中国经典 》 紅樓夢 A Dream of Red Mansions 》
第二十六回 蜂腰橋設言傳心事 瀟湘館春睏發幽情 CHAPTER XXVI.
曹雪芹 Cao Xueqin
高鶚 Gao E
CHAPTER XXVI.
話說寶玉養過了三十三天之後， 不但身體強壯，亦且連臉上瘡痕平服，仍回大觀園內去。這也不在話下。且說近日寶玉病的時節，賈蕓帶着傢下小廝坐更看守，晝夜在這裏，那紅玉同衆丫鬟也在這裏守着寶玉，彼此相見多日，都漸漸混熟了。那紅玉見賈蕓手裏拿的手帕子，倒象是自己從前掉的，待要問他，又不好問的。不料那和尚道士來過，用不着一切男人，賈蕓仍種樹去了。這件事待要放下，心內又放不下，待要問去，又怕人猜疑，正是猶豫不决神魂不定之際，忽聽窗外問道：“姐姐在屋裏沒有？"紅玉聞聽，在窗眼內望外一看，原來是本院的個小丫頭名叫佳蕙的，因答說：“在傢裏，你進來罷。”佳蕙聽了跑進來，就坐在床上，笑道：“我好造化！纔剛在院子裏洗東西，寶玉叫往林姑娘那裏送茶葉， 花大姐姐交給我送去。可巧老太太那裏給林姑娘送錢來，正分給他們的丫頭們呢。見我去了，林姑娘就抓了兩把給我，也不知多少。你替我收着。”便把手帕子打開，把錢倒了出來，紅玉替他一五一十的數了收起。
佳蕙道：“你這一程子心裏到底覺怎麽樣？依我說，你竟傢去住兩日，請一個大夫來瞧瞧，吃兩劑藥就好了。”紅玉道：“那裏的話，好好的，傢去作什麽！"佳蕙道：“我想起來了， 林姑娘生的弱，時常他吃藥，你就和他要些來吃，也是一樣。”紅玉道：“鬍說！藥也是混吃的。”佳蕙道：“你這也不是個長法兒，又懶吃懶喝的，終久怎麽樣？"紅玉道：“怕什麽，還不如早些兒死了倒幹淨！"佳蕙道：“好好的，怎麽說這些話？"紅玉道：“你那裏知道我心裏的事！”
佳蕙點頭想了一會， 道：“可也怨不得，這個地方難站。就象昨兒老太太因寶玉病了這些日子，說跟着伏侍的這些人都辛苦了，如今身上好了，各處還完了願，叫把跟着的人都按着等兒賞他們。我們算年紀小，上不去，我也不抱怨，象你怎麽也不算在裏頭？ 我心裏就不服。襲人那怕他得十分兒，也不惱他，原該的。說良心話，誰還敢比他呢？別說他素日殷勤小心， 便是不殷勤小心，也拼不得。可氣晴雯，綺霰他們這幾個，都算在上等裏去， 仗着老子娘的臉面，衆人倒捧着他去。你說可氣不可氣？"紅玉道：“也不犯着氣他們。 俗語說的好，‘千裏搭長棚，沒有個不散的筵席’，誰守誰一輩子呢？不過三年五載， 各人幹各人的去了。那時誰還管誰呢？"這兩句話不覺感動了佳蕙的心腸，由不得眼睛紅了， 又不好意思好端端的哭，衹得勉強笑道：“你這話說的卻是。昨兒寶玉還說，明兒怎麽樣收拾房子，怎麽樣做衣裳，倒象有幾百年的熬煎。”
紅玉聽了冷笑了兩聲， 方要說話，衹見一個未留頭的小丫頭子走進來，手裏拿着些花樣子並兩張紙， 說道：“這是兩個樣子貴以無為用，不能捨無以為體也。”③體指根本原則，用指具，叫你描出來呢。”說着嚮紅玉擲下，回身就跑了。紅玉嚮外問道：“倒是誰的？也等不得說完就跑，誰蒸下饅頭等着你，怕冷了不成！ "那小丫頭在窗外衹說得一聲：“是綺大姐姐的。”擡起腳來咕咚咕咚又跑了。紅玉便賭氣把那樣子擲在一邊， 嚮抽屜內找筆，找了半天都是禿了的，因說道：“前兒一枝新筆， 放在那裏了？怎麽一時想不起來。”一面說着，一面出神，想了一會方笑道：“是了，前兒晚上鶯兒拿了去了。”便嚮佳惠道：“你替我取了來。”佳惠道：“花大姐姐還等着我替他擡箱子呢， 你自己取去罷。”紅玉道：“他等着你，你還坐着閑打牙兒？我不叫你取去， 他也不等着你了。壞透了的小蹄子！"說着，自己便出房來，出了怡紅院，一徑往寶釵院內來。 剛至沁芳亭畔，衹見寶玉的奶娘李嬤嬤從那邊走來。紅玉立住笑問道：“李奶奶， 你老人傢那去了？怎打這裏來？"李嬤嬤站住將手一拍道：“你說說，好好的又看上了那個種樹的什麽雲哥兒雨哥兒的， 這會子逼着我叫了他來。明兒叫上房裏聽見，可又是不好。”紅玉笑道：“你老人傢當真的就依了他去叫了？"李嬤嬤道：“可怎麽樣呢？"紅玉笑道：“那一個要是知道好歹，就回不進來纔是。”李嬤嬤道：“他又不癡，為什麽不進來？ "紅玉道：“既是進來，你老人傢該同他一齊來，回來叫他一個人亂碰，可是不好呢。”李嬤嬤道：“我有那樣工夫和他走？不過告訴了他，回來打發個小丫頭子或是老婆子， 帶進他來就完了。”說着，拄着拐杖一徑去了。紅玉聽說，便站着出神，且不去取筆。
一時，衹見一個小丫頭子跑來，見紅玉站在那裏，便問道：“林姐姐，你在這裏作什麽呢？ "紅玉擡頭見是小丫頭子墜兒。紅玉道：“那去？"墜兒道：“叫我帶進蕓二爺來。”說着一徑跑了。這裏紅玉剛走至蜂腰橋門前，衹見那邊墜兒引着賈蕓來了。那賈蕓一面走，一面拿眼把紅玉一溜，那紅玉衹裝着和墜兒說話，也把眼去一溜賈蕓：四目恰相對時，紅玉不覺臉紅了，一扭身往蘅蕪苑去了。不在話下。
這裏賈蕓隨着墜兒，逶迤來至怡紅院中。墜兒先進去回明了，然後方領賈蕓進去。賈蕓看時，衹見院內略略有幾點山石，種着芭蕉，那邊有兩衹仙鶴在松樹下剔翎。一溜回廊上吊着各色籠子，各色仙禽異鳥。上面小小五間抱廈，一色雕鏤新鮮花樣隔扇，上面懸着一個匾額，四個大字，題道是"怡紅快緑"。賈蕓想道：“怪道叫‘怡紅院’，原來匾上是恁樣四個字。”正想着，衹聽裏面隔着紗窗子笑說道：“快進來罷。我怎麽就忘了你兩三個月！"賈蕓聽得是寶玉的聲音，連忙進入房內。擡頭一看，衹見金碧輝煌，文章М灼，卻看不見寶玉在那裏。一回頭，衹見左邊立着一架大穿衣鏡，從鏡後轉出兩個一般大的十五六歲的丫頭來說：“請二爺裏頭屋裏坐。”賈蕓連正眼也不敢看，連忙答應了。又進一道碧紗廚， 衹見小小一張填漆床上，懸着大紅銷金撒花帳子。寶玉穿着傢常衣服，и着鞋，倚在床上拿着本書，看見他進來，將書擲下，早堆着笑立起身來。賈蕓忙上前請了安。寶玉讓坐，便在下面一張椅子上坐了。寶玉笑道：“衹從那個月見了你，我叫你往書房裏來， 誰知接接連連許多事情，就把你忘了。”賈蕓笑道：“總是我沒福，偏偏又遇着叔叔身上欠安。叔叔如今可大安了？"寶玉道：“大好了。我倒聽見說你辛苦了好幾天。”賈蕓道：“辛苦也是該當的。叔叔大安了，也是我們一傢子的造化。”
