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diff --git a/old/7hlm110.txt b/old/7hlm110.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5d05dd4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/7hlm110.txt @@ -0,0 +1,19162 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hung Lou Meng, Book I, by Cao Xueqin + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Hung Lou Meng, Book I + +Author: Cao Xueqin + +Release Date: January, 2006 [EBook #9603] +[This file was first posted on October 9, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, HUNG LOU MENG, BOOK I *** + + + + +E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland and Project Gutenberg Distributed +Proofreaders + + + + + + + +Editors note: This novel is divided into two books, of which this is + Book I. Book II (7hlm210.txt, 7hlm210.zip, 8hlm210.txt, + or 8hllm210.zip) will be found in our etext05 directory + (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext05/). + + + + +HUNG LOU MENG; + +OR, THE DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER, A CHINESE NOVEL + +BY + +CAO XUEQIN + +Translated by H. BENCRAFT JOLY + + + + + + + +BOOK I. + + + + + +PREFACE. + +This translation was suggested not by any pretensions to range myself +among the ranks of the body of sinologues, but by the perplexities and +difficulties experienced by me as a student in Peking, when, at the +completion of the Tzu Erh Chi, I had to plunge in the maze of the Hung +Lou Meng. + +Shortcomings are, I feel sure, to be discovered, both in the prose, as +well as among the doggerel and uncouth rhymes, in which the text has +been more adhered to than rhythm; but I shall feel satisfied with the +result, if I succeed, even in the least degree, in affording a helping +hand to present and future students of the Chinese language. + +H. BENCRAFT JOLY, H.B.M. Vice-Consulate, Macao, 1st September, 1891. + + + + + + +THE DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Chen Shih-yin, in a vision, apprehends perception and spirituality. + Chia Yue-ts'un, in the (windy and dusty) world, cherishes fond thoughts + of a beautiful maiden. + + +This is the opening section; this the first chapter. Subsequent to the +visions of a dream which he had, on some previous occasion, experienced, +the writer personally relates, he designedly concealed the true +circumstances, and borrowed the attributes of perception and +spirituality to relate this story of the Record of the Stone. With this +purpose, he made use of such designations as Chen Shih-yin (truth under +the garb of fiction) and the like. What are, however, the events +recorded in this work? Who are the dramatis personae? + +Wearied with the drudgery experienced of late in the world, the author +speaking for himself, goes on to explain, with the lack of success which +attended every single concern, I suddenly bethought myself of the +womankind of past ages. Passing one by one under a minute scrutiny, I +felt that in action and in lore, one and all were far above me; that in +spite of the majesty of my manliness, I could not, in point of fact, +compare with these characters of the gentle sex. And my shame forsooth +then knew no bounds; while regret, on the other hand, was of no avail, +as there was not even a remote possibility of a day of remedy. + +On this very day it was that I became desirous to compile, in a +connected form, for publication throughout the world, with a view to +(universal) information, how that I bear inexorable and manifold +retribution; inasmuch as what time, by the sustenance of the benevolence +of Heaven, and the virtue of my ancestors, my apparel was rich and fine, +and as what days my fare was savory and sumptuous, I disregarded the +bounty of education and nurture of father and mother, and paid no heed +to the virtue of precept and injunction of teachers and friends, with +the result that I incurred the punishment, of failure recently in the +least trifle, and the reckless waste of half my lifetime. There have +been meanwhile, generation after generation, those in the inner +chambers, the whole mass of whom could not, on any account, be, through +my influence, allowed to fall into extinction, in order that I, unfilial +as I have been, may have the means to screen my own shortcomings. + +Hence it is that the thatched shed, with bamboo mat windows, the bed of +tow and the stove of brick, which are at present my share, are not +sufficient to deter me from carrying out the fixed purpose of my mind. +And could I, furthermore, confront the morning breeze, the evening moon, +the willows by the steps and the flowers in the courtyard, methinks +these would moisten to a greater degree my mortal pen with ink; but +though I lack culture and erudition, what harm is there, however, in +employing fiction and unrecondite language to give utterance to the +merits of these characters? And were I also able to induce the inmates +of the inner chamber to understand and diffuse them, could I besides +break the weariness of even so much as a single moment, or could I open +the eyes of my contemporaries, will it not forsooth prove a boon? + +This consideration has led to the usage of such names as Chia Yue-ts'un +and other similar appellations. + +More than any in these pages have been employed such words as dreams and +visions; but these dreams constitute the main argument of this work, and +combine, furthermore, the design of giving a word of warning to my +readers. + +Reader, can you suggest whence the story begins? + +The narration may border on the limits of incoherency and triviality, +but it possesses considerable zest. But to begin. + +The Empress Nue Wo, (the goddess of works,) in fashioning blocks of +stones, for the repair of the heavens, prepared, at the Ta Huang Hills +and Wu Ch'i cave, 36,501 blocks of rough stone, each twelve chang in +height, and twenty-four chang square. Of these stones, the Empress Wo +only used 36,500; so that one single block remained over and above, +without being turned to any account. This was cast down the Ch'ing Keng +peak. This stone, strange to say, after having undergone a process of +refinement, attained a nature of efficiency, and could, by its innate +powers, set itself into motion and was able to expand and to contract. + +When it became aware that the whole number of blocks had been made use +of to repair the heavens, that it alone had been destitute of the +necessary properties and had been unfit to attain selection, it +forthwith felt within itself vexation and shame, and day and night, it +gave way to anguish and sorrow. + +One day, while it lamented its lot, it suddenly caught sight, at a great +distance, of a Buddhist bonze and of a Taoist priest coming towards that +direction. Their appearance was uncommon, their easy manner remarkable. +When they drew near this Ch'ing Keng peak, they sat on the ground to +rest, and began to converse. But on noticing the block newly-polished +and brilliantly clear, which had moreover contracted in dimensions, and +become no larger than the pendant of a fan, they were greatly filled +with admiration. The Buddhist priest picked it up, and laid it in the +palm of his hand. + +"Your appearance," he said laughingly, "may well declare you to be a +supernatural object, but as you lack any inherent quality it is +necessary to inscribe a few characters on you, so that every one who +shall see you may at once recognise you to be a remarkable thing. And +subsequently, when you will be taken into a country where honour and +affluence will reign, into a family cultured in mind and of official +status, in a land where flowers and trees shall flourish with +luxuriance, in a town of refinement, renown and glory; when you once +will have been there..." + +The stone listened with intense delight. + +"What characters may I ask," it consequently inquired, "will you +inscribe? and what place will I be taken to? pray, pray explain to me in +lucid terms." "You mustn't be inquisitive," the bonze replied, with a +smile, "in days to come you'll certainly understand everything." Having +concluded these words, he forthwith put the stone in his sleeve, and +proceeded leisurely on his journey, in company with the Taoist priest. +Whither, however, he took the stone, is not divulged. Nor can it be +known how many centuries and ages elapsed, before a Taoist priest, K'ung +K'ung by name, passed, during his researches after the eternal reason +and his quest after immortality, by these Ta Huang Hills, Wu Ch'i cave +and Ch'ing Keng Peak. Suddenly perceiving a large block of stone, on the +surface of which the traces of characters giving, in a connected form, +the various incidents of its fate, could be clearly deciphered, K'ung +K'ung examined them from first to last. They, in fact, explained how +that this block of worthless stone had originally been devoid of the +properties essential for the repairs to the heavens, how it would be +transmuted into human form and introduced by Mang Mang the High Lord, +and Miao Miao, the Divine, into the world of mortals, and how it would +be led over the other bank (across the San Sara). On the surface, the +record of the spot where it would fall, the place of its birth, as well +as various family trifles and trivial love affairs of young ladies, +verses, odes, speeches and enigmas was still complete; but the name of +the dynasty and the year of the reign were obliterated, and could not be +ascertained. + +On the obverse, were also the following enigmatical verses: + + Lacking in virtues meet the azure skies to mend, + In vain the mortal world full many a year I wend, + Of a former and after life these facts that be, + Who will for a tradition strange record for me? + +K'ung K'ung, the Taoist, having pondered over these lines for a while, +became aware that this stone had a history of some kind. + +"Brother stone," he forthwith said, addressing the stone, "the concerns +of past days recorded on you possess, according to your own account, a +considerable amount of interest, and have been for this reason +inscribed, with the intent of soliciting generations to hand them down +as remarkable occurrences. But in my own opinion, they lack, in the +first place, any data by means of which to establish the name of the +Emperor and the year of his reign; and, in the second place, these +constitute no record of any excellent policy, adopted by any high +worthies or high loyal statesmen, in the government of the state, or in +the rule of public morals. The contents simply treat of a certain number +of maidens, of exceptional character; either of their love affairs or +infatuations, or of their small deserts or insignificant talents; and +were I to transcribe the whole collection of them, they would, +nevertheless, not be estimated as a book of any exceptional worth." + +"Sir Priest," the stone replied with assurance, "why are you so +excessively dull? The dynasties recorded in the rustic histories, which +have been written from age to age, have, I am fain to think, invariably +assumed, under false pretences, the mere nomenclature of the Han and +T'ang dynasties. They differ from the events inscribed on my block, +which do not borrow this customary practice, but, being based on my own +experiences and natural feelings, present, on the contrary, a novel and +unique character. Besides, in the pages of these rustic histories, +either the aspersions upon sovereigns and statesmen, or the strictures +upon individuals, their wives, and their daughters, or the deeds of +licentiousness and violence are too numerous to be computed. Indeed, +there is one more kind of loose literature, the wantonness and pollution +in which work most easy havoc upon youth. + +"As regards the works, in which the characters of scholars and beauties +is delineated their allusions are again repeatedly of Wen Chuen, their +theme in every page of Tzu Chien; a thousand volumes present no +diversity; and a thousand characters are but a counterpart of each +other. What is more, these works, throughout all their pages, cannot +help bordering on extreme licence. The authors, however, had no other +object in view than to give utterance to a few sentimental odes and +elegant ballads of their own, and for this reason they have fictitiously +invented the names and surnames of both men and women, and necessarily +introduced, in addition, some low characters, who should, like a buffoon +in a play, create some excitement in the plot. + +"Still more loathsome is a kind of pedantic and profligate literature, +perfectly devoid of all natural sentiment, full of self-contradictions; +and, in fact, the contrast to those maidens in my work, whom I have, +during half my lifetime, seen with my own eyes and heard with my own +ears. And though I will not presume to estimate them as superior to the +heroes and heroines in the works of former ages, yet the perusal of the +motives and issues of their experiences, may likewise afford matter +sufficient to banish dulness, and to break the spell of melancholy. + +"As regards the several stanzas of doggerel verse, they may too evoke +such laughter as to compel the reader to blurt out the rice, and to +spurt out the wine. + +"In these pages, the scenes depicting the anguish of separation, the +bliss of reunion, and the fortunes of prosperity and of adversity are +all, in every detail, true to human nature, and I have not taken upon +myself to make the slightest addition, or alteration, which might lead +to the perversion of the truth. + +"My only object has been that men may, after a drinking bout, or after +they wake from sleep or when in need of relaxation from the pressure of +business, take up this light literature, and not only expunge the traces +of antiquated books, and obtain a new kind of distraction, but that they +may also lay by a long life as well as energy and strength; for it bears +no point of similarity to those works, whose designs are false, whose +course is immoral. Now, Sir Priest, what are your views on the subject?" + +K'ung K'ung having pondered for a while over the words, to which he had +listened intently, re-perused, throughout, this record of the stone; and +finding that the general purport consisted of nought else than a +treatise on love, and likewise of an accurate transcription of facts, +without the least taint of profligacy injurious to the times, he +thereupon copied the contents, from beginning to end, to the intent of +charging the world to hand them down as a strange story. + +Hence it was that K'ung K'ung, the Taoist, in consequence of his +perception, (in his state of) abstraction, of passion, the generation, +from this passion, of voluptuousness, the transmission of this +voluptuousness into passion, and the apprehension, by means of passion, +of its unreality, forthwith altered his name for that of "Ch'ing Tseng" +(the Voluptuous Bonze), and changed the title of "the Memoir of a Stone" +(Shih-t'ou-chi,) for that of "Ch'ing Tseng Lu," The Record of the +Voluptuous Bonze; while K'ung Mei-chi of Tung Lu gave it the name of +"Feng Yueeh Pao Chien," "The Precious Mirror of Voluptuousness." In later +years, owing to the devotion by Tsao Hsueeh-ch'in in the Tao Hung study, +of ten years to the perusal and revision of the work, the additions and +modifications effected by him five times, the affix of an index and the +division into periods and chapters, the book was again entitled "Chin +Ling Shih Erh Ch'ai," "The Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling." A stanza was +furthermore composed for the purpose. This then, and no other, is the +origin of the Record of the Stone. The poet says appositely:-- + + Pages full of silly litter, + Tears a handful sour and bitter; + All a fool the author hold, + But their zest who can unfold? + +You have now understood the causes which brought about the Record of the +Stone, but as you are not, as yet, aware what characters are depicted, +and what circumstances are related on the surface of the block, reader, +please lend an ear to the narrative on the stone, which runs as +follows:-- + +In old days, the land in the South East lay low. In this South-East part +of the world, was situated a walled town, Ku Su by name. Within the +walls a locality, called the Ch'ang Men, was more than all others +throughout the mortal world, the centre, which held the second, if not +the first place for fashion and life. Beyond this Ch'ang Men was a +street called Shih-li-chieh (Ten _Li_ street); in this street a lane, +the Jen Ch'ing lane (Humanity and Purity); and in this lane stood an old +temple, which on account of its diminutive dimensions, was called, by +general consent, the Gourd temple. Next door to this temple lived the +family of a district official, Chen by surname, Fei by name, and +Shih-yin by style. His wife, nee Feng, possessed a worthy and virtuous +disposition, and had a clear perception of moral propriety and good +conduct. This family, though not in actual possession of excessive +affluence and honours, was, nevertheless, in their district, conceded to +be a clan of well-to-do standing. As this Chen Shih-yin was of a +contented and unambitious frame of mind, and entertained no hankering +after any official distinction, but day after day of his life took +delight in gazing at flowers, planting bamboos, sipping his wine and +conning poetical works, he was in fact, in the indulgence of these +pursuits, as happy as a supernatural being. + +One thing alone marred his happiness. He had lived over half a century +and had, as yet, no male offspring around his knees. He had one only +child, a daughter, whose infant name was Ying Lien. She was just three +years of age. On a long summer day, on which the heat had been intense, +Shih-yin sat leisurely in his library. Feeling his hand tired, he +dropped the book he held, leant his head on a teapoy, and fell asleep. + +Of a sudden, while in this state of unconsciousness, it seemed as if he +had betaken himself on foot to some spot or other whither he could not +discriminate. Unexpectedly he espied, in the opposite direction, two +priests coming towards him: the one a Buddhist, the other a Taoist. As +they advanced they kept up the conversation in which they were engaged. +"Whither do you purpose taking the object you have brought away?" he +heard the Taoist inquire. To this question the Buddhist replied with a +smile: "Set your mind at ease," he said; "there's now in maturity a plot +of a general character involving mundane pleasures, which will presently +come to a denouement. The whole number of the votaries of voluptuousness +have, as yet, not been quickened or entered the world, and I mean to +avail myself of this occasion to introduce this object among their +number, so as to give it a chance to go through the span of human +existence." "The votaries of voluptuousness of these days will naturally +have again to endure the ills of life during their course through the +mortal world," the Taoist remarked; "but when, I wonder, will they +spring into existence? and in what place will they descend?" + +"The account of these circumstances," the bonze ventured to reply, "is +enough to make you laugh! They amount to this: there existed in the +west, on the bank of the Ling (spiritual) river, by the side of the San +Sheng (thrice-born) stone, a blade of the Chiang Chu (purple pearl) +grass. At about the same time it was that the block of stone was, +consequent upon its rejection by the goddess of works, also left to +ramble and wander to its own gratification, and to roam about at +pleasure to every and any place. One day it came within the precincts of +the Ching Huan (Monitory Vision) Fairy; and this Fairy, cognizant of the +fact that this stone had a history, detained it, therefore, to reside at +the Ch'ih Hsia (purple clouds) palace, and apportioned to it the duties +of attendant on Shen Ying, a fairy of the Ch'ih Hsia palace. + +"This stone would, however, often stroll along the banks of the Ling +river, and having at the sight of the blade of spiritual grass been +filled with admiration, it, day by day, moistened its roots with sweet +dew. This purple pearl grass, at the outset, tarried for months and +years; but being at a later period imbued with the essence and +luxuriance of heaven and earth, and having incessantly received the +moisture and nurture of the sweet dew, divested itself, in course of +time, of the form of a grass; assuming, in lieu, a human nature, which +gradually became perfected into the person of a girl. + +"Every day she was wont to wander beyond the confines of the Li Hen +(divested animosities) heavens. When hungry she fed on the Pi Ch'ing +(hidden love) fruit--when thirsty she drank the Kuan ch'ou (discharged +sorrows,) water. Having, however, up to this time, not shewn her +gratitude for the virtue of nurture lavished upon her, the result was +but natural that she should resolve in her heart upon a constant and +incessant purpose to make suitable acknowledgment. + +"I have been," she would often commune within herself, "the recipient of +the gracious bounty of rain and dew, but I possess no such water as was +lavished upon me to repay it! But should it ever descend into the world +in the form of a human being, I will also betake myself thither, along +with it; and if I can only have the means of making restitution to it, +with the tears of a whole lifetime, I may be able to make adequate +return." + +"This resolution it is that will evolve the descent into the world of so +many pleasure-bound spirits of retribution and the experience of +fantastic destinies; and this crimson pearl blade will also be among the +number. The stone still lies in its original place, and why should not +you and I take it along before the tribunal of the Monitory Vision +Fairy, and place on its behalf its name on record, so that it should +descend into the world, in company with these spirits of passion, and +bring this plot to an issue?" + +"It is indeed ridiculous," interposed the Taoist. "Never before have I +heard even the very mention of restitution by means of tears! Why should +not you and I avail ourselves of this opportunity to likewise go down +into the world? and if successful in effecting the salvation of a few of +them, will it not be a work meritorious and virtuous?" + +"This proposal," remarked the Buddhist, "is quite in harmony with my own +views. Come along then with me to the palace of the Monitory Vision +Fairy, and let us deliver up this good-for-nothing object, and have done +with it! And when the company of pleasure-bound spirits of wrath descend +into human existence, you and I can then enter the world. Half of them +have already fallen into the dusty universe, but the whole number of +them have not, as yet, come together." + +"Such being the case," the Taoist acquiesced, "I am ready to follow you, +whenever you please to go." + +But to return to Chen Shih-yin. Having heard every one of these words +distinctly, he could not refrain from forthwith stepping forward and +paying homage. "My spiritual lords," he said, as he smiled, "accept my +obeisance." The Buddhist and Taoist priests lost no time in responding +to the compliment, and they exchanged the usual salutations. "My +spiritual lords," Shih-yin continued; "I have just heard the +conversation that passed between you, on causes and effects, a +conversation the like of which few mortals have forsooth listened to; +but your younger brother is sluggish of intellect, and cannot lucidly +fathom the import! Yet could this dulness and simplicity be graciously +dispelled, your younger brother may, by listening minutely, with +undefiled ear and careful attention, to a certain degree be aroused to a +sense of understanding; and what is more, possibly find the means of +escaping the anguish of sinking down into Hades." + +The two spirits smiled, "The conversation," they added, "refers to the +primordial scheme and cannot be divulged before the proper season; but, +when the time comes, mind do not forget us two, and you will readily be +able to escape from the fiery furnace." + +Shih-yin, after this reply, felt it difficult to make any further +inquiries. "The primordial scheme," he however remarked smiling, +"cannot, of course, be divulged; but what manner of thing, I wonder, is +the good-for-nothing object you alluded to a short while back? May I not +be allowed to judge for myself?" + +"This object about which you ask," the Buddhist Bonze responded, "is +intended, I may tell you, by fate to be just glanced at by you." With +these words he produced it, and handed it over to Shih-yin. + +Shih-yin received it. On scrutiny he found it, in fact, to be a +beautiful gem, so lustrous and so clear that the traces of characters on +the surface were distinctly visible. The characters inscribed consisted +of the four "T'ung Ling Pao Yue," "Precious Gem of Spiritual Perception." +On the obverse, were also several columns of minute words, which he was +just in the act of looking at intently, when the Buddhist at once +expostulated. + +"We have already reached," he exclaimed, "the confines of vision." +Snatching it violently out of his hands, he walked away with the Taoist, +under a lofty stone portal, on the face of which appeared in large type +the four characters: "T'ai Hsue Huan Ching," "The Visionary limits of the +Great Void." On each side was a scroll with the lines: + + When falsehood stands for truth, truth likewise becomes false, + Where naught be made to aught, aught changes into naught. + +Shih-yin meant also to follow them on the other side, but, as he was +about to make one step forward, he suddenly heard a crash, just as if +the mountains had fallen into ruins, and the earth sunk into +destruction. As Shih-yin uttered a loud shout, he looked with strained +eye; but all he could see was the fiery sun shining, with glowing rays, +while the banana leaves drooped their heads. By that time, half of the +circumstances connected with the dream he had had, had already slipped +from his memory. + +He also noticed a nurse coming towards him with Ying Lien in her arms. +To Shih-yin's eyes his daughter appeared even more beautiful, such a +bright gem, so precious, and so lovable. Forthwith stretching out his +arms, he took her over, and, as he held her in his embrace, he coaxed +her to play with him for a while; after which he brought her up to the +street to see the great stir occasioned by the procession that was going +past. + +He was about to come in, when he caught sight of two priests, one a +Taoist, the other a Buddhist, coming hither from the opposite direction. +The Buddhist had a head covered with mange, and went barefooted. The +Taoist had a limping foot, and his hair was all dishevelled. + +Like maniacs, they jostled along, chattering and laughing as they drew +near. + +As soon as they reached Shih-yin's door, and they perceived him with +Ying Lien in his arms, the Bonze began to weep aloud. + +Turning towards Shih-yin, he said to him: "My good Sir, why need you +carry in your embrace this living but luckless thing, which will involve +father and mother in trouble?" + +These words did not escape Shih-yin's ear; but persuaded that they +amounted to raving talk, he paid no heed whatever to the bonze. + +"Part with her and give her to me," the Buddhist still went on to say. + +Shih-yin could not restrain his annoyance; and hastily pressing his +daughter closer to him, he was intent upon going in, when the bonze +pointed his hand at him, and burst out in a loud fit of laughter. + +He then gave utterance to the four lines that follow: + + You indulge your tender daughter and are laughed at as inane; + Vain you face the snow, oh mirror! for it will evanescent wane, + When the festival of lanterns is gone by, guard 'gainst your doom, + 'Tis what time the flames will kindle, and the fire will consume. + +Shih-yin understood distinctly the full import of what he heard; but his +heart was still full of conjectures. He was about to inquire who and +what they were, when he heard the Taoist remark,--"You and I cannot +speed together; let us now part company, and each of us will be then +able to go after his own business. After the lapse of three ages, I +shall be at the Pei Mang mount, waiting for you; and we can, after our +reunion, betake ourselves to the Visionary Confines of the Great Void, +there to cancel the name of the stone from the records." + +"Excellent! first rate!" exclaimed the Bonze. And at the conclusion of +these words, the two men parted, each going his own way, and no trace +was again seen of them. + +"These two men," Shih-yin then pondered within his heart, "must have had +many experiences, and I ought really to have made more inquiries of +them; but at this juncture to indulge in regret is anyhow too late." + +While Shih-yin gave way to these foolish reflections, he suddenly +noticed the arrival of a penniless scholar, Chia by surname, Hua by +name, Shih-fei by style and Yue-ts'un by nickname, who had taken up his +quarters in the Gourd temple next door. This Chia Yue-ts'un was +originally a denizen of Hu-Chow, and was also of literary and official +parentage, but as he was born of the youngest stock, and the possessions +of his paternal and maternal ancestors were completely exhausted, and +his parents and relatives were dead, he remained the sole and only +survivor; and, as he found his residence in his native place of no +avail, he therefore entered the capital in search of that reputation, +which would enable him to put the family estate on a proper standing. He +had arrived at this place since the year before last, and had, what is +more, lived all along in very straitened circumstances. He had made the +temple his temporary quarters, and earned a living by daily occupying +himself in composing documents and writing letters for customers. Thus +it was that Shih-yin had been in constant relations with him. + +As soon as Yue-ts'un perceived Shih-yin, he lost no time in saluting him. +"My worthy Sir," he observed with a forced smile; "how is it you are +leaning against the door and looking out? Is there perchance any news +astir in the streets, or in the public places?" + +"None whatever," replied Shih-yin, as he returned the smile. "Just a +while back, my young daughter was in sobs, and I coaxed her out here to +amuse her. I am just now without anything whatever to attend to, so +that, dear brother Chia, you come just in the nick of time. Please walk +into my mean abode, and let us endeavour, in each other's company, to +while away this long summer day." + +After he had made this remark, he bade a servant take his daughter in, +while he, hand-in-hand with Yue-ts'un, walked into the library, where a +young page served tea. They had hardly exchanged a few sentences, when +one of the household came in, in flying haste, to announce that Mr. Yen +had come to pay a visit. + +Shih-yin at once stood up. "Pray excuse my rudeness," he remarked +apologetically, "but do sit down; I shall shortly rejoin you, and enjoy +the pleasure of your society." "My dear Sir," answered Yue-ts'un, as he +got up, also in a conceding way, "suit your own convenience. I've often +had the honour of being your guest, and what will it matter if I wait a +little?" While these apologies were yet being spoken, Shih-yin had +already walked out into the front parlour. During his absence, Yue-ts'un +occupied himself in turning over the pages of some poetical work to +dispel ennui, when suddenly he heard, outside the window, a woman's +cough. Yue-ts'un hurriedly got up and looked out. He saw at a glance that +it was a servant girl engaged in picking flowers. Her deportment was out +of the common; her eyes so bright, her eyebrows so well defined. Though +not a perfect beauty, she possessed nevertheless charms sufficient to +arouse the feelings. Yue-ts'un unwittingly gazed at her with fixed eye. +This waiting-maid, belonging to the Chen family, had done picking +flowers, and was on the point of going in, when she of a sudden raised +her eyes and became aware of the presence of some person inside the +window, whose head-gear consisted of a turban in tatters, while his +clothes were the worse for wear. But in spite of his poverty, he was +naturally endowed with a round waist, a broad back, a fat face, a square +mouth; added to this, his eyebrows were swordlike, his eyes resembled +stars, his nose was straight, his cheeks square. + +This servant girl turned away in a hurry and made her escape. + +"This man so burly and strong," she communed within herself, "yet at the +same time got up in such poor attire, must, I expect, be no one else +than the man, whose name is Chia Yue-ts'un or such like, time after time +referred to by my master, and to whom he has repeatedly wished to give a +helping hand, but has failed to find a favourable opportunity. And as +related to our family there is no connexion or friend in such straits, I +feel certain it cannot be any other person than he. Strange to say, my +master has further remarked that this man will, for a certainty, not +always continue in such a state of destitution." + +As she indulged in this train of thought, she could not restrain herself +from turning her head round once or twice. + +When Yue-ts'un perceived that she had looked back, he readily interpreted +it as a sign that in her heart her thoughts had been of him, and he was +frantic with irrepressible joy. + +"This girl," he mused, "is, no doubt, keen-eyed and eminently shrewd, +and one in this world who has seen through me." + +The servant youth, after a short time, came into the room; and when +Yue-ts'un made inquiries and found out from him that the guests in the +front parlour had been detained to dinner, he could not very well wait +any longer, and promptly walked away down a side passage and out of a +back door. + +When the guests had taken their leave, Shih-yin did not go back to +rejoin Yue-ts'un, as he had come to know that he had already left. + +In time the mid-autumn festivities drew near; and Shih-yin, after the +family banquet was over, had a separate table laid in the library, and +crossed over, in the moonlight, as far as the temple and invited +Yue-ts'un to come round. + +The fact is that Yue-ts'un, ever since the day on which he had seen the +girl of the Chen family turn twice round to glance at him, flattered +himself that she was friendly disposed towards him, and incessantly +fostered fond thoughts of her in his heart. And on this day, which +happened to be the mid-autumn feast, he could not, as he gazed at the +moon, refrain from cherishing her remembrance. Hence it was that he gave +vent to these pentameter verses: + + Alas! not yet divined my lifelong wish, + And anguish ceaseless comes upon anguish + I came, and sad at heart, my brow I frowned; + She went, and oft her head to look turned round. + Facing the breeze, her shadow she doth watch, + Who's meet this moonlight night with her to match? + The lustrous rays if they my wish but read + Would soon alight upon her beauteous head! + +Yue-ts'un having, after this recitation, recalled again to mind how that +throughout his lifetime his literary attainments had had an adverse fate +and not met with an opportunity (of reaping distinction), went on to rub +his brow, and as he raised his eyes to the skies, he heaved a deep sigh +and once more intoned a couplet aloud: + + The gem in the cask a high price it seeks, + The pin in the case to take wing it waits. + +As luck would have it, Shih-yin was at the moment approaching, and upon +hearing the lines, he said with a smile: "My dear Yue-ts'un, really your +attainments are of no ordinary capacity." + +Yue-ts'un lost no time in smiling and replying. "It would be presumption +in my part to think so," he observed. "I was simply at random humming a +few verses composed by former writers, and what reason is there to laud +me to such an excessive degree? To what, my dear Sir, do I owe the +pleasure of your visit?" he went on to inquire. "Tonight," replied +Shih-yin, "is the mid-autumn feast, generally known as the full-moon +festival; and as I could not help thinking that living, as you my worthy +brother are, as a mere stranger in this Buddhist temple, you could not +but experience the feeling of loneliness. I have, for the express +purpose, prepared a small entertainment, and will be pleased if you will +come to my mean abode to have a glass of wine. But I wonder whether you +will entertain favourably my modest invitation?" Yue-ts'un, after +listening to the proposal, put forward no refusal of any sort; but +remarked complacently: "Being the recipient of such marked attention, +how can I presume to repel your generous consideration?" + +As he gave expression to these words, he walked off there and then, in +company with Shih-yin, and came over once again into the court in front +of the library. In a few minutes, tea was over. + +The cups and dishes had been laid from an early hour, and needless to +say the wines were luscious; the fare sumptuous. + +The two friends took their seats. At first they leisurely replenished +their glasses, and quietly sipped their wine; but as, little by little, +they entered into conversation, their good cheer grew more genial, and +unawares the glasses began to fly round, and the cups to be exchanged. + +At this very hour, in every house of the neighbourhood, sounded the fife +and lute, while the inmates indulged in music and singing. Above head, +the orb of the radiant moon shone with an all-pervading splendour, and +with a steady lustrous light, while the two friends, as their exuberance +increased, drained their cups dry so soon as they reached their lips. + +Yue-ts'un, at this stage of the collation, was considerably under the +influence of wine, and the vehemence of his high spirits was +irrepressible. As he gazed at the moon, he fostered thoughts, to which +he gave vent by the recital of a double couplet. + + 'Tis what time three meets five, Selene is a globe! + Her pure rays fill the court, the jadelike rails enrobe! + Lo! in the heavens her disk to view doth now arise, + And in the earth below to gaze men lift their eyes. + +"Excellent!" cried Shih-yin with a loud voice, after he had heard these +lines; "I have repeatedly maintained that it was impossible for you to +remain long inferior to any, and now the verses you have recited are a +prognostic of your rapid advancement. Already it is evident that, before +long, you will extend your footsteps far above the clouds! I must +congratulate you! I must congratulate you! Let me, with my own hands, +pour a glass of wine to pay you my compliments." + +Yue-ts'un drained the cup. "What I am about to say," he explained as he +suddenly heaved a sigh, "is not the maudlin talk of a man under the +effects of wine. As far as the subjects at present set in the +examinations go, I could, perchance, also have well been able to enter +the list, and to send in my name as a candidate; but I have, just now, +no means whatever to make provision for luggage and for travelling +expenses. The distance too to Shen Ching is a long one, and I could not +depend upon the sale of papers or the composition of essays to find the +means of getting there." + +Shih-yin gave him no time to conclude. "Why did you not speak about this +sooner?" he interposed with haste. "I have long entertained this +suspicion; but as, whenever I met you, this conversation was never +broached, I did not presume to make myself officious. But if such be the +state of affairs just now, I lack, I admit, literary qualification, but +on the two subjects of friendly spirit and pecuniary means, I have, +nevertheless, some experience. Moreover, I rejoice that next year is +just the season for the triennial examinations, and you should start for +the capital with all despatch; and in the tripos next spring, you will, +by carrying the prize, be able to do justice to the proficiency you can +boast of. As regards the travelling expenses and the other items, the +provision of everything necessary for you by my own self will again not +render nugatory your mean acquaintance with me." + +Forthwith, he directed a servant lad to go and pack up at once fifty +taels of pure silver and two suits of winter clothes. + +"The nineteenth," he continued, "is a propitious day, and you should +lose no time in hiring a boat and starting on your journey westwards. +And when, by your eminent talents, you shall have soared high to a lofty +position, and we meet again next winter, will not the occasion be +extremely felicitous?" + +Yue-ts'un accepted the money and clothes with but scanty expression of +gratitude. In fact, he paid no thought whatever to the gifts, but went +on, again drinking his wine, as he chattered and laughed. + +It was only when the third watch of that day had already struck that the +two friends parted company; and Shih-yin, after seeing Yue-ts'un off, +retired to his room and slept, with one sleep all through, never waking +until the sun was well up in the skies. + +Remembering the occurrence of the previous night, he meant to write a +couple of letters of recommendation for Yue-ts'un to take along with him +to the capital, to enable him, after handing them over at the mansions +of certain officials, to find some place as a temporary home. He +accordingly despatched a servant to ask him to come round, but the man +returned and reported that from what the bonze said, "Mr. Chia had +started on his journey to the capital, at the fifth watch of that very +morning, that he had also left a message with the bonze to deliver to +you, Sir, to the effect that men of letters paid no heed to lucky or +unlucky days, that the sole consideration with them was the nature of +the matter in hand, and that he could find no time to come round in +person and bid good-bye." + +Shih-yin after hearing this message had no alternative but to banish the +subject from his thoughts. + +In comfortable circumstances, time indeed goes by with easy stride. Soon +drew near also the happy festival of the 15th of the 1st moon, and +Shih-yin told a servant Huo Ch'i to take Ying Lien to see the +sacrificial fires and flowery lanterns. + +About the middle of the night, Huo Ch'i was hard pressed, and he +forthwith set Ying Lien down on the doorstep of a certain house. When he +felt relieved, he came back to take her up, but failed to find anywhere +any trace of Ying Lien. In a terrible plight, Huo Ch'i prosecuted his +search throughout half the night; but even by the dawn of day, he had +not discovered any clue of her whereabouts. Huo Ch'i, lacking, on the +other hand, the courage to go back and face his master, promptly made +his escape to his native village. + +Shih-yin--in fact, the husband as well as the wife--seeing that their +child had not come home during the whole night, readily concluded that +some mishap must have befallen her. Hastily they despatched several +servants to go in search of her, but one and all returned to report that +there was neither vestige nor tidings of her. + +This couple had only had this child, and this at the meridian of their +life, so that her sudden disappearance plunged them in such great +distress that day and night they mourned her loss to such a point as to +well nigh pay no heed to their very lives. + +A month in no time went by. Shih-yin was the first to fall ill, and his +wife, Dame Feng, likewise, by dint of fretting for her daughter, was +also prostrated with sickness. The doctor was, day after day, sent for, +and the oracle consulted by means of divination. + +Little did any one think that on this day, being the 15th of the 3rd +moon, while the sacrificial oblations were being prepared in the Hu Lu +temple, a pan with oil would have caught fire, through the want of care +on the part of the bonze, and that in a short time the flames would have +consumed the paper pasted on the windows. + +Among the natives of this district bamboo fences and wooden partitions +were in general use, and these too proved a source of calamity so +ordained by fate (to consummate this decree). + +With promptness (the fire) extended to two buildings, then enveloped +three, then dragged four (into ruin), and then spread to five houses, +until the whole street was in a blaze, resembling the flames of a +volcano. Though both the military and the people at once ran to the +rescue, the fire had already assumed a serious hold, so that it was +impossible for them to afford any effective assistance for its +suppression. + +It blazed away straight through the night, before it was extinguished, +and consumed, there is in fact no saying how many dwelling houses. +Anyhow, pitiful to relate, the Chen house, situated as it was next door +to the temple, was, at an early part of the evening, reduced to a heap +of tiles and bricks; and nothing but the lives of that couple and +several inmates of the family did not sustain any injuries. + +Shih-yin was in despair, but all he could do was to stamp his feet and +heave deep sighs. After consulting with his wife, they betook themselves +to a farm of theirs, where they took up their quarters temporarily. But +as it happened that water had of late years been scarce, and no crops +been reaped, robbers and thieves had sprung up like bees, and though the +Government troops were bent upon their capture, it was anyhow difficult +to settle down quietly on the farm. He therefore had no other resource +than to convert, at a loss, the whole of his property into money, and to +take his wife and two servant girls and come over for shelter to the +house of his father-in-law. + +His father-in-law, Feng Su, by name, was a native of Ta Ju Chou. +Although only a labourer, he was nevertheless in easy circumstances at +home. When he on this occasion saw his son-in-law come to him in such +distress, he forthwith felt at heart considerable displeasure. +Fortunately Shih-yin had still in his possession the money derived from +the unprofitable realization of his property, so that he produced and +handed it to his father-in-law, commissioning him to purchase, whenever +a suitable opportunity presented itself, a house and land as a provision +for food and raiment against days to come. This Feng Su, however, only +expended the half of the sum, and pocketed the other half, merely +acquiring for him some fallow land and a dilapidated house. + +Shih-yin being, on the other hand, a man of books and with no experience +in matters connected with business and with sowing and reaping, +subsisted, by hook and by crook, for about a year or two, when he became +more impoverished. + +In his presence, Feng Su would readily give vent to specious utterances, +while, with others, and behind his back, he on the contrary expressed +his indignation against his improvidence in his mode of living, and +against his sole delight of eating and playing the lazy. + +Shih-yin, aware of the want of harmony with his father-in-law, could not +help giving way, in his own heart, to feelings of regret and pain. In +addition to this, the fright and vexation which he had undergone the +year before, the anguish and suffering (he had had to endure), had +already worked havoc (on his constitution); and being a man advanced in +years, and assailed by the joint attack of poverty and disease, he at +length gradually began to display symptoms of decline. + +Strange coincidence, as he, on this day, came leaning on his staff and +with considerable strain, as far as the street for a little relaxation, +he suddenly caught sight, approaching from the off side, of a Taoist +priest with a crippled foot; his maniac appearance so repulsive, his +shoes of straw, his dress all in tatters, muttering several sentiments +to this effect: + + All men spiritual life know to be good, + But fame to disregard they ne'er succeed! + From old till now the statesmen where are they? + Waste lie their graves, a heap of grass, extinct. + All men spiritual life know to be good, + But to forget gold, silver, ill succeed! + Through life they grudge their hoardings to be scant, + And when plenty has come, their eyelids close. + All men spiritual life hold to be good, + Yet to forget wives, maids, they ne'er succeed! + Who speak of grateful love while lives their lord, + And dead their lord, another they pursue. + All men spiritual life know to be good, + But sons and grandsons to forget never succeed! + From old till now of parents soft many, + But filial sons and grandsons who have seen? + +Shih-yin upon hearing these words, hastily came up to the priest, "What +were you so glibly holding forth?" he inquired. "All I could hear were a +lot of hao liao (excellent, finality.") + +"You may well have heard the two words 'hao liao,'" answered the Taoist +with a smile, "but can you be said to have fathomed their meaning? You +should know that all things in this world are excellent, when they have +attained finality; when they have attained finality, they are excellent; +but when they have not attained finality, they are not excellent; if +they would be excellent, they should attain finality. My song is +entitled Excellent-finality (hao liao)." + +Shih-yin was gifted with a natural perspicacity that enabled him, as +soon as he heard these remarks, to grasp their spirit. + +"Wait a while," he therefore said smilingly; "let me unravel this +excellent-finality song of yours; do you mind?" + +"Please by all means go on with the interpretation," urged the Taoist; +whereupon Shih-yin proceeded in this strain: + + Sordid rooms and vacant courts, + Replete in years gone by with beds where statesmen lay; + Parched grass and withered banian trees, + Where once were halls for song and dance! + Spiders' webs the carved pillars intertwine, + The green gauze now is also pasted on the straw windows! + What about the cosmetic fresh concocted or the powder just scented; + Why has the hair too on each temple become white like hoarfrost! + Yesterday the tumulus of yellow earth buried the bleached bones, + To-night under the red silk curtain reclines the couple! + Gold fills the coffers, silver fills the boxes, + But in a twinkle, the beggars will all abuse you! + While you deplore that the life of others is not long, + You forget that you yourself are approaching death! + You educate your sons with all propriety, + But they may some day, 'tis hard to say become thieves; + Though you choose (your fare and home) the fatted beam, + You may, who can say, fall into some place of easy virtue! + Through your dislike of the gauze hat as mean, + You have come to be locked in a cangue; + Yesterday, poor fellow, you felt cold in a tattered coat, + To-day, you despise the purple embroidered dress as long! + Confusion reigns far and wide! you have just sung your part, I come on + the boards, + Instead of yours, you recognise another as your native land; + What utter perversion! + In one word, it comes to this we make wedding clothes for others! + (We sow for others to reap.) + +The crazy limping Taoist clapped his hands. "Your interpretation is +explicit," he remarked with a hearty laugh, "your interpretation is +explicit!" + +Shih-yin promptly said nothing more than,--"Walk on;" and seizing the +stole from the Taoist's shoulder, he flung it over his own. He did not, +however, return home, but leisurely walked away, in company with the +eccentric priest. + +The report of his disappearance was at once bruited abroad, and plunged +the whole neighbourhood in commotion; and converted into a piece of +news, it was circulated from mouth to mouth. + +Dame Feng, Shih-yin's wife, upon hearing the tidings, had such a fit of +weeping that she hung between life and death; but her only alternative +was to consult with her father, and to despatch servants on all sides to +institute inquiries. No news was however received of him, and she had +nothing else to do but to practise resignation, and to remain dependent +upon the support of her parents for her subsistence. She had fortunately +still by her side, to wait upon her, two servant girls, who had been +with her in days gone by; and the three of them, mistress as well as +servants, occupied themselves day and night with needlework, to assist +her father in his daily expenses. + +This Feng Su had after all, in spite of his daily murmurings against his +bad luck, no help but to submit to the inevitable. + +On a certain day, the elder servant girl of the Chen family was at the +door purchasing thread, and while there, she of a sudden heard in the +street shouts of runners clearing the way, and every one explain that +the new magistrate had come to take up his office. + +The girl, as she peeped out from inside the door, perceived the lictors +and policemen go by two by two; and when unexpectedly in a state chair, +was carried past an official, in black hat and red coat, she was indeed +quite taken aback. + +"The face of this officer would seem familiar," she argued within +herself; "just as if I had seen him somewhere or other ere this." + +Shortly she entered the house, and banishing at once the occurrence from +her mind, she did not give it a second thought. At night, however, while +she was waiting to go to bed, she suddenly heard a sound like a rap at +the door. A band of men boisterously cried out: "We are messengers, +deputed by the worthy magistrate of this district, and come to summon +one of you to an enquiry." + +Feng Su, upon hearing these words, fell into such a terrible +consternation that his eyes stared wide and his mouth gaped. + +What calamity was impending is not as yet ascertained, but, reader, +listen to the explanation contained in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + The spirit of Mrs. Chia Shih-yin departs from the town of Yang Chou. + Leng Tzu-hsing dilates upon the Jung Kuo Mansion. + + +To continue. Feng Su, upon hearing the shouts of the public messengers, +came out in a flurry and forcing a smile, he asked them to explain +(their errand); but all these people did was to continue bawling out: +"Be quick, and ask Mr. Chen to come out." + +"My surname is Feng," said Feng Su, as he promptly forced himself to +smile; "It is'nt Chen at all: I had once a son-in-law whose surname was +Chen, but he has left home, it is now already a year or two back. Is it +perchance about him that you are inquiring?" + +To which the public servants remarked: "We know nothing about Chen or +Chia (true or false); but as he is your son-in-law, we'll take you at +once along with us to make verbal answer to our master and have done +with it." + +And forthwith the whole bevy of public servants hustled Feng Su on, as +they went on their way back; while every one in the Feng family was +seized with consternation, and could not imagine what it was all about. + +It was no earlier than the second watch, when Feng Su returned home; and +they, one and all, pressed him with questions as to what had happened. + +"The fact is," he explained, "the newly-appointed Magistrate, whose +surname is Chia, whose name is Huo and who is a native of Hu-chow, has +been on intimate terms, in years gone by, with our son-in-law; that at +the sight of the girl Chiao Hsing, standing at the door, in the act of +buying thread, he concluded that he must have shifted his quarters over +here, and hence it was that his messengers came to fetch him. I gave him +a clear account of the various circumstances (of his misfortunes), and +the Magistrate was for a time much distressed and expressed his regret. +He then went on to make inquiries about my grand-daughter, and I +explained that she had been lost, while looking at the illuminations. +'No matter,' put in the Magistrate, 'I will by and by order my men to +make search, and I feel certain that they will find her and bring her +back.' Then ensued a short conversation, after which I was about to go, +when he presented me with the sum of two taels." + +The mistress of the Chen family (Mrs. Chen Shih-yin) could not but feel +very much affected by what she heard, and the whole evening she uttered +not a word. + +The next day, at an early hour, Yue-ts'un sent some of his men to bring +over to Chen's wife presents, consisting of two packets of silver, and +four pieces of brocaded silk, as a token of gratitude, and to Feng Su +also a confidential letter, requesting him to ask of Mrs. Chen her maid +Chiao Hsing to become his second wife. + +Feng Su was so intensely delighted that his eyebrows expanded, his eyes +smiled, and he felt eager to toady to the Magistrate (by presenting the +girl to him). He hastened to employ all his persuasive powers with his +daughter (to further his purpose), and on the same evening he forthwith +escorted Chiao Hsing in a small chair to the Yamen. + +The joy experienced by Yue-ts'un need not be dilated upon. He also +presented Feng Su with a packet containing one hundred ounces of gold; +and sent numerous valuable presents to Mrs. Chen, enjoining her "to live +cheerfully in the anticipation of finding out the whereabouts of her +daughter." + +It must be explained, however, that the maid Chi'ao Hsing was the very +person, who, a few years ago, had looked round at Yue-ts'un and who, by +one simple, unpremeditated glance, evolved, in fact, this extraordinary +destiny which was indeed an event beyond conception. + +Who would ever have foreseen that fate and fortune would both have so +favoured her that she should, contrary to all anticipation, give birth +to a son, after living with Yue-ts'un barely a year, that in addition to +this, after the lapse of another half year, Yue-ts'un's wife should have +contracted a sudden illness and departed this life, and that Yue-ts'un +should have at once raised her to the rank of first wife. Her destiny is +adequately expressed by the lines: + + Through but one single, casual look + Soon an exalted place she took. + +The fact is that after Yue-ts'un had been presented with the money by +Shih-yin, he promptly started on the 16th day for the capital, and at +the triennial great tripos, his wishes were gratified to the full. +Having successfully carried off his degree of graduate of the third +rank, his name was put by selection on the list for provincial +appointments. By this time, he had been raised to the rank of Magistrate +in this district; but, in spite of the excellence and sufficiency of his +accomplishments and abilities, he could not escape being ambitious and +overbearing. He failed besides, confident as he was in his own merits, +in respect toward his superiors, with the result that these officials +looked upon him scornfully with the corner of the eye. + +A year had hardly elapsed, when he was readily denounced in a memorial +to the Throne by the High Provincial authorities, who represented that +he was of a haughty disposition, that he had taken upon himself to +introduce innovations in the rites and ceremonies, that overtly, while +he endeavoured to enjoy the reputation of probity and uprightness, he, +secretly, combined the nature of the tiger and wolf; with the +consequence that he had been the cause of much trouble in the district, +and that he had made life intolerable for the people, &c. &c. + +The Dragon countenance of the Emperor was considerably incensed. His +Majesty lost no time in issuing commands, in reply to the Memorial, that +he should be deprived of his official status. + +On the arrival of the despatch from the Board, great was the joy felt by +every officer, without exception, of the prefecture in which he had held +office. Yue-ts'un, though at heart intensely mortified and incensed, +betrayed not the least outward symptom of annoyance, but still +preserved, as of old, a smiling and cheerful countenance. + +He handed over charge of all official business and removed the savings +which he had accumulated during the several years he had been in office, +his family and all his chattels to his original home; where, after +having put everything in proper order, he himself travelled (carried the +winds and sleeved the moon) far and wide, visiting every relic of note +in the whole Empire. + +As luck would have it, on a certain day while making a second journey +through the Wei Yang district, he heard the news that the Salt +Commissioner appointed this year was Lin Ju-hai. This Lin Ju-hai's +family name was Lin, his name Hai and his style Ju-hai. He had obtained +the third place in the previous triennial examination, and had, by this +time, already risen to the rank of Director of the Court of Censors. He +was a native of Ku Su. He had been recently named by Imperial +appointment a Censor attached to the Salt Inspectorate, and had arrived +at his post only a short while back. + +In fact, the ancestors of Lin Ju-hai had, from years back, successively +inherited the title of Marquis, which rank, by its present descent to +Ju-hai, had already been enjoyed by five generations. When first +conferred, the hereditary right to the title had been limited to three +generations; but of late years, by an act of magnanimous favour and +generous beneficence, extraordinary bounty had been superadded; and on +the arrival of the succession to the father of Ju-hai, the right had +been extended to another degree. It had now descended to Ju-hai, who +had, besides this title of nobility, begun his career as a successful +graduate. But though his family had been through uninterrupted ages the +recipient of imperial bounties, his kindred had all been anyhow men of +culture. + +The only misfortune had been that the several branches of the Lin family +had not been prolific, so that the numbers of its members continued +limited; and though there existed several households, they were all +however to Ju-hai no closer relatives than first cousins. Neither were +there any connections of the same lineage, or of the same parentage. + +Ju-hai was at this date past forty; and had only had a son, who had died +the previous year, in the third year of his age. Though he had several +handmaids, he had not had the good fortune of having another son; but +this was too a matter that could not be remedied. + +By his wife, nee Chia, he had a daughter, to whom the infant name of Tai +Yue was given. She was, at this time, in her fifth year. Upon her the +parents doated as much as if she were a brilliant pearl in the palm of +their hand. Seeing that she was endowed with natural gifts of +intelligence and good looks, they also felt solicitous to bestow upon +her a certain knowledge of books, with no other purpose than that of +satisfying, by this illusory way, their wishes of having a son to +nurture and of dispelling the anguish felt by them, on account of the +desolation and void in their family circle (round their knees). + +But to proceed. Yue-ts'un, while sojourning at an inn, was unexpectedly +laid up with a violent chill. Finding on his recovery, that his funds +were not sufficient to pay his expenses, he was thinking of looking out +for some house where he could find a resting place when he suddenly came +across two friends acquainted with the new Salt Commissioner. Knowing +that this official was desirous to find a tutor to instruct his +daughter, they lost no time in recommending Yue-ts'un, who moved into the +Yamen. + +His female pupil was youthful in years and delicate in physique, so that +her lessons were irregular. Besides herself, there were only two waiting +girls, who remained in attendance during the hours of study, so that +Yue-ts'un was spared considerable trouble and had a suitable opportunity +to attend to the improvement of his health. + +In a twinkle, another year and more slipped by, and when least expected, +the mother of his ward, nee Chia, was carried away after a short +illness. His pupil (during her mother's sickness) was dutiful in her +attendance, and prepared the medicines for her use. (And after her +death,) she went into the deepest mourning prescribed by the rites, and +gave way to such excess of grief that, naturally delicate as she was, +her old complaint, on this account, broke out anew. + +Being unable for a considerable time to prosecute her studies, Yue-ts'un +lived at leisure and had no duties to attend to. Whenever therefore the +wind was genial and the sun mild, he was wont to stroll at random, after +he had done with his meals. + +On this particular day, he, by some accident, extended his walk beyond +the suburbs, and desirous to contemplate the nature of the rustic +scenery, he, with listless step, came up to a spot encircled by hills +and streaming pools, by luxuriant clumps of trees and thick groves of +bamboos. Nestling in the dense foliage stood a temple. The doors and +courts were in ruins. The walls, inner and outer, in disrepair. An +inscription on a tablet testified that this was the temple of Spiritual +Perception. On the sides of the door was also a pair of old and +dilapidated scrolls with the following enigmatical verses. + + Behind ample there is, yet to retract the hand, the mind heeds not, + until. + Before the mortal vision lies no path, when comes to turn the will. + +"These two sentences," Yue-ts'un pondered after perusal, "although simple +in language, are profound in signification. I have previous to this +visited many a spacious temple, located on hills of note, but never have +I beheld an inscription referring to anything of the kind. The meaning +contained in these words must, I feel certain, owe their origin to the +experiences of some person or other; but there's no saying. But why +should I not go in and inquire for myself?" + +Upon walking in, he at a glance caught sight of no one else, but of a +very aged bonze, of unkempt appearance, cooking his rice. When Yue-ts'un +perceived that he paid no notice, he went up to him and asked him one or +two questions, but as the old priest was dull of hearing and a dotard, +and as he had lost his teeth, and his tongue was blunt, he made most +irrelevant replies. + +Yue-ts'un lost all patience with him, and withdrew again from the +compound with the intention of going as far as the village public house +to have a drink or two, so as to enhance the enjoyment of the rustic +scenery. With easy stride, he accordingly walked up to the place. +Scarcely had he passed the threshold of the public house, when he +perceived some one or other among the visitors who had been sitting +sipping their wine on the divan, jump up and come up to greet him, with +a face beaming with laughter. + +"What a strange meeting! What a strange meeting!" he exclaimed aloud. + +Yue-ts'un speedily looked at him, (and remembered) that this person had, +in past days, carried on business in a curio establishment in the +capital, and that his surname was Leng and his style Tzu-hsing. + +A mutual friendship had existed between them during their sojourn, in +days of yore, in the capital; and as Yue-ts'un had entertained the +highest opinion of Leng Tzu-hsing, as being a man of action and of great +abilities, while this Leng Tzu-hsing, on the other hand, borrowed of the +reputation of refinement enjoyed by Yue-ts'un, the two had consequently +all along lived in perfect harmony and companionship. + +"When did you get here?" Yue-ts'un eagerly inquired also smilingly. "I +wasn't in the least aware of your arrival. This unexpected meeting is +positively a strange piece of good fortune." + +"I went home," Tzu-hsing replied, "about the close of last year, but now +as I am again bound to the capital, I passed through here on my way to +look up a friend of mine and talk some matters over. He had the kindness +to press me to stay with him for a couple of days longer, and as I after +all have no urgent business to attend to, I am tarrying a few days, but +purpose starting about the middle of the moon. My friend is busy to-day, +so I roamed listlessly as far as here, never dreaming of such a +fortunate meeting." + +While speaking, he made Yue-ts'un sit down at the same table, and ordered +a fresh supply of wine and eatables; and as the two friends chatted of +one thing and another, they slowly sipped their wine. + +The conversation ran on what had occurred after the separation, and +Yue-ts'un inquired, "Is there any news of any kind in the capital?" + +"There's nothing new whatever," answered Tzu-hsing. "There is one thing +however: in the family of one of your worthy kinsmen, of the same name +as yourself, a trifling, but yet remarkable, occurrence has taken +place." + +"None of my kindred reside in the capital," rejoined Yue-ts'un with a +smile. "To what can you be alluding?" + +"How can it be that you people who have the same surname do not belong +to one clan?" remarked Tzu-hsing, sarcastically. + +"In whose family?" inquired Yue-ts'un. + +"The Chia family," replied Tzu-hsing smiling, "whose quarters are in the +Jung Kuo Mansion, does not after all reflect discredit upon the lintel +of your door, my venerable friend." + +"What!" exclaimed Yue-ts'un, "did this affair take place in that family? +Were we to begin reckoning, we would find the members of my clan to be +anything but limited in number. Since the time of our ancestor Chia Fu, +who lived while the Eastern Han dynasty occupied the Throne, the +branches of our family have been numerous and flourishing; they are now +to be found in every single province, and who could, with any accuracy, +ascertain their whereabouts? As regards the Jung-kuo branch in +particular, their names are in fact inscribed on the same register as +our own, but rich and exalted as they are, we have never presumed to +claim them as our relatives, so that we have become more and more +estranged." + +"Don't make any such assertions," Tzu-hsing remarked with a sigh, "the +present two mansions of Jung and Ning have both alike also suffered +reverses, and they cannot come up to their state of days of yore." + +"Up to this day, these two households of Ning and of Jung," Yue-ts'un +suggested, "still maintain a very large retinue of people, and how can +it be that they have met with reverses?" + +"To explain this would be indeed a long story," said Leng Tzu-hsing. +"Last year," continued Yue-ts'un, "I arrived at Chin Ling, as I +entertained a wish to visit the remains of interest of the six +dynasties, and as I on that day entered the walled town of Shih T'ou, I +passed by the entrance of that old residence. On the east side of the +street, stood the Ning Kuo mansion; on the west the Jung Kuo mansion; +and these two, adjoining each other as they do, cover in fact well-nigh +half of the whole length of the street. Outside the front gate +everything was, it is true, lonely and deserted; but at a glance into +the interior over the enclosing wall, I perceived that the halls, +pavilions, two-storied structures and porches presented still a majestic +and lofty appearance. Even the flower garden, which extends over the +whole area of the back grounds, with its trees and rockeries, also +possessed to that day an air of luxuriance and freshness, which betrayed +no signs of a ruined or decrepid establishment." + +"You have had the good fortune of starting in life as a graduate," +explained Tzu-tsing as he smiled, "and yet are not aware of the saying +uttered by some one of old: that a centipede even when dead does not lie +stiff. (These families) may, according to your version, not be up to the +prosperity of former years, but, compared with the family of an ordinary +official, their condition anyhow presents a difference. Of late the +number of the inmates has, day by day, been on the increase; their +affairs have become daily more numerous; of masters and servants, high +and low, who live in ease and respectability very many there are; but of +those who exercise any forethought, or make any provision, there is not +even one. In their daily wants, their extravagances, and their +expenditure, they are also unable to adapt themselves to circumstances +and practise economy; (so that though) the present external framework +may not have suffered any considerable collapse, their purses have +anyhow begun to feel an exhausting process! But this is a mere trifle. +There is another more serious matter. Would any one ever believe that in +such families of official status, in a clan of education and culture, +the sons and grandsons of the present age would after all be each +(succeeding) generation below the standard of the former?" + +Yue-ts'un, having listened to these remarks, observed: "How ever can it +be possible that families of such education and refinement can observe +any system of training and nurture which is not excellent? Concerning +the other branches, I am not in a position to say anything; but +restricting myself to the two mansions of Jung and Ning, they are those +in which, above all others, the education of their children is +methodical." + +"I was just now alluding to none other than these two establishments," +Tzu-hsing observed with a sigh; "but let me tell you all. In days of +yore, the duke of Ning Kuo and the duke of Jung Kuo were two uterine +brothers. The Ning duke was the elder; he had four sons. After the death +of the duke of Ning Kuo, his eldest son, Chia Tai-hua, came into the +title. He also had two sons; but the eldest, whose name was Hu, died at +the age of eight or nine; and the only survivor, the second son, Chia +Ching, inherited the title. His whole mind is at this time set upon +Taoist doctrines; his sole delight is to burn the pill and refine the +dual powers; while every other thought finds no place in his mind. +Happily, he had, at an early age, left a son, Chia Chen, behind in the +lay world, and his father, engrossed as his whole heart was with the +idea of attaining spiritual life, ceded the succession of the official +title to him. His parent is, besides, not willing to return to the +original family seat, but lives outside the walls of the capital, +foolishly hobnobbing with all the Taoist priests. This Mr. Chen had also +a son, Chia Jung, who is, at this period, just in his sixteenth year. +Mr. Ching gives at present no attention to anything at all, so that Mr. +Chen naturally devotes no time to his studies, but being bent upon +nought else but incessant high pleasure, he has subversed the order of +things in the Ning Kuo mansion, and yet no one can summon the courage to +come and hold him in check. But I'll now tell you about the Jung mansion +for your edification. The strange occurrence, to which I alluded just +now, came about in this manner. After the demise of the Jung duke, the +eldest son, Chia Tai-shan, inherited the rank. He took to himself as +wife, the daughter of Marquis Shih, a noble family of Chin Ling, by whom +he had two sons; the elder being Chia She, the younger Chia Cheng. This +Tai Shan is now dead long ago; but his wife is still alive, and the +elder son, Chia She, succeeded to the degree. He is a man of amiable and +genial disposition, but he likewise gives no thought to the direction of +any domestic concern. The second son Chia Cheng displayed, from his +early childhood, a great liking for books, and grew up to be correct and +upright in character. His grandfather doated upon him, and would have +had him start in life through the arena of public examinations, but, +when least expected, Tai-shan, being on the point of death, bequeathed a +petition, which was laid before the Emperor. His Majesty, out of regard +for his former minister, issued immediate commands that the elder son +should inherit the estate, and further inquired how many sons there were +besides him, all of whom he at once expressed a wish to be introduced in +his imperial presence. His Majesty, moreover, displayed exceptional +favour, and conferred upon Mr. Cheng the brevet rank of second class +Assistant Secretary (of a Board), and commanded him to enter the Board +to acquire the necessary experience. He has already now been promoted to +the office of second class Secretary. This Mr. Cheng's wife, nee Wang, +first gave birth to a son called Chia Chu, who became a Licentiate in +his fourteenth year. At barely twenty, he married, but fell ill and died +soon after the birth of a son. Her (Mrs. Cheng's) second child was a +daughter, who came into the world, by a strange coincidence, on the +first day of the year. She had an unexpected (pleasure) in the birth, +the succeeding year, of another son, who, still more remarkable to say, +had, at the time of his birth, a piece of variegated and crystal-like +brilliant jade in his mouth, on which were yet visible the outlines of +several characters. Now, tell me, was not this a novel and strange +occurrence? eh?" + +"Strange indeed!" exclaimed Yue-ts'un with a smile; "but I presume the +coming experiences of this being will not be mean." + +Tzu-hsing gave a faint smile. "One and all," he remarked, "entertain the +same idea. Hence it is that his mother doats upon him like upon a +precious jewel. On the day of his first birthday, Mr. Cheng readily +entertained a wish to put the bent of his inclinations to the test, and +placed before the child all kinds of things, without number, for him to +grasp from. Contrary to every expectation, he scorned every other +object, and, stretching forth his hand, he simply took hold of rouge, +powder and a few hair-pins, with which he began to play. Mr. Cheng +experienced at once displeasure, as he maintained that this youth would, +by and bye, grow up into a sybarite, devoted to wine and women, and for +this reason it is, that he soon began to feel not much attachment for +him. But his grandmother is the one who, in spite of everything, prizes +him like the breath of her own life. The very mention of what happened +is even strange! He is now grown up to be seven or eight years old, and, +although exceptionally wilful, in intelligence and precocity, however, +not one in a hundred could come up to him! And as for the utterances of +this child, they are no less remarkable. The bones and flesh of woman, +he argues, are made of water, while those of man of mud. 'Women to my +eyes are pure and pleasing,' he says, 'while at the sight of man, I +readily feel how corrupt, foul and repelling they are!' Now tell me, are +not these words ridiculous? There can be no doubt whatever that he will +by and bye turn out to be a licentious roue." + +Yue-ts'un, whose countenance suddenly assumed a stern air, promptly +interrupted the conversation. "It doesn't quite follow," he suggested. +"You people don't, I regret to say, understand the destiny of this +child. The fact is that even the old Hanlin scholar Mr. Cheng was +erroneously looked upon as a loose rake and dissolute debauchee! But +unless a person, through much study of books and knowledge of letters, +so increases (in lore) as to attain the talent of discerning the nature +of things, and the vigour of mind to fathom the Taoist reason as well as +to comprehend the first principle, he is not in a position to form any +judgment." + +Tzu-hsing upon perceiving the weighty import of what he propounded, +"Please explain," he asked hastily, "the drift (of your argument)." To +which Yue-ts'un responded: "Of the human beings created by the operation +of heaven and earth, if we exclude those who are gifted with extreme +benevolence and extreme viciousness, the rest, for the most part, +present no striking diversity. If they be extremely benevolent, they +fall in, at the time of their birth, with an era of propitious fortune; +while those extremely vicious correspond, at the time of their +existence, with an era of calamity. When those who coexist with +propitious fortune come into life, the world is in order; when those who +coexist with unpropitious fortune come into life, the world is in +danger. Yao, Shun, Yue, Ch'eng T'ang, Wen Wang, Wu Wang, Chou Kung, Chao +Kung, Confucius, Mencius, T'ung Hu, Han Hsin, Chou Tzu, Ch'eng Tzu, Chu +Tzu and Chang Tzu were ordained to see light in an auspicious era. +Whereas Ch'i Yu, Kung Kung, Chieh Wang, Chou Wang, Shih Huang, Wang +Mang, Tsao Ts'ao, Wen Wen, An Hu-shan, Ch'in Kuei and others were one +and all destined to come into the world during a calamitous age. Those +endowed with extreme benevolence set the world in order; those possessed +of extreme maliciousness turn the world into disorder. Purity, +intelligence, spirituality and subtlety constitute the vital spirit of +right which pervades heaven and earth, and the persons gifted with +benevolence are its natural fruit. Malignity and perversity constitute +the spirit of evil, which permeates heaven and earth, and malicious +persons are affected by its influence. The days of perpetual happiness +and eminent good fortune, and the era of perfect peace and tranquility, +which now prevail, are the offspring of the pure, intelligent, divine +and subtle spirit which ascends above, to the very Emperor, and below +reaches the rustic and uncultured classes. Every one is without +exception under its influence. The superfluity of the subtle spirit +expands far and wide, and finding nowhere to betake itself to, becomes, +in due course, transformed into dew, or gentle breeze; and, by a process +of diffusion, it pervades the whole world. + +"The spirit of malignity and perversity, unable to expand under the +brilliant sky and transmuting sun, eventually coagulates, pervades and +stops up the deep gutters and extensive caverns; and when of a sudden +the wind agitates it or it be impelled by the clouds, and any slight +disposition, on its part, supervenes to set itself in motion, or to +break its bounds, and so little as even the minutest fraction does +unexpectedly find an outlet, and happens to come across any spirit of +perception and subtlety which may be at the time passing by, the spirit +of right does not yield to the spirit of evil, and the spirit of evil is +again envious of the spirit of right, so that the two do not harmonize. +Just like wind, water, thunder and lightning, which, when they meet in +the bowels of the earth, must necessarily, as they are both to dissolve +and are likewise unable to yield, clash and explode to the end that they +may at length exhaust themselves. Hence it is that these spirits have +also forcibly to diffuse themselves into the human race to find an +outlet, so that they may then completely disperse, with the result that +men and women are suddenly imbued with these spirits and spring into +existence. At best, (these human beings) cannot be generated into +philanthropists or perfect men; at worst, they cannot also embody +extreme perversity or extreme wickedness. Yet placed among one million +beings, the spirit of intelligence, refinement, perception and subtlety +will be above these one million beings; while, on the other hand, the +perverse, depraved and inhuman embodiment will likewise be below the +million of men. Born in a noble and wealthy family, these men will be a +salacious, lustful lot; born of literary, virtuous or poor parentage, +they will turn out retired scholars or men of mark; though they may by +some accident be born in a destitute and poverty-stricken home, they +cannot possibly, in fact, ever sink so low as to become runners or +menials, or contentedly brook to be of the common herd or to be driven +and curbed like a horse in harness. They will become, for a certainty, +either actors of note or courtesans of notoriety; as instanced in former +years by Hsue Yu, T'ao Ch'ien, Yuan Chi, Chi Kang, Liu Ling, the two +families of Wang and Hsieh, Ku Hu-t'ou, Ch'en Hou-chu, T'ang Ming-huang, +Sung Hui-tsung, Liu T'ing-chih, Wen Fei-ching, Mei Nan-kung, Shih +Man-ch'ing, Lui C'hih-ch'ing and Chin Shao-yu, and exemplified +now-a-days by Ni Yuen-lin, T'ang Po-hu, Chu Chih-shan, and also by Li +Kuei-men, Huang P'an-cho, Ching Hsin-mo, Cho Wen-chuen; and the women +Hung Fu, Hsieh T'ao, Ch'ue Ying, Ch'ao Yuen and others; all of whom were +and are of the same stamp, though placed in different scenes of action." + +"From what you say," observed Tzu-hsing, "success makes (a man) a duke +or a marquis; ruin, a thief!" + +"Quite so; that's just my idea!" replied Yue-ts'un; "I've not as yet let +you know that after my degradation from office, I spent the last couple +of years in travelling for pleasure all over each province, and that I +also myself came across two extraordinary youths. This is why, when a +short while back you alluded to this Pao-yue, I at once conjectured, with +a good deal of certainty, that he must be a human being of the same +stamp. There's no need for me to speak of any farther than the walled +city of Chin Ling. This Mr. Chen was, by imperial appointment, named +Principal of the Government Public College of the Chin Ling province. Do +you perhaps know him?" + +"Who doesn't know him?" remarked Tzu-hsing. "This Chen family is an old +connection of the Chia family. These two families were on terms of great +intimacy, and I myself likewise enjoyed the pleasure of their friendship +for many a day." + +"Last year, when at Chin Ling," Yue-ts'un continued with a smile, "some +one recommended me as resident tutor to the school in the Chen mansion; +and when I moved into it I saw for myself the state of things. Who would +ever think that that household was grand and luxurious to such a degree! +But they are an affluent family, and withal full of propriety, so that a +school like this was of course not one easy to obtain. The pupil, +however, was, it is true, a young tyro, but far more troublesome to +teach than a candidate for the examination of graduate of the second +degree. Were I to enter into details, you would indeed have a laugh. 'I +must needs,' he explained, 'have the company of two girls in my studies +to enable me to read at all, and to keep likewise my brain clear. +Otherwise, if left to myself, my head gets all in a muddle.' Time after +time, he further expounded to his young attendants, how extremely +honourable and extremely pure were the two words representing woman, +that they are more valuable and precious than the auspicious animal, the +felicitous bird, rare flowers and uncommon plants. 'You may not' (he was +wont to say), 'on any account heedlessly utter them, you set of foul +mouths and filthy tongues! these two words are of the utmost import! +Whenever you have occasion to allude to them, you must, before you can +do so with impunity, take pure water and scented tea and rinse your +mouths. In the event of any slip of the tongue, I shall at once have +your teeth extracted, and your eyes gouged out.' His obstinacy and +waywardness are, in every respect, out of the common. After he was +allowed to leave school, and to return home, he became, at the sight of +the young ladies, so tractable, gentle, sharp, and polite, transformed, +in fact, like one of them. And though, for this reason, his father has +punished him on more than one occasion, by giving him a sound thrashing, +such as brought him to the verge of death, he cannot however change. +Whenever he was being beaten, and could no more endure the pain, he was +wont to promptly break forth in promiscuous loud shouts, 'Girls! girls!' +The young ladies, who heard him from the inner chambers, subsequently +made fun of him. 'Why,' they said, 'when you are being thrashed, and you +are in pain, your only thought is to bawl out girls! Is it perchance +that you expect us young ladies to go and intercede for you? How is that +you have no sense of shame?' To their taunts he gave a most plausible +explanation. 'Once,' he replied, 'when in the agony of pain, I gave vent +to shouting girls, in the hope, perchance, I did not then know, of its +being able to alleviate the soreness. After I had, with this purpose, +given one cry, I really felt the pain considerably better; and now that +I have obtained this secret spell, I have recourse, at once, when I am +in the height of anguish, to shouts of girls, one shout after another. +Now what do you say to this? Isn't this absurd, eh?" + +"The grandmother is so infatuated by her extreme tenderness for this +youth, that, time after time, she has, on her grandson's account, found +fault with the tutor, and called her son to task, with the result that I +resigned my post and took my leave. A youth, with a disposition such as +his, cannot assuredly either perpetuate intact the estate of his father +and grandfather, or follow the injunctions of teacher or advice of +friends. The pity is, however, that there are, in that family, several +excellent female cousins, the like of all of whom it would be difficult +to discover." + +"Quite so!" remarked Tzu-hsing; "there are now three young ladies in the +Chia family who are simply perfection itself. The eldest is a daughter +of Mr. Cheng, Yuan Ch'un by name, who, on account of her excellence, +filial piety, talents, and virtue, has been selected as a governess in +the palace. The second is the daughter of Mr. She's handmaid, and is +called Ying Ch'un; the third is T'an Ch'un, the child of Mr. Cheng's +handmaid; while the fourth is the uterine sister of Mr. Chen of the Ning +Mansion. Her name is Hsi Ch'un. As dowager lady Shih is so fondly +attached to her granddaughters, they come, for the most part, over to +their grandmother's place to prosecute their studies together, and each +one of these girls is, I hear, without a fault." + +"More admirable," observed Yue-ts'un, "is the regime (adhered to) in the +Chen family, where the names of the female children have all been +selected from the list of male names, and are unlike all those +out-of-the-way names, such as Spring Blossom, Scented Gem, and the like +flowery terms in vogue in other families. But how is it that the Chia +family have likewise fallen into this common practice?" + +"Not so!" ventured Tzu-h'sing. "It is simply because the eldest daughter +was born on the first of the first moon, that the name of Yuan Ch'un was +given to her; while with the rest this character Ch'un (spring) was then +followed. The names of the senior generation are, in like manner, +adopted from those of their brothers; and there is at present an +instance in support of this. The wife of your present worthy master, Mr. +Lin, is the uterine sister of Mr. Chia. She and Mr. Chia Cheng, and she +went, while at home, under the name of Chia Min. Should you question the +truth of what I say, you are at liberty, on your return, to make minute +inquiries and you'll be convinced." + +Yue-ts'un clapped his hands and said smiling, "It's so, I know! for this +female pupil of mine, whose name is Tai-yue, invariably pronounces the +character _min_ as _mi_, whenever she comes across it in the +course of her reading; while, in writing, when she comes to the +character 'min,' she likewise reduces the strokes by one, sometimes by +two. Often have I speculated in my mind (as to the cause), but the +remarks I've heard you mention, convince me, without doubt, that it is +no other reason (than that of reverence to her mother's name). Strange +enough, this pupil of mine is unique in her speech and deportment, and +in no way like any ordinary young lady. But considering that her mother +was no commonplace woman herself, it is natural that she should have +given birth to such a child. Besides, knowing, as I do now, that she is +the granddaughter of the Jung family, it is no matter of surprise to me +that she is what she is. Poor girl, her mother, after all, died in the +course of the last month." + +Tzu-hsing heaved a sigh. "Of three elderly sisters," he explained, "this +one was the youngest, and she too is gone! Of the sisters of the senior +generation not one even survives! But now we'll see what the husbands of +this younger generation will be like by and bye!" + +"Yes," replied Yue-ts'un. "But some while back you mentioned that Mr. +Cheng has had a son, born with a piece of jade in his mouth, and that he +has besides a tender-aged grandson left by his eldest son; but is it +likely that this Mr. She has not, himself, as yet, had any male issue?" + +"After Mr. Cheng had this son with the jade," Tzu-hsing added, "his +handmaid gave birth to another son, who whether he be good or bad, I +don't at all know. At all events, he has by his side two sons and a +grandson, but what these will grow up to be by and bye, I cannot tell. +As regards Mr. Chia She, he too has had two sons; the second of whom, +Chia Lien, is by this time about twenty. He took to wife a relative of +his, a niece of Mr. Cheng's wife, a Miss Wang, and has now been married +for the last two years. This Mr. Lien has lately obtained by purchase +the rank of sub-prefect. He too takes little pleasure in books, but as +far as worldly affairs go, he is so versatile and glib of tongue, that +he has recently taken up his quarters with his uncle Mr. Cheng, to whom +he gives a helping hand in the management of domestic matters. Who would +have thought it, however, ever since his marriage with his worthy wife, +not a single person, whether high or low, has there been who has not +looked up to her with regard: with the result that Mr. Lien himself has, +in fact, had to take a back seat (_lit_. withdrew 35 li). In looks, +she is also so extremely beautiful, in speech so extremely quick and +fluent, in ingenuity so deep and astute, that even a man could, in no +way, come up to her mark." + +After hearing these remarks Yue-ts'un smiled. "You now perceive," he +said, "that my argument is no fallacy, and that the several persons +about whom you and I have just been talking are, we may presume, human +beings, who, one and all, have been generated by the spirit of right, +and the spirit of evil, and come to life by the same royal road; but of +course there's no saying." + +"Enough," cried Tzu-hsing, "of right and enough of evil; we've been +doing nothing but settling other people's accounts; come now, have +another glass, and you'll be the better for it!" + +"While bent upon talking," Yue-ts'un explained, "I've had more glasses +than is good for me." + +"Speaking of irrelevant matters about other people," Tzu-hsing rejoined +complacently, "is quite the thing to help us swallow our wine; so come +now; what harm will happen, if we do have a few glasses more." + +Yue-ts'un thereupon looked out of the window. + +"The day is also far advanced," he remarked, "and if we don't take care, +the gates will be closing; let us leisurely enter the city, and as we go +along, there will be nothing to prevent us from continuing our chat." + +Forthwith the two friends rose from their seats, settled and paid their +wine bill, and were just going, when they unexpectedly heard some one +from behind say with a loud voice: + +"Accept my congratulations, Brother Yue-ts'un; I've now come, with the +express purpose of giving you the welcome news!" + +Yue-ts'un lost no time in turning his head round to look at the speaker. +But reader, if you wish to learn who the man was, listen to the details +given in the following chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Lin Ju-hai appeals to his brother-in-law, Chia Cheng, recommending + Yue-ts'un, his daughter's tutor, to his consideration. + Dowager lady Chia sends to fetch her granddaughter, out of + commiseration for her being a motherless child. + + +But to proceed with our narrative. + +Yue-ts'un, on speedily turning round, perceived that the speaker was no +other than a certain Chang Ju-kuei, an old colleague of his, who had +been denounced and deprived of office, on account of some case or other; +a native of that district, who had, since his degradation, resided in +his family home. + +Having lately come to hear the news that a memorial, presented in the +capital, that the former officers (who had been cashiered) should be +reinstated, had received the imperial consent, he had promptly done all +he could, in every nook and corner, to obtain influence, and to find the +means (of righting his position,) when he, unexpectedly, came across +Yue-ts'un, to whom he therefore lost no time in offering his +congratulations. The two friends exchanged the conventional salutations, +and Chang Ju-kuei forthwith communicated the tidings to Yue-ts'un. + +Yue-ts'un was delighted, but after he had made a few remarks, in a great +hurry, each took his leave and sped on his own way homewards. + +Leng Tzu-hsing, upon hearing this conversation, hastened at once to +propose a plan, advising Yue-ts'un to request Lin Ju-hai, in his turn, to +appeal in the capital to Mr. Chia Cheng for support. + +Yue-ts'un accepted the suggestion, and parted from his companion. + +On his return to his quarters, he made all haste to lay his hand on the +Metropolitan Gazette, and having ascertained that the news was +authentic, he had on the next day a personal consultation with Ju-hai. + +"Providence and good fortune are both alike propitious!" exclaimed +Ju-hai. "After the death of my wife, my mother-in-law, whose residence +is in the capital, was so very solicitous on my daughter's account, for +having no one to depend upon, that she despatched, at an early period, +boats with men and women servants to come and fetch her. But my child +was at the time not quite over her illness, and that is why she has not +yet started. I was, this very moment, cogitating to send my daughter to +the capital. And in view of the obligation, under which I am to you for +the instruction you have heretofore conferred upon her, remaining as yet +unrequited, there is no reason why, when such an opportunity as this +presents itself, I should not do my utmost to find means to make proper +acknowledgment. I have already, in anticipation, given the matter my +attention, and written a letter of recommendation to my brother-in-law, +urging him to put everything right for you, in order that I may, to a +certain extent, be able to give effect to my modest wishes. As for any +outlay that may prove necessary, I have given proper explanation, in the +letter to my brother-in-law, so that you, my brother, need not trouble +yourself by giving way to much anxiety." + +As Yue-ts'un bowed and expressed his appreciation in most profuse +language,-- + +"Pray," he asked, "where does your honoured brother-in-law reside? and +what is his official capacity? But I fear I'm too coarse in my manner, +and could not presume to obtrude myself in his presence." + +Ju-hai smiled. "And yet," he remarked, "this brother-in-law of mine is +after all of one and the same family as your worthy self, for he is the +grandson of the Duke Jung. My elder brother-in-law has now inherited the +status of Captain-General of the first grade. His name is She, his style +Ngen-hou. My second brother-in-law's name is Cheng, his style is +Tzu-chou. His present post is that of a Second class Secretary in the +Board of Works. He is modest and kindhearted, and has much in him of the +habits of his grandfather; not one of that purse-proud and haughty kind +of men. That is why I have written to him and made the request on your +behalf. Were he different to what he really is, not only would he cast a +slur upon your honest purpose, honourable brother, but I myself likewise +would not have been as prompt in taking action." + +When Yue-ts'un heard these remarks, he at length credited what had been +told him by Tzu-hsing the day before, and he lost no time in again +expressing his sense of gratitude to Lin Ju-hai. + +Ju-hai resumed the conversation. + +"I have fixed," (he explained,) "upon the second of next month, for my +young daughter's departure for the capital, and, if you, brother mine, +were to travel along with her, would it not be an advantage to herself, +as well as to yourself?" + +Yue-ts'un signified his acquiescence as he listened to his proposal; +feeling in his inner self extremely elated. + +Ju-hai availed himself of the earliest opportunity to get ready the +presents (for the capital) and all the requirements for the journey, +which (when completed,) Yue-ts'un took over one by one. His pupil could +not, at first, brook the idea, of a separation from her father, but the +pressing wishes of her grandmother left her no course (but to comply). + +"Your father," Ju-hai furthermore argued with her, "is already fifty; +and I entertain no wish to marry again; and then you are always ailing; +besides, with your extreme youth, you have, above, no mother of your own +to take care of you, and below, no sisters to attend to you. If you now +go and have your maternal grandmother, as well as your mother's brothers +and your cousins to depend upon, you will be doing the best thing to +reduce the anxiety which I feel in my heart on your behalf. Why then +should you not go?" + +Tai-yue, after listening to what her father had to say, parted from him +in a flood of tears and followed her nurse and several old matrons from +the Jung mansion on board her boat, and set out on her journey. + +Yue-ts'un had a boat to himself, and with two youths to wait on him, he +prosecuted his voyage in the wake of Tai-yue. + +By a certain day, they reached Ching Tu; and Yue-ts'un, after first +adjusting his hat and clothes, came, attended by a youth, to the door of +the Jung mansion, and sent in a card, which showed his lineage. + +Chia Cheng had, by this time, perused his brother-in-law's letter, and +he speedily asked him to walk in. When they met, he found in Yue-ts'un an +imposing manner and polite address. + +This Chia Cheng had, in fact, a great penchant above all things for men +of education, men courteous to the talented, respectful to the learned, +ready to lend a helping hand to the needy and to succour the distressed, +and was, to a great extent, like his grandfather. As it was besides a +wish intimated by his brother-in-law, he therefore treated Yue-ts'un with +a consideration still more unusual, and readily strained all his +resources to assist him. + +On the very day on which the memorial was submitted to the Throne, he +obtained by his efforts, a reinstatement to office, and before the +expiry of two months, Yue-t'sun was forthwith selected to fill the +appointment of prefect of Ying T'ien in Chin Ling. Taking leave of Chia +Cheng, he chose a propitious day, and proceeded to his post, where we +will leave him without further notice for the present. + +But to return to Tai-yue. On the day on which she left the boat, and the +moment she put her foot on shore, there were forthwith at her disposal +chairs for her own use, and carts for the luggage, sent over from the +Jung mansion. + +Lin Tai-yue had often heard her mother recount how different was her +grandmother's house from that of other people's; and having seen for +herself how above the common run were already the attendants of the +three grades, (sent to wait upon her,) in attire, in their fare, in all +their articles of use, "how much more," (she thought to herself) "now +that I am going to her home, must I be careful at every step, and +circumspect at every moment! Nor must I utter one word too many, nor +make one step more than is proper, for fear lest I should be ridiculed +by any of them!" + +From the moment she got into the chair, and they had entered within the +city walls, she found, as she looked around, through the gauze window, +at the bustle in the streets and public places and at the immense +concourse of people, everything naturally so unlike what she had seen +elsewhere. + +After they had also been a considerable time on the way, she suddenly +caught sight, at the northern end of the street, of two huge squatting +lions of marble and of three lofty gates with (knockers representing) +the heads of animals. In front of these gates, sat, in a row, about ten +men in coloured hats and fine attire. The main gate was not open. It was +only through the side gates, on the east and west, that people went in +and came out. Above the centre gate was a tablet. On this tablet were +inscribed in five large characters--"The Ning Kuo mansion erected by +imperial command." + +"This must be grandmother's eldest son's residence," reflected Tai-yue. + +Towards the east, again, at no great distance, were three more high +gateways, likewise of the same kind as those she had just seen. This was +the Jung Kuo mansion. + +They did not however go in by the main gate; but simply made their +entrance through the east side door. + +With the sedans on their shoulders, (the bearers) proceeded about the +distance of the throw of an arrow, when upon turning a corner, they +hastily put down the chairs. The matrons, who came behind, one and all +also dismounted. (The bearers) were changed for four youths of seventeen +or eighteen, with hats and clothes without a blemish, and while they +carried the chair, the whole bevy of matrons followed on foot. + +When they reached a creeper-laden gate, the sedan was put down, and all +the youths stepped back and retired. The matrons came forward, raised +the screen, and supported Tai-yue to descend from the chair. + +Lin Tai-yue entered the door with the creepers, resting on the hand of a +matron. + +On both sides was a verandah, like two outstretched arms. An Entrance +Hall stood in the centre, in the middle of which was a door-screen of Ta +Li marble, set in an ebony frame. On the other side of this screen were +three very small halls. At the back of these came at once an extensive +courtyard, belonging to the main building. + +In the front part were five parlours, the frieze of the ceiling of which +was all carved, and the pillars ornamented. On either side, were covered +avenues, resembling passages through a rock. In the side-rooms were +suspended cages, full of parrots of every colour, thrushes, and birds of +every description. + +On the terrace-steps, sat several waiting maids, dressed in red and +green, and the whole company of them advanced, with beaming faces, to +greet them, when they saw the party approach. "Her venerable ladyship," +they said, "was at this very moment thinking of you, miss, and, by a +strange coincidence, here you are." + +Three or four of them forthwith vied with each other in raising the door +curtain, while at the same time was heard some one announce: "Miss Lin +has arrived." + +No sooner had she entered the room, than she espied two servants +supporting a venerable lady, with silver-white hair, coming forward to +greet her. Convinced that this lady must be her grandmother, she was +about to prostrate herself and pay her obeisance, when she was quickly +clasped in the arms of her grandmother, who held her close against her +bosom; and as she called her "my liver! my flesh!" (my love! my +darling!) she began to sob aloud. + +The bystanders too, at once, without one exception, melted into tears; +and Tai-yue herself found some difficulty in restraining her sobs. Little +by little the whole party succeeded in consoling her, and Tai-yue at +length paid her obeisance to her grandmother. Her ladyship thereupon +pointed them out one by one to Tai-yue. "This," she said, "is the wife of +your uncle, your mother's elder brother; this is the wife of your uncle, +her second brother; and this is your eldest sister-in-law Chu, the wife +of your senior cousin Chu." + +Tai-yue bowed to each one of them (with folded arms). + +"Ask the young ladies in," dowager lady Chia went on to say; "tell them +a guest from afar has just arrived, one who comes for the first time; +and that they may not go to their lessons." + +The servants with one voice signified their obedience, and two of them +speedily went to carry out her orders. + +Not long after three nurses and five or six waiting-maids were seen +ushering in three young ladies. The first was somewhat plump in figure +and of medium height; her cheeks had a congealed appearance, like a +fresh lichee; her nose was glossy like goose fat. She was gracious, +demure, and lovable to look at. + +The second had sloping shoulders, and a slim waist. Tall and slender was +she in stature, with a face like the egg of a goose. Her eyes so +beautiful, with their well-curved eyebrows, possessed in their gaze a +bewitching flash. At the very sight of her refined and elegant manners +all idea of vulgarity was forgotten. + +The third was below the medium size, and her mien was, as yet, +childlike. + +In their head ornaments, jewelry, and dress, the get-up of the three +young ladies was identical. + +Tai-yue speedily rose to greet them and to exchange salutations. After +they had made each other's acquaintance, they all took a seat, whereupon +the servants brought the tea. Their conversation was confined to +Tai-yue's mother,--how she had fallen ill, what doctors had attended her, +what medicines had been given her, and how she had been buried and +mourned; and dowager lady Chia was naturally again in great anguish. + +"Of all my daughters," she remarked, "your mother was the one I loved +best, and now in a twinkle, she has passed away, before me too, and I've +not been able to so much as see her face. How can this not make my heart +sore-stricken?" + +And as she gave vent to these feelings, she took Tai-yue's hand in hers, +and again gave way to sobs; and it was only after the members of the +family had quickly made use of much exhortation and coaxing, that they +succeeded, little by little, in stopping her tears. + +They all perceived that Tai-yue, despite her youthful years and +appearance, was lady-like in her deportment and address, and that though +with her delicate figure and countenance, (she seemed as if) unable to +bear the very weight of her clothes, she possessed, however, a certain +captivating air. And as they readily noticed the symptoms of a weak +constitution, they went on in consequence to make inquiries as to what +medicines she ordinarily took, and how it was that her complaint had not +been cured. + +"I have," explained Tai-yue, "been in this state ever since I was born; +though I've taken medicines from the very time I was able to eat rice, +up to the present, and have been treated by ever so many doctors of +note, I've not derived any benefit. In the year when I was yet only +three, I remember a mangy-headed bonze coming to our house, and saying +that he would take me along, and make a nun of me; but my father and +mother would, on no account, give their consent. 