中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions 》
dì 'èr shí bā huí jiǎng yù hàn qíng zèng qiàn xiāng luó xuē bǎo chāi xiū lóng hóng shè chuàn CHAPTER XXVIII.
cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin
gāo 'ě Gao E
CHAPTER XXVIII. huà shuō lín dài yù zhǐ yīn zuó yè qíng wén bù kāi mén yī shì, cuò yí zài bǎo yù shēn shàng。 zhì cì rì yòu kě qiǎo yù jiàn jiàn huā zhī qī, zhèng shì yī qiāng wú míng zhèng wèi fā xiè, yòu gòu qǐ shāng chūn chóu sī, yīn bǎ xiē cán huā luò bàn qù yǎn mái, yóu bù dé gǎn huā shāng jǐ, kū liǎo jǐ shēng, biàn suí kǒu niàn liǎo jǐ jù。 bù xiǎng bǎo yù zài shān pō shàng tīng jiàn, xiān bù guò diǎn tóu gǎn tàn, cì hòu tīng dào " nóng jīn zàng huā rén xiào chī, tā nián zàng nóng zhī shì shuí ", " yīzhāo chūn jìn hóng yán lǎo, huā luò rén wáng liǎng bù zhī " děng jù, bù jué tòng dǎo shān pō zhī shàng, huái lǐ dōu de luò huā sǎ liǎo yī dì。 shì xiǎng lín dài yù de huā yán yuè mào, jiāng lái yì dào wú kě xún mì zhī shí, nìngbù xīn suì cháng duàn! jì dài yù zhōng guī wú kě xún mì zhī shí, tuī zhī yú tā rén, rú bǎo chāi, xiāng líng, xí rén děng, yì kě dào wú kě xún mì zhī shí yǐ。 bǎo chāi děng zhōng guī wú kě xún mì zhī shí, zé zì jǐ yòu 'ān zài zāi? qiě zì shēn shàng bù zhī hé zài hé wǎng, zé sī chù, sī yuán, sī huā, sī liǔ, yòu bù zhī dāng shǔ shuí xìng yǐ! héng héng yīn cǐ yī 'ér 'èr, èr 'ér sān, fǎn fù tuī qiú liǎo qù, zhēn bù zhī cǐ shí cǐ jì yù wèihé děng chǔn wù, yǎo wú suǒ zhī, táo dà zào, chū chén wǎng, shǐ kě jiě shì zhè duàn bēi shāng。 zhèng shì: huā yǐng bù lí shēn zuǒ yòu, niǎo shēng zhǐ zài 'ěr dōng xī。
nà lín dài yù zhèng zì shāng gǎn, hū tīng shān pō shàng yě yòu bēi shēng, xīn xià xiǎng dào: “ rén réndōu xiào wǒ yòu xiē chī bìng, nán dào hái yòu yī gè chī zǐ bù chéng? " xiǎng zhe, tái tóu yī kàn, jiàn shì bǎo yù。 lín dài yù kàn jiàn, biàn dào:“ cuì! wǒ dào shì shuí, yuán lái shì zhè gè hěn xīn duǎn mìng de …… " gāng shuō dào " duǎn mìng " èr zì, yòu bǎ kǒu yǎn zhù, cháng tàn liǎo yī shēng, zì jǐ chōu shēn biàn zǒu liǎo。
zhè lǐ bǎo yù bēi tòng liǎo yī huí, hū rán tái tóu bù jiàn liǎo dài yù, biàn zhī dài yù kàn jiàn tā duǒ kāi liǎo, zì jǐ yě jué wú wèi, dǒu dǒu tǔ qǐ lái, xià shān xún guī jiù lù, wǎng yí hóng yuàn lái。 kě qiǎo kàn jiàn lín dài yù zài qián tóu zǒu, lián máng gǎn shàng qù, shuō dào:“ nǐ qiě zhàn zhù。 wǒ zhī nǐ bù lǐ wǒ, wǒ zhǐ shuō yī jù huà, cóng jīn hòu liào kāi shǒu。 ” lín dài yù huí tóu kàn jiàn shì bǎo yù, dài yào bù lǐ tā, tīng tā shuō " zhǐ shuō yī jù huà, cóng cǐ liào kāi shǒu ", zhè huà lǐ yòu wén zhāng, shǎo bù dé zhàn zhù shuō dào:“ yòu yī jù huà, qǐng shuō lái。” bǎo yù xiào dào:“ liǎng jù huà, shuō liǎo nǐ tīng bù tīng? " dài yù tīng shuō, huí tóu jiù zǒu。 bǎo yù zài shēn hòu miàn tàn dào:“ jì yòu jīn rì, hé bì dāng chū! " lín dài yù tīng jiàn zhè huà, yóu bù dé zhàn zhù, huí tóu dào:“ dāng chū zěn me yàng? jīn rì zěn me yàng? " bǎo yù tàn dào:“ dāng chū gū niàn lái liǎo, nà bù shì wǒ péi zhe wán xiào? píng wǒ xīn 'ài de, gū niàn yào, jiù ná qù, wǒ 'ài chī de, tīng jiàn gū niàn yě 'ài chī, lián máng gān gān jìng jìng shōu zhe děng gū niàn chī。 yī zhuō zǐ chī fàn, yī chuáng shàng shuì jué。 yā tóu men xiǎng bù dào de, wǒ pà gū niàn shēng qì, wǒ tì yā tóu men xiǎng dào liǎo。 wǒ xīn lǐ xiǎng zhe: zǐ mèi men cóng xiǎo 'ér zhǎngdà, qīn yě bà, rè yě bà, hé qì dào liǎo 'ér, cái jiàn dé bǐ rén hǎo。 rú jīn shuí chéng wàng gū niàn rén dà xīn dà, bù bǎ wǒ fàng zài yǎn jīng lǐ, dǎo bǎ wài sì lù de shénme bǎo jiě jiě fèng jiě jiě de fàng zài xīn kǎn 'ér shàng, dǎo bǎ wǒ sān rì bù lǐ sì rì bù jiàn de。 wǒ yòu méi gè qīn xiōng dì qīn zǐ mèi。 héng héng suī rán yòu liǎng gè, nǐ nán dào bù zhī dào shì hé wǒ gé mǔ de? wǒ yě hé nǐ shìde dú chū, zhǐ pà tóng wǒ de xīn yī yàng。 shuí zhī wǒ shì bái cāo liǎo zhè gè xīn, nòng de yòu yuān wú chù sù! " shuō zhe bù jué dī xià yǎn lèi lái。
dài yù 'ěr nèi tīng liǎo zhè huà, yǎn nèi jiàn liǎo zhè xíng jǐng, xīn nèi bù jué huī liǎo dà bàn, yě bù jué dī xià lèi lái, dī tóu bù yǔ。 bǎo yù jiàn tā zhè bān xíng jǐng 'ér yì wú dú lì yú xíng tǐ zhī shén。 rén zhī zhì huì, běn yú wǔ cháng zhī qì; rén yù yòu, suì yòu shuō dào:“ wǒ yě zhī dào wǒ rú jīn bù hǎo liǎo, dàn zhǐ píng zhe zěn me bù hǎo, wàn bù gǎn zài mèi mèi gēn qián yòu cuò chù。 biàn yòu yī 'èr fēn cuò chù, nǐ dǎo shì huò jiào dǎo wǒ, jiè wǒ xià cì, huò mà wǒ liǎng jù, dǎ wǒ liǎng xià, wǒdōu bù huī xīn。 shuí zhī nǐ zǒng bù lǐ wǒ, jiào wǒ mō bù zhe tóu nǎo, shǎo hún shī bó, bù zhī zěn me yàng cái hǎo。 jiù biàn sǐ liǎo, yě shì gè qū sǐ guǐ, rèn píng gāo sēng gāo dào chàn huǐ yě bù néng chāo shēng, hái dé nǐ shēn míng liǎo yuán gù, wǒ cái dé tuō shēng ní!”
dài yù tīng liǎo zhè gè huà, bù jué jiāng zuó wǎn de shìdōu wàng zài jiǔ xiāo yún wài liǎo, biàn shuō dào:“ nǐ jì zhè me shuō, zuó 'ér wèishénme wǒ qù liǎo, nǐ bù jiào yā tóu kāi mén? " bǎo yù chà yì dào:“ zhè huà cóng nà lǐ shuō qǐ? wǒ yào shì zhè me yàng, lì kè jiù sǐ liǎo! " lín dài yù cuì dào:“ dà qīng zǎo qǐ sǐ yā huó de, yě bù jì huì。 nǐ shuō yòu ní jiù yòu, méi yòu jiù méi yòu, qǐ shénme shì ní。” bǎo yù dào:“ shí zài méi yòu jiàn nǐ qù。 jiù shì bǎo jiě jiě zuò liǎo yī zuò, jiù chū lái liǎo。” lín dài yù xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng, xiào dào:“ shì liǎo。 xiǎng bì shì nǐ de yā tóu men lǎn dài dòng, sàng shēng wāi qì de yě shì yòu de。” bǎo yù dào:“ xiǎng bì shì zhè gè yuán gù。 děng wǒ huí qù wèn liǎo shì shuí, jiào xùn jiào xùn tā men jiù hǎo liǎo。” dài yù dào:“ nǐ de nà xiē gū niàn men yě gāi jiào xùn jiào xùn, zhǐ shì wǒ lùn lǐ bù gāi shuō。 jīn 'ér dé zuì liǎo wǒ de shì xiǎo, cháng huò míng 'ér bǎo gū niàn lái, shénme bèi gū niàn lái, yě dé zuì liǎo, shì qíng qǐ bù dà liǎo。” shuō zhe mǐn zhe zuǐ xiào。 bǎo yù tīng liǎo, yòu shì yǎo yá, yòu shì xiào。
èr rén zhèng shuō huà, zhǐ jiàn yā tóu lái qǐng chī fàn, suì dū wǎng qián tóu lái liǎo。 wáng fū rén jiàn liǎo lín dài yù, yīn wèn dào:“ dà gū niàn, nǐ chī nà bào tài yī de yào kě hǎo xiē? " lín dài yù dào:“ yě bù guò zhèmezhāo。 lǎo tài tài hái jiào wǒ chī wáng dà fū de yào ní。” bǎo yù dào:“ tài tài bù zhī dào, lín mèi mèi shì nèi zhèng, xiān tiān shēng de ruò, suǒ yǐ jìn bù zhù yī diǎn fēng hán, bù guò chī liǎng jì jiān yào jiù hǎo liǎo, sàn liǎo fēng hán, hái shì chī wán yào de hǎo。” wáng fū rén dào:“ qián 'ér dà fū shuō liǎo gè wán yào de míng zì, wǒ yě wàng liǎo。” bǎo yù dào:“ wǒ zhī dào nà xiē wán yào, bù guò jiào tā chī shénme rénshēn yǎng róng wán。” wáng fū rén dào:“ bù shì。” bǎo yù yòu dào:“ bā zhēn yì mǔ wán? zuǒ guī? yòu guī? zài bù, jiù shì mài wèi dì huáng wán。” wáng fū rén dào:“ dōubù shì。 wǒ zhǐ jì dé yòu gè ‘ jīn gāng ’ liǎng gè zì de。” bǎo yù zhā shǒu xiào dào:“ cóng lái méi tīng jiàn yòu gè shénme‘ jīn gāng wán’。 ruò yòu liǎo‘ jīn gāng wán’, zì rán yòu‘ pú sà sàn’ liǎo! " shuō de mǎn wū lǐ réndōu xiào liǎo。 bǎo chāi mǐn zuǐ xiào dào:“ xiǎng shì tiān wáng bǔ xīn dān。 " wáng fū rén xiào dào:“ shì zhè gè míng 'ér。 rú jīn wǒ yě hú tú liǎo。” bǎo yù dào:“ tài tài dǎo bù hú tú, dōushì jiào‘ jīn gāng’‘ pú sà’ zhī shǐ hú tú liǎo。” wáng fū rén dào:“ chě nǐ niàn de sào! yòu qiàn nǐ lǎo zǐ chuí nǐ liǎo。” bǎo yù xiào dào:“ wǒ lǎo zǐ zài bùwèi zhè gè chuí wǒ de。”
wáng fū rén yòu dào:“ jì yòu zhè gè míng 'ér, míng 'ér jiù jiào rén mǎi xiē lái chī。” bǎo yù xiào dào:“ zhè xiē dōubù zhōng yòng de。 tài tài gěi wǒ sān bǎi liù shí liǎng yín zǐ, wǒ tì mèi mèi pèi yī liào wán yào, bāo guǎn yī liào bù wán jiù hǎo liǎo。” wáng fū rén dào:“ fàng pì! shénme yào jiù zhè me guì? " bǎo yù xiào dào:“ dàngzhēn de ní, wǒ zhè gè fāng zǐ bǐ bié de bù tóng。 nà gè yào míng 'ér yě gǔ guài rén běn zhù yì huà de sī cháo。 rèn wéi mǎ kè sī zhù yì shì yī zhǒng yǐ gé mìng wéi mù biāo de, yī shí yě shuō bù qīng。 zhǐ jiǎng nà tóu tāi zǐ hé chē, rén xíng dài yè cān, sān bǎi liù shí liǎng bù zú。 guī dà hé shǒu wū, qiān nián sōng gēn fú líng dǎn, zhū rú cǐ lèi de yào dū bù suàn wéi qí, zhǐ zài qún yào lǐ suàn。 nà wéi jūn de yào, shuō qǐ lái hǔ rén yī tiào。 qián 'ér xuē dà gē gē qiú liǎo wǒ yī 'èr nián, wǒ cái gěi liǎo tā zhè fāng zǐ。 tā ná liǎo fāng zǐ qù yòu xún liǎo 'èr sān nián, huā liǎo yòu shàng qiān de yín zǐ, cái pèi chéng liǎo。 tài tài bù xìn, zhǐ wèn bǎo jiě jiě。” bǎo chāi tīng shuō, xiào zhe yáo shǒu 'ér shuō:“ wǒ bù zhī dào, yě méi tīng jiàn。 nǐ bié jiào yí niàn wèn wǒ。” wáng fū rén xiào dào:“ dào dǐ shì bǎo yā tóu, hǎo hái zǐ, bù sǎ huǎng。” bǎo yù zhàn zài dāng dì, tīng jiàn rú cǐ shuō, yī huí shēn bǎ shǒu yī pāi, shuō dào:“ wǒ shuō de dǎo shì zhēn huà ní, dǎo shuō wǒ sǎ huǎng。” kǒu lǐ shuō zhe, hū yī huí shēn, zhǐ jiàn lín dài yù zuò zài bǎo chāi shēn hòu mǐn zhe zuǐ xiào, yòng shǒu zhǐ tóu zài liǎn shàng huà zhe xiū tā。
fèng jiě yīn zài lǐ jiān wū lǐ kàn zhe rén fàng zhuō zǐ, tīng rú cǐ shuō, biàn zǒu lái xiào dào:“ bǎo xiōng dì bù shì sǎ huǎng, zhè dǎo shì yòu de。 shàng rì xuē dà gē qīn zì hé wǒ lái xún zhēn zhū, wǒ wèn tā zuò shénme, tā shuō pèi yào。 tā hái bào yuàn shuō, bù pèi yě bà liǎo, rú jīn nà lǐ zhī dào zhè me fèi shì。 wǒ wèn tā shénme yào, tā shuō shì bǎo xiōng dì de fāng zǐ, shuō liǎo duō shǎo yào, wǒ yě méi gōng fū tīng。 tā shuō bù rán wǒ yě mǎi jǐ kē zhēn zhū liǎo, zhǐ shì dìng yào tóu shàng dài guò de, suǒ yǐ lái hé wǒ xún。 tā shuō:‘ mèi mèi jiù méi sàn de, huā 'ér shàng yě dé, qiā xià lái, guò hòu 'ér wǒ jiǎn hǎo de zài gěi mèi mèi chuān liǎo lái。’ wǒ méi fǎ 'ér, bǎ liǎng zhī zhū huā 'ér xiàn chāi liǎo gěi tā。 hái yào liǎo yī kuài sān chǐ shàng yòng dà hóng shā qù, rǔ bō rǔ liǎo gé miàn zǐ ní。” fèng jiě shuō yī jù, nà bǎo yù niàn yī jù fó, shuō:“ tài yáng zài wū zǐ lǐ ní! " fèng jiě shuō wán liǎo, bǎo yù yòu dào:“ tài tài xiǎng, zhè bù guò shì jiāng jiù ní。 zhèng jīng 'àn nà fāng zǐ, zhè zhēn zhū bǎo shí dìng yào zài gǔ fén lǐ de, yòu nà gǔ shí fù guì rén jiā zhuāng guǒ
de tóu miàn, ná liǎo lái cái hǎo。 rú jīn nà lǐ wéi zhè gè qù bào fén jué mù, suǒ yǐ zhǐ shì huó rén dài guò de, yě kě yǐ shǐ dé。” wáng fū rén dào:“ ēmítuófó, bù dāng jiā huā huā de! jiù shì fén lǐ yòu zhè gè, rén jiā sǐ liǎo jǐ bǎi nián, zhè huì zǐ fān shī dào gǔ de, zuò liǎo yào yě bù líng!”
