Dream of the red chamber

Chin Jung became still more haughty, and wagging his head and smacking his lips, he gave vent to many more abusive epithets; but as it happened that they also reached Yü Ai’s ears, the two of them, though seated apart, began an altercation in a loud tone of voice.

Chin Jung, with obstinate pertinacity, clung to his version. “Just a short while back,” he said, “I actually came upon them, as they were indulging in demonstrations of intimate friendship in the back court. These two had resolved to be one in close friendship, and were eloquent in their protestations, mindful only in persistently talking their trash, but they were not aware of the presence of another person.”

But his language had, contrary to all expectations, given, from the very first, umbrage to another person, and who do you, (gentle reader,) imagine this person to have been?

This person was, in fact, one whose name was Chia Se; a grandson likewise of a main branch of the Ning mansion. His parents had died at an early period, and he had, ever since his youth, lived with Chia Chen. He had at this time grown to be sixteen years of age, and was, as compared with Chia Jung, still more handsome and good looking. These two cousins were united by ties of the closest intimacy, and were always together, whether they went out or stayed at home.

The inmates of the Ning mansion were many in number, and their opinions of a mixed kind; and that whole bevy of servants, devoid as they were of all sense of right, solely excelled in the practice of inventing stories to backbite their masters; and this is how some mean person or other again, who it was is not known, insinuated slanderous and opprobrious reports (against Chia Se). Chia Chen had, presumably, also come to hear some unfavourable criticisms (on his account), and having, of course, to save himself from odium and suspicion, he had, at this juncture, after all, to apportion him separate quarters, and to bid Chia Se move outside the Ning mansion, where he went and established a home of his own to live in.

This Chia Se was handsome as far as external appearances went, and intelligent withal in his inward natural gifts, but, though he nominally came to school, it was simply however as a mere blind; for he treated, as he had ever done, as legitimate occupations, such things as cock fighting, dog-racing and visiting places of easy virtue. And as, above, he had Chia Chen to spoil him by over-indulgence; and below, there was Chia Jung to stand by him, who of the clan could consequently presume to run counter to him?

Seeing that he was on the closest terms of friendship with Chia Jung, how could he reconcile himself to the harsh treatment which he now saw Ch’in Chung receive from some persons? Being now bent upon pushing himself forward to revenge the injustice, he was, for the time, giving himself up to communing with his own heart. “Chin Jung, Chia Jui and the rest are,” he pondered, “friends of uncle Hsüeh, but I too am on friendly terms with him, and he with me, and if I do come forward and they tell old Hsüeh, won’t we impair the harmony which exists between us? and if I don’t concern myself, such idle tales make, when spoken, every one feel uncomfortable; and why shouldn’t I now devise some means to hold them in check, so as to stop their mouths, and prevent any loss of face!”

Having concluded this train of thought, he also pretended that he had to go out, and, walking as far as the back, he, with low voice, called to his side Ming Yen, the page attending upon Pao-yü in his studies, and in one way and another, he made use of several remarks to egg him on.

This Ming Yen was the smartest of Pao-yü‘s attendants, but he was also young in years and lacked experience, so that he lent a patient ear to what Chia Se had to say about the way Chin Jung had insulted Ch’in Chung. “Even your own master, Pao-yü,” (Chia Se added), “is involved, and if you don’t let him know a bit of your mind, he will next time be still more arrogant.”

This Ming Yen was always ready, even with no valid excuse, to be insolent and overbearing to people, so that after hearing the news and being furthermore instigated by Chia Se, he speedily rushed into the schoolroom and cried out “Chin Jung;” nor did he address him as Mr. Chin, but merely shouted “What kind of fellow is this called Chin?”

Chia Se presently shuffled his feet, while he designedly adjusted his dress and looked at the rays of the sun. “It’s time,” he observed and walking forthwith, first up to Chia Jui, he explained to him that he had something to attend to and would like to get away a little early; and as Chia Jui did not venture to stop him, he had no alternative but to let him have his way and go.

During this while, Ming Yen had entered the room and promptly seizing Chin Jung in a grip: “What we do, whether proper or improper,” he said, “doesn’t concern you! It’s enough anyway that we don’t defile your father! A fine brat you are indeed, to come out and meddle with your Mr. Ming!”

These words plunged the scholars of the whole class in such consternation that they all wistfully and absently looked at him.

“Ming Yen,” hastily shouted out Chia Jui, “you’re not to kick up a rumpus.”

Chin Jung was so full of anger that his face was quite yellow. “What a subversion of propriety! a slave and a menial to venture to behave in this manner! I’ll just simply speak to your master,” he exclaimed as he readily pushed his hands off and was about to go and lay hold of Pao-yü to beat him.

Ch’in Chung was on the point of turning round to leave the room, when with a sound of ‘whiff’ which reached him from behind, he at once caught sight of a square inkslab come flying that way. Who had thrown it he could not say, but it struck the desk where Chia Lan and Chia Chün were seated.

These two, Chia Lan and Chia Chün, were also the great-grandsons of a close branch of the Jung mansion. This Chia Chün had been left fatherless at an early age, and his mother doated upon him in an unusual manner, and it was because at school he was on most friendly terms with Chia Lan, that these two sat together at the same desk. Who would have believed that Chia Chün would, in spite of being young in years, have had an extremely strong mind, and that he would be mostly up to mischief without the least fear of any one. He watched with listless eye from his seat Chin Jung’s friends stealthily assist Chin Jung, as they flung an inkslab to strike Ming Yen, but when, as luck would have it, it hit the wrong mark, and fell just in front of him, smashing to atoms the porcelain inkslab and water bottle, and smudging his whole book with ink, Chia Chün was, of course, much incensed, and hastily gave way to abuse. “You consummate pugnacious criminal rowdies! why, doesn’t this amount to all of you taking a share in the fight!” And as he uttered this abuse, he too forthwith seized an inkslab, which he was bent upon flinging.

Chia Lan was one who always tried to avoid trouble, so that he lost no time in pressing down the inkslab, while with all the words his mouth could express, he tried to pacify him, adding “My dear brother, it’s no business of yours and mine.”

Chia Chün could not repress his resentment; and perceiving that the inkslab was held down, he at once laid hold of a box containing books, which he flung in this direction; but being, after all, short of stature, and weak of strength, he was unable to send it anywhere near the mark; so that it dropped instead when it got as far as the desk belonging to Pao-yü and Ch’in Chung, while a dreadful crash became audible as it fell smash on the table. The books, papers, pencils, inkslabs, and other writing materials were all scattered over the whole table; and Pao-yü‘s cup besides containing tea was itself broken to pieces and the tea spilt.

Chia Chün forthwith jumped forward with the intent of assailing the person who had flung the inkslab at the very moment that Chin Jung took hold of a long bamboo pole which was near by; but as the space was limited, and the pupils many, how could he very well brandish a long stick? Ming Yen at an early period received a whack, and he shouted wildly, “Don’t you fellows yet come to start a fight.”

Pao-yü had, besides, along with him several pages, one of whom was called Sao Hung, another Ch’u Yo, another Mo Yü. These three were naturally up to every mischief, so that with one voice, bawling boisterously, “You children of doubtful mothers, have you taken up arms?” Mo Yü promptly took up the bar of a door; while Sao Hung and Ch’u Yo both laid hold of horsewhips, and they all rushed forward like a hive of bees.

Chia Jui was driven to a state of exasperation; now he kept this one in check, and the next moment he reasoned with another, but who would listen to his words? They followed the bent of their inclinations and stirred up a serious disturbance.

Of the whole company of wayward young fellows, some there were who gave sly blows for fun’s sake; others there were who were not gifted with much pluck and hid themselves on one side; there were those too who stood on the tables, clapping their hands and laughing immoderately, shouting out: “Go at it.”

The row was, at this stage, like water bubbling over in a cauldron, when several elderly servants, like Li Kuei and others, who stood outside, heard the uproar commence inside, and one and all came in with all haste and united in their efforts to pacify them. Upon asking “What’s the matter?” the whole bevy of voices shouted out different versions; this one giving this account, while another again another story. But Li Kuei temporised by rebuking Ming Yen and others, four in all, and packing them off.

Ch’in Chung’s head had, at an early period, come into contact with Chin Jung’s pole and had had the skin grazed off. Pao-yü was in the act of rubbing it for him, with the overlap of his coat, but realising that the whole lot of them had been hushed up, he forthwith bade Li Kuei collect his books.

“Bring my horse round,” he cried; “I’m going to tell Mr. Chia Tai-ju that we have been insulted. I won’t venture to tell him anything else, but (tell him I will) that having come with all propriety and made our report to Mr. Chia Jui, Mr. Chia Jui instead (of helping us) threw the fault upon our shoulders. That while he heard people abuse us, he went so far as to instigate them to beat us; that Ming Yen seeing others insult us, did naturally take our part; but that they, instead (of desisting,) combined together and struck Ming Yen and even broke open Ch’in Chung’s head. And that how is it possible for us to continue our studies in here?”

“My dear sir,” replied Li Kuei coaxingly, “don’t be so impatient! As Mr. Chia Tai-ju has had something to attend to and gone home, were you now, for a trifle like this, to go and disturb that aged gentleman, it will make us, indeed, appear as if we had no sense of propriety: my idea is that wherever a thing takes place, there should it be settled; and what’s the need of going and troubling an old man like him. This is all you, Mr. Chia Jui, who is to blame; for in the absence of Mr. Chia Tai-ju, you, sir, are the head in this school, and every one looks to you to take action. Had all the pupils been at fault, those who deserved a beating should have been beaten, and those who merited punishment should have been punished! and why did you wait until things came to such a pass, and didn’t even exercise any check?”

“I blew them up,” pleaded Chia Jui, “but not one of them would listen.”

“I’ll speak out, whether you, worthy sir, resent what I’m going to say or not,” ventured Li Kuei. “It’s you, sir, who all along have after all had considerable blame attached to your name; that’s why all these young men wouldn’t hear you! Now if this affair is bruited, until it reaches Mr. Chia Tai-ju’s ears, why even you, sir, will not be able to escape condemnation; and why don’t you at once make up your mind to disentangle the ravelled mess and dispel all trouble and have done with it!”

“Disentangle what?” inquired Pao-yü; “I shall certainly go and make my report.”

“If Chin Jung stays here,” interposed Ch’in Chung sobbing, “I mean to go back home.”

“Why that?” asked Pao-yü. “Is it likely that others can safely come and that you and I can’t? I feel it my bounden duty to tell every one everything at home so as to expel Chin Jung. This Chin Jung,” he went on to inquire as he turned towards Lei Kuei, “is the relative or friend of what branch of the family?”

Li Kuei gave way to reflection and then said by way of reply: “There’s no need whatever for you to raise this question; for were you to go and report the matter to the branch of the family to which he belongs, the harmony which should exist between cousins will be still more impaired.”

“He’s the nephew of Mrs. Huang, of the Eastern mansion,” interposed Ming Yen from outside the window. “What a determined and self-confident fellow he must be to even come and bully us; Mrs. Huang is his paternal aunt! That mother of yours is only good for tossing about like a millstone, for kneeling before our lady Lien, and begging for something to pawn. I’ve no eye for such a specimen of mistress.”

“What!” speedily shouted Li Kuei, “does this son of a dog happen to know of the existence of all these gnawing maggots?” (these disparaging facts).

Pao-yü gave a sardonic smile. “I was wondering whose relative he was,” he remarked; “is he really sister-in-law Huang’s nephew? well, I’ll go at once and speak to her.”

As he uttered these words, his purpose was to start there and then, and he called Ming Yen in, to come and pack up his books. Ming Yen walked in and put the books away. “Master,” he went on to suggest, in an exultant manner, “there’s no need for you to go yourself to see her; I’ll go to her house and tell her that our old lady has something to ask of her. I can hire a carriage to bring her over, and then, in the presence of her venerable ladyship, she can be spoken to; and won’t this way save a lot of trouble?”

“Do you want to die?” speedily shouted Li Kuei; “mind, when you go back, whether right or wrong, I’ll first give you a good bumping, and then go and report you to our master and mistress, and just tell them that it’s you, and only you, who instigated Mr. Pao-yü! I’ve succeeded, after ever so much trouble, in coaxing them, and mending matters to a certain extent, and now you come again to continue a new plan. It’s you who stirred up this row in the school-room; and not to speak of your finding, as would have been the proper course, some way of suppressing it, there you are instead still jumping into the fire.”

Ming Yen, at this juncture, could not muster the courage to utter a sound. By this time Chia Jui had also apprehended that if the row came to be beyond clearing up, he himself would likewise not be clear of blame, so that circumstances compelled him to pocket his grievances and to come and entreat Ch’in Chung as well as to make apologies to Pao-yü. These two young fellows would not at first listen to his advances, but Pao-yü at length explained that he would not go and report the occurrence, provided only Chin Jung admitted his being in the wrong. Chin Jung refused, at the outset, to agree to this, but he ultimately could find no way out of it, as Chia Jui himself urged him to make some temporising apology.

Li Kuei and the others felt compelled to tender Chin Jung some good advice: “It’s you,” they said, “who have given rise to the disturbance, and if you don’t act in this manner, how will the matter ever be brought to an end?” so that Chin Jung found it difficult to persist in his obstinacy, and was constrained to make a bow to Ch’in Chung.

Pao-yü was, however, not yet satisfied, but would insist upon his knocking his head on the ground, and Chia Jui, whose sole aim was to temporarily smother the affair, quietly again urged Chin Jung, adding that the proverb has it: “That if you keep down the anger of a minute, you will for a whole life-time feel no remorse.”

Whether Chin Jung complied or not to his advice is not known, but the following chapter will explain.


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第 十 回

金寡妇贪利权受辱 张太医论病细穷源

　　话说金荣因人多势众，又兼贾瑞勒令，赔了不是，给秦钟磕了头，宝玉方才不吵闹了。大家散了学，金荣回到家中，越想越气，说：“秦钟不过是贾蓉的小舅子，又不是贾家的子孙，附学读书，也不过和我一样。他因仗着宝玉和他相好，他就目中无人。他既是这样，就该行些正经事，人也没的说。他素日又和宝玉鬼鬼崇崇的，只当人家都是瞎子，看不见。今日他又去勾搭人，偏偏的撞在我眼睛里。就是闹出事来，我还怕什么不成？”

　　他母亲胡氏听见他咕咕嘟嘟的说，因问道：“你又要争什么闲气？好容易我望你姑妈说了，你姑妈千方百计的才向他们西府里的琏二奶奶跟前说了，你才得了这个念书的地方。若不是仗着人家，咱们家里还有力量请的起先生？况且人家学里，茶也是现成的，饭也是现成的。你这二年在那里念书，家里也省好大的嚼用呢。省出来的，你又爱穿件鲜明衣服。再者，不是因你在那里念书，你就认得什么薛大爷了？那薛大爷一年不给不给，这二年也帮了咱们有七八十两银子。你如今要闹出了这个学房，再要找这么个地方，我告诉你说罢，比登天还难呢！你给我老老实实的顽一会子睡你的觉去，好多着呢。”于是金荣忍气吞声，不多一时他自去睡了。次日仍旧上学去了。不在话下。　　

　　且说他姑娘，原聘给的是贾家玉字辈的嫡派，名唤贾璜。但其族人那里皆能象宁荣二府的富势，原不用细说。这贾璜夫妻守着些小的产业，又时常到宁荣二府里去请请安，又会奉承凤姐儿并尤氏，所以凤姐儿尤氏也时常资助资助他，方能如此度日。今日下遇天气晴明，又值家中无事，遂带了一个婆子，坐上车，来家里走走，瞧瞧寡嫂并侄儿。　

　　闲话之间，金荣的母亲便提起昨贾家学房里的那事，从头至尾，一五一十，都向他小姑子说了。这璜大奶奶不听则已，听了，一时怒从心上起，说道：“这秦钟小崽子是贾门的亲戚，难道荣儿不是贾门的亲戚？人都别忒太势利了，况且都作的是什么有脸的好事！就是宝玉，也不犯上向着他到这个样。等我去到东府瞧瞧我们珍大奶奶，再向秦钟他姐姐说说，叫他评评这个理。”金荣的母亲听了这话，急的了不得，忙说道：“这都是我的嘴快，告诉了姑奶奶了，求姑奶奶别去，别管他们谁是谁非。倘或闹起来，怎么在那里站得住。若是站不住，家里不但不能请先生，反倒在他身上添出许多嚼用来呢。”璜大奶奶听了，说道：“那里管得许多，你等我说了，看是怎么样！”也不容他嫂子劝，一面叫老婆子瞧了车，就坐上往宁府里来。