'As you cannot bear to +part from her and to give her up,' he then remarked, 'her ailment will, +I fear, never, throughout her life, be cured. If you wish to see her all +right, it is only to be done by not letting her, from this day forward, +on any account, listen to the sound of weeping, or see, with the +exception of her parents, any relatives outside the family circle. Then +alone will she be able to go through this existence in peace and in +quiet.' No one heeded the nonsensical talk of this raving priest; but +here am I, up to this very day, dosing myself with ginseng pills as a +tonic." + +"What a lucky coincidence!" interposed dowager lady Chia; "some of these +pills are being compounded here, and I'll simply tell them to have an +extra supply made; that's all." + +Hardly had she finished these words, when a sound of laughter was heard +from the back courtyard. "Here I am too late!" the voice said, "and not +in time to receive the distant visitor!" + +"Every one of all these people," reflected Tai-yue, "holds her peace and +suppresses the very breath of her mouth; and who, I wonder, is this +coming in this reckless and rude manner?" + +While, as yet, preoccupied with these thoughts, she caught sight of a +crowd of married women and waiting-maids enter from the back room, +pressing round a regular beauty. + +The attire of this person bore no similarity to that of the young +ladies. In all her splendour and lustre, she looked like a fairy or a +goddess. In her coiffure, she had a band of gold filigree work, +representing the eight precious things, inlaid with pearls; and wore +pins, at the head of each of which were five phoenixes in a rampant +position, with pendants of pearls. On her neck, she had a reddish gold +necklet, like coiled dragons, with a fringe of tassels. On her person, +she wore a tight-sleeved jacket, of dark red flowered satin, covered +with hundreds of butterflies, embroidered in gold, interspersed with +flowers. Over all, she had a variegated stiff-silk pelisse, lined with +slate-blue ermine; while her nether garments consisted of a jupe of +kingfisher-colour foreign crepe, brocaded with flowers. + +She had a pair of eyes, triangular in shape like those of the red +phoenix, two eyebrows, curved upwards at each temple, like willow +leaves. Her stature was elegant; her figure graceful; her powdered face +like dawning spring, majestic, yet not haughty. Her carnation lips, long +before they parted, betrayed a smile. + +Tai-yue eagerly rose and greeted her. + +Old lady Chia then smiled. "You don't know her," she observed. "This is +a cunning vixen, who has made quite a name in this establishment! In +Nanking, she went by the appellation of vixen, and if you simply call +her Feng Vixen, it will do." + +Tai-yue was just at a loss how to address her, when all her cousins +informed Tai-yue, that this was her sister-in-law Lien. + +Tai-yue had not, it is true, made her acquaintance before, but she had +heard her mother mention that her eldest maternal uncle Chia She's son, +Chia Lien, had married the niece of Madame Wang, her second brother's +wife, a girl who had, from her infancy, purposely been nurtured to +supply the place of a son, and to whom the school name of Wang Hsi-feng +had been given. + +Tai-yue lost no time in returning her smile and saluting her with all +propriety, addressing her as my sister-in-law. This Hsi-feng laid hold +of Tai-yue's hand, and minutely scrutinised her, for a while, from head +to foot; after which she led her back next to dowager lady Chia, where +they both took a seat. + +"If really there be a being of such beauty in the world," she +consequently observed with a smile, "I may well consider as having set +eyes upon it to-day! Besides, in the air of her whole person, she +doesn't in fact look like your granddaughter-in-law, our worthy +ancestor, but in every way like your ladyship's own kindred- +granddaughter! It's no wonder then that your venerable ladyship +should have, day after day, had her unforgotten, even for a second, in +your lips and heart. It's a pity, however, that this cousin of mine +should have such a hard lot! How did it happen that our aunt died at +such an early period?" + +As she uttered these words, she hastily took her handkerchief and wiped +the tears from her eyes. + +"I've only just recovered from a fit of crying," dowager lady Chia +observed, as she smiled, "and have you again come to start me? Your +cousin has only now arrived from a distant journey, and she is so +delicate to boot! Besides, we have a few minutes back succeeded in +coaxing her to restrain her sobs, so drop at once making any allusion to +your former remarks!" + +This Hsi-feng, upon hearing these words, lost no time in converting her +sorrow into joy. + +"Quite right," she remarked. "But at the sight of my cousin, my whole +heart was absorbed in her, and I felt happy, and yet wounded at heart: +but having disregarded my venerable ancestor's presence, I deserve to be +beaten, I do indeed!" + +And hastily taking once more Tai-yue's hand in her own: "How old are you, +cousin?" she inquired; "Have you been to school? What medicines are you +taking? while you live here, you mustn't feel homesick; and if there's +anything you would like to eat, or to play with, mind you come and tell +me! or should the waiting maids or the matrons fail in their duties, +don't forget also to report them to me." + +Addressing at the same time the matrons, she went on to ask, "Have Miss +Lin's luggage and effects been brought in? How many servants has she +brought along with her? Go, as soon as you can, and sweep two lower +rooms and ask them to go and rest." + +As she spake, tea and refreshments had already been served, and Hsi-feng +herself handed round the cups and offered the fruits. + +Upon hearing the question further put by her maternal aunt Secunda, +"Whether the issue of the monthly allowances of money had been finished +or not yet?" Hsi-feng replied: "The issue of the money has also been +completed; but a few moments back, when I went along with several +servants to the back upper-loft, in search of the satins, we looked for +ever so long, but we saw nothing of the kind of satins alluded to by +you, madame, yesterday; so may it not be that your memory misgives you?" + +"Whether there be any or not, of that special kind, is of no +consequence," observed madame Wang. "You should take out," she therefore +went on to add, "any two pieces which first come under your hand, for +this cousin of yours to make herself dresses with; and in the evening, +if I don't forget, I'll send some one to fetch them." + +"I've in fact already made every provision," rejoined Hsi-feng; "knowing +very well that my cousin would be arriving within these two days, I have +had everything got ready for her. And when you, madame, go back, if you +will pass an eye over everything, I shall be able to send them round." + +Madame Wang gave a smile, nodded her head assentingly, but uttered not a +word by way of reply. + +The tea and fruit had by this time been cleared, and dowager lady Chia +directed two old nurses to take Tai-yue to go and see her two maternal +uncles; whereupon Chia She's wife, madame Hsing, hastily stood up and +with a smiling face suggested, "I'll take my niece over; for it will +after all be considerably better if I go!" + +"Quite so!" answered dowager lady Chia, smiling; "you can go home too, +and there will be no need for you to come over again!" + +Madame Hsing expressed her assent, and forthwith led Tai-yue to take +leave of madame Wang. The whole party escorted them as far as the door +of the Entrance Hall, hung with creepers, where several youths had drawn +a carriage, painted light blue, with a kingfisher-coloured hood. + +Madame Hsing led Tai-yue by the hand and they got up into their seats. +The whole company of matrons put the curtain down, and then bade the +youths raise the carriage; who dragged it along, until they came to an +open space, where they at length put the mules into harness. + +Going out again by the eastern side gate, they proceeded in an easterly +direction, passed the main entrance of the Jung mansion, and entered a +lofty doorway painted black. On the arrival in front of the ceremonial +gate, they at once dismounted from the curricle, and madame Hsing, +hand-in-hand with Tai-yue, walked into the court. + +"These grounds," surmised Tai-yue to herself, "must have been originally +converted from a piece partitioned from the garden of the Jung mansion." + +Having entered three rows of ceremonial gates they actually caught sight +of the main structure, with its vestibules and porches, all of which, +though on a small scale, were full of artistic and unique beauty. They +were nothing like the lofty, imposing, massive and luxurious style of +architecture on the other side, yet the avenues and rockeries, in the +various places in the court, were all in perfect taste. + +When they reached the interior of the principal pavilion, a large +concourse of handmaids and waiting maids, got up in gala dress, were +already there to greet them. Madame Hsing pressed Tai-yue into a seat, +while she bade some one go into the outer library and request Mr. Chia +She to come over. + +In a few minutes the servant returned. "Master," she explained, "says: +'that he has not felt quite well for several days, that as the meeting +with Miss Lin will affect both her as well as himself, he does not for +the present feel equal to seeing each other, that he advises Miss Lin +not to feel despondent or homesick; that she ought to feel quite at home +with her venerable ladyship, (her grandmother,) as well as her maternal +aunts; that her cousins are, it is true, blunt, but that if all the +young ladies associated together in one place, they may also perchance +dispel some dulness; that if ever (Miss Lin) has any grievance, she +should at once speak out, and on no account feel a stranger; and +everything will then be right." + +Tai-yue lost no time in respectfully standing up, resuming her seat after +she had listened to every sentence of the message to her. After a while, +she said goodbye, and though madame Hsing used every argument to induce +her to stay for the repast and then leave, Tai-yue smiled and said, "I +shouldn't under ordinary circumstances refuse the invitation to dinner, +which you, aunt, in your love kindly extend to me, but I have still to +cross over and pay my respects to my maternal uncle Secundus; if I went +too late, it would, I fear, be a lack of respect on my part; but I shall +accept on another occasion. I hope therefore that you will, dear aunt, +kindly excuse me." + +"If such be the case," madame Hsing replied, "it's all right." And +presently directing two nurses to take her niece over, in the carriage, +in which they had come a while back, Tai-yue thereupon took her leave; +madame Hsing escorting her as far as the ceremonial gate, where she gave +some further directions to all the company of servants. She followed the +curricle with her eyes so long as it remained in sight, and at length +retraced her footsteps. + +Tai-yue shortly entered the Jung Mansion, descended from the carriage, +and preceded by all the nurses, she at once proceeded towards the east, +turned a corner, passed through an Entrance Hall, running east and west, +and walked in a southern direction, at the back of the Large Hall. On +the inner side of a ceremonial gate, and at the upper end of a spacious +court, stood a large main building, with five apartments, flanked on +both sides by out-houses (stretching out) like the antlers on the head +of deer; side-gates, resembling passages through a hill, establishing a +thorough communication all round; (a main building) lofty, majestic, +solid and grand, and unlike those in the compound of dowager lady Chia. + +Tai-yue readily concluded that this at last was the main inner suite of +apartments. A raised broad road led in a straight line to the large +gate. Upon entering the Hall, and raising her head, she first of all +perceived before her a large tablet with blue ground, upon which figured +nine dragons of reddish gold. The inscription on this tablet consisted +of three characters as large as a peck-measure, and declared that this +was the Hall of Glorious Felicity. + +At the end, was a row of characters of minute size, denoting the year, +month and day, upon which His Majesty had been pleased to confer the +tablet upon Chia Yuan, Duke of Jung Kuo. Besides this tablet, were +numberless costly articles bearing the autograph of the Emperor. On the +large black ebony table, engraved with dragons, were placed three +antique blue and green bronze tripods, about three feet in height. On +the wall hung a large picture representing black dragons, such as were +seen in waiting chambers of the Sui dynasty. On one side stood a gold +cup of chased work, while on the other, a crystal casket. On the ground +were placed, in two rows, sixteen chairs, made of hard-grained cedar. + +There was also a pair of scrolls consisting of black-wood antithetical +tablets, inlaid with the strokes of words in chased gold. Their burden +was this: + + On the platform shine resplendent pearls like sun or moon, + And the sheen of the Hall facade gleams like russet sky. + +Below, was a row of small characters, denoting that the scroll had been +written by the hand of Mu Shih, a fellow-countryman and old friend of +the family, who, for his meritorious services, had the hereditary title +of Prince of Tung Ngan conferred upon him. + +The fact is that madame Wang was also not in the habit of sitting and +resting, in this main apartment, but in three side-rooms on the east, so +that the nurses at once led Tai-yue through the door of the eastern wing. + +On a stove-couch, near the window, was spread a foreign red carpet. On +the side of honour, were laid deep red reclining-cushions, with dragons, +with gold cash (for scales), and an oblong brown-coloured +sitting-cushion with gold-cash-spotted dragons. On the two sides, stood +one of a pair of small teapoys of foreign lacquer of peach-blossom +pattern. On the teapoy on the left, were spread out Wen Wang tripods, +spoons, chopsticks and scent-bottles. On the teapoy on the right, were +vases from the Ju Kiln, painted with girls of great beauty, in which +were placed seasonable flowers; (on it were) also teacups, a tea service +and the like articles. + +On the floor on the west side of the room, were four chairs in a row, +all of which were covered with antimacassars, embroidered with +silverish-red flowers, while below, at the feet of these chairs, stood +four footstools. On either side, was also one of a pair of high teapoys, +and these teapoys were covered with teacups and flower vases. + +The other nick-nacks need not be minutely described. + +The old nurses pressed Tai-yue to sit down on the stove-couch; but, on +perceiving near the edge of the couch two embroidered cushions, placed +one opposite the other, she thought of the gradation of seats, and did +not therefore place herself on the couch, but on a chair on the eastern +side of the room; whereupon the waiting maids, in attendance in these +quarters, hastened to serve the tea. + +While Tai-yue was sipping her tea, she observed the headgear, dress, +deportment and manners of the several waiting maids, which she really +found so unlike what she had seen in other households. She had hardly +finished her tea, when she noticed a waiting maid approach, dressed in a +red satin jacket, and a waistcoat of blue satin with scollops. + +"My lady requests Miss Lin to come over and sit with her," she remarked +as she put on a smile. + +The old nurses, upon hearing this message, speedily ushered Tai-yue again +out of this apartment, into the three-roomed small main building by the +eastern porch. + +On the stove-couch, situated at the principal part of the room, was +placed, in a transverse position, a low couch-table, at the upper end of +which were laid out, in a heap, books and a tea service. Against the +partition-wall, on the east side, facing the west, was a reclining +pillow, made of blue satin, neither old nor new. + +Madame Wang, however, occupied the lower seat, on the west side, on +which was likewise placed a rather shabby blue satin sitting-rug, with a +back-cushion; and upon perceiving Tai-yue come in she urged her at once +to sit on the east side. + +Tai-yue concluded, in her mind, that this seat must certainly belong to +Chia Cheng, and espying, next to the couch, a row of three chairs, +covered with antimacassars, strewn with embroidered flowers, somewhat +also the worse for use, Tai-yue sat down on one of these chairs. + +But as madame Wang pressed her again and again to sit on the couch, +Tai-yue had at length to take a seat next to her. + +"Your uncle," madame Wang explained, "is gone to observe this day as a +fast day, but you'll see him by and bye. There's, however, one thing I +want to talk to you about. Your three female cousins are all, it is +true, everything that is nice; and you will, when later on you come +together for study, or to learn how to do needlework, or whenever, at +any time, you romp and laugh together, find them all most obliging; but +there's one thing that causes me very much concern. I have here one, who +is the very root of retribution, the incarnation of all mischief, one +who is a ne'er-do-well, a prince of malignant spirits in this family. He +is gone to-day to pay his vows in the temple, and is not back yet, but +you will see him in the evening, when you will readily be able to judge +for yourself. One thing you must do, and that is, from this time forth, +not to pay any notice to him. All these cousins of yours don't venture +to bring any taint upon themselves by provoking him." + +Tai-yue had in days gone by heard her mother explain that she had a +nephew, born into the world, holding a piece of jade in his mouth, who +was perverse beyond measure, who took no pleasure in his books, and +whose sole great delight was to play the giddy dog in the inner +apartments; that her maternal grandmother, on the other hand, loved him +so fondly that no one ever presumed to call him to account, so that +when, in this instance, she heard madame Wang's advice, she at once felt +certain that it must be this very cousin. + +"Isn't it to the cousin born with jade in his mouth, that you are +alluding to, aunt?" she inquired as she returned her smile. "When I was +at home, I remember my mother telling me more than once of this very +cousin, who (she said) was a year older than I, and whose infant name +was Pao-yue. She added that his disposition was really wayward, but that +he treats all his cousins with the utmost consideration. Besides, now +that I have come here, I shall, of course, be always together with my +female cousins, while the boys will have their own court, and separate +quarters; and how ever will there be any cause of bringing any slur upon +myself by provoking him?" + +"You don't know the reasons (that prompt me to warn you)," replied +madame Wang laughingly. "He is so unlike all the rest, all because he +has, since his youth up, been doated upon by our old lady! The fact is +that he has been spoilt, through over-indulgence, by being always in the +company of his female cousins! If his female cousins pay no heed to him, +he is, at any rate, somewhat orderly, but the day his cousins say one +word more to him than usual, much trouble forthwith arises, at the +outburst of delight in his heart. That's why I enjoin upon you not to +heed him. From his mouth, at one time, issue sugared words and +mellifluous phrases; and at another, like the heavens devoid of the sun, +he becomes a raving fool; so whatever you do, don't believe all he +says." + +Tai-yue was assenting to every bit of advice as it was uttered, when +unexpectedly she beheld a waiting-maid walk in. "Her venerable ladyship +over there," she said, "has sent word about the evening meal." + +Madame Wang hastily took Tai-yue by the hand, and emerging by the door of +the back-room, they went eastwards by the verandah at the back. Past the +side gate, was a roadway, running north and south. On the southern side +were a pavilion with three divisions and a Reception Hall with a +colonnade. On the north, stood a large screen wall, painted white; +behind it was a very small building, with a door of half the ordinary +size. + +"These are your cousin Feng's rooms," explained madame Wang to Tai-yue, +as she pointed to them smiling. "You'll know in future your way to come +and find her; and if you ever lack anything, mind you mention it to her, +and she'll make it all right." + +At the door of this court, were also several youths, who had recently +had the tufts of their hair tied together, who all dropped their hands +against their sides, and stood in a respectful posture. Madame Wang then +led Tai-yue by the hand through a corridor, running east and west, into +what was dowager lady Chia's back-court. Forthwith they entered the door +of the back suite of rooms, where stood, already in attendance, a large +number of servants, who, when they saw madame Wang arrive, set to work +setting the tables and chairs in order. + +Chia Chu's wife, nee Li, served the eatables, while Hsi-feng placed the +chopsticks, and madame Wang brought the soup in. Dowager lady Chia was +seated all alone on the divan, in the main part of the apartment, on the +two sides of which stood four vacant chairs. + +Hsi-feng at once drew Tai-yue, meaning to make her sit in the foremost +chair on the left side, but Tai-yue steadily and concedingly declined. + +"Your aunts and sisters-in-law, standing on the right and left," dowager +lady Chia smilingly explained, "won't have their repast in here, and as +you're a guest, it's but proper that you should take that seat." + +Then alone it was that Tai-yue asked for permission to sit down, seating +herself on the chair. + +Madame Wang likewise took a seat at old lady Chia's instance; and the +three cousins, Ying Ch'un and the others, having craved for leave to sit +down, at length came forward, and Ying Ch'un took the first chair on the +right, T'an Ch'un the second, and Hsi Ch'un the second on the left. +Waiting maids stood by holding in their hands, flips and finger-bowls +and napkins, while Mrs. Li and lady Feng, the two of them, kept near the +table advising them what to eat, and pressing them to help themselves. + +In the outer apartments, the married women and waiting-maids in +attendance, were, it is true, very numerous; but not even so much as the +sound of the cawing of a crow could be heard. + +The repast over, each one was presented by a waiting-maid, with tea in a +small tea tray; but the Lin family had all along impressed upon the mind +of their daughter that in order to show due regard to happiness, and to +preserve good health, it was essential, after every meal, to wait a +while, before drinking any tea, so that it should not do any harm to the +intestines. When, therefore, Tai-yue perceived how many habits there were +in this establishment unlike those which prevailed in her home, she too +had no alternative but to conform herself to a certain extent with them. +Upon taking over the cup of tea, servants came once more and presented +finger-bowls for them to rinse their mouths, and Tai-yue also rinsed +hers; and after they had all again finished washing their hands, tea was +eventually served a second time, and this was, at length, the tea that +was intended to be drunk. + +"You can all go," observed dowager lady Chia, "and let us alone to have +a chat." + +Madame Wang rose as soon as she heard these words, and having made a few +irrelevant remarks, she led the way and left the room along with the two +ladies, Mrs. Li and lady Feng. + +Dowager lady Chia, having inquired of Tai-yue what books she was reading, +"I have just begun reading the Four Books," Tai-yue replied. "What books +are my cousins reading?" Tai-yue went on to ask. + +"Books, you say!" exclaimed dowager lady Chia; "why all they know are a +few characters, that's all." + +The sentence was barely out of her lips, when a continuous sounding of +footsteps was heard outside, and a waiting maid entered and announced +that Pao-yue was coming. Tai-yue was speculating in her mind how it was +that this Pao-yue had turned out such a good-for-nothing fellow, when he +happened to walk in. + +He was, in fact, a young man of tender years, wearing on his head, to +hold his hair together, a cap of gold of purplish tinge, inlaid with +precious gems. Parallel with his eyebrows was attached a circlet, +embroidered with gold, and representing two dragons snatching a pearl. +He wore an archery-sleeved deep red jacket, with hundreds of butterflies +worked in gold of two different shades, interspersed with flowers; and +was girded with a sash of variegated silk, with clusters of designs, to +which was attached long tassels; a kind of sash worn in the palace. Over +all, he had a slate-blue fringed coat of Japanese brocaded satin, with +eight bunches of flowers in relief; and wore a pair of light blue satin +white-soled, half-dress court-shoes. + +His face was like the full moon at mid-autumn; his complexion, like +morning flowers in spring; the hair along his temples, as if chiselled +with a knife; his eyebrows, as if pencilled with ink; his nose like a +suspended gallbladder (a well-cut and shapely nose); his eyes like +vernal waves; his angry look even resembled a smile; his glance, even +when stern, was full of sentiment. + +Round his neck he had a gold dragon necklet with a fringe; also a cord +of variegated silk, to which was attached a piece of beautiful jade. + +As soon as Tai-yue became conscious of his presence, she was quite taken +aback. "How very strange!" she was reflecting in her mind; "it would +seem as if I had seen him somewhere or other, for his face appears +extremely familiar to my eyes;" when she noticed Pao-yue face dowager +lady Chia and make his obeisance. "Go and see your mother and then come +back," remarked her venerable ladyship; and at once he turned round and +quitted the room. + +On his return, he had already changed his hat and suit. All round his +head, he had a fringe of short hair, plaited into small queues, and +bound with red silk. The queues were gathered up at the crown, and all +the hair, which had been allowed to grow since his birth, was plaited +into a thick queue, which looked as black and as glossy as lacquer. +Between the crown of the head and the extremity of the queue, hung a +string of four large pearls, with pendants of gold, representing the +eight precious things. On his person, he wore a long silvery-red coat, +more or less old, bestrewn with embroidery of flowers. He had still +round his neck the necklet, precious gem, amulet of Recorded Name, +philacteries, and other ornaments. Below were partly visible a fir-cone +coloured brocaded silk pair of trousers, socks spotted with black +designs, with ornamented edges, and a pair of deep red, thick-soled +shoes. + +(Got up as he was now,) his face displayed a still whiter appearance, as +if painted, and his eyes as if they were set off with carnation. As he +rolled his eyes, they brimmed with love. When he gave utterance to +speech, he seemed to smile. But the chief natural pleasing feature was +mainly centred in the curve of his eyebrows. The ten thousand and one +fond sentiments, fostered by him during the whole of his existence, were +all amassed in the corner of his eyes. + +His outward appearance may have been pleasing to the highest degree, but +yet it was no easy matter to fathom what lay beneath it. + +There are a couple of roundelays, composed by a later poet, (after the +excellent rhythm of the) Hsi Chiang Yueh, which depict Pao-yue in a most +adequate manner. + +The roundelays run as follows: + + To gloom and passion prone, without a rhyme, + Inane and madlike was he many a time, + His outer self, forsooth, fine may have been, + But one wild, howling waste his mind within: + Addled his brain that nothing he could see; + A dunce! to read essays so loth to be! + Perverse in bearing, in temper wayward; + For human censure he had no regard. + When rich, wealth to enjoy he knew not how; + When poor, to poverty he could not bow. + Alas! what utter waste of lustrous grace! + To state, to family what a disgrace! + Of ne'er-do-wells below he was the prime, + Unfilial like him none up to this time. + Ye lads, pampered with sumptuous fare and dress, + Beware! In this youth's footsteps do not press! + +But to proceed with our story. + +"You have gone and changed your clothes," observed dowager lady Chia, +"before being introduced to the distant guest. Why don't you yet salute +your cousin?" + +Pao-yue had long ago become aware of the presence of a most beautiful +young lady, who, he readily concluded, must be no other than the +daughter of his aunt Lin. He hastened to advance up to her, and make his +bow; and after their introduction, he resumed his seat, whence he +minutely scrutinised her features, (which he thought) so unlike those of +all other girls. + +Her two arched eyebrows, thick as clustered smoke, bore a certain not +very pronounced frowning wrinkle. She had a pair of eyes, which +possessed a cheerful, and yet one would say, a sad expression, +overflowing with sentiment. Her face showed the prints of sorrow stamped +on her two dimpled cheeks. She was beautiful, but her whole frame was +the prey of a hereditary disease. The tears in her eyes glistened like +small specks. Her balmy breath was so gentle. She was as demure as a +lovely flower reflected in the water. Her gait resembled a frail willow, +agitated by the wind. Her heart, compared with that of Pi Kan, had one +more aperture of intelligence; while her ailment exceeded (in intensity) +by three degrees the ailment of Hsi-Tzu. + +Pao-yue, having concluded his scrutiny of her, put on a smile and said, +"This cousin I have already seen in days gone by." + +"There you are again with your nonsense," exclaimed lady Chia, +sneeringly; "how could you have seen her before?" + +"Though I may not have seen her, ere this," observed Pao-yue with a +smirk, "yet when I look at her face, it seems so familiar, and to my +mind, it would appear as if we had been old acquaintances; just as if, +in fact, we were now meeting after a long separation." + +"That will do! that will do!" remarked dowager lady Chia; "such being +the case, you will be the more intimate." + +Pao-yue, thereupon, went up to Tai-yue, and taking a seat next to her, +continued to look at her again with all intentness for a good long +while. + +"Have you read any books, cousin?" he asked. + +"I haven't as yet," replied Tai-yue, "read any books, as I have only been +to school for a year; all I know are simply a few characters." + +"What is your worthy name, cousin?" Pao-yue went on to ask; whereupon +Tai-yue speedily told him her name. + +"Your style?" inquired Pao-yue; to which question Tai-yue replied, "I have +no style." + +"I'll give you a style," suggested Pao-yue smilingly; "won't the double +style 'P'in P'in,' 'knitting brows,' do very well?" + +"From what part of the standard books does that come?" T'an Ch'un +hastily interposed. + +"It is stated in the Thorough Research into the state of Creation from +remote ages to the present day," Pao-yue went on to explain, "that, in +the western quarter, there exists a stone, called Tai, (black,) which +can be used, in lieu of ink, to blacken the eyebrows with. Besides the +eyebrows of this cousin taper in a way, as if they were contracted, so +that the selection of these two characters is most appropriate, isn't +it?" + +"This is just another plagiarism, I fear," observed T'an Ch'un, with an +ironic smirk. + +"Exclusive of the Four Books," Pao-yue remarked smilingly, "the majority +of works are plagiarised; and is it only I, perchance, who plagiarise? +Have you got any jade or not?" he went on to inquire, addressing Tai-yue, +(to the discomfiture) of all who could not make out what he meant. + +"It's because he has a jade himself," Tai-yue forthwith reasoned within +her mind, "that he asks me whether I have one or not.--No; I haven't +one," she replied. "That jade of yours is besides a rare object, and how +could every one have one?" + +As soon as Pao-yue heard this remark, he at once burst out in a fit of +his raving complaint, and unclasping the gem, he dashed it disdainfully +on the floor. "Rare object, indeed!" he shouted, as he heaped invective +on it; "it has no idea how to discriminate the excellent from the mean, +among human beings; and do tell me, has it any perception or not? I too +can do without this rubbish!" + +All those, who stood below, were startled; and in a body they pressed +forward, vying with each other as to who should pick up the gem. + +Dowager lady Chia was so distressed that she clasped Pao-yue in her +embrace. "You child of wrath," she exclaimed. "When you get into a +passion, it's easy enough for you to beat and abuse people; but what +makes you fling away that stem of life?" + +Pao-yue's face was covered with the traces of tears. "All my cousins +here, senior as well as junior," he rejoined, as he sobbed, "have no +gem, and if it's only I to have one, there's no fun in it, I maintain! +and now comes this angelic sort of cousin, and she too has none, so that +it's clear enough that it is no profitable thing." + +Dowager lady Chia hastened to coax him. "This cousin of yours," she +explained, "would, under former circumstances, have come here with a +jade; and it's because your aunt felt unable, as she lay on her +death-bed, to reconcile herself to the separation from your cousin, that +in the absence of any remedy, she forthwith took the gem belonging to +her (daughter), along with her (in the grave); so that, in the first +place, by the fulfilment of the rites of burying the living with the +dead might be accomplished the filial piety of your cousin; and in the +second place, that the spirit of your aunt might also, for the time +being, use it to gratify the wish of gazing on your cousin. That's why +she simply told you that she had no jade; for she couldn't very well +have had any desire to give vent to self-praise. Now, how can you ever +compare yourself with her? and don't you yet carefully and circumspectly +put it on? Mind, your mother may come to know what you have done!" + +As she uttered these words, she speedily took the jade over from the +hand of the waiting-maid, and she herself fastened it on for him. + +When Pao-yue heard this explanation, he indulged in reflection, but could +not even then advance any further arguments. + +A nurse came at the moment and inquired about Tai-yue's quarters, and +dowager lady Chia at once added, "Shift Pao-yue along with me, into the +warm room of my suite of apartments, and put your mistress, Miss Lin, +temporarily in the green gauze house; and when the rest of the winter is +over, and repairs are taken in hand in spring in their rooms, an +additional wing can be put up for her to take up her quarters in." + +"My dear ancestor," ventured Pao-yue; "the bed I occupy outside the green +gauze house is very comfortable; and what need is there again for me to +leave it and come and disturb your old ladyship's peace and quiet?" + +"Well, all right," observed dowager lady Chia, after some consideration; +"but let each one of you have a nurse, as well as a waiting-maid to +attend on you; the other servants can remain in the outside rooms and +keep night watch and be ready to answer any call." + +At an early hour, besides, Hsi-feng had sent a servant round with a grey +flowered curtain, embroidered coverlets and satin quilts and other such +articles. + +Tai-yue had brought along with her only two servants; the one was her own +nurse, dame Wang, and the other was a young waiting-maid of sixteen, +whose name was called Hsueeh Yen. Dowager lady Chia, perceiving that +Hsueeh Yen was too youthful and quite a child in her manner, while nurse +Wang was, on the other hand, too aged, conjectured that Tai-yue would, in +all her wants, not have things as she liked, so she detached two +waiting-maids, who were her own personal attendants, named Tzu Chuean and +Ying Ko, and attached them to Tai-yue's service. Just as had Ying Ch'un +and the other girls, each one of whom had besides the wet nurses of +their youth, four other nurses to advise and direct them, and exclusive +of two personal maids to look after their dress and toilette, four or +five additional young maids to do the washing and sweeping of the rooms +and the running about backwards and forwards on errands. + +Nurse Wang, Tzu Chuean and other girls entered at once upon their +attendance on Tai-yue in the green gauze rooms, while Pao-yue's wet-nurse, +dame Li, together with an elderly waiting-maid, called Hsi Jen, were on +duty in the room with the large bed. + +This Hsi Jen had also been, originally, one of dowager lady Chia's +servant-girls. Her name was in days gone by, Chen Chu. As her venerable +ladyship, in her tender love for Pao-yue, had feared that Pao-yue's +servant girls were not equal to their duties, she readily handed her to +Pao-yue, as she had hitherto had experience of how sincere and +considerate she was at heart. + +Pao-yue, knowing that her surname was at one time Hua, and having once +seen in some verses of an ancient poet, the line "the fragrance of +flowers wafts itself into man," lost no time in explaining the fact to +dowager lady Chia, who at once changed her name into Hsi Jen. + +This Hsi Jen had several simple traits. While in attendance upon dowager +lady Chia, in her heart and her eyes there was no one but her venerable +ladyship, and her alone; and now in her attendance upon Pao-yue, her +heart and her eyes were again full of Pao-yue, and him alone. But as +Pao-yue was of a perverse temperament and did not heed her repeated +injunctions, she felt at heart exceedingly grieved. + +At night, after nurse Li had fallen asleep, seeing that in the inner +chambers, Tai-yue, Ying Ko and the others had not as yet retired to rest, +she disrobed herself, and with gentle step walked in. + +"How is it, miss," she inquired smiling, "that you have not turned in as +yet?" + +Tai-yue at once put on a smile. "Sit down, sister," she rejoined, +pressing her to take a seat. Hsi Jen sat on the edge of the bed. + +"Miss Lin," interposed Ying Ko smirkingly, "has been here in an awful +state of mind! She has cried so to herself, that her eyes were flooded, +as soon as she dried her tears. 'It's only to-day that I've come,' she +said, 'and I've already been the cause of the outbreak of your young +master's failing. Now had he broken that jade, as he hurled it on the +ground, wouldn't it have been my fault? Hence it was that she was so +wounded at heart, that I had all the trouble in the world, before I +could appease her." + +"Desist at once, Miss! Don't go on like this," Hsi Jen advised her; +"there will, I fear, in the future, happen things far more strange and +ridiculous than this; and if you allow yourself to be wounded and +affected to such a degree by a conduct such as his, you will, I +apprehend, suffer endless wounds and anguish; so be quick and dispel +this over-sensitive nature!" + +"What you sisters advise me," replied Tai-yue, "I shall bear in mind, and +it will be all right." + +They had another chat, which lasted for some time, before they at length +retired to rest for the night. + +The next day, (she and her cousins) got up at an early hour and went +over to pay their respects to dowager lady Chia, after which upon coming +to madame Wang's apartments, they happened to find madame Wang and +Hsi-feng together, opening the letters which had arrived from Chin Ling. +There were also in the room two married women, who had been sent from +madame Wang's elder brother's wife's house to deliver a message. + +Tai-yue was, it is true, not aware of what was up, but T'an Ch'un and the +others knew that they were discussing the son of her mother's sister, +married in the Hsueeh family, in the city of Chin Ling, a cousin of +theirs, Hsueeh P'an, who relying upon his wealth and influence had, by +assaulting a man, committed homicide, and who was now to be tried in the +court of the Ying T'ien Prefecture. + +Her maternal uncle, Wang Tzu-t'eng, had now, on the receipt of the +tidings, despatched messengers to bring over the news to the Chia +family. But the next chapter will explain what was the ultimate issue of +the wish entertained in this mansion to send for the Hsueeh family to +come to the capital. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + An ill-fated girl happens to meet an ill-fated young man. + The Hu Lu Bonze adjudicates the Hu Lu case. + + +Tai-yue, for we shall now return to our story, having come, along with +her cousin to madame Wang's apartments, found madame Wang discussing +certain domestic occurrences with the messengers, who had arrived from +her elder brother's wife's home, and conversing also about the case of +homicide, in which the family of her mother's sister had become +involved, and other such relevant topics. Perceiving how pressing and +perplexing were the matters in which madame Wang was engaged, the young +ladies promptly left her apartments, and came over to the rooms of their +widow sister-in-law, Mrs. Li. + +This Mrs. Li had originally been the spouse of Chia Chu. Although Chu +had died at an early age, he had the good fortune of leaving behind him +a son, to whom the name of Chia Lan was given. He was, at this period, +just in his fifth year, and had already entered school, and applied +himself to books. + +This Mrs. Li was also the daughter of an official of note in Chin Ling. +Her father's name was Li Shou-chung, who had, at one time, been Imperial +Libationer. Among his kindred, men as well as women had all devoted +themselves to poetry and letters; but ever since Li Shou-chung continued +the line of succession, he readily asserted that the absence of literary +attainments in his daughter was indeed a virtue, so that it soon came +about that she did not apply herself in real earnest to learning; with +the result that all she studied were some parts of the "Four Books for +women," and the "Memoirs of excellent women," that all she read did not +extend beyond a limited number of characters, and that all she committed +to memory were the examples of these few worthy female characters of +dynasties of yore; while she attached special importance to spinning and +female handiwork. To this reason is to be assigned the name selected for +her, of Li Wan (Li, the weaver), and the style of Kung Ts'ai (Palace +Sempstress). + +Hence it was that, though this Li Wan still continued, after the loss of +her mate, while she was as yet in the spring of her life, to live amidst +affluence and luxury, she nevertheless resembled in every respect a +block of rotten wood or dead ashes. She had no inclination whatsoever to +inquire after anything or to listen to anything; while her sole and +exclusive thought was to wait upon her relatives and educate her son; +and, in addition to this, to teach her young sisters-in-law to do +needlework and to read aloud. + +Tai-yue was, it is true, at this period living as a guest in the Chia +mansion, where she certainly had the several young ladies to associate +with her, but, outside her aged father, (she thought) there was really +no need for her to extend affection to any of the rest. + +But we will now speak of Chia Yue-ts'un. Having obtained the appointment +of Prefect of Ying T'ien, he had no sooner arrived at his post than a +charge of manslaughter was laid before his court. This had arisen from +some rivalry between two parties in the purchase of a slave-girl, either +of whom would not yield his right; with the result that a serious +assault occurred, which ended in homicide. + +Yue-ts'un had, with all promptitude, the servants of the plaintiffs +brought before him, and subjected them to an examination. + +"The victim of the assault," the plaintiffs deposed, "was your servants' +master. Having on a certain day, purchased a servant-girl, she +unexpectedly turned out to be a girl who had been carried away and sold +by a kidnapper. This kidnapper had, first of all, got hold of our +family's money, and our master had given out that he would on the third +day, which was a propitious day, take her over into the house, but +this kidnapper stealthily sold her over again to the Hsueeh family. When +we came to know of this, we went in search of the seller to lay hold of +him, and bring back the girl by force. But the Hsueeh party has been all +along _the_ bully of Chin Ling, full of confidence in his wealth, +full of presumption on account of his prestige; and his arrogant menials +in a body seized our master and beat him to death. The murderous master +and his crew have all long ago made good their escape, leaving no trace +behind them, while there only remain several parties not concerned in +the affair. Your servants have for a whole year lodged complaints, but +there has been no one to do our cause justice, and we therefore implore +your Lordship to have the bloodstained criminals arrested, and thus +conduce to the maintenance of humanity and benevolence; and the living, +as well as the dead, will feel boundless gratitude for this heavenly +bounty." + +When Yue-ts'un heard their appeal, he flew into a fiery rage. "What!" he +exclaimed. "How could a case of such gravity have taken place as the +murder of a man, and the culprits have been allowed to run away +scot-free, without being arrested? Issue warrants, and despatch +constables to at once lay hold of the relatives of the bloodstained +criminals and bring them to be examined by means of torture." + +Thereupon he espied a Retainer, who was standing by the judgment-table, +wink at him, signifying that he should not issue the warrants. Yue-t'sun +gave way to secret suspicion, and felt compelled to desist. + +Withdrawing from the Court-room, he retired into a private chamber, from +whence he dismissed his followers, only keeping this single Retainer to +wait upon him. + +The Retainer speedily advanced and paid his obeisance. "Your worship," +he said smiling, "has persistently been rising in official honours, and +increasing in wealth so that, in the course of about eight or nine +years, you have forgotten me." + +"Your face is, however, extremely familiar," observed Yue-ts'un, "but I +cannot, for the moment, recall who you are." + +"Honourable people forget many things," remarked the Retainer, as he +smiled. "What! Have you even forgotten the place where you started in +life? and do you not remember what occurred, in years gone by, in the Hu +Lu Temple?" + +Yue-ts'un was filled with extreme astonishment; and past events then +began to dawn upon him. + +The fact is that this Retainer had been at one time a young priest in +the Hu Lu temple; but as, after its destruction by fire, he had no place +to rest his frame, he remembered how light and easy was, after all, this +kind of occupation, and being unable to reconcile himself to the +solitude and quiet of a temple, he accordingly availed himself of his +years, which were as yet few, to let his hair grow, and become a +retainer. + +Yue-ts'un had had no idea that it was he. Hastily taking his hand in his, +he smilingly observed, "You are, indeed, an old acquaintance!" and then +pressed him to take a seat, so as to have a chat with more ease, but the +Retainer would not presume to sit down. + +"Friendships," Yue-ts'un remarked, putting on a smiling expression, +"contracted in poor circumstances should not be forgotten! This is a +private room; so that if you sat down, what would it matter?" + +The Retainer thereupon craved permission to take a seat, and sat down +gingerly, all awry. + +"Why did you, a short while back," Yue-ts'un inquired, "not allow me to +issue the warrants?" + +"Your illustrious office," replied the Retainer, "has brought your +worship here, and is it likely you have not transcribed some philactery +of your post in this province!" + +"What is an office-philactery?" asked Yue-ts'un with alacrity. + +"Now-a-days," explained the Retainer, "those who become local officers +provide themselves invariably with a secret list, in which are entered +the names and surnames of the most influential and affluent gentry of +note in the province. This is in vogue in every province. Should +inadvertently, at any moment, one give umbrage to persons of this +status, why, not only office, but I fear even one's life, it would be +difficult to preserve. That's why these lists are called +office-philacteries. This Hsueeh family, just a while back spoken of, how +could your worship presume to provoke? This case in question affords no +difficulties whatever in the way of a settlement; but the prefects, who +have held office before you, have all, by doing violence to the feelings +and good name of these people, come to the end they did." + +As he uttered these words, he produced, from inside a purse which he had +handy, a transcribed office-philactery, which he handed over to +Yue-ts'un; who upon perusal, found it full of trite and unpolished +expressions of public opinion, with regard to the leading clans and +notable official families in that particular district. They ran as +follows: + +The "Chia" family is not "chia," a myth; white jade form the Halls; gold +compose their horses! The "A Fang" Palace is three hundred li in extent, +but is no fit residence for a "Shih" of Chin Ling. The eastern seas lack +white jade beds, and the "Lung Wang," king of the Dragons, has come to +ask for one of the Chin Ling Wang, (Mr. Wang of Chin Ling.) In a +plenteous year, snow, (Hsueeh,) is very plentiful; their pearls and gems +are like sand, their gold like iron. + +Scarcely had Yue-ts'un done reading, when suddenly was heard the +announcement, communicated by the beating of a gong, that Mr. Wang had +come to pay his respects. + +Yue-ts'un hastily adjusted his official clothes and hat, and went out of +the room to greet and receive the visitor. Returning after a short while +he proceeded to question the Retainer (about what he had been perusing.) + +"These four families," explained the Retainer, "are all interlaced by +ties of relationship, so that if you offend one, you offend all; if you +honour one, you honour all. For support and protection, they all have +those to take care of their interests! Now this Hsueeh, who is charged +with homicide, is indeed the Hsueeh implied by 'in a plenteous year, +(Hsueeh,) snow, is very plentiful.' In fact, not only has he these three +families to rely upon, but his (father's) old friends, and his own +relatives and friends are both to be found in the capital, as well as +abroad in the provinces; and they are, what is more, not few in number. +Who is it then that your Worship purposes having arrested?" + +When Yue-ts'un had heard these remarks, he forthwith put on a smile and +inquired of the Retainer, "If what you say be true, how is then this +lawsuit to be settled? Are you also perchance well aware of the place of +retreat of this homicide?" + +"I don't deceive your Worship," the Retainer ventured smiling, "when I +say that not only do I know the hiding-place of this homicide, but that +I also am acquainted with the man who kidnapped and sold the girl; I +likewise knew full well the poor devil and buyer, now deceased. But +wait, and I'll tell your worship all, with full details. This person, +who succumbed to the assault, was the son of a minor gentry. His name +was Feng Yuean. His father and mother are both deceased, and he has +likewise no brothers. He looked after some scanty property in order to +eke out a living. His age was eighteen or nineteen; and he had a strong +penchant for men's, and not much for women's society. But this was too +the retribution (for sins committed) in a previous existence! for +coming, by a strange coincidence, in the way of this kidnapper, who was +selling the maid, he straightway at a glance fell in love with this +girl, and made up his mind to purchase her and make her his second wife; +entering an oath not to associate with any male friends, nor even to +marry another girl. And so much in earnest was he in this matter that he +had to wait until after the third day before she could enter his +household (so as to make the necessary preparations for the marriage). +But who would have foreseen the issue? This kidnapper quietly disposed +of her again by sale to the Hsueeh family; his intention being to pocket +the price-money from both parties, and effect his escape. Contrary to +his calculations, he couldn't after all run away in time, and the two +buyers laid hold of him and beat him, till he was half dead; but neither +of them would take his coin back, each insisting upon the possession of +the girl. But do you think that young gentleman, Mr. Hsueeh, would yield +his claim to her person? Why, he at once summoned his servants and bade +them have recourse to force; and, taking this young man Feng, they +assailed him till they made mincemeat of him. He was then carried back +to his home, where he finally died after the expiry of three days. This +young Mr. Hsueeh had previously chosen a day, on which he meant to set +out for the capital, and though he had beaten the young man Feng to +death, and carried off the girl, he nevertheless behaved in the manner +of a man who had had no concern in the affair. And all he gave his mind +to was to take his family and go along on his way; but not in any wise +in order to evade (the consequences) of this (occurrence). This case of +homicide, (he looked upon) as a most trivial and insignificant matter, +which, (he thought), his brother and servants, who were on the spot, +would be enough to settle. But, however, enough of this person. Now does +your worship know who this girl is who was sold?" + +"How could I possibly know?" answered Yue-ts'un. + +"And yet," remarked the Retainer, as he laughed coldly, "this is a +person to whom you are indebted for great obligations; for she is no one +else than the daughter of Mr. Chen, who lived next door to the Hu Lu +temple. Her infant name is 'Ying Lien.'" + +"What! is it really she?" exclaimed Yue-ts'un full of surprise. "I heard +that she had been kidnapped, ever since she was five years old; but has +she only been sold recently?" + +"Kidnappers of this kind," continued the Retainer, "only abduct infant +girls, whom they bring up till they reach the age of twelve or thirteen, +when they take them into strange districts and dispose of them through +their agents. In days gone by, we used daily to coax this girl, Ying +Lien, to romp with us, so that we got to be exceedingly friendly. Hence +it is that though, with the lapse of seven or eight years, her mien has +assumed a more surpassingly lovely appearance, her general features +have, on the other hand, undergone no change; and this is why I can +recognise her. Besides, in the centre of her two eyebrows, she had a +spot, of the size of a grain of rice, of carnation colour, which she has +had ever since she was born into the world. This kidnapper, it also +happened, rented my house to live in; and on a certain day, on which the +kidnapper was not at home, I even set her a few questions. She said, +'that the kidnapper had so beaten her, that she felt intimidated, and +couldn't on any account, venture to speak out; simply averring that the +kidnapper was her own father, and that, as he had no funds to repay his +debts, he had consequently disposed of her by sale!' I tried time after +time to induce her to answer me, but she again gave way to tears and +added no more than: 'I don't really remember anything of my youth.' Of +this, anyhow, there can be no doubt; on a certain day the young man Feng +and the kidnapper met, said the money was paid down; but as the +kidnapper happened to be intoxicated, Ying Lien exclaimed, as she +sighed: 'My punishment has this day been consummated!' Later on again, +when she heard that young Feng would, after three days, have her taken +over to his house, she once more underwent a change and put on such a +sorrowful look that, unable to brook the sight of it, I waited till the +kidnapper went out, when I again told my wife to go and cheer her by +representing to her that this Mr. Feng's fixed purpose to wait for a +propitious day, on which to come and take her over, was ample proof that +he would not look upon her as a servant-girl. 'Furthermore,' (explained +my wife to her), 'he is a sort of person exceedingly given to fast +habits, and has at home ample means to live upon, so that if, besides, +with his extreme aversion to women, he actually purchases you now, at a +fancy price, you should be able to guess the issue, without any +explanation. You have to bear suspense only for two or three days, and +what need is there to be sorrowful and dejected?' After these +assurances, she became somewhat composed, flattering herself that she +would from henceforth have a home of her own. + +"But who would believe that the world is but full of disappointments! On +the succeeding day, it came about that the kidnapper again sold her to +the Hsueeh family! Had he disposed of her to any other party, no harm +would anyhow have resulted; but this young gentleman Hsueeh, who is +nicknamed by all, 'the Foolish and overbearing Prince,' is the most +perverse and passionate being in the whole world. What is more, he +throws money away as if it were dust. The day on which he gave the +thrashing with blows like falling leaves and flowing water, he dragged +(_lit_. pull alive, drag dead) Ying Lien away more dead than alive, +by sheer force, and no one, even up to this date, is aware whether she +be among the dead or the living. This young Feng had a spell of empty +happiness; for (not only) was his wish not fulfilled, but on the +contrary he spent money and lost his life; and was not this a lamentable +case?" + +When Yue-ts'un heard this account he also heaved a sigh. "This was +indeed," he observed, "a retribution in store for them! Their encounter +was likewise not accidental; for had it been, how was it that this Feng +Yuean took a fancy to Ying Lien? + +"This Ying Lien had, during all these years, to endure much harsh +treatment from the hands of the kidnapper, and had, at length, obtained +the means of escape; and being besides full of warm feeling, had he +actually made her his wife, and had they come together, the event would +certainly have been happy; but, as luck would have it, there occurred +again this contretemps. + +"This Hsueeh is, it is true, more laden with riches and honours than Feng +was, but when we bear in mind what kind of man he is he certainly, with +his large bevy of handmaids, and his licentious and inordinate habits, +cannot ever be held equal to Feng Yuean, who had set his heart upon one +person! This may appositely be termed a fantastic sentimental destiny, +which, by a strange coincidence, befell a couple consisting of an +ill-fated young fellow and girl! But why discuss third parties? The only +thing now is how to decide this case, so as to put things right." + +"Your worship," remarked the Retainer smiling, "displayed, in years gone +by, such great intelligence and decision, and how is it that today you, +on the contrary, become a person without any resources! Your servant has +heard that the promotion of your worship to fill up this office is due +to the exertions of the Chia and Wang families; and as this Hsueeh P'an +is a relative of the Chia mansion, why doesn't your worship take your +craft along with the stream, and bring, by the performance of a +kindness, this case to an issue, so that you may again in days to come, +be able to go and face the two Dukes Chia and Wang?" + +"What you suggest," replied Yue-ts'un, "is, of course, right enough; but +this case involves a human life, and honoured as I have been, by His +Majesty the Emperor, by a restoration to office, and selection to an +appointment, how can I at the very moment, when I may strain all my +energies to show my gratitude, by reason of a private consideration, set +the laws at nought? This is a thing which I really haven't the courage +to do." + +"What your worship says is naturally right and proper," remarked the +Retainer at these words, smiling sarcastically, "but at the present +stage of the world, such things cannot be done. Haven't you heard the +saying of a man of old to the effect that great men take action suitable +to the times. 'He who presses,' he adds, 'towards what is auspicious and +avoids what is inauspicious is a perfect man.' From what your worship +says, not only you couldn't, by any display of zeal, repay your +obligation to His Majesty, but, what is more, your own life you will +find it difficult to preserve. There are still three more considerations +necessary to insure a safe settlement." + +Yue-ts'un drooped his head for a considerable time. + +"What is there in your idea to be done?" he at length inquired. + +"Your servant," responded the Retainer, "has already devised a most +excellent plan. It's this: To-morrow, when your Lordship sits in court, +you should, merely for form's sake, make much ado, by despatching +letters and issuing warrants for the arrest of the culprits. The +murderer will naturally not be forthcoming; and as the plaintiffs will +be strong in their displeasure, you will of course have some members of +the clan of the Hsueeh family, together with a few servants and others, +taken into custody, and examined under torture, when your servant will +be behind the scenes to bring matters to a settlement, by bidding them +report that the victim had succumbed to a sudden ailment, and by urging +the whole number of the kindred, as well as the headmen of the place, to +hand in a declaration to that effect. Your Worship can aver that you +understand perfectly how to write charms in dust, and conjure the +spirit; having had an altar, covered with dust, placed in the court, you +should bid the military and people to come and look on to their heart's +content. Your Worship can give out that the divining spirit has +declared: 'that the deceased, Feng Yuean, and Hsueeh P'an had been enemies +in a former life, that having now met in the narrow road, their +destinies were consummated; that Hsueeh P'an has, by this time, +contracted some indescribable disease and perished from the effects of +the persecution of the spirit of Feng.' That as the calamity had +originated entirely from the action of the kidnapper, exclusive of +dealing with the kidnapper according to law, the rest need not be +interfered with, and so on. Your servant will be in the background to +speak to the kidnapper and urge him to make a full confession; and when +people find that the response of the divining spirit harmonizes with the +statements of the kidnapper, they will, as a matter of course, entertain +no suspicion. + +"The Hsueeh family have plenty of money, so that if your Worship +adjudicates that they should pay five hundred, they can afford it, or +one thousand will also be within their means; and this sum can be handed +to the Feng family to meet the outlay of burning incense and burial +expenses. The Feng family are, besides, people of not much consequence, +and (the fuss made by them) being simply for money, they too will, when +they have got the cash in hand, have nothing more to say. But may it +please your worship to consider carefully this plan and see what you +think of it?" + +"It isn't a safe course! It isn't a safe course!" Yue-ts'un observed as +he smiled. "Let me further think and deliberate; and possibly by +succeeding in suppressing public criticism, the matter might also be +settled." + +These two closed their consultation by a fixed determination, and the +next day, when he sat in judgment, he marked off a whole company of the +plaintiffs as well as of the accused, as were mentioned by name, and had +them brought before him. Yue-ts'un examined them with additional +minuteness, and discovered in point of fact, that the inmates of the +Feng family were extremely few, that they merely relied upon this charge +with the idea of obtaining some compensation for joss-sticks and +burials; and that the Hsueeh family, presuming on their prestige and +confident of patronage, had been obstinate in the refusal to make any +mutual concession, with the result that confusion had supervened, and +that no decision had been arrived at. + +Following readily the bent of his feelings, Yue-ts'un disregarded the +laws, and adjudicated this suit in a random way; and as the Feng family +came in for a considerable sum, with which to meet the expense for +incense and the funeral, they had, after all, not very much to say (in +the way of objections.) + +With all despatch, Yue-ts'un wrote and forwarded two letters, one to Chia +Cheng, and the other to Wang Tzu-t'eng, at that time commander-in-chief +of a Metropolitan Division, simply informing them: that the case, in +which their worthy nephew was concerned, had come to a close, and that +there was no need for them to give way to any extreme solicitude. + +This case had been settled through the exclusive action of the young +priest of the Hu Lu temple, now an official Retainer; and Yue-ts'un, +apprehending, on the other hand, lest he might in the presence of +others, divulge the circumstances connected with the days gone by, when +he was in a state of penury, naturally felt very unhappy in his mind. +But at a later period, he succeeded, by ultimately finding in him some +shortcoming, and deporting him to a far-away place, in setting his fears +at rest. + +But we will put Yue-ts'un on one side, and refer to the young man Hsueeh, +who purchased Ying Lien, and assaulted Feng Yuan to death. + +He too was a native of Chin Ling and belonged to a family literary +during successive generations; but this young Hsueeh had recently, when +of tender age, lost his father, and his widowed mother out of pity for +his being the only male issue and a fatherless child, could not help +doating on him and indulging him to such a degree, that when he, in +course of time, grew up to years of manhood, he was good for nothing. + +In their home, furthermore, was the wealth of a millionaire, and they +were, at this time, in receipt of an income from His Majesty's privy +purse, for the purvey of various articles. + +This young Hsueeh went at school under the name of P'an. His style was +Wen Ch'i. His natural habits were extravagant; his language haughty and +supercilious. He had, of course, also been to school, but all he knew +was a limited number of characters, and those not well. The whole day +long, his sole delight was in cock-fighting and horse-racing, rambling +over hills and doing the sights. + +Though a Purveyor, by Imperial appointment, he had not the least idea of +anything relating to matters of business or of the world. All he was +good for was: to take advantage of the friendships enjoyed by his +grandfather in days of old, to present himself at the Board of Revenue +to perfunctorily sign his name and to draw the allowance and rations; +while the rest of his affairs he, needless to say, left his partners and +old servants of the family to manage for him. + +His widowed mother, a Miss Wang, was the youngest sister of Wang +Tzu-t'eng, whose present office was that of Commander-in-Chief of a +Metropolitan Division; and was, with Madame Wang, the spouse of Chia +Cheng, of the Jung Kuo Mansion, sisters born of one mother. She was, in +this year, more or less forty years of age and had only one son: this +Hsueeh P'an. + +She also had a daughter, who was two years younger than Hsueeh P'an, and +whose infant name was Pao Ch'ai. She was beautiful in appearance, and +elegant and refined in deportment. In days gone by, when her father +lived, he was extremely fond of this girl, and had her read books and +study characters, so that, as compared with her brother, she was +actually a hundred times his superior. Having become aware, ever since +her father's death, that her brother could not appease the anguish of +her mother's heart, she at once dispelled all thoughts of books, and +gave her sole mind to needlework, to the menage and other such concerns, +so as to be able to participate in her mother's sorrow, and to bear the +fatigue in lieu of her. + +As of late the Emperor on the Throne held learning and propriety in high +esteem, His Majesty called together and singled out talent and ability, +upon which he deigned to display exceptional grace and favour. Besides +the number called forth from private life and chosen as Imperial +secondary wives, the daughters of families of hereditary official status +and renown were without exception, reported by name to the authorities, +and communicated to the Board, in anticipation of the selection for +maids in waiting to the Imperial Princesses and daughters of Imperial +Princes in their studies, and for filling up the offices of persons of +eminence, to urge them to become excellent. + +Ever since the death of Hsueeh P'an's father, the various assistants, +managers and partners, and other employes in the respective provinces, +perceiving how youthful Hsueeh P'an was in years, and how much he lacked +worldly experience, readily availed themselves of the time to begin +swindling and defrauding. The business, carried on in various different +places in the capital, gradually also began to fall off and to show a +deficit. + +Hsueeh P'an had all along heard that the capital was the _one_ place +for gaieties, and was just entertaining the idea of going on a visit, +when he eagerly jumped at the opportunity (that presented itself,) first +of all to escort his sister, who was going to wait for the selection, in +the second place to see his relatives, and in the third to enter +personally the capital, (professedly) to settle up long-standing +accounts, and to make arrangements for new outlays, but, in reality, +with the sole purpose of seeing the life and splendour of the +metropolis. + +He therefore, had, at an early period, got ready his baggage and small +luggage, as well as the presents for relatives and friends, things of +every description of local production, presents in acknowledgment of +favours received, and other such effects, and he was about to choose a +day to start on his journey when unexpectedly he came in the way of the +kidnapper who offered Ying Lien for sale. As soon as Hsueeh P'an saw how +_distinguee_ Ying Lien was in her appearance, he formed the +resolution of buying her; and when he encountered Feng Yuean, come with +the object of depriving him of her, he in the assurance of superiority, +called his sturdy menials together, who set upon Feng Yuean and beat him +to death. Forthwith collecting all the affairs of the household, and +entrusting them one by one to the charge of some members of the clan and +several elderly servants of the family, he promptly took his mother, +sister and others and after all started on his distant journey, while +the charge of homicide he, however, treated as child's play, flattering +himself that if he spent a few filthy pieces of money, there was no +doubt as to its settlement. + +He had been on his journey how many days, he had not reckoned, when, on +a certain day, as they were about to enter the capital, he furthermore +heard that his maternal uncle, Wang Tzu-t'eng, had been raised to the +rank of Supreme Governor of nine provinces, and had been honoured with +an Imperial command to leave the capital and inspect the frontiers. + +Hsueeh P'an was at heart secretly elated. "I was just lamenting," he +thought, "that on my visit to the capital, I would have my maternal +uncle to exercise control over me, and that I wouldn't be able to gambol +and frisk to my heart's content, but now that he is leaving the capital, +on promotion, it's evident that Heaven accomplishes man's wishes." + +As he consequently held consultation with his mother; "Though we have," +he argued, "several houses of our own in the capital, yet for these last +ten years or so, there has been no one to live in them, and the people +charged with the looking after them must unavoidably have stealthily +rented them to some one or other. It's therefore needful to let servants +go ahead to sweep and get the place in proper order, before we can very +well go ourselves." + +"What need is there to go to such trouble?" retorted his mother; "the +main object of our present visit to the capital is first of all to pay +our respects to our relatives and friends; and it is, either at your +elder uncle's, my brother's place, or at your other uncle's, my sister's +husband's home, both of which families' houses are extremely spacious, +that we can put up provisionally, and by and bye, at our ease, we can +send servants to make our house tidy. Now won't this be a considerable +saving of trouble?" + +"My uncle, your brother," suggested Hsueeh P'an, "has just been raised to +an appointment in an outside province, so that, of course, in his house, +things must be topsy-turvey, on account of his departure; and should we +betake ourselves, like a hive of bees and a long trail, to him for +shelter; won't we appear very inconsiderate?" + +"Your uncle," remarked his mother, "is, it is true, going on promotion, +but there's besides the house of your aunt, my sister. What is more, +during these last few years from both your uncle's and aunt's have, time +after time, been sent messages, and letters forwarded, asking us to come +over; and now that we've come, is it likely, though your uncle is busy +with his preparations to start on his journey, that your aunt of the +Chia family won't do all she can to press us to stay? Besides, were we +to have our house got ready in a scramble, won't it make people think it +strange? I however know your idea very well that were we kept to stay at +your uncle's and aunt's, you won't escape being under strict restraint, +unlike what would be the case were we to live in our own house, as you +would be free then to act as you please! Such being the case, go, on +your own account, and choose some place to take up your quarters in, +while I myself, who have been separated from your aunt and cousins for +these several years, would however like to stay with them for a few +days; and I'll go along with your sister and look up your aunt at her +home. What do you say; will this suit you or not?" + +Hsueeh P'an, upon hearing his mother speak in this strain, knew well +enough that he could not bring her round from her determination; and he +had no help but to issue the necessary directions to the servants to +make straight for the Jung Kuo mansion. Madame Wang had by this time +already come to know that in the lawsuit, in which Hsueeh P'an was +concerned, Chia Yue-ts'un had fortunately intervened and lent his good +offices, and was at length more composed in her mind. But when she again +saw that her eldest brother had been advanced to a post on the frontier, +she was just deploring that, deprived of the intercourse of the +relatives of her mother's family, how doubly lonely she would feel; +when, after the lapse of a few days, some one of the household brought +the unexpected announcement that "our lady, your sister, has, with the +young gentleman, the young lady and her whole household, entered the +capital and have dismounted from their vehicles outside the main +entrance." This news so delighted madame Wang that she rushed out, with +a few attendants, to greet them in the large Entrance Hall, and brought +Mrs. Hsueeh and the others into her house. + +The two sisters were now reunited, at an advanced period of their lives, +so that mixed feelings of sorrow and joy thronged together, but on these +it is, of course, needless to dilate. + +After conversing for a time on what had occurred, subsequent to their +separation, madame Wang took them to pay their obeisance to dowager lady +Chia. They then handed over the various kinds of presents and indigenous +articles, and after the whole family had been introduced, a banquet was +also spread to greet the guests. + +Hsueeh P'an, having paid his respects to Chia Cheng and Chia Lien, was +likewise taken to see Chia She, Chia Chen and the other members. + +Chia Cheng sent a messenger to tell madame Wang that "'aunt' Hsueeh had +already seen many springs and autumns, while their nephew was of tender +age, with no experience, so that there was every fear, were he to live +outside, that something would again take place. In the South-east corner +of our compound," (he sent word,) "there are in the Pear Fragrance +Court, over ten apartments, all of which are vacant and lying idle; and +were we to tell the servants to sweep them, and invite 'aunt' Hsueeh and +the young gentleman and lady to take up their quarters there, it would +be an extremely wise thing." + +Madame Wang had in fact been entertaining the wish to keep them to live +with them, when dowager lady Chia also sent some one to say that, "Mrs. +Hsueeh should be asked to put up in the mansion in order that a greater +friendliness should exist between them all." + +Mrs. Hsueeh herself had all along been desirous to live in one place with +her relatives, so as to be able to keep a certain check over her son, +fearing that, if they lived in a separate house outside, the natural +bent of his habits would run riot, and that some calamity would be +brought on; and she therefore, there and then, expressed her sense of +appreciation, and accepted the invitation. She further privately told +madame Wang in clear terms, that every kind of daily expense and general +contribution would have to be entirely avoided and withdrawn as that +would be the only thing to justify her to make any protracted stay. And +madame Wang aware that she had, in her home, no difficulty in this line, +promptly in fact complied with her wishes. + +From this date it was that "aunt" Hsueeh and her children took up their +quarters in the Pear Fragrance Court. + +This Court of Pear Fragrance had, we must explain, been at one time used +as a place for the quiet retirement of the Duke Jung in his advanced +years. It was on a small scale, but ingeniously laid out. There were, at +least, over ten structures. The front halls and the back houses were all +in perfect style. There was a separate door giving on to the street, and +the people of the household of Hsueeh P'an used this door to go in and +out. At the south-west quarter, there was also a side door, which +communicated with a narrow roadway. Beyond this narrow road, was the +eastern court of madame Wang's principal apartment; so that every day, +either after her repast, or in the evening, Mrs. Hsueeh would readily +come over and converse, on one thing and another, with dowager lady +Chia, or have a chat with madame Wang; while Pao-ch'ai came together, +day after day, with Tai yue, Ying-ch'un, her sisters and the other girls, +either to read, to play chess, or to do needlework, and the pleasure +which they derived was indeed perfect. + +Hsueeh P'an however had all along from the first instance, been loth to +live in the Chia mansion, as he dreaded that with the discipline +enforced by his uncle, he would not be able to be his own master; but +his mother had made up her mind so positively to remain there, and what +was more, every one in the Chia mansion was most pressing in their +efforts to keep them, that there was no alternative for him but to take +up his quarters temporarily there, while he at the same time directed +servants to go and sweep the apartments of their own house, with a view +that they should move into them when they were ready. + +But, contrary to expectation, after they had been in their quarters for +not over a month, Hsueeh P'an came to be on intimate relations with all +the young men among the kindred of the Chia mansion, the half of whom +were extravagant in their habits, so that great was, of course, his +delight to frequent them. To-day, they would come together to drink +wine; the next day to look at flowers. They even assembled to gamble, to +dissipate and to go everywhere and anywhere; leading, with all their +enticements, Hsueeh P'an so far astray, that he became far worse, by a +hundred times, than he was hitherto. + +Although it must be conceded that Chia Cheng was in the education of his +children quite correct, and in the control of his family quite +systematic, yet in the first place, the clan was so large and the +members so numerous, that he was unable to attend to the entire +supervision; and, in the second place, the head of the family, at this +period, was Chia Chen, who, as the eldest grandchild of the Ning +mansion, had likewise now come into the inheritance of the official +status, with the result that all matters connected with the clan +devolved upon his sole and exclusive control. In the third place, public +as well as private concerns were manifold and complex, and being a man +of negligent disposition, he estimated ordinary affairs of so little +consequence that any respite from his official duties he devoted to no +more than the study of books and the playing of chess. + +Furthermore, this Pear Fragrance Court was separated by two rows of +buildings from his quarters and was also provided with a separate door +opening into the street, so that, being able at their own heart's desire +to go out and to come in, these several young fellows could well indulge +their caprices, and gratify the bent of their minds. + +Hence it was that Hsueeh P'an, in course of time gradually extinguished +from his memory every idea of shifting their quarters. + +But what transpired, on subsequent days, the following chapter will +explain. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + The spirit of Chia Pao-yue visits the confines of the Great Void. + The Monitory Vision Fairy expounds, in ballads, the Dream of the Red + Chamber. + + +Having in the fourth Chapter explained, to some degree, the +circumstances attending the settlement of the mother and children of the +Hsueeh family in the Jung mansion, and other incidental matters, we will +now revert to Lin Tai-yue. + +Ever since her arrival in the Jung mansion, dowager lady Chia showed her +the highest sympathy and affection, so that in everything connected with +sleeping, eating, rising and accommodation she was on the same footing +as Pao-yue; with the result that Ying Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and T'an Ch'un, +her three granddaughters, had after all to take a back seat. In fact, +the intimate and close friendliness and love which sprung up between the +two persons Pao-yue and Tai-yue, was, in the same degree, of an +exceptional kind, as compared with those existing between the others. By +daylight they were wont to walk together, and to sit together. At night, +they would desist together, and rest together. Really it was a case of +harmony in language and concord in ideas, of the consistency of varnish +or of glue, (a close friendship), when at this unexpected juncture there +came this girl, Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai, who, though not very much older in +years (than the others), was, nevertheless, in manner so correct, and in +features so beautiful that the consensus of opinion was that Tai-yue +herself could not come up to her standard. + +What is more, in her ways Pao-Ch'ai was so full of good tact, so +considerate and accommodating, so unlike Tai-yue, who was supercilious, +self-confident, and without any regard for the world below, that the +natural consequence was that she soon completely won the hearts of the +lower classes. Even the whole number of waiting-maids would also for the +most part, play and joke with Pao-ch'ai. Hence it was that Tai-yue +fostered, in her heart, considerable feelings of resentment, but of this +however Pao-ch'ai had not the least inkling. + +Pao-yue was, likewise, in the prime of his boyhood, and was, besides, as +far as the bent of his natural disposition was concerned, in every +respect absurd and perverse; regarding his cousins, whether male or +female, one and all with one common sentiment, and without any +distinction whatever between the degrees of distant or close +relationship. Sitting and sleeping, as he now was under the same roof +with Tai-yue in dowager lady Chia's suite of rooms, he naturally became +comparatively more friendly with her than with his other cousins; and +this friendliness led to greater intimacy and this intimacy once +established, rendered unavoidable the occurrence of the blight of +harmony from unforeseen slight pretexts. + +These two had had on this very day, for some unknown reason, words +between them more or less unfriendly, and Tai-yue was again sitting all +alone in her room, giving way to tears. Pao-yue was once more within +himself quite conscience-smitten for his ungraceful remarks, and coming +forward, he humbly made advances, until, at length, Tai-yue little by +little came round. + +As the plum blossom, in the eastern part of the garden of the Ning +mansion, was in full bloom, Chia Chen's spouse, Mrs. Yu, made +preparations for a collation, (purposing) to send invitations to dowager +lady Chia, mesdames Hsing, and Wang, and the other members of the +family, to come and admire the flowers; and when the day arrived the +first thing she did was to take Chia Jung and his wife, the two of them, +and come and ask them round in person. Dowager lady Chia and the other +inmates crossed over after their early meal; and they at once promenaded +the Hui Fang (Concentrated Fragrance) Garden. First tea was served, and +next wine; but the entertainment was no more than a family banquet of +the kindred of the two mansions of Ning and Jung, so that there was a +total lack of any novel or original recreation that could be put on +record. + +After a little time, Pao-yue felt tired and languid and inclined for his +midday siesta. "Take good care," dowager lady Chia enjoined some of +them, "and stay with him, while he rests for a while, when he can come +back;" whereupon Chia Jung's wife, Mrs. Ch'in, smiled and said with +eagerness: "We got ready in here a room for uncle Pao, so let your +venerable ladyship set your mind at ease. Just hand him over to my +charge, and he will be quite safe. Mothers and sisters," she continued, +addressing herself to Pao-yue's nurses and waiting maids, "invite uncle +Pao to follow me in here." + +Dowager lady Chia had always been aware of the fact that Mrs. Ch'in was +a most trustworthy person, naturally courteous and scrupulous, and in +every action likewise so benign and gentle; indeed the most estimable +among the whole number of her great grandsons' wives, so that when she +saw her about to go and attend to Pao-yue, she felt that, for a +certainty, everything would be well. + +Mrs. Ch'in, there and then, led away a company of attendants, and came +into the rooms inside the drawing room. Pao-yue, upon raising his head, +and catching sight of a picture hung on the upper wall, representing a +human figure, in perfect style, the subject of which was a portrait of +Yen Li, speedily felt his heart sink within him. + +There was also a pair of scrolls, the text of which was: + + A thorough insight into worldly matters arises from knowledge; + A clear perception of human nature emanates from literary lore. + +On perusal of these two sentences, albeit the room was sumptuous and +beautifully laid out, he would on no account remain in it. "Let us go at +once," he hastened to observe, "let us go at once." + +Mrs. Ch'in upon hearing his objections smiled. "If this," she said, "is +really not nice, where are you going? if you won't remain here, well +then come into my room." + +Pao-yue nodded his head and gave a faint grin. + +"Where do you find the propriety," a nurse thereupon interposed, "of an +uncle going to sleep in the room of a nephew's wife?" + +"Ai ya!" exclaimed Mrs. Ch'in laughing, "I don't mind whether he gets +angry or not (at what I say); but how old can he be as to reverentially +shun all these things? Why my brother was with me here last month; +didn't you see him? he's, true enough, of the same age as uncle Pao, but +were the two of them to stand side by side, I suspect that he would be +much higher in stature." + +"How is it," asked Pao-yue, "that I didn't see him? Bring him along and +let me have a look at him!" + +"He's separated," they all ventured as they laughed, "by a distance of +twenty or thirty li, and how can he be brought along? but you'll see him +some day." + +As they were talking, they reached the interior of Mrs. Ch'in's +apartments. As soon as they got in, a very faint puff of sweet fragrance +was wafted into their nostrils. Pao-yue readily felt his eyes itch and +his bones grow weak. "What a fine smell!" he exclaimed several +consecutive times. + +Upon entering the apartments, and gazing at the partition wall, he saw a +picture the handiwork of T'ang Po-hu, consisting of Begonias drooping in +the spring time; on either side of which was one of a pair of scrolls, +written by Ch'in Tai-hsue, a Literary Chancellor of the Sung era, running +as follows: + + A gentle chill doth circumscribe the dreaming man, because the spring + is cold. + The fragrant whiff, which wafts itself into man's nose, is the perfume + of wine! + +On the table was a mirror, one which had been placed, in days of yore, +in the Mirror Palace of the Emperor Wu Tse-t'ien. On one side stood a +gold platter, in which Fei Yen, who lived in the Ch'ao state, used to +stand and dance. In this platter, was laid a quince, which An Lu-shan +had flung at the Empress T'ai Chen, inflicting a wound on her breast. In +the upper part of the room, stood a divan ornamented with gems, on which +the Emperor's daughter, Shou Ch'ang, was wont to sleep, in the Han Chang +Palace Hanging, were curtains embroidered with strings of pearls, by +T'ung Ch'ang, the Imperial Princess. + +"It's nice in here, it's nice in here," exclaimed Pao-yue with a chuckle. + +"This room of mine," observed Mrs. Ch'in smilingly, "is I think, good +enough for even spirits to live in!" and, as she uttered these words, +she with her own hands, opened a gauze coverlet, which had been washed +by Hsi Shih, and removed a bridal pillow, which had been held in the +arms of Hung Niang. Instantly, the nurses attended to Pao-yue, until he +had laid down comfortably; when they quietly dispersed, leaving only the +four waiting maids: Hsi Jen, Ch'iu Wen, Ch'ing Wen and She Yueh to keep +him company. + +"Mind be careful, as you sit under the eaves," Mrs. Ch'in recommended +the young waiting maids, "that the cats do not start a fight!" + +Pao-yue then closed his eyes, and, little by little, became drowsy, and +fell asleep. + +It seemed to him just as if Mrs. Ch'in was walking ahead of him. +Forthwith, with listless and unsettled step, he followed Mrs. Ch'in to +some spot or other, where he saw carnation-like railings, jade-like +steps, verdant trees and limpid pools--a spot where actually no trace of +any human being could be met with, where of the shifting mundane dust +little had penetrated. + +Pao-yue felt, in his dream, quite delighted. "This place," he mused, "is +pleasant, and I may as well spend my whole lifetime in here! though I +may have to lose my home, I'm quite ready for the sacrifice, for it's +far better being here than being flogged, day after day, by father, +mother, and teacher." + +While he pondered in this erratic strain, he suddenly heard the voice of +some human being at the back of the rocks, giving vent to this song: + + Like scattering clouds doth fleet a vernal dream; + The transient flowers pass like a running stream; + Maidens and youths bear this, ye all, in mind; + In useless grief what profit will ye find? + +Pao-yue perceived that the voice was that of a girl. The song was barely +at an end, when he soon espied in the opposite direction, a beautiful +girl advancing with majestic and elastic step; a girl quite unlike any +ordinary mortal being. There is this poem, which gives an adequate +description of her: + + Lo she just quits the willow bank; and sudden now she issues from the + flower-bedecked house; + As onward alone she speeds, she startles the birds perched in the + trees, by the pavilion; to which as she draws nigh, her shadow + flits by the verandah! + Her fairy clothes now flutter in the wind! a fragrant perfume like + unto musk or olea is wafted in the air; Her apparel lotus-like is + sudden wont to move; and the jingle of her ornaments strikes the + ear. + Her dimpled cheeks resemble, as they smile, a vernal peach; her + kingfisher coiffure is like a cumulus of clouds; her lips part + cherry-like; her pomegranate-like teeth conceal a fragrant + breath. + Her slender waist, so beauteous to look at, is like the skipping snow + wafted by a gust of wind; the sheen of her pearls and kingfisher + trinkets abounds with splendour, green as the feathers of a duck, + and yellow as the plumes of a goose; + Now she issues to view, and now is hidden among the flowers; beautiful + she is when displeased, beautiful when in high spirits; with + lissome step, she treads along the pond, as if she soars on wings + or sways in the air. + Her eyebrows are crescent moons, and knit under her smiles; she + speaks, and yet she seems no word to utter; her lotus-like feet + with ease pursue their course; she stops, and yet she seems still + to be in motion; the charms of her figure all vie with ice in + purity, and in splendour with precious gems; Lovely is her + brilliant attire, so full of grandeur and refined grace. + Loveable her countenance, as if moulded from some fragrant substance, + or carved from white jade; elegant is her person, like a phoenix, + dignified like a dragon soaring high. + What is her chastity like? Like a white plum in spring with snow + nestling in its broken skin; Her purity? Like autumn orchids + bedecked with dewdrops. + Her modesty? Like a fir-tree growing in a barren plain; Her + comeliness? Like russet clouds reflected in a limpid pool. + Her gracefulness? Like a dragon in motion wriggling in a stream; + Her refinement? Like the rays of the moon shooting on to a cool + river. + Sure is she to put Hsi Tzu to shame! Bound to put Wang Ch'iang to the + blush! What a remarkable person! Where was she born? and whence + does she come? + One thing is true that in Fairy-land there is no second like her! that + in the Purple Courts of Heaven there is no one fit to be her peer! + Forsooth, who can it be, so surpassingly beautiful! + +Pao-yue, upon realising that she was a fairy, was much elated; and with +eagerness advanced and made a bow. + +"My divine sister," he ventured, as he put on a smile. "I don't know +whence you come, and whither you are going. Nor have I any idea what +this place is, but I make bold to entreat that you would take my hand +and lead me on." + +"My abode," replied the Fairy, "is above the Heavens of Divested +Animosities, and in the ocean of Discharged Sorrows. I'm the Fairy of +Monitory Vision, of the cave of Drooping Fragrance, in the mount of +Emitted Spring, within the confines of the Great Void. I preside over +the voluptuous affections and sensual debts among the mortal race, and +supervise in the dusty world, the envies of women and the lusts of man. +It's because I've recently come to hear that the retribution for +voluptuousness extends up to this place, that I betake myself here in +order to find suitable opportunities of disseminating mutual affections. +My encounter with you now is also not a matter of accident! This spot is +not distant from my confines. I have nothing much there besides a cup of +the tender buds of tea plucked by my own hands, and a pitcher of +luscious wine, fermented by me as well as several spritelike singing and +dancing maidens of great proficiency, and twelve ballads of spiritual +song, recently completed, on the Dream of the Red Chamber; but won't you +come along with me for a stroll?" + +Pao-yue, at this proposal, felt elated to such an extraordinary degree +that he could skip from joy, and there and then discarding from his mind +all idea of where Mrs. Ch'in was, he readily followed the Fairy. + +They reached some spot, where there was a stone tablet, put up in a +horizontal position, on which were visible the four large characters: +"The confines of the Great Void," on either side of which was one of a +pair of scrolls, with the two antithetical sentences: + + When falsehood stands for truth, truth likewise becomes false; + When naught be made to aught, aught changes into naught! + +Past the Portal stood the door of a Palace, and horizontally, above this +door, were the four large characters: "The Sea of Retribution, the +Heaven of Love." There were also a pair of scrolls, with the inscription +in large characters: + + Passion, alas! thick as the earth, and lofty as the skies, from ages + past to the present hath held incessant sway; + How pitiful your lot! ye lustful men and women envious, that your + voluptuous debts should be so hard to pay! + +Pao-yue, after perusal, communed with his own heart. "Is it really so!" +he thought, "but I wonder what implies the passion from old till now, +and what are the voluptuous debts! Henceforward, I must enlighten +myself!" + +Pao-yue was bent upon this train of thoughts when he unwittingly +attracted several evil spirits into his heart, and with speedy step he +followed in the track of the fairy, and entered two rows of doors when +he perceived that the Lateral Halls were, on both sides, full of tablets +and scrolls, the number of which he could not in one moment ascertain. +He however discriminated in numerous places the inscriptions: The Board +of Lustful Love; the Board of contracted grudges; The Board of Matutinal +sobs; the Board of nocturnal tears; the Board of vernal affections; and +the Board of autumnal anguish. + +After he had perused these inscriptions, he felt impelled to turn round +and address the Fairy. "May I venture to trouble my