中国经典 》 hóng lóu mèng A Dream of Red Mansions   》 dì wǔ shí wǔ huí　 rǔ qīn nǚ yú qiè zhēng xián qì　 qī yòu zhù diāo nú xù xiǎn xīn CHAPTER LV.      cáo xuě qín Cao Xueqin    gāo 'ě Gao E      CHAPTER LV. 　　qiě shuō yuán xiāo yǐ guò， zhǐ yīn dāng jīn yǐ xiào zhì tiān xià， mù xià gōng zhōng yòu yī wèi tài fēi qiàn 'ān， gù gè pín fēi jiē wéi zhī jiǎn shàn xiè zhuāng， bù dú bù néng xǐngqīn， yì qiě jiāng yàn lè jù miǎn。 gù róng fǔ jīn suì yuán xiāo yì wú dēng mí zhī jí。 　　 gāng jiāng nián shì máng guò， fèng jiě 'ér biàn xiǎo yuè liǎo， zài jiā yī yuè， bù néng lǐ shì， tiān tiān liǎng sān gè tài yī yòng yào。 fèng jiě 'ér zì shì qiáng zhuàng， suī bù chū mén， rán chóu huà jì suàn， xiǎng qǐ shénme shì lái， biàn mìng píng 'ér qù huí wáng fū rén， rénrén jiàn quàn， tā zhǐ bù tīng。 wáng fū rén biàn jué shī liǎo bǎng bì， yī rén néng yòu xǔ duō de jīng shén？ fán yòu liǎo dà shì， zì jǐ zhù zhāng， jiāng jiā zhōng suǒ suì zhī shì， yī yìng dū zàn lìng lǐ wán xié lǐ。 lǐ wán shì gè shàng dé bù shàng cái de， wèi miǎn chěng zòng liǎo xià rén。 wáng fū rén biàn mìng tàn chūn hé tóng lǐ wán cái chù， zhǐ shuō guò liǎo yī yuè， fèng jiě jiāng xī hǎo liǎo， réng jiāo yǔ tā。 shuí zhī fèng jiě bǐng fù qì xuè bù zú， jiān nián yòu bù zhī bǎo yǎng， píng shēng zhēng qiáng dǒu zhì， xīn lì gèng kuī， gù suī xì xiǎo yuè， jìng zhuóshí kuī xū xià lái， yī yuè zhī hòu， fù tiān liǎo xià hóng zhī zhèng。 tā suī bù kěn shuō chū lái， zhòng rén kàn tā miàn mù huáng shòu， biàn zhī shī yú tiáoyǎng。 wáng fū rén zhǐ lìng tā hǎo shēng fú yào tiáoyǎng， bù lìng tā cāo xīn。 tā zì jǐ yě pà chéng liǎo dà zhèng， yí xiào yú rén， biàn xiǎng tōu kōng tiáoyǎng， hèn bù dé yī shí fù jiù rú cháng。 shuí zhī yī zhí fú yào tiáoyǎng dào bā jiǔ yuè jiān， cái jiàn jiàn de qǐ fù guò lái， xià hóng yě jiàn jiàn zhǐ liǎo。 cǐ shì hòu huà。 　　 rú jīn qiě shuō mù jīn wáng fū rén jiàn tā rú cǐ， tàn chūn yǔ lǐ wán zàn nán xiè shì， yuán zhōng rén duō， yòu kǒng shī yú zhào guǎn， yīn yòu tè qǐng liǎo bǎo chāi lái， tuō tā gè chù xiǎo xīn： “ lǎo pó zǐ men bù zhōng yòng， dé kōng 'ér chī jiǔ dǒu pái， bái rì lǐ shuì jué， yè lǐ dǒu pái， wǒdōu zhī dào de。 fèng yā tóu zài wài tóu， tā men hái yòu gè jù pà， rú jīn tā men yòu gāi qǔ biàn liǎo。 hǎo hái zǐ， nǐ hái shì gè tuǒ dāng rén， nǐ xiōng dì zǐ mèi men yòu xiǎo， wǒ yòu méi gōng fū， nǐ tì wǒ xīn kǔ liǎng tiān， zhào kàn zhào kàn。 fán yòu xiǎng bù dào de shì， nǐ lái gào sù wǒ， bié děng lǎo tài tài wèn chū lái， wǒ méi huà huí， nà xiē rén bù hǎo liǎo， nǐ zhǐ guǎn shuō。 tā men bù tīng， nǐ lái huí wǒ。 bié nòng chū dà shì lái cái hǎo。 ” bǎo chāi tīng shuō zhǐ dé dāyìng liǎo。 　　 shí jiè mèng chūn， dài yù yòu fàn liǎo sòu jí。 xiāng yún yì yīn shí qì suǒ gǎn， yì wò bìng yú héng wú yuàn， yī tiān yī yào bù duàn。 tàn chūn tóng lǐ wán xiāng zhù jiàngé， èr rén jìn rì tóng shì fǎ jí bù kàn zuì xiān de shì wù、 yuán zé hé fàn chóu， ér shì kàn zuì hòu de shì wù、 shōu， bù bǐ wǎng nián， lái wǎng huí huà rén děng yì bù biàn， gù 'èr rén yì dìng： měi rì zǎo chén jiē dào yuán mén kǒu nán biān de sān jiān xiǎo huā tīng shàng qù huì qí bàn shì， chī guò zǎo fàn yú wǔ cuò fāng huí fáng。 zhè sān jiān tīng yuán xì yù bèi xǐngqīn zhī shí zhòng zhí shì tàijiàn qǐ zuò zhī chù， gù xǐngqīn zhī hòu yě yòng bù zhe liǎo， měi rì zhǐ yòu pó zǐ men shàng yè。 rú jīn tiān yǐ hé nuǎn， bù yòng shí fēn xiū shì， zhǐ bù guò lüè lüè de pū chén liǎo， biàn kě tā 'èr rén qǐ zuò。 zhè tīng shàng yě yòu yī biǎn， tí zhe " fǔ rén yù dé " sì zì， jiā xià sú hū jiē zhǐ jiào " yì shì tīng " ér。 rú jīn tā 'èr rén měi rì mǎo zhèng zhì cǐ， wǔ zhèng fāng sàn。 fán yī yìng zhí shì xí fù děng lái wǎng huí huà zhě， luò yì bù jué。 　　 zhòng rén xiān tīng jiàn lǐ wán dú bàn， gè gè xīn zhōng 'àn xǐ， yǐ wéi lǐ wán sù rì yuán shì gè hòu dào duō 'ēn wú fá de， zì rán bǐ fèng jiě 'ér hǎo tángsè。 biàn tiān liǎo yī gè tàn chūn， yědōu xiǎng zhe bù guò shì gè wèi chū guī gé de qīng nián xiǎo jiě， qiě sù rì yě zuì píng hé tián dàn， yīn cǐ dōubù zài yì， bǐ fèng jiě 'ér qián gèng xiè dài liǎo xǔ duō。 zhǐ sān sì rì hòu， jǐ jiàn shì guò shǒu， jiàn jué tàn chūn jīng xì chù bù ràng fèng jiě， zhǐ bù guò shì yán yǔ 'ān jìng， xìng qíng hé shùn 'ér yǐ。 kě qiǎo lián rì yòu wáng gōng hóu bó shì xí guān yuán shí jǐ chù， jiē xì róng níng fēi qīn jí yǒu huò shì jiāo zhī jiā， huò yòu shēng qiān， huò yòu chù jiàng， huò yòu hūn sàng hóng bái děng shì， wáng fū rén hè diào yíng sòng， yìng chóu bù xiá， qián biān gèng wú rén。 tā 'èr rén biàn yī rì jiē zài tīng shàng qǐ zuò。 bǎo chāi biàn yī rì zài shàng fáng jiān chá， zhì wáng fū rén huí fāng sàn。 měi yú yè jiān zhēn xiàn xiá shí， lín qǐn zhī xiān， zuò liǎo xiǎo jiào dài lǐng yuán zhōng shàng yè rén děng gè chù xún chá yī cì。 tā sān rén rú cǐ yī lǐ， gèng jué bǐ fèng jiě 'ér dāngchāi shí dǎo gèng jǐn shèn liǎo xiē。 yīn 'ér lǐ wài xià réndōu 'àn zhōng bào yuàn shuō：“ gāng gāng de dǎo liǎo yī gè ’ xún hǎi yè chā’， yòu tiān liǎo sān gè’ zhèn shān tài suì’， yuè xìng lián yè lǐ tōu zhe chī jiǔ wán de gōng fū dōuméi liǎo。” 　　 zhè rì wáng fū rén zhèng shì wǎng jǐn xiāng hóu fǔ qù fù xí， lǐ wán yǔ tàn chūn zǎo yǐ shū xǐ， cìhou chū mén qù hòu， huí zhì tīng shàng zuò liǎo。 gāng chī chá shí， zhǐ jiàn wú xīn dēng de xí fù jìn lái huí shuō：“ zhào yí niàn de xiōng dì zhào guó jī zuó rì sǐ liǎo。 zuó rì huí guò tài tài， tài tài shuō zhī dào liǎo， jiào huí gū niàn nǎi nǎi lái。” shuō bì， biàn chuí shǒu bàng shì， zài bù yán yǔ。 bǐ shí lái huí huà zhě bù shǎo， dū dǎ tīng tā 'èr rén bàn shì rú hé： ruò bàn dé tuǒdàng， dà jiā zé 'ān gè wèi jù zhī xīn， ruò shǎo yòu xián xì bù dāng zhī chù， bù dàn bù wèi fú， chū 'èr mén hái yào biān chū xǔ duō xiào huà lái qǔ xiào。 wú xīn dēng de xí fù xīn zhōng yǐ yòu zhù yì， ruò shì fèng jiě qián， tā biàn zǎo yǐ xiàn qín shuō chū xǔ duō zhù yì， yòu chá chū xǔ duō jiù lì lái rèn fèng jiě 'ér jiǎn zé shī xíng。 rú jīn tā miǎo shì lǐ wán lǎo shí， tàn chūn shì qīng nián de gū niàn， suǒ yǐ zhǐ shuō chū zhè yī jù huà lái， shì tā 'èr rén yòu hé zhù jiàn。 tàn chūn biàn wèn lǐ wán。 lǐ wán xiǎng liǎo yī xiǎng， biàn dào：“ qián 'ér xí rén de mā sǐ liǎo， tīng jiàn shuō shǎng yín sì shí liǎng。 zhè yě shǎng tā sì shí liǎng bà liǎo。 " wú xīn dēng jiā de tīng liǎo， máng dāyìng liǎo shì， jiē liǎo duì pái jiù zǒu。 tàn chūn dào：“ nǐ qiě huí lái。 " wú xīn dēng jiā de zhǐ dé huí lái。 tàn chūn dào：“ nǐ qiě bié zhī yín zǐ。 wǒ qiě wèn nǐ： nà jǐ nián lǎo tài tài wū lǐ de jǐ wèi lǎo yí nǎi nǎi， yě yòu jiā lǐ de yě yòu wài tóu de zhè liǎng gè fēn bié。 jiā lǐ de ruò sǐ liǎo rén shì shǎng duō shǎo， wài tóu de sǐ liǎo rén shì shǎng duō shǎo， nǐ qiě shuō liǎng gè wǒ men tīng tīng。” yī wèn， wú xīn dēng jiā de biàn dū wàng liǎo， máng péi xiào huí shuō：“ zhè yě bù shì shénme dà shì， shǎng duō shǎo， shuí hái gǎn zhēng bù chéng？ " tàn chūn xiào dào：“ zhè huà hú nào。 yǐ wǒ shuō， shǎng yī bǎi dǎo hǎo。 ruò bù 'àn lì， bié shuō nǐ men xiào huà， míng 'ér yě nán jiàn nǐ 'èr nǎi nǎi。” wú xīn dēng jiā de xiào dào：“ jì zhè me shuō， wǒ chá jiù zhàng qù， cǐ shí què jì bù dé。” tàn chūn xiào dào：“ nǐ bàn shì bàn lǎo liǎo de， hái jì bù dé， dǎo lái nán wǒ men。 nǐ sù rì huí nǐ 'èr nǎi nǎi yě xiàn chá qù？ ruò yòu zhè dào lǐ， fèng jiě jiě hái bù suàn lì hài， yě jiù shì suàn kuān hòu liǎo！ hái bù kuài zhǎo liǎo lái wǒ qiáo。 zài chí yī rì， bù shuō nǐ men cū xīn， fǎn xiàng wǒ men méi zhù yì liǎo。” wú xīn dēng jiā de mǎn miàn tōng hóng， máng zhuǎn shēn chū lái。 zhòng xí fù mendōu shēn shé tóu。 zhè lǐ yòu huí bié de shì。 　　 yī shí， wú jiā de qǔ liǎo jiù zhàng lái。 tàn chūn kàn shí， liǎng gè jiā lǐ de shǎng guò jiē 'èr shí liǎng， liǎng gè wài tóu de jiē shǎng guò sì shí liǎng。 wài hái yòu liǎng gè wài tóu de， yī gè shǎng guò yī bǎi liǎng wù。 chuán shuō zì zǐ bǐng， zhào guó rén。 wéi zhào píng yuán jūn mén kè。“ guǐ cí shù wàn”， rén， yī gè shǎng guò liù shí liǎng。 zhè liǎng bǐ dǐ xià jiē yòu yuán gù： yī gè shì gé shěng qiān fù mǔ zhī jiù， wài shǎng liù shí liǎng， yī gè shì xiàn mǎi zàng dì， wài shǎng 'èr shí liǎng。 tàn chūn biàn dì yǔ lǐ wán kàn liǎo。 tàn chūn biàn shuō：“ gěi tā 'èr shí liǎng yín zǐ。 bǎ zhè zhàng liú xià， wǒ men xì kàn kàn。” wú xīn dēng jiā de qù liǎo。 　　 hū jiàn zhào yí niàn jìn lái， lǐ wán tàn chūn máng ràng zuò。 zhào yí niàn kāi kǒu biàn shuō dào：“ zhè wū lǐ de réndōu cǎi xià wǒ de tóu qù hái bà liǎo。 gū niàn nǐ yě xiǎng yī xiǎng， gāi tì wǒ chū qì cái shì。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn yǎn lèi bí tì kū qǐ lái。 tàn chūn máng dào：“ yí niàn zhè huà shuō shuí， wǒ jìng bù jiě。 shuí cǎi yí niàn de tóu？ shuō chū lái wǒ tì yí niàn chū qì。” zhào yí niàn dào：“ gū niàn xiàn cǎi wǒ， wǒ gào sù shuí！ " tàn chūn tīng shuō， máng zhàn qǐ lái， shuō dào：“ wǒ bìng bù gǎn。” lǐ wán yě zhàn qǐ lái quàn。 zhào yí niàn dào：“ nǐ men qǐng zuò xià， tīng wǒ shuō。 wǒ zhè wū lǐ 'áo yóu shìde 'áo liǎo zhè me dà nián jì， yòu yòu nǐ hé nǐ xiōng dì， zhè huì zǐ lián xí réndōu bù rú liǎo， wǒ hái yòu shénme liǎn？ lián nǐ yě méi liǎn miàn， bié shuō wǒ liǎo！ " tàn chūn xiào dào：“ yuán lái wéi zhè gè。 wǒ shuō wǒ bìng bù gǎn fàn fǎ wéi lǐ。” yī miàn biàn zuò liǎo， ná zhàng fān yǔ zhào yí niàn kàn， yòu niàn yǔ tā tīng， yòu shuō dào：“ zhè shì zǔ zōng shǒu lǐ jiù guīju， rén réndōu yǐ zhe， piān wǒ gǎi liǎo bù chéng？ yě bù dàn xí rén， jiāng lái huán 'ér shōu liǎo wài tóu de， zì rán yě shì tóng xí rén yī yàng。 zhè yuán bù shì shénme zhēng dà zhēng xiǎo de shì， jiǎng bù dào yòu liǎn méi liǎn de huà shàng。 tā shì tài tài de nú cái， wǒ shì 'àn zhe jiù guīju bàn。 shuō bàn de hǎo， lǐng zǔ zōng de 'ēn diǎn， tài tài de 'ēn diǎn， ruò shuō bàn de bù jūn， nà shì tā hú tú bù zhī fú， yě zhǐ hǎo píng tā bào yuàn qù。 tài tài lián fáng zǐ shǎng liǎo rén， wǒ yòu shénme yòu liǎn zhī chù， yī wén bù shǎng， wǒ yě méi shénme méi liǎn zhī chù。 yǐ wǒ shuō， tài tài bù zài jiā， yí niàn 'ān jìng xiē yǎng shén bà liǎo， hé kǔ zhǐ yào cāo xīn。 tài tài mǎn xīn téng wǒ， yīn yí niàn měi měi shēng shì， jǐ cì hán xīn。 wǒ dàn fán shì gè nán rén， kě yǐ chū dé qù， wǒ bì zǎo zǒu liǎo， lì yī fān shì yè， nà shí zì yòu wǒ yī fān dào lǐ。 piān wǒ shì nǚ hái 'ér jiā， yī jù duō huà yě méi yòu wǒ luàn shuō de。 tài tài mǎn xīn lǐ dōuzhī dào。 rú jīn yīn kàn zhòng wǒ， cái jiào wǒ zhào guǎn jiā wù， hái méi yòu zuò yī jiàn hǎo shì， yí niàn dǎo xiān lái zuò jiàn wǒ。 cháng huò tài tài zhī dào liǎo， pà wǒ wéi nán bù jiào wǒ guǎn， nà cái zhèng jīng méi liǎn， lián yí niàn yě zhēn méi liǎn！ " yī miàn shuō， yī miàn bù jìn gǔn xià lèi lái。 zhào yí niàn méi liǎo bié huà dá duì， biàn shuō dào：“ tài tài téng nǐ， nǐ yuè fā lā chě lā chě wǒ men。 nǐ zhǐ gù tǎo tài tài de téng， jiù bǎ wǒ men wàng liǎo。” tàn chūn dào：“ wǒ zěn me wàng liǎo？ jiào wǒ zěn me lā chě？ zhè yě wèn nǐ men gè rén， nà yī gè zhù zǐ bù téng chū lì dé yòng de rén？ nà yī gè hǎo rén yòng rén lā chě de？ " lǐ wán zài bàng zhǐ guǎn quàn shuō：“ yí niàn bié shēng qì。 yě yuàn bù dé gū niàn， tā mǎn xīn lǐ yào lā chě， kǒu lǐ zěn me shuō de chū lái。” tàn chūn máng dào：“ zhè dà sǎo zǐ yě hú tú liǎo。 wǒ lā chě shuí？ shuí jiā gū niàn men lā chě nú cái liǎo？ tā men de hǎo dǎi， nǐ men gāi zhī dào， yǔ wǒ shénme xiāng gān。” zhào yí niàn qì de wèn dào：“ shuí jiào nǐ lā chě bié rén qù liǎo？ nǐ bù dāng jiā wǒ yě bù lái wèn nǐ。 nǐ rú jīn xiàn shuō yī shì yī， shuō 'èr shì 'èr。 rú jīn nǐ jiù jiù sǐ liǎo， nǐ duō gěi liǎo 'èr sān shí liǎng yín zǐ， nán dào tài tài jiù bù yǐ nǐ？ fēn míng tài tài shì hǎo tài tài， dōushì nǐ men jiān suān kè bó， kě xī tài tài yòu 'ēn wú chù shǐ。 gū niàn fàng xīn， zhè yě shǐ bù zhe nǐ de yín zǐ。 míng 'ér děng chū liǎo gé， wǒ hái xiǎng nǐ 'é wài zhào kàn zhào jiā ní。 rú jīn méi yòu cháng yǔ máo， jiù wàng liǎo gēn běn， zhǐ jiǎn gāo zhī 'ér fēi qù liǎo！ " tàn chūn méi tīng wán， yǐ qì de liǎn bái qì shā， chōu chōu yèyè de yī miàn kū， yī miàn wèn dào：“ shuí shì wǒ jiù jiù？ wǒ jiù jiù nián xià cái shēng liǎo jiǔ shěng jiǎn diǎn， nà lǐ yòu páo chū yī gè jiù jiù lái？ wǒ dǎo sù xí 'àn lǐ zūn jìng， yuè fā jìng chū zhè xiē qīn qī lái liǎo。 jì zhè me shuō， huán 'ér chū qù wèishénme zhào guó jī yòu zhàn qǐ lái， yòu gēn tā shàng xué？ wèishénme bù ná chū jiù jiù de kuǎn lái？ hé kǔ lái， shuí bù zhī dào wǒ shì yí niàn yǎng de， bì yào guò liǎng sān gè yuè xún chū yóu tóu lái， chè dǐ lái fān téng yī zhèn， shēng pà rén bù zhī dào， gù yì de biǎo bái biǎo bái。 yě bù zhī shuí gěi shuí méi liǎn？ xìng kuī wǒ hái míng bái， dàn fán hú tú bù zhī lǐ de， zǎo jí liǎo。” lǐ wán jí de zhǐ guǎn quàn， zhào yí niàn zhǐ guǎn hái láo dāo。 　　 hū tīng yòu rén shuō：“ èr nǎi nǎi dǎ fā píng gū niàn shuō huà lái liǎo。” zhào yí niàn tīng shuō， fāng bǎ kǒu zhǐ zhù。 zhǐ jiàn píng 'ér jìn lái， zhào yí niàn máng péi xiào ràng zuò， yòu máng wèn：“ nǐ nǎi nǎi hǎo xiē？ wǒ zhèng yào qiáo qù， jiù zhǐ méi dé kòng'ér。” lǐ wán jiàn píng 'ér jìn lái， yīn wèn tā lái zuò shénme。 píng 'ér xiào dào：“ nǎi nǎi shuō， zhào yí nǎi nǎi de xiōng dì méi liǎo， kǒng pà nǎi nǎi hé gū niàn bù zhī yòu jiù lì， ruò zhào cháng lì， zhǐ dé 'èr shí liǎng。 rú jīn qǐng gū niàn cái duó zhe， zài tiān xiē yě shǐ dé。” tàn chūn zǎo yǐ shì qù lèi hén， máng shuō dào：“ yòu hǎohǎo de tiān shénme， shuí yòu shì 'èr shí sì gè yuè yǎng xià lái de？ bù rán yě shì nà chū bīng fàng mǎ bēizhe zhù zǐ táo chū mìng lái guò de rén bù chéng？ nǐ zhù zǐ zhēn gè dǎo qiǎo， jiào wǒ kāi liǎo lì， tā zuò hǎo rén， ná zhe tài tài bù xīn téng de qián， lè de zuò rén qíng。 nǐ gào sù tā， wǒ bù gǎn tiān jiǎn， hùn chū zhù yì。 tā tiān tā shī 'ēn， děng tā hǎo liǎo chū lái， ài zěn me tiān liǎo qù。” píng 'ér yī lái shí yǐ míng bái liǎo duì bàn， jīn tīng zhè yī fān huà， yuè fā huì yì， jiàn tàn chūn yòu nù sè， biàn bù gǎn yǐ wǎng rì xǐ lè zhī shí xiāng dài， zhǐ yī biān chuí shǒu mò shì。 　　 shí zhí bǎo chāi yě cóng shàng fáng zhōng lái， tàn chūn děng máng qǐ shēn ràng zuò。 wèi jí kāi yán， yòu yòu yī gè xí fù jìn lái huí shì。 yīn tàn chūn cái kū liǎo， biàn yòu sān sì gè xiǎo yā huán pěng liǎo mù pén， jīn pà yǐ zhǐ dào。《 zhuāng zǐ · dà zōng shī》：“ wěi zāi， fū zào wù zhě。”《 huái nán zǐ · jīng， bà jìng děng wù lái。 cǐ shí tàn chūn yīn pán xī zuò zài 'ǎi bǎn tà shàng， nà pěng pén de yā huán zǒu zhì gēn qián， biàn shuāng xī guì xià， gāo pěng mù pén， nà liǎng gè xiǎo yā huán， yědōu zài bàng qū xī pěng zhe jīn pà bìng bà jìng zhī fěn zhī shì。 píng 'ér jiàn dài shū bù zài zhè lǐ， biàn máng shàng lái yǔ tàn chūn wǎn xiù xiè zhuó， yòu jiē guò yī tiáo dà shǒu jīn lái， jiāng tàn chūn miàn qián yī jīn yǎn liǎo。 tàn chūn fāng shēn shǒu xiàng miàn pén zhōng guàn mù。 nà xí fù biàn huí dào：“ huí nǎi nǎi gū niàn， jiā xué lǐ zhī huán yé hé lán gē 'ér de yī nián gōng fèi。” píng 'ér xiān dào：“ nǐ máng shénme！ nǐ zhēng zhe yǎn kàn jiàn gū niàn xǐ liǎn， nǐ bù chū qù sì hòu zhe， xiān shuō huà lái。 èr nǎi nǎi gēn qián nǐ yě zhè me méi yǎn sè lái zhe？ gū niàn suī rán 'ēn kuān， wǒ qù huí liǎo 'èr nǎi nǎi， zhǐ shuō nǐ men yǎn lǐ dōuméi gū niàn， nǐ mendōu chī liǎo kuī， kě bié yuàn wǒ。” hǔ de nà gè xí fù máng péi xiào dào：“ wǒ cū xīn liǎo。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn máng tuì chū qù。 　　 tàn chūn yī miàn yún liǎn， yī miàn xiàng píng 'ér lěng xiào dào：“ nǐ chí liǎo yī bù， hái yòu kě xiào de： lián wú jiě jiě zhè me gè bàn lǎo liǎo shì de， yě bù chá qīng chǔ liǎo， jiù lái hùn wǒ men。 xìng kuī wǒ men wèn tā， tā jìng yòu liǎn shuō wàng liǎo。 wǒ shuō tā huí nǐ zhù zǐ shì yě wàng liǎo zài zhǎo qù？ wǒ liào zhe nǐ nà zhù zǐ wèi bì yòu nài xìng 'ér děng tā qù zhǎo。” píng 'ér máng xiào dào：“ tā yòu zhè yī cì， guǎn bāo tuǐ shàng de jīn zǎo zhé liǎo liǎng gēn。 gū niàn bié xìn tā men。 nà shì tā men chǒu zhe dà nǎi nǎi shì gè pú sà， gū niàn yòu shì gè miǎn tiǎn xiǎo jiě， gù rán shì tuō lǎn lái hùn。” shuō zhe， yòu xiàng mén wài shuō dào：“ nǐ men zhǐ guǎn sǎ yě， děng nǎi nǎi dà 'ān liǎo， zán men zài shuō。” mén wài de zhòng xí fù dū xiào dào：“ gū niàn， nǐ shì gè zuì míng bái de rén， sú yǔ shuō， ‘ yī rén zuò zuì yī rén dāng’， wǒ men bìng bù gǎn qī bì xiǎo jiě。 rú jīn xiǎo jiě shì jiāo kè， ruò rèn zhēn rě nǎo liǎo， sǐ wú zàng shēn zhī dì。 " píng 'ér lěng xiào dào：“ nǐ men míng bái jiù hǎo liǎo。” yòu péi xiào xiàng tàn chūn dào：“ gū niàn zhī dào 'èr nǎi nǎi běn lái shì duō， nà lǐ zhào kàn de zhè xiē， bǎo bù zhù bù hū lüè。 sú yǔ shuō，‘ bàng guān zhě qīng’， zhè jǐ nián gū niàn lěng yǎn kàn zhe， huò yòu gāi tiān gāi jiǎn de qù chù 'èr nǎi nǎi méi xíng dào， gū niàn jìng yī tiān jiǎn， tóu yī jiàn yú tài tài de shì yòu yì， dì 'èr jiàn yě bù wǎng gū niàn dài wǒ men nǎi nǎi de qíng yì liǎo。” huà wèi shuō wán， bǎo chāi lǐ wán jiē xiào dào：“ hǎo yā tóu， zhēn yuàn bù dé fèng yā tóu piān téng tā！ běn lái wú kě tiān jiǎn de shì， rú jīn tīng nǐ yī shuō， dǎo yào zhǎo chū liǎng jiàn lái zhēn zhuó zhēn zhuó， bù gū fù nǐ zhè huà。” tàn chūn xiào dào：“ wǒ yī dù zǐ qì， méi rén shā xìng zǐ， zhèng yào ná tā nǎi nǎi chū qì qù， piān tā pèng liǎo lái， shuō liǎo zhè xiē huà， jiào wǒ yě méi liǎo zhù yì liǎo。 yī miàn shuō， yī miàn jiào jìn fāng cái nà xí fù lái wèn： nà xí fù biàn huí shuō：“ yī nián xué lǐ chī diǎn xīn huò zhě mǎi zhǐ bǐ， měi wèi yòu bā liǎng yín zǐ de shǐ yòng。” tàn chūn dào：“ fán yé men de shǐ yòng， dōushì gè wū lǐng liǎo yuè qián de。 huán gē de shì yí niàn lǐng 'èr liǎng， bǎo yù de shì lǎo tài tài wū lǐ xí rén lǐng 'èr liǎng， lán gē 'ér de shì dà nǎi nǎi wū lǐ lǐng。 zěn me xué lǐ měi rén yòu duō zhè bā liǎng？ yuán lái shàng xué qù de shì wéi zhè bā liǎng yín zǐ！ cóng jīn 'ér qǐ， bǎ zhè yī xiàng juān liǎo。 píng 'ér， huí qù gào sù nǐ nǎi nǎi， wǒ de huà， bǎ zhè yī tiáo wù bì miǎn liǎo。” píng 'ér xiào dào：“ zǎo jiù gāi miǎn。 jiù nián nǎi nǎi yuán shuō yào miǎn de， yīn nián xià máng， jiù wàng liǎo。” nà gè xí fù zhǐ dé dāyìng zhe qù liǎo。 jiù yòu dà guān yuán zhōng xí fù pěng liǎo fàn hé lái。 　　 dài shū sù yún zǎo yǐ tái guò yī zhāng xiǎo fàn zhuō lái， píng 'ér yě máng zhe shàng cài。 tàn chūn xiào dào：“ nǐ shuō wán liǎo huà gān nǐ de qù bà， zài zhè lǐ máng shénme。” píng 'ér xiào dào：“ wǒ yuán méi shì de。 èr nǎi nǎi dǎ fā liǎo wǒ lái， yī zé shuō huà， èr zé kǒng zhè lǐ rén bù fāng biàn， yuán shì jiào wǒ bāng zhe mèi mèi men fú shì nǎi nǎi gū niàn de。” tàn chūn yīn wèn：“ bǎo gū niàn de fàn zěn me bù duān lái yī chù chī？ " yā huán men tīng shuō， máng chū zhì yán wài mìng xí fù qù shuō：“ bǎo gū niàn rú jīn zài tīng shàng yī chù chī， jiào tā men bǎ fàn sòng liǎo zhè lǐ lái。” tàn chūn tīng shuō， biàn gāo shēng shuō dào：“ nǐ bié hùn zhī shǐ rén！ nà dōushì bàn dà shì de guǎn jiā niàn zǐ men， nǐ men zhī shǐ tā yào fàn yào chá de， lián gè gāo dī dōubù zhī dào！ píng 'ér zhè lǐ zhàn zhe， nǐ jiào jiào qù。” 　　 píng 'ér máng dāyìng liǎo yī shēng chū lái。 nà xiē xí fù mendōu máng qiāoqiāo de lā zhù xiào dào：“ nà lǐ yòng gū niàn qù jiào， wǒ men yǐ yòu rén jiào qù liǎo。” yī miàn shuō， yī miàn yòng shǒu pà ペ shí jī shàng shuō：“ gū niàn zhàn liǎo bàn tiān fá liǎo， zhè tài yáng yǐng lǐ qiě xiē xiē。 " píng 'ér biàn zuò xià。 yòu yòu chá fáng lǐ de liǎng gè pó zǐ ná liǎo gè zuò rù pū xià， shuō：“ shí tóu lěng yòu yī tào cóng shū。， zhè shì jí gān jìng de， gū niàn jiāng jiù zuò yī zuò 'ér bà。” píng 'ér máng péi xiào dào：“ duō xiè。” yī gè yòu pěng liǎo yī wǎn jīng zhì xīn chá chū lái， yě qiāoqiāo xiào shuō：“ zhè bù shì wǒ men de cháng yòng chá， yuán shì cìhou gū niàn men de， gū niàn qiě rùn yī rùn bà。” píng 'ér máng qiàn shēn jiē liǎo， yīn zhǐ zhòng xí fù qiāoqiāo shuō dào：“ nǐ men tài nào de bù xiàng liǎo。 tā shì gè gū niàn jiā， bù kěn fā wēi dòng nù， zhè shì tā zūn zhòng， nǐ men jiù miǎo shì qī fù tā。 guǒ rán zhāo tā dòng liǎo dà qì， bù guò shuō tā gè cū cāo jiù wán liǎo， nǐ men jiù xiàn chī bù liǎo de kuī。 tā sǎ gè jiāo 'ér， tài tài yě dé ràng tā yī 'èr fēn， èr nǎi nǎi yě bù gǎn zěn yàng。 nǐ men jiù zhè me dà dǎn zǐ xiǎo kàn tā， kě shì jī dàn wǎng shí tóu shàng pèng。” zhòng réndōu máng dào：“ wǒ men hé cháng gǎn dà dǎn liǎo， dōushì zhào yí nǎi nǎi nào de。 " píng 'ér yě qiāoqiāo de shuō：“ bà liǎo， hǎo nǎi nǎi men。‘ qiáng dǎo zhòng rén tuī’， nà zhào yí nǎi nǎi yuán yòu xiē dǎo sān bù zhe liǎng， yòu liǎo shìdōu jiù lài tā。 nǐ men sù rì nà yǎn lǐ méi rén， xīn shù lì hài， wǒ zhè jǐ nián nán dào hái bù zhī dào？ èr nǎi nǎi ruò shì lüè chā yī diǎn 'ér de， zǎo bèi nǐ men zhè xiē nǎi nǎi zhì dǎo liǎo。 ráo zhèmezhāo， dé yī diǎn kòng'ér， hái yào nán tā yī nán， hǎo jǐ cì mòluò liǎo nǐ men de kǒu shēng。 zhòng rén dū dào tā lì hài， nǐ mendōu pà tā， wéi wǒ zhī dào tā xīn lǐ yě jiù bù suàn bù pà nǐ men ní。 qián 'ér wǒ men hái yì lùn dào zhè lǐ， zài bù néng yǐ tóu shùn wěi， bì yòu liǎng chǎng qì shēng。 nà sān gū niàn suī shì gè gū niàn， nǐ mendōu héng kàn liǎo tā。 èr nǎi nǎi zhè xiē dà gū zǐ xiǎo gū zǐ lǐ tóu， yě jiù zhǐ dān wèi tā wǔ fēn。 nǐ men zhè huì zǐ dǎo bù bǎ tā fàng zài yǎn lǐ liǎo。” 　　 zhèng shuō zhe， zhǐ jiàn qiū wén zǒu lái。 zhòng xí fù máng gǎn zhe wèn hǎo， yòu shuō：“ gū niàn yě qiě xiē yī xiē， lǐ tóu bǎi fàn ní。 děng sǎ xià fàn zhuō zǐ， zài huí huà qù。” qiū wén xiào dào：“ wǒ bǐ bù dé nǐ men， wǒ nà lǐ děng dé。” shuō zhe biàn zhí yào shàng tīng qù。 píng 'ér máng jiào：“ kuài huí lái。” qiū wén huí tóu jiàn liǎo píng 'ér， xiào dào：“ nǐ yòu zài zhè lǐ chōng shénme wài wéi de fáng hù？ " yī miàn huí shēn biàn zuò zài píng 'ér rù shàng。 píng 'ér qiǎo wèn：“ huí shénme？ " qiū wén dào：“ wèn yī wèn bǎo yù de yuè yín wǒ men de yuè qián duō zǎo wǎn cái lǐng。 " píng 'ér dào：“ zhè shénme dà shì。 nǐ kuài huí qù gào sù xí rén， shuō wǒ de huà， píng yòu shénme shì jīn 'ér dū bié huí。 