中国经典 》 紅樓夢 A Dream of Red Mansions 》
第五回 遊幻境指迷十二釵 飲仙醪麯演紅樓夢 CHAPTER V.
曹雪芹 Cao Xueqin
高鶚 Gao E
CHAPTER V.
 第五回 游幻境指迷十二钗 饮仙醪曲演红楼梦
如今且說林黛玉自在榮府以來，賈母萬般憐愛，寢食起居，一如寶玉，迎春，探春，惜春三個親孫女倒且靠後，便是寶玉和黛玉二人之親密友愛處，亦自較別個不同，日則同行同坐，夜則同息同止，真是言和意順，略無參商。不想如今忽然來了一個薛寶釵，年歲雖大不多，然品格端方，容貌豐美，人多謂黛玉所不及。而且寶釵行為豁達，隨分從時，不比黛玉孤高自許，目無下塵，故比黛玉大得下人之心。便是那些小丫頭子們，亦多喜與寶釵去頑。因此黛玉心中便有些悒鬱不忿之意，寶釵卻渾然不覺。那寶玉亦在孩提之間，況自天性所稟來的一片愚拙偏僻，視姊妹弟兄皆出一意，並無親疏遠近之別。其中因與黛玉同隨賈母一處坐臥，故略比別個姊妹熟慣些。既熟慣，則更覺親密，既親密，則不免一時有求全之毀，不虞之隙。這日不知為何，他二人言語有些不合起來，黛玉又氣的獨在房中垂淚，寶玉又自悔言語冒撞，前去俯就，那黛玉方漸漸的回轉來。因東邊寧府中花園內梅花盛開，賈珍之妻尤氏乃治酒，請賈母，邢夫人，王夫人等賞花。是日先攜了賈蓉之妻，二人來面請。賈母等於早飯後過來，就在會芳園遊頑，先茶後酒，不過皆是寧榮二府女眷傢宴小集，並無別樣新文趣事可記。
一時寶玉倦怠，欲睡中覺，賈母命人好生哄着，歇一回再來。賈蓉之妻秦氏便忙笑回道：“我們這裏有給寶叔收拾下的屋子，老祖宗放心，衹管交與我就是了。”又嚮寶玉的奶娘丫鬟等道：“嬤嬤，姐姐們，請寶叔隨我這裏來。”賈母素知秦氏是個極妥當的人，生的裊娜纖巧，行事又溫柔和平，乃重孫媳中第一個得意之人，見他去安置寶玉，自是安穩的。
當下秦氏引了一簇人來至上房內間。寶玉擡頭看見一幅畫貼在上面，畫的人物固好，其故事乃是《燃藜圖》，也不看係何人所畫，心中便有些不快。又有一幅對聯，寫的是：
世事洞明皆學問，人情練達即文章。及看了這兩句，縱然室宇精美，鋪陳華麗，亦斷斷不肯在這裏了，忙說：“快出去！快出去！"秦氏聽了笑道：“這裏還不好，可往那裏去呢？不然往我屋裏去吧。”寶玉點頭微笑。有一個嬤嬤說道：“那裏有個叔叔往侄兒房裏睡覺的理？"秦氏笑道：“噯喲喲，不怕他惱。他能多大呢，就忌諱這些個！上月你沒看見我那個兄弟來了，雖然與寶叔同年，兩個人若站在一處，衹怕那個還高些呢。”寶玉道：“我怎麽沒見過？你帶他來我瞧瞧。”衆人笑道：“隔着二三十裏，往那裏帶去，見的日子有呢。”說着大傢來至秦氏房中。剛至房門，便有一股細細的甜香襲人而來。寶玉覺得眼餳骨軟，連說"好香！"入房嚮壁上看時，有唐伯虎畫的《海棠春睡圖》，兩邊有宋學士秦太虛寫的一副對聯，其聯雲：
嫩寒鎖夢因春冷，芳氣籠人是酒香。案上設着武則天當日鏡室中設的寶鏡，一邊擺着飛燕立着舞過的金盤，盤內盛着安祿山擲過傷了太真乳的木瓜。上面設着壽昌公主於含章殿下臥的榻，懸的是同昌公主製的聯珠帳。寶玉含笑連說：“這裏好！"秦氏笑道：“我這屋子大約神仙也可以住得了。”說着親自展開了西子浣過的紗衾，移了紅娘抱過的鴛枕。於是衆奶母伏侍寶玉臥好，款款散了，衹留襲人，媚人，晴雯，麝月四個丫鬟為伴。秦氏便分咐小丫鬟們，好生在廊檐下看着貓兒狗兒打架。
那寶玉剛合上眼，便惚惚的睡去，猶似秦氏在前，遂悠悠蕩蕩，隨了秦氏，至一所在。但見朱欄白石，緑樹清溪，真是人跡希逢，飛塵不到。寶玉在夢中歡喜，想道：“這個去處有趣，我就在這裏過一生，縱然失了傢也願意，強如天天被父母師傅打呢。”正鬍思之間，忽聽山後有人作歌曰：
春夢隨雲散，飛花逐水流，
寄言衆兒女，何必覓閑愁。寶玉聽了是女子的聲音。歌聲未息，早見那邊走出一個人來，蹁躚裊娜，端的與人不同。有賦為證：
方離柳塢，乍出花房。但行處，鳥驚庭樹，將到時，
影度回廊。仙袂乍飄兮，聞麝蘭之馥鬱，荷衣欲動兮，
聽環佩之鏗鏘。靨笑春桃兮，雲堆翠髻，唇綻櫻顆兮，榴
齒含香。纖腰之楚楚兮，回風舞雪，珠翠之輝輝兮，滿
額鵝黃。出沒花間兮，宜嗔宜喜，徘徊池上兮，若飛若揚。
蛾眉顰笑兮，將言而未語，蓮步乍移兮，待止而欲行。羨彼
之良質兮，冰清玉潤，羨彼之華服兮，閃灼文章。愛彼之貌
容兮，香培玉琢，美彼之態度兮，鳳翥竜翔。其素若何，
春梅綻雪。其潔若何，秋菊被霜。其靜若何，鬆生空𠔌。
其豔若何，霞映澄塘。其文若何，竜遊麯沼。其神若何，月
射寒江。應慚西子，實愧王嬙。奇矣哉，生於孰地，來自
何方，信矣乎，瑤池不二，紫府無雙。果何人哉？如斯之
美也！
寶玉見是一個仙姑，喜的忙來作揖問道：“神仙姐姐不知從那裏來，如今要往那裏去？也不知這是何處，望乞攜帶攜帶。”那仙姑笑道：“吾居離恨天之上，灌愁海之中，乃放春山遣香洞太虛幻境警幻仙姑是也：司人間之風情月債，掌塵世之女怨男癡。因近來風流冤孽，纏綿於此處，是以前來訪察機會，布散相思。今忽與爾相逢，亦非偶然。此離吾境不遠，別無他物，僅有自采仙茗一盞，親釀美酒一甕，素練魔舞歌姬數人，新填《紅樓夢》仙麯十二支，試隨吾一遊否？"寶玉聽說，便忘了秦氏在何處，竟隨了仙姑，至一所在，有石牌橫建，上書"太虛幻境"四個大字，兩邊一副對聯，乃是：
假作真時真亦假，無為有處有還無。轉過牌坊，便是一座宮門，上面橫書四個大字，道是：“孽海情天"。又有一副對聯，大書云：
厚地高天，堪嘆古今情不盡，
癡男怨女，可憐風月債難償。
寶玉看了，心下自思道：“原來如此。但不知何為‘古今之情’，何為‘風月之債’？從今倒要領略領略。”寶玉衹顧如此一想，不料早把些邪魔招入膏肓了。當下隨了仙姑進入二層門內，至兩邊配殿，皆有匾額對聯，一時看不盡許多，惟見有幾處寫的是：“癡情司"，"結怨司"，"朝啼司"，"夜怨司"，"春感司"，"秋悲司"。看了，因嚮仙姑道：“敢煩仙姑引我到那各司中遊玩遊玩，不知可使得？"仙姑道：“此各司中皆貯的是普天之下所有的女子過去未來的簿册，爾凡眼塵軀，未便先知的。”寶玉聽了，那裏肯依，復央之再四。仙姑無奈，說：“也罷，就在此司內略隨喜隨喜罷了。”寶玉喜不自勝，擡頭看這司的匾上，乃是"薄命司"三字，兩邊對聯寫的是：
春恨秋悲皆自惹，花容月貌為誰妍。
寶玉看了，便知感嘆。進入門來，衹見有十數個大廚，皆用封條封着。看那封條上，皆是各省的地名。寶玉一心衹揀自己的家乡封條看，遂無心看別省的了。衹見那邊廚上封條上大書七字雲：“金陵十二釵正册"。寶玉問道：“何為‘金陵十二釵正册’？"警幻道：“即貴省中十二冠首女子之册，故為‘正册’。”寶玉道：“常聽人說，金陵極大，怎麽衹十二個女子？如今單我傢裏，上上下下，就有幾百女孩子呢。”警幻冷笑道：“貴省女子固多，不過擇其緊要者錄之。下邊二廚則又次之。餘者庸常之輩，則無册可錄矣。”寶玉聽說，再看下首二廚上，果然寫着"金陵十二釵副册"，又一個寫着"金陵十二釵又副册"。寶玉便伸手先將"又副册"廚開了，拿出一本册來，揭開一看，衹見這首頁上畫着一幅畫，又非人物，也無山水，不過是水墨ч染的滿紙烏雲濁霧而已。後有幾行字跡，寫的是：
霽月難逢，彩雲易散。心比天高，身為下賤。風流靈巧
招人怨。壽夭多因毀謗生，多情公子空牽念。
寶玉看了，又見後面畫着一簇鮮花，一床破席，也有幾句言詞，寫道是：
枉自溫柔和順，空雲似桂如蘭，
