Here is the transcription of the content from the image:

VII

ROUND ABOUT OUR GARDEN

IT is no part of my purpose here to describe in detail the ordinary sights of Peking which every one goes to see—there is the guide-book for that—but some of the little sights that people can see if they please I feel a wish to write about. One day, when there was nothing special to do, a friend and I, wandering round quite purposelessly in our garden, came upon the old library, of the very existence of which till then we had never been aware, and then we thought we would explore a little outside and see who lived in our lane and round about us. There was a beautiful roof near us that we thought, looking down on it from our terrace, must be that of a temple, so in the first instance we set out to find it. That was not so easy. We found ourselves making our way down a little lane that turned quite abruptly, and in a whisper—with what I think is called bated breath—people informed us that was the house of a member of the Board of Punishments. But we could not be turned back at the very outset—it would look so silly, and the lane obviously led nowhere else—so I asked boldly if he were at home, feeling quite confident he would not be, and then, finding there was no one there but an elderly lady relation, asked leave of her to see the very fine tree we had often admired from our garden, and which we now found grew there. It could only be reached through the kitchen, as is the case with many gardens in China, where the cook is styled "The great skilled workman," and it is not considered derogatory to dignity or disagreeable to pass through the kitchen and see what he is doing. But in this instance there was nothing but the tree—no garden; so, having paid our respects to the very weariful-looking old lady, we retraced our steps and tried again. This time we found our way into a temple, and behind that found another. One was remarkably clean and tidy, the other had evidently long ceased to be used for temple purposes; there was a finely carved little shrine, which we both rather wanted to buy at first to use as a cabinet; then, as each politely offered it to the other, we found out we neither of us really wanted it. In a house to the side, a house that somehow at once suggested the idea of questionable dealings even before we had entered it, there were the remains of some enormous old clock, only the remains, and they would have required considerable expenditure to put in order, but the word "loot" at once came to our lips looking at it. That enormous grandfather's clock must have had a history, and I can but hope will be restored by somebody as a veritable historic relic, but we felt it would entail too much labour for us.

我在這裡並不打算詳細描述那些每個人來北京都會去看的普通景點——那是指南書的工作——但有一些人們如果願意可以看到的小景點，我想寫一些關於它們的內容。有一天，當沒有特別事情可做時，我和一位朋友無所事事地在我們的花園裡閒逛，偶然發現了一個我們之前從未察覺到存在的舊圖書館，於是我們決定到外面四處看看，看看我們所在的小巷裡和周圍住著些什麼人。我們發現附近有一個美麗的屋頂，我們從露台上向下看，認為那應該是一座寺廟的屋頂，因此我們首先決定找出它的位置。這並不容易。我們發現自己走進了一條突然轉彎的小巷，在一片低語聲中——我認為那是一種屏住呼吸的聲音——人們告訴我們，那是一位刑部官員的家。但我們不能在一開始就被擋住——這樣會顯得太愚蠢了，而且這條小巷顯然沒有其他出口——於是我大膽地問他是否在家，心裡很有把握他不會在家，然後發現那裡只有一位年長的女性親戚，於是我請求她允許我們看看那棵我們經常從花園裡欣賞的非常美麗的樹，現在我們發現它就長在這裡。那棵樹只能通過廚房到達，這在中國的許多花園裡都是這樣，廚師被稱為「偉大的技藝工人」，通過廚房看看他在做什麼並不被認為有失尊嚴或令人不愉快。但是在這個例子中，除了那棵樹之外什麼都沒有——沒有花園；因此，向那位看起來非常疲憊的老太太致敬後，我們返回了原路並再次嘗試。這次我們走進了一座寺廟，並在後面發現了另一座寺廟。一座寺廟非常乾淨整潔，另一座顯然已經很久沒有用作寺廟了；裡面有一座雕刻精美的小神龕，我們起初都很想買下來用作櫥櫃；但當我們互相禮貌地推讓時，我們發現我們其實都不是真的想要它。在旁邊的一所房子裡，這所房子在我們進入之前就立即讓人聯想到一些可疑的交易，我們發現了某個巨大古老時鐘的殘骸，只剩下殘骸，而且需要花費相當大的精力才能修復，但當看到它時，我們立刻想到「掠奪」這個詞。那座巨大的祖父鐘肯定有著一段歷史，我只能希望有人能夠將其恢復成一件真正的歷史遺物，但我們覺得這對我們來說會耗費太多精力。

