中国经典 》 紅樓夢 A Dream of Red Mansions 》
第十七回 大觀園試纔題對額 榮國府歸省慶元宵 CHAPTER XVII.
曹雪芹 Cao Xueqin
高鶚 Gao E
CHAPTER XVII.
話說秦鐘既死，寶玉痛哭不已，李貴等好容易勸解半日方住，歸時猶是凄惻哀痛。賈母幫了幾十兩銀子，外又另備奠儀，寶玉去吊紙。七日後便送殯掩埋了，別無述記。衹有寶玉日日思慕感悼，然亦無可如何了。又不知歷幾何時，這日賈珍等來回賈政：“園內工程俱已告竣，大老爺已瞧過了，衹等老爺瞧了，或有不妥之處，再行改造，好題匾額對聯的。”賈政聽了，沉思一回，說道：“這匾額對聯倒是一件難事。論理該請貴妃賜題纔是，然貴妃若不親睹其景，大約亦必不肯妄擬，若直待貴妃遊幸過再請題，偌大景緻，若幹亭榭，無字標題，也覺寥落無趣，任有花柳山水，也斷不能生色。”衆清客在旁笑答道：“老世翁所見極是。如今我們有個愚見：各處匾額對聯斷不可少，亦斷不可定名。如今且按其景緻，或兩字，三字，四字，虛合其意，擬了出來，暫且做燈匾聯懸了。待貴妃遊幸時，再請定名，豈不兩全？"賈政等聽了，都道：“所見不差。我們今日且看看去，衹管題了，若妥當便用，不妥時，然後將雨村請來，令他再擬。”衆人笑道：“老爺今日一擬定佳，何必又待雨村。”賈政笑道：“你們不知，我自幼於花鳥山水題詠上就平平，如今上了年紀，且案牘勞煩，於這怡情悅性文章上更生疏了。縱擬了出來，不免迂腐古板，反不能使花柳園亭生色，似不妥協，反沒意思。”衆清客笑道：“這也無妨。我們大傢看了公擬，各舉其長，優則存之，劣則刪之，未為不可。”賈政道：“此論極是。且喜今日天氣和暖，大傢去逛逛。”說着起身，引衆人前往。
賈珍先去園中知會衆人。可巧近日寶玉因思念秦鐘，憂戚不盡，賈母常命人帶他到園中來戲耍。此時亦纔進去，忽見賈珍走來，嚮他笑道：“你還不出去，老爺就來了。”寶玉聽了，帶着奶娘小廝們，一溜煙就出園來。方轉過彎，頂頭賈政引衆客來了，躲之不及，衹得一邊站了。賈政近因聞得塾掌稱贊寶玉專能對對聯，雖不喜讀書，偏倒有些歪才情似的，今日偶然撞見這機會，便命他跟來。寶玉衹得隨往，尚不知何意。
賈政剛至園門前，衹見賈珍帶領許多執事人來，一旁侍立。賈政道：“你且把園門都關上，我們先瞧了外面再進去。”賈珍聽說，命人將門關了。賈政先秉正看門。衹見正門五間，上面桶瓦泥鰍脊，那門欄窗К，皆是細雕新鮮花樣，並無朱粉塗飾，一色水磨群墻，下面白石臺磯，鑿成西番草花樣。左右一望，皆雪白粉墻，下面虎皮石，隨勢砌去，果然不落富麗俗套，自是歡喜。遂命開門，衹見迎面一帶翠嶂擋在前面。衆清客都道：“好山，好山！"賈政道：“非此一山，一進來園中所有之景悉入目中，則有何趣。”衆人道：“極是。非胸中大有邱壑，焉想及此。”說畢，往前一望，見白石ЛО，或如鬼怪，或如猛獸，縱橫拱立，上面苔蘚成斑，藤蘿掩映，其中微露羊腸小徑。賈政道：“我們就從此小徑遊去，回來由那一邊出去，方可遍覽。”
說畢，命賈珍在前引導，自己扶了寶玉，逶迤進入山口。擡頭忽見山上有鏡面白石一塊，正是迎面留題處。賈政回頭笑道：“諸公請看，此處題以何名方妙？"衆人聽說，也有說該題"疊翠"二字，也有說該提"錦嶂"的，又有說"賽香爐"的，又有說"小終南"的，種種名色，不止幾十個。原來衆客心中早知賈政要試寶玉的功業進益如何，衹將些俗套來敷衍。寶玉亦料定此意。賈政聽了，便回頭命寶玉擬來。寶玉道：“嘗聞古人有雲：‘編新不如述舊，刻古終勝雕今。’況此處並非主山正景，原無可題之處，不過是探景一進步耳。莫若直書‘麯徑通幽處’這句舊詩在上，倒還大方氣派。”衆人聽了，都贊道：“是極！二世兄天分高，才情遠，不似我們讀腐了書的。”賈政笑道：“不可謬奬。他年小，不過以一知充十用，取笑罷了。再俟選擬。”
說着，進入石洞來。衹見佳木蘢蔥，奇花閃灼，一帶清流，從花木深處麯折瀉於石隙之下。再進數步，漸嚮北邊，平坦寬豁，兩邊飛樓插空，雕Н綉檻，皆隱於山樹杪之間。俯而視之，則清溪瀉雪，石磴穿雲，白石為欄，環抱池沿，石橋三港，獸面銜吐。橋上有亭。賈政與諸人上了亭子，倚欄坐了，因問：“諸公以何題此？"諸人都道：“當日歐陽公《醉翁亭記》有雲：‘有亭翼然’，就名‘翼然’。”賈政笑道：“‘翼然’雖佳，但此亭壓水而成，還須偏於水題方稱。依我拙裁，歐陽公之‘瀉出於兩峰之間’，竟用他這一個‘瀉’字。”有一客道：“是極，是極。竟是‘瀉玉’二字妙。”賈政拈髯尋思，因擡頭見寶玉侍側，便笑命他也擬一個來。寶玉聽說，連忙回道：“老爺方纔所議已是。但是如今追究了去，似乎當日歐陽公題釀泉用一‘瀉’字，則妥，今日此泉若亦用‘瀉’字，則覺不妥。況此處雖雲省親駐蹕別墅，亦當入於應製之例，用此等字眼，亦覺粗陋不雅。求再擬較此藴籍含蓄者。”賈政笑道：“諸公聽此論若何？方纔衆人編新，你又說不如述古，如今我們述古，你又說粗陋不妥。你且說你的來我聽。”寶玉道：“有用‘瀉玉’二字，則莫若‘沁芳’二字，豈不新雅？"賈政拈髯點頭不語。衆人都忙迎合，贊寶玉才情不凡。賈政道：“匾上二字容易。再作一副七言對聯來。”寶玉聽說，立於亭上，四顧一望，便機上心來，乃念道：
繞堤柳藉三篙翠，隔岸花分一脈香。賈政聽了，點頭微笑。衆人先稱贊不已。於是出亭過池，一山一石，一花一木，莫不着意觀覽。忽擡頭看見前面一帶粉垣，裏面數楹修捨，有千百竿翠竹遮映。衆人都道：“好個所在！"於是大傢進入，衹見入門便是麯折遊廊，階下石子漫成甬路。上面小小兩三間房捨，一明兩暗，裏面都是合着地步打就的床幾椅案。從裏間房內又得一小門，出去則是後院，有大株梨花兼着芭蕉。又有兩間小小退步。後院墻下忽開一隙，得泉一派，開溝僅尺許，灌入墻內，繞階緣屋至前院，盤旋竹下而出。
賈政笑道：“這一處還罷了。若能月夜坐此窗下讀書，不枉虛生一世。”說畢，看着寶玉，唬的寶玉忙垂了頭。衆客忙用話開釋，又說道：“此處的匾該題四個字。”賈政笑問：“那四字？"一個道是"淇水遺風"。賈政道：“俗。”又一個是"睢園雅跡"。賈政道：“也俗。”賈珍笑道：“還是寶兄弟擬一個來。”賈政道：“他未曾作，先要議論人傢的好歹，可見就是個輕薄人。”衆客道：“議論的極是，其奈他何。”賈政忙道：“休如此縱了他。”因命他道：“今日任你狂為亂道，先設議論來，然後方許你作。方纔衆人說的，可有使得的？"寶玉見問，答道：“都似不妥。”賈政冷笑道：“怎麽不妥？"寶玉道：“這是第一處行幸之處，必須頌聖方可。若用四字的匾，又有古人現成的，何必再作。”賈政道：“難道‘淇水’‘睢園’不是古人的？"寶玉道：“這太板腐了。莫若‘有鳳來儀’四字。”衆人都哄然叫妙。賈政點頭道：“畜生，畜生，可謂‘管窺蠡測’矣。”因命：“再題一聯來。”寶玉便念道：
寶鼎茶閑煙尚緑，幽窗棋罷指猶涼。賈政搖頭說道：“也未見長。”說畢，引衆人出來。方欲走時，忽又想起一事來，因問賈珍道：“這些院落房宇並幾案桌椅都算有了，還有那些帳幔簾子並陳設玩器古董，可也都是一處一處合式配就的？"賈珍回道：“那陳設的東西早已添了許多，自然臨期合式陳設。帳幔簾子，昨日聽見璉兄弟說，還不全。那原是一起工程之時就畫了各處的圖樣，量準尺寸，就打發人辦去的。想必昨日得了一半。”賈政聽了，便知此事不是賈珍的首尾，便命人去喚賈璉。
一時，賈璉趕來，賈政問他共有幾種，現今得了幾種，尚欠幾種。賈璉見問，忙嚮靴桶取靴掖內裝的一個紙折略節來，看了一看，回道：“妝蟒綉堆，刻絲彈墨並各色綢綾大小幔子一百二十架，昨日得了八十架，下欠四十架。簾子二百挂，昨日俱得了。外有猩猩氈簾二百挂，金絲藤紅漆竹簾二百挂，黑漆竹簾二百挂，五彩綫絡盤花簾二百挂，每樣得了一半，也不過秋天都全了。椅搭，桌圍，床裙，桌套，每分一千二百件，也有了。”一面走，一面說，倏爾青山斜阻。轉過山懷中，隱隱露出一帶黃泥築就矮墻，墻頭皆用稻莖掩護。有幾百株杏花，如噴火蒸霞一般。裏面數楹茅屋。外面卻是桑，榆，槿，柘，各色樹稚新條，隨其麯折，編就兩溜青籬。籬外山坡之下，有一土井，旁有桔橰轆ち之屬。下面分畦列畝，佳蔬菜花，漫然無際。
賈政笑道：“倒是此處有些道理。固然係人力穿鑿，此時一見，未免勾引起我歸農之意。我們且進去歇息歇息。”說畢，方欲進籬門去，忽見路旁有一石碣，亦為留題之備。衆人笑道：“更妙，更妙，此處若懸匾待題，則田捨傢風一洗盡矣。立此一碣，又覺生色許多，非範石湖田傢之詠不足以盡其妙。”賈政道：“諸公請題。”衆人道：“方纔世兄有雲，‘編新不如述舊’，此處古人已道盡矣，莫若直書‘杏花村’妙極，"賈政聽了，笑嚮賈珍道：“正虧提醒了我。此處都妙極，衹是還少一個酒幌。明日竟作一個，不必華麗，就依外面村莊的式樣作來，用竹竿挑在樹梢。”賈珍答應了，又回道：“此處竟還不可養別的雀鳥，衹是買些鵝鴨雞類，纔都相稱了。”賈政與衆人都道：“更妙。”賈政又嚮衆人道：“‘杏花村’固佳，衹是犯了正名，村名直待請名方可。”衆客都道：“是呀。如今虛的，便是什麽字樣好？”
大傢想着，寶玉卻等不得了，也不等賈政的命，便說道：“舊詩有雲：‘紅杏梢頭挂酒旗’。如今莫若‘杏簾在望’四字。”衆人都道：“好個‘在望’！又暗合‘杏花村’意。”寶玉冷笑道：“村名若用‘杏花’二字，則俗陋不堪了。又有古人詩云：‘柴門臨水稻花香’，何不就用‘稻香村’的妙？"衆人聽了，亦發哄聲拍手道：“妙！"賈政一聲斷喝：“無知的業障，你能知道幾個古人，能記得幾首熟詩，也敢在老先生前賣弄！你方纔那些鬍說的，不過是試你的清濁，取笑而已，你就認真了！”
說着，引人步入茆堂，裏面紙窗木榻，富貴氣象一洗皆盡。賈政心中自是歡喜，卻瞅寶玉道。”此處如何？"衆人見問，都忙悄悄的推寶玉，教他說好。寶玉不聽人言，便應聲道：“不及‘有鳳來儀’多矣。”賈政聽了道：“無知的蠢物！你衹知朱樓畫棟，惡賴富麗為佳，那裏知道這清幽氣象。終是不讀書之過！"寶玉忙答道：“老爺教訓的固是，但古人常雲‘天然’二字，不知何意？”
