中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions 》
dì sān shí liù huí xiù yuān yāng mèng zhào jiàng yún xuān shí fèndìng qíng wù lí xiāng yuàn CHAPTER XXXVI.
cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin
gāo 'ě Gao E
CHAPTER XXXVI.
huà shuō jiǎ mǔ zì wáng fū rén chù huí lái， jiàn bǎo yù yī rì hǎo sì yī rì， xīn zhōng zì shì huān xǐ。 yīn pà jiāng lái jiǎ zhèng yòu jiào tā， suì mìng rén jiāng jiǎ zhèng de qīn suí xiǎo sī tóu 'ér huàn lái， fēn fù tā " yǐ hòu cháng yòu huì rén dài kè zhū yàng de shì， nǐ lǎo yé yào jiào bǎo yù， nǐ bù yòng shàng lái chuán huà， jiù huí tā shuō wǒ shuō liǎo： yī zé dǎ zhòng liǎo， dé zhe shí jiāng yǎng jǐ gè yuè cái zǒude， èr zé tā de xīngxiù bù lì， jì liǎo xīng bù jiàn wài rén， guò liǎo bā yuè cái xǔ chū 'èr mén。 ” nà xiǎo sī tóu 'ér tīng liǎo， lǐng mìng 'ér qù。 jiǎ mǔ yòu mìng lǐ mó mó xí rén děng lái jiāng cǐ huà shuō yǔ bǎo yù， shǐ tā fàng xīn。 nà bǎo yù běn jiù lǎn yǔ shì dà fū zhū nán rén jiē tán， yòu zuì yàn 'é guān lǐ fú hè diào wǎng hái děng shì， jīn rì dé liǎo zhè jù huà， yuè fā dé liǎo yì， bù dàn jiāng qīn qī péng yǒu yī gài dù jué liǎo， ér qiě lián jiā tíng zhōng chén hūn dìng shěng yì fā dū suí tā de biàn liǎo， rì rì zhǐ zài yuán zhōng yóu wò， bù guò měi rì yī qīng zǎo dào jiǎ mǔ wáng fū rén chù zǒu zǒu jiù huí lái liǎo， què měi měi gān xīn wéi zhū yā huán chōng yì， jìng yě dé shí fēn xián xiāo rì yuè。 huò rú bǎo chāi bèi yòu shí jiàn jī dǎo quàn， fǎn shēng qǐ qì lái， zhǐ shuō " hǎohǎo de yī gè qīng jìng jié bái nǚ 'ér， yě xué de diào míng gū yù， rù liǎo guó zéi lù guǐ zhī liú。 zhè zǒng shì qián rén wú gù shēng shì， lì yán shù cí， yuán wéi dǎo hòu shì de xū méi zhuó wù。 bù xiǎng wǒ shēng bù xìng， yì qiě qióng guī xiù gé zhōng yì rǎn cǐ fēng， zhēn zhēn yòu fù tiān dì zhōng líng yù xiù zhī dé！ " yīn cǐ huò yán gǔ rén， chú sì shū wài， jìng jiāng bié de shū fén liǎo。 zhòng rén jiàn tā rú cǐ fēng diān， yědōu bù xiàng tā shuō zhè xiē zhèng jīng huà liǎo。 dú yòu lín dài yù zì yòu bù céng quàn tā qù lì shēn yáng míng děng yǔ， suǒ yǐ shēn jìng dài yù。
xián yán shǎo shù。 rú jīn qiě shuō wáng fèng jiě zì jiàn jīn chuàn sǐ hòu， hū jiàn jǐ jiā pú rén cháng lái xiào jìng tā xiē dōng xī， yòu bù shí de lái qǐng 'ān fèng chéng， zì jǐ dǎo shēng liǎo yí huò， bù zhī hé yì。 zhè rì yòu jiàn rén lái xiào jìng tā dōng xī， yīn wǎn jiān wú rén shí xiào wèn píng 'ér dào： “ zhè jǐ jiā rén bù dà guǎn wǒ de shì， wèishénme hū rán zhè me hé wǒ tiē jìn？ " píng 'ér lěng xiào dào：“ nǎi nǎi lián zhè gèdōu xiǎng bù qǐ lái liǎo？ wǒ cāi tā men de nǚ 'ér dū bì shì tài tài fáng lǐ de yā tóu， rú jīn tài tài fáng lǐ yòu sì gè dà de， yī gè yuè yī liǎng yín zǐ de fēn lì， xià shèng dedōu shì yī gè yuè jǐ bǎi qián。 rú jīn jīn chuàn 'ér sǐ liǎo， bì dìng tā men yào nòng zhè liǎng yín zǐ de qiǎo zōng 'ér ní。” fèng jiě tīng liǎo， xiào dào：“ shì liǎo， shì liǎo， dǎo shì nǐ tí xǐng liǎo。 wǒ kàn zhè xiē rén yě tài bù zhī zú， qián yě zuàn gòu liǎo， kǔ shì qíng yòu qīn bù zhe， nòng gè yā tóu tángsè zhe shēn zǐ yě jiù bà liǎo， yòu hái xiǎng zhè gè。 yě bà liǎo， tā men jǐ jiā de qián róng yì yě bù néng huā dào wǒ gēn qián， zhè shì tā men zì xún de， sòng shénme lái， wǒ jiù shōu shí me， héng shù wǒ yòu zhù yì。” fèng jiě 'ér 'ān xià zhè gè xīn， suǒ yǐ zì guǎn qiān yán zhe， děng nà xiē rén bǎ dōng xī sòng zú liǎo， rán hòu chéng kōng fāng huí wáng fū rén。
zhè rì wǔ jiān， xuē yí mā mǔ nǚ liǎng gè yǔ lín dài yù děng zhèng zài wáng fū rén fáng lǐ dà jiā chī dōng xī ní， fèng jiě 'ér dé biàn huí wáng fū rén dào：“ zì cóng yù chuàn 'ér jiě jiě sǐ liǎo， tài tài gēn qián shǎo zhe yī gè rén。 tài tài huò kàn zhǔn liǎo nà gè yā tóu hǎo， jiù fēn fù， xià yuè hǎo fā fàng yuè qián de。” wáng fū rén tīng liǎo， xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng， dào：“ yǐ wǒ shuō， shénme shì lì， bì dìng sì gè wǔ gè de， gòu shǐ jiù bà liǎo， jìng kě yǐ miǎn liǎo bà。” fèng jiě xiào dào：“ lùn lǐ， tài tài shuō de yě shì。 zhè yuán shì jiù lì， bié rén wū lǐ hái yòu liǎng gè ní， tài tài dǎo bù 'àn lì liǎo。 kuàng qiě shěng xià yī liǎng yín zǐ yě yòu xiàn。” wáng fū rén tīng liǎo， yòu xiǎng yī xiǎng， dào：“ yě bà， zhè gè fēn lì zhǐ guǎn guān liǎo lái， bù yòng bǔ rén， jiù bǎ zhè yī liǎng yín zǐ gěi tā mèi mèi yù chuàn 'ér bà。 tā jiě jiě fú shì liǎo wǒ yīcháng， méi gè hǎo jiēguǒ， shèng xià tā mèi mèi gēn zhe wǒ， chī gè shuāng fènzǐ yě bùwèi guò yú liǎo。” fèng jiě dāyìng zhe， huí tóu zhǎo yù chuàn 'ér， xiào dào：“ dà xǐ， dà xǐ。” yù chuàn 'ér guò lái kē liǎo tóu。 wáng fū rén wèn dào：“ zhèng yào wèn nǐ， rú jīn zhào yí niàn zhōu yí niàn de yuè lì duō shǎo？ " fèng jiě dào：“ nà shì dìng lì， měi rén 'èr liǎng。 zhào yí niàn yòu huán xiōng dì de 'èr liǎng， gòng shì sì liǎng， lìng wài sì chuàn qián。” wáng fū rén dào：“ kě dū 'àn shù gěi tā men？ " fèng jiě jiàn wèn de qí guài， máng dào：“ zěn me bù 'àn shù gěi！ " wáng fū rén dào：“ qián 'ér wǒ huǎng hū tīng jiàn yòu rén bào yuàn， shuō duǎn liǎo yī diào qián， shì shénme yuán gù？ " fèng jiě máng xiào dào：“ yí niàn men de yā tóu， yuè lì yuán shì rén gè yī diào。 cóng jiù nián tā men wài tóu shāng yì de， yí niàn men měi wèi de yā tóu fēn lì jiǎn bàn， rén gè wǔ bǎi qián， měi wèi liǎng gè yā tóu， suǒ yǐ duǎn liǎo yī diào qián。 zhè yě bào yuàn bù zhe wǒ， wǒ dǎo lè dé gěi tā men ní， tā men wài tóu yòu kòu zhe， nán dào wǒ tiān shàng bù chéng。 zhè gè shì wǒ bù guò shì jiē shǒu 'ér， zěn me lái， zěn me qù， yóu bù dé wǒ zuò zhù。 wǒ dǎo shuō liǎo liǎng sān huí， réng jiù tiān shàng zhè liǎng fēn de。 tā men shuō zhǐ yòu zhè gè xiàng shù， jiào wǒ yě nán zài shuō liǎo。 rú jīn wǒ shǒu lǐ měi yuè lián rì zǐ dōubù cuò gěi tā men ní。 xiān shí zài wài tóu guān， nà gè yuè bù dǎ jī huāng， hé céng shùn shùn liù liù de dé guò yī zāo 'ér。” wáng fū rén tīng shuō， yě jiù bà liǎo， bàn rì yòu wèn：“ lǎo tài tài wū lǐ jǐ gè yī liǎng de？ " fèng jiě dào：“ bā gè。 rú jīn zhǐ yòu qī gè， nà yī gè shì xí rén。” wáng fū rén dào：“ zhè jiù shì liǎo。 nǐ bǎo xiōng dì yě bìng méi yòu yī liǎng de yā tóu， xí rén hái suàn shì lǎo tài tài fáng lǐ de rén。” fèng jiě xiào dào：“ xí rén yuán shì lǎo tài tài de rén， bù guò gěi liǎo bǎo xiōng dì shǐ。 tā zhè yī liǎng yín zǐ hái zài lǎo tài tài de yā tóu fēn lì shàng lǐng。 rú jīn shuō yīn wéi xí rén shì bǎo yù de rén， cái liǎo zhè yī liǎng yín zǐ， duàn rán shǐ bù dé。 ruò shuō zài tiān yī gè rén gěi lǎo tài tài， zhè gè hái kě yǐ cái tā de。 ruò bù cái tā de， xū dé huán xiōng dì wū lǐ yě tiān shàng yī gè cái gōng dào jūn yún liǎo。 