說着， 衹見有個丫鬟端了茶來與他。那賈蕓口裏和寶玉說着話，眼睛卻溜瞅那丫鬟： 細挑身材，容長臉面，穿着銀紅襖兒思想路綫的基礎，是毛澤東思想初步形成的標志之一。，青緞背心，白綾細折裙。——不是別個，卻是襲人。那賈蕓自從寶玉病了幾天，他在裏頭混了兩日，他卻把那有名人口認記了一半。他也知道襲人在寶玉房中比別個不同， 今見他端了茶來，寶玉又在旁邊坐着，便忙站起來笑道：“姐姐怎麽替我倒起茶來。我來到叔叔這裏，又不是客，讓我自己倒罷。”寶玉道：“你衹管坐着罷。丫頭們跟前也是這樣。”賈蕓笑道：“雖如此說，叔叔房裏姐姐們，我怎麽敢放肆呢。”一面說，一面坐下吃茶。
那寶玉便和他說些沒要緊的散話。 又說道誰傢的戲子好，誰傢的花園好，又告訴他誰傢的丫頭標緻，誰傢的酒席豐盛，又是誰傢有奇貨，又是誰傢有異物。那賈蕓口裏衹得順着他說， 說了一會，見寶玉有些懶懶的了，便起身告辭。寶玉也不甚留，衹說：“你明兒閑了，衹管來。”仍命小丫頭子墜兒送他出去。
出了怡紅院，賈蕓見四顧無人，便把腳慢慢停着些走，口裏一長一短和墜兒說話，先問他"幾歲了？名字叫什麽？你父母在那一行上？在寶叔房內幾年了？一個月多少錢？共總寶叔房內有幾個女孩子？"那墜兒見問，便一樁樁的都告訴他了。賈蕓又道：“纔剛那個與你說話的，他可是叫小紅？"墜兒笑道：“他倒叫小紅。你問他作什麽？"賈蕓道：“方纔他問你什麽手帕子，我倒揀了一塊。”墜兒聽了笑道：“他問了我好幾遍，可有看見他的帕子。我有那麽大工夫管這些事！今兒他又問我，他說我替他找着了，他還謝我呢。 纔在蘅蕪苑門口說的，二爺也聽見了，不是我撒謊。好二爺，你既揀了，給我罷。我看他拿什麽謝我。”原來上月賈蕓進來種樹之時，便揀了一塊羅帕，便知是所在園內的人失落的， 但不知是那一個人的，故不敢造次。今聽見紅玉問墜兒，便知是紅玉的，心內不勝喜幸。又見墜兒追索，心中早得了主意，便嚮袖內將自己的一塊取了出來，嚮墜兒笑道：“我給是給你，你若得了他的謝禮，不許瞞着我。”墜兒滿口裏答應
了，接了手帕子，送出賈蕓，回來找紅玉，不在話下。
如今且說寶玉打發了賈蕓去後， 意思懶懶的歪在床上，似有朦朧之態。襲人便走上來， 坐在床沿上推他，說道：“怎麽又要睡覺？悶的很，你出去逛逛不是？"寶玉見說，便拉他的手笑道：“我要去，衹是捨不得你。”襲人笑道：“快起來罷！"一面說，一面拉了寶玉起來。 寶玉道：“可往那去呢？怪膩膩煩煩的。”襲人道：“你出去了就好了。衹管這麽葳蕤，越發心裏煩膩。”
寶玉無精打采的， 衹得依他。晃出了房門，在回廊上調弄了一回雀兒，出至院外，順着沁芳溪看了一回金魚。 衹見那邊山坡上兩衹小鹿箭也似的跑來，寶玉不解其意。正自納悶，衹見賈蘭在後面拿着一張小弓追了下來，一見寶玉在前面，便站住了，笑道：“二叔叔在傢裏呢，我衹當出門去了。”寶玉道：“你又淘氣了。好好的射他作什麽？"賈蘭笑道：“這會子不念書，閑着作什麽？所以演習演習騎射。”寶玉道：“把牙栽了，那時纔不演呢。”
說着， 順着腳一徑來至一個院門前，衹見鳳尾森森，竜吟細細。舉目望門上一看，衹見匾上寫着" 瀟湘館"三字。寶玉信步走入，衹見湘簾垂地，悄無人聲。走至窗前，覺得一縷幽香從碧紗窗中暗暗透出。 寶玉便將臉貼在紗窗上，往裏看時，耳內忽聽得細細的長嘆了一聲道：“‘每日傢情思睡昏昏。’"寶玉聽了，不覺心內癢將起來，再看時，衹見黛玉在床上伸懶腰。寶玉在窗外笑道：“為甚麽‘每日傢情思睡昏昏’？"一面說，一面掀簾子進來了。
林黛玉自覺忘情，不覺紅了臉，拿袖子遮了臉，翻身嚮裏裝睡着了。寶玉纔走上來要搬他的身子，衹見黛玉的奶娘並兩個婆子卻跟了進來說：“妹妹睡覺呢，等醒了再請來。 "剛說着，黛玉便翻身坐了起來，笑道：“誰睡覺呢。”那兩三個婆子見黛玉起來，便笑道：“我們衹當姑娘睡着了。”說着，便叫紫鵑說：“姑娘醒了，進來伺侯。”一面說，一面都去了。
黛玉坐在床上，一面擡手整理鬢發，一面笑嚮寶玉道：“人傢睡覺，你進來作什麽？" 寶玉見他星眼微餳，香腮帶赤，不覺神魂早蕩，一歪身坐在椅子上，笑道：“你纔說什麽？"黛玉道：“我沒說什麽。”寶玉笑道：“給你個榧子吃！我都聽見了。”
二人正說話，衹見紫鵑進來。寶玉笑道：“紫鵑，把你們的好茶倒碗我吃。”紫鵑道：“那裏是好的呢？要好的，衹是等襲人來。”黛玉道：“別理他，你先給我舀水去罷。”紫鵑笑道：“他是客，自然先倒了茶來再舀水去。”說着倒茶去了。寶玉笑道：“好丫頭，‘若共你多情小姐同鴛帳，怎捨得疊被鋪床？’"林黛玉登時撂下臉來，說道：“二哥哥，你說什麽？"寶玉笑道：“我何嘗說什麽。”黛玉便哭道：“如今新興的，外頭聽了村話來，也說給我聽，看了混帳書，也來拿我取笑兒。我成了爺們解悶的。”一面哭着，一面下床來往外就走。寶玉不知要怎樣，心下慌了，忙趕上來，"好妹妹，我一時該死，你別告訴去。我再要敢，嘴上就長個疔，爛了舌頭。”正說着，衹見襲人走來說道：“快回去穿衣服，老爺叫你呢。 "寶玉聽了，不覺打了個雷的一般，也顧不得別的，疾忙回來穿衣服。出園來，衹見焙茗在二門前等着，寶玉便問道：“你可知道叫我是為什麽？"焙茗道：“爺快出來罷，橫竪是見去的，到那裏就知道了。”一面說，一面催着寶玉。
轉過大廳， 寶玉心裏還自狐疑，衹聽墻角邊一陣呵呵大笑，回頭衹見薛蟠拍着手笑了出來，笑道：“要不說姨夫叫你，你那裏出來的這麽快。”焙茗也笑道：“爺別怪我。”忙跪下了。 寶玉怔了半天，方解過來了，是薛蟠哄他出來。薛蟠連忙打恭作揖陪不是，又求" 不要難為了小子，都是我逼他去的。”寶玉也無法了，衹好笑問道：“你哄我也罷了， 怎麽說我父親呢？我告訴姨娘去，評評這個理，可使得麽？"薛蟠忙道：“好兄弟，我原為求你快些出來，就忘了忌諱這句話。改日你也哄我，說我的父親就完了。”寶玉道：“ 噯，噯，越發該死了。”又嚮焙茗道：“反叛у的，還跪着作什麽！"焙茗連忙叩頭起來。薛蟠道：“要不是我也不敢驚動，衹因明兒五月初三日是我的生日，誰知古董行的程日興， 他不知那裏尋了來的這麽粗這麽長粉脆的鮮藕，這麽大的大西瓜，這麽長一尾新鮮的鱘魚， 這麽大的一個暹羅國進貢的靈柏香熏的暹豬。你說，他這四樣禮可難得不難得？ 那魚，豬不過貴而難得，這藕和瓜虧他怎麽種出來的。我連忙孝敬了母親，趕着給你們老太太， 姨父，姨母送了些去。如今留了些，我要自己吃，恐怕折福，左思右想，除我之外，惟有你還配吃，所以特請你來。可巧唱麯兒的小麽兒又纔來了，我同你樂一天何如？ "一面說，一面來至他書房裏。衹見詹光，程日興，鬍斯來，單聘仁等並唱麯兒的都在這裏， 見他進來，請安的，問好的，都彼此見過了。吃了茶，薛蟠即命人擺酒來。說猶未了，衆小廝七手八腳擺了半天，方纔停當歸坐。寶玉果見瓜藕新異，因笑道：“我的壽禮還未送來，倒先擾了。”薛蟠道：“可是呢，明兒你送我什麽？"寶玉道：“我可有什麽可送的？ 若論銀錢吃的穿的東西，究竟還不是我的，惟有我寫一張字，畫一張畫，纔算是我的。”
