中国经典 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions   》 shí huí  shǐ tài jūn chén jiù tào  wáng fèng xiào cǎi bān CHAPTER LIV.      cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin    gāo 'ě Gao E


     CHAPTER LIV.
  què shuō jiǎ zhēn jiǎ liǎn 'àn 'àn bèi xià luó de qiántīng jiàn jiǎ shuō " shǎng ", men máng mìng xiǎo men kuài qiánzhǐ tīng mǎn tái qián xiǎngjiǎ yuè
   èr rén suì shēnxiǎo men máng jiāng xīn nuǎn yín pěng zài jiǎ liǎn shǒu nèisuí liǎo jiǎ zhēn zhì miànjiǎ zhēn xiān zhì shěn shànggōng shēn xià bēi láihuí shēnjiǎ liǎn máng zhēn liǎo zhǎnrán hòu biàn zhì xuē shàng zhēn liǎoèr rén máng shēn xiào shuō èr wèi qǐng zuò zhe liǎo duō shì chú xíng wáng 'èr rénmǎn liǎo chuí shǒu bàng shìjiǎ zhēn děng zhì jiǎ qiányīn 'ǎièr rén biàn guì liǎojiǎ zhēn zài xiān pěng bēijiǎ liǎn zài hòu pěng suī zhǐ 'èr rén fèng jiǔ jiǎ huán xiōng děngquè shì pái bān 'àn liù suí zhe 'èr rén jìn láijiàn 'èr rén guì xiàyědōu liù guì xiàbǎo máng guì xià liǎoshǐ xiāng yún qiǎo tuī xiào dào:“ zhè huì yòu bāng zhe guì xià zuò shénmeyòu zhè yàng zhēn xún jiǔ hǎo? " bǎo qiǎo xiào dào:“ zài děng huì zài zhēn 。” shuō zheděng 'èr rén zhēn wán láifāng láiyòu xíng rén wáng rén zhēn guò láijiǎ zhēn xiào dào:“ mèi mèi men zěn me yàng ? " jiǎ děngdōu shuō:“ men men dǎo piányí xiē。” shuō liǎojiǎ zhēn děng fāng tuì chū
   dāng xià tiān wèi 'èr yǎn de shì zhōngguān dēng chūzhèng zài nào zhī bǎo yīn xià wǎng wài zǒujiǎ yīn shuō:“ wǎng wài tóu bào zhú hàizǎi tiān shàng diào xià huǒ zhǐ lái shāo liǎo。” bǎo huí shuō:“ wǎng yuǎn zhǐ chū jiù lái。” jiǎ mìng men hǎo shēng gēn zhe shì bǎo chū láizhǐ yòu shè yuè qiū wén bìng xiǎo tóu suí zhejiǎ yīn shuō:“ rén zěn me jiàn jīn yòu xiē liǎodān zhī shǐ xiǎo hái chū lái。” wáng rén máng shēn xiào huí dào:“ qián méi liǎoyīn yòu xiào biàn qián tóu lái。” jiǎ tīng liǎo diǎn tóuyòu xiào dào:“ gēn zhù què jiǎng zhè xiào xiàoruò shì hái gēn nán dào zhè huì zài zhè chéngjiē yīn men tài kuān liǎoyòu rén shǐ chá zhè xiējìng chéng liǎo liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér máng guò lái xiào huí dào:“ jīn 'ér wǎn shàng biàn méi xiào yuán kàn zhedēng zhú huā pào zuì shì dān xiǎn dezhè chàng yuán de rén shuí tōu lái qiáo qiáo hái xīn chù zhào kàn zhào kànkuàng qiě zhè sàn hòu bǎo xiōng huí shuì jué dōushì quán deruò zài lái liǎozhòng rén yòu jīng xīnsàn liǎo huí gài shì lěng dechá shuǐ bèi dōubù piányísuǒ jiào yòng láizhǐ kàn sàn liǎo yòu bèi men zhè dān xīnyòu quán de sān chù yòu lǎo zōng yào jiào jiào lái jiù shì liǎo。” jiǎ tīng liǎo zhè huàmáng shuō:“ zhè huà hěn shì xiǎng de zhōu dàokuài bié jiào liǎodàn zhǐ shí méi liǎo zěn me zhī dào。” fèng jiě xiào dào:“ qián 'ér rén qīn huí lǎo tài tài dezěn me dǎo wàng liǎo。” jiǎ xiǎng liǎo xiǎng xiào shuō:“ xiǎng lái liǎo de xìng jìng píng cháng liǎo。 " zhòng réndōu xiào shuō:“ lǎo tài tài zhè xiē shì。” jiǎ yīn yòu tàn dào:“ xiǎng zhe cóng xiǎo 'ér shì liǎo yīchángyòu shì liǎo yún 'ér yīcháng hòu gěi liǎo wáng bǎo kuī liǎo zhè nián yòu shì zán men jiā de gēn shēng cháng de cáiméi shòu guò zán men shénme 'ēn diǎn méi liǎo xiǎng zhe yào gěi liǎng yín sòng jiù wàng liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér dào:“ qián 'ér tài tài shǎng liǎo shí liǎng yín jiù shì liǎo。” jiǎ tīng shuōdiǎn tóu dào:“ zhè hái liǎozhèng hǎo yuān yāng de niàn qián 'ér liǎo xiǎng lǎo niàn dōuzài nán biān méi jiào jiā zǒu zǒu shǒu xiào jīn jiào liǎng chù zuò bàn 'ér 。” yòu mìng jiāng xiē guǒ cài zhuàn diǎn xīn zhī lèi liǎng chī xiào shuō:“ hái děng zhè huì zǎo jiù liǎo。” shuō zhe jiā yòu chī jiǔ kàn
   qiě shuō bǎo jìng lái zhì yuán zhōngzhòng jiàn huí fángbiàn gēn zhǐ zuò zài yuán mén chá fáng kǎo huǒ guǎn chá de rén tōu kōng yǐn jiǔ dǒu páibǎo zhì yuàn zhōng shí wéi yáoshùn xīn xīn xiāng chuán de rén xiū yǎng zhì guó jiā de běn yuánsuī shì dēng guāng càn lànquè rén shēngshè yuè dào:“ mendōu shuì liǎo chéngzán men qiāoqiāo de jìn men tiào。” shì jiā niè qián zōng de jìn liǎo jìng kànzhǐ jiàn rén rén 'èr rén duì miàn wāi zài kàng shàng tóu yòu liǎng sān lǎo dǔnbǎo zhǐ dāng liǎng shuì zhe liǎocái yào jìn tīng yuān yāng tàn liǎo shēngshuō dào:“ zhī tiān xià shì nán dìnglùn dān shēn zài zhè zài wài tóuměi nián men dōng láiméi dìng zhǔnxiǎng lái shì néng sòng zhōng de liǎopiān shēng jīn nián jiù zài zhè dǎo chū sòng liǎo zhōng。” rén dào:“ zhèng shì xiǎng dào néng gòu kàn huí shǒutài tài yòu shǎng liǎo shí liǎng yín zhè dǎo suàn yǎng yīcháng gǎn wàng xiǎng liǎo。” bǎo tīng liǎománg zhuǎn shēn qiǎo xiàng shè yuè děng què *:“ shuí zhī lái liǎo zhè jìn yòu zǒu liǎo zán men huí ràng liǎng qīng qīng jìng jìng de shuō huí rén zhèng mèn zhe xìng 'ér lái de hǎo。” shuō zheréng qiāoqiāo de chū lái
   bǎo biàn zǒu guò shān shí zhī hòu zhàn zhe liáo shè yuè qiū wén jiē zhàn zhù bèi guò liǎn kǒu nèi xiào shuō:“ dūn xià zài jiě xiǎo zǎi fēng chuī liǎo 。” hòu miàn liǎng xiǎo tóu zhī shì xiǎo jiěmáng xiān chū chá fáng bèi liǎozhè bǎo gāng zhuǎn guò láizhǐ jiàn liǎng yíng miàn lái liǎowèn shì shuíqiū wén dào:“ bǎo zài zhè xiǎo jiàozǎi zhe 。” men máng xiào dào:“ men zhī dào jié xià lái huò liǎo niàn men lián xīn liǎo。 " shuō zhe dào liǎo gēn qiánshè yuè děng wèn:“ shǒu de shì shénme? " men dào:“ shì lǎo tài tài shǎng jīnhuā 'èr wèi niàn chī de。 " qiū wén xiào dào:“ wài tóu chàng de shì 》, méi chànghùn yuán 》, yòu páo chū jīn huā niàn niànlái liǎo。” bǎo xiào mìng:“ jiē lái qiáo qiáo。” qiū wén shè yuè máng shàng jiāng liǎng jiē kāiliǎng máng dūn xià shēn bǎo kàn liǎo liǎng nèi shì shàng suǒ yòu de shàng děng guǒ pǐn cài zhuàndiǎn liǎo diǎn tóumài jiù zǒushè yuè 'èr rén máng luàn zhì liǎo gàigēn shàng láibǎo xiào dào:“ zhè liǎng rén dǎo huì shuō huà men tiān tiān liǎodǎo shuō men lián xīn dǎo shì jīn gōng de。” shè yuè dào:“ zhè hǎo de hěn hǎo zhī de tài zhī 。” bǎo xiào dào:“ men shì míng bái réndān dài men shì bèn lián de rén jiù wán liǎo。” miàn shuō miàn lái zhì yuán mén suī chī jiǔ dǒu páiquè zhù chū lái tànjiàn bǎo lái liǎoyědōu gēn shàng liǎolái zhì huā tīng hòu láng shàngzhǐ jiàn liǎng xiǎo tóu pěng zhe xiǎo pén zhuóshǒu jīnyòu zhe 'òu zài jiǔ děngqiū wén xiān máng shēn shǒu xiàng pén nèi shì liǎo shìshuō dào:“ yuè yuè xīn liǎo lǐlòng de zhè lěng shuǐ。” xiǎo tóu xiào dào:“ niàn qiáo qiáo zhè tiān shuǐ lěng de dǎo de shì gǔn shuǐzhè hái lěng liǎo。” zhèng shuō zhe qiǎo jiàn lǎo zhe gǔn shuǐ zǒu láixiǎo tóu biàn shuō:“ hǎo nǎi nǎiguò lái gěi dǎo shàng xiē。 " dào:“ 'érzhè shì lǎo tài tài pào chá dequàn zǒu liǎo yǎo jiù zǒu liǎo jiǎo。” qiū wén dào:“ píng shì shuí de gěi guǎn lǎo tài tài chá diào dǎo liǎo shǒu。” huí tóu jiàn shì qiū wénmáng lái jiù dǎoqiū wén dào:“ gòu liǎo zhè me nián méi jiàn shíshuí zhī shì lǎo tài tài de shuǐyào zhe de rén jiù gǎn yào liǎo。” xiào dào:“ yǎn huā liǎoméi rèn chū zhè niàn lái。” bǎo liǎo shǒu xiǎo tóu xiǎo dǎo liǎo xiē 'òu zài shǒu nèibǎo 'òu liǎoqiū wén shè yuè chèn shuǐ liǎo huíòu liǎogēn jìn bǎo lái