jiù shì qíng wén shè yuè děng qī gè dà yā tóu， měi yuè rén gè yuè qián yī diào， jiā huì děng bā gè xiǎo yā tóu， měi yuè rén gè yuè qián wǔ bǎi， hái shì lǎo tài tài de huà， bié rén rú hé nǎo dé qì dé ní。” xuē yí niàn xiào dào：“ zhǐ tīng fèng yā tóu de zuǐ， dǎo xiàng dǎo liǎo hé táo chē zǐ de， zhǐ tīng tā de zhàng yě qīng chǔ， lǐ yě gōng dào。” fèng jiě xiào dào：“ gū mā， nán dào wǒ shuō cuò liǎo bù chéng？ " xuē yí mā xiào dào：“ shuō de hé cháng cuò， zhǐ shì nǐ màn xiē shuō qǐ bù shěng lì。” fèng jiě cái yào xiào， máng yòu rěn zhù liǎo， tīng wáng fū rén shì xià。 wáng fū rén xiǎng liǎo bàn rì， xiàng fèng jiě 'ér dào：“ míng 'ér tiǎo yī gè hǎo yā tóu sòng qù lǎo tài tài shǐ， bǔ xí rén， bǎ xí rén de yī fēn cái liǎo。 bǎ wǒ měi yuè de yuè lì 'èr shí liǎng yín zǐ lǐ， ná chū 'èr liǎng yín zǐ yī diào qián lái gěi xí rén。 yǐ hòu fán shì yòu zhào yí niàn zhōu yí niàn de， yě yòu xí rén de， zhǐ shì xí rén de zhè yī fēn dū cóng wǒ de fēn lì shàng yún chū lái， bù bì dòng guān zhōng de jiù shì liǎo。” fèng jiě yī yī de dāyìng liǎo， xiào tuī xuē yí mā dào：“ gū mā tīng jiàn liǎo， wǒ sù rì shuō de huà rú hé？ jīn 'ér guǒ rán yìng liǎo wǒ de huà。” xuē yí mā dào：“ zǎo jiù gāi rú cǐ。 múyàng 'ér zì rán bù yòng shuō de， tā de nà yī zhǒng xíng shì dà fāng， shuō huà jiàn rén hé qì lǐ tóu dài zhe gāng yìng yào qiáng， zhè gè shí zài nán dé。” wáng fū rén hán lèi shuō dào：“ nǐ men nà lǐ zhī dào xí rén nà hái zǐ de hǎo chù？ bǐ wǒ de bǎo yù qiáng shí bèi！ bǎo yù guǒ rán shì yòu zào huà de， néng gòu dé tā cháng cháng yuǎn yuǎn de fú shì tā yī bèi zǐ， yě jiù bà liǎo。” fèng jiě dào：“ jì zhè me yàng， jiù kāi liǎo liǎn， míng fàng tā zài wū lǐ qǐ bù hǎo？ wáng fū rén dào： zòng de shì， dǎo néng tīng tā de quàn， rú jīn zuò liǎo gēn qián rén， nà xí rén gāi quàn de yě bù gǎn shí fēn quàn liǎo。 rú jīn qiě hún zhe， děng zài guò 'èr sān nián zài shuō。”
shuō bì bàn rì， fèng jiě jiàn wú huà， biàn zhuǎn shēn chū lái。 gāng zhì láng yán shàng， zhǐ jiàn yòu jǐ gè zhí shì de xí fù zǐ zhèng děng tā huí shì ní， jiàn tā chū lái xué chéng jiù de jī chǔ shàng， pī pàn dì xī qǔ liǎo guò qù de lì shǐ zhé xué zhōng de hé lǐ yīn， dū xiào dào：“ nǎi nǎi jīn 'ér huí shénme shì， zhè bàn tiān？ kě shì yào rè zhe liǎo。” fèng jiě bǎ xiù zǐ wǎn liǎo jǐ wǎn， み zhe nà jiǎo mén de mén jiàn zǐ， xiào dào：“ zhè lǐ guò mén fēng dǎo liáng kuài， chuī yī chuī zài zǒu。” yòu gào sù zhòng rén dào：“ nǐ men shuō wǒ huí liǎo bàn rì de huà， tài tài bǎ 'èr bǎi nián tóu lǐ de shìdōu xiǎng qǐ lái wèn wǒ， nán dào wǒ bù shuō bà。 " yòu lěng xiào dào：“ wǒ cóng jīn yǐ hòu dǎo yào gān jǐ yàng け dú shì liǎo。 bào yuàn gěi tài tài tīng， wǒ yě bù pà。 hú tú yóu méng liǎo xīn， làn liǎo shé tóu， bù dé hǎo sǐ de xià zuò dōng xī， bié zuò niàn de chūn mèng！ míng 'ér yī guǒ nǎo zǐ kòu de rì zǐ hái yòu ní。 rú jīn cái liǎo yā tóu de qián， jiù bào yuàn liǎo zán men。 yě bù xiǎng yī xiǎng shì nú jǐ， yě pèi shǐ liǎng sān gè yā tóu！ " yī miàn mà， yī miàn fāng zǒu liǎo， zì qù tiǎo rén huí jiǎ mǔ huà qù， bù zài huà xià。
què shuō wáng fū rén děng zhè lǐ chī bì xī guā， yòu shuō liǎo yī huí xián huà， gè zì fāng sàn qù。 bǎo chāi yǔ dài yù děng huí zhì yuán zhōng， bǎo chāi yīn yuē dài yù wǎng 'ǒu xiāng xiè qù， dài yù huí shuō lì kè yào xǐ zǎo， biàn gè zì sàn liǎo。 bǎo chāi dú zì xíng lái， shùn lù jìn liǎo yí hóng yuàn， yì yù xún bǎo yù tán jiǎng yǐ jiě wǔ juàn。 bù xiǎng yī rù yuàn lái， yā què wú wén， yī bìng lián liǎng zhǐ xiān hè zài bā jiāo xià dū shuì zhe liǎo。 bǎo chāi biàn shùn zhe yóu láng lái zhì fáng zhōng， zhǐ jiàn wài jiān chuáng shàng héng sān shù sì， dōushì yā tóu men shuì jué。 zhuǎn guò shí jǐn К zǐ， lái zhì bǎo yù de fáng nèi。 bǎo yù zài chuáng shàng shuì zhe liǎo， xí rén zuò zài shēn bàng， shǒu lǐ zuò zhēn xiàn， bàng biān fàng zhe yī bǐng bái xī げ。 bǎo chāi zǒu jìn qián lái， qiāoqiāo de xiào dào：“ nǐ yě guò yú xiǎo xīn liǎo， zhè gè wū lǐ nà lǐ hái yòu cāng yíng wén zǐ， hái ná yíng zhǒu zǐ gǎn shénme？ " xí rén bù fáng， měng tái tóu jiàn bǎo chāi， máng fàng xià zhēn xiàn， qǐ shēn qiāoqiāo xiào dào：“ gū niàn lái liǎo， wǒ dǎo yě bù fáng， hǔ liǎo yī tiào。 gū niàn bù zhī dào， suī rán méi yòu cāng yíng wén zǐ， shuí zhī yòu yī zhǒng xiǎo chóng zǐ， cóng zhè shā yǎn lǐ zuàn jìn lái， rén yě kàn bù jiàn， zhǐ shuì zhe liǎo， yǎo yī kǒu， jiù xiàng mǎ yǐ jiā de。” bǎo chāi dào：“ yuàn bù dé。 zhè wū zǐ hòu tóu yòu jìn shuǐ， yòu dōushì xiāng huā 'ér， zhè wū zǐ lǐ tóu yòu xiāng。 zhè zhǒng chóng zǐ dōushì huā xīn lǐ cháng de， wén xiāng jiù pū。” shuō zhe， yī miàn yòu qiáo tā shǒu lǐ de zhēn xiàn， yuán lái shì gè bái líng hóng lǐ de dōu dù， shàng miàn zhā zhe yuān yāng xì lián de huā yàng， hóng lián lǜ yè， wǔ sè yuān yāng。 bǎo chāi dào：“ ài yō， hǎo xiān liàng huó jì！ zhè shì shuí de， yě zhí de fèi zhè me dà gōng fū？ " xí rén xiàng chuáng shàng nǔ zuǐ 'ér。 bǎo chāi xiào dào：“ zhè me dà liǎo， hái dài zhè gè？ " xí rén xiào dào：“ tā yuán shì bù dài， suǒ yǐ tè tè de zuò de hǎo liǎo， jiào tā kàn jiàn yóu bù dé bù dài。 rú jīn tiān qì rè， shuì jué dōubù liú shén， hǒngtā dài shàng liǎo， biàn shì yè lǐ zòng gài bù yán xiē 'ér， yě jiù bù pà liǎo。 nǐ shuō zhè yī gè jiù yòng liǎo gōng fū， hái méi kàn jiàn tā shēn shàng xiàn dài de nà yī gè ní。” bǎo chāi xiào dào：“ yě kuī nǐ nài fán。” xí rén dào：“ jīn 'ér zuò de gōng fū dà liǎo， bó zǐ dī de guài suān de。” yòu xiào dào：“ hǎo gū niàn， nǐ lüè zuò yī zuò， wǒ chū qù zǒu zǒu jiù lái。” shuō zhe biàn zǒu liǎo。 bǎo chāi zhǐ gù kàn zhe huó jì， biàn bù liú xīn， yī dūn shēn， gāng gāng de yě zuò zài xí rén fāng cái zuò de suǒ zài， yīn yòu jiàn nà huó jì shí zài kě 'ài， bù yóu de ná qǐ zhēn lái， tì tā dài cì。
bù xiǎng lín dài yù yīn yù jiàn shǐ xiāng yún yuē tā lái yǔ xí rén dào xǐ， èr rén lái zhì yuàn zhōng， jiàn jìng qiǎo qiǎo de， xiāng yún biàn zhuǎn shēn xiān dào xiāng fáng lǐ qù zhǎo xí rén。 lín dài yù què lái zhì chuāng wài， gé zhe shā chuāng wǎng lǐ yī kàn， zhǐ jiàn bǎo yù chuānzhuó yín hóng shā shān zǐ， suí biàn shuì zhe zài chuáng shàng， bǎo chāi zuò zài shēn bàng zuò zhēn xiàn， bàng biān fàng zhe yíng zhǒu zǐ， lín dài yù jiàn liǎo zhè gè jǐng 'ér， lián máng bǎ shēn zǐ yī cáng， shǒu wò zhe zuǐ bù gǎn xiào chū lái， zhāo shǒu 'ér jiào xiāng yún。 xiāng yún yī jiàn tā zhè bān jǐng kuàng， zhǐ dāng yòu shénme xīn wén， máng yě lái yī kàn， yě yào xiào shí， hū rán xiǎng qǐ bǎo chāi sù rì dài tā hòu dào， biàn máng yǎn zhù kǒu。 zhī dào lín dài yù bù ràng rén， pà tā yán yǔ zhī zhōng qǔ xiào， biàn máng lā guò tā lái dào：“ zǒu bà。 wǒ xiǎng qǐ xí rén lái， tā shuō wǔ jiān yào dào chí zǐ lǐ qù xǐ yī cháng， xiǎng bì qù liǎo， zán men nà lǐ zhǎo tā qù。” lín dài yù xīn xià míng bái， lěng xiào liǎo liǎng shēng， zhǐ dé suí tā zǒu liǎo。