ruò huí yī jiàn， guǎn bó yī jiàn， huí yī bǎi jiàn， guǎn bó yī bǎi jiàn。” qiū wén tīng liǎo， máng wèn：“ zhè shì wèishénme liǎo？ " píng 'ér yǔ zhòng xí fù děngdōu máng gào sù tā yuán gù， yòu shuō：“ zhèng yào zhǎo jǐ jiàn lì hài shì yǔ yòu tǐ miàn de rén kāi lì zuò fǎ zǐ， zhèn yā yǔ zhòng rén zuò bǎng yàng ní。 hé kǔ nǐ men xiān lái pèng zài zhè dīng zǐ shàng。 nǐ zhè yī qù shuō liǎo， tā men ruò ná nǐ men yě zuò yī 'èr jiàn bǎng yàng， yòu 'ài zhe lǎo tài tài， tài tài， ruò bù ná zhe nǐ men zuò yī 'èr jiàn， rén jiā yòu shuō piān yī gè xiàng yī gè， zhàng zhe lǎo tài tài， tài tài wēi shì de jiù pà， yě bù gǎn dòng， zhǐ ná zhe ruǎn de zuò bí zǐ tóu。 nǐ tīng tīng bà， èr nǎi nǎi de shì， tā hái yào bó liǎng jiàn， cái yā de zhòng rén kǒu shēng ní。” qiū wén tīng liǎo， shēn shé xiào dào：“ xìng 'ér píng jiě jiě zài zhè lǐ， méi de sào yī bí zǐ huī。 wǒ gǎn zǎo zhī huì tā men qù。” shuō zhe， biàn qǐ shēn zǒu liǎo。 　　 jiē zhe bǎo chāi de fàn zhì， píng 'ér máng jìn lái fú shì。 nà shí zhào yí niàn yǐ qù， sān rén zài bǎn chuáng shàng chī fàn。 bǎo chāi miàn nán， tàn chūn miàn xī， lǐ wán miàn dōng。 zhòng xí fù jiē zài láng xià jìng hòu， lǐ tóu zhǐ yòu tā men jǐn gēn cháng shì de yā huán cìhou， bié rén yī gài bù gǎn shàn rù。 zhè xiē xí fù mendōu qiāoqiāo de yì lùn shuō：“ dà jiā xǐngshì bà， bié 'ān zhe méi liáng xīn de zhù yì。 lián wú dà niàn cái dū tǎo liǎo méi yì sī， zán men yòu shì shénme yòu liǎn de。” tā men yī biān qiǎo yì， děng fàn wán huí shì。 zhǐ jué lǐ miàn yā què wú shēng， bìng bù wén wǎn zhù zhī shēng。 yī shí zhǐ jiàn yī gè yā huán jiāng lián lóng gāo jiē， yòu yòu liǎng gè jiāng zhuō tái chū。 chá fáng nèi zǎo yòu sān gè yā tóu pěng zhe sān mù pén shuǐ， jiàn fàn zhuō yǐ chū， sān rén biàn jìn qù liǎo， yī huí yòu pěng chū mù pén bìng shù yú lái， fāng yòu dài shū， sù yún， yīng 'ér sān gè， měi rén yòng chá pán pěng liǎo sān gài wǎn chá jìn qù。 yī shí děng tā sān rén chū lái， dài shū mìng xiǎo yā tóu zǐ：“ hǎo shēng sì hòu zhe， wǒ men chī fàn lái huàn nǐ men， bié yòu tōu zuò zhe qù。” zhòng xí fù men fāng màn màn de yī gè yī gè de 'ānfèn huí shì， bù gǎn rú xiān qián qīng màn shū hū liǎo。 　　 tàn chūn qì fāng jiàn píng， yīn xiàng píng 'ér dào：“ wǒ yòu yī jiàn dà shì， bǎ bǎo chāi de huà shuō liǎo。 wáng fū rén diǎn tóu tàn dào：“ ruò shuō wǒ wú dé， bù gāi yòu zhè yàng hǎo xí fù liǎo。” shuō zhe， gèng yòu shāng xīn qǐ lái。 xuē yí mā dǎo yòu quàn liǎo yī huì zǐ bō yī tí wū（ AniciusManliusSeverinusBoetnius， yuē 480 héng， yīn yòu tí qǐ xí rén lái， shuō：“ wǒ jiàn xí rén jìn lái shòu de liǎo bù dé， tā shì yī xīn xiǎng zhe bǎo gē 'ér。 dàn shì zhèng pèi ní lǐ yìng shǒu de， wū lǐ rén yuàn shǒu yě shì yòu de。 wéi yòu zhè xí rén， suī shuō shì suàn gè wū lǐ rén， dào dǐ tā hé bǎo gē 'ér bìng méi yòu guò míng lù 'ér de。 " wáng fū rén dào：“ wǒ cái gāng xiǎng zhe， zhèng yào děng mèi mèi shāng liàng shāng liàng。 ruò shuō fàng tā chū qù， kǒng pà tā bù yuàn yì， yòu yào xínsǐ mì huó de， ruò yào liú zhe tā yě bà， yòu kǒng lǎo yé bù yǐ。 suǒ yǐ nán chù。” xuē yí mā dào：“ wǒ kàn yí lǎo yé shì zài bù kěn jiào shǒu zhe de。 zài zhě yí lǎo yé bìng bù zhī dào xí rén de shì， xiǎng lái bù guò shì gè yā tóu， nà yòu liú de lǐ ní？ zhǐ yào zǐ zǐ jiào tā běn jiā de rén lái， hěn hěn de fēn fù tā， jiào tā pèi yī mén zhèng jīng qīn shì， zài duō duō de péi sòng tā xiē dōng xī。 nà hái zǐ xīn cháng 'ér yě hǎo， nián jì 'ér yòu qīng， yě bù wǎng gēn liǎo jiě jiě huì zǐ， yě suàn jiě jiě dài tā bù bó liǎo。 xí rén nà lǐ hái dé wǒ xì xì quàn tā。 jiù shì jiào tā jiā de rén lái yě bù yòng gào sù tā， zhǐ děng tā jiā lǐ guǒ rán shuō dìng liǎo hǎo rén jiā 'ér， wǒ men hái qù dǎ tīng dǎ tīng， ruò guǒ rán zú yī zú shí， nǚ xù cháng de xiàng gè rén 'ér， rán hòu jiào tā chū qù。” wáng fū rén tīng liǎo dào：“ zhè gè zhù yì hěn shì。 bù rán jiào lǎo yé mào mào shī shī de yī bàn， wǒ kě bù shì yòu hài liǎo yī gè rén liǎo me！ " xuē yí mā tīng liǎo diǎn tóu dào：“ kě bù shì me！ " yòu shuō liǎo jǐ jù， biàn cí liǎo wáng fū rén， réng dào bǎo chāi fáng zhōng qù liǎo。 　　 kàn jiàn xí rén lèi hén mǎn miàn， xuē yí mā biàn quàn jiě pì yù liǎo yī huì。 W xí rén běn lái lǎo shí， bù shì líng yá lì chǐ de rén， xuē yí mā shuō yī jù， tā yìng yī jù， huí lái shuō dào：“ wǒ shì zuò xià rén de rén， yí tài tài qiáo dé qǐ wǒ， cái hé wǒ shuō zhè xiē huà， wǒ shì cóng bù gǎn wéi 'ào tài tài de。” xuē yí mā tīng tā de huà， " hǎo yī gè róu shùn de hái zǐ！ " xīn lǐ gèng jiā xǐ huān。 bǎo chāi yòu jiāng dà yì de huà shuō liǎo yī biàn， dà jiā gè zì xiāng 'ān。 　　 guò liǎo jǐ rì， jiǎ zhèng huí jiā， zhòng rén yíng jiē。 jiǎ zhèng jiàn jiǎ shè jiǎ zhēn yǐ dū huí jiā， dì xiōng shū zhí xiāng jiàn， dà jiā lì xù bié lái de jǐng kuàng。 rán hòu nèi juàn men jiàn liǎo， bù miǎn xiǎng qǐ bǎo yù lái， yòu dà jiā shāng liǎo yī huì zǐ xīn。 jiǎ zhèng hē zhù dào：“ zhè shì yī dìng de dào lǐ。 rú jīn zhǐ yào wǒ men zài wài bǎ chí jiā shì， nǐ men zài nèi xiāng zhù， duàn bù kě réng shì cóng qián zhè yàng de sàn màn。 bié fáng de shì， gè yòu gè jiā liào lǐ， yě bù yòng chéng zǒng。 wǒ men běn fáng de shì， lǐ tóu quán guī yú nǐ， dōuyào 'àn lǐ 'ér xíng。” wáng fū rén biàn jiāng bǎo chāi yòu yùn de huà yě gào sù liǎo， jiāng lái yā tóu mendōu quàn fàng chū qù。 jiǎ zhèng tīng liǎo， diǎn tóu wú yǔ。 　　 cì rì jiǎ zhèng jìn nèi， qǐng shì dà chén men， shuō shì：“ méng 'ēn gǎn jī， dàn wèi fú què， yīnggāi zěn me xiè 'ēn zhī chù nèi yīn yǔ wài yīn fǎn yìng shì wù biàn huà yuán yīn de yī duì zhé xué fàn chóu。 qián zhě， wàng qǐ dà rén men zhǐ jiào。” zhòng cháo chén shuō shì dài zòu qǐng zhǐ。 yú shì shèng 'ēn hào dàng， jí mìng bì jiàn。 jiǎ zhèng jìn nèi xiè liǎo 'ēn， shèng shàng yòu jiàng liǎo hǎo xiē zhǐ yì， yòu wèn qǐ bǎo yù de shì lái。 jiǎ zhèng jù shí huí zòu。 shèng shàng chēng qí， zhǐ yì shuō， bǎo yù de wén zhāng gù shì qīng qí， xiǎng tā bì shì guò lái rén， suǒ yǐ rú cǐ。 ruò zài cháo zhōng， kě yǐ jìn yòng。 tā jì bù gǎn shòu shèng cháo de jué wèi， biàn shǎng liǎo yī gè " wén miào zhēn rén " de dào hào。 jiǎ zhèng yòu kòu tóu xiè 'ēn 'ér chū。 　　 huí dào jiā zhōng， jiǎ liǎn jiǎ zhēn jiē zhe， jiǎ zhèng jiāng cháo nèi de huà shù liǎo yī biàn， zhòng rén xǐ huān。 jiǎ zhēn biàn huí shuō：“ níng guó fǔ dì shōu shí qí quán， huí míng liǎo yào bān guò qù。 lóng cuì 'ān juàn zài yuán nèi， gěi sì mèi mèi jìng yǎng。” jiǎ zhèng bìng bù yán yǔ， gé liǎo bàn rì， què fēn fù liǎo yī fān yǎng bào tiān 'ēn de huà。 jiǎ liǎn yě chèn biàn huí shuō：“ qiǎo jiě qīn shì， fù qīn tài tài dū yuàn yì gěi zhōu jiā wéi xí。” jiǎ zhèng zuó wǎn yě zhī qiǎo jiě de shǐ mò， biàn shuō：“ dà lǎo yé dà tài tài zuò zhù jiù shì liǎo。 mò shuō cūn jū bù hǎo， zhǐ yào rén jiā qīng bái， hái zǐ kěn niàn shū， néng gòu shàng jìn。 cháo lǐ nà xiē guān 'ér nán dào dōushì chéng lǐ de rén me？ " jiǎ liǎn dāyìng liǎo " shì "， yòu shuō：“ fù qīn yòu liǎo nián jì， kuàng qiě yòu yòu tán zhèng de gēn zǐ， jìng yǎng jǐ nián， zhū shì yuán zhàng 'èr lǎo yé wéi zhù。 " jiǎ zhèng dào：“ tí qǐ cūn jū yǎng jìng， shèn hé wǒ yì。 zhǐ shì wǒ shòu 'ēn shēn zhòng， shàng wèi chóu bào 'ěr。” jiǎ zhèng shuō bì jìn nèi。 jiǎ liǎn dǎ fā qǐng liǎo liú lǎo lǎo lái， yìng liǎo zhè jiàn shì。 liú lǎo lǎo jiàn liǎo wáng fū rén děng， biàn shuō xiē jiāng lái zěn yàng shēng guān， zěn yàng qǐ jiā， zěn yàng zǐ sūn chāng shèng。 　　 zhèng shuō zhe， yā tóu huí dào：“ huā zì fāng de nǚ rén jìn lái qǐng 'ān。” wáng fū rén wèn jǐ jù huà， huā zì fāng de nǚ rén jiāng qīn qī zuò méi， shuō de shì chéng nán jiǎng jiā de， xiàn zài yòu fáng yòu dì， yòu yòu pū miàn， gū yé nián jì lüè dà liǎo jǐ suì， bìng méi yòu qǔ guò de， kuàng qiě rén wù 'ér cháng de shì bǎi lǐ tiǎo yī de。 wáng fū rén tīng liǎo yuàn yì， shuō dào：“ nǐ qù yìng liǎo， gé jǐ rì jìn lái zài jiē nǐ mèi zǐ bà。 " wáng fū rén yòu mìng rén dǎ tīng， dōushuō shì hǎo。 wáng fū rén biàn gào sù liǎo bǎo chāi， réng qǐng liǎo xuē yí mā xì xì de gào sù liǎo xí rén。 xí rén bēi shāng bù yǐ， yòu bù gǎn wéi mìng de， xīn lǐ xiǎng qǐ bǎo yù nà nián dào tā jiā qù， huí lái shuō de sǐ yě bù huí qù de huà， " rú jīn tài tài yìng zuò zhù zhāng。 ruò shuō wǒ shǒu zhe， yòu jiào rén shuō wǒ bù hài sào， ruò shì qù liǎo， shí bù shì wǒ de xīn yuàn "， biàn kū dé yān gěng nán míng， yòu bèi xuē yí mā bǎo chāi děng kǔ quàn， huí guò niàn tóu xiǎng dào：“ wǒ ruò shì sǐ zài zhè lǐ， dǎo bǎ tài tài de hǎo xīn nòng huài liǎo。 wǒ gāi sǐ zài jiā lǐ cái shì。” 　　 yú shì， xí rén hán bēi kòu cí liǎo zhòng rén， nà jiě mèi fēn shǒu shí zì rán gèng yòu yī fān bù rěn shuō。 xí rén huái zhe bì sǐ de xīn cháng shàng chē huí qù， jiàn liǎo gē gē sǎo zǐ， yě shì kū qì。 　　The stupid secondary wife, dame Chao, needlessly loses her temper and insults her own daughter, T'an Ch'un. The perverse servant-girls are so full of malice that they look down contemptuously on their youthful mistresses. 　　 We will now resume our narration with the Jung Mansion. Soon after the bustle of the new year festivities, lady Feng who, with the most arduous duties she had had to fulfil both before and after the new year, had found little time to take proper care of herself, got a miscarriage and could not attend to the management of domestic affairs. Day after day two and three doctors came and prescribed for her. But lady Feng had ever accustomed herself to be hardy, so although unable to go out of doors, she nevertheless devised the ways and means for everything, and made the various arrangements she deemed necessary, and whatever concern suggested itself to her mind, she entrusted to P'ing Erh to lay before Madame Wang. But however much people advised her to be careful, she would not lend an ear to them. Madame Wang felt as if she had been deprived of her right arm. And as she alone had not sufficient energy to see to everything, she bestowed her own attention upon such important affairs, as turned up, and entrusted, for the time being, all miscellaneous domestic matters to the co-operation of Li Wan. 　　 Li Wan had at all times held virtue at a high price, and set but little value on talents of any kind, so that she, as a matter of course, displayed leniency to those who were placed under her. Madame Wang accordingly bade T'an Ch'un combine with Li Wan in the management of the household. "In a month," she argued, "lady Feng will be getting all right again, and then you can once more hand over charge to her." 　　 Little, however, though one would think it, lady Feng was endowed with a poor physique. From her youth up, moreover, she had not known how to husband her health; and emulation and contentiousness had, more than anything else, combined to undermine her vital energies. Hence it was that although her complaint was a simple miscarriage, it had really, after all, been the outcome of loss of vigour. After a month symptoms of emissions of blood began also to show themselves. And notwithstanding her reluctance to utter what she felt every one, at the sight of her sallow and emaciated face, readily concluded that she was not nursing herself as well as she should. 　　 