薛蟠笑道：“你提畫兒，我纔想起來。昨兒我看人傢一張春宮，畫的着實好。上面還有許多的字， 也沒細看，衹看落的款，是‘庚黃’畫的。真真的好的了不得！"寶玉聽說，心下猜疑道：“古今字畫也都見過些，那裏有個‘庚黃’？"想了半天，不覺笑將起來，命人取過筆來，在手心裏寫了兩個字，又問薛蟠道：“你看真了是‘庚黃’？"薛蟠道：“怎麽看不真！"寶玉將手一撒，與他看道：“別是這兩字罷？其實與‘庚黃’相去不遠。”衆人都看時， 原來是"唐寅"兩個字，都笑道：“想必是這兩字，大爺一時眼花了也未可知"。薛蟠衹覺沒意思， 笑道：“誰知他‘糖銀’‘果銀’的。”正說着，小廝來回"馮大爺來了"。寶玉便知是神武將軍馮唐之子馮紫英來了。 薛蟠等一齊都叫"快請"。說猶未了，衹見馮紫英一路說笑， 已進來了。衆人忙起席讓坐。馮紫英笑道：“好呀！也不出門了，在傢裏高樂罷。 "寶玉薛蟠都笑道：“一嚮少會，老世伯身上康健？"紫英答道：“傢父倒也托庇康健。 近來傢母偶着了些風寒，不好了兩天。”薛蟠見他面上有些青傷，便笑道：“這臉上又和誰揮拳的？挂了幌子了。”馮紫英笑道：“從那一遭把仇都尉的兒子打傷了，我就記了再不慪氣，如何又揮拳？這個臉上，是前日打圍，在鐵網山教兔鶻捎一翅膀。”寶玉道：“幾時的話？"紫英道：“三月二十八日去的，前兒也就回來了。”寶玉道：“怪道前兒初三四兒， 我在瀋世兄傢赴席不見你呢。我要問，不知怎麽就忘了。單你去了，還是老世伯也去了？"紫英道：“可不是傢父去，我沒法兒，去罷了。難道我閑瘋了，咱們幾個人吃酒聽唱的不樂，尋那個苦惱去？這一次，大不幸之中又大幸。”
薛蟠衆人見他吃完了茶， 都說道：“且入席，有話慢慢的說。”馮紫英聽說，便立起身來說道：論理，我該陪飲幾杯纔是，衹是今兒有一件大大要緊的事，回去還要見傢父面回，實不敢領。薛蟠寶玉衆人那裏肯依，死拉着不放。馮紫英笑道：“這又奇了。你我這些年， 那回兒有這個道理的？果然不能遵命。若必定叫我領，拿大杯來，我領兩杯就是了。”衆人聽說，衹得罷了，薛蟠執壺，寶玉把盞，斟了兩大海。那馮紫英站着，一氣而盡。 寶玉道：“你到底把這個‘不幸之幸’說完了再走。”馮紫英笑道：“今兒說的也不盡興。我為這個，還要特治一東，請你們去細談一談，二則還有所懇之處。”說着執手就走。薛蟠道：“越發說的人熱剌剌的丟不下。多早晚纔請我們，告訴了。也免的人猶疑。”馮紫英道：“多則十日，少則八天。”一面說，一面出門上馬去了。衆人回來，依席又飲了一回方散。
寶玉回至園中， 襲人正記挂着他去見賈政，不知是禍是福，衹見寶玉醉醺醺的回來， 問其原故，寶玉一一嚮他說了。襲人道：“人傢牽腸挂肚的等着，你且高樂去，也到底打發人來給個信兒。”寶玉道：“我何嘗不要送信兒，衹因馮世兄來了，就混忘了。”正說，衹見寶釵走進來笑道：“偏了我們新鮮東西了。”寶玉笑道：“姐姐傢的東西，自然先偏了我們了。”寶釵搖頭笑道：“昨兒哥哥倒特特的請我吃，我不吃，叫他留着請人送人罷。 我知道我的命小福薄，不配吃那個。”說着，丫鬟倒了茶來，吃茶說閑話兒，不在話下。
卻說那林黛玉聽見賈政叫了寶玉去了，一日不回來，心中也替他憂慮。至晚飯後，聞聽寶玉來了，心裏要找他問問是怎麽樣了。一步步行來，見寶釵進寶玉的院內去了，自己也便隨後走了來。剛到了沁芳橋，衹見各色水禽都在池中浴水，也認不出名色來，但見一個個文彩炫耀， 好看異常，因而站住看了一會。再往怡紅院來，衹見院門關着，黛玉便以手扣門。
誰知晴雯和碧痕正拌了嘴，沒好氣，忽見寶釵來了，那晴雯正把氣移在寶釵身上，正在院內抱怨說：“有事沒事跑了來坐着，叫我們三更半夜的不得睡覺！"忽聽又有人叫門，晴雯越發動了氣，也並不問是誰，便說道：“都睡下了，明兒再來罷！"林黛玉素知丫頭們的情性， 他們彼此頑耍慣了，恐怕院內的丫頭沒聽真是他的聲音，衹當是別的丫頭們來了，所以不開門，因而又高聲說道：“是我，還不開麽？"晴雯偏生還沒聽出來，便使性子說道：“憑你是誰，二爺吩咐的，一概不許放人進來呢！"林黛玉聽了，不覺氣怔在門外， 待要高聲問他，逗起氣來，自己又回思一番：“雖說是舅母傢如同自己傢一樣，到底是客邊。如今父母雙亡，無依無靠，現在他傢依棲。如今認真淘氣，也覺沒趣。”一面想， 一面又滾下淚珠來。正是回去不是，站着不是。正沒主意，衹聽裏面一陣笑語之聲，細聽一聽，竟是寶玉‘寶釵二人。林黛玉心中益發動了氣，左思右想，忽然想起了早起的事來：“必竟是寶玉惱我要告他的原故。但衹我何嘗告你了，你也打聽打聽，就惱我到這步田地。 你今兒不叫我進來，難道明兒就不見面了！"越想越傷感起來，也不顧蒼苔露冷，花徑風寒，獨立墻角邊花陰之下，悲悲戚戚嗚咽起來。原來這林黛玉秉絶代姿容，具希世俊美，不期這一哭，那附近柳枝花朵上的宿鳥棲鴉一聞此聲，俱忒楞楞飛起遠避，不忍再聽。真是：
花魂默默無情緒，鳥夢癡癡何處驚。因有一首詩道：
顰兒才貌世應希，獨抱幽芳出綉閨，
嗚咽一聲猶未了，落花滿地鳥驚飛。那林黛玉正自啼哭，忽聽"吱嘍"一聲，院門開處，不知是那一個出來。要知端的，且聽下回分解。
On the Feng Yao bridge, Hsiao Hung makes known sentimental matters in equivocal language. In the Hsiao Hsiang lodge, Tai-yue gives, while under the effects of the spring lassitude, expression to her secret feelings.