　　到了宁府，进了车门，到了东边小角门前下了车，进去见了贾珍之妻尤氏。也未敢气高，殷殷勤勤叙过寒温，说了些闲话，方问道：“今日怎么没见蓉大奶奶？”尤氏说道：“他这些日子不知怎么着，经期有两个多月没来。叫大夫瞧了，又说并不是喜。那两日，到下半天就懒待动，话也懒待说，眼神也发眩。我说他：‘你且不必拘礼，早晚不必照例上来，你就好生养养罢。就是有亲戚一家儿来，有我呢。就长辈们怪你，等我替你告诉。’连蓉哥我都嘱咐了，我说：‘你不许累（左为扌，右为肯）他，不许招他生气，叫他静静的养养就好了。他要想什么吃，只管到这里取来。倘或我这里没有，只管望你琏二嫂子那里要去。倘或他有个好和歹，你再要娶这么上个媳妇，这么个模样儿，这么个情性的人儿，打着灯笼也没地方找去。’他这为人行事，那个亲戚，那个一家的长辈不喜欢他？所以我这两日好不烦心，焦的我了不得。偏偏今日早晨他兄弟来瞧他，谁知那小孩子家不知好歹，看见他姐姐身上不大爽快，就有事也不当告诉他，别说是这么一点子小事，就是你受了一万分的委曲，也不该向他说才是。谁知他们昨儿学房里打架，不知是那里附学来的一个人欺负了他了。里头还有些不干不净的话，都告诉了他姐姐。婶子，你是知道那媳妇的：虽说见了人有说有笑，会行事儿，他可心细，心又重，不拘听见个什么话儿，都要度量个三日并五夜才罢。这病就是打这个秉性上头思虑出来的。今儿听见有人欺负了他兄弟，又是恼，又是气。恼的是那群混帐狐朋狗友的扯是搬非、调三惑四那些人；气的是他兄弟不学好，不上心念书，以致如此学里吵闹。他听了这事，今日索性连早饭也没吃。我听见了，我方到他那边安慰了他一会子，又劝解了他兄弟一会子。我叫他兄弟到那府里去找宝玉去了，我才看着他吃了半盏儿燕窝汤，我才过来了。婶子，你说我心焦不心焦？况且如今又没个好大夫，我想到他这病上，我心里倒像针扎似的。你们知道有什么好大夫没有？”

　　金氏听了这半日话，把方才在他嫂子家的那一团要向秦氏理论的盛气，早吓的都丢在爪洼国去了。听见尤氏问他有知道好大夫的话，连忙答道：“我们这么听着，实在也没见人说有个好大夫。如今听起大奶奶这个来，定不得还是喜呢。嫂子倒别教人混治。倘或认错了，这可了不得的。”尤氏道：“可不是呢。”正说话之间，贾珍从外进来，见了金氏，便向尤氏问道：“这不是璜大奶奶么？”金氏向前给贾珍请了安。贾珍向尤氏说道：“让这大妹妹吃了饭去。”贾珍说着话，就过那屋里去了。金氏此来，原要向秦氏说说秦钟欺负了他侄儿的事，听见秦氏有病，不但不能说，亦且不敢提了。况且贾珍尤氏又待的很好，反转怒为喜，又说了一会子话儿，方家去了。

　　金氏去後，贾珍方过来坐下，问尤氏道：“今儿他来，有什么说的事情么？”尤氏答道：“倒没没说什么。一进来的时候，脸上倒象有些着了恼的气色似的，及说了半天话，又提媳妇这病，他倒渐渐的气色平定了。你又叫让他吃饭，他听见媳妇这么病，也不好意思只管坐着，又说了几句闲话儿就去了，倒没有求什么事。如今且说媳妇这病，你到那里一个好大夫来与他瞧瞧要紧，可别耽误了。现今咱们家走的这群大夫，那里要得，一个个都是听着人的口气儿，人怎么说，他添几句文话儿说一遍。可倒殷勤的很，三四个人一日轮流着倒有四五遍看脉。他们大家商量着立个方子，吃了也不见效，倒弄得一日换四五遍衣裳，坐起来见大夫，其实於病人没益。”贾珍说道：“可是。这孩子也胡涂，何必脱脱换换的，倘再着了凉，更添一层病，那还了得。衣裳任凭是什么好的，可又值什么，孩子的身子要紧，就是一天穿一套新的，也不值什么。我正要进来告诉你：方才冯紫英来看我，他见我有些抑郁之色，问我是怎么了，我告诉他说，媳妇忽然身子有好大的不爽快，因为不得个好太医，断不透是喜是病，又不知有妨碍无妨碍，所以我这两日心里着实着急。冯紫英因说起他有一个幼时从学的先生，姓张名友士，学问最渊博的，更兼医理极深，且能断人的生死。今年是上京给他儿子来捐官，现在他家住着呢。这么看来，竟是合该媳妇的病在他手里除灾亦未可知。我即刻差人拿我的名帖请去了。今日倘或天晚了不能来，明日想必一定来。况且冯紫英又即刻回家亲目去求他，务必叫他来瞧瞧。等这个张先生来瞧了再说罢。”

　　尤氏听了，心中甚喜，因说道：“後儿是太爷的寿日，到底怎么样办？”贾珍说道：“我方才到了太爷那里去请安，兼请太爷来家受一受一家子的礼。太爷因说：‘我是清净惯了的，我不愿意往你们那是非场中闹去。你们必定说是我的生日，要叫我去受众人些头，莫过你把我从前注的《阴骘文》给我令人好好的写出来刻了，比叫我无故受众人的头还强百倍呢。倘或後日这两日一家子要来，就在家里好好的款待他们就是了。也不必给我送什么东西来，连你後日也不必来；你要心中不安，你今日就给我磕了头去。倘或後日你要来，又跟随多少人来闹我，我必和你不依。’如此说了又说，後日我是再不敢去的了。且叫来升来，吩咐他预备两日的筵席。”尤氏因叫人叫了贾蓉来：“吩咐来升照旧例预备两日的筵席，要丰丰富富的。你再亲自到西府里去请老太太、大太太、二太太和你琏二婶来逛逛。你父亲今日又听见一个好大夫，业已打发人请去了，想必明日必来。你可将他这些日子的病症细细的告诉他。”

　　贾蓉一一的答应着出去了。正遇着方才往冯紫英请那先生的小子回来了，因回道：“奴才方才到了冯大爷家，拿了老爷的名帖请那先生去。那先生说道：‘方才这里大爷也向我说了。但是今日拜了一天的客，才回到家，此时精神实在不能支持，就是去到府上也不能看脉。’他说等调息一夜，明日务必到府。他又说，他‘医学浅薄，本不敢当此重荐，因我们冯大爷和府上的大人既已如此说了，又不得不去，你先替我回明大人说是了。大人的名帖实不敢当。’仍叫奴才拿回来了。哥儿替奴才回一声儿罢。”贾蓉转身复进去，回了贾珍和尤氏的话，方出来叫了来升来，吩咐他预备两日的筵席的话。来升听毕，自去照例料理。不在话下。

　　且说次日午间，人回道：“请的那张先生来了。”贾珍遂延入大厅坐下。茶毕，方开言道：“昨承冯大爷示知老先生人品学问，又兼深通医学，小弟不胜钦仰之至。”张先生道：“晚生粗鄙下士，知识浅陋，昨因冯大爷示知，大人家第谦恭下士，又承呼唤，敢不奉命。但毫无实学，倍增颜汗。”贾珍道：“先生何必过谦。就请先生进去看看儿妇，仰仗高明，以释下怀。”　

　　于是，贾蓉同了进去。到了贾蓉居室，见了秦氏，向贾蓉说道：“这就是尊夫人了？”贾蓉道：“正是。请先生坐下，让我把贱内的病说一说再看脉如何？”那先生道：“依小弟的意思，竟先看过脉再说的为是。我是初造尊府的，本也不晓得什么，但是我们冯大爷务必叫小弟过来看看，小弟所以不得不来。如今看了脉息，看小弟说的是不是，再将这些日子的病势讲一讲，大家斟酌一个方儿。可用不可用，那时大爷再定夺。”贾蓉道：“先生实在高明，如今恨相见之晚。就请先生看一看脉息，可治不可治，以便使家父母放心。”于是家下媳妇们捧过大迎枕来，一面给秦氏拉着袖口，露出手腕来。先生方伸手按在右手脉上，调息了至数，宁神细诊了半刻的工夫，方换过左手，亦复如是。诊毕脉息，说道：“我们外边坐罢。”

　　贾蓉于是同先生到外边房里床上坐下，一个婆子端了茶来。贾蓉道：“先生请茶。”于是陪先生吃了茶，遂问道：“先生看这脉息，还治得治不得？”先生道：“看得尊夫人这脉息：左寸沉数，左关沉伏；右寸细而无力，右关需而无神。其左寸沉数者，乃心气虚而生火；左关沉伏者，乃肝家气滞血亏。右寸细而无力者，乃肺经气分太虚；右关需而无神者，乃脾土被肝木克制。心气虚而生火者，应现经期不调，夜间不寐。肝家血亏气滞者，必然胁下疼胀，月信过期，心中发热。肺经气分太虚者，头目不时眩晕，寅卯间必然自汗，如坐舟中。脾土被肝木克制者，必然不思饮食，精神倦怠，四肢酸软。据我看这脉息，应当有这些症候才对。或以这个脉为喜脉，则小弟不敢从其教也。”旁边一个贴身伏侍的婆子道：“何尝不是这样呢。真正先生说得如神，倒不用我们告诉了。如今我们家里现有好几位太医老爷瞧着呢，都不能的当真切的这么说，有一位说是喜，有一位说是病；这位说不相干，那位说怕怕冬至，总没有个准话儿。求老爷明白指示指示。”

　　那先生笑道：“大奶奶这个症候，可是那众位耽搁了。要在初次行经的日期就用药治起来，不但断无今日之患，而且此时已全愈了。如今既是把病耽误到这个地位，也是应有此灾。依我看来，这病尚有三分治得。吃了我的药看，若是夜间睡的着觉，那时又添了二分拿手了。据我看这脉息：大奶奶是个心性高强聪明不过的人；聪明忒过，则不如意事常有；不如意事常有，则思虑太过。此病是忧虑伤脾，肝木忒旺，经血所以不能按时而至。大奶奶从前的行经的日子问一问，断不是常缩，必是常长的。是不是？”这婆子答道：“可不是，从没有缩过，或是长两日三日，以至十日都长过。”先生听了道：“妙啊！这就是病源了。从前若能够以养心调经之药服之，何至于此。这如今明显出一个水亏木旺的症候来。待用药看看。”于是写了方子，递与贾蓉，上写的是：

益气养荣补脾和肝汤　

人参 二钱　白术 二钱　云苓 三钱　熟地 四钱
归身 二钱酒洗　白芍 二钱　炒川芎 钱半　黄芪 三钱
香附米 二钱制　醋柴胡 八分　怀山药 二钱炒
真阿胶 二钱蛤粉炒　延胡索 钱半酒半　炙甘草 八分


　　引用建莲子七粒去心　红枣二枚　贾蓉看了，说：“高明的很。还要请教先生，这病与性命终久有妨无妨？”先生笑道：“大爷是最高明的人。人病到这个地位，非一朝一夕的症候，吃了这药也要看医缘了。依小弟看来，今年一冬是不相干的。总是过了春分，就可望全愈了。”贾蓉也是个聪明人，也不往下细问了。

　　于是贾蓉送了先生去了，方将这药方子并脉案都给贾珍看了，说的话也都回了贾珍并尤氏了。尤氏向贾珍说道：“从来大夫不象他说的这么痛快，想必用的药也不错。”贾珍道：“人家原来不是混饭吃久惯行医的人。因为冯紫英我们好，他好容易求了他来的。既有这个人，媳妇的病或者就能好了。他那方子上有人参，就用前日买的那一斤好的罢。”贾蓉听毕话，方出来叫人打药去煎给秦氏吃。不知秦氏服了此药病势何如，下回分解。

CHAPTER X.
Widow Chin, prompted by a desire to reap advantage, puts up temporarily with an insult — Dr. Chang in discussing Mrs. Chin’s illness minutely exhausts its origin.
We will now resume our story. As the persons against Chin Jung were so many and their pressure so great, and as, what was more, Chia Jui urged him to make amends, he had to knock his head on the ground before Ch’in Chung. Pao-yü then gave up his clamorous remonstrances and the whole crowd dispersed from school.

Chin Jung himself returned home all alone, but the more he pondered on the occurrence, the more incensed he felt. “Ch’in Chung,” he argued, “is simply Chia Jung’s young brother-in-law, and is no son or grandson of the Chia family, and he too joins the class and prosecutes his studies on no other footing than that of mine; but it’s because he relies upon Pao-yü‘s friendship for him that he has no eye for any one. This being the case, he should be somewhat proper in his behaviour, and there would be then not a word to say about it! He has besides all along been very mystical with Pao-yü, imagining that we are all blind, and have no eyes to see what’s up! Here he goes again to-day and mixes with people in illicit intrigues; and it’s all because they happened to obtrude themselves before my very eyes that this rumpus has broken out; but of what need I fear?”

His mother, née Hu, hearing him mutter; “Why meddle again,” she explained, “in things that don’t concern you? I had endless trouble in getting to speak to your paternal aunt; and your aunt had, on the other hand, a thousand and one ways and means to devise, before she could appeal to lady Secunda, of the Western mansion; and then only it was that you got this place to study in. Had we not others to depend upon for your studies, would we have in our house the means sufficient to engage a teacher? Besides, in other people’s school, tea and eatables are all ready and found; and these two years that you’ve been there for your lessons, we’ve likewise effected at home a great saving in what would otherwise have been necessary for your eating and use. Something has been, it’s true, economised; but you have further a liking for spick and span clothes. Besides, it’s only through your being there to study, that you’ve come to know Mr. Hsüeh! that Mr. Hsüeh, who has even in one year given us so much pecuniary assistance as seventy and eighty taels! And now you would go and raise a row in this school-room! why, if we were bent upon finding such another place, I tell you plainly, and once for all, that we would find it more difficult than if we tried to scale the heavens! Now do quietly play for a while, and then go to sleep, and you’ll be ever so much better for it then.”

Chin Jung thereupon stifled his anger and held his tongue; and, after a short while, he in fact went to sleep of his own accord.

The next day he again went to school, and no further comment need be made about it; but we will go on to explain that a young lady related to her had at one time been given in marriage to a descendant (of the eldest branch) of the Chia family, (whose names were written) with the jade radical, Chia Huang by name; but how could the whole number of members of the clan equal in affluence and power the two mansions of Ning and Jung? This fact goes, as a matter of course, without saying. The Chia Huang couple enjoyed some small income; but they also went, on frequent occasions, to the mansions of Ning and Jung to pay their respects; and they knew likewise so well how to adulate lady Feng and Mrs. Yu, that lady Feng and Mrs. Yu would often grant them that assistance and support which afforded them the means of meeting their daily expenses.

It just occurred on this occasion that the weather was clear and fine, and that there happened, on the other hand, to be nothing to attend to at home, so forthwith taking along with her a matron, (Mrs. Chia Huang) got into a carriage and came over to see widow Chin and her nephew. While engaged in a chat, Chin Jung’s mother accidentally broached the subject of the affair, which had transpired in the school-room of the Chia mansion on the previous day, and she gave, for the benefit of her young sister-in-law, a detailed account of the whole occurrence from beginning to end.

This Mrs. Huang would not have had her temper ruffled had she not come to hear what had happened; but having heard about it, anger sprung from the very depths of her heart. “This fellow, Ch’in Chung,” she exclaimed, “is a relative of the Chia family, but is it likely that Jung Erh isn’t, in like manner, a relative of the Chia family; and when relatives are many, there’s no need to put on airs! Besides, does his conduct consist, for the most part, of anything that would make one get any face? In fact, Pao-yü himself shouldn’t do injury to himself by condescending to look at him. But, as things have come to this pass, give me time and I’ll go to the Eastern mansion and see our lady Chen and then have a chat with Ch’in Chung’s sister, and ask her to decide who’s right and who’s wrong!”

Chin Jung’s mother upon hearing these words was terribly distressed. “It’s all through my hasty tongue,” she observed with vehemence, “that I’ve told you all, sister-in-law: but please, sister, give up at once the idea of going over to say anything about it! Don’t trouble yourself as to who is in the right, and who is in the wrong; for were any unpleasantness to come out of it, how could we here stand on our legs? and were we not to stand on our legs, not only would we never be able to engage a tutor, but the result will be, on the contrary, that for his own person will be superadded many an expense for eatables and necessaries.”

“What do I care about how many?” replied Mrs. Huang; “wait till I’ve spoken about it, and we’ll see what will be the result.” Nor would she accede to her sister-in-law’s entreaties, but bidding, at the same time, the matron look after the carriage, she got into it, and came over to the Ning Mansion.

On her arrival at the Ning Mansion, she entered by the eastern side gate, and dismounting from the carriage, she went in to call on Mrs. Yu, the spouse of Chia Chen, with whom she had not the courage to put on any high airs; but gently and quietly she made inquiries after her health, and after passing some irrelevant remarks, she ascertained: “How is it I don’t see lady Jung to-day?”