Madame Wang therefore enjoined her merely to take her medicines and look to herself with due care; and she would not allow her to disquiet her mind about the least thing. But (lady Feng) herself also gave way to misgivings lest her illness should assume some grave phase, and much though she laughed with one and all, she was ever mindful to steal time to attend to her health, feeling inwardly vexed at not being able to soon get back her old strength again. But she had, as it happened, to dose herself with medicines and to nurse herself for three whole months, before she gradually began to rally and before the discharges stopped by degrees. But we will abstain from any reference to these details which pertain to the future, suffice it now to add that though Madame Wang noticed her improved state, (she thought it) impossible for the time being for T'an Ch'un and Li Wan to resign their charge. But so fidgetty was she lest with the large number of inmates in the garden proper control should not be exercised that she specially sent for Pao-ch'ai and begged of her to keep an eye over every place, explaining to her that the old matrons were of no earthly use, for whenever they could obtain any leisure, they drank and gambled; and slept during broad daylight, while they played at cards during the hours of night. "I know all about their doings," (she said). "When that girl Feng is well enough to go out, they have some little fear. But they're bound at present to consult again their own convenience. Yet you, dear child, are one in whom I can repose complete trust. Your brother and your female cousins are, on the one hand, young; and I can, on the other, afford no spare time; so do exert yourself on my behalf for a couple of days, and exercise proper supervision. And should anything unexpected turn up, just come and tell it to me. Don't wait until our old lady inquires about it, as I shall then find myself in a corner with nothing to say in my defence. If those servants aren't on their good behaviour, mind you blow them up; and if they don't listen to you, come and lay your complaint before me; for it will be best not to let anything assume a serious aspect." 　　 Pao-ch'ai listened to her appeal and felt under the necessity of volunteering to undertake the charge. 　　 The season was about the close of spring, so Tai-yue got her cough back again. But Hsiang-yuen was likewise laid up in the Heng Wu Yuean, as she too was affected by the weather, and day after day she saw numberless doctors and took endless medicines. 　　 T'an Ch'un and Li Wan lived apart, but as they had of late assumed joint management of affairs, it was, unlike former years, extremely inconvenient even for the servants to go backwards and forwards to make their reports. They consequently resolved that they should meet early every day in the small three-roomed reception-hall, at the south side of the garden gate, to transact what business there was, and that their morning meal over, they should after noon return again to their quarters. 　　 This three-roomed hall had originally been got ready at the time of the visit of the imperial consort to her parents, to accommodate the attendants and eunuchs. This visit over, it proved, therefore, no longer of use, and the old matrons simply came to it every night to keep watch. But mild weather had now set in, and any complete fittings were quite superfluous. All that could be seen about amounted to a few small pieces of furniture just sufficient for them to make themselves comfortable with. Over this hall was likewise affixed a placard, with the inscription in four characters: 　　 "Perfected philanthropy, published virtue!" 　　 Yet the place was generally known among the domestics as 'the discuss-matters-hall.' To this hall, (Li Wan and T'an Ch'un) would daily adjourn at six in the morning, and leave it at noon, and the wives of the managers and other servants, who had any matters to lay before them, came and went in incessant strings. 　　 When the domestics heard that Li Wan would assume sole control, each and all felt secretly elated; for as Li Wan had always been considerate, forbearing and loth to inflict penalties, she would be, of course, they thought, easier to put off than lady Feng. Even when T'an Ch'un was added, they again remembered that she was only a youthful unmarried girl and that she too had ever shown herself goodnatured and kindly to a degree, so none of them worried their minds about her, and they became considerably more indolent than when they had to deal with lady Feng. But after the expiry of three or four days several concerns passed through her hands, which gave them an opportunity to gradually find out that T'an Ch'un did not, in smartness and thoroughness, yield to lady Feng, and that the only difference between them was that she was soft in speech and gentle in disposition. By a remarkable coincidence, princes, dukes, marquises, earls, and hereditary officials arrived for consecutive days from various parts; all of whom were, if not the relatives of the Jung and Ning mansions, at least their old friends. There were either those who had obtained transfers on promotion, or others who had been degraded; either those, who had married, or those who had gone into mourning, and Madame Wang had so much congratulating and condoling, receiving and escorting to do that she had no time to attend to any entertaining. There was therefore less than ever any one in the front part to look after things. So while (T'an Ch'un and Li Wan) spent their whole days in the hall, Pao-ch'ai tarried all day in the drawing-rooms, to keep an eye over what was going on; and they only betook themselves back to their quarters after Madame Wang's return. Of a night, they whiled away their leisure hours by doing needlework; but they would, previous to retiring to sleep, get into their chairs, and, taking along with them the servants, whose duty it was to be on night watch in the garden, and other domestics as well, they visited each place on their round. Such was the control exercised by these three inmates that signs were not wanting to prove that greater severity was observed than in the days when the management devolved on lady Feng. To this reason must be assigned the fact that all the servants attached inside as well as outside cherished a secret grudge against them. "No sooner," they insinuated, "has one patrolling ogre come than they add three more cerberean sort of spring josses so that even at night we've got less time than ever to sip a cup of wine and indulge in a romp!" 　　 On the day that Madame Wang was going to a banquet at the mansion of the Marquis of Chin Hsiang, Li Wan and T'an Ch'un arranged their coiffure and performed their ablutions at an early hour; and after waiting upon her until she went out of doors, they repaired into the hall and installed themselves in their seats. But just as they were sipping their tea, they espied Wu Hsin-teng's wife walk in. "Mrs. Chao's brother, Chao Kuo-chi," she observed, "departed this life yesterday; the tidings have already been reported to our old mistress and our lady, who said that it was all right, and bade me tell you, Miss." 　　 At the close of this announcement, she respectfully dropped her arms against her body, and stood aloof without adding another word. The servants, who came at this season to lay their reports before (T'an Ch'un and Li Wan), mustered no small number. But they all endeavoured to find out how their two new mistresses ran the household; for as long they managed things properly, one and all willingly resolved to respect them, but in the event of the least disagreement or improper step, not only did they not submit to them, but they also spread, the moment they put their foot outside the second gate, numberless jokes on their account and made fun of them. Wu Hsin-teng's wife had thus devised an experiment in her own mind. Had she had to deal with lady Feng, she would have long ago made an attempt to show off her zeal by proposing numerous alternatives and discovering various bygone precedents, and then allowed lady Feng to make her own choice and take action; but, in this instance, she looked with such disdain on Li Wan, on account of her simplicity, and on T'an Ch'un, on account of her youthfulness, that she volunteered only a single sentence, in order to put both these ladies to the test, and see what course they would be likely to adopt. 　　 "What shall we do?" T'an Ch'un asked Li Wan. 　　 Li Wan reflected for a while. "The other day," she rejoined, "that Hsi Jen's mother died, I heard that she was given forty taels. So now give her forty taels as well and have done!" 　　 Upon hearing this proposal, Wu Hsin-teng's wife eagerly expressed her acquiescence, by uttering a yes; and taking over the permit she was going on her way at once. 　　 "Come back," shouted T'an Ch'un. 　　 "Wu Hsing-teng's wife had perforce to retrace her footsteps. 　　 "Wait, don't get the money yet," T'an Ch'un remarked. "I want to ask you something. Some of the old secondary wives, attached years back to our venerable senior's rooms, lived inside the establishment; others outside; there were these two distinctions between them. Now if any of them died at home, how much was allowed them? And how much was allotted to such as died outside? Tell us what was given in either case for our guidance." 　　 As soon as Wu Hsin-teng's wife was asked this question, every detail bearing on the subject slipped from her memory. Hastily forcing a smile, "This is," she replied, "nothing of any such great consequence. Whether much or little be allowed, who'll ever venture to raise a quarrel about it?" 　　 T'an Ch'un then smiled. "This is all stuff and nonsense!" she exclaimed. "My idea is that it would be better to give a hundred taels. For if we don't comply with what's right, we shall, not to speak of your ridiculing us, find it also a hard job by and bye to face your mistress Secunda." 　　 "Well, in that case," laughed Wu Hsin-teng's wife, "I'll go and look up the old accounts. I can't recollect anything about them just at this moment." 　　 "You're quite an old hand in the management of affairs," T'an Ch'un observed with a significant smile, "and can't you remember, but come instead to perplex us? Whenever you've had anything of the kind to lay before your lady Secunda, have you also had to go first and look it up? But if this has been the practice, lady Feng can't be looked upon as being such a dreadful creature. One could very well call her lenient and kind. Yet don't you yet hurry to go and hunt them up and bring them to me to see? If we dilly-dally another day, they won't run you people down for your coarse-mindedness, but we will seem to have been driven to our wits' ends!" 　　 Wu Hsin-teng's wife got quite scarlet in the face. Promptly twisting herself round, she quitted the hall; while the whole bevy of married women stretched out their tongues significantly. 　　 During her absence, other matters were reported. But in a little while, Wu Hsin-teng's wife returned with the old accounts. On inspection, T'an Ch'un found that for a couple of secondary wives, who had lived in the establishment, twenty-four taels had been granted, and that for two, whose quarters had been outside, forty taels had in each case been allowed. Besides these two, others were mentioned, who had lived outside the mansion; to one of whom a hundred taels had been given, and to the other, sixty taels. Under these two records, the reasons were assigned. In the one case, the coffins of father and mother had had to be removed from another province, and sixty taels extra had consequently been granted. In the other, an additional twenty taels had been allowed, as a burial-place had to be purchased at the time. 　　 T'an Ch'un handed the accounts to Li Wan for her perusal. 　　 "Give her twenty taels," readily suggested T'an Ch'un. "Leave these accounts here for us to examine minutely." 　　 Wu Hsin-teng's wife then walked away. But unexpectedly Mrs. Chao entered the hall. Li Wan and T'an Ch'un speedily pressed her to take a seat. 　　 Mrs. Chao then broke the silence. "All the inmates of these rooms have trampled me under heel," she said, "but never mind! Yet, my child, just ponder, it is only fair that you should take my part." 　　 While ventilating her grievances, her eyes got moist, her nose watered, and she began to sob. 　　 "To whom are you alluding Mrs. Chao?" T'an Ch'un hastily inquired. "I can't really make out what you're driving at. Who tramples you under foot? Speak out and I'll take up your cudgels." 　　 "You're now trampling me down yourself, young lady," Mrs. Chao observed. "And to whom can I go and tell my grievance?" 　　 T'an Ch'un, at these words, jumped up with alacrity. "I never would presume to do any such thing," she protested. 　　 Li Wan too vehemently sprung to her feet to proffer her some good counsel. 　　 "Pray seat yourselves, both of you," Mrs. Chao cried, "and listen to what I have to say. I've had, like simmering oil, to consume away in these rooms to this advanced age. There's also your brother besides. Yet I can't compare myself now even to Hsi Jen, and what credit do I enjoy? But you haven't as well any face, so don't let's speak of myself." 　　 "It was really on account of this," T'an Ch'un smiled, "that I said that I didn't presume to disregard right and to violate propriety." 　　 While she spoke, she resumed her seat, and taking up the accounts, she turned them over for Mrs. Chao to glance at, after which she read them out to her for her edification. "These are old customs," she proceeded, "enforced by the seniors of the family, and every one complies with them, and could I ever, pray, have changed them? These will hold good not only with Hsi Jen; but even when by and bye Huan-erh takes a concubine, the same course will naturally be adopted as in the case of Hsi Jen. This is no question for any large quarrels or small disputes, and no mention should be made about face or no face. She's our Madame Wang's servant-girl, and I've dealt with her according to a long-standing precedent. Those who say that I've taken suitable action will come in for our ancestors' bounty and our lady's bounty as well. But should any one uphold that I've adopted an unfair course, that person is devoid of all common sense and totally ignorant of what a blessing means. The only thing she can do is to foster as much resentment as she chooses. Our lady, Madame Wang, may even give a present of a house to any one; what credit is that to me? Again, she may not give a single cash, but even that won't imply any loss of face, as far as I am concerned. What I have to say is that as Madame Wang is away from home, you should quietly look after yourself a bit. What's the good of worrying and fretting? Our lady is extremely fond of me; and, if, at different times, a chilliness has sprung up on her part, it's because you, Mrs. Chao, have again and again been officious. Had I been a man and able to have gone abroad, I would long ago have run away and started some business. I would then have had something of my own to attend to. But, as it happens, I am a girl, so that I can't even recklessly utter so much as a single remark. Madame Wang is well aware of it in her heart. And it's now because she entertains a high opinion of me that she recently bade me assume the charge of domestic affairs. But before I've had time enough to do a single good act, here you come, Mrs. Chao, to lay down the law. If this reaches Madame Wang's ear, I fear I shall get into trouble. She won't let me exercise any control, and then I shall, in real earnest, come in for no face. But even you, Mrs. Chao, will then actually lose countenance." 　　 Reasoning with her, she so little could repress her tears that they rolled down her cheeks. 　　 Mrs. Chao had not a word more to say to refute her arguments with. "If Madame Wang loves you," she simply responded, "there's still more reason why you should have drawn us into her favour. (Instead of that), all you think about is to try and win Madame Wang's affections, and you forget all about us." 　　 "How ever did I forget you?" T'an Ch'un exclaimed. "How would you have me drag you into favour? Go and ask every one of them, and you'll see what mistress is indifferent to any one, who exerts her energies and makes herself useful, and what worthy person requires being drawn into favour?" 　　 Li Wan, who stood by, did her best to pacify them with her advice. "Mrs. Chao," she argued, "don't lose your temper! Neither should you feel any ill-will against this young lady of yours. Had she even at heart every good intention to lend you a hand, how could she put it into words?" 　　 "This worthy senior dame," T'an Ch'un impatiently interposed, "has also grown quite dense! Whom could I drag into favour? Why, in what family, do the young ladies give a lift to slave-girls? Their qualities as well as defects should all alike be well known to you people. And what have they got to do with me?" 　　 Mrs. Chao was much incensed. "Who tells you," she asked, "to give a lift to any one? Were it not that you looked after the house, I wouldn't have come to inquire anything of you. But anything you may suggest is right; so had you, now that your maternal uncle is dead, granted twenty or thirty taels in excess, is it likely that Madame Wang would not have given you her consent? It's evident that our Madame Wang is a good woman and that it's you people who are mean and stingy. Unfortunately, however, her ladyship has with all her bounty no opportunity of exercising it. You could, my dear girl, well set your mind at ease. You wouldn't, in this instance, have had to spend any of your own money; and at your marriage by and bye, I would still have borne in mind the exceptional regard you had shown the Chao family. But now that you've got your full plumage, you've forgotten your extraction, and chosen a lofty branch to fly to." 　　 Before T'an Ch'un had heard her to the end, she flew into such a rage that her face blanched; and choking for breath, she gasped and panted. Sobbing, she asked the while: "Who's my maternal uncle? My maternal uncle was at the end of the year promoted to be High Commissioner of the Nine Provinces! How can another maternal uncle have cropped up? It's because I've ever shown that reverence enjoined by the rites that other relatives have now more than ever turned up. If what you say be the case, how is it that every day that Huan-erh goes out, Chao Kuo-chi too stands up, and follows him to school? Why doesn't he put on the airs of an uncle? What's the reason that he doesn't? Who isn't aware of the fact that I'm born of a concubine? Would it require two or three months' time to trace my extraction? But the fact is you've come to kick up all this hullaballoo for fear lest people shouldn't be alive to the truth; and with the express design of making it public all over the place! But I wonder who of us two will make the other lose face? Luckily, I've got my wits about me; for had I been a stupid creature ignorant of good manners, I would long ago have lost all patience." 　　 Li Wan was much concerned, but she had to continue to exhort them to desist. But Mrs. Chao proceeded with a long rigmarole until a servant was unexpectedly heard to report that lady Secunda had sent Miss Ping to deliver a message. Mrs. Chao caught the announcement, and eventually held her peace, when they espied P'ing erh making her appearance. Mrs. Chao hastily forced a saturnine smile, and motioned to her to take a seat. "Is your lady any better?" she went on to inquire with vehemence. "I was just thinking of going to look her up; but I could find no leisure!" 　　 Upon seeing P'ing Erh enter, Li Wan felt prompted to ask her the object of her visit. 　　 "My lady says," P'ing Erh smilingly responded, "that she apprehends, now that Mrs. Chao's brother is dead, that your ladyship and you, miss, are not aware of the existence of an old precedent. According to the ordinary practice no more need be given than twenty taels; but she now requests you, miss, to consider what would be best to do; if even you add a good deal more, it will do well enough." 　　 