中国经典 》 紅樓夢 A Dream of Red Mansions 》
第四十一回 櫳翠庵茶品梅花雪 怡紅院劫遇母蝗蟲 CHAPTER XLI.
曹雪芹 Cao Xueqin
高鶚 Gao E
CHAPTER XLI.
話說劉姥姥兩衹手比着說道：“花兒落了結個大倭瓜。 "衆人聽了哄堂大笑起來。於是吃過門杯，因又逗趣笑道：“實告訴說罷，我的手腳子粗笨， 又喝了酒，仔細失手打了這瓷杯。有木頭的杯取個子來，我便失了手，掉了地下也無礙。”衆人聽了，又笑起來。鳳姐兒聽如此說，便忙笑道：“果真要木頭的，我就取了來。可有一句先說下：這木頭的可比不得瓷的，他都是一套，定要吃遍一套方使得。”劉姥姥聽了心下ゅ道：“我方纔不過是趣話取笑兒，誰知他果真竟有。我時常在村莊鄉紳大傢也赴過席， 金杯銀杯倒都也見過，從來沒見有木頭杯之說。哦，是了，想必是小孩子們使的木碗兒，不過誆我多喝兩碗。別管他，橫竪這酒蜜水兒似的，多喝點子也無妨。”想畢，便說：“取來再商量。”鳳姐乃命豐兒：“到前面裏間屋，書架子上有十個竹根套杯取來。 "豐兒聽了，答應纔要去，鴛鴦笑道：“我知道你這十個杯還小。況且你纔說是木頭的，這會子又拿了竹根子的來，倒不好看。不如把我們那裏的黃楊根整摳的十個大套杯拿來，灌他十下子。”鳳姐兒笑道：“更好了。”鴛鴦果命人取來。劉姥姥一看， 又驚又喜：驚的是一連十個，挨次大小分下來，那大的足似個小盆子，第十個極小的還有手裏的杯子兩個大， 喜的是雕鏤奇絶，一色山水樹木人物，並有草字以及圖印。因忙說道：“拿了那小的來就是了，怎麽這樣多？"鳳姐兒笑道：“這個杯沒有喝一個的理。 我們傢因沒有這大量的，所以沒人敢使他。姥姥既要，好容易尋了出來，必定要挨次吃一遍纔使得。 "劉姥姥唬的忙道：“這個不敢。好姑奶奶，饒了我罷。”賈母，薛姨媽，王夫人知道他上了年紀的人，禁不起，忙笑道：“說是說，笑是笑，不可多吃了，衹吃這頭一杯罷。 "劉姥姥道：“阿彌陀佛！我還是小杯吃罷。把這大杯收着，我帶了傢去慢慢的吃罷。 "說的衆人又笑起來。鴛鴦無法，衹得命人滿斟了一大杯，劉姥姥兩手捧着喝。 賈母薛姨媽都道：“慢些，不要嗆了。”薛姨媽又命鳳姐兒布了菜。鳳姐笑道：“姥姥要吃什麽， 說出名兒來，我搛了喂你。”劉姥姥道：“我知什麽名兒，樣樣都是好的。”賈母笑道：“你把茄鮝搛些喂他。”鳳姐兒聽說，依言搛些茄鮝送入劉姥姥口中，因笑道：“你們天天吃茄子，也嘗嘗我們的茄子弄的可口不可口。”劉姥姥笑道：“別哄我了，茄子跑出這個味兒來了， 我們也不用種糧食，衹種茄子了。”衆人笑道：“真是茄子，我們再不哄你。 "劉姥姥詫異道：“真是茄子？我白吃了半日。姑奶奶再喂我些，這一口細嚼嚼。 "鳳姐兒果又搛了些放入口內。劉姥姥細嚼了半日，笑道：“雖有一點茄子香，衹是還不象是茄子。 告訴我是個什麽法子弄的，我也弄着吃去。”鳳姐兒笑道：“這也不難。你把纔下來的茄子把皮了，衹要淨肉，切成碎釘子，用雞油炸了，再用雞脯子肉並香菌，新筍，蘑菇，五香腐幹，各色幹果子，俱切成釘子，用雞湯煨幹，將香油一收，外加糟油一拌，盛在瓷罐子裏封嚴，要吃時拿出來，用炒的雞瓜一拌就是。”劉姥姥聽了，搖頭吐舌說道：“我的佛祖！倒得十來衹雞來配他，怪道這個味兒！"一面說笑，一面慢慢的吃完了酒， 還衹管細玩那杯。鳳姐笑道：“還是不足興，再吃一杯罷。”劉姥姥忙道：“了不得，那就醉死了。我因為愛這樣範，虧他怎麽作了。”鴛鴦笑道：“酒吃完了，到底這杯子是什麽木的？"劉姥姥笑道：“怨不得姑娘不認得，你們在這金門綉戶的，如何認得木頭！ 我們成日傢和樹林子作街坊，睏了枕着他睡，乏了靠着他坐，荒年間餓了還吃他，眼睛裏天天見他， 耳朵裏天天聽他，口兒裏天天講他，所以好歹真假，我是認得的。讓我認一認。 "一面說，一面細細端詳了半日，道：“你們這樣人傢斷沒有那賤東西，那容易得的木頭，你們也不收着了。我掂着這杯體重，斷乎不是楊木，這一定是黃鬆的。”衆人聽了，哄堂大笑起來。
衹見一個婆子走來請問賈母， 說：“姑娘們都到了藕香榭，請示下，就演罷還是再等一會子？"賈母忙笑道：“可是倒忘了他們，就叫他們演罷。”那個婆子答應去了。不一時， 衹聽得簫管悠揚，笙笛並發。正值風清氣爽之時，那樂聲穿林度水而來，自然使人神怡心曠。寶玉先禁不住，拿起壺來斟了一杯，一口飲盡。復又斟上，纔要飲，衹見王夫人也要飲，命人換暖酒，寶玉連忙將自己的杯捧了過來，送到王夫人口邊，王夫人便就他手內吃了兩口。一時暖酒來了，寶玉仍歸舊坐，王夫人提了暖壺下席來，衆人皆都出了席，薛姨媽也立起來，賈母忙命李，鳳二人接過壺來：“讓你姨媽坐了，大傢纔便。”王夫人見如此說，方將壺遞與鳳姐，自己歸坐。賈母笑道：“大傢吃上兩杯，今日着實有趣。 "說着擎杯讓薛姨媽，又嚮湘雲寶釵道：“你姐妹兩個也吃一杯。你妹妹雖不大會吃，也別饒他。 "說着自己已幹了。湘雲，寶釵，黛玉也都幹了。當下劉姥姥聽見這般音樂，且又有了酒，越發喜的手舞足蹈起來。寶玉因下席過來嚮黛玉笑道：“你瞧劉姥姥的樣子。”黛玉笑道：“當日聖樂一奏，百獸率舞，如今纔一牛耳。”衆姐妹都笑了。
須臾樂止，薛姨媽出席笑道：“大傢的酒想也都有了，且出去散散再坐罷。”賈母也正要散散，於是大傢出席，都隨着賈母遊玩。賈母因要帶着劉姥姥散悶，遂攜了劉姥姥至山前樹下盤桓了半晌，又說與他這是什麽樹，這是什麽石，這是什麽花。劉姥姥一一的領會， 又嚮賈母道：“誰知城裏不但人尊貴，連雀兒也是尊貴的。偏這雀兒到了你們這裏，他也變俊了，也會說話了。”衆人不解，因問什麽雀兒變俊了，會講話。劉姥姥道：“ 那廊下金架子上站的緑毛紅嘴是鸚哥兒，我是認得的。那籠子裏黑老鴰子怎麽又長出鳳頭來，也會說話呢。”衆人聽了都笑將起來。