bǎo yù xiàng lín dài yù shuō dào:“ nǐ tīng jiàn liǎo méi yòu, nán dào 'èr jiě jiě yě gēn zhe wǒ sǎ huǎng bù chéng? " liǎn wàng zhe dài yù shuō huà, què ná yǎn jīng パ, zhe bǎo chāi。 dài yù biàn lā wáng fū rén dào:“ jiù mǔ tīng tīng, bǎo jiě jiě bù tì tā yuán huǎng de qǐ yuán( jiù lù yì sī · hēng · mó 'ěr gēn de yán jiū chéng guǒ 'ér zuò)》。 ēn gé sī, tā zhī wú zhe wǒ。 " wáng fū rén yě dào:“ bǎo yù hěn huì qī fù nǐ mèi mèi。” bǎo yù xiào dào:“ tài tài bù zhī dào zhè yuán gù。 bǎo jiě jiě xiān zài jiā lǐ zhù zhe, nà xuē dà gē gē de shì, tā yě bù zhī dào, hé kuàng rú jīn zài lǐ tóu zhù zhe ní, zì rán shì yuè fā bù zhī dào liǎo。 lín mèi mèi cái zài bèi hòu xiū wǒ, dǎ liàng wǒ sǎ huǎng ní。” zhèng shuō zhe, zhǐ jiàn jiǎ mǔ fáng lǐ de yā tóu zhǎo bǎo yù lín dài yù qù chī fàn。 lín dài yù yě bù jiào bǎo yù, biàn qǐ shēn lā liǎo nà yā tóu jiù zǒu。 nà yā tóu shuō děng zhe bǎo yù yī kuài 'ér zǒu。 lín dài yù dào:“ tā bù chī fàn liǎo, zán men zǒu。 wǒ xiān zǒu liǎo。” shuō zhe biàn chū qù liǎo。 bǎo yù dào:“ wǒ jīn 'ér hái gēn zhe tài tài chī bà。 " wáng fū rén dào:“ bà, bà, wǒ jīn 'ér chī zhāi, nǐ zhèng jīng chī nǐ de qù bà。” bǎo yù dào:“ wǒ yě gēn zhe chī zhāi。” shuō zhe biàn jiào nà yā tóu " qù bà ", zì jǐ xiān páo dào zhuō zǐ shàng zuò liǎo。 wáng fū rén xiàng bǎo chāi děng xiào dào:“ nǐ men zhǐ guǎn chī nǐ men de, yóu tā qù bà。” bǎo chāi yīn xiào dào:“ nǐ zhèng jīng qù bà。 chī bù chī, péi zhe lín gū niàn zǒu yī tàng, tā xīn lǐ dǎ jǐn de bù zì zài ní。” bǎo yù dào:“ lǐ tā ní, guò yī huì zǐ jiù hǎo liǎo。”
yī shí chī guò fàn, bǎo yù yī zé pà jiǎ mǔ jì guà, èr zé yě jì guà zhe lín dài yù, máng máng de yào chá shù kǒu。 tàn chūn xī chūn dū xiào dào:“ èr gē gē, nǐ chéng rì jiā máng xiē shénme? chī fàn chī chá yě shì zhè me máng lù lù de。” bǎo chāi xiào dào:“ nǐ jiào tā kuài chī liǎo qiáo lín mèi mèi qù bà, jiào tā zài zhè lǐ hú chàn xiē shénme。” bǎo yù chī liǎo chá, biàn chū lái, yī zhí wǎng xī yuàn lái。 kě qiǎo zǒu dào fèng jiě 'ér yuàn mén qián, zhǐ jiàn fèng jiě dèng zhe mén jiàn zǐ ná 'ěr wā zǐ tī yá, kàn zhe shí lái gè xiǎo sī men nuó huā pén ní。 jiàn bǎo yù lái liǎo, xiào dào:“ nǐ lái de hǎo。 jìn lái, jìn lái, tì wǒ xiě jǐ gè zì 'ér。” bǎo yù zhǐ dé gēn liǎo jìn lái。 dào liǎo wū lǐ, fèng jiě mìng rén qǔ guò bǐ yàn zhǐ lái, xiàng bǎo yù dào:“ dà hóng zhuāng duàn sì shí pǐ, mǎng duàn sì shí pǐ, shàng yòng shā gè sè yī bǎi pǐ, jīn xiàng juàn sì gè。” bǎo yù dào:“ zhè suàn shénme? yòu bù shì zhàng, yòu bù shì lǐ wù, zěn me gè xiě fǎ? " fèng jiě 'ér dào:“ nǐ zhǐ guǎn xiě shàng, héng shù wǒ zì jǐ míng bái jiù bà liǎo。” bǎo yù tīng shuō zhǐ dé xiě liǎo。 fèng jiě yī miàn shōu qǐ, yī miàn xiào dào:“ hái yòu jù huà gào sù nǐ, bù zhī nǐ yǐ bù yǐ? nǐ wū lǐ yòu gè yā tóu jiào hóng yù, wǒ yào jiào liǎo lái shǐ huàn, míng 'ér wǒ zài tì nǐ tiǎo jǐ gè, kě shǐ dé? " bǎo yù dào:“ wǒ wū lǐ de rén yě duō de hěn, jiě jiě xǐ huān shuí, zhǐ guǎn jiào liǎo lái, hé bì wèn wǒ。” fèng jiě xiào dào:“ jì zhèmezhāo, wǒ jiù jiào rén dài tā qù liǎo。” bǎo yù dào:“ zhǐ guǎn dài qù。” shuō zhe biàn yào zǒu。 fèng jiě 'ér dào:“ nǐ huí lái, wǒ hái yòu yī jù huà ní。” bǎo yù dào:“ lǎo tài tài jiào wǒ ní, yòu huà děng wǒ huí lái bà。” shuō zhe biàn lái zhì jiǎ mǔ zhè biān, zhǐ jiàn dōuyǐ chī wán fàn liǎo。 jiǎ mǔ yīn wèn tā:“ gēn zhe nǐ niàn chī liǎo shénme hǎo de? " bǎo yù xiào dào:“ yě méi shénme hǎo de, wǒ dǎo duō chī liǎo yī wǎn fàn。” yīn wèn:“ lín mèi mèi zài nà lǐ? " jiǎ mǔ dào:“ lǐ tóu wū lǐ ní。”
bǎo yù jìn lái, zhǐ jiàn dì xià yī gè yā tóu chuī yùn dǒu, kàng shàng liǎng gè yā tóu dǎ fěn xiàn, dài yù wān zhe yāo ná zhe jiǎn zǐ cái shí me ní。 bǎo yù zǒu jìn lái xiào dào:“ ò, zhè shì zuò shénme ní? cái chī liǎo fàn, zhè me kōng zhe tóu, yī huì zǐ yòu tóu téng liǎo。 " dài yù bìng bù lǐ, zhǐ guǎn cái tā de。 yòu yī gè yā tóu shuō dào:“ nà kuài chóu zǐ jué'ér hái bù hǎo ní, zài yùn tā yī yùn。” dài yù biàn bǎ jiǎn zǐ yī liào, shuō dào:“ lǐ tā ní, guò yī huì zǐ jiù hǎo liǎo。” bǎo yù tīng liǎo, zhǐ shì nà mèn。 zhǐ jiàn bǎo chāi tàn chūn děng yě lái liǎo, hé jiǎ mǔ shuō liǎo yī huí huà。 bǎo chāi yě jìn lái wèn:“ lín mèi mèi zuò shénme ní? " yīn jiàn lín dài yù cái jiǎn, yīn xiào dào:“ mèi mèi yuè fā néng gān liǎo, lián cái jiǎn dū huì liǎo。” dài yù xiào dào:“ zhè yě bù guò shì sǎ huǎng hǒngrén bà liǎo。 " bǎo chāi xiào dào:“ wǒ gào sù nǐ gè xiào huà 'ér, cái gāng wéi nà gè yào, wǒ shuō liǎo gè bù zhī dào, bǎo xiōng dì xīn lǐ bù shòu yòng liǎo。 " lín dài yù dào:“ lǐ tā ní, guò huì zǐ jiù hǎo liǎo。” bǎo yù xiàng bǎo chāi dào:“ lǎo tài tài yào mǒ gǔ pái, zhèng méi rén ní, nǐ mǒ gǔ pái qù bà。” bǎo chāi tīng shuō, biàn xiào dào:“ wǒ shì wéi mǒ gǔ pái cái lái liǎo? " shuō zhe biàn zǒu liǎo。 lín dài yù dào:“ nǐ dǎo shì qù bà, zhè lǐ yòu lǎo hǔ, kàn chī liǎo nǐ! " shuō zhe yòu cái。 bǎo yù jiàn tā bù lǐ, zhǐ dé hái péi xiào shuō dào:“ nǐ yě chū qù guàng guàng zài cái bù chí。” lín dài yù zǒng bù lǐ。 bǎo yù biàn wèn yā tóu men:“ zhè shì shuí jiào cái de? " lín dài yù jiàn wèn yā tóu men, biàn shuō dào:“ píng tā shuí jiào wǒ cái, yě bù guǎn 'èr yé de shì! " bǎo yù fāng yù shuō huà, zhǐ jiàn yòu rén jìn lái huí shuō " wài tóu yòu rén qǐng "。 bǎo yù tīng liǎo, máng chè shēn chū lái。 dài yù xiàng wài tóu shuō dào:“ ēmítuófó! gǎn nǐ huí lái, wǒ sǐ liǎo yě bà liǎo。”
bǎo yù chū lái, dào wài miàn, zhǐ jiàn bèi míng shuō dào:“ féng dà yé jiā qǐng。” bǎo yù tīng liǎo, zhī dào shì zuó rì de huà, biàn shuō:“ yào yī cháng qù。” zì jǐ biàn wǎng shū fáng lǐ lái。 bèi míng yī zhí dào liǎo 'èr mén qián děng rén rèn 'ài 'ěr lán nán bù kè luó yīn jiào qū zhù jiào。 míng què xuān bù zì jǐ de zhé xué shì wéi shén, zhǐ jiàn yī gè lǎo pó zǐ chū lái liǎo, bèi míng shàng qù shuō dào:“ bǎo 'èr yé zài shū fáng lǐ děng chū mén de yī cháng, nǐ lǎo rén jiā jìn qù dài gè xìn 'ér。” nà pó zǐ shuō:“ fàng nǐ niàn de pì! dǎo hǎo, bǎo 'èr yé rú jīn zài yuán lǐ zhù zhe, gēn tā de réndōu zài yuán lǐ, nǐ yòu páo liǎo zhè lǐ lái dài xìn 'ér lái liǎo! " bèi míng tīng liǎo, xiào dào:“ mà de shì, wǒ yě hú tú liǎo。” shuō zhe yī jìng wǎng dōng biān 'èr mén qián lái。 kě qiǎo mén shàng xiǎo sī zài yǒng lù dǐ xià tī qiú, bèi míng jiāng yuán gù shuō liǎo。 xiǎo sī páo liǎo jìn qù, bàn rì bào liǎo yī gè bāo fú chū lái, dì yǔ bèi míng。 huí dào shū fáng lǐ, bǎo yù huàn liǎo, mìng rén bèi mǎ, zhǐ dài zhe bèi míng, chú yào, shuāng ruì, shuāng shòu sì gè xiǎo sī qù liǎo。 yī jìng dào liǎo féng zǐ yīng jiā mén kǒu, yòu rén bào yǔ liǎo féng zǐ yīng, chū lái yíng jiē jìn qù。 zhǐ jiàn xuē pán zǎo yǐ zài nà lǐ jiǔ hòu, hái yòu xǔ duō chàng qū 'ér de xiǎo sī bìng chàng xiǎo dàn de jiǎng yù hàn, jǐn xiāng yuàn de jì nǚ yún 'ér。 dà jiādōu jiàn guò liǎo, rán hòu chī chá。 bǎo yù qíng chá xiào dào:“ qián 'ér suǒ yán xìng yǔ bù xìng zhī shì, wǒ zhòu xuán yè xiǎng, jīn rì yī wén hū huàn jí zhì。” féng zǐ yīng xiào dào:“ nǐ men lìng biǎo xiōng dì dǎo dū xīn shí。 qián rì bù guò shì wǒ de shè cí, chéng xīn qǐng nǐ men yī yǐn, kǒng yòu tuī tuō, gù shuō xià zhè jù huà。 jīn rì yī yāo jí zhì, shuí zhī dū xìn zhēn liǎo。” shuō bì dà jiā yī xiào, rán hòu bǎi shàng jiǔ lái, yǐ cì zuò dìng。 féng zǐ yīng xiān mìng chàng qū 'ér de xiǎo sī guò lái ràng jiǔ, rán hòu mìng yún 'ér yě lái jìng。
nà xuē pán sān bēi xià dù, bù jué wàng liǎo qíng, lā zhe yún 'ér de shǒu xiào dào:“ nǐ bǎ nà tī jǐ xīn yàng 'ér de qǔzǐ chàng gè wǒ tīng, wǒ chī yī tán rú hé? " yún 'ér tīng shuō, zhǐ dé ná qǐ pí pá lái, chàng dào:
liǎng gè yuān jiā, dū nán diū xià, xiǎng zhe nǐ lái yòu jì guà zhe tā。 liǎng gè rén xíng
róng jùn qiào, dū nán miáo huà。 xiǎng zuó xiāo yōu qī sī dìng zài shū さ jià, yī gè tōu qíng,
yī gè xún ná, ná zhù liǎo sān cáo duì 'àn, wǒ yě wú huí huà。 chàng bì xiào dào:“ nǐ hē yī tán zǐ bà liǎo。” xuē pán tīng shuō, xiào dào:“ bù zhí yī tán, zài chàng hǎo de lái。”
bǎo yù xiào dào:“ tīng wǒ shuō lái: rú cǐ làn yǐn, yì zuì 'ér wú wèi。 wǒ xiān hē yī dà hǎi, fā yī xīn lìng, yòu bù zūn zhě, lián fá shí dà hǎi, zhú chū xí wài yǔ rén zhēn jiǔ。” féng zǐ yīng jiǎng yù hàn děng dū dào:“ yòu lǐ, yòu lǐ。” bǎo yù ná qǐ hǎi lái yī qì yǐn gān, shuō dào:“ rú jīn yào shuō bēi, chóu, xǐ, lè sì zì, què yào shuō chū nǚ 'ér lái, hái yào zhù míng zhè sì zì yuán gù。 shuō wán liǎo, yǐn mén bēi。 jiǔ miàn yào chàng yī gè xīn xiān shí yàng qǔzǐ, jiǔ dǐ yào xí shàng shēng fēng yī yàng dōng xī, huò gǔ shī, jiù duì,《 sì shū》《 wǔ jīng》 chéng yǔ。” xuē pán wèi děng shuō wán, xiān zhàn qǐ lái lán dào:“ wǒ bù lái, bié suàn wǒ。 zhè jìng shì zhuō nòng wǒ ní! " yún 'ér yě zhàn qǐ lái, tuī tā zuò xià, xiào dào:“ pà shénme? zhè hái kuī nǐ tiān tiān chī jiǔ ní, nán dào nǐ lián wǒ yě bù rú! wǒ huí lái hái shuō ní。 shuō shì liǎo, bà, bù shì liǎo, bù guò fá shàng jǐ bēi, nà lǐ jiù zuì sǐ liǎo。 nǐ rú jīn yī luàn lìng, dǎo hē shí dà hǎi, xià qù zhēn jiǔ bù chéng? " zhòng réndōu pāi shǒu dào miào。 xuē pán tīng shuō wú fǎ, zhǐ dé zuò liǎo。 tīng bǎo yù shuō dào:“ nǚ 'ér bēi, qīng chūn yǐ dà shǒu kōng guī。 nǚ 'ér chóu, huǐ jiào fū xù mì fēng hóu。 nǚ 'ér xǐ, duì jìng chén zhuāng yán sè měi。 nǚ 'ér lè, qiū qiān jià shàng chūn shān bó。”