T'an Ch'un at once wiped away all traces of tears. "What's the use of another addition, when there's no valid reason for it?" she promptly demurred. "Who has again been twenty months in the womb? Or is it forsooth any one who's gone to the wars, and managed to escape with his life, carrying his master on his back? Your mistress is certainly very ingenious! She tells me to disregard the precedent, in order that she should pose as a benefactress! She wishes to take the money, which Madame Wang spurns, so as to reap the pleasure of conferring favours! Just you tell her that I could not presume to add or reduce anything, or even to adopt any reckless decision. Let her add what she wants and make a display of bounty. When she gets better and is able to come out, she can effect whatever additions she fancies." 　　 The moment P'ing Erh arrived, she obtained a fair insight (into lady Feng's designs), so when she heard the present remarks, she grasped a still more correct idea of things. But perceiving an angry look about T'an Ch'un's face, she did not have the temerity to behave towards her as she would, had she found her in the high spirits of past days. All she did therefore was to stand aloof with her arms against her sides and to wait in rigid silence. Just at that moment, however, Pao-ch'ai dropped in, on her return from the upper rooms. T'an Ch'un quickly rose to her feet, and offered her a seat. But before they had had time to exchange any words, a married woman likewise came to report some business. 　　 But as T'an Ch'un had been having a good cry, three or four young maids brought her a basin, towel, and hand-glass and other articles of toilette. T'an Ch'un was at the moment seated cross-legged, on a low wooden couch, so the maid with the basin had, when she drew near, to drop on both her knees and lift it high enough to bring it within reach. The other two girls prostrated themselves next to her and handed the towels and the rest of the toilet things, which consisted of a looking-glass, rouge and powder. But P'ing Erh noticed that Shih Shu was not in the room, and approaching T'an Ch'un with hasty step, she tucked up her sleeves for her and unclasped her bracelets. Seizing also a large towel from the hands of one of the maids, she covered the lapel on the front part of T'an Ch'un's dress; whereupon T'an Ch'un put out her hands, and washed herself in the basin. 　　 "My lady and miss," the married woman observed, "may it please you to pay what has been spent in the family school for Mr. Chia Huan and Mr.. Chia Lan during the year." 　　 P'ing Erh was the first to speak. "What are you in such a hurry for?" she cried. "You've got your eyes wide open, and must be able to see our young lady washing her face; instead of coming forward to wait on her, you start talking! Do you also behave in this blind sort of way in the presence of your lady Secunda? This young lady is, it's true, generous and lenient, but I'll go and report you to your mistress. I'll simply tell her that you people have no eye for Miss T'an Ch'un. But when you find yourselves in a mess, don't bear me any malice." 　　 At this hint the woman took alarm, and hastily forcing a smile, she pleaded guilty. "I've been rude," she exclaimed. With these words, she rushed with all despatch out of the room. 　　 T'an Ch'un smoothed her face. While doing so, she turned herself towards P'ing Erh and gave her a cynical smile. "You've come just one step too late," she remarked. "You weren't in time to see something laughable! Even sister Wu, an old hand at business though she be, failed to look up clearly an old custom and came to play her tricks on us. But when we plied her with questions, she luckily had the face to admit that it had slipped from her memory. 'Do you,' I insinuated, 'also forget, when you've got anything to report to lady Secunda? and have you subsequently to go and hunt up all about it?' Your mistress can't, I fancy, be so patient as to wait while she goes and institutes proper search." 　　 P'ing Erh laughed. "Were she to have behaved but once in this wise," she observed, "I feel positive that a couple of the tendons of her legs would have long ago been snapped. But, Miss, don't credit all they say. It's because they see that our senior mistress is as sweet-tempered as a 'P'u-sa,' and that you, miss, are a modest young lady, that they, naturally, shirk their duties and come and take liberties with you. Your mind is set upon playing the giddy dogs," continuing, she added; speaking towards those beyond the doorway; "but when your mistress gets quite well again, we'll tell her all." 　　 "You're gifted with the greatest perspicacity, miss," the married women, standing outside the door, smiled in chorus. "The proverb says: 'the person who commits a fault must be the one to suffer.' We don't in any way presume to treat any mistress with disdain. Our mistress at present is in delicate health, and if we intentionally provoke her, may we, when we die, have no place to have our corpses interred in." 　　 P'ing Erh laughed a laugh full irony. "So long as you're aware of this, it's well and good," she said. And smiling a saturnine smile, she resumed, addressing herself to T'an Ch'un: "Miss, you know very well how busy our lady has been and how little she could afford the time to keep this tribe of people in order. Of course, they couldn't therefore, be prevented from becoming remiss. The adage has it: 'Lookers-on are clear of sight!' During all these years that you, have looked on dispassionately, there have possibly been instances on which, though additions or reductions should have been made, our lady Secunda has not been able to effect them, so, miss, do add or curtail whatever you may deem necessary, in order that, first, Madame Wang may be benefited, and that, secondly, you mayn't too render nugatory the kindness with which you ever deal towards our mistress." 　　 But scarcely had she finished, than Pao-ch'ai and Li Wan smilingly interposed. "What a dear girl!" they ejaculated. "One really can't feel angry with that hussy Feng for being partial to her and fond of her. We didn't, at first, see how we could very well alter anything by any increase or reduction, but after what you've told us, we must hit upon one or two things and try and devise means to do something, with a view of not showing ourselves ungrateful of the advice you've tendered us." 　　 "My heart was swelling with indignation," T'an Ch'un observed laughing, "and I was about to go and give vent to my temper with her mistress, but now that she (P'ing Erh) has happened to come, she has, with a few words, quite dissuaded me from my purpose." 　　 While she spoke, she called the woman, who had been with them a few minutes back, to return into the room. "For what things for Mr. Chia Huan and Mr. Chia Lau was the money expended during the year in the family school?" she inquired of her. 　　 "For cakes," replied the woman, "they ate during the year at school; or for the purchase of paper and pens. Each one of them is allowed eight taels." 　　 "The various expenses on behalf of the young men," T'an Ch'un added, "are invariably paid in monthly instalments to the respective households. For cousin Chia Huan's, Mrs. Chao receives two taels. For Pao-yue's, Hsi Jen draws two taels from our venerable senior's suite of apartments. For cousin Chia Lan's, some one, in our senior lady's rooms, gets the proper allowance. So how is it that these extra eight taels have to be disbursed at school for each of these young fellows? Is it really for these eight taels that they go to school? But from this day forth I shall put a stop to this outlay. So P'ing Erh, when you get back, tell your mistress that I say that this item must absolutely be done away with." 　　 "This should have been done away with long ago," P'ing Erh smiled. "Last year our lady expressed her intention to eliminate it, but with the endless things that claimed her attention about the fall of the year, she forgot all about it." 　　 The woman had no other course than to concur with her views and to walk away. But the married women thereupon arrived from the garden of Broad Vista with the boxes of eatables. So Shih Shu and Su Yuen at once brought a small dining-table, and P'ing Erh began to fuss about laying the viands on it. 　　 "If you've said all you had," T'an Ch'un laughed, "you'd better be off and attend to your business. What's the use of your bustling about here?" 　　 "I've really got nothing to do," P'ing Erh answered smiling. "Our lady Secunda sent me first, to deliver a message; and next, because she feared that the servants in here weren't handy enough. The fact is, she bade me come and help the girls wait on you, my lady, and on you, miss." 　　 "Why don't you bring Mrs. Pao's meal so that she should have it along with us?" T'an Ch'un then inquired. 　　 As soon as the waiting-maids heard her inquiry, they speedily rushed out and went under the eaves. "Go," they cried, directing the married women, "and say that Miss Pao-ch'ai would like to have her repast just now in the hall along with the others, and tell them to send the eatables here." 　　 T'an Ch'un caught their directions. "Don't be deputing people to go on reckless errands!" she vociferated. "Those are dames, who manage important matters and look after the house, and do you send them to ask for eatables and inquire about tea? You haven't even the least notion about gradation. P'ing Erh is standing here, so tell her to go and give the message." 　　 P'ing Erh immediately assented, and issued from the room, bent upon going on the errand. But the married women stealthily pulled her back. "How could you, miss, be made to go and tell them?" they smiled. "We've got some one here, who can do so!" 　　 So saying, they dusted one of the stone steps with their handkerchiefs. "You've been standing so long," they observed, "that you must feel quite tired. Do sit in this sunny place and have a little rest." 　　 P'ing Erh took a seat on the step. Two matrons attached to the tea-room then fetched a rug and spread it out for her. "It's cold on those stones," they ventured; "this is, as clean as it can be. So, miss, do make the best of it, and use it!" 　　 P'ing Erh hastily forced a smile. "Many thanks," she replied. 　　 Another matron next brought her a cup of fine new tea. "This isn't the tea we ordinarily drink," she quietly smiled. "This is really for entertaining the young ladies with. Miss, pray moisten your mouth with some." 　　 