一時衹見丫鬟們來請用點心。賈母道：“吃了兩杯酒，倒也不餓。也罷，就拿了這裏來，大傢隨便吃些罷。”丫鬟便去擡了兩張幾來，又端了兩個小捧盒。揭開看時老聃“聃”，又作“”。相傳即老子。，每個盒內兩樣： 這盒內一樣是藕粉桂糖糕，一樣是鬆穰鵝油捲，那盒內一樣是一寸來大的小餃兒，……賈母因問什麽餡兒，婆子們忙回是螃蟹的。賈母聽了，皺眉說：“這油膩膩的，誰吃這個！"那一樣是奶油炸的各色小面果，也不喜歡。因讓薛姨媽吃，薛姨媽衹揀了一塊糕，賈母揀了一個捲子，衹嘗了一嘗，剩的半個遞與丫鬟了。劉姥姥因見那小面果子都玲瓏剔透，便揀了一朵牡丹花樣的笑道：“我們那裏最巧的姐兒們，也不能鉸出這麽個紙的來。 我又愛吃，又捨不得吃，包些傢去給他們做花樣子去倒好。”衆人都笑了。賈母道：“傢去我送你一罎子。你先趁熱吃這個罷。”別人不過揀各人愛吃的一兩點就罷了，劉姥姥原不曾吃過這些東西，且都作的小巧，不顯盤堆的，他和板兒每樣吃了些， 就去了半盤子。剩的，鳳姐又命攢了兩盤並一個攢盤，與文官等吃去。忽見奶子抱了大姐兒來， 大傢哄他頑了一會。那大姐兒因抱着一個大柚子玩的，忽見板兒抱着一個佛手，便也要佛手。丫鬟哄他取去，大姐兒等不得，便哭了。衆人忙把柚子與了板兒，將板兒的佛手哄過來與他纔罷。 那板兒因頑了半日佛手，此刻又兩手抓着些果子吃，又忽見這柚子又香又圓，更覺好頑，且當球踢着玩去，也就不要佛手了。
當下賈母等吃過茶， 又帶了劉姥姥至櫳翠庵來。妙玉忙接了進去。至院中見花木繁盛，賈母笑道：“到底是他們修行的人，沒事常常修理，比別處越發好看。”一面說，一面便往東禪堂來。妙玉笑往裏讓，賈母道：“我們纔都吃了酒肉，你這裏頭有菩薩，衝了罪過。我們這裏坐坐，把你的好茶拿來，我們吃一杯就去了。”妙玉聽了，忙去烹了茶來。寶玉留神看他是怎麽行事。衹見妙玉親自捧了一個海棠花式雕漆填金雲竜獻壽的小茶盤， 裏面放一個成窯五彩小蓋鐘，捧與賈母。賈母道：“我不吃六安茶。”妙玉笑說：“知道。這是老君眉。”賈母接了，又問是什麽水。妙玉笑回"是舊年蠲的雨水。”賈母便吃了半盞， 便笑着遞與劉姥姥說：“你嘗嘗這個茶。”劉姥姥便一口吃盡，笑道：“好是好，就是淡些，再熬濃些更好了。”賈母衆人都笑起來。然後衆人都是一色官窯脫胎填白蓋碗。
那妙玉便把寶釵和黛玉的衣襟一拉， 二人隨他出去，寶玉悄悄的隨後跟了來。衹見妙玉讓他二人在耳房內， 寶釵坐在榻上，黛玉便坐在妙玉的蒲團上。妙玉自嚮風爐上扇滾了水，另泡一壺茶。寶玉便走了進來，笑道：“偏你們吃梯己茶呢。”二人都笑道：“你又趕了來茶吃。這裏並沒你的。”妙玉剛要去取杯，衹見道婆收了上面的茶盞來。妙玉忙命：“將那成窯的茶杯別收了，擱在外頭去罷。”寶玉會意，知為劉姥姥吃了，他嫌髒不要了。 又見妙玉另拿出兩衹杯來。一個旁邊有一耳，杯上鎸着"べ"三個隸字，後有一行小真字是"晉王愷珍玩"，又有"宋元豐五年四月眉山蘇軾見於秘府"一行小字。妙玉便斟了一，遞與寶釵。那一隻形似鉢而小，也有三個垂珠篆字，鎸着"點犀"。妙玉斟了一與黛玉。仍將前番自己常日吃茶的那衹緑玉鬥來斟與寶玉。寶玉笑道：“常言‘世法平等’，他兩個就用那樣古玩奇珍，我就是個俗器了。”妙玉道：“這是俗器？ 不是我說狂話，衹怕你傢裏未必找的出這麽一個俗器來呢。”寶玉笑道：“俗說‘隨鄉入鄉’，到了你這裏，自然把那金玉珠寶一概貶為俗器了。”妙玉聽如此說，十分歡喜，遂又尋出一隻九麯十環一百二十節蟠虯整雕竹根的一個大ニ出來，笑道：“就剩了這一個，你可吃的了這一海？"寶玉喜的忙道：“吃的了。”妙玉笑道：“你雖吃的了，也沒這些茶糟踏。豈不聞‘一杯為品，二杯即是解渴的蠢物，三杯便是飲牛飲騾了’。你吃這一海便成什麽？ "說的寶釵，黛玉，寶玉都笑了。妙玉執壺，衹嚮海內斟了約有一杯。寶玉細細吃了，果覺輕浮無比，賞贊不絶。妙玉正色道：“你這遭吃的茶是托他兩個福，獨你來了， 我是不給你吃的。”寶玉笑道：“我深知道的，我也不領你的情，衹謝他二人便是了。 "妙玉聽了，方說：“這話明白。”黛玉因問：“這也是舊年的雨水？"妙玉冷笑道：“你這麽個人，竟是大俗人，連水也嘗不出來。這是五年前我在玄墓蟠香寺住着，收的梅花上的雪， 共得了那一鬼臉青的花甕一甕，總捨不得吃，埋在地下，今年夏天才開了。我衹吃過一回，這是第二回了。你怎麽嘗不出來？隔年蠲的雨水那有這樣輕浮，如何吃得。”黛玉知他天性怪僻，不好多話，亦不好多坐，吃完茶，便約着寶釵走了出來。
寶玉和妙玉陪笑道：“那茶杯雖然髒了，白撂了豈不可惜？依我說，不如就給那貧婆子罷，他賣了也可以度日。你道可使得。”妙玉聽了，想了一想等都納入“仁”的範疇之中。孟子以“親親”釋仁，並將之，點頭說道：“這也罷了。 幸而那杯子是我沒吃過的，若我使過，我就砸碎了也不能給他。你要給他，我也不管你，衹交給你，快拿了去罷。”寶玉笑道：“自然如此，你那裏和他說話授受去，越發連你也髒了。 衹交與我就是了。”妙玉便命人拿來遞與寶玉。寶玉接了，又道：“等我們出去了，我叫幾個小幺兒來河裏打幾桶水來洗地如何？"妙玉笑道：“這更好了，衹是你囑咐他們， 擡了水衹擱在山門外頭墻根下，別進門來。”寶玉道：“這是自然的。”說着，便袖着那杯，遞與賈母房中小丫頭拿着，說：“明日劉姥姥傢去，給他帶去罷。”交代明白，賈母已經出來要回去。妙玉亦不甚留，送出山門，回身便將門閉了。不在話下。
