江南梅孝廉耦長，言其鄉孫公，為德州宰，鞫一奇案。
江南梅孝廉耦长，言其乡孙公，为德州宰，鞫一奇案。
Mei Ouchang, a provincial graduate from Jiangnan, says that Mr. Sun of his home district, while he was magistrate of Dezhou, tried a strange case.
初，村人有為子娶婦者，新人入門，戚里畢賀。飲至更余，新郎出，見新婦炫裝，趨轉舍後，疑而尾之。宅後有長溪，小橋通之。見新婦渡橋徑去，益疑。呼之不應。遙以手招婿；婿急趁之，相去盈尺，而卒不可及。行數里，入村落。婦止，謂婿曰：「君家寂寞，我不慣住。請與郎暫居妾家數日，便同歸省。」言已，抽簪叩扉軋然，有女童出應門。婦先入。不得已，從之。既入，則岳父母俱在堂上。謂婿曰：「我女少嬌慣，未嘗一刻離膝下，一旦去故里，心輒戚戚。今同郎來，甚慰繫念。居數日，當送兩人歸。」乃為除室，床褥備具，遂居之。
初，村人有为子娶妇者，新人入门，戚里毕贺。饮至更余，新郎出，见新妇炫装，趋转舍后，疑而尾之。宅后有长溪，小桥通之。见新妇渡桥径去，益疑。呼之不应。遥以手招婿；婿急趁之，相去盈尺，而卒不可及。行数里，入村落。妇止，谓婿曰：「君家寂寞，我不惯住。请与郎暂居妾家数日，便同归省。」言已，抽簪叩扉轧然，有女童出应门。妇先入。不得已，从之。既入，则岳父母俱在堂上。谓婿曰：「我女少娇惯，未尝一刻离膝下，一旦去故里，心辄戚戚。今同郎来，甚慰系念。居数日，当送两人归。」乃为除室，床褥备具，遂居之。
It began when a villager took a wife for his son. The bride came through the gate, and relatives and neighbours all came to congratulate them. The drinking went on until past the first watch. The bridegroom stepped outside and saw the bride, in all her finery, hurrying round to the back of the house. Puzzled, he followed her. Behind the house ran a long stream, with a small bridge across it. He saw the bride cross the bridge and go straight on, and was more puzzled still. He called to her; she did not answer. From a distance she beckoned to him. He hurried after her, and though he was barely a foot behind, he could never catch her up. After a few li they came into a village. The bride stopped and said to him, “Your house is so lonely, I can’t get used to living there. Come and stay at my family’s house with me for a few days, and then we’ll go back together and pay our respects.” With that she drew out a hairpin and rapped on a gate. With a creak, a little maid opened it. The bride went in first. He had no choice but to follow. Inside, her father and mother were both in the hall. They said to him, “Our daughter has been spoiled since she was small and has never been away from us for a moment. Once she left her old home, she was miserable. Now that she has come with you, our minds are much eased. Stay a few days, and we will send you both home.” They cleared a room for the couple and furnished it with a bed and bedding, and there he stayed.
家中客見新郎久不至，共索之。室中惟新婦在，不知婿之所在。由此遐邇訪問，並無耗息。翁媼零涕，謂其必死。將半載，婦家悼女無偶，遂請于村人父，欲別醮女。村人父益悲，曰：「骸骨衣裳，無可驗證，何知吾兒遂為異物！縱其奄喪，週歲而嫁，當亦未晚，胡為如是急也！」婦父益銜之，訟于庭。孫公怪疑，無所措力，斷令待以三年，存案遣去。村人子居女家，家人亦大相忻待。每與婦議歸，婦亦諾之，而因循不即行。積半年余，中心徘徊，萬慮不安。欲獨歸，而婦固留之。一日閤家惶遽，似有急難。倉卒謂婿曰：「本擬三二日遣夫婦偕歸。不意儀裝未備，忽遘閔凶；不得已，即先送郎還。」於是送出門，旋踵急返，週旋言動，頗甚草草。方欲覓途行，回視院宇無存，但見高塚。大驚，尋路急歸。至家，歷言端末，因與投官陳訴。孫公拘婦父諭之，送女于歸，始合巹焉。
家中客见新郎久不至，共索之。室中惟新妇在，不知婿之所在。由此遐迩访问，并无耗息。翁媪零涕，谓其必死。将半载，妇家悼女无偶，遂请于村人父，欲别醮女。村人父益悲，曰：「骸骨衣裳，无可验证，何知吾儿遂为异物！纵其奄丧，周岁而嫁，当亦未晚，胡为如是急也！」妇父益衔之，讼于庭。孙公怪疑，无所措力，断令待以三年，存案遣去。村人子居女家，家人亦大相忻待。每与妇议归，妇亦诺之，而因循不即行。积半年余，中心徘徊，万虑不安。欲独归，而妇固留之。一日合家惶遽，似有急难。仓卒谓婿曰：「本拟三二日遣夫妇偕归。不意仪装未备，忽遘闵凶；不得已，即先送郎还。」于是送出门，旋踵急返，周旋言动，颇甚草草。方欲觅途行，回视院宇无存，但见高冢。大惊，寻路急归。至家，历言端末，因与投官陈诉。孙公拘妇父谕之，送女于归，始合卺焉。
The guests at home, finding that the bridegroom had been gone a long time, went looking for him together. In the bridal chamber there was only the bride, and she did not know where her husband was. From then on they asked far and near, but there was no news at all. The old man and his wife wept, sure that he must be dead. Nearly half a year later the bride’s family, grieving that their daughter had no husband, asked the villager to let her marry again. The villager was more grieved than ever. “There are no bones, no clothes — nothing to prove it. How do you know my son is dead? Even if he has died, it would not be too late for her to marry after a full year. Why such a hurry?” This only made the bride’s father angrier, and he took it to court. Mr. Sun found the case strange and suspicious, but had nothing to go on. He ruled that they must wait three years, put the case on file, and sent them away.