zhòng rén tīng liǎo, dū dào:“ shuō dé yòu lǐ。” xuē pán dú yáng zhe liǎn yáo tóu shuō:“ bù hǎo, gāi fá! " zhòng rén wèn:“ rú hé gāi fá? " xuē pán dào:“ tā shuō de wǒ tōng bù dǒng, zěn me bù gāi fá? " yún 'ér biàn níng tā yī bǎ, xiào dào:“ nǐ qiāoqiāo de xiǎng nǐ de bà。 huí lái shuō bù chū, yòu gāi fá liǎo。” yú shì ná pí pá tīng bǎo yù chàng dào:
dī bù jìn xiāng sī xuè lèi pāo hóng dòu, kāi bù wán chūn liǔ chūn huā mǎn huà lóu, shuì bù wěn shā chuāng fēng yǔ huáng hūn hòu, wàng bù liǎo xīn chóu yǔ jiù chóu, yān bù xià yù lì jīn
chún shā mǎn hóu, zhào bù jiàn líng huā jìng lǐ xíng róng shòu。 zhǎn bù kāi de méi tóu, ái bù míng de gēnglòu。 yā! qià biàn sì zhē bù zhù de qīng shān yǐn yǐn, liú bù duàn de lǜ
shuǐ yōu yōu。 chàng wán, dà jiā qí shēng hècǎi, dú xuē pán shuō wú bǎn。 bǎo yù yǐn liǎo mén bēi, biàn niān qǐ yī piàn lí lái, shuō dào:“ yǔ dǎ lí huā shēn bì mén。” wán liǎo lìng。
xià gāi féng zǐ yīng, shuō dào:“ nǚ 'ér bēi, ér fū rǎn bìng zài chuí wēi。 nǚ 'ér chóu, dà fēng chuī dǎo shū zhuāng lóu。 nǚ 'ér xǐ, tóu tāi yǎng liǎo shuāng shēng zǐ。 nǚ 'ér lè, sī xiàng huā yuán tāo xī shuài。” shuō bì, duān qǐ jiǔ lái, chàng dào:
nǐ shì gè kě rén, nǐ shì gè duō qíng, nǐ shì gè diāo zuàn gǔ guài guǐ líng jīng, nǐ
shì gè shén xiān yě bù líng。 wǒ shuō de huà 'ér nǐ quán bù xìn, zhǐ jiào nǐ qù bèi dì lǐ
xì dǎ tīng, cái zhī dào wǒ téng nǐ bù téng! chàng wán, yǐn liǎo mén bēi, shuō dào:“ jī shēng máo diàn yuè。” lìng wán, xià gāi yún 'ér。
yún 'ér biàn shuō dào:“ nǚ 'ér bēi, jiāng lái zhōng shēn zhǐ kào shuí? " xuē pán tàn dào:“ wǒ de 'ér, yòu nǐ xuē dà yé zài, nǐ pà shénme! " zhòng rén dū dào:“ bié hùn tā, bié hùn tā! " yún 'ér yòu dào:“ nǚ 'ér chóu, mā mā dǎ mà hé shí xiū! " xuē pán dào:“ qián 'ér wǒ jiàn liǎo nǐ mā, hái fēn fù tā bù jiào tā dǎ nǐ ní。” zhòng rén dū dào:“ zài duō yán zhě fá jiǔ shí bēi。” xuē pán lián máng zì jǐ dǎ liǎo yī gè zuǐ bā zǐ, shuō dào:“ méi 'ěr xìng, zài bù xǔ shuō liǎo。” yún 'ér yòu dào:“ nǚ 'ér xǐ, qíng láng bùshě hái jiā lǐ。 nǚ 'ér lè, zhù liǎo xiāo guǎn nòng xián suǒ。” shuō wán, biàn chàng dào:
щ kòu kāi huā sān yuè sān, yī gè chóng 'ér wǎng lǐ zuàn。 zuàn liǎo bàn rì bù dé jìn
qù, pá dào huā 'ér shàng dǎ qiū qiān。 ròu 'ér xiǎo xīn gān, wǒ bù kāi liǎo nǐ zěn me zuàn? chàng bì, yǐn liǎo mén bēi, shuō dào:“ táo zhī yāo yāo。” lìng wán liǎo, xià gāi xuē pán。
xuē pán dào:“ wǒ kě yào shuō liǎo: nǚ 'ér bēi héng héng " shuō liǎo bàn rì, bù jiàn shuō dǐ xià de。 féng zǐ yīng xiào dào:“ bēi shénme? kuài shuō lái。” xuē pán dēng shí jí de yǎn jīng líng chēng yī bān, dèng liǎo bàn rì, cái shuō dào:“ nǚ 'ér bēi héng héng " yòu ké sòu liǎo liǎng shēng, shuō dào:“ nǚ 'ér bēi, jià liǎo gè nán rén shì wū guī。” zhòng rén tīng liǎo dōudà xiào qǐ lái。 xuē pán dào:“ xiào shénme, nán dào wǒ shuō de bù shì? yī gè nǚ 'ér jià liǎo hàn zǐ, yào dāng wàng bā, tā zěn me bù shāng xīn ní? " zhòng rén xiào de wān yāo shuō dào:“ nǐ shuō de hěn shì, kuài shuō dǐ xià de。” xuē pán dèng liǎo yī dèng yǎn, yòu shuō dào:“ nǚ 'ér chóu héng héng " shuō liǎo zhè jù, yòu bù yán yǔ liǎo。 zhòng rén dào:“ zěn me chóu? " xuē pán dào:“ xiù fáng cuān chū gè dà mǎ hóu。” zhòng rén hē hē xiào dào:“ gāi fá, gāi fá! zhè jù gèng bù tōng, xiān hái kě shù。” shuō zhe biàn yào shāi jiǔ。 bǎo yù xiào dào:“ yā yùn jiù hǎo。” xuē pán dào:“ lìng guān dū zhǔn liǎo, nǐ men nào shénme? " zhòng rén tīng shuō, fāng cái bà liǎo。 yún 'ér xiào dào:“ xià liǎng jù yuè fānàn shuō liǎo, wǒ tì nǐ shuō bà。” xuē pán dào:“ hú shuō! dàngzhēn wǒ jiù méi hǎo de liǎo! tīng wǒ shuō bà: nǚ 'ér xǐ, dòng fáng huā zhú cháo yōng qǐ。” zhòng rén tīng liǎo, dū chà yì dào:“ zhè jù hé qí tài yùn? " xuē pán yòu dào:“ nǚ 'ér lè, yī gēn фх wǎng lǐ chuō。” zhòng rén tīng liǎo, dū niǔ zhe liǎn shuō dào:“ gāi sǐ, gāi sǐ! kuài chàng liǎo bà。” xuē pán biàn chàng dào:“ yī gè wén zǐ hēng hēng hēng。” zhòng réndōu zhèng liǎo, shuō:“ zhè shì gè shénme qū 'ér? " xuē pán hái chàng dào:“ liǎng gè cāng yíng wēng wēng wēng。” zhòng rén dū dào:“ bà, bà, bà! " xuē pán dào:“ ài tīng bù tīng! zhè shì xīn xiān qū 'ér, jiào zuò hēng hēng yùn。 nǐ men yào lǎn dài tīng, lián jiǔ dǐ dū miǎn liǎo, wǒ jiù bù chàng。” zhòng rén dū dào:“ miǎn liǎo bà, miǎn liǎo bà, dǎo bié dān wù liǎo bié rén jiā。” yú shì jiǎng yù hàn shuō dào:“ nǚ 'ér bēi, zhàng fū yī qù bù huí guī。 nǚ 'ér chóu, wú qián qù dǎ guì huā yóu。 nǚ 'ér xǐ, dēng huā bìng tóu jié shuāng ruǐ。 nǚ 'ér lè, fū chàng fù suí zhēn hé hé。” shuō bì, chàng dào:
kě xǐ nǐ tiān shēng chéng bǎi mèi jiāo, qià biàn sì huó shén xiān lí bì xiāo。 dù qīng chūn,
nián zhèng xiǎo, pèi luán fèng, zhēn yě zhe。 yā! kàn tiān hé zhèng gāo, tīng qiáo lóu gǔ qiāo,
tī yín dēng tóng rù yuān wéi qiǎo。 chàng bì, yǐn liǎo mén bēi, xiào dào:“ zhè shī cí shàng wǒ dǎo yòu xiàn。 xìng 'ér zuó rì jiàn liǎo yī fù duì zǐ, kě qiǎo zhǐ jì dé zhè jù, xìng 'ér xí shàng hái yòu zhè jiàn dōng xī。” shuō bì, biàn gān liǎo jiǔ, ná qǐ yī duǒ mù xī lái, niàn dào:“ huā qì xí rén zhī zhòu nuǎn。”
zhòng rén dǎo dū yǐ liǎo, wán lìng。 xuē pán yòu tiào liǎo qǐ lái, xuān rǎng dào:“ liǎo bù dé, liǎo bù dé! gāi fá, gāi fá! zhè xí shàng yòu méi yòu bǎo bèi, nǐ zěn me niàn qǐ bǎo bèi lái? " jiǎng yù hàn zhèng liǎo, shuō dào:“ hé céng yòu bǎo bèi? " xuē pán dào:“ nǐ hái lài ní! nǐ zài niàn lái。” jiǎng yù hàn zhǐ dé yòu niàn liǎo yī biàn。 xuē pán dào:“ xí rén kě bù shì bǎo bèi shì shénme! nǐ men bù xìn, zhǐ wèn tā。” shuō bì, zhǐ zhe bǎo yù。 bǎo yù méi hǎo yì sī qǐ lái, shuō:“ xuē dà gē, nǐ gāi fá duō shǎo? " xuē pán dào:“ gāi fá, gāi fá! " shuō zhe ná qǐ jiǔ lái, yī yǐn 'ér jìn。 féng zǐ yīng yǔ jiǎng yù hàn děng bù zhī yuán gù, yún 'ér biàn gào sù liǎo chū lái。 jiǎng yù hàn máng qǐ shēn péi zuì。 zhòng rén dū dào:“ bù zhī zhě bù zuò zuì。”
shǎo kè, bǎo yù chū xí jiě shǒu, jiǎng yù hàn biàn suí liǎo chū lái。 èr rén zhàn zài láng yán xià, jiǎng yù hàn yòu péi bù shì。 bǎo yù jiàn tā wǔ mèi wēn róu, xīn zhōng shí fēn liú liàn, biàn jǐn jǐn de dā zhe tā de shǒu, jiào tā:“ xián liǎo wǎng wǒ men nà lǐ qù。 hái yòu yī jù huà jiè wèn, yě shì nǐ men guì bān zhōng, yòu yī gè jiào qí guān de, tā zài nà lǐ? rú jīn míng chí tiān xià, wǒ dú wú yuán yī jiàn。” jiǎng yù hàn xiào dào:“ jiù shì wǒ de xiǎo míng 'ér。” bǎo yù tīng shuō, bù jué xīn rán diē zú xiào dào:“ yòu xìng, yòu xìng! guǒ rán míng bù xū chuán。 jīn 'ér chū huì, biàn zěn me yàng ní? " xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng, xiàng xiù zhōng qǔ chū shàn zǐ, jiāng yī gè yù ぉ shàn zhuì jiě xià lái, dì yǔ qí guān, dào:“ wēi wù bù kān, lüè biǎo jīn rì zhī yì。” qí guān jiē liǎo, xiào dào:“ wú gōng shòu lù, hé yǐ kè dāng! yě bà, wǒ zhè lǐ dé liǎo yī jiàn qí wù, jīn rì zǎo qǐ fāng jìshàng, hái shì cù xīn de, liáo kě biǎo wǒ yī diǎn qīn rè zhī yì。” shuō bì liáo yī, jiāng xì xiǎo yī 'ér yī
tiáo dà hóng hàn jīn zǐ jiě liǎo xià lái, dì yǔ bǎo yù, dào:“ zhè hàn jīn zǐ shì qiàn xiāng guó nǚ guó wáng suǒ gòng zhī wù, xià tiān xì zhe, jī fū shēng xiāng, bù shēng hàn zì。 zuó rì běi jìng wáng gěi wǒ de, jīn rì cái shàng shēn。 ruò shì bié rén, wǒ duàn bù kěn xiāng zèng。 èr yé qǐng bǎ zì jǐ xì de jiě xià lái, gěi wǒ xì zhe。” bǎo yù tīng shuō, xǐ bù zì jìn, lián máng jiē liǎo, jiāng zì jǐ yī tiáo sōng huā hàn jīn jiě liǎo xià lái, dì yǔ qí guān。 èr rén fāng shù hǎo, zhǐ jiàn yī shēng dà jiào:“ wǒ kě ná zhù liǎo! " zhǐ jiàn xuē pán tiào liǎo chū lái, lā zhe 'èr rén dào:“ fàng zhe jiǔ bù chī, liǎng gè rén táo xí chū lái gànshénme? kuài ná chū lái wǒ qiáo qiáo。” èr rén dū dào:“ méi yòu shénme。” xuē pán nà lǐ kěn yǐ, hái shì féng zǐ yīng chū lái cái jiě kāi liǎo。 yú shì fù yòu guī zuò yǐn jiǔ, zhì wǎn fāng sàn。