且說賈母因覺身上乏倦，便命王夫人和迎春姊妹陪了薛姨媽去吃酒，自己便往稻香村來歇息。鳳姐忙命人將小竹椅擡來，賈母坐上，兩個婆子擡起，鳳姐李紈和衆丫鬟婆子圍隨去了，不在話下。這裏薛姨媽也就辭出。王夫人打發文官等出去，將攢盒散與衆丫鬟們吃去， 自己便也乘空歇着，隨便歪在方纔賈母坐的榻上，命一個小丫頭放下簾子來，又命他捶着腿，吩咐他：“老太太那裏有信，你就叫我。”說着也歪着睡着了。
寶玉湘雲等看着丫鬟們將攢盒擱在山石上，也有坐在山石上的，也有坐在草地下的，也有靠着樹的，也有傍着水的，倒也十分熱鬧。一時又見鴛鴦來了，要帶着劉姥姥各處去逛，衆人也都趕着取笑。一時來至"省親別墅"的牌坊底下，劉姥姥道：“噯呀！這裏還有個大廟呢。”說着，便爬下磕頭。衆人笑彎了腰。劉姥姥道：“笑什麽？這牌樓上字我都認得。 我們那裏這樣的廟宇最多，都是這樣的牌坊，那字就是廟的名字。”衆人笑道：“你認得這是什麽廟？"劉姥姥便擡頭指那字道：“這不是‘玉皇寶殿’四字？"衆人笑的拍手打腳，還要拿他取笑。劉姥姥覺得腹內一陣亂響，忙的拉着一個小丫頭，要了兩張紙就解衣。衆人又是笑，又忙喝他"這裏使不得！"忙命一個婆子帶了東北上去了。那婆子指與地方，便樂得走開去歇息。
那劉姥姥因喝了些酒， 他脾氣不與黃酒相宜，且吃了許多油膩飲食，發渴多喝了幾碗茶，不免通瀉起來持“心外無物”，反對以“理”、“太極”為萬物本原。認為人，蹲了半日方完。及出厠來，酒被風禁，且年邁之人，蹲了半天，忽一起身， 衹覺得眼花頭眩，辨不出路徑。四顧一望，皆是樹木山石樓臺房捨，卻不知那一處是往那裏去的了， 衹得認着一條石子路慢慢的走來。及至到了房捨跟前，又找不着門， 再找了半日，忽見一帶竹籬，劉姥姥心中自忖道：“這裏也有扁豆架子。”一面想，一面順着花障走了來，得了一個月洞門進去。衹見迎面忽有一帶水池，衹有七八尺寬，石頭砌岸，裏面碧瀏清水流往那邊去了，上面有一塊白石橫架在上面。劉姥姥便度石過去， 順着石子甬路走去，轉了兩個彎子，衹見有一房門。於是進了房門，衹見迎面一個女孩兒， 滿面含笑迎了出來。劉姥姥忙笑道：“姑娘們把我丟下來了，要我碰頭碰到這裏來。”說了，衹覺那女孩兒不答。劉姥姥便趕來拉他的手，"咕咚"一聲，便撞到板壁上，把頭碰的生疼。細瞧了一瞧，原來是一幅畫兒。劉姥姥自忖道：“原來畫兒有這樣活凸出來的。 "一面想，一面看，一面又用手摸去，卻是一色平的，點頭嘆了兩聲。一轉身方得了一個小門，門上挂着蔥緑撒花軟簾。劉姥姥掀簾進去，擡頭一看，衹見四面墻壁玲瓏剔透， 琴劍瓶爐皆貼在墻上，錦籠紗罩，金彩珠光，連地下踩的磚，皆是碧緑鑿花，竟越發把眼花了，找門出去，那裏有門？左一架書，右一架屏。剛從屏後得了一門轉去， 衹見他親傢母也從外面迎了進來。劉姥姥詫異，忙問道：“你想是見我這幾日沒傢去，虧你找我來。那一位姑娘帶你進來的？"他親傢衹是笑，不還言。劉姥姥笑道：“你好沒見世面，見這園裏的花好，你就沒死活戴了一頭。”他親傢也不答。便心下忽然想起：“ 常聽大富貴人傢有一種穿衣鏡，這別是我在鏡子裏頭呢罷。”說畢伸手一摸，再細一看，可不是，四面雕空紫檀板壁將鏡子嵌在中間。因說：“這已經攔住，如何走出去呢？"一面說， 一面衹管用手摸。這鏡子原是西洋機括，可以開合。不意劉姥姥亂摸之間，其力巧合，便撞開消息，掩過鏡子，露出門來。劉姥姥又驚又喜，邁步出來，忽見有一副最精緻的床帳。他此時又帶了七八分醉，又走乏了，便一屁股坐在床上，衹說歇歇，不承望身不由己，前仰後合的，朦朧着兩眼，一歪身就睡熟在床上。
且說衆人等他不見， 板兒見沒了他姥姥，急的哭了。衆人都笑道：“別是掉在茅厠裏了？快叫人去瞧瞧。”因命兩個婆子去找，回來說沒有。衆人各處搜尋不見。襲人其道路：“是他醉了迷了路，順着這一條路往我們後院子裏去了。若進了花障子到後房門進去， 雖然碰頭，還有小丫頭們知道，若不進花障子再往西南上去，若繞出去還好，若繞不出去， 可夠他繞回子好的。我且瞧瞧去。”一面想，一面回來，進了怡紅院便叫人，誰知那幾個房子裏小丫頭已偷空頑去了。
襲人一直進了房門， 轉過集錦К子，就聽的鼾如雷。忙進來，衹聞見酒屁臭氣，滿屋一瞧，衹見劉姥姥紮手舞腳的仰臥在床上。襲人這一驚不小，慌忙趕上來將他沒死活的推醒。 那劉姥姥驚醒，睜眼見了襲人，連忙爬起來道：“姑娘，我失錯了！並沒弄髒了床帳。”一面說一面用手去撣。襲人恐驚動了人，被寶玉知道了，衹嚮他搖手，不叫他說話。 忙將鼎內貯了三四把百合香，仍用罩子罩上。些須收拾收拾，所喜不曾嘔吐，忙悄悄的笑道：“不相幹，有我呢。你隨我出來。”劉姥姥跟了襲人，出至小丫頭們房中，命他坐了，嚮他說道：“你就說醉倒在山子石上打了個盹兒。”劉姥姥答應知道。又與他兩碗茶吃，方覺酒醒了，因問道：“這是那個小姐的綉房，這樣精緻？我就象到了天宮裏的一樣。”襲人微微笑道：“這個麽，是寶二爺的臥室。”那劉姥姥嚇的不敢作聲。襲人帶他從前面出去， 見了衆人，衹說他在草地下睡着了，帶了他來的。衆人都不理會，也就罷了。
一時賈母醒了，就在稻香村擺晚飯。賈母因覺懶懶的，也不吃飯，便坐了竹椅小敞轎，回至房中歇息學派·團體，命鳳姐兒等去吃飯。他姊妹方復進園來。要知端的——
Chia Pao-yue tastes tea in the Lung Ts'ui monastery. Old goody Liu gets drunk and falls asleep in the I Hung court.
