中国经典 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions   》 'èr shí huí  zuì jīn gāng qīng cái shàng xiá  chī 'ér xiāng CHAPTER XXIV.      cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin    gāo 'ě Gao E


     CHAPTER XXIV.
  huà shuō lín dài zhèng qíng yíng dòuchán mián jié zhī shí yòu rén cóng bèi hòu liǎo zhǎngshuō dào zuò shénme rén zài zhè ? " lín dài dǎo liǎo tiàohuí tóu kàn shí shì bié rénquè shì xiāng línglín dài dào:“ zhè shǎ tóu zhè me tiào hǎo de zhè huì lái? " xiāng líng de xiào dào:“ lái xún men de niàn dezhǎo zǒng zhǎo zhe men juān zhǎo shuō liǎn 'èr nǎi nǎi sòng liǎo shénme chá lái gěi dezǒu huí jiā zuò zhe miàn shuō zhe miàn zhe dài de shǒu huí xiāo xiāng guǎn lái liǎoguǒ rán fèng jiě 'ér sòng liǎo liǎng xiǎo píng shàng yòng xīn chá láilín dài xiāng líng zuò liǎokuàng men yòu shèn zhèng shì tán jiǎng guò shuō xiē zhè xiù de hǎo de jīngyòu xià huí kàn liǎng shūxiāng líng biàn zǒu liǎo zài huà xià
   jīn qiě shuō bǎo yīn bèi rén zhǎo huí fáng guǒ jiàn yuān yāng wāi zài chuáng shàng kàn rén de zhēn xiàn jiàn bǎo lái liǎobiàn shuō dào:“ wǎng liǎolǎo tài tài děng zhe jiào guò biān qǐng lǎo de 'ān hái kuài huàn liǎo zǒu 。 " rén biàn jìn fáng bǎo zuò zài chuáng yán shàngtuì liǎo xié děng xuē chuān de gōng huí tóu jiàn yuān yāng chuānzhuó shuǐ hóng líng 'ǎo 'érqīng duàn bèi xīnshù zhe bái zhòu chóu hàn jīn 'érliǎn xiàng biān zhe tóu kàn zhēn xiàn shàng dài zhe huā lǐng bǎo biàn liǎn còu zài xiàng shàngwén xiāng yóu zhù yòng shǒu māsā bái zài rén zhī xiàbiàn hóu shàng shēn xián xiào dào:“ hǎo jiě jiě zuǐ shàng de yān zhī shǎng chī liǎo 。” miàn shuō zhe miàn niǔ táng shìde nián zài shēn shàngyuān yāng biàn jiào dào:“ rén chū lái qiáo qiáo gēn bèi quàn quànhái shì zhèmezhāo。” rén bào liǎo chū láixiàng bǎo dào:“ zuǒ quàn gǎiyòu quàn gǎi dào shì zěn me yàng zài zhèmezhāozhè fāng jiù nán zhù liǎo。” biān shuō biān cuī chuān liǎo tóng yuān yāng wǎng qián miàn lái jiàn jiǎ
   jiàn guò jiǎ chū zhì wài miànrén bèigāng shàng zhǐ jiàn jiǎ liǎn qǐng 'ān huí lái liǎozhèng xià èr rén duì miàn wèn liǎo liǎng huàzhǐ jiàn bàng biān zhuǎn chū rén lái, " qǐng bǎo shū 'ān "。 bǎo kàn shízhǐ jiàn zhè rén róng cháng liǎncháng tiǎo shēn cáinián zhǐ hǎo shí jiǔ suìshēng zhuóshí wén qīng xiùdǎo shí fēn miàn shànzhǐ shì xiǎng shì fáng dejiào shénme míng jiǎ liǎn xiào dào:“ zěn me dāilián rèn shì hòu láng shàng zhù de sǎo de 'ér yún 'ér。 " bǎo xiào dào:“ shì liǎoshì liǎo zěn me jiù wàng liǎo。” yīn wèn qīn hǎozhè huì shénme gòu dāngjiǎ yún zhǐ jiǎ liǎn dào:“ zhǎo 'èr shū shuō huà。” bǎo xiào dào:“ dǎo xiān yuè chū tiǎo liǎodǎo xiàng de 'ér 。” jiǎ liǎn xiào dào:“ hǎo hài sàorén jiā suì jiù zuò 'ér liǎo? " bǎo xiào dào:“ jīn nián shí suì liǎo? " jiǎ yún dào:“ shí suì。”
   yuán lái zhè jiǎ yún zuì líng guāi juétīng bǎo zhè yàng shuōbiàn xiào dào:“ shuō de yáo chē de zhǔ guǎi de sūn sūn suī rán suì shù 'àn xiě zuò huò biǎo de shí jiān shùn biān páiměi juàn yòu zhù shì rén míng suǒshān gāo gāo guò tài yángzhǐ cóng qīn méi liǎozhè nián rén zhào guǎn jiào dǎo ruò bǎo shū xián zhí 'ér chǔn bènrèn zuò 'ér jiù shì de zào huà liǎo。” jiǎ liǎn xiào dào:“ tīng jiàn liǎorèn 'ér shì hǎo kāi jiāo de 。 " shuō zhe jiù jìn liǎobǎo xiào dào:“ míng 'ér xián liǎozhǐ guǎn lái zhǎo bié men guǐ guǐ suì suì dezhè huì xián 'érmíng 'ér dào shū fáng lái shuō tiān huà 'ér dài yuán wán shuǎ 。” shuō zhe bān 'ān shàng zhòng xiǎo wéi suí wǎng jiǎ shè zhè biān lái
   jiàn liǎo jiǎ shè guò shì 'ǒu gǎn xiē fēng hánxiān shù liǎo jiǎ wèn de huàrán hòu qǐng liǎo 'ānjiǎ shè xiān zhàn lái huí liǎo jiǎ huà hòu biàn huàn rén lái:“ dài 'ér jìn tài tài zuò zhe。” bǎo tuì chūlái zhì hòu miànjìn shàng fángxíng rén jiàn liǎo láixiān dǎo zhàn liǎo láiqǐng guò jiǎ 'ānbǎo fāng qǐng 'ānxíng rén shàng kàng zuò liǎofāng wèn bié rén hǎoyòu mìng rén dàochá lái zhōng chá wèi chī wánzhǐ jiàn jiǎ cóng lái wèn bǎo hǎoxíng rén dào:“ zhǎo huó hóu 'ér nǎi
jué liǎo shōu shí shōu shí nòng de hēi méi zuǐ de xiàng jiā niàn shū de hái ! " zhèng shuō zhezhǐ jiàn jiǎ huánjiǎ lán xiǎo shū zhí liǎng lái liǎoqǐng guò 'ānxíng rén biàn jiào liǎng shàng zuò liǎojiǎ huán jiàn bǎo tóng xíng rén zuò zài zuò shàngxíng rén yòu bǎi bān māsā nòng zǎo xīn zhōng zài liǎozuò duō shíbiàn jiǎ lán shǐ yǎn 'ér yào zǒujiǎ lán zhǐ tóng shēn gào bǎo jiàn men yào zǒu jiù shēnyào tóng huí xíng rén xiào dào:“ qiě zuò zhe hái shuō huà 。 " bǎo zhǐ zuò liǎoxíng rén xiàng liǎng dào:“ men huí rén wèn men rén qīn hǎo men niànjiě jiěmèi mèi dōuzài zhè nào de tóuyūnjīn 'ér liú men chī fàn liǎo。” jiǎ huán děng dāyìng zhebiàn chū lái huí jiā liǎo
   bǎo xiào dào:“ shì jiě jiě mendōu guò lái liǎozěn me jiàn? " xíng rén dào:“ men zuò liǎo huì wǎng hòu tóu zhī liǎo。 " bǎo dào:“ niàn fāng cái shuō yòu huà shuō zhī shì shénme huà? " xíng rén xiào dào:“ yòu shénme huà guò shì jiào děng zhetóng mèi men chī liǎo fàn hái yòu hǎo wán de dōng gěi dài huí wán。” niàn 'ér liǎng shuō huà jué zǎo yòu wǎn fàn shí jiédiào kāi zhuō luó liè bēi pán mèi men chī liǎo fànbǎo jiǎ shètóng mèi men tóng huí jiājiàn guò jiǎ wáng rén děng huí fáng 'ān zài huà xiàqiě shuō jiǎ yún jìn jiàn liǎo jiǎ liǎnyīn tīng yòu shénme shì qíngjiǎ liǎn gào :“ qián 'ér dǎo yòu jiàn shì qíng chū láipiān shēng shěn zài sān qiú liǎo gěi liǎo jiǎ qín liǎo liǎo shuō míng 'ér yuán hái yòu chù yào zāi huā de fāngděng zhè gōng chéng chū lái dìng gěi jiù shì liǎo。” jiǎ yún tīng liǎobàn shǎng shuō dào:“ shì zhè yàng jiù děng zhe shū shū xiān zài shěn gēn qián jīn 'ér lái tīng de huàdào gēn qián zài shuō chí。” jiǎ liǎn dào:“ zuò shénme yòu zhè xiē gōng shuō xián huà 'ér míng 'ér gènghái yào dào xīng zǒu tàng dāng gǎn huí lái cái hǎo xiān děng zhehòu gèng hòu lái tǎo xìn 'érlái zǎo liǎo xián。” shuō zhe biàn huí hòu miàn huàn liǎo
   jiǎ yún chū liǎo róng guó huí jiā sīliángxiǎng chū zhù láibiàn jìng wǎng jiù shì rén jiā láiyuán lái shì rén xiàn kāi xiāng liào fāng cái cóng lái qīng liǎo jiè xiànyòu chè chì liǎo zhī lùn。, jiàn jiǎ yún jìn lái jiàn guò liǎoyīn wèn zhè zǎo wǎn shénme shì páo liǎo láijiǎ yún dào:“ yòu jiàn shì qiú jiù jiù bāng chèn bāng chèn yòu jiàn shìyòng xiē bīng piàn shè xiāng shǐ yònghǎo dǎi jiù jiù měi yàng shē liǎng gěi yuè 'àn shù sòng liǎo yín lái。” shì rén lěng xiào dào:“ zài xiū shē qiàn shìqián 'ér shì men huǒ de qīn shē liǎo liǎng yín de huòzhì jīn zǒng wèi hái shàngyīn men jiā péi shàng liǎo tóngzài qīn yǒu shē qiànshuí yào shē qiànjiù yào 'èr shí liǎng yín de dōng dàokuàng qiě jīn zhè huò duǎn jiù xiàn yín dào men zhè sān de lái mǎi hái méi yòu zhè xiēzhǐ hǎo dǎo biǎn 'ér zhè shì èr yòu zhèng jīng shì guò shē liǎo yòu shì nào zhǐ shuō jiù jiù jiàn zāo 'ér jiù pài zāo 'ér shì xiǎo rén 'ér jiā hěn zhī hǎo dǎi dào zhù jiànzuàn qiánnòng chuān shì chuān chī shì chī de kàn zhe huān。”
