Dream of the red chamber

第 四 十 二 回

蘅芜君兰言解疑癖 潇湘子雅谑补余香

　　话说他姊妹复进园来，吃过饭，大家散出，都无别话。

　　且说刘姥姥带着板儿，先来见凤姐儿，说：“明日一早定要家去了。虽住了两三天，日子却不多，把古往今来没见过的，没吃过的，没听见过的，都经验了。难得老太太和姑奶奶并那些小姐们，连各房里的姑娘们，都这样怜贫惜老照看我。我这一回去后没别的报答，惟有请些高香天天给你们念佛，保佑你们长命百岁的，就算我的心了。”凤姐儿笑道：“你别喜欢。都是为你，老太太也被风吹病了，睡着说不好过；我们大姐儿也着了凉，在那里发热呢。”刘姥姥听了，忙叹道：“老太太有年纪的人，不惯十分劳乏的。”凤姐儿道：“从来没象昨儿高兴。往常也进园子逛去，不过到一二处坐坐就回来了。昨儿因为你在这里，要叫你逛逛，一个园子倒走了多半个。大姐儿因为找我去，太太递了一块糕给他，谁知风地里吃了，就发起热来。”刘姥姥道：“小姐儿只怕不大进园子，生地方儿，小人儿家原不该去。比不得我们的孩子，会走了，那个坟圈子里不跑去。一则风扑了也是有的；二则只怕他身上干净，眼睛又净，或是遇见什么神了。依我说，给他瞧瞧祟书本子，仔细撞客着了。”一语提醒了凤姐儿，便叫平儿拿出《玉匣记》着彩明来念。彩明翻了一回念道：“八月二十五日，病者在东南方得遇花神。用五色纸钱四十张，向东南方四十步送之，大吉。”凤姐儿笑道：“果然不错，园子里头可不是花神！只怕老太太也是遇见了。”一面命人请两分纸钱来，着两个人来，一个与贾母送祟，一个与大姐儿送祟。果见大姐儿安稳睡了。

　　凤姐儿笑道：“倒底是你们有年纪的人经历的多。我这大姐儿时常肯病，也不知是个什么原故。”刘姥姥道“这也有的事。富贵人家养的孩子多太娇嫩，自然禁不得一些儿委曲；再他小人儿家，过于尊贵了，也禁不起。以后姑奶奶少疼他些就好了。”凤姐儿道：“这也有理。我想起来，他还没个名字，你就给他起个名字。一则借借你的寿；二则你们是庄家人，不怕你恼，到底贫苦些，你贫苦人起个名字，只怕压的住他。”刘姥姥听说，便想了一想，笑道：“不知他几时生的？”凤姐儿道：“正是生日的日子不好呢，可巧是七月初七日。”刘姥姥忙笑道：“这个正好，就叫他是巧哥儿。这叫作‘以毒攻毒，以火攻火’的法子。姑奶奶定要依我这名字，他必长命百岁。日后大了，各人成家立业，或一时有不遂心的事，必然是遇难成祥，逢凶化吉，却从这‘巧’字上来。”

　　凤姐儿听了，自是欢喜，忙道谢，又笑道：“只保佑他应了你的话就好了。”说着叫平儿来吩咐道：“明儿咱们有事，恐怕不得闲儿。你这空儿把送姥姥的东西打点了，他明儿一早就好走的便宜了。”刘姥姥忙说：“不敢多破费了。已经遭扰了几日，又拿着走，越发心里不安起来。”凤姐儿道：“也没有什么，不过随常的东西。好也罢，歹也罢，带了去，你们街坊邻舍看着也热闹些，也是上城一次。”只见平儿走来说：“姥姥过这边瞧瞧。”

　　刘姥姥忙赶了平儿到那边屋里，只见堆着半炕东西。平儿一一的拿与他瞧着，说道：“这是昨日你要的青纱一匹，奶奶另外送你一个实地子月白纱做里子。这是两个茧绸，作袄儿裙子都好。这包袱里是两匹绸子，年下做件衣裳穿。这是一盒子各样内造点心，也有你吃过的，也有你没吃过的，拿去摆碟子请客，比你们买的强些。这两条口袋是你昨日装瓜果子来的，如今这一个里头装了两斗御田粳米，熬粥是难得的；这一条里头是园子里果子和各样干果子。这一包是八两银子。这都是我们奶奶的。这两包每包里头五十两，共是一百两，是太太给的，叫你拿去或者作个小本买卖，或者置几亩地，以后再别求亲靠友的。”说着又悄悄笑道：“这两件袄儿和两条裙子，还有四块包头，一包绒线，可是我送姥姥的。衣裳虽是旧的，我也没大狠穿，你要弃嫌我就不敢说了。”平儿说一样刘姥姥就念一句佛，已经念了几千声佛了，又见平儿也送他这些东西，又如此谦逊，忙念佛道：“姑娘说那里话？这样好东西我还弃嫌！我便有银子也没处去买这样的呢。只是我怪臊的，收了又不好，不收又辜负了姑娘的心。”平儿笑道：“休说外话，咱们都是自己，我才这样。你放心收了罢，我还和你要东西呢。到年下，你只把你们晒的那个灰条菜乾子和豇豆、扁豆、茄子、葫芦条儿各样干菜带些来，我们这里上上下下都爱吃。这个就算了，别的一概不要，别罔费了心。”刘姥姥千恩万谢答应了。平儿道：“你只管睡你的去。我替你收拾妥当了就放在这里，明儿一早打发小厮们雇辆车装上，不用你费一点心的。”

　　刘姥姥越发感激不尽，过来又千恩万谢的辞了凤姐儿，过贾母这一边睡了一夜，次早梳洗了就要告辞。因贾母欠安，众人都过来请安，出去传请大夫。一时婆子回大夫来了。老妈妈请贾母进幔子去坐。贾母道：“我也老了，那里养不出那阿物儿来，还怕他不成！不要放幔子，就这样瞧罢。”众婆子听了，便拿过一张小桌来，放下一个小枕头，便命人请。

　　一时只见贾珍、贾琏、贾蓉三个人将王太医领来。王太医不敢走甬路，只走旁阶，跟着贾珍到了阶矶上。早有两个婆子在两边打起帘子，两个婆子在前导引进去，又见宝玉迎了出来。只见贾母穿着青皱绸一斗珠的羊皮褂子，端坐在榻上，两边四个未留头的小丫鬟都拿着蝇帚漱盂等物；又有五六个老嬷嬷雁翅摆在两旁，碧纱橱后隐隐约约有许多穿红着绿戴宝簪珠的人。王太医便不敢抬头，忙上来请了安。贾母见他穿着六品服色，便知御医了，也便含笑问：“供奉好？”因问贾珍：“这位供奉贵姓？”贾珍等忙回“姓王。”贾母道：“当日太医院正堂王君效，好脉息。”王太医忙躬身低头，含笑回说：“那是晚晚生家叔祖。”贾母听了，笑道：“原来这样，也是世交了。”一面说，一面慢慢的伸手放在小枕头上。老嬷嬷端着一张小杌：连忙放在小桌前，略偏些。王太医便屈一膝坐下，歪着头诊了半日，又诊了那只手，忙欠身低头退出。贾母笑说：“劳动了。珍儿让出去好生看茶。”

　　贾珍贾琏等忙答了几个“是”，复领王太医出到外书房中。王太医说：“太夫人并无别症，偶感一点风凉，究竟不用吃药，不过略清淡些，暖着一点儿，就好了。如今写个方子在这里，若老人家爱吃便按方煎一剂吃，若懒待吃，也就罢了。”说着吃过茶写了方子。刚要告辞，只见奶子抱了大姐儿出来，笑说：“王老爷也瞧瞧我们。”王太医听说忙起身，就奶子怀中，左手托着大姐儿的手，右手诊了一诊，又摸了一摸头，又叫伸出舌头来瞧瞧，笑道：“我说姐儿又骂我了，只是要清清净净的饿两顿就好了。不必吃煎药，我送丸药来，临睡时用姜汤研开，吃下去就是了。”说毕作辞而去。

　　贾珍等拿了药方来，回明贾母原故，将药方放在桌上出去，不在话下。这里王夫人和李纨、凤姐儿、宝钗姊妹等见大夫出去，方从橱后出来。王夫人略坐一坐，也回房去了。

　　刘姥姥见无事，方上来和贾母告辞。贾母说：“闲了再来。”又命鸳鸯来：“好生打发刘姥姥出去。我身上不好，不能送你。”刘姥姥道了谢，又作辞，方同鸳鸯出来。到了下房，鸳鸯指炕上一个包袱说道：“这是老太太的几件衣服，都是往年间生日节下众人孝敬的，老太太从不穿人家做的，收着也可惜，却是一次也没穿过的。昨日叫我拿出两套儿送你带去，或是送人，或是自己家里穿罢，别见笑。这盒子里是你要的面果子。这包子里是你前儿说的药：梅花点舌丹也有，紫金锭也有，活络丹也有，催生保命丹也有，每一样是一张方子包着，总包在里头了。这是两个荷包，带着顽罢。”说着便抽系子，掏出两个笔锭如意的锞子来给他瞧，又笑道：“荷包拿去，这个留下给我罢。”刘姥姥已喜出望外，早又念了几千声佛，听鸳鸯如此说，便说道：“姑娘只管留下罢。”鸳鸯见他信以为真，仍与他装上，笑道：“哄你顽呢，我有好些呢。留着年下给小孩子们罢。”说着，只见一个小丫头拿了个成窑钟子来递与刘姥姥，“这是宝二爷给你的。”刘姥姥道：“这是那里说起。我那一世修了来的，今儿这样。”说着便接了过来。鸳鸯道：“前儿我叫你洗澡，换的衣裳是我的，你不弃嫌，我还有几件，也送你罢。”刘姥姥又忙道谢。鸳鸯果然又拿出两件来与他包好。刘姥姥又要到园中辞谢宝玉和众姊妹王夫人等去。鸳鸯道：“不用去了。他们这会子也不见人，回来我替你说罢。闲了再来。”又命了一个老婆子，吩咐他：“二门上叫两个小厮来，帮着姥姥拿了东西送出去。”婆子答应了，又和刘姥姥到了凤姐儿那边一并拿了东西，在角门上命小厮们搬了出去，直送刘姥姥上车去了。不在话下。

且说宝钗等吃过早饭，又往贾母处问过安，回园至分路之处，宝钗便叫黛玉道：“颦

　　儿跟我来，有一句话问你。”黛玉便同了宝钗，来至蘅芜院中。进了房，宝钗便坐了笑道：“你跪下，我要审你。”黛玉不解何故，因笑道：“你瞧宝丫头疯了！审问我什么？”宝钗冷笑道：“好个千金小姐！好个不出闺门的女孩儿！满嘴说的是什么？你只实说便罢。”黛玉不解，只管发笑，心里也不免疑惑起来，口里只说：“我何曾说什么？你不过要捏我的错儿罢了。你倒说出来我听听。”宝钗笑道：“你还装憨儿。昨儿行酒令你说的是什么？我竟不知那里来的。”黛玉一想，方想起来昨儿失于检点，那《牡丹亭》《西厢记》说了两句，不觉红了脸，便上来搂着宝钗，笑道：“好姐姐，原是我不知道随口说的。你教给我，再不说了。”宝钗笑道：“我也不知道，听你说的怪生的，所以请教你。”黛玉道：“好姐姐，你别说与别人，我以后再不说了。”宝钗见他羞得满脸飞红，满口央告，便不肯再往下追问，因拉他坐下吃茶，款款的告诉他道：“你当我是谁，我也是个淘气的。从小七八岁上也够个人缠的。我们家也算是个读书人家，祖父手里也爱藏书。先时人口多，姊妹弟兄都在一处，都怕看正经书。弟兄们也有爱诗的，也有爱词的，诸如这些‘西厢’‘琵琶’以及‘元人百种’，无所不有。他们是偷背着我们看，我们却也偷背着他们看。后来大人知道了，打的打，骂的骂，烧的烧，才丢开了。所以咱们女孩儿家不认得字的倒好。男人们读书不明理，尚且不如不读书的好，何况你我。就连作诗写字等事，原不是你我分内之事，究竟也不是男人分内之事。男人们读书明理，辅国治民，这便好了。只是如今并不听见有这样的人，读了书倒更坏了。这是书误了他，可惜他也把书遭塌了，所以竟不如耕种买卖，倒没有什么大害处。你我只该做些针黹纺织的事才是，偏又认得了字，既认得了字，不过拣那正经的看也罢了，最怕见了些杂书，移了性情，就不可救了。”一席话，说的黛玉垂头吃茶，心下暗伏，只有答应“是”的一字。忽见素云进来说：“我们奶奶请二位姑娘商议要紧的事呢。二姑娘、三姑娘、四姑娘、史姑娘、宝二爷都在那里等着呢。”宝钗道：“又是什么事？”黛玉道：“咱们到了那里就知道了。”说着便和宝钗往稻香村来，果见众人都在那里。

　　李纨见了他两个，笑道：“社还没起，就有脱滑的了，四丫头要告一年的假呢。”黛玉笑道：“都是老太太昨儿一句话，又叫他画什么园子图儿，惹得他乐得告假了。”探春笑道：“也别要怪老太太，都是刘姥姥一句话。”林黛玉忙笑道：“可是呢，都是他一句话。他是那一门子的姥姥，直叫他是个‘母蝗虫’就是了。”说着大家都笑起来。宝钗笑道：“世上的话，到了凤丫头嘴里也就尽了。幸而凤丫头不认得字，不大通，不过一概是市俗取笑。更有颦儿这促狭嘴，他用‘春秋’的法子，将市俗的粗话，撮其要，删其繁，再加润色比方出来，一句是一句。这‘母蝗虫’三字，把昨儿那些形景都现出来了。亏他想的倒也快。”众人听了，都笑道：“你这一注解，也就不在他两个以下。”李纨道：“我请你们大家商议，给他多少日子的假。我给了他一个月他嫌少，你们怎么说？”黛玉道：“论理一年也不多。这园子盖才盖了一年，如今要画自然得二年工夫呢。又要研墨，又要蘸笔，又要铺纸，又要着颜色，又要……”刚说到这里，众人知道他是取笑惜春，便都笑问说“还要怎样？”黛玉也自己掌不住笑道：“又要照着这样儿慢慢的画，可不得二年的工夫！”众人听了，都拍手笑个不住。宝钗笑道：“‘又要照着这个慢慢的画’，这落后一句最妙。所以昨儿那些笑话儿虽然可笑，回想是没味的。你们细想颦儿这几句话虽是淡的，回想却有滋味。我倒笑的动不得了。”惜春道：“都是宝姐姐赞的他越发逞强，这会子拿我也取笑儿。”黛玉忙拉他笑道：“我且问你，还是单画这园子呢，还是连我们众人都画在上头呢？”惜春道：“原说只画这园子的，昨儿老太太又说，单画了园子成个房样子了，叫连人都画上，就象‘行乐’似的才好。我又不会这工细楼台，又不会画人物，又不好驳回，正为这个为难呢。”黛玉道：“人物还容易，你草虫上不能。”李纨道：“你又说不通的话了，这个上头那里又用的着草虫？或者翎毛倒要点缀一两样。”黛玉笑道：“别的草虫不画罢了，昨儿‘母蝗虫’不画上，岂不缺了典！”众人听了，又都笑起来。黛玉一面笑的两手捧着胸口，一面说道：“你快画罢，我连题跋都有了，起个名字，就叫作《携蝗大嚼图》。”众人听了，越发哄然大笑，前仰后合。只听“咕咚”一声响，不知什么倒了，急忙看时，原来是湘云伏在椅子背儿上，那椅子原不曾放稳，被他全身伏着背子大笑，他又不提防，两下里错了劲，向东一歪，连人带椅都歪倒了，幸有板壁挡住，不曾落地。众人一见，越发笑个不住。宝玉忙赶上去扶了起来，方渐渐止了笑。宝玉和黛玉使个眼色儿。黛玉会意，便走至里间将镜袱揭起，照了一照，只见两鬓略松了些，忙开了李纨的妆奁，拿出抿子来，对镜抿了两抿，仍旧收拾好了，方出来，指着李纨道：“这是叫你带着我们作针线教道理呢，你反招我们来大顽大笑的。”李纨笑道：“你们听他这刁话。他领着头儿闹，引着人笑了，倒赖我的不是。真真恨的我只保佑明儿你得一个利害婆婆，再得几个千刁万恶的大姑子小姑子，试试你那会子还这么刁不刁了。”

　　林黛玉早红了脸，拉着宝钗说：“咱们放他一年的假罢。”宝钗道：“我有一句公道话，你们听听。藕丫头虽会画，不过是几笔写意。如今画这园子，非离了肚子里头有几幅丘壑的才能成画。这园子却是象画儿一般，山石树木，楼阁房屋，远近疏密，也不多，也不少，恰恰的是这样。你就照样儿往纸上一画，是必不能讨好的。这要看纸的地步远近，该多该少，分主分宾，该添的要添，该减的要减，该藏的要藏，该露的要露。这一起了稿子，再端详斟酌，方成一幅图样。第二件，这些楼台房舍，是必要用界划的。一点不留神，栏杆也歪了，柱子也塌了，门窗也倒竖过来，阶矶也离了缝，甚至于桌子挤到墙里去，花盆放在帘子上来，岂不倒成了一张笑‘话’儿了。第三，要插人物，也要有疏密，有高低。衣折裙带，手指足步，最是要紧；一笔不细，不是肿了手就是跏了腿，染脸撕发倒是小事。依我看来竟难的很。如今一年的假也太多，一月的假也太少，竟给他半年的假，再派了宝兄弟帮着他。并不是为宝兄弟知道教着他画，那就更误了事；为的是有不知道的，或难安插的，宝兄弟好拿出去问问那会画的相公，就容易了。”

　　宝玉听了，先喜的说：“这话极是。詹子亮的工细楼台就极好，程日兴的美人是绝技，如今就问他们去。”宝钗道：“我说你是无事忙，说了一声你就问去。等着商议定了再去。如今且拿什么画？”宝玉道：“家里有雪浪纸，又大又托墨。”宝钗冷笑道：“我说你不中用！那雪浪纸写字画写意画儿，或是会山水的画南宗山水，托墨，禁得皴搜。拿了画这个，又不托色，又难（氵翁），画也不好，纸也可惜。我教你一个法子。原先盖这园子，就有一张细致图样，虽是匠人描的，那地步方向是不错的。你和太太要了出来，也比着那纸大小，和凤丫头要一块重绢，叫相公矾了，叫他照着这图样删补着立了稿子，添了人物就是了。就是配这些青绿颜色并泥金泥银，也得他们配去。你们也得另(火龙)上风炉子，预备化胶、出胶、洗笔。还得一张粉油大案，铺上毡子。你们那些碟子也不全，笔也不全，都得从新再置一分儿才好。”惜春道：“我何曾有这些画器？不过随手写字的笔画画罢了。就是颜色，只有赭石、广花、藤黄、胭脂，这四样。再有，不过是两支着色笔就完了。”宝钗道：“你不该早说。这些东西我却还有，只是你也用不着，给你也白放着。如今我且替你收着，等你用着这个时候我送你些，也只可留着画扇子，若画这大幅的也就可惜了的。今儿替你开个单子，照着单子和老太太要去。你们也未必知道的全，我说着，宝兄弟写。”宝玉早已预备下笔砚了，原怕记不清白，要写了记着，听宝钗如此说，喜的提起笔来静听。宝钗说道：“头号排笔四支，二号排笔四支，三号排笔四支，大染四支，中染四支，小染四支，大南蟹爪十支，小蟹爪十支，须眉十支，大著色二十支，小著色二十支，开面十支，柳条二十支，箭头朱四两，南赭四两，石黄四两，石青四两，石绿四两，管黄四两，广花八两，蛤粉四匣，胭脂十片，大赤飞金二百帖，青金二百帖，广匀胶四两，净矾四两。矾绢的胶矾在外，别管他们，你只把绢交出去叫他们矾去。这些颜色，咱们淘澄飞跌着，又顽了，又使了，包你一辈子都够使了。再要顶细绢箩四个，粗绢箩四个，担笔四支，大小乳钵四个，大粗碗二十个，五寸粗碟十个，三寸粗白碟二十个，风炉两个，沙锅大小四个，新瓷罐二口，新水桶四只，一尺长白布口袋四条，浮炭二十斤，柳木炭一斤，三屉木箱一个，实地纱一丈，生姜二两，酱半斤。”黛玉忙道：“铁锅一口，锅铲一个。”宝钗道：“这作什么？”黛玉笑道：“你要生姜和酱这些作料，我替你要铁锅来，好炒颜色吃的。”众人都笑起来。宝钗笑道：“你那里知道。那粗色碟子保不住不上火烤，不拿姜汁子和酱预先抹在底子上烤过了，一经了火是要炸的。”众人听说，都道：“原来如此。”

　　黛玉又看了一回单子，笑着拉探春悄悄的道：“你瞧瞧，画个画儿又要这些水缸箱子来了。想必他糊涂了，把他的嫁妆单子也写上了。”探春“嗳”了一声，笑个不住，说道：“宝姐姐，你还不拧他的嘴？你问问他编排你的话。”宝钗笑道：“不用问，狗嘴里还有象牙不成！”一面说，一面走上来，把黛玉按在炕上，便要拧他的脸。黛玉笑着忙央告：“好姐姐，饶了我罢！颦儿年纪小，只知说，不知道轻重，作姐姐的教导我。姐姐不饶我，还求谁去？”众人不知话内有因，都笑道：“说的好可怜见的，连我们也软了，饶了他罢。”宝钗原是和他顽，忽听他又拉扯前番说他胡看杂书的话，便不好再和他厮闹，放起他来。黛玉笑道：“到底是姐姐，要是我，再不饶人的。”宝钗笑指他道：“怪不得老太太疼你，众人爱你伶俐，今儿我也怪疼你的了。过来，我替你把头发拢一拢。”黛玉果然转过身来，宝钗用手拢上去。宝玉在旁看着，只觉更好，不觉后悔不该令他抿上鬓去，也该留着，此时叫他替他抿去。正自胡思，只见宝钗说道：“写完了，明儿回老太太去。若家里有的就罢，若没有的，就拿些钱去买了来，我帮着你们配。”宝玉忙收了单子。

　　大家又说了一回闲话。至晚饭后又往贾母处来请安。贾母原没有大病，不过是劳乏了，兼着了些凉，温存了一日，又吃了一剂药疏散一疏散，至晚也就好了。不知次日又有何话，且听下回分解。

CHAPTER XLII.
The Princess of Heng Wu dispels, with sweet words, some insane suspicions — The inmate of Hsiao Hsiang puts, with excellent repartee, the final touch to the jokes made about goody Liu.
We will now resume our story by adding that, on the return of the young ladies into the garden, they had their meal. This over, they parted company, and nothing more need be said about them. We will notice, however, that old goody Liu took Pan Erh along with her, and came first and paid a visit to lady Feng. “We must certainly start for home to-morrow, as soon as it is daylight,” she said. “I’ve stayed here, it’s true, only two or three days, but in these few days I have reaped experience in everything that I had not seen from old till now. It would be difficult to find any one as compassionate of the poor and considerate to the old as your venerable dame, your Madame Wang, your young ladies, and the girls too attached to the various rooms, have all shown themselves in their treatment of me! When I get home now, I shall have no other means of showing how grateful I am to you than by purchasing a lot of huge joss-sticks and saying daily prayers to Buddha on your behalf; and if he spares you all to enjoy a long life of a hundred years my wishes will be accomplished.”

“Don’t be so exultant!” lady Feng smilingly replied. “It’s all on account of you that our old ancestor has fallen ill, by exposing herself to draughts and that she suffers from disturbed sleep; also that our Ta Chieh-erh has caught a chill and is laid up at home with fever.”

Goody Liu, at these words, speedily heaved a sigh. “Her venerable ladyship,” she said, “is a person advanced in years and not accustomed to any intense fatigue!”

“She has never before been in such high spirits as yesterday!” lady Feng observed. “As you were here, so anxious was she to let you see everything, that she trudged over the greater part of the garden. And Ta Chieh-erh was given a piece of cake by Madame Wang, when I came to hunt you up, and she ate it, who knows in what windy place, and began at once to get feverish.”

“Ta Chieh-erh,” goody Liu remarked, “hasn’t, I fancy, often put her foot into the garden; and young people like her mustn’t really go into strange places, for she’s not like our children, who are able to use their legs! In what graveyards don’t they ramble about! A puff of wind may, on the one hand, have struck her, it’s not at all unlikely; or being, on the other, so chaste in body, and her eyes also so pure she may, it is to be feared, have come across some spirit or other. I can’t help thinking therefore that you should consult some book of exorcisms on her behalf; for mind she may have run up against some evil influence.”

This remark suggested the idea to lady Feng. There and then she called P’ing Erh to fetch the ‘Jade Box Record.’ When brought, she desired Ts’ai Ming to look over it for her. Ts’ai Ming turned over the pages for a time, and then read: ‘Those who fall ill on the 25th day of the 8th moon have come across, in a due westerly quarter, of some flower spirit; they feel heavy, with no inclination for drink or food. Take seven sheets of white paper money, and, advancing forty steps due west, burn them and exorcise the spirit; recovery will follow at once!’”

“There’s really no mistake about that!” lady Feng smiled. “Are there not flower spirits in the garden? But what I dread is that our old lady mayn’t have come across one too.”

Saying this, she bade a servant purchase two lots of paper money. On their arrival, she sent for two proper persons, the one to exorcise the spirits for dowager lady Chia and the other to expel them from Ta Chieh-erh; and these observances over, Ta Chieh-erh did, in effect, drop quietly to sleep.

“It’s verily people advanced in years like you,” lady Feng smilingly exclaimed; “who’ve gone through many experiences! This Ta Chieh-erh of mine has often been inclined to ail, and it has quite puzzled me to make out how and why it was.”

“This isn’t anything out of the way!” goody Liu said. “Affluent and honourable people bring up their offspring to be delicate. So naturally, they are not able to endure the least hardship! Moreover, that young child of yours is so excessively cuddled that she can’t stand it. Were you, therefore, my lady, to pamper her less from henceforth, she’ll steadily improve.”

“There’s plenty of reason in that too!” lady Feng observed. “But it strikes me that she hasn’t as yet got a name, so do give her one in order that she may borrow your long life! In the next place, you are country-people, and are, after all,—I don’t expect you’ll get angry when I mention it,—somewhat in poor circumstances. Were a person then as poor as you are to suggest a name for her, you may, I trust, have the effect of counteracting this influence for her.”

When old goody Liu heard this proposal, she immediately gave herself up to reflection. “I’ve no idea of the date of her birth!” she smiled after a time.

“She really was born on no propitious date!” lady Feng replied. “By a remarkable coincidence she came into the world on the seventh day of the seventh moon!”

“This is certainly splendid!” old goody Lin laughed with alacrity. “You had better name her at once Ch’iao Chieh-erh (seventh moon and ingenuity). This is what’s generally called: combating poison by poison and attacking fire by fire. If therefore your ladyship fixes upon this name of mine, she will, for a surety, attain a long life of a hundred years; and when she by and bye grows up to be a big girl, every one of you will be able to have a home and get a patrimony! Or if, at any time, there occur anything inauspicious and she has to face adversity, why it will inevitably change into prosperity; and if she comes across any evil fortune, it will turn into good fortune. And this will all arise from this one word, ‘Ch’iao’ (ingenuity.)”

Lady Feng was, needless to say, delighted by what she heard, and she lost no time in expressing her gratitude. “If she be preserved,” she exclaimed, “to accomplish your good wishes, it will be such a good thing!” Saying this, she called P’ing Erh. “As you and I are bound to be busy to-morrow,” she said, “and won’t, I fear, be able to spare any leisure moments, you’d better, if you have nothing to do now, get ready the presents for old goody Liu, so as to enable her to conveniently start at early dawn to-morrow.”

“How could I presume to be the cause of such reckless waste?” goody Liu interposed. “I’ve already disturbed your peace and quiet for several days, and were I to also take your things away, I’d feel still less at ease in my heart!”

“There’s nothing much!” lady Feng protested. “They consist simply of a few ordinary things. But, whether good or bad, do take them along, so that the people in the same street as yourselves and your next-door neighbours may have some little excitement, and that it may look as if you had been on a visit to the city!”

But while she endeavoured to induce the old dame to accept the presents, she noticed P’ing Erh approach. “Goody Liu,” she remarked, “come over here and see!”

Old goody Liu precipitately followed P’ing Erh into the room on the off side. Here she saw the stove-couch half full with piles of things. P’ing Erh took these up one by one and let her have a look at them. “This,” she explained, “is a roll of that green gauze you asked for yesterday. Besides this, our lady Feng gives you a piece of thick bluish-white gauze to use as lining. These are two pieces of pongee, which will do for wadded coats and jupes as well. In this bundle are two pieces of silk, for you to make clothes with, for the end of the year. This is a box containing various home-made cakes. Among them are some you’ve already tasted and some you haven’t; so take them along, and put them in plates and invite your friends; they’ll be ever so much better than any that you could buy! These two bags are those in which the melons and fruit were packed up yesterday. This one has been filled with two bushels of fine rice, grown in the imperial fields, the like of which for congee, it would not be easy to get. This one contains fruits from our garden and all kinds of dry fruits. In this packet, you’ll find eight taels of silver. These various things are presents for you from our Mistress Secunda. Each of these packets contains fifty taels so that there are in all a hundred taels; they’re the gift of Madame Wang. She bids you accept them so as to either carry on any trade, for which no big capital is required, or to purchase several acres of land, in order that you mayn’t henceforward have any more to beg favours of relatives, or to depend upon friends.” Continuing, she added smilingly, in a low tone of voice, “These two jackets, two jupes, four head bands, and a bundle of velvet and thread are what I give you, worthy dame, as my share. These clothes are, it is true, the worse for use, yet I haven’t worn them very much. But if you disdain them, I won’t be so presuming as to say anything.”

After mention of each article by P’ing Erh, goody Liu muttered the name of Buddha, so already she had repeated Buddha’s name several thousands of times. But when she saw the heap of presents which P’ing Erh too bestowed on her, and the little ostentation with which she did it, she promptly smiled. “Miss!” she said, “what are you saying? Could I ever disdain such nice gifts as these! Had I even the money, I couldn’t buy them anywhere. The only thing is that I feel overpowered with shame. If I keep them, it won’t be nice, and if I don’t accept them, I shall be showing myself ungrateful for your kind attention.”

“Don’t utter all this irrelevant talk!” P’ing Erh laughed. “You and I are friends; so compose your mind and take the things I gave you just now! Besides, I have, on my part, something to ask of you. When the close of the year comes, select a few of your cabbages, dipped in lime, and dried in the sun, as well as some lentils, flat beans, tomatoes and pumpkin strips, and various sorts of dry vegetables and bring them over. We’re all, both high or low, fond of such things. These will be quite enough! We don’t want anything else, so don’t go to any useless trouble!”

Goody Liu gave utterance to profuse expressions of gratitude and signified her readiness to comply with her wishes.

“Just you go to sleep,” P’ing Erh urged, “and I’ll get the things ready for you and put them in here. As soon as the day breaks to-morrow, I’ll send the servant-lads to hire a cart and pack them in; don’t you therefore worry yourself in the least on that score!”

Goody Liu felt more and more ineffably grateful. So crossing over, she again said, with warm protestations of thankfulness, good bye to lady Feng; after which, she repaired to dowager lady Chia’s quarters on this side, where she slept, with one sleep, during the whole night. Early the next day, as soon as she had combed her hair and performed her ablutions, she asked to go and pay her adieus to lady Chia. But as old lady Chia was unwell, the various members of the family came to see how she was getting on. On their reappearance outside, they transmitted orders that the doctor should be sent for. In a little time, a matron reported that the doctor had arrived, and an old nurse invited dowager lady Chia to ensconce herself under the curtain.

“I’m an old woman!” lady Chia remonstrated. “Am I not aged enough to be a mother to that fellow? and am I, pray, to still stand on any ceremonies with him? There’s no need to drop the curtain; I’ll see him as I am, and have done.”

Hearing her objections, the matrons fetched a small table, and, laying a small pillow on it, they directed a servant to ask the doctor in.

Presently, they perceived the trio Chia Chen, Chia Lien, and Chia Jung, bringing Dr. Wang. Dr. Wang did not presume to use the raised road, but confining himself to the side steps, he kept pace with Chia Chen until they reached the platform. Two matrons, who had been standing, one on either side from an early hour, raised the portiére. A couple of old women servants then took the lead and showed the way in. But Pao-yü too appeared on the scene to meet them.

They found old lady Chia seated bolt upright on the couch, dressed in a blue crape jacket, lined with sheep skin, every curl of which resembled a pearl. On the right and left stood four young maids, whose hair had not as yet been allowed to grow, with fly-brushes, finger-bowls, and other such articles in their hands. Five or six old nurses were also drawn up on both sides like wings. At the back of the jade-green gauze mosquito-house were faintly visible several persons in red and green habiliments, with gems on their heads, and gold trinkets in their coiffures.

Dr. Wang could not muster the courage to raise his head. With speedy step, he advanced and paid his obeisance. Dowager lady Chia noticed that he wore the official dress of the sixth grade, and she accordingly concluded that he must be an imperial physician. “How are you noble doctor?” she inquired, forcing a smile. “What is the worthy surname of this noble doctor?” she then asked Chia Chen.

Chia Chen and his companions made prompt reply. “His surname is Wang,” they said.

“There was once a certain Wang Chün-hsiao who filled the chair of President of the College of Imperial Physicians,” dowager lady smilingly proceeded. “He excelled in feeling the pulse.”

Dr. Wang bent his body, and with alacrity he lowered his head and returned her smile. “That was,” he explained, “my grand uncle.”

“Is it really so!” laughingly pursued dowager lady Chia, upon catching this reply. “We can then call ourselves old friends!”

So speaking, she quietly put out her hand and rested it on the small pillow. A nurse laid hold of a small stool and placed it before the small table, slightly to the side of it. Dr. Wang bent one knee and took a seat on the stool. Drooping his head, he felt the pulse of the one hand for a long while; next, he examined that of the other; after which, hastily making a curtsey, he bent his head and started on his way out of the apartment.

“Excuse me for the trouble I’ve put you to!” dowager lady Chia smiled. “Chen Erh, escort him outside, and do see that he has a cup of tea.”

Chia Chen, Chia Lien and the rest of their companions immediately acquiesced by uttering several yes’s, and once more they led Dr. Wang into the outer study.

“Your worthy senior,” Dr. Wang explained, “has nothing else the matter with her than a slight chill, which she must have inadvertently contracted. She needn’t, after all, take any medicines; all she need do is to diet herself and keep warm a little; and she’ll get all right. But I’ll now write a prescription, in here. Should her venerable ladyship care to take any of the medicine, then prepare a dose, according to the prescription, and let her have it. But should she be loth to have any, well, never mind, it won’t be of any consequence.”