Old goody Liu, so the story goes, exclaimed, while making signs with both hands,
"The flower dropped and a huge melon formed;"
to the intense amusement of all the inmates, who burst into a boisterous fit of laughter. In due course, however, she drank the closing cup. Then she made another effort to evoke merriment. "To speak the truth to-day," she smilingly observed, "my hands and my feet are so rough, and I've had so much wine that I must be careful; or else I might, by a slip of the hand, break the porcelain cups. If you have got any wooden cups, you'd better produce them. It wouldn't matter then if even they were to slip out of my hands and drop on the ground!"
This joke excited some more mirth. But lady Feng, upon hearing this speedily put on a smile. "Well," she said, "if you really want a wooden one, I'll fetch you one at once! But there's just one word I'd like to tell you beforehand. Wooden cups are not like porcelain ones. They go in sets; so you'll have to do the right thing and drink from every cup of the set."
"I just now simply spoke in jest about those cups in order to induce them to laugh," old goody Liu at these words, mused within herself, "but, who would have thought that she actually has some of the kind. I've often been to the large households of village gentry on a visit, and even been to banquets there and seen both gold cups and silver cups; but never have I beheld any wooden ones about! Ah, of course! They must, I expect, be the wooden bowls used by the young children. Their object must be to inveigle me to have a couple of bowlfuls more than is good for me! But I don't mind it. This wine is, verily, like honey, so if I drink a little more, it won't do me any harm."
Bringing this train of thought to a close, "Fetch them!" she said aloud. "We'll talk about them by and bye."
Lady Feng then directed Feng Erh to go and bring the set of ten cups, made of bamboo roots, from the book-case in the front inner room. Upon hearing her orders, Feng Erh was about to go and execute them, when Yuean Yang smilingly interposed. "I know those ten cups of yours," she remarked, "they're small. What's more, a while back you mentioned wooden ones, and if you have bamboo ones brought now, it won't look well; so we'd better get from our place that set of ten large cups, scooped out of whole blocks of aspen roots, and pour the contents of all ten of them down her throat?"
"Yes, that would be much better," lady Feng smiled.
The cups were then actually brought by a servant, at the direction of Yuean Yang. At the sight of them, old goody Liu was filled with surprise as well as with admiration. Surprise, as the ten formed one set going in gradation from large to small; the largest being amply of the size of a small basin, the smallest even measuring two of those she held in her hand. Admiration, as they were all alike, engraved, in perfect style, with scenery, trees, and human beings, and bore inscriptions in the 'grass' character as well as the seal of the writer.
"It will be enough," she consequently shouted with alacrity, "if you give me that small one."
"There's no one," lady Feng laughingly insinuated, "with the capacity to tackle these! Hence it is that not a soul can pluck up courage enough to use them! But as you, old dame, asked for them, and they were fished out, after ever so much trouble, you're bound to do the proper thing and drink out of each, one after the other."
Old goody Liu was quite taken aback. "I daren't!" she promptly demurred. "My dear lady, do let me off!"
Dowager lady Chia, Mrs. Hsueeh and Madame Wang were quite alive to the fact that a person advanced in years as she was could not be gifted with such powers of endurance, and they hastened to smilingly expostulate. "To speak is to speak, and a joke is a joke, but she mayn't take too much," they said; "let her just empty this first cup, and have done."
"O-mi-to-fu!" ejaculated old goody Liu. "I'll only have a small cupful, and put this huge fellow away, and take it home and drink at my leisure."
At this remark, the whole company once more gave way to laughter. Yuean Yang had no alternative but to give in and she had to bid a servant fill a large cup full of wine. Old goody Liu laid hold of it with both hands and raised it to her mouth.
"Gently a bit!" old lady Chia and Mrs. Hsueeh shouted. "Mind you don't choke!"
Mrs. Hsueeh then told lady Feng to put some viands before her. "Goody Liu!" smiled lady Feng, "tell me the name of anything you fancy, and I'll bring it and feed you."
"What names can I know?" old goody Liu rejoined. "Everything is good!"
"Bring some egg-plant and salt-fish for her!" dowager lady Chia suggested with a smile.
Lady Feng, upon hearing this suggestion, complied with it by catching some egg-plant and salt-fish with two chopsticks and putting them into old goody Liu's mouth. "You people," she smiled, "daily feed on egg-plants; so taste these of ours and see whether they've been nicely prepared or not."
"Don't be making a fool of me!" old goody Liu answered smilingly. "If egg-plants can have such flavour, we ourselves needn't sow any cereals, but confine ourselves to growing nothing but egg-plants!"
"They're really egg-plants!" one and all protested. "She's not pulling your leg!"
Old goody Liu was amazed. "If these be actually egg-plants," she said, "I've uselessly eaten them so long! But, my lady, do give me a few more; I'd like to taste the next mouthful carefully!"
Lady Feng brought her, in very deed, another lot, and put it in her mouth. Old goody Liu munched for long with particular care. "There is, it's true, something about them of the flavour of egg-plant," she laughingly remarked, "yet they don't quite taste like egg-plants. But tell me how they're cooked, so that I may prepare them in the same way for myself."
"There's nothing hard about it!" lady Feng answered smiling. "You take the newly cut egg-plants and pare the skin off. All you want then is some fresh meat. You hash it into fine mince, and fry it in chicken fat. Then you take some dry chicken meat, and mix it with mushrooms, new bamboo shoots, sweet mushrooms, dry beancurd paste, flavoured with five spices, and every kind of dry fruits, and you chop the whole lot into fine pieces. You then bake all these things in chicken broth, until it's absorbed, when you fry them, to finish, in sweet oil, and adding some oil, made of the grains of wine, you place them in a porcelain jar, and close it hermetically. At any time that you want any to eat, all you have to do is to take out some, and mix it with some roasted chicken, and there it is all ready."
Old goody Liu a shook her head and put out her tongue. "My Buddha's ancestor!" she shouted. "One wants about ten chickens to prepare this dish! It isn't strange then that it has this flavour!"
