中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions   》 dì sì shí huí　 shǐ tài jūn liǎng yàn dà guān yuán　 jīn yuān yāng sān xuān yá pái lìng CHAPTER XL.      cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin    gāo 'ě Gao E      CHAPTER XL. 　　huà shuō bǎo yù tīng liǎo， máng jìn lái kàn shí， zhǐ jiàn hǔ pò zhàn zài píng fēng gēn qián shuō： “ kuài qù bā， lì děng nǐ shuō huà ní。 ” bǎo yù lái zhì shàng fáng， zhǐ jiàn jiǎ mǔ zhèng hé wáng fū rén zhòng zǐ mèi shāng yì gěi shǐ xiāng yún hái xí。 bǎo yù yīn shuō dào：“ wǒ yòu gè zhù yì。 jì méi yòu wài kè， chī de dōng xī yě bié dìng liǎo yàng shù， shuí sù rì 'ài chī de jiǎn yàng 'ér zuò jǐ yàng。 yě bù yào 'àn zhuō xí， měi rén gēn qián bǎi yī zhāng gāo jǐ， gè rén 'ài chī de dōng xī yī liǎng yàng， zài yī gè shí jǐn cuán xīn hé zǐ， zì zhēn hú， qǐ bù bié zhì。 " jiǎ mǔ tīng liǎo， shuō " hěn shì "， máng mìng chuán yǔ chú fáng：“ míng rì jiù jiǎn wǒ men 'ài chī de dōng xī zuò liǎo， àn zhe rén shù， zài zhuāng liǎo hé zǐ lái。 zǎo fàn yě bǎi zài yuán lǐ chī。” shāng yì zhī jiān zǎo yòu zhǎng dēng， yī xī wú huà。 　　 cì rì qīng zǎo qǐ lái， kě xǐ zhè rì tiān qì qīng lǎng。 lǐ wán qīn chén xiān qǐ， kàn zhe lǎo pó zǐ yā tóu men sǎo nà xiē luò yè， bìng cā mǒ zhuō yǐ， yù bèi chá jiǔ qì mǐn。 zhǐ jiàn fēng 'ér dài liǎo liú lǎo lǎo bǎn 'ér jìn lái， shuō " dà nǎi nǎi dǎo máng de jǐn。” lǐ wán xiào dào：“ wǒ shuō nǐ zuó 'ér qù bù chéng， zhǐ máng zhe yào qù。” liú lǎo lǎo xiào dào：“ lǎo tài tài liú xià wǒ， jiào wǒ yě rè nào yī tiān qù。 " fēng 'ér ná liǎo jǐ bǎ dà xiǎo yàoshì， shuō dào：“ wǒ men nǎi nǎi shuō liǎo， wài tóu de gāo jǐ kǒng bù gòu shǐ， bù rú kāi liǎo lóu bǎ nà shōu zhe de ná xià lái shǐ yī tiān bà。 nǎi nǎi yuán gāi qīn zì lái de， yīn hé tài tài shuō huà ní， qǐng dà nǎi nǎi kāi liǎo， dài zhe rén bān bà。” lǐ shì biàn lìng sù yún jiē liǎo yàoshì， yòu lìng pó zǐ chū qù bǎ 'èr mén shàng de xiǎo sī jiào jǐ gè lái。 lǐ shì zhàn zài dà guān lóu xià wǎng shàng kàn， lìng rén shàng qù kāi liǎo zhuì jǐn gé， yī zhāng yī zhāng wǎng xià tái。 xiǎo sī lǎo pó zǐ yā tóu yī qí dòng shǒu， tái liǎo 'èr shí duō zhāng xià lái。 lǐ wán dào：“ hǎo shēng zhe， bié huāng huāng zhāng zhāng guǐ gǎn lái shìde， zǎi xì pèng liǎo yá zǐ。 " yòu huí tóu xiàng liú lǎo lǎo xiào dào：“ lǎo lǎo， nǐ yě shàng qù qiáo qiáo。” liú lǎo lǎo tīng shuō， bā bù dé yī shēng 'ér， biàn lā liǎo bǎn 'ér dēng tī shàng qù。 jìn lǐ miàn， zhǐ jiàn wū yā yā de duī zhe xiē wéi píng， zhuō yǐ， dà xiǎo huā dēng zhī lèi， suī bù dà rèn dé， zhǐ jiàn wǔ cǎi xuàn yào， gè yòu qí miào。 niàn liǎo jǐ shēng fó， biàn xià lái liǎo。 rán hòu suǒ shàng mén， yī qí cái xià lái。 lǐ wán dào：“ kǒng pà lǎo tài tài gāo xīng， yuè xìng bǎ chuán shàng huá zǐ， gāo jiǎng， zhē yáng màn zǐ dū bān liǎo xià lái yù bèi zhe。” zhòng rén dāyìng， fù yòu kāi liǎo， sè sè de bān liǎo xià lái。 lìng xiǎo sī chuán jià niàn men dào chuán wù lǐ chēng chū liǎng zhǐ chuán lái。 zhèng luàn zhe 'ān pái， zhǐ jiàn jiǎ mǔ yǐ dài liǎo yī qún rén jìn lái liǎo。 lǐ wán máng yíng shàng qù， xiào dào：“ lǎo tài tài gāo xīng， dǎo jìn lái liǎo。 wǒ zhǐ dāng hái méi shū tóu ní， cái xié liǎo jú huā yào sòng qù。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn bì yuè zǎo pěng guò yī gè dà hé yè shì de fěi cuì pán zǐ lái， lǐ miàn shèng zhe gè sè de zhé zhī jú huā。 jiǎ mǔ biàn jiǎn liǎo yī duǒ dà hóng de zān yú bìn shàng。 yīn huí tóu kàn jiàn liǎo liú lǎo lǎo， máng xiào dào：“ guò lái dài huā 'ér。” yī yǔ wèi wán， fèng jiě biàn lā guò liú lǎo lǎo， xiào dào：“ ràng wǒ dǎ bàn nǐ。” shuō zhe， jiāng yī pán zǐ huā héng sān shù sì de chā liǎo yī tóu。 jiǎ mǔ hé zhòng rén xiào de liǎo bù dé。 liú lǎo lǎo xiào dào：“ wǒ zhè tóu yě bù zhī xiū liǎo shénme fú， jīn 'ér zhè yàng tǐ miàn qǐ lái。” zhòng rén xiào dào：“ nǐ hái bù bá xià lái shuāi dào tā liǎn shàng ní， bǎ nǐ dǎ bàn de chéng liǎo gè lǎo yāo jīng liǎo。” liú lǎo lǎo xiào dào：“ wǒ suī lǎo liǎo， nián qīng shí yě fēng liú， ài gè huā 'ér fěn 'ér de， jīn 'ér lǎo fēng liú cái hǎo。” 　　 shuō xiào zhī jiān， yǐ lái zhì qìn fāng tíng zǐ shàng。 yā huán men bào liǎo yī gè dà jǐn rù zǐ lái， pū zài lán gān tà bǎn shàng。 jiǎ mǔ yǐ zhù zuò xià， mìng liú lǎo lǎo yě zuò zài bàng biān， yīn wèn tā：“ zhè yuán zǐ hǎo bù hǎo？ " liú lǎo lǎo niàn fó shuō dào：“ wǒ men xiāng xià rén dào liǎo nián xià， dū shàng chéng lái mǎi huà 'ér tiē。 shí cháng xián liǎo， dà jiādōu shuō， zěn me dé yě dào huà 'ér shàng qù guàng guàng。 xiǎng zhe nà gè huà 'ér yě bù guò shì jiǎ de， nà lǐ yòu zhè gè zhēn dì fāng ní。 shuí zhī wǒ jīn 'ér jìn zhè yuán yī qiáo， jìng bǐ nà huà 'ér hái qiáng shí bèi。 zěn me dé yòu rén yě zhào zhe zhè gè yuán zǐ huà yī zhāng， wǒ dài liǎo jiā qù， gěi tā men jiàn jiàn， sǐ liǎo yě dé hǎo chù。 " jiǎ mǔ tīng shuō， biàn zhǐ zhe xī chūn xiào dào：“ nǐ qiáo wǒ zhè gè xiǎo sūn nǚ 'ér， tā jiù huì huà。 děng míng 'ér jiào tā huà yī zhāng rú hé？ " liú lǎo lǎo tīng liǎo， xǐ de máng páo guò lái， lā zhe xī chūn shuō dào：“ wǒ de gū niàn。 nǐ zhè me dà nián jì 'ér， yòu zhè me gè hǎo múyàng， hái yòu zhè gè néng gān， bié shì shén xiān tuō shēng de bà。” 　　 jiǎ mǔ shǎo xiē yī huí， zì rán lǐng zhe liú lǎo lǎo dū jiàn shí jiàn shí。 xiān dào liǎo xiāo xiāng guǎn。 yī jìn mén， zhǐ jiàn liǎng biān cuì zhú jiā lù， tǔ dì xià cāng tái bù mǎn， zhōng jiān yáng cháng yī tiáo shí zǐ màn de lù。 liú lǎo lǎo ràng chū lù lái yǔ jiǎ mǔ zhòng rén zǒu tián biān yuán（ 1885 héng 1962） rì běn xiàn dài zhé xué jiā， shì xī tián de jì chéng， zì jǐ què zǒu tǔ dì。 hǔ pò lā zhe tā shuō dào：“ lǎo lǎo， nǐ shàng lái zǒu， zǎi xì cāng tái huá liǎo。” liú lǎo lǎo dào：“ bù xiāng gān de， wǒ men zǒu shú liǎo de， gū niàn men zhǐ guǎn zǒu bà。 kě xī nǐ men de nà xiù xié， bié zhān zàng liǎo。” tā zhǐ gù shàng tóu hé rén shuō huà， bù fáng dǐ xià guǒ huá liǎo， gū dōng yī jiāo diē dǎo。 zhòng rén pāi shǒu dū hā hā de xiào qǐ lái。 jiǎ mǔ xiào mà dào：“ xiǎo tí zǐ men， hái bù chān qǐ lái， zhǐ zhàn zhe xiào。” shuō huà shí， liú lǎo lǎo yǐ pá liǎo qǐ lái， zì jǐ yě xiào liǎo， shuō dào：“ cái shuō zuǐ jiù dǎ liǎo zuǐ。” jiǎ mǔ wèn tā：“ kě niǔ liǎo yāo liǎo bù céng？ jiào yā tóu men chuí yī chuí。” liú lǎo lǎo dào：“ nà lǐ shuō de wǒ zhè me jiāo nèn liǎo。 nà yī tiān bù diē liǎng xià zǐ， dōuyào chuí qǐ lái， hái liǎo dé ní。” zǐ juān zǎo dǎ qǐ xiāng lián， jiǎ mǔ děng jìn lái zuò xià。 lín dài yù qīn zì yòng xiǎo chá pán pěng liǎo yī gài wǎn chá lái fèng yǔ jiǎ mǔ。 wáng fū rén dào：“ wǒ men bù chī chá， gū niàn bù yòng dǎo liǎo。” lín dài yù tīng shuō， biàn mìng yā tóu bǎ zì jǐ chuāng xià cháng zuò de yī zhāng yǐ zǐ nuó dào xià shǒu， qǐng wáng fū rén zuò liǎo。 liú lǎo lǎo yīn jiàn chuāng xià 'àn shàng shè zhuóbǐ yàn， yòu jiàn shū jià shàng lěi zhe mǎn mǎn de shū， liú lǎo lǎo dào：“ zhè bì dìng shì nà wèi gē 'ér de shū fáng liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ xiào zhǐ dài yù dào：“ zhè shì wǒ zhè wài sūn nǚ 'ér de wū zǐ。” liú lǎo lǎo liú shén dǎ liàng liǎo dài yù yī fān， fāng xiào dào：“ zhè nà xiàng gè xiǎo jiě de xiù fáng， jìng bǐ nà shàng děng de shū fáng hái hǎo。” jiǎ mǔ yīn wèn：“ bǎo yù zěn me bù jiàn？ " zhòng yā tóu men dá shuō：“ zài chí zǐ lǐ chuán shàng ní。” jiǎ mǔ dào：“ shuí yòu yù bèi xià chuán liǎo？ " lǐ wán máng huí shuō：“ cái kāi lóu ná jǐ， wǒ kǒng pà lǎo tài tài gāo xīng， jiù yù bèi xià liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ tīng liǎo fāng yù shuō huà shí， yòu rén huí shuō：“ yí tài tài lái liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ děng gāng zhàn qǐ lái， zhǐ jiàn xuē yí mā zǎo jìn lái liǎo， yī miàn guī zuò， xiào dào：“ jīn 'ér lǎo tài tài gāo xīng， zhè zǎo wǎn jiù lái liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ wǒ cái shuō lái chí liǎo de yào fá tā， bù xiǎng yí tài tài jiù lái chí liǎo。” 　　 shuō xiào yī huì， jiǎ mǔ yīn jiàn chuāng shàng shā de yán sè jiù liǎo， biàn hé wáng fū rén shuō dào：“ zhè gè shā xīn hú shàng hǎo kàn， guò liǎo hòu lái jiù bù cuì liǎo。 zhè gè yuàn zǐ lǐ tóu yòu méi yòu gè táo xìng shù， zhè zhú zǐ yǐ shì lǜ de， zài ná zhè lǜ shā hú shàng fǎn bù pèi。 wǒ jì dé zán men xiān yòu sì wǔ yàng yán sè hú chuāng de shā ní， míng 'ér gěi tā bǎ zhè chuāng shàng de huàn liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér máng dào：“ zuó 'ér wǒ kāi kù fáng， kàn jiàn dà bǎn xiāng lǐ hái yòu hǎo xiē pǐ yín hóng chán yì shā， yě yòu gè yàng zhé zhī huā yàng de， yě yòu liú yún た fú huā yàng de， yě yòu bǎi dié chuān huā huā yàng de， yán sè yòu xiān， shā yòu qīng ruǎn， wǒ jìng méi jiàn guò zhè yàng de。 ná liǎo liǎng pǐ chū lái， zuò liǎng chuáng mián shā bèi， xiǎng lái yī dìng shì hǎo de。” jiǎ mǔ tīng liǎo xiào dào：“ pēi， rén réndōu shuō nǐ méi yòu bù jīng guò bù jiàn guò， lián zhè gè shā hái bù rèn dé ní， míng 'ér hái shuō zuǐ。” xuē yí mā děngdōu xiào shuō：“ píng tā zěn me jīng guò jiàn guò， rú hé gǎn bǐ lǎo tài tài ní。 lǎo tài tài hé bù jiào dǎo liǎo tā， wǒ men yě tīng tīng。” fèng jiě 'ér yě xiào shuō：“ hǎo zǔ zōng， jiāogěi wǒ bà。” jiǎ mǔ xiào xiàng xuē yí mā zhòng rén dào：“ nà gè shā， bǐ nǐ men de nián jì hái dà ní。 guài bù dé tā rèn zuò chán yì shā， yuán yě yòu xiē xiàng， bù zhī dào de， dū rèn zuò chán yì shā。 zhèng jīng míng zì jiào zuò ‘ ruǎn yān luó ’。” fèng jiě 'ér dào：“ zhè gè míng 'ér yě hǎo tīng。 zhǐ shì wǒ zhè me dà liǎo， shā luó yě jiàn guò jǐ bǎi yàng， cóng méi tīng jiàn guò zhè gè míng sè。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ nǐ néng gòu huó liǎo duō dà， jiàn guò jǐ yàng méi chù fàng de dōng xī， jiù shuō zuǐ lái liǎo。 nà gè ruǎn yān luó zhǐ yòu sì yàng yán sè： yī yàng yǔ guò tiān qíng， yī yàng qiū xiāng sè， yī yàng sōng lǜ de， yī yàng jiù shì yín hóng de， ruò shì zuò liǎo zhàng zǐ， hú liǎo chuāng tì， yuǎn yuǎn de kàn zhe， jiù sì yān wù yī yàng， suǒ yǐ jiào zuò‘ ruǎn yān luó’。 nà yín hóng de yòu jiào zuò‘ xiá yǐng shā’。 rú jīn shàng yòng de fǔ shā yě méi yòu zhè yàng ruǎn hòu qīng mì de liǎo。” xuē yí mā xiào dào：“ bié shuō fèng yā tóu méi jiàn， lián wǒ yě méi tīng jiàn guò。 " fèng jiě 'ér yī miàn shuō， zǎo mìng rén qǔ liǎo yī pǐ lái liǎo。 jiǎ mǔ shuō：“ kě bù shì zhè gè！ xiān shí yuán bù guò shì hú chuāng tì， hòu lái wǒ men ná zhè gè zuò bèi zuò zhàng zǐ， shì shì yě jìng hǎo。 míng 'ér jiù zhǎo chū jǐ pǐ lái， ná yín hóng de tì tā hú chuāng zǐ。” fèng jiě dāyìng zhe。 zhòng réndōu kàn liǎo， chēng zàn bù yǐ。 liú lǎo lǎo yě qù zhuóyǎn kàn gè bù liǎo， niàn fó shuō dào：“ wǒ men xiǎng tā zuò yī cháng yě bù néng， ná zhe hú chuāng zǐ， qǐ bù kě xī？ " jiǎ mǔ dào：“ dǎo shì zuò yī cháng bù hǎo kàn。” fèng jiě máng bǎ zì jǐ shēn shàng chuān de yī jiàn dà hóng mián shā 'ǎo zǐ jīn 'ér lā liǎo chū lái， xiàng jiǎ mǔ xuē yí mā dào：“ kàn wǒ de zhè 'ǎo 'ér。” jiǎ mǔ xuē yí mā dōushuō：“ zhè yě shì shàng hǎo de liǎo， zhè shì rú jīn de shàng yòng nèi zào de， jìng bǐ bù shàng zhè gè。” fèng jiě 'ér dào：“ zhè gè bó piàn zǐ， hái shuō shì shàng yòng nèi zào ní， jìng lián guān yòng de yě bǐ bù shàng liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ dào：“ zài zhǎo yī zhǎo， zhǐ pà hái yòu qīng de。 ruò yòu shí dū ná chū lái， sòng zhè liú qìngjiā liǎng pǐ， zuò yī gè zhàng zǐ wǒ guà， xià shèng de tiān shàng lǐ zǐ， zuò xiē jiā bèi xīn zǐ gěi yā tóu men chuān， bái shōu zhe méi huài liǎo。” fèng jiě máng dāyìng liǎo， réng lìng rén sòng qù。 jiǎ mǔ qǐ shēn xiào dào：“ zhè wū lǐ zhǎi， zài wǎng bié chù guàng qù。” liú lǎo lǎo niàn fó dào：“ rén réndōu shuō dà jiā zǐ zhù dà fáng。 zuó 'ér jiàn liǎo lǎo tài tài zhèng fáng， pèi shàng dà xiāng dà guì dà zhuō zǐ dà chuáng， guǒ rán wēi wǔ。 nà guì zǐ bǐ wǒ men nà yī jiān fáng zǐ hái dà hái gāo。 guài dào hòu yuàn zǐ lǐ yòu gè tī zǐ。 wǒ xiǎng bìng bù shàng fáng shài dōng xī， yù bèi gè tī zǐ zuò shénme？ hòu lái wǒ xiǎng qǐ lái， dìng shì wéi kāi dǐng guì shōu fàng dōng xī， fēi lí liǎo nà tī zǐ， zěn me dé shàng qù ní。 