中国经典 》 紅樓夢 A Dream of Red Mansions 》
第二十九回 享福人福深還禱福 癡情女情重愈斟情 CHAPTER XXIX.
曹雪芹 Cao Xueqin
高鶚 Gao E
CHAPTER XXIX.
話說寶玉正自發怔，不想黛玉將手帕子甩了來，正碰在眼睛上，倒唬了一跳，問是誰。 林黛玉搖着頭兒笑道：“不敢，是我失了手。因為寶姐姐要看呆雁，我比給他看，不想失了手。”寶玉揉着眼睛，待要說什麽，又不好說的。
一時， 鳳姐兒來了，因說起初一日在清虛觀打醮的事來，遂約着寶釵，寶玉，黛玉等看戲去。寶釵笑道：“罷，罷，怪熱的。什麽沒看過的戲，我就不去了。”鳳姐兒道：“他們那裏涼快， 兩邊又有樓。咱們要去，我頭幾天打發人去，把那些道士都趕出去，把樓打掃幹淨， 挂起簾子來，一個閑人不許放進廟去，纔是好呢。我已經回了太太了，你們不去我去。這些日子也悶的很了。傢裏唱動戲，我又不得舒舒服服的看。”
賈母聽說，笑道：“既這麽着，我同你去。”鳳姐聽說，笑道：“老祖宗也去，敢情好了！就衹是我又不得受用了。”賈母道：“到明兒，我在正面樓上，你在旁邊樓上，你也不用到我這邊來立規矩， 可好不好？"鳳姐兒笑道：“這就是老祖宗疼我了。”賈母因又嚮寶釵道：“你也去，連你母親也去。長天老日的，在傢裏也是睡覺。”寶釵衹得答應着。
賈母又打發人去請了薛姨媽， 順路告訴王夫人，要帶了他們姊妹去。王夫人因一則身上不好，二則預備着元春有人出來，早已回了不去的成於元氣，萬物乘於天地。”東漢王充《論衡·談天》：“元氣，聽賈母如今這樣說，笑道：“還是這麽高興。 "因打發人去到園裏告訴：“有要逛的，衹管初一跟了老太太逛去。”這個話一傳開了，別人都還可已，衹是那些丫頭們天天不得出門檻子，聽了這話，誰不要去。便是各人的主子懶怠去，他也百般攛掇了去，因此李宮裁等都說去。賈母越發心中喜歡，早已吩咐人去打掃安置，都不必細說。單表到了初一這一日，榮國府門前車輛紛紛， 人馬簇簇。那底下凡執事人等，聞得是貴妃作好事，賈母親去拈香，正是初一日乃月之首日，況是端陽節間，因此凡動用的什物，一色都是齊全的，不同往日。少時，賈母等出來。賈母坐一乘八人大轎，李氏，鳳姐兒，薛姨媽每人一乘四人轎，寶釵，黛玉二人共坐一輛翠蓋珠纓八寶車，迎春，探春，惜春三人共坐一輛朱輪華蓋車。然後賈母的丫頭鴛鴦， 鸚鵡，琥珀，珍珠，林黛玉的丫頭紫鵑，雪雁，春纖，寶釵的丫頭鶯兒，文杏，迎春的丫頭司棋，綉桔，探春的丫頭待書，翠墨，惜春的丫頭入畫，彩屏，薛姨媽的丫頭同喜， 同貴，外帶着香菱，香菱的丫頭臻兒，李氏的丫頭素雲，碧月，鳳姐兒的丫頭平兒，豐兒，小紅，並王夫人兩個丫頭也要跟了鳳姐兒去的金釧，彩雲，奶子抱着大姐兒帶着巧姐兒另在一車，還有兩個丫頭，一共又連上各房的老嬤嬤奶娘並跟出門的傢人媳婦子，烏壓壓的占了一街的車。賈母等已經坐轎去了多遠，這門前尚未坐完。這個說：“我不同你在一處"，那個說"你壓了我們奶奶的包袱"，那邊車上又說"蹭了我的花兒"，這邊又說"碰折了我的扇子"，咭咭呱呱，說笑不絶。周瑞傢的走來過去的說道：“姑娘們，這是街上，看人笑話。”說了兩遍，方覺好了。前頭的全副執事擺開，早已到了清虛觀了。寶玉騎着馬，在賈母轎前。街上人都站在兩邊。將至觀前，衹聽鐘鳴鼓響，早有張法官執香披衣， 帶領衆道士在路旁迎接。賈母的轎剛至山門以內，賈母在轎內因看見有守門大帥並千裏眼， 順風耳，當方土地，本境城隍各位泥胎聖像，便命住轎。賈珍帶領各子弟上來迎接。鳳姐兒知道鴛鴦等在後面，趕不上來攙賈母，自己下了轎，忙要上來攙。 可巧有個十二三歲的小道士兒，拿着剪筒，照管剪各處蠟花，正欲得便且藏出去，不想一頭撞在鳳姐兒懷裏。鳳姐便一揚手，照臉一下，把那小孩子打了一個筋鬥，駡道：“野牛у的， 鬍朝那裏跑！"那小道士也不顧拾燭剪，爬起來往外還要跑。正值寶釵等下車， 衆婆娘媳婦正圍隨的風雨不透，但見一個小道士滾了出來，都喝聲叫"拿，拿，拿！打，打，打！”
賈母聽了忙問：“是怎麽了？"賈珍忙出來問。鳳姐上去攙住賈母，就回說：“一個小道士兒，剪燈花的，沒躲出去，這會子混鑽呢。”賈母聽說，忙道：“快帶了那孩子來，別唬着他。 小門小戶的孩子，都是嬌生慣養的，那裏見的這個勢派。倘或唬着他，倒怪可憐見的， 他老子娘豈不疼的慌？"說着，便叫賈珍去好生帶了來。賈珍衹得去拉了那孩子來。 那孩子還一手拿着蠟剪，跪在地下亂戰。賈母命賈珍拉起來，叫他別怕。問他幾歲了。 那孩子通說不出話來。賈母還說"可憐見的"，又嚮賈珍道：“珍哥兒，帶他去罷。給他些錢買果子吃，別叫人難為了他。”賈珍答應，領他去了。這裏賈母帶着衆人，一層一層的瞻拜觀玩。外面小廝們見賈母等進入二層山門，忽見賈珍領了一個小道士出來，叫人來帶去，給他幾百錢，不要難為了他。傢人聽說，忙上來領了下去。
賈珍站在階磯上，因問：“管傢在那裏？"底下站的小廝們見問，都一齊喝聲說：“叫管傢！ "登時林之孝一手整理着帽子跑了來，到賈珍跟前。賈珍道：“雖說這裏地方大，今兒不承望來這麽些人。你使的人人的理性之中。唯實論是基督教會的正統官方哲學。②哲學，你就帶了往你的那院裏去，使不着的，打發到那院裏去。 把小幺兒們多挑幾個在這二層門上同兩邊的角門上，伺候着要東西傳話。你可知道不知道，今兒小姐奶奶們都出來，一個閑人也到不了這裏。”林之孝忙答應"曉得"， 又說了幾個"是"。賈珍道：“去罷。”又問：“怎麽不見蓉兒？"一聲未了，衹見賈蓉從鐘樓裏跑了出來。 賈珍道：“你瞧瞧他，我這裏也還沒敢說熱，他倒乘涼去了！"喝命傢人啐他。 那小廝們都知道賈珍素日的性子，違拗不得，有個小廝便上來嚮賈蓉臉上啐了一口。賈珍又道：“問着他！"那小廝便問賈蓉道：“爺還不怕熱，哥兒怎麽先乘涼去了？"賈蓉垂着手， 一聲不敢說。那賈蕓，賈萍，賈芹等聽見了，不但他們慌了，亦且連賈璜，賈е， 賈瓊等也都忙了，一個一個從墻根下慢慢的溜上來。賈珍又嚮賈蓉道：“你站着作什麽？還不騎了馬跑到傢裏，告訴你娘母子去！老太太同姑娘們都來了，叫他們快來伺候。”賈蓉聽說，忙跑了出來，一疊聲要馬，一面抱怨道：“早都不知作什麽的，這會子尋趁我。”一面又駡小子：“捆着手呢？馬也拉不來。”待要打發小子去，又恐後來對出來，說不得親自走一趟，騎馬去了，不在話下。
且說賈珍方要抽身進去，衹見張道士站在旁邊陪笑說道：“論理我不比別人，應該裏頭伺候。衹因天氣炎熱，衆位千金都出來了，法官不敢擅入，請爺的示下。恐老太太問，或要隨喜那裏，我衹在這裏伺候罷了。”賈珍知道這張道士雖然是當日榮國府國公的替身，曾經先皇禦口親呼為"大幻仙人"，如今現掌"道錄司"印，又是當今封為"終了真人" ，現今王公藩鎮都稱他為"神仙"，所以不敢輕慢。二則他又常往兩個府裏去，凡夫人小姐都是見的。 今見他如此說，便笑道：“咱們自己，你又說起這話來。再多說，我把你這鬍子還お了呢！還不跟我進來。”那張道士呵呵大笑，跟了賈珍進來。
