中国经典 》 红楼梦 A Dream of Red Mansions 》
第五十一回 薛小妹新编怀古诗 胡庸医乱用虎狼药 CHAPTER LI.
曹雪芹 Cao Xueqin
高鹗 Gao E
CHAPTER LI.
众人闻得宝琴将素习所经过各省内的古迹为题， 作了十首怀古绝句，内隐十物，皆说这自然新巧。都争着看时，只见写道是：
赤壁怀古其一
赤壁沉埋水不流，徒留名姓载空舟。
喧阗一炬悲风冷，无限英魂在内游。
交趾怀古其二
铜铸金镛振纪纲，声传海外播戎羌。
马援自是功劳大，铁笛无烦说子房。
钟山怀古其三
名利何曾伴汝身，无端被诏出凡尘。
牵连大抵难休绝，莫怨他人嘲笑频。
淮阴怀古其四
壮士须防恶犬欺，三齐位定盖棺时。
寄言世俗休轻鄙，一饭之恩死也知。
广陵怀古其五
蝉噪鸦栖转眼过，隋堤风景近如何。
只缘占得风流号，惹得纷纷口舌多。
桃叶渡怀古其六
衰草闲花映浅池，桃枝桃叶总分离。
六朝梁栋多如许，小照空悬壁上题。
青冢怀古其七
黑水茫茫咽不流，冰弦拨尽曲中愁。
汉家制度诚堪叹，樗栎应惭万古羞。
马嵬怀古其八
寂寞脂痕渍汗光，温柔一旦付东洋。
只因遗得风流迹，此日衣衾尚有香。
蒲东寺怀古其九
小红骨践最身轻，私掖偷携强撮成。
虽被夫人时吊起，已经勾引彼同行。
梅花观怀古其十
不在梅边在柳边，个中谁拾画婵娟。
团圆莫忆春香到，一别西风又一年。众人看了，都称奇道妙。宝钗先说道：“前八首都是史鉴上有据的， 后二首却无考，我们也不大懂得，不如另作两首为是。”黛玉忙拦道：“这宝姐姐也忒‘胶柱鼓瑟’，矫揉造作了。这两首虽于史鉴上无考，咱们虽不曾看这些外传，不知底里，难道咱们连两本戏也没有见过不成？那三岁孩子也知道，何况咱们？ "探春便道：“这话正是了。”李纨又道：“况且他原是到过这个地方的。这两件事虽无考，古往今来，以讹传讹，好事者竟故意的弄出这古迹来以愚人。比如那年上京的时节， 单是关夫子的坟，倒见了三四处。关夫子一生事业，皆是有据的，如何又有许多的坟？自然是后来人敬爱他生前为人，只怕从这敬爱上穿凿出来，也是有的。及至看《广舆记> >上，不止关夫子的坟多，自古来有些名望的人，坟就不少，无考的古迹更多。如今这两首虽无考， 凡说书唱戏，甚至于求的签上皆有注批，老小男女，俗语口头，人人皆知皆说的。况且又并不是看了‘西厢’‘牡丹’的词曲，怕看了邪书。这竟无妨，只管留着。”宝钗听说，方罢了。大家猜了一回，皆不是。
冬日天短， 不觉又是前头吃晚饭之时，一齐前来吃饭。因有人回王夫人说：“袭人的哥哥花自芳进来说，他母亲病重了，想他女儿。他来求恩典，接袭人家去走走。”王夫人听了， 便道：“人家母女一场，岂有不许他去的。”一面就叫了凤姐儿来，告诉了凤姐儿，命酌量去办理。
凤姐儿答应了， 回至房中，便命周瑞家的去告诉袭人原故。又吩咐周瑞家的：“再将跟着出门的媳妇传一个，你两个人，再带两个小丫头子，跟了袭人去。外头派四个有年纪跟车的。 要一辆大车，你们带着坐，要一辆小车，给丫头们坐。”周瑞家的答应了，才要去， 凤姐儿又道：“那袭人是个省事的，你告诉他说我的话：叫他穿几件颜色好衣服， 大大的包一包袱衣裳拿着，包袱也要好好的，手炉也要拿好的。临走时，叫他先来我瞧瞧。”周瑞家的答应去了。
半日， 果见袭人穿戴来了，两个丫头与周瑞家的拿着手炉与衣包。凤姐儿看袭人头上戴着几枝金钗珠钏， 倒华丽，又看身上穿着桃红百子刻丝银鼠袄子，葱绿盘金彩绣绵裙， 外面穿着青缎灰鼠褂。凤姐儿笑道：“这三件衣裳都是太太的，赏了你倒是好的， 但只这褂子太素了些，如今穿着也冷，你该穿一件大毛的。”袭人笑道：“太太就只给了这灰鼠的， 还有一件银鼠的。说赶年下再给大毛的，还没有得呢。”凤姐儿笑道：“我倒有一件大毛的， 我嫌凤毛儿出不好了，正要改去。也罢，先给你穿去罢。等年下太太给作的时节我再作罢，只当你还我一样。”众人都笑道：“奶奶惯会说这话。成年家大手大脚的替太太不知背地里赔垫了多少东西，真真的赔的是说不出来，那里又和太太算去？偏这会子又说这小气话取笑儿。”凤姐儿笑道：“太太那里想的到这些？究竟这又不是正经事， 再不照管，也是大家的体面。说不得我自己吃些亏，把众人打扮体统了，宁可我得个好名也罢了。一个一个象’烧糊了的卷子’似的，人先笑话我当家倒把人弄出个花子来。 "众人听了，都叹说：“谁似奶奶这样圣明！在上体贴太太，在下又疼顾下人。”一面说，一面只见凤姐儿命平儿将昨日那件石青刻丝八团天马皮褂子拿出来，与了袭人。 又看包袱，只得一个弹墨花绫水红绸里的夹包袱，里面只包着两件半旧棉袄与皮褂。凤姐儿又命平儿把一个玉色绸里的哆罗呢的包袱拿出来，又命包上一件雪褂子。
平儿走去拿了出来， 一件是半旧大红猩猩毡的，一件是大红羽纱的。袭人道：“一件就当不起了。”平儿笑道：“你拿这猩猩毡的。把这件顺手拿将出来，叫人给邢大姑娘送去。 昨儿那么大雪，人人都是有的，不是猩猩毡就是羽缎羽纱的，十来件大红衣裳，映着大雪好不齐整。就只他穿着那件旧毡斗篷，越发显的拱肩缩背，好不可怜见的。如今把这件给他罢。 "凤姐儿笑道：“我的东西，他私自就要给人。我一个还花不够，再添上你提着， 更好了！’众人笑道：“这都是奶奶素日孝敬太太，疼爱下人。若是奶奶素日是小气的， 只以东西为事，不顾下人的，姑娘那里还敢这样了。”凤姐儿笑道：“所以知道我的心的， 也就是他还知三分罢了。”说着，又嘱咐袭人道：“你妈若好了就罢，若不中用了，只管住下，打发人来回我，我再另打发人给你送铺盖去。可别使人家的铺盖和梳头的家伙。”又吩咐周瑞家的道：“你们自然也知道这里的规矩的，也不用我嘱咐了。” 周瑞家的答应：“都知道。我们这去到那里，总叫他们的人回避。若住下，必是另要一两间内房的。”说着，跟了袭人出去，又吩咐预备灯笼，遂坐车往花自芳家来，不在话下。