zhè lǐ bǎo chāi zhǐ gāng zuò liǎo liǎng sān gè huā bàn， hū jiàn bǎo yù zài mèng zhōng hǎn mà shuō：“ " hé shàng dào shì de huà rú hé xìn dé？ shénme shì jīn yù yīn yuán， wǒ piān shuō shì mù shí yīn yuán！ " xuē bǎo chāi tīng liǎo zhè huà， bù jué zhèng liǎo。 hū jiàn xí rén zǒu guò lái， xiào dào：“ hái méi yòu xǐng ní。” bǎo chāi yáo tóu。 xí rén yòu xiào dào：“ wǒ cái pèng jiàn lín gū niàn shǐ dà gū niàn wén xué jiā yòu yǐng xiǎng。 zhù yào zhù zuò yòu《 suí bǐ lù》（ yī yì《 shì bǐ jí》）。 cān， tā men kě céng jìn lái？ " bǎo chāi dào：“ méi jiàn tā men jìn lái。” yīn xiàng xí rén xiào dào：“ tā men méi gào sù nǐ shénme huà？ " xí rén xiào dào：“ zuǒ bù guò shì tā men nà xiē wán huà， yòu shénme zhèng jīng shuō de。” bǎo chāi xiào dào：“ tā men shuō de kě bù shì wán huà， wǒ zhèng yào gào sù nǐ ní， nǐ yòu máng máng de chū qù liǎo。”
yī jù huà wèi wán， zhǐ jiàn fèng jiě 'ér dǎ fā rén lái jiào xí rén。 bǎo chāi xiào dào：“ jiù shì wéi nà huà liǎo。” xí rén zhǐ dé huàn qǐ liǎng gè yā huán lái， yī tóng bǎo chāi chū yí hóng yuàn， zì wǎng fèng jiě zhè lǐ lái。 guǒ rán shì gào sù tā zhè huà， yòu jiào tā yǔ wáng fū rén kòu tóu， qiě bù bì qù jiàn jiǎ mǔ， dǎo bǎ xí rén bù hǎo yì sī de。 jiàn guò wáng fū rén jí máng huí lái， bǎo yù yǐ xǐng liǎo， wèn qǐ yuán gù， xí rén qiě hán hú dāyìng， zhì yè jiān rén jìng， xí rén fāng gào sù。 bǎo yù xǐ bù zì jìn， yòu xiàng tā xiào dào：“ wǒ kě kàn nǐ huí jiā qù bù qù liǎo！ nà yī huí wǎng jiā lǐ zǒu liǎo yī tàng， huí lái jiù shuō nǐ gē gē yào shú nǐ， yòu shuō zài zhè lǐ méi zhuóluò， zhōng jiǔ suàn shénme， shuō liǎo nà me xiē wú qíng wú yì de shēng fēn huà hǔ wǒ。 cóng jīn yǐ hòu， wǒ kě kàn shuí lái gǎn jiào nǐ qù。 " xí rén tīng liǎo， biàn lěng xiào dào：“ nǐ dǎo bié zhè me shuō。 cóng cǐ yǐ hòu wǒ shì tài tài de rén liǎo， wǒ yào zǒu lián nǐ yě bù bì gào sù， zhǐ huí liǎo tài tài jiù zǒu。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ jiù biàn suàn wǒ bù hǎo， nǐ huí liǎo tài tài jìng qù liǎo， jiào bié rén tīng jiàn shuō wǒ bù hǎo， nǐ qù liǎo nǐ yě méi yì sī。” xí rén xiào dào：“ yòu shénme méi yì sī， nán dào zuò liǎo qiáng dào zéi， wǒ yě gēn zhe bà。 zài bù rán， hái yòu yī gè sǐ ní。 rén huó bǎi suì， héng shù yào sǐ， zhè yī kǒu qì bù zài， tīng bù jiàn kàn bù jiàn jiù bà liǎo。 " bǎo yù tīng jiàn zhè huà， biàn máng wò tā de zuǐ， shuō dào：“ bà， bà， bà， bù yòng shuō zhè xiē huà liǎo。” xí rén shēn zhī bǎo yù xìng qíng gǔ guài， tīng jiàn fèng chéng jí lì huà yòu yàn xū 'ér bù shí， tīng liǎo zhè xiē jìn qíng shí huà yòu shēng bēi gǎn， biàn huǐ zì jǐ shuō mào zhuàng liǎo， lián máng xiào zhe yòng huà jié kāi， zhǐ jiǎn nà bǎo yù sù xǐ tán zhě wèn zhī。 xiān wèn tā chūn fēng qiū yuè， zài tán jí fěn dàn zhī yíng， rán hòu tán dào nǚ 'ér rú hé hǎo， yòu tán dào nǚ 'ér sǐ， xí rén máng yǎn zhù kǒu。 bǎo yù tán zhì nóng kuài shí， jiàn tā bù shuō liǎo， biàn xiào dào：“ rén shuí bù sǐ， zhǐ yào sǐ de hǎo。 nà xiē gè xū méi zhuó wù， zhǐ zhī dào wén sǐ jiàn， wǔ sǐ zhàn， zhè 'èr sǐ shì dà zhàng fū sǐ míng sǐ jié。 jìng hé rú bù sǐ de hǎo！ bì dìng yòu hūn jūn tā fāng jiàn， tā zhǐ gù yāo míng， měng pàn yī sǐ， jiāng lái qì jūn yú hé dì！ bì dìng yòu dāo bīng tā fāng zhàn， měng pàn yī sǐ， tā zhǐ gù tú hàn mǎ zhī míng， jiāng lái qì guó yú hé dì！ suǒ yǐ zhè jiē fēi zhèng sǐ。” xí rén dào：“ zhōng chén liáng jiāng， chū yú bù dé yǐ tā cái sǐ。” bǎo yù dào：“ nà wǔ jiāng bù guò zhàng xuè qì zhī yǒng， shū móu shǎo lüè， tā zì jǐ wú néng， sòng liǎo xìng mìng， zhè nán dào yě shì bù dé yǐ！ nà wén guān gèng bù kě bǐ wǔ guān liǎo， tā niàn liǎng jù shū こ zài xīn lǐ， ruò cháo tíng shǎo yòu cī xiá， tā jiù hú tán luàn quàn， zhǐ gù tā yāo zhōng liè zhī míng， zhuó qì yī yǒng， jí shí pàn sǐ， zhè nán dào yě shì bù dé yǐ！ hái yào zhī dào， nà cháo tíng shì shòu mìng yú tiān， tā bù shèng bù rén， nà tiān dì duàn bù bǎ zhè wàn jǐ zhòng rèn yǔ tā liǎo。 kě zhī nà xiē sǐ dedōu shì gū míng， bìng bù zhī dà yì。 bǐ rú wǒ cǐ shí ruò guǒ yòu zào huà， gāi sǐ yú cǐ shí de， chèn nǐ men zài， wǒ jiù sǐ liǎo， zài néng gòu nǐ men kū wǒ de yǎn lèi liú chéng dà hé， bǎ wǒ de shī shǒu piào qǐ lái， sòng dào nà yā què bù dào de yōu pì zhī chù， suí fēng huà liǎo， zì cǐ zài bù yào tuō shēng wéi rén， jiù shì wǒ sǐ de dé shí liǎo。” xí rén hū jiàn shuō chū zhè xiē fēng huà lái， máng shuō kùn liǎo， bù lǐ tā。 nà bǎo yù fāng hé yǎn shuì zhe， zhì cì rì yě jiù diū kāi liǎo。
yī rì， bǎo yù yīn gè chù yóu de fán nì， biàn xiǎng qǐ《 mǔ dān tíng》 qū lái， zì jǐ kàn liǎo liǎng biàn， yóu bù qiè huái， yīn wén dé lí xiāng yuàn de shí 'èr gè nǚ hái zǐ zhōng yòu xiǎo dàn líng guān zuì shì chàng de hǎo， yīn zhuóyì chū jiǎo mén lái zhǎo shí， zhǐ jiàn bǎo guān yù guān dōuzài yuàn nèi， jiàn bǎo yù lái liǎo， dū xiào xī xī de ràng zuò。 bǎo yù yīn wèn " líng guān dú zài nà lǐ？ " zhòng réndōu gào sù tā shuō：“ zài tā fáng lǐ ní。” bǎo yù máng zhì tā fáng nèi， zhǐ jiàn líng guān dú zì dǎo zài zhěn shàng， jiàn tā jìn lái， wén fēng bù dòng。 bǎo yù sù xí yǔ bié de nǚ hái zǐ wán guàn liǎo de， zhǐ dāng líng guān yě tóng bié rén yī yàng， yīn jìn qián lái shēn bàng zuò xià， yòu péi xiào yāng tā qǐ lái chàng " niǎo qíng sī " yī tào。 bù xiǎng líng guān jiàn tā zuò xià， máng tái shēn qǐ lái duǒ bì， zhèng sè shuō dào：“ sǎng zǐ yǎ liǎo。 qián 'ér niàn niàn chuán jìn wǒ men qù， wǒ hái méi yòu chàng ní。” bǎo yù jiàn tā zuò zhèng liǎo， zài yī xì kàn， yuán lái jiù shì nà rì qiáng wēi huā xià huá " qiáng " zì nà yī gè。 yòu jiàn rú cǐ jǐng kuàng， cóng lái wèi jīng guò zhè fān bèi rén qì yàn， zì jǐ biàn shàn shàn de hóng liǎo liǎn， zhǐ dé chū lái liǎo。 bǎo guān děng bù jiě hé gù， yīn wèn qí suǒ yǐ。 bǎo yù biàn shuō liǎo， suì chū lái。 bǎo guān biàn shuō dào：“ zhǐ lüè děng yī děng， qiáng 'èr yé lái liǎo jiào tā chàng， shì bì chàng de。” bǎo yù tīng liǎo， xīn xià nà mèn， yīn wèn：“ qiáng gē 'ér nà qù liǎo？ " bǎo guān dào：“ cái chū qù liǎo， yī dìng hái shì líng guān yào shénme， tā qù biàn nòng qù liǎo。”