After thirty days' careful nursing, Pao-yue, we will now notice, not only got strong and hale in body, but the scars even on his face completely healed up; so he was able to shift his quarters again into the garden of Broad Vista.
But we will banish this topic as it does not deserve any additional explanations. Let us now turn our attention elsewhere. During the time that Pao-yue was of late laid up in bed, Chia Yuen along with the young pages of the household sat up on watch to keep an eye over him, and both day and night, they tarried on this side of the mansion. But Hsiao Hung as well as all the other waiting-maids remained in the same part to nurse Pao-yue, so (Chia Yuen) and she saw a good deal of each other on several occasions, and gradually an intimacy sprung up between them.
Hsiao Hung observed that Chia Yuen held in his hand a handkerchief very much like the one she herself had dropped some time ago and was bent upon asking him for it, but she did, on the other hand, not think she could do so with propriety. The unexpected visit of the bonze and Taoist priest rendered, however, superfluous the services of the various male attendants, and Chia-yuen had therefore to go again and oversee the men planting the trees. Now she had a mind to drop the whole question, but she could not reconcile herself to it; and now she longed to go and ask him about it, but fears rose in her mind lest people should entertain any suspicions as to the relations that existed between them. But just as she faltered, quite irresolute, and her heart was thoroughly unsettled, she unawares heard some one outside inquire: "Sister, are you in the room or not?"
Hsiao Hung, upon catching this question, looked out through a hole in the window; and perceiving at a glance that it was no one else than a young servant-girl, attached to the same court as herself, Chia Hui by name, she consequently said by way of reply: "Yes, I am; come in!"
When these words reached her ear, Chia Hui ran in, and taking at once a seat on the bed, she observed with a smile: "How lucky I've been! I was a little time back in the court washing a few things, when Pao-yue cried out that some tea should be sent over to Miss Lin, and sister Hua handed it to me to go on the errand. By a strange coincidence our old lady had presented some money to Miss Lin and she was engaged at the moment in distributing it among their servant-girls. As soon therefore as she saw me get there, Miss Lin forthwith grasped two handfuls of cash and gave them to me; how many there are I don't know, but do keep them for me!"
Speedily then opening her handkerchief, she emptied the cash. Hsiao Hung counted them for her by fives and tens at a time. She was beginning to put them away, when Chia Hui remarked: "How are you, after all, feeling of late in your mind? I'll tell you what; you should really go and stay at home for a couple of days. And were you to ask a doctor round and to have a few doses of medicine you'll get all right at once!"
"What are you talking about?" Hsiao Hung replied. "What shall I go home for, when there's neither rhyme nor reason for it!"
"Miss Lin, I remember, is naturally of a weak physique, and has constantly to take medicines," Chia Hui added, "so were you to ask her for some and bring them over and take them, it would come to the same thing."
"Nonsense!" rejoined Hsiao Hung, "are medicines also to be recklessly taken ?"
"You can't so on for ever like this," continued Chia Hui; "you're besides loth to eat and loth to drink, and what will you be like in the long run?"
"What's there to fear?" observed Hsiao Hung; "won't it anyhow be better to die a little earlier? It would be a riddance!"
"Why do you deliberately come out with all this talk?" Chia Hui demurred.
"How could you ever know anything of the secrets of my heart?" Hsiao Hung inquired.
Chia Hui nodded her head and gave way to reflection. "I don't think it strange on your part," she said after a time; "for it is really difficult to abide in this place! Yesterday, for instance, our dowager lady remarked that the servants in attendance had had, during all the days that Pao-yue was ill, a good deal to put up with, and that now that he has recovered, incense should be burnt everywhere, and the vows fulfilled; and she expressed a wish that those in his service should, one and all, be rewarded according to their grade. I and several others can be safely looked upon as young in years, and unworthy to presume so high; so I don't feel in any way aggrieved; but how is it that one like you couldn't be included in the number? My heart is much annoyed at it! Had there been any fear that Hsi Jen would have got ten times more, I could not even then have felt sore against her, for she really deserves it! I'll just tell you an honest truth; who else is there like her? Not to speak of the diligence and carefulness she has displayed all along, even had she not been so diligent and careful, she couldn't have been set aside! But what is provoking is that that lot, like Ch'ing Wen and Ch'i Hsia, should have been included in the upper class. Yet it's because every one places such reliance on the fine reputation of their father and mother that they exalt them. Now, do tell me, is this sufficient to anger one or not?"
"It won't do to be angry with them!" Hsiao Hung observed. "The proverb says: 'You may erect a shed a thousand _li_ long, but there is no entertainment from which the guests will not disperse!' And who is it that will tarry here for a whole lifetime? In another three years or five years every single one of us will have gone her own way; and who will, when that time comes, worry her mind about any one else?"
These allusions had the unexpected effect of touching Chia Hui to the heart; and in spite of herself the very balls of her eyes got red. But so uneasy did she feel at crying for no reason that she had to exert herself to force a smile. "What you say is true," she ventured. "And yet, Pao-yue even yesterday explained how the rooms should be arranged by and bye; and how the clothes should be made, just as if he was bound to hang on to dear life for several hundreds of years."
Hsiao Hung, at these words, gave a couple of sardonic smiles. But when about to pass some remark, she perceived a youthful servant-girl, who had not as yet let her hair grow, walk in, holding in her hands several patterns and two sheets of paper. "You are asked," she said, "to trace these two designs!"
As she spoke, she threw them at Hsiao Hung, and twisting herself round, she immediately scampered away.
"Whose are they, after all?" Hsiao Hung inquired, addressing herself outside. "Couldn't you wait even so much as to conclude what you had to say, but flew off at once? Who is steaming bread and waiting for you? Or are you afraid, forsooth, lest it should get cold?"
"They belong to sister Ch'i," the young servant-girl merely returned for answer from outside the window; and raising her feet high, she ran tramp-tramp on her way back again.
