中国经典 》 红楼梦 A Dream of Red Mansions 》
第三十回 宝钗借扇机带双敲 龄官划蔷痴及局外 CHAPTER XXX.
曹雪芹 Cao Xueqin
高鹗 Gao E
CHAPTER XXX.
话说林黛玉与宝玉角口后，也自后悔，但又无去就他之理，因此日夜闷闷，如有所失。紫鹃度其意，乃劝道：“若论前日之事，竟是姑娘太浮躁了些。别人不知宝玉那脾气，难道咱们也不知道的。为那玉也不是闹了一遭两遭了。"黛玉啐道：“你倒来替人派我的不是。我怎么浮躁了？"紫鹃笑道：“好好的，为什么又剪了那穗子？岂不是宝玉只有三分不是， 姑娘倒有七分不是。我看他素日在姑娘身上就好，皆因姑娘小性儿，常要歪派他，才这么样。”
林黛玉正欲答话， 只听院外叫门。紫鹃听了一听，笑道：“这是宝玉的声音，想必是来赔不是来了。 "林黛玉听了道：“不许开门！"紫鹃道：“姑娘又不是了。这么热天毒日头地下， 晒坏了他如何使得呢！"口里说着，便出去开门，果然是宝玉。一面让他进来， 一面笑道：“我只当是宝二爷再不上我们这门了，谁知这会子又来了。"宝玉笑道：“你们把极小的事倒说大了。好好的为什么不来？我便死了，魂也要一日来一百遭。妹妹可大好了？"紫鹃道：“身上病好了，只是心里气不大好。"宝玉笑道：“我晓得有什么气。"一面说着，一面进来，只见林黛玉又在床上哭。
那林黛玉本不曾哭， 听见宝玉来，由不得伤了心，止不住滚下泪来。宝玉笑着走近床来，道：“妹妹身上可大好了？"林黛玉只顾拭泪，并不答应。宝玉因便挨在床沿上坐了， 一面笑道：“我知道妹妹不恼我。但只是我不来，叫旁人看着，倒象是咱们又拌了嘴的似的。 若等他们来劝咱们，那时节岂不咱们倒觉生分了？不如这会子，你要打要骂，凭着你怎么样，千万别不理我。"说着，又把"好妹妹"叫了几万声。林黛玉心里原是再不理宝玉的，这会子见宝玉说别叫人知道他们拌了嘴就生分了似的这一句话，又可见得比人原亲近，因又撑不住哭道：“你也不用哄我。从今以后，我也不敢亲近二爷， 二爷也全当我去了。"宝玉听了笑道：“你往那去呢？"林黛玉道：“我回家去。"宝玉笑道：“我跟了你去。"林黛玉道：“我死了。"宝玉道：“你死了，我做和尚！"林黛玉一闻此言，登时将脸放下来，问道：“想是你要死了，胡说的是什么！你家倒有几个亲姐姐亲妹妹呢，明儿都死了，你几个身子去作和尚？明儿我倒把这话告诉别人去评评。”
宝玉自知这话说的造次了，后悔不来， 登时脸上红胀起来，低着头不敢则一声。幸而屋里没人。 林黛玉直瞪瞪的瞅了他半天，气的一声儿也说不出来。见宝玉憋的脸上紫胀识世界和改造世界具有重要意义。，便咬着牙用指头狠命的在他额颅上戳了一下，哼了一声，咬牙说道：“你这——"刚说了两个字，便又叹了一口气，仍拿起手帕子来檫眼泪。宝玉心里原有无限的心事，又兼说错了话，正自后悔，又见黛玉戳他一下，要说又说不出来，自叹自泣，因此自己也有所感， 不觉滚下泪来。要用帕子揩拭，不想又忘了带来，便用衫袖去檫。林黛玉虽然哭着，却一眼看见了，见他穿着簇新藕合纱衫，竟去拭泪，便一面自己拭着泪，一面回身将枕边搭的一方绡帕子拿起来， 向宝玉怀里一摔，一语不发， 仍掩面自泣。宝玉见他摔了帕子来，忙接住拭了泪，又挨近前些，伸手拉了林黛玉一只手，笑道：“我的五脏都碎了， 你还只是哭。走罢，我同你往老太太跟前去。"林黛玉将手一摔道：“谁同你拉拉扯扯的。一天大似一天的，还这么が皮赖脸的，连个道理也不知道。”
一句没说完，只听喊道：“好了！"宝林二人不防，都唬了一跳，回头看时，只见凤姐儿跳了进来，笑道：“老太太在那里抱怨天抱怨地，只叫我来瞧瞧你们好了没有。我说不用瞧，过不了三天，他们自己就好了。老太太骂我，说我懒。我来了，果然应了我的话了。也没见你们两个人有些什么可拌的，三日好了，两日恼了，越大越成了孩子了！有这会子拉着手哭的，昨儿为什么又成了乌眼鸡呢！还不跟我走，到老太太跟前，叫老人家也放些心。"说着拉了林黛玉就走。林黛玉回头叫丫头们，一个也没有。凤姐道：“又叫他们作什么，有我伏侍你呢。"一面说，一面拉了就走。宝玉在后面跟着出了园门。 到了贾母跟前，凤姐笑道：“我说他们不用人费心，自己就会好的。老祖宗不信，一定叫我去说合。 我及至到那里要说合，谁知两个人倒在一处对赔不是了。对笑对诉，倒象‘黄鹰抓住了鹞子的脚’，两个都扣了环了，那里还要人去说合。"说的满屋里都笑起来。
此时宝钗正在这里。那林黛玉只一言不发，挨着贾母坐下。宝玉没甚说的，便向宝钗笑道：大哥哥好日子，偏生我又不好了，没别的礼送，连个头也不得磕去。大哥哥不知我病，倒象我懒，推故不去的。倘或明儿恼了，姐姐替我分辨分辨。"宝钗笑道：“这也多事。你便要去也不敢惊动，何况身上不好，弟兄们日日一处，要存这个心倒生分了。"宝玉又笑道：“姐姐知道体谅我就好了。"又道：“姐姐怎么不看戏去？"宝钗道：“我怕热，看了两出，热的很。要走，客又不散。我少不得推身上不好，就来了。"宝玉听说， 自己由不得脸上没意思，只得又搭讪笑道：“怪不得他们拿姐姐比杨妃，原来也体丰怯热。"宝钗听说，不由的大怒，待要怎样，又不好怎样。回思了一回，脸红起来，便冷笑了两声，说道：“我倒象杨妃，只是没一个好哥哥好兄弟可以作得杨国忠的！"二人正说着，可巧小丫头靛儿因不见了扇子，和宝钗笑道：“必是宝姑娘藏了我的。好姑娘，赏我罢。"宝钗指他道：“你要仔细！我和你顽过，你再疑我。和你素日嘻皮笑脸的那些姑娘们跟前， 你该问他们去。"说的个靛儿跑了。宝玉自知又把话说造次了，当着许多人，更比才在林黛玉跟前更不好意思，便急回身又同别人搭讪去了。
