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Teahouse
老　舍
人物表

王利发——男。最初与我们见面，他才二十多岁。因父亲早死，他很年轻就作了裕泰茶馆的掌柜。精明，有些自私，而心眼不坏。
唐铁嘴(1)——男。三十来岁。相面(2)为生，吸鸦片。
松二爷——男。三十来岁。胆小而爱说话。
常四爷——男。三十来岁。松二爷的好友，都是裕泰的主顾(3)。正直，体格好。
李　三——男。三十多岁。裕泰的跑堂。勤恳，心眼好。
二德子——男。二十多岁。善扑营(4)当差(5)。
马五爷——男。三十多岁。吃洋教(6)的小恶霸(7)。
刘麻子——男。三十多岁。说媒拉纤(8)，手狠意毒(9)。
康　六——男。四十岁。京郊贫农。
黄胖子(10)——男。四十多岁。流氓头子(11)。
秦仲义——男。王掌柜的房东(12)。在第一幕里二十多岁。阔少，后来成了维新(13)的资本家。
老　人——男。八十二岁。无倚无靠(14)。
乡　妇——女。三十多岁。穷得出卖小女儿。
小　妞——女。十岁。乡妇的女儿。
庞太监——男。四十岁。发财之后，想娶老婆。
小牛儿——男。十多岁。庞太监的书童(15)。
宋恩子——男。二十多岁。老式特务。
吴祥子——男。二十多岁。宋恩子的同事。


Teahouse

Translated by John Howard-Gibbon
CHARACTERS
(Ages given are those at first appearance.)

Wang Lifa: A few years over twenty. Because of his father’s early death, he became proprietor of Yutai Teahouse while still very young. He is shrewd and somewhat self-centred, but means well.

Soothsayer Tang: An opium addict in his thirties; makes a living telling fortunes by reading faces.

Second Elder Song: About thirty years old; timid but talkstive.

Fourth Elder Chang: In his thirties. An habitué of Yutai Teahouse as is his good friend Second Elder Song. Chang is a well-built and morally upright man.

Third-Born Li: Over thirty years old. A waiter in Yutai Teahouse; kind-hearted and conscientious.

Erdezi: In his twenties. He is engaged by the Wrestling Academy, an athletic front organization which provided muscle for the government.

Fifth Elder Ma: In his thirties. He uses his connection with the Western church to lord it over this compatriots.

Pockface Liu: A cruel and treacherous flesh merechant; in his thirties.

Sixth-Born Kang: Forty years old. An indigent peasant from the outskirts of Beijing.

Fatso Huang: In his forties. An important gangland figure.

Qin Zhongyi: Wang Lifa’s landlord; in his twenties. Born into wealth, he eventually turns to capitalist investment. A follower of the Reformists.

Old Man: Eighty-two years old; alone and penniless.

Peasant Woman: In her thirties. So poor she must sell her daughter.

Little Girl: Ten-year-old daughter of the Peasant Woman.

Eunuch Pang: A forty-year-old palace eunuch. Having become rich, he is seeking a wife.

Little Ox: In his teens. Eunuch Pang’s attendant.

Song Enzi: Over twenty. An old-style police agent.

Wu Xiangzi: In his twenties, he is Song Enzi’s partner.

康顺子——女。在第一幕中十五岁。康六的女儿。被卖给庞太监为妻。
王淑芬——女。四十来岁。王利发掌柜的妻。比丈夫更公平正直些。
巡　警——男。二十多岁。
报　童——男。十六岁。
康大力——男。十二岁。庞太监买来的义子，后与康顺子相依为命(15)。
老　林——男。三十多岁。逃兵。
老　陈——男。三十岁。逃兵。老林的把弟(16)。

崔久峰——男。四十多岁。作过国会议员，后来修道(17)，住在裕泰附设的公寓里。
军　官——男。三十岁。
王大拴——男。四十岁左右，王掌柜的长子。为人正直。
周秀花——女。四十岁。大拴的妻。
王小花——女。十三岁。大拴的女儿。
丁　宝——女。十七岁。女招待(18)。有胆有识(19)。
小刘麻子——男。三十多岁。刘麻子之子，继承父业而发展之。
取电灯费的——男。四十多岁。
小唐铁嘴——男。三十多岁。唐铁嘴之子，继承父业，有作天师(20)的愿望。
明师傅——男。五十多岁。包办酒席的厨师傅。
邹福远——男。四十多岁。说评书(21)的名手。
卫福喜——男。三十多岁。邹的师弟(22)，先说评书，后改唱京戏。
方　六——男。四十多岁。打小鼓的(23)，奸诈(24)。
车当当——男。三十岁左右。买卖现洋为生。
庞四奶奶——女。四十岁。丑恶，要作皇后。庞太监的四侄媳妇。
春　梅——女。十九岁。庞四奶奶的丫环(25)。
老　杨——男。三十多岁。卖杂货的。

Kang Shunzi: The fifteen-year-old daughter of Sixth-Born Kang, sold to Eunuch Pant to be his         

  wife.

Wang Shufen: About forty years old. The wife of Proprietor Wang Lifa; more straightforward   and just than her husband.

Policeman: In his twenties.

Paperboy: Sixteen years old.

Kang Dali: Twelve years old. The purchased son of Eunuch Pang. He and Kang Shunzi become inseparable.

Old Lin: In his thirties. A deserter.

Old Chen: In his thirties. A deserter. Old Lin’s sworn brother.

Cui Jiufeng: In his forties. Formerly a member of the Legislative Assembly, he later turned from public life to Buddhism and moved into the lodging house run by Yutai Teahouse.

Army Officer: Thirty years old.

Wang Dashuan: About forty years old. An upright man, he is the eldest son of Proprietor Wang.

Zhou Xiuhua: Forty-year-old wife of Wang Dashuan.

Wang xiaohua: Thirteen-year-old daughter of Wang Dashuan.

Ding Bao: Seventeen years old. A “come-on hostess” sho is brave and intelligent.

Little Pockface Liu: In his thirties. Pockface Liu’s son, he has carried on and expanded his father’s business.

Lightbill Collector: In his forties.

Little Soothsayer Tang: In his thirties. The son of Soothsayer Tang, he carries on his father’s game, but hopes to become a Taoist Master.

Chef Ming: In his fifties, he caters for banquests.

Zou Fuyuan: IN his forties. A well-known professional storyteller.

Wei Fuxi: In his thirties. A student of the same master that Zou studied under, he at first worked as a storyteller, but later turned to singing Beijing Opear.

Sixth-Born Fang: In his forties. A crafty dealer in secondhand items.

Che Dangdang: about thirty years old. A speculator in silver dollars.

Fourth Aunt Pang: Forty years old. An ugly woman who has delusions of becoming Empress. She is the wife of Eunuch Pang’s fourth nephew.

Chun Mei: Nineteen years old. Fourth Aunt Pang’s bondservant.


Old Yang: A pedlar in his thirties.        

小二德子——男。三十岁。二德子之子，打手(26)。
于厚斋——男。四十多岁。小学教员，王小花的老师。
谢勇仁——男。三十多岁。与于厚斋同事。
小宋恩子——男。三十来岁。宋恩子之子，承袭父业，作特务。
小吴祥子——男。三十来岁。吴祥子之子，世袭特务。
小心眼——女。十九岁。女招待。
沈处长——男。四十岁。宪兵(27)司令部某处处长。

茶　客　若干人，都是男的。
茶　房　一两个，都是男的。
难　民　数人，有男有女，有老有少。
大　兵　三五人，都是男的。
公寓住客　数人，都是男的。
押大令(28)的兵　七人，都是男的。
宪　兵　四人。男。
傻　杨——男。数来宝(29)的。

Little Erdezi: The thirty-year-old son of Erdezi. A hired thug.

Yu Houzhai: In his forties. Wang Xiaohua’s primary school teacher.

Xie Yongren: In his thirties. Yu Houzhai’s colleague.

Little Song Enzi: About thirty years old. Like his father, Song Enzi, he is a police agent.

Little Wu Xiangzi: About thirty years old. Like his father Wu Xiangzi, a police agent.

Little Xinyan: Nineteen years old. A “come-on hostess”.

Director Shen: Forty years old. A department chief in the Kuomintang Special Police Force.

Teahouse Customers: All male.

Two Waiters: Both male.

Refugees: Male and female, young and old.

Soldiers

Teahouse Lodgers: All male

Execution Squad: Seven in number.

Kuomintang Special Police: four men.

Oddball Yang: A ballad-monger.

Notes:

(1)    铁嘴：（tiě zuī）, literally an iron mouth, meaning most talkative. (2) 相面：（xiàng àn）Fortune-telling by reading face. (3) 主顾：main customer. (4) 善扑营：A Qing Dynasty battalion of soldires who were good at wrestling, shooring arrows and riding horses, used to accompany the emperor when he was outing. (5) 当差：to be an employee. (6) 吃洋教：洋教—foreign religion; 吃—to make a living by… (7) 小恶霸：a little tyrant. (8) 说媒拉纤： （shuō méi lā qiàn）act as a go-between. (9) 手狠意毒：use one’s hands ruthlessly with a melicious intention. （10）胖子：（pàng zī）a stout man. (11) 流氓头子：a head of hooligans. (12) 房东：a landlord. (13) 维新：to maintain something new, to reform. (14) 无依无靠：nothing to rely on, nothing to live on. (15) 相依为命：to live on by relying on each other. (16) 把弟：a sworn brother. (17) 修道：to learn Taoism, not necessarily Buddhism. (18) 招待：to entertain. (19) 有胆有识：have guts and knowledge. (20) 天师：A Taoist master. (21) 评书：story telling; (22) 师弟：a younger fellow learner under the same teacher.  (23) 打小鼓的：a pedlar of second hand articles on street and strikes a small drum to call attention. (24) 奸诈：（jiān zhà）treacherous. (25) 丫环：a maid in the house. (26) 打手：a muscleman. (27) 宪兵：military policeman. (28) 押大令：executing a big order. (29) 数来宝：rhythmic story-telling with clapper accompaniment.

第一幕
人　物　王利发、刘麻子、庞太监、唐铁嘴、康六、小牛儿、松二爷、黄胖子、宋恩子、常四爷、秦仲义、吴祥子、李三、老人、康顺子、二德子、乡妇、茶客甲、乙、丙、丁、马五爷、小妞、茶房一、二人
时　间　一八九八年（戊戌）初秋，康梁等的维新运动失败了。早半天。
地　点　北京，裕泰大茶馆。
〔幕启：这种大茶馆现在已经不见了。在几十年前，每城(30)都起码有一处。这里卖茶，也卖简单的点心与菜饭。玩鸟的人们，每天在遛(31)够了画眉、黄鸟等之后，要到这里歇歇腿(32)，喝喝茶，并使鸟儿表演歌唱。商议事情的，说媒拉纤的，也到这里来。那年月，时常有打群架(33)的，但是总会有朋友出头给双方调解；三五十口子打手，经调人东说西说，便都喝碗茶，吃碗烂肉面（大茶馆特殊的食品，价钱便宜，做起来快当），就可以化干戈为玉帛(34)了。总之，这是当日非常重要的地方，有事无事都可以来坐半天(35)。
〔在这里，可以听到最荒唐的新闻，如某处的大蜘蛛怎么成了精(36)，受到雷击。奇怪的意见也在这里可以听到，像把海边上都修上大墙，就足以挡住洋兵上岸。这里还可以听到某京戏演员新近创造了什么腔儿，和煎熬鸦片烟的最好的方法。这里也可以看

到某人新得到的奇珍——一个出土的玉扇坠儿，或三彩的鼻烟壶。这真是个重要的地方，简直可以算作文化交流的所在。
〔我们现在就要看见这样的一座茶馆。
〔一进门是柜台与炉灶——为省点事，我们的舞台上可以不要炉灶；后面有些锅勺的响声也就够了。屋子非常高大，摆着长桌与方桌，长凳与小凳，都是茶座儿。隔窗可见后院，高搭着凉棚，棚下也有茶座儿。屋里和凉棚下都有挂鸟笼的地方。各处都贴着“莫谈国事”的纸条。
                       
Act One
CHARACTERS: Wang Lifa, Pockface Liu, Eunuch Pang, Soothsayer Tang, Sixth-Born Kang, Little   Ox, Second Elder Song, Fatso Huang, Song Enzi, Fourth /Elder Chang, Qin Zhongyi, Wu Xiangzi, Third-Born Li, Old Man, Kang Shunzi, Erdezi, Peasant Woman, four Teahouse Customers, Fifth Elder Ma, Little Girl, two Waiters.

TIME: Early autumn, 1898. The Reform Movement of Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao and their adherents has failed. Morning.

PLACE: Beijing. Tutai Teahouse.

SCENE: Large teahouses like this are no longer to be seen, but a few decades ago every district in Beijing had at least one, where in adition to tea, simple snacks and meals were served. Every day bird fanciers, after strolling about with their caged orioles and thrushes, would come in to rest a while, enjoy a pot of tea, and compare the singing abilities of their birds. Go-betweens and those who had deals to discuss also frequented such teahouses. In those days there would often be qurrrels between gangs, but there were always friends about to calm things down. The two sides would crowd around these mediators who would reason first with one side then the other; then they would all drink tea and down bowls of noodles with minced pork (a specialty of the large teahouses—cheap and quickly prepared), hostility transformed to hospitality. In sum, the teahouse was an important institution of those times, a place where people came to transact business, ro simply to while away the time.

In the teahouses one could hear the most absord stories, such as how in a certain place a huge spider had turned into a demon and was then struck by lightning. One could also come in contact with the strangest views; for example, that foreign troops could be prevented from landing by building a Great Wall along the sea coast. Here one mightr also hear ab out the latest tune composed by some Beijing Opera star, or the best way to prepare opium. In the teahouse one might also see rare art objects newly acquired by some patron—a jade fan pendant, recently unearthed, or a three-colour glazed snuff bottle. Yes, the teahouse was indeed an important place; it could even be reckoned a kind of cultural centre.

We are about to see just such a teahouse.
Just inside the main entrance is the counter and a cook-stove—to make things simpler, the stove can be dispensed with if the clatter of pots and pans is heard off stage. The room should be large and high-ceilinged, with both oblong tables and square ones, and traditional teahouse　　　　

〔有两位茶客，不知姓名，正眯着眼，摇着头，拍板低唱。有两三位茶客，也

不知姓名，正入神地欣赏瓦罐里的蟋蟀。两位穿灰色大衫的——宋恩子与吴祥子，正低声地谈话，看样子他们是北衙门(37)的办案的（侦缉）。
〔今天又有一起打群架的，据说是为了争一只家鸽(38)，惹起非用武力解决不可的纠纷。假若真打起来，非出人命不可，因为被约的打手中包括着善扑营的哥儿们(39)和库兵(40)，身手(41)都十分厉害(42)。好在，不能真打起来，因为在双方还没把打手约齐，已有人出面调停了——现在双方在这里会面。三三两两的打手，都横眉立目，短打扮(43)，随时进来，往后院去。
〔马五爷在不惹人注意的角落，独自坐着喝茶。
〔王利发高高地坐在柜台里。
〔唐铁嘴踏拉(44)着鞋，身穿一件极长极脏的大布衫，耳上夹着几张小纸片，进来。
王利发　唐先生，你外边遛遛吧！
唐铁嘴　（惨笑(45)）王掌柜，捧捧(46)唐铁嘴吧！送给我碗茶喝，我就先给您相相面吧！手相奉送，不取分文！（不容分说，拉过王利发的手来）今年是光绪二十四年，戊戌(47)。您贵庚(48)是……
王利发　（夺回手去）算了吧，我送给你一碗茶喝，你就甭卖那套生意口啦！用不着相面，咱们既在江湖内(49)，都是苦命人(50)！（由柜台内走出，让唐铁嘴坐下）坐下！我告诉你，你要是不戒了大烟，就永远交不了好运！这是我的相法，比你的更灵验(51)！

Notes:(30) 每城：every district. 城here means a district rather than a city, as in 东城—eastern city district. (31) 遛：to walk the bird. (32) 歇歇腿：to let the legs have a rest. 歇歇is a reduplicative, so is the following words—喝喝茶。 (33) 打群架：打架is fighting; 群means a group of people, so 打群架is fighting among a group of people. (34) 化干戈为玉帛：干戈are weapons; 玉帛 are jade and silk used as gifts in the old times, apparently when jade wares and silk are exchanged instead of weapons, the relationship has been changed to the better. (35) 半天：half a day, it means a long while, not necessarily half a day. (36) 成了精：has become a demon. (37) 衙门：office of the government. (38) 家鸽：a home raised pigeon. (39) 哥儿们：literally brothers, actually means buddies. (40) 库兵：a warehouse guard. (41) 身手：the way a man uses his body and hands in martial arts. (42) 厉害：terrific. (43) 短打扮：dressed in shorts. (44) 踏拉：to move in dragged steps. (45) 惨笑：a sad smile. (46) 捧捧：say something good for… do … a favor. (47) 戊戌： the lunar year of 1898. (48) 贵庚：庚is the year and month of birth. (49) 江湖：rivers and lakes implying the whole country. (50) 苦命人： a person of bad fortune. (51) 灵验：something works.

Teahouse benches and stools. Through the window an inner courtyard can be seen with more benches and stools under a high awning. In the teahouse and under the awning there are hooks for hanging bird cages. Pasted up everywhere are notices: “Don’t discuss state affairs.”

Two unidentified patrons, their eyes narrowed, their heads nodding, are softly singing an opera tune, beating the time with their hands. Two or three more patrons are totally enthralled by a cricket in an earthenware jar. Song Enzi and Wu Xiangzi, wearing grey gowns, are talking secretively. Judging by their appearance they are police agents from the Northern Yamen.

 
Today, another quarrel has broken out between two gangs; the dispute is said to be over a pigeon. It seemed that it could not be settled without resort to violence, in which case someone would surely have been killed because vicious thugs from the Wrestling Academy and the Guards from the Imperial Store-house had been hired. Fortunately, before they could come to blows, a mediator intervened. The two sides are about to meet in the teahouse. In twos and threes, looking fierce and arrogant, and dressed in short fighting attire the thugs enter the teahouse and head for the inner courtyard.

Fifth Elder Ma sits by himself in an inconspicuous corner drinking tea.
Wang Lifa is sitting on a high stool behind the counter.

Soothsayer Tang enters in the tattered shoes, wearing a very long and very filthy cotton gown, some scraps of paper tucked behind one ear.

WANG LIFA: Older Tang, why don’t you take a walk, eh?

SOOTHSAYEER TANG (with a wan smile): Proprietor Wang, show a little kindness to old Soothsayer Tang a bit. Give me a bowl of tea and I’ll tell you your fortune. Come on, let me see your palm—won’t cost you a cent. (Not waiting for Wang’s agreement, takes hold hof his hand.) It’s 1898, the twenty-fourth year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign. And your age…

WANG LIFA (snatching his hand away): Forget it! There’s no need to ply me with that old fortuneteller’s gab—I’ll give you a bowl of tea. Fortunetelling’s useless. In this country people like us are always the underdogs anyway. (Comes out from behind his counter and guides Soothsayer Tang to a seat.) Sit down. You know, if you don’t break that opium habit nothing good will ever come your way. That’s my way of telling fortunes—much more effective than yours.

  (Carrying bird cages, Second Elder Song and Fourth Elder Chang enter. Wang Lifa greets

〔松二爷和常四爷都提着鸟笼进来，王利发向他们打招呼。他们先把鸟笼子挂好，找地方坐下。松二爷文绉绉的，提着小黄鸟笼；常四爷雄赳赳的，提着大而高的画眉笼。茶房李三赶紧过来，沏上盖碗茶。他们自带茶叶。茶沏好，松二爷、常四爷向邻近的茶座让了让。
松二爷、常四爷　您喝这个！（然后，往后院看了看）
松二爷　好像又有事儿？
常四爷　反正打不起来！要真打的话，早到城外头去啦；到茶馆来干吗？
〔二德子，一位打手，恰好进来，听见了常四爷的话。
二德子　（凑过去）你这是对谁甩闲话(52)呢？
常四爷　（不肯示弱）你问我哪？花钱喝茶，难道还教谁管着吗？
松二爷　（打量了二德子一番）我说这位爷，您是营里当差的吧？来，坐下喝一碗，我们也都是外场人(53)。
二德子　你管我当差不当差呢！
常四爷　要抖威风(54)，跟洋人干去，洋人厉害！英法联军烧了圆明园，尊家吃着官饷，可没见您去冲锋打仗！
二德子　甭说打洋人不打，我先管教管教你！（要动手）
〔别的茶客依旧进行他们自己的事。王利发急忙跑过来。
王利发　哥儿们，都是街面上的朋友，有话好说。德爷，您后边坐！
〔二德子不听王利发的话，一下子把一个盖碗搂下桌去，摔碎。翻手要抓常四爷的脖领。
常四爷　（闪过）你要怎么着？
二德子　怎么着？我碰不了洋人，还碰不了你吗？
马五爷　（并未立起）二德子，你威风啊！
二德子　（四下扫视，看到马五爷）喝，马五爷，您在这儿哪？我可眼拙(55)，没看见您！（过去请安(56)）

Notes:

(52) 甩闲话：甩—to throw out; 闲话：gossip. (53) 外场人：a person who has seen the world.

(54) 抖威风：to show off one’s power, to be awe-inspiring. (55) 眼拙：don’t have a sharp eye.

(56) 请安：to show respect to…

  them. After hanging up their cages they look for a place to sit. Second Elder Song, who has        a scholarly air about him, has a small oriole cage; Fourth Elder Chang, a vigorous looking fellow, has a much larger thrush cage. The teahouse waiter, Third-Born Li, comes over quickly, fills their bowls with boiling water and replaces the lids. They have brought their own tea leaves. When the tea has properly steeped, Song and Chang politely proffer some to the guests around them.〕


SECOND ELDER SONG and FOURTH ELDER CHANG: You should really try this. (They     then look in the direction of the inner courtyard.)

SECOND ELDER SONG: Looks like troubles again.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: But nothing will come of it. If they really wanted to fight they’d have gone outside the city long ago, eh? What’s the point of comig to the teahouse? (Erdezi, a hired bully, enters just in time to overhear Fourth Elder Chang.)

ERDEZI (confronting him): You. Who do you think you’re talking about?

FOURTH ELDER CHANG (unwilling to back down): What’s it to you? I’ve paid for my tea—surely I don’t hqave to answer to anyone.

SECOND ELDER SONG （sizing up Erdezi）: Well, sir, I’d guess that you’re from the Wrestling Academy, eh? Come on—sit down and have some tea. We are all men of the world.

ERDEZI: What I do is onone of your business.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: If you want to grighten someone why don’t you take on the foreigners?—they’re a tough lot. You’re in the goverhment’s pay, but I didn’t see you rushing into the gray when the English and French destroyed Yuan Ming Yuan.

ERDEZI: To hell with the foreigners. I’m going to teach you a lesson instead. (Raises his fists.)

(Other customers in the teahouse ignore the disturbance, but Wang Lifa rushes over.)

WANG LIFA: Now, brothers, we’re all neighbours. We should settle things reasonably. Sir, why don’t you join them in the inner courtyard?

(Erdezi, ignoring Wang Lifa, suddenly brushes a teabowl off the table, smashing it. He reaches out to grab Fourth Elder Chang by the collar.)

FOURTH ELDER CHANG (dodging): You want to start something?

ERDEZI : Start something? So, I can’t  handle the foreigners, eh? Well, I can sure handle you.

FIFTH ELDER MA (without bothering to get up): Erdezi, you’re quite something.

ERDEZI （looking around, spots Fifth Elder Ma）: Ho! Fifth Elder Ma, I didn’t know you were here. How careless of me not to have noticed you. (Goes over and drops to one knee in the

马五爷　有什么事好好地说，干吗动不动(57)地就讲(58)打？
二德子　嗻(59)！您说的对！我到后头坐坐去。李三，这儿的茶钱我候(60)啦！（往后面走去）
常四爷　（凑(61)过来，要对马五爷发牢骚）这位爷，您圣明，您给评评理(62)！
马五爷　（立起来）我还有事，再见！（走出去）
常四爷　（对王利发）邪(63)！这倒是个怪人！
王利发　您不知道这是马五爷呀？怪不得(64)您也得罪了他！
常四爷　我也得罪了他？我今天出门没挑好日子！

王利发　（低声地）刚才您说洋人怎样，他就是吃洋饭的。信洋教，说洋话，有事情可以一直地找宛平县的县太爷去，要不怎么连官面上都不惹他呢！

常四爷　（往原处走）哼，我就不佩服吃洋饭的！
王利发　（向宋恩子、吴祥子那边稍一歪头，低声地）说话请留点神！（大声地）李三，再给这儿沏一碗来！（拾起地上的碎瓷片）
松二爷　盖碗多少钱？我赔！外场人不作老娘们事(65)！
王利发　不忙，待会儿再算吧！（走开）
〔纤手刘麻子领着康六进来。刘麻子先向松二爷、常四爷打招呼。
刘麻子　您二位真早班儿！（掏出鼻烟壶，倒烟）您试试这个！刚装来的，地道英国造，又细又纯！
常四爷　唉！连鼻烟也得从外洋来！这得往外流多少银子啊！
刘麻子　咱们大清国有的是(66)金山银山，永远花不完！您坐着，我办点小事！（领康六找了个座儿）

Notes:

(57) 动不动：at every turn, easily, to be always ready to… (58) 讲：it means to “use” here.

(59) 嗻：ｚｈè ，a modal particle used by servents to masters or guests meaning “yes”.

(60) 候：to pay in Beijing dialect. (61) 凑：to move closer to… (62) 评评理：to comment on who is right or wrong. (63) 邪：yé ， Beijing dialect, meaning incredible. (64) 怪不得：no wonder. (65) 老娘们事：things done by an old woman, doing things like an old woman.

(66) 有的是：there are plenty.traditional gesture of respect.〕

FIFTH ELDER MA: If there’s a problem, you should settle it in an amiable way. What’s the    point of going around threatening people?

ERDEZI: Of course, sir. You’re quite right. I’ll go and join them in the inner courtyard. Third-Born Li, I’ll pay for the tea at this table. (goes to inner courtyard.)

FOURTH ELDER CHANG (walking over to Fifth Elder Ma to continue his argument): You, sir, you’re an intelligent man. Who do you think’s in the right?

FIFTH ELDER MA (rising): I’ve got other things to attend to. Goodbye. (Exits.)

FOURTH ELDER CHANG (to Wang Lifa): Oddball, that guy.

WANG LIFA: Didn’t you know that’s Fifth Elder Ma？You’re probably on his black list now.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Do you think I’ve offended him? I should’ve taken the Almanac’s advice and stayed home today.

WANG LIFA ( whispering): You were just condemning the foreigners. Well, he works for the foreigners. Follows their religion, speaks their language. Whenever he wants something done he goes straight to the Magistrate of Wanping County. Why else would even officials be afraid of provoking him?

FOURTH ELDER CHANG (going back to his seat): Humph! I never have a good opinion of anyone who lives off the foreigners.

WANG LIFA (tipping his head slightly in the direction of Song Enzi and Wu Xiangzi, in a whisper): Be careful what you say. (Loudly.) Third-Born Li, another bowl of tea for this table. (Picks up the shattered bits of the teabowl.)

SECOND ELDER SONG: How much for the bowl? I’ll pay for it. Gentlemen don’t lower themselves to the antics of old women.

WANG LIFA: No hurry, we’ll square up later. (Moves away.)

(The flesh merchant Pockface Liu enters leading Sixth-Born Kang. Pockface Liu first greets Second Elder Song and Fourth Elder Chang.)

POCKFACE LIU: You’re early today, Gentlemen. (Takes out his snuff bottle and pours out a bit.) Try this. It’s just arrived—genuine English stuff. Fine and pure.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: 唉！Even our snuff has to be imported. Just think how much silver goes out of the country to pay for it.

POCKFACE LIU: This Great Qing Empire of ours has mountains of gold and silver. We’ll never use it all. Please be seated; I’ve got a bit of business to attend to. (Takes Sixth-Born  

〔李三拿过一碗茶来。
刘麻子　说说吧，十两银子行不行？你说干脆的！我忙，没工夫专伺候(67)你！
康　六　刘爷！十五岁的大姑娘，就值十两银子吗？
刘麻子　卖到窑子(68)去，也许多拿一两八钱的，可是你又不肯！
康　六　那是我的亲女儿！我能够……

刘麻子　有女儿，你可养活不起，这怪谁呢？
康　六　那不是因为乡下种地的都没法子混(69)了吗？一家大小要是一天能吃上一顿粥，我要还想卖女儿，我就不是人！
刘麻子　那是你们乡下的事，我管不着。我受你之托，教你不吃亏，又教你女儿有个吃饱饭的地方，这还不好吗？
康　六　到底给谁呢？
刘麻子　我一说，你必定从心眼里乐意！一位在宫里当差的！
康　六　宫里当差的谁要个乡下丫头呢？
刘麻子　那不是你女儿的命好吗？
康　六　谁呢？
刘麻子　庞总管！你也听说过庞总管吧？侍候(70)着太后，红的不得了，连家里打醋的瓶子都是玛瑙做的！

康　六　刘大爷，把女儿给太监作老婆，我怎么对得起(71)人呢？
刘麻子　卖女儿，无论怎么卖，也对不起女儿！你糊涂(72)！你看，姑娘一过门，吃的是珍馐美味(73)，穿的是绫罗绸缎，这不是造化(74)吗？怎样，摇头不算点头算(75)，来个干脆(76)的！
康　六　自古以来，哪有……他就给十两银子？
刘麻子　找遍了你们全村儿，找得出十两银子找不出？在乡下，五斤白面就换个孩子，你不是不知道！
康　六　我，唉！我得跟姑娘商量一下！
刘麻子　告诉你，过了这个村可没有这个店(77)，耽误了事别怨我！快去快来！
---------------------------

Notes:(67) 伺候：cì hōu, to look after… (68) 窑子：a brothel. (69) 混：to get on. (70) 侍候：shì hōu, to wait on…(71) 对得起：to treat somebody fairly. (72) 糊涂：muddle headed, not clear about something. (73) 珍馐美味：zhēn xiū, nice food. (74) 造化：zàohuà， a good luck.(75) 摇头不算点头算：shaking head doesn’t count, but nodding. (76) 干脆：simple and direct. (77) 过这个村没这个店：there will not be such a inn if you go pass this village.