Saying this, she quietly finished her wine. But still she kept on minutely scrutinizing the cup.
"Haven't you yet had enough to satisfy you?" lady Feng smiled. "If you haven't, well, then drink another cup."
"Dreadful!" eagerly exclaimed old goody Liu. "I shall be soon getting so drunk that it will be the very death of me. I was only looking at it as I admire pretty things like this! But what a trouble it must have cost to turn out!"
"Have you done with your wine?" Yuan Yang laughingly inquired. "But, after all, what kind of wood is this cup made of?"
"It isn't to be wondered at," old goody Liu smiled, "that you can't make it out Miss! How ever could you people, who live inside golden doors and embroidered apartments, know anything of wood! We have the whole day long the trees in the woods as our neighbours. When weary, we use them as our pillows and go to sleep on them. When exhausted, we sit with our backs leaning against them. When, in years of dearth, we feel the pangs of hunger, we also feed on them. Day after day, we see them with our eyes; day after day we listen to them with our ears; day after day, we talk of them with our mouths. I am therefore well able to tell whether any wood be good or bad, genuine or false. Do let me then see what it is!"
As she spoke, she intently scanned the cup for a considerable length of time. "Such a family as yours," she then said, "could on no account own mean things! Any wood that is easily procured, wouldn't even find a place in here. This feels so heavy, as I weigh it in my hands, that if it isn't aspen, it must, for a certainty, be yellow cedar."
Her rejoinder amused every one in the room. But they then perceived an old matron come up. After asking permission of dowager lady Chia to speak: "The young ladies," she said, "have got to the Lotus Fragrance pavilion, and they request your commands, as to whether they should start with the rehearsal at once or tarry a while."
"I forgot all about them!" old lady Chia promptly cried with a smile. "Tell them to begin rehearsing at once!"
The matron expressed her obedience and walked away. Presently, became audible the notes of the pan-pipe and double flute, now soft, now loud, and the blended accents of the pipe and fife. So balmy did the breeze happen to be and the weather so fine that the strains of music came wafted across the arbours and over the stream, and, needless to say, conduced to exhilarate their spirits and to cheer their hearts. Unable to resist the temptation, Pao-yue was the first to snatch a decanter and to fill a cup for himself. He quaffed it with one breath. Then pouring another cup, he was about to drain it, when he noticed that Madame Wang too was anxious for a drink, and that she bade a servant bring a warm supply of wine. "With alacrity, Pao-yue crossed over to her, and, presenting his own cup, he applied it to Madame Wang's lips. His mother drank two sips while he held it in his hands, but on the arrival of the warm wine, Pao-yue resumed his seat. Madame Wang laid hold of the warm decanter, and left the table, while the whole party quitted their places at the banquet; and Mrs. Hsueeh too rose to her feet.
"Take over that decanter from her," dowager lady Chia promptly shouted to Li Wan and lady Feng, "and press your aunt into a seat. We shall all then feel at ease!"
Hearing this, Madame Wang surrendered the decanter to lady Feng and returned to her seat.
"Let's all have a couple of cups of wine!" old lady Chia laughingly cried. "It's capital fun to-day!"
With this proposal, she laid hold of a cup and offered it to Mrs. Hsueeh. Turning also towards Hsiang-yuen and Pao-ch'ai: "You two cousins!" she added, "must also have a cup. Your cousin Lin can't take much wine, but even she mustn't be let off."
While pressing them, she drained her cup. Hsiang-yuen, Pao-ch'ai and Tai-y ue then had their drink. But about this time old goody Liu caught the strains of music, and, being already under the influence of liquor, her spirits became more and more exuberant, and she began to gesticulate and skip about. Her pranks amused Pao-yue to such a degree that leaving the table, he crossed over to where Tai-yue was seated and observed laughingly: "Just you look at the way old goody Liu is going on!"
"In days of yore," Tai-yue smiled, "every species of animal commenced to dance the moment the sounds of music broke forth. She's like a buffalo now."
This simile made her cousins laugh. But shortly the music ceased. "We've all had our wine," Mrs. Hsueeh smilingly proposed, "so let's go and stroll about for a time; we can after that sit down again!"
Dowager lady Chia herself was at the moment feeling a strong inclination to have a ramble. In due course, therefore, they all left the banquet and went with their old senior, for a walk. Dowager lady Chia, however, longed to take goody Liu along with her to help her dispel her ennui, so promptly seizing the old dame's hand in hers, they threaded their way as far as the trees, which stood facing the hill. After lolling about with her for a few minutes, "What kind of tree is this?" she went on to inquire of her. "What kind of stone is this? What species of flower is that?"
Old goody Liu gave suitable reply to each of her questions. "Who'd ever have imagined it," she proceeded to tell dowager lady Chia; "not only are the human beings in the city grand, but even the birds are grand. Why, the moment these birds fly into your mansion, they also become beautiful things, and acquire the gift of speech as well!"
The company could not make out the drift of her observations. "What birds get transformed into beautiful things and become able to speak?" they felt impelled to ask.
"Those perched on those gold stands, under the verandah, with green plumage and red beaks are parrots. I know them well enough!" Goody Liu replied. "But those old black crows in the cages there have crests like phoenixes! They can talk too!"
One and all laughed. But not long elapsed before they caught sight of several waiting-maids, who came to invite them to a collation.
"After the number of cups of wine I've had," old lady Chia said, "I don't feel hungry. But never mind, bring the things here. We can nibble something at our leisure."
The maids speedily went off and fetched two teapoys; but they also brought a couple of small boxes with partitions. When they came to be opened and to be examined, the contents of each were found to consist of two kinds of viands. In the one, were two sorts of steamed eatables. One of these was a sweet cake, made of lotus powder, scented with sun-flower. The other being rolls with goose fat and fir cone seeds. The second box contained two kinds of fried eatables; one of which was small dumplings, about an inch in size.
"What stuffing have they put in them?" dowager lady Chia asked.
"They're with crabs inside," 'hastily rejoined the matrons.
Their old mistress, at this reply, knitted her eyebrows. "These fat, greasy viands for such a time!" she observed. "Who'll ever eat these things?"
But finding, when she came to inspect the other kind, that it consisted of small fruits of flour, fashioned in every shape, and fried in butter, she did not fancy these either. She then however pressed Mrs. Hsueeh to have something to eat, but Mrs. Hsueeh merely took a piece of cake, while dowager lady Chia helped herself to a roll; but after tasting a bit, she gave the remaining half to a servant girl.
Goody Liu saw how beautifully worked those small flour fruits were, made as they were in various colours and designs, and she took, after picking and choosing, one which looked like a peony. "The most ingenious girls in our village could not, even with a pair of scissors, cut out anything like this in paper!" she exclaimed. "I would like to eat it, but I can't make up my mind to! I had better pack up a few and take them home and give them to them as specimens!"
Her remarks amused every one.
"When you start for home," dowager lady Chia said, "I'll give you a whole porcelain jar full of them; so you may as well eat these first, while they are hot!"