bǎo yù huí zhì yuán zhōng, kuān yī chī chá。 xí rén jiàn shàn zǐ shàng de zhuì 'ér méi liǎo, biàn wèn tā:“ wǎng nà lǐ qù liǎo? " bǎo yù dào:“ mǎ shàng diū liǎo。” shuì jué shí zhǐ jiàn yāo lǐ yī tiáo xuè diǎn shìde dà hóng hàn jīn zǐ, xí rén biàn cāi liǎo bā jiǔ fēn, yīn shuō dào:“ nǐ yòu liǎo hǎo de xì kù zǐ, bǎ wǒ nà tiáo hái wǒ bà。” bǎo yù tīng shuō, fāng xiǎng qǐ nà tiáo hàn jīn zǐ yuán shì xí rén de, bù gāi gěi rén cái shì, xīn lǐ hòu huǐ, kǒu lǐ shuō bù chū lái, zhǐ dé xiào dào:“ wǒ péi nǐ yī tiáo bà。” xí rén tīng liǎo, diǎn tóu tàn dào:“ wǒ jiù zhī dào yòu gān zhè xiē shì! yě bù gāi ná zhe wǒ de dōng xī gěi nà qǐ hùn zhàng rén qù。 yě nán wéi nǐ, xīn lǐ méi gè suàn jì 'ér。” zài yào shuō jǐ jù, yòu kǒng 'òu shàng tā de jiǔ lái, shǎo bù dé yě shuì liǎo, yīxiǔ wú huà。 zhì cì rì tiān míng, fāng cái xǐng liǎo, zhǐ jiàn bǎo yù xiào dào:“ yè lǐ shī liǎo dào yě bù xiǎo dé, nǐ qiáo qiáo kù zǐ shàng。” xí rén dī tóu yī kàn, zhǐ jiàn zuó rì bǎo yù xì de nà tiáo hàn jīn zǐ xì zài zì jǐ yāo lǐ ní, biàn zhī shì bǎo yù yè jiān huàn liǎo, máng yī dùn bǎ jiě xià lái, shuō dào:“ wǒ bù xī hǎn zhè xíng zǐ, chèn zǎo 'ér ná liǎo qù! " bǎo yù jiàn tā rú cǐ, zhǐ dé wěi wǎn jiě quàn liǎo yī huí。 xí rén wú fǎ, zhǐ dé xì zài yāo lǐ。 guò hòu bǎo yù chū qù, zhōng jiǔ jiě xià lái zhì zài gè kōng xiāng zǐ lǐ, zì jǐ yòu huàn liǎo yī tiáo xì zhe。
bǎo yù bìng wèi lǐ lùn, yīn wèn qǐ zuó rì kě yòu shénme shì qíng。 xí rén biàn huí shuō:“ èr nǎi nǎi dǎ fā rén jiào liǎo hóng yù qù liǎo。 tā yuán yào děng nǐ lái de, wǒ xiǎng shénme yào jǐn, wǒ jiù zuò liǎo zhù, dǎ fā tā qù liǎo。” bǎo yù dào:“ hěn shì。 wǒ yǐ zhī dào liǎo, bù bì děng wǒ bà liǎo。” xí rén yòu dào:“ zuó 'ér guì fēi dǎ fā xià tàijiàn chū lái, sòng liǎo yī bǎi 'èr shí liǎng yín zǐ, jiào zài qīng xū guān chū yī dào chū sān dǎ sān tiān píng 'ān jiào, chàng xì xiàn gōng, jiào zhēn dà yé lǐng zhe zhòng wèi yé men guì xiāng bài fó ní。 hái yòu duān wǔ ér de jié lǐ yě shǎng liǎo。” shuō zhe mìng xiǎo yā tóu zǐ lái, jiāng zuó rì suǒ cì zhī wù qǔ liǎo chū lái, zhǐ jiàn shàng děng gōng shàn liǎng bǐng, hóng shè xiāng zhū 'èr chuàn, fèng wěi luó 'èr duān, fú róng diàn yī lǐng。 bǎo yù jiàn liǎo, xǐ bù zì shèng, wèn " bié rén de yědōu shì zhè gè? " xí rén dào:“ lǎo tài tài de duō zhe yī gè xiāng rú yì, yī gè mǎ nǎo zhěn。 tài tài, lǎo yé, yí tài tài de zhǐ duō zhe yī gè rú yì。 nǐ de tóng bǎo gū niàn de yī yàng。 lín gū niàn tóng 'èr gū niàn, sān gū niàn, sì gū niàn zhǐ dān yòu shàn zǐ tóng shù zhū 'ér, bié réndōu méi liǎo。 dà nǎi nǎi, èr nǎi nǎi tā liǎng gè shì měi rén liǎng pǐ shā, liǎng pǐ luó, liǎng gè xiāng dài, liǎng gè dìng zǐ yào。” bǎo yù tīng liǎo, xiào dào:“ zhè shì zěn me gè yuán gù? zěn me lín gū niàn de dǎo bù tóng wǒ de yī yàng, dǎo shì bǎo jiě jiě de tóng wǒ yī yàng! bié shì chuán cuò liǎo bà? " xí rén dào:“ zuó 'ér ná chū lái, dōushì yī fèn yī fèn de xiě zhe qiān zǐ, zěn me jiù cuò liǎo! nǐ de shì zài lǎo tài tài wū lǐ de, wǒ qù ná liǎo lái liǎo。 lǎo tài tài shuō liǎo, míng 'ér jiào nǐ yī gè wǔ gèng tiān jìn qù xiè 'ēn ní。” bǎo yù dào:“ zì rán yào zǒu yī tàng。” shuō zhe biàn jiào zǐ xiāo lái:“ ná liǎo zhè gè dào lín gū niàn nà lǐ qù, jiù shuō shì zuó 'ér wǒ dé de, ài shénme liú xià shénme。” zǐ xiāo dāyìng liǎo, ná liǎo qù, bù yī shí huí lái shuō:“ lín gū niàn shuō liǎo, zuó 'ér yě dé liǎo, èr yé liú zhe bà。”
bǎo yù tīng shuō, biàn mìng rén shōu liǎo。 gāng xǐ liǎo liǎn chū lái, yào wǎng jiǎ mǔ nà lǐ qǐng 'ān qù, zhǐ jiàn lín dài yù dǐng tóu lái liǎo。 bǎo yù gǎn shàng qù xiào dào:“ wǒ de dōng xī jiào nǐ jiǎn, nǐ zěn me bù jiǎn? " lín dài yù zuó rì suǒ nǎo bǎo yù de xīn shì zǎo yòu diū kāi, yòu gù jīn rì de shì liǎo, yīn shuō dào:“ wǒ méi zhè me dà fú jìn shòu, bǐ bù dé bǎo gū niàn, shénme jīn shénme yù de, wǒ men bù guò shì cǎo mù zhī rén! " bǎo yù tīng tā tí chū " jīn yù " èr zì lái, bù jué xīn dòng yí cāi, biàn shuō dào:“ chú liǎo bié rén shuō shénme jīn shénme yù, wǒ xīn lǐ yào yòu zhè gè xiǎng tóu, tiān zhū dì miè, wàn shì bù dé rén shēn! " lín dài yù tīng tā zhè huà, biàn zhī tā xīn lǐ dòng liǎo yí, máng yòu xiào dào:“ hǎo méi yì sī, bái bái de shuō shénme shì? guǎn nǐ shénme jīn shénme yù de ní! " bǎo yù dào:“ wǒ xīn lǐ de shì yě nán duì nǐ shuō, rì hòu zì rán míng bái。 chú liǎo lǎo tài tài, lǎo yé, tài tài zhè sān gè rén, dì sì gè jiù shì mèi mèi liǎo。 yào yòu dì wǔ gè rén, wǒ yě shuō gè shì。” lín dài yù dào:“ nǐ yě bù yòng shuō shì, wǒ hěn zhī dào nǐ xīn lǐ yòu‘ mèi mèi’, dàn zhǐ shì jiàn liǎo‘ jiě jiě’, jiù bǎ‘ mèi mèi’ wàng liǎo。” bǎo yù dào:“ nà shì nǐ duō xīn, wǒ zài bù de。” lín dài yù dào:“ zuó 'ér bǎo yā tóu bù tì nǐ yuán huǎng, wèishénme wèn zhe wǒ ní? nà yào shì wǒ, nǐ yòu bù zhī zěn me yàng liǎo。” zhèng shuō zhe, zhǐ jiàn bǎo chāi cóng nà biān lái liǎo, èr rén biàn zǒu kāi liǎo。 bǎo chāi fēn míng kàn jiàn, zhǐ zhuāng kàn bù jiàn, dī zhe tóu guò qù liǎo, dào liǎo wáng fū rén nà lǐ, zuò liǎo yī huí, rán hòu dào liǎo jiǎ mǔ zhè biān, zhǐ jiàn bǎo yù zài zhè lǐ ní。 xuē bǎo chāi yīn wǎng rì mǔ qīn duì wáng fū rén děng céng tí guò " jīn suǒ shì gè hé shàng gěi de, děng rì hòu yòu yù de fāng kě jié wéi hūn yīn " děng yǔ, suǒ yǐ zǒng yuǎn zhe bǎo yù。 zuó 'ér jiàn yuán chūn suǒ cì de dōng xī, dú tā yǔ bǎo yù yī yàng, xīn lǐ yuè fā méi yì sī qǐ lái。 xìng kuī bǎo yù bèi yī gè lín dài yù chán mián zhù liǎo, xīn xīn niàn niàn zhǐ jì guà zhe lín dài yù, bìng bù lǐ lùn zhè shì。 cǐ kè hū jiàn bǎo yù xiào wèn dào:“ bǎo jiě jiě, wǒ qiáo qiáo nǐ de hóng shè chuàn zǐ? " kě qiǎo bǎo chāi zuǒ wàn shàng lóng zhe yī chuàn, jiàn bǎo yù wèn tā, shǎo bù dé tuì liǎo xià lái。 bǎo chāi shēng de jī fū fēng zé, róng yì tuì bù xià lái。 bǎo yù zài bàng kàn zhe xuě bái yī duàn sū bì, bù jué dòng liǎo xiàn mù zhī xīn, àn 'àn xiǎng dào:“ zhè gè bǎng zǐ yào cháng zài lín mèi mèi shēn shàng, huò zhě hái dé mō yī mō, piān shēngzhǎng zài tā shēn shàng。” zhèng shì hèn méi fú dé mō, hū rán xiǎng qǐ jīn yù yù lìng jù yī zhǒng wǔ mèi fēng liú, bù jué jiù dāi liǎo, bǎo chāi tuì liǎo chuàn zǐ lái dì yǔ tā yě wàng liǎo jiē。 bǎo chāi jiàn tā zhèng liǎo, zì jǐ dǎo bù hǎo yì sī de, diū xià chuàn zǐ, huí shēn cái yào zǒu, zhǐ jiàn lín dài yù dèng zhe mén jiàn zǐ, zuǐ lǐ yǎo zhuóshǒu pà zǐ xiào ní。 bǎo chāi dào:“ nǐ yòu jìn bù dé fēng chuī, zěn me yòu zhàn zài nà fēng kǒu lǐ? " lín dài yù xiào dào:“ hé céng bù shì zài wū lǐ de。 zhǐ yīn tīng jiàn tiān shàng yī shēng jiào huàn, chū lái qiáo liǎo qiáo, yuán lái shì gè dāi yàn。” xuē bǎo chāi dào:“ dāi yàn zài nà lǐ ní? wǒ yě qiáo yī qiáo。” lín dài yù dào:“ wǒ cái chū lái, tā jiù‘ tè 'ér’ yī shēng fēi liǎo。” kǒu lǐ shuō zhe, jiāng shǒu lǐ de pà zǐ yī shuǎi, xiàng bǎo yù liǎn shàng shuǎi lái。 bǎo yù bù fáng, zhèng dǎ zài yǎn shàng, " ài yō " liǎo yī shēng。 yào zhī duān de, qiě tīng xià huí fēn jiě。
Chiang Yue-han lovingly presents a rubia-scented silk sash. Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai blushingly covers her musk-perfumed string of red beads.
Lin Tai-yue, the story goes, dwelt, after Ch'ing Wen's refusal, the previous night, to open the door, under the impression that the blame lay with Pao-yue. The following day, which by another remarkable coincidence, happened to correspond with the season, when the god of flowers had to be feasted, her total ignorance of the true circumstances, and her resentment, as yet unspent, aroused again in her despondent thoughts, suggested by the decline of spring time. She consequently gathered a quantity of faded flowers and fallen petals, and went and interred them. Unable to check the emotion, caused by the decay of the flowers, she spontaneously recited, after giving way to several loud lamentations, those verses which Pao-yue, she little thought, overheard from his position on the mound. At first, he did no more than nod his head and heave sighs, full of feeling. But when subsequently his ear caught:
"Here I am fain these flowers to inter, but humankind will laugh me as a fool; Who knows who will, in years to come, commit me to my grave! In a twinkle springtime draws to an end, and maidens wax in age. Flowers fade and maidens die; and of either naught any more is known."
he unconsciously was so overpowered with grief that he threw himself on the mound, bestrewing the whole ground with the fallen flowers he carried in his coat, close to his chest. "When Tai-yue's flowerlike charms and moon-like beauty," he reflected, "by and bye likewise reach a time when they will vanish beyond any hope of recovery, won't my heart be lacerated and my feelings be mangled! And extending, since Tai-yue must at length some day revert to a state when it will be difficult to find her, this reasoning to other persons, like Pao-ch'ai, Hsiang Ling, Hsi Jen and the other girls, they too are equally liable to attain a state beyond the reach of human search. But when Pao-ch'ai and all the rest have ultimately reached that stage when no trace will be visible of them, where shall I myself be then? And when my own human form will have vanished and gone, whither I know not yet, to what person, I wonder, will this place, this garden and these plants, revert?"