Kang to find a seat.

  (Third-Born Li brings over a bowl of tea.)

POCKFACE LIU: Well, what do you say? How about ten taels of silver? Yes or no. I’m too     busy to waste a lot of time with you.

SIXTH-BORN KANG: Elder Liu! Is a fifteen-year-old girl only worth ten taels?

POCKFACE LIU: If you sold her into a whorehouse you’d perhaps get a few taels more. But  you’re not willing to do that.

SIXTH-BORN KANG: She’s my own flesh and blood. How can I…

POCKFACE LIU: She’s your own, but you can’t afford to feed her. Whose fault is that?

SIXTH-BORN KANG: It’s because it’s impossible for us peasants to get by these days. If we could manage even a bowl of gruel a day for each of us, and I still wanted to sell my daughter—then, could I call myself a man?

POCKFACE LIU: That’s you peasants’ problem, not mine. You asked me for help, and I got you a good deal. I also found your daughter a place where she can fill her belly. Isn’t that enough?

SIXTH-BORN KANG: Just who’s she being sold to?

POCKFACE LIU: You’ll be delighted when I tell you—he’s a palace official.

SIXTH-BORN KANG: What kind of palace official would want a peasant girl?

POCKFACE LIU: So then, isn’t your daughter lucky?

SIXTH-BORN KANG: But who is he?

POCKFACE LIU: The Head Eunuch, Pang. Surely you’ve heard of him. Waits on the Empress Dowager—he’s a tremendously popular man. Even his vinegar bottles are made of agate.

SIXTH-BORN KANG: How could I face my daughter if I sold h er to be a eunuch’s wife?

POCKFACE LIU: Whoever you sell her to, you won’t be able to face her again, will you? You’re a fool. Look, in his house she’ll be eating the finest delicacies and wearing the best brocades. Isn’t tht good fortune? Well, make up your mind—let’s get it over with.

SIXTH-BORN KANG: Has there ever been from earliest times…He’ll only
康六：唉！我一会儿就回来！

刘麻子：我在这儿等着你！

康六：（慢慢地走出去）

刘麻子：（凑到松二爷、常四爷这边来）乡下人真难办事，永远没有个痛痛快快（78）！

松二爷：这号生意又不小吧？

刘麻子　也甜(79)不到哪儿去，弄好了，赚个元宝！
常四爷　乡下是怎么了？会弄得这么卖儿卖女的！
刘麻子　谁知道！要不怎么说，就是一条狗也得托生(80)在北京城里嘛！
常四爷　刘爷，您可真有个狠劲儿，给拉拢这路事！
刘麻子　我要不分心，他们还许找不到买主呢！（忙岔话）松二爷（掏出个小时表来），您看这个！
松二爷　（接表）好体面的小表！
刘麻子　您听听，嘎登嘎登地响！
松二爷　（听）这得多少钱？
刘麻子　您爱吗？就让给您！一句话，五两银子！您玩够了，不爱再要了，我还照数退钱！东西真地道，传家的(81)玩艺！
常四爷　我这儿正咂摸这个味儿(82)，咱们一个人身上有多少洋玩艺儿啊！老刘，就看你身上吧：洋鼻烟，洋表，洋缎大衫，洋布裤褂……
刘麻子　洋东西可是真漂亮呢！我要是穿一身土布，像个乡下脑壳(83)，谁还理我呀！
常四爷　我老觉乎(84)着咱们的大缎子，川绸，更体面(85)！
刘麻子　松二爷，留下这个表吧，这年月，戴着这么好的洋表，会教人另眼看待(86)！是不是这么说，您哪？
松二爷　（真爱表，但又嫌贵）我……
Notes: (78) 痛痛快快：to do things in a forthright manner. (79) 甜：sweet, meaning the deal is not that much sweet (good). (80) 托生：be reincarnated in a new body. (81) 传家的：something to be passed onto the next generation. (82) 砸摸这个味儿：zāmo，idiomatic Beijing expression—to ponder on sth. (83) 乡下脑袋：a rural man. (84) 觉乎：Beijing idiomatic way of saying “I think…” (85) 体面：to be presentable. (86) 另眼看待：to look at with a different attitude.

give ten taels?

POCKFACE LIU: there aren’t ten taels of silver to be found in your whole village. In the countryside you an buy a child for five catties of wheat flour. Don’t tell me you don’t know that.

SIXTH-BORN KANG: I…ah!...I’ve got to talk it over with my daughter.

POCKFACE LIU: I’m telling you, this is your only chance. If you miss it, don’t blame me. Hurry up.

SIXTH-BORN KANG: Ai! I’ll be back as soon as I can.

POCKFACE LIU: I’ll wait for you here.

  (Exit Sixth-Born Kang slowly.)

POCKFACE LIU: (moving over to /second Elder Song and Fourth Elder Chang): Those     country bumphins are a pain in the neck; they can never make up their minds.

SECOND ELDER SONG: I expect you’re making a bit on this deal?

POCKFACE LIU: Not all that much. But if it goes through I’ll make a silver ingot.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: What’s going on in the countryside, that people are driven to selling their children?

POCKFACE LIU: Who knows? But the way things are, even a dog would prefer to be born in Beijing.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Elder Liu, you must really be ruthless to make your living at this trade.

POCKFACE LIU:  If it wasn’t for me maybe they wouldn’t find buyers. (Abruptly changes the subject.) Second Elder Song (taking out a small pocket watch), how do you like this?

SECOND ELDER SONG (taking the watch): What a handsome little watch!

POCKFACE LIU: Hear how nicely it ticks?

SECCOND ELDER SONG (listening): How much do you want for it?

POCKFACE LIU: You like it? Then take it. Five taels of silver—simple as that. If you get tired of it, you can return if for the same amount. It’s top quality, the kindof thing you’d like to keep in the family.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: What I’m trying to figure out is why we all have

刘麻子　您先戴两天，改日再给钱！
〔黄胖子进来。
黄胖子　（严重的砂眼，看不大清楚，进门就请安）哥儿们，都瞧我啦！我请安了！都是自己弟兄，别伤了和气呀！

王利发　这不是他们，他们在后院哪！

黄胖子　我看不清楚啊！掌柜的，预备烂肉面，有我黄胖子，谁也打不起来！（往里走）

〔二德子同黄胖子入内。

(茶房们一趟又一趟地往后面送茶水。老人进来，拿着些牙签、胡梳、耳挖勺之类的小东西，低着头慢慢地挨着茶座儿走，没人买他的东西。他要往后院去，被李三截住。

so many foreign things. Old Liu, look at yourself; a foreign snuff bottle, a foreign watch, a gown of foreign satin, and a jecket and trousers of foreign cotton…

POCKFACE LIU: But foreign things are real classy. If I dressed in local cloth like a country bumpkin, no one would take any note of me.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG:  I always think that our own satin and Sichuan silk are much better.

POCKFACE LIU:  Second Elder Song, you’d better hang onto that watch. In these times, a good froeign watch like that can make people look up to you. Right? What do you say?

SECOND ELDER SONG (impessed with the wastch, but thinking it’s too expensive): I…uh…

POCKFACE LIU: Keep it a few days. Pay me later.

  (Fatso Huang enters.)

FASTSO HUANG (suffering bodly from trachoma, he has poor eyesight. Greeting everybody in the teahouse as soon as he enters): Brothers, look at me. I’m paying my respects to you. We’re all one big family—don’t do anything to upset our friendship.

WANG LIFA: Your friends aren’t here; they’re in the inner courtyard.

FATSO HUANG: Ah, yes, my eyes are rather poor. Proprietor, get minced pork noodles ready. As soon as Fatso Huang is here there won’t be any Fighting. (Moves towards courtyard.)


ERDEZI (coming out to greet him): The two sides are already together.        

   Please hurry.

(Erdezi and Fatso Huang go into courtyard.)

(The waiters repeatedly carry kettles of hot water to the courtyard. Old Man selling toothpicks, beardcombs, earpicks, and other such items enters. Head bent, he moves slowly from customer to customer, but nobody buys anything from him. He is about to go into the inner courtyard, but is stopped by Third-Born Li.)

THIRD-BORN LI: Hey, grandpa, you’d better gry somewhere else. They’re settling a dispute in there—they’re not interested in your things. (Hands Old Man a leftover bowl of tea in passing.)

李　三　老大爷，您外边遛遛(87)吧！后院里，人家正说和事呢，没人买您的东西！（顺手儿把剩茶递给老人一碗）
松二爷　（低声地）李三！（指后院）他们到底为了什么事，要这么拿刀动杖的？

李　三　（低声地）听说是为一只鸽子。张宅的鸽子飞到了李宅去，李宅不肯交还……唉，咱们还是少说话好，（问老人）老大爷您高寿(88)啦？
老　人　（喝了茶）多谢！八十二了，没人管！这年月呀，人还不如一只鸽子呢！唉！（慢慢走出去）
〔秦仲义，穿得很讲究(89)，满面春风(90)，走进来。
王利发　哎哟！秦二爷，您怎么这样闲在(91)，会想起下(92)茶馆来了？也没带个底下人？
秦仲义　来看看，看看你这年轻小伙子会作生意不会！
王利发　唉，一边作一边学吧，指着这个吃饭嘛。谁叫我爸爸死的早，

我不干不行啊！好在照顾主儿都是我父亲的老朋友，我有不周到的地方都肯包涵(93)，闭闭眼(94)就过去了。在街面上混饭吃(95)，人缘(96)儿顶要紧。我按着我父亲遗留下的老办法，多说好话，多请安，讨人人的喜欢，就不会出大岔子！您坐下，我给您沏碗小叶茶(97)去！
秦仲义　我不喝！也不坐着！
王利发　坐一坐！有您在我这儿坐坐，我脸上有光！
秦仲义　也好吧！（坐）可是，用不着奉承我！
王利发　李三，沏一碗高的(98)来！二爷，府上都好？您的事情都顺心吧？
秦仲义　不怎么太好！
王利发　您怕什么呢？那么多的买卖，您的小手指头都比我的腰还粗！
唐铁嘴　（凑过来）这位爷好相貌，真是天庭饱满(99)，地阁方圆(100)，虽无宰相之权，而有陶朱之富(101)！
Notes:(87) 遛遛：liùliù， to stroll; (88) 高寿：asking how senior in age one is. (89) 讲究：jiǎngjiu， pay attention to something. (90) 满面春风：mǎnmiàn-chūnfēng， be beaming with satisfaction. (91) 闲在：unoccupied. (92) 下：to go down to, such as 下饭馆。(93) 包涵：to excuse, to pardon. (94) 闭闭眼：to close eyes on something, to let it go. (95) 混饭吃：to make a living on something. (96) 人缘：good relationship with others. (97) 小叶茶：small leaf tea. (98) 高的：something of a higher degree. (99) 天庭饱满：天庭—forehead; 饱满—full. (100) 地阁方圆：地阁—chin; 方圆—square or round. This phrase and the last describe the looks of a fortunate man. (101) 陶朱之富：Taozhu was a very rich business man in the Warring States .period

THIRD-BORN LI: Hey, grandpa, you’d better try somewhere else. They’re settling a dispute in there—they’re not interested in your things. (Hands Old Man a leftover bowl of tea in passing.)

SECOND ELDER SONG (whispering): It’s over a pigeon, they say. Someone’s pigeon flew into someone else’s house, and they refused to rturn it…Ai! The less we say the better. (To Old Man) Grandpa, you must be well on in years.

OLD MAN (drinking tea): Thanks very much. I’m eight-two, but I have no one to look after me. These days it seems like a pigeon is better off than a man. Ai! (Exits slowly.) (Qin Zhongyi enters, impeccably dressed and looking very pleased with himself.)

WANG LIFA: Aiyo! How can you spare the time to drop in on us like this?—and without even a servant.

QIN ZHONGYI: Just checking—checking to see of a young fellow like yourself can run a place like this.

WANG LIFA: Ai! I’ve had to learn because I depend on this place for a living. Since my father died young, I have no choice. Luckily, the regular customers are all old friends of my father; they’re prepared to overlook my mistakes. When you’re in business to make a living it’s very important to be well-liked. I do things just like my father did. If I’m not dropping to my knee, in greeting, I’m dropping compliments—trying to please everybody. That way you avoid trouble. Please sit down. I’ll make you a bowl of the very best.

 

QIN ZHONGYI: I didn’t come here to drink tea, and I don’t want to sit      

  down.

WANG LIFA: Please stay a while. It’s an honour to have you here.

QIN ZHONGYI: Well, okay. (Sits.) But you’ll get nothing by playing up to me.

WANG LIFA: Third-Born Li, a bowl of our finest. Second Elder, I hope

 your family are all in good health. Is business going well?

QIN ZHONGYI: Not as well as it might.

WANG LIFA: With the amount of business you do, what could you have to

 

worry about? Everything I have put together doesn’t compare to your           

 little finger.

SOOTHSAYER TANG (coming over): This gentleman has an auspicious face.

秦仲义　躲开我！去！
王利发　先生，你喝够了茶，该外边活动活动去。（把唐铁嘴轻轻推开）
唐铁嘴　唉！（垂头走出去）
秦仲义　小王，这儿的房租是不是得往上提那么一提呢？当年你爸爸给我的那点租钱，还不够我喝茶用的呢！
王利发　二爷，您说的对，太对了！可是，这点小事用不着您分心，您派管事的来一趟，我跟他商量，该长多少租钱，我一定照办！是！嗻！

秦仲义　你这小子，比你爸爸还滑！哼。等着吧，早晚我把房子收回去！
王利发　您甭吓唬着我玩(102)，我知道您多么照应我，心疼(103)我，决不会叫我挑着大茶壶，到街上卖热茶去！

秦仲义　你等着瞧吧！
〔乡妇拉着个十来岁的小妞进来。小妞的头上插着一根草标。李三本想不许她们往前走，可是心中一难过，没管。她们俩慢慢地往里走。茶客们忽然都停止说笑，看着她们。
小　妞　（走到屋子中间，立住）妈，我饿！我饿！
〔乡妇呆视着小妞，忽然腿一软，坐在地上，掩面低泣。
秦仲义　（对王利发）轰出去！
王利发　是！出去吧，这里坐不住！
乡　妇　哪位行行好？要这个孩子，二两银子！
常四爷　李三，要两个烂肉面，带她们到门外吃去！
Notes:

(102) 吓唬着玩：to scare somebody for purpose of kidding;

(103) 心疼：heart aching because of missing somebody.

Truly a full horehead and a strong jaw. I don’t see the lineaments of a prime minister, but there’s a wealthy merchant there.

QIN ZHONGYI: Leave me along. Get out!

WANG LIFA: Mr. tang, you’ve had your tea—go and find something else to do. (Gently pushes him away.)

SOOTHSAYER TANG: Ai! (Exits dejectedly.)

QIN ZHONGYI: Little Wang, don’t you agree it’s time that the rent on this place was increased? The pittance that your father gave me is no longer enough to keep me in tea.

WANG LIFA:  Second Elder, you’re right—quite right. But there’s no need for you to trouble yourself over such petty things. Send one of your clerks to talk it over with me, and of course I’ll pay whatever we agree on. Of course I’ll pay it.

QIN ZHONGYI: You little rascal, you’re slipperier than your father. Humph! You’ll see. Sooner or later I’m going to repossess this place.

WANG LIFA: Don’t scare me like that. I know you’re concerned about me and want to look after me. I know you would never drive me out of pedle hot tea in the streets.

QIN ZHONGYI: You just wait and see.


(Peasant Woman enters with ten-year-old Little Girl. The girl has straw stuck in her hair, indicating that she is for sale. At first, Third-Born Li is not going to let them in, but he feels sorry for them and relents. The two of them come in very hesitantly. The laughter and talking suddenly stop as the customers turn to look at them.)

LITTLE GIRL (stopping in the middle of the stage): Momma, I’m hungry. I’m hungry.

(The woman stares at the girl. Suddenly her legs weaken and she sinks to ghe floor, sobbing into her hands.)

QIN ZHONGYI (to Wang Lifa): Throw them out.

WANG LIFA: Right. Out you go. You can’t say here.

PEASANT WOMAN: Is there a kind man among you? This child for two taels of silver.

李　三　是啦！（过去对乡妇）起来，门口等着去，我给你们端面来！
乡　妇　（立起，抹泪往外走，好像忘了孩子；走了两步，又转回身走，搂住小妞吻她）宝贝！宝贝！

王利发　快着点吧！

〔乡妇、小妞走出去。李三随后端出两碗面去。
王利发　（过来）常四爷：您是积德行好(104)，赏给她们面吃！可是，我告诉您：这路事儿太多，太多了！谁也管不了！（对秦仲义）二爷，您看我说的对不对？
常四爷　（对松二爷）二爷，我看哪，大清国要完！
秦仲义　（老气横秋(105)地）完不完，并不在乎有人给穷人们一碗面吃没有。小王，说真的，我真想收回这里的房子！
王利发　您别那么办哪，二爷！
秦仲义　我不但收回房子，而且把乡下的地，城里的买卖也都卖了！
王利发　那为什么呢？
秦仲义　把本钱拢在一块儿，开工厂！
王利发　开工厂？
秦仲义　嗯，顶大顶大的工厂！那才救得了穷人，那才能抵制外货，那才能救国！（对王利发说而眼看着常四爷）唉，我跟你说这些干什么，你不懂！
王利发　您就专为别人，把财产都出手，不顾自己了吗？
秦仲义　你不懂！只有那么办，国家才能富强！好啦，我该走啦。我亲眼看见了，你的生意不错，你甭再耍无赖，不长房钱！
王利发　您等等，我给您叫车去！
秦仲义　用不着，我愿意遛跶遛跶！
Notes:

(104) 积德行好：to do good things and accumulate them.

(105) 老气横秋：lǎoqì-héngqiū，self-importance of the aged。

FOURTH-BORN CHANG: Third-Born Li, take them outside and give them two bowls of noodles with minced pork.

THIRD-BORN LI: Right! (Goes over to Peasant Woman. ）Come on, wait by the entrance and I’ll bring you some noodles.

PEASANT WOMAN  (stands up and moves off, wiping away her tears, seemingly having forgotten her child. But after a few steps she turns and, coming back, draws the girl to her, kissing her）: My darling. My darling.

WANG LIFA: Come on, come on.

(Peasant Woman and Little Girl go off. Third-Born Li follows a moment later with two bowls of noodles.）

WANG LIFA  (coming over): Fourth Elder Chang, it’s very good of you to buy them noodles. But, you know, there are thousands like them, thousand—and nobody can do anything about it. (To Qin Zhongyi.) Second Elder, what do you think? Don’t you agree?

QIN ZHONGYI  (in a superior tone): Whether it’s done for or not had nothing to do with someone buying a few bowls of noodles for the poor. Little Wang, to be quite honest, I’m seriously thingking about repossessing this place.

WANG LIFA: But you can’t do that, Second Elder!

QIN ZHONGYI: Not only am I going to repossess my buildings, I’m going to sell off my farmland and my establishments in the city as well.

WANG LIFA: But why?

QIN ZHONGYI: To consolidate my capital and start a factory.

WANG LIFA: Start a factory?

QIN ZHONGYI: Mme! A huge, a really huge, factory. That’s the only way we’ll save the poor, the only way we’ll keep out foreign goods, and it’s the only way to save the Empire. (Speaking to Wang Lifa, but is looking at Fourth Elder Chang.) Ai! What’s the point of telling you? You wouldn’t understand.

WANG LIFA: You’re going to let go of all your property, for the sake of society, with no concern for yourself?

QIN ZHONGYI: You don’t understand. It’s the only way to strengthen our nation. Oh, forget it. It’s time I left. I’ve seen for myself—you’re doing okay here. Don’t give me any more of your tripe about not raising the rent.


〔秦仲义往外走，王利发送。
〔小牛儿搀着庞太监走进来。小牛儿提着水烟袋。
庞太监　哟！秦二爷！
秦仲义　庞老爷！这两天您心里安顿了吧？
庞太监　那还用说吗？天下太平了，圣旨下来，谭嗣同问斩！告诉您，谁敢改祖宗的章程，谁就掉脑袋！

秦仲义　我早就知道！
〔茶客们忽然全静寂起来，几乎是闭住呼吸地听着。

庞太监　您聪明，二爷，要不然您怎么发财呢！
秦仲义　我那点财产，不值一提！
庞太监　太客气了吧？您看，全北京城谁不知道秦二爷！您比做官的还厉害呢！听说呀，好些财主都讲维新！
秦仲义　不能这么说，我那点威风在您的面前可就施展不出来了！哈哈哈！
庞太监　说得好，咱们就八仙过海、各显其能(106)吧！哈哈哈！
秦仲义　改天过去给您请安，再见！（下）

庞太监　（自言自语）哼，凭这么个小财主也敢跟我逗嘴皮子(107)，年头真是改了！（问王利发）刘麻子在这儿哪？

王利发　总管，您里边歇着吧！
〔刘麻子早已看见庞太监，但不敢靠近，怕打搅了庞太监、秦仲义的谈话。

刘麻子　喝，我的老爷子！您吉祥！我等了您好大半天了！（搀

Notes:

(106) 八仙过海，各显其能：八仙—eight immortals, a legend says when they cross the sea,every one has and applies his or her own ability.

(107) 逗嘴皮子：to banter with words.

WANG LIFA: Hang on, I’ll call a mulecart for you.

QIN ZHONGYI: Don’t bother. I prefer to walk. (Exit Qin Zhongyi, with Wang Lifa seeing him out.)

(Little Ox enters supporting Eunuch Pang, Little Ox is carrying a water pipe.)

EUNUCH PANG: Why Second Elder Qin.

QIN ZHONGYI: Master Pang! I expect you’ve been feeling a bit easier the last few days, eh?

EUNUCH PANT: That should go without saying. Order has been restored. The Imperial /edict has come down: Tan Sitong ahs been given the death sentence. I tell you, anyone who takes it into his head to change the statutes laid down by our ancestors is going to lose his head.

QIN ZHONGYI: I’m quite aware of that.

(The teahouse customers are suddenly silent, holding their breath as they listen.)

EUNUCH PANG: You’re a clever one, Second Elder. How else could you have become so wealthy, eh?

QIN ZHONGYI: The little property I have isn’t worth mentioning.

EUNUCH PANG: You’re a trifle modest, perhaps? Why, the whole of Beijing knows Second elder Qin. You’re more formidable than the officials themselves. I’ve heard, by the way, that many of the wealthy support the Reform Movement.

QIN ZHONGYI：Not so, not so. What little prestige I have pales in your presence. (Laughs heartily.)

EUNUCH PANG: Nicely said. Like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, we each have our own strengths, eh? (laughs heartily.)

QIN ZHONGYI: I must pay you a visit one of these days. Goodbye. (Exits.)

EUNUCH PANG (to himself): Humph! When an upstart like that dares to cross words with me, I guess times are really changing. (To Wang Lifa. ) Is Pockface Liu here?

WANG LIFA: Your Excellency, please make yourself at home.

(Pockface Liu had seen Eunuch Pang come in, but did not come over for fear of disrupting his conversation with Qin Zhongyi.)

POCKFACE LIU: Ho! My old Master. May Heaven bestow fortune on you
 
庞太监往里面走）
〔宋恩子、吴祥子过来请安，庞太监对他们耳语。
〔众茶客静默了一阵之后，开始议论纷纷。
茶客甲　谭嗣同是谁？
茶客乙　好像听说过！反正犯了大罪，要不，怎么会问斩(108)呀！
茶客丙　这两三个月了，有些做官的，念书的，乱折腾乱闹，咱们怎

能知道他们捣的什么鬼(109)呀！
客茶丁　得！不管怎么说，我的铁秆庄稼(110)又保住了！姓谭的，还有那个康有为，不是说叫旗兵不关钱粮，去自谋生计吗？心眼多毒(111)！
茶客丙　一份钱粮倒叫上头克扣(112)去一大半，咱们也不好过！
茶客丁　那总比没有强啊！好死不如癞活着，叫我去自己谋生，非死不可！
王利发　诸位主顾，咱们还是莫谈国事吧！
〔大家安静下来，都又各谈各的事。

庞太监　（已坐下）怎么说？一个乡下丫头，要二百银子？
刘麻子　（侍立）乡下人，可长得俊呀！带进城来，好好地一打扮、调教，准保是又好看，又有规矩！我给您办事，比给我亲爸爸作事都更尽心，一丝一毫不能马虎！
〔唐铁嘴又回来了？
王利发　铁嘴，你怎么又回来了？
唐铁嘴　街上兵荒马乱的(113)，不知道是怎么回事！

庞太监　还能不搜查搜查谭嗣同的余党吗？唐铁嘴，你放心，没人抓你！
唐铁嘴　嗻！总管，您要能赏给我几个烟泡儿，我可就更有出息了！
〔有几个茶客好像预感到什么灾祸，一个个往外溜(114)。
松二爷　咱们也该走啦吧！天不早啦！
常四爷　嗻！走吧！
〔二灰衣人——宋恩子和吴祥子走过来。
宋恩子　等等！
常四爷　怎么啦？
宋恩子　刚才你说“大清国要完”？
常四爷　我，我爱大清国，怕它完了！

 

I’ve been waiting for you all the morning. (Guides Eunuch Pang to a table.)

EUNUCH PANG (to himself): Humph! When an upstart like that dares to cross words with me, I guess times are really changing. (To Wang Lifa. ) Is Pockface Liu here?

WANG LIFA: Your Excellency, please make yourself at home.

(Pockface Liu had seen Eunuch Pang come in, but did not come over for fear of disrupting his conversation with Qin Zhongyi.)

POCKFACE LIU: Ho! My old Master. May Heaven bestow fortune on you! I’ve been waiting for you all the morning. (Guides Eunuch Pang to a table.)

(Song Enzi and Wu Xiangzi come over to pay their respects; Eunuch Pang whispers something to them.)

(The other customers, after a moment’s silence, become talkative again.)

FIRST CUSTOMER: Who’s Tan Sitong?

SECOND CUSTOMER: The name rings a bell. Anyway, he must have committed a major crime. Why else would he be sentenced to death?

THURD CUSTOMER: Over the past few months some of the officials and students have been making a lot of trouble. How can we possibly know what mischief they are up to!

FOURTH CUSTOMER: So what! My Bannerman’s stipend’s secure again. This guy Tan, and that other guy, Kang Youwei—weren’t they advocating cutting off our stipends and making us work for a living? Pretty damn mean.

THIRD CUSTOMER: The bulk of our stipends is creamed off by the top officials anyhow. We have a hard time whichever way you look at it.

FOURTH CUSTOMER: But it’s better than losing everything. I’d sooner live in poverty than die in style. There’s no way I could survive if I had to make my own living.

WANG LIFA: Gentlemen, I don’t think it’s a good idea to discuss state affairs. (The place quietens down, and the customers turn again to their concerns.)  

EUNUCH PANG: (already seated) What? Tow hundred taels of silver for a peasant girl?

POCKFACE LIU (standing in attendance): A peasant girl, yes—but she’s really handsome. In the city, properly made up and with a bit of training. I guarantee

吴祥子　（对松二爷）你听见了？他是这么说的吗？
松二爷　哥儿们，我们天天在这儿喝茶。王掌柜知道，我们都是地道老好人(115)！
吴祥子　问你听见了没有？
松二爷　那，有话好说，二位请坐！
宋恩子　你不说，连你也锁了走！他说“大清国要完”，就是跟谭嗣同一党！

松二爷　我，我听见了，他是说……
宋恩子　（对常四爷）走！

常四爷　上哪儿？事情要交代(116)明白了啊！
宋恩子　你还想拒捕吗？我这儿可带着“王法”呢！（掏出腰中带着的铁链子）
常四爷　告诉你们，我可是旗人！
吴祥子　旗人当汉奸，罪加一等！锁上他！
常四爷　甭锁，我跑不了！
宋恩子　量(117)你也跑不了！（对松二爷）你也走一趟，到堂上实话实说，没你的事！
〔黄胖子同三五个人由后院过来。
黄胖子　得啦，一天云雾散，算我没白跑腿！
松二爷　黄爷！黄爷！
黄胖子　（揉揉眼）谁呀？
松二爷　我！松二！您过来，给说句好话！
黄胖子　（看清）哟，宋爷，吴爷，二位爷办案(118)哪？请吧！
Notes:

(108) 问斩：to execute death sentence, often to behead. (109) 捣鬼：dǎoguǐ， to play tricks.

(110) 铁杆庄家：a guaranteed position of land owner. (111) 心眼毒：melious ideas. (112) 克扣：embezzle part of what should be issued。 （113） 兵荒马乱：bīnghuāng-mǎluàn， confusion and disorder caused by war. (114) 溜：to slip away. (115) 地道老好人：地道—typical; 老好人—a good man. (116) 交代：to make it clear to… (117) 量：liàng, to estimate, ro reckon.