bǎo yù tīng liǎo， yǐ wéi qí tè， shǎo zhàn piàn shí， guǒ jiàn jiǎ qiáng cóng wài tóu lái liǎo， shǒu lǐ yòu tí zhe gè què 'ér lóng zǐ shū chǎn shù liǎo zài xīn jīng jì zhèng cè tiáo jiàn xià dǎng zài qún zhòng zhōng jìn xíng gōng zuò de fāng shì hé， shàng miàn zhā zhe gè xiǎo xì tái， bìng yī gè què 'ér， xīng xīng tóu tóu de wǎng lǐ zǒu zhe zhǎo líng guān。 jiàn liǎo bǎo yù， zhǐ dé zhàn zhù。 bǎo yù wèn tā：“ shì gè shénme què 'ér， huì xián qí chuàn xì tái？ " jiǎ qiáng xiào dào：“ shì gè yù dǐng jīn dòu。” bǎo yù dào：“ duō shǎo qián mǎi de？ " jiǎ qiáng dào：“ yī liǎng bā qián yín zǐ。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn ràng bǎo yù zuò， zì jǐ wǎng líng guān fáng lǐ lái。 bǎo yù cǐ kè bǎ tīng qǔzǐ de xīn dōuméi liǎo， qiě yào kàn tā hé líng guān shì zěn yàng。 zhǐ jiàn jiǎ qiáng jìn qù xiào dào：“ nǐ qǐ lái， qiáo zhè gè wán yì 'ér。” líng guān qǐ shēn wèn shì shénme， jiǎ qiáng dào：“ mǎi liǎo què 'ér nǐ wán， shěngde tiān tiān mèn mèn de wú gè kāi xīn。 wǒ xiān wán gè nǐ kàn。” shuō zhe， biàn ná xiē gǔ zǐ hōng de nà gè què 'ér zài xì tái shàng luàn chuàn， xián guǐ liǎn qí zhì。 zhòng nǚ hái zǐ dū xiào dào " yòu qù "， dú líng guān lěng xiào liǎo liǎng shēng， dǔ qì réng shuì qù liǎo。 jiǎ qiáng hái zhǐ guǎn péi xiào， wèn tā hǎo bù hǎo。 líng guān dào：“ nǐ men jiā bǎ hǎohǎo de rén nòng liǎo lái， guān zài zhè láo kēng lǐ xué zhè gè láo shí zǐ hái bù suàn， nǐ zhè huì zǐ yòu nòng gè què 'ér lái， yě piān shēng gān zhè gè。 nǐ fēn míng shì nòng liǎo tā lái dǎ qù xíng róng wǒ men， hái wèn wǒ hǎo bù hǎo。” jiǎ qiáng tīng liǎo， bù jué huāng qǐ lái， lián máng dǔ shēn lì shì。 yòu dào：“ jīn 'ér wǒ nà lǐ de xiāng zhī yóu méng liǎo xīn！ fèi yī 'èr liǎng yín zǐ mǎi tā lái， yuán shuō jiě mèn， jiù méi yòu xiǎng dào zhè shàng tóu。 bà， bà， fàng liǎo shēng， miǎn miǎn nǐ de zāi bìng。” shuō zhe， guǒ rán jiāng què 'ér fàng liǎo， yī dùn bǎ jiāng lóng zǐ chāi liǎo。 líng guān hái shuō：“ nà què 'ér suī bù rú rén， tā yě yòu gè lǎo què 'ér zài wō lǐ， nǐ ná liǎo tā lái nòng zhè gè láo shí zǐ yě rěn dé！ jīn 'ér wǒ ké sòu chū liǎng kǒu xuè lái， tài tài jiào dà fū lái qiáo， bù shuō tì wǒ xì wèn wèn， nǐ qiě nòng zhè gè lái qǔ xiào。 piān shēng wǒ zhè méi rén guǎn méi rén lǐ
de， yòu piān bìng。” shuō zhe yòu kū qǐ lái。 jiǎ qiáng máng dào：“ zuó 'ér wǎn shàng wǒ wèn liǎo dà fū， tā shuō bù xiāng gān。 tā shuō chī liǎng jì yào， hòu 'ér zài qiáo。 shuí zhī jīn 'ér yòu tù liǎo。 zhè huì zǐ qǐng tā qù。” shuō zhe， biàn yào qǐng qù。 líng guān yòu jiào " zhàn zhù， zhè huì zǐ dà dú rì tóu dì xià， nǐ dǔ qì zǐ qù qǐng liǎo lái wǒ yě bù qiáo。” jiǎ qiáng tīng rú cǐ shuō， zhǐ dé yòu zhàn zhù。 bǎo yù jiàn liǎo zhè bān jǐng kuàng， bù jué chī liǎo， zhè cái lǐng huì liǎo huá " qiáng " shēn yì。 zì jǐ zhàn bù zhù， yě chōu shēn zǒu liǎo。 jiǎ qiáng yī xīn dōuzài líng guān shēn shàng， yě bù gù sòng， dǎo shì bié de nǚ hái zǐ sòng liǎo chū lái。
nà bǎo yù yī xīn cái duó pán suàn， chī chī de huí zhì yí hóng yuàn zhōng， zhèng zhí lín dài yù hé xí rén zuò zhe shuō huà 'ér ní。 bǎo yù yī jìn lái， jiù hé xí rén cháng tàn， shuō dào：“ wǒ zuó wǎn shàng de huà jìng shuō cuò liǎo， guài dào lǎo yé shuō wǒ shì ‘ guǎn kuī lí cè ’。 zuó yè shuō nǐ men de yǎn lèi dān zàng wǒ， zhè jiù cuò liǎo。 wǒ jìng bù néng quán dé liǎo。 cóng cǐ hòu zhǐ shì gè rén gè dé yǎn lèi bà liǎo。 " xí rén zuó yè bù guò shì xiē wán huà， yǐ jīng wàng liǎo， bù xiǎng bǎo yù jīn yòu tí qǐ lái， biàn xiào dào：“ nǐ kě zhēn zhēn yòu xiē fēng liǎo。” bǎo yù mò mò bù duì， zì cǐ shēn wù rén shēng qíng yuán， gè yòu fèndìng， zhǐ shì měi měi 'àn shāng " bù zhī jiāng lái zàng wǒ sǎ lèi zhě wéi shuí？ " cǐ jiē bǎo yù xīn zhōng suǒ huái， yě bù kě shí fēn wàng nǐ。
qiě shuō lín dài yù dāng xià jiàn liǎo bǎo yù rú cǐ xíng xiàng， biàn zhī shì yòu cóng nà lǐ zhe liǎo mó lái， yě bù biàn duō wèn， yīn xiàng tā shuō dào：“ wǒ cái zài jiù mǔ gēn qián tīng de míng 'ér shì xuē yí mā de shēng rì， jiào wǒ shùn biàn lái wèn nǐ chū qù bù chū qù。 nǐ dǎ fā rén qián tóu shuō yī shēng qù。” bǎo yù dào：“ shàng huí lián dà lǎo yé de shēng rì wǒ yě méi qù xī fāng de yī zhǒng zōng jiào zhé xué sī cháo。 yǐ fǎ guó kǎ 'ěr wéi cí、 P ． bǐ lǐ、 E． mò， zhè huì zǐ wǒ yòu qù， cháng huò pèng jiàn liǎo rén ní？ wǒ yī gài dōubù qù。 zhè me guài rè de， yòu chuān yī cháng， wǒ bù qù yí mā yě wèi bì nǎo。” xí rén máng dào：“ zhè shì shénme huà？ tā bǐ bù dé dà lǎo yé。 zhè lǐ yòu zhù de jìn， yòu shì qīn qī， nǐ bù qù qǐ bù jiào tā sīliáng。 nǐ pà rè， zhǐ qīng zǎo qǐ dào nà lǐ kē gè tóu， chī zhōng chá zài lái， qǐ bù hǎo kàn。” bǎo yù wèi shuō huà， dài yù biàn xiān xiào dào：“ nǐ kàn zhe rén jiā gǎn wén zǐ fēn shàng， yě gāi qù zǒu zǒu。” bǎo yù bù jiě， máng wèn：“ zěn me gǎn wén zǐ？ " xí rén biàn jiāng zuó rì shuì jué wú rén zuò bàn， bǎo gū niàn zuò liǎo yī zuò de huà shuō liǎo chū lái。 bǎo yù tīng liǎo， máng shuō：“ bù gāi。 wǒ zěn me shuì zhe liǎo， xiè dòu liǎo tā。” yī miàn yòu shuō：“ míng rì bì qù。” zhèng shuō zhe， hū jiàn shǐ xiāng yún chuān de qí qí zhěng zhěng de zǒu lái cí shuō jiā lǐ dǎ fā rén lái jiē tā。 bǎo yù lín dài yù tīng shuō， máng zhàn qǐ lái ràng zuò。 shǐ xiāng yún yě bù zuò， bǎo lín liǎng gè zhǐ dé sòng tā zhì qián miàn。 nà shǐ xiāng yún zhǐ shì yǎn lèi wāng wāng de， jiàn yòu tā jiā rén zài gēn qián， yòu bù gǎn shí fēn wěi qū。 shàoshí xuē bǎo chāi gǎn lái， yù jué qiǎn quǎn nán shè。 hái shì bǎo chāi xīn nèi míng bái， tā jiā rén ruò huí qù gào sù liǎo tā shěn niàn， dài tā jiā qù yòu kǒng shòu qì， yīn cǐ dǎo cuī tā zǒu liǎo。 zhòng rén sòng zhì 'èr mén qián， bǎo yù hái yào wǎng wài sòng， dǎo shì xiāng yún lán zhù liǎo。 yī shí， huí shēn yòu jiào bǎo yù dào gēn qián， qiāoqiāo de zhǔ dào：“ biàn shì lǎo tài tài xiǎng bù qǐ wǒ lái， nǐ shí cháng tí zhe dǎ fā rén jiē wǒ qù。 " bǎo yù lián lián dāyìng liǎo。 yǎn kàn zhe tā shàng chē qù liǎo， dà jiā fāng cái jìn lái。 yào zhī duān de， qiě tīng xià huí fēn jiě。
While Hsi Jen is busy embroidering mandarin ducks, Pao-yue receives, in the Chiang Yuen Pavilion, an omen from a dream. Pao-yue apprehends that there is a destiny in affections, when his feelings are aroused to a sense of the situation in the Pear Fragrance court.
Ever since dowager lady Chia's return from Madame Wang's quarters, for we will now take up the string of our narrative, she naturally felt happier in her mind as she saw that Pao-yue improved from day to day; but nervous lest Chia Cheng should again in the future send for him, she lost no time in bidding a servant summon a head-page, a constant attendant upon Chia Cheng, to come to her, and in impressing upon him various orders. "Should," she enjoined him, "anything turn up henceforward connected with meeting guests, entertaining visitors and other such matters, and your master mean to send for Pao-yue, you can dispense with going to deliver the message. Just you tell him that I say that after the severe thrashing he has had, great care must be first taken of him during several months before he can be allowed to walk; and that, secondly, his constellation is unpropitious and that he could not see any outsider, while sacrifices are being offered to the stars; that I won't have him therefore put his foot beyond the second gate before the expiry of the eighth moon."
