且說牛驢子於起更時來至花園，扳住牆頭，縱身上去，他便往裡一跳。只聽噗咚一聲，自己把自己倒嚇了一跳。但見樹林中透出月色，滿園中花影搖曳，彷彿都是人影兒一般。毛手毛腳，賊頭賊腦，他卻認得路逕，一直竟奔敞廳而來。見棺材停放中間。猛然想起小姐入殮之時形景，不覺從脊梁骨上一陣發麻灌海，登時頭髮根根倒豎，害怕起來，又連打了幾個寒噤。暗暗說：「不好，我別要不得！」身子覺軟，就坐在敞廳欄杆踏板之上，略定了定神。回手拔出板斧。心裡想道：「我此來原為發財，這一上去打開棺蓋，財帛便可到手。我卻怕他怎的？這總是自己心虛之過。慢說無鬼；就是有鬼，也不過是閨中弱女，有甚麼大本事呢？」想至此，不覺得雄心陡起，提了板斧，便來到敞廳之上。對了棺木，一時天良難昧，便雙膝跪倒，暗暗祝道：「牛驢子實在是個苦小子。今日暫且借小姐的簪環衣服一用，日後充足了，我再多多的給小姐燒些紙錁罷。」祝畢起來，將板斧放下。只用雙手從前面托住棺蓋，盡力往上一起，那棺蓋就離了位了，他便往左邊一跨。又繞到後邊，也是用雙手托住，往上一起，他卻往右邊一跨。那材蓋便橫斜在材上。才要動手，忽聽「噯喲」一聲，便嚇得他把脖子一縮，跑下廳來，格嗒嗒一個個整顫，半晌還不過氣來。又見小姐掙扎起來，口中說道：「多承公公指引。」便不言語了。
且说牛驴子于起更时来至花园，扳住墙头，纵身上去，他便往里一跳。只听噗咚一声，自己把自己倒吓了一跳。但见树林中透出月色，满园中花影摇曳，仿佛都是人影儿一般。毛手毛脚，贼头贼脑，他却认得路径，一直竟奔敞厅而来。见棺材停放中间。猛然想起小姐入殓之时形景，不觉从脊梁骨上一阵发麻灌海，登时头发根根倒竖，害怕起来，又连打了几个寒噤。暗暗说：「不好，我别要不得！」身子觉软，就坐在敞厅栏杆踏板之上，略定了定神。回手拔出板斧。心里想道：「我此来原为发财，这一上去打开棺盖，财帛便可到手。我却怕他怎的？这总是自己心虚之过。慢说无鬼；就是有鬼，也不过是闺中弱女，有甚么大本事呢？」想至此，不觉得雄心陡起，提了板斧，便来到敞厅之上。对了棺木，一时天良难昧，便双膝跪倒，暗暗祝道：「牛驴子实在是个苦小子。今日暂且借小姐的簪环衣服一用，日后充足了，我再多多的给小姐烧些纸锞罢。」祝毕起来，将板斧放下。只用双手从前面托住棺盖，尽力往上一起，那棺盖就离了位了，他便往左边一跨。又绕到后边，也是用双手托住，往上一起，他却往右边一跨。那材盖便横斜在材上。才要动手，忽听「嗳哟」一声，便吓得他把脖子一缩，跑下厅来，格嗒嗒一个个整颤，半晌还不过气来。又见小姐挣扎起来，口中说道：「多承公公指引。」便不言语了。
Now, it was just as the first watch began that Niu Lüzi — ‘Donkey’ — came to the garden. He caught hold of the top of the wall, sprang up and jumped down on the inside. There was a loud thump, and he gave himself quite a fright. Moonlight showed through the trees, and all over the garden the shadows of the flowers swayed, every one of them like the shadow of a man. All fumbling hands and shifty glances, he still knew his way, and he made straight for the open hall. There was the coffin, set down in the middle. All at once he remembered how the young lady had looked when they laid her in it, and before he knew it a prickling numbness crept up his backbone and flooded right through him. In an instant every hair on his head stood on end. Now he was afraid, and shiver after shiver ran through him. “Uh-oh,” he said under his breath. “This could go badly for me!” He felt weak all over, so he sat down on the step at the foot of the railing round the hall to steady his nerves a little. He reached round and drew out his broadaxe, thinking to himself: “I came here to make my fortune. I’ve only to go up there and get the lid off, and the riches are mine. So what am I afraid of her for? It’s just my own guilty conscience. Never mind that there’s no such thing as ghosts — even if there were, she’s only a weak girl from the women’s quarters. What could she do to me?” At that thought his courage suddenly rose. Gripping the axe, he went up into the open hall. Facing the coffin, for a moment he could not stifle his conscience. He went down on both knees and prayed under his breath: “Niu Lüzi’s just a poor wretch, miss. Today I’m only borrowing your pins and earrings and your clothes for a while. Some day, when I’m flush, I’ll burn heaps of paper money for you.” His prayer done, he got up and laid down the axe. With both hands he took hold of the front of the lid and heaved upward with all his might. The lid came loose, and he swung it over to the left. Then he went round to the back, took hold of it with both hands again, heaved, and swung it to the right. Now the lid lay crosswise, askew on top of the coffin. He was just about to set to work when he heard a cry: “Oh!” He was so frightened that he ducked his head into his shoulders and ran down out of the hall, his teeth chattering, shuddering from head to foot, and for a long while he could not get his breath back. Then he saw the young lady struggle up. “Thank you, old sir, for showing me the way,” she said, and then she said no more.