(118) 办案：dealing a case at hand.

she’ll not only be beautiful—she’ll be well-mannered as well. I work harder for

EUNUCH PANG: (already seated) What? Tow hundred taels of silver for a peasant girl?

POCKFACE LIU (standing in attendance): A peasant girl, yes—but she’s really handsome. In the city, properly made up and with a bit of training. I guarantee she’ll not only be beautiful—she’ll be well-mannered as well. I work harder for you than I would for my own father: I haven’t left a single thing to chance.

(Soothsayer Tang returns.)

WANG LIFA: Soothsayer, why are you here again?

SOOTHSAYER TANG: There are troops and police everywhere. I don’t know what’s going on.

EUNUCH PANG: They’re doubtless looking for Tan Sitong’s remnant followers, aren’t they? Relax, Soothsayer—nobody’s after you.

SOOTHSAYER TANG: Thank you, Your Excellency. Now, if you’d just give me a few puffs on that pipe of yours my life would be really rosy.

(A number of customers seemingly have sensed trouble, and one by one have left the teahouse.)

SECOND ELDER SONG: It’s getting late; perhaps we should go.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Right. Let’s go

(The two men in grey—Song Enzi and Wu Xiangzi—come over.)

SONG ENZI: Just a moment!

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: What’s up?

SONG ENZI: Didn’t you just say “the Great Qing Empire is about done for?”

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Me?  I love our Great Qing Empire; I’m concerned about its survival.

WU XIANGZI (To Second Elder Song): You heard him, didn’t you? That’s

what he said, isn’t it?

SECOND ELDER SONG: Brothers, we drink tea here every day. Proprietor Wang knows—we’re both honest, loyal men.

WU XIANGZI: I asked you if you heard what he said!

SEOND ELDER SONG: Well, if there’s some problems, let’s talk it over. Please sit down.

松二爷　黄爷，帮帮忙，给美言(119)两句！
黄胖子　官厅儿管不了的事，我管！官厅儿能管的事呀，我不便多嘴(120)！（问大家）是不是？
众　嗻！对！
〔宋恩子、吴祥子带着常四爷、松二爷往外走。

松二爷　（对王利发）看着点我们的鸟笼子！
王利发　您放心，我给送到家里去！
〔常四爷、松二爷、宋恩子、吴祥子同下。
黄胖子　（唐铁嘴告以庞太监在此）哟，老爷在这儿哪？听说要安份儿家(121)，我先给您道喜！
庞太监　等吃喜酒吧！
黄胖子　您赏脸！您赏脸！（下）
〔乡妇端着空碗进来，往柜上放，小妞跟进来。
小　妞　妈！我还饿！
王利发　唉！出去吧！
乡　妇　走吧，乖！
小　妞　不卖妞妞啦？妈！不卖啦？妈！
乡　妇　乖！（哭着，携小妞下）
〔康六带着康顺子进来，立在柜台前。

Notes:

(119) 美言：to say a few nice words for …

(120) 多嘴：to say one word more.

(121) 安份儿家：to set up a family.

SONG ENZI：You don’t talk and we’ll lock you up too. He said “the Great Qing Empire is about done for.” He’s a follower of Tan Sitong.

SEOCND ELDER SONG: I…I heard him…What he said was…

SONG ENZI(to Fourth Elder Chang): Move!

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Where are we going? I demand an explanation.

SONG ENZI: So you’re going to resist arrest as well? Well, I’ve got “the Law”

along with me. (Takes out a steel chain which he had around his waist.)

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: I tell you, I’m a Manchu Bannerman!

WU XIANGZI: When a Bannerman turns traitor, the crime is one degree more serious. Chain him!

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: There’s no need to chain me—I won’t run away.

SONG ENZI: You’re damn right you won’t (To Second Elder Song.) And you’re coming along too. If you tell the truth in court we’ll let you go.

(Fatso Huang, with three or four others, emerges from the inner courtyard.)

FATSO HUANG: Well, that’s over, and everything turned out well, so it wasn’t a waste of time coming.

SECOND ELDER SONG: Elder Huang! Elder Huang!

FATSO HUANG (RUBBING HIS EYES): Who?

SECOND ELDER SONG: It’s me. Second-Born Song. Come over and put

in a good word for us.

FATSO HUANG  (seeing who it is): Yo! Elder Song. Elder Wu. Making an arrest, are you, gentlemen? Carry on.

SECOND ELDER SONG: Elder Huang, help us out. Just a few words on our behalf.

FATSO HUANG: Whatever the police can’t handle, I look after, but when they can take care of thing, I stay off. (Addresses the teahouse customers. ) Right?

CUSTOMERS: Right! Right!

(Song Enzi and Wu Xiangzi head for exit with Second Elder Song and Fourth Elder chang.)

SECOND ELDER SONG: (to Wang Lifa): Take care of our bird cages.

WANG LIFA: Don’t worry, I’ll have them sent home for you.

(Fourth Elder Chang,  Second Elder Song, Song Enzi and Wu Xiangzi go off.)


康　六　姑娘！顺子！爸爸不是人，是畜生！可你叫我怎办呢？你不找个吃饭的地方，你饿死！我不弄到手几两银子，就得叫东家活活地打死！你呀，顺子，认命吧(122)，积德(123)吧！
康顺子　我，我……（说不出话来）
刘麻子　（跑过来）你们回来啦？点头啦？好！来见见总管！给总管磕头！

康顺子　我……（要晕倒）
康　六　（扶住女儿）顺子！顺子！
刘麻子　怎么啦？
康　六　又饿又气，昏过去了！顺子！顺子！
庞太监　我要活的，可不要死的！
〔静场。
茶客甲　（正与乙下象棋）将(124)！你完啦(125)！

——幕落

Notes:

(122) 认命：rènmìng， resign oneself to destine.

(123) 积德：same as 积德行好above, but here it contains the meaning of “sparing us”.

(124) 将：to checkmate.

(125) 你完啦：you have lost the game.

FATSO HUANG  (After being informed by Soothsayer Tang about Eunuch Pang’s presence in the teahouse): Yo! You here too, Elder Pang? I hear you’re taking a wife. My congratulations!

EUNUCH PANG: You’ll come to the banquet, won’t you?
FATSO HUANG: Thank you for doing me the honour.

(Exits)
(Peasant Woman brings back the empty bowls and puts them on the counter. Little Girl enters.)
LITTLE GIRL: Momma, I’m still hungry.
WANG LIFA: Ai! Out you go.
PEASANT WOMAN: Come, my baby.
LITTLE GIRL: You’re not going to sell me, Momma? Don’t sell me, Momma.
PEASANT WOMAN: My baby. (Crying, leads Little Girl off.)
(Sixth-Born Kang returns leading Kang Shunzi. The stand in front of the counter.)
SIXTH-BORN KANG: My daughter. Shunzi. Your father is not a man, he’s a beast. But what else can I do? If we can’t find a place that will feed you, you’ll starve. And if I can’t get hold of a dew taels of silver, the landlord will grind me to death. You, ah! Shunzi. There’s no other way. Please don’t make things difficult.
KANG SHUNZI: I…I…(Unable to speak.)
POCKFACE LIU (hurrying over): Ah, you’re back. You agree? Good! Come and meet His Excellency. Kowtow to His Excellency.
KANG SHUNZI: I…(Faints.)
SIXTH-BORN KANG: She’s so hungry and distraught, she’s fainted. Shunzi! Shunzi!
EUNUCH PANG: I want something living –not a corpse. (The entire state is quiet.)
FIRST CUSTOMER  (Playing chess with Second Customer): Check-mate. You’re finished!

 

                                             (Curtain)

第二幕

人　物　王淑芬、报童、康顺子、李三、常四爷、康大力、王利发、松二爷、老林、难民数人、宋恩子、老陈、巡警、吴祥子、崔久峰、押大令的兵七人，公寓住客二、三人，军官、唐铁嘴、刘麻子、大兵三、五人。
时　间　与前幕相隔十余年，现在是袁世凯死后，帝国主义指使中国军阀进行割据(126)，时时发动内战的时候。初夏，上午。
地　点　同前幕。
〔幕启：北京城内的大茶馆已先后相继关了门。“裕泰”是硕果仅存(127)的一家了，可是为避免被淘汰，它已改变了样子与作风。现在，它的前部仍然卖茶，后部却改成了公寓。前部只卖茶和瓜子什么的；“烂肉面”等等已成为历史名词。厨房挪到后边去，专包公寓住客的伙食。茶座也大加改良：一律是小桌与藤椅(128)，桌上铺着浅绿桌布。墙上的“醉八仙”大画，连财神龛，均已撤去，代以时装美人——外国香烟公司的广告画。“莫谈国事”的纸条可是保存了下来，而且字写的更大。王利发真像个“圣之时者也(129)”，不但没使“裕泰”灭亡，而且使它有了新的发展。
〔因为修理门面，茶馆停了几天营业，预备明天开张。王淑芬和李三忙着布置，把桌椅移了又移，摆了又摆，以期尽善尽美(130)。
〔王淑芬梳时行的圆髻(131)，而李三却还带着小辫儿。
〔二、三学生由后面来，与他们打招呼，出去。
王淑芬　（看李三的辫子碍事(132)）三爷，咱们的茶馆改了良，你的小辫儿也该剪了吧？

Notes:

(126): 割据：gējù，to setup independent regime by force of arms；
127）硕果仅存：shuòguǒ-jǐncún，be one of the few still left；
(128）藤椅：téngyǐ，a rattan chair;
(129): 圣之时者也：a saying by Mencius about Confucius: why Confucius was a saint because he acted according to the needs of the times.
(130): 尽善尽美：jìnshàn-jìnměi，perfection;
(131): 圆髻：a round bun;
(132): 碍事：in the way of…; blocking.
Act Two
CHARACTERS: Wang Shufen, Paperboy, Kang Shunzi, Third-Born Li, Fourth Elder Chang, Kang Dali, Wang Lifa, Second Elder Song, Old Lin, Refugees, Song Enzi, Old Chen, Police-man, Wu Xiangzi, Cui Jiufeng, Execution Squad (seven), Teahouse Lodgers (three or so), Army Officer, Soothsayer Tang, Pockface Liu, Soldiers (three or four).


TIME: Over ten years later. Yuan Shikai is dead, and the imperialist-incited warlords have been using their military strength to carve the country into private regimes for themselves. Civil war is endemic. Early summer, in the morning.

PLACE: As Act One.
SCENE: The big teahouses of Beijing have closed their doors one after another. Yutai Teahouse has been the one establishement strong enough to survive, but in order to avoid going under in the stiff competition, both the appearance of the place and the services offered have been changed.In the front part they still sell tea, but the back section has been turned into a public lodging house. Out front, they have only tea, melon seeds, and the like; dishes like “noodles with minced pork” are already a thing of the past. /The kitchen has been moved out back, and only serves meals for the lodgers. The chairs and tables have under gone a great “reform” as well; now there are only small tables, with wicker chairs, and pale green cloths on all the tables. The large painting of “The Eight Drunken Immortals” and even the shrine to the God of Wealth are gone, having been replaced by pictures of fashionable women in foreign cigarette adveertisements. “Don’t discuss state affairs”, however, still stares down from every wall, written in even larger characters. Wang Lifa really knows how to “keep up with the times”; not only has he saved Yutai Teahouse, he has managed to expand it.

(Because the front is being reparied, the teahouse has been closed for a few days, but it is to open the next day. Wang Shufen and Third-Born Li are busy getting the place ready. /They move the tables and charis then move them again, arranging and re-arranging, to be sure that everything is as conveient and attractive as possible.)

(Wang Shufen wears her hair in the bun of the time, but Third-Born Li still has the queue of Manchu times.)
(Two or three students emerge from the rear, greet them, and exit.)

WANG SHUFEN: (Noticing that Third-Born Li’s queue gets in his way): Third Elder, our teahouse has put on a new face; shouldn’t you cut off your old queue?

李　三　改良！改良！越改越凉，冰凉(133)！
王淑芬　也不能那么说！三爷你看，听说西直门的德泰，北新桥的广泰，鼓楼前的天泰，这些大茶馆全先后脚儿(134)关了门！只有咱们裕泰还开着，为什么？不是因为拴子的爸爸懂得改良吗？
李　三　哼！皇上没啦(135)，总算大改良吧？可是改来改去，袁世凯还是要作皇上。袁世凯死后，天下大乱，今儿个打炮，明儿个关城，改良？哼！我留着我的小辫儿，万一把皇上改回来呢！
王淑芬　别顽固啦，三爷！人家给咱们改了民国，咱们还能不随着走吗？你看，咱们这么一收拾，不比以前干净，好看？专招待文明人，不更体面？可是，你要还带着小辫儿，看着多么不顺眼(136)哪！
李　三　太太，你觉得不顺眼，我还不顺心呢！

王淑芬　哟，你不顺心？怎么？

李　三　你还不明白？前面茶馆，后面公寓，全仗着(137)掌柜的跟我两个人，无论怎么说，也忙不过来呀！
王淑芬　前面的事归他，后面的事不是还有我帮助你吗？

李　三　就算有你帮助，打扫二十来间屋子，侍候二十多人的伙食，还要沏茶灌水，买东西送信，问问你自己，受得了受不了！
王淑芬　三爷，你说的对！可是呀，这兵荒马乱的年月，能有个事儿做也就得念佛(138)！咱们都得忍着点！
李　三　我干不了！天天睡四、五个钟头的觉，谁也不是铁打的！
王淑芬　唉！三爷，这年月谁也舒服不了！你等着，大拴子暑假就高小毕业，二拴子也快长起来，他们一有用处，咱们可就清闲点啦。从老王掌柜在世的时候，你就帮助我们，老朋友，老伙计啦！
〔王利发老气横秋地从后面进来。

Notes:
(133): 改良/冰凉：gǎiliáng/bíngliáng, using the same vowel in ending in Chinese, the sentence means the more you reform the cooler the heart of people have;
(134): 先后脚儿：following the steps, steps into the shoes of…
(135): 没啦：no longer exist(s).
(136): 不顺眼：something does not please the eye.
(138): 念佛：niànfó, chant the name of Buddha, meaning things you have didn’t come easily.

THIRD-BORN LI: Reform! Everything’s taking on a new face, and the newer the face the more faceless it is.

WANG SHUFEN: That’s not fair. Third Elder, just think: the few big teahouse that wre left, like Detai at Xi Zhi Men, Guangtai at Bei Xin Qiao, and Tiantai in front of the Drum Tower—I hear that they have all had to close down one after the other. Only Yutai is left. Why? Isn’t it because my husband realized that teahouses, like goverments, have to reform?

THIRD-BORN LI: Humph! I suppose you’d say that ousting the emperor was a great reform, eh? They refomrd this and reformed that, but in the end Yuan /shikai still wanted to make himself emperor. Since his death the country has been a mess; artillery battles one day, the city gates closed the next. Reform? Humph! I’m hanging onto my queue in case they reform the emperor right back onto the throne.

WANG SHUFEN: Don’t be so obstinate, Third Elder. When they’ve reformed our country and created a democratric state called the Republic of China for us, don’t we have to reform too? Isn’t it more dignified to be looking after educated customers? Your insistence on keeping that queue just doesn’t fit in at all.
THIRD-BORN LI: Madam, you think my queue doesn’t fit in; well, I don’t fit in either.
WANG SHUFEN: Yo! You’re not happy? What’s wrong?
THIRD-BORN LI: Can’t you see? A teahouse in front and lodgings behind, and only the proprietor and I to look after them. There’s no way we can handle it.

WANG SHUFEN: The front is his affair; but don’t you have me to help you with the lodgings?
THIRD-BORN LI: Even with your help—cleaning twenty or so rooms, feeding twenty or so lodgers…making tea, pouring water, doing the shipping, and delivering letters on top of that –just ask youself: isn’t it too much?

WASNG SHUFEN: I agree. Third Elder, but in these hectic times we should be thankful to have a job at all. We’ve all got to practise a little forbearance.
THIRD-BORN LI: But I can’t take it! I get four or five hours’s sleep a night. Nobody’s made out of iron.
WANG SHUFEN: Ai! Third Elder, nobody has it good these days. Be patient, our oldest boy is finishing primary school this summer, and our second boy isn’t far behind. When they can give us a hand, we’ll have a bit of time to ourselves. You’ve been helping us out here since befroe my father-in-law died. Our old friend. Our faithful old waiter.
(Wang Lifa enters from rear, somewhat arrogant in air.)

李　三　老伙计？二十多年了，他们可给我长过工钱？什么都改良，为什么工钱不跟着改良呢？
王利发　哟！你这是什么话呀？咱们的买卖要是越做越好，我能不给你长工钱吗？得了，明天咱们开张，取个吉利，先别吵嘴，就这么办吧！All right？（ “All right”在这里是“好吧？”的意思）
李　三　就怎么办啦？不改我的良，我干不下去啦！
〔后面叫：“李三！李三！”
王利发　崔先生叫，你快去，咱们的事，有工夫(139)再细研究！
李　三　哼！
王淑芬　我说，昨天就关了城门，今儿个还说不定关不关，三爷，这里的事交给掌柜的，你去买点菜吧！别的不说，咸菜总得买下点呀！
〔后面又叫：“李三！李三！”
李　三　对，后边叫，前边催，把我劈成两半儿好不好！（愤愤地往后走）
王利发　拴子的妈，他岁数大了点，你可得……
王淑芬　他抱怨了大半天了！可是抱怨的对！当着他，我不便直说；对你，我可得说实话：咱们得添人(140)！
王利发　添人得给工钱，咱们赚得出来吗？我要是会干别的，可是还开茶馆，我是孙子！
〔远处隐隐有炮声。
王利发　听听，又他妈的开炮了！你闹，闹！明天开得了张才怪！这是怎么说(141)的！
王淑芬　明白人别说糊涂话，开炮是我闹的？
王利发　别再瞎扯(142)，干活儿去！嘿！
王淑芬　早晚不是累死，就得叫炮轰死，我看透了(143)。（慢慢地往后边走）
王利发　（温和了些）拴子的妈，甭害怕，开过多少回炮，一回也没打死咱们，北京城是宝地！
Notes:
(139): 工夫：an idiomatic way to say “time”;
(140): 添人：to add people for work;
(141): 这是怎么说的：why is all this? How did all these happen?
(142): 瞎扯：talking nonesense.
(143): 看透了：to have seen through…

THIRD-BORN LI: Faithful old waiter? It’s been overy twenty years, but have you given me one raise? Everything else has been “reformed”, why not my wages as well?
WANG LIFA: Yo! What kind of nonsense is that? If business had improved, wouldn’t you have got a raise? Enough! We’re opening tomorrow. For good luck, let’s not have any arguments. Al Agreed? Okay?

THIRD-BORN LI: All agreed? If the reforms don’t include me, I won’t work.
(Voice offstage: “Third-Born Li! Third-Born Li!”)
WANG LIFA: Mr. Cui is calling you. Get going. We’ll talk this over again when we have more time.

THIRD-BORN LI: Humph!
WANG SHUFEN: Wait! Yesterday the city gates were closed, and we don’t know that they won’t be closed again today. Third Elder, you’d better let the proprietor look after things here while you fetch some groceries. Whatever else you get, be sure to get plenty of salted vegetables.
(Voice offstage: “Third-Born Li! Third-Born Li!”)
THIRD-BORN LI: Right. Called for out back, ordered around out front. Why don’t you cut me in two and have done with it? （Exits angrily.)
WANG LIFA: Wife, he’s getting a bit old, you’re going to have to…
WANG SHUFEN: He’s been angry all morning, but why shouldn’t he be? I couldn’t speak honestly with him, but with you I must. We’ve got to get more help.
WANG LIFA: More help means more wages, and where would that come from? If I had a chance to get out of this business and didn’t, I’d be a bloody fool.

（Muffled sound of cannons in the distance..)

WANG LIFA: Did you hear that –son-of-a-bitchin’ guns again! All your bloody racket. It’ll be a miracle if this place opens tomorrow. What a mess!
WANG SHUFEN: If you’re so clever, why don’t you talk some sense? What have I got to do with the gunfire?
WANG LIFA: Just stop your blathering and get back to work. Hei!
WANG SHUFEN: If we don’t work ourselves to death, the guns’ll get us. That’s the truth. （Moves slowly to the rear.)
WANG LIFA （Softening a little): Wife, don’t be afraid. How many rounds have they fired already—and they haven’t got us yet. Beijing is on blessed ground.

王淑芬　心哪，老跳到嗓子眼里，宝地！我给三爷拿菜钱去。（下）
〔一群男女难民在门外央告。
难　民　掌柜的，行行好(144)，可怜可怜吧！
王利发　走吧，我这儿不打发(145)，还没开张！
难　民　可怜可怜吧！我们都是逃难的！
王利发　别耽误工夫！我自己还顾不了自己呢！
〔巡警上。
巡　警　走！滚！快着！

〔难民散去。
王利发　怎样啊？六爷！又打得紧吗？
巡　警　紧！紧得厉害！仗打得不紧，怎能够有这么多难民呢！上面交派下来，你出八十斤大饼，十二点交齐！城里的兵带着干粮，才能出去打仗啊！
王利发　您圣明(146)，我这儿现在光包后面的伙食，不再卖饭，也还没开张，别说八十斤大饼，一斤也交不出啊！
巡　警　你有你的理由，我有我的命令，你瞧着办吧！（要走）
王利发　您等等！我这儿千真万确(147)还没开张，这您知道！开张以后，还得多麻烦您呢！得啦，您买包茶叶喝吧！（递钞票）您多给美言几句，我感恩不尽！
巡　警　（接票子）我给你说说看，行不行可不保准！
〔三、五个大兵，军装破烂，都背着枪，闯进门口。
巡　警　老总们，我这儿正查户口呢，这儿还没开张！
大　兵　屌(148)?！
巡　警　王掌柜，孝敬(149)老总们点茶钱，请他们到别处喝去吧！
王利发　老总们，实在对不起，还没开张，要不然，诸位住在这儿，一定欢迎！（递钞票给巡警）
巡　警　（转递给兵们）得啦，老总们多原谅，他实在没法招待诸位！
大　兵　屌?！谁要钞票？要现大洋！

Notes:
(144): 行行好： do something good;
(145): 打发：to send somebody away, here it means to give some handouts and send beggars to go; (146): 圣明：brilliant understanding, words used to praise emperors in old times;

(147): 千真万确：ten thousand times true; (148): 屌：diǎo, male genitalia; (149): 孝敬：give presents to one's elders or superiors。
WANG SHUFEN: My heart, it’s always in my throat. Blessed grond, indeed! I’ve got to give Third Elder some grocery money. (Exits.)

(A group of beggars—men and women—appear at the door asking for handouts.)
REFUGEES: Proprietor, you’re a good man. Show mercy, show mercy!
WANG LIFA: Move on. We can’t give you anything today. We haven’t opened for business yet.
REFUGEES: Show mercy, show mercy! We’ve lost everything.
WANG LIFA: You’re wasting your time. I don’t have enough to keep myself.

(Policean enters)
POLICEMAN: Get out of here. Move! Get a move on.
(Refugees disperse.)
WANG LIFA: What’s happening, Sixth Elder? Is the fighting serious?
POLICEMAN: Serious. Very serious. Where would all these refugees come from if it wasn’t serious? You’ve been ordered to provide eighty catties of hardtack by noon today. The garrison troops can’t go out to fight until they have some dry provisions, eh?
WAGN LIFA: Listen, you’re a wise man. The only cooking we do here is for the lodgers; we don’t run a restaurant any more, and we haven’t even re-opened for business yet. How can we give them one catty of hardtack, let alone eighty, eh?
POLICEMAN: You have your excuses, but Ihave my orders. Thinks it over and see what you can do. (Makes to leave.)
WANG LIFA: Take it easy. You know that we really haven’t opened yet. When we do we’ll be troubling you a lot. How’s this—get your self some good tea. (Gives him money.) You get us out of this and we won’t forget it.
POLICEMAN (Taking money): I’ll see what I can do, but I can’t promise you anything.
(Three or four soldiers in tattered uniforms, carrying rifles, barge through the entrance.)
POLICEMAN: Officers, I’ve just checked the license here; they’re not open for business yet.
FIRST SOLIDER: Fuck you!
POLICEMAND: Proprietor Wang, why don’t you show your respect for these officers with a bit of tea money. Perhaps they’ll find somewhere else to quench their thirst.
WANG LIFA: Listen officers, I’m really sorry, but we haven’t opened for business yet; otherwise, you’d be more than welcome. (Passes money to Policeman.)
POLICEMAN (PASSES MONEY TO THE SOLDIERS): There you are now, officers; you mustforgive him, it’s really impossible for him to serve you.

王利发　老总们，让我哪儿找现洋去呢？
大　兵　屌?！揍他个小舅子！
巡　警　快！再添点！
王利发　（掏）老总们，我要是还有一块，请把房子烧了！（递钞票）
大　兵　屌?！（接钱下，顺手拿走两块新桌布）
巡　警　得，我给你挡住了一场大祸！他们不走呀，你就全完，连一个茶碗也剩不下！

王利发　我永远忘不了您这点好处！
巡　警　可是为这点功劳，你不得另有份意思吗？
王利发　对！您圣明，我糊涂！可是，您搜我吧，真一个铜子儿也没有啦！（掀起褂子，让他搜）您搜！您搜！
巡　警　我干不过你！明天见，明天还不定是风是雨呢！（下）
王利发　您慢走！（看巡警走去，跺脚）他妈的！打仗！打仗！今天打，明天打，老打，打他妈的什么呢？
〔唐铁嘴进来，还是那么瘦，那么脏，可是穿着绸子夹袍（150）。
唐铁嘴　王掌柜！我来给你道喜！
王利发　（还生着气）哟！唐先生？我可不再白送茶喝！（打量，有了笑容）你混的不错呀！穿上绸子啦！
唐铁嘴　比从前好了一点！我感谢这个年月！
王利发　这个年月还值得感谢！听着有点不搭调！
唐铁嘴　年头越乱，我的生意越好！这年月，谁活着谁死都碰运气，怎能不多算算命、相相面呢？你说对不对？
王利发　Yes，（“Yes”既“对”的意思）也有这么一说！
唐铁嘴　听说后面改了公寓，租给我一间屋子，好不好？

Notes：
（150）：绸子夹袍：silk lined coat.

SECOND SOLDIER: Fuck this! Paper money? We want the solver stuff!
WANG LIFA: Officers, where would I find silver dollars?
THIRD SOLDIER: Fuck! Thump the bastard!
POLICEMAN: Quick! More money!

WANG LIFA (digging through his clothes): Officers, this is all I have . I swear it. (Offers money.)
SOLDIERS: Fuck it! (Accept money, steal two tablecloths as they exit.)
POLICEMAN: Boy! It’s a good thing I was here. If they hadn’t left, it would have been the end of you—there wouldn’t even have been a teabowl left.
WANG LIFA: I’ll never forget you for this kindness.
POLICEMAN: Perhaps you could give me some more concrete remembrance for my kindness?
WANG LIFA: Of course. You’re quite right. How stupid of me…but I really don’t have a penny left—you can search me if you like. (Opens jacket to let him search.) Go ahead, search me.

POLICEMAN: I’m not going to argue with you, but I’ll see you tomorrow. /Who knows how the winds will be blowing then? (Exits.)
WANG LIFA: Take care. (When he sees that Policeman is gone, he stamps his foot angrily.)Son-of-a-bith! War, war. Every day more bloody fighting. Always fighting—but what the hell for? (Soothsayer Tang enters, as thin and dirty as ever, but he is wearing a lined silk gtown.)
SOOTHSAYER TANG: Proprietor Wang, I’ve come to wish you the best.
WANG LIFA (still angry): Yo! Elder Tang? There’ll be no more free tea here. (Surveying Tang’s appearance, he begins to smile.) Say, you must be doing pretty well. Dressed in silk no less.
SOOTHSAYEER TANG: A little better off than before. I’m really grateful for these times.
WANG LIFA: Grateful for these times? That doesn’t seem to ring true!
SOOTHSAYER TANG: The more uncertain the times, the better my business. These days life and death are a toss-up, so of course scads of people want their fortunes told, their features read. Makes sense, eh?
WANG LIFA: Yes, I suppose it does.
SOOTHSAYER TANG: I hear you’ve turned the back into lodgings; how about renting me a

王利发　唐先生，你那点嗜好(151)，在我这儿恐怕……
唐铁嘴　我已经不吃大烟了！
王利发　真的？你可真要发财了！
唐铁嘴　我改抽“白面”啦。（指墙上的香烟广告）你看，哈德门烟是又长又松，（掏出烟来表演）一顿就空出一大块，正好放“白面儿”。大英帝国的烟，日本的“白面儿”，两大强国侍候着我一个人，这点福气(152)还小吗？
王利发　福气不小！不小！可是，我这儿已经住满了人，什么时候有了空房，我准给你留着！
唐铁嘴　你呀，看不起我，怕我给不了房租！
王利发　没有的事！都是久在街面上混的人，谁能看不起谁呢？这是知心话吧？
唐铁嘴　你的嘴呀比我的还花哨(153)！
王利发　我可不光耍嘴皮子，我的心放得正！这十多年了，你白喝过我多少碗茶？你自己算算！你现在混的不错，你想着还我茶钱没有？
唐铁嘴　赶明儿我一总还给你，那一共才有几个钱呢！（搭讪(154)着往外走）
〔街上卖报的喊叫：“长辛店大战的新闻，买报瞧，瞧长辛店大战的新闻！”报童向内探头。
报　童　掌柜的，长辛店大战的新闻，来一张瞧瞧？
王利发　有不打仗的新闻没有？
报　童　也许有，您自己找！
王利发　走！不瞧！
报　童　掌柜的，你不瞧也照样打仗！（对唐铁嘴）先生，您照顾照顾？
唐铁嘴　我不像他，（指王利发）我最关心国事！（拿了一张报，没给钱即走）
〔报童追唐铁嘴下。
王利发　（自言自语）长辛店！长辛店！离这里不远啦！（喊）三爷，三爷！你倒是抓

Notes:
(151): 嗜好：shìhào，addiction;hobby；
(152）：福气：good fortune.
(153): 花哨：flowery words.
(154): 搭讪：dāshàn, to smooth over an embarrassing situation.
room?
WANG LIFA: Elder Tang, there’s that old weakness of yours. I’m afraid we…
SOOTHSAYER TANG: Oh, I’ve given up opium.
WANG LIFA: Really? Say, you must really want ot get ahead.
SOOTHSAYER TANG: Actually, I’ve switched to heroin. (Points to the cigarette advertisement on the wall.) Look. “Hademen Cigarettes—for length and an easy draw.” (Takes out cigarette to demonstrate.)  Deftly remove a little tobacco, and you’ve got a perfect place to put the heroin. British Imperial Cigarettes and Japanese heroin—I’m being looked after by the big boys. Now, wouldn’t you call that good fortune?
WANG LIFA: Good fortune, indeed. Indeed. But he rooms are all taken. Whenever one comes vacant, though, I’ll keep it for you.
SOOTHSAYER TANG: You…you have no respect. You’re afraid I won’t pay the rent.
WANG LIFA: Not so at all. We all grew up in the streets; how can anyone look down on anyone else? See, I’m being perfectly rank like an old friend!
SOOTHSAYER TANG: Your tongue is even smoother than my own.
WANG LIFA: I’m not sweet-talking you. I’m quite sincere. Over the past years how many free bowls of tea have you got out of me? Think about it. And now that you’re doing okay, have you given any thought ot repaying me?
SOOTHSAYER TANG: I’ll square up with y9ou pretty soon. It’s only a matter of a few coins anyway. (With these words to cover his embarrassment, turns to leave.)

