中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions 》
dì 'èr shí yī huí xián xí rén jiāo chēn zhēn bǎo yù qiào píng 'ér ruǎn yǔ jiù jiǎ liǎn CHAPTER XXI.
cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin
gāo 'ě Gao E
CHAPTER XXI.
huà shuō shǐ xiāng yún páo liǎo chū lái， pà lín dài yù gǎn shàng， bǎo yù zài hòu máng shuō： “ zǎi xì bàn diē liǎo！ nà lǐ jiù gǎn shàng liǎo？ " lín dài yù gǎn dào mén qián， bèi bǎo yù chā shǒu zài mén kuàng shàng lán zhù， xiào quàn dào：“ ráo tā zhè yī zāo bà。 ” lín dài yù bān zhuóshǒu shuō dào：“ wǒ ruò ráo guò yún 'ér， zài bù huó zhe！ " xiāng yún jiàn bǎo yù lán zhù mén， liào dài yù bù néng chū lái， biàn lì zhù jiǎo xiào dào：“ hǎo jiě jiě， ráo wǒ zhè yī zāo bà。” qià zhí bǎo chāi lái zài xiāng yún shēn hòu， yě xiào dào：“ wǒ quàn nǐ liǎng gè kàn bǎo xiōng dì fēn shàng， dū diū kāi shǒu bà。” dài yù dào：“ wǒ bù yǐ。 nǐ men shì yī qì de， dū xì nòng wǒ bù chéng！ " bǎo yù quàn dào：“ shuí gǎn xì nòng nǐ！ nǐ bù dǎ qù tā， tā yān gǎn shuō nǐ。” sì rén zhèng nán fēn jiě， yòu rén lái qǐng chī fàn， fāng wǎng qián biān lái。 nà tiān zǎo yòu zhǎng dēng shí fēn， wáng fū rén， lǐ wán， fèng jiě， yíng， tàn， xī děngdōu wǎng jiǎ mǔ zhè biān lái， dà jiā xián huà liǎo yī huí， gè zì guī qǐn。 xiāng yún réng wǎng dài yù fáng zhōng 'ān xiē。
bǎo yù sòng tā 'èr rén dào fáng， nà tiān yǐ 'èr gèng duō shí， xí rén lái cuī liǎo jǐ cì， fāng huí zì jǐ fáng zhōng lái shuì。 cì rì tiān míng shí， biàn pī yī и xié wǎng dài yù fáng zhōng lái， bù jiàn zǐ juān， cuì lǚ 'èr rén， zhǐ jiàn tā zǐ mèi liǎng gè shàng wò zài qīn nèi。 nà lín dài yù yán yán mì mì guǒ zhe yī fú xìng zǐ hóng líng bèi， ān wěn hé mù 'ér shuì。 nà shǐ xiāng yún què yī bǎ qīng sī tuō yú zhěn pàn， bèi zhǐ qí xiōng， yī wān xuě bái de bǎng zǐ liào yú bèi wài， yòu dài zhe liǎng gè jīn zhuó zǐ。 bǎo yù jiàn liǎo， tàn dào：“ shuì jué hái shì bù lǎo shí！ huí lái fēng chuī liǎo， yòu rǎng jiān wō téng liǎo。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn qīng qīng de tì tā gài shàng。 lín dài yù zǎo yǐ xǐng liǎo， jué dé yòu rén， jiù cāi zhe dìng shì bǎo yù， yīn fān shēn yī kàn， guǒ zhōng qí liào。 yīn shuō dào：“ zhè zǎo wǎn jiù páo guò lái zuò shénme？ " bǎo yù xiào dào：“ zhè tiān hái zǎo ní！ nǐ qǐ lái qiáo qiáo。” dài yù dào：“ nǐ xiān chū qù， ràng wǒ men qǐ lái。” bǎo yù tīng liǎo， zhuǎn shēn chū zhì wài biān。
dài yù qǐ lái jiào xǐng xiāng yún， èr réndōu chuān liǎo yī fú。 bǎo yù fù yòu jìn lái， zuò zài jìng tái bàng biān， zhǐ jiàn zǐ juān， xuě yàn jìn lái fú shì shū xǐ。 xiāng yún xǐ liǎo miàn， cuì lǚ biàn ná cán shuǐ yào pō， bǎo yù dào：“ zhàn zhe， wǒ chèn shì xǐ liǎo jiù wán liǎo， shěngde yòu guò qù fèi shì。” shuō zhe biàn zǒu guò lái， wān yāo xǐ liǎo liǎng bǎ。 zǐ juān dì guò xiāng zào qù， bǎo yù dào： zhè pén lǐ de jiù bù shǎo， bù yòng cuō liǎo。” zài xǐ liǎo liǎng bǎ， biàn yào shǒu jīn。 cuì lǚ dào：“ hái shì zhè gè máo bìng 'ér， duō zǎo wǎn cái gǎi。 " bǎo yù yě bù lǐ， máng máng de yào guò qīng yán cā liǎo yá， sòu liǎo kǒu， wán bì， jiàn xiāng yún yǐ shū wán liǎo tóu， biàn zǒu guò lái xiào dào：“ hǎo mèi mèi， tì wǒ shū shàng tóu bà。” xiāng yún dào：“ zhè kě bù néng liǎo。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ hǎo mèi mèi， nǐ xiān shí zěn me tì wǒ shū liǎo ní？ " xiāng yún dào：“ rú jīn wǒ wàng liǎo， zěn me shū ní？ " bǎo yù dào：“ héng shù wǒ bù chū mén， yòu bù dài guān zǐ lè zǐ， bù guò dǎ jǐ gēn sàn biàn zǐ jiù wán liǎo。” shuō zhe， yòu qiān mèi mèi wàn mèi mèi de yāng gào。 xiāng yún zhǐ dé fú guò tā de tóu lái， yī yī shū bì。 zài jiā bù dài guān， bìng bù zǒng jiǎo， zhǐ jiāng sì wéi duǎn fā biān chéng xiǎo biàn， wǎng dǐng xīn fā shàng guī liǎo zǒng， biān yī gēn dà biàn， hóng tāo jié zhù。 zì fā dǐng zhì biàn shāo， yī lù sì kē zhēn zhū， xià miàn yòu jīn zhuì jiǎo。 xiāng yún yī miàn biān zhe， yī miàn shuō dào：“ zhè zhū zǐ zhǐ sān kē liǎo， zhè yī kē bù shì de。 wǒ jì dé shì yī yàng de， zěn me shǎo liǎo yī kē？ " bǎo yù dào：“ diū liǎo yī kē。” xiāng yún dào：“ bì dìng shì wài tóu qù diào xià lái， bù fáng bèi rén jiǎn liǎo qù， dǎo piányí tā。” dài yù yī bàng guàn shǒu， lěng xiào dào：“ yě bù zhī shì zhēn diū liǎo， yě bù zhī shì gěi liǎo rén xiāng shénme dài qù liǎo！ " bǎo yù bù dá， yīn jìng tái liǎng biān jù shì zhuāng lián děng wù， shùn shǒu ná qǐ lái shǎng wán， bù jué yòu shùn shǒu niān liǎo yān zhī， yì yù yào wǎng kǒu biān sòng， yīn yòu pà shǐ xiāng yún shuō。 zhèng yóu yù jiān， xiāng yún guǒ zài shēn hòu kàn jiàn， yī shǒu lüè zhe biàn zǐ， biàn shēn shǒu lái " pāi " de yī xià， cóng shǒu zhōngjiàng yān zhī dǎ luò， shuō dào：“ zhè bù zhǎngjìn de máo bìng 'ér， duō zǎo wǎn cái gǎi guò！”
yī yǔ wèi liǎo， zhǐ jiàn xí rén jìn lái， kàn jiàn zhè bān guāng jǐng， zhī shì shū xǐ guò liǎo， zhǐ dé huí lái zì jǐ shū xǐ。 hū jiàn bǎo chāi zǒu lái bù lā dé léi（ FrancisHerbertBradley， 1846 héng 1924） yīng guó， yīn wèn dào：“ bǎo xiōng dì nà qù liǎo？ " xí rén hán xiào dào：“ bǎo xiōng dì nà lǐ hái yòu zài jiā de gōng fū！ " bǎo chāi tīng shuō， xīn zhōng míng bái。 yòu tīng xí rén tàn dào：“ zǐ mèi men hé qì， yě yòu gè fēn cùn lǐ jié， yě méi gè hēi jiā bái rì nào de！ píng rén zěn me quàn， dōushì 'ěr bàng fēng。” bǎo chāi tīng liǎo， xīn zhōng 'àn cǔn dào：“ dǎo bié kàn cuò liǎo zhè gè yā tóu， tīng tā shuō huà， dǎo yòu xiē shí jiàn。” bǎo chāi biàn zài kàng shàng zuò liǎo， màn màn de xián yán zhōng tào wèn tā nián jì jiā xiāng děng yǔ， liú shén kuī chá， qí yán yǔ zhì liàng shēn kě jìng 'ài。