林黛玉听见宝玉奚落宝钗， 心中着实得意，才要搭言也趁势儿取个笑，不想靛儿因找扇子，宝钗又发了两句话被限制，却为共同自由所补偿。，他便改口笑道：“宝姐姐，你听了两出什么戏？"宝钗因见林黛玉面上有得意之态， 一定是听了宝玉方才奚落之言，遂了他的心愿，忽又见问他这话， 便笑道：“我看的是李逵骂了宋江，后来又赔不是。"宝玉便笑道：“姐姐通今博古， 色色都知道，怎么连这一出戏的名字也不知道，就说了这么一串子。这叫《负荆请罪》。"宝钗笑道：“原来这叫作《负荆请罪》！你们通今博古，才知道‘负荆请罪’，我不知道什么是‘负荆请罪’！"一句话还未说完，宝玉林黛玉二人心里有病，听了这话早把脸羞红了。 凤姐于这些上虽不通达，但见他三人形景，便知其意，便也笑着问人道：“你们大暑天，谁还吃生姜呢？"众人不解其意，便说道：“没有吃生姜。风姐故意用手摸着腮， 诧异道：发不好过了。宝钗再要说话，见宝玉十分讨愧，形景改变，也就不好再说，只得一笑收住。别人总未解得他四个人的言语，因此付之流水。
一时宝钗凤姐去了， 林黛玉笑向宝玉道：“你也试着比我利害的人了。谁都象我心拙口笨的， 由着人说呢。"宝玉正因宝钗多了心，自己没趣，又见林黛玉来问着他，越发没好气起来。待要说两句，又恐林黛玉多心，说不得忍着气，无精打采一直出来。
谁知目今盛暑之时， 又当早饭已过，各处主仆人等多半都因日长神倦之时，宝玉背着手，到一处，一处鸦雀无闻。从贾母这里出来，往西走了穿堂，便是凤姐的院落。到他们院门前， 只见院门掩着。知道凤姐素日的规矩，每到天热，午间要歇一个时辰的，进去不便，遂进角门，来到王夫人上房内。只见几个丫头子手里拿着针线，却打盹儿呢。王夫人在里间凉榻上睡着，金钏儿坐在旁边捶腿，也乜斜着眼乱恍。
宝玉轻轻的走到跟前， 把他耳上带的坠子一摘，金钏儿睁开眼，见是宝玉。宝玉悄悄的笑道：“就困的这么着？"金钏抿嘴一笑，摆手令他出去马克思列宁主义的基本原理，把中国长期革命实践中的一系，仍合上眼，宝玉见了他，就有些恋恋不舍的，悄悄的探头瞧瞧王夫人合着眼，便自己向身边荷包里带的香雪润津丹掏了出来，便向金钏儿口里一送。金钏儿并不睁眼，只管噙了。宝玉上来便拉着手， 悄悄的笑道：“我明日和太太讨你，咱们在一处罢。"金钏儿不答。宝玉又道：“不然，等太太醒了我就讨。"金钏儿睁开眼，将宝玉一推，笑道：“你忙什么！‘金簪子掉在井里头， 有你的只是有你的"，连这句话语难道也不明白？我倒告诉你个巧宗儿，你往东小院子里拿环哥儿同彩云去。 "宝玉笑道：“凭他怎么去罢，我只守着你。"只见王夫人翻身起来，照金钏儿脸上就打了个嘴巴子，指着骂道：“下作小娼妇，好好的爷们，都叫你教坏了。"宝玉见王夫人起来，早一溜烟去了。
这里金钏儿半边脸火热，一声不敢言语。登时众丫头听见王夫人醒了，都忙进来。王夫人便叫玉钏儿：“把你妈叫来，带出你姐姐去。"金钏儿听说，忙跪下哭道：“我再不敢了。 太太要打骂，只管发落，别叫我出去就是天恩了。我跟了太太十来年，这会子撵出去，我还见人不见人呢！"王夫人固然是个宽仁慈厚的人，从来不曾打过丫头们一下， 今忽见金钏儿行此无耻之事，此乃平生最恨者，故气忿不过，打了一下，骂了几句。虽金钏儿苦求，亦不肯收留，到底唤了金钏儿之母白老媳妇来领了下去。那金钏儿含羞忍辱的出去，不在话下。
且说那宝玉见王夫人醒来，自己没趣，忙进大观园来。只见赤日当空，树阴合地，满耳蝉声，静无人语。刚到了蔷薇花架，只听有人哽噎之声。宝玉心中疑惑，便站住细听， 果然架下那边有人。如今五月之际，那蔷薇正是花叶茂盛之际，宝玉便悄悄的隔着篱笆洞儿一看， 只见一个女孩子蹲在花下，手里拿着根绾头的簪子在地下抠土，一面悄悄的流泪，宝玉心中想道：“难道这也是个痴丫头，又象颦儿来葬花不成？"因又自叹道：“若真也葬花，可谓‘东施效颦’，不但不为新特，且更可厌了。"想毕，便要叫那女子， 说：“你不用跟着那林姑娘学了。"话未出口，幸而再看时，这女孩子面生，不是个侍儿，倒象是那十二个学戏的女孩子之内的，却辨不出他是生旦净丑那一个角色来。 宝玉忙把舌头一伸，将口掩住，自己想道：“幸而不曾造次。上两次皆因造次了，颦儿也生气， 宝儿也多心，如今再得罪了他们，越发没意思了。"一面想，一面又恨认不得这个是谁。再留神细看，只见这女孩子眉蹙春山，眼颦秋水，面薄腰纤，袅袅婷婷，大有林黛玉之态。宝玉早又不忍弃他而去，只管痴看。