中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions 》
dì wǔ shí yī huí xuē xiǎo mèi xīn biān huái gǔ shī hú yōng yī luàn yòng hǔ láng yào CHAPTER LI.
cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin
gāo 'ě Gao E
CHAPTER LI.
zhòng rén wén dé bǎo qín jiāng sù xí suǒ jīng guò gè shěng nèi de gǔ jì wéi tí， zuò liǎo shí shǒu huái gǔ jué jù， nèi yǐn shí wù， jiē shuō zhè zì rán xīn qiǎo。 dū zhēng zhe kàn shí， zhǐ jiàn xiě dào shì：
chì bì huái gǔ qí yī
chì bì chén mái shuǐ bù liú， tú liú míng xìng zài kōng zhōu。
xuān tián yī jù bēi fēng lěng， wú xiàn yīng hún zài nèi yóu。
jiāo zhǐ huái gǔ qí 'èr
tóng zhù jīn yōng zhèn jì gāng， shēng chuán hǎi wài bō róng qiāng。
mǎ yuán zì shì gōng láo dà， tiě dí wú fán shuō zǐ fáng。
zhōng shān huái gǔ qí sān
míng lì hé céng bàn rǔ shēn， wú duān bèi zhào chū fán chén。
qiān lián dà dǐ nán xiū jué， mò yuàn tā rén cháo xiào pín。
huái yīn huái gǔ qí sì
zhuàng shì xū fáng 'è quǎn qī， sān qí wèi dìng gài guān shí。
jì yán shì sú xiū qīng bǐ， yī fàn zhī 'ēn sǐ yě zhī。
guǎng líng huái gǔ qí wǔ
chán zào yā qī zhuǎn yǎn guò， suí dī fēng jǐng jìn rú hé。
zhǐ yuán zhàn dé fēng liú hào， rě dé fēn fēn kǒu shé duō。
táo yè dù huái gǔ qí liù
shuāi cǎo xián huā yìng qiǎn chí， táo zhī táo yè zǒng fēn lí。
liù cháo liáng dòng duō rú xǔ， xiǎo zhào kōng xuán bì shàng tí。
qīng zhǒng huái gǔ qí qī
hēi shuǐ máng máng yān bù liú， bīng xián bō jìn qū zhōng chóu。
hàn jiā zhì dù chéng kān tàn， chū lì yìng cán wàn gǔ xiū。
mǎ wéi huái gǔ qí bā
jì mò zhī hén zì hàn guāng， wēn róu yī dàn fù dōng yáng。
zhǐ yīn yí dé fēng liú jì， cǐ rì yī qīn shàng yòu xiāng。
pú dōng sì huái gǔ qí jiǔ
xiǎo hóng gǔ jiàn zuì shēn qīng， sī yè tōu xié qiáng cuō chéng。
suī bèi fū rén shí diào qǐ， yǐ jīng gòu yǐn bǐ tóng xíng。
méi huā guān huái gǔ qí shí
bù zài méi biān zài liǔ biān， gè zhōng shuí shí huà chán juān。
tuán yuán mò yì chūn xiāng dào， yī bié xī fēng yòu yī nián。 zhòng rén kàn liǎo， dū chēng qí dào miào。 bǎo chāi xiān shuō dào： “ qián bā shǒu dū shì shǐ jiàn shàng yòu jù de， hòu 'èr shǒu què wú kǎo， wǒ men yě bù dà dǒng dé， bù rú lìng zuò liǎng shǒu wèishì。 ” dài yù máng lán dào：“ zhè bǎo jiě jiě yě tè ‘ jiāo zhù gǔ sè ’， jiáo róu zào zuò liǎo。 zhè liǎng shǒu suī yú shǐ jiàn shàng wú kǎo， zán men suī bù céng kàn zhè xiē wàizhuàn， bù zhī dǐ lǐ， nán dào zán men lián liǎng běn xì yě méi yòu jiàn guò bù chéng？ nà sān suì hái zǐ yě zhī dào， hé kuàng zán men？ " tàn chūn biàn dào：“ zhè huà zhèng shì liǎo。” lǐ wán yòu dào：“ kuàng qiě tā yuán shì dào guò zhè gè dì fāng de。 zhè liǎng jiàn shì suī wú kǎo， gǔ wǎng jīn lái， yǐ 'é chuán 'é， hàoshìzhě jìng gù yì de nòng chū zhè gǔ jì lái yǐ yú rén。 bǐ rú nà nián shàng jīng de shí jié， dān shì guān fū zǐ de fén， dǎo jiàn liǎo sān sì chù。 guān fū zǐ yī shēng shì yè， jiē shì yòu jù de， rú hé yòu yòu xǔ duō de fén？ zì rán shì hòu lái rén jìng 'ài tā shēng qián wéi rén， zhǐ pà cóng zhè jìng 'ài shàng chuān záo chū lái， yě shì yòu de。 jí zhì kàn《 guǎng yú jì >> shàng， bù zhǐ guān fū zǐ de fén duō， zì gǔ lái yòu xiē míng wàng de rén， fén jiù bù shǎo， wú kǎo de gǔ jì gèng duō。 rú jīn zhè liǎng shǒu suī wú kǎo， fán shuō shū chàng xì， shèn zhì yú qiú de qiān shàng jiē yòu zhù pī， lǎo xiǎo nán nǚ， sú yǔ kǒu tóu， rén rén jiē zhī jiē shuō de。 kuàng qiě yòu bìng bù shì kàn liǎo‘ xī xiāng’‘ mǔ dān’ de cí qū， pà kàn liǎo xié shū。 zhè jìng wú fáng， zhǐ guǎn liú zhe。” bǎo chāi tīng shuō， fāng bà liǎo。 dà jiā cāi liǎo yī huí， jiē bù shì。