   bǎo biàn yào liǎo nuǎn jiǔ cóng shěn xuē zhēn èr rén ràng zuòjiǎ biàn shuō:“ xiǎoràng zhēn jiā dǎo yào gān guò zhè bēi。” shuō zhebiàn gān liǎoxíng wáng 'èr rén máng gān liǎoràng 'èr rénxuē zhǐ gān liǎojiǎ yòu mìng bǎo dào:“ lián jiě jiě mèi mèi zhēn shàng luàn zhēndōuyào jiào gān liǎo。” bǎo tīng shuōdāyìng zhe 'àn zhēn liǎozhì dài qiánpiān yǐn bēi láifàng zài bǎo chún shàng biānbǎo yǐn gāndài xiào shuō:“ duō xiè。” bǎo zhēn shàng bēifèng jiě 'ér biàn xiào dào:“ bǎo bié lěng jiǔzǎi shǒu chànmíng 'ér xiě gōng。” bǎo máng dào:“ méi yòu chī lěng jiǔ。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ zhī dào méi yòu guò bái zhǔ 。” rán hòu bǎo jiāng miàn zhēn wánzhǐ chú jiǎ róng zhī shì tóu men zhēn de chū zhì láng shàngyòu jiǎ zhēn děng zhēn liǎozuò liǎo huífāng jìn lái réng guī jiù zuò
   shí shàng tānɡ hòuyòu jiē xiàn yuán xiāo láijiǎ biàn mìng jiāng zàn xiē xiē:“ xiǎo hái men lián jiàn de gěi men xiē gǔn tānɡ gǔn cài de chī liǎo zài chàng。” yòu mìng jiāng guǒ yuán xiāo děng xiē men chī shí xiē liǎo biàn yòu dài liǎo liǎng mén xià cháng zǒu de xiān shēng 'ér jìn láifàng liǎng zhāng zài biān mìng zuò liǎo de shì jiè guānjiù yòu shénme yàng de fāng lùnyòng biàn zhèng wéi zhù de shì jiè guānjiāng xián guò jiǎ biàn wèn xuē tīng shū 'èr réndōu huí shuō:“ shénme dōuhǎo。” jiǎ biàn wèn:“ jìn lái yòu tiān xiē shénme xīn shū? " liǎng xiān 'ér huí shuō dào:“ dǎo yòu duàn xīn shūshì cán táng dài de shì。” jiǎ wèn shì míng xiān 'ér dào:“ jiào zuòfèng qiú luán》。” jiǎ dào:“ zhè míng dǎo hǎo zhī yīn shénme dexiān gài shuō shuō yuán ruò hǎo zài shuō。” xiān 'ér dào:“ zhè shū shàng nǎi shuō cán táng zhī shíyòu wèi xiāng shēnběn shì jīn líng rén shìmíng huàn wáng zhōngcéng zuò guò liǎng cháo zǎi jīn gào lǎo hái jiā xià zhǐ yòu wèi gōng míng huàn wáng fèng。” zhòng rén tīng liǎoxiào jiāng láijiǎ xiào dào:“ zhè zhòng liǎo men fèng tóu liǎo。” máng shàng tuī , " zhè shì 'èr nǎi nǎi de míng shǎo húnshuō。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ shuō shuō。” xiān shēng máng xiào zhe zhàn láishuō:“ men gāi liǎo zhī shì nǎi nǎi de huì。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ shénme men zhǐ guǎn shuō zhòng míng zhòng xìng de duō 。” xiān shēng yòu shuō dào:“ zhè nián wáng lǎo liǎo wáng gōng shàng jīng gǎn kǎo jiàn jìn dào zhuāng shàng shuí zhī zhè zhuāng shàng yòu xiāng shēnxìng wáng lǎo shì shì jiāobiàn liú xià zhè gōng zhù zài shū fáng zhè xiāng shēn xià 'érzhǐ yòu wèi qiān jīn xiǎo jiězhè xiǎo jiě fāng míng jiào zuò chú luánqín shū huà suǒ tōng。” jiǎ máng dào:“ guài dào jiào zuòfèng qiú luán》。 yòng shuō cāizháo liǎo rán shì zhè wáng fèng yào qiú zhè chú luán xiǎo jiě wéi 。” xiān 'ér xiào dào:“ lǎo zōng yuán lái tīng guò zhè huí shū。” zhòng rén dào:“ lǎo tài tài shénme méi tīng guòbiàn méi tīng guò cāizháo liǎo。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ zhè xiē shū shì tào zuǒ guò shì xiē jiā rén cái zuì méi 'ér rén jiā 'ér shuō de yàng huàihái shuō shì jiā rénbiān de lián yǐng 'ér méi yòu liǎokāi kǒu dōushì shū xiāng mén qīn shì shàng shū jiù shì zǎixiàngshēng xiǎo jiě shì 'ài zhēn bǎozhè xiǎo jiě shì tōng wén zhī suǒ xiǎojìng shì jué dài jiā rénzhǐ jiàn liǎo qīng jùn de nán rén guǎn shì qīn shì yǒubiàn xiǎng zhōng shēn shì lái wàng liǎoshū wàng liǎoguǐ chéng guǐzéi chéng zéi diǎn 'ér shì jiā rénbiàn shì mǎn wén zhāngzuò chū zhè xiē shì lái suàn shì jiā rén liǎo nán rén mǎn wén zhāng zuò zéinán dào wáng jiù shuō shì cái jiù zéi qíng 'àn chéng zhī biān shū de shì sài liǎo de zuǐzài zhě shuō shì shì huàn shū xiāng jiā xiǎo jiě dōuzhī shūlián réndōu zhī shū shí biàn shì gào lǎo hái jiā rán zhè yàng jiā rén kǒu shǎonǎi huán shì xiǎo jiě de rén shǎozěn me zhè xiē shū shàngfán yòu zhè yàng de shìjiù zhǐ xiǎo jiě jǐn gēn de huán men bái xiǎng xiǎng xiē réndōu shì guǎn shénme de shì qián yán hòu ? " zhòng rén tīng liǎo xiào shuō:“ lǎo tài tài zhè shuōshì huǎng chū lái liǎo。 " jiǎ xiào dào:“ zhè yòu yuán biān zhè yàng shū deyòu děng rén jiā guìhuò yòu qiú suì xīnsuǒ biān chū lái huì rén jiāzài děng kàn liǎo zhè xiē shū kàn liǎo xiǎng jiā rénsuǒ biān liǎo chū lái cháng zhī dào shì huàn shū jiā de dào bié shuō shū shàng xiē shì huàn shū jiā jīn yǎn xià zhēn de men zhè zhōng děng rén jiā shuō méi yòu zhè yàng de shìbié shuō shì xiē jiā zhī shì zhōu diào liǎo xià de huàsuǒ men cóng shuō zhè xiē shū tóu men dǒng zhè xiē huàzhè nián lǎo liǎo men mèi men zhù de yuǎn 'ǒu rán mèn liǎoshuō tīng tīng men láijiù máng xiē liǎo。” xuē 'èr réndōu xiào shuō:“ zhè zhèng shì jiā de guījulián men jiā méi zhè xiē huà gěi hái men tīng jiàn。”
   fèng jiě 'ér zǒu shàng lái zhēn jiǔxiào dào:“ jiǔ lěng liǎolǎo zōng kǒu rùn rùn sǎng zài bāi huǎngzhè huí jiù jiào zuòbāi huǎng 》, jiù chū zài běn cháo běn běn nián běn yuè běn běn shílǎo zōng zhāng kǒu nán shuō liǎng jiā huàhuā kāi liǎng duǒ biǎo zhīshì zhēn shì huǎng qiě biǎozài zhěng guān dēng kàn de rénlǎo zōng qiě ràng zhè 'èr wèi qīn chī bēi jiǔ kàn liǎng chū zhī hòuzài cóng zuó cháo huà yán bāi ? " miàn zhēn jiǔ miàn xiào shuōwèi céng shuō wánzhòng rén xiào dǎoliǎng xiān shēng xiào zhùdōushuō:“ nǎi nǎi hǎo gāng kǒunǎi nǎi yào shuō shūzhēn lián men chī fàn de fāng méi liǎo。” xuē xiào dào:“ shǎo xīng tóu xiēwài tóu yòu rén wǎng cháng。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ wài tóu de zhǐ yòu wèi zhēn men hái shì lùn mèi mèicóng xiǎo 'ér chù táo liǎo zhè me zhè nián yīn zuò liǎo qīn jīn liǎo duō shǎo guīju liǎobiàn shì cóng xiǎo 'ér de xiōng mèibiàn shū lùnèr shí xiàoshàngbān cǎi’, men néng lái cǎiyǐn lǎo zōng xiào xiào zhè hǎo róng yǐn de lǎo zōng xiào liǎo xiàoduō chī liǎo diǎn 'ér dōng jiā huān gāi xiè cái shìnán dào fǎn xiào huà chéng? " jiǎ xiào dào:“ shì zhè liǎng jìng méi yòu tòng tòng de xiào yīchángdǎo shì kuī cái xiào de xīn tòng kuài liǎo xiē zài chī zhōng jiǔ。” chī zhe jiǔyòu mìng bǎo :“ jìng jiě jiě bēi。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ yòng jìng tǎo lǎo zōng de shòu 。” shuō zhebiàn jiāng jiǎ de bēi láijiāng bàn bēi shèng jiǔ chī liǎojiāng bēi huánlìng jiāng wēn shuǐ jìn de bēi huàn liǎo shàng lái shì shàng de bēi chè lìng jiāng wēn shuǐ jìn zhe dài huàn de bēi zhēn liǎo xīn jiǔ shàng láirán hòu guī zuò
   xiān shēng huí shuō:“ lǎo zōng tīng zhè shūhuò zhě dàn tào qǔzǐ tīng tīng 。” jiǎ biàn shuō dào:“ men liǎng duì tàojiāng jūn lìng。” èr rén tīng shuōmáng xián 'àn tiáobō nòng láijiǎ yīn wèn:“ tiān yòu gèng liǎo。” zhòng máng huí:“ sān gèng liǎo。” jiǎ dào:“ guài dào hán jìn jìn de lái。” zǎo yòu zhòng huán liǎo tiān huàn de cháng sòng láiwáng rén shēn xiào shuō dào:“ lǎo tài tài nuó jìn nuǎn kàng shàng dǎo liǎozhè 'èr wèi qīn shì wài rén men péi zhe jiù shì liǎo。” jiǎ tīng shuōxiào dào:“ zhè yàng shuō jiādōu nuó jìn nuǎnhuo? " wáng rén dào:“ kǒng jiān zuò xià。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ yòu dào jīn yòng zhè xiē zhuō zhǐ yòng liǎng sān zhāng bìng lái jiā zuò zài chù zheyòu qīn xiāngyòu nuǎnhuo。” zhòng rén dào:“ zhè cái yòu 。” shuō zhebiàn liǎo zhòng máng chè cán miàn zhí shùn bìng liǎo sān zhāng zhuōlìng yòu tiān huàn liǎo guǒ zhuàn bǎi hǎojiǎ biàn shuō:“ zhè yào zhǐ tīng fēn pài men jiù zuò cái hǎo。” shuō zhe biàn ràng xuē zhèng miàn shàng zuò xiàng zuò liǎojiào bǎo qíndài xiāng yún sān rén jiē jǐn zuǒ yòu zuò xiàxiàng bǎo shuō:“ 'āi zhe tài tài。” shì xíng rén wáng rén zhī zhōng jiā zhe bǎo bǎo chāi děng mèi zài biānāi xià biàn shì lóu shì dài zhe jiǎ jūnyóu shì wán jiā zhe jiǎ lánxià miàn héng tóu biàn shì jiǎ róng zhī jiǎ biàn shuō:“ zhēn 'ér dài zhe xiōng men jiù shuì liǎo。”