衆人見寶玉牛心，都怪他呆癡不改。今見問‘天然’二字，衆人忙道：“別的都明白，為何連‘天然’不知？‘天然’者，天之自然而有，非人力之所成也。”寶玉道：“卻又來！此處置一田莊，分明見得人力穿鑿扭捏而成。遠無鄰村，近不負郭，背山山無脈，臨水水無源，高無隱寺之塔，下無通市之橋，峭然孤出，似非大觀。爭似先處有自然之理，得自然之氣，雖種竹引泉，亦不傷於穿鑿。古人云‘天然圖畫’四字，正畏非其地而強為地，非其山而強為山，雖百般精而終不相宜……"未及說完，賈政氣的喝命：“叉出去，"剛出去，又喝命：“回來！"命再題一聯：“若不通，一並打嘴！"寶玉衹得念道：
新漲緑添浣葛處，好雲香護采芹人。
賈政聽了，搖頭說：“更不好。”一面引人出來，轉過山坡，穿花度柳，撫石依泉，過了荼蘼架，再入木香棚，越牡丹亭，度芍藥圃，入薔薇院，出芭蕉塢，盤旋麯折。忽聞水聲潺ざ，瀉出石洞，上則蘿薜倒垂，下則落花浮蕩。衆人都道：“好景，好景！"賈政道：“諸公題以何名？"衆人道：“再不必擬了，恰恰乎是‘武陵源’三個字。”賈政笑道：“又落實了，而且陳舊。”衆人笑道：“不然就用‘秦人舊捨’四字也罷了。”寶玉道：“這越發過露了。‘秦人舊捨’說避亂之意，如何使得？莫若‘蓼汀花漵’四字。”賈政聽了，更批鬍說。於是要進港洞時，又想起有船無船。賈珍道：“採蓮船共四衹，座船一隻，如今尚未造成。”賈政笑道：“可惜不得入了。”賈珍道：“從山上盤道亦可以進去。”說畢，在前導引，大傢攀藤撫樹過去。衹見水上落花愈多，其水愈清，溶溶蕩蕩，麯折縈迂。池邊兩行垂柳，雜着桃杏，遮天蔽日，真無一些塵土。忽見柳陰中又露出一個折帶朱欄板橋來，度過橋去，諸路可通，便見一所清涼瓦捨，一色水磨磚墻，清瓦花堵。那大主山所分之脈，皆穿墻而過。
賈政道：“此處這所房子，無味的很。”因而步入門時，忽迎面突出插天的大玲瓏山石來，四面群繞各式石塊，竟把裏面所有房屋悉皆遮住，而且一株花木也無。衹見許多異草：或有牽藤的，或有引蔓的，或垂山巔，或穿石隙，甚至垂檐繞柱，縈砌盤階，或如翠帶飄し，或如金繩盤屈，或實若丹砂，或花如金桂，味芬氣馥，非花香之可比。賈政不禁笑道：“有趣！衹是不大認識。”有的說：“是薜荔藤蘿。”賈政道：“薜荔藤蘿不得如此異香。”寶玉道：“果然不是。這些之中也有藤蘿薜荔。那香的是杜若蘅蕪，那一種大約是じ蘭，這一種大約是清葛，那一種是金す草，這一種是玉ぁ藤，紅的自然是紫蕓，緑的定是青芷。想來《離騷》，《文選》等書上所有的那些異草，也有叫作什麽藿ずぢ蕁的，也有叫作什麽綸組紫絳的，還有石帆，水鬆，扶留等樣，又有叫什麽緑荑的，還有什麽丹椒，蘼蕪，風連。如今年深歲改，人不能識，故皆象形奪名，漸漸的喚差了，也是有的。”未及說完，賈政喝道：“誰問你來！"唬的寶玉倒退，不敢再說。
賈政因見兩邊俱是超手遊廊，便順着遊廊步入。衹見上面五間清廈連着捲棚，四面出廊，緑窗油壁，更比前幾處清雅不同。賈政嘆道：“此軒中煮茶操琴，亦不必再焚名香矣。此造已出意外，諸公必有佳作新題以顔其額，方不負此。”衆人笑道：“再莫若‘蘭風蕙露’貼切了。”賈政道：“也衹好用這四字。其聯若何？"一人道：“我倒想了一對，大傢批削改正。”念道是：
麝蘭芳靄斜陽院，杜若香飄明月洲。衆人道：“妙則妙矣，衹是‘斜陽’二字不妥。”那人道：“古人詩云‘蘼蕪滿手泣斜暉’。”衆人道：“頽喪，頽喪。”又一人道：“我也有一聯，諸公評閱評閱。”因念道：
三徑香風飄玉蕙，一庭明月照金蘭。賈政拈髯沉吟，意欲也題一聯。忽擡頭見寶玉在旁不敢則聲，因喝道：“怎麽你應說話時又不說了？還要等人請教你不成！"寶玉聽說，便回道：“此處並沒有什麽‘蘭麝’，‘明月’，‘洲渚’之類，若要這樣着跡說起來，就題二百聯也不能完。”賈政道：“誰按着你的頭，叫你必定說這些字樣呢？"寶玉道：“如此說，匾上則莫若‘蘅芷清芬’四字。對聯則是：
吟成щ蔻纔猶豔，睡足酴せ夢也香。賈政笑道：“這是套的‘書成蕉葉文猶緑’，不足為奇。”衆客道：“李太白‘鳳凰臺’之作，全套‘黃鶴樓’，衹要套得妙。如今細評起來，方纔這一聯，竟比‘書成蕉葉’猶覺幽嫻活潑。視‘書成’之句，竟似套此而來。”賈政笑道：“豈有此理！”
說着，大傢出來。行不多遠，則見崇閣巍峨，層樓高起，面面琳宮合抱，迢迢復道縈紆，青鬆拂檐，玉欄繞砌，金輝獸面，彩煥螭頭。賈政道：“這是正殿了，衹是太富麗了些。”衆人都道：“要如此方是。雖然貴妃崇節尚儉，天性惡繁悅樸，然今日之尊，禮儀如此，不為過也。”一面說，一面走，衹見正面現出一座玉石牌坊來，上面竜蟠螭護，玲瓏鑿就。賈政道：“此處書以何文？"衆人道：“必是‘蓬萊仙境’方妙。”賈政搖頭不語。寶玉見了這個所在，心中忽有所動，尋思起來，倒象那裏曾見過的一般，卻一時想不起那年月日的事了。賈政又命他作題，寶玉衹顧細思前景，全無心於此了。衆人不知其意，衹當他受了這半日的折磨，精神耗散，纔盡詞窮了，再要考難逼迫，着了急，或生出事來，倒不便。遂忙都勸賈政：“罷，罷，明日再題罷了。”賈政心中也怕賈母不放心，遂冷笑道：“你這畜生，也竟有不能之時了。也罷，限你一日，明日若再不能，我定不饒。這是要緊一處，更要好生作來！”
說着，引人出來，再一觀望，原來自進門起，所行至此，纔遊了十之五六。又值人來回，有雨村處遣人回話。賈政笑道：“此數處不能遊了。雖如此，到底從那一邊出去，縱不能細觀，也可稍覽。”說着，引客行來，至一大橋前，見水如晶簾一般奔入。原來這橋便是通外河之閘，引泉而入者。賈政因問：“此閘何名？"寶玉道：“此乃沁芳泉之正源，就名‘沁芳閘’。”賈政道：“鬍說，偏不用‘沁芳’二字。”於是一路行來，或清堂茅捨，或堆石為垣，或編花為牖，或山下得幽尼佛寺，或林中藏女道丹房，或長廊麯洞，或方廈圓亭，賈政皆不及進去。因說半日腿酸，未嘗歇息，忽又見前面又露出一所院落來，賈政笑道：“到此可要進去歇息歇息了。”說着，一徑引人繞着碧桃花，穿過一層竹籬花障編就的月洞門，俄見粉墻環護，緑柳周垂。賈政與衆人進去，一入門，兩邊都是遊廊相接。院中點襯幾塊山石，一邊種着數本芭蕉，那一邊乃是一棵西府海棠，其勢若傘，絲垂翠縷，葩吐丹砂。衆人贊道：“好花，好花！從來也見過許多海棠，那裏有這樣妙的。”賈政道：“這叫作‘女兒棠’，乃是外國之種。俗傳係出‘女兒國’中，雲彼國此種最盛，亦荒唐不經之說罷了。”衆人笑道：“然雖不經，如何此名傳久了？"寶玉道：“大約騷人詠士，以此花之色紅暈若施脂，輕弱似扶病，大近乎閨閣風度，所以以‘女兒’命名。想因被世間俗惡聽了，他便以野史纂入為證，以俗傳俗，以訛傳訛，都認真了。”衆人都搖身贊妙。一面說話，一面都在廊外抱廈下打就的榻上坐了。賈政因問：“想幾個什麽新鮮字來題此？"一客道：“‘蕉鶴’二字最妙。”又一個道：“‘崇光泛彩’方妙。”賈政與衆人都道：“好個‘崇光泛彩’！"寶玉也道：“妙極。”又嘆：“衹是可惜了。”衆人問：“如何可惜？"寶玉道：“此處蕉棠兩植，其意暗蓄‘紅’‘緑’二字在內。若衹說蕉，則棠無着落，若衹說棠，蕉亦無着落。固有蕉無棠不可，有棠無蕉更不可。”賈政道：“依你如何？"寶玉道：“依我，題‘紅香緑玉’四字，方兩全其妙。”賈政搖頭道：“不好，不好！”
說着，引人進入房內。衹見這幾間房內收拾的與別處不同，竟分不出間隔來的。原來四面皆是雕空玲瓏木板，或"流雲百蝠"，或"歲寒三友"，或山水人物，或翎毛花卉，或集錦，或博古，或萬福萬壽各種花樣，皆是名手雕鏤，五彩銷金嵌寶的。一К一К，或有貯書處，或有設鼎處，或安置筆硯處，或供花設瓶，安放盆景處。其К各式各樣，或天圓地方，或葵花蕉葉，或連環半璧。真是花團錦簇，剔透玲瓏。倏爾五色紗糊就，竟係小窗，倏爾彩凌輕覆，竟係幽戶。且滿墻滿壁，皆係隨依古董玩器之形摳成的槽子。諸如琴，劍，懸瓶，桌屏之類，雖懸於壁，卻都是與壁相平的。衆人都贊：“好精緻想頭！難為怎麽想來，"原來賈政等走了進來，未進兩層，便都迷了舊路，左瞧也有門可通，右瞧又有窗暫隔，及到了跟前，又被一架書擋住。回頭再走，又有窗紗明透，門徑可行，及至門前，忽見迎面也進來了一群人，都與自己形相一樣，-卻是一架玻璃大鏡相照。及轉過鏡去，益發見門子多了。賈珍笑道：“老爺隨我來。從這門出去，便是後院，從後院出去，倒比先近了。”說着，又轉了兩層紗廚錦К，果得一門出去，院中滿架薔薇，寶相。轉過花障，則見青溪前阻。衆人咤異：“這股水又是從何而來？"賈珍遙指道：“原從那閘起流至那洞口，從東北山坳裏引到那村莊裏，又開一道岔口，引到西南上，共總流到這裏，仍舊合在一處，從那墻下出去。”衆人聽了，都道：“神妙之極，"說着，忽見大山阻路。衆人都道"迷了路了。”賈珍笑道：“隨我來。”仍在前導引，衆人隨他，直由山腳邊忽一轉，便是平坦寬闊大路，豁然大門前見。衆人都道：“有趣，有趣，真搜神奪巧之至！"於是大傢出來。那寶玉一心衹記挂着裏邊，又不見賈政吩咐，少不得跟到書房。賈政忽想起他來，方喝道：“你還不去？難道還逛不足！也不想逛了這半日，老太太必懸挂着。快進去，疼你也白疼了。”寶玉聽說，方退了出來。在看下回分解。
In the Ta Kuan Garden, (Broad Vista,) the merits of Pao-yue are put to the test, by his being told to write devices for scrolls and tablets. Yuan Ch'un returns to the Jung Kuo mansion, on a visit to her parents, and offers her congratulations to them on the feast of lanterns, on the fifteenth of the first moon.
Ch'in Chung, to resume our story, departed this life, and Pao-yue went on so unceasingly in his bitter lamentations, that Li Kuei and the other servants had, for ever so long, an arduous task in trying to comfort him before he desisted; but on his return home he was still exceedingly disconsolate.
