中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions 》
dì 'èr shí liù huí fēng yāo qiáo shè yán chuán xīn shì xiāo xiāng guǎn chūn kùn fā yōu qíng CHAPTER XXVI.
cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin
gāo 'ě Gao E
CHAPTER XXVI.
huà shuō bǎo yù yǎng guò liǎo sān shí sān tiān zhī hòu， bù dàn shēn tǐ qiáng zhuàng， yì qiě lián liǎn shàng chuāng hén píng fú， réng huí dà guān yuán nèi qù。 zhè yě bù zài huà xià。 qiě shuō jìn rì bǎo yù bìng de shí jié， jiǎ yún dài zhe jiā xià xiǎo sī zuò gèng kānshǒu， zhòu yè zài zhè lǐ， nà hóng yù tóng zhòng yā huán yě zài zhè lǐ shǒu zhe bǎo yù， bǐ cǐ xiāng jiàn duō rì， dū jiàn jiàn hùn shú liǎo。 nà hóng yù jiàn jiǎ yún shǒu lǐ ná de shǒu pà zǐ， dǎo xiàng shì zì jǐ cóng qián diào de， dài yào wèn tā， yòu bù hǎo wèn de。 bù liào nà hé shàng dào shì lái guò， yòng bù zhe yī qiē nán rén， jiǎ yún réng zhǒng shù qù liǎo。 zhè jiàn shì dài yào fàng xià， xīn nèi yòu fàng bù xià， dài yào wèn qù， yòu pà rén cāi yí， zhèng shì yóu yù bù jué shén hún bù dìng zhī jì， hū tīng chuāng wài wèn dào： “ jiě jiě zài wū lǐ méi yòu？ " hóng yù wén tīng， zài chuāng yǎn nèi wàng wài yī kàn， yuán lái shì běn yuàn de gè xiǎo yā tóu míng jiào jiā huì de， yīn dá shuō：“ zài jiā lǐ， nǐ jìn lái bà。 ” jiā huì tīng liǎo páo jìn lái， jiù zuò zài chuáng shàng， xiào dào：“ wǒ hǎo zào huà！ cái gāng zài yuàn zǐ lǐ xǐ dōng xī， bǎo yù jiào wǎng lín gū niàn nà lǐ sòng chá yè， huā dà jiě jiě jiāo gěi wǒ sòng qù。 kě qiǎo lǎo tài tài nà lǐ gěi lín gū niàn sòng qián lái， zhèng fēn gěi tā men de yā tóu men ní。 jiàn wǒ qù liǎo， lín gū niàn jiù zhuā liǎo liǎng bǎ gěi wǒ， yě bù zhī duō shǎo。 nǐ tì wǒ shōu zhe。” biàn bǎ shǒu pà zǐ dǎ kāi， bǎ qián dǎo liǎo chū lái， hóng yù tì tā yī wǔ yī shí de shù liǎo shōu qǐ。
jiā huì dào：“ nǐ zhè yī chéng zǐ xīn lǐ dào dǐ jué zěn me yàng？ yǐ wǒ shuō， nǐ jìng jiā qù zhù liǎng rì， qǐng yī gè dà fū lái qiáo qiáo， chī liǎng jì yào jiù hǎo liǎo。” hóng yù dào：“ nà lǐ de huà， hǎohǎo de， jiā qù zuò shénme！ " jiā huì dào：“ wǒ xiǎng qǐ lái liǎo， lín gū niàn shēng de ruò， shí cháng tā chī yào， nǐ jiù hé tā yào xiē lái chī， yě shì yī yàng。” hóng yù dào：“ hú shuō！ yào yě shì hùn chī de。” jiā huì dào：“ nǐ zhè yě bù shì gè cháng fǎ 'ér， yòu lǎn chī lǎn hē de， zhōng jiǔ zěn me yàng？ " hóng yù dào：“ pà shénme， hái bù rú zǎo xiē 'ér sǐ liǎo dǎo gān jìng！ " jiā huì dào：“ hǎohǎo de， zěn me shuō zhè xiē huà？ " hóng yù dào：“ nǐ nà lǐ zhī dào wǒ xīn lǐ de shì！”
jiā huì diǎn tóu xiǎng liǎo yī huì， dào：“ kě yě yuàn bù dé， zhè gè dì fāng nán zhàn。 jiù xiàng zuó 'ér lǎo tài tài yīn bǎo yù bìng liǎo zhè xiē rì zǐ， shuō gēn zhe fú shì de zhè xiē réndōu xīn kǔ liǎo， rú jīn shēn shàng hǎo liǎo， gè chù hái wán liǎo yuàn， jiào bǎ gēn zhe de réndōu 'àn zhe děng 'ér shǎng tā men。 wǒ men suàn nián jì xiǎo， shàng bù qù， wǒ yě bù bào yuàn， xiàng nǐ zěn me yě bù suàn zài lǐ tóu？ wǒ xīn lǐ jiù bù fú。 xí rén nà pà tā dé shí fēn 'ér， yě bù nǎo tā， yuán gāi de。 shuō liáng xīn huà， shuí hái gǎn bǐ tā ní？ bié shuō tā sù rì yīn qín xiǎo xīn， biàn shì bù yīn qín xiǎo xīn， yě pīn bù dé。 kě qì qíng wén， qǐ xiàn tā men zhè jǐ gè， dū suàn zài shàng děng lǐ qù， zhàng zhe lǎo zǐ niàn de liǎn miàn， zhòng rén dǎo pěng zhe tā qù。 nǐ shuō kě qì bù kě qì？ " hóng yù dào：“ yě bù fàn zhe qì tā men。 sú yǔ shuō de hǎo， ‘ qiān lǐ dā cháng péng， méi yòu gè bù sàn de yán xí ’， shuí shǒu shuí yī bèi zǐ ní？ bù guò sān nián wǔzǎi， gè rén gān gè rén de qù liǎo。 nà shí shuí hái guǎn shuí ní？ " zhè liǎng jù huà bù jué gǎn dòng liǎo jiā huì de xīn cháng， yóu bù dé yǎn jīng hóng liǎo， yòu bù hǎo yì sī hǎo duān duān de kū， zhǐ dé miǎnqiǎng xiào dào：“ nǐ zhè huà shuō de què shì。 zuó 'ér bǎo yù hái shuō， míng 'ér zěn me yàng shōu shí fáng zǐ， zěn me yàng zuò yī cháng， dǎo xiàng yòu jǐ bǎi nián de 'áo jiān。”