   jiǎ zhēn máng dāyìngyòu jìn láijiǎ dào:“ kuài yòng jìn láicái zuò hǎo liǎoyòu lái kuài xiē zhemíng hái yòu shì 。” jiǎ zhēn máng dāyìng liǎo wén rén chēng xián shī。, yòu xiào shuō:“ liú xià róng 'ér zhēn jiǔ cái shì。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ zhèng shì wàng liǎo 。 " jiǎ zhēn dāyìng liǎo " shì ", biàn zhuǎn shēn dài lǐng jiǎ liǎn děng chū láièr rén shì huān biàn mìng rén jiāng jiǎ cóng jiǎ huáng sòng huí jiā biàn yāo liǎo jiǎ liǎn zhuī huān mǎi xiào zài huà xià
   zhè jiǎ xiào dào:“ zhèng xiǎng zhe suī rán zhè xiē rén jìng méi duì shuāng quán dejiù wàng liǎo róng 'érzhè quán liǎoróng 'ér jiù zuò zài chùdǎo tuán yuán liǎo。” yīn yòu huí shuō kāi jiǎ xiào dào:“ men niàn 'ér men zhèng shuō de xīng tóuyòu yào chǎo láikuàng qiě hái men 'áo guài lěng de jiào men qiě xiē xiē zán men de hái men jiào liǎo láijiù zài zhè tái shàng chàng liǎng chū gěi men qiáo qiáo。” tīng liǎodāyìng liǎo chū láimáng de miàn zhe rén wǎng guān yuán chuán rén miàn 'èr mén kǒu chuán xiǎo men cìhouxiǎo men máng zhì fáng jiāng bān zhōng suǒ yòu de rén gài dài chūzhǐ liú xià xiǎo hái men
   shí xiāng yuàn de jiào dài liǎo wén guān děng shí 'èr réncóng yóu láng jiǎo mén chū lái men bào zhe ruǎn bāoyīn tái xiāng liào zhe jiǎ 'ài tīng de sān chū de cǎi bāo liǎo lái men dài liǎo wén guān děng jìn jiàn guòzhǐ chuí shǒu zhàn zhejiǎ xiào dào:“ zhèng yuè shī fàng men chū lái guàng guàng děng chàng shénmegāng cái chū << nào tóu téngzán men qīng dàn xiē hǎo qiáo qiáoxuē tài tài zhè qìngjiā tài tài dōushì yòu de rén jiā zhī tīng guò duō shàohǎo dezhè xiē niàn zán men jiā niàn jiàn guò hǎo tīng guò hǎo qǔzǐ jīn zhè xiǎo yòu shì yòu míng wán jiā de bān suī shì xiǎo hái menquè bān hái qiángzán men hǎo dǎi bié luò liǎo bāo biǎnshǎo nòng xīn yàng 'ér dejiào fāng guān chàng chūxún mèng》, zhǐ qín zhì guǎn xiāo shēng gài yòng。” wén guān xiào dào:“ zhè shì de men de rán néng tài tài qìngjiā tài tài niàn men de yǎn guò tīng men tuō kǒu chǐzài tīng hóu lóng liǎo。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ zhèng shì zhè huà liǎo。” shěn xuē dedōu xiào dào:“ hǎo líng tòu hái gēn zhe lǎo tài tài men。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ men zhè yuán shì suí biàn de wán 'éryòu chū zuò mǎi màisuǒ jìng shí。” shuō zhe yòu dào:“ jiào kuí guān chàng chūhuì míng xià shū》, yòng liǎnzhǐ yòng zhè liǎng chū jiào men tīng shū liǎoruò shěng diǎn 。” wén guān děng tīng liǎo chū láimáng bàn yǎn shàng táixiān shìxún mèng》, shìxià shū》。 zhòng réndōu què wénxuē yīn xiào dào:“ shí zài kuī kàn guò bǎi bāncóng méi jiàn yòng xiāo guǎn de。” jiǎ dào:“ yòuzhǐ shì xiàng fāng cái lóuchǔ jiāng qíng zhīduō yòu xiǎo shēng chuī xiāo dezhè tào de shí zài shǎozhè zài zhù rén jiǎng jiū jiǎng jiū liǎozhè suàn shénme chū ? " zhǐ xiāng yún dào:“ xiàng zhè me de shí jié yòu bān xiǎo piān yòu tánqín de còu liǎo lái xiāng detīng qín》,《 zān deqín tiǎo》,《 de qié shí pāi》, jìng chéng liǎo zhēn de liǎo zhè gèng ? " zhòng rén dào:“ zhè gèng nán liǎo。” jiǎ biàn mìng láifēn wén guān děng jiào men chuī tàodēng yuè yuán》。 lǐng mìng 'ér
   dāng xià jiǎ róng 'èr rén pěng jiǔ xúnfèng jiě 'ér yīn jiàn jiǎ shí fēn gāo xīngbiàn xiào dào:“ chèn zhe xiān 'ér men zài zhè jiào men zán men chuán méi suō( JeanJacquesRousseau, 1712 héng 1778) guó méng xíng chūn shàng méi shāode lìng ? " jiǎ xiào dào:“ zhè shì hǎo lìngzhèng duì shí duì jǐng。” máng mìng rén liǎo miàn hēi tóng dīng huā qiāng lìng lái xiān 'ér men zhe shàng liǎo zhī hóng méijiǎ xiào dào:“ ruò dào shuí shǒu zhù liǎochī bēi yào shuō shénme cái hǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ shuōshuí xiàng lǎo zōng yào shénme yòu shénme men zhè huì de méi shuō yào gòng shǎng shuí shū liǎo shuí shuō xiào huà 。” zhòng rén tīng liǎodōuzhī dào shàn shuō xiào huàzuì shì nèi yòu xiàn de xīn xiān tánjīn 'ér shuō dàn zài de zhū rén huānlián xià shì de lǎo xiǎo rén děng huān xiǎo tóu mendōu máng chū zhǎo jiě huàn mèi de gào men:“ kuài lái tīngèr nǎi nǎi yòu shuō xiào huà 'ér liǎo。 " zhòng tóu men biàn liǎo shì wán jiǎ mìng jiāng xiē tānɡ diǎn guǒ cài wén guān děng chī biàn mìng xiǎng xiān 'ér men jiē shì guàn dehuò jǐn huò mànhuò cán lòu zhī huò bèng dòu zhī huò jīng zhī luàn chíhuò diàn zhī guāng 'ér 'àn shēng mànchuán méi màn shēng chuán méi qià qià zhì jiǎ shǒu zhōng shēng zhù jiā xiàojiǎ róng máng shàng lái zhēn liǎo bēizhòng réndōu xiào dào:“ rán lǎo tài tài xiān liǎo men cái tuō lài xiē 。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ zhè jiǔ liǎozhǐ shì zhè xiào huà dǎo yòu xiē nán shuō。” zhòng réndōu shuō:“ lǎo tài tài de fèng jiě 'ér de hái hǎo hái duōshǎng men xiào xiào 'ér。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ bìng méi shénme xīn xiān xiào deshǎo lǎo liǎn hòu de shuō liǎo。” yīn shuō dào:“ jiā yǎng liǎo shí 'ér liǎo shí fáng wéi yòu shí líng xīn qiǎo zuǐ guāigōng zuì téngchéng jiā shuō jiǔ xiào shùnzhè jiǔ wěi biàn shāng shuō zán men jiǔ xīn xiào shùnzhǐ shì xiàng xiǎo zuǐ qiǎosuǒ gōng gōng lǎo liǎozhǐ shuō hǎozhè wěi xiàng shuí ?’ yòu zhù biàn shuō dào:’ zán men míng 'ér dào yán wáng miào shāo xiāng yán wáng shuō wèn wènjiào men tuō shēng rénwèishénme dān dān de gěi xiǎo zhāng guāi zuǐ mendōu shì bèn de。’ zhòng rén tīng liǎo huānshuō zhè zhù cuò 'èr biàn dào yán wáng miào lái shāo liǎo xiāngjiǔ réndōu zài gòngzhuō xià shuì zhe liǎojiǔ hún zhuān děng yán wáng jià dàozuǒ děng láiyòu děng dàozhèng zhe zhǐ jiàn sūn xíng zhě jià zhe jīn dǒu yún lái liǎokàn jiàn jiǔ hún biàn yào jīn bàng jiǔ hún máng guì xià yāng qiúsūn xíng zhě wèn yuán jiǔ rén máng de gào liǎo sūn xíng zhě tīng liǎo jiǎo duǒtàn liǎo kǒu dào:’ zhè yuán xìng kuī jiàn děng zhe yán wáng lái liǎo zhī dào de。’ jiǔ rén tīng liǎojiù qiú shuō:’ shèng bēi men jiù hǎo liǎo。’ sūn xíng zhě xiào dào:’ zhè què nán men zhóu shí tuō shēng shí qiǎo dào yán wáng deyīn wéi liǎo pào niào zài xià xiǎo shěn biàn chī liǎo men jīn yào líng zuǐ guāiyòu de shì niàozài pào men chī liǎo jiù shì liǎo。” shuō jiādōu xiào láifèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ hǎo dexìng 'ér mendōu bèn zuǐ bèn sāi de rán jiù chī liǎo hóu 'ér niào liǎo。 " yóu shì lóu shì xiào xiàng wán dào:“ zán men zhè shuí shì chī guò hóu 'ér niào debié zhuāng méi shì rén 'ér。” xuē xiào dào:“ xiào huà 'ér zài hǎo dǎizhǐ yào duì jǐng jiù xiào。” shuō zhe yòu láixiǎo tóu men zhǐ yào tīng fèng jiě 'ér de xiào huàbiàn qiāoqiāo de xiān 'ér shuō míng sòu wéi chuán zhì liǎng biàngāng dào liǎo fèng jiě 'ér shǒu xiǎo tóu men sòu xiān 'ér biàn zhù liǎozhòng rén xiào dào:“ zhè zhù liǎokuài chī liǎo jiǔ shuō hǎo debié tài dòu de rén xiào de cháng téng。” fèng jiě 'ér xiǎng liǎo xiǎngxiào dào:“ jiā shì guò zhèng yuè bàn jiā shǎng dēng chī jiǔzhēn zhēn de nào fēi cháng tài sūn chóngsūn qīn sūn zhí sūn chóngsūn huī sūn de sūn sūn 'érwài sūn 'ér biǎo sūn 'ér biǎo sūn 'érài zhēn hǎo nào! " zhòng rén tīng shuō zhe jīng xiào liǎodōushuō:“ tīng shǔpínzuǐyòu zhī biān pài 。” yóu shì xiào dào:“ yào zhāo de zuǐ。” fèng jiě 'ér shēn pāi shǒu xiào dào:“ rén jiā fèi shuō men hùn jiù shuō liǎo。