(Paperboy on the street outside cries, “Latest news on the battle at Changxiandian. Read all about it—latest battle at Changxindian!” Paperboy sticks his head in entrance.)
PAPERBOY: Proprietor, would you like a copy? Lastes news on the fighting at Changxindian.
WANG LIFA: Any news about somewhere they’re not fighting?
PAPERBOY: Could be –look for yourself.
WANG LIFA: Off you go! I’m not interested.
PAPERBOY: Proprietor, whether you read it or not, the fighting still goes on. (To Soothsayer Tang.) Sir, wold you like a copy?
SOOTHSAYER TANG: I’m not like him. (Points to Wang Lifa.)  I’m most concerned about state affairs. (Takes a copy of the paper, but leaves without paying.)
(Paperboy chases off after him.)

WANG LIFA (to himself): Changxindian! Changxindian! That’s right on our doorstep.

早儿买点菜去呀，待一会儿准关城门，就什么也买不到啦！嘿！（听后面没人应声，含怒往后跑）
〔常四爷提着一串腌萝卜，两只鸡，走进来。
常四爷　王掌柜！
王利发　谁？哟，四爷！您干什么哪？
常四爷　我卖菜呢！自食其力，不含糊(155)！今儿个城外头乱乱哄哄，买不到菜；东抓西抓，抓到这么两只鸡，几斤老腌萝卜。听说你明天开张，也许用的着，特意给你送来了！

王利发　我谢谢您！我这儿正没有辙(156)呢！
常四爷　（四下里看）好啊！好啊！收拾得好啊！大茶馆全关了，就是你有心路，能随机应变地改良！
王利发　别夸奖我啦！我尽力而为，可就怕天下老这么乱七八糟！
常四爷　像我这样的人算是坐不起这样的茶馆喽！
〔松二爷走进来，穿的很寒酸(157)，可是还提着鸟笼。
松二爷　王掌柜！听说明天开张，我来道喜！（看见常四爷）哎哟！四爷，可想死我喽！
常四爷　二哥！你好哇？
王利发　都坐下吧！
松二爷　王掌柜，你好？太太好？少爷好？生意好？
王利发　（一劲儿说）好！托福(158)！（提起鸡与咸菜）四爷，多少钱？
常四爷　瞧着给，该给多少给多少！
王利发　对！我给你们弄壶茶来！（提物到后面去）
松二爷　四爷，你，你怎么样啊？
常四爷　卖青菜哪！铁秆庄稼没有啦，还不卖膀子力气吗？二爷，您怎么样啊？

Notes:

(155) 不含糊：not evasive;
(156) 没辙：no way out, not to know what to do.
(157) 寒酸：hánsuān， miserable and shabby。
(158) 托福：tuōfú，say so when replying to other’s greetings.


(Shouts.) Third Elder! Third Elder! You’d better go for groceries right away. If we waste time
the city gates will be closed for sure, and there’ll be nothing in the markets. Hei! (When no one answers, strides angrily to the back.)
(Fourth Elder Chang enters carrying two chickens and a bunch of pickled turnips.)
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Proprietor Wang.
WANG LIFA: Who? Yo! Fourth Elder! What are you up to these days?
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Selling vegetables. Earning my own living, and I mean “earning” it. But the city outskirts are in an uproar today; impossible to buy any veetables. I ran around everywhere and finally managed to get these two chickens and a few catties of pickled turnips. I heard that you’re opening again tomorrow; I got them for your specially, because I thought you might need them.

WANG LIFA: Thanks very much. You’ve saved the day.
FOURTH ELDER CHANG (viewing the premises): Very nice. Very nice. Say, you’ve really fixed the place up. All the other big teahouses have folded. You’re the only one who’s managed to turn all the reforms and changes to good account.
WANG LIFA: No need to get carried away. I’ve done what I could, but I’m afraid our country’s gone to the dogs.
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: My goodness, your place is so nice now, I’m afraid the likes of me won’t be able to afford to come here.
( Second Elder enters. He is very shabbily dressed, but still carries a bird cage.)
SECOND ELDER SONG: Proprietor Wang, I hear you’re re-opening tomorrow. I’ve come to wish you well. (Sees fourth Elder Chang.) Aiyo! Fourth Elder, what a pleasant surprise.
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Second Elder. My my! How are you?
WANG LIFA: Why don’t you both sit down?
SECOND ELDER SONG: Propprietor Wang, how are you? And the good woman? And your sons? How’s the business going?
WANG LIFA （in answer to all this）: All fine, thanks to old customers like you. (Picks up the chickens and the pickled turnips.) Fourth Elder, what do I own you?
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: It’s up to you. Whatevery you think they’re worth.
WANG LIFA: Fine. But let me bring you some tea. (Takes things to the rear.)
SECOND ELDER SONG: Fourth Elder, you…how are you getting along?
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: I’m peddling fresh vegetables. When your stipend is cut off you

松二爷　怎么样？我想大哭一场！看见我这身衣裳没有？我还像个人吗(159)？
常四爷　二哥，您能写能算，难道找不到点事儿做？
松二爷　嗻，谁愿意瞪着眼挨饿呢！可是，谁要咱们旗人呢！想起来呀，大清国不一定好啊，可是到了民国，我挨了饿！
王利发　（端着一壶茶回来。给常四爷钱）不知道您花了多少，我就给这么点吧！
常四爷　（接钱，没看，揣在怀里）没关系！
王利发　二爷，（指鸟笼）还是黄鸟吧？哨的怎样？
松二爷　嗻，还是黄鸟！我饿着，也不能叫鸟儿饿着！（有了点精神）你看看，看看，（打开罩子）多么体面！一看见它呀，我就舍不得(160)死啦！
王利发　松二爷，不准说死！有那么一天，您还会走一步好运！
常四爷　二哥，走！找个地方喝两盅儿去！一醉解千愁(161)！王掌柜，我可就不让你啦，没有那么多的钱！
王利发　我也分不开身，就不陪了！
〔常四爷、松二爷正往外走，宋恩子和吴祥子进来，他们俩仍穿灰色大衫，但袖口瘦了，而且罩上青布马褂。
松二爷　（看清楚是他们，不由地上前请安）原来是你们二位爷！
〔王利发似乎受了松二爷的感染，也请安，弄得二人愣住(162)了。
宋恩子　这是怎么啦？民国好几年了，怎么还请安？你们不会鞠躬吗？
松二爷　我看见您二位的灰大褂呀，就想起了前清的事儿！不能不请安！

Notes:
(159) 还像个人吗：does someone still look like a person?
(160) 舍不得：hate to part with;be reluctant to…
(161) 一醉解千愁：once drunk will get rid of one thousand worries.
(162) 愣住：lèngzhù， to be dumb found.
have to earn your own keep, eh? And how about yourself, Second Edler?

SECOND ELDER SONG: How am I? It’s hard to keep from crying. Have you noticed the things I’m waring? They’re a disgrace!

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: But you can reand and write, and work figures; surely you can find some sort of job?

SECOND ELDER SONG: Of course nobody wants to starve to death doing nothing, but who wants us Manchu Bannermen? When you think about it, maybe the Great Qing Impire wasn’t so good, but I’ve gone hungry from the day this Republic of China began.

WANG LIFA (returning with tea and giving money to Fourth Elder Chang):  I don’t know how much you spent. Perhaps this isn’t enough?
FOURTH ELDER CHANG (taking money and stuffing it in his jacket without counting it):  Forget it.
WANG LIFA: Second Elder (pointing to bird cage), still an oriole, I suppose? Good singer?
SECOND ELDER SONG: Of course it’s an oriole. I may be going hungry, but I’d never let my oriole starve. (Perks up a bit.) Take a look at him—come on. (Opens cover.) Isn’t he a beauty? Whenever I look at him, I can’t bear the thought of dying.
WANG LIFA: Second Elder Song, no more talk of dying! Your luck will change one of these days.
FORUTH ELDER CHANG: Come on, Second Elder, let’s find a place where we can shar a few cups of wine. One cup can drown a thousand sorrows. Proprietor Wang. I’m sorry; I’d like to invite you, but I don’t have enough money.
WANG LIFA: I can’t spare the time anyway. You two go without me. (As Fourth Elder Chang and Second Elder Song are on their way out, Song Enzi and Wu xiangzi enter. They still wear grey gowns, but the cuffs are in the new narrow fashion, and they are wearing black mandarin jackets on top of them.)
SECOND ELDER SONG (recongnizing them and automatically going down on one knee to ay his respects): Well. So it’s you two gentlemen.
( As if influenced by Second Elder Song, Wang Lifa greets them in the same way, leaving the two nonplussed.)
SONG ENZI: What’s this? We’ve got a Republic now, how come you still kneel? Haven’t you learned the new bow?
SECOND ELDEER SONG: Whenever I see you two gentlemen’s grey gowns, I think of that

王利发　我也那样！我觉得请安比鞠躬更过瘾(163)！
吴祥子　哈哈哈哈！松二爷，你们的铁秆庄稼不行了，我们的灰色大褂反倒成了铁秆庄稼，哈哈哈！（看见常四爷）这不是常四爷吗？
常四爷　是呀，您的眼力不错！戊戌年我就在这儿说了句“大清国要完”，叫您二位给抓了走，坐了一年多的牢？
宋恩子　您的记性可也不错！混的还好吧？
常四爷　托福！从牢里出来，不久就赶上庚子年；扶清灭洋，我当了义和团，跟洋人打了几仗！闹来闹去，大清国到底是亡了，该亡！我是旗人，可是我得说公道话！现在，每天起五更弄一挑子(164)青菜，绕(165)到十点钟就卖光。凭力气挣饭吃，我的身上更有劲了！什么时候洋人敢再动兵，我姓常的还准备跟他们打打呢！我是旗人，旗人也是中国人哪！您二位怎么样？
吴祥子　瞎混呗！有皇上的时候，我们给皇上效力，有袁大总统的时候，我们给袁大总统效力；现而今，宋恩子，该怎么说啦？
宋恩子　谁给饭吃，咱们给谁效力！
常四爷　要是洋人给饭吃呢？
松二爷　四爷，咱们走吧！
吴祥子　告诉你，常四爷，要我们效力的都仗着洋人撑腰！没有洋枪洋炮，怎能够打起仗来呢？
松二爷　您说的对！嗻，四爷，走吧！
常四爷　再见吧，二位，盼着你们快快升官发财(166)！（同松二爷下）
宋恩子　这小子！
王利发　（倒茶）常四爷老是那么又倔又硬，别计较他！（让茶）二位喝碗吧，刚沏好的。
宋恩子　后面住着的都是什么人？
Notes:
(163) 过瘾：guòyǐn， do sth. To one's heart's content；
(164) 一挑子：one shoulder-pole, meaning the baskets on the two ends of the pole are full.
(165) 绕：to go rounds.
(166) 升官发财：to become an official of higher ranking and making more money.

time back under the Qing, and I drop to my knee wihout thinking.
WANG LIFA: Same here. The old form of greeting suits me better than the new bow.
WU XIANGZI (LAUGHING): Second Elder Song, you Bannermen’s stipends have dried up, but our “Grey Gown Department” is flourishing better than ever. (Laughs, notices Fourth Elder Chang.) Isn’t this Fourth Elder Chang?
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: It is. Your eyesight’s fine. I was arrested by you gentlemen here in 1898, and spent more than a year in prison for saying that “the Great Qing Empire is about done for.”
SONG ENZI: You have a remarkable memory. Life treating you well these days?
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Thanks to you, yes. I got out of prison just before the year 1900, and jointed the Boxers to help the dynasty oust the foreigners. We did battle with the foreigners a few times; but despite all our efforts the Great Qing Empire collapsed in the end. Well, it deserved to collapse. I’m a Bannerman myself, but I must speak the truth. Now, every day I’m up at dawn and get togtether two baskets of vegetables, and by mid-morning I have them all sold. Because I earn my own keep I’m healthier than ever. If the foreigners ever venture to attack again, I’ll be ready for them. I’m a Bannerman. Bannermen are Chinese too! And how’ve you two been keeping?

WU XIANGZE: We muddle along. When there was an emperor, we served the emperor; when Yuan Shikai became president, we served President Yuan /shikai. And now…Song Enzi, how would you put it?
SONG ENZI: Now we serve whoever puts food in our bellies.
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: And supposing a foreigner offers to feed you?
SECOND ELDER SONG: Fourth Elder, we’d better go.
WU XIANGZI: You listen to me Fourth Elder Chang, whoever we work for—they all depend on foreign backing. Without foreign rifles and foreign cannons how could there be any fighting?
SECOND ELDER SONG: Quite right, indeed. Fourth Elder, let’s go.
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Till we meet again, gentlemen. I expect you’ll both be wealthy officials before too long. (Exits with Second Elder Song.)
SONG ENZI: That bastard!
WANG LIFA (POURING TEA): Fourth Elder Chang is always difficult. Pay no attention to him. (Offers them tea.) You should try some, it’s freshly brewed.

王利发　多半是大学生，还有几位熟人。我有登记簿子，随时报告给“巡警阁子”。我拿来，二位看看？
吴祥子　我们不看簿子，看人！

王利发　你甭看，准保都是靠得住(167)的人！
宋恩子　你为什么爱(168)租学生们呢？学生不是什么老实家伙(169)呀！
王利发　这年月，做官的今天上任，明天撤职，做买卖的今天开市，明天关门，都不可靠！只有学生有钱，能够按月交房租，没钱的就上不了大学啊！您看，是这么一笔账不是？
宋恩子　都叫你咂摸透了！你想的对！现在，连我们也欠饷啊！
吴祥子　是呀，所以非天天拿人(170)不可，好得点津贴！
宋恩子　就仗着有错拿，没错放的，拿住人就有津贴！走吧，到后边看看去！
吴祥子　走！
王利发　二位，二位！您放心，准保没错儿！
宋恩子　不看，拿不到人，谁给我们津贴呢？
吴祥子　王掌柜不愿意咱们看，王掌柜必会给咱们想办法，咱们得给王掌柜留个面子！对吧？王掌柜！
王利发　我……
宋恩子　我出个不很高明的主意：干脆来个包月，每月一号，按阳历算，你把那点……
吴祥子　那点意思(171)！
宋恩子　对，那点意思送到，你省事(172)，我们也省事！
王利发　那点意思得多少呢？
吴祥子　多年的交情(173)，你看着办！你聪明，还能把那点意思闹成不好意思吗？
李　三　（提着菜筐由后面出来）喝，二位爷！（请安）今儿个又得关城门吧！（没等回答，往外走）
〔二、三学生匆匆地回来。
Notes:
(167) 靠得住：reliable;
(168) 爱：to be fond of doing…
(169) 家伙：refering to a person in a scornful tone.
(170) 拿人：to arrest somebody. (171) 意思：usually means a thought or an idea, here it means a way to express one’s idea; 不好意思：means feeling embarrassed. (172) 省事：shěngshì， to simplify matters. (173) 交情：friendship.  
SONG ENZI: Who do y9ou have lodging back there?
WANG LIFA: Mostly university students, and a few friends as well. I keep a register and report to Police Headquarters from time to time. Shall I get it for you?
WU XIANGZI:  We don’t watch registers, we watch people.
WANG LIFA: You don’t need to watch anyone here, I guarantee they’re all solid citizens.
SONG ENZI: Just why do you like renting to students, eh? Students aren’t a reliable lot.
WANG LIFA: Nowadays officials are appointed one day and dismissed the next. Merchants open shop today and tomorrow they’re broke. You can’t depend on them. It’s only the students who have money to pay rent each month; if they didn’t have money they wouldn’t be in univeristy. Think about it. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
SONG ENZI: To the last detail. You’re dead right. /we haven’t been paid lately ourselves.
WU XIANGZI: That’s right. So we have to nab somebody every day just to keep in pocket money.
SONG ENZI: We’re not too fussy about who we nab, but we are about who we let go. 马克ingarrests is what keeps us in pocket money. Come on, let’s take a look out back.
WU XIANGZI: After you.
WANG LIFA: Gentlemen, gentlemen, don’t trouble yourselves. I assure you, nobody here’s broken the law.
SONG ENZI: But, if we don’t look, we cn’t nab anybody. And if we don’t what do we do for cash?
WU XIANGZI: If Proprietor Wang doesn’t want us to look, he’ll surely be able to think of something else for us. We’ve got to give Proprietor Wang a chance to save face. Right, Proprietor Wang?

WANG LIFA: I…
SONG ENZI: It’s not too bright, but I’ve got an idea: how about a simple monthly reckoning? On the first of every month—by the Western calendar—you can send us this little…
WU ENZI: Right. Just alittle expression of gratitude. Save you time, and save us time.
WANG LIFA: This little expression of gratitude—how much will it come to?
WU ENZI: We’re old friends; do as you see fit. You understand these things—you wouldn’t want to turn an expression of gratitude into ingratutide, would you

THIRD-BORN LI (appearing from rear with shopping basket)：Oh! Gentlemen. (Drops to one knee.) I’m afraid the city gates will be closed again today. (Starts off without waiting for a

学　生　三爷，先别出去，街上抓伕(174)呢！（往后面走去）
李　三　（还往外走）抓去也好，在哪儿也是当苦力(175)！
〔刘麻子丢了魂(176)似的跑来，和李三碰了个满怀。
李　三　怎么回事呀？吓掉了魂儿啦！
刘麻子　（喘着）别，别，别出去！我差点叫他们抓了去！
王利发　三爷，等一等吧！
李　三　午饭怎么开呢！
王利发　跟大家说一声，中午咸菜饭，没别的办法！晚上吃那两只鸡！
李　三　好吧！（往回走）
刘麻子　我的妈呀，吓死我啦！
宋恩子　你活着，也不过多买卖几个大姑娘！
刘麻子　有人卖，有人买，我不过在中间帮帮忙，能怪我吗？（把桌上的三个茶杯的茶先后喝净）
吴祥子　我可是告诉你，我们哥儿们从前清起就专办革命党，不大爱管贩卖人口、拐带妇女什么的臭事。可是你要叫我们碰见，我们也不再睁一眼闭一眼！还有，像你这样的人，弄进去，准锁在尿桶上！
刘麻子　二位爷，别那么说呀！我不是也快挨饿了吗？您看，以前，我走八旗老爷们、宫里太监们的门子。这么一革命啊，可苦了我啦！现在，人家总长次长，团长师长，要娶姨太太(177)讲究要唱落子(178)的坤角(179)，戏班里的女名角，一花就三千五千现大洋！我干瞧着，摸不着门！我那点芝麻粒大的生意算得了什么呢？
宋恩子　你呀，非锁在尿桶上，不会说好的！
刘麻子　得啦，今天我孝敬不了二位，改天我必有一份儿人心(180)！
吴祥子　你今天就有买卖，要不然，兵荒马乱的，你不会出来！
Notes:

(174) 抓伕：zhuāfū, to force somebody to serve in the army. (175) 苦力：kǔlì， hard labour.
(176) 丢魂：diūhún， distracted. (177) 姨太太：yítàitai，a way to say a concubine.
(178) 唱落子：làozi，a general term for northern popular singing in the old times.
(179) 坤角：a female role.
(180) 一份人心：a way to exprss one’s heart.reply.) (two or three students rush in.)
STUDENTS: Third Elder, you’d better not go out there…they’re seizing men for the army. (Continue to rear.)
THIRD-BORN LI  (continuing out): So what if the army seized me? You’re worked to death wherever you are.

 

(Pockface Liu runs in, frightened out of his wits, and bumps squarely into Third-Born Li.)
THIRD-BORN LI: What’s wrong, you look like you’ve been a ghost.
POCKFACE LIU  (TRYING TO C ATCH HIS BREATH): Don’t…don’t… don’t go out. They almost got me.
WANG LIFA: Third Elder, you’d better wait a while.
THIRD-BORN LI: But wht’ll we do about lunch?
WANG LIFA: You’ll hust have to explain to them that pickled turnips and rice were all we could get for lunch. They can have the two chickens for dinner tonight.

THIRD-BORN LI: Okay. (Returns.)
POCKFACE LIU: Son-of-a-bitch! They about scared me to death.
SONG ENZI: Alive, about all you’re good for is buying and selling a few more girls.
POCKFACE LIU: Some people want to sell them, sme want to buy them; I’m just a middleman. I do what I can to help—what’s wrong with that? (Gulps down the three cups of tea on the table.)

WU XIANGZI: I’m warning you, since the end of the Qing, we’ve been busy aresting rebels. We don’t like to waste our time on stinking slavetraders and kidnappers, but if you choose to carry on your game right in front of our noses we won’t let it go like we used to. And when we turn in your sort, we make damn sure they lock you onto the shitpail.

POCKFACE LIU: Gentlemen, how can you talk like that? I’m living on the edge of starvationmyself. Just think, I used to hobnob with the Banner aristocracy and the palace eunuchs. All this so-called revolution has brought me is hardship. Now, any high-ups looking for concubines insisit on getting some actress who can sing local drama, or some star from a Beijing Opera troupe—and they’re willing to pay from three to five thousand silver dollars.I’d love to get in on that, but…fat chance. The piddling bit of business I do is nothing.

SONG ENZI: You scum. Locked on the shitpail is the only place for your kind.
POCKFACE LIU: Back off, eh. I don’t have anything to give you gentlemen today, but I will have one of these days soon.

刘麻子　没有！没有！
宋恩子　你嘴里半句实话也没有！不对我们说真话，没有你的好处！王掌柜，我们出去绕绕；下月一号，按阳历算，别忘了！
王利发　我忘了姓什么，也忘不了您二位这回事！
吴祥子　一言为定(181)啦！（同宋恩子下）
王利发　刘爷，茶喝够了吧？该出去活动活动！
刘麻子　你忙你的，我在这儿等两个朋友。
王利发　咱们可把话说开了，从今以后，你不能再在这儿做你的生意，这儿现在改了良，文明啦！

〔康顺子提着个小包，带着康大力，往里边探头。
康大力　是这里吗？
康顺子　地方对呀，怎么改了样儿？（进来，细看，看见了刘麻子）大力，进来，是这儿！
康大力　找对啦？妈！
康顺子　没错儿！有他在这儿，不会错！
王利发　您找谁？
康顺子　（不语，直奔过刘麻子去）刘麻子，你还认识我吗？（要打，但是伸不出手去，一劲地颤抖）你，你，你个……（要骂，也感到困难）
刘麻子　你这个娘儿们，无缘无故地跟我捣什么乱(182)呢？
康顺子　（挣扎）无缘无故？你，你看看我是谁？一个男子汉，干什么吃不了饭，偏干伤天害理(183)的事！呸！呸！
王利发　这位大嫂，有话好好说！
康顺子　你是掌柜的？你忘了吗？十几年前，有个娶媳妇的太监？
王利发　您，您就是庞太监的那个……
康顺子　都是他（指刘麻子）做的好事，我今天跟他算算账！（又要打，仍未成功）
Notes:
(181) 一言为定：yīyán-wéidìng，once sth. Is said, it must be kept。
(182) 跟…捣乱：to make trouble with somebody.

(183) 伤天害理：shāngtiān-hàilǐ， do things of fensive to God and reason。
WU XIANGZI: You’ve got some deal going today; otherwise, you wouldn’t show your face
when there is trouble on the streets.
POCKFACE LIU: No, I haven’t. Nothing.
SONG ENZI: That mut of yours has never spoken a single word of truth. But lying to us will do you no good. Proprietor Wang, we’re going to make our rounds. The first of next month—Western calendar—don’t forget!

WANG LIFA: I’d forget my own name before I’d forget the gratitude I owe you gentlemen.
WU XIANGZI: then it’s settled (Exits with Song Enzi.)
WANG LIFA: Elder Liu, I think you’ve had enough tea; why don’t you find somewhere else to hang out?
POCKFACE LIU: Why don’t you get on with your work? I’m waiting here for a couple of friends.
WANG LIFA: Let you and I get things straight. From now on you’re going to have to do your business omewhere else. This place has been reformed—it’s a high-class establishment now.

(Kang Shunzi, carrying a small bundle and leading Kang Dali, peer in trough the door.)
KANG Dali: Is this the place?
KANG SHUNZI: This is it all right, but it seems different. (Enters, makes a more careful survey, and sees Pockface Liu.) Dali, come in…this is it.
KANG DALI: Are you sure, Momma?
KANG SHUNZI:  No boube about it. With that guy here, there can be no mistake.
WANG LIFA: Who’re you looking for?
 

KANG SHUNZI (without answering and striding over to Pockface liu): Pockface Liu, do you know who you’re looking at? (wants to strike him, but seems unable to—shudders violently.)  You…you…you…(Wants to curse him, but is overcome with emothion.)

POCKFACE LIU: What’re you bugging me for, you dumb broad? What have I done to you?
KANG SHUNZI (struggling with him) : Done to me! You…you don’t remember who I am? What kind of a man would turn to your rotten, stinking business to fill this belly? Bastard!

WANG LIFA: Elder Sister, if ou’ve got some problem let’s hear it—reasonably.
KANG SHUNZI: You’re the proprietor? Have you forgotten? More than ten years ago, when a palace eunuch wanted to buy a wife?
WANG LIFA: You…you’re the woman Eunuch Pang…

刘麻子　（躲）你敢！你敢！我好男不跟女斗！（随说随往后退）我，我找人来帮我说说理！（撒腿往后面跑）
王利发　（对康顺子）大嫂，你坐下，有话慢慢说！庞太监呢？
康顺子　（坐下喘气）死啦。叫他的侄子们给饿死的。一改民国呀，他还有钱，可没了势力，所以侄子们敢欺负他。他一死，他的侄子们把我们轰出来了，连一床被子都没给我们！
王利发　这，这是……？

康顺子　我的儿子！
王利发　您的……？
康顺子　也是买来的，给太监当儿子。
康大力　妈！你爸爸当初就在这儿卖了你的？
康顺子　对了，乖！就是这儿，一进这儿的门，我就晕过去了，我永远忘不了这个地方！
康大力　我可不记得我爸爸在哪里卖了我的！
康顺子　那时候，你不是才一岁吗？妈妈把你养大了的，你跟妈妈一条心，对不对？乖！
康大力　那个老东西，掐你，拧你，咬你，还用烟签子扎我！他们人多，咱们打不过他们！要不是你，妈，我准叫他们给打死了！
康顺子　对！他们人多，咱们又太老实！你看，看见刘麻子，我想咬他几口，可是，可是，连一个嘴巴也没打上，我伸不出手去！
康大力　妈，等我长大了，我帮助你打！我不知道亲妈妈是谁，你就是我的亲妈妈！
康顺子　好！好！咱们永远在一块儿，我去挣钱，你去念书！（稍愣了一会儿）掌柜的，当初我在这儿叫人买了去，咱们总算有缘，你能不能帮帮忙，给我找点事做？我饿死不要紧，可不能饿死这个无倚无靠的好孩子！


KANG SHUNZI (pointing to Pockface liu): He’s to blame for it all. And now he’s going to pay. (Again makes as if to strike him but is still unable to bring herself to do it.)