yī shí bǎo yù lái liǎo， bǎo chāi fāng chū qù。 bǎo yù biàn wèn xí rén dào：“ zěn me bǎo jiě jiě hé nǐ shuō de zhè me rè nào， jiàn wǒ jìn lái jiù páo liǎo？ " wèn yī shēng bù dá， zài wèn shí， xí rén fāng dào：“ nǐ wèn wǒ me？ wǒ nà lǐ zhī dào nǐ men de yuán gù。” bǎo yù tīng liǎo zhè huà， jiàn tā liǎn shàng qì sè fēi wǎng rì kě bǐ， biàn xiào dào：“ zěn me dòng liǎo zhēn qì？ " xí rén lěng xiào dào：“ wǒ nà lǐ gǎn dòng qì！ zhǐ shì cóng jīn yǐ hòu bié zài jìn zhè wū zǐ liǎo。 héng shù yòu rén fú shì nǐ， zài bié lái zhī shǐ wǒ。 wǒ réng jiù hái fú shì lǎo tài tài qù。 " yī miàn shuō， yī miàn biàn zài kàng shàng hé yǎn dǎo xià。 bǎo yù jiàn liǎo zhè bān jǐng kuàng， shēn wéi hài yì， jìn bù zhù gǎn lái quàn wèi。 nà xí rén zhǐ guǎn hé liǎo yǎn bù lǐ。 bǎo yù wú liǎo zhù yì， yīn jiàn shè yuè jìn lái， biàn wèn dào：“ nǐ jiě jiě zěn me liǎo？ " shè yuè dào：“ wǒ zhī dào me？ wèn nǐ zì jǐ biàn míng bái liǎo。” bǎo yù tīng shuō， dāi liǎo yī huí， zì jué wú qù， biàn qǐ shēn tàn dào：“ bù lǐ wǒ bà， wǒ yě shuì qù。” shuō zhe， biàn qǐ shēn xià kàng， dào zì jǐ chuáng shàng wāi xià。 xí rén tīng tā bàn rì wú dòng jìng， wēi wēi de dǎ hān， liào tā shuì zhe， biàn qǐ shēn ná yī lǐng dǒu péng lái， tì tā gāng yā shàng， zhǐ tīng " hū " de yī shēng， bǎo yù biàn xiān guò qù， yě réng hé mù zhuāng shuì。 xí rén míng zhī qí yì， biàn diǎn tóu lěng xiào dào：“ nǐ yě bù yòng shēng qì， cóng cǐ hòu wǒ zhǐ dāng yǎ zǐ， zài bù shuō nǐ yī shēng 'ér， rú hé？ " bǎo yù jìn bù zhù qǐ shēn wèn dào：“ wǒ yòu zěn me liǎo？ nǐ yòu quàn wǒ。 nǐ quàn wǒ yě bà liǎo， cái gāng yòu méi jiàn nǐ quàn wǒ， yī jìn lái nǐ jiù bù lǐ wǒ， dǔ qì shuì liǎo。 wǒ hái mō bù zhe shì wèishénme， zhè huì zǐ nǐ yòu shuō wǒ nǎo liǎo。 wǒ hé cháng tīng jiàn nǐ quàn wǒ shénme huà liǎo。” xí rén dào：“ nǐ xīn lǐ hái bù míng bái， hái děng wǒ shuō ní！ " zhèng nào zhe， jiǎ mǔ qiǎn rén lái jiào tā chī fàn， fāng wǎng qián biān lái， hú luàn chī liǎo bàn wǎn， réng huí zì jǐ fáng zhōng。 zhǐ jiàn xí rén shuì zài wài tóu kàng shàng， shè yuè zài bàng biān mǒ gǔ pái。 bǎo yù sù zhī shè yuè yǔ xí rén qīn hòu， yī bìng lián shè yuè yě bù lǐ， jiē qǐ ruǎn lián zì wǎng lǐ jiān lái。 shè yuè zhǐ dé gēn jìn lái。 bǎo yù biàn tuī tā chū qù， shuō：“ bù gǎn jīng dòng nǐ men。” shè yuè zhǐ dé xiào zhe chū lái， huàn liǎo liǎng gè xiǎo yā tóu jìn lái。 bǎo yù ná yī běn shū， wāi zhe kàn liǎo bàn tiān， yīn yào chá， tái tóu zhǐ jiàn liǎng gè xiǎo yā tóu zài dì xià zhàn zhe。 yī gè dà l
xiē 'ér de shēng dé shí fēn shuǐ xiù， bǎo yù biàn wèn：“ nǐ jiào shénme míng zì？ " nà yā tóu biàn shuō：“ jiào huì xiāng。” bǎo yù biàn wèn：“ shì shuí qǐ de？ " huì xiāng dào：“ wǒ yuán jiào yún xiāng de， shì huā dà jiě jiě gǎi liǎo huì xiāng。” bǎo yù dào：“ zhèng jīng gāi jiào ‘ huì qì ’ bà liǎo， shénme huì xiāng ní！ " yòu wèn：“ nǐ zǐ mèi jǐ gè？ " huì xiāng dào：“ sì gè。” bǎo yù dào：“ nǐ dì jǐ？ " huì xiāng dào：“ dì sì。” bǎo yù dào：“ míng 'ér jiù jiào‘ sì 'ér’， bù bì shénme‘ huì xiāng’‘ lán qì’ de。 nà yī gè pèi bǐ zhè xiē huā， méi de diàn rǔ liǎo hǎo míng hǎo xìng。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn mìng tā dǎo liǎo chá lái chī。 xí rén hé shè yuè zài wài jiān tīng liǎo mǐn zuǐ 'ér xiào。
zhè yī rì， bǎo yù yě bù dà chū fáng， yě bù hé zǐ mèi yā tóu děng sī nào， zì jǐ mèn mèn de， zhǐ bù guò ná zhe shū jiě mèn wú fēn rǎo”。 guó jiā qǐ yuán yú rén men zài zì yuàn jī chǔ shàng de“ gòng tóng xié dìng”， zhè， huò nòng bǐ mò， yě bù shǐ huàn zhòng rén， zhǐ jiào sì 'ér dāyìng。
shuí zhī sì 'ér shì gè cōng mǐn guāi qiǎo bù guò de yā tóu， jiàn bǎo yù yòng tā， tā biàn jìn fāng fǎ lǒngluò bǎo yù。 zhì wǎn fàn hòu， bǎo yù yīn chī liǎo liǎng bēi jiǔ， yǎn xíng 'ěr rè zhī jì， ruò wǎng rì zé yòu xí rén děng dà jiā xǐ xiào yòu xīng， jīn rì què lěng qīng qīng de yī rén duì dēng， hǎo méi xīng qù。 dài yào gǎn liǎo tā men qù， yòu pà tā men dé liǎo yì， yǐ hòu yuè fā lái quàn， ruò ná chū zuò shàng de guīju lái zhèn hǔ， sì hū wú qíng tài shèn。 shuō bù dé héng xīn zhǐ dāng tā men sǐ liǎo， héng shù zì rán yě yào guò de。 biàn quán dāng tā men sǐ liǎo， háo wú qiān guà， fǎn néng yí rán zì yuè。 yīn mìng sì 'ér jiǎn dēng pēng chá， zì jǐ kàn liǎo yī huí《 nán huá jīng》。 zhèng kàn zhì《 wài piān。 て qiè》 yī zé， qí wén yuē：
gù jué shèng qì zhī， dà dào nǎi zhǐ， ノ yù huǐ zhū， xiǎo dào bù qǐ，
fén fú pò xǐ， ér mín pǔ bǐ， póu dǒu zhé héng， ér mín bù zhēng， dān cán tiān
xià zhī shèng fǎ， ér mín shǐ kě yǔ lùn yì。 zhuó luàn liù lǜ， shuò jué yú sè，
sài gǔ kuàng zhī 'ěr， ér tiān xià shǐ rén hán qí cōng yǐ； miè wén zhāng， sàn wǔ
cǎi， jiāo lí zhū zhī mù， ér tiān xià shǐ rén hán qí míng yǐ， huǐ jué gōu shéng 'ér qì guī
jǔ， っ gōng ぽ zhī zhǐ， ér tiān xià shǐ rén yòu qí qiǎo yǐ。 kàn zhì cǐ， yì qù yáng yáng， chèn zhe jiǔ xīng， bù jìn tí bǐ xù yuē：
fén huā sàn shè， ér guī gé shǐ rén hán qí quàn yǐ， qiāng bǎo chāi zhī xiān zī， huī dài
yù zhī líng qiào， sàng jiǎn qíng yì， ér guī gé zhī měi 'è shǐ xiāng lèi yǐ。 bǐ hán qí quàn， zé wú shēnshāng zhī yú yǐ， qiāng qí xiān zī， wú liàn 'ài zhī xīn yǐ， huī qí líng qiào， wú cái
sī zhī qíng yǐ。 bǐ chāi， yù， huā， shè zhě， jiē zhāng qí luó 'ér xué qí suì， suǒ yǐ mí huàn chán xiàn tiān xià zhě yě。 xù bì， zhì bǐ jiù qǐn。 tóu gāng zhe zhěn biàn hū shuì qù， yī yè jìng bù zhī suǒ zhī， zhí zhì tiān míng fāng xǐng。 fān shēn kàn shí， zhǐ jiàn xí rén hé yī shuì zài qīn shàng。 bǎo yù jiāng zuó rì de shì yǐ fù yǔ dù wài， biàn tuī tā shuō dào：“ qǐ lái hǎo shēng shuì， kàn dòng zhe liǎo。” yuán lái xí rén jiàn tā wú xiǎo yè hé zǐ mèi men sī nào， ruò zhí quàn tā， liào bù néng gǎi， gù yòng róu qíng yǐ jǐng zhī， liào tā bù guò bàn rì piàn kè réng fù hǎo liǎo。 bù xiǎng bǎo yù yī rì yè jìng bù huí zhuǎn， zì jǐ fǎn bù dé zhù yì， zhí yī yè méi hǎo shēng shuìde。 jīn hū jiàn bǎo yù rú cǐ， liào tā xīn yì huí zhuǎn， biàn yuè xìng bù cǎi tā。 bǎo yù jiàn tā bù yìng， biàn shēn shǒu tì tā jiě yī， gāng jiě kāi liǎo niǔ zǐ， bèi xí rén jiāng shǒu tuī kāi， yòu zì kòu liǎo。 bǎo yù wú fǎ， zhǐ dé lā tā de shǒu xiào dào：“ nǐ dào dǐ zěn me liǎo？ " lián wèn jǐ shēng， xí rén zhēng yǎn shuō dào：“ wǒ yě bù zěn me。 