   jiǎ yún xiào dào:“ jiù jiù shuō de dǎo gān jìng qīn méi de shí hòu nián yòu xiǎo zhī shìhòu lái tīng jiàn qīn shuō hái kuī jiù jiù men zài men jiā chū zhù liào de sāngshìnán dào jiù jiù jiù zhī dào dehái shì yòu liǎng jiān fáng jīn zài shǒu huā liǎo chéngqiǎo zuò chū méi de láijiào zěn me yàng hái kuī shì yào shì bié lài liǎn sān liǎng tóu 'ér lái chán zhe jiù jiùyào sān shēng 'èr shēng dòu dejiù jiù jiù méi yòu 。”
   shì rén dào:“ de 'érjiù jiù yào yòuhái shì gāi de tiān tiān jiù shuōzhǐ chóu méi suàn 'ér dàn fán de láidào fáng jiù shì men 'ér men jiàn zhebiàn xià men de guǎn jiā huò zhě guǎn shì de rén men nòng shì 'ér guǎn guǎnqián chū chéng zhuàng jiàn liǎo men sān fáng de lǎo zhe jiào dài zhe liàng chēyòu shí shàng dào shìwǎng jiā miào liǎo kuī néng gānzhè shì jiù dào liǎo! " jiǎ yún tīng sháo dāo de kānbiàn shēn gào shì rén dào:“ zěn me de zhè yàngchī liǎo fàn zài 。” wèi wánzhǐ jiàn niàn shuō dào:“ yòu liǎoshuō zhe méi yòu zhè mǎi liǎo bàn jīn miàn lái xià gěi chīzhè huì hái zhuāng pàng liú xià wài shēng 'ái’è chéng? " shì rén shuō:“ zài mǎi bàn jīn lái tiān shàng jiù shì liǎo。” niàn biàn jiào hái 'ér:“ yín jiěwǎng duì mén wáng nǎi nǎi jiā wènyòu qián jiè 'èr sān shí míng 'ér jiù sòng guò lái。” liǎng shuō huà jiǎ yún zǎo shuō liǎo " yòng fèi shì ", de yǐng zōng liǎo yán jiā qiě shuō jiǎ yún liǎo jiù jiā mén jìng huí guī jiù xīn xià zhèng fán nǎo biān xiǎng biān tóu zhǐ guǎn zǒu xiǎng tóu jiù pèng zài zuì hàn shēn shàng jiǎ yún liǎo tiàotīng zuì hàn dào:“ sào niàn dexiā liǎo yǎn jīngpèng lái liǎojiǎ yún máng yào duǒ shēnzǎo bèi zuì hàn zhuā zhùduì miàn kàn shì bié rénquè shì jǐn lín 'èryuán lái zhè 'èr shì zhuān fàng zhòng zhàizài chǎng chī xián qiánzhuān guǎn jiàng chī jiǔ jīn zhèng cóng qiàn qián rén jiā suǒ liǎo qiánchī zuì huí lái xiǎng bèi jiǎ yún pèng liǎo tóuzhèng méi hǎo lún quán jiù yào zhǐ tīng rén jiào dào:“ lǎo 'èr zhù shǒushì chōng zhuàng liǎo 。” 'èr tīng jiàn shì shú rén de yīnjiāng zuì yǎn zhēng kāi kàn shíjiàn shì jiǎ yúnmáng shǒu sōng liǎolièqie zhe xiào dào:“ yuán lái shì jiǎ 'èr gāi gāi zhè huì wǎng ? " jiǎ yún dào:“ gào píng bái de yòu tǎo liǎo méi 'ér。” 'èr dào:“ fáng fángyòu shénme píng de shìgào chū zhè sān jiē liù xiàngpíng shì shuíyòu rén zuì liǎo zuì jīn gāng 'èr de jiē fāngguǎn jiào rén jiā sàn!”
   jiǎ yún dào:“ lǎo 'èr qiě bié tīng gào zhè yuán 。” shuō zhebiàn shì rén duàn shì gào liǎo 'èr 'èr tīng liǎo , " yào shì lìng jiù sāng ( GeorgeSantayana, 1863 héng 1952) měi guó zhé xué jiā,, biàn chū hǎo huà láizhēn zhēn 'èr yòng chóu fán zhè xiàn yòu liǎng yín ruò yòng shénmezhǐ guǎn mǎi bàndàn zhǐ jiàn zuò liǎo zhè xiē nián de jiē fāng zài wài tóu yòu míng fàng zhàng què cóng méi yòu zhāng guò kǒu zhī yàn 'è shì liǎo de shēnfèn zhī shì nán chán qián zhòngruò shuō qián zhòngzhè yín shì yào qián de yòng xiě wén yuēruò shuō liǎo de shēnfèn jiù gǎn jiè gěi liǎo zǒu kāi。” miàn shuō miàn guǒ rán cóng bāo tāo chū juàn yín lái
   jiǎ yún xīn xià :“ 'èr suī rán shì làiquè yīn rén 'ér shǐ de yòu xiá zhī míngruò jīn lǐng zhè qíng sào liǎodǎo kǒng shēng shì jiè liǎo degǎi jiā bèi hái dǎo liǎo。” xiǎng xiào dào:“ lǎo 'èr guǒ rán shì hǎo hàn céng xiǎng zhe zhāng kǒudàn zhǐ shì jiàn suǒ xiāng jiāo jié dedōushì xiē yòu dǎn liàng de yòu zuò wéi de rén men zhè děng néng de dǎo ruò zhāng kǒu kěn jiè gěi jīn méng gāo qíng zěn gǎn lǐnghuí jiā 'àn xiě liǎo wén yuē guò lái biàn shì liǎo。” 'èr xiào dào:“ hǎo huì shuō huà de rén què tīng shàng zhè huà shuōxiāng jiāo jié fàng zhàng gěi shǐ de qián yín jiè de qiánbiàn shì xiāng jiāo jié liǎoxián huà jiǎng kěn qīng zhè shì shí liǎng sān qián yòu líng de yín biàn zhì mǎi dōng yào xiě shénme wén chèn zǎo yín hái ràng fàng gěi xiē yòu zhǐ wàng de rén shǐ 。 " jiǎ yún tīng liǎo miàn jiē liǎo yín miàn xiào dào:“ biàn xiě liǎoyòu zháojí de。” 'èr xiào dào:“ zhè shì huàtiān hēi liǎo ràng chá ràng jiǔ hái dào biān yòu diǎn shì qíng jìng qǐng huí hái qiú dài xìn 'ér shè xiàjiào men zǎo xiē guān mén shuì huí jiā liǎocháng huò yòu yào jǐn shì 'érjiào men 'ér míng 'ér zǎo dào fàn wáng duǎn tuǐ jiā lái zhǎo 。” miàn shuō miàn lièqie zhe jiǎo 'ér liǎo zài huà xià
   qiě shuō jiǎ yún 'ǒu rán pèng liǎo zhè jiàn shìxīn zhōng shí fēn hǎn xiǎng 'èr dǎo guǒ rán yòu xiē zhǐ shì hái shí zuì zhōng kāng kǎidào míng jiā bèi de yào láibiàn zěn chùxīn nèi yóu jué yòu xiǎng dào:“ fángděng jiàn shì chéng liǎo jiā bèi hái 。” xiǎng zhí zǒu dào qián jiāng yín chēng chēngshí liǎng sān qián fēn 'èr jiǎ yún jiàn 'èr huǎngxīn xià yuè huān shōu liǎo yín lái zhì jiā ménxiān dào jiāng 'èr de xìn shào liǎo niàn zhī dàofāng huí jiā láijiàn qīn zài kàng shàng niān xiànjiàn jìn láibiàn wèn liǎo jiǎ yún kǒng qīn shēng biàn shuō shì rén de shì láizhǐ shuō zài děng liǎn 'èr shū dewèn qīn chī liǎo fàn céng qīn chī guò liǎoshuō liú de fàn zài xiǎo tóu guò lái chī
   tiān shì zhǎng dēng shí hòujiǎ yún chī liǎo fàn shōu shí xiē yīxiǔ huà zǎo lái liǎo liǎnbiàn chū nán mén zhǎn guān guān shì jiè zhǎn de jiàn jiěyòu liǎng zhǒng běn de zhǎn guān diǎn:, xiāng mǎi liǎo bīng shèbiàn wǎng róng guó lái tīng jiǎ liǎn chū liǎo ménjiǎ yún biàn wǎng hòu miàn láidào jiǎ liǎn yuàn mén qiánzhǐ jiàn xiǎo zhe gāo tiáo zhǒu zài sǎo yuàn jiàn zhōu ruì jiā de cóng mén chū lái jiào xiǎo men:“ xiān bié sǎonǎi nǎi chū lái liǎo。” jiǎ yún máng shàng qián xiào wèn:“ èr shěn shěn ? " zhōu ruì jiā de dào:“ lǎo tài tài jiàoxiǎng shì cái shí me chǐ tóu。” zhèng shuō zhezhǐ jiàn qún rén zhe fèng jiě chū lái liǎojiǎ yún shēn zhī fèng jiě shì fèng chéng shàng pái chǎng demáng shǒu zhegōng gōng jìng jìng qiǎng shàng lái qǐng 'ānfèng jiě lián zhèng yǎn kànréng wǎng qián zǒu zhezhǐ wèn qīn hǎo, " zěn me lái men zhè guàng guàng? " jiǎ yún dào:“ zhǐ shì shēn shàng hǎodǎo shí cháng guà zhe shěn yào lái qiáo qiáoyòu néng lái。” fèng jiě xiào dào:“ shì huì huǎng shì lái jiù shuō xiǎng liǎo。 " jiǎ yún xiào dào:“ zhí 'ér léi liǎojiù gǎn zài zhǎngbèi qián huǎngzuó 'ér wǎn shàng hái shěn láishuō shěn shēn shēng de dān ruòshì qíng yòu duōkuī shěn hǎo jīng shénjìng liào de zhōu zhōu quán quányào shì chā diǎn 'ér dezǎo lěi de zhī zěn me yàng 。”