rú jīn yòu jiàn liǎo zhè xiǎo wū zǐ， gèng bǐ dà de yuè fā qí zhěng liǎo。 mǎn wū lǐ de dōng xī dū zhǐ hǎo kàn， dōubù zhī jiào shénme， wǒ yuè kàn yuè shěbùdé lí liǎo zhè lǐ。” fèng jiě dào：“ hái yòu hǎo de ní， wǒdōu dài nǐ qù qiáo qiáo。” shuō zhe yī jìng lí liǎo xiāo xiāng guǎn。 　　 yuǎn yuǎn wàng jiàn chí zhōng yī qún rén zài nà lǐ chēng chuán。 jiǎ mǔ dào：“ tā men jì yù bèi xià chuán， zán men jiù zuò。” yī miàn shuō zhe， biàn xiàng zǐ líng zhōu liǎo xù yī dài zǒu lái。 wèi zhì chí qián， zhǐ jiàn jǐ gè pó zǐ shǒu lǐ dū pěng zhe yī sè niē sī qiàng jīn wǔ cǎi dà hé zǐ zǒu lái。 fèng jiě máng wèn wáng fū rén zǎo fàn zài nà lǐ bǎi。 wáng fū rén dào：“ wèn lǎo tài tài zài nà lǐ， jiù zài nà lǐ bà liǎo。 " jiǎ mǔ tīng shuō， biàn huí tóu shuō：“ nǐ sān mèi mèi nà lǐ jiù hǎo。 nǐ jiù dài liǎo rén bǎi qù， wǒ men cóng zhè lǐ zuò liǎo chuán qù。 " fèng jiě tīng shuō， biàn huí shēn tóng liǎo tàn chūn， lǐ wán， yuān yāng， hǔ pò dài zhe duān fàn de rén děng， chāo zhe jìn lù dào liǎo qiū shuǎng zhāi， jiù zài xiǎo cuì táng shàng diào kāi zhuō 'àn。 yuān yāng xiào dào：“ tiān tiān zán men shuō wài tóu lǎo yé men chī jiǔ chī fàn dōuyòu yī gè miè piàn xiànggōng， ná tā qǔ xiào 'ér。 zán men jīn 'ér yě dé liǎo yī gè nǚ miè piàn liǎo。” lǐ wán shì gè hòu dào rén， tīng liǎo bù jiě。 fèng jiě 'ér què zhī shì shuō de shì liú lǎo lǎo liǎo， yě xiào shuō dào：“ zán men jīn 'ér jiù ná tā qǔ gè xiào 'ér。” èr rén biàn rú cǐ zhè bān de shāng yì。 lǐ wán xiào quàn dào：“ nǐ men yī diǎn hǎo shì yě bù zuò， yòu bù shì gè xiǎo hái 'ér， hái zhè me táo qì， zǎi xì lǎo tài tài shuō。 " yuān yāng xiào dào：“ hěn bù yǔ nǐ xiāng gān， yòu wǒ ní。” zhèng shuō zhe， zhǐ jiàn jiǎ mǔ děng lái liǎo， gè zì suí biàn zuò xià。 xiān zhe yā huán duān guò liǎng pán chá lái， dà jiā chī bì。 fèng jiě shǒu lǐ ná zhe xī yáng bù shǒu jīn， guǒ zhe yī bǎ wū mù sān xiāng yín zhù， ゅ rén wèi， àn xí bǎi xià。 jiǎ mǔ yīn shuō：“ bǎ nà yī zhāng xiǎo nán mù zhuō zǐ tái guò lái， ràng liú qìngjiā jìn wǒ zhè biān zuò zhe。 zhòng rén tīng shuō， máng tái liǎo guò lái。 fèng jiě yī miàn dì yǎn sè yǔ yuān yāng， yuān yāng biàn lā liǎo liú lǎo lǎo chū qù， qiāoqiāo de zhǔ fù liǎo liú lǎo lǎo yī xí huà， yòu shuō：“ zhè shì wǒ men jiā de guīju， ruò cuò liǎo wǒ men jiù xiào huà ní。” tiáotíng yǐ bì， rán hòu guī zuò。 xuē yí mā shì chī guò fàn lái de， bù chī， zhǐ zuò zài yī biān chī chá。 jiǎ mǔ dài zhe bǎo yù， xiāng yún， dài yù， bǎo chāi yī zhuō。 wáng fū rén dài zhe yíng chūn zǐ mèi sān gè rén yī zhuō， liú lǎo lǎo bàng zhe jiǎ mǔ yī zhuō。 jiǎ mǔ sù rì chī fàn， jiē yòu xiǎo yā huán zài bàng biān， ná zhe shù yú zhǔ wěi jīn pà zhī wù。 rú jīn yuān yāng shì bù dāng zhè chā de liǎo， jīn rì yuān yāng piān jiē guò zhǔ wěi lái fú zhe。 yā huán men zhī dào tā yào cuō nòng liú lǎo lǎo， biàn duǒ kāi ràng tā。 yuān yāng yī miàn shì lì， yī miàn qiǎo xiàng liú lǎo lǎo shuō dào：“ bié wàng liǎo。” liú lǎo lǎo dào：“ gū niàn fàng xīn。” nà liú lǎo lǎo rù liǎo zuò， ná qǐ zhù lái， chén diàn diàn de bù fú shǒu。 yuán shì fèng jiě hé yuān yāng shāng yì dìng liǎo， dān ná yī shuāng lǎo nián sì léng xiàng yá xiāng jīn de kuài zǐ yǔ liú lǎo lǎo。 liú lǎo lǎo jiàn liǎo， shuō dào：“ zhè chā pá zǐ bǐ 'ǎn nà lǐ tiě xiān hái chén， nà lǐ jiàng de guò tā。” shuō de zhòng réndōu xiào qǐ lái。 　　 zhǐ jiàn yī gè xí fù duān liǎo yī gè hé zǐ zhàn zài dāng dì， yī gè yā huán shàng lái jiē qù hé gài， lǐ miàn shèng zhe liǎng wǎn cài。 lǐ wán duān liǎo yī wǎn fàng zài jiǎ mǔ zhuō shàng。 fèng jiě 'ér piān jiǎn liǎo yī wǎn gē zǐ dàn fàng zài liú lǎo lǎo zhuō shàng。 jiǎ mǔ zhè biān shuō shēng " qǐng "， liú lǎo lǎo biàn zhàn qǐ shēn lái， gāo shēng shuō dào：“ lǎo liú 1865 héng 1935） děng。 zhù zhāng bǎ gōng rén yùn dòng xiàn zhì zài jīng jì dǒu zhēng fàn wéi nèi， rèn， lǎo liú， shí liàng dà sì niú， chī yī gè lǎo mǔ zhū bù tái tóu。” zì jǐ què gǔ zhe sāi bù yǔ。 zhòng rén xiān shì fā zhèng， hòu lái yī tīng， shàng shàng xià xià dū hā hā de dà xiào qǐ lái。 shǐ xiāng yún chēng bù zhù， yī kǒu fàn dū pēn liǎo chū lái， lín dài yù xiào chà liǎo qì， fú zhe zhuō zǐ 'ài yō， bǎo yù zǎo gǔn dào jiǎ mǔ huái lǐ， jiǎ mǔ xiào de lǒu zhe bǎo yù jiào " xīn gān "， wáng fū rén xiào de yòng shǒu zhǐ zhe fèng jiě 'ér， zhǐ shuō bù chū huà lái， xuē yí mā yě chēng bù zhù， kǒu lǐ chá pēn liǎo tàn chūn yī qún zǐ， tàn chūn shǒu lǐ de fàn wǎn dū hé zài yíng chūn shēn shàng， xī chūn lí liǎo zuò wèi， lā zhe tā nǎi mǔ jiào róu yī róu cháng zǐ。 dì xià de wú yī gè bù wān yāo qū bèi， yě yòu duǒ chū qù dūn zhe xiào qù de， yě yòu rěn zhe xiào shàng lái tì tā zǐ mèi huàn yī cháng de， dú yòu fèng jiě yuān yāng 'èr rén chēng zhe， hái zhǐ guǎn ràng liú lǎo lǎo。 liú lǎo lǎo ná qǐ zhù lái， zhǐ jué bù tīng shǐ， yòu shuō dào：“ zhè lǐ de jī 'ér yě jùn， xià de zhè dàn yě xiǎo qiǎo， guài jùn de。 wǒ qiě у nǎng yī gè。” zhòng rén fāng zhù liǎo xiào， tīng jiàn zhè huà yòu xiào qǐ lái。 jiǎ mǔ xiào de yǎn lèi chū lái， hǔ pò zài hòu chuí zhe。 jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ zhè dìng shì fèng yā tóu cù xiá guǐ 'ér nào de， kuài bié xìn tā de huà liǎo。” nà liú lǎo lǎo zhèng kuā jī dàn xiǎo qiǎo， yào у nǎng yī gè， fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ yī liǎng yín zǐ yī gè ní， nǐ kuài cháng cháng bà， nà lěng liǎo jiù bù hàochī liǎo。” liú lǎo lǎo biàn shēn zhù zǐ yào jiā， nà lǐ jiā de qǐ lái， mǎn wǎn lǐ nào liǎo yī zhèn hǎo de， hǎo róng yì cuō qǐ yī gè lái， cái shēn zhe bó zǐ yào chī， piān yòu huá xià lái gǔn zài dì xià， máng fàng xià zhù zǐ yào qīn zì qù jiǎn， zǎo yòu dì xià de rén jiǎn liǎo chū qù liǎo。 liú lǎo lǎo tàn dào：“ yī liǎng yín zǐ， yě méi tīng jiàn xiǎng shēng 'ér jiù méi liǎo。” zhòng rén yǐ méi xīn chī fàn， dū kàn zhe tā xiào。 jiǎ mǔ yòu shuō：“ zhè huì zǐ yòu bǎ nà gè kuài zǐ ná liǎo chū lái， yòu bù qǐng kè bǎi dà yán xí。 dōushì fèng yā tóu zhī shǐ de， hái bù huàn liǎo ní。” dì xià de rén yuán bù céng yù bèi zhè yá zhù， běn shì fèng jiě hé yuān yāng ná liǎo lái de， tīng rú cǐ shuō， máng shōu liǎo guò qù， yě zhào yàng huàn shàng yī shuāng wū mù xiāng yín de。 liú lǎo lǎo dào：“ qù liǎo jīn de， yòu shì yín de， dào dǐ bù jí 'ǎn men nà gè fú shǒu。” fèng jiě 'ér dào：“ cài lǐ ruò yòu dú， zhè yín zǐ xià qù liǎo jiù shì de chū lái。” liú lǎo lǎo dào：“ zhè gè cài lǐ ruò yòu dú， ǎn men nà cài dōuchéng liǎo pī shuāng liǎo。 nà pà dú sǐ liǎo yě yào chī jìn liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ jiàn tā rú cǐ yòu qù， chī de yòu xiāng tián， bǎ zì jǐ de yě duān guò lái yǔ tā chī。 yòu mìng yī gè lǎo mó mó lái， jiāng gè yàng de cài gěi bǎn 'ér jiā zài wǎn shàng。 　　 yī shí chī bì， jiǎ mǔ děngdōu wǎng tàn chūn wò shì zhōng qù shuō xián huà。 zhè lǐ shōu shí guò cán zhuō， yòu fàng liǎo yī zhuō。 liú lǎo lǎo kàn zhe lǐ wán yǔ fèng jiě 'ér duì zuò zhe chī fàn， tàn dào：“ bié de bà liǎo， wǒ zhǐ 'ài nǐ men jiā zhè xíng shì。 guài dào shuō‘ lǐ chū dà jiā’。 fèng jiě 'ér máng xiào dào：“ nǐ bié duō xīn， cái gāng bù guò dà jiā qǔ xiào 'ér。” yī yán wèi liǎo， yuān yāng yě jìn lái xiào dào：“ lǎo lǎo bié nǎo， wǒ gěi nǐ lǎo rén jiā péi gè bù shì。” liú lǎo lǎo xiào dào：“ gū niàn shuō nà lǐ huà， zán men hōng zhe lǎo tài tài kāi gè xīn 'ér， kě yòu shénme nǎo de！ nǐ xiān zhǔ fù wǒ， wǒ jiù míng bái liǎo， bù guò dà jiā qǔ gè xiào 'ér。 wǒ yào xīn lǐ nǎo， yě jiù bù shuō liǎo。” yuān yāng biàn mà rén " wèishénme bù dǎo chá gěi lǎo lǎo chī。” liú lǎo lǎo máng dào：“ gāng cái nà gè sǎo zǐ dǎo liǎo chá lái， wǒ chī guò liǎo。 gū niàn yě gāi yòng fàn liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér biàn lā yuān yāng：“ nǐ zuò xià hé wǒ men chī liǎo bà， shěng de huí lái yòu nào。 " yuān yāng biàn zuò xià liǎo。 pó zǐ men tiān shàng wǎn zhù lái， sān rén chī bì。 liú lǎo lǎo xiào dào：“ wǒ kàn nǐ men zhè xiē réndōu zhǐ chī zhè yī diǎn 'ér jiù wán liǎo， kuī nǐ men yě bù 'è。 guài zhǐ dào fēng 'ér dū chuī de dǎo。” yuān yāng biàn wèn：“ jīn 'ér shèng de cài bù shǎo， dū nà qù liǎo？ " pó zǐ men dào：“ dū hái méi sàn ní， zài zhè lǐ děng zhe yī qí sàn yǔ tā men chī。” yuān yāng dào：“ tā men chī bù liǎo zhè xiē， tiǎo liǎng wǎn gěi 'èr nǎi nǎi wū lǐ píng yā tóu sòng qù。” fèng jiě 'ér dào：“ tā zǎo chī liǎo fàn liǎo， bù yòng gěi tā。” yuān yāng dào：“ tā bù chī liǎo， wèi nǐ men de māo。” pó zǐ tīng liǎo， máng jiǎn liǎo liǎng yàng ná hé zǐ sòng qù。 yuān yāng dào：“ sù yún nà qù liǎo？ " lǐ wán dào：“ tā mendōu zài zhè lǐ yī chù chī， yòu zhǎo tā zuò shénme。” yuān yāng dào：“ zhè jiù bà liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér dào：“ xí rén bù zài zhè lǐ， nǐ dǎo shì jiào rén sòng liǎng yàng gěi tā qù。” yuān yāng tīng shuō， biàn mìng rén yě sòng liǎng yàng qù hòu， yuān yāng yòu wèn pó zǐ men：“ huí lái chī jiǔ de cuán hé kě zhuāng shàng liǎo？ " pó zǐ dào：“ xiǎng bì hái dé yī huì zǐ。” yuān yāng dào：“ cuī zhe xiē 'ér。” pó zǐ yìng nuò liǎo。 　　 fèng jiě 'ér děng lái zhì tàn chūn fáng zhōng， zhǐ jiàn tā niàn 'ér men zhèng shuō xiào。 tàn chūn sù xǐ kuò lǎng， zhè sān jiān wū zǐ bìng bù céng gé duàn。 dāng dì fàng zhe yī zhāng huā lí dà lǐ shí dà 'àn， àn shàng lěi zhe gè zhǒng míng rén fǎtiè， bìng shù shí fāng bǎo yàn， gè sè bǐ tǒng， bǐ hǎi nèi chā de bǐ rú shù lín yī bān。 nà yī biān shè zhe dǒu dà de yī gè rǔ yáo huā náng， chā zhe mǎn mǎn de yī náng shuǐ jīng qiú 'ér de bái jú。 xī qiáng shàng dāng zhōng guà zhe yī dà fú mǐ xiāng yáng《 yān yǔ tú》， zuǒ yòu guà zhe yī fù duì lián， nǎi shì yán lǔ gōng mò jì， qí cí yún： 　　 yān xiá xián gǔ gé quán shí yě shēng yá 'àn shàng shè zhe dà dǐng。 zuǒ biān zǐ tán jià shàng fàng zhe yī gè dà guān yáo de dà pán， pán nèi shèng zhāoshù shí gè jiāo huáng líng lóng dà fó shǒu。 yòu biān yáng qī jià shàng xuán zhe yī gè bái yù bǐ mù qìng， bàng biān guà zhe xiǎo chuí。 nà bǎn 'ér lüè shú liǎo xiē， biàn yào zhāi nà chuí zǐ yào jī， yā huán men máng lán zhù tā。 tā yòu yào fó shǒu chī wéi《 zhōu zǐ quán shū》。 cān jiàn“ lún lǐ xué” zhōng de“ zhōu dūn yí”。， tàn chūn jiǎn liǎo yī gè yǔ tā shuō：“ wán bà， chī bù 　　 dé de。” dōng biān biàn shè zhe wò tà， bá bù chuáng shàng xuán zhe cōng lǜ shuāng xiù huā huì cǎo chóng de shā zhàng。 bǎn 'ér yòu páo guò lái kàn， shuō " zhè shì guō guō， zhè shì mǎ zhà "。 liú lǎo lǎo máng dǎ liǎo tā yī bā zhǎng， mà dào：“ xià zuò huáng zǐ， méi gān méi jìng de luàn nào。 dǎo jiào nǐ jìn lái qiáo qiáo， jiù shàng liǎn liǎo。” dǎ de bǎn 'ér kū qǐ lái， zhòng rén máng quàn jiě fāng bà。 jiǎ mǔ yīn gé zhe shā chuāng wǎng hòu yuàn nèi kàn liǎo yī huí， shuō dào：“ hòu láng yán xià de wú tóng yě hǎo liǎo， jiù zhǐ xì xiē。” zhèng shuō huà， hū yī zhèn fēng guò， yǐn yǐn tīng dé gǔ lè zhī shēng。 jiǎ mǔ wèn " shì shuí jiā qǔ qīn ní？ zhè lǐ lín jiē dǎo jìn。” wáng fū rén děng xiào huí dào：“ jiē shàng de nà lǐ tīng de jiàn， zhè shì zán men de nà shí jǐ gè nǚ hái zǐ men yǎn xí chuī dǎ ní。” jiǎ mǔ biàn xiào dào：“ jì shì tā men yǎn， hé bù jiào tā men jìn lái yǎn xí。 tā men yě guàng yī guàng， zán men kě yòu lè liǎo。” fèng jiě tīng shuō， máng mìng rén chū qù jiào lái， yòu yī miàn fēn fù bǎi xià tiáo zhuō， pū shàng hóng zhān zǐ。 jiǎ mǔ dào：“ jiù pū pái zài 'ǒu xiāng xiè de shuǐ tíng zǐ shàng， jiè zhe shuǐ yīn gèng hǎo tīng。 huí lái zán men jiù zài zhuì jǐn gé dǐ xià chī jiǔ， yòu kuān kuò， yòu tīng de jìn。” zhòng réndōu shuō nà lǐ hǎo。 jiǎ mǔ xiàng xuē yí mā xiào dào：“ zán men zǒu bà。 tā men zǐ mèi mendōu bù dà xǐ huān rén lái zuò zhe， pà zàng liǎo wū zǐ。 zán men bié méi yǎn sè， zhèng jīng zuò yī huí zǐ chuán hē jiǔ qù。” shuō zhe dà jiā qǐ shēn biàn zǒu。 tàn chūn xiào dào：“ zhè shì nà lǐ de huà， qiú zhe lǎo tài tài yí tài tài lái zuò zuò hái bù néng ní。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ wǒ de zhè sān yā tóu què hǎo， zhǐ yòu liǎng gè yù 'ér kěwù。 