Dowager lady Chia afforded monetary assistance to the amount of several tens of taels; and exclusive of this, she had sacrificial presents likewise got ready. Pao-yue went and paid a visit of condolence to the family, and after seven days the funeral and burial took place, but there are no particulars about them which could be put on record.
Pao-yue, however, continued to mourn (his friend) from day to day, and was incessant in his remembrance of him, but there was likewise no help for it. Neither is it known after how many days he got over his grief.
On this day, Chia Chen and the others came to tell Chia Cheng that the works in the garden had all been reported as completed, and that Mr. Chia She had already inspected them. "It only remains," (they said), "for you, sir, to see them; and should there possibly be anything which is not proper, steps will be at once taken to effect the alterations, so that the tablets and scrolls may conveniently be written."
After Chia Cheng had listened to these words, he pondered for a while. "These tablets and scrolls," he remarked, "present however a difficult task. According to the rites, we should, in order to obviate any shortcoming, request the imperial consort to deign and compose them; but if the honourable consort does not gaze upon the scenery with her own eyes, it will also be difficult for her to conceive its nature and indite upon it! And were we to wait until the arrival of her highness, to request her to honour the grounds with a visit, before she composes the inscriptions, such a wide landscape, with so many pavilions and arbours, will, without one character in the way of a motto, albeit it may abound with flowers, willows, rockeries, and streams, nevertheless in no way be able to show off its points of beauty to advantage."
The whole party of family companions, who stood by, smiled. "Your views, remarkable sir," they ventured, "are excellent; but we have now a proposal to make. Tablets and scrolls for every locality cannot, on any account, be dispensed with, but they could not likewise, by any means, be determined upon for good! Were now, for the time being, two, three or four characters fixed upon, harmonising with the scenery, to carry out, for form's sake, the idea, and were they provisionally utilised as mottoes for the lanterns, tablets and scrolls, and hung up, pending the arrival of her highness, and her visit through the grounds, when she could be requested to decide upon the devices, would not two exigencies be met with satisfactorily?"
"Your views are perfectly correct," observed Chia Cheng, after he had heard their suggestion; "and we should go to-day and have a look at the place so as then to set to work to write the inscriptions; which, if suitable, can readily be used; and, if unsuitable, Yue-ts'un can then be sent for, and asked to compose fresh ones."
The whole company smiled. "If you, sir, were to compose them to-day," they ventured, "they are sure to be excellent; and what need will there be again to wait for Yue-ts'un!"
"You people are not aware," Chia Cheng added with a smiling countenance, "that I've been, even in my young days, very mediocre in the composition of stanzas on flowers, birds, rockeries and streams; and that now that I'm well up in years and have moreover the fatigue and trouble of my official duties, I've become in literary compositions like these, which require a light heart and gladsome mood, still more inapt. Were I even to succeed in composing any, they will unavoidably be so doltish and forced that they would contrariwise be instrumental in making the flowers, trees, garden and pavilions, through their demerits, lose in beauty, and present instead no pleasing feature."
"This wouldn't anyhow matter," remonstrated all the family companions, "for after perusing them we can all decide upon them together, each one of us recommending those he thinks best; which if excellent can be kept, and if faulty can be discarded; and there's nothing unfeasible about this!"
"This proposal is most apposite," rejoined Chia Cheng. "What's more, the weather is, I rejoice, fine to-day; so let's all go in a company and have a look."
