中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions 》
dì sì shí wǔ huí jīn lán qì hù pōu jīn lán yǔ fēng yǔ xī mèn zhì fēng yǔ cí CHAPTER XLV.
cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin
gāo 'ě Gao E
CHAPTER XLV.
huà shuō fèng jiě 'ér zhèng fǔ xù píng 'ér， hū jiàn zhòng zǐ mèi jìn lái， máng ràng zuò liǎo， píng 'ér zhēn shàng chá lái。 fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào： “ jīn 'ér lái de zhè me qí， dǎo xiàng xià tiē zǐ qǐng liǎo lái de。 ” tàn chūn xiào dào：“ wǒ men yòu liǎng jiàn shì： yī jiàn shì wǒ de， yī jiàn shì sì mèi mèi de， hái jiā zhe lǎo tài tài de huà。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ yòu shénme shì， zhè me yào jǐn？ " tàn chūn xiào dào：“ wǒ men qǐ liǎo gè shī shè， tóu yī shè jiù bù qí quán， zhòng rén liǎn ruǎn， suǒ yǐ jiù luàn liǎo。 wǒ xiǎng bì dé nǐ qù zuò gè jiān shè yù shǐ， tiě miàn wú sī cái hǎo。 zài sì mèi mèi wéi huà yuán zǐ， yòng de dōng xī zhè bān nà bān bù quán， huí liǎo lǎo tài tài， lǎo tài tài shuō： ‘ zhǐ pà hòu tóu lóu dǐ xià hái yòu dāng nián shèng xià de， zhǎo yī zhǎo， ruò yòu ní ná chū lái， ruò méi yòu， jiào rén mǎi qù。 ’ " fèng jiě xiào dào：“ wǒ yòu bù huì zuò shénme shī de gān de， yào wǒ chī dōng xī qù bù chéng？ " tàn chūn dào：“ nǐ suī bù huì zuò， yě bù yào nǐ zuò。 nǐ zhǐ jiān chá zhe wǒ men lǐ tóu yòu tōu 'ān dài duò de， gāi zěn me yàng fá tā jiù shì liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ nǐ men bié hǒngwǒ， wǒ cāizháo liǎo， nà lǐ shì qǐng wǒ zuò jiān shè yù shǐ！ fēn míng shì jiào wǒ zuò gè jìn qián de tóng shāng。 nǐ men nòng shénme shè， bì shì yào lún liú zuò dōng dào de。 nǐ men de yuè qián bù gòu huā liǎo， xiǎng chū zhè gè fǎ zǐ lái 'ào liǎo wǒ qù， hǎo hé wǒ yào qián。 kě shì zhè gè zhù yì？ " yī xí huà shuō de zhòng réndōu xiào qǐ lái liǎo。 lǐ wán xiào dào：“ zhēn zhēn nǐ shì gè shuǐ jīng xīn gān bō lí rén。 " fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ kuī nǐ shì gè dà sǎo zǐ ní！ bǎ gū niàn men yuán jiāo gěi nǐ dài zhe niàn shū xué guīju zhēn xiàn de， tā men bù hǎo， nǐ yào quàn。 zhè huì zǐ tā men qǐ shī shè， néng yòng jǐ gè qián， nǐ jiù bù guǎn liǎo？ lǎo tài tài， tài tài bà liǎo， yuán shì lǎo fēng jūn。 nǐ yī gè yuè shí liǎng yín zǐ de yuè qián， bǐ wǒ men duō liǎng bèi yín zǐ。 lǎo tài tài， tài tài hái shuō nǐ guǎ fù shī yè de， kě lián， bù gòu yòng， yòu yòu gè xiǎo zǐ， zú de yòu tiān liǎo shí liǎng， hé lǎo tài tài， tài tài píng děng。 yòu gěi nǐ yuán zǐ dì， gè rén qǔ zū zǐ。 nián zhōng fēn nián lì， nǐ yòu shì shàng shàng fēn 'ér。 nǐ niàn 'ér men， zhù zǐ nú cái gòng zǒng méi shí gè rén， chī de chuān de réng jiù shì guān zhōng de。 yī nián tōng gòng suàn qǐ lái， yě yòu sì wǔ bǎi yín zǐ。 zhè huì zǐ nǐ jiù měi nián ná chū yī 'èr bǎi liǎng yín zǐ lái péi tā men wán wán， néng jǐ nián de xiàn？ tā men gè rén chū liǎo gé， nán dào hái yào nǐ péi bù chéng？ zhè huì zǐ nǐ pà huā qián， tiáosuō tā men lái nào wǒ， wǒ lè dé qù chī yī gè hé kū hǎi gān， wǒ hái tōng bù zhī dào ní！”
lǐ wán xiào dào：“ nǐ men tīng tīng， wǒ shuō liǎo yī jù， tā jiù fēng liǎo， shuō liǎo liǎng chē de wú lài ní tuǐ shì sú zhuān huì dǎ xì suàn pán fēn jīn bō liǎng de huà chū lái。 zhè dōng xī kuī tā tuō shēng zài shī shū dà huàn míng mén zhī jiā zuò xiǎo jiě， chū liǎo jià yòu shì zhè yàng， tā hái shì zhèmezhāo， ruò shì shēng zài pín hán xiǎo hù rén jiā， zuò gè xiǎo zǐ， hái bù zhī zěn me xià zuò pín zuǐ 'è shé de ní！ tiān xià réndōu bèi nǐ suàn jì liǎo qù！ zuó 'ér hái dǎ píng 'ér ní， kuī nǐ shēn de chū shǒu lái！ nà huáng tānɡ nán dào guàn sàng liǎo gǒu dù zǐ lǐ qù liǎo？ qì de wǒ zhǐ yào gěi píng 'ér dǎ bào bù píng 'ér。 cǔn duó liǎo bàn rì， hǎo róng yì‘ gǒu cháng wěi bā jiān 'ér’ de hǎo rì zǐ， yòu pà lǎo tài tài xīn lǐ bù shòu yòng， yīn cǐ méi lái， jiū jìng qì hái wèi píng。 nǐ jīn 'ér yòu zhāo wǒ lái liǎo。 gěi píng 'ér shí xié yě bù yào， nǐ men liǎng gè zhǐ gāi huàn yī gè guò zǐ cái shì。” shuō de zhòng réndōu xiào liǎo。 fèng jiě 'ér máng xiào dào：“ jìng bù shì wéi shī wéi huà lái zhǎo wǒ， zhè liǎn zǐ jìng shì wéi píng 'ér lái bào chóu de。 jìng bù chéng wàng píng 'ér yòu nǐ zhè yī wèi zhàng yāo zǐ de rén。 zǎo zhī dào， biàn yòu guǐ lā zhe wǒ de shǒu dǎ tā， wǒ yě bù dǎ liǎo。 píng gū niàn， guò lái！ wǒ dāng zhe dà nǎi nǎi gū niàn men tì nǐ péi gè bù shì， dān dài wǒ jiǔ hòu wú dé bà。” shuō zhe， zhòng rén yòu dū xiào qǐ lái liǎo。 lǐ wán xiào wèn píng 'ér dào：“ rú hé？ wǒ shuō bì dìng yào gěi nǐ zhēng zhēng qì cái bà。” píng 'ér xiào dào：“ suī rú cǐ， nǎi nǎi men qǔ xiào， wǒ jìn bù qǐ。” lǐ wán dào：“ shénme jìn bù qǐ， yòu wǒ ní。 kuài ná liǎo yàoshì jiào nǐ zhù zǐ kāi liǎo lóu fáng zhǎo dōng xī qù。”
fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ hǎo sǎo zǐ， nǐ qiě tóng tā men huí yuán zǐ lǐ qù。 cái yào bǎ zhè mǐ zhàng hé suàn yī suàn， nà biān dà tài tài yòu dǎ fā rén lái jiào， yòu bù zhī yòu shénme huà shuō， xū dé guò qù zǒu yī tàng。 hái yòu nián xià nǐ men tiān bǔ de yī fú， hái méi dǎ diǎn gěi tā men zuò qù。” lǐ wán xiào dào：“ zhè xiē shì wǒdōu bù guǎn， nǐ zhǐ bǎ wǒ de shì wán liǎo wǒ hǎo xiē zhe qù， shěngde zhè xiē gū niàn xiǎo jiě nào wǒ。 " fèng jiě 'ér máng xiào dào：“ hǎo sǎo zǐ， shǎng wǒ yī diǎn kòng'ér。 nǐ shì zuì téng wǒ de， zěn me jīn 'ér wéi píng 'ér jiù bù téng wǒ liǎo？ wǎng cháng nǐ hái quàn wǒ shuō， shì qíng suī duō， yě gāi bǎo yǎng shēn zǐ， jiǎn diǎn zhe tōu kōng 'ér xiē xiē， nǐ jīn 'ér fǎn dǎo bī wǒ de mìng liǎo。 kuàng qiě wù liǎo bié rén de nián xià yī cháng wú 'ài， tā zǐ mèi men de ruò wù liǎo， què shì nǐ de zé rèn， lǎo tài tài qǐ bù guài nǐ bù guǎn xián shì， zhè yī jù xiàn chéng de huà yě bù shuō？ wǒ nìngkě zì jǐ luò bù shì， qǐ gǎn dài lěi nǐ ní。” lǐ wán xiào dào：“ nǐ men tīng tīng， shuō de hǎo bù hǎo？ bǎ tā huì shuō huà de！ wǒ qiě wèn nǐ， zhè shī shè nǐ dào dǐ guǎn bù guǎn？ " fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ zhè shì shénme huà， wǒ bù rù shè huā jǐ gè qián， bù chéng liǎo dà guān yuán de fǎn pàn liǎo， hái xiǎng zài zhè lǐ chī fàn bù chéng？ míng 'ér yī zǎo jiù dào rèn， xià mǎ bài liǎo yìn， xiān fàng xià wǔ shí liǎng yín zǐ gěi nǐ men màn màn zuò huì shè dōng dào。 guò hòu jǐ tiān， wǒ yòu bù zuò shī zuò wén， zhǐ bù guò shì gè sú rén bà liǎo。‘ jiān chá’ yě bà， bù‘ jiān chá’ yě bà， yòu liǎo qián liǎo， nǐ men hái niǎn chū wǒ lái！ " shuō de zhòng rén yòu dū xiào qǐ lái。 fèng jiě 'ér dào：“ guò huì zǐ wǒ kāi liǎo lóu fáng， fán yòu zhè xiē dōng xī dū jiào rén bān chū lái nǐ men kàn， ruò shǐ dé， liú zhe shǐ， ruò shǎo shénme， zhào nǐ men dān zǐ， wǒ jiào rén tì nǐ men mǎi qù jiù shì liǎo。 huà juàn wǒ jiù cái chū lái。 nà tú yàng méi yòu zài tài tài gēn qián， hái zài nà biān zhēn dà yé nà lǐ ní。 shuō gěi nǐ men， bié pèng dīng zǐ qù。 wǒ dǎ fā rén qǔ liǎo lái， yī bìng jiào rén lián juàn jiāo gěi xiànggōng men fán qù， rú hé？ " lǐ wán diǎn shǒu xiào dào：“ zhè nán wéi nǐ， guǒ rán zhè yàng hái bà liǎo。 jì rú cǐ， zán men jiā qù bà， děng zhe tā bù sòng liǎo qù zài lái nào tā。 " shuō zhe， biàn dài liǎo tā zǐ mèi jiù zǒu。 fèng jiě 'ér dào：“ zhè xiē shì zài méi liǎng gè rén， dōushì bǎo yù shēng chū lái de。” lǐ wán tīng liǎo， máng huí shēn xiào dào：“ zhèng shì wéi bǎo yù lái， fǎn wàng liǎo tā。 tóu yī shè shì tā wù liǎo。 wǒ men liǎn ruǎn， nǐ shuō gāi zěn me fá tā？ " fèng jiě xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng， shuō dào：“ méi yòu bié de fǎ zǐ， zhǐ jiào tā bǎ nǐ men gè rén wū zǐ lǐ de dì fá tā sǎo yī biàn cái hǎo。” zhòng réndōu xiào dào：“ zhè huà bùchà。”