   fèng jiě tīng liǎo mǎn liǎn shì xiào yóu de biàn zhǐ liǎo wèn dào:“ zěn me hǎohǎo de niàn 'ér men zài bèi jiáo lái? " jiǎ yún dào:“ yòu yuán zhǐ yīn yòu péng yǒujiā yòu qiánxiàn kāi xiāng zhǐ yīn shēn shàng juān zhe tōng pànqián 'ér xuǎn liǎo yún nán zhī chùlián jiā juàn zhè xiāng zài zhè kāi liǎobiàn zhàng cuán liǎo cuángāi gěi rén de gěi réngāi jiàn de jiàn liǎoxiàng zhè guì de huò fēn zhe sòng qīn péng jiù gòng sòng liǎo xiē bīng piànshè xiāng jiù qīn shāng liàngruò yào zhuǎn mǎi dàn mài chū yuán jià láiér qiě shuí jiā zhè xiē yín mǎi zhè zuò shénmebiàn shì hěn yòu qián de jiā guò shǐ fēn qián jiù tǐng zhé yāo liǎoruò shuō sòng rén méi rén pèi shǐ zhè xiēdǎo jiào wén zhí bàn wén zhuǎn mài liǎoyīn jiù xiǎng shěn láiwǎng nián jiān hái jiàn shěn bāo de yín mǎi zhè xiē dōng bié shuō jīn nián guì fēi gōng zhōngjiù shì zhè duān yáng jié xià yòng shuō zhè xiē xiāng liào rán shì wǎng cháng jiā shàng shí bèi deyīn xiǎng lái xiǎng zhǐ xiào shùn shěn rén cái shìfāng suàn zāo zhè dōng 。” biān shuō biān jiāng jǐn xiá lái
   fèng jiě zhèng shì yào bàn duān yáng de jié cǎi mǎi xiāng liào yào 'ěr de shí jié jiàn jiǎ yún láitīng zhè piān huàxīn xià yòu shì yòu shì huān biàn mìng fēng 'ér:“ jiē guò yún 'ér de láisòng liǎo jiā jiāo gěi píng 'ér。” yīn yòu shuō dào:“ kàn zhe zhè yàng zhī hǎo dǎiguài dào shū shū cháng shuō shuō huà 'ér míng báixīn yòu jiàn shí。” jiǎ yún tīng zhè huà liǎo gǎngbiàn jìn lái wèn dào:“ yuán lái shū shū céng de? " fèng jiě jiàn wèncái yào gào guǎn shì qíng de huàbiàn máng yòu zhǐ zhùxīn xià xiǎng dào:“ jīn yào gào huàdǎo jiào kàn zhe jiàn dōng shìdewéi liǎo zhè diǎn xiāngjiù hùn guǎn shì liǎojīn 'ér xiān bié zhè shì。” xiǎng biàn pài jiān zhònghuā gōng chéng de shìdōu yǐn mán de suí kǒu shuō liǎo liǎng dàn huàbiàn wǎng jiǎ liǎojiǎ yún hǎo dezhǐ huí láiyīn zuó jiàn liǎo bǎo jiào dào wài shū fáng děng zhejiǎ yún chī liǎo fàn biàn yòu jìn láidào jiǎ biān mén wài xiàn zhāi shū fáng láizhǐ jiàn bèi míngchú yào liǎng xiǎo xià xiàng wéi duó " chē " zhèng bàn zuǐhái yòu yǐn quánsǎo huātiǎo yúnbàn yòu zài fáng yán shàng tāo xiǎo què 'ér wánjiǎ yún jìn yuàn nèi jiǎo duǒshuō dào:“ hóu tóu men táo lái liǎo。” zhòng xiǎo kàn jiàn jiǎ yún jìn lái cái sàn liǎojiǎ yún jìn fáng nèibiàn zuò zài shàng wèn:“ bǎo 'èr méi xià lái? " bèi míng dào:“ jīn 'ér zǒng méi xià láièr shuō shí me shào tàn shào tàn 。” shuō zhebiàn chū liǎo
   zhè jiǎ yún biàn kàn huà wányòu dùn fàn gōng hái jiàn láizài kàn kàn bié
   de xiǎo wán liǎozhèng shì fán mènzhǐ tīng mén qián jiāo shēng nèn de jiào liǎo shēng " "。 jiǎ yún wǎng wài qiáo shíkàn shì shí liù suì de tóushēng de dǎo qiǎo gān jìng tóu jiàn liǎo jiǎ yúnbiàn chōu shēn duǒ liǎo guò qià zhí bèi míng zǒu láijiàn tóu zài mén qiánbiàn shuō dào:“ hǎohǎozhèng zhuā zhe xìn 'ér。” jiǎ yún jiàn liǎo bèi míng jiù gǎn liǎo chū láiwèn zěn me yàngbèi míng dào:“ děng liǎo zhè méi rén 'ér guò láizhè jiù shì bǎo 'èr fáng dehǎo niàn jìn dài xìn 'érjiù shuō láng shàng de 'èr lái liǎo。”
   tóu tīng shuōfāng zhī shì běn jiā de menbiàn xiān qián děng huí xià yǎn jiǎ yún dīng liǎo liǎng yǎntīng jiǎ yún shuō dào:“ shénme shì láng shàng láng xià de zhǐ shuō shì yún 'ér jiù shì liǎo。” bàn shǎng tóu lěng xiào liǎo xiào:“ shuōèr jìng qǐng huí jiā yòu shénme huà míng 'ér zài láijīn 'ér wǎn shàng kōng 'ér huí liǎo 。” bèi míng dào:“ zhè shì zěn me shuō? " tóu dào:“ jīn 'ér méi shuì zhōng jué rán chī de wǎn fàn zǎowǎn shàng yòu xià láinán dào zhǐ shì shuǎ de 'èr zài zhè děng zhe 'ái’è chéng jiā míng 'ér lái shì zhèng jīngbiàn shì huí lái yòu rén dài xìn dōushì zhōng yòng de guò kǒu yìng zhe dǎo gěi dài ! " jiǎ yún tīng zhè tóu shuō huà jiǎn biàn qiào dài yào wèn de míng yīn shì bǎo fáng deyòu biàn wènzhǐ shuō dào:“ zhè huà dǎo shì míng 'ér zài lái。” shuō zhe biàn wǎng wài zǒubèi míng dào:“ dǎo chá èr chī liǎo chá zài 。” jiǎ yún miàn zǒu miàn huí tóu shuō:“ chī chá hái yòu shì 。” kǒu shuō huàyǎn jīng qiáo tóu hái zhàn zài
   jiǎ yún jìng huí jiāzhì lái zhì mén qián qiǎo jiàn fèng jiě wǎng biān qǐng 'āncái shàng liǎo chējiàn jiǎ yún láibiàn mìng rén huàn zhù chuāng xiào dào:“ yún 'ér jìng yòu dǎn zài de gēn qián nòng guǐguài dào sòng dōng gěi yuán lái yòu shì qiú zuó 'ér shū shū cái gào shuō qiú 。” jiǎ yún xiào dào:“ qiú shū shū zhè shìshěn xiū zuó 'ér zhèng hòu huǐ zǎo zhī zhè yàng jìng tóu qiú shěn zhè huì zǎo wán liǎoshuí chéng wàng shū shū jìng néng de。 " fèng jiě xiào dào:“ guài dào méi chéng 'érzuó 'ér yòu lái xún 。” jiǎ yún dào:“ shěn liǎo de xiào xīn bìng méi yòu zhè ruò yòu zhè zuó 'ér hái qiú shěn jīn shěn zhī dào liǎo dǎo yào shū shū diū xiàshǎo qiú shěn hǎo dǎi téng diǎn 'ér。”
   fèng jiě lěng xiào dào:“ men yào jiǎn yuǎn 'ér zǒujiào nán shuōzǎo gào shēng 'éryòu shénme chéng deduō diǎn shìdān dào zhè huì yuán hái yào zhònghuā zhǐ xiǎng chū rén lái zǎo lái zǎo wán liǎo。” jiǎ yún xiào dào:“ zhè yàngshěn míng 'ér jiù pài 。” fèng jiě bàn shǎng dào:“ zhè kàn zhe hǎoděng míng nián zhēngyuè yān huǒ dēng zhú zōng 'ér xià láizài pài 。” jiǎ yún dào:“ hǎo shěn xiān zhè pài liǎo guǒ rán zhè bàn de hǎozài pài 。” fèng jiě xiào dào:“ dǎo huì cháng xiàn 'ér liǎoyào shì shū shū shuō guǎn de shì guò chī liǎo fàn jiù guò lái dào cuò de shí hòu lái lǐng yín hòu 'ér jiù jìn zhǒng shù。” shuō lìng rén jià xiāng chē jìng liǎo
   jiǎ yún jìnlái zhì xiàn zhāi tīng bǎo shuí zhī bǎo zǎo biàn wǎng běi jìng wáng liǎojiǎ yún biàn dāi dāi de zuò dào shǎng tīng fèng jiě huí láibiàn xiě lǐng piào lái lǐng duì páizhì yuàn wàimìng rén tōng bào liǎocǎi míng zǒu liǎo chū láidān yào liǎo lǐng piào jìn liǎo yín shù nián yuè bìng lián duì pái jiāo liǎo jiǎ yúnjiǎ yún jiē liǎokàn shàng yín shù liǎo 'èr bǎi liǎngxīn zhōng jìnfān shēn zǒu dào yín shàngjiāo shōu pái piào delǐng liǎo yín huí jiā gào qīn shì huān jiǎ yún xiān zhǎo liǎo 'èrjiāng qián yín 'àn shù hái 'èr jiàn jiǎ yún yòu liǎo yín biàn 'àn shù shōu huí zài huà xiàzhè jiǎ yún yòu liǎo shí liǎngchū mén zhǎo dào huā 'ér jiàng fāng chūn jiā mǎi shù zài huà xià
   jīn qiě shuō bǎo jiàn liǎo jiǎ yúncéng shuō míng zhe jìn lái shuō huà 'ér shuō liǎo zhī hòu yuán shì guì gōng de kǒu jiǎo hái zhè fàng zài xīn shàngyīn 'ér biàn wàng huái liǎozhè wǎn shàngcóng běi jìng wáng huí láijiàn guò jiǎ wáng rén děnghuí zhì yuán nèihuàn liǎo zhèng yào zǎo rén yīn bèi xuē bǎo chāi fán liǎo jié qiū wén hén liǎng cuī shuǐtán yún yòu yīn qīn de shēng jiē liǎo chū shè yuè yòu xiàn zài jiā zhōng yǎng bìngsuī hái yòu zuò huó tīng huàn de tóu zhe jiào zhe men chū xún huǒ bàn de wán liǎo xiǎng zhè de gōng zhǐ shèng liǎo bǎo zài fáng nèipiān shēng de bǎo yào chī chá lián jiào liǎo liǎng sān shēngfāng jiàn liǎng sān lǎo zǒu jìn láibǎo jiàn liǎo menlián máng yáo shǒu 'ér shuō:“ yòng men liǎo。” lǎo men zhǐ tuì chū