hóng yù tīng liǎo lěng xiào liǎo liǎng shēng， fāng yào shuō huà， zhǐ jiàn yī gè wèi liú tóu de xiǎo yā tóu zǐ zǒu jìn lái， shǒu lǐ ná zhe xiē huā yàng zǐ bìng liǎng zhāng zhǐ， shuō dào：“ zhè shì liǎng gè yàng zǐ guì yǐ wú wéi yòng， bù néng shè wú yǐ wéi tǐ yě。” ③ tǐ zhǐ gēn běn yuán zé， yòng zhǐ jù， jiào nǐ miáo chū lái ní。” shuō zhe xiàng hóng yù zhì xià， huí shēn jiù páo liǎo。 hóng yù xiàng wài wèn dào：“ dǎo shì shuí de？ yě děng bù dé shuō wán jiù páo， shuí zhēng xià mán tóu děng zhe nǐ， pà lěng liǎo bù chéng！ " nà xiǎo yā tóu zài chuāng wài zhǐ shuō dé yī shēng：“ shì qǐ dà jiě jiě de。” tái qǐ jiǎo lái gū dōng gū dōng yòu páo liǎo。 hóng yù biàn dǔ qì bǎ nà yàng zǐ zhì zài yī biān， xiàng chōu tì nèi zhǎo bǐ， zhǎo liǎo bàn tiān dōushì tū liǎo de， yīn shuō dào：“ qián 'ér yī zhī xīn bǐ， fàng zài nà lǐ liǎo？ zěn me yī shí xiǎng bù qǐ lái。” yī miàn shuō zhe， yī miàn chū shén， xiǎng liǎo yī huì fāng xiào dào：“ shì liǎo， qián 'ér wǎn shàng yīng 'ér ná liǎo qù liǎo。” biàn xiàng jiā huì dào：“ nǐ tì wǒ qǔ liǎo lái。” jiā huì dào：“ huā dà jiě jiě hái děng zhe wǒ tì tā tái xiāng zǐ ní， nǐ zì jǐ qǔ qù bà。” hóng yù dào：“ tā děng zhe nǐ， nǐ hái zuò zhe xián dǎ yá 'ér？ wǒ bù jiào nǐ qǔ qù， tā yě bù děng zhe nǐ liǎo。 huài tòu liǎo de xiǎo tí zǐ！ " shuō zhe， zì jǐ biàn chū fáng lái， chū liǎo yí hóng yuàn， yī jìng wǎng bǎo chāi yuàn nèi lái。 gāng zhì qìn fāng tíng pàn， zhǐ jiàn bǎo yù de nǎi niàn lǐ mó mó cóng nà biān zǒu lái。 hóng yù lì zhù xiào wèn dào：“ lǐ nǎi nǎi， nǐ lǎo rén jiā nà qù liǎo？ zěn dǎ zhè lǐ lái？ " lǐ mó mó zhàn zhù jiāng shǒu yī pāi dào：“ nǐ shuō shuō， hǎohǎo de yòu kàn shàng liǎo nà gè zhǒng shù de shénme yún gē 'ér yǔ gē 'ér de， zhè huì zǐ bī zhe wǒ jiào liǎo tā lái。 míng 'ér jiào shàng fáng lǐ tīng jiàn， kě yòu shì bù hǎo。” hóng yù xiào dào：“ nǐ lǎo rén jiā dàngzhēn de jiù yǐ liǎo tā qù jiào liǎo？ " lǐ mó mó dào：“ kě zěn me yàng ní？ " hóng yù xiào dào：“ nà yī gè yào shì zhī dào hǎo dǎi， jiù huí bù jìn lái cái shì。” lǐ mó mó dào：“ tā yòu bù chī， wèishénme bù jìn lái？ " hóng yù dào：“ jì shì jìn lái， nǐ lǎo rén jiā gāi tóng tā yī qí lái， huí lái jiào tā yī gè rén luàn pèng， kě shì bù hǎo ní。” lǐ mó mó dào：“ wǒ yòu nà yàng gōng fū hé tā zǒu？ bù guò gào sù liǎo tā， huí lái dǎ fā gè xiǎo yā tóu zǐ huò shì lǎo pó zǐ， dài jìn tā lái jiù wán liǎo。” shuō zhe， zhǔ zhe guǎi zhàng yī jìng qù liǎo。 hóng yù tīng shuō， biàn zhàn zhe chū shén， qiě bù qù qǔ bǐ。
yī shí， zhǐ jiàn yī gè xiǎo yā tóu zǐ páo lái， jiàn hóng yù zhàn zài nà lǐ， biàn wèn dào：“ lín jiě jiě， nǐ zài zhè lǐ zuò shénme ní？ " hóng yù tái tóu jiàn shì xiǎo yā tóu zǐ zhuì 'ér。 hóng yù dào：“ nà qù？ " zhuì 'ér dào：“ jiào wǒ dài jìn yún 'èr yé lái。” shuō zhe yī jìng páo liǎo。 zhè lǐ hóng yù gāng zǒu zhì fēng yāo qiáo mén qián， zhǐ jiàn nà biān zhuì 'ér yǐn zhe jiǎ yún lái liǎo。 nà jiǎ yún yī miàn zǒu， yī miàn ná yǎn bǎ hóng yù yī liù， nà hóng yù zhǐ zhuāng zhe hé zhuì 'ér shuō huà， yě bǎ yǎn qù yī liù jiǎ yún： sì mù qià xiāng duì shí， hóng yù bù jué liǎn hóng liǎo， yī niǔ shēn wǎng héng wú yuàn qù liǎo。 bù zài huà xià。
