― 248 ―
residence had previously served King Kyongjong. Of these, Palace Matron Ch'oe, the head governess, was very straightforward and loyal but overly stern and excitable, lacking in warmth and serenity. Palace Matron Han, the next in rank, was capable and quick but deceitful and envious. Though she now served the Crown Prince, she had not forgotten the old days when she had served a king, and so she was conspicuously lacking in her devotion to His Majesty.
其中, 崔尚宮, 家庭女教師的首長, 非常正直及忠誠, 但過度嚴厲易激動, 缺乏溫暖及沈著. 次一等級, 韓尚宮, 能幹而迅速但虛假和嫉妒. 雖然她現在服侍世子, 但她未曾忘記過去她曾服侍過國王的日子, 因此她明顯地缺乏對主上的忠誠.
In their ignorance of high principle, these lowly women did not show Lady Sonhui the respect she deserved. They remembered her insignificant days; rather than treat her according to her exalted status as the mother of the Crown Prince, they were often insulting, using impolite language. At times they went so far as to make snide or cutting remarks. Though she tried not to show it, Lady Sonhui was disturbed by this, and His Majesty came to notice it as well.
以她們對崇高道德原則的無知, 這些卑賤的女人沒有對宣禧宮表現出她應得的尊重. 她們想起她身份卑微的日子, 而不是按照她身為王儲母親的尊貴地位對待她. 她們經常以無禮的語言侮辱著. 有時她們甚玉諷刺挖苦或尖刻評論. 儘管她努力不表現出來, 宣禧宮的確是受到它的干擾, 而主上也注意到它.
※宣禧宮, 李氏生於肅宗二十二年(丙子年)七月十八日. 辛巳年入宮為宮女, 時年六歲.
It came out into the open one day during the New Year's season. It was the day on which a chant to bless the house for the new year was scheduled. His Majesty and Lady Sonhui came, and Lord Kumsong came also. Somehow things were delayed. Rather late in the day, the table and other necessary utensils for the ritual had to be arranged for. The ladies-inwaiting, who had been discourteous to begin with, became annoyed and criticized Lady Sonhui, saying something offensive that angered her. His Majesty sensed what had happened. He thought them terribly obnoxious, yet he refrained from punishing them for fear that if he were to punish them before Lord Kumsong, their resentment might be directed toward his daughter or son-in-law. Nonetheless, he was disgusted by these women.
Not wishing to see them, he did not go to the Crown Prince's residence even when he wished to see his son. It is exasperating to think that, rather than let them go, he continued to entrust his precious son to these horrid women and, out of his dislike for them, ceased his visits to him.
在新年期間某一天它開始公開傳出. 就在這一天, 為這房子新年吟誦祝福的日子被排定了. 主上和宣禧宮來了, 錦城尉也來了. 不知怎麼的事情被耽擱了. 在這天相當晚的時候, 用於儀式的桌子和其他必需的器皿都必須安排好. 宮女們開始對宣禧宮粗魯, 惱怒及批判, 說了一些冒犯的話激怒了她. 主上感覺到發生了什麼事. 他覺得她們很討厭, 然而由於擔心如果他在錦城尉面前懲罰她們, 她們的怨恨可能會指向他的女兒或女婿, 他克制了懲罰她們. 儘管如此, 他對這些女人感到厭惡. 不想再看到她們, 即使他想探望他的兒子, 他也不再到世子官邸了. 想到這是令人惱怒的, 他繼續將他的寶貝兒子委託給這些
可怕的女人, 而不是讓她們走路, 因為他不喜歡她們, 便停止去探望他. Meanwhile, Prince Sado was growing. As is natural for a child of that age, he wished to play. Noticing that His Majesty's visits had become infrequent, Palace Matron Han said to Palace Matron Ch'oe, "If everyone admonishes and restrains His Highness,
he will be depressed and low-spirited. After all, he is only a child. Why don't we do it this way: You guide him correctly by being strict. I, on the other hand. will once in a while let him play so that he can vent his frustration."
同時, 思悼世子漸漸長大. 以那個年齡的孩子的天性, 他希望遊玩. 注意到主上的探望次數變得少了, 韓尚宮跟崔尚宮說, "如果每個人都告誡和約束殿下, 他會沮喪和消沈. 畢竟他只是個孩子. 為什麼我們不這麼做: 你對他嚴格而正確地引導. 另一方面, 我偶爾會讓他玩, 這樣他就可以發洩他的挫折."
有時她們甚玉諷刺 應更正為 有時她們甚至諷刺