huí lái chī zuì liǎo， zán men piān wǎng tā men wū lǐ nào qù。” 　　 shuō zhe， zhòng réndōu xiào liǎo， yī qí chū lái。 zǒu bù duō yuǎn， yǐ dào liǎo xìng yè zhǔ。 nà gū sū xuǎn lái de jǐ gè jià niàn zǎo bǎ liǎng zhǐ táng mù fǎng chēng lái， zhòng rén fú liǎo jiǎ mǔ， wáng fū rén， xuē yí mā， liú lǎo lǎo， yuān yāng， yù chuàn 'ér shàng liǎo zhè yī zhǐ， luò hòu lǐ wán yě gēn shàng qù。 fèng jiě 'ér yě shàng qù， lì zài chuán tóu shàng， yě yào chēng chuán。 jiǎ mǔ zài cāng nèi dào：“ zhè bù shì wán de， suī bù shì hé lǐ， yě yòu hǎo shēn de。 nǐ kuài bù gěi wǒ jìn lái。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ pà shénme！ lǎo zǔ zōng zhǐ guǎn fàng xīn。” shuō zhe biàn yī gāo diǎn kāi。 dào liǎo chí dāng zhōng， chuán xiǎo rén duō， fèng jiě zhǐ jué luàn huàng， máng bǎ gāo zǐ dì yǔ jià niàn， fāng dūn xià liǎo。 rán hòu yíng chūn zǐ mèi děng bìng bǎo yù shàng liǎo nà zhǐ， suí hòu gēn lái。 qí yú lǎo mó mó sàn zhòng yā huán jù yán hé suí xíng。 bǎo yù dào：“ zhè xiē pò hé yè kě hèn， zěn me hái bù jiào rén lái bá qù。” bǎo chāi xiào dào：“ jīn nián zhè jǐ rì， hé céng ráo liǎo zhè yuán zǐ xián liǎo， tiān tiān guàng， nà lǐ hái yòu jiào rén lái shōu shí de gōng fū。” lín dài yù dào：“ wǒ zuì bù xǐ huān lǐ yì shān de shī， zhǐ xǐ tā zhè yī jù：‘ liú dé cán hé tīng yǔ shēng’。 piān nǐ men yòu bù liú zhe cán hé liǎo。” bǎo yù dào：“ guǒ rán hǎo jù， yǐ hòu zán men jiù bié jiào rén bá qù liǎo。” shuō zhe yǐ dào liǎo huā xù de luó gǎng zhī xià， jué dé yīn sēn tòu gǔ， liǎng tān shàng shuāi cǎo cán líng， gèng zhù qiū qíng。 　　 jiǎ mǔ yīn jiàn 'àn shàng de qīng shà kuàng lǎng， biàn wèn " zhè shì nǐ xuē gū niàn de wū zǐ bù shì？ " zhòng rén dào：“ shì。” jiǎ mǔ máng mìng lǒng 'àn， shùn zhe yún bù shí tī shàng qù， yī tóng jìn liǎo héng wú yuàn， zhǐ jué yì xiāng pū bí。 nà xiē qí cǎo xiān téng yù lěng yú cāng cuì chēng bó wéi bái lù xiān shēng。 yòu yǐ dòng xīng jiàn tái xiè， yǐ bái lù míng dòng。 nán táng shēng yuán， dū jié liǎo shí， sì shān hú dòu zǐ yī bān， lěi chuí kě 'ài。 jí jìn liǎo fáng wū， xuě dòng yī bān， yī sè wán qì quán wú， àn shàng zhǐ yòu yī gè tǔ dìng píng zhōng gōng zhāoshù zhī jú huā， bìng liǎng bù shū， chá lián chá bēi 'ér yǐ。 chuáng shàng zhǐ diào zhe qīng shā zhàng màn， qīn rù yě shí fēn pǔ sù。 jiǎ mǔ tàn dào：“ zhè hái zǐ tài lǎo shí liǎo。 nǐ méi yòu chén shè， hé fáng hé nǐ yí niàn yào xiē。 wǒ yě bù lǐ lùn， yě méi xiǎng dào， nǐ men de dōng xī zì rán zài jiā lǐ méi dài liǎo lái。” shuō zhe， mìng yuān yāng qù qǔ xiē gǔ dǒng lái， yòu chēn zhe fèng jiě 'ér：“ bù sòng xiē wán qì lái yǔ nǐ mèi mèi， zhè yàng xiǎo qì。” wáng fū rén fèng jiě 'ér děngdōu xiào huí shuō：“ tā zì jǐ bù yào de。 wǒ men yuán sòng liǎo lái， tādōu tuì huí qù liǎo。” xuē yí mā yě xiào shuō：“ tā zài jiā lǐ yě bù dà nòng zhè xiē dōng xī de。” jiǎ mǔ yáo tóu shuō：“ shǐ bù dé。 suī rán tā xǐngshì， cháng huò lái yī gè qīn qī， kàn zhe bù xiàng， èr zé nián qīng de gū niàn men， fáng lǐ zhè yàng sù jìng， yě jì huì。 wǒ men zhè lǎo pó zǐ， yuè fā gāi zhù mǎ juàn qù liǎo。 nǐ men tīng nà xiē shū shàng xì shàng shuō de xiǎo jiě men de xiù fáng， jīng zhì de hái liǎo dé ní。 tā men zǐ mèi men suī bù gǎn bǐ nà xiē xiǎo jiě men， yě bù yào hěn lí liǎo gé 'ér。 yòu xiàn chéng de dōng xī， wèishénme bù bǎi？ ruò hěn 'ài sù jìng， shǎo jǐ yàng dǎo shǐ dé。 wǒ zuì huì shōu shí wū zǐ de， rú jīn lǎo liǎo， méi yòu zhè xiē xián xīn liǎo。 tā men zǐ mèi men yě hái xué zhe shōu shí de hǎo， zhǐ pà sú qì， yòu hǎo dōng xī yě bǎi huài liǎo。 wǒ kàn tā men hái bù sú。 rú jīn ràng wǒ tì nǐ shōu shí， bāo guǎn yòu dà fāng yòu sù jìng。 wǒ de tī jǐ liǎng jiàn， shōu dào rú jīn， méi gěi bǎo yù kàn jiàn guò， ruò jīng liǎo tā de yǎn， yě méi liǎo。” shuō zhe jiào guò yuān yāng lái， qīn fēn fù dào：“ nǐ bǎ nà shí tóu pén jǐng 'ér hé nà jià shā zhuō píng， hái yòu gè mò yān dòng shí dǐng， zhè sān yàng bǎi zài zhè 'àn shàng jiù gòu liǎo。 zài bǎ nà shuǐ mò zì huà bái líng zhàng zǐ ná lái， bǎ zhè zhàng zǐ yě huàn liǎo。” yuān yāng dāyìng zhe， xiào dào：“ zhè xiē dōng xī dū gē zài dōng lóu shàng de bù zhī nà gè xiāng zǐ lǐ， hái dé màn màn zhǎo qù， míng 'ér zài ná qù yě bà liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ dào：“ míng rì hòu rì dū shǐ dé， zhǐ bié wàng liǎo。” shuō zhe， zuò liǎo yī huí fāng chū lái， yī jìng lái zhì zhuì jǐn gé xià。 wén guān děng shàng lái qǐng guò 'ān， yīn wèn " yǎn xí hé qū "。 jiǎ mǔ dào：“ zhǐ jiǎn nǐ men shēng de yǎn xí jǐ tào bà。” wén guān děng xià lái， wǎng 'ǒu xiāng xiè qù bù tí。 　　 zhè lǐ fèng jiě 'ér yǐ dài zhe rén bǎi shè zhěng qí， shàng miàn zuǒ yòu liǎng zhāng tà， tà shàng dū pū zhe jǐn róng diàn， měi yī tà qián yòu liǎng zhāng diāo qī jǐ， yě yòu hǎi táng shì de， yě yòu méi huā shì de， yě yòu hé yè shì de， yě yòu kuí huā shì de， yě yòu fāng de， yě yòu yuán de， qí shì bù yī。 yī gè shàng miàn fàng zhe lú píng， yī fēn cuán hé， yī gè shàng miàn kōng shè zhe， yù bèi fàng rén suǒ xǐ shí wù。 shàng miàn 'èr tà sì jǐ， shì jiǎ mǔ xuē yí mā， xià miàn yī yǐ liǎng jǐ， shì wáng fū rén de， yú zhě dōushì yī yǐ yī jǐ。 dōng biān shì liú lǎo lǎo， liú lǎo lǎo zhī xià biàn shì wáng fū rén。 xī biān biàn shì shǐ xiāng yún， dì 'èr biàn shì bǎo chāi， dì sān biàn shì dài yù， dì sì yíng chūn， tàn chūn， xī chūn 'āi cì xià qù， bǎo yù zài mò。 lǐ wán fèng jiě 'èr rén zhī jǐ shè yú sān céng jiàn nèi， èr céng shā chú zhī wài。 cuán hé shì yàng， yì suí jǐ zhī shì yàng。 měi rén yī bǎ wū yín yáng zàn zì zhēn hú， yī gè shí jǐn fà láng bēi。 　　 dà jiā zuò dìng， jiǎ mǔ xiān xiào dào：“ zán men xiān chī liǎng bēi， jīn rì yě xíng yī lìng cái yòu yì sī。” xuē yí mā děng xiào dào：“ lǎo tài tài zì rán yòu hǎo jiǔ lìng， wǒ men rú hé huì ní， ān xīn yào wǒ men zuì liǎo。 wǒ mendōu duō chī liǎng bēi jiù yòu liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ yí tài tài jīn 'ér yě guò qiān qǐ lái， xiǎng shì yàn wǒ lǎo liǎo。” xuē yí mā xiào dào：“ bù shì qiān， zhǐ pà xíng bù shàng lái dǎo shì xiào huà liǎo。 " wáng fū rén máng xiào dào：“ biàn shuō bù shàng lái， jiù biàn duō chī yī bēi jiǔ， zuì liǎo shuì jué qù， hái yòu shuí xiào huà zán men bù chéng。” xuē yí mā diǎn tóu xiào dào：“ yǐ lìng。 lǎo tài tài dào dǐ chī yī bēi lìng jiǔ cái shì。” jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ zhè gè zì rán。” shuō zhe biàn chī liǎo yī bēi。 　　 fèng jiě 'ér máng zǒu zhì dāng dì， xiào dào：“ jì xíng lìng， hái jiào yuān yāng jiě jiě lái xíng gèng hǎo。” zhòng réndōu zhī jiǎ mǔ suǒ xíng zhī lìng bì dé yuān yāng tí zhe， gù tīng liǎo zhè huà， dōushuō " hěn shì "。 fèng jiě 'ér biàn lā liǎo yuān yāng guò lái。 wáng fū rén xiào dào：“ jì zài lìng nèi gòu zhù yì fāng fǎ zhù chéng de chéng shú de zhèng zhì jīng jì xué lǐ lùn， shì mǎ kè sī kē xué lǐ， méi yòu zhàn zhe de lǐ。” huí tóu mìng xiǎo yā tóu zǐ：“ duān yī zhāng yǐ zǐ， fàng zài nǐ 'èr wèi nǎi nǎi de xí shàng。” yuān yāng yě bàn tuī bàn jiù， xiè liǎo zuò， biàn zuò xià， yě chī liǎo yī zhōng jiǔ， xiào dào：“ jiǔ lìng dà rú jūn lìng， bù lùn zūn bēi， wéi wǒ shì zhù。 wéi liǎo wǒ de huà， shì yào shòu fá de。” wáng fū rén děngdōu xiào dào：“ yī dìng rú cǐ， kuài xiē shuō lái。” yuān yāng wèi kāi kǒu， liú lǎo lǎo biàn xià liǎo xí， bǎi shǒu dào：“ bié zhè yàng zhuō nòng rén jiā， wǒ jiā qù liǎo。” zhòng réndōu xiào dào：“ zhè què shǐ bù dé。” yuān yāng hèlìng xiǎo yā tóu zǐ men：“ lā shàng xí qù！ " xiǎo yā tóu zǐ men yě xiào zhe， guǒ rán lā rù xí zhōng。 liú lǎo lǎo zhǐ jiào " ráo liǎo wǒ bà！ " yuān yāng dào：“ zài duō yán de fá yī hú。” liú lǎo lǎo fāng zhù liǎo shēng。 yuān yāng dào：“ rú jīn wǒ shuō gǔ pái fù 'ér， cóng lǎo tài tài qǐ， shùn lǐng shuō xià qù， zhì liú lǎo lǎo zhǐ。 bǐ rú wǒ shuō yī fù 'ér， jiāng zhè sān zhāng pái chāi kāi， xiān shuō tóu yī zhāng， cì shuō dì 'èr zhāng， zài shuō dì sān zhāng， shuō wán liǎo， hé chéng zhè yī fù 'ér de míng zì。 wú lùn shī cí gē fù， chéng yǔ sú huà， bǐ shàng yī jù， dōuyào xiéyùn。 cuò liǎo de fá yī bēi。” zhòng rén xiào dào：“ zhè gè lìng hǎo， jiù shuō chū lái。” yuān yāng dào：“ yòu liǎo yī fù liǎo。 zuǒ biān shì zhāng‘ tiān’。” jiǎ mǔ dào：“ tóu shàng yòu qīng tiān。” zhòng rén dào：“ hǎo。” yuān yāng dào：“ dāng zhōng shì gè‘ wǔ yǔ liù’。” jiǎ mǔ dào：“ liù qiáo méi huā xiāng chè gǔ。” yuān yāng dào：“ shèng dé yī zhāng‘ liù yǔ yāo’。” jiǎ mǔ dào：“ yī lún hóng rì chū yún xiāo。” yuān yāng dào：“ còu chéng biàn shì gè‘ péng tóu guǐ’。” jiǎ mǔ dào：“ zhè guǐ bào zhù zhōng kuí tuǐ。” shuō wán， dà jiā xiào shuō：“ jí miào。” jiǎ mǔ yǐn liǎo yī bēi。 yuān yāng yòu dào：“ yòu liǎo yī fù。 zuǒ biān shì gè‘ dà cháng wǔ’。” xuē yí mā dào：“ méi huā duǒ duǒ fēng qián wǔ。” yuān yāng dào：“ yòu biān hái shì gè‘ dà wǔ cháng’。” xuē yí mā dào：“ shí yuè méi huā lǐng shàng xiāng。 " yuān yāng dào：“ dāng zhōng‘ èr wǔ’ shì zá qī。” xuē yí mā dào：“ zhì nǚ niú láng huì qī xī。” yuān yāng dào：“ còu chéng‘ èr láng yóu wǔ yuè’。” xuē yí mā dào：“ shì rén bù jí shén xiānyuè。” shuō wán， dà jiā chēng shǎng， yǐn liǎo jiǔ。 yuān yāng yòu dào：“ yòu liǎo yī fù。 zuǒ biān‘ cháng yāo’ liǎng diǎn míng。” xiāng yún dào：“ shuāng xuán rì yuè zhào qián kūn。” yuān yāng dào：“ yòu biān‘ cháng yāo’ liǎng diǎn míng。” xiāng yún dào：“ xián huā luò dì tīng wú shēng。” yuān yāng dào：“ zhōng jiān hái dé‘ yāo sì’ lái。” xiāng yún dào：“ rì biān hóng xìng yǐ yún zāi。 " yuān yāng dào：“ còu chéng‘ yīng táo jiǔ shú’。” xiāng yún dào：“ yù yuán què bèi niǎo xián chū。” shuō wán yǐn liǎo yī bēi。 yuān yāng dào：“ yòu liǎo yī fù。 zuǒ biān shì‘ cháng sān’。” bǎo chāi dào：“ shuāng shuāng yàn zǐ yǔ liáng jiān。” yuān yāng dào：“ yòu biān shì‘ sān cháng’。” bǎo chāi dào：“ shuǐ xìng qiān fēng cuì dài cháng。” yuān yāng dào：“ dāng zhōng‘ sān liù’ jiǔ diǎn zài。” bǎo chāi dào：“ sān shān bàn luò qīng tiān wài。” yuān yāng dào：“ còu chéng‘ tiě suǒ liàn gū zhōu’。” bǎo chāi dào：“ chù chù fēng bō chù chù chóu。” shuō wán yǐn bì。 yuān yāng yòu dào：“ zuǒ biān yī gè‘ tiān’。” dài yù dào：“ liáng chén měi jǐng nài hé tiān。” bǎo chāi tīng liǎo， huí tóu kàn zhe tā。 dài yù zhǐ gù pà fá， yě bù lǐ lùn。 yuān yāng dào：“ zhōng jiān‘ jǐn píng’ yán sè qiào。” dài yù dào：“ shā chuāng yě méi yòu hóng niàn bào。” yuān yāng dào：“ shèng liǎo‘ èr liù’ bā diǎn qí。” dài yù dào：“ shuāng zhān yù zuò yǐn cháo yí。” yuān yāng dào：“ còu chéng‘ lán zǐ’ hǎo cǎi huā。” dài yù dào：“ xiān zhàng xiāng tiǎo sháo yào huā。” shuō wán， yǐn liǎo yī kǒu。 yuān yāng dào：“ zuǒ biān‘ sì wǔ’ chéng huā jiǔ。” yíng chūn dào：“ táo huā dài yǔ nóng。 " zhòng rén dào：“ gāi fá！ cuò liǎo yùn， ér qiě yòu bù xiàng。” yíng chūn xiào zhe yǐn liǎo yī kǒu。 yuán shì fèng jiě 'ér hé yuān yāng dōuyào tīng liú lǎo lǎo de xiào huà， gù yì dū lìng shuō cuò， dū fá liǎo。 zhì wáng fū rén， yuān yāng dài shuō liǎo gè， xià biàn gāi liú lǎo lǎo。 liú lǎo lǎo dào：“ wǒ men zhuāng jiā rén xián liǎo， yě cháng huì jǐ gè rén nòng zhè gè， dàn bù rú shuō de zhè me hǎo tīng。 shǎo bù dé wǒ yě shì yī shì。” zhòng réndōu xiào dào：“ róng yì shuō de。 nǐ zhǐ guǎn shuō， bù xiāng gān。” yuān yāng xiào dào：“ zuǒ biān‘ sì sì’ shì gè rén。 " liú lǎo lǎo tīng liǎo， xiǎng liǎo bàn rì， shuō dào：“ shì gè zhuāng jiā rén bà。” zhòng rén hōng táng xiào liǎo。 jiǎ mǔ xiào dào：“ shuō de hǎo， jiù shì zhè yàng shuō。” liú lǎo lǎo yě xiào dào：’ wǒ men zhuāng jiā rén， bù guò shì xiàn chéng de běn sè， zhòng wèi bié xiào。” yuān yāng dào：“ zhōng jiān‘ sān sì’ lǜ pèi hóng。” liú lǎo lǎo dào：“ dà huǒ shāo liǎo máo máo chóng。” zhòng rén xiào dào：“ zhè shì yòu de， hái shuō nǐ de běn sè。” yuān yāng dào：“ yòu biān‘ yāo sì’ zhēn hǎo kàn。” liú lǎo lǎo dào：“ yī gè luó ス yī tóu suàn。” zhòng rén yòu xiào liǎo。 yuān yāng xiào dào：“ còu chéng biàn shì yī zhī huā。” liú lǎo lǎo liǎng zhǐ shǒu bǐ zhe， shuō dào：“ huā 'ér luò liǎo jié gè dà wō guā。” zhòng rén dà xiào qǐ lái。 