沉，如在夢裏一般。」眾鄰居道：「老爺，恭喜高中了！適纔歡喜的有些引動了痰，方纔吐出幾口痰來，好了。快請回家去打發報錄人。」范進說道：「是了。我也記得是中的第七名。」范進一面自綰了頭髮，一面問郎中借了一盆水洗洗臉。一個鄰居早把那一隻鞋尋了來，替他穿上。見丈人在跟前，恐怕又要來罵。胡屠戶上前道：「賢婿老爺，方纔不是我敢大膽，是你老太太的主意，央我來勸你的。」

37
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Meanwhile Fan Jin was looking round and asking, 「How do I come to be sitting here? My mind has been in a whirl, as if in a dream.」The neighbours said, 「Congratulations, sir, on having passed the examination! A short time ago, in your happiness, you brought up some phlegm; but just now you spat out several mouthfuls and recovered. Please go home quickly to send away the heralds.」「That’s right,」 said Fan Jin. 「And I seem to remember coming seventh in the list.」 As he was speaking, he fastened up his hair and asked the apothecary for a basin of water to wash his face, while one of the neighbours found his shoe and helped him put it on.The sight of his father-in-law made Fan Jin afraid that he was in for another cursing. But Butcher Hu stepped forward and said, 「Worthy son-in-law, I would never have presumed to slap you just now if not for your mother. She sent me to help you.」

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鄰居內一個人道：「胡老爹方纔這個嘴巴打的親切，少頃范老爺洗臉，還要洗下半盆豬油來！」又一個道：「老爹，你這手明日殺不得豬了。」胡屠戶道：「我那裏還殺豬，有我這賢婿，還怕後半世靠不著他怎的？我每常說，我的這個賢婿，才學又高，品貌又好，就是城裏頭那張府、周府這些老爺，也沒有我女婿這樣一個體面的相貌！你們不知道，得罪你們說，我小老這一雙眼睛，卻是認得人的！想著先年，我小女在家裏長到三十多歲，多少有錢的富戶要和我結親，我自己覺得女兒像有些福氣的，畢竟要嫁與個老爺，今日果然不錯！」說罷，哈哈大笑。眾人都笑起來。

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「That was what I call a friendly slap,」 said one of the neighbours. 「Wait till Mr. Fan finishes washing his face. I bet he can easily wash off half a basin of lard!」「Mr. Hu!」 said another. 「This hand of yours will be too good to kill pigs any more.」「No indeed,」 replied the butcher. 「Why should I go on killing pigs? My worthy son-in-law will be able to support me in style for the rest of my life. I always said that this worthy son-in-law of mine was very learned and handsome, and that not one of those Chang and Zhou family officials in the city looked so much the fine gentleman. I have always been a good judge of character, I don’t mind telling you. My daughter stayed at home till she was more than thirty, although many rich families wanted to marry her to their sons; but I saw signs of good fortune in her face, and knew that she would end up by marrying an official. You see today how right I was.」 He gave a great guffaw, and they all started to laugh.

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看著范進洗了臉。郎中又拿茶來喫了，一同回家。范舉人先走，屠戶和鄰居跟在後面。屠戶見女婿衣裳後襟滾皺了許多，一路低著頭替他扯了幾十回。到了家門，屠戶高聲叫道：「老爺回府了！」老太太迎著出來，見兒子不瘋，喜從天降。眾人問報錄的，已是家裏把屠戶送來的幾千錢打發他們去了。范進拜了母親，復拜謝丈人。胡屠戶再三不安道：「些須幾個錢，不彀你賞人！」范進又謝了鄰居。正待坐下，早看見一個體面的管家，手裏拿著一個大紅全帖，飛跑了進來：「張老爺來拜新中的范老爺。」說畢，轎子已是到了門口。胡屠戶忙躲進女兒房裏，不敢出來，鄰居各自散了。

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When Fan Jin had washed and drunk the tea brought him by the apothecary, they all started back, Fan Jin in front, butcher Hu and the neighbours behind. The butcher, noticing that the seat of his son-in-law’s gown was crumpled, kept bending forward all the way home to tug out the creases for him.When they reached Fan Jin’s house, Butcher Hu shouted: 「The master is back!」 The old lady came out to greet them, and was overjoyed to find her son no longer mad. The heralds, she told them, had already been sent off with the money that Butcher Hu had brought. Fan Jin bowed to his mother and thanked his father-in-law, making Butcher Hu so embarrassed that he muttered, 「That bit of money was nothing.」After thanking the neighbours too, Fan Jin was just going to sit down when a smart-looking retainer hurried in, holding a big red card, and announced, 「Mr. Zhang has come to pay his respects to the newly successful Mr. Fan.」 By this time the sedan-chair was already at the door. Butcher Hu dived into his daughter’s room and dared not come out, while the neighbours scattered in all directions.