nǐ shuì xǐng liǎo， nǐ zì guò nà biān fáng lǐ qù shū xǐ， zài chí liǎo jiù gǎn bù shàng。 " bǎo yù dào：“ wǒ guò nà lǐ qù？ " xí rén lěng xiào dào：“ nǐ wèn wǒ， wǒ zhī dào？ nǐ 'ài wǎng nà lǐ qù， jiù wǎng nà lǐ qù。 cóng jīn zán men liǎng gè diū kāi shǒu， shěngde jī shēng 'é dǒu， jiào bié rén xiào。 héng shù nà biān nì liǎo guò lái， zhè biān yòu yòu gè shénme‘ sì 'ér’‘ wǔ 'ér’ fú shì。 wǒ men zhè qǐ dōng xī， kě shì bái‘ diàn rǔ liǎo hǎo míng hǎo xìng’ de。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ nǐ jīn 'ér hái jì zhe ní！ " xí rén dào：“ yī bǎi nián hái jì zhe ní！ bǐ bù dé nǐ， ná zhe wǒ de huà dāng 'ěr bàng fēng， yè lǐ shuō liǎo， zǎo qǐ jiù wàng liǎo。” bǎo yù jiàn tā jiāo chēn mǎn miàn， qíng bù kě jìn， biàn xiàng zhěn biān ná qǐ yī gēn yù zān lái， yī diē liǎng duàn， shuō dào：“ wǒ zài bù tīng nǐ shuō， jiù tóng zhè gè yī yàng。” xí rén máng de shí liǎo zān zǐ， shuō dào：“ dà qīng zǎo qǐ， zhè shì hé kǔ lái！ tīng bù tīng shénme yào jǐn， yě zhí dé zhè zhǒng yàng zǐ。” bǎo yù dào：“ nǐ nà lǐ zhī dào wǒ xīn lǐ jí！ " xí rén xiào dào：“ nǐ yě zhī dào zháojí me！ kě zhī wǒ xīn lǐ zěn me yàng？ kuài qǐ lái xǐ liǎn qù bà。” shuō zhe， èr rén fāng qǐ lái shū xǐ。
bǎo yù wǎng shàng fáng qù hòu， shuí zhī dài yù zǒu lái， jiàn bǎo yù bù zài fáng zhōng， yīn fān nòng 'àn shàng shū kàn， kě qiǎo fān chū zuó 'ér de《 zhuāng zǐ》 lái。 kàn zhì suǒ xù zhī chù， bù jué yòu qì yòu xiào， bù jìn yě tí bǐ xù shū yī jué yún：
wú duān nòng bǐ shì hé rén？ zuò jiàn nán huá《 zhuāng zǐ yīn》。
bù huǐ zì jǐ wú jiàn shí， què jiāng chǒu yǔ guài tā rén！ xiě bì， yě wǎng shàng fáng lái jiàn jiǎ mǔ， hòu wǎng wáng fū rén chù lái。
shuí zhī fèng jiě zhī nǚ dà jiě bìng liǎo， zhèng luàn zhe qǐng dà fū lái zhěn mài。 dà fū biàn shuō：“ tì fū rén nǎi nǎi men dào xǐ， jiě 'ér fā rè shì jiàn xǐ liǎo， bìng fēi bié bìng。” wáng fū rén fèng jiě tīng liǎo， máng qiǎn rén wèn：“ kě hǎo bù hǎo？ " yī shēng huí dào：“ bìng suī xiǎn， què shùn， dǎo hái bù fáng。 yù bèi sāng chóng zhū wěi yào jǐn。” fèng jiě tīng liǎo， dēng shí máng jiāng qǐ lái： yī miàn dǎ sǎo fáng wū gòngfèng dòu zhěn niàn niàn， yī miàn chuán yǔ jiā rén jì jiān chǎo děng wù， yī miàn mìng píng 'ér dǎ diǎn pū gài yī fú yǔ jiǎ liǎn gé fáng， yī miàn yòu ná dà hóng chǐ tóu yǔ nǎi zǐ yā tóu qīn jìn rén děng cái yī。 wài miàn yòu dǎ sǎo jìng shì， kuǎn liú liǎng gè yī shēng， lún liú zhēn zhuó zhěn mài xià yào， shí 'èr rì bù fàng jiā qù。 jiǎ liǎn zhǐ dé bān chū wài shū fáng lái zhāi jiè， fèng jiě yǔ píng 'ér dū suí zhe wáng fū rén rì rì gòngfèng niàn niàn。
nà gè jiǎ liǎn， zhǐ lí liǎo fèng jiě biàn yào xún shì， dú qǐn liǎo liǎng yè， biàn shí fēn nán 'áo，
biàn zàn jiāng xiǎo sī men nèi yòu qīng jùn de xuǎn lái chū huǒ。 bù xiǎng róng guó fǔ nèi yòu yī gè jí bù chéng qì pò làn jiǔ tóu chú zǐ， míng jiào duō guān， rén jiàn tā nuò ruò wú néng， dū huàn tā zuò " duō hún chóng "。 yīn tā zì xiǎo fù mǔ tì tā zài wài qǔ liǎo yī gè xí fù， jīn nián fāng 'èr shí lái wǎng nián jì， shēng dé yòu jǐ fēn rén cái， jiàn zhě wú bù xiàn 'ài。 tā shēng xìng qīng fú， zuì xǐ niān huā rě cǎo， duō hún chóng yòu bù lǐ lùn， zhǐ shì yòu jiǔ yòu ròu yòu qián， biàn zhū shì bù guǎn liǎo， suǒ yǐ róng níng 'èr fǔ zhī réndōu dé rù shǒu。 yīn zhè gè xí fù měi mào yì cháng， qīng fú wú bǐ， zhòng réndōu hū tā zuò " duō gū niàn 'ér "。 rú jīn jiǎ liǎn zài wài 'áo jiān， wǎng rì yě céng jiàn guò zhè xí fù， shī guò hún bó， zhǐ shì nèi jù jiāo qī， wài jù luán chǒng， bù céng xià dé shǒu。 nà duō gū niàn 'ér yě céng yòu yì yú jiǎ liǎn， zhǐ hèn méi kōng。 jīn wén jiǎ liǎn nuó zài wài shū fáng lái， tā biàn méi shì yě yào zǒu liǎng tàng qù zhāo rě。 rě de jiǎ liǎn sì jī shǔ yī bān， shǎo bù dé hé xīn fù de xiǎo sī men jì yì， hé tóng zhē yǎn móu qiú， duō yǐ jīn bó xiāng xǔ。 xiǎo sī men yān yòu bù yǔn zhī lǐ， kuàng dū hé zhè xí fù shì hǎo yǒu， yī shuō biàn chéng。 shì yè 'èr gǔ rén dìng， duō hún chóng zuì hūn zài kàng， jiǎ liǎn biàn liù liǎo lái xiāng huì。 jìn mén yī jiàn qí tài， zǎo yǐ bó fēi hún sàn， yě bù yòng qíng tán kuǎn xù， biàn kuān yī dòng zuò qǐ lái。 shuí zhī zhè xí fù yòu tiān shēng de qí qù， yī jīng nán zǐ 'āi shēn， biàn jué biàn shēn jīn gǔ tān ruǎn， shǐ nán zǐ rú wò mián shàng， gèng jiān yín tài làng yán， yā dǎo chāng jì， zhū nán zǐ zhì cǐ qǐ yòu xī mìng zhě zāi。 nà jiǎ liǎn hèn bù dé lián shēn zǐ huà zài tā shēn shàng。 nà xí fù gù zuò làng yǔ， zài xià shuō dào：“ nǐ jiā nǚ 'ér chū huā 'ér， gōng zhe niàn niàn， nǐ yě gāi jì liǎng rì， dǎo wèiwǒ zàng liǎo shēn zǐ。 kuài lí liǎo wǒ zhè lǐ bà。” jiǎ liǎn yī miàn dà dòng， yī miàn chuǎn xū xū dá dào：“ nǐ jiù shì niàn niàn！ wǒ nà lǐ guǎn shénme niàn niàn！ " nà xí fù yuè làng， jiǎ liǎn yuè chǒu tài bì lù。 yī shí shì bì， liǎng gè yòu hǎi shì shān méng， nán fēn nán shè， cǐ hòu suì chéng xiāng qì。
yī rì dà jiě dú jìn bān huí， shí 'èr rì hòu sòng liǎo niàn niàn， hé jiā jì tiān sì zǔ， hái yuàn fén xiāng， qìng hè fàng shǎng yǐ bì， jiǎ liǎn réng fù bān jìn wò shì。 jiàn liǎo fēng jiě， zhèng shì sú yǔ yún " xīn hūn bù rú yuǎn bié "， gèng yòu wú xiàn 'ēn 'ài， zì bù bì fán xù。
cì rì zǎo qǐ， fèng jiě wǎng shàng wū qù hòu， píng 'ér shōu shí jiǎ liǎn zài wài de yī fú pū gài， bù chéng wàng zhěn tào zhōng dǒu chū yī liǔ qīng sī lái。 píng 'ér huì yì， máng zhuài zài xiù nèi， biàn zǒu zhì zhè biān fáng nèi lái， ná chū tóu fā lái， xiàng jiǎ liǎn xiào dào：“ zhè shì shénme？ " jiǎ liǎn kàn jiàn zhe liǎo máng， qiǎng shàng lái yào duó。 píng 'ér biàn páo， bèi jiǎ liǎn yī bǎ jiū zhù， àn zài kàng shàng， bāi shǒu yào duó， kǒu nèi xiào dào：“ xiǎo tí zǐ， nǐ bù chèn zǎo ná chū lái， wǒ bǎ nǐ bǎng zǐ jué zhé liǎo。” píng 'ér xiào dào：“ nǐ jiù shì méi liáng xīn de。 wǒ hǎo yì mán zhe tā lái wèn， nǐ dǎo dǔ hěn！ nǐ zhǐ dǔ hěn， děng tā huí lái wǒ gào sù tā， kàn nǐ zěn me zhe。” jiǎ liǎn tīng shuō， máng péi xiào yāng qiú dào：“ hǎo rén， shǎng wǒ bà， wǒ zài bù dǔ hěn liǎo。”