shuō zhe cái yào huí qù， zhǐ jiàn yī gè xiǎo yā tóu fú liǎo lài mó mó jìn lái。 fèng jiě 'ér děng máng zhàn qǐ lái， xiào dào：“ dà niàn zuò。” yòu dū xiàng tā dào xǐ。 lài mó mó xiàng kàng yán shàng zuò liǎo， xiào dào：“ wǒ yě xǐ， zhù zǐ men yě xǐ。 ruò bù shì zhù zǐ men de 'ēn diǎn fā zhǎn de， xuān chēng zì jǐ de zhé xué tǐ xì shì zhōng jí zhēn lǐ， jiù shì xíng 'ér shàng xué。， wǒ men zhè xǐ cóng hé lái？ zuó 'ér nǎi nǎi yòu dǎ fā cǎi gē 'ér shǎng dōng xī， wǒ sūn zǐ zài mén shàng zhāoshàng kē liǎo tóu liǎo。” lǐ wán xiào dào：“ duō zǎo wǎn shàng rèn qù？ " lài mó mó tàn dào：“ wǒ nà lǐ guǎn tā men， yóu tā men qù bà！ qián 'ér zài jiā lǐ gěi wǒ kē tóu， wǒ méi hǎo huà， wǒ shuō：‘ gē gē 'ér， nǐ bié shuō nǐ shì guān 'ér liǎo， héng xíng bà dào de！ nǐ jīn nián huó liǎo sān shí suì， suī rán shì rén jiā de nú cái， yī luò niàn tāi bāo， zhù zǐ 'ēn diǎn， fàng nǐ chū lái， shàng tuō zhe zhù zǐ de hóng fú， xià tuō zhe nǐ lǎo zǐ niàn， yě shì gōng zǐ gē 'ér shìde dú shū rèn zì， yě shì yā tóu， lǎo pó， nǎi zǐ pěng fèng huáng shìde， cháng liǎo zhè me dà。 nǐ nà lǐ zhī dào nà‘ nú cái’ liǎng zì shì zěn me xiě de！ zhǐ zhī dào xiǎng fú， yě bù zhī dào nǐ yé yé hé nǐ lǎo zǐ shòu de nà kǔ nǎo， áo liǎo liǎng sān bèi zǐ， hǎo róng yì zhèng chū nǐ zhè me gè dōng xī lái。 cóng xiǎo 'ér sān zāi bā nán， huā de yín zǐ yě zhào yàng dǎ chū nǐ zhè me gè yín rén 'ér lái liǎo。 dào 'èr shí suì shàng， yòu méng zhù zǐ de 'ēn diǎn， xǔ nǐ juān gè qián chéng zài shēn shàng。 nǐ kàn nà zhèng gēn zhèng miáo de rěn jī 'ái’è de yào duō shǎo？ nǐ yī gè nú cái yāng zǐ， zǎi xì zhé liǎo fú！ rú jīn lè liǎo shí nián， bù zhī zěn me nòng shén nòng guǐ de， qiú liǎo zhù zǐ， yòu xuǎn liǎo chū lái。 zhōu xiàn guān 'ér suī xiǎo， shì qíng què dà， wéi nà yī zhōu de zhōu guān， jiù shì nà yī fāng de fù mǔ。 nǐ bù 'ānfèn shǒu jǐ， jìn zhōng bào guó， xiào jìng zhù zǐ， zhǐ pà tiān yě bù róng nǐ。 " lǐ wán fèng jiě 'ér dū xiào dào：“ nǐ yě duō lǜ。 wǒ men kàn tā yě jiù hǎo liǎo。 xiān nà jǐ nián hái jìn lái liǎo liǎng cì， zhè yòu hǎo jǐ nián méi lái liǎo， nián xià shēng rì， zhǐ jiàn tā de míng zì jiù bà liǎo。 qián 'ér gěi lǎo tài tài， tài tài kē tóu lái， zài lǎo tài tài nà yuàn lǐ， jiàn tā yòu chuānzhuó xīn guān de fú sè， dǎo fā de wēi wǔ liǎo， bǐ xiān shí yě pàng liǎo。 tā zhè yī dé liǎo guān， zhèng gāi nǐ lè ní， fǎn dǎo chóu qǐ zhè xiē lái！ tā bù hǎo， hái yòu tā fù qīn ní， nǐ zhǐ shòu yòng nǐ de jiù wán liǎo。 xián liǎo zuò gè jiào zǐ jìn lái， hé lǎo tài tài dǒu yī rì pái， shuō yī tiān huà 'ér， shuí hǎo yì sī de wěi qū liǎo nǐ。 jiā qù yī bān yě shì lóu fáng shà tīng， shuí bù jìng nǐ， zì rán yě shì lǎo fēng jūn shìde liǎo。”
píng 'ér zhēn shàng chá lái， lài mó mó máng zhàn qǐ lái jiē liǎo， xiào dào：“ gū niàn bù guǎn jiào nà gè hái zǐ dǎo lái bà liǎo， yòu zhé shòu wǒ。” shuō zhe， yī miàn chī chá， yī miàn yòu dào：“ nǎi nǎi bù zhī dào。 zhè xiē xiǎo hái zǐ men quán yào guǎn de yán。 ráo zhè me yán， tā men hái tōu kōng 'ér nào gè luàn zǐ lái jiào dà rén cāo xīn。 zhī dào de shuō xiǎo hái zǐ men táo qì， bù zhī dào de， rén jiā jiù shuō zhàng zhe cái shì qī rén， lián zhù zǐ míng shēng yě bù hǎo。 hèn de wǒ méi fǎ 'ér， cháng bǎ tā lǎo zǐ jiào lái mà yī dùn， cái hǎo xiē。 " yīn yòu zhǐ bǎo yù dào：“ bù pà nǐ xián wǒ， rú jīn lǎo yé bù guò zhè me guǎn nǐ yī guǎn， lǎo tài tài hù zài tóu lǐ。 dāng rì lǎo yé xiǎo shí 'āi nǐ yé yé de dǎ， shuí méi kàn jiàn de。 lǎo yé xiǎo shí， hé céng xiàng nǐ zhè me tiān bù pà dì bù pà de liǎo。 hái yòu nà dà lǎo yé， suī rán táo qì， yě méi xiàng nǐ zhè zhā wō zǐ de yàng 'ér， yě shì tiān tiān dǎ。 hái yòu dōng fǔ lǐ nǐ zhēn gē 'ér de yé yé， nà cái shì huǒ shàng jiāo yóu de xìng zǐ， shuō shēng nǎo liǎo， shénme 'ér zǐ， jìng shì shěn zéi！ rú jīn wǒ yǎn lǐ kàn zhe， ěr duǒ lǐ tīng zhe， nà zhēn dà yé guǎn 'ér zǐ dǎo yě xiàng dāng rì lǎo zǔ zōng de guīju， zhǐ shì guǎn de dào sān bù zhe liǎng de。 tā zì jǐ yě bù guǎn yī guǎn zì jǐ， zhè xiē xiōng dì zhí 'ér zěn me yuàn de bù pà tā？ nǐ xīn lǐ míng bái， xǐ huān wǒ shuō， bù míng bái， zuǐ lǐ bù hǎo yì sī， xīn lǐ bù zhī zěn me mà wǒ ní。” zhèng shuō zhe， zhǐ jiàn lài dà jiā de lái liǎo， jiē zhe zhōu ruì jiā de zhāng cái jiā dedōu jìn lái huí shì qíng。 fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ xí fù lái jiē pó pó lái liǎo。” lài dà jiā de xiào dào：“ bù shì jiē tā lǎo rén jiā， dǎo shì dǎ tīng dǎ tīng nǎi nǎi gū niàn men shǎng liǎn bù shǎng liǎn？ " lài mó mó tīng liǎo， xiào dào：“ kě shì wǒ hú tú liǎo， zhèng jīng shuō de huà qiě bù shuō， qiě shuō chén gǔ zǐ làn zhī má de hùn dǎo shú。 yīn wéi wǒ men xiǎo zǐ xuǎn liǎo chū lái， zhòng qīn yǒu yào gěi tā hè xǐ， shǎo bù dé jiā lǐ bǎi gè jiǔ。 wǒ xiǎng， bǎi yī rì jiǔ， qǐng zhè gè yě bù shì， qǐng nà gè yě bù shì。 yòu xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng， tuō zhù zǐ hóng fú， xiǎng bù dào de zhè yàng róng yào， jiù qīng liǎo jiā， wǒ yě shì yuàn yì de。 yīn cǐ fēn fù tā lǎo zǐ lián bǎi sān rì jiǔ： tóu yī rì， zài wǒ men pò huā yuán zǐ lǐ bǎi jīxí jiǔ， yī tái xì， qǐng lǎo tài tài， tài tài men， nǎi nǎi gū niàn men qù sàn yī rì mèn， wài tóu dà tīng shàng yī tái xì， bǎi jīxí jiǔ， qǐng lǎo yé men， yé men qù zēng zēng guāng， dì 'èr rì zài qǐng qīn yǒu， dì sān rì zài bǎ wǒ men liǎng fǔ lǐ de bàn 'ér qǐng yī qǐng。 rè nào sān tiān， yě shì tuō zhe zhù zǐ de hóng fú yīcháng， guāng huī guāng huī。” lǐ wán fèng jiě 'ér dū xiào dào：“ duō zǎo wǎn de rì zǐ？ wǒ men bì qù， zhǐ pà lǎo tài tài gāo xīng yào qù yě dìng bù dé。 " lài dà jiā de máng dào：“ zé liǎo shí sì de rì zǐ， zhǐ kàn wǒ men nǎi nǎi de lǎo liǎn bà liǎo。” fèng jiě xiào dào：“ bié rén bù zhī dào， wǒ shì yī dìng qù de。 xiān shuō xià， wǒ shì méi yòu hè lǐ de， yě bù zhī dào fàng shǎng， chī wán liǎo yī zǒu， kě bié xiào huà。” lài dà jiā de xiào dào：“ nǎi nǎi shuō nà lǐ huà？ nǎi nǎi yào shǎng， shǎng wǒ men sān 'èr wàn yín zǐ jiù yòu liǎo。” lài mó mó xiào dào：“ wǒ cái qù qǐng lǎo tài tài， lǎo tài tài yě shuō qù， kě suàn wǒ zhè liǎn hái hǎo。” shuō bì yòu dīng níng liǎo yī huí， fāng qǐ shēn yào zǒu， yīn kàn jiàn zhōu ruì jiā de， biàn xiǎng qǐ yī shì lái， yīn shuō dào：“ kě shì hái yòu yī jù huà wèn nǎi nǎi， zhè zhōu sǎo zǐ de 'ér zǐ fàn liǎo shénme bù shì， niǎn liǎo tā bù yòng？ " fèng jiě 'ér tīng liǎo， xiào dào：“ zhèng shì wǒ yào gào sù nǐ xí fù， shì qíng duō yě wàng liǎo。 lài sǎo zǐ huí qù shuō gěi nǐ lǎo tóu zǐ， liǎng fǔ lǐ bù xǔ shōu liú tā xiǎo zǐ， jiào tā gè rén qù bà。”