只见他虽然用金簪划地，并不是掘土埋花，竟是向土上画字。宝玉用眼随着簪子的起落，一直一画一点一勾的看了去，数一数，十八笔。自己又在手心里用指头按着他方才下笔的规矩写了，猜是个什么字。写成一想，原来就是个蔷薇花的"蔷"字。宝玉想道：“必定是他也要作诗填词。这会子见了这花， 因有所感，或者偶成了两句，一时兴至恐忘，在地下画着推敲，也未可知。且看他底下再写什么。"一面想，一面又看，只见那女孩子还在那里画呢，画来画去，还是个"蔷"字。再看，还是个"蔷"字。里面的原是早已痴了，画完一个又画一个， 已经画了有几千个"蔷"。外面的不觉也看痴了，两个眼睛珠儿只管随着簪子动，心里却想：“这女孩子一定有什么话说不出来的大心事，才这样个形景。外面既是这个形景，心里不知怎么熬煎。看他的模样儿这般单薄，心里那里还搁的住熬煎。可恨我不能替你分些过来。”
伏中阴晴不定， 片云可以至雨，忽一阵凉风过了，唰唰的落下一阵雨来。宝玉看着那女子头上滴下水来，纱衣裳登时湿了。宝玉想道：“这时下雨。他这个身子立法和教育入手。但立法和教育的好坏又取决于立法者和教，如何禁得骤雨一激！"因此禁不住便说道：“不用写了。你看下大雨，身上都湿了。"那女孩子听说倒唬了一跳， 抬头一看，只见花外一个人叫他不要写了，下大雨了。一则宝玉脸面俊秀，二则花叶繁茂，上下俱被枝叶隐住，刚露着半边脸，那女孩子只当是个丫头，再不想是宝玉， 因笑道：“多谢姐姐提醒了我。难道姐姐在外头有什么遮雨的？"一句提醒了宝玉，"嗳哟"了一声，才觉得浑身冰凉。低头一看，自己身上也都湿了。说声"不好"，只得一气跑回怡红院去了，心里却还记挂着那女孩子没处避雨。
原来明日是端阳节，那文官等十二个女子都放了学，进园来各处顽耍。可巧小生宝官，正旦玉官等两个女孩子，正在怡红院和袭人玩笑，被大雨阻住。大家把沟堵了，水积在院内，把些绿头鸭，花ぎく，彩鸳鸯，捉的捉，赶的赶，缝了翅膀，放在院内顽耍，将院门关了。袭人等都在游廊上嘻笑。
宝玉见关着门，便以手扣门，里面诸人只顾笑，那里听见。叫了半日，拍的门山响，里面方听见了，估谅着宝玉这会子再不回来的。袭人笑道：“谁这会子叫门，没人开去。"宝玉道：“是我。"麝月道：“是宝姑娘的声音。"晴雯道：“胡说！宝姑娘这会子做什么来。"袭人道：“让我隔着门缝儿瞧瞧，可开就开，要不可开，叫他淋着去。"说着，便顺着游廊到门前， 往外一瞧，只见宝玉淋的雨打鸡一般。袭人见了又是着忙又是可笑，忙开了门，笑的弯着腰拍手道：“这么大雨地里跑什么？那里知道爷回来了。”
宝玉一肚子没好气，满心里要把开门的踢几脚，及开了门，并不看真是谁，还只当是那些小丫头子们不可分割地联系着，因此对人来说不存在独立自在的世界。主， 便抬腿踢在肋上。袭人"嗳哟"了一声。宝玉还骂道：“下流东西们！ 我素日担待你们得了意，一点儿也不怕，越发拿我取笑儿了。"口里说着，一低头见是袭人哭了，方知踢错了，忙笑道：“嗳哟，是你来了！踢在那里了？"袭人从来不曾受过大话的，今儿忽见宝玉生气踢他一下，又当着许多人，又是羞，又是气，又是疼，真一时置身无地。待要怎么样，料着宝玉未必是安心踢他，少不得忍着说道：“没有踢着。还不换衣裳去。 "宝玉一面进房来解衣，一面笑道：“我长了这么大，今日是头一遭儿生气打人，不想就偏遇见了你！"袭人一面忍痛换衣裳，一面笑道：“我是个起头儿的人，不论事大事小事好事歹，自然也该从我起。但只是别说打了我，明儿顺了手也打起别人来。"宝玉道：“我才也不是安心。"袭人道：“谁说你是安心了！素日开门关门，都是那起小丫头子们的事。他们是憨皮惯了的，早已恨的人牙痒痒，他们也没个怕惧儿。你当是他们，踢一下子，唬唬他们也好些。才刚是我淘气，不叫开门的。”
说着，那雨已住了，宝官，玉官也早去了。袭人只觉肋下疼的心里发闹，晚饭也不曾好生吃。 至晚间洗澡时脱了衣服，只见肋上青了碗大一块，自己倒唬了一跳，又不好声张。 一时睡下，梦中作痛，由不得"嗳哟"之声从睡中哼出。宝玉虽说不是安心，因见袭人懒懒的， 也睡不安稳。忽夜间听得"嗳哟"，便知踢重了，自己下床悄悄的秉灯来照。刚到床前，只见袭人嗽了两声，吐出一口痰来，"嗳哟"一声，睁开眼见了宝玉，倒唬了一跳道：“作什么？"宝玉道：“你梦里‘嗳哟’，必定踢重了。我瞧瞧。"袭人道：“我头上发晕，嗓子里又腥又甜，你倒照一照地下罢。宝玉听说，果然持灯向地下一照，只见一口鲜血在地。 宝玉慌了，只说也就心凉了半截。要知端的，且听下回分解。
Pao-ch'ai avails herself of the excuse afforded her by a fan to administer a couple of raps. While Ch'un Ling traces, in a absent frame of mind, the outlines of the character Ch'iang, a looker-on appears on the scene.