The head-page listened patiently to her instructions, and, assenting to all she had to say, he took his leave.
Old lady Chia thereupon also sent for nurse Li, Hsi Jen and the other waiting-maids and recommended them to tell Pao-yue about her injunctions so that he might be able to quiet his mind.
Pao-yue had always had a repugnance for entertaining high officials and men in general, and the greatest horror of going in official hat and ceremonial dress, to offer congratulations, or express condolences, to pay calls, return visits, or perform other similar conventionalities, but upon receipt on the present occasion of this message, he became so much the more confirmed in his dislikes that not only did he suspend all intercourse with every single relative and friend, but even went so far as to study more than he had ever done before, his own caprices in the fulfilment of those morning and evening salutations due to the senior members of his family. Day after day he spent in the garden, doing nothing else than loafing about, sitting down here, or reclining there. Of a morning, he would, as soon as it was day, stroll as far as the quarters of dowager lady Chia and Madame Wang, to repair back, however, in no time. Yet ever ready was he every day that went by to perform menial services for any of the waiting-maids. He, in fact, wasted away in the most complete _dolce far niente_ days as well as months. If perchance Pao-ch'ai or any other girl of the same age as herself found at any time an opportunity to give him advice, he would, instead of taking it in good part, fly into a huff. "A pure and spotless maiden," he would say, "has likewise gone and deliberately imitated those persons, whose aim is to fish for reputation and to seek praise; that set of government thieves and salaried devils. This result entirely arises from the fact that there have been people in former times, who have uselessly stirred up trouble and purposely fabricated stories with the primary object of enticing the filthy male creatures, who would spring up in future ages, to follow in their steps! And who would have thought it, I have had the misfortune of being born a masculine being! But, even those beautiful girls, in the female apartments, have been so contaminated by this practice that verily they show themselves ungrateful for the virtue of Heaven and Earth, in endowing them with perception, and in rearing them with so much comeliness."
Seeing therefore what an insane mania possessed him, not one of his cousins came forward to tender him one proper word of counsel. Lin Tai-yue was the only one of them, who, from his very infancy, had never once admonished him to strive and make a position and attain fame, so thus it was that he entertained for Tai-yue profound consideration. But enough of minor details.
We will now turn our attention to lady Feng. Soon after the news of Chin Ch'uan-erh's death reached her, she saw that domestics from various branches of the family paid her frequent visits at most unexpected hours, and presented her a lot of things, and that they courted her presence at most unseasonable moments, to pay their compliments and adulate her, and she begun to harbour suspicions, in her own mind, as she little knew what their object could possibly be. On this date, she again noticed that some of them had brought their gifts, so, when evening arrived, and no one was present, she felt compelled to inquire jocosely of P'ing Erh what their aim could be.
"Can't your ladyship fathom even this?" P'ing Erh answered with a sardonic smile. "Why, their daughters must, I fancy, be servant-girls in Madame Wang's apartments! For her ladyship's rooms four elderly girls are at present allotted with a monthly allowance of one tael; the rest simply receiving several hundreds of cash each month; so now that Chin Ch'uan-erh is dead and gone, these people must, of course, be anxious to try their tricks and get this one-tael job!"
Hearing this, lady Feng smiled a significant smile. "That's it. Yes, that's it!" she exclaimed. "You've really suggested the idea to my mind! From all appearances, these people are a most insatiable lot; for they make quite enough in the way of money! And as for any business that requires a little exertion, why they are never ready to bear a share of it! They make use of their girls as so many tools to shove their own duties upon. Yet one overlooks that. But must they too have designs upon this job? Never mind! These people cannot easily afford to spend upon me the money they do. But they bring this upon their own selves, so I'll keep every bit of thing they send. I've, after all, resolved how to act in the matter!"
Having arrived at this decision, lady Feng purely and simply protracted the delay until all the women had sent her enough to satisfy her, when she at last suited her own convenience and spoke to Madame Wang (on the subject of the vacant post).
Mrs. Hsueeh and her daughter were sitting one day, at noon, in Madame Wang's quarters, together with Lin Tai-yue and the other girls, when lady Feng found an opportunity and broached the topic with Madame Wang. "Ever since," she said, "sister Chin Ch'uan-erh's death, there has been one servant less in your ladyship's service. But you may possibly have set your choice upon some girl; if so, do let me know who it is, so that I may be able to pay her her monthly wages."
This reminder made Madame Wang commune with her own self. "I fancy," she remarked; "that the custom is that there should be four or five of them; but as long as there are enough to wait upon me, I don't mind, so we can really dispense with another."
"What you say is, properly speaking, perfectly correct," smiled lady Feng; "but it's an old established custom. There are still a couple to be found in other people's rooms and won't you, Madame, conform with the rule? Besides, the saving of a tael is a small matter."
After this argument, Madame Wang indulged in further thought. "Never mind," she then observed, "just you bring over this allowance and pay it to me. And there will be no need to supply another girl. I'll hand over this tael to her younger sister, Yue Ch'uan-erh, and finish with it. Her elder sister came to an unpleasant end, after a long term of service with me; so if the younger sister, she leaves behind in my employ, receives a double share, it won't be any too excessive."