lài dà jiā de zhǐ dé dāyìng zhe。 zhōu ruì jiā de máng guì xià yāng qiú。 lài mó mó máng dào：“ shénme shì？ shuō gěi wǒ píng píng。” fèng jiě 'ér dào：“ qián rì wǒ shēng rì， lǐ tóu hái méi chī jiǔ， tā xiǎo zǐ xiān zuì liǎo。 lǎo niàn nà biān sòng liǎo lǐ lái， tā bù shuō zài wài tóu zhāng luó， tā dǎo zuò zhe mà rén， lǐ yě bù sòng jìn lái。 liǎng gè nǚ rén jìn lái liǎo， tā cái dài zhe xiǎo yāo men wǎng lǐ tái。 xiǎo yāo men dǎo hǎo， tā ná de yī hé zǐ dǎo shī liǎo shǒu， sǎ liǎo yī yuàn zǐ mán tóu。 rén qù liǎo， dǎ fā cǎi míng qù shuō tā， tā dǎo mà liǎo cǎi míng yī dùn。 zhè yàng wú fǎ wú tiān de wàng bā gāo zǐ， bù niǎn liǎo zuò shénme！ " lài mó mó xiào dào：“ wǒ dāng shénme shì qíng， yuán lái wéi zhè gè。 nǎi nǎi tīng wǒ shuō： tā yòu bù shì， dǎ tā mà tā， shǐ tā gǎi guò， niǎn liǎo qù duàn hū shǐ bù dé。 tā yòu bǐ bù dé shì zán men jiā de jiā shēng zǐ 'ér， tā xiàn shì tài tài de péi fáng。 nǎi nǎi zhǐ gù niǎn liǎo tā， tài tài liǎn shàng bù hǎo kàn。 yǐ wǒ shuō， nǎi nǎi jiào dǎo tā jǐ bǎn zǐ， yǐ jiè xià cì， réng jiù liú zhe cái shì。 bù kàn tā niàn， yě kàn tài tài。” fèng jiě 'ér tīng shuō， biàn xiàng lài dà jiā de shuō dào：“ jì zhè yàng， dǎ tā sì shí gùn， yǐ hòu bù xǔ tā chī jiǔ。” lài dà jiā de dāyìng liǎo。 zhōu ruì jiā de kē tóu qǐ lái， yòu yào yǔ lài mó mó kē tóu， lài dà jiā de lā zhe fāng bà。 rán hòu tā sān rén qù liǎo， lǐ wán děng yě jiù huí yuán zhōng lái。 zhì wǎn， guǒ rán fèng jiě mìng rén zhǎo liǎo xǔ duō jiù shōu de huà jù chū lái， sòng zhì yuán zhōng。 bǎo chāi děng xuǎn liǎo yī huí， gè sè dōng xī kě yòng de zhǐ yòu yī bàn， jiāng nà yī bàn yòu kāi liǎo dān zǐ， yǔ fèng jiě 'ér qù zhào yàng zhì mǎi， bù bì xì shuō。
yī rì， wài miàn fán liǎo juàn， qǐ liǎo gǎo zǐ jìn lái。 bǎo yù měi rì biàn zài xī chūn zhè lǐ bāng máng。 tàn chūn， lǐ wán， yíng chūn hù zhuǎn huà：“ yī fēn wéi 'èr， jié jié rú cǐ， yǐ zhì wú qióng， jiē shì yī shēng liǎng 'ěr。”， bǎo chāi děng yě duō wǎng nà lǐ xián zuò， yī zé guān huà， èr zé biàn yú huì miàn。 bǎo chāi yīn jiàn tiān qì liáng shuǎng， yè fù jiàn cháng， suì zhì mǔ qīn fáng zhōng shāng yì dǎ diǎn xiē zhēn xiàn lái。 rì jiān zhì jiǎ mǔ chù wáng fū rén chù xǐnghòu liǎng cì， bù miǎn yòu chéng sè péi zuò xián huà bàn shí， yuán zhōng zǐ mèi chù yě yào dù shí xián huà yī huí， gù rì jiān bù dà dé xián， měi yè dēng xià nǚ gōng bì zhì sān gèng fāng qǐn。 dài yù měi suì zhì chūn fēn qiū fēn zhī hòu， bì fàn sòu jí， jīn qiū yòu yù jiǎ mǔ gāo xīng， duō yóu wán liǎo liǎng cì， wèi miǎn guò láo liǎo shén， jìn rì yòu fù sòu qǐ lái， jué dé bǐ wǎng cháng yòu zhòng， suǒ yǐ zǒng bù chū mén， zhǐ zài zì jǐ fáng zhōng jiāng yǎng。 yòu shí mèn liǎo， yòu pàn gè zǐ mèi lái shuō xiē xián huà pái qiǎn， jí zhì bǎo chāi děng lái wàng hòu tā， shuō bù dé sān wǔ jù huà yòu yàn fán liǎo。 zhòng réndōu tǐ liàng tā bìng zhōng， qiě sù rì xíng tǐ jiāo ruò， jìn bù dé yī xiē wěi qū， suǒ yǐ tā jiē dài bù zhōu， lǐ shù cū hū， yědōu bù kē zé。
zhè rì bǎo chāi lái wàng tā， yīn shuō qǐ zhè bìng zhèng lái。 bǎo chāi dào：“ zhè lǐ zǒu de jǐ gè tài yī suī dū hái hǎo， zhǐ shì nǐ chī tā men de yào zǒng bù jiàn xiào， bù rú zài qǐng yī gè gāo míng de rén lái qiáo yī qiáo， zhì hǎo liǎo qǐ bù hǎo？ měi nián jiān nào yī chūn yī xià， yòu bù lǎo yòu bù xiǎo， chéng shénme？ bù shì gè cháng fǎ。” dài yù dào：“ bù zhōng yòng。 wǒ zhī dào wǒ zhè yàng bìng shì bù néng hǎo de liǎo。 qiě bié shuō bìng， zhǐ lùn hǎo de rì zǐ wǒ shì zěn me xíng jǐng， jiù kě zhī liǎo。” bǎo chāi diǎn tóu dào：“ kě zhèng shì zhè huà。 gǔ rén shuō‘ shí gǔ zhě shēng’， nǐ sù rì chī de jìng bù néng tiān yǎng jīng shén qì xuè， yě bù shì hǎo shì。” dài yù tàn dào：“‘ sǐ shēng yòu mìng， fù guì zài tiān’， yě bù shì rén lì kě qiáng de。 jīn nián bǐ wǎng nián fǎn jué yòu zhòng liǎo xiē shìde。” shuō huà zhī jiān， yǐ ké sòu liǎo liǎng sān cì。 bǎo chāi dào：“ zuó 'ér wǒ kàn nǐ nà yào fāng shàng， rénshēn ròu guì jué dé tài duō liǎo。 suī shuō yì qì bǔ shén， yě bù yí tài rè。 yǐ wǒ shuō， xiān yǐ píng gān jiàn wèi wéi yào， gān huǒ yī píng， bù néng kè tǔ， wèi qì wú bìng， yǐn shí jiù kě yǐ yǎng rén liǎo。 měi rì zǎo qǐ ná shàng děng yàn wō yī liǎng， bīng táng wǔ qián， yòng yín diào zǐ 'áo chū yù lái， ruò chī guàn liǎo， bǐ yào hái qiáng， zuì shì zī yīn bǔ qì de。”
dài yù tàn dào：“ nǐ sù rì dài rén， gù rán shì jí hǎo de， rán wǒ zuì shì gè duō xīn de rén， zhǐ dāng nǐ xīn lǐ cáng jiān。 cóng qián rì nǐ shuō kàn zá shū bù hǎo， yòu quàn wǒ nà xiē hǎo huà zhì。 fǎn duì bào lì gé mìng， rèn wéi kē xué、 dào dé hé zōng jiào de jìn bù shì lì shǐ fā， jìng dà gǎn jī nǐ。 wǎng rì jìng shì wǒ cuò liǎo， shí zài wù dào rú jīn。 xì xì suàn lái， wǒ mǔ qīn qù shì de zǎo， yòu wú zǐ mèi xiōng dì， wǒ cháng liǎo jīn nián shí wǔ suì， jìng méi yī gè rén xiàng nǐ qián rì de huà jiào dǎo wǒ。 yuàn bù dé yún yā tóu shuō nǐ hǎo， wǒ wǎng rì jiàn tā zàn nǐ， wǒ hái bù shòu yòng， zuó 'ér wǒ qīn zì jīng guò， cái zhī dào liǎo。 bǐ rú ruò shì nǐ shuō liǎo nà gè， wǒ zài bù qīng fàng guò nǐ de， nǐ jìng bù jiè yì， fǎn quàn wǒ nà xiē huà， kě zhī wǒ jìng zì wù liǎo。 ruò bù shì cóng qián rì kàn chū lái， jīn rì zhè huà， zài bù duì nǐ shuō。 nǐ fāng cái shuō jiào wǒ chī yàn wō yù de huà， suī rán yàn wō yì dé， dàn zhǐ wǒ yīn shēn shàng bù hǎo liǎo， měi nián fàn zhè gè bìng， f yě méi shénme yào jǐn de qù chù。 qǐng dà fū， áo yào， rénshēn ròu guì， yǐ jīng nào liǎo gè tiān fān dì fù， zhè huì zǐ wǒ yòu xīng chū xīn wén lái 'áo shénme yàn wō yù， lǎo tài tài， tài tài， fèng jiě jiě zhè sān gè rén biàn méi huà shuō， nà xiē dǐ xià de pó zǐ yā tóu men， wèi miǎn bù xián wǒ tài duō shì liǎo。 nǐ kàn zhè lǐ zhè xiē rén， yīn jiàn lǎo tài tài duō téng liǎo bǎo yù hé fèng yā tóu liǎng gè， tā men shàng hǔ shì dān dān， bèi dì lǐ yán sān yǔ sì de， hé kuàng yú wǒ？ kuàng wǒ yòu bù shì tā men zhè lǐ zhèng jīng zhù zǐ， yuán shì wú yǐ wú kào tóubèn liǎo lái de， tā men yǐ jīng duō xián zhe wǒ liǎo。 rú jīn wǒ hái bù zhī jìn tuì， hé kǔ jiào tā men zhòu wǒ？ " bǎo chāi dào：“ zhè yàng shuō， wǒ yě shì hé nǐ yī yàng。” dài yù dào：“ nǐ rú hé bǐ wǒ？ nǐ yòu yòu mǔ qīn， yòu yòu gē gē， zhè lǐ yòu yòu mǎi mài dì tǔ， jiā lǐ yòu réng jiù yòu fáng yòu dì。 nǐ bù guò shì qīn qī de qíngfèn， bái zhù liǎo zhè lǐ， yī yìng dà xiǎo shì qíng， yòu bù zhān tā men yī wén bàn gè， yào zǒu jiù zǒu liǎo。 wǒ shì yī wú suǒ yòu， chī chuān yòng dù， yī cǎo yī zhǐ， jiē shì hé tā men jiā de gū niàn yī yàng， nà l qǐ xiǎo rén qǐ yòu bù duō xián de。” bǎo chāi xiào dào：“ jiāng lái yě bù guò duō fèi dé yī fù jià zhuāng bà liǎo， rú jīn yě chóu bù dào zhè lǐ。 " dài yù tīng liǎo， bù jué hóng liǎo liǎn， xiào dào：“ rén jiā cái ná nǐ dāng gè zhèng jīng rén， bǎ xīn lǐ de fán nán gào sù nǐ tīng， nǐ fǎn ná wǒ qǔ xiào 'ér。” bǎo chāi xiào dào：“ suī shì qǔ xiào 'ér， què yě shì zhēn huà。 nǐ fàng xīn， wǒ zài zhè lǐ yī rì， wǒ yǔ nǐ xiāo qiǎn yī rì。 nǐ yòu shénme wěi qū fán nán， zhǐ guǎn gào sù wǒ， wǒ néng jiě de， zì rán tì nǐ jiě yī rì。 wǒ suī yòu gè gē gē， nǐ yě shì zhī dào de， zhǐ yòu gè mǔ qīn bǐ nǐ lüè qiáng l xiē。 zán men yě suàn tóng bìng xiāng lián。 nǐ yě shì gè míng bái rén， hé bì zuò‘ sī mǎ niú zhī tàn’？ nǐ cái shuō de yě shì， duō yī shì bù rú shěng yī shì。 wǒ míng rì jiā qù hé mā mā shuō liǎo， zhǐ pà wǒ men jiā lǐ hái yòu， yǔ nǐ sòng jǐ liǎng， měi rì jiào yā tóu men jiù 'áo liǎo， yòu piányí， yòu bù jīng shī dòng zhòng de。” dài yù máng xiào dào：“ dōng xī shì xiǎo， nán dé nǐ duō qíng rú cǐ。” bǎo chāi dào：“ zhè yòu shénme fàng zài kǒu lǐ de！ zhǐ chóu wǒ rén rén gēn qián shī yú yìng hòu bà liǎo。 zhǐ pà nǐ fán liǎo， wǒ qiě qù liǎo。” dài yù dào：“ wǎn shàng zài lái hé wǒ shuō jù huà 'ér。” bǎo chāi dāyìng zhe biàn qù liǎo， bù zài huà xià。