“I don’t know,” replied Mrs. Yu, “what’s the matter with her these last few days; but she hasn’t been herself for two months and more; and the doctor who was asked to see her declares that it is nothing connected with any happy event. A couple of days back, she felt, as soon as the afternoon came, both to move, and both even to utter a word; while the brightness of her eyes was all dimmed; and I told her, ‘You needn’t stick to etiquette, for there’s no use for you to come in the forenoon and evening, as required by conventionalities; but what you must do is, to look after your own health. Should any relative come over, there’s also myself to receive them; and should any of the senior generation think your absence strange, I’ll explain things for you, if you’ll let me.’

“I also advised brother Jung on the subject: ‘You shouldn’t,’ I said, ‘allow any one to trouble her; nor let her be put out of temper, but let her quietly attend to her health, and she’ll get all right. Should she fancy anything to eat, just come over here and fetch it; for, in the event of anything happening to her, were you to try and find another such a wife to wed, with such a face and such a disposition, why, I fear, were you even to seek with a lantern in hand, there would really be no place where you could discover her. And with such a temperament and deportment as hers, which of our relatives and which of our elders don’t love her?’ That’s why my heart has been very distressed these two days! As luck would have it early this morning her brother turned up to see her, but who would have fancied him to be such a child, and so ignorant of what is proper and not proper to do? He saw well enough that his sister was not well; and what’s more all these matters shouldn’t have been recounted to her; for even supposing he had received the gravest offences imaginable, it behoved him anyhow not to have broached the subject to her! Yesterday, one would scarcely believe it, a fight occurred in the school-room, and some pupil or other who attends that class, somehow insulted him; besides, in this business, there were a good many indecent and improper utterances, but all these he went and told his sister! Now, sister-in-law, you are well aware that though (our son Jung’s) wife talks and laughs when she sees people, that she is nevertheless imaginative and withal too sensitive, so that no matter what she hears, she’s for the most part bound to brood over it for three days and five nights, before she loses sight of it, and it’s from this excessive sensitiveness that this complaint of hers arises. Today, when she heard that some one had insulted her brother, she felt both vexed and angry; vexed that those fox-like, cur-like friends of his had moved right and wrong, and intrigued with this one and deluded that one; angry that her brother had, by not learning anything profitable, and not having his mind set upon study, been the means of bringing about a row at school; and on account of this affair, she was so upset that she did not even have her early meal. I went over a short while back and consoled her for a time, and likewise gave her brother a few words of advice; and after having packed off that brother of hers to the mansion on the other side, in search of Pao-yü, and having stood by and seen her have half a bowl of birds’ nests soup, I at length came over. Now, sister-in-law, tell me, is my heart sore or not? Besides, as there’s nowadays no good doctor, the mere thought of her complaint makes my heart feel as if it were actually pricked with needles! But do you and yours, perchance, know of any good practitioner?”

Mrs. Chin had, while listening to these words, been, at an early period, so filled with concern that she cast away to distant lands the reckless rage she had been in recently while at her sister-in-law’s house, when she had determined to go and discuss matters over with Mrs. Ch’in. Upon hearing Mrs. Yu inquire of her about a good doctor, she lost no time in saying by way of reply: “Neither have we heard of any one speak of a good doctor; but from the account I’ve just heard of Mrs. Ch’in’s illness, it may still, there’s no saying, be some felicitous ailment; so, sister-in-law, don’t let any one treat her recklessly, for were she to be treated for the wrong thing, the result may be dreadful!”

“Quite so!” replied Mrs. Yu.

But while they were talking, Chia Chen came in from out of doors, and upon catching sight of Mrs. Chin; “Isn’t this Mrs. Huang?” he inquired of Mrs. Yu; whereupon Mrs. Chin came forward and paid her respects to Chia Chen.

“Invite this lady to have her repast here before she goes,” observed Chia Chen to Mrs. Yu; and as he uttered these words he forthwith walked into the room on the off side.

The object of Mrs. Chin’s present visit had originally been to talk to Mrs. Ch’in about the insult which her brother had received from the hands of Ch’in Chung, but when she heard that Mrs. Ch’in was ill, she did not have the courage to even so much as make mention of the object of her errand. Besides, as Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu had given her a most cordial reception, her resentment was transformed into pleasure, so that after a while spent in a further chat about one thing and another, she at length returned to her home.

It was only after the departure of Mrs. Chin that Chia Chen came over and took a seat. “What did she have to say for herself during this visit to-day?” he asked of Mrs. Yu.

“She said nothing much,” replied Mrs. Yu. “When she first entered the room, her face bore somewhat of an angry look, but, after a lengthy chat and as soon as mention of our son’s wife’s illness was made, this angered look after all gradually abated. You also asked me to keep her for the repast, but, having heard that our son’s wife was so ill she could not very well stay, so that all she did was to sit down, and after making a few more irrelevant remarks, she took her departure. But she had no request to make. To return however now to the illness of Jung’s wife, it’s urgent that you should find somewhere a good doctor to diagnose it for her; and whatever you do, you should lose no time. The whole body of doctors who at present go in and out of our household, are they worth having? Each one of them listens to what the patient has to say of the ailment, and then, adding a string of flowery sentences, out he comes with a long rigmarole; but they are exceedingly diligent in paying us visits; and in one day, three or four of them are here at least four and five times in rotation! They come and feel her pulse, they hold consultation together, and write their prescriptions, but, though she has taken their medicines, she has seen no improvement; on the contrary, she’s compelled to change her clothes three and five times each day, and to sit up to see the doctor; a thing which, in fact, does the patient no good.”

“This child too is somewhat simple,” observed Chia Chen; “for what need has she to be taking off her clothes, and changing them for others? And were she again to catch a chill, she would add something more to her illness; and won’t it be dreadful! The clothes may be no matter how fine, but what is their worth, after all? The health of our child is what is important to look to! and were she even to wear out a suit of new clothes a-day, what would that too amount to? I was about to tell you that a short while back, Feng Tzu-ying came to see me, and, perceiving that I had somewhat of a worried look, he asked me what was up; and I told him that our son’s wife was not well at all, that as we couldn’t get any good doctor, we couldn’t determine with any certainty, whether she was in an interesting condition, or whether she was suffering from some disease; that as we could neither tell whether there was any danger or not, my heart was, for this reason, really very much distressed. Feng Tzu-ying then explained that he knew a young doctor who had made a study of his profession, Chang by surname, and Yu-shih by name, whose learning was profound to a degree; who was besides most proficient in the principles of medicine, and had the knack of discriminating whether a patient would live or die; that this year he had come to the capital to purchase an official rank for his son, and that he was now living with him in his house. In view of these circumstances, not knowing but that if, perchance, the case of our daughter-in-law were placed in his hands, he couldn’t avert the danger, I readily despatched a servant, with a card of mine, to invite him to come; but the hour to-day being rather late, he probably won’t be round, but I believe he’s sure to be here to-morrow. Besides, Feng-Tzu-ying was also on his return home, to personally entreat him on my behalf, so that he’s bound, when he has asked him, to come and see her. Let’s therefore wait till Dr. Chang has been here and seen her, when we can talk matters over!”

Mrs. Yu was very much cheered when she heard what was said. “The day after to-morrow,” she felt obliged to add, “is again our senior’s, Mr. Chia Ching’s birthday, and how are we to celebrate it after all?”

“I’ve just been over to our Senior’s and paid my respects,” replied Chia Chen, “and further invited the old gentleman to come home, and receive the congratulations of the whole family.

“‘I’m accustomed,’ our Senior explained, ‘to peace and quiet, and have no wish to go over to that worldly place of yours; for you people are certain to have published that it’s my birthday, and to entertain the design to ask me to go round to receive the bows of the whole lot of you. But won’t it be better if you were to give the “Record of Meritorious Acts,” which I annotated some time ago, to some one to copy out clean for me, and have it printed? Compared with asking me to come, and uselessly receive the obeisances of you all, this will be yea even a hundred times more profitable! In the event of the whole family wishing to pay me a visit on any of the two days, to-morrow or the day after to-morrow, if you were to stay at home and entertain them in proper style, that will be all that is wanted; nor will there be any need to send me anything! Even you needn’t come two days from this; and should you not feel contented at heart, well, you had better bow your head before me to-day before you go. But if you do come again the day after to-morrow, with a lot of people to disturb me, I shall certainly be angry with you.’ After what he said, I will not venture to go and see him two days hence; but you had better send for Lai Sheng, and bid him get ready a banquet to continue for a couple of days.”

Mrs. Yu, having asked Chia Jung to come round, told him to direct Lai Sheng to make the usual necessary preparations for a banquet to last for a couple of days, with due regard to a profuse and sumptuous style.

“You go by-and-by,” (she advised him), “in person to the Western Mansion and invite dowager lady Chia, mesdames Hsing and Wang, and your sister-in-law Secunda lady Lien to come over for a stroll. Your father has also heard of a good doctor, and having already sent some one to ask him round, I think that by to-morrow he’s sure to come; and you had better tell him, in a minute manner, the serious symptoms of her ailment during these few days.”

Chia Jung having signified his obedience to each of her recommendations, and taken his leave, was just in time to meet the youth coming back from Feng Tzu-ying’s house, whither he had gone a short while back to invite the doctor round.

“Your slave,” he consequently reported, “has just been with a card of master’s to Mr. Feng’s house and asked the doctor to come. ‘The gentleman here,’ replied the doctor, ‘has just told me about it; but to-day, I’ve had to call on people the whole day, and I’ve only this moment come home; and I feel now my strength (so worn out), that I couldn’t really stand any exertion. In fact were I even to get as far as the mansion, I shouldn’t be in a fit state to diagnose the pulses! I must therefore have a night’s rest, but, to-morrow for certain, I shall come to the mansion. My medical knowledge,’ he went on to observe, ‘is very shallow, and I don’t deserve the honour of such eminent recommendation; but as Mr. Feng has already thus spoken of me in your mansion, I can’t but present myself. It will be all right if in anticipation you deliver this message for me to your honourable master; but as for your worthy master’s card, I cannot really presume to keep it.’ It was again at his instance that I’ve brought it back; but, Sir, please mention this result for me (to master).”

Chia Jung turned back again, and entering the house delivered the message to Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu; whereupon he walked out, and, calling Lai Sheng before him, he transmitted to him the orders to prepare the banquet for a couple of days.

After Lai Sheng had listened to the directions, he went off, of course, to get ready the customary preparations; but upon these we shall not dilate, but confine ourselves to the next day.

At noon, a servant on duty at the gate announced that the Doctor Chang, who had been sent for, had come, and Chia Chen conducted him along the Court into the large reception Hall, where they sat down; and after they had partaken of tea, he broached the subject.

“Yesterday,” he explained, “the estimable Mr. Feng did me the honour to speak to me of your character and proficiency, venerable doctor, as well as of your thorough knowledge of medicine, and I, your mean brother, was filled with an immeasurable sense of admiration!”

“Your Junior,” remonstrated Dr. Chang, “is a coarse, despicable and mean scholar and my knowledge is shallow and vile! but as worthy Mr. Feng did me the honour yesterday of telling me that your family, sir, had condescended to look upon me, a low scholar, and to favour me too with an invitation, could I presume not to obey your commands? But as I cannot boast of the least particle of real learning, I feel overburdened with shame!”

“Why need you be so modest?” observed Chia Chen; “Doctor, do please walk in at once to see our son’s wife, for I look up, with full reliance, to your lofty intelligence to dispel my solicitude!”

Chia Jung forthwith walked in with him. When they reached the inner apartment, and he caught sight of Mrs. Ch’in, he turned round and asked Chia Jung, “This is your honourable spouse, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” assented Chia Jung; “but please, Doctor, take a seat, and let me tell you the symptoms of my humble wife’s ailment, before her pulse be felt. Will this do?”

“My mean idea is,” remarked the Doctor, “that it would, after all, be better that I should begin by feeling her pulse, before I ask you to inform me what the source of the ailment is. This is the first visit I pay to your honourable mansion; besides, I possess no knowledge of anything; but as our worthy Mr. Feng would insist upon my coming over to see you, I had in consequence no alternative but to come. After I have now made a diagnosis, you can judge whether what I say is right or not, before you explain to me the phases of the complaint during the last few days, and we can deliberate together upon some prescription; as to the suitableness or unsuitableness of which your honourable father will then have to decide, and what is necessary will have been done.”

“Doctor,” rejoined Chia Jung, “you are indeed eminently clear sighted; all I regret at present is that we have met so late! But please, Doctor, diagnose the state of the pulse, so as to find out whether there be hope of a cure or not; if a cure can be effected, it will be the means of allaying the solicitude of my father and mother.”

The married women attached to that menage forthwith presented a pillow; and as it was being put down for Mrs. Ch’in to rest her arm on, they raised the lower part of her sleeve so as to leave her wrist exposed. The Doctor thereupon put out his hand and pressed it on the pulse of the right hand. Regulating his breath (to the pulsation) so as to be able to count the beatings, he with due care and minuteness felt the action for a considerable time, when, substituting the left hand, he again went through the same operation.

“Let us go and sit outside,” he suggested, after he had concluded feeling her pulses. Chia Jung readily adjourned, in company with the Doctor, to the outer apartment, where they seated themselves on the stove-couch. A matron having served tea; “Please take a cup of tea, doctor,” Chia Jung observed. When tea was over, “Judging,” he inquired, “Doctor, from the present action of the pulses, is there any remedy or not?”

“The action of the pulse, under the forefinger, on the left hand of your honorable spouse,” proceeded the Doctor, “is deep and agitated; the left hand pulse, under the second finger, is deep and faint. The pulse, under the forefinger, of the right hand, is gentle and lacks vitality. The right hand pulse, under my second finger, is superficial, and has lost all energy. The deep and agitated beating of the forepulse of the left hand arises from the febrile state, due to the weak action of the heart. The deep and delicate condition of the second part of the pulse of the left wrist, emanates from the sluggishness of the liver, and the scarcity of the blood in that organ. The action of the forefinger pulse, of the right wrist, is faint and lacks strength, as the breathing of the lungs is too weak. The second finger pulse of the right wrist is superficial and devoid of vigour, as the spleen must be affected injuriously by the liver. The weak action of the heart, and its febrile state, should be the natural causes which conduce to the present irregularity in the catamenia, and insomnia at night; the poverty of blood in the liver, and the sluggish condition of that organ must necessarily produce pain in the ribs; while the overdue of the catamenia, the cardiac fever, and debility of the respiration of the lungs, should occasion frequent giddiness in the head, and swimming of the eyes, the certain recurrence of perspiration between the periods of 3 to 5 and 5 to 7, and the sensation of being seated on board ship. The obstruction of the spleen by the liver should naturally create distaste for liquid or food, debility of the vital energies and prostration of the four limbs. From my diagnosis of these pulses, there should exist these various symptoms, before (the pulses and the symptoms can be said) to harmonise. But should perchance (any doctor maintain) that this state of the pulses imports a felicitous event, your servant will not presume to give an ear to such an opinion!”

A matron, who was attached as a personal attendant (to Mrs. Ch’in,) and who happened to be standing by interposed: “How could it be otherwise?” she ventured. “In real truth, Doctor, you speak like a supernatural being, and there’s verily no need for us to say anything! We have now, ready at hand, in our household, a good number of medical gentlemen, who are in attendance upon her, but none of these are proficient enough to speak in this positive manner. Some there are who say that it’s a genital complaint; others maintain that it’s an organic disease. This doctor explains that there is no danger: while another, again, holds that there’s fear of a crisis either before or after the winter solstice; but there is, in one word, nothing certain said by them. May it please you, sir, now to favour us with your clear directions.”

“This complaint of your lady’s,” observed the Doctor, “has certainly been neglected by the whole number of doctors; for had a treatment with certain medicines been initiated at the time of the first occurrence of her habitual sickness, I cannot but opine that, by this time, a perfect cure would have been effected. But seeing that the organic complaint has now been, through neglect, allowed to reach this phase, this calamity was, in truth, inevitable. My ideas are that this illness stands, as yet, a certain chance of recovery, (three chances out of ten); but we will see how she gets on, after she has had these medicines of mine. Should they prove productive of sleep at night, then there will be added furthermore two more chances in the grip of our hands. From my diagnosis, your lady is a person, gifted with a preëminently excellent, and intelligent disposition; but an excessive degree of intelligence is the cause of frequent contrarieties; and frequent contrarieties give origin to an excessive amount of anxious cares. This illness arises from the injury done, by worrying and fretting, to the spleen, and from the inordinate vigour of the liver; hence it is that the relief cannot come at the proper time and season. Has not your lady, may I ask, heretofore at the period of the catamenia, suffered, if indeed not from anaemia, then necessarily from plethora? Am I right in assuming this or not?”

“To be sure she did,” replied the matron; “but she has never been subject to anaemia, but to a plethora, varying from either two to three days, and extending, with much irregularity, to even ten days.”

“Quite so!” observed the Doctor, after hearing what she had to say, “and this is the source of this organic illness! Had it in past days been treated with such medicine as could strengthen the heart, and improve the respiration, would it have reached this stage? This has now overtly made itself manifest in an ailment originating from the paucity of water and the vigour of fire; but let me make use of some medicines, and we’ll see how she gets on!”