Lady Feng expressed her approval and turning round she said smilingly to Yue Ch'uan-erh: "I congratulate you, I congratulate you!"
Yue Ch'uan-erh thereupon crossed over and prostrated herself.
"I just want to ask you," Madame Wang went on to inquire, "how much Mrs. Chao and Mrs. Chou are allowed monthly?"
"They have a fixed allowance," answered lady Feng, "each of them draws two taels. But Mrs. Chao gets two taels for cousin Chia Huan, so hers amounts in all to four taels; besides these, four strings of cash."
"Are they paid in full month after month?" Madame Wang inquired.
Lady Feng thought the question so very strange that she hastened to exclaim by way of reply: "How are they not paid in full?"
"The other day," Madame Wang proceeded, "I heard a faint rumour that there was some one, who complained in an aggrieved way that she had got a string short. How and why is this?"
"The monthly allowances of the servant-girls, attached to the secondary wives," lady Feng hurriedly added with a smile, "amounted originally to a tiao each, but ever since last year, it was decided, by those people outside, that the shares of each of those ladies' girls should be reduced by half, that is, each to five hundred cash; and, as each lady has a couple of servant-girls, they receive therefore a tiao short. But for this, they can't bear me a grudge. As far as I'm concerned, I would only be too glad to let them have it; but our people outside will again disallow it; so is it likely that I can authorise any increase, pray? In this matter of payments I merely receive the money, and I've nothing to do with how it comes and how it goes. I nevertheless recommended, on two or three occasions, that it would be better if these two shares were again raised to the old amount; but they said that there's only that much money, so that I can't very well volunteer any further suggestions! Now that the funds are paid into my hands, I give them to them every month, without any irregularity of even so much as a day. When payments hitherto were effected outside, what month were they not short of money? And did they ever, on any single instance, obtain their pay at the proper time and date?"
Having heard this explanation, Madame Wang kept silent for a while. Next, she proceeded to ask, how many girls there were with dowager lady Chia drawing one tael.
"Eight of them," rejoined lady Feng, "but there are at present only seven; the other one is Hsi Jen."
"Quite right," assented Madame Wang. "But your cousin Pao-yue hasn't any maid at one tael; for Hsi Jen is still a servant belonging to old lady Chia's household."
"Hsi Jen," lady Feng smiled, "is still our dear ancestor's servant; she's only lent to cousin Pao-yue; so that she still receives this tael in her capacity of maid to our worthy senior. Any proposal, therefore, that might now be made, that this tael should, as Hsi Jen is Pao-yue's servant, be curtailed, can, on no account, be entertained. Yet, were it suggested that another servant should be added to our senior's staff, then in this way one could reduce the tael she gets. But if this be not curtailed, it will be necessary to also add a servant in cousin Chia Huan's rooms, in order that there should be a fair apportionment. In fact, Ch'ing Wen, She Yueeh and the others, numbering seven senior maids, receive each a tiao a month; and Chiao Hui and the rest of the junior maids, eight in all, get each five hundred cash per mensem; and this was recommended by our venerable ancestor herself; so how can any one be angry and feel displeasure?"
"Just listen," laughed Mrs. Hsueeh, "to that girl Feng's mouth! It rattles and rattles like a cart laden with walnuts, which has turned topsy-turvy! Yet, her accounts are, from what one can gather, clear enough, and her arguments full of reason."
"Aunt," rejoined lady Feng smiling, "was I likely, pray, wrong in what I said?"
"Who ever said you were wrong?" Mrs. Hsueeh smiled. "But were you to talk a little slower, wouldn't it be a saving of exertion for you?"
Lady Feng was about to laugh, but hastily checking herself, she lent an ear to what Madame Wang might have to tell her.
Madame Wang indulged in thought for a considerable time. Afterwards, facing lady Feng, "You'd better," she said, "select a waiting-maid tomorrow and send her over to our worthy senior to fill up Hsi Jen's place. Then, discontinue that allowance, which Hsi Jen draws, and keep out of the sum of twenty taels, allotted to me monthly, two taels and a tiao, and give them to Hsi Jen. So henceforward what Mrs. Chao and Mrs. Chou will get, Hsi Jen will likewise get, with the only difference that the share granted to Hsi Jen, will be entirely apportioned out of my own allowance. Mind, therefore, there will be no necessity to touch the public funds!"
Lady Feng acquiesced to each one of her recommendations, and, pushing Mrs. Hsueeh, "Aunt," she inquired, "have you heard her proposal? What have I all along maintained? Well, my words have actually come out true to-day!"
"This should have been accomplished long ago," Mrs. Hsueeh answered. "For without, of course, making any allusion to her looks, her way of doing business is liberal; her speech and her relations with people are always prompted by an even temper, while inwardly she has plenty of singleness of heart and eagerness to hold her own. Indeed, such a girl is not easy to come across!"
Madame Wang made every effort to conceal her tears. "How could you people ever rightly estimate Hsi Jen's qualities?" she observed. "Why, she's a hundred times better than my own Pao-yue. How fortunate, in reality, Pao-yue is! Well would it be if he could have her wait upon him for the whole length of his life!"
"In that case," lady Feng suggested, "why, have her face shaved at once, and openly place her in his room as a secondary wife. Won't this be a good plan?"
"This won't do!" Madame Wang retorted. "For first and foremost he's of tender years. In the second place, my husband won't countenance any such thing! In the third, so long as Pao-yue sees that Hsi Jen is his waiting-maid, he may, in the event of anything occurring from his having been allowed to run wild, listen to any good counsel she might give him. But were she now to be made his secondary wife, Hsi Jen would not venture to tender him any extreme advice, even when it's necessary to do so. It's better, therefore, to let things stand as they are for the present, and talk about them again, after the lapse of another two or three years."
At the close of these arguments, lady Feng could not put in a word, by way of reply, to refute them, so turning round, she left the room. She had no sooner, however, got under the verandah, than she discerned the wives of a number of butlers, waiting for her to report various matters to her. Seeing her issue out of the room, they with one consent smiled. "What has your ladyship had to lay before Madame Wang," they remarked, "that you've been talking away this length of time? Didn't you find it hot work?"
Lady Feng tucked up her sleeves several times. Then resting her foot on the step of the side door, she laughed and rejoined: "The draft in this passage is so cool, that I'll stop, and let it play on me a bit before I go on. You people," she proceeded to tell them, "say that I've been talking to her all this while, but Madame Wang conjured up all that has occurred for the last two hundred years and questioned me about it; so could I very well not have anything to say in reply? But from this day forth," she added with a sarcastic smile, "I shall do several mean things, and should even (Mrs. Chao and Mrs. Chou) go, out of any ill-will, and tell Madame Wang, I won't know what fear is for such stupid, glib-tongued, foul-mouthed creatures as they, who are bound not to see a good end! It isn't for them to indulge in those fanciful dreams of becoming primary wives, for there, will come soon a day when the whole lump sum of their allowance will be cut off! They grumble against us for having now reduced the perquisites of the servant-maids, but they don't consider whether they deserve to have so many as three girls to dance attendance on them!"
While heaping abuse on their heads, she started homewards, and went all alone in search of some domestic to go and deliver a message to old lady Chia.
But without any further reference to her, we will take up the thread of our narrative with Mrs. Hsueeh, and the others along with her. During this interval they finished feasting on melons. After some more gossip, each went her own way; and Pao-ch'ai, Tai-yue and the rest of the cousins returned into the garden. Pao-ch'ai then asked Tai-yue to repair with her to the O Hsiang Arbour. But Tai-yue said that she was just going to have her bath, so they parted company, and Pao-ch'ai walked back all by herself. On her way, she stepped into the I Hung Yuean, to look up Pao-yue and have a friendly hobnob with him, with the idea of dispelling her mid-day lassitude; but, contrary to her expectations, the moment she put her foot into the court, she did not so much as catch the caw of a crow. Even the two storks stood under the banana trees, plunged in sleep. Pao-ch'ai proceeded along the covered passage and entered the rooms. Here she discovered the servant-girls sleeping soundly on the bed of the outer apartment; some lying one way, some another; so turning round the decorated screen, she wended her steps into Pao-yue's chamber. Pao-yue was asleep in bed. Hsi Jen was seated by his side, busy plying her needle. Next to her, lay a yak tail. Pao-ch'ai advanced up to her. "You're really far too scrupulous," she said smilingly in an undertone. "Are there still flies or mosquitos in here? and why do yet use that fly-flap for, to drive what away?"
Hsi Jen was quite taken by surprise. But hastily raising her head, and realising that it was Pao-ch'ai, she hurriedly put down her needlework. "Miss," she whispered with a smile, "you came upon me so unawares that you gave me quite a start! You don't know, Miss, that though there be no flies or mosquitoes there is, no one would believe it, a kind of small insect, which penetrates through the holes of this gauze; it is scarcely to be detected, but when one is asleep, it bites just like ants do!"
"It isn't to be wondered at," Pao-ch'ai suggested, "for the back of these rooms adjoins the water; the whole place is also one mass of fragrant flowers, and the interior of this room is, too, full of their aroma. These insects grow mostly in the core of flowers, so no sooner do they scent the smell of any than they at once rush in."
Saying this, she cast a look on the needlework she (Hsi Jen) held in her hands. It consisted, in fact, of a belt of white silk, lined with red, and embroidered on the upper part with designs representing mandarin ducks, disporting themselves among some lotus. The lotus flowers were red, the leaves green, the ducks of variegated colours.
"Ai-yah!" ejaculated Pao-ch'ai, "what very beautiful work! For whom is this, that it's worth your while wasting so much labour on it?"
Hsi Jen pouted her lips towards the bed.