堪羨優伶有福，誰知公子無緣。寶玉看了不解。遂擲下這個，又去開了副册廚門，拿起一本册來，揭開看時，衹見畫着一株桂花，下面有一池沼，其中水涸泥幹，蓮枯藕敗，後面書云：
根並荷花一莖香，平生遭際實堪傷。
自從兩地生孤木，致使香魂返故鄉。寶玉看了仍不解。便又擲了，再去取"正册"看，衹見頭一頁上便畫着兩株枯木，木上懸着一圍玉帶，又有一堆雪，雪下一股金簪。也有四句言詞，道是：
可嘆停機德，堪憐詠絮纔。
玉帶林中挂，金簪雪裏埋。寶玉看了仍不解。待要問時，情知他必不肯泄漏，待要丟下，又不捨。遂又往後看時，衹見畫着一張弓，弓上挂着香櫞。也有一首歌詞雲：
二十年來辨是非，榴花開處照宮闈。
三春爭及初春景，虎兕相逢大夢歸。後面又畫着兩人放風箏，一片大海，一隻大船，船中有一女子掩面泣涕之狀。也有四句寫雲：
纔自精明志自高，生於末世運偏消。
清明涕送江邊望，千裏東風一夢遙。後面又畫幾縷飛雲，一灣逝水。其詞曰：
富貴又何為，襁褓之間父母違。
展眼吊斜暉，湘江水逝楚雲飛。後面又畫着一塊美玉，落在泥垢之中。其斷語雲：
欲潔何曾潔，雲空未必空。
可憐金玉質，終陷淖泥中。後面忽見畫着個惡狼，追撲一美女，欲啖之意。其書云：
子係中山狼，得志便猖狂。
金閨花柳質，一載赴黃粱。後面便是一所古廟，裏面有一美人在內看經獨坐。其判雲：
勘破三春景不長，緇衣頓改昔年妝。
可憐綉戶侯門女，獨臥青燈古佛旁。後面便是一片冰山，上面有一隻雌鳳。其判曰：
凡鳥偏從末世來，都知愛慕此生纔。
一從二令三人木，哭嚮金陵事更哀。後面又是一座荒村野店，有一美人在那裏紡績。其判雲：
勢敗休雲貴，傢亡莫論親。
偶因濟劉氏，巧得遇恩人。後面又畫着一盆茂蘭，旁有一位鳳冠霞帔的美人。也有判雲：
桃李春風結子完，到頭誰似一盆蘭。
如冰水好空相妒，枉與他人作笑談。後面又畫着高樓大廈，有一美人懸梁自縊。其判雲：
情天情海幻情身，情既相逢必主淫。
漫言不肖皆榮出，造釁開端實在寧。
寶玉還欲看時，那仙姑知他天分高明，性情穎慧，恐把仙機泄漏，遂掩了捲册，笑嚮寶玉道：“且隨我去遊玩奇景，何必在此打這悶葫蘆！”
寶玉恍恍惚惚，不覺棄了捲册，又隨了警幻來至後面。但見珠簾綉幕，畫棟雕檐，說不盡那光搖朱戶金鋪地，雪照瓊窗玉作宮。更見仙花馥鬱，異草芬芳，真好個所在。又聽警幻笑道：“你們快出來迎接貴客！"一語未了，衹見房中又走出幾個仙子來，皆是荷袂蹁躚，羽衣飄舞，姣若春花，媚如秋月。一見了寶玉，都怨謗警幻道：“我們不知係何‘貴客’，忙的接了出來！姐姐曾說今日今時必有絳珠妹子的生魂前來遊玩，故我等久待。何故反引這濁物來污染這清淨女兒之境？”
寶玉聽如此說，便嚇得欲退不能退，果覺自形污穢不堪。警幻忙攜住寶玉的手，嚮衆姊妹道：“你等不知原委：今日原欲往榮府去接絳珠，適從寧府所過，偶遇寧榮二公之靈，囑吾雲：‘吾傢自國朝定鼎以來，功名奕世，富貴傳流，雖歷百年，奈運終數盡，不可輓回者。故遺之子孫雖多，竟無可以繼業。其中惟嫡孫寶玉一人，稟性乖張，生性怪譎，雖聰明靈慧，略可望成，無奈吾傢運數合終，恐無人規引入正。幸仙姑偶來，萬望先以情欲聲色z等事警其癡頑，或能使彼跳出迷人圈子，然後入於正路，亦吾兄弟之幸矣。’如此囑吾，故發慈心，引彼至此。先以彼傢上中下三等女子之終身册籍，令彼熟玩，尚未覺悟，故引彼再至此處，令其再歷飲饌聲色之幻，或冀將來一悟，亦未可知也。”
說畢，攜了寶玉入室。但聞一縷幽香，竟不知其所焚何物。寶玉遂不禁相問。警幻冷笑道：“此香塵世中既無，爾何能知！此香乃係諸名山勝境內初生異卉之精，合各種寶林珠樹之油所製，名‘群芳髓’。”寶玉聽了，自是羨慕而已。大傢入座，小丫鬟捧上茶來。寶玉自覺清香異味，純美非常，因又問何名。警幻道：“此茶出在放春山遣香洞，又以仙花靈葉上所帶之宿露而烹，此茶名曰‘千紅一窟’。”寶玉聽了，點頭稱賞。因看房內，瑤琴，寶鼎，古畫，新詩，無所不有，更喜窗下亦有唾絨，奩間時漬粉污。壁上也見懸着一副對聯，書云：
幽微靈秀地，無可奈何天。寶玉看畢，無不羨慕。因又請問衆仙姑姓名：一名癡夢仙姑，一名鐘情大士，一名引愁金女，一名度恨菩提，各各道號不一。少刻，有小丫鬟來調桌安椅，設擺酒饌。真是：瓊漿滿泛玻璃盞，玉液濃斟琥珀杯。更不用再說那餚饌之盛。寶玉因聞得此酒清香甘冽，異乎尋常，又不禁相問。警幻道：“此酒乃以百花之蕊，萬木之汁，加以麟髓之醅，鳳乳之ш釀成，因名為‘萬豔同杯’。”寶玉稱賞不迭。
飲酒間，又有十二個舞女上來，請問演何詞麯。警幻道：“就將新製《紅樓夢》十二支演上來。”舞女們答應了，便輕敲檀板，款按銀箏，聽他歌道是：
開闢鴻蒙……方歌了一句，警幻便說道：“此麯不比塵世中所填傳奇之麯，必有生旦淨末之則，又有南北九宮之限。此或詠嘆一人，或感懷一事，偶成一麯，即可譜入管弦。若非個中人，不知其中之妙。料爾亦未必深明此調。若不先閱其稿，後聽其歌，翻成嚼蠟矣。”說畢，回頭命小丫鬟取了《紅樓夢》原稿來，遞與寶玉。寶玉接來，一面目視其文，一面耳聆其歌曰：
《紅樓夢引子》開闢鴻蒙，誰為情種？都衹為風月情濃。趁着這奈何天，傷懷日，寂寥時，試遣愚衷。因此上，
演出這懷金悼玉的《紅樓夢》。
[終身誤]都道是金玉良姻，俺衹念木石前盟。空對着，山中高士晶瑩雪，終不忘，世外仙姝寂寞林。嘆人間，美
中不足今方信。縱然是齊眉舉案，到底意難平。
[枉凝眉]一個是閬苑仙葩，一個是美玉無瑕。若說
沒奇緣，今生偏又遇着他，若說有奇緣，如何心事終虛化？一個枉自嗟呀，一個空勞牽挂。一個是水中月，一個是鏡中
花。想眼中能有多少淚珠兒，怎經得秋流到鼕盡，春流到
夏！
寶玉聽了此麯，散漫無稽，不見得好處，但其聲韻凄惋，竟能銷魂醉魄。因此也不察其原委，問其來歷，就暫以此釋悶而已。因又看下道：
[恨無常]喜榮華正好，恨無常又到。眼睜睜，把萬事
全拋。蕩悠悠，把芳魂消耗。望家乡，路遠山高。故嚮爹娘
夢裏相尋告：兒命已入黃泉，天倫呵，須要退步抽身早！
[分骨肉]一帆風雨路三千，把骨肉傢園齊來拋閃。
恐哭損殘年，告爹娘，休把兒懸念。自古窮通皆有定，
離合豈無緣？從今分兩地，各自保平安。奴去也，莫牽
連。
[樂中悲]襁褓中，父母嘆雙亡。縱居那綺羅叢，誰知嬌
養？幸生來，英豪闊大寬宏量，從未將兒女私情略縈心上。
好一似，霽月光風耀玉堂。廝配得才貌仙郎，博得個地久天
長，準折得幼年時坎坷形狀。終久是雲散高唐，水涸湘江。
這是塵寰中消長數應當，何必枉悲傷！
[世難容]氣質美如蘭，才華阜比仙。天生成孤癖人皆
罕。你道是啖肉食腥膻，視綺羅俗厭，卻不知太高人愈妒，過潔世同嫌。可嘆這，青燈古殿人將老，辜負了，紅粉朱樓
春色闌。到頭來，依舊是風塵骯髒違心願。好一似，無瑕白
玉遭泥陷，又何須，王孫公子嘆無緣。
[喜冤傢]中山狼，無情獸，全不念當日根由。一味的
驕奢淫蕩貪還構。覷着那，侯門豔質同蒲柳，作踐的，公府
千金似下流。嘆芳魂豔魄，一載蕩悠悠。
[虛花悟]將那三春看破，桃紅柳緑待如何？把這韶
華打滅，覓那清淡天和。說什麽，天上夭桃盛，雲中杏蕊多。
到頭來，誰把秋捱過？則看那，白楊村裏人嗚咽，青楓林下
鬼吟哦。更兼着，連天衰草遮墳墓。這的是，昨貧今富人勞
碌，春榮秋謝花折磨。似這般，生關死劫誰能躲？聞說道，
西方寶樹喚婆娑，上結着長生果。
[聰明纍]機關算盡太聰明，反算了卿卿性命。生前心已碎，死後性空靈。傢富人寧，終有個傢亡人散各奔騰。枉費
了，意懸懸半世心，好一似，蕩悠悠三更夢。忽喇喇似大廈傾，
昏慘慘似燈將盡。呀！一場歡喜忽悲辛。嘆人世，終難定！