Hsiao Hung lost control over her temper, and snatching the designs, she flung them on one side. She then rummaged in a drawer for a pencil, but finding, after a prolonged search, that they were all blunt; "Where did I," she thereupon ejaculated, "put that brand-new pencil the other day? How is it I can't remember where it is?"
While she soliloquised, she became wrapt in thought. After some reflection she, at length, gave a smile. "Of course!" she exclaimed, "the other evening Ying Erh took it away." And turning towards Chia Hui, "Fetch it for me," she shouted.
"Sister Hua," Chia Hui rejoined, "is waiting for me to get a box for her, so you had better go for it yourself!"
"What!" remarked Hsiao Hung, "she's waiting for you, and are you still squatting here chatting leisurely? Hadn't it been that I asked you to go and fetch it, she too wouldn't have been waiting for you; you most perverse vixen!"
With these words on her lips, she herself walked out of the room, and leaving the I Hung court, she straightway proceeded in the direction of Pao-ch'ai's court. As soon, however, as she reached the Hsin Fang pavilion, she saw dame Li, Pao-yue's nurse, appear in view from the opposite side; so Hsiao Hung halted and putting on a smile, "Nurse Li," she asked, "where are you, old dame, bound for? How is it you're coming this way?"
Nurse Li stopped short, and clapped her hands. "Tell me," she said, "has he deliberately again gone and fallen in love with that Mr. something or other like Yun (cloud), or Yue (rain)? They now insist upon my bringing him inside, but if they get wind of it by and bye in the upper rooms, it won't again be a nice thing."
"Are you, old lady," replied Hsiao Hung smiling, "taking things in such real earnest that you readily believe them and want to go and ask him in here?"
"What can I do?" rejoined nurse Li.
"Why, that fellow," added Hsiao Hung laughingly, "will, if he has any idea of decency, do the right thing and not come."
"Besides, he's not a fool!" pleaded nurse Li; "so why shouldn't he come in?"
"Well, if he is to come," answered Hsiao Hung, "it will devolve upon you, worthy dame, to lead him along with you; for were you by and bye to let him penetrate inside all alone and knock recklessly about, why, it won't do at all."
"Have I got all that leisure," retorted nurse Li, "to trudge along with him? I'll simply tell him to come; and later on I can despatch a young servant-girl or some old woman to bring him in, and have done."
Saying this, she continued her way, leaning on her staff.
After listening to her rejoinder, Hsiao Hung stood still; and plunging in abstraction, she did not go and fetch the pencil. But presently, she caught sight of a servant-girl running that way. Espying Hsiao Hung lingering in that spot, "Sister Hung," she cried, "what are you doing in here?"
Hsiao Hung raised her head, and recognised a young waiting-maid called Chui Erh. "Where are you off too?" Hsiao Hung asked.
"I've been told to bring in master Secundus, Mr. Yuen," Chui Erh replied. After which answer, she there and then departed with all speed.
Hsiao Hung reached, meanwhile, the Feng Yao bridge. As soon as she approached the gateway, she perceived Chui Erh coming along with Chia Yuen from the opposite direction. While advancing Chia Yuen ogled Hsiao Hung; and Hsiao Hung too, though pretending to be addressing herself to Chui Erh, cast a glance at Chia Yuen; and their four eyes, as luck would have it, met. Hsiao Hung involuntarily blushed all over; and turning herself round, she walked off towards the Heng Wu court. But we will leave her there without further remarks.
During this time, Chia Yuen followed Chui Erh, by a circuitous way, into the I Hung court. Chui Erh entered first and made the necessary announcement. Then subsequently she ushered in Chia Yuen. When Chia Yuen scrutinised the surroundings, he perceived, here and there in the court, several blocks of rockery, among which were planted banana-trees. On the opposite side were two storks preening their feathers under the fir trees. Under the covered passage were suspended, in a row, cages of every description, containing all sorts of fairylike, rare birds. In the upper part were five diminutive anterooms, uniformly carved with, unique designs; and above the framework of the door was hung a tablet with the inscription in four huge characters--"I Hung K'uai Lue, the happy red and joyful green."
"I thought it strange," Chia Yuen argued mentally, "that it should be called the I Hung court; but are these, in fact, the four characters inscribed on the tablet!"
But while he was communing within himself, he heard some one laugh and then exclaim from the inner side of the gauze window: "Come in at once! How is it that I've forgotten you these two or three months?"
As soon as Chia Yuen recognised Pao-yue's voice, he entered the room with hurried step. On raising his head, his eye was attracted by the brilliant splendour emitted by gold and jade and by the dazzling lustre of the elegant arrangements. He failed, however, to detect where Pao-yue was ensconced. The moment he turned his head round, he espied, on the left side, a large cheval-glass; behind which appeared to view, standing side by side, two servant-girls of fifteen or sixteen years of age. "Master Secundus," they ventured, "please take a seat in the inner room."
Chia Yuen could not even muster courage to look at them straight in the face; but promptly assenting, he walked into a green gauze mosquito-house, where he saw a small lacquered bed, hung with curtains of a deep red colour, with clusters of flowers embroidered in gold. Pao-yue, wearing a house-dress and slipshod shoes, was reclining on the bed, a book in hand. The moment he perceived Chia Yuen walk in, he discarded his book, and forthwith smiled and raised himself up. Chia Yuen hurriedly pressed forward and paid his salutation. Pao-yue then offered him a seat; but he simply chose a chair in the lower part of the apartment.
"Ever since the moon in which I came across you," Pao-yue observed smilingly, "and told you to come into the library, I've had, who would have thought it, endless things to continuously attend to, so that I forgot all about you."
"It's I, indeed, who lacked good fortune!" rejoined Chia Yuen, with a laugh; "particularly so, as it again happened that you, uncle, fell ill. But are you quite right once more?"
"All right!" answered Pao-yue. "I heard that you've been put to much trouble and inconvenience on a good number of days!"
"Had I even had any trouble to bear," added Chia Yuen, "it would have been my duty to bear it. But your complete recovery, uncle, is really a blessing to our whole family."
As he spoke, he discerned a couple of servant-maids come to help him to a cup of tea. But while conversing with Pao-yue, Chia Yuen was intent upon scrutinising the girl with slim figure, and oval face, and clad in a silvery-red jacket, a blue satin waistcoat and a white silk petticoat with narrow pleats.
At the time of Pao-yue's illness, Chia Yuen had spent a couple of days in the inner apartments, so that he remembered half of the inmates of note, and the moment he set eyes upon this servant-girl he knew that it was Hsi Jen; and that she was in Pao-yue's rooms on a different standing to the rest. Now therefore that she brought the tea in herself and that Pao-yue was, besides, sitting by, he rose to his feet with alacrity and put on a smile. "Sister," he said, "how is it that you are pouring tea for me? I came here to pay uncle a visit; what's more I'm no stranger, so let me pour it with my own hands!"
"Just you sit down and finish!" Pao-yue interposed; "will you also behave in this fashion with servant-girls?"
"In spite of what you say;" remarked Chia Yuen smiling, "they are young ladies attached to your rooms, uncle, and how could I presume to be disorderly in my conduct?"
So saying, he took a seat and drank his tea. Pao-yue then talked to him about trivial and irrelevant matters; and afterwards went on to tell him in whose household the actresses were best, and whose gardens were pretty. He further mentioned to him in whose quarters the servant-girls were handsome, whose banquets were sumptuous, as well as in whose home were to be found strange things, and what family possessed remarkable objects. Chia Yuen was constrained to humour him in his conversation; but after a chat, which lasted for some time, he noticed that Pao-yue was somewhat listless, and he promptly stood up and took his leave. And Pao-yue too did not use much pressure to detain him. "To-morrow, if you have nothing to do, do come over!" he merely observed; after which, he again bade the young waiting-maid, Chui Erh, see him out.