POCKFACE LIU (ducking away) :Back off. Back off. I’m not going to fight with a woman—I’m a man. (Retreating as he speaks.) I…I’m going to find someone to straighten this out. (Runs to the rear.)
WANG LIFA (to Kang Shunzi): Elder Sister, sit down and tell me all about it. How’s Eunuch Pang?
KANG SHUNZI (sitting down and catching her breath): He’s dead. His nephews let him starve to death. He was still wealthy when the Republic was established, but he’d lost all his power, and his nephews cheated him out of everything he owned. When he died, they threw us out with nothing—not even a blanket.
WANG LIFA: And this? This is…
KANG SHUNZI: My son.
WANG LIFA: Your…?
KANG SHUNZI:  He was bought too, as Eunuch Pang’s son.
KANG DALI: Momma, is this really the place where your father sold you?
KANG SHUNZI: That’s right, my sweet. I fainted just after I came in. I’ll never forget this place.
KANG DALI: but I don’t remember where my father sold me.
KANG SHUNZI: That’s because you were barely a year old. I brought you up though, and now you’re my son, eh, my love?

KANG DALI: That old bully. Pinched you, twisted your arm, even bit you; and he used to burn me with those litle sticks he used to prepare his opium. There were too many of them, we couldn’t do anything about it. If it wasn’t for you, mother, they would have caned me to death.

KANG SHUNZI: Yes, there were lots of them all right, but we let them walk all over us. /Take Pockface Liu here, I should bite him, draw blood, but I haven’t touched him. I couldn’t even belt him one.

KANG DALI: Momma, when I grow up I’ll help you fight. Idon’t know who my real mother is. You’re my mother now.

KANG SHUNZI: That’s a good boy. That’s a good boy. We’ll always stick together; I’ll get some kind of job and you can go to school. (Stares dreamily for a moment.) Proprietor, since I was sold in here, our fates seem to be linked together. Perhaps you could help me find a job of some sort? My own life doesn’t matter, but this helpless child mustn’t be allowed to starve to death.

〔王淑芬出来，立在后边听着。
王利发　你会干什么呢？
康顺子　洗洗涮涮、缝缝补补、做家常饭，都会！我是乡下人，我能吃苦，只要不再做太监的老婆，什么苦处都是甜的！
王利发　要多少钱呢？
康顺子　有三顿饭吃，有个地方睡觉，够大力上学的，就行！
王利发　好吧，我慢慢给你打听着！你看，十多年前那回事，我到今天还没忘，想起来心里就不痛快！
康顺子　可是，现在我们母子上哪儿去呢？
王利发　回乡下找你的老父亲去！

康顺子　他？他是活是死，我不知道。就是活着，我也不能去找他！他对不起女儿，女儿也不必再叫他爸爸！
王利发　马上就找事，可不大容易！
王淑芬　（过来）她能洗能做，又不多要钱，我留下她了！
王利发　你？
王淑芬　难道我不是内掌柜的（184）？难道我跟李三爷就该累死？
康顺子　掌柜的，试试我！看我不行，您说话，我走！
王淑芬　大嫂，跟我来！
康顺子　当初我是在这儿卖出去的，现在就拿这儿当作娘家吧！大力，来吧！
康大力　掌柜的，你要不打我呀，我会帮助妈妈干活儿！（同王淑芬、康顺子下）
王利发　好家伙，一添就是两张嘴！太监取消了，可把太监的家眷交到这里来了！
李　三　（掩护着刘麻子出来）快走吧！（回去）
王利发　就走吧，还等着真挨两个脆（185）的吗？
Notes：
(184) 内掌柜的：the internal master.
(185) 脆的：crispy slaps on the face.
(Wang Shufen enters and stands at rear, listening.)
WANG LIFA: What kind of work can you do?
KANG SHUNZI: Washing, sewing, mending, everyday cooking—anything like that. I’m a peasant woman, I’m used to hard work. Just as long as I don’t have to play wife to a eunuch again, anything will seem sweet.
WANG LIFA:l How about pay?
KANG SHUNZI: All we want is three meals a day, a place to sleep, and enough to send Dali to school.
WANG LIFA: Fine. I’ll start making some enquiries. You know, though it was more than ten years ago, I haven’t forgotten thatt day; it still upsets me to think of it.
KANG SHUNZI: But what are my boy and I going to do in the meantime?
WANG LIFA: Why don’t you go to the countryside and try to find  your father?
KANG SHUNZI: My father? I don’t know whether he’s alive or dead. And even if he’s alive, I don’t want ot find him. He sold me into shame; I can’t call him “Father” any more.
WANG LIFA: It’s not going to be easy to find you a job right away.
WANG SHUFEN (coming over): If she can do everything and doesn’t want too much money, I want ot keep her here!
WANG LIFA: You?
WANG SHUFEN: Don’t I run half the teahouse? Should Third Elder Li and I work ourselves to death?
KANG SHUNZI: Proprietor, give me a chance. If I’m not good enough, you just say the word and I’ll Leave.
WANG SHUFEN: Elder Sister, come with me.
KANG SHUNZI: This is the place I was sold, but now I can make it my new home. Dali, come along
KANG DALI: Proprietor, if you don’t beat me, I’ll help Momma with her work. (Exits with Wang Shufen and Kang Shunzi.)
WANG LIFA: Well! Two more mouths to feed—just like that! You get rid of the eunuchs, but then the eunuchs’ families descend on you.
THIRD-BORN LI (ENTERING WITH Pockface and shielding him): Out you go. (Disappears again.)
WANG LIFA: Out! Or are you hanging around to get your face slapped a couple of good ones?

刘麻子　我不是说过了吗，等两个朋友？
王利发　你呀，叫我说什么才好呢！
刘麻子　有什么法子呢！隔行如隔山(186)，你老得开茶馆，我老得干我这一行！到什么时候，我也得干我这一行！
〔老林和老陈满面笑容地走进来。
刘麻子　（二人都比他年轻，他却称呼他们哥哥）林大哥，陈二哥！（看王不满意，赶紧说）王掌柜，这儿现在没有人，我借个光(187)，下不为例！
王利发　她（指后边）可是还在这儿呢！
刘麻子　不要紧了，她不会打人！就是真打，他们二位也会帮助我！

王利发　你呀！哼！（到后边去）
刘麻子　坐下吧，谈谈！
老　林　你说吧！老二！
老　陈　你说吧！哥！
刘麻子　谁说不一样啊！
老　陈　你说吧，你是大哥！
老　林　那个，你看，我们俩是把兄弟！
老　陈　对！把兄弟，两个人穿一条裤子的交情！
老　林　他有几块现大洋！
刘麻子　现大洋？
老　陈　林大哥也有几块现大洋！
刘麻子　一共多少块呢？说个数目！
老　林　那，还不能告诉你咧！
老　陈　事儿能办才说咧！
刘麻子　有现大洋，没有办不了的事！
老　林　真的？
老　陈、刘麻子　说假话是孙子！
老　林　那么，你说吧，老二！
老　陈　还是你说，哥！
老　林　你看，我们是两个人吧？
Notes: (186) 隔行如隔山：géhángrúgéshān， difference in profession makes one feel worlds apart。 (187) 借光：jièguāng， meaning: excuse me

POCKFACE LIU: Didn’t I tell you? I’m waiting for a couple of friends.
WANG LIFA: You! How many times do I have to tell you before yu get the message?
POCKFACE LIU: What else can I do? We just live different sorts of lives. You’ll always be running a teahouse, and me, I’ll always be working my own little game—always. Till the day I die.

(Old Lin and Old /chen enter, wreathed in smiles.)
POCKFACE LIU (although they are younger than he is, Liu addresses them as elder brothers):
Elder Brother Lin! Elder Brother Chen! (Noticing Wang’s disapproval, he quickly pleads.) :Proprietor Wang, there’s nobody here right now. Give me a break—I won’t do it again.
WANG LIFA: She’s still here, you know. (Points towards back.)
POCKFACE LIU: Forget it. She’s not going to start anything, and if she does, these fellows’ll give me a hand.

WANG LIFA: You…! Humph! (Exits rear.)
POCKFACE LIU: Sit down, please. Now, what do yo have in mind?
OLD LIN: You tell him, Second Elder.
OLD CHEN: You tell him, Elder Brother.
POCKFACE LIU: What does it matter who tells me?
OLD CHEN: You tell him—you’re the elder brother.
OLD LIN: Well…you see…The two of us are sworn brrothers.
OLD CHEN: Right. Sworn brothers. We’re as close as two men in one pair of pants.
OLD LIN: He’s got some silver dollars.
OLD CHEN: Elder Brother Lin has some silver dollars too.
POCKFACE LIU: How much altogether? Give me a figure.
OLD LIN: Well we can’t tell you that just yet, eh?
OLD CHEN: If you can do what we want, then we’ll tell you.
POCKFACE LIU: When there’re silver dollars about, I can do anything.
OLD LIN and OLD CHEN: Really?
POCKFACE LIU: really. Or I’ll be a monkey’s uncle.
OLD LIN: Then…you tell him, Second Elder.
OLD CHEN: No, you tell him, Elder Brother.
OLD LIN: Well now, you can see that there are two of us, eh?

老　林　你看，我们是两个人吧？
刘麻子　嗯！
老　陈　两个人穿一条裤子的交情吧？
刘麻子　嗯！

老　林　没人耻笑(188)我们的交情吧？
刘麻子　交情嘛，没人耻笑！
老　陈　也没人耻笑三个人的交情吧？
刘麻子　三个人？都是谁？
老　林　还有个娘儿们！
刘麻子　嗯！嗯！嗯！我明白了！可是不好办，我没办过！你看，平常都说小两口儿，哪有小三口儿的呢！
老　林　不好办？
刘麻子　太不好办啦！
老　林　（问老陈）你看呢？
老　陈　还能白拉倒(189)吗？
老　林　不能拉倒！当了十几年兵，连半个媳妇都娶不上！他妈的！
刘麻子　不能拉倒，咱们再想想！你们到底一共有多少块现大洋？
〔王利发和崔久峰由后面慢慢走来。刘麻子等停止谈话。
王利发　崔先生，昨天秦二爷派人来请您，您怎么不去呢？您这么有学问，上知天文，下知地理，又作过国会议员，可是住在我这里，天天念经；干吗不出去做点事呢？您这样的好人，应当出去做官！有您这样的清官，我们小民才能过太平日子！

崔久峰　惭愧！惭愧！做过国会议员，那真是造孽(190)呀！革命有什么用呢，不过自误误人而已！唉！现在我只能修持(191)，忏悔(192)！
Notes:

(188) 耻笑：chǐxiào， to sneer at…
(189) 拉倒：lādǎo， to drop it at that.
(190) 造孽：zàoniè， vommit a sin。
(191) 修持：to cultivate oneself.
(192) 忏悔：to confess, to repent.

POCKFACE LIU: Mmmh.
OLD CHEN:  As  close as two men in one pair of pants?
POCKFACE LIU: Mmmh!
OLD LIN: Nobody’d make fun of our friendship, would they?
POCKFACE LIU: Friendship? Nobody makes fun of friendship.
OLD CHEN: So nobody’d make fun of the friendship between three people either, would they?
POCKFACE LIU: Three people? Who’s third?
OLD LIN: Our bride.

POCKFACE LIU: Mmmh? Mmmh. Mmmh! Now I see. But it’s going to be difficult to manage; I’ve never done it before. Think of it! We’re always talking about the weddings of happy twosomes, but who ever heard of a happy threesome?
OLD LIN: Difficult to manage?
POCKFACE LIU: Very difficult to manage.
OLD LIN (to Old Chen): Well, what do you think?
OLD CHEN: Maybe we should forget about it?
OLD LIN: Forget about it? No way! After all these years in the army, and we can’t manage even half a wife? Son-of-a-bitch!

POCKFACE LIU: If you can’t forget about it, then we’re going to have to do some more thinking. Just how many silver dollars do you actually have?
(Wang Lifa and Cui Jiufeng approach slowly from the rear. Pockface Liu and the two deserters stop talking.)

WANG LIFA: Mr. Cui, if Second Elder Qin sent you an invitation yesterday, why aren’t you going? Someone as learned as yourself—everything from astronomy to geography—and a former member of the Legislative Assembly as well. And yet you choose to live here, chanting sutras day after day. Why don’t you get involved? A man of your calibre should be in government. Only when we get honest people like you in office will ordinary citizens like us have a chance to live normal lives.

CUI JIUFENG: I’m ashamed of myself, ashamed. To have ben a member of this Legislative Assembly is nothing short of a sin. What has the revolution accomplished? We’ve deluded ourselves and deluded the people—nothing else. Ai! All I can do now is cultivate myself morally and repent my past sins.

王利发　您看秦二爷，他又办工厂，又忙着开银号！
崔久峰　办了工厂、银号又怎么样呢？他说实业救国，他救了谁？救了他自己，他越来越有钱了！可是他那点事业，哼，外国人伸出一个小指头，就把他推倒在地，再也起不来！
王利发　您别这么说呀！难道咱们就一点盼望也没有了吗？
崔久峰　难说！很难说！你看，今天王大帅打李大帅，明天赵大帅又打王大帅。是谁叫他们打的？
王利发　谁？哪个混蛋？
崔久峰　洋人！

王利发　洋人？我不能明白！
崔久峰　洋人！
王利发　洋人？我不能明白！
崔久峰　慢慢地你就明白了。有那么一天，你我都得做亡国奴(193)！我干过革命，我的话不是随便说的！
王利发　那么，您就不想想主意，卖卖力气，别叫大家做亡国奴？
崔久峰　我年轻的时候，以天下为己任，的确那么想过！现在，我可看透了，中国非亡不可！
王利发　那也得死马当活马治(194)呀！
崔久峰　死马当活马治？那是妄想！死马不能再活，活马可早晚得死！好啦，我到弘济寺去，秦二爷再派人来找我，你就说我只会念经，不会干别的！（下）
〔宋恩子、吴祥子又回来了。
王利发　二位！有什么消息没有？
〔宋恩子、吴祥子不语，坐在靠近门口的地方，看着刘麻子等。
〔刘麻子不知如何是好，低下头去。
〔老陈、老林也不知如何是好，相视无言。
〔静默了有一分钟。
老　陈　哥，走吧？
Notes:

(193) 亡国奴： a slave of a fallen country.

(194) 死马当活马治：to cure the dead horse as if it is still alive.

WANG LIFA: But look at Second Elder Qin. Not only is he setting up a factory, he’s even opening up private banks.

CUI JIUFENG: Setting up factories and opening banks will accomplish nothing. He mouths the slogan, “Save the nation ghrough industrialization”, but who is he reallysaving? Himself! He’s getting wealthier all the time. His industrial venture? Humph! The foreigners can wipe him out with the wave of a hand—then he can wave his factory goodbye forever.

WANG LIFA: Don’t talk like that! Surely there’s still some hope or us?

CUI JIUFENG: I don’t know, I just don’t know. With all this fighting…one day Marshal Wang’s attacking Marshal Li and the next day Marshal Zhao’s attacking marshal Wang. And who’s putting them up to it?

WANG LIFA: Yes, who? Who’s the son-of-a-bitch?

CUI JIUFENG: The foreigners.

WANG LIFA: Foreigners? I don’t see how.

CUI JIUFENG: You will in time. The day is coming when China will collapse and we’ll be enslaved. I was involved in our so-called “revolution”—I know what I’m talking about.

WANG LIFA: Then, why don’t you think of something? Do something? To prevent our people becoming slaves?

CUI JIUFENG: When I was young I thought I had to save the nation; truly I did. But now I see things as they are. China is finished—dead.

WANG LIFA: Then we must try to breathe new life into her!

CUI JIUFENG: New life into an old corpse? Nonsense. What’s dead is dead. Everything living must die sooner or later. Anyway, I’m going to the Temple of Infinite Mercy. If Second Elder Qin sends someone for me again, tell him that all I do these days is chant sutras, nothing else. (Exits.)

(song Enzi and Wu Xiangzi re-enter.)

WANG LIFA: Gentlemen, have you heard anything

(Neither Song Enzi nor Wu Xiangzi answers. They sit near the entrance, watching Pockface Liu and the deserters.)
(Pockface Liu, at a loss, looks at the table.)
(Old Chen and Old Lin, also at a loss, look at each other without speaking.)
(Complete silence for a moment.)
OLD CHEN: Elder Brother, tiem to go?
老　林　走！
宋恩子　等等！（立起来，挡住路）
老　陈　怎么啦？
吴祥子　（也立起）你说怎么啦？
〔四人呆呆相视一会儿。

宋恩子　乖乖地跟我们走！
老　林　上哪儿？
吴祥子　逃兵，是吧？有些块现大洋，想在北京藏起来，是吧？有钱就藏起来，没钱就当土匪，是吧？
老　陈　你管得着吗？我一个人揍你这样的八个。（要打）
宋恩子　你？可惜你把枪卖了，是吧？没有枪的干不过有枪的，是吧？（拍了拍身上的枪）我一个人揍你这样的八个！
老　林　都是弟兄，何必呢？都是弟兄！
吴祥子　对啦！坐下谈谈吧！你们是要命呢？还是要现大洋？
老　陈　我们那点钱来的不容易！谁发饷(195)，我们给谁打仗，我们打过多少次仗啊！
宋恩子　逃兵的罪过，你们可也不是不知道！
老　林　咱们讲讲吧，谁叫咱们是弟兄呢！
吴祥子　这像句自己人的话！谈谈吧！
王利发　（在门口）诸位，大令过来了！
老　陈、老　林　啊！（惊惶失措，要往里边跑）
宋恩子　别动！君子一言(196)：把现大洋分给我们一半，保你们俩没事！咱们是自己人！
老　林、老　陈　就那么办！自己人！
〔“大令”进来，二捧刀——刀缠红布——背枪者前导，手捧令箭的在中，四持黑红棍者在后。军官在最后押队。
吴祥子　（和宋恩子、老林、老陈一齐立正，从帽中取出证章，叫军官看）报告官长，我们正在这儿盘查一个逃兵。
Notes:

(195) 发饷：fāxiǎng， to issue pay to soldiers.

(196) 君子一言：a gentleman’s words would be kept.

OLD LIN: Yes, Let’s go.
SONG ENZI: Not so fast. (Rises and blocks their way.)
OLD CHEN: What’ve we done?
WU XIANGZE (rising): You’re asking what you’ve done? (The four of them glare at each other.)
SONG ENZI: You’d better come quietly.
OLD LIN: Come where?
WU XIANGZI: You’re deserters. Right? You’ve scraped together a few silver dollars, and you want to hole up in Beijing. Right? If you’ve got money, you hole up; if you haven’t, you turn to banditry. Right?

OLD CHEN: It’s none of your business. I can handle eight of the likes of you (Raises his fists.)
SONG ENZI: You? I’ll bet you’ve sold your guns. Right? A man without a gun is no match for one with one. Right? (Pats pistol under his gown.) I suspect it’s me who can handle eight of the likes of you.
OLD LIN: Brothers, there’s no need for this. We’re all brothers.
WU XIANGZI: Right! So let’s sit down and talk. Now, what’s your preference—your life, or your silver dollars?
OLD CHEN: /That little bit of money was hard come by. /We dhad to fight for whoever would pay us, and God knows how many times we fought.
SONG ENZI:  But you know the penalty for desertion, don’t you?
OLD LIN: Let’s talk it over, eh? Didn’t you just agree we’re all brothers?
WU XIANGZE: Now you’re talkingjust like one of us—so kep on talking!
WANG LIFA (at entrance): Gentlemen, the Execution Squad is coming.
OLD CHEN and OLD LIN: Ah! (Frightened and uncertain, make to run for the back.)
SONG ENZI: Stay where you are. You have my word; give us half your silver dollars and we’ll look after you. We’re your friends.
OLD LIN and OLD CHEN: Okay…friends.
(/execution Squad enters, led by two sword bearers, rifles slung over their shoulders, the swords, wrapped in red cloth. In the centre, the insignia bearer carries the execution mandate, and behind him follow four soldiers with red and black clubs. Execution Officer brings up the rear.)

WU XIANGZI(standing at attention with Song Enzi, Old Lin, and Old Chen, takes his credentials from his cap, and presents them to /Execution Officer) : Officer, we’ve just been

军　官　就是他吗？（指刘麻子）
吴祥子　（指刘麻子）就是他！
军　官　绑！
刘麻子　（喊）老爷！我不是，不是！
军　官　绑！（同下）
吴祥子　（对宋）到后面抓两个学生！

宋恩子　走！（同往后疾走）

——幕　落
 

interrogating a deserter.


EXECUTION OFFICER: Him eh? (Pointing to Pockface Liu.)

WU XIANGZI (Pointing to Pockface Liu): That’s him!

POCKFACE LIU (crying out): Master! Not me! It’s not me.

EXECUTION OFFICER: Seize him!


(Exit Execution Squad with Pockface Liu.)

WU XIANGZI (to Song Enzi): Let’s go in and nab a couple of students.

SONG ENZI:  Come on.

(They hurry towards the rear.)


                                                            (Curtain)    
 
第三幕

人　物　王大拴、明师傅、于厚斋、周秀花、邹福远、小宋恩子、王小花、卫福喜、小吴祥子、康顺子、方六、常四爷、丁宝、车当当、秦仲义、王利发、庞四奶奶、小心眼、茶客甲、乙、春梅、沈处长、小刘麻子、老杨、宪兵四人、取电灯费的、小二德子、小唐铁嘴、谢勇仁。
时　间　抗日战争胜利后，国民党特务和美国兵在北京横行(197)的时候。秋，清晨。
地　点　同前幕
〔幕启：现在，裕泰茶馆的样子可不像前幕那么体面了。藤椅已不见，代以小凳与条凳。自房屋至家具都显着暗淡无光。假若有什么突出惹眼的东西，那就是“莫谈国事”的纸条更多，字也更大了。在这些条子旁边还贴着“茶钱先付”的新纸条。
〔一清早，还没有下窗板。王利发的儿子王大拴，垂头丧气地独自收拾屋子。
〔王大拴的妻周秀花，领着小女儿王小花，由后面出来。她们一边走一边说话儿。
王小花　妈，晌午给我做点热汤面(198)吧！好多天没吃过啦！
周秀花　我知道，乖！可谁知道买得着面买不着呢？就是粮食店里可巧有面，谁知道咱们有钱没有呢！唉！
王小花　就盼着两样都有吧！妈！
周秀花　你倒想得好，可哪能那么容易！去吧，小花，在路上留神吉普车！
王大拴　小花，等等！
王小花　干吗？爸！
王大拴　昨天晚上……

周秀花　我已经嘱咐过她了！她懂事！
王大拴　你大力叔叔的事万不可对别人说呀！说了，咱们全家都得死！明白吧？

Notes:
(197) 横行：héngxíng，to play the tyrant and do bad things.
(198) 热汤面：noodles in hot soup.

Act Three
CHARACTERS: Wang Dashuan, Chef Ming, Yu Houzhai, Zhou xiuhua, Zou Fuyuan, Little Song Enzi, Wang Xiaohua, Wei Fuxi, Little Wu Xiangzi, Kang Shunzi, Sixth-Born fang, Fourth Elder Chang, 定Bao，che Dangdang, Qin Zhongyi, Wang Lifa, Fourth Aunt Pang, Little Xinyan, two Teahouse Customers, /chun Mei, Director shen, Little Pockface Liu, Old Yang, four Kuomintang Special Police, Lightbill Collector, Little Erdezi, Little Soothsaryer Tang, Xie Yongren.

TIME:  The perio dfollowing the defeat of the Japanese when KMT special agents and American troops were running rampant in Beijing. An early morning in autumn.

SCENE: Yutai Teahouse is no longer the handsome place it was in the previous act. /the wicker chairs are gone, having been replaced with stools and benches. Everything, from the building itself to the furniture, is dull and shabby. The only thing that mbiht catch the eye at all is the proliferation of “don’t discuss state affaris” notices—now in even bigger characters. Along with them there are some new notices：“Pay in advance.”

(It is early in the monrning. /the shutters have not yet been removed from the windows. 阿咯呢，Wang Lifa’s son, Wang Dashuan, is disconsolately putting the place in order.)

(Wang Dashuan’s wife Zhou Xiuhua enters from the rear with their daughter, Wang Xiaohua. They are talking as they enter.)

WANG XIAOHUA: Momma, will you make me noodles for lunch? I haven’t had any for ages.

ZHOU XIUHUA:  I know, dearest, but we may not be able to get flour. And even if the store happens to have some, we might not have enough money. Ai!

WANG XIAOHUA: Maybe we’ll be lucky, and there’ll be both.

ZHOU XIUHUA: That’s a nice thought, but it’s not as easy as that. Off to school now, Xiaohua, and watch out for those drunken American jeep drivers.

WANG DASHUAN: Xiaohua, just a minute.

WANG XIAOHUA: What do you want, Poppa?

WANG DASHUAN: Last night…

ZHOU XIUHUA: I’ve already warned her. She understands.

WANG DASHUAN: You mustn’t tell anyone your Uncle Dali was here. If they find out about it, we’ll all be killed. Do you understand?

WANG XIAOHUA: They can beat me to death before I’ll say a word. If they ask me if Uncle

王小花　我不说，打死我也不说！有人问我大力叔叔回来过没有，我就说：他走了好几年，一点消息也没有！
〔康顺子由后面走来。她的腰有点弯，但还硬朗。她一边走一边叫王小花。
康顺子　小花！小花！还没走哪？
王小花　康婆婆，干吗呀？
康顺子　小花，乖！婆婆再看你一眼！（抚弄王小花的头）多体面哪！吃的不足啊，要不然还得更好看呢！
周秀花　大婶，您是要走吧？

康顺子　是呀！我走，好让你们省点嚼谷(199)呀！大力是我拉扯(200)大的，他叫我走，我怎能不走呢？当初，我刚到这里的时候，他还没有小花这么高呢！
王小花　看大力叔叔现在多么壮实，多么大气！
康顺子　是呀，虽然他只在这儿坐了一袋烟的工夫呀，可是叫我年轻了好几岁！我本来什么也没有，一见着他呀，好像忽然间我什么都有啦！我走，跟着他走，受什么累，吃什么苦，也是香甜的！看他那两只大手，那两只大脚，简直是个顶天立地的男子汉！
王小花　婆婆，我也跟您去！
康顺子　小花，你乖乖地去上学，我会回来看你！
王大拴　小花，上学吧，别迟到！
王小花　婆婆，等我下了学您再走！
康顺子　哎！哎！去吧，乖！（王小花下）
王大拴　大婶，我爸爸叫您走吗？
康顺子　他还没打好了主意。我倒怕呀，大力回来的事儿万一叫人家知道了啊，我又忽然这么一走，也许要连累了你们！这年月不是天天抓人吗？我不能做对不起你们的事！
周秀花　大婶，您走您的，谁逃出去谁得活命！喝茶的不是常低声儿说：想要活命得上西山（北京西山一带当时是八路军的游击区。——絜青注）吗？
王大拴　对！
Notes:

(199) 嚼谷：grain for chowing.

(200) 拉扯：lāchě， take great pains to bring up a child。

Dali had come back, I’ll just tell them we haven’t heard a word form him since he left here years ago.

(Kang Shunzi enters from rear. She stoops a bit, but is still vigorous looking. As she enters, she is calling Wang Xiaohua.)

KANG SHUNZI: Xiaohua. Xiaohua. Haven’t you gone yet?

WANG XIAOHUA: Granny Kang, what is it?

KANG SHUNZI: Xiaohua, my dearest, Granny wants to see you once more. (Caresses Xiaohua’s hair.) So pretty. But if you got more to eat, you’d be even prettier.

ZHOU XIUHUA: Auntie, you’re going to go, are you?

KANG SHUNZI: Yes. I’m going to go. It’ll be one  less mouth for you to feed. I brought Dali up. How could I refuse him when he wants me to go? Remember? When we first came here, he wasn’t even as big as Xiaohua.

WANG XIAOHUA: But Uncle Dali’s so brave and strong now.

KANG SHUNZI: Yes, isn’t he! Although he ws hardly here long enough to smoke a pipeful of tobacco, it made me feel so much younger. I don’t have a thing in this world, but when I see him it’s as if I have everything. I’m going with him; hardship and fatigue will seem sweet when I’m with him. Those big hands and strong legs—he’s a giant of a man.

WANG XIAOHUA: Granny, I’m going with you too.

KANG SHUNZI: Xiaohua, if you’re a good little girl, and go to school, I promise I’ll come back and visit you.

WANG DASHUAN: Xiaohua, off you go to school. You don’t want to be late, do you?

WANG XIAOHUA: Granny, please don’t go till I’m home from school.

KANG SHUNZI:  Ai! Ai! You’d better go, dearest.


(Exit Wang Xiaohua.)

WANG DASHUAN: Auntie, did my father ask you to leave?

KANG SHUNZI: He dasn’t decided anything yet. But if people find out that Dali was here, and then I leave all of a sudden, I’m just afraid that you’ll be accused. They’re arresting people every day now, aren’t they? I don’t want to do anything that might hurt you people.

ZHOU XIUHUA: Auntie, you’ve got to look after yourself. Getting out of here means a new chance to live. Aren’t our customers always shispering: if you want to live you should go to the Western Hills? That’s where the Communist-led Eighth Route Army is.

WANG DASHUAN: That’s right.　　　　

