且說白玉堂見湯生主僕已然出廟去了，對那大漢執手道：「尊兄請了。」大漢道：「請了。請問尊兄貴姓？」白玉堂道：「不敢。小弟姓白，名玉堂。」大漢道：「曖喲！莫非是大鬧東京的錦毛鼠白五弟麼？」玉堂道：「小弟綽號錦毛鼠。不知兄台尊姓。」大漢道：「劣兄複姓歐陽名春。」白玉堂頓時雙睛一瞪，看了多時，方問道：「如此說來，人稱北俠號為紫髯伯的就是足下了。請問到此何事？」北俠道：「只因路過此廟，見那小童啼哭，問明，方知他相公不見了，因此我悄悄進來一看，原來五弟在這裡竊聽，我也聽了多時。後來五弟進了屋子，劣兄就在五弟站的那裡，又聽五弟發落兩個賊尼。劣兄方回身，開了廟門，將小童領進，使他主僕相認。」玉堂聽了，暗道：「他也聽了多時，我如何不知道呢？再者我原為訪他而來，如今既見了他，焉肯放過。須要離了此廟，再行拿他不遲。」想罷，答言：「原來如此。此處也不便說話，何不到我下處一敘？」北俠道：「很好。正要領教。」
且说白玉堂见汤生主仆已然出庙去了，对那大汉执手道：「尊兄请了。」大汉道：「请了。请问尊兄贵姓？」白玉堂道：「不敢。小弟姓白，名玉堂。」大汉道：「暧哟！莫非是大闹东京的锦毛鼠白五弟么？」玉堂道：「小弟绰号锦毛鼠。不知兄台尊姓。」大汉道：「劣兄复姓欧阳名春。」白玉堂顿时双睛一瞪，看了多时，方问道：「如此说来，人称北侠号为紫髯伯的就是足下了。请问到此何事？」北侠道：「只因路过此庙，见那小童啼哭，问明，方知他相公不见了，因此我悄悄进来一看，原来五弟在这里窃听，我也听了多时。后来五弟进了屋子，劣兄就在五弟站的那里，又听五弟发落两个贼尼。劣兄方回身，开了庙门，将小童领进，使他主仆相认。」玉堂听了，暗道：「他也听了多时，我如何不知道呢？再者我原为访他而来，如今既见了他，焉肯放过。须要离了此庙，再行拿他不迟。」想罢，答言：「原来如此。此处也不便说话，何不到我下处一叙？」北侠道：「很好。正要领教。」
Now, when Bai Yutang saw that Tang and his page boy had left the temple, he clasped hands with the big man. “My respects, sir.” “And mine,” said the big man. “May I ask your honourable name?” “You do me too much honour,” said Bai Yutang. “My surname is Bai, and my name is Yutang.” “Aiyo!” said the big man. “Can you be the Sleek Rat, Fifth Brother Bai, who raised the great uproar in the Eastern Capital?” “The Sleek Rat is what they call me,” said Yutang. “And may I ask your honourable name, sir?” “My surname is the double surname Ouyang,” said the big man, “and my name is Chun.” At once Bai Yutang’s eyes went wide, and he stared at him a long while before he asked, “In that case, the man they call the Northern Hero, known as the Purple-Bearded Elder, must be you. May I ask what brings you here?” “I happened to be passing this temple,” said the Northern Hero, “and saw that little boy crying. When I asked him, I learned that his master had gone missing, so I slipped in quietly to have a look — and there you were, Fifth Brother, listening in. I listened a good while too. When you went into the room, I stood just where you had been standing and heard you deal with the two thieving nuns. Then I turned back, opened the temple gate, brought the boy in and let master and servant find each other.” Yutang heard this and thought to himself, “He was listening a good while too — how could I not have known it? Besides, I came here looking for him in the first place. Now that I’ve found him, I’m not going to let him go. Once we’re out of this temple I’ll take him; that will be soon enough.” His mind made up, he answered, “So that’s how it was. This is no place to talk. Why not come back to my lodgings for a chat?” “Very good,” said the Northern Hero. “I was hoping to learn from you.”
二人出了板牆院，來到角門。白玉堂暗使促狹，假作遜讓，托著北俠的肘後，口內道：「請了。」用力往上一托，以為能將北俠搡出。誰知猶如蜻蜒撼石柱一般，再也不動分毫。北俠卻未介意，轉一回手，也托著玉堂肘後，道：「五弟請。」白玉堂不覺不由，就隨著手兒出來了，暗暗道：「果然力量不小。」
二人出了板墙院，来到角门。白玉堂暗使促狭，假作逊让，托着北侠的肘后，口内道：「请了。」用力往上一托，以为能将北侠搡出。谁知犹如蜻蜒撼石柱一般，再也不动分毫。北侠却未介意，转一回手，也托着玉堂肘后，道：「五弟请。」白玉堂不觉不由，就随着手儿出来了，暗暗道：「果然力量不小。」
The two of them left the board-walled yard and came to the side gate. Bai Yutang meant to play a sly trick. Pretending to make way for his guest, he put a hand under the Northern Hero’s elbow from behind and said, “After you.” Then he heaved upward with all his strength, thinking he could push the Northern Hero straight out of the gate. But it was like a dragonfly trying to shake a stone pillar: the man did not stir a hair. The Northern Hero paid it no mind. He simply turned his hand, put it under Yutang’s elbow in just the same way, and said, “After you, Fifth Brother.” And before he knew what was happening, Bai Yutang found himself borne out of the gate on that hand. “He’s strong, all right,” he said to himself.