Having left the I Hung court, Chia Yuen cast a glance all round; and, realising that there was no one about, he slackened his pace at once, and while proceeding leisurely, he conversed, in a friendly way, with Chui Erh on one thing and another. First and foremost he inquired of her what was her age; and her name. "Of what standing are your father and mother?" he said, "How many years have you been in uncle Pao's apartments? How much money do you get a month? In all how many girls are there in uncle Pao's rooms?"
As Chui Erh heard the questions set to her, she readily made suitable reply to each.
"The one, who was a while back talking to you," continued Chia Yuen, "is called Hsiao Hung, isn't she?"
"Yes, her name is Hsiao Hung!" replied Chui Erh smiling; "but why do you ask about her?"
"She inquired of you just now about some handkerchief or other," answered Chia Yuen; "well, I've picked one up."
Chui Erh greeted this response with a smile. "Many are the times," she said; "that she has asked me whether I had seen her handkerchief; but have I got all that leisure to worry my mind about such things? She spoke to me about it again to-day; and she suggested that I should find it for her, and that she would also recompense me. This she told me when we were just now at the entrance of the Heng Wu court, and you too, Mr. Secundus, overheard her, so that I'm not lying. But, dear Mr. Secundus, since you've picked it up, give it to me. Do! And I'll see what she will give me as a reward."
The truth is that Chia Yuen had, the previous moon when he had come into the garden to attend to the planting of trees, picked up a handkerchief, which he conjectured must have been dropped by some inmate of those grounds; but as he was not aware whose it was, he did not consequently presume to act with indiscretion. But on this occasion, he overheard Hsiao Hung make inquiries of Chui Erh on the subject; and concluding that it must belong to her, he felt immeasurably delighted. Seeing, besides, how importunate Chui Erh was, he at once devised a plan within himself, and vehemently producing from his sleeve a handkerchief of his own, he observed, as he turned towards Chui Erh with a smile: "As for giving it to you, I'll do so; but in the event of your obtaining any present from her, you mustn't impose upon me."
Chui Erh assented to his proposal most profusely; and, taking the handkerchief, she saw Chia Yuen out and then came back in search of Hsiao Hung. But we will leave her there for the present.
We will now return to Pao-yue. After dismissing Chia Yuen, he lay in such complete listlessness on the bed that he betrayed every sign of being half asleep. Hsi Jen walked up to him, and seated herself on the edge of the bed, and pushing him, "What are you about to go to sleep again," she said. "Would it not do your languid spirits good if you went out for a bit of a stroll?"
Upon hearing her voice, Pao-yue grasped her hand in his. "I would like to go out," he smiled, "but I can't reconcile myself to the separation from you!"
"Get up at once!" laughed Hsi Jen. And as she uttered these words, she pulled Pao-yue up.
"Where can I go?" exclaimed Pao-yue. "I'm quite surfeited with everything."
"Once out you'll be all right," Hsi Jen answered, "but if you simply give way to this languor, you'll be more than ever sick of everything at heart."
Pao-yue could not do otherwise, dull and out of sorts though he was, than accede to her importunities. Strolling leisurely out of the door of the room, he amused himself a little with the birds suspended under the verandah; then he wended his steps outside the court, and followed the course of the Hsin Fang stream; but after admiring the golden fish for a time, he espied, on the opposite hillock, two young deer come rushing down as swift as an arrow. What they were up to Pao-yue could not discern; but while abandoning himself to melancholy, he caught sight of Chia Lan, following behind, with a small bow in his hand, and hurrying down hill in pursuit of them.
As soon as he realised that Pao-yue stood ahead of him, he speedily halted. "Uncle Secundus," he smiled, "are you at home? I imagined you had gone out of doors!"
"You are up to mischief again, eh?" Pao-yue rejoined. "They've done nothing to you, and why shoot at them with your arrows?"
"I had no studies to attend to just now, so, being free with nothing to do," Chia Lan replied laughingly, "I was practising riding and archery."
"Shut up!" exclaimed Pao-yue. "When are you not engaged in practising?"
Saying this, he continued his way and straightway reached the entrance of a court. Here the bamboo foliage was thick, and the breeze sighed gently. This was the Hsiao Hsiang lodge. Pao-yue listlessly rambled in. He saw a bamboo portiere hanging down to the ground. Stillness prevailed. Not a human voice fell on the ear. He advanced as far as the window. Noticing that a whiff of subtle scent stole softly through the green gauze casement, Pao-yue applied his face closely against the frame to peep in, but suddenly he caught the faint sound of a deep sigh and the words: "Day after day my feelings slumber drowsily!" Upon overhearing this exclamation, Pao-yue unconsciously began to feel a prey to inward longings; but casting a second glance, he saw Tai-yue stretching herself on the bed.
"Why is it," smiled Pao-yue, from outside the window, "that your feelings day after day slumber drowsily?" So saying, he raised the portiere and stepped in.
The consciousness that she had not been reticent about her feelings made Tai-yue unwittingly flush scarlet. Taking hold of her sleeve, she screened her face; and, turning her body round towards the inside, she pretended to be fast asleep. Pao-yue drew near her. He was about to pull her round when he saw Tai-yue's nurse enter the apartment, followed by two matrons.
"Is Miss asleep?" they said. "If so, we'll ask her over, when she wakes up."
As these words were being spoken, Tai-yue eagerly twisted herself round and sat up. "Who's asleep?" she laughed.
"We thought you were fast asleep, Miss," smiled the two or three matrons as soon as they perceived Tai-yue get up. This greeting over, they called Tzu Chuean. "Your young mistress," they said, "has awoke; come in and wait on her!"
While calling her, they quitted the room in a body. Tai-yue remained seated on the bed. Raising her arms, she adjusted her hair, and smilingly she observed to Pao-yue, "When people are asleep, what do you walk in for?"
At the sight of her half-closed starlike eyes and of her fragrant cheeks, suffused with a crimson blush, Pao-yue's feelings were of a sudden awakened; so, bending his body, he took a seat on a chair, and asked with a smile: "What were you saying a short while back?"
"I wasn't saying anything," Tai-yue replied.
"What a lie you're trying to ram down my throat!" laughed Pao-yue. "I heard all."
But in the middle of their colloquy, they saw Tzu Chuean enter. Pao-yue then put on a smiling face. "Tzu Chuean!" he cried, "pour me a cup of your good tea!"
"Where's the good tea to be had?" Tzu Chuean answered. "If you want good tea, you'd better wait till Hsi Jen comes."
"Don't heed him!" interposed Tai-yue. "Just go first and draw me some water."
"He's a visitor," remonstrated Tzu Chuean, "and, of course, I should first pour him a cup of tea, and then go and draw the water."
With this answer, she started to serve the tea.
"My dear girl," Pao-yue exclaimed laughingly, "If I could only share the same bridal curtain with your lovable young mistress, would I ever be able (to treat you as a servant) by making you fold the covers and make the beds."
Lin Tai-yue at once drooped her head. "What are you saying?" she remonstrated.
"What, did I say anything?" smiled Pao-yue.
Tai-yue burst into tears. "You've recently," she observed, "got into a new way. Whatever slang you happen to hear outside you come and tell me. And whenever you read any improper book, you poke your fun at me. What! have I become a laughing-stock for gentlemen!"
As she began to cry, she jumped down from bed, and promptly left the room. Pao-yue was at a loss how to act. So agitated was he that he hastily ran up to her, "My dear cousin," he pleaded, "I do deserve death; but don't go and tell any one! If again I venture to utter such kind of language, may blisters grow on my mouth and may my tongue waste away!"