Saying this, he stood up and went forward, at the head of the whole party; while Chia Chen betook himself in advance into the garden to let every one know of their coming. As luck would have it, Pao-yue--for he had been these last few days thinking of Ch'in Chung and so ceaselessly sad and wounded at heart, that dowager lady Chia had frequently directed the servants to take him into the new garden to play--made his entrance just at this very time, and suddenly became aware of the arrival of Chia Chen, who said to him with a smile, "Don't you yet run away as fast as you can? Mr. Chia Cheng will be coming in a while."
At these words, Pao-yue led off his nurse and the youths, and rushed at once out of the garden, like a streak of smoke; but as he turned a corner, he came face to face with Chia Cheng, who was advancing towards that direction, at the head of all the visitors; and as he had no time to get out of the way, the only course open to him was to stand on one side.
Chia Cheng had, of late, heard the tutor extol him by saying that he displayed special ability in rhyming antithetical lines, and that although he did not like to read his books, he nevertheless possessed some depraved talents, and hence it was that he was induced at this moment to promptly bid him follow him into the garden, with the intent of putting him to the test.
Pao-yue could not make out what his object was, but he was compelled to follow. As soon as they reached the garden gate, and he caught sight of Chia Chen, standing on one side, along with several managers: "See that the garden gate is closed for a time," Chia Cheng exclaimed, "for we'll first see the outside and then go in."
Chia Chen directed a servant to close the gate, and Chia Cheng first looked straight ahead of him towards the gate and espied on the same side as the main entrance a suite of five apartments. Above, the cylindrical tiles resembled the backs of mud eels. The doors, railings, windows, and frames were all finely carved with designs of the new fashion, and were painted neither in vermilion nor in white colours. The whole extent of the walls was of polished bricks of uniform colour; while below, the white marble on the terrace and steps was engraved with western foreign designs; and when he came to look to the right and to the left, everything was white as snow. At the foot of the white-washed walls, tiger-skin pebbles were, without regard to pattern, promiscuously inserted in the earth in such a way as of their own selves to form streaks. Nothing fell in with the custom of gaudiness and display so much in vogue, so that he naturally felt full of delight; and, when he forthwith asked that the gate should be thrown open, all that met their eyes was a long stretch of verdant hills, which shut in the view in front of them.
"What a fine hill, what a pretty hill!" exclaimed all the companions with one voice.
"Were it not for this one hill," Chia Cheng explained, "whatever scenery is contained in it would clearly strike the eye, as soon as one entered into the garden, and what pleasure would that have been?"
"Quite so," rejoined all of them. "But without large hills and ravines in one's breast (liberal capacities), how could one attain such imagination!"
After the conclusion of this remark, they cast a glance ahead of them, and perceived white rugged rocks looking, either like goblins, or resembling savage beasts, lying either crossways, or in horizontal or upright positions; on the surface of which grew moss and lichen with mottled hues, or parasitic plants, which screened off the light; while, slightly visible, wound, among the rocks, a narrow pathway like the intestines of a sheep.
"If we were now to go and stroll along by this narrow path," Chia Cheng suggested, "and to come out from over there on our return, we shall have been able to see the whole grounds."
Having finished speaking, he asked Chia Chen to lead the way; and he himself, leaning on Pao-yue, walked into the gorge with leisurely step. Raising his head, he suddenly beheld on the hill a block of stone, as white as the surface of a looking-glass, in a site which was, in very deed, suitable to be left for an inscription, as it was bound to meet the eye.
"Gentlemen," Chia Cheng observed, as he turned his head round and smiled, "please look at this spot. What name will it be fit to give it?"
When the company heard his remark, some maintained that the two words "Heaped verdure" should be written; and others upheld that the device should be "Embroidered Hill." Others again suggested: "Vying with the Hsiang Lu;" and others recommended "the small Chung Nan." And various kinds of names were proposed, which did not fall short of several tens.
All the visitors had been, it must be explained, aware at an early period of the fact that Chia Cheng meant to put Pao-yue's ability to the test, and for this reason they merely proposed a few combinations in common use. But of this intention, Pao-yue himself was likewise cognizant.
After listening to the suggestions, Chia Cheng forthwith turned his head round and bade Pao-yue think of some motto.
"I've often heard," Pao-yue replied, "that writers of old opine that it's better to quote an old saying than to compose a new one; and that an old engraving excels in every respect an engraving of the present day. What's more, this place doesn't constitute the main hill or the chief feature of the scenery, and is really no site where any inscription should be put, as it no more than constitutes the first step in the inspection of the landscape. Won't it be well to employ the exact text of an old writer consisting of 'a tortuous path leading to a secluded (nook).' This line of past days would, if inscribed, be, in fact, liberal to boot."
After listening to the proposed line, they all sang its praise. "First-rate! excellent!" they cried, "the natural talents of your second son, dear friend, are lofty; his mental capacity is astute; he is unlike ourselves, who have read books but are simple fools."
"You shouldn't," urged Chia Cheng smilingly, "heap upon him excessive praise; he's young in years, and merely knows one thing which he turns to the use of ten purposes; you should laugh at him, that's all; but we can by and by choose some device."
As he spoke, he entered the cave, where he perceived beautiful trees with thick foliage, quaint flowers in lustrous bloom, while a line of limpid stream emanated out of a deep recess among the flowers and trees, and oozed down through the crevice of the rock. Progressing several steps further in, they gradually faced the northern side, where a stretch of level ground extended far and wide, on each side of which soared lofty buildings, intruding themselves into the skies, whose carved rafters and engraved balustrades nestled entirely among the depressions of the hills and the tops of the trees. They lowered their eyes and looked, and beheld a pure stream flowing like jade, stone steps traversing the clouds, a balustrade of white marble encircling the pond in its embrace, and a stone bridge with three archways, the animals upon which had faces disgorging water from their mouths. A pavilion stood on the bridge, and in this pavilion Chia Chen and the whole party went and sat.
"Gentlemen," he inquired, "what shall we write about this?"
"In the record," they all replied, "of the 'Drunken Old Man's Pavilion,' written in days of old by Ou Yang, appears this line: 'There is a pavilion pinioned-like,' so let us call this 'the pinioned-like pavilion,' and finish."
"Pinioned-like," observed Chia Cheng smiling, "is indeed excellent; but this pavilion is constructed over the water, and there should, after all, be some allusion to the water in the designation. My humble opinion is that of the line in Ou Yang's work, '(the water) drips from between the two peaks,' we should only make use of that single word 'drips.'"
"First-rate!" rejoined one of the visitors, "capital! but what would really be appropriate are the two characters 'dripping jadelike.'"
Chia Chen pulled at his moustache, as he gave way to reflection; after which, he asked Pao-yue to also propose one himself.
"What you, sir, suggested a while back," replied Pao-yue, "will do very well; but if we were now to sift the matter thoroughly, the use of the single word 'drip' by Ou Yang, in his composition about the Niang spring, would appear quite apposite; while the application, also on this occasion, to this spring, of the character 'drip' would be found not quite suitable. Moreover, seeing that this place is intended as a separate residence (for the imperial consort), on her visit to her parents, it is likewise imperative that we should comply with all the principles of etiquette, so that were words of this kind to be used, they would besides be coarse and inappropriate; and may it please you to fix upon something else more recondite and abstruse."
"What do you, gentlemen, think of this argument?" Chia Cheng remarked sneeringly. "A little while ago, when the whole company devised something original, you observed that it would be better to quote an old device; and now that we have quoted an old motto, you again maintain that it's coarse and inappropriate! But you had better give us one of yours."
"If two characters like 'dripping jadelike' are to be used," Pao-yue explained, "it would be better then to employ the two words 'Penetrating Fragrance,' which would be unique and excellent, wouldn't they?"
Chia Cheng pulled his moustache, nodded his head and did not utter a word; whereupon the whole party hastily pressed forward with one voice to eulogize Pao-yue's acquirements as extraordinary.
"The selection of two characters for the tablet is an easy matter," suggested Chia Cheng, "but now go on and compose a pair of antithetical phrases with seven words in each."
Pao-yue cast a glance round the four quarters, when an idea came into his head, and he went on to recite:
The willows, which enclose the shore, the green borrow from three bamboos; On banks apart, the flowers asunder grow, yet one perfume they give.
Upon hearing these lines, Chia Cheng gave a faint smile, as he nodded his head, whilst the whole party went on again to be effusive in their praise. But forthwith they issued from the pavilions, and crossed the pond, contemplating with close attention each elevation, each stone, each flower, or each tree. And as suddenly they raised their heads, they caught sight, in front of them, of a line of white wall, of numbers of columns, and beautiful cottages, where flourished hundreds and thousands of verdant bamboos, which screened off the rays of the sun.
"What a lovely place!" they one and all exclaimed.
Speedily the whole company penetrated inside, perceiving, as soon as they had entered the gate, a zigzag arcade, below the steps of which was a raised pathway, laid promiscuously with stones, and on the furthest part stood a diminutive cottage with three rooms, two with doors leading into them and one without. Everything in the interior, in the shape of beds, teapoys, chairs and tables, were made to harmonise with the space available. Leading out of the inner room of the cottage was a small door from which, as they egressed, they found a back-court with lofty pear trees in blossom and banana trees, as well as two very small retiring back-courts. At the foot of the wall, unexpectedly became visible an aperture where was a spring, for which a channel had been opened scarcely a foot or so wide, to enable it to run inside the wall. Winding round the steps, it skirted the buildings until it reached the front court, where it coiled and curved, flowing out under the bamboos.