[留餘慶]留餘慶，留餘慶，忽遇恩人，幸娘親，幸娘
親，積得陰功。勸人生，濟睏扶窮，休似俺那愛銀錢忘骨肉的狠舅姦兄！正是乘除加減，上有蒼穹。
[晚韶華]鏡裏恩情，更那堪夢裏功名！那美韶華去之何迅！再休提銹帳鴛衾。衹這帶珠冠，披鳳襖，也抵不了
無常性命。雖說是，人生莫受老來貧，也須要陰騭積兒孫。
氣昂昂頭戴簪纓，氣昂昂頭戴簪纓，光燦燦胸懸金印，威赫
赫爵祿高登，威赫赫爵祿高登，昏慘慘黃泉路近。問古來將
相可還存？也衹是虛名兒與後人欽敬。
[好事終]畫梁春盡落香塵。擅風情，秉月貌，便是敗
傢的根本。箕裘頽墮皆從敬，傢事消亡首罪寧。宿孽總因
情。
[收尾。飛鳥各投林]為官的，傢業凋零，富貴的，金
銀散盡，有恩的，死裏逃生，無情的，分明報應。欠命的，命已還，欠淚的，淚已盡。冤冤相報實非輕，分離聚合皆前定。
欲知命短問前生，老來富貴也真僥幸。看破的，遁入空門，癡
迷的，枉送了性命。好一似食盡鳥投林，落了片白茫茫大地真幹淨！
歌畢，還要歌副麯。警幻見寶玉甚無趣味，因嘆：“癡兒竟尚未悟！"那寶玉忙止歌姬不必再唱，自覺朦朧恍惚，告醉求臥。警幻便命撤去殘席，送寶玉至一香閨綉閣之中，其間鋪陳之盛，乃素所未見之物。更可駭者，早有一位女子在內，其鮮豔嫵媚，有似乎寶釵，風流裊娜，則又如黛玉。正不知何意，忽警幻道：“塵世中多少富貴之傢，那些緑窗風月，綉閣煙霞，皆被淫污紈э與那些流蕩女子悉皆玷辱。更可恨者，自古來多少輕薄浪子，皆以‘好色不淫’為飾，又以‘情而不淫’作案，此皆飾非掩醜之語也。好色即淫，知情更淫。是以巫山之會，雲雨之歡，皆由既悅其色，復戀其情所致也。吾所愛汝者，乃天下古今第一淫人也”
寶玉聽了，唬的忙答道：“仙姑差了。我因懶於讀書，傢父母尚每垂訓飭，豈敢再冒‘淫’字。況且年紀尚小，不知‘淫’字為何物。”警幻道：“非也。淫雖一理，意則有別。如世之好淫者，不過悅容貌，喜歌舞，調笑無厭，雲雨無時，恨不能盡天下之美女供我片時之趣興，此皆皮膚淫濫之蠢物耳。如爾則天分中生成一段癡情，吾輩推之為‘意淫’。‘意淫’二字，惟心會而不可口傳，可神通而不可語達。汝今獨得此二字，在閨閣中，固可為良友，然於世道中未免迂闊怪詭，百口嘲謗，萬目睚眥。今既遇令祖寧榮二公剖腹深囑，吾不忍君獨為我閨閣增光，見棄於世道，是以特引前來，醉以靈酒，沁以仙茗，警以妙麯，再將吾妹一人，乳名兼美字可卿者，許配於汝。今夕良時，即可成姻。不過令汝領略此仙閨幻境之風光尚如此，何況塵境之情景哉？而今後萬萬解釋，改悟前情，留意於孔孟之間，委身於經濟之道。”說畢便秘授以雲雨之事，推寶玉入房，將門掩上自去。
那寶玉恍恍惚惚，依警幻所囑之言，未免有兒女之事，難以盡述。至次日，便柔情繾綣，軟語溫存，與可卿難解難分。因二人攜手出去遊頑之時，忽至一個所在，但見荊榛遍地，狼虎同群，迎面一道黑溪阻路，並無橋梁可通。正在猶豫之間，忽見警幻後面追來，告道：“快休前進，作速回頭要緊！"寶玉忙止步問道：“此係何處？"警幻道：“此即迷津也。深有萬丈，遙亙千裏，中無舟楫可通，衹有一個木筏，乃木居士掌舵，灰侍者撐篙，不受金銀之謝，但遇有緣者渡之。爾今偶遊至此，設如墮落其中，則深負我從前諄諄警戒之語矣。”話猶未了，衹聽迷津內水響如雷，竟有許多夜叉海鬼將寶玉拖將下去。嚇得寶玉汗下如雨，一面失聲喊叫：“可卿救我！"嚇得襲人輩衆丫鬟忙上來摟住，叫：“寶玉別怕，我們在這裏！”
卻說秦氏正在房外囑咐小丫頭們好生看着貓兒狗兒打架，忽聽寶玉在夢中喚他的小名，因納悶道：“我的小名這裏從沒人知道的，他如何知道，在夢裏叫出來？"正是：
一場幽夢同誰近，千古情人獨我癡。
The spirit of Chia Pao-yue visits the confines of the Great Void. The Monitory Vision Fairy expounds, in ballads, the Dream of the Red Chamber.
Having in the fourth chapter explained, to some degree, the circumstances attending the settlement of the mother and children of the Hsueeh family in the Jung mansion, and other incidental matters, we will now revert to Lin Tai-yue.
Ever since her arrival in the Jung mansion, dowager lady Chia showed her the highest sympathy and affection, so that in everything connected with sleeping, eating, rising and accommodation she was on the same footing as Pao-yue; with the result that Ying Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and T'an Ch'un, her three granddaughters, had after all to take a back seat. In fact, the intimate and close friendliness and love which sprung up between the two persons Pao-yue and Tai-yue, was, in the same degree, of an exceptional kind, as compared with those existing between the others. By daylight they were wont to walk together, and to sit together. At night, they would desist together, and rest together. Really it was a case of harmony in language and concord in ideas, of the consistency of varnish or of glue, (a close friendship), when at this unexpected juncture there came this girl, Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai, who, though not very much older in years (than the others), was, nevertheless, in manner so correct, and in features so beautiful that the consensus of opinion was that Tai-yue herself could not come up to her standard.
