Baoyu fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes and dreamed that Keqing was before him. Absentmindedly he followed her a long way to some crimson balustrades and white marble steps among green trees and clear streams, in a place seldom trodden by the foot of man, unreached by swirling dust.
那宝玉刚合上眼,便惚惚的睡去,犹似秦氏在前,遂悠悠荡荡,随了秦氏,至一所在。但见朱栏白石,绿树清溪,真是人迹希逢,飞尘不到。
In his dream he thought happily, “This is a pleasant spot. If only I could spend my whole life here! For that I’d gladly give up my home where my parents and teachers kee caning me every day.”
宝玉在梦中欢喜,想道:"这个去处有趣,我就在这里过一生,纵然失了家也愿意,强如天天被父母师傅打呢。"
His fancy was running away ith him when he heard someone singing a song on the other side of a hill:
正胡思之间,忽听山后有人作歌曰:
Gone with the clouds spring’s dream.
Flowers drift away on the stream.
Young lovers all, be warned by me,
Cease courting needless misery.
春梦随云散,飞花逐水流,
寄言众儿女,何必觅闲愁。
Baoyu realized that the voice was a girl’s and before the song had ended he saw the singer come round the hill and approach him. With her graceful gait and air she was truly no mortal being. Here is as proof her deion:
宝玉听了是女子的声音。歌声未息,早见那边走出一个人来,蹁跹袅娜,端的与人不同。
Overjoyed by the apparition of this fairy, Baoyu made haste to greet her with a bow.
“Sister Fairy,” he begged with a smile, “do tell me where you are from and whither you are going. I have lost my way. May I beg you to be my guide?”
宝玉见是一个仙姑,喜的忙来作揖问道:"神仙姐姐不知从那里来,如今要往那里去?也不知这是何处,望乞携带携带。"
“My home is above the Sphere of Parting Sorrow in the Sea of Brimming Grief,” she answered with a smile. “I am the Goddess of Disenchantment from the Grotto of Emanating Fragrance on the Mountain of Expanding Spring in the Illusory Land of Great Void. I preside over romances and unrequited love on earth, the grief of women and the passion of men in the mundane world. The reincarnations of some former lovers have recently gathered here, and so I have come to look for a chance to mete out love and longing. It is no accident that we have met.
那仙姑笑道:"吾居离恨天之上,灌愁海之中,乃放春山遣香洞太虚幻境警幻仙姑是也:司人间之风情月债,掌尘世之女怨男痴。因近来风流冤孽,缠绵于此处,是以前来访察机会,布散相思。今忽与尔相逢,亦非偶然。
“My realm is not far from here. All I can offer you is a cup of fairy tea plucked by my own hands, a pitcher of fine wine of my own brewing, some accomplished singers and dancers, and twelve new fairy songs called ‘A Dream of Red Mansions.’ But won’t you come with me?” Forgetting Keqing in his delight, Baoyu followed the goddess to a stone archway inscribed: Illusory Land of Great Void. On either pillar was this couplet:
此离吾境不远,别无他物,仅有自采仙茗一盏,亲酿美酒一瓮,素练魔舞歌姬数人,新填<<红楼梦>>仙曲十二支,试随吾一游否?"宝玉听说,便忘了秦氏在何处,竟随了仙姑,至一所在,有石牌横建,上书"太虚幻境"四个大字,两边一副对联,乃是:
When false is taken for true, true becomes false;
If non-being turns into being, being becomes non-being.
假作真时真亦假,无为有处有还无。
Beyond this archway was a palace gateway with the inion in large characters: Sea of Grief and Heaven of Love. The bold couplet flanking this read:
转过牌坊,便是一座宫门,上面横书四个大字,道是:"孽海情天"。又有一副对联,大书云:
Firm as earth and lofty as heaven,
passion from time immemorial knows no end;
Pity silly lads and plaintive maids hard put to
it to requite debts of breeze and moonlight.
厚地高天,堪叹古今情不尽,
痴男怨女,可怜风月债难偿。
“Well, we ,“ thought Baoyu, “I wonder what’s meant by ‘passion from time immemorial’ and ‘debts of breeze and moonlight.’ From now on I’d like to have a taste of these things.”
宝玉看了,心下自思道:"原来如此。但不知何为`古今之情',何为`风月之债'?从今倒要领略领略。"
《红楼梦》，曹雪芹著，英文版，杨宪益译
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