"This spot," observed Chia Cheng full of smiles, "is indeed pleasant! and could one, on a moonlight night, sit under the window and study, one would not spend a whole lifetime in vain!"
As he said this, he quickly cast a glance at Pao-yue, and so terrified did Pao-yue feel that he hastily drooped his head. The whole company lost no time in choosing some irrelevant talk to turn the conversation, and two of the visitors prosecuted their remarks by adding that on the tablet, in this spot, four characters should be inscribed.
"Which four characters?" Chia Cheng inquired, laughingly.
"The bequeathed aspect of the river Ch'i!" suggested one of them.
"It's commonplace," observed Chia Cheng.
Another person recommended "the remaining vestiges of the Chue Garden."
"This too is commonplace!" replied Chia Cheng.
"Let brother Pao-yue again propound one!" interposed Chia Chen, who stood by.
"Before he composes any himself," Chia Cheng continued, "his wont is to first discuss the pros and cons of those of others; so it's evident that he's an impudent fellow!"
"He's most reasonable in his arguments," all the visitors protested, "and why should he be called to task?"
"Don't humour him so much!" Chia Cheng expostulated. "I'll put up for to-day," he however felt constrained to tell Pao-yue, "with your haughty manner, and your rubbishy speech, so that after you have, to begin with, given us your opinion, you may next compose a device. But tell me, are there any that will do among the mottoes suggested just now by all the gentlemen?"
"They all seem to me unsuitable!" Pao-yue did not hesitate to say by way of reply to this question.
Chia Cheng gave a sardonic smile. "How all unsuitable?" he exclaimed.
"This," continued Pao-yue, "is the first spot which her highness will honour on her way, and there should be inscribed, so that it should be appropriate, something commending her sacred majesty. But if a tablet with four characters has to be used, there are likewise devices ready at hand, written by poets of old; and what need is there to compose any more?"
"Are forsooth the devices 'the river Ch'i and the Chu Garden' not those of old authors?" insinuated Chia Cheng.
"They are too stiff," replied Pao-yue. "Would not the four characters: 'a phoenix comes with dignified air,' be better?"
With clamorous unanimity the whole party shouted: "Excellent:" and Chia Cheng nodding his head; "You beast, you beast!" he ejaculated, "it may well be said about you that you see through a thin tube and have no more judgment than an insect! Compose another stanza," he consequently bade him; and Pao-yue recited:
In the precious tripod kettle, tea is brewed, but green is still the smoke! O'er is the game of chess by the still window, but the fingers are yet cold.
Chia Cheng shook his head. "Neither does this seem to me good!" he said; and having concluded this remark he was leading the company out, when just as he was about to proceed, he suddenly bethought himself of something.
"The several courts and buildings and the teapoys, sideboards, tables and chairs," he added, "may be said to be provided for. But there are still all those curtains, screens and portieres, as well as the furniture, nicknacks and curios; and have they too all been matched to suit the requirements of each place?"
"Of the things that have to be placed about," Chia Chen explained, a good number have, at an early period, been added, and of course when the time comes everything will be suitably arranged. As for the curtains, screens, and portieres, which have to be hung up, I heard yesterday brother Lien say that they are not as yet complete, that when the works were first taken in hand, the plan of each place was drawn, the measurements accurately calculated and some one despatched to attend to the things, and that he thought that yesterday half of them were bound to come in.
Chia Cheng, upon hearing this explanation, readily remembered that with all these concerns Chia Chen had nothing to do; so that he speedily sent some one to go and call Chia Lien.
Having arrived in a short while, "How many sorts of things are there in all?" Chia Cheng inquired of him. "Of these how many kinds have by this time been got ready? and how many more are short?"
At this question, Chia Lien hastily produced, from the flaps of his boot, a paper pocket-book, containing a list, which he kept inside the tops of his boot. After perusing it and reperusing it, he made suitable reply. "Of the hundred and twenty curtains," he proceeded, "of stiff spotted silks, embroidered with dragons in relief, and of the curtains large and small, of every kind of damask silk, eighty were got yesterday, so that there still remain forty of them to come. The two portieres were both received yesterday; and besides these, there are the two hundred red woollen portieres, two hundred portieres of Hsiang Fei bamboo; two hundred door-screens of rattan, with gold streaks, and of red lacquered bamboo; two hundred portieres of black lacquered rattan; two hundred door-screens of variegated thread-netting with clusters of flowers. Of each of these kinds, half have come in, but the whole lot of them will be complete no later than autumn. Antimacassars, table-cloths, flounces for the beds, and cushions for the stools, there are a thousand two hundred of each, but these likewise are ready and at hand."
As he spoke, they proceeded outwards, but suddenly they perceived a hill extending obliquely in such a way as to intercept the passage; and as they wound round the curve of the hill faintly came to view a line of yellow mud walls, the whole length of which was covered with paddy stalks for the sake of protection, and there were several hundreds of apricot trees in bloom, which presented the appearance of being fire, spurted from the mouth, or russet clouds, rising in the air. Inside this enclosure, stood several thatched cottages. Outside grew, on the other hand, mulberry trees, elms, mallows, and silkworm oaks, whose tender shoots and new twigs, of every hue, were allowed to bend and to intertwine in such a way as to form two rows of green fence. Beyond this fence and below the white mound, was a well, by the side of which stood a well-sweep, windlass and such like articles; the ground further down being divided into parcels, and apportioned into fields, which, with the fine vegetables and cabbages in flower, presented, at the first glance, the aspect of being illimitable.
"This is," Chia Cheng observed chuckling, "the place really imbued with a certain amount of the right principle; and laid out, though it has been by human labour, yet when it strikes my eye, it so moves my heart, that it cannot help arousing in me the wish to return to my native place and become a farmer. But let us enter and rest a while."
As he concluded these words, they were on the point of walking in, when they unexpectedly discerned a stone, outside the trellis gate, by the roadside, which had also been left as a place on which to inscribe a motto.
"Were a tablet," argued the whole company smilingly, "put up high in a spot like this, to be filled up by and by, the rustic aspect of a farm would in that case be completely done away with; and it will be better, yea far better to erect this slab on the ground, as it will further make manifest many points of beauty. But unless a motto could be composed of the same excellence as that in Fan Shih-hu's song on farms, it will not be adequate to express its charms!"
"Gentlemen," observed Chia Cheng, "please suggest something."
"A short while back," replied the whole company, "your son, venerable brother, remarked that devising a new motto was not equal to quoting an old one, and as sites of this kind have been already exhausted by writers of days of old, wouldn't it be as well that we should straightway call it the 'apricot blossom village?' and this will do splendidly."
When Chia Cheng heard this remark, he smiled and said, addressing himself to Chia Chen: "This just reminds me that although this place is perfect in every respect, there's still one thing wanting in the shape of a wine board; and you had better then have one made to-morrow on the very same pattern as those used outside in villages; and it needn't be anything gaudy, but hung above the top of a tree by means of bamboos."
Chia Chen assented. "There's no necessity," he went on to explain, "to keep any other birds in here, but only to rear a few geese, ducks, fowls and such like; as in that case they will be in perfect keeping with the place."
"A splendid idea!" Chia Cheng rejoined, along with all the party.
"'Apricot blossom village' is really first-rate," continued Chia Cheng as he again addressed himself to the company; "but the only thing is that it encroaches on the real designation of the village; and it will be as well to wait (until her highness comes), when we can request her to give it a name."
"Certainly!" answered the visitors with one voice; "but now as far as a name goes, for mere form, let us all consider what expressions will be suitable to employ."
Pao-yue did not however give them time to think; nor did he wait for Chia Cheng's permission, but suggested there and then: "In old poetical works there's this passage: 'At the top of the red apricot tree hangs the flag of an inn,' and wouldn't it be advisable, on this occasion, to temporarily adopt the four words: 'the sign on the apricot tree is visible'?"
"'Is visible' is excellent," suggested the whole number of them, "and what's more it secretly accords with the meaning implied by 'apricot blossom village.'"
"Were the two words 'apricot blossom' used for the name of the village, they would be too commonplace and unsuitable;" added Pao-yue with a sardonic grin, "but there's another passage in the works of a poet of the T'ang era: 'By the wooden gate near the water the corn-flower emits its fragrance;' and why not make use of the motto 'corn fragrance village,' which will be excellent?"
When the company heard his proposal, they, with still greater vigour, unanimously combined in crying out "Capital!" as they clapped their hands.
Chia Cheng, with one shout, interrupted their cries, "You ignorant child of wrath!" he ejaculated; "how many old writers can you know, and how many stanzas of ancient poetical works can you remember, that you will have the boldness to show off in the presence of all these experienced gentlemen? (In allowing you to give vent to) all the nonsense you uttered my object was no other than to see whether your brain was clear or muddled; and all for fun's sake, that's all; and lo, you've taken things in real earnest!"
Saying this, he led the company into the interior of the hall with the mallows. The windows were pasted with paper, and the bedsteads made of wood, and all appearance of finery had been expunged, and Chia Cheng's heart was naturally much gratified; but nevertheless, scowling angrily at Pao-yue, "What do you think of this place?" he asked.
When the party heard this question, they all hastened to stealthily give a nudge to Pao-yue, with the express purpose of inducing him to say it was nice; but Pao-yue gave no ear to what they all urged. "It's by far below the spot," he readily replied, "designated 'a phoenix comes with dignified air.'"
"You ignorant stupid thing!" exclaimed Chia Cheng at these words; "what you simply fancy as exquisite, with that despicable reliance of yours upon luxury and display, are two-storied buildings and painted pillars! But how can you know anything about this aspect so pure and unobtrusive, and this is all because of that failing of not studying your books!"
