原文 Original text
繁體 Traditional
Reader's edition
不敢在尊客 I Dare Not Say It
婦人道：「不敢在尊客面前說。」行者道：「也說說無妨，我們好揀相應的幹。」妇人道：「不敢在尊客面前说。」行者道：「也说说无妨，我们好拣相应的干。」
逐句解 Line by line
婦人道：「不敢在尊客面前說。」
妇人道：「不敢在尊客面前说。」
The woman said: "I dare not say it in front of honoured guests."
尊客 is honoured guest, and her embarrassment is a piece of salesmanship as much as manners — refusing to describe the cheap option is a way of making the expensive one seem obligatory.
行者道：「也說說無妨，我們好揀相應的幹。」
行者道：「也说说无妨，我们好拣相应的干。」
Pilgrim said: "No harm in saying it — we should like to pick whichever suits our pocket."
相應 again, and 應 again yìng: the one that suits, the good-value one. He has now used the word three times in six lines, and each time it means value for money rather than anything about correspondence.
She will not say it and he insists, and both of them know why. The lower grade is beneath the guests she has decided they are, and it is the one they want.
Her reluctance is the last obstacle in the negotiation and it is made entirely of politeness. Pilgrim gets past it by pretending to be thrifty, which for a man planning to pay in enchanted roof tile is a nice piece of impersonation.