「五四遺事」英文版

sgoodofhertocomplybuttherewasnoneedtokeepitupallnightandpromisetocomebackformorethenextday.Sheansweredthatpeopleteasedherintoit,sayingshecouldnotbeartobeawayfromherbridegroomasingleminute. Shecomplainedoflivingsofarout.Whenshecamebacklatefromhermahjonggpartiessheoftenhaddifficultyfindingarick-shapullerwillingtotakeherhome.Whenshewasnotoutplayingmah-jonggsheloungedaboutinsoiledoldgownswithtornslitsandfrayedfrogs.Halfthetimeshelayinbedcrackingwatermelonseeds,spittingtheshellsoverthebed-clothesandintoherslippersonthefloor.Hishintsattakingmoreinterestinherappearancewereatfirstignored.Thensheflaredupandsaidhisfussinesswasunmanly.&ldquoNowonderyounevergetanywhere.&rdquo Lodidhisbesttokeepupagoodfront.Stillhesupposedthatnewsoftheirquarrelsgotabout,becauseonedayarelativementionedcasuallytohimthatMissWonghadnotyetremarried.&ldquoWhydon&rsquotyouaskhertocomeback?&rdquo Loshookhisheadsadly.Heneededsomepersuasion,butofcourseheknowthattheWongswouldagreethatthiswasthebestwayout,muchastheyhatedhim.Thefamily&rsquosgoodnamewouldsufferiftheirdaughtertookasecondhusband. Hiswife,theformerMissFan,didnothearofthematteruntilallarrangementshadbeenmade.Despitescenesandthreatsofsuicide,thedayMissWongreturnedtohimescortedbymembersoftheWongfamilyshewastheretoreceivethemandplayhostessatthesmallinformalcelebration.SheaddressedMissWong&rsquosbrotherandsister-in-lawas&ldquoBrother&rdquoand&ldquoSister-in-law&rdquo.Sheapologizedforthedinner.&ldquoIt&rsquosdifficultforustogetagoodcook,livingsofarawayfromthemarket.Terriblyinconvenient.ElseIwouldhavemadehimfetchbackyouryoungladylongago.Ofcoursesheoughttocomeandlivehere.Onecan&rsquotbestayingwithparentsallthetime.&rdquoMissWongdidnotspeak,sinceshewasalmostabride. Noagreementhadbeenreachedastothemodeofaddressbetweenthetwowomen,whowereunderstoodtobeofequalstatus.Theyweremerelyreferredtoas&ldquoThatoftheHouseofFan&rdquoand&ldquoThatofthehouseofWong&rdquobehindeachother&rsquosback. NotlongafterwardanelderofLo&rsquosclanspoketohim.&ldquoIseenoreasonwhyyoushouldn&rsquotaskyourfirstwifetocomeback.Itwouldonlybefair.&rdquo Locouldnotthinkofanyvalidobjectioneither.Hewentdowntothecountrywhereshewaslivingwithherfamily,andbroughtherbacktotherose-coveredlittlehousebythelake. Bothofhisex-wivesweremuchricherthanhewasafterthedivorcesettlements.Buttheyneverhelpedhimout,nomatterwhatstraitshegotintofromprovidingforthreewomenandtheirchildren.Hecouldnotreallyblamethem,takingeverythingintoconsideration.Hewouldnothavemindeditsomuchif&ldquoThatoftheHouseofFan&rdquodidnottaunthimcontinuallyabouttheothers&rsquolackoffeelingforhim. Andnowthathehadliveddownthescandalandridicule,peopleenviedhimhisYengfu,glamorousblessings-extraordinaryinanagethatwasatleastnominallymonogamous,foritwasalready1936&mdashlivingwiththreewivesinarose-coveredlittlehousebythelake.Ontherareoccasionswhenhetriedtotellsomebodyhewasunhappy,thelistenerwouldguffaw.&ldquoAnyhow,&rdquothefriendwouldsay,&ldquotherearefourofyou&mdashjustrightforanicegameofmah-jongg.&rdquo THEEND