"Sir," hastily answered Pao-yue, "your injunctions are certainly correct; but men of old have often made allusion to 'natural;' and what is, I wonder, the import of these two characters?"
The company had perceived what a perverse mind Pao yue possessed, and they one and all were much surprised that he should be so silly beyond the possibility of any change; and when now they heard the question he asked, about the two characters representing "natural," they, with one accord, speedily remarked, "Everything else you understand, and how is it that on the contrary you don't know what 'natural' implies? The word 'natural' means effected by heaven itself and not made by human labour."
"Well, just so," rejoined Pao-yue; "but the farm, which is laid out in this locality, is distinctly the handiwork of human labour; in the distance, there are no neighbouring hamlets; near it, adjoin no wastes; though it bears a hill, the hill is destitute of streaks; though it be close to water, this water has no spring; above, there is no pagoda nestling in a temple; below, there is no bridge leading to a market; it rises abrupt and solitary, and presents no grand sight! The palm would seem to be carried by the former spot, which is imbued with the natural principle, and possesses the charms of nature; for, though bamboos have been planted in it, and streams introduced, they nevertheless do no violence to the works executed. 'A natural landscape,' says, an ancient author in four words; and why? Simply because he apprehended that what was not land, would, by forcible ways, be converted into land; and that what was no hill would, by unnatural means, be raised into a hill. And ingenious though these works might be in a hundred and one ways, they cannot, after all, be in harmony."...
But he had no time to conclude, as Chia Cheng flew into a rage. "Drive him off," he shouted; (but as Pao-yue) was on the point of going out, he again cried out: "Come back! make up," he added, "another couplet, and if it isn't clear, I'll for all this give you a slap on your mouth."
Pao-yue had no alternative but to recite as follows:
A spot in which the "Ko" fibre to bleach, as the fresh tide doth swell the waters green! A beauteous halo and a fragrant smell the man encompass who the cress did pluck!
Chia Cheng, after this recital, nodded his head. "This is still worse!" he remarked, but as he reproved him, he led the company outside, and winding past the mound, they penetrated among flowers, and wending their steps by the willows, they touched the rocks and lingered by the stream. Passing under the trellis with yellow roses, they went into the shed with white roses; they crossed by the pavilion with peonies, and walked through the garden, where the white peony grew; and entering the court with the cinnamon roses, they reached the island of bananas. As they meandered and zigzagged, suddenly they heard the rustling sound of the water, as it came out from a stone cave, from the top of which grew parasitic plants drooping downwards, while at its bottom floated the fallen flowers.
"What a fine sight!" they all exclaimed; "what beautiful scenery!"
"Gentlemen," observed Chia Cheng, "what name do you propose for this place?"
"There's no further need for deliberation," the company rejoined; "for this is just the very spot fit for the three words 'Wu Ling Spring.'"
"This too is matter-of-fact!" Chia Cheng objected laughingly, "and likewise antiquated."
"If that won't do," the party smiled, "well then what about the four characters implying 'An old cottage of a man of the Ch'in dynasty?'"
"This is still more exceedingly plain!" interposed Pao-yue. "'The old cottage of a man of the Ch'in dynasty' is meant to imply a retreat from revolution, and how will it suit this place? Wouldn't the four characters be better denoting 'an isthmus with smart weed, and a stream with flowers'?"
When Chia Cheng heard these words, he exclaimed: "You're talking still more stuff and nonsense?" and forthwith entering the grotto, Chia Cheng went on to ask of Chia Chen, "Are there any boats or not?"
"There are to be," replied Chia Chen, "four boats in all from which to pick the lotus, and one boat for sitting in; but they haven't now as yet been completed."
"What a pity!" Chia Cheng answered smilingly, "that we cannot go in."
"But we could also get into it by the tortuous path up the hill," Chia Chen ventured; and after finishing this remark, he walked ahead to show the way, and the whole party went over, holding on to the creepers, and supporting themselves by the trees, when they saw a still larger quantity of fallen leaves on the surface of the water, and the stream itself, still more limpid, gently and idly meandering along on its circuitous course. By the bank of the pond were two rows of weeping willows, which, intermingling with peach and apricot trees, screened the heavens from view, and kept off the rays of the sun from this spot, which was in real truth devoid of even a grain of dust.
Suddenly, they espied in the shade of the willows, an arched wooden bridge also reveal itself to the eye, with bannisters of vermilion colour. They crossed the bridge, and lo, all the paths lay open before them; but their gaze was readily attracted by a brick cottage spotless and cool-looking; whose walls were constructed of polished bricks, of uniform colour; (whose roof was laid) with speckless tiles; and whose enclosing walls were painted; while the minor slopes, which branched off from the main hill, all passed along under the walls on to the other side.
"This house, in a site like this, is perfectly destitute of any charm!" added Chia Cheng.
And as they entered the door, abruptly appeared facing them, a large boulder studded with holes and soaring high in the skies, which was surrounded on all four sides by rocks of every description, and completely, in fact, hid from view the rooms situated in the compound. But of flowers or trees, there was not even one about; and all that was visible were a few strange kinds of vegetation; some being of the creeper genus, others parasitic plants, either hanging from the apex of the hill, or inserting themselves into the base of the rocks; drooping down even from the eaves of the house, entwining the pillars, and closing round the stone steps. Or like green bands, they waved and flapped; or like gold thread, they coiled and bent, either with seeds resembling cinnabar, or with blossoms like golden olea; whose fragrance and aroma could not be equalled by those emitted by flowers of ordinary species.
"This is pleasant!" Chia Cheng could not refrain from saying; "the only thing is that I don't know very much about flowers."
"What are here are lianas and ficus pumila!" some of the company observed.
"How ever can the liana and the ficus have such unusual scent?" questioned Chia Cheng.
"Indeed they aren't!" interposed Pao-yue. "Among all these flowers, there are also ficus and liana, but those scented ones are iris, ligularia, and 'Wu' flowers; that kind consist, for the most part, of 'Ch'ih' flowers and orchids; while this mostly of gold-coloured dolichos. That species is the hypericum plant, this the 'Yue Lu' creeper. The red ones are, of course, the purple rue; the green ones consist for certain, of the green 'Chih' plant; and, to the best of my belief, these various plants are mentioned in the 'Li Sao' and 'Wen Hsuan.' These rare plants are, some of them called something or other like 'Huo Na' and 'Chiang Hui;' others again are designated something like 'Lun Tsu' and 'Tz'u Feng;' while others there are whose names sound like 'Shih Fan,' 'Shui Sung' and 'Fu Liu,' which together with other species are to be found in the 'Treatise about the Wu city' by Tso T'ai-chung. There are also those which go under the appellation of 'Lu T'i,' or something like that; while there are others that are called something or other like 'Tan Chiao,' 'Mi Wu' and 'Feng Lien;' reference to which is made in the 'Treatise on the Shu city.' But so many years have now elapsed, and the times have so changed (since these treatises were written), that people, being unable to discriminate (the real names) may consequently have had to appropriate in every case such names as suited the external aspect, so that they may, it is quite possible, have gradually come to be called by wrong designations."
But he had no time to conclude; for Chia Cheng interrupted him. "Who has ever asked you about it?" he shouted; which plunged Pao-yue into such a fright, that he drew back, and did not venture to utter another word.
Chia Cheng perceiving that on both sides alike were covered passages resembling outstretched arms, forthwith continued his steps and entered the covered way, when he caught sight, at the upper end, of a five-roomed building, without spot or blemish, with folding blinds extending in a connected line, and with corridors on all four sides; (a building) which with its windows so green, and its painted walls, excelled, in spotless elegance, the other buildings they had seen before, to which it presented such a contrast.
Chia Cheng heaved a sigh. "If one were able," he observed, "to boil his tea and thrum his lyre in here, there wouldn't even be any need for him to burn any more incense. But the execution of this structure is so beyond conception that you must, gentlemen, compose something nice and original to embellish the tablet with, so as not to render such a place of no effect!"
"There's nothing so really pat," suggested the company smiling; "as 'the orchid-smell-laden breeze' and 'the dew-bedecked epidendrum!"
"These are indeed the only four characters," rejoined Chia Cheng, "that could be suitably used; but what's to be said as far as the scroll goes?"
"I've thought of a couplet," interposed one of the party, "which you'll all have to criticise, and put into ship-shape; its burden is this:
"The musk-like epidendrum smell enshrouds the court, where shines the sun with oblique beams; The iris fragrance is wafted over the isle illumined by the moon's clear rays."
"As far as excellence is concerned, it's excellent," observed the whole party, "but the two words representing 'with oblique beams' are not felicitous."
And as some one quoted the line from an old poem:
The angelica fills the court with tears, what time the sun doth slant.
"Lugubrious, lugubrious!" expostulated the company with one voice.
Another person then interposed. "I also have a couplet, whose merits you, gentlemen, can weigh; it runs as follows:
"Along the three pathways doth float the Yue Hui scented breeze! The radiant moon in the whole hall shines on the gold orchid!"
Chia Cheng tugged at his moustache and gave way to meditation. He was just about also to suggest a stanza, when, upon suddenly raising his head, he espied Pao-yue standing by his side, too timid to give vent to a single sound.
"How is it," he purposely exclaimed, "that when you should speak, you contrariwise don't? Is it likely that you expect some one to request you to confer upon us the favour of your instruction?"
"In this place," Pao-yue rejoined at these words, "there are no such things as orchids, musk, resplendent moon or islands; and were one to begin quoting such specimens of allusions, to scenery, two hundred couplets could be readily given without, even then, having been able to exhaust the supply!"