We wandered into several other places, where we had no possible right to go, and everywhere found people very pleasant. One lady had a wonderful bird, which everyone was glad we should see, its mistress included. Gradually the whole lane seemed joining in the fun, and they were quite clear we must go into a house opposite our own gate. I had not the least wish to do so, for it did not look inviting. But somebody, who had something to do with the house in which the huge clock was, fetched a key and admitted us with much civility. We turned right-about-face, as one so often does in China at an entrance, which is as much arranged to keep evil spirits out as to let good people in, and there we found a room full of young men and boys hard at work at embroidery frames. They were the same patterns one knew so well, but at once it struck me how lovely the colours were, and I thought how convenient it was to have this establishment just opposite, as, if I did have anything embroidered in Peking, it would be delightful to have it done where one’s eye would not be offended by aniline dyes. We went on to another room and still another. It was evident the young apprentices, and all the workers, indeed, slept on the premises—slept, indeed, in the very rooms where they worked, and where the frames hardly allowed room to pass in between them. They also had their meals there. It was difficult to understand how they did their lovely work of exquisite hues and shades in such inconvenient surroundings. We should require so much more breathing-space, so much more cleanliness, before we could even begin to turn out such silken butterflies. But I would not be interested, I would not admire. With the true spirit of the Charity Organisation Society I was sure the men were horribly underpaid; that this was some sweating establishment I had stumbled into, and I only longed to get out without being too rude. Then, on asking what they were paid, and on hearing the answer, I felt assured they were trying to impose upon my credulity as a foreigner, for the daily wage was high for China, very high.

我們又漫遊了幾個地方，那些地方我們根本沒有權利進入，但到處都遇到非常友善的人。有位女士養了一隻奇妙的鳥，大家都很高興讓我們看到，包括那位女主人。漸漸地，整條巷子似乎都加入了這場樂趣，他們很明確地表示我們必須進入一戶正對著我們家大門的房子。我一點都不想這麼做，因為那看起來並不吸引人。但某位與那座擁有巨大時鐘的房子有關的人取來了鑰匙，非常禮貌地讓我們進去。我們立刻轉過身，就像在中國經常進門時所做的一樣，那種安排既可以阻擋邪靈，也能讓好人進入。然後我們發現了一個房間，裡面滿是年輕人和男孩們正在刺繡架上辛勤工作。他們使用的圖案都是大家熟悉的，但我立刻被那些色彩的美麗所震撼，並且覺得有這樣一個刺繡作坊就在對面真是太方便了，如果我在北京需要刺繡，能在這樣一個不會被苯胺染料所冒犯的地方完成，那真是太美好了。我們繼續走進另一個房間，然後又進了一個房間。很明顯，這些年輕的學徒和所有的工人確實都在這裡工作和居住——他們確實睡在他們工作的房間裡，那些刺繡架幾乎沒有空間讓人通過。他們也在那裡吃飯。我很難理解他們是如何在這樣不方便的環境中完成那麼美麗的色調和陰影的工作。我們需要更多的空間，更加乾淨整潔，才能開始製作出這樣的絲質蝴蝶。但我沒有興趣，也不會欣賞。我以慈善組織協會的真正精神相信這些工人受到了嚴重的剝削；我確信自己誤闖進了一個血汗工廠，我只想在不顯得太無禮的情況下盡快離開。然後，我問他們的工資是多少，聽到答案後，我更加確信他們在試圖利用我這個外國人的單純，因為那天的工資對中國來說非常高，非常高。

It was only after some days that I learnt that this was a quasi-Imperial establishment where none but skilled workers were employed—every one paid by the day, so as to have no temptation to do less than his best—and that all the work turned out was for the Imperial household. I had no chance of getting any. In memory the colours then became very delicate indeed! We wandered on till, half by chance, we arrived at the best shop for the famous Peking cloisonné. It is all made on the premises, and the colour of the flames as they burn the pots is very fine to see; but whilst I admire old Peking cloisonné, I cannot find the modern otherwise than very hard in colouring.