The rest of the inmates selected such of the fruits as took their fancy, but after they had helped themselves to one or two, they felt satisfied. Goody Liu, however, had never before touched such delicacies. These were, in addition, made small, dainty, and without the least semblance of clumsiness, so when she and Pan Erh had served themselves to a few of each sort, half the contents of the dish vanished. But what remained of them were then, at the instance of lady Feng, put into two plates, and sent, together with a partition-box, to Wen Kuan and the other singing girls as their share.
At an unexpected moment, they perceived the nurse come in with Ta Chieh-erh in her arms, and they all induced her to have a romp with them for a time. But while Ta Chieh-erh was holding a large pumelo and amusing herself with it, she casually caught sight of Pan Erh with a 'Buddha's hand.' Ta Chieh would have it. A servant-girl endeavoured to coax (Pan-Erh) to surrender it to her, but Ta Chieh-erh, unable to curb her impatience, burst out crying. It was only after the pumelo had been given to Pan-Erh, and that the 'Buddha's hand' had, by dint of much humouring, been got from Pan Erh and given to her, that she stopped crying.
Pan Erh had played quite long enough with the 'Buddha's hand,' and had, at the moment, his two hands laden with fruits, which he was in the course of eating. When he suddenly besides saw how scented and round the pumelo was, the idea dawned on him that it was more handy for play, and, using it as a ball, he kicked it along and went off to have some fun, relinquishing at once every thought of the 'Buddha's hand.'
By this time dowager lady Chia and the other members had had tea, so leading off again goody Liu, they threaded their way to the Lung Ts'ui monastery. Miao Yue hastened to usher them in. On their arrival in the interior of the court, they saw the flowers and trees in luxuriant blossom.
"Really," smiled old lady Chia, "it's those people, who devote themselves to an ascetic life and have nothing to do, who manage, by constant repairs, to make their places much nicer than those of others!"
As she spoke, she wended her steps towards the Eastern hall. Miao Yue, with a face beaming with smiles, made way for her to walk in. "We've just been filling ourselves with wines and meats," dowager lady Chia observed, "and with the josses you've got in here, we shall be guilty of profanity. We'd better therefore sit here! But give us some of that good tea of yours; and we'll get off so soon as we have had a cup of it."
Pao-yue watched Miao Yue's movements intently, when he noticed her lay hold of a small tea-tray, fashioned in the shape of a peony, made of red carved lacquer, and inlaid with designs in gold representing a dragon ensconced in the clouds with the character 'longevity' clasped in its jaws, a tray, which contained a small multicoloured cup with cover, fabricated at the 'Ch'eng' Kiln, and present it to his grandmother.
"I don't care for 'Liu An' tea!" old lady Chia exclaimed.
"I know it; but this is old 'Chuen Mei,'" Miao Yue answered with a smile.
Dowager lady Chia received the cup. "What water is this?" she went on to inquire.
"It's rain water collected last year;" Miao Yue added by way of reply.
Old lady Chia readily drank half a cup of the tea; and smiling, she proffered it to goody Liu. "Just you taste this tea!" she said.
Goody Liu drained the remainder with one draught. "It's good, of course," she remarked laughingly, "but it's rather weak! It would be far better were it brewed a little stronger!"
Dowager lady Chia and all the inmates laughed. But subsequently, each of them was handed a thin, pure white covered cup, all of the same make, originating from the 'Kuan' kiln. Miao Yue, however, soon gave a tug at Pao-ch'ai's and Tai-yue's lapels, and both quitted the apartment along with her. But Pao-yue too quietly followed at their heels. Spying Miao Yue show his two cousins into a side-room, Pao-ch'ai take a seat in the court, Tai-yue seat herself on Miao Yue's rush mat, and Miao Yue herself approach a stove, fan the fire and boil some water, with which she brewed another pot of tea, Pao-yue walked in. "Are you bent upon drinking your own private tea?" he smiled.
"Here you rush again to steal our tea," the two girls laughed with one accord. "There's none for you!"
But just as Miao Yue was going to fetch a cup, she perceived an old taoist matron bring away the tea things, which had been used in the upper rooms. "Don't put that 'Ch'eng' kiln tea-cup by!" Miao Yue hastily shouted. "Go and put it outside!"
Pao-yue understood that it must be because old goody Liu had drunk out of it that she considered it too dirty to keep. He then saw Miao Yue produce two other cups. The one had an ear on the side. On the bowl itself were engraved in three characters: 'calabash cup,' in the plain 'square' writing. After these, followed a row of small characters in the 'true' style, to the effect that the cup had been an article much treasured by Wang K'ai. Next came a second row of small characters stating: 'that in the course of the fourth moon of the fifth year of Yuan Feng, of the Sung dynasty, Su Shih of Mei Shan had seen it in the 'Secret' palace.
This cup, Miao Yue filled, and handed to Pao-ch'ai.
The other cup was, in appearance, as clumsy as it was small; yet on it figured an engraved inscription, consisting of 'spotted rhinoceros cup,' in three 'seal' characters, which bore the semblance of pendent pearls. Miao Yue replenished this cup and gave it to Tai-yue; and taking the green jade cup, which she had, on previous occasions, often used for her own tea, she filled it and presented it to Pao-yue.
"'The rules observed in the world,' the adage says, 'must be impartial,'" Pao-yue smiled. "But while my two cousins are handling those antique and rare gems, here am I with this coarse object!"
"Is this a coarse thing?" Miao Yue exclaimed. "Why, I'm making no outrageous statement when I say that I'm inclined to think that it is by no means certain that you could lay your hand upon any such coarse thing as this in your home!"
"'Do in the country as country people do,' the proverb says," Pao-yue laughingly rejoined. "So when one gets in a place like this of yours, one must naturally look down upon every thing in the way of gold, pearls, jade and precious stones, as coarse rubbish!"
This sentiment highly delighted Miao Yue. So much so, that producing another capacious cup, carved out of a whole bamboo root, which with its nine curves and ten rings, with twenty knots in each ring, resembled a coiled dragon, "Here," she said with a face beaming with smiles, "there only remains this one! Can you manage this large cup?"
"I can!" Pao-yue vehemently replied, with high glee.
"Albeit you have the stomach to tackle all it holds," Miao Yue laughed, "I haven't got so much tea for you to waste! Have you not heard how that the first cup is the 'taste'-cup; the second 'the stupid-thing-for- quenching-one's-thirst,' and the third 'the drink-mule' cup? But were you now to go in for this huge cup, why what more wouldn't that be?"
At these words, Pao-ch'ai, Tai-yue and Pao-yue simultaneously indulged in laughter. But Miao-yue seized the teapot, and poured well-nigh a whole cupful of tea into the big cup. Pao-yue tasted some carefully, and found it, in real truth, so exceptionally soft and pure that he extolled it with incessant praise.
"If you've had any tea this time," Miao-Yue pursued with a serious expression about her face, "it's thanks to these two young ladies; for had you come alone, I wouldn't have given you any."
"I'm well aware of this," Pao-yue laughingly rejoined, "so I too will receive no favour from your hands, but simply express my thanks to these two cousins of mine, and have done!"