这里凤姐又将怡红院的嬷嬷唤了两个来，吩咐道：“袭人只怕不来家，你们素日知道那大丫头们，那两个知好歹，派出来在宝玉屋里上夜。你们也好生照管着，别由着宝玉胡闹。”两个嬷嬷去了，一时来回说：“派了晴雯和麝月在屋里，我们四个人原是轮流着带管上夜的。”凤姐儿听了，点头道：“晚上催他早睡，早上催他早起。”老嬷嬷们答应了，自回园去。一时果有周瑞家的带了信回凤姐儿说：“袭人之母业已停床，不能回来。”凤姐儿回明了王夫人，一面着人往大观园去取他的铺盖妆奁。
宝玉看着晴雯麝月二人打点妥当，送去之后，晴雯麝月皆卸罢残妆，脱换过裙袄。晴雯只在熏笼上围坐。麝月笑道：“你今儿别装小姐了，我劝你也动一动儿。”晴雯道：“等你们都去尽了我再劝不迟。 有你们一日，我且受用一日。”麝月笑道：“好姐姐，我铺床，你把那穿衣镜的套子放下来，上头的划子划上，你的身量比我高些。”说着，便去与宝玉铺床。晴雯も了一声，笑道：“人家才坐暖和了，你就来闹。”此时宝玉正坐着纳闷，想袭人之母不知是死是活，忽听见晴雯如此说，便自己起身出去，放下镜套，划上消息， 进来笑道：“你们暖和罢，都完了。”晴雯笑道：“终久暖和不成的，我又想起来汤婆子还没拿来呢。 "麝月道：“这难为你想着！他素日又不要汤婆子，咱们那熏笼上暖和，比不得那屋里炕冷， 今儿可以不用。”宝玉笑道：“这个话，你们两个都在那上头睡了，我这外边没个人，我怪怕的，一夜也睡不着。”晴雯道：“我是在这里。麝月往他外边睡去。”说话之间，天已二更，麝月早已放下帘幔，移灯炷香，伏侍宝玉卧下，二人方睡。
晴雯自在熏笼上， 麝月便在暖阁外边。至三更以后，宝玉睡梦之中，便叫袭人。叫了两声，无人答应，自己醒了，方想起袭人不在家，自己也好笑起来。晴雯已醒，因笑唤麝月道：“连我都醒了，他守在旁边还不知道，真是个挺死尸的。”麝月翻身打个哈气笑道：“他叫袭人，与我什么相干！"因问作什么。宝玉要吃茶，麝月忙起来，单穿红绸小棉袄儿。 宝玉道：“披上我的袄儿再去，仔细冷着。”麝月听说，回手便把宝玉披着起夜的一件貂颏满襟暖袄披上，下去向盆内洗手，先倒了一钟温水，拿了大漱盂，宝玉漱了一口，然后才向茶格上取了茶碗，先用温水ッ了一ッ，向暖壶中倒了半碗茶，递与宝玉吃了；自己也漱了一漱，吃了半碗。晴雯笑道：“好妹子，也赏我一口儿。”麝月笑道：“越发上脸儿了！"晴雯道：“好妹妹，明儿晚上你别动，我伏侍你一夜，如何？"麝月听说，只得也伏侍他漱了口，倒了半碗茶与他吃过。麝月笑道：“你们两个别睡，说着话儿，我出去走走回来。 "晴雯笑道：“外头有个鬼等着你呢。”宝玉道：“外头自然有大月亮的，我们说话，你只管去。”一面说，一面便嗽了两声。
麝月便开了后门， 揭起毡帘一看，果然好月色。晴雯等他出去，便欲唬他玩耍。仗着素日比别人气壮， 不畏寒冷，也不披衣，只穿着小袄，便蹑手蹑脚的下了熏笼，随后出来。 宝玉笑劝道：“看冻着，不是顽的。”晴雯只摆手，随后出了房门。只见月光如水，忽然一阵微风， 只觉侵肌透骨，不禁毛骨森然。心下自思道：“怪道人说热身子不可被风吹，这一冷果然利害。”一面正要唬麝月，只听宝玉高声在内道：“晴雯出去了！"晴雯忙回身进来，笑道：“那里就唬死了他？偏你惯会这蝎蝎蛰蛰老婆汉像的！"宝玉笑道：“倒不为唬坏了他， 头一则你冻着也不好，二则他不防，不免一喊，倘或唬醒了别人，不说咱们是顽意， 倒反说袭人才去了一夜，你们就见神见鬼的。你来把我的这边被掖一掖。”晴雯听说，便上来掖了掖，伸手进去渥一渥时，宝玉笑道：“好冷手！我说看冻着。”一面又见晴雯两腮如胭脂一般，用手摸了一摸，也觉冰冷。宝玉道：“快进被来渥渥罢。”一语未了，只听咯噔的一声门响，麝月慌慌张张的笑了进来，说道：“吓了我一跳好的。黑影子里，山子石后头，只见一个人蹲着。我才要叫喊，原来是那个大锦鸡，见了人一飞，飞到亮处来，我才看真了。若冒冒失失一嚷，倒闹起人来。”一面说，一面洗手，又笑道：“晴雯出去我怎么不见？一定是要唬我去了。”宝玉笑道：“这不是他，在这里渥呢！我若不叫的快，可是倒唬一跳。”晴雯笑道：“也不用我唬去，这小蹄子已经自怪自惊的了。”一面说，一面仍回自己被中去了。麝月道：“你就这么’跑解马’似的打扮得伶伶俐俐的出去了不成？ "宝玉笑道：“可不就这么去了。”麝月道：“你死不拣好日子！你出去站一站， 把皮不冻破了你的。”说着，又将火盆上的铜罩揭起，拿灰锹重将熟炭埋了一埋，拈了两块素香放上，仍旧罩了，至屏后重剔了灯，方才睡下。
晴雯因方才一冷，如今又一暖，不觉打了两个喷嚏。宝玉叹道：“如何？到底伤了风了。”麝月笑道：“他早起就嚷不受用，一日也没吃饭。他这会还不保养些，还要捉弄人。明儿病了， 叫他自作自受。”宝玉问：“头上可热？"晴雯嗽了两声，说道：“不相干，那里这么娇嫩起来了。”说着，只听外间房中十锦格上的自鸣钟当当两声，外间值宿的老嬷嬷嗽了两声，因说道：“姑娘们睡罢，明儿再说罢。”宝玉方悄悄的笑道：“咱们别说话了，又惹他们说话。”说着，方大家睡了。至次日起来，晴雯果觉有些鼻塞声重，懒怠动弹。宝玉道：“快不要声张！太太知道，又叫你搬了家去养息。家去虽好，到底冷些，不如在这里。你就在里间屋里躺着，我叫人请了大夫，悄悄的从后门来瞧瞧就是了。”晴雯道：“ 虽如此说，你到底要告诉大奶奶一声儿，不然一时大夫来了，人问起来，怎么说呢？"宝玉听了有理， 便唤一个老嬷嬷吩咐道：“你回大奶奶去，就说晴雯白冷着了些，不是什么大病。 袭人又不在家，他若家去养病，这里更没有人了。传一个大夫，悄悄的从后门进来瞧瞧， 别回太太罢了。”老嬷嬷去了半日，来回说：“大奶奶知道了，说两剂药吃好了便罢， 若不好时，还是出去为是。如今时气不好，恐沾带了别人事小，姑娘们的身子要紧的。”晴雯睡在暖阁里，只管咳嗽，听了这话，气的喊道：“我那里就害瘟病了，只怕过了人！我离了这里，看你们这一辈子都别头疼脑热的。”说着，便真要起来。宝玉忙按他， 笑道：“别生气，这原是他的责任，唯恐太太知道了说他不是，白说一句。你素习好生气，如今肝火自然盛了。”