Fairy," he said, "to +take me along for a turn into the interior of each of these Boards? May +I be allowed, I wonder, to do so?" + +"Inside each of these Boards," explained the Fairy, "are accumulated the +registers with the records of all women of the whole world; of those who +have passed away, as well as of those who have not as yet come into it, +and you, with your mortal eyes and human body, could not possibly be +allowed to know anything in anticipation." + +But would Pao-yue, upon hearing these words, submit to this decree? He +went on to implore her permission again and again, until the Fairy +casting her eye upon the tablet of the board in front of her observed, +"Well, all right! you may go into this board and reap some transient +pleasure." + +Pao-yue was indescribably joyous, and, as he raised his head, he +perceived that the text on the tablet consisted of the three characters: +the Board of Ill-fated lives; and that on each side was a scroll with +the inscription: + + Upon one's self are mainly brought regrets in spring and autumn gloom; + A face, flowerlike may be and moonlike too; but beauty all for whom? + +Upon perusal of the scroll Pao-yue was, at once, the more stirred with +admiration; and, as he crossed the door, and reached the interior, the +only things that struck his eye were about ten large presses, the whole +number of which were sealed with paper slips; on every one of these +slips, he perceived that there were phrases peculiar to each province. + +Pao-yue was in his mind merely bent upon discerning, from the rest, the +slip referring to his own native village, when he espied, on the other +side, a slip with the large characters: "the Principal Record of the +Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling." + +"What is the meaning," therefore inquired Pao-yue, "of the Principal +Record of the Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling?" + +"As this is the record," explained the Fairy, "of the most excellent and +prominent girls in your honourable province, it is, for this reason, +called the Principal Record." + +"I've often heard people say," observed Pao-yue, "that Chin Ling is of +vast extent; and how can there only be twelve maidens in it! why, at +present, in our own family alone, there are more or less several +hundreds of young girls!" + +The Fairy gave a faint smile. "Through there be," she rejoined, "so +large a number of girls in your honourable province, those only of any +note have been selected and entered in this record. The two presses, on +the two sides, contain those who are second best; while, for all who +remain, as they are of the ordinary run, there are, consequently, no +registers to make any entry of them in." + +Pao-yue upon looking at the press below, perceived the inscription: +"Secondary Record of the twelve girls of Chin Ling;" while again in +another press was inscribed: "Supplementary Secondary Record of the +Twelve girls of Chin Ling." Forthwith stretching out his hand, Pao-yue +opened first the doors of the press, containing the "supplementary +secondary Record," extracted a volume of the registers, and opened it. +When he came to examine it, he saw on the front page a representation of +something, which, though bearing no resemblance to a human being, +presented, at the same time, no similitude to scenery; consisting simply +of huge blotches made with ink. The whole paper was full of nothing else +but black clouds and turbid mists, after which appeared the traces of a +few characters, explaining that-- + + A cloudless moon is rare forsooth to see, + And pretty clouds so soon scatter and flee! + Thy heart is deeper than the heavens are high, + Thy frame consists of base ignominy! + Thy looks and clever mind resentment will provoke, + And thine untimely death vile slander will evoke! + A loving noble youth in vain for love will yearn. + +After reading these lines, Pao-yue looked below, where was pictured a +bouquet of fresh flowers and a bed covered with tattered matting. There +were also several distiches running as follows: + + Thy self-esteem for kindly gentleness is but a fancy vain! + Thy charms that they can match the olea or orchid, but thoughts inane! + While an actor will, envious lot! with fortune's smiles be born, + A youth of noble birth will, strange to say, be luckless and forlorn. + +Pao-yue perused these sentences, but could not unfold their meaning, so, +at once discarding this press, he went over and opened the door of the +press of the "Secondary Records" and took out a book, in which, on +examination, he found a representation of a twig of Olea fragrans. +Below, was a pond, the water of which was parched up and the mud dry, +the lotus flowers decayed, and even the roots dead. At the back were +these lines: + + The lotus root and flower but one fragrance will give; + How deep alas! the wounds of thy life's span will be; + What time a desolate tree in two places will live, + Back to its native home the fragrant ghost will flee! + +Pao-yue read these lines, but failed to understand what they meant. He +then went and fetched the "Principal Record," and set to looking it +over. He saw on the first page a picture of two rotten trees, while on +these trees was suspended a jade girdle. There was also a heap of snow, +and under this snow was a golden hair-pin. There were in addition these +four lines in verse: + + Bitter thy cup will be, e'en were the virtue thine to stop the loom, + Thine though the gift the willow fluff to sing, pity who will thy + doom? + High in the trees doth hang the girdle of white jade, + And lo! among the snow the golden pin is laid! + +To Pao-yue the meaning was again, though he read the lines over, quite +unintelligible. He was, about to make inquiries, but he felt convinced +that the Fairy would be both to divulge the decrees of Heaven; and +though intent upon discarding the book, he could not however tear +himself away from it. Forthwith, therefore, he prosecuted a further +perusal of what came next, when he caught sight of a picture of a bow. +On this bow hung a citron. There was also this ode: + + Full twenty years right and wrong to expound will be thy fate! + What place pomegranate blossoms come in bloom will face the Palace + Gate! + The third portion of spring, of the first spring in beauty short will + fall! + When tiger meets with hare thou wilt return to sleep perennial. + +Further on, was also a sketch of two persons flying a kite; a broad +expanse of sea, and a large vessel; while in this vessel was a girl, who +screened her face bedewed with tears. These four lines were likewise +visible: + + Pure and bright will be thy gifts, thy purpose very high; + But born thou wilt be late in life and luck be passed by; + At the tomb feast thou wilt repine tearful along the stream, + East winds may blow, but home miles off will be, even in dream. + +After this followed a picture of several streaks of fleeting clouds, and +of a creek whose waters were exhausted, with the text: + + Riches and honours too what benefit are they? + In swaddling clothes thou'lt be when parents pass away; + The rays will slant, quick as the twinkle of an eye; + The Hsiang stream will recede, the Ch'u clouds onward fly! + +Then came a picture of a beautiful gem, which had fallen into the mire, +with the verse: + + Thine aim is chastity, but chaste thou wilt not be; + Abstraction is thy faith, but void thou may'st not see; + Thy precious, gemlike self will, pitiful to say, + Into the mundane mire collapse at length some day. + +A rough sketch followed of a savage wolf, in pursuit of a beautiful +girl, trying to pounce upon her as he wished to devour her. This was the +burden of the distich: + + Thy mate is like a savage wolf prowling among the hills; + His wish once gratified a haughty spirit his heart fills! + Though fair thy form like flowers or willows in the golden moon, + Upon the yellow beam to hang will shortly be its doom. + +Below, was an old temple, in the interior of which was a beautiful +person, just in the act of reading the religious manuals, as she sat all +alone; with this inscription: + + In light esteem thou hold'st the charms of the three springs for their + short-liv'd fate; + Thine attire of past years to lay aside thou chang'st, a Taoist dress + to don; + How sad, alas! of a reputed house and noble kindred the scion, + Alone, behold! she sleeps under a glimmering light, an old idol for + mate. + +Next in order came a hill of ice, on which stood a hen-phoenix, while +under it was this motto: + + When time ends, sure coincidence, the phoenix doth alight; + The talents of this human form all know and living see, + For first to yield she kens, then to control, and third genial to be; + But sad to say, things in Chin Ling are in more sorry plight. + +This was succeeded by a representation of a desolate village, and a +dreary inn. A pretty girl sat in there, spinning thread. These were the +sentiments affixed below: + + When riches will have flown will honours then avail? + When ruin breaks your home, e'en relatives will fail! + But sudden through the aid extended to Dame Liu, + A friend in need fortune will make to rise for you. + +Following these verses, was drawn a pot of Orchids, by the side of +which, was a beautiful maiden in a phoenix-crown and cloudy mantle +(bridal dress); and to this picture was appended this device: + + What time spring wanes, then fades the bloom of peach as well as plum! + Who ever can like a pot of the olea be winsome! + With ice thy purity will vie, vain their envy will be! + In vain a laughing-stock people will try to make of thee. + +At the end of this poetical device, came the representation of a lofty +edifice, on which was a beauteous girl, suspending herself on a beam to +commit suicide; with this verse: + + Love high as heav'n, love ocean-wide, thy lovely form will don; + What time love will encounter love, license must rise wanton; + Why hold that all impiety in Jung doth find its spring, + The source of trouble, verily, is centred most in Ning. + +Pao-yue was still bent upon prosecuting his perusal, when the Fairy +perceiving that his intellect was eminent and bright, and his natural +talents quickwitted, and apprehending lest the decrees of heaven should +be divulged, hastily closed the Book of Record, and addressed herself to +Pao-yue. "Come along with me," she said smiling, "and see some wonderful +scenery. What's the need of staying here and beating this gourd of +ennui?" + +In a dazed state, Pao-yue listlessly discarded the record, and again +followed in the footsteps of the Fairy. On their arrival at the back, he +saw carnation portieres, and embroidered curtains, ornamented pillars, +and carved eaves. But no words can adequately give an idea of the +vermilion apartments glistening with splendour, of the floors garnished +with gold, of the snow reflecting lustrous windows, of the palatial +mansions made of gems. He also saw fairyland flowers, beautiful and +fragrant, and extraordinary vegetation, full of perfume. The spot was +indeed elysian. + +He again heard the Fairy observe with a smiling face: "Come out all of +you at once and greet the honoured guest!" + +These words were scarcely completed, when he espied fairies walk out of +the mansion, all of whom were, with their dangling lotus sleeves, and +their fluttering feather habiliments, as comely as spring flowers, and +as winsome as the autumn moon. As soon as they caught sight of Pao-yue, +they all, with one voice, resentfully reproached the Monitory Vision +Fairy. "Ignorant as to who the honoured guest could be," they argued, +"we hastened to come out to offer our greetings simply because you, +elder sister, had told us that, on this day, and at this very time, +there would be sure to come on a visit, the spirit of the younger sister +of Chiang Chu. That's the reason why we've been waiting for ever so +long; and now why do you, in lieu of her, introduce this vile object to +contaminate the confines of pure and spotless maidens?" + +As soon as Pao-yue heard these remarks, he was forthwith plunged in such +a state of consternation that he would have retired, but he found it +impossible to do so. In fact, he felt the consciousness of the foulness +and corruption of his own nature quite intolerable. The Monitory Vision +Fairy promptly took Pao-yue's hand in her own, and turning towards her +younger sisters, smiled and explained: "You, and all of you, are not +aware of the why and wherefore. To-day I did mean to have gone to the +Jung mansion to fetch Chiang Chu, but as I went by the Ning mansion, I +unexpectedly came across the ghosts of the two dukes of Jung and Ning, +who addressed me in this wise: 'Our family has, since the dynasty +established itself on the Throne, enjoyed merit and fame, which pervaded +many ages, and riches and honours transmitted from generation to +generation. One hundred years have already elapsed, but this good +fortune has now waned, and this propitious luck is exhausted; so much so +that they could not be retrieved! Our sons and grandsons may be many, +but there is no one among them who has the means to continue the family +estate, with the exception of our kindred grandson, Pao-yue alone, who, +though perverse in disposition and wayward by nature, is nevertheless +intelligent and quick-witted and qualified in a measure to give effect +to our hopes. But alas! the good fortune of our family is entirely +decayed, so that we fear there is no person to incite him to enter the +right way! Fortunately you worthy fairy come at an unexpected moment, +and we venture to trust that you will, above all things, warn him +against the foolish indulgence of inordinate desire, lascivious +affections and other such things, in the hope that he may, at your +instigation, be able to escape the snares of those girls who will allure +him with their blandishments, and to enter on the right track; and we +two brothers will be ever grateful.' + +"On language such as this being addressed to me, my feelings of +commiseration naturally burst forth; and I brought him here, and bade +him, first of all, carefully peruse the records of the whole lives of +the maidens in his family, belonging to the three grades, the upper, +middle and lower, but as he has not yet fathomed the import, I have +consequently led him into this place to experience the vision of +drinking, eating, singing and licentious love, in the hope, there is no +saying, of his at length attaining that perception." + +Having concluded these remarks, she led Pao-yue by the hand into the +apartment, where he felt a whiff of subtle fragrance, but what it was +that reached his nostrils he could not tell. + +To Pao-yue's eager and incessant inquiries, the Fairy made reply with a +sardonic smile. "This perfume," she said, "is not to be found in the +world, and how could you discern what it is? This is made of the essence +of the first sprouts of rare herbs, growing on all hills of fame and +places of superior excellence, admixed with the oil of every species of +splendid shrubs in precious groves, and is called the marrow of +Conglomerated Fragrance." + +At these words Pao-yue was, of course, full of no other feeling than +wonder. + +The whole party advanced and took their seats, and a young maidservant +presented tea, which Pao-yue found of pure aroma, of excellent flavour +and of no ordinary kind. "What is the name of this tea?" he therefore +asked; upon which the Fairy explained. "This tea," she added, +"originates from the Hills of Emitted Spring and the Valley of Drooping +Fragrance, and is, besides, brewed in the night dew, found on spiritual +plants and divine leaves. The name of this tea is 'one thousand red in +one hole.'" + +At these words Pao-yue nodded his head, and extolled its qualities. +Espying in the room lutes, with jasper mountings, and tripods, inlaid +with gems, antique paintings, and new poetical works, which were to be +seen everywhere, he felt more than ever in a high state of delight. +Below the windows, were also shreds of velvet sputtered about and a +toilet case stained with the traces of time and smudged with cosmetic; +while on the partition wall was likewise suspended a pair of scrolls, +with the inscription: + + A lonesome, small, ethereal, beauteous nook! + What help is there, but Heaven's will to brook? + +Pao-yue having completed his inspection felt full of admiration, and +proceeded to ascertain the names and surnames of the Fairies. One was +called the Fairy of Lustful Dreams; another "the High Ruler of +Propagated Passion;" the name of one was "the Golden Maiden of +Perpetuated Sorrow;" of another the "Intelligent Maiden of Transmitted +Hatred." (In fact,) the respective Taoist appellations were not of one +and the same kind. + +In a short while, young maid-servants came in and laid the table, put +the chairs in their places, and spread out wines and eatables. There +were actually crystal tankards overflowing with luscious wines, and +amber glasses full to the brim with pearly strong liquors. But still +less need is there to give any further details about the sumptuousness +of the refreshments. + +Pao-yue found it difficult, on account of the unusual purity of the +bouquet of the wine, to again restrain himself from making inquiries +about it. + +"This wine," observed the Monitory Dream Fairy, "is made of the twigs of +hundreds of flowers, and the juice of ten thousands of trees, with the +addition of must composed of unicorn marrow, and yeast prepared with +phoenix milk. Hence the name of 'Ten thousand Beauties in one Cup' was +given to it." + +Pao-yue sang its incessant praise, and, while he sipped his wine, twelve +dancing girls came forward, and requested to be told what songs they +were to sing. + +"Take," suggested the Fairy, "the newly-composed Twelve Sections of the +Dream of the Red Chamber, and sing them." + +The singing girls signified their obedience, and forthwith they lightly +clapped the castagnettes and gently thrummed the virginals. These were +the words which they were heard to sing: + + At the time of the opening of the heavens and the laying out of the + earth chaos prevailed. + +They had just sung this one line when the Fairy exclaimed: "This ballad +is unlike the ballads written in the dusty world whose purport is to +hand down remarkable events, in which the distinction of scholars, +girls, old men and women, and fools is essential, and in which are +furthermore introduced the lyrics of the Southern and Northern Palaces. +These fairy songs consist either of elegaic effusions on some person or +impressions of some occurrence or other, and are impromptu songs readily +set to the music of wind or string instruments, so that any one who is +not cognisant of their gist cannot appreciate the beauties contained in +them. So you are not likely, I fear, to understand this lyric with any +clearness; and unless you first peruse the text and then listen to the +ballad, you will, instead of pleasure, feel as if you were chewing wax +(devoid of any zest)." + +After these remarks, she turned her head round, and directed a young +maid-servant to fetch the text of the Dream of the Red Chamber, which +she handed to Pao-yue, who took it over; and as he followed the words +with his eyes, with his ears he listened to the strains of this song: + +Preface of the Bream of the Red Chamber.--When the Heavens were opened +and earth was laid out chaos prevailed! What was the germ of love? It +arises entirely from the strength of licentious love. + +What day, by the will of heaven, I felt wounded at heart, and what time +I was at leisure, I made an attempt to disburden my sad heart; and with +this object in view I indited this Dream of the Bed Chamber, on the +subject of a disconsolate gold trinket and an unfortunate piece of jade. + +Waste of a whole Lifetime. All maintain that the match between gold and +jade will be happy. All I can think of is the solemn oath contracted in +days gone by by the plant and stone! Vain will I gaze upon the snow, +Hsueeh, [Pao-ch'ai], pure as crystal and lustrous like a gem of the +eminent priest living among the hills! Never will I forget the noiseless +Fairy Grove, Lin [Tai-yue], beyond the confines of the mortal world! +Alas! now only have I come to believe that human happiness is +incomplete; and that a couple may be bound by the ties of wedlock for +life, but that after all their hearts are not easy to lull into +contentment. + +Vain knitting of the brows. The one is a spirit flower of Fairyland; the +other is a beautiful jade without a blemish. Do you maintain that their +union will not be remarkable? Why how then is it that he has come to +meet her again in this existence? If the union will you say, be strange, +how is it then that their love affair will be but empty words? The one +in her loneliness will give way to useless sighs. The other in vain will +yearn and crave. The one will be like the reflection of the moon in +water; the other like a flower reflected in a mirror. Consider, how many +drops of tears can there be in the eyes? and how could they continue to +drop from autumn to winter and from spring to flow till summer time? + +But to come to Pao-yue. After he had heard these ballads, so diffuse and +vague, he failed to see any point of beauty in them; but the plaintive +melody of the sound was nevertheless sufficient to drive away his spirit +and exhilarate his soul. Hence it was that he did not make any inquiries +about the arguments, and that he did not ask about the matter treated, +but simply making these ballads the means for the time being of +dispelling melancholy, he therefore went on with the perusal of what +came below. + +Despicable Spirit of Death! You will be rejoicing that glory is at its +height when hateful death will come once again, and with eyes wide with +horror, you will discard all things, and dimly and softly the fragrant +spirit will waste and dissolve! You will yearn for native home, but +distant will be the way, and lofty the mountains. Hence it is that you +will betake yourself in search of father and mother, while they lie +under the influence of a dream, and hold discourse with them. "Your +child," you will say, "has already trodden the path of death! Oh my +parents, it behoves you to speedily retrace your steps and make good +your escape!" + +Separated from Relatives. You will speed on a journey of three thousand +li at the mercy of wind and rain, and tear yourself from all your family +ties and your native home! Your fears will be lest anguish should do any +harm to your parents in their failing years! "Father and mother," you +will bid them, "do not think with any anxiety of your child. From ages +past poverty as well as success have both had a fixed destiny; and is it +likely that separation and reunion are not subject to predestination? +Though we may now be far apart in two different places, we must each of +us try and preserve good cheer. Your abject child has, it is true, gone +from home, but abstain from distressing yourselves on her account!" + +Sorrow in the midst of Joy. While wrapped as yet in swaddling clothes, +father and mother, both alas! will depart, and dwell though you will in +that mass of gauze, who is there who will know how to spoil you with any +fond attention? Born you will be fortunately with ample moral courage, +and high-minded and boundless resources, for your parents will not have, +in the least, their child's secret feelings at heart! You will be like a +moon appearing to view when the rain holds up, shedding its rays upon +the Jade Hall; or a gentle breeze (wafting its breath upon it). Wedded +to a husband, fairy like fair and accomplished, you will enjoy a +happiness enduring as the earth and perennial as the Heavens! and you +will be the means of snapping asunder the bitter fate of your youth! +But, after all, the clouds will scatter in Kao T'ang and the waters of +the Hsiang river will get parched! This is the inevitable destiny of +dissolution and continuance which prevails in the mortal world, and what +need is there to indulge in useless grief? + +Intolerable to the world. Your figure will be as winsome as an olea +fragrans; your talents as ample as those of a Fairy! You will by nature +be so haughty that of the whole human race few will be like you! You +will look upon a meat diet as one of dirt, and treat splendour as coarse +and loathsome! And yet you will not be aware that your high notions will +bring upon you the excessive hatred of man! You will be very eager in +your desire after chastity, but the human race will despise you! Alas, +you will wax old in that antique temple hall under a faint light, where +you will waste ungrateful for beauty, looks and freshness! But after all +you will still be worldly, corrupt and unmindful of your vows; just like +a spotless white jade you will be whose fate is to fall into the mire! +And what need will there be for the grandson of a prince or the son of a +duke to deplore that his will not be the good fortune (of winning your +affections)? + +The Voluptuary. You will resemble a wolf in the mountains! a savage +beast devoid of all human feeling! Regardless in every way of the +obligations of days gone by, your sole pleasure will be in the +indulgence of haughtiness, extravagance, licentiousness and dissolute +habits! You will be inordinate in your conjugal affections, and look +down upon the beautiful charms of the child of a marquis, as if they +were cat-tail rush or willow; trampling upon the honourable daughter of +a ducal mansion, as if she were one of the common herd. Pitiful to say, +the fragrant spirit and beauteous ghost will in a year softly and gently +pass away! + +The Perception that all things are transient like flowers. You will look +lightly upon the three springs and regard the blush of the peach and the +green of the willow as of no avail. You will beat out the fire of +splendour, and treat solitary retirement as genial! What is it that you +say about the delicate peaches in the heavens (marriage) being +excellent, and the petals of the almond in the clouds being plentiful +(children)? Let him who has after all seen one of them, (really a mortal +being) go safely through the autumn, (wade safely through old age), +behold the people in the white Poplar village groan and sigh; and the +spirits under the green maple whine and moan! Still more wide in expanse +than even the heavens is the dead vegetation which covers the graves! +The moral is this, that the burden of man is poverty one day and +affluence another; that bloom in spring, and decay in autumn, constitute +the doom of vegetable life! In the same way, this calamity of birth and +the visitation of death, who is able to escape? But I have heard it said +that there grows in the western quarter a tree called the P'o So +(Patient Bearing) which bears the fruit of Immortal life! + +The bane of Intelligence. Yours will be the power to estimate, in a +thorough manner, the real motives of all things, as yours will be +intelligence of an excessive degree; but instead (of reaping any +benefit) you will cast the die of your own existence! The heart of your +previous life is already reduced to atoms, and when you shall have died, +your nature will have been intelligent to no purpose! Your home will be +in easy circumstances; your family will enjoy comforts; but your +connexions will, at length, fall a prey to death, and the inmates of +your family scatter, each one of you speeding in a different direction, +making room for others! In vain, you will have harassed your mind with +cankering thoughts for half a lifetime; for it will be just as if you +had gone through the confused mazes of a dream on the third watch! +Sudden a crash (will be heard) like the fall of a spacious palace, and a +dusky gloominess (will supervene) such as is caused by a lamp about to +spend itself! Alas! a spell of happiness will be suddenly (dispelled by) +adversity! Woe is man in the world! for his ultimate doom is difficult +to determine! + +Leave behind a residue of happiness! Hand down an excess of happiness; +hand down an excess of happiness! Unexpectedly you will come across a +benefactor! Fortunate enough your mother, your own mother, will have +laid by a store of virtue and secret meritorious actions! My advice to +you, mankind, is to relieve the destitute and succour the distressed! Do +not resemble those who will harp after lucre and show themselves +unmindful of the ties of relationship: that wolflike maternal uncle of +yours and that impostor of a brother! True it is that addition and +subtraction, increase and decrease, (reward and punishment,) rest in the +hands of Heaven above! + +Splendour at last. Loving affection in a mirror will be still more +ephemeral than fame in a dream. That fine splendour will fleet how soon! +Make no further allusion to embroidered curtain, to bridal coverlet; for +though you may come to wear on your head a pearl-laden coronet, and, on +your person, a jacket ornamented with phoenixes, yours will not +nevertheless be the means to atone for the short life (of your husband)! +Though the saying is that mankind should not have, in their old age, the +burden of poverty to bear, yet it is also essential that a store of +benevolent deeds should be laid up for the benefit of sons and +grandsons! (Your son) may come to be dignified in appearance and wear on +his head the official tassel, and on his chest may be suspended the gold +seal resplendent in lustre; he may be imposing in his majesty, and he +may rise high in status and emoluments, but the dark and dreary way +which leads to death is short! Are the generals and ministers who have +been from ages of old still in the flesh, forsooth? They exist only in a +futile name handed down to posterity to reverence! + +Death ensues when things propitious reign! Upon the ornamented beam will +settle at the close of spring the fragrant dust! Your reckless +indulgence of licentious love and your naturally moonlike face will soon +be the source of the ruin of a family. The decadence of the family +estate will emanate entirely from Ching; while the wane of the family +affairs will be entirely attributable to the fault of Ning! Licentious +love will be the main reason of the long-standing grudge. + +The flying birds each perch upon the trees! The family estates of those +in official positions will fade! The gold and silver of the rich and +honoured will be scattered! those who will have conferred benefit will, +even in death, find the means of escape! those devoid of human feelings +will reap manifest retribution! Those indebted for a life will make, in +due time, payment with their lives; those indebted for tears have +already (gone) to exhaust their tears! Mutual injuries will be revenged +in no light manner! Separation and reunion will both alike be determined +by predestination! You wish to know why your life will be short; look +into your previous existence! Verily, riches and honours, which will +come with old age, will likewise be a question of chance! Those who will +hold the world in light esteem will retire within the gate of +abstraction; while those who will be allured by enticement will have +forfeited their lives (The Chia family will fulfil its destiny) as +surely as birds take to the trees after they have exhausted all they had +to eat, and which as they drop down will pile up a hoary, vast and lofty +heap of dust, (leaving) indeed a void behind! + +When the maidens had finished the ballads, they went on to sing the +"Supplementary Record;" but the Monitory Vision Fairy, perceiving the +total absence of any interest in Pao-yue, heaved a sigh. "You silly +brat!" she exclaimed. "What! haven't you, even now, attained +perception!" + +"There's no need for you to go on singing," speedily observed Pao-yue, as +he interrupted the singing maidens; and feeling drowsy and dull, he +pleaded being under the effects of wine, and begged to be allowed to lie +down. + +The Fairy then gave orders to clear away the remains of the feast, and +escorted Pao-yue to a suite of female apartments, where the splendour of +such objects as were laid out was a thing which he had not hitherto +seen. But what evoked in him wonder still more intense, was the sight, +at an early period, of a girl seated in the room, who, in the freshness +of her beauty and winsomeness of her charms, bore some resemblance to +Pao-ch'ai, while, in elegance and comeliness, on the other hand, to +Tai-yu. + +While he was plunged in a state of perplexity, the Fairy suddenly +remarked: "All those female apartments and ladies' chambers in so many +wealthy and honourable families in the world are, without exception, +polluted by voluptuous opulent puppets and by all that bevy of +profligate girls. But still more despicable are those from old till now +numberless dissolute roues, one and all of whom maintain that libidinous +affections do not constitute lewdness; and who try, further, to prove +that licentious love is not tantamount to lewdness. But all these +arguments are mere apologies for their shortcomings, and a screen for +their pollutions; for if libidinous affection be lewdness, still more +does the perception of licentious love constitute lewdness. Hence it is +that the indulgence of sensuality and the gratification of licentious +affection originate entirely from a relish of lust, as well as from a +hankering after licentious love. Lo you, who are the object of my love, +are the most lewd being under the heavens from remote ages to the +present time!" + +Pao-yue was quite dumbstruck by what he heard, and hastily smiling, he +said by way of reply: "My Fairy labours under a misapprehension. Simply +because of my reluctance to read my books my parents have, on repeated +occasions, extended to me injunction and reprimand, and would I have the +courage to go so far as to rashly plunge in lewd habits? Besides, I am +still young in years, and have no notion what is implied by lewdness!" + +"Not so!" exclaimed the Fairy; "lewdness, although one thing in +principle is, as far as meaning goes, subject to different +constructions; as is exemplified by those in the world whose heart is +set upon lewdness. Some delight solely in faces and figures; others find +insatiable pleasure in singing and dancing; some in dalliance and +raillery; others in the incessant indulgence of their lusts; and these +regret that all the beautiful maidens under the heavens cannot minister +to their short-lived pleasure. These several kinds of persons are foul +objects steeped skin and all in lewdness. The lustful love, for +instance, which has sprung to life and taken root in your natural +affections, I and such as myself extend to it the character of an +abstract lewdness; but abstract lewdness can be grasped by the mind, but +cannot be transmitted by the mouth; can be fathomed by the spirit, but +cannot be divulged in words. As you now are imbued with this desire only +in the abstract, you are certainly well fit to be a trustworthy friend +in (Fairyland) inner apartments, but, on the path of the mortal world, +you will inevitably be misconstrued and defamed; every mouth will +ridicule you; every eye will look down upon you with contempt. After +meeting recently your worthy ancestors, the two Dukes of Ning and Jung, +who opened their hearts and made their wishes known to me with such +fervour, (but I will not have you solely on account of the splendour of +our inner apartments look down despisingly upon the path of the world), +I consequently led you along, my son, and inebriated you with luscious +wines, steeped you in spiritual tea, and admonished you with excellent +songs, bringing also here a young sister of mine, whose infant name is +Chien Mei, and her style K'o Ching, to be given to you as your wedded +wife. To-night, the time will be propitious and suitable for the +immediate consummation of the union, with the express object of letting +you have a certain insight into the fact that if the condition of the +abode of spirits within the confines of Fairyland be still so +(imperfect), how much the more so should be the nature of the affections +which prevail in the dusty world; with the intent that from this time +forth you should positively break loose from bondage, perceive and amend +your former disposition, devote your attention to the works of Confucius +and Mencius, and set your steady purpose upon the principles of +morality." + +Having ended these remarks, she initiated him into the mysteries of +licentious love, and, pushing Pao-yue into the room, she closed the door, +and took her departure all alone. Pao-yue in a dazed state complied with +the admonitions given him by the Fairy, and the natural result was, of +course, a violent flirtation, the circumstances of which it would be +impossible to recount. + +When the next day came, he was by that time so attached to her by ties +of tender love and their conversation was so gentle and full of charm +that he could not brook to part from K'o Ching. Hand-in-hand, the two of +them therefore, went out for a stroll, when they unexpectedly reached a +place, where nothing else met their gaze than thorns and brambles, which +covered the ground, and a wolf and a tiger walking side by side. Before +them stretched the course of a black stream, which obstructed their +progress; and over this stream there was, what is more, no bridge to +enable one to cross it. + +While they were exercising their minds with perplexity, they suddenly +espied the Fairy coming from the back in pursuit of them. "Desist at +once," she exclaimed, "from making any advance into the stream; it is +urgent that you should, with all speed, turn your faces round!" + +Pao-yue lost no time in standing still. "What is this place?" he +inquired. + +"This is the Ford of Enticement," explained the Fairy. "Its depth is ten +thousand chang; its breadth is a thousand li; in its stream there are no +boats or paddles by means of which to effect a passage. There is simply +a raft, of which Mu Chu-shih directs the rudder, and which Hui Shih chen +punts with the poles. They receive no compensation in the shape of gold +or silver, but when they come across any one whose destiny it is to +cross, they ferry him over. You now have by accident strolled as far as +here, and had you fallen into the stream you would have rendered quite +useless the advice and admonition which I previously gave you." + +These words were scarcely concluded, when suddenly was heard from the +midst of the Ford of Enticement, a sound like unto a peal of thunder, +whereupon a whole crowd of gobblins and sea-urchins laid hands upon +Pao-yue and dragged him down. + +This so filled Pao-yue with consternation that he fell into a +perspiration as profuse as rain, and he simultaneously broke forth and +shouted, "Rescue me, K'o Ching!" + +These cries so terrified Hsi Jen and the other waiting-maids, that they +rushed forward, and taking Pao-yue in their arms, "Don't be afraid, +Pao-yue," they said, "we are here." + +But we must observe that Mrs. Ch'in was just inside the apartment in the +act of recommending the young waiting-maids to be mindful that the cats +and dogs did not start a fight, when she unawares heard Pao-yue, in his +dream, call her by her infant name. In a melancholy mood she therefore +communed within herself, "As far as my infant name goes, there is, in +this establishment, no one who has any idea what it is, and how is it +that he has come to know it, and that he utters it in his dream?" And +she was at this period unable to fathom the reason. But, reader, listen +to the explanations given in the chapter which follows. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Chia Pao-yue reaps his first experience in licentious love. + Old Goody Liu pays a visit to the Jung Kuo Mansion. + + +Mrs. Ch'in, to resume our narrative, upon hearing Pao-yue call her in his +dream by her infant name, was at heart very exercised, but she did not +however feel at liberty to make any minute inquiry. + +Pao-yue was, at this time, in such a dazed state, as if he had lost +something, and the servants promptly gave him a decoction of lungngan. +After he had taken a few sips, he forthwith rose and tidied his clothes. + +Hsi Jen put out her hand to fasten the band of his garment, and as soon +as she did so, and it came in contact with his person, it felt so icy +cold to the touch, covered as it was all over with perspiration, that +she speedily withdrew her hand in utter surprise. + +"What's the matter with you?" she exclaimed. + +A blush suffused Pao-yue's face, and he took Hsi Jen's hand in a tight +grip. Hsi Jen was a girl with all her wits about her; she was besides a +couple of years older than Pao-yue and had recently come to know +something of the world, so that at the sight of his state, she to a +great extent readily accounted for the reason in her heart. From modest +shame, she unconsciously became purple in the face, and not venturing to +ask another question she continued adjusting his clothes. This task +accomplished, she followed him over to old lady Chia's apartments; and +after a hurry-scurry meal, they came back to this side, and Hsi Jen +availed herself of the absence of the nurses and waiting-maids to hand +Pao-yue another garment to change. + +"Please, dear Hsi Jen, don't tell any one," entreated Pao-yue, with +concealed shame. + +"What did you dream of?" inquired Hsi Jen, smiling, as she tried to +stifle her blushes, "and whence comes all this perspiration?" + +"It's a long story," said Pao-yue, "which only a few words will not +suffice to explain." + +He accordingly recounted minutely, for her benefit, the subject of his +dream. When he came to where the Fairy had explained to him the +mysteries of love, Hsi Jen was overpowered with modesty and covered her +face with her hands; and as she bent down, she gave way to a fit of +laughter. Pao-yue had always been fond of Hsi Jen, on account of her +gentleness, pretty looks and graceful and elegant manner, and he +forthwith expounded to her all the mysteries he had been taught by the +Fairy. + +Hsi Jen was, of course, well aware that dowager lady Chia had given her +over to Pao-yue, so that her present behaviour was likewise no +transgression. And subsequently she secretly attempted with Pao-yue a +violent flirtation, and lucky enough no one broke in upon them during +their tete-a-tete. From this date, Pao-yue treated Hsi Jen with special +regard, far more than he showed to the other girls, while Hsi Jen +herself was still more demonstrative in her attentions to Pao-yue. But +for a time we will make no further remark about them. + +As regards the household of the Jung mansion, the inmates may, on adding +up the total number, not have been found many; yet, counting the high as +well as the low, there were three hundred persons and more. Their +affairs may not have been very numerous, still there were, every day, +ten and twenty matters to settle; in fact, the household resembled, in +every way, ravelled hemp, devoid even of a clue-end, which could be used +as an introduction. + +Just as we were considering what matter and what person it would be best +to begin writing of, by a lucky coincidence suddenly from a distance of +a thousand li, a person small and insignificant as a grain of mustard +seed happened, on account of her distant relationship with the Jung +family, to come on this very day to the Jung mansion on a visit. We +shall therefore readily commence by speaking of this family, as it after +all affords an excellent clue for a beginning. + +The surname of this mean and humble family was in point of fact Wang. +They were natives of this district. Their ancestor had filled a minor +office in the capital, and had, in years gone by, been acquainted with +lady Feng's grandfather, that is madame Wang's father. Being covetous of +the influence and affluence of the Wang family, he consequently joined +ancestors with them, and was recognised by them as a nephew. + +At that time, there were only madame Wang's eldest brother, that is lady +Feng's father, and madame Wang herself, who knew anything of these +distant relations, from the fact of having followed their parents to the +capital. The rest of the family had one and all no idea about them. + +This ancestor had, at this date, been dead long ago, leaving only one +son called Wang Ch'eng. As the family estate was in a state of ruin, he +once more moved outside the city walls and settled down in his native +village. Wang Ch'eng also died soon after his father, leaving a son, +known in his infancy as Kou Erh, who married a Miss Liu, by whom he had +a son called by the infant name of Pan Erh, as well as a daughter, +Ch'ing Erh. His family consisted of four, and he earned a living from +farming. + +As Kou Erh was always busy with something or other during the day and +his wife, dame Liu, on the other hand, drew the water, pounded the rice +and attended to all the other domestic concerns, the brother and sister, +Ch'ing Erh and Pan Erh, the two of them, had no one to look after them. +(Hence it was that) Kou Erh brought over his mother-in-law, old goody +Liu, to live with them. + +This goody Liu was an old widow, with a good deal of experience. She had +besides no son round her knees, so that she was dependent for her +maintenance on a couple of acres of poor land, with the result that when +her son-in-law received her in his home, she naturally was ever willing +to exert heart and mind to help her daughter and her son-in-law to earn +their living. + +This year, the autumn had come to an end, winter had commenced, and the +weather had begun to be quite cold. No provision had been made in the +household for the winter months, and Kou Erh was, inevitably, +exceedingly exercised in his heart. Having had several cups of wine to +dispel his distress, he sat at home and tried to seize upon every trifle +to give vent to his displeasure. His wife had not the courage to force +herself in his way, and hence goody Liu it was who encouraged him, as +she could not bear to see the state of the domestic affairs. + +"Don't pull me up for talking too much," she said; "but who of us +country people isn't honest and open-hearted? As the size of the bowl we +hold, so is the quantity of the rice we eat. In your young days, you +were dependent on the support of your old father, so that eating and +drinking became quite a habit with you; that's how, at the present time, +your resources are quite uncertain; when you had money, you looked +ahead, and didn't mind behind; and now that you have no money, you +blindly fly into huffs. A fine fellow and a capital hero you have made! +Living though we now be away from the capital, we are after all at the +feet of the Emperor; this city of Ch'ang Ngan is strewn all over with +money, but the pity is that there's no one able to go and fetch it away; +and it's no use your staying at home and kicking your feet about." + +"All you old lady know," rejoined Kou Erh, after he had heard what she +had to say, "is to sit on the couch and talk trash! Is it likely you +would have me go and play the robber?" + +"Who tells you to become a robber?" asked goody Liu. "But it would be +well, after all, that we should put our heads together and devise some +means; for otherwise, is the money, pray, able of itself to run into our +house?" + +"Had there been a way," observed Kou Erh, smiling sarcastically, "would +I have waited up to this moment? I have besides no revenue collectors as +relatives, or friends in official positions; and what way could we +devise? 'But even had I any, they wouldn't be likely, I fear, to pay any +heed to such as ourselves!" + +"That, too, doesn't follow," remarked goody Liu; "the planning of +affairs rests with man, but the accomplishment of them rests with +Heaven. After we have laid our plans, we may, who can say, by relying on +the sustenance of the gods, find some favourable occasion. Leave it to +me, I'll try and devise some lucky chance for you people! In years gone +by, you joined ancestors with the Wang family of Chin Ling, and twenty +years back, they treated you with consideration; but of late, you've +been so high and mighty, and not condescended to go and bow to them, +that an estrangement has arisen. I remember how in years gone by, I and +my daughter paid them a visit. The second daughter of the family was +really so pleasant and knew so well how to treat people with kindness, +and without in fact any high airs! She's at present the wife of Mr. +Chia, the second son of the Jung Kuo mansion; and I hear people say that +now that she's advanced in years, she's still more considerate to the +poor, regardful of the old, and very fond of preparing vegetable food +for the bonzes and performing charitable deeds. The head of the Wang +mansion has, it is true, been raised to some office on the frontier, but +I hope that this lady Secunda will anyhow notice us. How is it then that +you don't find your way as far as there; for she may possibly remember +old times, and some good may, no one can say, come of it? I only wish +that she would display some of her kind-heartedness, and pluck one hair +from her person which would be, yea thicker than our waist." + +"What you suggest, mother, is quite correct," interposed Mrs. Liu, Kou +Erh's wife, who stood by and took up the conversation, "but with such +mouth and phiz as yours and mine, how could we present ourselves before +her door? Why I fear that the man at her gate won't also like to go and +announce us! and we'd better not go and have our mouths slapped in +public!" + +Kou Erh, who would have thought it, prized highly both affluence and +fame, so that when he heard these remarks, he forthwith began to feel at +heart a little more at ease. When he furthermore heard what his wife had +to say, he at once caught up the word as he smiled. + +"Old mother," he rejoined; "since that be your idea, and what's more, +you have in days gone by seen this lady on one occasion, why shouldn't +you, old lady, start to-morrow on a visit to her and first ascertain how +the wind blows!" + +"Ai Ya!" exclaimed old Goody, "It may very well be said that the +marquis' door is like the wide ocean! what sort of thing am I? why the +servants of that family wouldn't even recognise me! even were I to go, +it would be on a wild goose chase." + +"No matter about that," observed Kou Erh; "I'll tell you a good way; you +just take along with you, your grandson, little Pan Erh, and go first +and call upon Chou Jui, who is attached to that household; and when once +you've seen him, there will be some little chance. This Chou Jui, at one +time, was connected with my father in some affair or other, and we were +on excellent terms with him." + +"That I too know," replied goody Liu, "but the thing is that you've had +no dealings with him for so long, that who knows how he's disposed +towards us now? this would be hard to say. Besides, you're a man, and +with a mouth and phiz like that of yours, you couldn't, on any account, +go on this errand. My daughter is a young woman, and she too couldn't +very well go and expose herself to public gaze. But by my sacrificing +this old face of mine, and by going and knocking it (against the wall) +there may, after all, be some benefit and all of us might reap profit." + +That very same evening, they laid their plans, and the next morning +before the break of day, old goody Liu speedily got up, and having +performed her toilette, she gave a few useful hints to Pan Erh; who, +being a child of five or six years of age, was, when he heard that he +was to be taken into the city, at once so delighted that there was +nothing that he would not agree to. + +Without further delay, goody Liu led off Pan Erh, and entered the city, +and reaching the Ning Jung street, she came to the main entrance of the +Jung mansion, where, next to the marble lions, were to be seen a crowd +of chairs and horses. Goody Liu could not however muster the courage to +go by, but having shaken her clothes, and said a few more seasonable +words to Pan Erh, she subsequently squatted in front of the side gate, +whence she could see a number of servants, swelling out their chests, +pushing out their stomachs, gesticulating with their hands and kicking +their feet about, while they were seated at the main entrance chattering +about one thing and another. + +Goody Liu felt constrained to edge herself forward. "Gentlemen," she +ventured, "may happiness betide you!" + +The whole company of servants scrutinised her for a time. "Where do you +come from?" they at length inquired. + +"I've come to look up Mr. Chou, an attendant of my lady's," remarked +goody Liu, as she forced a smile; "which of you, gentlemen, shall I +trouble to do me the favour of asking him to come out?" + +The servants, after hearing what she had to say, paid, the whole number +of them, no heed to her; and it was after the lapse of a considerable +time that they suggested: "Go and wait at a distance, at the foot of +that wall; and in a short while, the visitors, who are in their house, +will be coming out." + +Among the party of attendants was an old man, who interposed, + +"Don't baffle her object," he expostulated; "why make a fool of her?" +and turning to goody Liu: "This Mr. Chou," he said, "is gone south: his +house is at the back row; his wife is anyhow at home; so go round this +way, until you reach the door, at the back street, where, if you will +ask about her, you will be on the right track." + +Goody Liu, having expressed her thanks, forthwith went, leading Pan Erh +by the hand, round to the back door, where she saw several pedlars +resting their burdens. There were also those who sold things to eat, and +those who sold playthings and toys; and besides these, twenty or thirty +boys bawled and shouted, making quite a noise. + +Goody Liu readily caught hold of one of them. "I'd like to ask you just +a word, my young friend," she observed; "there's a Mrs. Chou here; is +she at home?" + +"Which Mrs. Chou?" inquired the boy; "we here have three Mrs. Chous; and +there are also two young married ladies of the name of Chou. What are +the duties of the one you want, I wonder ?" + +"She's a waiting-woman of my lady," replied goody Liu. + +"It's easy to get at her," added the boy; "just come along with me." + +Leading the way for goody Liu into the backyard, they reached the wall +of a court, when he pointed and said, "This is her house.--Mother Chou!" +he went on to shout with alacrity; "there's an old lady who wants to see +you." + +Chou Jui's wife was at home, and with all haste she came out to greet +her visitor. "Who is it?" she asked. + +Goody Liu advanced up to her. "How are you," she inquired, "Mrs. Chou?" + +Mrs. Chou looked at her for some time before she at length smiled and +replied, "Old goody Liu, are you well? How many years is it since we've +seen each other; tell me, for I forget just now; but please come in and +sit." + +"You're a lady of rank," answered goody Liu smiling, as she walked +along, "and do forget many things. How could you remember such as +ourselves?" + +With these words still in her mouth, they had entered the house, +whereupon Mrs. Chou ordered a hired waiting-maid to pour the tea. While +they were having their tea she remarked, "How Pan Erh has managed to +grow!" and then went on to make inquiries on the subject of various +matters, which had occurred after their separation. + +"To-day," she also asked of goody Liu, "were you simply passing by? or +did you come with any express object?" + +"I've come, the fact is, with an object!" promptly replied goody Liu; +"(first of all) to see you, my dear sister-in-law; and, in the second +place also, to inquire after my lady's health. If you could introduce me +to see her for a while, it would be better; but if you can't, I must +readily borrow your good offices, my sister-in-law, to convey my +message." + +Mr. Chou Jui's wife, after listening to these words, at once became to a +great extent aware of the object of her visit. Her husband had, however, +in years gone by in his attempt to purchase some land, obtained +considerably the support of Kou Erh, so that when she, on this occasion, +saw goody Liu in such a dilemma, she could not make up her mind to +refuse her wish. Being in the second place keen upon making a display of +her own respectability, she therefore said smilingly: + +"Old goody Liu, pray compose your mind! You've come from far off with a +pure heart and honest purpose, and how can I ever not show you the way +how to see this living Buddha? Properly speaking, when people come and +guests arrive, and verbal messages have to be given, these matters are +not any of my business, as we all here have each one kind of duties to +carry out. My husband has the special charge of the rents of land coming +in, during the two seasons of spring and autumn, and when at leisure, he +takes the young gentlemen out of doors, and then his business is done. +As for myself, I have to accompany my lady and young married ladies on +anything connected with out-of-doors; but as you are a relative of my +lady and have besides treated me as a high person and come to me for +help, I'll, after all, break this custom and deliver your message. +There's only one thing, however, and which you, old lady, don't know. We +here are not what we were five years before. My lady now doesn't much +worry herself about anything; and it's entirely lady Secunda who looks +after the menage. But who do you presume is this lady Secunda? She's the +niece of my lady, and the daughter of my master, the eldest maternal +uncle of by-gone days. Her infant name was Feng Ko." + +"Is it really she?" inquired promptly goody Liu, after this explanation. +"Isn't it strange? what I said about her years back has come out quite +correct; but from all you say, shall I to-day be able to see her?" + +"That goes without saying," replied Chou Jui's wife; "when any visitors +come now-a-days, it's always lady Feng who does the honours and +entertains them, and it's better to-day that you should see her for a +while, for then you will not have walked all this way to no purpose." + +"O mi to fu!" exclaimed old goody Liu; "I leave it entirely to your +convenience, sister-in-law." + +"What's that you're saying?" observed Chou Jui's wife. "The proverb +says: 'Our convenience is the convenience of others.' All I have to do +is to just utter one word, and what trouble will that be to me." + +Saying this, she bade the young waiting maid go to the side pavilion, +and quietly ascertain whether, in her old ladyship's apartment, table +had been laid. + +The young waiting-maid went on this errand, and during this while, the +two of them continued a conversation on certain irrelevant matters. + +"This lady Feng," observed goody Liu, "can this year be no older than +twenty, and yet so talented as to manage such a household as this! the +like of her is not easy to find!" + +"Hai! my dear old goody," said Chou Jui's wife, after listening to her, +"it's not easy to explain; but this lady Feng, though young in years, is +nevertheless, in the management of affairs, superior to any man. She has +now excelled the others and developed the very features of a beautiful +young woman. To say the least, she has ten thousand eyes in her heart, +and were they willing to wager their mouths, why ten men gifted with +eloquence couldn't even outdo her! But by and bye, when you've seen her, +you'll know all about her! There's only this thing, she can't help being +rather too severe in her treatment of those below her." + +While yet she spake, the young waiting-maid returned. "In her venerable +lady's apartment," she reported, "repast has been spread, and already +finished; lady Secunda is in madame Wang's chamber." + +As soon as Chou Jui's wife heard this news, she speedily got up and +pressed goody Liu to be off at once. "This is," she urged, "just the +hour for her meal, and as she is free we had better first go and wait +for her; for were we to be even one step too late, a crowd of servants +will come with their reports, and it will then be difficult to speak to +her; and after her siesta, she'll have still less time to herself." + +As she passed these remarks, they all descended the couch together. +Goody Liu adjusted their dresses, and, having impressed a few more words +of advice on Pan Erh, they followed Chou Jui's wife through winding +passages to Chia Lien's house. They came in the first instance into the +side pavilion, where Chou Jui's wife placed old goody Liu to wait a +little, while she herself went ahead, past the screen-wall and into the +entrance of the court. + +Hearing that lady Feng had not come out, she went in search of an +elderly waiting-maid of lady Feng, P'ing Erh by name, who enjoyed her +confidence, to whom Chou Jui's wife first recounted from beginning to +end the history of old goody Liu. + +"She has come to-day," she went on to explain, "from a distance to pay +her obeisance. In days gone by, our lady used often to meet her, so +that, on this occasion, she can't but receive her; and this is why I've +brought her in! I'll wait here for lady Feng to come down, and explain +everything to her; and I trust she'll not call me to task for officious +rudeness." + +P'ing Erh, after hearing what she had to say, speedily devised the plan +of asking them to walk in, and to sit there pending (lady Feng's +arrival), when all would be right. + +Chou Jui's wife thereupon went out and led them in. When they ascended +the steps of the main apartment, a young waiting-maid raised a red +woollen portiere, and as soon as they entered the hall, they smelt a +whiff of perfume as it came wafted into their faces: what the scent was +they could not discriminate; but their persons felt as if they were +among the clouds. + +The articles of furniture and ornaments in the whole room were all so +brilliant to the sight, and so vying in splendour that they made the +head to swim and the eyes to blink, and old goody Liu did nothing else +the while than nod her head, smack her lips and invoke Buddha. Forthwith +she was led to the eastern side into the suite of apartments, where was +the bedroom of Chia Lien's eldest daughter. P'ing Erh, who was standing +by the edge of the stove-couch, cast a couple of glances at old goody +Liu, and felt constrained to inquire how she was, and to press her to +have a seat. + +Goody Liu, noticing that P'ing Erh was entirely robed in silks, that she +had gold pins fixed in her hair, and silver ornaments in her coiffure, +and that her countenance resembled a flower or the moon (in beauty), +readily imagined her to be lady Feng, and was about to address her as my +lady; but when she heard Mrs. Chou speak to her as Miss P'ing, and P'ing +Erh promptly address Chou Jui's wife as Mrs. Chou, she eventually became +aware that she could be no more than a waiting-maid of a certain +respectability. + +She at once pressed old goody Liu and Pan Erh to take a seat on the +stove-couch. P'ing Erh and Chou Jui's wife sat face to face, on the +edges of the couch. The waiting-maids brought the tea. After they had +partaken of it, old goody Liu could hear nothing but a "lo tang, lo +tang" noise, resembling very much the sound of a bolting frame winnowing +flour, and she could not resist looking now to the East, and now to the +West. Suddenly in the great Hall, she espied, suspended on a pillar, a +box at the bottom of which hung something like the weight of a balance, +which incessantly wagged to and fro. + +"What can this thing be?" communed goody Liu in her heart, "What can be +its use?" While she was aghast, she unexpectedly heard a sound of "tang" +like the sound of a golden bell or copper cymbal, which gave her quite a +start. In a twinkle of the eyes followed eight or nine consecutive +strokes; and she was bent upon inquiring what it was, when she caught +sight of several waiting-maids enter in a confused crowd. "Our lady has +come down!" they announced. + +P'ing Erh, together with Chou Jui's wife, rose with all haste. "Old +goody Liu," they urged, "do sit down and wait till it's time, when we'll +come and ask you in." + +Saying this, they went out to meet lady Feng. + +Old goody Liu, with suppressed voice and ear intent, waited in perfect +silence. She heard at a distance the voices of some people laughing, +whereupon about ten or twenty women, with rustling clothes and +petticoats, made their entrance, one by one, into the hall, and thence +into the room on the other quarter. She also detected two or three +women, with red-lacquered boxes in their hands, come over on this part +and remain in waiting. + +"Get the repast ready!" she heard some one from the offside say. + +The servants gradually dispersed and went out; and there only remained +in attendance a few of them to bring in the courses. For a long time, +not so much as the caw of a crow could be heard, when she unexpectedly +perceived two servants carry in a couch-table, and lay it on this side +of the divan. Upon this table were placed bowls and plates, in proper +order replete, as usual, with fish and meats; but of these only a few +kinds were slightly touched. + +As soon as Pan Erh perceived (all these delicacies), he set up such a +noise, and would have some meat to eat, but goody Liu administered to +him such a slap, that he had to keep away. + +Suddenly, she saw Mrs. Chou approach, full of smiles, and as she waved +her hand, she called her. Goody Liu understood her meaning, and at once +pulling Pan Erh off the couch, she proceeded to the centre of the Hall; +and after Mrs. Chou had whispered to her again for a while, they came at +length with slow step into the room on this side, where they saw on the +outside of the door, suspended by brass hooks, a deep red flowered soft +portiere. Below the window, on the southern side, was a stove-couch, and +on this couch was spread a crimson carpet. Leaning against the wooden +partition wall, on the east side, stood a chain-embroidered back-cushion +and a reclining pillow. There was also spread a large watered satin +sitting cushion with a gold embroidered centre, and on the side stood +cuspidores made of silver. + +Lady Feng, when at home, usually wore on her head a front-piece of dark +martin a la Chao Chuen, surrounded with tassels of strung pearls. She had +on a robe of peach-red flowered satin, a short pelisse of slate-blue +stiff silk, lined with squirrel, and a jupe of deep red foreign crepe, +lined with ermine. Resplendent with pearl-powder and with cosmetics, she +sat in there, stately and majestic, with a small brass poker in her +hands, with which she was stirring the ashes of the hand-stove. P'ing +Erh stood by the side of the couch, holding a very small lacquered +tea-tray. In this tray was a small tea-cup with a cover. Lady Feng +neither took any tea, nor did she raise her head, but was intent upon +stirring the ashes of the hand-stove. + +"How is it you haven't yet asked her to come in?" she slowly inquired; +and as she spake, she turned herself round and was about to ask for some +tea, when she perceived that Mrs. Chou had already introduced the two +persons and that they were standing in front of her. + +She forthwith pretended to rise, but did not actually get up, and with a +face radiant with smiles, she ascertained about their health, after +which she went in to chide Chou Jui's wife. "Why didn't you tell me they +had come before?" she said. + +Old goody Liu was already by this time prostrated on the ground, and +after making several obeisances, "How are you, my lady?" she inquired. + +"Dear Mrs. Chou," lady Feng immediately observed, "do pull her up, and +don't let her prostrate herself! I'm yet young in years and don't know +her much; what's more, I've no idea what's the degree of the +relationship between us, and I daren't speak directly to her." + +"This is the old lady about whom I spoke a short while back," speedily +explained Mrs. Chou. + +Lady Feng nodded her head assentingly. + +By this time old goody Liu had taken a seat on the edge of the +stove-couch. As for Pan Erh, he had gone further, and taken refuge +behind her back; and though she tried, by every means, to coax him to +come forward and make a bow, he would not, for the life of him, consent. + +"Relatives though we be," remarked lady Feng, as she smiled, "we haven't +seen much of each other, so that our relations have been quite distant. +But those who know how matters stand will assert that you all despise +us, and won't often come to look us up; while those mean people, who +don't know the truth, will imagine that we have no eyes to look at any +one." + +Old goody Liu promptly invoked Buddha. "We are at home in great +straits," she pleaded, "and that's why it wasn't easy for us to manage +to get away and come! Even supposing we had come as far as this, had we +not given your ladyship a slap on the mouth, those gentlemen would also, +in point of fact, have looked down upon us as a mean lot." + +"Why, language such as this," exclaimed lady Feng smilingly, "cannot +help making one's heart full of displeasure! We simply rely upon the +reputation of our grandfather to maintain the status of a penniless +official; that's all! Why, in whose household is there anything +substantial? we are merely the denuded skeleton of what we were in days +of old, and no more! As the proverb has it: The Emperor himself has +three families of poverty-stricken relatives; and how much more such as +you and I?" + +Having passed these remarks, she inquired of Mrs. Chou, "Have you let +madame know, yes or no?" + +"We are now waiting," replied Mrs. Chou, "for my lady's orders." + +"Go and have a look," said lady Feng; "but, should there be any one +there, or should she be busy, then don't make any mention; but wait +until she's free, when you can tell her about it and see what she says." + +Chou Jui's wife, having expressed her compliance, went off on this +errand. During her absence, lady Feng gave orders to some servants to +take a few fruits and hand them to Pan Erh to eat; and she was inquiring +about one thing and another, when there came a large number of married +women, who had the direction of affairs in the household, to make their +several reports. + +P'ing Erh announced their arrival to lady Feng, who said: "I'm now +engaged in entertaining some guests, so let them come back again in the +evening; but should there be anything pressing then bring it in and I'll +settle it at once." + +P'ing Erh left the room, but she returned in a short while. "I've asked +them," she observed, "but as there's nothing of any urgency, I told them +to disperse." Lady Feng nodded her head in token of approval, when she +perceived Chou Jui's wife come back. "Our lady," she reported, as she +addressed lady Feng, "says that she has no leisure to-day, that if you, +lady Secunda, will entertain them, it will come to the same thing; that +she's much obliged for their kind attention in going to the trouble of +coming; that if they have come simply on a stroll, then well and good, +but that if they have aught to say, they should tell you, lady Secunda, +which will be tantamount to their telling her." + +"I've nothing to say," interposed old goody Liu. "I simply come to see +our elder and our younger lady, which is a duty on my part, a relative +as I am." + +"Well, if there's nothing particular that you've got to say, all right," +Mrs. Chou forthwith added, "but if you do have anything, don't hesitate +telling lady Secunda, and it will be just as if you had told our lady." + +As she uttered these words, she winked at goody Liu. Goody Liu +understood what she meant, but before she could give vent to a word, her +face got scarlet, and though she would have liked not to make any +mention of the object of her visit, she felt constrained to suppress her +shame and to speak out. + +"Properly speaking," she observed, "this being the first time I see you, +my lady, I shouldn't mention what I've to say, but as I come here from +far off to seek your assistance, my old friend, I have no help but to +mention it." + +She had barely spoken as much as this, when she heard the youths at the +inner-door cry out: "The young gentleman from the Eastern Mansion has +come." + +Lady Feng promptly interrupted her. "Old goody Liu," she remarked, "you +needn't add anything more." She, at the same time, inquired, "Where's +your master, Mr. Jung?" when became audible the sound of footsteps along +the way, and in walked a young man of seventeen or eighteen. His +appearance was handsome, his person slender and graceful. He had on +light furs, a girdle of value, costly clothes and a beautiful cap. + +At this stage, goody Liu did not know whether it was best to sit down or +to stand up, neither could she find anywhere to hide herself. + +"Pray sit down," urged lady Feng, with a laugh; "this is my nephew!' Old +goody Liu then wriggled herself, now one way, and then another, on to +the edge of the couch, where she took a seat. + +"My father," Chia Jung smilingly ventured, "has sent me to ask a favour +of you, aunt. On some previous occasion, our grand aunt gave you, dear +aunt, a stove-couch glass screen, and as to-morrow father has invited +some guests of high standing, he wishes to borrow it to lay it out for a +little show; after which he purposes sending it back again." + +"You're late by a day," replied lady Feng. "It was only yesterday that I +gave it to some one." + +Chia Jung, upon hearing this, forthwith, with giggles and smiles, made, +near the edge of the couch, a sort of genuflexion. "Aunt," he went on, +"if you don't lend it, father will again say that I don't know how to +speak, and I shall get another sound thrashing. You must have pity upon +your nephew, aunt." + +"I've never seen anything like this," observed lady Feng sneeringly; +"the things belonging to the Wang family are all good, but where have +you put all those things of yours? the only good way is that you +shouldn't see anything of ours, for as soon as you catch sight of +anything, you at once entertain a wish to carry it off." + +"Pray, aunt," entreated Chia Jung with a smile, "do show me some +compassion." + +"Mind your skin!" lady Feng warned him, "if you do chip or spoil it in +the least." + +She then bade P'ing Erh take the keys of the door of the upstairs room +and send for several trustworthy persons to carry it away. + +Chia Jung was so elated that his eyebrows dilated and his eyes smiled. +"I've brought myself," he added, with vehemence, "some men to take it +away; I won't let them recklessly bump it about." + +Saying this, he speedily got up and left the room. + +Lady Feng suddenly bethought herself of something, and turning towards +the window, she called out, "Jung Erh, come back." Several servants who +stood outside caught up her words: "Mr. Jung," they cried, "you're +requested to go back;" whereupon Chia Jung turned round and retraced his +steps; and with hands drooping respectfully against his sides, he stood +ready to listen to his aunt's wishes. + +Lady Feng was however intent upon gently sipping her tea, and after a +good long while of abstraction, she at last smiled: "Never mind," she +remarked; "you can go. But come after you've had your evening meal, and +I'll then tell you about it. Just now there are visitors here; and +besides, I don't feel in the humour." + +Chia Jung thereupon retired with gentle step. + +Old goody Liu, by this time, felt more composed in body and heart. "I've +to-day brought your nephew," she then explained, "not for anything else, +but because his father and mother haven't at home so much as anything to +eat; the weather besides is already cold, so that I had no help but to +take your nephew along and come to you, old friend, for assistance!" + +As she uttered these words, she again pushed Pan Erh forward. "What did +your father at home tell you to say?" she asked of him; "and what did he +send us over here to do? Was it only to give our minds to eating fruit?" + +Lady Feng had long ago understood what she meant to convey, and finding +that she had no idea how to express herself in a decent manner, she +readily interrupted her with a smile. "You needn't mention anything," +she observed, "I'm well aware of how things stand;" and addressing +herself to Mrs. Chou, she inquired, "Has this old lady had breakfast, +yes or no?" + +Old goody Liu hurried to explain. "As soon as it was daylight," she +proceeded, "we started with all speed on our way here, and had we even +so much as time to have any breakfast?" + +Lady Feng promptly gave orders to send for something to eat. In a short +while Chou Jui's wife had called for a table of viands for the guests, +which was laid in the room on the eastern side, and then came to take +goody Liu and Pan Erh over to have their repast. + +"My dear Mrs. Chou," enjoined lady Feng, "give them all they want, as I +can't attend to them myself;" which said, they hastily passed over into +the room on the eastern side. + +Lady Feng having again called Mrs. Chou, asked her: "When you first +informed madame about them, what did she say?" "Our Lady observed," +replied Chou Jui's wife, "that they don't really belong to the same +family; that, in former years, their grandfather was an official at the +same place as our old master; that hence it came that they joined +ancestors; that these few years there hasn't been much intercourse +(between their family and ours); that some years back, whenever they +came on a visit, they were never permitted to go empty-handed, and that +as their coming on this occasion to see us is also a kind attention on +their part, they shouldn't be slighted. If they've anything to say," +(our lady continued), "tell lady Secunda to do the necessary, and that +will be right." + +"Isn't it strange!" exclaimed lady Feng, as soon as she had heard the +message; "since we are all one family, how is it I'm not familiar even +with so much as their shadow?" + +While she was uttering these words, old goody Liu had had her repast and +come over, dragging Pan Erh; and, licking her lips and smacking her +mouth, she expressed her thanks. + +Lady Feng smiled. "Do pray sit down," she said, "and listen to what I'm +going to tell you. What you, old lady, meant a little while back to +convey, I'm already as much as yourself well acquainted with! Relatives, +as we are, we shouldn't in fact have waited until you came to the +threshold of our doors, but ought, as is but right, to have attended to +your needs. But the thing is that, of late, the household affairs are +exceedingly numerous, and our lady, advanced in years as she is, +couldn't at a moment, it may possibly be, bethink herself of you all! +What's more, when I took over charge of the management of the menage, I +myself didn't know of all these family connections! Besides, though to +look at us from outside everything has a grand and splendid aspect, +people aren't aware that large establishments have such great hardships, +which, were we to recount to others, they would hardly like to credit as +true. But since you've now come from a great distance, and this is the +first occasion that you open your mouth to address me, how can I very +well allow you to return to your home with empty hands! By a lucky +coincidence our lady gave, yesterday, to the waiting-maids, twenty taels +to make clothes with, a sum which they haven't as yet touched, and if +you don't despise it as too little, you may take it home as a first +instalment, and employ it for your wants." + +When old goody Liu heard the mention made by lady Feng of their +hardships, she imagined that there was no hope; but upon hearing her +again speak of giving her twenty taels, she was exceedingly delighted, +so much so that her eyebrows dilated and her eyes gleamed with smiles. + +"We too know," she smilingly remarked, "all about difficulties! but the +proverb says, 'A camel dying of leanness is even bigger by much than a +horse!' No matter what those distresses may be, were you yet to pluck +one single hair from your body, my old friend, it would be stouter than +our own waist." + +Chou Jui's wife stood by, and on hearing her make these coarse +utterances, she did all she could to give her a hint by winking, and +make her desist. Lady Feng laughed and paid no heed; but calling P'ing +Erh, she bade her fetch the parcel of money, which had been given to +them the previous day, and to also bring a string of cash; and when +these had been placed before goody Liu's eyes: "This is," said lady +Feng, "silver to the amount of twenty taels, which was for the time +given to these young girls to make winter clothes with; but some other +day, when you've nothing to do, come again on a stroll, in evidence of +the good feeling which should exist between relatives. It's besides +already late, and I don't wish to detain you longer and all for no +purpose; but, on your return home, present my compliments to all those +of yours to whom I should send them." + +As she spake, she stood up. Old goody Liu gave utterance to a thousand +and ten thousand expressions of gratitude, and taking the silver and +cash, she followed Chou Jui's wife on her way to the out-houses. "Well, +mother dear," inquired Mrs. Chou, "what did you think of my lady that +you couldn't speak; and that whenever you opened your mouth it was all +'your nephew.' I'll make just one remark, and I don't mind if you do get +angry. Had he even been your kindred nephew, you should in fact have +been somewhat milder in your language; for that gentleman, Mr. Jung, is +her kith and kin nephew, and whence has appeared such another nephew of +hers (as Pan Erh)?" + +Old goody Liu smiled. "My dear sister-in-law," she replied, "as I gazed +upon her, were my heart and eyes, pray, full of admiration or not? and +how then could I speak as I should?" + +As they were chatting, they reached Chou Jui's house. They had been +sitting for a while, when old goody Liu produced a piece of silver, +which she was purposing to leave behind, to be given to the young +servants in Chou Jui's house to purchase fruit to eat; but how could +Mrs. Chou satiate her eye with such a small piece of silver? She was +determined in her refusal to accept it, so that old goody Liu, after +assuring her of her boundless gratitude, took her departure out of the +back gate she had come in from. + +Reader, you do not know what happened after old goody Liu left, but +listen to the explanation which will be given in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + Presentation of artificial flowers made in the Palace. + Chia Lien disports himself with Hsi-feng. + Pao-yue meets Ch'in Chung at a family party. + + +To resume our narrative. Chou Jui's wife having seen old goody Liu off, +speedily came to report the visit to madame Wang; but, contrary to her +expectation, she did not find madame Wang in the drawing-room; and it +was after inquiring of the waiting-maids that she eventually learnt that +she had just gone over to have a chat with "aunt" Hsueeh. Mrs. Chou, upon +hearing this, hastily went out by the eastern corner door, and through +the yard on the east, into the Pear Fragrance Court. + +As soon as she reached the entrance, she caught sight of madame Wang's +waiting-maid, Chin Ch'uan-erh, playing about on the terrace steps, with +a young girl, who had just let her hair grow. When they saw Chou Jui's +wife approach, they forthwith surmised that she must have some message +to deliver, so they pursed up their lips and directed her to the +inner-room. Chou Jui's wife gently raised the curtain-screen, and upon +entering discovered madame Wang, in voluble conversation with "aunt" +Hsueeh, about family questions and people in general. + +Mrs. Chou did not venture to disturb them, and accordingly came into the +inner room, where she found Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai in a house dress, with her +hair simply twisted into a knot round the top of the head, sitting on +the inner edge of the stove-couch, leaning on a small divan table, in +the act of copying a pattern for embroidery, with the waiting-maid Ying +Erh. When she saw her enter, Pao Ch'ai hastily put down her pencil, and +turning round with a face beaming with smiles, "Sister Chou," she said, +"take a seat." + +Chou Jui's wife likewise promptly returned the smile. + +"How is my young lady?" she inquired, as she sat down on the edge of the +couch. "I haven't seen you come over on the other side for two or three +days! Has Mr. Pao-yue perhaps given you offence?" + +"What an idea!" exclaimed Pao Ch'ai, with a smile. "It's simply that +I've had for the last couple of days my old complaint again, and that +I've in consequence kept quiet all this time, and looked after myself." + +"Is that it?" asked Chou Jui's wife; "but after all, what rooted kind of +complaint are you subject to, miss? you should lose really no time in +sending for a doctor to diagnose it, and give you something to make you +all right. With your tender years, to have an organic ailment is indeed +no trifle!" + +Pao Ch'ai laughed when she heard these remarks. + +"Pray," she said, "don't allude to this again; for this ailment of mine +I've seen, I can't tell you, how many doctors; taken no end of medicine +and spent I don't know how much money; but the more we did so, not the +least little bit of relief did I see. Lucky enough, we eventually came +across a bald-pated bonze, whose speciality was the cure of nameless +illnesses. We therefore sent for him to see me, and he said that I had +brought this along with me from the womb as a sort of inflammatory +virus, that luckily I had a constitution strong and hale so that it +didn't matter; and that it would be of no avail if I took pills or any +medicines. He then told me a prescription from abroad, and gave me also +a packet of a certain powder as a preparative, with a peculiar smell and +strange flavour. He advised me, whenever my complaint broke out, to take +a pill, which would be sure to put me right again. And this has, after +all, strange to say, done me a great deal of good." + +"What kind of prescription is this one from abroad, I wonder," remarked +Mrs. Chou; "if you, miss, would only tell me, it would be worth our +while bearing it in mind, and recommending it to others: and if ever we +came across any one afflicted with this disease, we would also be doing +a charitable deed." + +"You'd better not ask for the prescription," rejoined Pao Ch'ai smiling. +"Why, its enough to wear one out with perplexity! the necessaries and +ingredients are few, and all easy to get, but it would be difficult to +find the lucky moment! You want twelve ounces of the pollen of the white +peone, which flowers in spring, twelve ounces of the pollen of the white +summer lily, twelve ounces of the pollen of the autumn hibiscus flower, +and twelve ounces of the white plum in bloom in the winter. You take the +four kinds of pollen, and put them in the sun, on the very day of the +vernal equinox of the succeeding year to get dry, and then you mix them +with the powder and pound them well together. You again want twelve mace +of water, fallen on 'rain water' day....." + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Mrs. Chou promptly, as she laughed. "From all +you say, why you want three years' time! and what if no rain falls on +'rain water' day! What would one then do?" + +"Quite so!" Pao Ch'ai remarked smilingly; "how can there be such an +opportune rain on that very day! but to wait is also the best thing, +there's nothing else to be done. Besides, you want twelve mace of dew, +collected on 'White Dew' day, and twelve mace of the hoar frost, +gathered on 'Frost Descent' day, and twelve mace of snow, fallen on +'Slight Snow' day! You next take these four kinds of waters and mix them +with the other ingredients, and make pills of the size of a lungngan. +You keep them in an old porcelain jar, and bury them under the roots of +some flowers; and when the ailment betrays itself, you produce it and +take a pill, washing it down with two candareens of a yellow cedar +decoction." + +"O-mi-to-fu!" cried Mrs. Chou, when she heard all this, bursting out +laughing. "It's really enough to kill one! you might wait ten years and +find no such lucky moments!" + +"Fortunate for me, however," pursued Pao Ch'ai, "in the course of a year +or two, after the bonze had told me about this prescription, we got all +the ingredients; and, after much trouble, we compounded a supply, which +we have now brought along with us from the south to the north; and lies +at present under the pear trees." + +"Has this medicine any name or other of its own?" further inquired Mrs. +Chou. + +"It has a name," replied Pao Ch'ai; "the mangy-headed bonze also told it +me; he called it 'cold fragrance' pill." + +Chou Jui's wife nodded her head, as she heard these words. "What do you +feel like after all when this complaint manifests itself?" she went on +to ask. + +"Nothing much," replied Pao Ch'ai; "I simply pant and cough a bit; but +after I've taken a pill, I get over it, and it's all gone." + +Mrs. Chou was bent upon making some further remark, when madame Wang was +suddenly heard to enquire, "Who is in here?" + +Mrs. Chou went out hurriedly and answered; and forthwith told her all +about old goody Liu's visit. Having waited for a while, and seeing that +madame Wang had nothing to say, she was on the point of retiring, when +"aunt" Hsueh unexpectedly remarked smiling: "Wait a bit! I've something +to give you to take along with you." + +And as she spoke, she called for Hsiang Ling. The sound of the +screen-board against the sides of the door was heard, and in walked the +waiting-maid, who had been playing with Chin Ch'uan-erh. "Did my lady +call?" she asked. + +"Bring that box of flowers," said Mrs. Hsueh. + +Hsiang Ling assented, and brought from the other side a small +embroidered silk box. + +"These," explained "aunt" Hsueeh, "are a new kind of flowers, made in the +palace. They consist of twelve twigs of flowers of piled gauze. I +thought of them yesterday, and as they will, the pity is, only get old, +if uselessly put away, why not give them to the girls to wear them in +their hair! I meant to have sent them over yesterday, but I forgot all +about them. You come to-day most opportunely, and if you will take them +with you, I shall have got them off my hands. To the three young ladies +in your family give two twigs each, and of the six that will remain give +a couple to Miss Lin, and the other four to lady Feng." + +"Better keep them and give them to your daughter Pao Ch'ai to wear," +observed madame Wang, "and have done with it; why think of all the +others?" + +"You don't know, sister," replied "aunt" Hsueeh, "what a crotchety thing +Pao Ch'ai is! she has no liking for flower or powder." + +With these words on her lips, Chou Jui's wife took the box and walked +out of the door of the room. Perceiving that Chin Ch'uan-erh was still +sunning herself outside, Chou Jui's wife asked her: "Isn't this Hsiang +Ling, the waiting-maid that we've often heard of as having been +purchased just before the departure of the Hsueeh family for the capital, +and on whose account there occurred some case of manslaughter or other?" + +"Of course it's she," replied Chin Ch'uan. But as they were talking, +they saw Hsiang Ling draw near smirkingly, and Chou Jui's wife at once +seized her by the hand, and after minutely scrutinizing her face for a +time, she turned round to Chin Ch'uan-erh and smiled. "With these +features she really resembles slightly the style of lady Jung of our +Eastern Mansion." + +"So I too maintain!" said Chin Ch'uan-erh. + +Chou Jui's wife then asked Hsiang Ling, "At what age did you enter this +family? and where are your father and mother at present?" and also +inquired, "In what year of your teens are you? and of what place are you +a native?" + +But Hsiang Ling, after listening to all these questions, simply nodded +her head and replied, "I can't remember." + +When Mrs. Chou and Chin Ch'uan-erh heard these words, their spirits +changed to grief, and for a while they felt affected and wounded at +heart; but in a short time, Mrs. Chou brought the flowers into the room +at the back of madame Wang's principal apartment. + +The fact is that dowager lady Chia had explained that as her +granddaughters were too numerous, it would not be convenient to crowd +them together in one place, that Pao-yue and Tai-yue should only remain +with her in this part to break her loneliness, but that Ying Ch'un, T'an +Ch'un, and Hsi Ch'un, the three of them, should move on this side in the +three rooms within the antechamber, at the back of madame lady Wang's +quarters; and that Li Wan should be told off to be their attendant and +to keep an eye over them. + +Chou Jui's wife, therefore, on this occasion came first to these rooms +as they were on her way, but she only found a few waiting-maids +assembled in the antechamber, waiting silently to obey a call. + +Ying Ch'un's waiting-maid, Ssu Chi, together with Shih Shu, T'an Ch'un's +waiting-maid, just at this moment raised the curtain, and made their +egress, each holding in her hand a tea-cup and saucer; and Chou Jui's +wife readily concluding that the young ladies were sitting together also +walked into the inner room, where she only saw Ying Ch'un and T'an Ch'un +seated near the window, in the act of playing chess. Mrs. Chou presented +the flowers and explained whence they came, and what they were. + +The girls forthwith interrupted their game, and both with a curtsey, +expressed their thanks, and directed the waiting-maids to put the +flowers away. + +Mrs. Chou complied with their wishes (and handing over the flowers); +"Miss Hsi Ch'un," she remarked, "is not at home; and possibly she's over +there with our old lady." + +"She's in that room, isn't she?" inquired the waiting-maids. + +Mrs. Chou at these words readily came into the room on this side, where +she found Hsi Ch'un, in company with a certain Chih Neng, a young nun of +the "moon reflected on water" convent, talking and laughing together. On +seeing Chou Jui's wife enter, Hsi Ch'un at once asked what she wanted, +whereupon Chou Jui's wife opened the box of flowers, and explained who +had sent them. + +"I was just telling Chih Neng," remarked Hsi Ch'un laughing, "that I +also purpose shortly shaving my head and becoming a nun; and strange +enough, here you again bring me flowers; but supposing I shave my head, +where can I wear them?" + +They were all very much amused for a time with this remark, and Hsi +Ch'un told her waiting-maid, Ju Hua, to come and take over the flowers. + +"What time did you come over?" then inquired Mrs. Chou of Chih Neng. +"Where is that bald-pated and crotchety superior of yours gone?" + +"We came," explained Chih Neng, "as soon as it was day; after calling +upon madame Wang, my superior went over to pay a visit in the mansion of +Mr. Yue, and told me to wait for her here." + +"Have you received," further asked Mrs. Chou, "the monthly allowance for +incense offering due on the fifteenth or not?" + +"I can't say," replied Chih Neng. + +"Who's now in charge of the issue of the monthly allowances to the +various temples?" interposed Hsi Ch'un, addressing Mrs. Chou, as soon as +she heard what was said. + +"It's Yue Hsin," replied Chou Jui's wife, "who's intrusted with the +charge." + +"That's how it is," observed Hsi Ch'un with a chuckle; "soon after the +arrival of the Superior, Yue Hsin's wife came over and kept on whispering +with her for some time; so I presume it must have been about this +allowance." + +Mrs. Chou then went on to bandy a few words with Chih Neng, after which +she came over to lady Feng's apartments. Proceeding by a narrow passage, +she passed under Li Wan's back windows, and went along the wall +ornamented with creepers on the west. Going out of the western side +gate, she entered lady Feng's court, and walked over into the Entrance +Hall, where she only found the waiting-girl Feng Erh, sitting on the +doorsteps of lady Feng's apartments. + +When she caught sight of Mrs. Chou approaching, she at once waved her +hand, bidding her go to the eastern room. Chou Jui's wife understood her +meaning, and hastily came on tiptoe to the chamber on the east, where +she saw a nurse patting lady Feng's daughter to sleep. + +Mrs. Chou promptly asked the nurse in a low tone of voice: "Is the young +lady asleep at this early hour? But if even she is I must wake her up." + +The nurse nodded her head in assent, but as these inquiries were being +made, a sound of laughter came from over the other side, in which lady +Feng's voice could be detected; followed, shortly after, by the sound of +a door opening, and out came P'ing Erh, with a large brass basin in her +hands, which she told Feng Erh to fill with water and take inside. + +P'ing Erh forthwith entered the room on this side, and upon perceiving +Chou Jui's wife: "What have you come here again for, my old lady?" she +readily inquired. + +Chou Jui's wife rose without any delay, and handed her the box. "I've +come," said she, "to bring you a present of flowers." + +Upon hearing this, P'ing Erh opened the box, and took out four sprigs, +and, turning round, walked out of the room. In a short while she came +from the inner room with two sprigs in her hand, and calling first of +all Ts'ai Ming, she bade her take the flowers over to the mansion on the +other side and present them to "madame" Jung, after which she asked Mrs. +Chou to express her thanks on her return. + +Chou Jui's wife thereupon came over to dowager lady Chia's room on this +side of the compound, and as she was going through the Entrance Hall, +she casually came, face to face, with her daughter, got up in gala +dress, just coming from the house of her mother-in-law. + +"What are you running over here for at this time?" promptly inquired +Mrs. Chou. + +"Have you been well of late, mother?" asked her daughter. "I've been +waiting for ever so long at home, but you never come out! What's there +so pressing that has prevented you from returning home? I waited till I +was tired, and then went on all alone, and paid my respects to our +venerable lady; I'm now, on my way to inquire about our lady Wang. What +errand haven't you delivered as yet, ma; and what is it you're holding?" + +"Ai! as luck would have it," rejoined Chou Jui's wife smilingly, "old +goody Liu came over to-day, so that besides my own hundred and one +duties, I've had to run about here and there ever so long, and all for +her! While attending to these, Mrs. Hsueh came across me, and asked me +to take these flowers to the young ladies, and I've been at it up to +this very moment, and haven't done yet! But coming at this time, you +must surely have something or other that you want me to do for you! +what's it?" + +"Really ma, you're quick at guessing!" exclaimed her daughter with a +smile; "I'll tell you what it's all about. The day before yesterday, +your son-in-law had a glass of wine too many, and began altercating with +some person or other; and some one, I don't know why, spread some evil +report, saying that his antecedents were not clear, and lodged a charge +against him at the Yamen, pressing the authorities to deport him to his +native place. That's why I've come over to consult with you, as to whom +we should appeal to, to do us this favour of helping us out of our +dilemma!" + +"I knew at once," Mrs. Chou remarked after listening, "that there was +something wrong; but this is nothing hard to settle! Go home and wait +for me and I'll come straightway, as soon as I've taken these flowers to +Miss Lin; our madame Wang and lady Secunda have both no leisure (to +attend to you now,) so go back and wait for me! What's the use of so +much hurry!" + +Her daughter, upon hearing this, forthwith turned round to go back, when +she added as she walked away, "Mind, mother, and make haste." + +"All right," replied Chou Jui's wife, "of course I will; you are young +yet, and without experience, and that's why you are in this flurry." + +As she spoke, she betook herself into Tai-yue's apartments. Contrary to +her expectation Tai-yue was not at this time in her own room, but in +Pao-yue's; where they were amusing themselves in trying to solve the +"nine strung rings" puzzle. On entering Mrs. Chou put on a smile. +"'Aunt' Hsueeh," she explained, "has told me to bring these flowers and +present them to you to wear in your hair." + +"What flowers?" exclaimed Pao-yue. "Bring them here and let me see them." + +As he uttered these words, he readily stretched out his hands and took +them over, and upon opening the box and looking in, he discovered, in +fact, two twigs of a novel and artistic kind of artificial flowers, of +piled gauze, made in the palace. + +Tai-yue merely cast a glance at them, as Pao-yue held them. "Have these +flowers," she inquired eagerly, "been sent to me alone, or have all the +other girls got some too?" + +"Each one of the young ladies has the same," replied Mrs. Chou; "and +these two twigs are intended for you, miss." + +Tai-yue forced a smile. "Oh! I see," she observed. "If all the others +hadn't chosen, even these which remain over wouldn't have been given to +me." + +Chou Jui's wife did not utter a word in reply. + +"Sister Chou, what took you over on the other side?" asked Pao-yue. + +"I was told that our madame Wang was over there," explained Mrs. Chou, +"and as I went to give her a message, 'aunt' Hsueeh seized the +opportunity to ask me to bring over these flowers." + +"What was cousin Pao Ch'ai doing at home?" asked Pao-yue. "How is it +she's not even been over for these few days?" + +"She's not quite well," remarked Mrs. Chou. + +When Pao-yue heard this news, "Who'll go," he speedily ascertained of the +waiting-maids, "and inquire after her? Tell her that cousin Lin and I +have sent round to ask how our aunt and cousin are getting on! ask her +what she's ailing from and what medicines she's taking, and explain to +her that I know I ought to have gone over myself, but that on my coming +back from school a short while back, I again got a slight chill; and +that I'll go in person another day." + +While Pao-yue was yet speaking, Hsi Hsueeh volunteered to take the +message, and went off at once; and Mrs. Chou herself took her leave +without another word. + +Mrs. Chou's son-in-law was, in fact, Leng Tzu-hsing, the intimate friend +of Yue-ts'un. Having recently become involved with some party in a +lawsuit, on account of the sale of some curios, he had expressly charged +his wife to come and sue for the favour (of a helping hand). Chou Jui's +wife, relying upon her master's prestige, did not so much as take the +affair to heart; and having waited till evening, she simply went over +and requested lady Feng to befriend her, and the matter was forthwith +ended. + +When the lamps were lit, lady Feng came over, after having disrobed +herself, to see madame Wang. "I've already taken charge," she observed, +"of the things sent round to-day by the Chen family. As for the presents +from us to them, we should avail ourselves of the return of the boats, +by which the fresh delicacies for the new year were forwarded, to hand +them to them to carry back." + +Madame Wang nodded her head in token of approval. + +"The birthday presents," continued lady Feng, "for lady Ling Ngan, the +mother of the Earl of Ling Ngan, have already been got together, and +whom will you depute to take them over?" + +"See," suggested madame Wang, "who has nothing to do; let four maids go +and all will be right! why come again and ask me?" + +"Our eldest sister-in-law Chen," proceeded lady Feng, "came over to +invite me to go to-morrow to their place for a little change. I don't +think there will be anything for me to do to-morrow." + +"Whether there be or not," replied madame Wang, "it doesn't matter; you +must go, for whenever she comes with an invitation, it includes us, who +are your seniors, so