Lin Tai-yue herself, for we will now resume our narrative, was also, ever since her tiff with Pao-yue, full of self-condemnation, yet as she did not see why she should run after him, she continued, day and night, as despondent as she would have been had she lost some thing or other belonging to her.
Tzu Chuean surmised her sentiments. "As regards what happened the other day," she advised her, "you were, after all, Miss, a little too hasty; for if others don't understand that temperament of Pao-yue's, have you and I, surely, also no idea about it? Besides, haven't there been already one or two rows on account of that very jade?"
"Ts'ui!" exclaimed Tai-yue. "Have you come, on behalf of others, to find fault with me? But how ever was I hasty?"
"Why did you," smiled Tzu Chuean, "take the scissors and cut that tassel when there was no good reason for it? So isn't Pao-yue less to blame than yourself, Miss? I've always found his behaviour towards you, Miss, without a fault. It's all that touchy disposition of yours, which makes you so often perverse, that induces him to act as he does."
Lin Tai-yue had every wish to make some suitable reply, when she heard some one calling at the door. Tzu Chuean discerned the tone of voice. "This sounds like Pao-yue's voice," she smiled. "I expect he's come to make his apologies."
"I won't have any one open the door," Tai-yue cried at these words.
"Here you are in the wrong again, Miss," Tzu Chuean observed. "How will it ever do to let him get a sunstroke and come to some harm on a day like this, and under such a scorching sun?"
Saying this, she speedily walked out and opened the door. It was indeed Pao-yue. While ushering him in, she gave him a smile. "I imagined," she said, "that you would never again put your foot inside our door, Master Secundus. But here you are once more and quite unexpectedly!"
"You have by dint of talking," Pao-yue laughed, "made much ado of nothing; and why shouldn't I come, when there's no reason for me to keep away? Were I even to die, my spirit too will come a hundred times a day! But is cousin quite well?"
"She is," replied Tzu Chuean, "physically all right; but, mentally, her resentment is not quite over."
"I understand," continued Pao-yue with a smile. "But resentment, for what?"
With this inquiry, he wended his steps inside the apartment. He then caught sight of Lin Tai-yue reclining on the bed in the act of crying. Tai-yue had not in fact shed a tear, but hearing Pao-yue break in upon her, she could not help feeling upset. She found it impossible therefore to prevent her tears from rolling down her cheeks.
Pao-yue assumed a smiling expression and drew near the bed. "Cousin, are you quite well again?" he inquired.
Tai-yue simply went on drying her tears, and made no reply of any kind.
Pao-yue approached the bed, and sat on the edge of it. "I know," he smiled, "that you're not vexed with me. But had I not come, third parties would have been allowed to notice my absence, and it would have appeared to them as if we had had another quarrel. And had I to wait until they came to reconcile us, would we not by that time become perfect strangers? It would be better, supposing you wish to beat me or blow me up, that you should please yourself and do so now; but whatever you do, don't give me the cold shoulder!"
Continuing, he proceeded to call her "my dear cousin" for several tens of times.
Tai-yue had resolved not to pay any more heed to Pao-yue. When she, however, now heard Pao-yue urge: "don't let us allow others to know anything about our having had a quarrel, as it will look as if we had become thorough strangers," it once more became evident to her, from this single remark, that she was really dearer and nearer to him than any of the other girls, so she could not refrain from saying sobbingly: "You needn't have come to chaff me! I couldn't presume henceforward to be on friendly terms with you, Master Secundus! You should treat me as if I were gone!"
At these words, Pao-yue gave way to laughter. "Where are you off to?" he inquired.
"I'm going back home," answered Tai-yue.
"I'll go along with you then," smiled Pao-yue.
"But if I die?" asked Tai-yue.
"Well, if you die," rejoined Pao-yue, "I'll become a bonze."
The moment Tai-yue caught this reply, she hung down her head. "You must, I presume, be bent upon dying?" she cried. "But what stuff and nonsense is this you're talking? You've got so many beloved elder and younger cousins in your family, and how many bodies will you have to go and become bonzes, when by and bye they all pass away! But to-morrow I'll tell them about this to judge for themselves what your motives are!"
Pao-yue was himself aware of the fact that this rejoinder had been recklessly spoken, and he was seized with regret. His face immediately became suffused with blushes. He lowered his head and had not the courage to utter one word more. Fortunately, however, there was no one present in the room.
Tai-yue stared at him for ever so long with eyes fixed straight on him, but losing control over her temper, "Ai!" she shouted, "can't you speak?" Then when she perceived Pao-yue reduced to such straits as to turn purple, she clenched her teeth and spitefully gave him, on the forehead, a fillip with her finger. "Heug!" she cried gnashing her teeth, "you, this......" But just as she had pronounced these two words, she heaved another sigh, and picking up her handkerchief, she wiped her tears.
Pao-yue treasured at one time numberless tender things in his mind, which he meant to tell her, but feeling also, while he smarted under the sting of self-reproach (for the indiscretion he had committed), Tai-yue give him a rap, he was utterly powerless to open his lips, much though he may have liked to speak, so he kept on sighing and snivelling to himself. With all these things therefore to work upon his feelings, he unwillingly melted into tears. He tried to find his handkerchief to dry his face with, but unexpectedly discovering that he had again forgotten to bring one with him, he was about to make his coat-sleeve answer the purpose, when Tai-yue, albeit her eyes were watery, noticed at a glance that he was going to use the brand-new coat of grey coloured gauze he wore, and while wiping her own, she turned herself round, and seized a silk kerchief thrown over the pillow, and thrust it into Pao-yue's lap. But without saying a word, she screened her face and continued sobbing.