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范進迎了出去。只見那張鄉紳下了轎進來，頭戴紗帽，身穿葵花色員領，金帶、皂靴。他是舉人出生，做過一任知縣的，別號靜齋。同范進讓了進來，到堂屋內平磕了頭，分賓主坐下。張鄉紳先攀談道：「世先生同在桑梓，一向有失親近。」范進道：「晚生久仰老先生，只是無緣，不曾拜會。」張鄉紳道：「適纔看見題名錄，貴房師高要縣湯公，就是先祖的門生。我和你是親切的世弟兄。」范進道：「晚生徼倖，實是有愧。卻幸得出老先生門下，可為欣喜。」張鄉紳四面將眼睛望了一望，說道：「世先生果是清貧。」隨在跟的家人手裏拿過一封銀子來，說道：「弟卻也無以為敬，謹具賀儀五十兩，世先生權且收著。這華居，其實住不得，將來當事拜往，俱不甚便。弟有空房一所，就在東門大街上，三進三間，雖不軒敞，也還乾淨，就送與世先生；搬到那裏去住，早晚也好請教些。」范進再三推辭。張鄉紳急了，道：「你我年誼世好，就如至親骨肉一般；若要如此，就是見外了。」范進方纔把銀子收下，作揖謝了。又說了一會，打躬作別。胡屠戶直等他上了轎，纔敢走出堂屋來。

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Fan Jin went out to welcome the visitor, who was one of the local gentry, and Mr. Zhang alighted from the chair and came in. He was wearing an official’s gauze cap, sunflower-coloured gown, gilt belt and black shoes. He was a provincial graduate, and had served as a magistrate in his time. His name was Zhang Jing-zhai. He and Fan Jin made way for each other ceremoniously, and once inside the house bowed to each other as equals and sat down in the places of guest and host. Mr. Zhang began the conversation.「Sir,」 he said, 「although we live in the same district, I have never been able to call on you.」「I have long respected you,」 replied Fan Jin, 「but have never had the chance to pay you a visit.」「Just now I saw the list of successful candidates. Your patron, Mr. Tang, was a pupil of my grandfather; so I feel very close to you.」「I did not deserve to pass, I am afraid,」 said Fan Jin. 「But I am delighted to be the pupil of one of your family.」After a glance round the room, Mr. Zhang remarked, 「Sir, you are certainly frugal.」 He took from his servant a packet of silver, and stated, 「I have brought nothing to show my respect except these fifty taels of silver, which I beg you to accept. Your honourable home is not good enough for you, and it will not be very convenient when you have many callers. I have an empty house on the main street by the east gate, which has three courtyards with three rooms in each. Although it is not big, it is quite clean. Allow me to present it to you. When you move there, I can profit by your instruction more easily.」Fan Jin declined many times, but Mr. Zhang pressed him. 「With all we have in common, we should be like brothers,」 he said. 「But if you refuse, you are treating me like a stranger.」 Then Fan Jin accepted the silver and expressed his thanks. After some more conversation they bowed and parted. Not until the visitor was in his chair did Butcher Hu dare to emerge.

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范進即將這銀子交與渾家打開看，一封一封雪白的細絲錠子，即便包了兩錠，叫胡屠戶進來，遞與他道：「方纔費老爹的心，拿了五千錢來。這六兩多銀子，老爹拿了去。」屠戶把銀子揝在手裏緊緊的，把拳頭舒過來，道：「這個，你且收著。我原是賀你的，怎好又拿了回去？」范進道：「眼見得我這裏還有這幾兩銀子；若用完了，再來問老爹討來用。」屠戶連忙把拳頭縮了回去，往腰裏揣，口裏說道：「也罷，你而今相與了這個張老爺，何愁沒有銀子用？他家裏的銀子，說起來比皇帝家還多些哩！他家就是我賣肉的主顧，一年就是無事，肉也要用四五千斤，銀子何足為奇！」又轉回頭來望著女兒說道：「我早上拿了錢來，你那該死行瘟的兄弟還不肯！我說：『姑老爺今非昔比，少不得有人把銀子送上門來給他用，只怕姑老爺還不希罕。』今日果不其然！如今拿了銀子家去罵這死砍頭短命的奴才！」說了一會，千恩萬謝，低著頭，笑迷迷的去了。

