龍門謝中條者，佻達無行。三十餘喪妻，遺二子一女，晨夕啼號，縈累甚苦。謀聘繼室，低昂未就。暫僱傭媼撫子女。一日，翔步山途，忽一婦人出其後。待以窺覘，是好女子，年二十許。心悅之，戲曰：「娘子獨行，不畏怖耶？」婦走不對。又曰：「娘子纖步，山徑殊難。」婦仍不顧。謝四望無人，近身側，遽挲其腕，曳入幽谷，將以強合。婦怒呼曰：「何處強人，橫來相侵！」謝牽挽而行，更不休止。婦步履跌蹶，困窘無計。乃曰：「燕婉之求，乃若此耶？緩我，當相就耳。」謝從之。偕入靜壑，野合既已，遂相欣愛。婦問其里居姓氏，謝以實告。既亦問婦。婦言：「妾黎氏。不幸早寡，姑又殞歿，塊然一身，無所依倚，故常至母家耳。」謝曰：「我亦鰥也，能相從乎？」婦問：「君有子女無也？」謝曰：「實不相欺：若論枕席之事，交好者亦頗不乏。祗是兒啼女哭，令人不耐。」婦躊躕曰：「此大難事！觀君衣服襪履款樣，亦只平平，我自謂能辦。但繼母難作，恐不勝誚讓也。」謝曰：「請毋疑阻。我自不言，人何干與？」婦亦微納。轉而慮曰：「肌膚已沾，有何不從？但有悍伯，每以我為奇貨，恐不允諧，將復如何？」謝亦憂皇，請與逃竄。婦曰：「我亦思之爛熟。所慮家人一洩，兩非所便。」謝云：「此即細事。家中惟一孤媼，立便遣去。」婦喜，遂與同歸。先匿外舍；即入遣媼訖，掃榻迎婦，倍極歡好。婦便操作，兼為兒女補綴，辛勤甚至。謝得婦，嬖愛異常，日惟閉門相對，更不通客。月餘，適以公事出，反關乃去。及歸，則中門嚴閉，扣之不應。排闔而入，渺無人跡。方至寢室，一巨狼衝門躍出，幾驚絕！入視子女皆無，鮮血殷地，惟三頭存焉。返身追狼，已不知所之矣。
龍門有個謝中條，為人輕浮放蕩，品行不端。他三十多歲時妻子去世，留下兩個兒子和一個女兒，早晚哭鬧，讓他牽掛操心，十分苦惱。他想續娶，婚事談來談去，一直沒有談成，便暫時僱了一個老婦人照看孩子。一天，他在山路上閒步，忽然有個婦人從後面走來。他停下來打量，見她是個漂亮女子，年紀約二十歲，心裡喜歡，便調笑說：「娘子獨自走路，不害怕嗎？」婦人繼續走，沒有回答。他又說：「娘子的腳這樣纖小，走山路可不容易。」婦人仍不理會。謝中條向四周望了望，見沒有人，便靠到她身旁，猛然抓住她的手腕，拖進幽深的山谷，想強行與她發生關係。婦人憤怒地喊道：「哪裡來的強盜，竟敢這樣欺負我！」謝中條拉著她往前走，絲毫不肯停下。婦人被拖得跌跌撞撞，困迫無計，只好說：「你想和我親熱，難道就該這樣嗎？鬆開我，我會答應你的。」謝中條聽了她的話。兩人一同走進僻靜的山谷，在野外發生關係後，便互相喜歡起來。婦人問他住在哪裡、叫什麼，謝中條如實告訴了她，隨後也問她的情況。婦人說：「我姓黎，不幸早早死了丈夫，婆婆也去世了，如今孤零零一個人，無依無靠，所以常到孃家去。」謝中條說：「我也死了妻子，你能跟我一起過日子嗎？」婦人問：「你有兒女嗎？」謝中條說：「我實話告訴你：若只說床上的事，和我相好的女人倒也不少。只是兒子啼哭，女兒吵鬧，實在讓人受不了。」婦人遲疑著說：「這可真是件難事！看你衣服、襪子、鞋子的樣式，也都很普通，我想自己能做得來。但後母難當，恐怕受不了別人的責罵。」謝中條說：「請不要為這些事猶豫。我自己不說什麼，別人有什麼資格干涉？」婦人也稍稍有些答應了，卻又擔憂地說：「我們已經有過關係，還有什麼理由不跟你走？只是我丈夫的哥哥很兇悍，總把我當成值錢的貨物，恐怕不肯答應，那又怎麼辦？」謝中條也擔憂起來，提議兩人一起私奔。婦人說：「這件事我也已經想得很透了。只怕你家裡的人一洩露訊息，對我們兩個都不方便。」謝中條說：「這是小事。家裡只有一個孤身的老婦人，我馬上把她辭退。」婦人高興了，便跟他一起回家。他先把她藏在外面的屋裡，自己進去辭退老婦人，隨後打掃床鋪，把婦人迎進來，兩人更加親熱。婦人隨即操持家務，還替孩子們縫補衣服，十分辛勤。謝中條得了這個婦人，對她寵愛得異乎尋常，每天只關著門和她相伴，也不再接待客人。過了一個多月，他恰好因公事外出，從外面鎖好門才走。回來時，裡面的門關得嚴嚴實實，敲門也沒有人答應。他推開門進去，四下看不到人影。剛到臥室，一隻巨狼便衝出房門，幾乎把他嚇死！進去一看，幾個孩子都不見了，鮮血把地面染得通紅，只剩下三個頭。他轉身去追狼，卻已經不知道狼跑到哪裡去了。
龙门谢中条者，佻达无行。三十余丧妻，遗二子一女，晨夕啼号，萦累甚苦。谋聘继室，低昂未就。暂雇佣媪抚子女。一日，翔步山途，忽一妇人出其后。待以窥觇，是好女子，年二十许。心悦之，戏曰：「娘子独行，不畏怖耶？」妇走不对。又曰：「娘子纤步，山径殊难。」妇仍不顾。谢四望无人，近身侧，遽挲其腕，曳入幽谷，将以强合。妇怒呼曰：「何处强人，横来相侵！」谢牵挽而行，更不休止。妇步履跌蹶，困窘无计。乃曰：「燕婉之求，乃若此耶？缓我，当相就耳。」谢从之。偕入静壑，野合既已，遂相欣爱。妇问其里居姓氏，谢以实告。既亦问妇。妇言：「妾黎氏。不幸早寡，姑又殒殁，块然一身，无所依倚，故常至母家耳。」谢曰：「我亦鳏也，能相从乎？」妇问：「君有子女无也？」谢曰：「实不相欺：若论枕席之事，交好者亦颇不乏。祗是儿啼女哭，令人不耐。」妇踌蹰曰：「此大难事！观君衣服袜履款样，亦只平平，我自谓能办。但继母难作，恐不胜诮让也。」谢曰：「请毋疑阻。我自不言，人何干与？」妇亦微纳。转而虑曰：「肌肤已沾，有何不从？但有悍伯，每以我为奇货，恐不允谐，将复如何？」谢亦忧皇，请与逃窜。妇曰：「我亦思之烂熟。所虑家人一泄，两非所便。」谢云：「此即细事。家中惟一孤媪，立便遣去。」妇喜，遂与同归。先匿外舍；即入遣媪讫，扫榻迎妇，倍极欢好。妇便操作，兼为儿女补缀，辛勤甚至。谢得妇，嬖爱异常，日惟闭门相对，更不通客。月余，适以公事出，反关乃去。及归，则中门严闭，扣之不应。排阖而入，渺无人迹。方至寝室，一巨狼冲门跃出，几惊绝！入视子女皆无，鲜血殷地，惟三头存焉。返身追狼，已不知所之矣。
