LOVE-IN-A-FALLEN-CITY-倾城之恋-中英

LOVEINAFALLENCITYTranslatedbyKarenS.KingsburySHANGHAI'Sclocksweresetanhouraheadsothecitycouldsavedaylight,buttheBaifamilysaid:Wegobytheoldclock.Teno'clocktothemwaseleventoeveryoneelse.Theirsingingwasbehindthebeat;theycouldn'tkeepupwiththehuqinoflife.Whenthehuqinwailsonanightoftenthousandlamps,thebowslidesbackandforth,drawingforthataletoodesolateforwords—oh!whygointoit?Thetaleofthehuqinshouldbeperformedbyaradiantentertainer,twolongstreaksofrougepointingtoherexquisitenoseasshesings,asshesmiles,cover­inghermouthwithhersleeve...buthereitwasjustFourthMasterBaisunkindarkness,sittingaloneonaramshacklebalconyandplayingthehuqin.Ashewasplaying,thedoorbellrangdownstairs.FortheBaihousehold,thiswasmostunusual;peopledidn'tpaysocialcallsafterdark,notintheoldetiquette.Ifavisitorcameatnightoratelegramarrivedwithoutwarning,eitheritmeantthatsomeeventofhugeimporthadtranspiredor,mostprobably,some­onehaddied.FourthMastersatstillandlistened,butsinceThirdMaster,ThirdMistress,andFourthMistresswereshoutingallatonceastheycameupthestairs,hecouldn'tunderstandwhattheyweresaying.SittingintheroombehindthebalconywereSixthYoungLady,SeventhYoungLady,andEighthYoungLady,alongwiththeThirdandFourthMasters'children,allgrowingincreas­inglyanxious.FromwhereFourthMastersatonthedarkenedalcony,hecouldseeeverythinginthewell-lit10om.Sowhenthedooropened,therewasThirdMasterinhisundershirtandshorts,standingontheraiseddoorsillwithhislegsstuckoutwide,reachingbehindhisthighstoslapatthemosquitoes,andcallingouttoFourthMaster:Hey,Old.Four,guesswhat?ThatfellowthatSixthSisterleft,well,itseemshe'scaughtpneumo­niaanddied!FourthMasterputdownthehuqinandwalkedintotheroom.Whobroughtthenews?heasked.Mrs.Xu,said.ThirdMaster.Thenheturnedtoshooawayhiswifewithhisfan.Don'ttagalonglikethisjusttogawkatthings!Isn'tMrs.Xustilldownstairs?She'sabiglady,doesn'tlikeclimbingstairs-whyaren'tyoulookingafterher?ThirdMistressleftandFourthMastermulledthingsover.Isn'tMrs.Xuarelativeofthedeceased?Indeed,saidThird.Master.Itlooksliketheirfamilyhasspeciallyaskedhertobringusthenews,andthatmeanssome­thing,ofcourse.Theydon'twantSixth.Sistertoreturnandgointomourn­ing,dothey?ThirdMasterscratchedhisscalpwiththehandleofthefan.Well,accordingtotherules,itwouldonlyberight...TheybothlookedoverattheirSixthSister.BaiLiususatinthecorneroftheroomcalmlyembroideringaslipper;herbrothers,itseems,hadbeensointentontheirconversationthattheyhadn'tgivenherachancetospeak.Nowshesimplysaid,Goandbehiswidow,afterwe'vedivorced?Peoplewilllaughtilltheirteethfallout!Shewentonsewingherslipper,apparentlyunperturbed,butherpalmswereclammyandherneedlestuck-shecouldn'tdrawitthroughanymore.SixthSister,that'snowaytotalk,saidThirdMaster.Hedidn'tdorightbyyoubackthen,weallknowthat.Butnowhe'sdead-you'renotgoingtoholdagrudge,areyou?Thosetwoconcubinesthatheleftbehind,theywon'tgointowidowhood.Ifyougobacknow,allseriousandproper,toleadthemourningforhim,who'sgoingtodaretolaugh?It'strueyoudidn'thaveanychildren,buthehaslotsofnephews,andyoucanpickoneofthemtocontinuetheline.Thereisn'talotofpropertyleft,butthey'reabigclan;eveniftheyonlymakeyouthekeeperofhisshrine,they'renotgoingtoletamotherandchildstarve.BaiLiusulaughedsarcastically.Third.Brotherhascertainlyplannedouteverything,shesaid,butunfortunatelyit'sabitlate.Thedivorcewentthroughsomesevenoreightyearsago.Areyousayingthatthoselegalproceedingswereemptynon­sense?Youcan'tfoolaroundwiththelaw!Don'tyoutrytoscareuswiththelaw,ThirdMasterwarned.Thelawisonethingtodayandanothertomorrow.WhatI'mtalkingaboutisthelawoffamilyrelations,andthatneverchanges!Aslongasyouliveyoubelongtohisfamily,andafteryoudieyourghostwillbelongtothemtoo!Thetreemaybeathousandfeettall,buttheleavesfallbacktotheroots.Liusustoodup.Whydidn'tyousayallthisbackthen?Iwasafraidyou'dbeupsetandthinkthatweweren'twill­ingtotakeyouin.Oh?Butnowyou'renotafraidofupsettingme?Nowthatyou'vespentallmymoney,you'renotafraidofupsettingme?Ispentyourmoney?ThirdMasterdemanded,pressinghisfaceclosetohers.Ispentyourfewpaltrycoins?Youliveinourhouse,andeverythingyoueatanddrinkcomesoutofourpockets.Sure,inthepast,itwasnoproblem.Onemoreper­son,twomorechopsticks,that'sall.Butthesedays?Well,justgoandfindoutforyourself—whatdoesricecostnow?Ididn'tmentionmoney,butyouhadtobringitup!FourthMistress,whowasstandingbehindThirdMaster,laughed.Theysayyoushouldn'ttalkaboutmoneywithyourownfleshandblood.Onceyoustartthemoneytalk,there'salltoomuchtosay!I'vebeentellingFourthMaster,tellinghimforalongtimenow:'OldFour,you'dbetterwarnThirdMaster.Whenyoutwobuygold,orbuystocks,don'tuseSixthSister'smoney.Itwillbringyoubadluck!Assoonasshegotmarried,herhusbandspentallhisfamily'smoney.Thenshecamebackhere,andnowherfamily,aseveryonecansee,isgoingbank­rupt.Arealbad-luckcomet,thatone!'ThirdMastersaid,FourthMistressisright.Ifwehadn'tletherintothosestockdeals,weneverwouldhavelostallourproperty!Liusushookwithfury;herlowerjawquiveredsohardthatitseemedreadytodropoff.Sheclampedthehalf-embroideredslippertoit.ThirdMastercontinued:Irememberhowyoucamehomecrying,makingallthatfussaboutgettingadivorce.Well,I'mamanw