賈珍到賈母跟前，控身陪笑說：“這張爺爺進來請安。”賈母聽了，忙道：“攙他來。”賈珍忙去攙了過來。 那張道士先哈哈笑道：“無量壽佛！老祖宗一嚮福壽安康？衆位奶奶小姐納福？ 一嚮沒到府裏請安，老太太氣色越發好了。”賈母笑道：“老神仙，你好？"張道士笑道：“托老太太萬福萬壽，小道也還康健。別的倒罷，衹記挂着哥兒，一嚮身上好？ 前日四月二十六日，我這裏做遮天大王的聖誕，人也來的少，東西也很幹淨，我說請哥兒來逛逛，怎麽說不在傢？"賈母說道：“果真不在傢。”一面回頭叫寶玉。誰知寶玉解手去了纔來，忙上前問：“張爺爺好？"張道士忙抱住問了好，又嚮賈母笑道：“哥兒越發發福了。 "賈母道：“他外頭好，裏頭弱。又搭着他老子逼着他念書，生生的把個孩子逼出病來了。 "張道士道：“前日我在好幾處看見哥兒寫的字，作的詩，都好的了不得，怎麽老爺還抱怨說哥兒不大喜歡念書呢？依小道看來，也就罷了。”又嘆道：“我看見哥兒的這個形容身段， 言談舉動，怎麽就同當日國公爺一個稿子！"說着兩眼流下淚來。賈母聽說，也由不得滿臉淚痕，說道：“正是呢，我養這些兒子孫子，也沒一個像他爺爺的，就衹這玉兒像他爺爺。”
那張道士又嚮賈珍道：“當日國公爺的模樣兒，爺們一輩的不用說，自然沒趕上，大約連大老爺，二老爺也記不清楚了。”說畢呵呵又一大笑登地區弗賴堡大學任教而得名。主要代表還有李凱爾特。主，道：“前日在一個人傢看見一位小姐，今年十五歲了，生的倒也好個模樣兒。我想着哥兒也該尋親事了。若論這個小姐模樣兒， 聰明智慧，根基傢當，倒也配的過。但不知老太太怎麽樣，小道也不敢造次。 等請了老太太的示下，纔敢嚮人去說。”賈母道：“上回有和尚說了，這孩子命裏不該早娶，等再大一大兒再定罷。你可如今打聽着，不管他根基富貴，衹要模樣配的上就好，來告訴我。便是那傢子窮，不過給他幾兩銀子罷了。衹是模樣性格兒難得好的。”
說畢， 衹見鳳姐兒笑道：“張爺爺，我們丫頭的寄名符兒你也不換去。前兒虧你還有那麽大臉， 打發人和我要鵝黃緞子去！要不給你，又恐怕你那老臉上過不去。”張道士呵呵大笑道：“你瞧，我眼花了，也沒看見奶奶在這裏，也沒道多謝。符早已有了，前日原要送去的，不指望娘娘來作好事，就混忘了，還在佛前鎮着。待我取來。”說着跑到大殿上去，一時拿了一個茶盤，搭着大紅蟒緞經袱子，托出符來。大姐兒的奶子接了符。張道士方欲抱過大姐兒來，衹見鳳姐笑道：“你就手裏拿出來罷了，又用個盤子托着。” 張道士道：“手裏不幹不淨的，怎麽拿，用盤子潔淨些。”鳳姐兒笑道：“你衹顧拿出盤子來，倒唬我一跳。我不說你是為送符，倒象是和我們化布施來了。”衆人聽說，哄然一笑， 連賈珍也掌不住笑了。賈母回頭道：“猴兒猴兒，你不怕下割舌頭地獄？"鳳姐兒笑道：“我們爺兒們不相幹。他怎麽常常的說我該積陰騭，遲了就短命呢！”
張道士也笑道：“我拿出盤子來一舉兩用，卻不為化布施，倒要將哥兒的這玉請了下來，托出去給那些遠來的道友並徒子徒孫們見識見識。”賈母道：“既這們着，你老人傢老天拔地的跑什麽， 就帶他去瞧了，叫他進來，豈不省事？"張道士道：“老太太不知道， 看着小道是八十多歲的人，托老太太的福倒也健壯，二則外面的人多，氣味難聞，況是個暑熱的天，哥兒受不慣，倘或哥兒受了腌か氣味，倒值多了。”賈母聽說，便命寶玉摘下通靈玉來，放在盤內。那張道士兢兢業業的用蟒袱子墊着，捧了出去。
這裏賈母與衆人各處遊玩了一回，方去上樓。衹見賈珍回說：“張爺爺送了玉來了。”剛說着，衹見張道士捧了盤子，走到跟前笑道：“衆人托小道的福，見了哥兒的玉《共産黨宣言》作為論述的出發點，說明了科學共産主義産生，實在可罕。都沒什麽敬賀之物，這是他們各人傳道的法器，都願意為敬賀之禮。哥兒便不希罕， 衹留着在房裏頑耍賞人罷。”賈母聽說，嚮盤內看時，衹見也有金璜，也有玉ぉ，或有事事如意， 或有歲歲平安，皆是珠穿寶貫，玉琢金鏤，共有三五十件。因說道：“你也胡闹。 他們出傢人是那裏來的，何必這樣，這不能收。”張道士笑道：“這是他們一點敬心，小道也不能阻擋。老太太若不留下，豈不叫他們看着小道微薄，不象是門下出身了。 "賈母聽如此說，方命人接了。寶玉笑道：“老太太，張爺爺既這麽說，又推辭不得，我要這個也無用，不如叫小子們捧了這個，跟着我出去散給窮人罷。”賈母笑道：“這倒說的是。”張道士又忙攔道：“哥兒雖要行好，但這些東西雖說不甚希奇，到底也是幾件器皿。 若給了乞丐，一則與他們無益，二則反倒遭塌了這些東西。要捨給窮人，何不就散錢與他們。”寶玉聽說，便命收下，等晚間拿錢施捨罷了。說畢，張道士方退出去。
這裏賈母與衆人上了樓，在正面樓上歸坐。鳳姐等占了東樓。衆丫頭等在西樓，輪流伺候。賈珍一時來回：“神前拈了戲，頭一本《白蛇記》。”賈母問"《白蛇記》是什麽故事？ "賈珍道：“是漢高祖斬蛇方起首的故事。第二本是《滿床笏》。”賈母笑道：“這倒是第二本上？也罷了。神佛要這樣，也衹得罷了。”又問第三本，賈珍道：“第三本是< <南柯夢》。”賈母聽了便不言語。賈珍退了下來，至外邊預備着申表，焚錢糧，開戲，不在話下。
且說寶玉在樓上， 坐在賈母旁邊，因叫個小丫頭子捧着方纔那一盤子賀物，將自己的玉帶上， 用手翻弄尋撥，一件一件的挑與賈母看。賈母因看見有個赤金點翠的麒麟，便伸手拿了起來，笑道：“這件東西好象我看見誰傢的孩子也帶着這麽一個的。”寶釵笑道：“史大妹妹有一個，比這個小些。”賈母道：“是雲兒有這個。”寶玉道：“他這麽往我們傢去住着，我也沒看見。”探春笑道：“寶姐姐有心，不管什麽他都記得。”林黛玉冷笑道：“他在別的上還有限，惟有這些人帶的東西上越發留心。”寶釵聽說，便回頭裝沒聽見。 寶玉聽見史湘雲有這件東西，自己便將那麒麟忙拿起來揣在懷裏。一面心裏又想到怕人看見他聽見史湘雲
有了， 他就留這件，因此手裏揣着，卻拿眼睛瞟人。衹見衆人都倒不大理論，惟有林黛玉瞅着他點頭兒單面度性法國馬爾庫塞的用語。指資本主義狀態下社會，似有贊嘆之意。寶玉不覺心裏沒好意思起來，又掏了出來，嚮黛玉笑道：“這個東西倒好頑，我替你留着，到了傢穿上你帶。”林黛玉將頭一扭，說道：“我不希罕。”寶玉笑道：“你果然不希罕，我少不得就拿着。”說着又揣了起來。剛要說話，衹見賈珍賈蓉的妻子婆媳兩個來了，彼此見過，賈母方說：“你們又來做什麽，我不過沒事來逛逛。 "一句話沒說了，衹見人報：“馮將軍傢有人來了。”原來馮紫英傢聽見賈府在廟裏打醮， 連忙預備了豬羊香燭茶銀之類的東西送禮。鳳姐兒聽了，忙趕過正樓來，拍手笑道：“噯呀！我就不防這個。衹說咱們娘兒們來閑逛逛，人傢衹當咱們大擺齋壇的來送禮。 都是老太太鬧的。這又不得不預備賞封兒。”剛說了，衹見馮傢的兩個管傢娘子上樓來了。馮傢兩個未去，接着趙侍郎也有禮來了。於是接二連三，都聽見賈府打醮， 女眷都在廟裏，凡一應遠親近友，世傢相與都來送禮。賈母纔後悔起來，說：“又不是什麽正經齋事， 我們不過閑逛逛，就想不到這禮上，沒的驚動了人。”因此雖看了一天戲， 至下午便回來了，次日便懶怠去。鳳姐又說：“打墻也是動土，已經驚動了人，今兒樂得還去逛逛。那賈母因昨日張道士提起寶玉說親的事來，誰知寶玉一日心中不自在，回傢來生氣，嗔着張道士與他說了親，口口聲聲說從今以後不再見張道士了，別人也並不知為什麽原故， 二則林黛玉昨日回傢又中了暑：因此二事，賈母便執意不去了。鳳姐見不去，自己帶了人去，也不在話下。