What is more, in her ways Pao-Ch'ai was so full of good tact, so considerate and accommodating, so unlike Tai-yue, who was supercilious, self-confident, and without any regard for the world below, that the natural consequence was that she soon completely won the hearts of the lower classes. Even the whole number of waiting-maids would also for the most part, play and joke with Pao-ch'ai. Hence it was that Tai-yue fostered, in her heart, considerable feelings of resentment, but of this however Pao-ch'ai had not the least inkling.
Pao-yue was, likewise, in the prime of his boyhood, and was, besides, as far as the bent of his natural disposition was concerned, in every respect absurd and perverse; regarding his cousins, whether male or female, one and all with one common sentiment, and without any distinction whatever between the degrees of distant or close relationship. Sitting and sleeping, as he now was under the same roof with Tai-yue in dowager lady Chia's suite of rooms, he naturally became comparatively more friendly with her than with his other cousins; and this friendliness led to greater intimacy and this intimacy once established, rendered unavoidable the occurrence of the blight of harmony from unforeseen slight pretexts.
These two had had on this very day, for some unknown reason, words between them more or less unfriendly, and Tai-yue was again sitting all alone in her room, giving way to tears. Pao-yue was once more within himself quite conscience-smitten for his ungraceful remarks, and coming forward, he humbly made advances, until, at length, Tai-yue little by little came round.
As the plum blossom, in the eastern part of the garden of the Ning mansion, was in full bloom, Chia Chen's spouse, Mrs. Yu, made preparations for a collation, (purposing) to send invitations to dowager lady Chia, mesdames Hsing, and Wang, and the other members of the family, to come and admire the flowers; and when the day arrived the first thing she did was to take Chia Jung and his wife, the two of them, and come and ask them round in person. Dowager lady Chia and the other inmates crossed over after their early meal; and they at once promenaded the Hui Fang (Concentrated Fragrance) Garden. First tea was served, and next wine; but the entertainment was no more than a family banquet of the kindred of the two mansions of Ning and Jung, so that there was a total lack of any novel or original recreation that could be put on record.
After a little time, Pao-yue felt tired and languid and inclined for his midday siesta. "Take good care," dowager lady Chia enjoined some of them, "and stay with him, while he rests for a while, when he can come back;" whereupon Chia Jung's wife, Mrs. Ch'in, smiled and said with eagerness: "We got ready in here a room for uncle Pao, so let your venerable ladyship set your mind at ease. Just hand him over to my charge, and he will be quite safe. Mothers and sisters," she continued, addressing herself to Pao-yue's nurses and waiting maids, "invite uncle Pao to follow me in here."
Dowager lady Chia had always been aware of the fact that Mrs. Ch'in was a most trustworthy person, naturally courteous and scrupulous, and in every action likewise so benign and gentle; indeed the most estimable among the whole number of her great grandsons' wives, so that when she saw her about to go and attend to Pao-yue, she felt that, for a certainty, everything would be well.
Mrs. Ch'in, there and then, led away a company of attendants, and came into the rooms inside the drawing room. Pao-yue, upon raising his head, and catching sight of a picture hung on the upper wall, representing a human figure, in perfect style, the subject of which was a portrait of Yen Li, speedily felt his heart sink within him.
There was also a pair of scrolls, the text of which was:
A thorough insight into worldly matters arises from knowledge; A clear perception of human nature emanates from literary lore.
On perusal of these two sentences, albeit the room was sumptuous and beautifully laid out, he would on no account remain in it. "Let us go at once," he hastened to observe, "let us go at once."
Mrs. Ch'in upon hearing his objections smiled. "If this," she said, "is really not nice, where are you going? if you won't remain here, well then come into my room."
Pao-yue nodded his head and gave a faint grin.
"Where do you find the propriety," a nurse thereupon interposed, "of an uncle going to sleep in the room of a nephew's wife?"
"Ai ya!" exclaimed Mrs. Ch'in laughing, "I don't mind whether he gets angry or not (at what I say); but how old can he be as to reverentially shun all these things? Why my brother was with me here last month; didn't you see him? he's, true enough, of the same age as uncle Pao, but were the two of them to stand side by side, I suspect that he would be much higher in stature."
"How is it," asked Pao-yue, "that I didn't see him? Bring him along and let me have a look at him!"
"He's separated," they all ventured as they laughed, "by a distance of twenty or thirty li, and how can he be brought along? but you'll see him some day."
As they were talking, they reached the interior of Mrs. Ch'in's apartments. As soon as they got in, a very faint puff of sweet fragrance was wafted into their nostrils. Pao-yue readily felt his eyes itch and his bones grow weak. "What a fine smell!" he exclaimed several consecutive times.
Upon entering the apartments, and gazing at the partition wall, he saw a picture the handiwork of T'ang Po-hu, consisting of Begonias drooping in the spring time; on either side of which was one of a pair of scrolls, written by Ch'in Tai-hsue, a Literary Chancellor of the Sung era, running as follows:
A gentle chill doth circumscribe the dreaming man, because the spring is cold. The fragrant whiff, which wafts itself into man's nose, is the perfume of wine!
On the table was a mirror, one which had been placed, in days of yore, in the Mirror Palace of the Emperor Wu Tse-t'ien. On one side stood a gold platter, in which Fei Yen, who lived in the Ch'ao state, used to stand and dance. In this platter, was laid a quince, which An Lu-shan had flung at the Empress T'ai Chen, inflicting a wound on her breast. In the upper part of the room, stood a divan ornamented with gems, on which the Emperor's daughter, Shou Ch'ang, was wont to sleep, in the Han Chang Palace Hanging, were curtains embroidered with strings of pearls, by T'ung Ch'ang, the Imperial Princess.
"It's nice in here, it's nice in here," exclaimed Pao-yue with a chuckle.
"This room of mine," observed Mrs. Ch'in smilingly, "is I think, good enough for even spirits to live in!" and, as she uttered these words, she with her own hands, opened a gauze coverlet, which had been washed by Hsi Shih, and removed a bridal pillow, which had been held in the arms of Hung Niang. Instantly, the nurses attended to Pao-yue, until he had laid down comfortably; when they quietly dispersed, leaving only the four waiting maids: Hsi Jen, Ch'iu Wen, Ch'ing Wen and She Yueh to keep him company.
"Mind be careful, as you sit under the eaves," Mrs. Ch'in recommended the young waiting maids, "that the cats do not start a fight!"
Pao-yue then closed his eyes, and, little by little, became drowsy, and fell asleep.
It seemed to him just as if Mrs. Ch'in was walking ahead of him. Forthwith, with listless and unsettled step, he followed Mrs. Ch'in to some spot or other, where he saw carnation-like railings, jade-like steps, verdant trees and limpid pools--a spot where actually no trace of any human being could be met with, where of the shifting mundane dust little had penetrated.
Pao-yue felt, in his dream, quite delighted. "This place," he mused, "is pleasant, and I may as well spend my whole lifetime in here! though I may have to lose my home, I'm quite ready for the sacrifice, for it's far better being here than being flogged, day after day, by father, mother, and teacher."
While he pondered in this erratic strain, he suddenly heard the voice of some human being at the back of the rocks, giving vent to this song:
Like scattering clouds doth fleet a vernal dream; The transient flowers pass like a running stream; Maidens and youths bear this, ye all, in mind; In useless grief what profit will ye find?
Pao-yue perceived that the voice was that of a girl. The song was barely at an end, when he soon espied in the opposite direction, a beautiful girl advancing with majestic and elastic step; a girl quite unlike any ordinary mortal being. There is this poem, which gives an adequate description of her:
Lo she just quits the willow bank; and sudden now she issues from the flower-bedecked house; As onward alone she speeds, she startles the birds perched in the trees, by the pavilion; to which as she draws nigh, her shadow flits by the verandah! Her fairy clothes now flutter in the wind! a fragrant perfume like unto musk or olea is wafted in the air; Her apparel lotus-like is sudden wont to move; and the jingle of her ornaments strikes the ear. Her dimpled cheeks resemble, as they smile, a vernal peach; her kingfisher coiffure is like a cumulus of clouds; her lips part cherry-like; her pomegranate-like teeth conceal a fragrant breath. Her slender waist, so beauteous to look at, is like the skipping snow wafted by a gust of wind; the sheen of her pearls and kingfisher trinkets abounds with splendour, green as the feathers of a duck, and yellow as the plumes of a goose; Now she issues to view, and now is hidden among the flowers; beautiful she is when displeased, beautiful when in high spirits; with lissome step, she treads along the pond, as if she soars on wings or sways in the air. Her eyebrows are crescent moons, and knit under her smiles; she speaks, and yet she seems no word to utter; her lotus-like feet with ease pursue their course; she stops, and yet she seems still to be in motion; the charms of her figure all vie with ice in purity, and in splendour with precious gems; Lovely is her brilliant attire, so full of grandeur and refined grace. Loveable her countenance, as if moulded from some fragrant substance, or carved from white jade; elegant is her person, like a phoenix, dignified like a dragon soaring high. What is her chastity like? Like a white plum in spring with snow nestling in its broken skin; Her purity? Like autumn orchids bedecked with dewdrops. Her modesty? Like a fir-tree growing in a barren plain; Her comeliness? Like russet clouds reflected in a limpid pool. Her gracefulness? Like a dragon in motion wriggling in a stream; Her refinement? Like the rays of the moon shooting on to a cool river. Sure is she to put Hsi Tzu to shame! Bound to put Wang Ch'iang to the blush! What a remarkable person! Where was she born? and whence does she come? One thing is true that in Fairy-land there is no second like her! that in the Purple Courts of Heaven there is no one fit to be her peer! Forsooth, who can it be, so surpassingly beautiful!