zhǐ tīng wài miàn luàn rǎng héng héng 　　The venerable lady Shih attends a second banquet in the garden of Broad Vista. Chin Yuean-yang three times promulgates, by means of dominoes, the order to quote passages from old writers. 　　 As soon as Pao-yue, we will now explain, heard what the lad told him, he rushed with eagerness inside. When he came to look about him, he discovered Hu Po standing in front of the screen. "Be quick and go," she urged. "They're waiting to speak to you." 　　 Pao-yue wended his way into the drawing rooms. Here he found dowager lady Chia, consulting with Madame Wang and the whole body of young ladies, about the return feast to be given to Shih Hsiang-yuen. 　　 "I've got a plan to suggest," he consequently interposed. "As there are to be no outside guests, the eatables too should not be limited to any kind or number. A few of such dishes, as have ever been to the liking of any of us, should be fixed upon and prepared for the occasion. Neither should any banquet be spread, but a high teapoy can be placed in front of each, with one or two things to suit our particular tastes. Besides, a painted box with partitions and a decanter. Won't this be an original way?" 　　 "Capital!" shouted old lady Chia. "Go and tell the people in the cook house," she forthwith ordered a servant, "to get ready to-morrow such dishes as we relish, and to put them in as many boxes as there will be people, and bring them over. We can have breakfast too in the garden." 　　 But while they were deliberating, the time came to light the lamps. Nothing of any note transpired the whole night. The next day, they got up at early dawn. The weather, fortunately, was beautifully clear. Li Wan turned out of bed at daybreak. She was engaged in watching the old matrons and servant-girls sweeping the fallen leaves, rubbing the tables and chairs, and preparing the tea and wine vessels, when she perceived Feng Erh usher in old goody Liu and Pan Erh. "You're very busy, our senior lady!" they said. 　　 "I told you that you wouldn't manage to start yesterday," Li Wan smiled, "but you were in a hurry to get away." 　　 "Your worthy old lady," goody Liu replied laughingly, "wouldn't let me go. She wanted me to enjoy myself too for a day before I went." 　　 Feng Erh then produced several large and small keys. "Our mistress Lien says," she remarked, "that she fears that the high teapoys which are out are not enough, and she thinks it would be as well to open the loft and take out those that are put away and use them for a day. Our lady should really have come and seen to it in person, but as she has something to tell Madame Wang, she begs your ladyship to open the place, and get a few servants to bring them out." 　　 Li Wan there and then told Su Yuen to take the keys. She also bade a matron go out and call a few servant-boys from those on duty at the second gate. When they came, Li Wan remained in the lower story of the Ta Kuan loft, and looking up, she ordered the servants to go and open the Cho Chin hall and to bring the teapoys one by one. The young servant-lads, matrons and servant-maids then set to work, in a body, and carried down over twenty of them. 　　 "Be careful with them," shouted Li Wan. "Don't be bustling about just as if you were being pursued by ghosts! Mind you don't break the tenons!" Turning her head round, "old dame," she observed, addressing herself smilingly to goody Liu, "go upstairs too and have a look!" 　　 Old goody Liu was longing to satisfy her curiosity, so at the bare mention of the permission, she uttered just one word ("come") and, dragging Pan Erh along, she trudged up the stairs. On her arrival inside, she espied, pile upon pile, a whole heap of screens, tables and chairs, painted lanterns of different sizes, and other similar articles. She could not, it is true, make out the use of the various things, but, at the sight of so many colours, of such finery and of the unusual beauty of each article, she muttered time after time the name of Buddha, and then forthwith wended her way downstairs. Subsequently (the servants) locked the doors and every one of them came down. 　　 "I fancy," cried Li Wan, "that our dowager lady will feel disposed (to go on the water), so you'd better also get the poles, oars and awnings for the boats and keep them in readiness." 　　 The servants expressed their obedience. Once more they unlocked the doors, and carried down everything required. She then bade a lad notify the boatwomen go to the dock and punt out two boats. But while all this bustle was going on, they discovered that dowager lady Chia had already arrived at the head of a whole company of people. Li Wan promptly went up to greet them. 　　 "Dear venerable senior," she smiled, "you must be in good spirits to have come in here! Imagining that you hadn't as yet combed your hair, I just plucked a few chrysanthemums, meaning to send them to you." 　　 While she spoke, Pi Yueeh at once presented to her a jadite tray, of the size of a lotus leaf, containing twigs cut from every species of chrysanthemum. Old lady Chia selected a cluster of deep red and pinned it in her hair about her temples. But turning round, she noticed old goody Liu. "Come over here," she vehemently cried with a smile; "and put on a few flowers." 　　 Scarcely was this remark concluded, than lady Feng dragged goody Liu forward. "Let me deck you up!" she laughed. With these words, she seized a whole plateful of flowers and stuck them three this way, four that way, all over her head. Old lady Chia, and the whole party were greatly amused; so much so, that they could not check themselves. 　　 "I wonder," shouted goody Liu smiling, "what blessings I have brought upon my head that such honours are conferred upon it to-day!" 　　 "Don't you yet pull them away," they all laughed, "and chuck them in her face! She has got you up in such a way as to make a regular old elf of you!" 　　 "I'm an old hag, I admit," goody Liu pursued with a laugh; "but when I was young, I too was pretty and fond of flowers and powder! But the best thing I can do now is to keep to such fineries as befit my advanced age!" 　　 While they bandied words, they reached the Hsin Fang pavilion. The waiting maids brought a large embroidered rug and spread it over the planks of the divan near the balustrade. On this rug dowager lady Chia sat, with her back leaning against the railing; and, inviting goody Liu to also take a seat next to her, "Is this garden nice or not?" she asked her. 　　 Old goody Liu invoked Buddha several times. "We country-people," she rejoined, "do invariably come, at the close of each year, into the city and buy pictures and stick them about. And frequently do we find ourselves in our leisure moments wondering how we too could manage to get into the pictures, and walk about the scenes they represent. I presumed that those pictures were purely and simply fictitious, for how could there be any such places in reality? But, contrary to my expectations, I found, as soon as I entered this garden to-day and had a look about it, that it was, after all, a hundred times better than these very pictures. But if only I could get some one to make me a sketch of this garden, to take home with me and let them see it, so that when we die we may have reaped some benefit!" 　　 Upon catching the wish she expressed, dowager lady Chia pointed at Hsi Ch'un. "Look at that young granddaughter of mine!" she smiled. "She's got the knack of drawing. So what do you say to my asking her to-morrow to make a picture for you?" 　　 This suggestion filled goody Liu with enthusiasm and speedily crossing over, she clasped Hsi Ch'un in her arms. "My dear Miss!" she cried, "so young in years, and yet so pretty, and so accomplished too! Mightn't you be a spirit come to life!" 　　 After old lady Chia had had a little rest, she in person took goody Liu and showed her everything there was to be seen. First, they visited the Hsiao Hsiang lodge. The moment they stepped into the entrance, a narrow avenue, flanked on either side with kingfisher-like green bamboos, met their gaze. The earth below was turfed all over with moss. In the centre, extended a tortuous road, paved with pebbles. Goody Liu left dowager lady Chia and the party walk on the raised road, while she herself stepped on the earth. But Hu Po tugged at her. "Come up, old dame, and walk here!" she exclaimed. "Mind the fresh moss is slippery and you might fall." 　　 "I don't mind it!" answered goody Liu. "We people are accustomed to walking (on such slippery things)! So, young ladies, please proceed. And do look after your embroidered shoes! Don't splash them with mud." 　　 But while bent upon talking with those who kept on the raised road, she unawares reached a spot, which was actually slippery, and with a sound of "ku tang" she tumbled over. 　　 The whole company clapped their hands and laughed boisterously. 　　 "You young wenches," shouted out dowager lady Chia, "don't you yet raise her up, but stand by giggling?" 　　 This reprimand was still being uttered when goody Liu had already crawled up. She too was highly amused. "Just as my mouth was bragging," she observed, "I got a whack on the lips!" 　　 "Have you perchance twisted your waist?" inquired old lady Chia. "Tell the servant-girls to pat it for you!" 　　 "What an idea!" retorted goody Liu, "am I so delicate? What day ever goes by without my tumbling down a couple of times? And if I had to be patted every time wouldn't it be dreadful!" 　　 Tzu Chuan had at an early period raised the speckled bamboo portiere. Dowager lady Chia and her companions entered and seated themselves. Lin Tai-yue with her own hands took a small tray and came to present a covered cup of tea to her grandmother. 　　 "We won't have any tea!" Madame Wang interposed, "so, miss, you needn't pour any." 　　 Lin Tai-yue, hearing this, bade a waiting-maid fetch the chair from under the window where she herself often sat, and moving it to the lower side, she pressed Madame Wang into it. But goody Liu caught sight of the pencils and inkslabs, lying on the table placed next to the window, and espied the bookcase piled up to the utmost with books. "This must surely," the old dame ejaculated, "be some young gentleman's study!" 　　 "This is the room of this granddaughter-in-law of mine," dowager lady Chia explained, smilingly pointing to Tai-yue. 　　 Goody Liu scrutinised Lin Tai-yue with intentness for a while. "Is this anything like a young lady's private room?" she then observed with a smile. "Why, in very deed, it's superior to any first class library!" 　　 "How is it I don't see Pao-yue?" his grandmother Chia went on to inquire. 　　 "He's in the boat, on the pond," the waiting-maids, with one voice, returned for answer. 　　 "Who also got the boats ready?" old lady Chia asked. 　　 "The loft was open just now so they were taken out," Li Wan said, "and as I thought that you might, venerable senior, feel inclined to have a row, I got everything ready." 　　 After listening to this explanation, dowager lady Chia was about to pass some remark, but some one came and reported to her that Mrs. Hsueeh had arrived. No sooner had old lady Chia and the others sprung to their feet than they noticed that Mrs. Hsueeh had already made her appearance. While taking a seat: "Your venerable ladyship," she smiled, "must be in capital spirits to-day to have come at this early hour!" 　　 "It's only this very minute that I proposed that any one who came late, should be fined," dowager lady Chia laughed, "and, who'd have thought it, here you, Mrs. Hsueeh, arrive late!" 　　 After they had indulged in good-humoured raillery for a time, old lady Chia's attention was attracted by the faded colour of the gauze on the windows, and she addressed herself to Madame Wang. "This gauze," she said, "may have been nice enough when it was newly pasted, but after a time nothing remained of kingfisher green. In this court too there are no peach or apricot trees and these bamboos already are green in themselves, so were this shade of green gauze to be put up again, it would, instead of improving matters, not harmonise with the surroundings. I remember that we had at one time four or five kinds of coloured gauzes for sticking on windows, so give her some to-morrow to change that on there." 　　 "When I opened the store yesterday," hastily put in Lady Feng, "I noticed that there were still in those boxes, made of large planks, several rolls of 'cicada wing' gauze of silvery red colour. There were also several rolls with designs of twigs of flowers of every kind, several with 'the rolling clouds and bats' pattern, and several with figures representing hundreds of butterflies, interspersed among flowers. The colours of all these were fresh, and the gauze supple. But I failed to see anything of the kind you speak of. Were two rolls taken (from those I referred to), and a couple of bed-covers of embroidered gauze made out of them, they would, I fancy, be a pretty sight!" 　　 "Pshaw!" laughed old lady Chia, "every one says that there's nothing you haven't gone through and nothing you haven't seen, and don't you even know what this gauze is? Will you again brag by and bye, after this?" 　　 Mrs. Hsueeh and all the others smiled. "She may have gone through a good deal," they remarked, "but how can she ever presume to pit herself against an old lady like you? So why don't you, venerable senior, tell her what it is so that we too may be edified." 　　 Lady Feng too gave a smile. "My dear ancestor," she pleaded, "do tell me what it is like." 　　 Dowager lady Chia thereupon proceeded to enlighten Mrs. Hsueeh and the whole company. "That gauze is older in years than any one of you," she said. "It isn't therefore to be wondered, if you make a mistake and take it for 'cicada wing' gauze. But it really bears some resemblance to it; so much so, indeed, that any one, not knowing the difference, would imagine it to be the 'cicada wing' gauze. Its true name, however, is 'soft smoke' silk." 　　 "This is also a nice sounding name," lady Feng agreed. "But up to the age I've reached, I have never heard of any such designation, in spite of the many hundreds of specimens of gauzes and silks, I've seen." 　　 "How long can you have lived?" old lady Chia added smilingly, "and how many kinds of things can you have met, that you indulge in this tall talk? Of this 'soft smoke' silk, there only exist four kinds of colours. The one is red-blue; the other is russet; the other pine-green; the other silvery-red; and it's because, when made into curtains or stuck on window-frames, it looks from far like smoke or mist, that it is called 'soft smoke' silk. The silvery-red is also called 'russet shadow' gauze. Among the gauzes used in the present day, in the palace above, there are none so supple and rich, light and closely-woven as this!" 　　 "Not to speak of that girl Feng not having seen it," Mrs. Hsueeh laughed, "why, even I have never so much as heard anything of it." 　　 While the conversation proceeded in this strain, lady Feng soon directed a servant to fetch a roll. "Now isn't this the kind!" dowager lady Chia exclaimed. "At first, we simply had it stuck on the window frames, but we subsequently used it for covers and curtains, just for a trial, and really they were splendid! So you had better to-morrow try and find several rolls, and take some of the silvery-red one and have it fixed on the windows for her." 　　 While lady Feng promised to attend to her commission, the party scrutinised it, and unanimously extolled it with effusion. Old goody Liu too strained her eyes and examined it, and her lips incessantly muttered Buddha's name. "We couldn't," she ventured, "afford to make clothes of such stuff, much though we may long to do so; and won't it be a pity to use it for sticking on windows?" 　　 "But it doesn't, after all, look well, when made into clothes," old lady Chia explained. 　　 Lady Feng hastily pulled out the lapel of the deep-red brocaded gauze jacket she had on, and, facing dowager lady Chia and Mrs. Hsueeh, "Look at this jacket of mine," she remarked. 　　 "This is also of first-rate quality!" old lady Chia and Mrs. Hsueeh rejoined. "This is nowadays made in the palace for imperial use, but it can't possibly come up to this!" 　　 "It's such thin stuff," lady Feng observed, "and do you still say that it was made in the palace for imperial use? Why, it doesn't, in fact, compare favourably with even this, which is worn by officials!" 　　 "You'd better search again!" old lady Chia urged; "I believe there must be more of it! If there be, bring it all out, and give this old relative Liu a couple of rolls! Should there be any red-blue, I'll make a curtain to hang up. What remains can be matched with some lining, and cut into a few double waistcoats for the waiting-maids to wear. It would be sheer waste to keep these things, as they will be spoilt by the damp." 　　 Lady Feng vehemently acquiesced; after which, she told a servant to take the gauze away. 　　 "These rooms are so small!" dowager lady Chia then observed, smiling. "We had better go elsewhere for a stroll." 　　 "Every one says," old goody Liu put in, "that big people live in big houses! When I saw yesterday your main apartments, dowager lady, with all those large boxes, immense presses, big tables, and spacious beds to match, they did, indeed, present an imposing sight! Those presses are larger than our whole house; yea loftier too! But strange to say there were ladders in the back court. 'They don't also,' I thought, 'go up to the house tops to sun things, so what can they keep those ladders in readiness for?' Well, after that, I remembered that they must be required for opening the presses to take out or put in things. And that without those ladders, how could one ever reach that height? But now that I've also seen these small rooms, more luxuriously got up than the large ones, and full of various articles, all so fascinating and hardly even known to me by name, I feel, the more I feast my eyes on them, the more unable to tear myself away from them." 　　 "There are other things still better than this," lady Feng added. "I'll take you to see them all!" 　　 Saying this, they straightway left the Hsiao Hsiang lodge. From a distance, they spied a whole crowd of people punting the boats in the lake. 　　 "As they've got the boats ready," old lady Chia proposed, "we may as well go and have a row in them!" 　　 As she uttered this suggestion, they wended their steps along the persicary-covered bank of the Purple Lily Isle. But before reaching the lake, they perceived several matrons advancing that way with large multi-coloured boxes in their hands, made all alike of twisted wire and inlaid with gold. Lady Feng hastened to inquire of Madame Wang where breakfast was to be served. 　　 "Ask our venerable senior," Madame Wang replied, "and let them lay it wherever she pleases." 　　 Old lady Chia overheard her answer, and turning her head round: "Miss Tertia," she said, "take the servants, and make them lay breakfast wherever you think best! We'll get into the boats from here." 　　 Upon catching her senior's wishes, lady Feng retraced her footsteps, and accompanied by Li Wan, T'an Ch'un, Yuean Yang and Hu Po, she led off the servants, carrying the eatables, and other domestics, and came by the nearest way, to the Ch'iu Shuang library, where they arranged the tables in the Hsiao Ts'ui hall. 　　 "We daily say that whenever the gentlemen outside have anything to drink or eat, they invariably have some one who can raise a laugh and whom they can chaff for fun's sake," Yuan Yang smiled, "so let's also to-day get a female family-companion." 　　 Li Wan, being a person full of kindly feelings, did not fathom the insinuation, though it did not escape her ear. Lady Feng, however, thoroughly understood that she alluded to old goody Liu. "Let us too to-day," she smilingly remarked, "chaff her for a bit of fun!" 　　 These two then began to mature their plans. 　　 Li Wan chided them with a smile. "You people," she said, "don't know even how to perform the least good act! But you're not small children any more, and are you still up to these pranks? Mind, our venerable ancestor might call you to task!" 　　 "That has nothing whatever to do with you, senior lady," Yuean Yang laughed, "it's my own look out!" 　　 These words were still on her lips, when she saw dowager lady Chia and the rest of the company arrive. They each sat where and how they pleased. First and foremost, a waiting-maid brought two trays of tea. After tea, lady Feng laid hold of a napkin, made of foreign cloth, in which were wrapped a handful of blackwood chopsticks, encircled with three rings, of inlaid silver, and distributed them on the tables, in the order in which they were placed. 　　 "Bring that small hard-wood table over," old lady Chia then exclaimed; "and let our relative Liu sit next to me here!" 　　 No sooner did the servants hear her order than they hurried to move the table to where she wanted it. Lady Feng, during this interval, made a sign with her eye to Yuean Yang. Yuean Yang there and then dragged goody Liu out of the hall and began to impress in a low tone of voice various things on her mind. "This is the custom which prevails in our household," she proceeded, "and if you disregard it we'll have a laugh at your expense!" 　　 Having arranged everything she had in view, they at length returned to their places. Mrs. Hsueeh had come over, after her meal, so she simply seated herself on one side and sipped her tea. Dowager lady Chia with Pao-yue, Hsiang-yuen, Tai-yue and Pao-ch'ai sat at one table. Madame Wang took the girls, Ying Ch'un, and her sisters, and occupied one table. Old goody Liu took a seat at a table next to dowager lady Chia. Heretofore, while their old mistress had her repast, a young servant-maid usually stood by her to hold the finger bowl, yak-brush, napkin and other such necessaries, but Yuean Yang did not of late fulfil any of these duties, so when, on this occasion, she deliberately seized the yak-brush and came over and flapped it about, the servant-girls concluded that she was bent upon playing some tricks upon goody Liu, and they readily withdrew and let her have her way. 　　 While Yuean Yang attended to her self-imposed duties, she winked at the old dame. 　　 "Miss," goody Liu exclaimed, "set your mind at ease!" Goody Liu sat down at the table and took up the chopsticks, but so heavy and clumsy did she find them that she could not handle them conveniently. The fact is that lady Feng and Yuean Yang had put their heads together and decided to only assign to goody Liu a pair of antiquated four-cornered ivory chopsticks, inlaid with gold. 　　 "These forks," shouted goody Liu, after scrutinising them, "are heavier than the very iron-lever over at my place. How ever can I move them about?" 　　 