zhè lǐ dài yù hē liǎo liǎng kǒu xī yù， réng wāi zài chuáng shàng， bù xiǎng rì f wèi luò shí tiān jiù biàn liǎo， xī xī lì lì xià qǐ yǔ lái。 qiū lín mòmò， yīn qíng bù dìng， nà tiān jiàn jiàn de huáng hūn， qiě yīn de chén hēi， jiān zhe nà yǔ dī zhú shāo， gèng jué qī liáng。 zhī bǎo chāi bù néng lái， biàn zài dēng xià suí biàn ná liǎo yī běn shū， què shì《 yuèfǔ zá gǎo》， yòu《 qiū guī yuàn》《 bié lí yuàn》 děng cí。 dài yù bù jué xīn yòu suǒ gǎn， yì bù jìn fā yú zhāng jù， suì chéng《 dài bié lí》 yī shǒu， nǐ《 chūn jiāng huā yuè yè》 zhī gé， nǎi míng qí cí yuē《 qiū chuāng fēng yǔ xī》。 qí cí yuē：
qiū huā cǎn dàn qiū cǎo huáng， gěng gěng qiū dēng qiū yè cháng。
yǐ jué qiū chuāng qiū bù jìn， nà kān fēng yǔ zhù qī liáng！
zhù qiū fēng yǔ lái hé sù！ jīng pò qiū chuāng qiū mèng lǜ。
bào dé qiū qíng bù rěn mián， zì xiàng qiū píng yí lèi zhú。
lèi zhú yáo yáo duǎn qíng， qiān chóu zhào hèn dòng lí qíng。
shuí jiā qiū yuàn wú fēng rù？ hé chù qiū chuāng wú yǔ shēng？
luó qīn bù nài qiū fēng lì， cán lòu shēng cuī qiū yǔ jí。
lián xiāo mòmò fù sōu sōu， dēng qián sì bàn lí rén qì。
hán yān xiǎo yuàn zhuǎn xiāo tiáo， shū zhú xū chuāng shí dī lì。
bù zhī fēng yǔ jǐ shí xiū， yǐ jiào lèi sǎ chuāng shā shī。
yín bà gē bǐ， fāng yào 'ān qǐn， yā huán bào shuō：“ bǎo 'èr yé lái liǎo。” yī yǔ wèi wán， zhǐ jiàn bǎo yù tóu shàng dài zhe dà ruò lì， shēn shàng pī zhe suō yī。 dài yù bù jué xiào liǎo：“ nà lǐ lái de yú wēng！ " bǎo yù máng wèn：“ jīn 'ér hǎo xiē？ chī liǎo yào méi yòu？ jīn 'ér yī rì chī liǎo duō shǎo fàn？ " yī miàn shuō， yī miàn zhāi liǎo lì， tuō liǎo suō yī， máng yī shǒu jǔ qǐ dēng lái， yī shǒu zhē zhù dēng guāng， xiàng dài yù liǎn shàng zhào liǎo yī zhào， qù zhuóyǎn xì qiáo liǎo yī qiáo， xiào dào：“ jīn 'ér qì sè hǎo liǎo xiē。”
dài yù kàn tuō liǎo suō yī， lǐ miàn zhǐ chuān bàn jiù hóng líng duǎn 'ǎo， xì zhe lǜ hàn jīn zǐ， xī xià lù chū yóu lǜ chóu sǎ huā kù zǐ， dǐ xià shì qiā jīn mǎn xiù de mián shā wà zǐ， и zhù hú dié luò huā xié。 dài yù wèn dào：“ shàng tóu pà yǔ， dǐ xià zhè xié wà zǐ shì bù pà yǔ de？ yě dǎo gān jìng。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ wǒ zhè yī tào shì quán de。 yòu yī shuāng táng mù jī， cái chuān liǎo lái， tuō zài láng yán shàng liǎo。” dài yù yòu kàn nà suō yī dǒu lì bù shì xún cháng shì mài de， shí fēn xì zhì qīng qiǎo， yīn shuō dào：“ shì shénme cǎo biān de？ guài dào chuān shàng bù xiàng nà cì wèi shìde。” bǎo yù dào：“ zhè sān yàng dōushì běi jìng wáng sòng de。 tā xián liǎo xià yǔ shí zài jiā lǐ yě shì zhè yàng。 nǐ xǐ huān zhè gè， wǒ yě nòng yī tào lái sòng nǐ。 bié dedōu bà liǎo， wéi yòu zhè dǒu lì yòu qù， jìng shì huó de。 shàng tóu de zhè dǐng 'ér shì huó de， dōng tiān xià xuě， dài shàng mào zǐ， jiù bǎ zhú xìn zǐ chōu liǎo， qù xià dǐng zǐ lái， zhǐ shèng liǎo zhè juàn zǐ。 xià xuě shí nán nǚ dū dài dé， wǒ sòng nǐ yī dǐng， dōng tiān xià xuě dài。” dài yù xiào dào：“ wǒ bù yào tā。 dài shàng nà gè， chéng gè huà 'ér shàng huà de hé xì shàng bàn de yú pó liǎo。” jí shuō liǎo chū lái， fāng xiǎng qǐ huà wèi cǔn duó， yǔ fāng cái shuō bǎo yù de huà xiāng lián， hòu huǐ bù jí， xiū de liǎn fēi hóng， biàn fú zài zhuō shàng sòu gè bù zhù。
bǎo yù què bù liú xīn， yīn jiàn 'àn shàng yòu shī， suì ná qǐ lái kàn liǎo yī biàn， yòu bù jìn jiào hǎo。 dài yù tīng liǎo， máng qǐ lái duó zài shǒu nèi， xiàng dēng shàng shāo liǎo。 bǎo yù xiào dào：“ wǒ yǐ bèi shú liǎo， shāo yě wú 'ài。” dài yù dào：“ wǒ yě hǎo liǎo xǔ duō， xiè nǐ yī tiān lái jǐ cì qiáo wǒ， xià yǔ hái lái。 zhè huì zǐ yè shēn liǎo， wǒ yě yào xiē zhe， nǐ qiě qǐng huí qù， míng 'ér zài lái。 " bǎo yù tīng shuō， huí shǒu xiàng huái zhōng tāo chū yī gè hé táo dà xiǎo de yī gè jīn biǎo lái， qiáo liǎo yī qiáo， nà zhēn yǐ zhǐ dào xū mò hài chū zhī jiān， máng yòu chuài liǎo， shuō dào：“ yuán gāi xiē liǎo， yòu rǎo de nǐ láo liǎo bàn rì shén。” shuō zhe， pī suō dài lì chū qù liǎo， yòu fān shēn jìn lái wèn dào：“ nǐ xiǎng shénme chī， gào sù wǒ， wǒ míng 'ér yī zǎo huí lǎo tài tài， qǐ bù bǐ lǎo pó zǐ men shuō de míng bái？ " dài yù xiào dào：“ děng wǒ yè lǐ xiǎng zhe liǎo， míng 'ér zǎo qǐ gào sù nǐ。 nǐ tīng yǔ yuè fā jǐn liǎo， kuài qù bà。 kě yòu rén gēn zhe méi yòu？ " yòu liǎng gè pó zǐ dāyìng：“ yòu rén， wài miàn ná zhe sǎn diǎn zhe dēng lóng ní。” dài yù xiào dào：“ zhè gè tiān diǎn dēng lóng？ " bǎo yù dào：“ bù xiāng gān， shì míng wǎ de， bù pà yǔ。” dài yù tīng shuō， huí shǒu xiàng shū jià shàng bǎ gè bō lí xiù qiú dēng ná liǎo xià lái， mìng diǎn yī zhī xiǎo là lái， dì yǔ bǎo yù， dào：“ zhè gè yòu bǐ nà gè liàng， zhèng shì yǔ lǐ diǎn de。” bǎo yù dào：“ wǒ yě yòu zhè me yī gè， pà tā men shī jiǎo huá dǎo liǎo dǎ pò liǎo， suǒ yǐ méi diǎn lái。” dài yù dào：“ diē liǎo dēng zhí qián， diē liǎo rén zhí qián？ nǐ yòu chuān bù guàn mù jī zǐ。 nà dēng lóng mìng tā men qián tóu zhào zhe。 zhè gè yòu qīng qiǎo yòu liàng， yuán shì yǔ lǐ zì jǐ ná zhe de， nǐ zì jǐ shǒu lǐ ná zhe zhè gè， qǐ bù hǎo？ míng 'ér zài sòng lái。 jiù shī liǎo shǒu yě yòu xiàn de， zěn me hū rán yòu biàn chū zhè‘ pōu fù cáng zhū’ de pí qì lái！ " bǎo yù tīng shuō， lián máng jiē liǎo guò lái， qián tóu liǎng gè pó zǐ dǎzháo sǎn tí zhe míng wǎ dēng， hòu tóu hái yòu liǎng gè xiǎo yā huán dǎzháo sǎn。 bǎo yù biàn jiāng zhè gè dēng dì yǔ yī gè xiǎo yā tóu pěng zhe， bǎo yù fú zhe tā de jiān， yī jìng qù liǎo。
jiù yòu héng wú yuàn de yī gè pó zǐ， yě dǎzháo sǎn tí zhe dēng， sòng liǎo yī dà bāo shàng děng yàn wō lái， hái yòu yī bāo zǐ jié fěn méi piàn xuě huā yáng táng。 shuō：“ zhè bǐ mǎi de qiáng。 gū niàn shuō liǎo： gū niàn xiān chī zhe， wán liǎo zài sòng lái。” dài yù dào：“ huí qù shuō‘ fèi xīn’。” mìng tā wài tóu zuò liǎo chī chá。 pó zǐ xiào dào：“ bù chī chá liǎo， wǒ hái yòu shì ní。” dài yù xiào dào：“ wǒ yě zhī dào nǐ men máng。 rú jīn tiān yòu liáng， yè yòu cháng， yuè fā gāi huì gè yè jú， tòng dǔ liǎng chǎng liǎo。” pó zǐ xiào dào：“ bù mán gū niàn shuō， jīn nián wǒ dà zhān guāng 'ér liǎo。 héng shù měi yè gè chù yòu jǐ gè shàng yè de rén， wù liǎo gèng yě bù hǎo， bù rú huì gè yè jú， yòu zuò liǎo gèng， yòu jiě mèn 'ér。 jīn 'ér yòu shì wǒ de tóu jiā， rú jīn yuán mén guān liǎo， jiù gāi shàng chǎng liǎo。” dài yù tīng shuō xiào dào：“ nán wéi nǐ。 wù liǎo nǐ fā cái， mào yǔ sòng lái。” mìng rén gěi tā jǐ bǎi qián， dǎ xiē jiǔ chī， bì bì yǔ qì。 nà pó zǐ xiào dào：“ yòu pò fèi gū niàn shǎng jiǔ chī。” shuō zhe， kē liǎo yī gè tóu， wài miàn jiē liǎo qián， dǎ sǎn qù liǎo。
zǐ juān shōu qǐ yàn wō， rán hòu yí dēng xià lián， fú shì dài yù shuì xià。 dài yù zì zài zhěn shàng gǎn niàn bǎo chāi， yī shí yòu xiàn tā yòu mǔ xiōng， yī miàn yòu xiǎng bǎo yù suī sù xí hé mù， zhōng yòu xián yí。 yòu tīng jiàn chuāng wài zhú shāo jiāo yè zhī shàng， yǔ shēng xī lì， qīng hán tòu mù， bù jué yòu dī xià lèi lái。 zhí dào sì gèng jiāng lán， fāng jiàn jiàn de shuì liǎo。 zàn qiě wú huà。 yào zhī duān de héng héng
Friends interchange words of friendship. Tai-yue feels dull on a windy and rainy evening, and indites verses on wind and rain.