yī yǔ wèi liǎo， zhǐ tīng fèng jiě shēng yīn jìn lái。 jiǎ liǎn tīng jiàn sōng liǎo shǒu， píng 'ér gāng qǐ shēn， fèng jiě yǐ zǒu jìn lái， mìng píng 'ér kuài kāi xiá zǐ， tì tài tài zhǎo yàng zǐ。 píng 'ér máng dāyìng liǎo zhǎo shí， fèng jiě jiàn liǎo jiǎ liǎn， hū rán xiǎng qǐ lái， biàn wèn píng 'ér：“ ná chū qù de dōng xī dū shōu jìn lái liǎo me？ " píng 'ér dào：“ shōu jìn lái liǎo。” fèng jiě dào：“ kě shǎo shénme méi yòu？ " píng 'ér dào：“ wǒ yě pà diū xià yī liǎng jiàn， xì xì de chá liǎo chá， yě bù shǎo。” fèng jiě dào：“ bù shǎo jiù hǎo， zhǐ shì bié duō chū lái bà？ " píng 'ér xiào dào：“ bù diū wàn xìng， shuí hái tiān chū lái ní？ " fèng jiě lěng xiào dào：“ zhè bàn gè yuè nán bǎo gān jìng， huò zhě yòu xiāng hòu de diū xià de dōng xī： jiè zhǐ， hàn jīn， xiāng dài 'ér， zài zhì yú tóu fā， zhǐ jiá， dōushì dōng xī。” yī xí huà， shuō de jiǎ liǎn liǎn dū huáng liǎo。 jiǎ liǎn zài fèng jiě shēn hòu， zhǐ wàng zhe píng 'ér shā jī mǒ bó shǐ yǎn sè 'ér。 píng 'ér zhǐ zhuāng zhe kàn bù jiàn， yīn xiào dào：“ zěn me wǒ de xīn jiù hé nǎi nǎi de xīn yī yàng！ wǒ jiù pà yòu zhè xiē gè， liú shén sōu liǎo yī sōu， jìng yī diǎn pò zhàn yě méi yòu。 nǎi nǎi bù xìn shí， nà xiē dōng xī wǒ hái mòshōu ní， nǎi nǎi qīn zì fān xún yī biàn qù。” fèng jiě xiào dào：“ shǎ yā tóu， tā biàn yòu zhè xiē dōng xī， nà lǐ jiù jiào zán men fān zhe liǎo！ " shuō zhe， xún liǎo yàng zǐ yòu shàng qù liǎo。
píng 'ér zhǐ zhe bí zǐ， huàng zhe tóu xiào dào：“ zhè jiàn shì zěn me huí xiè wǒ ní？ " xǐ de gè jiǎ liǎn shēn yǎng nán náo， páo shàng lái lǒu zhe， " xīn gān cháng ròu " luàn jiào luàn xiè。 píng 'ér réng ná liǎo tóu fā xiào dào：“ zhè shì wǒ yī shēng de bǎ bǐng liǎo。 hǎo jiù hǎo， bù hǎo jiù dǒu lù chū zhè shì lái。” jiǎ liǎn xiào dào：“ nǐ zhǐ hǎo shēng shōu zhe bà， qiān wàn bié jiào tā zhī dào。” kǒu lǐ shuō zhe， chǒu tā bù fáng， biàn qiǎng liǎo guò lái， xiào dào：“ nǐ ná zhe zhōng shì huò huàn， bù rú wǒ shāo liǎo tā wán shì liǎo。” yī miàn shuō zhe， yī miàn biàn sài yú xuē yè nèi。 píng 'ér yǎo yá dào：“ méi liáng xīn de dōng xī， guò liǎo hé jiù chāi qiáo， míng 'ér hái xiǎng wǒ tì nǐ sǎ huǎng！ " jiǎ liǎn jiàn tā jiāo qiào dòng qíng， biàn lǒu zhe qiú huān， bèi píng 'ér duó shǒu páo liǎo， jí de jiǎ liǎn wān zhe yāo hèn dào：“ sǐ cù xiá xiǎo yín fù！ yī dìng làng shàng rén de huǒ lái， tā yòu páo liǎo。” píng 'ér zài chuāng wài xiào dào：“ wǒ làng wǒ de， shuí jiào nǐ dòng huǒ liǎo？ nán dào tú nǐ shòu yòng yī huí， jiào tā zhī dào liǎo， yòu bù dài jiàn wǒ。” jiǎ liǎn dào：“ nǐ bù yòng pà tā， děng wǒ xìng zǐ shàng lái， bǎ zhè cù guàn dǎ gè xī làn， tā cái rèn dé wǒ ní！ tā fáng wǒ xiàng fáng zéi de， zhǐ xǔ tā tóng nán rén shuō huà， bù xǔ wǒ hé nǚ rén shuō huà， wǒ hé nǚ rén lüè jìn xiē， tā jiù yí huò， tā bù lùn xiǎo shū zǐ zhí 'ér， dà de xiǎo de， shuō shuō xiào xiào， jiù bù pà wǒ chī cù liǎo。 yǐ hòu wǒ yě bù xǔ tā jiàn rén！ " píng 'ér dào：“ tā cù nǐ shǐ dé， nǐ cù tā shǐ bù dé。 tā yuán xíng de zhèng zǒu de zhèng， nǐ xíng dòng biàn yòu gè huài xīn， lián wǒ yě bù fàng xīn， bié shuō tā liǎo。” jiǎ liǎn dào：“ nǐ liǎng gè yī kǒu zéi qì。 dōushì nǐ men xíng de shì， wǒ fán xíng dòng dū cún huài xīn。 duō zǎo wǎn dū sǐ zài wǒ shǒu lǐ！”
yī jù wèi liǎo， fèng jiě zǒu jìn yuàn lái， yīn jiàn píng 'ér zài chuāng wài， jiù wèn dào：“ yào shuō huà liǎng gè rén bù zài wū lǐ shuō， zěn me páo chū yī gè lái， gé zhe chuāng zǐ， shì shénme yì sī？ " jiǎ liǎn zài chuāng nèi jiē dào：“ nǐ kě wèn tā， dǎo xiàng wū lǐ yòu lǎo hǔ chī tā ní。 " píng 'ér dào：“ wū lǐ yī gè rén méi yòu， wǒ zài tā gēn qián zuò shénme？ " fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ zhèng shì méi rén cái hǎo ní。 " píng 'ér tīng shuō， biàn shuō dào：“ zhè huà shì shuō wǒ ní？ " fèng jiě xiào dào：“ bù shuō nǐ shuō shuí？ " píng 'ér dào：“ bié jiào wǒ shuō chū hǎo huà lái liǎo。” shuō zhe， yě bù dǎ lián zǐ ràng fèng jiě， zì jǐ xiān shuāi lián zǐ jìn lái， wǎng nà biān qù liǎo。 fèng jiě zì xiān lián zǐ jìn lái， shuō dào：“ píng 'ér fēng mó liǎo。 zhè tí zǐ rèn zhēn yào jiàng fú wǒ， zǎi xì nǐ de pí yào jǐn！ " jiǎ liǎn tīng liǎo， yǐ jué dǎo zài kàng shàng， pāi shǒu xiào dào：“ wǒ jìng bù zhī píng 'ér zhè me lì hài， cóng cǐ dǎo fú tā liǎo。” fèng jiě dào：“ dōushì nǐ guàn de tā， wǒ zhǐ hé nǐ shuō！ " jiǎ liǎn tīng shuō máng dào：“ nǐ liǎng gè bù mǎo， yòu ná wǒ lái zuò rén。 wǒ duǒ kāi nǐ men。” fèng jiě dào：“ wǒ kàn nǐ duǒ dào nà lǐ qù。” jiǎ liǎn dào：“ wǒ jiù lái。” fèng jiě dào：“ wǒ yòu huà hé nǐ shāng liàng。” bù zhī shāng liàng hé shì， qiě tīng xià huí fēn jiě。 zhèng shì：
shū nǚ cóng lái duō bào yuàn， jiāo qī zì gǔ biàn hán suān。
The eminent Hsi Jen, with winsome ways, rails at Pao-yue, with a view to exhortation. The beauteous P'ing Erh, with soft words, screens Chia Lien.
But to resume our story. When Shih Hsiang-yuen ran out of the room, she was all in a flutter lest Lin Tai-yue should catch her up; but Pao-yue, who came after her, readily shouted out, "You'll trip and fall. How ever could she come up to you?"
Lin Tai-yue went in pursuit of her as far as the entrance, when she was impeded from making further progress by Pao-yue, who stretched his arms out against the posts of the door.
"Were I to spare Yuen Erh, I couldn't live!" Lin Tai-yue exclaimed, as she tugged at his arms. But Hsiang-yuen, perceiving that Pao-yue obstructed the door, and surmising that Tai-yue could not come out, speedily stood still. "My dear cousin," she smilingly pleaded, "do let me off this time!"
But it just happened that Pao-ch'ai, who was coming along, was at the back of Hsiang-yuen, and with a face also beaming with smiles: "I advise you both," she said, "to leave off out of respect for cousin Pao-yue, and have done."
