話說雷鳴趴窗戶一看，只見屋裡是順北牆的一張床，靠東牆是衣箱立櫃，地下有八仙桌、椅子、梳頭桌，屋中很是齊整。床上躺著一個婦人，有二十多歲，臉上未擦脂粉，穿著藍布褂褲，窄小宮鞋，長得倒是蛾眉杏眼，俊俏無比。地下站定一個二十多歲男子，頭挽牛心髮髻，赤著背，穿著單坎肩月白中衣。長得一臉橫肉，凶眉惡眼。左手按著婦人的華蓋穴，右手拿著一把鋼刀，口中說：「你就是給我說實話。不說實話，我把你殺了，那便宜你，我一刀一刀把你剮了。」就聽那婦人直嚷說：「好二虎，你要欺負我。我這是燒紙引了鬼。我跟你有何冤何仇，你敢來持刀威嚇。」雷鳴一聽，氣往上沖，有心要進去。自己一想：「我別粗鹵。老三常說我，要眼尖。我去跟他商量商量，可管則管，不可管別管。」想罷，擰身上房，仍躥到店內，來到屋中，一推陳亮。雷鳴說：「老三醒來。」陳亮說：「二哥叫我什麼事？」雷鳴說：「我瞧見一件新鮮事。因為天熱，我在院中乘涼。院中甚熱，我就上房去，可以得風。我剛要躺躺，就聽有人叫喊：殺人了，殺人哪！我只打算是路劫，順著聲音找去，找到一所院落。見一個男子拿著刀，按著一個婦人，直叫婦人說。我也不知什麼事，我有心進去，怕你說我粗莽。我跟你商量商量，是管好，不管好？」陳亮一聽，說：「二哥。你這就不對。無故上房，叫店裡人看見，這算什麼事？再說這件事，要不知道，眼不見，心不煩。既知道要不管，心裡便不痛快。你我去瞧瞧罷。」說著話，兩個人穿好衣服，一同出來，仍不去驚動店家，擰身上房，躥房越脊，來到這院中。一聽，屋裡還喊救人，二人下去。陳亮趴窗戶一看，就聽有人說：「好二虎，你要欺負死我，我這是燒紙引鬼，你還不撒開我。快救人哪！」那男子說：「你嚷。我就殺了你。」拿刀背照定婦人臉上就砍，一連幾下，砍的婦人臉上都血暈了。婦人放聲大哭，還嚷救人。陳亮一瞧，不由怒從心上起，氣向膽邊生。當時說：「二哥跟我來。」二人來到外間屋門一瞧，門開著。二人邁步進去，一掀裡間帘子，陳亮說：「朋友請了。為什麼半夜三更拿刀動仗？」這男子一回頭，嚇了一跳。見陳亮是俊品人物，見雷鳴是紅鬍子藍靛臉，相貌凶惡。男子立刻把刀放下說：「二位貴姓？」陳亮說：「姓陳。」雷鳴說：「姓雷。」
话说雷鸣趴窗户一看，只见屋里是顺北墙的一张床，靠东墙是衣箱立柜，地下有八仙桌、椅子、梳头桌，屋中很是齐整。床上躺着一个妇人，有二十多岁，脸上未擦脂粉，穿着蓝布褂裤，窄小宫鞋，长得倒是蛾眉杏眼，俊俏无比。地下站定一个二十多岁男子，头挽牛心发髻，赤着背，穿着单坎肩月白中衣。长得一脸横肉，凶眉恶眼。左手按着妇人的华盖穴，右手拿着一把钢刀，口中说：「你就是给我说实话。不说实话，我把你杀了，那便宜你，我一刀一刀把你剐了。」就听那妇人直嚷说：「好二虎，你要欺负我。我这是烧纸引了鬼。我跟你有何冤何仇，你敢来持刀威吓。」雷鸣一听，气往上冲，有心要进去。自己一想：「我别粗卤。老三常说我，要眼尖。我去跟他商量商量，可管则管，不可管别管。」想罢，拧身上房，仍蹿到店内，来到屋中，一推陈亮。雷鸣说：「老三醒来。」陈亮说：「二哥叫我什么事？」雷鸣说：「我瞧见一件新鲜事。因为天热，我在院中乘凉。院中甚热，我就上房去，可以得风。我刚要躺躺，就听有人叫喊：杀人了，杀人哪！我只打算是路劫，顺着声音找去，找到一所院落。见一个男子拿着刀，按着一个妇人，直叫妇人说。我也不知什么事，我有心进去，怕你说我粗莽。我跟你商量商量，是管好，不管好？」陈亮一听，说：「二哥。你这就不对。无故上房，叫店里人看见，这算什么事？再说这件事，要不知道，眼不见，心不烦。既知道要不管，心里便不痛快。你我去瞧瞧罢。」说着话，两个人穿好衣服，一同出来，仍不去惊动店家，拧身上房，蹿房越脊，来到这院中。一听，屋里还喊救人，二人下去。陈亮趴窗户一看，就听有人说：「好二虎，你要欺负死我，我这是烧纸引鬼，你还不撒开我。快救人哪！」那男子说：「你嚷。我就杀了你。」拿刀背照定妇人脸上就砍，一连几下，砍的妇人脸上都血晕了。妇人放声大哭，还嚷救人。陈亮一瞧，不由怒从心上起，气向胆边生。当时说：「二哥跟我来。」二人来到外间屋门一瞧，门开着。二人迈步进去，一掀里间帘子，陈亮说：「朋友请了。为什么半夜三更拿刀动仗？」这男子一回头，吓了一跳。见陈亮是俊品人物，见雷鸣是红胡子蓝靛脸，相貌凶恶。男子立刻把刀放下说：「二位贵姓？」陈亮说：「姓陈。」雷鸣说：「姓雷。」
Now, Lei Ming lay against the window and looked in. Along the north wall of the room stood a bed; against the east wall were clothes chests and a standing cupboard; on the floor were an Eight Immortals table, chairs and a dressing table. The room was very neat and orderly. On the bed lay a woman of twenty-odd. Her face was bare of powder and rouge; she wore a jacket and trousers of blue cloth and narrow embroidered slippers, and she was a beauty beyond compare, with moth-wing eyebrows and almond eyes. On the floor stood a man of twenty-odd, his hair twisted up in an ox-heart topknot. His back was bare; he wore a sleeveless vest and moon-white trousers. His face was all coarse, lumpy flesh, with savage brows and evil eyes. His left hand was pressing down on the woman’s Huagai point, and in his right he held a steel blade. “You’re going to tell me the truth,” he was saying. “Don’t tell me the truth and I’ll kill you — no, that would be letting you off easy. I’ll carve you up one slice at a time.” And the woman kept crying out, “Erhu, you brute, you mean to bully me! This is what I get for burning paper offerings: I’ve called up a ghost. What wrong have I ever done you, what grudge do you hold, that you dare come at me