康顺子　小花的妈，来吧，咱们再商量商量！我不能专顾自己，叫你们吃亏！老大，你也好好想想！（同周秀花下）
〔丁宝进来。
丁　宝　嗨，掌柜的，我来啦！
王大拴　你是谁？
丁　宝　小丁宝！小刘麻子叫我来的，他说这儿的老掌柜托他请个女招待。
王大拴　姑娘，你看看，这么个破茶馆，能用女招待吗？我们老掌柜呀，穷得乱出主意！

〔王利发慢慢地走出来，他还硬朗，穿的可很不整齐。
王利发　老大，你怎么老在背后褒贬（201）老人呢？谁穷得乱出主意呀？下板子去！什么时候了，还不开门！
〔王大拴去下窗板。
丁　宝　老掌柜，你硬朗啊？
王利发　嗯！要有炸酱面（202）的话，我还能吃三大碗呢，可惜没有！十几了？姑娘！
丁　宝　十七！
王利发　才十七？
丁　宝　是呀！妈妈是寡妇，带着我过日子。胜利以后呀，政府硬说我爸爸给我们留下的一所小房子是逆产，给没收了！妈妈气死了，我做了女招待！老掌柜！我到今天还不明白什么叫逆产，你知道吗？
王利发　姑娘，说话留点神！一句话说错了，什么都可以变成逆产！你看，这后边呀，是秦二爷的仓库，有人一瞪眼，说是逆产，就给没收啦！就是这么一回事！
〔王大拴回来。
丁　宝　老掌柜，您说对了，连我也是逆产，谁的胳臂粗，我就得侍候谁！他妈的。我才十七，就常想还不如死了呢！死了落个整尸首，干这一行，活着身上就烂了！
王大拴　爸，您真想要女招待吗？

Notes:

(201) 褒贬：bāobiǎn， praise and disparage。

(202) 炸酱面：noodles with fried soybean source

KANG SHUNZI: Sister Xiuhua, come on, we’d better talk this over again. I can’t just look out for myself, when you people might suffer. And you, Dashuan…you’d better give it some thought too. (Exits rear with Zhou Xiuhau.)

(Ding Bao entes.)
DING BAO: Hey! Proprietor, I’m here!
WANG DASHUAN: Oh? And who are you?
DING BAO: Little Ding Bao. Little Pockface Liu sent me. He said the old proprietor here asked him to find him a hostess.

WANG DASHUAN: Look around, Miss. What wold a rundown teahouse like this do with a hostess? Seems my old man is desperate enough to try any fool thing.
(Wang Lifa enters slowly. He still looks vigorous, but his clothes are very shabby.)
WANG LIFA: Elder Son, why do you always talk about me behind my back? Who’s desperate enough to try any fool thing? Go and get those shutters down. It’s long past opening time.

(Wang Dashuan goes to remove the windown shutters.)
DING BAO: Old Proprietor, you’re in good health?
WANG LIFA: Mmmh. If I sat down to some noodles with meat sauce, I could still tuck away three big bowls or so. Too bad there aren’t any. You’re still in your teens, Miss?
DING BAO: I’m seventeen.
WANG LIFA: Only seventeen, eh?
DING BAO: That’s all. My mother was a widow; she brought me up. When the war was over, the government claimed that the little house father left us was traintor’s property, and they took it away. My mother was so upset about it that shed died, and now I have to work as a come-on hostess. Old Proprietor, I still don’t know what they mean by “traitor’s property”. Do you?
WANG LIFA: You must be caeful what you say, Miss. One wrong word can turn anything into “traitor’s property”. Take a look back there. Used to be Second Elder Qin’s warehouse. He rrubbed somebody the wrong way, they said it was traitor’s property, and he lost the whole thing. That’s what “traitor’s property” means.

(Wang Dashuan enters.)

DING BAO: You’re right, Old Proprietor, I’m traitor’s property too. I have to wait on whoever  has power and influence. Son-of-a-bitch! I’m only seventeen, but I often wish I was dead. At least my corpse would be my own. But this kind of work—I’m slowly rotting away.

WANG DASHUAN: Poppa, do you really want to hire a hostess?

王利发　我跟小刘麻于瞎聊来着！我一辈子老爱改良，看着生意这么不好，我着急！
王大拴　您着急！我也着急！可是，您就忘记老裕泰这个老字号了吗？六十多年的老字号，用女招待？
丁　宝　什么老字号啊！越老越不值钱！不信，我现在要是二十八岁，就是叫小小丁宝，小丁宝贝，也没人看我一眼！
〔茶客甲、乙上。
王利发　二位早班儿！带着叶子哪？老大拿开水去！（王大拴下）二位，对不起，茶钱先付！

茶客甲　没听说过！
王利发　我开过几十年茶馆，也没听说过！可是，您圣明：茶叶、煤球儿都一会儿一个价钱，也许您正喝着茶，茶叶又长了价钱！您看，先收茶钱不是省得麻烦吗？
茶客乙　我看哪，不喝更省事！（同茶客甲下）
王大拴　（提来开水）怎么？走啦！
王利发　这你就明白了！
丁　宝　我要是过去说一声：“来了？小子！”他们准给一块现大洋！
王利发　你呀，老大，比石头还顽固！
王大拴　（放下壶）好吧，我出去遛遛，这里出不来气(203)！（下）
王利发　你出不来气，我还憋得慌呢！
〔小刘麻子上，穿着洋服，夹着皮包。
小刘麻子　小丁宝，你来啦？
丁　宝　有你的话，谁敢不来呀！
小刘麻子　王掌柜，看我给你找来的小宝贝怎样？人材、岁数、打扮、经验，样样出色！
王利发　就怕我用不起吧？
小刘麻子　没的事！她不要工钱！是吧，小丁宝？
王利发　不要工钱？

Notes:

(203) 出不来气：hard to breathe.

WANG LIFA: well, I sort of talked about it with Little Pockface Liu. I’ve always been for improving things—reform. When I see how bad business is, I get worried.
WANG DASHUAN: You’re worried? Well, I’m worried too. But you seem to forget that Yutai Teahouse is a respected old name. Should a respected old business of more than sixty years’ standing be susing a come-on hostess?
DING BAO: Respected old name? The older something is the more worthless it is. You don’t believe me? If I was twenty-eight instead of seventeen, even if you called me “Sweet Little Ding Bao”, or “baby Ding Bao”, no one would give me a seond glance.


(Two customers enter.)
WANG LIFA: You gentlemen are up early today. Did you bring your own tea? Elder Son, bring a kettle of water. (Exit Wang Dashuan.) Gentlemen, I’m sorry, but you have to pay in advance.
FIRST CUSTOMER: That’s unheard of!
WANG LIFA: I’d never heard of it either—in all the years I’ve run this teahouse. But I’m sure you can understand: tea and coal are constantly going up in price. It’s quite possible that even while you’re here, tea itself could take another jump. Besides, don’t you think it’s less trouble to pay in advance?
SECOND CUSTOMER:  As far as I’m concerned, it would be less trouble not to have any at all! (Exits with First Customer.)
WANG DASHUAN (entering with kettle) : Huh? They’ve gone.
WANG LIFA:  So now you see why I’m worried.
DING BAO: If I’d gone over and sweet-talked them, “So here you are, you little rascals!” they’d have spent a silver dollar for sure
WANG LIFA: You, Elder Son—you’re stubborn as a mule
WANG DASHUAN (putting down kettle): That does it. I’m going for a walk.  I can’t stand it here. (Exits.)
WANG LIFA: You can’t stand it ? Well, I can’t stand it either.
(Little Pockface Liu enters in Western clothes, a briefcase under his arm.)
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Proprietor Wang, what do you think of the little honey I found for you? Looks , age, dress, expeerience—she’s a standout all around.
WANG LIFA: but can I affford her?
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: No problem. She doesn’t need a salary. Right, Little Ding Bao?
WANG LIFA: No salary?

小刘麻子　老头儿，你都甭管，全听我的，我跟小丁宝有我们一套办法！是吧，小丁宝？
丁　宝　要是没你那一套办法，怎会缺德(204)呢！
小刘麻子　缺德？你算说对了！当初，我爸爸就是由这儿绑出去的；不信，你问王掌柜。是吧，王掌柜？
王利发　我亲眼得见！
小刘麻子　你看，小丁宝，我不乱吹吧？绑出去，就在马路中间，磕喳一刀！是吧，老掌柜？

王利发　听得真真的！
小刘麻子　我不说假话吧？小丁宝！可是，我爸爸到底差点事(205)，一辈子混的并不怎样。轮到我自己出头露面了，我必得干的特别出色。（打开皮包，拿出计划书）看，小丁宝，看看我的计划！
丁　宝　我没那么大的工夫！我看哪，我该回家，休息一天，明天来上工。
王利发　丁宝，我还没想好呢！
小刘麻子　王掌柜，我都替你想好啦！不信，你等着看，明天早上，小丁宝在门口儿歪着头那么一站，马上就进来二百多茶座儿！小丁宝，你听听我的计划，跟你有关系。
丁　宝　哼！但愿跟我没关系！
小刘麻子　你呀，小丁宝，不够积极！听着……
〔取电灯费的进来。
取电灯费的　掌柜的，电灯费！
王利发　电灯费？欠几个月的啦？
取电灯费的　三个月的！
王利发　再等三个月，凑半年，我也还是没办法！
取电灯费的　那像什么话呢？
小刘麻子　地道真话嘛！这儿属沈处长管。知道沈处长吧？市党部的委员，宪兵司令部

Notes:
(204) 缺德：quēdé, to be mean or wicked.
(205) 差点事：not as good.

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Listen, old fellow, you don’t have to wory about a thing. I’ll take care of everything for you. Me and Little Ding Bao have things all set up. Eh, Little Ding Bao?

DING BAO:  Without your set-ups, what would we do for injustice?
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Injustice? Yes, you’re right. It was right here that my father was seized. If you don’t believe me, ask Proprietor Wang. Right, Proprietor Wang?
WANG LIFA: I saw it with my own eyes.

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: You see, Little Ding Bao, I’m not just shooting my face off. They seized him and chooped his head off, right out there on the street—one “kezha!” with their bloody sword. Right, Proprietor Wang?
WANG LIFA: I heard the chop.

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: So I wasn’t kidding, was I, Little Ding Bao? But my father didn’t really amount to much. He never really got anywhere. Now it’s my turn to show what I can do, and I’m going to make it big. (Opens briefcase and take sout a book of plans.) Look at this, Little Ding Bao—ake a look at my plans.

DING BAO: I don’t have the time. I think I’d better go home and rest up or work tomorrow.
WANG LIFA: Ding Bao, I need time to think this over.

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Proprietor Wang, I’ve already done the thinking for you. If you don’t believe me, just wait and see. Tomorrow morning with Little Ding Bao by the door, giving tghem her old come-on, you’ll have a coupole of hundred customers in here before you know what’s happened. Little Ding Bao, you’d better listen to my plan—you’re part of it.

DING BAO: Humph! I only wish I wasn’t part of it.
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: I don’t know about you, Little Ding Bao, you’re too bloody negative. Listen…
(Lightbill Collector enters.)
LIGHTBILL COLLECTOR: Proprietor, your light bill.
WANG LIFA: Light bill? How many months do I owe?
LIGHTBILL COLLECTOR: Three months.
WANG LIFA: Why don’t you wait three more months, and make it a full half year—I can’t pay anyway.
LIGHTBILL COLLECTGOR: Come on. Don’t be smart.
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: He’s dead serious. This place is under Director Shen’s control. You know who Director Shen is, I expect. He’s a member of the municipal KMT committee and

的处长！你愿意收他的电费吗？说！
取电灯费的　什么话呢，当然不收！对不起，我走错了门儿！（下）
小刘麻子　看，王掌柜，你不听我的行不行？你那套光绪年的办法太守旧了！
王利发　对！要不怎么说，人要活到老学到老呢！我还得多学！
小刘麻子　就是嘛！
〔小唐铁嘴进来，穿着绸子夹袍，新缎鞋。
小刘麻子　哎哟，他妈的是你，小唐铁嘴！
小唐铁嘴　哎哟，他妈的是你，小刘麻子！来，叫爷爷看看！（看前看后）你小子行，洋

服穿的像那么一回事，由后边看哪，你比洋人还更像洋人！老王掌柜，我夜观天象，紫微星发亮，不久必有真龙天子(206)出现，所以你看我跟小刘麻子，和这位……
小刘麻子　小丁宝，九城闻名！
小唐铁嘴　……和这位小丁宝，才都这么才貌双全(207)，文武带打，我们是应运而生(208)，活在这个时代，真是如鱼得水！老掌柜，把脸转正了，我看看！好，好，印堂发亮，还有一步好运！好吧，给我碗喝吧！
王利发　小唐铁嘴！
小唐铁嘴　别再叫唐铁嘴，我现在叫唐天师(209)！
小刘麻子　谁封你作了天师？
小唐铁嘴　待两天你就知道了。
王利发　天师，可别忘了，你爸爸白喝了我一辈子的茶，这可不能世袭(210)！
小唐铁嘴　王掌柜，等我穿上八卦仙衣的时候，你会后悔刚才说了什么！你等着吧！
小刘麻子　小唐，待会儿我请你去喝咖啡，小丁宝作陪，你先听我说点正经事，好不好？

Notes:
(206) 真龙天子：son of the Heaven who is able to get the will of the God.
(207) 才貌双全：a talented and beautiful person.
(208) 应运而生：yìngyùn’érshēng， emerge as the times require.
(209) 天师：Tiānshī，used to refer to a Taoist master.
(210) 世袭：to inherit by generations of a family.

Director of the General Headquaters of the Special Police. You want to collect his light bill, do you? Speak up!
LIGHTBILL COLLECTOR: Don’t be silly. Of course not. I’m sorry, I think I’m in the wrong place. (Exits)

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Well, what do you think, Proprietor Wang? Did you see how well I handled that? Your bag of nineteenth-century tricks is way out of date.

WANG LIFA: You’re right there. That’s why we say a man should never stop learning. It’s time I did some serious studying.

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: You bet it is!
(Little Soothsayer Tang enters wearing a lined silk gown and new satin shoes.)
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Aiyo! I’ll be a son-of-a-bitch if it isn’t Little Soothsayer Tang.
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Aiyo! I’ll a son-of-a-bitch if it isn’t Little Pockface Liu. Come here. Let your old grandad have a gander. (Inspects him, front and back.) You little bugger, you. Decked out in those Western duds, from behind you look more like a foreigner than a foreigner. Old Proprietor Wang, I’ve been studying the stars, and the Ziwei constellation is unusually bright. No doubt about it, there’s going to be a new Son of Heaven before very long. Then you’re going to see how me, Little Pockface Liu, and Madam…

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU:  Little Ding Bao—the whole city knows her.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG:…and Madam Little Ding Bao were born for the times. Talented, handsome, sophisticated, aggressive—at last we’re going to come into our own. Old Proprietor, turn your face this way. Let me see now…Good. Good. Promising forehead. Still some good luck left in that old carcass of yours. Well then, how about a bowl of tea?

WANG LIFA: Little Soothsayer Tang!
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: I’m not a soothsayer any more. I’ve got a title: “Court Astrologer.”
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: And how made you Court Astrologer?
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: You’ll know soon enough.
WANG LIFA: Court Astrologer, your father drank on the house his whole life, but may I point out that it wasn’t a hereditary privilege.
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Proprietor Wang, when I don my official Court Astrologer’s robes, you’ll be sorry you said that. You just wait and see.
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Little Tang, we’ll go for coffee later, with Little Ding Bao; but I’ve

小唐铁嘴　王掌柜，你就不想想，天师今天白喝你点茶，将来会给你个县知事做做吗？好吧，小刘你说！
小刘麻子　我这儿刚跟小丁宝说，我有个伟大的计划！
小唐铁嘴　好！洗耳恭听(211)！
小刘麻子　我要组织一个“拖拉撕”，这是个美国字，也许你不懂，翻成北京话就是“包圆儿(212)”。
小唐铁嘴　我懂！就是说，所有的姑娘全由你包办。
小刘麻子　对！你的脑力不坏！小丁宝，听着，这跟你有密切关系！甚至于跟王掌柜也有关系！
王利发　我这儿听着呢！
小刘麻子　我要把舞女、明娼、暗娼、吉普女郎和女招待全组织起来，成立那么一个大“拖

拉撕”。
小唐铁嘴　（闭看眼问）官方上疏通好了没有？
小刘麻子　当然！沈处长做董事长，我当总经理！
小唐铁嘴　我呢？
小刘麻子　你要是能琢磨(213)出个好名字来，请你做顾问！
小唐铁嘴　车马费不要法币！
小刘麻子　每月送几块美钞！
小唐铁嘴　往下说！
小刘麻子　业务方面包括：买卖部、转运部、训练部、供应部，四大部。谁买姑娘，还是谁卖姑娘；由上海调运到天津，还是由汉口调运到重庆；训练吉普女郎，还是训练女招待；是供应美国军队，还是各级官员，都由公司统一承办，保证人人满意。你看怎样？
小唐铁嘴　太好！太好！在道理上，这合乎统制一切的原则。在实际上，这首先能满足美国兵的需要，对国家有利！

Notes:
(211) 洗耳恭听：xǐ’ěr-gōngtīng， be very attentive (eager) to hear.
(212) 包圆儿：ideomatic way to say to have it all.
(213) 琢磨：zuómo， to turn something in one’s mind over and over again.
got something important to discuss with you first. What do you say?

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Proprietor Wang, you forget hat a free cup of tea for the Court Astrologer today could mean a county magistrate’s job for you tomorrow. /W?hat’s on your mind, Little Liu?
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: I was just telling Little Ding Bao I’ve got a fatastic plan.
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Great. I’m all ears.
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: I want to set up a “tlust.” /That’s an American word, mayb e you don’t understand, In Beijing talk it’s a baoyuaner—you know, a place that looks after everything.
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Of course I understand. You mean you want ot take over all the girls in Beijing.
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Right. You’re a sharp boy. Little Ding Bao, you listen too—you’re intimately involved in this. Even Proprietor Wang’s involved.

WANG LIFA: I’m listening.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG (eyes closed in thought): Have you got it okayed up above?

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Of course! Director Shen is going to be /chairman of the Board, and I’m going to be General Manager.

LITTLE SOOTHSAY TANG: And me?

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: If you can come up with an elegant name, we’ll make you Head Consultant.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: I won’t be paid in worthless governmnt dollars, will I?

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: No! No! /chinese stuff! American dollars. Every month!

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Go on, go on!

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: We’ll have four main departments: a Purchase and /sales Department, a Trnasportation Department, a Training Department, and s Service Department. Whether someone wants to buy a girl or sell a girl, whether they’re to be sent from Shanghai to Tianjin or from Hankou to Chongqing, whether it’s training a jeep-girl or a come-on hostess, or whether it’s servicing American troops or our own government officials—all levels; it’ll all be handled by our company. Satisfaction gurranteed! How’s that sound?

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Fantastic! Fantastic! As far as management theory goes, it’s in line with all the rules; and even better, it will satisfy the demands of the American soldiers. And benefit the state too.

小刘麻子　好吧，你就给想个好名字吧！想个文雅的，像“柳叶眉，杏核眼，樱桃小口一点点”那种诗那么文雅的！
小唐铁嘴　嗯——“拖拉撕”。“拖拉撕”……不雅！推进来，拉进来，不听话就撕成两半儿，倒好像是绑票儿撕票儿，不雅！
小刘麻子　对，是不大雅！可那是美国字，吃香啊！
小唐铁嘴　还是联合公司响亮、大方！
小刘麻子　有你这么一说！什么联合公司呢？
丁　宝　缺德公司就挺好！

小刘麻子　小丁宝，谈正经事，不许乱说！你好好干，将来你有作女招待总教官的希望！
小唐铁嘴　看这个怎样——花花联合公司？姑娘是什么？鲜花嘛！要姑娘就得多花钱，花呀花呀，所以花花！“青是山，绿是水，花花世界”，又有典故(214)，出自《武家坡》(215)！好不好？
小刘麻子　小唐，我谢谢你，谢谢你（热烈握手），我马上找沈处长去研究一下，他一赞成，你的顾问就算当上了！（收拾皮包，要走）
王利发　我说，丁宝的事到底怎么办？
小刘麻子　没告诉你不用管吗？“拖拉撕”统办一切，我先在这里试验试验。
丁　宝　你不是说喝咖啡去吗？
小刘麻子　问小唐去不去？
小唐铁嘴　你们先去吧，我还在这儿等个人。
小刘麻子　咱们走吧，小丁宝！
丁　宝　明天见，老掌柜！再见，天师！（同小刘麻子下）
小唐铁嘴　王掌柜，拿报来看看！
王利发　那，我得慢慢地找去。二年前的还许有几张！

Notes:

(214) 典故：diǎngù， classical allusion.

(215) 《武家坡》：a well-known piece of Beijing Opera about the first emperor of Song Dynasty.

 

 

 

 

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Right. Now it’s up to you to think of a nice name. Something poetic, like ‘willow-leaf eyebrows, almond-kernel eyes, and cherry lips”—some thing really elegant.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYTER TANG: Mmmh. “Tlust”—tuo—la—si. In Chinese that’s “Rush—pull—tear”—nothing elegant in that. Push them in, pull them in, and if they don’t play ball, tear them apart. Sounds like we’re going to kidnap them and tear them to shreds. Not too refined.

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: You’re right, it isn’t refiend. But it’s an American word, and it’s very popular.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: I’d prefer “United Something, something Corporation”. Sounds better, and it’s more respectable.

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: I guess you’re right, but “United” what “Corporation”?

DING BAO: How about “Injustice Incorporated”? Suits it to a T.

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Little Ding Bao, be serious. This is no time for nonesense. If you work hard, you have a good chance of becoming head instructor for the come-on hostesses.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: How’s this? “United Double Blossom Corporation”? aren’t the girls like fresh blossoms? And the more they’re used, the more our bank accounts blossom. So—“Double Blossom”. “Between green hills and azure seas, the world teems blossom upon blossom”—that’s from the traditional opera, Wu Family Hills. What do you think?

 

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Little Tang, thanks, thanks a million! (Enthusiastically shakes hands.) I’m gong to find Director Shen and discuss it with him right away. If he likes it, you’re in as Head Consultant. (Puts papers in briefcase; is about to go.)

WANG LIFA: Just a minute. What exactly’s the situation with Little Ding Bao?

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU:  Didn’t I tell you to let me handle it? The “Tlust” is going to h andle everything. I’m giving it a trial run here.

DING BAO: Didn’t you promise to take us for coffee?

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU:  Ask Little Tang if he’s going.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: You two go ahead, I’m waiting here for someone.

LITTLE POCKFACE LIU:  Come on, Little Ding Bao, Let’s go.

 

DING BAO: See you tomorrow, Old Proprietor. So long, Court Astrologer. (Exits with Little Pockface Liu.)

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Proprietor Wang, bring me the paper.

WANG LIFA: Well, I’ll do the best I can. I think maybe I still have a few copies from several

小唐铁嘴　废话！
〔进来三位茶客：明师傅，邹福远和卫福喜。明师傅独坐，邹福远与卫福喜同坐。王利发都认识，向大家点头。
王利发　哥儿们，对不起啊，茶钱先付！
明师傅　没错儿，老哥哥！
王利发　唉！“茶钱先付”，说着都烫嘴！（忙着沏茶）
邹福远　怎样啊？王掌柜！晚上还添评书不添啊？
王利发　试验过了，不行，光费电，不上座儿！
邹福远　对！您看，前天我在会仙馆，开三侠四义五霸十雄十三杰九老十五小，大破凤

凰山，百鸟朝凤，棍打凤腿，您猜上了多少座儿？
王利发　多少？那点书现在除了您，没有人会说！
邹福远　您说的在行！可是，才上了五个人，还有俩听蹭儿的(216)！
卫福喜　师哥，无论怎么说，你比我强！我又闲了一个多月啦！
邹福远　可谁叫你跳了行(217)，改唱戏了呢？
卫福喜　我有嗓子，有扮相嘛(218)！
邹福远　可是上了台，你又不好好地唱！
卫福喜　妈的唱一出戏，挣不上三个杂合面(219)饼子的钱，我干吗卖力气呢？我疯啦？
邹福远　唉！福喜，咱们哪，全叫流行歌曲跟《纺棉花》给顶垮喽！我是这么看，咱们死，咱们活着，还在其次，顶伤心的是咱们这点玩意儿，再过几年都得失传！咱们对不起祖师爷！常言道：邪不侵正。这年头就是邪年头，正经东西(220)全得连根儿烂！
王利发　唉！（转至明师傅处）明师傅，可老没来啦！
明师傅　出不来喽！包监狱里的伙食呢！
王利发　您！就凭您，办一、二百桌满汉全席(221)的手儿，去给他们蒸窝窝头？
Notes:

(216) 听蹭儿的：those who managed to listen to the story without buying the admission.

(217) 跳行：to jump to another profession.

(218) 有嗓子、有扮相：have a good voice and looks good after make-up.

(219) 杂合面：mixed grain other than wheat and rice.

(220) 正经东西：zhèngjing， things real and true.

(221) 满汉全席：A full table of major Manchu and Han courses.
years ago.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Shit!

(Three Customers enter; Chef Ming, Zou Fuyuan and Wei Fuxi. Chef Ming sits by himself; Zou and Wei sit together. Wang Lifa knows them all, and nods to them in greeting.)

WANG LIFA: I’m very sorry, brothers, but I have to ask you to pay in advance.

CHEF MING: There’s nothing wrong with that, Elder Brother.

 

WAGN LIFA: Ai! “Pay in advance.” It pains me to say it. (Busies himself making tea.)

ZOU FUYUAN: What have you decided, Proprietor Wang? Are you going to have more storytellers in the evening?

WANG LIFA: I had them, but it didn’t work out. It was a waste of elecicity, nobody was coming.

ZOU FUYUAN: Too true. At Huixian Hall the day before yesterday, you know, I told the story of how the Three Knights, Four Sworn Brothers, Five Braves, Ten Gallants, Thirteen Heroes, Nine /grandads, and Fifteen Lads, smashed the bandit stronghold at Phoenix Peak, how the hundred birds paid homage to the phoenix, and how the phoenix’s leg was hurt. Guess how many came to hear it?

WANG LIFA: How many? You’re the only one left who knows how to tell that story.

ZOU FUYUAN: You’re right on there; but only five people showed up—and two gate-crashers.

WEI FUXI: Any way you look at it, friend, you’re better off than me. I haven’t had a part for more than a month.

ZOU FUYUAN: But why did you switch to Beijing Opera?

WEI FUXI: You sing a whole bloody opera, and you’re barely paid enough to buy a dew coarse biscuits. Why should I kill myself? You think I’m nuts?

ZOU FUYUAN: Ai! /fuxi, you know what’s happening to us? We’re losing out to popular songs and vulgar operas like “Spinning Cotton”. The way I see it, whether you and I live or die isn’t important; what really pains me is that our art may die out in a few years. That would be really letting the old masters down. An old saying has it that “Tradition survives trend”. But right now we’re swamped with new trends, and our traditions are rotting away—roots and all.

WANG LIFA: Ai! (goes over to Chef Ming.) Chef Ming, you haven’t been here for ages.

CHEF MING: I haven’t been able to get out. I’m doing the cooking in Beijing Prison.

You! You’re used to handling grand banquets for hundreds of guests. And now they have you steaming prisoners’ corn-bread?

明师傅　那有什么办法呢，现而今就是狱里人多呀！满汉全席？我连家伙(222)都卖喽！
〔方六拿着几张画儿进来。
明师傅　六爷，这儿！六爷，那两桌家伙怎样啦？我等钱用！
方　六　明师傅，你挑一张画儿吧！
明师傅　啊？我要画儿干吗呢？
方　六　这可画的不错！六大山人、董弱梅画的！
明师傅　画的天好，当不了饭吃啊！
方　六　他把画儿交给我的时候，直掉眼泪！
明师傅　我把家伙交给你的时候，也直掉眼泪！

方　六　谁掉眼泪，谁吃炖肉，我都知道！要不怎么我累心呢！你当是干我们这一行，专凭打打小鼓就行哪？
明师傅　六爷，人总有颗人心哪，你还能坑老朋友吗？
方　六　一共不是才两桌家伙吗？小事儿，别再提啦，再提就好像不大懂交情了！
〔车当当敲着两块洋钱进来。
车当当　谁买两块？买两块吧？天师，照顾照顾？（小唐铁嘴不语）
王利发　当当！别处转转吧，我连现洋什么模样都忘了！
车当当　那，你老人家就细细看看吧！白看(223)，不用买票！（往桌上扔钱）
〔庞四奶奶进来，带着春梅。庞四奶奶的手上戴满各种戒指，打扮得像个女妖精(224)。卖杂货的老杨跟进来。
小唐铁嘴　娘娘！
方　六、车当当　娘娘！
庞四奶奶　天师！
Notes:

(222) 家伙：household wares or instruments, here it refers to kitchen tools.

(223) 白看：to look at it without paying anything.

(224) 妖精：yāojing, it means a bogy;demon;goblin;monsteror an evil spirit, but it means here an alluring or bewitching woman.
CHEF MING:  But what else can you do? These days there’re more people in prison than there are on the outside. Banquets? I’ve even sold all my dinner services.

(Sixth-Born Fang enters carrying some scroll paintings.)

CHEF MING: Sixth Elder, over here. Have you got rid of those two dinner services for me? I need money.

SIXTH-BORN FANG:  Chef Ming, why don’t you take one of these paintings as payment?

CHEF MING: Huh? What do I want with a picture?

SIXTH-BORN FANG: But they’re beautiful. They’re by the Liuda Hermit, Dong Ruomei.

CHEF MING: I don’t care how good they are, they won’t fill my belly.

SIXTH-BORN FANG: He cried when he gave them to me.

CHEF MING: I cried too, when I gave you all that dinnerware.

SIXTH-BORN FANG: I know very well who’s crying and who’s eating fine meat. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be wasting away so. I suppose you think that all our trade involves is going about the streets beating our little drums?