From one to a second, and from a second to a third, he thus pursued his reflections, backwards and forwards, until he really did not know how he could best, at this time and at such a juncture, dispel his fit of anguish. His state is adequately described by:
The shadow of a flower cannot err from the flower itself to the left or the right. The song of birds can only penetrate into the ear from the east or the west.
Lin Tai-yue was herself a prey to emotion and agitation, when unawares sorrowful accents also struck her ear, from the direction of the mound. "Every one," she cogitated, "laughs at me for labouring under a foolish mania, but is there likely another fool besides myself?" She then raised her head, and, casting a glance about her, she discovered that it was Pao-yue. "Ts'ui!" eagerly cried Tai-yue, "I was wondering who it was; but is it truly this ruthless-hearted and short-lived fellow!"
But the moment the two words "short-lived" dropped from her mouth, she sealed her lips; and, heaving a deep sigh, she turned herself round and hurriedly walked off.
Pao-yue, meanwhile, remained for a time a prey to melancholy. But perceiving that Tai-yue had retired, he at once realised that she must have caught sight of him and got out of his way; and, as his own company afforded him no pleasure, he shook the dust off his clothes, rose to his feet and descending the hill, he started for the I Hung court by the path by which he had come. But he espied Tai-yue walking in advance of him, and with rapid stride, he overtook her. "Stop a little!" he cried. "I know you don't care a rap for me; but I'll just make one single remark, and from this day forward we'll part company."
Tai-yue looked round. Observing that it was Pao-yue, she was about to ignore him; hearing him however mention that he had only one thing to say, "Please tell me what it is," she forthwith rejoined.
Pao-yue smiled at her. "If I pass two remarks will you listen to me; yes or no?" he asked.
At these words, Tai-yue twisted herself round and beat a retreat. Pao-yue however followed behind.
"Since this is what we've come to now," he sighed, "what was the use of what existed between us in days gone by?"
As soon as Tai-yue heard his exclamation, she stopped short impulsively. Turning her face towards him, "what about days gone by," she remarked, "and what about now?"
"Ai!" ejaculated Pao-yue, "when you got here in days gone by, wasn't I your playmate in all your romps and in all your fun? My heart may have been set upon anything, but if you wanted it you could take it away at once. I may have been fond of any eatable, but if I came to learn that you too fancied it, I there and then put away what could be put away, in a clean place, to wait, Miss, for your return. We had our meals at one table; we slept in one and the same bed; whatever the servant-girls could not remember, I reminded them of, for fear lest your temper, Miss, should get ruffled. I flattered myself that cousins, who have grown up together from their infancy, as you and I have, would have continued, through intimacy or friendship, either would have done, in peace and harmony until the end, so as to make it palpable that we are above the rest. But, contrary to all my expectations, now that you, Miss, have developed in body as well as in mind, you don't take the least heed of me. You lay hold instead of some cousin Pao or cousin Feng or other from here, there and everywhere and give them a place in your affections; while on the contrary you disregard me for three days at a stretch and decline to see anything of me for four! I have besides no brother or sister of the same mother as myself. It's true there are a couple of them, but these, are you not forsooth aware, are by another mother! You and I are only children, so I ventured to hope that you would have reciprocated my feelings. But, who'd have thought it, I've simply thrown away this heart of mine, and here I am with plenty of woes to bear, but with nowhere to go and utter them!"
While expressing these sentiments, tears, unexpectedly, trickled from his eyes.
When Lin Tai-yue caught, with her ears, his protestations, and noticed with her eyes his state of mind, she unconsciously experienced an inward pang, and, much against her will, tears too besprinkled her cheeks; so, drooping her head, she kept silent.
Her manner did not escape Pao-yue's notice. "I myself am aware," he speedily resumed, "that I'm worth nothing now; but, however imperfect I may be, I could on no account presume to become guilty of any shortcoming with you cousin. Were I to ever commit the slightest fault, your task should be either to tender me advice and warn me not to do it again, or to blow me up a little, or give me a few whacks; and all this reproof I wouldn't take amiss. But no one would have ever anticipated that you wouldn't bother your head in the least about me, and that you would be the means of driving me to my wits' ends, and so much out of my mind and off my head, as to be quite at a loss how to act for the best. In fact, were death to come upon me, I would be a spirit driven to my grave by grievances. However much exalted bonzes and eminent Taoist priests might do penance, they wouldn't succeed in releasing my soul from suffering; for it would still be needful for you to clearly explain the facts, so that I might at last be able to come to life."
After lending him a patient ear, Tai-yue suddenly banished from her memory all recollection of the occurrences of the previous night. "Well, in that case," she said, "why did you not let a servant-girl open the door when I came over?"
This question took Pao-yue by surprise. "What prompts you to say this?" he exclaimed. "If I have done anything of the kind, may I die at once."
"Psha!" cried Tai-yue, "it's not right that you-should recklessly broach the subject of living or dying at this early morn! If you say yea, it's yea; and nay, it's nay; what use is there to utter such oaths!"
"I didn't really see you come over," protested Pao-yue. "Cousin Pao-ch'ai it was, who came and sat for a while and then left."
After some reflection, Lin Tai-yue smiled. "Yes," she observed, "your servant-girls must, I fancy, have been too lazy to budge, grumpy and in a cross-grained mood; this is probable enough."
"This is, I feel sure, the reason," answered Pao-yue, "so when I go back, I'll find out who it was, call them to task and put things right."
"Those girls of yours;" continued Tai-yue, "should be given a lesson, but properly speaking it isn't for me to mention anything about it. Their present insult to me is a mere trifle; but were to-morrow some Miss Pao (precious) or some Miss Pei (jewel) or other to come, and were she to be subjected to insult, won't it be a grave matter?"
While she taunted him, she pressed her lips, and laughed sarcastically.
Pao-yue heard her remarks and felt both disposed to gnash his teeth with rage, and to treat them as a joke; but in the midst of their colloquy, they perceived a waiting-maid approach and invite them to have their meal.
Presently, the whole body of inmates crossed over to the front.
"Miss," inquired Madame Wang at the sight of Tai-yue, "have you taken any of Dr. Pao's medicines? Do you feel any better?"
"I simply feel so-so," replied Lin Tai-yue, "but grandmother Chia recommended me to go on taking Dr. Wang's medicines."
"Mother," Pao-yue interposed, "you've no idea that cousin Lin's is an internal derangement; it's because she was born with a delicate physique that she can't stand the slightest cold. All she need do is to take a couple of closes of some decoction to dispel the chill; yet it's preferable that she should have medicine in pills."
"The other day," said Madame Wang, "the doctor mentioned the name of some pills, but I've forgotten what it is."