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ shuō shuō xià zěn me yàng? " fèng jiě 'ér xiǎng liǎo xiǎngxiào dào:“ xià jiù tuán tuán de zuò liǎo chī liǎo jiǔ jiù sàn liǎo。” zhòng rén jiàn zhèng yán de shuō liǎobié huà zhèng zhèng de hái děng xià huàzhǐ jué bīng lěng wèishǐ xiāng yún kàn liǎo bàn fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ zài shuō guò zhèng yuè bàn de rén tái zhe fáng de pào zhàng wǎng chéng wài fàng yǐn liǎo shàng wàn de rén gēn zhe qiáo yòu xìng de rén děng biàn tōu zhe xiāng diǎn zhe liǎozhǐ tīng chī shēngzhòng rén hōng rán xiào sàn liǎozhè tái pào zhàng de rén bào yuàn mài pào zhàng de П de jié shíméi děng fàng jiù sàn liǎo。” xiāng yún dào:“ nán dào běn rén méi tīng jiàn xiǎng? " fèng jiě 'ér dào:“ zhè běn rén yuán shì lóng 。” zhòng rén tīng shuō huí xiǎng jué shī shēng dōudà xiào láiyòu xiǎng zhe xiān qián méi wán dewèn :“ xiān zěn me yàng gāi shuō wán。” fèng jiě 'ér jiāng zhuō pāishuō dào:“ hǎo luó suōdào liǎo 'èr shì shí liù nián wán liǎojié wán liǎo kàn zhe rén máng zhe shōu dōng hái nào qīng hái zhī dào xià de shì liǎo。” zhòng rén tīng shuō yòu xiào jiāng láifèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ wài tóu jīng gèng shuōlǎo zōng liǎozán men gāilóng fàng pào zhàng héng héng sàn liǎo。” yóu shì děng yòng shǒu zhe zuǐxiào de qián yǎng hòu zhǐ shuō dào:“ zhè dōng zhēn huì shǔpínzuǐ。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ zhēn zhēn zhè fèng tóu yuè pín zuǐ liǎo。” miàn shuō miàn fēn dào:“ pào zhàng láizán men yān huǒ fàng liǎo jiě jiě jiǔ。”
   jiǎ róng tīng liǎománg chū dài zhe xiǎo men jiù zài yuàn nèi 'ān xià píng jiàjiāng yān huǒ shè diào bèizhè yān huǒ jiē chù jìn gòng zhī suī shèn què jīng qiǎo shì quánjiā zhe huā pàolín dài bǐng róu ruò jìn zhī shēngjiǎ biàn lǒu zài huái zhōngxuē lǒu zhe xiāng yúnxiāng yún xiào dào:“ 。” bǎo chāi děng xiào dào:“ zhuān 'ài fàng pào zhànghái zhè 。” wáng rén biàn jiāng bǎo lǒu huái nèifèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ men shì méi yòu rén téng de liǎo。” yóu shì xiào dào:“ yòu lǒu zhe sào zhè hái yòu jiāo liǎotīng jiàn fàng pào zhàngchī liǎo fēng 'ér shǐ dejīn 'ér yòu qīng guàng lái。” fèng jiě 'ér xiào dào:“ děng sàn liǎozán men yuán fàng xiǎo men hái fàng de hǎo 。” shuō huà zhī jiānwài miàn de fàng liǎo yòu fàngyòu yòu duō de mǎn tiān xīngjiǔ lóng yún shēng léifēi tiān shí xiǎng zhī lèi de líng suì xiǎo bào zhúfàng rán hòu yòu mìng xiǎo liǎo huí " liánhuālào ", liǎo mǎn tái qiánmìng hái men mǎn tái qiǎng qián yòu shàng tānɡ shíjiǎ shuō dào:“ chángjué de yòu xiē 'è liǎo。” fèng jiě 'ér máng huí shuō:“ yòu bèi de ròu 。” jiǎ dào:“ chī xiē qīng dàn de 。” fèng jiě 'ér máng dào:“ yòu zǎo 'ér 'áo de jīng bèi tài tài men chī zhāi de。” jiǎ xiào dào:“ shì yóu de jiù shì tián de。” fèng jiě 'ér yòu máng dào:“ hái yòu xìng rén cházhǐ tián。” jiǎ dào:“ dǎo shì zhè hái liǎo。” shuō zheyòu mìng rén chè cán wài miàn lìng shè shàng zhǒng jīng zhì xiǎo cài jiā suí biàn suí chī liǎo xiēyòng guò shù kǒu cháfāng sàn
   shí zǎoyòu guò níng xíng cìhou yǎn liǎo zōng shōu guò yǐng xiàngfāng huí lái biàn shì xuē jiā qǐng chī nián jiǔshí biàn shì lài jiāshí jiǔ biàn shì níng lài shēng jiāèr shí biàn shì lín zhī xiào jiāèr shí biàn shì dān liáng jiāèr shí 'èr biàn shì xīn dēng jiāzhè jiājiǎ yòu de yòu de yòu gāo xīng zhí dài zhòng rén sàn liǎo fāng huí de yòu xīng jìn bàn shí jiù lái defán zhū qīn yǒu lái qǐng huò lái dejiǎ gài shù huì yòu xíng rénwáng rénfèng jiě 'ér sān rén liào lián bǎo zhǐ chú wáng téng jiā liǎo zhě jiē huìzhǐ shuō jiǎ liú xià jiě mènsuǒ dǎo shì jiā xià rén jiā lái qǐngjiǎ biàn zhī chùfāng gāo xīng guàng guàngxián yán qiě shuō dāng xià yuán xiāo guò ___


  Dowager lady Chia, nee Shih, does away with rotten old customs. Wang Hsi-feng imitates in jest (the dutiful son), by getting herself up in gaudy theatrical clothes.
   Chia Chen and Chia Lien had, we will now explain, secretly got ready large baskets of cash, so the moment they heard old lady Chia utter the word 'tip,' they promptly bade the pages be quick and fling the money. The noise of the cash, running on every side of the stage, was all that fell on the ear. Dowager lady Chia thoroughly enjoyed it.
   The two men then rose to their feet. The pages hastened to lay hold of a silver kettle, newly brought in with fresh wine, and to deposit it in Chia Lien's hands, who followed Chia Chen with quick step into the inner rooms. Chia Chen advanced first up to 'sister-in-law' Li's table, and curtseying, he raised her cup, and turned round, whereupon Chia Lien quickly filled it to the brim. Next they approached Mrs. Hsueeh's table, and they also replenished her cup.
   These two ladies lost no time in standing up, and smilingly expostulating. "Gentlemen," they said, "please take your seats. What's the use of standing on such ceremonies?"
   But presently every one, with the exception of the two ladies Mesdames Hsing and Wang, quitted the banquet and dropping their arms against their bodies they stood on one side. Chia Chen and his companion then drew near dowager lady Chia's couch. But the couch was so low that they had to stoop on their knees. Chia Chen was in front, and presented the cup. Chia Lien was behind, and held the kettle up to her. But notwithstanding that only these two offered her wine, Chia Tsung and the other young men followed them closely in the order of their age and grade; so the moment they saw them kneel, they immediately threw themselves on their knees. Pao-yue too prostrated himself at once.
   Hsiang-yuen stealthily gave him a push. "What's the use of your now following their lead again and falling on your knees?" she said. "But since you behave like this, wouldn't it be well if you also went and poured wine all round?"
   Pao-yue laughed. "Hold on a bit," he rejoined in a low tone, "and I'll go and do so."
   So speaking, he waited until his two relatives had finished pouring the wine and risen to their feet, when he also went and replenished the cups of Mesdames Wang and Hsing.
   "What about the young ladies?" Chia Chen smilingly asked.
   "You people had better be going," old lady Chia and the other ladies unanimously observed. "They'll, then, be more at their ease."
   At this hint Chia Chen and his companions eventually withdrew. The second watch had not, at the time, yet gone. The play that was being sung was: 'The eight worthies look at the lanterns,' consisting of eight acts; and had now reached a sensational part.
   Pao-yue at this stage left the feast and was going out. "Where are you off to?" inquired his grandmother Chia. "The crackers outside are dreadful. Mind, the lighted pieces of paper falling from above might burn you."
   Pao-yue smiled. "I'm not going far," he answered. "I'm merely going out of the room, and will be back at once."
   Dowager lady Chia directed the matrons to "be careful and escort him."
   Pao-yue forthwith sallied out; with no other attendants however than She Yueeh, Ch'iu Wen and several youthful maids.
   "How is it," his grandmother Chia felt obliged so ask, "that I don't see anything of Hsi Jen? Is she too now putting on high and mighty airs that she only sends these juvenile girls here?"
   Madame Wang rose to her feet with all haste. "Her mother," she explained, "died the other day; so being in deep mourning, she couldn't very well present herself."
   Dowager lady Chia nodded her head assentingly. "When one is in service," she smilingly remarked, "there should be no question of mourning or no mourning. Is it likely that, if she were still in my pay, she wouldn't at present be here? All these practices have quite become precedents!"