dōng rì tiān duǎn， bù jué yòu shì qián tóu chī wǎn fàn zhī shí， yī qí qián lái chī fàn。 yīn yòu rén huí wáng fū rén shuō：“ xí rén de gē gē huā zì fāng jìn lái shuō， tā mǔ qīn bìng zhòng liǎo， xiǎng tā nǚ 'ér。 tā lái qiú 'ēn diǎn， jiē xí rén jiā qù zǒu zǒu。” wáng fū rén tīng liǎo， biàn dào：“ rén jiā mǔ nǚ yīcháng， qǐ yòu bù xǔ tā qù de。” yī miàn jiù jiào liǎo fèng jiě 'ér lái， gào sù liǎo fèng jiě 'ér， mìng zhuó liàng qù bàn lǐ。
fèng jiě 'ér dāyìng liǎo， huí zhì fáng zhōng， biàn mìng zhōu ruì jiā de qù gào sù xí rén yuán gù。 yòu fēn fù zhōu ruì jiā de：“ zài jiāng gēn zhe chū mén de xí fù chuán yī gè， nǐ liǎng gè rén， zài dài liǎng gè xiǎo yā tóu zǐ， gēn liǎo xí rén qù。 wài tóu pài sì gè yòu nián jì gēn chē de。 yào yī liàng dà chē， nǐ men dài zhe zuò， yào yī liàng xiǎo chē， gěi yā tóu men zuò。” zhōu ruì jiā de dāyìng liǎo， cái yào qù， fèng jiě 'ér yòu dào：“ nà xí rén shì gè xǐngshì de， nǐ gào sù tā shuō wǒ de huà： jiào tā chuān jǐ jiàn yán sè hǎo yī fú， dà dà de bāo yī bāo fú yī cháng ná zhe， bāo fú yě yào hǎohǎo de， shǒu lú yě yào ná hǎo de。 lín zǒu shí， jiào tā xiān lái wǒ qiáo qiáo。” zhōu ruì jiā de dāyìng qù liǎo。
bàn rì， guǒ jiàn xí rén chuān dài lái liǎo， liǎng gè yā tóu yǔ zhōu ruì jiā de ná zhe shǒu lú yǔ yī bāo。 fèng jiě 'ér kàn xí rén tóu shàng dài zhe jǐ zhī jīn chāi zhū chuàn， dǎo huá lì， yòu kàn shēn shàng chuānzhuó táo hóng bǎi zǐ kè sī yín shǔ 'ǎo zǐ， cōng lǜ pán jīn cǎi xiù mián qún， wài miàn chuānzhuó qīng duàn huī shǔ guà。 fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ zhè sān jiàn yī cháng dōushì tài tài de， shǎng liǎo nǐ dǎo shì hǎo de， dàn zhǐ zhè guà zǐ tài sù liǎo xiē， rú jīn chuānzhuó yě lěng， nǐ gāi chuān yī jiàn dà máo de。” xí rén xiào dào：“ tài tài jiù zhǐ gěi liǎo zhè huī shǔ de， hái yòu yī jiàn yín shǔ de。 shuō gǎn nián xià zài gěi dà máo de， hái méi yòu dé ní。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ wǒ dǎo yòu yī jiàn dà máo de， wǒ xián fèng máo 'ér chū bù hǎo liǎo， zhèng yào gǎi qù。 yě bà， xiān gěi nǐ chuān qù bà。 děng nián xià tài tài gěi zuò de shí jié wǒ zài zuò bà， zhǐ dāng nǐ hái wǒ yī yàng。” zhòng réndōu xiào dào：“ nǎi nǎi guàn huì shuō zhè huà。 chéng nián jiā dà shǒu dà jiǎo de tì tài tài bù zhī bèi dì lǐ péi diàn liǎo duō shǎo dōng xī， zhēn zhēn de péi de shì shuō bù chū lái， nà lǐ yòu hé tài tài suàn qù？ piān zhè huì zǐ yòu shuō zhè xiǎo qì huà qǔ xiào 'ér。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ tài tài nà lǐ xiǎng de dào zhè xiē？ jiū jìng zhè yòu bù shì zhèng jīng shì， zài bù zhào guǎn， yě shì dà jiā de tǐ miàn。 shuō bù dé wǒ zì jǐ chī xiē kuī， bǎ zhòng rén dǎ bàn tǐ tǒng liǎo， nìngkě wǒ dé gè hǎo míng yě bà liǎo。 yī gè yī gè xiàng’ shāo hú liǎo de juǎnzǐ’ shìde， rén xiān xiào huà wǒ dāng jiā dǎo bǎ rén nòng chū gè huā zǐ lái。 " zhòng rén tīng liǎo， dū tàn shuō：“ shuí sì nǎi nǎi zhè yàng shèng míng！ zài shàng tǐ tiē tài tài， zài xià yòu téng gù xià rén。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn zhǐ jiàn fèng jiě 'ér mìng píng 'ér jiāng zuó rì nà jiàn shí qīng kè sī bā tuán tiān mǎ pí guà zǐ ná chū lái， yǔ liǎo xí rén。 yòu kàn bāo fú， zhǐ dé yī gè dàn mò huā líng shuǐ hóng chóu lǐ de jiā bāo fú， lǐ miàn zhǐ bāo zhe liǎng jiàn bàn jiù mián 'ǎo yǔ pí guà。 fèng jiě 'ér yòu mìng píng 'ér bǎ yī gè yù sè chóu lǐ de duō luó ní de bāo fú ná chū lái， yòu mìng bāo shàng yī jiàn xuě guà zǐ。
píng 'ér zǒu qù ná liǎo chū lái， yī jiàn shì bàn jiù dà hóng xīng xīng zhān de， yī jiàn shì dà hóng yǔ shā de。 xí rén dào：“ yī jiàn jiù dāng bù qǐ liǎo。” píng 'ér xiào dào：“ nǐ ná zhè xīng xīng zhān de。 bǎ zhè jiàn shùn shǒu ná jiāng chū lái， jiào rén gěi xíng dà gū niàn sòng qù。 zuó 'ér nà me dà xuě， rén réndōu shì yòu de， bù shì xīng xīng zhān jiù shì yǔ duàn yǔ shā de， shí lái jiàn dà hóng yī cháng， yìng zhe dà xuě hǎo bù qí zhěng。 jiù zhǐ tā chuānzhuó nà jiàn jiù zhān dǒu péng， yuè fā xiǎn de gǒng jiān suō bèi， hǎo bù kě lián jiàn de。 rú jīn bǎ zhè jiàn gěi tā bà。 " fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ wǒ de dōng xī， tā sī zì jiù yào gěi rén。 wǒ yī gè hái huā bù gòu， zài tiān shàng nǐ tí zhe， gèng hǎo liǎo！’ zhòng rén xiào dào：“ zhè dū shì nǎi nǎi sù rì xiào jìng tài tài， téng 'ài xià rén。 ruò shì nǎi nǎi sù rì shì xiǎo qì de， zhǐ yǐ dōng xī wéi shì， bù gù xià rén de， gū niàn nà lǐ hái gǎn zhè yàng liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào：“ suǒ yǐ zhī dào wǒ de xīn de， yě jiù shì tā hái zhī sān fēn bà liǎo。” shuō zhe， yòu zhǔ fù xí rén dào：“ nǐ mā ruò hǎo liǎo jiù bà， ruò bù zhōng yòng liǎo， zhǐ guǎn zhù xià， dǎ fā rén lái huí wǒ， wǒ zài lìng dǎ fā rén gěi nǐ sòng pū gài qù。 kě bié shǐ rén jiā de pū gài hé shū tóu de jiā huǒ。” yòu fēn fù zhōu ruì jiā de dào：“ nǐ men zì rán yě zhī dào zhè lǐ de guīju de， yě bù yòng wǒ zhǔ fù liǎo。” zhōu ruì jiā de dāyìng：“ dōuzhī dào。 wǒ men zhè qù dào nà lǐ， zǒng jiào tā men de rén huí bì。 ruò zhù xià， bì shì lìng yào yī liǎng jiān nèi fáng de。” shuō zhe， gēn liǎo xí rén chū qù， yòu fēn fù yù bèi dēng lóng， suì zuò chē wǎng huā zì fāng jiā lái， bù zài huà xià。
zhè lǐ fèng jiě yòu jiāng yí hóng yuàn de mó mó huàn liǎo liǎng gè lái， fēn fù dào：“ xí rén zhǐ pà bù lái jiā， nǐ men sù rì zhī dào nà dà yā tóu men， nà liǎng gè zhī hǎo dǎi， pài chū lái zài bǎo yù wū lǐ shàng yè。 nǐ men yě hǎo shēng zhào guǎn zhe， bié yóu zhe bǎo yù hú nào。” liǎng gè mó mó qù liǎo， yī shí lái huí shuō：“ pài liǎo qíng wén hé shè yuè zài wū lǐ， wǒ men sì gè rén yuán shì lún liú zhe dài guǎn shàng yè de。” fèng jiě 'ér tīng liǎo， diǎn tóu dào：“ wǎn shàng cuī tā zǎo shuì， zǎo shàng cuī tā zǎo qǐ。” lǎo mó mó men dāyìng liǎo， zì huí yuán qù。 yī shí guǒ yòu zhōu ruì jiā de dài liǎo xìn huí fèng jiě 'ér shuō：“ xí rén zhī mǔ yè yǐ tíng chuáng， bù néng huí lái。” fèng jiě 'ér huí míng liǎo wáng fū rén， yī miàn zhe rén wǎng dà guān yuán qù qǔ tā de pū gài zhuāng lián。