"I know something about pills," put in Pao-yue; "he merely told her to take some pills or other called 'ginseng as-a-restorative-of-the-system.'"
"That isn't it," Madame Wang demurred.
"The 'Eight-precious-wholesome-to-mother' pills," Pao-yue proceeded, "or the 'Left-angelica' or 'Right-angelica;' if these also aren't the ones, they must be the 'Eight-flavour Rehmannia-glutinosa' pills."
"None of these," rejoined Madame Wang, "for I remember well that there were the two words chin kang (guardians in Buddhistic temples)."
"I've never before," observed Pao-yue, clapping his hands, "heard of the existence of chin kang pills; but in the event of there being any chin kang pills, there must, for a certainty, be such a thing as P'u Sa (Buddha) powder."
At this joke, every one in the whole room burst out laughing. Pao-ch'ai compressed her lips and gave a smile. "It must, I'm inclined to think," she suggested, "be the 'lord-of-heaven-strengthen-the-heart' pills!"
"Yes, that's the name," Madame Wang laughed, "why, now, I too have become muddle-headed."
"You're not muddle-headed, mother," said Pao-yue, "it's the mention of Chin kangs and Buddhas which confused you."
"Stuff and nonsense!" ejaculated Madame Wang. "What you want again is your father to whip you!"
"My father," Pao-yue laughed, "wouldn't whip me for a thing like this."
"Well, this being their name," resumed Madame Wang, "you had better tell some one to-morrow to buy you a few."
"All these drugs," expostulated Pao-yue, "are of no earthly use. Were you, mother, to give me three hundred and sixty taels, I'll concoct a supply of pills for my cousin, which I can certify will make her feel quite herself again before she has finished a single supply."
"What trash!" cried Madame Wang. "What kind of medicine is there so costly!"
"It's a positive fact," smiled Pao-yue. "This prescription of mine is unlike all others. Besides, the very names of those drugs are quaint, and couldn't be enumerated in a moment; suffice it to mention the placenta of the first child; three hundred and sixty ginseng roots, shaped like human beings and studded with leaves; four fat tortoises; full-grown polygonum multiflorum; the core of the Pachyma cocos, found on the roots of a fir tree of a thousand years old; and other such species of medicines. They're not, I admit, out-of-the-way things; but they are the most excellent among that whole crowd of medicines; and were I to begin to give you a list of them, why, they'd take you all quite aback. The year before last, I at length let Hsueeh P'an have this recipe, after he had made ever so many entreaties during one or two years. When, however, he got the prescription, he had to search for another two or three years and to spend over and above a thousand taels before he succeeded in having it prepared. If you don't believe me, mother, you are at liberty to ask cousin Pao-ch'ai about it."
At the mention of her name, Pao-ch'ai laughingly waved her hand. "I know nothing about it," she observed. "Nor have I heard anything about it, so don't tell your mother to ask me any questions."
"Really," said Madame Wang smiling, "Pao-ch'ai is a good girl; she does not tell lies."
Pao-yue was standing in the centre of the room. Upon hearing these words, he turned round sharply and clapped his hands. "What I stated just now," he explained, "was the truth; yet you maintain that it was all lies."
As he defended himself, he casually looked round, and caught sight of Lin Tai-yue at the back of Pao-ch'ai laughing with tight-set lips, and applying her fingers to her face to put him to shame.
But Lady Feng, who had been in the inner rooms overseeing the servants laying the table, came out at once, as soon as she overheard the conversation. "Brother Pao tells no lies," she smilingly chimed in, "this is really a fact. Some time ago cousin Hsueeh P'an came over in person and asked me for pearls, and when I inquired of him what he wanted them for, he explained that they were intended to compound some medicine with; adding, in an aggrieved way, that it would have been better hadn't he taken it in hand for he never had any idea that it would involve such a lot of trouble! When I questioned him what the medicine was, he returned for answer that it was a prescription of brother Pao's; and he mentioned ever so many ingredients, which I don't even remember. 'Under other circumstances,' he went on to say, 'I would have purchased a few pearls, but what are absolutely wanted are such pearls as have been worn on the head; and that's why I come to ask you, cousin, for some. If, cousin, you've got no broken ornaments at hand, in the shape of flowers, why, those that you have on your head will do as well; and by and bye I'll choose a few good ones and give them to you, to wear.' I had no other course therefore than to snap a couple of twigs from some flowers I have, made of pearls, and to let him take them away. One also requires a piece of deep red gauze, three feet in length of the best quality; and the pearls must be triturated to powder in a mortar."
After each sentence expressed by lady Feng, Pao-yue muttered an invocation to Buddha. "The thing is as clear as sunlight now," he remarked.
The moment lady Feng had done speaking, Pao-yue put in his word. "Mother," he added, "you should know that this is a mere makeshift, for really, according to the letter of the prescription, these pearls and precious stones should, properly speaking, consist of such as had been obtained from, some old grave and been worn as head-ornaments by some wealthy and honourable person of bygone days. But how could one go now on this account and dig up graves, and open tombs! Hence it is that such as are simply in use among living persons can equally well be substituted."
"O-mi-to-fu!" exclaimed Madame Wang, after listening to him throughout. "That will never do, and what an arduous job to uselessly saddle one's self with; for even though there be interred in some graves people, who've been dead for several hundreds of years, it wouldn't be a propitious thing were their corpses turned topsy-turvey now and the bones abstracted; just for the sake of preparing some medicine or other."
Pao-yue thereupon addressed himself to Tai-yue. "Have you heard what was said or not?" he asked. "And is there, pray, any likelihood that cousin Secunda would also follow in my lead and tell lies?"
While saying this, his eyes were, albeit his face was turned towards Lin Tai-yue, fixed upon Pao-ch'ai.
Lin Tai-yue pulled Madame Wang. "You just listen to him, aunt," she observed. "All because cousin Pao-ch'ai would not accommodate him by lying, he appeals to me."
"Pao-yue has a great knack," Madame Wang said, "of dealing contemptuously with you, his cousin."
"Mother," Pao-yue smilingly protested, "you are not aware how the case stands. When cousin Pao-ch'ai lived at home, she knew nothing whatever about my elder cousin Hsueeh P'an's affairs, and how much less now that she has taken up her quarters inside the garden? She, of course, knows less than ever about them! Yet, cousin Lin just now stealthily treated my statements as lies, and put me to the blush."
These words were still on his lips, when they perceived a waiting-maid, from dowager lady Chia's apartments, come in quest of Pao-yue and Lin Tai-yue to go and have their meal. Lin Tai-yue, however, did not even call Pao-yue, but forthwith rising to her feet, she went along, dragging the waiting-maid by the hand.
"Let's wait for master Secundus, Mr. Pao, to go along with us," demurred the girl.
"He doesn't want anything to eat," Lin Tai-yue replied; "he won't come with us, so I'll go ahead." So saying she promptly left the room.
"I'll have my repast with my mother to-day," Pao-yue said.
"Not at all," Madame Wang remarked, "not at all. I'm going to fast to-day, so it's only right and proper that you should go and have your own."
"I'll also fast with you then," Pao-yue retorted.
As he spoke, he called out to the servant to go back, and rushing up to the table, he took a seat.
Madame Wang faced Pao-ch'ai and her companions. "You, girls," she observed, "had better have your meal, and let him have his own way!"
"It's only right that you should go," Pao-ch'ai smiled. "Whether you have anything to eat or not, you should go over for a while to keep company to cousin Lin, as she will be quite distressed and out of spirits."
"Who cares about her!" Pao-yue rejoined, "she'll get all right again after a time."
Shortly, they finished their repast. But Pao-yue apprehended, in the first place, that his grandmother Chia, would be solicitous on his account, and longed, in the second, to be with Lin Tai-yue, so he hurriedly asked for some tea to rinse his mouth with.
"Cousin Secundus," T'an Ch'un and Hsi Ch'un interposed with an ironic laugh, "what's the use of the hurry-scurry you're in the whole day long! Even when you're having your meals, or your tea, you're in this sort of fussy helter-skelter!"
"Make him hurry up and have his tea," Pao-ch'ai chimed in smiling, "so that he may go and look up his cousin Lin. He'll be up to all kinds of mischief if you keep him here!"
Pao-yue drank his tea. Then hastily leaving the apartment, he proceeded straightway towards the eastern court. As luck would have it, the moment he got near lady Feng's court, he descried lady Feng standing at the gateway. While standing on the step, and picking her teeth with an ear-cleaner, she superintended about ten young servant-boys removing the flower-pots from place to place. As soon as she caught sight of Pao-yue approaching, she put on a smiling face. "You come quite opportunely," she said; "walk in, walk in, and write a few characters for me."
Pao-yue had no option but to follow her in. When they reached the interior of her rooms, lady Feng gave orders to a servant to fetch a pen, inkslab and paper.
"Forty rolls of deep red ornamented satin," she began, addressing herself to Pao-yue, "forty rolls of satin with dragons; a hundred rolls of gauzes of every colour, of the finest quality; four gold necklaces...."
"What's this?" Pao-yue shouted, "it is neither a bill; nor is it a list of presents, and in what style shall I write it?"
Lady Feng remonstrated with him. "Just you go on writing," she said, "for, in fact, as long as I can make out what it means, it's all that is needed."
Pao-yue at this response felt constrained to proceed with the writing.
This over lady Feng put the paper by. As she did so, "I've still something more to tell you," she smilingly pursued, "but I wonder whether you will accede to it or not. There is in your rooms a servant-maid, Hsiao Hung by name, whom I would like to bring over into my service, and I'll select several girls to-morrow to wait on you; will this do?"
"The servants in my quarters," answered Pao-yue, "muster a large crowd, so that, cousin, you are at perfect liberty to send for any one of them, who might take your fancy; what's the need therefore of asking me about it?"
"If that be so," continued lady Feng laughingly, "I'll tell some one at once to go and bring her over."
"Yes, she can go and fetch her," acquiesced Pao-yue.
While replying, he made an attempt to take his leave. "Come back," shouted lady Feng, "I've got something more to tell you."
"Our venerable senior has sent for me," Pao-yue rejoined; "if you have anything to tell me you must wait till my return."
After this explanation, he there and then came over to his grandmother Chia's on this side, where he found that they had already got through their meal.
"Have you had anything nice to eat with your mother?" old lady Chia asked.
"There was really nothing nice," Pao-yue smiled. "Yet I managed to have a bowl of rice more than usual."
"Where's cousin Lin?" he then inquired.
"She's in the inner rooms," answered his grandmother.
Pao-yue stepped in. He caught sight of a waiting-maid, standing below, blowing into an iron, and two servant-girls seated on the stove-couch making a chalk line. Tai-yue with stooping head was cutting out something or other with a pair of scissors she held in her hand.
Pao-yue advanced further in. "O! what's this that you are up to!" he smiled. "You have just had your rice and do you bob your head down in this way! Why, in a short while you'll be having a headache again!"
Tai-yue, however, did not heed him in the least, but busied herself cutting out what she had to do.
"The corner of that piece of satin is not yet right," a servant-girl put in. "You had better iron it again!"
Tai-yue threw down the scissors. "Why worry yourself about it?" she said; "it will get quite right after a time."
But while Pao-yue was listening to what was being said, and was inwardly feeling in low spirits, he became aware that Pao-ch'ai, T'an Ch'un and the other girls had also arrived. After a short chat with dowager lady Chia, Pao-ch'ai likewise entered the apartment to find out what her cousin Lin was up to. The moment she espied Lin Tai-yue engaged in cutting out something: "You have," she cried, "attained more skill than ever; for there you can even cut out clothes!"
"This too," laughed Tai-yue sarcastically, "is a mere falsehood, to hoodwink people with, nothing more."
"I'll tell you a joke," replied Pao-ch'ai smiling, "when I just now said that I did not know anything about that medicine, cousin Pao-yue felt displeased." "Who cares!" shouted Lin Tai-yue. "He'll get all right shortly."
"Our worthy grandmother wishes to play at dominoes," Pao-yue thereupon interposed directing his remarks to Pao-ch'ai; "and there's no one there at present to have a game with her; so you'd better go and play with her."
"Have I come over now to play dominoes!" promptly smiled Pao-ch'ai when she heard his suggestion. With this remark, she nevertheless at once quitted the room.
"It would be well for you to go," urged Lin Tai-yue, "for there's a tiger in here; and, look out, he might eat you up."
As she spoke, she went on with her cutting.
Pao-yue perceived how both she was to give him any of her attention, and he had no alternative but to force a smile and to observe: "You should also go for a stroll! It will be time enough by and bye to continue your cutting."
But Tai-yue would pay no heed whatever to him. Pao-yue addressed himself therefore to the servant-girls. "Who has taught her how to cut out these things?" he asked.
"What does it matter who taught me how to cut?" Tai-yue vehemently exclaimed, when she realised that he was speaking to the maids. "It's no business of yours, Mr. Secundus."
Pao-yue was then about to say something in his defence when he saw a servant come in and report that there was some one outside who wished to see him. At this announcement, Pao-yue betook himself with alacrity out of the room.
"O-mi-to-fu!" observed Tai-yue, turning outwards, "it wouldn't matter to you if you found me dead on your return!"
On his arrival outside, Pao-yue discovered Pei Ming. "You are invited," he said, "to go to Mr. Feng's house."
Upon hearing this message, Pao-yue knew well enough that it was about the project mooted the previous day, and accordingly he told him to go and ask for his clothes, while he himself wended his steps into the library.