   bǎo jiàn méi tóu menzhǐ xià lái liǎo wǎn xiàng chá dàocházhǐ tīng bèi hòu shuō dào:“ èr zǎi tàng liǎo shǒuràng men lái dǎo。” miàn shuō miàn zǒu shàng láizǎo jiē liǎo wǎn guò bǎo dǎo liǎo tiàowèn:“ zài de rán lái liǎo tiào。” tóu miàn chá miàn huí shuō:“ zài hòu yuàn cái cóng jiān de hòu mén jìn láinán dào 'èr jiù méi tīng jiàn jiǎo xiǎng? " bǎo miàn chī chá miàn zǎi dǎliang tóuchuānzhuó jiàn bàn xīn jiù de chángdǎo shì tóu hēi de tóu wǎn zhe róng cháng liǎn miàn qiǎo shēn cáiquè shí fēn qiào gān jìng
   bǎo kàn liǎobiàn xiào wèn dào:“ shì zhè de rén me? " tóu dào:“ shì de。” bǎo dào:“ shì zhè de zěn me rèn ? " tóu tīng shuōbiàn lěng xiào liǎo shēng dào:“ rèn de duō zhǐ cóng lái yòu chá shuǐ dōng yǎn jiàn de shì diǎn 'ér zuò rèn 。” bǎo dào:“ wèishénme zuò yǎn jiàn de shì? " tóu dào:“ zhè huà nán shuōzhǐ shì yòu huà huí 'èr zuó 'ér yòu shénme yún 'ér lái zhǎo 'èr xiǎng 'èr kòng'érbiàn jiào bèi míng huí jiào jīn zǎo lái xiǎng 'èr yòu wǎng běi liǎo。 " gāng shuō dào zhè huàzhǐ jiàn qiū wén hén de shuō xiào zhe jìn láiliǎng rén gòng zhe tǒng shuǐ shǒu liáo zhe chángliè liè qiè qiè de tóu biàn máng yíng jiē qiū wén hén zhèng duì zhe bào yuàn, " shī liǎo de qún ", yòu shuō " chuài liǎo de xié jiàn zǒu chū rén lái jiē shuǐèr rén kàn shí shì bié rényuán lái shì xiǎo hóngèr rén biàn chà jiāng shuǐ fàng xiàmáng jìn fáng lái dōng qiáo wàngbìng méi bié rénzhǐ yòu bǎo biàn xīn zhōng zàizhǐ bèi xià zǎo zhī dài bǎo tuō liǎo chángèr rén biàn dài shàng mén chū láizǒu dào biān fáng nèi biàn zhǎo xiǎo hóngwèn fāng cái zài shuō shí mexiǎo hóng dào:“ céng zài dezhǐ yīn de shǒu jiàn liǎowǎng hòu tóu zhǎo shǒu xiǎng 'èr yào chá chījiào jiě jiě men méi yòushì jìn liǎocái dǎo liǎo chájiě jiě men biàn lái liǎo。”
   qiū wén tīng liǎodōu liǎn cuì liǎo kǒu dào:“ méi liǎn de xià liú dōng zhèng jīng jiào cuī shuǐ shuō yòu shì dǎo jiào men děng zhe zuò zhè qiǎo zōng 'ér dezhè shàng lái liǎonán dào men dǎo gēn shàng liǎo jìng zhào zhàopèi chá shuǐ pèi! " hén dào:“ míng 'ér shuō gěi menfán yào chá yào shuǐ sòng dōng sòng de shìzán mendōu bié dòngzhǐ jiào biàn shì liǎo。” qiū wén dào:“ zhè me shuō men sàn liǎodān ràng zài zhè 。 " èr rén zhèng nào zhezhǐ jiàn yòu lǎo jìn lái chuán fèng jiě de huà shuō:“ míng yòu rén dài huā 'ér jiàng lái zhǒng shùjiào men yán jìn xiē qún bié hùn shài hùn liàng de shān shàng liù lán zhe wéi bié hùn páo。” qiū wén biàn wèn:“ míng 'ér zhī shì shuí dài jìn jiàng rén lái jiān gōng? " dào:“ shuō shí me hòu láng shàng de yún 'ér。” qiū wén hén tīng liǎo dōubù zhī dàozhǐ guǎn hùn wèn bié de huà xiǎo hóng tīng jiàn liǎoxīn nèi què míng báijiù zhī shì zuó 'ér wài shū fáng suǒ jiàn rén liǎoyuán lái zhè xiǎo hóng běn xìng línxiǎo míng hóng zhǐ yīn " " fàn liǎo lín dài bǎo biàn zhè yǐn láibiàn jiào " xiǎo hóng "。 yuán shì róng guó zhōng shì dài de jiù xiàn zài shōu guǎn chù fáng tián shì zhè hóng nián fāng shí liù suìyīn fēn rén zài guān yuán de shí jié biàn fēn zài hóng yuàn zhōngdǎo qīng yōu jìng xiǎng hòu lái mìng rén jìn lái zhùpiān shēng zhè suǒ 'ér yòu bèi bǎo zhàn liǎozhè hóng suī rán shì 'ān shì de tóuquè yīn yòu sān fēn róng màoxīn nèi zhuóshí wàng xiǎng chī xīn de wǎng shàng pān gāoměi měi de yào zài bǎo miàn qián xiàn nòng xiàn nòngzhǐ shì bǎo shēn biān gān réndōushì líng zhǎo de chā de xià shǒu xiǎng jīn 'ér cái yòu xiē xiāo yòu zāo qiū wén děng yīcháng 'è xīn nèi zǎo huī liǎo bànzhèng mèn mèn de rán tīng jiàn lǎo shuō jiǎ yún lái jué xīn zhōng dòngbiàn mèn mèn de huí zhì fáng zhōngshuì zài chuáng shàng 'àn 'àn pán suànfān lái diào zhèng méi zhuā xún tīng chuāng wài de jiào dào:“ hóng de shǒu shí zài zhè 。” hóng tīng liǎo máng zǒu chū lái kàn shì bié rénzhèng shì jiǎ yúnhóng jué de fěn miàn hán xiūwèn dào:“ èr zài shí zhe de? " jiǎ yún xiào dào:“ guò lái gào 。” miàn shuō miàn jiù shàng lái hóng huí shēn páoquè bèi mén jiàn bàn dǎoyào zhī duān dexià huí fēn jiě


  The drunken Chin Kang makes light of lucre and shows a preference for generosity. The foolish girl mislays her handkerchief and arouses mutual thoughts.
   But to return to our narrative. Lin Tai-yue's sentimental reflections were the while reeling and ravelling in an intricate maze, when unexpectedly some one from behind gave her a tap, saying: "What are you up to all alone here?" which took Lin Tai-yu so much by surprise that she gave a start, and turning her head round to look and noticing that it was Hsiang Ling and no one else; "You stupid girl!" Lin Tai-yue replied, "you've given me such a fright! But where do you come from at this time?"
   Hsiang Ling giggled and smirked. "I've come," she added, "in search of our young lady, but I can't find her anywhere. But your Tzu Chuan is also looking after you; and she says that lady Secunda has sent a present to you of some tea. But you had better go back home and sit down."
   As she spoke, she took Tai-yue by the hand, and they came along back to the Hsiao Hsiang Kuan; where lady Feng had indeed sent her two small catties of a new season tea, of superior quality. But Lin Tai-yue sat down, in company with Hsiang Ling, and began to converse on the merits of this tapestry and the fineness of that embroidery; and after they had also had a game at chess, and read a few sentences out of a book, Hsiang Ling took her departure. But we need not speak of either of them, but return now to Pao-yue. Having been found, and brought back home, by Hsi Jen, he discovered Yuan Yang reclining on the bed, in the act of examining Hsi Jen's needlework; but when she perceived Pao-yue arrive, she forthwith remarked: "Where have you been? her venerable ladyship is waiting for you to tell you to go over and pay your obeisance to our Senior master, and don't you still make haste to go and change your clothes and be off!"
   Hsi Jen at once walked into the room to fetch his clothes, and Pao-yue sat on the edge of the bed, and pushed his shoes off with his toes; and, while waiting for his boots to put them on, he turned round and perceiving that Yuean Yang, who was clad in a light red silk jacket and a green satin waistcoat, and girdled with a white crepe sash, had her face turned the other way, and her head lowered giving her attention to the criticism of the needlework, while round her neck she wore a collar with embroidery, Pao-yue readily pressed his face against the nape of her neck, and as he sniffed the perfume about it, he did not stay his hand from stroking her neck, which in whiteness and smoothness was not below that of Hsi Jen; and as he approached her, "My dear girl," he said smiling and with a drivelling face, "do let me lick the cosmetic off your mouth!" clinging to her person, as he uttered these words, like twisted sweetmeat.