Saying this, he wrote the prescription, as he sipped his tea. But when about to take his leave, he saw a nurse bring Ta Chieh-erh into the room. “Mr. Wang,” she said, “do also have a look at our Chieh Erh!”

Upon hearing her appeal, Dr. Wang immediately rose to his feet. While she was clasped in her nurse’s arms, he rested Ta Chieh-erh’s hand on his left hand and felt her pulse with his right, and rubbing her forehead, he asked her to put out her tongue and let him see it. “Were I to express my views about Chieh Erh, you would again abuse me! If she’s, however, kept quiet and allowed to go hungry for a couple of meals, she’ll get over this. There’s no necessity for her to take any decocted medicines. I’ll just send her some pills, which you’ll have to dissolve in a preparation of ginger, and give them to her before she goes to sleep; when she has had these, there will be nothing more the matter with her.”

At the conclusion of these recommendations, he bade them goodbye and took his departure. Chia Chen and his companions then took the prescription and came and explained to old lady Chia the nature of her indisposition, and, depositing on the table, the paper given to them by the doctor, they quitted her presence. But nothing more need be said about them.

Madame Wang and Li Wan, lady Feng, Pao Ch’ai and the other young ladies noticed, meanwhile, that the doctor had gone, and they eventually egressed from the back of the mosquito-house. After a short stay, Madame Wang returned to her quarters. Goody Liu repaired, when she perceived everything quiet again, into the upper rooms and made her adieus to dowager lady Chia.

“When you’ve got any leisure, do pay us another visit,” old lady Chia urged, and bidding Yuan Yang come to her, “Do be careful,” she added, “and see dame Liu safely on her way out; for not being well I can’t escort you myself.”

Goody Liu expressed her thanks, and saying good bye a second time, she betook herself, along with Yüan Yang, into the servants’ quarters. Here Yüan Yang pointed at a bundle on the stove-couch. “These are,” she said, “several articles of clothing, belonging to our old mistress; they were presented to her in years gone by, by members of our family on her birthdays and various festivals; her ladyship never wears anything made by people outside; yet to hoard these would be a downright pity! Indeed, she hasn’t worn them even once. It was yesterday that she told me to get out two costumes and hand them to you to take along with you, either to give as presents, or to be worn by some one in your home; but don’t make fun of us! In the box you’ll find the flour-fruits, for which you asked. This bundle contains the medicines to which you alluded the other day. There are ‘plum-blossom-spotted-tongue pills,’ and ‘purple-gold- ingot— pills,’ also ‘vivifying-blood-vessels-pills,’ as well as ‘driving-offspring and preserving-life pills;’ each kind being rolled up in a sheet bearing the prescription; and the whole lot of them are packed up in here. While these two are purses for you to wear in the way of ornaments.” So saying, she forthwith loosened the cord, and, producing two ingots representing pencils, and with ‘ju i’ on them, implying ‘your wishes will surely be fulfilled,’ she drew near and showed them to her, “Take the purses,” she pursued smiling, “but do leave these behind and give them to me.”

Goody Liu was so overjoyed that she had, from an early period, come out afresh with several thousands of invocations of Buddha’s names. When she therefore heard Yüan Yang’s suggestion, “Miss,” she quickly rejoined, “you’re at perfect liberty to keep them!”

Yüan Yang perceived that her words were believed by her; so smiling she once more dropped the ingots into the purse. “I was only joking with you for fun!” she observed. “I’ve got a good many like these; keep them therefore and give them, at the close of the year, to your young children.”

Speaking the while, she espied a young maid walk in with a cup from the ‘Ch’eng’ kiln, and hand it to old goody Liu. “This,” (she said,) “our master Secundus, Mr. Pao, gives you.”

“Whence could I begin enumerating the things I got!” Goody Liu exclaimed. “In what previous existence did I accomplish anything so meritorious as to bring to-day this heap of blessings upon me!”

With these words, she eagerly took possession of the cup.

“The clothes I gave you the other day, when I asked you to have a bath, were my own,” Yüan Yang resumed, “and if you don’t think them too mean, I’ve got a few more, which I would also like to let you have.”

Goody Liu thanked her with vehemence, so Yüan Yang, in point of fact, produced several more articles of clothing, and these she packed up for her. Goody Liu thereupon expressed a desire to also go into the garden and take leave of Pao-yü and the young ladies, Madame Wang and the other inmates and to thank them for all they did for her, but Yüan Yang raised objections. “You can dispense with going!” she remarked. “They don’t see any one just now! But I’ll deliver the message for you by and bye! When you’ve got any leisure, do come again. Go to the second gate,” she went on to direct an old matron, “and call two servant-lads to come here, and help this old dame to take her things away!”

After the matron had signified her obedience, Yüan Yang returned with goody Liu to lady Feng’s quarters, on the off part of the mansion, and, taking the presents as far as the side gate, she bade the servant-lads carry them out. She herself then saw goody Liu into her curricle and start on her journey homewards.

But without commenting further on this topic, let us revert to Pao-ch’ai and the other girls. After breakfast, they recrossed into their grandmother’s rooms and made inquiries about her health. On their way back to the garden, they reached a point where they had to take different roads. Pao-ch’ai then called out to Tai-yü. “P’in Erh!” she observed, “come with me; I’ve got a question to ask you.”

Tai-yü wended her steps therefore with Pao-ch’ai into the Heng Wu court. As soon as they entered the house, Pao-ch’ai threw herself into a seat. “Kneel down!” she smiled. “I want to examine you about something!”

Tai-yü could not fathom her object, and consequently laughed. “Look here.” she cried, “this chit Pao has gone clean off her senses! What do you want to examine me about?”

Pao-ch’ai gave a sardonic smile. “My dear, precious girl, my dear maiden,” she exclaimed, “what utter trash fills your mouth! Just speak the honest and candid truth, and finish!”

Tai-yü could so little guess her meaning that her sole resource was to smile. Inwardly, however, she could not help beginning to experience certain misgivings. “What did I say?” she remarked. “You’re bent upon picking out my faults! Speak out and let me hear what it’s all about!”

“Do you still pretend to be a fool?” Pao-ch’ai laughed. “When we played yesterday that game of wine-forfeits, what did you say? I really couldn’t make out any head or tail.”

Tai-yü, after a moment’s reflection, remembered eventually that she had the previous day been guilty of a slip of the tongue and come out with a couple of passages from the ‘Peony Pavilion,’ and the ‘Record of the West Side-house,’ and, of a sudden, her face got scarlet with blushes. Drawing near Pao-ch’ai she threw her arms round her. “My dear cousin!” she smiled, “I really wasn’t conscious of what I was saying! It just blurted out of my mouth! But now that you’ve called me to task, I won’t say such things again.”

“I’ve no idea of what you were driving at,” Pao-ch’ai laughingly rejoined. “What I heard you recite sounds so thoroughly unfamiliar to me, that I beg you to enlighten me!”

“Dear cousin,” pleaded Tai-yü, “don’t tell anyone else! I won’t, in the future, breathe such things again.”

Pao-ch’ai noticed how from shame the blood rushed to her face, and how vehement she was in her entreaties, and she felt both to press her with questions; so pulling her into a seat to make her have a cup of tea, she said to her in a gentle tone, “Whom do you take me for? I too am wayward; from my youth up, yea ever since I was seven or eight, I’ve been enough trouble to people! Our family was also what one would term literary. My grandfather’s extreme delight was to be ever with a book in his hand. At one time, we numbered many members, and sisters and brothers all lived together; but we had a distaste for wholesome books. Among my brothers, some were partial to verses; others had a weakness for blank poetical compositions; and there were none of such works as the ‘Western side-House,’ and ‘the Guitar,’ even up to the hundred and one books of the ‘Yüan’ authors, which they hadn’t managed to get. These books they stealthily read behind our backs; but we, on our part, devoured them, on the sly, without their knowing it. Subsequently, our father came to get wind of it; and some of us he beat, while others he scolded; burning some of the books, and throwing away others. It is therefore as well that we girls shouldn’t know anything of letters. Men, who study books and don’t understand the right principle, can’t, moreover, reach the standard of those, who don’t go in for books; so how much more such as ourselves? Even versifying, writing and the like pursuits aren’t in the line of such as you and me. Indeed, neither are they within the portion of men. Men, who go in for study and fathom the right principles, should cooperate in the government of the empire, and should rule the nation; this would be a nobler purpose; but one doesn’t now-a-days hear of the very existence of such persons! Hence, the study of books makes them worse than they ever were before. But it isn’t the books that ruin them; the misfortune is that they make improper use of books! That is why study doesn’t come up to ploughing and sowing and trading; as these pursuits exercise no serious pernicious influences. As far, however, as you and I go, we should devote our minds simply to matters connected with needlework and spinning; for we will then be fulfilling our legitimate duties. Yet, it so happens that we too know a few characters. But, as we can read, it behoves us to choose no other than wholesome works; for these will do us no harm! What are most to be shirked are those low books, as, when once they pervert the disposition, there remains no remedy whatever!”

While she indulged in this long rigmarole, Tai-yü lowered her head and sipped her tea. And though she secretly shared the same views on the subject, all the answer she gave her in assent was limited to one single word ‘yes.’ But at an unexpected moment, Su Yün appeared in the room. “Our lady Lien,” she said, “requests the presence of both of you, young ladies, to consult with you in an important matter. Miss Secunda, Miss Tertia, Miss Quarta, Miss Shih and Mr. Pao, our master Secundus, are there waiting for you.”

“What’s up again?” Pao-ch’ai inquired.

“You and I will know what it is when we get there,” Tai-yü explained.

So saying, she came, with Pao-ch’ai, into the Tao Hsiang village. Here they, in fact, discovered every one assembled. As soon as Li Wan caught sight of the two cousins, she smiled. “The society has barely been started,” she observed, “and here’s one who wants to give us the slip; that girl Quarta wishes to apply for a whole year’s leave.”

“It’s that single remark of our worthy senior’s yesterday that is at the bottom of it!” Tai-yü laughed. “For by bidding her execute some painting or other of the garden, she has put her in such high feather that she applies for leave!”

“Don’t be so hard upon our dear ancestor!” Pao-Ch’ai rejoined, a smile playing on her lips. “It’s entirely due to that allusion of grandmother Liu’s.”

Tai-yü speedily took up the thread of the conversation. “Quite so!” she smiled. “It’s all through that remark of hers! But of what branch of the family is she a grandmother? We should merely address her as the ‘female locust;’ that’s all.”

As she spoke, one and all were highly amused.

“When any mortal language finds its way into that girl Feng’s mouth,” Pao-ch’ai laughed, “she knows how to turn it to the best account! What a fortunate thing it is that that vixen Feng has no idea of letters and can’t boast of much culture! Her forte is simply such vulgar things as suffice to raise a laugh! Worse than her is that P’in Erh with that coarse tongue! She has recourse to the devices of the ‘Ch’un Ch’iu’! By selecting, from the vulgar expressions used in low slang, the most noteworthy points, she eliminates what’s commonplace, and makes, with the addition of a little elegance and finish, her style so much like that of the text that each sentence has a peculiar character of its own! The three words representing ‘female locust’ bring out clearly the various circumstances connected with yesterday! The wonder is that she has been so quick in devising them!”

After lending an ear to her arguments, they all laughed. “Those explanations of yours,” they cried, “show well enough that you are not below those two!”

“Pray, let’s consult as to how many days’ leave to grant her!” Li Wan proposed. “I gave her a month, but she thinks it too little. What do you say about it?”

“Properly speaking,” Tai-yü put in, “one year isn’t much! The laying out of this garden occupied a whole year; and to paint a picture of it now will certainly need two years’ time. She’ll have to rub the ink, to moisten the pencils, to stretch the paper, to mix the pigments, and to....”

When she had reached this point, even Tai-yü could not restrain herself from laughing. “If she goes on so leisurely to work,” she exclaimed, “won’t she require two years’ time?”

Those, who caught this insinuation, clapped their hands and indulged in incessant merriment.

“Her innuendoes are full of zest!” Pao-ch’ai ventured laughingly. “But what takes the cake is that last remark about leisurely going to work, for if she weren’t to paint at all, how could she ever finish her task? Hence those jokes cracked yesterday were, sufficient, of course, to evoke laughter, but, on second thought, they’re devoid of any fun! Just you carefully ponder over P’in Erh’s words! Albeit they don’t amount to much, you’ll nevertheless find, when you come to reflect on them, that there’s plenty of gusto about them. I’ve really had such a laugh over them that I can scarcely move!

“It’s the way that cousin Pao-ch’ai puffs her up,” Hsi Ch’un observed “that makes her so much the more arrogant that she turns me also into a laughing-stock now!”

Tai-yü hastily smiled and pulled her towards her. “Let me ask you,” she said, “are you only going to paint the garden, or will you insert us in it as well?”

“My original idea was to have simply painted the garden,” Hsi Ch’un explained; “but our worthy senior told me again yesterday that a mere picture of the grounds would resemble the plan of a house, and recommended that I should introduce some inmates too so as to make it look like what a painting should. I’ve neither the knack for the fine work necessary for towers and terraces, nor have I the skill to draw representations of human beings; but as I couldn’t very well raise any objections, I find myself at present on the horns of a dilemma about it!”

“Human beings are an easy matter!” Tai-yü said. “What beats you are insects.”

“Here you are again with your trash!” Li Wan exclaimed. “Will there be any need to also introduce insects in it? As far, however, as birds go, it may probably be advisable to introduce one or two kinds!”

“If any other insects are not put in the picture,” Tai-yü smiled, “it won’t matter; but without yesterday’s female locust in it, it will fall short of the original?”

This retort evoked further general amusement. While Tai-yü laughed, she beat her chest with both hands. “Begin painting at once!” she cried. “I’ve even got the title all ready. The name I’ve chosen is, ‘Picture of a locust brought in to have a good feed.’”

At these words, they laughed so much the more heartily that at a time they bent forward, and at another they leant back. But a sound of “Ku tung” then fell on their ears, and unable to make out what could have dropped, they anxiously and precipitately looked about. It was, they found, Shih Hsiang-yün, who had been reclining on the back of the chair. The chair had, from the very outset, not been put in a sure place, and while indulging in hearty merriment she threw her whole weight on the back. She did not, besides, notice that the dovetails on each side had come out, so with a tilt towards the east, she as well as the chair toppled over in a heap. Luckily, the wooden partition-wall was close enough to arrest her fall, and she did not sprawl on the ground. The sight of her created more amusement than ever among all her relatives; so much so, that they could scarcely regain their equilibrium. It was only after Pao-yü had rushed up to her, and given her a hand and raised her to her feet again that they at last managed to gradually stop laughing.

Pao-yü then winked at Tai-yü. Tai-yü grasped his meaning, and, forthwith withdrawing into the inner room, she lifted the cover of the mirror, and looked at her face. She found the hair about her temples slightly dishevelled, so, promptly opening Li Wan’s toilet-case, and extracting a narrow brush, she stood in front of the mirror, and smoothed it down with a few touches. Afterwards, laying the brush in its place she stepped into the outer suite. “Is this,” she said pointing at Li Wan, “doing what you’re told and showing us how to do needlework and teaching us manners? Why, instead of that, you press us to come here and have a good romp and a hearty laugh!”

“Just you listen to her perverse talk,” Li Wan laughed. “She takes the lead and kicks up a rumpus, and incites people to laugh, and then she throws the blame upon me! In real truth, she’s a despicable thing! What I wish is that you should soon get some dreadful mother-in-law, and several crotchety and abominable older and younger sisters-in-law, and we’ll see then whether you’ll still be as perverse or not!”

Tai-yü at once became quite scarlet in the face, and pulling Pao-ch’ai, “Let us,” she added, “give her a whole year’s leave!”

“I’ve got an impartial remark to make. Listen to me all of you!” Pao-ch’ai chimed in. “Albeit the girl, Ou, may have some idea about painting, all she can manage are just a few outline sketches, so that unless, now that she has to accomplish the picture of this garden, she can lay a claim to some ingenuity, will she ever be able to succeed in effecting a painting? This garden resembles a regular picture. The rockeries and trees, towers and pavilions, halls and houses are, as far as distances and density go, neither too numerous, nor too few. Such as it is, it is fitly laid out; but were you to put it on paper in strict compliance with the original, why, it will surely not elicit admiration. In a thing like this, it’s necessary to pay due care to the various positions and distances on paper, whether they should be large or whether small; and to discriminate between main and secondary; adding what is needful to add, concealing and reducing what should be concealed and reduced, and exposing to view what should remain visible. As soon as a rough copy is executed, it should again be considered in all its details, for then alone will it assume the semblance of a picture. In the second place, all these towers, terraces and structures must be distinctly delineated; for with just a trifle of inattention, the railings will slant, the pillars will be topsy-turvy, doors and windows will recline in a horizontal position, steps will separate, leaving clefts between them, and even tables will be crowded into the walls, and flower-pots piled on portières; and won’t it, instead of turning out into a picture, be a mere caricature? Thirdly, proper care must also be devoted, in the insertion of human beings, to density and height, to the creases of clothing, to jupes and sashes, to fingers, hands, and feet, as these are most important details; for if even one stroke be not thoroughly executed, then, if the hands be not swollen, the feet will be made to look as if they were lame. The colouring of faces and the drawing of the hair are minor points; but, in my own estimation, they really involve intense difficulty. Now a year’s leave is, on one hand, too excessive, and a month’s is, on the other, too little; so just give her half a year’s leave. Depute, besides, cousin Pao-yü to lend her a hand in her task. Not that cousin Pao knows how to give any hints about painting; that in itself would be more of a drawback; but in order that, in the event of there being anything that she doesn’t comprehend, or of anything perplexing her as to how best to insert it, cousin Pao may take the picture outside and make the necessary inquiries of those gentlemen, who excel in painting. Matters will thus be facilitated for her.”

At this suggestion Pao-yü was the first to feel quite enchanted. “This proposal is first-rate!” he exclaimed. “The towers and terraces minutely executed by Chan Tzu-liang are so perfect, and the beauties painted by Ch’eng Jih-hsing so extremely fine that I’ll go at once and ask them of them!”

“I’ve always said that you fuss for nothing!” Pao-ch’ai interposed. “I merely passed a cursory remark, and there you want to go immediately and ask for things. Do wait until we arrive at some decision in our deliberations, and then you can go! But let’s consider now what would be best to use to paint the picture on?”

“I’ve got, in my quarters,” Pao-yü answered, “some snow-white, wavy paper, which is both large in size, and proof against ink as well.”

Pao-ch’ai gave a sarcastic smile. “I do maintain,” she cried, “that you are a perfectly useless creature! That snow-white, wavy paper is good for pictures consisting of characters and for outline drawings. Or else, those who have the knack of making landscapes, use it for depicting scenery of the southern Sung era, as it resists ink and is strong enough to bear coarse painting. But were you to employ this sort of paper to make a picture of this garden on, it will neither stand the colours, nor will it be easy to dry the painting by the fire. So not only won’t it be suitable, but it will be a pity too to waste the paper. I’ll tell you a way how to get out of this. When this garden was first laid out, some detailed plan was used, which although executed by a mere house-decorator, was perfect with regard to sites and bearings. You’d better therefore ask for it of your worthy mother, and apply as well to lady Feng for a piece of thick glazed lustring of the size of that paper, and hand them to the gentlemen outside, and request them to prepare a rough copy for you, with any alterations or additions as might be necessary to make so as to accord with the style of these grounds. All that will remain to be done will be to introduce a few human beings; no more. Then when you have to match the azure and green pigments as well as the ground gold and ground silver, you can get those people again to do so for you. But you’ll also have to bring an extra portable stove, so as to have it handy for melting the glue, and for washing your pencils, after you’ve taken the glue off. You further require a large table, painted white and covered with a cloth. That lot of small dishes you have aren’t sufficient; your pencils too are not enough. It will be well consequently for you to purchase a new set of each.”

“Do I own such a lot of painting materials!” Hsi Ch’un exclaimed. “Why, I simply use any pencil that first comes under my hand to paint with; that’s all. And as for pigments, I’ve only got four kinds, ochrey stone, ‘Kuang’ flower paint, rattan yellow and rouge. Besides these, all I have amount to a couple of pencils for applying colours; no more.”

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?” Pao-ch’ai remarked. “I’ve still got some of these things remaining. But you don’t need them, so were I to give you any, they’d lie uselessly about. I’ll put them away for you now for a time, and, when you want them, I’ll let you have some. You should, however, keep them for the exclusive purpose of painting fans; for were you to paint such big things with them it would be a pity! I’ll draw out a list for you to-day to enable you to go and apply to our worthy senior for the items; as it isn’t likely that you people can possibly know all that’s required. I’ll dictate them, and cousin Pao can write them down!”

Pao-yü had already got a pencil and inkslab ready, for, fearing lest he might not remember clearly the various necessaries, he had made up his mind to write a memorandum of them; so the moment he heard Pao-ch’ai’s suggestion, he cheerfully took up his pencil, and listened quietly.

“Four pencils of the largest size,” Pao-ch’ai commenced, “four of the third size; four of the second size; four pencils for applying colours on big ground; four on medium ground; four for small ground; ten claws of large southern crabs; ten claws of small crabs; ten pencils for painting side-hair and eyebrows; twenty for laying heavy colours; twenty for light colours; ten for painting faces; twenty willow-twigs; four ounces of ‘arrow head’ pearls; four ounces of southern ochre; four ounces of stone yellow; four ounces of dark green; four ounces of malachite; four ounces of tube-yellow; eight ounces of ‘kuang’ flower; four boxes of lead powder; ten sheets of rouge; two hundred sheets of thin red-gold leaves; two hundred sheets of lead; four ounces of smooth glue, from the two Kuang; and four ounces of pure alum. The glue and alum for sizing the lustring are not included, so don’t bother yourselves about them, but just take the lustring and give it to them outside to size it with alum for you. You and I can scour and clarify all these pigments, and thus amuse ourselves, and prepare them for use as well. I feel sure you’ll have an ample supply to last you a whole lifetime. But you must also get ready four sieves of fine lustring; a pair of coarse ones; four brush-pencils; four bowls, some large, some small; twenty large, coarse saucers; ten five-inch plates; twenty three-inch coarse, white plates; two stoves; four large and small earthenware pans; two new porcelain jars; four new water buckets; four one-foot-long bags, made of white cloth; two catties of light charcoal; one or two catties of willow-wood charcoal; a wooden box with three drawers; a yard of thick gauze, two ounces of fresh ginger; half a catty of soy;...”

“An iron kettle and an iron shovel,” hastily chimed in Tai-yü with a smile full of irony.

“To do what with them?” Pao-ch’ai inquired.

“You ask for fresh ginger, soy and all these condiments, so I indent for an iron kettle for you to cook the paints and eat them.” Tai-yü answered, to the intense merriment of one and all, who gave way to laughter.

“What do you, P’in Erh, know about these things?” Pao-ch’ai laughed. “I am not certain in my mind that you won’t put those coarse coloured plates straightway on the fire. But unless you take the precaution beforehand of rubbing the bottom with ginger juice, mixed with soy, and of warming them dry, they’re bound to crack, the moment they experience the least heat.”

“It’s really so,” they exclaimed with one voice, after this explanation.

Tai-yü perused the list for a while. She then smiled and gave T’an Ch’un a tug. “Just see,” she whispered, “we want to paint a picture, and she goes on indenting for a number of water jars and boxes! But, I presume, she’s got so muddled, that she inserts a list of articles needed for her trousseau.”

T’an Ch’un, at her remark, laughed with such heartiness, that it was all she could do to check herself. “Cousin Pao,” she observed, “don’t you wring her mouth? Just ask her what disparaging things she said about you.”

“Why need I ask?” Pao-ch’ai smiled. “Is it likely, pray, that you can get ivory out of a cur’s mouth?”

Speaking the while, she drew near, and, seizing Tai-yü, she pressed her down on the stove-couch with the intention of pinching her face. Tai-yü smilingly hastened to implore for grace. “My dear cousin,” she cried, “spare me! P’in Erh is young in years; all she knows is to talk at random; she has no idea of what’s proper and what’s improper. But you are my elder cousin, so teach me how to behave. If you, cousin, don’t let me off, to whom can I go and address my entreaties?”

Little did, however, all who heard her apprehend that there lurked some hidden purpose in her insinuations. “She’s right there,” they consequently pleaded smilingly. “So much is she to be pitied that even we have been mollified; do spare her and finish!”

Pao-ch’ai had, at first, meant to play with her, but when she unawares heard her drag in again the advice she had tendered her the other day, with regard to the reckless perusal of unwholesome books, she at once felt as if she could not have any farther fuss with her, and she let her rise to her feet.

“It’s you, after all, elder cousin,” Tai-yü laughed. “Had it been I, I wouldn’t have let any one off.”

Pao-ch’ai smiled and pointed at her. “It is no wonder,” she said, “that our dear ancestor doats on you and that every one loves you. Even I have to-day felt my heart warm towards you! But come here and let me put your hair up for you!”

Tai-yü then, in very deed, swung herself round and crossed over to her. Pao-ch’ai arranged her coiffure with her hands. Pao-yü, who stood by and looked on, thought the style, in which her hair was being made up, better than it was before. But, of a sudden, he felt sorry at what had happened, as he fancied that she should not have let her brush her side hair, but left it alone for the time being and asked him to do it for her. While, however, he gave way to these erratic thoughts, he heard Pao-ch’ai speak. “We’ve done with what there was to write,” she said, “so you’d better tomorrow go and tell grandmother about the things. If there be any at home, well and good; but if not, get some money to buy them with. I’ll then help you both in your preparations.”

Pao-yü vehemently put the list away; after which, they all joined in a further chat on irrelevant matters; and, their evening meal over, they once more repaired into old lady Chia’s apartments to wish her good-night. Their grandmother had, indeed, had nothing serious the matter with her. Her ailment had amounted mainly to fatigue, to which a slight chill had been super-added, so that having kept in the warm room for the day and taken a dose or two of medicine, she entirely got over the effects, and felt, in the evening, quite like own self again.

But, reader, the occurrences of the next day areas yet a mystery to you, but the nest chapter will divulge them.

第 四 十 三 回

闲取乐偶攒金庆寿 不了情暂撮土为香

　　话说王夫人因见贾母那日在大观园不过着了些风寒，不是什么大病，请医生吃了两剂药也就好了，便放了心，因命凤姐来吩咐他预备给贾政带送东西。正商议着，只见贾母打发人来请，王夫人忙引着凤姐儿过来。王夫人又请问“这会子可又觉大安些”？贾母道：“今日可大好了。方才你们送来野鸡崽子汤，我尝了一尝，倒有味儿，又吃了两块肉，心里很受用。”王夫人笑道：“这是凤丫头孝敬老太太的。算他的孝心虔，不枉了素日老太太疼他。”贾母点头笑道：“难为他想着。若是还有生的，再炸上两块，咸浸浸的，吃粥有味儿。那汤虽好，就只不对稀饭。”凤姐听了，连忙答应，命人去厨房传话。

　　这里贾母又向王夫人笑道：“我打发人请你来，不为别的。初二是凤丫头的生日，上两年我原早想替他做生日，偏到跟前有大事，就混过去了。今年人又齐全，料着又没事，咱们大家好生乐一日。”王夫人笑道：“我也想着呢。既是老太太高兴，何不就商议定了？”贾母笑道：“我想往年不拘谁作生日，都是各自送各自的礼，这个也俗了，也觉生分的似的。今儿我出个新法子，又不生分，又可取笑。”王夫人忙道：“老太太怎么想着好，就是怎么样行。”贾母笑道：“我想着，咱们也学那小家子大家凑分子，多少尽着这钱去办，你道好顽不好顽？”王夫人笑道：“这个很好，但不知怎么凑法？”贾母听说，益发高兴起来，忙遣人去请薛姨妈邢夫人等，又叫请姑娘们并宝玉，那府里珍儿媳妇并赖大家的等有头脸管事的媳妇也都叫了来。

　　众丫头婆子见贾母十分高兴也都高兴，忙忙的各自分头去请的请，传的传，没顿饭的工夫，老的，少的，上的，下的，乌压压挤了一屋子。只薛姨妈和贾母对坐，邢夫人王夫人只坐在房门前两张椅子上，宝钗姊妹等五六个人坐在炕上，宝玉坐在贾母怀前，地下满满的站了一地。贾母忙命拿几个小杌子来，给赖大母亲等几个高年有体面的妈妈坐了。贾府风俗，年高服侍过父母的家人，比年轻的主子还有体面，所以尤氏凤姐儿等只管地下站着，那赖大的母亲等三四个老妈妈告个罪，都坐在小杌子上了。

　　贾母笑着把方才一席话说与众人听了。众人谁不凑这趣儿？再也有和凤姐儿好的，有情愿这样的；有畏惧凤姐儿的，巴不得来奉承的：况且都是拿的出来的，所以一闻此言，都欣然应诺。贾母先道：“我出二十两。”薛姨妈笑道：“我随着老太太，也是二十两了。”邢夫人王夫人笑道：“我们不敢和老太太并肩，自然矮一等，每人十六两罢了。”尤氏李纨也笑道：“我们自然又矮一等，每人十二两罢。”贾母忙和李纨道：“你寡妇失业的，那里还拉你出这个钱，我替你出了罢。”凤姐忙笑道：“老太太别高兴，且算一算账再揽事。老太太身上已有两分呢，这会子又替大嫂子出十二两，说着高兴，一会子回想又心疼了。过后儿又说‘都是为凤丫头花了钱’，使个巧法子，哄着我拿出三四分子来暗里补上，我还做梦呢。”说的众人都笑了。贾母笑道：“依你怎么样呢？”凤姐笑道：“生日没到，我这会子已经折受的不受用了。我一个钱饶不出，惊动这些人实在不安，不如大嫂子这一分我替他出了罢了。我到了那一日多吃些东西，就享了福了。”邢夫人等听了，都说“很是。”贾母方允了。凤姐儿又笑道：“我还有一句话呢。我想老祖宗自己二十两，又有林妹妹宝兄弟的两分子。姨妈自己二十两，又有宝妹妹的一分子，这倒也公道。只是二位太太每位十六两，自己又少，又不替人出，这有些不公道。老祖宗吃了亏了！”贾母听了，忙笑道：“倒是我的凤姐儿向着我，这说的很是。要不是你，我叫他们又哄了去了。”凤姐笑道：“老祖宗只把他姐儿两个交给两位太太，一位占一个，派多派少，每位替出一分就是了。”贾母忙说：“这很公道，就是这样。”赖大的母亲忙站起来笑说道：“这可反了！我替二位太太生气。在那边是儿子媳妇，在这边是内侄女儿，倒不向着婆婆姑娘，倒向着别人。这儿媳妇成了陌路人，内侄女儿竟成了个外侄女儿了。”说的贾母与众人都大笑起来了。赖大之母因又问道：“少奶奶们十二两，我们自然也该矮一等了。”贾母听说，道：“这使不得。你们虽该矮一等，我知道你们这几个都是财主，分位虽低，钱却比他们多。你们和他们一例才使得。”众妈妈听了，连忙答应。贾母又道：“姑娘们不过应个景儿，每人照一个月的月例就是了。”又回头叫鸳鸯来，“你们也凑几个人，商议凑了来。”鸳鸯答应着，去不多时带了平儿、袭人、彩霞等还有几个小丫鬟来，也有二两的，也有一两的。贾母因问平儿：“你难道不替你主子作生日，还入在这里头？”平儿笑道：“我那个私自另外有了，这是官中的，也该出一分。”贾母笑道：“这才是好孩子。”凤姐又笑道：“上下都全了。还有二位姨奶奶，他出不出，也问一声儿。尽到他们是理，不然，他们只当小看了他们了。”贾母听了，忙说：“可是呢，怎么倒忘了他们！只怕他们不得闲儿，叫一个丫头问问去。”说着，早有丫头去了，半日回来说道：“每位也出二两。”贾母喜道：“拿笔砚来算明，共计多少。”尤氏因悄骂凤姐道：“我把你这没足厌的小蹄子！这么些婆婆婶子来凑银子给你过生日，你还不足，又拉上两个苦瓠子作什么？”凤姐也悄笑道：“你少胡说，一会子离了这里，我才和你算账。他们两个为什么苦呢？有了钱也是白填送别人，不如拘来咱们乐。”

　　说着，早已合算了，共凑了一百五十两有余。贾母道：“一日戏酒用不了。”尤氏道：“既不请客，酒席又不多，两三日的用度都够了。头等，戏不用钱，省在这上头。”贾母道：“凤丫头说那一班好，就传那一班。”凤姐儿道：“咱们家的班子都听熟了，倒是花几个钱叫一班来听听罢。”贾母道：“这件事我交给珍哥媳妇了。越性叫凤丫头别操一点心，受用一日才算。”尤氏答应着。又说了一回话，都知贾母乏了，才渐渐的都散出来。

　　尤氏等送邢夫人王夫人二人散去，便往凤姐房里来商议怎么办生日的话。凤姐儿道：“你不用问我，你只看老太太的眼色行事就完了。”尤氏笑道：“你这阿物儿，也忒行了大运了。我当有什么事叫我们去，原来单为这个。出了钱不算，还要我来操心，你怎么谢我？”凤姐笑道：“你别扯臊，我又没叫你来，谢你什么！你怕操心？你这会子就回老太太去，再派一个就是了。”尤氏笑道：“你瞧他兴的这样儿！我劝你收着些儿好。太满了就泼出来了。”二人又说了一回方散。

　　次日将银子送到宁国府来，尤氏方才起来梳洗，因问是谁送过来的，丫鬟们回说：“是林大娘。”尤氏便命叫了他来。丫鬟走至下房，叫了林之孝家的过来。尤氏命他脚踏上坐了，一面忙着梳洗，一面问他：“这一包银子共多少？”林之孝家的回说：“这是我们底下人的银子，凑了先送过来。老太太和太太们的还没有呢。”正说着，丫鬟们回说：“那府里太太和姨太太打发人送分子来了。”尤氏笑骂道：“小蹄子们，专会记得这些没要紧的话。昨儿不过老太太一时高兴，故意的要学那小家子凑分子，你们就记得，到了你们嘴里当正经的说。还不快接了进来好生待茶，再打发他们去。”丫鬟应着，忙接了进来，一共两封，连宝钗黛玉的都有了。尤氏问还少谁的，林之孝家的道：“还少老太太、太太、姑娘们的和底下姑娘们的。”尤氏道：“还有你们大奶奶的呢？”林之孝家的道：“奶奶过去，这银子都从二奶奶手里发，一共都有了。”

