第33节

    ofthishabitationy

    lastafeayextendtoageionuntilshehasboehibr>

    otherand

    thenfindthaithegeousnsionhasdisappearedandinitsplaceisanold,old

    grave,otherfox.forsheisonlyone

    ofthosefoxspiritstheetissheleavesbehinda

    notesayingthatshe,butthatsheed

    toenjoyhunlife,andnoprosper,sheisgratefuland

    hopestheyaginationhout

    salofttogodlikeheights,iheindan

    passionsandhunsinaryh

    thereal,andhasnodesireforapletelyexplained.

    thisqualityoftheeseiginationissolittleknohatiwillgiveherea

    translationofatale,thetaleofnianghahetangdynasty.i

    dontkhestoryistrueoot,buttheaffairhappeheyearsaround

    a.d.69thereignoftheeressasandscholars3

    adebelievable

    becauseitisdehun.

    itranslatedbyprofessorh.a.giles.

    niangr.gyi,anofficialinhunan.shehadausin

    bythenaofan.theyhad

    grochildhood,andasherfatherheyoungboy,

    hehadsaidthatheisetheyhad

    bothheard,andasshedaytoday.theynupyoungpeople,andevenhad

    intiterelationshipsan

    etobegforherhandfrobr>

    herfather,and,ignettinghisearlyprose,heed.niang,

    tobetan

    edthathedecidedheherthanstayandseehis

    sethebrideofanotherperson.sohedeupapretextandinford

    hisuhehadtogoato

    stay,hegavehioneyasandprepare**re.wang

    chou,sadtotakeleaveofhislover,hinkingitalloverookofthe

    
    hopelessronce.

    sooutonaboatofanafteoon,andbeforehehadgoneafeiles

    itantotieuptheboatalongshoreafor

    thenight.thatnightheuldnotsleep,andtoidnightheheardthesoundof

    quickfootstepsapproag.iesthesoundhaddraheboat.he

    gotupandinquired,”hereatthishourofthenight””itisi,even

    niang,”hereply.surprisedanddelightedbeyondhisexpectations,heled

    herdothatshehadhopedtobehishather

    fatherhadbeenunfairtohiandthatsheuldnotbearpartingfroishewas

    afraid,too,thathe,lonelyandtravellinginstras,ghtbedriventotakehis

    ohesureofsocietyandtheangerofherparentsand

    etofolloheyogetherand

    ntiheirjoueytosze.

    fiveyearspassedhappilyandsheborehithe

    faly,andshearred

    theirhappiness.shedidnotknoherherparents,

    andonenightshebegantellingsinceshe

    pietytoleavetheoldparentsthus.

    ”thisisyourfilialpiety5saidherhusband.”iayouinthinkingthis

    itseethatnoerfiveyearshavepassed,surelytheyarenotstillangryhus.

    e”niangade

    preparationstogohohtheirthildren.

    etooniang,”idonot

    knoindyourparentsarein.soletgoalonefirsttofindout.9

    hisheartatingashedreherinlawshouse.onseeinghis

    fatherinladoowed,andbeggedfiveness.on

    hearingthis,gyilysurprised,andsaid,”areyoutalkingabout

    nianghasbeenlyingunnsciousinbedfortheselastfiveyearssinceyouleft.

    shehasnevereveherbed.””iaotlying,3saidwangghou.”sheiswelland

    ingi.”

    gyididnotknoaidservantstoseeniang.

    theysati,andsheeventoldthe

    servantstonveyherlovetoherparents.beaidservantsran

    hotoketheirreport,andeanwhile,

    sheberhadheardoftheneedher

    illnessherbedand

    dressedherselfbeforeherrror.slingande

    straighttotheboat.shee,aon

    theriverbaedintooneshape,

    andtheirdresseshereappearedtheoldghienniang,asyoungand

    aslovelyasever.

    bothherparentstheybadetheirservahesecretandnot

    telltheneighboursaboutit,ioavoidgossip.sonoone,exlose

    relativesofthegfaly,everknehisstrangehappening.

    houandnianglivedonashusbandandyyears

    beforetheydied.

    itisperhapsplete

    ...