京华烟云英文版.docx

京华烟云英文版.docx

《京华烟云英文版.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《京华烟云英文版.docx（12页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

京华烟云英文版

Chapter1

ItwasthemorningofthetwentiethofJuly,1900.ApartyofmulecartswerelinedupatthewesternentranceoftheMatajenHutung,astreetintheEastofCityofPeking,partofthemulesandcartsextendingtothealleyrunningnorthandsouthalongthepinkwallsoftheBigBuddhaTemple.Thecartdriverswereearly;theyhadcomethereatdawn,andtherewasquiteahubbubinthatearlymorning,aswasalwaysthecasewiththesenoisydrivers.

Lota,anoldmanofaboutfiftyandheadservantofthefamilythathadengagedthecartsforalongjourney,wassmokingapipeandwatchingthedriversfeedingthemules;andthedriverswerejokingandquarrelingwitheachother.Whentheycouldnotjokeabouteachother¡¯sanimalsandtheanimals¡¯ancestors,theyjokedaboutthemselves.¡°Insuchtimes,¡±saidone,¡°whocantellwhetheronecomesbackdeadoraliveafterthisjourney?

¡±

¡°Youarewellpaidforit,aren¡¯tyou?

¡±saidLota.¡°Youcanbuyafarmwithahundredtaelsofsilver.¡±

¡°Whatistheuseofsilverwhenyouaredead?

¡±repliedthedriver.¡°Thosebulletsfromforeignriflesdoesn¡¯trecognizepersons.Peng-teng!

Itgoesthroughyourbrain-capandyouarealreadyacorpsewithacrookedqueue.Lookatthebellyofthismule!

Canfleshstaybullets?

Butwhatcanyoudo?

Onehastoearnaliving.¡±

¡°It¡¯sdifficulttosay,¡±rejoinedanother.¡°Oncetheforeignsoldierscomeintothecity,Pekingwon¡¯tbesuchagoodplacetolivein,either.Formyself,I¡¯mgladtogetaway..¡±Ö»

Thesunrosefromtheeastshoneupontheentrancetothehouse,makingtheleavesofthebigcolanuttreeglistenwiththedew.ThiswastheYaohouse.Itwasnotanimposingentrance¨Casmallblackdoorwithareddiscinthecenter.Thecolanuttreecastitsshadeovertheentrance,andadriverwassittingonalowstonetabletsunkintotheground.Themorningwasdelightful,andyetitpromisedtobeahotdaywithaclearsky.Amedium-sizedearthenjarwasstandingnearthetree,whichprovidedteainhotsummerdaysforthirstywayfarers.Butitwasstillempty.Noticingthejar,adriverremarked,¡°Yourmasterdoesgooddeeds.¡±

Lotarepliedtherewasnobettermanonearththantheirmaster.Hepointedtoaslipofredpaperpastednearthedoorpost,whichthedrivercouldnotread;butLotaexplainedtohimthatitsaidthatmedicinesagainstcholera,colic,anddysenterywouldbegivenfreetoanybody.

¡°That¡¯ssomethingimportant,¡±saidthedriver.¡°You¡¯dbettergiveussomeofthatmedicineforjourney.¡±

¡°Whyshouldyouworryaboutmedicinewhenyouaretravelingwithourmaster?

¡±saidLota.¡°Isn¡¯titthesamewhetheryoucarryitorourmastercarriesit?

¡±

ThedriverstriedtopryoutofLotainformationaboutthefamily.Lotamerelytoldthemthathismasterwasanownerofmedicineshops.

Soonthemasterappearedtoseethatallwasinorder.Hewasamanofaboutforty,short,stumpy,withbushyeyebrowsandpouchesundertheeyes,andnobeard,butaveryhealthcomplexion.Hishairwasstillperfectlyblack.Hewalkedwithayoung,steadygait,withslowbutfirmsteps.ItwasobviouslythegaitofatrainedChineseathlete,inwhichthebodypreservedanabsolutepoise,readyforasurpriseattackatanyunsuspectedmomentfromthefront,theside,orbehind.Onefootwasfirmlyplantedontheground,whiletheotherlegwasinaforward,slightlybentandopen,self-protectiveposition,sothathecouldneverbethrownoutofhisbalance.Hegreetedthedriversand,noticingthejar,remindedLotatokeepitdailyfilledwithteaasusualduringhisabsence.

¡°You¡¯reagoodman,¡±chorusedthedrivers.

Hewentin,andsoonappearedabeautifulyoungwoman.Shehadsmallfeetandexquisitejet-blackhairdoneinaloosecoiffure,andworeanoldbroad-sleevedpinkjacket,trimmedaroundthecollarandthesleeveendswithathree-inchbroad,verypalegreensatin.Shetalkedfreelywiththedriversandshowednoneoftheshynessususalamonghigher-classChineseyoungwomen.Sheaskedifallthemuleshadbeenfed,anddisappearedagain.

¡°Whatluckyourmasterhas!

¡±exclaimedoneyoungdriver.¡°Agoodmanalwaysisrewardedwithgoodluck.Suchayoungandprettyconcubine!

¡±

¡°Rotyourtongue!

¡±saidLota.¡°Ourmasterhasnoconcubines.Thatyoungwomanishisadopteddaughterandawidow.¡±

Theyoungdriverslappedhisownfaceinfun,andtheotherslaughed.

Soonanotherservantandanumberofprettymaids,fromtwelveorthirteentoeighteeninage,cameoutwithbedding,packages,andlittlepots.Thedriverwereratherdazzled,butdarednotpassfuthercomments.Aboyofthirteenfollowed,andLotatoldthedriversitwastheyoungmaster.

Afterhalfanhourofthisconfusion,thedepartingfamilycameout.Thebeautifulyoungwomanappearedagainwithtwogirls,bothdressedverysimplyinwhitecottonjackets,onewithg