bǎo yù kàn zhe qíng wén shè yuè 'èr rén dǎ diǎn tuǒdàng， sòng qù zhī hòu， qíng wén shè yuè jiē xiè bà cán zhuāng， tuō huàn guò qún 'ǎo。 qíng wén zhǐ zài xūn lóng shàng wéi zuò。 shè yuè xiào dào：“ nǐ jīn 'ér bié zhuāng xiǎo jiě liǎo， wǒ quàn nǐ yě dòng yī dòng 'ér。” qíng wén dào：“ děng nǐ men dū qù jìn liǎo wǒ zài quàn bù chí。 yòu nǐ men yī rì， wǒ qiě shòu yòng yī rì。” shè yuè xiào dào：“ hǎo jiě jiě， wǒ pū chuáng， nǐ bǎ nà chuān yī jìng de tào zǐ fàng xià lái， shàng tóu de huá zǐ huá shàng， nǐ de shēn liàng bǐ wǒ gāo xiē。” shuō zhe， biàn qù yǔ bǎo yù pū chuáng。 qíng wén も liǎo yī shēng， xiào dào：“ rén jiā cái zuò nuǎn hé liǎo， nǐ jiù lái nào。” cǐ shí bǎo yù zhèng zuò zhe nà mèn， xiǎng xí rén zhī mǔ bù zhī shì sǐ shì huó， hū tīng jiàn qíng wén rú cǐ shuō， biàn zì jǐ qǐ shēn chū qù， fàng xià jìng tào， huá shàng xiāo xī， jìn lái xiào dào：“ nǐ men nuǎnhuo bà， dū wán liǎo。” qíng wén xiào dào：“ zhōng jiǔ nuǎnhuo bù chéng de， wǒ yòu xiǎng qǐ lái tānɡ pó zǐ hái méi ná lái ní。 " shè yuè dào：“ zhè nán wéi nǐ xiǎng zhe！ tā sù rì yòu bù yào tānɡ pó zǐ， zán men nà xūn lóng shàng nuǎnhuo， bǐ bù dé nà wū lǐ kàng lěng， jīn 'ér kě yǐ bù yòng。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ zhè gè huà， nǐ men liǎng gèdōu zài nà shàng tóu shuì liǎo， wǒ zhè wài biān méi gè rén， wǒ guài pà de， yī yè yě shuì bù zhe。” qíng wén dào：“ wǒ shì zài zhè lǐ。 shè yuè wǎng tā wài biān shuì qù。” shuō huà zhī jiān， tiān yǐ 'èr gèng， shè yuè zǎo yǐ fàng xià lián màn， yí dēng zhù xiāng， fú shì bǎo yù wò xià， èr rén fāng shuì。
qíng wén zì zài xūn lóng shàng， shè yuè biàn zài nuǎn gé wài biān。 zhì sān gèng yǐ hòu， bǎo yù shuì mèng zhī zhōng， biàn jiào xí rén。 jiào liǎo liǎng shēng， wú rén dāyìng， zì jǐ xǐng liǎo， fāng xiǎng qǐ xí rén bù zài jiā， zì jǐ yě hǎo xiào qǐ lái。 qíng wén yǐ xǐng， yīn xiào huàn shè yuè dào：“ lián wǒdōu xǐng liǎo， tā shǒu zài bàng biān hái bù zhī dào， zhēn shì gè tǐng sǐ shī de。” shè yuè fān shēn dǎ gè hā qì xiào dào：“ tā jiào xí rén， yǔ wǒ shénme xiāng gān！ " yīn wèn zuò shénme。 bǎo yù yào chī chá， shè yuè máng qǐ lái， dān chuān hóng chóu xiǎo mián 'ǎo 'ér。 bǎo yù dào：“ pī shàng wǒ de 'ǎo 'ér zài qù， zǎi xì lěng zhe。” shè yuè tīng shuō， huí shǒu biàn bǎ bǎo yù pī zhe qǐ yè de yī jiàn diāo kē mǎn jīn nuǎn 'ǎo pī shàng， xià qù xiàng pén nèi xǐ shǒu， xiān dǎo liǎo yī zhōng wēn shuǐ， ná liǎo dà shù yú， bǎo yù shù liǎo yī kǒu， rán hòu cái xiàng chá gé shàng qǔ liǎo chá wǎn， xiān yòng wēn shuǐ ッ liǎo yīッ， xiàng nuǎn hú zhōng dǎo liǎo bàn wǎn chá， dì yǔ bǎo yù chī liǎo； zì jǐ yě shù liǎo yī shù， chī liǎo bàn wǎn。 qíng wén xiào dào：“ hǎo mèi zǐ， yě shǎng wǒ yī kǒu 'ér。” shè yuè xiào dào：“ yuè fā shàng liǎn 'ér liǎo！ " qíng wén dào：“ hǎo mèi mèi， míng 'ér wǎn shàng nǐ bié dòng， wǒ fú shì nǐ yī yè， rú hé？ " shè yuè tīng shuō， zhǐ dé yě fú shì tā shù liǎo kǒu， dǎo liǎo bàn wǎn chá yǔ tā chī guò。 shè yuè xiào dào：“ nǐ men liǎng gè bié shuì， shuō zhe huà 'ér， wǒ chū qù zǒu zǒu huí lái。 " qíng wén xiào dào：“ wài tóu yòu gè guǐ děng zhe nǐ ní。” bǎo yù dào：“ wài tóu zì rán yòu dà yuè liàng de， wǒ men shuō huà， nǐ zhǐ guǎn qù。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn biàn sòu liǎo liǎng shēng。