that, of course, it isn't such a pleasant thing for +you; but as she doesn't ask us this time, but only asks you, it's +evident that she's anxious that you should have a little distraction, +and you mustn't disappoint her good intention. Besides it's certainly +right that you should go over for a change." + +Lady Feng assented, and presently Li Wan, Ying Ch'un and the other +cousins, likewise paid each her evening salutation and retired to their +respective rooms, where nothing of any notice transpired. + +The next day lady Feng completed her toilette, and came over first to +tell madame Wang that she was off, and then went to say good-bye to +dowager lady Chia; but when Pao-yue heard where she was going, he also +wished to go; and as lady Feng had no help but to give in, and to wait +until he had changed his clothes, the sister and brother-in-law got into +a carriage, and in a short while entered the Ning mansion. + +Mrs. Yu, the wife of Chia Chen, and Mrs. Ch'in, the wife of Mr. Chia +Jung, the two sisters-in-law, had, along with a number of maids, +waiting-girls, and other servants, come as far as the ceremonial gate to +receive them, and Mrs. Yu, upon meeting lady Feng, for a while indulged, +as was her wont, in humorous remarks, after which, leading Pao-yue by the +hand, they entered the drawing room and took their seats, Mrs. Ch'in +handed tea round. + +"What have you people invited me to come here for?" promptly asked lady +Feng; "if you have anything to present me with, hand it to me at once, +for I've other things to attend to." + +Mrs. Yu and Mrs. Ch'in had barely any time to exchange any further +remarks, when several matrons interposed, smilingly: "Had our lady not +come to-day, there would have been no help for it, but having come, you +can't have it all your own way." + +While they were conversing about one thing and another, they caught +sight of Chia Jung come in to pay his respects, which prompted Pao-yue to +inquire, "Isn't my elder brother at home to-day?" + +"He's gone out of town to-day," replied Mrs. Yu, "to inquire after his +grandfather. You'll find sitting here," she continued, "very dull, and +why not go out and have a stroll?" + +"A strange coincidence has taken place to-day," urged Mrs. Ch'in, with a +smile; "some time back you, uncle Pao, expressed a wish to see my +brother, and to-day he too happens to be here at home. I think he's in +the library; but why not go and see for yourself, uncle Pao?" + +Pao-yue descended at once from the stove-couch, and was about to go, when +Mrs. Yu bade the servants to mind and go with him. "Don't you let him +get into trouble," she enjoined. "It's a far different thing when he +comes over under the charge of his grandmother, when he's all right." + +"If that be so," remarked lady Feng, "why not ask the young gentleman to +come in, and then I too can see him. There isn't, I hope, any objection +to my seeing him?" + +"Never mind! never mind!" observed Mrs. Yu, smilingly; "it's as well +that you shouldn't see him. This brother of mine is not, like the boys +of our Chia family, accustomed to roughly banging and knocking about. +Other people's children are brought up politely and properly, and not in +this vixenish style of yours. Why, you'd ridicule him to death!" + +"I won't laugh at him then, that's all," smiled lady Feng; "tell them to +bring him in at once." + +"He's shy," proceeded Mrs. Ch'in, "and has seen nothing much of the +world, so that you are sure to be put out when you see him, sister." + +"What an idea!" exclaimed lady Feng. "Were he even No Cha himself, I'd +like to see him; so don't talk trash; if, after all, you don't bring him +round at once, I'll give you a good slap on the mouth." + +"I daren't be obstinate," answered Mrs. Ch'in smiling; "I'll bring him +round!" + +In a short while she did in fact lead in a young lad, who, compared with +Pao-yue, was somewhat more slight but, from all appearances, superior to +Pao-yue in eyes and eyebrows, (good looks), which were so clear and +well-defined, in white complexion and in ruddy lips, as well as graceful +appearance and pleasing manners. He was however bashful and timid, like +a girl. + +In a shy and demure way, he made a bow to lady Feng and asked after her +health. + +Lady Feng was simply delighted with him. "You take a low seat next to +him!" she ventured laughingly as she first pushed Pao-yue back. Then +readily stooping forward, she took this lad by the hand and asked him to +take a seat next to her. Presently she inquired about his age, his +studies and such matters, when she found that at school he went under +the name of Ch'in Chung. + +The matrons and maids in attendance on lady Feng, perceiving that this +was the first time their mistress met Ch'in Chung, (and knowing) that +she had not at hand the usual presents, forthwith ran over to the other +side and told P'ing Erh about it. + +P'ing Erh, aware of the close intimacy that existed between lady Feng +and Mrs. Ch'in, speedily took upon herself to decide, and selecting a +piece of silk, and two small gold medals, (bearing the wish that he +should attain) the highest degree, the senior wranglership, she handed +them to the servants who had come over, to take away. + +Lady Feng, however, explained that her presents were too mean by far, +but Mrs. Ch'in and the others expressed their appreciation of them; and +in a short time the repast was over, and Mrs. Yu, lady Feng and Mrs. +Ch'in played at dominoes, but of this no details need be given; while +both Pao-yue and Ch'in Chung sat down, got up and talked, as they +pleased. + +Since he had first glanced at Ch'in Chung, and seen what kind of person +he was, he felt at heart as if he had lost something, and after being +plunged in a dazed state for a time, he began again to give way to +foolish thoughts in his mind. + +"There are then such beings as he in the world!" he reflected. "I now +see there are! I'm however no better than a wallowing pig or a mangy +cow! Despicable destiny! why was I ever born in this household of a +marquis and in the mansion of a duke? Had I seen the light in the home +of some penniless scholar, or poverty-stricken official, I could long +ago have enjoyed the communion of his friendship, and I would not have +lived my whole existence in vain! Though more honourable than he, it is +indeed evident that silk and satins only serve to swathe this rotten +trunk of mine, and choice wines and rich meats only to gorge the filthy +drain and miry sewer of this body of mine! Wealth! and splendour! ye are +no more than contaminated with pollution by me!" + +Ever since Ch'in Chung had noticed Pao-yue's unusual appearance, his +sedate deportment, and what is more, his hat ornamented with gold, and +his dress full of embroidery, attended by beautiful maids and handsome +youths, he did not indeed think it a matter of surprise that every one +was fond of him. + +"Born as I have had the misfortune to be," he went on to commune within +himself, "in an honest, though poor family, how can I presume to enjoy +his companionship! This is verily a proof of what a barrier poverty and +wealth set between man and man. What a serious misfortune is this too in +this mortal world!" + +In wild and inane ideas of the same strain, indulged these two youths! + +Pao-yue by and by further asked of him what books he was reading, and +Ch'in Chung, in answer to these inquiries, told him the truth. A few +more questions and answers followed; and after about ten remarks, a +greater intimacy sprang up between them. + +Tea and fruits were shortly served, and while they were having their +tea, Pao-yue suggested, "We two don't take any wine, and why shouldn't we +have our fruit served on the small couch inside, and go and sit there, +and thus save you all the trouble?" + +The two of them thereupon came into the inner apartment to have their +tea; and Mrs. Ch'in attended to the laying out of fruit and wines for +lady Feng, and hurriedly entered the room and hinted to Pao-yue: "Dear +uncle Pao, your nephew is young, and should he happen to say anything +disrespectful, do please overlook it, for my sake, for though shy, he's +naturally of a perverse and wilful disposition, and is rather given to +having his own way." + +"Off with you!" cried Pao-yue laughing; "I know it all." Mrs. Ch'in then +went on to give a bit of advice to her brother, and at length came to +keep lady Feng company. Presently lady Feng and Mrs. Yu sent another +servant to tell Pao-yue that there was outside of everything they might +wish to eat and that they should mind and go and ask for it; and Pao-yue +simply signified that they would; but his mind was not set upon drinking +or eating; all he did was to keep making inquiries of Ch'in Chung about +recent family concerns. + +Ch'in Chung went on to explain that his tutor had last year relinquished +his post, that his father was advanced in years and afflicted with +disease, and had multifarious public duties to preoccupy his mind, so +that he had as yet had no time to make arrangements for another tutor, +and that all he did was no more than to keep up his old tasks; that as +regards study, it was likewise necessary to have the company of one or +two intimate friends, as then only, by dint of a frequent exchange of +ideas and opinions, one could arrive at progress; and Pao-yue gave him no +time to complete, but eagerly urged, "Quite so! But in our household, we +have a family school, and those of our kindred who have no means +sufficient to engage the services of a tutor are at liberty to come over +for the sake of study, and the sons and brothers of our relatives are +likewise free to join the class. As my own tutor went home last year, I +am now also wasting my time doing nothing; my father's intention was +that I too should have gone over to this school, so that I might at +least temporarily keep up what I have already read, pending the arrival +of my tutor next year, when I could again very well resume my studies +alone at home. But my grandmother raised objections; maintaining first +of all, that the boys who attend the family classes being so numerous, +she feared we would be sure to be up to mischief, which wouldn't be at +all proper; and that, in the second place, as I had been ill for some +time, the matter should be dropped, for the present. But as, from what +you say, your worthy father is very much exercised on this score, you +should, on your return, tell him all about it, and come over to our +school. I'll also be there as your schoolmate; and as you and I will +reap mutual benefit from each other's companionship, won't it be nice!" + +"When my father was at home the other day," Ch'in Chung smiled and said, +"he alluded to the question of a tutor, and explained that the free +schools were an excellent institution. He even meant to have come and +talked matters over with his son-in-law's father about my introduction, +but with the urgent concerns here, he didn't think it right for him to +come about this small thing, and make any trouble. But if you really +believe that I might be of use to you, in either grinding the ink, or +washing the slab, why shouldn't you at once make the needful +arrangements, so that neither you nor I may idle our time? And as we +shall be able to come together often and talk matters over, and set at +the same time our parents' minds at ease, and to enjoy the pleasure of +friendship, won't it be a profitable thing!" + +"Compose your mind!" suggested Pao-yue. "We can by and by first of all, +tell your brother-in-law, and your sister as well as sister-in-law +Secunda Lien; and on your return home to-day, lose no time in explaining +all to your worthy father, and when I get back, I'll speak to my +grandmother; and I can't see why our wishes shouldn't speedily be +accomplished." + +By the time they had arrived at this conclusion, the day was far +advanced, and the lights were about to be lit; and they came out and +watched them once more for a time as they played at dominoes. When they +came to settle their accounts Mrs. Ch'in and Mrs. Yu were again the +losers and had to bear the expense of a theatrical and dinner party; and +while deciding that they should enjoy this treat the day after the +morrow, they also had the evening repast. + +Darkness having set in, Mrs. Yu gave orders that two youths should +accompany Mr. Ch'in home. The matrons went out to deliver the +directions, and after a somewhat long interval, Ch'in Chung said goodbye +and was about to start on his way. + +"Whom have you told off to escort him?" asked Mrs. Yu. + +"Chiao Ta," replied the matrons, "has been told to go, but it happens +that he's under the effects of drink and making free use again of +abusive language." + +Mrs. Yu and Mrs. Chin remonstrated. "What's the use," they said, "of +asking him? that mean fellow shouldn't be chosen, but you will go again +and provoke him." + +"People always maintain," added lady Feng, "that you are far too +lenient. But fancy allowing servants in this household to go on in this +way; why, what will be the end of it?" + +"You don't mean to tell me," observed Mrs. Yu, "that you don't know this +Chiao Ta? Why, even the gentlemen one and all pay no heed to his doings! +your eldest brother, Chia Cheng, he too doesn't notice him. It's all +because when he was young he followed our ancestor in three or four +wars, and because on one occasion, by extracting our senior from the +heap of slain and carrying him on his back, he saved his life. He +himself suffered hunger and stole food for his master to eat; they had +no water for two days; and when he did get half a bowl, he gave it to +his master, while he himself had sewage water. He now simply presumes +upon the sentimental obligations imposed by these services. When the +seniors of the family still lived, they all looked upon him with +exceptional regard; but who at present ventures to interfere with him? +He is also advanced in years, and doesn't care about any decent manners; +his sole delight is wine; and when he gets drunk, there isn't a single +person whom he won't abuse. I've again and again told the stewards not +to henceforward ask Chiao Ta to do any work whatever, but to treat him +as dead and gone; and here he's sent again to-day." + +"How can I not know all about this Chiao Ta?" remarked lady Feng; "but +the secret of all this trouble is, that you won't take any decisive +step. Why not pack him off to some distant farm, and have done with +him?" And as she spoke, "Is our carriage ready?" she went on to inquire. + +"All ready and waiting," interposed the married women. + +Lady Feng also got up, said good-bye, and hand in hand with Pao-yue, they +walked out of the room, escorted by Mrs. Yu and the party, as far as the +entrance of the Main Hall, where they saw the lamps shedding a brilliant +light and the attendants all waiting on the platforms. Chiao Ta, +however, availing himself of Chia Chen's absence from home, and elated +by wine, began to abuse the head steward Lai Erh for his injustice. + +"You bully of the weak and coward with the strong," he cried, "when +there's any pleasant charge, you send the other servants, but when it's +a question of seeing any one home in the dark, then you ask me, you +disorderly clown! a nice way you act the steward, indeed! Do you forget +that if Mr. Chiao Ta chose to raise one leg, it would be a good deal +higher than your head! Remember please, that twenty years ago, Mr. Chiao +Ta wouldn't even so much as look at any one, no matter who it was; not +to mention a pack of hybrid creatures like yourselves!" + +While he went on cursing and railing with all his might, Chia Jung +appeared walking by lady Feng's carriage. All the servants having tried +to hush him and not succeeding, Chia Jung became exasperated; and +forthwith blew him up for a time. "Let some one bind him up," he cried, +"and tomorrow, when he's over the wine, I'll call him to task, and we'll +see if he won't seek death." + +Chiao Ta showed no consideration for Chia Jung. On the contrary, he +shouted with more vigour. Going up to Chia Jung: "Brother Jung," he +said, "don't put on the airs of a master with Chiao Ta. Not to speak of +a man such as you, why even your father and grandfather wouldn't presume +to display such side with Chiao Ta. Were it not for Chiao Ta, and him +alone, where would your office, honours, riches and dignity be? Your +ancestor, whom I brought back from the jaws of death, heaped up all this +estate, but up to this very day have I received no thanks for the +services I rendered! on the contrary, you come here and play the master; +don't say a word more, and things may come right; but if you do, I'll +plunge the blade of a knife white in you and extract it red." + +Lady Feng, from inside the carriage, remarked to Chia Jung: "Don't you +yet pack off this insolent fellow! Why, if you keep him in your house, +won't he be a source of mischief? Besides, were relatives and friends to +hear about these things, won't they have a laugh at our expense, that a +household like ours should be so devoid of all propriety?" + +Chia Jung assented. The whole band of servants finding that Chiao Ta was +getting too insolent had no help but to come up and throw him over, and +binding him up, they dragged him towards the stables. Chiao Ta abused +even Chia Chen with still more vehemence, and shouted in a boisterous +manner. "I want to go," he cried, "to the family Ancestral Temple and +mourn my old master. Who would have ever imagined that he would leave +behind such vile creatures of descendants as you all, day after day +indulging in obscene and incestuous practices, 'in scraping of the +ashes' and in philandering with brothers-in-law. I know all about your +doings; the best thing is to hide one's stump of an arm in one's +sleeve!" (wash one's dirty clothes at home). + +The servants who stood by, upon hearing this wild talk, were quite at +their wits' end, and they at once seized him, tied him up, and filled +his mouth to the fullest extent with mud mixed with some horse refuse. + +Lady Feng and Chia Jung heard all he said from a distance, but pretended +not to hear; but Pao-yue, seated in the carriage as he was, also caught +this extravagant talk and inquired of lady Feng: "Sister, did you hear +him say something about 'scraping of the ashes?' What's it?" + +"Don't talk such rubbish!" hastily shouted lady Feng; "it was the +maudlin talk of a drunkard! A nice boy you are! not to speak of your +listening, but you must also inquire! wait and I'll tell your mother and +we'll see if she doesn't seriously take you to task." + +Pao-yue was in such a state of fright that he speedily entreated her to +forgive him. "My dear sister," he craved, "I won't venture again to say +anything of the kind" + +"My dear brother, if that be so, it's all right!" rejoined lady Feng +reassuringly; "on our return we'll speak to her venerable ladyship and +ask her to send some one to arrange matters in the family school, and +invite Ch'in Chung to come to school for his studies." + +While yet this conversation was going on, they arrived at the Jung +Mansion. + +Reader, do you wish to know what follows? if you do, the next chapter +will unfold it. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + By a strange coincidence, Chia Pao-yue becomes acquainted with the + golden clasp. + In an unexpected meeting, Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai sees the jade of spiritual + perception. + + +Pao-yue and lady Feng, we will now explain, paid, on their return home, +their respects to all the inmates, and Pao-yue availed himself of the +first occasion to tell dowager lady Chia of his wish that Ch'in Chung +should come over to the family school. "The presence for himself of a +friend as schoolmate would," he argued, "be fitly excellent to stir him +to zeal," and he went on to speak in terms of high praise of Ch'in +Chung, his character and his manners, which most of all made people +esteem him. + +Lady Feng besides stood by him and backed his request. "In a day or +two," she added, "Ch'in Chung will be coming to pay his obeisance to +your venerable ladyship." + +This bit of news greatly rejoiced the heart of dowager lady Chia, and +lady Feng likewise did not let the opportunity slip, without inviting +the old lady to attend the theatrical performance to come off the day +after the morrow. Dowager lady Chia was, it is true, well on in years, +but was, nevertheless, very fond of enjoyment, so that when the day +arrived and Mrs. Yu came over to invite her round, she forthwith took +madame Wang, Lin Tai-yue, Pao-yue and others along and went to the play. + +It was about noon, when dowager lady Chia returned to her apartments for +her siesta; and madame Wang, who was habitually partial to a quiet life, +also took her departure after she had seen the old lady retire. Lady +Feng subsequently took the seat of honour; and the party enjoyed +themselves immensely till the evening, when they broke up. + +But to return to Pao-yue. Having accompanied his grandmother Chia back +home, and waited till her ladyship was in her midday sleep, he had in +fact an inclination to return to the performance, but he was afraid lest +he should be a burden to Mrs. Ch'in and the rest and lest they should +not feel at ease. Remembering therefore that Pao Ch'ai had been at home +unwell for the last few days, and that he had not been to see her, he +was anxious to go and look her up, but he dreaded that if he went by the +side gate, at the back of the drawing-room, he would be prevented by +something or other, and fearing, what would be making matters worse, +lest he should come across his father, he consequently thought it better +to go on his way by a detour. The nurses and waiting-maids thereupon +came to help him to change his clothes; but they saw him not change, but +go out again by the second door. These nurses and maids could not help +following him out; but they were still under the impression that he was +going over to the other mansion to see the theatricals. Contrary to +their speculations, upon reaching the entrance hall, he forthwith went +to the east, then turned to the north, and walking round by the rear of +the hall, he happened to come face to face with two of the family +companions, Mr. Ch'an Kuang, and Mr. Tan T'ing-jen. As soon as they +caught sight of Pao-yue, they both readily drew up to him, and as they +smiled, the one put his arm round his waist, while the other grasped him +by the hand. + +"Oh divine brother!" they both exclaimed, "this we call dreaming a +pleasant dream, for it's no easy thing to come across you!" + +While continuing their remarks they paid their salutations, and inquired +after his health; and it was only after they had chatted for ever so +long, that they went on their way. The nurse called out to them and +stopped them, "Have you two gentlemen," she said, "come out from seeing +master?" + +They both nodded assent. "Your master," they explained, "is in the Meng +P'o Chai small library having his siesta; so that you can go through +there with no fear." + +As they uttered these words, they walked away. + +This remark also evoked a smile from Pao-yue, but without further delay +he turned a corner, went towards the north, and came into the Pear +Fragrance Court, where, as luck would have it, he met the head manager +of the Household Treasury, Wu Hsin-teng, who, in company with the head +of the granary, Tai Liang, and several other head stewards, seven +persons in all, was issuing out of the Account Room. + +On seeing Pao-yue approaching, they, in a body, stood still, and hung +down their arms against their sides. One of them alone, a certain +butler, called Ch'ien Hua, promptly came forward, as he had not seen +Pao-yue for many a day, and bending on one knee, paid his respects to +Pao-yue. Pao-yue at once gave a smile and pulled him up. + +"The day before yesterday," smiled all the bystanders, "we were +somewhere together and saw some characters written by you, master +Secundus, in the composite style. The writing is certainly better than +it was before! When will you give us a few sheets to stick on the wall?" + +"Where did you see them?" inquired Pao-yue, with a grin. + +"They are to be found in more than one place," they replied, "and every +one praises them very much, and what's more, asks us for a few." + +"They are not worth having," observed Pao-yue smilingly; "but if you do +want any, tell my young servants and it will be all right." + +As he said these words, he moved onwards. The whole party waited till he +had gone by, before they separated, each one to go his own way. + +But we need not dilate upon matters of no moment, but return to Pao-yue. + +On coming to the Pear Fragrance Court, he entered, first, into "aunt" +Hsueeh's room, where he found her getting some needlework ready to give +to the waiting-maids to work at. Pao-yue forthwith paid his respects to +her, and "aunt" Hsueeh, taking him by the hand, drew him towards her and +clasped him in her embrace. + +"With this cold weather," she smilingly urged, "it's too kind of you, my +dear child, to think of coming to see me; come along on the stove-couch +at once!--Bring some tea," she continued, addressing the servants, "and +make it as hot as it can be!" + +"Isn't Hsueeh P'an at home?" Pao-yue having inquired: "He's like a horse +without a halter," Mrs. Hsueeh remarked with a sigh; "he's daily running +here and there and everywhere, and nothing can induce him to stay at +home one single day." + +"Is sister (Pao Ch'ai) all right again?" asked Pao-yue. "Yes," replied +Mrs. Hsueeh, "she's well again. It was very kind of you two days ago to +again think of her, and send round to inquire after her. She's now in +there, and you can go and see her. It's warmer there than it's here; go +and sit with her inside, and, as soon as I've put everything away, I'll +come and join you and have a chat." + +Pao-yue, upon hearing this, jumped down with alacrity from the +stove-couch, and walked up to the door of the inner room, where he saw +hanging a portiere somewhat the worse for use, made of red silk. Pao-yue +raised the portiere and making one step towards the interior, he found +Pao Ch'ai seated on the couch, busy over some needlework. On the top of +her head was gathered, and made into a knot, her chevelure, black as +lacquer, and glossy like pomade. She wore a honey-coloured wadded robe, +a rose-brown short-sleeved jacket, lined with the fur of the squirrel of +two colours: the "gold and silver;" and a jupe of leek-yellow silk. Her +whole costume was neither too new, neither too old, and displayed no +sign of extravagance. + +Her lips, though not rouged, were naturally red; her eyebrows, though +not pencilled, were yet blue black; her face resembled a silver basin, +and her eyes, juicy plums. She was sparing in her words, chary in her +talk, so much so that people said that she posed as a simpleton. She was +quiet in the acquittal of her duties and scrupulous as to the proper +season for everything. "I practise simplicity," she would say of +herself. + +"How are you? are you quite well again, sister?" inquired Pao-yue, as he +gazed at her; whereupon Pao Ch'ai raised her head, and perceiving Pao-yue +walk in, she got up at once and replied with a smile, "I'm all right +again; many thanks for your kindness in thinking of me." + +While uttering this, she pressed him to take a seat on the stove-couch, +and as he sat down on the very edge of the couch, she told Ying Erh to +bring tea and asked likewise after dowager lady Chia and lady Feng. "And +are all the rest of the young ladies quite well?" she inquired. + +Saying this she scrutinised Pao-yue, who she saw had a head-dress of +purplish-gold twisted threads, studded with precious stones. His +forehead was bound with a gold circlet, representing two dragons, +clasping a pearl. On his person he wore a light yellow, archery-sleeved +jacket, ornamented with rampant dragons, and lined with fur from the +ribs of the silver fox; and was clasped with a dark sash, embroidered +with different-coloured butterflies and birds. Round his neck was hung +an amulet, consisting of a clasp of longevity, a talisman of recorded +name, and, in addition to these, the precious jade which he had had in +his mouth at the time of his birth. + +"I've daily heard every one speak of this jade," said Pao Ch'ai with a +smile, "but haven't, after all, had an opportunity of looking at it +closely, but anyhow to-day I must see it." + +As she spoke, she drew near. Pao-yue himself approached, and taking it +from his neck, he placed it in Pao Ch'ai's hand. Pao Ch'ai held it in +her palm. It appeared to her very much like the egg of a bird, +resplendent as it was like a bright russet cloud; shiny and smooth like +variegated curd and covered with a net for the sake of protection. + +Readers, you should know that this was the very block of useless stone +which had been on the Ta Huang Hills, and which had dropped into the +Ch'ing Keng cave, in a state of metamorphosis. A later writer expresses +his feelings in a satirical way as follows: + + Nue Wo's fusion of stones was e'er a myth inane, + But from this myth hath sprung fiction still more insane! + Lost is the subtle life, divine, and real!--gone! + Assumed, mean subterfuge! foul bags of skin and bone! + Fortune, when once adverse, how true! gold glows no more! + In evil days, alas! the jade's splendour is o'er! + Bones, white and bleached, in nameless hill-like mounds are flung, + Bones once of youths renowned and maidens fair and young. + +The rejected stone has in fact already given a record of the +circumstances of its transformation, and the inscription in seal +characters, engraved upon it by the bald-headed bonze, and below will +now be also appended a faithful representation of it; but its real size +is so very diminutive, as to allow of its being held by a child in his +mouth while yet unborn, that were it to have been drawn in its exact +proportions, the characters would, it is feared, have been so +insignificant in size, that the beholder would have had to waste much of +his eyesight, and it would besides have been no pleasant thing. + +While therefore its shape has been adhered to, its size has unavoidably +been slightly enlarged, to admit of the reader being able, conveniently, +to peruse the inscription, even by very lamplight, and though he may be +under the influence of wine. + +These explanations have been given to obviate any such sneering remarks +as: "What could be, pray, the size of the mouth of a child in his +mother's womb, and how could it grasp such a large and clumsy thing?" + +On the face of the jade was written: + + Precious Gem of Spiritual Perception. + If thou wilt lose me not and never forget me, + Eternal life and constant luck will be with thee! + +On the reverse was written: + + 1 To exorcise evil spirits and the accessory visitations; + 2 To cure predestined sickness; + 3 To prognosticate weal and woe. + +Pao Ch'ai having looked at the amulet, twisted it again to the face, and +scrutinising it closely, read aloud: + + If thou wilt lose me not and never forget me, + Eternal life and constant luck will be with thee! + +She perused these lines twice, and, turning round, she asked Ying Erh +laughingly: "Why don't you go and pour the tea? what are you standing +here like an idiot!" + +"These two lines which I've heard," smiled Ying Erh, "would appear to +pair with the two lines on your necklet, miss!" + +"What!" eagerly observed Pao-yue with a grin, when he caught these words, +"are there really eight characters too on your necklet, cousin? do let +me too see it." + +"Don't listen to what she says," remarked Pao Ch'ai, "there are no +characters on it." + +"My dear cousin," pleaded Pao-yue entreatingly, "how is it you've seen +mine?" + +Pao Ch'ai was brought quite at bay by this remark of his, and she +consequently added, "There are also two propitious phrases engraved on +this charm, and that's why I wear it every day. Otherwise, what pleasure +would there be in carrying a clumsy thing." + +As she spoke, she unfastened the button, and produced from inside her +crimson robe, a crystal-like locket, set with pearls and gems, and with +a brilliant golden fringe. Pao-yue promptly received it from her, and +upon minute examination, found that there were in fact four characters +on each side; the eight characters on both sides forming two sentences +of good omen. The similitude of the locket is likewise then given below. +On the face of the locket is written: + + "Part not from me and cast me not away;" + +And on the reverse: + + "And youth, perennial freshness will display!" + +Pao-yue examined the charm, and having also read the inscription twice +over aloud, and then twice again to himself, he said as he smiled, "Dear +cousin, these eight characters of yours form together with mine an +antithetical verse." + +"They were presented to her," ventured Ying Erh, "by a mangy-pated +bonze, who explained that they should be engraved on a golden +trinket...." + +Pao Ch'ai left her no time to finish what she wished to say, but +speedily called her to task for not going to bring the tea, and then +inquired of Pao-yue "Where he had come from?" + +Pao-yue had, by this time, drawn quite close to Pao Ch'ai, and perceived +whiff after whiff of some perfume or other, of what kind he could not +tell. "What perfume have you used, my cousin," he forthwith asked, "to +fumigate your dresses with? I really don't remember smelling any +perfumery of the kind before." + +"I'm very averse," replied Pao Ch'ai blandly, "to the odour of +fumigation; good clothes become impregnated with the smell of smoke." + +"In that case," observed Pao-yue, "what scent is it?" + +"Yes, I remember," Pao Ch'ai answered, after some reflection; "it's the +scent of the 'cold fragrance' pills which I took this morning." + +"What are these cold fragrance pills," remarked Pao-yue smiling, "that +they have such a fine smell? Give me, cousin, a pill to try." + +"Here you are with your nonsense again," Pao Ch'ai rejoined laughingly; +"is a pill a thing to be taken recklessly?" + +She had scarcely finished speaking, when she heard suddenly some one +outside say, "Miss Lin is come;" and shortly Lin Tai-yue walked in in a +jaunty manner. + +"Oh, I come at a wrong moment!" she exclaimed forthwith, smirking +significantly when she caught sight of Pao-yue. + +Pao-yue and the rest lost no time in rising and offering her a seat, +whereupon Pao Ch'ai added with a smile, "How can you say such things?" + +"Had I known sooner," continued Tai-yue, "that he was here, I would have +kept away." + +"I can't fathom this meaning of yours," protested Pao Ch'ai. + +"If one comes," Tai-yue urged smiling, "then all come, and when one +doesn't come, then no one comes. Now were he to come to-day, and I to +come to-morrow, wouldn't there be, by a division of this kind, always +some one with you every day? and in this way, you wouldn't feel too +lonely, nor too crowded. How is it, cousin, that you didn't understand +what I meant to imply?" + +"Is it snowing?" inquired Pao-yue, upon noticing that she wore a cloak +made of crimson camlet, buttoning in front. + +"It has been snowing for some time," ventured the matrons, who were +standing below. "Fetch my wrapper!" Pao-yue remarked, and Tai-yue readily +laughed. "Am I not right? I come, and, of course, he must go at once." + +"Did I ever mention that I was going?" questioned Pao-yue; "I only wish +it brought to have it ready when I want it." + +"It's a snowy day," consequently remarked Pao-yue's nurse, dame Li, "and +we must also look to the time, but you had better remain here and amuse +yourself with your cousin. Your aunt has, in there, got ready tea and +fruits. I'll tell the waiting-maid to go and fetch your wrapper and the +boys to return home." Pao-yue assented, and nurse Li left the room and +told the boys that they were at liberty to go. + +By this time Mrs. Hsueeh had prepared tea and several kinds of nice +things and kept them all to partake of those delicacies. Pao-yue, having +spoken highly of some goose feet and ducks' tongues he had tasted some +days before, at his eldest sister-in-law's, Mrs. Yu's, "aunt" Hsueeh +promptly produced several dishes of the same kind, made by herself, and +gave them to Pao-yue to try. "With a little wine," added Pao-yue with a +smile, "they would be first rate." + +Mrs. Hsueeh thereupon bade the servants fetch some wine of the best +quality; but dame Li came forward and remonstrated. "My lady," she said, +"never mind the wine." + +Pao-yue smilingly pleaded: "My nurse, I'll take just one cup and no +more." + +"It's no use," nurse Li replied, "were your grandmother and mother +present, I wouldn't care if you drank a whole jar. I remember the day +when I turned my eyes away but for a moment, and some ignorant fool or +other, merely with the view of pandering for your favour, gave you only +a drop of wine to drink, and how this brought reproaches upon me for a +couple of days. You don't know, my lady, you have no idea of his +disposition! it's really dreadful; and when he has had a little wine he +shows far more temper. On days when her venerable ladyship is in high +spirits, she allows him to have his own way about drinking, but he's not +allowed to have wine on any and every day; and why should I have to +suffer inside and all for nothing at all?" + +"You antiquated thing!" replied Mrs. Hsueeh laughing, "set your mind at +ease, and go and drink your own wine! I won't let him have too much, and +should even the old lady say anything, let the fault be mine." + +Saying this, she asked a waiting-maid to take nurse Li along with her +and give her also a glass of wine so as to keep out the cold air. + +When nurse Li heard these words, she had no alternative but to go for a +time with all the others and have some wine to drink. + +"The wine need not be warmed: I prefer it cold!" Pao-yue went on to +suggest meanwhile. + +"That won't do," remonstrated Mrs. Hsueeh; "cold wine will make your hand +tremble when you write." + +"You have," interposed Pao Ch'ai smiling, "the good fortune, cousin +Pao-yue, of having daily opportunities of acquiring a knowledge of every +kind of subject, and yet don't you know that the properties of wine are +mostly heating? If you drink wine warm, its effects soon dispel, but if +you drink it cold, it at once congeals in you; and as upon your +intestines devolves the warming of it, how can you not derive any harm? +and won't you yet from this time change this habit of yours? leave off +at once drinking that cold wine." + +Pao-yue finding that the words he had heard contained a good deal of +sense, speedily put down the cold wine, and having asked them to warm +it, he at length drank it. + +Tai-yue was bent upon cracking melon seeds, saying nothing but simply +pursing up her lips and smiling, when, strange coincidence, Hsueeh Yen, +Tai-yue's waiting-maid, walked in and handed her mistress a small +hand-stove. + +"Who told you to bring it?" ascertained Tai-yue grinningly. "I'm sorry to +have given whoever it is the trouble; I'm obliged to her. But did she +ever imagine that I would freeze to death?" + +"Tzu Chuan was afraid," replied Hsueeh Yen, "that you would, miss, feel +cold, and she asked me to bring it over." + +Tai-yue took it over and held it in her lap. "How is it," she smiled, +"that you listen to what she tells you, but that you treat what I say, +day after day, as so much wind blowing past your ears! How is it that +you at once do what she bids you, with even greater alacrity than you +would an imperial edict?" + +When Pao-yue heard this, he felt sure in his mind that Tai-yue was +availing herself of this opportunity to make fun of him, but he made no +remark, merely laughing to himself and paying no further notice. Pao +Ch'ai, again, knew full well that this habit was a weak point with +Tai-yue, so she too did not go out of her way to heed what she said. + +"You've always been delicate and unable to stand the cold," interposed +"aunt" Hsueeh, "and is it not a kind attention on their part to have +thought of you?" + +"You don't know, aunt, how it really stands," responded Tai-yue +smilingly; "fortunately enough, it was sent to me here at your quarters; +for had it been in any one else's house, wouldn't it have been a slight +upon them? Is it forsooth nice to think that people haven't so much as a +hand-stove, and that one has fussily to be sent over from home? People +won't say that the waiting-maids are too officious, but will imagine +that I'm in the habit of behaving in this offensive fashion." + +"You're far too punctilious," remarked Mrs. Hsueeh, "as to entertain such +notions! No such ideas as these crossed my mind just now." + +While they were conversing, Pao-yue had taken so much as three cups of +wine, and nurse Li came forward again to prevent him from having any +more. Pao-yue was just then in a state of exultation and excitement, (a +state) enhanced by the conversation and laughter of his cousins, so that +was he ready to agree to having no more! But he was constrained in a +humble spirit to entreat for permission. "My dear nurse," he implored, +"I'll just take two more cups and then have no more." + +"You'd better be careful," added nurse Li, "your father is at home +to-day, and see that you're ready to be examined in your lessons." + +When Pao-yue heard this mention, his spirits at once sank within him, and +gently putting the wine aside, he dropped his head upon his breast. + +Tai-yue promptly remonstrated. "You've thrown cold water," she said, +"over the spirits of the whole company; why, if uncle should ask to see +you, well, say that aunt Hsueeh detained you. This old nurse of yours has +been drinking, and again makes us the means of clearing her muddled +head!" + +While saying this, she gave Pao-yue a big nudge with the intent of +stirring up his spirits, adding, as she addressed him in a low tone of +voice: "Don't let us heed that old thing, but mind our own enjoyment." + +Dame Li also knew very well Tai-yue's disposition, and therefore +remarked: "Now, Miss Lin, don't you urge him on; you should after all, +give him good advice, as he may, I think, listen to a good deal of what +you say to him." + +"Why should I urge him on?" rejoined Lin Tai-yue, with a sarcastic smile, +"nor will I trouble myself to give him advice. You, old lady, are far +too scrupulous! Old lady Chia has also time after time given him wine, +and if he now takes a cup or two more here, at his aunt's, lady Hsueeh's +house, there's no harm that I can see. Is it perhaps, who knows, that +aunt is a stranger in this establishment, and that we have in fact no +right to come over here to see her?" + +Nurse Li was both vexed and amused by the words she had just heard. +"Really," she observed, "every remark this girl Lin utters is sharper +than a razor! I didn't say anything much!" + +Pao Ch'ai too could not suppress a smile, and as she pinched Tai-yue's +cheek, she exclaimed, "Oh the tongue of this frowning girl! one can +neither resent what it says, nor yet listen to it with any +gratification!" + +"Don't be afraid!" Mrs. Hsueeh went on to say, "don't be afraid; my son, +you've come to see me, and although I've nothing good to give you, you +mustn't, through fright, let the trifle you've taken lie heavy on your +stomach, and thus make me uneasy; but just drink at your pleasure, and +as much as you like, and let the blame fall on my shoulders. What's +more, you can stay to dinner with me, and then go home; or if you do get +tipsy, you can sleep with me, that's all." + +She thereupon told the servants to heat some more wine. "I'll come," she +continued, "and keep you company while you have two or three cups, after +which we'll have something to eat!" + +It was only after these assurances that Pao-yue's spirits began at +length, once more to revive, and dame Li then directed the waiting-maids +what to do. "You remain here," she enjoined, "and mind, be diligent +while I go home and change; when I'll come back again. Don't allow him," +she also whispered to "aunt" Hsueeh, "to have all his own way and drink +too much." + +Having said this, she betook herself back to her quarters; and during +this while, though there were two or three nurses in attendance, they +did not concern themselves with what was going on. As soon as they saw +that nurse Li had left, they likewise all quietly slipped out, at the +first opportunity they found, while there remained but two +waiting-maids, who were only too glad to curry favour with Pao-yue. But +fortunately "aunt" Hsueeh, by much coaxing and persuading, only let him +have a few cups, and the wine being then promptly cleared away, pickled +bamboo shoots and chicken-skin soup were prepared, of which Pao-yue drank +with relish several bowls full, eating besides more than half a bowl of +finest rice congee. + +By this time, Hsueeh Pao Ch'ai and Lin Tai-yue had also finished their +repast; and when Pao-yue had drunk a few cups of strong tea, Mrs. Hsueeh +felt more easy in her mind. Hsueeh Yen and the others, three or four of +them in all, had also had their meal, and came in to wait upon them. + +"Are you now going or not?" inquired Tai-yue of Pao-yue. + +Pao-yue looked askance with his drowsy eyes. "If you want to go," he +observed, "I'll go with you." + +Tai-yue hearing this, speedily rose. "We've been here nearly the whole +day," she said, "and ought to be going back." + +As she spoke the two of them bade good-bye, and the waiting-maids at +once presented a hood to each of them. + +Pao-yue readily lowered his head slightly and told a waiting-maid to put +it on. The girl promptly took the hood, made of deep red cloth, and +shaking it out of its folds, she put it on Pao-yue's head. + +"That will do," hastily exclaimed Pao-yue. "You stupid thing! gently a +bit; is it likely you've never seen any one put one on before? let me do +it myself." + +"Come over here, and I'll put it on for you," suggested Tai-yue, as she +stood on the edge of the couch. Pao-yue eagerly approached her, and +Tai-yue carefully kept the cap, to which his hair was bound, fast down, +and taking the hood she rested its edge on the circlet round his +forehead. She then raised the ball of crimson velvet, which was as large +as a walnut, and put it in such a way that, as it waved tremulously, it +should appear outside the hood. These arrangements completed she cast a +look for a while at what she had done. "That's right now," she added, +"throw your wrapper over you!" + +When Pao-yue caught these words, he eventually took the wrapper and threw +it over his shoulders. + +"None of your nurses," hurriedly interposed aunt Hsueeh, "are yet come, +so you had better wait a while." + +"Why should we wait for them?" observed Pao-yue. "We have the +waiting-maids to escort us, and surely they should be enough." + +Mrs. Hsueeh finding it difficult to set her mind at ease deputed two +married women to accompany the two cousins; and after they had both +expressed (to these women) their regret at having troubled them, they +came straightway to dowager lady Chia's suite of apartments. + +Her venerable ladyship had not, as yet, had her evening repast. Hearing +that they had been at Mrs. Hsueeh's, she was extremely pleased; but +noticing that Pao-yue had had some wine, she gave orders that he should +be taken to his room, and put to bed, and not be allowed to come out +again. + +"Do take good care of him," she therefore enjoined the servants, and +when suddenly she bethought herself of Pao-yue's attendants, "How is it," +she at once inquired of them all, "that I don't see nurse Li here?" + +They did not venture to tell her the truth, that she had gone home, but +simply explained that she had come in a few moments back, and that they +thought she must have again gone out on some business or other. + +"She's better off than your venerable ladyship," remarked Pao-yue, +turning round and swaying from side to side. "Why then ask after her? +Were I rid of her, I believe I might live a little longer." + +While uttering these words, he reached the door of his bedroom, where he +saw pen and ink laid out on the writing table. + +"That's nice," exclaimed Ch'ing Wen, as she came to meet him with a +smile on her face, "you tell me to prepare the ink for you, but though +when you get up, you were full of the idea of writing, you only wrote +three characters, when you discarded the pencil, and ran away, fooling +me, by making me wait the whole day! Come now at once and exhaust all +this ink before you're let off." + +Pao-yue then remembered what had taken place in the morning. "Where are +the three characters I wrote?" he consequently inquired, smiling. + +"Why this man is tipsy," remarked Ch'ing Wen sneeringly. "As you were +going to the other mansion, you told me to stick them over the door. I +was afraid lest any one else should spoil them, as they were being +pasted, so I climbed up a high ladder and was ever so long in putting +them up myself; my hands are even now numb with cold." + +"Oh I forgot all about it," replied Pao-yue grinning, "if your hands are +cold, come and I'll rub them warm for you." + +Promptly stretching out his hand, he took those of Ch'ing Wen in his, +and the two of them looked at the three characters, which he recently +had written, and which were pasted above the door. In a short while, +Tai-yue came. + +"My dear cousin," Pao-yue said to her smilingly, "tell me without any +prevarication which of the three characters is the best written?" + +Tai-yue raised her head and perceived the three characters: Red, Rue, +Hall. "They're all well done," she rejoined, with a smirk, "How is it +you've written them so well? By and bye you must also write a tablet for +me." + +"Are you again making fun of me?" asked Pao-yue smiling; "what about +sister Hsi Jen?" he went on to inquire. + +Ch'ing Wen pouted her lips, pointing towards the stove-couch in the +inner room, and, on looking in, Pao-yue espied Hsi Jen fast asleep in her +daily costume. + +"Well," Pao-yue observed laughing, "there's no harm in it, but its rather +early to sleep. When I was having my early meal, on the other side," he +proceeded, speaking to Ch'ing Wen, "there was a small dish of dumplings, +with bean-curd outside; and as I thought you would like to have some, I +asked Mrs. Yu for them, telling her that I would keep them, and eat them +in the evening; I told some one to bring them over, but have you +perchance seen them?" + +"Be quick and drop that subject," suggested Ch'ing Wen; "as soon as they +were brought over, I at once knew they were intended for me; as I had +just finished my meal, I put them by in there, but when nurse Li came +she saw them. 'Pao-yue,' she said, 'is not likely to eat them, so I'll +take them and give them to my grandson.' And forthwith she bade some one +take them over to her home." + +While she was speaking, Hsi Hsueeh brought in tea, and Pao-yue pressed his +cousin Lin to have a cup. + +"Miss Lin has gone long ago," observed all of them, as they burst out +laughing, "and do you offer her tea?" + +Pao-yue drank about half a cup, when he also suddenly bethought himself +of some tea, which had been brewed in the morning. "This morning," he +therefore inquired of Hsi Hsueeh, "when you made a cup of maple-dew tea, +I told you that that kind of tea requires brewing three or four times +before its colour appears; and how is that you now again bring me this +tea?" + +"I did really put it by," answered Hsi Hsueeh, "but nurse Li came and +drank it, and then went off." + +Pao-yue upon hearing this, dashed the cup he held in his hand on the +ground, and as it broke into small fragments, with a crash, it spattered +Hsi Hsueeh's petticoat all over. + +"Of whose family is she the mistress?" inquired Pao-yue of Hsi Hsueeh, as +he jumped up, "that you all pay such deference to her. I just simply had +a little of her milk, when I was a brat, and that's all; and now she has +got into the way of thinking herself more high and mighty than even the +heads of the family! She should be packed off, and then we shall all +have peace and quiet." + +Saying this, he was bent upon going, there and then, to tell dowager +lady Chia to have his nurse driven away. + +Hsi Jen was really not asleep, but simply feigning, with the idea, when +Pao-yue came, to startle him in play. At first, when she heard him speak +of writing, and inquire after the dumplings, she did not think it +necessary to get up, but when he flung the tea-cup on the floor, and got +into a temper, she promptly jumped up and tried to appease him, and to +prevent him by coaxing from carrying out his threat. + +A waiting-maid sent by dowager lady Chia came in, meanwhile, to ask what +was the matter. + +"I had just gone to pour tea," replied Hsi Jen, without the least +hesitation, "and I slipped on the snow and fell, while the cup dropped +from my hand and broke. Your decision to send her away is good," she +went on to advise Pao-yue, "and we are all willing to go also; and why +not avail yourself of this opportunity to dismiss us in a body? It will +be for our good, and you too on the other hand, needn't perplex yourself +about not getting better people to come and wait on you!" + +When Pao-yue heard this taunt, he had at length not a word to say, and +supported by Hsi Jen and the other attendants on to the couch, they +divested him of his clothes. But they failed to understand the drift of +what Pao-yue kept on still muttering, and all they could make out was an +endless string of words; but his eyes grew heavier and drowsier, and +they forthwith waited upon him until he went to sleep; when Hsi Jen +unclasped the jade of spiritual perception, and rolling it up in a +handkerchief, she lay it under the mattress, with the idea that when he +put it on the next day it should not chill his neck. + +Pao-yue fell sound asleep the moment he lay his head on the pillow. By +this time nurse Li and the others had come in, but when they heard that +Pao-yue was tipsy, they too did not venture to approach, but gently made +inquiries as to whether he was asleep or not. On hearing that he was, +they took their departure with their minds more at ease. + +The next morning the moment Pao-yue awoke, some one came in to tell him +that young Mr. Jung, living in the mansion on the other side, had +brought Ch'in Chung to pay him a visit. + +Pao-yue speedily went out to greet them and to take them over to pay +their respects to dowager lady Chia. Her venerable ladyship upon +perceiving that Ch'in Chung, with his handsome countenance, and his +refined manners, would be a fit companion for Pao-yue in his studies, +felt extremely delighted at heart; and having readily detained him to +tea, and kept him to dinner, she went further and directed a servant to +escort him to see madame Wang and the rest of the family. + +With the fond regard of the whole household for Mrs. Ch'in, they were, +when they saw what a kind of person Ch'in Chung was, so enchanted with +him, that at the time of his departure, they all had presents to give +him; even dowager lady Chia herself presented him with a purse and a +golden image of the God of Learning, with a view that it should incite +him to study and harmony. + +"Your house," she further advised him, "is far off, and when it's cold +or hot, it would be inconvenient for you to come all that way, so you +had better come and live over here with me. You'll then be always with +your cousin Pao-yue, and you won't be together, in your studies, with +those fellow-pupils of yours who have no idea what progress means." + +Ch'in Chung made a suitable answer to each one of her remarks, and on +his return home he told everything to his father. + +His father, Ch'in Pang-yeh, held at present the post of Secretary in the +Peking Field Force, and was well-nigh seventy. His wife had died at an +early period, and as she left no issue, he adopted a son and a daughter +from a foundling asylum. + +But who would have thought it, the boy also died, and there only +remained the girl, known as Ko Ch'ing in her infancy, who when she grew +up, was beautiful in face and graceful in manners, and who by reason of +some relationship with the Chia family, was consequently united by the +ties of marriage (to one of the household). + +Ch'in Pang-yeh was in his fiftieth year when he at length got this son. +As his tutor had the previous year left to go south, he remained at home +keeping up his former lessons; and (his father) had been just thinking +of talking over the matter with his relatives of the Chia family, and +sending his son to the private school, when, as luck would have it, this +opportunity of meeting Pao-yue presented itself. + +Knowing besides that the family school was under the direction of the +venerable scholar Chia Tai-ju, and hoping that by joining his class, +(his son) might advance in knowledge and by these means reap reputation, +he was therefore intensely gratified. The only drawbacks were that his +official emoluments were scanty, and that both the eyes of everyone in +the other establishment were set upon riches and honours, so that he +could not contribute anything short of the amount (given by others); but +his son's welfare throughout life was a serious consideration, and he, +needless to say, had to scrape together from the East and to collect +from the West; and making a parcel, with all deference, of twenty-four +taels for an introduction present, he came along with Ch'in Chung to +Tai-ju's house to pay their respects. But he had to wait subsequently +until Pao-yue could fix on an auspicious date on which they could +together enter the school. + +As for what happened after they came to school, the next chapter will +divulge. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + Chia Cheng gives good advice to his wayward son. + Li Kuei receives a reprimand. + Chia Jui and Li Kuei rebuke the obstinate youths! + Ming Yen causes trouble in the school-room. + + +But to return to our story. Mr. Ch'in, the father, and Ch'in Chung, his +son, only waited until the receipt, by the hands of a servant, of a +letter from the Chia family about the date on which they were to go to +school. Indeed, Pao-yue was only too impatient that he and Ch'in Chung +should come together, and, without loss of time, he fixed upon two days +later as the day upon which they were definitely to begin their studies, +and he despatched a servant with a letter to this effect. + +On the day appointed, as soon as it was daylight, Pao-yue turned out of +bed. Hsi Jen had already by that time got books, pencils and all writing +necessaries in perfect readiness, and was sitting on the edge of the bed +in a moping mood; but as soon as she saw Pao-yue approach, she was +constrained to wait upon him in his toilette and ablutions. + +Pao-yue, noticing how despondent she was, made it a point to address her. +"My dear sister," he said, "how is it you aren't again yourself? Is it +likely that you bear me a grudge for being about to go to school, +because when I leave you, you'll all feel dull?" + +Hsi Jen smiled. "What an ideal" she replied. "Study is a most excellent +thing, and without it a whole lifetime is a mere waste, and what good +comes in the long run? There's only one thing, which is simply that when +engaged in reading your books, you should set your mind on your books; +and that you should think of home when not engaged in reading. Whatever +you do, don't romp together with them, for were you to meet our master, +your father, it will be no joke! Although it's asserted that a scholar +must strain every nerve to excel, yet it's preferable that the tasks +should be somewhat fewer, as, in the first place, when one eats too +much, one cannot digest it; and, in the second place, good health must +also be carefully attended to. This is my view on the subject, and you +should at all times consider it in practice." + +While Hsi Jen gave utterance to a sentence, Pao-yue nodded his head in +sign of approval of that sentence. Hsi Jen then went on to speak. "I've +also packed up," she continued, "your long pelisse, and handed it to the +pages to take it over; so mind, when it's cold in the school-room, +please remember to put on this extra clothing, for it's not like home, +where you have people to look after you. The foot-stove and hand-stove, +I've also sent over; and urge that pack of lazy-bones to attend to their +work, for if you say nothing, they will be so engrossed in their +frolics, that they'll be loth to move, and let you, all for nothing, +take a chill and ruin your constitution." + +"Compose your mind," replied Pao-yue; "when I go out, I know well enough +how to attend to everything my own self. But you people shouldn't remain +in this room, and mope yourselves to death; and it would be well if you +would often go over to cousin Lin's for a romp." + +While saying this, he had completed his toilette, and Hsi Jen pressed +him to go and wish good morning to dowager lady Chia, Chia Cheng, madame +Wang, and the other members of the family. + +Pao-yue, after having gone on to give a few orders to Ch'ing Wen and She +Yueh, at length left his apartments, and coming over, paid his obeisance +to dowager lady Chia. Her venerable Ladyship had likewise, as a matter +of course, a few recommendations to make to him, which ended, he next +went and greeted madame Wang; and leaving again her quarters, he came +into the library to wish Chia Cheng good morning. + +As it happened, Chia Cheng had on this day returned home at an early +hour, and was, at this moment, in the library, engaged in a friendly +chat with a few gentlemen, who were family companions. Suddenly +perceiving Pao-yue come in to pay his respects, and report that he was +about to go to school, Chia Cheng gave a sardonic smile. "If you do +again," he remarked, "make allusions to the words going to school, +you'll make even me blush to death with shame! My advice to you is that +you should after all go your own way and play; that's the best thing for +you; and mind you don't pollute with dirt this floor by standing here, +and soil this door of mine by leaning against it!" + +The family companions stood up and smilingly expostulated. + +"Venerable Sir," they pleaded, "why need you be so down upon him? Our +worthy brother is this day going to school, and may in two or three +years be able to display his abilities and establish his reputation. He +will, beyond doubt, not behave like a child, as he did in years gone +past. But as the time for breakfast is also drawing nigh, you should, +worthy brother, go at once." + +When these words had been spoken, two among them, who were advanced in +years, readily took Pao-yue by the hand, and led him out of the library. + +"Who are in attendance upon Pao-yue?" Chia Cheng having inquired, he +heard a suitable reply, "We, Sir!" given from outside; and three or four +sturdy fellows entered at an early period and fell on one knee, and +bowed and paid their obeisance. + +When Chia Cheng came to scrutinise who they were, and he recognised Li +Kuei, the son of Pao-yue's nurse, he addressed himself to him. "You +people," he said, "remain waiting upon him the whole day long at school, +but what books has he after all read? Books indeed! why, he has read and +filled his brains with a lot of trashy words and nonsensical phrases, +and learnt some ingenious way of waywardness. Wait till I have a little +leisure, and I'll set to work, first and foremost, and flay your skin +off, and then settle accounts with that good-for-nothing!" + +This threat so terrified Li Kuei that he hastily fell on both his knees, +pulled off his hat, knocked his head on the ground, and gave vent to +repeated assenting utterances: "Oh, quite so, Sir! Our elder brother Mr. +Pao has," he continued, "already read up to the third book of the Book +of Odes, up to where there's something or other like: 'Yiu, Yiu, the +deer bleat; the lotus leaves and duckweed.' Your servant wouldn't +presume to tell a lie!" + +As he said this, the whole company burst out into a boisterous fit of +laughter, and Chia Cheng himself could not also contain his countenance +and had to laugh. "Were he even," he observed, "to read thirty books of +the Book of Odes, it would be as much an imposition upon people and no +more, as (when the thief) who, in order to steal the bell, stops up his +own ears! You go and present my compliments to the gentleman in the +schoolroom, and tell him, from my part, that the whole lot of Odes and +old writings are of no use, as they are subjects for empty show; and +that he should, above all things, take the Four Books, and explain them +to him, from first to last, and make him know them all thoroughly by +heart,--that this is the most important thing!" + +Li Kuei signified his obedience with all promptitude, and perceiving +that Chia Cheng had nothing more to say, he retired out of the room. + +During this while, Pao-yue had been standing all alone outside in the +court, waiting quietly with suppressed voice, and when they came out he +at once walked away in their company. + +Li Kuei and his companions observed as they shook their clothes, "Did +you, worthy brother, hear what he said that he would first of all flay +our skins off! People's servants acquire some respectability from the +master whom they serve, but we poor fellows fruitlessly wait upon you, +and are beaten and blown up in the bargain. It would be well if we were, +from henceforward, to be treated with a certain amount of regard." + +Pao-yue smiled, "Dear Brother," he added, "don't feel aggrieved; I'll +invite you to come round to-morrow!" + +"My young ancestor," replied Li Kuei, "who presumes to look forward to +an invitation? all I entreat you is to listen to one or two words I have +to say, that's all." + +As they talked they came over once more to dowager lady Chia's on this +side. + +Ch'in Chung had already arrived, and the old lady was first having a +chat with him. Forthwith the two of them exchanged salutations, and took +leave of her ladyship; but Pao-yue, suddenly remembering that he had not +said good-bye to Tai-yue, promptly betook himself again to Tai-yue's +quarters to do so. + +Tai-yue was, at this time, below the window, facing the mirror, and +adjusting her toilette. Upon hearing Pao-yue mention that he was on his +way to school, she smiled and remarked, "That's right! you're now going +to school and you'll be sure to reach the lunar palace and pluck the +olea fragrans; but I can't go along with you." + +"My dear cousin," rejoined Pao-yue, "wait for me to come out from school, +before you have your evening meal; wait also until I come to prepare the +cosmetic of rouge." + +After a protracted chat, he at length tore himself away and took his +departure. + +"How is it," interposed Tai-yue, as she once again called out to him and +stopped him, "that you don't go and bid farewell to your cousin Pao +Ch'ai?" + +Pao-yue smiled, and saying not a word by way of reply he straightway +walked to school, accompanied by Ch'in Chung. + +This public school, which it must be noticed was also not far from his +quarters, had been originally instituted by the founder of the +establishment, with the idea that should there be among the young +fellows of his clan any who had not the means to engage a tutor, they +should readily be able to enter this class for the prosecution of their +studies; that all those of the family who held official position should +all give (the institution) pecuniary assistance, with a view to meet the +expenses necessary for allowances to the students; and that they were to +select men advanced in years and possessed of virtue to act as tutors of +the family school. + +The two of them, Ch'in Chung and Pao-yue, had now entered the class, and +after they and the whole number of their schoolmates had made each +other's acquaintance, their studies were commenced. Ever since this +time, these two were wont to come together, go together, get up +together, and sit together, till they became more intimate and close. +Besides, dowager lady Chia got very fond of Ch'in Chung, and would again +and again keep him to stay with them for three and five days at a time, +treating him as if he were one of her own great-grandsons. Perceiving +that in Ch'in Chung's home there was not much in the way of sufficiency, +she also helped him in clothes and other necessaries; and scarcely had +one or two months elapsed before Ch'in Chung got on friendly terms with +every one in the Jung mansion. + +Pao-yue was, however, a human being who could not practise contentment +and observe propriety; and as his sole delight was to have every caprice +gratified, he naturally developed a craving disposition. "We two, you +and I, are," he was also wont secretly to tell Ch'in Chung, "of the same +age, and fellow-scholars besides, so that there's no need in the future +to pay any regard to our relationship of uncle and nephew; and we should +treat each other as brothers or friends, that's all." + +Ch'in Chung at first (explained that) he could not be so presumptuous; +but as Pao-yue would not listen to any such thing, but went on to address +him as brother and to call him by his style Ch'ing Ch'ing, he had +likewise himself no help, but to begin calling him, at random, anything +and anyhow. + +There were, it is true, a large number of pupils in this school, but +these consisted of the sons and younger brothers of that same clan, and +of several sons and nephews of family connections. The proverb +appositely describes that there are nine species of dragons, and that +each species differs; and it goes of course without saying that in a +large number of human beings there were dragons and snakes, confusedly +admixed, and that creatures of a low standing were included. + +Ever since the arrival of the two young fellows, Ch'in Chung and Pao-yue, +both of whom were in appearance as handsome as budding flowers, and +they, on the one hand, saw how modest and genial Ch'in Chung was, how he +blushed before he uttered a word, how he was timid and demure like a +girl, and on the other hand, how that Pao-yue was naturally proficient in +abasing and demeaning himself, how he was so affable and good-natured, +considerate in his temperament and so full of conversation, and how that +these two were, in consequence, on such terms of intimate friendship, it +was, in fact, no matter of surprise that the whole company of +fellow-students began to foster envious thoughts, that they, behind +their backs, passed on their account, this one one disparaging remark +and that one another, and that they insinuated slanderous lies against +them, which extended inside as well as outside the school-room. + +Indeed, after Hsueeh P'an had come over to take up his quarters in madame +Wang's suite of apartments, he shortly came to hear of the existence of +a family school, and that this school was mainly attended by young +fellows of tender years, and inordinate ideas were suddenly aroused in +him. While he therefore fictitiously gave out that he went to school, +[he was as irregular in his attendance as the fisherman] who catches +fish for three days, and suns his nets for the next two; simply +presenting his school-fee gift to Chia Tai-jui and making not the least +progress in his studies; his sole dream being to knit a number of +familiar friendships. Who would have thought it, there were in this +school young pupils, who, in their greed to obtain money, clothes and +eatables from Hsueeh P'an, allowed themselves to be cajoled by him, and +played tricks upon; but on this topic, it is likewise superfluous to +dilate at any length. + +There were also two lovable young scholars, relatives of what branch of +the family is not known, and whose real surnames and names have also not +been ascertained, who, by reason of their good and winsome looks, were, +by the pupils in the whole class, given two nicknames, to one that of +"Hsiang Lin," "Fragrant Love," and to the other "Yue Ai," "Precious +Affection." But although every one entertained feelings of secret +admiration for them, and had the wish to take liberties with the young +fellows, they lived, nevertheless, one and all, in such terror of Hsueeh +P'an's imperious influence, that they had not the courage to come +forward and interfere with them. + +As soon as Ch'in Chung and Pao-yue had, at this time, come to school, and +they had made the acquaintance of these two fellow-pupils, they too +could not help becoming attached to them and admiring them, but as they +also came to know that they were great friends of Hsueeh P'an, they did +not, in consequence, venture to treat them lightly, or to be unseemly in +their behaviour towards them. Hsiang Lin and Yue Ai both kept to +themselves the same feelings, which they fostered for Ch'in Chung and +Pao-yue, and to this reason is to be assigned the fact that though these +four persons nurtured fond thoughts in their hearts there was however no +visible sign of them. Day after day, each one of them would, during +school hours, sit in four distinct places: but their eight eyes were +secretly linked together; and, while indulging either in innuendoes or +in double entendres, their hearts, in spite of the distance between +them, reflected the whole number of their thoughts. + +But though their outward attempts were devoted to evade the detection of +other people's eyes, it happened again that, while least expected, +several sly lads discovered the real state of affairs, with the result +that the whole school stealthily frowned their eyebrows at them, winked +their eyes at them, or coughed at them, or raised their voices at them; +and these proceedings were, in fact, not restricted to one single day. + +As luck would have it, on this day Tai-jui was, on account of business, +compelled to go home; and having left them as a task no more than a +heptameter line for an antithetical couplet, explaining that they should +find a sentence to rhyme, and that the following day when he came back, +he would set them their lessons, he went on to hand the affairs +connected with the class to his elder grandson, Chia Jui, whom he asked +to take charge. + +Wonderful to say Hsueeh P'an had of late not frequented school very +often, not even so much as to answer the roll, so that Ch'in Chung +availed himself of his absence to ogle and smirk with Hsiang Lin; and +these two pretending that they had to go out, came into the back court +for a chat. + +"Does your worthy father at home mind your having any friends?" Ch'in +Chung was the first to ask. But this sentence was scarcely ended, when +they heard a sound of coughing coming from behind. Both were taken much +aback, and, speedily turning their heads round to see, they found that +it was a fellow-scholar of theirs, called Chin Jung. + +Hsiang Lin was naturally of somewhat hasty temperament, so that with +shame and anger mutually impelling each other, he inquired of him, +"What's there to cough at? Is it likely you wouldn't have us speak to +each other?" + +"I don't mind your speaking," Chin Jung observed laughing; "but would +you perchance not have me cough? I'll tell you what, however; if you +have anything to say, why not utter it in intelligible language? Were +you allowed to go on in this mysterious manner, what strange doings +would you be up to? But I have sure enough found you out, so what's the +need of still prevaricating? But if you will, first of all, let me +partake of a share in your little game, you and I can hold our tongue +and utter not a word. If not, why the whole school will begin to turn +the matter over." + +At these words, Ch'in Chung and Hsiang Lin were so exasperated that +their blood rushed up to their faces. "What have you found out?" they +hastily asked. + +"What I have now detected," replied Chin Jung smiling, "is the plain +truth!" and saying this he went on to clap his hands and to call out +with a loud voice as he laughed: "They have moulded some nice well-baked +cakes, won't you fellows come and buy one to eat!" (These two have been +up to larks, won't you come and have some fun!) + +Both Ch'in Chung and Hsiang Lin felt resentful as well as fuming with +rage, and with hurried step they went in, in search of Chia Jui, to whom +they reported Chin Jung, explaining that Chin Jung had insulted them +both, without any rhyme or reason. + +The fact is that this Chia Jui was, in an extraordinary degree, a man +with an eye to the main chance, and devoid of any sense of propriety. +His wont was at school to take advantage of public matters to serve his +private interest, and to bring pressure upon his pupils with the intent +that they should regale him. While subsequently he also lent his +countenance to Hsueeh P'an, scheming to get some money or eatables out of +him, he left him entirely free to indulge in disorderly behaviour; and +not only did he not go out of his way to hold him in check, but, on the +contrary, he encouraged him, infamous though he was already, to become a +bully, so as to curry favour with him. + +But this Hsueeh P'an was, by nature, gifted with a fickle disposition; +to-day, he would incline to the east, and to-morrow to the west, so that +having recently obtained new friends, he put Hsiang Lin and Yue Ai aside. +Chin Jung too was at one time an intimate friend of his, but ever since +he had acquired the friendship of the two lads, Hsiang Lin and Yue Ai, he +forthwith deposed Chin Jung. Of late, he had already come to look down +upon even Hsiang Lin and Yue Ai, with the result that Chia Jui as well +was deprived of those who could lend him support, or stand by him; but +he bore Hsueeh P'an no grudge, for wearying with old friends, as soon as +he found new ones, but felt angry that Hsiang Lin and Yue Ai had not put +in a word on his behalf with Hsueeh P'an. Chia Jui, Chin Jung and in fact +the whole crowd of them were, for this reason, just harbouring a jealous +grudge against these two, so that when he saw Ch'in Chung and Hsiang Lin +come on this occasion and lodge a complaint against Chin Jung, Chia Jui +readily felt displeasure creep into his heart; and, although he did not +venture to call Ch'in Chung to account, he nevertheless made an example +of Hsiang Lin. And instead (of taking his part), he called him a +busybody and denounced him in much abusive language, with the result +that Hsiang Lin did not, contrariwise, profit in any way, but brought +displeasure upon himself. Even Ch'in Chung grumbled against the +treatment, as each of them resumed their places. + +Chin Jung became still more haughty, and wagging his head and smacking +his lips, he gave vent to many more abusive epithets; but as it happened +that they also reached Yue Ai's ears, the two of them, though seated +apart, began an altercation in a loud tone of voice. + +Chin Jung, with obstinate pertinacity, clung to his version. "Just a +short while back," he said, "I actually came upon them, as they were +indulging in demonstrations of intimate friendship in the back court. +These two had resolved to be one in close friendship, and were eloquent +in their protestations, mindful only in persistently talking their +trash, but they were not aware of the presence of another person." + +But his language had, contrary to all expectations, given, from the very +first, umbrage to another person, and who do you, (gentle reader,) +imagine this person to have been? + +This person was, in fact, one whose name was Chia Se; a grandson +likewise of a main branch of the Ning mansion. His parents had died at +an early period, and he had, ever since his youth, lived with Chia Chen. +He had at this time grown to be sixteen years of age, and was, as +compared with Chia Jung, still more handsome and good looking. These two +cousins were united by ties of the closest intimacy, and were always +together, whether they went out or stayed at home. + +The inmates of the Ning mansion were many in number, and their opinions +of a mixed kind; and that whole bevy of servants, devoid as they were of +all sense of right, solely excelled in the practice of inventing stories +to backbite their masters; and this is how some mean person or other +again, who it was is not known, insinuated slanderous and opprobrious +reports (against Chia Se). Chia Chen had, presumably, also come to hear +some unfavourable criticisms (on his account), and having, of course, to +save himself from odium and suspicion, he had, at this juncture, after +all, to apportion him separate quarters, and to bid Chia Se move outside +the Ning mansion, where he went and established a home of his own to +live in. + +This Chia Se was handsome as far as external appearances went, and +intelligent withal in his inward natural gifts, but, though he nominally +came to school, it was simply however as a mere blind; for he treated, +as he had ever done, as legitimate occupations, such things as cock +fighting, dog-racing and visiting places of easy virtue. And as, above, +he had Chia Chen to spoil him by over-indulgence; and below, there was +Chia Jung to stand by him, who of the clan could consequently presume to +run counter to him? + +Seeing that he was on the closest terms of friendship with Chia Jung, +how could he reconcile himself to the harsh treatment which he now saw +Ch'in Chung receive from some persons? Being now bent upon pushing +himself forward to revenge the injustice, he was, for the time, giving +himself up to communing with his own heart. "Chin Jung, Chia Jui and the +rest are," he pondered, "friends of uncle Hsueeh, but I too am on +friendly terms with him, and he with me, and if I do come forward and +they tell old Hsueeh, won't we impair the harmony which exists between +us? and if I don't concern myself, such idle tales make, when spoken, +every one feel uncomfortable; and why shouldn't I now devise some means +to hold them in check, so as to stop their mouths, and prevent any loss +of face!" + +Having concluded this train of thought, he also pretended that he had to +go out, and, walking as far as the back, he, with low voice, called to +his side Ming Yen, the page attending upon Pao-yue in his studies, and in +one way and another, he made use of several remarks to egg him on. + +This Ming Yen was the smartest of Pao-yue's attendants, but he was also +young in years and lacked experience, so that he lent a patient ear to +what Chia Se had to say about the way Chin Jung had insulted Ch'in +Chung. "Even your own master, Pao-yue," (Chia Se added), "is involved, +and if you don't let him know a bit of your mind, he will next time be +still more arrogant." + +This Ming Yen was always ready, even with no valid excuse, to be +insolent and overbearing to people, so that after hearing the news and +being furthermore instigated by Chia Se, he speedily rushed into the +schoolroom and cried out "Chin Jung;" nor did he address him as Mr. +Chin, but merely shouted "What kind of fellow is this called Chin?" + +Chia Se presently shuffled his feet, while he designedly adjusted his +dress and looked at the rays of the sun. "It's time," he observed and +walking forthwith, first up to Chia Jui, he explained to him that he had +something to attend to and would like to get away a little early; and as +Chia Jui did not venture to stop him, he had no alternative but to let +him have his way and go. + +During this while, Ming Yen had entered the room and promptly seizing +Chin Jung in a grip: "What we do, whether proper or improper," he said, +"doesn't concern you! It's enough anyway that we don't defile your +father! A fine brat you are indeed, to come out and meddle with your Mr. +Ming!" + +These words plunged the scholars of the whole class in such +consternation that they all wistfully and absently looked at him. + +"Ming Yen," hastily shouted out Chia Jui, "you're not to kick up a +rumpus." + +Chin Jung was so full of anger that his face was quite yellow. "What a +subversion of propriety! a slave and a menial to venture to behave in +this manner! I'll just simply speak to your master," he exclaimed as he +readily pushed his hands off and was about to go and lay hold of Pao-yue +to beat him. + +Ch'in Chung was on the point of turning round to leave the room, when +with a sound of 'whiff' which reached him from behind, he at once caught +sight of a square inkslab come flying that way. Who had thrown it he +could not say, but it struck the desk where Chia Lan and Chia Chuen were +seated. + +These two, Chia Lan and Chia Chuen, were also the great-grandsons of a +close branch of the Jung mansion. This Chia Chuen had been left +fatherless at an early age, and his mother doated upon him in an unusual +manner, and it was because at school he was on most friendly terms with +Chia Lan, that these two sat together at the same desk. Who would have +believed that Chia Chuen would, in spite of being young in years, have +had an extremely strong mind, and that he would be mostly up to mischief +without the least fear of any one. He watched with listless eye from his +seat Chin Jung's friends stealthily assist Chin Jung, as they flung an +inkslab to strike Ming Yen, but when, as luck would have it, it hit the +wrong mark, and fell just in front of him, smashing to atoms the +porcelain inkslab and water bottle, and smudging his whole book with +ink, Chia Chuen was, of course, much incensed, and hastily gave way to +abuse. "You consummate pugnacious criminal rowdies! why, doesn't this +amount to all of you taking a share in the fight!" And as he uttered +this abuse, he too forthwith seized an inkslab, which he was bent upon +flinging. + +Chia Lan was one who always tried to avoid trouble, so that he lost no +time in pressing down the inkslab, while with all the words his mouth +could express, he tried to pacify him, adding "My dear brother, it's no +business of yours and mine." + +Chia Chuen could not repress his resentment; and perceiving that the +inkslab was held down, he at once laid hold of a box containing books, +which he flung in this direction; but being, after all, short of +stature, and weak of strength, he was unable to send it anywhere near +the mark; so that it dropped instead when it got as far as the desk +belonging to Pao-yue and Ch'in Chung, while a dreadful crash became +audible as it fell smash on the table. The books, papers, pencils, +inkslabs, and other writing materials were all scattered over the whole +table; and Pao-yue's cup besides containing tea was itself broken to +pieces and the tea spilt. + +Chia Chuen forthwith jumped forward with the intent of assailing the +person who had flung the inkslab at the very moment that Chin Jung took +hold of a long bamboo pole which was near by; but as the space was +limited, and the pupils many, how could he very well brandish a long +stick? Ming Yen at an early period received a whack, and he shouted +wildly, "Don't you fellows yet come to start a fight." + +Pao-yue had, besides, along with him several pages, one of whom was +called Sao Hung, another Ch'u Yo, another Mo Yue. These three were +naturally up to every mischief, so that with one voice, bawling +boisterously, "You children of doubtful mothers, have you taken up +arms?" Mo Yue promptly took up the bar of a door; while Sao Hung and Ch'u +Yo both laid hold of horsewhips, and they all rushed forward like a hive +of bees. + +Chia Jui was driven to a state of exasperation; now he kept this one in +check, and the next moment he reasoned with another, but who would +listen to his words? They followed the bent of their inclinations and +stirred up a serious disturbance. + +Of the whole company of wayward young fellows, some there were who gave +sly blows for fun's sake; others there were who were not gifted with +much pluck and hid themselves on one side; there were those too who +stood on the tables, clapping their hands and laughing immoderately, +shouting out: "Go at it." + +The row was, at this stage, like water bubbling over in a cauldron, when +several elderly servants, like Li Kuei and others, who stood outside, +heard the uproar commence inside, and one and all came in with all haste +and united in their efforts to pacify them. Upon asking "What's the +matter?" the whole bevy of voices shouted out different versions; this +one giving this account, while another again another story. But Li Kuei +temporised by rebuking Ming Yen and others, four in all, and packing +them off. + +Ch'in Chung's head had, at an early period, come into contact with Chin +Jung's pole and had had the skin grazed off. Pao-yue was in the act of +rubbing it for him, with the overlap of his coat, but realising that the +whole lot of them had been hushed up, he forthwith bade Li Kuei collect +his books. + +"Bring my horse round," he cried; "I'm going to tell Mr. Chia Tai-ju +that we have been insulted. I won't venture to tell him anything else, +but (tell him I will) that having come with all propriety and made our +report to Mr. Chia Jui, Mr. Chia Jui instead (of helping us) threw the +fault upon our shoulders. That while he heard people abuse us, he went +so far as to instigate them to beat us; that Ming Yen seeing others +insult us, did naturally take our part; but that they, instead (of +desisting,) combined together and struck Ming Yen and even broke open +Ch'in Chung's head. And that how is it possible for us to continue our +studies in here?" + +"My dear sir," replied Li Kuei coaxingly, "don't be so impatient! As Mr. +Chia Tai-ju has had something to attend to and gone home, were you now, +for a trifle like this, to go and disturb that aged gentleman, it will +make us, indeed, appear as if we had no sense of propriety: my idea is +that wherever a thing takes place, there should it be settled; and +what's the need of going and troubling an old man like him. This is all +you, Mr. Chia Jui, who is to blame; for in the absence of Mr. Chia +Tai-ju, you, sir, are the head in this school, and every one looks to +you to take action. Had all the pupils been at fault, those who deserved +a beating should have been beaten, and those who merited punishment +should have been punished! and why did you wait until things came to +such a pass, and didn't even exercise any check?" + +"I blew them up," pleaded Chia Jui, "but not one of them would listen." + +"I'll speak out, whether you, worthy sir, resent what I'm going to say +or not," ventured Li Kuei. "It's you, sir, who all along have after all +had considerable blame attached to your name; that's why all these young +men wouldn't hear you! Now if this affair is bruited, until it reaches +Mr. Chia Tai-ju's ears, why even you, sir, will not be able to escape +condemnation; and why don't you at once make up your mind to disentangle +the ravelled mess and dispel all trouble and have done with it!" + +"Disentangle what?" inquired Pao-yue; "I shall certainly go and make my +report." + +"If Chin Jung stays here," interposed Ch'in Chung sobbing, "I mean to go +back home." + +"Why that?" asked Pao-yue. "Is it likely that others can safely come and +that you and I can't? I feel it my bounden duty to tell every one +everything at home so as to expel Chin Jung. This Chin Jung," he went on +to inquire as he turned towards Lei Kuei, "is the relative or friend of +what branch of the family?" + +Li Kuei gave way to reflection and then said by way of reply: "There's +no need whatever for you to raise this question; for were you to go and +report the matter to the branch of the family to which he belongs, the +harmony which should exist between cousins will be still more impaired." + +"He's the nephew of Mrs. Huang, of the Eastern mansion," interposed Ming +Yen from outside the window. "What a determined and self-confident +fellow he must be to even come and bully us; Mrs. Huang is his paternal +aunt! That mother of yours is only good for tossing about like a +millstone, for kneeling before our lady Lien, and begging for something +to pawn. I've no eye for such a specimen of mistress." + +"What!" speedily shouted Li Kuei, "does this son of a dog happen to know +of the existence of all these gnawing maggots?" (these disparaging +facts). + +Pao-yue gave a sardonic smile. "I was wondering whose relative he was," +he remarked; "is he really sister-in-law Huang's nephew? well, I'll go +at once and speak to her." + +As he uttered these words, his purpose was to start there and then, and +he called Ming Yen in, to come and pack up his books. Ming Yen walked in +and put the books away. "Master," he went on to suggest, in an exultant +manner, "there's no need for you to go yourself to see her; I'll go to +her house and tell her that our old lady has something to ask of her. I +can hire a carriage to bring her over, and then, in the presence of her +venerable ladyship, she can be spoken to; and won't this way save a lot +of trouble?" + +"Do you want to die?" speedily shouted Li Kuei; "mind, when you go back, +whether right or wrong, I'll first give you a good bumping, and then go +and report you to our master and mistress, and just tell them that it's +you, and only you, who instigated Mr. Pao-yue! I've succeeded, after ever +so much trouble, in coaxing them, and mending matters to a certain +extent, and now you come again to continue a new plan. It's you who +stirred up this row in the school-room; and not to speak of your +finding, as would have been the proper course, some way of suppressing +it, there you are instead still jumping into the fire." + +Ming Yen, at this juncture, could not muster the courage to utter a +sound. By this time Chia Jui had also apprehended that if the row came +to be beyond clearing up, he himself would likewise not be clear of +blame, so that circumstances compelled him to pocket his grievances and +to come and entreat Ch'in Chung as well as to make apologies to Pao-yue. +These two young fellows would not at first listen to his advances, but +Pao-yue at length explained that he would not go and report the +occurrence, provided only Chin Jung admitted his being in the wrong. +Chin Jung refused, at the outset, to agree to this, but he ultimately +could find no way out of it, as Chia Jui himself urged him to make some +temporising apology. + +Li Kuei and the others felt compelled to tender Chin Jung some good +advice: "It's you," they said, "who have given rise to the disturbance, +and if you don't act in this manner, how will the matter ever be brought +to an end?" so that Chin Jung found it difficult to persist in his +obstinacy, and was constrained to make a bow to Ch'in Chung. + +Pao-yue was, however, not yet satisfied, but would insist upon his +knocking his head on the ground, and Chia Jui, whose sole aim was to +temporarily smother the affair, quietly again urged Chin Jung, adding +that the proverb has it: "That if you keep down the anger of a minute, +you will for a whole life-time feel no remorse." + +Whether Chin Jung complied or not to his advice is not known, but the +following chapter will explain. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + Widow Chin, prompted by a desire to reap advantage, puts up + temporarily with an insult. + Dr. Chang in discussing Mrs. Chin's illness minutely exhausts its + origin. + + +We will now resume our story. As the persons against Chin Jung were so +many and their pressure so great, and as, what was more, Chia Jui urged +him to make amends, he had to knock his head on the ground before Ch'in +Chung. Pao-yue then gave up his clamorous remonstrances and the whole +crowd dispersed from school. + +Chin Jung himself returned home all alone, but the more he pondered on +the occurrence, the more incensed he felt. "Ch'in Chung," he argued, "is +simply Chia Jung's young brother-in-law, and is no son or grandson of +the Chia family, and he too joins the class and prosecutes his studies +on no other footing than that of mine; but it's because he relies upon +Pao-yue's friendship for him that he has no eye for any one. This being +the case, he should be somewhat proper in his behaviour, and there would +be then not a word to say about it! He has besides all along been very +mystical with Pao-yue, imagining that we are all blind, and have no eyes +to see what's up! Here he goes again to-day and mixes with people in +illicit intrigues; and it's all because they happened to obtrude +themselves before my very eyes that this rumpus has broken out; but of +what need I fear?" + +His mother, nee Hu, hearing him mutter; "Why meddle again," she +explained, "in things that don't concern you? I had endless trouble in +getting to speak to your paternal aunt; and your aunt had, on the other +hand, a thousand and one ways and means to devise, before she could +appeal to lady Secunda, of the Western mansion; and then only it was +that you got this place to study in. Had we not others to depend upon +for your studies, would we have in our house the means sufficient to +engage a teacher? Besides, in other people's school, tea and eatables +are all ready and found; and these two years that you've been there for +your lessons, we've likewise effected at home a great saving in what +would otherwise have been necessary for your eating and use. Something +has been, it's true, economised; but you have further a liking for spick +and span clothes. Besides, it's only through your being there to study, +that you've come to know Mr. Hsueeh! that Mr. Hsueeh, who has even in one +year given us so much pecuniary assistance as seventy and eighty taels! +And now you would go and raise a row in this school-room! why, if we +were bent upon finding such another place, I tell you plainly, and once +for all, that we would find it more difficult than if we tried to scale +the heavens! Now do quietly play for a while, and then go to sleep, and +you'll be ever so much better for it then." + +Chin Jung thereupon stifled his anger and held his tongue; and, after a +short while, he in fact went to sleep of his own accord. + +The next day he again went to school, and no further comment need be +made about it; but we will go on to explain that a young lady related to +her had at one time been given in marriage to a descendant (of the +eldest branch) of the Chia family, (whose names were written) with the +jade radical, Chia Huang by name; but how could the whole number of +members of the clan equal in affluence and power the two mansions of +Ning and Jung? This fact goes, as a matter of course, without saying. +The Chia Huang couple enjoyed some small income; but they also went, on +frequent occasions, to the mansions of Ning and Jung to pay their +respects; and they knew likewise so well how to adulate lady Feng and +Mrs. Yu, that lady Feng and Mrs. Yu would often grant them that +assistance and support which afforded them the means of meeting their +daily expenses. + +It just occurred on this occasion that the weather was clear and fine, +and that there happened, on the other hand, to be nothing to attend to +at home, so forthwith taking along with her a matron, (Mrs. Chia Huang) +got into a carriage and came over to see widow Chin and her nephew. +While engaged in a chat, Chin Jung's mother accidentally broached the +subject of the affair, which had transpired in the school-room of the +Chia mansion on the previous day, and she gave, for the benefit of her +young sister-in-law, a detailed account of the whole occurrence from +beginning to end. + +This Mrs. Huang would not have had her temper ruffled had she not come +to hear what had happened; but having heard about it, anger sprung from +the very depths of her heart. "This fellow, Ch'in Chung," she exclaimed, +"is a relative of the Chia family, but is it likely that Jung Erh isn't, +in like manner, a relative of the Chia family; and when relatives are +many, there's no need to put on airs! Besides, does his conduct consist, +for the most part, of anything that would make one get any face? In +fact, Pao-yue himself shouldn't do injury to himself by condescending to +look at him. But, as things have come to this pass, give me time and +I'll go to the Eastern mansion and see our lady Chen and then have a +chat with Ch'in Chung's sister, and ask her to decide who's right and +who's wrong!" + +Chin Jung's mother upon hearing these words was terribly distressed. +"It's all through my hasty tongue," she observed with vehemence, "that +I've told you all, sister-in-law: but please, sister, give up at once +the idea of going over to say anything about it! Don't trouble yourself +as to who is in the right, and who is in the wrong; for were any +unpleasantness to come out of it, how could we here stand on our legs? +and were we not to stand on our legs, not only would we never be able to +engage a tutor, but the result will be, on the contrary, that for his +own person will be superadded many an expense for eatables and +necessaries." + +"What do I care about how many?" replied Mrs. Huang; "wait till I've +spoken about it, and we'll see what will be the result." Nor would she +accede to her sister-in-law's entreaties, but bidding, at the same time, +the matron look after the carriage, she got into it, and came over to +the Ning Mansion. + +On her arrival at the Ning Mansion, she entered by the eastern side +gate, and dismounting from the carriage, she went in to call on Mrs. Yu, +the spouse of Chia Chen, with whom she had not the courage to put on any +high airs; but gently and quietly she made inquiries after her health, +and after passing some irrelevant remarks, she ascertained: "How is it I +don't see lady Jung to-day?" + +"I don't know," replied Mrs. Yu, "what's the matter with her these last +few days; but she hasn't been herself for two months and more; and the +doctor who was asked to see her declares that it is nothing connected +with any happy event. A couple of days back, she felt, as soon as the +afternoon came, both to move, and both even to utter a word; while the +brightness of her eyes was all dimmed; and I told her, 'You needn't +stick to etiquette, for there's no use for you to come in the forenoon +and evening, as required by conventionalities; but what you must do is, +to look after your own health. Should any relative come over, there's +also myself to receive them; and should any of the senior generation +think your absence strange, I'll explain things for you, if you'll let +me.' + +"I also advised brother Jung on the subject: 'You shouldn't,' I said, +'allow any one to trouble her; nor let her be put out of temper, but let +her quietly attend to her health, and she'll get all right. Should she +fancy anything to eat, just come over here and fetch it; for, in the +event of anything happening to her, were you to try and find another +such a wife to wed, with such a face and such a disposition, why, I +fear, were you even to seek with a lantern in hand, there would really +be no place where you could discover her. And with such a temperament +and deportment as hers, which of our relatives and which of our elders +don't love her?' That's why my heart has been very distressed these two +days! As luck would have it early this morning her brother turned up to +see her, but who would have fancied him to be such a child, and so +ignorant of what is proper and not proper to do? He saw well enough that +his sister was not well; and what's more all these matters shouldn't +have been recounted to her; for even supposing he had received the +gravest offences imaginable, it behoved him anyhow not to have broached +the subject to her! Yesterday, one would scarcely believe it, a fight +occurred in the school-room, and some pupil or other who attends that +class, somehow insulted him; besides, in this business, there were a +good many indecent and improper utterances, but all these he went and +told his sister! Now, sister-in-law, you are well aware that though (our +son Jung's) wife talks and laughs when she sees people, that she is +nevertheless imaginative and withal too sensitive, so that no matter +what she hears, she's for the most part bound to brood over it for three +days and five nights, before she loses sight of it, and it's from this +excessive sensitiveness that this complaint of hers arises. Today, when +she heard that some one had insulted her brother, she felt both vexed +and angry; vexed that those fox-like, cur-like friends of his had moved +right and wrong, and intrigued with this one and deluded that one; angry +that her brother had, by not learning anything profitable, and not +having his mind set upon study, been the means of bringing about a row +at school; and on account of this affair, she was so upset that she did +not even have her early meal. I went over a short while back and +consoled her for a time, and likewise gave her brother a few words of +advice; and after having packed off that brother of hers to the mansion +on the other side, in search of Pao-yue, and having stood by and seen her +have half a bowl of birds' nests soup, I at length came over. Now, +sister-in-law, tell me, is my heart sore or not? Besides, as there's +nowadays no good doctor, the mere thought of her complaint makes my +heart feel as if it were actually pricked with needles! But do you and +yours, perchance, know of any good practitioner?" + +Mrs. Chin had, while listening to these words, been, at an early period, +so filled with concern that she cast away to distant lands the reckless +rage she had been in recently while at her sister-in-law's house, when +she had determined to go and discuss matters over with Mrs. Ch'in. Upon +hearing Mrs. Yu inquire of her about a good doctor, she lost no time in +saying by way of reply: "Neither have we heard of any one speak of a +good doctor; but from the account I've just heard of Mrs. Ch'in's +illness, it may still, there's no saying, be some felicitous ailment; +so, sister-in-law, don't let any one treat her recklessly, for were she +to be treated for the wrong thing, the result may be dreadful!" + +"Quite so!" replied Mrs. Yu. + +But while they were talking, Chia Chen came in from out of doors, and +upon catching sight of Mrs. Chin; "Isn't this Mrs. Huang?" he inquired +of Mrs. Yu; whereupon Mrs. Chin came forward and paid her respects to +Chia Chen. + +"Invite this lady to have her repast here before she goes," observed +Chia Chen to Mrs. Yu; and as he uttered these words he forthwith walked +into the room on the off side. + +The object of Mrs. Chin's present visit had originally been to talk to +Mrs. Ch'in about the insult which her brother had received from the +hands of Ch'in Chung, but when she heard that Mrs. Ch'in was ill, she +did not have the courage to even so much as make mention of the object +of her errand. Besides, as Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu had given her a most +cordial reception, her resentment was transformed into pleasure, so that +after a while spent in a further chat about one thing and another, she +at length returned to her home. + +It was only after the departure of Mrs. Chin that Chia Chen came over +and took a seat. "What did she have to say for herself during this visit +to-day?" he asked of Mrs. Yu. + +"She said nothing much," replied Mrs. Yu. "When she first entered the +room, her face bore somewhat of an angry look, but, after a lengthy chat +and as soon as mention of our son's wife's illness was made, this +angered look after all gradually abated. You also asked me to keep her +for the repast, but, having heard that our son's wife was so ill she +could not very well stay, so that all she did was to sit down, and after +making a few more irrelevant remarks, she took her departure. But she +had no request to make. To return however now to the illness of Jung's +wife, it's urgent that you should find somewhere a good doctor to +diagnose it for her; and whatever you do, you should lose no time. The +whole body of doctors who at present go in and out of our household, are +they worth having? Each one of them listens to what the patient has to +say of the ailment, and then, adding a string of flowery sentences, out +he comes with a long rigmarole; but they are exceedingly diligent in +paying us visits; and in one day, three or four of them are here at +least four and five times in rotation! They come and feel her pulse, +they hold consultation together, and write their prescriptions, but, +though she has taken their medicines, she has seen no improvement; on +the contrary, she's compelled to change her clothes three and five times +each day, and to sit up to see the doctor; a thing which, in fact, does +the patient no good." + +"This child too is somewhat simple," observed Chia Chen; "for what need +has she to be taking off her clothes, and changing them for others? And +were she again to catch a chill, she would add something more to her +illness; and won't it be dreadful! The clothes may be no matter how +fine, but what is their worth, after all? The health of our child is +what is important to look to! and were she even to wear out a suit of +new clothes a-day, what would that too amount to? I was about to tell +you that a short while back, Feng Tzu-ying came to see me, and, +perceiving that I had somewhat of a worried look, he asked me what was +up; and I told him that our son's wife was not well at all, that as we +couldn't get any good doctor, we couldn't determine with any certainty, +whether she was in an interesting condition, or whether she was +suffering from some disease; that as we could neither tell whether there +was any danger or not, my heart was, for this reason, really very much +distressed. Feng Tzu-ying then explained that he knew a young doctor who +had made a study of his profession, Chang by surname, and Yu-shih by +name, whose learning was profound to a degree; who was besides most +proficient in the principles of medicine, and had the knack of +discriminating whether a patient would live or die; that this year he +had come to the capital to purchase an official rank for his son, and +that he was now living with him in his house. In view of these +circumstances, not knowing but that if, perchance, the case of our +daughter-in-law were placed in his hands, he couldn't avert the danger, +I readily despatched a servant, with a card of mine, to invite him to +come; but the hour to-day being rather late, he probably won't be round, +but I believe he's sure to be here to-morrow. Besides, Feng-Tzu-ying was +also on his return home, to personally entreat him on my behalf, so that +he's bound, when he has asked him, to come and see her. Let's therefore +wait till Dr. Chang has been here and seen her, when we can talk matters +over!" + +Mrs. Yu was very much cheered when she heard what was said. "The day +after to-morrow," she felt obliged to add, "is again our senior's, Mr. +Chia Ching's birthday, and how are we to celebrate it after all?" + +"I've just been over to our Senior's and paid my respects," replied Chia +Chen, "and further invited the old gentleman to come home, and receive +the congratulations of the whole family. + +"'I'm accustomed,' our Senior explained, 'to peace and quiet, and have +no wish to go over to that worldly place of yours; for you people are +certain to have published that it's my birthday, and to entertain the +design to ask me to go round to receive the bows of the whole lot of +you. But won't it be better if you were to give the "Record of +Meritorious Acts," which I annotated some time ago, to some one to copy +out clean for me, and have it printed? Compared with asking me to come, +and uselessly receive the obeisances of you all, this will be yea even a +hundred times more profitable! In the event of the whole family wishing +to pay me a visit on any of the two days, to-morrow or the day after +to-morrow, if you were to stay at home and entertain them in proper +style, that will be all that is wanted; nor will there be any need to +send me anything! Even you needn't come two days from this; and should +you not feel contented at heart, well, you had better bow your head +before me to-day before you go. But if you do come again the day after +to-morrow, with a lot of people to disturb me, I shall certainly be +angry with you.' After what he said, I will not venture to go and see +him two days hence; but you had better send for Lai Sheng, and bid him +get ready a banquet to continue for a couple of days." + +Mrs. Yu, having asked Chia Jung to come round, told him to direct Lai +Sheng to make the usual necessary preparations for a banquet to last for +a couple of days, with due regard to a profuse and sumptuous style. + +"You go by-and-by," (she advised him), "in person to the Western Mansion +and invite dowager lady Chia, mesdames Hsing and Wang, and your +sister-in-law Secunda lady Lien to come over for a stroll. Your father +has also heard of a good doctor, and having already sent some one to ask +him round, I think that by to-morrow he's sure to come; and you had +better tell him, in a minute manner, the serious symptoms of her ailment +during these few days." + +Chia Jung having signified his obedience to each of her recommendations, +and taken his leave, was just in time to meet the youth coming back from +Feng Tzu-ying's house, whither he had gone a short while back to invite +the doctor round. + +"Your slave," he consequently reported, "has just been with a card of +master's to Mr. Feng's house and asked the doctor to come. 'The gentleman +here,' replied the doctor, 'has just told me about it; but to-day, I've +had to call on people the whole day, and I've only this moment come +home; and I feel now my strength (so worn out), that I couldn't really +stand any exertion. In fact were I even to get as far as the mansion, I +shouldn't be in a fit state to diagnose the pulses! I must therefore +have a night's rest, but, to-morrow for certain, I shall come to the +mansion. My medical knowledge,' he went on to observe, 'is very shallow, +and I don't deserve the honour of such eminent recommendation; but as +Mr. Feng has already thus spoken of me in your mansion, I can't but +present myself. It will be all right if in anticipation you deliver this +message for me to your honourable master; but as for your worthy +master's card, I cannot really presume to keep it.' It was again at his +instance that I've brought it back; but, Sir, please mention this result +for me (to master)." + +Chia Jung turned back again, and entering the house delivered the +message to Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu; whereupon he walked out, and, calling +Lai Sheng before him, he transmitted to him the orders to prepare the +banquet for a couple of days. + +After Lai Sheng had listened to the directions, he went off, of course, +to get ready the customary preparations; but upon these we shall not +dilate, but confine ourselves to the next day. + +At noon, a servant on duty at the gate announced that the Doctor Chang, +who had been sent for, had come, and Chia Chen conducted him along the +Court into the large reception Hall, where they sat down; and after they +had partaken of tea, he broached the subject. + +"Yesterday," he explained, "the estimable Mr. Feng did me the honour to +speak to me of your character and proficiency, venerable doctor, as well +as of your thorough knowledge of medicine, and I, your mean brother, was +filled with an immeasurable sense of admiration!" + +"Your Junior," remonstrated Dr. Chang, "is a coarse, despicable and mean +scholar and my knowledge is shallow and vile! but as worthy Mr. Feng did +me the honour yesterday of telling me that your family, sir, had +condescended to look upon me, a low scholar, and to favour me too with +an invitation, could I presume not to obey your commands? But as I +cannot boast of the least particle of real learning, I feel overburdened +with shame!" + +"Why need you be so modest?" observed Chia Chen; "Doctor, do please walk +in at once to see our son's wife, for I look up, with full reliance, to +your lofty intelligence to dispel my solicitude!" + +Chia Jung forthwith walked in with him. When they reached the inner +apartment, and he caught sight of Mrs. Ch'in, he turned round and asked +Chia Jung, "This is your honourable spouse, isn't it?" + +"Yes, it is," assented Chia Jung; "but please, Doctor, take a seat, and +let me tell you the symptoms of my humble wife's ailment, before her +pulse be felt. Will this do?" + +"My mean idea is," remarked the Doctor, "that it would, after all, be +better that I should begin by feeling her pulse, before I ask you to +inform me what the source of the ailment is. This is the first visit I +pay to your honourable mansion; besides, I possess no knowledge of +anything; but as our worthy Mr. Feng would insist upon my coming over to +see you, I had in consequence no alternative but to come. After I have +now made a diagnosis, you can judge whether what I say is right or not, +before you explain to me the phases of the complaint during the last few +days, and we can deliberate together upon some prescription; as to the +suitableness or unsuitableness of which your honourable father will then +have to decide, and what is necessary will have been done." + +"Doctor," rejoined Chia Jung, "you are indeed eminently clear sighted; +all I regret at present is that we have met so late! But please, Doctor, +diagnose the state of the pulse, so as to find out whether there be hope +of a cure or not; if a cure can be effected, it will be the means of +allaying the solicitude of my father and mother." + +The married women attached to that menage forthwith presented a pillow; +and as it was being put down for Mrs. Ch'in to rest her arm on, they +raised the lower part of her sleeve so as to leave her wrist exposed. +The Doctor thereupon put out his hand and pressed it on the pulse of the +right hand. Regulating his breath (to the pulsation) so as to be able to +count the beatings, he with due care and minuteness felt the action for +a considerable time, when, substituting the left hand, he again went +through the same operation. + +"Let us go and sit outside," he suggested, after he had concluded +feeling her pulses. Chia Jung readily adjourned, in company with the +Doctor, to the outer apartment, where they seated themselves on the +stove-couch. A matron having served tea; "Please take a cup of tea, +doctor," Chia Jung observed. When tea was over, "Judging," he inquired, +"Doctor, from the present action of the pulses, is there any remedy or +not?" + +"The action of the pulse, under the forefinger, on the left hand of your +honorable spouse," proceeded the Doctor, "is deep and agitated; the left +hand pulse, under the second finger, is deep and faint. The pulse, under +the forefinger, of the right hand, is gentle and lacks vitality. The +right hand pulse, under my second finger, is superficial, and has lost +all energy. The deep and agitated beating of the forepulse of the left +hand arises from the febrile state, due to the weak action of the heart. +The deep and delicate condition of the second part of the pulse of the +left wrist, emanates from the sluggishness of the liver, and the +scarcity of the blood in that organ. The action of the forefinger pulse, +of the right wrist, is faint and lacks strength, as the breathing of the +lungs is too weak. The second finger pulse of the right wrist is +superficial and devoid of vigour, as the spleen must be affected +injuriously by the liver. The weak action of the heart, and its febrile +state, should be the natural causes which conduce to the present +irregularity in the catamenia, and insomnia at night; the poverty of +blood in the liver, and the sluggish condition of that organ must +necessarily produce pain in the ribs; while the overdue of the +catamenia, the cardiac fever, and debility of the respiration of the +lungs, should occasion frequent giddiness in the head, and swimming of +the eyes, the certain recurrence of perspiration between the periods of +3 to 5 and 5 to 7, and the sensation of being seated on board ship. The +obstruction of the spleen by the liver should naturally create distaste +for liquid or food, debility of the vital energies and prostration of +the four limbs. From my diagnosis of these pulses, there should exist +these various symptoms, before (the pulses and the symptoms can be said) +to harmonise. But should perchance (any doctor maintain) that this state +of the pulses imports a felicitous event, your servant will not presume +to give an ear to such an opinion!" + +A matron, who was attached as a personal attendant (to Mrs. Ch'in,) and +who happened to be standing by interposed: "How could it be otherwise?" +she ventured. "In real truth, Doctor, you speak like a supernatural +being, and there's verily no need for us to say anything! We have now, +ready at hand, in our household, a good number of medical gentlemen, who +are in attendance upon her, but none of these are proficient enough to +speak in this positive manner. Some there are who say that it's a +genital complaint; others maintain that it's an organic disease. This +doctor explains that there is no danger: while another, again, holds +that there's fear of a crisis either before or after the winter +solstice; but there is, in one word, nothing certain said by them. May +it please you, sir, now to favour us with your clear directions." + +"This complaint of your lady's," observed the Doctor, "has certainly +been neglected by the whole number of doctors; for had a treatment with +certain medicines been initiated at the time of the first occurrence of +her habitual sickness, I cannot but opine that, by this time, a perfect +cure would have been effected. But seeing that the organic complaint has +now been, through neglect, allowed to reach this phase, this calamity +was, in truth, inevitable. My ideas are that this illness stands, as +yet, a certain chance of recovery, (three chances out of ten); but we +will see how she gets on, after she has had these medicines of mine. +Should they prove productive of sleep at night, then there will be added +furthermore two more chances in the grip of our hands. From my +diagnosis, your lady is a person, gifted with a preeminently excellent, +and intelligent disposition; but an excessive degree of intelligence is +the cause of frequent contrarieties; and frequent contrarieties give +origin to an excessive amount of anxious cares. This illness arises from +the injury done, by worrying and fretting, to the spleen, and from the +inordinate vigour of the liver; hence it is that the relief cannot come +at the proper time and season. Has not your lady, may I ask, heretofore +at the period of the catamenia, suffered, if indeed not from anaemia, +then necessarily from plethora? Am I right in assuming this or not?" + +"To be sure she did," replied the matron; "but she has never been +subject to anaemia, but to a plethora, varying from either two to three +days, and extending, with much irregularity, to even ten days." + +"Quite so!" observed the Doctor, after hearing what she had to say, "and +this is the source of this organic illness! Had it in past days been +treated with such medicine as could strengthen the heart, and improve +the respiration, would it have reached this stage? This has now overtly +made itself manifest in an ailment originating from the paucity of water +and the vigour of fire; but let me make use of some medicines, and we'll +see how she gets on!" + +There and then he set to work and wrote a prescription, which he handed +to Chia Jung, the purpose of which was: Decoction for the improvement of +respiration, the betterment of the blood, and the restoration of the +spleen. Ginseng, Atractylodes Lancea; Yunnan root; Prepared Ti root; +Aralia edulis; Peony roots; Levisticum from Sze Ch'uan; Sophora +tormentosa; Cyperus rotundus, prepared with rice; Gentian, soaked in +vinegar; Huai Shan Yao root; Real "O" glue; Carydalis Ambigua; and Dried +liquorice. Seven Fukien lotus seeds, (the cores of which should be +extracted,) and two large zizyphi to be used as a preparative. + +"What exalted intelligence!" Chia Jung, after perusing it, exclaimed. +"But I would also ask you, Doctor, to be good enough to tell me whether +this illness will, in the long run, endanger her life or not?" + +The Doctor smiled. "You, sir, who are endowed with most eminent +intelligence (are certain to know) that when a human illness has reached +this phase, it is not a derangement of a day or of a single night; but +after these medicines have been taken, we shall also have to watch the +effect of the treatment! My humble opinion is that, as far as the winter +of this year goes, there is no fear; in fact, after the spring equinox, +I entertain hopes of a complete cure." + +Chia Jung was likewise a person with all his wits about him, so that he +did not press any further minute questions. + +Chia Jung forthwith escorted the Doctor and saw him off, and taking the +prescription and the diagnosis, he handed them both to Chia Chen for his +perusal, and in like manner recounted to Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu all that +had been said on the subject. + +"The other doctors have hitherto not expressed any opinions as positive +as this one has done," observed Mrs. Yu, addressing herself to Chia +Chen, "so that the medicines to be used are, I think, surely the right +ones!" + +"He really isn't a man," rejoined Chia Chen, "accustomed to give much of +his time to the practice of medicine, in order to earn rice for his +support: and it's Feng Tzu-ying, who is so friendly with us, who is +mainly to be thanked for succeeding, after ever so much trouble, in +inducing him to come. But now that we have this man, the illness of our +son's wife may, there is no saying, stand a chance of being cured. But +on that prescription of his there is ginseng mentioned, so you had +better make use of that catty of good quality which was bought the other +day." + +Chia Jung listened until the conversation came to a close, after which +he left the room, and bade a servant go and buy the medicines, in order +that they should be prepared and administered to Mrs. Ch'in. + +What was the state of Mrs. Ch'in's illness, after she partook of these +medicines, we do not know; but, reader, listen to the explanation given +in the chapter which follows. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + In honour of Chia Ching's birthday, a family banquet is spread in the + Ning Mansion. + At the sight of Hsi-feng, Chia Jui entertains feelings of licentious + love. + + +We will now explain, in continuation of our story, that on the day of +Chia Ching's birthday, Chia Chen began by getting ready luscious +delicacies and rare fruits, which he packed in sixteen spacious present +boxes, and bade Chia Jung take them, along with the servants belonging +to the household, over to Chia Ching. + +Turning round towards Chia Jung: "Mind," he said, "that you observe +whether your grandfather be agreeable or not, before you set to work and +pay your obeisance! 'My father,' tell him, 'has complied with your +directions, venerable senior, and not presumed to come over; but he has +at home ushered the whole company of the members of the family (into +your apartments), where they all paid their homage facing the side of +honour.'" + +After Chia Jung had listened to these injunctions, he speedily led off +the family domestics, and took his departure. During this interval, one +by one arrived the guests. First came Chia Lien and Chia Se, who went to +see whether the seats in the various places (were sufficient). "Is there +to be any entertainment or not?" they also inquired. + +"Our master," replied the servants, "had, at one time, intended to +invite the venerable Mr. Chia Ching to come and spend this day at home, +and hadn't for this reason presumed to get up any entertainment. But +when the other day he came to hear that the old gentleman was not +coming, he at once gave us orders to go in search of a troupe of young +actors, as well as a band of musicians, and all these people are now +engaged making their preparations on the stage in the garden." + +Next came, in a group, mesdames Hsing and Wang, lady Feng and Pao-yue, +followed immediately after by Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu; Mrs. Yu's mother +having already arrived and being in there in advance of her. Salutations +were exchanged between the whole company, and they pressed one another +to take a seat. Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu both handed the tea round. + +"Our venerable lady," they explained, as they smiled, "is a worthy +senior; while our father is, on the other hand, only her nephew; so that +on a birthday of a man of his age, we should really not have had the +audacity to invite her ladyship; but as the weather, at this time, is +cool, and the chrysanthemums, in the whole garden, are in luxuriant +blossom, we have requested our venerable ancestor to come for a little +distraction, and to see the whole number of her children and +grand-children amuse themselves. This was the object we had in view, +but, contrary to our expectations, our worthy senior has not again +conferred upon us the lustre of her countenance." + +Lady Feng did not wait until madame Wang could open her mouth, but took +the initiative to reply. "Our venerable lady," she urged, "had, even so +late as yesterday, said that she meant to come; but, in the evening, +upon seeing brother Pao eating peaches, the mouth of the old lady once +again began to water, and after partaking of a little more than the half +of one, she had, about the fifth watch, to get out of bed two +consecutive times, with the result that all the forenoon to-day, she +felt her body considerably worn out. She therefore bade me inform our +worthy senior that it was utterly impossible for her to come to-day; +adding however that, if there were any delicacies, she fancied a few +kinds, but that they should be very tender." + +When Chia Chen heard these words, he smiled. "Our dowager lady," he +replied, "is, I argued, so fond of amusement that, if she doesn't come +to-day, there must, for a certainty, be some valid reason; and that's +exactly what happens to be the case." + +"The other day I heard your eldest sister explain," interposed madame +Wang, "that Chia Jung's wife was anything but well; but what's after all +the matter with her?" + +"She has," observed Mrs. Yu, "contracted this illness verily in a +strange manner! Last moon at the time of the mid-autumn festival, she +was still well enough to be able to enjoy herself, during half the +night, in company with our dowager lady and madame Wang. On her return, +she continued in good health, until after the twentieth, when she began +to feel more and more languid every day, and loth, likewise, to eat +anything; and this has been going on for well-nigh half a month and +more; she hasn't besides been anything like her old self for two +months." + +"May she not," remarked madame Hsing, taking up the thread of the +conversation, "be ailing for some happy event?" + +But while she was uttering these words, some one from outside announced: +"Our senior master, second master and all the gentlemen of the family +have come, and are standing in the Reception Hall!" Whereupon Chia Chen +and Chia Lien quitted the apartment with hurried step; and during this +while, Mrs. Yu reiterated how that some time ago a doctor had also +expressed the opinion that she was ailing for a happy event, but that +the previous day, had come a doctor, recommended by Feng Tzu-ying--a +doctor, who had from his youth up made medicine his study, and was very +proficient in the treatment of diseases,--who asserted, after he had +seen her, that it was no felicitous ailment, but that it was some grave +complaint. "It was only yesterday," (she explained,) "that he wrote his +prescription; and all she has had is but one dose, and already to-day +the giddiness in the head is considerably better; as regards the other +symptoms they have as yet shown no marked improvement." + +"I maintain," remarked lady Feng, "that, were she not quite unfit to +stand the exertion, would she in fact, on a day like this, be unwilling +to strain every nerve and come round." + +"You saw her," observed Mrs. Yu, "on the third in here; how that she +bore up with a violent effort for ever so long, but it was all because +of the friendship that exists between you two, that she still longed for +your society, and couldn't brook the idea of tearing herself away." + +When lady Feng heard these words, her eyes got quite red, and after a +time she at length exclaimed: "In the Heavens of a sudden come wind and +rain; while with man, in a day and in a night, woe and weal survene! But +with her tender years, if for a complaint like this she were to run any +risk, what pleasure is there for any human being to be born and to +sojourn in the world?" + +She was just speaking, when Chia Jung walked into the apartment; and +after paying his respects to madame Hsing, madame Wang, and lady Feng, +he then observed to Mrs. Yu: "I have just taken over the eatables to our +venerable ancestor; and, at the same time, I told him that my father was +at home waiting upon the senior, and entertaining the junior gentlemen +of the whole family, and that in compliance with grandfather's orders, +he did not presume to go over. The old gentleman was much delighted by +what he heard me say, and having signified that that was all in order, +bade me tell father and you, mother, to do all you can in your +attendance upon the senior gentlemen and ladies, enjoining me to +entertain, with all propriety, my uncles, aunts, and my cousins. He also +went on to urge me to press the men to cut, with all despatch, the +blocks for the Record of Meritorious Deeds, and to print ten thousand +copies for distribution. All these messages I have duly delivered to my +father, but I must now be quick and go out, so as to send the eatables +for the elder as well as for the younger gentlemen of the entire +household." + +"Brother Jung Erh," exclaimed lady Feng, "wait a moment. How is your +wife getting on? how is she, after all, to-day?" + +"Not well," replied Chia Jung. "But were you, aunt, on your return to go +in and see her, you will find out for yourself." + +Chia Jung forthwith left the room. During this interval, Mrs. Yu +addressed herself to mesdames Hsing and Wang; "My ladies," she asked, +"will you have your repast in here, or will you go into the garden for +it? There are now in the garden some young actors engaged in making +their preparations?" + +"It's better in here," madame Wang remarked, as she turned towards +madame Hsing. + +Mrs. Yu thereupon issued directions to the married women and matrons to +be quick in serving the eatables. The servants, in waiting outside the +door, with one voice signified their obedience; and each of them went +off to fetch what fell to her share. In a short while, the courses were +all laid out, and Mrs. Yu pressed mesdames Hsing and Wang, as well as +her mother, into the upper seats; while she, together with lady Feng and +Pao-yue, sat at a side table. + +"We've come," observed mesdames Hsing and Wang, "with the original idea +of paying our congratulations to our venerable senior on the occasion of +his birthday; and isn't this as if we had come for our own birthdays?" + +"The old gentleman," answered lady Feng, "is a man fond of a quiet life; +and as he has already consummated a process of purification, he may well +be looked upon as a supernatural being, so that the purpose to which +your ladyships have given expression may be considered as manifest to +his spirit, upon the very advent of the intention." + +As this sentence was uttered the whole company in the room burst out +laughing. Mrs. Yu's mother, mesdames Hsing and Wang, and lady Feng +having one and all partaken of the banquet, rinsed their mouths and +washed their hands, which over, they expressed a wish to go into the +garden. + +Chia Jung entered the room. "The senior gentlemen," he said to Mrs. Yu, +"as well as all my uncles and cousins, have finished their repast; but +the elder gentleman Mr. Chia She, who excused himself on the score of +having at home something to attend to, and Mr. Secundus (Chia Cheng), +who is not partial to theatrical performances and is always afraid that +people will be too boisterous in their entertainments, have both of them +taken their departure. The rest of the family gentlemen have been taken +over by uncle Secundus Mr. Lien, and Mr. Se, to the other side to listen +to the play. A few moments back Prince Nan An, Prince Tung P'ing, Prince +Hsi Ning, Prince Pei Ching, these four Princes, with Niu, Duke of Chen +Kuo, and five other dukes, six in all, and Shih, Marquis of Chung Ching, +and other seven, in all eight marquises, sent their messengers with +their cards and presents. I have already told father all about it; but +before I did so, the presents were put away in the counting room, the +lists of presents were all entered in the book, and the 'received with +thanks' cards were handed to the respective messengers of the various +mansions; the men themselves were also tipped in the customary manner, +and all of them were kept to have something to eat before they went on +their way. But, mother, you should invite the two ladies, your mother +and my aunt, to go over and sit in the garden." + +"Just so!" observed Mrs. Yu, "but we've only now finished our repast, +and were about to go over." + +"I wish to tell you, madame," interposed lady Feng, "that I shall go +first and see brother Jung's wife and then come and join you." + +"All right," replied madame Wang; "we should all have been fain to have +paid her a visit, did we not fear lest she should look upon our +disturbing her with displeasure, but just tell her that we would like to +know how she is getting on!" + +"My dear sister," remarked Mrs. Yu, "as our son's wife has a ready ear +for all you say, do go and cheer her up, (and if you do so,) it will +besides set my own mind at ease; but be quick and come as soon as you +can into the garden." + +Pao-yue being likewise desirous to go along with lady Feng to see lady +Ch'in, madame Wang remarked, "Go and see her just for a while, and then +come over at once into the garden; (for remember) she is your nephew's +wife, (and you couldn't sit in there long)." + +Mrs. Yu forthwith invited mesdames Wang and Hsing, as well as her own +mother, to adjourn to the other side, and they all in a body walked into +the garden of Concentrated Fragrance; while lady Feng and Pao-yue betook +themselves, in company with Chia Jung, over to this side. + +Having entered the door, they with quiet step walked as far as the +entrance of the inner chamber. Mrs. Ch'in, upon catching sight of them, +was bent upon getting up; but "Be quick," remonstrated lady Feng, "and +give up all idea of standing up; for take care your head will feel +dizzy." + +Lady Feng hastened to make a few hurried steps forward and to grasp Mrs. +Ch'in's hand in hers. "My dear girl!" she exclaimed; "How is it that +during the few days I've not seen you, you have grown so thin?" + +Readily she then took a seat on the rug, on which Mrs. Ch'in was seated, +while Pao-yue, after inquiring too about her health, sat in the chair on +the opposite side. + +"Bring the tea in at once," called out Chia Jung, "for aunt and uncle +Secundus have not had any tea in the drawing room." + +Mrs. Ch'in took lady Feng's hand in her own and forced a smile. "This is +all due to my lack of good fortune; for in such a family as this, my +father and mother-in-law treat me just as if I were a daughter of their +own flesh and blood! Besides, your nephew, (my husband,) may, it is +true, my dear aunt, be young in years, but he is full of regard for me, +as I have regard for him, and we have had so far no misunderstanding +between us! In fact, among the senior generation, as well as that of the +same age as myself, in the whole clan, putting you aside, aunt, about +whom no mention need be made, there is not one who has not ever had +anything but love for me, and not one who has not ever shown me anything +but kindness! But since I've fallen ill with this complaint, all my +energy has even every bit of it been taken out of me, so that I've been +unable to show to my father and mother-in-law any mark of filial +attention, yea so much as for one single day and to you, my dear aunt, +with all this affection of yours for me, I have every wish to be dutiful +to the utmost degree, but, in my present state, I'm really not equal to +it; my own idea is, that it isn't likely that I shall last through this +year." + +Pao-yue kept, while (she spoke,) his eyes fixed intently upon a picture +on the opposite side, representing some begonias drooping in the spring +time, and upon a pair of scrolls, with this inscription written by Ch'in +Tai-hsue: + + A gentle chill doth circumscribe the dreaming man because the spring + is cold! + The fragrant whiff which wafts itself into man's nose, is the perfume + of wine! + +And he could not help recalling to mind his experiences at the time when +he had fallen asleep in this apartment, and had, in his dream, visited +the confines of the Great Void. He was just plunged in a state of +abstraction, when he heard Mrs. Ch'in give utterance to these +sentiments, which pierced his heart as if they were ten thousand arrows, +(with the result that) tears unwittingly trickled from his eyes. + +Lady Feng perceiving him in tears felt it extremely painful within +herself to bear the sight; but she was on pins and needles lest the +patient should detect their frame of mind, and feel, instead (of +benefit), still more sore at heart, which would not, after all, be quite +the purpose of her visit; which was to afford her distraction and +consolation. "Pao-yue," she therefore exclaimed, "you are like an old +woman! Ill, as she is, simply makes her speak in this wise, and how ever +could things come to such a pass! Besides, she is young in years, so +that after a short indisposition, her illness will get all right!" +"Don't," she said as she turned towards Mrs. Ch'in, "give way to silly +thoughts and idle ideas! for by so doing won't you yourself be +aggravating your ailment?" + +"All that her sickness in fact needs," observed Chia Jung, "is, that she +should be able to take something to eat, and then there will be nothing +to fear." + +"Brother Pao," urged lady Feng, "your mother told you to go over, as +soon as you could, so that don't stay here, and go on in the way you're +doing, for you after all incite this lady also to feel uneasy at heart. +Besides, your mother over there is solicitous on your account." "You had +better go ahead with your uncle Pao," she consequently continued, +addressing herself to Chia Jung, "while I sit here a little longer." + +When Chia Jung heard this remark, he promptly crossed over with Pao-yue +into the garden of Concentrated Fragrance, while lady Feng went on both +to cheer her up for a time, and to impart to her, in an undertone, a +good deal of confidential advice. + +Mrs. Yu had despatched servants, on two or three occasions, to hurry +lady Feng, before she said to Mrs. Ch'in: "Do all you can to take good +care of yourself, and I'll come and see you again. You're bound to get +over this illness; and now, in fact, that you've come across that +renowned doctor, you have really nothing more to fear." + +"He might," observed Mrs. Ch'in as she smiled, "even be a supernatural +being and succeed in healing my disease, but he won't be able to remedy +my destiny; for, my dear aunt, I feel sure that with this complaint of +mine, I can do no more than drag on from day to day." + +"If you encourage such ideas," remonstrated lady Feng, "how can this +illness ever get all right? What you absolutely need is to cast away all +these notions, and then you'll improve. I hear moreover that the doctor +asserts that if no cure be effected, the fear is of a change for the +worse in spring, and not till then. Did you and I moreover belong to a +family that hadn't the means to afford any ginseng, it would be +difficult to say how we could manage to get it; but were your father and +mother-in-law to hear that it's good for your recovery, why not to speak +of two mace of ginseng a day, but even two catties will be also within +their means! So mind you do take every care of your health! I'm now off +on my way into the garden." + +"Excuse me, my dear aunt," added Mrs. Ch'in, "that I can't go with you; +but when you have nothing to do, I entreat you do come over and see me! +and you and I can sit and have a long chat." + +After lady Feng had heard these words, her eyes unwillingly got quite +red again. "When I'm at leisure I shall, of course," she rejoined, "come +often to see you;" and forthwith leading off the matrons and married +women, who had come over with her, as well as the women and matrons of +the Ning mansion, she passed through the inner part of the house, and +entered, by a circuitous way, the side gate of the park, when she +perceived: yellow flowers covering the ground; white willows flanking +the slopes; diminutive bridges spanning streams, resembling the Jo Yeh; +zigzag pathways (looking as if) they led to the steps of Heaven; limpid +springs dripping from among the rocks; flowers hanging from hedges +emitting their fragrance, as they were flapped by the winds; red leaves +on the tree tops swaying to and fro; groves picture-like, half stripped +of foliage; the western breeze coming with sudden gusts, and the wail of +the oriole still audible; the warm sun shining with genial rays, and the +cicada also adding its chirp: structures, visible to the gaze at a +distance in the South-east, soaring high on various sites and resting +against the hills; three halls, visible near by on the North-west, +stretching in one connected line, on the bank of the stream; strains of +music filling the pavilion, imbued with an unwonted subtle charm; and +maidens in fine attire penetrating the groves, lending an additional +spell to the scene. + +Lady Feng, while engaged in contemplating the beauties of the spot, +advanced onwards step by step. She was plunged in a state of ecstasy, +when suddenly, from the rear of the artificial rockery, egressed a +person, who approached her and facing her said, "My respects to you, +sister-in-law." + +Lady Feng was so startled by this unexpected appearance that she drew +back. "Isn't this Mr. Jui?" she ventured. + +"What! sister-in-law," exclaimed Chia Jui, "don't you recognise even +me?" + +"It isn't that I didn't recognise you," explained lady Feng, "but at the +sudden sight of you, I couldn't conceive that it would possibly be you, +sir, in this place!" + +"This was in fact bound to be," replied Chia Jui; "for there's some +subtle sympathy between me and you, sister-in-law. Here I just +stealthily leave the entertainment, in order to revel for a while in +this solitary place when, against every expectation, I come across you, +sister-in-law; and isn't this a subtle sympathy?" + +As he spoke, he kept his gaze fixed on lady Feng, who being an +intelligent person, could not but arrive, at the sight of his manner, at +the whole truth in her surmises. "It isn't to be wondered at," she +consequently observed, as she smiled hypocritically, "that your eldest +brother should make frequent allusion to your qualities! for after +seeing you on this occasion, and hearing you utter these few remarks, I +have readily discovered what an intelligent and genial person you are! I +am just now on my way to join the ladies on the other side, and have no +leisure to converse with you; but wait until I've nothing to attend to, +when we can meet again." + +"I meant to have gone over to your place and paid my respects to you, +sister-in-law," pleaded Chia Jui, "but I was afraid lest a person of +tender years like yourself mightn't lightly receive any visitors!" + +Lady Feng gave another sardonic smile. "Relatives," she continued, "of +one family, as we are, what need is there to say anything of tender +years?" + +After Chia Jui had heard these words, he felt his heart swell within him +with such secret joy that he was urged to reflect: "I have at length +to-day, when least I expected it, obtained this remarkable encounter +with her!" + +But as the display of his passion became still more repulsive, lady Feng +urged him to go. "Be off at once," she remarked, "and join the +entertainment; for mind, if they find you out, they will mulct you in so +many glasses of wine!" + +By the time this suggestion had reached Chia Jui's ears, half of his +body had become stiff like a log of wood; and as he betook himself away, +with lothful step, he turned his head round to cast glances at her. Lady +Feng purposely slackened her pace; and when she perceived that he had +gone a certain distance, she gave way to reflection. "This is indeed," +she thought, "knowing a person, as far as face goes, and not as heart! +Can there be another such a beast as he! If he really continues to +behave in this manner, I shall soon enough compass his death, with my +own hands, and he'll then know what stuff I'm made of." + +Lady Feng, at this juncture moved onward, and after turning round a +chain of hillocks, she caught sight of two or three matrons coming along +with all speed. As soon as they espied lady Feng they put on a smile. +"Our mistress," they said, "perceiving that your ladyship was not +forthcoming, has been in a great state of anxiety, and bade your +servants come again to request you to come over. + +"Is your mistress," observed lady Feng, "so like a quick-footed demon?" + +While lady Feng advanced leisurely, she inquired, "How many plays have +been recited?" to which question one of the matrons replied, "They have +gone through eight or nine." But while engaged in conversation, they had +already reached the back door of the Tower of Celestial Fragrance, where +she caught sight of Pao-yue playing with a company of waiting-maids and +pages. "Brother Pao," lady Feng exclaimed, "don't be up to too much +mischief!" "The ladies are all sitting upstairs," interposed one of the +maids. "Please, my lady, this is the way up." + +At these words lady Feng slackened her pace, raised her dress, and +walked up the stairs, where Mrs. Yu was already at the top of the +landing waiting for her. + +"You two," remarked Mrs. Yu, smiling, "are so friendly, that having met +you couldn't possibly tear yourself away to come. You had better +to-morrow move over there and take up your quarters with her and have +done; but sit down and let me, first of all, present you a glass of +wine." + +Lady Feng speedily drew near mesdames Hsing and Wang, and begged +permission to take a seat; while Mrs. Yu brought the programme, and +pressed lady Feng to mark some plays. + +"The senior ladies occupy the seats of honour," remonstrated lady Feng, +"and how can I presume to choose?" + +"We, and our relative by marriage, have selected several plays," +explained mesdames Hsing and Wang, "and it's for you now to choose some +good ones for us to listen to." + +Standing up, lady Feng signified her obedience; and taking over the +programme, and perusing it from top to bottom, she marked off one +entitled, the "Return of the Spirit," and another called "Thrumming and +Singing;" after which she handed back the programme, observing, "When +they have done with the 'Ennoblement of two Officers,' which they are +singing just at present, it will be time enough to sing these two." + +"Of course it will," retorted madame Wang, "but they should get it over +as soon as they can, so as to allow your elder Brother and your +Sister-in-law to have rest; besides, their hearts are not at ease." + +"You senior ladies don't come often," expostulated Mrs. Yu, "and you and +I will derive more enjoyment were we to stay a little longer; it's as +yet early in the day!" + +Lady Feng stood up and looked downstairs. "Where have all the gentlemen +gone to?" she inquired. + +"The gentlemen have just gone over to the Pavilion of Plenteous +Effulgence," replied a matron, who stood by; "they have taken along with +them ten musicians and gone in there to drink their wine." + +"It wasn't convenient for them," remarked lady Feng, "to be over here; +but who knows what they have again gone to do behind our backs?" + +"Could every one," interposed Mrs. Yu, "resemble you, a person of such +propriety!" + +While they indulged in chatting and laughing, the plays they had chosen +were all finished; whereupon the tables were cleared of the wines, and +the repast was served. The meal over, the whole company adjourned into +the garden, and came and sat in the drawing-room. After tea, they at +length gave orders to get ready the carriages, and they took their leave +of Mrs. Yu's mother. Mrs. Yu, attended by all the secondary wives, +servants, and married women, escorted them out, while Chia Chen, along +with the whole bevy of young men, stood by the vehicles, waiting in a +group for their arrival. + +After saluting mesdames Hsing and Wang, "Aunts," they said, "you must +come over again to-morrow for a stroll." + +"We must be excused," observed madame Wang, "we've sat here the whole +day to-day, and are, after all, feeling quite tired; besides, we shall +need to have some rest to-morrow." + +Both of them thereupon got into their carriages and took their +departure, while Chia Jui still kept a fixed gaze upon lady Feng; and it +was after Chia Chen had gone in that Li Kuei led round the horse, and +that Pao-yue mounted and went off, following in the track of mesdames +Hsing and Wang. + +Chia Chen and the whole number of brothers and nephews belonging to the +family had, during this interval, partaken of their meal, and the whole +party at length broke up. But in like manner, all the inmates of the +clan and the guests spent on the morrow another festive day, but we need +not advert to it with any minuteness. + +After this occasion, lady Feng came in person and paid frequent visits +to Mrs. Ch'in; but as there were some days on which her ailment was +considerably better, and others on which it was considerably worse, Chia +Chen, Mrs. Yu, and Chia Jung were in an awful state of anxiety. + +Chia Jui, it must moreover be noticed, came over, on several instances, +on a visit to the Jung mansion; but it invariably happened that he found +that lady Feng had gone over to the Ning mansion. + +This was just the thirtieth of the eleventh moon, the day on which the +winter solstice fell; and the few days preceding that season, dowager +lady Chia, madame Wang and lady Feng did not let one day go by without +sending some one to inquire about Mrs. Ch'in; and as the servants, on +their return, repeatedly reported that, during the last few days, +neither had her ailment aggravated, nor had it undergone any marked +improvement, madame Wang explained to dowager lady Chia, that as a +complaint of this nature had reached this kind of season without getting +any worse, there was some hope of recovery. + +"Of course there is!" observed the old lady; "what a dear child she is! +should anything happen to her, won't it be enough to make people die +from grief!" and as she spake she felt for a time quite sore at heart. +"You and she," continuing, she said to lady Feng, "have been friends for +ever so long; to-morrow is the glorious first (and you can't go), but +after to-morrow you should pay her a visit and minutely scrutinise her +appearance: and should you find her any better, come and tell me on your +return! Whatever things that dear child has all along a fancy for, do +send her round a few even as often as you can by some one or other!" + +Lady Feng assented to each of her recommendations; and when the second +arrived, she came, after breakfast, to the Ning mansion to see how Mrs. +Ch'in was getting on; and though she found her none the worse, the flesh +all over her face and person had however become emaciated and parched +up. She readily sat with Mrs. Ch'in for a long while, and after they had +chatted on one thing and another, she again reiterated the assurances +that this illness involved no danger, and distracted her for ever so +long. + +"Whether I get well or not," observed Mrs. Ch'in, "we'll know in spring; +now winter is just over, and I'm anyhow no worse, so that possibly I may +get all right; and yet there's no saying; but, my dear sister-in-law, do +press our old lady to compose her mind! yesterday, her ladyship sent me +some potato dumplings, with minced dates in them, and though I had two, +they seem after all to be very easily digested!" + +"I'll send you round some more to-morrow," lady Feng suggested; "I'm now +going to look up your mother-in-law, and will then hurry back to give my +report to our dowager lady." + +"Please, sister-in-law," Mrs. Ch'in said, "present my best respects to +her venerable ladyship, as well as to madame Wang." + +Lady Feng signified that she would comply with her wishes, and, +forthwith leaving the apartment, she came over and sat in Mrs. Yu's +suite of rooms. + +"How do you, who don't see our son's wife very often, happen to find +her?" inquired Mrs. Yu. + +Lady Feng drooped her head for some time. "There's no help," she +ventured, "for this illness! but you should likewise make every +subsequent preparation, for it would also be well if you could scour it +away." + +"I've done so much as to secretly give orders," replied Mrs. Yu, "to get +things ready; but for that thing (the coffin), there's no good timber to +be found, so that it will have to be looked after by and by." + +Lady Feng swallowed hastily a cup of tea, and after a short chat, "I +must be hurrying back," she remarked, "to deliver my message to our +dowager lady!" + +"You should," urged Mrs. Yu, "be sparse in what you tell her lady ship +so as not to frighten an old person like her!" + +"I know well enough what to say," replied lady Feng. + +Without any further delay, lady Feng then sped back. On her arrival at +home she looked up the old lady. "Brother Jung's wife," she explained, +"presents her compliments, and pays obeisance to your venerable +ladyship; she says that she's much better, and entreats you, her worthy +senior, to set your mind at ease! That as soon as she's a little better +she will come and prostrate herself before your ladyship." + +"How do you find her?" inquired dowager lady Chia. + +"For the present there's nothing to fear," continued lady Feng; "for her +mien is still good." + +After the old lady had heard these words, she was plunged for a long +while in deep reflection; and as she turned towards lady Feng, "Go and +divest yourself of your toilette," she said, "and have some rest." + +Lady Feng in consequence signified her obedience, and walked away, +returning home after paying madame Wang a visit. P'ing Erh helped lady +Feng to put on the house costume, which she had warmed by the fire, and +lady Feng eventually took a seat and asked "whether there was anything +doing at home?" + +P'ing Erh then brought the tea, and after going over to hand the cup: +"There's nothing doing," she replied; "as regards the interest on the +three hundred taels, Wang Erh's wife has brought it in, and I've put it +away. Besides this, Mr. Jui sent round to inquire if your ladyship was +at home or not, as he meant to come and pay his respects and to have a +chat." + +"Heng!" exclaimed lady Feng at these words. "Why should this beast +compass his own death? we'll see when he comes what is to be done." + +"Why is this Mr. Jui so bent upon coming?' P'ing Erh having inquired, +lady Feng readily gave her an account of how she had met him in the +course of the ninth moon in the Ning mansion, and of what had been said +by him. + +"What a mangy frog to be bent upon eating the flesh of a heavenly +goose!" ejaculated P'ing Erh. "A stupid and disorderly fellow with no +conception of relationship, to harbour such a thought! but we'll make +him find an unnatural death!" + +"Wait till he comes," added lady Feng, "when I feel certain I shall find +some way." + +What happened, however, when Chia Jui came has not, as yet, been +ascertained, but listen, reader, to the explanation given in the next +chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + Wang Hsi-feng maliciously lays a trap for Chia Jui, under pretence + that his affection is reciprocated. + Chia T'ien-hsiang gazes at the face of the mirror of Voluptuousness. + + +Lady Feng, it must be noticed in continuation of our narrative, was just +engaged in talking with P'ing Erh, when they heard some one announce +that Mr. Jui had come. Lady Feng gave orders that he should be invited +to step in, and Chia Jui perceiving that he had been asked to walk in +was at heart elated at the prospect of seeing her. + +With a face beaming with smiles, Lady Feng inquired again and again how +he was; and, with simulated tenderness she further pressed him to take a +seat and urged him to have a cup of tea. + +Chia Jui noticed how still more voluptuous lady Feng looked in her +present costume, and, as his eyes burnt with love, "How is it," he +inquired, "that my elder brother Secundus is not yet back?" + +"What the reason is I cannot tell," lady Feng said by way of reply. + +"May it not be," Chia Jui smilingly insinuated, "that some fair damsel +has got hold of him on the way, and that he cannot brook to tear himself +from her to come home?" + +"That makes it plain that there are those among men who fall in love +with any girl they cast their eyes on," hinted lady Feng. + +"Your remarks are, sister-in-law, incorrect, for I'm none of this kind!" +Chia Jui explained smirkingly. + +"How many like you can there be!" rejoined lady Feng with a sarcastic +smile; "in ten, not one even could be picked out!" + +When Chia Jui heard these words, he felt in such high glee that he +rubbed his ears and smoothed his cheeks. "My sister-in-law," he +continued, "you must of course be extremely lonely day after day." + +"Indeed I am," observed lady Feng, "and I only wish some one would come +and have a chat with me to break my dull monotony." + +"I daily have ample leisure," Chia Jui ventured with a simper, "and +wouldn't it be well if I came every day to dispel your dulness, +sister-in-law?" + +"You are simply fooling me," exclaimed lady Feng laughing. "It isn't +likely you would wish to come over here to me?" + +"If in your presence, sister-in-law, I utter a single word of falsehood, +may the thunder from heaven blast me!" protested Chia Jui. "It's only +because I had all along heard people say that you were a dreadful +person, and that you cannot condone even the slightest shortcoming +committed in your presence, that I was induced to keep back by fear; but +after seeing you, on this occasion, so chatty, so full of fun and most +considerate to others, how can I not come? were it to be the cause of my +death, I would be even willing to come!" + +"You're really a clever person," lady Feng observed sarcastically. "And +oh so much superior to both Chia Jung and his brother! Handsome as their +presence was to look at, I imagined their minds to be full of +intelligence, but who would have thought that they would, after all, be +a couple of stupid worms, without the least notion of human affection!" + +The words which Chia Jui heard, fell in so much the more with his own +sentiments, that he could not restrain himself from again pressing +forward nearer to her; and as with eyes strained to give intentness to +his view, he gazed at lady Feng's purse: "What rings have you got on?" +he went on to ask. + +"You should be a little more deferential," remonstrated lady Feng in a +low tone of voice, "so as not to let the waiting-maids detect us." + +Chia Jui withdrew backward with as much alacrity as if he had received +an Imperial decree or a mandate from Buddha. + +"You ought to be going!" lady Feng suggested, as she gave him a smile. + +"Do let me stay a while longer," entreated Chia Jui, "you are indeed +ruthless, my sister-in-law." + +But with gentle voice did lady Feng again expostulate. "In broad +daylight," she said, "with people coming and going, it is not really +convenient that you should abide in here; so you had better go, and when +it's dark and the watch is set, you can come over, and quietly wait for +me in the corridor on the Eastern side!" + +At these words, Chia Jui felt as if he had received some jewel or +precious thing. "Don't make fun of me!" he remarked with vehemence. "The +only thing is that crowds of people are ever passing from there, and how +will it be possible for me to evade detection?" + +"Set your mind at ease!" lady Feng advised; "I shall dismiss on leave +all the youths on duty at night; and when the doors, on both sides, are +closed, there will be no one else to come in!" + +Chia Jui was delighted beyond measure by the assurance, and with +impetuous haste, he took his leave and went off; convinced at heart of +the gratification of his wishes. He continued, up to the time of dusk, a +prey to keen expectation; and, when indeed darkness fell, he felt his +way into the Jung mansion, availing himself of the moment, when the +doors were being closed, to slip into the corridor, where everything was +actually pitch dark, and not a soul to be seen going backwards or +forwards. + +The door leading over to dowager lady Chia's apartments had already been +put under key, and there was but one gate, the one on the East, which +had not as yet been locked. Chia Jui lent his ear, and listened for ever +so long, but he saw no one appear. Suddenly, however, was heard a sound +like "lo teng," and the east gate was also bolted; but though Chia Jui +was in a great state of impatience, he none the less did not venture to +utter a sound. All that necessity compelled him to do was to issue, with +quiet steps, from his corner, and to try the gates by pushing; but they +were closed as firmly as if they had been made fast with iron bolts; and +much though he may, at this juncture, have wished to find his way out, +escape was, in fact, out of the question; on the south and north was one +continuous dead wall, which, even had he wished to scale, there was +nothing which he could clutch and pull himself up by. + +This room, besides, was one the interior (of which was exposed) to the +wind, which entered through (the fissure) of the door; and was perfectly +empty and bare; and the weather being, at this time, that of December, +and the night too very long, the northerly wind, with its biting gusts, +was sufficient to penetrate the flesh and to cleave the bones, so that +the whole night long he had a narrow escape from being frozen to death; +and he was yearning, with intolerable anxiety for the break of day, when +he espied an old matron go first and open the door on the East side, and +then come in and knock at the western gate. + +Chia Jui seeing that she had turned her face away, bolted out, like a +streak of smoke, as he hugged his shoulders with his hands (from intense +cold.) As luck would have it, the hour was as yet early, so that the +inmates of the house had not all got out of bed; and making his escape +from the postern door, he straightaway betook himself home, running back +the whole way. + +Chia Jui's parents had, it must be explained, departed life at an early +period, and he had no one else, besides his grandfather Tai-ju, to take +charge of his support and education. This Tai-ju had, all along, +exercised a very strict control, and would not allow Chia Jui to even +make one step too many, in the apprehension that he might gad about out +of doors drinking and gambling, to the neglect of his studies. + +Seeing, on this unexpected occasion, that he had not come home the whole +night, he simply felt positive, in his own mind, that he was certain to +have run about, if not drinking, at least gambling, and dissipating in +houses of the demi-monde up to the small hours; but he never even gave +so much as a thought to the possibility of a public scandal, as that in +which he was involved. The consequence was that during the whole length +of the night he boiled with wrath. + +Chia Jui himself, on the other hand, was (in such a state of +trepidation) that he could wipe the perspiration (off his face) by +handfuls; and he felt constrained on his return home, to have recourse +to deceitful excuses, simply explaining that he had been at his eldest +maternal uncle's house, and that when it got dark, they kept him to +spend the night there. + +"Hitherto," remonstrated Tai-ju, "when about to go out of doors, you +never ventured to go, on your own hook, without first telling me about +it, and how is it that yesterday you surreptitiously left the house? for +this offence alone you deserve a beating, and how much more for the lie +imposed upon me." + +Into such a violent fit of anger did he consequently fly that laying +hands on him, he pulled him over and administered to him thirty or forty +blows with a cane. Nor would he allow him to have anything to eat, but +bade him remain on his knees in the court conning essays; impressing on +his mind that he would not let him off, before he had made up for the +last ten days' lessons. + +Chia Jui had in the first instance, frozen the whole night, and, in the +next place, came in for a flogging. With a stomach, besides, gnawed by +the pangs of hunger, he had to kneel in a place exposed to drafts +reading the while literary compositions, so that the hardships he had to +endure were of manifold kinds. + +Chia Jui's infamous intentions had at this junction undergone no change; +but far from his thoughts being even then any idea that lady Feng was +humbugging him, he seized, after the lapse of a couple of days, the +first leisure moments to come again in search of that lady. + +Lady Feng pretended to bear him a grudge for his breach of faith, and +Chia Jui was so distressed that he tried by vows and oaths (to establish +his innocence.) Lady Feng perceiving that he had, of his own accord, +fallen into the meshes of the net laid for him, could not but devise +another plot to give him a lesson and make him know what was right and +mend his ways. + +With this purpose, she gave him another assignation. "Don't go over +there," she said, "to-night, but wait for me in the empty rooms giving +on to a small passage at the back of these apartments of mine. But +whatever you do, mind don't be reckless." + +"Are you in real earnest?" Chia Jui inquired. + +"Why, who wants to play with you?" replied lady Feng; "if you don't +believe what I say, well then don't come!" + +"I'll come, I'll come, yea I'll come, were I even to die!" protested +Chia Jui. + +"You should first at this very moment get away!" lady Feng having +suggested, Chia Jui, who felt sanguine that when evening came, success +would for a certainty crown his visit, took at once his departure in +anticipation (of his pleasure.) + +During this interval lady Feng hastily set to work to dispose of her +resources, and to add to her stratagems, and she laid a trap for her +victim; while Chia Jui, on the other hand, was until the shades of +darkness fell, a prey to incessant expectation. + +As luck would have it a relative of his happened to likewise come on +that very night to their house and to only leave after he had dinner +with them, and at an hour of the day when the lamps had already been +lit; but he had still to wait until his grandfather had retired to rest +before he could, at length with precipitate step, betake himself into +the Jung mansion. + +Straightway he came into the rooms in the narrow passage, and waited +with as much trepidation as if he had been an ant in a hot pan. He +however waited and waited, but he saw no one arrive; he listened but not +even the sound of a voice reached his ear. His heart was full of intense +fear, and he could not restrain giving way to surmises and suspicion. +"May it not be," he thought, "that she is not coming again; and that I +may have once more to freeze for another whole night?" + +While indulging in these erratic reflections, he discerned some one +coming, looking like a black apparition, who Chia Jui readily concluded, +in his mind, must be lady Feng; so that, unmindful of distinguishing +black from white, he as soon as that person arrived in front of him, +speedily clasped her in his embrace, like a ravenous tiger pouncing upon +its prey, or a cat clawing a rat, and cried: "My darling sister, you +have made me wait till I'm ready to die." + +As he uttered these words, he dragged the comer, in his arms, on to the +couch in the room; and while indulging in kisses and protestations of +warm love, he began to cry out at random epithets of endearment. + +Not a sound, however, came from the lips of the other person; and Chia +Jui had in the fulness of his passion, exceeded the bounds of timid love +and was in the act of becoming still more affectionate in his +protestations, when a sudden flash of a light struck his eye, by the +rays of which he espied Chia Se with a candle in hand, casting the light +round the place, "Who's in this room?" he exclaimed. + +"Uncle Jui," he heard some one on the couch explain, laughing, "was +trying to take liberties with me!" + +Chia Jui at one glance became aware that it was no other than Chia Jung; +and a sense of shame at once so overpowered him that he could find +nowhere to hide himself; nor did he know how best to extricate himself +from the dilemma. Turning himself round, he made an attempt to make good +his escape, when Chia Se with one grip clutched him in his hold. + +"Don't run away," he said; "sister-in-law Lien has already reported your +conduct to madame Wang; and explained that you had tried to make her +carry on an improper flirtation with you; that she had temporised by +having recourse to a scheme to escape your importunities, and that she +had imposed upon you in such a way as to make you wait for her in this +place. Our lady was so terribly incensed, that she well-nigh succumbed; +and hence it is that she bade me come and catch you! Be quick now and +follow me, and let us go and see her." + +After Chia Jui had heard these words, his very soul could not be +contained within his body. + +"My dear nephew," he entreated, "do tell her that it wasn't I; and I'll +show you my gratitude to-morrow in a substantial manner." + +"Letting you off," rejoined Chia Se, "is no difficult thing; but how +much, I wonder, are you likely to give? Besides, what you now utter with +your lips, there will be no proof to establish; so you had better write +a promissory note." + +"How could I put what happened in black and white on paper?" observed +Chia Jui. + +"There's no difficulty about that either!" replied Chia Se; "just write +an account of a debt due, for losses in gambling, to some one outside; +for payment of which you had to raise funds, by a loan of a stated +number of taels, from the head of the house; and that will be all that +is required." + +"This is, in fact, easy enough!" Chia Jui having added by way of answer; +Chia Se turned round and left the room; and returning with paper and +pencils, which had been got ready beforehand for the purpose, he bade +Chia Jui write. The two of them (Chia Jung and Chia Se) tried, the one +to do a good turn, and the other to be perverse in his insistence; but +(Chia Jui) put down no more than fifty taels, and appended his +signature. + +Chia Se pocketed the note, and endeavoured subsequently to induce Chia +Jung to come away; but Chia Jung was, at the outset, obdurate and +unwilling to give in, and kept on repeating; "To-morrow, I'll tell the +members of our clan to look into your nice conduct!" + +These words plunged Chia Jui in such a state of dismay, that he even +went so far as to knock his head on the ground; but, as Chia Se was +trying to get unfair advantage of him though he had at first done him a +good turn, he had to write another promissory note for fifty taels, +before the matter was dropped. + +Taking up again the thread of the conversation, Chia Se remarked, "Now +when I let you go, I'm quite ready to bear the blame! But the gate at +our old lady's over there is already bolted, and Mr. Chia Cheng is just +now engaged in the Hall, looking at the things which have arrived from +Nanking, so that it would certainly be difficult for you to pass through +that way. The only safe course at present is by the back gate; but if +you do go by there, and perchance meet any one, even I will be in for a +mess; so you might as well wait until I go first and have a peep, when +I'll come and fetch you! You couldn't anyhow conceal yourself in this +room; for in a short time they'll be coming to stow the things away, and +you had better let me find a safe place for you." + +These words ended, he took hold of Chia Jui, and, extinguishing again +the lantern, he brought him out into the court, feeling his way up to +the bottom of the steps of the large terrace. "It's safe enough in this +nest," he observed, "but just squat down quietly and don't utter a +sound; wait until I come back before you venture out." + +Having concluded this remark, the two of them (Chia Se and Chia Jung) +walked away; while Chia Jui was, all this time, out of his senses, and +felt constrained to remain squatting at the bottom of the terrace +stairs. He was about to consider what course was open for him to adopt, +when he heard a noise just over his head; and, with a splash, the +contents of a bucket, consisting entirely of filthy water, was emptied +straight down over him from above, drenching, as luck would have it, his +whole person and head. + +Chia Jui could not suppress an exclamation. "Ai ya!" he cried, but he +hastily stopped his mouth with his hands, and did not venture to give +vent to another sound. His whole head and face were a mass of filth, and +his body felt icy cold. But as he shivered and shook, he espied Chia Se +come running. "Get off," he shouted, "with all speed! off with you at +once!" + +As soon as Chia Jui returned to life again, he bolted with hasty +strides, out of the back gate, and ran the whole way home. The night had +already reached the third watch, so that he had to knock at the door for +it to be opened. + +"What's the matter?" inquired the servants, when they saw him in this +sorry plight; (an inquiry) which placed him in the necessity of making +some false excuse. "The night was dark," he explained, "and my foot +slipped and I fell into a gutter." + +Saying this, he betook himself speedily to his own apartment; and it was +only after he had changed his clothes and performed his ablutions, that +he began to realise that lady Feng had made a fool of him. He +consequently gave way to a fit of wrath; but upon recalling to mind the +charms of lady Feng's face, he felt again extremely aggrieved that he +could not there and then clasp her in his embrace, and as he indulged in +these wild thoughts and fanciful ideas, he could not the whole night +long close his eyes. + +From this time forward his mind was, it is true, still with lady Feng, +but he did not have the courage to put his foot into the Jung mansion; +and with Chia Jung and Chia Se both coming time and again to dun him for +the money, he was likewise full of fears lest his grandfather should +come to know everything. + +His passion for lady Feng was, in fact, already a burden hard to bear, +and when, moreover, the troubles of debts were superadded to his tasks, +which were also during the whole day arduous, he, a young man of about +twenty, as yet unmarried, and a prey to constant cravings for lady Feng, +which were difficult to gratify, could not avoid giving way, to a great +extent, to such evil habits as exhausted his energies. His lot had, what +is more, been on two occasions to be frozen, angered and to endure much +hardship, so that with the attacks received time and again from all +sides, he unconsciously soon contracted an organic disease. In his heart +inflammation set in; his mouth lost the sense of taste; his feet got as +soft as cotton from weakness; his eyes stung, as if there were vinegar +in them. At night, he burnt with fever. During the day, he was +repeatedly under the effects of lassitude. Perspiration was profuse, +while with his expectorations of phlegm, he brought up blood. The whole +number of these several ailments came upon him, before the expiry of a +year, (with the result that) in course of time, he had not the strength +to bear himself up. Of a sudden, he would fall down, and with his eyes, +albeit closed, his spirit would be still plunged in confused dreams, +while his mouth would be full of nonsense and he would be subject to +strange starts. + +Every kind of doctor was asked to come in, and every treatment had +recourse to; and, though of such medicines as cinnamon, aconitum seeds, +turtle shell, ophiopogon, Yue-chue herb, and the like, he took several +tens of catties, he nevertheless experienced no change for the better; +so that by the time the twelfth moon drew once again to an end, and +spring returned, this illness had become still more serious. + +Tai-ju was very much concerned, and invited doctors from all parts to +attend to him, but none of them could do him any good. And as later on, +he had to take nothing else but decoctions of pure ginseng, Tai-ju could +not of course afford it. Having no other help but to come over to the +Jung mansion, and make requisition for some, Madame Wang asked lady Feng +to weigh two taels of it and give it to him. "The other day," rejoined +lady Feng, "not long ago, when we concocted some medicine for our +dowager lady, you told us, madame, to keep the pieces that were whole, +to present to the spouse of General Yang to make physic with, and as it +happens it was only yesterday that I sent some one round with them." + +"If there's none over here in our place," suggested madame Wang, "just +send a servant to your mother-in-law's, on the other side, to inquire +whether they have any. Or it may possibly be that your elder +brother-in-law Chen, over there, might have a little. If so, put all you +get together, and give it to them; and when he shall have taken it, and +got well and you shall have saved the life of a human being, it will +really be to the benefit of you all." + +Lady Feng acquiesced; but without directing a single person to institute +any search, she simply took some refuse twigs, and making up a few mace, +she despatched them with the meagre message that they had been sent by +madame Wang, and that there was, in fact, no more; subsequently +reporting to madame Wang that she had asked for and obtained all there +was and that she had collected as much as two taels, and forwarded it to +them. + +Chia Jui was, meanwhile, very anxious to recover his health, so that +there was no medicine that he would not take, but the outlay of money +was of no avail, for he derived no benefit. + +On a certain day and at an unexpected moment, a lame Taoist priest came +to beg for alms, and he averred that he had the special gift of healing +diseases arising from grievances received, and as Chia Jui happened, +from inside, to hear what he said, he forthwith shouted out: "Go at +once, and bid that divine come in and save my life!" while he +reverentially knocked his head on the pillow. + +The whole bevy of servants felt constrained to usher the Taoist in; and +Chia Jui, taking hold of him with a dash, "My Buddha!" he repeatedly +cried out, "save my life!" + +The Taoist heaved a sigh. "This ailment of yours," he remarked, "is not +one that could be healed with any medicine; I have a precious thing here +which I'll give you, and if you gaze at it every day, your life can be +saved!" + +When he had done talking, he produced from his pouch a looking-glass +which could reflect a person's face on the front and back as well. On +the upper part of the back were engraved the four characters: "Precious +Mirror of Voluptuousness." Handing it over to Chia Jui: "This object," +he proceeded, "emanates from the primordial confines of the Great Void +and has been wrought by the Monitory Dream Fairy in the Palace of +Unreality and Spirituality, with the sole intent of healing the +illnesses which originate from evil thoughts and improper designs. +Possessing, as it does, the virtue of relieving mankind and preserving +life, I have consequently brought it along with me into the world, but I +only give it to those intelligent preeminent and refined princely men to +set their eyes on. On no account must you look at the front side; and +you should only gaze at the back of it; this is urgent, this is +expedient! After three days, I shall come and fetch it away; by which +time, I'm sure, it will have made him all right." + +These words finished, he walked away with leisurely step, and though all +tried to detain him, they could not succeed. + +Chia Jui received the mirror. "This Taoist," he thought, "would seem to +speak sensibly, and why should I not look at it and try its effect?" At +the conclusion of these thoughts, he took up the Mirror of +Voluptuousness, and cast his eyes on the obverse side; but upon +perceiving nought else than a skeleton standing in it, Chia Jui +sustained such a fright that he lost no time in covering it with his +hands and in abusing the Taoist. "You good-for-nothing!" he exclaimed, +"why should you frighten me so? but I'll go further and look at the +front and see what it's like." + +While he reflected in this manner, he readily looked into the face of +the mirror, wherein he caught sight of lady Feng standing, nodding her +head and beckoning to him. With one gush of joy, Chia Jui felt himself, +in a vague and mysterious manner, transported into the mirror, where he +held an affectionate tete-a-tete with lady Feng. Lady Feng escorted him +out again. On his return to bed, he gave vent to an exclamation of "Ai +yah!" and opening his eyes, he turned the glass over once more; but +still, as hitherto, stood the skeleton in the back part. + +Chia Jui had, it is true, experienced all the pleasant sensations of a +tete-a-tete, but his heart nevertheless did not feel gratified; so that +he again turned the front round, and gazed at lady Feng, as she still +waved her hand and beckoned to him to go. Once more entering the mirror, +he went on in the same way for three or four times, until this occasion, +when just as he was about to issue from the mirror, he espied two +persons come up to him, who made him fast with chains round the neck, +and hauled him away. Chia Jui shouted. "Let me take the mirror and I'll +come along." But only this remark could he utter, for it was forthwith +beyond his power to say one word more. The servants, who stood by in +attendance, saw him at first still holding the glass in his hand and +looking in, and then, when it fell from his grasp, open his eyes again +to pick it up, but when at length the mirror dropped, and he at once +ceased to move, they in a body came forward to ascertain what had +happened to him. He had already breathed his last. The lower part of his +body was icy-cold; his clothes moist from profuse perspiration. With all +promptitude they changed him there and then, and carried him to another +bed. + +Tai-ju and his wife wept bitterly for him, to the utter disregard of +their own lives, while in violent terms they abused the Taoist priest. +"What kind of magical mirror is it?" they asked. "If we don't destroy +this glass, it will do harm to not a few men in the world!" + +Having forthwith given directions to bring fire and burn it, a voice was +heard in the air to say, "Who told you to look into the face of it? You +yourselves have mistaken what is false for what is true, and why burn +this glass of mine?" + +Suddenly the mirror was seen to fly away into the air; and when Tai-ju +went out of doors to see, he found no one else than the limping Taoist, +shouting, "Who is he who wishes to destroy the Mirror of +Voluptuousness?" While uttering these words, he snatched the glass, and, +as all eyes were fixed upon him, he moved away lissomely, as if swayed +by the wind. + +Tai-ju at once made preparations for the funeral and went everywhere to +give notice that on the third day the obsequies would commence, that on +the seventh the procession would start to escort the coffin to the Iron +Fence Temple, and that on the subsequent day, it would be taken to his +original home. + +Not much time elapsed before all the members of the Chia family came, in +a body, to express their condolences. Chia She, of the Jung Mansion, +presented twenty taels, and Chia Cheng also gave twenty taels. Of the +Ning Mansion, Chia Chen likewise contributed twenty taels. The remainder +of the members of the clan, of whom some were poor and some rich, and +not equally well off, gave either one or two taels, or three or four, +some more, some less. Among strangers, there were also contributions, +respectively presented by the families of his fellow-scholars, +amounting, likewise, collectively to twenty or thirty taels. + +The private means of Tai-ju were, it is true, precarious, but with the +monetary assistance he obtained, he anyhow performed the funeral rites +with all splendour and eclat. + +But who would have thought it, at the close of winter of this year, Lin +Ju-hai contracted a serious illness, and forwarded a letter, by some +one, with the express purpose of fetching Lin Tai-yue back. These +tidings, when they reached dowager lady Chia, naturally added to the +grief and distress (she already suffered), but she felt compelled to +make speedy preparations for Tai-yue's departure. Pao-yue too was +intensely cut up, but he had no alternative but to defer to the +affection of father and daughter; nor could he very well place any +hindrance in the way. + +Old lady Chia, in due course, made up her mind that she would like Chia +Lien to accompany her, and she also asked him to bring her back again +along with him. But no minute particulars need be given of the manifold +local presents and of the preparations, which were, of course, +everything that could be wished for in excellence and perfectness. +Forthwith the day for starting was selected, and Chia Lien, along with +Lin Tai-yue, said good-bye to all the members of the family, and, +followed by their attendants, they went on board their boats, and set +out on their journey for Yang Chou. + +But, Reader, should you have any wish to know fuller details, listen to +the account given in the subsequent Chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + Ch'in K'o-ch'ing dies, and Chia Jung is invested with the rank of + military officer to the Imperial Body-guard. + Wang Hsi-feng lends her help in the management of the Jung Kuo + Mansion. + + +Lady Feng, it must be added, in prosecuting our narrative, was ever +since Chia Lien's departure to accompany Tai-yue to Yang Chou, really +very dejected at heart; and every day, when evening came, she would, +after simply indulging in a chat and a laugh with P'ing Erh, turn in, in +a heedless frame of mind, for the night. + +In the course of the night of this day, she had been sitting with P'ing +Erh by lamp-light clasping the hand-stove; and weary of doing her work +of embroidery, she had at an early hour, given orders to warm the +embroidered quilt, and both had gone to bed; and as she was bending her +fingers, counting the progress of the journey, and when they should be +arriving, unexpectedly, the third watch struck. + +P'ing Erh had already fallen fast asleep; and lady Feng was feeling at +length her sleepy eyes slightly dose, when she faintly discerned Mrs. +Ch'in walk in from outside. + +"My dear sister-in-law," she said as she smiled, "sleep in peace; I'm on +my way back to-day, and won't even you accompany me just one stage? But +as you and I have been great friends all along, I cannot part from you, +sister-in-law, and have therefore come to take my leave of you. There +is, besides, a wish of mine, which isn't yet accomplished; and if I +don't impart it to you, it isn't likely that telling any one else will +be of any use." + +Lady Feng could not make out the sense of the words she heard. "What +wish is it you have?" she inquired, "do tell me, and it will be safe +enough with me." + +"You are, my dear sister-in-law, a heroine among women," observed Mrs. +Ch'in, "so much so that those famous men, with sashes and official hats, +cannot excel you; how is it that you're not aware of even a couple of +lines of common adages, of that trite saying, 'when the moon is full, it +begins to wane; when the waters are high, they must overflow?' and of +that other which says that 'if you ascend high, heavy must be your +fall.' Our family has now enjoyed splendour and prosperity for already +well-nigh a century, but a day comes when at the height of good fortune, +calamity arises; and if the proverb that 'when the tree falls, the +monkeys scatter,' be fulfilled, will not futile have been the reputation +of culture and old standing of a whole generation?" + +Lady Feng at these words felt her heart heavy, and overpowered by +intense awe and veneration. + +"The fears you express are well founded," she urgently remarked, "but +what plan is there adequate to preserve it from future injury?" + +"My dear sister-in-law," rejoined Mrs. Ch'in with a sardonic smile, +"you're very simple indeed! When woe has reached its climax, weal +supervenes. Prosperity and adversity, from days of yore up to the +present time, now pass away, and now again revive, and how can +(prosperity) be perpetuated by any human exertion? But if now, we could +in the time of good fortune, make provision against any worldly +concerns, which might arise at any season of future adversity, we might +in fact prolong and preserve it. Everything, for instance, is at present +well-regulated; but there are two matters which are not on a sure +footing, and if such and such suitable action could be adopted with +regard to these concerns, it will, in subsequent days, be found easy to +perpetuate the family welfare in its entity." + +"What matters are these?" inquired lady Feng. + +"Though at the graves of our ancestors," explained Mrs. Ch'in, +"sacrifices and oblations be offered at the four seasons, there's +nevertheless no fixed source of income. In the second place, the family +school is, it is true, in existence; but it has no definite +grants-in-aid. According to my views, now that the times are prosperous, +there's, as a matter of course, no lack of offerings and contributions; +but by and bye, when reverses set in, whence will these two outlays be +met from? Would it not be as well, and my ideas are positive on this +score, to avail ourselves of the present time, when riches and honours +still reign, to establish in the immediate vicinity of our ancestral +tombs, a large number of farms, cottages, and estates, in order to +enable the expenditure for offerings and grants to entirely emanate from +this source? And if the household school were also established on this +principle, the old and young in the whole clan can, after they have, by +common consent, determined upon rules, exercise in days to come control, +in the order of the branches, over the affairs connected with the landed +property, revenue, ancestral worship and school maintenance for the year +(of their respective term.) Under this rotatory system, there will +likewise be no animosities; neither will there be any mortgages, or +sales, or any of these numerous malpractices; and should any one happen +to incur blame, his personal effects can be confiscated by Government. +But the properties, from which will be derived the funds for ancestral +worship, even the officials should not be able to appropriate, so that +when reverses do supervene, the sons and grandsons of the family may be +able to return to their homes, and prosecute their studies, or go in for +farming. Thus, while they will have something to fall back upon, the +ancestral worship will, in like manner, be continued in perpetuity. But, +if the present affluence and splendour be looked upon as bound to go on +without intermission, and with no thought for the day to come, no +enduring plan be after all devised, presently, in a little while, there +will, once again, transpire a felicitous occurrence of exceptional kind, +which, in point of fact, will resemble the splendour of oil scorched on +a violent fire, or fresh flowers decorated with brocades. You should +bear in mind that it will also be nothing more real than a transient +pageant, nothing but a short-lived pleasure! Whatever you do, don't +forget the proverb, that 'there's no banquet, however sumptuous, from +which the guests do not disperse;' and unless you do, at an early date, +take precautions against later evils, regret will, I apprehend, be of no +avail." + +"What felicitous occurrence will take place?" lady Feng inquired with +alacrity. + +"The decrees of Heaven cannot be divulged; but as I have been very +friendly with you, sister-in-law, for so long, I will present you, +before I take my leave, with two lines, which it behoves you to keep in +mind," rejoined Mrs. Ch'in, as she consequently proceeded to recite what +follows: + + The three springs, when over, all radiance will wane; + The inmates to seek each a home will be fain. + +Lady Feng was bent upon making further inquiries, when she heard a +messenger at the second gate strike the "cloudy board" four consecutive +blows. It was indeed the announcement of a death; and it woke up lady +Feng with a start. A servant reported that lady Jung of the eastern +mansion was no more. + +Lady Feng was so taken aback that a cold perspiration broke out all over +her person, and she fell for a while into vacant abstraction. But she +had to change her costume, with all possible haste, and to come over to +madame Wang's apartments. + +By this time, all the members of the family were aware of the tidings, +and there was not one of them who did not feel disconsolate; one and all +of them were much wounded at heart. The elder generation bethought +themselves of the dutiful submission which she had all along displayed; +those of the same age as herself reflected upon the friendship and +intimacy which had ever existed with her; those younger than her +remembered her past benevolence. Even the servants of the household, +whether old or young, looked back upon her qualities of sympathy with +the poor, pity of the destitute, affection for the old, and +consideration for the young; and not one of them all was there who did +not mourn her loss, and give way to intense grief. + +But these irrelevant details need not be dilated upon; suffice it to +confine ourselves to Pao-yue. + +Consequent upon Lin Tai-yue's return home, he was left to his own self +and felt very lonely. Neither would he go and disport himself with +others; but with the daily return of dusk, he was wont to retire quietly +to sleep. + +On this day, while he was yet under the influence of a dream, he heard +the announcement of Mrs. Ch'in's death, and turning himself round +quickly he crept out of bed, when he felt as if his heart had been +stabbed with a sword. With a sudden retch, he straightway expectorated a +mouthful of blood, which so frightened Hsi Jen and the rest that they +rushed forward and supported him. + +"What is the matter?" they inquired, and they meant also to go and let +dowager lady Chia know, so as to send for a doctor, but Pao-yue dissuaded +them. + +"There's no need of any flurry; it's nothing at all," he said, "it's +simply that the fire of grief has attacked the heart, and that the blood +did not circulate through the arteries." + +As he spoke, he speedily raised himself up, and, after asking for his +clothes and changing, he came over to see dowager lady Chia. His wish +was to go at once to the other side; and Hsi Jen, though feeling uneasy +at heart, seeing the state of mind he was in, did not again hinder him, +as she felt constrained to let him please himself. + +When old lady Chia saw that he was bent upon going: "The breath is just +gone out of the body," she consequently remonstrated, "and that side is +still sullied. In the second place it's now dark, and the wind is high; +so you had better wait until to-morrow morning, when you will be in +ample time." + +Pao-yue would not agree to this, and dowager lady Chia gave orders to get +the carriage ready, and to depute a few more attendants and followers to +go with him. Under this escort he went forward and straightway arrived +in front of the Ning mansion, where they saw the main entrance wide +open, the lamps on the two sides giving out a light as bright as day, +and people coming and going in confused and large numbers; while the +sound of weeping inside was sufficient to shake the mountains and to +move the hills. + +Pao-yue dismounted from the carriage; and with hurried step, walked into +the apartment, where the coffin was laid. He gave vent to bitter tears +for a few minutes, and subsequently paid his salutations to Mrs. Yu. +Mrs. Yu, as it happened, had just had a relapse of her old complaint of +pains in the stomach and was lying on her bed. + +He eventually came out again from her chamber to salute Chia Chen, just +at the very moment that Chia Tai-ju, Chia Tai-hsiu, Chia Ch'ih, Chiao +Hsiao, Chia Tun, Chia She, Chia Cheng, Chia Tsung, Chia Pin, Chia Hsing, +Chia Kuang, Chia Shen, Chia Ch'iung, Chia Lin, Chia Se, Chia Ch'ang, +Chia Ling, Chia Yuen, Chia Ch'in, Chia Chen, Chia P'ing, Chia Tsao, Chia +Heng, Chia Fen, Chia Fang, Chia Lan, Chia Chun, Chia Chih and the other +relatives of the families had likewise arrived in a body. + +Chia Chen wept so bitterly that he was like a man of tears. "Of the +whole family, whether young or old, distant relatives or close friends," +he was just explaining to Chia Tai-ju and the rest, "who did not know +that this girl was a hundred times better than even our son? but now +that her spirit has retired, it's evident that this elder branch of the +family will be cut off and that there will be no survivor." + +While he gave vent to these words, he again burst into tears, and the +whole company of relatives set to work at once to pacify him. "She has +already departed this life," they argued, "and tears are also of no +avail, besides the pressing thing now is to consult as to what kind of +arrangements are to be made." + +Chia Chen clapped his hands. "What arrangements are to be made!" he +exclaimed; "nothing is to be done, but what is within my means." + +As they conversed, they perceived Ch'in Yeh and Ch'in Chung, as well as +several relations of Mrs. Yu, arrive, together with Mrs. Yu's sisters; +and Chia Chen forthwith bade Chia Ch'ung, Chia Shen, Chia Lin and Chia +Se, the four of them, to go and entertain the guests; while he, at the +same time, issued directions to go and ask the Astrologer of the +Imperial Observatory to come and choose the days for the ceremonies. + +(This Astrologer) decided that the coffin should remain in the house for +seven times seven days, that is forty-nine days; that after the third +day, the mourning rites should be begun and the formal cards should be +distributed; that all that was to be done during these forty-nine days +was to invite one hundred and eight Buddhist bonzes to perform, in the +main Hall, the High Confession Mass, in order to ford the souls of +departed relatives across the abyss of suffering, and afterwards to +transmute the spirit (of Mrs. Ch'in); that, in addition, an altar should +be erected in the Tower of Heavenly Fragrance, where nine times nine +virtuous Taoist priests should, for nineteen days, offer up prayers for +absolution from punishment, and purification from retribution. That +after these services, the tablet should be moved into the Garden of +Concentrated Fragrance, and that in the presence of the tablet, fifteen +additional eminent bonzes and fifteen renowned Taoist Priests should +confront the altar and perform meritorious deeds every seven days. + +The news of the death of the wife of his eldest grandson reached Chia +Ching; but as he himself felt sure that, at no distant date, he would +ascend to the regions above, he was loth to return again to his home, +and so expose himself to the contamination of the world, as to +completely waste the meritorious excellence acquired in past days. For +this reason, he paid no heed to the event, but allowed Chia Chen a free +hand to accomplish the necessary preparations. + +Chia Chen, to whom we again revert, was fond of display and +extravagance, so that he found, on inspection of coffins, those few made +of pine-wood unsuitable to his taste; when, strange coincidence, Hsueeh +P'an came to pay his visit of condolence, and perceiving that Chia Chen +was in quest of a good coffin: "In our establishment," he readily +suggested, "we have a lot of timber of some kind or other called Ch'iang +wood, which comes from the T'ieh Wang Mount, in Huang Hai; and which +made into coffins will not rot, not for ten thousand years. This lot +was, in fact, brought down, some years back, by my late father; and had +at one time been required by His Highness I Chung, a Prince of the royal +blood; but as he became guilty of some mismanagement, it was, in +consequence, not used, and is still lying stored up in our +establishment; and another thing besides is that there's no one with the +means to purchase it. But if you do want it, you should come and have a +look at it." + +Chia Chen, upon hearing this, was extremely delighted, and gave orders +that the planks should be there and then brought over. When the whole +family came to inspect them, they found those for the sides and the +bottom to be all eight inches thick, the grain like betel-nut, the smell +like sandal-wood or musk, while, when tapped with the hand, the sound +emitted was like that of precious stones; so that one and all agreed in +praising the timber for its remarkable quality. + +"What is their price?" Chia Chen inquired with a smile. + +"Even with one thousand taels in hand," explained Hsueeh P'an laughingly, +"I feel sure you wouldn't find any place, where you could buy the like. +Why ask about price? if you just give the workmen a few taels for their +labour, it will be quite sufficient." + +Chia Chen, at these words, lost no time in giving expression to profuse +assurances of gratitude, and was forthwith issuing directions that the +timber should be split, sawn and made up, when Chia Cheng proffered his +advice. "Such articles shouldn't," he said, "be, in my idea, enjoyed by +persons of the common run; it would be quite ample if the body were +placed in a coffin made of pine of the best quality." + +But Chia Chen would not listen to any suggestion. + +Suddenly he further heard that Mrs. Ch'in's waiting-maid, Jui Chu by +name, had, after she had become alive to the fact that her mistress had +died, knocked her head against a post, and likewise succumbed to the +blows. This unusual occurrence the whole clan extolled in high terms; +and Chia Chen promptly directed that, with regard to ceremonies, she +should be treated as a granddaughter, and that the body should, after it +had been placed in the coffin, be also deposited in the Hall of Attained +Immortality, in the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance. + +There was likewise a young waiting-maid, called Pao Chu, who, as Mrs. +Ch'in left no issue, was willing to become an adopted child, and begged +to be allowed to undertake the charge of dashing the mourning bowl, and +accompanying the coffin; which pleased Chia Chen so much that he +speedily transmitted orders that from that time forth Pao Chu should be +addressed by all as 'young miss.' + +Pao Chu, after the rites of an unmarried daughter, mourned before the +coffin to such an unwonted degree, as if bent upon snapping her own +life; while the members of the entire clan, as well as the inmates of +the Mansions, each and all, readily observed, in their conduct, the +established mourning usages, without of course any transgression or +confusion. + +"Chia Jung," pondered Chia Chen, "has no higher status than that of +graduate by purchase, and were this designation written on the funeral +streamer, it will not be imposing, and, in point of fact, the retinue +will likewise be small." He therefore was exceedingly unhappy, in his +own mind, when, as luck would have it, on this day, which was the fourth +day of the first seven, Tai Ch'uean, a eunuch of the Palace of High +Renown, whose office was that of Palace Overseer, first prepared +sacrificial presents, which he sent round by messengers, and next came +himself in an official chair, preceded by criers beating the gong, to +offer sacrificial oblations. + +Chia Chen promptly received him, and pressed him into a seat; and when +they adjourned into the Hall of the Loitering Bees, tea was presented. + +Chia Chen had already arrived at a fixed purpose, so that he seized an +opportunity to tell him of his wish to purchase an office for Chia +Jung's advancement. + +Tai Ch'uean understood the purport of his remark. "It is, I presume," he +added smilingly, "that the funeral rites should be a little more +sumptuous." + +"My worthy sir," eagerly rejoined Chia Chen, "your surmise on that score +is perfectly correct." + +"The question," explained Tai Ch'uean, "comes up at an opportune moment; +for there is just at present a good vacancy. Of the three hundred +officers who at present constitute the Imperial Body Guard, there are +two wanting. Yesterday marquis Hsiang Yang's third brother came to +appeal to me with one thousand five hundred taels of ready money, which +he brought over to my house. You know the friendship of old standing +which exists between him and me, so that, placing other considerations +aside, I without a second thought, assented for his father's sake. But +there still remains another vacancy, which, who would have thought it, +fat general Feng, of Yung Hsing, asked to purchase for his son; but I +have had no time to give him an answer. Besides, as our child wants to +purchase it, you had better at once write a statement of his +antecedents." + +Chia Chen lost no time in bidding some one write the statement on red +paper, which Tai Ch'uean found, on perusal, to record that Chia Jung was +a graduate, by purchase, of the District of Chiang Ning, of the Ying +T'ien Prefecture, in Chiang Nan; that Chia Tai-hua, his great +grandfather, had been Commander-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Camp, and +an hereditary general of the first class, with the prefix of Spiritual +Majesty; that his grandfather Chia Ching was a metropolitan graduate of +the tripos in the Ping Ch'en year; and that his father Chia Chen had +inherited a rank of nobility of the third degree, and was a general, +with the prefix of Majestic Intrepidity. + +Tai Ch'uean, after perusal, turned his hand behind him and passed (the +statement) to a constant attendant of his, to put away: "Go back," he +enjoined him, "and give it to His Excellency Mr. Chao, at the head of +the Board of Revenue, and tell him, that I present him my compliments, +and would like him to draw up a warrant for subaltern of the Imperial +Body Guard of the fifth grade, and to also issue a commission; that he +should take the particulars from this statement and fill them up; and +that to-morrow I'll come and have the money weighed and sent over." + +The young attendant signified his obedience, and Tai Ch'uean thereupon +took his leave. Chia Chen did all he could to detain him, but with no +success; so that he had no alternative but to escort him as far as the +entrance of the Mansion. As he was about to mount into his chair, Chia +Chen inquired, "As regards the money, shall I go and pay it into the +Board, or am I to send it to the Board of Eunuchs?" + +"If you were to go and pay it at the Board," observed Tai Ch'uean; "you +are sure to suffer loss; so that it would be better if you just weighed +exactly one thousand taels and sent them over to my place; for then an +end will be put to all trouble." + +Chia Chen was incessant in his expression of gratitude. "When the period +of mourning has expired," he consequently added, "I shall lead in +person, my despicable eldest son to your mansion, to pay our obeisance, +and express our thanks." + +They then parted company, but close upon this, were heard again the +voices of runners. It was, in fact, the spouse of Shih Ting, the marquis +of Chung Ching, who was just arriving. Shih Hsiang-yun, mesdames Wang, +and Hsing, lady Feng and the rest came out at once, to greet her, and +lead her into the Main Building; when they further saw the sacrificial +presents of the three families, of the marquis of Chin Hsiang, the +marquis of Ch'uan Ning, and the earl of Shou Shan, likewise spread out +in front of the tablet. + +In a short while, these three noblemen descended from their chairs, and +Chia Chen received them in the Large Hall. In like manner all the +relatives and friends arrived in such quick succession, one coming, +another going, that it is impossible to remember even so much as their +number. One thing need be said that during these forty-nine days the +street on which the Ning Kuo mansion stood, was covered with a sheet of +white, formed by the people, coming and going; and thronged with +clusters of flowers, as the officials came and went. + +At the instance of Chia Chen, Chia Jung, the next day donned his gala +dress and went over for his papers; and on his return the articles in +use in front of the coffin, as well as those belonging to the cortege +and other such things, were all regulated by the rules prescribed for an +official status of the fifth degree; while, on the tablet and notice +alike the inscription consisted of: Spirit of lady Ch'in, (by marriage) +of the Chia mansion, and by patent a lady of the fifth rank (of the +titles of honour). + +The main entrance of the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance, adjoining the +street, was opened wide; and on both sides were raised sheds for the +musicians, and two companies of players, dressed in blue, discoursed +music at the proper times; while one pair after another of the +paraphernalia was drawn out so straight as if cut by a knife or slit by +an axe. There were also two large carmine boards, carved with gilt +inscriptions, erected outside the gate; the designations in bold +characters on the upper sides being: Guard of the Imperial Antechamber, +charged with the protection of the Inner Palace and Roads, in the Red +Prohibited City. + +On the opposite side, facing each other, rose, high above the ground, +two altars for the services of the Buddhist and Taoist priests, while a +placard bore the inscription in bold type: Funeral Obsequies of lady +Ch'in, (by marriage) of the Chia mansion, by patent a lady of the fifth +rank, consort of the eldest grandson of the hereditary duke of Ning Kuo, +and guard of the Imperial Antechamber, charged with the protection of +the Inner Palace and Roads in the Red Prohibited City. We, Wan Hsue, by +Heaven's commands charged with the perennial preservation of perfect +peace in the Kingdom of the Four Continents, as well as of the lands +contained therein, Head Controller of the School of Void and Asceticism, +and Superior in Chief (of the Buddhist hierarchy); and Yeh Sheng, +Principal Controller, since the creation, of the Disciples of Perfect +Excellence and Superior in Chief (of the Taoist priesthood), and others, +having in a reverent spirit purified ourselves by abstinence, now raise +our eyes up to Heaven, prostrate ourselves humbly before Buddha, and +devoutly pray all the Chia Lans, Chieh Tis, Kung Ts'aos and other +divinities to extend their sacred bounties, and from afar to display +their spiritual majesty, during the forty-nine days (of the funeral +rites), for the deliverance from judgment and the absolution from +retribution (of the spirit of lady Ch'in), so that it may enjoy a +peaceful and safe passage, whether by sea or by land; and other such +prayers to this effect, which are in fact not worth the trouble of +putting on record. + +Chia Chen had, it is true, all his wishes gratified; but, as his wife +was laid up in the inner chambers, with a relapse of her old complaint, +and was not in a fit state to undertake the direction of the ceremonies, +he was very much distressed lest, when the high officials (and their +wives) came and went, there should occur any breach of the prescribed +conventionalities, which he was afraid would evoke ridicule. Hence it +was that he felt in low spirits; but while he was plunged in solicitude +Pao-yue, who happened to be close by, readily inquired, "Everything may +be safely looked upon as being satisfactorily settled, and why need you, +elder brother, still be so full of concern?" + +Chia Chen forthwith explained to him how it was that in the ladies' +apartments there was no one (to do the honours), but Pao-yue at these +words smiled: "What difficulty is there about it?" he remarked; "I'll +recommend some one to take temporary charge of the direction of things +for you during the month, and I can guarantee that everything will be +properly carried out." + +"Who is it?" Chia Chen was quick to ask; but as Pao-yue perceived that +there were still too many relatives and friends seated around, he did +not feel as if he could very well speak out; so that he went up to Chia +Chen and whispered a couple of remarks in his ear. + +Chia Chen's joy knew no bounds when he heard this suggestion. +"Everything will indeed be properly carried out," he added laughingly; +"but I must now be going at once." + +With these words, he drew Pao-yue along, and taking leave of the whole +number of visitors, they forthwith came into the drawing rooms. + +This day was luckily not a grand occasion, so that few relatives and +friends had come. In the inner apartments there were only a small number +of ladies of close kinship. Mesdames Hsing and Wang, and lady Feng, and +the women of the whole household, were entertaining the guests, when +they heard a servant announce that Mr. Chia Chen had come. (This +announcement) took the whole body of ladies and young ladies so much by +surprise, that, with a rushing sound, they tried to hide in the back +rooms; but they were not quick enough (to effect their escape). + +Lady Feng alone composedly stood up. Chia Chen was himself at this time +rather unwell, and being also very much cut up, he entered the room +shuffling along, propping himself up with a staff. + +"You are not well?" therefore remarked madame Hsing and the others, "and +you've had besides so much to attend to during these consecutive days, +that what you require is rest to get all right; and why do you again +come over?" + +Chia Chen was, as he leant on his staff, straining every nerve to bend +his body so as to fall on his knees and pay his respects to them, and +express his sense of obligation for the trouble they had taken, when +madame Hsing and the other ladies hastily called Pao-yue to raise him up, +bidding a servant move a chair for him to sit on. Chia Chen would not +take a seat; but making an effort to return a smile, "Your nephew," he +urged, "has come over, as there's a favour that I want to ask of my two +aunts as well as of my eldest cousin." + +"What is it?" promptly inquired madame Hsing and the rest. + +"My aunts," Chia Chen replied with all haste, "you surely are aware that +your grandson's wife is now no more; your nephew's wife is also laid up +unwell, and, as I see that things in the inner apartments are really not +what they should properly be, I would trouble my worthy eldest cousin to +undertake in here the direction of affairs for a month; and if she does, +my mind will be set at ease." + +Madame Hsing smiled. "Is it really about this that you've come?" she +asked; "your eldest cousin is at present staying with your aunt Secunda, +and all you have to do is to speak to her and it will be all right." + +"How ever could a mere child like her," speedily remonstrated madame +Wang, "carry out all these matters? and shouldn't she manage things +properly, she will, on the contrary, make people laugh, so it would +therefore be better that you should trouble some one else." + +"What your ideas are, aunt," rejoined Chia Chen smiling, "your nephew +has guessed; you're afraid lest my eldest cousin should have to bear +fatigue and annoyance; for as to what you say, that she cannot manage +things, why my eldest cousin has, from her youth up, ever been in her +romping and playing so firm and decided; and now that she has entered +the married estate, and has the run of affairs in that mansion, she must +have reaped so much the more experience, and have become quite an old +hand! I've been thinking these last few days that outside my eldest +cousin, there's no one else who could come to my help; and, aunt, if you +don't do it for the face of your nephew and your nephew's wife, do it, +at least, for the affection you bore to her who is no more." + +While he uttered these words tears trickled down his face. The fears +that madame Wang inwardly entertained were that lady Feng had no +experience in funeral matters, and she apprehended, that if she was not +equal to managing them, she would incur the ridicule of others; but when +she now heard Chia Chen make the appeal in such a disconsolate mood, she +relented considerably in her resolution. But as she turned her eyes +towards lady Feng (to ascertain her wishes), she saw that she was +plunged in abstraction. + +Lady Feng had all along found the greatest zest in taking the initiative +in everything, with the idea of making a display of her abilities, so +that when she perceived how earnest Chia Chen was in his entreaties, she +had, at an early period, made up her mind to give a favourable reply. +Seeing besides madame Wang show signs of relenting, she readily turned +round and said to her, "My elder cousin has made his appeal in such a +solicitous way that your ladyship should give your consent and have done +with it." + +"Do you think you are equal to the task?" inquired madame Wang in a +whisper. + +"What's there that I couldn't be equal to?" replied lady Feng; "for +urgent matters outside, my cousin may be said to have already made full +provision; and all there is to be done is to keep an eye over things +inside. But should there occur anything that I don't know, I can ask +you, madame, and it will be right." + +Madame Wang perceiving the reasonableness of what she heard her say, +uttered not a word, and when Chia Chen saw that lady Feng had assented; +"How much you do attend to I don't mind," he observed, forcing another +smile, "but I must, in any case, entreat you, cousin, to assume the +onerous charge. As a first step I'll pay my obeisance to you in here, +and when everything has been finished, I shall then come over into that +mansion to express my thanks." + +With these words still on his lips, he made a low bow, but lady Feng had +scarcely had time to return the compliment, before Chia Chen had +directed a servant to fetch the warrant of the Ning mansion, which he +bade Pao-yue hand over to lady Feng. + +"Cousin," he added, "take whatever steps you think best; and if you want +anything, all you have to do is to simply send for it with this, and +there will even be no use to consult me. The only thing I must ask you +is, not to be too careful in order to save me expense, for the main +consideration is that things should be handsomely done. In the second +place, it will be well if you were also to treat servants here in the +same way as in the other mansion, and not be too scrupulous in the fear +that any one might take offence. Outside these two concerns, there's +nothing else to disturb my mind." + +Lady Feng did not venture to take over the warrant at once, but merely +turned round to ascertain what were madame Wang's wishes. + +"In view of the reason brother Chen advances," madame Wang rejoined, +"you had better assume the charge at once and finish with it; don't, +however, act on your own ideas; but when there's aught to be done, be +careful and send some one to consult your cousin's wife, ever so little +though it be on the subject." + +Pao-yue had already taken over the warrant from Chia Chen's grasp, and +forcibly handed it to lady Feng, "Will you, cousin," he went on to +question, "take up your quarters here or will you come every day? should +you cross over, day after day, it will be ever so much more fatiguing +for you, so that I shall speedily have a separate court got ready for +you in here, where you, cousin, can put up for these several days and be +more comfortable." + +"There's no need," replied lady Feng smiling; "for on that side they +can't do without me; and it will be better if I were to come daily." + +"Do as you like," Chia Chen observed; and after subsequently passing a +few more irrelevant remarks, he at length left the room. + +After a time, the lady relatives dispersed, and madame Wang seized the +opportunity to inquire of lady Feng, "What do you purpose doing to-day?" + +"You had better, please madame, go back," urged lady Feng, "for I must +first of all find out some clue before I can go home." + +Madame Wang, upon hearing these words, returned to her quarters, in +advance, in company with madame Hsing, where we will leave them. + +Lady Feng meanwhile came into a colonnade, which enclosed a suite of +three apartments, and taking a seat, she gave way to reflection. "The +first consideration," she communed within herself, "is that the +household is made up of mixed elements, and things might be lost; the +second is that the preparations are under no particular control, with +the result that, when the time comes, the servants might shirk their +duties; the third is that the necessary expenditure being great, there +will be reckless disbursements and counterfeit receipts; the fourth, +that with the absence of any distinction in the matter of duties, +whether large or small, hardship and ease will be unequally shared; and +the fifth, that the servants being arrogant, through leniency, those +with any self-respect will not brook control, while those devoid of +'face' will not be able to improve their ways." + +These five were, in point of fact, usages in vogue in the Ning mansion. +But as you are unable, reader, to ascertain here how lady Feng set +things right, listen to the explanations given in the following chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + Lin Ju-hai dies in the City of Yang Chou. + Chia Pao-yue meets the Prince of Pei Ching on the way. + + +When Lai Sheng, be it noticed in continuing our story, the major-domo in +the Ning Kuo mansion, came to hear that from inside an invitation had +been extended to lady Feng to act as deputy, he summoned together his +co-workers and other servants. "Lady Secunda, of the western mansion," +he harangued them, "has now been asked to take over the control of +internal affairs; and should she come we must, when we apply for +anything, or have anything to say, be circumspect in our service; we +should all every day come early and leave late; and it's better that we +should exert ourselves during this one month and take rest after it's +over. We mustn't throw away our old 'face,' for she's well known to be +an impetuous thing, with a soured face and a hard heart, who, when +angry, knows no distinction of persons." + +The whole company unanimously admitted that he was right; and one of +their number too observed smilingly, "It's but right that for the inner +apartments, we should, in fact, get her to come and put things in proper +order, as everything is very much what it should not be." + +But while he uttered these words, they saw Lai Wang's wife coming, with +an indent in hand, to fetch paper for the supplications and prayers, the +amount of which was mentioned on the order; and they one and all +hastened to press her into a seat, and to help her to a cup of tea; +while a servant was told to fetch the quantity of paper required. (When +it was brought,) Lai Wang carried it in his arms and came, the whole way +with his wife, as far as the ceremonial gate; when he, at length, +delivered it over to her and she clasped it, and walked into the room +all alone. + +Lady Feng issued prompt directions to Ts'ai Ming to prepare a register; +and sending, there and then, for Lai Sheng's wife, she asked her to +submit, for her perusal, the roll with the servants' names. She +furthermore fixed upon an early hour of the following day to convene the +domestics and their wives in the mansion, in order that they should +receive their orders; but, after cursorily glancing over the number of +entries in the list, and making a few inquiries of Lai Sheng's wife, she +soon got into her curricle, and went home. + +On the next day, at six and two quarters, she speedily came over. The +matrons and married women of the Ning Kuo mansion assembled together, as +soon as they heard of her arrival; but, perceiving lady Feng, assisted +by Lai Sheng's wife, engaged in apportioning the duties of each servant, +they could not presume to intrude, but remained outside the window +listening to what was going on. + +"As I've been asked to take over the charge," they heard lady Feng +explain to Lai Sheng's wife, "I'm, needless to say, sure to incur the +displeasure of you all, for I can't compare with your mistress, who has +such a sweet temper, and allows you to have your own way. But saying +nothing more of those ways, which prevailed hitherto among your people +in this mansion, you must now do as I tell you; for on the slightest +disregard of my orders, I shall, with no discrimination between those +who may be respectable and those who may not be, clearly and distinctly +call all alike to account." + +Having concluded these remarks, she went on to order Ts'ai Ming to read +the roll; and, as their names were uttered, one by one was called in, +and passed under inspection. After this inspection, which was got over +in a short time, she continued giving further directions. "These +twenty," she said "should be divided into two companies; ten in each +company, whose sole daily duties should be to attend inside to the +guests, coming and going, and to serve tea for them; while with any +other matters, they needn't have anything to do. These other twenty +should also be divided into two companies, whose exclusive duties will +be, day after day, to look after the tea and eatables of the relatives +of our family; and these too will have no business to concern themselves +with outside matters. These forty will again be divided into two +companies, who will have nothing else to look to than to remain in front +of the coffin and offer incense, renew the oil, hang up the streamers, +watch the coffin, offer sacrifices of rice, and oblations of tea, and +mourn with the mourners; and neither need they mind anything outside +these duties. These four servants will be specially attached to the +inner tea-rooms to look after cups, saucers and the tea articles +generally; and in the event of the loss of any single thing, the four of +them will have to make it good between them. These other four servants +will have the sole charge of the articles required for eatables and +wine; and should any get mislaid compensation will have likewise to be +made by them. These eight servants will only have to attend to taking +over the sacrificial offerings; while these eight will have nothing more +to see to beyond keeping an eye over the lamps, oil, candles and paper +wanted everywhere. I'll have a whole supply served out and handed to you +eight to by and by apportion to the various places, in quantities which +I will determine. These thirty servants are each day, by rotation, to +keep watch everywhere during the night, looking after the gates and +windows, taking care of the fires and candles, and sweeping the grounds; +while the servants, who remain, are to be divided for duty in the houses +and rooms, each one having charge of a particular spot. And beginning +from the tables, chairs and curios in each place, up to the very +cuspidors and brooms, yea even to each blade of grass or sprout of herb, +which may be there, the servants looking after this part will be called +upon to make good anything that may be either mislaid or damaged. You, +Lai Sheng's wife, will every day have to exercise general supervision +and inspection; and should there be those who be lazy, any who may +gamble, drink, fight or wrangle, come at once and report the matter to +me; and you mustn't show any leniency, for if I come to find it out, I +shall have no regard to the good old name of three or four generations, +which you may enjoy. You now all have your fixed duties, so that +whatever batch of you after this acts contrary to these orders, I shall +simply have something to say to that batch and to no one else. The +servants, who have all along been in my service, carry watches on their +persons, and things, whether large or small, are invariably done at a +fixed time. But, in any case, you also have clocks in your master's +rooms, so that at 6.30, I shall come and read the roll, and at ten +you'll have breakfast. Whenever there is any indent of any permits to be +made or any report to be submitted, it should be done at 11.30 a.m. and +no later. At 7 p.m., after the evening paper has been burnt, I shall +come to each place in person to hold an inspection; and on my return, +the servants on watch for the night will hand over the keys. The next +day, I shall again come over at 6.30 in the morning; and needless to say +we must all do the best we can for these few days; and when the work has +been finished your master is sure to recompense you." + +When she had done speaking, she went on to give orders that tea, oil, +candles, feather dusters, brooms and other necessaries should be issued, +according to the fixed quantities. She also had furniture, such as +table-covers, antimacassars, cushions, rugs, cuspidors, stools and the +like brought over and distributed; while, at the same time, she took up +the pencil and made a note of the names of the persons in charge of the +various departments, and of the articles taken over by the respective +servants, in entries remarkable for the utmost perspicacity. + +The whole body of servants received their charge and left; but they all +had work to go and attend to; not as in former times, when they were at +liberty to select for themselves what was convenient to do, while the +arduous work, which remained over, no one could be found to take in +hand. Neither was it possible for them in the various establishments to +any longer avail themselves of the confusion to carelessly mislay +things. In fact, visitors came and guests left, but everything after all +went off quietly, unlike the disorderly way which prevailed hitherto, +when there was no clue to the ravel; and all such abuses as indolence, +and losses, and the like were completely eradicated. + +Lady Feng, on her part, (perceiving) the weight her influence had in +enjoining the observance of her directions, was in her heart exceedingly +delighted. But as she saw, that Chia Chen was, in consequence of Mrs. +Yu's indisposition, even so much the more grieved as to take very little +to drink or to eat, she daily, with her own hands, prepared, in the +other mansion, every kind of fine congee and luscious small dishes, +which she sent over, in order that he might be tempted to eat. + +And Chia Lien had likewise given additional directions that every day +the finest delicacies should be taken into the ante-chamber, for the +exclusive use of lady Feng. + +Lady Feng was not one to shirk exertion and fatigue, so that, day after +day, she came over at the proper time, called the roll, and managed +business, sitting all alone in the ante-chamber, and not congregating +with the whole bevy of sisters-in-law. Indeed, even when relatives or +visitors came or went, she did not go to receive them, or see them off. + +This day was the thirty-fifth day, the very day of the fifth seven, and +the whole company of bonzes had just (commenced the services) for +unclosing the earth, and breaking Hell open; for sending a light to show +the way to the departed spirit; for its being admitted to an audience by +the king of Hell; for arresting all the malicious devils, as well as for +soliciting the soul-saving Buddha to open the golden bridge and to lead +the way with streamers. The Taoist priests were engaged in reverently +reading the prayers; in worshipping the Three Pure Ones and in +prostrating themselves before the Gemmy Lord. The disciples of +abstraction were burning incense, in order to release the hungered +spirits, and were reading the water regrets manual. There was also a +company of twelve nuns of tender years, got up in embroidered dresses, +and wearing red shoes, who stood before the coffin, silently reading all +the incantations for the reception of the spirit (from the lower +regions,) with the result that the utmost bustle and stir prevailed. + +Lady Feng, well aware that not a few guests would call on this day, was +quick to get out of bed at four sharp, to dress her hair and perform her +ablutions. After having completed every arrangement for the day, she +changed her costume, washed her hands, and swallowed a couple of +mouthfuls of milk. By the time she had rinsed her mouth, it was exactly +6.30; and Lai Wang's wife, at the head of a company of servants, had +been waiting a good long while, when lady Feng appeared in front of the +Entrance Hall, mounted her carriage and betook herself, preceded by a +pair of transparent horn lanterns, on which were written, in large type, +the three characters, Jung Kuo mansion, to the main entrance gate of the +Ning Household. The door lanterns shed brilliant rays from where they +were suspended; while on either side the lanterns, of uniform colours, +propped upright, emitted a lustrous light as bright as day. + +The servants of the family, got up in their mourning clothes, covered +the ground far and wide like a white sheet. They stood drawn in two +rows, and requested that the carriage should drive up to the main +entrance. The youths retired, and all the married women came forward, +and raising the curtain of the carriage, lady Feng alighted; and as with +one arm she supported herself on Feng Erh, two married women, with +lanterns in their hands, lighted the way. Pressed round by the servants, +lady Feng made her entry. The married women of the Ning mansion advanced +to greet her, and to pay their respects; and this over, lady Feng, with +graceful bearing, entered the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance. +Ascending the Spirit Hall, where the tablet was laid, the tears, as soon +as she caught sight of the coffin, trickled down her eyes like pearls +whose string had snapped; while the youths in the court, and their +number was not small, stood in a reverent posture, with their arms +against their sides, waiting to burn the paper. Lady Feng uttered one +remark, by way of command: "Offer the tea and burn the paper!" when the +sound of two blows on the gong was heard and the whole band struck up +together. A servant had at an early period placed a large armchair in +front of the tablet, and lady Feng sat down, and gave way to loud +lamentations. Promptly all those, who stood inside or outside, whether +high or low, male or female, took up the note, and kept on wailing and +weeping until Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu, after a time, sent a message to +advise her to withhold her tears; when at length lady Feng desisted. + +Lai Wang's wife served the tea; and when she had finished rinsing her +mouth, lady Feng got up; and, taking leave of all the members of the +clan, she walked all alone into the ante-chamber, where she ascertained, +in the order of their names, the number of the servants of every +denomination in there. They were all found to be present, with the +exception of one, who had failed to appear, whose duties consisted in +receiving and escorting the relatives and visitors. Orders were promptly +given to summon him, and the man appeared in a dreadful fright. "What!" +exclaimed lady Feng, as she forced a smile, "is it you who have been +remiss? Is it because you're more respectable than they that you don't +choose to listen to my words?" + +"Your servant," he pleaded, "has come at an early hour every day; and +it's only to-day that I come late by one step; and I entreat your +ladyship to forgive this my first offence." + +While yet he spoke, she perceived the wife of Wang Hsing, of the Jung +Kuo mansion, come forward and pop her head in to see what was going on; +but lady Feng did not let this man go, but went on to inquire of Wang +Hsing's wife what she had come for. + +Wang Hsing's wife drew near. "I've come," she explained, "to get an +order, so as to obtain some thread to make tassels for the carriages and +chairs." Saying this, she produced the permit and handed it up, +whereupon lady Feng directed Ts'ai Ming to read the contents aloud. "For +two large, sedan chairs," he said, "four small sedan chairs and four +carriages, are needed in all so many large and small tassels, each +tassel requiring so many catties of beads and thread." + +Lady Feng finding, after she had heard what was read, that the numbers +(and quantities) corresponded, forthwith bade Ts'ai Ming make the proper +entry; and when the order from the Jung Kuo mansion had been fetched, +and thrown at her, Wang Hsing's wife took her departure. + +Lady Feng was on the very point of saying something, when she espied +four managers of the Jung Kuo mansion walk in; all of whom wanted +permits to indent for stores. Having asked them to read out the list of +what they required, she ascertained that they wanted four kinds of +articles in all. Drawing attention to two items: "These entries," she +remarked, "are wrong; and you had better go again and make out the +account clearly, and then come and fetch a permit." + +With these words, she flung down the requisitions, and the two men went +their way in lower spirits than when they had come. + +Lady Feng then caught sight of the wife of Chang Ts'ai standing by, and +asked her what was her business, whereupon Chang Ts'ai's wife promptly +produced an indent. "The covers of the carriages and sedan chairs," she +reported, "have just been completed, and I've come to fetch the amount +due to the tailors for wages." + +Lady Feng, upon hearing her explanation, took over the indent, and +directed Ts'ai Ming to enter the items in the book. After Wang Hsing had +handed over the money, and obtained the receipt of the accountant, duly +signed, which tallied with the payment, he subsequently walked away in +company with Chang Ts'ai's wife. Lady Feng simultaneously proceeded to +give orders that another indent should be read, which was for money to +purchase paper with to paste on the windows of Pao-yue's outer +school-room, the repairs to which had been brought to completion, and as +soon as lady Feng heard the nature of the application, she there and +then gave directions that the permit should be taken over and an entry +made, and that the money should be issued after Chang Ts'ai's wife had +delivered everything clearly. + +"If to-morrow he were to come late," lady Feng then remarked, "and if +the day after, I were to come late; why by and by there'll be no one +here at all! I should have liked to have let you off, but if I be +lenient with you on this first instance, it will be hard for me, on the +occurrence of another offence, to exercise any control over the rest. +It's much better therefore that I should settle accounts with you." + +The moment she uttered these words, she put on a serious look, and gave +orders that he should be taken out and administered twenty blows with +the bamboo. When the servants perceived that lady Feng was in an angry +mood, they did not venture to dilly-dally, but dragged him out, and gave +him the full number of blows; which done, they came in to report that +the punishment had been inflicted. + +Lady Feng likewise threw down the Ning Mansion order and exclaimed, +addressing herself to Lai Sheng: "Cut him a month's wages and rice! and +tell them all to disperse, and have done with it!" + +All the servants at length withdrew to attend to their respective +duties, while the man too, who had been flogged, walked away, as he did +all he could to conceal his shame and stifle his tears. About this time +arrived and went, in an incessant stream, servants from both the Jung +and Ning mansions, bent upon applying for permits and returning permits, +and with one by one again did lady Feng settle accounts. And, as in due +course, the inmates of the Ning mansion came to know how terrible lady +Feng was, each and all were ever since so wary and dutiful that they did +not venture to be lazy. + +But without going into further details on this subject, we shall now +return to Pao-yue. Seeing that there were a lot of people about and +fearing lest Ch'in Chung might receive some offence, he lost no time in +coming along with him to sit over at lady Feng's. Lady Feng was just +having her repast, and upon seeing them arrive: "Your legs are long +enough, and couldn't you have come somewhat quicker!" she laughingly +observed. + +"We've had our rice, thanks," replied Pao-yue. + +"Have you had it," inquired lady Feng, "outside here, or over on the +other side?" + +"Would we eat anything with all that riff-raff?" exclaimed Pao-yue; +"we've really had it over there; in fact, I now come after having had +mine with dowager lady Chia." + +As he uttered these words, they took their seats. Lady Feng had just +finished her meal, when a married woman from the Ning mansion came to +get an order to obtain an advance of money to purchase incense and +lanterns with. + +"I calculated," observed lady Feng, "that you would come to-day to make +requisition, but I was under the impression that you had forgotten; had +you really done so you would certainly have had to get them on your own +account, and I would have been the one to benefit." + +"Didn't I forget? I did," rejoined the married woman as she smiled; "and +it's only a few minutes back that it came to my mind; had I been one +second later I wouldn't have been in time to get the things." + +These words ended, she took over the order and went off. Entries had, at +the time to be made in the books, and orders to be issued, and Ch'in +Chung was induced to interpose with a smirk, "In both these mansions of +yours, such orders are alike in use; but were any outsider stealthily to +counterfeit one and to abscond, after getting the money, what could ever +be done?" + +"In what you say," replied lady Feng, "you take no account of the laws +of the land." + +"How is it that from our house, no one comes to get any orders or to +obtain anything?" Pao-yue having inquired: "At the time they come to +fetch them," rejoined lady Feng, "you're still dreaming; but let me ask +you one thing, when will you two at last begin your evening course of +studies?" + +"Oh, I wish we were able to begin our studies this very day," Pao-yue +added; "that would be the best thing, but they're very slow in putting +the school-room in order, so that there's no help for it!" + +Lady Feng laughed. "Had you asked me," she remarked, "I can assure you +it would have been ready quick enough." + +"You too would have been of no use," observed Pao-yue, "for it will +certainly be ready by the time they ought to finish it in." + +"But in order that they should do the work," suggested lady Feng, "it's +also necessary that they should have the material, they can't do without +them; and if I don't give them any permits, it will be difficult to +obtain them." + +Pao-yue at these words readily drew near to lady Feng, and there and then +applied for the permits. "My dear sister," he added, "do give them the +permits to enable them to obtain the material and effect the repairs." + +"I feel quite sore from fatigue," ventured lady Feng, "and how can I +stand your rubbing against me? but compose your mind. They have this +very day got the paper, and gone to paste it; and would they, for +whatever they need, have still waited until they had been sent for? they +are not such fools after all!" + +Pao-yue would not believe it, and lady Feng at once called Ts'ai Ming to +look up the list, which she handed for Pao-yue's inspection; but while +they were arguing a servant came in to announce that Chao Erh, who had +gone to Su Chow, had returned, and lady Feng all in a flurry directed +that he should be asked to walk in. Chao Erh bent one knee and paid his +obeisance. + +"Why have you come back?" lady Feng readily inquired. + +"Mr. Secundus (Chia Lien)," he reported, "sent me back to tell you that +Mr. Lin (our dowager lady's) son-in-law, died on the third of the ninth +moon; that Master Secundus is taking Miss Lin along with him to escort +the coffin of Mr. Lin as far as Su Chow; and that they hope to be back +some time about the end of the year. Master despatched me to come and +announce the news, to bring his compliments, and to crave our old lady's +instructions as well as to see how you are getting on in my lady's home. +He also bade me take back to him a few long fur pelisses." + +"Have you seen any one else besides me?" lady Feng inquired. + +"I've seen every one," rejoined Chao Erh; and withdrew hastily at the +conclusion of this remark, out of the apartment, while lady Feng turned +towards Pao-yue with a smile and said, "Your cousin Lin can now live in +our house for ever." + +"Poor thing!" exclaimed Pao-yue. "I presume that during all these days +she has wept who knows how much;" and saying this he wrinkled his brow +and heaved a deep sigh. + +Lady Feng saw Chao Erh on his return, but as she could not very well, in +the presence of third persons, make minute inquiries after Chia Lien, +she had to continue a prey to inward solicitude till it was time to go +home, for, not having got through what she had to do, she was compelled +to wait patiently until she went back in the evening, when she again +sent word for Chao Erh to come in, and asked him with all minuteness +whether the journey had been pleasant throughout, and for full +particulars. That very night, she got in readiness the long pelisses, +which she herself, with the assistance of P'ing Erh, packed up in a +bundle; and after careful thought as to what things he would require, +she put them in the same bundle and committed them to Chao Erh's care. +She went on to solicitously impress upon Chao Erh to be careful in his +attendance abroad. "Don't provoke your master to wrath," she said, "and +from time to time do advise him not to drink too much wine; and don't +entice him to make the acquaintance of any low people; for if you do, +when you come back I will cut your leg off." + +The preparations were hurriedly and confusedly completed; and it was +already the fourth watch of the night when she went to sleep. But soon +again the day dawned, and after hastily performing her toilette and +ablutions, she came over to the Ning Mansion. + +As Chia Chen realised that the day for escorting the body away was +drawing nigh, he in person went out in a curricle, along with +geomancers, to the Temple of the Iron Fence to inspect a suitable place +for depositing the coffin. He also, point by point, enjoined the +resident managing-bonze, Se K'ung, to mind and get ready brand-new +articles of decoration and furniture, and to invite a considerable +number of bonzes of note to be at hand to lend their services for the +reception of the coffin. + +Se K'ung lost no time in getting ready the evening meal, but Chia Chen +had, in fact, no wish for any tea or rice; and, as the day was far +advanced and he was not in time to enter the city, he had, after all, to +rest during that night as best he could in a "chaste" room in the +temple. The next morning, as soon as it was day, he hastened to come +into the city and to make every preparation for the funeral. He likewise +deputed messengers to proceed ahead to the Temple of the Iron Fence to +give, that very night, additional decorative touches to the place where +the coffin was to be deposited, and to get ready tea and all the other +necessaries, for the use of the persons who would be present at the +reception of the coffin. + +Lady Feng, seeing that the day was not far distant, also apportioned +duties and made provision for everything beforehand with circumspect +care; while at the same time she chose in the Jung mansion, such +carriages, sedan chairs and retinue as were to accompany the cortege, in +attendance upon madame Wang, and gave her mind furthermore to finding a +place where she herself could put up in at the time of the funeral. +About this very time, it happened that the consort of the Duke Shan Kuo +departed this life, and that mesdames Wang and Hsing had likewise to go +and offer sacrifices, and to follow the burial procession; that the +birthday occurred of the consort of Prince Hsi An; that presents had to +be forwarded on the occasion of this anniversary; and that the consort +of the Duke of Chen Kuo gave birth to a first child, a son, and +congratulatory gifts had, in like manner, to be provided. Besides, her +uterine brother Wang Jen was about to return south, with all his family, +and she had too to write her home letters, to send her reverent +compliments to her father and mother, as well as to get the things ready +that were to be taken along. There was also Ying Ch'un, who had +contracted some illness, and the doctor had every day to be sent for, +and medicines to be administered, the notes of the doctor to be looked +after, consisting of the bulletins of the diagnosis and the +prescriptions, with the result that the various things that had to be +attended to by lady Feng were so manifold that it would, indeed, be +difficult to give an exhaustive idea of them. + +In addition to all this, the day for taking the coffin away was close at +hand, so that lady Feng was so hard pressed for time that she had even +no desire for any tea to drink or anything to eat, and that she could +not sit or rest in peace. As soon as she put her foot into the Ning +mansion, the inmates of the Jung mansion would follow close upon her +heels; and the moment she got back into the Jung mansion, the servants +again of the Ning mansion would follow her about. In spite however of +this great pressure, lady Feng, whose natural disposition had ever been +to try and excel, was urged to strain the least of her energies, as her +sole dread was lest she should incur unfavourable criticism from any +one; and so excellent were the plans she devised, that every one in the +clan, whether high or low, readily conceded her unlimited praise. + +On the night of this day, the body had to be watched, and in the inner +suite of apartments two companies of young players as well as jugglers +entertained the relatives, friends and other visitors during the whole +of the night. Mrs. Yu was still laid up in the inside room, so that the +whole task of attending to and entertaining the company devolved upon +lady Feng alone, who had to look after everything; for though there +were, in the whole clan, many sisters-in-law, some there were too +bashful to speak, others too timid to stand on their feet; while there +were also those who were not accustomed to meeting company; and those +likewise who were afraid of people of high estate and shy of officials. +Of every kind there were, but the whole number of them could not come up +to lady Feng's standard, whose deportment was correct and whose speech +was according to rule. Hence it was that she did not even so much as +heed any of that large company, but gave directions and issued orders, +adopting any course of action which she fancied, just as if there were +no bystander. + +The whole night, the lanterns emitted a bright light and the fires +brilliant rays; while guests were escorted on their way out and +officials greeted on their way in; but of this hundredfold bustle and +stir nothing need, of course, be said. + +The next morning at the dawn of day, and at a propitious moment, +sixty-four persons, dressed all alike in blue, carried the coffin, +preceded by a streamer with the record in large characters: Coffin of +lady Ch'in, a lady of the fifth degree, (by marriage) of the Chia +mansion, deceased at middle age, consort of the grandson of the Ning Kuo +Duke with the first rank title of honour, (whose status is) a guard of +the Imperial antechamber, charged with the protection of the Inner +Palace and Roads in the Red Prohibited City. + +The various paraphernalia and ornaments were all brand-new, hurriedly +made for the present occasion, and the uniform lustrous brilliancy they +shed was sufficient to dazzle the eyes. + +Pao-chu, of course, observed the rites prescribed for unmarried +daughters, and dashed the bowl and walked by the coffin, as she gave way +to most bitter lamentations. + +At that time, among the officials who escorted the funeral procession, +were Niu Chi-tsung, the grandson of the Chen Kuo duke, who had now +inherited the status of earl of the first degree; Liu Fang, the grandson +of Liu Piao, duke of Li Kuo, who had recently inherited the rank of +viscount of the first class; Ch'en Jui-wen, a grandson of Ch'en Yi, duke +of Ch'i Kuo, who held the hereditary rank of general of the third +degree, with the prefix of majestic authority; Ma Shang, the grandson of +Ma K'uei, duke of Chih Kuo, by inheritance general of the third rank +with the prefix of majesty afar; Hou Hsiao-keng, an hereditary viscount +of the first degree, grandson of the duke of Hsiu Kuo, Hou Hsiao-ming by +name; while the death of the consort of the duke of Shan Kuo had obliged +his grandson Shih Kuang-chu to go into mourning so that he could not be +present. These were the six families which had, along with the two +households of Jung and Ning, been, at one time, designated the eight +dukes. + +Among the rest, there were besides the grandson of the Prince of Nan An; +the grandson of the Prince of Hsi An; Shih Ting, marquis of Chung Ching; +Chiang Tzu-ning, an hereditary baron of the second grade, grandson of +the earl of P'ing Yuan; Hsieh K'un, an hereditary baron of the second +order and Captain of the Metropolitan camp, grandson of the marquis of +Ting Ch'ang: Hsi Chien-hui, an hereditary baron of the second rank, a +grandson of the marquis of Nang Yang; Ch'in Liang, in command of the +Five Cities, grandson of the marquis of Ching T'ien. The remainder were +Wei Chi, the son of the earl of Chin Hsiang; Feng Tzu-ying, the son of a +general, whose prefix was supernatural martial spirit; Ch'en Yeh-chuen, +Wei Jo-lan and others, grandsons and sons of princes who could not be +enumerated. + +In the way of ladies, there were also in all about ten large official +sedan chairs full of them, thirty or forty private chairs, and including +the official and non-official chairs, and carriages containing inmates +of the household, there must have been over a hundred and ten; so that +with the various kinds of paraphernalia, articles of decoration and +hundreds of nick-nacks, which preceded, the vast expanse of the cortege +covered a continuous line extending over three or four li. + +They had not been very long on their way, when they reached variegated +sheds soaring high by the roadside, in which banquets were spread, +feasts laid out, and music discoursed in unison. These were the viatory +sacrificial offerings contributed by the respective families. The first +shed contained the sacrificial donations of the mansion of the Prince of +Tung P'ing; the second shed those of the Prince of Nan An; the third +those of the Prince of Hsi Ning, and the fourth those of the Prince of +Pei Ching. + +Indeed of these four Princes, the reputation enjoyed in former days by +the Prince of Pei Ching had been the most exalted, and to this day his +sons and grandsons still succeeded to the inheritance of the princely +dignity. The present incumbent of the Princedom of Pei Ching, Shih Jung, +had not as yet come of age, but he was gifted with a presence of +exceptional beauty, and with a disposition condescending and genial. At +the demise, recently, of the consort of the eldest grandson of the +mansion of Ning Kuo, he, in consideration of the friendship which had +formerly existed between the two grandfathers, by virtue of which they +had been inseparable, both in adversity as well as in prosperity, +treating each other as if they had not been of different surnames, was +consequently induced to pay no regard to princely dignity or to his +importance, but having like the others paid, on the previous day, his +condolences and presented sacrificial offerings, he had further now +raised a shed wherein to offer libations. Having directed every one of +his subordinate officers to remain in this spot in attendance, he +himself went at the fifth watch to court, and when he acquitted himself +of his public duties he forthwith changed his attire for a mourning +costume, and came along, in an official sedan chair, preceded by gongs +and umbrellas. Upon reaching the front of the shed the chair was +deposited on the ground, and as his subordinate officers pressed on +either side and waited upon him, neither the military nor the populace, +which composed the mass of people, ventured to make any commotion. In a +short while, the long procession of the Ning mansion became visible, +spreading far and wide, covering in its course from the north, the whole +ground like a silver mountain. At an early hour, the forerunners, +messengers and other attendants on the staff of the Ning mansion +apprised Chia Chen (of the presence of the sheds), and Chia Chen with +all alacrity gave orders that the foremost part of the cortege should +halt. Attended by Chia She and Chia Chen, the three of them came with +hurried step to greet (the Prince of Pei Ching), whom they saluted with +due ceremony. Shih Jung, who was seated in his sedan chair, made a bow +and returned their salutations with a smile, proceeding to address them +and to treat them, as he had done hitherto, as old friends, without any +airs of self-importance. + +"My daughter's funeral has," observed Chia Chen, "put your Highness to +the trouble of coming, an honour which we, though noble by birth, do not +deserve." + +Shih Jung smiled. "With the terms of friendship," he added, "which have +existed for so many generations (between our families), is there any +need for such apologies?" + +Turning his head round there and then, he gave directions to the senior +officer of his household to preside at the sacrifices and to offer +libations in his stead; and Chia She and the others stood together on +one side and made obeisance in return, and then came in person again and +gave expression to their gratitude for his bounty. + +Shih Jung was most affable and complaisant. "Which is the gentleman," he +inquired of Chia Chen, "who was born with a piece of jade in his mouth? +I've long had a wish to have the pleasure of seeing him, and as he's +sure to be on the spot on an occasion like this, why shouldn't you +invite him to come round?" + +Chia Chen speedily drew back, and bidding Pao-yue change his mourning +clothes, he led him forward and presented him. + +Pao-yue had all along heard that Shih Jung was a worthy Prince, perfect +in ability as well as in appearance, pleasant and courteous, not bound +down by any official custom or state rite, so that he had repeatedly +felt a keen desire to meet him. With the sharp control, however, which +his father exercised over him, he had not been able to gratify his wish. +But on this occasion, he saw on the contrary that he came to call him, +and it was but natural that he should be delighted. Whilst advancing, he +scrutinised Shih Jung with the corner of his eye, who, seated as he was +in the sedan chair, presented an imposing sight. + +But, reader, what occurred on his approach is not yet known, but listen +to the next chapter, which will divulge it. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + Lady Peng, nee Wang, exercises her authority in the Iron Fence Temple. + Ch'in Ching-ch'ing (Ch'ing Chung) amuses himself in the Man-t'ou + (Bread) nunnery. + + +But we shall now resume our story. When Pao-yue raised his eyes, he +noticed that Shih Jung, Prince of Pei Ching, wore on his head a princely +cap with pure white tassels and silvery feathers, that he was appareled +in a white ceremonial robe, (with a pattern representing) the toothlike +ripple of a river and the waters of the sea, embroidered with +five-clawed dragons; and that he was girded with a red leather belt, +inlaid with white jade. That his face was like a beauteous gem; that his +eyes were like sparkling stars; and that he was, in very truth, a human +being full of graceful charms. + +Pao-yue hastily pressed forward and made a reverent obeisance, and Shih +Jung lost no time in extending his arms from inside the sedan-chair, and +embracing him. At a glance, he saw that Pao-yue had on his head a silver +cap, to which the hair was attached, that he had, round his forehead, a +flap on which were embroidered a couple of dragons issuing from the sea, +that he wore a white archery-sleeved robe, ornamented with dragons, and +that his waist was encircled by a silver belt, inlaid with pearls; that +his face resembled vernal flowers and that his eyes were like drops of +lacquer. + +Shih Jung smiled. "Your name is," he said, "no trumped-up story; for +you, verily, resemble a precious gem; but where's the valuable trinket +you had in your mouth?" he inquired. + +As soon as Pao-yue heard this inquiry, he hastened to produce the jade +from inside his clothes and to hand it over to Shih Jung. Shih Jung +minutely examined it; and having also read the motto on it, he +consequently ascertained whether it was really efficacious or not. + +"It's true that it's said to be," Pao-yue promptly explained, "but it +hasn't yet been put to the test." + +Shih Jung extolled it with unbounded praise, and, as he did so, he set +the variegated tassels in proper order, and, with his own hands, +attached it on to Pao-yue's neck. Taking also his hand in his, he +inquired of Pao-yue what was his age? and what books he was reading at +present, to each of which questions Pao-yue gave suitable answer. + +Shih Jung perceiving the perspicacity of his speech and the propriety of +his utterances, simultaneously turned towards Chia Chen and observed +with a smile on his face: "Your worthy son is, in very truth, like the +young of a dragon or like the nestling of a phoenix! and this isn't an +idle compliment which I, a despicable prince, utter in your venerable +presence! But how much more glorious will be, in the future, the voice +of the young phoenix than that of the old phoenix, it isn't easy to +ascertain." + +Chia Chen forced a smile: "My cur-like son," he replied, "cannot presume +to such bountiful praise and golden commendation; but if, by the virtue +of your Highness' excess of happiness, he does indeed realise your +words, he will be a source of joy to us all!" + +"There's one thing, however," continued Shih Jung; "with the excellent +abilities which your worthy scion possesses, he's sure, I presume, to be +extremely loved by her dowager ladyship, (his grandmother), and by all +classes. But for young men of our age it's a great drawback to be doated +upon, for with over-fondness, we cannot help utterly frustrating the +benefits of education. When I, a despicable prince, was young, I walked +in this very track, and I presume that your honourable son cannot +likewise but do the same. By remaining at home, your worthy scion will +find it difficult to devote his attention to study; and he will not reap +any harm, were he to come, at frequent intervals, to my humble home; for +though my deserts be small, I nevertheless enjoy the great honour of the +acquaintance of all the scholars of note in the Empire, so that, +whenever any of them visit the capital, not one of them is there who +does not lower his blue eyes upon me. Hence it is that in my mean abode, +eminent worthies rendezvous; and were your esteemed son to come, as +often as he can, and converse with them and meet them, his knowledge +would, in that case, have every opportunity of making daily strides +towards improvement." + +Chia Chen speedily bent his body and expressed his acquiescence, by way +of reply; whereupon Shih Jung went further, and taking off from his +wrist a chaplet of pearls, he presented it to Pao-yue. + +"This is the first time we meet," he observed. "Our meeting was so +unexpected that I have no suitable congratulatory present to offer you. +This was conferred upon me by His Majesty, and is a string of +chaplet-pearls, scented with Ling Ling, which will serve as a temporary +token of respectful congratulations." + +Pao-yue hastened to receive it from his hands, and turning round, he +reverently presented it to Chia Chen. Chia Chen and Pao-yue jointly +returned thanks; and forthwith Chia She, Chia Chen and the rest came +forward in a body, and requested the Prince to turn his chair homewards. + +"The departed," expostulated Shih Jung, "has already ascended the +spiritual regions, and is no more a mortal being in this dusty world +exposed to vicissitude like you and I. Although a mean prince like me +has been the recipient of the favour of the Emperor, and has +undeservedly been called to the princely inheritance, how could I +presume to go before the spiritual hearse and return home?" + +Chia She and the others, perceiving how persistent he was in his refusal +had no course but to take their leave, express their sense of gratitude +and to rejoin the cortege. They issued orders to their servants to stop +the band, and to hush the music, and making the procession go by, they +at length left the way clear for Shih Jung to prosecute his way. + +But we will now leave him and resume our account of the funeral of the +Ning mansion. All along its course the road was plunged in unusual +commotion. As soon as they reached the city gates Chia She, Chia Cheng, +Chia Chen, and the others again received donations from all their fellow +officers and subordinates, in sacrificial sheds erected by their +respective families, and after they returned thanks to one after +another, they eventually issued from the city walls, and proceeded +eventually along the highway, in the direction of the Temple of the Iron +Fence. + +Chia Chen, at this time, went, together with Chia Jung, up to all their +seniors, and pressed them to get into their sedan chairs, and to ride +their horses; and Chia She and all of the same age as himself were +consequently induced to mount into their respective carriages or chairs. +Chia Chen and those of the same generation were likewise about to ride +their horses, when lady Feng, through her solicitude on Pao-yue's +account, gave way to fears lest now that they had reached the open +country, he should do as he pleased, and not listen to the words of any +of the household, and lest Chia Chen should not be able to keep him in +check; and, as she dreaded that he might go astray, she felt compelled +to bid a youth call him to her; and Pao-yue had no help but to appear +before her curricle. + +"My dear brother," lady Feng remarked smiling, "you are a respectable +person, and like a girl in your ways, and shouldn't imitate those +monkeys on horseback! do get down and let both you and I sit together in +this carriage; and won't that be nice?" + +At these words, Pao-yue readily dismounted and climbed up into the +carriage occupied by lady Feng; and they both talked and laughed, as +they continued their way. + +But not a long time elapsed before two men, on horseback, were seen +approaching from the opposite direction. Coming straight up to lady +Feng's vehicle they dismounted, and said, as they leaned on the sides of +her carriage, "There's a halting place here, and will it not please your +ladyship to have a rest and change?" + +Lady Feng directed them to ask the two ladies Hsing and Wang what they +would like to do, and the two men explained: "These ladies have +signified that they had no desire to rest, and they wish your ladyship +to suit your convenience." + +Lady Feng speedily issued orders that they should have a rest, before +they prosecuted their way, and the servant youth led the harnessed +horses through the crowd of people and came towards the north, while +Pao-yue, from inside the carriage, urgently asked that Mr. Ch'in should +be requested to come. + +Ch'in Chung was at this moment on horseback following in the track of +his father's carriage, when unexpectedly he caught sight of Pao-yue's +page, come at a running pace and invite him to have some refreshment. +Ch'in Chung perceived from a distance that the horse, which Pao-yue had +been riding, walked behind lady Feng's vehicle, as it went towards the +north, with its saddle and bridles all piled up, and readily concluding +that Pao-yue must be in the same carriage with that lady, he too turned +his horse and came over in haste and entered, in their company, the door +of a farm-house. + +This dwelling of the farmer's did not contain many rooms so that the +women and girls had nowhere to get out of the way; and when the village +lasses and country women perceived the bearing and costumes of lady +Feng, Pao-yue, and Ch'in Chung, they were inclined to suspect that +celestial beings had descended into the world. + +Lady Feng entered a thatched house, and, in the first place, asked +Pao-yue and the rest to go out and play. Pao-yue took the hint, and, along +with Ch'in Chung, he led off the servant boys and went to romp all over +the place. + +The various articles in use among the farmers they had not seen before, +with the result that after Pao-yue had inspected them, he thought them +all very strange; but he could neither make out their names nor their +uses. But among the servant boys, there were those who knew, and they +explained to them, one after another, what they were called, as well as +what they were for. As Pao-yue, after this explanation, nodded his head; +"It isn't strange," he said, "that an old writer has this line in his +poetical works, 'Who can realise that the food in a bowl is, grain by +grain, all the fruit of labour.' This is indeed so!" As he spoke, they +had come into another house; and at the sight of a spinning wheel on a +stove-bed, they thought it still more strange and wonderful, but the +servant boys again told them that it was used for spinning the yarn to +weave cloth with, and Pao-yue speedily jumping on to the stove-bed, set +to work turning the wheel for the sake of fun, when a village lass of +about seventeen or eighteen years of age came forward, and asked them +not to meddle with it and spoil it. + +The servant boys promptly stopped her interference; but Pao-yue himself +desisted, as he added: "It's because I hadn't seen one before that I +came to try it for fun." + +"You people can't do it," rejoined the lass, "let me turn it for you to +see." + +Ch'in Chung secretly pulled Pao-yue and remarked, "It's great fun in this +village!" but Pao-yue gave him a nudge and observed, "If you talk +nonsense again, I'll beat you." Watching intently, as he uttered these +words, the village girl who started reeling the thread, and presented, +in very truth, a pretty sight. But suddenly an old woman from the other +side gave a shout. "My girl Secunda, come over at once;" and the lass +discarded the spinning-wheel and hastily went on her way. + +Pao-yue was the while feeling disappointed and unhappy, when he espied a +servant, whom lady Feng had sent, come and call them both in. Lady Feng +had washed her hands and changed her costume; and asked him whether he +would change or not, and Pao-yue, having replied "No! it doesn't matter +after all if I don't change," the female attendants served tea, cakes +and fruits and also poured the scented tea. Lady Feng and the others +drank their tea, and waiting until they had put the various articles by, +and made all the preparations, they promptly started to get into their +carriages. Outside, Wang Erh had got ready tips and gave them to the +people of the farm, and the farm women and all the inmates went up to +them to express their gratitude; but when Pao-yue came to look carefully, +he failed to see anything of the lass who had reeled the thread. But +they had not gone far before they caught sight of this girl Secunda +coming along with a small child in her arms, who, they concluded, was +her young brother, laughing and chatting, in company with a few young +girls. + +Pao-yue could not suppress the voice of love, but being seated in the +carriage, he was compelled to satisfy himself by following her with his +eyes. Soon however the vehicle sped on as rapidly as a cloud impelled by +the wind, so that when he turned his head round, there was already no +vestige to be seen of her; but, while they were bandying words, they had +unexpectedly overtaken the great concourse of the cortege. + +Likewise, at an early stage men were stationed ahead, with Buddhist +drums and gold cymbals, with streamers, and jewelled coverings; and the +whole company of bonzes, belonging to the Iron Fence Temple, had already +been drawn out in a line by the sides of the road. In a short while, +they reached the interior of the temple, where additional sacrifices +were offered and Buddhistic services performed; and where altars had +again been erected to burn incense on. The coffin was deposited in a +side room of the inner court; and Pao Chu got ready a bed-room in which +she could keep her watch. + +In the outer apartments, Chia Chen did the honours among the whole party +of relatives and friends, some of whom asked to be allowed to stay for +their meals, while others at this stage took their leave. And after they +had one by one returned thanks, the dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts +and barons, each in respective batches, (got up to go,) and they kept on +leaving from between 1 and 3 p.m. before they had finally all dispersed. + +In the inner Chambers, the ladies were solely entertained and attended +to by lady Feng. First to make a move were the consorts of officials; +and noon had also come, by the time the whole party of them had taken +their departure. Those that remained were simply a few relatives of the +same clan and others like them, who eventually left after the completion +of the three days' rationalistic liturgies. + +The two ladies Hsing and Wang, well aware at this time that lady Feng +could on no account return home, desired to enter the city at once; and +madame Wang wanted to take Pao-yue home; but Pao-yue, who had, on an +unexpected occasion, come out into the country, entertained, of course, +no wish to go back; and he would agree to nothing else than to stay +behind with lady Feng, so that madame Wang had no alternative but to +hand him over to her charge and to start. + +This Temple of the Iron Fence had, in fact, been erected in days gone +by, at the expense of the two dukes Ning and Jung; and there still +remained up to these days, acres of land, from which were derived the +funds for incense and lights for such occasions, on which the coffins of +any members, old or young, (who died) in the capital, had to be +deposited in this temple; and the inner and outer houses, in this +compound were all kept in readiness and good order, for the +accommodation of those who formed part of the cortege. + +At this time, as it happened, the descendants mustered an immense crowd, +and among them were poor and rich of various degrees, or with likes and +dislikes diametrically opposed. There were those, who, being in +straitened circumstances at home, and easily contented, readily took up +their quarters in the temple. And there were those with money and +position, and with extravagant ideas, who maintained that the +accommodation in the temple was not suitable, and, of course, went in +search of additional quarters, either in country houses, or in convents, +where they could have their meals and retire, after the ceremonies were +over. + +On the occasion of Mrs. Ch'in's funeral, all the members of the clan put +up temporarily in the Iron Fence Temple; lady Feng alone looked down +upon it as inconvenient, and consequently despatched a servant to go and +tell Ch'ing Hsue, a nun in the Bread Convent, to empty two rooms for her +to go and live in. + +This Bread Convent had at one time been styled the Shui Yueh nunnery +(water moon); but as good bread was made in that temple, it gave rise to +this nickname. + +This convent was not very distant from the Temple of the Iron Fence, so +that as soon as the bonzes brought their functions to a close, and the +sacrifice of evening was offered, Chia Chen asked Chia Jung to request +lady Feng to retire to rest; and as lady Feng perceived that there still +remained several sisters-in-law to keep company to the female relatives, +she readily, of her own accord, took leave of the whole party, and, +along with Pao-yue and Ch'in Chung, came to the Water Moon Convent. + +Ch'in Yeh, it must be noticed, was advanced in years and a victim to +many ailments, so that he was unable to remain in the temple long, and +he bade Ch'in Chung tarry until the coffin had been set in its resting +place, with the result that Ch'in Chung came along, at the same time as +lady Feng and Pao-yue, to the Water Moon Convent, where Ch'ing Hsue +appeared, together with two neophytes, Chih Shan and Chih Neng, to +receive them. After they had exchanged greetings, lady Feng and the +others entered the "chaste" apartments to change their clothes and wash +their hands; and when they had done, as she perceived how much taller in +stature Chih Neng had grown and how much handsomer were her features, +she felt prompted to inquire, "How is it that your prioress and +yourselves haven't been all these days as far as our place?" + +"It's because during these days we haven't had any time which we could +call our own," explained Ch'ing Hsue. "Owing to the birth of a son in Mr. +Hu's mansion, dame Hu sent over about ten taels and asked that we should +invite several head-nuns to read during three days the service for the +churching of women, with the result that we've been so very busy and had +so little leisure, that we couldn't come over to pay our respects to +your ladyship." + +But leaving aside the old nun, who kept lady Feng company, we will now +return to the two lads Pao-yue and Ch'in Chung. They were up to their +pranks in the main building of the convent, when seeing Chih Neng come +over: "Here's Neng Erh," Pao-yue exclaimed with a smile. + +"Why notice a creature like her?" remarked Ch'in Chung; to which Pao-yue +rejoined laughingly: "Don't be sly! why then did you the other day, when +you were in the old lady's rooms, and there was not a soul present, hold +her in your arms? and do you want to fool me now ?" + +"There was nothing of the kind," observed Ch'in Chung smiling. + +"Whether there was or not," replied Pao-yue, "doesn't concern me; but if +you will stop her and tell her to pour a cup of tea and bring it to me +to drink, I'll then keep hands off." + +"This is indeed very strange!" Ch'in Chung answered laughing; "do you +fear that if you told her to pour you one, that she wouldn't; and what +need is there that I should tell her?" + +"If I ask her," Pao-yue observed, "to pour it, she wouldn't be as ready +as she would were you to tell her about it." + +Ch'in Chung had no help but to speak. "Neng Erh!" he said, "bring a cup +of tea." + +This Neng Erh had, since her youth, been in and out of the Jung mansion, +so that there was no one that she did not know; and she had also, time +after time, romped and laughed with Pao-yue and Ch'in Chung. Being now +grown up she gradually came to know the import of love, and she readily +took a fancy to Ch'in Chung, who was an amorous being. Ch'in Chung too +returned her affection, on account of her good looks; and, although he +and she had not had any very affectionate tete-a-tetes, they had, +however, long ago come to understand each other's feelings and wishes. + +Chih Neng walked away and returned after having poured the tea. + +"Give it to me," Ch'in Chung cried out smirkingly; while Pao-yue likewise +shouted: "Give it to me." + +Chih Neng compressed her lips and sneeringly rejoined, "Are you going to +have a fight even over a cup of tea? Is it forsooth likely that there's +honey in my hand?" + +Pao-yue was the first to grasp and take over the cup, but while drinking +it, he was about to make some inquiry, when he caught sight of Chih +Shan, who came and called Chih Neng away to go and lay the plates with +fruit on the table. Not much time elapsed before she came round to +request the two lads to go and have tea and refreshments; but would they +eat such things as were laid before them? They simply sat for a while +and came out again and resumed their play. + +Lady Feng too stayed for a few moments, and then returned, with the old +nun as her escort, into the "unsullied" rooms to lie down. By this time, +all the matrons and married women discovered that there was nothing else +to be done, and they dispersed in succession, retiring each to rest. +There only remained in attendance several young girls who enjoyed her +confidence, and the old nun speedily availed herself of the opportunity +to speak. "I've got something," she said, "about which I mean to go to +your mansion to beg of madame Wang; but I'll first request you, my lady, +to tell me how to set to work." + +"What's it?" ascertained lady Feng. + +"O-mi-to-fu!" exclaimed the old nun, "It's this; in days gone by, I +first lived in the Ch'ang An district. When I became a nun and entered +the monastery of Excellent Merit, there lived, at that time, a +subscriber, Chang by surname, a very wealthy man. He had a daughter, +whose infant name was Chin Ko; the whole family came in the course of +that year to the convent I was in, to offer incense, and as luck would +have it they met Li Ya-nei, a brother of a secondary wife of the Prefect +of the Ch'ang An Prefecture. This Li Ya-nei fell in love at first sight +with her, and would wed Chin Ko as his wife. He sent go-betweens to ask +her in marriage, but, contrary to his expectations, Chin Ko had already +received the engagement presents of the son of the ex-Major of the +Ch'ang An Prefecture. The Chang family, on the other hand, were afraid +that if they withdrew from the match, the Major would not give up his +claim, and they therefore replied that she was already promised to +another. But, who would have thought it, this Mr. Li was seriously bent +upon marrying the young lady. But while the Chang family were at a loss +what plan to devise, and both parties were in a dilemma, the family of +the Major came unexpectedly to hear of the news; and without even +looking thoroughly into the matter, they there and then had recourse to +insult and abuse. 'Is a girl,' they insinuated, 'to be promised to the +sons of several families!' And obstinately refusing to allow the +restitution of the betrothal presents, they at once had recourse to +litigation and brought an action (against the girl's people.) That +family was at their wits' end, and had no alternative but to find some +one to go to the capital to obtain means of assistance; and, losing all +patience, they insisted upon the return of the presents. I believe that +the present commander of the troops at Ch'ang An, Mr. Yuen, is on +friendly terms with your honourable family, and could one solicit madame +Wang to put in a word with Mr. Chia Cheng to send a letter and ask Mr. +Yuen to speak to that Major, I have no fear that he will not agree. +Should (your ladyship) be willing to take action, the Chang family are +even ready to present all they have, though it may entail the ruin of +their estate." + +"This affair is, it's true, of no great moment," lady Feng replied +smiling, after hearing this appeal; "but the only thing is that madame +Wang does no longer attend to matters of this nature." + +"If madame doesn't heed them," suggested the old nun, "you, my lady, can +safely assume the direction." + +"I'm neither in need of any money to spend," added lady Feng with a +smirk, "nor do I undertake such matters!" + +These words did not escape Ching Hsue's ear; they scattered to the winds +her vain hopes. After a minute or so she heaved a sigh. + +"What you say may be true enough," she remarked; "but the Chang family +are also aware that I mean to come and make my appeal to your mansion; +and were you now not to manage this affair, the Chang family having no +idea that the lack of time prevents any steps being taken and that no +importance is attached to their presents, it will appear, on the +contrary, as if there were not even this little particle of skill in +your household." + +At these words lady Feng felt at once inspirited. "You've known of old," +she added, "that I've never had any faith in anything concerning +retribution in the Court of Judgment in the unseen or in hell; and that +whatever I say that I shall do, that I do; tell them therefore to bring +three thousand taels; and I shall then remedy this grievance of theirs." + +The old nun upon hearing this remark was so exceedingly delighted, that +she precipitately exclaimed, "They've got it, they've got it! there will +be no difficulty about it." + +"I'm not," lady Feng went on to add, "like those people, who afford help +and render assistance with an eye to money; these three thousand taels +will be exclusively devoted for the travelling expenses of those youths, +who will be sent to deliver messages and for them to make a few cash for +their trouble; but as for me I don't want even so much as a cash. In +fact I'm able at this very moment to produce as much as thirty thousand +taels." + +The old nun assented with alacrity, and said by way of reply, "If that +be so, my lady, do display your charitable bounty at once to-morrow and +bring things to an end." + +"Just see," remarked lady Feng, "how hard pressed I am; which place can +do without me? but since I've given you my word, I shall, needless to +say, speedily bring the matter to a close." + +"A small trifle like this," hinted the old nun, "would, if placed in the +hands of any one else, flurry her to such an extent that she would be +quite at a loss what to do; but in your hands, my lady, even if much +more were superadded, it wouldn't require as much exertion as a wave of +your hand. But the proverb well says: 'that those who are able have much +to do;' for madame Wang, seeing that your ladyship manages all concerns, +whether large or small, properly, has still more shoved the burden of +everything on your shoulders, my lady; but you should, it's but right, +also take good care of your precious health." + +This string of flattery pleased lady Feng more and more, so that +heedless of fatigue she went on to chat with still greater zest. + +But, thing unthought of, Ch'in Chung availed himself of the darkness, as +well as of the absence of any one about, to come in quest of Chih Neng. +As soon as he reached the room at the back, he espied Chih Neng all +alone inside washing the tea cups; and Ch'in Chung forthwith seized her +in his arms and implanted kisses on her cheek. Chih Neng got in a +dreadful state, and stamping her feet, cried, "What are you up to?" and +she was just on the point of shouting out, when Ch'in Chung rejoined: +"My dear girl! I'm nearly dead from impatience, and if you don't again +to-day accept my advances, I shall this very moment die on this spot." + +"What you're bent upon," added Chih Neng, "can't be effected; not unless +you wait until I've left this den and parted company from these people, +when it will be safe enough." + +"This is of course easy enough!" remonstrated Ch'in Chung; "but the +distant water cannot extinguish the close fire!" + +As he spoke, with one puff, he put out the light, plunging the whole +room in pitch darkness; and seizing Chih Neng, he pushed her on to the +stove-couch and started a violent love affair. Chih Neng could not, +though she strained every nerve, escape his importunities; nor could she +very well shout, so that she felt compelled to humour him; but while he +was in the midst of his ecstatic joy, they perceived a person walk in, +who pressed both of them down, without uttering even so much as a sound, +and plunged them both in such a fright that their very souls flew away +and their spirits wandered from their bodies; and it was after the third +party had burst out laughing with a spurting sound that they eventually +became aware that it was Pao-yue; when, springing to his feet +impetuously, Ch'in Chung exclaimed full of resentment, "What's this that +you're up to!" + +"If you get your monkey up," retorted Pao-yue, "why, then let you and I +start bawling out;" which so abashed Chih Neng that she availed herself +of the gloomy light to make her escape; while Pao-yue had dragged Ch'in +Chung out of the room and asked, "Now then, do you still want to play +the bully!" + +"My dear fellow," pleaded Ch'in Chung smilingly, "whatever you do don't +shout out and let every one know; and all you want, I'll agree to." + +"We needn't argue just now," Pao-yue observed with a grin; "wait a while, +and when all have gone to sleep, we can minutely settle accounts +together." + +Soon it was time to ease their clothes, and go to bed; and lady Feng +occupied the inner room; Ch'in Chung and Pao-yue the outer; while the +whole ground was covered with matrons of the household, who had spread +their bedding, and sat watching. As lady Feng entertained fears that the +jade of Spiritual Perception might be lost, she waited until Pao-yue fell +asleep, when having directed a servant to bring it to her, she placed it +under the side of her own pillow. + +What accounts Pao-yue settled with Ch'in Chung cannot be ascertained; and +as in the absence of any positive proof what is known is based upon +surmises, we shall not venture to place it on record. + +Nothing worth noticing occurred the whole night; but the next day, as +soon as the morning dawned, dowager lady Chia and madame Wang promptly +despatched servants to come and see how Pao-yue was getting on; and to +tell him likewise to put on two pieces of extra clothing, and that if +there was nothing to be done it would be better for him to go back. + +But was it likely that Pao-yue would be willing to go back? Besides Ch'in +Chung, in his inordinate passion for Chih Neng, instigated Pao-yue to +entreat lady Feng to remain another day. Lady Feng pondered in her own +mind that, although the most important matters connected with the +funeral ceremonies had been settled satisfactorily, there were still a +few minor details, for which no provision had been made, so that could +she avail herself of this excuse to remain another day would she not win +from Chia Chen a greater degree of approbation, in the second place, +would she not be able further to bring Ch'ing Hsue's business to an +issue, and, in the third place, to humour Pao-yue's wish? In view of +these three advantages, which would accrue, "All that I had to do, I +have done," she readily signified to Pao-yue, "and if you be bent upon +running about in here, you'll unavoidably place me in still greater +trouble; so that we must for certain start homewards to-morrow." + +"My dear cousin, my own dear cousin," urgently entreated Pao-yue, when he +heard these words, "let's stay only this one day, and to-morrow we can +go back without fail." + +They actually spent another night there, and lady Feng availed herself +of their stay to give directions that the case which had been entrusted +to her the previous day by the old nun should be secretly communicated +to Lai Wang Erh. Lai Wang's mind grasped the import of all that was said +to him, and, having entered the city with all despatch, he went in +search of the gentleman, who acted as secretary (in Mr. Yuen's office), +pretending that he had been directed by Mr. Chia Lien to come and ask +him to write a letter and to send it that very night to the Ch'ang An +magistrate. The distance amounted to no more than one hundred li, so +that in the space of two days everything was brought to a satisfactory +settlement. The general, whose name was Yuen Kuang, had been for a long +time under obligations to the Chia family, so that he naturally could +not refuse his co-operation in such small trifles. When he had handed +his reply, Wang Erh started on his way back; where we shall leave him +and return to lady Feng. + +Having spent another day, she on the morrow took leave of the old nun, +whom she advised to come to the mansion after the expiry of three days +to fetch a reply. + +Ch'in Chung and Chih Neng could not, by any means, brook the separation, +and they secretly agreed to a clandestine assignation; but to these +details we need not allude with any minuteness; sufficient to say that +they had no alternative but to bear the anguish and to part. + +Lady Feng crossed over again to the temple of the Iron Fence and +ascertained how things were progressing. But as Pao Chu was obstinate in +her refusal to return home, Chia Chen found himself under the necessity +of selecting a few servants to act as her companions. But the reader +must listen to what is said in the next chapter by way of explanation. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + Chia Yuan-ch'un is, on account of her talents, selected to enter the + Feng Ts'ao Palace. + Ch'in Ching-ch'ing departs, in the prime of life, by the yellow spring + road. + + +But we must now return to the two lads, Ch'in Chung and Pao-yue. After +they had passed, along with lady Feng from the Temple of the Iron Fence, +whither she had gone to see how things were getting on, they entered the +city in their carriages. On their arrival at home, they paid their +obeisance to dowager lady Chia, madame Wang and the other members of the +family, whence they returned to their own quarters, where nothing worth +mentioning transpired during the night. + +On the next day, Pao-yue perceiving that the repairs to the outer +schoolroom had been completed, settled with Ch'in Chung that they should +have evening classes. But as it happened that Ch'in Chung, who was +naturally of an extremely delicate physique, caught somewhat of a chill +in the country and clandestinely indulged, besides, in an intimacy with +Chih Neng, which unavoidably made him fail to take good care of himself, +he was, shortly after his return, troubled with a cough and a feverish +cold, with nausea for drink and food, and fell into such an extremely +poor state of health that he simply kept indoors and nursed himself, and +was not in a fit condition to go to school. Pao-yue's spirits were +readily damped, but as there was likewise no remedy he had no other +course than to wait until his complete recovery, before he could make +any arrangements. + +Lady Feng had meanwhile received a reply from Yuen Kuang, in which he +informed her that everything had been satisfactorily settled, and the +old nun apprised the Chang family that the major had actually suppressed +his indignation, hushed his complaints, and taken back the presents of +the previous engagement. But who would have ever anticipated that a +father and mother, whose hearts were set upon position and their +ambition upon wealth, could have brought up a daughter so conscious of +propriety and so full of feeling as to seize the first opportunity, +after she had heard that she had been withdrawn from her former +intended, and been promised to the Li family, to stealthily devise a way +to commit suicide, by means of a handkerchief. The son of the Major, +upon learning that Chin Ko had strangled herself, there and then jumped +into the river and drowned himself, as he too was a being full of love. +The Chang and Li families were, sad to relate, very much cut up, and, in +very truth, two lives and money had been sacrificed all to no use. + +Lady Feng, however, during this while, quietly enjoyed the three +thousand taels, and madame Wang did not have even so much as the +faintest idea of the whole matter. But ever since this occasion, lady +Feng's audacity acquired more and more strength; and the actions of this +kind, which she, in after days, performed, defy enumeration. + +One day, the very day on which Chia Cheng's birthday fell, while the +members of the two households of Ning and Jung were assembled together +offering their congratulations, and unusual bustle and stir prevailed, a +gatekeeper came in, at quite an unexpected moment, to announce that Mr. +Hsia, Metropolitan Head Eunuch of the six palaces, had come with the +special purpose of presenting an edict from his Majesty; a bit of news +which plunged Chia She, Chia Cheng and the whole company into great +consternation, as they could not make out what was up. Speedily +interrupting the theatrical performance, they had the banquet cleared, +and the altar laid out with incense, and opening the centre gate they +fell on their knees to receive the edict. + +Soon they caught sight of the head eunuch, Hsia Ping-chung, advancing on +horseback, and besides himself, a considerable retinue of eunuchs. The +eunuch Hsia did not, in fact, carry any mandate or present any decree; +but straightway advancing as far as the main hall, he dismounted, and, +with a face beaming with smiles, he walked into the Hall and took his +stand on the southern side. + +"I have had the honour," he said, "of receiving a special order to at +once summon Chia Cheng to present himself at Court and be admitted in +His Majesty's presence in the Lin Ching Hall." + +When he had delivered this message, he did not so much as take any tea, +but forthwith mounted his horse and took his leave. + +Chia Cheng and the others could not even conceive what omen this summons +implied, but he had no alternative but to change his clothes with all +haste and to present himself at Court, while dowager lady Chia and the +inmates of the whole household were, in their hearts, a prey to such +perplexity and uncertainty that they incessantly despatched messengers +on flying steeds to go and bring the news. + +After the expiry of four hours, they suddenly perceived Lai Ta and three +or four other butlers run in, quite out of breath, through the +ceremonial gate and report the glad tidings. "We have received," they +added, "our master's commands, to hurriedly request her venerable +ladyship to take madame Wang and the other ladies into the Palace, to +return thanks for His Majesty's bounty;" and other words to the same +purport. + +Dowager lady Chia was, at this time, standing, with agitated heart, +under the verandah of the Large Hall waiting for tidings, whilst the two +ladies, mesdames Hsing and Wang, Mrs. Yu, Li Wan, lady Feng, Ying Ch'un +and her sisters, even up to Mrs. Hsueeh and the rest, were congregated in +one place ascertaining what was the news. Old lady Chia likewise called +Lai Ta in and minutely questioned him as to what had happened. "Your +servants," replied Lai Ta, "simply stood waiting outside the Lin Chuang +gate, so that we were in total ignorance of what was going on inside, +when presently the Eunuch Hsia came out and imparted to us the glad +tidings; telling us that the eldest of the young ladies in our household +had been raised, by His Majesty, to be an overseer in the Feng Ts'ao +Palace, and that he had, in addition, conferred upon her the rank of +worthy and virtuous secondary consort. By and by, Mr. Chia Cheng came +out and also told us the same thing. Master is now gone back again to +the Eastern Palace, whither he requests your venerable ladyship to go at +once and offer thanks for the Imperial favour." + +When old lady Chia and the other members of the family heard these +tidings they were at length reassured in their minds, and so elated were +they all in one moment that joy was visible in their very faces. Without +loss of time, they commenced to don the gala dresses suitable to their +rank; which done, old lady Chia led the way for the two ladies, mesdames +Hsing and Wang, as well as for Mrs. Yu; and their official chairs, four +of them in all, entered the palace like a trail of fish; while Chia She +and Chia Chen, who had likewise changed their clothes for their court +dress, took Chia Se and Chia Jung along and proceeded in attendance upon +dowager lady Chia. + +Indeed, of the two households of Ning and Jung, there was not one, +whether high or low, woman or man, who was not in a high state of +exultation, with the exception of Pao-yue, who behaved just as if the +news had not reached his ears; and can you, reader, guess why? The fact +is that Chih Neng, of the Water Moon Convent, had recently entered the +city in a surreptitious manner in search of Ch'in Chung; but, contrary +to expectation, her visit came to be known by Ch'in Yeh, who drove Chih +Neng away and laid hold of Ch'in Chung and gave him a flogging. But this +outburst of temper of his brought about a relapse of his old complaint, +with the result that in three or five days, he, sad to say, succumbed. +Ch'in Chung had himself ever been in a delicate state of health and had +besides received a caning before he had got over his sickness, so that +when he now saw his aged father pass away from the consequences of a fit +of anger, he felt, at this stage, so full of penitence and distress that +the symptoms of his illness were again considerably aggravated. Hence it +was that Pao-yue was downcast and unhappy at heart, and that nothing +could, in spite of the promotion of Yuan Ch'un by imperial favour, +dispel the depression of his spirits. + +Dowager lady Chia and the rest in due course offered thanks and returned +home, the relatives and friends came to present their congratulations, +great stir and excitement prevailed during these few days in the two +mansions of Ning and Jung, and every one was in high glee; but he alone +looked upon everything as if it were nothing; taking not the least +interest in anything; and as this reason led the whole family to sneer +at him, the result was that he got more and more doltish. + +Luckily, however, Chia Lien and Tai-yue were on their way back, and had +despatched messengers, in advance, to announce the news that they would +be able to reach home the following day, so that when Pao-yue heard the +tidings, he was at length somewhat cheered. And when he came to +institute minute inquiries, he eventually found out: "that Chia Yue-ts'un +was also coming to the capital to have an audience with His Majesty, +that it was entirely because Wang Tzu-t'eng had repeatedly laid before +the Throne memorials recommending him that he was coming on this +occasion to wait in the metropolis for a vacancy which he could fill up; +that as he was a kinsman of Chia Lien's, acknowledging the same +ancestors as he did, and he stood, on the other hand, with Tai-yue, in +the relationship of tutor and pupil, he was in consequence following the +same road and coming as their companion; that Lin Ju-hai had already +been buried in the ancestral vault, and that every requirement had been +attended to with propriety; that Chia Lien, on this voyage to the +capital, would, had he progressed by the ordinary stages, have been over +a month before he could reach home, but that when he came to hear the +good news about Yuan Ch'un, he pressed on day and night to enter the +capital; and that the whole journey had been throughout, in every +respect, both pleasant and propitious." + +But Pao-yue merely ascertained whether Tai-yue was all right, and did not +even so much as trouble his mind with the rest of what he heard; and he +remained on the tiptoe of expectation, till noon of the morrow; when, in +point of fact, it was announced that Mr. Lien, together with Miss Lin, +had made their entrance into the mansion. When they came face to face, +grief and joy vied with each other; and they could not help having a +good cry for a while; after which followed again expressions of sympathy +and congratulations; while Pao-yue pondered within himself that Tai-yue +had become still more surpassingly handsome. + +Tai-yue had also brought along with her a good number of books, and she +promptly gave orders that the sleeping rooms should be swept, and that +the various nicknacks should be put in their proper places. She further +produced a certain quantity of paper, pencils and other such things, and +distributed them among Pao Ch'ai, Ying Ch'un, Pao-yue and the rest; and +Pao-yue also brought out, with extreme care, the string of Ling-ling +scented beads, which had been given to him by the Prince of Pei Ching, +and handed them, in his turn, to Tai-yue as a present. + +"What foul man has taken hold of them?" exclaimed Tai-yue. "I don't want +any such things;" and as she forthwith dashed them down, and would not +accept them, Pao-yue was under the necessity of taking them back. But for +the time being we will not allude to them, but devote our attention to +Chia Lien. + +Having, after his arrival home, paid his salutations to all the inmates, +he retired to his own quarters at the very moment that lady Feng had +multifarious duties to attend to, and had not even a minute to spare; +but, considering that Chia Lien had returned from a distant journey, she +could not do otherwise than put by what she had to do, and to greet him +and wait on him. + +"Imperial uncle," she said, in a jocose manner, when she realised that +there was no outsider present in the room, "I congratulate you! What +fatigue and hardship you, Imperial uncle, have had to bear throughout +the whole journey, your humble servant heard yesterday, when the courier +sent ahead came and announced that Your Highness would this day reach +this mansion. I have merely got ready a glass of mean wine for you to +wipe down the dust with, but I wonder, whether Your Highness will deign +to bestow upon it the lustre of your countenance, and accept it." + +Chia Lien smiled. "How dare I presume to such an honour," he added by +way of rejoinder; "I'm unworthy of such attention! Many thanks, many +thanks." + +P'ing Erh and the whole company of waiting-maids simultaneously paid +their obeisance to him, and this ceremony concluded, they presented tea. +Chia Lien thereupon made inquiries about the various matters, which had +transpired in their home after his departure, and went on to thank lady +Feng for all the trouble she had taken in the management of them. + +"How could I control all these manifold matters," remarked lady Feng; +"my experience is so shallow, my speech so dull and my mind so simple, +that if any one showed me a club, I would mistake it for a pin. Besides, +I'm so tender-hearted that were any one to utter a couple of glib +remarks, I couldn't help feeling my heart give way to compassion and +sympathy. I've had, in addition, no experience in any weighty questions; +my pluck is likewise so very small that when madame Wang has felt in the +least displeased, I have not been able to close my eyes and sleep. +Urgently did I more than once resign the charge, but her ladyship +wouldn't again agree to it; maintaining, on the contrary, that my object +was to be at ease, and that I was not willing to reap experience. +Leaving aside that she doesn't know that I take things so much to heart, +that I can scoop the perspiration in handfuls, that I daren't utter one +word more than is proper, nor venture to recklessly take one step more +than I ought to, you know very well which of the women servants, in +charge of the menage in our household, is easy to manage! If ever I make +the slightest mistake, they laugh at me and poke fun at me; and if I +incline a little one way, they show their displeasure by innuendoes; +they sit by and look on, they use every means to do harm, they stir up +trouble, they stand by on safe ground and look on and don't give a +helping hand to lift any one they have thrown over, and they are, one +and all of them, old hands in such tricks. I'm moreover young in years +and not able to keep people in check, so that they naturally don't show +any regard for me! What is still more ridiculous is that after the death +of Jung Erh's wife in that mansion, brother Chen, time and again, begged +madame Wang, on his very knees, to do him the favour to ask me to lend +him a hand for several days. I repeatedly signified my refusal, but her +ladyship gave her consent in order to oblige him, so that I had no help +but to carry out her wish; putting, as is my wont, everything +topsy-turvey, and making matters worse than they were; with the result +that brother Chen up to this day bears me a grudge and regrets having +asked for my assistance. When you see him to-morrow, do what you can to +excuse me by him. 