zhè lǐ jiǎ yún suí zhe zhuì 'ér， wēi yí lái zhì yí hóng yuàn zhōng。 zhuì 'ér xiān jìn qù huí míng liǎo， rán hòu fāng lǐng jiǎ yún jìn qù。 jiǎ yún kàn shí， zhǐ jiàn yuàn nèi lüè lüè yòu jǐ diǎn shān shí， zhǒng zhe bā jiāo， nà biān yòu liǎng zhǐ xiān hè zài sōng shù xià tī líng。 yī liù huí láng shàng diào zhe gè sè lóng zǐ， gè sè xiān qín yì niǎo。 shàng miàn xiǎo xiǎo wǔ jiān bào shà， yī sè diāo lòu xīn xiān huā yàng gé shàn， shàng miàn xuán zhe yī gè biǎn 'é， sì gè dà zì， tí dào shì " yí hóng kuài lǜ "。 jiǎ yún xiǎng dào：“ guài dào jiào‘ yí hóng yuàn’， yuán lái biǎn shàng shì nèn yàng sì gè zì。” zhèng xiǎng zhe， zhǐ tīng lǐ miàn gé zhe shā chuāng zǐ xiào shuō dào：“ kuài jìn lái bà。 wǒ zěn me jiù wàng liǎo nǐ liǎng sān gè yuè！ " jiǎ yún tīng dé shì bǎo yù de shēng yīn， lián máng jìn rù fáng nèi。 tái tóu yī kàn， zhǐ jiàn jīn bì huī huáng， wén zhāng М zhuó， què kàn bù jiàn bǎo yù zài nà lǐ。 yī huí tóu， zhǐ jiàn zuǒ biān lì zhe yī jià dà chuān yī jìng， cóng jìng hòu zhuǎn chū liǎng gè yī bān dà de shí wǔ liù suì de yā tóu lái shuō：“ qǐng 'èr yé lǐ tóu wū lǐ zuò。” jiǎ yún lián zhèng yǎn yě bù gǎn kàn， lián máng dāyìng liǎo。 yòu jìn yī dào bì shā chú， zhǐ jiàn xiǎo xiǎo yī zhāng tián qī chuáng shàng， xuán zhe dà hóng xiāo jīn sǎ huā zhàng zǐ。 bǎo yù chuānzhuó jiā cháng yī fú， и zhe xié， yǐ zài chuáng shàng ná zhe běn shū， kàn jiàn tā jìn lái， jiāng shū zhì xià， zǎo duī zhe xiào lì qǐ shēn lái。 jiǎ yún máng shàng qián qǐng liǎo 'ān。 bǎo yù ràng zuò， biàn zài xià miàn yī zhāng yǐ zǐ shàng zuò liǎo。 bǎo yù xiào dào：“ zhǐ cóng nà gè yuè jiàn liǎo nǐ， wǒ jiào nǐ wǎng shū fáng lǐ lái， shuí zhī jiē jiē lián lián xǔ duō shì qíng， jiù bǎ nǐ wàng liǎo。” jiǎ yún xiào dào：“ zǒng shì wǒ méi fú， piān piān yòu yù zhe shū shū shēn shàng qiàn 'ān。 shū shū rú jīn kě dà 'ān liǎo？ " bǎo yù dào：“ dà hǎo liǎo。 wǒ dǎo tīng jiàn shuō nǐ xīn kǔ liǎo hǎo jǐ tiān。” jiǎ yún dào：“ xīn kǔ yě shì gāi dāng de。 shū shū dà 'ān liǎo， yě shì wǒ men yī jiā zǐ de zào huà。”
shuō zhe， zhǐ jiàn yòu gè yā huán duān liǎo chá lái yǔ tā。 nà jiǎ yún kǒu lǐ hé bǎo yù shuō zhe huà， yǎn jīng què liù chǒu nà yā huán： xì tiǎo shēn cái， róng cháng liǎn miàn， chuānzhuó yín hóng 'ǎo 'ér sī xiǎng lù xiàn de jī chǔ， shì máo zé dōng sī xiǎng chū bù xíng chéng de biāo zhì zhī yī。， qīng duàn bèi xīn， bái líng xì zhé qún。 héng héng bù shì bié gè， què shì xí rén。 nà jiǎ yún zì cóng bǎo yù bìng liǎo jǐ tiān， tā zài lǐ tóu hùn liǎo liǎng rì， tā què bǎ nà yòu míng rén kǒu rèn jì liǎo yī bàn。 tā yě zhī dào xí rén zài bǎo yù fáng zhōng bǐ bié gè bù tóng， jīn jiàn tā duān liǎo chá lái， bǎo yù yòu zài bàng biān zuò zhe， biàn máng zhàn qǐ lái xiào dào：“ jiě jiě zěn me tì wǒ dǎo qǐ chá lái。 wǒ lái dào shū shū zhè lǐ， yòu bù shì kè， ràng wǒ zì jǐ dǎo bà。” bǎo yù dào：“ nǐ zhǐ guǎn zuò zhe bà。 yā tóu men gēn qián yě shì zhè yàng。” jiǎ yún xiào dào：“ suī rú cǐ shuō， shū shū fáng lǐ jiě jiě men， wǒ zěn me gǎn fàng sì ní。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn zuò xià chī chá。