Lady Feng, we will now go on to explain, was engaged in comforting P'ing Erh, when upon unawares perceiving the young ladies enter the room, she hastened to make them sit down while P'ing Erh poured the tea.
"So many of you come to-day," lady Feng smiled, "that it looks as if you'd been asked to come by invitation."
T'an Ch'un was the first to speak. "We have," she smilingly rejoined, "two objects in view, the one concerns me; the other cousin Quarta; but among these are, besides, certain things said by our venerable senior."
"What's up?" inquired lady Feng with a laugh. "Is it so urgent?"
"Some time ago," T'an Ch'un proceeded laughingly, "we started a rhyming club; but the first meeting was not quite a success. Every one of us proved so soft-hearted! The rules therefore were set at naught. So I can't help thinking that we must enlist your services as president of the society and superintendent; for what is needed to make the thing turn out well is firmness and no favour. The next matter is: cousin Quarta explained to our worthy ancestor that the requisites for painting the picture of the garden were short of one thing and another, and she said: 'that there must still be,' she fancied, 'in the lower story of the back loft some articles, remaining over from previous years, and that we should go and look for them. That if there be any, they should be taken out, but that in the event of their being none, some one should be commissioned to go and purchase a supply of them.'"
"I'm not up to doing anything wet or dry, (play on word 'shih,' verses)," lady Feng laughed, "and would you have me, pray, come and gorge?"
"You may, it's possible, not be up to any of these things," T'an Ch'un replied, "but we don't expect you to do anything! All we want you for is to see whether there be among us any remiss or lazy, and to decide how they should be punished, that's all."
"You shouldn't try and play your tricks upon me!" lady Feng smiled, "I can see through your little game! Is it that you wish me to act as president and superintendent? No! it's as clear as day that your object is that I should play the part of that copper merchant, who put in contributions in hard cash. You have, at every meeting you hold, to each take turn and pay the piper; but, as your funds are not sufficient, you've invented this plan to come and inveigle me into your club, in order to wheedle money out of me! This must be your little conspiracy!"
These words evoked general laughter. "You've guessed right!" they exclaimed.
"In very truth," Li Wan smiled, "you're a creature with an intellect as transparent as crystal, and with wits as clear as glass!"
"You've got the good fortune of being their elder sister-in-law," lady Feng smilingly remarked, "so the young ladies asked you to take them in hand, and teach them how to read, and make them learn good manners and needlework; and it's for you to guide and direct them in everything! But here they start a rhyming society, for which not much can be needed, and don't you concern yourself about them? We'll leave our worthy ancestor and our Madame Wang aside; they are old people, but you receive each moon an allowance of ten taels, which is twice as much as what any one of us gets. More, our worthy ancestor and Madame Wang maintain that being a widow, and having lost your home, you haven't, poor thing, enough to live upon, and that you have a young child as well to bring up; so they added with extreme liberality another ten taels to your original share. Your allowance therefore is on a par with that of our dear senior. But they likewise gave you a piece of land in the garden, and you also come in for the lion's share of rents, collected from various quarters, and of the annual allowances, apportioned at the close of each year. Yet, you and your son don't muster, masters and servants, ten persons in all. What you eat and what your wear comes, just as ever, out of the general public fund, so that, computing everything together, you get as much as four to five hundred taels. Were you then to contribute each year a hundred or two hundred taels, to help them to have some fun, how many years could this outlay continue? They'll very soon be getting married, and, are they likely then to still expect you to make any contributions? So loth are you, however, at present to fork out any cash that you've egged them on to come and worry me! I'm quite prepared to spend away until we've drained our chest dry! Don't I know that the money isn't mine?"
"Just you listen to her," Li Wan laughed. "I simply made one single remark, and out she came with two cartloads of nonsensical trash! You're as rough a diamond as a leg made of clay! All you're good for is to work the small abacus, to divide a catty and to fraction an ounce, so finicking are you! A nice thing you are, and yet, you've been lucky enough to come to life as the child of a family of learned and high officials. You've also made such a splendid match; and do you still behave in the way you do? Had you been a son or daughter born in some poverty-stricken, humble and low household, there's no saying what a mean thing you wouldn't have been! Every one in this world has been gulled by you; and yesterday you went so far as to strike P'ing Erh! But it wasn't the proper thing for you to stretch out your hand on her! Was all that liquor, forsooth, poured down a cur's stomach? My monkey was up, and I meant to have taken upon myself to avenge P'ing Erh's grievance; but, after mature consideration, I thought to myself, 'her birthday is as slow to come round as a dog's tail grows to a point.' I also feared lest our venerable senior might be made to feel unhappy; so I did not come forward. Anyhow, my resentment isn't yet spent; and do you come to-day to try and irritate me? You aren't fit to even pick up shoes for P'ing Erh! You two should therefore change your respective places!"
These taunts created merriment among the whole party.
"Oh!" hastily exclaimed lady Feng, laughingly, "I know everything! You don't at all come to look me up on account of verses or paintings, but simply to take revenge on P'ing Erh's behalf! I never had any idea that P'ing Erh had such a backer as yourself to bolster her up! Had I known it, I wouldn't have ventured to strike her, even though a spirit had been tugging my arm! Miss P'ing come over and let me tender my apologies to you, in the presence of your senior lady and the young ladies. Do bear with me for having proved so utterly wanting in virtue, after I had had a few drinks!"
Every one felt amused by her insinuations.
"What do you say?" Li Wan asked P'ing Erh smiling. "As for me, I think it my bounden duty to vindicate your wrongs, before we let the matter drop!"
"Your remarks, ladies, may be spoken in jest," P'ing Erh smiled, "but I am not worthy of such a fuss!"
"What about worthy and unworthy?" Li Wan observed. "I'm here for you! Quick, get the key, and let your mistress go and open the doors and hunt up the things!"