shè yuè biàn kāi liǎo hòu mén， jiē qǐ zhān lián yī kàn， guǒ rán hǎo yuè sè。 qíng wén děng tā chū qù， biàn yù hǔ tā wán shuǎ。 zhàng zhe sù rì bǐ bié rén qì zhuàng， bù wèi hán lěng， yě bù pī yī， zhǐ chuānzhuó xiǎo 'ǎo， biàn niè shǒu niè jiǎo de xià liǎo xūn lóng， suí hòu chū lái。 bǎo yù xiào quàn dào：“ kàn dòng zhe， bù shì wán de。” qíng wén zhǐ bǎi shǒu， suí hòu chū liǎo fáng mén。 zhǐ jiàn yuè guāng rú shuǐ， hū rán yī zhèn wēi fēng， zhǐ jué qīn jī tòu gǔ， bù jìn máo gǔ sēn rán。 xīn xià zì sī dào：“ guài dào rén shuō rè shēn zǐ bù kě bèi fēng chuī， zhè yī lěng guǒ rán lì hài。” yī miàn zhèng yào hǔ shè yuè， zhǐ tīng bǎo yù gāo shēng zài nèi dào：“ qíng wén chū qù liǎo！ " qíng wén máng huí shēn jìn lái， xiào dào：“ nà lǐ jiù hǔ sǐ liǎo tā？ piān nǐ guàn huì zhè xiē xiē zhé zhé lǎo pó hàn xiàng de！ " bǎo yù xiào dào：“ dǎo bùwèi hǔ huài liǎo tā， tóu yī zé nǐ dòng zhe yě bù hǎo， èr zé tā bù fáng， bù miǎn yī hǎn， cháng huò hǔ xǐng liǎo bié rén， bù shuō zán men shì wán yì， dǎo fǎn shuō xí rén cái qù liǎo yī yè， nǐ men jiù jiàn shén jiàn guǐ de。 nǐ lái bǎ wǒ de zhè biān bèi yè yī yè。” qíng wén tīng shuō， biàn shàng lái yè liǎo yè， shēn shǒu jìn qù wò yī wò shí， bǎo yù xiào dào：“ hǎo lěng shǒu！ wǒ shuō kàn dòng zhe。” yī miàn yòu jiàn qíng wén liǎng sāi rú yān zhī yī bān， yòng shǒu mō liǎo yī mō， yě jué bīng lěng。 bǎo yù dào：“ kuài jìn bèi lái wò wò bà。” yī yǔ wèi liǎo， zhǐ tīng gē dēng de yī shēng mén xiǎng， shè yuè huāng huāng zhāng zhāng de xiào liǎo jìn lái， shuō dào：“ xià liǎo wǒ yī tiào hǎo de。 hēi yǐng zǐ lǐ， shān zǐ shí hòu tóu， zhǐ jiàn yī gè rén dūn zhe。 wǒ cái yào jiào hǎn， yuán lái shì nà gè dà jǐn jī， jiàn liǎo rén yī fēi， fēi dào liàng chù lái， wǒ cái kàn zhēn liǎo。 ruò mào mào shī shī yī rǎng， dǎo nào qǐ rén lái。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn xǐ shǒu， yòu xiào dào：“ qíng wén chū qù wǒ zěn me bù jiàn？ yī dìng shì yào hǔ wǒ qù liǎo。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ zhè bù shì tā， zài zhè lǐ wò ní！ wǒ ruò bù jiào de kuài， kě shì dǎo hǔ yī tiào。” qíng wén xiào dào：“ yě bù yòng wǒ hǔ qù， zhè xiǎo tí zǐ yǐ jīng zì guài zì jīng de liǎo。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn réng huí zì jǐ bèi zhōng qù liǎo。 shè yuè dào：“ nǐ jiù zhè me’ páo jiě mǎ’ shìde dǎ bàn dé líng líng lì lì de chū qù liǎo bù chéng？ " bǎo yù xiào dào：“ kě bù jiù zhè me qù liǎo。” shè yuè dào：“ nǐ sǐ bù jiǎn hǎo rì zǐ！ nǐ chū qù zhàn yī zhàn， bǎ pí bù dòng pò liǎo nǐ de。” shuō zhe， yòu jiāng huǒ pén shàng de tóng zhào jiē qǐ， ná huī qiāo zhòng jiāng shú tàn mái liǎo yī mái， niān liǎo liǎng kuài sù xiāng fàng shàng， réng jiù zhào liǎo， zhì píng hòu zhòng tī liǎo dēng， fāng cái shuì xià。
qíng wén yīn fāng cái yī lěng， rú jīn yòu yī nuǎn， bù jué dǎ liǎo liǎng gè pentì。 bǎo yù tàn dào：“ rú hé？ dào dǐ shāng liǎo fēng liǎo。” shè yuè xiào dào：“ tā zǎo qǐ jiù rǎng bù shòu yòng， yī rì yě méi chī fàn。 tā zhè huì hái bù bǎo yǎng xiē， hái yào zhuō nòng rén。 míng 'ér bìng liǎo， jiào tā zì zuò zì shòu。” bǎo yù wèn：“ tóu shàng kě rè？ " qíng wén sòu liǎo liǎng shēng， shuō dào：“ bù xiāng gān， nà lǐ zhè me jiāo nèn qǐ lái liǎo。” shuō zhe， zhǐ tīng wài jiān fáng zhōng shí jǐn gé shàng de zì míng zhōng dāng dāng liǎng shēng， wài jiān zhí sù de lǎo mó mó sòu liǎo liǎng shēng， yīn shuō dào：“ gū niàn men shuì bà， míng 'ér zài shuō bà。” bǎo yù fāng qiāoqiāo de xiào dào：“ zán men bié shuō huà liǎo， yòu rě tā men shuō huà。” shuō zhe， fāng dà jiā shuì liǎo。 zhì cì rì qǐ lái， qíng wén guǒ jué yòu xiē bí sài shēng zhòng， lǎn dài dòng dàn。 bǎo yù dào：“ kuài bù yào shēng zhāng！ tài tài zhī dào， yòu jiào nǐ bān liǎo jiā qù yǎng xī。 jiā qù suī hǎo， dào dǐ lěng xiē， bù rú zài zhè lǐ。 nǐ jiù zài lǐ jiān wū lǐ tǎng zhe， wǒ jiào rén qǐng liǎo dà fū， qiāoqiāo de cóng hòu mén lái qiáo qiáo jiù shì liǎo。” qíng wén dào：“ suī rú cǐ shuō， nǐ dào dǐ yào gào sù dà nǎi nǎi yī shēng 'ér， bù rán yī shí dà fū lái liǎo， rén wèn qǐ lái， zěn me shuō ní？ " bǎo yù tīng liǎo yòu lǐ， biàn huàn yī gè lǎo mó mó fēn fù dào：“ nǐ huí dà nǎi nǎi qù， jiù shuō qíng wén bái lěng zhe liǎo xiē， bù shì shénme dà bìng。 xí rén yòu bù zài jiā， tā ruò jiā qù yǎng bìng， zhè lǐ gèng méi yòu rén liǎo。 chuán yī gè dà fū， qiāoqiāo de cóng hòu mén jìn lái qiáo qiáo， bié huí tài tài bà liǎo。” lǎo mó mó qù liǎo bàn rì， lái huí shuō：“ dà nǎi nǎi zhī dào liǎo， shuō liǎng jì yào chī hǎo liǎo biàn bà， ruò bù hǎo shí， hái shì chū qù wèishì。 rú jīn shí qì bù hǎo， kǒng zhān dài liǎo bié rén shì xiǎo， gū niàn men de shēn zǐ yào jǐn de。” qíng wén shuì zài nuǎn gé lǐ， zhǐ guǎn ké sòu， tīng liǎo zhè huà， qì de hǎn dào：“ wǒ nà lǐ jiù hài wēn bìng liǎo， zhǐ pà guò liǎo rén！ wǒ lí liǎo zhè lǐ， kàn nǐ men zhè yī bèi zǐ dū bié tóu téng nǎo rè de。” shuō zhe， biàn zhēn yào qǐ lái。 bǎo yù máng 'àn tā， xiào dào：“ bié shēng qì， zhè yuán shì tā de zé rèn， wéi kǒng tài tài zhī dào liǎo shuō tā bù shì， bái shuō yī jù。 nǐ sù xí hǎo shēng qì， rú jīn gān huǒ zì rán shèng liǎo。”
zhèng shuō shí， rén huí dà fū lái liǎo。 bǎo yù biàn zǒu guò lái， bì zài shū jià zhī hòu。 zhǐ jiàn liǎng sān gè hòu mén kǒu de lǎo mó mó dài liǎo yī gè dà fū jìn lái。 zhè lǐ de yā huán dū huí bì liǎo， yòu sān sì gè lǎo mó mó fàng xià nuǎn gé shàng de dà hóng xiù màn， qíng wén cóng màn zhōng dān shēn chū shǒu qù。 nà dà fū jiàn zhè zhǐ shǒu shàng yòu liǎng gēn zhǐ jiá， zú yòu sān cùn cháng， shàng yòu jīn fèng huā rǎn de tōng hóng de hén jì， biàn máng huí guò tóu lái。 yòu yī gè lǎo mó mó máng ná liǎo yī kuài shǒu pà yǎn liǎo。 nà dà fū fāng zhěn liǎo yī huí mài， qǐ shēn dào wài jiān， xiàng mó mó men shuō dào：“ xiǎo jiě de zhèng shì wài gǎn nèi zhì， jìn rì shí qì bù hǎo， jìng suàn shì gè xiǎo shāng hán。 xìng kuī shì xiǎo jiě sù rì yǐn shí yòu xiàn， fēng hán yě bù dà， bù guò shì xuè qì yuán ruò， ǒu rán zhān dài liǎo xiē， chī liǎng jì yào shū sàn shū sàn jiù hǎo liǎo。” shuō zhe， biàn yòu suí pó zǐ men chū qù。