with a knife to frighten me?” When Lei Ming heard that, his anger surged up and he was minded to go straight in. Then he thought to himself, “I mustn’t be rash. Third Brother is always telling me to keep my eyes sharp. I’ll go and talk it over with him. If it’s ours to deal with, we’ll deal with it; if it isn’t, we’ll leave it be.” With that, he twisted round, sprang onto the roof, leapt back into the inn, came into their room and gave Chen Liang a shove. “Wake up, Third Brother,” said Lei Ming. “What is it, Second Brother?” said Chen Liang. “I’ve just seen something odd,” said Lei Ming. “It was hot, so I was out in the courtyard to cool off. It was too hot in the courtyard, so I went up on the roof to catch the breeze. I was just about to lie down when I heard someone crying, ‘Murder! Murder!’ I took it for a robbery on the road, so I followed the sound and found a house with a courtyard. There was a man holding a knife and pinning down a woman, telling her over and over to talk. I don’t know what it’s all about. I was minded to go in, but I was afraid you’d say I was being rough and hasty. So I’ve come to talk it over with you: are we better off stepping in, or keeping out of it?” “Second Brother,” said Chen Liang, “that wasn’t right of you. Going up on the roofs for no reason — if someone at the inn had seen you, what would they have taken you for? Still, as for this business: if you don’t know about a thing, what the eye doesn’t see the heart doesn’t grieve over. But once you do know, if you don’t step in, it sits badly with you. Let’s go and have a look.” As they talked the two of them dressed and went out together. Again they did not disturb the people of the inn, but twisted up onto the roofs, raced over rooftops and ridges, and came to the courtyard. Listening, they could hear someone in the room still crying for help, and the two of them dropped down. Chen Liang lay against the window to look in, and heard someone say, “Erhu, you brute, you mean to bully me to death! I burned paper offerings and called up a ghost. Won’t you let go of me? Help! Somebody help!” “Keep shouting,” said the man, “and I’ll kill you.” He took the back of his blade and struck at the woman’s face, several blows in a row, until her face was all bruised with blood. The woman burst out sobbing and still cried for help. At the sight of it Chen Liang’s anger rose from his heart and his fury surged up to his gall. “Second Brother, come with me,” he said. The two of them came to the door of the outer room and saw it was open. They stepped inside, and Chen Liang lifted the curtain to the inner room. “Greetings, friend,” said Chen Liang. “Why are you waving a knife about in the middle of the night?” The man turned his head and got a fright. He saw that Chen Liang was a handsome, refined figure, and that Lei Ming had a red beard and an indigo face and a ferocious look about him. The man put down his knife at once. “May I ask your names, gentlemen?” he said. “Chen,” said Chen Liang. “Lei,” said Lei Ming.