'Young as she is,' tell him, 'and without experience +of the world, who ever could have instigated Mr. Chia Cheng to make such +a mistake as to choose her.'" + +While they were still chatting, they heard people talking in the outer +apartments, and lady Feng speedily inquired who it was. P'ing Erh +entered the room to reply. "Lady Hsueeh," she said, "has sent sister +Hsiang Ling over to ask me something; but I've already given her my +answer and sent her back." + +"Quite so," interposed Chia Lien with a smile. "A short while ago I went +to look up Mrs. Hsueeh and came face to face with a young girl, whose +features were supremely perfect, and as I suspected that, in our +household, there was no such person, I asked in the course of +conversation, Mrs. Hsueeh about her, and found out eventually that this +was the young waiting-maid they had purchased on their way to the +capital, Hsiang Ling by name, and that she had after all become an +inmate of the household of that big fool Hsueeh. Since she's had her hair +dressed as a married woman she does look so much more pre-eminently +beautiful! But that big fool Hsueeh has really brought contamination upon +her." + +"Ai!" exclaimed lady Feng, "here you are back from a trip to Suchow and +Hang Chow, where you should have seen something of the world! and have +you still an eye as envious and a heart so covetous? Well, if you wish +to bestow your love on her, there's no difficulty worth speaking of. +I'll take P'ing Erh over and exchange her for her; what do you say to +that? that old brother Hsueeh is also one of those men, who, while eating +what there is in the bowl, keeps an eye on what there is in the pan! For +the last year or so, as he couldn't get Hsiang Ling to be his, he made +ever so many distressing appeals to Mrs. Hsueeh; and Mrs. Hsueeh while +esteeming Hsiang Ling's looks, though fine, as after all a small matter, +(thought) her deportment and conduct so far unlike those of other girls, +so gentle and so demure that almost the very daughters of masters and +mistresses couldn't attain her standard, that she therefore went to the +trouble of spreading a banquet, and of inviting guests, and in open +court, and in the legitimate course, she gave her to him for a secondary +wife. But half a month had scarcely elapsed before he looked upon her +also as a good-for-nothing person as he did upon a large number of them! +I can't however help feeling pity for her in my heart." + +Scarcely had she time to conclude what she had to say when a youth, on +duty at the second gate, transmitted the announcement that Mr. Chia +Cheng was in the Library waiting for Mr. Secundus. At these words, Chia +Lien speedily adjusted his clothes, and left the apartment; and during +his absence, lady Feng inquired of P'ing Erh what Mrs. Hsueeh wanted a +few minutes back, that she sent Hsiang Ling round in such a hurry. + +"What Hsiang Ling ever came?" replied P'ing Erh. "I simply made use of +her name to tell a lie for the occasion. Tell me, my lady, (what's come +to) Wang Erh's wife? why she's got so bad that there's even no common +sense left in her!" Saying this she again drew near lady Feng's side, +and in a soft tone of voice, she continued: "That interest of yours, my +lady, she doesn't send later, nor does she send it sooner; but she must +send it round the very moment when master Secundus is at home! But as +luck would have it, I was in the hall, so that I came across her; +otherwise, she would have walked in and told your ladyship, and Mr. +Secundus would naturally have come to know about it! And our master +would, with that frame of mind of his, have fished it out and spent it, +had the money even been at the bottom of a pan full of oil! and were he +to have heard that my lady had private means, would he not have been +still more reckless in spending? Hence it was that, losing no time in +taking the money over, I had to tell her a few words which, who would +have thought, happened to be overheard by your ladyship; that's why, in +the presence of master Secundus, I simply explained that Hsiang Ling had +come!" + +These words evoked a smile from lady Feng. "Mrs. Hsueh, I thought to +myself," she observed, "knows very well that your Mr. Secundus has come, +and yet, regardless of propriety, she, instead (of keeping her at home), +sends some one over from her inner rooms! and it was you after all, you +vixen, playing these pranks!" + +As she uttered this remark, Chia Lien walked in, and lady Feng issued +orders to serve the wine and the eatables, and husband and wife took +their seats opposite to each other; but notwithstanding that lady Feng +was very partial to drink, she nevertheless did not have the courage to +indulge her weakness, but merely partook of some to keep him company. +Chia Lien's nurse, dame Chao, entered the room, and Chia Lien and lady +Feng promptly pressed her to have a glass of wine, and bade her sit on +the stove-couch, but dame Chao was obstinate in her refusal. P'ing Erh +and the other waiting-maids had at an early hour placed a square stool +next to the edge of the couch, where was likewise a small footstool, and +on this footstool dame Chao took a seat, whereupon Chia Lien chose two +dishes of delicacies from the table, which he handed her to place on the +square stool for her own use. + +"Dame Chao," lady Feng remarked, "couldn't very well bite through that, +for mind it might make her teeth drop! This morning," she therefore +asked of P'ing Erh, "I suggested that that shoulder of pork stewed with +ham was so tender as to be quite the thing to be given to dame Chao to +eat; and how is it you haven't taken it over to her? But go at once and +tell them to warm it and bring it in! Dame Chao," she went on, "just you +taste this Hui Ch'uean wine brought by your foster-son." + +"I'll drink it," replied dame Chao, "but you, my lady, must also have a +cup: what's there to fear? the one thing to guard against is any excess, +that's all! But I've now come over, not for any wine or eatables; on the +contrary, there's a serious matter, which I would ask your ladyship to +impress on your mind, and to show me some regard, for this master of +ours is only good to utter fine words, but when the time (to act) does +come, he forgets all about us! As I have had the good fortune to nurse +him in his infancy and to bring him up to this age, 'I too have grown +old in years,' I said to him, 'and all that belong to me are those two +sons, and do look upon them with some particular favour!' With any one +else I shouldn't have ventured to open my mouth, but him I anyway +entreated time and again on several occasions. His assent was of course +well and good, but up to this very moment he still withholds his help. +Now besides from the heavens has dropped such a mighty piece of good +luck; and in what place will there be no need of servants? that's why I +come to tell you, my lady, as is but right, for were I to depend upon +our master, I fear I shall even die of starvation." + +Lady Feng laughed. "You'd better," she suggested, "put those two elder +foster brothers of his both under my charge! But you've nursed that +foster-son from his babyhood, and don't you yet know that disposition of +his, how that he takes his skin and flesh and sticks it, (not on the +body of a relative), but, on the contrary, on that of an outsider and +stranger? (to Chia Lien.) Which of those foster brothers whom you have +now discarded, isn't clearly better than others? and were you to have +shown them some favour and consideration, who would have ventured to +have said 'don't?' Instead of that, you confer benefits upon thorough +strangers, and all to no purpose whatever! But these words of mine are +also incorrect, eh? for those whom we regard as strangers you, +contrariwise, will treat just as if they were relatives!" + +At these words every one present in the room burst out laughing; even +nurse Chao could not repress herself; and as she invoked Buddha,--"In +very truth," she exclaimed, "in this room has sprung up a kind-hearted +person! as regards relatives and strangers, such foolish distinctions +aren't drawn by our master; and it's simply because he's full of pity +and is tenderhearted that he can't put off any one who gives vent to a +few words of entreaty, and nothing else!" + +"That's quite it!" rejoined lady Feng smiling sarcastically, "to those +whom he looks upon as relatives, he's kindhearted, but with me and his +mother he's as hard as steel." + +"What you say, my lady, is very considerate," remarked nurse Chao, "and +I'm really so full of delight that I'll have another glass of good wine! +and, if from this time forward, your ladyship will act as you think +best, I'll have then nothing to be sorry for!" + +Chia Lien did not at this juncture feel quite at his ease, but he could +do no more than feign a smile. "You people," he said, "should leave off +talking nonsense, and bring the eatables at once and let us have our +meal, as I have still to go on the other side and see Mr. Chia Chen, to +consult with him about business." + +"To be sure you have," ventured lady Feng, "and you shouldn't neglect +your legitimate affairs; but what did Mr. Chia Chen tell you when he +sent for you just a while back?" + +"It was about the visit (of Yuan Ch'un) to her parents," Chia Lien +explained. + +"Has after all permission for the visit been granted?" lady Feng +inquired with alacrity. + +"Though not quite granted," Chia Lien replied joyously, "it's +nevertheless more or less an accomplished fact." + +"This is indeed evidence of the great bounty of the present Emperor!" +lady Feng observed smirkingly; "one doesn't hear in books, or see in +plays, written from time to time, any mention of such an instance, even +so far back as the days of old!" + +Dame Chao took up again the thread of the conversation. "Indeed it's +so!" she interposed; "But I'm in very truth quite stupid from old age, +for I've heard every one, high and low, clamouring during these few +days, something or other about 'Hsing Ch'in' or no 'Hsing Ch'in,' but I +didn't really pay any heed to it; and now again, here's something more +about this 'Hsing Ch'in,' but what's it all about, I wonder?" + +"The Emperor at present on the Throne," explained Chia Lien, "takes into +consideration the feelings of his people. In the whole world, there is +(in his opinion), no more essential thing than filial piety; maintaining +that the feelings of father, mother, son and daughter are +indiscriminately subject to one principle, without any distinction +between honorable and mean. The present Emperor himself day and night +waits upon their majesties his Father and the Empress Dowager, and yet +cannot, in the least degree, carry out to the full his ideal of filial +piety. The secondary consorts, meritorious persons and other inmates of +the Palace, he remembered, had entered within its precincts many years +back, casting aside fathers and mothers, so how could they not help +thinking of them? Besides, the fathers and mothers, who remain at home +must long for their daughters, of whom they cannot get even so much as a +glimpse, and if, through this solicitude, they were to contract any +illness, the harmony of heaven would also be seriously impaired, so for +this reason, he memorialised the Emperor, his father, and the Empress +Dowager that every month, on the recurrence of the second and sixth +days, permission should be accorded to the relatives of the imperial +consorts to enter the palace and make application to see their +daughters. The Emperor, his father, and Empress Dowager were, forthwith, +much delighted by this representation, and eulogised, in high terms, the +piety and generosity of the present Emperor, his regard for the will of +heaven and his research into the nature of things. Both their sacred +Majesties consequently also issued a decree to the effect: that the +entrance of the relatives of the imperial consorts into the Palace could +not but interfere with the dignity of the state, and the rules of +conventional rites, but that as the mothers and daughters could not +gratify the wishes of their hearts, Their Majesties would, after all, +show a high proof of expedient grace, and issue a special command that: +'exclusive of the generous bounty, by virtue of which the worthy +relations of the imperial consorts could enter the palace on the second +and sixth days, any family, having extensive accommodation and separate +courts suitable for the cantonment of the imperial body-guard, could, +without any detriment, make application to the Inner Palace, for the +entrance of the imperial chair into the private residences, to the end +that the personal feelings of relations might be gratified, and that +they should collectively enjoy the bliss of a family reunion.' After the +issue of this decree, who did not leap from grateful joy! The father of +the honourable secondary consort Chou has now already initiated works, +in his residence, for the repairs to the separate courts necessary for +the visiting party. Wu T'ien-yu too, the father of Wu, the distinguished +consort, has likewise gone outside the city walls in search of a +suitable plot of ground; and don't these amount to well-nigh +accomplished facts?" + +"O-mi-to-fu!" exclaimed dame Chao. "Is it really so? but from what you +say, our family will also be making preparations for the reception of +the eldest young lady!" + +"That goes without saying," added Chia Lien, "otherwise, for what +purpose could we be in such a stir just now?" + +"It's of course so!" interposed lady Feng smiling, "and I shall now have +an opportunity of seeing something great of the world. My misfortune is +that I'm young by several years; for had I been born twenty or thirty +years sooner, all these old people wouldn't really be now treating me +contemptuously for not having seen the world! To begin with, the Emperor +Tai Tsu, in years gone by, imitated the old policy of Shun, and went on +a tour, giving rise to more stir than any book could have ever produced; +but I happen to be devoid of that good fortune which could have enabled +me to come in time." + +"Ai ya, ya!" ejaculated dame Chao, "such a thing is rarely met with in a +thousand years! I was old enough at that time to remember the +occurrence! Our Chia family was then at Ku Su, Yangchow and all along +that line, superintending the construction of ocean vessels, and the +repairs to the seaboard. This was the only time in which preparations +were made for the reception of the Emperor, and money was lavished in +quantities as great as the billowing waters of the sea!" + +This subject once introduced, lady Feng took up the thread of the +conversation with vehemence. "Our Wang family," she said, "did also make +preparations on one occasion. At that time my grandfather was in sole +charge of all matters connected with tribute from various states, as +well as with general levees, so that whenever any foreigners arrived, +they all came to our house to be entertained, while the whole of the +goods, brought by foreign vessels from the two Kuang provinces, from +Fukien, Yunnan and Chekiang, were the property of our family." + +"Who isn't aware of these facts?" ventured dame Chao; "there is up to +this day a saying that, 'in the eastern sea, there was a white jade bed +required, and the dragon prince came to request Mr. Wang of Chin Ling +(to give it to him)!' This saying relates to your family, my lady, and +remains even now in vogue. The Chen family of Chiang Nan has recently +held, oh such a fine old standing! it alone has entertained the Emperor +on four occasions! Had we not seen these things with our own eyes, were +we to tell no matter whom, they wouldn't surely ever believe them! Not +to speak of the money, which was as plentiful as mud, all things, +whether they were to be found in the world or not, were they not heaped +up like hills, and collected like the waters of the sea? But with the +four characters representing sin and pity they didn't however trouble +their minds." + +"I've often heard," continued lady Feng, "my eldest uncle say that +things were in such a state, and how couldn't I believe? but what +surprises me is how it ever happened that this family attained such +opulence and honour!" + +"I'll tell your ladyship and all in one sentence," replied nurse Chao. +"Why they simply took the Emperor's money and spent it for the Emperor's +person, that's all! for what family has such a lot of money as to +indulge in this useless extravagance?" + +While they were engaged in this conversation, a servant came a second +time, at the instance of madame Wang, to see whether lady Feng had +finished her meal or not; and lady Feng forthwith concluding that there +must be something waiting for her to attend to, hurriedly rushed through +her repast. She had just rinsed her mouth and was about to start when +the youths, on duty at the second gate, also reported that the two +gentlemen, Mr. Chia Jung and Mr. Chia Se, belonging to the Eastern +mansion, had arrived. + +Chia Lien had, at length, rinsed his mouth; but while P'ing Erh +presented a basin for him to wash his hands, he perceived the two young +men walk in, and readily inquired of them what they had to say. + +Lady Feng was, on account (of their arrival), likewise compelled to +stay, and she heard Chia Jung take the lead and observe: "My father has +sent me to tell you, uncle, that the gentlemen, have already decided +that the whole extent of ground, starting from the East side, borrowing +(for the occasion) the flower garden of the Eastern mansion, straight up +to the North West, had been measured and found to amount in all to three +and a half li; that it will be suitable for the erection of extra +accommodation for the visiting party; that they have already +commissioned an architect to draw a plan, which will be ready by +to-morrow; that as you, uncle, have just returned home, and must +unavoidably feel fatigued, you need not go over to our house, but that +if you have anything to say you should please come tomorrow morning, as +early as you can, and consult verbally with him." + +"Thank uncle warmly," Chia Lien rejoined smilingly, "for the trouble he +has taken in thinking of me; I shall, in that case, comply with his +wishes and not go over. This plan is certainly the proper one, for while +trouble will thus be saved, the erection of the quarters will likewise +be an easy matter; for had a distinct plot to be selected and to be +purchased, it would involve far greater difficulties. What's more, +things wouldn't, after all, be what they properly should be. When you +get back, tell your father that this decision is the right one, and that +should the gentlemen have any further wish to introduce any change in +their proposals, it will rest entirely with my uncle to prevent them, as +it's on no account advisable to go and cast one's choice on some other +plot; that to-morrow as soon as it's daylight, I'll come and pay my +respects to uncle, when we can enter into further details in our +deliberations!" + +Chia Jung hastily signified his assent by several yes's, and Chia Se +also came forward to deliver his message. "The mission to Ku Su," he +explained, "to find tutors, to purchase servant girls, and to obtain +musical instruments, and theatrical properties and the like, my uncle +has confided to me; and as I'm to take along with me the two sons of a +couple of majordomos, and two companions of the family, besides, Tan +P'ing-jen and Pei Ku-hsiu, he has, for this reason, enjoined me to come +and see you, uncle." + +Upon hearing this, Chia Lien scrutinised Chia Se. "What!" he asked, "are +you able to undertake these commissions? These matters are, it's true, +of no great moment; but there's something more hidden in them!" + +Chia Se smiled. "The best thing I can do," he remarked, "will be to +execute them in my novice sort of way, that's all." + +Chia Jung was standing next to lady Feng, out of the light of the lamp, +and stealthily pulled the lapel of her dress. Lady Feng understood the +hint, and putting on a smiling expression, "You are too full of fears!" +she interposed. "Is it likely that our uncle Chen doesn't, after all, +know better than we do what men to employ, that you again give way to +apprehensions that he isn't up to the mark! but who are those who are, +in every respect, up to the mark? These young fellows have grown up +already to this age, and if they haven't eaten any pork, they have +nevertheless seen a pig run. If Mr. Chen has deputed him to go, he is +simply meant to sit under the general's standard; and do you imagine, +forsooth, that he has, in real earnest, told him to go and bargain about +the purchase money, and to interview the brokers himself? My own idea is +that (the choice) is a very good one." + +"Of course it is!" observed Chia Lien; "but it isn't that I entertain +any wish to be factious; my only object is to devise some plan or other +for him. Whence will," he therefore went on to ask, "the money required +for this purpose come from?" + +"A little while ago the deliberations reached this point," rejoined Chia +Se; "and Mr. Lai suggested that there was no necessity at all to take +any funds from the capital, as the Chen family, in Chiang Nan, had still +in their possession Tls. 50,000 of our money. That he would to-morrow +write a letter of advice and a draft for us to take along, and that we +should, first of all, obtain cash to the amount of Tls. 30,000, and let +the balance of Tls. 20,000 remain over, for the purchase of painted +lanterns, and coloured candles, as well as for the outlay for every kind +of portieres, banners, curtains and streamers." + +Chia Lien nodded his head. "This plan is first-rate!" he added. + +"Since that be so," observed lady Feng, as she addressed herself to Chia +Se, "I've two able and reliable men; and if you would take them with +you, to attend to these matters, won't it be to your convenience?" + +Chia Se forced a smile. "I was just on the point," he rejoined, "of +asking you, aunt, for the loan of two men, so that this suggestion is a +strange coincidence." + +As he went on to ascertain what were their names, lady Feng inquired +what they were of nurse Chao. But nurse Chao had, by this time, become +quite dazed from listening to the conversation, and P'ing Erh had to +give her a push, as she smiled, before she returned to consciousness. +"The one," she hastened to reply, "is called Chao T'ien-liang and the +other Chao T'ien-tung." + +"Whatever you do," suggested lady Feng, "don't forget them; but now I'm +off to look after my duties." + +With these words, she left the room, and Chia Jung promptly followed her +out, and with gentle voice he said to her: "Of whatever you want, aunt, +issue orders that a list be drawn up, and I'll give it to my brother to +take with him, and he'll carry out your commissions according to the +list." + +"Don't talk nonsense!" replied lady Feng laughing; "I've found no place, +as yet, where I could put away all my own things; and do the stealthy +practices of you people take my fancy?" + +As she uttered these words she straightway went her way. + +Chia Se, at this time, likewise, asked Chia Lien: "If you want anything +(in the way of curtains), I can conveniently have them woven for you, +along with the rest, and bring them as a present to you." + +"Don't be in such high glee!" Chia Lien urged with a grin, "you've but +recently been learning how to do business, and have you come first and +foremost to excel in tricks of this kind? If I require anything, I'll of +course write and tell you, but we needn't talk about it." + +Having finished speaking, he dismissed the two young men; and, in quick +succession, servants came to make their business reports, not limited to +three and five companies, but as Chia Lien felt exhausted, he forthwith +sent word to those on duty at the second gate not to allow any one at +all to communicate any reports, and that the whole crowd should wait +till the next day, when he would give his mind to what had to be done. + +Lady Feng did not come to retire to rest till the third watch; but +nothing need be said about the whole night. + +The next morning, at an early hour, Chia Lien got up and called on Chia +She and Chia Cheng; after which, he came over to the Ning Kuo mansion; +when, in company with the old major-domos and other servants, as well as +with several old family friends and companions, he inspected the grounds +of the two mansions, and drew plans of the palatial buildings (for the +accommodation of the Imperial consort and her escort) on her visit to +her parents; deliberating at the same time, on the subject of the works +and workmen. + +From this day the masons and workmen of every trade were collected to +the full number; and the articles of gold, silver, copper, and pewter, +as well as the earth, timber, tiles, and bricks, were brought over, and +carried in, in incessant supplies. In the first place, orders were +issued to the workmen to demolish the wall and towers of the garden of +Concentrated Fragrance, and extend a passage to connect in a straight +line with the large court in the East of the Jung mansion; for the whole +extent of servants' quarters on the Eastern side of the Jung mansion had +previously been pulled down. + +The two residences of Ning and Jung were, in these days, it is true, +divided by a small street, which served as a boundary line, and there +was no communication between them, but this narrow passage was also +private property, and not in any way a government street, so that they +could easily be connected, and as in the garden of Concentrated +Fragrance, there was already a stream of running water, which had been +introduced through the corner of the Northern wall, there was no further +need now of going to the trouble of bringing in another. Although the +rockeries and trees were not sufficient, the place where Chia She lived, +was an old garden of the Jung mansion, so that the bamboos, trees, and +rockeries in that compound, as well as the arbours, railings and other +such things could all be very well removed to the front; and by these +means, these two grounds, situated as they were besides so very near to +each other, could, by being thrown into one, conduce to the saving of +considerable capital and labour; for, in spite of some deficiency, what +had to be supplied did not amount to much. And it devolved entirely upon +a certain old Hu, a man of note, styled Shan Tzu-yeh, to deliberate upon +one thing after another, and to initiate its construction. + +Chia Cheng was not up to these ordinary matters, so that it fell to Chia +She, Chia Chen, Chia Lien, Lai Ta, Lai Sheng, Lin Chih-hsiao, Wu +Hsin-teng, Chan Kuang, Ch'eng Jih-hsing and several others to allot the +sites, to set things in order, (and to look after) the heaping up of +rockeries, the digging of ponds, the construction of two-storied +buildings, the erection of halls, the plantation of bamboos and the +cultivation of flowers, everything connected with the improvement of the +scenery devolving, on the other hand, upon Shan Tzu-yeh to make +provision for, and after leaving Court, he would devote such leisure +moments as he had to merely going everywhere to give a look at the most +important spots, and to consult with Chia She and the others; after +which he troubled his mind no more with anything. And as Chia She did +nothing else than stay at home and lie off, whenever any matter turned +up, trifling though it may have been as a grain of mustard seed or a +bean, Chia Chen and his associates had either to go and report it in +person or to write a memorandum of it. Or if he had anything to say, he +sent for Chia Lien, Lai Ta and others to come and receive his +instructions. Chia Jung had the sole direction of the manufacture of the +articles in gold and silver; and as for Chia Se, he had already set out +on his journey to Ku Su. Chia Chen, Lai Ta and the rest had also to call +out the roll with the names of the workmen, to superintend the works and +other duties relative thereto, which could not be recorded by one pen +alone; sufficient to say that a great bustle and stir prevailed, but to +this subject we shall not refer for a time, but allude to Pao-yue. + +As of late there were in the household concerns of this magnitude to +attend to, Chia Cheng did not come to examine him in his lessons, so +that he was, of course, in high spirits, but, as unfortunately Ch'in +Chung's complaint became, day by day, more serious, he was at the same +time really so very distressed at heart on his account, that enjoyment +was for him out of the question. + +On this day, he got up as soon as it was dawn, and having just combed +his hair and washed his face and hands, he was bent upon going to ask +dowager lady Chia to allow him to pay a visit to Ch'in Chung, when he +suddenly espied Ming Yen peep round the curtain-wall at the second gate, +and then withdraw his head. Pao-yue promptly walked out and inquired what +he was up to. + +"Mr. Ch'in Chung," observed Ming Yen, "is not well at all." + +Pao-yue at these words was quite taken aback. "It was only yesterday," he +hastily added, "that I saw him, and he was still bright and cheery; and +how is it that he's anything but well now?" + +"I myself can't explain," replied Ming Yen; "but just a few minutes ago +an old man belonging to his family came over with the express purpose of +giving me the tidings." + +Upon hearing this news, Pao-yue there and then turned round and told +dowager lady Chia; and the old lady issued directions to depute some +trustworthy persons to accompany him. "Let him go," (she said), "and +satisfy his feelings towards his fellow-scholar; but as soon as he has +done, he must come back; and don't let him tarry too long." + +Pao-yue with hurried step left the room and came and changed his clothes. +But as on his arrival outside, the carriage had not as yet been got +ready, he fell into such a state of excitement, that he went round and +round all over the hall in quite an erratic manner. In a short while, +after pressure had been brought to bear, the carriage arrived, and +speedily mounting the vehicle, he drove up to the door of Ch'in Chung's +house, followed by Li Kuei, Ming Yen and the other servants. Everything +was quiet. Not a soul was about. Like a hive of bees they flocked into +the house, to the astonishment of two distant aunts, and of several male +cousins of Ch'in Chung, all of whom had no time to effect their retreat. + +Ch'in Chung had, by this time, had two or three fainting fits, and had +already long ago been changed his mat. As soon as Pao-yue realised the +situation, he felt unable to repress himself from bursting forth aloud. +Li Kuei promptly reasoned with him. "You shouldn't go on in this way," +he urged, "you shouldn't. It's because Mr. Ch'in is so weak that lying +flat on the stove-couch naturally made his bones feel uncomfortable; and +that's why he has temporarily been removed down here to ease him a +little. But if you, sir, go on in this way, will you not, instead of +doing him any good, aggravate his illness?" + +At these words, Pao-yue accordingly restrained himself, and held his +tongue; and drawing near, he gazed at Ch'in Chung's face, which was as +white as wax, while with closed eyes, he gasped for breath, rolling +about on his pillow. + +"Brother Ching," speedily exclaimed Pao-yue, "Pao-yue is here!" But though +he shouted out two or three consecutive times, Ch'in Chung did not heed +him. + +"Pao-yue has come!" Pao-yue went on again to cry. But Ch'in Chung's spirit +had already departed from his body, leaving behind only a faint breath +of superfluous air in his lungs. + +He had just caught sight of a number of recording devils, holding a +warrant and carrying chains, coming to seize him, but Ch'in Chung's soul +would on no account go along with them; and remembering how that there +was in his home no one to assume the direction of domestic affairs, and +feeling concerned that Chih Neng had as yet no home, he consequently +used hundreds of arguments in his entreaties to the recording devils; +but alas! these devils would, none of them, show him any favour. On the +contrary, they heaped invectives upon Ch'in Chung. + +"You're fortunate enough to be a man of letters," they insinuated, "and +don't you know the common saying that: 'if the Prince of Hell call upon +you to die at the third watch, who can presume to retain you, a human +being, up to the fifth watch?' In our abode, in the unseen, high as well +as low, have all alike a face made of iron, and heed not selfish +motives; unlike the mortal world, where favouritism and partiality +prevail. There exist therefore many difficulties in the way (to our +yielding to your wishes)." + +While this fuss was going on, Ch'in Chung's spirit suddenly grasped the +four words, "Pao-yue has come," and without loss of time, it went on +again to make further urgent appeals. "Gentlemen, spiritual deputies," +it exclaimed; "show me a little mercy and allow me to return to make +just one remark to an intimate friend of mine, and I'll be back again." + +"What intimate friend is this again?" the devils observed with one +voice. + +"I'm not deceiving you, gentlemen," rejoined Ch'in Chung; "it's the +grandson of the duke of Jung Kuo, whose infant name is Pao-yue." + +The Decider of life was, at first, upon hearing these words, so seized +with dismay that he vehemently abused the devils sent on the errand. + +"I told you," he shouted, "to let him go back for a turn; but you would +by no means comply with my words! and now do you wait until he has +summoned a man of glorious fortune and prosperous standing to at last +desist?" + +When the company of devils perceived the manner of the Decider of life, +they were all likewise so seized with consternation that they bustled +with hand and feet; while with hearts also full of resentment: "You, +sir," they replied, "were at one time such a terror, formidable as +lightning; and are you not forsooth able to listen with equanimity to +the two sounds of 'Pao-yue?' our humble idea is that mortal as he is, and +immortal as we are, it wouldn't be to our credit if we feared him!" + +But whether Ch'in Chung, after all, died or survived, the next chapter +will explain. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + In the Ta Kuan Garden, (Broad Vista,) the merits of Pao-yue are put to + the test, by his being told to write devices for scrolls and + tablets. + Yuan Ch'un returns to the Jung Kuo mansion, on a visit to her parents, + and offers her congratulations to them on the feast of lanterns, + on the fifteenth of the first moon. + + +Ch'in Chung, to resume our story, departed this life, and Pao-yue went on +so unceasingly in his bitter lamentations, that Li Kuei and the other +servants had, for ever so long, an arduous task in trying to comfort him +before he desisted; but on his return home he was still exceedingly +disconsolate. + +Dowager lady Chia afforded monetary assistance to the amount of several +tens of taels; and exclusive of this, she had sacrificial presents +likewise got ready. Pao-yue went and paid a visit of condolence to the +family, and after seven days the funeral and burial took place, but +there are no particulars about them which could be put on record. + +Pao-yue, however, continued to mourn (his friend) from day to day, and +was incessant in his remembrance of him, but there was likewise no help +for it. Neither is it known after how many days he got over his grief. + +On this day, Chia Chen and the others came to tell Chia Cheng that the +works in the garden had all been reported as completed, and that Mr. +Chia She had already inspected them. "It only remains," (they said), +"for you, sir, to see them; and should there possibly be anything which +is not proper, steps will be at once taken to effect the alterations, so +that the tablets and scrolls may conveniently be written." + +After Chia Cheng had listened to these words, he pondered for a while. +"These tablets and scrolls," he remarked, "present however a difficult +task. According to the rites, we should, in order to obviate any +shortcoming, request the imperial consort to deign and compose them; but +if the honourable consort does not gaze upon the scenery with her own +eyes, it will also be difficult for her to conceive its nature and +indite upon it! And were we to wait until the arrival of her highness, +to request her to honour the grounds with a visit, before she composes +the inscriptions, such a wide landscape, with so many pavilions and +arbours, will, without one character in the way of a motto, albeit it +may abound with flowers, willows, rockeries, and streams, nevertheless +in no way be able to show off its points of beauty to advantage." + +The whole party of family companions, who stood by, smiled. "Your views, +remarkable sir," they ventured, "are excellent; but we have now a +proposal to make. Tablets and scrolls for every locality cannot, on any +account, be dispensed with, but they could not likewise, by any means, +be determined upon for good! Were now, for the time being, two, three or +four characters fixed upon, harmonising with the scenery, to carry out, +for form's sake, the idea, and were they provisionally utilised as +mottoes for the lanterns, tablets and scrolls, and hung up, pending the +arrival of her highness, and her visit through the grounds, when she +could be requested to decide upon the devices, would not two exigencies +be met with satisfactorily?" + +"Your views are perfectly correct," observed Chia Cheng, after he had +heard their suggestion; "and we should go to-day and have a look at the +place so as then to set to work to write the inscriptions; which, if +suitable, can readily be used; and, if unsuitable, Yue-ts'un can then be +sent for, and asked to compose fresh ones." + +The whole company smiled. "If you, sir, were to compose them to-day," +they ventured, "they are sure to be excellent; and what need will there +be again to wait for Yue-ts'un!" + +"You people are not aware," Chia Cheng added with a smiling countenance, +"that I've been, even in my young days, very mediocre in the composition +of stanzas on flowers, birds, rockeries and streams; and that now that +I'm well up in years and have moreover the fatigue and trouble of my +official duties, I've become in literary compositions like these, which +require a light heart and gladsome mood, still more inapt. Were I even +to succeed in composing any, they will unavoidably be so doltish and +forced that they would contrariwise be instrumental in making the +flowers, trees, garden and pavilions, through their demerits, lose in +beauty, and present instead no pleasing feature." + +"This wouldn't anyhow matter," remonstrated all the family companions, +"for after perusing them we can all decide upon them together, each one +of us recommending those he thinks best; which if excellent can be kept, +and if faulty can be discarded; and there's nothing unfeasible about +this!" + +"This proposal is most apposite," rejoined Chia Cheng. "What's more, the +weather is, I rejoice, fine to-day; so let's all go in a company and +have a look." + +Saying this, he stood up and went forward, at the head of the whole +party; while Chia Chen betook himself in advance into the garden to let +every one know of their coming. As luck would have it, Pao-yue--for he +had been these last few days thinking of Ch'in Chung and so ceaselessly +sad and wounded at heart, that dowager lady Chia had frequently directed +the servants to take him into the new garden to play--made his entrance +just at this very time, and suddenly became aware of the arrival of Chia +Chen, who said to him with a smile, "Don't you yet run away as fast as +you can? Mr. Chia Cheng will be coming in a while." + +At these words, Pao-yue led off his nurse and the youths, and rushed at +once out of the garden, like a streak of smoke; but as he turned a +corner, he came face to face with Chia Cheng, who was advancing towards +that direction, at the head of all the visitors; and as he had no time +to get out of the way, the only course open to him was to stand on one +side. + +Chia Cheng had, of late, heard the tutor extol him by saying that he +displayed special ability in rhyming antithetical lines, and that +although he did not like to read his books, he nevertheless possessed +some depraved talents, and hence it was that he was induced at this +moment to promptly bid him follow him into the garden, with the intent +of putting him to the test. + +Pao-yue could not make out what his object was, but he was compelled to +follow. As soon as they reached the garden gate, and he caught sight of +Chia Chen, standing on one side, along with several managers: "See that +the garden gate is closed for a time," Chia Cheng exclaimed, "for we'll +first see the outside and then go in." + +Chia Chen directed a servant to close the gate, and Chia Cheng first +looked straight ahead of him towards the gate and espied on the same +side as the main entrance a suite of five apartments. Above, the +cylindrical tiles resembled the backs of mud eels. The doors, railings, +windows, and frames were all finely carved with designs of the new +fashion, and were painted neither in vermilion nor in white colours. The +whole extent of the walls was of polished bricks of uniform colour; +while below, the white marble on the terrace and steps was engraved with +western foreign designs; and when he came to look to the right and to +the left, everything was white as snow. At the foot of the white-washed +walls, tiger-skin pebbles were, without regard to pattern, promiscuously +inserted in the earth in such a way as of their own selves to form +streaks. Nothing fell in with the custom of gaudiness and display so +much in vogue, so that he naturally felt full of delight; and, when he +forthwith asked that the gate should be thrown open, all that met their +eyes was a long stretch of verdant hills, which shut in the view in +front of them. + +"What a fine hill, what a pretty hill!" exclaimed all the companions +with one voice. + +"Were it not for this one hill," Chia Cheng explained, "whatever scenery +is contained in it would clearly strike the eye, as soon as one entered +into the garden, and what pleasure would that have been?" + +"Quite so," rejoined all of them. "But without large hills and ravines +in one's breast (liberal capacities), how could one attain such +imagination!" + +After the conclusion of this remark, they cast a glance ahead of them, +and perceived white rugged rocks looking, either like goblins, or +resembling savage beasts, lying either crossways, or in horizontal or +upright positions; on the surface of which grew moss and lichen with +mottled hues, or parasitic plants, which screened off the light; while, +slightly visible, wound, among the rocks, a narrow pathway like the +intestines of a sheep. + +"If we were now to go and stroll along by this narrow path," Chia Cheng +suggested, "and to come out from over there on our return, we shall have +been able to see the whole grounds." + +Having finished speaking, he asked Chia Chen to lead the way; and he +himself, leaning on Pao-yue, walked into the gorge with leisurely step. +Raising his head, he suddenly beheld on the hill a block of stone, as +white as the surface of a looking-glass, in a site which was, in very +deed, suitable to be left for an inscription, as it was bound to meet +the eye. + +"Gentlemen," Chia Cheng observed, as he turned his head round and +smiled, "please look at this spot. What name will it be fit to give it?" + +When the company heard his remark, some maintained that the two words +"Heaped verdure" should be written; and others upheld that the device +should be "Embroidered Hill." Others again suggested: "Vying with the +Hsiang Lu;" and others recommended "the small Chung Nan." And various +kinds of names were proposed, which did not fall short of several tens. + +All the visitors had been, it must be explained, aware at an early +period of the fact that Chia Cheng meant to put Pao-yue's ability to the +test, and for this reason they merely proposed a few combinations in +common use. But of this intention, Pao-yue himself was likewise +cognizant. + +After listening to the suggestions, Chia Cheng forthwith turned his head +round and bade Pao-yue think of some motto. + +"I've often heard," Pao-yue replied, "that writers of old opine that it's +better to quote an old saying than to compose a new one; and that an old +engraving excels in every respect an engraving of the present day. +What's more, this place doesn't constitute the main hill or the chief +feature of the scenery, and is really no site where any inscription +should be put, as it no more than constitutes the first step in the +inspection of the landscape. Won't it be well to employ the exact text +of an old writer consisting of 'a tortuous path leading to a secluded +(nook).' This line of past days would, if inscribed, be, in fact, +liberal to boot." + +After listening to the proposed line, they all sang its praise. +"First-rate! excellent!" they cried, "the natural talents of your second +son, dear friend, are lofty; his mental capacity is astute; he is unlike +ourselves, who have read books but are simple fools." + +"You shouldn't," urged Chia Cheng smilingly, "heap upon him excessive +praise; he's young in years, and merely knows one thing which he turns +to the use of ten purposes; you should laugh at him, that's all; but we +can by and by choose some device." + +As he spoke, he entered the cave, where he perceived beautiful trees +with thick foliage, quaint flowers in lustrous bloom, while a line of +limpid stream emanated out of a deep recess among the flowers and trees, +and oozed down through the crevice of the rock. Progressing several +steps further in, they gradually faced the northern side, where a +stretch of level ground extended far and wide, on each side of which +soared lofty buildings, intruding themselves into the skies, whose +carved rafters and engraved balustrades nestled entirely among the +depressions of the hills and the tops of the trees. They lowered their +eyes and looked, and beheld a pure stream flowing like jade, stone steps +traversing the clouds, a balustrade of white marble encircling the pond +in its embrace, and a stone bridge with three archways, the animals upon +which had faces disgorging water from their mouths. A pavilion stood on +the bridge, and in this pavilion Chia Chen and the whole party went and +sat. + +"Gentlemen," he inquired, "what shall we write about this?" + +"In the record," they all replied, "of the 'Drunken Old Man's Pavilion,' +written in days of old by Ou Yang, appears this line: 'There is a +pavilion pinioned-like,' so let us call this 'the pinioned-like +pavilion,' and finish." + +"Pinioned-like," observed Chia Cheng smiling, "is indeed excellent; but +this pavilion is constructed over the water, and there should, after +all, be some allusion to the water in the designation. My humble opinion +is that of the line in Ou Yang's work, '(the water) drips from between +the two peaks,' we should only make use of that single word 'drips.'" + +"First-rate!" rejoined one of the visitors, "capital! but what would +really be appropriate are the two characters 'dripping jadelike.'" + +Chia Chen pulled at his moustache, as he gave way to reflection; after +which, he asked Pao-yue to also propose one himself. + +"What you, sir, suggested a while back," replied Pao-yue, "will do very +well; but if we were now to sift the matter thoroughly, the use of the +single word 'drip' by Ou Yang, in his composition about the Niang +spring, would appear quite apposite; while the application, also on this +occasion, to this spring, of the character 'drip' would be found not +quite suitable. Moreover, seeing that this place is intended as a +separate residence (for the imperial consort), on her visit to her +parents, it is likewise imperative that we should comply with all the +principles of etiquette, so that were words of this kind to be used, +they would besides be coarse and inappropriate; and may it please you to +fix upon something else more recondite and abstruse." + +"What do you, gentlemen, think of this argument?" Chia Cheng remarked +sneeringly. "A little while ago, when the whole company devised +something original, you observed that it would be better to quote an old +device; and now that we have quoted an old motto, you again maintain +that it's coarse and inappropriate! But you had better give us one of +yours." + +"If two characters like 'dripping jadelike' are to be used," Pao-yue +explained, "it would be better then to employ the two words 'Penetrating +Fragrance,' which would be unique and excellent, wouldn't they?" + +Chia Cheng pulled his moustache, nodded his head and did not utter a +word; whereupon the whole party hastily pressed forward with one voice +to eulogize Pao-yue's acquirements as extraordinary. + +"The selection of two characters for the tablet is an easy matter," +suggested Chia Cheng, "but now go on and compose a pair of antithetical +phrases with seven words in each." + +Pao-yue cast a glance round the four quarters, when an idea came into his +head, and he went on to recite: + + The willows, which enclose the shore, the green borrow from three + bamboos; + On banks apart, the flowers asunder grow, yet one perfume they give. + +Upon hearing these lines, Chia Cheng gave a faint smile, as he nodded +his head, whilst the whole party went on again to be effusive in their +praise. But forthwith they issued from the pavilions, and crossed the +pond, contemplating with close attention each elevation, each stone, +each flower, or each tree. And as suddenly they raised their heads, they +caught sight, in front of them, of a line of white wall, of numbers of +columns, and beautiful cottages, where flourished hundreds and thousands +of verdant bamboos, which screened off the rays of the sun. + +"What a lovely place!" they one and all exclaimed. + +Speedily the whole company penetrated inside, perceiving, as soon as +they had entered the gate, a zigzag arcade, below the steps of which was +a raised pathway, laid promiscuously with stones, and on the furthest +part stood a diminutive cottage with three rooms, two with doors leading +into them and one without. Everything in the interior, in the shape of +beds, teapoys, chairs and tables, were made to harmonise with the space +available. Leading out of the inner room of the cottage was a small door +from which, as they egressed, they found a back-court with lofty pear +trees in blossom and banana trees, as well as two very small retiring +back-courts. At the foot of the wall, unexpectedly became visible an +aperture where was a spring, for which a channel had been opened +scarcely a foot or so wide, to enable it to run inside the wall. Winding +round the steps, it skirted the buildings until it reached the front +court, where it coiled and curved, flowing out under the bamboos. + +"This spot," observed Chia Cheng full of smiles, "is indeed pleasant! +and could one, on a moonlight night, sit under the window and study, one +would not spend a whole lifetime in vain!" + +As he said this, he quickly cast a glance at Pao-yue, and so terrified +did Pao-yue feel that he hastily drooped his head. The whole company lost +no time in choosing some irrelevant talk to turn the conversation, and +two of the visitors prosecuted their remarks by adding that on the +tablet, in this spot, four characters should be inscribed. + +"Which four characters?" Chia Cheng inquired, laughingly. + +"The bequeathed aspect of the river Ch'i!" suggested one of them. + +"It's commonplace," observed Chia Cheng. + +Another person recommended "the remaining vestiges of the Chue Garden." + +"This too is commonplace!" replied Chia Cheng. + +"Let brother Pao-yue again propound one!" interposed Chia Chen, who stood +by. + +"Before he composes any himself," Chia Cheng continued, "his wont is to +first discuss the pros and cons of those of others; so it's evident that +he's an impudent fellow!" + +"He's most reasonable in his arguments," all the visitors protested, +"and why should he be called to task?" + +"Don't humour him so much!" Chia Cheng expostulated. "I'll put up for +to-day," he however felt constrained to tell Pao-yue, "with your haughty +manner, and your rubbishy speech, so that after you have, to begin with, +given us your opinion, you may next compose a device. But tell me, are +there any that will do among the mottoes suggested just now by all the +gentlemen?" + +"They all seem to me unsuitable!" Pao-yue did not hesitate to say by way +of reply to this question. + +Chia Cheng gave a sardonic smile. "How all unsuitable?" he exclaimed. + +"This," continued Pao-yue, "is the first spot which her highness will +honour on her way, and there should be inscribed, so that it should be +appropriate, something commending her sacred majesty. But if a tablet +with four characters has to be used, there are likewise devices ready at +hand, written by poets of old; and what need is there to compose any +more?" + +"Are forsooth the devices 'the river Ch'i and the Chu Garden' not those +of old authors?" insinuated Chia Cheng. + +"They are too stiff," replied Pao-yue. "Would not the four characters: 'a +phoenix comes with dignified air,' be better?" + +With clamorous unanimity the whole party shouted: "Excellent:" and Chia +Cheng nodding his head; "You beast, you beast!" he ejaculated, "it may +well be said about you that you see through a thin tube and have no more +judgment than an insect! Compose another stanza," he consequently bade +him; and Pao-yue recited: + + In the precious tripod kettle, tea is brewed, but green is still the + smoke! + O'er is the game of chess by the still window, but the fingers are yet + cold. + +Chia Cheng shook his head. "Neither does this seem to me good!" he said; +and having concluded this remark he was leading the company out, when +just as he was about to proceed, he suddenly bethought himself of +something. + +"The several courts and buildings and the teapoys, sideboards, tables +and chairs," he added, "may be said to be provided for. But there are +still all those curtains, screens and portieres, as well as the +furniture, nicknacks and curios; and have they too all been matched to +suit the requirements of each place?" + +"Of the things that have to be placed about," Chia Chen explained, a +good number have, at an early period, been added, and of course when the +time comes everything will be suitably arranged. As for the curtains, +screens, and portieres, which have to be hung up, I heard yesterday +brother Lien say that they are not as yet complete, that when the works +were first taken in hand, the plan of each place was drawn, the +measurements accurately calculated and some one despatched to attend to +the things, and that he thought that yesterday half of them were bound +to come in. + +Chia Cheng, upon hearing this explanation, readily remembered that with +all these concerns Chia Chen had nothing to do; so that he speedily sent +some one to go and call Chia Lien. + +Having arrived in a short while, "How many sorts of things are there in +all?" Chia Cheng inquired of him. "Of these how many kinds have by this +time been got ready? and how many more are short?" + +At this question, Chia Lien hastily produced, from the flaps of his +boot, a paper pocket-book, containing a list, which he kept inside the +tops of his boot. After perusing it and reperusing it, he made suitable +reply. "Of the hundred and twenty curtains," he proceeded, "of stiff +spotted silks, embroidered with dragons in relief, and of the curtains +large and small, of every kind of damask silk, eighty were got +yesterday, so that there still remain forty of them to come. The two +portieres were both received yesterday; and besides these, there are the +two hundred red woollen portieres, two hundred portieres of Hsiang Fei +bamboo; two hundred door-screens of rattan, with gold streaks, and of +red lacquered bamboo; two hundred portieres of black lacquered rattan; +two hundred door-screens of variegated thread-netting with clusters of +flowers. Of each of these kinds, half have come in, but the whole lot of +them will be complete no later than autumn. Antimacassars, table-cloths, +flounces for the beds, and cushions for the stools, there are a thousand +two hundred of each, but these likewise are ready and at hand." + +As he spoke, they proceeded outwards, but suddenly they perceived a hill +extending obliquely in such a way as to intercept the passage; and as +they wound round the curve of the hill faintly came to view a line of +yellow mud walls, the whole length of which was covered with paddy +stalks for the sake of protection, and there were several hundreds of +apricot trees in bloom, which presented the appearance of being fire, +spurted from the mouth, or russet clouds, rising in the air. Inside this +enclosure, stood several thatched cottages. Outside grew, on the other +hand, mulberry trees, elms, mallows, and silkworm oaks, whose tender +shoots and new twigs, of every hue, were allowed to bend and to +intertwine in such a way as to form two rows of green fence. Beyond this +fence and below the white mound, was a well, by the side of which stood +a well-sweep, windlass and such like articles; the ground further down +being divided into parcels, and apportioned into fields, which, with the +fine vegetables and cabbages in flower, presented, at the first glance, +the aspect of being illimitable. + +"This is," Chia Cheng observed chuckling, "the place really imbued with +a certain amount of the right principle; and laid out, though it has +been by human labour, yet when it strikes my eye, it so moves my heart, +that it cannot help arousing in me the wish to return to my native place +and become a farmer. But let us enter and rest a while." + +As he concluded these words, they were on the point of walking in, when +they unexpectedly discerned a stone, outside the trellis gate, by the +roadside, which had also been left as a place on which to inscribe a +motto. + +"Were a tablet," argued the whole company smilingly, "put up high in a +spot like this, to be filled up by and by, the rustic aspect of a farm +would in that case be completely done away with; and it will be better, +yea far better to erect this slab on the ground, as it will further make +manifest many points of beauty. But unless a motto could be composed of +the same excellence as that in Fan Shih-hu's song on farms, it will not +be adequate to express its charms!" + +"Gentlemen," observed Chia Cheng, "please suggest something." + +"A short while back," replied the whole company, "your son, venerable +brother, remarked that devising a new motto was not equal to quoting an +old one, and as sites of this kind have been already exhausted by +writers of days of old, wouldn't it be as well that we should +straightway call it the 'apricot blossom village?' and this will do +splendidly." + +When Chia Cheng heard this remark, he smiled and said, addressing +himself to Chia Chen: "This just reminds me that although this place is +perfect in every respect, there's still one thing wanting in the shape +of a wine board; and you had better then have one made to-morrow on the +very same pattern as those used outside in villages; and it needn't be +anything gaudy, but hung above the top of a tree by means of bamboos." + +Chia Chen assented. "There's no necessity," he went on to explain, "to +keep any other birds in here, but only to rear a few geese, ducks, fowls +and such like; as in that case they will be in perfect keeping with the +place." + +"A splendid idea!" Chia Cheng rejoined, along with all the party. + +"'Apricot blossom village' is really first-rate," continued Chia Cheng +as he again addressed himself to the company; "but the only thing is +that it encroaches on the real designation of the village; and it will +be as well to wait (until her highness comes), when we can request her +to give it a name." + +"Certainly!" answered the visitors with one voice; "but now as far as a +name goes, for mere form, let us all consider what expressions will be +suitable to employ." + +Pao-yue did not however give them time to think; nor did he wait for Chia +Cheng's permission, but suggested there and then: "In old poetical works +there's this passage: 'At the top of the red apricot tree hangs the flag +of an inn,' and wouldn't it be advisable, on this occasion, to +temporarily adopt the four words: 'the sign on the apricot tree is +visible'?" + +"'Is visible' is excellent," suggested the whole number of them, "and +what's more it secretly accords with the meaning implied by 'apricot +blossom village.'" + +"Were the two words 'apricot blossom' used for the name of the village, +they would be too commonplace and unsuitable;" added Pao-yue with a +sardonic grin, "but there's another passage in the works of a poet of +the T'ang era: 'By the wooden gate near the water the corn-flower emits +its fragrance;' and why not make use of the motto 'corn fragrance +village,' which will be excellent?" + +When the company heard his proposal, they, with still greater vigour, +unanimously combined in crying out "Capital!" as they clapped their +hands. + +Chia Cheng, with one shout, interrupted their cries, "You ignorant child +of wrath!" he ejaculated; "how many old writers can you know, and how +many stanzas of ancient poetical works can you remember, that you will +have the boldness to show off in the presence of all these experienced +gentlemen? (In allowing you to give vent to) all the nonsense you +uttered my object was no other than to see whether your brain was clear +or muddled; and all for fun's sake, that's all; and lo, you've taken +things in real earnest!" + +Saying this, he led the company into the interior of the hall with the +mallows. The windows were pasted with paper, and the bedsteads made of +wood, and all appearance of finery had been expunged, and Chia Cheng's +heart was naturally much gratified; but nevertheless, scowling angrily +at Pao-yue, "What do you think of this place?" he asked. + +When the party heard this question, they all hastened to stealthily give +a nudge to Pao-yue, with the express purpose of inducing him to say it +was nice; but Pao-yue gave no ear to what they all urged. "It's by far +below the spot," he readily replied, "designated 'a phoenix comes with +dignified air.'" + +"You ignorant stupid thing!" exclaimed Chia Cheng at these words; "what +you simply fancy as exquisite, with that despicable reliance of yours +upon luxury and display, are two-storied buildings and painted pillars! +But how can you know anything about this aspect so pure and unobtrusive, +and this is all because of that failing of not studying your books!" + +"Sir," hastily answered Pao-yue, "your injunctions are certainly correct; +but men of old have often made allusion to 'natural;' and what is, I +wonder, the import of these two characters?" + +The company had perceived what a perverse mind Pao yue possessed, and +they one and all were much surprised that he should be so silly beyond +the possibility of any change; and when now they heard the question he +asked, about the two characters representing "natural," they, with one +accord, speedily remarked, "Everything else you understand, and how is +it that on the contrary you don't know what 'natural' implies? The word +'natural' means effected by heaven itself and not made by human labour." + +"Well, just so," rejoined Pao-yue; "but the farm, which is laid out in +this locality, is distinctly the handiwork of human labour; in the +distance, there are no neighbouring hamlets; near it, adjoin no wastes; +though it bears a hill, the hill is destitute of streaks; though it be +close to water, this water has no spring; above, there is no pagoda +nestling in a temple; below, there is no bridge leading to a market; it +rises abrupt and solitary, and presents no grand sight! The palm would +seem to be carried by the former spot, which is imbued with the natural +principle, and possesses the charms of nature; for, though bamboos have +been planted in it, and streams introduced, they nevertheless do no +violence to the works executed. 'A natural landscape,' says, an ancient +author in four words; and why? Simply because he apprehended that what +was not land, would, by forcible ways, be converted into land; and that +what was no hill would, by unnatural means, be raised into a hill. And +ingenious though these works might be in a hundred and one ways, they +cannot, after all, be in harmony."... + +But he had no time to conclude, as Chia Cheng flew into a rage. "Drive +him off," he shouted; (but as Pao-yue) was on the point of going out, he +again cried out: "Come back! make up," he added, "another couplet, and +if it isn't clear, I'll for all this give you a slap on your mouth." + +Pao-yue had no alternative but to recite as follows: + + A spot in which the "Ko" fibre to bleach, as the fresh tide doth swell + the waters green! + A beauteous halo and a fragrant smell the man encompass who the cress + did pluck! + +Chia Cheng, after this recital, nodded his head. "This is still worse!" +he remarked, but as he reproved him, he led the company outside, and +winding past the mound, they penetrated among flowers, and wending their +steps by the willows, they touched the rocks and lingered by the stream. +Passing under the trellis with yellow roses, they went into the shed +with white roses; they crossed by the pavilion with peonies, and walked +through the garden, where the white peony grew; and entering the court +with the cinnamon roses, they reached the island of bananas. As they +meandered and zigzagged, suddenly they heard the rustling sound of the +water, as it came out from a stone cave, from the top of which grew +parasitic plants drooping downwards, while at its bottom floated the +fallen flowers. + +"What a fine sight!" they all exclaimed; "what beautiful scenery!" + +"Gentlemen," observed Chia Cheng, "what name do you propose for this +place?" + +"There's no further need for deliberation," the company rejoined; "for +this is just the very spot fit for the three words 'Wu Ling Spring.'" + +"This too is matter-of-fact!" Chia Cheng objected laughingly, "and +likewise antiquated." + +"If that won't do," the party smiled, "well then what about the four +characters implying 'An old cottage of a man of the Ch'in dynasty?'" + +"This is still more exceedingly plain!" interposed Pao-yue. "'The old +cottage of a man of the Ch'in dynasty' is meant to imply a retreat from +revolution, and how will it suit this place? Wouldn't the four +characters be better denoting 'an isthmus with smart weed, and a stream +with flowers'?" + +When Chia Cheng heard these words, he exclaimed: "You're talking still +more stuff and nonsense?" and forthwith entering the grotto, Chia Cheng +went on to ask of Chia Chen, "Are there any boats or not?" + +"There are to be," replied Chia Chen, "four boats in all from which to +pick the lotus, and one boat for sitting in; but they haven't now as yet +been completed." + +"What a pity!" Chia Cheng answered smilingly, "that we cannot go in." + +"But we could also get into it by the tortuous path up the hill," Chia +Chen ventured; and after finishing this remark, he walked ahead to show +the way, and the whole party went over, holding on to the creepers, and +supporting themselves by the trees, when they saw a still larger +quantity of fallen leaves on the surface of the water, and the stream +itself, still more limpid, gently and idly meandering along on its +circuitous course. By the bank of the pond were two rows of weeping +willows, which, intermingling with peach and apricot trees, screened the +heavens from view, and kept off the rays of the sun from this spot, +which was in real truth devoid of even a grain of dust. + +Suddenly, they espied in the shade of the willows, an arched wooden +bridge also reveal itself to the eye, with bannisters of vermilion +colour. They crossed the bridge, and lo, all the paths lay open before +them; but their gaze was readily attracted by a brick cottage spotless +and cool-looking; whose walls were constructed of polished bricks, of +uniform colour; (whose roof was laid) with speckless tiles; and whose +enclosing walls were painted; while the minor slopes, which branched off +from the main hill, all passed along under the walls on to the other +side. + +"This house, in a site like this, is perfectly destitute of any charm!" +added Chia Cheng. + +And as they entered the door, abruptly appeared facing them, a large +boulder studded with holes and soaring high in the skies, which was +surrounded on all four sides by rocks of every description, and +completely, in fact, hid from view the rooms situated in the compound. +But of flowers or trees, there was not even one about; and all that was +visible were a few strange kinds of vegetation; some being of the +creeper genus, others parasitic plants, either hanging from the apex of +the hill, or inserting themselves into the base of the rocks; drooping +down even from the eaves of the house, entwining the pillars, and +closing round the stone steps. Or like green bands, they waved and +flapped; or like gold thread, they coiled and bent, either with seeds +resembling cinnabar, or with blossoms like golden olea; whose fragrance +and aroma could not be equalled by those emitted by flowers of ordinary +species. + +"This is pleasant!" Chia Cheng could not refrain from saying; "the only +thing is that I don't know very much about flowers." + +"What are here are lianas and ficus pumila!" some of the company +observed. + +"How ever can the liana and the ficus have such unusual scent?" +questioned Chia Cheng. + +"Indeed they aren't!" interposed Pao-yue. "Among all these flowers, there +are also ficus and liana, but those scented ones are iris, ligularia, +and 'Wu' flowers; that kind consist, for the most part, of 'Ch'ih' +flowers and orchids; while this mostly of gold-coloured dolichos. That +species is the hypericum plant, this the 'Yue Lu' creeper. The red ones +are, of course, the purple rue; the green ones consist for certain, of +the green 'Chih' plant; and, to the best of my belief, these various +plants are mentioned in the 'Li Sao' and 'Wen Hsuan.' These rare plants +are, some of them called something or other like 'Huo Na' and 'Chiang +Hui;' others again are designated something like 'Lun Tsu' and 'Tz'u +Feng;' while others there are whose names sound like 'Shih Fan,' 'Shui +Sung' and 'Fu Liu,' which together with other species are to be found in +the 'Treatise about the Wu city' by Tso T'ai-chung. There are also those +which go under the appellation of 'Lu T'i,' or something like that; +while there are others that are called something or other like 'Tan +Chiao,' 'Mi Wu' and 'Feng Lien;' reference to which is made in the +'Treatise on the Shu city.' But so many years have now elapsed, and the +times have so changed (since these treatises were written), that people, +being unable to discriminate (the real names) may consequently have had +to appropriate in every case such names as suited the external aspect, +so that they may, it is quite possible, have gradually come to be called +by wrong designations." + +But he had no time to conclude; for Chia Cheng interrupted him. "Who has +ever asked you about it?" he shouted; which plunged Pao-yue into such a +fright, that he drew back, and did not venture to utter another word. + +Chia Cheng perceiving that on both sides alike were covered passages +resembling outstretched arms, forthwith continued his steps and entered +the covered way, when he caught sight, at the upper end, of a +five-roomed building, without spot or blemish, with folding blinds +extending in a connected line, and with corridors on all four sides; (a +building) which with its windows so green, and its painted walls, +excelled, in spotless elegance, the other buildings they had seen +before, to which it presented such a contrast. + +Chia Cheng heaved a sigh. "If one were able," he observed, "to boil his +tea and thrum his lyre in here, there wouldn't even be any need for him +to burn any more incense. But the execution of this structure is so +beyond conception that you must, gentlemen, compose something nice and +original to embellish the tablet with, so as not to render such a place +of no effect!" + +"There's nothing so really pat," suggested the company smiling; "as 'the +orchid-smell-laden breeze' and 'the dew-bedecked epidendrum!" + +"These are indeed the only four characters," rejoined Chia Cheng, "that +could be suitably used; but what's to be said as far as the scroll +goes?" + +"I've thought of a couplet," interposed one of the party, "which you'll +all have to criticise, and put into ship-shape; its burden is this: + + "The musk-like epidendrum smell enshrouds the court, where shines the + sun with oblique beams; + The iris fragrance is wafted over the isle illumined by the moon's + clear rays." + +"As far as excellence is concerned, it's excellent," observed the whole +party, "but the two words representing 'with oblique beams' are not +felicitous." + +And as some one quoted the line from an old poem: + + The angelica fills the court with tears, what time the sun doth slant. + +"Lugubrious, lugubrious!" expostulated the company with one voice. + +Another person then interposed. "I also have a couplet, whose merits +you, gentlemen, can weigh; it runs as follows: + + "Along the three pathways doth float the Yue Hui scented breeze! + The radiant moon in the whole hall shines on the gold orchid!" + +Chia Cheng tugged at his moustache and gave way to meditation. He was +just about also to suggest a stanza, when, upon suddenly raising his +head, he espied Pao-yue standing by his side, too timid to give vent to a +single sound. + +"How is it," he purposely exclaimed, "that when you should speak, you +contrariwise don't? Is it likely that you expect some one to request you +to confer upon us the favour of your instruction?" + +"In this place," Pao-yue rejoined at these words, "there are no such +things as orchids, musk, resplendent moon or islands; and were one to +begin quoting such specimens of allusions, to scenery, two hundred +couplets could be readily given without, even then, having been able to +exhaust the supply!" + +"Who presses your head down," Chia Cheng urged, "and uses force that you +must come out with all these remarks?" + +"Well, in that case," added Pao-yue, "there are no fitter words to put on +the tablet than the four representing: 'The fragrance pure of the +ligularia and iris.' While the device on the scroll might be: + + "Sung is the nutmeg song, but beauteous still is the sonnet! + Near the T'u Mei to sleep, makes e'en a dream with fragrance full!" + +"This is," laughed Chia Cheng sneeringly, "an imitation of the line: + + "A book when it is made of plaintain leaves, the writing green is also + bound to be! + +"So that there's nothing remarkable about it." + +"Li T'ai-po, in his work on the Phoenix Terrace," protested the whole +party, "copied, in every point, the Huang Hua Lou. But what's essential +is a faultless imitation. Now were we to begin to criticise minutely the +couplet just cited, we would indeed find it to be, as compared with the +line 'A book when it is made of plantain leaves,' still more elegant and +of wider application!" + +"What an idea?" observed Chia Cheng derisively. + +But as he spoke, the whole party walked out; but they had not gone very +far before they caught sight of a majestic summer house, towering high +peak-like, and of a structure rising loftily with storey upon storey; +and completely locked in as they were on every side they were as +beautiful as the Jade palace. Far and wide, road upon road coiled and +wound; while the green pines swept the eaves, the jady epidendrum +encompassed the steps, the animals' faces glistened like gold, and the +dragons' heads shone resplendent in their variegated hues. + +"This is the Main Hall," remarked Chia Cheng; "the only word against it +is that there's a little too much finery." + +"It should be so," rejoined one and all, "so as to be what it's intended +to be! The imperial consort has, it is true, an exalted preference for +economy and frugality, but her present honourable position requires the +observance of such courtesies, so that (finery) is no fault." + +As they made these remarks and advanced on their way the while, they +perceived, just in front of them, an archway project to view, +constructed of jadelike stone; at the top of which the coils of large +dragons and the scales of small dragons were executed in perforated +style. + +"What's the device to be for this spot?" inquired Chia Cheng. + +"It should be 'fairy land,'" suggested all of them, "so as to be +apposite!" + +Chia Cheng nodded his head and said nothing. But as soon as Pao-yue +caught sight of this spot something was suddenly aroused in his heart +and he began to ponder within himself. "This place really resembles +something that I've seen somewhere or other." But he could not at the +moment recall to mind what year, moon, or day this had happened. + +Chia Cheng bade him again propose a motto; but Pao-yue was bent upon +thinking over the details of the scenery he had seen on a former +occasion, and gave no thought whatever to this place, so that the whole +company were at a loss what construction to give to his silence, and +came simply to the conclusion that, after the bullying he had had to put +up with for ever so long, his spirits had completely vanished, his +talents become exhausted and his speech impoverished; and that if he +were harassed and pressed, he might perchance, as the result of anxiety, +contract some ailment or other, which would of course not be a suitable +issue, and they lost no time in combining together to dissuade Chia +Cheng. + +"Never mind," they said, "to-morrow will do to compose some device; +let's drop it now." + +Chia Cheng himself was inwardly afraid lest dowager lady Chia should be +anxious, so that he hastily remarked as he forced a smile. "You beast, +there are, after all, also occasions on which you are no good! but never +mind! I'll give you one day to do it in, and if by to-morrow you haven't +been able to compose anything, I shall certainly not let you off. This +is the first and foremost place and you must exercise due care in what +you write." + +Saying this, he sallied out, at the head of the company, and cast +another glance at the scenery. + +Indeed from the time they had entered the gate up to this stage, they +had just gone over five or six tenths of the whole ground, when it +happened again that a servant came and reported that some one had +arrived from Mr. Yue-'ts'un's to deliver a message. "These several places +(which remain)," Chia Cheng observed with a smile, "we have no time to +pass under inspection; but we might as well nevertheless go out at least +by that way, as we shall be able, to a certain degree, to have a look at +the general aspect." + +With these words, he showed the way for the family companions until they +reached a large bridge, with water entering under it, looking like a +curtain made of crystal. This bridge, the fact is, was the dam, which +communicated with the river outside, and from which the stream was +introduced into the grounds. + +"What's the name of this water-gate?" Chia Cheng inquired. + +"This is," replied Pao-yue, "the main stream of the Hsin Fang river, and +is therefore called the Hsin Fang water-gate." + +"Nonsense!" exclaimed Chia Cheng. "The two words Hsin Fang must on no +account be used!" + +And as they speedily advanced on their way, they either came across +elegant halls, or thatched cottages; walls made of piled-up stone, or +gates fashioned of twisted plants; either a secluded nunnery or Buddhist +fane, at the foot of some hill; or some unsullied houses, hidden in a +grove, tenanted by rationalistic priestesses; either extensive corridors +and winding grottoes; or square buildings, and circular pavilions. But +Chia Cheng had not the energy to enter any of these places, for as he +had not had any rest for ever so long, his legs felt shaky and his feet +weak. + +Suddenly they also discerned ahead of them a court disclose itself to +view. + +"When we get there," Chia Cheng suggested, "we must have a little rest." +Straightway as he uttered the remark, he led them in, and winding round +the jade-green peach-trees, covered with blossom, they passed through +the bamboo fence and flower-laden hedge, which were twisted in such a +way as to form a circular, cavelike gateway, when unexpectedly appeared +before their eyes an enclosure with whitewashed walls, in which verdant +willows drooped in every direction. + +Chia Cheng entered the gateway in company with the whole party. Along +the whole length of both sides extended covered passages, connected with +each other; while in the court were laid out several rockeries. In one +quarter were planted a number of banana trees; on the opposite stood a +plant of begonia from Hsi Fu. Its appearance was like an open umbrella. +The gossamer hanging (from its branches) resembled golden threads. The +corollas (seemed) to spurt out cinnabar. + +"What a beautiful flower! what a beautiful flower!" ejaculated the whole +party with one voice; "begonias are verily to be found; but never before +have we seen anything the like of this in beauty." + +"This is called the maiden begonia and is, in fact, a foreign species," +Chia Cheng observed. "There's a homely tradition that it is because it +emanates from the maiden kingdom that its flowers are most prolific; but +this is likewise erratic talk and devoid of common sense." + +"They are, after all," rejoined the whole company, "so unlike others (we +have seen), that what's said about the maiden kingdom is, we are +inclined to believe, possibly a fact." + +"I presume," interposed Pao-yue, "that some clever bard or poet, +(perceiving) that this flower was red like cosmetic, delicate as if +propped up in sickness, and that it closely resembled the nature of a +young lady, gave it, consequently, the name of maiden! People in the +world will propagate idle tales, all of which are unavoidably treated as +gospel!" + +"We receive (with thanks) your instructions; what excellent +explanation!" they all remarked unanimously, and as they expressed these +words, the whole company took their seats on the sofas under the +colonnade. + +"Let's think of some original text or other for a motto," Chia Cheng +having suggested, one of the companions opined that the two characters: +"Banana and stork" would be felicitous; while another one was of the +idea that what would be faultless would be: "Collected splendour and +waving elegance!" + +"'Collected splendour and waving elegance' is excellent," Chia Cheng +observed addressing himself to the party; and Pao-yue himself, while also +extolling it as beautiful, went on to say: "There's only one thing +however to be regretted!" + +"What about regret?" the company inquired. + +"In this place," Pao-yue explained, "are set out both bananas as well as +begonias, with the intent of secretly combining in them the two +properties of red and green; and if mention of one of them be made, and +the other be omitted, (the device) won't be good enough for selection." + +"What would you then suggest?" Chia Cheng asked. + +"I would submit the four words, 'the red (flowers) are fragrant, the +green (banana leaves) like jade,' which would render complete the +beauties of both (the begonias and bananas)." + +"It isn't good! it isn't good!" Chia Cheng remonstrated as he shook his +head; and while passing this remark, he conducted the party into the +house, where they noticed that the internal arrangements effected +differed from those in other places, as no partitions could, in fact, be +discerned. Indeed, the four sides were all alike covered with boards +carved hollow with fretwork, (in designs consisting) either of rolling +clouds and hundreds of bats; or of the three friends of the cold season +of the year, (fir, bamboo and almond); of scenery and human beings, or +of birds or flowers; either of clusters of decoration, or of relics of +olden times; either of ten thousand characters of happiness or of ten +thousand characters of longevity. The various kinds of designs had been +all carved by renowned hands, in variegated colours, inlaid with gold, +and studded with precious gems; while on shelf upon shelf were either +arranged collections of books, or tripods were laid out; either pens and +inkslabs were distributed about, or vases with flowers set out, or +figured pots were placed about; the designs of the shelves being either +round or square; or similar to sunflowers or banana leaves; or like +links, half overlapping each other. And in very truth they resembled +bouquets of flowers or clusters of tapestry, with all their fretwork so +transparent. Suddenly (the eye was struck) by variegated gauzes pasted +(on the wood-work), actually forming small windows; and of a sudden by +fine thin silks lightly overshadowing (the fretwork) just as if there +were, after all, secret doors. The whole walls were in addition traced, +with no regard to symmetry, with outlines of the shapes of curios and +nick-nacks in imitation of lutes, double-edged swords, hanging bottles +and the like, the whole number of which, though (apparently) suspended +on the walls, were all however on a same level with the surface of the +partition walls. + +"What fine ingenuity!" they all exclaimed extollingly; "what a labour +they must have been to carry out!" + +Chia Cheng had actually stepped in; but scarcely had they reached the +second stage, before the whole party readily lost sight of the way by +which they had come in. They glanced on the left, and there stood a +door, through which they could go. They cast their eyes on the right, +and there was a window which suddenly impeded their progress. They went +forward, but there again they were obstructed by a bookcase. They turned +their heads round, and there too stood windows pasted with transparent +gauze and available door-ways: but the moment they came face to face +with the door, they unexpectedly perceived that a whole company of +people had likewise walked in, just in front of them, whose appearance +resembled their own in every respect. But it was only a mirror. And when +they rounded the mirror, they detected a still larger number of doors. + +"Sir," Chia Chen remarked with a grin; "if you'll follow me out through +this door, we'll forthwith get into the back-court; and once out of the +back-court, we shall be, at all events, nearer than we were before." + +Taking the lead, he conducted Chia Cheng and the whole party round two +gauze mosquito houses, when they verily espied a door through which they +made their exit, into a court, replete with stands of cinnamon roses. +Passing round the flower-laden hedge, the only thing that spread before +their view was a pure stream impeding their advance. The whole company +was lost in admiration. "Where does this water again issue from?" they +cried. + +Chia Chen pointed to a spot at a distance. "Starting originally," he +explained, "from that water-gate, it runs as far as the mouth of that +cave, when from among the hills on the north-east side, it is introduced +into that village, where again a diverging channel has been opened and +it is made to flow in a south-westerly direction; the whole volume of +water then runs to this spot, where collecting once more in one place, +it issues, on its outward course, from beneath that wall." + +"It's most ingenious!" they one and all exclaimed, after they had +listened to him; but, as they uttered these words, they unawares +realised that a lofty hill obstructed any further progress. The whole +party felt very hazy about the right road. But "Come along after me," +Chia Chen smilingly urged, as he at once went ahead and showed the way, +whereupon the company followed in his steps, and as soon as they turned +round the foot of the hill, a level place and broad road lay before +them; and wide before their faces appeared the main entrance. + +"This is charming! this is delightful!" the party unanimously exclaimed, +"what wits must have been ransacked, and ingenuity attained, so as to +bring things to this extreme degree of excellence!" + +Forthwith the party egressed from the garden, and Pao-yue's heart +anxiously longed for the society of the young ladies in the inner +quarters, but as he did not hear Chia Cheng bid him go, he had no help +but to follow him into the library. But suddenly Chia Cheng bethought +himself of him. "What," he said, "you haven't gone yet! the old lady +will I fear be anxious on your account; and is it pray that you haven't +as yet had enough walking?" + +Pao-yue at length withdrew out of the library. On his arrival in the +court, a page, who had been in attendance on Chia Cheng, at once pressed +forward, and took hold of him fast in his arms. "You've been lucky +enough," he said, "to-day to have been in master's good graces! just a +while back when our old mistress despatched servants to come on several +occasions and ask after you, we replied that master was pleased with +you; for had we given any other answer, her ladyship would have sent to +fetch you to go in, and you wouldn't have had an opportunity of +displaying your talents. Every one admits that the several stanzas you +recently composed were superior to those of the whole company put +together; but you must, after the good luck you've had to-day, give us a +tip!" + +"I'll give each one of you a tiao," Pao-yue rejoined smirkingly. + +"Who of us hasn't seen a tiao?" they all exclaimed, "let's have that +purse of yours, and have done with it!" + +Saying this, one by one advanced and proceeded to unloosen the purse, +and to unclasp the fan-case; and allowing Pao-yue no time to make any +remonstrance, they stripped him of every ornament in the way of +appendage which he carried about on his person. "Whatever we do let's +escort him home!" they shouted, and one after another hustled round him +and accompanied him as far as dowager lady Chia's door. + +Her ladyship was at this moment awaiting his arrival, so that when she +saw him walk in, and she found out that (Chia Cheng) had not bullied +him, she felt, of course, extremely delighted. But not a long interval +elapsed before Hsi Jen came to serve the tea; and when she perceived +that on his person not one of the ornaments remained, she consequently +smiled and inquired: "Have all the things that you had on you been again +taken away by these barefaced rascals?" + +As soon as Lin Tai-yue heard this remark, she crossed over to him and saw +at a glance that not one single trinket was, in fact, left. "Have you +also given them," she felt constrained to ask, "the purse that I gave +you? Well, by and by, when you again covet anything of mine, I shan't +let you have it." + +After uttering these words, she returned into her apartment in high +dudgeon, and taking the scented bag, which Pao-yue had asked her to make +for him, and which she had not as yet finished, she picked up a pair of +scissors, and instantly cut it to pieces. + +Pao-yue noticing that she had lost her temper, came after her with +hurried step, but the bag had already been cut with the scissors; and as +Pao-yue observed how extremely fine and artistic this scented bag was, in +spite of its unfinished state, he verily deplored that it should have +been rent to pieces for no rhyme or reason. Promptly therefore +unbuttoning his coat, he produced from inside the lapel the purse, which +had been fastened there. "Look at this!" he remarked as he handed it to +Tai-yue; "what kind of thing is this! have I given away to any one what +was yours?" Lin Tai-yue, upon seeing how much he prized it as to wear it +within his clothes, became alive to the fact that it was done with +intent, as he feared lest any one should take it away; and as this +conviction made her sorry that she had been so impetuous as to have cut +the scented bag, she lowered her head and uttered not a word. + +"There was really no need for you to have cut it," Pao-yue observed; "but +as I know that you're loth to give me anything, what do you say to my +returning even this purse?" + +With these words, he threw the purse in her lap and walked off; which +vexed Tai-yue so much the more that, after giving way to tears, she took +up the purse in her hands to also destroy it with the scissors, when +Pao-yue precipitately turned round and snatched it from her grasp. + +"My dear cousin," he smilingly pleaded, "do spare it!" and as Tai-yue +dashed down the scissors and wiped her tears: "You needn't," she urged, +"be kind to me at one moment, and unkind at another; if you wish to have +a tiff, why then let's part company!" But as she spoke, she lost control +over her temper, and, jumping on her bed, she lay with her face turned +towards the inside, and set to work drying her eyes. + +Pao-yue could not refrain from approaching her. "My dear cousin, my own +cousin," he added, "I confess my fault!" + +"Go and find Pao-yue!" dowager lady Chia thereupon gave a shout from +where she was in the front apartment, and all the attendants explained +that he was in Miss Lin's room. + +"All right, that will do! that will do!" her ladyship rejoined, when she +heard this reply; "let the two cousins play together; his father kept +him a short while back under check, for ever so long, so let him have +some distraction. But the only thing is that you mustn't allow them to +have any quarrels." To which the servants in a body expressed their +obedience. + +Tai-yue, unable to put up with Pao-yue's importunity, felt compelled to +rise. "Your object seems to be," she remarked, "not to let me have any +rest. If it is, I'll run away from you." Saying which, she there and +then was making her way out, when Pao-yue protested with a face full of +smiles: "Wherever you go, I'll follow!" and as he, at the same time, +took the purse and began to fasten it on him, Tai-yue stretched out her +hand, and snatching it away, "You say you don't want it," she observed, +"and now you put it on again! I'm really much ashamed on your account!" +And these words were still on her lips when with a sound of Ch'ih, she +burst out laughing. + +"My dear cousin," Pao-yue added, "to-morrow do work another scented bag +for me!" + +"That too will rest upon my good pleasure," Tai-yue rejoined. + +As they conversed, they both left the room together and walked into +madame Wang's suite of apartments, where, as luck would have it, +Pao-ch'ai was also seated. + +Unusual commotion prevailed, at this time, over at madame Wang's, for +the fact is that Chia Se had already come back from Ku Su, where he had +selected twelve young girls, and settled about an instructor, as well as +about the theatrical properties and the other necessaries. And as Mrs. +Hsueeh had by this date moved her quarters into a separate place on the +northeast side, and taken up her abode in a secluded and quiet house, +(madame Wang) had had repairs of a distinct character executed in the +Pear Fragrance Court, and then issued directions that the instructor +should train the young actresses in this place; and casting her choice +upon all the women, who had, in days of old, received a training in +singing, and who were now old matrons with white hair, she bade them +have an eye over them and keep them in order. Which done, she enjoined +Chia Se to assume the chief control of all matters connected with the +daily and monthly income and outlay, as well as of the accounts of all +articles in use of every kind and size. + +Lin Chih-hsiao also came to report: "that the twelve young nuns and +Taoist girls, who had been purchased after proper selection, had all +arrived, and that the twenty newly-made Taoist coats had also been +received. That there was besides a maiden, who though devoted to +asceticism, kept her chevelure unshaved; that she was originally a +denizen of Suchow, of a family whose ancestors were also people of +letters and official status; that as from her youth up she had been +stricken with much sickness, (her parents) had purchased a good number +of substitutes (to enter the convent), but all with no relief to her, +until at last this girl herself entered the gate of abstraction when she +at once recovered. That hence it was that she grew her hair, while she +devoted herself to an ascetic life; that she was this year eighteen +years of age, and that the name given to her was Miao Yue; that her +father and mother were, at this time, already dead; that she had only by +her side, two old nurses and a young servant girl to wait upon her; that +she was most proficient in literature, and exceedingly well versed in +the classics and canons; and that she was likewise very attractive as +far as looks went; that having heard that in the city of Ch'ang-an, +there were vestiges of Kuan Yin and relics of the canons inscribed on +leaves, she followed, last year, her teacher (to the capital). She now +lives," he said, "in the Lao Ni nunnery, outside the western gate; her +teacher was a great expert in prophetic divination, but she died in the +winter of last year, and her dying words were that as it was not +suitable for (Miao Yue) to return to her native place, she should await +here, as something in the way of a denouement was certain to turn up; +and this is the reason why she hasn't as yet borne the coffin back to +her home!" + +"If such be the case," madame Wang readily suggested, "why shouldn't we +bring her here?" + +"If we are to ask her," Lin Chih-hsiao's wife replied, "she'll say that +a marquis' family and a duke's household are sure, in their honourable +position, to be overbearing to people; and I had rather not go." + +"As she's the daughter of an official family," madame Wang continued, +"she's bound to be inclined to be somewhat proud; but what harm is there +to our sending her a written invitation to ask her to come!" + +Lin Chih-hsiao's wife assented; and leaving the room, she made the +secretary write an invitation and then went to ask Miao Yue. The next day +servants were despatched, and carriages and sedan chairs were got ready +to go and bring her over. + +What subsequently transpired is not as yet known, but, reader, listen to +the account given in the following chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + His Majesty shows magnanimous bounty. + The Imperial consort Yuan pays a visit to her parents. + The happiness of a family gathering. + Pao-yue displays his polished talents. + + +But let us resume our story. A servant came, at this moment, to report +that for the works in course of execution, they were waiting for gauze +and damask silk to paste on various articles, and that they requested +lady Feng to go and open the depot for them to take the gauze and silk, +while another servant also came to ask lady Feng to open the treasury +for them to receive the gold and silver ware. And as Madame Wang, the +waiting-maids and the other domestics of the upper rooms had all no +leisure, Pao-ch'ai suggested: "Don't let us remain in here and be in the +way of their doing what there is to be done, and of going where they +have to go," and saying this, she betook herself, escorted by Pao-yue and +the rest, into Ying Ch'un's rooms. + +Madame Wang continued day after day in a great state of flurry and +confusion, straight up to within the tenth moon, by which time every +arrangement had been completed, and the overseers had all handed in a +clear statement of their accounts. The curios and writing materials, +wherever needed, had all already been laid out and everything got ready, +and the birds (and animals), from the stork, the deer and rabbits to the +chickens, geese and the like, had all been purchased and handed over to +be reared in the various localities in the garden; and over at Chia +Se's, had also been learnt twenty miscellaneous plays, while a company +of young nuns and Taoist priestesses had likewise the whole number of +them, mastered the intonation of Buddhist classics and incantations. + +Chia Cheng after this, at length, was slightly composed in mind, and +cheerful at heart; and having further invited dowager lady Chia and +other inmates to go into the garden, he deliberated with them on, and +made arrangements for, every detail in such a befitting manner that not +the least trifle remained for which suitable provision had not been +made; and Chia Cheng eventually mustered courage to indite a memorial, +and on the very day on which the memorial was presented, a decree was +received fixing upon the fifteenth day of the first moon of the ensuing +year, the very day of the Shang Yuan festival, for the honourable +consorts to visit their homes. + +Upon the receipt of this decree, with which the Chia family was +honoured, they had still less leisure, both by day as well as by night; +so much so that they could not even properly observe the new year +festivities. But in a twinkle of the eye, the festival of the full moon +of the first moon drew near; and beginning from the eighth day of the +first moon, eunuchs issued from the palace and inspected beforehand the +various localities, the apartments in which the imperial consort was to +change her costume; the place where she would spend her leisure moments; +the spot where she would receive the conventionalities; the premises +where the banquets would be spread; the quarters where she would retire +for rest. + +There were also eunuchs who came to assume the patrol of the grounds and +the direction of the defences; and they brought along with them a good +many minor eunuchs, whose duty it was to look after the safety of the +various localities, to screen the place with enclosing curtains, to +instruct the inmates and officials of the Chia mansion whither to go out +and whence to come in from, what side the viands should be brought in +from, where to report matters, and in the observance of every kind of +etiquette; and for outside the mansion, there were, on the other hand, +officers from the Board of Works, and a superintendent of the Police, of +the "Five Cities," in charge of the sweeping of the streets and roads, +and the clearing away of loungers. While Chia She and the others +superintended the workmen in such things as the manufacture of flowered +lanterns and fireworks. + +The fourteenth day arrived and everything was in order; but on this +night, one and all whether high or low, did not get a wink of sleep; and +when the fifteenth came, every one, at the fifth watch, beginning from +dowager lady Chia and those who enjoyed any official status, appeared in +full gala dress, according to their respective ranks. In the garden, the +curtains were, by this time, flapping like