Pao-yue saw the handkerchief she threw, and hastily snatching it, he wiped his tears. Then drawing nearer to her, he put out his hand and clasped her hand in his, and smilingly said to her: "You've completely lacerated my heart, and do you still cry? But let's go; I'll come along with you and see our venerable grandmother."
Tai-yue thrust his hand aside. "Who wants to go hand in hand with you?" she cried. "Here we grow older day after day, but we're still so full of brazen-faced effrontery that we don't even know what right means?"
But scarcely had she concluded before she heard a voice say aloud: "They're all right!"
Pao-yue and Tai-yue were little prepared for this surprise, and they were startled out of their senses. Turning round to see who it was, they caught sight of lady Feng running in, laughing and shouting. "Our old lady," she said, "is over there, giving way to anger against heaven and earth. She would insist upon my coming to find out whether you were reconciled or not. 'There's no need for me to go and see,' I told her, 'they will before the expiry of three days, be friends again of their own accord.' Our venerable ancestor, however, called me to account, and maintained that I was lazy; so here I come! But my words have in very deed turned out true. I don't see why you two should always be wrangling! For three days you're on good terms and for two on bad. You become more and more like children. And here you are now hand in hand blubbering! But why did you again yesterday become like black-eyed fighting cocks? Don't you yet come with me to see your grandmother and make an old lady like her set her mind at ease a bit?"
While reproaching them, she clutched Tai-yue's hand and was trudging away, when Tai-yue turned her head round and called out for her servant-girls. But not one of them was in attendance.
"What do you want them for again?" lady Feng asked. "I am here to wait on you!"
Still speaking, she pulled her along on their way, with Pao-yue following in their footsteps. Then making their exit out of the garden gate, they entered dowager lady Chia's suite of rooms. "I said that it was superfluous for any one to trouble," lady Feng smiled, "as they were sure of themselves to become reconciled; but you, dear ancestor, so little believed it that you insisted upon my going to act the part of mediator. Yet when I got there, with the intention of inducing them to make it up, I found them, though one did not expect it, in each other's company, confessing their faults, and laughing and chatting. Just like a yellow eagle clutching the feet of a kite were those two hanging on to each other. So where was the necessity for any one to go?"
These words evoked laughter from every one in the room. Pao-ch'ai, however, was present at the time so Lin Tai-yue did not retort, but went and ensconced herself in a seat near her grandmother.
When Pao-yue noticed that no one had anything to say, he smilingly addressed himself to Pao-ch'ai. "On cousin Hsueeh P'an's birth-day," he remarked, "I happened again to be unwell, so not only did I not send him any presents, but I failed to go and knock my head before him. Yet cousin knows nothing about my having been ill, and it will seem to him that I had no wish to go, and that I brought forward excuses so as to avoid paying him a visit. If to-morrow you find any leisure, cousin, do therefore explain matters for me to him."
"This is too much punctiliousness!" smiled Pao-ch'ai. "Even had you insisted upon going, we wouldn't have been so arrogant as to let you put yourself to the trouble, and how much less when you were not feeling well? You two are cousins and are always to be found together the whole day; if you encourage such ideas, some estrangement will, after all, arise between you."
"Cousin," continued Pao-yue smilingly, "you know what to say; and so long as you're lenient with me all will be all right. But how is it," he went on to ask, "that you haven't gone over to see the theatricals?"
"I couldn't stand the heat" rejoined Pao-ch'ai. "I looked on while two plays were being sung, but I found it so intensely hot, that I felt anxious to retire. But the visitors not having dispersed, I had to give as an excuse that I wasn't feeling up to the mark, and so came away at once."
Pao-yue, at these words, could not but feel ill at ease. All he could do was to feign another smile. "It's no wonder," he observed, "that they compare you, cousin, to Yang Kuei-fei; for she too was fat and afraid of hot weather."
Hearing this, Pao-ch'ai involuntarily flew into a violent rage. Yet when about to call him to task, she found that it would not be nice for her to do so. After some reflection, the colour rushed to her cheeks. Smiling ironically twice, "I may resemble," she said, "Yang Kuei-fei, but there's not one of you young men, whether senior or junior, good enough to play the part of Yang Kuo-chung."
While they were bandying words, a servant-girl Ch'ing Erh, lost sight of her fan and laughingly remarked to Pao-ch'ai: "It must be you, Miss Pao, who have put my fan away somewhere or other; dear mistress, do let me have it!"
"You'd better be mindful!" rejoined Pao-ch'ai, shaking her finger at her. "With whom have I ever been up to jokes, that you come and suspect me? Have I hitherto laughed and smirked with you? There's that whole lot of girls, go and ask them about it!"
At this suggestion, Ch'ing Erh made her escape.
The consciousness then burst upon Pao-yue, that he had again been inconsiderate in his speech, in the presence of so many persons, and he was overcome by a greater sense of shame than when, a short while back, he had been speaking with Lin Tai-yue. Precipitately turning himself round, he went, therefore, and talked to the others as well.
The sight of Pao-yue poking fun at Pao-ch'ai gratified Tai-yue immensely. She was just about to put in her word and also seize the opportunity of chaffing her, but as Ch'ing Erh unawares asked for her fan and Pao-ch'ai added a few more remarks, she at once changed her purpose. "Cousin Pao-ch'ai," she inquired, "what two plays did you hear?"
Pao-ch'ai caught the expression of gratification in Tai-yue's countenance, and concluded that she had for a certainty heard the raillery recently indulged in by Pao-yue and that it had fallen in with her own wishes; and hearing her also suddenly ask the question she did, she answered with a significant laugh: "What I saw was: 'Li Kuei blows up Sung Chiang and subsequently again tenders his apologies'."