There and then he set to work and wrote a prescription, which he handed to Chia Jung, the purpose of which was: Decoction for the improvement of respiration, the betterment of the blood, and the restoration of the spleen. Ginseng, Atractylodes Lancea; Yunnan root; Prepared Ti root; Aralia edulis; Peony roots; Levisticum from Sze Ch’uan; Sophora tormentosa; Cyperus rotundus, prepared with rice; Gentian, soaked in vinegar; Huai Shan Yao root; Real “O” glue; Carydalis Ambigua; and Dried liquorice. Seven Fukien lotus seeds, (the cores of which should be extracted,) and two large zizyphi to be used as a preparative.

“What exalted intelligence!” Chia Jung, after perusing it, exclaimed. “But I would also ask you, Doctor, to be good enough to tell me whether this illness will, in the long run, endanger her life or not?”

The Doctor smiled. “You, sir, who are endowed with most eminent intelligence (are certain to know) that when a human illness has reached this phase, it is not a derangement of a day or of a single night; but after these medicines have been taken, we shall also have to watch the effect of the treatment! My humble opinion is that, as far as the winter of this year goes, there is no fear; in fact, after the spring equinox, I entertain hopes of a complete cure.”

Chia Jung was likewise a person with all his wits about him, so that he did not press any further minute questions.

Chia Jung forthwith escorted the Doctor and saw him off, and taking the prescription and the diagnosis, he handed them both to Chia Chen for his perusal, and in like manner recounted to Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu all that had been said on the subject.

“The other doctors have hitherto not expressed any opinions as positive as this one has done,” observed Mrs. Yu, addressing herself to Chia Chen, “so that the medicines to be used are, I think, surely the right ones!”

“He really isn’t a man,” rejoined Chia Chen, “accustomed to give much of his time to the practice of medicine, in order to earn rice for his support: and it’s Feng Tzu-ying, who is so friendly with us, who is mainly to be thanked for succeeding, after ever so much trouble, in inducing him to come. But now that we have this man, the illness of our son’s wife may, there is no saying, stand a chance of being cured. But on that prescription of his there is ginseng mentioned, so you had better make use of that catty of good quality which was bought the other day.”

Chia Jung listened until the conversation came to a close, after which he left the room, and bade a servant go and buy the medicines, in order that they should be prepared and administered to Mrs. Ch’in.

What was the state of Mrs. Ch’in’s illness, after she partook of these medicines, we do not know; but, reader, listen to the explanation given in the chapter which follows.

第 十 一 回

庆寿辰宁府排家宴 见熙凤贾瑞起淫心

　　话说是日贾敬的寿辰，贾珍先将上等可吃的东西、稀奇些的果品，装了十六大捧盒，着贾蓉带领家下人等与贾敬送去，向贾蓉说道：“你留神看太爷喜欢不喜欢，你就行了礼来。，你说：‘我父亲遵太爷的话未敢来，在家里率领合家都朝上行了礼了。’”贾蓉听罢，即率领家人去了。

　　这里渐渐的就有人来。先是贾琏、贾蔷到来，先看了各处的座位，并问：“有什么顽意儿没有？”家人答道：“我们爷原算计请太爷今日来家来，所以并未敢预备顽意儿。前日听见太爷又不来了，现叫奴才们找了一班小戏儿并一档子打十番的，都在园子里戏台上预备着呢。”　

　　次後邢夫人、王夫人、凤姐儿、宝玉都来了，贾珍并尤氏接了进去。尤氏的母亲已先在这里呢。大家见过了，彼此让了坐。贾珍尤氏二人亲自递了茶，因笑道：“老太太原是老祖宗，我父亲又是侄儿，这样日子，原不敢请他老人家；但是这个时候，天气正凉爽，满园的菊花又盛开，请老祖宗过来散散闷，看着众儿孙热闹热闹，是这个意思。谁知老祖宗又不肯赏脸。”凤姐儿未等王夫人开口，先说道：“老太太昨儿还说要来着呢，因为晚上看着宝兄弟他们吃桃儿，老人家又嘴馋，吃了有大半个，五更天的时候就一连起来了两次，今日早晨略觉身子倦些。因叫我回太爷，今日断不能来了，说有好吃的要几样，还要很烂的呢。”贾珍听了笑道：“我说老祖宗是爱热闹的，今日不来，必定有个原故，若是这么着就是了。”

　　王夫人道：“前日听见你大妹妹说，蓉哥儿媳妇身上有些不大好，到底是怎么样？”尤氏道：“他这个病得的也奇。上月中秋还跟着老太太、太太们顽了半夜，回家来好好的。到了二十後，一日比一日觉懒，也懒待吃东西，这将近有半个多月了。经期又有两个月没来。”邢夫人接着说道：“别是喜罢？”

　　正说着，外头人回道：“大老爷、二老爷并一家的爷们都来了，在厅上呢。”贾珍连忙出去了。这里尤氏方说道：“从前大夫也有说是喜的。昨日冯紫英荐了他从学过的一个先生，医道很好，瞧了说不是喜，竟是很大的一个症候。昨儿开了方子，吃了一剂药，今日头眩的略好些，别的仍不见怎么样大见效。”凤姐儿道：“我说他不是十分支持不住，今日这样的日子，再也不肯不扎挣着上来。”尤氏道：“你是初三日在这里见他的，他强扎扎了半天，也是因你们娘儿两个好的上头，他才恋恋的舍不得去。”凤姐儿听了，眼圈儿红了半天，半日方说道：“真是‘天有不测风云，人有旦夕祸福’。这个年纪，倘或就因这个病上怎么样了，人还活着有什么趣儿！”

　　正说话间，贾蓉进来，给邢夫人、王夫人、凤姐儿前都请了安，方回尤氏道：“方才我去给太爷送吃食去，并说我父亲在家中伺候老爷们，款待一家子的爷们，遵太爷的话并未敢来。太爷听了甚喜欢，说：‘这才是。’叫告诉父亲母亲好生伺候太爷太太们，叫我好生伺候叔叔婶子们并哥哥们。还说那《阴骘文》，叫急急的刻出来，印一万张散人。我将此话都回了我父亲了。我这会子得快出去打发太爷们并合家爷们吃饭。”凤姐儿说：“蓉哥儿，你且站住。你媳妇今日到底是怎么着？”贾蓉皱皱眉说道：“不好么！婶子回来瞧瞧去就知道了。”于是贾蓉出去了。　

　　这里尤氏向邢夫人、王夫人道：“太太们在这里吃饭阿，还是在园子里吃去好？小戏儿现预备在园子里呢。”王夫人向邢夫人道：“我们索性吃了饭再过去罢，也省好些事。”邢夫人道：“很好。”于是尤氏就吩咐媳妇婆子们：“快送饭来。”门外一齐答应了一声，都各人端各人的去了。不多一时，摆上了饭。尤氏让邢夫人、王夫人并他母亲都上坐了，他与凤姐儿、宝玉侧席坐了。刑夫人、王夫人道：“我们来原为给大老爷拜寿，这不竟是我们来过生日来了么？”凤姐儿说道：“大老爷原是好养静的，已经修炼成了，也算得是神仙了。太太们这么一说，这就叫作‘心到神知’了。”一句话说的满屋里的人都笑起来了。

　　于是，尤氏的母亲并邢夫人、王夫人、凤姐儿都吃毕饭，漱了口，净了手；才说要往园子里去，贾蓉进来向尤氏说道：“老爷们并众位叔叔哥哥兄弟们都吃了饭了。大老爷说家里有事，二老爷是不爱听戏又怕人闹的慌，都才去了。别的一家子爷们被琏二叔并蔷兄弟让过去听戏去了。方才南安郡王、东平郡王、西宁郡王、北静郡王四家王爷，并镇国公牛府等六家，忠靖侯史府等八家，都差人持名帖送寿礼来，俱回了我父亲，先收在账房里了，礼单都上上档子了。老爷的领谢的名帖都交给各来人了，各来人也都照旧例赏了，众来人都让吃了饭才去了。母亲该请二位太太、老娘、婶子都过园子里去坐着罢。”尤氏道：“也是才吃完了饭，就要过去了。”

　　凤姐儿说：“我回太太，我先瞧瞧蓉哥儿媳妇，我再过去。”王夫人道：“很是。我们都要去瞧瞧他，倒怕他嫌闹的慌，说我们问他好罢。”尤氏道：“好妹妹，媳妇听你的话，你去开导开导他，我也放心。你就快些过园子里来罢。”宝玉也要跟了凤姐儿去瞧秦氏去，王夫人道：“你看看就过去罢，那是侄儿媳妇。”于是尤氏请了邢夫人、王夫人并他母亲都过会芳园去了。　　

　　凤姐儿、宝玉方和贾蓉到秦氏这边来。进了房门，悄悄的走到里间房门口，秦氏见了，就要站起来，凤姐儿说：“快别起来，看起猛了头晕。”于是凤姐儿就紧走了两步，拉住秦氏的手，说道：“我的奶奶！怎么几日不见，就瘦的这么着了！”于是就坐在秦氏坐的褥子上。宝玉也问了好，坐在对面椅子上。贾蓉叫：“快倒茶来，婶子和二叔在上房还未吃茶呢。”

　　秦氏拉着凤姐儿的手，强笑道：“这都是我没福。这样人家，公公婆婆当自已的女孩儿似的待。婶娘的侄儿虽说年轻，却也是他敬我，我敬他，从来没有红过脸儿。就是一家子的长辈同辈之中，除了婶子倒不用说了，别人也从无不疼我的，也无不和我好的。这如今得了这个病，把我那要强的心一分也没了。公婆跟前未得孝顺一天；就是婶娘这样疼我，我就有十分孝顺的心，如今也不能够了。我自想着，未必熬的过年去呢！”

　　宝玉正眼瞅着那《海棠春睡图》并那秦太虚写的“嫩寒锁梦因春冷，芳气袭人是酒香”的对联，不觉想起在这里睡晌觉梦到“太虚幻境”的事来。正自出神，听得秦氏说了这些话，如万箭攒心，那眼泪不知不觉就流下来了。凤姐儿心中虽十分难过，但恐怕病人见了众人这个样儿反添心酸，倒不是来开导劝解的意思了。见宝玉这个样子，因说道：“宝兄弟，你忒婆婆妈妈的了。他病人不过是这样说，那里就到得这个田地了？况且能多大年纪的人，略病一病就这么想那么想的，这不是自己倒给自己添病了么？”贾蓉道：“他这病也不用别的，只是吃得些饮食就不怕了。”凤姐儿道：“宝兄弟，太太叫你快过去呢。你别在这里只管这么着，倒招的媳妇也心里不好。太太那里又惦着你。”因向贾蓉说道：“你先同你宝叔叔过去罢，我还略坐一坐儿。”贾蓉听说，即同宝玉过会芳园来了。

　　这里凤姐儿又劝了一番，又低低的说了许多衷肠话儿。尤氏打发人请了两三遍，凤姐儿才向秦氏说道：“你好生养着罢，我再来看你。合该你这病要好，所以前日就有人荐了这个好大夫来，再也是不怕的了。”秦氏笑道：“任赁神仙也罢，治得病治不得命。婶子！我知道我这病不过是挨日子。”凤姐儿说道：“你只管这么想着，病那里能好呢？总要想开了才是。况且听得大夫说，若是不治，怕的是春天不好呢。如今才九月半，还有四五个月的工夫，什么病治不好呢？咱们若是不能吃人参的人家，这也难说了；你公公婆婆听见治得好你，别说一日二钱人参，就是二斤也能够吃的起。好生养着罢，我过园子里去了。”秦氏又道：“婶子，恕我不能跟着去了。闲了时候还求过婶子常过来来瞧瞧我，咱们娘儿们坐坐，多说几遭话儿。”凤姐儿听了，不觉得又眼圈儿一红，遂说道：“我得了闲儿必常来看你。”

　　于是凤姐儿带领跟来的婆子丫头并宁府的媳妇婆子们，从里头绕进园子的便门来。但只见：

　　黄花满地，白柳横坡。小桥通若耶之溪，曲径接天台之路。石中清流激湍，篱落飘香；树头红叶翩翩，疏林如画。西风乍紧，初罢莺嘀；暖日当暄，又添蛩语。遥望东南，建几处依山之榭；纵观西北，结三间临水之轩，笙簧盈耳，别有幽情；罗绮穿林，倍添韵致。

　　凤姐儿正自看园中景致，一步步行来赞赏。猛然从假山石後走过一个人来，向前对凤姐儿说道：“请嫂子安。”凤姐儿猛然见了，将身子望後一退，说道：“这是瑞大爷不是？”贾瑞说道：“嫂子连我也不认得了？不是我是谁！”凤姐儿道：“不是不认得，猛然一见，想不到是大爷到这里来。”贾瑞道：“也是合该我与嫂子有缘。我方才偷出了席，在这个清净地方略散一散，不想就遇见嫂子也从这里来。这不是有缘么？”一面说着，一面拿眼睛不住的觑着凤姐儿。

　　凤姐儿是个聪明人，见他这个光景，如何不猜透八九分呢，因向贾瑞假意含笑道：“怨不得你哥哥常提你，说你很好。今日见了，听你这几句话儿，就知道你是个聪明和气的人了。这会子我要到太太们那里去，不得和你说话儿，等闲了咱们再说话儿罢。”贾瑞道：“我要到嫂子家里去请安，又恐怕嫂子年轻，不肯轻易见人。”凤姐儿假意笑道：“一家子骨肉，说什么年轻不年轻的话。”贾瑞听了这话，再不想到今日得这个奇遇。那神情光景亦发不堪难看了。凤姐儿说道：“你快去入席罢。仔细他们拿住罚你酒。”贾瑞听了，身上已木了半边，慢慢的一面走着，一面回过头来看。凤姐儿故意的把脚步放迟了些儿，见他去远了，心里暗忖道：“这才是知人知面不知心呢，那里有这样禽兽似的人呢。他如果如此，几时叫他死在我的手里，他才知道我的手段！”

　　于是凤姐儿方移步前来。将转过了一重山坡，见两三个婆子慌慌张张的走来，见了凤姐儿，笑说道：“我们奶奶见二奶奶只是不来，急的了不得，叫奴才们又来请奶奶来了。”凤姐儿说：“你们奶奶就是这样急脚鬼似的。”凤姐儿慢慢的走着，问：“戏唱了有几出了？”那婆子回道：“有八九出了。”说话之间，来已到了天香楼的後门，见宝玉和一群丫头在那里玩呢。凤姐儿说道：“宝兄弟，别忒淘气了。”有一个丫头说道：“太太们都在楼上坐着呢，请奶奶就从这边上去罢。”

　　凤姐儿听了，款步提衣上了楼，见尤氏已在楼梯口等着呢。尤氏笑说道：“你们娘儿两个忒好了，见了面总舍不得来了。你明日搬来和他住着罢。你坐下，我先敬你一钟。”于是凤姐儿在邢王二夫人前告了坐，又在尤氏的母亲前周旋了一遍，仍同尤氏坐在一桌上吃酒听戏。尤氏叫拿戏单来，让凤姐儿点戏，凤姐儿说道：“亲家太太和太太们在这里，我如何敢点。”邢夫人王夫人说道：“我们和亲家太太都点了好几出了，你点两出好的我们听。”凤姐儿立起身来答应了一声，方接过戏单来，从头一看，点了一出《还魂》，一出《弹词》，递过戏单去说：“现在唱的这《双官诰》，唱完了，再唱这两出，也就是时候了。”王夫人道：“可不是呢，也该趁早叫你哥哥嫂子歇歇，他们又心里不静。”尤氏说道：“太太们又不常过来，娘儿们多坐一会子去，才有趣儿，天还早呢。”凤姐儿立起身来望楼下一看，说：“爷们都往那里去了？”旁边一个婆子道：“爷们才到凝曦轩，带了打十番的那里吃酒去了。”凤姐儿说道：“在这里不便易，背地里又不知干什么去了！”尤氏笑道：“那里都象你这么正经人呢。”

　　于是说说笑笑，点的戏都唱完了，方才撤下酒席，摆上饭来。吃毕，大家才出园子来，到上房坐下，吃了茶，方才叫预备车，向尤氏的母亲告了辞。尤氏率同众姬妾并家下婆子媳妇们方送出来；贾珍率领众子侄都在车旁侍立，等候着呢，见了邢夫人、王夫人道：“二位婶子明日还过来逛逛。”王夫人道：“罢了，我们今日整坐了一日，也乏了，明日歇歇罢。”于是都上车去了。贾瑞犹不时拿眼睛觑着凤姐儿。贾珍等进去了後，李贵才拉过马来，宝玉骑上，随了王夫人去了。这里贾珍同一家子的弟兄子侄吃过了晚饭，方大家散了。

