第四百九十二篇第四百九十二篇Story Four Hundred and Ninety-Two

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人妖

人妖

Story Four Hundred and Ninety-Two · Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio

The Human Freak

A line drawing in the manner of a late-Qing lithographed edition: at dusk in a brick-paved country courtyard, an elderly woman speaks to a smiling young wife holding a lit candlestick at the open doorway of the main room, her hand on the sleeve of a shy young woman who stands with bowed head, while a well, water jar, broom and a curtained bed inside the room frame the scene.

馬生萬寶者,東昌人,疏狂不羈。妻田氏,亦放誕風流。伉儷甚敦。有女子來,寄居鄰人寡媼家,言為翁姑所虐,暫出亡。其縫紉絕巧,便為媼操作。媼喜而留之。逾數日,自言能於宵分按摩,愈女子瘵蠱。媼常至生家,游揚其術,田亦未嘗著意。生一日於牆隙窺見女,年十八九已來,頗風格。心竊好之。私與妻謀,託疾以招之。媼先來,就榻撫問已,言:「蒙娘子招,便將來。但渠畏見男子,請勿以郎君入。」妻曰:「家中無廣舍,渠儂時復出入,可復奈何?」已又沉思曰:「晚間西村阿舅家招渠飲,即囑令勿歸,亦大易。」媼諾而去。妻與生用拔趙幟易漢幟計,笑而行之。日曛黑,媼引女子至,曰:「郎君晚回家否?」田曰:「不回矣。」女子喜曰:「如此方好。」數語,媼別去。田便燃燭,展衾,讓女先上床,己亦脫衣隱燭。忽曰:「幾忘卻,廚舍門未關,防狗子偷喫也。」便下床,啟門易生。生窸窣入,上床與女共枕臥。女顫聲曰:「我為娘子醫清恙也。」間以昵辭,生不語。女即撫生腹,漸至臍下,停手不摩,遽探其私,觸腕崩騰。女驚怖之狀,不啻悞捉蛇蝎,急起欲遁。生沮之。以手入其股際。則擂垂盈掬,亦偉器也。大駭,呼火。生妻謂事決裂,急燃燈至,欲為調停。則見女投地乞命。羞懼,趨出。生詰之,云是谷城人王二喜。以兄大喜為桑沖門人,因得轉傳其術。又問:「玷幾人矣?」曰:「身出行道不久,祇得十六人耳。」生以其行可誅,思欲告郡;而憐其美,遂反接而宮之。血溢隕絕,食頃復甦。臥之榻,覆之衾,而囑曰:「我以藥醫汝,創痏平,從我終焉可也;不然,事發不赦!」王諾之。明日,媼來,生紿之曰:「伊是我表姪女王二姐也。以天閹為夫家所逐,夜為我家言其由,始知之。忽小不康,將為市藥餌,兼請諸其家,留與荊人作伴。」媼入室視王,見其面色敗如塵土。即榻問之。曰:「隱所暴腫,恐是惡疽。」媼信之,去。生餌以湯,糝以散,日就平復。夜輒引與狎處;早起,則為田提汲補綴,灑掃執炊,如媵婢然。居無何,桑沖伏誅,同惡者七人並棄市;惟二喜漏網,檄各屬嚴緝。村人竊共疑之;集村媼隔裳而探其隱,群疑乃釋。王自是德生,遂從馬以終焉。後卒,即葬府西馬氏墓側,今依稀在焉。

马生万宝者,东昌人,疏狂不羁。妻田氏,亦放诞风流。伉俪甚敦。有女子来,寄居邻人寡媪家,言为翁姑所虐,暂出亡。其缝纫绝巧,便为媪操作。媪喜而留之。逾数日,自言能于宵分按摩,愈女子瘵蛊。媪常至生家,游扬其术,田亦未尝着意。生一日于墙隙窥见女,年十八九已来,颇风格。心窃好之。私与妻谋,托疾以招之。媪先来,就榻抚问已,言:「蒙娘子招,便将来。但渠畏见男子,请勿以郎君入。」妻曰:「家中无广舍,渠侬时复出入,可复奈何?」已又沉思曰:「晚间西村阿舅家招渠饮,即嘱令勿归,亦大易。」媪诺而去。妻与生用拔赵帜易汉帜计,笑而行之。日曛黑,媪引女子至,曰:「郎君晚回家否?」田曰:「不回矣。」女子喜曰:「如此方好。」数语,媪别去。田便燃烛,展衾,让女先上床,己亦脱衣隐烛。忽曰:「几忘却,厨舍门未关,防狗子偷吃也。」便下床,启门易生。生窸窣入,上床与女共枕卧。女颤声曰:「我为娘子医清恙也。」间以昵辞,生不语。女即抚生腹,渐至脐下,停手不摩,遽探其私,触腕崩腾。女惊怖之状,不啻悮捉蛇蝎,急起欲遁。生沮之。以手入其股际。则擂垂盈掬,亦伟器也。大骇,呼火。生妻谓事决裂,急燃灯至,欲为调停。则见女投地乞命。羞惧,趋出。生诘之,云是谷城人王二喜。以兄大喜为桑冲门人,因得转传其术。又问:「玷几人矣?」曰:「身出行道不久,祇得十六人耳。」生以其行可诛,思欲告郡;而怜其美,遂反接而宫之。血溢陨绝,食顷复苏。卧之榻,覆之衾,而嘱曰:「我以药医汝,创痏平,从我终焉可也;不然,事发不赦!」王诺之。明日,媪来,生绐之曰:「伊是我表姪女王二姐也。以天阉为夫家所逐,夜为我家言其由,始知之。忽小不康,将为市药饵,兼请诸其家,留与荆人作伴。」媪入室视王,见其面色败如尘土。即榻问之。曰:「隐所暴肿,恐是恶疽。」媪信之,去。生饵以汤,糁以散,日就平复。夜辄引与狎处;早起,则为田提汲补缀,洒扫执炊,如媵婢然。居无何,桑冲伏诛,同恶者七人并弃市;惟二喜漏网,檄各属严缉。村人窃共疑之;集村媪隔裳而探其隐,群疑乃释。王自是德生,遂从马以终焉。后卒,即葬府西马氏墓侧,今依稀在焉。

Ma Wanbao was a man of Dongchang, wild and bound by no rules. His wife, Mrs. Tian, was just as free and easy in her ways, and the two were very close. A young woman came to lodge with an old widow next door. She said her parents-in-law had ill-treated her and she had run away for a time. She was marvellously skilled with a needle and did sewing for the old woman, who was pleased and let her stay. After a few days the young woman said she could give massage in the middle of the night and cure women of wasting sickness and gu disorders. The old woman often came to Ma’s house and sang the praises of her art, but Mrs. Tian paid no attention.

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