正说时，人回大夫来了。宝玉便走过来，避在书架之后。只见两三个后门口的老嬷嬷带了一个大夫进来。这里的丫鬟都回避了，有三四个老嬷嬷放下暖阁上的大红绣幔，晴雯从幔中单伸出手去。那大夫见这只手上有两根指甲，足有三寸长，尚有金凤花染的通红的痕迹， 便忙回过头来。有一个老嬷嬷忙拿了一块手帕掩了。那大夫方诊了一回脉，起身到外间，向嬷嬷们说道：“小姐的症是外感内滞，近日时气不好，竟算是个小伤寒。 幸亏是小姐素日饮食有限，风寒也不大，不过是血气原弱，偶然沾带了些，吃两剂药疏散疏散就好了。”说着，便又随婆子们出去。
彼时，李纨已遣人知会过后门上的人及各处丫鬟回避，那大夫只见了园中的景致，并不曾见一女子。一时出了园门，就在守园门的小厮们的班房内坐了，开了药方。老嬷嬷道：“你老且别去，我们小爷罗唆，恐怕还有话说。”大夫忙道：“方才不是小姐，是位爷不成？ 那屋子竟是绣房一样，又是放下幔子来的，如何是位爷呢？"老嬷嬷悄悄笑道：“我的老爷，怪道小厮们才说今儿请了一位新大夫来了，真不知我们家的事。那屋子是我们小哥儿的，那人是他屋里的丫头，倒是个大姐，那里的小姐？若是小姐的绣房，小姐病了，你那么容易就进去了？"说着，拿了药方进去。
宝玉看时， 上面有紫苏，桔梗，防风，荆芥等药，后面又有枳实，麻黄。宝玉道：“该死，该死，他拿着女孩儿们也象我们一样的治，如何使得！凭他有什么内滞，这枳实，麻黄如何禁得。谁请了来的？快打发他去罢！再请一个熟的来。”老婆子道：“用药好不好，我们不知道这理。如今再叫小厮去请王太医去倒容易，只是这大夫又不是告诉总管房请来的，这轿马钱是要给他的。”宝玉道：“给他多少？"婆子道：“少了不好看，也得一两银子， 才是我们这门户的礼。”宝玉道：“王太医来了给他多少？"婆子笑道：“王太医和张太医每常来了，也并没个给钱的，不过每年四节大趸送礼，那是一定的年例。这人新来了一次， 须得给他一两银子去。”宝玉听说，便命麝月去取银子。麝月道：“花大奶奶还不知搁在那里呢？"宝玉道：“我常见他在螺甸小柜子里取钱，我和你找去。”说着，二人来至宝玉堆东西的房子， 开了螺甸柜子，上一格子都是些笔墨，扇子，香饼，各色荷包，汗巾等物，下一格却是几串钱。于是开了抽屉，才看见一个小簸箩内放着几块银子， 倒也有一把戥子。麝月便拿了一块银子，提起戥子来问宝玉：“那是一两的星儿？"宝玉笑道：“你问我？有趣，你倒成了才来的了。”麝月也笑了，又要去问人。宝玉道：“拣那大的给他一块就是了。又不作买卖，算这些做什么！"麝月听了，便放下戥子，拣了一块掂了一掂， 笑道：“这一块只怕是一两了。宁可多些好，别少了，叫那穷小子笑话，不说咱们不识戥子，倒说咱们有心小器似的。”那婆子站在外头台矶上，笑道：“那是五两的锭子夹了半边，这一块至少还有二两呢！这会子又没夹剪，姑娘收了这块，再拣一块小些的罢。”麝月早掩了柜子出来，笑道：“谁又找去！多了些你拿了去罢。”宝玉道：“你只快叫茗烟再请王大夫去就是了。”婆子接了银子，自去料理。
一时茗烟果请了王太医来，诊了脉后，说的病症与前相仿，只是方上果没有枳实，麻黄等药，倒有当归，陈皮，白芍等，药之分量较先也减了些。宝玉喜道：“这才是女孩儿们的药，虽然疏散，也不可太过。旧年我病了，却是伤寒内里饮食停滞，他瞧了，还说我禁不起麻黄，石膏，枳实等狼虎药。我和你们一比，我就如那野坟圈子里长的几十年的一棵老杨树， 你们就如秋天芸儿进我的那才开的白海棠，连我禁不起的药，你们如何禁得起。 "麝月等笑道：“野坟里只有杨树不成？难道就没有松柏？我最嫌的是杨树，那么大笨树， 叶子只一点子，没一丝风，他也是乱响。你偏比他，也太下流了。”宝玉笑道：“松柏不敢比。连孔子都说：’岁寒然后知松柏之后凋也。’可知这两件东西高雅，不怕羞臊的才拿他混比呢。”
说着，只见老婆子取了药来。宝玉命把煎药的银吊子找了出来，就命在火盆上煎。晴雯因说：“正经给他们茶房里煎去，弄得这屋里药气，如何使得。”宝玉道：“药气比一切的花香果子香都雅。神仙采药烧药，再者高人逸士采药治药，最妙的一件东西。这屋里我正想各色都齐了，就只少药香，如今恰好全了。”一面说，一面早命人煨上。又嘱咐麝月打点东西，遣老嬷嬷去看袭人，劝他少哭。一一妥当，方过前边来贾母王夫人处问安吃饭。
正值凤姐儿和贾母王夫人商议说：“天又短又冷，不如以后大嫂子带着姑娘们在园子里吃饭一样。 等天长暖和了，再来回的跑也不妨。”王夫人笑道：“这也是好主意。刮风下雪倒便宜。吃些东西受了冷气也不好，空心走来，一肚子冷风，压上些东西也不好。不如后园门里头的五间大房子，横竖有女人们上夜的，挑两个厨子女人在那里，单给他姊妹们弄饭。 新鲜菜蔬是有分例的，在总管房里支去，或要钱，或要东西，那些野鸡，獐，狍各样野味，分些给他们就是了。”贾母道：“我也正想着呢，就怕又添一个厨房多事些。 "凤姐道：“并不多事。一样的分例，这里添了，那里减了。就便多费些事，小姑娘们冷风朔气的，别人还可，第一林妹妹如何禁得住？就连宝兄弟也禁不住，何况众位姑娘。 "贾母道：“正是这话了。上次我要说这话，我见你们的大事太多了，如今又添出这些事来，……"要知端的——
The young maiden Hsueeh Pao-ch'in devises, in novel style, odes bearing on antiquities. A stupid doctor employs, in reckless manner, drugs of great strength.