二人離了慧海妙蓮庵。此時雨過天晴，月明如洗，星光朗朗，時有初鼓之半。北俠問道：「五弟到杭州何事？」玉堂道：「特為足下而來。」北俠便住步問道：「為劣兄何事？」白玉堂就將倪太守與馬強在大理寺審訊、供出北俠之事說了一遍，說：「是我奉旨前來，訪拿足下。」北俠聽玉堂這樣口氣，心中好生不樂，道：「如此說來，白五老爺是欽命了。歐陽春妄自高攀，多多有罪。請問欽命老爺，歐陽春當如何進京？望乞明白指示。」北俠這一問，原是試探白爺懂交情不懂交情。白玉堂若從此拉回來，說些交情話，兩下裡合而為一，商量商量，也就完事了。不想白玉堂心高氣傲，又是奉旨，又是相諭，多大的威風，多大的膽量；本來又仗著自己的武藝。他便目中無人，答道：「此乃奉旨之事，既然今日邂逅相逢，只好屈尊足下，隨著白某赴京便了。何用多言。」歐陽春微微冷笑道：「紫髯伯乃堂堂男子，就是這等隨你去，未免貽笑於人。尊駕還要三思。」北俠這個話雖是有氣，還是耐著性兒，提撥白玉堂的意思。誰知五爺不辨輕重，反倒氣往上衝，說道：「大約合你好說，你決不肯隨俺前去，必須較量個上下，那時被擒獲，休怪俺不留情分了。」北俠聽畢，也就按捺不住，連連說道：「好，好，好！正要領教，領教。」
二人离了慧海妙莲庵。此时雨过天晴，月明如洗，星光朗朗，时有初鼓之半。北侠问道：「五弟到杭州何事？」玉堂道：「特为足下而来。」北侠便住步问道：「为劣兄何事？」白玉堂就将倪太守与马强在大理寺审讯、供出北侠之事说了一遍，说：「是我奉旨前来，访拿足下。」北侠听玉堂这样口气，心中好生不乐，道：「如此说来，白五老爷是钦命了。欧阳春妄自高攀，多多有罪。请问钦命老爷，欧阳春当如何进京？望乞明白指示。」北侠这一问，原是试探白爷懂交情不懂交情。白玉堂若从此拉回来，说些交情话，两下里合而为一，商量商量，也就完事了。不想白玉堂心高气傲，又是奉旨，又是相谕，多大的威风，多大的胆量；本来又仗着自己的武艺。他便目中无人，答道：「此乃奉旨之事，既然今日邂逅相逢，只好屈尊足下，随著白某赴京便了。何用多言。」欧阳春微微冷笑道：「紫髯伯乃堂堂男子，就是这等随你去，未免贻笑于人。尊驾还要三思。」北侠这个话虽是有气，还是耐着性儿，提拨白玉堂的意思。谁知五爷不辨轻重，反倒气往上冲，说道：「大约合你好说，你决不肯随俺前去，必须较量个上下，那时被擒获，休怪俺不留情分了。」北侠听毕，也就按捺不住，连连说道：「好，好，好！正要领教，领教。」
They left the Huihai Miaolian Shrine behind. By now the rain had passed and the sky had cleared; the moon was bright as if washed, the stars shone clear, and it was about halfway through the first watch. “What brings you to Hangzhou, Fifth Brother?” asked the Northern Hero. “I came on purpose for you,” said Yutang. The Northern Hero stopped in his tracks. “For me? What for?” Bai Yutang told him how Governor Ni and Ma Qiang had been examined at the Court of Judicial Review, and how Ma Qiang had named the Northern Hero. “I have come under imperial orders,” he said, “to find you and arrest you.” The Northern Hero did not like the sound of this at all. “So, then,” he said, “the Honourable Fifth Master Bai is an imperial commissioner. Ouyang Chun has been presumptuous in reaching so high as to call you brother, and begs a thousand pardons. May I ask, my lord Commissioner, how Ouyang Chun is to go to the capital? I beg you to give me clear instructions.” The Northern Hero asked this to test whether Bai Yutang understood the claims of friendship. Had Bai Yutang drawn back at this point and said a few friendly words, the two of them would have come round to one mind, talked it over, and that would have been the end of it. But Bai Yutang was proud and high-spirited. He had the Emperor’s orders, and Lord Bao’s instructions besides — what a show of power, what a stock of nerve! And he counted, as he always had, on his own skill at arms. So he looked down on everyone, and answered, “This is a matter of imperial orders. Since we have met by chance today, I can only trouble you to come along with me to the capital. What more is there to say?” Ouyang Chun gave a faint, cold smile. “The Purple-Bearded Elder is a man of standing. If he went off with you just like this, people would laugh at him. You had better think again, sir.” Though there was anger in these words, the Northern Hero was still keeping his temper and trying to give Bai Yutang a hint. But Bai Yutang could not see how much was at stake. Instead his blood rose, and he said, “I suppose if I ask you nicely you’ll never come along with me. We’ll have to see which of us is the better man. And when you’re caught, don’t blame me for showing you no mercy.” At that the Northern Hero could hold himself back no longer. “Good, good, good!” he said. “I was hoping you would teach me something. Teach me, then, teach me!”