　　次日，仍是众族人等闹了一日，不必细说。此後凤姐儿不时亲自来看秦氏。秦氏也有几日好些，也有几日仍是那样。贾珍、尤氏、贾蓉好不焦心。

　　且说贾瑞到荣府来了几次，偏都遇见凤姐儿往宁府那边去了。这年正是十一月三十日冬至。到交节的那几日，贾母、王夫人、凤姐儿天天着人去看秦氏，回来的人都说：“这几日也没见添病，也不见甚好。”王夫人向贾母说：“这个症候，遇着这样大节不添病，就有好大的指望了。”贾母说：“可是呢，好个孩子，要是有些原故，可不叫人疼死！”说着，一阵心酸，叫凤姐儿说道：“你们娘儿两个也好了一场，明日大初一，过了明日，你後日再去看一看他去。你细细的瞧瞧他那光景，倘或好些儿，你回来告诉我，我也喜欢喜欢。那孩子素日爱吃的，你也常叫人做些给他送过去。”凤姐儿一一的答应了。

　　到了初二日，吃了早饭，来到宁府，看见秦氏的光景，虽未甚添病，但是那脸上身上的肉都全瘦干了。于是和秦氏坐了半日，说了些闲话儿，又将这病无妨的话开导了一遍。秦氏说道：“好不好，春天就知道了。如今现过了冬至，又没怎么样，或者好的了也未可知。婶子回老太太、太太，放心罢。昨日老太太赏的那枣泥馅的山药糕，我倒吃了两块，倒象克化的动似的。”凤姐儿说道：“明日再给你送来。我到你婆婆那里瞧瞧，就要赶着回去回老太太话去。”秦氏道：“婶子替我请老太太、太太安罢。”　

　　凤姐儿答应着就出来了，到了尤氏上房坐下。尤氏道：“你冷眼瞧媳妇是怎么样？”凤姐儿低了半日头，说道：“这实在没法儿了。你也该将一应的後事用的东西给他料理料理，冲一冲也好。”尤氏道：“我也叫人暗暗的预备了。就是那件东西不得好木头，暂且慢慢的办罢。”于是凤姐儿吃了茶，说了一会子话儿，说道：“我要快回去回老太太的话去呢。”尤氏道：“你可缓缓的说，别吓着老太太。”凤姐儿道：“我知道。”　

　　于是凤姐儿就回来了。到了家中，见了贾母，说：“蓉哥儿媳妇请老太太安，给老太太磕头，说他好些了，求老祖宗放心罢。他再略好些，还要给老祖宗磕头请安来呢。”贾母道：“你看他是怎么样？”凤姐儿说：“暂且无妨，精神还好呢。”贾母听了，沉吟了半日，因向凤姐儿说：“你换换衣服歇歇去罢。”　

　　凤姐儿答应着出来，见过了王夫人，到了家中，平儿将烘的家常的衣服给凤姐儿换了。凤姐儿方坐下，问道：“家里没有什么事？”平儿方端了茶来来，递了过去，说道：“没有什么事。就是那三百两银子的利钱，旺儿媳妇送进来，我收了。再还有瑞大爷使人来打听奶奶在家没有，他要来请安说话。”凤姐儿听了，哼了一声，说道：“这畜生合该作死，看他来了怎么样！”平儿因问道：“这瑞太爷是因什么只管来？”凤姐儿遂将九月里在宁府园子里遇见他的光景，他说的话，都告诉了平儿。平儿说道：“癞蛤蟆想吃天鹅肉，没人伦的混账东西，起这样念头，叫他不得好死！”凤姐儿道：“等他来了，我自有道理。”不知贾瑞来时作何光景，且听下回分解。

CHAPTER XI.
In honour of Chia Ching’s birthday, a family banquet is spread in the Ning Mansion — At the sight of Hsi-feng, Chia Jui entertains feelings of licentious love.
We will now explain, in continuation of our story, that on the day of Chia Ching’s birthday, Chia Chen began by getting ready luscious delicacies and rare fruits, which he packed in sixteen spacious present boxes, and bade Chia Jung take them, along with the servants belonging to the household, over to Chia Ching.

Turning round towards Chia Jung: “Mind,” he said, “that you observe whether your grandfather be agreeable or not, before you set to work and pay your obeisance! ‘My father,’ tell him, ‘has complied with your directions, venerable senior, and not presumed to come over; but he has at home ushered the whole company of the members of the family (into your apartments), where they all paid their homage facing the side of honour.’”

After Chia Jung had listened to these injunctions, he speedily led off the family domestics, and took his departure. During this interval, one by one arrived the guests. First came Chia Lien and Chia Se, who went to see whether the seats in the various places (were sufficient). “Is there to be any entertainment or not?” they also inquired.

“Our master,” replied the servants, “had, at one time, intended to invite the venerable Mr. Chia Ching to come and spend this day at home, and hadn’t for this reason presumed to get up any entertainment. But when the other day he came to hear that the old gentleman was not coming, he at once gave us orders to go in search of a troupe of young actors, as well as a band of musicians, and all these people are now engaged making their preparations on the stage in the garden.”

Next came, in a group, mesdames Hsing and Wang, lady Feng and Pao-yü, followed immediately after by Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu; Mrs. Yu’s mother having already arrived and being in there in advance of her. Salutations were exchanged between the whole company, and they pressed one another to take a seat. Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu both handed the tea round.

“Our venerable lady,” they explained, as they smiled, “is a worthy senior; while our father is, on the other hand, only her nephew; so that on a birthday of a man of his age, we should really not have had the audacity to invite her ladyship; but as the weather, at this time, is cool, and the chrysanthemums, in the whole garden, are in luxuriant blossom, we have requested our venerable ancestor to come for a little distraction, and to see the whole number of her children and grand-children amuse themselves. This was the object we had in view, but, contrary to our expectations, our worthy senior has not again conferred upon us the lustre of her countenance.”

Lady Feng did not wait until madame Wang could open her mouth, but took the initiative to reply. “Our venerable lady,” she urged, “had, even so late as yesterday, said that she meant to come; but, in the evening, upon seeing brother Pao eating peaches, the mouth of the old lady once again began to water, and after partaking of a little more than the half of one, she had, about the fifth watch, to get out of bed two consecutive times, with the result that all the forenoon to-day, she felt her body considerably worn out. She therefore bade me inform our worthy senior that it was utterly impossible for her to come to-day; adding however that, if there were any delicacies, she fancied a few kinds, but that they should be very tender.”

When Chia Chen heard these words, he smiled. “Our dowager lady,” he replied, “is, I argued, so fond of amusement that, if she doesn’t come to-day, there must, for a certainty, be some valid reason; and that’s exactly what happens to be the case.”

“The other day I heard your eldest sister explain,” interposed madame Wang, “that Chia Jung’s wife was anything but well; but what’s after all the matter with her?”

“She has,” observed Mrs. Yu, “contracted this illness verily in a strange manner! Last moon at the time of the mid-autumn festival, she was still well enough to be able to enjoy herself, during half the night, in company with our dowager lady and madame Wang. On her return, she continued in good health, until after the twentieth, when she began to feel more and more languid every day, and loth, likewise, to eat anything; and this has been going on for well-nigh half a month and more; she hasn’t besides been anything like her old self for two months.”

“May she not,” remarked madame Hsing, taking up the thread of the conversation, “be ailing for some happy event?”

But while she was uttering these words, some one from outside announced: “Our senior master, second master and all the gentlemen of the family have come, and are standing in the Reception Hall!” Whereupon Chia Chen and Chia Lien quitted the apartment with hurried step; and during this while, Mrs. Yu reiterated how that some time ago a doctor had also expressed the opinion that she was ailing for a happy event, but that the previous day, had come a doctor, recommended by Feng Tzu-ying—a doctor, who had from his youth up made medicine his study, and was very proficient in the treatment of diseases,—who asserted, after he had seen her, that it was no felicitous ailment, but that it was some grave complaint. “It was only yesterday,” (she explained,) “that he wrote his prescription; and all she has had is but one dose, and already to-day the giddiness in the head is considerably better; as regards the other symptoms they have as yet shown no marked improvement.”

“I maintain,” remarked lady Feng, “that, were she not quite unfit to stand the exertion, would she in fact, on a day like this, be unwilling to strain every nerve and come round.”

“You saw her,” observed Mrs. Yu, “on the third in here; how that she bore up with a violent effort for ever so long, but it was all because of the friendship that exists between you two, that she still longed for your society, and couldn’t brook the idea of tearing herself away.”

When lady Feng heard these words, her eyes got quite red, and after a time she at length exclaimed: “In the Heavens of a sudden come wind and rain; while with man, in a day and in a night, woe and weal survene! But with her tender years, if for a complaint like this she were to run any risk, what pleasure is there for any human being to be born and to sojourn in the world?”

She was just speaking, when Chia Jung walked into the apartment; and after paying his respects to madame Hsing, madame Wang, and lady Feng, he then observed to Mrs. Yu: “I have just taken over the eatables to our venerable ancestor; and, at the same time, I told him that my father was at home waiting upon the senior, and entertaining the junior gentlemen of the whole family, and that in compliance with grandfather’s orders, he did not presume to go over. The old gentleman was much delighted by what he heard me say, and having signified that that was all in order, bade me tell father and you, mother, to do all you can in your attendance upon the senior gentlemen and ladies, enjoining me to entertain, with all propriety, my uncles, aunts, and my cousins. He also went on to urge me to press the men to cut, with all despatch, the blocks for the Record of Meritorious Deeds, and to print ten thousand copies for distribution. All these messages I have duly delivered to my father, but I must now be quick and go out, so as to send the eatables for the elder as well as for the younger gentlemen of the entire household.”

“Brother Jung Erh,” exclaimed lady Feng, “wait a moment. How is your wife getting on? how is she, after all, to-day?”

“Not well,” replied Chia Jung. “But were you, aunt, on your return to go in and see her, you will find out for yourself.”

Chia Jung forthwith left the room. During this interval, Mrs. Yu addressed herself to mesdames Hsing and Wang; “My ladies,” she asked, “will you have your repast in here, or will you go into the garden for it? There are now in the garden some young actors engaged in making their preparations?”

“It’s better in here,” madame Wang remarked, as she turned towards madame Hsing.

Mrs. Yu thereupon issued directions to the married women and matrons to be quick in serving the eatables. The servants, in waiting outside the door, with one voice signified their obedience; and each of them went off to fetch what fell to her share. In a short while, the courses were all laid out, and Mrs. Yu pressed mesdames Hsing and Wang, as well as her mother, into the upper seats; while she, together with lady Feng and Pao-yü, sat at a side table.

“We’ve come,” observed mesdames Hsing and Wang, “with the original idea of paying our congratulations to our venerable senior on the occasion of his birthday; and isn’t this as if we had come for our own birthdays?”

“The old gentleman,” answered lady Feng, “is a man fond of a quiet life; and as he has already consummated a process of purification, he may well be looked upon as a supernatural being, so that the purpose to which your ladyships have given expression may be considered as manifest to his spirit, upon the very advent of the intention.”

As this sentence was uttered the whole company in the room burst out laughing. Mrs. Yu’s mother, mesdames Hsing and Wang, and lady Feng having one and all partaken of the banquet, rinsed their mouths and washed their hands, which over, they expressed a wish to go into the garden.

Chia Jung entered the room. “The senior gentlemen,” he said to Mrs. Yu, “as well as all my uncles and cousins, have finished their repast; but the elder gentleman Mr. Chia She, who excused himself on the score of having at home something to attend to, and Mr. Secundus (Chia Cheng), who is not partial to theatrical performances and is always afraid that people will be too boisterous in their entertainments, have both of them taken their departure. The rest of the family gentlemen have been taken over by uncle Secundus Mr. Lien, and Mr. Se, to the other side to listen to the play. A few moments back Prince Nan An, Prince Tung P’ing, Prince Hsi Ning, Prince Pei Ching, these four Princes, with Niu, Duke of Chen Kuo, and five other dukes, six in all, and Shih, Marquis of Chung Ching, and other seven, in all eight marquises, sent their messengers with their cards and presents. I have already told father all about it; but before I did so, the presents were put away in the counting room, the lists of presents were all entered in the book, and the ‘received with thanks’ cards were handed to the respective messengers of the various mansions; the men themselves were also tipped in the customary manner, and all of them were kept to have something to eat before they went on their way. But, mother, you should invite the two ladies, your mother and my aunt, to go over and sit in the garden.”

“Just so!” observed Mrs. Yu, “but we’ve only now finished our repast, and were about to go over.”

“I wish to tell you, madame,” interposed lady Feng, “that I shall go first and see brother Jung’s wife and then come and join you.”

“All right,” replied madame Wang; “we should all have been fain to have paid her a visit, did we not fear lest she should look upon our disturbing her with displeasure, but just tell her that we would like to know how she is getting on!”

“My dear sister,” remarked Mrs. Yu, “as our son’s wife has a ready ear for all you say, do go and cheer her up, (and if you do so,) it will besides set my own mind at ease; but be quick and come as soon as you can into the garden.”

Pao-yü being likewise desirous to go along with lady Feng to see lady Ch’in, madame Wang remarked, “Go and see her just for a while, and then come over at once into the garden; (for remember) she is your nephew’s wife, (and you couldn’t sit in there long).”

Mrs. Yu forthwith invited mesdames Wang and Hsing, as well as her own mother, to adjourn to the other side, and they all in a body walked into the garden of Concentrated Fragrance; while lady Feng and Pao-yü betook themselves, in company with Chia Jung, over to this side.

Having entered the door, they with quiet step walked as far as the entrance of the inner chamber. Mrs. Ch’in, upon catching sight of them, was bent upon getting up; but “Be quick,” remonstrated lady Feng, “and give up all idea of standing up; for take care your head will feel dizzy.”

Lady Feng hastened to make a few hurried steps forward and to grasp Mrs. Ch’in’s hand in hers. “My dear girl!” she exclaimed; “How is it that during the few days I’ve not seen you, you have grown so thin?”

Readily she then took a seat on the rug, on which Mrs. Ch’in was seated, while Pao-yü, after inquiring too about her health, sat in the chair on the opposite side.

“Bring the tea in at once,” called out Chia Jung, “for aunt and uncle Secundus have not had any tea in the drawing room.”

Mrs. Ch’in took lady Feng’s hand in her own and forced a smile. “This is all due to my lack of good fortune; for in such a family as this, my father and mother-in-law treat me just as if I were a daughter of their own flesh and blood! Besides, your nephew, (my husband,) may, it is true, my dear aunt, be young in years, but he is full of regard for me, as I have regard for him, and we have had so far no misunderstanding between us! In fact, among the senior generation, as well as that of the same age as myself, in the whole clan, putting you aside, aunt, about whom no mention need be made, there is not one who has not ever had anything but love for me, and not one who has not ever shown me anything but kindness! But since I’ve fallen ill with this complaint, all my energy has even every bit of it been taken out of me, so that I’ve been unable to show to my father and mother-in-law any mark of filial attention, yea so much as for one single day and to you, my dear aunt, with all this affection of yours for me, I have every wish to be dutiful to the utmost degree, but, in my present state, I’m really not equal to it; my own idea is, that it isn’t likely that I shall last through this year.”

Pao-yü kept, while (she spoke,) his eyes fixed intently upon a picture on the opposite side, representing some begonias drooping in the spring time, and upon a pair of scrolls, with this inscription written by Ch’in Tai-hsü:

A gentle chill doth circumscribe the dreaming man because the spring
is cold!
The fragrant whiff which wafts itself into man’s nose, is the perfume
of wine!

And he could not help recalling to mind his experiences at the time when he had fallen asleep in this apartment, and had, in his dream, visited the confines of the Great Void. He was just plunged in a state of abstraction, when he heard Mrs. Ch’in give utterance to these sentiments, which pierced his heart as if they were ten thousand arrows, (with the result that) tears unwittingly trickled from his eyes.

Lady Feng perceiving him in tears felt it extremely painful within herself to bear the sight; but she was on pins and needles lest the patient should detect their frame of mind, and feel, instead (of benefit), still more sore at heart, which would not, after all, be quite the purpose of her visit; which was to afford her distraction and consolation. “Pao-yü,” she therefore exclaimed, “you are like an old woman! Ill, as she is, simply makes her speak in this wise, and how ever could things come to such a pass! Besides, she is young in years, so that after a short indisposition, her illness will get all right!” “Don’t,” she said as she turned towards Mrs. Ch’in, “give way to silly thoughts and idle ideas! for by so doing won’t you yourself be aggravating your ailment?”

“All that her sickness in fact needs,” observed Chia Jung, “is, that she should be able to take something to eat, and then there will be nothing to fear.”

“Brother Pao,” urged lady Feng, “your mother told you to go over, as soon as you could, so that don’t stay here, and go on in the way you’re doing, for you after all incite this lady also to feel uneasy at heart. Besides, your mother over there is solicitous on your account.” “You had better go ahead with your uncle Pao,” she consequently continued, addressing herself to Chia Jung, “while I sit here a little longer.”

When Chia Jung heard this remark, he promptly crossed over with Pao-yü into the garden of Concentrated Fragrance, while lady Feng went on both to cheer her up for a time, and to impart to her, in an undertone, a good deal of confidential advice.

Mrs. Yu had despatched servants, on two or three occasions, to hurry lady Feng, before she said to Mrs. Ch’in: “Do all you can to take good care of yourself, and I’ll come and see you again. You’re bound to get over this illness; and now, in fact, that you’ve come across that renowned doctor, you have really nothing more to fear.”