"Who presses your head down," Chia Cheng urged, "and uses force that you must come out with all these remarks?"
"Well, in that case," added Pao-yue, "there are no fitter words to put on the tablet than the four representing: 'The fragrance pure of the ligularia and iris.' While the device on the scroll might be:
"Sung is the nutmeg song, but beauteous still is the sonnet! Near the T'u Mei to sleep, makes e'en a dream with fragrance full!"
"This is," laughed Chia Cheng sneeringly, "an imitation of the line:
"A book when it is made of plaintain leaves, the writing green is also bound to be!
"So that there's nothing remarkable about it."
"Li T'ai-po, in his work on the Phoenix Terrace," protested the whole party, "copied, in every point, the Huang Hua Lou. But what's essential is a faultless imitation. Now were we to begin to criticise minutely the couplet just cited, we would indeed find it to be, as compared with the line 'A book when it is made of plantain leaves,' still more elegant and of wider application!"
"What an idea?" observed Chia Cheng derisively.
But as he spoke, the whole party walked out; but they had not gone very far before they caught sight of a majestic summer house, towering high peak-like, and of a structure rising loftily with storey upon storey; and completely locked in as they were on every side they were as beautiful as the Jade palace. Far and wide, road upon road coiled and wound; while the green pines swept the eaves, the jady epidendrum encompassed the steps, the animals' faces glistened like gold, and the dragons' heads shone resplendent in their variegated hues.
"This is the Main Hall," remarked Chia Cheng; "the only word against it is that there's a little too much finery."
"It should be so," rejoined one and all, "so as to be what it's intended to be! The imperial consort has, it is true, an exalted preference for economy and frugality, but her present honourable position requires the observance of such courtesies, so that (finery) is no fault."
As they made these remarks and advanced on their way the while, they perceived, just in front of them, an archway project to view, constructed of jadelike stone; at the top of which the coils of large dragons and the scales of small dragons were executed in perforated style.
"What's the device to be for this spot?" inquired Chia Cheng.
"It should be 'fairy land,'" suggested all of them, "so as to be apposite!"
Chia Cheng nodded his head and said nothing. But as soon as Pao-yue caught sight of this spot something was suddenly aroused in his heart and he began to ponder within himself. "This place really resembles something that I've seen somewhere or other." But he could not at the moment recall to mind what year, moon, or day this had happened.
Chia Cheng bade him again propose a motto; but Pao-yue was bent upon thinking over the details of the scenery he had seen on a former occasion, and gave no thought whatever to this place, so that the whole company were at a loss what construction to give to his silence, and came simply to the conclusion that, after the bullying he had had to put up with for ever so long, his spirits had completely vanished, his talents become exhausted and his speech impoverished; and that if he were harassed and pressed, he might perchance, as the result of anxiety, contract some ailment or other, which would of course not be a suitable issue, and they lost no time in combining together to dissuade Chia Cheng.
"Never mind," they said, "to-morrow will do to compose some device; let's drop it now."
Chia Cheng himself was inwardly afraid lest dowager lady Chia should be anxious, so that he hastily remarked as he forced a smile. "You beast, there are, after all, also occasions on which you are no good! but never mind! I'll give you one day to do it in, and if by to-morrow you haven't been able to compose anything, I shall certainly not let you off. This is the first and foremost place and you must exercise due care in what you write."
Saying this, he sallied out, at the head of the company, and cast another glance at the scenery.
Indeed from the time they had entered the gate up to this stage, they had just gone over five or six tenths of the whole ground, when it happened again that a servant came and reported that some one had arrived from Mr. Yue-'ts'un's to deliver a message. "These several places (which remain)," Chia Cheng observed with a smile, "we have no time to pass under inspection; but we might as well nevertheless go out at least by that way, as we shall be able, to a certain degree, to have a look at the general aspect."
With these words, he showed the way for the family companions until they reached a large bridge, with water entering under it, looking like a curtain made of crystal. This bridge, the fact is, was the dam, which communicated with the river outside, and from which the stream was introduced into the grounds.
"What's the name of this water-gate?" Chia Cheng inquired.
"This is," replied Pao-yue, "the main stream of the Hsin Fang river, and is therefore called the Hsin Fang water-gate."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Chia Cheng. "The two words Hsin Fang must on no account be used!"
And as they speedily advanced on their way, they either came across elegant halls, or thatched cottages; walls made of piled-up stone, or gates fashioned of twisted plants; either a secluded nunnery or Buddhist fane, at the foot of some hill; or some unsullied houses, hidden in a grove, tenanted by rationalistic priestesses; either extensive corridors and winding grottoes; or square buildings, and circular pavilions. But Chia Cheng had not the energy to enter any of these places, for as he had not had any rest for ever so long, his legs felt shaky and his feet weak.
Suddenly they also discerned ahead of them a court disclose itself to view.
"When we get there," Chia Cheng suggested, "we must have a little rest." Straightway as he uttered the remark, he led them in, and winding round the jade-green peach-trees, covered with blossom, they passed through the bamboo fence and flower-laden hedge, which were twisted in such a way as to form a circular, cavelike gateway, when unexpectedly appeared before their eyes an enclosure with whitewashed walls, in which verdant willows drooped in every direction.
Chia Cheng entered the gateway in company with the whole party. Along the whole length of both sides extended covered passages, connected with each other; while in the court were laid out several rockeries. In one quarter were planted a number of banana trees; on the opposite stood a plant of begonia from Hsi Fu. Its appearance was like an open umbrella. The gossamer hanging (from its branches) resembled golden threads. The corollas (seemed) to spurt out cinnabar.
"What a beautiful flower! what a beautiful flower!" ejaculated the whole party with one voice; "begonias are verily to be found; but never before have we seen anything the like of this in beauty."
"This is called the maiden begonia and is, in fact, a foreign species," Chia Cheng observed. "There's a homely tradition that it is because it emanates from the maiden kingdom that its flowers are most prolific; but this is likewise erratic talk and devoid of common sense."
"They are, after all," rejoined the whole company, "so unlike others (we have seen), that what's said about the maiden kingdom is, we are inclined to believe, possibly a fact."
"I presume," interposed Pao-yue, "that some clever bard or poet, (perceiving) that this flower was red like cosmetic, delicate as if propped up in sickness, and that it closely resembled the nature of a young lady, gave it, consequently, the name of maiden! People in the world will propagate idle tales, all of which are unavoidably treated as gospel!"
"We receive (with thanks) your instructions; what excellent explanation!" they all remarked unanimously, and as they expressed these words, the whole company took their seats on the sofas under the colonnade.
"Let's think of some original text or other for a motto," Chia Cheng having suggested, one of the companions opined that the two characters: "Banana and stork" would be felicitous; while another one was of the idea that what would be faultless would be: "Collected splendour and waving elegance!"
"'Collected splendour and waving elegance' is excellent," Chia Cheng observed addressing himself to the party; and Pao-yue himself, while also extolling it as beautiful, went on to say: "There's only one thing however to be regretted!"
"What about regret?" the company inquired.
"In this place," Pao-yue explained, "are set out both bananas as well as begonias, with the intent of secretly combining in them the two properties of red and green; and if mention of one of them be made, and the other be omitted, (the device) won't be good enough for selection."
"What would you then suggest?" Chia Cheng asked.
"I would submit the four words, 'the red (flowers) are fragrant, the green (banana leaves) like jade,' which would render complete the beauties of both (the begonias and bananas)."
"It isn't good! it isn't good!" Chia Cheng remonstrated as he shook his head; and while passing this remark, he conducted the party into the house, where they noticed that the internal arrangements effected differed from those in other places, as no partitions could, in fact, be discerned. Indeed, the four sides were all alike covered with boards carved hollow with fretwork, (in designs consisting) either of rolling clouds and hundreds of bats; or of the three friends of the cold season of the year, (fir, bamboo and almond); of scenery and human beings, or of birds or flowers; either of clusters of decoration, or of relics of olden times; either of ten thousand characters of happiness or of ten thousand characters of longevity. The various kinds of designs had been all carved by renowned hands, in variegated colours, inlaid with gold, and studded with precious gems; while on shelf upon shelf were either arranged collections of books, or tripods were laid out; either pens and inkslabs were distributed about, or vases with flowers set out, or figured pots were placed about; the designs of the shelves being either round or square; or similar to sunflowers or banana leaves; or like links, half overlapping each other. And in very truth they resembled bouquets of flowers or clusters of tapestry, with all their fretwork so transparent. Suddenly (the eye was struck) by variegated gauzes pasted (on the wood-work), actually forming small windows; and of a sudden by fine thin silks lightly overshadowing (the fretwork) just as if there were, after all, secret doors. The whole walls were in addition traced, with no regard to symmetry, with outlines of the shapes of curios and nick-nacks in imitation of lutes, double-edged swords, hanging bottles and the like, the whole number of which, though (apparently) suspended on the walls, were all however on a same level with the surface of the partition walls.
"What fine ingenuity!" they all exclaimed extollingly; "what a labour they must have been to carry out!"
Chia Cheng had actually stepped in; but scarcely had they reached the second stage, before the whole party readily lost sight of the way by which they had come in. They glanced on the left, and there stood a door, through which they could go. They cast their eyes on the right, and there was a window which suddenly impeded their progress. They went forward, but there again they were obstructed by a bookcase. They turned their heads round, and there too stood windows pasted with transparent gauze and available door-ways: but the moment they came face to face with the door, they unexpectedly perceived that a whole company of people had likewise walked in, just in front of them, whose appearance resembled their own in every respect. But it was only a mirror. And when they rounded the mirror, they detected a still larger number of doors.