When the party heard, the story goes, that Pao-ch'in had made the old places of interest she had, in days gone by, visited in the various provinces, the theme of her verses, and that she had composed ten stanzas with four lines in each, which though referring to relics of antiquity, bore covertly on ten common objects, they all opined that they must be novel and ingenious, and they vied with each other in examining the text. On perusal, they read:
On the relics of Ch'ih Pi:
Deep in Ch'ih Pi doth water lie concealed which does not onward flow. There but remains a name and surname contained in an empty boat. When with a clamorous din the fire breaks out, the sad wind waxes cold. An endless host of eminent spirits wander about inside.
On the ancient remains in Chiao Chih:
Posts of copper and walls of gold protect the capital. Its fame is spread beyond the seas, scattered in foreign lands. How true it is that Ma Yuean's achievements have been great. The flute of iron need not trouble to sing of Tzu Fang.
On the vestiges of former times in Chung Shan:
Renown and gain do they, at any time, fall to a woman's share? For no reason have I been bidden come into the mortal world. How hard a task, in point of fact, it is to stop solicitude! Don't bear a grudge against such people as may oft times jeer at you!
On things of historic interest in Huai Yin:
The sturdy man must ever mind the insults of the vicious dog. Th' official's rank in San Ch'i was but fixed when his coffin was closed Tell all people that upon earth do dwell to look down upon none. The bounty of one single bowl of rice should be treasured till death.
On events of old in Kuang Lin:
Cicadas chirp; crows roost; but, in a twinkle, they are gone. How fares these latter days the scenery in Sui T'i? It's all because he has so long enjoyed so fine a fame, That he has given rise around to so many disputes.
On the ancient remains of the T'ao Yeh ferry:
Dry grass and parched plants their reflex cast upon the shallow pond. The peach tree branches and peach leaves will bid farewell at last. What a large number of structures in Liu Ch'ao raise their heads. A small picture with a motto hangs on the hollow wall.
On the antique vestiges of Ch'ing Chung:
The black stream stretches far and wide, but hindered is its course. What time were no more thrummed the frozen cords, the songs waxed sad. The policy of the Han dynasty was in truth strange! A worthless officer must for a thousand years feel shame.
On things of historic renown in Ma Wei:
Quiet the spots of rouge with sweat pile up and shine. Gentleness in a moment vanishes and goes. It is because traces remain of his fine looks, That to this day his clothes a fragrance still emit.
On events of the past connected with the Pu Tung temple:
The small red lamp is wholly made of thin bone, and is light. Furtively was it brought along but by force was it stol'n. Oft was it, it is true, hung by the mistress' own hands, But long ere this has she allured it to speed off with her.
On the scenery about the Mei Hua (Plum Bloom) monastery.
If not by the plum trees, then by the willows it must be. Has any one picked up in there the likeness of a girl? Don't fret about meeting again; in spring its scent returns. Soon as it's gone, and west winds blow, another year has flown.
When the party had done reading the verses, they with perfect unanimity extolled their extraordinary excellence. Pao-ch'ai was, however, the first to raise any objections. "The first eight stanzas," she said, "are founded upon the testimony of the historical works. But as for the last two stanzas, there's no knowing where they come from. Besides, we don't quite fathom their meaning. Wouldn't it be better then if two other stanzas were written?"
Tai-yue hastened to interrupt her. "The lines composed by cousin Pao ch'in are indeed devised in a too pigheaded and fast-and-loose sort of way," she observed. "The two stanzas are, I admit, not to be traced in the historical works, but though we've never read such outside traditions, and haven't any idea what lies at the bottom of them, have we not likely seen a couple of plays? What child of three years old hasn't some notion about them, and how much more such as we?"
"What she says is perfectly correct," T'an Ch'un chimed in.
"She has besides," Li Wan then remarked, "been to these places herself. But though there be no mention anywhere of these two references, falsehoods have from old till now been propagated, and busybodies have, in fact, intentionally invented such relics of ancient times with a view of bamboozling people. That year, for instance, in which we travelled up here to the capital, we came across graves raised to Kuan, the sage, in three or four distinct places. Now the circumstances of the whole existence of Kuan the sage are established by actual proof, so how could there again in his case exist a lot of graves? This must arise from the esteem in which he is held by posterity for the way he acquitted himself of his duties during his lifetime. And it is presumably to this esteem that this fiction owes its origin. This is quite possible enough. Even in the 'Kuang Yue Chi', you will see that not only are numerous tombs of the sage Kuan spoken of, but that bygone persons of note are assigned tombs not few in number. But there are many more relics of antiquity, about which no testimony can be gathered. The matter treated in the two stanzas, now in point, is, of course, not borne out by any actual record; yet in every story, that is told, in every play, that is sung, and on the various slips as well used for fortune telling, it is invariably to be found. Old and young, men and women, do all understand it and speak of it, whether in proverbs or in their everyday talk. They don't resemble, besides, the ballads encountered in the 'Hsi Hsiang Chi,' and 'Mou Tan T'ing,' to justify us to fear that we might be setting eyes upon some corrupt text. They are quite harmless; so we'd better keep them!"
Pao-ch'ai, after these arguments, dropped at length all discussion. They thereupon tried for a time to guess the stanzas. None, however, of their solutions turned out to be correct. But as the days in winter are short, and they saw that it was time for their evening meal, they adjourned to the front part of the compound for their supper.
The servants at this stage announced to Madame Wang that Hsi Jen's elder brother, Hua Tzu-fang, was outside, and reported to her that he had entered the city to say that his mother was lying in bed dangerously ill, and that she was so longing to see her daughter that he had come to beg for the favour of taking Hsi Jen home on a visit. As soon as Madame Wang heard the news, she dilated for a while upon people's mothers and daughters, and of course she did not withhold her consent. Sending therefore at the same time for lady Feng, she communicated the tidings to her, and enjoined her to deliberate, and take suitable action.
Lady Feng signified her willingness to do what was necessary, and, returning to her quarters, she there and then commissioned Chou Jui's wife to go and break the news to Hsi Jen. "Send also," she went on to direct Mrs. Chou, "for one of the married-women, who are in attendance when we go out-of-doors, and let you two, together with a couple of young maids, follow Hsi Jen home. But despatch four cart attendants, well up in years, to look everywhere for a spacious curricle for you as well as her, and a small carriage for the maids."
"All right!" acquiesced Chou Jui's wife. But just as she was about to start, lady Feng continued her injunctions. "Hsi Jen," she added; "is a person not fond of any fuss, so tell her that it's I who have given the orders; and impress upon her that she must put on several nice, coloured clothes, and pack up a large valise full of wearing apparel. Her valise, must be a handsome one; and she must take a decent hand-stove. Bid her too first come and look me up here when she's about to start."