   "Hsi Jen!" cried Yuean Yang at once, "come out and see! You've been with him a whole lifetime, and don't you give him any advice; but let him still behave in this fashion!" Whereupon, Hsi Jen walked out, clasping the clothes, and turning to Pao-yue, she observed, "I advise you in this way and it's no good, I advise you in that way and you don't mend; and what do you mean to do after all? But if you again behave like this, it will then, in fact, be impossible for me to live any longer in this place!"
   As she tendered these words of counsel, she urged him to put his clothes on, and, after he had changed, he betook himself, along with Yuan Yang, to the front part of the mansion, and bade good-bye to dowager lady Chia; after which he went outside, where the attendants and horses were all in readiness; but when he was about to mount his steed, he perceived Chia Lien back from his visit and in the act of dismounting; and as the two of them stood face to face, and mutually exchanged some inquiries, they saw some one come round from the side, and say: "My respects to you, uncle Pao-yue!"
   When Pao-yue came to look at him, he noticed that this person had an oblong face, that his body was tall and lanky, that his age was only eighteen or nineteen, and that he possessed, in real truth, an air of refinement and elegance; but though his features were, after all, exceedingly familiar, he could not recall to mind to what branch of the family he belonged, and what his name was.
   "What are you staring vacantly for?" Chia Lien inquired laughing.
   "Don't you even recognise him? He's Yuen Erh, the son of our fifth sister-in-law, who lives in the back court!"
   "Of course!" Pao-yue assented complacently. "How is it that I had forgotten just now!" And having gone on to ask how his mother was, and what work he had to do at present; "I've come in search of uncle Secundus, to tell him something," Chia Yuen replied, as he pointed at Chia Lien.
   "You've really improved vastly from what you were before," added Pao-yue smiling; "you verily look just is if you were my son!"
   "How very barefaced!" Chia Lien exclaimed as he burst out laughing; "here's a person four or five years your senior to be made your son!"
   "How far are you in your teens this year?" Pao-yue inquired with a smile.
   "Eighteen!" Chia Yuen rejoined.
   This Chia Yuen was, in real deed, sharp and quick-witted; and when he heard Pao-yue remark that he looked like his son, he readily gave a sarcastic smile and observed, "The proverb is true which says, 'the grandfather is rocked in the cradle while the grandson leans on a staff.' But though old enough in years, I'm nevertheless like a mountain, which, in spite of its height, cannot screen the sun from view. Besides, since my father's death, I've had no one to look after me, and were you, uncle Pao, not to disdain your doltish nephew, and to acknowledge me as your son, it would be your nephew's good fortune!"
   "Have you heard what he said?" Chia Lien interposed cynically. "But to acknowledge him as a son is no easy question to settle!" and with these words, he walked in; whereupon Pao-yue smilingly said: "To-morrow when you have nothing to do, just come and look me up; but don't go and play any devilish pranks with them! I've just now no leisure, so come to-morrow, into the library, where I'll have a chat with you for a whole day, and take you into the garden for some fun!"
   With this remark still on his lips, he laid hold of the saddle and mounted his horse; and, followed by the whole bevy of pages, he crossed over to Chia She's on this side; where having discovered that Chia She had nothing more the matter with him than a chill which he had suddenly contracted, he commenced by delivering dowager lady Chia's message, and next paid his own obeisance. Chia She, at first, stood up and made suitable answer to her venerable ladyship's inquiries, and then calling a servant, "Take the gentleman," he said, "into my lady's apartment to sit down."
   Pao-yue withdrew out of the room, and came by the back to the upper apartment; and as soon as madame Hsing caught sight of him, she, before everything else, rose to her feet and asked after old lady Chia's health; after which, Pao-yue made his own salutation, and madame Hsing drew him on to the stove-couch, where she induced him to take a seat, and eventually inquired after the other inmates, and also gave orders to serve the tea. But scarcely had they had tea, before they perceived Chia Tsung come in to pay his respects to Pao-yue.
   "Where could one find such a living monkey as this!" madame Hsing remarked; "is that nurse of yours dead and gone that she doesn't even keep you clean and tidy, and that she lets you go about with those eyebrows of yours so black and that mouth so filthy! you scarcely look like the child of a great family of scholars."
   While she spoke, she perceived both Chia Huan and Chia Lan, one of whom was a young uncle and the other his nephew, also advance and present their compliments, and madame Hsing bade the two of them sit down on the chairs. But when Chia Huan noticed that Pao-yue sat on the same rug with madame Hsing, and that her ladyship was further caressing and petting him in every possible manner, he soon felt so very unhappy at heart, that, after sitting for a short time, he forthwith made a sign to Chia Lan that he would like to go; and as Chia Lan could not but humour him, they both got up together to take their leave. But when Pao-yue perceived them rise, he too felt a wish to go back along with them, but madame Hsing remarked smilingly, "You had better sit a while as I've something more to tell you," so that Pao-yue had no alternative but to stay. "When you get back," madame Hsing added, addressing the other two, "present, each one of you, my regards to your respective mothers. The young ladies, your cousins, are all here making such a row that my head is dazed, so that I won't to-day keep you to have your repast here." To which Chia Huan and Chia Lan assented and quickly walked out.
   "If it be really the case that all my cousins have come over," Pao-yue ventured with a smirk, "how is it that I don't see them?"
   "After sitting here for a while," madame Hsing explained, "they all went at the back; but in what rooms they have gone, I don't know."
   "My senior aunt, you said you had something to tell me, Pao-yue observed; what's it, I wonder?"
   "What can there possibly be to tell you?" madame Hsing laughed; "it was simply to make you wait and have your repast with the young ladies and then go; but there's also a fine plaything that I'll give you to take back to amuse yourself with."
   These two, the aunt and her nephew, were going on with their colloquy when, much to their surprise, it was time for dinner and the young ladies were all invited to come. The tables and chairs were put in their places, and the cups and plates were arranged in proper order; and, after the mother, her daughter and the cousins had finished their meal, Pao-yue bade good-bye to Chia She and returned home in company with all the young ladies; and when they had said good-night to dowager lady Chia, madame Wang and the others, they each went back into their rooms and retired to rest; where we shall leave them without any further comment and speak of Chia Yuen's visit to the mansion. As soon as he saw Chia Lien, he inquired what business it was that had turned up, and Chia Lien consequently explained: "The other day something did actually present itself, but as it happened that your aunt had again and again entreated me, I gave it to Chia Ch'in; as she promised me that there would be by and by in the garden several other spots where flowers and trees would be planted; and that when this job did occur, she would, for a certainty, give it to you and finish!"
   Chia Yuen, upon hearing these words, suggested after a short pause; "If that be so, there's nothing for me to do than to wait; but, uncle, you too mustn't make any allusion beforehand in the presence of aunt to my having come to-day to make any inquiries; for there will really be ample time to speak to her when the job turns up!"
   "Why should I allude to it?" Chia Lien rejoined. "Have I forsooth got all this leisure to talk of irrelevant matters! But to-morrow, besides, I've got to go as far as Hsing Yi for a turn, and it's absolutely necessary that I should hurriedly come back the very same day; so off with you now and go and wait; and the day after to-morrow, after the watch has been set, come and ask for news; but mind at any earlier hour, I shan't have any leisure!" With these words, he hastily went at the back to change his clothes. And from the time Chia Yun put his foot out of the door of the Jung Kuo mansion, he was, the whole way homeward, plunged in deep thought; but having bethought himself of some expedient, he straightway wended his steps towards the house of his maternal uncle, Pu Shih-jen. This Pu Shih-jen, it must be explained, kept, at the present date, a shop for the sale of spices. He had just returned home from his shop, and as soon as he noticed Chia Yun, he inquired of him what business brought him there.
   "There's something," Chia Yun replied, "in which I would like to crave your assistance, uncle; I'm in need of some baroos camphor and musk, so please, uncle, give me on credit four ounces of each kind, and on the festival of the eighth moon, I'll bring you the amount in full."
   Pu Shih-jen gave a sardonic smile. "Don't," he said, "again allude to any such thing as selling on tick! Some time back a partner in our establishment got several ounces of goods for his relatives on credit, and up to this date the bill hasn't as yet been settled; the result being that we've all had to make the amount good, so that we've entered into an agreement that we should no more allow any one to obtain on tick anything on behalf of either relative or friend, and that whoever acted contrary to this resolution should be, at once, fined twenty taels, with which to stand a treat. Besides, the stock of these articles is now short, and were you also to come, with ready money to this our mean shop to buy any, we wouldn't even have as much to give you. The best way therefore is for you to go elsewhere. This is one side of the question; for on the other, you can't have anything above-board in view; and were you to obtain what you want as a loan you would again go and play the giddy dog! But you'll simply say that on every occasion your uncle sees you, he avails himself of it to find fault with you, but a young fellow like you doesn't know what's good and what is bad; and you should, besides, make up your mind to earn a few cash, wherewith to clothe and feed yourself, so that, when I see you, I too may rejoice!"
   "What you, uncle, say," Chia Yun rejoined smiling, "is perfectly right; the only thing is that at the time of my father's death, I was likewise so young in years that I couldn't understand anything; but later on, I heard my mother explain how that for everything, it was lucky that you, after all, my uncles, went over to our house and devised the ways and means, and managed the funeral; and is it likely you, uncle, aren't aware of these things? Besides, have I forsooth had a single acre of land or a couple of houses, the value of which I've run through as soon as it came into my hands? An ingenious wife cannot make boiled rice without raw rice; and what would you have me do? It's your good fortune however that you've got to deal with one such as I am, for had it been any one else barefaced and shameless, he would have come, twice every three days, to worry you, uncle, by asking for two pints of rice and two of beans, and you then, uncle, would have had no help for it."