Pei Ming came forthwith to the second gate and waited for some one to appear. Seeing an old woman walk out, Pei Ming went up to her. "Our Master Secundus, Mr. Pao," he told her, "is in the study waiting for his out-door clothes; so do go in, worthy dame, and deliver the message."
"It would be better," replied the old woman, "if you did not echo your mother's absurdities! Our Master Secundus, Mr. Pao, now lives in the garden, and all the servants, who attend on him, stay in the garden; and do you again come and bring the message here?"
At these words, Pei Ming smiled. "You're quite right," he rejoined, "in reproving me, for I've become quite idiotic."
So saying, he repaired with quick step to the second gate on the east side, where, by a lucky hit, the young servant-boys on duty, were kicking marbles on the raised road. Pei Ming explained to them the object of his coming. A young boy thereupon ran in. After a long interval, he, at length, made his appearance, holding, enfolded in his arms, a bundle of clothes, which he handed to Pei Ming, who then returned to the library. Pao-yue effected a change in his costume, and giving directions to saddle his horse, he only took along with him the four servant-boys, Pei Ming, Chu Lo, Shuang Jui and Shou Erh, and started on his way. He reached Feng Tzu-ying's doorway by a short cut. A servant announced his arrival, and Feng Tzu-ying came out and ushered him in. Here he discovered Hsueeh P'an, who had already been waiting a long time, and several singing-boys besides; as well as Chiang Yue-han, who played female roles, and Yuen Erh, a courtesan in the Chin Hsiang court. The whole company exchanged salutations. They next had tea. "What you said the other day," smiled Pao-yue, raising his cup, "about good fortune coming out of evil fortune has preyed so much upon my mind, both by day and night, that the moment I received your summons I hurried to come immediately."
"My worthy cousins," rejoined Feng Tzu-ying smiling. "You're all far too credulous! It's a mere hoax that I made use of the other day. For so much did I fear that you would be sure to refuse if I openly asked you to a drinking bout, that I thought it fit to say what I did. But your attendance to-day, so soon after my invitation, makes it clear, little though one would have thought it, that you've all taken it as pure gospel truth."
This admission evoked laughter from the whole company. The wines were afterwards placed on the table, and they took the seats consistent with their grades. Feng Tzu-ying first and foremost called the singing-boys and offered them a drink. Next he told Yuen Erh to also approach and have a cup of wine.
By the time, however, that Hsueeh P'an had had his third cup, he of a sudden lost control over his feelings, and clasping Yuen Erh's hand in his: "Do sing me," he smiled, "that novel ballad of your own composition; and I'll drink a whole jar full. Eh, will you?"
This appeal compelled Yuen Erh to take up the guitar. She then sang:
Lovers have I two. To set aside either I cannot bear. When my heart longs for thee to come, It also yearns for him. Both are in form handsome and fair. Their beauty to describe it would be hard. Just think, last night, when at a silent hour, we met in secret, by the trellis frame laden with roses white, One to his feelings stealthily was giving vent, When lo, the other caught us in the act, And laying hands on us; there we three stood like litigants before the bar. And I had, verily, no word in answer for myself to give.
At the close of her song, she laughed. "Well now," she cried, "down with that whole jar!"
"Why, it isn't worth a jarful," smiled Hsueeh P'an at these words. "Favour us with some other good song!"
"Listen to what I have to suggest," Pao-yue interposed, a smile on his lips. "If you go on drinking in this reckless manner, we will easily get drunk and there will be no fun in it. I'll take the lead and swallow a large cupful and put in force a new penalty; and any one of you who doesn't comply with it, will be mulcted in ten large cupfuls, in quick succession!"
Speedily rising from the banquet, he poured the wine for the company. Feng Tzu-ying and the rest meanwhile exclaimed with one voice: "Quite right! quite right!"
Pao-yue then lifted a large cup and drained it with one draught. "We will now," he proposed, "dilate on the four characters, 'sad, wounded, glad and joyful.' But while discoursing about young ladies, we'll have to illustrate the four states as well. At the end of this recitation, we'll have to drink the 'door cup' over the wine, to sing an original and seasonable ballad, while over the heel taps, to make allusion to some object on the table, and devise something with some old poetical lines or ancient scrolls, from the Four Books or the Five Classics, or with some set phrases."
Hsueeh P'an gave him no time to finish. He was the first to stand up and prevent him from proceeding. "I won't join you, so don't count me; this is, in fact, done in order to play tricks upon me."
Yuen Erh, however, also rose to her feet and shoved him down into his seat.
"What are you in such a funk for?" she laughed. "You're fortunate enough to be able to drink wine daily, and can't you, forsooth, even come up to me? Yet I mean to recite, by and bye, my own share. If you say what's right, well and good; if you don't, you will simply have to swallow several cups of wine as a forfeit, and is it likely you'll die from drunkenness? Are you, pray, going now to disregard this rule and to drink, instead, ten large cups; besides going down to pour the wine?"
One and all clapped in applause. "Well said!" they shouted.
After this, Hueeh P'an had no way out of it and felt compelled to resume his seat.
They then heard Pao-yue recite:
A girl is sad, When her spring-time of life is far advanced and she still occupies a vacant inner-room. A girl feels wounded in her heart, When she regrets having allowed her better half to go abroad and win a marquisdom. A girl is glad, When looking in the mirror, at the time of her morning toilette, she finds her colour fair. A girl is joyful, What time she sits on the frame of a gallows-swing, clad in a thin spring gown.
Having listened to him, "Capital!" one and all cried out in a chorus. Hsueeh P'an alone raised his face, shook his head and remarked: "It isn't good, he must be fined."
"Why should he be fined?" demurred the party.
"Because," retorted Hsueeh P'an, "what he says is entirely unintelligible to me. So how can he not be fined?"
Yuen Erh gave him a pinch.--"Just you quietly think of yours," she laughed; "for if by and bye you are not ready you'll also have to bear a fine."
In due course Pao-yue took up the guitar. He was heard to sing:
"When mutual thoughts arise, tears, blood-stained, endless drop, like lentiles sown broadcast. In spring, in ceaseless bloom nourish willows and flowers around the painted tower. Inside the gauze-lattice peaceful sleep flies, when, after dark, come wind and rain. Both new-born sorrows and long-standing griefs cannot from memory ever die! E'en jade-fine rice, and gold-like drinks they make hard to go down; they choke the throat. The lass has not the heart to desist gazing in the glass at her wan face. Nothing can from that knitted brow of hers those frowns dispel; For hard she finds it patient to abide till the clepsydra will have run its course. Alas! how fitly like the faint outline of a green hill which nought can screen; Or like a green-tinged stream, which ever ceaseless floweth onward far and wide!"
When the song drew to an end, his companions with one voice cried out: "Excellent!"
Hsueeh P'an was the only one to find fault. "There's no metre in them," he said.
Pao-yue quaffed the "opening cup," then seizing a pear, he added:
"While the rain strikes the pear-blossom I firmly close the door,"
and thus accomplished the requirements of the rule.
Feng Tzu-ying's turn came next.
"A maid is glad."
he commenced:
When at her first confinement she gives birth to twins, both sons. A maid is joyful, When on the sly she to the garden creeps crickets to catch. A maid is sad, When her husband some sickness gets and lies in a bad state. A maiden is wounded at heart, When a fierce wind blows down the tower, where she makes her toilette.
Concluding this recitation, he raised the cup and sang:
"Thou art what one could aptly call a man. But thou'rt endowed with somewhat too much heart! How queer thou art, cross-grained and impish shrewd! A spirit too, thou couldst not be more shrewd. If all I say thou dost not think is true, In secret just a minute search pursue; For then thou'lt know if I love thee or not."
His song over, he drank the "opening cup" and then observed:
"The cock crows when the moon's rays shine upon the thatched inn."
After his observance of the rule followed Yuen Erh's turn.
A girl is sad,
Yuen Erh began,
When she tries to divine on whom she will depend towards the end of life.
"My dear child!" laughingly exclaimed Hsueeh P'an, "your worthy Mr. Hsueeh still lives, and why do you give way to fears?"
"Don't confuse her!" remonstrated every one of the party, "don't muddle her!"
"A maiden is wounded at heart."
Yuen Erh proceeded:
"When her mother beats and scolds her and never for an instant doth desist."
"It was only the other day," interposed Hsueeh P'an, "that I saw your mother and that I told her that I would not have her beat you."
"If you still go on babbling," put in the company with one consent, "you'll be fined ten cups."
Hsueeh P'an promptly administered himself a slap on the mouth. "How you lack the faculty of hearing!" he exclaimed. "You are not to say a word more!"
"A girl is glad,"
Yuen Erh then resumed:
When her lover cannot brook to leave her and return home. A maiden is joyful, When hushing the pan-pipe and double pipe, a stringed instrument she thrums.
At the end of her effusion, she at once began to sing:
"T'is the third day of the third moon, the nutmegs bloom; A maggot, lo, works hard to pierce into a flower; But though it ceaseless bores it cannot penetrate. So crouching on the buds, it swing-like rocks itself. My precious pet, my own dear little darling, If I don't choose to open how can you steal in?"
Finishing her song, she drank the "opening cup," after which she added: "the delicate peach-blossom," and thus complied with the exigencies of the rule.
Next came Hsueeh P'an. "Is it for me to speak now?" Hsueeh P'an asked.
"A maiden is sad..."
But a long time elapsed after these words were uttered and yet nothing further was heard.
"Sad for what?" Feng Tzu-ying laughingly asked. "Go on and tell us at once!"
Hsueeh P'an was much perplexed. His eyes rolled about like a bell.
"A girl is sad..."
he hastily repeated. But here again he coughed twice before he proceeded.
"A girl is sad."
he said:
"When she marries a spouse who is a libertine."
This sentence so tickled the fancy of the company that they burst out into a loud fit of laughter.
"What amuses you so?" shouted Hsueeh P'an, "is it likely that what I say is not correct? If a girl marries a man, who chooses to forget all virtue, how can she not feel sore at heart?"
But so heartily did they all laugh that their bodies were bent in two. "What you say is quite right," they eagerly replied. "So proceed at once with the rest."
Hsueeh P'an thereupon stared with vacant gaze.
"A girl is grieved...."
he added:
But after these few words he once more could find nothing to say.
"What is she grieved about?" they asked.
"When a huge monkey finds its way into the inner room."
Hsueeh P'an retorted.
This reply set every one laughing. "He must be mulcted," they cried, "he must be mulcted. The first one could anyhow be overlooked; but this line is more unintelligible."
As they said this, they were about to pour the wine, when Pao-yue smilingly interfered. "The rhyme is all right," he observed.
"The master of the rules," Hsueeh P'an remarked, "approves it in every way, so what are you people fussing about?"
Hearing this, the company eventually let the matter drop.
"The two lines, that follow, are still more difficult," suggested Yuen Erh with a smile, "so you had better let me recite for you."
"Fiddlesticks!" exclaimed Hsueeh P'an, "do you really fancy that I have no good ones! Just you listen to what I shall say.
"A girl is glad, When in the bridal room she lies, with flowery candles burning, and she is loth to rise at morn."
This sentiment filled one and all with amazement. "How supremely excellent this line is!" they ejaculated.
"A girl is joyful,"
Hsueeh P'an resumed,
"During the consummation of wedlock."
Upon catching this remark, the party turned their heads away, and shouted: "Dreadful! Dreadful! But quick sing your song and have done."
Forthwith Hsueeh P'an sang:
"A mosquito buzzes heng, heng, heng!"
Every one was taken by surprise. "What kind of song is this?" they inquired.
But Hsueeh P'an went on singing:
"Two flies buzz weng, weng, weng."
"Enough," shouted his companions, "that will do, that will do!"
"Do you want to hear it or not?" asked Hsueeh P'an, "this is a new kind of song, called the 'Heng, heng air,' but if you people are not disposed to listen, let me off also from saying what I have to say over the heel-taps and I won't then sing."
"We'll let you off! We'll let you off," answered one and all, "so don't be hindering others."
"A maiden is sad,"
Chiang Yue-han at once began,
When her husband leaves home and never does return. A maiden is disconsolate, When she has no money to go and buy some _olea frangrans_ oil. A maiden is glad, When the wick of the lantern forms two heads like twin flowers on one stem. A maiden is joyful, When true conjugal peace prevails between her and her mate.
His recital over, he went on to sing:
"How I love thee with those seductive charms of thine, heaven-born! In truth thou'rt like a living fairy from the azure skies! The spring of life we now enjoy; we are yet young in years. Our union is, indeed, a happy match! But. lo! the milky way doth at its zenith soar; Hark to the drums which beat around in the watch towers; So raise the silver lamp and let us soft under the nuptial curtain steal."
Finishing the song, he drank the "opening cup." "I know," he smiled, "few poetical quotations bearing on this sort of thing. By a stroke of good fortune, however, I yesterday conned a pair of antithetical scrolls; of these I can only remember just one line, but lucky enough for me the object it refers to figures as well on this festive board."
This said he forthwith drained the wine, and, picking up a bud of a diminutive variety of _olea fragrans_, he recited:
"When the perfume of flowers wafts (hsi jen) itself into a man, he knows the day is warm."
The company unanimously conceded that the rule had been adhered to. But Hsueeh P'an once again jumped up. "It's awful, awful!" he bawled out boisterously; "he should be fined, he should be made to pay a forfeit; there's no precious article whatever on this table; how is it then that you introduce precious things?"