This remark had the effect of making every one explode into a fit of laughter. But a married woman standing in the centre of the room, with a box in her hands, attracted their gaze. A waiting-maid went up to her and removed the cover of the box. Its contents were two bowls of eatables. Li Wan took one of these and placed it on dowager lady Chia's table, while lady Feng chose the bowl with pigeon's eggs and put it on goody Liu's table. 　　 "Please (commence)," Dowager lady Chia uttered from the near side, where she sat. 　　 Goody Liu at this speedily sprung to her feet. "Old Liu, old Liu," she roared with a loud voice, "your eating capacity is as big as that of a buffalo! You've gorged like an old sow and can't raise your head up!" Then puffing out her cheeks, she added not a word. 　　 The whole party was at first taken quite aback. But, as soon as they heard the drift of her remarks, every one, both high as well as low, began to laugh boisterously. Hsiang-yuen found it so difficult to restrain herself that she spurted out the tea she had in her mouth. Lin Tai-yue indulged in such laughter that she was quite out of breath, and propping herself up on the table, she kept on ejaculating 'Ai-yo.' Pao-yue rolled into his grandmother's lap. The old lady herself was so amused that she clasped Pao-yue in her embrace, and gave way to endearing epithets. Madame Wang laughed, and pointed at lady Feng with her finger; but as for saying a word, she could not. Mrs. Hsueeh had much difficulty in curbing her mirth, and she sputtered the tea, with which her mouth was full, all over T'an Ch'un's petticoat. T'an Ch'un threw the contents of the teacup, she held in her hand, over Ying Ch'un; while Hsi Ch'un quitted her seat, and, pulling her nurse away, bade her rub her stomach for her. 　　 Below, among the lower seats, there was not one who was not with bent waist and doubled-up back. Some retired to a corner and, squatting down, laughed away. Others suppressed their laughter and came up and changed the clothes of their young mistresses. Lady Feng and Yuan Yang were the only ones, who kept their countenance. Still they continued helping old goody Liu to food. 　　 Old goody Liu took up the chopsticks. "Even the chickens in this place are fine," she went on to add, pretending, she did not hear what was going on; "the eggs they lay are small, but so dainty! How very pretty they are! Let me help myself to one!" 　　 The company had just managed to check themselves, but, the moment these words fell on their ears, they started again with their laughter. Old lady Chia laughed to such an extent that tears streamed from her eyes. And so little could she bear the strain any longer that Hu Po stood behind her and patted her. 　　 "This must be the work of that vixen Feng!" old lady Chia laughed. "She has ever been up to tricks like a very imp, so be quick and disbelieve all her yarns!" 　　 Goody Liu was in the act of praising the eggs as small yet dainty, when lady Feng interposed with a smile. "They're one tael each, be quick, and taste them;" she said; "they're not nice when they get cold!" 　　 Goody Liu forthwith stretched out the chopsticks with the intent of catching one; but how could she manage to do so? They rolled and rolled in the bowl for ever so long; and, it was only after extreme difficulty that she succeeded in shoving one up. Extending her neck forward, she was about to put it in her mouth, when it slipped down again, and rolled on to the floor. She hastily banged down the chopsticks, and was going herself to pick it up, when a servant, who stood below, got hold of it and took it out of the room. 　　 Old goody Liu heaved a sigh. "A tael!" she soliloquised, "and here it goes without a sound!" 　　 Every one had long ago abandoned all idea of eating, and, gazing at her, they enjoyed the fun. 　　 "Who has now brought out these chopsticks again?" old lady Chia went on to ask. "We haven't invited any strangers or spread any large banquet! It must be that vixen Feng who gave them out! But don't you yet change them!" 　　 The servants, standing on the floor below, had indeed had no hand in getting those ivory chopsticks; they had, in fact, been brought by lady Feng and Yuean Yang; but when they heard these remarks, they hurried to put them away and to change them for a pair similar to those used by the others, made of blackwood inlaid with silver. 　　 "They've taken away the gold ones," old goody Liu shouted, "and here come silver ones! But, after all, they're not as handy as those we use!" 　　 "Should there be any poison in the viands," lady Feng observed, "you can detect it, as soon as this silver is dipped into them!" 　　 "If there's poison in such viands as these," old goody Liu added, "why those of ours must be all arsenic! But though it be the death of me, I'll swallow every morsel!" 　　 Seeing how amusing the old woman was and with what relish she devoured her food, dowager lady Chia took her own dishes and passed them over to her. 　　 She then likewise bade an old matron take various viands and put them in a bowl for Pan Erh. But presently, the repast was concluded, and old lady Chia and all the other inmates adjoined into T'an Ch'un's bedroom for a chat. 　　 The remnants were, meanwhile, cleared away, and fresh tables were laid. 　　 Old goody Liu watched Li Wan and lady Feng sit opposite each other and eat. "Putting everything else aside," she sighed, "what most takes my fancy is the way things are done in your mansion. It isn't to be wondered at that the adage has it that: 'propriety originates from great families.'" 　　 "Don't be too touchy," lady Feng hastily smiled, "we all made fun of you just now." 　　 But barely had she done speaking, when Yuean Yang too walked in. "Old goody Liu," she said laughingly, "don't be angry! I tender you my apologies, venerable dame!" 　　 "What are you saying, Miss?" old goody Liu rejoined smiling. "We've coaxed our dowager lady to get a little distraction; and what reason is there to be angry? From the very first moment you spoke to me, I knew at once that it was intended to afford merriment to you all! Had I been angry at heart, I wouldn't have gone so far as to say what I did!" 　　 Yuean Yang then blew up the servants. "Why," she shouted, "don't you pour a cup of tea for the old dame?" 　　 "That sister-in-law," promptly explained old goody Liu, "gave me a cup a little while back. I've had it already. But you, Miss, must also have something to eat." 　　 Lady Feng dragged Yuean Yang into a seat. "Have your meal with us!" she said. "You'll thus save another fuss by and bye." 　　 Yuean Yang readily seated herself. The matrons came up and added to the number of bowls and chopsticks, and the trio went through their meal. 　　 "From all I see," smiled goody Liu, "you people eat just a little and finish. It's lucky you don't feel the pangs of hunger! But it isn't astonishing if a whiff of wind can puff you over!" 　　 "A good many eatables remained over to-day. Where are they all gone to?" Yuean Yang inquired. 　　 "They haven't as yet been apportioned!" the matrons responded. "They're kept in here until they can be given in a lump to them to eat!" 　　 "They can't get through so many things!" Yuean Yang resumed. "You had as well therefore choose two bowls and send them over to that girl P'ing, in your mistress Secundus' rooms." 　　 "She has had her repast long ago." lady Feng put in. "There's no need to give her any!" 　　 "With what she can't eat, herself," Yuean Yang continued, "she can feed the cats." 　　 At these words, a matron lost no time in selecting two sorts of eatables, and, taking the box, she went to take them over. 　　 "Where's Su Yun gone to?" Yuean Yang asked. 　　 "They're all in here having their meal together." Li Wan replied. "What do you want her for again?" 　　 "Well, in that case, never mind," Yuean Yang answered. 　　 "Hsi Jen isn't here," lady Feng observed, "so tell some one to take her a few things!" 　　 Yuan Yang, hearing this, directed a servant to send her also a few eatables. "Have the partition boxes been filled with wine for by and bye?" Yuean Yang went on to ask the matrons. 　　 "They'll be ready, I think, in a little while," a matron explained. 　　 "Hurry them up a bit!" Yuean Yang added. 　　 The matron signified her assent. 　　 Lady Feng and her friends then came into T'an Ch'un's apartments, where they found the ladies chatting and laughing. 　　 T'an Ch'un had ever shown an inclination for plenty of room. Hence that suite of three apartments had never been partitioned. In the centre was placed a large table of rosewood and Ta li marble. On this table, were laid in a heap every kind of copyslips written by persons of note. Several tens of valuable inkslabs and various specimens of tubes and receptacles for pens figured also about; the pens in which were as thickly packed as trees in a forest. On the off side, stood a flower bowl from the 'Ju' kiln, as large as a bushel measure. In it was placed, till it was quite full, a bunch of white chrysanthemums, in appearance like crystal balls. In the middle of the west wall, was suspended a large picture representing vapor and rain; the handiwork of Mi Nang-yang. On the left and right of this picture was hung a pair of antithetical scrolls--the autograph of Yen Lue. The lines on these scrolls were: 　　 Wild scenes are to the taste of those who leisure love, And springs and rookeries are their rustic resort. 　　 On the table, figured a large tripod. On the left, stood on a blackwood cabinet, a huge bowl from a renowned government kiln. This bowl contained about ten "Buddha's hands" of beautiful yellow and fine proportions. On the right, was suspended, on a Japanese-lacquered frame, a white jade sonorous plate. Its shape resembled two eyes, one by the side of the other. Next to it hung a small hammer. 　　 Pan Erh had become a little more confident and was about to seize the hammer and beat the plate, when the waiting-maids hastened to prevent him. Next, he wanted a "Buddha's hand" to eat. T'an Ch'un chose one and let him have it. "You may play with it," she said, "but you can't eat it." 　　 On the east side stood a sleeping divan. On a movable bed was hung a leek-green gauze curtain, ornamented with double embroideries, representing flowers, plants and insects. Pan Erh ran up to have a look. "This is a green-cicada," he shouted; "this a grasshopper!" 　　 But old goody Liu promptly gave him a slap. "You mean scamp!" she cried. "What an awful rumpus you're kicking up! I simply brought you along with me to look at things; and lo, you put on airs;" and she beat Pan Erh until he burst out crying. It was only after every one quickly combined in using their efforts to solace him that he at length desisted. 　　 Old lady Chia then looked through the gauze casement into the back court for some time. "The dryandra trees by the eaves of the covered passage are growing all right," she remarked. "The only thing is that their foliage is rather sparse." 　　 But while she passed this remark, a sudden gust of wind swept by, and faintly on her ear fell the strains of music. "In whose house is there a wedding?" old lady Chia inquired. "This place must be very near the street!" 　　 "How could one hear what's going on in the street?" Madame Wang and the others smiled. "It's our twelve girls practising on their wind and string instruments!" 　　 "As they're practising," dowager lady Chia eagerly cried, smilingly, "why not ask them to come in here and practise? They'll be able to have a stroll also, while we, on our part, will derive some enjoyment." 　　 Upon hearing this suggestion, lady Feng immediately directed a servant to go out and call them in. She further issued orders to bring a table and spread a red cover over it. 　　 "Let it be put," old lady Chia chimed in, "in the water-pavilion of the Lotus Fragrance Arbour, for (the music) will borrow the ripple of the stream and sound ever so much more pleasant to the ear. We can by and bye drink our wine in the Cho Chin Hall; we'll thus have ample room, and be able to listen from close!" 　　 Every one admitted that the spot was well adapted. Dowager lady Chia turned herself towards Mrs. Hsueeh. "Let's get ahead!" she laughed. "The young ladies don't like any one to come in here, for fear lest their quarters should get contaminated; so don't let us show ourselves disregardful of their wishes! The right thing would be to go and have our wine aboard one of those boats!" 　　 As she spoke, one and all rose to their feet. They were making their way out when T'an Ch'un interposed. "What's this that you're saying?" she smiled. "Please do seat yourselves, venerable senior, and you, Mrs. Hsueeh, and Madame Wang! You can't be going yet?" 　　 "These three girls of mine are really nice! There are only two mistresses that are simply dreadful." Dowager lady Chia said smilingly. "When we get drunk shortly, we'll go and sit in their rooms and have a lark!" 　　 These words evoked laughter from every one. In a body they quitted the place. But they had not proceeded far before they reached the bank covered with aquatic plants, to which place the boat-women, who had been brought from Ku Su, had already punted two crab-wood boats. Into one of these boats, they helped old lady Chia, Madame Wang, Mrs. Hsueeh, old goody Liu, Yuean Yang, and Yue Ch'uan-Erh. Last in order Li Wan followed on board. But lady Feng too stepped in, and standing up on the bow, she insisted upon punting. 　　 Dowager lady Chia, however, remonstrated from her seat in the bottom of the boat. "This isn't a joke," she cried, "we're not on the river, it's true, but there are some very deep places about, so be quick and come in. Do it for my sake." 　　 "What's there to be afraid of?" lady Feng laughed. "Compose your mind, worthy ancestor." 　　 Saying this, the boat was pushed off with one shove. When it reached the middle of the lake, lady Feng became nervous, for the craft was small and the occupants many, and hastily handing the pole to a boatwoman, she squatted down at last. 　　 Ying Ch'un, her sisters, their cousins, as well as Pao-yue subsequently got on board the second boat, and followed in their track; while the rest of the company, consisting of old nurses and a bevy of waiting-maids, kept pace with them along the bank of the stream. 　　 "All these broken lotus leaves are dreadful!" Pao-yue shouted. "Why don't you yet tell the servants to pull them off?" 　　 "When was this garden left quiet during all the days of this year?" Pao-ch'ai smiled. "Why, people have come, day after day, to visit it, so was there ever any time to tell the servants to come and clean it?" 　　 "I have the greatest abhorrence," Lin Tai-yue chimed in, "for Li I's poetical works, but there's only this line in them which I like: 　　 "'Leave the dry lotus leaves so as to hear the patter of the rain.' 　　 "and here you people deliberately mean again not to leave the dry lotus stay where they are." 　　 "This is indeed a fine line!" Pao-yue exclaimed. "We mustn't hereafter let them pull them away!" 　　 While this conversation continued, they reached the shoaly inlet under the flower-laden beech. They felt a coolness from the shady overgrowth penetrate their very bones. The decaying vegetation and the withered aquatic chestnut plants on the sand-bank enhanced, to a greater degree, the beauty of the autumn scenery. 　　 Dowager lady Chia at this point observed some spotless rooms on the bank, so spick and so span. "Are not these Miss Hsueeh's quarters," she asked. "Eh?" 　　 "Yes, they are!" everybody answered. 　　 Old lady Chia promptly bade them go alongside, and wending their way up the marble steps, which seemed to lead to the clouds, they in a body entered the Heng Wu court. Here they felt a peculiar perfume come wafting into their nostrils, for the colder the season got the greener grew that strange vegetation, and those fairy-like creepers. The various plants were laden with seeds, which closely resembled red coral beans, as they drooped in lovely clusters. 　　 The house, as soon as they put their foot into it, presented the aspect of a snow cave. There was a total absence of every object of ornament. On the table figured merely an earthenware vase, in which were placed several chrysanthemums. A few books and teacups were also conspicuous, but no further knicknacks. On the bed was suspended a green gauze curtain, and of equally extreme plainness were the coverlets and mattresses belonging to it. 　　 "This child," dowager lady Chia sighed, "is too simple! If you've got nothing to lay about, why not ask your aunt for a few articles? I would never raise any objection. I never thought about them. Your things, of course, have been left at home, and have not been brought over." 　　 So saying, she told Yuan Yang to go and fetch several bric-a-brac. She next went on to call lady Feng to task. 　　 "She herself wouldn't have them," (lady Feng) rejoined. "We really sent over a few, but she refused every one of them and returned them." 　　 "In her home also," smiled Mrs. Hsueeh, "she does not go in very much for such sort of things." 　　 Old lady Chia nodded her head. "It will never do!" she added. "It does, it's true, save trouble; but were some relative to come on a visit, she'll find things in an impossible way. In the second place, such simplicity in the apartments of young ladies of tender age is quite unpropitious! Why, if you young people go on in this way, we old fogies should go further and live in stables! You've all heard what is said in those books and plays about the dreadful luxury, with which young ladies' quarters are got up. And though these girls of ours could not presume to place themselves on the same footing as those young ladies, they shouldn't nevertheless exceed too much the bounds of what constitutes the right thing. If they have any objects ready at hand, why shouldn't they lay them out? And if they have any strong predilection for simplicity, a few things less will do quite as well. I've always had the greatest knack for titifying a room, but being an old woman now I haven't the ease and inclination to attend to such things! These girls are, however, learning how to do things very nicely. I was afraid that there would be an appearance of vulgarity in what they did, and that, even had they anything worth having, they'd so place them about as to spoil them; but from what I can see there's nothing vulgar about them. But let me now put things right for you, and I'll wager that everything will look grand as well as plain. I've got a couple of my own knicknacks, which I've managed to keep to this day, by not allowing Pao-yue to get a glimpse of them; for had he ever seen them, they too would have long ago disappeared!" Continuing, she called Yuean Yang. "Fetch that marble pot with scenery on it," she said to her; "that gauze screen, and that tripod of transparent stone with black streaks, which you'll find in there, and lay out all three on this table. They'll be ample! Bring likewise those ink pictures and white silk curtains, and change these curtains." 　　 Yuean Yang expressed her obedience. "All these articles have been put away in the eastern loft," she smiled. "In what boxes they've been put, I couldn't tell; I must therefore go and find them quietly and if I bring them over to-morrow, it will be time enough." 　　 "To-morrow or the day after will do very well; but don't forget, that's all," dowager lady Chia urged. 　　 While conversing, they sat for a while. Presently, they left the rooms and repaired straightway into the Cho Chin hall. Wen Kuan and the other girls came up and paid their obeisance. They next inquired what songs they were to practise. 　　 "You'd better choose a few pieces to rehearse out of those you know best," old lady Chia rejoined. 　　 Wen Kuan and her companions then withdrew and betook themselves to the Lotus Fragrance Pavilion. But we will leave them there without further allusion to them. 　　 During this while, lady Feng had already, with the help of servants, got everything in perfect order. On the left and right of the side of honour were placed two divans. These divans were completely covered with embroidered covers and fine variegated mats. In front of each divan stood two lacquer teapoys, inlaid, some with designs of crab-apple flowers; others of plum blossom, some of lotus leaves, others of sun-flowers. Some of these teapoys were square, others round. Their shapes were all different. On each was placed a set consisting of a stove and a bottle, also a box with partitions. The two divans and four teapoys, in the place of honour, were used by dowager lady Chia and Mrs. Hsueeh. The chair and two teapoys in the next best place, by Madame Wang. The rest of the inmates had, all alike, a chair and a teapoy. On the east side sat old goody Liu. Below old goody Liu came Madame Wang. On the west was seated Shih Hsiang-yuen. The second place was occupied by Pao-ch'ai; the third by Tai-yue; the fourth by Ying Ch'un. T'an Ch'un and Hsi Ch'un filled the lower seats, in their proper order; Pao-yue sat in the last place. The two teapoys assigned to Li Wan and lady Feng stood within the third line of railings, and beyond the second row of gauze frames. The pattern of the partition-boxes corresponded likewise with the pattern on the teapoys. Each inmate had a black decanter, with silver, inlaid in foreign designs; as well as an ornamented, enamelled cup. 　　 After they had all occupied the seats assigned to them, dowager lady Chia took the initiative and smilingly suggested: "Let's begin by drinking a couple of cups of wine. But we should also have a game of forfeits to-day, we'll have plenty of fun then." 　　 "You, venerable senior, must certainly have a good wine order to impose," Mrs. Hsueeh laughingly observed, "but how could we ever comply with it? But if your aim be to intoxicate us, why, we'll all straightway drink one or two cups more than is good for us and finish!" 　　 "Here's Mrs. Hsueeh beginning to be modest again to-day!" old lady Chia smiled. "But I expect it's because she looks down upon me as being an old hag!" 　　 "It isn't modesty!" Mrs. Hsueeh replied smiling. "It's all a dread lest I shouldn't be able to observe the order and thus incur ridicule." 　　 "If you don't give the right answer," Madame Wang promptly interposed with a smile, "you'll only have to drink a cup or two more of wine, and should we get drunk, we can go to sleep; and who'll, pray laugh at us?" 　　 Mrs. Hsueeh nodded her head. "I'll agree to the order," she laughed, "but, dear senior, you must, after all, do the right thing and have a cup of wine to start it." 　　 "This is quite natural!" old lady Chia answered laughingly; and with these words, she forthwith emptied a cup. 　　 