   "My dear child," Pu Shih-jen exclaimed, "had I anything that I could call my own, your uncle as I am, wouldn't I feel bound to do something for you? I've day after day mentioned to your aunt that the misfortune was that you had no resources. But should you ever succeed in making up your mind, you should go into that mighty household of yours, and when the gentlemen aren't looking, forthwith pocket your pride and hobnob with those managers, or possibly with the butlers, as you may, even through them, be able to get some charge or other! The other day, when I was out of town, I came across that old Quartus of the third branch of the family, astride of a tall donkey, at the head of four or five carriages, in which were about forty to fifty bonzes and Taoist priests on their way to the family fane, and that man can't lack brains, for such a charge to have fallen to his share!"
   Chia Yuen, upon hearing these words, indulged in a long and revolting rigmarole, and then got up to take his leave.
   "What are you in such a hurry for?" Pu Shih-jen remarked. "Have your meal and then go!"
   But this remark was scarcely ended when they heard his wife say: "Are you again in the clouds? When I heard that there was no rice, I bought half a catty of dry rice paste, and brought it here for you to eat; and do you pray now still put on the airs of a well-to-do, and keep your nephew to feel the pangs of hunger?"
   "Well, then, buy half a catty more, and add to what there is, that's all," Pu Shih-jen continued; whereupon her mother explained to her daughter, Yin Chieh, "Go over to Mrs. Wang's opposite, and ask her if she has any cash, to lend us twenty or thirty of them; and to-morrow, when they're brought over, we'll repay her."
   But while the husband and wife were carrying on this conversation, Chia Yuen had, at an early period, repeated several times: "There's no need to go to this trouble," and off he went, leaving no trace or shadow behind. But without passing any further remarks on the husband and wife of the Pu family, we will now confine ourselves to Chia Yuen. Having gone in high dudgeon out of the door of his uncle's house, he started straight on his way back home; but while distressed in mind, and preoccupied with his thoughts, he paced on with drooping head, he unexpectedly came into collision with a drunken fellow, who gripped Chia Yuen, and began to abuse him, crying: "Are your eyes gone blind, that you come bang against me?"
   The tone of voice, when it reached Chia Yuen ears, sounded like that of some one with whom he was intimate; and, on careful scrutiny, he found, in fact, that it was his next-door neighbour, Ni Erh. This Ni Erh was a dissolute knave, whose only idea was to give out money at heavy rates of interest and to have his meals in the gambling dens. His sole delight was to drink and to fight.
   He was, at this very moment, coming back home from the house of a creditor, whom he had dunned, and was already far gone with drink, so that when, at an unforeseen moment, Chia Yuen ran against him, he meant there and then to start a scuffle with him.
   "Old Erh!" Chia Yuen shouted, "stay your hand; it's I who have hustled against you."
   As soon as Ni Erh heard the tone of his voice, he opened wide his drunken eyes and gave him a look; and realising that it was Chia Yuen, he hastened to loosen his grasp and to remark with a smile, as he staggered about, "Is it you indeed, master Chia Secundus? where were you off to now?"
   "I couldn't tell you!" Chia Yuen rejoined; "I've again brought displeasure upon me, and all through no fault of mine."
   "Never mind!" urged Ni Erh, "if you're in any trouble you just tell me, and I'll give vent to your spite for you; for in these three streets, and six lanes, no matter who may give offence to any neighbours of mine, of me, Ni Erh, the drunken Chin Kang, I'll wager that I compel that man's family to disperse, and his home to break up!"
   "Old Ni, don't lose your temper," Chia Yuen protested, "but listen and let me tell you what happened!" After which, he went on to tell Ni Erh the whole affair with Pu Shih-jen. As soon as Ni Erh heard him, he got into a frightful rage; "Were he not," he shouted, a "relative of yours, master Secundus, I would readily give him a bit of my mind! Really resentment will stifle my breath! but never mind! you needn't however distress yourself. I've got here a few taels ready at hand, which, if you require, don't scruple to take; and from such good neighbours as you are, I won't ask any interest upon this money."
   With this remark still on his lips, he produced from his pouch a bundle of silver.
   "Ni Erh has, it is true, ever been a rogue," Chia Yuen reflected in his own mind, "but as he is regulated in his dealings by a due regard to persons, he enjoys, to a great degree, the reputation of generosity; and were I to-day not to accept this favour of his, he'll, I fear, be put to shame; and it won't contrariwise be nice on my part! and isn't it better that I should make use of his money, and by and by I can repay him double, and things will be all right!"
   "Old Erh," he therefore observed aloud with a smile, "you're really a fine fellow, and as you've shown me such eminent consideration, how can I presume not to accept your offer! On my return home, I'll write the customary I.O.U., and send it to you, and all will be in order."
   Ni Erh gave a broad grin. "It's only fifteen taels and three mace," he answered, "and if you insist upon writing an I.O.U., I won't then lend it to you!"
   Chia Yuen at these words, took over the money, smiling the while. "I'll readily," he retorted, "comply with your wishes and have done; for what's the use of exasperating you!"
   "Well then that will be all right!" Ni Erh laughed; "but the day is getting dark; and I shan't ask you to have a cup of tea or stand you a drink, for I've some small things more to settle. As for me, I'm going over there, but you, after all, should please wend your way homewards; and I shall also request you to take a message for me to my people. Tell them to close the doors and turn in, as I'm not returning home; and that in the event of anything occurring, to bid our daughter come over to-morrow, as soon as it is daylight, to short-legged Wang's house, the horse-dealer's, in search of me!" And as he uttered this remark he walked away, stumbling and hobbling along. But we will leave him without further notice and allude to Chia Yuen.
   He had, at quite an unexpected juncture, met this piece of luck, so that his heart was, of course, delighted to the utmost degree. "This Ni Erh," he mused, "is really a good enough sort of fellow, but what I dread is that he may have been open-handed in his fit of drunkenness, and that he mayn't, by and by, ask for his money to be paid twice over; and what will I do then? Never mind," he suddenly went on to ponder, "when that job has become an accomplished fact, I shall even have the means to pay him back double the original amount."
   Prompted by this resolution, he came over to a money-shop, and when he had the silver weighed, and no discrepancy was discovered in the weight, he was still more elated at heart; and on his way back, he first and foremost delivered Ni Erh's message to his wife, and then returned to his own home, where he found his mother seated all alone on a stove-couch spinning thread. As soon as she saw him enter, she inquired where he had been the whole day long, in reply to which Chia Yuen, fearing lest his parent should be angry, forthwith made no allusion to what transpired with Pu Shih-jen, but simply explained that he had been in the western mansion, waiting for his uncle Secundus, Lien. This over, he asked his mother whether she had had her meal or not, and his parent said by way of reply: "I've had it, but I've kept something for you in there," and calling to the servant-maid, she bade her bring it round, and set it before him to eat. But as it was already dark, when the lamps had to be lit, Chia Yuen, after partaking of his meal, got ready and turned in.
   Nothing of any notice transpired the whole night; but the next day, as soon it was dawn, he got up, washed his face, and came to the main street, outside the south gate, and purchasing some musk from a perfumery shop, he, with rapid stride, entered the Jung Kuo mansion; and having, as a result of his inquiries, found out that Chia Lien had gone out of doors, Chia Yuen readily betook himself to the back, in front of the door of Chia Lien's court, where he saw several servant-lads, with immense brooms in their hands, engaged in that place in sweeping the court. But as he suddenly caught sight of Chou Jui's wife appear outside the door, and call out to the young boys; "Don't sweep now, our lady is coming out," Chia Yuen eagerly walked up to her and inquired, with a face beaming with smiles: "Where's aunt Secunda going to?"
   To this inquiry, Chou Jui's wife explained: "Our old lady has sent for her, and I expect, it must be for her to cut some piece of cloth or other." But while she yet spoke, they perceived a whole bevy of people, pressing round lady Feng, as she egressed from the apartment.
   Chia Yuen was perfectly aware that lady Feng took pleasure in flattery, and delighted in display, so that hastily dropping his arms, he with all reverence, thrust himself forward and paid his respects to her. But lady Feng did not even so much as turn to look at him with straight eyes; but continued, as hitherto, her way onwards, simply confining herself to ascertaining whether his mother was all right, and adding: "How is it that she doesn't come to our house for a stroll?"
   "The thing is," Chia Yuen replied, "that she's not well: she, however, often thinks fondly of you, aunt, and longs to see you; but as for coming round, she's quite unable to do so."
   "You have, indeed, the knack of telling lies!" lady Feng laughed with irony; "for hadn't I alluded to her, she would never have thought of me!"
   "Isn't your nephew afraid," Chia Yuen protested smilingly, "of being blasted by lightning to have the audacity of telling lies in the presence of an elder! Even so late as yesterday evening, she alluded to you, aunt! 'Though naturally,' she said, 'of a weak constitution, you had, however, plenty to attend to! that it's thanks to your supremely eminent energies, aunt, that you're, after all, able to manage everything in such a perfect manner; and that had you ever made the slightest slip, there would have long ago crept up, goodness knows, what troubles!'"
   As soon as lady Feng heard these words, her whole face beamed with smiles, and she unconsciously halted her steps, while she proceeded to ask: "How is it that, both your mother and yourself, tattle about me behind my back, without rhyme or reason?"
   "There's a reason for it," Chia Yuen observed, "which is simply this. I've an excellent friend with considerable money of his own at home, who recently kept a perfumery shop; but as he obtained, by purchase, the rank of deputy sub-prefect, he was, the other day, selected for a post in Yunnan, in some prefecture or other unknown to me; whither he has gone together with his family. He even closed this shop of his, and forthwith collecting all his wares, he gave away, what he could give away, and what he had to sell at a discount, was sold at a loss; while such valuable articles, as these, were all presented to relatives or friends; and that's why it is that I came in for some baroos camphor and musk. But I at the time, deliberated with my mother that to sell them below their price would be a pity, and that if we wished to give them as a present to any one, there was no one good enough to use such perfumes. But remembering how you, aunt, had all along in years gone by, even to this day, to spend large bundles of silver, in purchasing such articles, and how, not to speak of this year with an imperial consort in the Palace, what's even required for this dragon boat festival, will also necessitate the addition of hundred times as much as the quantity of previous years, I therefore present them to you, aunt, as a token of my esteem!"