bǐ shí， lǐ wán yǐ qiǎn rén zhī huì guò hòu mén shàng de rén jí gè chù yā huán huí bì， nà dà fū zhǐ jiàn liǎo yuán zhōng de jǐng zhì， bìng bù céng jiàn yī nǚ zǐ。 yī shí chū liǎo yuán mén， jiù zài shǒu yuán mén de xiǎo sī men de bān fáng nèi zuò liǎo， kāi liǎo yào fāng。 lǎo mó mó dào：“ nǐ lǎo qiě bié qù， wǒ men xiǎo yé luó suō， kǒng pà hái yòu huà shuō。” dà fū máng dào：“ fāng cái bù shì xiǎo jiě， shì wèi yé bù chéng？ nà wū zǐ jìng shì xiù fáng yī yàng， yòu shì fàng xià màn zǐ lái de， rú hé shì wèi yé ní？ " lǎo mó mó qiāoqiāo xiào dào：“ wǒ de lǎo yé， guài dào xiǎo sī men cái shuō jīn 'ér qǐng liǎo yī wèi xīn dà fū lái liǎo， zhēn bù zhī wǒ men jiā de shì。 nà wū zǐ shì wǒ men xiǎo gē 'ér de， nà rén shì tā wū lǐ de yā tóu， dǎo shì gè dà jiě， nà lǐ de xiǎo jiě？ ruò shì xiǎo jiě de xiù fáng， xiǎo jiě bìng liǎo， nǐ nà me róng yì jiù jìn qù liǎo？ " shuō zhe， ná liǎo yào fāng jìn qù。
bǎo yù kàn shí， shàng miàn yòu zǐ sū， jié gěng， fáng fēng， jīng jiè děng yào， hòu miàn yòu yòu zhǐ shí， má huáng。 bǎo yù dào：“ gāi sǐ， gāi sǐ， tā ná zhe nǚ hái 'ér men yě xiàng wǒ men yī yàng de zhì， rú hé shǐ dé！ píng tā yòu shénme nèi zhì， zhè zhǐ shí， má huáng rú hé jìn dé。 shuí qǐng liǎo lái de？ kuài dǎ fā tā qù bà！ zài qǐng yī gè shú de lái。” lǎo pó zǐ dào：“ yòng yào hǎo bù hǎo， wǒ men bù zhī dào zhè lǐ。 rú jīn zài jiào xiǎo sī qù qǐng wáng tài yī qù dǎo róng yì， zhǐ shì zhè dà fū yòu bù shì gào sù zǒng guǎn fáng qǐng lái de， zhè jiào mǎ qián shì yào gěi tā de。” bǎo yù dào：“ gěi tā duō shǎo？ " pó zǐ dào：“ shǎo liǎo bù hǎo kàn， yě dé yī liǎng yín zǐ， cái shì wǒ men zhè mén hù de lǐ。” bǎo yù dào：“ wáng tài yī lái liǎo gěi tā duō shǎo？ " pó zǐ xiào dào：“ wáng tài yī hé zhāng tài yī měi cháng lái liǎo， yě bìng méi gè gěi qián de， bù guò měi nián sì jié dà dǔn sòng lǐ， nà shì yī dìng de nián lì。 zhè rén xīn lái liǎo yī cì， xū dé gěi tā yī liǎng yín zǐ qù。” bǎo yù tīng shuō， biàn mìng shè yuè qù qǔ yín zǐ。 shè yuè dào：“ huā dà nǎi nǎi hái bù zhī gē zài nà lǐ ní？ " bǎo yù dào：“ wǒ cháng jiàn tā zài luó diàn xiǎo guì zǐ lǐ qǔ qián， wǒ hé nǐ zhǎo qù。” shuō zhe， èr rén lái zhì bǎo yù duī dōng xī de fáng zǐ， kāi liǎo luó diàn guì zǐ， shàng yī gé zǐ dōushì xiē bǐ mò， shàn zǐ， xiāng bǐng， gè sè hé bāo， hàn jīn děng wù， xià yī gé què shì jǐ chuàn qián。 yú shì kāi liǎo chōu tì， cái kàn jiàn yī gè xiǎo bǒ luó nèi fàng zhe jǐ kuài yín zǐ， dǎo yě yòu yī bǎ děng zǐ。 shè yuè biàn ná liǎo yī kuài yín zǐ， tí qǐ děng zǐ lái wèn bǎo yù：“ nà shì yī liǎng de xīng 'ér？ " bǎo yù xiào dào：“ nǐ wèn wǒ？ yòu qù， nǐ dǎo chéng liǎo cái lái de liǎo。” shè yuè yě xiào liǎo， yòu yào qù wèn rén。 bǎo yù dào：“ jiǎn nà dà de gěi tā yī kuài jiù shì liǎo。 yòu bù zuò mǎi mài， suàn zhè xiē zuò shí me！ " shè yuè tīng liǎo， biàn fàng xià děng zǐ， jiǎn liǎo yī kuài diān liǎo yī diān， xiào dào：“ zhè yī kuài zhǐ pà shì yī liǎng liǎo。 nìngkě duō xiē hǎo， bié shǎo liǎo， jiào nà qióng xiǎo zǐ xiào huà， bù shuō zán men bù shí děng zǐ， dǎo shuō zán men yòu xīn xiǎo qì shìde。” nà pó zǐ zhàn zài wài tóu tái jī shàng， xiào dào：“ nà shì wǔ liǎng de dìng zǐ jiā liǎo bàn biān， zhè yī kuài zhì shǎo hái yòu 'èr liǎng ní！ zhè huì zǐ yòu méi jiā jiǎn， gū niàn shōu liǎo zhè kuài， zài jiǎn yī kuài xiǎo xiē de bà。” shè yuè zǎo yǎn liǎo guì zǐ chū lái， xiào dào：“ shuí yòu zhǎo qù！ duō liǎo xiē nǐ ná liǎo qù bà。” bǎo yù dào：“ nǐ zhǐ kuài jiào míng yān zài qǐng wáng dà fū qù jiù shì liǎo。” pó zǐ jiē liǎo yín zǐ， zì qù liào lǐ。