"I don't agree to that," Tai-yue rejoined; "are you people, pray, all of one mind to do nothing but make fun of me?"
"Who ventures to make fun of you?" Pao-yue observed advisingly; "and hadn't you made sport of her, would she have presumed to have said anything about you?"
While this quartet were finding it an arduous task to understand one another, a servant came to invite them to have their repast, and they eventually crossed over to the front side, and as it was already time for the lamps to be lit, madame Wang, widow Li Wan, lady Feng, Ying Ch'un, T'an Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and the other cousins, adjourned in a body to dowager lady Chia's apartments on this side, where the whole company spent a while in a chat on irrelevant topics, after which they each returned to their rooms and retired to bed. Hsiang-yuen, as of old, betook herself to Tai-yue's quarters to rest, and Pao-yue escorted them both into their apartment, and it was after the hour had already past the second watch, and Hsi Jen had come and pressed him several times, that he at length returned to his own bedroom and went to sleep. The next morning, as soon as it was daylight, he threw his clothes over him, put on his low shoes and came over into Tai-yue's room, where he however saw nothing of the two girls Tzu Chuean and Ts'ui Lu, as there was no one else here in there besides his two cousins, still reclining under the coverlets. Tai-yue was closely wrapped in a quilt of almond-red silk, and lying quietly, with closed eyes fast asleep; while Shih Hsiang-yuen, with her handful of shiny hair draggling along the edge of the pillow, was covered only up to the chest, and outside the coverlet rested her curved snow-white arm, with the gold bracelets, which she had on.
At the sight of her, Pao-yue heaved a sigh. "Even when asleep," he soliloquised, "she can't be quiet! but by and by, when the wind will have blown on her, she'll again shout that her shoulder is sore!" With these words, he gently covered her, but Lin Tai-yue had already awoke out of her sleep, and becoming aware that there was some one about, she promptly concluded that it must, for a certainty, be Pao-yue, and turning herself accordingly round, and discovering at a glance that the truth was not beyond her conjectures, she observed: "What have you run over to do at this early hour?" to which question Pao-yue replied: "Do you call this early? but get up and see for yourself!"
"First quit the room," Tai-yue suggested, "and let us get up!"
Pao-yue thereupon made his exit into the ante-chamber, and Tai-yue jumped out of bed, and awoke Hsiang-yuen. When both of them had put on their clothes, Pao-yue re-entered and took a seat by the side of the toilet table; whence he beheld Tzu-chuean and Hsueeh Yen walk in and wait upon them, as they dressed their hair and performed their ablutions. Hsiang-yuen had done washing her face, and Ts'uei Lue at once took the remaining water and was about to throw it away, when Pao-yue interposed, saying: "Wait, I'll avail myself of this opportunity to wash too and finish with it, and thus save myself the trouble of having again to go over!" Speaking the while, he hastily came forward, and bending his waist, he washed his face twice with two handfuls of water, and when Tzu Chuean went over to give him the scented soap, Pao-yue added: "In this basin, there's a good deal of it, and there's no need of rubbing any more!" He then washed his face with two more handfuls, and forthwith asked for a towel, and Ts'uei Lue exclaimed: "What! have you still got this failing? when will you turn a new leaf?" But Pao-yue paid not so much as any heed to her, and there and then called for some salt, with which he rubbed his teeth, and rinsed his mouth. When he had done, he perceived that Hsiang-yuen had already finished combing her hair, and speedily coming up to her, he put on a smile, and said: "My dear cousin, comb my hair for me!"
"This can't be done!" Hsiang-yuen objected.
"My dear cousin," Pao-yue continued smirkingly, "how is it that you combed it for me in former times?"
"I've forgotten now how to comb it!" Hsiang-yuen replied.
"I'm not, after all, going out of doors," Pao-yue observed, "nor will I wear a hat or frontlet, so that all that need be done is to plait a few queues, that's all!" Saying this, he went on to appeal to her in a thousand and one endearing terms, so that Hsiang-yuen had no alternative, but to draw his head nearer to her and to comb one queue after another, and as when he stayed at home he wore no hat, nor had, in fact, any tufted horns, she merely took the short surrounding hair from all four sides, and twisting it into small tufts, she collected it together over the hair on the crown of the head, and plaited a large queue, binding it fast with red ribbon; while from the root of the hair to the end of the queue, were four pearls in a row, below which, in the way of a tip, was suspended a golden pendant.
"Of these pearls there are only three," Hsiang-yuen remarked as she went on plaiting; "this isn't one like them; I remember these were all of one kind, and how is it that there's one short?"
"I've lost one," Pao-yue rejoined.
"It must have dropped," Hsiang-yuen added, "when you went out of doors, and been picked up by some one when you were off your guard; and he's now, instead of you, the richer for it."
"One can neither tell whether it has been really lost," Tai-yue, who stood by, interposed, smiling the while sarcastically; "nor could one say whether it hasn't been given away to some one to be mounted in some trinket or other and worn!"