　　说着，尤氏已梳洗了，命人伺候车辆。一时来至荣府，先来见凤姐。只见凤姐已将银子封好，正要送去。尤氏问：“都齐了？”凤姐儿笑道：“都有了，快拿了去罢，丢了我不管。”尤氏笑道：“我有些信不及，倒要当面点一点。”说着果然按数一点，只没有李纨的一分。尤氏笑道：“我说你(上为入下为肉)鬼呢，怎么你大嫂子的没有？”凤姐儿笑道：“那么些还不够使？短一分儿也罢了，等不够了我再给你。”尤氏道：“昨儿你在人跟前作人，今儿又来和我赖，这个断不依你。我只和老太太要去。”凤姐儿笑道：“我看你利害。明儿有了事，我也丁是丁卯是卯的，你也别抱怨。”尤氏笑道：“你一般的也怕。不看你素日孝敬我，我才是不依你呢。”说着，把平儿的一分拿了出来，说道：“平儿，来！把你的收起去，等不够了，我替你添上。”平儿会意，因说道：“奶奶先使着，若剩下了再赏我一样。”尤氏笑道：“只许你那主子作弊，就不许我作情儿。”平儿只得收了。尤氏又道：“我看着你主子这么细致，弄这些钱那里使去！使不了，明儿带了棺材里使去。”

　　一面说着，一面又往贾母处来。先请了安，大概说了两句话，便走到鸳鸯房中和鸳鸯商议，只听鸳鸯的主意行事，何以讨贾母的喜欢。二人计议妥当。尤氏临走时，也把鸳鸯二两银子还他，说：“这还使不了呢。”说着，一径出来，又至王夫人跟前说了一回话。因王夫人进了佛堂，把彩云一分也还了他。见凤姐不在跟前，一时把周、赵二人的也还了。他两个还不敢收。尤氏道：“你们可怜见的，那里有这些闲钱？凤丫头便知道了，有我应着呢。”二人听说，千恩万谢的方收了。于是尤氏一径出来，坐车回家。不在话下。

　　展眼已是九月初二日，园中人都打听得尤氏办得十分热闹，不但有戏，连耍百戏并说书的男女先儿全有，都打点取乐顽耍。李纨又向众姊妹道：“今儿是正经社日，可别忘了。宝玉也不来，想必他只图热闹，把清雅就丢开了。”说着，便命丫鬟去瞧作什么，快请了来。丫鬟去了半日，回说：“花大姐姐说，今儿一早就出门去了。”众人听了，都诧异说：“再没有出门之理。这丫头糊涂，不知说话。”因又命翠墨去。一时翠墨回来说：“可不真出了门了。说有个朋友死了，出去探丧去了。”探春道：“断然没有的事。凭他什么，再没今日出门之理。你叫袭人来，我问他。”刚说着，只见袭人走来。李纨等都说道：“今儿凭他有什么事，也不该出门。头一件，你二奶奶的生日，老太太都这等高兴，两府上下众人来凑热闹，他倒走了；第二件，又是头一社的正日子，他也不告假，就私自去了！”袭人叹道：“昨儿晚上就说了，今儿一早起有要紧的事到北静王府里去，就赶回来的。劝他不要去，他必不依。今儿一早起来，又要素衣裳穿，想必是北静王府里的要紧姬妾没了，也未可知。”李纨等道：“若果如此，也该去走走，只是也该回来了。”说着，大家又商议：“咱们只管作诗，等他回来罚他。”刚说着，只见贾母已打发人来请，便都往前头来了。袭人回明宝玉的事，贾母不乐，便命人去接。

　　原来宝玉心里有件私事，于头一日就吩咐茗烟：“明日一早要出门，备下两匹马在后门口等着，不要别一个跟着。说给李贵，我往北府里去了。倘或要有人找我，叫他拦住不用找，只说北府里留下了，横竖就来的。”茗烟也摸不着头脑，只得依言说了。今儿一早，果然备了两匹马在园后门等着。天亮了，只见宝玉遍体纯素，从角门出来，一语不发跨上马，一弯腰，顺着街就(走加真)下去了。茗烟也只得跨马加鞭赶上，在后面忙问：“往那里去？”宝玉道：“这条路是往那里去的？”茗烟道：“这是出北门的大道。出去了冷清清没有可顽的。”宝玉听说，点头道：“正要冷清清的地方好。”说着，越性加了鞭，那马早已转了两个弯子，出了城门。茗烟越发不得主意，只得紧紧跟着。

　　一气跑了七八里路出来，人烟渐渐稀少，宝玉方勒住马，回头问茗烟道：“这里可有卖香的？”焙茗道：“香倒有，不知是那一样？”宝玉想道：“别的香不好，须得檀、芸、降三样。”茗烟笑道：“这三样可难得。”宝玉为难。茗烟见他为难，因问道：“要香作什么使？我见二爷时常小荷包有散香，何不找一找。”一句提醒了宝玉，便回手向衣襟上拉出一个荷包来，摸了一摸，竟有两星沉速，心内欢喜：“只是不恭些。”再想自己亲身带的，倒比买的又好些。于是又问炉炭。茗烟道：“这可罢了。荒郊野外那里有？用这些何不早说，带了来岂不便宜。”宝玉道：“糊涂东西，若可带了来，又不这样没命的跑了。”茗烟想了半日，笑道：“我得了个主意，不知二爷心下如何？我想二爷不只用这个呢，只怕还要用别的。这也不是事。如今我们往前再走二里地，就是水仙庵了。”宝玉听了忙问：“水仙庵就在这里？更好了，我们就去。”说着，就加鞭前行，一面回头向茗烟道：“这水仙庵的姑子长往咱们家去，咱们这一去到那里，和他借香炉使使，他自然是肯的。”茗烟道：“别说他是咱们家的香火，就是平白不认识的庙里，和他借，他也不敢驳回。只是一件，我常见二爷最厌这水仙庵的，如何今儿又这样喜欢了？”宝玉道：“我素日因恨俗人不知原故，混供神混盖庙，这都是当日有钱的老公们和那些有钱的愚妇们听见有个神，就盖起庙来供着，也不知那神是何人，因听些野史小说，便信真了。比如这水仙庵里面因供的是洛神，故名水仙庵，殊不知古来并没有个洛神，那原是曹子建的谎话，谁知这起愚人就塑了像供着。今儿却合我的心事，故借他一用。”

　　说着早已来至门前。那老姑子见宝玉来了，事出意外，竟象天上掉下个活龙来的一般，忙上来问好，命老道来接马。宝玉进去，也不拜洛神之像，却只管赏鉴。虽是泥塑的，却真有“翩若惊鸿，婉若游龙”之态，“荷出绿波，日映朝霞”之姿。宝玉不觉滴下泪来。老姑子献了茶。宝玉因和他借香炉。那姑子去了半日，连香供纸马都预备了来。宝玉道：“一概不用。”便命茗烟捧着炉出至后园中，拣一块干净地方儿，竟拣不出。茗烟道：“那井台儿上如何？”宝玉点头，一齐来至井台上，将炉放下。

　　茗烟站过一旁。宝玉掏出香来焚上，含泪施了半礼，回身命收了去。茗烟答应，且不收，忙爬下磕了几个头，口内祝道：“我茗烟跟二爷这几年，二爷的心事，我没有不知道的，只有今儿这一祭祀没有告诉我，我也不敢问。只是这受祭的阴魂虽不知名姓，想来自然是那人间有一，天上无双，极聪明极俊雅的一位姐姐妹妹了。二爷心事不能出口，让我代祝：若芳魂有感，香魄多情，虽然阴阳间隔，既是知己之间，时常来望候二爷，未尝不可。你在阴间保佑二爷来生也变个女孩儿，和你们一处相伴，再不可又托生这须眉浊物了。”说毕，又磕几个头，才爬起来。

　　宝玉听他没说完，便撑不住笑了，因踢他道：“休胡说，看人听见笑话。”茗烟起来收过香炉，和宝玉走着，因道：“我已经和姑子说了，二爷还没用饭，叫他随便收拾了些东西，二爷勉强吃些。我知道今儿咱们里头大排筵宴，热闹非常，二爷为此才躲了出来的。横竖在这里清净一天，也就尽到礼了。若不吃东西，断使不得。”宝玉道：“戏酒既不吃，这随便素的吃些何妨。”茗烟道：“这便才是。还有一说，咱们来了，还有人不放心。若没有人不放心，便晚了进城何妨？若有人不放心，二爷须得进城回家去才是。第一老太太、太太也放了心，第二礼也尽了，不过如此。就是家去了看戏吃酒，也并不是二爷有意，原不过陪着父母尽孝道。二爷若单为了这个不顾老太太、太太悬心，就是方才那受祭的阴魂也不安生。二爷想我这话如何？”宝玉笑道：“你的意思我猜着了，你想着只你一个跟了我出来，回来你怕担不是，所以拿这大题目来劝我。我才来了，不过为尽个礼，再去吃酒看戏，并没说一日不进城。这已完了心愿，赶着进城，大家放心，岂不两尽其道。”茗烟道：“这更好了。”说着二人来至禅堂，果然那姑子收拾了一桌素菜，宝玉胡乱吃了些，茗烟也吃了。

　　二人便上马仍回旧路。茗烟在后面只嘱咐：“二爷好生骑着，这马总没大骑的，手里提紧着。”一面说着，早已进了城，仍从后门进去，忙忙来至怡红院中。袭人等都不在房里，只有几个老婆子看屋子，见他来了，都喜的眉开眼笑，说：“阿弥陀佛，可来了！把花姑娘急疯了！上头正坐席呢，二爷快去罢。”宝玉听说忙将素服脱了，自去寻了华服换上，问在什么地方坐席，老婆子回说在新盖的大花厅上。

　　宝玉听说，一径往花厅来，耳内早已隐隐闻得歌管之声。刚至穿堂那边，只见玉钏儿独坐在廊檐下垂泪，一见他来，便收泪说道：“凤凰来了，快进去罢。再一会子不来，都反了。”宝玉陪笑道：“你猜我往那里去了？”玉钏儿不答，只管擦泪。宝玉忙进厅里，见了贾母王夫人等，众人真如得了凤凰一般。宝玉忙赶着与凤姐儿行礼。贾母王夫人都说他不知道好歹，“怎么也不说声就私自跑了，这还了得！明儿再这样，等老爷回家来，必告诉他打你。”说着又骂跟的小厮们都偏听他的话，说那里去就去，也不回一声儿。一面又问他到底那去了，可吃了什么，可唬着了。宝玉只回说：“北静王的一个爱妾昨日没了，给他道恼去。他哭的那样，不好撇下就回来，所以多等了一会子。”贾母道：“以后再私自出门，不先告诉我们，一定叫你老子打你。”宝玉答应着。因又要打跟的小子们，众人又忙说情，又劝道：“老太太也不必过虑了，他已经回来，大家该放心乐一回了。”贾母先不放心，自然发狠，如今见他来了，喜且有余，那里还恨，也就不提了；还怕他不受用，或者别处没吃饱，路上着了惊怕，反百般的哄他。袭人早过来伏侍。大家仍旧看戏。当日演的是《荆钗记》。贾母薛姨妈等都看的心酸落泪，也有叹的，也有骂的。要知端的，下回分解。

CHAPTER XLIII.
Having time to amuse themselves, the Chia inmates raise, when least expected, funds to celebrate lady Feng’s birthday — In his ceaseless affection for Chin Ch’uen, Pao-yü uses, for the occasion, a pinch of earth as incense and burns it.
When Madame Wang saw, for we will now proceed with our narrative, that the extent of dowager lady Chia’s indisposition, contracted on the day she had been into the garden of Broad Vista, amounted to a simple chill, that no serious ailment had supervened, and that her health had improved soon after the doctor had been sent for and she had taken a couple of doses of medicine, she called lady Feng to her and asked her to get ready a present of some kind for her to take to her husband, Chia Cheng. But while they were engaged in deliberation, they perceived a waiting-maid arrive. She came from their old senior’s part to invite them to go to her. So, with speedy step, Madame Wang led the way for lady Feng, and they came over into her quarters.

“Pray, may I ask,” Madame Wang then inquired, “whether you’re feeling nearly well again now?”

“I’m quite all right to-day,” old lady Chia replied. “I’ve tasted the young-pheasant soup you sent me a little time back and find it full of relish. I’ve also had two pieces of meat, so I feel quite comfortable within me.”

“These dainties were presented to you, dear ancestor, by that girl Feng,” Madame Wang smiled. “It only shows how sincere her filial piety is. She does not render futile the love, which you, venerable senior, ever lavish on her.”

Dowager lady Chia nodded her head assentingly. “She’s too kind to think of me!” she answered smiling. “But should there be any more uncooked, let them fry a couple of pieces; and, if these be thoroughly immersed in wine, the congee will taste well with them. The soup is, it’s true, good, but it shouldn’t, properly speaking, be prepared with fine rice.”

After listening to her wishes, lady Feng expressed with alacrity her readiness to see them executed, and directed a servant to go and deliver the message in the cook-house.

“I sent the servant for you,” dowager lady Chia meanwhile said to Madame Wang with a smile, “not for anything else, but for the birthday of that girl Feng, which falls on the second. I had made up my mind two years ago to celebrate her birthday in proper style, but when the time came, there happened to be again something important to attend to, and it went by without anything being done. But this year, the inmates are, on one hand, all here, and there won’t, I fancy, be, on the other, anything to prevent us, so we should all do our best to enjoy ourselves thoroughly for a day.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Madame Wang rejoined, laughingly, “and, since it’s your good pleasure, venerable senior, why, shouldn’t we deliberate at once and decide upon something?”

“To the best of my recollection,” dowager lady Chia resumed smiling, “whenever in past years I’ve had any birthday celebrations for any one of us, no matter who it was, we have ever individually sent our respective presents; but this method is common and is also apt, I think, to look very much as if there were some disunion. But I’ll now devise a new way; a way, which won’t have the effect of creating any discord, and will be productive of good cheer.”

“Let whatever way you may think best, dear ancestor, be adopted.” Madame Wang eagerly rejoined.

“My idea is,” old lady Chia laughingly continued, “that we too should follow the example of those poor families and raise a subscription among ourselves, and devote the whole of whatever we may collect to meet the outlay for the necessary preparations. What do you say, will this do or not?”

“This is a splendid idea!” Madame Wang acquiesced. “But what will, I wonder, be the way adopted for raising contributions?”

Old lady Chia was the more inspirited by her reply. There and then she despatched servants to go and invite Mrs. Hsüeh, Madame Hsing and the rest of the ladies, and bade others summon the young ladies and Pao-yü. But from the other mansion, Chia Chen’s spouse, Lai Ta’s wife, even up to the wives of such stewards as enjoyed a certain amount of respectability, were likewise to be asked to come round.

The sight of their old mistress’ delight filled the waiting-maids and married women with high glee as well; and each hurried with vehemence to execute her respective errand. Those that were to be invited were invited, and those that had to be sent for were sent for; and, before the lapse of such time as could suffice to have a meal in, the old as well as young, the high as well as low, crammed, in a black mass, every bit of the available space in the rooms.

Only Mrs. Hsüeh and dowager lady Chia sat opposite to each other. Mesdames Hsing and Wang simply seated themselves on two chairs, which faced the door of the apartment. Pao-ch’ai and her five or six cousins occupied the stove-couch. Pao-yü sat on his grandmother’s lap. Below, the whole extent of the floor was crowded with inmates on their feet. But old lady Chia forthwith desired that a few small stools should be fetched. When brought, these were proffered to Lai Ta’s mother and some other nurses, who were advanced in years and held in respect; for it was the custom in the Chia mansion that the family servants, who had waited upon any of the fathers or mothers, should enjoy a higher status than even young masters and mistresses. Hence it was that while Mrs. Yu, lady Feng and other ladies remained standing below, Lai Ta’s mother and three or four other old nurses had, after excusing themselves for their rudeness, seated themselves on small stools.

Dowager lady Chia recounted, with a face beaming with smiles, the suggestions she had shortly made, for the benefit of the various inmates present; and one and all, of course, were only too ready to contribute for the entertainment. More, some of them, were on friendly terms with lady Feng, so they, of their own free will, adopted the proposal; others lived in fear and trembling of lady Feng, and these were only too anxious to make up to her. Every one, besides, could well afford the means, so that, as soon as they heard of the proposed subscriptions, they, with one consent, signified their acquiescence.

“I’ll give twenty taels!” old lady Chia was the first to say with a smile playing round her lips.

“I’ll follow your lead, dear senior,” Mrs. Hsüeh smiled, “and also subscribe twenty taels.”

“We don’t presume to place ourselves on an equal footing with your ladyship,” Mesdames Hsing and Wang pleaded. “We, of course, come one degree lower; each of us therefore will contribute sixteen taels.”

“We too naturally rank one step lower,” Mrs. Yu and Li Wan also smiled, “so we’ll each give twelve taels.”

“You’re a widow,” dowager lady Chia eagerly demurred, addressing herself to Li Wan, “and have lost all your estate, so how could we drag you into all this outlay! I’ll contribute for you!”

“Don’t be in such high feather dear senior,” lady Feng hastily observed laughing, “but just look to your accounts before you saddle yourself with this burden! You’ve already taken upon yourself two portions; and do you now also volunteer sixteen taels on behalf of my elder sister-in-law? You may willingly do so, while you speak in the abundance of your spirits, but when you, by and bye, come to ponder over what you’ve done, you’ll feel sore at heart again! ‘It’s all that girl Feng that’s driven me to spend the money,’ you’ll say in a little time; and you’ll devise some ingenious way to inveigle me to fork out three or four times as much as your share and thus make up your deficit in an underhand way; while I will still be as much in the clouds as if I were in a dream!”

These words made every one laugh.

“According to you, what should be done?” dowager lady Chia laughingly inquired.

“My birthday hasn’t yet come,” lady Feng smiled; “and already now I’ve been the recipient of so much more than I deserve that I am quite unhappy. But if I don’t contribute a single cash, I shall feel really ill at ease for the trouble I shall be giving such a lot of people. It would be as well, therefore, that I should bear this share of my senior sister-in-law; and, when the day comes, I can eat a few more things, and thus be able to enjoy some happiness.”

“Quite right!” cried Madame Hsing and the others at this suggestion. So old lady Chia then signified her approval.

“There’s something more I’d like to add,” lady Feng pursued smiling. “I think that it’s fair enough that you, worthy ancestor, should, besides your own twenty taels, have to stand two shares as well, the one for cousin Liu, the other for cousin Pao-yü, and that Mrs. Hsüeh should, beyond her own twenty taels, likewise bear cousin Pao-ch’ai’s portion. But it’s somewhat unfair that the two ladies Mesdames Hsing and Wang should each only give sixteen taels, when their share is small, and when they don’t subscribe anything for any one else. It’s you, venerable senior, who’ll be the sufferer by this arrangement.”

Dowager lady Chia, at these words, burst out into a boisterous fit of laughter. “It’s this hussey Feng,” she observed, “who, after all, takes my side! What you say is quite right. Hadn’t it been for you, I would again have been duped by them!”

“Dear senior!” lady Feng smiled. Just hand over our two cousins to those two ladies and let each take one under her charge and finish. If you make each contribute one share, it will be square enough.”

“This is perfectly fair,” eagerly rejoined old lady Chia. “Let this suggestion be carried out!”

Lai Ta’s mother hastily stood up. “This is such a subversion of right,” she smiled, “that I’ll put my back up on account of the two ladies. She’s a son’s wife, on the other side, and, in here, only a wife’s brother’s child; and yet she doesn’t incline towards her mother-in-law and her aunt, but takes other people’s part. This son’s wife has therefore become a perfect stranger; and a close niece has, in fact, become a distant niece!”

As she said this, dowager lady Chia and every one present began to laugh. “If the junior ladies subscribe twelve taels each,” Lai Ta’s mother went on to ask, “we must, as a matter of course, also come one degree lower; eh?”

Upon hearing this, old lady Chia remonstrated. “This won’t do!” she observed. “You naturally should rank one degree lower, but you’re all, I am well aware, wealthy people; and, in spite of your status being somewhat lower, your funds are more flourishing than theirs. It’s only just then that you should be placed on the same standing as those people!”

The posse of nurses expressed with promptness their acceptance of the proposal their old mistress made.

“The young ladies,” dowager lady Chia resumed, “should merely give something for the sake of appearances! If each one contributes a sum proportionate to her monthly allowance, it will be ample!” Turning her head, “Yüan Yang!” she cried, “a few of you should assemble in like manner, and consult as to what share you should take in the matter. So bring them along!”

Yüan Yang assured her that her desires would be duly attended to and walked away. But she had not been absent for any length of time, when she appeared on the scene along with P’ing Erh, Hsi Jen, Ts’ai Hsia and other girls, and a number of waiting-maids as well. Of these, some subscribed two taels; others contributed one tael.

“Can it be,” dowager lady Chia then said to P’ing Erh, “that you don’t want any birthday celebrated for your mistress, that you don’t range yourself also among them?”

“The other money I gave,” P’ing Erh smiled, “I gave privately, and is extra.” “This is what I am publicly bound to contribute along with the lot.”

“That’s a good child!” lady Chia laughingly rejoined.

“Those above as well as those below have all alike given their share,” lady Feng went on to observe with a smile. “But there are still those two secondary wives; are they to give anything or not? Do go and ask them! It’s but right that we should go to the extreme length and include them. Otherwise, they’ll imagine that we’ve looked down upon them!”

“Just so!” eagerly answered lady Chia, at these words. “How is it that we forgot all about them? The only thing is, I fear, they’ve got no time to spare; yet, tell a servant-girl to go and ask them what they’ll do!”

While she spoke, a servant-girl went off. After a long absence, she returned. “Each of them,” she reported, “will likewise contribute two taels.”

Dowager lady Chia was delighted with the result. “Fetch a pen and inkslab,” she cried, “and let’s calculate how much they amount to, all together.”

Mrs. Yu abused lady Feng in a low tone of voice. “I’ll take you, you mean covetous creature, and ... ! All these mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law have come forward and raised money to celebrate your birthday, and are you yet not satisfied that you must also drag in those two miserable beings! But what do you do it for?”

“Try and talk less trash!” lady Feng smiled; also in an undertone. “We’ll be leaving this place in a little time and then I’ll square up accounts with you! But why ever are those two miserable? When they have money, they uselessly give it to other people; and isn’t it better that we should get hold of it, and enjoy ourselves with it?”

While she uttered these taunts, they computed that the collections would reach a sum over and above one hundred and fifty taels.

“We couldn’t possibly run through all this for a day’s theatricals and banquet!” old lady Chia exclaimed.

“As no outside guests are to be invited,” Mrs. Yu interposed, “and the number of tables won’t also be many, there will be enough to cover two or three days’ outlay! First of all, there won’t be anything to spend for theatricals, so we’ll effect a saving on that item.”

“Just call whatever troupe that girl Feng may say she likes best,” dowager lady Chia suggested.

“We’ve heard quite enough of the performances of that company of ours,” lady Feng said; “let’s therefore spend a little money and send for another, and see what they can do.”

“I leave that to you, brother Chen’s wife,” old lady Chia pursued, “in order that our girl Feng should have occasion to trouble her mind with as little as possible, and be able to enjoy a day’s peace and quiet. It’s only right that she should.”

Mrs. Yu replied that she would be only too glad to do what she could. They then prolonged their chat for a little longer, until one and all realised that their old senior must be quite fagged out, and they gradually dispersed.

After seeing Mesdames Hsing and Wang off, Mrs. Yu and the other ladies adjourned into lady Feng’s rooms to consult with her about the birthday festivities.

“Don’t ask me!” lady Feng urged. “Do whatever will please our worthy ancestor.”

“What a fine thing you are to come across such a mighty piece of luck!” Mrs. Yu smiled. “I was wondering what had happened that she summoned us all! Why, was it simply on this account? Not to breathe a word about the money that I’ll have to contribute, must I have trouble and annoyance to bear as well? How will you show me any thanks?”

“Don’t bring shame upon yourself!” lady Feng laughed. “I didn’t send for you; so why should I be thankful to you! If you funk the exertion, go at once and let our venerable senior know, and she’ll depute some one else and have done.”

“You go on like this as you see her in such excellent spirits, that’s why!” Mrs. Yu smilingly answered. “It would be well, I advise you, to pull in a bit; for if you be too full of yourself, you’ll get your due reward!”

After some further colloquy, these two ladies eventually parted company.

On the next day, the money was sent over to the Ning Kuo Mansion at the very moment that Mrs. Yu had got up, and was performing her toilette and ablutions. “Who brought it?” she asked.

“Nurse Lin,” the servant-girl said by way of response.

“Call her in,” Mrs. Yu said.

The servant-girls walked as far as the lower rooms and called Lin Chih-hsiao’s wife to come in. Mrs. Yu bade her seat herself on the footstool. While she hurriedly combed her hair and washed her face and hands, she wanted to know how much the bundle contained in all.

“This is what’s subscribed by us servants.” Lin Chih-hsiao’s wife replied, “and so I collected it and brought it over first. As for the contributions of our venerable mistress, and those of the ladies, they aren’t ready yet.”

But simultaneously with this reply, the waiting-maids announced: “Our lady of the other mansion and Mrs. Hsüeh have sent over some one with their portions.”

“You mean wenches!” Mrs. Yu cried, scolding them with a smile. “All the gumption you’ve got is to simply bear in mind this sort of nonsense! In a fit of good cheer, your old mistress yesterday purposely expressed a wish to imitate those poor people, and raise a subscription. But you at once treasured it up in your memory, and, when the thing came to be canvassed by you, you treated it in real earnest! Don’t you yet quick bundle yourselves out, and bring the money in! Be careful and give them some tea before you see them off.”

The waiting-maids smilingly hastened to go and take delivery of the money and bring it in. It consisted, in all, of two bundles, and contained Pao-ch’ai’s and Tai-yü‘s shares as well.

“Whose shares are wanting?” Mrs. Yu asked.

“Those of our old lady, of Madame Wang, the young ladies, and of our girls below are still missing,” Lin Chih-hsiao’s wife explained.

“There’s also that of your senior lady,” Mrs. Yu proceeded.

“You’d better hurry over, my lady,” Lin Chih-hsiao’s wife said; “for as this money will be issued through our mistress Secunda, she’ll nobble the whole of it.”

While conversing, Mrs. Yu finished arranging her coiffure and performing her ablutions; and, giving orders to see that the carriage was got ready, she shortly arrived at the Jung mansion. First and foremost she called on lady Feng. Lady Feng, she discovered, had already put the money into a packet, and was on the point of sending it over.

“Is it all there?” Mrs. Yu asked.

“Yes, it is,” lady Feng smiled, “so you might as well take it away at once; for if it gets mislaid, I’ve nothing to do with it.”

“I’m somewhat distrustful,” Mrs. Yu laughed, “so I’d like to check it in your presence.”

These words over, she verily checked sum after sum. She found Li Wan’s share alone wanting. “I said that you were up to tricks!” laughingly observed Mrs. Yu. “How is it that your elder sister-in-law’s isn’t here?”

“There’s all that money; and isn’t it yet enough?” lady Feng smiled. “If there’s merely a portion short it shouldn’t matter! Should the money prove insufficient, I can then look you up, and give it to you.”

“When the others were present yesterday,” Mrs. Yu pursued, “you were ready enough to act as any human being would; but here you’re again to-day prevaricating with me! I won’t, by any manner of means, agree to this proposal of yours! I’ll simply go and ask for the money of our venerable senior.”

“I see how dreadful you are!” lady Feng laughed. “But when something turns up by and bye, I’ll also be very punctilious; so don’t you then bear me a grudge!”

“Well, never mind if you don’t give your quota!” Mrs. Yu smilingly rejoined. “Were it not that I consider the dutiful attentions you’ve all along shown me would I ever be ready to humour you?”

So rejoining, she produced P’ing Erh’s share. “P’ing Erh, come here,” she cried, “take this share of yours and put it away! Should the money collected turn out to be below what’s absolutely required, I’ll make up the sum for you.”

P’ing Erh apprehended her meaning. “My lady,” she answered, with a cheerful countenance, “it would come to the same thing if you were to first spend what you want and to give me afterwards any balance that may remain of it.”

“Is your mistress alone to be allowed to do dishonest acts,” Mrs. Yu laughed, “and am I not to be free to bestow a favour?”

P’ing Erh had no option, but to retain her portion.

“I want to see,” Mrs. Yu added, “where your mistress, who is so extremely careful, will run through all the money, we’ve raised! If she can’t spend it, why she’ll take it along with her in her coffin, and make use of it there.”

While still speaking, she started on her way to dowager lady Chia’s suite of rooms. After first paying her respects to her, she made a few general remarks, and then betook herself into Yüan Yang’s quarters where she held a consultation with Yüan Yang. Lending a patient ear to all that Yüan Yang; had to recommend in the way of a programme, and as to how best to give pleasure to old lady Chia, she deliberated with her until they arrived at a satisfactory decision. When the time came for Mrs. Yu to go, she took the two taels, contributed by Yüan Yang, and gave them back to her. “There’s no use for these!” she said, and with these words still on her lips, she straightway quitted her presence and went in search of Madame Wang.

After a short chat, Madame Wang stepped into the family shrine reserved for the worship of Buddha, so she likewise restored Ts’ai Yün’s share to her; and, availing herself of lady Feng’s absence, she presently reimbursed to Mrs. Chu and Mrs. Chao the amount of their respective contributions.

These two dames would not however presume to take their money back. “Your lot, ladies, is a pitiful one!” Mrs. Yu then expostulated. “How can you afford all this spare money! That hussey Feng is well aware of the fact. I’m here to answer for you!”

At these assurances, both put the money away, with profuse expressions of gratitude.

In a twinkle, the second day of the ninth moon arrived. The inmates of the garden came to find out that Mrs. Yu was making preparations on an extremely grand scale; for not only was there to be a theatrical performance, but jugglers and women storytellers as well; and they combined in getting everything ready that could conduce to afford amusement and enjoyment.

“This is,” Li Wan went on to say to the young ladies, “the proper day for our literary gathering, so don’t forget it. If Pao-yü hasn’t appeared, it must, I presume, be that his mind is so preoccupied with the fuss that’s going on that he has lost sight of all pure and refined things.”

Speaking, “Go and see what he is up to!” she enjoined a waiting-maid; “and be quick and tell him to come.”

The waiting-maid returned after a long absence. “Sister Hua says,” she reported, “that he went out of doors, soon after daylight this morning.”

The result of the inquiries filled every one with surprise. “He can’t have gone out!” they said. “This girl is stupid, and doesn’t know how to speak.” They consequently also directed Ts’ui Mo to go and ascertain the truth. In a little time, Ts’ui Mo returned. “It’s really true,” she explained, “that he has gone out of doors. He gave out that a friend of his was dead, and that he was going to pay a visit of condolence.”

“There’s certainly nothing of the kind,” T’an Ch’un interposed. “But whatever there might have been to call him away, it wasn’t right of him to go out on an occasion like the present one! Just call Hsi Jen here, and let me ask her!”

But just as she was issuing these directions, she perceived Hsi Jen appear on the scene. “No matter what he may have had to attend to to-day,” Li Wan and the rest remarked, “he shouldn’t have gone out! In the first place, it’s your mistress Secunda’s birthday, and our dowager lady is in such buoyant spirits that the various inmates, whether high or low, are coming from either mansion to join in the fun; and lo, he goes off! Secondly, this is the proper day as well for holding our first literary gathering, and he doesn’t so as apply for leave, but stealthily sneaks away.”

Hsi Jen heaved it sigh. “He said last night,” she explained, “that he had something very important to do this morning; that he was going as far as Prince Pei Ching’s mansion, but that he would hurry back. I advised him not to go; but, of course, he wouldn’t listen to me. When he got out of bed, at daybreak this morning, he asked for his plain clothes and put them on, so, I suppose, some lady of note belonging to the household of Prince Pei Ching must have departed this life; but who can tell?”

“If such be truly the case,” Li Wan and her companions exclaimed, “it’s quite right that he should have gone over for a while; but he should have taken care to be back in time !”

This remark over, they resumed their deliberations. “Let’s write our verses,” they said, “and we can fine him on his return.”

As these words were being spoken, they espied a messenger despatched by dowager lady Chia to ask them over, so they at once adjourned to the front part of the compound.

Hsi Jen then reported to his grandmother what Pao-yü had done. Old lady Chia was upset by the news; so much so, that she issued immediate orders to a few servants to go and fetch him.

Pao-yü had, in fact, been brooding over some affair of the heart. A day in advance he therefore gave proper injunctions to Pei Ming. “As I shall be going out of doors to-morrow at daybreak,” he said, “you’d better get ready two horses and wait at the back door! No one else need follow as an escort! Tell Li Kuei that I’ve gone to the Pei mansion. In the event of any one wishing to start in search of me, bid him place every obstacle in the way, as all inquiries can well be dispensed with! Let him simply explain that I’ve been detained in the Pei mansion, but that I shall surely be back shortly.”

Pei Ming could not make out head or tail of what he was driving at; but he had no alternative than to deliver his message word for word. At the first blush of morning of the day appointed, he actually got ready two horses and remained in waiting at the back gate. When daylight set in, he perceived Pao-yü make his appearance from the side door; got up, from head to foot, in a plain suit of clothes. Without uttering a word, he mounted his steed; and stooping his body forward, he proceeded at a quick step on his way down the road. Pei Ming had no help but to follow suit; and, springing on his horse, he smacked it with his whip, and overtook his master. “Where are we off to?” he eagerly inquired, from behind.

“Where does this road lead to?” Pao-yü asked.

“This is the main road leading out of the northern gate.” Pei Ming replied. “Once out of it, everything is so dull and dreary that there’s nothing worth seeing!”

Pao-yü caught this answer and nodded his head. “I was just thinking that a dull and dreary place would be just the thing!” he observed. While speaking, he administered his steed two more whacks. The horse quickly turned a couple of corners, and trotted out of the city gate. Pei Ming was more and more at a loss what to think of the whole affair; yet his only course was to keep pace closely in his master’s track. With one gallop, they covered a distance of over seven or eight lis. But it was only when human habitations became gradually few and far between that Pao-yü ultimately drew up his horse. Turning his head round: “Is there any place here,” he asked, “where incense is sold?”

“Incense!” Pei Ming shouted, “yes, there is; but what kind of incense it is I don’t know.”

“All other incense is worth nothing,” Pao-yü resumed, after a moment’s reflection. “We should get sandalwood, conifer and cedar, these three.”

“These three sorts are very difficult to get,” Pei Ming smiled.

Pao-yü was driven to his wits’ ends. But Pei Ming noticing his dilemma, “What do you want incense for?” he felt impelled to ask. “Master Secundus, I’ve often seen you wear a small purse, about your person, full of tiny pieces of incense; and why don’t you see whether you’ve got it with you?”

This allusion was sufficient to suggest the idea to Pao-yü‘s mind. Forthwith, he drew back his hand and felt the purse suspended on the lapel of his coat. It really contained two bits of ‘Ch’en Su.’ At this discovery, his heart expanded with delight. The only thing that (damped his spirits) was the notion that there was a certain want of reverence in his proceedings; but, on second consideration, he concluded that what he had about him was, after all, considerably superior to any he could purchase, and, with alacrity, he went on to inquire about a censer and charcoal.