But while appealing to her feelings, he saw Hsi Jen approach him. "Go back at once," she cried, "and put on your clothes as master wants to see you."
At the very mention of his father, Pao-yue felt suddenly as if struck by lightning. Regardless of everything and anything, he rushed, as fast as possible, back to his room, and changing his clothes, he came out into the garden. Here he discovered Pei Ming, standing at the second gateway, waiting for him.
"Do you perchance know what he wants me for?" Pao-yue inquired.
"Master, hurry out at once!" Pei Ming replied. "You must, of course, go and see him. When you get there, you are sure to find out what it's all about."
This said, he urged Pao-yue on, and together they turned past the large pavilion. Pao-yue was, however, still labouring under suspicion, when he heard, from the corner of the wall, a loud outburst of laughter. Upon turning his head round, he caught sight of Hsueeh P'an jump out, clapping his hands. "Hadn't I said that my uncle wanted you?" he laughed. "Would you ever have rushed out with such alacrity?"
Pei Ming also laughed, and fell on his knees. But Pao-yue remained for a long time under the spell of utter astonishment, before he, at length, realised that it was Hsueeh P'au who had inveigled him to come out.
Hsueeh P'an hastily made a salutation and a curtsey, and confessed his fault. He next gave way to entreaties, saying: "Don't punish the young servant, for it is simply I who begged him go."
Pao-yue too had then no other alternative but to smile. "I don't mind your playing your larks on me; but why," he inquired, "did you mention my father? Were I to go and tell my aunt, your mother, to see to the rights and the wrongs of the case, how would you like it?"
"My dear cousin," remarked Hsueeh P'an vehemently, "the primary idea I had in view was to ask you to come out a moment sooner and I forgot to respectfully shun the expression. But by and bye, when you wish to chaff me, just you likewise allude to my father, and we'll thus be square."
"Ai-ya!" exclaimed Pao-yue. "You do more than ever deserve death!!" Then turning again towards Pei Ming, "You ruffian!" he said, "what are you still kneeling for?"
Pei Ming began to bump his head on the ground with vehemence.
"Had it been for anything else," Hsueeh P'an chimed in, "I wouldn't have made bold to disturb you; but it's simply in connection with my birthday which is to-morrow, the third day of the fifth moon. Ch'eng Jih-hsing, who is in that curio shop of ours, unexpectedly brought along, goodness knows where he fished them from, fresh lotus so thick and so long, so mealy and so crisp; melons of this size; and a Siamese porpoise, that long and that big, smoked with cedar, such as is sent as tribute from the kingdom of Siam. Are not these four presents, pray, rare delicacies? The porpoise is not only expensive, but difficult to get, and that kind of lotus and melon must have cost him no end of trouble to grow! I lost no time in presenting some to my mother, and at once sent some to your old grandmother, and my aunt. But a good many of them still remain now; and were I to eat them all alone, it would, I fear, be more than I deserve; so I concluded, after thinking right and left, that there was, besides myself, only you good enough to partake of some. That is why I specially invite you to taste them. But, as luck would have it, a young singing-boy has also come, so what do you say to you and I having a jolly day of it?"
As they talked, they walked; and, as they walked, they reached the interior of the library. Here they discovered a whole assemblage consisting of Tan Kuang, Ch'eng Jih-hsing, Hu Ch'i-lai, Tan T'ing-jen and others, and the singing-boy as well. As soon as these saw Pao-yue walk in, some paid their respects to him; others inquired how he was; and after the interchange of salutations, tea was drunk. Hsueeh P'an then gave orders to serve the wine. Scarcely were the words out of his mouth than the servant-lads bustled and fussed for a long while laying the table. When at last the necessary arrangements had been completed, the company took their seats.
Pao-yue verily found the melons and lotus of an exceptional description. "My birthday presents have not as yet been sent round," he felt impelled to say, a smile on his lips, "and here I come, ahead of them, to trespass on your hospitality."
"Just so!" retorted Hsueeh P'an, "but when you come to-morrow to congratulate me we'll consider what novel kind of present you can give me."
"I've got nothing that I can give you," rejoined Pao-yue. "As far as money, clothes, eatables and other such articles go, they are not really mine: all I can call my own are such pages of characters that I may write, or pictures that I may draw."
"Your reference to pictures," added Hsueeh P'an smiling, "reminds me of a book I saw yesterday, containing immodest drawings; they were, truly, beautifully done. On the front page there figured also a whole lot of characters. But I didn't carefully look at them; I simply noticed the name of the person, who had executed them. It was, in fact, something or other like Keng Huang. The pictures were, actually, exceedingly good!"
This allusion made Pao-yue exercise his mind with innumerable conjectures.
"Of pictures drawn from past years to the present, I have," he said, "seen a good many, but I've never come across any Keng Huang."
After considerable thought, he could not repress himself from bursting out laughing. Then asking a servant to fetch him a pencil, he wrote a couple of words on the palm of his hand. This done, he went on to inquire of Hsueeh. P'an: "Did you see correctly that it read Keng Huang?"
"How could I not have seen correctly?" ejaculated Hsueeh P'an.
Pao-yue thereupon unclenched his hand and allowed him to peruse, what was written in it. "Were they possibly these two characters?" he remarked. "These are, in point of fact, not very dissimilar from what Keng Huang look like?"
On scrutinising them, the company noticed the two words T'ang Yin, and they all laughed. "They must, we fancy, have been these two characters!" they cried. "Your eyes, Sir, may, there's no saying, have suddenly grown dim!"
Hsueeh P'an felt utterly abashed. "Who could have said," he smiled, "whether they were T'ang Yin or Kuo Yin, (candied silver or fruit silver)."
As he cracked this joke, however, a young page came and announced that Mr. Feng had arrived. Pao-yue concluded that the new comer must be Feng Tzu-ying, the son of Feng T'ang, general with the prefix of Shen Wu."
"Ask him in at once," Hsueeh P'an and his companions shouted with one voice.
But barely were these words out of their mouths, than they realised that Feng Tzu-ying had already stepped in, talking and laughing as he approached.
The company speedily rose from table and offered him a seat.
"That's right!" smiled Feng Tzu-ying. "You don't go out of doors, but remain at home and go in for high fun!"
Both Pao-yue and Hsueeh P'an put on a smile. "We haven't," they remarked, "seen you for ever so long. Is your venerable father strong and hale?"
"My father," rejoined Tzu-ying, "is, thanks to you, strong and hale; but my mother recently contracted a sudden chill and has been unwell for a couple of days."
Hsueeh P'an discerned on his face a slight bluish wound. "With whom have you again been boxing," he laughingly inquired, "that you've hung up this sign board?"
"Since the occasion," laughed Feng Tzu-ying, "on which I wounded lieutenant-colonel Ch'ou's son, I've borne the lesson in mind, and never lost my temper. So how is it you say that I've again been boxing? This thing on my face was caused, when I was out shooting the other day on the T'ieh Wang hills, by a flap from the wing of the falcon."
"When was that?" asked Pao-yue.
"I started," explained Tzu-ying, "on the 28th of the third moon and came back only the day before yesterday."
"It isn't to be wondered at then," observed Pao-yue, "that when I went the other day, on the third and fourth, to a banquet at friend Shen's house, I didn't see you there. Yet I meant to have inquired about you; but I don't know how it slipped from my memory. Did you go alone, or did your venerable father accompany you?"