且說寶玉因見林黛玉又病了，心裏放不下，飯也懶去吃，不時來問。林黛玉又怕他有個好歹，因說道：“你衹管看你的戲去，在傢裏作什麽？"寶玉因昨日張道士提親，心中大不受用， 今聽見林黛玉如此說，心裏因想道：“別人不知道我的心還可恕，連他也奚落起我來"因此心中更比往日的煩惱加了百倍。若是別人跟前，斷不能動這肝火，衹是林黛玉說了這話， 倒比往日別人說這話不同，由不得立刻沉下臉來，說道：“我白認得了你。罷了，罷了！"林黛玉聽說，便冷笑了兩聲，"我也知道白認得了我，那裏象人傢有什麽配的上呢。”寶玉聽了，便嚮前來直問到臉上：“你這麽說，是安心咒我天誅地滅？"林黛玉一時解不過這個話來。寶玉又道：“昨兒還為這個賭了幾回咒，今兒你到底又準我一句。我便天誅地滅，你又有什麽益處？"林黛玉一聞此言，方想起上日的話來。今日原是自己說錯了，又是着急，又是羞愧，便顫顫兢兢的說道：“我要安心咒你，我也天誅地滅。何苦來！我知道，昨日張道士說親，你怕阻了你的好姻緣，你心裏生氣，來拿我煞性子。”原來那寶玉自幼生成有一種下流癡病，況從幼時和黛玉耳鬢廝磨，心情相對，及如今稍明時事，又看了那些邪書僻傳，凡遠親近友之傢所見的那些閨英闈秀，皆未有稍及林黛玉者，所以早存了一段心事，衹不好說出來，故每每或喜或怒，變盡法子暗中試探。 那林黛玉偏生也是個有些癡病的，也每用假情試探。因你也將真心真意瞞了起來，衹用假意，我也將真心真意瞞了起來，衹用假意，如此兩假相逢，終有一真。其間瑣瑣碎碎，難保不有口角之爭。即如此刻，寶玉的心內想的是：“別人不知我的心，還有可恕，難道你就不想我的心裏眼裏衹有你！你不能為我煩惱，反來以這話奚落堵我。可見我心裏一時一刻白有你， 你竟心裏沒我。”心裏這意思，衹是口裏說不出來。那林黛玉心裏想着：“你心裏自然有我，雖有‘金玉相對’之說，你豈是重這邪說
不重我的。我便時常提這‘金玉’，你衹管瞭然自若無聞的，方見得是待我重，而毫無此心了。如何我衹一提‘金玉’的事，你就着急，可知你心裏時時有‘金玉’，見我一提，你又怕我多心，故意着急，安心哄我。”
看來兩個人原本是一個心， 但都多生了枝葉，反弄成兩個心了。那寶玉心中又想着：“我不管怎麽樣都好，衹要你隨意，我便立刻因你死了也情願。你知也罷切都是不可知的。因果聯繫衹是人們的“習慣性聯想”，不具，不知也罷，衹由我的心，可見你方和我近，不和我遠。”那林黛玉心裏又想着：“你衹管你，你好我自好，你何必為我而自失。殊不知你失我自失。可見是你不叫我近你，有意叫我遠你了。 "如此看來，卻都是求近之心，反弄成疏遠之意。如此之話，皆他二人素習所存私心，也難備述。
如今衹述他們外面的形容。 那寶玉又聽見他說"好姻緣"三個字，越發逆了己意，心裏幹噎，口裏說不出話來，便賭氣嚮頸上抓下通靈寶玉，咬牙恨命往地下一摔，道：“什麽撈什骨子，我砸了你完事！"偏生那玉堅硬非常，摔了一下，竟文風沒動。寶玉見沒摔碎， 便回身找東西來砸。林黛玉見他如此，早已哭起來，說道：“何苦來，你摔砸那啞吧物件。有砸他的，不如來砸我。”二人鬧着，紫鵑雪雁等忙來解勸。後來見寶玉下死力砸玉，忙上來奪，又奪不下來，見比往日鬧的大了，少不得去叫襲人。襲人忙趕了來，纔奪了下來。寶玉冷笑道：“我砸我的東西，與你們什麽相幹！”
襲人見他臉都氣黃了，眼眉都變了，從來沒氣的這樣，便拉着他的手，笑道：“你同妹妹拌嘴，不犯着砸他，倘或砸壞了，叫他心裏臉上怎麽過的去？"林黛玉一行哭着，一行聽了這話說到自己心坎兒上來， 可見寶玉連襲人不如，越發傷心大哭起來。心裏一煩惱， 方纔吃的香薷飲解暑湯便承受不住，"哇"的一聲都吐了出來。紫鵑忙上來用手帕子接住，登時一口一口的把一塊手帕子吐濕。雪雁忙上來捶。紫鵑道：“雖然生氣，姑娘到底也該保重着些。纔吃了藥好些，這會子因和寶二爺拌嘴，又吐出來。倘或犯了病， 寶二爺怎麽過的去呢？"寶玉聽了這話說到自己心坎兒上來，可見黛玉不如一紫鵑。又見林黛玉臉紅頭脹，一行啼哭，一行氣湊，一行是淚，一行是汗，不勝怯弱。寶玉見了這般， 又自己後悔方纔不該同他較證，這會子他這樣光景，我又替不了他。心裏想着，也由不的滴下淚來了。 襲人見他兩個哭，由不得守着寶玉也心酸起來，又摸着寶玉的手冰涼， 待要勸寶玉不哭罷，一則又恐寶玉有什麽委麯悶在心裏，二則又恐薄了林黛玉。 不如大傢一哭，就丟開手了，因此也流下淚來。紫鵑一面收拾了吐的藥，一面拿扇子替林黛玉輕輕的扇着，見三個人都鴉雀無聲，各人哭各人的，也由不得傷心起來，也拿手帕子擦淚。四個人都無言對泣。
一時， 襲人勉強笑嚮寶玉道：“你不看別的，你看看這玉上穿的穗子，也不該同林姑娘拌嘴。”林黛玉聽了，也不顧病天問《楚辭》篇名。戰國楚屈原著。以170餘問題質問，趕來奪過去，順手抓起一把剪子來要剪。襲人紫鵑剛要奪，已經剪了幾段。林黛玉哭道：“我也是白效力。他也不希罕，自有別人替他再穿好的去。 "襲人忙接了玉道：“何苦來，這是我纔多嘴的不是了。”寶玉嚮林黛玉道：“你衹管剪，我橫竪不帶他，也沒什麽。”
衹顧裏頭鬧， 誰知那些老婆子們見林黛玉大哭大吐，寶玉又砸玉，不知道要鬧到什麽田地，倘或連累了他們，便一齊往前頭回賈母王夫人知道，好不幹連了他們。那賈母王夫人見他們忙忙的作一件正經事來告訴，也都不知有了什麽大禍，便一齊進園來瞧他兄妹。 急的襲人抱怨紫鵑為什麽驚動了老太太，太太，紫鵑又衹當是襲人去告訴的，也抱怨襲人。那賈母，王夫人進來，見寶玉也無言，林黛玉也無話，問起來又沒為什麽事，便將這禍移到襲人紫鵑兩個人身上，說"為什麽你們不小心伏侍，這會子鬧起來都不管了！ "因此將他二人連駡帶說教訓了一頓。二人都沒話，衹得聽着。還是賈母帶出寶玉去了，方纔平服。
過了一日， 至初三日，乃是薛蟠生日，傢裏擺酒唱戲，來請賈府諸人。寶玉因得罪了林黛玉，二人總未見面，心中正自後悔，無精打采的，那裏還有心腸去看戲，因而推病不去。林黛玉不過前日中了些暑溽之氣，本無甚大病，聽見他不去，心裏想：“他是好吃酒看戲的， 今日反不去，自然是因為昨兒氣着了。再不然，他見我不去，他也沒心腸去。衹是昨兒千不該萬不該剪了那玉上的穗子。管定他再不帶了，還得我穿了他纔帶。”因而心中十分後悔。
那賈母見他兩個都生了氣， 衹說趁今兒那邊看戲，他兩個見了也就完了，不想又都不去。老人傢急的抱怨說：“我這老冤傢是那世裏的孽障，偏生遇見了這麽兩個不省事的小冤傢本體論證明基督教神學辯惑學命題之一。由經院哲學家，沒有一天不叫我操心。真是俗語說的，‘不是冤傢不聚頭’。幾時我閉了這眼， 斷了這口氣，憑着這兩個冤傢鬧上天去，我眼不見心不煩，也就罷了。偏又不г這口氣。 "自己抱怨着也哭了。這話傳入寶林二人耳內。原來他二人竟是從未聽見過"不是冤傢不聚頭"的這句俗語，如今忽然得了這句話，好似參禪的一般，都低頭細嚼此話的滋味，都不覺潸然泣下。雖不曾會面，然一個在瀟湘館臨風灑淚，一個在怡紅院對月長吁，卻不是人居兩地，情發一心！
襲人因勸寶玉道：“千萬不是，都是你的不是，往日傢裏小廝們和他們的姊妹拌嘴，或是兩口子分爭，你聽見了，你還駡小廝們蠢，不能體貼女孩兒們的心。今兒你也這麽着了。 明兒初五，大節下，你們兩個再這們仇人似的，老太太越發要生氣，一定弄的大傢不安生。依我勸，你正經下個氣，陪個不是，大傢還是照常一樣，這麽也好，那麽也好。”那寶玉聽見了不知依與不依，要知端詳，且聽下回分解。
A happy man enjoys a full measure of happiness, but still prays for happiness. A beloved girl is very much loved, but yet craves for more love.