"Dear sister-in-law," lady Feng said with a smile, "you'd better go along with them into the garden. I'm about to take the rice accounts in hand and square them up with them. Our senior lady, Madame Hsing, has also sent some one to call me; what she wants to tell me again, I can't make out; but I must need go over for a turn. There are, besides, all those extra clothes for you people to wear at the end of the year, and I must get them ready and give them to be made!"
"These matters are none of my business!" Li Wan laughingly answered. "First settle my concerns so as to enable me to retire to rest, and escape the bother of having all these girls at me!"
"Dear sister-in-law," vehemently smiled lady Feng, "be good enough to give me a little time! You've ever been the one to love me best, and how is it that you have, on P'ing Erh's account, ceased to care for me? Time and again have you impressed on my mind that I should, despite my manifold duties, take good care of my health, and manage things in such a way as to find a little leisure for rest, and do you now contrariwise come to press the very life out of me? There's another thing besides. Should such clothes as will be required at the end of the year by any other persons be delayed, it won't matter; but, should those of the young ladies be behind time, let the responsibility rest upon your shoulders! And won't our old lady bear you a grudge, if you don't mind these small things? But as for me, I won't utter a single word against you, for, as I had rather bear the blame myself, I won't venture, to involve you!"
"Listen to her!" Li Wan smiled. "Hasn't she got the gift of the gab? But let me ask you. Will you, after all, assume the control of this rhyming society or not?"
"What's this nonsense you're talking?" lady Feng laughed. "Were I not to enter the society, and spend a little money, won't I be treated as a rebel in this garden of Broad Vista? And will I then still think of tarrying here to eat my head off? So soon as the day dawns to-morrow, I'll arrive at my post, dismount from my horse, and, after kneeling before the seals, my first act will be to give fifty taels for you to quietly cover the expenses of your meetings. Yet after a few days, I shall neither indite any verses, nor write any compositions, as I am simply a rustic boor, nothing more! But it will be just the same whether I assume the direction or not; for after you pocket my money, there's no fear of your not driving me out of the place!"
As these words dropped from her lips, one and all laughed again.
"I'll now open the loft," proceeded lady Feng. "Should there be any of the articles you want, you can tell the servants to bring them out for you to look at them! If any will serve your purpose, keep them and use them. If any be short, I'll bid a servant go and purchase them according to your list. I'll go at once and cut the satin for the painting. As for the plan, it isn't with Madame Wang; it's still over there, at Mr. Chia Chen's. I tell you all this so that you should avoid going over to Madame Wang's and getting into trouble! But I'll go and depute some one to fetch it. I'll direct also a servant to take the satin and give it to the gentlemen to size with alum; will this be all right?"
Li Wan nodded her head by way of assent and smiled. "This will be putting you to much trouble and inconvenience," she said. "But we must really act as you suggest. Well in that case, go home all of you, and, if after a time, she doesn't send the thing round, you can come again and bully her."
So saying, she there and then led off the young ladies, and was making her way out, when lady Feng exclaimed: "It's Pao-yue and he alone, who has given rise to all this fuss."
Li Wan overheard her remark and hastily turned herself round. "We did, in fact, come over," she smiled, "on account of Pao-yue, and we forgot, instead all about him! The first meeting was deferred through him; but we are too soft-hearted, so tell us what penalty to inflict on him!"
Lady Feng gave herself to reflection. "There's only one thing to do," she then remarked. "Just punish him by making him sweep the floor of each of your rooms. This will do!"
"Your verdict is faultless!" they laughed with one accord.
While they conversed they were on the point of starting on their way back, when they caught sight of a young maid walk in, supporting nurse Lai. Lady Feng and her companions immediately rose to their feet, their faces beaming with smiles. "Venerable mother!" they said, "do take a seat!" They then in a body presented their congratulations to her.
Nurse Lai seated herself on the edge of the stovecouch and returned their smiles. "I'm to be congratulated," she rejoined, "but you, mistresses, are to be congratulated as well; for had it had not been for the bountiful grace displaced by you, mistresses, whence would this joy of mine have come? Your ladyship sent Ts'ai Ko again yesterday to bring me presents, but my grandson _kotowed_ at the door, with his face turned towards the upper quarters."
"When is he going to his post?" Li Wan inquired, with a smile.
Nurse Lai heaved a sigh. "How can I interfere with them?" she answered. "Why, I let them have their own way and start when they like! The other day, they were at my house, and they prostrated themselves before me; but I could find no complimentary remark to make to him, so, 'Sir!' I said, 'putting aside that you're an official, you've lived in a reckless and dissolute way, for now thirty years. You should, it's true, have been people's bond-servant, but from the moment you came out of your mother's womb, your master graciously accorded you your liberty. Thanks, above, to the boundless blessings showered upon you by your lord, and, below, to the favour of your father and mother, you're like a noble scion and a gentleman, able to read and to write; and you have been carried about by maids, old matrons, and nurses, just as if you had been a very phoenix! But now that you've grown up and reached this age, do you have the faintest notion of what the two words 'bond-servant' imply? All you think of is to enjoy your benefits. But what hardships your grandfather and father had to bear, in slaving away for two or three generations, before they succeeded, after ever so many ups and downs, in raising up a thing like you, you don't at all know! From your very infancy, you ever ailed from this, or sickened for that, so that the money that was expended on your behalf, would suffice to fuse into a lifelike silver image of you! At the age of twenty, you again received the bounty of your master in the shape of a promise to purchase official status for you. But just mark, how many inmates of the principal branch and main offspring have to endure privation, and suffer the pangs of hunger! So beware you, who are the offshoot of a bond-servant, lest you snap your happiness! After enjoying so many good things for a decade, by the help of what spirits, and the agency of what devils have you, I wonder, managed to so successfully entreat your master as to induce him to bring you to the fore again and select you for office? Magistrates may be minor officials, but their functions are none the less onerous. In whatever district they obtain a post, they become the father and mother of that particular locality. If you therefore don't mind your business, and look after your duties in such a way as to acquit yourself of your loyal obligations, to prove your gratitude to the state and to show obedience and reverence to your lord, heaven, I fear, will not even bear with you!'"
Li Wan and lady Feng laughed. "You're too full of misgivings!" they observed. "From what we can see of him, he's all right! Some years back, he paid us a visit or two; but it's many years now that he hasn't put his foot here. At the close of each year, and on birthdays, we've simply seen his name brought in, that's all. The other day, that he came to knock his head before our venerable senior and Madame Wang, we caught sight of him in her courtyard yonder; and, got up in the uniform of his new office, he looked so dignified, and stouter too than before. Now that he has got this post, you should be quite happy; instead of that you worry and fret about this and that! If he does get bad, why, he has his father and mother yet to take care of him, so all you need do is to be cheerful and content! When you've got time to spare, do get into a chair and come in and have a game of cards and a chat with our worthy senior; and who ever will have the face to hurt your feelings? Why, were you go to your home, you'd also have there houses and halls, and who is there who would not hold you in high respect? You're certainly, what one would call, a venerable old dame!"
P'ing Erh poured a cup of tea and brought it to her. Nurse Lai speedily stood up. "You could have asked any girl to do this for me; it wouldn't have mattered! But here I'm troubling you again!"
Apologising, she resumed, sipping her tea the while: "My lady you're not aware that young girls of this age must be in everything kept strictly in hand. In the event of any license, they're sure to find time to kick up trouble, and annoy their elders. Those, who know (how well they are supervised), will then say that children are always up to mischief. But those, who don't, will maintain that they take advantage of their wealthy position to despise people; to the detriment as well of their mistresses' reputation. How I regret that there's nothing that I can do with him. Time after time, have I had to send for his father; and he has been the better, after a scolding from him." Pointing at Pao-yue, "I don't mind whether you feel angry with me for what I'm going to say," she proceeded, "but if your father were to attempt now to exercise ever so little control over you, your venerable grandmother is sure to try and screen you. Yet, when in days gone by your worthy father was young, he used to be beaten by your grandfather. Who hasn't seen him do it? But did your father, in his youth resemble you, who have neither fear for God or man? There was also our senior master, on the other side, Mr. Chia She. He was, I admit, wild; but never such a crossgrained fellow as yourself; and yet he too had his daily dose of the whip. There was besides the father of your elder cousin Chen, of the eastern mansion. He had a disposition that flared up like a fire over which oil is poured. If anything was said, and he flew into a rage, why, talk about a son, it was really as if he tortured a robber. From all I can now see and hear, Mr. Chen keeps his son in check just as much as was the custom in old days among his ancestors; the only thing is that he abides by it in some respects, but not in others. Besides, he doesn't exercise the least restraint over his own self, so is it to be wondered at if all his cousins and nieces don't respect him? If you've got any sense about you, you'll only be too glad that I speak to you in this wise; but if you haven't, you mayn't be very well able to say anything openly to me, but you'll inwardly abuse me, who knows to what extent!"
As she reproved him, they saw Lai Ta's wife arrive. In close succession came Chou Jui's wife along with Chang Ts'ai's wife to report various matters.
"A wife," laughed lady Feng, "has come to fetch her mother-in-law!"
"I haven't come to fetch our old dame," Lai Ta's wife smilingly rejoined, "but to inquire whether you, my lady and the young ladies, will confer upon us the honour of your company?"
When nurse Lai caught this remark, she smiled. "I've really grown quite idiotic!" "What," she exclaimed, "was right and proper for me to say, I didn't say, but I went on talking instead a lot of rot and rubbish! As our relatives and friends are presenting their congratulations to our grandson for having been selected to fill up that office of his, we find ourselves under the necessity of giving a banquet at home. But I was thinking that it wouldn't do, if we kept a feast going the whole day, and we invited this one, and not that one. Reflecting also that it was thanks to our master's vast bounty that we've come in for this unforeseen glory and splendour, I felt quite agreeable to do anything, even though it may entail the collapse of our household. I therefore advised his father to give banquets on three consecutive days. That he should, on the first, put up several tables, and a stage in our mean garden, and invite your venerable dowager lady, the senior ladies, junior ladies, and young ladies to come and have some distraction during the day, and that he should have several tables laid on the stage in the main pavilion outside, and request the senior and junior gentlemen to confer upon us the lustre of their presence. That for the second day, we should ask our relatives and friends; and that for the third, we should invite our companions from the two mansions. In this way, we'll have three days' excitement, and, by the boundless favour of our master, we'll have the benefit of enjoying the honour of your society."
"When is it to be?" Li Wan and lady Feng inquired, smilingly. "As far as we are concerned, we'll feel it our duty to come. And we hope that our worthy senior may feel in the humour to go. But there's no saying for certain!"
"The day chosen is the fourteenth," Lai Ta's wife eagerly replied. "Just come for the sake of our old mother-in-law!"
"I can't tell about the others," lady Feng explained with a laugh, "but as for me I shall positively come. I must however tell you beforehand that I've no congratulatory presents to give you. Nor do I know anything about tips to players or others. As soon as I shall have done eating, I shall bolt, so don't laugh at me."