Pao-yue smiled. "How is it," he said, "that with such wide knowledge of things new as well as old; and such general information as you possess, you aren't even up to the name of a play, and that you've come out with such a whole string of words. Why, the real name of the play is: 'Carrying a birch and begging for punishment'".
"Is it truly called: 'Carrying a birch and begging for punishment'"? Pao-ch'ai asked with laugh. "But you people know all things new and old so are able to understand the import of 'carrying a birch and begging for punishment.' As for me I've no idea whatever what 'carrying a birch and begging for punishment' implies."
One sentence was scarcely ended when Pao-yue and Tai-yue felt guilty in their consciences; and by the time they heard all she said, they were quite flushed from shame. Lady Feng did not, it is true, fathom the gist of what had been said, but at the sight of the expression betrayed on the faces of the three cousins, she readily got an inkling of it. "On this broiling hot day," she inquired laughing also; "who still eats raw ginger?"
None of the party could make out the import of her insinuation. "There's no one eating raw ginger," they said.
Lady Feng intentionally then brought her hands to her cheeks, and rubbing them, she remarked with an air of utter astonishment, "Since there's no one eating raw ginger, how is it that you are all so fiery in the face?"
Hearing this, Pao-yue and Tai-yue waxed more uncomfortable than ever. So much so, that Pao-ch'ai, who meant to continue the conversation, did not think it nice to say anything more when she saw how utterly abashed Pao-yue was and how changed his manner. Her only course was therefore to smile and hold her peace. And as the rest of the inmates had not the faintest notion of the drift of the remarks exchanged between the four of them, they consequently followed her lead and put on a smile.
In a short while, however, Pao-ch'ai and lady Feng took their leave.
"You've also tried your strength with them," Tai-yue said to Pao-yue laughingly. "But they're far worse than I. Is every one as simple in mind and dull of tongue as I am as to allow people to say whatever they like."
Pao-yue was inwardly giving way to that unhappiness, which had been occasioned by Pao-ch'ai's touchiness, so when he also saw Tai-yue approach him and taunt him, displeasure keener than ever was aroused in him. A desire then asserted itself to speak out his mind to her, but dreading lest Tai-yue should he in one of her sensitive moods, he, needless to say, stifled his anger and straightway left the apartment in a state of mental depression.
It happened to be the season of the greatest heat. Breakfast time too was already past, and masters as well as servants were, for the most part, under the influence of the lassitude felt on lengthy days. As Pao-yue therefore strolled, from place to place, his hands behind his back he heard not so much as the caw of a crow. Issuing out of his grandmother's compound on the near side, he wended his steps westwards, and crossed the passage, on which lady Feng's quarters gave. As soon as he reached the entrance of her court, he perceived the door ajar. But aware of lady Feng's habit of taking, during the hot weather, a couple of hours' siesta at noon, he did not feel it a convenient moment to intrude. Walking accordingly through the corner door, he stepped into Madame Wang's apartment. Here he discovered several waiting-maids, dosing with their needlework clasped in their hands. Madame Wang was asleep on the cool couch in the inner rooms. Chin Ch'uan-erh was sitting next to her massaging her legs. But she too was quite drowsy, and her eyes wore all awry. Pao-yue drew up to her with gentle tread. The moment, however, that he unfastened the pendants from the earrings she wore, Chin Ch'uan opened her eyes, and realised that it was no one than Pao-yue.
"Are you feeling so worn out!" he smilingly remarked in a low tone of voice.
Chin Ch'uan pursed up her lips and gave him a smile. Then waving her hand so as to bid him quit the room, she again closed her eyes.
Pao-yue, at the sight of her, felt considerable affection for her and unable to tear himself away, so quietly stretching his head forward, and noticing that Madame Wang's eyes were shut, he extracted from a purse, suspended about his person, one of the 'scented-snow-for-moistening-mouth pills,' with which it was full, and placed it on Chin Ch'uan-erh's lips. Chin Ch'uan-erh, however, did not open her eyes, but simply held (the pill) in her mouth. Pao-yue then approached her and took her hand in his. "I'll ask you of your mistress," he gently observed smiling, "and you and I will live together."
To this Chin Ch'uan-erh said not a word.
"If that won't do," Pao-yue continued, "I'll wait for your mistress to wake and appeal to her at once."
Chin Ch'uan-erh distended her eyes wide, and pushed Pao-yue off. "What's the hurry?" she laughed. "'A gold hair-pin may fall into the well; but if it's yours it will remain yours only.' Is it possible that you don't even see the spirit of this proverb? But I'll tell you a smart thing. Just you go into the small court, on the east side, and you'll find for yourself what Mr. Chia Huau and Ts'ai Yun are up to!"
"Let them be up to whatever they like," smiled Pao-yue, "I shall simply stick to your side!"
But he then saw Madame Wang twist herself round, get up, and give a slap to Chin Ch'uan-erh on her mouth. "You mean wench!" she exclaimed, abusing her, while she pointed her finger at her, "it's you, and the like of you, who corrupt these fine young fellows with all the nice things you teach them!"
The moment Pao-yue perceived Madame Wang rise, he bolted like a streak of smoke. Chin Ch'uan-erh, meanwhile, felt half of her face as hot as fire, yet she did not dare utter one word of complaint. The various waiting-maids soon came to hear that Madame Wang had awoke and they rushed in in a body.
"Go and tell your mother," Madame Wang thereupon said to Yue Ch'uan-erh, "to fetch your elder sister away."
Chin Ch'uan-erh, at these words, speedily fell on her knees. With tears in her eyes: "I won't venture to do it again," she pleaded. "If you, Madame, wish to flog me, or to scold me do so at once, and as much as you like but don't send me away. You will thus accomplish an act of heavenly grace! I've been in attendance on your ladyship for about ten years, and if you now drive me away, will I be able to look at any one in the face?"
