且說蔣平聽得裡面問道：「什麼人？敢則是投店的麼？」蔣平道：「正是。」又聽裡面答道：「少待。」不多時燈光顯露，將柴扉開放，道：「客官請進。」蔣平道：「我還有鞍馬在此。」店主人道：「客官自己拉進來吧。婆子不知尊騎的毛病，恐有失閃。」蔣平這才留神一看，原來是個店媽媽，只得自己拉進了柴扉。見是正房三間，西廂房三間，除此並無別的房屋。蔣平問道：「我這牲口在那裡喂呢？」婆子道：「我這裡原是村莊小店，並無槽頭馬棚，那邊有個碾子，在那碾臺兒上，就可以餵了。」蔣平道：「也倒罷了。只是我這牲口就在露天地裡了。好在夜間還不甚涼，尚可以將就。」說罷，將坐騎拴在碾檯子樁柱上，將鐙扣好，打去嚼子，打去後(革酋)，把皮(革占)攏起，用稍繩捆好；然後解了肚帶，輕輕將鞍子揭下，屜卻不動，恐鞍心有汗。
且说蒋平听得里面问道：「什么人？敢则是投店的么？」蒋平道：「正是。」又听里面答道：「少待。」不多时灯光显露，将柴扉开放，道：「客官请进。」蒋平道：「我还有鞍马在此。」店主人道：「客官自己拉进来吧。婆子不知尊骑的毛病，恐有失闪。」蒋平这才留神一看，原来是个店妈妈，只得自己拉进了柴扉。见是正房三间，西厢房三间，除此并无别的房屋。蒋平问道：「我这牲口在那里喂呢？」婆子道：「我这里原是村庄小店，并无槽头马棚，那边有个碾子，在那碾台儿上，就可以喂了。」蒋平道：「也倒罢了。只是我这牲口就在露天地里了。好在夜间还不甚凉，尚可以将就。」说罢，将坐骑拴在碾台子桩柱上，将镫扣好，打去嚼子，打去后(革酋)，把皮(革占)拢起，用稍绳捆好；然后解了肚带，轻轻将鞍子揭下，屉却不动，恐鞍心有汗。
Now, Jiang Ping heard someone inside ask, “Who’s there? A traveller wanting lodging, is it?” “Just so,” said Jiang Ping. Again the voice answered from within: “Wait a moment.” Before long a light appeared, the wicker gate swung open, and the voice said, “Come in, sir.” “I have a horse with me too,” said Jiang Ping. “Lead it in yourself, sir,” said the innkeeper. “This old woman doesn’t know your mount’s ways, and something might go amiss.” Only now did Jiang Ping take a good look, and he saw that the innkeeper was an old woman. He had to lead the horse in through the gate himself. He saw three rooms in the main building and three in the west wing, and no other buildings besides. “Where do I feed my animal?” Jiang Ping asked. “This is only a little village inn,” said the old woman. “We have no trough and no stable. There’s a millstone over there; you can feed him on the millstone platform.” “That will do well enough,” said Jiang Ping. “Only my animal will be out in the open. Luckily the nights aren’t cold yet, so it will serve.” With that he tied his mount to the post of the millstone platform. He looped up the stirrups, took out the bit, took off the crupper, gathered up the leather saddle flaps and tied them fast with the strap ends. Then he undid the girth and gently lifted the saddle off, but left the saddle pad where it was, for fear the horse was sweating under the saddle.