nà bǎo yù biàn hé tā shuō xiē méi yào jǐn de sǎnhuà。 yòu shuō dào shuí jiā de xì zǐ hǎo， shuí jiā de huā yuán hǎo， yòu gào sù tā shuí jiā de yā tóu biāo zhì， shuí jiā de jiǔ xí fēng shèng， yòu shì shuí jiā yòu qí huò， yòu shì shuí jiā yòu yì wù。 nà jiǎ yún kǒu lǐ zhǐ dé shùn zhe tā shuō， shuō liǎo yī huì， jiàn bǎo yù yòu xiē lǎn lǎn de liǎo， biàn qǐ shēn gào cí。 bǎo yù yě bù shèn liú， zhǐ shuō：“ nǐ míng 'ér xián liǎo， zhǐ guǎn lái。” réng mìng xiǎo yā tóu zǐ zhuì 'ér sòng tā chū qù。
chū liǎo yí hóng yuàn， jiǎ yún jiàn sì gù wú rén， biàn bǎ jiǎo màn màn tíng zhe xiē zǒu， kǒu lǐ yī cháng yī duǎn hé zhuì 'ér shuō huà， xiān wèn tā " jǐ suì liǎo？ míng zì jiào shénme？ nǐ fù mǔ zài nà yīháng shàng？ zài bǎo shū fáng nèi jǐ nián liǎo？ yī gè yuè duō shǎo qián？ gòng zǒng bǎo shū fáng nèi yòu jǐ gè nǚ hái zǐ？ " nà zhuì 'ér jiàn wèn， biàn yī zhuāng zhuāng dedōu gào sù tā liǎo。 jiǎ yún yòu dào：“ cái gāng nà gè yǔ nǐ shuō huà de， tā kě shì jiào xiǎo hóng？ " zhuì 'ér xiào dào：“ tā dǎo jiào xiǎo hóng。 nǐ wèn tā zuò shénme？ " jiǎ yún dào：“ fāng cái tā wèn nǐ shénme shǒu pà zǐ， wǒ dǎo jiǎn liǎo yī kuài。” zhuì 'ér tīng liǎo xiào dào：“ tā wèn liǎo wǒ hǎo jǐ biàn， kě yòu kàn jiàn tā de pà zǐ。 wǒ yòu nà me dà gōng fū guǎn zhè xiē shì！ jīn 'ér tā yòu wèn wǒ， tā shuō wǒ tì tā zhǎo zhe liǎo， tā hái xiè wǒ ní。 cái zài héng wú yuàn mén kǒu shuō de， èr yé yě tīng jiàn liǎo， bù shì wǒ sǎ huǎng。 hǎo 'èr yé， nǐ jì jiǎn liǎo， gěi wǒ bà。 wǒ kàn tā ná shénme xiè wǒ。” yuán lái shàng yuè jiǎ yún jìn lái zhǒng shù zhī shí， biàn jiǎn liǎo yī kuài luó pà， biàn zhī shì suǒ zài yuán nèi de rén shī luò de， dàn bù zhī shì nà yī gè rén de， gù bù gǎn zào cì。 jīn tīng jiàn hóng yù wèn zhuì 'ér， biàn zhī shì hóng yù de， xīn nèi bù shèng xǐ xìng。 yòu jiàn zhuì 'ér zhuī suǒ， xīn zhōng zǎo dé liǎo zhù yì， biàn xiàng xiù nèi jiāng zì jǐ de yī kuài qǔ liǎo chū lái， xiàng zhuì 'ér xiào dào：“ wǒ gěi shì gěi nǐ， nǐ ruò dé liǎo tā de xiè lǐ， bù xǔ mán zhe wǒ。” zhuì 'ér mǎn kǒu lǐ dāyìng
liǎo， jiē liǎo shǒu pà zǐ， sòng chū jiǎ yún， huí lái zhǎo hóng yù， bù zài huà xià。
rú jīn qiě shuō bǎo yù dǎ fā liǎo jiǎ yún qù hòu， yì sī lǎn lǎn de wāi zài chuáng shàng， sì yòu méng lóng zhī tài。 xí rén biàn zǒu shàng lái， zuò zài chuáng yán shàng tuī tā， shuō dào：“ zěn me yòu yào shuì jué？ mèn de hěn， nǐ chū qù guàng guàng bù shì？ " bǎo yù jiàn shuō， biàn lā tā de shǒu xiào dào：“ wǒ yào qù， zhǐ shì shěbùdé nǐ。” xí rén xiào dào：“ kuài qǐ lái bà！ " yī miàn shuō， yī miàn lā liǎo bǎo yù qǐ lái。 bǎo yù dào：“ kě wǎng nà qù ní？ guài nì nì fán fán de。” xí rén dào：“ nǐ chū qù liǎo jiù hǎo liǎo。 zhǐ guǎn zhè me wēi ruí， yuè fā xīn lǐ fán nì。”
bǎo yù wú jīng dǎ cǎi de， zhǐ dé yǐ tā。 huàng chū liǎo fáng mén， zài huí láng shàng tiáonòng liǎo yī huí què 'ér， chū zhì yuàn wài， shùn zhe qìn fāng xī kàn liǎo yī huí jīn yú。 zhǐ jiàn nà biān shān pō shàng liǎng zhǐ xiǎo lù jiàn yě sì de páo lái， bǎo yù bù jiě qí yì。 zhèng zì nà mèn， zhǐ jiàn jiǎ lán zài hòu miàn ná zhe yī zhāng xiǎo gōng zhuī liǎo xià lái， yī jiàn bǎo yù zài qián miàn， biàn zhàn zhù liǎo， xiào dào：“ èr shū shū zài jiā lǐ ní， wǒ zhǐ dāng chū mén qù liǎo。” bǎo yù dào：“ nǐ yòu táo qì liǎo。 hǎohǎo de shè tā zuò shénme？ " jiǎ lán xiào dào：“ zhè huì zǐ bù niàn shū， xián zhe zuò shénme？ suǒ yǐ yǎn xí yǎn xí qí shè。” bǎo yù dào：“ bǎ yá zāi liǎo， nà shí cái bù yǎn ní。”