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Fan Jin gave the silver to his wife. When she opened it, and they saw the white ingots with their fine markings, he asked Butcher Hu to come in and gave him two ingots, saying, 「Just now I troubled you for five thousand coppers. Please accept these six taels of silver.」Butcher Hu gripped the silver tight, but thrust out his clenched fist, saying, 「You keep this. I gave you that money to congratulate you, so how can I take it back?」「I have some more silver here,」 said Fan Jin. 「When it is spent, I will ask you for more.」Butcher Hu immediately drew back his fist, stuffed the silver into his pocket and said, 「All right. Now that you are on good terms with that Mr. Zhang, you needn’t be afraid of going short. His family has more silver than the emperor, and they are my best customers. Every year, even if they have no particular occasions to celebrate, they still buy four or five thousand catties of meat. Silver is nothing to him.」Then he turned to his daughter and said, 「Your rascally brother didn’t want me to bring that money this morning. I told him, ’Now my honourable son-in-law is not the man he was. There will be lots of people sending him presents of money. I am only afraid he may refuse my gift.’ Wasn’t I right? Now I shall take this silver home and curse that dirty scoundrel.」 After a thousand thanks he made off, his head thrust forward and a broad grin on his face.

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自此以後，果然有許多人來奉承他：有送田產的；有人送店房的；還有那些破落戶，兩口子來投身為僕，圖蔭庇的。到兩三個月，范進家奴僕、丫鬟都有了，錢、米是不消說了。張鄉紳家又來催著搬家。搬到新房子裏，唱戲、擺酒、請客，一連三日。到第四日上，老太太起來喫過點心，走到第三進房子內，見范進的娘子胡氏，家常戴著銀絲䯼髻；此時是十月中旬，天氣尚暖，穿著天青緞套，官綠的緞裙；督率著家人、媳婦、丫鬟，洗碗盞杯箸。

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True enough, many people came to Fan Jin after that and made him presents of land and shops; while some poor couples came to serve him in return for his protection. In two or three months he had menservants and maidservants, to say nothing of money and rice. When Mr. Zhang came again to urge him, he moved into the new house; and for three days he entertained guests with feasts and operas. On the morning of the fourth day, after Fan Jin’s mother had got up and had breakfast, she went to the rooms in the back courtyard. There she found Fan Jin’s wife with a silver pin in her hair. Although this was the middle of the tenth month, it was still warm and she was wearing a sky-blue silk tunic and a green silk skirt. She was supervising the maids as they washed bowls, cups, plates and chopsticks.

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老太太看了，說道：「你們嫂嫂、姑娘們要仔細些，這都是別人家的東西，不要弄壞了。」家人媳婦道：「老太太，那裏是別人的，都是你老人家的！」老太太笑道：「我家怎的有這些東西？」丫鬟和媳婦一齊都說道：「怎麼不是？豈但這個東西是，連我們這些人和這房子都是你老太太家的！」老太太聽了，把細磁碗盞和銀鑲的杯盤逐件看了一遍，哈哈大笑道：「這都是我的了！」大笑一聲，往後便跌倒。忽然痰湧上來，不醒人事。只因這一番，有分教：會試舉人，變作秋風之客；多事貢生，長為興訟之人。』不知老太太性命如何，且聽下回分解。

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「You must be very careful,」 the old lady warned them. 「These things don’t belong to us, so don’t break them.」「How can you say they don’t belong to you, madam?」 they asked. 「They are all yours.」「No, no, these aren’t ours,」 she protested with a smile.「Oh yes, they are,」 the maids cried. 「Not only these things, but all of us servants and this house belong to you.」When the old lady heard this, she picked up the fine porcelain and the cups and chopsticks inlaid with silver, and examined them carefully one by one. Then she went into a fit of laughter. 「All mine!」 she crowed. Screaming with laughter she fell backwards, choked, and lost consciousness.But to know what became of the old lady, you must read the next chapter.

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