Mrs. Chou promised to execute her directions and went on her way.
After a long interval, (lady Feng) actually saw Hsi Jen arrive, got up in full costume and head-gear, and with her two waiting-maids and Chou Jui's wife, who carried the hand-stove and the valise packed up with clothes. Lady Feng's eye was attracted by several golden hairpins and pearl ornaments of great brilliancy and beauty, which Hsi Jen wore in her coiffure. Her gaze was further struck by the peach-red stiff silk jacket she had on, brocaded with all sorts of flowers and lined with ermine, by her leek-green wadded jupe, artistically ornamented with coils of gold thread, and by the bluish satin and grey squirrel pelisse she was wrapped in.
"These three articles of clothing, given to you by our dowager lady," lady Feng smiled, "are all very nice; but this pelisse is somewhat too plain. If you wear this, you'll besides feel cold, so put on one with long fur."
"Our Madame Wang," Hsi Jen laughingly rejoined, "gave me this one with the grey squirrel. I've also got one with ermine. She says that when the end of the year draws nigh, she'll let me have one with long fur."
"I've got one with long fur," lady Feng proceeded with a smile. "I don't fancy it much as the fringe does not hang with grace. I was on the point of having it changed; but, never mind, I'll let you first use it; and, when at the close of the year, Madame Wang has one made for you, I can then have mine altered, and it will come to the same thing as if you were returning it like that to me."
One and all laughed. "That's the way of talking into which her ladyship has got!" they observed. "There she is the whole year round recklessly carelessly and secretly making good, on Madame Wang's account, ever so many things; how many there is no saying; for really the things for which compensation is made, cannot be so much as enumerated; and does she ever go, and settle scores with Madame Wang? and here she comes, on this occasion, and gives vent again to this mean language, in order to poke fun at people!"
"How could Madame Wang," lady Feng laughed, "ever give a thought to such trifles as these? They are, in fact, matters of no consequence. Yet were I not to look after them, it would be a disgrace to all of us, and needless to say, I would myself get into some scrape. It's far better that I should dress you all properly, and so get a fair name and finish; for were each of you to cut the figure of a burnt cake, people would first and foremost ridicule me, by saying that in looking after the household I have, instead of doing good, been the means of making beggars of you!"
After hearing her out, the whole party heaved a sigh. "Who could ever be," they exclaimed, "so intuitively wise as you, to show, above, such regard for Madame Wang, and below, such consideration for her subordinates?"
In the course of these remarks, they noticed lady Feng bid P'ing Erh find the dark green stiff silk cloak with white fox, she had worn the day before, and give it to Hsi Jen. But perceiving, also, that in the way of a valise, she only had a double one made of black spotted, figured sarcenet, with a lining of light red pongee silk, and that its contents consisted merely of two wadded jackets, the worse for wear, and a pelisse, lady Feng went on to tell P'ing Erh to fetch a woollen wrapper, lined with jade-green pongee. But she ordered her besides to pack up a snow-cloak for her.
P'ing Erh walked away and produced the articles. The one was made of deep-red felt, and was old. The other was of deep-red soft satin, neither old nor new.
"I don't deserve so much as a single one of these," Hsi Jen said.
"Keep this felt one for yourself," P'ing Erh smiled, "and take this one along with you and tell some one to send it to that elderly girl, who while every one, in that heavy fall of snow yesterday, was rolled up in soft satin, if not in felt, and while about ten dark red dresses were reflected in the deep snow and presented such a fine sight, was the only one attired in those shabby old clothes. She seems more than ever to raise her shoulders and double her back. She is really to be pitied; so take this now and give it to her!"
"She surreptitiously wishes to give my things away!" lady Feng laughed. "I haven't got enough to spend upon myself and here I have you, better still, to instigate me to be more open-handed!"
"This comes from the filial piety your ladyship has ever displayed towards Madame Wang," every one laughingly remarked, "and the fond love for those below you. For had you been mean and only thought of making much of things and not cared a rap for your subordinates, would that girl have presumed to behave in this manner?"
"If any one therefore has read my heart, it's she," lady Feng rejoined with a laugh, "but yet she only knows it in part."
At the close of this rejoinder, she again spoke to Hsi Jen. "If your mother gets well, all right," she said; "but if anything happens to her, just stay over, and send some one to let me know so that I may specially despatch a servant to bring you your bedding. But whatever you do, don't, use their bedding, nor any of their things to comb your hair with. As for you people," continuing, she observed to Mrs. Chou Jui, "you no doubt are aware of the customs, prevailing in this establishment, so that I can dispense with giving you any injunctions."
"Yes, we know them all," Mrs. Chou Jui assented. "As soon as we get there, we'll, of course, request their male inmates to retire out of the way. And in the event of our having to stay over, we'll naturally apply for one or two extra inner rooms."
With these words still on her lips, she followed Hsi Jen out of the apartment. Then directing the servant-boys to prepare the lanterns, they, in due course, got into their curricle, and came to Hua Tzu-fang's quarters, where we will leave them without any further comment.
Lady Feng, meanwhile, sent also for two nurses from the I Hung court. "I am afraid," she said to them, "that Hsi Jen won't come back, so if there be any elderly girl, who has to your knowledge, so far, had her wits about her, depute her to come and keep night watch in Pao-yue's rooms. But you nurses must likewise take care and exercise some control, for you mustn't let Pao-yue recklessly kick up any trouble!"
"Quite so," answered the two nurses, agreeing to her directions, after which, they quitted her presence. But not a long interval expired before they came to report the result of their search. "We've set our choice upon Ch'ing Wen and She Yueeh to put up in his rooms," they reported. "We four will take our turn and look after things during the night."
When lady Feng heard these arrangements, she nodded her head. "At night," she observed, "urge him to retire to bed soon; and in the morning press him to get up at an early hour."
The nurses replied that they would readily carry out her orders and returned alone into the garden.
In a little time Chou Jui's wife actually brought the news, which she imparted to lady Feng, that: "as her mother was already beyond hope, Hsi Jen could not come back."
Lady Feng then explained things to Madame Wang, and sent, at the same time, servants to the garden of Broad Vista to fetch (Hsi Jen's) bedding and toilet effects.
Pao-yue watched Ch'ing Wen and She Yueeh get all her belongings in proper order. After the things had been despatched, Ch'ing Wen and She Yueeh divested themselves of their remaining fineries and changed their jupes and jackets. Ch'ing Wen seated herself round a warming-frame.
"Now," She Yueeh smiled, "you're not to put on the airs of a young lady! I advise you to also move about a bit."
"When you're all clean gone," Ch'ing Wen returned for answer, "I shall have ample time to budge. But every day that you people are here, I shall try and enjoy peace and quiet."
"My dear girl," She Yueeh laughed, "I'll make the bed, but drop the cover over that cheval-glass and put the catches right; you are so much taller than I."
So saying, she at once set to work to arrange the bed for Pao-yue.