"Does a big strapping fellow like this," Pao-ch'ai laughed, "still wear such things?"
"He would never wear any before," Hsi Jen smiled, "that's why such a nice one was specially worked for him, in order that when he was allowed to see it, he should not be able to do otherwise than use it. With the present hot weather, he goes to sleep anyhow, but as he has been coaxed to wear it, it doesn't matter if even he doesn't cover himself well at night. You say that I bestow much labour upon this, but you haven't yet seen the one he has on!"
"It is a lucky thing," Pao-ch'ai observed, smiling, "that you're gifted with such patience."
"I've done so much of it to-day," remarked Hsi Jen, "that my neck is quite sore from bending over it. My dear Miss," she then urged with a beaming countenance, "do sit here a little. I'll go out for a turn. I'll be back shortly."
With these words, she sallied out of the room.
Pao-ch'ai was intent upon examining the embroidery, so in her absentmindedness, she, with one bend of her body, settled herself on the very same spot, which Hsi Jen had recently occupied. But she found, on second scrutiny, the work so really admirable, that impulsively picking up the needle, she continued it for her. At quite an unforeseen moment--for Lin Tai-yue had met Shih Hsiang-yuen and asked her to come along with her and present her congratulations to Hsi Jen--these two girls made their appearance in the court. Finding the whole place plunged in silence, Hsiang-yuen turned round and betook herself first into the side-rooms in search of Hsi Jen. Lin Tai-yue, meanwhile, walked up to the window from outside, and peeped in through the gauze frame. At a glance, she espied Pao-yue, clad in a silvery-red coat, lying carelessly on the bed, and Pao-ch'ai, seated by his side, busy at some needlework, with a fly-brush resting by her side.
As soon as Lin Tai-yue became conscious of the situation, she immediately slipped out of sight, and stopping her mouth with one hand, as she did not venture to laugh aloud, she waved her other hand and beckoned to Hsiang-yuen. The moment Hsiang-yuen saw the way she went on, she concluded that she must have something new to impart to her, and she approached her with all promptitude. At the sight, which opened itself before her eyes, she also felt inclined to laugh. Yet the sudden recollection of the kindness, with which Pao-ch'ai had always dealt towards her, induced her to quickly seal her lips. And knowing well enough that Tai-yue never spared any one with her mouth, she was seized with such fear lest she should jeer at them, that she immediately dragged her past the window. "Come along!" she observed. "Hsi Jen, I remember, said that she would be going at noon to wash some clothes at the pond. I presume she's there already so let's go and join her."
Tai-yue inwardly grasped her meaning, but, after indulging in a couple of sardonic smiles, she had no alternative but to follow in her footsteps.
Pao-ch'ai had, during this while, managed to embroider two or three petals, when she heard Pao-yue begin to shout abusingly in his dreams. "How can," he cried, "one ever believe what bonzes and Taoist priests say? What about a match between gold and jade? My impression is that it's to be a union between a shrub and a stone!"
Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai caught every single word uttered by him and fell unconsciously in a state of excitement. Of a sudden, however, Hsi Jen appeared on the scene. "Hasn't he yet woke up?" she inquired.
Pao-ch'ai nodded her head by way of reply.
"I just came across," Hsi Jen smiled, "Miss Lin and Miss Shih. Did they happen to come in?"
"I didn't see them come in," Pao-ch'ai answered. "Did they tell you anything?" she next smilingly asked of Hsi Jen.
Hsi Jen blushed and laughed significantly. "They simply came out with some of those jokes of theirs," she explained. "What decent things could such as they have had to tell me?"
"They made insinuations to-day," Pao-ch'ai laughed, "which are anything but a joke! I was on the point of telling you them, when you rushed away in an awful hurry."
But no sooner had she concluded, than she perceived a servant, come over from lady Feng's part to fetch Hsi Jen. "It must be on account of what they hinted," Pao-ch'ai smilingly added.
Hsi Jen could not therefore do otherwise than arouse two servant-maids and go. She proceeded, with Pao-ch'ai, out of the I Hung court, and then repaired all alone to lady Feng's on this side. It was indeed to communicate to her what had been decided about her, and to explain to her, as well, that though she could go and prostrate herself before Madame Wang, she could dispense with seeing dowager lady Chia. This news made Hsi Jen feel very awkward; to such an extent, that no sooner had she got through her visit to Madame Wang, than she returned in a hurry to her rooms.
Pao-yue had already awoke. He asked the reason why she had been called away, but Hsi Jen temporised by giving him an evasive answer. And only at night, when every one was quiet, did Hsi Jen at length give him a full account of the whole matter. Pao-yue was delighted beyond measure. "I'll see now," he said, with a face beaming with smiles, "whether you'll go back home or not. On your return, after your last visit to your people, you stated that your brother wished to redeem you, adding that this place was no home for you, and that you didn't know what would become of you in the long run. You freely uttered all that language devoid of feeling and reason, and enough too to produce an estrangement between us, in order to frighten me; but I'd like to see who'll henceforward have the audacity to come and ask you to leave!"
Hsi Jen, upon hearing this, smiled a smile full of irony. "You shouldn't say such things!" she replied. "From henceforward I shall be our Madame Wang's servant, so that, if I choose to go I needn't even breathe a word to you. All I'll have to do will be to tell her, and then I shall be free to do as I like."
"But supposing that I behaved improperly," demurred Pao-yue laughingly, "and that you took your leave after letting mother know, you yourself will be placed in no nice fix, when people get wind that you left on account of my having been improper."
"What no nice fix!" smiled Hsi Jen. "Is it likely that I am bound to serve even highway robbers? Well, failing anything else, I can die; for human beings may live a hundred years, but they're bound, in the long run, to fall a victim to death! And when this breath shall have departed, and I shall have lost the sense of hearing and of seeing, all will then be well!"
When her rejoinder fell on his ear, Pao-yue promptly stopped her mouth with both his hands. "Enough! enough! that will do," he shouted. "There's no necessity for you to utter language of this kind."
Hsi Jen was well aware that Pao-yue was gifted with such a peculiar temperament, that he even looked upon flattering or auspicious phrases with utter aversion, treating them as meaningless and consequently insincere, so when, after listening to those truths, she had spoken with such pathos, he, lapsed into another of his melancholy moods, she blamed herself for the want of consideration she had betrayed. Hastily therefore putting on a smile, she tried to hit upon some suitable remarks, with which to interrupt the conversation. Her choice fell upon those licentious and immodest topics, which had ever been a relish to the taste of Pao-yue; and from these the conversation drifted to the subject of womankind. But when, subsequently, reference was made to the excellency of the weak sex, they somehow or other also came to touch upon the mortal nature of women, and Hsi Jen promptly closed her lips in silence.
Noticing however that now that the conversation had reached a point so full of zest for him, she had nothing to say for herself, Pao-yue smilingly remarked: "What human being is there that can escape death? But the main thing is to come to a proper end! All that those abject male creatures excel in is, the civil officers, to sacrifice their lives by remonstrating with the Emperor; and, the military, to leave their bones on the battlefield. Both these deaths do confer, after life is extinct, the fame of great men upon them; but isn't it, in fact, better for them not to die? For as it is absolutely necessary that there should be a disorderly Emperor before they can afford any admonition, to what future fate do they thus expose their sovereign, if they rashly throw away their lives, with the sole aim of reaping a fair name for themselves? War too must supervene before they can fight; but if they go and recklessly lay down their lives, with the exclusive idea of gaining the reputation of intrepid warriors, to what destiny will they abandon their country by and bye? Hence it is that neither of these deaths can be looked upon as a legitimate death."
"Loyal ministers," Hsi Jen argued, "and excellent generals simply die because it isn't in their power to do otherwise."
"Military officers," Pao-yue explained, "place such entire reliance upon brute force that they become lax in their stratagems and faulty in their plans. It's because they don't possess any inherent abilities that they lose their lives. Could one therefore, pray, say that they had no other alternative? Civil officials, on the other hand, can still less compare with military officers. They read a few passages from books, and commit them to memory; and, on the slightest mistake made by the Emperor, they're at once rash enough to remonstrate with him, prompted by the sole idea of attaining the fame of loyalty and devotion. But, as soon as their stupid notions have bubbled over, they forfeit their lives, and is it likely that it doesn't lie within their power to do otherwise? Why, they should also bear in mind that the Emperor receives his decrees from Heaven; and, that were he not a perfect man, Heaven itself would, on no account whatever, confer upon him a charge so extremely onerous. This makes it evident therefore that the whole pack and parcel of those officers, who are dead and gone, have invariably fallen victims to their endeavours to attain a high reputation, and that they had no knowledge whatever of the import of the great principle of right! Take me as an instance now. Were really mine the good fortune of departing life at a fit time, I'd avail myself of the present when all you girls are alive, to pass away. And could I get you to shed such profuse tears for me as to swell out into a stream large enough to raise my corpse and carry it to some secluded place, whither no bird even has ever wended its flight, and could I become invisible like the wind, and nevermore from this time, come into existence as a human being, I shall then have died at a proper season."
Hsi Jen suddenly awoke to the fact that he was beginning to give vent to a lot of twaddle, and speedily, pleading fatigue, she paid no further notice to him. This compelled Pao-yue to at last be quiet and go to sleep. By the morrow, all recollection of the discussion had vanished from his mind.