The great fair of Peking was about ten minutes from our garden; one of its peculiarities is that, mixed up with a quantity of rubbish, for a few hundredths of a penny, you can, if you please, buy many most expensive articles de vertu—snuff-bottles for twenty pounds or so, or what to the uninitiated look just as pretty and a great deal more curious, for a shilling. The toys and the flowering plants and the little Peking pugs for sale are, however, the most amusing part. I wanted to buy every dog in turn with its eyes starting out of its head as if with desire to be mine. Chinese toys, too, are the most delightful in the world, unless Japanese now beat them. It was, however, too hot and dusty for real enjoyment when I visited the fair held in the courtyards of a very picturesque temple no longer used for worship.

Peking is a very mixed-up place now* Here are some other memories. The carter who drove me to Tungchow appeared a very respectable man. Just to see what he would say I pointed to some ruins we were passing and asked him who had done that. He only replied by telling me what the building had been. " Were any of your people killed ? " I asked. I have the impression he said all, but when anything affects me very much I never can remember exactly, and his manner became suddenly broken-hearted as he replied, the tears running down his cheeks.

過了幾天，我才知道這是一個類似皇家機構的地方，僅僱用技術工人——每個人都是按天計酬，這樣他們就不會有任何動力偷工減料——所有的工作成果都是為皇家服務的。我根本沒有機會得到任何作品。回想起來，那些色彩變得非常微妙！我們繼續漫遊，直到半無意間來到一家以著名北京景泰藍聞名的店鋪。所有的景泰藍都是在店內製作的，火焰燃燒器皿時的顏色非常美妙；然而，儘管我欣賞老北京的景泰藍，我卻覺得現代的顏色過於生硬。

北京的集市離我們的花園大約十分鐘路程；其中一個特點是，混雜著許多廢物，只需花幾便士，你就可以購買到很多最昂貴的工藝珍品——比如價值二十英鎊左右的鼻煙壺，或者對於外行人來說看起來同樣漂亮且更有趣的東西，只需一先令。玩具、花卉植物以及出售的小京巴狗則是最有趣的部分。我真想把每隻眼睛幾乎要從頭上彈出的狗都買下來，因為它們看起來都渴望成為我的狗。中國的玩具也是世界上最迷人的，除非現在日本的玩具勝過它們。然而，我參觀這個集市時，天氣太熱太塵土飛揚，難以真正享受，而集市是在一座不再用作宗教崇拜的非常古樸的寺廟庭院內舉行的。

北京現在是一個非常混亂的地方*。以下是一些其他的回憶。駕車送我去通州的車夫看起來是一位非常體面的人。只是想看看他會怎麼說，我指著我們經過的一些廢墟，問他是誰幹的。他只回應我告訴我那棟建築以前是什麼。「你們的人有被殺的嗎？」我問他。我記得他說全部都死了，但當某些事情讓我非常感動時，我總是無法準確記住細節，他的神情突然變得心碎，淚水順著臉頰流下來。