P'ing Erh lost no time in bending her body forward and taking the cup. Then pointing at the company of married women, she observed in a low voice: "You're all too fond of trouble! The way you're going on won't do at all! She (T'an Ch'un) is only a young girl, so she is loth to show any severity, or display any temper. This is because she's full of respect. Yet you people look down on her and insult her. Should she, however, be actually provoked into any violent fit of anger, people will simply say that her behaviour was rather rough, and all will be over. But as for you, you'll get at once into endless trouble. Even though she might show herself somewhat wilful, Madame Wang treats her with considerable forbearance, and lady Secunda too hasn't the courage to meddle with her; and do you people have such arrogance as to look down on her? This is certainly just as if an egg were to go and bang itself against a stone!" 　　 "When were we ever so audacious?" the servants exclaimed with one voice. "This fuss is all the work of Mrs. Chao!" 　　 "Never mind about that!" P'ing Erh urged again in an undertone. "My dear ladies, 'when a wall falls, every one gives it a shove.' That Mrs. Chao has always been rather topsy-turvey in her ways, and done things by halves; so whenever there has been any rumpus, you've invariably shoved the blame on to her shoulders. Never have you had any regard for any single person. Your designs are simply awful! Is it likely that all these years that I've been here, I haven't come to know of them? Had our lady Secunda mismanaged things just a little bit, she would have long ago been run down by every one of you, ladies! Even such as she is, you would, could you only get the least opportunity, be ready to place her in a fix! And how many, many times hasn't she been abused by you?" 　　 "She's dreadful," one and all of them rejoined. "You all live in fear and trembling of her. But we know well enough that no one could say that she too does not in the depths of her heart entertain some little dread for the lot of you. The other day, we said, in talking matters over, that things could not go on smoothly from beginning to end, and that some unpleasantness was bound to happen. Miss Tertia is, it's true, a mere girl, and you've always treated her with little consideration, but out of that company of senior and junior young ladies, she is the only soul whom our lady Secunda funks to some certain extent. And yet you people now won't look up to her." 　　 So speaking Ch'iu Wen appeared to view. The married women ran up to her and inquired after her health. "Miss," they said, "do rest a little. They've had their meal served in there, so wait until things have been cleared away, before you go and deliver your message." 　　 "I'm not like you people," Ch'iu Wen smiled. "How can I afford to wait?" 　　 With these words on her lips, she was about to go into the hall, when P'ing Erh quickly called her back. Ch'iu Wen, upon turning her head round, caught sight of P'ing Erh. "Have you too," she remarked with a smile, "come here to become something like those guardians posted outside the enclosing walls?" 　　 Retracing, at the same time, her footsteps, she took a seat on the rug, occupied by P'ing Erh. 　　 "What message have you got to deliver?" P'ing Erh gently asked. 　　 "I've got to ask when we can get Pao-yue's monthly allowance and our own too," she responded. 　　 "Is this any such pressing matter?" P'ing Erh answered. "Go back quick, and tell Hsi Jen that my advice is that no concern whatever should be brought to their notice to-day. That every single matter reported is bound to be objected to; and that even a hundred will just as surely be vetoed." 　　 "Why is it?" vehemently inquired Ch'iu Wen, upon hearing this explanation. 　　 P'ing Erh and the other servants then promptly told her the various reasons. "She's just bent," they proceeded, "upon finding a few weighty concerns in order to establish, at the expense of any decent person who might chance to present herself, a precedent of some kind or other so as to fix upon a mode of action, which might help to put down expenses to their proper level, and afford a lesson to the whole household; and why are you people the first to come and bump your heads against the nails? If you went now and told them your errand, it would also reflect discredit upon our venerable old mistress and Madame Wang, were they to pounce upon one or two matters to make an example of you. But if they complied with one or two of your applications, others will again maintain 'that they are inclined to favour this one and show partiality to that one; that as you had your old mistress' and Madame Wang's authority to fall back upon, they were afraid and did not presume to provoke their displeasure; that they only avail themselves of soft-natured persons to make scapegoats of.' Just mark my words! She even means to raise objections in one or two matters connected with our lady Secunda, in order to be the better able to shut up people's mouths." 　　 Ch'iu Wen listened to her with patient ear; and then stretching out her tongue, "It's lucky enough you were here, sister P'ing," she smiled; "otherwise, I would have had my nose well rubbed on the ground. I shall seize the earliest opportunity and give the lot of them a hint." 　　 While replying, she immediately rose to her feet and took leave of them. Soon after her departure, Pao-ch'ai's eatables arrived, and P'ing Erh hastened to enter and wait on her. By that time Mrs. Chao had left, so the three girls seated themselves on the wooden bed, and went through their repast. Pao-ch'ai faced the south. T'an Ch'un the west. Li Wan the east. The company of married women stood quietly under the verandah ready to answer any calls. Within the precincts of the chamber, only such maids remained in waiting as had ever been their closest attendants. None of the other servants ventured, of their own accord, to put their foot anywhere inside. 　　 The married women (meanwhile) discussed matters in a confidential whisper. "Let's do our downright best to save trouble," they argued. "Don't let us therefore harbour any evil design, for even dame Wu will, in that case, be placed in an awkward fix. And can we boast of any grand honours to expect to fare any better?" 　　 While they stood on one side, and held counsel together, waiting for the meal to be over to make their several reports, they could not catch so much as the caw of a crow inside the rooms. Neither did the clatter of bowls and chopsticks reach their ears. But presently, they discerned a maid raise the frame of the portiere as high as she could, and two other girls bring the table out. In the tea-room, three maids waited with three basins in hand. The moment they saw the dining-table brought out, all three walked in. But after a brief interval, they egressed with the basins and rinsing cups. Shih Shu, Su Yuen and Ying Erh thereupon entered with three covered cups of tea, placed in trays. Shortly however these three girls also made their exit. Shih Shu then recommended a young maid to be careful and attend to the wants (of their mistresses). "When we've had our rice," she added, "we'll come and relieve you. But don't go stealthily again and sit down!" 　　 The married women at length delivered their reports in a quiet and orderly manner; and as they did not presume to be as contemptuous and offhandish as they had been before, T'an Ch'un eventually cooled down. 　　 "I've got something of moment," she then observed to P'ing Erh, "about which I would like to consult your mistress. Happily, I remembered it just now, so come back as soon as you've had your meal. Miss Pao-ch'ai is also here at present, so, after we four have deliberated together, you can carefully ask your lady whether action is to be taken accordingly or not." 　　 P'ing Erh acquiesced and returned to her quarters. "How is it," inquired lady Feng, "that you've been away such an age?" 　　 P'ing Erh smiled and gave her a full account of what had recently transpired. 　　 "What a fine, splendid girl Miss Tertia is!" she laughingly ejaculated. "What I said was quite right! The only pity is that she should have had such a miserable lot as not to have been born of a primary wife." 　　 "My lady, you're also talking a lot of trash!" P'ing Erh smiled. "She, mayn't be Madame Wang's child, but is it likely that any one would be so bold as to point the finger of scorn at her, and not treat her like the others?" 　　 Lady Feng sighed. "How could you know everything?" she remarked. "She is, of course, the offspring of a concubine, but as a mere girl, she can't be placed on the same footing as a man! By and bye, when any one aspires to her hand, the sort of supercilious parties, who now tread the world, will, as a first step, ask whether this young lady is the child of a No. 1 or No. 2 wife. And many of these won't have anything to say to her, as she is the child, of a No. 2. But really people haven't any idea that, not to speak of her as the offspring of a secondary wife, she would be, even as a mere servant-girl of ours, far superior than the very legitimate daughter of any family. Who, I wonder, will in the future be so devoid of good fortune as to break off the match; just because he may be inclined to pick and choose between a wife's child and a concubine's child? And who, I would like to know, will be that lucky fellow, who'll snatch her off without any regard to No. 1 and No. 2?" 　　 Continuing, she resumed, turning smilingly towards P'ing Erh, "You know well enough how many ways and means I've had all these years to devise in order to effect retrenchment, and how there isn't, I may safely aver, a single soul in the whole household, who doesn't detest me behind my back. But now that I'm astride on the tiger's back, (I must go on; for if I put my foot on the ground, I shall be devoured). It's true, my tactics have been more or less seen through, but there's no help for it; I can't very well become more open-handed in a moment! In the second place, much goes out at home, and little comes in; and the hundred and one, large and small, things, which turn up, are still managed with that munificence so characteristic of our old ancestors. But the funds, that come in throughout the year, fall short of the immense sums of past days. And if I try again to effect any savings people will laugh at me, our venerable senior and Madame Wang suffer wrongs, and the servants abhor me for my stinginess. Yet, if we don't seize the first opportunity to think of some plan for enforcing retrenchment, our means will, in the course of a few more years, be completely exhausted." 　　 "Quite so!" assented P'ing Erh. "By and bye, there will be three or four daughters and two or three more sons added; and our old mistress won't be able, singlehanded, to meet all this heavy outlay." 　　 "I myself entertain fears on the same score," lady Feng smiled. "But, after all, there will be ample. For when Pao-yue and cousin Lin get married, there won't be any need to touch a cent of public money, as our old lady has her own private means, and she can well fork out some. Miss Secunda is the child of your senior master yonder, and she too needn't be taken into account. So there only remain three or four, for each of whom one need only spend, at the utmost, ten thousand taels. Cousin Huan will marry in the near future; and if an outlay of three thousand taels prove insufficient, we will be able, by curtailing the bandoline, used in those rooms for smoothing the hair with, make both ends meet. And should our worthy senior's end come about, provision for everything is already made. All that we'll have to do will be to spend some small sum for a few miscellaneous trifles; and three to five thousand taels will more than suffice. So with further economies at present, there will be plenty for all our successive needs. The only fear is lest anything occur at an unforeseen juncture; for then it will be dreadful! But don't let us give way to apprehensions with regard to the future! You'd better have your rice; and when you've done, be quick and go and hear what they mean to treat about in their deliberations. I must now turn this opportunity to the best account. I was only this very minute lamenting that I had no help at my disposal. There's Pao-yue, it's true, but he too is made of the same stuff as the rest of them in here. Were I even to get him under my thumb, it would be of no earthly use whatever. Senior lady is as good-natured as a joss; and she likewise is no good. Miss Secunda is worse than useless. Besides, she doesn't belong to this place. Miss Quarta is only a child. That young fellow Lan and Huan-erh are, more than any of the others, like frozen kittens with frizzled coats. They only wait to find some warm hole in a stove into which they may poke themselves! Really from one and the same womb have been created two human beings (T'an Ch'un and Chia Huan) so totally unlike each other as the heavens are distant from the earth. But when I think of all this, I feel quite angry! Again, that girl Lin and Miss Pao are both deserving enough, but as they also happen to be our connexions, they couldn't very well be put in charge of our family affairs. What's more, the one resembles a lantern, decorated with nice girls, apt to spoil so soon as it is blown by a puff of wind. The other has made up her mind not to open her month in anything that doesn't concern her. When she's questioned about anything, she simply shakes her head, and repeats thrice: 'I don't know,' so that it would be an extremely difficult job to go and ask her to lend a helping hand. There's only therefore Miss Tertia, who is as sharp of mind as of tongue. She's besides a straightforward creature in this household of ours and Madame Wang is attached to her as well. It's true that she outwardly makes no display of her feelings for her, but it's all that old thing Mrs. Chao, who has done the mischief, for, in her heart, she actually holds her as dear as she does Pao-yue. She's such a contrast to Huan-erh! He truly makes it hard for any one to care a rap for him. Could I have had my own way, I would long ere this have packed him out of the place. But since she (T'au Ch'un) has now got this idea into her mind, we must cooperate with her. For if we can afford each other a helping hand, I too won't be single-handed and alone. And as far as every right principle, eternal principle, and honesty of purpose go, we shall with such a person as a helpmate, be able to save ourselves considerable anxiety, and Madame Wang's interests will, on the other hand, derive every advantage. But, as far as unfairness and bad faith go, I've run the show with too malicious a hand, and I must turn tail and draw back from my old ways. When I review what I've done, I find that if I still push my tyrannical rule to the bitter end, people will hate me most relentlessly; so much so, that under their smiles they'll harbour daggers, and much though we two may then be able to boast of having four eyes and two heads between us, they'll compass our ruin, when they can at any moment find us off our guard. We should therefore make the best of this crisis, so that as soon as she takes the initiative and sets things in order, all that tribe of people may for a time lose sight of the bitter feelings they cherish against us, for the way we've dealt with them in the past. But there's another thing besides. I naturally know the great talents you possess, but I feel mistrust lest you should, by your own wits, not be able to bring things round. I enjoin these things then on you, now, for although a mere girl she has everything at her fingers' ends. The only thing is that she must try and be wary in speech. She's besides so much better read than I am that she's a harder nut to crack. Now the proverb says: 'in order to be able to catch the rebels, you must first catch their chief.' So if she's at present disposed to mature some plan and set to work to put it into practice, she'll certainly have to first and foremost make a start with me. In the event consequently of her raising objections to anything I've done, mind you don't begin any dispute with her. The more virulent she is in her censure of me, the more deferential you should be towards her. That's your best plan. And whatever you do, don't imagine that I'm afraid of any loss of face. But the moment you flare up with her, things won' go well......" 　　 P'ing Erh did not allow her time to conclude her argument. "You're too much disposed to treat us as simpletons!" she smiled. "I've already carried out your wishes, and do you now enjoin all these things on me?" 　　 Lady Feng smiled. "It's because," she resumed, "I feared lest you, who have your eyes and mouth so full of me, and only me, might be inclined to show no regard whatever for her, that's why. I couldn't, therefore, but tender you the advice I did. But since you've already done what I wanted you to do, you've shown yourself far sharper than I am. There's nothing in this to drive you into another tantrum, and to make that mouth of yours begin to chatter away so much about 'you and I,' 'you and I' !" 　　 "I've actually addressed you as 'you' ;" P'ing Erh rejoined; "but if you be displeased at it, isn't this a case of a slap on the mouth? You can very well give me another one, for is it likely that this phiz of mine hasn't as yet tasted any, pray?" 　　 "What a vixen you are!" lady Feng said smilingly. "How many faults will you go on picking out, before you shut up? You see how ill I am, and yet you come to rub me the wrong way. Come and sit down; for you and I can at all events have our meal together when there is no one to break in upon us. It's only right that we should." 　　 While these remarks dropped from her lips, Feng Erh and some three or four other maids entered the room and laid the small stove-couch table. Lady Feng only ate some birds' nests' soup and emptied two small plates of some recherche light viands; for she had long ago temporarily reduced her customary diet. 　　 Feng Erh placed the four kinds of eatables allotted to P'ing Erh on the table. After which, she filled a bowl of rice for her. Then with one leg bent on the edge of the stove-couch, while the other rested on the ground, P'ing Erh kept lady Feng company during her repast; and waiting on her, afterwards, until she finished rinsing her mouth, she issued certain directions to Feng Erh, and crossed over at length to T'an Ch'un's quarters. Here she found the courtyard plunged in perfect stillness, for the various inmates, who had been assembled there, had already taken their leave. 　　 But, reader, do you wish to follow up the story? If so, listen to the circumstances detailed in the next chapter. 请欣赏:  请给我换一个看看！  拜托，快把噪音停掉！我读累了，想听点音乐或者请来支歌曲！      << qiányīzhānghuí   hòuyīzhānghuí >>    【选集】hóng lóu yī chūn mèng

dì yī huí　 zhēn shì yǐn mèng huàn shí tōng líng　 jiǎ yǔ cūn fēng chén huái guī xiù CHAPTER I. dì 'èr huí　 jiǎ fū rén xiān shì yáng zhōu chéng　 lěng zǐ xīng yǎn shuō róng guó fǔ CHAPTER II. dì sān huí jiǎ yǔ cūn yín yuán fù jiù zhí　 lín dài yù pāo fù jìn jīng dū CHAPTER III. dì sì huí bó mìng nǚ piān féng bó mìng láng　 hú lú sēng luàn pàn hú lú 'àn CHAPTER IV. dì wǔ huí yóu huàn jìng zhǐ mí shí 'èr chāi　 yǐn xiān láo qū yǎn hóng lóu mèng CHAPTER V. dì liù huí jiǎ bǎo yù chū shì yún yǔ qíng　 liú lǎo lǎo yī jìn róng guó fǔ CHAPTER VI. dì qī huí sòng gōng huā jiǎ liǎn xì xī fèng　 yàn níng fǔ bǎo yù huì qín zhōng CHAPTER VII. dì bā huí bǐ tōng líng jīn yīng wēi lù yì　 tàn bǎo chāi dài yù bàn hán suān CHAPTER VIII. dì jiǔ huí liàn fēng liú qíng yǒu rù jiā shú　 qǐ xián yí wán tóng nào xué táng CHAPTER IX. dì shí huí　 jīn guǎ fù tān lì quán shòu rǔ　 zhāng tài yī lùn bìng xì qióng yuán CHAPTER X. dì shí yī huí qìng shòu chén níng fǔ pái jiā yàn　 jiàn xī fèng jiǎ ruì qǐ yín xīn CHAPTER XI. dì shí 'èr huí　 wáng xī fèng dú shè xiāng sī jú　 jiǎ tiān xiáng zhèng zhào fēng yuè jiàn CHAPTER XII. dì shí sān huí　 qín kě qīng sǐ fēng lóng jìn wèi　 wáng xī fèng xié lǐ níng guó fǔ CHAPTER XIII. dì shí sì huí　 lín rú hǎi juān guǎn yáng zhōu chéng　 jiǎ bǎo yù lù yè běi jìng wáng CHAPTER XIV. dì shí wǔ huí　 wáng fèng jiě nòng quán tiě jiàn sì　 qín jīng qīng dé qù mán tóu 'ān CHAPTER XV. dì shí liù huí　 jiǎ yuán chūn cái xuǎn fèng zǎo gōng　 qín jīng qīng yāo shì huáng quán lù CHAPTER XVI. dì shí qī huí　 dà guān yuán shì cái tí duì 'é　 róng guó fǔ guī shěng qìng yuán xiāo CHAPTER XVII. dì shí bā huí　 gé zhū lián fù nǚ miǎn zhōng qín　 nuò xiāng guǎn zǐ dì cái tí yǒng CHAPTER XVIII. dì shí jiǔ huí　 qíng qiē qiē liáng xiāo huā jiě yǔ　 yì mián mián jìng rì yù shēng xiāng CHAPTER XIX. dì 'èr shí huí　 wáng xī fèng zhèng yán dàn dù yì　 lín dài yù qiào yǔ xuè jiāo yīn CHAPTER XX. dì 'èr shí yī huí　 xián xí rén jiāo chēn zhēn bǎo yù　 qiào píng 'ér ruǎn yǔ jiù jiǎ liǎn CHAPTER XXI. dì 'èr shí 'èr huí　 tīng qū wén bǎo yù wù chán jī　 zhì dēng mí jiǎ zhèng bēi chèn yǔ CHAPTER XXII. dì 'èr shí sān huí　 xī xiāng jì miào cí tōng xì yǔ　 mǔ dān tíng yàn qū jǐng fāng xīn CHAPTER XXIII. dì 'èr shí sì huí　 zuì jīn gāng qīng cái shàng yì xiá　 chī nǚ 'ér yí pà rě xiāng sī CHAPTER XXIV.

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