"Of course, my father went," Tzu-ying replied, "so I had no help but to go. For is it likely, forsooth, that I've gone mad from lack of anything to do! Don't we, a goodly number as we are, derive enough pleasure from our wine-bouts and plays that I should go in quest of such kind of fatiguing recreation! But in this instance a great piece of good fortune turned up in evil fortune!"
Hsueeh P'an and his companions noticed that he had finished his tea. "Come along," they one and all proposed, "and join the banquet; you can then quietly recount to us all your experiences."
At this suggestion Feng Tzu-ying there and then rose to his feet. "According to etiquette," he said. "I should join you in drinking a few cups; but to-day I have still a very urgent matter to see my father about on my return so that I truly cannot accept your invitation."
Hsueeh P'an, Pao-yue and the other young fellows would on no account listen to his excuses. They pulled him vigorously about and would not let him go.
"This is, indeed, strange!" laughed Feng Tzu-ying. "When have you and I had, during all these years, to have recourse to such proceedings! I really am unable to comply with your wishes. But if you do insist upon making me have a drink, well, then bring a large cup and I'll take two cups full and finish."
After this rejoinder, the party could not but give in. Hsueeh P'an took hold of the kettle, while Pao-yue grasped the cup, and they poured two large cups full. Feng Tzu-ying stood up and quaffed them with one draught.
"But do, after all," urged Pao-yue, "finish this thing about a piece of good fortune in the midst of misfortune before you go."
"To tell you this to-day," smiled Feng Tzu-ying, "will be no great fun. But for this purpose I intend standing a special entertainment, and inviting you all to come and have a long chat; and, in the second place, I've also got a favour to ask of you."
Saying this, he pushed his way and was going off at once, when Hsueeh P'an interposed. "What you've said," he observed, "has put us more than ever on pins and needles. We cannot brook any delay. Who knows when you will ask us round; so better tell us, and thus avoid keeping people in suspense!"
"The latest," rejoined Feng Tzu-ying, "in ten days; the earliest in eight." With this answer he went out of the door, mounted his horse, and took his departure.
The party resumed their seats at table. They had another bout, and then eventually dispersed.
Pao-yue returned into the garden in time to find Hsi Jen thinking with solicitude that he had gone to see Chia Cheng and wondering whether it foreboded good or evil. As soon as she perceived Pao-yue come back in a drunken state, she felt urged to inquire the reason of it all. Pao-yue told her one by one the particulars of what happened.
"People," added Hsi Jen, "wait for you with lacerated heart and anxious mind, and there you go and make merry; yet you could very well, after all, have sent some one with a message."
"Didn't I purpose sending a message?" exclaimed Pao-yue. "Of course, I did! But I failed to do so, as on the arrival of friend Feng, I got so mixed up that the intention vanished entirely from my mind."
While excusing himself, he saw Pao-ch'ai enter the apartment. "Have you tasted any of our new things?" she asked, a smile curling her lips.
"Cousin," laughed Pao-yue, "you must have certainly tasted what you've got in your house long before us."
Pao-ch'ai shook her head and smiled. "Yesterday," she said, "my brother did actually make it a point to ask me to have some; but I had none; I told him to keep them and send them to others, so confident am I that with my mean lot and scanty blessings I little deserve to touch such dainties."
As she spoke, a servant-girl poured her a cup of tea and brought it to her. While she sipped it, she carried on a conversation on irrelevant matters; which we need not notice, but turn our attention to Lin Tai-yue.
The instant she heard that Chia Cheng had sent for Pao-yue, and that he had not come back during the whole day, she felt very distressed on his account. After supper, the news of Pao-yue's return reached her, and she keenly longed to see him and ask him what was up. Step by step she trudged along, when espying Pao-ch'ai going into Pao-yue's garden, she herself followed close in her track. But on their arrival at the Hsin Fang bridge, she caught sight of the various kinds of water-fowl, bathing together in the pond, and although unable to discriminate the numerous species, her gaze became so transfixed by their respective variegated and bright plumage and by their exceptional beauty, that she halted. And it was after she had spent some considerable time in admiring them that she repaired at last to the I Hung court. The gate was already closed. Tai-yue, however, lost no time in knocking. But Ch'ing Wen and Pi Hen had, who would have thought it, been having a tiff, and were in a captious mood, so upon unawares seeing Pao-ch'ai step on the scene, Ch'ing Wen at once visited her resentment upon Pao-ch'ai. She was just standing in the court giving vent to her wrongs, shouting: "You're always running over and seating yourself here, whether you've got good reason for doing so or not; and there's no sleep for us at the third watch, the middle of the night though it be," when, all of a sudden, she heard some one else calling at the door. Ch'ing Wen was the more moved to anger. Without even asking who it was, she rapidly bawled out: "They've all gone to sleep; you'd better come to-morrow."
Lin Tai-yue was well aware of the natural peculiarities of the waiting-maids, and of their habit of playing practical jokes upon each other, so fearing that the girl in the inner room had failed to recognise her voice, and had refused to open under the misconception that it was some other servant-girl, she gave a second shout in a higher pitch. "It's I!" she cried, "don't you yet open the gate?"
Ch'ing Wen, as it happened, did not still distinguish her voice; and in an irritable strain, she rejoined: "It's no matter who you may be; Mr. Secundus has given orders that no one at all should be allowed to come in."
As these words reached Lin Tai-yue's ear, she unwittingly was overcome with indignation at being left standing outside. But when on the point of raising her voice to ask her one or two things, and to start a quarrel with her; "albeit," she again argued mentally, "I can call this my aunt's house, and it should be just as if it were my own, it's, after all, a strange place, and now that my father and mother are both dead, and that I am left with no one to rely upon, I have for the present to depend upon her family for a home. Were I now therefore to give way to a regular fit of anger with her, I'll really get no good out of it."
While indulging in reflection, tears trickled from her eyes. But just as she was feeling unable to retrace her steps, and unable to remain standing any longer, and quite at a loss what to do, she overheard the sound of jocular language inside, and listening carefully, she discovered that it was, indeed, Pao-yue and Pao-ch'ai. Lin Tai-yue waxed more wroth. After much thought and cogitation, the incidents of the morning flashed unawares through her memory. "It must, in fact," she mused, "be because Pao-yue is angry with me for having explained to him the true reasons. But why did I ever go and tell you? You should, however, have made inquiries before you lost your temper to such an extent with me as to refuse to let me in to-day; but is it likely that we shall not by and bye meet face to face again?"
The more she gave way to thought, the more she felt wounded and agitated; and without heeding the moss, laden with cold dew, the path covered with vegetation, and the chilly blasts of wind, she lingered all alone, under the shadow of the bushes at the corner of the wall, so thoroughly sad and dejected that she broke forth into sobs.
Lin Tai-yue was, indeed, endowed with exceptional beauty and with charms rarely met with in the world. As soon therefore as she suddenly melted into tears, and the birds and rooks roosting on the neighbouring willow boughs and branches of shrubs caught the sound of her plaintive tones, they one and all fell into a most terrific flutter, and, taking to their wings, they flew away to distant recesses, so little were they able to listen with equanimity to such accents. But the spirits of the flowers were, at the time, silent and devoid of feeling, the birds were plunged in dreams and in a state of stupor, so why did they start? A stanza appositely assigns the reason:--
P'in Erh's mental talents and looks must in the world be rare--. Alone, clasped in a subtle smell, she quits her maiden room. The sound of but one single sob scarcely dies away, And drooping flowers cover the ground and birds fly in dismay.
Lin Tai-yue was sobbing in her solitude, when a creaking noise struck her ear and the door of the court was flung open. Who came out, is not yet ascertained; but, reader, should you wish to know, the next chapter will explain.
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