“Don’t think of such things!” Pei Ming urged. “Where could they be procured in a deserted and lonely place like this? If you needed them, why didn’t you speak somewhat sooner, and we could have brought them along with us? Would not this have been more convenient?”

“You stupid thing!” exclaimed Pao-yü. “Had we been able to bring them along, we wouldn’t have had to run in this way as if for life!”

Pei Ming indulged in a protracted reverie, after which, he gave a smile. “I’ve thought of something,” he cried, “but I wonder what you’ll think about it, Master Secundus! You don’t, I expect, only require these things; you’ll need others too, I presume. But this isn’t the place for them; so let’s move on at once another couple of lis, when we’ll get to the ‘Water Spirit’ monastery.”

“Is the ‘Water Spirit’ monastery in this neighbourhood?” Pao-yü eagerly inquired, upon hearing his proposal. “Yes, that would be better; let’s press forward.”

With this reply, he touched his horse with his whip. While advancing on their way, he turned round. “The nun in this ‘Water Spirit’ monastery,” he shouted to Pei Ming, “frequently comes on a visit to our house, so that when we now get there and ask her for the loan of a censer, she’s certain to let us have it.”

“Not to mention that that’s a place where our family burns incense,” Pei Ming answered, “she could not dare to raise any objections, to any appeal from us for a loan, were she even in a temple quite unknown to us. There’s only one thing, I’ve often been struck with the strong dislike you have for this ‘Water Spirit’ monastery, master, and how is that you’re now, so delighted with the idea of going to it?”

“I’ve all along had the keenest contempt for those low-bred persons,” Pao-yü rejoined, “who, without knowing why or wherefore, foolishly offer sacrifices to the spirits, and needlessly have temples erected. The reason of it all is, that those rich old gentlemen and unsophisticated wealthy women, who lived in past days, were only too ready, the moment they heard of the presence of a spirit anywhere, to take in hand the erection of temples to offer their sacrifices in, without even having the faintest notion whose spirits they were. This was because they readily credited as gospel-truth such rustic stories and idle tales as chanced to reach their ears. Take this place as an example. Offerings are presented in this ‘Water Spirit’ nunnery to the spirit of the ‘Lo’ stream; hence the name of ‘Water Spirit’ monastery has been given to it. But people really don’t know that in past days, there was no such thing as a ‘Lo’ spirit! These are, indeed, no better than legendary yarns invented by Ts’ao Tzu-chien, and who would have thought it, this sort of stupid people have put up images of it, to which they offer oblations. It serves, however, my purpose to-day, so I’ll borrow of her whatever I need to use.”

While engaged in talking, they reached the entrance. The old nun saw Pao-yü arrive, and was thoroughly taken aback. So far was this visit beyond her expectations, that well did it seem to her as if a live dragon had dropped from the heavens. With alacrity, she rushed up to him; and making inquiries after his health, she gave orders to an old Taoist to come and take his horse.

Pao-yü stepped into the temple. But without paying the least homage to the image of the ‘Lo’ spirit, he simply kept his eyes fixed intently on it; for albeit made of clay, it actually seemed, nevertheless, to flutter as does a terror-stricken swan, and to wriggle as a dragon in motion. It looked like a lotus, peeping its head out of the green stream, or like the sun, pouring its rays upon the russet clouds in the early morn. Pao-yü‘s tears unwittingly trickled down his cheeks.

The old nun presented tea. Pao-yü then asked her for the loan of a censer to burn incense in. After a protracted absence, the old nun returned with some incense as well as several paper horses, which she had got ready for him to offer. But Pao-yü would not use any of the things she brought. “Take the censer,” he said to Pei Ming, “and go out into the back garden and find a clean spot!”

But having been unable to discover one; “What about, the platform round that well?” Pei Ming inquired.

Pao-yü nodded his head assentingly. Then along with him, he repaired to the platform of the well. He deposited the censer on the ground, while Pei Ming stood on one side. Pao-yü produced the incense, and threw it on the fire. With suppressed tears, he performed half of the ceremony, and, turning himself round, he bade Pei Ming clear the things away. Pei Ming acquiesced; but, instead of removing the things, he speedily fell on his face, and made several prostrations, as his lips uttered this prayer: “I, Pei Ming, have been in the service of Master Secundus for several years. Of the secrets of Mr. Secundus’ heart there are none, which I have not known, save that with regard to this sacrifice to-day; the object of which, he has neither told me; nor have I had the presumption to ask. But thou, oh spirit! who art the recipient of these sacrificial offerings, must, I expect, unknown though thy surname and name be to me, be a most intelligent and supremely beautiful elder or younger sister, unique among mankind, without a peer even in heaven! As my Master Secundus cannot give vent to the sentiments, which fill his heart, allow me to pray on his behalf! Should thou possess spirituality, and holiness be thy share, do thou often come and look up our Mr. Secundus, for persistently do his thoughts dwell with thee! And there is no reason why thou should’st not come! But should’st thou be in the abode of the dead, grant that our Mr. Secundus too may, in his coming existence, be transformed into a girl, so that he may be able to amuse himself with you all! And will not this prove a source of pleasure to both sides?”

At the close of his invocation, he again knocked his head several times on the ground, and, eventually, rose to his feet.

Pao-yü lent an ear to his utterances, but, before they had been brought to an end, he felt it difficult to repress himself from laughing. Giving him a kick, “Don’t talk such stuff and nonsense!” he shouted. “Were any looker-on to overhear what you say, he’d jeer at you!”

Pei Ming got up and put the censer away. While he walked along with Pao-yü, “I’ve already,” he said, “told the nun that you hadn’t as yet had anything to eat, Master Secundus, and I bade her get a few things ready for you, so you must force yourself to take something. I know very well that a grand banquet will be spread in our mansion to-day, that exceptional bustle will prevail, and that you have, on account of this, Sir, come here to get out of the way. But as you’re, after all, going to spend a whole day in peace and quiet in here, you should try and divert yourself as best you can. It won’t, therefore, by any manner of means do for you to have nothing to eat.”

“I won’t be at the theatrical performance to have any wine,” Pao-yü remarked, “so what harm will there be in my having a drink here, as the fancy takes me?”

“Quite so!” rejoined Pei Ming. “But there’s another consideration. You and I have run over here; but there must be some whose minds are ill at ease. Were there no one uneasy about us, well, what would it matter if we got back into town as late as we possibly could? But if there be any solicitous on your account, it’s but right, Master Secundus, that you should enter the city and return home. In the first place, our worthy old mistress and Madame Wang, will thus compose their minds; and secondly, you’ll observe the proper formalities, if you succeed in doing nothing else. But even supposing that, when once you get home, you feel no inclination to look at the plays and have anything to drink, you can merely wait upon your father and mother, and acquit yourself of your filial piety! Well, if it’s only a matter of fulfilling this obligation, and you don’t care whether our old mistress and our lady, your mother, experience concern or not, why, the spirit itself, which has just been the recipient of your oblations, won’t feel in a happy frame of mind! You’d better therefore, master, ponder and see what you think of my words!”

“I see what you’re driving at!” Pao-yü smiled. “You keep before your mind the thought that you’re the only servant, who has followed me as an attendant out of town, and you give way to fear that you will, on your return, have to bear the consequences. You hence have recourse to these grandiloquent arguments to shove words of counsel down my throat! I’ve come here now with the sole object of satisfying certain rites, and then going to partake of the banquet and be a spectator of the plays; and I never mentioned one single word about any intention on my part not to go back to town for a whole day! I’ve, however, already accomplished the wish I fostered in my heart, so if we hurry back to town, so as to enable every one to set their solicitude at rest, won’t the right principle be carried out to the full in one respect as well as another?”

“Yes, that would be better!” exclaimed Pei Ming.

Conversing the while, they wended their way into the Buddhistic hall. Here the nun had, in point of fact, got ready a table with lenten viands. Pao-yü hurriedly swallowed some refreshment and so did Pei Ming; after which, they mounted their steeds and retraced their steps homewards, by the road they had come.

Pei Ming followed behind. “Master Secundus!” he kept on shouting, “be careful how you ride! That horse hasn’t been ridden very much, so hold him in tight a bit.”

As he urged him to be careful, they reached the interior of the city walls, and, making their entrance once more into the mansion by the back gate, they betook themselves, with all possible despatch, into the I Hung court. Hsi Jen and the other maids were not at home. Only a few old women were there to look after the rooms. As soon as they saw him arrive, they were so filled with gratification that their eyebrows dilated and their eyes smiled. “O-mi-to-fu!” they said laughingly, “you’ve come! You’ve all but driven Miss Hua mad from despair! In the upper quarters, they’re just seated at the feast, so be quick, Mr. Secundus, and go and join them.”

At these words, Pao-yü speedily divested himself of his plain clothes and put on a coloured costume, reserved for festive occasions, which he hunted up with his own hands. This done, “Where are they holding the banquet?” he inquired.

“They’re in the newly erected large reception pavilion,” the old women responded.

Upon catching their reply, Pao-yü straightway started for the reception-pavilion. From an early moment, the strains of flageolets and pipes, of song and of wind-instruments faintly fell on his ear. The moment he reached the passage on the opposite side, he discerned Yü Ch’uan-erh seated all alone under the eaves of the verandah giving way to tears. As soon as she became conscious of Pao-yü‘s arrival, she drew a long, long breath. Smacking her lips, “Ai!” she cried, “the phoenix has alighted! go in at once! Hadn’t you come for another minute, every one would have been quite upset!”

Pao-yü forced a smile. “Just try and guess where I’ve been?” he observed.

Yü Ch’uan-erh twisted herself round, and, paying no notice to him, she continued drying her tears. Pao-yü had, therefore, no option but to enter with hasty step. On his arrival in the reception-hall, he paid his greetings to his grandmother Chia, to Madame Wang, and the other inmates, and one and all felt, in fact, as happy to see him back as if they had come into the possession of a phoenix.

“Where have you been,” dowager lady Chia was the first to ask, “that you come back at this hour? Don’t you yet go and pay your congratulations to your cousin?” And smiling she proceeded, addressing herself to lady Feng, “Your cousin has no idea of what’s right and what’s wrong. Even though he may have had something pressing to do, why didn’t he utter just one word, but stealthily bolted away on his own hook? Will this sort of thing ever do? But should you behave again in this fashion by and bye, I shall, when your father comes home, feel compelled to tell him to chastise you.”

Lady Feng smiled. “Congratulations are a small matter?” she observed. “But, cousin Pao, you must, on no account, sneak away any more without breathing a word to any one, and not sending for some people to escort you, for carriages and horses throng the streets. First and foremost, you’re the means of making people uneasy at heart; and, what’s more, that isn’t the way in which members of a family such as ours should go out of doors!”

Dowager lady Chia meanwhile went on reprimanding the servants, who waited on him. “Why,” she said, “do you all listen to him and readily go wherever he pleases without even reporting a single word? But where did you really go?” Continuing, she asked, “Did you have anything to eat? Or did you get any sort of fright, eh?”

“A beloved wife of the duke of Pei Ching departed this life,” Pao-yü merely returned for answer, “and I went to-day to express my condolences to him. I found him in such bitter anguish that I couldn’t very well leave him and come back immediately. That’s the reason why I tarried with him a little longer.”

“If hereafter you do again go out of doors slyly and on your own hook,” dowager lady Chia impressed on his mind, “without first telling me, I shall certainly bid your father give you a caning!”

Pao-yü signified his obedience with all promptitude. His grandmother Chia was then bent upon having the servants, who were on attendance on him, beaten, but the various inmates did their best to dissuade her. “Venerable senior!” they said, “you can well dispense with flying into a rage! He has already promised that he won’t venture to go out again. Besides, he has come back without any misadventure, so we should all compose our minds and enjoy ourselves a bit!”

Old lady Chia had, at first, been full of solicitude. She had, as a matter of course, been in a state of despair and displeasure; but, seeing Pao-yü return in safety, she felt immoderately delighted, to such a degree, that she could not reconcile herself to visit her resentment upon him. She therefore dropped all mention of his escapade at once. And as she entertained fears lest he may have been unhappy or have had, when he was away, nothing to eat, or got a start on the road, she did not punish him, but had, contrariwise, recourse to every sort of inducement to coax him to feel at ease. But Hsi Jen soon came over and attended to his wants, so the company once more turned their attention to the theatricals. The play acted on that occasion was, “The record of the boxwood hair-pin.” Dowager lady Chia, Mrs. Hsüeh and the others were deeply impressed by what they saw and gave way to tears. Some, however, of the inmates were amused; others were provoked to anger; others gave vent to abuse.

But, reader, do you wish to know the sequel? If so, the next chapter will explain it.

第 四 十 四 回

变生不测凤姐泼醋 喜出望外平儿理妆

　　话说众人看演《荆钗记》，宝玉和姐妹一处坐着。林黛玉因看到《男祭》这一出上，便和宝钗说道：“这王十朋也不通的很，不管在那里祭一祭罢了，必定跑到江边子上来作什么！俗语说：‘睹物思人’，天下的水总归一源，不拘那里的水舀一碗看着哭去，也就尽情了。”宝钗不答。宝玉回头要热酒敬凤姐儿。

　　原来贾母说今日不比往日，定要叫凤姐痛乐一日。本来自己懒待坐席，只在里间屋里榻上歪着和薛姨妈看戏，随心爱吃的拣几样放在小几上，随意吃着说话儿；将自己两桌席面赏那没有席面的大小丫头并那应差听差的妇人等，命他们在窗外廊檐下也只管坐着随意吃喝，不必拘礼。王夫人和邢夫人在地下高桌上坐着，外面几席是他姊妹们坐。贾母不时吩咐尤氏等：“让凤丫头坐在上面，你们好生替我待东，难为他一年到头辛苦。”尤氏答应了，又笑回说道：“他坐不惯首席，坐在上头横不是竖不是的，酒也不肯吃。”贾母听了，笑道：“你不会，等我亲自让他去。”凤姐儿忙也进来笑说：“老祖宗别信他们的话，我吃了好几钟了。”贾母笑着，命尤氏：“快拉他出去，按在椅子上，你们都轮流敬他。他再不吃，我当真的就亲自去了。”尤氏听说，忙笑着又拉他出来坐下，命人拿了台盏斟了酒，笑道：“一年到头难为你孝顺老太太、太太和我。我今儿没什么疼你的，亲自斟杯酒，乖乖儿的在我手里喝一口。”凤姐儿笑道：“你要安心孝敬我，跪下我就喝。”尤氏笑道：“说的你不知是谁！我告诉你说，好容易今儿这一遭，过了后儿，知道还得象今儿这样不得了？趁着尽力灌丧两钟罢。”凤姐儿见推不过，只得喝了两钟。接着众姊妹也来，凤姐也只得每人的喝一口。赖大妈妈见贾母尚这等高兴，也少不得来凑趣儿，领着些嬷嬷们也来敬酒。凤姐儿也难推脱，只得喝了两口。鸳鸯等也来敬，凤姐儿真不能了，忙央告道：“好姐姐们，饶了我罢，我明儿再喝罢。”鸳鸯笑道：“真个的，我们是没脸的了？就是我们在太太跟前，太太还赏个脸儿呢。往常倒有些体面，今儿当着这些人，倒拿起主子的款儿来了。我原不该来。不喝，我们就走。”说着真个回去了。凤姐儿忙赶上拉住，笑道：“好姐姐，我喝就是了。”说着拿过酒来，满满的斟了一杯喝干。鸳鸯方笑了散去，然后又入席。

　　凤姐儿自觉酒沉了，心里突突的似往上撞，要往家去歇歇，只见那耍百戏的上来，便和尤氏说：“预备赏钱，我要洗洗脸去。”尤氏点头。凤姐儿瞅人不防，便出了席，往房门后檐下走来。平儿留心，也忙跟了来，凤姐儿便扶着他。才至穿廊下，只见他房里的一个小丫头正在那里站着，见他两个来了，回身就跑。凤姐儿便疑心忙叫。那丫头先只装听不见，无奈后面连平儿也叫，只得回来。凤姐儿越发起了疑心，忙和平儿进了穿堂，叫那小丫头子也进来，把(木加隔的右边)扇关了，凤姐儿坐在小院子的台阶上，命那丫头子跪了，喝命平儿：“叫两个二门上的小厮来，拿绳子鞭子，把那眼睛里没主子的小蹄子打烂了！”那小丫头子已经唬的魂飞魄散，哭着只管碰头求饶。凤姐儿问道：“我又不是鬼，你见了我，不说规规矩矩站住，怎么倒往前跑？”小丫头子哭道：“我原没看见奶奶来。我又记挂着房里无人，所以跑了。”凤姐儿道：“房里既没人，谁叫你来的？你便没看见我，我和平儿在后头扯着脖子叫了你十来声，越叫越跑。离的又不远，你聋了不成？你还和我强嘴！”说着便扬手一掌打在脸上，打的那小丫头一栽；这边脸上又一下，登时小丫头子两腮紫胀起来。平儿忙劝：“奶奶仔细手疼。”凤姐便说：“你再打着问他跑什么。他再不说，把嘴撕烂了他的！”那小丫头子先还强嘴，后来听见凤姐儿要烧了红烙铁来烙嘴，方哭道：“二爷在家里，打发我来这里瞧着奶奶的，若见奶奶散了，先叫我送信儿去的。不承望奶奶这会子就来了。”凤姐儿见话中有文章，“叫你瞧着我作什么？难道怕我家去不成？必有别的原故，快告诉我，我从此以后疼你。你若不细说，立刻拿刀子来割你的肉。”说着，回头向头上拔下一根簪子来，向那丫头嘴上乱戳，唬的那丫头一行躲，一行哭求道：“我告诉奶奶，可别说我说的。”平儿一旁劝，一面催他，叫他快说。丫头便说道：“二爷也是才来房里的，睡了一会醒了，打发人来瞧瞧奶奶，说才坐席，还得好一会才来呢。二爷就开了箱子，拿了两块银子，还有两根簪子，两匹缎子，叫我悄悄的送与鲍二的老婆去，叫他进来。他收了东西就往咱们屋里来了。二爷叫我来瞧着奶奶，底下的事我就不知道了。”

　　凤姐听了，已气的浑身发软，忙立起来一径来家。刚至院门，只见又有一个小丫头在门前探头儿，一见了凤姐，也缩头就跑。凤姐儿提着名字喝住。那丫头本来伶俐，见躲不过了，越性跑了出来，笑道：“我正要告诉奶奶去呢，可巧奶奶来了。”凤姐儿道：“告诉我什么？”那小丫头便说二爷在家这般如此如此，将方才的话也说了一遍。凤姐啐道：“你早作什么了？这会子我看见你了，你来推干净儿！”说着也扬手一下打的那丫头一个趔趄，便摄手摄脚的走至窗前。往里听时，只听里头说笑。那妇人笑道：“多早晚你那阎王老婆死了就好了。”贾琏道：“他死了，再娶一个也是这样，又怎么样呢？”那妇人道：“他死了，你倒是把平儿扶了正，只怕还好些。”贾琏道：“如今连平儿他也不叫我沾一沾了。平儿也是一肚子委曲不敢说。我命里怎么就该犯了‘夜叉星’。”

　　凤姐听了，气的浑身乱战，又听他俩都赞平儿，便疑平儿素日背地里自然也有愤怨语了，那酒越发涌了上来，也并不忖夺，回身把平儿先打了两下，一脚踢开门进去，也不容分说，抓着鲍二家的撕打一顿。又怕贾琏走出去，便堵着门站着骂道：“好淫妇！你偷主子汉子，还要治死主子老婆！平儿过来！你们淫妇忘八一条藤儿，多嫌着我，外面儿你哄我！”说着又把平儿打几下，打的平儿有冤无处诉，只气得干哭，骂道：“你们做这些没脸的事，好好的又拉上我做什么！”说着也把鲍二家的撕打起来。贾琏也因吃多了酒，进来高兴，未曾作的机密，一见凤姐来了，已没了主意，又见平儿也闹起来，把酒也气上来了。凤姐儿打鲍二家的，他已又气又愧，只不好说的，今见平儿也打，便上来踢骂道：“好娼妇！你也动手打人！”平儿气怯，忙住了手，哭道：“你们背地里说话，为什么拉我呢？”凤姐见平儿怕贾琏，越发气了，又赶上来打着平儿，偏叫打鲍二家的。平儿急了，便跑出来找刀子要寻死。外面众婆子丫头忙拦住解劝。这里凤姐见平儿寻死去，便一头撞在贾琏怀里，叫道：“你们一条藤儿害我，被我听见了，倒都唬起我来。你也勒死我！”贾琏气的墙上拔出剑来，说道：“不用寻死，我也急了，一齐杀了，我偿了命，大家干净。”正闹的不开交，只见尤氏等一群人来了，说：“这是怎么说，才好好的，就闹起来。”贾琏见了人，越发“倚酒三分醉”，逞起威风来，故意要杀凤姐儿。凤姐儿见人来了，便不似先前那般泼了，丢下众人，便哭着往贾母那边跑。

　　此时戏已散出，凤姐跑到贾母跟前，爬在贾母怀里，只说：“老祖宗救我！琏二爷要杀我呢！”贾母、邢夫人、王夫人等忙问怎么了。凤姐儿哭道：“我才家去换衣裳，不防琏二爷在家和人说话，我只当是有客来了，唬得我不敢进去。在窗户外头听了一听，原来是和鲍二家的媳妇商议，说我利害，要拿毒药给我吃了治死我，把平儿扶了正。我原气了，又不敢和他吵，原打了平儿两下，问他为什么要害我。他臊了，就要杀我。”贾母等听了，都信以为真，说：“这还了得！快拿了那下流种子来！”一语未完，只见贾琏拿着剑赶来，后面许多人跟着。贾琏明仗着贾母素习疼他们，连母亲婶母也无碍，故逞强闹了来。邢夫人王夫人见了，气的忙拦住骂道：“这下流种子！你越发反了，老太太在这里呢！”贾琏乜斜着眼，道：“都是老太太惯的他，他才这样，连我也骂起来了！”邢夫人气的夺下剑来，只管喝他“快出去！”那贾琏撒娇撒痴，涎言涎语的还只乱说。贾母气的说道：“我知道你也不把我们放在眼睛里，叫人把他老子叫来！”贾琏听见这话，方趔趄着脚儿出去了，赌气也不往家去，便往外书房来。

　　这里邢夫人王夫人也说凤姐儿。贾母笑道：“什么要紧的事！小孩子们年轻，馋嘴猫儿似的，那里保得住不这么着。从小儿世人都打这么过的。都是我的不是，他多吃了两口酒，又吃起醋来。”说的众人都笑了。贾母又道：“你放心，等明儿我叫他来替你赔不是。你今儿别要过去臊着他。”因又骂：“平儿那蹄子，素日我倒看他好，怎么暗地里这么坏。”尤氏等笑道：“平儿没有不是，是凤丫头拿着人家出气。两口子不好对打，都拿着平儿煞性子。平儿委曲的什么似的呢，老太太还骂人家。”贾母道：“原来这样，我说那孩子倒不象那狐媚魇道的。既这么着，可怜见的，白受他们的气。”因叫琥珀来：“你出去告诉平儿，就说我的话：我知道他受了委曲，明儿我叫凤姐儿替他赔不是。今儿是他主子的好日子，不许他胡闹。”

　　原来平儿早被李纨拉入大观园去了。平儿哭得哽咽难抬。宝钗劝道：“你是个明白人，素日凤丫头何等待你，今儿不过他多吃一口酒。他可不拿你出气，难道倒拿别人出气不成？别人又笑话他吃醉了。你只管这会子委曲，素日你的好处，岂不都是假的了？”正说着，只见琥珀走来，说了贾母的话。平儿自觉面上有了光辉，方才渐渐的好了，也不往前头来。宝钗等歇息了一回，方来看贾母凤姐。

　　宝玉便让平儿到怡红院中来。袭人忙接着，笑道：“我先原要让你的，只因大奶奶和姑娘们都让你，我就不好让的了。”平儿也陪笑说“多谢”。因又说道：“好好儿的从那里说起，无缘无故白受了一场气。”袭人笑道：“二奶奶素日待你好，这不过是一时气急了。”平儿道：“二奶奶倒没说的，只是那淫妇治的我，他又偏拿我凑趣，况还有我们那糊涂爷倒打我。”说着便又委曲，禁不住落泪。宝玉忙劝道：“好姐姐，别伤心，我替他两个赔不是罢。”平儿笑道：“与你什么相干？”宝玉笑道：“我们弟兄姊妹都一样。他们得罪了人，我替他赔个不是也是应该的。”又道：“可惜这新衣裳也沾了，这里有你花妹妹的衣裳，何不换了下来，拿些烧酒喷了熨一熨。把头也另梳一梳，洗洗脸。”一面说，一面便吩咐了小丫头子们舀洗脸水，烧熨斗来。平儿素习只闻人说宝玉专能和女孩儿们接交；宝玉素日因平儿是贾琏的爱妾，又是凤姐儿的心腹，故不肯和他厮近，因不能尽心，也常为恨事。平儿今见他这般，心中也暗暗的（占攴）（左为掇的右边，右为攴）：果然话不虚传，色色想的周到。又见袭人特特的开了箱子，拿出两件不大穿的衣裳来与他换，便赶忙的脱下自己的衣服，忙去洗了脸。宝玉一旁笑劝道：“姐姐还该擦上些脂粉，不然倒象是和凤姐姐赌气了似的。况且又是他的好日子，而且老太太又打发了人来安慰你。”平儿听了有理，便去找粉，只不见粉。宝玉忙走至妆台前，将一个宣窑瓷盒揭开，里面盛着一排十根玉簪花棒，拈了一根递与平儿。又笑向他道：“这不是铅粉，这是紫茉莉花种，研碎了兑上香料制的。”平儿倒在掌上看时，果见轻白红香，四样俱美，摊在面上也容易匀净，且能润泽肌肤，不似别的粉青重涩滞。然后看见胭脂也不是成张的，却是一个小小的白玉盒子，里面盛着一盒，如玫瑰膏子一样。宝玉笑道：“那市卖的胭脂都不干净，颜色也薄。这是上好的胭脂拧出汁子来，淘澄净了渣滓，配了花露蒸叠成的。只用细簪子挑一点儿抹在手心里，用一点水化开抹在唇上；手心里就够打颊腮了。”平儿依言妆饰，果见鲜艳异常，且又甜香满颊。宝玉又将盆内的一枝并蒂秋蕙用竹剪刀撷了下来，与他簪在鬓上。忽见李纨打发丫头来唤他，方忙忙的去了。

　　宝玉因自来从未在平儿前尽过心，──且平儿又是个极聪明极清俊的上等女孩儿，比不得那起俗蠢拙物──深为恨怨。今日是金钏儿的生日，故一日不乐。不想落后闹出这件事来，竟得在平儿前稍尽片心，亦今生意中不想之乐也。因歪在床上，心内怡然自得。忽又思及贾琏惟知以淫乐悦己，并不知作养脂粉。又思平儿并无父母兄弟姊妹，独自一人，供应贾琏夫妇二人。贾琏之俗，凤姐之威，他竟能周全妥贴，今儿还遭荼毒，想来此人薄命，比黛玉犹甚。想到此间，便又伤感起来，不觉洒然泪下。因见袭人等不在房内，尽力落了几点痛泪。复起身，又见方才的衣裳上喷的酒已半干，便拿熨斗熨了叠好；见他的手帕子忘去，上面犹有泪渍，又拿至脸盆中洗了晾上。又喜又悲，闷了一回，也往稻香村来，说一回闲话，掌灯后方散。

　　平儿就在李纨处歇了一夜，凤姐儿只跟着贾母。贾琏晚间归房，冷清清的，又不好去叫，只得胡乱睡了一夜。次日醒了，想昨日之事，大没意思，后悔不来。邢夫人记挂着昨日贾琏醉了，忙一早过来，叫了贾琏过贾母这边来。贾琏只得忍愧前来，在贾母面前跪下。贾母问他：“怎么了？”贾琏忙陪笑说：“昨儿原是吃了酒，惊了老太太的驾了，今儿来领罪。”贾母啐道：“下流东西，灌了黄汤，不说安分守己的挺尸去，倒打起老婆来了！凤丫头成日家说嘴，霸王似的一个人，昨儿唬得可怜。要不是我，你要伤了他的命，这会子怎么样？”贾琏一肚子的委屈，不敢分辩，只认不是。贾母又道：“那凤丫头和平儿还不是个美人胎子？你还不足！成日家偷鸡摸狗，脏的臭的，都拉了你屋里去。为这起淫妇打老婆，又打屋里的人，你还亏是大家子的公子出身，活打了嘴了。若你眼睛里有我，你起来，我饶了你，乖乖的替你媳妇赔个不是，拉了他家去，我就喜欢了。要不然，你只管出去，我也不敢受你的跪。”贾琏听如此说，又见凤姐儿站在那边，也不盛妆，哭的眼睛肿着，也不施脂粉，黄黄脸儿，比往常更觉可怜可爱。想着：“不如赔了不是，彼此也好了，又讨老太太的喜欢了。”想毕，便笑道：“老太太的话，我不敢不依，只是越发纵了他了。”贾母笑道：“胡说！我知道他最有礼的，再不会冲撞人。他日后得罪了你，我自然也作主，叫你降伏就是了。”

　　贾琏听说，爬起来，便与凤姐儿作了一个揖，笑道：“原来是我的不是，二奶奶饶过我罢。”满屋里的人都笑了。贾母笑道：“凤丫头，不许恼了，再恼我就恼了。”说着，又命人去叫了平儿来，命凤姐儿和贾琏两个安慰平儿。贾琏见了平儿，越发顾不得了，所谓“妻不如妾，妾不如偷”，听贾母一说，便赶上来说道：“姑娘昨日受了屈了，都是我的不是。奶奶得罪了你，也是因我而起。我赔了不是不算外，还替你奶奶赔个不是。”说着，也作了一个揖，引的贾母笑了，凤姐儿也笑了。贾母又命凤姐儿来安慰他。平儿忙走上来给凤姐儿磕头，说：“奶奶的千秋，我惹了奶奶生气，是我该死。”凤姐儿正自愧悔昨日酒吃多了，不念素日之情，浮躁起来，为听了旁人的话，无故给平儿没脸。今反见他如此，又是惭愧，又是心酸，忙一把拉起来，落下泪来。平儿道：“我伏侍了奶奶这么几年，也没弹我一指甲。就是昨儿打我，我也不怨奶奶，都是那淫妇治的，怨不得奶奶生气。”说着，也滴下泪来了。贾母便命人将他三人送回房去，“有一个再提此事，即刻来回我，我不管是谁，拿拐棍子给他一顿。”

　　三人从新给贾母、邢王二位夫人磕了头。老嬷嬷答应了，送他三人回去。至房中，凤姐儿见无人，方说道：“我怎么象个阎王，又象夜叉？那淫妇咒我死，你也帮着咒我。千日不好，也有一日好。可怜我熬的连个淫妇也不如了，我还有什么脸来过这日子？”说着，又哭了。贾琏道：“你还不足？你细想想，昨儿谁的不是多？今儿当着人还是我跪了一跪，又赔不是，你也争足了光了。这会子还叨叨，难道还叫我替你跪下才罢？太要足了强也不是好事。”说的凤姐儿无言可对，平儿嗤的一声又笑了。贾琏也笑道：“又好了！真真我也没法了。”

　　正说着，只见一个媳妇来回说：“鲍二媳妇吊死了。”贾琏凤姐儿都吃了一惊。凤姐忙收了怯色，反喝道：“死了罢了，有什么大惊小怪的！”一时，只见林之孝家的进来悄回凤姐道：“鲍二媳妇吊死了，他娘家的亲戚要告呢。”凤姐儿笑道：“这倒好了，我正想要打官司呢！”林之孝家的道：“我才和众人劝了他们，又威吓了一阵，又许了他几个钱，也就依了。”凤姐儿道：“我没一个钱！有钱也不给，只管叫他告去。也不许劝他，也不用震吓他，只管让他告去。告不成倒问他个‘以尸讹诈’！”林之孝家的正在为难，见贾琏和他使眼色儿，心下明白，便出来等着。贾琏道：“我出去瞧瞧，看是怎么样。”凤姐儿道：“不许给他钱。”贾琏一径出来，和林之孝来商议，着人去作好作歹，许了二百两发送才罢。贾琏生恐有变，又命人去和王子腾说，将番役仵作人等叫了几名来，帮着办丧事。那些人见了如此，纵要复辨亦不敢辨，只得忍气吞声罢了。贾琏又命林之孝将那二百银子入在流年帐上，分别添补开销过去。又梯己给鲍二些银两，安慰他说：“另日再挑个好媳妇给你。”鲍二又有体面，又有银子，有何不依，便仍然奉承贾琏，不在话下。

　　里面凤姐心中虽不安，面上只管佯不理论，因房中无人，便拉平儿笑道：“我昨儿灌丧了酒了，你别愤怨，打了那里，让我瞧瞧。”平儿道：“也没打重。”只听得说，奶奶姑娘都进来了。要知端的，下回分解。

CHAPTER XLIV.
By some inscrutable turn of affairs, lady Feng begins to feel the pangs of jealousy — Pao-yü experiences joy, beyond all his expectations, when P’ing Erh (receives a slap from lady Feng) and has to adjust her hair.
But to resume our narrative. At the performance of the ‘Record of the boxwood hairpin,’ at which all the inmates of the household were present, Pao-yü and his female cousins sat together. When Lin Tai-yü noticed that the act called, ‘The man offers a sacrifice’ had been reached, “This Wang Shih-p’eng,” she said to Pao-ch’ai, “is very stupid! It would be quite immaterial where he offered his sacrifices, and why must he repair to the riverside? ‘At the sight of an object,’ the proverb has it, ‘one thinks of a person. All waters under the heavens revert but to one source.’ So had he baled a bowlful from any stream, and given way to his lamentations, while gazing on it, he could very well have satisfied his feelings.”

Pao-ch’ai however made no reply.

Pao-yü then turned his head round and asked for some warm wine to drink to lady Feng’s health. The fact is, that dowager lady Chia had enjoined on them that this occasion was unlike others, and that it was absolutely necessary for them to do the best to induce lady Feng to heartily enjoy herself for the day. She herself, nevertheless, felt too listless to join the banquet, so simply reclining on a sofa of the inner room, she looked at the plays in company with Mrs. Hsüeh; and choosing several kinds of such eatables as were to her taste, she placed them on a small teapoy, and now helped herself to some, and now talked, as the fancy took her. Then allotting what viands were served on the two tables assigned to her to the elder and younger waiting-maids, for whom no covers were laid, and to those female servants and other domestics, who were on duty and had to answer calls, she urged them not to mind but to seat themselves outside the windows, under the eaves of the verandahs, and to eat and drink at their pleasure, without any regard to conventionalities. Madame Wang and Madame Hsing occupied places at the high table below; while round several tables outside sat the posse of young ladies.