Though Madame Wang was a generous, tender-hearted person, and had at no time raised her hand to give a single blow to any servant-girl, she, however, when she accidentally discovered Chin Ch'uan-erh behave on this occasion in this barefaced manner, a manner which had all her lifetime been most reprehensible to her, was so overcome by passion that she gave Chin Ch'uan-erh just one slap and spoke to her a few sharp words. And albeit Chin Ch'uan-erh indulged in solicitous entreaties, she would not on any account keep her in her service. At length, Chin Ch'uan-erh's mother, Dame Pao, was sent for to take her away. Chin Ch'uan-erh therefore had to conceal her disgrace, suppress her resentment, and quit the mansion.
But without any further reference to her, we will now take up our story with Pao-yue. As soon as he saw Madame Wang awake, his spirits were crushed. All alone he hastily made his way into the Ta Kuan garden. Here his attention was attracted by the ruddy sun, shining in the zenith, the shade of the trees extending far and wide, the song of the cicadas, filling the ear; and by a perfect stillness, not even broken by the echo of a human voice. But the instant he got near the trellis, with the cinnamon roses, the sound of sobs fell on his ear. Doubts and surmises crept into Pao-yue's mind, so halting at once, he listened with intentness. Then actually he discerned some one on the off-side of the trellis. This was the fifth moon, the season when the flowers and foliage of the cinnamon roses were in full bloom. Furtively peeping through an aperture in the fence, Pao-yue saw a young girl squatting under the flowers and digging the ground with a hair-pin she held in her hand. As she dug, she silently gave way to tears.
"Can it be possible," mused Pao-yue, "that this girl too is stupid? Can she also be following P'in Erh's example and come to inter flowers? Why if she's likewise really burying flowers," he afterwards went on to smilingly reflect, "this can aptly be termed: 'Tung Shih tries to imitate a frown.' But not only is what she does not original, but it is despicable to boot. You needn't," he meant to shout out to the girl, at the conclusion of this train of thought, "try and copy Miss Lin's example." But before the words had issued from his mouth, he luckily scrutinised her a second time, and found that the girl's features were quite unfamiliar to him, that she was no menial, and that she looked like one of the twelve singing maids, who were getting up the plays. He could not, however, make out what _roles_ she filled: scholars, girls, old men, women, or buffoons. Pao-yue quickly put out his tongue and stopped his mouth with his hand. "How fortunate," he inwardly soliloquised, "that I didn't make any reckless remark! It was all because of my inconsiderate talk on the last two occasions, that P'in Erh got angry with me, and that Pao-ch'ai felt hurt. And had I now given them offence also, I would have been in a still more awkward fix!"
While wrapt in these thoughts, he felt much annoyance at not being able to recognise who she was. But on further minute inspection, he noticed that this maiden, with contracted eyebrows, as beautiful as the hills in spring, frowning eyes as clear as the streams in autumn, a face, with transparent skin, and a slim waist, was elegant and beautiful and almost the very image of Lin Tai-yue. Pao-yue could not, from the very first, make up his mind to wrench himself away. But as he stood gazing at her in a doltish mood, he realised that, although she was tracing on the ground with the gold hair-pin, she was not digging a hole to bury flowers in, but was merely delineating characters on the surface of the soil. Pao-yue's eyes followed the hair-pin from first to last, as it went up and as it came down. He watched each dash, each dot and each hook. He counted the strokes. They numbered eighteen. He himself then set to work and sketched with his finger on the palm of his hand, the lines, in their various directions, and in the order they had been traced a few minutes back, so as to endeavour to guess what the character was. On completing the sketch, he discovered, the moment he came to reflect, that it was the character "Ch'iang," in the combination, 'Ch'iang Wei,' representing cinnamon roses.
"She too," pondered Pao-yue, "must have been bent upon writing verses, or supplying some line or other, and at the sight now of the flowers, the idea must have suggested itself to her mind. Or it may very likely be that having spontaneously devised a couplet, she got suddenly elated and began, for fear it should slip from her memory, to trace it on the ground so as to tone the rhythm. Yet there's no saying. Let me see, however, what she's going to write next."
While cogitating, he looked once more. Lo, the girl was still tracing. But tracing up or tracing down, it was ever the character "Ch'iang." When he gazed again, it was still the self-same Ch'iang.
The one inside the fence fell, in fact, from an early stage, into a foolish mood, and no sooner was one 'Ch'iang,' finished than she started with another; so that she had already written several tens of them. The one outside gazed and gazed, until he unwittingly also got into the same foolish mood. Intent with his eyes upon following the movements of the pin, in his mind, he communed thus with his own thoughts: "This girl must, for a certainty, have something to say, or some unspeakable momentous secret that she goes on like this. But if outwardly she behaves in this wise, who knows what anguish she mayn't suffer at heart? And yet, with a frame to all appearances so very delicate, how could she ever resist much inward anxiety! Woe is me that I'm unable to transfer some part of her burden on to my own shoulders!"
In midsummer, cloudy and bright weather are uncertain. A few specks of clouds suffice to bring about rain. Of a sudden, a cold blast swept by, and tossed about by the wind fell a shower of rain. Pao-yue perceived that the water trickling down the girl's head saturated her gauze attire in no time. "It's pouring," Pao-yue debated within himself, "and how can a frame like hers resist the brunt of such a squall." Unable therefore to restrain himself, he vehemently shouted: "Leave off writing! See, it's pouring; you're wet through!"
The girl caught these words, and was frightened out of her wits. Raising her head, she at once descried some one or other standing beyond the flowers and calling out to her: "Leave off writing. It's pouring!" But as Pao-yue was, firstly, of handsome appearance, and as secondly the luxuriant abundance of flowers and foliage screened with their boughs, thick-laden with leaves, the upper and lower part of his person, just leaving half of his countenance exposed to view, the maiden simply jumped at the conclusion that he must be a servant girl, and never for a moment dreamt that it might be Pao-yue. "Many thanks, sister, for recalling me to my senses," she consequently smiled. "Yet is there forsooth anything outside there to protect you from the rain?"