The strangest story I happened to come across was, however, that of a man of very fine countenance, who was recommended to me to sell anti-foot-binding appeals. He had had his throat cut by Boxers and been left for dead in the street. There he was found by his mother and brother, taken home, and was getting over it, when they heard the Boxers were coming again. Knowing they were all alike powerless to withstand the Boxers, he then tried to persuade the others to forsake him, as they were not Christians, so the Boxers would not hurt them, and he, who had chosen to become a Christian, must accept his fate. At last they settled among themselves that he should take poison ; he took it three times ; then, not finding it act, just as the Boxers were coming in tried to pull the wound in his throat open again. He was not dead, however, when they again set upon him and tried to kill him ; then, thinking they had done so, again left him lying in the street On coming to for it seems this man had as many lives as a cat he managed to crawl outside the gate, and there he lay, as he says, praying very fervently, when there appeared the allied forces coming in. An American soldier saw him ; the poor fellow said his one English word, " Boxers ! " and the soldier tried to lift him up and helped him along, till in the end he got among friends. The story sounds incredible but for one thing ; if invented he would surely have said " an English soldier/' as the lady who told me was English. She had known him for a long time, knew as much of Peking and the people as any one, and had been the means of finding him a small official post, which he had given up because he found it difficult to avoid being dragged into doing things contrary to his conscience,, and wished henceforward to devote his life more definitely to doing good works. One still saw the traces of his wound and suffering, but the expression of his face always made me regret that I could not talk more with him, and somehow lost sight of him as we were coming away. It was beautiful, and recalled faces I have seen amongst gatherings of the Society of Friends.

我偶然遇到的最奇特的故事是關於一個面容非常端正的男子，他被推薦給我，讓我向他購買反纏足運動的宣傳材料。他曾經被義和團割喉，並被丟在街上以為已死。他的母親和兄弟發現了他，將他帶回家，在他逐漸恢復時，他們聽說義和團又要來了。知道他們無力抵抗義和團，他試圖說服家人拋棄他，因為他們不是基督徒，義和團不會傷害他們，而他，選擇成為基督徒，必須接受他的命運。最後，他們決定讓他服毒；他服毒三次，但沒有見效。就在義和團來到的時候，他試圖重新撕開喉嚨上的傷口。然而，當他們再次對他下手並以為殺死了他後，又將他丟在街上。不過，他並沒有死去，他似乎像貓一樣有九條命。他設法爬到城門外，躺在那裡，據他說，他當時正在非常虔誠地祈禱，這時盟軍出現了。一位美國士兵看見了他；這個可憐的傢伙說出了他唯一知道的英文單詞，「義和團！」士兵試圖扶起他並幫助他前行，最終他被帶到朋友那裡。這個故事聽起來難以置信，但有一點讓人相信；如果是編造的，他肯定會說是「一位英國士兵」，而告訴我這個故事的女士是英國人。她認識他很久了，對北京和那裡的人非常了解，並曾幫助他找到一個小官職，但他放棄了，因為他發現很難避免被迫做一些違背良心的事情，他希望從此更明確地致力於做善事。人們仍能看到他受傷和受苦的痕跡，但他的臉上的表情總是讓我遺憾無法與他更多交談，在我們離開時，卻不知怎的與他失去了聯繫。這張臉孔非常美麗，讓我想起在貴格會聚會中見過的面孔。

When people hear of instances like these they are apt to attribute all the good to the healing influence of Christianity. It is not from any wish to detract from this, but because it is of importance to realise that the great Chinese people have not been left without their moral guides, that I quote here the remarkable verse written by a Chinese blacksmith under the Sung dynasty

" Ding dong ! the hammer strokes fall long and fast. Until the iron turns to steel at last ! Now shall the long, long Day of Rest begin ; The land of Bliss Eternal calls me in ! "

One morning we got up, as we thought, wonderfully early, and went off to the Altar of Heaven to see it just as the Emperor leaves it He had already got back to his Palace after sacrificing there, but we met many of his following, and were a good deal impeded by the crowd as our rickshas, wherever they got a chance, tried to dash along the broad thoroughfare leading to the temple. On arrival we had to wait a little while some things were being arranged. People say it is always best to know the truth. I am not quite sure. The Altar of Heaven has always been a peculiarly holy place to me. I had understood that in no other place in the world was so ancient a form of worship carried on still on the same spot after the same fashion, the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, going out into a lonely place before the dawning to offer atonement for the sins of himself and of his people. It all sounded so beautiful, combined with the pure white marble and that other exquisite idea of having no roof over the altar, only the canopy of heaven. And now I was to be disillusioned ; but, after all, in everything one must make some allowance for human weakness nothing human can be quite perfect.