   With these words still on his lips, he simultaneously produced an ornamented box, which he handed over to her. And as lady Feng was, at this time, making preparations for presents for the occasion of the dragon boat festival, for which perfumes were obligatory, she, with all promptitude, directed Feng Erh: "Receive Mr. Yuen's present and take it home and hand it over to P'ing Erh. To one," she consequently added, "who seems to me so full of discrimination, it isn't a wonder that your uncle is repeatedly alluding, and that he speaks highly of you; how that you talk with all intelligence and that you have experience stored up in your mind."
   Chia Yuen upon hearing this propitious language, hastily drew near one step, and designedly asked: "Does really uncle often refer to me?"
   The moment lady Feng caught this question, she was at once inclined to tell him all about the charge to be entrusted to him, but on second thought, she again felt apprehensive lest she should be looked lightly upon by him, by simply insinuating that she had promptly and needlessly promised him something to do, so soon as she got a little scented ware; and this consideration urged her to once more restrain her tongue, so that she never made the slightest reference even to so much as one word about his having been chosen to look after the works of planting the flowers and trees. And after confining herself to making the first few irrelevant remarks which came to her lips, she hastily betook herself into dowager lady Chia's apartments.
   Chia Yuen himself did not feel as if he could very well advert to the subject, with the result that he had no alternative but to retrace his steps homewards. But as when he had seen Pao-yue the previous day, he had asked him to go into the outer library and wait for him, he therefore finished his meal and then once again entered the mansion and came over into the I Hsia study, situated outside the ceremonial gate, over at old lady Chia's part of the compound, where he discovered the two lads Ming Yen, whose name had been changed into Pei Ming, and Chu Yo playing at chess, and just arguing about the capture of a castle; and besides them, Yin Ch'uan, Sao Hua, T'iao Yuen, Pan Ho, these four or five of them, up to larks, stealing the young birds from the nests under the eaves of the house.
   As soon as Chia Yuen entered the court, he stamped his foot and shouted, "The monkeys are up to mischief! Here I am, I've come;" and when the company of servant-boys perceived him, they one and all promptly dispersed; while Chia Yuen walked into the library, and seating himself at once in a chair, he inquired, "Has your master Secundus, Mr. Pao, come down?"
   "He hasn't been down here at all to-day," Pei Ming replied, "but if you, Mr. Secundus, have anything to tell him, I'll go and see what he's up to for you."
   Saying this he there and then left the room; and Chia Yuen meanwhile gave himself to the inspection of the pictures and nicknacks. But some considerable time elapsed, and yet he did not see him arrive; and noticing besides that the other lads had all gone to romp, he was just plunged in a state of despondency, when he heard outside the door a voice cry out, with winning tone, and tender accents: "My elder brother!"
   Chia Yuen looked out, and saw that it was a servant-maid of fifteen or sixteen, who was indeed extremely winsome and spruce. As soon however as the maid caught a glimpse of Chia Yuen, she speedily turned herself round and withdrew out of sight. But, as luck would have it, it happened that Pei Ming was coming along, and seeing the servant-maid in front of the door, he observed: "Welcome, welcome! I was quite at a loss how to get any news of Pao-yue." And as Chia Yuen discerned Pei Ming, he hastily too, ran out in pursuit of him, and ascertained what was up; whereupon Pei Ming returned for answer: "I waited a whole day long, and not a single soul came over; but this girl is attached to master Secundus' (Mr. Pao's) rooms!" and, "My dear girl," he consequently went on to say, "go in and take a message. Say that Mr. Secundus, who lives under the portico, has come!"
   The servant-maid, upon hearing these words, knew at once that he was a young gentleman belonging to the family in which she served, and she did not skulk out of sight, as she had done in the first instance; but with a gaze sufficient to kill, she fixed her two eyes upon Chia Yuen, when she heard Chia Yuen interpose: "What about over the portico and under the portico; you just tell him that Yuen Erh is come, that's all."
   After a while this girl gave a sarcastic smile. "My idea is," she ventured, "that you, master Secundus, should really, if it so please you, go back, and come again to-morrow; and to-night, if I find time, I'll just put in a word with him!"
   "What's this that you're driving at?" Pei Ming then shouted.
   And the maid rejoined: "He's not even had a siesta to-day, so that he'll have his dinner at an early hour, and won't come down again in the evening; and is it likely that you would have master Secundus wait here and suffer hunger? and isn't it better than he should return home? The right thing is that he should come to-morrow; for were even by and by some one to turn up, who could take a message, that person would simply acquiesce with the lips, but would he be willing to deliver the message in for you?"
   Chia Yuen, upon finding how concise and yet how well expressed this girl's remarks had been, was bent upon inquiring what her name was; but as she was a maid employed in Pao-yue's apartments, he did not therefore feel justified in asking the question, and he had no other course but to add, "What you say is quite right, I'll come to-morrow!" and as he spoke, he there and then was making his way outside, when Pei Ming remarked: "I'll go and pour a cup of tea; and master Secundus, have your tea and then go."
   Chia Yuen turned his head round, as he kept on his way, and said by way of rejoinder: "I won't have any tea; for I've besides something more to attend to!" and while with his lips he uttered these words, he, with his eyes, stared at the servant-girl, who was still standing in there.
   Chia Yuen wended his steps straightway home; and the next day, he came to the front entrance, where, by a strange coincidence, he met lady Feng on her way to the opposite side to pay her respects. She had just mounted her carriage, but perceiving Chia Yuen arrive, she eagerly bade a servant stop him, and, with the window between them, she smiled and observed: "Yuen Erh, you're indeed bold in playing your pranks with me! I thought it strange that you should give me presents; but the fact is you had a favour to ask of me; and your uncle told me even yesterday that you had appealed to him!"
   Chia Yuen smiled. "Of my appeal to uncle, you needn't, aunt, make any mention; for I'm at this moment full of regret at having made it. Had I known, at an early hour, that things would have come to this pass, I would, from the very first, have made my request to you, aunt; and by this time everything would have been settled long ago! But who would have anticipated that uncle was, after all, a man of no worth!"
   "Strange enough," lady Feng remarked sneeringly, "when you found that you didn't succeed in that quarter, you came again yesterday in search of me!"
   "Aunt, you do my filial heart an injustice," Chia Yuen protested; "I never had such a thought; had I entertained any such idea, wouldn't I, aunt, have made my appeal to you yesterday? But as you are now aware of everything, I'll really put uncle on one side, and prefer my request to you; for circumstances compel me to entreat you, aunt, to be so good as to show me some little consideration!"
   Lady Feng laughed sardonically. "You people will choose the long road to follow and put me also in a dilemma! Had you told me just one word at an early hour, what couldn't have been brought about? an affair of state indeed to be delayed up to this moment! In the garden, there are to be more trees planted and flowers laid down, and I couldn't think of any person that I could have recommended, and had you spoken before this, wouldn't the whole question have been settled soon enough?"
   "Well, in that case, aunt," ventured Chia Yuen with a smile, "you had better depute me to-morrow, and have done!"
   "This job," continued lady Feng after a pause, "is not, my impression is, very profitable; and if you were to wait till the first moon of next year, when the fireworks, lanterns, and candles will have to be purveyed, I'll depute you as soon as those extensive commissions turn up."
   "My dear aunt," pleaded Chia Yuen, "first appoint me to this one, and if I do really manage this satisfactorily, you can then commission me with that other!"
   "You know in truth how to draw a long thread," lady Feng observed laughing. "But hadn't it been that your uncle had spoken to me on your account, I wouldn't have concerned myself about you. But as I shall cross over here soon after the repast, you had better come at eleven a.m., and fetch the money, for you to enter into the garden the day after to-morrow, and have the flowers planted!"
   As she said this, she gave orders to drive the "scented" carriage, and went on her way by the quickest cut; while Chia Yuen, who was irrepressibly delighted, betook himself into the I Hsia study, and inquired after Pao-yue. But, who would have thought it, Pao-yue had, at an early hour, gone to the mansion of the Prince of Pei Ching, so that Chia Yuen had to sit in a listless mood till noon; and when he found out that lady Feng had returned, he speedily wrote an acknowledgment and came to receive the warrant. On his arrival outside the court, he commissioned a servant to announce him, and Ts'ai Ming thereupon walked out, and merely asking for the receipt, went in, and, after filling in the amount, the year and moon, he handed it over to Chia Yuen together with the warrant. Chia Yuen received them from him, and as the entry consisted of two hundred taels, his heart was full of exultant joy; and turning round, he hurried to the treasury, where after he had taken over the amount in silver, he returned home and laid the case before his mother, and needless to say, that both the parent and her son were in high spirits. The next day, at the fifth watch, Chia Yun first came in search of Ni Erh, to whom he repaid the money, and then taking fifty taels along with him, he sped outside the western gate to the house of Fang Ch'un, a gardener, to purchase trees, where we will leave him without saying anything more about him.
   We will now resume our story with Pao-yue. The day on which he encountered Chia Yuen, he asked him to come in on the morrow and have a chat with him, but this invitation was practically the mere formal talk of a rich and well-to-do young man, and was not likely to be so much as borne in mind; and so it was that it readily slipped from his memory. On the evening of the day, however, on which he returned home from the mansion of the Prince Pei Ching, he came, after paying his salutations to dowager lady Chia, madame Wang, and the other inmates, back into the garden; but upon divesting himself of all his fineries, he was just about to have his bath, when, as Hsi Jen had, at the invitation of Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai, crossed over to tie a few knotted buttons, as Ch'in Wen and Pi Hen had both gone to hurry the servants to bring the water, as T'an Yun had likewise been taken home, on account of her mother's illness, and She Yueh, on the other hand, was at present ailing in her quarters, while the several waiting-maids, who were in there besides to attend to the dirty work, and answer the calls, had, surmising that he would not requisition their services, one and all gone out in search of their friends and in quest of their companions, it occurred, contrary to their calculations, that Pao-yue remained this whole length of time quite alone in his apartments; and as it so happened that Pao-yue wanted tea to drink, he had to call two or three times before he at last saw three old matrons walk in. But at the sight of them, Pao-yue hastily waved his hand and exclaimed: "No matter, no matter; I don't want you," whereupon the matrons had no help but to withdraw out of the rooms; and as Pao-yue perceived that there were no waiting-maids at hand, he had to come down and take a cup and go up to the teapot to pour the tea; when he heard some one from behind him observe: "Master Secundus, beware, you'll scorch your hand; wait until I come to pour it!" And as she spoke, she walked up to him, and took the cup from his grasp, to the intense surprise, in fact, of Pao-yue, who inquired: "Where were you that you have suddenly come to give me a start?"