Lady Feng with hurried steps advanced to the centre of the room. "If we are to play at forfeits," she smilingly proposed, "we'd better invite sister Yuean Yang to come and join us." 　　 The whole company was perfectly aware that if dowager lady Chia had to give out the rule of forfeits, Yuean Yang would necessarily have to suggest it, so the moment they heard the proposal they, with common consent, approved it as excellent. Lady Feng therefore there and then dragged Yuean Yang over. 　　 "As you're to take a part in the game of forfeits," Madame Wang smilingly observed, "there's no reason why you should stand up." And turning her head round, "Bring over," she bade a young waiting-maid, "a chair and place it at your Mistress Secunda's table." 　　 Yuean Yang, half refusing and half assenting, expressed her thanks, and took the seat. After partaking also of a cup of wine, "Drinking rules," she smiled, "resemble very much martial law; so irrespective of high or low, I alone will preside. Any one therefore who disobeys my words will have to suffer a penalty." 　　 "Of course, it should be so!" Madame Wang and the others laughed, "so be quick and give out the rule!" 　　 But before Yuean Yang had as yet opened her lips to speak, old goody Liu left the table, and waving her hand: "Don't," she said, "make fun of people in this way, for I'll go home." 　　 "This will never do!" One and all smilingly protested. 　　 Yuean Yang shouted to the young waiting-maids to drag her back to her table; and the maids, while also indulging in laughter, actually pulled her and compelled her to rejoin the banquet. 　　 "Spare me!" old goody Liu kept on crying, "spare me!" 　　 "Any one who says one word more," Yuean Yang exclaimed, "will be fined a whole decanter full." 　　 Old goody Liu then at length observed silence. 　　 "I'll now give out the set of dominoes." Yuean Yang proceeded. "I'll begin from our venerable mistress and follow down in proper order until I come to old goody Liu, when I shall stop. So as to illustrate what I meant just now by giving out a set, I'll take these three dominoes and place them apart; you have to begin by saying something on the first, next, to allude to the second, and, after finishing with all three, to take the name of the whole set and match it with a line, no matter whether it be from some stanza or roundelay, song or idyl, set phrases or proverbs. But they must rhyme. And any one making a mistake will be mulcted in one cup." 　　 "This rule is splendid; begin at once!" they all exclaimed. 　　 "I've got a set," Yuean Yang pursued; "on the left, is the piece 'heaven,' (twelve dots)." 　　 "Above head stretches the blue heaven," 　　 dowager lady Chia said. 　　 "Good!" shouted every one. 　　 "In the centre is a five and six," Yuean Yang resumed. 　　 The fragrance of the plum blossom pierces the bones on the bridge "Six," 　　 old lady Chia added. 　　 "There now remains," Yuean Yang explained, "one piece, the six and one." 　　 "From among the fleecy clouds issues the wheel-like russet sun." 　　 dowager lady Chia continued. 　　 "The whole combined," Yuan Yang observed "forms 'the devil with dishevelled hair.'" 　　 "This devil clasps the leg of the 'Chung Pa' devil," 　　 old lady Chia observed. 　　 At the conclusion of her recitation, they all burst out laughing. "Capital!" they shouted. Old lady Chia drained a cup. Yuean Yang then went on to remark, "I've got another set; the one on the left is a double five." 　　 "Bud after bud of the plum bloom dances in the wind," 　　 Mrs. Hsueeh replied. 　　 "The one on the right is a ten spot," Yuean Yang pursued. 　　 "In the tenth moon the plum bloom on the hills emits its fragrant smell," 　　 Mrs. Hsueeh added. 　　 "The middle piece is the two and five, making the 'unlike seven;'" Yuean Yang observed. 　　 "The 'spinning damsel' star meets the 'cow-herd' on the eve of the seventh day of the seventh moon," 　　 Miss Hsueeh said. 　　 "Together they form: 'Erh Lang strolls on the five mounds;'" Yuean Yang continued. 　　 "Mortals cannot be happy as immortals," 　　 Mrs. Hsueeh rejoined. 　　 Her answers over, the whole company extolled them and had a drink. "I've got another set!" Yuean Yang once more exclaimed. "On the left, are distinctly the distant dots of the double ace." 　　 "Both sun and moon are so suspended as to shine on heaven and earth," 　　 Hsiang-yuen ventured. 　　 "On the right, are a couple of spots, far apart, which clearly form a one and one." Yuean Yang pursued. 　　 "What time a lonesome flower falls to the ground, no sound is audible," 　　 Hsiang-yuen rejoined. 　　 "In the middle, there is the one and four," Yuean Yang added. 　　 "The red apricot tree is planted by the sun, and leans against the clouds;" 　　 Hsiang-yuen answered. 　　 "Together they form the 'cherry fruit ripens for the ninth time,'" Yuean Yang said. 　　 "In the imperial garden it is pecked by birds." 　　 Hsiang-yuen replied. 　　 When she had done with her part, she drank a cup of wine. "I've got another set," Yuean Yang began, "the one on the left is a double three." 　　 "The swallows, pair by pair, chatter on the beams;" 　　 Pao-ch'ai remarked. 　　 "The right piece is a six," Yuean Yang added. 　　 "The marsh flower is stretched by the breeze e'en to the length of a green sash," 　　 Pao-ch'ai returned. 　　 "The centre piece is a three and six, making a nine spot," Yuean Yang pursued. 　　 "The three hills tower half beyond the azure skies;" 　　 Pao-ch'ai rejoined. 　　 "Lumped together they form: a 'chain-bound solitary boat,'" Yuean Yang resumed. 　　 "Where there are wind and waves, there I feel sad;" 　　 Pao-ch'ai answered. 　　 When she had finished her turn and drained her cup, Yuean Yang went on again. "On the left," she said, "there's a 'heaven.'" 　　 "A morning fine and beauteous scenery, but, alas, what a day for me!" 　　 Tai-yue replied. 　　 When this line fell on Pao-chai's ear, she turned her head round and cast a glance at her, but Tai-yue was so nervous lest she should have to pay a forfeit that she did not so much as notice her. 　　 "In the middle there's the 'colour of the embroidered screen, (ten spots, four and six), is beautiful,'" Yuean Yang proceeded. 　　 "Not e'en Hung Niang to the gauze window comes, any message to bring." 　　 Tai-yue responded. 　　 "There now remains a two and six, eight in all," Yuean Yang resumed. 　　 "Twice see the jady throne when led in to perform the court ritual," 　　 Tai-yue replied. 　　 "Together they form 'a basket suitable for putting plucked flowers in,'" Yuean Yang continued. 　　 "The fairy wand smells nice as on it hangs a peony." 　　 Tai-yue retorted. 　　 At the close of her replies, she took a sip of wine. Yuean Yang then resumed. "On the left," she said, "there's a four and five, making a 'different-combined nine.'" 　　 "The peach blossoms bear heavy drops of rain;" 　　 Ying Ch'un remarked. 　　 The company laughed. "She must be fined!" they exclaimed. "She has made a mistake in the rhyme. Besides, it isn't right!" 　　 Ying Ch'un smiled and drank a sip. The fact is that both lady Feng and Yuean Yang were so eager to hear the funny things that would be uttered by old goody Liu, that they with one voice purposely ruled that every one answered wrong and fined them. When it came to Madame Wang's turn, Yuean Yang recited something for her. Next followed old goody Liu. 　　 "When we country-people have got nothing to do," old goody Liu said, "a few of us too often come together and play this sort of game; but the answers we give are not so high-flown; yet, as I can't get out of it, I'll likewise make a try!" 　　 "It's easy enough to say what there is," one and all laughed, "so just you go on and don't mind!" 　　 "On the left," Yuean Yang smiled, "there's a double four, i.e. 'man.'" 　　 Goody Liu listened intently. After considerable reflection, 　　 "It's a peasant!" 　　 she cried. 　　 One and all in the room blurted out laughing. 　　 "Well-said!" dowager lady Chia observed with a laugh, "that's the way." 　　 "All we country-people know," old goody Liu proceeded, also laughing, "is just what comes within our own rough-and-ready wits, so young ladies and ladies pray don't poke fun at me!" 　　 "In the centre there's the three and four, green matched with red," Yuean Yang pursued. 　　 "The large fire burnt the hairy caterpillar;" 　　 old goody Liu ventured. 　　 "This will do very well!", the party laughed, "go on with what is in your line." 　　 "On the right," Yuean Yang smilingly continued, "there's a one and four, and is really pretty." 　　 "A turnip and a head of garlic." 　　 old goody Liu answered. 　　 This reply evoked further laughter from the whole company. 　　 "Altogether, it's a twig of flowers," Yuean Yang added laughing. 　　 "The flower dropped, and a huge melon formed." 　　 old goody Liu observed, while gesticulating with both her hands by way of illustration. 　　 The party once more exploded in loud merriment. 　　 But, reader, if you entertain any curiosity to hear what else was said during the banquet, listen to the explanation given in the next chapter. 请欣赏:  请给我换一个看看！  拜托，快把噪音停掉！我读累了，想听点音乐或者请来支歌曲！      << qiányīzhānghuí   hòuyīzhānghuí >>    【选集】hóng lóu yī chūn mèng

dì yī huí　 zhēn shì yǐn mèng huàn shí tōng líng　 jiǎ yǔ cūn fēng chén huái guī xiù CHAPTER I. dì 'èr huí　 jiǎ fū rén xiān shì yáng zhōu chéng　 lěng zǐ xīng yǎn shuō róng guó fǔ CHAPTER II. dì sān huí jiǎ yǔ cūn yín yuán fù jiù zhí　 lín dài yù pāo fù jìn jīng dū CHAPTER III. dì sì huí bó mìng nǚ piān féng bó mìng láng　 hú lú sēng luàn pàn hú lú 'àn CHAPTER IV. dì wǔ huí yóu huàn jìng zhǐ mí shí 'èr chāi　 yǐn xiān láo qū yǎn hóng lóu mèng CHAPTER V. dì liù huí jiǎ bǎo yù chū shì yún yǔ qíng　 liú lǎo lǎo yī jìn róng guó fǔ CHAPTER VI. dì qī huí sòng gōng huā jiǎ liǎn xì xī fèng　 yàn níng fǔ bǎo yù huì qín zhōng CHAPTER VII. dì bā huí bǐ tōng líng jīn yīng wēi lù yì　 tàn bǎo chāi dài yù bàn hán suān CHAPTER VIII. dì jiǔ huí liàn fēng liú qíng yǒu rù jiā shú　 qǐ xián yí wán tóng nào xué táng CHAPTER IX. dì shí huí　 jīn guǎ fù tān lì quán shòu rǔ　 zhāng tài yī lùn bìng xì qióng yuán CHAPTER X. dì shí yī huí qìng shòu chén níng fǔ pái jiā yàn　 jiàn xī fèng jiǎ ruì qǐ yín xīn CHAPTER XI. dì shí 'èr huí　 wáng xī fèng dú shè xiāng sī jú　 jiǎ tiān xiáng zhèng zhào fēng yuè jiàn CHAPTER XII. dì shí sān huí　 qín kě qīng sǐ fēng lóng jìn wèi　 wáng xī fèng xié lǐ níng guó fǔ CHAPTER XIII. dì shí sì huí　 lín rú hǎi juān guǎn yáng zhōu chéng　 jiǎ bǎo yù lù yè běi jìng wáng CHAPTER XIV. dì shí wǔ huí　 wáng fèng jiě nòng quán tiě jiàn sì　 qín jīng qīng dé qù mán tóu 'ān CHAPTER XV. dì shí liù huí　 jiǎ yuán chūn cái xuǎn fèng zǎo gōng　 qín jīng qīng yāo shì huáng quán lù CHAPTER XVI. dì shí qī huí　 dà guān yuán shì cái tí duì 'é　 róng guó fǔ guī shěng qìng yuán xiāo CHAPTER XVII. dì shí bā huí　 gé zhū lián fù nǚ miǎn zhōng qín　 nuò xiāng guǎn zǐ dì cái tí yǒng CHAPTER XVIII. dì shí jiǔ huí　 qíng qiē qiē liáng xiāo huā jiě yǔ　 yì mián mián jìng rì yù shēng xiāng CHAPTER XIX. dì 'èr shí huí　 wáng xī fèng zhèng yán dàn dù yì　 lín dài yù qiào yǔ xuè jiāo yīn CHAPTER XX. dì 'èr shí yī huí　 xián xí rén jiāo chēn zhēn bǎo yù　 qiào píng 'ér ruǎn yǔ jiù jiǎ liǎn CHAPTER XXI. dì 'èr shí 'èr huí　 tīng qū wén bǎo yù wù chán jī　 zhì dēng mí jiǎ zhèng bēi chèn yǔ CHAPTER XXII. dì 'èr shí sān huí　 xī xiāng jì miào cí tōng xì yǔ　 mǔ dān tíng yàn qū jǐng fāng xīn CHAPTER XXIII. dì 'èr shí sì huí　 zuì jīn gāng qīng cái shàng yì xiá　 chī nǚ 'ér yí pà rě xiāng sī CHAPTER XXIV.

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