"Hai!" ejaculated Ch'ing Wen smiling, "one just sits down to warm one's self, and here you come and disturb one!"
Pao-yue had at this time been sitting, plunged in a despondent mood. The thought of Hsi Jen's mother had crossed through his mind and he was wondering whether she could be dead or alive, when unexpectedly overhearing Ch'ing Wen pass the remarks she did, he speedily sprung up, and came out himself and dropped the cover of the glass, and fastened the contrivance, after which he walked into the room. "Warm yourselves," he smiled, "I've done all there was to be done."
"I can't manage," Ch'ing Wen rejoined smiling, "to get warm at all. It just also strikes me that the warming-pan hasn't yet been brought."
"You've had the trouble to think of it!" She Yueeh observed. "But you've never wanted a chafing-dish before. It's so warm besides on that warming-frame of ours; not like the stove-couch in that room, which is so cold; so we can very well do without it to-day."
"If both of you are to sleep on that," Pao-yue smiled, "there won't be a soul with me outside, and I shall be in an awful funk. Even you won't be able to have a wink of sleep during the whole night!"
"As far as I'm concerned," Ch'ing Wen put in, "I'm going to sleep in here. There's She Yueeh, so you'd better induce her to come and sleep outside."
But while they kept up this conversation, the first watch drew near, and She Yueeh at once lowered the mosquito-curtain, removed the lamp, burnt the joss-sticks, and waited upon Pao-yue until he got into bed. The two maids then retired to rest. Ch'ing Wen reclined all alone on the warming-frame, while She Yueeh lay down outside the winter apartments.
The third watch had come and gone, when Pao-yue, in the midst of a dream, started calling Hsi Jen. He uttered her name twice, but no one was about to answer him. And it was after he had stirred himself out of sleep that he eventually recalled to mind that Hsi Jen was not at home, and he had a hearty fit laughter to himself.
Ch'ing Wen however had been roused out of her sleep, and she called She Yueeh. "Even I," she said, "have been disturbed, fast asleep though I was; and, lo, she keeps a look-out by his very side and doesn't as yet know anything about his cries! In very deed she is like a stiff corpse!"
She Yueeh twisted herself round and yawned. "He calls Hsi Jen," she smilingly rejoined, "so what's that to do with me? What do you want?" proceeding, she then inquired of him.
"I want some tea," Pao-yue replied.
She Yueeh hastily jumped out of bed, with nothing on but a short wadded coat of red silk.
"Throw my pelisse over you;" Pao-yue cried; "for mind it's cold!"
She Yueeh at these words put back her hands, and, taking the warm pelisse, lined even up to the lapel, with fur from the neck of the sable, which Pao-yue had put on on getting up, she threw it over her shoulders and went below and washed her hands in the basin. Then filling first a cup with tepid water, she brought a large cuspidor for Pao-yue to wash his mouth. Afterwards, she drew near the tea-case, and getting a cup, she first rinsed it with lukewarm water, and pouring half a cup of tea from the warm teapot, she handed it to Pao-yue. After he had done, she herself rinsed her mouth, and swallowed half a cupful of tea.
"My dear girl," Ch'ing Wen interposed smiling, "do give me also a sip."
"You put on more airs than ever," She Yueeh laughed.
"My dear girl;" Ch'ing Wen added, "to-morrow night, you needn't budge; I'll wait on you the whole night long. What do you say to that?"
Hearing this, She Yueeh had no help but to attend to her as well, while she washed her mouth, and to pour a cup of tea and give it to her to drink.
"Won't you two go to sleep," She Yueeh laughed, "but keep on chatting? I'll go out for a time; I'll be back soon."
"Are there any evil spirits waiting for you outside?" Ch'ing Wen smiled.
"It's sure to be bright moonlight out of doors," Pao-yue observed, "so go, while we continue our chat."
So speaking, he coughed twice.
She Yueeh opened the back-door, and raising the woollen portiere and looking out, she saw what a beautiful moonlight there really was.
Ch'ing Wen allowed her just time enough to leave the room, when she felt a wish to frighten her for the sake of fun. But such reliance did she have in her physique, which had so far proved better than that of others, that little worrying her mind about the cold, she did not even throw a cloak over her, but putting on a short jacket, she descended, with gentle tread and light step, from the warming-frame and was making her way out to follow in her wake, when "Hallo!" cried Pao-yue warning her. "It's freezing; it's no joke!"
Ch'ing Wen merely responded with a wave of the hand and sallied out of the door to go in pursuit of her companion. The brilliancy of the moon, which met her eye, was as limpid as water. But suddenly came a slight gust of wind. She felt it penetrate her very flesh and bore through her bones. So much so, that she could not help shuddering all over. "Little wonder is it," she argued within herself, "if people say 'that one mustn't, when one's body is warm, expose one's self to the wind.' This cold is really dreadful!" She was at the same time just on the point of giving (She Yueeh) a start, when she heard Pao-yue shout from inside, "Ch'ing Wen has come out."
Ch'ing Wen promptly turned back and entered the room. "How could I ever frighten her to death?" she laughed. "It's just your way; you're as great a coward as an old woman!"
"It isn't at all that you might do her harm by frightening her," Pao-yue smiled, "but, in the first place, it wouldn't be good for you to get frost-bitten; and, in the second, you would take her so much off her guard that she won't be able to prevent herself from uttering a shout. So, in the event of rousing any of the others out of their sleep, they won't say that we are up to jokes, but maintain instead that just as Hsi Jen is gone, you two behave as if you'd come across ghosts or seen evil spirits. Come and tuck in the coverlets on this side!"
When Ch'ing Wen heard what he wanted done she came accordingly and tucked in the covers, and, putting out her hands, she inserted them under them, and set to work to warm the bedding.
"How cold your hand is!" Pao-yue laughingly exclaimed. "I told you to look out or you'd freeze!"
Noticing at the same time that Ch'ing Wen's cheeks were as red as rouge, he rubbed them with his hands. But as they felt icy cold to his touch, "Come at once under the cover and warm yourself!" Pao-yue urged.
Hardly, however, had he concluded these words, than a sound of 'lo teng' reached their ears from the door, and She Yueeh rushed in all in a tremor, laughing the while.
"I've had such a fright," she smiled, as she went on speaking. "Goodness me! I saw in the black shade, at the back of the boulders on that hill, some one squatting, and was about to scream, when it turned out to be nothing else than that big golden pheasant. As soon as it caught sight of a human being, it flew away. But it was only when it reached a moonlit place that I at last found out what it was. Had I been so heedless as to scream, I would have been the means of getting people out of their beds!"
Recounting her experiences, she washed her hands.
"Ch'ing Wen, you say, has gone out," she proceeded laughing, "but how is it I never caught a glimpse of her? She must certainly have gone to frighten me!"
"Isn't this she?" Pao-yue inquired with a smile. "Is she not here warming herself? Had I not been quick in shouting, she would verily have given you a fright."
"There was no need for me to go and frighten her," Ch'ing Wen laughingly observed. "This hussy has frightened her own self."
With these words she ensconced herself again under her own coverlet. "Did you forsooth go out," She Yueeh remarked, "in this smart dress of a circus-performer?"