Pao-yue, upon realising that she was a fairy, was much elated; and with eagerness advanced and made a bow.
"My divine sister," he ventured, as he put on a smile. "I don't know whence you come, and whither you are going. Nor have I any idea what this place is, but I make bold to entreat that you would take my hand and lead me on."
"My abode," replied the Fairy, "is above the Heavens of Divested Animosities, and in the ocean of Discharged Sorrows. I'm the Fairy of Monitory Vision, of the cave of Drooping Fragrance, in the mount of Emitted Spring, within the confines of the Great Void. I preside over the voluptuous affections and sensual debts among the mortal race, and supervise in the dusty world, the envies of women and the lusts of man. It's because I've recently come to hear that the retribution for voluptuousness extends up to this place, that I betake myself here in order to find suitable opportunities of disseminating mutual affections. My encounter with you now is also not a matter of accident! This spot is not distant from my confines. I have nothing much there besides a cup of the tender buds of tea plucked by my own hands, and a pitcher of luscious wine, fermented by me as well as several spritelike singing and dancing maidens of great proficiency, and twelve ballads of spiritual song, recently completed, on the Dream of the Red Chamber; but won't you come along with me for a stroll?"
Pao-yue, at this proposal, felt elated to such an extraordinary degree that he could skip from joy, and there and then discarding from his mind all idea of where Mrs. Ch'in was, he readily followed the Fairy.
They reached some spot, where there was a stone tablet, put up in a horizontal position, on which were visible the four large characters: "The confines of the Great Void," on either side of which was one of a pair of scrolls, with the two antithetical sentences:
When falsehood stands for truth, truth likewise becomes false; When naught be made to aught, aught changes into naught!
Past the Portal stood the door of a Palace, and horizontally, above this door, were the four large characters: "The Sea of Retribution, the Heaven of Love." There were also a pair of scrolls, with the inscription in large characters:
Passion, alas! thick as the earth, and lofty as the skies, from ages past to the present hath held incessant sway; How pitiful your lot! ye lustful men and women envious, that your voluptuous debts should be so hard to pay!
Pao-yue, after perusal, communed with his own heart. "Is it really so!" he thought, "but I wonder what implies the passion from old till now, and what are the voluptuous debts! Henceforward, I must enlighten myself!"
Pao-yue was bent upon this train of thoughts when he unwittingly attracted several evil spirits into his heart, and with speedy step he followed in the track of the fairy, and entered two rows of doors when he perceived that the Lateral Halls were, on both sides, full of tablets and scrolls, the number of which he could not in one moment ascertain. He however discriminated in numerous places the inscriptions: The Board of Lustful Love; the Board of contracted grudges; The Board of Matutinal sobs; the Board of nocturnal tears; the Board of vernal affections; and the Board of autumnal anguish.
After he had perused these inscriptions, he felt impelled to turn round and address the Fairy. "May I venture to trouble my Fairy," he said, "to take me along for a turn into the interior of each of these Boards? May I be allowed, I wonder, to do so?"
"Inside each of these Boards," explained the Fairy, "are accumulated the registers with the records of all women of the whole world; of those who have passed away, as well as of those who have not as yet come into it, and you, with your mortal eyes and human body, could not possibly be allowed to know anything in anticipation."
But would Pao-yue, upon hearing these words, submit to this decree? He went on to implore her permission again and again, until the Fairy casting her eye upon the tablet of the board in front of her observed, "Well, all right! you may go into this board and reap some transient pleasure."
Pao-yue was indescribably joyous, and, as he raised his head, he perceived that the text on the tablet consisted of the three characters: the Board of Ill-fated lives; and that on each side was a scroll with the inscription:
Upon one's self are mainly brought regrets in spring and autumn gloom; A face, flowerlike may be and moonlike too; but beauty all for whom?
Upon perusal of the scroll Pao-yue was, at once, the more stirred with admiration; and, as he crossed the door, and reached the interior, the only things that struck his eye were about ten large presses, the whole number of which were sealed with paper slips; on every one of these slips, he perceived that there were phrases peculiar to each province.
Pao-yue was in his mind merely bent upon discerning, from the rest, the slip referring to his own native village, when he espied, on the other side, a slip with the large characters: "the Principal Record of the Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling."
"What is the meaning," therefore inquired Pao-yue, "of the Principal Record of the Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling?"
"As this is the record," explained the Fairy, "of the most excellent and prominent girls in your honourable province, it is, for this reason, called the Principal Record."
"I've often heard people say," observed Pao-yue, "that Chin Ling is of vast extent; and how can there only be twelve maidens in it! why, at present, in our own family alone, there are more or less several hundreds of young girls!"
The Fairy gave a faint smile. "Through there be," she rejoined, "so large a number of girls in your honourable province, those only of any note have been selected and entered in this record. The two presses, on the two sides, contain those who are second best; while, for all who remain, as they are of the ordinary run, there are, consequently, no registers to make any entry of them in."
Pao-yue upon looking at the press below, perceived the inscription: "Secondary Record of the twelve girls of Chin Ling;" while again in another press was inscribed: "Supplementary Secondary Record of the Twelve girls of Chin Ling." Forthwith stretching out his hand, Pao-yue opened first the doors of the press, containing the "supplementary secondary Record," extracted a volume of the registers, and opened it. When he came to examine it, he saw on the front page a representation of something, which, though bearing no resemblance to a human being, presented, at the same time, no similitude to scenery; consisting simply of huge blotches made with ink. The whole paper was full of nothing else but black clouds and turbid mists, after which appeared the traces of a few characters, explaining that--
A cloudless moon is rare forsooth to see, And pretty clouds so soon scatter and flee! Thy heart is deeper than the heavens are high, Thy frame consists of base ignominy! Thy looks and clever mind resentment will provoke, And thine untimely death vile slander will evoke! A loving noble youth in vain for love will yearn.
After reading these lines, Pao-yue looked below, where was pictured a bouquet of fresh flowers and a bed covered with tattered matting. There were also several distiches running as follows:
Thy self-esteem for kindly gentleness is but a fancy vain! Thy charms that they can match the olea or orchid, but thoughts inane! While an actor will, envious lot! with fortune's smiles be born, A youth of noble birth will, strange to say, be luckless and forlorn.
Pao-yue perused these sentences, but could not unfold their meaning, so, at once discarding this press, he went over and opened the door of the press of the "Secondary Records" and took out a book, in which, on examination, he found a representation of a twig of Olea fragrans. Below, was a pond, the water of which was parched up and the mud dry, the lotus flowers decayed, and even the roots dead. At the back were these lines:
The lotus root and flower but one fragrance will give; How deep alas! the wounds of thy life's span will be; What time a desolate tree in two places will live, Back to its native home the fragrant ghost will flee!
Pao-yue read these lines, but failed to understand what they meant. He then went and fetched the "Principal Record," and set to looking it over. He saw on the first page a picture of two rotten trees, while on these trees was suspended a jade girdle. There was also a heap of snow, and under this snow was a golden hair-pin. There were in addition these four lines in verse:
Bitter thy cup will be, e'en were the virtue thine to stop the loom, Thine though the gift the willow fluff to sing, pity who will thy doom? High in the trees doth hang the girdle of white jade, And lo! among the snow the golden pin is laid!
To Pao-yue the meaning was again, though he read the lines over, quite unintelligible. He was, about to make inquiries, but he felt convinced that the Fairy would be both to divulge the decrees of Heaven; and though intent upon discarding the book, he could not however tear himself away from it. Forthwith, therefore, he prosecuted a further perusal of what came next, when he caught sight of a picture of a bow. On this bow hung a citron. There was also this ode:
Full twenty years right and wrong to expound will be thy fate! What place pomegranate blossoms come in bloom will face the Palace Gate! The third portion of spring, of the first spring in beauty short will fall! When tiger meets with hare thou wilt return to sleep perennial.