“Do let that girl Feng have the seat of honour,” old lady Chia shortly told Mrs. Yu and her contemporaries, “and mind be careful in doing the honours for me, for she is subjected to endless trouble from one year’s end to another!”

“Very well,” said Mrs. Yu. “I fancy,” she went on to smile, “that little used as she is to filling the place of honour, she’s bound, if she takes the high seat, to be so much at a loss how to behave, as to be loth even to have any wine!”

Dowager lady Chia was much amused by her reply. “Well, if you can’t succeed,” she said, “wait and I’ll come and offer it to her.”

Lady Feng with hasty step walked into the inner room. “Venerable ancestor!” she smiled, “don’t believe all they tell you! I’ve already had several cups!”

“Quick, pull her out,” old lady Chia laughingly cried to Mrs. Yu, “and shove her into a chair, and let all of you drink by turns to her health! If she then doesn’t drink, I’ll come myself in real earnest and make her have some!”

At these words, Mrs. Yu speedily dragged her out, laughing the while, and forced her into a seat, and, directing a servant to fetch a cup, she filled it with wine. “You’ve got from one year’s end to another,” she smiled, “the trouble and annoyance of conferring dutiful attentions upon our venerable senior, upon Madame Wang and upon myself, so, as I’ve nothing to-day, with which to prove my affection for you, have a sip, from my hand, my own dear, of this cup of wine I poured for you myself!”

“If you deliberately wish to present me a glass,” lady Feng laughed, “fall on your knees and I’ll drink at once!”

“What’s this you say?” Mrs. Yu replied with a laugh. “And who are you, I wonder? But let me tell you this once for all and finish that though we’ve succeeded, after ever so many difficulties, in getting up this entertainment to-day, there’s no saying whether we shall in the future be able to have anything more the like of this or not. Let’s avail ourselves then of the present to put our capacity to the strain and drink a couple of cups!”

Lady Feng saw very well that she could not advance any excuses, and necessity obliged her to swallow the contents of two cups. In quick succession, however, the various young ladies also drew near her, and lady Feng was constrained again to take a sip from the cup each held. But nurse Lai Ta too felt compelled, at the sight of dowager lady Chia still in buoyant spirits, to come forward and join in the merriment, so putting herself at the head of a number of nurses, she approached and proffered wine to lady Feng who found it once more so difficult to refuse that she had to swallow a few mouthfuls. But Yüan Yang and her companions next appeared, likewise, on the scene to hand her their share of wine; but lady Feng felt, in fact, so little able to comply with their wishes, that she promptly appealed to them entreatingly. “Dear sisters,” she pleaded, “do spare me! I’ll drink some more to-morrow!”

“Quite so! we’re a mean lot,” Yüan Yang laughed. “But now that we stand in the presence of your ladyship, do condescend to look upon us favourably! We’ve always enjoyed some little consideration, and do you put on the airs of a mistress on an occasion like the present, when there’s such a crowd of people standing by? Really, I shouldn’t have come. But, as you won’t touch our wine, we might as well be quick and retire!”

While she spoke, she was actually walking away, when lady Feng hastened to lay hold of her and to detain her. “Dear sister,” she cried, “I’ll drink some and have done!”

So saying, she took the wine and filled a cup to the very brim, and drained it. Yüan Yang then at length gave her a smile, (and she and her friends) dispersed.

Subsequently, the company resumed their places at the banquet. But lady Feng was conscious that the wine she had primed herself with was mounting to her head, so abruptly staggering to the upper end, she meant to betake herself home to lie down, when seeing the jugglers arrive, “Get the tips ready!” she shouted to Mrs. Yu. “I’m off to wash my face a bit.”

Mrs. Yu nodded her head assentingly; and lady Feng, noticing that the inmates were off their guard, left the banquet, and wended her steps beneath the eaves towards the back entrance of the house. P’ing Erh had, however, been keeping her eye on her, so hastily she followed in her footsteps. Lady Feng at once propped herself on her arm. But no sooner did they reach the covered passage than she discerned a young maid, attached to her quarters, standing under it. (The girl), the moment she perceived them, twisted herself round and beat a retreat. Lady Feng forthwith began to give way to suspicion; and she immediately shouted out to her to halt. The maid pretended at first not to hear, but, as, while following her they called out to her time after time, she found herself compelled to turn round. Lady Feng was seized with greater doubts than ever. Quickly therefore entering the covered passage with P’ing Erh, she bade the maid go along with them. Then opening a folding screen, lady Feng stated herself on the steps leading to the small courtyard, and made the girl fall on her knees. “Call two boy-servants from among those on duty at the second gate,” she cried out to P’ing Erh, “to bring a whip of twisted cords, and to take this young wench, who has no regard for her mistress, and beat her to shreds.”

The servant-maid fell into a state of consternation, and was scared out of her very wits. Sobbing the while, she kept on bumping her head on the ground and soliciting for grace.

“I’m really no ghost! So you must have seen me! Don’t you know what good manners mean and stand still?” lady Feng asked. “Why did you instead persist in running on?”

“I truly did not see your ladyship coming,” the maid replied with tears in her eyes. “I was, besides, much concerned as there was no one in the rooms; that’s why I was running on.”

“If there’s no one in the rooms, who told you to come out again?” lady Feng inquired. “And didn’t you see me, together with P’ing Erh, at your heels, stretching out our necks and calling out to you about ten times? But the more we shouted, the faster you ran! You weren’t far off from us either, so is it likely that you got deaf? And are you still bent upon bandying words with me?”

So speaking, she raised her hand and administered her a slap on the face. But, while the girl staggered from the blow, she gave her a second slap on the other side of the face, so both cheeks of the maid quickly began to get purple and to swell.

P’ing Erh hastened to reason with her mistress. “My lady!” she said, “be careful you’ll be hurting your hand!”

“Go on, pommel her,” urged lady Feng, “and ask her what made her run! and, if she doesn’t tell you, just you take her mouth and tear it to pieces for her!”

At the outset, the girl obstinately prevaricated, but when she eventually heard that lady Feng intended to take a red-hot branding-iron and burn her mouth with, she at last sobbingly spoke out. “Our Master Secundus, Mr. Lien, is at home,” she remarked, “and he sent me here to watch your movements, my lady; bidding me go ahead, when I saw you leave the banquet, and convey the message to him. But, contrary to his hopes, your ladyship came back just now!”

Lady Feng saw very well that there lurked something behind all she said. “What did he ask you to watch me for?” she therefore eagerly asked. “Can it be, pray, that he dreaded to see me return home? There must be some other reason; so be quick and tell it to me and I shall henceforward treat you with regard. If you don’t minutely confess all to me, I shall this very moment take a knife and pare off your flesh!”

Threatening her the while, she turned her head round, and, extracting a hairpin from her coiffure, she stuck it promiscuously about the maid’s mouth. This so frightened the girl that, as she made every effort to get out of her way, she burst out into tears and entreaties. “I’ll tell your ladyship everything,” she cried, “but you mustn’t say that it was I who told you.”

Ping Erh, who stood by, exhorted her to obey; but she at the same time impressed on her mind to speak out without delay.

“Mr. Secundus himself arrived only a few minutes back,” the maid began. “The moment, however, he came, he opened a bog, and, taking two pieces of silver, two hairpins, and a couple of rolls of silk, he bade me stealthily take them to Pao Erh’s wife and tell her to come in. As soon as she put the things away, she hurried to our house, and Master Secundus ordered me to keep an eye on your ladyship; but of what happened after that, I’ve no idea whatever.”

When these disclosures fell on lady Feng’s ears, she flew into such a rage that her whole person felt quite weak; and, rising immediately, she straightway repaired home. The instant she reached the gate of the courtyard, she espied a waiting-maid peep out of the entrance. Seeing lady Feng, she too drew in her head, and tried at once to effect her escape. But lady Feng called her by name, and made her stand still. This girl had ever been very sharp, so when she realised that she could not manage to beat a retreat, she went so far as to run out to her. “I was just going to tell your ladyship,” she smiled, “and here you come! What a strange coincidence!”

“Tell me what?” lady Feng exclaimed.

“That Mr. Secundus is at home,” the girl replied, “and has done so and so.” She then recounted to her all the incidents recorded a few minutes back.

“Ts’ui!” ejaculated lady Feng. “What were you up to before? Now, that I’ve seen you, you come and try to clear yourself!”

As she spoke, she raised her arm and administered the maid a slap, which upset her equilibrium. So with hurried step, she betook herself away. Lady Feng then drew near the window. Lending an ear to what was going on inside, she heard some one in the room laughingly observe: “When that queen-of-hell sort of wife of yours dies, it will be a good riddance!”

“When she’s gone,” Chia Lien rejoined, “and I marry another, the like of her, what will I again do?”

“When she’s dead and gone,” the woman resumed, “just raise P’ing Erh to the rank of primary wife. I think she’ll turn out considerably better than she has.”

“At present,” Chia Lien put in, “she won’t even let me enjoy P’ing Erh’s society! P’ing Erh herself is full of displeasure; yet she dares not speak. How is it that it has been my fate to bring upon myself the influence of this evil star?”

Lady Feng overheard these criticisms and flew into a fit of anger, which made her tremble violently. When she, however, also caught the praise heaped by both of them upon P’ing Erh, she harboured the suspicion that P’ing Erh too must, as a matter of course, have all along employed the sly resentful language against her. And, as the wine bubbled up more and more into her head, she did not so much as give the matter a second thought, but, twisting round, she first and foremost gave P’ing Erh a couple of whacks, and, with one kick, she banged the door open, and walked in. Then, without allowing her any time to give any explanation in her own defence, she clutched Pao Erh’s wife, and, tearing her about, she belaboured her with blows. But the dread lest Chia Lien should slip out of the room, induced her to post herself in such a way as to obstruct the doorway. “What a fine wench!” she shouted out abusingly. “You make a paramour of your mistress’ husband, and then you wish to compass your master’s wife’s death, for P’ing Erh to transfer her quarters in here! You base hirelings! You’re all of the same stamp, thoroughly jealous of me; you try to cajole me by your outward display!”

While abusing them, she once more laid hold of P’ing Erh and beat her several times. P’ing Erh was pummelled away till her heart thrilled with a sense of injury, but she had nowhere to go, and breathe her woes. Such resentment overpowered her feelings that she sobbed without a sign of a tear. “You people,” she railingly shouted, “go and do a lot of shameful things, and then you also deliberately involve me; but why?”

So shouting, she too clutched Pao Erh’s wife and began to assail her. Chia Lien had freely primed himself with wine, so, on his return home, he was in such exuberance of spirits that he observed no secresy in his doings. The moment, however, he perceived lady Feng appear on the scene, he got to his wits’ end. Yet when he saw P’ing Erh also start a rumpus, the liquor he had had aroused his ire. The sight of the assault committed by lady Feng on Pao Erh’s wife had already incensed him and put him to shame, but he had not been able with any consistency to interfere; but the instant he espied P’ing Erh herself lay hands on her, he vehemently jumped forward and gave her a kick. “What a vixen!” he cried. “Are you likewise going to start knocking people about?”

P’ing Erh was of a timid disposition. At once, therefore, she withheld her hands, and melted into tears. “Why do you implicate me,” she said, “in things you say behind my back?”

When lady Feng descried in what fear and dread P’ing Erh was of Chia Lien, she lost more than ever control over her temper, and, starting again in pursuit of her, she struck P’ing Erh, while urging her to go for Pao Erh’s wife.

P’ing Erh was driven to exasperation; and forthwith rushing out of the apartment, she went in search of a knife to commit suicide with. But the company of old matrons, who stood outside, hastened to place impediments in her way, and to argue with her.

Lady Feng, meanwhile, realised that P’ing Erh had gone to take her life, and rolling, head foremost, into Chia Lien’s embrace, “You put your heads together to do me harm,” she said, “and, when I overhear your designs, you people conspire to frighten me! But strangle me and have done.”

Chia Lien was driven to despair; to such a degree that unsheathing a sword suspended on the wall, “There’s no need for any one of you to commit suicide!” he screamed. “I too am thoroughly exasperated, so I’ll kill the whole lot of you and pay the penalty with my own life! We’ll all then be free from further trouble!”

The bustle had just reached a climax beyond the chance of a settlement, when they perceived Mrs. Yu and a crowd of inmates make their appearance in the room. “What’s the matter?” they asked. “There was nothing up just now, so why is all this row for?”

At the sight of the new arrivals, Chia Lien more than ever made the three parts of intoxication, under which he laboured, an excuse to assume an air calculated to intimidate them, and to pretend, in order to further his own ends, that he was bent upon despatching lady Feng.

But lady Feng, upon seeing her relatives appear, got into a mood less perverse than the one she had been in previous to their arrival; and, leaving the whole company of them, she scampered, all in tears, over to the off side, into dowager lady Chia’s quarters.

By this time, the play was over. Lady Feng rushed consequently into the old lady’s presence and fell into her lap. “Venerable ancestor! help me!” she exclaimed. “Mr. Chia Lien wishes to kill me.”

“What’s up?” precipitately inquired dowager lady Chia, Mesdames Hsing and Wang and the rest.

“I was just going to my rooms to change my dress,” lady Feng wept, “when I unexpectedly found Mr. Chia Lien at home, talking with some one. Fancying that visitors had come, I was quite taken aback, and not presuming to enter, I remained outside the window and listened. It turned out, in fact, to be Pao Erh’s wife holding council with him. She said that I was dreadful, and that she meant to poison me so as to get me out of the way and enable P’ing Erh to be promoted to be first wife. At this, I lost my temper. But not venturing, none the less, to have a row with him, I simply gave P’ing Erh two slaps; and then I asked him why he wished to do me harm. But so stricken did he get with shame that he tried there and then to despatch me.”

Dowager lady Chia treated every word that fell on her ear as truth. “Dreadful!” she ejaculated. “Bring here at once that low-bred offspring!”

Barely was, however, this exclamation out of her lips, than they perceived Chia Lien, a sword in hand, enter in pursuit of his wife, followed closely by a bevy of inmates. Chia Lien evidently placed such thorough reliance upon the love, which old lady Chia had all along lavished upon them, that he entertained little regard even for his mother or his aunt, so he came, with perfect effrontery, to stir up a disturbance in their presence. When Mesdames Hsing and Wang saw him, they got into a passion, and, with all despatch, they endeavoured to deter him from his purpose. “You mean thing!” they shouted, abusing him. “Your crime is more heinous, for our venerable senior is in here!”

“It’s all because our worthy ancestor spoils her,” cried Chia Lien, with eyes awry, “that she behaved as she did and took upon herself to rate even me!”

Madame Hsing was full of resentment. Snatching the sword from his grasp, she kept on telling him to quit the room at once. But Chia Lien continued to prattle foolish nonsense in a drivelling and maudlin way. His manner exasperated dowager lady Chia. “I’m well aware,” she observed, “that you haven’t the least consideration for any one of us. Tell some one to go and call his father here and we’ll see whether he doesn’t clear out.”

When Chia Lien caught these words, he eventually tottered out of the apartment. But in such a state of frenzy was he that he did not return to his quarters, but betook himself into the outer study.

During this while, Mesdames Hsing and Wang also called lady Feng to task.

“Why, what serious matter could it ever have been?” old lady Chia remarked. “But children of tender years are like greedy kittens, and how can one say for certain that they won’t do such things? Human beings have, from their very infancy, to go through experiences of this kind! It’s all my fault, however, for pressing you to have a little more wine than was good for you. But you’ve also gone and drunk the vinegar of jealousy!”

This insinuation made every one laugh.

“Compose your mind!” proceeded dowager lady Chia. “To-morrow I’ll send for him to apologise to you; but, you’d better to-day not go over, as you might put him to shame!” Continuing, she also went on to abuse P’ing Erh. “I’ve always thought highly of that wench,” she said, “and how is it that she’s turned out to be secretly so bad?”

“P’ing Erh isn’t to blame!” Mrs. Yu and the others smiled. “It’s lady Feng who makes people her tools to give vent to her spite! Husband and wife could not very well come to blows face to face, so they combined in using P’ing Erh as their scapegoat! What injuries haven’t fallen to P’ing Erh’s lot! And do you, venerable senior, still go on blowing her up?”

“Is it really so!” exclaimed old lady Chia. “I always said that that girl wasn’t anything like that artful shrew! Well, in that case, she is to be pitied, for she has had to bear the brunt of her anger, and all through no fault of hers!” Calling Hu Po to her, “Go,” she added, “and tell P’ing Erh all I enjoin you; ‘that I know that she has been insulted and that to-morrow I’ll send for her mistress to make amends, but that being her mistress’ birthday to-day, I won’t have her give rise to any reckless fuss’!”

P’ing Erh had, we may explain, from an early hour, been dragged by Li Wan into the garden of Broad Vista. Here P’ing Erh gave way to bitter tears. So much so, that her throat choked with sobs, and could not give utterance to speech.

“You are an intelligent person,” exhorted her Pao-ch’ai, “and how considerately has your lady treated you all along! It was simply because she has had a little too much wine that she behaved as she did to-day! But had she not made you the means of giving vent to her spite, is it likely that she could very well have aired her grievances upon any one else? Besides, any one else would have laughed at her for acting in a sham way!”

While she reasoned with her, she saw Hu Po approach, and deliver dowager lady Chia’s message. P’ing Erh then felt in herself that she had come out of the whole affair with some credit, and she, little by little, resumed her equilibrium. She did not, nevertheless, put her foot anywhere near the front part of the compound.

After a little rest, Pao Ch’ai and her companions came and paid a visit to old lady Chia and lady Feng, while Pao-yü pressed P’ing Erh to come to the I Hung court. Hsi Jen received her with alacrity. “I meant,” she said, “to be the first to ask you, but as our senior lady, Chia Chu, and the young ladies invited you, I couldn’t very well do so myself.”

P’ing Erh returned her smile. “Many thanks!” she rejoined. “How words ever commenced between us;” she then went on, “when there was no provocation, I can’t tell! But without rhyme or reason, I came in for a spell of resentment.”

“Our lady Secunda has always been very good to you,” laughingly remarked Hsi Jen, “so she must have done this in a sudden fit of exasperation!”

“Our lady Secunda did not, after all, say anything to me,” P’ing Erh explained. “It was that wench that blew me up. And she deliberately made a laughing-stock of me. But that fool also of a master of ours struck me!”

While recounting her experiences, she felt a keener sense of injustice than before, and she found it hard to restrain her tears from trickling down her cheeks.

“My dear sister,” Pao-yü hastily advised her, “don’t wound your heart! I’m quite ready to express my apologies on behalf of that pair!”

“What business is that of yours?” P’ing Erh smiled.

“We cousins, whether male or female, are all alike.” Pao-yü smilingly argued. “So when they hurt any one’s feelings, I apologise for them; it’s only right that I should do so. What a pity;” he continued, “these new clothes too have been stained! But you’ll find your sister Hua’s costumes in here, and why don’t you put one on, and take some hot wine and spurt it over yours and iron them out? You might also remake your coiffure.”

Speaking, he directed the young maids to draw some water for washing the face and to heat an iron and bring it.

P’ing Erh had ever heard people maintain that all that Pao-yü excelled in was in knitting friendships with girls. But Pao-yü had so far been loth, seeing that P’ing Erh was Chia Lien’s beloved secondary wife, and lady Feng’s confidante, to indulge in any familiarities with her. And being precluded from accomplishing the desire upon which his heart was set, he time and again gave way to vexation. When P’ing Erh, however, remarked his conduct towards her on this occasion, she secretly resolved within herself that what was said of him was indeed no idle rumour. But as he had anticipated every one of her wants, and she saw moreover that Hsi Jen had, for her special benefit, opened a box and produced two articles of clothing, not much worn by her, she speedily drew near and washed her face.

Pao-yü stood by her side. “You must, dear girl, also apply a little cosmetic and powder,” she smiled; “otherwise you’ll look as if you were angry with lady Feng. It’s her birthday, besides; and our old ancestor has sent some one again to come and cheer you up.”

Hearing how reasonable his suggestions were, P’ing Erh readily went in search of powder; but she failed to notice any about, so Pao-yü hurriedly drew up to the toilet-table, and, removing the lid of a porcelain box made at the “Hsüan” kiln, which contained a set of ten small ladles, tuberose-like in shape, (for helping one’s self to powder with), he drew out one of them and handed it to P’ing Erh. “This isn’t lead powder,” he smiled. “This is made of the seeds of red jasmine, well triturated, and compounded with suitable first class ingredients.”

P’ing Erh emptied some on the palm of her hand. On examination, she really found that it was light, clear, red and scented; perfect in all four properties; that it was easy to apply evenly to the face, that it kept moist, and that it differed from other kinds of powder, ordinarily so rough. She subsequently noticed that the cosmetic too was not spread on a sheet, but that it was contained in a tiny box of white jade, the contents of which bore the semblance of rose-paste.

“The cosmetic one buys in the market isn’t clean;” Pao-yü remarked smilingly. “Its colour is faint as well. But this is cosmetic of superior quality. The juice was squeezed out, strained clear, mixed with perfume of flowers and decocted. All you need do is to take some with that hair-pin and rub it on your lips, that will be enough; and if you dissolve some in a little water, and rub it on the palm of your hand, it will be ample for you to cover your whole face with.”

P’ing Erh followed his directions and performed her toilette. She looked exceptionally fresh and beautiful. A sweet fragrance pervaded her cheeks. Pao-yü then cut, with a pair of bamboo scissors, a stalk, with two autumn orchids, which had blossomed in a flower pot, and he pinned it in her side-hair. But a maid was unexpectedly seen to enter the room, sent by Li Wan to come and call her, so she quitted his quarters with all possible despatch.

Pao-yü had not so far been able to have his wishes to revel in P’ing Erh’s society gratified. P’ing Erh was furthermore a girl of a high grade, most intelligent, most winsome, and unlike that sort of vulgar and dull-minded beings, so that he cherished intense disgust against his fate.

The present occasion had been the anniversary of Chin Ch’uan-erh’s birth, and he had remained, in consequence, plunged in a disconsolate frame of mind throughout the whole day. But, contrary to his expectations, the incident eventually occurred, which afforded him, after all, an opportunity to dangle in P’ing Erh’s society and to gratify to some small degree a particle of his wish. This had been a piece of good fortune he so little expected would fall to his share during the course of his present existence, that as he reclined on his bed, his heart swelled with happiness and contentment. Suddenly, he reflected that Chia Lien’s sole thought was to make licentious pleasures the means of gratifying his passions, and that he had no idea how to show the least regard to the fair sex; and he mused that P’ing Erh was without father or mother, brothers or sisters, a solitary being destined to dance attendance upon a couple such as Chia Lien and his wife; that Chia Lien was vulgar, and lady Feng haughty, but that she was gifted nevertheless with the knack of splendidly managing things; and that (P’ing Erh) had again to-day come across bitter sorrow, and that her destiny was extremely unfortunate.

At this stage of his reverie, he began to feel wounded and distressed. When he rose once more to his feet, he noticed that the wine, which she had spurted on the clothes, she had a few minutes back divested herself of, had already half dried, and, taking up the iron, he smoothed them and folded them nicely for her. He then discovered that she had left her handkerchief behind, and that it still bore traces of tears, so throwing it into the basin, he rinsed it and hung it up to dry, with feelings bordering on joy as well as sadness. But after a short time spent in a brown study, he too betook himself to the Tao Hsiang village for a chat; and it was only when the lamps had been lit that he got up to take his leave.

P’ing Erh put up in Li Wan’s quarters for the night. Lady Feng slept with dowager lady Chia, while Chia Lien returned at a late hour to his home. He found it however very lonely. Yet unable to go and call his wife over, he had no alternative but to sleep as best he could for that night. On the morrow, he remembered, as soon as he opened his eyes, the occurrence of the previous day, and he fell a prey to such extreme unhappiness that he could not be conscience-stricken enough.

Madame Hsing pondered with solicitude on Chia Lien’s drunken fit the day before. The moment therefore it was light, she hastily crossed over, and sent for Chia Lien to repair to dowager lady Chia’s apartments. Chia Lien was thus compelled to suppress all timidity and to repair to the front part of the mansion and fall on his knees at the feet of his old senior.

“What was the matter?” inquired old lady Chia.

“I really had too much wine yesterday,” Chia Lien promptly answered with a forced smile. “I must have given you a fright, worthy ancestor, so I come to-day to receive condign punishment.”

“You mean fellow!” shouted dowager lady Chia, spitting at him disdainfully. “You go and glut yourself with spirits, and, not to speak of your not going to stretch yourself like a corpse and sleep it off, you contrariwise start beating your wife! But that vixen Feng brags away the whole day long, as if she were a human being as valiant as any tyrant, and yet yesterday she got into such a funk that she presented a woeful sight! Had it not been for me, you would have done her bodily harm; and what would you feel like now?”

Chia Lien was at heart full of a sense of injury, but he could not master sufficient courage to say anything in his own defence. The only course open to him was therefore to make a confession of fault.

“Don’t lady Feng and P’ing Erh possess the charms of handsome women?” dowager lady Chia resumed. “And aren’t you yet satisfied with them that you must, of a day, go slyly prowling and gallavanting about, dragging indiscriminately into your rooms frowsy and filthy people? Is it for the sake of this sort of wenches that you beat your wife and belabour the inmates of your quarters? You’ve nevertheless had the good fortune of starting in life as the scion of a great family; and do you, with eyes wide open, bring disgrace upon your own head? If you have any regard for me, well, then get up and I’ll spare you! And if you make your apologies in a proper manner to your wife and take her home, I’ll be satisfied. But if you don’t, just you clear out of this, for I won’t even presume to have any of your genuflexions!”

Chia Lien took to heart the injunctions that fell on his ear. Espying besides lady Feng standing opposite to him in undress, her eyes swollen from crying, and her face quite sallow, without cosmetic or powder, he thought her more lovable and charming than ever. “Wouldn’t it be well,” he therefore mused, “that I should make amends, so that she and I may be on friendly terms again and that I should win the good pleasure of my old ancestor?”

At the conclusion of his reflections, he forthwith put on a smile. “After your advice, venerable senior,” he said, “I couldn’t be so bold as not to accede to your wishes! But this is shewing her more indulgence than ever!”

“What nonsense!” exclaimed dowager lady Chia laughingly. “I am well aware that with her extreme decorum she couldn’t hurt any one’s susceptibilities. But should she, in the future, wrong you in any way, I shall, of course, take the law into my own hands and bid you make her submit to your authority and finish.”

Chia Lien, at this assurance, crawled up and made a bow to lady Feng. “It was really my fault, so don’t be angry, lady Secunda,” he said.

Every one in the room laughed.

“Now, my girl Feng,” lady Chia laughingly observed, “you are not to lose your temper; for if you do, I’ll lose mine too!”

Continuing, she directed a servant to go and call P’ing Erh; and, on her arrival, she advised lady Feng and Chia Lien to do all they could to reconcile her. At the sight of P’ing Erh, Chia Lien showed less regard than ever for the saying that ‘a primary wife differs from a secondary wife,’ and the instant he heard old lady Chia’s exhortation he drew near her. “The injuries,” he remarked, “to which you were subjected yesterday, Miss, were entirely due to my shortcoming. If your lady hurt your feelings, it was likewise all through me that the thing began. So I express my regret; but, besides this, I tender my apologies as well on behalf of your mistress.”

Saying this, he made another bow. This evoked a smile from dowager lady Chia. Lady Feng, however, also laughed. Their old ancestor then desired lady Feng to come and console P’ing Erh, but P’ing Erh hastily advanced and knocked her head before lady Feng. “I do deserve death,” she urged, “for provoking your ladyship to wrath on the day of your birthday!”

Lady Feng was at the moment pricked by shame and remorse for having so freely indulged in wine the previous day as to completely have lost sight of longstanding friendships, and for allowing her temper to so thoroughly flare up as to lend a patient ear to the gossip of outsiders, and unjustly put P’ing Erh out of countenance, so when she contrariwise now saw her make advances, she felt both abashed and grieved, and, promptly extending her arms, she dragged her up and gave way to tears.

“I’ve waited upon your ladyship for all these years,” P’ing Erh pleaded, “and you’ve never so much as given me a single fillip; and yet, you beat me yesterday. But I don’t bear you any grudge, my lady, for it was that wench, who was at the bottom of it all. Nor do I wonder that your ladyship lost control over your temper.”

As she spoke, tears trickled down her cheeks too.

“Escort those three home!” dowager lady Chia shouted to the servants. “If any one of them makes the least allusion to the subject, come at once and tell me of it; for without any regard as to who it may be, I shall take my staff and give him or her a sound flogging.”

The trio then prostrated themselves before dowager lady Chia and the two ladies, Mesdames Hsing and Wang. And assenting to her old mistress’ injunctions, an old nurse accompanied the three inmates to their quarters.

When they got home, lady Feng assured herself that there was no one about. “How is it,” she next asked, “that I’m like a queen of hell, or like a ‘Yakcha’ demon? That courtesan swore at me and wished me dead; and did you too help her to curse me? If I’m not nice a thousand days, why, I must be nice on some one day! But if, poor me, I’m so bad as not even to compare with a disorderly woman, how can I have the face to come and spend my life with you here?”

So speaking, she melted into tears.

“Aren’t you yet gratified?” cried Chia Lien. “Just reflect carefully who was most to blame yesterday! And yet, in the presence of so many people, it was I who, after all, fell to-day on my knees and made apologies as well. You came in for plenty of credit, and do you now go on jabber, jabber? Can it be that you’d like to make me kneel at your feet before you let matters rest? If you try and play the bully beyond bounds, it won’t be a good thing for you!”

To these arguments, lady Feng could find no suitable response.

P’ing Erh then blurted out laughing.

“She’s all right again!” Chia Lien smiled. “But I’m really quite at a loss what to do with this one.”

These words were still on his lips, when they saw a married woman walk in. “Pao Erh’s wife has committed suicide by hanging herself,” she said.

This announcement plunged both Chia Lien and lady Feng into great consternation. Lady Feng, however, lost no time in putting away every sign of excitement. “Dead, eh? What a riddance!” she shouted instead. “What’s the use of making such a fuss about a mere trifle?”

But not long elapsed before she perceived Lin Chih-hsiao’s wife make her appearance in the room. “Pao Erh’s wife has hung herself,” she whispered to lady Feng in a low tone of voice, “and her mother’s relatives want to take legal proceedings.”

Lady Feng gave a sardonic smile. “That’s all right!” she observed. “I myself was just thinking about lodging a complaint!”

“I and the others tried to dissuade them,” Lin Chih-hsiao’s wife continued. “And by having recourse to intimidation as well as to promises of money, they, at last, agreed to our terms.”

“I haven’t got a cash,” lady Feng replied. “Had I even any money, I wouldn’t let them have it; so just let them go and lodge any charge they fancy. You needn’t either dissuade them or intimidate them. Let them go and complain as much as they like. But if they fail to establish a case against me, they’ll, after all, be punished for trying to make the corpse the means of extorting money out of me!”

Lin Chih-hsiao’s wife was in a dilemma, when she espied Chia Lien wink at her. Comprehending his purpose, she readily quitted the apartment and waited for him outside.

“I’ll go out and see what they’re up to!” Chia Lien remarked.

“Mind, I won’t have you give them any money!” shouted lady Feng.

Chia Lien straightway made his exit. He came and held consultation with Lin Chih-hsiao, and then directed the servants to go and use some fair means, others harsh. The matter was, however, not brought to any satisfactory arrangement until he engaged to pay two hundred taels for burial expenses. But so apprehensive was Chia Lien lest something might occur to make the relatives change their ideas, that he also despatched a messenger to lay the affair before Wang Tzu-t’eng, who bade a few constables, coroners and other official servants come and help him to effect the necessary preparations for the funeral. The parties concerned did not venture, when they saw the precautions he had adopted, to raise any objections, disposed though they may have been to try and bring forward other arguments. Their sole alternative therefore was to suppress their resentment, to refrain from further importunities and let the matter drop into oblivion.

Chia Lien then impressed upon Lin Chih-hsiao to insert the two hundred taels in the accounts for the current year, by making such additions to various items here and there as would suffice to clear them off, and presented Pao Erh with money out of his own pocket as a crumb of comfort, adding, “By and bye, I’ll choose a nice wife for you.” When Pao Erh, therefore, came in for a share of credit as well as of hard cash, he could not possibly do otherwise than practise contentment; and forthwith, needless to dilate on this topic, he began to pay court to Chia Lien as much as ever.

In the inner rooms, lady Feng was, it is true, much cut up at heart; but she strained every nerve to preserve an exterior of total indifference. Noticing that there was no one present in the apartment, she drew P’ing Erh to her. “I drank yesterday,” she smiled, “a little more wine than was good for me, so don’t bear me a grudge. Where did I strike you, let me see?”

“You didn’t really strike me hard!” P’ing Erh said by way of reply.

But at this stage they heard some one remark that the ladies and young ladies had come in.

If you desire, reader, to know any of the subsequent circumstances, peruse the account given in the following chapter.