"There was nothing about precious things!" Chiang Yue-han vehemently explained.
"What I are you still prevaricating?" Hsueeh P'an cried, "Well, repeat it again!"
Chiang Yue-han had no other course but to recite the line a second time. "Now is not Hsi Jen a precious thing?" Hsueeh P'an asked. "If she isn't, what is she? And if you don't believe me, you ask him about it," pointing, at the conclusion of this remark, at Pao-yue.
Pao-yue felt very uncomfortable. Rising to his feet, "Cousin," he observed, "you should be fined heavily."
"I should be! I should be!" Hsueeh P'an shouted, and saying this, he took up the wine and poured it down his throat with one gulp.
Feng Tzu-ying, Chiang Yue-han and their companions thereupon asked him to explain the allusion. Yuen Erh readily told them, and Chiang Yue-han hastily got up and pleaded guilty.
"Ignorance," the party said with one consent, "does not amount to guilt."
But presently Pao-yue quitted the banquet to go and satisfy a natural want and Chiang Yue-han followed him out. The two young fellows halted under the eaves of the verandah, and Chiang Yue-han then recommenced to make ample apologies. Pao-yue, however, was so attracted by his handsome and genial appearance, that he took quite a violent fancy to him; and squeezing his hand in a firm grip. "If you have nothing to do," he urged, "do let us go over to our place. I've got something more to ask you. It's this, there's in your worthy company some one called Ch'i Kuan, with a reputation extending at present throughout the world; but, unfortunately, I alone have not had the good luck of seeing him even once."
"This is really," rejoined Chiang Yue-han with a smile, "my own infant ? name."
This disclosure at once made Pao-yue quite exuberant, and stamping his feet he smiled. "How lucky! I'm in luck's way!" he exclaimed. "In very truth your reputation is no idle report. But to-day is our first meeting, and what shall I do?"
After some thought, he produced a fan from his sleeve, and, unloosening one of the jade pendants, he handed it to Ch'i Kuan. "This is a mere trifle," he said. "It does not deserve your acceptance, yet it will be a small souvenir of our acquaintance to-day."
Ch'i Kuan received it with a smile. "I do not deserve," he replied, "such a present. How am I worthy of such an honour! But never mind, I've also got about me here a strange thing, which I put on this morning; it is brand-new yet, and will, I hope, suffice to prove to you a little of the feeling of esteem which I entertain for you."
With these protestations, he raised his garment, and, untying a deep red sash, with which his nether clothes were fastened, he presented it to Pao-yue. "This sash," he remarked, "is an article brought as tribute from the Queen of the Hsi Hsiang Kingdom. If you attach this round you in summer, your person will emit a fragrant perfume, and it will not perspire. It was given to me yesterday by the Prince of Pei Ching, and it is only to-day that I put it on. To any one else, I would certainly not be willing to present it. But, Mr. Secundus, please do unfasten the one you have on and give it to me to bind round me."
This proposal extremely delighted Pao-yue. With precipitate haste, he accepted his gift, and, undoing the dark brown sash he wore, he surrendered it to Ch'i Kuan. But both had just had time to adjust their respective sashes when they heard a loud voice say: "Oh! I've caught you!" And they perceived Hsueeh P'an come out by leaps and bounds. Clutching the two young fellows, "What do you," he exclaimed, "leave your wine for and withdraw from the banquet. Be quick and produce those things, and let me see them!"
"There's nothing to see!" rejoined the two young fellows with one voice.
Hsueeh P'an, however, would by no means fall in with their views. And it was only Feng Tzu-ying, who made his appearance on the scene, who succeeded in dissuading him. So resuming their seats, they drank until dark, when the company broke up.
Pao-yue, on his return into the garden, loosened his clothes, and had tea. But Hsi Jen noticed that the pendant had disappeared from his fan and she inquired of him what had become of it.
"I must have lost it this very moment," Pao-yue replied.
At bedtime, however, descrying a deep red sash, with spots like specks of blood, attached round his waist, Hsi Jen guessed more or less the truth of what must have transpired. "As you have such a nice sash to fasten your trousers with," Hsi Jen consequently said, "you'd better return that one of mine."
This reminder made the fact dawn upon Pao-yue that the sash had originally been the property of Hsi Jen, and that he should by rights not have parted with it; but however much he felt his conscience smitten by remorse, he failed to see how he could very well disclose the truth to her. He could therefore only put on a smiling expression and add, "I'll give you another one instead."
Hsi Jen was prompted by his rejoinder to nod her head and sigh. "I felt sure;" she observed; "that you'd go again and do these things! Yet you shouldn't take my belongings and bestow them on that low-bred sort of people. Can it be that no consideration finds a place in your heart?"
She then felt disposed to tender him a few more words of admonition, but dreading, on the other hand, lest she should, by irritating him, bring the fumes of the wine to his head, she thought it best to also retire to bed.
Nothing worth noticing occurred during that night. The next day, when she woke up at the break of day, she heard Pao-yue call out laughingly: "Robbers have been here in the night; are you not aware of it? Just you look at my trousers."
Hsi Jen lowered her head and looked. She saw at a glance that the sash, which Pao-yue had worn the previous day, was bound round her own waist, and she at once realised that Pao-yue must have effected the change during the night; but promptly unbinding it, "I don't care for such things!" she cried, "quick, take it away!"
At the sight of her manner, Pao-yue had to coax her with gentle terms. This so disarmed Hsi Jen, that she felt under the necessity of putting on the sash; but, subsequently when Pao-yue stepped out of the apartment, she at last pulled it off, and, throwing it away in an empty box, she found one of hers and fastened it round her waist.
Pao-yue, however, did not in the least notice what she did, but inquired whether anything had happened the day before.
"Lady Secunda," Hsi Jen explained, "dispatched some one and fetched Hsiao Hung away. Her wish was to have waited for your return; but as I thought that it was of no consequence, I took upon myself to decide, and sent her off."
"That's all right!" rejoined Pao-yue. "I knew all about it, there was no need for her to wait."
"Yesterday," resumed Hsi Jen, "the Imperial Consort deputed the Eunuch Hsia to bring a hundred and twenty ounces of silver and to convey her commands that from the first to the third, there should be offered, in the Ch'ing Hsu temple, thanksgiving services to last for three days and that theatrical performances should be given, and oblations presented: and to tell our senior master, Mr. Chia Chen, to take all the gentlemen, and go and burn incense and worship Buddha. Besides this, she also sent presents for the dragon festival."
Continuing, she bade a young servant-maid produce the presents, which had been received the previous day. Then he saw two palace fans of the best quality, two strings of musk-scented beads, two rolls of silk, as fine as the phoenix tail, and a superior mat worked with hibiscus. At the sight of these things, Pao-yue was filled with immeasurable pleasure, and he asked whether the articles brought to all the others were similar to his.
"The only things in excess of yours that our venerable mistress has," Hsi Jen explained, "consist of a scented jade sceptre and a pillow made of agate. Those of your worthy father and mother, our master and mistress, and of your aunt exceed yours by a scented sceptre of jade. Yours are the same as Miss Pao's. Miss Lin's are like those of Misses Secunda, Tertia and Quarta, who received nothing beyond a fan and several pearls and none of all the other things. As for our senior lady, Mrs. Chia Chu, and lady Secunda, these two got each two rolls of gauze, two rolls of silk, two scented bags, and two sticks of medicine."
After listening to her enumeration, "What's the reason of this?" he smiled. "How is it that Miss Lin's are not the same as mine, but that Miss Pao's instead are like my own? May not the message have been wrongly delivered?"
"When they were brought out of the palace yesterday," Hsi Jen rejoined, "they were already divided in respective shares, and slips were also placed on them, so that how could any mistake have been made? Yours were among those for our dowager lady's apartments. When I went and fetched them, her venerable ladyship said that I should tell you to go there to-morrow at the fifth watch to return thanks.
"Of course, it's my duty to go over," Pao-yue cried at these words, but forthwith calling Tzu Chuean: "Take these to your Miss Lin," he told her, "and say that I got them, yesterday, and that she is at liberty to keep out of them any that take her fancy."
Tzu Chuean expressed her obedience and took the things away. After a short time she returned. "Miss Lin says," she explained, "that she also got some yesterday, and that you, Master Secundus, should keep yours."
Hearing this reply, Pao-yue quickly directed a servant to put them away. But when he had washed his face and stepped out of doors, bent upon going to his grandmother's on the other side, in order to pay his obeisance, he caught sight of Lin Tai-yue coming along towards him, from the opposite direction. Pao-yue hurriedly walked up to her, "I told you," he smiled, "to select those you liked from my things; how is it you didn't choose any?"
Lin Tai-yue had long before banished from her recollection the incident of the previous day, which had made her angry with Pao-yue, and was only exercised about the occurrence of this present occasion. "I'm not gifted with such extreme good fortune," she consequently answered, "as to be able to accept them. I can't compete with Miss Pao, in connection with whom something or other about gold or about jade is mentioned. We are simply beings connected with the vegetable kingdom."
The allusion to the two words "gold and jade," aroused, of a sudden, much emotion in the heart of Pao-yue. "If beyond what people say about gold or jade," he protested, "the idea of any such things ever crosses my mind, may the heavens annihilate me, and may the earth extinguish me, and may I for ten thousand generations never assume human form!"
These protestations convinced Lin Tai-yue that suspicion had been aroused in him. With all promptitude, she smiled and observed, "They're all to no use! Why utter such oaths, when there's no rhyme or reason! Who cares about any gold or any jade of yours!"
"It would be difficult for me to tell you, to your face, all the secrets of my heart," Pao-yue resumed, "but by and bye you'll surely come to know all about them! After the three--my old grandmother, my father and my mother--you, my cousin, hold the fourth place; and, if there be a fifth, I'm ready to swear another oath."
"You needn't swear any more," Lin Tai-yue replied, "I'm well aware that I, your younger cousin, have a place in your heart; but the thing is that at the sight of your elder cousin, you at once forget all about your younger cousin."
"This comes again from over-suspicion!" ejaculated Pao; "for I'm not at all disposed that way."
"Well," resumed Lin Tai-yue, "why did you yesterday appeal to me when that hussey Pao-ch'ai would not help you by telling a story? Had it been I, who had been guilty of any such thing, I don't know what you wouldn't have done again."
But during their _tete-a-tete_, they espied Pao-ch'ai approach from the opposite direction, so readily they beat a retreat. Pao-ch'ai had distinctly caught sight of them, but pretending she had not seen them, she trudged on her way, with lowered head, and repaired into Madame Wang's apartments. After a short stay, she came to this side to pay dowager lady Chia a visit. With her she also found Pao-yue.
Pao-ch'ai ever made it a point to hold Pao-yue aloof as her mother had in days gone by mentioned to Madame Wang and her other relatives that the gold locket had been the gift of a bonze, that she had to wait until such time as some suitor with jade turned up before she could be given in marriage, and other similar confidences. But on discovery the previous day that Yuean Ch'un's presents to her alone resembled those of Pao-yue, she began to feel all the more embarrassed. Luckily, however, Pao-yue was so entangled in Lin Tai-yue's meshes and so absorbed in heart and mind with fond thoughts of his Lin Tai-yue that he did not pay the least attention to this circumstance. But she unawares now heard Pao-yue remark with a smile: "Cousin Pao, let me see that string of scented beads of yours!"
By a strange coincidence, Pao-ch'ai wore the string of beads round her left wrist so she had no alternative, when Pao-yue asked her for it, than to take it off. Pao-ch'ai, however, was naturally inclined to embonpoint, and it proved therefore no easy matter for her to get the beads off; and while Pao-yue stood by watching her snow-white arm, feelings of admiration were quickly stirred up in his heart. "Were this arm attached to Miss Lin's person," he secretly pondered, "I might, possibly have been able to caress it! But it is, as it happens, part and parcel of her body; how I really do deplore this lack of good fortune."
Suddenly he bethought himself of the secret of gold and jade, and he again scanned Pao-ch'ai's appearance. At the sight of her countenance, resembling a silver bowl, her eyes limpid like water and almond-like in shape, her lips crimson, though not rouged, her eyebrows jet-black, though not pencilled, also of that fascination and grace which presented such a contrast to Lin Tai-yue's style of beauty, he could not refrain from falling into such a stupid reverie, that though Pao-ch'ai had got the string of beads off her wrist, and was handing them to him, he forgot all about them and made no effort to take them. Pao-ch'ai realised that he was plunged in abstraction, and conscious of the awkward position in which she was placed, she put down the string of beads, and turning round was on the point of betaking herself away, when she perceived Lin Tai-yue, standing on the door-step, laughing significantly while biting a handkerchief she held in her mouth. "You can't resist," Pao-ch'ai said, "a single puff of wind; and why do you stand there and expose yourself to the very teeth of it?"
"Wasn't I inside the room?" rejoined Lin Tai-yue, with a cynical smile. "But I came out to have a look as I heard a shriek in the heavens; it turned out, in fact, to be a stupid wild goose!"
"A stupid wild goose!" repeated Pao-ch'ai. "Where is it, let me also see it!"
"As soon as I got out," answered Lin Tai-yue, "it flew away with a 't'e-rh' sort of noise."
While replying, she threw the handkerchief, she was holding, straight into Pao-yue's face. Pao-yue was quite taken by surprise. He was hit on the eye. "Ai-yah!" he exclaimed.
But, reader, do you want to hear the sequel? In that case, listen to the circumstances, which will be disclosed in the next chapter.
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