Further on, was also a sketch of two persons flying a kite; a broad expanse of sea, and a large vessel; while in this vessel was a girl, who screened her face bedewed with tears. These four lines were likewise visible:
Pure and bright will be thy gifts, thy purpose very high; But born thou wilt be late in life and luck be passed by; At the tomb feast thou wilt repine tearful along the stream, East winds may blow, but home miles off will be, even in dream.
After this followed a picture of several streaks of fleeting clouds, and of a creek whose waters were exhausted, with the text:
Riches and honours too what benefit are they? In swaddling clothes thou'lt be when parents pass away; The rays will slant, quick as the twinkle of an eye; The Hsiang stream will recede, the Ch'u clouds onward fly!
Then came a picture of a beautiful gem, which had fallen into the mire, with the verse:
Thine aim is chastity, but chaste thou wilt not be; Abstraction is thy faith, but void thou may'st not see; Thy precious, gemlike self will, pitiful to say, Into the mundane mire collapse at length some day.
A rough sketch followed of a savage wolf, in pursuit of a beautiful girl, trying to pounce upon her as he wished to devour her. This was the burden of the distich:
Thy mate is like a savage wolf prowling among the hills; His wish once gratified a haughty spirit his heart fills! Though fair thy form like flowers or willows in the golden moon, Upon the yellow beam to hang will shortly be its doom.
Below, was an old temple, in the interior of which was a beautiful person, just in the act of reading the religious manuals, as she sat all alone; with this inscription:
In light esteem thou hold'st the charms of the three springs for their short-liv'd fate; Thine attire of past years to lay aside thou chang'st, a Taoist dress to don; How sad, alas! of a reputed house and noble kindred the scion, Alone, behold! she sleeps under a glimmering light, an old idol for mate.
Next in order came a hill of ice, on which stood a hen-phoenix, while under it was this motto:
When time ends, sure coincidence, the phoenix doth alight; The talents of this human form all know and living see, For first to yield she kens, then to control, and third genial to be; But sad to say, things in Chin Ling are in more sorry plight.
This was succeeded by a representation of a desolate village, and a dreary inn. A pretty girl sat in there, spinning thread. These were the sentiments affixed below:
When riches will have flown will honours then avail? When ruin breaks your home, e'en relatives will fail! But sudden through the aid extended to Dame Liu, A friend in need fortune will make to rise for you.
Following these verses, was drawn a pot of Orchids, by the side of which, was a beautiful maiden in a phoenix-crown and cloudy mantle (bridal dress); and to this picture was appended this device:
What time spring wanes, then fades the bloom of peach as well as plum! Who ever can like a pot of the olea be winsome! With ice thy purity will vie, vain their envy will be! In vain a laughing-stock people will try to make of thee.
At the end of this poetical device, came the representation of a lofty edifice, on which was a beauteous girl, suspending herself on a beam to commit suicide; with this verse:
Love high as heav'n, love ocean-wide, thy lovely form will don; What time love will encounter love, license must rise wanton; Why hold that all impiety in Jung doth find its spring, The source of trouble, verily, is centred most in Ning.
Pao-yue was still bent upon prosecuting his perusal, when the Fairy perceiving that his intellect was eminent and bright, and his natural talents quickwitted, and apprehending lest the decrees of heaven should be divulged, hastily closed the Book of Record, and addressed herself to Pao-yue. "Come along with me," she said smiling, "and see some wonderful scenery. What's the need of staying here and beating this gourd of ennui?"
In a dazed state, Pao-yue listlessly discarded the record, and again followed in the footsteps of the Fairy. On their arrival at the back, he saw carnation portieres, and embroidered curtains, ornamented pillars, and carved eaves. But no words can adequately give an idea of the vermilion apartments glistening with splendour, of the floors garnished with gold, of the snow reflecting lustrous windows, of the palatial mansions made of gems. He also saw fairyland flowers, beautiful and fragrant, and extraordinary vegetation, full of perfume. The spot was indeed elysian.
He again heard the Fairy observe with a smiling face: "Come out all of you at once and greet the honoured guest!"
These words were scarcely completed, when he espied fairies walk out of the mansion, all of whom were, with their dangling lotus sleeves, and their fluttering feather habiliments, as comely as spring flowers, and as winsome as the autumn moon. As soon as they caught sight of Pao-yue, they all, with one voice, resentfully reproached the Monitory Vision Fairy. "Ignorant as to who the honoured guest could be," they argued, "we hastened to come out to offer our greetings simply because you, elder sister, had told us that, on this day, and at this very time, there would be sure to come on a visit, the spirit of the younger sister of Chiang Chu. That's the reason why we've been waiting for ever so long; and now why do you, in lieu of her, introduce this vile object to contaminate the confines of pure and spotless maidens?"
As soon as Pao-yue heard these remarks, he was forthwith plunged in such a state of consternation that he would have retired, but he found it impossible to do so. In fact, he felt the consciousness of the foulness and corruption of his own nature quite intolerable. The Monitory Vision Fairy promptly took Pao-yue's hand in her own, and turning towards her younger sisters, smiled and explained: "You, and all of you, are not aware of the why and wherefore. To-day I did mean to have gone to the Jung mansion to fetch Chiang Chu, but as I went by the Ning mansion, I unexpectedly came across the ghosts of the two dukes of Jung and Ning, who addressed me in this wise: 'Our family has, since the dynasty established itself on the Throne, enjoyed merit and fame, which pervaded many ages, and riches and honours transmitted from generation to generation. One hundred years have already elapsed, but this good fortune has now waned, and this propitious luck is exhausted; so much so that they could not be retrieved! Our sons and grandsons may be many, but there is no one among them who has the means to continue the family estate, with the exception of our kindred grandson, Pao-yue alone, who, though perverse in disposition and wayward by nature, is nevertheless intelligent and quick-witted and qualified in a measure to give effect to our hopes. But alas! the good fortune of our family is entirely decayed, so that we fear there is no person to incite him to enter the right way! Fortunately you worthy fairy come at an unexpected moment, and we venture to trust that you will, above all things, warn him against the foolish indulgence of inordinate desire, lascivious affections and other such things, in the hope that he may, at your instigation, be able to escape the snares of those girls who will allure him with their blandishments, and to enter on the right track; and we two brothers will be ever grateful.'
"On language such as this being addressed to me, my feelings of commiseration naturally burst forth; and I brought him here, and bade him, first of all, carefully peruse the records of the whole lives of the maidens in his family, belonging to the three grades, the upper, middle and lower, but as he has not yet fathomed the import, I have consequently led him into this place to experience the vision of drinking, eating, singing and licentious love, in the hope, there is no saying, of his at length attaining that perception."
Having concluded these remarks, she led Pao-yue by the hand into the apartment, where he felt a whiff of subtle fragrance, but what it was that reached his nostrils he could not tell.
To Pao-yue's eager and incessant inquiries, the Fairy made reply with a sardonic smile. "This perfume," she said, "is not to be found in the world, and how could you discern what it is? This is made of the essence of the first sprouts of rare herbs, growing on all hills of fame and places of superior excellence, admixed with the oil of every species of splendid shrubs in precious groves, and is called the marrow of Conglomerated Fragrance."
At these words Pao-yue was, of course, full of no other feeling than wonder.
The whole party advanced and took their seats, and a young maidservant presented tea, which Pao-yue found of pure aroma, of excellent flavour and of no ordinary kind. "What is the name of this tea?" he therefore asked; upon which the Fairy explained. "This tea," she added, "originates from the Hills of Emitted Spring and the Valley of Drooping Fragrance, and is, besides, brewed in the night dew, found on spiritual plants and divine leaves. The name of this tea is 'one thousand red in one hole.'"
At these words Pao-yue nodded his head, and extolled its qualities. Espying in the room lutes, with jasper mountings, and tripods, inlaid with gems, antique paintings, and new poetical works, which were to be seen everywhere, he felt more than ever in a high state of delight. Below the windows, were also shreds of velvet sputtered about and a toilet case stained with the traces of time and smudged with cosmetic; while on the partition wall was likewise suspended a pair of scrolls, with the inscription:
A lonesome, small, ethereal, beauteous nook! What help is there, but Heaven's will to brook?
Pao-yue having completed his inspection felt full of admiration, and proceeded to ascertain the names and surnames of the Fairies. One was called the Fairy of Lustful Dreams; another "the High Ruler of Propagated Passion;" the name of one was "the Golden Maiden of Perpetuated Sorrow;" of another the "Intelligent Maiden of Transmitted Hatred." (In fact,) the respective Taoist appellations were not of one and the same kind.
In a short while, young maid-servants came in and laid the table, put the chairs in their places, and spread out wines and eatables. There were actually crystal tankards overflowing with luscious wines, and amber glasses full to the brim with pearly strong liquors. But still less need is there to give any further details about the sumptuousness of the refreshments.
Pao-yue found it difficult, on account of the unusual purity of the bouquet of the wine, to again restrain himself from making inquiries about it.