   Lady Feng crossed over to her. "Had she even not been in mourning to-night," she chimed in with a laugh, "she would have had to be in the garden and keep an eye over that pile of lanterns, candles, and fireworks, as they're most dangerous things. For as soon as any theatricals are set on foot in here, who doesn't surreptitiously sneak out from the garden to have a look? But as far as she goes, she's diligent, and careful of every place. Moreover, when the company disperses and brother Pao-yue retires to sleep, everything will be in perfect readiness. But, had she also come, that bevy of servants wouldn't again have cared a straw for anything; and on his return, after the party, the bedding would have been cold, the tea-water wouldn't have been ready, and he would have had to put up with every sort of discomfort. That's why I told her that there was no need for her to come. But should you, dear senior, wish her here, I'll send for her straightway and have done."
   Old lady Chia lent an ear to her arguments. "What you say," she promptly put in, "is perfectly right. You've made better arrangements than I could. Quick, don't send for her! But when did her mother die? How is it I know nothing about it?"
   "Some time ago," lady Feng laughed, "Hsi Jen came in person and told you, worthy ancestor, and how is it you've forgotten it?"
   "Yes," resumed dowager lady Chia smiling, after some reflection, "I remember now. My memory is really not of the best."
   At this, everybody gave way to laughter. "How could your venerable ladyship," they said, "recollect so many matters?"
   Dowager lady Chia thereupon heaved a sigh. "How I remember," she added, "the way she served me ever since her youth up; and how she waited upon Yuen Erh also; how at last she was given to that prince of devils, and how she has slaved away with that imp for the last few years. She is, besides, not a slave-girl, born or bred in the place. Nor has she ever received any great benefits from our hands. When her mother died, I meant to have given her several taels for her burial; but it quite slipped from my mind."
   "The other day," lady Feng remarked, "Madame Wang presented her with forty taels; so that was all right."
   At these words, old lady Chia nodded assent. "Yes, never mind about that," she observed. "Yuan Yang's mother also died, as it happens, the other day; but taking into consideration that both her parents lived in the south, I didn't let her return home to observe a period of mourning. But as both these girls are now in mourning, why not allow them to live together? They'll thus be able to keep each other company. Take a few fruits, eatables, and other such things," continuing she bade a matron, "and give them to those two girls to eat."
   "Would she likely wait until now?" Hu Po laughingly interposed. "Why, she joined (Hsi Jen) long ago."
   In the course of this conversation, the various inmates partook of some more wine, and watched the theatricals.
   But we will now turn our attention to Pao-yue. He made his way straight into the garden. The matrons saw well enough that he was returning to his rooms, but instead of following him in, they ensconced themselves near the fire in the tea-room situated by the garden-gate, and made the best of the time by drinking and playing cards with the girls in charge of the tea. Pao-yue entered the court. The lanterns burnt brightly, yet not a human voice was audible. "Have they all, forsooth, gone to sleep?" She Yueeh ventured. "Let's walk in gently, and give them a fright!"
   Presently, they stepped, on tiptoe, past the mirrored partition-wall. At a glance, they discerned Hsi Jen lying on the stove-couch, face to face with some other girl. On the opposite side sat two or three old nurses nodding, half asleep. Pao-yue conjectured that both the girls were plunged in sleep, and was just about to enter, when of a sudden some one was heard to heave a sigh and to say: "How evident it is that worldly matters are very uncertain! Here you lived all alone in here, while your father and mother tarried abroad, and roamed year after year from east to west, without any fixed place of abode. I ever thought that you wouldn't have been able to be with them at their last moments; but, as it happened, (your mother) died in this place this year, and you could, after all, stand by her to the end."
   "Quite so!" rejoined Hsi Jen. "Even I little expected to be able to see any of my parents' funeral. When I broke the news to our Madame Wang, she also gave me forty taels. This was really a kind attention on her part. I hadn't nevertheless presumed to indulge in any vain hopes."
   Pao-yue overheard what was said. Hastily twisting himself round, he remarked in a low voice, addressing himself to She Yueeh and her companions: "Who would have fancied her also in here? But were I to enter, she'll bolt away in another tantrum! Better then that we should retrace our steps, and let them quietly have a chat together, eh? Hsi Jen was alone, and down in the mouth, so it's a fortunate thing that she joined her in such good time."
   As he spoke, they once more walked out of the court with gentle tread. Pao-yue went to the back of the rockery, and stopping short, he raised his clothes. She Yueeh and Ch'iu Wen stood still, and turned their faces away. "Stoop," they smiled, "and then loosen your clothes! Be careful that the wind doesn't blow on your stomach!"
   The two young maids, who followed behind, surmised that he was bent upon satisfying a natural want, and they hurried ahead to the tea-room to prepare the water.
   Just, however, as Pao-yue was crossing over, two married women came in sight, advancing from the opposite direction. "Who's there?" they inquired.
   "Pao-yue is here," Ch'ing Wen answered. "But mind, if you bawl and shout like that, you'll give him a start."
   The women promptly laughed. "We had no idea," they said, "that we were coming, at a great festive time like this, to bring trouble upon ourselves! What a lot of hard work must day after day fall to your share, young ladies."
   Speaking the while, they drew near. She Yueeh and her friends then asked them what they were holding in their hands.
   "We're taking over," they replied, "some things to the two girls: Miss Chin and Miss Hua."
   "They're still singing the 'Eight Worthies' outside," She Yueeh went on to observe laughingly, "and how is it you're running again to Miss Chin's and Miss Hua's before the 'Trouble-first moon-box' has been gone through?"
   "Take the lid off," Pao-yue cried, "and let me see what there's inside."
   Ch'in Wen and She Yueeh at once approached and uncovered the boxes. The two women promptly stooped, which enabled Pao-yue to see that the contents of the two boxes consisted alike of some of the finest fruits and tea-cakes, which had figured at the banquet, and, nodding his head, he walked off, while She Yueeh and her friend speedily threw the lids down anyhow, and followed in his track.
   "Those two dames are pleasant enough," Pao-yue smiled, "and they know how to speak decently; but it's they who get quite worn out every day, and they contrariwise say that you've got ample to do daily. Now, doesn't this amount to bragging and boasting?"
   "Those two women," She Yueeh chimed in, "are not bad. But such of them as don't know what good manners mean are ignorant to a degree of all propriety."
   "You, who know what's what," Pao-yue added, "should make allowances for that kind of rustic people. You should pity them; that's all."
   Speaking, he made his exit out of the garden gate. The matrons had, though engaged in drinking and gambling, kept incessantly stepping out of doors to furtively keep an eye on his movements, so that the moment they perceived Pao-yue appear, they followed him in a body. On their arrival in the covered passage of the reception-hall, they espied two young waiting-maids; the one with a small basin in her hand; the other with a towel thrown over her arm. They also held a bowl and small kettle, and had been waiting in that passage for ever so long.
   Ch'iu Wen was the first to hastily stretch out her hand and test the water. "The older you grow," she cried, "the denser you get! How could one ever use this icy-cold water?"
   "Miss, look at the weather!" the young maid replied. "I was afraid the water would get cold. It was really scalding; is it cold now?"
   While she made this rejoinder, an old matron was, by a strange coincidence, seen coming along, carrying a jug of hot water. "Dear dame," shouted the young maid, "come over and pour some for me in here!"
   "My dear girl," the matron responded, "this is for our old mistress to brew tea with. I'll tell you what; you'd better go and fetch some yourself. Are you perchance afraid lest your feet might grow bigger by walking?"
   "I don't care whose it is," Ch'iu Wen put in. "If you don't give me any, I shall certainly empty our old lady's teapot and wash my hands."
   The old matron turned her head; and, catching sight of Ch'iu Wen, she there and then raised the jug and poured some of the water.
   "That will do!" exclaimed Ch'iu Wen. "With all your years, don't you yet know what's what? Who isn't aware that it's for our old mistress? But would one presume to ask for what shouldn't be asked for?"
   "My eyes are so dim," the matron rejoined with a smile, "that I didn't recognise this young lady."
   When Pao-yue had washed his hands, the young maid took the small jug and filled the bowl; and, as she held it in her hand, Pao-yue rinsed his mouth. But Ch'iu Wen and She Yueeh availed themselves likewise of the warm water to have a wash; after which, they followed Pao-yue in.
   Pao-yue at once asked for a kettle of warm wine, and, starting from sister-in-law Li, he began to replenish their cups. (Sister-in-law Li and his aunt Hsueeh) pressed him, however, with smiling faces, to take a seat; but his grandmother Chia remonstrated. "He's only a youngster," she said, "so let him pour the wine! We must all drain this cup!"
   With these words, she quaffed her own cup, leaving no heel-taps. Mesdames Hsing and Wang also lost no time in emptying theirs; so Mrs. Hsueeh and 'sister-in-law' Li had no alternative but to drain their share.
   "Fill the cups too of your female cousins, senior or junior," dowager lady Chia went on to tell Pao-yue. "And you mayn't pour the wine anyhow. Each of you must swallow every drop of your drinks."
   Pao-yue upon hearing her wishes, set to work, while signifying his assent, to replenish the cups of the several young ladies in their proper gradation. But when he got to Tai-yue, she raised the cup, for she would not drink any wine herself, and applied it to Pao-yue's lips. Pao-yue drained the contents with one breath; upon which Tai-yue gave him a smile, and said to him: "I am much obliged to you."
   Pao-yue next poured a cup for her. But lady Feng immediately laughed and expostulated. "Pao-yue!" she cried, "you mustn't take any cold wine. Mind, your hand will tremble, and you won't be able to-morrow to write your characters or to draw the bow."
   "I'm not having any cold wine," Pao-yue replied.
   "I know you're not," lady Feng smiled, "but I simply warn you."
   After this, Pao-yue finished helping the rest of the inmates inside, with the exception of Chia Jung's wife, for whom he bade a maid fill a cup. Then emerging again into the covered passage, he replenished the cups of Chia Chen and his companions; after which, he tarried with them for a while, and at last walked in and resumed his former seat.
   Presently, the soup was brought, and soon after that the 'feast of lanterns' cakes were handed round.
   Dowager lady Chia gave orders that the play should be interrupted for a time. "Those young people," (she said) "are be to pitied! Let them too have some hot soup and warm viands. They then can go on again. Take of every kind of fruit," she continued, "'feast of lanterns' cakes, and other such dainties and give them a few."
   The play was shortly stopped. The matrons ushered in a couple of blind singing-girls, who often came to the house, and put two benches, on the opposite side, for them. Old lady Chia desired them to take a seat, and banjos and guitars were then handed to them.
   "What stories would you like to hear?" old lady Chia inquired of 'sister-in-law' Li and Mrs. Hsueeh.
   "We don't care what they are;" both of them rejoined with one voice. "Any will do!"
   "Have you of late added any new stories to your stock?" old lady Chia asked.