這男子一聽說話，俱都是聲音洪亮。陳亮說：「我二人原是鎮江府人，以保鏢為業。由此路去，今天住在德源店。在院中納涼，聽見叫喊殺人救人。我二人只打算是路劫。出來一聽，在院中喊叫。我二人自幼練過武藝，故此跳牆進來。朋友，為什麼這裡拿刀行兇？」這男子說：「原來是二位保鏢的達官。要問，我姓孫，叫孫二虎，我們這村莊叫孫家堡。小村莊倒有八十多家姓孫的，外姓人少。她是我嫂嫂。我兄長在日開藥店，我兄長死了三年，她守寡。你們瞧她這大肚子，我就要問問她，這大肚子是哪裡來的。因為這個，她嚷喊起來，驚動了二位達官。」陳亮一聽，人家是家務事，這怎麼管。陳亮說：「我有兩句話奉勸。天子至大，猶不能保其宗族，何況你我平民百姓？尊駕不必這樣。依我勸，算了罷。」孫二虎一聽說：「好。既是你不叫管，我走了。你二位在這裡罷。」雷鳴一聽，這小子說的不像人話。雷鳴說：「你別走，為什麼你走，我們在這裡？這不像話！」孫二虎看這兩人的樣子，他也不敢惹。趕緊說：「你我一同走。」雷鳴、陳亮正要往外走，那婦人說：「二位恩公別走。方才他說的話一字也不對。」陳亮一聽詫異，說：「怎麼不對？」這婦人說：「小婦人的丈夫，可是姓孫。在世開藥鋪生理，今年已故世三載。我娘家姓康，我過門時就不認的他。後來才聽見說，就是這麼一個當家的兄弟，已然出了五服。平素我丈夫在日，他也不常來，只因我燒紙引鬼。我那一日在門前買線，瞧見他，十月的天氣，尚未穿棉衣。我就說，孫二虎，你怎麼連衣裳都沒了？他說，嫂嫂，我肩不能挑擔，手不能提籃，分文的進項沒有，哪裡能置衣裳？」我見他說的好苦，我是一分惻隱之心，把他叫進來，有我丈夫留下的舊衣裳，給了他一包袱，還給他兩吊錢。我說叫他做個小本營生。焉想到他後來沒錢，就來找我借錢。我也時常周濟他。
这男子一听说话，俱都是声音洪亮。陈亮说：「我二人原是镇江府人，以保镖为业。由此路去，今天住在德源店。在院中纳凉，听见叫喊杀人救人。我二人只打算是路劫。出来一听，在院中喊叫。我二人自幼练过武艺，故此跳墙进来。朋友，为什么这里拿刀行凶？」这男子说：「原来是二位保镖的达官。要问，我姓孙，叫孙二虎，我们这村庄叫孙家堡。小村庄倒有八十多家姓孙的，外姓人少。她是我嫂嫂。我兄长在日开药店，我兄长死了三年，她守寡。你们瞧她这大肚子，我就要问问她，这大肚子是哪里来的。因为这个，她嚷喊起来，惊动了二位达官。」陈亮一听，人家是家务事，这怎么管。陈亮说：「我有两句话奉劝。天子至大，犹不能保其宗族，何况你我平民百姓？尊驾不必这样。依我劝，算了罢。」孙二虎一听说：「好。既是你不叫管，我走了。你二位在这里罢。」雷鸣一听，这小子说的不像人话。雷鸣说：「你别走，为什么你走，我们在这里？这不像话！」孙二虎看这两人的样子，他也不敢惹。赶紧说：「你我一同走。」雷鸣、陈亮正要往外走，那妇人说：「二位恩公别走。方才他说的话一字也不对。」陈亮一听诧异，说：「怎么不对？」这妇人说：「小妇人的丈夫，可是姓孙。在世开药铺生理，今年已故世三载。我娘家姓康，我过门时就不认的他。后来才听见说，就是这么一个当家的兄弟，已然出了五服。平素我丈夫在日，他也不常来，只因我烧纸引鬼。我那一日在门前买线，瞧见他，十月的天气，尚未穿棉衣。我就说，孙二虎，你怎么连衣裳都没了？他说，嫂嫂，我肩不能挑担，手不能提篮，分文的进项没有，哪里能置衣裳？」我见他说的好苦，我是一分恻隐之心，把他叫进来，有我丈夫留下的旧衣裳，给了他一包袱，还给他两吊钱。我说叫他做个小本营生。焉想到他后来没钱，就来找我借钱。我也时常周济他。
The man noticed that both of them spoke in loud, ringing voices. “The two of us are from Zhenjiang Prefecture,” said Chen Liang, “and we make our living as escorts. We were passing this way and put up tonight at the Deyuan Inn. We were in the courtyard enjoying the cool when we heard shouts of murder and cries for help. We took it for a robbery on the road. When we came out to listen, the shouting was coming from a courtyard. We’ve both trained in the martial arts since we were boys, so we jumped the wall and came in. Friend, why are you threatening violence with a knife in here?” “So you two are escort masters,” said the man. “Since you ask: my surname is Sun, and I’m called Sun Erhu. This village of ours is called Sun Family Fort. It’s a small place, but there are more than eighty households named Sun, and few of any other name. She’s my sister-in-law. In his lifetime my elder brother ran a medicine shop. He’s been dead three years, and she’s been a widow. Look at the size of her belly! I wanted to ask her where that big belly came from. That’s why she started shouting and disturbed you two escort masters.” When Chen Liang heard this, he thought: this is the man’s family business; how can we meddle in it? “Let me offer you a word of advice,” said Chen Liang. “Even the Son of Heaven, great as he is, can’t keep his own clan in order. How much less can plain folk like you and me? There’s no need for you