"What you say makes your meaning clear enough!" Miao-yue said, when she heard his reply.
"Is this rain water from last year?" Tai-yue then inquired.
"How is it," smiled Miao Yue sardonically, "that a person like you can be such a boor as not to be able to discriminate water, when you taste it? This is snow collected from the plum blossom, five years back, when I was in the P'an Hsiang temple at Hsuean Mu. All I got was that flower jar, green as the devil's face, full, and as I couldn't make up my mind to part with it and drink it, I interred it in the ground, and only opened it this summer. I've had some of it once before, and this is the second time. But how is it you didn't detect it, when you put it to your lips? Has rain water, obtained a year back, ever got such a soft and pure flavour? and how possibly could it be drunk at all?"
Tai-yue knew perfectly what a curious disposition she naturally had, and she did not think it advisable to start any lengthy discussion with her. Nor did she feel justified to protract her stay, so after sipping her tea, she intimated to Pao-ch'ai her intention to go, and they quitted the apartment.
Pao-yue gave a forced smile to Miao Yue. "That cup," he said, "is, of course, dirty; but is it not a pity to put it away for no valid reason? To my idea it would be preferable, wouldn't it? to give it to that poor old woman; for were she to sell it, she could have the means of subsistence! What do you say, will it do?"
Miao Yue listened to his suggestion, and then nodded her head, after some reflection. "Yes, that will be all right!" she answered. "Lucky for her I've never drunk a drop out of that cup, for had I, I would rather have smashed it to atoms than have let her have it! If you want to give it to her, I don't mind a bit about it; but you yourself must hand it to her! Now, be quick and clear it away at once!"
"Of course; quite so!" Pao-yue continued. "How could you ever go and speak to her? Things would then come to a worse pass. You too would be contaminated! If you give it to me, it will be all right."
Miao Yue there and then directed some one to fetch it and to give it to Pao-yue. When it was brought, Pao-yue took charge of it. "Wait until we've gone out," he proceeded, "and I'll call a few servant-boys and bid them carry several buckets of water from the stream and wash the floors; eh, shall I?"
"Yes, that would be better!" Miao Yue smiled. "The only thing is that you must tell them to bring the water, and place it outside the entrance door by the foot of the wall; for they mustn't come in."
"This goes without saying!" Pao-yue said; and, while replying, he produced the cup from inside his sleeve, and handed it to a young waiting-maid from dowager lady Chia's apartments to hold. "To-morrow," he told her, "give this to goody Liu to take with her, when she starts on her way homewards!"
By the time he made (the girl) understand the charge he entrusted her with, his old grandmother issued out and was anxious to return home. Miao Yue did not exert herself very much to induce her to prolong her visit; but seeing her as far the main gate, she turned round and bolted the doors. But without devoting any further attention to her, we will now allude to dowager lady Chia.
She felt thoroughly tired and exhausted. To such a degree, that she desired Madame Wang, Ying Ch'un and her sisters to see that Mrs. Hsueeh had some wine, while she herself retired to the Tao Hsiang village to rest. Lady Feng immediately bade some servants fetch a bamboo chair. On its arrival, dowager lady Chia seated herself in it, and two matrons carried her off hemmed in by lady Feng, Li Wan and a bevy of servant-girls, and matrons. But let us now leave her to herself, without any additional explanations.
During this while, Mrs. Hsueeh too said good bye and departed. Madame Wang then dismissed Wen Kuan and the other girls, and, distributing the eatables, that had been collected in the partition-boxes, to the servant-maids to go and feast on, she availed herself of the leisure moments to lie off; so reclining as she was, on the couch, which had been occupied by her old relative a few minutes back, she bade a young maid lower the portiere; after which, she asked her to massage her legs.
"Should our old lady yonder send any message, mind you call me at once," she proceeded to impress on her mind, and, laying herself down, she went to sleep.
Pao-yue, Hsiang-yuen and the rest watched the servant-girls take the partition-boxes and place them among the rocks, and seat themselves some on boulders, others on the turf-covered ground, some lean against the trees, others squat down besides the pool, and thoroughly enjoy themselves. But in a little time, they also perceived Yuean Yang arrive. Her object in coming was to carry off goody Liu for a stroll, so in a body they followed in their track, with a view of deriving some fun. Shortly, they got under the honorary gateway put up in the additional grounds, reserved for the imperial consort's visits to her parents, and old goody Liu shouted aloud: "Ai-yoh! What! Is there another big temple here!"
While speaking, she prostrated herself and knocked her head, to the intense amusement of the company, who were quite doubled up with laughter.
"What are you laughing at?" goody Liu inquired. "I can decipher the characters on this honorary gateway. Over at our place temples of this kind are exceedingly plentiful; and they've all got archways like this! These characters give the name of the temple."
"Can you make out from those characters what temple this is?" they laughingly asked.
Goody Liu quickly raised her head, and, pointing at the inscription, "Are'nt these," she said, "the four characters 'Pearly Emperor's Precious Hall?'"
Everybody laughed. They clapped their hands and applauded. But when about to chaff her again, goody Liu experienced a rumbling noise in her stomach, and vehemently pulling a young servant-girl, and asking her for a couple of sheets of paper, she began immediately to loosen her garments. "It won't do in here!" one and all laughingly shouted out to her, and quickly they directed a matron to lead her away. When they got at the north-east corner, the matron pointed the proper place out to her, and in high spirits she walked off and went to have some rest.
Goody Liu had taken plenty of wine; she could not too touch yellow wine; she had, what is more, drunk and eaten so many fat things that in the thirst, which supervened, she had emptied several cups of tea; the result was that she unavoidably got looseness of the bowels. She therefore squatted for ever so long before she felt any relief. But on her exit from the private chamber, the wind blew the wine to her head. Besides, being a woman well up in years, she felt, upon suddenly rising from a long squatting position, her eyes grow so dim and her head so giddy that she could not make out the way. She gazed on all four quarters, but the whole place being covered with trees, rockeries, towers, terraces, and houses, she was quite at a loss how to determine her whereabouts, and where each road led to. She had no alternative but to follow a stone road, and to toddle on her way with leisurely step. But when she drew near a building, she could not make out where the door could be. After searching and searching, she accidentally caught sight of a bamboo fence. "Here's another trellis with flat bean plants creeping on it!" Goody Liu communed within herself. While giving way to reflection, she skirted the flower-laden hedge, and discovering a moonlike, cavelike, entrance, she stepped in. Here she discerned, stretching before her eyes a sheet of water, forming a pond, which measured no more than seven or eight feet in breadth. Its banks were paved with slabs of stone. Its jadelike waves flowed in a limpid stream towards the opposite direction. At the upper end, figured a slab of white marble, laid horizontally over the surface. Goody Liu wended her steps over the slab and followed the raised stone-road; then turning two bends, in the lake, an entrance into a house struck her gaze. Forthwith, she crossed the doorway, but her eyes were soon attracted by a young girl, who advanced to greet her with a smile playing upon her lips.