“He might,” observed Mrs. Ch’in as she smiled, “even be a supernatural being and succeed in healing my disease, but he won’t be able to remedy my destiny; for, my dear aunt, I feel sure that with this complaint of mine, I can do no more than drag on from day to day.”

“If you encourage such ideas,” remonstrated lady Feng, “how can this illness ever get all right? What you absolutely need is to cast away all these notions, and then you’ll improve. I hear moreover that the doctor asserts that if no cure be effected, the fear is of a change for the worse in spring, and not till then. Did you and I moreover belong to a family that hadn’t the means to afford any ginseng, it would be difficult to say how we could manage to get it; but were your father and mother-in-law to hear that it’s good for your recovery, why not to speak of two mace of ginseng a day, but even two catties will be also within their means! So mind you do take every care of your health! I’m now off on my way into the garden.”

“Excuse me, my dear aunt,” added Mrs. Ch’in, “that I can’t go with you; but when you have nothing to do, I entreat you do come over and see me! and you and I can sit and have a long chat.”

After lady Feng had heard these words, her eyes unwillingly got quite red again. “When I’m at leisure I shall, of course,” she rejoined, “come often to see you;” and forthwith leading off the matrons and married women, who had come over with her, as well as the women and matrons of the Ning mansion, she passed through the inner part of the house, and entered, by a circuitous way, the side gate of the park, when she perceived: yellow flowers covering the ground; white willows flanking the slopes; diminutive bridges spanning streams, resembling the Jo Yeh; zigzag pathways (looking as if) they led to the steps of Heaven; limpid springs dripping from among the rocks; flowers hanging from hedges emitting their fragrance, as they were flapped by the winds; red leaves on the tree tops swaying to and fro; groves picture-like, half stripped of foliage; the western breeze coming with sudden gusts, and the wail of the oriole still audible; the warm sun shining with genial rays, and the cicada also adding its chirp: structures, visible to the gaze at a distance in the South-east, soaring high on various sites and resting against the hills; three halls, visible near by on the North-west, stretching in one connected line, on the bank of the stream; strains of music filling the pavilion, imbued with an unwonted subtle charm; and maidens in fine attire penetrating the groves, lending an additional spell to the scene.

Lady Feng, while engaged in contemplating the beauties of the spot, advanced onwards step by step. She was plunged in a state of ecstasy, when suddenly, from the rear of the artificial rockery, egressed a person, who approached her and facing her said, “My respects to you, sister-in-law.”

Lady Feng was so startled by this unexpected appearance that she drew back. “Isn’t this Mr. Jui?” she ventured.

“What! sister-in-law,” exclaimed Chia Jui, “don’t you recognise even me?”

“It isn’t that I didn’t recognise you,” explained lady Feng, “but at the sudden sight of you, I couldn’t conceive that it would possibly be you, sir, in this place!”

“This was in fact bound to be,” replied Chia Jui; “for there’s some subtle sympathy between me and you, sister-in-law. Here I just stealthily leave the entertainment, in order to revel for a while in this solitary place when, against every expectation, I come across you, sister-in-law; and isn’t this a subtle sympathy?”

As he spoke, he kept his gaze fixed on lady Feng, who being an intelligent person, could not but arrive, at the sight of his manner, at the whole truth in her surmises. “It isn’t to be wondered at,” she consequently observed, as she smiled hypocritically, “that your eldest brother should make frequent allusion to your qualities! for after seeing you on this occasion, and hearing you utter these few remarks, I have readily discovered what an intelligent and genial person you are! I am just now on my way to join the ladies on the other side, and have no leisure to converse with you; but wait until I’ve nothing to attend to, when we can meet again.”

“I meant to have gone over to your place and paid my respects to you, sister-in-law,” pleaded Chia Jui, “but I was afraid lest a person of tender years like yourself mightn’t lightly receive any visitors!”

Lady Feng gave another sardonic smile. “Relatives,” she continued, “of one family, as we are, what need is there to say anything of tender years?”

After Chia Jui had heard these words, he felt his heart swell within him with such secret joy that he was urged to reflect: “I have at length to-day, when least I expected it, obtained this remarkable encounter with her!”

But as the display of his passion became still more repulsive, lady Feng urged him to go. “Be off at once,” she remarked, “and join the entertainment; for mind, if they find you out, they will mulct you in so many glasses of wine!”

By the time this suggestion had reached Chia Jui’s ears, half of his body had become stiff like a log of wood; and as he betook himself away, with lothful step, he turned his head round to cast glances at her. Lady Feng purposely slackened her pace; and when she perceived that he had gone a certain distance, she gave way to reflection. “This is indeed,” she thought, “knowing a person, as far as face goes, and not as heart! Can there be another such a beast as he! If he really continues to behave in this manner, I shall soon enough compass his death, with my own hands, and he’ll then know what stuff I’m made of.”

Lady Feng, at this juncture moved onward, and after turning round a chain of hillocks, she caught sight of two or three matrons coming along with all speed. As soon as they espied lady Feng they put on a smile. “Our mistress,” they said, “perceiving that your ladyship was not forthcoming, has been in a great state of anxiety, and bade your servants come again to request you to come over.

“Is your mistress,” observed lady Feng, “so like a quick-footed demon?”

While lady Feng advanced leisurely, she inquired, “How many plays have been recited?” to which question one of the matrons replied, “They have gone through eight or nine.” But while engaged in conversation, they had already reached the back door of the Tower of Celestial Fragrance, where she caught sight of Pao-yü playing with a company of waiting-maids and pages. “Brother Pao,” lady Feng exclaimed, “don’t be up to too much mischief!” “The ladies are all sitting upstairs,” interposed one of the maids. “Please, my lady, this is the way up.”

At these words lady Feng slackened her pace, raised her dress, and walked up the stairs, where Mrs. Yu was already at the top of the landing waiting for her.

“You two,” remarked Mrs. Yu, smiling, “are so friendly, that having met you couldn’t possibly tear yourself away to come. You had better to-morrow move over there and take up your quarters with her and have done; but sit down and let me, first of all, present you a glass of wine.”

Lady Feng speedily drew near mesdames Hsing and Wang, and begged permission to take a seat; while Mrs. Yu brought the programme, and pressed lady Feng to mark some plays.

“The senior ladies occupy the seats of honour,” remonstrated lady Feng, “and how can I presume to choose?”

“We, and our relative by marriage, have selected several plays,” explained mesdames Hsing and Wang, “and it’s for you now to choose some good ones for us to listen to.”

Standing up, lady Feng signified her obedience; and taking over the programme, and perusing it from top to bottom, she marked off one entitled, the “Return of the Spirit,” and another called “Thrumming and Singing;” after which she handed back the programme, observing, “When they have done with the ‘Ennoblement of two Officers,’ which they are singing just at present, it will be time enough to sing these two.”

“Of course it will,” retorted madame Wang, “but they should get it over as soon as they can, so as to allow your elder Brother and your Sister-in-law to have rest; besides, their hearts are not at ease.”

“You senior ladies don’t come often,” expostulated Mrs. Yu, “and you and I will derive more enjoyment were we to stay a little longer; it’s as yet early in the day!”

Lady Feng stood up and looked downstairs. “Where have all the gentlemen gone to?” she inquired.

“The gentlemen have just gone over to the Pavilion of Plenteous Effulgence,” replied a matron, who stood by; “they have taken along with them ten musicians and gone in there to drink their wine.”

“It wasn’t convenient for them,” remarked lady Feng, “to be over here; but who knows what they have again gone to do behind our backs?”

“Could every one,” interposed Mrs. Yu, “resemble you, a person of such propriety!”

While they indulged in chatting and laughing, the plays they had chosen were all finished; whereupon the tables were cleared of the wines, and the repast was served. The meal over, the whole company adjourned into the garden, and came and sat in the drawing-room. After tea, they at length gave orders to get ready the carriages, and they took their leave of Mrs. Yu’s mother. Mrs. Yu, attended by all the secondary wives, servants, and married women, escorted them out, while Chia Chen, along with the whole bevy of young men, stood by the vehicles, waiting in a group for their arrival.

After saluting mesdames Hsing and Wang, “Aunts,” they said, “you must come over again to-morrow for a stroll.”

“We must be excused,” observed madame Wang, “we’ve sat here the whole day to-day, and are, after all, feeling quite tired; besides, we shall need to have some rest to-morrow.”

Both of them thereupon got into their carriages and took their departure, while Chia Jui still kept a fixed gaze upon lady Feng; and it was after Chia Chen had gone in that Li Kuei led round the horse, and that Pao-yü mounted and went off, following in the track of mesdames Hsing and Wang.

Chia Chen and the whole number of brothers and nephews belonging to the family had, during this interval, partaken of their meal, and the whole party at length broke up. But in like manner, all the inmates of the clan and the guests spent on the morrow another festive day, but we need not advert to it with any minuteness.

After this occasion, lady Feng came in person and paid frequent visits to Mrs. Ch’in; but as there were some days on which her ailment was considerably better, and others on which it was considerably worse, Chia Chen, Mrs. Yu, and Chia Jung were in an awful state of anxiety.

Chia Jui, it must moreover be noticed, came over, on several instances, on a visit to the Jung mansion; but it invariably happened that he found that lady Feng had gone over to the Ning mansion.

This was just the thirtieth of the eleventh moon, the day on which the winter solstice fell; and the few days preceding that season, dowager lady Chia, madame Wang and lady Feng did not let one day go by without sending some one to inquire about Mrs. Ch’in; and as the servants, on their return, repeatedly reported that, during the last few days, neither had her ailment aggravated, nor had it undergone any marked improvement, madame Wang explained to dowager lady Chia, that as a complaint of this nature had reached this kind of season without getting any worse, there was some hope of recovery.

“Of course there is!” observed the old lady; “what a dear child she is! should anything happen to her, won’t it be enough to make people die from grief!” and as she spake she felt for a time quite sore at heart. “You and she,” continuing, she said to lady Feng, “have been friends for ever so long; to-morrow is the glorious first (and you can’t go), but after to-morrow you should pay her a visit and minutely scrutinise her appearance: and should you find her any better, come and tell me on your return! Whatever things that dear child has all along a fancy for, do send her round a few even as often as you can by some one or other!”

Lady Feng assented to each of her recommendations; and when the second arrived, she came, after breakfast, to the Ning mansion to see how Mrs. Ch’in was getting on; and though she found her none the worse, the flesh all over her face and person had however become emaciated and parched up. She readily sat with Mrs. Ch’in for a long while, and after they had chatted on one thing and another, she again reiterated the assurances that this illness involved no danger, and distracted her for ever so long.

“Whether I get well or not,” observed Mrs. Ch’in, “we’ll know in spring; now winter is just over, and I’m anyhow no worse, so that possibly I may get all right; and yet there’s no saying; but, my dear sister-in-law, do press our old lady to compose her mind! yesterday, her ladyship sent me some potato dumplings, with minced dates in them, and though I had two, they seem after all to be very easily digested!”

“I’ll send you round some more to-morrow,” lady Feng suggested; “I’m now going to look up your mother-in-law, and will then hurry back to give my report to our dowager lady.”

“Please, sister-in-law,” Mrs. Ch’in said, “present my best respects to her venerable ladyship, as well as to madame Wang.”

Lady Feng signified that she would comply with her wishes, and, forthwith leaving the apartment, she came over and sat in Mrs. Yu’s suite of rooms.

“How do you, who don’t see our son’s wife very often, happen to find her?” inquired Mrs. Yu.

Lady Feng drooped her head for some time. “There’s no help,” she ventured, “for this illness! but you should likewise make every subsequent preparation, for it would also be well if you could scour it away.”

“I’ve done so much as to secretly give orders,” replied Mrs. Yu, “to get things ready; but for that thing (the coffin), there’s no good timber to be found, so that it will have to be looked after by and by.”

Lady Feng swallowed hastily a cup of tea, and after a short chat, “I must be hurrying back,” she remarked, “to deliver my message to our dowager lady!”

“You should,” urged Mrs. Yu, “be sparse in what you tell her lady ship so as not to frighten an old person like her!”

“I know well enough what to say,” replied lady Feng.

Without any further delay, lady Feng then sped back. On her arrival at home she looked up the old lady. “Brother Jung’s wife,” she explained, “presents her compliments, and pays obeisance to your venerable ladyship; she says that she’s much better, and entreats you, her worthy senior, to set your mind at ease! That as soon as she’s a little better she will come and prostrate herself before your ladyship.”

“How do you find her?” inquired dowager lady Chia.

“For the present there’s nothing to fear,” continued lady Feng; “for her mien is still good.”

After the old lady had heard these words, she was plunged for a long while in deep reflection; and as she turned towards lady Feng, “Go and divest yourself of your toilette,” she said, “and have some rest.”

Lady Feng in consequence signified her obedience, and walked away, returning home after paying madame Wang a visit. P’ing Erh helped lady Feng to put on the house costume, which she had warmed by the fire, and lady Feng eventually took a seat and asked “whether there was anything doing at home?”

P’ing Erh then brought the tea, and after going over to hand the cup: “There’s nothing doing,” she replied; “as regards the interest on the three hundred taels, Wang Erh’s wife has brought it in, and I’ve put it away. Besides this, Mr. Jui sent round to inquire if your ladyship was at home or not, as he meant to come and pay his respects and to have a chat.”

“Heng!” exclaimed lady Feng at these words. “Why should this beast compass his own death? we’ll see when he comes what is to be done.”

“Why is this Mr. Jui so bent upon coming?’ P’ing Erh having inquired, lady Feng readily gave her an account of how she had met him in the course of the ninth moon in the Ning mansion, and of what had been said by him.

“What a mangy frog to be bent upon eating the flesh of a heavenly goose!” ejaculated P’ing Erh. “A stupid and disorderly fellow with no conception of relationship, to harbour such a thought! but we’ll make him find an unnatural death!”

“Wait till he comes,” added lady Feng, “when I feel certain I shall find some way.”

What happened, however, when Chia Jui came has not, as yet, been ascertained, but listen, reader, to the explanation given in the next chapter.

第 十 二 回

王熙凤毒设相思局 贾天祥正照风月鉴

　　话说凤姐正与平儿说话，只见有人回说：“瑞大爷来了。”凤姐急命“快请进来。”贾瑞见往里让，心中喜出望外，急忙进来，见了凤姐，满面陪笑，连连问好。凤姐儿也假意殷勤，让坐让茶。

　　贾瑞见凤姐如此打扮，益发酥倒，因饧了眼问道：“二哥哥怎么还不回来？”凤姐道：“不知什么原故。”贾瑞笑道：“别是路上有人绊住了脚了，舍不得回来也未可知？”凤姐道：“也未可知。男人家见一个爱一个也是有的。”贾瑞笑道：“嫂子这话错了，我就不这样。”凤姐笑道：“象你这样的人能有几个呢，十个里也挑不出一个来。”贾瑞听了，喜的抓耳挠腮，又道：“嫂子天天也闷的很？”凤姐道：“正是呢，只盼个人来说话解解闷儿。”贾瑞笑道：“我倒天天闲着，天天过来替嫂子解解闲闷可好不好？”凤姐笑道：“你哄我呢，你那里肯往我这里来？”贾瑞道：“我嫂子跟前，若有一点谎话，天打雷劈！只因素人闻得人说，嫂子是个利害人，在你跟前一点也错不得，所以唬住了我。如今见嫂子最是个有说有笑极疼人的，我怎么不来，－－死了也愿意！”凤姐笑道：“果然你是个明白人，比贾蓉两个强远了。我看他那样清秀，只当他们心里明白，谁知竟是两个糊涂虫，一点不知人心。”

　　贾瑞听这话，越发撞在心坎儿上，由不得又往前凑了一凑，觑着眼看凤姐带的荷包，然後又问戴着什么戒指。凤姐悄悄道：“放尊重着，别叫丫头们看了笑话。”贾瑞如听纶音佛语一般，忙往後退。凤姐笑道：“你该走了。”贾瑞道：“我再坐一坐儿。－－好狠心的嫂子！”凤姐又悄悄的道：“大天白白，人来人往，你就在这里也不方便。你且去，等着晚上起了更你来，悄悄的在西边穿堂儿等我。”贾瑞听了，如得珍宝，忙问道：“你别哄我。但只那里人过的多，怎么好躲的？”凤姐道：“你只放心。我把上夜的小厮们都放了假，两边门一关，再没别人了。” 贾瑞听了，喜之不尽，忙忙的告辞而去，心内以为得手。

　　盼到晚上，果然黑地里摸入荣府，趁掩门时，钻入穿堂。果见漆黑无人，往贾母那边去的门户已锁倒，只有向东的门未关。贾瑞侧耳听着，半日不见人来，忽听咯登一声，东边的门也倒关了。贾瑞急的也不敢则声，只得悄悄的出来，将门撼了撼，关得铁桶一般。此时要求出去，亦不能够，南北皆是大房墙，要跳亦无攀援。这屋内又是过门风，空落落；现是腊月天气，夜又长，朔风凛凛，侵肌裂骨，一夜几乎不曾冻死。好容易盼到早晨，只见一个老婆子先将东门开了，进去叫西门。贾瑞瞅他背着脸，一溜烟抱着肩跑了出来，幸而天气尚早，人都未起，从後门一径跑回家去。　