Pao-yue, so our story runs, was gazing vacantly, when Tai-yue, at a moment least expected, flung her handkerchief at him, which just hit him on the eyes, and frightened him out of his wits. "Who was it?" he cried.
Lin Tai-yue nodded her head and smiled. "I would not venture to do such a thing," she said, "it was a mere slip of my hand. As cousin Pao-ch'ai wished to see the silly wild goose, I was pointing it out to her, when the handkerchief inadvertently flew out of my grip."
Pao-yue kept on rubbing his eyes. The idea suggested itself to him to make some remonstrance, but he could not again very well open his lips.
Presently, lady Feng arrived. She then alluded, in the course of conversation, to the thanksgiving service, which was to be offered on the first, in the Ch'ing Hsue temple, and invited Pao-ch'ai, Pao-yue, Tai-yue and the other inmates with them to be present at the theatricals.
"Never mind," smiled Pao-ch'ai, "it's too hot; besides, what plays haven't I seen? I don't mean to come."
"It's cool enough over at their place," answered lady Feng. "There are also two-storied buildings on either side; so we must all go! I'll send servants a few days before to drive all that herd of Taoist priests out, to sweep the upper stories, hang up curtains, and to keep out every single loafer from the interior of the temple; so it will be all right like that. I've already told our Madame Wang that if you people don't go, I mean to go all alone, as I've been again in very low spirits these last few days, and as when theatricals come off at home, it's out of the question for me to look on with any peace and quiet."
When dowager lady Chia heard what she said, she smiled. "Well, in that case," she remarked, "I'll go along with you."
Lady Feng, at these words, gave a smile. "Venerable ancestor," she replied, "were you also to go, it would be ever so much better; yet I won't feel quite at my ease!"
"To-morrow," dowager lady Chia continued, "I can stay in the two-storied building, situated on the principal site, while you can go to the one on the side. You can then likewise dispense with coming over to where I shall be to stand on any ceremonies. Will this suit you or not?"
"This is indeed," lady Feng smiled, "a proof of your regard for me, my worthy senior."
Old lady Chia at this stage faced Pao-ch'ai. "You too should go," she said, "so should your mother; for if you remain the whole day long at home, you will again sleep your head off."
Pao-ch'ai felt constrained to signify her assent. Dowager lady Chia then also despatched domestics to invite Mrs. Hsueeh; and, on their way, they notified Madame Wang that she was to take the young ladies along with her. But Madame Wang felt, in the first place, in a poor state of health, and was, in the second, engaged in making preparations for the reception of any arrivals from Yuean Ch'un, so that she, at an early hour, sent word that it was impossible for her to leave the house. Yet when she received old lady Chia's behest, she smiled and exclaimed: "Are her spirits still so buoyant!" and transmitted the message into the garden that any, who had any wish to avail themselves of the opportunity, were at liberty to go on the first, with their venerable senior as their chaperonne. As soon as these tidings were spread abroad, every one else was indifferent as to whether they went or not; but of those girls who, day after day, never put their foot outside the doorstep, which of them was not keen upon going, the moment they heard the permission conceded to them? Even if any of their respective mistresses were too lazy to move, they employed every expedient to induce them to go. Hence it was that Li Kung-ts'ai and the other inmates signified their unanimous intention to be present. Dowager lady Chia, at this, grew more exultant than ever, and she issued immediate directions for servants to go and sweep and put things in proper order. But to all these preparations, there is no necessity of making detailed reference; sufficient to relate that on the first day of the moon, carriages stood in a thick maze, and men and horses in close concourse, at the entrance of the Jung Kuo mansion.
When the servants, the various managers and other domestics came to learn that the Imperial Consort was to perform good deeds and that dowager lady Chia was to go in person and offer incense, they arranged, as it happened that the first of the moon, which was the principal day of the ceremonies, was, in addition, the season of the dragon-boat festival, all the necessary articles in perfect readiness and with unusual splendour. Shortly, old lady Chia and the other inmates started on their way. The old lady sat in an official chair, carried by eight bearers: widow Li, lady Feng and Mrs. Hsueeh, each in a four-bearer chair. Pao-ch'ai and Tai-yue mounted together a curricle with green cover and pearl tassels, bearing the eight precious things. The three sisters, Ying Ch'un, T'an Ch'un, and Hsi Ch'un got in a carriage with red wheels and ornamented hood. Next in order, followed dowager lady Chia's waiting-maids, Yuean Yang, Ying Wu, Hu Po, Chen Chu; Lin Tai-yue's waiting-maids Tzu Chuean, Hsueeh Yen, and Ch'un Ch'ien; Pao-ch'ai's waiting-maids Ying Erh and Wen Hsing; Ying Ch'un's servant-girls Ssu Ch'i and Hsiu Chue; T'an Ch'un's waiting-maids Shih Shu and Ts'ui Mo; Hsi Ch'un's servant-girls Ju Hua and Ts'ai P'ing; and Mrs. Hsueeh's waiting-maids T'ung Hsi, and T'ung Kuei. Besides these, were joined to their retinue: Hsiang Ling and Hsiang Ling's servant-girl Ch'in Erh; Mrs. Li's waiting-maids Su Yuen and Pi Yueeh; lady Feng's servant-girls P'ing Erh, Feng Erh and Hsiao Hung, as well as Madame Wang's two waiting-maids Chin Ch'uan and Ts'ai Yuen. Along with lady Feng, came a nurse carrying Ta Chieh Erh. She drove in a separate carriage, together with a couple of servant-girls. Added also to the number of the suite were matrons and nurses, attached to the various establishments, and the wives of the servants of the household, who were in attendance out of doors. Their carriages, forming one black solid mass, therefore, crammed the whole extent of the street.
Dowager lady Chia and other members of the party had already proceeded a considerable distance in their chairs, and yet the inmates at the gate had not finished mounting their vehicles. This one shouted: "I won't sit with you." That one cried: "You've crushed our mistress' bundle." In the carriages yonder, one screamed: "You've pulled my flowers off." Another one nearer exclaimed: "You've broken my fan." And they chatted and chatted, and talked and laughed with such incessant volubility, that Chou Jui's wife had to go backward and forward calling them to task. "Girls," she said, "this is the street. The on-lookers will laugh at you!" But it was only after she had expostulated with them several times that any sign of improvement became at last visible.
The van of the procession had long ago reached the entrance of the Ch'ing Hsue Temple. Pao-yue rode on horseback. He preceded the chair occupied by his grandmother Chia. The throngs that filled the streets ranged themselves on either side.
On their arrival at the temple, the sound of bells and the rattle of drums struck their ear. Forthwith appeared the head-bonze Chang, a stick of incense in hand; his cloak thrown over his shoulders. He took his stand by the wayside at the head of a company of Taoist priests to present his greetings. The moment dowager lady Chia reached, in her chair, the interior of the main gate, she descried the lares and penates, the lord presiding over that particular district, and the clay images of the various gods, and she at once gave orders to halt. Chia Chen advanced to receive her acting as leader to the male members of the family. Lady Feng was well aware that Yuean Yang and the other attendants were at the back and could not overtake their old mistress, so she herself alighted from her chair to volunteer her services. She was about to hastily press forward and support her, when, by a strange accident, a young Taoist neophyte, of twelve or thirteen years of age, who held a case containing scissors, with which he had been snuffing the candles burning in the various places, just seized the opportunity to run out and hide himself, when he unawares rushed, head foremost, into lady Feng's arms. Lady Feng speedily raised her hand and gave him such a slap on the face that she made the young fellow reel over and perform a somersault. "You boorish young bastard!" she shouted, "where are you running to?"
The young Taoist did not even give a thought to picking up the scissors, but crawling up on to his feet again, he tried to scamper outside. But just at that very moment Pao-ch'ai and the rest of the young ladies were dismounting from their vehicles, and the matrons and women-servants were closing them in so thoroughly on all sides that not a puff of wind or a drop of rain could penetrate, and when they perceived a Taoist neophyte come rushing headlong out of the place, they, with one voice, exclaimed: "Catch him, catch him! Beat him, beat him!"
Old lady Chia overheard their cries. She asked with alacrity what the fuss was all about. Chia Chen immediately stepped outside to make inquiries. Lady Feng then advanced and, propping up her old senior, she went on to explain to her that a young Taoist priest, whose duties were to snuff the candles, had not previously retired out of the compound, and that he was now endeavouring to recklessly force his way out."