This single remark proved sufficient to recall Pao-yue to himself. With an exclamation of "Ai-yah," he at length became conscious that his whole body was cold as ice. Then drooping his head, he realised that his own person too was drenched. "This will never do," he cried, and with one breath he had to run back into the I Hung court. His mind, however, continued much exercised about the girl as she had nothing to shelter her from the rain.
As the next day was the dragon-boat festival, Wen Kuan and the other singing girls, twelve in all, were given a holiday, so they came into the garden and amused themselves by roaming everywhere and anywhere. As luck would have it, the two girls Pao-Kuan, who filled the _role_ of young men and Yue Kuan, who represented young women, were in the I Hung court enjoying themselves with Hsi Jen, when rain set in and they were prevented from going back, so in a body they stopped up the drain to allow the water to accumulate in the yard. Then catching those that could be caught, and driving those that had to be driven, they laid hold of a few of the green-headed ducks, variegated marsh-birds and coloured mandarin-ducks, and tying their wings they let them loose in the court to disport themselves. Closing the court Hsi Jen and her playmates stood together under the verandah and enjoyed the fun. Pao-yue therefore found the entrance shut. He gave a rap at the door. But as every one inside was bent upon laughing, they naturally did not catch the sound; and it was only after he had called and called, and made a noise by thumping at the door, that they at last heard. Imagining, however, that Pao-yue could not be coming back at that hour, Hsi Jen shouted laughing: "who's it now knocking at the door? There's no one to go and open."
"It's I," rejoined Pao-yue.
"It's Miss Pao-ch'ai's tone of voice," added She Yueeh.
"Nonsense!" cried Ch'ing Wen. "What would Miss Pao-ch'ai come over to do at such an hour?"
"Let me go," chimed in Hsi Jen, "and see through the fissure in the door, and if we can open, we'll open; for we mustn't let her go back, wet through."
With these words, she came along the passage to the doorway. On looking out, she espied Pao-yue dripping like a chicken drenched with rain.
Seeing him in this plight, Hsi Jen felt solicitous as well as amused. With alacrity, she flung the door wide open, laughing so heartily that she was doubled in two. "How could I ever have known," she said, clapping her hands, "that you had returned, Sir! Yet how is it that you've run back in this heavy rain?"
Pao-yue had, however, been feeling in no happy frame of mind. He had fully resolved within himself to administer a few kicks to the person, who came to open the door, so as soon as it was unbarred, he did not try to make sure who it was, but under the presumption that it was one of the servant-girls, he raised his leg and give her a kick on the side.
"Ai-yah!" ejaculated Hsi Jen.
Pao-yue nevertheless went on to abuse. "You mean things!" he shouted. "It's because I've always treated you so considerately that you don't respect me in the least! And you now go to the length of making a laughing-stock of me!"
As he spoke, he lowered his head. Then catching sight of Hsi Jen, in tears, he realised that he had kicked the wrong person. "Hallo!" he said, promptly smiling, "is it you who've come? Where did I kick you?"
Hsi Jen had never, previous to this, received even a harsh word from him. When therefore she on this occasion unexpectedly saw Pao-yue gave her a kick in a fit of anger and, what made it worse, in the presence of so many people, shame, resentment, and bodily pain overpowered her and she did not, in fact, for a time know where to go and hide herself. She was then about to give rein to her displeasure, but the reflection that Pao-yue could not have kicked her intentionally obliged her to suppress her indignation. "Instead of kicking," she remarked, "don't you yet go and change your clothes?"
Pao-yue walked into the room. As he did so, he smiled. "Up to the age I've reached," he observed, "this is the first instance on which I've ever so thoroughly lost control over my temper as to strike any one; and, contrary to all my thoughts, it's you that happened to come in my way?"
Hsi Jen, while patiently enduring the pain, effected the necessary change in his attire. "I've been here from the very first," she simultaneously added, smilingly, "so in all things, whether large or small, good or bad, it has naturally fallen to my share to bear the brunt. But not to say another word about your assault on me, why, to-morrow you'll indulge your hand and star-beating others!"
"I did not strike you intentionally just now," retorted Pao-yue.
"Who ever said," rejoined Hsi Jen, "that you did it intentionally! It has ever been the duty of that tribe of servant-girls to open and shut the doors, yet they've got into the way of being obstinate, and have long ago become such an abomination that people's teeth itch to revenge themselves on them. They don't know, besides, what fear means. So had you first assured yourself that it was they and given them a kick, a little intimidating would have done them good. But I'm at the bottom of the mischief that happened just now, for not calling those, upon whom it devolves, to come and open for you."
During the course of their conversation, the rain ceased, and Pao Kuan and Yue Kuan had been able to take their leave. Hsi Jen, however, experienced such intense pain in her side, and felt such inward vexation, that at supper she could not put a morsel of anything in her mouth. When in the evening, the time came for her to have her bath, she discovered, on divesting herself of her clothes, a bluish bruise on her side of the size of a saucer and she was very much frightened. But as she could not very well say anything about it to any one, she presently retired to rest. But twitches of pain made her involuntarily moan in her dreams and groan in her sleep.
Pao-yue did, it is true, not hurt her with any malice, but when he saw Hsi Jen so listless and restless, and suddenly heard her groan in the course of the night, he realised how severely he must have kicked her. So getting out of bed, he gently seized the lantern and came over to look at her. But as soon as he reached the side of her bed, he perceived Hsi Jen expectorate, with a retch, a whole mouthful of phlegm. "Oh me!" she gasped, as she opened her eyes. The presence of Pao-yue startled her out of her wits. "What are you up to?" she asked.
"You groaned in your dreams," answered Pao-yue, "so I must have kicked you hard. Do let me see!"
"My head feels giddy," said Hsi Jen. "My throat foul and sweet; throw the light on the floor!"
At these words, Pao-yue actually raised the lantern. The moment he cast the light below, he discerned a quantity of fresh blood on the floor.
Pao-yue was seized with consternation. "Dreadful!" was all he could say. At the sight of the blood, Hsi Jen's heart too partly waxed cold.
But, reader, the next chapter will reveal the sequel, if you really have any wish to know more about them.
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