"Why, of course, she went out like this!" Pao-yue smiled.
"You wouldn't know, for the life of you, how to choose a felicitous day!" She Yueeh added. "There you go and stand about on a fruitless errand. Won't your skin get chapped from the frost?"
Saying this, she again raised the copper cover from the brasier, and, picking up the shovel, she buried the live charcoal deep with ashes, and taking two bits of incense of Cambodia fragrant wood, she threw them over them. She then re-covered the brasier, and repairing to the back of the screen, she gave the lamp a thorough trimming to make it throw out more light; after which, she once more laid herself down.
As Ch'ing Wen had some time before felt cold, and now began to get warm again, she unexpectedly sneezed a couple of times.
"How about that?" sighed Pao-yue. "There you are; you've after all caught a chill!"
"Early this morning," She Yueeh smiled, "she shouted that she wasn't feeling quite herself. Neither did she have the whole day a proper bowl of food. And now, not to speak of her taking so little care of herself, she is still bent upon playing larks upon people! But if she falls ill by and bye, we'll let her suffer what she will have brought upon herself."
"Is your head hot?" Pao-yue asked.
"It's nothing at all!" Ch'ing Wen rejoined, after coughing twice. "When did I get so delicate?"
But while she spoke, they heard the striking clock, suspended on the partition wall in the outer rooms, give two sounds of 'tang, tang,' and the matron, on the night watch outside, say: "Now, young girls, go to sleep. To-morrow will be time enough for you to chat and laugh!"
"Don't let's talk!" Pao-yue then whispered, "for, mind, we'll also induce them to start chattering." After this, they at last went to sleep.
The next day, they got up at an early hour. Ch'ing Wen's nose was indeed considerably stopped. Her voice was hoarse; and she felt no inclination to move.
"Be quick," urged Pao-yue, "and don't make a fuss, for your mistress, my mother, may come to know of it, and bid you also shift to your house and nurse yourself. Your home might, of course, be all very nice, but it's in fact somewhat cold. So isn't it better here? Go and lie down in the inner rooms, and I'll give orders to some one to send for the doctor to come quietly by the back door and have a look at you. You'll then get all right again."
"In spite of what you say," Ch'ing Wen demurred, "you must really say something about it to our senior lady, Mrs. Chia Chu; otherwise the doctor will be coming unawares, and people will begin to ask questions; and what answer could one give them?"
Pao-yue found what she said so full of reason that he called an old nurse. "Go and deliver this message to your senior mistress," he enjoined her. "Tell her that Ch'ing Wen got a slight chill yesterday. That as it's nothing to speak of, and Hsi Jen is besides away, there would be, more than ever, no one here to look after things, were she to go home and attend to herself, so let her send for a doctor to come quietly by the back entrance and see what's the matter with her; but don't let her breathe a word about it to Madame Wang, my mother."
The old nurse was away a considerable time on the errand. On her return, "Our senior mistress," she reported, "has been told everything. She says that: 'if she gets all right, after taking a couple of doses of medicine, it will be well and good. But that in the event of not recovering, it would, really, be the right thing for her to go to her own home. That the season isn't healthy at present, and that if the other girls caught her complaint it would be a small thing; but that the good health of the young ladies is a vital matter.'"
Ch'ing Wen was lying in the winter apartment, coughing and coughing, when overhearing (Li Wan's) answer, she lost control over her temper. "Have I got such a dreadful epidemic," she said, "that she fears that I shall bring it upon others? I'll clear off at once from this place; for mind you don't get any headaches and hot heads during the course of your lives."
"While uttering her grievances, she was bent upon getting up immediately, when Pao-yue hastened to smile and to press her down.
"Don't lose your temper," he advised her. "This is a responsibility which falls upon her shoulders, so she is afraid lest Madame Wang might come to hear of it, and call her to task. She only made a harmless remark. But you've always been prone to anger, and now, as a matter of course your spleen is larger than ever."
But in the middle of his advice to her, a servant came and told him that the doctor had arrived. Pao-yue accordingly crossed over to the off side, and retired behind the bookcase; from whence he perceived two or three matrons, whose duty it was to keep watch at the back door, usher the doctor in.
The waiting-maids, meanwhile, withdrew out of the way. Three or four old nurses dropped the deep-red embroidered curtain, suspended in the winter apartment. Ch'ing Wen then simply stretched out her hand from among the folds of the curtain. But the doctor noticed that on two of the fingers of her hand, the nails, which measured fully two or three inches in length, still bore marks of the pure red dye from the China balsam, and forthwith he turned his head away. An old nurse speedily fetched a towel and wiped them for her, when the doctor set to work and felt her pulse for a while, after which he rose and walked into the outer chamber.
"Your young lady's illness," he said to the old nurses, "arises from external sources, and internal obstructive influences, caused by the unhealthiness of the season of late. Yet it's only a slight chill, after all. Fortunately, the young lady has ever been moderate in her drinking and eating. The cold she has is nothing much. It's mainly because she has a weak constitution that she has unawares got a bit of a chill. But if she takes a couple of doses of medicine to dispel it with, she'll be quite right."
So saying, he followed once more the matron out of the house.
Li Wan had, by this time, sent word to the various female domestics at the back entrance, as well as to the young maids in the different parts of the establishment to keep in retirement. All therefore that the doctor perceived as he went along was the scenery in the garden. But not a single girl did he see.
Shortly, he made his exit out of the garden gate, and taking a seat in the duty-lodge of the servant-lads, who looked after the garden-entrance, he wrote a prescription.
"Sir," urged an old nurse, "don't go yet. Our young master is fretful and there may be, I fancy, something more to ask you."
"Wasn't the one I saw just now a young lady," the doctor exclaimed with eagerness, "but a young man, eh? Yet the rooms were such as are occupied by ladies. The curtains were besides let down. So how could the patient I saw have ever been a young man?"
"My dear sir," laughed the old nurse, "it isn't strange that a servant-girl said just now that a new doctor had been sent for on this occasion, for you really know nothing about our family matters. That room is that of our young master, and that is a girl attached to the apartments; but she's really a servant-maid. How ever were those a young lady's rooms? Had a young lady fallen ill, would you ever have penetrated inside with such ease?"
With these words, she took the prescription and wended her way into the garden.
When Pao-yue came to peruse it, he found, above, such medicines mentioned as sweet basil, platycodon, carraway seeds, mosla dianthera, and the like; and, below, citrus fusca and sida as well.
"He deserves to be hanged! He deserves death!" Pao-yue shouted. "Here he treats girls in the very same way as he would us men! How could this ever do? No matter what internal obstruction there may be, how could she ever stand citrus and sida? Who asked him to come? Bundle him off at once; and send for another, who knows what he's about."
"Whether he uses the right medicines or not," the old nurse pleaded, "we are not in a position to know. But we'll now tell a servant-lad to go and ask Dr. Wang round. It's easy enough! The only thing is that as this doctor wasn't sent for through the head manager's office his fee must be paid to him."
"How much must one give him?" Pao-yue inquired.