龙门有个谢中条，为人轻浮放荡，品行不端。他三十多岁时妻子去世，留下两个儿子和一个女儿，早晚哭闹，让他牵挂操心，十分苦恼。他想续娶，婚事谈来谈去，一直没有谈成，便暂时雇了一个老妇人照看孩子。一天，他在山路上闲步，忽然有个妇人从后面走来。他停下来打量，见她是个漂亮女子，年纪约二十岁，心里喜欢，便调笑说：“娘子独自走路，不害怕吗？”妇人继续走，没有回答。他又说：“娘子的脚这样纤小，走山路可不容易。”妇人仍不理会。谢中条向四周望了望，见没有人，便靠到她身旁，猛然抓住她的手腕，拖进幽深的山谷，想强行与她发生关系。妇人愤怒地喊道：“哪里来的强盗，竟敢这样欺负我！”谢中条拉着她往前走，丝毫不肯停下。妇人被拖得跌跌撞撞，困迫无计，只好说：“你想和我亲热，难道就该这样吗？松开我，我会答应你的。”谢中条听了她的话。两人一同走进僻静的山谷，在野外发生关系后，便互相喜欢起来。妇人问他住在哪里、叫什么，谢中条如实告诉了她，随后也问她的情况。妇人说：“我姓黎，不幸早早死了丈夫，婆婆也去世了，如今孤零零一个人，无依无靠，所以常到娘家去。”谢中条说：“我也死了妻子，你能跟我一起过日子吗？”妇人问：“你有儿女吗？”谢中条说：“我实话告诉你：若只说床上的事，和我相好的女人倒也不少。只是儿子啼哭，女儿吵闹，实在让人受不了。”妇人迟疑着说：“这可真是件难事！看你衣服、袜子、鞋子的样式，也都很普通，我想自己能做得来。但后母难当，恐怕受不了别人的责骂。”谢中条说：“请不要为这些事犹豫。我自己不说什么，别人有什么资格干涉？”妇人也稍稍有些答应了，却又担忧地说：“我们已经有过关系，还有什么理由不跟你走？只是我丈夫的哥哥很凶悍，总把我当成值钱的货物，恐怕不肯答应，那又怎么办？”谢中条也担忧起来，提议两人一起私奔。妇人说：“这件事我也已经想得很透了。只怕你家里的人一泄露消息，对我们两个都不方便。”谢中条说：“这是小事。家里只有一个孤身的老妇人，我马上把她辞退。”妇人高兴了，便跟他一起回家。他先把她藏在外面的屋里，自己进去辞退老妇人，随后打扫床铺，把妇人迎进来，两人更加亲热。妇人随即操持家务，还替孩子们缝补衣服，十分辛勤。谢中条得了这个妇人，对她宠爱得异乎寻常，每天只关着门和她相伴，也不再接待客人。过了一个多月，他恰好因公事外出，从外面锁好门才走。回来时，里面的门关得严严实实，敲门也没有人答应。他推开门进去，四下看不到人影。刚到卧室，一只巨狼便冲出房门，几乎把他吓死！进去一看，几个孩子都不见了，鲜血把地面染得通红，只剩下三个头。他转身去追狼，却已经不知道狼跑到哪里去了。
Xie Zhongtiao of Longmen was a frivolous man with no principles. When he was a little past thirty his wife died, leaving him two sons and a daughter, who cried and wailed morning and night. They were a heavy burden to him. He tried to find a second wife, but the matches were always too high or too low, and nothing came of it. For the time being he hired an old woman to look after the children. One day, as he was strolling along a mountain road, a woman came up behind him. He waited to get a look at her: she was a fine-looking woman of about twenty. He took to her at once. “Walking alone, madam?” he said teasingly. “Aren’t you afraid?” The woman walked on without answering. “Such dainty feet, madam,” he said. “The mountain path must be very hard going.” Still she paid him no attention. Xie looked all round and saw no one. He came up beside her, suddenly seized her by the wrist and dragged her into a secluded gully, meaning to take her by force. “Who are you, you brute,” she cried angrily, “to set upon me like this?” Xie kept dragging her along and would not stop. She stumbled and tripped, cornered and helpless. Then she said, “Is this how a man goes seeking a gentle mate? Let go of me, and I will give in to you.” Xie did as she asked. They went together into a quiet ravine, and when they had lain together there in the open, they grew fond of each other. She asked his name and where he