"Be quick and bring the lad here," shouted dowager lady Chia, as soon as she heard her explanation, "but, mind, don't frighten him. Children of mean families invariably get into the way of being spoilt by over-indulgence. How ever could he have set eyes before upon such display as this! Were you to frighten him, he will really be much to be pitied; and won't his father and mother be exceedingly cut up?"
As she spoke, she asked Chia Chen to go and do his best to bring him round. Chia Chen felt under the necessity of going, and he managed to drag the lad into her presence. With the scissors still clasped in his hand, the lad fell on his knees, and trembled violently.
Dowager lady Chia bade Chia Chen raise him up. "There's nothing to fear!" she said reassuringly. Then she asked him how old he was.
The boy, however, could on no account give vent to speech.
"Poor boy!" once more exclaimed the old lady. And continuing: "Brother Chen," she added, addressing herself to Chia Chen, "take him away, and give him a few cash to buy himself fruit with; and do impress upon every one that they are not to bully him."
Chia Chen signified his assent and led him off.
During this time, old lady Chia, taking along with her the whole family party, paid her devotions in storey after storey, and visited every place.
The young pages, who stood outside, watched their old mistress and the other inmates enter the second row of gates. But of a sudden they espied Chia Chen wend his way outwards, leading a young Taoist priest, and calling the servants to come, say; "Take him and give him several hundreds of cash and abstain from ill-treating him." At these orders, the domestics approached with hurried step and led him off.
Chia Chen then inquired from the terrace-steps where the majordomo was. At this inquiry, the pages standing below, called out in chorus, "Majordomo!"
Lin Chih-hsiao ran over at once, while adjusting his hat with one hand, and appeared in the presence of Chia Chen.
"Albeit this is a spacious place," Chia Chen began, "we muster a good concourse to-day, so you'd better bring into this court those servants, who'll be of any use to you, and send over into that one those who won't. And choose a few from among those young pages to remain on duty, at the second gate and at the two side entrances, so as to ask for things and deliver messages. Do you understand me, yes or no? The young ladies and ladies have all come out of town to-day, and not a single outsider must be permitted to put his foot in here."
"I understand," replied Lin Chih-hsiao hurriedly signifying his obedience. Next he uttered several yes's.
"Now," proceeded Chia Chen; "you can go on your way. But how is it, I don't see anything of Jung Erh?" he went on to ask.
This question was barely out of his lips, when he caught sight of Jung Erh running out of the belfry. "Look at him," shouted Chia Chen. "Look at him! I don't feel hot in here, and yet he must go in search of a cool place. Spit at him!" he cried to the family servants.
The young pages were fully aware that Chia Chen's ordinary disposition was such that he could not brook contradiction, and one of the lads speedily came forward and sputtered in Chia Jung's face. But Chia Chen still kept his gaze fixed on him, so the young page had to inquire of Chia Jung: "Master doesn't feel hot here, and how is it that you, Sir, have been the first to go and get cool?"
Chia Jung however dropped his arms, and did not venture to utter a single sound. Chia Yuen, Chia P'ing, Chia Ch'in and the other young people overheard what was going on and not only were they scared out of their wits, but even Chia Lien, Chia Pin, Chia Ch'ung and their companions were stricken with intense fright and one by one they quietly slipped down along the foot of the wall.
"What are you standing there for?" Chia Chen shouted to Chia Jung. "Don't you yet get on your horse and gallop home and tell your mother that our venerable senior is here with all the young ladies, and bid them come at once and wait upon them?"
As soon as Chia Jung heard these words, he ran out with hurried stride and called out repeatedly for his horse. Now he felt resentment, arguing within himself: "Who knows what he has been up to the whole morning, that he now finds fault with me!" Now he went on to abuse the young servants, crying: "Are your hands made fast, that you can't lead the horse round?" And he felt inclined to bid a servant-boy go on the errand, but fearing again lest he should subsequently be found out, and be at a loss how to account for his conduct he felt compelled to proceed in person; so mounting his steed, he started on his way.
But to return to Chia Chen. Just as he was about to be take himself inside, he noticed the Taoist Chang, who stood next to him, force a smile. "I'm not properly speaking," he remarked, "on the same footing as the others and should be in attendance inside, but as on account of the intense heat, the young ladies have come out of doors, I couldn't presume to take upon myself to intrude and ask what your orders, Sir, are. But the dowager lady may possibly inquire about me, or may like to visit any part of the temple, so I shall wait in here."
Chia Chen was fully cognisant that this Taoist priest, Chang, had, it is true, in past days, stood as a substitute for the Duke of the Jung Kuo mansion, but that the former Emperor had, with his own lips, conferred upon him the appellation of the 'Immortal being of the Great Unreal,' that he held at present the seal of 'Taoist Superior,' that the reigning Emperor had raised him to the rank of the 'Pure man,' that the princes, now-a-days, dukes, and high officials styled him the "Supernatural being," and he did not therefore venture to treat him with any disrespect. In the second place, (he knew that) he had paid frequent visits to the mansions, and that he had made the acquaintance of the ladies and young ladies, so when he heard his present remark he smilingly rejoined. "Do you again make use of such language amongst ourselves? One word more, and I'll take that beard of yours, and outroot it! Don't you yet come along with me inside?"
"Hah, hah," laughed the Taoist Chang aloud, as he followed Chia Chen in. Chia Chen approached dowager lady Chia. Bending his body he strained a laugh. "Grandfather Chang," he said, "has come in to pay his respects."
"Raise him up!" old lady Chia vehemently called out.
Chia Chen lost no time in pulling him to his feet and bringing him over.
The Taoist Chang first indulged in loud laughter. "Oh Buddha of unlimited years!" he then observed. "Have you kept all right and in good health, throughout, venerable Senior? Have all the ladies and young ladies continued well? I haven't been for some time to your mansion to pay my obeisance, but you, my dowager lady, have improved more and more."
"Venerable Immortal Being!" smiled old lady Chia, "how are you; quite well?"
"Thanks to the ten thousand blessings he has enjoyed from your hands," rejoined Chang the Taoist, "your servant too continues pretty strong and hale. In every other respect, I've, after all, been all right; but I have felt much concern about Mr. Pao-yue. Has he been all right all the time? The other day, on the 26th of the fourth moon, I celebrated the birthday of the 'Heaven-Pervading-Mighty-King;' few people came and everything went off right and proper. I told them to invite Mr. Pao to come for a stroll; but how was it they said that he wasn't at home?"
"It was indeed true that he was away from home," remarked dowager lady Chia. As she spoke, she turned her head round and called Pao-yue.
Pao-yue had, as it happened, just returned from outside where he had been to make himself comfortable, and with speedy step, he came forward. "My respects to you, grandfather Chang," he said.
The Taoist Chang eagerly clasped him in his arms and inquired how he was getting on. Turning towards old lady Chia, "Mr. Pao," he observed, "has grown fatter than ever."
"Outwardly, his looks," replied dowager lady Chia, "may be all right, but, inwardly, he is weak. In addition to this, his father presses him so much to study that he has again and again managed, all through this bullying, to make his child fall sick."
"The other day," continued Chang the Taoist, "I went to several places on a visit, and saw characters written by Mr. Pao and verses composed by him, all of which were exceedingly good; so how is it that his worthy father still feels displeased with him, and maintains that Mr. Pao is not very fond of his books? According to my humble idea, he knows quite enough. As I consider Mr. Pao's face, his bearing, his speech and his deportment," he proceeded, heaving a sigh, "what a striking resemblance I find in him to the former duke of the Jung mansion!" As he uttered these words, tears rolled down his cheeks.
At these words, old lady Chia herself found it hard to control her feelings. Her face became covered with the traces of tears. "Quite so," she assented, "I've had ever so many sons and grandsons, and not one of them betrayed the slightest resemblance to his grandfather; and this Pao-yue turns out to be the very image of him!"
"What the former duke of Jung Kuo was like in appearance," Chang, the Taoist went on to remark, addressing himself to Chia Chen, "you gentlemen, and your generation, were, of course, needless to say, not in time to see for yourselves; but I fancy that even our Senior master and our Master Secundus have but a faint recollection of it."
This said, he burst into another loud fit of laughter. "The other day," he resumed, "I was at some one's house and there I met a young girl, who is this year in her fifteenth year, and verily gifted with a beautiful face, and I bethought myself that Mr. Pao must also have a wife found for him. As far as looks, intelligence and mental talents, extraction and family standing go, this maiden is a suitable match for him. But as I didn't know what your venerable ladyship would have to say about it, your servant did not presume to act recklessly, but waited until I could ascertain your wishes before I took upon myself to open my mouth with the parties concerned."
"Some time ago," responded dowager lady Chia, "a bonze explained that it was ordained by destiny that this child shouldn't be married at an early age, and that we should put things off until he grew somewhat in years before anything was settled. But mark my words now. Pay no regard as to whether she be of wealthy and honourable stock or not, the essential thing is to find one whose looks make her a fit match for him and then come at once and tell me. For even admitting that the girl is poor, all I shall have to do will be to bestow on her a few ounces of silver; but fine looks and a sweet temperament are not easy things to come across."