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第 四 十 五 回

金兰契互剖金兰语 风雨夕闷制风雨词

　　话说凤姐儿正抚恤平儿，忽见众姊妹进来，忙让坐了，平儿斟上茶来。凤姐儿笑道：“今儿来的这么齐，倒象下帖子请了来的。”探春笑道：“我们有两件事：一件是我的，一件是四妹妹的，还夹着老太太的话。”凤姐儿笑道：“有什么事，这么要紧？”探春笑道：“我们起了个诗社，头一社就不齐全，众人脸软，所以就乱了。我想必得你去作个监社御史，铁面无私才好。再四妹妹为画园子，用的东西这般那般不全，回了老太太，老太太说：‘只怕后头楼底下还有当年剩下的，找一找，若有呢拿出来，若没有，叫人买去。’”凤姐笑道：“我又不会作什么湿的干的，要我吃东西去不成？”探春道：“你虽不会作，也不要你作。你只监察着我们里头有偷安怠惰的，该怎么样罚他就是了。”凤姐儿笑道：“你们别哄我，我猜着了，那里是请我作监社御史！分明是叫我作个进钱的铜商。你们弄什么社，必是要轮流作东道的。你们的月钱不够花了，想出这个法子来拗了我去，好和我要钱。可是这个主意？”一席话说的众人都笑起来了。李纨笑道：“真真你是个水晶心肝玻璃人。”凤姐儿笑道：“亏你是个大嫂子呢！把姑娘们原交给你带着念书学规矩针线的，他们不好，你要劝。这会子他们起诗社，能用几个钱，你就不管了？老太太、太太罢了，原是老封君。你一个月十两银子的月钱，比我们多两倍银子。老太太、太太还说你寡妇失业的，可怜，不够用，又有个小子，足的又添了十两，和老太太、太太平等。又给你园子地，各人取租子。年终分年例，你又是上上分儿。你娘儿们，主子奴才共总没十个人，吃的穿的仍旧是官中的。一年通共算起来，也有四五百银子。这会子你就每年拿出一二百两银子来陪他们顽顽，能几年的限？他们各人出了阁，难道还要你赔不成？这会子你怕花钱，调唆他们来闹我，我乐得去吃一个河涸海干，我还通不知道呢！”

　　李纨笑道：“你们听听，我说了一句，他就疯了，说了两车的无赖泥腿市俗专会打细算盘分斤拨两的话出来。这东西亏他托生在诗书大宦名门之家做小姐，出了嫁又是这样，他还是这么着；若是生在贫寒小户人家，作个小子，还不知怎么下作贫嘴恶舌的呢！天下人都被你算计了去！昨儿还打平儿呢，亏你伸的出手来！那黄汤难道灌丧了狗肚子里去了？气的我只要给平儿打报不平儿。忖夺了半日，好容易‘狗长尾巴尖儿’的好日子，又怕老太太心里不受用，因此没来，究竟气还未平。你今儿又招我来了。给平儿拾鞋也不要，你们两个只该换一个过子才是。”说的众人都笑了。凤姐儿忙笑道：“竟不是为诗为画来找我，这脸子竟是为平儿来报仇的。竟不承望平儿有你这一位仗腰子的人。早知道，便有鬼拉着我的手打他，我也不打了。平姑娘，过来！我当着大奶奶姑娘们替你赔个不是，担待我酒后无德罢。”说着，众人又都笑起来了。李纨笑问平儿道：“如何？我说必定要给你争争气才罢。”平儿笑道：“虽如此，奶奶们取笑，我禁不起。”李纨道：“什么禁不起，有我呢。快拿了钥匙叫你主子开了楼房找东西去。”

　　凤姐儿笑道：“好嫂子，你且同他们回园子里去。才要把这米帐合算一算，那边大太太又打发人来叫，又不知有什么话说，须得过去走一趟。还有年下你们添补的衣服，还没打点给他们做去。”李纨笑道：“这些事情我都不管，你只把我的事完了我好歇着去，省得这些姑娘小姐闹我。”凤姐忙笑道：“好嫂子，赏我一点空儿。你是最疼我的，怎么今儿为平儿就不疼我了？往常你还劝我说，事情虽多，也该保养身子，捡点着偷空儿歇歇，你今儿反到逼我的命了。况且误了别人的年下衣裳无碍，他姊妹们的若误了，却是你的责任，老太太岂不怪你不管闲事，这一句现成的话也不说？我宁可自己落不是，岂敢带累你呢。”李纨笑道：“你们听听，说的好不好？把他会说话的！我且问你：这诗社你到底管不管？”凤姐儿笑道：“这是什么话，我不入社花几个钱，不成了大观园的反叛了，还想在这里吃饭不成？明儿一早就到任，下马拜了印，先放下五十两银子给你们慢慢作会社东道。过后几天，我又不作诗作文，只不过是个俗人罢了。‘监察’也罢，不‘监察’也罢，有了钱了，你们还撵出我来！”说的众人又都笑起来。凤姐儿道：“过会子我开了楼房，凡有这些东西都叫人搬出来你们看，若使得，留着使，若少什么，照你们单子，我叫人替你们买去就是了。画绢我就裁出来。那图样没有在太太跟前，还在那边珍大爷那里呢。说给你们，别碰钉子去。我打发人取了来，一并叫人连绢交给相公们矾去。如何？”李纨点首笑道：“这难为你，果然这样还罢了。既如此，咱们家去罢，等着他不送了去再来闹他。”说着，便带了他姊妹就走。凤姐儿道：“这些事再没两个人，都是宝玉生出来的。”李纨听了，忙回身笑道：“正是为宝玉来，反忘了他。头一社是他误了。我们脸软，你说该怎么罚他？”凤姐想了一想，说道：“没有别的法子，只叫他把你们各人屋子里的地罚他扫一遍才好。”众人都笑道：“这话不差。”

　　说着才要回去，只见一个小丫头扶了赖嬷嬷进来。凤姐儿等忙站起来，笑道：“大娘坐。”又都向他道喜。赖嬷嬷向炕沿上坐了，笑道：“我也喜，主子们也喜。若不是主子们的恩典，我们这喜从何来？昨儿奶奶又打发彩哥儿赏东西，我孙子在门上朝上磕了头了。”李纨笑道：“多早晚上任去？”赖嬷嬷叹道：“我那里管他们，由他们去罢！前儿在家里给我磕头，我没好话，我说：‘哥哥儿，你别说你是官儿了，横行霸道的！你今年活了三十岁，虽然是人家的奴才，一落娘胎胞，主子恩典，放你出来，上托着主子的洪福，下托着你老子娘，也是公子哥儿似的读书认字，也是丫头、老婆、奶子捧凤凰似的，长了这么大。你那里知道那“奴才”两字是怎么写的！只知道享福，也不知道你爷爷和你老子受的那苦恼，熬了两三辈子，好容易挣出你这么个东西来。从小儿三灾八难，花的银子也照样打出你这么个银人儿来了。到二十岁上，又蒙主子的恩典，许你捐个前程在身上。你看那正根正苗的忍饥挨饿的要多少？你一个奴才秧子，仔细折了福！如今乐了十年，不知怎么弄神弄鬼的，求了主子，又选了出来。州县官儿虽小，事情却大，为那一州的州官，就是那一方的父母。你不安分守己，尽忠报国，孝敬主子，只怕天也不容你。’”李纨凤姐儿都笑道：“你也多虑。我们看他也就好了。先那几年还进来了两次，这有好几年没来了，年下生日，只见他的名字就罢了。前儿给老太太、太太磕头来，在老太太那院里，见他又穿着新官的服色，倒发的威武了，比先时也胖了。他这一得了官，正该你乐呢，反倒愁起这些来！他不好，还有他父亲呢，你只受用你的就完了。闲了坐个轿子进来，和老太太斗一日牌，说一天话儿，谁好意思的委屈了你。家去一般也是楼房厦厅，谁不敬你，自然也是老封君似的了。”

　　平儿斟上茶来，赖嬷嬷忙站起来接了，笑道：“姑娘不管叫那个孩子倒来罢了，又折受我。”说着，一面吃茶，一面又道：“奶奶不知道。这些小孩子们全要管的严。饶这么严，他们还偷空儿闹个乱子来叫大人操心。知道的说小孩子们淘气；不知道的，人家就说仗着财势欺人，连主子名声也不好。恨的我没法儿，常把他老子叫来骂一顿，才好些。”因又指宝玉道：“不怕你嫌我，如今老爷不过这么管你一管，老太太护在头里。当日老爷小时挨你爷爷的打，谁没看见的。老爷小时，何曾象你这么天不怕地不怕的了。还有那大老爷，虽然淘气，也没象你这扎窝子的样儿，也是天天打。还有东府里你珍哥儿的爷爷，那才是火上浇油的性子，说声恼了，什么儿子，竟是审贼！如今我眼里看着，耳朵里听着，那珍大爷管儿子倒也象当日老祖宗的规矩，只是管的到三不着两的。他自己也不管一管自己，这些兄弟侄儿怎么怨的不怕他？你心里明白，喜欢我说，不明白，嘴里不好意思，心里不知怎么骂我呢！”

　　正说着，只见赖大家的来了，接着周瑞家的张材家的都进来回事情。凤姐儿笑道：“媳妇来接婆婆来了。”赖大家的笑道：“不是接他老人家，倒是打听打听奶奶姑娘们赏脸不赏脸？”赖嬷嬷听了，笑道：“可是我糊涂了，正经说的话且不说，且说陈谷子烂芝麻的混捣熟。因为我们小子选了出来，众亲友要给他贺喜，少不得家里摆个酒。我想，摆一日酒，请这个也不是，请那个也不是。又想了一想，托主子洪福，想不到的这样荣耀，就倾了家，我也是愿意的。因此吩咐他老子连摆三日酒：头一日，在我们破花园子里摆几席酒，一台戏，请老太太、太太们、奶奶姑娘们去散一日闷；外头大厅上一台戏，摆几席酒，请老爷们、爷们去增增光；第二日再请亲友；第三日再把我们两府里的伴儿请一请。热闹三天，也是托着主子的洪福一场，光辉光辉。”李纨凤姐儿都笑道：“多早晚的日子？我们必去，只怕老太太高兴要去也定不得。”赖大家的忙道：“择了十四的日子，只看我们奶奶的老脸罢了。”凤姐笑道：“别人我不知道，我是一定去的。先说下，我是没有贺礼的，也不知道放赏，吃完了一走，可别笑话。”赖大家的笑道：“奶奶说那里话？奶奶要赏，赏我们三二万银子就有了。”赖嬷嬷笑道：“我才去请老太太，老太太也说去，可算我这脸还好。”说毕又叮咛了一回，方起身要走，因看见周瑞家的，便想起一事来，因说道：“可是还有一句话问奶奶，这周嫂子的儿子犯了什么不是，撵了他不用？”凤姐儿听了，笑道：“正是我要告诉你媳妇，事情多也忘了。赖嫂子回去说给你老头子，两府里不许收留他小子，叫他各人去罢。”

　　赖大家的只得答应着。周瑞家的忙跪下央求。赖嬷嬷忙道：“什么事？说给我评评。”凤姐儿道：“前日我生日，里头还没吃酒，他小子先醉了。老娘那边送了礼来，他不说在外头张罗，他倒坐着骂人，礼也不送进来。两个女人进来了，他才带着小幺们往里抬。小幺们倒好，他拿的一盒子倒失了手，撒了一院子馒头。人去了，打发彩明去说他，他倒骂了彩明一顿。这样无法无天的忘八羔子，不撵了作什么！”赖嬷嬷笑道：“我当什么事情，原来为这个。奶奶听我说：他有不是，打他骂他，使他改过，撵了去断乎使不得。他又比不得是咱们家的家生子儿，他现是太太的陪房。奶奶只顾撵了他，太太脸上不好看。依我说，奶奶教导他几板子，以戒下次，仍旧留着才是。不看他娘，也看太太。”凤姐儿听说，便向赖大家的说道：“既这样，打他四十棍，以后不许他吃酒。”赖大家的答应了。周瑞家的磕头起来，又要与赖嬷嬷磕头，赖大家的拉着方罢。然后他三人去了，李纨等也就回园中来。

　　至晚，果然凤姐命人找了许多旧收的画具出来，送至园中。宝钗等选了一回，各色东西可用的只有一半，将那一半又开了单子，与凤姐儿去照样置买，不必细说。

　　一日，外面矾了绢，起了稿子进来。宝玉每日便在惜春这里帮忙。探春、李纨、迎春、宝钗等也多往那里闲坐，一则观画，二则便于会面。宝钗因见天气凉爽，夜复渐长，遂至母亲房中商议打点些针线来。日间至贾母处王夫人处省候两次，不免又承色陪坐半时，园中姊妹处也要度时闲话一回，故日间不大得闲，每夜灯下女工必至三更方寝。黛玉每岁至春分秋分之后，必犯嗽疾；今秋又遇贾母高兴，多游玩了两次，未免过劳了神，近日又复嗽起来，觉得比往常又重，所以总不出门，只在自己房中将养。有时闷了，又盼个姊妹来说些闲话排遣；及至宝钗等来望候他，说不得三五句话又厌烦了。众人都体谅他病中，且素日形体娇弱，禁不得一些委屈，所以他接待不周，礼数粗忽，也都不苛责。

　　这日宝钗来望他，因说起这病症来。宝钗道：“这里走的几个太医虽都还好，只是你吃他们的药总不见效，不如再请一个高明的人来瞧一瞧，治好了岂不好？每年间闹一春一夏，又不老又不小，成什么？不是个常法。”黛玉道：“不中用。我知道我这样病是不能好的了。且别说病，只论好的日子我是怎么形景，就可知了。”宝钗点头道：“可正是这话。古人说：‘食谷者生’，你素日吃的竟不能添养精神气血，也不是好事。”黛玉叹道 ：“‘死生有命，富贵在天’，也不是人力可强的。今年比往年反觉又重了些似的。”说话之间，已咳嗽了两三次。宝钗道：“昨儿我看你那药方上，人参肉桂觉得太多了。虽说益气补神，也不宜太热。依我说，先以平肝健胃为要，肝火一平，不能克土，胃气无病，饮食就可以养人了。每日早起拿上等燕窝一两，冰糖五钱，用银铫子熬出粥来，若吃惯了，比药还强，最是滋阴补气的。”

　　黛玉叹道：“你素日待人，固然是极好的，然我最是个多心的人，只当你心里藏奸。从前日你说看杂书不好，又劝我那些好话，竟大感激你。往日竟是我错了，实在误到如今。细细算来，我母亲去世的早，又无姊妹兄弟，我长了今年十五岁，竟没一个人象你前日的话教导我。怨不得云丫头说你好，我往日见他赞你，我还不受用，昨儿我亲自经过，才知道了。比如若是你说了那个，我再不轻放过你的；你竟不介意，反劝我那些话，可知我竟自误了。若不是从前日看出来，今日这话，再不对你说。你方才说叫我吃燕窝粥的话，虽然燕窝易得，但只我因身上不好了，每年犯这个病，也没什么要紧的去处。请大夫，熬药，人参肉桂，已经闹了个天翻地覆，这会子我又兴出新文来熬什么燕窝粥，老太太、太太、凤姐姐这三个人便没话说，那些底下的婆子丫头们，未免不嫌我太多事了。你看这里这些人，因见老太太多疼了宝玉和凤丫头两个，他们尚虎视眈眈，背地里言三语四的，何况于我？况我又不是他们这里正经主子，原是无依无靠投奔了来的，他们已经多嫌着我了。如今我还不知进退，何苦叫他们咒我？”宝钗道：“这样说，我也是和你一样。”黛玉道：“你如何比我？你又有母亲，又有哥哥，这里又有买卖地土，家里又仍旧有房有地。你不过是亲戚的情分，白住了这里，一应大小事情，又不沾他们一文半个，要走就走了。我是一无所有，吃穿用度，一草一纸，皆是和他们家的姑娘一样，那起小人岂有不多嫌的。”宝钗笑道：“将来也不过多费得一副嫁妆罢了，如今也愁不到这里。”黛玉听了，不觉红了脸，笑道：“人家才拿你当个正经人，把心里的烦难告诉你听，你反拿我取笑儿。”宝钗笑道：“虽是取笑儿，却也是真话。你放心，我在这里一日，我与你消遣一日。你有什么委屈烦难，只管告诉我，我能解的，自然替你解一日。我虽有个哥哥，你也是知道的，只有个母亲比你略强些。咱们也算同病相怜。你也是个明白人，何必作‘司马牛之叹’？你才说的也是，多一事不如省一事。我明日家去和妈妈说了，只怕我们家里还有，与你送几两，每日叫丫头们就熬了，又便宜，又不惊师动众的。”黛玉忙笑道：“东西事小，难得你多情如此。”宝钗道：“这有什么放在口里的！只愁我人人跟前失于应候罢了。只怕你烦了，我且去了。”黛玉道：“晚上再来和我说句话儿。”宝钗答应着便去了，不在话下。

　　这里黛玉喝了两口稀粥，仍歪在床上，不想日未落时天就变了，淅淅沥沥下起雨来。秋霖脉脉，阴晴不定，那天渐渐的黄昏，且阴的沉黑，兼着那雨滴竹梢，更觉凄凉。知宝钗不能来，便在灯下随便拿了一本书，却是《乐府杂稿》，有《秋闺怨》《别离怨》等词。黛玉不觉心有所感，亦不禁发于章句，遂成《代别离》一首，拟《春江花月夜》之格，乃名其词曰《秋窗风雨夕》。其词曰：

秋花惨淡秋草黄，耿耿秋灯秋夜长。

已觉秋窗秋不尽，那堪风雨助凄凉！

助秋风雨来何速！惊破秋窗秋梦绿。

抱得秋情不忍眠，自向秋屏移泪烛。

泪烛摇摇（艹热）短檠，牵愁照恨动离情。

谁家秋院无风入？何处秋窗无雨声？

罗衾不奈秋风力，残漏声催秋雨急。

连宵脉脉复飕飕，灯前似伴离人泣。

　　寒烟小院转萧条，疏竹虚窗时滴沥。

不知风雨几时休，已教泪洒窗纱湿。

　　吟罢搁笔，方要安寝，丫鬟报说：“宝二爷来了。”一语未完，只见宝玉头上带着大箬笠，身上披着蓑衣。黛玉不觉笑了：“那里来的渔翁！”宝玉忙问：“今儿好些？吃了药没有？今儿一日吃了多少饭？”一面说，一面摘了笠，脱了蓑衣，忙一手举起灯来，一手遮住灯光，向黛玉脸上照了一照，觑着眼细瞧了一瞧，笑道：“今儿气色好了些。”

　　黛玉看脱了蓑衣，里面只穿半旧红绫短袄，系着绿汗巾子，膝下露出油绿绸撒花裤子，底下是掐金满绣的绵纱袜子，(革及)着蝴蝶落花鞋。黛玉问道：“上头怕雨，底下这鞋袜子是不怕雨的？也倒干净。”宝玉笑道：“我这一套是全的。有一双棠木屐，才穿了来，脱在廊檐上了。”黛玉又看那蓑衣斗笠不是寻常市卖的，十分细致轻巧，因说道：“是什么草编的？怪道穿上不象那刺猬似的。”宝玉道：“这三样都是北静王送的。他闲了下雨时在家里也是这样。你喜欢这个，我也弄一套来送你。别的都罢了，惟有这斗笠有趣，竟是活的。上头的这顶儿是活的，冬天下雪，带上帽子，就把竹信子抽了，去下顶子来，只剩了这圈子。下雪时男女都戴得，我送你一顶，冬天下雪戴。”黛玉笑道：“我不要他。戴上那个，成个画儿上画的和戏上扮的渔婆了。”及说了出来，方想起话未忖夺，与方才说宝玉的话相连，后悔不及，羞的脸飞红，便伏在桌上嗽个不住。

　　宝玉却不留心，因见案上有诗，遂拿起来看了一遍，又不禁叫好。黛玉听了，忙起来夺在手内，向灯上烧了。宝玉笑道：“我已背熟了，烧也无碍。”黛玉道：“我也好了许多，谢你一天来几次瞧我，下雨还来。这会子夜深了，我也要歇着，你且请回去，明儿再来。”宝玉听说，回手向怀中掏出一个核桃大小的一个金表来，瞧了一瞧，那针已指到戌末亥初之间，忙又揣了，说道：“原该歇了，又扰的你劳了半日神。”说着，披蓑戴笠出去了，又翻身进来问道：“你想什么吃，告诉我，我明儿一早回老太太，岂不比老婆子们说的明白？”黛玉笑道：“等我夜里想着了，明儿早起告诉你。你听雨越发紧了，快去罢。可有人跟着没有？”有两个婆子答应：“有人，外面拿着伞点着灯笼呢。”黛玉笑道：“这个天点灯笼？”宝玉道：“不相干，是明瓦的，不怕雨。”黛玉听了，回手向书架上把个玻璃绣球灯拿了下来，命点一支小蜡来，递与宝玉，道：“这个又比那个亮，正是雨里点的。”宝玉道：“我也有这么一个，怕他们失脚滑倒了打破了，所以没点来。”黛玉道：“跌了灯值钱，跌了人值钱？你又穿不惯木屐子。那灯笼命他们前头点着。这个又轻巧又亮，原是雨里自己拿着的，你自己手里拿着这个，岂不好？明儿再送来。就失了手也有限的，怎么忽然又变出这‘剖腹藏珠’的脾气来！”宝玉听说，连忙接了过来，前头两个婆子打着伞提着明瓦灯，后头还有两个小丫鬟打着伞。宝玉便将这个灯递与一个小丫头捧着，宝玉扶着他的肩，一径去了。

　　就有蘅芜苑的一个婆子，也打着伞提着灯，送了一大包上等燕窝来，还有一包子洁粉梅片雪花洋糖。说：“这比买的强。姑娘说了：姑娘先吃着，完了再送来。”黛玉道：“回去说‘费心’。”命他外头坐了吃茶。婆子笑道：“不吃茶了，我还有事呢。”黛玉笑道：“我也知道你们忙。如今天又凉，夜又长，越发该会个夜局，痛赌两场了。”婆子笑道：“不瞒姑娘说，今年我大沾光儿了。横竖每夜各处有几个上夜的人，误了更也不好，不如会个夜局，又坐了更，又解闷儿。今儿又是我的头家，如今园门关了，就该上场了。”黛玉听说笑道：“难为你。误了你发财，冒雨送来。”命人给他几百钱，打些酒吃，避避雨气。那婆子笑道：“又破费姑娘赏酒吃。”说着，磕了一个头，外面接了钱，打伞去了。

　　紫鹃收起燕窝，然后移灯下帘，伏侍黛玉睡下。黛玉自在枕上感念宝钗，一时又羡他有母兄；一面又想宝玉虽素习和睦，终有嫌疑。又听见窗外竹梢焦叶之上，雨声淅沥，清寒透幕，不觉又滴下泪来。直到四更将阑，方渐渐的睡了。暂且无话。要知端的──

CHAPTER XLV.
Friends interchange words of friendship — Tai-yü feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.
Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P’ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P’ing Erh poured the tea.

“So many of you come to-day,” lady Feng smiled, “that it looks as if you’d been asked to come by invitation.”

T’an Ch’un was the first to speak. “We have,” she smilingly rejoined, “two objects in view, the one concerns me; the other cousin Quarta; but among these are, besides, certain things said by our venerable senior.”

“What’s up?” inquired lady Feng with a laugh. “Is it so urgent?”

“Some time ago,” T’an Ch’un proceeded laughingly, “we started a rhyming club; but the first meeting was not quite a success. Every one of us proved so soft-hearted! The rules therefore were set at naught. So I can’t help thinking that we must enlist your services as president of the society and superintendent; for what is needed to make the thing turn out well is firmness and no favour. The next matter is: cousin Quarta explained to our worthy ancestor that the requisites for painting the picture of the garden were short of one thing and another, and she said: ‘that there must still be,’ she fancied, ‘in the lower story of the back loft some articles, remaining over from previous years, and that we should go and look for them. That if there be any, they should be taken out, but that in the event of their being none, some one should be commissioned to go and purchase a supply of them.’”

“I’m not up to doing anything wet or dry, (play on word ‘shih,’ verses),” lady Feng laughed, “and would you have me, pray, come and gorge?”

“You may, it’s possible, not be up to any of these things,” T’an Ch’un replied, “but we don’t expect you to do anything! All we want you for is to see whether there be among us any remiss or lazy, and to decide how they should be punished, that’s all.”

“You shouldn’t try and play your tricks upon me!” lady Feng smiled, “I can see through your little game! Is it that you wish me to act as president and superintendent? No! it’s as clear as day that your object is that I should play the part of that copper merchant, who put in contributions in hard cash. You have, at every meeting you hold, to each take turn and pay the piper; but, as your funds are not sufficient, you’ve invented this plan to come and inveigle me into your club, in order to wheedle money out of me! This must be your little conspiracy!”

These words evoked general laughter. “You’ve guessed right!” they exclaimed.

“In very truth,” Li Wan smiled, “you’re a creature with an intellect as transparent as crystal, and with wits as clear as glass!”

“You’ve got the good fortune of being their elder sister-in-law,” lady Feng smilingly remarked, “so the young ladies asked you to take them in hand, and teach them how to read, and make them learn good manners and needlework; and it’s for you to guide and direct them in everything! But here they start a rhyming society, for which not much can be needed, and don’t you concern yourself about them? We’ll leave our worthy ancestor and our Madame Wang aside; they are old people, but you receive each moon an allowance of ten taels, which is twice as much as what any one of us gets. More, our worthy ancestor and Madame Wang maintain that being a widow, and having lost your home, you haven’t, poor thing, enough to live upon, and that you have a young child as well to bring up; so they added with extreme liberality another ten taels to your original share. Your allowance therefore is on a par with that of our dear senior. But they likewise gave you a piece of land in the garden, and you also come in for the lion’s share of rents, collected from various quarters, and of the annual allowances, apportioned at the close of each year. Yet, you and your son don’t muster, masters and servants, ten persons in all. What you eat and what your wear comes, just as ever, out of the general public fund, so that, computing everything together, you get as much as four to five hundred taels. Were you then to contribute each year a hundred or two hundred taels, to help them to have some fun, how many years could this outlay continue? They’ll very soon be getting married, and, are they likely then to still expect you to make any contributions? So loth are you, however, at present to fork out any cash that you’ve egged them on to come and worry me! I’m quite prepared to spend away until we’ve drained our chest dry! Don’t I know that the money isn’t mine?”

“Just you listen to her,” Li Wan laughed. “I simply made one single remark, and out she came with two cartloads of nonsensical trash! You’re as rough a diamond as a leg made of clay! All you’re good for is to work the small abacus, to divide a catty and to fraction an ounce, so finicking are you! A nice thing you are, and yet, you’ve been lucky enough to come to life as the child of a family of learned and high officials. You’ve also made such a splendid match; and do you still behave in the way you do? Had you been a son or daughter born in some poverty-stricken, humble and low household, there’s no saying what a mean thing you wouldn’t have been! Every one in this world has been gulled by you; and yesterday you went so far as to strike P’ing Erh! But it wasn’t the proper thing for you to stretch out your hand on her! Was all that liquor, forsooth, poured down a cur’s stomach? My monkey was up, and I meant to have taken upon myself to avenge P’ing Erh’s grievance; but, after mature consideration, I thought to myself, ‘her birthday is as slow to come round as a dog’s tail grows to a point.’ I also feared lest our venerable senior might be made to feel unhappy; so I did not come forward. Anyhow, my resentment isn’t yet spent; and do you come to-day to try and irritate me? You aren’t fit to even pick up shoes for P’ing Erh! You two should therefore change your respective places!”

These taunts created merriment among the whole party.

“Oh!” hastily exclaimed lady Feng, laughingly, “I know everything! You don’t at all come to look me up on account of verses or paintings, but simply to take revenge on P’ing Erh’s behalf! I never had any idea that P’ing Erh had such a backer as yourself to bolster her up! Had I known it, I wouldn’t have ventured to strike her, even though a spirit had been tugging my arm! Miss P’ing come over and let me tender my apologies to you, in the presence of your senior lady and the young ladies. Do bear with me for having proved so utterly wanting in virtue, after I had had a few drinks!”

Every one felt amused by her insinuations.

“What do you say?” Li Wan asked P’ing Erh smiling. “As for me, I think it my bounden duty to vindicate your wrongs, before we let the matter drop!”

“Your remarks, ladies, may be spoken in jest,” P’ing Erh smiled, “but I am not worthy of such a fuss!”

“What about worthy and unworthy?” Li Wan observed. “I’m here for you! Quick, get the key, and let your mistress go and open the doors and hunt up the things!”

“Dear sister-in-law,” lady Feng said with a smile, “you’d better go along with them into the garden. I’m about to take the rice accounts in hand and square them up with them. Our senior lady, Madame Hsing, has also sent some one to call me; what she wants to tell me again, I can’t make out; but I must need go over for a turn. There are, besides, all those extra clothes for you people to wear at the end of the year, and I must get them ready and give them to be made!”

“These matters are none of my business!” Li Wan laughingly answered. “First settle my concerns so as to enable me to retire to rest, and escape the bother of having all these girls at me!”

“Dear sister-in-law,” vehemently smiled lady Feng, “be good enough to give me a little time! You’ve ever been the one to love me best, and how is it that you have, on P’ing Erh’s account, ceased to care for me? Time and again have you impressed on my mind that I should, despite my manifold duties, take good care of my health, and manage things in such a way as to find a little leisure for rest, and do you now contrariwise come to press the very life out of me? There’s another thing besides. Should such clothes as will be required at the end of the year by any other persons be delayed, it won’t matter; but, should those of the young ladies be behind time, let the responsibility rest upon your shoulders! And won’t our old lady bear you a grudge, if you don’t mind these small things? But as for me, I won’t utter a single word against you, for, as I had rather bear the blame myself, I won’t venture, to involve you!”

“Listen to her!” Li Wan smiled. “Hasn’t she got the gift of the gab? But let me ask you. Will you, after all, assume the control of this rhyming society or not?”

“What’s this nonsense you’re talking?” lady Feng laughed. “Were I not to enter the society, and spend a little money, won’t I be treated as a rebel in this garden of Broad Vista? And will I then still think of tarrying here to eat my head off? So soon as the day dawns to-morrow, I’ll arrive at my post, dismount from my horse, and, after kneeling before the seals, my first act will be to give fifty taels for you to quietly cover the expenses of your meetings. Yet after a few days, I shall neither indite any verses, nor write any compositions, as I am simply a rustic boor, nothing more! But it will be just the same whether I assume the direction or not; for after you pocket my money, there’s no fear of your not driving me out of the place!”

As these words dropped from her lips, one and all laughed again.

“I’ll now open the loft,” proceeded lady Feng. “Should there be any of the articles you want, you can tell the servants to bring them out for you to look at them! If any will serve your purpose, keep them and use them. If any be short, I’ll bid a servant go and purchase them according to your list. I’ll go at once and cut the satin for the painting. As for the plan, it isn’t with Madame Wang; it’s still over there, at Mr. Chia Chen’s. I tell you all this so that you should avoid going over to Madame Wang’s and getting into trouble! But I’ll go and depute some one to fetch it. I’ll direct also a servant to take the satin and give it to the gentlemen to size with alum; will this be all right?”

Li Wan nodded her head by way of assent and smiled. “This will be putting you to much trouble and inconvenience,” she said. “But we must really act as you suggest. Well in that case, go home all of you, and, if after a time, she doesn’t send the thing round, you can come again and bully her.”

So saying, she there and then led off the young ladies, and was making her way out, when lady Feng exclaimed: “It’s Pao-yü and he alone, who has given rise to all this fuss.”

Li Wan overheard her remark and hastily turned herself round. “We did, in fact, come over,” she smiled, “on account of Pao-yü, and we forgot, instead all about him! The first meeting was deferred through him; but we are too soft-hearted, so tell us what penalty to inflict on him!”

Lady Feng gave herself to reflection. “There’s only one thing to do,” she then remarked. “Just punish him by making him sweep the floor of each of your rooms. This will do!”

“Your verdict is faultless!” they laughed with one accord.

While they conversed they were on the point of starting on their way back, when they caught sight of a young maid walk in, supporting nurse Lai. Lady Feng and her companions immediately rose to their feet, their faces beaming with smiles. “Venerable mother!” they said, “do take a seat!” They then in a body presented their congratulations to her.

Nurse Lai seated herself on the edge of the stovecouch and returned their smiles. “I’m to be congratulated,” she rejoined, “but you, mistresses, are to be congratulated as well; for had it had not been for the bountiful grace displaced by you, mistresses, whence would this joy of mine have come? Your ladyship sent Ts’ai Ko again yesterday to bring me presents, but my grandson kotowed at the door, with his face turned towards the upper quarters.”

“When is he going to his post?” Li Wan inquired, with a smile.

Nurse Lai heaved a sigh. “How can I interfere with them?” she answered. “Why, I let them have their own way and start when they like! The other day, they were at my house, and they prostrated themselves before me; but I could find no complimentary remark to make to him, so, ‘Sir!’ I said, ‘putting aside that you’re an official, you’ve lived in a reckless and dissolute way, for now thirty years. You should, it’s true, have been people’s bond-servant, but from the moment you came out of your mother’s womb, your master graciously accorded you your liberty. Thanks, above, to the boundless blessings showered upon you by your lord, and, below, to the favour of your father and mother, you’re like a noble scion and a gentleman, able to read and to write; and you have been carried about by maids, old matrons, and nurses, just as if you had been a very phoenix! But now that you’ve grown up and reached this age, do you have the faintest notion of what the two words ‘bond-servant’ imply? All you think of is to enjoy your benefits. But what hardships your grandfather and father had to bear, in slaving away for two or three generations, before they succeeded, after ever so many ups and downs, in raising up a thing like you, you don’t at all know! From your very infancy, you ever ailed from this, or sickened for that, so that the money that was expended on your behalf, would suffice to fuse into a lifelike silver image of you! At the age of twenty, you again received the bounty of your master in the shape of a promise to purchase official status for you. But just mark, how many inmates of the principal branch and main offspring have to endure privation, and suffer the pangs of hunger! So beware you, who are the offshoot of a bond-servant, lest you snap your happiness! After enjoying so many good things for a decade, by the help of what spirits, and the agency of what devils have you, I wonder, managed to so successfully entreat your master as to induce him to bring you to the fore again and select you for office? Magistrates may be minor officials, but their functions are none the less onerous. In whatever district they obtain a post, they become the father and mother of that particular locality. If you therefore don’t mind your business, and look after your duties in such a way as to acquit yourself of your loyal obligations, to prove your gratitude to the state and to show obedience and reverence to your lord, heaven, I fear, will not even bear with you!’”

Li Wan and lady Feng laughed. “You’re too full of misgivings!” they observed. “From what we can see of him, he’s all right! Some years back, he paid us a visit or two; but it’s many years now that he hasn’t put his foot here. At the close of each year, and on birthdays, we’ve simply seen his name brought in, that’s all. The other day, that he came to knock his head before our venerable senior and Madame Wang, we caught sight of him in her courtyard yonder; and, got up in the uniform of his new office, he looked so dignified, and stouter too than before. Now that he has got this post, you should be quite happy; instead of that you worry and fret about this and that! If he does get bad, why, he has his father and mother yet to take care of him, so all you need do is to be cheerful and content! When you’ve got time to spare, do get into a chair and come in and have a game of cards and a chat with our worthy senior; and who ever will have the face to hurt your feelings? Why, were you go to your home, you’d also have there houses and halls, and who is there who would not hold you in high respect? You’re certainly, what one would call, a venerable old dame!”

P’ing Erh poured a cup of tea and brought it to her. Nurse Lai speedily stood up. “You could have asked any girl to do this for me; it wouldn’t have mattered! But here I’m troubling you again!”

Apologising, she resumed, sipping her tea the while: “My lady you’re not aware that young girls of this age must be in everything kept strictly in hand. In the event of any license, they’re sure to find time to kick up trouble, and annoy their elders. Those, who know (how well they are supervised), will then say that children are always up to mischief. But those, who don’t, will maintain that they take advantage of their wealthy position to despise people; to the detriment as well of their mistresses’ reputation. How I regret that there’s nothing that I can do with him. Time after time, have I had to send for his father; and he has been the better, after a scolding from him.” Pointing at Pao-yü, “I don’t mind whether you feel angry with me for what I’m going to say,” she proceeded, “but if your father were to attempt now to exercise ever so little control over you, your venerable grandmother is sure to try and screen you. Yet, when in days gone by your worthy father was young, he used to be beaten by your grandfather. Who hasn’t seen him do it? But did your father, in his youth resemble you, who have neither fear for God or man? There was also our senior master, on the other side, Mr. Chia She. He was, I admit, wild; but never such a crossgrained fellow as yourself; and yet he too had his daily dose of the whip. There was besides the father of your elder cousin Chen, of the eastern mansion. He had a disposition that flared up like a fire over which oil is poured. If anything was said, and he flew into a rage, why, talk about a son, it was really as if he tortured a robber. From all I can now see and hear, Mr. Chen keeps his son in check just as much as was the custom in old days among his ancestors; the only thing is that he abides by it in some respects, but not in others. Besides, he doesn’t exercise the least restraint over his own self, so is it to be wondered at if all his cousins and nieces don’t respect him? If you’ve got any sense about you, you’ll only be too glad that I speak to you in this wise; but if you haven’t, you mayn’t be very well able to say anything openly to me, but you’ll inwardly abuse me, who knows to what extent!”