yī shí míng yān guǒ qǐng liǎo wáng tài yī lái， zhěn liǎo mài hòu， shuō de bìng zhèng yǔ qián xiāng fǎng， zhǐ shì fāng shàng guǒ méi yòu zhǐ shí， má huáng děng yào， dǎo yòu dāng guī， chén pí， bái sháo děng， yào zhī fēn liàng jiào xiān yě jiǎn liǎo xiē。 bǎo yù xǐ dào：“ zhè cái shì nǚ hái 'ér men de yào， suī rán shū sàn， yě bù kě tài guò。 jiù nián wǒ bìng liǎo， què shì shāng hán nèi lǐ yǐn shí tíng zhì， tā qiáo liǎo， hái shuō wǒ jìn bù qǐ má huáng， shí gāo， zhǐ shí děng láng hǔ yào。 wǒ hé nǐ men yī bǐ， wǒ jiù rú nà yě fén juàn zǐ lǐ cháng de jǐ shí nián de yī kē lǎo yáng shù， nǐ men jiù rú qiū tiān yún 'ér jìn wǒ de nà cái kāi de bái hǎi táng， lián wǒ jìn bù qǐ de yào， nǐ men rú hé jìn dé qǐ。 " shè yuè děng xiào dào：“ yě fén lǐ zhǐ yòu yáng shù bù chéng？ nán dào jiù méi yòu sōng bǎi？ wǒ zuì xián de shì yáng shù， nà me dà bèn shù， yè zǐ zhǐ yī diǎn zǐ， méi yī sī fēng， tā yě shì luàn xiǎng。 nǐ piān bǐ tā， yě tài xià liú liǎo。” bǎo yù xiào dào：“ sōng bǎi bù gǎn bǐ。 lián kǒng zǐ dōushuō：’ suì hán rán hòu zhī sōng bǎi zhī hòu diāo yě。’ kě zhī zhè liǎng jiàn dōng xī gāo yǎ， bù pà xiū sào de cái ná tā hùn bǐ ní。”
shuō zhe， zhǐ jiàn lǎo pó zǐ qǔ liǎo yào lái。 bǎo yù mìng bǎ jiān yào de yín diào zǐ zhǎo liǎo chū lái， jiù mìng zài huǒ pén shàng jiān。 qíng wén yīn shuō：“ zhèng jīng gěi tā men chá fáng lǐ jiān qù， nòng dé zhè wū lǐ yào qì， rú hé shǐ dé。” bǎo yù dào：“ yào qì bǐ yī qiē de huā xiāng guǒ zǐ xiāng dū yǎ。 shén xiān cǎi yào shāo yào， zài zhě gāo rén yì shì cǎi yào zhì yào， zuì miào de yī jiàn dōng xī。 zhè wū lǐ wǒ zhèng xiǎng gè sè dū qí liǎo， jiù zhǐ shǎo yào xiāng， rú jīn qià hǎo quán liǎo。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn zǎo mìng rén wēi shàng。 yòu zhǔ fù shè yuè dǎ diǎn dōng xī， qiǎn lǎo mó mó qù kàn xí rén， quàn tā shǎo kū。 yī yī tuǒdàng， fāng guò qián biān lái jiǎ mǔ wáng fū rén chù wèn 'ān chī fàn。
zhèng zhí fèng jiě 'ér hé jiǎ mǔ wáng fū rén shāng yì shuō：“ tiān yòu duǎn yòu lěng， bù rú yǐ hòu dà sǎo zǐ dài zhe gū niàn men zài yuán zǐ lǐ chī fàn yī yàng。 děng tiān cháng nuǎn hé liǎo， zài lái huí de páo yě bù fáng。” wáng fū rén xiào dào：“ zhè yě shì hǎo zhù yì。 guā fēng xià xuě dǎo piányí。 chī xiē dōng xī shòu liǎo lěng qì yě bù hǎo， kòngxīn zǒu lái， yī dù zǐ lěng fēng， yā shàng xiē dōng xī yě bù hǎo。 bù rú hòu yuán mén lǐ tóu de wǔ jiān dà fáng zǐ， héng shù yòu nǚ rén men shàng yè de， tiǎo liǎng gè chú zǐ nǚ rén zài nà lǐ， dān gěi tā zǐ mèi men nòng fàn。 xīn xiān cài shū shì yòu fēn lì de， zài zǒng guǎn fáng lǐ zhī qù， huò yào qián， huò yào dōng xī， nà xiē yě jī， zhāng， páo gè yàng yě wèi， fēn xiē gěi tā men jiù shì liǎo。” jiǎ mǔ dào：“ wǒ yě zhèng xiǎng zhe ní， jiù pà yòu tiān yī gè chú fáng duō shì xiē。 " fèng jiě dào：“ bìng bù duō shì。 yī yàng de fēn lì， zhè lǐ tiān liǎo， nà lǐ jiǎn liǎo。 jiù biàn duō fèi xiē shì， xiǎo gū niàn men lěng fēng shuò qì de， bié rén hái kě， dì yī lín mèi mèi rú hé jìn dé zhù？ jiù lián bǎo xiōng dì yě jìn bù zhù， hé kuàng zhòng wèi gū niàn。 " jiǎ mǔ dào：“ zhèng shì zhè huà liǎo。 shàng cì wǒ yào shuō zhè huà， wǒ jiàn nǐ men de dà shì tài duō liǎo， rú jīn yòu tiān chū zhè xiē shì lái， …… " yào zhī duān de héng héng
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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