   "We've got a new story," the two girls explained. "It's about an old affair of the time of the Five Dynasties, which trod down the T'ang dynasty."
   "What's its title?" old lady Chia inquired.
   "It's called: 'A Feng seeks a Luan in marriage': (the male phoenix asks the female phoenix in marriage)," one of the girls answered.
   "The title is all very well," dowager lady Chia proceeded, "but why I wonder was it ever given to it. First tell us its general purport, and if it's interesting, you can continue."
   "This story," the girl explained, "treats of the time when the T'ang dynasty was extinguished. There lived then one of the gentry, who had originally been a denizen of Chin Ling. His name was Wang Chun. He had been minister under two reigns. He had, about this time, pleaded old age and returned to his home. He had about his knees only one son, called Wang Hsi-feng."
   When the company heard so far, they began to laugh.
   "Now isn't this a duplicate of our girl Feng's name?" old lady Chia laughingly exclaimed.
   A married woman hurried up and pushed (the girl). "That's the name of your lady Secunda," she said, "so don't use it quite so heedlessly!"
   "Go on with your story!" dowager lady Chia shouted.
   The girl speedily stood up, smiling the while. "We do deserve death!" she observed. "We weren't aware that it was our lady's worthy name."
   "Why should you be in such fear and trembling?" lady Feng laughed. "Go on! There are many duplicate names and duplicate surnames."
   The girl then proceeded with her story. "In a certain year," she resumed, "his honour old Mr. Wang saw his son Mr. Wang off for the capital to be in time for the examinations. One day, he was overtaken by a heavy shower of rain and he betook himself into a village for shelter. Who'd have thought it, there lived in this village, one of the gentry, of the name of Li, who had been an old friend of his honour old Mr. Wang, and he kept Mr. Wang junior to put up in his library. This Mr. Li had no son, but only a daughter. This young daughter's worthy name was Ch'u Luan. She could perform on the lute; she could play chess; and she had a knowledge of books and of painting. There was nothing that she did not understand."
   Old lady Chia eagerly chimed in. "It's no wonder," she said, "that the story has been called: 'A Feng seeks a Luan in marriage,' '(a male phoenix seeks a female phoenix in marriage).' But you needn't proceed. I've already guessed the denouement. There's no doubt that Wang Hsi-feng asks for the hand of this Miss Ch'u Luan."
   "Your venerable ladyship must really have heard the story before," the singing-girl smiled.
   "What hasn't our worthy senior heard?" they all exclaimed. "But she's quick enough in guessing even unheard of things."
   "All these stories run invariably in one line," old lady Chia laughingly rejoined. "They're all about pretty girls and scholars. There's no fun in them. They abuse people's daughters in every possible way, and then they still term them nice pretty girls. They're so concocted that there's not even a semblance of truth in them. From the very first, they canvass the families of the gentry. If the paterfamilias isn't a president of a board; then he's made a minister. The heroine is bound to be as lovable as a gem. This young lady is sure to understand all about letters, and propriety. She knows every thing and is, in a word, a peerless beauty. At the sight of a handsome young man, she pays no heed as to whether he be relation or friend, but begins to entertain thoughts of the primary affair of her life, and forgets her parents and sets her books on one side. She behaves as neither devil nor thief would: so in what respect does she resemble a nice pretty girl? Were even her brain full of learning, she couldn't be accounted a nice pretty girl, after behaving in this manner! Just like a young fellow, whose mind is well stored with book-lore, and who goes and plays the robber! Now is it likely that the imperial laws would look upon him as a man of parts, and that they wouldn't bring against him some charge of robbery? From this it's evident that those, who fabricate these stories, contradict themselves. Besides, they may, it's true, say that the heroines belong to great families of official and literary status, that they're conversant with propriety and learning and that their honourable mothers too understand books and good manners, but great households like theirs must, in spite of the parents having pleaded old age and returned to their natives places, contain a great number of inmates; and the nurses, maids and attendants on these young ladies must also be many; and how is it then that, whenever these stories make reference to such matters, one only hears of young ladies with but a single close attendant? What can, think for yourselves, all the other people be up to? Indeed, what is said before doesn't accord with what comes afterwards. Isn't it so, eh?"
   The party listened to her with much glee. "These criticisms of yours, venerable ancestor," they said, "have laid bare every single discrepancy."
   "They have however their reasons," old lady Chia smilingly resumed. "Among the writers of these stories, there are some, who begrudge people's wealth and honours, or possibly those, who having solicited a favour (of the wealthy and honorable), and not obtained the object, upon which their wishes were set, have fabricated lies in order to disparage people. There is moreover a certain class of persons, who become so corrupted by the perusal of such tales that they are not satisfied until they themselves pounce upon some nice pretty girl. Hence is it that, for fun's sake, they devise all these yarns. But how could such as they ever know the principle which prevails in official and literary families? Not to speak of the various official and literary families spoken about in these anecdotes, take now our own immediate case as an instance. We're only such a middle class household, and yet we've got none of those occurrences; so don't let her go on spinning these endless yarns. We must on no account have any of these stories told us! Why, even the maids themselves don't understand any of this sort of language. I've been getting so old the last few years, that I felt unawares quite melancholy whenever the girls went to live far off, so my wont has been to have a few passages recounted to me; but as soon as they got back, I at once put a stop to these things."
   'Sister-in-law' Li and Mrs. Hsueeh both laughed. "This is just the rule," they said, "which should exist in great families. Not even in our homes is any of this confused talk allowed to reach the ears of the young people."
   Lady Feng came forward and poured some wine. "Enough, that will do!" she laughed. "The wine has got quite cold. My dear ancestor, do take a sip and moisten your throat with, before you begin again to dilate on falsehoods. What we've been having now can well be termed 'Record of a discussion on falsehoods.' It has had its origin in this reign, in this place, in this year, in this moon, on this day and at this very season. But, venerable senior, you've only got one mouth, so you couldn't very well simultaneously speak of two families. 'When two flowers open together,' the proverb says, 'one person can only speak of one.' But whether the stones be true or fictitious, don't let us say anything more about them. Let's have the footlights put in order, and look at the players. Dear senior, do let these two relatives have a glass of wine and see a couple of plays; and you can then start arguing about one dynasty after another. Eh, what do you say?"
   Saying this, she poured the wine, laughing the while. But she had scarcely done speaking before the whole company were convulsed with laughter. The two singing girls were themselves unable to keep their countenance.
   "Lady Secunda," they both exclaimed, "what a sharp tongue you have! Were your ladyship to take to story-telling, we really would have nowhere to earn our rice."
   "Don't be in such overflowing spirits," Mrs. Hsueeh laughed. "There are people outside; this isn't like any ordinary occasion."
   "There's only my senior brother-in-law Chen outside," lady Feng smiled. "And we've been like brother and sister from our youth up. We've romped and been up to every mischief to this age together. But all on account of my marriage, I've had of late years to stand on ever so many ceremonies. Why besides being like brother and sister from the time we were small kids, he's anyhow my senior brother-in-law, and I his junior sister-in-law. (One among) those twenty four dutiful sons, travestied himself in theatrical costume (to amuse his parents), but those fellows haven't sufficient spirit to come in some stage togs and try and make you have a laugh, dear ancestor. I've however succeeded, after ever so much exertion, in so diverting you as to induce you to eat a little more than you would, and in putting everybody in good humour; and I should be thanked by one and all of you; it's only right that I should. But can it be that you will, on the contrary, poke fun at me?"
   "I've truly not had a hearty laugh the last few days," old lady Chia smiled, "but thanks to the funny things she recounted just now, I've managed to get in somewhat better spirits in here. So I'll have another cup of wine." Then having drunk her wine, "Pao-yue," she went on to say, "come and present a cup to your sister-in-law!"
   Lady Feng gave a smile. "There's no use for him to give me any wine," she ventured. "(I'll drink out of your cup,) so as to bring upon myself your longevity, venerable ancestor."
   While uttering this response, she raised dowager lady Chia's cup to her lips, and drained the remaining half of the contents; after which, she handed the cup to a waiting-maid, who took one from those which had been rinsed with tepid water, and brought it to her. But in due course, the cups from the various tables were cleared, and clean ones, washed in warm water, were substituted; and when fresh wine had been served round, (lady Feng and the maid) resumed their seats.
   "Venerable lady," a singing-girl put in, "you don't like the stories we tell; but may we thrum a song for you?"
   "You two," remarked old lady Chia, "had better play a duet of the 'Chiang Chuen ling' song: 'the general's command.'"
   Hearing her wishes, the two girls promptly tuned their cords, to suit the pitch of the song, and struck up on their guitars.
   "What watch of the night is it?" old lady Chia at this point inquired.
   "It's the third watch," the matrons replied with alacrity.
   "No wonder it has got so chilly and damp!" old lady Chia added.
   Extra clothes were accordingly soon fetched by the servants and maids.
   Madame Wang speedily rose to her feet and forced a smile. "Venerable senior," she said, "wouldn't it be prudent for you to move on to the stove couch in the winter apartments? It would be as well. These two relatives are no strangers. And if we entertain them, it will he all right."
   "Well, in that case," dowager lady Chia smilingly rejoined, "why shouldn't the whole company adjourn inside? Wouldn't it be warmer for us all?"
   "I'm afraid there isn't enough sitting room for every one of us," Madame Wang explained.
   "I've got a plan," old lady Chia added. "We can now dispense with these tables. All we need are two or three, placed side by side; we can then sit in a group, and by bundling together it will be both sociable as well as warm."
   "Yes, this will be nice!" one and all cried.
   Assenting, they forthwith rose from table. The married women hastened to remove the debandade of the banquet. Then placing three large tables lengthways side by side in the inner rooms, they went on to properly arrange the fruits and viands, some of which had been replenished, others changed.
   "You must none of you stand on any ceremonies!" dowager lady Chia observed. "If you just listen while I allot you your places, and sit down accordingly, it will be all right!"
   Continuing, she motioned to Mrs. Hsueeh and 'sister-in-law' Li to take the upper seats on the side of honour, and, making herself comfortable on the west, she bade the three cousins Pao-ch'in, Tai-yue and Hsian-yuen sit close to her on the left and on the right. "Pao-yue," she proceeded "you must go next to your mother." So presently she put Pao-yue, and Pao-ch'ai and the rest of the young ladies between Mesdames Hsing and Wang. On the west, she placed, in proper gradation, dame Lou, along with Chia Lan, and Mrs. Yu and Li Wan, with Chia Lan, (number two,) between them. While she assigned a chair to Chia Jung's wife among the lower seats, put crosswise. "Brother Chen," old lady Chia cried, "take your cousins and be off! I'm also going to sleep in a little time."
   Chia Chen and his associates speedily expressed their obedience, and made, in a body, their appearance inside again to listen to any injunctions she might have to give them.