Pao-yue made no reply; but set to work, seeing that the two sides of the dressing table were all full of toilet boxes and other such articles, taking up those that came under his hand and examining them. Grasping unawares a box of cosmetic, which was within his reach, he would have liked to have brought it to his lips, but he feared again lest Hsiang-yuen should chide him. While he was hesitating whether to do so or not, Hsiang-yuen, from behind, stretched forth her arm and gave him a smack, which sent the cosmetic flying from his hand, as she cried out: "You good-for-nothing! when will you mend those weaknesses of yours!" But hardly had she had time to complete this remark, when she caught sight of Hsi Jen walk in, who upon perceiving this state of things, became aware that he was already combed and washed, and she felt constrained to go back and attend to her own coiffure and ablutions. But suddenly, she saw Pao-ch'ai come in and inquire: "Where's cousin Pao-yue gone?"
"Do you mean to say," Hsi Jen insinuated with a sardonic smile, "that your cousin Pao-yue has leisure to stay at home?"
When Pao-ch'ai heard these words, she inwardly comprehended her meaning, and when she further heard Hsi Jen remark with a sigh: "Cousins may well be on intimate terms, but they should also observe some sort of propriety; and they shouldn't night and day romp together; and no matter how people may tender advice it's all like so much wind blowing past the ears." Pao-ch'ai began, at these remarks, to cogitate within her mind: "May I not, possibly, have been mistaken in my estimation of this girl; for to listen to her words, she would really seem to have a certain amount of _savoir faire_!"
Pao-ch'ai thereupon took a seat on the stove-couch, and quietly, in the course of their conversation on one thing and another, she managed to ascertain her age, her native village and other such particulars, and then setting her mind diligently to put, on the sly, her conversation and mental capacity to the test, she discovered how deeply worthy she was to be respected and loved. But in a while Pao-yue arrived, and Pao-ch'ai at once quitted the apartment.
"How is it," Pao-yue at once inquired, "that cousin Pao-ch'ai was chatting along with you so lustily, and that as soon as she saw me enter, she promptly ran away?"
Hsi Jen did not make any reply to his first question, and it was only when he had repeated it that Hsi Jen remarked: "Do you ask me? How can I know what goes on between you two?"
When Pao-yue heard these words, and he noticed that the look on her face was so unlike that of former days, he lost no time in putting on a smile and asking: "Why is it that you too are angry in real earnest?"
"How could I presume to get angry!" Hsi Jen rejoined smiling indifferently; "but you mustn't, from this day forth, put your foot into this room! and as you have anyhow people to wait on you, you shouldn't come again to make use of my services, for I mean to go and attend to our old mistress, as in days of old."
With this remark still on her lips, she lay herself down on the stove-couch and closed her eyes. When Pao-yue perceived the state of mind she was in, he felt deeply surprised and could not refrain from coming forward and trying to cheer her up. But Hsi Jen kept her eyes closed and paid no heed to him, so that Pao-yue was quite at a loss how to act. But espying She Yueeh enter the room, he said with alacrity: "What's up with your sister?"
"Do I know?" answered She Yueeh, "examine your own self and you'll readily know!"
After these words had been heard by Pao-yue, he gazed vacantly for some time, feeling the while very unhappy; but raising himself impetuously: "Well!" he exclaimed, "if you don't notice me, all right, I too will go to sleep," and as he spoke he got up, and, descending from the couch, he betook himself to his own bed and went to sleep. Hsi Jen noticing that he had not budged for ever so long, and that he faintly snored, presumed that he must have fallen fast asleep, so she speedily rose to her feet, and, taking a wrapper, came over and covered him. But a sound of "hu" reached her ear, as Pao-yue promptly threw it off and once again closed his eyes and feigned sleep. Hsi Jen distinctly grasped his idea and, forthwith nodding her head, she smiled coldly. "You really needn't lose your temper! but from this time forth, I'll become mute, and not say one word to you; and what if I do?"
Pao-yue could not restrain himself from rising. "What have I been up to again," he asked, "that you're once more at me with your advice? As far as your advice goes, it's all well and good; but just now without one word of counsel, you paid no heed to me when I came in, but, flying into a huff, you went to sleep. Nor could I make out what it was all about, and now here you are again maintaining that I'm angry. But when did I hear you, pray, give me a word of advice of any kind?"
"Doesn't your mind yet see for itself?" Hsi Jen replied; "and do you still expect me to tell you?"
While they were disputing, dowager lady Chia sent a servant to call him to his repast, and he thereupon crossed over to the front; but after he had hurriedly swallowed a few bowls of rice, he returned to his own apartment, where he discovered Hsi Jen reclining on the outer stove-couch, while She Yueeh was playing with the dominoes by her side. Pao-yue had been ever aware of the intimacy which existed between She Yueeh and Hsi Jen, so that paying not the slightest notice to even She Yueeh, he raised the soft portiere and straightway walked all alone into the inner apartment. She Yueeh felt constrained to follow him in, but Pao-yue at once pushed her out, saying: "I don't venture to disturb you two;" so that She Yueeh had no alternative but to leave the room with a smiling countenance, and to bid two young waiting-maids go in. Pao-yue took hold of a book and read for a considerable time in a reclining position; but upon raising his head to ask for some tea, he caught sight of a couple of waiting-maids, standing below; the one of whom, slightly older than the other, was exceedingly winsome.
"What's your name?" Pao-yue eagerly inquired.
"I'm called Hui Hsiang, (orchid fragrance)," that waiting-maid rejoined simperingly.
"Who gave you this name?" Pao-yue went on to ask.
"I went originally under the name of Yuen Hsiang (Gum Sandarac)," added Hui Hsiang, "but Miss Hua it was who changed it."
"You should really be called Hui Ch'i, (latent fragrance), that would be proper; and why such stuff as Hui Hsiang, (orchid fragrance)?"
"How many sisters have you got?" he further went on to ask of her.
"Four," replied Hui Hsiang.
"Which of them are you?" Pao-yue asked.
"The fourth," answered Hui Hsiang.
"By and by you must be called Ssu Erh, (fourth child)," Pao-yue suggested, "for there's no need for any such nonsense as Hui Hsiang (orchid fragrance) or Lan Ch'i (epidendrum perfume.) Which single girl deserves to be compared to all these flowers, without profaning pretty names and fine surnames!"
As he uttered these words, he bade her give him some tea, which he drank; while Hsi Jen and She Yueeh, who were in the outer apartment, had been listening for a long time and laughing with compressed lips.
Pao-yue did not, on this day, so much as put his foot outside the door of his room, but sat all alone sad and dejected, simply taking up his books, in order to dispel his melancholy fit, or diverting himself with his writing materials; while he did not even avail himself of the services of any of the family servants, but simply bade Ssu Erh answer his calls.
This Ssu Erh was, who would have thought it, a girl gifted with matchless artfulness, and perceiving that Pao-yue had requisitioned her services, she speedily began to devise extreme ways and means to inveigle him. When evening came, and dinner was over, Pao-yue's eyes were scorching hot and his ears burning from the effects of two cups of wine that he had taken. Had it been in past days, he would have now had Hsi Jen and her companions with him, and with all their good cheer and laughter, he would have been enjoying himself. But here was he, on this occasion, dull and forlorn, a solitary being, gazing at the lamp with an absolute lack of pleasure. By and by he felt a certain wish to go after them, but dreading that if they carried their point, they would, in the future, come and tender advice still more immoderate, and that, were he to put on the airs of a superior to intimidate them, he would appear to be too deeply devoid of all feeling, he therefore, needless to say, thwarted the wish of his heart, and treated them just as if they were dead. And as anyway he was constrained also to live, alone though he was, he readily looked upon them, for the time being as departed, and did not worry his mind in the least on their account. On the contrary, he was able to feel happy and contented with his own society. Hence it was that bidding Ssu Erh trim the candles and brew the tea, he himself perused for a time the "Nan Hua Ching," and upon reaching the precept: "On thieves," given on some additional pages, the burden of which was: "Therefore by exterminating intuitive wisdom, and by discarding knowledge, highway robbers will cease to exist, and by taking off the jade and by putting away the pearls, pilferers will not spring to existence; by burning the slips and by breaking up the seals, by smashing the measures, and snapping the scales, the result will be that the people will not wrangle; by abrogating, to the utmost degree, wise rules under the heavens, the people will, at length, be able to take part in deliberation. By putting to confusion the musical scale, and destroying fifes and lutes, by deafening the ears of the blind Kuang, then, at last, will the human race in the world constrain his sense of hearing. By extinguishing literary compositions, by dispersing the five colours and by sticking the eyes of Li Chu, then, at length, mankind under the whole sky, will restrain the perception of his eyes. By destroying and eliminating the hooks and lines, by discarding the compasses and squares, and by amputating Kung Chui's fingers, the human race will ultimately succeed in constraining his ingenuity,"--his high spirits, on perusal of this passage, were so exultant that taking advantage of the exuberance caused by the wine, he picked up his pen, for he could not repress himself, and continued the text in this wise: "By burning the flower, (Hua-Hsi Jen) and dispersing the musk, (She Yueeh), the consequence will be that the inmates of the inner chambers will, eventually, keep advice to themselves. By obliterating Pao-ch'ai's supernatural beauty, by reducing to ashes Tai-yue's spiritual perception, and by destroying and extinguishing my affectionate preferences, the beautiful in the inner chambers as well as the plain will then, at length, be put on the same footing. And as they will keep advice to themselves, there will be no fear of any disagreement. By obliterating her supernatural beauty, I shall then have no incentive for any violent affection; by dissolving her spiritual perception, I will have no feelings with which to foster the memory of her talents. The hair-pin, jade, flower and musk (Pao-ch'ai, Tai-yue, Hsi Jen and She Yueeh) do each and all spread out their snares and dig mines, and thus succeed in inveigling and entrapping every one in the world."