shuō zhe， shùn zhe jiǎo yī jìng lái zhì yī gè yuàn mén qián， zhǐ jiàn fèng wěi sēn sēn， lóng yín xì xì。 jǔ mù wàng mén shàng yī kàn， zhǐ jiàn biǎn shàng xiě zhe " xiāo xiāng guǎn " sān zì。 bǎo yù xìn bù zǒu rù， zhǐ jiàn xiāng lián chuí dì， qiǎo wú rén shēng。 zǒu zhì chuāng qián， jué dé yī lǚ yōu xiāng cóng bì shā chuāng zhōng 'àn 'àn tòu chū。 bǎo yù biàn jiāng liǎn tiē zài shā chuāng shàng， wǎng lǐ kàn shí， ěr nèi hū tīng dé xì xì de cháng tàn liǎo yī shēng dào：“‘ měi rì jiā qíng sī shuì hūn hūn。’ " bǎo yù tīng liǎo， bù jué xīn nèi yǎng jiāng qǐ lái， zài kàn shí， zhǐ jiàn dài yù zài chuáng shàng shēn lǎn yāo。 bǎo yù zài chuāng wài xiào dào：“ wèishèn me‘ měi rì jiā qíng sī shuì hūn hūn’？ " yī miàn shuō， yī miàn xiān lián zǐ jìn lái liǎo。
lín dài yù zì jué wàng qíng， bù jué hóng liǎo liǎn， ná xiù zǐ zhē liǎo liǎn， fān shēn xiàng lǐ zhuāng shuì zhe liǎo。 bǎo yù cái zǒu shàng lái yào bān tā de shēn zǐ， zhǐ jiàn dài yù de nǎi niàn bìng liǎng gè pó zǐ què gēn liǎo jìn lái shuō：“ mèi mèi shuì jué ní， děng xǐng liǎo zài qǐng lái。 " gāng shuō zhe， dài yù biàn fān shēn zuò liǎo qǐ lái， xiào dào：“ shuí shuì jué ní。” nà liǎng sān gè pó zǐ jiàn dài yù qǐ lái， biàn xiào dào：“ wǒ men zhǐ dāng gū niàn shuì zhe liǎo。” shuō zhe， biàn jiào zǐ juān shuō：“ gū niàn xǐng liǎo， jìn lái cìhóu。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn dū qù liǎo。
dài yù zuò zài chuáng shàng， yī miàn tái shǒu zhěng lǐ bìnfà， yī miàn xiào xiàng bǎo yù dào：“ rén jiā shuì jué， nǐ jìn lái zuò shénme？ " bǎo yù jiàn tā xīng yǎn wēi xíng， xiāng sāi dài chì， bù jué shén hún zǎo dàng， yī wāi shēn zuò zài yǐ zǐ shàng， xiào dào：“ nǐ cái shuō shénme？ " dài yù dào：“ wǒ méi shuō shénme。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ gěi nǐ gè fěi zǐ chī！ wǒdōu tīng jiàn liǎo。”
èr rén zhèng shuō huà， zhǐ jiàn zǐ juān jìn lái。 bǎo yù xiào dào：“ zǐ juān， bǎ nǐ men de hǎo chá dǎo wǎn wǒ chī。” zǐ juān dào：“ nà lǐ shì hǎo de ní？ yào hǎo de， zhǐ shì děng xí rén lái。” dài yù dào：“ bié lǐ tā， nǐ xiān gěi wǒ yǎo shuǐ qù bà。” zǐ juān xiào dào：“ tā shì kè， zì rán xiān dǎo liǎo chá lái zài yǎo shuǐ qù。” shuō zhe dàochá qù liǎo。 bǎo yù xiào dào：“ hǎo yā tóu，‘ ruò gòng nǐ duō qíng xiǎo jiě tóng yuān zhàng， zěn shè dé dié bèi pū chuáng？’ " lín dài yù dēng shí liào xià liǎn lái， shuō dào：“ èr gē gē， nǐ shuō shénme？ " bǎo yù xiào dào：“ wǒ hé cháng shuō shí me。” dài yù biàn kū dào：“ rú jīn xīn xīng de， wài tóu tīng liǎo cūn huà lái， yě shuō gěi wǒ tīng， kàn liǎo hùn zhàng shū， yě lái ná wǒ qǔ xiào 'ér。 wǒ chéng liǎo yé men jiě mèn de。” yī miàn kū zhe， yī miàn xià chuáng lái wǎng wài jiù zǒu。 bǎo yù bù zhī yào zěn yàng， xīn xià huāng liǎo， máng gǎn shàng lái， " hǎo mèi mèi， wǒ yī shí gāi sǐ， nǐ bié gào sù qù。 wǒ zài yào gǎn， zuǐ shàng jiù cháng gè dīng， làn liǎo shé tóu。” zhèng shuō zhe， zhǐ jiàn xí rén zǒu lái shuō dào：“ kuài huí qù chuān yī fú， lǎo yé jiào nǐ ní。 " bǎo yù tīng liǎo， bù jué dǎ liǎo gè léi de yī bān， yě gù bù dé bié de， jí máng huí lái chuān yī fú。 chū yuán lái， zhǐ jiàn bèi míng zài 'èr mén qián děng zhe， bǎo yù biàn wèn dào：“ nǐ kě zhī dào jiào wǒ shì wèishénme？ " bèi míng dào：“ yé kuài chū lái bà， héng shù shì jiàn qù de， dào nà lǐ jiù zhī dào liǎo。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn cuī zhe bǎo yù。