"Were one to give him too little, it wouldn't look nice," a matron ventured. "He should be given a tael. This would be quite the thing with such a household as ours."
"When Dr. Wang comes," Pao-yue asked, "how much is he given?"
"Whenever Dr. Wang and Dr. Chang come," a matron smilingly explained, "no money is ever given them. At the four seasons of each year however presents are simply sent to them in a lump. This is a fixed annual custom. But this new doctor has come only this once so he should be given a tael."
After this explanation, Pao-yue readily bade She Yueeh go and fetch the money.
"I can't make out where sister Hua put it;" She Yueeh rejoined.
"I've often seen her take money out of that lacquered press, ornamented with designs made with shells;" Pao-yue added; "so come along with me, and let's go and search."
As he spoke, he and She Yueeh came together into what was used as a store-room by Hsi Jen. Upon opening the shell-covered press, they found the top shelf full of pens, pieces of ink, fans, scented cakes, various kinds of purses, handkerchiefs and other like articles, while on the lower shelf were piled several strings of cash. But, presently they pulled out the drawer, when they saw, in a small wicker basket, several pieces of silver, and a steelyard.
She Yueeh quickly snatched a piece of silver. Then raising the steelyard, "Which is the one tael mark?" she asked.
Pao-yue laughed. "It's amusing that you should appeal to me!" he said. "You really behave as if you had only just come!"
She Yueeh also laughed, and was about to go and make inquiries of some one else, when Pao-yue interfered. "Choose a piece out of those big ones and give it to him, and have done," he said. "We don't go in for buying and selling, so what's the use of minding such trifles!"
She Yueeh, upon hearing this, dropped the steelyard, and selected a piece, which she weighed in her hand. "This piece," she smiled, "must, I fancy, be a tael. But it would be better to let him have a little more. Don't let's give too little as those poor brats will have a laugh at our expense. They won't say that we know nothing about the steelyard; but that we are designedly mean."
A matron who stood at the threshold of the door, smilingly chimed in. "This ingot," she said, "weighs five taels. Even if you cut half of it off, it will weigh a couple of taels, at least. But there are no sycee shears at hand, so, miss, put this piece aside and choose a smaller one."
She Yueeh had already closed the press and walked out. "Who'll go and fumble about again?" she laughed. "If there's a little more, well, you take it and finish."
"Be quick," Pao-yue remarked, "and tell Pei Ming to go for another doctor. It will be all right."
The matron received the money and marched off to go and settle matters.
Presently, Dr. Wang actually arrived, at the invitation of Pei Ming. First and foremost he felt the pulse and then gave the same diagnosis of the complaint (as the other doctor did) in the first instance. The only difference being that there was, in fact, no citrus or sida or other similar drugs, included in the prescription. It contained, however, false sarsaparilla roots, dried orange peel, peonia albifora, and other similar medicines. But the quantities were, on the other hand, considerably smaller, as compared with those of the drugs mentioned in the former prescription.
"These are the medicines," Pao-yue ejaculated exultingly, "suitable for girls! They should, it's true, be of a laxative nature, but never over and above what's needful. When I fell ill last year, I suffered from a chill, but I got such an obstruction in the viscera that I could neither take anything liquid or substantial, yet though he saw the state I was in, he said that I couldn't stand sida, ground gypsum, citrus and other such violent drugs. You and I resemble the newly-opened white begonia, Yuen Erh sent me in autumn. And how could you resist medicines which are too much for me? We're like the lofty aspen trees, which grow in people's burial grounds. To look at, the branches and leaves are of luxuriant growth, but they are hollow at the core."
"Do only aspen trees grow in waste burial grounds?" She Yueeh smiled. "Is it likely, pray, that there are no fir and cypress trees? What's more loathsome than any other is the aspen. For though a lofty tree, it only has a few leaves; and it makes quite a confused noise with the slightest puff of wind! If you therefore deliberately compare yourself to it, you'll also be ranging yourself too much among the common herd!"
"I daren't liken myself to fir or cypress;" Pao-yue laughingly retorted. "Even Confucius says: 'after the season waxes cold, one finds that the fir and cypress are the last to lose their foliage,' which makes it evident that these two things are of high excellence. Thus it's those only, who are devoid of every sense of shame, who foolishly liken themselves to trees of the kind!"
While engaged in this colloquy, they perceived the old matron bring the drugs, so Pao-yue bade her fetch the silver pot, used for boiling medicines in, and then he directed her to prepare the decoction on the brasier.
"The right thing would be," Ch'ing Wen suggested, "that you should let them go and get it ready in the tea-room; for will it ever do to fill this room with the smell of medicines?"
"The smell of medicines," Pao-yue rejoined, "is far nicer than that emitted by the whole lot of flowers. Fairies pick medicines and prepare medicines. Besides this, eminent men and cultured scholars gather medicines and concoct medicines; so that it constitutes a most excellent thing. I was just thinking that there's everything and anything in these rooms and that the only thing that we lack is the smell of medicines; but as luck would have it, everything is now complete."
Speaking, he lost no time in giving orders to a servant to put the medicines on the fire. Next, he advised She Yueeh to get ready a few presents and bid a nurse take them and go and look up Hsi Jen, and exhort her not to give way to excessive grief. And when he had settled everything that had to be seen to, he repaired to the front to dowager lady Chia's and Madame Wang's quarters, and paid his respects and had his meal.
Lady Feng, as it happened, was just engaged in consulting with old lady Chia and Madame Wang. "The days are now short as well as cold," she argued, "so wouldn't it be advisable that my senior sister-in-law, Mrs. Chia Chu, should henceforward have her repasts in the garden, along with the young ladies? When the weather gets milder, it won't at all matter, if they have to run backward and forward."
"This is really a capital idea!" Madame Wang smiled. "It will be so convenient during windy and rainy weather. To inhale the chilly air after eating isn't good. And to come quite empty, and begin piling up a lot of things in a stomach full of cold air isn't quite safe. It would be as well therefore to select two cooks from among the women, who have, anyhow, to keep night duty in the large five-roomed house, inside the garden back entrance, and station them there for the special purpose of preparing the necessary viands for the girls. Fresh vegetables are subject to some rule of distribution, so they can be issued to them from the general manager's office. Or they might possibly require money or be in need of some things or other. And it will be all right if a few of those pheasants, deer, and every kind of game, be apportioned to them."
"I too was just thinking about this," dowager lady Chia observed. "The only thing I feared was that with the extra work that would again be thrown upon the cook-house, they mightn't have too much to do."
"There'll be nothing much to do," lady Feng replied. "The same apportionment will continue as ever. In here, something may be added; but in there something will be reduced. Should it even involve a little trouble, it will be a small matter. If the girls were exposed to the cold wind, every one else might stand it with impunity; but how could cousin Lin, first and foremost above all others, resist anything of the kind? In fact, brother Pao himself wouldn't be proof against it. What's more, none of the various young ladies can boast of a strong constitution."
What rejoinder old lady Chia made to lady Feng, at the close of her representations, is not yet ascertained; so, reader, listen to the explanations you will find given in the next chapter.
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