At the conclusion of this annex, he flung the pen away, and lay himself down to sleep. His head had barely reached the pillow before he at once fell fast asleep, remaining the whole night long perfectly unconscious of everything straight up to the break of day, when upon waking and turning himself round, he, at a glance, caught sight of no one else than Hsi Jen, sleeping in her clothes over the coverlet.
Pao-yue had already banished from his mind every thought of what had transpired the previous day, so that forthwith giving Hsi Jen a push: "Get up!" he said, "and be careful where you sleep, as you may catch cold."
The fact is that Hsi Jen was aware that he was, without regard to day or night, ever up to mischief with his female cousins; but presuming that if she earnestly called him to account, he would not mend his ways, she had, for this reason, had recourse to tender language to exhort him, in the hope that, in a short while, he would come round again to his better self. But against all her expectations Pao-yue had, after the lapse of a whole day and night, not changed the least in his manner, and as she really was in her heart quite at a loss what to do, she failed to find throughout the whole night any proper sleep. But when on this day, she unexpectedly perceived Pao-yue in this mood, she flattered herself that he had made up his mind to effect a change, and readily thought it best not to notice him. Pao-yue, seeing that she made no reply, forthwith stretched out his hand and undid her jacket; but he had just unclasped the button, when his arm was pushed away by Hsi Jen, who again made it fast herself.
Pao-yue was so much at his wit's ends that he had no alternative but to take her hand and smilingly ask: "What's the matter with you, after all, that I've had to ask you something time after time?"
Hsi Jen opened her eyes wide. "There's nothing really the matter with me!" she observed; "but as you're awake, you surely had better be going over into the opposite room to comb your hair and wash; for if you dilly-dally any longer, you won't be in time."
"Where shall I go over to?" Pao-yue inquired.
Hsi Jen gave a sarcastic grin. "Do you ask me?" she rejoined; "do I know? you're at perfect liberty to go over wherever you like; from this day forth you and I must part company so as to avoid fighting like cocks or brawling like geese, to the amusement of third parties. Indeed, when you get surfeited on that side, you come over to this, where there are, after all, such girls as Fours and Fives (Ssu Erh and Wu Erh) to dance attendance upon you. But such kind of things as ourselves uselessly defile fine names and fine surnames."
"Do you still remember this to-day!" Pao-yue asked with a smirk.
"Hundred years hence I shall still bear it in mind," Hsi Jen protested; "I'm not like you, who treat my words as so much wind blowing by the side of your ears, that what I've said at night, you've forgotten early in the morning."
Pao-yue perceiving what a seductive though angry air pervaded her face found it difficult to repress his feelings, and speedily taking up, from the side of the pillow, a hair-pin made of jade, he dashed it down breaking it into two exclaiming: "If I again don't listen to your words, may I fare like this hair-pin."
Hsi Jen immediately picked up the hair-pin, as she remarked: "What's up with you at this early hour of the morning? Whether you listen or not is of no consequence; and is it worth while that you should behave as you do?"
"How can you know," Pao-yue answered, "the anguish in my heart!"
"Do you also know what anguish means?" Hsi Jen observed laughing; "if you do, then you can judge what the state of my heart is! But be quick and get up, and wash your face and be off!"
As she spoke, they both got out of bed and performed their toilette; but after Pao-yue had gone to the drawing rooms, and at a moment least expected by any one, Tai-yue walked into his apartment. Noticing that Pao-yue was not in, she was fumbling with the books on the table and examining them, when, as luck would have it, she turned up the Chuang Tzu of the previous day. Upon perusing the passage tagged on by Pao-yue, she could not help feeling both incensed and amused. Nor could she restrain herself from taking up the pen and appending a stanza to this effect:
Who is that man, who of his pen, without good rhyme, made use, A toilsome task to do into the Chuang-tzu text to steal, Who for the knowledge he doth lack no sense of shame doth feel, But language vile and foul employs third parties to abuse?
At the conclusion of what she had to write, she too came into the drawing room; but after paying her respects to dowager lady Chia, she walked over to madame Wang's quarters.
Contrary to everybody's expectations, lady Feng's daughter, Ta Chieh Erh, had fallen ill, and a great fuss was just going on as the doctor had been sent for to diagnose her ailment.
"My congratulations to you, ladies," the doctor explained; "this young lady has fever, as she has small-pox; indeed it's no other complaint!"
As soon as madame Wang and lady Feng heard the tidings, they lost no time in sending round to ascertain whether she was getting on all right or not, and the doctor replied: "The symptoms are, it is true, serious, but favourable; but though after all importing no danger, it's necessary to get ready the silkworms and pigs' tails."
When lady Feng received this report, she, there and then, hastened to make the necessary preparations, and while she had the rooms swept and oblations offered to the goddess of small-pox, she, at the same time, transmitted orders to her household to avoid viands fried or roasted in fat, or other such heating things; and also bade P'ing Erh get ready the bedding and clothes for Chia Lien in a separate room, and taking pieces of deep red cotton material, she distributed them to the nurses, waiting-maids and all the servants, who were in close attendance, to cut out clothes for themselves. And having had likewise some apartments outside swept clean, she detained two doctors to alternately deliberate on the treatment, feel the pulse and administer the medicines; and for twelve days, they were not at liberty to return to their homes; while Chia Lien had no help but to move his quarters temporarily into the outer library, and lady Feng and P'ing Erh remained both in daily attendance upon madame Wang in her devotions to the goddess.
Chia Lien, now that he was separated from lady Feng, soon felt disposed to look round for a flame. He had only slept alone for a couple of nights, but these nights had been so intensely intolerable that he had no option than to choose, for the time being, from among the young pages, those who were of handsome appearance, and bring them over to relieve his monotony. In the Jung Kuo mansion, there was, it happened, a cook, a most useless, good-for-nothing drunkard, whose name was To Kuan, in whom people recognised an infirm and a useless husband so that they all dubbed him with the name of To Hun Ch'ung, the stupid worm To. As the wife given to him in marriage by his father and mother was this year just twenty, and possessed further several traits of beauty, and was also naturally of a flighty and frivolous disposition, she had an extreme penchant for violent flirtations. But To Hun-ch'ung, on the other hand, did not concern himself (with her deportment), and as long as he had wine, meat and money he paid no heed whatever to anything. And for this reason it was that all the men in the two mansions of Ning and Jung had been successful in their attentions; and as this woman was exceptionally fascinating and incomparably giddy, she was generally known by all by the name To Ku Ning (Miss To).
Chia Lien, now that he had his quarters outside, chafed under the pangs of irksome ennui, yet he too, in days gone by, had set his eyes upon this woman, and had for long, watered in the mouth with admiration; but as, inside, he feared his winsome wife, and outside, he dreaded his beloved lads, he had not made any advances. But this To Ku Niang had likewise a liking for Chia Lien, and was full of resentment at the absence of a favourable opportunity; but she had recently come to hear that Chia Lien had shifted his quarters into the outer library, and her wont was, even in the absence of any legitimate purpose, to go over three and four times to entice him on; but though Chia Lien was, in every respect, like a rat smitten with hunger, he could not dispense with holding consultation with the young friends who enjoyed his confidence; and as he struck a bargain with them for a large amount of money and silks, how could they ever not have come to terms (with him to speak on his behalf)? Besides, they were all old friends of this woman, so that, as soon as they conveyed the proposal, she willingly accepted it. When night came To Hun Ch'ung was lying on the couch in a state of drunkenness, and at the second watch, when every one was quiet, Chia Lien at once slipped in, and they had their assignation. As soon as he gazed upon her face, he lost control over his senses, and without even one word of ordinary greeting or commonplace remark, they forthwith, fervently indulged in a most endearing tete-a-tete.
This woman possessed, who could have thought it, a strange natural charm; for, as soon as any one of her lovers came within any close distance of her, he speedily could not but notice that her very tendons and bones mollified, paralysed-like from feeling, so that his was the sensation of basking in a soft bower of love. What is more, her demonstrative ways and free-and-easy talk put even those of a born coquette to shame, with the result that while Chia Lien, at this time, longed to become heart and soul one with her, the woman designedly indulged in immodest innuendoes.