to carry on like this, sir. If you’ll take my advice, let it drop.” “Fine,” said Sun Erhu. “Since you tell me not to interfere, I’ll go. You two can stay here.” Lei Ming heard this and thought the fellow wasn’t talking like a human being. “Don’t you go,” said Lei Ming. “Why should you go and us stay here? That’s no way to talk!” Sun Erhu looked the two of them over and didn’t dare cross them either. “We’ll all go together, then,” he said quickly. Lei Ming and Chen Liang were just heading out when the woman spoke up. “My benefactors, don’t go. Not one word of what he just said is true.” Chen Liang was startled. “How is it not true?” he said. “My husband was indeed surnamed Sun,” said the woman. “While he lived he ran a medicine shop, and this year he has been gone three years. My own family is named Kang. When I married into this house I didn’t even know this man. Only later did I hear that he was a clansman of the family, and so distant he was already outside the five degrees of mourning. While my husband was alive he hardly ever came round. It’s all because I burned paper offerings and called up a ghost. One day I was at the gate buying thread and I saw him. It was the tenth month and he still had no padded clothes on. I said, ‘Sun Erhu, how is it you haven’t even got clothes?’ And he said, ‘Sister-in-law, I can’t carry a load on my shoulder or a basket in my hand. I haven’t a copper coming in, so where am I going to find clothes?’ He told it so pitifully that out of simple pity I called him in. I gave him a bundle of the old clothes my husband had left, and two strings of cash besides, and told him to set himself up in some small trade. Who’d have thought that afterwards, whenever he ran out of money, he’d come to me to borrow? And I often helped him out.
焉想到慈心惹禍，善門難開。一次是人情，兩次是例，後來習以為常。他就來勸我改嫁，我把他罵出。今天我的僕婦告了假，他無故拿刀來欺負我。問我肚子大，是哪裡來的。我對二位大恩公說，我的肚子大，實在是病，他竟敢胡說。他又不是我親族兄弟，今天我家裡沒人，只有一個傻子丫頭。我這裡嚷，她都不來管。」外面聽得有人答話說：「大奶奶，你叫我怎麼管？」
焉想到慈心惹祸，善门难开。一次是人情，两次是例，后来习以为常。他就来劝我改嫁，我把他骂出。今天我的仆妇告了假，他无故拿刀来欺负我。问我肚子大，是哪里来的。我对二位大恩公说，我的肚子大，实在是病，他竟敢胡说。他又不是我亲族兄弟，今天我家里没人，只有一个傻子丫头。我这里嚷，她都不来管。」外面听得有人答话说：「大奶奶，你叫我怎么管？」
Who’d have thought a kind heart would bring trouble, and that the door of charity, once opened, is hard to shut? The first time it’s a favour, the second time it’s a custom, and after that he took it as his due. Then he came to talk me into remarrying, and I cursed him out of the house. Today my serving woman asked for leave, and he came for no reason with a knife to bully me, and asked me where my big belly came from. I tell you, my two great benefactors, my belly is big because I’m truly ill, and he has the gall to talk such rubbish. He isn’t even a close kinsman of mine. Today there’s no one at home but a half-witted maid, and with me shouting in here she wouldn’t even come and help.” Someone outside answered, “Mistress, and how am I supposed to help?”