When she had done speaking, lady Feng was heard to smilingly interpose: "Grandfather Chang, aren't you going to change the talisman of 'Recorded Name' of our daughter? The other day, lucky enough for you, you had again the great cheek to send some one to ask me for some satin of gosling-yellow colour. I gave it to you, for had I not, I was afraid lest your old face should have been made to feel uneasy."
"Hah, hah," roared the Taoist Chang, "just see how my eyes must have grown dim! I didn't notice that you, my lady, were in here; nor did I express one word of thanks to you! The talisman of 'Recorded Name' is ready long ago. I meant to have sent it over the day before yesterday, but the unforeseen visit of the Empress to perform meritorious deeds upset my equilibrium, and made me quite forget it. But it's still placed before the gods, and if you will wait I'll go and fetch it."
Saying this, he rushed into the main hall. Presently, he returned with a tea-tray in hand, on which was spread a deep red satin cover, brocaded with dragons. In this, he presented the charm. Ta Chieh-erh's nurse took it from him.
But just as the Taoist was on the point of taking Ta Chieh-erh in his embrace, lady Feng remarked with a smile: "It would have been sufficient if you'd carried it in your hand! And why use a tray to lay it on?"
"My hands aren't clean," replied the Taoist Chang, "so how could I very well have taken hold of it? A tray therefore made things much cleaner!"
"When you produced that tray just now," laughed lady Feng, "you gave me quite a start; I didn't imagine that it was for the purpose of bringing the charm in. It really looked as if you were disposed to beg donations of us."
This observation sent the whole company into a violent fit of laughter. Even Chia Chen could not suppress a smile.
"What a monkey!" dowager lady Chia exclaimed, turning her head round. "What a monkey you are! Aren't you afraid of going down to that Hell, where tongues are cut off?"
"I've got nothing to do with any men whatever," rejoined lady Feng laughing, "and why does he time and again tell me that it's my bounden duty to lay up a store of meritorious deeds; and that if I'm remiss, my life will be short?"
Chang, the Taoist, indulged in further laughter. "I brought out," he explained, "the tray so as to kill two birds with one stone. It wasn't, however, to beg for donations. On the contrary, it was in order to put in it the jade, which I meant to ask Mr. Pao to take off, so as to carry it outside and let all those Taoist friends of mine, who come from far away, as well as my neophytes and the young apprentices, see what it's like."
"Well, since that be the case," added old lady Chia, "why do you, at your age, try your strength by running about the whole day long? Take him at once along and let them see it! But were you to have called him in there, wouldn't it have saved a lot of trouble?"
"Your venerable ladyship," resumed Chang, the Taoist, "isn't aware that though I be, to look at, a man of eighty, I, after all, continue, thanks to your protection, my dowager lady, quite hale and strong. In the second place, there are crowds of people in the outer rooms; and the smells are not agreeable. Besides it's a very hot day and Mr. Pao couldn't stand the heat as he is not accustomed to it. So were he to catch any disease from the filthy odours, it would be a grave thing!"
After these forebodings old lady Chia accordingly desired Pao-yue to unclasp the jade of Spiritual Perception, and to deposit it in the tray. The Taoist, Chang, carefully ensconced it in the folds of the wrapper, embroidered with dragons, and left the room, supporting the tray with both his hands.
During this while, dowager lady Chia and the other inmates devoted more of their time in visiting the various places. But just as they were on the point of going up the two-storied building, they heard Chia Chen shout: "Grandfather Chang has brought back the jade."
As he spoke, the Taoist Chang was seen advancing up to them, the tray in hand. "The whole company," he smiled, "were much obliged to me. They think Mr. Pao's jade really lovely! None of them have, however, any suitable gifts to bestow. These are religious articles, used by each of them in propagating the doctrines of Reason, but they're all only too ready to give them as congratulatory presents. If, Mr. Pao, you don't fancy them for anything else, just keep them to play with or to give away to others."
Dowager lady Chia, at these words, looked into the tray. She discovered that its contents consisted of gold signets, and jade rings, or sceptres, implying: "may you have your wishes accomplished in everything," or "may you enjoy peace and health from year to year;" that the various articles were strung with pearls or inlaid with precious stones, worked in jade or mounted in gold; and that they were in all from thirty to fifty.
"What nonsense you're talking!" she then exclaimed. "Those people are all divines, and where could they have rummaged up these things? But what need is there for any such presents? He may, on no account, accept them."
"These are intended as a small token of their esteem," responded Chang, the Taoist, smiling, "your servant cannot therefore venture to interfere with them. If your venerable ladyship will not keep them, won't you make it patent to them that I'm treated contemptuously, and unlike what one should be, who has joined the order through your household?"
Only when old lady Chia heard these arguments did she direct a servant to receive the presents.
"Venerable senior," Pao-yue smilingly chimed in. "After the reasons advanced by grandfather Chang, we cannot possibly refuse them. But albeit I feel disposed to keep these things, they are of no avail to me; so would it not be well were a servant told to carry the tray and to follow me out of doors, that I may distribute them to the poor?
"You are perfectly right in what you say!" smiled dowager lady Chia.
The Taoist Chang, however, went on speedily to use various arguments to dissuade him. "Mr. Pao," he observed, "your intention is, it is true, to perform charitable acts; but though you may aver that these things are of little value, you'll nevertheless find among them several articles you might turn to some account. Were you to let the beggars have them, why they will, first of all, be none the better for them; and, next, it will contrariwise be tantamount to throwing them away! If you want to distribute anything among the poor, why don't you dole out cash to them?"
"Put them by!" promptly shouted Pao-yue, after this rejoinder, "and when evening comes, take a few cash and distribute them."
These directions given, Chang, the Taoist, retired out of the place.
Dowager lady Chia and her companions thereupon walked upstairs and sat in the main part of the building. Lady Feng and her friends adjourned into the eastern part, while the waiting-maids and servants remained in the western portion, and took their turns in waiting on their mistresses.
Before long, Chia Chen came back. "The plays," he announced, "have been chosen by means of slips picked out before the god. The first one on the list is the 'Record of the White Snake.'"
"Of what kind of old story does 'the record of the white snake,' treat?" old lady Chia inquired.
"The story about Han Kao-tsu," replied Chia Chen, "killing a snake and then ascending the throne. The second play is, 'the Bed covered with ivory tablets.'"
"Has this been assigned the second place?" asked dowager lady Chia. "Yet never mind; for as the gods will it thus, there is no help than not to demur. But what about the third play?" she went on to inquire.
"The Nan Ko dream is the third," Chia Chen answered.
This response elicited no comment from dowager lady Chia. Chia Chen therefore withdrew downstairs, and betook himself outside to make arrangements for the offerings to the gods, for the paper money and eatables that had to be burnt, and for the theatricals about to begin. So we will leave him without any further allusion, and take up our narrative with Pao-yue.
Seating himself upstairs next to old lady Chia, he called to a servant-girl to fetch the tray of presents given to him a short while back, and putting on his own trinket of jade, he fumbled about with the things for a bit, and picking up one by one, he handed them to his grandmother to admire. But old lady Chia espied among them a unicorn, made of purplish gold, with kingfisher feathers inserted, and eagerly extending her arm, she took it up. "This object," she smiled, "seems to me to resemble very much one I've seen worn also by the young lady of some household or other of ours."
"Senior cousin, Shih Hsiang-yuen," chimed in Pao-ch'ai, a smile playing on her lips, "has one, but it's a trifle smaller than this."
"Is it indeed Yuen-erh who has it?" exclaimed old lady Chia.
"Now that she lives in our house," remarked Pao-yue, "how is it that even I haven't seen anything of it?"
"Cousin Pao-ch'ai," rejoined T'an Ch'un laughingly, "has the power of observation; no matter what she sees, she remembers."
Lin Tai-yue gave a sardonic smile. "As far as other matters are concerned," she insinuated, "her observation isn't worth speaking of; where she's extra-observant is in articles people may wear about their persons."
Pao-chai, upon catching this sneering remark, at once turned her head round, and pretended she had not heard. But as soon as Pao-yue learnt that Shih Hsiang-yuen possessed a similar trinket, he speedily picked up the unicorn, and hid it in his breast, indulging, at the same time, in further reflection. Yet, fearing lest people might have noticed that he kept back that particular thing the moment he discovered that Shih Hsiang-yuen had one identical with it, he fixed his eyes intently upon all around while clutching it. He found however that not one of them was paying any heed to his movements except Lin Tai-yue, who, while gazing at him was, nodding her head, as if with the idea of expressing her admiration. Pao-yue, therefore, at once felt inwardly ill at ease, and pulling out his hand, he observed, addressing himself to Tai-yue with an assumed smile, "This is really a fine thing to play with; I'll keep it for you, and when we get back home, I'll pass a ribbon through it for you to wear." "I don't care about it," said Lin Tai-yue, giving her head a sudden twist.
"Well," continued Pao-yue laughingly, "if you don't like it, I can't do otherwise than keep it myself."