   "Bundle yourself away at once!" shouted dowager lady Chia. "You needn't come in. We've just sat down, and you'll make us get up again. Go and rest; be quick! To-morrow, there are to be some more grand doings!" Chia Chen assented with alacrity. "But Jung Erh should remain to replenish the cups," he smiled; "it's only fair that he should."
   "Quite so!" answered old lady Chia laughingly. "I forgot all about him."
   "Yes!" acquiesced Chia Chen. Then twisting himself round, he led Chia Lien and his companions out of the apartment.
   (Chia Chen and Chia Lien) were, of course, both pleased at being able to get away. So bidding the servants see Chia Tsung and Chia Huang to their respective homes, (Chia Chen) arranged with Chia Lien to go in pursuit of pleasure and in quest of fun. But we will now leave them to their own devices without another word.
   "I was just thinking," meanwhile dowager lady Chia laughed, "that it would be well, although you people are numerous enough to enjoy yourselves, to have a couple of great-grandchildren present at this banquet, so Jung Erh now makes the full complement. But Jung Erh sit near your wife, for she and you will then make the pair complete."
   The wife of a domestic thereupon presented a play-bill.
   "We, ladies," old lady Chia demurred, "are now chatting in high glee, and are about to start a romp. Those young folks have, also, been sitting up so far into the night that they must be quite cold, so let the plays alone. Tell them then to have a rest. Yet call our own girls to come and sing a couple of plays on this stage. They too will thus have a chance of watching us a bit."
   After lending an ear to her, the married women assented and quitted the room. And immediately finding some servant to go to the garden of Broad Vista and summon the girls, they betook themselves, at the same time, as far as the second gate and called a few pages to wait on them.
   The pages went with hurried step to the rooms reserved for the players, and taking with them the various grown-up members of the company, they only left the more youthful behind. Then fetching, in a little time, Wen Kuan and a few other girls, twelve in all, from among the novices in the Pear Fragrance court, they egressed by the corner gate leading out of the covered passage. The matrons took soft bundles in their arms, as their strength was not equal to carrying boxes. And under the conviction that their old mistress would prefer plays of three or five acts, they had put together the necessary theatrical costumes.
   After Wen Kuan and the rest of the girls had been introduced into the room by the matrons, they paid their obeisance, and, dropping their arms against their sides, they stood reverentially.
   "In this propitious first moon," old lady Chia smiled, "won't your teacher let you come out for a stroll? What are you singing now? The eight acts of the 'Eight worthies' recently sung here were so noisy, that they made my head ache; so you'd better let us have something more quiet. You must however bear in mind that Mrs. Hsueeh and Mrs. Li are both people, who give theatricals, and have heard I don't know how many fine plays. The young ladies here have seen better plays than our own girls; and they have heard more beautiful songs than they. These actresses, you see here now, formed once, despite their youth, part of a company belonging to renowned families, fond of plays; and though mere children, they excel any troupe composed of grown-up persons. So whatever we do, don't let us say anything disparaging about them. But we must now have something new. Tell Fang Kuan to sing us the 'Hsuen Meng' ballad; and let only flutes and Pandean pipes be used. The other instruments can be dispensed with."
   "Your venerable ladyship is quite right," Wen Kuan smiled. "Our acting couldn't, certainly, suit the taste of such people as Mrs. Hsueeh, Mrs. Li and the young ladies. Nevertheless, let them merely heed our enunciation, and listen to our voices; that's all."
   "Well said!" dowager lady Chia laughed.
   'Sister-in-law' Li and Mrs. Hsueeh were filled with delight. "What a sharp girl!" they remarked smilingly. "But do you also try to imitate our old lady by pulling our leg?"
   "They're intended to afford us some ready-at-hand recreation," old lady Chia smiled. "Besides, they don't go out to earn money. That's how it is they are not so much up to the times." At the close of this remark, she also desired K'uei Kuan to sing the play: 'Hui Ming sends a letter.' "You needn't," she added, "make your face up. Just sing this couple of plays so as to merely let both those ladies hear a kind of parody of them. But if you spare yourselves the least exertion, I shall be unhappy."
   When they heard this, Wen Kuan and her companions left the apartment and promptly apparelled themselves and mounted the stage. First in order, was sung the 'Hsuen Meng;' next, '(Hui Ming) sends a letter;' during which, everybody observed such perfect silence that not so much as the caw of a crow fell on the ear.
   "I've verily seen several hundreds of companies," Mrs. Hsueeh smiled, "but never have I come across any that confined themselves to flutes."
   "There are some," dowager lady Chia answered. "In fact, in that play acted just now called: 'Love in the western tower at Ch'u Ch'iang,' there's a good deal sung by young actors in unison with the flutes. But lengthy unison pieces of this description are indeed few. This too, however, is purely a matter of taste; there's nothing out of the way about it. When I was of her age," resuming, she pointed at Hsiang-yuen, "her grandfather kept a troupe of young actresses. There was among them one, who played the lute so efficiently that she performed the part when the lute is heard in the 'Hsi Hsiang Chi,' the piece on the lute in the 'Yue Ts'an Chi,' and that in the supplementary 'P'i Pa Chi,' on the Mongol flageolet with the eighteen notes, in every way as if she had been placed in the real circumstances herself. Yea, far better than this!"
   "This is still rarer a thing!" the inmates exclaimed.
   Old lady Chia then shortly called the married women, and bade them tell Wen Kuan and the other girls to use both wind and string instruments and render the piece; 'At the feast of lanterns, the moon is round.'
   The women servants received her orders and went to execute them. Chia Jung and his wife meanwhile passed the wine round.
   When lady Feng saw dowager lady Chia in most exuberant spirits, she smiled. "Won't it be nice," she said, "to avail ourselves of the presence of the singing girls to pass plum blossom round and have the game of forfeits: 'Spring-happy eyebrow-corners-go-up,' eh?"
   "That's a fine game of forfeits!" Old lady Chia cried, with a smile. "It just suits the time of the year."
   Orders were therefore given at once to fetch a forfeit drum, varnished black, and ornamented with designs executed with copper tacks. When brought, it was handed to the singing girls to put on the table and rap on it. A twig of red plum blossom was then obtained. "The one in whose hand it is when the drum stops," dowager lady Chia laughingly proposed, "will have to drink a cup of wine, and to say something or other as well."
   "I'll tell you what," lady Feng interposed with a smile. "Who of us can pit herself against you, dear ancestor, who have ever ready at hand whatever you want to say? With the little use we are in this line, won't there be an absolute lack of fun in our contributions? My idea is that it would be nicer were something said that could be appreciated both by the refined as well as the unrefined. So won't it be preferable that the person, in whose hands the twig remains, when the drum stops, should crack some joke or other?"
   Every one, who heard her, was fully aware what a good hand she had always been at witty things, and how she, more than any other, had an inexhaustible supply of novel and amusing rules of forfeits, ever stocked in her mind, so her suggestion not only gratified the various inmates of the family seated at the banquet, but even filled the whole posse of servants, both old and young, who stood in attendance below, with intense delight. The young waiting-maids rushed with eagerness in search of the young ladies and told them to come and listen to their lady Secunda, who was on the point again of saying funny things. A whole crowd of servant-girls anxiously pressed inside and crammed the room. In a little time, the theatricals were brought to a close, and the music was stopped. Dowager lady Chia had some soup, fine cakes and fruits handed to Wen Kuan and her companions to regale themselves with, and then gave orders to sound the drum. The singing-girls were both experts, so now they beat fast; and now slow. Either slow like the dripping of the remnants of water in a clepsydra. Or quick, as when beans are being sown. Or with the velocity of the pace of a scared horse, or that of the flash of a swift lightning. The sound of the drum came to a standstill abruptly. The twig of plum blossom had just reached old lady Chia, when by a strange coincidence, the rattle ceased. Every one blurted out into a boisterous fit of laughter. Chia Jung hastily approached and filled a cup. "It's only natural," they laughingly cried, "that you venerable senior, should be the first to get exhilarated; for then, thanks to you, we shall also come in for some measure of good cheer."
   "To gulp down this wine is an easy job," dowager lady smiled, "but to crack jokes is somewhat difficult."
   "Your jokes, dear ancestor, are even wittier than those of lady Feng," the party shouted, "so favour us with one, and let's have a laugh!"
   "I've nothing out of the way to evoke laughter with," old lady Chia smilingly answered. "Yet all that remains for me to do is to thicken the skin of my antiquated phiz and come out with some joke. In a certain family," she consequently went on to narrate, "there were ten sons; these married ten wives. The tenth of these wives was, however, so intelligent, sharp, quick of mind, and glib of tongue, that her father and mother-in-law loved her best of all, and maintained from morning to night that the other nine were not filial. These nine felt much aggrieved and they accordingly took counsel together. 'We nine,' they said, 'are filial enough at heart; the only thing is that that shrew has the gift of the gab. That's why our father and mother-in-law think her so perfect. But to whom can we go and confide our grievance?' One of them was struck with an idea. 'Let's go to-morrow,' she proposed, 'to the temple of the King of Hell and burn incense. We can then tell the King our grudge and ask him how it was that, when he bade us receive life and become human beings, he only conferred a glib tongue on that vixen and that we were only allotted such blunt mouths?' The eight listened to her plan, and were quite enraptured with it. 'This proposal is faultless!' they assented. On the next day, they sped in a body to the temple of the God of Hell, and after burning incense, the nine sisters-in-law slept under the altar, on which their offerings were laid. Their nine spirits waited with the special purpose of seeing the carriage of the King of Hell arrive; but they waited and waited, and yet he did not come. They were just giving way to despair when they espied Sun Hsing-che, (the god of monkeys), advancing on a rolling cloud. He espied the nine spirits, and felt inclined to take a golden rod and beat them. The nine spirits were plunged in terror. Hastily they fell on their knees, and pleaded for mercy."
   "'What are you up to?' Sun Hsing-che inquired."
   "The nine women, with alacrity, told him all."
   "After Sun Hsing-che had listened to their confidences, he stamped his foot and heaved a sigh. 'Is that the case?' he asked. 'Well, it's lucky enough you came across me, for had you waited for the God of Hell, he wouldn't have known anything about it.'"
   "At these assurances, the nine women gave way to entreaties. 'Great saint,' they pleaded, 'if you were to display some commiseration, we would be all right.'"
   "Sun Hsing-che smiled. 'There's no difficulty in the way,' he observed. 'On the day on which you ten sisters-in-law came to life, I was, as luck would have it, on a visit to the King of Hell's place. So I (saw) him do something on the ground, and the junior sister-of-law of yours lap it up. But if you now wish to become smart and sharp-tongued, the remedy lies in water. If I too were therefore to do something, and you to drink it, the desired effect will be attained.'"