lived, and Xie told her the truth. Then he asked about her. “My family name is Li,” she said. “I had the misfortune to be widowed young, and my mother-in-law has died as well. I am all alone, with no one to depend on, so I often go back to my mother’s home.” “I am a widower too,” said Xie. “Will you come and live with me?” “Have you any children?” she asked. “I won’t deceive you,” said Xie. “If it were only a matter of the bed, I have no shortage of women friends. It’s just that the boys cry and the girl wails, and I can’t stand it.” She hesitated. “That is a very hard thing! Looking at the cut of your clothes and socks and shoes, they are nothing out of the ordinary — I think I could manage those. But it is hard to be a stepmother. I am afraid I could not bear the blame.” “Don’t let that hold you back,” said Xie. “If I don’t complain, what business is it of anyone else’s?” She half agreed. Then a new worry struck her. “Now that our bodies have touched, why should I not go with you? But I have a fierce brother-in-law who has always looked on me as rare goods to be held for a good price. I am afraid he won’t agree. What then?” Xie was worried too, and proposed that they run away together. “I have thought it over a hundred times,” she said. “What worries me is that if anyone in your household lets it out, it will go badly for both of us.” “That’s a small matter,” said Xie. “There’s only one old woman in the house, and I’ll send her off at once.” She was pleased, and went home with him. First he hid her in an outer room; then he went in and dismissed the old woman, swept the bed and brought her in. They were happier together than ever. She set to work at once, mending clothes for the children as well, and toiled very hard. Now that he had her, Xie doted on her beyond all measure. All day long the two of them stayed behind closed doors, and he would see no visitors. After a month or so, he happened to have to go out on some official business, and he locked the door behind him from outside. When he came back, the inner gate was shut tight, and no one answered his knocking. He forced the doors and went in: there was no one to be seen. Just as he reached the bedroom, a huge wolf burst out through the door. He nearly died of fright. He went in to look. The children were all gone. Fresh blood stained the floor dark red, and only three heads were left. He turned to chase the wolf, but there was no telling where it had gone.