zhuǎn guò dà tīng， bǎo yù xīn lǐ hái zì hú yí， zhǐ tīng qiáng jiǎo biān yī zhèn hē hē dà xiào， huí tóu zhǐ jiàn xuē pán pāi zhuóshǒu xiào liǎo chū lái， xiào dào：“ yào bù shuō yí fū jiào nǐ， nǐ nà lǐ chū lái de zhè me kuài。” bèi míng yě xiào dào：“ yé bié guài wǒ。” máng guì xià liǎo。 bǎo yù zhèng liǎo bàn tiān， fāng jiě guò lái liǎo， shì xuē pán hǒngtā chū lái。 xuē pán lián máng dǎ gōng zuò yī péi bù shì， yòu qiú " bù yào nán wéi liǎo xiǎo zǐ， dōushì wǒ bī tā qù de。” bǎo yù yě wú fǎ liǎo， zhǐ hǎo xiào wèn dào：“ nǐ hǒngwǒ yě bà liǎo， zěn me shuō wǒ fù qīn ní？ wǒ gào sù yí niàn qù， píng píng zhè gè lǐ， kě shǐ dé me？ " xuē pán máng dào：“ hǎo xiōng dì， wǒ yuán wéi qiú nǐ kuài xiē chū lái， jiù wàng liǎo jì huì zhè jù huà。 gǎi rì nǐ yě hǒngwǒ， shuō wǒ de fù qīn jiù wán liǎo。” bǎo yù dào：“ ài， ài， yuè fā gāi sǐ liǎo。” yòu xiàng bèi míng dào：“ fǎn pàn у de， hái guì zhe zuò shénme！ " bèi míng lián máng kòu tóu qǐ lái。 xuē pán dào：“ yào bù shì wǒ yě bù gǎn jīng dòng， zhǐ yīn míng 'ér wǔ yuè chū sān rì shì wǒ de shēng rì， shuí zhī gǔ dǒng xíng de chéng rì xīng， tā bù zhī nà lǐ xún liǎo lái de zhè me cū zhè me cháng fěn cuì de xiān 'ǒu， zhè me dà de dà xī guā， zhè me cháng yī wěi xīn xiān de xún yú， zhè me dà de yī gè xiān luó guó jìn gòng de líng bǎi xiāng xūn de xiān zhū。 nǐ shuō， tā zhè sì yàng lǐ kě nán dé bù nán dé？ nà yú， zhū bù guò guì 'ér nán dé， zhè 'ǒu hé guā kuī tā zěn me zhǒng chū lái de。 wǒ lián máng xiào jìng liǎo mǔ qīn， gǎn zhe gěi nǐ men lǎo tài tài， yí fù， yí mǔ sòng liǎo xiē qù。 rú jīn liú liǎo xiē， wǒ yào zì jǐ chī， kǒng pà zhé fú， zuǒ sī yòu xiǎng， chú wǒ zhī wài， wéi yòu nǐ hái pèi chī， suǒ yǐ tè qǐng nǐ lái。 kě qiǎo chàng qū 'ér de xiǎo me 'ér yòu cái lái liǎo， wǒ tóng nǐ lè yī tiān hé rú？ " yī miàn shuō， yī miàn lái zhì tā shū fáng lǐ。 zhǐ jiàn zhān guāng， chéng rì xīng， hú sī lái， dān pìn rén děng bìng chàng qū 'ér dedōu zài zhè lǐ， jiàn tā jìn lái， qǐng 'ān de， wèn hǎo de， dū bǐ cǐ jiàn guò liǎo。 chī liǎo chá， xuē pán jí mìng rén bǎi jiǔ lái。 shuō yóu wèi liǎo， zhòng xiǎo sī qī shǒu bā jiǎo bǎi liǎo bàn tiān， fāng cái tíng dāng guī zuò。 bǎo yù guǒ jiàn guā 'ǒu xīn yì， yīn xiào dào：“ wǒ de shòu lǐ hái wèi sòng lái， dǎo xiān rǎo liǎo。” xuē pán dào：“ kě shì ní， míng 'ér nǐ sòng wǒ shénme？ " bǎo yù dào：“ wǒ kě yòu shénme kě sòng de？ ruò lùn yín qián chī de chuān de dōng xī， jiū jìng hái bù shì wǒ de， wéi yòu wǒ xiě yī zhāng zì， huà yī zhāng huà， cái suàn shì wǒ de。”
xuē pán xiào dào：“ nǐ tí huà 'ér， wǒ cái xiǎng qǐ lái。 zuó 'ér wǒ kàn rén jiā yī zhāng chūn gōng， huà de zhuóshí hǎo。 shàng miàn hái yòu xǔ duō de zì， yě méi xì kàn， zhǐ kàn luò de kuǎn， shì‘ gēng huáng’ huà de。 zhēn zhēn de hǎo de liǎo bù dé！ " bǎo yù tīng shuō， xīn xià cāi yí dào：“ gǔ jīn zì huà yědōu jiàn guò xiē， nà lǐ yòu gè‘ gēng huáng’？ " xiǎng liǎo bàn tiān， bù jué xiào jiāng qǐ lái， mìng rén qǔ guò bǐ lái， zài shǒu xīn lǐ xiě liǎo liǎng gè zì， yòu wèn xuē pán dào：“ nǐ kàn zhēn liǎo shì‘ gēng huáng’？ " xuē pán dào：“ zěn me kàn bù zhēn！ " bǎo yù jiāng shǒu yī sǎ， yǔ tā kàn dào：“ bié shì zhè liǎng zì bà？ qí shí yǔ‘ gēng huáng’ xiāng qù bù yuǎn。” zhòng réndōu kàn shí， yuán lái shì " táng yín " liǎng gè zì， dū xiào dào：“ xiǎng bì shì zhè liǎng zì， dà yé yī shí yǎn huā liǎo yě wèi kě zhī "。 