   At the close of her story, the company roared with laughter.
   "Splendid!" shouted lady Feng. "But luckily we're all slow of tongue and dull of intellect, otherwise, we too must have had the water of monkeys to drink."
   "Who among us here," Mrs. Yu and dame Lou smilingly remarked, addressing themselves to Li Wan, "has tasted any monkey's water. So don't sham ignorance of things!"
   "A joke must hit the point to be amusing," Mrs. Hsueeh ventured.
   But while she spoke, (the girls) began again to beat the drum. The young maids were keen to hear lady Feng's jokes. They therefore explained to the singing girls, in a confidential tone, that a cough would be the given signal (for them to desist). In no time (the blossom) was handed round on both sides. As soon as it came to lady Feng, the young maids purposely gave a cough. The singing-girl at once stopped short. "Now we've caught her!" shouted the party laughingly; "drink your wine, be quick! And mind you tell something nice! But don't make us laugh so heartily as to get stomachaches."
   Lady Feng was lost in thought. Presently, she began with a smile. "A certain household," she said, "was celebrating the first moon festival. The entire family was enjoying the sight of the lanterns, and drinking their wine. In real truth unusual excitement prevailed. There were great grandmothers, grandmothers, daughters-in-law, grandsons' wives, great grandsons, granddaughters, granddaughters-in-law, aunts' granddaughters, cousins' granddaughters; and ai-yo-yo, there was verily such a bustle and confusion!"
   While minding her story, they laughed. "Listen to all this mean mouth says!" they cried. "We wonder what other ramifications she won't introduce!"
   "If you want to bully me," Mrs. Yu smiled, "I'll tear that mouth of yours to pieces."
   Lady Feng rose to her feet and clapped her hands.
   "One does all one can to rack one's brain," she smiled, "and here you combine to do your utmost to confuse me! Well, if it is so, I won't go on."
   "Proceed with your story," old lady Chia exclaimed with a smile. "What comes afterwards?"
   Lady Feng thought for a while. "Well, after that," she continued laughingly, "they all sat together and crammed the whole room. They primed themselves with wine throughout the hours of night and then they broke up."
   The various inmates noticed in what a serious and sedate manner she narrated her story, and none ventured to pass any further remarks, but waited anxiously for her to go on, when they became aware that she coldly and drily came to a stop.
   Shih Hsiang-yuen stared at her for ever so long.
   "I'll tell you another," lady Feng laughingly remarked. "At the first moon festival, several persons carried a cracker as large as a room and went out of town to let it off. Over and above ten thousand persons were attracted, and they followed to see the sight. One among them was of an impatient disposition. He could not reconcile himself to wait; so stealthily he snatched a joss-stick and set fire to it. A sound of 'pu-ch'ih' was heard. The whole number of spectators laughed boisterously and withdrew. The persons, who carried the cracker, felt a grudge against the cracker-seller for not having made it tight, (and wondered) how it was that every one had left without hearing it go off."
   "Is it likely that the men themselves didn't hear the report?" Hsiang-yuen insinuated.
   "Why, the men themselves were deaf," lady Feng rejoined.
   After listening to her, they pondered for a while, and then suddenly they laughed aloud in chorus. But remembering that her first story had been left unfinished, they inquired of her: "What was, after all, the issue of the first story? You should conclude that too."
   Lady Feng gave a rap on the table with her hand. "How vexatious you are!" she exclaimed. "Well, the next day was the sixteenth; so the festivities of the year were over, and the feast itself was past and gone. I see people busy putting things away, and fussing about still, so how can I make out what will be the end of it all?"
   At this, one and all indulged in renewed merriment.
   "The fourth watch has long ago been struck outside," lady Feng smilingly said. "From what I can see, our worthy senior is also tired out; and we should, like when the cracker was let off in that story of the deaf people, be bundling ourselves off and finish!"
   Mrs. Yu and the rest covered their mouths with their handkerchiefs and laughed. Now they stooped forward; and now they bent backward. And pointing at her, "This thing," they cried, "has really a mean tongue."
   Old lady Chia laughed. "Yes," she said, "this vixen Feng has, in real truth, developed a meaner tongue than ever! But she alluded to crackers," she added, "so let's also let off a few fireworks so as to counteract the fumes of the wine."
   Chia Jung overheard the suggestion. Hurriedly leaving the room, he took the pages with him, and having a scaffolding erected in the court, they hung up the fireworks, and got everything in perfect readiness. These fireworks were articles of tribute, sent from different states, and were, albeit not large in size, contrived with extreme ingenuity. The representations of various kinds of events of antiquity were perfect, and in them were inserted all sorts of crackers.
   Lin Tai-yue was naturally of a weak disposition, so she could not stand the report of any loud intonation. Her grandmother Chia therefore clasped her immediately in her embrace. Mrs. Hsueeh, meanwhile, took Hsiang-yuen in her arms.
   "I'm not afraid," smiled Hsiang-yuen.
   "Nothing she likes so much as letting off huge crackers," Pao-ch'ai smilingly interposed, "and could she fear this sort of thing?"
   Madame Wang, thereupon, laid hold of Pao-yue, and pulled him in her lap.
   "We've got no one to care a rap for us," lady Feng laughed.
   "I'm here for you," Mrs. Yu rejoined with a laugh. "I'll embrace you. There you're again behaving like a spoilt child. You've heard about crackers, and you comport yourself as if you'd had honey to eat! You're quite frivolous again to-day!"
   "Wait till we break up," lady Feng answered laughing, "and we'll go and let some off in our garden. I can fire them far better than any of the young lads!"
   While they bandied words, one kind of firework after another was lighted outside, and then later on some more again. Among these figured 'fill-heaven-stars;' 'nine dragons-enter-clouds;' 'over-whole-land-a- crack-of-thunder;' 'fly-up-heavens;' 'sound-ten shots,' and other such small crackers.
   The fireworks over, the young actresses were again asked to render the 'Lotus-flowers-fall,' and cash were strewn upon the stage. The young girls bustled all over the boards, snatching cash and capering about.
   The soup was next brought. "The night is long," old lady Chia said, "and somehow or other I feel peckish."
   "There's some congee," lady Feng promptly remarked, "prepared with duck's meat."
   "I'd rather have plain things," dowager lady Chia answered.
   "There's also some congee made with non-glutinous rice and powder of dates. It's been cooked for the ladies who fast."
   "If there's any of this, it will do very well," old lady Chia replied.
   While she spoke, orders were given to remove the remnants of the banquet, and inside as well as outside; were served every kind of _recherche_ small dishes. One and all then partook of some of these refreshments, at their pleasure, and rinsing their mouths with tea, they afterwards parted.
   On the seventeenth, they also repaired, at an early hour, to the Ning mansion to present their compliments; and remaining in attendance, while the doors of the ancestral hall were closed and the images put away, they, at length, returned to their quarters.
   Invitations had been issued on this occasion to drink the new year wine at Mrs. Hsueeh's residence. But dowager lady Chia had been out on several consecutive days, and so tired out did she feel that she withdrew to her rooms, after only a short stay.
   After the eighteenth, relatives and friends arrived and made their formal invitations; or else they came as guests to the banquets given. But so little was old lady Chia in a fit state to turn her mind to anything that the two ladies, Madame Hsing and lady Feng, had to attend between them to everything that cropped up. But Pao-yue as well did not go anywhere else than to Wang Tzu-t'eng's, and the excuse he gave out was that his grandmother kept him at home to dispel her ennui.
   We need not, however, dilate on irrelevant details. In due course, the festival of the fifteenth of the first moon passed. But, reader, if you have any curiosity to learn any subsequent events, listen to those given in the chapter below.



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【选集】hóng lóu chūn mèng
huí  zhēn shì yǐn mèng huàn shí tōng líng  jiǎ cūn fēng chén huái guī xiù CHAPTER I. 'èr huí  jiǎ rén xiān shì yáng zhōu chéng  lěng xīng yǎn shuō róng guó CHAPTER II.
sān huí jiǎ cūn yín yuán jiù zhí  lín dài pāo jìn jīng CHAPTER III. huí mìng piān féng mìng láng  sēng luàn pàn 'àn CHAPTER IV.
huí yóu huàn jìng zhǐ shí 'èr chāi  yǐn xiān láo yǎn hóng lóu mèng CHAPTER V. liù huí jiǎ bǎo chū shì yún qíng  liú lǎo lǎo jìn róng guó CHAPTER VI.
huí sòng gōng huā jiǎ liǎn fèng  yàn níng bǎo huì qín zhōng CHAPTER VII. huí tōng líng jīn yīng wēi   tàn bǎo chāi dài bàn hán suān CHAPTER VIII.
jiǔ huí liàn fēng liú qíng yǒu jiā shú  xián wán tóng nào xué táng CHAPTER IX. shí huí  jīn guǎ tān quán shòu   zhāng tài lùn bìng qióng yuán CHAPTER X.
shí huí qìng shòu chén níng pái jiā yàn  jiàn fèng jiǎ ruì yín xīn CHAPTER XI. shí 'èr huí  wáng fèng shè xiāng   jiǎ tiān xiáng zhèng zhào fēng yuè jiàn CHAPTER XII.
shí sān huí  qín qīng fēng lóng jìn wèi  wáng fèng xié níng guó CHAPTER XIII. shí huí  lín hǎi juān guǎn yáng zhōu chéng  jiǎ bǎo běi jìng wáng CHAPTER XIV.
shí huí  wáng fèng jiě nòng quán tiě jiàn   qín jīng qīng mán tóu 'ān CHAPTER XV. shí liù huí  jiǎ yuán chūn cái xuǎn fèng zǎo gōng  qín jīng qīng yāo shì huáng quán CHAPTER XVI.
shí huí  guān yuán shì cái duì 'é  róng guó guī shěng qìng yuán xiāo CHAPTER XVII. shí huí  zhū lián miǎn zhōng qín  nuò xiāng guǎn cái yǒng CHAPTER XVIII.
shí jiǔ huí  qíng qiē qiē liáng xiāo huā jiě   mián mián jìng shēng xiāng CHAPTER XIX. 'èr shí huí  wáng fèng zhèng yán dàn   lín dài qiào xuè jiāo yīn CHAPTER XX.
'èr shí huí  xián rén jiāo chēn zhēn bǎo   qiào píng 'ér ruǎn jiù jiǎ liǎn CHAPTER XXI. 'èr shí 'èr huí  tīng wén bǎo chán   zhì dēng jiǎ zhèng bēi chèn CHAPTER XXII.
'èr shí sān huí  xiāng miào tōng   dān tíng yàn jǐng fāng xīn CHAPTER XXIII. 'èr shí huí  zuì jīn gāng qīng cái shàng xiá  chī 'ér xiāng CHAPTER XXIV.
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