原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
左右是左右 What Is Done Is Done
他倒是個好意，把些家常話兒都與我說了，我怎麼卻這一下子就結果了他？也罷，也罷，左右是左右。」他倒是个好意，把些家常话儿都与我说了，我怎么却这一下子就结果了他？也罢，也罢，左右是左右。」
逐句解 Line by line
他倒是個好意，把些家常話兒都與我說了，我怎麼卻這一下子就結果了他？
他倒是个好意，把些家常话儿都与我说了，我怎么却这一下子就结果了他？
"He meant well by me, after all, telling me all his household talk — and how is it that I have finished him off at one stroke like this?
倒 is dào, the after-all band — and the base gives dǎo here while giving dào for the identical sense twenty-odd units earlier, which is exactly why the character is guarded. 家常話兒 is household talk, the ordinary chat of people who live together. 結果了他 is to finish somebody off.
也罷，也罷，左右是左右。」
也罢，也罢，左右是左右。」
Well, well — what is done is done."
左右是左右 is left and right is left and right — an idiom of resignation meaning it comes to the same thing either way, there is no help for it. Nine characters of a conscience being closed down.
The remorse is real and it is about the wrong thing. Pilgrim does not regret killing a demon; he regrets killing a demon who was pleasant to him.
The phrase he uses for what the creature gave him is household talk — the conversation of people who share a house. Twenty minutes ago he was extracting intelligence; now he calls it chat.
And then he shuts it off with a shrug of an idiom. Left and right is left and right. The novel gives the guilt three sentences and no more, which is about as much as it ever gives.