CHEF MING: Sixth Elder, every man has to have a bit of conscience. Surely you’re not going to cheat an old friend?
SIXTH-BORN FANG: Two dinner services? What do they amount to? If you understood anything about friendship, you wouldn’t mention them again.
(Che Dangdang enters, clicking two silver dollars together.)
CHE DANGDANG: anyone interested? Like to buy a couple of silver dollars? Court Astrologer, how about you?
(Little Soothsayer Tang doesn’t answer.)
WANG LIFA: Dangdang, you’d better try somewhere else. I don’t even remember what silver dollars look like.
CHE DANGDANG: Well then, old fellow, why don’t you have a good look? You don’t have to buy a ticket—it’s free.
(Tosses coins on the table.)
(Fourth Aunt Pang enters with her bond-servant, Chunmei. Fourth Aunt’s fingers are encrusted with rings, and she is decked out in tasteless finery. Old Yang, a hawker, follows her in.)
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Your Highness.
SIZTH-BORN FANG and CHE DANGDANG: Your Highness.
FOURTH AUNT PANT: Court Astrologer Tang.
小唐铁嘴　侍候娘娘！（让庞四奶奶坐，给她倒茶）
庞四奶奶　（看车当当要出去）当当，你等等！
车当当　嗻！
老 杨　（打开货箱）娘娘，看看吧！
庞四奶奶　唱唱那套词儿，这倒怪有个意思！
老　杨　是，美国针、美国线、美国牙膏、美国消炎片。还有口红、雪花膏、玻璃袜子细毛线。箱子小，货物全，就是不卖原子弹！
庞四奶奶　哈哈哈（挑了两双袜子）春梅，拿着！当当，你跟老杨算账吧！
车当当　娘娘，别那么办哪！
庞四奶奶　我给你拿的本钱，利滚利，你欠我多少啦？天师，查账！

小唐铁嘴　是。（掏小本）
车当当　天师，你甭操心，我跟老杨算去！
老　杨　娘娘，您行好吧！他能给我钱吗？
庞四奶奶　老杨，他坑不了你，都有我呢！
老　杨　是！（向众）还有哪位照顾照顾？（又要唱）美国针……
庞四奶奶　听够了！走！
老　杨　是！美国针、美国线，我要不走是浑蛋！走，当当！（同车当当下）
方　六　（过来）娘娘，我得到一堂景泰蓝的五供儿，东西老，地道，也便宜，坛上用顶体面，您看看吧？
庞四奶奶　请皇上看看吧！
方　六　是！皇上不是快登基了吗？我先给你道喜！我马上取去，送到坛上！娘娘多给美言几句，我必有份人心！（往外走）
 
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Your humble servant, Your Highness.

(Helps her take a seat and pours her some tea.)

FOURTH AUNT PANG (Noticing Che Dangdang is about to leave): Hong on, Dangdang.

CHE DANGDANG: But of course.

OLD YANG (opening his case): Your Highness, take a look at this.

FOURTH AUNT PANG: Sing that little hawhers’ jingle of yours. Damned if I don’t get a kick out of it.

OLD YANG: With pleasure. Yankee neeldes, Yankee notions, Yankee toothpaste, Yankee potions. Lipsticks red, and cold cream white; nylon stockings, sheer delight. You name it chum, I’ll sell you one—unless you want an atom bomb.

FOURTH AUNT PANG (laughing and choosing two pairs of stockings): Chunmei, take these. Dangdang, pay old Yang.

CHE DANGDANG: Do I have to, Your Highness?

FOURTH AUNT PANG: Interest is piling up on that money I gave you. How much do you owe me? Court astrologer, check the accounts.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG:  Immediately! (Takes out a small notebook.)

CHE DANGDANG: There’s no need to go to so much trouble. I’ll square things with Old Yang.

OLD YANG: Your Highness, have a heart. You can’t really believe he’d pay me?

FOURTH AUNT PANG: Old Yang, there’s no way he can cheat you when I am here.

OLD YANG: Of course not. (To the audience.)  Anyone else like to take a peep? (Start to chant.) Yankee needles, Yan…

FOURTH AUNT PANG: That’s enough. Get lost!
OLD YANG: Of course. Yankee needles, Yankee thread, if I don’t go my name’s shithead. Let’s go, Dangdang. (Exits with Che Dangdang.)
SIXTH-BORN FANG (coming over): Your Highness, I’ve got hold of a set of five cloisonne sacrificial vessels. They’re very old, and they’re genuine stuff. Cheap too. They’d look perfect on the alter.Why don’t you have a look at them?
FOURTH AUNT PANG: Ask the  Emperor to look at them.
SIXTH-BORN FANG: Yes, of course. The Emperor’s going to ascend the throne very shortly, eh? My congratulations! I’ll go get them and have them put on the alter right away. If Your Highness helps talk him into it, there’ll be something in it for you—for sure.
(Moves towards exit.)

明师傅　六爷，我的事呢？！
方　六　你先给我看着那几张画！（下）
明师傅　你等等！坑我两桌家伙，我还有把切菜刀呢！（追下）
庞四奶奶　王掌柜，康妈妈在这儿哪？请她出来！
小唐铁嘴　我去！（跑到后门）康老太太，您来一下！
王利发　什么事？
小唐铁嘴　朝廷大事！
〔康顺子上。
康顺子　干什么呀？
庞四奶奶　（迎上去）婆母！我是您的四侄媳妇，来接您，快坐下吧！（拉康顺子坐下）

康顺子　四侄媳妇？
庞四奶奶　是呀，您离开庞家的时候，我还没过门(227)哪。
康顺子　我跟庞家一刀两断(228)啦，找我干吗？
庞四奶奶　您的四侄子海顺呀，是三皇道的大坛主，国民党的大党员，又是沈处长的把兄弟，快做皇上啦，您不喜欢吗？
康顺子　快做皇上？
庞四奶奶　啊！龙袍都做好啦，就快在西山登基！
康顺子　在西山？
小唐铁嘴　老太太，西山一带有八路军。庞四爷在那一带登基，消灭八路，南京能够不愿意吗？
庞四奶奶　四爷呀都好，近来可是有点贪酒好色。他已经弄了好几个小老婆！
小唐铁嘴　娘娘，三宫六院七十二嫔妃，可有书可查呀！
Notes:
(227) 过门：to usher into a door, meaning to be married into a family.
(228) 一刀两断：to be chopped into two parts.

CHEF MING: Sixth-Born Fang, what about my stuff?
SIXTH-BORN FANG: You haven’t looked over those paintings yet. (Exits.)

CHEF MING: come back here. Cheat me out of two sets of dinnerware, will you? I’ve still got my cleaver! (Exits in pursuit.)

FOURTH AUNT PANT; Proprietor Wang, Mother Kang lives here, doesn’t she? Ask her to come in.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: I’ll get her. (Runs to rear.) Elder Mother Kang, would you come here a moment please?

WANG LIFA: What’s the matter?

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: An important court matter!
(Kang Shunzi enters.)

KANG SHUNZI: What do you want?

FOURTH AUNT PANG (rushing to meet her): My dearest old mother-in-law! I’m the wife of your fourth nephew. I’ve come to meet you. Won’t you please sit down? (Drags her to a seat.)

KANG SHUNZI: Fourth Nephew’s wife?

FOURTH AUNT PANG: Yes, indeed. But I wasn’t married into the Pang family until after you’d left them.

KANG SHUNZI: I have nothing to do with the Pangs any more. What do you want with me?

FOURTH AUNT PANG: Your fourth nephew, Haishun, is a high potentate in the Sanhuangdao Society, a big shot in the Kuomintang—and he’s also the sworn brother of Director Shen. He’s about to become the new emperor. Isn’t that thrilling news?

KANG SHUNZI: About to become emperor?

FOURTH AUNT PANG: Uh! His Dragon Robes are already made. He’s ascending the throne very soon—in the Western Hills.

KANG SHUNZI: The Western Hills?

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Elder Mother, the Eighth Route Army is in the Western Hills. If fourth Elder Pang wiptes them out, how could the Nanjing Government be against his ascending the throne?

FOURTH AUNT PANG: Fourth Elder is ready, though he’s taken a fancy to women and liquor lately. He’s already gatherred together quite a nest of concubines.

LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Your Highness, the Imperial quarters are supposed to house seventy-two concubines. It’s in he official statutes.

庞四奶奶　你不是娘娘，怎么知道娘娘的委屈(229)！老太太，我是这么想：您要是跟我一条心，我叫您做老太后，咱们俩一齐管着皇上，我这个娘娘不就好做一点了吗？老太太，您跟我去，吃好的喝好的，兜儿里老带着那么几块当当响的洋钱，够多么好啊！
康顺子　我要是不跟你去呢？
庞四奶奶　啊？不去？（要翻脸(230)）
小唐铁嘴　让老太太想想，想想！
康顺子　用不着想，我不会再跟庞家的人打交道！四媳妇，你做你的娘娘，我做我的苦老婆子，谁也别管谁！刚才你要瞪眼睛，你当我怕你吗？我在外边也混了这么多年，磨练出来点了，谁跟我瞪眼，我会伸手打！（立起，往后走）
小唐铁嘴　老太太！老太太！

康顺子　（立住，转身对小唐铁嘴）你呀，小伙子，挺起腰板来，去挣碗干净饭吃，不好吗？（下）
庞四奶奶　（移怒于王利发）王掌柜，过来！你去跟那个老婆子说说，说好了，我送给你一袋子白面！说不好，我砸了你的茶馆！天师，走！
小唐铁嘴　王掌柜，我晚上还来，听你的回话！

王利发　万一我下半天就死了呢？
庞四奶奶　呸！你还不该死吗？（与小唐铁嘴、春梅同下）
王利发　哼！
邹福远　师弟，你看这算哪一出(231)？哈哈哈！
卫福喜　我会二百多出戏，就是不懂这一出！你知道那个娘儿们的出身吗？
邹福远　我还能不知道！东霸天的女儿，在娘家就生过……得，别细说，我看这群浑蛋都有点回光返照(232)，长不了！
〔王大拴回来。
Notes:
(229) 委屈：wěiqū， feel being wronged; nurse a grievance; be misunderstood.
(230) 翻脸：fānliǎn， suddenly turn hostile.
(231) 哪一出：which show is this? 一出：one independent item or play.
(232) 回光返照：huíguāng-fǎnzhào， a suddent spurt of activity prior to collapse.
FOURTH AUNT PANG: You’re not empress. How could you know what an empress has to put up with? Elder Mother, this is my idea: if you’ll go along with me. I’ll let you be Empress Dowager, and the two of us can handle the emperor. That’ll make my job a bit easier, won’t it? Elder Mother, if you come with me, you’ll eat and drink nothing but the best, and have plenty of silver dollars to jingle in your purse. Won’t that be grand?!
KANG SHUNZI: And if I refuse?
FOURTH AUNT PANG: Uh? Refuse? (Becoems hostile.)
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Elder Mother, you’d better think it over—carefully.
KANG SHUNZI: What for? I’m finished with the Pangs—for good. Fourth Nephew’s wife, you stick to your empressing, I’ll stick to my cleaning and cooking. You stay out of my life and I’ll stayout of yours. Go ahead and scowl; you think you scare me? I’ve been around a few years, and I know how to take ccare of myself. You, scowl at me and you’ll get a punch in the nose. (Gets up and heads for rear.)
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Elder Mother! Elder Mother!
KANG SHUNZI (stopping and truning to face Little Soothsayer Tang): You…you good-for-nothing punk, have you no self-respect? Don’t you think it’s time you earned an honest bowl of rice
FOURTH AUNT PANG (shifting her anger to Wang Lifa): Proprietor Wang, come here! You go and talk to that old bag. Convince her, and I’ll give you a sack of good flour. If you don’t, I’ll have this place smashed up. Court Astrologer, let’s go.
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Proprietor Wang, I’ll be backthis evening for your answer.
WANG LIFA: What if I’m dead before then?
FOURTH AUNT PANG: Damn it! You don’t deserve to live, anyway. (Exits with Little Soothsayer Tang and Chunmei.)
WANG LIFA: Humph!
ZOU FUYUAN: Well now, what kind of performance would you call that? (Laughs heartily.)
WEI FUXI: I know more than two hundred roles, but that one’s not a mong them. Do you know where the old bitch got her connections?
ZOU FUYUAN: Everyone knows. She’s the daughter of the racketeer Dong Batian. She ahd a baby before…enough—gorget them. That pack of scoundrels are in their dying throes. They’re running out of time.

(Wang Dashuan enters.)

王利发　看着点，老大。我到后面商量点事！（下）
小二德子　（在外边大吼一声）闪开了！（进来）大拴哥，沏壶顶好的，我有钱！（掏出四块现洋，一块一块地放下）给算算，刚才花了一块，这儿还有四块，五毛打一个，我一共打了几个？
王大拴　十个。
小二德子　（用手指算）对！前天四个，昨天六个，可不是十个！大拴哥，你拿两块吧！没钱，我白喝你的茶，有钱，就给你！你拿吧！（吹一块，放在耳旁听听）这块好，就一块当两块吧，给你！
王大拴　（没接钱）小二德子，什么生意这么好啊？现大洋不容易看到啊！

小二德子　念书去了！
王大拴　把“一”字都念成扁担，你念什么书啊？
小二德子　（拿起桌上的壶来，对着壶嘴喝了一气，低声说）市党部派我去的，法政学院。没当过这么美的差事，太美，太过瘾！比在天桥好的多！打一个学生，五毛现洋！昨天揍了几个来着？
王大拴　六个。
小二德子　对！里边还有两个女学生！一拳一拳地下去，太美，太过瘾！大拴哥，你摸摸，摸摸！（伸臂）铁筋洋灰的！用这个揍男女学生，你想想，美不美？
王拴　他们就那么老实，乖乖地叫你打？
小二德子　我专找老实的打呀！你当我是傻子哪？
王大拴　小二德子，听我说，打人不对！
小二德子　可也难说！你看教党义的那个教务长，上课先把手枪拍在桌上，我不过抡抡拳头，没动手枪啊！
王大拴　什么教务长啊，流氓！
小二德子　对！流氓！不对，那我也是流氓喽！大拴哥，你怎么绕着脖子骂我呢？大拴哥，你有骨头！不怕我这铁筋洋灰的胳臂！

WANG LIFA: Look after the front for a bit, Elder Son, I have to go out back to discuss something. (Exits.)
LITTLE ERDEZI (shouting outside): Out of my way! (Enters.) Dashuan, Elder Brother, steep a pot of your best. I’ve got cash. (Takes out  four silver dollars and staps them down on the table one at a time.) You figure it out. I just spent one dollar; I’ve still got four. I get fifty cents per muging, so how many have I thrashed?

WANG DASHUAN: Ten.
LITTLE ERDEZI (counting on his fingers): Right. Four the day before and six yesterday. Of course, ten ti is. Dashuan, elder brother, take a couple of dollars. When I’m broke I drink your tea for free, when I’m loaded you get a shasre. Go ahead, take it. (Blows on one, then puts it to his ear to listen.)  Good one. Worth two. Take it.
WANG DASHUAN (before accepting it): Little Erdezi, what kind of business is this good? Silver dollars are hard to come by.
LITTLE ERDEZI: I’ve been going to school.
WANG DASHUAN: You don’t kwno a character form a carrying pole. What are you studying?
LITTLE ERDEZI (taking the teapot form the table and drinking from the spout, in a whisper): The local party committee fo the Kuomintang is sending me to the Institute of Law and Politics. I’ve never had such a fantastic job. Fantastic! It’s what I’ve always wantged. Beats and rackets in Tianqiao any day. Half a dolla for every student I mug. How many did I get yesterday?

WANG DASHUAN: Six.
LITTLE ERDEZI: Right! Including two girls. A couple of punches and down they go. Fantastic! Just what I’ve always been after. Dashuan, Elder Brother, feel this. (Tenses his biceps.)  Solid as American cement! Fantastic, eh?—using the old biceps to knock’em around.
WANG DASHUAN: Are they so meek they let you beat them?
LITTLE ERDEZI:  I single out the meek ones. You think I’m an idiot?
WANG DASHUAN: Little Erdezi, listen to me. Mugging people is no way to make a decent living.
LITTLE ERDEZI:L  Why not? When the /Dean of Instruction for Party Policy gives a lecture, he lays his pitol on the desk. All I’ve done is lay my fist on a few heads. I don’t use a pistol.
WANG DASHUAN: Dean of Instruction, my foot. He’s a hoodlum.
LITTLE ERDEZI: Yes, A hoodlum. No—that’d make me a hoodlum too. Dashuan, Elder Brother, are you twisting things around to insult me? I’ve got muscles like cement, remember.

王大拴　你就是把我打死，我不服你还是不服你，不是吗？
小二德子　喝，这么绕脖子的话，你怎么想出来的？大拴哥，你应当去教党义，你有文才！好啦，反正今天我不再打学生！
王大拴　干吗光是今天不打，永远不打才对！
小二德子　不是今天我另有差事吗？
王大拴　什么差事？
小二德子　今天打教员！

王大拴　干吗打教员？打学生就不对，还打教员？
小二德子　上边怎么交派，我怎么干！他们说，教员要罢课。罢课就是不老实，不老实就得揍！他们叫我上这儿等着，看见教员就揍！
邹福远　（嗅出危险）师弟，咱们走吧！
卫福喜　走！（同邹福远下）
小二德子　大拴哥，你拿着这块钱吧！
王大拴　打女学生的钱，我不要！
小二德子　（另拿一块）换换，这块是打男学生的，行了吗？（看王大拴还是摇头）这么办，你替我看着点，我出去买点好吃的，请请你，活着还不为吃点喝点老三点吗？（收起现洋，下）
〔康顺子提着小包出来。王利发与周秀花跟着。
康顺子　王掌柜，你要是改了主意，不让我走，我还可以不走！
王利发　我……
周秀花　庞四奶奶也未必敢砸茶馆！
王利发　你怎么知道？三皇道是好惹的？
康顺子　我顶不放心的还是大力的事！只要一走漏了消息，大家全完！那比砸茶馆更厉害！
王大拴　大婶，走！我送您去！爸爸，我送送她老人家，可以吧？

You’d better wise up, unless you want a few broken bones.
WANG DASHUAN: Even if you beat me to death, if I don’t give in, you can’t really get the best of me, can you?
LITTLE ERDEZI: Huh? You can sure dream up a bunch of slippery hocus-pocus. Dashuan, Elder Brother, you should be a party teacher, you’ve got the talent for it. Let’s drop it, eh? I’ve finished mugging students for today anyway.
WANG DASHUAN: What’s the point of stopping for a day? You shouldn’t do it at all.
LITTLE ERDEZI: I’m not doing it today because I’ve got a different job.
WANG DASHUAN: What job?
LITTLE ERDEZI: Today I’m working over teachers.
WANG DASHUAN: Working over teachers? Beating students is wrong. Is beating teachers any better?
LITTLE ERDEZI:  I do wht those up above tell me. They told me the teachers were going on strike. Striking is reactionary, and whoever’s reactionary gets a beating. They told me to wait here and work over any teachers who come by.

ZOU FUYUAN (sensing danger): I think it’s about time we left.
WEI FUXI: Let’s go. (Exits with Zou Fuyuan.)
LITTLE ERDEZI: Dashuan, Elder Brother, aren’t you going to take this dollar?
WANG DASHUAN: Money earned beatig girl students? I don’t want it.

LITTLE ERDEZI (taking a different one): Take a different one then. This one’s for two guys. How’s that? (Dashuan shakes his head in refusal.) Then how about at least keeping an eye out while I go and buy some fancy grub for us to eat? What’s life for, if it isn’t to eat, drink and have a bit of fun, eh? (Picks up his money and exits.)
(Kang Shunzi enters carrying a small bundle. Wang Lifa and Zhou xiuhua are with her.)

KANG SHUNZI: If you change your mind and want me to stay, I’ll stay.

WANG LIFA: I…

ZHOU XIUHUA: I don’t think Fourth Aunt Pang will smash your teahouse.

WANG LIFA: How do you know? It doesn’t take much to provoke the Sanhuangdao /society, does it?

KANG SHUNZI: It’s Dali’s visit that really has me worried. If anything leaks out, you’ve all had it. That’s a lot worse than them smashing up the teahouse.

WANG DASHUAN: You’d better go, Auntie. I’ll get you out of the city. Papa, I’ll see our old

王利发　嗯——
周秀花　大婶在这儿受了多少年的苦？帮了咱们多少忙，还不应当送送？
王利发　我并没说不叫他送！送！送！
王大拴　大婶，等等，我拿件衣服去！（下）
周秀花　爸，您怎么啦？
王利发　别再问我什么，我心里乱(233)！一辈子没这么乱过！媳妇，你先陪大婶走，我叫老大追你们！大婶，外边不行啊，就还回来！

周秀花　老太太，这儿永远是您的家！
王利发　可谁知道也许……
康顺子　我也不会忘了你们！老掌柜，你硬硬朗朗(234)的吧！（同周秀花下）
王利发　（送了两步，立住）硬硬朗朗的干什么呢？
〔谢勇仁和于厚斋进来。
谢勇仁　（看看墙上，先把茶钱放在桌上）老人家，沏一壶来。（坐）
王利发　（先收钱）好吧。
于厚斋　勇仁，这恐怕是咱们末一次坐茶馆了吧！
谢勇仁　以后我倒许常来。我决定改行，去蹬三轮儿(235)！
于厚斋　蹬三轮一定比当小学教员强！
谢勇仁　我偏偏教体育，我饿，学生们饿，还要运动，不是笑话吗？
〔王小花跑进来。
王利发　小花，怎这么早就下了学呢？
王小花　老师们罢课啦！（看见于厚斋、谢勇仁）于老师，谢老师！你们都没上学去，不教我们啦？还教我们吧！见不着老师，同学们都哭啦！我们开了个会，商量好，以后一定都守规矩，不招老师们生气！
于厚斋　小花！老师们也不愿意耽误了你们的功课。可是，吃不上饭，怎么教书呢？我们家里也有孩子，为教别人的孩子，叫自己的孩子挨饿，不是不公道吗？好孩子，别着急，喝完茶，我们开会去，也许能

Notes:
(233) 心里乱：there is no peace in the heart.
(234) 硬硬朗朗：sturdy and strong.
(235) 三轮：a three wheel peddled cab.

friend off, okay?
WANG LIFA: Mmmh…
ZHOU XIUHUA: For years auntie has worked her fingers to the bone for us. The least we can do is see her off.
WANG LIFA: I didn’t say he shouldn’t. See her off! See her off!
WANG DASHUAN: Hang on a minute, Auntie, I’ll get a jacket. (Exits.)
ZHOU XIUHUA: Papa, what’s the matter?
WANG LIFA: Leave me alone, I’m confused. I’ve never been so confused in my whole life. Daughter-in-law, you go with Auntie. I’ll tell Elder Son to catch up with you. Auntie, if you don’t like it there, you’re always welcoem here.
ZHOU XIUHUA: Auntie, this place will always be your home.
WANG LIFA: But who knows? Perhaps
KANG SHUNZI: I’ll never forget any of you. Old Proprietor, take care of yourself. (Exits with Zhou Xiuhua.)
WANG LIFA (follows them towards the door, then stops): Take care of myself? What for?
(Xie Yongren and Yu Houzhai enter.)
XIE YONGREN (noticing the signs on the wall and putting his tea money on the table): Oldtimer, some tea please. (Sits.)
WANG LIFA (taking money): Right away.
XIE YONGREN: I just might be here a lot. I’ve decided to change jobs—drive a pedicab.
YU HOUZHAI: Driving a pedicab will be a lot better than teaching primary school. No doubt about that.
XIE YONGREN: Some luck—teaching phys-ed. It’s a joke. Teaching sports when neither I nor the students get enough to eat.
(Wang Xiaohua runs in.)
WANG LIFA: Xiaohua, how come school’s out so early?
WANG XIAOHUA: The teachers have gone on strike. (See Yu Houzhai and Xie Yongren.) Teacher Yu! Teacher Xie! Why weren’t you at school? Aren’t you going to teach us any more? You’ve got to teach us! When you didn’t come we all cried. We had a meeting and we all agreed to be better students from now on, and not ever make you angry.

YU HOUZHAI: Xiaohua, we don’t want you to miss school either, but how can we teach without enough to eat? We have children ourselves. It’s wrong for them to suffer just so we can

够想出点办法来！
谢勇仁　好好在家温书，别乱跑去，小花！
〔王小拴由后面出来，夹着个小包。
王小花　爸，这是我的两位老师！
王大拴　老师们，快走！他们埋伏下了打手！
王利发　谁？
王大拴　小二德子！他刚出去，就回来！
王利发　二位先生，茶钱退回，（递钱）请吧！快！
王大拴　随我来！
〔小二德子上。
小二德子　街上有游行的，他妈的什么也买不着！大拴哥，你上哪儿？这俩是谁？
王大拴　喝茶的！（同于厚斋、谢勇仁往外走）
小二德子　站住！（三人还走）怎么？不听话？先揍了再说！
王利发　小二德子！
小二德子　（拳已出去）尝尝这个！
谢勇仁　（上面一个嘴巴，下面一脚）尝尝这个！
小二德子　哎哟！（倒下）
王小花　该！该！
谢勇仁　起来！再打！
小二德子　（起来，捂着脸）喝！喝！（往后退）喝！
王大拴　快走！（扯二人下）
小二德子　（迁怒）老掌柜，你等着吧，你放走了他们，待会儿我跟你算账！打不了他们，还打不了你这个糟老头子(236)吗？（下）
王小花　爷爷，爷爷！小二德子追老师们去了吧？那可怎么好？
王利发　他不敢！这路人我见多了，都是软的欺，硬的怕！
王小花　他要是回来打您呢？
Notes:
(236) 糟老头子：糟—rotten, 老头子—an old man.

teach other people’s children, isn’t it? My sweet, don’t worry, we’re going to a meeting as soon as we finish our tea. Perhaps we’ll find an answer.
XIE YONGREN: Do a good job of reviewing your lesson, Xiaohua; don’t just waste time playing.
(Wang Dashuan enters from rear with a small bundle.)
WANG XIAOHUA: These are my teachers, Papa.
WANG DASHUAN: Teachers, eh? You’d get out of here. They’ve got someone laying for you.
WANG LIFA: Who?
WANG DASHUAN: Little Erdezi. He just left, but he’s coming right back.
WANG LIFA: Gentlemen, here’s your tea money. (Returns it.) Take it, please. Hurry.
WANG DASHUAN: Follow me.
(Little Erdezi enters.)
LITTLE ERDEZI: There’s a big street demonstration. Son-of-a-bitch, can’t buy a thing. Dashuan, Elder Brother, where’re you going? Who’re those two guys?

WANG DASHUAN: Customers. (Leaving with Yu Houzhai and Xie Yongren.)
LITTLE ERDEZE: Come back here! Eh? Won’t listen? I’ll teach you a lesson.
WANG LIFA: Little Erdezi.
LITTER ERDEZI (throwing a punch): Try this for size.
XIE YONGREN (landing a blow on Little Erdezi’s face and kicking his feet from under him.): Try that for size!
LITTLE ERDEZAI: Aiyo! (Falls.)
WANG XIAOHUA: Hurrah!
XIE YONGREN: Come on! Get up!
LITTLE ERDEZI (getting up feeling his face.): Old Proprietor, you’re in for

王小花　爷爷，爷爷！小二德子追老师们去了吧？那可怎么好？
王利发　他不敢！这路人我见多了，都是软的欺，硬的怕！
王小花　他要是回来打您呢？

王利发　我？爷爷会说好话呀。
王小花　爸爸干什么去了？
王利发　出去一会儿，你甭管！上后边温书去吧，乖！
王小花　老师们可别吃了亏呀，我真不放心！（下）
〔丁宝跑进来。
丁　宝　老掌柜，老掌柜！告诉你点事！
王利发　说吧，姑娘！
丁　宝　小刘麻子呀，没安着好心(237)，他要霸占这个茶馆！
王利发　怎么霸占？这个破茶馆还值得他们霸占？
丁　宝　待会儿他们就来，我没工夫细说，你打个主意吧！
王利发　姑娘，我谢谢你！
丁　宝　我好心好意来告诉你，你可不能卖了我(238)呀！
Notes:
(237) 没安好心：he harbors no good intention.
(238) 卖了我：to sell me out, meaning to tell them I told you all these.

it now; you let them go. I’ll settle with you later. Just because I couldn’t handle them, doesn’t mean that I can’t handle a stupid old fart like you. (Exits.)
WANG XIAOHUA: Grandpa, what shall we do? Erdezi is chasing after them!
WANG LIFA: Don’t worry, he’s afraid of them. I’ve known lots like him. Let them push you around and they will, but if you stand up to them they turn tail soon enough.
WANG XIAOHUA: Is he going to hurt you, Grandpa?
WANG LIFA: Me? Your /grandpa knows how to deal with guys like that.
WANG XIAOHUA: Where did Papa go?
WANG LIFA: He’ll be back soon. Don’t worry about him. My sweet little girl, why don’t you go and study?
WANG XIAOHUA: Oh, I hope nothing happens to our teachers. I’m really worried. (Exits.)
(Ding Bao runs in.)
DING BAO: Old Proprietor! Old Proprietor! There’s something I’ve got to tell you.
WANG LIFA: What is it, Miss?
DING BAO: That Little Pockface Liu, he’s up to no good. He’s planning to take over your teahouse.
WANG LIFA: Take over my teahouse? Why? What could they want with a rundown old teahouse like this?
DING BAO: They’ll be here nay minute. I don’t have time to explain. You’d better think of something.
WANG LIFA: Thanks for the warning, Miss.
DING BAO: I’m taking chances telling you this. Please don’t give me away.