Saying this, he once again thrust it away. But just as he was about to open his lips to make some other observation, he saw Mrs. Yu, the spouse of Chia Chen, arrive along with the second wife recently married by Chia Jung, that is, his mother and her daughter-in-law, to pay their obeisance to dowager lady Chia.
"What do you people rush over here for again?" old lady Chia inquired.
"I came here for a turn, simply because I had nothing to do."
But no sooner was this inquiry concluded than they heard a messenger announce: "that some one had come from the house of general Feng."
The family of Feng Tzu-ying had, it must be explained, come to learn the news that the inmates of the Chia mansion were offering a thanksgiving service in the temple, and, without loss of time, they got together presents of pigs, sheep, candles, tea and eatables and sent them over. The moment lady Feng heard about it she hastily crossed to the main part of the two-storied building. "Ai-ya;" she ejaculated, clapping her hands and laughing. "I never expected anything of the sort; we merely said that we ladies were coming for a leisurely stroll and people imagined that we were spreading a sumptuous altar with lenten viands and came to bring us offerings! But it's all our old lady's fault for bruiting it about! Why, we haven't even got any slips of paper with tips ready."
She had just finished speaking, when she perceived two matrons, who acted as house-keepers in the Feng family, walk upstairs. But before the Feng servants could take their leave, presents likewise arrived, in quick succession, from Chao, the Vice-President of the Board. In due course, one lot of visitors followed another. For as every one got wind of the fact that the Chia family was having thanksgiving services, and that the ladies were in the temple, distant and close relatives, friends, old friends and acquaintances all came to present their contributions. So much so, that dowager lady Chia began at this juncture to feel sorry that she had ever let the cat out of the bag. "This is no regular fasting," she said, "we simply have come for a little change; and we should not have put any one to any inconvenience!" Although therefore she was to have remained present all day at the theatrical performance, she promptly returned home soon after noon, and the next day she felt very loth to go out of doors again.
"By striking the wall, we've also stirred up dust," lady Feng argued. "Why we've already put those people to the trouble so we should only be too glad to-day to have another outing."
But as when dowager lady Chia interviewed the Taoist Chang, the previous day, he made allusion to Pao-yue and canvassed his engagement, Pao-yue experienced, little as one would have thought it, much secret displeasure during the whole of that day, and on his return home he flew into a rage and abused Chang, the rationalistic priest, for harbouring designs to try and settle a match for him. At every breath and at every word he resolved that henceforward he would not set eyes again upon the Taoist Chang. But no one but himself had any idea of the reason that actuated him to absent himself. In the next place, Lin Tai-yue began also, on her return the day before, to ail from a touch of the sun, so their grandmother was induced by these two considerations to remain firm in her decision not to go. When lady Feng, however, found that she would not join them, she herself took charge of the family party and set out on the excursion.
But without descending to particulars, let us advert to Pao-yue. Seeing that Lin Tai-yue had fallen ill, he was so full of solicitude on her account that he even had little thought for any of his meals, and not long elapsed before he came to inquire how she was.
Tai-yue, on her part, gave way to fear lest anything should happen to him, (and she tried to re-assure him). "Just go and look at the plays," she therefore replied, "what's the use of boxing yourself up at home?"
Pao-yue was, however, not in a very happy frame of mind on account of the reference to his marriage made by Chang, the Taoist, the day before, so when he heard Lin Tai-yue's utterances: "If others don't understand me;" he mused, "it's anyhow excusable; but has she too begun to make fun of me?" His heart smarted in consequence under the sting of a mortification a hundred times keener than he had experienced up to that occasion. Had he been with any one else, it would have been utterly impossible for her to have brought into play feelings of such resentment, but as it was no other than Tai-yue who spoke the words, the impression produced upon him was indeed different from that left in days gone by, when others employed similar language. Unable to curb his feelings, he instantaneously lowered his face. "My friendship with you has been of no avail" he rejoined. "But, never mind, patience!"
This insinuation induced Lin Tai-yue to smile a couple of sarcastic smiles. "Yes, your friendship with me has been of no avail," she repeated; "for how can I compare with those whose manifold qualities make them fit matches for you?"
As soon as this sneer fell on Pao-yue's ear he drew near to her. "Are you by telling me this," he asked straight to her face, "deliberately bent upon invoking imprecations upon me that I should be annihilated by heaven and extinguished by earth?"
Lin Tai-yue could not for a time fathom the import of his remarks. "It was," Pao-yue then resumed, "on account of this very conversation that I yesterday swore several oaths, and now would you really make me repeat another one? But were the heavens to annihilate me and the earth to extinguish me, what benefit would you derive?"
This rejoinder reminded Tai-yue of the drift of their conversation on the previous day. And as indeed she had on this occasion framed in words those sentiments, which should not have dropped from her lips, she experienced both annoyance and shame, and she tremulously observed: "If I entertain any deliberate intention to bring any harm upon you, may I too be destroyed by heaven and exterminated by earth! But what's the use of all this! I know very well that the allusion to marriage made yesterday by Chang, the Taoist, fills you with dread lest he might interfere with your choice. You are inwardly so irate that you come and treat me as your malignant influence."
Pao-yue, the fact is, had ever since his youth developed a peculiar kind of mean and silly propensity. Having moreover from tender infancy grown up side by side with Tai-Yue, their hearts and their feelings were in perfect harmony. More, he had recently come to know to a great extent what was what, and had also filled his head with the contents of a number of corrupt books and licentious stories. Of all the eminent and beautiful girls that he had met too in the families of either distant or close relatives or of friends, not one could reach the standard of Lin Tai-yue. Hence it was that he commenced, from an early period of his life, to foster sentiments of love for her; but as he could not very well give utterance to them, he felt time and again sometimes elated, sometimes vexed, and wont to exhaust every means to secretly subject her heart to a test.
Lin Tai-yue happened, on the other hand, to possess in like manner a somewhat silly disposition; and she too frequently had recourse to feigned sentiments to feel her way. And as she began to conceal her true feelings and inclinations and to simply dissimulate, and he to conceal his true sentiments and wishes and to dissemble, the two unrealities thus blending together constituted eventually one reality. But it was hardly to be expected that trifles would not be the cause of tiffs between them. Thus it was that in Pao-yue's mind at this time prevailed the reflection: "that were others unable to read my feelings, it would anyhow be excusable; but is it likely that you cannot realise that in my heart and in my eyes there is no one else besides yourself. But as you were not able to do anything to dispel my annoyance, but made use, instead, of the language you did to laugh at me, and to gag my mouth, it's evident that though you hold, at every second and at every moment, a place in my heart, I don't, in fact, occupy a place in yours." Such was the construction attached to her conduct by Pao-yue, yet he did not have the courage to tax her with it.
"If, really, I hold a place in your heart," Lin Tai-yue again reflected, "why do you, albeit what's said about gold and jade being a fit match, attach more importance to this perverse report and think nothing of what I say? Did you, when I so often broach the subject of this gold and jade, behave as if you, verily, had never heard anything about it, I would then have seen that you treat me with preference and that you don't harbour the least particle of a secret design. But how is it that the moment I allude to the topic of gold and jade, you at once lose all patience? This is proof enough that you are continuously pondering over that gold and jade, and that as soon as you hear me speak to you about them, you apprehend that I shall once more give way to conjectures, and intentionally pretend to be quite out of temper, with the deliberate idea of cajoling me!"
These two cousins had, to all appearances, once been of one and the same mind, but the many issues, which had sprung up between them, brought about a contrary result and made them of two distinct minds.
"I don't care what you do, everything is well," Pao-yue further argued, "so long as you act up to your feelings; and if you do, I shall be ever only too willing to even suffer immediate death for your sake. Whether you know this or not, doesn't matter; it's all the same. Yet were you to just do as my heart would have you, you'll afford me a clear proof that you and I are united by close ties and that you are no stranger to me!"
"Just you mind your own business," Lin Tai-yue on her side cogitated. "If you will treat me well, I'll treat you well. And what need is there to put an end to yourself for my sake? Are you not aware that if you kill yourself, I'll also kill myself? But this demonstrates that you don't wish me to be near to you, and that you really want that I should be distant to you."
It will thus be seen that the desire, by which they were both actuated, to strive and draw each other close and ever closer became contrariwise transformed into a wish to become more distant. But as it is no easy task to frame into words the manifold secret thoughts entertained by either, we will now confine ourselves to a consideration of their external manner.
The three words "a fine match," which Pao-yue heard again Lin Tai-yue pronounce proved so revolting to him that his heart got full of disgust and he was unable to give utterance to a single syllable. Losing all control over his temper, he snatched from his neck the jade of Spiritual Perception and, clenching his teeth, he spitefully dashed it down on the floor. "What rubbishy trash!" he cried. "I'll smash you to atoms and put an end to the whole question!"
The jade, however, happened to be of extraordinary hardness, and did not, after all, sustain the slightest injury from this single fall. When Pao-yue realised that it had not broken, he forthwith turned himself round to get the trinket with the idea of carrying out his design of smashing it, but Tai-yue divined his intention, and soon started crying. "What's the use of all this!" she demurred, "and why, pray, do you batter that dumb thing about? Instead of smashing it, wouldn't it be better for you to come and smash me!"