　　原来贾瑞父母早亡，只有他祖父代儒教养。那代儒素日教训最严，不许贾瑞多走一步，生怕他在外吃酒赌钱，有误学业。今忽见他一夜不归，只料定他在外非饮即赌，嫖娼宿妓，那里想到这段公案，因此气了一夜。贾瑞也捻着一把汗，少不得回来撒慌，只说：“往舅舅家去了，天黑了，留我住了一夜。”代儒道：“自来出门，非禀我不敢擅出，如何昨日私自去了？据此亦该打，何况是撒谎。”因此，发狠到底打了三四十板，不许吃饭，令他跪在院内读文章，定要补出十天工课来方罢。贾瑞直冻了一夜，今又遭了苦打，且饿着肚子跪在风地里念文章，其苦万状。

　　此时贾瑞前心犹是未改，再想不到是凤姐捉弄他。过后两日，得了空，便仍来找凤姐。凤姐故意抱怨他失信，贾瑞急的赌身发誓。凤姐因见他自投罗网，少不得再寻别计令他知改，故又约他道：“今日晚上，你别在那里了。你在我这房後小过道子里那间空屋里等我，可别冒撞了。”贾瑞道：“果真？”凤姐道：“谁可哄你，你不信就别来。”贾瑞道：“来，来，来。死也要来！”凤姐道：“这会子你先去罢。”贾瑞料定晚间必妥，此时先去了。凤姐在这里便点兵派将，设下圈套。

　　那贾瑞只盼不到夜上，偏生家里有亲戚又来了，直等吃了晚饭才去，那天已有掌灯时候。又等他祖父安歇了，方溜进荣府，直往那夹道中屋子里来等着，热锅上的蚂蚁一般，只是干转。左等不见人影，右听也没声音，心下自思：“别是又不来了，又冻我一夜不成？”正自胡猜，只见黑（左为鬼，右为越的右边）（同前）的来了一个人，贾瑞便意定是凤姐，不管皂白，饿虎一般，等那人刚至门前，便如猫儿捕鼠的一般，抱住叫道：“亲嫂子，等死我了。”说着，抱到屋里炕上就亲嘴扯裤子，满口里“亲娘”“亲爹”的乱叫起来。那人只不做声，贾瑞拉了自己裤子，硬帮帮的就想顶入。忽然灯光一闪，只见贾蔷举着个捻子照道：“谁在屋里？”只见炕上那人笑道：“瑞大叔要臊我呢。”贾瑞一见，却是贾蓉，真臊的无地可入，不知要怎么样才好，回身就要跑，被贾蔷一把揪住道：“别走！如今琏二婶已经告到太太跟前，说你无故调戏他。他暂用了个脱身计，哄你在这边等着，太太气死过去，因此叫我来拿你。刚才你又拦住他，没的说，跟我去见太太！”

　　贾瑞听了，魂不附体，只说：“好侄儿，只说没有见我，明日我重重的谢你。”贾蔷道：“你若谢我，放你不值什么，只不知你谢我多少？况且口说无凭，写一文契来。”贾瑞道：“这如何落纸呢？”贾蔷道：“这也不妨，写一个赌钱输了外人账目，借头家银若干两便罢。”贾瑞道：“这也容易。只是此时无纸笔。”贾蔷道：“这也容易。”说罢，翻身出来，纸笔现成，拿来命贾瑞写。他两作好作歹，只写了五十两银，然後画了押，贾蔷收起来。然後撕逻贾蓉。贾蓉先咬定牙不依，只说：“明日告诉族中的人评评理。”贾瑞急的至于叩头。贾蔷做好做歹的，也写了一张五十两欠契才罢。贾蔷又道：“如今要放你，我就担着不是。老太太那边的门早已关了，老爷正在厅上看南京的东西，那一条路定难过去，如今只好走後门。若这一走，倘或遇见了人，连我也完了。等我们先去哨探哨探，再来领你。这屋你还藏不得，少时就来堆东西。等我寻个地方。”说毕，拉着贾瑞，仍熄了灯，出至院外，摸着大台矶底下，说道：“这窝儿里好，你只蹲着，别哼一声，等我们来再动。”说毕，二人去了。

　　贾瑞此时身不由己，只得蹲在那里。心下正盘算，只听头顶上一声响，哗拉拉一净桶尿粪从上面直泼下来，可巧浇了他一头一身，贾瑞掌不住嗳哟了一声，忙又掩住口，不敢声张，满头满脸浑身皆是尿屎，冰冷打战。只见贾蔷跑来叫：“快走，快走！”贾瑞如得了命，三步两步从後门跑到家里，天已三更，只得叫门。开门人见他这般光景，问是怎的。少不得撒谎说：“黑了，失脚掉在茅厕里了。”一面到自己房中更衣洗濯，心下方想到是凤姐顽他，因此发一回恨；再想想凤姐的模样儿，又恨不得一时搂在怀，一夜竟不曾合眼。

　　自此满心想凤姐，只不敢往荣府去了。贾蓉两个常常的来索银子，他又怕祖父知道，正是相思尚且难禁，更又添了债务；日间工课又紧，他二十来岁之人，尚未娶亲，迩来想着凤姐，未免有那指头告了消乏等事；更兼两回冻恼奔波，因此三五下里夹攻，不觉就得了一病：心内发膨胀，口内无滋味，脚下如绵，眼中似醋，黑夜作烧，白昼常倦，下溺连精，嗽痰带血。诸如此症，不上一年，都添全了。于是不能支持，一头睡倒，合上眼还只梦魂颠倒，满口乱说胡话，惊怖异常。百般请医治疗，诸如肉桂、附子、鳖甲、麦冬、玉竹等药，吃了有几十斤下去，也不见个动静。　

　　倏又腊尽春回，这病更又沉重。代儒也着了忙，各处请医疗治，皆不见效。因後来吃“独参汤”，代儒如何有这力量，只得往荣府来寻。王夫人命凤姐秤二两给他，凤姐回说：“前儿新近都替老太太配了药，那整的太太又说留着送杨提督的太太配药，偏生昨儿我已送了去了。”王夫人道：“就是咱们这边没了，你打发个人往你婆婆那边问问，或是你珍大哥哥那府里再寻些来，凑着给人家。吃好了，救人一命，也是你的好处。”凤姐听了，也不遣人去寻，只得将些渣末泡须凑了几钱，命人送去，只说：“太太送来的，再也没了。”然後回王夫人说：“都寻了来，共凑了有二两多送去。”

　　那贾瑞此时要命心胜，无药不吃，只是白花钱，不见效。忽然这日有个跛足道人来化斋，口称专治冤业之症。贾瑞偏生在内就听见了，直着声叫喊说：“快请进那位菩萨来救我！”一面叫，一面在枕上叩首。众人只得带了那道士进来。贾瑞一把拉住，连叫：“菩萨救我！”那道士叹道：“你这病非药可医！我有个宝贝与你，你天天看时，此命可保矣。”说毕，从褡裢中取出一面镜子来－－两面皆可照人，镜把上面錾着“风月宝鉴”四字－－递与贾瑞道：“这物出自太虚幻境空灵殿上，警幻仙子所制，专治邪思妄动之症，有济世保生之功。所以带他到世上，单与那些聪明俊杰、风雅王孙等看照。千万不可照正面，只照他的背面，要紧，要紧！三日後吾来收取，管叫你好了。”说毕，佯常而去，众人苦留不住。　　

　　贾瑞收了镜子，想道：“这道士倒有些意思，我何不照一照试试。”想毕，拿起“风月鉴”来，向反面一照，只见一个骷髅立在里面，唬得贾瑞连忙掩了，骂：“道士混账，如何吓我！－－我倒再照照正面是什么。”想着，又将正面一照，只见凤姐站在里面招手叫他。贾瑞心中一喜，荡悠悠的觉得进了镜子，与凤姐云雨一番，凤姐仍送他出来。到了床上，嗳哟了一声，一睁眼，镜子从手里掉过来，仍是反面立着一个骷髅。贾瑞自觉汗津津的，底下已遗了一滩精。心中到底不足，又翻过正面来，只见凤姐还招手叫他，他又进去。如此三四次。到了这次，刚要出镜子来，只见两个人走来，拿铁锁把他套住，拉了就走。贾瑞叫道：“让我拿了镜子再走。”－－只说了这句，就再不能说话了。

　　旁边伏侍的贾瑞的众人，只见他先还拿着镜子照，落下来，仍睁开眼拾在手内，末後镜子落下来便不动了。众人上来看看，已没了气，身子底下冰凉渍湿一大滩精，这才忙着穿衣抬床。代儒夫妇哭的死去活来，大骂道士，“是何妖镜！若不早毁此物，遗害于世不小。”遂命架火来烧，只听镜内哭道：“谁叫你们瞧正面了！你们自己以假为真，何苦来烧我？”正哭着，只见那跛足道人从外跑来，喊道：“谁毁‘风月鉴’，吾来救也！”说着，直入中堂，抢入手内，飘然去了。

　　当下，代儒料理丧事，各处去报丧。三日起经，七日发引，寄灵于铁槛寺，日後带回原籍。当下贾家众人齐来吊问，荣府贾赦赠银二十两，贾政亦是二十两，宁国府贾珍亦有二十两，别者族中人贫富不等，或三两五两，不可胜数。另有各同窗家分资，也凑了二三十两。代儒家道虽然淡薄，倒也丰丰富富完了此事。

　　谁知这年冬底，林如海的书信寄来，却为身染重疾，写书特来接林黛玉回去。贾母听了，未免又加忧闷，只得忙忙的打点黛玉起身。宝玉大不自在，争奈父女之情，也不好拦劝。。于是贾母定要贾琏送他去，仍叫带回来。一应土仪盘缠，不消烦说，自然要妥贴。作速择了日期，贾琏与林黛玉辞别了贾母等，带领仆从，登舟往扬州去了。要知端的，且听下回分解。

CHAPTER XII.
Wang Hsi-feng maliciously lays a trap for Chia Jui, under pretence that his affection is reciprocated — Chia T’ien-hsiang gazes at the face of the mirror of Voluptuousness.
Lady Feng, it must be noticed in continuation of our narrative, was just engaged in talking with P’ing Erh, when they heard some one announce that Mr. Jui had come. Lady Feng gave orders that he should be invited to step in, and Chia Jui perceiving that he had been asked to walk in was at heart elated at the prospect of seeing her.

With a face beaming with smiles, Lady Feng inquired again and again how he was; and, with simulated tenderness she further pressed him to take a seat and urged him to have a cup of tea.

Chia Jui noticed how still more voluptuous lady Feng looked in her present costume, and, as his eyes burnt with love, “How is it,” he inquired, “that my elder brother Secundus is not yet back?”

“What the reason is I cannot tell,” lady Feng said by way of reply.

“May it not be,” Chia Jui smilingly insinuated, “that some fair damsel has got hold of him on the way, and that he cannot brook to tear himself from her to come home?”

“That makes it plain that there are those among men who fall in love with any girl they cast their eyes on,” hinted lady Feng.

“Your remarks are, sister-in-law, incorrect, for I’m none of this kind!” Chia Jui explained smirkingly.

“How many like you can there be!” rejoined lady Feng with a sarcastic smile; “in ten, not one even could be picked out!”

When Chia Jui heard these words, he felt in such high glee that he rubbed his ears and smoothed his cheeks. “My sister-in-law,” he continued, “you must of course be extremely lonely day after day.”

“Indeed I am,” observed lady Feng, “and I only wish some one would come and have a chat with me to break my dull monotony.”

“I daily have ample leisure,” Chia Jui ventured with a simper, “and wouldn’t it be well if I came every day to dispel your dulness, sister-in-law?”

“You are simply fooling me,” exclaimed lady Feng laughing. “It isn’t likely you would wish to come over here to me?”

“If in your presence, sister-in-law, I utter a single word of falsehood, may the thunder from heaven blast me!” protested Chia Jui. “It’s only because I had all along heard people say that you were a dreadful person, and that you cannot condone even the slightest shortcoming committed in your presence, that I was induced to keep back by fear; but after seeing you, on this occasion, so chatty, so full of fun and most considerate to others, how can I not come? were it to be the cause of my death, I would be even willing to come!”

“You’re really a clever person,” lady Feng observed sarcastically. “And oh so much superior to both Chia Jung and his brother! Handsome as their presence was to look at, I imagined their minds to be full of intelligence, but who would have thought that they would, after all, be a couple of stupid worms, without the least notion of human affection!”

The words which Chia Jui heard, fell in so much the more with his own sentiments, that he could not restrain himself from again pressing forward nearer to her; and as with eyes strained to give intentness to his view, he gazed at lady Feng’s purse: “What rings have you got on?” he went on to ask.

“You should be a little more deferential,” remonstrated lady Feng in a low tone of voice, “so as not to let the waiting-maids detect us.”

Chia Jui withdrew backward with as much alacrity as if he had received an Imperial decree or a mandate from Buddha.

“You ought to be going!” lady Feng suggested, as she gave him a smile.

“Do let me stay a while longer,” entreated Chia Jui, “you are indeed ruthless, my sister-in-law.”

But with gentle voice did lady Feng again expostulate. “In broad daylight,” she said, “with people coming and going, it is not really convenient that you should abide in here; so you had better go, and when it’s dark and the watch is set, you can come over, and quietly wait for me in the corridor on the Eastern side!”

At these words, Chia Jui felt as if he had received some jewel or precious thing. “Don’t make fun of me!” he remarked with vehemence. “The only thing is that crowds of people are ever passing from there, and how will it be possible for me to evade detection?”

“Set your mind at ease!” lady Feng advised; “I shall dismiss on leave all the youths on duty at night; and when the doors, on both sides, are closed, there will be no one else to come in!”

Chia Jui was delighted beyond measure by the assurance, and with impetuous haste, he took his leave and went off; convinced at heart of the gratification of his wishes. He continued, up to the time of dusk, a prey to keen expectation; and, when indeed darkness fell, he felt his way into the Jung mansion, availing himself of the moment, when the doors were being closed, to slip into the corridor, where everything was actually pitch dark, and not a soul to be seen going backwards or forwards.

The door leading over to dowager lady Chia’s apartments had already been put under key, and there was but one gate, the one on the East, which had not as yet been locked. Chia Jui lent his ear, and listened for ever so long, but he saw no one appear. Suddenly, however, was heard a sound like “lo teng,” and the east gate was also bolted; but though Chia Jui was in a great state of impatience, he none the less did not venture to utter a sound. All that necessity compelled him to do was to issue, with quiet steps, from his corner, and to try the gates by pushing; but they were closed as firmly as if they had been made fast with iron bolts; and much though he may, at this juncture, have wished to find his way out, escape was, in fact, out of the question; on the south and north was one continuous dead wall, which, even had he wished to scale, there was nothing which he could clutch and pull himself up by.

This room, besides, was one the interior (of which was exposed) to the wind, which entered through (the fissure) of the door; and was perfectly empty and bare; and the weather being, at this time, that of December, and the night too very long, the northerly wind, with its biting gusts, was sufficient to penetrate the flesh and to cleave the bones, so that the whole night long he had a narrow escape from being frozen to death; and he was yearning, with intolerable anxiety for the break of day, when he espied an old matron go first and open the door on the East side, and then come in and knock at the western gate.

Chia Jui seeing that she had turned her face away, bolted out, like a streak of smoke, as he hugged his shoulders with his hands (from intense cold.) As luck would have it, the hour was as yet early, so that the inmates of the house had not all got out of bed; and making his escape from the postern door, he straightaway betook himself home, running back the whole way.

Chia Jui’s parents had, it must be explained, departed life at an early period, and he had no one else, besides his grandfather Tai-ju, to take charge of his support and education. This Tai-ju had, all along, exercised a very strict control, and would not allow Chia Jui to even make one step too many, in the apprehension that he might gad about out of doors drinking and gambling, to the neglect of his studies.

Seeing, on this unexpected occasion, that he had not come home the whole night, he simply felt positive, in his own mind, that he was certain to have run about, if not drinking, at least gambling, and dissipating in houses of the demi-monde up to the small hours; but he never even gave so much as a thought to the possibility of a public scandal, as that in which he was involved. The consequence was that during the whole length of the night he boiled with wrath.

Chia Jui himself, on the other hand, was (in such a state of trepidation) that he could wipe the perspiration (off his face) by handfuls; and he felt constrained on his return home, to have recourse to deceitful excuses, simply explaining that he had been at his eldest maternal uncle’s house, and that when it got dark, they kept him to spend the night there.

“Hitherto,” remonstrated Tai-ju, “when about to go out of doors, you never ventured to go, on your own hook, without first telling me about it, and how is it that yesterday you surreptitiously left the house? for this offence alone you deserve a beating, and how much more for the lie imposed upon me.”

Into such a violent fit of anger did he consequently fly that laying hands on him, he pulled him over and administered to him thirty or forty blows with a cane. Nor would he allow him to have anything to eat, but bade him remain on his knees in the court conning essays; impressing on his mind that he would not let him off, before he had made up for the last ten days’ lessons.

