且說北俠他乃揮金似土之人，既要遣興賞奇，慢說是四兩，就是四十兩也是肯花的。想不到這個船家要價兒，竟會要在圈兒裡頭了。
且说北侠他乃挥金似土之人，既要遣兴赏奇，慢说是四两，就是四十两也是肯花的。想不到这个船家要价儿，竟会要在圈儿里头了。
Now, the Northern Hero was a man who threw gold about like dirt. Once he had set his heart on amusing himself with a wonder, never mind four taels — he would gladly have spent forty. Little did the boatman think that the price he had named to put him off would land squarely inside the ring of what he was ready to pay.
北俠道：「四兩銀子有甚要緊。只要俺看了誅龍劍，俺便照數賞你。」船家聽了，又立刻精神百倍，滿面堆下笑來，奉承道：「小人看爺上是個慷慨憐下的，只要看看古蹟兒，那在我們窮小子身上打算盤呢。伙計快搭跳板，攙爺上船。－－到底靈便著些兒呀，吃飽了就發呆。」北俠道：「不用忙，也不用攙，俺自己會上船。」看跳板搭平穩了，略一墊步，輕輕來到船上。船家又囑咐道：「爺上坐穩了。小人就要開船了。」北俠道：「俺曉得。只是縴繩要拉的慢著些兒，俺還要沿路觀看江景呢。」船家道：「爺上放心。原為的是遊玩，忙什麼呢。」說罷，一篙撐開，順流而下，奔到北岸。縴夫套上縴板，慢慢牽曳。船家掌舵，北俠坐在舟中，清波蕩漾，蘆花飄揚，襯著遠山聳翠，古木撐青。一處處野店鄉村，炊煙直上；一行行白鷗秋雁，掠水頻繁。北俠對此三秋之景，雖則心曠神怡，難免幾番浩歎，想人生光陰迅速，幾輩英雄，而今何在？
北侠道：「四两银子有甚要紧。只要俺看了诛龙剑，俺便照数赏你。」船家听了，又立刻精神百倍，满面堆下笑来，奉承道：「小人看爷上是个慷慨怜下的，只要看看古迹儿，那在我们穷小子身上打算盘呢。伙计快搭跳板，搀爷上船。－－到底灵便着些儿呀，吃饱了就发呆。」北侠道：「不用忙，也不用搀，俺自己会上船。」看跳板搭平稳了，略一垫步，轻轻来到船上。船家又嘱咐道：「爷上坐稳了。小人就要开船了。」北侠道：「俺晓得。只是纤绳要拉的慢着些儿，俺还要沿路观看江景呢。」船家道：「爷上放心。原为的是游玩，忙什么呢。」说罢，一篙撑开，顺流而下，奔到北岸。纤夫套上纤板，慢慢牵曳。船家掌舵，北侠坐在舟中，清波荡漾，芦花飘扬，衬着远山耸翠，古木撑青。一处处野店乡村，炊烟直上；一行行白鸥秋雁，掠水频繁。北侠对此三秋之景，虽则心旷神怡，难免几番浩叹，想人生光阴迅速，几辈英雄，而今何在？
“What do four taels of silver matter?” said the Northern Hero. “As long as I get to see the Dragon-Slaying Sword, I’ll pay you the full amount.” At this the boatman was at once in high spirits, a hundred times livelier than before. His whole face heaped with smiles, he flattered him: “I could tell your honour was a generous gentleman who takes pity on poor folk. You only want a look at an old relic — you’d never work the abacus over the likes of us poor fellows. Mate, quick, put the gangplank out and help his honour aboard! — Look lively, will you? Fill your belly and you go stupid.” “No hurry,” said the Northern Hero, “and no need to help me. I can get aboard by myself.” He waited until the gangplank lay steady, gave a little spring of the foot, and was lightly on deck. “Sit tight, your honour,” the boatman told him. “I’m about to cast off.” “I know,” said the Northern Hero. “Only take it slow on the tow rope. I want to look at the river scenery along the way.” “Rest easy, your honour,” said the boatman. “This trip is for pleasure — what’s the hurry?” With that he pushed off with one thrust of the pole, ran downstream and made for the north bank. There the tracker slipped on his towing board and hauled them slowly along, while the boatman held the tiller and the Northern Hero sat in the boat. The clear water rippled, the reed flowers drifted on the wind, and behind them rose the green of distant hills and the dark leaves of ancient trees. Here and there lay country inns and villages, their kitchen smoke rising straight up; row on row, white gulls and autumn geese skimmed the water again and again. Before this autumn scene the Northern Hero felt his heart open wide and his spirit at ease, and yet he could not help sighing more than once to think how swiftly a man’s life runs by. How many generations of heroes there had been — and where were they now?
正在觀覽歎惜之際，忽聽船家說道：「爺上請看，那邊影影綽綽便是河神廟的旗桿。此處離誅龍橋不遠了。」北俠聽了，便要看古人的遺蹟。「不知此劍是何寶物？不料我今日又得瞻仰瞻仰。」早見船家將篙一撐蕩開，悠悠揚揚，竟奔誅龍橋而來，到此水勢急溜，毫不費力，已從橋孔過去。北俠兩眼左顧右盼，竟不見寶劍懸於何處。剛然要問，只見船已攏住，便要拉縴上河神廟去。
正在观览叹惜之际，忽听船家说道：「爷上请看，那边影影绰绰便是河神庙的旗杆。此处离诛龙桥不远了。」北侠听了，便要看古人的遗迹。「不知此剑是何宝物？不料我今日又得瞻仰瞻仰。」早见船家将篙一撑荡开，悠悠扬扬，竟奔诛龙桥而来，到此水势急溜，毫不费力，已从桥孔过去。北侠两眼左顾右盼，竟不见宝剑悬于何处。刚然要问，只见船已拢住，便要拉纤上河神庙去。
As he gazed and sighed, he suddenly heard the boatman say, “Look there, your honour. That faint shape over yonder is the flagpole of the temple of the River God. We’re not far from Zhulong Bridge now.” At this the Northern Hero was eager to see the relic of the ancients. “I wonder what kind of treasure this sword is? Who would have thought that today I’d get to feast my eyes on it?” Already the boatman had pushed off with his pole, and they drifted easily along, heading straight for Zhulong Bridge. Here the water ran fast, and without the least effort they shot through an arch of the bridge. The Northern Hero looked right and left, but nowhere could he see a sword hanging. He was just about to ask when the boat drew in to the bank; they meant to tow it on up to the temple of the River God.