Love in a Fallen City 傾城之戀 Part 5

http://www.rain8.com/article/class10/1512.htm

by Eileen Chang 張愛玲

Translated by Yoyo  幽柚

Part 4

那人走到床前坐下了，一開口，卻是徐太太的聲音。徐太太勸道："六小姐，別傷心了，起來，起來，大熱的天……"

That person sat in front of the bed.  It was Madam Xu who opened her mouth.  She assured her, " 6th Sister, don't feel sad.  Come, some up, it's hot today...."

流蘇撐著床勉強站了起來，道：" 嬸子，我……我在這兒再也呆不下去了。早就知道人家多嫌著我，就只差明說。今兒當面鑼，對面鼓，發過話了，我可沒有臉再住下去了！"

Liu Su propped herself up from the bed and barely stood, saying, "Auntie, I..... I can't just sit in a daze here anymore.  I already knew people here resented me, I only said the truth.  Today one end gonged, the other end drummed.  After spilling words, I have no face living here!"

徐太太扯她在床沿上一 同坐下，悄悄地道："你也太老實了，不怪人家欺負你，你哥哥們把你的錢盤來盤去盤光了。就養活你一輩子也是應該的。"

Madam Xu pulled her to sit alongside her on the bed, she quietly responded, " You are too honest, no wonder people take advantage of you.  Your older brother and them took shuffled your money plate around leaving nothing.  They should provide for you for the rest of your live."

流蘇難得聽見這幾句公道話，且不問她是真心還是假意，先就從心上熱起來，淚如雨下，道："誰叫我自己糊塗呢！就為了這幾個錢，害得我要走也走不 開。"

Liu Su could hardly hear these truthful words, without paying attention to whether or not Madam Xu was acting, Liu Su's heart heated up, tears pouring like rain.  She said, "Who said I was confused! Just for the money, I can't leave if I wanted to."

徐太太道："年紀輕輕的人，不怕沒有活路。"

"Young people shouldn't fear not having a path ahead."

流蘇道："有活路，我早走了！我又沒唸過兩句書，肩不能挑，手不能提，我能做什麼事？"

" If was a way out I'd leave!  I've never ready to words in a book, my shoulders never carried anything, my hands never lifted anything, what can I do?"

徐太太道："找 事，都是假的，還是找個人是真的。"

"Finding work is a lie, find the right people."

流蘇道："那怕不行。我這一輩子早完了。"

"That won't do, my life is already over."

徐太太道："這句話，只有有錢的人，不愁吃，不愁穿，才有資格說。沒錢的 人，要完也完不了哇！你就是剃了頭髮當姑子去，化個緣罷，也還是塵緣——離不了人！"

"That's what only rich people say.  They don't worry about food or clothes, they can say that.  Poor people, you ending it still won't end it!  If you shaved your head to be a nun, and end your karma, you'd still be dust-- you can't escape people!"

流蘇低頭不語。徐太太道："你這件事，早兩年託了我，又要好些。"

Liu Su was silent as she lowered her head.  Madam Xu said, "This situation, if you came to me two years ago would have made things easier."

流 蘇微微一笑道："可不是，我已經二十八了。"

Liu Su laughed, "Exactly, I'm already 28 years old."

徐太太道："放著你這樣好的人才，二十八也不算什麼。我替你留心著。說著我又要怪你了，離了婚七八年了，你早 點兒拿定了主意，遠走高飛，少受多少氣！"

Madam Xu said, "Trying a person of your talent, being 28 isn't too bad.  I'll help you worry. Talking about me would be blaming yourself, I divorced for 7, 8 years already.  If you decided earlier, you would have long gone and had much less problems!"

流蘇道："嬸子你又不是不知道，像我們這樣的家庭，哪兒肯放我們出去交際？倚仗著家裡人罷，別說他們根本不讚 成，就是贊成了，我底下還有兩個妹妹沒出閣，三哥四哥的幾個女孩子也漸漸地長大了，張羅她們還來不及呢，還顧得到我？"

Liu Su said, "Autie, you must know this as well.  How could families like ours let us socialize? Ending my reliance on family, others say family don't agree, but they already did.  I still have two little sisters who aren't married, 3rd and 4th Brother still have two girls about to become adults, I can barely attend to them, how can I care for myself?"

Part 6