此時店婆已將上房撢掃，安放燈燭。蔣爺抱著鞍子，到了上房，放在門後。抬頭一看，卻是兩明一暗。掀起舊布單簾，來到暗間，從腰間解下包囊，連馬鞭俱放在桌子上面，撢了撢身上灰塵。只聽店媽媽道：「客官是先淨面後吃茶？是先吃茶後淨面呢？」蔣平這才把店媽媽細看，卻有五旬年紀，甚是乾淨利便，答道：「臉也不淨，茶也不吃。請問媽媽貴姓。」店婆道：「婆子姓甘。請問客官尊姓。」蔣爺道：「我姓蔣。請問此處是何地名？」甘婆子道：「此處名叫神樹崗。」蔣爺道：「離陳起望尚有多遠？」婆子道：「陳起望在正西，此處卻是西北。從此算起，要到陳起望，足有四五十里之遙。客官敢則是走差了路了？」蔣爺道：「只因身體欠爽，又在昏黑之際，不料把道路走錯了。請問媽媽，你這裡可有酒麼？」甘婆子道：「酒是有的，就只得村醪，並無上樣名酒。」蔣爺道：「村醪也好，你與我熱熱的暖一角來。」甘婆子答應，回身去了。
此时店婆已将上房撢扫，安放灯烛。蒋爷抱着鞍子，到了上房，放在门后。抬头一看，却是两明一暗。掀起旧布单帘，来到暗间，从腰间解下包囊，连马鞭俱放在桌子上面，撢了撢身上灰尘。只听店妈妈道：「客官是先净面后吃茶？是先吃茶后净面呢？」蒋平这才把店妈妈细看，却有五旬年纪，甚是干净利便，答道：「脸也不净，茶也不吃。请问妈妈贵姓。」店婆道：「婆子姓甘。请问客官尊姓。」蒋爷道：「我姓蒋。请问此处是何地名？」甘婆子道：「此处名叫神树岗。」蒋爷道：「离陈起望尚有多远？」婆子道：「陈起望在正西，此处却是西北。从此算起，要到陈起望，足有四五十里之遥。客官敢则是走差了路了？」蒋爷道：「只因身体欠爽，又在昏黑之际，不料把道路走错了。请问妈妈，你这里可有酒么？」甘婆子道：「酒是有的，就只得村醪，并无上样名酒。」蒋爷道：「村醪也好，你与我热热的暖一角来。」甘婆子答应，回身去了。
By now the old woman had dusted out the main building and set a lamp there. Jiang Ping carried the saddle into the main building and put it behind the door. Looking about, he saw two open rooms and one inner room. He lifted the old cotton curtain and went into the inner room, untied the bundle from his waist and laid it on the table with his riding whip, and brushed the dust from his clothes. Then he heard the old woman say, “Will you wash your face first and then have tea, sir? Or tea first and then wash?” Only now did Jiang Ping look her over closely. She was about fifty, very neat and brisk. “I won’t wash and I won’t have tea,” he answered. “May I ask your name, mother?” “This old woman’s name is Gan,” she said. “And may I ask yours, sir?” “My name is Jiang,” said Jiang Ping. “May I ask what this place is called?” “It’s called Shenshu Ridge,” said old Mrs. Gan. “How far is it still to Chenqiwang?” “Chenqiwang lies due west,” said the old woman, “and this is north-west. Reckoning from here, it’s a good forty or fifty li to Chenqiwang. Have you taken the wrong road, sir?” “I’ve been feeling unwell,” said Jiang Ping, “and in the dark I went astray without knowing it. Tell me, mother, have you any wine here?” “Wine we have,” said old Mrs. Gan, “but only country brew, nothing fine.” “Country brew will do. Warm me a jug of it, good and hot.” Old Mrs. Gan said she would, and turned and went off.
多時，果然暖了一壺來，傾在碗內。蔣爺因肚泄口燥，那管好歹，端起來一飲而盡。真真是「溝裡翻船」。想蔣平何等人物，何等精明，一生所作何事，不想他在媽媽店，竟會上了大當。可見為人藝高是膽大不得的。此酒入腹之後，覺得頭眩目轉。蔣平說聲「不好」！尚未說出口，身體一晃，咕咚栽倒塵埃。
多时，果然暖了一壶来，倾在碗内。蒋爷因肚泄口燥，那管好歹，端起来一饮而尽。真真是「沟里翻船」。想蒋平何等人物，何等精明，一生所作何事，不想他在妈妈店，竟会上了大当。可见为人艺高是胆大不得的。此酒入腹之后，觉得头眩目转。蒋平说声「不好」！尚未说出口，身体一晃，咕咚栽倒尘埃。
After a good while she did indeed bring a pot of warmed wine and poured it into a bowl. Jiang Ping, with his loose bowels and parched mouth, cared nothing whether it was good or bad; he picked it up and drained it at a gulp. Truly, this was “capsizing in a ditch.” Think what a man Jiang Ping was, how shrewd and sharp, and the things he had done in his life — who would have thought that at the old woman’s inn he would be so badly taken in? It goes to show: great skill makes a man bold, but bold is just what he must not be. Once the wine was in his belly, his head swam and his eyes spun. “Bad!” said Jiang Ping — but before the word was fully out, he swayed and crashed down into the dust.