   The waiting-maid smiled as she handed him the tea. "I was in the back court," she replied, "and just came in from the back door of the inner rooms; and is it likely that you didn't, sir, hear the sound of my footsteps?"
   Pao-yue drank his tea, and as he simultaneously passed the servant-girl under a minute inspection, he found that though she wore several articles of clothing the worse for wear, she was, nevertheless, with that head of beautiful hair, as black as the plumage of a raven, done up in curls, her face so oblong, her figure so slim and elegant, indeed, supremely beautiful, sweet, and spruce, and Pao-yue eagerly inquired: "Are you also a girl attached to this room of mine?"
   "I am," rejoined that waiting-maid.
   "But since you belong to this room, how is it I don't know you?" Pao-yue added.
   When the maid heard these words, she forced a laugh. "There are even many," she explained, "that are strangers to you; and is it only myself? I've never, before this, served tea, or handed water, or brought in anything; nor have I attended to a single duty in your presence, so how could you know me?"
   "But why don't you attend to any of those duties that would bring you to my notice?" Pao-yue questioned.
   "I too," answered the maid, "find it as difficult to answer such a question. There's however one thing that I must report to you, master Secundus. Yesterday, some Mr. Yuen Erh or other came to see you; but as I thought you, sir, had no leisure, I speedily bade Pei Ming tell him to come early to-day. But you unexpectedly went over again to the mansion of the Prince of Pei Ching."
   When she had spoken as far as this, she caught sight of Ch'iu Wen and Pi Hen enter the court, giggling and laughing; the two of them carrying between them a bucket of water; and while raising their skirts with one hand, they hobbled along, as the water spurted and plashed. The waiting-maid hastily come out to meet them so as to relieve them of their burden, but Ch'iu Wen and Pi Hen were in the act of standing face to face and finding fault with each other; one saying, "You've wetted my clothes," the other adding, "You've trod on my shoes," and upon, all of a sudden, espying some one walk out to receive the water, and discovering, when they came to see, that it was actually no one else than Hsiao Hung, they were at once both so taken aback that, putting down the bucket, they hurried into the room; and when they looked about and saw that there was no other person inside besides Pao-yue they were at once displeased. But as they were meanwhile compelled to get ready the articles necessary for his bath, they waited until Pao-yue was about to divest himself of his clothes, when the couple of them speedily pulled the door to behind them, as they went out, and walked as far as the room on the opposite side, in search of Hsiao Hung; of whom they inquired: "What were you doing in his room a short while back?"
   "When was I ever in the room?" Hsiao Hung replied; "simply because I lost sight of my handkerchief, I went to the back to try and find it, when unexpectedly Mr. Secundus, who wanted tea, called for you sisters; and as there wasn't one even of you there, I walked in and poured a cup for him, and just at that very moment you sisters came back."
   "You barefaced, low-bred thing!" cried Ch'iu Wen, turning towards her and spurting in her face. "It was our bounden duty to tell you to go and hurry them for the water, but you simply maintained that you were busy and made us go instead, in order to afford you an opportunity of performing these wily tricks! and isn't this raising yourself up li by li? But don't we forsooth, even so much as come up to you? and you just take that looking-glass and see for yourself, whether you be fit to serve tea and to hand water or not?"
   "To-morrow," continued Pi Hea, "I'll tell them that whenever there's anything to do connected with his wanting tea, or asking for water, or with fetching things for him, not one of us should budge, and that _she_ alone should be allowed to go, and have done!"
   "If this be your suggestion," remarked Ch'iu Wen, "wouldn't it be still better that we should all disperse, and let her reign supreme in this room!"
   But while the two of them were up to this trouble, one saying one thing, and another, another, they caught sight of two old nurses walk in to deliver a message from lady Feng; who explained: "To-morrow, someone will bring in gardeners to plant trees, and she bids you keep under more rigorous restraint, and not sun your clothes and petticoats anywhere and everywhere; nor air them about heedlessly; that the artificial hill will, all along, be entirely shut in by screening curtains, and that you mustn't he running about at random."
   "I wonder," interposed Ch'iu Wen with alacrity, "who it is that will bring the workmen to-morrow, and supervise the works?"
   "Some one or other called Mr. Yuen, living at the back portico," the old woman observed.
   But Ch'iu Wen and Pi Hen were neither of them acquainted with him, and they went on promiscuously asking further questions on his account, but Hsiao Hung knew distinctly in her mind who it was, and was well aware that it was the person whom she had seen, the previous day, in the outer library.
   The surname of this Hsiao Hung had, in fact, been originally Lin, while her infant name had been Hung Yue; but as the word Yue improperly corresponded with the names of Pao-yue and Tai-yue, she was, in due course, simply called Hsiao Hung. She was indeed an hereditary servant of the mansion; and her father had latterly taken over the charge of all matters connected with the farms and farmhouses in every locality. This Hung-yue came, at the age of sixteen, into the mansion, to enter into service, and was attached to the Hung Yuan, where in point of fact she found both a quiet and pleasant home; and when contrary to all expectation, the young ladies as well as Pao-yue, were subsequently permitted to move their quarters into the garden of Broad Vista, it so happened that this place was, moreover, fixed upon by Pao-yue. This Hsiao Hung was, it is true, a girl without any experience, but as she could, to a certain degree, boast of a pretty face, and as, in her own heart, she recklessly fostered the idea of exalting herself to a higher standard, she was ever ready to thrust herself in Pao-yue's way, with a view to showing herself off. But attached to Pao-yue's personal service were a lot of servants, all of whom were glib and specious, so that how could she ever find an opportunity of thrusting herself forward? But contrary to her anticipations, there turned up, eventually on this day, some faint glimmer of hope, but as she again came in for a spell of spiteful abuse from Ch'iu Wen and her companion, her expectations were soon considerably frustrated, and she was just plunged in a melancholy mood, when suddenly she heard the old nurse begin the conversation about Chia Yuen, which unconsciously so affected her heart that she hastily returned, quite disconsolate, into her room, and lay herself down on her bed, giving herself quietly to reflection. But while she was racking and torturing her brain and at a moment when she was at a loss what decision to grasp, her ear unexpectedly caught, emanating from outside the window, a faint voice say: "Hsiao Hung, I've picked up your pocket handkerchief in here!" and as soon as Hsiao Hung heard these words, she walked out with hurried step and found that it was no one else than Chia Yuen in person; and as Hsiao Hung unwillingly felt her powdered face suffused with brushes: "Where did you pick it up, Mr. Secundus?" she asked.
   "Come over," Chia Yuen smiled, "and I'll tell you!" And as he uttered these words, he came up and drew her to him; but Hsiao Hung twisted herself round and ran away; but was however tripped over by the step of the door.
   Now, reader, do you want to know the sequel? If so the next chapter will explain.



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【选集】hóng lóu chūn mèng
huí  zhēn shì yǐn mèng huàn shí tōng líng  jiǎ cūn fēng chén huái guī xiù CHAPTER I. 'èr huí  jiǎ rén xiān shì yáng zhōu chéng  lěng xīng yǎn shuō róng guó CHAPTER II.
sān huí jiǎ cūn yín yuán jiù zhí  lín dài pāo jìn jīng CHAPTER III. huí mìng piān féng mìng láng  sēng luàn pàn 'àn CHAPTER IV.
huí yóu huàn jìng zhǐ shí 'èr chāi  yǐn xiān láo yǎn hóng lóu mèng CHAPTER V. liù huí jiǎ bǎo chū shì yún qíng  liú lǎo lǎo jìn róng guó CHAPTER VI.
huí sòng gōng huā jiǎ liǎn fèng  yàn níng bǎo huì qín zhōng CHAPTER VII. huí tōng líng jīn yīng wēi   tàn bǎo chāi dài bàn hán suān CHAPTER VIII.
jiǔ huí liàn fēng liú qíng yǒu jiā shú  xián wán tóng nào xué táng CHAPTER IX. shí huí  jīn guǎ tān quán shòu   zhāng tài lùn bìng qióng yuán CHAPTER X.
shí huí qìng shòu chén níng pái jiā yàn  jiàn fèng jiǎ ruì yín xīn CHAPTER XI. shí 'èr huí  wáng fèng shè xiāng   jiǎ tiān xiáng zhèng zhào fēng yuè jiàn CHAPTER XII.
shí sān huí  qín qīng fēng lóng jìn wèi  wáng fèng xié níng guó CHAPTER XIII. shí huí  lín hǎi juān guǎn yáng zhōu chéng  jiǎ bǎo běi jìng wáng CHAPTER XIV.
shí huí  wáng fèng jiě nòng quán tiě jiàn   qín jīng qīng mán tóu 'ān CHAPTER XV. shí liù huí  jiǎ yuán chūn cái xuǎn fèng zǎo gōng  qín jīng qīng yāo shì huáng quán CHAPTER XVI.
shí huí  guān yuán shì cái duì 'é  róng guó guī shěng qìng yuán xiāo CHAPTER XVII. shí huí  zhū lián miǎn zhōng qín  nuò xiāng guǎn cái yǒng CHAPTER XVIII.
shí jiǔ huí  qíng qiē qiē liáng xiāo huā jiě   mián mián jìng shēng xiāng CHAPTER XIX. 'èr shí huí  wáng fèng zhèng yán dàn   lín dài qiào xuè jiāo yīn CHAPTER XX.
'èr shí huí  xián rén jiāo chēn zhēn bǎo   qiào píng 'ér ruǎn jiù jiǎ liǎn CHAPTER XXI. 'èr shí 'èr huí  tīng wén bǎo chán   zhì dēng jiǎ zhèng bēi chèn CHAPTER XXII.
'èr shí sān huí  xiāng miào tōng   dān tíng yàn jǐng fāng xīn CHAPTER XXIII. 'èr shí huí  zuì jīn gāng qīng cái shàng xiá  chī 'ér xiāng CHAPTER XXIV.
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