驢子喘息了喘息，想道：「小姐他會還了魂了。」又一轉念：「他縱然還魂，正在氣息微弱之時，我這上去將他掐住咽喉，他依然是死。我照舊發財。有何不可呢？」想至此，又立起身來，從老遠的就將兩手比著要掐的式樣。尚未來到敞廳，忽有一物飛來正打在左手之上。驢子又不敢噯喲，只疼得他咬著牙，摔著手，在廳下打轉。
驴子喘息了喘息，想道：「小姐他会还了魂了。」又一转念：「他纵然还魂，正在气息微弱之时，我这上去将他掐住咽喉，他依然是死。我照旧发财。有何不可呢？」想至此，又立起身来，从老远的就将两手比着要掐的式样。尚未来到敞厅，忽有一物飞来正打在左手之上。驴子又不敢嗳哟，只疼得他咬着牙，摔着手，在厅下打转。
Donkey panted for a while to catch his breath. “So the young lady’s come back to life!” he thought. Then another thought struck him: “Even if she has, she’s still weak and barely breathing. If I go up there now and get her by the throat, she’ll be dead all the same, and I’ll make my fortune just as before. Why not?” At that he got to his feet again, and from a long way off he held out his two hands, ready to throttle her. He had not yet reached the hall when something came flying and struck him square on the left hand. Donkey didn’t dare so much as yelp. It hurt so much that he gritted his teeth and shook his hand, going round and round in circles below the hall.
只見從太湖石後來了一人，身穿夜行衣服，竟奔驢子而來。瞧著不好，剛然要跑，已被那人一個箭步，趕上就是一腳。驢子便跌倒在地，口中叫道：「爺爺饒命！」那人便將驢子按在地上，用刀一晃，道：「我且問你，棺木內死的是誰？」驢子道：「是我家小姐，可是吊死的。」那人吃驚，道：「你家小姐如何吊死呢？」驢子道：「只因顏生當堂招認了，我家小姐就吊死了，不知是什麼緣故？只求爺爺饒命！」那人道：「你初念貪財還可饒恕，後來又生害人之心，便是可殺不可留了。」說到「可殺」二字，刀已落將下來，登時驢子入了湯鍋了。
只见从太湖石后来了一人，身穿夜行衣服，竟奔驴子而来。瞧着不好，刚然要跑，已被那人一个箭步，赶上就是一脚。驴子便跌倒在地，口中叫道：「爷爷饶命！」那人便将驴子按在地上，用刀一晃，道：「我且问你，棺木内死的是谁？」驴子道：「是我家小姐，可是吊死的。」那人吃惊，道：「你家小姐如何吊死呢？」驴子道：「只因颜生当堂招认了，我家小姐就吊死了，不知是什么缘故？只求爷爷饶命！」那人道：「你初念贪财还可饶恕，后来又生害人之心，便是可杀不可留了。」说到「可杀」二字，刀已落将下来，登时驴子入了汤锅了。
From behind a Taihu rock came a man in night-walker’s clothes, heading straight for Donkey. Donkey saw this was bad and was about to run, but with one bound the man was on him, and a kick sent him sprawling. “Mercy, sir!” he cried. “Spare my life!” The man pinned him to the ground and flashed a blade before his eyes. “Answer me this,” he said. “Who is it lying dead in that coffin?” “It’s our young lady,” said Donkey. “Hanged herself, she did.” The man was startled. “How did your young lady come to hang herself?” “It was because Yan owned up in court,” said Donkey. “Then our young lady went and hanged herself. I don’t know what for. Only spare my life, sir, I beg you!” “Your first thought was greed,” said the man, “and that might have been forgiven. But then you set your heart on murder, and for that you deserve to die — I can’t let you live.” As the words “deserve to die” left his lips, down came the blade, and in that instant Donkey went into the soup pot.