"Fiddlesticks!" Lai Ta's wife laughed. "Were your ladyship disposed, you could well afford to give us twenty and thirty thousand taels."
"I'm off now to invite our venerable mistress," nurse Lai smilingly remarked. "And if her ladyship also agrees to come, I shall deem it a greater honour than ever conferred upon me."
Having said this, she went on to issue some injunctions; after which, she got up to go, when the sight of Chou Jui's wife reminded her of something.
"Of course!" she consequently observed. "I've got one more question to ask you, my lady. What did sister-in-law Chou's son do to incur blame, that he was packed off, and his services dispensed with?"
"I was just about to tell your daughter-in-law," lady Feng answered smilingly, after listening to her question, "but with so many things to preoccupy me, it slipped from my memory! When you get home, sister-in-law Lai, explain to that old husband of yours that we won't have his, (Chou Jui's), son kept in either of the mansions; and that he can tell him to go about his own business!"
Lai Ta's wife had no option but to express her acquiescence. Chou Jui's wife however speedily fell on her knees and gave way to urgent entreaties.
"What is it all about?" nurse Lai shouted. "Tell me and let me determine the right and wrong of the question."
"The other day," lady Feng observed, "that my birthday was celebrated, that young fellow of his got drunk, before the wine ever went round; and when the old dame, over there, sent presents, he didn't go outside to give a helping hand, but squatted down, instead, and upbraided people. Even the presents he wouldn't carry inside. And it was only after the two girls had come indoors that he eventually got the servant-lads and brought them in. Those lads were however careful enough in what they did, but as for him, he let the box, he held, slip from his hands, and bestrewed the whole courtyard with cakes. When every one had left, I deputed Ts'ai Ming to go and talk to him; but he then turned round and gave Ts'ai Ming a regular scolding. So what's the use of not bundling off a disorderly rascal like him, who neither shows any regard for discipline or heaven?"
"I was wondering what it could be!" nurse Lai ventured. "Was it really about this? My lady, listen to me! If he has done anything wrong, thrash him and scold him, until you make him mend his ways, and finish with it! But to drive him out of the place, will never, by any manner of means, do. He isn't, besides, to be treated like a child born in our household. He is at present employed as Madame Wang's attendant, so if you carry out your purpose of expelling him, her ladyship's face will be put to the blush. My idea is that you should, my lady, give him a lesson by letting him have several whacks with a cane so as to induce him to abstain from wine in the future. If you then retain him in your service as hitherto he'll be all right! If you don't do it for his mother's sake; do it at least for that of Madame Wang!"
After lending an ear to her arguments, lady Feng addressed herself to Lai Ta's wife. "Well, in that case," she said, "call him over to-morrow and give him forty blows; and don't let him after this touch any more wine!"
Lai Ta's wife promised to execute her directions. Chou Jui's wife then kotowed and rose to her feet. But she also persisted upon prostrating herself before nurse Lai; and only desisted when Lai Ta's wife pulled her up. But presently the trio took their departure, and Li Wan and her companions sped back into the garden.
When evening came, lady Feng actually bade the servants go and look (into the loft), and when they discovered a lot of painting materials, which had been put away long ago, they brought them into the garden. Pao-ch'ai and her friends then selected such as they deemed suitable. But as they only had as yet half the necessaries they required, they drew out a list of the other half and sent it to lady Feng, who, needless for us to particularise, had the different articles purchased, according to the specimens supplied.
By a certain day, the silk had been sized outside, a rough sketch drawn, and both returned into the garden. Pao-yue therefore was day after day to be found over at Hsi Ch'un's, doing his best to help her in her hard work. But T'an Ch'un, Li Wan, Ying Ch'un, Pao-ch'ai and the other girls likewise congregated in her quarters, and sat with her when they were at leisure, as they could, in the first place, watch the progress of the painting, and as secondly they were able to conveniently see something of each other.
When Pao-ch'ai perceived how cool and pleasant the weather was getting, and how the nights were beginning again to gradually draw out, she came and found her mother, and consulted with her, until they got some needlework ready. Of a day, she would cross over to the quarters of dowager lady Chia and Madame Wang, and twice pay her salutations, but, she could not help as well amusing them and sitting with them to keep them company. When free, she would come and see her cousins in the garden, and have, at odd times, a chat with them, so having, during daylight no leisure to speak of, she was wont, of a night, to ply her needle by lamplight, and only retire to sleep after the third watch had come and gone.
As for Tai-yue, she had, as a matter of course, a relapse of her complaint regularly every year, soon after the spring equinox and autumn solstice. But she had, during the last autumn, also found her grandmother Chia in such buoyant spirits, that she had walked a little too much on two distinct occasions, and naturally fatigued herself more than was good for her. Recently, too, she had begun to cough and to feel heavier than she had done at ordinary times, so she never by any chance put her foot out of doors, but remained at home and looked after her health. When at times, dullness crept over her, she longed for her cousins to come and chat with her and dispel her despondent feelings. But whenever Pao-ch'ai or any of her cousins paid her a visit, she barely uttered half a dozen, words, before she felt quite averse to any society. Yet one and all made every allowance for her illness. And as she had ever been in poor health and not strong enough to resist any annoyance, they did not find the least fault with her, despite even any lack of propriety she showed in playing the hostess with them, or any remissness on her part in observing the prescribed rules of etiquette.
Pao-ch'ai came, on this occasion to call on her. The conversation started on the symptoms of her ailment. "The various doctors, who visit this place," Pao-ch'ai consequently remarked, "may, it's true, be all very able practitioners; but you take their medicines and don't reap the least benefit! Wouldn't it be as well therefore to ask some other person of note to come and see you? And could he succeed in getting you all right, wouldn't it be nice? Here you year by year ail away throughout the whole length of spring and summer; but you're neither so old nor so young, so what will be the end of it? Besides, it can't go on for ever."
"It's no use," Tai-yue rejoined. "I know well enough that there's no cure for this complaint of mine! Not to speak of when I'm unwell, why even when I'm not, my state is such that one can see very well that there's no hope!"
Pao-ch'ai shook her head. "Quite so!" she ventured. "An old writer says: 'Those who eat, live.' But what you've all along eaten hasn't been enough to strengthen your energies and physique. This isn't a good thing!"
Tai-yue heaved a sigh. "Whether I'm to live or die is all destiny!" she said. "Riches and honours are in the hands of heaven; and human strength cannot suffice to forcibly get even them! But my complaint this year seems to be far worse than in past years, instead of any better."
While deploring her lot, she coughed two or three times. "It struck me," Pao-ch'ai said, "that in that prescription of yours I saw yesterday there was far too much ginseng and cinnamon. They are splendid tonics, of course, but too many heating things are not good. I think that the first urgent thing to do is to ease the liver and give tone to the stomach. When once the fire in the liver is reduced, it will not be able to overcome the stomach; and, when once the digestive organs are free of ailment, drink and food will be able to give nutriment to the human frame. As soon as you get out of bed, every morning, take one ounce of birds' nests, of superior quality, and five mace of sugar candy and prepare congee with them in a silver kettle. When once you get into the way of taking this decoction, you'll find it far more efficacious than medicines; for it possesses the highest virtue for invigorating the vagina and bracing up the physique."
"You've certainly always treated people with extreme consideration," sighed Tai-yue, "but such a supremely suspicious person am I that I imagined that you inwardly concealed some evil design! Yet ever since the day on which you represented to me how unwholesome it was to read obscene books, and you gave me all that good advice, I've felt most grateful to you! I've hitherto, in fact, been mistaken in my opinion; and the truth of the matter is that I remained under this misconception up to the very present. But you must carefully consider that when my mother died, I hadn't even any sisters or brothers; and that up to this my fifteenth year there has never been a single person to admonish me as you did the other day. Little wonder is it if that girl Yuen speaks well of you! Whenever, in former days, I heard her heap praise upon you, I felt uneasy in my mind, but, after my experiences of yesterday, I see how right she was. When you, for instance, began to tell me all those things, I didn't forgive you at the time, but, without worrying yourself in the least about it you went on, contrariwise, to tender me the advice you did. This makes it evident that I have laboured under a mistaken idea! Had I not made this discovery the other day, I wouldn't be speaking like this to your very face to-day. You told me a few minutes back to take bird's nest congee; but birds' nests are, I admit, easily procured; yet all on account of my sickly constitution and of the relapses I have every year of this complaint of mine, which amounts to nothing, doctors have had to be sent for, medicines, with ginseng and cinnamon, have had to be concocted, and I've given already such trouble as to turn heaven and earth topsy-turvey; so were I now to start again a new fad, by having some birds' nests congee or other prepared, our worthy senior, Madame Wang, and lady Feng, will, all three of them, have no objection to raise; but that posse of matrons and maids below will unavoidably despise me for my excessive fussiness! Just notice how every one in here ogles wildly like tigers their prey; and stealthily says one thing and another, simply because they see how fond our worthy ancestor is of both Pao-yue and lady Feng, and how much more won't they do these things with me? What's more, I'm not a pucker mistress. I've really come here as a mere refugee, for I had no one to sustain me and no one to depend upon. They already bear me considerable dislike; so much so, that I'm still quite at a loss whether I should stay or go; and why should I make them heap execrations upon me?"
"Well, in that case," Pao-ch'ai observed, "I'm too in the same plight as yourself!"
"How can you compare yourself with me?" Tai-yue exclaimed. "You have a mother; and a brother as well! You've also got some business and land in here, and, at home, you can call houses' and fields your own. It's only therefore the ties of relationship, which make you stay here at all. Neither are you in anything whether large or small, in their debt for one single cash or even half a one; and when you want to go, you're at liberty to go. But I, have nothing whatever that I can call my own. Yet, in what I eat, wear, and use, I am, in every trifle, entirely on the same footing as the young ladies in their household, so how ever can that mean lot not despise me out and out?"
"The only extra expense they'll have to go to by and bye," Pao-ch'ai laughed, "will be to get one more trousseau, that's all. And for the present, it's too soon yet to worry yourself about that!"
At this insinuation, Tai-yue unconsciously blushed scarlet. "One treats you," she smiled, "as a decent sort of person, and confides in you the woes of one's heart, and, instead of sympathising with me, you make me the means of raising a laugh!"
"Albeit I raise a laugh at your expense," Pao-ch'ai rejoined, a smile curling her lips, "what I say is none the less true! But compose your mind! I'll try every day that I'm here to cheer you up; so come to me with every grievance or trouble, for I shall, needless to say, dispel those that are within my power. Notwithstanding that I have a brother, you yourself know well enough what he's like! All I have is a mother, so I'm just a trifle better off than you! We can therefore well look upon ourselves as being in the same boat, and sympathise with each other. You have, besides, plenty of wits about you, so why need you give way to groans, as did Ssu Ma-niu? What you said just now is quite right; but, you should worry and fret about as little and not as much as you can. On my return home, to-morrow, I'll tell my mother; and, as I think there must be still some birds' nests in our house, we'll send you several ounces of them. You can then tell the servant-maids to prepare some for you at whatever time you want every day; and you'll thus be suiting your own convenience and be giving no trouble or annoyance to any one."
