Where Have All The Gentlemen Gone?
Since our most recent translation passage was relatively controversy free and simple to understand, I’m going to write a little bit about another important passage from a few posts ago.
This one goes back to the post with all the obscure opera scenes:
You might have missed this observation by Wang Xifeng, since I didn’t really point it out to begin with:
鳳姐兒立起身來，望樓下一看，說：「爺們都往那裡去了？」傍邊一個婆子道：「爺們才到凝曦軒，帶了十番，那裡吃酒去了。」鳳姐兒道：「在這裡不便宜，背地裡又不知幹什麼去了！」尤氏笑道：「那裡都像你這麼正經人呢！」
Xifeng stood up and glanced down from the tower. “Where have all the gentlemen gone?” she asked.
“They went to the Dawn Pavilion,” replied a maid who was nearby, “taking the musicians with them to drink there.”
“Of course it’s not convenient for them to be here!” replied Xifeng. “Who knows what they’re doing behind our backs?”
“Not everyone is as proper as you are!” laughed Lady You.
So what’s going on here?