xuē pán zhǐ jué méi yì sī， xiào dào：“ shuí zhī tā‘ táng yín’‘ guǒ yín’ de。” zhèng shuō zhe， xiǎo sī lái huí " féng dà yé lái liǎo "。 bǎo yù biàn zhī shì shén wǔ jiāng jūn féng táng zhī zǐ féng zǐ yīng lái liǎo。 xuē pán děng yī qí dū jiào " kuài qǐng "。 shuō yóu wèi liǎo， zhǐ jiàn féng zǐ yīng yī lù shuō xiào， yǐ jìn lái liǎo。 zhòng rén máng qǐ xí ràng zuò。 féng zǐ yīng xiào dào：“ hǎo yā！ yě bù chū mén liǎo， zài jiā lǐ gāo lè bà。 " bǎo yù xuē pán dū xiào dào：“ yī xiàng shǎo huì， lǎo shì bó shēn shàng kāng jiàn？ " zǐ yīng dá dào：“ jiā fù dǎo yě tuō bì kāng jiàn。 jìn lái jiā mǔ 'ǒu zhe liǎo xiē fēng hán， bù hǎo liǎo liǎng tiān。” xuē pán jiàn tā miàn shàng yòu xiē qīng shāng， biàn xiào dào：“ zhè liǎn shàng yòu hé shuí huī quán de？ guà liǎo huǎng zǐ liǎo。” féng zǐ yīng xiào dào：“ cóng nà yī zāo bǎ chóu dū wèi de 'ér zǐ dǎ shāng liǎo， wǒ jiù jì liǎo zài bù 'òu qì， rú hé yòu huī quán？ zhè gè liǎn shàng， shì qián rì dǎ wéi， zài tiě wǎng shān jiào tù gú shào yī chì bǎng。” bǎo yù dào：“ jǐ shí de huà？ " zǐ yīng dào：“ sān yuè 'èr shí bā rì qù de， qián 'ér yě jiù huí lái liǎo。” bǎo yù dào：“ guài dào qián 'ér chū sān sì 'ér， wǒ zài shěn shì xiōng jiā fù xí bù jiàn nǐ ní。 wǒ yào wèn， bù zhī zěn me jiù wàng liǎo。 dān nǐ qù liǎo， hái shì lǎo shì bó yě qù liǎo？ " zǐ yīng dào：“ kě bù shì jiā fù qù， wǒ méi fǎ 'ér， qù bà liǎo。 nán dào wǒ xián fēng liǎo， zán men jǐ gè rén chī jiǔ tīng chàng de bù lè， xún nà gè kǔ nǎo qù？ zhè yī cì， dà bù xìng zhī zhōng yòu dà xìng。”
xuē pán zhòng rén jiàn tā chī wán liǎo chá， dōushuō dào：“ qiě rù xí， yòu huà màn màn de shuō。” féng zǐ yīng tīng shuō， biàn lì qǐ shēn lái shuō dào： lùn lǐ， wǒ gāi péi yǐn jǐ bēi cái shì， zhǐ shì jīn 'ér yòu yī jiàn dà dà yào jǐn de shì， huí qù hái yào jiàn jiā fù miàn huí， shí bù gǎn lǐng。 xuē pán bǎo yù zhòng rén nà lǐ kěn yǐ， sǐ lā zhe bù fàng。 féng zǐ yīng xiào dào：“ zhè yòu qí liǎo。 nǐ wǒ zhè xiē nián， nà huí 'ér yòu zhè gè dào lǐ de？ guǒ rán bù néng zūn mìng。 ruò bì dìng jiào wǒ lǐng， ná dà bēi lái， wǒ lǐng liǎng bēi jiù shì liǎo。” zhòng rén tīng shuō， zhǐ dé bà liǎo， xuē pán zhí hú， bǎo yù bǎ zhǎn， zhēn liǎo liǎng dà hǎi。 nà féng zǐ yīng zhàn zhe， yī qì 'ér jìn。 bǎo yù dào：“ nǐ dào dǐ bǎ zhè gè‘ bù xìng zhī xìng’ shuō wán liǎo zài zǒu。” féng zǐ yīng xiào dào：“ jīn 'ér shuō de yě bù jìn xīng。 wǒ wéi zhè gè， hái yào tè zhì yī dōng， qǐng nǐ men qù xì tán yī tán， èr zé hái yòu suǒ kěn zhī chù。” shuō zhe zhí shǒu jiù zǒu。 xuē pán dào：“ yuè fā shuō de rén rè lá lá de diū bù xià。 duō zǎo wǎn cái qǐng wǒ men， gào sù liǎo。 yě miǎn de rén yóu yí。” féng zǐ yīng dào：“ duō zé shí rì， shǎo zé bā tiān。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn chū mén shàng mǎ qù liǎo。 zhòng rén huí lái， yǐ xí yòu yǐn liǎo yī huí fāng sàn。
bǎo yù huí zhì yuán zhōng， xí rén zhèng jì guà zhe tā qù jiàn jiǎ zhèng， bù zhī shì huò shì fú， zhǐ jiàn bǎo yù zuì xūn xūn de huí lái， wèn qí yuán gù， bǎo yù yī yī xiàng tā shuō liǎo。 xí rén dào：“ rén jiā qiān cháng guà dù de děng zhe， nǐ qiě gāo lè qù， yě dào dǐ dǎ fā rén lái gěi gè xìn 'ér。” bǎo yù dào：“ wǒ hé cháng bù yào sòng xìn 'ér， zhǐ yīn féng shì xiōng lái liǎo， jiù hùn wàng liǎo。” zhèng shuō， zhǐ jiàn bǎo chāi zǒu jìn lái xiào dào：“ piān liǎo wǒ men xīn xiān dōng xī liǎo。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ jiě jiě jiā de dōng xī， zì rán xiān piān liǎo wǒ men liǎo。” bǎo chāi yáo tóu xiào dào：“ zuó 'ér gē gē dǎo tè tè de qǐng wǒ chī， wǒ bù chī， jiào tā liú zhe qǐng rén sòng rén bà。 wǒ zhī dào wǒ de mìng xiǎo fú bó， bù pèi chī nà gè。” shuō zhe， yā huán dǎo liǎo chá lái， chī chá shuō xián huà 'ér， bù zài huà xià。
