彭城魚妻

所願: 角色扮演 ?
異志: 幻想自己是 Harold Pinter 話劇 The Lover 中的主角?

列異傳 (Yang, HY and Gladys trs., The Man Who Sold a Ghost)

Woman into carp:
A man of Pengcheng took a wife 彭城有男子娶婦
but had no liking for her, 不悅之
and started sleeping outside. 在外宿
After a month or more 月餘日
she asked: 婦曰：
"Why don't you come home?" 何故不復入？
"Because you slip out every night," was his reply.
男曰：汝夜輒出，我故不入

出 = 離開自己的房間 (過來這處) ?

"I never have!" she declared. 婦曰：我初不出
Her husband was surprised. 婿驚
His wife told him: 婦云：
"As you let your fancy wander, 君自有異志
you have been bewitched." 當為他所惑耳
"Next time someone comes, 後有至者
seize hold of her 君便抱留之
and fetch a light to find out 索火照視之
what creature it is." 為何物

初 = 一直, 始終

Later on a strange woman came 後所願還至
pretending to be his wife, 故作其婦
but hesitated on the threshold 前卻未入
and had to be pushed in. 有一人從後推令前
As soon as she was in bed 即上床
the man seized her and asked: 婿捉之曰：
"Why do you go out every night?" 夜夜出何為？
"You are having an affair with that girl in the east house," was the answer. 婦曰：君與東舍女往來而驚
"You have made up this story of ghosts 欲托鬼魅
to excuse yourself." 以前約相掩耳
Then he let her off 婿放之
and they slept together. 與共臥

有一人 = 似有一人? 誰? (彭城男自己?)
彼當夜在家, 還是在外宿 ?
東舍女 = ? (其妻?)
誰驚?
前約 = 索火照視之為何物 ?

In the middle of the night 夜半
it came to him: 心悟
"I am bewitched--- 乃計曰：魅迷人
this is not my wife!" 非是我婦也
He seized her 乃向前攬捉
and shouted for a torch. 大呼求火
The woman shrank and shrivelled, 稍稍縮小
and when he looked 發而視之
she was a carp two feet long. 得一鯉魚長二尺

稍稍 = 漸漸

這故事實在費解. 尤其楊譯這一句 "You have made up this story of ghosts to excuse yourself." 主語用 you, 如此一來更撲索迷離.