As she reproved him, they saw Lai Ta’s wife arrive. In close succession came Chou Jui’s wife along with Chang Ts’ai’s wife to report various matters.

“A wife,” laughed lady Feng, “has come to fetch her mother-in-law!”

“I haven’t come to fetch our old dame,” Lai Ta’s wife smilingly rejoined, “but to inquire whether you, my lady and the young ladies, will confer upon us the honour of your company?”

When nurse Lai caught this remark, she smiled. “I’ve really grown quite idiotic!” “What,” she exclaimed, “was right and proper for me to say, I didn’t say, but I went on talking instead a lot of rot and rubbish! As our relatives and friends are presenting their congratulations to our grandson for having been selected to fill up that office of his, we find ourselves under the necessity of giving a banquet at home. But I was thinking that it wouldn’t do, if we kept a feast going the whole day, and we invited this one, and not that one. Reflecting also that it was thanks to our master’s vast bounty that we’ve come in for this unforeseen glory and splendour, I felt quite agreeable to do anything, even though it may entail the collapse of our household. I therefore advised his father to give banquets on three consecutive days. That he should, on the first, put up several tables, and a stage in our mean garden, and invite your venerable dowager lady, the senior ladies, junior ladies, and young ladies to come and have some distraction during the day, and that he should have several tables laid on the stage in the main pavilion outside, and request the senior and junior gentlemen to confer upon us the lustre of their presence. That for the second day, we should ask our relatives and friends; and that for the third, we should invite our companions from the two mansions. In this way, we’ll have three days’ excitement, and, by the boundless favour of our master, we’ll have the benefit of enjoying the honour of your society.”

“When is it to be?” Li Wan and lady Feng inquired, smilingly. “As far as we are concerned, we’ll feel it our duty to come. And we hope that our worthy senior may feel in the humour to go. But there’s no saying for certain!”

“The day chosen is the fourteenth,” Lai Ta’s wife eagerly replied. “Just come for the sake of our old mother-in-law!”

“I can’t tell about the others,” lady Feng explained with a laugh, “but as for me I shall positively come. I must however tell you beforehand that I’ve no congratulatory presents to give you. Nor do I know anything about tips to players or others. As soon as I shall have done eating, I shall bolt, so don’t laugh at me.”

“Fiddlesticks!” Lai Ta’s wife laughed. “Were your ladyship disposed, you could well afford to give us twenty and thirty thousand taels.”

“I’m off now to invite our venerable mistress,” nurse Lai smilingly remarked. “And if her ladyship also agrees to come, I shall deem it a greater honour than ever conferred upon me.”

Having said this, she went on to issue some injunctions; after which, she got up to go, when the sight of Chou Jui’s wife reminded her of something.

“Of course!” she consequently observed. “I’ve got one more question to ask you, my lady. What did sister-in-law Chou’s son do to incur blame, that he was packed off, and his services dispensed with?”

“I was just about to tell your daughter-in-law,” lady Feng answered smilingly, after listening to her question, “but with so many things to preoccupy me, it slipped from my memory! When you get home, sister-in-law Lai, explain to that old husband of yours that we won’t have his, (Chou Jui’s), son kept in either of the mansions; and that he can tell him to go about his own business!”

Lai Ta’s wife had no option but to express her acquiescence. Chou Jui’s wife however speedily fell on her knees and gave way to urgent entreaties.

“What is it all about?” nurse Lai shouted. “Tell me and let me determine the right and wrong of the question.”

“The other day,” lady Feng observed, “that my birthday was celebrated, that young fellow of his got drunk, before the wine ever went round; and when the old dame, over there, sent presents, he didn’t go outside to give a helping hand, but squatted down, instead, and upbraided people. Even the presents he wouldn’t carry inside. And it was only after the two girls had come indoors that he eventually got the servant-lads and brought them in. Those lads were however careful enough in what they did, but as for him, he let the box, he held, slip from his hands, and bestrewed the whole courtyard with cakes. When every one had left, I deputed Ts’ai Ming to go and talk to him; but he then turned round and gave Ts’ai Ming a regular scolding. So what’s the use of not bundling off a disorderly rascal like him, who neither shows any regard for discipline or heaven?”

“I was wondering what it could be!” nurse Lai ventured. “Was it really about this? My lady, listen to me! If he has done anything wrong, thrash him and scold him, until you make him mend his ways, and finish with it! But to drive him out of the place, will never, by any manner of means, do. He isn’t, besides, to be treated like a child born in our household. He is at present employed as Madame Wang’s attendant, so if you carry out your purpose of expelling him, her ladyship’s face will be put to the blush. My idea is that you should, my lady, give him a lesson by letting him have several whacks with a cane so as to induce him to abstain from wine in the future. If you then retain him in your service as hitherto he’ll be all right! If you don’t do it for his mother’s sake; do it at least for that of Madame Wang!”

After lending an ear to her arguments, lady Feng addressed herself to Lai Ta’s wife. “Well, in that case,” she said, “call him over to-morrow and give him forty blows; and don’t let him after this touch any more wine!”

Lai Ta’s wife promised to execute her directions. Chou Jui’s wife then kotowed and rose to her feet. But she also persisted upon prostrating herself before nurse Lai; and only desisted when Lai Ta’s wife pulled her up. But presently the trio took their departure, and Li Wan and her companions sped back into the garden.

When evening came, lady Feng actually bade the servants go and look (into the loft), and when they discovered a lot of painting materials, which had been put away long ago, they brought them into the garden. Pao-ch’ai and her friends then selected such as they deemed suitable. But as they only had as yet half the necessaries they required, they drew out a list of the other half and sent it to lady Feng, who, needless for us to particularise, had the different articles purchased, according to the specimens supplied.

By a certain day, the silk had been sized outside, a rough sketch drawn, and both returned into the garden. Pao-yü therefore was day after day to be found over at Hsi Ch’un’s, doing his best to help her in her hard work. But T’an Ch’un, Li Wan, Ying Ch’un, Pao-ch’ai and the other girls likewise congregated in her quarters, and sat with her when they were at leisure, as they could, in the first place, watch the progress of the painting, and as secondly they were able to conveniently see something of each other.

When Pao-ch’ai perceived how cool and pleasant the weather was getting, and how the nights were beginning again to gradually draw out, she came and found her mother, and consulted with her, until they got some needlework ready. Of a day, she would cross over to the quarters of dowager lady Chia and Madame Wang, and twice pay her salutations, but, she could not help as well amusing them and sitting with them to keep them company. When free, she would come and see her cousins in the garden, and have, at odd times, a chat with them, so having, during daylight no leisure to speak of, she was wont, of a night, to ply her needle by lamplight, and only retire to sleep after the third watch had come and gone.

As for Tai-yü, she had, as a matter of course, a relapse of her complaint regularly every year, soon after the spring equinox and autumn solstice. But she had, during the last autumn, also found her grandmother Chia in such buoyant spirits, that she had walked a little too much on two distinct occasions, and naturally fatigued herself more than was good for her. Recently, too, she had begun to cough and to feel heavier than she had done at ordinary times, so she never by any chance put her foot out of doors, but remained at home and looked after her health. When at times, dullness crept over her, she longed for her cousins to come and chat with her and dispel her despondent feelings. But whenever Pao-ch’ai or any of her cousins paid her a visit, she barely uttered half a dozen, words, before she felt quite averse to any society. Yet one and all made every allowance for her illness. And as she had ever been in poor health and not strong enough to resist any annoyance, they did not find the least fault with her, despite even any lack of propriety she showed in playing the hostess with them, or any remissness on her part in observing the prescribed rules of etiquette.

Pao-ch’ai came, on this occasion to call on her. The conversation started on the symptoms of her ailment. “The various doctors, who visit this place,” Pao-ch’ai consequently remarked, “may, it’s true, be all very able practitioners; but you take their medicines and don’t reap the least benefit! Wouldn’t it be as well therefore to ask some other person of note to come and see you? And could he succeed in getting you all right, wouldn’t it be nice? Here you year by year ail away throughout the whole length of spring and summer; but you’re neither so old nor so young, so what will be the end of it? Besides, it can’t go on for ever.”

“It’s no use,” Tai-yü rejoined. “I know well enough that there’s no cure for this complaint of mine! Not to speak of when I’m unwell, why even when I’m not, my state is such that one can see very well that there’s no hope!”

Pao-ch’ai shook her head. “Quite so!” she ventured. “An old writer says: ‘Those who eat, live.’ But what you’ve all along eaten hasn’t been enough to strengthen your energies and physique. This isn’t a good thing!”

Tai-yü heaved a sigh. “Whether I’m to live or die is all destiny!” she said. “Riches and honours are in the hands of heaven; and human strength cannot suffice to forcibly get even them! But my complaint this year seems to be far worse than in past years, instead of any better.”

While deploring her lot, she coughed two or three times. “It struck me,” Pao-ch’ai said, “that in that prescription of yours I saw yesterday there was far too much ginseng and cinnamon. They are splendid tonics, of course, but too many heating things are not good. I think that the first urgent thing to do is to ease the liver and give tone to the stomach. When once the fire in the liver is reduced, it will not be able to overcome the stomach; and, when once the digestive organs are free of ailment, drink and food will be able to give nutriment to the human frame. As soon as you get out of bed, every morning, take one ounce of birds’ nests, of superior quality, and five mace of sugar candy and prepare congee with them in a silver kettle. When once you get into the way of taking this decoction, you’ll find it far more efficacious than medicines; for it possesses the highest virtue for invigorating the vagina and bracing up the physique.”

“You’ve certainly always treated people with extreme consideration,” sighed Tai-yü, “but such a supremely suspicious person am I that I imagined that you inwardly concealed some evil design! Yet ever since the day on which you represented to me how unwholesome it was to read obscene books, and you gave me all that good advice, I’ve felt most grateful to you! I’ve hitherto, in fact, been mistaken in my opinion; and the truth of the matter is that I remained under this misconception up to the very present. But you must carefully consider that when my mother died, I hadn’t even any sisters or brothers; and that up to this my fifteenth year there has never been a single person to admonish me as you did the other day. Little wonder is it if that girl Yün speaks well of you! Whenever, in former days, I heard her heap praise upon you, I felt uneasy in my mind, but, after my experiences of yesterday, I see how right she was. When you, for instance, began to tell me all those things, I didn’t forgive you at the time, but, without worrying yourself in the least about it you went on, contrariwise, to tender me the advice you did. This makes it evident that I have laboured under a mistaken idea! Had I not made this discovery the other day, I wouldn’t be speaking like this to your very face to-day. You told me a few minutes back to take bird’s nest congee; but birds’ nests are, I admit, easily procured; yet all on account of my sickly constitution and of the relapses I have every year of this complaint of mine, which amounts to nothing, doctors have had to be sent for, medicines, with ginseng and cinnamon, have had to be concocted, and I’ve given already such trouble as to turn heaven and earth topsy-turvey; so were I now to start again a new fad, by having some birds’ nests congee or other prepared, our worthy senior, Madame Wang, and lady Feng, will, all three of them, have no objection to raise; but that posse of matrons and maids below will unavoidably despise me for my excessive fussiness! Just notice how every one in here ogles wildly like tigers their prey; and stealthily says one thing and another, simply because they see how fond our worthy ancestor is of both Pao-yü and lady Feng, and how much more won’t they do these things with me? What’s more, I’m not a pucker mistress. I’ve really come here as a mere refugee, for I had no one to sustain me and no one to depend upon. They already bear me considerable dislike; so much so, that I’m still quite at a loss whether I should stay or go; and why should I make them heap execrations upon me?”

“Well, in that case,” Pao-ch’ai observed, “I’m too in the same plight as yourself!”

“How can you compare yourself with me?” Tai-yü exclaimed. “You have a mother; and a brother as well! You’ve also got some business and land in here, and, at home, you can call houses’ and fields your own. It’s only therefore the ties of relationship, which make you stay here at all. Neither are you in anything whether large or small, in their debt for one single cash or even half a one; and when you want to go, you’re at liberty to go. But I, have nothing whatever that I can call my own. Yet, in what I eat, wear, and use, I am, in every trifle, entirely on the same footing as the young ladies in their household, so how ever can that mean lot not despise me out and out?”

“The only extra expense they’ll have to go to by and bye,” Pao-ch’ai laughed, “will be to get one more trousseau, that’s all. And for the present, it’s too soon yet to worry yourself about that!”

At this insinuation, Tai-yü unconsciously blushed scarlet. “One treats you,” she smiled, “as a decent sort of person, and confides in you the woes of one’s heart, and, instead of sympathising with me, you make me the means of raising a laugh!”

“Albeit I raise a laugh at your expense,” Pao-ch’ai rejoined, a smile curling her lips, “what I say is none the less true! But compose your mind! I’ll try every day that I’m here to cheer you up; so come to me with every grievance or trouble, for I shall, needless to say, dispel those that are within my power. Notwithstanding that I have a brother, you yourself know well enough what he’s like! All I have is a mother, so I’m just a trifle better off than you! We can therefore well look upon ourselves as being in the same boat, and sympathise with each other. You have, besides, plenty of wits about you, so why need you give way to groans, as did Ssu Ma-niu? What you said just now is quite right; but, you should worry and fret about as little and not as much as you can. On my return home, to-morrow, I’ll tell my mother; and, as I think there must be still some birds’ nests in our house, we’ll send you several ounces of them. You can then tell the servant-maids to prepare some for you at whatever time you want every day; and you’ll thus be suiting your own convenience and be giving no trouble or annoyance to any one.”

“The things are, of themselves, of little account,” eagerly responded Tai-yü laughingly. “What’s difficult to find is one with as much feeling as yourself.”

“What’s there in this worth speaking about?” Pao-ch’ai said. “What grieves me is that I fail to be as nice as I should be with those I come across. But, I presume, you feel quite done up now, so I’ll be off!”

“Come in the evening again,” Tai-yü pressed her, “and have a chat with me.”

While assuring her that she would come, Pao-ch’ai walked out, so let us leave her alone for the present.

Tai-yü, meanwhile, drank a few sips of thin congee, and then once more lay herself down on her bed. But before the sun set, the weather unexpectedly changed, and a fine drizzling rain set in. So gently come the autumn showers that dull and fine are subject to uncertain alternations. The shades of twilight gradually fell on this occasion. The heavens too got so overcast as to look deep black. Besides the effect of this change on her mind, the patter of the rain on the bamboo tops intensified her despondency, and, concluding that Pao-ch’ai would be deterred from coming, she took up, in the lamp light, the first book within her reach, which turned out to be the ‘Treasury of Miscellaneous Lyrics.’ Finding among these ‘the Pinings of a maiden in autumn,’ ‘the Anguish of Separation,’ and other similar poems, Tai-yü felt unawares much affected; and, unable to restrain herself from giving vent to her feelings in writing, she, there and then, improvised the following stanza, in the same strain as the one on separation; complying with the rules observed in the ‘Spring River-Flower’ and ‘Moonlight Night.’ These verses, she then entitled ‘the Poem on the Autumn evening, when wind and rain raged outside the window.’ Their burden was:

In autumn, flowers decay; herbage, when autumn comes, doth yellow
turn.
On long autumnal nights, the autumn lanterns with bright radiance
burn.
As from my window autumn scenes I scan, autumn endless doth seem.
This mood how can I bear, when wind and rain despondency enhance?
How sudden break forth wind and rain, and help to make the autumntide!
Fright snaps my autumn dreams, those dreams which under my lattice I
dreamt.
A sad autumnal gloom enclasps my heart, and drives all sleep away!
In person I approach the autumn screen to snuff the weeping wick.
The tearful candles with a flickering flame consume on their short
stands.
They stir up grief, dazzle my eyes, and a sense of parting arouse.
In what family’s courts do not the blasts of autumn winds intrude?
And where in autumn does not rain patter against the window-frames?
The silken quilt cannot ward off the nipping force of autumn winds.
The drip of the half drained water-clock impels the autumn rains.
A lull for few nights reigned, but the wind has again risen in
strength.
By the lantern I weep, as if I sat with some one who must go.
The small courtyard, full of bleak mist, is now become quite desolate.
With quick drip drops the rain on the distant bamboos and vacant
sills.
What time, I wonder, will the wind and rain their howl and patter
cease?
The tears already I have shed have soakèd through the window gauze.

After scanning her verses, she flung the pen aside, and was just on the point of retiring to rest, when a waiting-maid announced that ‘master Secundus, Mr. Pao-yü, had come.’ Barely was the announcement out of her lips, than Pao-yü appeared on the scene with a large bamboo hat on his head, and a wrapper thrown over his shoulders. Of a sudden, a smile betrayed itself on Tai-yü‘s lips. “Where does this fisherman come from?” she exclaimed.

“Are you better to-day?” Pao-yü inquired with alacrity. “Have you had any medicines? How much rice have you had to eat to-day?”

While plying her with questions, he took off the hat and divested himself of the wrapper; and, promptly raising the lamp with one hand, he screened it with the other and threw its rays upon Tai-yü‘s face. Then straining his eyes, he scrutinised her for a while. “You look better to-day,” he smiled.

As soon as he threw off his wrapper, Tai-yü noticed that he was clad in a short red silk jacket, the worse for wear; that he was girded with a green sash, and that, about his knees, his nether garments were visible, made of green thin silk, brocaded with flowers. Below these, he wore embroidered gauze socks, worked all over with twisted gold thread, and a pair of shoes ornamented with butterflies and clusters of fallen flowers.

“Above, you fight shy of the rain,” Tai-yü remarked, “but aren’t these shoes and socks below afraid of rain? Yet they’re quite clean!”

“This suit is complete!” Pao-yü smiled. “I’ve got a pair of crab-wood clogs, I put on to come over; but I took them off under the eaves of the verandah.”

Tai-yü‘s attention was then attracted by the extreme fineness and lightness of the texture of his wrapper and hat, which were unlike those sold in the market places. “With what grass are they plaited?” she consequently asked. “It would be strange if you didn’t, with this sort of things on, look like a very hedgehog!”

“These three articles are a gift from the Prince of Pei Ching,” Pao-yü answered. “Ordinarily, when it rains, he too wears this kind of outfit at home. But if it has taken your fancy, I’ll have a suit made for you. There’s nothing peculiar about the other things, but this hat is funny! The crown at the top is movable; so if you want to wear a hat, during snowy weather in wintertime, you pull off the bamboo pegs, and remove the crown, and there you only have the circular brim. This is worn, when it snows, by men and women alike. I’ll give you one therefore to wear in the wintry snowy months.”

“I don’t want it!” laughed Tai-yü. “Were I to wear this sort of thing, I’d look like one of those fisherwomen, one sees depicted in pictures or represented on the stage!”

Upon reaching this point, she remembered that there was some connection between her present remarks and the comparison she had some time back made with regard to Pao-yü, and, before she had time to indulge in regrets, a sense of shame so intense overpowered her that the colour rushed to her face, and, leaning her head on the table, she coughed and coughed till she could not stop. Pao-yü, however, did not detect her embarrassment; but catching sight of some verses lying on the table, he eagerly snatched them up and conned them from beginning to end. “Splendid!” he could not help crying. But the moment Tai-yü heard his exclamation, she speedily jumped to her feet, and clutched the verses and burnt them over the lamp.

“I’ve already committed them sufficiently to memory!” Pao-yü laughed.

“I want to have a little rest,” Tai-yü said, “so please get away; come back again to-morrow.”

At these words, Pao-yü drew back his hand, and producing from his breast a gold watch about the size of a walnut, he looked at the time. The hand pointed between eight and nine p.m.; so hastily putting it away, “You should certainly retire to rest!” he replied. “My visit has upset you. I’ve quite tired you out this long while.” With these apologies, he threw the wrapper over him, put on the rain-hat and quitted the room. But turning round, he retraced his steps inside. “Is there anything you fancy to eat?” he asked. “If there be, tell me, and I’ll let our venerable ancestor know of it to-morrow as soon as it’s day. Won’t I explain things clearer than any of the old matrons could?”

“Let me,” rejoined Tai-yü smiling, “think in the night. I’ll let you know early to-morrow. But harken, it’s raining harder than it did; so be off at once! Have you got any attendants, or no?”

“Yes!” interposed the two matrons. “There are servants to wait on him. They’re outside holding his umbrella and lighting the lanterns.”

“Are they lighting lanterns with this weather?” laughed Tai-yü.

“It won’t hurt them!” Pao-yü answered. “They’re made of sheep’s horn, so they don’t mind the rain.”

Hearing this, Tai-yü put back her hand, and, taking down an ornamented glass lantern in the shape of a ball from the book case, she asked the servants to light a small candle and bring it to her; after which, she handed the lantern to Pao-yü. “This,” she said, “gives out more light than the others; and is just the thing for rainy weather.”

“I’ve also got one like it.” Pao-yü replied. “But fearing lest they might slip, fall down and break it, I did not have it lighted and brought round.”

“What’s of more account,” Tai-yü inquired, “harm to a lantern or to a human being? You’re not besides accustomed to wearing clogs, so tell them to walk ahead with those lanterns. This one is as light and handy as it is light-giving; and is really adapted for rainy weather, so wouldn’t it be well if you carried it yourself? You can send it over to me to-morrow! But, were it even to slip from your hand, it wouldn’t matter much. How is it that you’ve also suddenly developed this money-grabbing sort of temperament? It’s as bad as if you ripped your intestines to secrete pearls in.”

After these words, Pao-yü approached her and took the lantern from her. Ahead then advanced two matrons, with umbrellas and sheep horn lanterns, and behind followed a couple of waiting-maids also with umbrellas. Pao-yü handed the glass lantern to a young maid to carry, and, supporting himself on her shoulder, he straightway wended his steps on his way back.

But presently arrived an old servant from the Heng Wu court, provided as well with an umbrella and a lantern, to bring over a large bundle of birds’ nests, and a packet of foreign sugar, pure as powder, and white as petals of plum-blossom and flakes of snow. “These,” she said, “are much better than what you can buy. Our young lady sends you word, miss, to first go on with these. When you’ve done with them, she’ll let you have some more.”

“Many thanks for the trouble you’ve taken!” Tai-yü returned for answer; and then asked her to go and sit outside and have a cup of tea.

“I won’t have any tea,” the old servant smiled. “I’ve got something else to attend to.”

“I’m well aware that you’ve all got plenty in hand,” Tai-yü resumed with a smiling countenance. “But the weather being cool now and the nights long, it’s more expedient than ever to establish two things: a night club and a gambling place.”

“I won’t disguise the fact from you, miss,” the old servant laughingly observed, “that I’ve managed this year to win plenty of money. Several servants have, under any circumstances, to do night duty; and, as any neglect in keeping watch wouldn’t be the right thing, isn’t it as well to have a night club, as one can sit on the look-out and dispel dullness as well? But it’s again my turn to play the croupier to-day, so I must be getting along to the place, as the garden gate, will, by this time, be nearly closing!”

This rejoinder evoked a laugh from Tai-yü. “I’ve given you all this bother,” she remarked, “and made you lose your chances of getting money, just to bring these things in the rain.” And calling a servant she bade her present her with several hundreds of cash to buy some wine with, to drive the damp away.

“I’ve uselessly put you again, miss, to the expense of giving me a tip for wine,” the old servant smiled. But saying this she knocked her forehead before her; and issuing outside, she received the money, after which, she opened her umbrella, and trudged back.

Tzu Chüan meanwhile put the birds’ nests away; and removing afterwards the lamps, she lowered the portières and waited upon Tai-yü until she lay herself down to sleep.

While she reclined all alone on her pillow, Tai-yü thought gratefully of Pao-ch’ai. At one moment, she envied her for having a mother and a brother; and at another, she mused that with the friendliness Pao-yü had ever shown her they were bound to be the victims of suspicion. But the pitter-patter of the rain, dripping on the bamboo tops and banana leaves, fell on her ear; and, as a fresh coolness penetrated the curtain, tears once more unconsciously trickled down her cheeks. In this frame of mind, she continued straight up to the fourth watch, when she at last gradually dropped into a sound sleep.

For the time, however, there is nothing that we can add. So should you, reader, desire to know any subsequent details, peruse what is written in the next chapter.

第 四 十 六 回

尴尬人难免尴尬事　鸳鸯女誓绝鸳鸯偶

　　话说林黛玉直到四更将阑，方渐渐的睡去，暂且无话。如今且说凤姐儿因见邢夫人叫他，不知何事，忙另穿戴了一番，坐车过来。邢夫人将房内人遣出，悄向凤姐儿道：“叫你来不为别事，有一件为难的事，老爷托我，我不得主意，先和你商议。老爷因看上了老太太的鸳鸯，要他在房里，叫我和老太太讨去。我想这倒平常有的事，只是怕老太太不给，你可有法子？”凤姐儿听了，忙道：“依我说，竟别碰这个钉子去。老太太离了鸳鸯，饭也吃不下去的，那里就舍得了？况且平日说起闲话来，老太太常说，老爷如今上了年纪，作什么左一个小老婆右一个小老婆放在屋里，没的耽误了人家。放着身子不保养，官儿也不好生作去，成日家和小老婆喝酒。太太听这话，很喜欢老爷呢？这会子回避还恐回避不及，倒拿草棍儿戳老虎的鼻子眼儿去了！太太别恼，我是不敢去的。明放着不中用，而且反招出没意思来。老爷如今上了年纪，行事不妥，太太该劝才是。比不得年轻，作这些事无碍。如今兄弟、侄儿、儿子、孙子一大群，还这么闹起来，怎样见人呢？”邢夫人冷笑道：“大家子三房四妾的也多，偏咱们就使不得？我劝了也未必依。就是老太太心爱的丫头，这么胡子苍白了又作了官的一个大儿子，要了作房里人，也未必好驳回的。我叫了你来，不过商议商议，你先派上了一篇不是。也有叫你去的理？自然是我说去。你倒说我不劝，你还不知道那性子的，劝不成，先和我恼了。”

　　凤姐儿知道邢夫人禀性愚（亻强），只知承顺贾赦以自保，次则婪取财货为自得，家下一应大小事务，俱由贾赦摆布。凡出入银钱事务，一经他手，便克啬异常，以贾赦浪费为名，“须得我就中俭省，方可偿补”，儿女奴仆，一人不靠，一言不听的。如今又听邢夫人如此的话，便知他又弄左性，劝了不中用，连忙陪笑说道：“太太这话说的极是。我能活了多大，知道什么轻重？想来父母跟前，别说一个丫头，就是那么大的活宝贝，不给老爷给谁？背地里的话那里信得？我竟是个呆子。琏二爷或有日得了不是，老爷太太恨的那样，恨不得立刻拿来一下子打死；及至见了面，也罢了，依旧拿着老爷太太心爱的东西赏他。如今老太太待老爷，自然也是那样了。依我说，老太太今儿喜欢，要讨今儿就讨去。我先过去哄着老太太发笑，等太太过去了，我搭讪着走开，把屋子里的人我也带开，太太好和老太太说的。给了更好，不给也没妨碍，众人也不知道。”邢夫人见他这般说，便又喜欢起来，又告诉他道：“我的主意先不和老太太要。老太太要说不给，这事便死了。我心里想着先悄悄的和鸳鸯说。他虽害臊，我细细的告诉了他，他自然不言语，就妥了。那时再和老太太说，老太太虽不依，搁不住他愿意，常言‘人去不中留’，自然这就妥了。”凤儿姐笑道：“到底是太太有智谋，这是千妥万妥的。别说是鸳鸯，凭他是谁，那一个不想巴高望上，不想出头的？这半个主子不做，倒愿意做个丫头，将来配个小子就完了。”邢夫人笑道：“正是这个话了。别说鸳鸯，就是那些执事的大丫头，谁不愿意这样呢。你先过去，别露一点风声，我吃了晚饭就过来。”

　　凤姐儿暗想：“鸳鸯素习是个可恶的，虽如此说，保不严他就愿意。我先过去了，太太后过去，若他依了便没话说；倘或不依，太太是多疑的人，只怕就疑我走了风声，使他拿腔作势的。那时太太又见了应了我的话，羞恼变成怒，拿我出起气来，倒没意思。不如同着一齐过去了，他依也罢，不依也罢，就疑不到我身上了。”想毕，因笑道：“方才临来，舅母那边送了两笼子鹌鹑，我吩咐他们炸了，原要赶太太晚饭上送过来的。我才进大门时，见小子们抬车，说太太的车拔了缝，拿去收拾去了。不如这会子坐了我的车一齐过去倒好。”邢夫人听了，便命人来换衣服。凤姐忙着伏侍了一回，娘儿两个坐车过来。凤姐儿又说道：“太太过老太太那里去，我若跟了去，老太太若问起我过去作什么的，倒不好。不如太太先去，我脱了衣裳再来。”

　　邢夫人听了有理，便自往贾母处，和贾母说了一回闲话，便出来假托往王夫人房里去，从后门出去，打鸳鸯的卧房前过。只见鸳鸯正然坐在那里做针线，见了邢夫人，忙站起来。邢夫人笑道：“做什么呢？我瞧瞧，你扎的花儿越发好了。”一面说，一面便接他手内的针线瞧了一瞧，只管赞好。放下针线，又浑身打量。只见他穿着半新的藕合色的绫袄，青缎掐牙背心，下面水绿裙子。蜂腰削背，鸭蛋脸面，乌油头发，高高的鼻子，两边腮上微微的几点雀斑。鸳鸯见这般看他，自己倒不好意思起来，心里便觉诧异，因笑问道：“太太，这会子不早不晚的，过来做什么？”邢夫人使个眼色儿，跟的人退出。邢夫人便坐下，拉着鸳鸯的手笑道：“我特来给你道喜来了。”鸳鸯听了，心中已猜着三分，不觉红了脸，低了头不发一言。听邢夫人道：“你知道你老爷跟前竟没有个可靠的人，心里再要买一个，又怕那些人牙子家出来的不干不净，也不知道毛病儿，买了来家，三日两日，又要(上入下肉)鬼吊猴的。因满府里要挑一个家生女儿收了，又没个好的：不是模样儿不好，就是性子不好，有了这个好处，没了那个好处。因此冷眼选了半年，这些女孩子里头，就只你是个尖儿，模样儿，行事作人，温柔可靠，一概是齐全的。意思要和老太太讨了你去，收在屋里。你比不得外头新买的，你这一进去了，进门就开了脸，就封你姨娘，又体面，又尊贵。你又是个要强的人，俗语说的，‘金子终得金子换’，谁知竟被老爷看重了你。如今这一来，你可遂了素日志大心高的愿了，也堵一堵那些嫌你的人的嘴。跟了我回老太太去！”说着拉了他的手就要走。鸳鸯红了脸，夺手不行。邢夫人知他害臊，因又说道：“这有什么臊处？你又不用说话，只跟着我就是了。”鸳鸯只低了头不动身。邢夫人见他这般，便又说道：“难道你不愿意不成？若果然不愿意，可真是个傻丫头了。放着主子奶奶不作，倒愿意作丫头！三年二年，不过配上个小子，还是奴才。你跟了我们去，你知道我的性子又好，又不是那不容人的人。老爷待你们又好。过一年半载，生下个一男半女，你就和我并肩了。家里的人你要使唤谁，谁还不动？现成主子不做去，错过这个机会，后悔就迟了。”鸳鸯只管低了头，仍是不语。邢夫人又道：“你这么个响快人，怎么又这样积粘起来？有什么不称心之处，只管说与我，我管你遂心如意就是了。”鸳鸯仍不语。邢夫人又笑道：“想必你有老子娘，你自己不肯说话，怕臊。你等他们问你，这也是理。让我问他们去，叫他们来问你，有话只管告诉他们。”说毕，便往凤姐儿房中来。

　　凤姐儿早换了衣服，因房内无人，便将此话告诉了平儿。平儿也摇头笑道：“据我看，此事未必妥。平常我们背着人说起话来，听他那主意，未必是肯的。也只说着瞧罢了。”凤姐儿道：“太太必来这屋里商议。依了还可，若不依，白讨个臊，当着你们，岂不脸上不好看。你说给他们炸鹌鹑，再有什么配几样，预备吃饭。你且别处逛逛去，估量着去了再来。”平儿听说，照样传给婆子们，便逍遥自在的往园子里来。

　　这里鸳鸯见邢夫人去了，必在凤姐儿房里商议去了，必定有人来问他的，不如躲了这里，因找了琥珀说道：“老太太要问我，只说我病了，没吃早饭，往园子里逛逛就来。”琥珀答应了。鸳鸯也往园子里来，各处游玩，不想正遇见平儿。平儿因见无人，便笑道：“新姨娘来了！”鸳鸯听了，便红了脸，说道：“怪道你们串通一气来算计我！等着我和你主子闹去就是了。”平儿听了，自悔失言，便拉他到枫树底下，坐在一块石上，越性把方才凤姐过去回来所有的形景言词始末原由告诉与他。鸳鸯红了脸，向平儿冷笑道：“这是咱们好，比如袭人、琥珀、素云、紫鹃、彩霞、玉钏儿、麝月、翠墨，跟了史姑娘去的翠缕，死了的可人和金钏，去了的茜雪，连上你我，这十来个人，从小儿什么话儿不说？什么事儿不作？这如今因都大了，各自干各自的去了，然我心里仍是照旧，有话有事，并不瞒你们。这话我且放在你心里，且别和二奶奶说：别说大老爷要我做小老婆，就是太太这会子死了，他三媒六聘的娶我去作大老婆，我也不能去。”