One day, Pao-yue was feeling weary at heart, after strolling all over the place, when remembering the song of the "Peony Pavilion," he read it over twice to himself; but still his spirits continued anything but joyous. Having heard, however, that among the twelve girls in the Pear Fragrance Court there was one called Ling Kuan, who excelled in singing, he purposely issued forth by a side gate and came in search of her. But the moment he got there, he discovered Pao Kuan, and Yue Kuan in the court. As soon as they caught sight of Pao-yue, they, with one consent, smiled and urged him to take a seat. Pao-yue then inquired where Ling Kuan was. Both girls explained that she was in her room, so Pao-yue hastened in. Here he found Ling Kuan alone, reclining against a pillow. Though perfectly conscious of his arrival, she did not move a muscle. Pao-yue ensconced himself next to her. He had always been in the habit of playing with the rest of the girls, so thinking that Ling Kuan was like the others, he felt impelled to draw near her and to entreat her, with a forced smile, to get up and sing part of the "Niao Ch'ing Ssu." But his hopes were baffled; for as soon as Ling Kuan perceived him sit down, she impetuously raised herself and withdrew from his side. "I'm hoarse," she rejoined with a stern expression on her face. "The Empress the other day called us into the palace; but I couldn't sing even then."
Seeing her sit bolt upright, Pao-yue went on to pass her under a minute survey. He discovered that it was the girl, whom he had, some time ago beheld under the cinnamon roses, drawing the character "Ch'iang." But seeing the reception she accorded him, who had never so far known what it was to be treated contemptuously by any one, he blushed crimson, while muttering some abuse to himself, and felt constrained to quit the room.
Pao Kuan and her companion could not fathom why he was so red and inquired of him the reason. Pao-yue told them. "Wait a while," Pao Kuan said, "until Mr. Ch'iang Secundus comes; and when he asks her to sing, she is bound to sing."
Pao-yue at these words felt very sad within himself. "Where's brother Ch'iang gone to?" he asked.
"He's just gone out," Pao Kuan answered. "Of course, Ling Kuan must have wanted something or other, and he's gone to devise ways and means to bring it to her."
Pao-yue thought this remark very extraordinary. But after standing about for a while, he actually saw Chia Ch'iang arrive from outside, carrying a cage, with a tiny stage inserted at the top, and a bird as well; and wend his steps, in a gleeful mood, towards the interior to join Ling Kuan. The moment, however, he noticed Pao-yue, he felt under the necessity of halting.
"What kind of bird is that?" Pao-yue asked. "Can it hold a flag in its beak, or do any tricks?"
"It's the 'jade-crested and gold-headed bird,'" smiled Chia Ch'iang.
"How much did you give for it?" Pao-yue continued.
"A tael and eight mace," replied Chia Ch'iang.
But while replying to his inquiries, he motioned to Pao-yue to take a seat, and then went himself into Ling Kuan's apartment.
Pao-yue had, by this time, lost every wish of hearing a song. His sole desire was to find what relations existed between his cousin and Ling Kuan, when he perceived Chia Ch'iang walk in and laughingly say to her, "Come and see this thing."
"What's it?" Ling Kuan asked, rising.
"I've bought a bird for you to amuse yourself with," Chia Ch'iang added, "so that you mayn't daily feel dull and have nothing to distract yourself with. But I'll first play with it and let you see."
With this prelude, he took a few seeds and began to coax the bird, until it, in point of fact, performed various tricks, on the stage, clasping in its beak a mask and a flag.
All the girls shouted out: "How nice;" with the sole exception of Ling Kuan, who gave a couple of apathetic smirks, and went in a huff to lie down. Again Chia Ch'iang, however, kept on forcing smiles, and inquiring of her whether she liked it or not.
"Isn't it enough," Ling Kuan observed, "that your family entraps a fine lot of human beings like us and coops us up in this hole to study this stuff and nonsense, but do you also now go and get a bird, which likewise is, as it happens, up to this sort of thing? You distinctly fetch it to make fun of us, and mimick us, and do you still ask me whether I like it or not?"
Hearing this reproach, Chia Ch'iang of a sudden sprang to his feet with alacrity and vehemently endeavoured by vowing and swearing to establish his innocence. "How ever could I have been such a fool to-day," he proceeded, "as to go and throw away a tael or two to purchase this bird? I really did it in the hope that it would afford you amusement. I never for a moment entertained such thoughts as those you credit me with. But never mind; I'll let it go, and save you all this misery!"
So saying, he verily gave the bird its liberty; and, with one blow, he smashed the cage to atoms.
"This bird," still argued Ling Kuan, "differs, it's true, from a human being; but it too has a mother and father in its nest, and could you have had the heart to bring it here to perform these silly pranks? In coughing to-day, I expectorated two mouthfuls of blood, and Madame Wang sent some one here to find you so as to tell you to ask the doctor round to minutely diagnose my complaint, and have you instead brought this to mock me with? But it so happens that I, who have not a soul to look after me, or to care for me, also have the fate to fall ill!"
Chia Ch'iang listened to her. "Yesterday evening," he eagerly explained, "I asked the doctor about it. He said that it was nothing at all, that you should take a few doses of medicine, and that he would be coming again in a day or two to see how you were getting on. But who'd have thought it, you have again to-day expectorated blood. I'll go at once and invite him to come round."
Speaking the while, he was about to go immediately when Ling Kuan cried out and stopped him. "Do you go off in a tantrum in this hot broiling sun?" she said. "You may ask him to come, but I won't see him."
When he heard her resolution, Chia Ch'iang had perforce to stand still.
Pao-yue, perceiving what transpired between them, fell unwittingly in a dull reverie. He then at length got an insight into the deep import of the tracing of the character "Ch'iang." But unable to bear the ordeal any longer, he forthwith took himself out of the way. So absorbed, however, was Chia Ch'iang's whole mind with Ling Kuan that he could not even give a thought to escorting any one; and it was, in fact, the rest of the singing-girls who saw (Pao-yue) out.
Pao-yue's heart was gnawed with doubts and conjectures. In an imbecile frame of mind, he came to the I Hung court. Lin Tai-yue was, at the moment, sitting with Hsi Jen, and chatting with her. As soon as Pao-yue entered his quarters, he addressed himself to Hsi Jen, with a long sigh. "I was very wrong in what I said yesterday evening," he remarked. "It's no matter of surprise that father says that I am so narrow-minded that I look at things through a tube and measure them with a clam-shell. I mentioned something last night about having nothing but tears, shed by all of you girls, to be buried in. But this was a mere delusion! So as I can't get the tears of the whole lot of you, each one of you can henceforward keep her own for herself, and have done."
Hsi Jen had flattered herself that the words he had uttered the previous evening amounted to idle talk, and she had long ago dispelled all thought of them from her mind, but when Pao-yue unawares made further allusion to them, she smilingly rejoined: "You are verily somewhat cracked!"
Pao-yue kept silent, and attempted to make no reply. Yet from this time he fully apprehended that the lot of human affections is, in every instance, subject to predestination, and time and again he was wont to secretly muse, with much anguish: "Who, I wonder, will shed tears for me, at my burial?"
Lin Tai-yue, for we will now allude to her, noticed Pao-yue's behaviour, but readily concluding that he must have been, somewhere or other, once more possessed by some malignant spirit, she did not feel it advisable to ask many questions. "I just saw," she consequently observed, "my maternal aunt, who hearing that to-morrow is Miss Hsueeh's birthday, bade me come at my convenience to ask you whether you'll go or not, (and to tell you) to send some one ahead to let them know what you mean to do."
"I didn't go the other day, when it was Mr. Chia She's birthday, so I won't go now." Pao-yue answered. "If it is a matter of meeting any one, I won't go anywhere. On a hot day like this to again don my ceremonial dress! No, I won't go. Aunt is not likely to feel displeased with me!"
"What are you driving at?" Hsi Jen speedily ventured. "She couldn't be put on the same footing as our senior master! She lives close by here. Besides she's a relative. Why, if you don't go, won't you make her imagine things? Well, if you dread the heat, just get up at an early hour and go over and prostrate yourself before her, and come back again, after you've had a cup of tea. Won't this look well?"
Before Pao-yue had time to say anything by way of response, Tai-yue anticipated him. "You should," she smiled, "go as far as there for the sake of her, who drives the mosquitoes away from you."
Pao-yue could not make out the drift of her insinuation. "What about driving mosquitoes away?" he vehemently inquired.
Hsi Jen then explained to him how while he was fast asleep the previous day and no one was about to keep him company, Miss Pao-ch'ai had sat with him for a while.
"It shouldn't have been done!" Pao-yue promptly exclaimed, after hearing her explanations. "But how did I manage to go to sleep and show such utter discourtesy to her? I must go to-morrow!" he then went on to add. But while these words were still on his lips, he unexpectedly caught sight of Shih Hsian-yuen walk in in full dress, to bid them adieu, as she said that some one had been sent from her home to fetch her away.
The moment Pao-yue and Tai-yue heard what was the object of her visit, they quickly rose to their feet and pressed her to take a seat. But Shih Hsiang-yuen would not sit down, so Pao-yue and Tai-yue were compelled to escort her as far as the front part of the mansion.
Shih Hsiang-yuen's eyes were brimming with tears; but realising that several people from her home were present, she did not have the courage to give full vent to her feelings. But when shortly Pao-ch'ai ran over to find her, she felt so much the more drawn towards them, that she could not brook to part from them. Pao-ch'ai, however, inwardly understood that if her people told her aunt anything on their return, there would again be every fear of her being blown up, as soon as she got back home, and she therefore urged her to start on her way. One and all then walked with her up to the second gate, and Pao-yue wished to accompany her still further outside, but Shih Hsiang-yuen deterred him. Presently, they turned to go back. But once more, she called Pao-yue to her, and whispered to him in a soft tone of voice: "Should our venerable senior not think of me do often allude to me, so that she should depute some one to fetch me."
Pao-yue time after time assured her that he would comply with her wishes. And having followed her with their eyes, while she got into her curricle and started, they eventually retraced their steps towards the inner compound. But, reader, if you like to follow up the story, peruse the details contained in the chapter below.
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