"The young ladies," goody Liu speedily remarked laughing, "have cast me adrift; they made me knock about, until I found my way in here."
But seeing, after addressing her, that the girl said nothing by way of reply, goody Liu approached her and seized her by the hand, when, with a crash, she fell against the wooden partition wall and bumped her head so that it felt quite sore. Upon close examination, she discovered that it was a picture. "Do pictures really so bulge out!" Goody Liu mused within herself, and, as she exercised her mind with these cogitations, she scanned it and rubbed her hand over it. It was perfectly even all over. She nodded her head, and heaved a couple of sighs. But the moment she turned round, she espied a small door over which hung a soft portiere, of leek-green colour, bestrewn with embroidered flowers. Goody Liu lifted the portiere and walked in. Upon raising her head, and casting a glance round, she saw the walls, artistically carved in fretwork. On all four sides, lutes, double-edged swords, vases and censers were stuck everywhere over the walls; and embroidered covers and gauze nets, glistened as brightly as gold, and shed a lustre vying with that of pearls. Even the bricks, on the ground, on which she trod, were jadelike green, inlaid with designs, so that her eyes got more and more dazzled. She tried to discover an exit, but where could she find a doorway? On the left, was a bookcase. On the right, a screen. As soon as she repaired behind the screen, she faced a door; but, she then caught sight of another old dame stepping in from outside, and advancing towards her. Goody Liu was wonderstruck. Her mind was full of uncertainty as to whether it might not be her son-in-law's mother. "I expect," she felt prompted to ask with vehemence, "you went to the trouble of coming to hunt for me, as you didn't see me turn up at home for several days, eh? But what young lady introduced you in here?" Then noticing that her whole head was bedecked with flowers, old goody Liu laughed. "How ignorant of the ways of the world you are!" she said. "Seeing the nice flowers in this garden, you at once set to work, forgetful of all consequences, and loaded your pate with them!"
However, while she derided her, the other old dame simply laughed, without making any rejoinder. But the recollection suddenly flashed to her memory that she had often heard of some kind of cheval-glasses, found in wealthy and well-to-do families, and, "May it not be," (she wondered), "my own self reflected in this glass!" After concluding this train of thoughts, she put out her hands, and feeling it and then minutely scrutinising it, she realised that the four wooden partition walls were made of carved blackwood, into which mirrors had been inserted. "These have so far impeded my progress," she consequently exclaimed, "and how am I to manage to get out?"
As she soliloquised, she kept on rubbing the mirror. This mirror was, in fact, provided with some western mechanism, which enabled it to open and shut, so while goody Liu inadvertently passed her hands, quite at random over its surface, the pressure happily fell on the right spot, and opening the contrivance, the mirror flung round, exposing a door to view. Old goody Liu was full of amazement as well as of admiration. With hasty step, she egressed. Her eyes unexpectedly fell on a most handsome set of bed-curtains. But being at the time still seven or eight tenths in the wind, and quite tired out from her tramp, she with one jump squatted down on the bed, saying to herself: "I'll just have a little rest." So little, however, did she, contrary to her expectations, have any control over herself, that, as she reeled backwards and forwards, her eyes got quite drowsy, and then the moment she threw herself in a recumbent position, she dropped into a sound sleep.
But let us now see what the others were up to. They waited for her and waited; but they saw nothing of her. Pan Erh got, in the absence of his grandmother, so distressed that he melted into tears. "May she not have fallen into the place?" one and all laughingly observed. "Be quick and tell some one to go and have a look!"
Two matrons were directed to go in search of her; but they returned and reported that she was not to be found. The whole party instituted a search in every nook and corner, but nothing could be seen of her.
"She was so drunk," Hsi Jen suggested, "that she's sure to have lost her way, and following this road, got into our back-rooms. Should she have crossed to the inner side of the hedge, she must have come to the door of the backhouse and got in. Nevertheless, the young maids, she must have come across, must know something about her. If she did not get inside the hedge, but continued in a south westerly direction, she's all right, if she made a detour and walked out. But if she hasn't done so, why, she'll have enough of roaming for a good long while! I had better therefore go and see what she's up to."
With these words still on her lips, she retraced her footsteps and repaired into the I Hung court. She called out to the servants, but, who would have thought it, the whole bevy of young maids, attached to those rooms, had seized the opportunity to go and have a romp, so Hsi Jen straightway entered the door of the house. As soon as she turned the multicoloured embroidered screen, the sound of snoring as loud as peals of thunder, fell on her ear. Hastily she betook herself inside, but her nostrils were overpowered by the foul air of wine and w..d, which infected the apartment. At a glance, she discovered old goody Liu lying on the bed, face downwards, with hands sprawled out and feet knocking about all over the place. Hsi Jen sustained no small shock. With precipitate hurry, she rushed up to her, and, laying hold of her, lying as she was more dead than alive, she pushed her about until she succeeded in rousing her to her senses. Old goody Liu was startled out of her sleep. She opened wide her eyes, and, realising that Hsi Jen stood before her, she speedily crawled up. "Miss!" she pleaded. "I do deserve death! I have done what I shouldn't; but I haven't in any way soiled the bed."
So saying, she swept her hands over it. But Hsi Jen was in fear and trembling lest the suspicions of any inmate should be aroused, and lest Pao-yue should come to know of it, so all she did was to wave her hand towards her, bidding her not utter a word. Then with alacrity grasping three or four handfuls of 'Pai Ho' incense, she heaped it on the large tripod, which stood in the centre of the room, and put the lid back again; delighted at the idea that she had not been so upset as to be sick.
"It doesn't matter!" she quickly rejoined in a low tone of voice with a smile, "I'm here to answer for this. Come along with me!"
While old goody Liu expressed her readiness to comply with her wishes, she followed Hsi Jen out into the quarters occupied by the young maids. Here (Hsi Jen) desired her to take a seat. "Mind you say," she enjoined her, "that you were so drunk that you stretched on a boulder and had a snooze!"
"All right! I will!" old goody Liu promised.
Hsi Jen afterwards helped her to two cups of tea, when she, at length, got over the effects of the wine. "What young lady's room is this that it is so beautiful?" she then inquired. "It seemed to me just as if I had gone to the very heavenly palace."
Hsi Jen gave a faint smile. "This one?" she asked. "Why, it's our master Secundus', Mr. Pao's bedroom."
Old goody Liu was quite taken aback, and could not even presume to utter a sound. But Hsi Jen led her out across the front compound; and, when they met the inmates of the family, she simply explained to them that she had found her fast asleep on the grass, and brought her along. No one paid any heed to the excuse she gave, and the subject was dropped.
Presently, dowager lady Chia awoke, and the evening meal was at once served in the Tao Hsiang Ts'un. Dowager lady Chia was however quite listless, and felt so little inclined to eat anything that she forthwith got into a small open chair, with bamboo seat, and returned to her suite of rooms to rest. But she insisted that lady Feng and her companions should go and have their repast, so the young ladies eventually adjourned once more into the garden.
But, reader, you do not know the sequel, so peruse the circumstances given in detail in the next chapter.
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【选集】紅樓一春夢 |
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