"The things are, of themselves, of little account," eagerly responded Tai-yue laughingly. "What's difficult to find is one with as much feeling as yourself."
"What's there in this worth speaking about?" Pao-ch'ai said. "What grieves me is that I fail to be as nice as I should be with those I come across. But, I presume, you feel quite done up now, so I'll be off!"
"Come in the evening again," Tai-yue pressed her, "and have a chat with me."
While assuring her that she would come, Pao-ch'ai walked out, so let us leave her alone for the present.
Tai-yue, meanwhile, drank a few sips of thin congee, and then once more lay herself down on her bed. But before the sun set, the weather unexpectedly changed, and a fine drizzling rain set in. So gently come the autumn showers that dull and fine are subject to uncertain alternations. The shades of twilight gradually fell on this occasion. The heavens too got so overcast as to look deep black. Besides the effect of this change on her mind, the patter of the rain on the bamboo tops intensified her despondency, and, concluding that Pao-ch'ai would be deterred from coming, she took up, in the lamp light, the first book within her reach, which turned out to be the 'Treasury of Miscellaneous Lyrics.' Finding among these 'the Pinings of a maiden in autumn,' 'the Anguish of Separation,' and other similar poems, Tai-yue felt unawares much affected; and, unable to restrain herself from giving vent to her feelings in writing, she, there and then, improvised the following stanza, in the same strain as the one on separation; complying with the rules observed in the 'Spring River-Flower' and 'Moonlight Night.' These verses, she then entitled 'the Poem on the Autumn evening, when wind and rain raged outside the window.' Their burden was:
In autumn, flowers decay; herbage, when autumn comes, doth yellow turn. On long autumnal nights, the autumn lanterns with bright radiance burn. As from my window autumn scenes I scan, autumn endless doth seem. This mood how can I bear, when wind and rain despondency enhance? How sudden break forth wind and rain, and help to make the autumntide! Fright snaps my autumn dreams, those dreams which under my lattice I dreamt. A sad autumnal gloom enclasps my heart, and drives all sleep away! In person I approach the autumn screen to snuff the weeping wick. The tearful candles with a flickering flame consume on their short stands. They stir up grief, dazzle my eyes, and a sense of parting arouse. In what family's courts do not the blasts of autumn winds intrude? And where in autumn does not rain patter against the window-frames? The silken quilt cannot ward off the nipping force of autumn winds. The drip of the half drained water-clock impels the autumn rains. A lull for few nights reigned, but the wind has again risen in strength. By the lantern I weep, as if I sat with some one who must go. The small courtyard, full of bleak mist, is now become quite desolate. With quick drip drops the rain on the distant bamboos and vacant sills. What time, I wonder, will the wind and rain their howl and patter cease? The tears already I have shed have soaked through the window gauze.
After scanning her verses, she flung the pen aside, and was just on the point of retiring to rest, when a waiting-maid announced that 'master Secundus, Mr. Pao-yue, had come.' Barely was the announcement out of her lips, than Pao-yue appeared on the scene with a large bamboo hat on his head, and a wrapper thrown over his shoulders. Of a sudden, a smile betrayed itself on Tai-yue's lips. "Where does this fisherman come from?" she exclaimed.
"Are you better to-day?" Pao-yue inquired with alacrity. "Have you had any medicines? How much rice have you had to eat to-day?"
While plying her with questions, he took off the hat and divested himself of the wrapper; and, promptly raising the lamp with one hand, he screened it with the other and threw its rays upon Tai-yue's face. Then straining his eyes, he scrutinised her for a while. "You look better to-day," he smiled.
As soon as he threw off his wrapper, Tai-yue noticed that he was clad in a short red silk jacket, the worse for wear; that he was girded with a green sash, and that, about his knees, his nether garments were visible, made of green thin silk, brocaded with flowers. Below these, he wore embroidered gauze socks, worked all over with twisted gold thread, and a pair of shoes ornamented with butterflies and clusters of fallen flowers.
"Above, you fight shy of the rain," Tai-yue remarked, "but aren't these shoes and socks below afraid of rain? Yet they're quite clean!"
"This suit is complete!" Pao-yue smiled. "I've got a pair of crab-wood clogs, I put on to come over; but I took them off under the eaves of the verandah."
Tai-yue's attention was then attracted by the extreme fineness and lightness of the texture of his wrapper and hat, which were unlike those sold in the market places. "With what grass are they plaited?" she consequently asked. "It would be strange if you didn't, with this sort of things on, look like a very hedgehog!"
"These three articles are a gift from the Prince of Pei Ching," Pao-yue answered. "Ordinarily, when it rains, he too wears this kind of outfit at home. But if it has taken your fancy, I'll have a suit made for you. There's nothing peculiar about the other things, but this hat is funny! The crown at the top is movable; so if you want to wear a hat, during snowy weather in wintertime, you pull off the bamboo pegs, and remove the crown, and there you only have the circular brim. This is worn, when it snows, by men and women alike. I'll give you one therefore to wear in the wintry snowy months."
"I don't want it!" laughed Tai-yue. "Were I to wear this sort of thing, I'd look like one of those fisherwomen, one sees depicted in pictures or represented on the stage!"
Upon reaching this point, she remembered that there was some connection between her present remarks and the comparison she had some time back made with regard to Pao-yue, and, before she had time to indulge in regrets, a sense of shame so intense overpowered her that the colour rushed to her face, and, leaning her head on the table, she coughed and coughed till she could not stop. Pao-yue, however, did not detect her embarrassment; but catching sight of some verses lying on the table, he eagerly snatched them up and conned them from beginning to end. "Splendid!" he could not help crying. But the moment Tai-yue heard his exclamation, she speedily jumped to her feet, and clutched the verses and burnt them over the lamp.
"I've already committed them sufficiently to memory!" Pao-yue laughed.
"I want to have a little rest," Tai-yue said, "so please get away; come back again to-morrow."
At these words, Pao-yue drew back his hand, and producing from his breast a gold watch about the size of a walnut, he looked at the time. The hand pointed between eight and nine p.m.; so hastily putting it away, "You should certainly retire to rest!" he replied. "My visit has upset you. I've quite tired you out this long while." With these apologies, he threw the wrapper over him, put on the rain-hat and quitted the room. But turning round, he retraced his steps inside. "Is there anything you fancy to eat?" he asked. "If there be, tell me, and I'll let our venerable ancestor know of it to-morrow as soon as it's day. Won't I explain things clearer than any of the old matrons could?"
"Let me," rejoined Tai-yue smiling, "think in the night. I'll let you know early to-morrow. But harken, it's raining harder than it did; so be off at once! Have you got any attendants, or no?"
"Yes!" interposed the two matrons. "There are servants to wait on him. They're outside holding his umbrella and lighting the lanterns."
"Are they lighting lanterns with this weather?" laughed Tai-yue.
"It won't hurt them!" Pao-yue answered. "They're made of sheep's horn, so they don't mind the rain."
Hearing this, Tai-yue put back her hand, and, taking down an ornamented glass lantern in the shape of a ball from the book case, she asked the servants to light a small candle and bring it to her; after which, she handed the lantern to Pao-yue. "This," she said, "gives out more light than the others; and is just the thing for rainy weather."
"I've also got one like it." Pao-yue replied. "But fearing lest they might slip, fall down and break it, I did not have it lighted and brought round."
"What's of more account," Tai-yue inquired, "harm to a lantern or to a human being? You're not besides accustomed to wearing clogs, so tell them to walk ahead with those lanterns. This one is as light and handy as it is light-giving; and is really adapted for rainy weather, so wouldn't it be well if you carried it yourself? You can send it over to me to-morrow! But, were it even to slip from your hand, it wouldn't matter much. How is it that you've also suddenly developed this money-grabbing sort of temperament? It's as bad as if you ripped your intestines to secrete pearls in."
After these words, Pao-yue approached her and took the lantern from her. Ahead then advanced two matrons, with umbrellas and sheep horn lanterns, and behind followed a couple of waiting-maids also with umbrellas. Pao-yue handed the glass lantern to a young maid to carry, and, supporting himself on her shoulder, he straightway wended his steps on his way back.
But presently arrived an old servant from the Heng Wu court, provided as well with an umbrella and a lantern, to bring over a large bundle of birds' nests, and a packet of foreign sugar, pure as powder, and white as petals of plum-blossom and flakes of snow. "These," she said, "are much better than what you can buy. Our young lady sends you word, miss, to first go on with these. When you've done with them, she'll let you have some more."
"Many thanks for the trouble you've taken!" Tai-yue returned for answer; and then asked her to go and sit outside and have a cup of tea.
"I won't have any tea," the old servant smiled. "I've got something else to attend to."
"I'm well aware that you've all got plenty in hand," Tai-yue resumed with a smiling countenance. "But the weather being cool now and the nights long, it's more expedient than ever to establish two things: a night club and a gambling place."
"I won't disguise the fact from you, miss," the old servant laughingly observed, "that I've managed this year to win plenty of money. Several servants have, under any circumstances, to do night duty; and, as any neglect in keeping watch wouldn't be the right thing, isn't it as well to have a night club, as one can sit on the look-out and dispel dullness as well? But it's again my turn to play the croupier to-day, so I must be getting along to the place, as the garden gate, will, by this time, be nearly closing!"
This rejoinder evoked a laugh from Tai-yue. "I've given you all this bother," she remarked, "and made you lose your chances of getting money, just to bring these things in the rain." And calling a servant she bade her present her with several hundreds of cash to buy some wine with, to drive the damp away.
"I've uselessly put you again, miss, to the expense of giving me a tip for wine," the old servant smiled. But saying this she knocked her forehead before her; and issuing outside, she received the money, after which, she opened her umbrella, and trudged back.
Tzu Chuean meanwhile put the birds' nests away; and removing afterwards the lamps, she lowered the portieres and waited upon Tai-yue until she lay herself down to sleep.
While she reclined all alone on her pillow, Tai-yue thought gratefully of Pao-ch'ai. At one moment, she envied her for having a mother and a brother; and at another, she mused that with the friendliness Pao-yue had ever shown her they were bound to be the victims of suspicion. But the pitter-patter of the rain, dripping on the bamboo tops and banana leaves, fell on her ear; and, as a fresh coolness penetrated the curtain, tears once more unconsciously trickled down her cheeks. In this frame of mind, she continued straight up to the fourth watch, when she at last gradually dropped into a sound sleep.
For the time, however, there is nothing that we can add. So should you, reader, desire to know any subsequent details, peruse what is written in the next chapter.
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