"This wine," observed the Monitory Dream Fairy, "is made of the twigs of hundreds of flowers, and the juice of ten thousands of trees, with the addition of must composed of unicorn marrow, and yeast prepared with phoenix milk. Hence the name of 'Ten thousand Beauties in one Cup' was given to it."
Pao-yue sang its incessant praise, and, while he sipped his wine, twelve dancing girls came forward, and requested to be told what songs they were to sing.
"Take," suggested the Fairy, "the newly-composed Twelve Sections of the Dream of the Red Chamber, and sing them."
The singing girls signified their obedience, and forthwith they lightly clapped the castagnettes and gently thrummed the virginals. These were the words which they were heard to sing:
At the time of the opening of the heavens and the laying out of the earth chaos prevailed.
They had just sung this one line when the Fairy exclaimed: "This ballad is unlike the ballads written in the dusty world whose purport is to hand down remarkable events, in which the distinction of scholars, girls, old men and women, and fools is essential, and in which are furthermore introduced the lyrics of the Southern and Northern Palaces. These fairy songs consist either of elegaic effusions on some person or impressions of some occurrence or other, and are impromptu songs readily set to the music of wind or string instruments, so that any one who is not cognisant of their gist cannot appreciate the beauties contained in them. So you are not likely, I fear, to understand this lyric with any clearness; and unless you first peruse the text and then listen to the ballad, you will, instead of pleasure, feel as if you were chewing wax (devoid of any zest)."
After these remarks, she turned her head round, and directed a young maid-servant to fetch the text of the Dream of the Red Chamber, which she handed to Pao-yue, who took it over; and as he followed the words with his eyes, with his ears he listened to the strains of this song:
Preface of the Bream of the Red Chamber.--When the Heavens were opened and earth was laid out chaos prevailed! What was the germ of love? It arises entirely from the strength of licentious love.
What day, by the will of heaven, I felt wounded at heart, and what time I was at leisure, I made an attempt to disburden my sad heart; and with this object in view I indited this Dream of the Bed Chamber, on the subject of a disconsolate gold trinket and an unfortunate piece of jade.
Waste of a whole Lifetime. All maintain that the match between gold and jade will be happy. All I can think of is the solemn oath contracted in days gone by by the plant and stone! Vain will I gaze upon the snow, Hsueeh, (Pao-ch'ai), pure as crystal and lustrous like a gem of the eminent priest living among the hills! Never will I forget the noiseless Fairy Grove, Lin (Tai-yue), beyond the confines of the mortal world! Alas! now only have I come to believe that human happiness is incomplete; and that a couple may be bound by the ties of wedlock for life, but that after all their hearts are not easy to lull into contentment.
Vain knitting of the brows. The one is a spirit flower of Fairyland; the other is a beautiful jade without a blemish. Do you maintain that their union will not be remarkable? Why how then is it that he has come to meet her again in this existence? If the union will you say, be strange, how is it then that their love affair will be but empty words? The one in her loneliness will give way to useless sighs. The other in vain will yearn and crave. The one will be like the reflection of the moon in water; the other like a flower reflected in a mirror. Consider, how many drops of tears can there be in the eyes? and how could they continue to drop from autumn to winter and from spring to flow till summer time?
But to come to Pao-yue. After he had heard these ballads, so diffuse and vague, he failed to see any point of beauty in them; but the plaintive melody of the sound was nevertheless sufficient to drive away his spirit and exhilarate his soul. Hence it was that he did not make any inquiries about the arguments, and that he did not ask about the matter treated, but simply making these ballads the means for the time being of dispelling melancholy, he therefore went on with the perusal of what came below.
Despicable Spirit of Death! You will be rejoicing that glory is at its height when hateful death will come once again, and with eyes wide with horror, you will discard all things, and dimly and softly the fragrant spirit will waste and dissolve! You will yearn for native home, but distant will be the way, and lofty the mountains. Hence it is that you will betake yourself in search of father and mother, while they lie under the influence of a dream, and hold discourse with them. "Your child," you will say, "has already trodden the path of death! Oh my parents, it behoves you to speedily retrace your steps and make good your escape!"
Separated from Relatives. You will speed on a journey of three thousand li at the mercy of wind and rain, and tear yourself from all your family ties and your native home! Your fears will be lest anguish should do any harm to your parents in their failing years! "Father and mother," you will bid them, "do not think with any anxiety of your child. From ages past poverty as well as success have both had a fixed destiny; and is it likely that separation and reunion are not subject to predestination? Though we may now be far apart in two different places, we must each of us try and preserve good cheer. Your abject child has, it is true, gone from home, but abstain from distressing yourselves on her account!"
Sorrow in the midst of Joy. While wrapped as yet in swaddling clothes, father and mother, both alas! will depart, and dwell though you will in that mass of gauze, who is there who will know how to spoil you with any fond attention? Born you will be fortunately with ample moral courage, and high-minded and boundless resources, for your parents will not have, in the least, their child's secret feelings at heart! You will be like a moon appearing to view when the rain holds up, shedding its rays upon the Jade Hall; or a gentle breeze (wafting its breath upon it). Wedded to a husband, fairy like fair and accomplished, you will enjoy a happiness enduring as the earth and perennial as the Heavens! and you will be the means of snapping asunder the bitter fate of your youth! But, after all, the clouds will scatter in Kao T'ang and the waters of the Hsiang river will get parched! This is the inevitable destiny of dissolution and continuance which prevails in the mortal world, and what need is there to indulge in useless grief?
Intolerable to the world. Your figure will be as winsome as an olea fragrans; your talents as ample as those of a Fairy! You will by nature be so haughty that of the whole human race few will be like you! You will look upon a meat diet as one of dirt, and treat splendour as coarse and loathsome! And yet you will not be aware that your high notions will bring upon you the excessive hatred of man! You will be very eager in your desire after chastity, but the human race will despise you! Alas, you will wax old in that antique temple hall under a faint light, where you will waste ungrateful for beauty, looks and freshness! But after all you will still be worldly, corrupt and unmindful of your vows; just like a spotless white jade you will be whose fate is to fall into the mire! And what need will there be for the grandson of a prince or the son of a duke to deplore that his will not be the good fortune (of winning your affections)?
The Voluptuary. You will resemble a wolf in the mountains! a savage beast devoid of all human feeling! Regardless in every way of the obligations of days gone by, your sole pleasure will be in the indulgence of haughtiness, extravagance, licentiousness and dissolute habits! You will be inordinate in your conjugal affections, and look down upon the beautiful charms of the child of a marquis, as if they were cat-tail rush or willow; trampling upon the honourable daughter of a ducal mansion, as if she were one of the common herd. Pitiful to say, the fragrant spirit and beauteous ghost will in a year softly and gently pass away!
The Perception that all things are transient like flowers. You will look lightly upon the three springs and regard the blush of the peach and the green of the willow as of no avail. You will beat out the fire of splendour, and treat solitary retirement as genial! What is it that you say about the delicate peaches in the heavens (marriage) being excellent, and the petals of the almond in the clouds being plentiful (children)? Let him who has after all seen one of them, (really a mortal being) go safely through the autumn, (wade safely through old age), behold the people in the white Poplar village groan and sigh; and the spirits under the green maple whine and moan! Still more wide in expanse than even the heavens is the dead vegetation which covers the graves! The moral is this, that the burden of man is poverty one day and affluence another; that bloom in spring, and decay in autumn, constitute the doom of vegetable life! In the same way, this calamity of birth and the visitation of death, who is able to escape? But I have heard it said that there grows in the western quarter a tree called the P'o So (Patient Bearing) which bears the fruit of Immortal life!
The bane of Intelligence. Yours will be the power to estimate, in a thorough manner, the real motives of all things, as yours will be intelligence of an excessive degree; but instead (of reaping any benefit) you will cast the die of your own existence! The heart of your previous life is already reduced to atoms, and when you shall have died, your nature will have been intelligent to no purpose! Your home will be in easy circumstances; your family will enjoy comforts; but your connexions will, at length, fall a prey to death, and the inmates of your family scatter, each one of you speeding in a different direction, making room for others! In vain, you will have harassed your mind with cankering thoughts for half a lifetime; for it will be just as if you had gone through the confused mazes of a dream on the third watch! Sudden a crash (will be heard) like the fall of a spacious palace, and a dusky gloominess (will supervene) such as is caused by a lamp about to spend itself! Alas! a spell of happiness will be suddenly (dispelled by) adversity! Woe is man in the world! for his ultimate doom is difficult to determine!
Leave behind a residue of happiness! Hand down an excess of happiness; hand down an excess of happiness! Unexpectedly you will come across a benefactor! Fortunate enough your mother, your own mother, will have laid by a store of virtue and secret meritorious actions! My advice to you, mankind, is to relieve the destitute and succour the distressed! Do not resemble those who will harp after lucre and show themselves unmindful of the ties of relationship: that wolflike maternal uncle of yours and that impostor of a brother! True it is that addition and subtraction, increase and decrease, (reward and punishment,) rest in the hands of Heaven above!