But in the middle of their dispute, Tzu Chuean, Hsueeh Yen and the other maids promptly interfered and quieted them. Subsequently, however, they saw how deliberately bent Pao-yue was upon breaking the jade, and they vehemently rushed up to him to snatch it from his hands. But they failed in their endeavours, and perceiving that he was getting more troublesome than he had ever been before, they had no alternative but to go and call Hsi Jen. Hsi Jen lost no time in running over and succeeded, at length, in getting hold of the trinket.
"I'm smashing what belongs to me," remarked Pao-yue with a cynical smile, "and what has that to do with you people?"
Hsi Jen noticed that his face had grown quite sallow from anger, that his eyes had assumed a totally unusual expression, and that he had never hitherto had such a fit of ill-temper and she hastened to take his hand in hers and to smilingly expostulate with him. "If you've had a tiff with your cousin," she said, "it isn't worth while flinging this down! Had you broken it, how would her heart and face have been able to bear the mortification?"
Lin Tai-yue shed tears and listened the while to her remonstrances. Yet these words, which so corresponded with her own feelings, made it clear to her that Pao-yue could not even compare with Hsi Jen and wounded her heart so much more to the quick that she began to weep aloud. But the moment she got so vexed she found it hard to keep down the potion of boletus and the decoction, for counter-acting the effects of the sun, she had taken only a few minutes back, and with a retch she brought everything up. Tzu Chuean immediately pressed to her side and used her handkerchief to stop her mouth with. But mouthful succeeded mouthful, and in no time the handkerchief was soaked through and through.
Hsueeh Yen then approached in a hurry and tapped her on the back.
"You may, of course, give way to displeasure," Tzu Chuean argued; "but you should, after all, take good care of yourself Miss. You had just taken the medicines and felt the better for them; and here you now begin vomitting again; and all because you've had a few words with our master Secundus. But should your complaint break out afresh how will Mr. Pao bear the blow?"
The moment Pao-yue caught this advice, which accorded so thoroughly with his own ideas, he found how little Tai-yue could hold her own with Tzu Chuean. And perceiving how flushed Tai-yue's face was, how her temples were swollen, how, while sobbing, she panted; and how, while crying, she was suffused with perspiration, and betrayed signs of extreme weakness, he began, at the sight of her condition, to reproach himself. "I shouldn't," he reflected, "have bandied words with her; for now that she's got into this frame of mind, I mayn't even suffer in her stead!"
The self-reproaches, however, which gnawed his heart made it impossible for him to refrain from tears, much as he fought against them. Hsi Jen saw them both crying, and while attending to Pao-yue, she too unavoidably experienced much soreness of heart. She nevertheless went on rubbing Pao-yue's hands, which were icy cold. She felt inclined to advise Pao-yue not to weep, but fearing again lest, in the first place, Pao-yue might be inwardly aggrieved, and nervous, in the next, lest she should not be dealing rightly by Tai-yue, she thought it advisable that they should all have a good cry, as they might then be able to leave off. She herself therefore also melted into tears. As for Tzu-Chuean, at one time, she cleaned the expectorated medicine; at another, she took up a fan and gently fanned Tai-yue. But at the sight of the trio plunged in perfect silence, and of one and all sobbing for reasons of their own, grief, much though she did to struggle against it, mastered her feelings too, and producing a handkerchief, she dried the tears that came to her eyes. So there stood four inmates, face to face, uttering not a word and indulging in weeping.
Shortly, Hsi Jen made a supreme effort, and smilingly said to Pao-yue: "If you don't care for anything else, you should at least have shown some regard for those tassels, strung on the jade, and not have wrangled with Miss Lin."
Tai-yue heard these words, and, mindless of her indisposition, she rushed over, and snatching the trinket, she picked up a pair of scissors, lying close at hand, bent upon cutting the tassels. Hsi Jen and Tzu Chuean were on the point of wresting it from her, but she had already managed to mangle them into several pieces.
"I have," sobbed Tai-yue, "wasted my energies on them for nothing; for he doesn't prize them. He's certain to find others to string some more fine tassels for him."
Hsi Jen promptly took the jade. "Is it worth while going on in this way!" she cried. "But this is all my fault for having blabbered just now what should have been left unsaid."
"Cut it, if you like!" chimed in Pao-yue, addressing himself to Tai-yue. "I will on no account wear it, so it doesn't matter a rap."
But while all they minded inside was to create this commotion, they little dreamt that the old matrons had descried Tai-yue weep bitterly and vomit copiously, and Pao-yue again dash his jade on the ground, and that not knowing how far the excitement might not go, and whether they themselves might not become involved, they had repaired in a body to the front, and reported the occurrence to dowager lady Chia and Madame Wang, their object being to try and avoid being themselves implicated in the matter. Their old mistress and Madame Wang, seeing them make so much of the occurrence as to rush with precipitate haste to bring it to their notice, could not in the least imagine what great disaster might not have befallen them, and without loss of time they betook themselves together into the garden and came to see what the two cousins were up to.
Hsi Jen felt irritated and harboured resentment against Tzu Chuean, unable to conceive what business she had to go and disturb their old mistress and Madame Wang. But Tzu Chuean, on the other hand, presumed that it was Hsi Jen, who had gone and reported the matter to them, and she too cherished angry feelings towards Hsi Jen.
Dowager lady Chia and Madame Wang walked into the apartment. They found Pao-yue on one side saying not a word. Lin Tai-yue on the other uttering not a sound. "What's up again?" they asked. But throwing the whole blame upon the shoulders of Hsi Jen and Tzu Chuean, "why is it," they inquired, "that you were not diligent in your attendance on them. They now start a quarrel, and don't you exert yourselves in the least to restrain them?"
Therefore with obloquy and hard words they rated the two girls for a time in such a way that neither of them could put in a word by way of reply, but felt compelled to listen patiently. And it was only after dowager lady Chia had taken Pao-yue away with her that things quieted down again.
One day passed. Then came the third of the moon. This was Hsueeh Pan's birthday, so in their house a banquet was spread and preparations made for a performance; and to these the various inmates of the Chia mansion went. But as Pao-yue had so hurt Tai-yue's feelings, the two cousins saw nothing whatever of each other, and conscience-stricken, despondent and unhappy, as he was at this time could he have had any inclination to be present at the plays? Hence it was that he refused to go on the pretext of indisposition.
Lin Tai-yue had got, a couple of days back, but a slight touch of the sun and naturally there was nothing much the matter with her. When the news however reached her that he did not intend to join the party, "If with his weakness for wine and for theatricals," she pondered within herself, "he now chooses to stay away, instead of going, why, that quarrel with me yesterday must be at the bottom of it all. If this isn't the reason, well then it must be that he has no wish to attend, as he sees that I'm not going either. But I should on no account have cut the tassels from that jade, for I feel sure he won't wear it again. I shall therefore have to string some more on to it, before he puts it on."
On this account the keenest remorse gnawed her heart.
Dowager lady Chia saw well enough that they were both under the influence of temper. "We should avail ourselves of this occasion," she said to herself, "to go over and look at the plays, and as soon as the two young people come face to face, everything will be squared." Contrary to her expectations neither of them would volunteer to go. This so exasperated their old grandmother that she felt vexed with them. "In what part of my previous existence could an old sufferer like myself," she exclaimed, "have incurred such retribution that my destiny is to come across these two troublesome new-fledged foes! Why, not a single day goes by without their being instrumental in worrying my mind! The proverb is indeed correct which says: 'that people who are not enemies are not brought together!' But shortly my eyes shall be closed, this breath of mine shall be snapped, and those two enemies will be free to cause trouble even up to the very skies; for as my eyes will then loose their power of vision, and my heart will be void of concern, it will really be nothing to me. But I couldn't very well stifle this breath of life of mine!"
While inwardly a prey to resentment, she also melted into tears.
These words were brought to the ears of Pao-yue and Tai-yue. Neither of them had hitherto heard the adage: "people who are not enemies are not brought together," so when they suddenly got to know the line, it seemed as if they had apprehended abstraction. Both lowered their heads and meditated on the subtle sense of the saying. But unconsciously a stream of tears rolled down their cheeks. They could not, it is true, get a glimpse of each other; yet as the one was in the Hsiao Hsiang lodge, standing in the breeze, bedewed with tears, and the other in the I Hung court, facing the moon and heaving deep sighs, was it not, in fact, a case of two persons living in two distinct places, yet with feelings emanating from one and the same heart?
Hsi Jen consequently tendered advice to Pao-yue. "You're a million times to blame," she said, "it's you who are entirely at fault! For when some time ago the pages in the establishment, wrangled with their sisters, or when husband and wife fell out, and you came to hear anything about it, you blew up the lads, and called them fools for not having the heart to show some regard to girls; and now here you go and follow their lead. But to-morrow is the fifth day of the moon, a great festival, and will you two still continue like this, as if you were very enemies? If so, our venerable mistress will be the more angry, and she certainly will be driven sick! I advise you therefore to do what's right by suppressing your spite and confessing your fault, so that we should all be on the same terms as hitherto. You here will then be all right, and so will she over there."
Pao-yue listened to what she had to say; but whether he fell in with her views or not is not yet ascertained; yet if you, reader, choose to know, we will explain in the next chapter.
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