帕布莉卡第四出 冥判
（净扮判官，丑扮鬼持笔、簿上）
……
【那吒令】
瞧了你润风风粉腮[1]，
到花台、
酒台？
溜些些短钗[2]，
过歌台、
舞台？
笑微微美怀，
住秦台、
楚台[3]？
因甚的病患来？
是谁家嫡支派？
这颜色不像似在泉台[4]。
（旦）女囚不曾过人家[5]，
也不曾饮酒，
是这般颜色。
则为在南安府后花园梅树之下，
梦见一秀才，
折柳一枝，要奴题咏。
留连婉转，甚是多情。
梦醒来沈吟，题诗一首：
“他年若傍蟾宫客，
不是梅边是柳边。”
为此感伤，
坏了一命。
（净）谎也。世有一梦而亡之理？
【鹊踏枝】
一溜溜[6]女婴孩，
梦儿里能宁耐[7]！
谁曾挂圆梦招牌[8]，
谁和你拆字道白[9]？
咍也么咍，
那秀才何在？
梦魂中曾见谁来？
（旦）不曾见谁。
则见朵花儿闪下来，好一惊。
（净）唤取南安府后花园花神勘问。
（丑叫介）
（末扮花神上）
“红雨数番春落魄[10]，
《山香》一曲女消魂[11]。”
老判大人请了。（举手介）
（净）花神，这女鬼说是后花园一梦，为花飞惊闪而亡。可是？
（末）是也。他与秀才梦的绵缠，偶尔落花惊醒。这女子慕色而亡。
（净）敢便是你花神假充秀才，迷误人家女子？
（末）你说俺着甚迷他来？
（净）你说俺阴司里不知道呵！
……
这女囚慕色而亡，也贬在燕莺队里去罢。
（末）禀老判，此女犯乃梦中之罪，如晓风残月。且他父亲为官清正，单生一女，可以耽饶。
（净）父亲是何人？
（旦）父亲杜宝知府，今升淮扬总制之职。
（净）千金小姐哩。也罢，杜老先生分上，当奏过天庭，再行议处。
（旦）就烦恩官替女犯查查，怎生有此伤感之事？
（净）这事情注在断肠簿上。
（旦）劳再查女犯的丈夫，还是姓柳姓梅？
（净）取婚姻簿查来。
（作背查介）是。有个柳梦梅，乃新科状元也。妻杜丽娘，前系幽欢，后成明配。相会在红梅观中。不可泄漏。
（回介）有此人和你姻缘之分。我今放你出了枉死城，随风游戏，跟寻此人。
（末）杜小姐，拜了老判。
（旦叩头介）拜谢恩官，重生父母。
……
（末）醉斜乌帽发如丝，许浑
（旦）尽日灵风不满旗。李商隐
（净）年年检点人间事，罗邺
（合）为待萧何作判司。元稹
注释：
[1]润风风粉腮：脸色娇嫩红润。
[2]溜些些短钗：短钗微斜。
[3]秦台、楚台：古代神话：秦台，秦国弄玉和她的爱人萧史同居的所在，见《列仙传》。楚台，指阳台，楚怀王与巫山神女欢会的地方。
[4]泉台：黄泉、阴间。
[5]过人家：指出嫁。
[6]一溜溜：一点点大。
[7]能宁耐：这样有本事。
[8]挂圆梦招牌：古人认为梦有关人的吉凶祸福。挂圆梦招牌，就是指解梦的职业者。
[9]拆字道白：拆字，一作测字，把字拆开来占卜运气好坏的一种江湖术。
[10]落魄：潦倒，失意，这里指春残。
[11]《山香》一曲女消魂：山香，曲名。古代神话：西王母宴群仙，有舞者舞“山香”，曲未终，花纷纷落下。
Scene 4 The Infernal Judge
(Enter the infernal judge, followed by the soul of Belle.)
……
Judge (Singing to the tune of Cherubic Song):
With rosy cheeks so tender
And waist so slender,
Were you while alive as fair as a flower,
Or a companion in a drinking hour?
With a hairpin slanting in the air,
Were you a songstress fair
Or a dancer beyond compare?
A smile hangs on your face,
Where was your dwelling place?
How could you have so much grace?
Of what illness did you die?
Were you from a family ranking high?
Your color look unlike infernal dye.
Belle’s Soul:I am not wed,
Nor drunken dead.
But only naturally rosy and red.
I dreamed of a young scholar asking me
To write a verse in praise of the willow tree.
He was so passionate
That when awake, I could not but meditate
What to write. Then two lines appear:
“If the Moon Goddess be a bride,
She would stand by the willow’s side.”
I felt so sad and drear,
No to find my dear.
Judge: Are you not lying? How could lovesickness kill?
(Singing to the tune of Magpie on the Branch):
You are so young a maiden fair.
How can you trust in dreaming affair?
Of dreams come true I’ve never heard,
Nor fortune told by splitting word.
Oh! How could a scholar win
Your heart? How could a dream be trusted in?
Belle’s Soul:I dare not say how winning is he.
I only woke to see a flower fall on me.
Judge: Send for the floral fairy of the Nan’an Prefectural garden.
(Enter the Floral Fairy at call.)
Fairy (Singing):Spring wanes, with rosy rain falling in showers.
The mountain fragrant with songs of falling flowers.
Salute, Your Lordship. (Saluting him)
Judge: Floral Fairy, this maiden’s soul said that she died when startled awake from her dream by a falling flower in the back garden of Nan’an Prefecture. Was it true?
Fairy: It was true. While dreaming of a tryst with a young scholar in the prefectural garden. she was startled by the fall of a flower and died of lovesickness.
Judge: Were you transformed into a young scholar to seduce this fair maiden?
Fairy: What could induce me to seduce her?
Judge: Do you think that we in the infernal world could be fooled by your tales?
……
The maiden died of lovesickness. Let her be transformed into a swallow or an oriole!
Fairy: Your Lordship, this maiden was guilty in a dream as whimsical as the morning breeze or the waning moon. Besides, her father is an upright official who has only one daughter. So will it please Your Lordship to remit her punishment?
Judge (To Belle): Who is your father?
Belle: My father is Du Bao, former prefect of Nan’an County and now promoted to governor of Huaiyang.
Judge: So you are a noble maiden. All right. On account of your father, I shall submit a report to the celestial court and then pass my sentence on you.
Belle: May I ask a favor of Your Lordship to find out the cause of my lovesickness?
Judge: That can be found out inTheBook of Broken Hearts.
Belle: Would you please do me another favor to find out who is my husband-to-be? Is he called Liu the Dreamer of Willow or Lover of Mume Flower?
Judge: Let me consultTheBook of Marriage. (Turning aside) Here it is. Liu the Dreamer of Willow or Lover of Mume Flower, who will soon win the laurel crown in the recent civil service examinations. His wife will be Du the Belle, who trysted with him at first and will be married to him in the end. But this should be kept secret.
(Turning around) Yes, there is Liu the Dreamer who will take you to wife. Now I will release you as guiltless. You may leave the infernal town and go with the wind to find Liu the Dreamer.
Fairy (To Belle): You should thank His Lordship for the favor he has shown you.
Belle: Thank Your Lordship for giving me a second life.
……
Epilogue of the Scene
Fairy:Drunken, I slant my black cap over my hair gray;
Belle:The wonder-working wind won’t swell the flag all day.
Judge:I fairly judge human affairs from year to year,
Together:Waiting for Minister Xiao to be my compeer.