Splendour at last. Loving affection in a mirror will be still more ephemeral than fame in a dream. That fine splendour will fleet how soon! Make no further allusion to embroidered curtain, to bridal coverlet; for though you may come to wear on your head a pearl-laden coronet, and, on your person, a jacket ornamented with phoenixes, yours will not nevertheless be the means to atone for the short life (of your husband)! Though the saying is that mankind should not have, in their old age, the burden of poverty to bear, yet it is also essential that a store of benevolent deeds should be laid up for the benefit of sons and grandsons! (Your son) may come to be dignified in appearance and wear on his head the official tassel, and on his chest may be suspended the gold seal resplendent in lustre; he may be imposing in his majesty, and he may rise high in status and emoluments, but the dark and dreary way which leads to death is short! Are the generals and ministers who have been from ages of old still in the flesh, forsooth? They exist only in a futile name handed down to posterity to reverence!
Death ensues when things propitious reign! Upon the ornamented beam will settle at the close of spring the fragrant dust! Your reckless indulgence of licentious love and your naturally moonlike face will soon be the source of the ruin of a family. The decadence of the family estate will emanate entirely from Ching; while the wane of the family affairs will be entirely attributable to the fault of Ning! Licentious love will be the main reason of the long-standing grudge.
The flying birds each perch upon the trees! The family estates of those in official positions will fade! The gold and silver of the rich and honoured will be scattered! those who will have conferred benefit will, even in death, find the means of escape! those devoid of human feelings will reap manifest retribution! Those indebted for a life will make, in due time, payment with their lives; those indebted for tears have already (gone) to exhaust their tears! Mutual injuries will be revenged in no light manner! Separation and reunion will both alike be determined by predestination! You wish to know why your life will be short; look into your previous existence! Verily, riches and honours, which will come with old age, will likewise be a question of chance! Those who will hold the world in light esteem will retire within the gate of abstraction; while those who will be allured by enticement will have forfeited their lives (The Chia family will fulfil its destiny) as surely as birds take to the trees after they have exhausted all they had to eat, and which as they drop down will pile up a hoary, vast and lofty heap of dust, (leaving) indeed a void behind!
When the maidens had finished the ballads, they went on to sing the "Supplementary Record;" but the Monitory Vision Fairy, perceiving the total absence of any interest in Pao-yue, heaved a sigh. "You silly brat!" she exclaimed. "What! haven't you, even now, attained perception!"
"There's no need for you to go on singing," speedily observed Pao-yue, as he interrupted the singing maidens; and feeling drowsy and dull, he pleaded being under the effects of wine, and begged to be allowed to lie down.
The Fairy then gave orders to clear away the remains of the feast, and escorted Pao-yue to a suite of female apartments, where the splendour of such objects as were laid out was a thing which he had not hitherto seen. But what evoked in him wonder still more intense, was the sight, at an early period, of a girl seated in the room, who, in the freshness of her beauty and winsomeness of her charms, bore some resemblance to Pao-ch'ai, while, in elegance and comeliness, on the other hand, to Tai-yu.
While he was plunged in a state of perplexity, the Fairy suddenly remarked: "All those female apartments and ladies' chambers in so many wealthy and honourable families in the world are, without exception, polluted by voluptuous opulent puppets and by all that bevy of profligate girls. But still more despicable are those from old till now numberless dissolute roues, one and all of whom maintain that libidinous affections do not constitute lewdness; and who try, further, to prove that licentious love is not tantamount to lewdness. But all these arguments are mere apologies for their shortcomings, and a screen for their pollutions; for if libidinous affection be lewdness, still more does the perception of licentious love constitute lewdness. Hence it is that the indulgence of sensuality and the gratification of licentious affection originate entirely from a relish of lust, as well as from a hankering after licentious love. Lo you, who are the object of my love, are the most lewd being under the heavens from remote ages to the present time!"
Pao-yue was quite dumbstruck by what he heard, and hastily smiling, he said by way of reply: "My Fairy labours under a misapprehension. Simply because of my reluctance to read my books my parents have, on repeated occasions, extended to me injunction and reprimand, and would I have the courage to go so far as to rashly plunge in lewd habits? Besides, I am still young in years, and have no notion what is implied by lewdness!"
"Not so!" exclaimed the Fairy; "lewdness, although one thing in principle is, as far as meaning goes, subject to different constructions; as is exemplified by those in the world whose heart is set upon lewdness. Some delight solely in faces and figures; others find insatiable pleasure in singing and dancing; some in dalliance and raillery; others in the incessant indulgence of their lusts; and these regret that all the beautiful maidens under the heavens cannot minister to their short-lived pleasure. These several kinds of persons are foul objects steeped skin and all in lewdness. The lustful love, for instance, which has sprung to life and taken root in your natural affections, I and such as myself extend to it the character of an abstract lewdness; but abstract lewdness can be grasped by the mind, but cannot be transmitted by the mouth; can be fathomed by the spirit, but cannot be divulged in words. As you now are imbued with this desire only in the abstract, you are certainly well fit to be a trustworthy friend in (Fairyland) inner apartments, but, on the path of the mortal world, you will inevitably be misconstrued and defamed; every mouth will ridicule you; every eye will look down upon you with contempt. After meeting recently your worthy ancestors, the two Dukes of Ning and Jung, who opened their hearts and made their wishes known to me with such fervour, (but I will not have you solely on account of the splendour of our inner apartments look down despisingly upon the path of the world), I consequently led you along, my son, and inebriated you with luscious wines, steeped you in spiritual tea, and admonished you with excellent songs, bringing also here a young sister of mine, whose infant name is Chien Mei, and her style K'o Ching, to be given to you as your wedded wife. To-night, the time will be propitious and suitable for the immediate consummation of the union, with the express object of letting you have a certain insight into the fact that if the condition of the abode of spirits within the confines of Fairyland be still so (imperfect), how much the more so should be the nature of the affections which prevail in the dusty world; with the intent that from this time forth you should positively break loose from bondage, perceive and amend your former disposition, devote your attention to the works of Confucius and Mencius, and set your steady purpose upon the principles of morality."
Having ended these remarks, she initiated him into the mysteries of licentious love, and, pushing Pao-yue into the room, she closed the door, and took her departure all alone. Pao-yue in a dazed state complied with the admonitions given him by the Fairy, and the natural result was, of course, a violent flirtation, the circumstances of which it would be impossible to recount.
When the next day came, he was by that time so attached to her by ties of tender love and their conversation was so gentle and full of charm that he could not brook to part from K'o Ching. Hand-in-hand, the two of them therefore, went out for a stroll, when they unexpectedly reached a place, where nothing else met their gaze than thorns and brambles, which covered the ground, and a wolf and a tiger walking side by side. Before them stretched the course of a black stream, which obstructed their progress; and over this stream there was, what is more, no bridge to enable one to cross it.
While they were exercising their minds with perplexity, they suddenly espied the Fairy coming from the back in pursuit of them. "Desist at once," she exclaimed, "from making any advance into the stream; it is urgent that you should, with all speed, turn your faces round!"
Pao-yue lost no time in standing still. "What is this place?" he inquired.
"This is the Ford of Enticement," explained the Fairy. "Its depth is ten thousand chang; its breadth is a thousand li; in its stream there are no boats or paddles by means of which to effect a passage. There is simply a raft, of which Mu Chu-shih directs the rudder, and which Hui Shih chen punts with the poles. They receive no compensation in the shape of gold or silver, but when they come across any one whose destiny it is to cross, they ferry him over. You now have by accident strolled as far as here, and had you fallen into the stream you would have rendered quite useless the advice and admonition which I previously gave you."
These words were scarcely concluded, when suddenly was heard from the midst of the Ford of Enticement, a sound like unto a peal of thunder, whereupon a whole crowd of gobblins and sea-urchins laid hands upon Pao-yue and dragged him down.
This so filled Pao-yue with consternation that he fell into a perspiration as profuse as rain, and he simultaneously broke forth and shouted, "Rescue me, K'o Ching!"
These cries so terrified Hsi Jen and the other waiting-maids, that they rushed forward, and taking Pao-yue in their arms, "Don't be afraid, Pao-yue," they said, "we are here."
But we must observe that Mrs. Ch'in was just inside the apartment in the act of recommending the young waiting-maids to be mindful that the cats and dogs did not start a fight, when she unawares heard Pao-yue, in his dream, call her by her infant name. In a melancholy mood she therefore communed within herself, "As far as my infant name goes, there is, in this establishment, no one who has any idea what it is, and how is it that he has come to know it, and that he utters it in his dream?" And she was at this period unable to fathom the reason. But, reader, listen to the explanations given in the chapter which follows.
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【选集】紅樓一春夢 |
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