"Your daughter is at home," she insinuated in her recumbent position, "ill with the small-pox, and prayers are being offered to the goddess; and your duty too should be to abstain from love affairs for a couple of days, but on the contrary, by flirting with me, you've contaminated yourself! but, you'd better be off at once from me here!"
"You're my goddess!" gaspingly protested Chia Lien, as he gave way to demonstrativeness; "what do I care about any other goddess!"
The woman began to be still more indelicate in her manner, so that Chia Lien could not refrain himself from making a full exhibition of his warm sentiments. When their tete-a-tete had come to a close, they both went on again to vow by the mountains and swear by the seas, and though they found it difficult to part company and hard to tear themselves away, they, in due course, became, after this occasion, mutual sworn friends. But by a certain day the virus in Ta Chieh's system had become exhausted, and the spots subsided, and at the expiry of twelve days the goddess was removed, and the whole household offered sacrifices to heaven, worshipped the ancestors, paid their vows, burnt incense, exchanged congratulations, and distributed presents. And these formalities observed, Chia Lien once more moved back into his own bedroom and was reunited with lady Feng. The proverb is indeed true which says: "That a new marriage is not equal to a long separation," for there ensued between them demonstrations of loving affection still more numerous than heretofore, to which we need not, of course, refer with any minuteness.
The next day, at an early hour, after lady Feng had gone into the upper rooms, P'ing Erh set to work to put in order the clothes and bedding, which had been brought from outside, when, contrary to her expectation, a tress of hair fell out from inside the pillow-case, as she was intent upon shaking it. P'ing Erh understood its import, and taking at once the hair, she concealed it in her sleeve, and there and then came over into the room on this side, where she produced the hair, and smirkingly asked Chia Lien, "What's this?"
Chia Lien, at the sight of it, lost no time in making a snatch with the idea of depriving her of it; and when P'ing Erh speedily endeavoured to run away, she was clutched by Chia Lien, who put her down on the stove-couch, and came up to take it from her hand.
"You heartless fellow!" P'ing Erh laughingly exclaimed, "I conceal this, with every good purpose, from her knowledge, and come to ask you about it, and you, on the contrary, fly into a rage! But wait till she comes back, and I'll tell her, and we'll see what will happen."
At these words, Chia Lien hastily forced a smile. "Dear girl!" he entreated, "give it to me, and I won't venture again to fly into a passion."
But hardly was this remark finished, when they heard the voice of lady Feng penetrate into the room. As soon as it reached the ear of Chia Lien, he was at a loss whether it was better to let her go or to snatch it away, and kept on shouting, "My dear girl! don't let her know."
P'ing Erh at once rose to her feet; but lady Feng had already entered the room; and she went on to bid P'ing Erh be quick and open a box and find a pattern for madame Wang. P'ing Erh expressed her obedience with alacrity; but while in search of it, lady Feng caught sight of Chia Lien; and suddenly remembering something, she hastened to ask P'ing Erh about it.
"The other day," she observed, "some things were taken out, and have you brought them all in or not?"
"I have!" P'ing Erh assented.
"Is there anything short or not?" lady Feng inquired.
"I've carefully looked at them," P'ing Erh added, "and haven't found even one single thing short."
"Is there anything in excess?" lady Feng went on to ascertain.
P'ing Erh laughed. "It's enough," she rejoined, "that there's nothing short; and how could there really turn out to be anything over and above?"
"That this half month," lady Feng continued still smiling, "things have gone on immaculately it would be hard to vouch; for some intimate friend there may have been, who possibly has left something behind, in the shape of a ring, handkerchief or other such object, there's no saying for certain!"
While these words were being spoken, Chia Lien's face turned perfectly sallow, and, as he stood behind lady Feng, he was intent upon gazing at P'ing Erh, making signs to her (that he was going) to cut her throat as a chicken is killed, (threatening her not to utter a sound) and entreating her to screen him; but P'ing Erh pretended not to notice him, and consequently observed smiling: "How is it that my ideas should coincide with those of yours, my lady; and as I suspected that there may have been something of the kind, I carefully searched all over, but I didn't find even so much as the slightest thing wrong; and if you don't believe me, my lady, you can search for your own self."
"You fool!" lady Feng laughed, "had he any things of the sort, would he be likely to let you and I discover them!"
With these words still on her lips, she took the patterns and went her way; whereupon P'ing Erh pointed at her nose, and shook her head to and fro. "In this matter," she smiled, "how much you should be grateful to me!" A remark which so delighted Chia Lien that his eyebrows distended, and his eyes smiled, and running over, he clasped her in his embrace, and called her promiscuously: "My darling, my pet, my own treasure!"
"This," observed P'ing Erh, with the tress in her hand, "will be my source of power, during all my lifetime! if you treat me kindly, then well and good! but if you behave unkindly, then we'll at once produce this thing!"
"Do put it away, please," Chia Lien entreated smirkingly, "and don't, on an any account, let her know about it!" and as he uttered these words, he noticed that she was off her guard, and, with a snatch, readily grabbed it adding laughingly: "In your hands, it would be a source of woe, so that it's better that I should burn it, and have done with it!" Saying this he simultaneously shoved it down the sides of his boot, while P'ing Erh shouted as she set her teeth close: "You wicked man! you cross the river and then demolish the bridge! but do you imagine that I'll by and by again tell lies on your behalf!"
Chia Lien perceiving how heart-stirring her seductive charms were, forthwith clasped her in his arms, and begged her to be his; but P'ing Erh snatched her hands out of his grasp and ran away out of the room; which so exasperated Chia Lien that as he bent his body, he exclaimed, full of indignation: "What a dreadful niggardly young wench! she actually sets her mind to stir up people's affections with her wanton blandishments, and then, after all, she runs away!"
"If I be wanton, it's my own look-out;" P'ing Erh answered, from outside the window, with a grin, "and who told you to arouse your affections? Do you forsooth mean to imply that my wish is to become your tool? And did she come to know about it would she again ever forgive me?"
"You needn't dread her!" Chia Lien urged; "wait till my monkey is up, and I'll take this jealous woman, and beat her to atoms; and she'll then know what stuff I'm made of. She watches me just as she would watch a thief! and she's only to hobnob with men, and I'm not to say a word to any girl! and if I do say aught to a girl, or get anywhere near one, she must at once give way to suspicion. But with no regard to younger brothers or nephews, to young and old, she prattles and giggles with them, and doesn't entertain any fear that I may be jealous; but henceforward I too won't allow her to set eyes upon any man."
"If she be jealous, there's every reason," P'ing Erh answered, "but for you to be jealous on her account isn't right. Her conduct is really straightforward, and her deportment upright, but your conduct is actuated by an evil heart, so much so that even I don't feel my heart at ease, not to say anything of her."
"You two," continued Chia Lien, "have a mouth full of malicious breath! Everything the couple of you do is invariably proper, while whatever I do is all from an evil heart! But some time or other I shall bring you both to your end with my own hands!"
This sentence was scarcely at an end, when lady Feng walked into the court. "If you're bent upon chatting," she urgently inquired, upon seeing P'ing Erh outside the window, "why don't you go into the room? and what do you mean, instead, by running out, and speaking with the window between?"
Chia Lien from inside took up the string of the conversation. "You should ask her," he said. "It would verily seem as if there were a tiger in the room to eat her up."
"There's not a single person in the room," P'ing Erh rejoined, "and what shall I stay and do with him?"
"It's just the proper thing that there should be no one else! Isn't it?" lady Feng remarked grinning sarcastically.
"Do these words allude to me?" P'ing Erh hastily asked, as soon as she had heard what she said.
Lady Feng forthwith laughed. "If they don't allude to you," she continued, "to whom do they?"
"Don't press me to come out with some nice things!" P'ing Erh insinuated, and, as she spoke, she did not even raise the portiere (for lady Feng to enter), but straightway betook herself to the opposite side.
Lady Feng lifted the portiere with her own hands, and walked into the room. "That girl P'ing Erh," she exclaimed, "has gone mad, and if this hussey does in real earnest wish to try and get the upper hand of me, it would be well for you to mind your skin."
Chia Lien listened to her, as he kept reclining on the couch. "I never in the least knew," he ventured, clapping his hands and laughing, "that P'ing Erh was so dreadful; and I must, after all, from henceforth look up to her with respect!"
"It's all through your humouring her," lady Feng rejoined; "so I'll simply settle scores with you and finish with it."
"Ts'ui!" ejaculated Chia Lien at these words, "because you two can't agree, must you again make a scapegoat of me! Well then, I'll get out of the way of both of you!"
"I'll see where you'll go and hide," lady Feng observed.
"I've got somewhere to go!" Chia Lien added; and with these words, he was about to go, when lady Feng urged: "Don't be off! I have something to tell you."
What it is, is not yet known, but, reader, listen to the account given in the next chapter.
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