王利发　姑娘，我还没老糊涂(239)了！放心吧！
丁　宝　好！待会儿见！（下）
〔周秀花回来。
周秀花　爸，他们走啦。
王利发　好！
周秀花　小花的爸说，叫您放心，他送到了地方就回来。
王利发　回来不回来都随他的便吧！
周秀花　爸，您怎么啦？干吗这么不高兴？
王利发　没事！没事！看小花去吧。她不是想吃热汤面吗？要是还有点面的话，给她做一碗吧，孩子怪可怜的，什么也吃不着！
周秀花　一点白面也没有！我看看去，给她做点杂合面疙疸汤(240)吧！（下）
〔小唐铁嘴回来。

小唐铁嘴　王掌柜，说好了吗？
王利发　晚上，晚上一定给你回话！
小唐铁嘴　王掌柜，你说我爸爸白喝了一辈子的茶，我送你几句救命的话，算是替他还账吧。告诉你，三皇道现在比日本人在这儿的时候更厉害，砸你的茶馆比砸个砂锅还容易！你别太大意了！
王利发　我知道！你既买我的好，又好去对娘娘表表功(241)！是吧？
〔小宋恩子和小吴祥子进来，都穿着新洋服。
小唐铁嘴　二位，今天可够忙的？
小宋恩子　忙得厉害！教员们大暴动！
Notes:
(239) 老糊涂：so old that could not understand things clearly.
(240) 疙疸汤：a soup mainly made of flour granules.
(241) 表表功：to show to somebody what one has accomplished.

WANG LIFA: Don’t you worry, Miss. I still have my wits about me.
DING BAO: Thanks. See you later. (Exits.)

(Zhou Xiuhua enters.)
ZHOU XIUHUA: Papa, they made it through the city gates.
WANG LIFA: Good.
ZHOU XIUHUA: Your son told me to tell you not to worry, He’ll see her to Dali’s and then come back.
WANG LIFA: He can come back or stay there—it makes no difference.
ZHOU XIUHUA: Papa, what’s the matter? Whey are you so upset?
WANG LIFA: Nothing, nothing. Go and look after Xiaohua, Didn’t she want some noodles? If there’s any flour left, why don’t you make her a bowl of noodles? Poor childe, she doesn’t get enough to eat.

ZHOU XIUHUA: We don’t have a speck of decent flour left, but I’ll see if I can make her some coarse dumpling soup. (Exits.)
(Little Soothsayer Tang enters.)
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Proprietor Wang, has she agreed?
WANG LIFA: Tonight. I’ll have a definite answer for you tonight.
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Proprietor Wang, you’re always complaining that my father never paid for his tea. Right now I’m going to square his debt by helping you save your skin. I’m warning you, the Sanhuagdao Society is worse than the Japanese ever were. They’ll smash up your teahouse without a second thought. So you’d better smarten up.

WANG LIFA: You save my skin? All you want is a yes from me to impress your so-called “Empress” with. Isn’t that so? (Little Song Enzi and Little Wu Xiangzi ener, dressed in the latest Western fashion.)
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Plenty busy today, eh, gentlemen?
LITTLE SONG ENZI: Busy isn’t the word. Hundreds of school teachers are

王利发　二位，“罢课”改了名儿，叫“暴动”啦？
小唐铁嘴　怎么啦？
小吴祥子　他们还能反到天上去吗？到现在为止，已经抓了一百多，打了七十几个，叫他们反吧！
小宋恩子　太不知好歹！他们老老实实的，美国会送来大米、白面嘛。
小唐铁嘴　就是！二位，有大米、白面，可别忘了我！以后，给大家
的坟地看风水，我一定尽义务！好！二位忙吧！（下）
小吴祥子　你刚才问，“罢课”改叫“暴动”啦？王掌柜！
王利发　岁数大了，不懂新事，问问！
小宋恩子　哼！你就跟他们是一路货(242)！
王利发　我？你太高抬(243)我啦！
小吴祥子　我们忙，没工夫跟你费话，说干脆的吧！
王利发　什么干脆的？
小宋恩子　教员们暴动，必有主使(244)的人！
王利发　谁？
小吴祥子　昨天晚上谁上这儿来啦？
王利发　康大力！
小宋恩子　就是他！你把他交出来吧！

Notes:
(242) 一路货：of the same sort of commodity.
(243) 高抬：to rate somebody higher.
(244) 主使：zhǔshǐ， one who incites the matter.
rebelling.
WANG LIFA: Gentlemen, since when did a strike become a rebellion?
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: Can you stop them?
LITTLE WU XIANGZI: Can we stop them? So far we’ve thrown over a hundred in jail, and teaten the shit out of seventy or eighty more. That’ll teach them to rebel!
LITTLE SONG ENZI: They don’t know a good thing when it’s staring them in the face. If they’d just keep in line, the Americans’d send us boatloads of rice and wheat flour.
LITTLE SOOTHSAYER TANG: They sure don’t. But, Gentlemen, if you do get osme rice of flour please don’t forget me. I’ll do my utomost to choose a lucky site for your tombs. Well, I’ll let you two carry on. (Exits.)
LITTLE WU XIANGZI: Did you just ask if striking was called rebellion now, Proprietor Wang?
WANG LIFA: When you are old and you can’t keep up with the changes, you have to ask, haven’t you?
LITTLE SONG ENZI: Hummp! You’re in the same bloody league they’re in.
WANG LIFA: Me? I’m afraid you overestimate me.
LITTLE WU XIANGZE: We don’t have time to beat around the bush with you—so out with it.
WANG LIFA: Out with what?
LITTLE SONG ENZI: When teachers rebel, there’s got to be a ringleader.
WANG LIFA: Who?
LITTLE WU XIANGZE: Who was here last night?
WANG LIFA: Kang Dali.
LITTLE SONG ENZI: That’s our man. Hand him over.

王利发　我要是知道他是哪路人，还能够随便说出来吗？我跟你们的爸爸打交道多少年，还不懂这点道理？
小吴祥子　甭跟我们拍老腔，说真的吧！
王利发　交人，还是拿钱，对吧？
小宋恩子　你真是我爸爸教出来的！对啦，要是不交人，就把你的金条拿出来！别的铺子都随开随倒，你可混了这么多年，必定有点底(245)。
〔小二德子匆匆跑来。
小二德子　快走！街上的人不够用啦！快走！
小吴祥子　你小子管干吗的？
小二德子　我没闲着，看，脸都肿啦！
小宋恩子　掌柜的，我们马上回来，你打主意吧！
王利发　不怕我跑了吗？
小吴祥子　老梆子，你真逗气儿(246)！你跑到阴间去，我们也会把你抓回来！（打了王利发一掌，同小宋恩子、小二德子下）
王利发　（向后叫）小花！小花的妈！
周秀花　（同王小花跑出来）我都听见了！怎么办？
王利发　快走！追上康妈妈！快！
王小花　我拿书包去！（下）

Notes:
(245) 有点底：have laid down some kind of a foundation.
(246) 逗气儿：trying to irritate somebody.
WANG LIFA: If I know what he was dong I wouldn’t have mentioned his name, would I? I was around your fathers long enough to pick up at least that much, wasn’t I?
LITTLE WU XIANGZE: Cut the crap and give it to us straight.
WANG LIFA: Money or the man, is that your game?
LITTLE SONG ENZI: Right! My father did a good job with you. The man or some of that gold you’ve been saving up. Lots of shops have come and gone, but you’ve hung on for all these years. You must have a nice little nest egg.
(Little Erdezi rushes in.)
LITTLE ERDEZI: We’ve got to get out of here, we’re outnumbered. Come on!
LITTLE WU XIANGZE: You little bastard, don’t you know what you’re hired for?
LITTLE ERDEZI: I didn’t sit idle; look what they’ve done to my face.
LITTLE SONG ENZI: We’ll be back, Proprietor, so you’d better come up with something.
WANG LIFA: What if I’m not here?
LITTLE WU XIANGZE: Are you kidding, you old fart? We’ll get you no matter where you go. (Strikes Wang Lifa, then exits with Little Song Enzi and Little Erdezi.)
WANG LIFA (calling to the back): Xiaohua! Xiaohua’s Mother!
ZHOU XIUHUA (running in with Xiaohua): I heard everything. What shall we do?
WANG LIFA: You’d better get out of here right away. Catch up with Mother Kang. Hurry.
WANG XIAOHUA: I’ll get my schoolbag. (Exits.)
周秀花　拿上两件衣裳，小花！爸，剩您一个人怎么办？
王利发　这是我的茶馆，我活在这儿，死在这儿！
〔王小花挎着书包，夹着点东西跑回来。
周秀花　爸爸！
王小花　爷爷！
王利发　都别难过，走！（从怀中掏出所有的钱和一张旧像片）媳妇，拿着这点钱！小花，拿着这个，老裕泰三十年前的像片，交给你爸爸！走吧！
〔小刘麻子同丁宝回来。

小刘麻子　小花，教员罢课，你住姥姥家去呀？
王小花　对啦！
王利发　（假意地）媳妇，早点回来！
周秀花　爸，我们住两天就回来！（同王小花下）
小刘麻子　王掌柜，好消息！沈处长批准了我的计划！
王利发　大喜，大喜！
小刘麻子　您也大喜，处长也批准修理这个茶馆！我一说，处长说好！他呀老把“好”说成“蒿”，特别有个洋味儿！
王利发　都是怎么一回事？
小刘麻子　从此你算省心了！这儿全属我管啦，你搬出去！我先跟你说好了，省得以后你麻烦我！
王利发　那不能！凑巧，我正想搬家呢。
ZHOU XIUHUA: Bring two changes of clothes, Xiaohua, Papa, we can’t leave you here by yourself.
WANG LIFA: This is my teahouse. I’ll stay here till the day I die.
(Wang Xiaohua runs in with her schoolbag over her shoulder and a bundle under her arm.)
ZHOU XIUHUA: Papa.
WANG XIAOHUA: Grandpa.
WANG LIFA: Don’t cry. Go! (Pulls out form his jacket his few remaining dollars qnd an old photograph.) Daughter-in-law, it’s not much, but take it. Xiaohua, you take care of this –it’s a picture of our teahouse, taken over thirty years ago. Give it to your papa. Now, go.
(Little Pockface Liu and Ding Bao enter.)
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Xiaohua, going to Granny’s while the teachers are on strike?
WANG XIAOHUA: Yes.
WANG LIFA (picking up the ruse): Daughter-in-law, come back as soon as you can.
ZHOU XIUHUA: We’ll only stay a couple of days, Papa. (Exits with Wang Xiaohua.)
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: For yourself too. Director /shen’s okayed remodeling your teahouse. As soon as I suggested it he said, “Yessiree!” It’s neat, the way he says it—sounds like a foreigner.
WANG LIFA: What do you mean? What’s going on?
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: You’re going on-going onb holiday, because I’m taking over and you’re moving out. Got that straight? I don’t want you hanging around here bothering me.
WANG LIFA: No danger of that. It just so happens I was planning to move

丁　宝　小刘，老掌柜在这儿多少年啦，你就不照顾他一点吗？
小刘麻子　看吧！我办事永远厚道(247)！王掌柜，我接处长去，叫他看看这个地方。你把这儿好好收拾一下！小丁宝，你把小心眼找来，迎接处长！带点香水，好好喷一气，这里臭哄哄的！走！（同丁宝下）
王利发　好！真好！太好！哈哈哈！
〔常四爷提着小筐进来，筐里有些纸钱和花生米。他虽年过

七十，可是腰板还不太弯。
常四爷　什么事这么好哇，老朋友！
王利发　哎哟！常四哥！我正想找你这么一个人说说话儿呢！我沏一壶顶好的茶来，咱们喝喝！（去沏茶）
〔秦仲义进来。他老的不像样子了，衣服也破旧不堪。
秦仲义　王掌柜在吗？
常四爷　在！您是……
秦仲义　我姓秦。
常四爷　秦二爷！
王利发　（端茶来）谁？秦二爷？正想去告诉您一声，这儿要大改良！坐！坐！

Notes:
(247) 厚道：hòudao, honest and kind.
out.
DING BAO: Little Liu, the old proprietor has spent his whole life here. You can’t just kick him out, can you?
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: We’ll see. I’ve always been a square dealer. Proprietor Wang, I’m going to get the Director to come and look the place over. Clean it up a bit. Little Ding Bao, go and get Little Xinyan. I wangt the two of you here to receive the Director. Bring some perfume and give the place a spray. It stinks. Let’s go. (Exits with Ding Bao.)

WANG LIFA: Good! Wonderful! Too wonderful for words. (Laughs ironically.)
(Fourth Elder Chang enters carryi9ng a small basket. In the basket there is some valueless paper money, the kind which is either scattered or  burned at funerals and some peanuts. Although he is over seventy, he still holds himself quite erect.)
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Too wonderful for words.? My old friend, what is it that’s so wonderful?
WANG LIFA: Aiyo! Fourth Elder Chang. You’re just the person I wanted to see. I’ll make a nice pot of tea, and we can have a chat.

(Goes to make tea.)
(Qin Zhongyi enters. He has aged terribly, and his clothes are badly worn.)
QIN ZHONGYI: Is Proprietor Wang around?
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Yes, he’s here. You’re…
QIN ZHONGYI: My name is Qin…
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Second Elder Qin!
WANG LIFA (Entering with tea): Who? Second Elder Qin? You’re the other person I wanted to see. Our teahouse is in for another big “reform.” Sit down, sit down.
常四爷　我这儿有点花生米，（抓）喝茶吃花生米，这可真是个乐子！
秦仲义　可是谁嚼得动呢？
王利发　看多么邪门，好容易有了花生米，可全嚼不动！多么可笑！怎样啊？秦二爷！（都坐下）
秦仲义　别人都不理我啦，我来跟你说说：我到天津去了一趟，看看我的工厂！
王利发　不是没收了吗？又物归原主啦？这可是喜事！
秦仲义　拆了！
常四爷、王利发　拆了？
秦仲义　拆了！我四十年的心血啊，拆了！别人不知道，王掌柜你知
道；我从二十多岁起，就主张实业救国。到而今……抢去我的工厂，好，我的势力小，干不过他们！可倒好好地办哪，那是富国裕民的事业呀！结果，拆了，机器都当碎铜烂铁卖了！全世界，全世界找得到这样的政府找不到？我问你！
王利发　当初，我开的好好的公寓，您非盖仓库不可。看，仓库查封，货物全叫他们偷光！当初，我劝您别把财产都出手，您非都卖了开工厂不可！
常四爷　还记得吧？当初，我给那个卖小妞的小媳妇一碗面吃，您还说风凉话(248)呢。

Notes:
(248) 风凉话：fēngliánghuà， irresponsible and sarcastic remarks.
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Here, have some peanuts, (Takes some himself.)
A nice cup of tea and a handful of peanuts. Could anything be better?
QIN ZHONGYI:  Well, some teeth would help.
WANG LIFA: talk about irony. We haven’t had any peanuts for God knows how long, and now we haven’t got any teeth. What a laugh. What brings you here, Second Elder Qin? (They all sit down.)
QIN ZHONGYI: Nobody else will listen to me, so I’ve come to talk to you. I’ve just been to Tianjin to have to look at my factory.
WANG LIFA: Wasn’t it confiscated? Don’t tell me they’ve given it back to you. That’s wonderful news!
QIN ZHAONGYI: It’s been demolished.
FOURTH ELDER CHANG and WANG LIFA: Demolished?

QIN ZHONGYI: Demolished. Forty years of my life—demolished. No one else knows, but Proprietor Wang, you know—from my early twenties I’ve advocated saving the country by industrializing it. And now… I accepted the seizure of my factory. I’m just a little guy, so there was nothing I could do. But what did they do? They demolished it and sold all the wrecked equipment as scrap. Is there anywhere, anywhere in the whole world, that you’ll find another government like this one? I’m asking you!

WANG LIFA: Do you remember? Way back when my rooming house was doing well, nothing would do but yu had to build a warehouse. What happened? They locked it up and confiscated all your goods. After that, I warned you to hang on to some of your property, but nothing would do but you had to sell everything and build a factory.
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Perhaps you’ll remember too that it was round about that time that you ridiculed me for buying some noodles for the young mother who was selling her daughter?

秦仲义　现在我明白了！王掌柜，求你一件事吧：（掏出一二机器小零件和一枝钢笔管来）工厂拆平了，这是我由那儿捡来的小东西。这枝笔上刻着我的名字呢，它知道，我用它签过多少张支票，写过多少计划书。我把它们交给你，没事的时候，你可以跟喝茶的人们当个笑话谈谈，你说呀：当初有那么一个不知好歹的秦某人，爱办实业。办了几十年，临完他只由工厂的土堆里捡回来这么点小东西！你应当劝告大家，有钱哪，就该吃喝嫖赌，胡作非为(249)，可千万别干好事！告诉他们哪，秦某人七十多岁了才明白这点大道理！他是天生来的笨蛋！

王利发　您自己拿着这枝笔吧，我马上就搬家啦！
常四爷　搬到哪儿去？
王利发　哪儿不一样呢！秦二爷，常四爷，我跟你们不一样；二爷财大业大心胸大，树大可就招风(250)啊！四爷你，一辈子不服软，敢做敢当，专打抱不平。我呢，做了一辈子顺民，见谁都请安、鞠躬、作揖。我只盼着呀，孩子们有出息，冻不着，饿不着，没灾没病！可是，日本人在这儿，二拴子逃跑啦，老婆想儿子想死啦！好容易，日本人走啦，该缓一口气了吧？谁知道，（惨笑）哈哈，哈哈，哈哈！
常四爷　我也不比你强啊！自食其力，凭良心干了一辈子啊，我一事

Notes:
(249) 胡作非为：húzuò-fēiwéi， commit all kinds of outrages.
(250) 树大招风：shùdà-zhāofēng， literally it means high trees attract the wind, what it implies is famous persons attract criticisms easily.

QIN ZHONGYI: I know better now. Proprietor Wang, I’d like yu to do something for me. (Takes out several small machine parts and the barrel of a fountain pen.) My factory was flattened. I picked these things up out of the rubble. This fountain pen has my name on it. It knows how many cheques I’ve signed, how many plans I’ve drawn up. Here, take them. When business is slow you can show them to your customers—give them a laugh. Tell them there was once an old fool named Qin who dreamt of opening factories. He ran one for scores of years, but in the end all he had to show for it was these few things that he grubbed out of the wreckage. You should tell them, if they have money they should spend it on wine and women—gamble and live it up. Hard work’s a waste of time. Tell them that your friend Qin was in his seventies before he discovered this—a real bloody fool.

WANG LIFA: There’s no point in giving your pen to me. I’m moving out of here myself.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: Where to?
WANG LIFA: Anywhere. I’m different from you two fellows. Second Elder, you were wealthy, enterprising and ambitious, but big trees bear the  runt of the wind. And Fourth Elder, your whole life you never relaxed your struggle against injustice. Me? My whole life I tried to please everybody. I bowed and scraped to whoever I had to. All I wanted was a decent life for my children—that they have enough to eat and wear, and not have to worry too much about calamity or disease. But when the Japs were here, Second Son had to flee, and my wife died of anguish. We got rid of the Japs finally, and things should have got better. You never know, do you? (Laughs bitterly.)

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: I’ve done no better than you. Sure, I’ve earned my own way and lived an honest life, but  I’ve got nowhere. I’m in my

无成！七十多了，只落得卖花生米！个人算什么呢，我盼哪，盼哪，只盼国家像个样儿，不受外国人欺侮。可是……哈哈！
秦仲义　日本人在这儿，说什么合作，把我的工厂就合作过去了。咱们的政府回来了，工厂也不怎么又变成了逆产。仓库里（指后边）有多少货呀，全完！哈哈！
王利发　改良，我老没忘了改良，总不肯落在人家后头。卖茶不行啊，开公寓。公寓没啦，添评书！评书也不叫座儿(251)呀，好，不怕丢人，想添女招待！人总得活着吧？我变尽了方法，不过是为活下去！是呀，该贿赂的，我就递包袱。我可没做过缺德的事，伤天害理的事，为什么就不叫我活着呢？我得罪了谁？谁？皇上、娘娘那些狗男女都活得

有滋有味(252)的，单不许我吃窝窝头，谁出的主意？
常四爷　盼哪，盼哪，只盼谁都讲理，谁也不欺侮谁！可是，眼看着老朋友们一个个的不是饿死，就是叫人家杀了，我呀就是有眼泪也流不出来喽！松二爷，我的朋友，饿死啦，连棺材还是我给他化缘(253)化来的！他还有我这么个朋友，给他化了一口四块板的棺材；我自己呢？我爱咱们的国呀，可是谁爱我呢？看，（从筐中拿出些纸钱）遇见出殡

Notes:

(251) 叫座儿：to attract people into the teahouse.
(252) 有滋有味：an enjoyable life, having tasted all ingredients.
(253) 化缘：huàyuán， (of Buddhis tmonks or Taoist priests) beg with alms.

Seventies, and I’ve been reduced to selling peanuts. One man doesn’t matter, but what does matter—what really matters—is our country. If China could only pull herself together and put an end to the humiliations suffered at the hands of foreigners. But…(Laughs bitterly.)

QIN ZHONGYI: When the Japanese were here, they talked about cooperation. They co-operated my factory right out of my hands. When our own government returned, and I don’t know how much was in that warehouse. All of it—gone! (Laughs bitterly.)

WANG LIFA: Reform! I’ve never forgotten about reform, change—keeping up with the times. When the teahouse couldn’t make it, I opened a rooming house; when the rooming house folded, I tried bringing in a storyteller; when he didn’t draw an audience, I even considered hiring a come-on hostess—what the hell if I lost a little face, a man has to live, hasn’t he? I tried anything and everything, but only so we could live. It’s the truth. Sure, I bribed people when I had to, but I never did anything unjust or immoral. Don’t I deserve a normal life? Who have I wronged? Who? Those bastards in the Imperial family still live a life of luxury, but I can’t even get enough cornbread to fill my belly. It doesn’t make sense.

FOURTH ELDER CHANG: I only wish… I only wish that people would be reasonable and fair with one another. But all my old friends, one after another, were murdered or starved to death. I witnessed it all. My grief’s too deep for tears. Second Elder Song, my old friend, starved to death. I had to go out and beg for a coffin for him. He had me to beg a coffin for him. Myself? I love my country, but no one gives a damn about me. Look, (Takes some paper money from his basket.) I gathered this bit of fake funeral money after a funeral procession had passed. I don’t have burial clothes or a coffin;

的，我就捡几张纸钱。没有寿衣(254)，没有棺材，我只好给自己预备下点纸钱吧，哈哈，哈哈！
秦仲义　四爷，让咱们祭奠祭奠(255)自己，把纸钱撒起来，算咱们三个老头子的吧！
王利发　对！四爷，照老年间出殡(256)的规矩，喊喊！
常四爷　（立起，喊）四角儿的跟夫，本家赏钱一百二十吊！（撒起几张纸钱）（三四十年前，北京富人出殡，要用三十二人、四十八人或六十四人抬棺材，也叫抬杠。另有四位杠夫拿着拨旗，在四角跟随。杠夫换班须注意拨旗，以便进退有序；一班也叫一拨儿。起杠时和路祭时，领杠者须喊“加钱”——本家或姑奶奶赏给杠夫酒钱。加钱数目须夸大地喊出。在喊加钱时，有人撒起纸钱来）

秦仲义、王利发　一百二十吊！
秦仲义　（一手拉住一个）我没的说了，再见吧！（下）
王利发　再见！
常四爷　再喝你一碗！（一饮而尽）再见！（下）
王利发　再见！
〔丁宝与小心眼进来。
丁　宝　他们来啦，老大爷！（往屋中喷香水）
王利发　好，他们来，我躲开！（捡起纸钱，往后边走）
小心眼　老大爷，干吗撒纸钱呢？
王利发　谁知道！（下）
〔小刘麻子进来。
小刘麻子　来啦！一边一个站好！
〔丁宝、小心眼分左右在门内立好。
〔门外有汽车停住声，先进来两个宪兵。沈处长进来，穿军便服；高靴，带马刺；手执小鞭。后面跟着二宪兵。
Notes:
(254) 寿衣：shòuyī, a shroud;
(255) 祭奠：jìdiàn， hold a memorial ceremony for…
(256) 出殡：chūbìn， carry a coffin to the cemetery.

but why not at least gather together a little funeral money for myself? (Hearty laughter tinged with despair.)
QIN ZHONGYI: Fourth Elder, come on. Shout out some old-fashioned funeral cries.
FOURTH ELDER CHANG (standing up, shouting): This family  orders the four standard bearers to disperse one hundred and twenty strings of cash! (Scatters some  funeral money.)

QIN ZHONGYI and WANG LIFA: One hundred and twenty strings of cash!
QIN ZHONGYI (holding a hand of each of his friends): What else is there to say? Goodbye! (Exits.)
WANG LIFA: Goodbye!
FOURTH ELDER CHANG: A last bowl of your tea. (Drains bowl.) Goodbye. (Exits.)
WANG LIFA: Goodbye.
(Ding Bao and Little Xinyan enter.)
DING BAO: They’re here, Oldtimer. (Sprays Perfume.)
WANG LIFA: Well, if they’ve come, I’m leaving. (Picks up some paper money and starts off rear.)
LITTLE XINYAN: Oldtimer, it looks like there’s been a funeral.
WANG LIFA: Who can say? (Exits.)
(Little Pockface Liu enters.)
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: He’s here. One of you each side of the door. At attention.
(Ding Bao and Little Xinyan stand at attention at either side of the door.)
(A car pulls up outside, and two Kuomintang Special Police enter. Director Shen enters dressed in military casuals. He is wearing high boots andspurs,and carries a quirt in his hand. Two more Special Police bring up

沈处长　（检阅似的，看丁宝、小心眼，看完一个说一声）好（蒿）！

〔丁宝摆上一把椅子，请沈处长坐。
小刘麻子　报告处长，老裕泰开了六十多年，九城闻名，地点也好，借着这个老字号，做我们的一个据点，一定成功！我打算照旧卖茶，派（指）小丁宝和小心眼做招待。有我在这儿监视着三教九流(257)，各色人等，一定能够得到大量的情报，捉拿共产党！
沈处长　好（蒿）！
〔丁宝由宪兵手里接过骆驼牌烟，上前献烟；小心眼接过打火机，点烟。
小刘麻子　后面原来是仓库，货物已由处长都处理了，现在空着。我打算修理一下，中间作小舞厅，两旁布置几间卧室，都带卫生设备。处长清闲的时候，可以来跳跳舞，玩玩牌，喝喝咖啡。天晚了，高兴住下，您就住下。这就算是处长个人的小俱乐部，由我管理，一定要比公馆里更洒脱(258)一点，方便一点，热闹一点！
沈处长　好（蒿）！
丁　宝　处长，我可以请示一下吗？
沈处长　好（蒿）！
丁　宝　这儿的老掌柜怪可怜的。好不好给他做一身制服，叫他看看门，招呼贵宾们上下汽车？他在这儿几十年了，谁都认识他，简直可以算是老头儿商标！
沈处长　好（蒿）！传！
小刘麻子　是！（往后跑）王掌柜！老掌柜！我爸爸的老朋友，老大爷！（入。过一会儿又跑回来）报告处长，他也不是怎么上了吊，吊死啦！
沈处长　好（蒿）！好（蒿）！

——幕落·全剧终

Notes:
(257) 三教九流：sānjiào-jiǔliú， people in various trades.
(258) 洒脱：sǎtuō， free and easy.the rear.)
DIRECTOR SHEN (looking over Ding Bao and Little Xinyan as if at a military inspection. As he looks each one over he repeats, with a foreign accent) ：Yessiree!
(Ding Bao brings a chair for Director Shen.)
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: Director Shen, old Yutai Teahouse has been in business over sixty years; everybody knows it. It’s an ideal location; we can use it as one of our bases. It’ll be perfect, we’ll continue to sell tea, using (pointing) Little Ding Bao and Little Xinyan as hostesses. I’ll kep my eyes open. There’ll be people in here form all walks of life. We’ll get all the information we need to track down the commies.
DIRECTOR SHEN: Yessiree!
(Little Ding Bao takes a pack of Camel cigarettes from one Kuomintang Special Police officer and offers one to Director Shen. Little Xinyan accepts a lighter from the other and lights his cigarette.)
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU: The rear of this placde used to be a warehouse. You’re already taken care of the goods, so it’s empty now. I’m going to fix it up. We’ll have a small dancefloor in the centre, with bedrooms off both sides, each with its own plumbing. When you’ve got time to kill, sir, you can enjoy dancing, cards, and coffee. If It’s late and you feel like a little more fun, you can spend the night. You can treat the place as your private little club, sir. With me looing after it, it’s certain to be a bit less inhibited, a bit more convenient, and a touch livelier than your own residence.
DIRECTOR SHEN: Yessiree!
DING BAO: Could I make a little suggestion?
DIRECTOR SHEN: Yessiree!
DING BAO: I really feel sorry for the old proprietor of this place. Couldn’t you give him a uniform and keephim on as doorman? He could greet patrons, help them in and out of their cars. Everybody knows him, he’s been here so long. He’s sort of like an old trademark.
DIRECTOR SHEN: Yessiree! Bring him in.
LITTLE POCKFACE LIU (running to rear): Proprietor Wang. Old Proprietor. My father’s friend. Dear Oldtimer. (Exits rear; a moment later be re-enters, running.) Director! He’s hung himself! He’s dead!
DIRECTOR SHEN: Well, that’s a pity. Yessiree!