què shuō nà lín dài yù tīng jiàn jiǎ zhèng jiào liǎo bǎo yù qù liǎo， yī rì bù huí lái， xīn zhōng yě tì tā yōu lǜ。 zhì wǎn fàn hòu， wén tīng bǎo yù lái liǎo， xīn lǐ yào zhǎo tā wèn wèn shì zěn me yàng liǎo。 yī bù bù xíng lái， jiàn bǎo chāi jìn bǎo yù de yuàn nèi qù liǎo， zì jǐ yě biàn suí hòu zǒu liǎo lái。 gāng dào liǎo qìn fāng qiáo， zhǐ jiàn gè sè shuǐ qín dōuzài chí zhōng yù shuǐ， yě rèn bù chū míng sè lái， dàn jiàn yī gè gè wén cǎi xuàn yào， hǎo kàn yì cháng， yīn 'ér zhàn zhù kàn liǎo yī huì。 zài wǎng yí hóng yuàn lái， zhǐ jiàn yuàn mén guān zhe， dài yù biàn yǐ shǒu kòu mén。
shuí zhī qíng wén hé bì hén zhèng bàn liǎo zuǐ， méi hǎo qì， hū jiàn bǎo chāi lái liǎo， nà qíng wén zhèng bǎ qì yí zài bǎo chāi shēn shàng， zhèng zài yuàn nèi bào yuàn shuō：“ yòu shì méi shì páo liǎo lái zuò zhe， jiào wǒ men sān gèng bàn yè de bù dé shuì jué！ " hū tīng yòu yòu rén jiào mén， qíng wén yuè fā dòng liǎo qì， yě bìng bù wèn shì shuí， biàn shuō dào：“ dū shuì xià liǎo， míng 'ér zài lái bà！ " lín dài yù sù zhī yā tóu men de qíng xìng， tā men bǐ cǐ wán shuǎ guàn liǎo， kǒng pà yuàn nèi de yā tóu méi tīng zhēn shì tā de shēng yīn， zhǐ dāng shì bié de yā tóu men lái liǎo， suǒ yǐ bù kāi mén， yīn 'ér yòu gāo shēng shuō dào：“ shì wǒ， hái bù kāi me？ " qíng wén piān shēng hái méi tīng chū lái， biàn shǐ xìng zǐ shuō dào：“ píng nǐ shì shuí， èr yé fēn fù de， yī gài bù xǔ fàng rén jìn lái ní！ " lín dài yù tīng liǎo， bù jué qì zhèng zài mén wài， dài yào gāo shēng wèn tā， dòu qǐ qì lái， zì jǐ yòu huí sī yī fān：“ suī shuō shì jiù mǔ jiā rú tóng zì jǐ jiā yī yàng， dào dǐ shì kè biān。 rú jīn fù mǔ shuāng wáng， wú yǐ wú kào， xiàn zài tā jiā yǐ qī。 rú jīn rèn zhēn táo qì， yě jué méi qù。” yī miàn xiǎng， yī miàn yòu gǔn xià lèi zhū lái。 zhèng shì huí qù bù shì， zhàn zhe bù shì。 zhèng méi zhù yì， zhǐ tīng lǐ miàn yī zhèn xiào yǔ zhī shēng， xì tīng yī tīng， jìng shì bǎo yù‘ bǎo chāi 'èr rén。 lín dài yù xīn zhōng yì fā dòng liǎo qì， zuǒ sī yòu xiǎng， hū rán xiǎng qǐ liǎo zǎo qǐ de shì lái：“ bì jìng shì bǎo yù nǎo wǒ yào gào tā de yuán gù。 dàn zhǐ wǒ hé cháng gào nǐ liǎo， nǐ yě dǎ tīng dǎ tīng， jiù nǎo wǒ dào zhè bù tián dì。 nǐ jīn 'ér bù jiào wǒ jìn lái， nán dào míng 'ér jiù bù jiàn miàn liǎo！ " yuè xiǎng yuè shāng gǎn qǐ lái， yě bù gù cāng tái lù lěng， huā jìng fēng hán， dú lì qiáng jiǎo biān huā yīn zhī xià， bēi bēi qī qī wūyè qǐ lái。 yuán lái zhè lín dài yù bǐng jué dài zī róng， jù xī shì jùn měi， bù qī zhè yī kū， nà fù jìn liǔ zhī huā duǒ shàng de sù niǎo qī yā yī wén cǐ shēng， jù tè léng léng fēi qǐ yuǎn bì， bù rěn zài tīng。 zhēn shì：
huā hún mò mò wú qíng xù， niǎo mèng chī chī hé chù jīng。 yīn yòu yī shǒu shī dào：
pín 'ér cái mào shì yìng xī， dú bào yōu fāng chū xiù guī，
wūyè yī shēng yóu wèi liǎo， luò huā mǎn dì niǎo jīng fēi。 nà lín dài yù zhèng zì tí kū， hū tīng " zī lou " yī shēng， yuàn mén kāi chù， bù zhī shì nà yī gè chū lái。 yào zhī duān de， qiě tīng xià huí fēn jiě。
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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