　　平儿方欲笑答，只听山石背后哈哈的笑道：“好个没脸的丫头，亏你不怕牙碜。”二人听了不免吃了一惊，忙起身向山石背后找寻，不是别个，却是袭人笑着走了出来问：“什么事情？告诉我。”说着，三人坐在石上。平儿又把方才的话说与袭人听道：“真真这话论理不该我们说，这个大老爷太好色了，略平头正脸的，他就不放手了。”平儿道：“你既不愿意，我教你个法子，不用费事就完了。”鸳鸯道：“什么法子？你说来我听。”平儿笑道：“你只和老太太说，就说已经给了琏二爷了，大老爷就不好要了。”鸳鸯啐道：“什么东西！你还说呢！前儿你主子不是这么混说的？谁知应到今儿了！”袭人笑道：“他们两个都不愿意，我就和老太太说，叫老太太说把你已经许了宝玉了，大老爷也就死了心了。”鸳鸯又是气，又是臊，又是急，因骂道：“两个蹄子不得好死的！人家有为难的事，拿着你们当正经人，告诉你们与我排解排解，你们倒替换着取笑儿。你们自为都有了结果了，将来都是做姨娘的。据我看，天下的事未必都遂心如意。你们且收着些儿，别忒乐过了头儿！”二人见他急了，忙陪笑央告道：“好姐姐，别多心，咱们从小儿都是亲姊妹一般，不过无人处偶然取个笑儿。你的主意告诉我们知道，也好放心。”鸳鸯道：“什么主意！我只不去就完了。”平儿摇头道：“你不去未必得干休。大老爷的性子你是知道的。虽然你是老太太房里的人，此刻不敢把你怎么样，将来难道你跟老太太一辈子不成？也要出去的。那时落了他的手，倒不好了。”鸳鸯冷笑道：“老太太在一日，我一日不离这里；若是老太太归西去了，他横竖还有三年的孝呢，没个娘才死了他先纳小老婆的！等过三年，知道又是怎么个光景，那时再说。纵到了至急为难，我剪了头发作姑子去；不然，还有一死。一辈子不嫁男人，又怎么样？乐得干净呢！”平儿袭人笑道：“真这蹄子没了脸，越发信口儿都说出来了。”鸳鸯道：“事到如此，臊一会怎么样！你们不信，慢慢的看着就是了。太太才说了，找我老子娘去。我看他南京找去！”平儿道：“你的父母都在南京看房子，没上来，终久也寻的着。现在还有你哥哥嫂子在这里。可惜你是这里的的家生女儿，不如我们两个人是单在这里。”鸳鸯道：“家生女儿怎么样？‘牛不吃水强按头’？我不愿意，难道杀我的老子娘不成？”

　　正说着，只见他嫂子从那边走来。袭人道：“当时找不着你的爹娘，一定和你嫂子说了。”鸳鸯道：“这个娼妇专管是个‘九国贩骆驼的’，听了这话，他有个不奉承去的！”说话之间，已来到跟前。他嫂子笑道：“那里没找到，姑娘跑了这里来！你跟了我来，我和你说话。”平儿袭人都忙让坐。他嫂子说：“姑娘们请坐，我找我们姑娘说句话。”袭人平儿都装不知道，笑道：“什么话这样忙？我们这里猜谜儿赢手批子打呢，等猜了这个再去。”鸳鸯道：“什么话？你说罢。”他嫂子笑道：“你跟我来，到那里我告诉你，横竖有好话儿。”鸳鸯道：“可是大太太和你说的那话？”他嫂子笑道：“姑娘既知道，还奈何我！快来，我细细的告诉你，可是天大的喜事。”鸳鸯听说，立起身来，照他嫂子脸上下死劲啐了一口，指着他骂道：“你快夹着（上尸下穴）嘴离了这里，好多着呢！什么‘好话’！宋徽宗的鹰，赵子昂的马，都是好画儿。什么‘喜事’！状元痘儿灌的浆儿又满是喜事。怪道成日家羡慕人家女儿作了小老婆，一家子都仗着他横行霸道的，一家子都成了小老婆了！看的眼热了，也把我送在火坑里去。我若得脸呢，你们在外头横行霸道，自己就封自己是舅爷了。我若不得脸败了时，你们把忘八脖子一缩，生死由我。”一面说，一面哭，平儿袭人拦着劝。他嫂子脸上下不来，因说道：“愿意不愿意，你也好说，不犯着牵三挂四的。俗语说，‘当着矮人，别说短话’。姑奶奶骂我，我不敢还言；这二位姑娘并没惹着你，小老婆长小老婆短，大家脸上怎么过得去？”袭人平儿忙道：“你倒别这么说，他也并不是说我们，你倒别牵三挂四的。你听见那位太太、太爷们封我们做小老婆？况且我们两个也没有爹娘哥哥兄弟在这门子里仗着我们横行霸道的。他骂的人自有他骂的，我们犯不着多心。”鸳鸯道：“他见我骂了他，他臊了，没的盖脸，又拿话挑唆你们两个，幸亏你们两个明白。原是我急了，也没分别出来，他就挑出这个空儿来。”他嫂子自觉没趣，赌气去了。

　　鸳鸯气得还骂，平儿袭人劝他一回，方才罢了。平儿因问袭人道：“你在那里藏着做甚么的？我们竟没看见你。”袭人道：“我因为往四姑娘房里瞧我们宝二爷去的，谁知迟了一步，说是来家里来了。我疑惑怎么不遇见呢，想要往林姑娘家里找去，又遇见他的人说也没去。我这里正疑惑是出园子去了，可巧你从那里来了，我一闪，你也没看见。后来他又来了。我从这树后头走到山子石后，我却见你两个说话来了，谁知你们四个眼睛没见我。”

　　一语未了，又听身后笑道：“四个眼睛没见你？你们六个眼睛竟没见我！”三人唬了一跳，回身一看，不是别个，正是宝玉走来。袭人先笑道：“叫我好找，你那里来？”宝玉笑道：“我从四妹妹那里出来，迎头看见你来了，我就知道是找我去的，我就藏了起来哄你。看你（左下为走，右上为佥）着头过去了，进了院子就出来了，逢人就问。我在那里好笑，只等你到了跟前唬你一跳的，后来见你也藏藏躲躲的，我就知道也是要哄人了。我探头往前看了一看，却是他两个，所以我就绕到你身后。你出去，我就躲在你躲的那里了。”平儿笑道：“咱们再往后找找去，只怕还找出两个人来也未可知。”宝玉笑道：“这可再没了。”鸳鸯已知话俱被宝玉听了，只伏在石头上装睡。宝玉推他笑道：“这石头上冷，咱们回房里去睡，岂不好？”说着拉起鸳鸯来，又忙让平儿来家坐吃茶。平儿和袭人都劝鸳鸯走，鸳鸯方立起身来，四人竟往怡红院来。宝玉将方才的话俱已听见，心中自然不快，只默默的歪在床上，任他三人在外间说笑。

　　那边邢夫人因问凤姐儿鸳鸯的父母，凤姐因回说：“他爹的名字叫金彩，两口子都在南京看房子，从不大上京。他哥哥金文翔，现在是老太太那边的买办。他嫂子也是老太太那边浆洗的头儿。”邢夫人便令人叫了他嫂子金文翔媳妇来，细细说与他。金家媳妇自是喜欢，兴兴头头找鸳鸯，只望一说必妥，不想被鸳鸯抢白一顿，又被袭人平儿说了几句，羞恼回来，便对邢夫人说：“不中用，他倒骂了我一场。”因凤姐儿在旁，不敢提平儿，只说：“袭人也帮着他抢白我，也说了许多不知好歹的话，回不得主子的。太太和老爷商议再买罢。谅那小蹄子也没有这么大福，我们也没有这么大造化。”邢夫人听了，因说道：“又与袭人什么相干？他们如何知道的？”又问：“还有谁在跟前？”金家的道：“还有平姑娘。”凤姐儿忙道：“你不该拿嘴巴子打他回来？我一出了门，他就逛去了；回家来连一个影儿也摸不着他！他必定也帮着说什么呢！”金家的道：“平姑娘没在跟前，远远的看着倒象是他，可也不真切，不过是我白忖度。”凤姐便命人去：“快打了他来，告诉他我来家了，太太也在这里，请他来帮个忙儿。”丰儿忙上来回道：“林姑娘打发了人下请字请了三四次，他才去了。奶奶一进门我就叫他去的。林姑娘说：‘告诉你奶奶，我烦他有事呢。’”凤姐儿听了方罢，故意的还说“天天烦他，有些什么事！”

　　邢夫人无计，吃了饭回家，晚间告诉了贾赦。贾赦想了一想，即刻叫贾琏来说：“南京的房子还有人看着，不止一家，即刻叫上金彩来。”贾琏回道：“上次南京信来，金彩已经得了痰迷心窍，那边连棺材银子都赏了，不知如今是死是活，便是活着，人事不知，叫来也无用。他老婆子又是个聋子。”贾赦听了，喝了一声，又骂：“下流囚攮的，偏你这么知道，还不离了我这里！”唬得贾琏退出，一时又叫传金文翔。贾琏在外书房伺候着，又不敢家去，又不敢见他父亲，只得听着。一时金文翔来了，小幺儿们直带入二门里去，隔了五六顿饭的工夫才出来去了。贾琏暂且不敢打听，隔了一会，又打听贾赦睡了，方才过来。至晚间凤姐儿告诉他，方才明白。

　　鸳鸯一夜没睡，至次日，他哥哥回贾母接他家去逛逛，贾母允了，命他出去。鸳鸯意欲不去，只怕贾母疑心，只得勉强出来。他哥哥只得将贾赦的话说与他，又许他怎么体面，又怎么当家作姨娘。鸳鸯只咬定牙不愿意。他哥哥无法，少不得去回覆了贾赦。贾赦怒起来，因说道：“我这话告诉你，叫你女人向他说去，就说我的话：‘自古嫦娥爱少年’，他必定嫌我老了，大约他恋着少爷们，多半是看上了宝玉，只怕也有贾琏。果有此心，叫他早早歇了心，我要他不来，此后谁还敢收？此是一件。第二件，想着老太太疼他，将来自然往外聘作正头夫妻去。叫他细想，凭他嫁到谁家去，也难出我的手心。除非他死了，或是终身不嫁男人，我就伏了他！若不然时，叫他趁早回心转意，有多少好处。”贾赦说一句，金文翔应一声“是”。贾赦道：“你别哄我，我明儿还打发你太太过去问鸳鸯，你们说了，他不依，便没你们的不是。若问他，他再依了，仔细你的脑袋！”

　　金文翔忙应了又应，退出回家，也不等得告诉他女人转说，竟自已对面说了这话。把个鸳鸯气的无话可回，想了一想，便说道：“便愿意去，也须得你们带了我回声老太太去。”他哥嫂听了，只当回想过来，都喜之不胜。他嫂子即刻带了他上来见贾母。

　　可巧王夫人、薛姨妈、李纨、凤姐儿、宝钗等姊妹并外头的几个执事有头脸的媳妇，都在贾母跟前凑趣儿呢。鸳鸯喜之不尽，拉了他嫂子，到贾母跟前跪下，一行哭，一行说，把邢夫人怎么来说，园子里他嫂子又如何说，今儿他哥哥又如何说，“因为不依，方才大老爷越性说我恋着宝玉，不然要等着往外聘，我到天上，这一辈子也跳不出他的手心去，终久要报仇。我是横了心的，当着众人在这里，我这一辈子莫说是‘宝玉’，便是‘宝金’‘宝银’‘宝天王’‘宝皇帝’，横竖不嫁人就完了！就是老太太逼着我，我一刀抹死了，也不能从命！若有造化，我死在老太太之先；若没造化，该讨吃的命，伏侍老太太归了西，我也不跟着我老子娘哥哥去，我或是寻死，或是剪了头发当尼姑去！若说我不是真心，暂且拿话来支吾，日后再图别的，天地鬼神，日头月亮照着嗓子，从嗓子里头长疔烂了出来，烂化成酱在这里！”原来他一进来时，便袖了一把剪子，一面说着，一面左手打开头发，右手便铰。众婆娘丫鬟忙来拉住，已剪下半绺来了。众人看时，幸而他的头发极多，铰的不透，连忙替他挽上。贾母听了，气的浑身乱战，口内只说：“我通共剩了这么一个可靠的人，他们还要来算计！”因见王夫人在旁，便向王夫人道：“你们原来都是哄我的！外头孝敬，暗地里盘算我。有好东西也来要，有好人也要，剩了这么个毛丫头，见我待他好了，你们自然气不过，弄开了他，好摆弄我！”王夫人忙站起来，不敢还一言。薛姨妈见连王夫人怪上，反不好劝的了。李纨一听见鸳鸯的话，早带了姊妹们出去。

　　探春有心的人，想王夫人虽有委曲，如何敢辩；薛姨妈也是亲姊妹，自然也不好辩的；宝钗也不便为姨母辩；李纨、凤姐、宝玉一概不敢辩；这正用着女孩儿之时，迎春老实，惜春小，因此窗外听了一听，便走进来陪笑向贾母道：“这事与太太什么相干？老太太想一想，也有大伯子要收屋里的人，小婶子如何知道？便知道，也推不知道。”犹未说完，贾母笑道：“可是我老糊涂了！姨太太别笑话我。你这个姐姐他极孝顺我，不象我那大太太一味怕老爷，婆婆跟前不过应景儿。可是委屈了他。”薛姨妈只答应“是”，又说：“老太太偏心，多疼小儿子媳妇，也是有的。”贾母道：“不偏心！”因又说道：“宝玉，我错怪了你娘，你怎么也不提我，看着你娘受委屈？”宝玉笑道：“我偏着娘说大爷大娘不成？通共一个不是，我娘在这里不认，却推谁去？我倒要认是我的不是，老太太又不信。”贾母笑道：“这也有理。你快给你娘跪下，你说太太别委屈了，老太太有年纪了，看着宝玉罢。”宝玉听了，忙走过去，便跪下要说；王夫人忙笑着拉他起来，说：“快起来，快起来，断乎使不得。终不成你替老太太给我赔不是不成？”宝玉听说，忙站起来。贾母又笑道：“凤姐儿也不提我。”凤姐儿笑道：“我倒不派老太太的不是，老太太倒寻上我了？”贾母听了，与众人都笑道：“这可奇了！倒要听听这不是。”凤姐儿道：“谁教老太太会调理人，调理的水葱儿似的，怎么怨得人要？我幸亏是孙子媳妇，若是孙子，我早要了，还等到这会子呢。”贾母笑道：“这倒是我的不是了？”凤姐儿笑道：“自然是老太太的不是了。”贾母笑道：“这样，我也不要了，你带了去罢！”凤姐儿道：“等着修了这辈子，来生托生男人，我再要罢。”贾母笑道：“你带了去，给琏儿放在屋里，看你那没脸的公公还要不要了！”凤姐儿道：“琏儿不配，就只配我和平儿这一对烧糊了的卷子和他混罢。”说的众人都笑起来了。丫鬟回说：“大太太来了。”王夫人忙迎了出去。要知端的──

CHAPTER XLVI.
An improper man with difficulty keeps from improprieties — The maid, Yüan Yang, vows to break off the marriage match.
Lin Tai-yü, to resume our story, dropped off gradually to sleep about the close of the fourth watch. As there is therefore nothing more that we can for the present say about her, let us take up the thread of our narrative with lady Feng.

Upon hearing that Madame Hsing wanted to see her, she could not make out what it could be about, so hurriedly putting on some extra things on her person and head, she got into a carriage and crossed over.

Madame Hsing at once dismissed every attendant from her suite of apartments. “I sent for you,” she began, addressing herself to lady Feng, in a confidential tone, “not for anything else, but on account of something which places me on the horns of a dilemma. My husband has entrusted me with a job; and being quite at my wits’ ends how to act, I’d like first to consult with you. My husband has taken quite a fancy to Yüan Yang, who is in our worthy senior’s rooms; so much so, that he’s desirous to get her into his quarters as a secondary wife. He has deputed me therefore to ask her of our venerable ancestor. I know that this is quite an ordinary matter. Yet I can’t help fearing that our worthy senior may refuse to give her. But do you perchance see your way to bring this concern about?”

Lady Feng listened to her. “You shouldn’t, I say, go and bang your head against a nail!” she then vehemently exclaimed. “Were our old ancestor separated from Yüan Yang, she wouldn’t even touch her rice! How ever could she reconcile herself to part from her? Besides, our worthy senior has time and again said, in the course of a chat, ‘that she can’t see the earthly use of a man well up in years, as your lord and master is, having here one concubine, and there another? That cooping them up in his rooms, is a mere waste of human beings. That he neglects his constitution and doesn’t husband it; and that he doesn’t either attend diligently to his official duties, but spends his whole days in boozing with his young concubines. When your ladyship hears these nice doings of his, don’t you feel enamoured with that fine gentleman of ours? Were he even to try, at this juncture, to beat a retreat, he couldn’t, I fear, effectively do so. Yet, instead of (making an effort to turn tail), he wants to go and dig the tiger’s nostrils with a blade of straw. Don’t, my lady, be angry with me; but I daren’t undertake the errand. It’s clear as day that it will be a wild goose chase. What’s more, it will do him no good; but will, contrariwise, heap disgrace upon his own head! Our Mr. Chia She is now so stricken in years, that in all his actions he unavoidably behaves somewhat as a dotard. It would be well therefore for your ladyship to advise him what to do. It isn’t as if he were in the prime of life to be able to do all these things with impunity! He’s got at present a whole array of brothers, nieces, sons, and grandsons; and should he still go on in this wild sort of way, how will he be able to face any of them?”

Madame Hsing gave a sardonic smile. “There are endless wealthy families with three and four concubines,” she said, “and is it in ours that such a thing won’t do? But were I even to tender him as much advice as I can, it isn’t at all likely that he’ll abide by it! Even though that maid be one beloved by our venerable senior, it doesn’t follow that she’ll very well be able to give a rebuff to a hoary-bearded elderly son, and, erewhile, an official, were he to express a wish to have her as an inmate of his household! I sent for you for no other purpose than to deliberate with you, and here you take the initiative and enumerate a whole array of shortcomings. But is there any reason why I should commission you to go? Of course I’ll go and speak to her! You make a bold statement that I don’t give him any good counsel; but don’t you yet know that with a disposition, such as his, he rushes, before I can very well open my lips to advise him, into a tantrum with me?”

Lady Feng was well alive to the fact that Madame Hsing was, by nature, simple and weak-minded, and that all she knew was to adulate Chia She so as to ensure her own safety. That she was, in the next place, ever ready, so greedy was she, to grasp as much hard cash and as many effects, as she could lay hold of, for her own private gain. That she left all family matters, irrespective of important or unimportant, under the sole control of Chia She; but that, whenever anything turned up, involving any receipts or payments, she extorted an unusual percentage, the moment the money passed through her clutches, giving out as a pretence: ‘Well Chia She is so extravagant that I have to interfere and effect sufficient economies to enable us to make up our deficits.’ And that she would not trust any one, whether son, daughter or servant, nor lend an ear to a single word of remonstrance. When she therefore now heard Madame Hsing speak as she did, she concluded that she must be in another of her perverse moods, and that any admonitions would be of no avail. So hastily forcing a smile: “My lady,” she observed, “you’re perfectly right in your remarks! But how long can I have lived, and what discrimination can I boast of? It seems to me that if a father and mother do not bestow, not a mere servant-girl like she is, but a living jewel of the size of her, on one like Mr. Chia She, to whom are they likely to give her? How can one give faith to words spoken behind one’s back? So what a fool I was (in cramming what I heard down my throat)! Just take our Mr. Secundus, (my husband), as an instance. If ever he does anything to incur blame, Mr. Chia She and you, my lady, feel so wrath with him as to only wish you could lay hands upon him there and then and give him such a blow as would kill him downright, but the moment you set eyes on his face, your whole resentment vanishes, and lo, you again let him have, as of old, everything, and anything, much though both of you might relish it in your hearts! Our worthy ancestor will certainly therefore behave in the present instance, with equal liberality, towards Mr. Chia She! So if her ladyship feels in the humour to-day, she’ll let him have her, I fancy, at once this very day, if he makes the proper advances. But I’ll go ahead and coax our venerable senior; and, when your ladyship comes over, I’ll find some pretence to get out of the way, and take along with me those too who may be present in her rooms, so as to make it convenient for you to broach the subject. If she gives her, so much the better. But if even she doesn’t, it won’t matter; for none of the inmates will have any idea what the object of your mission could have been.”

After listening to her suggestion, Madame Hsing began again to feel in a happier frame of mind. “My idea is,” she observed, “that I shouldn’t start by mentioning anything to our venerable senior, for were she to say that she wouldn’t give her, the matter would be simply quashed on the head. I can’t help thinking that I should first and foremost quietly approach Yüan Yang on the subject. She will, of course, feel extremely ashamed, but when I explain everything minutely to her, she’ll certainly have nothing to say against the proposal, and everything will be all right. I can then speak to our old senior; and, despite any desire on her part not to accede to our wishes, she won’t be able to put the girl off, provided she herself be willing; for as the adage says: ‘If a person wishes to go, it’s no use trying to keep him.’ Thus needless to say, the whole thing will be satisfactorily settled!”

“You’re really shrewd in your devices, my lady!” lady Feng smilingly ejaculated. “This is perfect in every respect! For without taking Yüan Yang into account, what girl does not long to rise high, or hope to exalt herself, or think of pushing herself forward above the rest as to cast away the chances of becoming half a mistress, and prefer instead being a maid, and merely becoming by and bye the mate of some servant-lad?”

“Quite so!” Madame Hsing smiled. “But let’s put Yüan Yang aside. Who is there, even among the various elderly waiting-maids, who look after the house, who wouldn’t be only too willing to step into these shoes? You’d better then go ahead. But, mind, don’t let the cat out of the bag! I’ll join you as soon as I can finish my evening meal.”

“Yüan Yang,” thereupon secretly reflected lady Feng, “has always been an extremely shrewd-minded girl; to such a degree, that there is notwithstanding all our arguments, no saying positively whether she’ll accept or refuse. So were I to go ahead, and Madame Hsing to follow me by and bye, there won’t be any occasion for her to grumble or complain, so long as she assents; but, if she doesn’t, why, Madame Hsing, who is so suspicious a creature, will possibly imagine that I’ve been gassing with her, and been the means of making her put on side and assume high airs. When Madame Hsing finds then that my conjectures have turned out true again, her shame will be converted into anger, and she’ll so vent her spite upon me that I shall, after all, be put in a false position. Would it not be better then that she and I should go together; for, if she says ‘yes,’ I’ll be all right; and, if she replies ‘no,’ I’ll be on the safe side; and no suspicion, of any kind, will fall upon me!”

At the close of her reflections, “As I was about to cross over here,” she remarked laughingly, “our aunt yonder sent us two baskets of quails, and I gave orders that they should be fried, with the idea that they should be brought to your ladyship, in time for you to have some at your evening repast. Just as I was stepping inside the main entrance, I saw the servant-boys carrying your curricle; they said that it was your ladyship’s vehicle, that it had cracked, and that they were taking it to be repaired. Wouldn’t it be as well then that you should now come in my carriage, for it will be better for you and me to get there together?”

At this suggestion, Madame Hsing directed her servants to come and change her costume. Lady Feng quickly waited upon her, and in a while the two ladies got into one and the same curricle and drove over.

“My lady,” lady Feng went on to say, “it would be well for you to look up our worthy senior, for were I to accompany you, and her ladyship to ask me what was the object of my visit, it would be rather awkward. The best way is for your ladyship to go first, and I’ll join you, as soon as I divest myself of my fine clothes.”

Madame Hsing noticed how reasonable her proposal was, and she readily betook herself to old lady Chia’s quarters. But after a chat with her senior, she quitted the apartment, under the pretence that she was going to Madame Wang’s rooms. Then making her exit by the back door, she passed in front of Yüan Yang’s bedroom. Here she saw Yüan Yang sitting, hard at work at some needlework. The moment she caught sight of Madame Hsing, she rose to her feet.

“What are you up to?” Madame Hsing laughingly inquired. “Let me see! How much nicer you embroider artificial flowers now!”

So speaking, she entered, and, taking the needlework from her hands, she scrutinised it, while extolling its beauty. Then laying down the work, and scanning her again from head to foot, she observed that her costume consisted of a half-new, grey thin silk jacket, and a bluish satin waistcoat with scollops; that below this came a water-green jupe; that her waist was slim as that of a wasp; that her shoulders sloped as if pared; that her face resembled a duck’s egg; that her hair was black and shiny; that her nose was very high, and that on both her cheeks were slightly visible several small flat moles.

Yüan Yang realised how intently she was being passed under scrutiny, and began to feel inwardly uneasy; while utter astonishment prevailed in her mind. “Madame,” she felt impelled to ask, “what do you come for at this impossible hour?”

At a wink from Madame Hsing, her attendants withdrew from the room. Madame Hsing forthwith seated herself, and grasped Yüan Yang’s hand in hers. “I’ve come,” she smiled, “with the special purpose of presenting you my congratulations.”

This reply enabled Yüan Yang at once to form within herself some surmise more or less correct of the object of her errand, and suddenly blushing crimson, she lowered her head, and uttered not a word.

“You know well enough,” she next heard Madame Hsing resume, “that there’s not a single reliable person with my husband; but much though we’d like to purchase some other girl we fear that such as might come out of a broker’s household wouldn’t be quite spotless and taintless. Nor would one be able to get any idea what her failings are, until after she has been purchased and brought home; when she too will be sure, in two or three days, to behave like an imp and play some monkey tricks! That’s why we thought of choosing some home-born girl out of those which throng in our mansion, but then again we could find none decent enough; for if her looks were not at fault, her disposition was not proper; and if she possessed this quality, she lacked that one. Hence it is that after repeatedly choosing with dispassionate eye, during half a year, (he finds) that there’s only you among that whole bevy of girls, who’s worth anything; that in looks, behaviour and deportment, you’re gentle, trustworthy, and perfection itself in every respect. His intention therefore is to ask your hand of our old lady and take you over and attach you to his quarters. You won’t be treated as one newly-purchased, or newly-sought for outside; for the moment you put your foot into our house, you’ll at once have your face shaved and be promoted to a secondary wife; so you’ll thus attain as much dignity as honour. More, you’re one who is anxious to excel; and, as the proverb says, ‘gold will still be exchanged for gold.’ My husband has, who’d have thought it, taken a fancy to you, so when you now enter our threshold, you’ll fulfil the wish you’ve cherished all along with such high purpose and lofty aim, and stop the mouths of those persons, who are envious of your lot. Follow me therefore and let’s go and lay the matter before our venerable ancestor.”

Arguing the while, she dragged her by the hand with the idea of hurrying her off there and then. Yüan Yang, however, blushed to her very ears, and, snatching her hand out of her grip she refused to budge.

Madame Hsing was conscious that she was under the spell of intense shame. “What’s there in this to be ashamed?” she continued, “You needn’t besides breathe a word! All you have to do is to follow me, that’s all.”

Yüan Yang continued to droop her head and to decline to go with her. Madame Hsing, perceiving her behaviour, went on to exhort her. “Is it likely, pray,” she said, “that you still hesitate? If you actually don’t feel inclined to accept the offer, you’re, in real truth, a foolish girl; for here you let go the chances of becoming the secondary consort of a master, and choose instead to continue a servant-girl. You’ll be united, in two or three years, to no one higher than some young domestic, and remain as much a bond-servant as ever! If you come along with us, you know that my disposition too is gentle; that I’m not one of those persons, who don’t show any regard for any one; that my husband will also treat you as well as he does every one else, and that when, in the course of a year or so, you give birth to a son or daughter, you’ll be placed on the same footing as myself. And of all the servants at home, will any you may wish to employ not deign to move to execute your orders? If now that you have a chance of becoming a mistress, you don’t choose to, why, you’ll miss the opportunity, and then you may repent it, but it will be too late!”

Yüan Yang still kept her head bent against her chest and spake not a syllable by way of reply.

“How is it,” added Madame Hsing, “that you, who’ve ever been so quick have now too begun to be so infirm of purpose? What is there that doesn’t fall in with your wishes? Just tell me; and I can safely assure you that you’ll have everything done to satisfy you.”

Yüan Yang observed, as hitherto, perfect silence.

“I suppose,” laughed Madame Hsing, “that having a father and mother, you yourself don’t wish to speak, for fear of being put to the blush, and that you want to wait until such time as they consult you about it, eh? This is quite right! But you’d better let me go and make the proposal to them and tell them to come and ascertain your wishes; and whatever your answer then may be just entrust it to them.”

This said, she sped into lady Feng’s suite of rooms.

Lady Feng had long ago changed her attire, and availed herself of the absence of any bystander in her apartments to confide the whole matter to P’ing Erh.

P’ing Erh nodded her head and smiled. “According to my views, success is not so certain,” she observed. “She and I have often secretly talked this matter over, and the arguments I heard her propound don’t make it the least probable that she’ll consent. But all we can say now is: ‘We’ll see!’”

“Madame Hsing,” lady Feng remarked, “is sure to come over here to consult with me. If she has assented, well and good; but, if she hasn’t, she’ll bring displeasure upon her own self, and won’t she feel out of countenance, if all of you are present? So tell the others to fry several quails, and get anything nice, that goes well with them, and prepare it for our repast, while you can go and stroll about in some other spot, and return when you fancy she has gone.”

Hearing this, P’ing Erh transmitted her wishes word for word to the matrons; after which, she sauntered leisurely all alone, into the garden.

When Yüan Yang saw Madame Hsing depart, she concluded that she was bound to go into lady Feng’s rooms to consult with her, and that some one was sure to come and ask her about the proposal, so thinking it advisable to cross over to this side of the mansion to get out of the way, she consequently repaired in quest of Hu Po.

“Should our old mistress,” she said to her, “ask for me, just say that I was so unwell that I couldn’t even have any breakfast; that I’ve gone into the garden for a stroll, but that I will be back at once.”

Hu Po undertook to tell her so, and Yüan Yang then betook herself too into the garden. While lolling all over the place, she, contrary to her expectations, encountered P’ing Erh. P’ing Erh looked round to see that there was no one about. “Here comes the new secondary wife!” she smilingly exclaimed.

Yüan Yang caught this greeting, and promptly the colour rose to her face. “How strange it is,” she rejoined, “that you’ve all colluded together to come, with one accord, and scheme against me! But wait until I’ve had it out with your mistress, and then I’ll set things all right.”

When P’ing Erh observed the angry look on Yüan Yang’s countenance, her conscience was so stricken with remorse, on account of the inconsiderate remark she had passed, that drawing her under the maple tree, she made her sit on the same boulder as herself, and then went so far as to recount to her, from beginning to end, all that transpired, and everything that was said on lady Feng’s return, a short while back, from the off mansion.

Blushes flew to Yüan Yang’s cheeks. Facing P’ing Erh, she gave a sardonic smile. “We’ve all ever been friends,” she said, “that is: Hsi Jen, Hu Po, Su Yün, Tzu Chüan, Ts’ai Hsia, Yü Ch’uan, She Yüeh, Ts’ui Mo, Ts’ui Lü, who was in Miss Shih’s service and is now gone, K’o Jen and Chin Ch’uan, now deceased, Hsi Hsüeh, who left, and you and I. Ever since our youth up, how many chats have the ten or dozen of us not had, and what have we not been up to together? But now that we’ve grown up, each of us has gone her own way! Yet, my heart is just what it was in days gone by. Whenever there’s anything for me to say or do, I don’t try to impose upon any of you; so just first treasure in your heart the secret I’m going to tell you, and don’t mention it to our lady Secunda! Not to speak of our senior master wishing to make me his concubine, were even our lady to die this very moment, and he to send endless go-betweens, and countless betrothal presents, with the idea of wedding me and taking me over as his lawful primary wife, I wouldn’t also go.”

P’ing Erh was at this point desirous to put in some observation, when from behind the boulder became audible the loud tones of laughter. “You most barefaced girl!” a voice cried. “It’s well you’re not afraid of your teeth falling when you utter such things!”

These words reached the ears of both girls, and, so unawares were they taken, that they got a regular start, and jumping up with all haste they went to see behind the boulder. They found no one else than Hsi Jen, who presented herself before them, with a smiling countenance, and asked: “What’s up? Do tell me!”

As she spoke, the trio seated themselves on a rock. P’ing Erh then imparted to Hsi Jen as well the drift of their recent conversation.

“Properly speaking, we shouldn’t pass such judgments,” Hsi Jen remarked, after listening to her confidences, “but this senior master of ours is really a most licentious libertine. So much so, that whenever he comes across a girl with any good looks about her, he won’t let her out of his grasp.”

“Since you don’t like to entertain his offer,” P’ing Erh suggested, “I’ll put you up to a plan.”

“What plan is it?” Yüan Yang inquired.

“Just simply tell our old mistress,” P’ing Erh laughed, “this answer: that you’ve already been promised to our master Secundus, Mr. Lien. Our senior master then won’t very well be able to be importunate.’”

“Ts’ui!” ejaculated Yüan Yang. “What a thing you are! Do you still make such suggestions? Didn’t your mistress the other day utter this silly nonsense! Who’d have thought it, her words have now come true!”

“If you won’t have either of them,” Hsi Jen smiled, “my idea is that you should tell our old lady point blank and ask her to give out that she promised you long ago to our master, number two, Pao-yü. Our senior master will then banish this fad from his mind.”

Yüan Yang was overcome with anger, shame and exasperation. “What dreadful vixens both of you are!” she shouted. “You don’t deserve a natural death! I find myself in a fix, and treat you as decent sort of persons and confide in you so that you should arrange matters for me; and not to say that you don’t bother yourselves a rap about me, you take turn and turn about to poke fun at me! You’re under the impression, in your own minds, that your fates are sealed, and that both of you are bound by and bye to become secondary wives; but I can’t help thinking that affairs under the heavens don’t so certainly fall in always with one’s wishes and expectations! So you’d better now pull up a bit, and not be cheeky to such an excessive degree!”

Both her companions then realised in what state of despair she was, and promptly forcing a smile, “Dear sister,” they said, “don’t be so touchy! We’ve been, ever since we were little mites, like very sisters! All we’ve done is to spontaneously indulge in a little fun in a spot where there’s no one present. But tell us what you’ve decided to do, so that we too should know, and set our minds at ease.”

“Decided what?” Yüan Yang cried. “All I know is that I won’t go; that’s finished.”

P’ing Erh shook her head. “You mightn’t go,” she interposed, “but it isn’t likely that the matter will drop. You’re well aware what sort of temperament that of our senior master’s is. It’s true that you’re attached to our old mistress’ rooms, and that he can’t, just at present, presume to do the least thing to you; but can it be, forsooth, that you’ll be with the old dame for your whole lifetime? You’ll also have to leave to get married, and if you then fall into his hands, it won’t go well with you.”

Yüan Yang smiled ironically. “I won’t leave this place so long as my old lady lives!” Yüan Yang protested. “In the event of her ladyship departing this life, he’ll have, under any circumstances, to also go into mourning for three years; for there’s no such thing as starting by marrying a concubine, soon after a mother’s death! And while he waits for three years to expire, can one say what may not happen? It will be time enough to talk about it when that date comes. But should I be driven to despair from being hard pressed, I’ll cut my hair off and become a nun. If not, there’s yet another thing: death! And as for a whole life time I shall not join myself to a man, what joy will not then be mine, for having managed to preserve my purity?”

“In very truth,” P’ing Erh and Hsi Jen laughed, “this vixen has no sense of shame! She has now more than ever spoken whatever came foremost to her lips!”