"Sir," Chia Chen remarked with a grin; "if you'll follow me out through this door, we'll forthwith get into the back-court; and once out of the back-court, we shall be, at all events, nearer than we were before."
Taking the lead, he conducted Chia Cheng and the whole party round two gauze mosquito houses, when they verily espied a door through which they made their exit, into a court, replete with stands of cinnamon roses. Passing round the flower-laden hedge, the only thing that spread before their view was a pure stream impeding their advance. The whole company was lost in admiration. "Where does this water again issue from?" they cried.
Chia Chen pointed to a spot at a distance. "Starting originally," he explained, "from that water-gate, it runs as far as the mouth of that cave, when from among the hills on the north-east side, it is introduced into that village, where again a diverging channel has been opened and it is made to flow in a south-westerly direction; the whole volume of water then runs to this spot, where collecting once more in one place, it issues, on its outward course, from beneath that wall."
"It's most ingenious!" they one and all exclaimed, after they had listened to him; but, as they uttered these words, they unawares realised that a lofty hill obstructed any further progress. The whole party felt very hazy about the right road. But "Come along after me," Chia Chen smilingly urged, as he at once went ahead and showed the way, whereupon the company followed in his steps, and as soon as they turned round the foot of the hill, a level place and broad road lay before them; and wide before their faces appeared the main entrance.
"This is charming! this is delightful!" the party unanimously exclaimed, "what wits must have been ransacked, and ingenuity attained, so as to bring things to this extreme degree of excellence!"
Forthwith the party egressed from the garden, and Pao-yue's heart anxiously longed for the society of the young ladies in the inner quarters, but as he did not hear Chia Cheng bid him go, he had no help but to follow him into the library. But suddenly Chia Cheng bethought himself of him. "What," he said, "you haven't gone yet! the old lady will I fear be anxious on your account; and is it pray that you haven't as yet had enough walking?"
Pao-yue at length withdrew out of the library. On his arrival in the court, a page, who had been in attendance on Chia Cheng, at once pressed forward, and took hold of him fast in his arms. "You've been lucky enough," he said, "to-day to have been in master's good graces! just a while back when our old mistress despatched servants to come on several occasions and ask after you, we replied that master was pleased with you; for had we given any other answer, her ladyship would have sent to fetch you to go in, and you wouldn't have had an opportunity of displaying your talents. Every one admits that the several stanzas you recently composed were superior to those of the whole company put together; but you must, after the good luck you've had to-day, give us a tip!"
"I'll give each one of you a tiao," Pao-yue rejoined smirkingly.
"Who of us hasn't seen a tiao?" they all exclaimed, "let's have that purse of yours, and have done with it!"
Saying this, one by one advanced and proceeded to unloosen the purse, and to unclasp the fan-case; and allowing Pao-yue no time to make any remonstrance, they stripped him of every ornament in the way of appendage which he carried about on his person. "Whatever we do let's escort him home!" they shouted, and one after another hustled round him and accompanied him as far as dowager lady Chia's door.
Her ladyship was at this moment awaiting his arrival, so that when she saw him walk in, and she found out that (Chia Cheng) had not bullied him, she felt, of course, extremely delighted. But not a long interval elapsed before Hsi Jen came to serve the tea; and when she perceived that on his person not one of the ornaments remained, she consequently smiled and inquired: "Have all the things that you had on you been again taken away by these barefaced rascals?"
As soon as Lin Tai-yue heard this remark, she crossed over to him and saw at a glance that not one single trinket was, in fact, left. "Have you also given them," she felt constrained to ask, "the purse that I gave you? Well, by and by, when you again covet anything of mine, I shan't let you have it."
After uttering these words, she returned into her apartment in high dudgeon, and taking the scented bag, which Pao-yue had asked her to make for him, and which she had not as yet finished, she picked up a pair of scissors, and instantly cut it to pieces.
Pao-yue noticing that she had lost her temper, came after her with hurried step, but the bag had already been cut with the scissors; and as Pao-yue observed how extremely fine and artistic this scented bag was, in spite of its unfinished state, he verily deplored that it should have been rent to pieces for no rhyme or reason. Promptly therefore unbuttoning his coat, he produced from inside the lapel the purse, which had been fastened there. "Look at this!" he remarked as he handed it to Tai-yue; "what kind of thing is this! have I given away to any one what was yours?" Lin Tai-yue, upon seeing how much he prized it as to wear it within his clothes, became alive to the fact that it was done with intent, as he feared lest any one should take it away; and as this conviction made her sorry that she had been so impetuous as to have cut the scented bag, she lowered her head and uttered not a word.
"There was really no need for you to have cut it," Pao-yue observed; "but as I know that you're loth to give me anything, what do you say to my returning even this purse?"
With these words, he threw the purse in her lap and walked off; which vexed Tai-yue so much the more that, after giving way to tears, she took up the purse in her hands to also destroy it with the scissors, when Pao-yue precipitately turned round and snatched it from her grasp.
"My dear cousin," he smilingly pleaded, "do spare it!" and as Tai-yue dashed down the scissors and wiped her tears: "You needn't," she urged, "be kind to me at one moment, and unkind at another; if you wish to have a tiff, why then let's part company!" But as she spoke, she lost control over her temper, and, jumping on her bed, she lay with her face turned towards the inside, and set to work drying her eyes.
Pao-yue could not refrain from approaching her. "My dear cousin, my own cousin," he added, "I confess my fault!"
"Go and find Pao-yue!" dowager lady Chia thereupon gave a shout from where she was in the front apartment, and all the attendants explained that he was in Miss Lin's room.
"All right, that will do! that will do!" her ladyship rejoined, when she heard this reply; "let the two cousins play together; his father kept him a short while back under check, for ever so long, so let him have some distraction. But the only thing is that you mustn't allow them to have any quarrels." To which the servants in a body expressed their obedience.
Tai-yue, unable to put up with Pao-yue's importunity, felt compelled to rise. "Your object seems to be," she remarked, "not to let me have any rest. If it is, I'll run away from you." Saying which, she there and then was making her way out, when Pao-yue protested with a face full of smiles: "Wherever you go, I'll follow!" and as he, at the same time, took the purse and began to fasten it on him, Tai-yue stretched out her hand, and snatching it away, "You say you don't want it," she observed, "and now you put it on again! I'm really much ashamed on your account!" And these words were still on her lips when with a sound of Ch'ih, she burst out laughing.
"My dear cousin," Pao-yue added, "to-morrow do work another scented bag for me!"
"That too will rest upon my good pleasure," Tai-yue rejoined.
As they conversed, they both left the room together and walked into madame Wang's suite of apartments, where, as luck would have it, Pao-ch'ai was also seated.
Unusual commotion prevailed, at this time, over at madame Wang's, for the fact is that Chia Se had already come back from Ku Su, where he had selected twelve young girls, and settled about an instructor, as well as about the theatrical properties and the other necessaries. And as Mrs. Hsueeh had by this date moved her quarters into a separate place on the northeast side, and taken up her abode in a secluded and quiet house, (madame Wang) had had repairs of a distinct character executed in the Pear Fragrance Court, and then issued directions that the instructor should train the young actresses in this place; and casting her choice upon all the women, who had, in days of old, received a training in singing, and who were now old matrons with white hair, she bade them have an eye over them and keep them in order. Which done, she enjoined Chia Se to assume the chief control of all matters connected with the daily and monthly income and outlay, as well as of the accounts of all articles in use of every kind and size.
Lin Chih-hsiao also came to report: "that the twelve young nuns and Taoist girls, who had been purchased after proper selection, had all arrived, and that the twenty newly-made Taoist coats had also been received. That there was besides a maiden, who though devoted to asceticism, kept her chevelure unshaved; that she was originally a denizen of Suchow, of a family whose ancestors were also people of letters and official status; that as from her youth up she had been stricken with much sickness, (her parents) had purchased a good number of substitutes (to enter the convent), but all with no relief to her, until at last this girl herself entered the gate of abstraction when she at once recovered. That hence it was that she grew her hair, while she devoted herself to an ascetic life; that she was this year eighteen years of age, and that the name given to her was Miao Yue; that her father and mother were, at this time, already dead; that she had only by her side, two old nurses and a young servant girl to wait upon her; that she was most proficient in literature, and exceedingly well versed in the classics and canons; and that she was likewise very attractive as far as looks went; that having heard that in the city of Ch'ang-an, there were vestiges of Kuan Yin and relics of the canons inscribed on leaves, she followed, last year, her teacher (to the capital). She now lives," he said, "in the Lao Ni nunnery, outside the western gate; her teacher was a great expert in prophetic divination, but she died in the winter of last year, and her dying words were that as it was not suitable for (Miao Yue) to return to her native place, she should await here, as something in the way of a denouement was certain to turn up; and this is the reason why she hasn't as yet borne the coffin back to her home!"
"If such be the case," madame Wang readily suggested, "why shouldn't we bring her here?"
"If we are to ask her," Lin Chih-hsiao's wife replied, "she'll say that a marquis' family and a duke's household are sure, in their honourable position, to be overbearing to people; and I had rather not go."
"As she's the daughter of an official family," madame Wang continued, "she's bound to be inclined to be somewhat proud; but what harm is there to our sending her a written invitation to ask her to come!"
Lin Chih-hsiao's wife assented; and leaving the room, she made the secretary write an invitation and then went to ask Miao Yue. The next day servants were despatched, and carriages and sedan chairs were got ready to go and bring her over.
What subsequently transpired is not as yet known, but, reader, listen to the account given in the following chapter.
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【选集】紅樓一春夢 |
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