甘玉，字璧人，廬陵人。父母早喪。遺弟珏，字雙壁。始五歲，從兄鞠養；玉性友愛，撫弟如子。後珏漸長，丰姿秀出，又惠能文。玉益愛之。每曰：「吾弟表表，不可以無良匹。」然簡拔過刻，姻卒不就。適讀書匡山僧寺，夜初就枕，聞窗外有女子聲。窺之，見三四女郎席地坐，數婢陳肴酒，皆殊色也。一女曰：「秦娘子，阿英何不來？」下座者曰：「昨自函谷來，被惡人傷右臂，不能同游，方用恨恨。」一女曰：「前宵一夢大惡，今猶汗悸。」下座者搖手曰：「莫道莫道！今宵姊妹懽會，言之嚇人不快。」女笑曰：「婢子何膽怯爾爾！便有虎狼啣去耶？若要勿言，須歌一曲，為娘行侑酒。」女低吟曰：「閒階桃花取次開，昨日踏青小約未應乖。付囑東鄰女伴少待莫相催，著得鳳頭鞋子即當來。」吟罷，一座無不歎賞。談笑間，忽一偉丈夫岸然自外入，鶻睛熒熒，其貌獰醜。眾啼曰：「妖至矣！」倉卒鬨然，殆如鳥散。惟歌者婀娜不前，被執哀啼，強與支撐。丈夫吼怒，齕手斷指，就便嚼食。女郎踣地若死。玉憐惻不可復忍，乃急袖劍拔關出，揮之，中股；股落，負痛逃去。扶女入室，面如塵土，血淋衿袖；驗其手，則右拇斷矣。裂帛代裹之。女始呻曰：「拯命之德，將何以報？」玉自初窺時，心已隱為弟謀，因告以意。女曰：「狼疾之人，不能操箕帚矣。當別為賢仲圖之。」詰其姓氏，答言：「秦氏。」玉乃展衾，俾暫休養；自乃襆被他所。曉而視之，則床已空；意其自歸。而訪察近村，殊少此姓；廣托戚朋，並無確耗。歸與弟言，悔恨若失。
甘玉，字璧人，庐陵人。父母早丧。遗弟珏，字双壁。始五岁，从兄鞠养；玉性友爱，抚弟如子。后珏渐长，丰姿秀出，又惠能文。玉益爱之。每曰：「吾弟表表，不可以无良匹。」然简拔过刻，姻卒不就。适读书匡山僧寺，夜初就枕，闻窗外有女子声。窥之，见三四女郎席地坐，数婢陈肴酒，皆殊色也。一女曰：「秦娘子，阿英何不来？」下座者曰：「昨自函谷来，被恶人伤右臂，不能同游，方用恨恨。」一女曰：「前宵一梦大恶，今犹汗悸。」下座者摇手曰：「莫道莫道！今宵姊妹懽会，言之吓人不快。」女笑曰：「婢子何胆怯尔尔！便有虎狼啣去耶？若要勿言，须歌一曲，为娘行侑酒。」女低吟曰：「闲阶桃花取次开，昨日踏青小约未应乖。付嘱东邻女伴少待莫相催，着得凤头鞋子即当来。」吟罢，一座无不叹赏。谈笑间，忽一伟丈夫岸然自外入，鹘睛荧荧，其貌狞丑。众啼曰：「妖至矣！」仓卒哄然，殆如鸟散。惟歌者婀娜不前，被执哀啼，强与支撑。丈夫吼怒，龁手断指，就便嚼食。女郎踣地若死。玉怜恻不可复忍，乃急袖剑拔关出，挥之，中股；股落，负痛逃去。扶女入室，面如尘土，血淋衿袖；验其手，则右拇断矣。裂帛代裹之。女始呻曰：「拯命之德，将何以报？」玉自初窥时，心已隐为弟谋，因告以意。女曰：「狼疾之人，不能操箕帚矣。当别为贤仲图之。」诘其姓氏，答言：「秦氏。」玉乃展衾，俾暂休养；自乃襆被他所。晓而视之，则床已空；意其自归。而访察近村，殊少此姓；广托戚朋，并无确耗。归与弟言，悔恨若失。
Gan Yu, courtesy name Biren, was a man of Luling. His parents died early and left him a younger brother, Jue, courtesy name Shuangbi, who was only five. Jue was brought up by his elder brother. Yu was by nature a loving brother and raised Jue like a son. As Jue grew up he became strikingly handsome, quick-witted too, and a good writer. Yu loved him all the more. “My brother stands out from the crowd,” he would say. “He must not go without a good match.” But he was too exacting in his choice, and no marriage was ever settled. Yu happened to be studying at a Buddhist temple on Mount Kuang. One night, just as he had gone to bed, he heard women’s voices outside the window. He peeped out and saw three or four young women sitting on mats on the ground while several maids set out food and wine. All of them were remarkable beauties. One of the women said, “Miss Qin, why hasn’t A-Ying come?” The one in the lowest seat said, “She came from Hangu Pass yesterday, and some villain wounded her right arm. She couldn’t join us, and she’s terribly vexed about it.” One of the women said, “I had a very bad dream the night before last. I’m still sweating and shaking from it.” The one in the lowest seat waved her hand. “Don’t say it, don’t say it! Tonight we sisters are having a happy party. Talk like that frightens people and spoils the fun.” The other laughed. “What a coward the girl is! Do you think a tiger or a wolf is going to carry you off? If you don’t want me to tell it, you must sing a song to go with the ladies’ wine.” The girl sang softly: ‘By the idle steps the peach blossoms open one by one; / yesterday’s little promise to go walking on the spring grass must not be broken. / I tell the girl next door to the east: wait a little, don’t hurry me — / as soon as I have my phoenix-toed slippers on, I’ll come.’ When she had finished, everyone sighed with admiration. In the midst of their talk and laughter, a huge man suddenly strode haughtily in from outside, with glittering falcon’s eyes and a hideous, savage face. The women cried, “The demon is here!” and in an uproar they scattered like birds. Only the singer, too delicate to get away, was seized. She wept and pleaded and struggled against him. The man roared with rage, bit her hand, severed a finger, and chewed it up then and there. The girl fell to the ground as if dead. Yu’s pity was more than he could bear. He hurried out with a sword in his sleeve, threw back the bolt, and slashed at the man, striking his thigh. The leg fell off, and the man fled in pain. Yu helped the girl inside. Her face was the colour of dust, and blood soaked her collar and sleeves. He looked at her hand: the right thumb had been bitten off. He tore a strip of silk and bound it for her. At last she moaned, “You have saved my life. How can I ever repay you?” From the moment he first peeped at her, Yu had quietly been thinking of his brother, so he told her what he had in mind. “A maimed woman cannot hold the broom and dustpan,” she said. “I will find someone else for your good brother.” He asked her family name. “Qin,” she said. Yu spread out his quilt so that she could rest for a while, and took his own bedding elsewhere. At dawn he went to look, and the bed was empty. He supposed she had gone home. But when he made inquiries in the nearby villages, hardly anyone had that name, and though he asked all his friends and relations, no one had any sure news. He went home and told his brother, and was as full of regret as if he had lost something.