Chia Jui had in the first instance, frozen the whole night, and, in the next place, came in for a flogging. With a stomach, besides, gnawed by the pangs of hunger, he had to kneel in a place exposed to drafts reading the while literary compositions, so that the hardships he had to endure were of manifold kinds.

Chia Jui’s infamous intentions had at this junction undergone no change; but far from his thoughts being even then any idea that lady Feng was humbugging him, he seized, after the lapse of a couple of days, the first leisure moments to come again in search of that lady.

Lady Feng pretended to bear him a grudge for his breach of faith, and Chia Jui was so distressed that he tried by vows and oaths (to establish his innocence.) Lady Feng perceiving that he had, of his own accord, fallen into the meshes of the net laid for him, could not but devise another plot to give him a lesson and make him know what was right and mend his ways.

With this purpose, she gave him another assignation. “Don’t go over there,” she said, “to-night, but wait for me in the empty rooms giving on to a small passage at the back of these apartments of mine. But whatever you do, mind don’t be reckless.”

“Are you in real earnest?” Chia Jui inquired.

“Why, who wants to play with you?” replied lady Feng; “if you don’t believe what I say, well then don’t come!”

“I’ll come, I’ll come, yea I’ll come, were I even to die!” protested Chia Jui.

“You should first at this very moment get away!” lady Feng having suggested, Chia Jui, who felt sanguine that when evening came, success would for a certainty crown his visit, took at once his departure in anticipation (of his pleasure.)

During this interval lady Feng hastily set to work to dispose of her resources, and to add to her stratagems, and she laid a trap for her victim; while Chia Jui, on the other hand, was until the shades of darkness fell, a prey to incessant expectation.

As luck would have it a relative of his happened to likewise come on that very night to their house and to only leave after he had dinner with them, and at an hour of the day when the lamps had already been lit; but he had still to wait until his grandfather had retired to rest before he could, at length with precipitate step, betake himself into the Jung mansion.

Straightway he came into the rooms in the narrow passage, and waited with as much trepidation as if he had been an ant in a hot pan. He however waited and waited, but he saw no one arrive; he listened but not even the sound of a voice reached his ear. His heart was full of intense fear, and he could not restrain giving way to surmises and suspicion. “May it not be,” he thought, “that she is not coming again; and that I may have once more to freeze for another whole night?”

While indulging in these erratic reflections, he discerned some one coming, looking like a black apparition, who Chia Jui readily concluded, in his mind, must be lady Feng; so that, unmindful of distinguishing black from white, he as soon as that person arrived in front of him, speedily clasped her in his embrace, like a ravenous tiger pouncing upon its prey, or a cat clawing a rat, and cried: “My darling sister, you have made me wait till I’m ready to die.”

As he uttered these words, he dragged the comer, in his arms, on to the couch in the room; and while indulging in kisses and protestations of warm love, he began to cry out at random epithets of endearment.

Not a sound, however, came from the lips of the other person; and Chia Jui had in the fulness of his passion, exceeded the bounds of timid love and was in the act of becoming still more affectionate in his protestations, when a sudden flash of a light struck his eye, by the rays of which he espied Chia Se with a candle in hand, casting the light round the place, “Who’s in this room?” he exclaimed.

“Uncle Jui,” he heard some one on the couch explain, laughing, “was trying to take liberties with me!”

Chia Jui at one glance became aware that it was no other than Chia Jung; and a sense of shame at once so overpowered him that he could find nowhere to hide himself; nor did he know how best to extricate himself from the dilemma. Turning himself round, he made an attempt to make good his escape, when Chia Se with one grip clutched him in his hold.

“Don’t run away,” he said; “sister-in-law Lien has already reported your conduct to madame Wang; and explained that you had tried to make her carry on an improper flirtation with you; that she had temporised by having recourse to a scheme to escape your importunities, and that she had imposed upon you in such a way as to make you wait for her in this place. Our lady was so terribly incensed, that she well-nigh succumbed; and hence it is that she bade me come and catch you! Be quick now and follow me, and let us go and see her.”

After Chia Jui had heard these words, his very soul could not be contained within his body.

“My dear nephew,” he entreated, “do tell her that it wasn’t I; and I’ll show you my gratitude to-morrow in a substantial manner.”

“Letting you off,” rejoined Chia Se, “is no difficult thing; but how much, I wonder, are you likely to give? Besides, what you now utter with your lips, there will be no proof to establish; so you had better write a promissory note.”

“How could I put what happened in black and white on paper?” observed Chia Jui.

“There’s no difficulty about that either!” replied Chia Se; “just write an account of a debt due, for losses in gambling, to some one outside; for payment of which you had to raise funds, by a loan of a stated number of taels, from the head of the house; and that will be all that is required.”

“This is, in fact, easy enough!” Chia Jui having added by way of answer; Chia Se turned round and left the room; and returning with paper and pencils, which had been got ready beforehand for the purpose, he bade Chia Jui write. The two of them (Chia Jung and Chia Se) tried, the one to do a good turn, and the other to be perverse in his insistence; but (Chia Jui) put down no more than fifty taels, and appended his signature.

Chia Se pocketed the note, and endeavoured subsequently to induce Chia Jung to come away; but Chia Jung was, at the outset, obdurate and unwilling to give in, and kept on repeating; “To-morrow, I’ll tell the members of our clan to look into your nice conduct!”

These words plunged Chia Jui in such a state of dismay, that he even went so far as to knock his head on the ground; but, as Chia Se was trying to get unfair advantage of him though he had at first done him a good turn, he had to write another promissory note for fifty taels, before the matter was dropped.

Taking up again the thread of the conversation, Chia Se remarked, “Now when I let you go, I’m quite ready to bear the blame! But the gate at our old lady’s over there is already bolted, and Mr. Chia Cheng is just now engaged in the Hall, looking at the things which have arrived from Nanking, so that it would certainly be difficult for you to pass through that way. The only safe course at present is by the back gate; but if you do go by there, and perchance meet any one, even I will be in for a mess; so you might as well wait until I go first and have a peep, when I’ll come and fetch you! You couldn’t anyhow conceal yourself in this room; for in a short time they’ll be coming to stow the things away, and you had better let me find a safe place for you.”

These words ended, he took hold of Chia Jui, and, extinguishing again the lantern, he brought him out into the court, feeling his way up to the bottom of the steps of the large terrace. “It’s safe enough in this nest,” he observed, “but just squat down quietly and don’t utter a sound; wait until I come back before you venture out.”

Having concluded this remark, the two of them (Chia Se and Chia Jung) walked away; while Chia Jui was, all this time, out of his senses, and felt constrained to remain squatting at the bottom of the terrace stairs. He was about to consider what course was open for him to adopt, when he heard a noise just over his head; and, with a splash, the contents of a bucket, consisting entirely of filthy water, was emptied straight down over him from above, drenching, as luck would have it, his whole person and head.

Chia Jui could not suppress an exclamation. “Ai ya!” he cried, but he hastily stopped his mouth with his hands, and did not venture to give vent to another sound. His whole head and face were a mass of filth, and his body felt icy cold. But as he shivered and shook, he espied Chia Se come running. “Get off,” he shouted, “with all speed! off with you at once!”

As soon as Chia Jui returned to life again, he bolted with hasty strides, out of the back gate, and ran the whole way home. The night had already reached the third watch, so that he had to knock at the door for it to be opened.

“What’s the matter?” inquired the servants, when they saw him in this sorry plight; (an inquiry) which placed him in the necessity of making some false excuse. “The night was dark,” he explained, “and my foot slipped and I fell into a gutter.”

Saying this, he betook himself speedily to his own apartment; and it was only after he had changed his clothes and performed his ablutions, that he began to realise that lady Feng had made a fool of him. He consequently gave way to a fit of wrath; but upon recalling to mind the charms of lady Feng’s face, he felt again extremely aggrieved that he could not there and then clasp her in his embrace, and as he indulged in these wild thoughts and fanciful ideas, he could not the whole night long close his eyes.

From this time forward his mind was, it is true, still with lady Feng, but he did not have the courage to put his foot into the Jung mansion; and with Chia Jung and Chia Se both coming time and again to dun him for the money, he was likewise full of fears lest his grandfather should come to know everything.

His passion for lady Feng was, in fact, already a burden hard to bear, and when, moreover, the troubles of debts were superadded to his tasks, which were also during the whole day arduous, he, a young man of about twenty, as yet unmarried, and a prey to constant cravings for lady Feng, which were difficult to gratify, could not avoid giving way, to a great extent, to such evil habits as exhausted his energies. His lot had, what is more, been on two occasions to be frozen, angered and to endure much hardship, so that with the attacks received time and again from all sides, he unconsciously soon contracted an organic disease. In his heart inflammation set in; his mouth lost the sense of taste; his feet got as soft as cotton from weakness; his eyes stung, as if there were vinegar in them. At night, he burnt with fever. During the day, he was repeatedly under the effects of lassitude. Perspiration was profuse, while with his expectorations of phlegm, he brought up blood. The whole number of these several ailments came upon him, before the expiry of a year, (with the result that) in course of time, he had not the strength to bear himself up. Of a sudden, he would fall down, and with his eyes, albeit closed, his spirit would be still plunged in confused dreams, while his mouth would be full of nonsense and he would be subject to strange starts.

Every kind of doctor was asked to come in, and every treatment had recourse to; and, though of such medicines as cinnamon, aconitum seeds, turtle shell, ophiopogon, Yü-chü herb, and the like, he took several tens of catties, he nevertheless experienced no change for the better; so that by the time the twelfth moon drew once again to an end, and spring returned, this illness had become still more serious.

Tai-ju was very much concerned, and invited doctors from all parts to attend to him, but none of them could do him any good. And as later on, he had to take nothing else but decoctions of pure ginseng, Tai-ju could not of course afford it. Having no other help but to come over to the Jung mansion, and make requisition for some, Madame Wang asked lady Feng to weigh two taels of it and give it to him. “The other day,” rejoined lady Feng, “not long ago, when we concocted some medicine for our dowager lady, you told us, madame, to keep the pieces that were whole, to present to the spouse of General Yang to make physic with, and as it happens it was only yesterday that I sent some one round with them.”

“If there’s none over here in our place,” suggested madame Wang, “just send a servant to your mother-in-law’s, on the other side, to inquire whether they have any. Or it may possibly be that your elder brother-in-law Chen, over there, might have a little. If so, put all you get together, and give it to them; and when he shall have taken it, and got well and you shall have saved the life of a human being, it will really be to the benefit of you all.”

Lady Feng acquiesced; but without directing a single person to institute any search, she simply took some refuse twigs, and making up a few mace, she despatched them with the meagre message that they had been sent by madame Wang, and that there was, in fact, no more; subsequently reporting to madame Wang that she had asked for and obtained all there was and that she had collected as much as two taels, and forwarded it to them.

Chia Jui was, meanwhile, very anxious to recover his health, so that there was no medicine that he would not take, but the outlay of money was of no avail, for he derived no benefit.

On a certain day and at an unexpected moment, a lame Taoist priest came to beg for alms, and he averred that he had the special gift of healing diseases arising from grievances received, and as Chia Jui happened, from inside, to hear what he said, he forthwith shouted out: “Go at once, and bid that divine come in and save my life!” while he reverentially knocked his head on the pillow.

The whole bevy of servants felt constrained to usher the Taoist in; and Chia Jui, taking hold of him with a dash, “My Buddha!” he repeatedly cried out, “save my life!”

The Taoist heaved a sigh. “This ailment of yours,” he remarked, “is not one that could be healed with any medicine; I have a precious thing here which I’ll give you, and if you gaze at it every day, your life can be saved!”

When he had done talking, he produced from his pouch a looking-glass which could reflect a person’s face on the front and back as well. On the upper part of the back were engraved the four characters: “Precious Mirror of Voluptuousness.” Handing it over to Chia Jui: “This object,” he proceeded, “emanates from the primordial confines of the Great Void and has been wrought by the Monitory Dream Fairy in the Palace of Unreality and Spirituality, with the sole intent of healing the illnesses which originate from evil thoughts and improper designs. Possessing, as it does, the virtue of relieving mankind and preserving life, I have consequently brought it along with me into the world, but I only give it to those intelligent preëminent and refined princely men to set their eyes on. On no account must you look at the front side; and you should only gaze at the back of it; this is urgent, this is expedient! After three days, I shall come and fetch it away; by which time, I’m sure, it will have made him all right.”

These words finished, he walked away with leisurely step, and though all tried to detain him, they could not succeed.

Chia Jui received the mirror. “This Taoist,” he thought, “would seem to speak sensibly, and why should I not look at it and try its effect?” At the conclusion of these thoughts, he took up the Mirror of Voluptuousness, and cast his eyes on the obverse side; but upon perceiving nought else than a skeleton standing in it, Chia Jui sustained such a fright that he lost no time in covering it with his hands and in abusing the Taoist. “You good-for-nothing!” he exclaimed, “why should you frighten me so? but I’ll go further and look at the front and see what it’s like.”

While he reflected in this manner, he readily looked into the face of the mirror, wherein he caught sight of lady Feng standing, nodding her head and beckoning to him. With one gush of joy, Chia Jui felt himself, in a vague and mysterious manner, transported into the mirror, where he held an affectionate tête-à-tête with lady Feng. Lady Feng escorted him out again. On his return to bed, he gave vent to an exclamation of “Ai yah!” and opening his eyes, he turned the glass over once more; but still, as hitherto, stood the skeleton in the back part.

Chia Jui had, it is true, experienced all the pleasant sensations of a tête-à-tête, but his heart nevertheless did not feel gratified; so that he again turned the front round, and gazed at lady Feng, as she still waved her hand and beckoned to him to go. Once more entering the mirror, he went on in the same way for three or four times, until this occasion, when just as he was about to issue from the mirror, he espied two persons come up to him, who made him fast with chains round the neck, and hauled him away. Chia Jui shouted. “Let me take the mirror and I’ll come along.” But only this remark could he utter, for it was forthwith beyond his power to say one word more. The servants, who stood by in attendance, saw him at first still holding the glass in his hand and looking in, and then, when it fell from his grasp, open his eyes again to pick it up, but when at length the mirror dropped, and he at once ceased to move, they in a body came forward to ascertain what had happened to him. He had already breathed his last. The lower part of his body was icy-cold; his clothes moist from profuse perspiration. With all promptitude they changed him there and then, and carried him to another bed.

Tai-ju and his wife wept bitterly for him, to the utter disregard of their own lives, while in violent terms they abused the Taoist priest. “What kind of magical mirror is it?” they asked. “If we don’t destroy this glass, it will do harm to not a few men in the world!”

Having forthwith given directions to bring fire and burn it, a voice was heard in the air to say, “Who told you to look into the face of it? You yourselves have mistaken what is false for what is true, and why burn this glass of mine?”

Suddenly the mirror was seen to fly away into the air; and when Tai-ju went out of doors to see, he found no one else than the limping Taoist, shouting, “Who is he who wishes to destroy the Mirror of Voluptuousness?” While uttering these words, he snatched the glass, and, as all eyes were fixed upon him, he moved away lissomely, as if swayed by the wind.

Tai-ju at once made preparations for the funeral and went everywhere to give notice that on the third day the obsequies would commence, that on the seventh the procession would start to escort the coffin to the Iron Fence Temple, and that on the subsequent day, it would be taken to his original home.

Not much time elapsed before all the members of the Chia family came, in a body, to express their condolences. Chia She, of the Jung Mansion, presented twenty taels, and Chia Cheng also gave twenty taels. Of the Ning Mansion, Chia Chen likewise contributed twenty taels. The remainder of the members of the clan, of whom some were poor and some rich, and not equally well off, gave either one or two taels, or three or four, some more, some less. Among strangers, there were also contributions, respectively presented by the families of his fellow-scholars, amounting, likewise, collectively to twenty or thirty taels.

The private means of Tai-ju were, it is true, precarious, but with the monetary assistance he obtained, he anyhow performed the funeral rites with all splendour and éclat.

But who would have thought it, at the close of winter of this year, Lin Ju-hai contracted a serious illness, and forwarded a letter, by some one, with the express purpose of fetching Lin Tai-yü back. These tidings, when they reached dowager lady Chia, naturally added to the grief and distress (she already suffered), but she felt compelled to make speedy preparations for Tai-yü‘s departure. Pao-yü too was intensely cut up, but he had no alternative but to defer to the affection of father and daughter; nor could he very well place any hindrance in the way.

Old lady Chia, in due course, made up her mind that she would like Chia Lien to accompany her, and she also asked him to bring her back again along with him. But no minute particulars need be given of the manifold local presents and of the preparations, which were, of course, everything that could be wished for in excellence and perfectness. Forthwith the day for starting was selected, and Chia Lien, along with Lin Tai-yü, said good-bye to all the members of the family, and, followed by their attendants, they went on board their boats, and set out on their journey for Yang Chou.

But, Reader, should you have any wish to know fuller details, listen to the account given in the subsequent Chapter.