dragons, the portieres flying +about like phoenixes with variegated plumage. Gold and silver glistened +with splendour. Pearls and precious gems shed out their brilliant +lustre. The tripod censers burnt the Pai-ho incense. In the vases were +placed evergreens. Silence and stillness prevailed, and not a man +ventured so much as to cough. + +Chia She and the other men were standing outside the door giving on to +the street on the west; and old lady Chia and the other ladies were +outside the main entrance of the Jung mansion at the head of the street, +while at the mouth of the lane were placed screens to rigorously +obstruct the public gaze. They were unable to bear the fatigue of any +further waiting when, at an unexpected moment, a eunuch arrived on +horseback, and Chia Cheng went up to meet him, and ascertained what +tidings he was the bearer of. + +"It's as yet far too early," rejoined the eunuch, "for at one o'clock +(her highness) will have her evening repast, and at two she has to +betake herself to the Palace of Precious Perception to worship Buddha. +At five, she will enter the Palace of Great Splendour to partake of a +banquet, and to see the lanterns, after which, she will request His +Majesty's permission; so that, I'm afraid, it won't be earlier than +seven before they set out." + +Lady Feng's ear caught what was said. "If such be the case," she +interposed, "may it please your venerable ladyship, and you, my lady, to +return for a while to your apartments, and wait; and if you come when +it's time you'll be here none too late." + +Dowager lady Chia and the other ladies immediately left for a time and +suited their own convenience, and as everything in the garden devolved +upon lady Feng to supervise, she ordered the butlers to take the eunuchs +and give them something to eat and drink; and at the same time, she sent +word that candles should be brought in and that the lanterns in the +various places should be lit. + +But unexpectedly was heard from outside the continuous patter of horses +running, whereupon about ten eunuchs hurried in gasping and out of +breath. They clapped their hands, and the several eunuchs (who had come +before), understanding the signal, and knowing that the party had +arrived, stood in their respective positions; while Chia She, at the +head of all the men of the clan, remained at the western street door, +and dowager lady Chia, at the head of the female relatives of the +family, waited outside the principal entrance to do the honours. + +For a long interval, everything was plunged in silence and quiet; when +suddenly two eunuchs on horseback were espied advancing with leisurely +step. Reaching the western street gate, they dismounted, and, driving +their horses beyond the screens, they forthwith took their stand facing +the west. After another long interval, a second couple arrived, and went +likewise through the same proceedings. In a short time, drew near about +ten couples, when, at length, were heard the gentle strains of music, +and couple by couple advanced with banners, dragons, with fans made with +phoenix feathers, and palace flabella of pheasant plumes; and those +besides who carried gold-washed censers burning imperial incense. Next +in order was brought past a state umbrella of golden yellow, with +crooked handle and embroidered with seven phoenixes; after which quickly +followed the crown, robe, girdle and shoes. + +There were likewise eunuchs, who took a part in the procession, holding +scented handkerchiefs and embroidered towels, cups for rinsing the +mouth, dusters and other such objects; and company after company went +past, when, at the rear, approached with stately step eight eunuchs +carrying an imperial sedan chair, of golden yellow, with a gold knob and +embroidered with phoenixes. + +Old lady Chia and the other members of the family hastily fell on their +knees, but a eunuch came over at once to raise her ladyship and the +rest; and the imperial chair was thereupon carried through the main +entrance, the ceremonial gate and into a court on the eastern side, at +the door of which stood a eunuch, who prostrated himself and invited +(her highness) to dismount and change her costume. + +Having forthwith carried her inside the gate, the eunuchs dispersed; and +only the maids-of-honour and ladies-in-waiting ushered Yuan Ch'un out of +the chair, when what mainly attracted her eye in the park was the +brilliant lustre of the flowered lamps of every colour, all of which +were made of gauze or damask, and were beautiful in texture, and out of +the common run; while on the upper side was a flat lantern with the +inscription in four characters, "Regarded (by His Majesty's) benevolence +and permeated by his benefits." + +Yuan Ch'un entered the apartment and effected the necessary changes in +her toilette; after which, she again egressed, and, mounting her chair, +she made her entry into the garden, when she perceived the smoke of +incense whirling and twirling, and the reflection of the flowers +confusing the eyes. Far and wide, the rays of light, shed by the +lanterns, intermingled their brilliancy, while, from time to time, fine +strains of music sounded with clamorous din. But it would be impossible +to express adequately the perfect harmony in the aspect of this scene, +and the grandeur of affluence and splendour. + +The imperial consort of the Chia family, we must now observe, upon +catching sight, from the interior of her chair, of the picture presented +within as well as without the confines of this garden, shook her head +and heaved a sigh. "What lavish extravagance! What excessive waste!" she +soliloquised. + +But of a sudden was again seen a eunuch who, on his knees, invited her +to get into a boat; and the Chia consort descended from the chair and +stepped into the craft, when the expanse of a limpid stream met her +gaze, whose grandeur resembled that of the dragon in its listless +course. The stone bannisters, on each side, were one mass of air-tight +lanterns, of every colour, made of crystal or glass, which threw out a +light like the lustre of silver or the brightness of snow. + +The willow, almond and the whole lot of trees, on the upper side, were, +it is true, without blossom and leaves; but pongee and damask silks, +paper and lustring had been employed, together with rice-paper, to make +flowers of, which had been affixed on the branches. Upon each tree were +suspended thousands of lanterns; and what is more, the lotus and aquatic +plants, the ducks and water fowl in the pond had all, in like manner, +been devised out of conches and clams, plumes and feathers. The various +lanterns, above and below, vied in refulgence. In real truth, it was a +crystal region, a world of pearls and precious stones. On board the boat +were also every kind of lanterns representing such designs as are used +on flower-pots, pearl-laden portieres, embroidered curtains, oars of +cinnamon wood, and paddles of magnolia, which need not of course be +minutely described. + +They entered a landing with a stone curb; and on this landing was +erected a flat lantern upon which were plainly visible the four +characters the "Persicary beach and flower-laden bank." But, reader, you +have heard how that these four characters "the persicary beach and the +flower-laden bank," the motto "a phoenix comes with dignified air," and +the rest owe one and all their origin to the unexpected test to which +Chia Cheng submitted, on a previous occasion, Pao-yue's literary +abilities; but how did it come about that they were actually adopted? + +You must remember that the Chia family had been, generation after +generation, given to the study of letters, so that it was only natural +that there should be among them one or two renowned writers of verses; +for how could they ever resemble the families of such upstarts, who only +employ puerile expressions as a makeshift to get through what they have +to do? But the why and the wherefore must be sought in the past. The +consort, belonging to the Chia mansion, had, before she entered the +palace, been, from her infancy, also brought up by dowager lady Chia; +and when Pao-yue was subsequently added to the family, she was the eldest +sister and Pao-yue the youngest child. The Chia consort, bearing in mind +how that she had, when her mother was verging on old age, at length +obtained this younger brother, she for this reason doated upon him with +single love; and as they were besides companions in their attendance +upon old lady Chia, they were inseparable for even a moment. Before +Pao-yue had entered school, and when three or four years of age, he had +already received oral instruction from the imperial spouse Chia from the +contents of several books and had committed to memory several thousands +of characters, for though they were only sister and brother, they were +like mother and child. And after she had entered the Palace, she was +wont time and again to have letters taken out to her father and her +cousins, urgently recommending them to be careful with his bringing up, +that if they were not strict, he could not possibly become good for +anything, and that if they were immoderately severe, there was the +danger of something unpropitious befalling him, with the result, +moreover, that his grandmother would be stricken with sorrow; and this +solicitude on his account was never for an instant lost sight of by her. + +Hence it was that Chia Cheng having, a few days back, heard his teacher +extol him for his extreme abilities, he forthwith put him to the test on +the occasion of their ramble through the garden. And though (his +compositions) were not in the bold style of a writer of note, yet they +were productions of their own family, and would, moreover, be +instrumental, when the Chia consort had her notice attracted by them, +and come to know that they were devised by her beloved brother, in also +not rendering nugatory the anxious interest which she had ever +entertained on his behalf, and he, therefore, purposely adopted what had +been suggested by Pao-yue; while for those places, for which on that day +no devices had been completed, a good number were again subsequently +composed to make up what was wanted. + +After the Chia consort had, for we shall now return to her, perused the +four characters, she gave a smile. "The two words 'flower-laden bank,'" +she said, "are really felicitous, so what use was there for 'persicary +beach?'" + +When the eunuch in waiting heard this observation, he promptly jumped +off the craft on to the bank, and at a flying pace hurried to +communicate it to Chia Cheng, and Chia Cheng instantly effected the +necessary alteration. + +By this time the craft had reached the inner bank, and leaving the boat, +and mounting into her sedan chair, she in due course contemplated the +magnificent Jade-like Palace; the Hall of cinnamon wood, lofty and +sublime; and the marble portals with the four characters in bold style: +the "Precious confines of heavenly spirits," which the Chia consort gave +directions should be changed for the four words denoting: "additional +Hall (for the imperial consort) on a visit to her parents." And +forthwith making her entrance into the travelling lodge her gaze was +attracted by torches burning in the court encompassing the heavens, +fragments of incense strewn on the ground, fire-like trees and gem-like +flowers, gold-like windows and jade-like bannisters. But it would be +difficult to give a full account of the curtains, which rolled up (as +fine as a) shrimp's moustache; of the carpets of other skins spread on +the floor; of the tripods exhaling the fragrant aroma of the brain of +the musk deer; of the screens in a row resembling fans made of pheasant +tails. Indeed, the gold-like doors and the windows like jade were +suggestive of the abode of spirits; while the halls made of cinnamon +wood and the palace of magnolia timber, of the very homes of the +imperial secondary consorts. + +"Why is it," the Chia consort inquired, "that there is no tablet in this +Hall?" + +The eunuch in waiting fell on his knees. "This is the main Hall," he +reverently replied, "and the officials, outside the palace, did not +presume to take upon themselves to suggest any motto." + +The Chia consort shook her head and said not a word; whereupon the +eunuch, who acted as master of ceremonies, requested Her Majesty to +ascend the throne and receive homage. The band stationed on the two +flights of steps struck up a tune, while two eunuchs ushered Chia She, +Chia Cheng and the other members on to the moonlike stage, where they +arranged themselves in order and ascended into the hall, but when the +ladies-in-waiting transmitted her commands that the homage could be +dispensed with, they at once retraced their footsteps. + +(The master of the ceremonies), in like manner led forward the dowager +lady of the Jung Kuo mansion, as well as the female relatives, from the +steps on the east side, on to the moon-like stage; where they were +placed according to their ranks. But the maids-of-honour again commanded +that they should dispense with the ceremony, so they likewise promptly +withdrew. + +After tea had been thrice presented, the Chia consort descended the +Throne, and the music ceased. She retired into a side room to change her +costume, and the private chairs were then got ready for her visit to her +parents. Issuing from the garden, she came into the main quarters +belonging to dowager lady Chia, where she was bent upon observing the +domestic conventionalities, when her venerable ladyship, and the other +members of the family, prostrated themselves in a body before her, and +made her desist. Tears dropped down from the eyes of the Chia consort as +(she and her relatives) mutually came forward, and greeted each other, +and as with one hand she grasped old lady Chia, and with the other she +held madame Wang, the three had plenty in their hearts which they were +fain to speak about; but, unable as each one of them was to give +utterance to their feelings, all they did was to sob and to weep, as +they kept face to face to each other; while madame Hsing, widow Li Wan, +Wang Hsi-feng, and the three sisters: Ying Ch'un, T'an Ch'un, and Hsi +Ch'un, stood aside in a body shedding tears and saying not a word. + +After a long time, the Chia consort restrained her anguish, and forcing +a smile, she set to work to reassure old lady Chia and madame Wang. +"Having in days gone by," she urged, "been sent to that place where no +human being can be seen, I have to-day after extreme difficulty returned +home; and now that you ladies and I have been reunited, instead of +chatting or laughing we contrariwise give way to incessant tears! But +shortly, I shall be gone, and who knows when we shall be able again to +even see each other!" + +When she came to this sentence, they could not help bursting into +another tit of crying; and Madame Hsing hastened to come forward, and to +console dowager lady Chia and the rest. But when the Chia consort +resumed her seat, and one by one came again, in turn, to exchange +salutations, they could not once more help weeping and sobbing for a +time. + +Next in order, were the managers and servants of the eastern and western +mansions to perform their obeisance in the outer pavilion; and after the +married women and waiting-maids had concluded their homage, the Chia +consort heaved a sigh. "How many relatives," she observed, "there are +all of whom, alas! I may not see." + +"There are here now," madame Wang rejoined with due respect, "kindred +with outside family names, such as Mrs. Hsueeh, nee Wang, Pao-ch'ai, and +Tai-yue waiting for your commands; but as they are distant relatives, and +without official status, they do not venture to arrogate to themselves +the right of entering into your presence." But the Chia consort issued +directions that they should be invited to come that they should see each +other; and in a short while, Mrs. Hsueeh and the other relatives walked +in, but as they were on the point of performing the rites, prescribed by +the state, she bade them relinquish the observance so that they came +forward, and each, in turn, alluded to what had transpired during the +long separation. + +Pao Ch'in also and a few other waiting-maids, whom the Chia consort had +originally taken along with her into the palace, knocked their heads +before dowager lady Chia, but her ladyship lost no time in raising them +up, and in bidding them go into a separate suite of rooms to be +entertained; and as for the retainers, eunuchs as well as +maids-of-honour, ladies-in-waiting and every attendant, there were +needless to say, those in the two places, the Ning mansion and Chia +She's residence, to wait upon them; there only remained three or four +young eunuchs to answer the summons. + +The mother and daughter and her cousins conversed for some time on what +had happened during the protracted separation, as well as on domestic +affairs and their private feelings, when Chia Cheng likewise advanced as +far as the other side of the portiere, and inquired after her health, +and the Chia consort from inside performed the homage and other +conventionalities (due to her parent). + +"The families of farmers," she further went on to say to her father, +"feed on salted cabbage, and clothe in cotton material; but they readily +enjoy the happiness of the relationships established by heaven! We, +however, relatives though we now be of one bone and flesh, are, with all +our affluence and honours, living apart from each other, and deriving no +happiness whatsoever!" + +Chia Cheng, on his part endeavoured, to restrain his tears. "I +belonged," he rejoined, "to a rustic and poor family; and among that +whole number of pigeons and pheasants, how could I have imagined that I +would have obtained the blessing of a hidden phoenix! Of late all for +the sake of your honourable self, His Majesty, above, confers upon us +his heavenly benefits; while we, below, show forth the virtue of our +ancestors! And it is mainly because the vital principle of the hills, +streams, sun, and moon, and the remote virtue of our ancestors have been +implanted in you alone that this good fortune has attained me Cheng and +my wife! Moreover, the present emperor, bearing in mind the great bounty +shewn by heaven and earth in promoting a ceaseless succession, has +vouchsafed a more generous act of grace than has ever been displayed +from old days to the present. And although we may besmear our liver and +brain in the mire, how could we show our gratitude, even to so slight a +degree as one ten-thousandth part. But all I can do is, in the daytime, +to practise diligence, vigilance at night, and loyalty in my official +duties. My humble wish is that His Majesty, my master, may live ten +thousand years and see thousands of autumns, so as to promote the +welfare of all mankind in the world! And you, worthy imperial consort, +must, on no account, be mindful of me Cheng and my wife, decrepid as we +are in years. What I would solicit more than anything is that you should +be more careful of yourself, and that you should be diligent and +reverential in your service to His Majesty, with the intent that you may +not prove ungrateful of his affectionate regard and bountiful grace." + +The Chia consort, on the other hand, enjoined "that much as it was +expedient to display zeal, in the management of state matters, it +behoved him, when he had any leisure, to take good care of himself, and +that he should not, whatever he did, give way to solicitude on her +behalf." And Chia Cheng then went on to say "that the various +inscriptions in the park over the pavilions, terraces, halls and +residences had been all composed by Pao-yue, and, that in the event of +there being one or two that could claim her attention, he would be happy +if it would please her to at once favour him with its name." Whereupon +the imperial consort Yuean, when she heard that Pao-yue could compose +verses, forthwith exclaimed with a smile: "He has in very truth made +progress!" + +After Chia Cheng had retired out of the hall, the Chia consort made it a +point to ask: "How is it that I do not see Pao-yue?" and dowager lady +Chia explained: "An outside male relative as he is, and without official +rank, he does not venture to appear before you of his own accord." + +"Bring him in!" the imperial consort directed; whereupon a young eunuch +ushered Pao-yue in. After he had first complied with the state +ceremonies, she bade him draw near to her, and taking his hand, she held +it in her lap, and, as she went on to caress his head and neck, she +smiled and said: "He's grown considerably taller than he was before;" +but she had barely concluded this remark, when her tears ran down as +profuse as rain. Mrs. Yu, lady Feng, and the rest pressed forward. "The +banquet is quite ready," they announced, "and your highness is requested +to favour the place with your presence." + +The imperial consort Yuan stood up and asking Pao-yue to lead the way, +she followed in his steps, along with the whole party, and betook +herself on foot as far as the entrance of the garden gate, whence she at +once espied, in the lustre shed by the lanterns, every kind of +decorations. Entering the garden, they first passed the spots with the +device "a phoenix comes with dignified air," "the red (flowers are) +fragrant and the green (banana leaves like) jade!" "the sign on the +apricot tree is visible," "the fragrance pure of the ligularia and +iris," and other places; and ascending the towers they walked up the +halls, forded the streams and wound round the hills; contemplating as +they turned their gaze from side to side, each place arranged in a +different style, and each kind of article laid out in unique designs. +The Chia consort expressed her admiration in most profuse eulogiums, and +then went on to advise them: "that it was not expedient to indulge in +future in such excessive extravagance and that all these arrangements +were over and above what should have been done." + +Presently they reached the main pavilion, where she commanded that they +could dispense with the rites and take their seats. A sumptuous banquet +was laid out, at which dowager lady Chia and the other ladies occupied +the lower seats and entertained each other, while Mrs. Yu, widow Li Wan, +lady Feng and the rest presented the soup and handed the cups. The +Imperial consort Yuan subsequently directed that the pencils and +inkslabs should be brought, and with her own hands she opened the silken +paper. She chose the places she liked, and conferred upon them a name; +and devising a general designation for the garden, she called it the Ta +Kuan garden (Broad vista), while for the tablet of the main pavilion the +device she composed ran as follows: "Be mindful of the grace and +remember the equity (of His Majesty);" with this inscription on the +antithetical scrolls: + + Mercy excessive Heaven and earth display, + And it men young and old hail gratefully; + From old till now they pour their bounties great + Those rich gifts which Cathay and all states permeate. + +Changing also the text: "A phoenix comes with dignified air for the +Hsiao Hsiang Lodge." + +"The red (flowers are) fragrant and the green (banana leaves like) +jade," she altered into "Happy red and joyful green"; bestowing upon the +place the appellation of the I Hung court (joyful red). The spot where +"the fragrance pure of the ligularia and iris," was inscribed, she +called "the ligularia and the 'Wu' weed court;" and where was "the sign +in the apricot tree is visible," she designated "the cottage in the +hills where dolichos is bleached." The main tower she called the Broad +Vista Tower. The lofty tower facing the east, she designated "the +variegated and flowery Hall;" bestowing on the line of buildings, facing +the west, the appellation of "the Hall of Occult Fragrance;" and besides +these figured such further names as: "the Hall of peppery wind," "the +Arbour of lotus fragrance," "the Islet of purple caltrop," "the Bank of +golden lotus," and the like. There were also tablets with four +characters such as: "the peach blossom and the vernal rain;" "the +autumnal wind prunes the Eloecocca," "the artemisia leaves and the night +snow," and other similar names which could not all be placed on record. +She furthermore directed that such tablets as were already put up, +should not be dismounted, and she forthwith took the lead and composed +an heptameter stanza, the burden of which was: + + Hills it enclasps, embraces streams, with skill it is laid out: + What task the grounds to raise! the works to start and bring about! + Of scenery in heaven and amongst men store has been made; + The name Broad Vista o'er the fragrant park should be engraved. + +When she had finished writing, she observed smilingly, as she addressed +herself to all the young ladies: "I have all along lacked the quality of +sharpness and never besides been good at verses; as you, sisters, and +all of you have ever been aware; but, on a night like this I've been +fain to do my best, with the object of escaping censure, and of not +reflecting injustice on this scenery and nothing more. But some other +day when I've got time, be it ever so little, I shall deem it my duty to +make up what remains by inditing a record of the Broad Vista Garden, as +well as a song on my visit to my parents and other such literary +productions in memory of the events of this day. You sisters and others +must, each of you, in like manner compose a stanza on the motto on each +tablet, expressing your sentiments, as you please, without being +restrained by any regard for my meagre ability. Knowing as I do besides +that Pao-yue is, indeed, able to write verses, I feel the more delighted! +But among his compositions, those I like the best are those in the two +places, 'the Hsiao Hsiang Lodge,' and 'the court of Heng and Wu;' and +next those of 'the Joyful red court,' and 'the cottage in the hills, +where the dolichos is bleached.' As for grand sites like these four, +there should be found some out-of-the-way expressions to insert in the +verses so that they should be felicitous. The antithetical lines +composed by you, (Pao-yue), on a former occasion are excellent, it is +true; but you should now further indite for each place, a pentameter +stanza, so that by allowing me to test you in my presence, you may not +show yourself ungrateful for the trouble I have taken in teaching you +from your youth up." + +Pao-yue had no help but to assent, and descending from the hall, he went +off all alone to give himself up to reflection. + +Of the three Ying Ch'un, T'an Ch'un, and Hsi Ch'un, T'an Ch'un must be +considered to have also been above the standard of her sisters, but she, +in her own estimation, imagined it, in fact, difficult to compete with +Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai and Lin Tai-yue. With no alternative however than that of +doing her best, she followed the example of all the rest with the sole +purpose of warding off criticism. And Li Wan too succeeded, after much +exertion, in putting together a stanza. + +The consort of the Chia family perused in due order the verses written +by the young ladies, the text of which is given below. + +The lines written by Ying Ch'un on the tablet of "Boundless spirits and +blissful heart" were: + + A park laid out with scenery surpassing fine and rare! + Submissive to thy will, on boundless bliss bashful I write! + Who could believe that yonder scenes in this world found a share! + Will not thy heart be charmed on thy visit by the sight? + +These are the verses by T'an Ch'un on the tablet of "All nature vies in +splendour": + + Of aspect lofty and sublime is raised a park of fame! + Honoured with thy bequest, my shallow lore fills me with shame. + No words could e'er amply exhaust the beauteous skill, + For lo! in very truth glory and splendour all things fill! + +Thus runs Hsi Ch'un's stanza on the tablet of the "Conception of +literary compositions": + + The hillocks and the streams crosswise beyond a thousand li extend! + The towers and terraces 'midst the five-coloured clouds lofty ascend! + In the resplendent radiance of both sun and moon the park it lies! + The skill these scenes to raise the skill e'en essays to conceive + outvies! + +The lines composed by Li Wan on the tablet "grace and elegance," +consisted of: + + The comely streams and hillocks clear, in double folds, embrace; + E'en Fairyland, forsooth, transcend they do in elegance and grace! + The "Fragrant Plant" the theme is of the ballad fan, green-made. + Like drooping plum-bloom flap the lapel red and the Hsiang gown. + From prosperous times must have been handed down those pearls and + jade. + What bliss! the fairy on the jasper terrace will come down! + When to our prayers she yields, this glorious park to contemplate, + No mortal must e'er be allowed these grounds to penetrate. + +The ode by Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai on the tablet of "Concentrated Splendour and +Accumulated auspiciousness" was: + + Raised on the west of the Imperial city, lo! the park stored with + fragrant smell, + Shrouded by Phoebe's radiant rays and clouds of good omen, in wondrous + glory lies! + The willows tall with joy exult that the parrots their nests have + shifted from the dell. + The bamboo groves, when laid, for the phoenix with dignity to come, + were meant to rise. + The very eve before the Empress' stroll, elegant texts were ready and + affixed. + If even she her parents comes to see, how filial piety supreme must + be! + When I behold her beauteous charms and talents supernatural, with awe + transfixed, + One word, to utter more how can I troth ever presume, when shame + overpowers me. + +The distich by Lin Tai-yue on the tablet of "Spiritual stream outside the +world," ran thus: + + Th' imperial visit doth enhance joy and delight. + This fairy land from mortal scenes what diff'rent sight! + The comely grace it borrows of both hill and stream; + And to the landscape it doth add a charm supreme. + The fumes of Chin Ku wine everything permeate; + The flowers the inmate of the Jade Hall fascinate. + The imperial favour to receive how blessed our lot! + For oft the palace carriage will pass through this spot. + +The Chia consort having concluded the perusal of the verses, and +extolled them for a time: "After all," she went on to say with a smile, +"those composed by my two cousins, Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai and Lin Tai-yue, +differ in excellence from those of all the rest; and neither I, stupid +as I am, nor my sisters can attain their standard." + +Lin Tao-yue had, in point of fact, made up her mind to display, on this +evening, her extraordinary abilities to their best advantage, and to put +down every one else, but contrary to her expectations the Chia consort +had expressed her desire that no more than a single stanza should be +written on each tablet, so that unable, after all, to disregard her +directions by writing anything in excess, she had no help but to compose +a pentameter stanza, in an offhand way, merely with the intent of +complying with her wishes. + +Pao-yue had by this time not completed his task. He had just finished two +stanzas on the Hsiao Hsiang Lodge and the Heng Wu garden, and was just +then engaged in composing a verse on the "Happy red Court." In his draft +figured a line: "The (leaves) of jade-like green in spring are yet +rolled up," which Pao-ch'ai stealthily observed as she turned her eyes +from side to side; and availing herself of the very first moment, when +none of the company could notice her, she gave him a nudge. "As her +highness," she remarked, "doesn't relish the four characters, +representing the red (flowers are) fragrant, and the green (banana +leaves) like jade, she changed them, just a while back, for 'the joyful +red and gladsome green;' and if you deliberately now again employ these +two words 'jade-like green,' won't it look as if you were bent upon +being at variance with her? Besides, very many are the old books, in +which the banana leaves form the theme, so you had better think of +another line and substitute it and have done with it!" + +When Pao-yue heard the suggestion made by Pao-ch'ai, he speedily replied, +as he wiped off the perspiration: "I can't at all just at present call +to mind any passage from the contents of some old book." + +"Just simply take," proposed Pao-ch'ai smilingly, "the character jade in +jade-like green and change it into the character wax, that's all." + +"Does 'green wax,'" Pao-yue inquired, "come out from anywhere?" + +Pao-ch'ai gently smacked her lips and nodded her head as she laughed. "I +fear," she said, "that if, on an occasion like to-night, you show no +more brains than this, by and by when you have to give any answers in +the golden hall, to the questions (of the examiner), you will, really, +forget (the very first four names) of Chao, Oh'ien, Sun and Li (out of +the hundred)! What, have you so much as forgotten the first line of the +poem by Han Yue, of the T'ang dynasty, on the Banana leaf: + + "Cold is the candle and without a flame, the green wax dry?" + +On hearing these words, Pao-yue's mind suddenly became enlightened. "What +a fool I am!" he added with a simper; "I couldn't for the moment even +remember the lines, ready-made though they were and staring at me in my +very eyes! Sister, you really can be styled my teacher, little though +you may have taught me, and I'll henceforward address you by no other +name than 'teacher,' and not call you 'sister' any more!" + +"Don't you yet hurry to go on," Pao-ch'ai again observed in a gentle +tone of voice sneeringly, "but keep on calling me elder sister and +younger sister? Who's your sister? that one over there in a yellow coat +is your sister!" + +But apprehending, as she bandied these jokes, lest she might be wasting +his time, she felt constrained to promptly move away; whereupon Pao-yue +continued the ode he had been working at, and brought it to a close, +writing in all three stanzas. + +Tai-yue had not had so far an opportunity of making a display of her +ability, and was feeling at heart in a very dejected mood; but when she +perceived that Pao-yue was having intense trouble in conceiving what he +had to write, and she found, upon walking up to the side of the table, +that he had only one stanza short, that on "the sign on the apricot tree +is visible," she consequently bade him copy out clean the first three +odes, while she herself composed a stanza, which she noted down on a +slip of paper, rumpled up into a ball, and threw just in front of +Pao-yue. + +As soon as Pao-yue opened it and glanced at it, he realised that it was a +hundred times better than his own three stanzas, and transcribing it +without loss of time, in a bold writing, he handed up his compositions. + +On perusal, the Chia Consort read what follows. By Pao-yue, on: "A +phoenix comes with dignified air:" + + The bamboos just now don that jadelike grace, + Which worthy makes them the pheasant to face; + Each culm so tender as if to droop fain, + Each one so verdant, in aspect so cool, + The curb protects, from the steps wards the pool. + The pervious screens the tripod smell restrain. + The shadow will be strewn, mind do not shake + And (Hsieh) from her now long fine dream (awake)! + +On "the pure fragrance of the Ligularia and Iris Florentina:" + + Hengs and Wus the still park permeate; + The los and pis their sweet perfume enhance; + And supple charms the third spring flowers ornate; + Softly is wafted one streak of fragrance! + A light mist doth becloud the tortuous way! + With moist the clothes bedews, that verdure cold! + The pond who ever sinuous could hold? + Dreams long and subtle, dream the household Hsieh. + +On "the happy red and joyful green:" + + Stillness pervades the deep pavilion on a lengthy day. + The green and red, together matched, transcendent grace display. + Unfurled do still remain in spring the green and waxlike leaves. + No sleep yet seeks the red-clad maid, though night's hours be + far-spent, + But o'er the rails lo, she reclines, dangling her ruddy sleeves; + Against the stone she leans shrouded by taintless scent, + And stands the quarter facing whence doth blow the eastern wind! + Her lord and master must look up to her with feelings kind. + +On "the sign on the apricot tree is visible:" + + The apricot tree sign to drink wayfarers doth invite; + A farm located on a hill, lo! yonder strikes the sight! + And water caltrops, golden lotus, geese, as well as flows, + And mulberry and elm trees which afford rest to swallows. + That wide extent of spring leeks with verdure covers the ground; + And o'er ten li the paddy blossom fragrance doth abound. + In days of plenty there's a lack of dearth and of distress, + And what need then is there to plough and weave with such briskness? + +When the Chia consort had done with the perusal, excessive joy filled +her heart. "He has indeed made progress!" she exclaimed, and went on to +point at the verses on "the sign on the apricot tree," as being the +crowning piece of the four stanzas. In due course, she with her own +hands changed the motto "a cottage in the hills where dolichos is +bleached" into "the paddy-scented village;" and bidding also T'an Ch'un +to take the several tens of stanzas written then, and to transcribe them +separately on ornamented silk paper, she commanded a eunuch to send them +to the outer quarters. And when Chia Cheng and the other men perused +them, one and all sung their incessant praise, while Chia Cheng, on his +part, sent in some complimentary message, with regard to her return home +on a visit. + +Yuan Ch'un went further and gave orders that luscious wines, a ham and +other such presents should be conferred upon Pao-yue, as well as upon +Chia Lan. This Chia Lan was as yet at this time a perfect youth without +any knowledge of things in general, so that all that he could do was to +follow the example of his mother, and imitate his uncle in performing +the conventional rites. + +At the very moment that Chia Se felt unable, along with a company of +actresses, to bear the ordeal of waiting on the ground floor of the +two-storied building, he caught sight of a eunuch come running at a +flying pace. "The composition of verses is over," he said, "so quick +give me the programme;" whereupon Chia Se hastened to present the +programme as well as a roll of the names of the twelve girls. And not a +long interval elapsed before four plays were chosen; No. 1 being the +Imperial Banquet; No. 2 Begging (the weaver goddess) for skill in +needlework; No. 3 The spiritual match; and No. 4 the Parting spirit. +Chia Se speedily lent a hand in the getting up, and the preparations for +the performance, and each of the girls sang with a voice sufficient to +split the stones and danced in the manner of heavenly spirits; and +though their exterior was that of the characters in which they were +dressed up for the play, their acting nevertheless represented, in a +perfect manner, both sorrow as well as joy. As soon as the performance +was brought to a close, a eunuch walked in holding a golden salver +containing cakes, sweets, and the like, and inquired who was Ling Kuan; +and Chia Se readily concluding that these articles were presents +bestowed upon Ling Kuan, made haste to take them over, as he bade Ling +Kuan prostrate herself. + +"The honourable consort," the eunuch further added, "directs that Ling +Kuan, who is the best actress of the lot, should sing two more songs; +any two will do, she does not mind what they are." + +Chia Se at once expressed his obedience, and felt constrained to urge +Ling Kuan to sing the two ballads entitled: "The walk through the +garden" and "Frightened out of a dream." But Ling Kuan asserted that +these two ballads had not originally been intended for her own role; and +being firm in her refusal to accede and insisting upon rendering the two +songs "The Mutual Promise" and "The Mutual Abuse," Chia Se found it hard +to bring her round, and had no help but to let her have her own way. The +Chia consort was so extremely enchanted with her that she gave +directions that she should not be treated harshly, and that this girl +should receive a careful training, while besides the fixed number of +presents, she gave her two rolls of palace silk, two purses, gold and +silver ingots, and presents in the way of eatables. + +Subsequently, when the banquet had been cleared, and she once more +prosecuted her visit through those places to which she had not been, she +quite accidentally espied the Buddhist Temple encircled by hills, and +promptly rinsing her hands, she walked in and burnt incense and +worshipped Buddha. She also composed the device for a tablet, "a humane +boat on the (world's) bitter sea," and went likewise so far as to show +special acts of additional grace to a company of ascetic nuns and Taoist +priestesses. + +A eunuch came in a short while and reverently fell on his knees. "The +presents are all in readiness," he reported, "and may it please you to +inspect them and to distribute them, in compliance with custom;" and +presented to her a list, which the Chia consort perused from the very +top throughout without raising any objection, and readily commanding +that action should be taken according to the list, a eunuch descended +and issued the gifts one after another. The presents for dowager lady +Chia consisted, it may be added, of two sceptres, one of gold, the other +of jade, with "may your wishes be fulfilled" inscribed on them; a staff +made of lign-aloes; a string of chaplet beads of Chia-nan fragrant wood; +four rolls of imperial satins with words "Affluence and honours" and +Perennial Spring (woven in them); four rolls of imperial silk with +Perennial Happiness and Longevity; two shoes of purple gold bullion, +representing a pen, an ingot and "as you like;" and ten silver ingots +with the device "Felicitous Blessings." While the two shares for madame +Hsing and madame Wang were only short of hers by the sceptres and +staffs, four things in all. Chia She, Chia Cheng and the others had each +apportioned to him a work newly written by the Emperor, two boxes of +superior ink, and gold and silver cups, two pairs of each; their other +gifts being identical with those above. Pao-ch'ai, Tai-yue, all the +sisters and the rest were assigned each a copy of a new book, a fine +slab and two pair of gold and silver ornaments of a novel kind and +original shape; Pao-yue likewise receiving the same presents. Chia Lan's +gifts consisted of two necklets, one of gold, the other of silver, and +of two pair of gold ingots. Mrs. Yu, widow Li Wan, lady Feng and the +others had each of them, four ingots of gold and silver; and, in the way +of keepsakes, four pieces of silk. There were, in addition, presents +consisting of twenty-four pieces of silk and a thousand strings of good +cash to be allotted to the nurses, and waiting-maids, in the apartments +of dowager lady Chia, madame Wang and of the respective sisters; while +Chia Chen, Chia Lien, Chia Huan, Chia Jung and the rest had, every one, +for presents, a piece of silk, and a pair of gold and silver ingots. + +As regards the other gifts, there were a hundred rolls of various +coloured silks, a thousand ounces of pure silver, and several bottles of +imperial wine, intended to be bestowed upon all the men-servants of the +mansions, on the East and the West, as well as upon those who had been +in the garden overseeing works, arranging the decorations, and in +waiting to answer calls, and upon those who looked after the theatres +and managed the lanterns. There being, besides, five hundred strings of +pure cash for the cooks, waiters, jugglers and hundreds of actors and +every kind of domestic. + +The whole party had finished giving expression to their thanks for her +bounty, when the managers and eunuchs respectfully announced: "It is +already a quarter to three, and may it please your Majesty to turn back +your imperial chariot;" whereupon, much against her will, the Chia +consort's eyes brimmed over, and she once more gave vent to tears. +Forcing herself however again to put on a smile, she clasped old lady +Chia's and madame Wang's hands, and could not bring herself to let them +go; while she repeatedly impressed upon their minds: that there was no +need to give way to any solicitude, and that they should take good care +of their healths; that the grace of the present emperor was so vast, +that once a month he would grant permission for them to enter the palace +and pay her a visit. "It is easy enough for us to see each other," (she +said,) "and why should we indulge in any excess of grief? But when his +majesty in his heavenly generosity allows me another time to return +home, you shouldn't go in for such pomp and extravagance." + +Dowager lady Chia and the other inmates had already cried to such an +extent that sobs choked their throats and they could with difficulty +give utterance to speech. But though the Chia consort could not +reconcile herself to the separation, the usages in vogue in the imperial +household could not be disregarded or infringed, so that she had no +alternative but to stifle the anguish of her heart, to mount her +chariot, and take her departure. + +The whole family experienced meanwhile a hard task before they succeeded +in consoling the old lady and madame Wang and in supporting them away +out of the garden. But as what follows is not ascertained, the next +chapter will disclose it. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + In the vehemence of her feelings, Hua (Hsi Jen) on a quiet evening + admonishes Pao-yue. + While (the spell) of affection continues unbroken, Pao-yue, on a still + day, perceives the fragrance emitted from Tai-yue's person. + + +The Chia consort, we must now go on to explain, returned to the Palace, +and the next day, on her appearance in the presence of His Majesty, she +thanked him for his bounty and gave him furthermore an account of her +experiences on her visit home. His Majesty's dragon countenance was much +elated, and he also issued from the privy store coloured satins, gold +and silver and such like articles to be presented to Chia Cheng and the +other officials in the various households of her relatives. But +dispensing with minute details about them, we will now revert to the two +mansions of Jung and Ning. + +With the extreme strain on mind and body for successive days, the +strength of one and all was, in point of fact, worn out and their +respective energies exhausted. And it was besides after they had been +putting by the various decorations and articles of use for two or three +days, that they, at length, got through the work. + +Lady Feng was the one who had most to do, and whose responsibilities +were greatest. The others could possibly steal a few leisure moments and +retire to rest, while she was the sole person who could not slip away. +In the second place, naturally anxious as she was to excel and both to +fall in people's estimation, she put up with the strain just as if she +were like one of those who had nothing to attend to. But the one who had +the least to do and had the most leisure was Pao-yue. + +As luck would have it on this day, at an early hour, Hsi Jen's mother +came again in person and told dowager lady Chia that she would take Hsi +Jen home to drink a cup of tea brewed in the new year and that she would +return in the evening. For this reason Pao-yue was only in the company of +all the waiting-maids, throwing dice, playing at chess and amusing +himself. But while he was in the room playing with them with a total +absence of zest, he unawares perceived a few waiting-maids arrive, who +informed him that their senior master Mr. Chen, of the Eastern Mansion, +had come to invite him to go and see a theatrical performance, and the +fireworks, which were to be let off. + +Upon hearing these words, Pao-yue speedily asked them to change his +clothes; but just as he was ready to start, presents of cream, steamed +with sugar, arrived again when least expected from the Chia Consort, and +Pao-yue recollecting with what relish Hsi Jen had partaken of this dish +on the last occasion forthwith bid them keep it for her; while he went +himself and told dowager lady Chia that he was going over to see the +play. + +The plays sung over at Chia Chen's consisted, who would have thought it, +of "Ting L'ang recognises his father," and "Huang Po-ying deploys the +spirits for battle," and in addition to these, "Sung Hsing-che causes +great commotion in the heavenly palace;" "Ghiang T'ai-kung kills the +general and deifies him," and other such like. Soon appeared the spirits +and devils in a confused crowd on the stage, and suddenly also became +visible the whole band of sprites and goblins, among which were some +waving streamers, as they went past in a procession, invoking Buddha and +burning incense. The sound of the gongs and drums and of shouts and +cries were audible at a distance beyond the lane; and in the whole +street, one and all extolled the performance as exceptionally grand, and +that the like could never have been had in the house of any other +family. + +Pao-yue, noticing that the commotion and bustle had reached a stage so +unbearable to his taste, speedily betook himself, after merely sitting +for a little while, to other places in search of relaxation and fun. +First of all, he entered the inner rooms, and after spending some time +in chatting and laughing with Mrs. Yu, the waiting-maids, and secondary +wives, he eventually took his departure out of the second gate; and as +Mrs. Yu and her companions were still under the impression that he was +going out again to see the play, they let him speed on his way, without +so much as keeping an eye over him. + +Chia Chen, Chia Lien, Hsueh P'an and the others were bent upon guessing +enigmas, enforcing the penalties and enjoying themselves in a hundred +and one ways, so that even allowing that they had for a moment noticed +that he was not occupying his seat, they must merely have imagined that +he had gone inside and not, in fact, worried their minds about him. And +as for the pages, who had come along with Pao-yue, those who were a +little advanced in years, knowing very well that Pao-yue would, on an +occasion like the present, be sure not to be going before dusk, +stealthily therefore took advantage of his absence, those, who could, to +gamble for money, and others to go to the houses of relatives and +friends to drink of the new year tea, so that what with gambling and +drinking the whole bevy surreptitiously dispersed, waiting for dusk +before they came back; while those, who were younger, had all crept into +the green rooms to watch the excitement; with the result that Pao-yue +perceiving not one of them about bethought himself of a small reading +room, which existed in previous days on this side, in which was +suspended a picture of a beauty so artistically executed as to look +life-like. "On such a bustling day as this," he reasoned, "it's pretty +certain, I fancy, that there will be no one in there; and that beautiful +person must surely too feel lonely, so that it's only right that I +should go and console her a bit." With these thoughts, he hastily betook +himself towards the side-house yonder, and as soon as he came up to the +window, he heard the sound of groans in the room. Pao-yue was really +quite startled. "What!" (he thought), "can that beautiful girl, +possibly, have come to life!" and screwing up his courage, he licked a +hole in the paper of the window and peeped in. It was not she, however, +who had come to life, but Ming Yen holding down a girl and likewise +indulging in what the Monitory Dream Fairy had taught him. + +"Dreadful!" exclaimed Pao-yue, aloud, unable to repress himself, and, +stamping one of his feet, he walked into the door to the terror of both +of them, who parting company, shivered with fear, like clothes that are +being shaken. Ming Yen perceiving that it was Pao-yue promptly fell on +his knees and piteously implored for pardon. + +"What! in broad daylight! what do you mean by it? Were your master Mr. +Chen to hear of it, would you die or live?" asked Pao-yue, as he +simultaneously cast a glance at the servant-girl, who although not a +beauty was anyhow so spick and span, and possessed besides a few charms +sufficient to touch the heart. From shame, her face was red and her ears +purple, while she lowered her head and uttered not a syllable. + +Pao-yue stamped his foot. "What!" he shouted, "don't you yet bundle +yourself away!" + +This simple remark suggested the idea to the girl's mind who ran off, as +if she had wings to fly with; but as Pao-yue went also so far as to go in +pursuit of her, calling out: "Don't be afraid, I'm not one to tell +anyone," Ming Yen was so exasperated that he cried, as he went after +them, "My worthy ancestor, this is distinctly telling people about it." + +"How old is that servant girl?" Pao-yue having asked; "She's, I expect, +no more than sixteen or seventeen," Ming Yen rejoined. + +"Well, if you haven't gone so far as to even ascertain her age," Pao-yue +observed, "you're sure to know still less about other things; and it +makes it plain enough that her acquaintance with you is all vain and +futile! What a pity! what a pity!" + +He then went on to enquire what her name was; and "Were I," continued +Ming Yen smiling, "to tell you about her name it would involve a long +yarn; it's indeed a novel and strange story! She relates that while her +mother was nursing her, she dreamt a dream and obtained in this dream +possession of a piece of brocaded silk, on which were designs, in +variegated colours, representing opulence and honour, and a continuous +line of the character Wan; and that this reason accounts for the name of +Wan Erh, which was given her." + +"This is really strange!" Pao-yue exclaimed with a grin, after lending an +ear to what he had to say; "and she is bound, I think, by and by to have +a good deal of good fortune!" + +These words uttered, he plunged in deep thought for a while, and Ming +Yen having felt constrained to inquire: "Why aren't you, Mr. Secundus, +watching a theatrical performance of this excellent kind?" "I had been +looking on for ever so long," Pao-yue replied, "until I got quite weary; +and had just come out for a stroll, when I happened to meet you two. But +what's to be done now?" + +Ming Yen gave a faint smile. "As there's no one here to know anything +about it," he added, "I'll stealthily take you, Mr. Secundus, for a walk +outside the city walls; and we'll come back shortly, before they've got +wind of it." + +"That won't do," Pao-yue demurred, "we must be careful, or else some +beggar might kidnap us away; besides, were they to come to hear of it, +there'll be again a dreadful row; and isn't it better that we should go +to some nearer place, from which we could, after all, return at once?" + +"As for some nearer place," Ming Yen observed; "to whose house can we +go? It's really no easy matter!" + +"My idea is," Pao-yue suggested with a smirk, "that we should simply go, +and find sister Hua, and see what she's up to at home." + +"Yes! Yes!" Ming Yen replied laughingly; "the fact is I had forgotten +all about her home; but should it reach their ears," he continued, +"they'll say that it was I who led you, Mr. Secundus, astray, and +they'll beat me!" + +"I'm here for you!" Pao-yue having assured him; Ming Yen at these words +led the horses round, and the two of them speedily made their exit by +the back gate. Luckily Hsi Jen's house was not far off. It was no +further than half a li's distance, so that in a twinkle they had already +reached the front of the door, and Ming Yen was the first to walk in and +to call for Hsi Jen's eldest brother Hua Tzu-fang. + +Hsi Jen's mother had, on this occasion, united in her home Hsi Jen, +several of her sister's daughters, as well as a few of her nieces, and +they were engaged in partaking of fruits and tea, when they heard some +one outside call out, "Brother Hua." Hua Tzu-fang lost no time in +rushing out; and upon looking and finding that it was the two of them, +the master and his servant, he was so taken by surprise that his fears +could not be set at rest. Promptly, he clasped Pao-yue in his arms and +dismounted him, and coming into the court, he shouted out at the top of +his voice: "Mr. Pao has come." The other persons heard the announcement +of his arrival, with equanimity, but when it reached Hsi Jen's ears, she +truly felt at such a loss to fathom the object of his visit that issuing +hastily out of the room, she came to meet Pao-yue, and as she laid hold +of him: "Why did you come?" she asked. + +"I felt awfully dull," Pao-yue rejoined with a smile, "and came to see +what you were up to." + +Hsi Jen at these words banished, at last, all anxiety from her mind. +"You're again up to your larks," she observed, "but what's the aim of +your visit? Who else has come along with him?" she at the same time went +on to question Ming Yen. + +"All the others know nothing about it!" explained Ming Yen exultingly; +"only we two do, that's all." + +When Hsi Jen heard this remark, she gave way afresh to solicitous fears: +"This is dreadful!" she added; "for were you to come across any one from +the house, or to meet master; or were, in the streets, people to press +against you, or horses to collide with you, as to make (his horse) shy, +and he were to fall, would that too be a joke? The gall of both of you +is larger than a peck measure; but it's all you, Ming Yen, who has +incited him, and when I go back, I'll surely tell the nurses to beat +you." + +Ming Yen pouted his mouth. "Mr. Secundus," he pleaded, "abused me and +beat me, as he bade me bring him here, and now he shoves the blame on my +shoulders! 'Don't let us go,' I suggested; 'but if you do insist, well +then let us go and have done.'" + +Hua Tzu-fang promptly interceded. "Let things alone," he said; "now that +they're already here, there's no need whatever of much ado. The only +thing is that our mean house with its thatched roof is both so crammed +and so filthy that how could you, sir, sit in it!" + +Hsi Jen's mother also came out at an early period to receive him, and +Hsi Jen pulled Pao-yue in. Once inside the room, Pao-yue perceived three +or five girls, who, as soon as they caught sight of him approaching, all +lowered their heads, and felt so bashful that their faces were suffused +with blushes. But as both Hua Tzu-fang and his mother were afraid that +Pao-yue would catch cold, they pressed him to take a seat on the +stove-bed, and hastened to serve a fresh supply of refreshments, and to +at once bring him a cup of good tea. + +"You needn't be flurrying all for nothing," Hsi Jen smilingly +interposed; "I, naturally, should know; and there's no use of even +laying out any fruits, as I daren't recklessly give him anything to +eat." + +Saying this, she simultaneously took her own cushion and laid it on a +stool, and after Pao-yue took a seat on it, she placed the footstove she +had been using, under his feet; and producing, from a satchet, two +peach-blossom-scented small cakes, she opened her own hand-stove and +threw them into the fire; which done, she covered it well again and +placed it in Pao-yue's lap. And eventually, she filled her own tea-cup +with tea and presented it to Pao-yue, while, during this time, her mother +and sister had been fussing about, laying out in fine array a tableful +of every kind of eatables. + +Hsi Jen noticed that there were absolutely no things that he could eat, +but she felt urged to say with a smile: "Since you've come, it isn't +right that you should go empty away; and you must, whether the things be +good or bad, taste a little, so that it may look like a visit to my +house!" + +As she said this, she forthwith took several seeds of the fir-cone, and +cracking off the thin skin, she placed them in a handkerchief and +presented them to Pao-yue. But Pao-yue, espying that Hsi Jen's two eyes +were slightly red, and that the powder was shiny and moist, quietly +therefore inquired of Hsi Jen, "Why do you cry for no rhyme or reason?" + +"Why should I cry?" Hsi Jen laughed; "something just got into my eyes +and I rubbed them." By these means she readily managed to evade +detection; but seeing that Pao-yue wore a deep red archery-sleeved +pelisse, ornamented with gold dragons, and lined with fur from foxes' +ribs and a grey sable fur surtout with a fringe round the border. "What! +have you," she asked, "put on again your new clothes for? specially to +come here? and didn't they inquire of you where you were going?" + +"I had changed," Pao-yue explained with a grin, "as Mr. Chen had invited +me to go over and look at the play." + +"Well, sit a while and then go back;" Hsi Jen continued as she nodded +her head; "for this isn't the place for you to come to!" + +"You'd better be going home now," Pao-yue suggested smirkingly; "where +I've again kept something good for you." + +"Gently," smiled Hsi Jen, "for were you to let them hear, what figure +would we cut?" And with these, words, she put out her hand and +unclasping from Pao-yue's neck the jade of Spiritual Perception, she +faced her cousins and remarked exultingly. "Here! see for yourselves; +look at this and learn! When I repeatedly talked about it, you all +thought it extraordinary, and were anxious to have a glance at it; +to-day, you may gaze on it with all your might, for whatever precious +thing you may by and by come to see will really never excel such an +object as this!" + +When she had finished speaking, she handed it over to them, and after +they had passed it round for inspection, she again fastened it properly +on Pao-yue's neck, and also bade her brother go and hire a small +carriage, or engage a small chair, and escort Pao-yue back home. + +"If I see him back," Hua Tzu-fang remarked, "there would be no harm, +were he even to ride his horse!" + +"It isn't because of harm," Hsi Jen replied; "but because he may come +across some one from the house." + +Hua Tzu-fang promptly went and bespoke a small chair; and when it came +to the door, the whole party could not very well detain him, and they of +course had to see Pao-yue out of the house; while Hsi Jen, on the other +hand, snatched a few fruits and gave them to Ming Yen; and as she at the +same time pressed in his hand several cash to buy crackers with to let +off, she enjoined him not to tell any one as he himself would likewise +incur blame. + +As she uttered these words, she straightway escorted Pao-yue as far as +outside the door, from whence having seen him mount into the sedan +chair, she dropped the curtain; whereupon Ming Yen and her brother, the +two of them, led the horses and followed behind in his wake. Upon +reaching the street where the Ning mansion was situated, Ming Yen told +the chair to halt, and said to Hua Tzu-fang, "It's advisable that I +should again go, with Mr. Secundus, into the Eastern mansion, to show +ourselves before we can safely betake ourselves home; for if we don't, +people will suspect!" + +Hua Tzu-fang, upon hearing that there was good reason in what he said, +promptly clasped Pao-yue out of the chair and put him on the horse, +whereupon after Pao-yue smilingly remarked: "Excuse me for the trouble +I've surely put you to," they forthwith entered again by the back gate; +but putting aside all details, we will now confine ourselves to Pao-yue. + +After he had walked out of the door, the several waiting-maids in his +apartments played and laughed with greater zest and with less restraint. +Some there were who played at chess, others who threw the dice or had a +game of cards; and they covered the whole floor with the shells of +melon-seeds they were cracking, when dame Li, his nurse, happened to +come in, propping herself on a staff, to pay her respects and to see +Pao-yue, and perceiving that Pao-yue was not at home and that the +servant-girls were only bent upon romping, she felt intensely disgusted. +"Since I've left this place," she therefore exclaimed with a sigh, "and +don't often come here, you've become more and more unmannerly; while the +other nurse does still less than ever venture to expostulate with you; +Pao-yue is like a candlestick eighty feet high, shedding light on others, +and throwing none upon himself! All he knows is to look down upon people +as being filthy; and yet this is his room and he allows you to put it +topsy-turvey, and to become more and more unmindful of decorum!" + +These servant-girls were well aware that Pao-yue was not particular in +these respects, and that in the next place nurse Li, having pleaded old +age, resigned her place and gone home, had nowadays no control over +them, so that they simply gave their minds to romping and joking, and +paid no heed whatever to her. Nurse Li however still kept on asking +about Pao-yue, "How much rice he now ate at one meal? and at what time he +went to sleep?" to which questions, the servant-girls replied quite at +random; some there being too who observed: "What a dreadful despicable +old thing she is!" + +"In this covered bowl," she continued to inquire, "is cream, and why not +give it to me to eat?" and having concluded these words, she took it up +and there and then began eating it. + +"Be quick, and leave it alone!" a servant-girl expostulated, "that, he +said, was kept in order to be given to Hsi Jen; and on his return, when +he again gets into a huff, you, old lady, must, on your own motion, +confess to having eaten it, and not involve us in any way as to have to +bear his resentment." + +Nurse Li, at these words, felt both angry and ashamed. "I can't +believe," she forthwith remarked, "that he has become so bad at heart! +Not to speak of the milk I've had, I have, in fact every right to even +something more expensive than this; for is it likely that he holds Hsi +Jen dearer than myself? It can't forsooth be that he doesn't bear in +mind how that I've brought him up to be a big man, and how that he has +eaten my blood transformed into milk and grown up to this age! and will +be because I'm now having a bowl of milk of his be angry on that score! +I shall, yes, eat it, and we'll see what he'll do! I don't know what you +people think of Hsi Jen, but she was a lowbred girl, whom I've with my +own hands raised up! and what fine object indeed was she!" + +As she spoke, she flew into a temper, and taking the cream she drank the +whole of it. + +"They don't know how to speak properly!" another servant-girl interposed +sarcastically, "and it's no wonder that you, old lady, should get angry! +Pao-yue still sends you, venerable dame, presents as a proof of his +gratitude, and is it possible that he will feel displeased for such a +thing like this?" + +"You girls shouldn't also pretend to be artful flatterers to cajole me!" +nurse Li added; "do you imagine that I'm not aware of the dismissal, the +other day, of Hsi Hsueeh, on account of a cup of tea? and as it's clear +enough that I've incurred blame, I'll come by and by and receive it!" + +Having said this, she went off in a dudgeon, but not a long interval +elapsed before Pao-yue returned, and gave orders to go and fetch Hsi Jen; +and perceiving Ching Ling reclining on the bed perfectly still: "I +presume she's ill," Pao-yue felt constrained to inquire, "or if she isn't +ill, she must have lost at cards." + +"Not so!" observed Chiu Wen; "she had been a winner, but dame Li came in +quite casually and muddled her so that she lost; and angry at this she +rushed off to sleep." + +"Don't place yourselves," Pao-yue smiled, "on the same footing as nurse +Li, and if you were to let her alone, everything will be all right." + +These words were still on his lips when Hsi Jen arrived. After the +mutual salutations, Hsi Jen went on to ask of Pao-yue: "Where did you +have your repast? and what time did you come back?" and to present +likewise, on behalf of her mother and sister, her compliments to all the +girls, who were her companions. In a short while, she changed her +costume and divested herself of her fineries, and Pao-yue bade them fetch +the cream. + +"Nurse Li has eaten it," the servant-girls rejoined, and as Pao-yue was +on the point of making some remark Hsi Jen hastened to interfere, +laughing the while; "Is it really this that you had kept for me? many +thanks for the trouble; the other day, when I had some, I found it very +toothsome, but after I had partaken of it, I got a pain in the stomach, +and was so much upset, that it was only after I had brought it all up +that I felt all right. So it's as well that she has had it, for, had it +been kept here, it would have been wasted all for no use! What I fancy +are dry chestnuts; and while you clean a few for me, I'll go and lay the +bed!" + +Pao-yue upon hearing these words credited them as true, so that he +discarded all thought of the cream and fetched the chestnuts, which he, +with his own hands, selected and pealed. Perceiving at the same time +that none of the party were present in the room, he put on a smile and +inquired of Hsi Jen: "Who were those persons dressed in red to day?" + +"They're my two cousins on my mother's side," Hsi Jen explained, and +hearing this, Pao-yue sang their praise as he heaved a couple of sighs. + +"What are you sighing for?" Hsi Jen remarked. "I know the secret reasons +of your heart; it's I fancy because she isn't fit to wear red!" + +"It isn't that," Pao-yue protested smilingly, "it isn't that; if such a +person as that isn't good enough to be dressed in red, who would +forsooth presume to wear it? It's because I find her so really lovely! +and if we could, after all, manage to get her into our family, how nice +it would be then!" + +Hsi Jen gave a sardonic smile. "That it's my own fate to be a slave +doesn't matter, but is it likely that the destiny of even my very +relatives could be to become one and all of them bond servants? But you +should certainly set your choice upon some really beautiful girl, for +she would in that case be good enough to enter your house." + +"Here you are again with your touchiness!" Pao-yue eagerly exclaimed +smiling, "if I said that she should come to our house, does it +necessarily imply that she should be a servant? and wouldn't it do were +I to mention that she should come as a relative!" + +"That too couldn't exalt her to be a fit match for you!" rejoined Hsi +Jen; but Pao-yue being loth to continue the conversation, simply busied +himself with cleaning the chestnuts. + +"How is it you utter not a word?" Hsi Jen laughed; "I expect it's +because I just offended you by my inconsiderate talk! But if by and by +you have your purpose fixed on it, just spend a few ounces of silver to +purchase them with, and bring them in and have done!" + +"How would you have one make any reply?" Pao-yue smilingly rejoined; "all +I did was to extol her charms; for she's really fit to have been born in +a deep hall and spacious court as this; and it isn't for such foul +things as myself and others to contrariwise spend our days in this +place!" + +"Though deprived of this good fortune," Hsi Jen explained, "she's +nevertheless also petted and indulged and the jewel of my maternal uncle +and my aunt! She's now seventeen years of age, and everything in the way +of trousseau has been got ready, and she's to get married next year." + +Upon hearing the two words "get married," he could not repress himself +from again ejaculating: "Hai hai!" but while he was in an unhappy frame +of mind, he once more heard Hsi Jen remark as she heaved a sigh: "Ever +since I've come here, we cousins haven't all these years been able to +get to live together, and now that I'm about to return home, they, on +the other hand, will all be gone!" + +Pao-yue, realising that there lurked in this remark some meaning or +other, was suddenly so taken aback that dropping the chestnuts, he +inquired: "How is it that you now want to go back?" + +"I was present to-day," Hsi Jen explained, "when mother and brother held +consultation together, and they bade me be patient for another year, and +that next year they'll come up and redeem me out of service!" + +Pao-yue, at these words, felt the more distressed. "Why do they want to +redeem you?" he consequently asked. + +"This is a strange question!" Hsi Jen retorted, "for I can't really be +treated as if I were the issue born in this homestead of yours! All the +members of my family are elsewhere, and there's only myself in this +place, so that how could I end my days here?" + +"If I don't let you go, it will verily be difficult for you to get +away!" Pao-yue replied. + +"There has never been such a principle of action!" urged Hsi Jen; "even +in the imperial palace itself, there's a fixed rule, by which possibly +every certain number of years a selection (of those who have to go takes +place), and every certain number of years a new batch enters; and +there's no such practice as that of keeping people for ever; not to +speak of your own home." + +Pao-yue realised, after reflection, that she, in point of fact, was +right, and he went on to observe: "Should the old lady not give you your +release, it will be impossible for you to get off." + +"Why shouldn't she release me?" Hsi Jen questioned. "Am I really so very +extraordinary a person as to have perchance made such an impression upon +her venerable ladyship and my lady that they will be positive in not +letting me go? They may, in all likelihood, give my family some more +ounces of silver to keep me here; that possibly may come about. But, in +truth, I'm also a person of the most ordinary run, and there are many +more superior to me, yea very many! Ever since my youth up, I've been in +her old ladyship's service; first by waiting upon Miss Shih for several +years, and recently by being in attendance upon you for another term of +years; and now that our people will come to redeem me, I should, as a +matter of right, be told to go. My idea is that even the very redemption +money won't be accepted, and that they will display such grace as to let +me go at once. And, as for being told that I can't be allowed to go as +I'm so diligent in my service to you, that's a thing that can on no +account come about! My faithful attendance is an obligation of my +duties, and is no exceptional service! and when I'm gone you'll again +have some other faithful attendant, and it isn't likely that when I'm no +more here, you'll find it impracticable to obtain one!" + +After Pao-yue had listened to these various arguments, which proved the +reasonableness of her going and the unreasonableness of any detention, +he felt his heart more than ever a prey to distress. "In spite of all +you say," he therefore continued, "the sole desire of my heart is to +detain you; and I have no doubt but that the old lady will speak to your +mother about it; and if she were to give your mother ample money, +she'll, of course, not feel as if she could very well with any decency +take you home!" + +"My mother won't naturally have the audacity to be headstrong!" Hsi Jen +ventured, "not to speak besides of the nice things, which may be told +her and the lots of money she may, in addition, be given; but were she +even not to be paid any compliments, and not so much as a single cash +given her, she won't, if you set your mind upon keeping me here, presume +not to comply with your wishes, were it also against my inclination. One +thing however; our family would never rely upon prestige, and trust upon +honorability to do anything so domineering as this! for this isn't like +anything else, which, because you take a fancy to it, a hundred per cent +profit can be added, and it obtained for you! This action can be well +taken if the seller doesn't suffer loss! But in the present instance, +were they to keep me back for no rhyme or reason, it would also be of no +benefit to yourself; on the contrary, they would be instrumental in +keeping us blood relatives far apart; a thing the like of which, I feel +positive that dowager lady Chia and my lady will never do!" + +After lending an ear to this argument, Pao-yue cogitated within himself +for a while. "From what you say," he then observed, "when you say you'll +go, it means that you'll go for certain!" + +"Yes, that I'll go for certain," Hsi Jen rejoined. + +"Who would have anticipated," Pao-yue, after these words, mused in his +own heart, "that a person like her would have shown such little sense of +gratitude, and such a lack of respect! Had I," he then remarked aloud +with a sigh, "been aware, at an early date, that your whole wish would +have been to go, I wouldn't, in that case, have brought you over! But +when you're away, I shall remain alone, a solitary spirit!" + +As he spoke, he lost control over his temper, and, getting into bed, he +went to sleep. + +The fact is that when Hsi Jen had been at home, and she heard her mother +and brother express their intention of redeeming her back, she there and +then observed that were she even at the point of death, she would not +return home. "When in past days," she had argued, "you had no rice to +eat, there remained myself, who was still worth several taels; and +hadn't I urged you to sell me, wouldn't I have seen both father and +mother die of starvation under my very eyes? and you've now had the good +fortune of selling me into this place, where I'm fed and clothed just +like a mistress, and where I'm not beaten by day, nor abused by night! +Besides, though now father be no more, you two have anyhow by putting +things straight again, so adjusted the family estate that it has resumed +its primitive condition. And were you, in fact, still in straitened +circumstances, and you could by redeeming me back, make again some more +money, that would be well and good; but the truth is that there's no +such need, and what would be the use for you to redeem me at such a time +as this? You should temporarily treat me as dead and gone, and shouldn't +again recall any idea of redeeming me!" + +Having in consequence indulged in a loud fit of crying, her mother and +brother resolved, when they perceived her in this determined frame of +mind, that for a fact there was no need for her to come out of service. +What is more they had sold her under contract until death, in the +distinct reliance that the Chia family, charitable and generous a family +as it was, would, possibly, after no more than a few entreaties, make +them a present of her person as well as the purchase money. In the +second place, never had they in the Chia mansion ill-used any of those +below; there being always plenty of grace and little of imperiousness. +Besides, the servant-girls, who acted as personal attendants in the +apartments of the old as well as of the young, were treated so far +unlike the whole body of domestics in the household that the daughters +even of an ordinary and penniless parentage could not have been so +looked up to. And these considerations induced both the mother as well +as her son to at once dispel the intention and not to redeem her, and +when Pao-yue had subsequently paid them an unexpected visit, and the two +of them (Pao-yue and Hsi Jen) were seen to be also on such terms, the +mother and her son obtained a clearer insight into their relations, and +still one more burden (which had pressed on their mind) fell to the +ground, and as besides this was a contingency, which they had never +reckoned upon, they both composed their hearts, and did not again +entertain any idea of ransoming her. + +It must be noticed moreover that Hsi Jen had ever since her youth not +been blind to the fact that Pao-yue had an extraordinary temperament, +that he was self-willed and perverse, far even in excess of all young +lads, and that he had, in addition, a good many peculiarities and many +unspeakable defects. And as of late he had placed such reliance in the +fond love of his grandmother that his father and mother even could not +exercise any extreme control over him, he had become so much the more +remiss, dissolute, selfish and unconcerned, not taking the least +pleasure in what was proper, that she felt convinced, whenever she +entertained the idea of tendering him advice, that he would not listen +to her. On this day, by a strange coincidence, came about the discussion +respecting her ransom, and she designedly made use, in the first +instance, of deception with a view to ascertain his feelings, to +suppress his temper, and to be able subsequently to extend to him some +words of admonition; and when she perceived that Pao-yue had now silently +gone to sleep, she knew that his feelings could not brook the idea of +her return and that his temper had already subsided. She had never had, +as far as she was concerned, any desire of eating chestnuts, but as she +feared lest, on account of the cream, some trouble might arise, which +might again lead to the same results as when Hsi Hsueeh drank the tea, +she consequently made use of the pretence that she fancied chestnuts, in +order to put off Pao-yue from alluding (to the cream) and to bring the +matter speedily to an end. But telling forthwith the young waiting-maids +to take the chestnuts away and eat them, she herself came and pushed +Pao-yue; but at the sight of Pao-yue with the traces of tears on his face, +she at once put on a smiling expression and said: "What's there in this +to wound your heart? If you positively do wish to keep me, I shall, of +course, not go away!" + +Pao-yue noticed that these words contained some hidden purpose, and +readily observed: "Do go on and tell me what else I can do to succeed in +keeping you here, for of my own self I find it indeed difficult to say +how!" + +"Of our friendliness all along," Hsi Jen smilingly rejoined, "there's +naturally no need to speak; but, if you have this day made up your mind +to retain me here, it isn't through this friendship that you'll succeed +in doing so. But I'll go on and mention three distinct conditions, and, +if you really do accede to my wishes, you'll then have shown an earnest +desire to keep me here, and I won't go, were even a sword to be laid on +my neck!" + +"Do tell me what these conditions are," Pao-yue pressed her with +alacrity, as he smiled, "and I'll assent to one and all. My dear sister, +my own dear sister, not to speak of two or three, but even two or three +hundred of them I'm quite ready to accept. All I entreat you is that you +and all of you should combine to watch over me and take care of me, +until some day when I shall be transformed into flying ashes; but flying +ashes are, after all, not opportune, as they have form and substance and +they likewise possess sense, but until I've been metamorphosed into a +streak of subtle smoke. And when the wind shall have with one puff +dispelled me, all of you then will be unable to attend to me, just as +much as I myself won't be able to heed you. You will, when that time +comes, let me go where I please, as I'll let you speed where you choose +to go!" + +These words so harassed Hsi Jen that she hastened to put her hand over +his mouth. "Speak decently," she said; "I was on account of this just +about to admonish you, and now here you are uttering all this still more +loathsome trash." + +"I won't utter these words again," Pao-yue eagerly added. + +"This is the first fault that you must change," Hsi Jen replied. + +"I'll amend," Pao-yue observed, "and if I say anything of the kind again +you can wring my mouth; but what else is there?" + +"The second thing is this," Hsi Jen explained; "whether you really like +to study or whether you only pretend to like study is immaterial; but +you should, when you are in the presence of master, or in the presence +of any one else, not do nothing else than find fault with people and +make fun of them, but behave just as if you were genuinely fond of +study, so that you shouldn't besides provoke your father so much to +anger, and that he should before others have also a chance of saying +something! 'In my family,' he reflects within himself, 'generation after +generation has been fond of books, but ever since I've had you, you +haven't accomplished my expectations, and not only is it that you don't +care about reading books,'--and this has already filled his heart with +anger and vexation,--'but both before my face and behind my back, you +utter all that stuff and nonsense, and give those persons, who have, +through their knowledge of letters, attained high offices, the nickname +of the "the salaried worms." You also uphold that there's no work +exclusive (of the book where appears) "fathom spotless virtue;" and that +all other books consist of foolish compilations, which owe their origin +to former authors, who, unable themselves to expound the writings of +Confucius, readily struck a new line and invented original notions.' Now +with words like these, how can one wonder if master loses all patience, +and if he does from time to time give you a thrashing! and what do you +make other people think of you?" + +"I won't say these things again," Pao-yue laughingly protested, "these +are the reckless and silly absurdities of a time when I was young and +had no idea of the height of the heavens and the thickness of the earth; +but I'll now no more repeat them. What else is there besides?" + +"It isn't right that you should sneer at the bonzes and vilify the +Taoist priests, nor mix cosmetics or prepare rouge," Hsi Jen continued; +"but there's still another thing more important, you shouldn't again +indulge the bad habits of licking the cosmetic, applied by people on +their lips, nor be fond of (girls dressed) in red!" + +"I'll change in all this," Pao-yue added by way of rejoinder; "I'll +change in all this; and if there's anything more be quick and tell me." + +"There's nothing more," Hsi Jen observed; "but you must in everything +exercise a little more diligence, and not indulge your caprices and +allow your wishes to run riot, and you'll be all right. And should you +comply to all these things in real earnest, you couldn't carry me out, +even in a chair with eight bearers." + +"Well, if you do stay in here long enough," Pao-yue remarked with a +smile, "there's no fear as to your not having an eight-bearer-chair to +sit in!" + +Hsi Jen gave a sardonic grin. "I don't care much about it," she replied; +"and were I even to have such good fortune, I couldn't enjoy such a +right. But allowing I could sit in one, there would be no pleasure in +it!" + +While these two were chatting, they saw Ch'iu Wen walk in. "It's the +third watch of the night," she observed, "and you should go to sleep. +Just a few moments back your grandmother lady Chia and our lady sent a +nurse to ask about you, and I replied that you were asleep." + +Pao-yue bade her fetch a watch, and upon looking at the time, he found +indeed that the hand was pointing at ten; whereupon rinsing his mouth +again and loosening his clothes, he retired to rest, where we will leave +him without any further comment. + +The next day, Hsi Jen got up as soon as it was dawn, feeling her body +heavy, her head sore, her eyes swollen, and her limbs burning like fire. +She managed however at first to keep up, an effort though it was, but as +subsequently she was unable to endure the strain, and all she felt +disposed to do was to recline, she therefore lay down in her clothes on +the stove-couch. Pao-yue hastened to tell dowager lady Chia, and the +doctor was sent for, who, upon feeling her pulse and diagnosing her +complaint, declared that there was nothing else the matter with her than +a chill, which she had suddenly contracted, that after she had taken a +dose or two of medicine, it would be dispelled, and that she would be +quite well. After he had written the prescription and taken his +departure, some one was despatched to fetch the medicines, which when +brought were properly decocted. As soon as she had swallowed a dose, +Pao-yue bade her cover herself with her bed-clothes so as to bring on +perspiration; while he himself came into Tai-yue's room to look her up. +Tai-yue was at this time quite alone, reclining on her bed having a +midday siesta, and the waiting-maids having all gone out to attend to +whatever they pleased, the whole room was plunged in stillness and +silence. Pao-yue raised the embroidered soft thread portiere and walked +in; and upon espying Tai-yue in the room fast asleep, he hurriedly +approached her and pushing her: "Dear cousin," he said, "you've just had +your meal, and are you asleep already?" and he kept on calling "Tai-yue" +till he woke her out of her sleep. + +Perceiving that it was Pao-yue, "You had better go for a stroll," Tai-yue +urged, "for the day before yesterday I was disturbed the whole night, +and up to this day I haven't had rest enough to get over the fatigue. My +whole body feels languid and sore." + +"This languor and soreness," Pao-yue rejoined, "are of no consequence; +but if you go on sleeping you'll be feeling very ill; so I'll try and +distract you, and when we've dispelled this lassitude, you'll be all +right." + +Tai-yue closed her eyes. "I don't feel any lassitude," she explained, +"all I want is a little rest; and you had better go elsewhere and come +back after romping about for a while." + +"Where can I go?" Pao-yue asked as he pushed her. "I'm quite sick and +tired of seeing the others." + +At these words, Tai-yue burst out laughing with a sound of Ch'ih. "Well! +since you wish to remain here," she added, "go over there and sit down +quietly, and let's have a chat." + +"I'll also recline," Pao-yue suggested. + +"Well, then, recline!" Tai-yue assented. + +"There's no pillow," observed Pao-yue, "so let us lie on the same +pillow." + +"What nonsense!" Tai-yue urged, "aren't those pillows outside? get one +and lie on it." + +Pao-yue walked into the outer apartment, and having looked about him, he +returned and remarked with a smile: "I don't want those, they may be, +for aught I know, some dirty old hag's." + +Tai-yue at this remark opened her eyes wide, and as she raised herself +up: "You're really," she exclaimed laughingly, "the evil star of my +existence! here, please recline on this pillow!" and as she uttered +these words, she pushed her own pillow towards Pao-yue, and, getting up +she went and fetched another of her own, upon which she lay her head in +such a way that both of them then reclined opposite to each other. But +Tai-yue, upon turning up her eyes and looking, espied on Pao-yue's cheek +on the left side of his face, a spot of blood about the size of a +button, and speedily bending her body, she drew near to him, and rubbing +it with her hand, she scrutinised it closely. "Whose nail," she went on +to inquire, "has scratched this open?" + +Pao-yue with his body still reclining withdrew from her reach, and as he +did so, he answered with a smile: "It isn't a scratch; it must, I +presume, be simply a drop, which bespattered my cheek when I was just +now mixing and clarifying the cosmetic paste for them." + +Saying this, he tried to get at his handkerchief to wipe it off; but +Tai-yue used her own and rubbed it clean for him, while she observed: "Do +you still give your mind to such things? attend to them you may; but +must you carry about you a placard (to make it public)? Though uncle +mayn't see it, were others to notice it, they would treat it as a +strange occurrence and a novel bit of news, and go and tell him to curry +favour, and when it has reached uncle's ear, we shall all again not come +out clean, and provoke him to anger." + +Pao-yue did not in the least heed what she said, being intent upon +smelling a subtle scent which, in point of fact, emanated from Tai-yue's +sleeve, and when inhaled inebriated the soul and paralysed the bones. +With a snatch, Pao-yue laid hold of Tai-yue's sleeve meaning to see what +object was concealed in it; but Tai-yue smilingly expostulated: "At such +a time as this," she said, "who keeps scents about one?" + +"Well, in that case," Pao-yue rejoined with a smirking face, "where does +this scent come from?" + +"I myself don't know," Tai-yue replied; "I presume it must be, there's no +saying, some scent in the press which has impregnated the clothes." + +"It doesn't follow," Pao-yue added, as he shook his head; "the fumes of +this smell are very peculiar, and don't resemble the perfume of +scent-bottles, scent-balls, or scented satchets!" + +"Is it likely that I have, like others, Buddhistic disciples," Tai-yue +asked laughing ironically, "or worthies to give me novel kinds of +scents? But supposing there is about me some peculiar scent, I haven't, +at all events, any older or younger brothers to get the flowers, buds, +dew, and snow, and concoct any for me; all I have are those common +scents, that's all." + +"Whenever I utter any single remark," Pao-yue urged with a grin, "you at +once bring up all these insinuations; but unless I deal with you +severely, you'll never know what stuff I'm made of; but from henceforth +I'll no more show you any grace!" + +As he spoke, he turned himself over, and raising himself, he puffed a +couple of breaths into both his hands, and hastily stretching them out, +he tickled Tai-yue promiscuously under her armpits, and along both sides. +Tai-yue had never been able to stand tickling, so that when Pao-yue put +out his two hands and tickled her violently, she forthwith giggled to +such an extent that she could scarcely gasp for breath. "If you still go +on teasing me," she shouted, "I'll get angry with you!" + +Pao-yue then kept his hands off, and as he laughed, "Tell me," he asked, +"will you again come out with all those words or not?" + +"I daren't do it again," Tai-yue smiled and adjusted her hair; adding +with another laugh: "I may have peculiar scents, but have you any 'warm' +scents?" + +Pao-yue at this question, could not for a time unfold its meaning: "What +'warm' scent?" he therefore asked. + +Tai-yue nodded her head and smiled deridingly. "How stupid! what a fool!" +she sighed; "you have jade, and another person has gold to match with +you, and if some one has 'cold' scent, haven't you any 'warm' scent as a +set-off?" + +Pao-yue at this stage alone understood the import of her remark. + +"A short while back you craved for mercy," Pao-yue observed smilingly, +"and here you are now going on talking worse than ever;" and as he spoke +he again put out his hands. + +"Dear cousin," Tai-yue speedily implored with a smirk, "I won't venture +to do it again." + +"As for letting you off," Pao-yue remarked laughing, "I'll readily let +you off, but do allow me to take your sleeve and smell it!" and while +uttering these words, he hastily pulled the sleeve, and pressing it +against his face, kept on smelling it incessantly, whereupon Tai-yue drew +her hand away and urged: "You must be going now!" + +"Though you may wish me to go, I can't," Pao-yue smiled, "so let us now +lie down with all propriety and have a chat," laying himself down again, +as he spoke, while Tai-yue likewise reclined, and covered her face with +her handkerchief. Pao-yue in a rambling way gave vent to a lot of +nonsense, which Tai-yue did not heed, and Pao-yue went on to inquire: "How +old she was when she came to the capital? what sights and antiquities +she saw on the journey? what relics and curiosities there were at Yang +Chou? what were the local customs and the habits of the people?" + +Tai-yue made no reply; and Pao-yue fearing lest she should go to sleep, +and get ill, readily set to work to beguile her to keep awake. "Ai yah!" +he exclaimed, "at Yang Chou, where your official residence is, has +occurred a remarkable affair; have you heard about it?" + +Tai-yue perceiving that he spoke in earnest, that his words were correct +and his face serious, imagined that what he referred to was a true +story, and she therefore inquired what it was? + +Pao-yue upon hearing her ask this question, forthwith suppressed a laugh, +and, with a glib tongue, he began to spin a yarn. "At Yang Chou," he +said, "there's a hill called the Tai hill; and on this hill stands a +cave called the Lin Tzu." + +"This must all be lies," Tai-yue answered sneeringly, "as I've never +before heard of such a hill." + +"Under the heavens many are the hills and rivers," Pao-yue rejoined, "and +how could you know them all? Wait until I've done speaking, when you +will be free to express your opinion!" + +"Go on then," Tai-yue suggested, whereupon Pao-yue prosecuted his +raillery. "In this Lin Tzu cave," he said, "there was once upon a time a +whole swarm of rat-elves. In some year or other and on the seventh day +of the twelfth moon, an old rat ascended the throne to discuss matters. +'Tomorrow,' he argued, 'is the eighth of the twelfth moon, and men in +the world will all be cooking the congee of the eighth of the twelfth +moon. We have now in our cave a short supply of fruits of all kinds, and +it would be well that we should seize this opportunity to steal a few +and bring them over.' Drawing a mandatory arrow, he handed it to a +small rat, full of aptitude, to go forward on a tour of inspection. The +young rat on his return reported that he had already concluded his +search and inquiries in every place and corner, and that in the temple +at the bottom of the hill alone was the largest stock of fruits and +rice. 'How many kinds of rice are there?' the old rat ascertained, 'and +how many species of fruits?' 'Rice and beans,' the young rat rejoined, +'how many barns-full there are, I can't remember; but in the way of +fruits there are five kinds: 1st, red dates; 2nd, chestnuts; 3rd, ground +nuts; 4th, water caltrops, and 5th, scented taros.' At this report the +old rat was so much elated that he promptly detailed rats to go forth; +and as he drew the mandatory arrow, and inquired who would go and steal +the rice, a rat readily received the order and went off to rob the rice. +Drawing another mandatory arrow, he asked who would go and abstract the +beans, when once more a rat took over the arrow and started to steal the +beans; and one by one subsequently received each an arrow and started on +his errand. There only remained the scented taros, so that picking again +a mandatory arrow, he ascertained who would go and carry away the taros: +whereupon a very puny and very delicate rat was heard to assent. 'I +would like,' he said, 'to go and steal the scented taros.' The old rat +and all the swarm of rats, upon noticing his state, feared that he would +not be sufficiently expert, and apprehending at the same time that he +was too weakly and too devoid of energy, they one and all would not +allow him to proceed. 'Though I be young in years and though my frame be +delicate,' the wee rat expostulated, 'my devices are unlimited, my talk +is glib and my designs deep and farseeing; and I feel convinced that, on +this errand, I shall be more ingenious in pilfering than any of them.' +'How could you be more ingenious than they?' the whole company of rats +asked. 'I won't,' explained the young rat, 'follow their example, and go +straight to work and steal, but by simply shaking my body, and +transforming myself, I shall metamorphose myself into a taro, and roll +myself among the heap of taros, so that people will not be able to +detect me, and to hear me; whereupon I shall stealthily, by means of the +magic art of dividing my body into many, begin the removal, and little +by little transfer the whole lot away, and will not this be far more +ingenious than any direct pilfering or forcible abstraction?' After the +whole swarm of rats had listened to what he had to say, they, with one +voice, exclaimed: 'Excellent it is indeed, but what is this art of +metamorphosis we wonder? Go forth you may, but first transform yourself +and let us see you.' At these words the young rat laughed. 'This isn't a +hard task!' he observed, 'wait till I transform myself.' + +"Having done speaking, he shook his body and shouted out 'transform,' +when he was converted into a young girl, most beauteous and with a most +lovely face. + +"'You've transformed yourself into the wrong thing,' all the rats +promptly added deridingly; 'you said that you were to become a fruit, +and how is it that you've turned into a young lady?' + +"The young rat in its original form rejoined with a sneering smile: 'You +all lack, I maintain, experience of the world; what you simply are aware +of is that this fruit is the scented taro, but have no idea that the +young daughter of Mr. Lin, of the salt tax, is, in real truth, a genuine +scented taro.'" + +Tai-yue having listened to this story, turned herself round and raising +herself, she observed laughing, while she pushed Pao-yue: "I'll take that +mouth of yours and pull it to pieces! Now I see that you've been +imposing upon me." + +With these words on her lips, she readily gave him a pinch, and Pao-yue +hastened to plead for mercy. "My dear cousin," he said, "spare me; I +won't presume to do it again; and it's when I came to perceive this +perfume of yours, that I suddenly bethought myself of this old story." + +"You freely indulge in abusing people," Tai-yue added with a smile, "and +then go on to say that it's an old story." + +But hardly had she concluded this remark before they caught sight of +Pao-ch'ai walk in. "Who has been telling old stories?" she asked with a +beaming face; "do let me also hear them." + +Tai-yue pressed her at once into a seat. "Just see for yourself who else +besides is here!" she smiled; "he goes in for profuse abuses and then +maintains that it's an old story!" + +"Is it indeed cousin Pao-yue?" Pao-ch'ai remarked. "Well, one can't feel +surprised at his doing it; for many have ever been the stories stored up +in his brain. The only pity is that when he should make use of old +stories, he invariably forgets them! To-day, he can easily enough recall +them to mind, but in the stanza of the other night on the banana leaves, +when he should have remembered them, he couldn't after all recollect +what really stared him in the face! and while every one else seemed so +cool, he was in such a flurry that he actually perspired! And yet, at +this moment, he happens once again to have a memory!" + +At these words, Tai-yue laughed. "O-mi-to-fu!" she exclaimed. "You are +indeed my very good cousin! But you've also (to Pao-yue) come across your +match. And this makes it clear that requital and retribution never fail +or err." + +She had just reached this part of her sentence, when in Pao-yue's rooms +was heard a continuous sound of wrangling; but as what transpired is not +yet known, the ensuing chapter will explain. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + Wang Hsi-feng with earnest words upbraids Mrs. Chao's jealous notions. + Lin Tai-yue uses specious language to make sport of Shih Hsiang-yuen's + querulous tone of voice. + + +But to continue. Pao-yue was in Tai yue's apartments relating about the +rat-elves, when Pao-ch'ai entered unannounced, and began to gibe Pao-yue, +with trenchant irony: how that on the fifteenth of the first moon, he +had shown ignorance of the allusion to the green wax; and the three of +them then indulged in that room in mutual poignant satire, for the sake +of fun. Pao-yue had been giving way to solicitude lest Tai-yue should, by +being bent upon napping soon after her meal, be shortly getting an +indigestion, or lest sleep should, at night, be completely dispelled, as +neither of these things were conducive to the preservation of good +health, when luckily Pao-ch'ai walked in, and they chatted and laughed +together; and when Lin Tai-yue at length lost all inclination to dose, he +himself then felt composed in his mind. But suddenly they heard +clamouring begin in his room, and after they had all lent an ear and +listened, Lin Tai-yue was the first to smile and make a remark. "It's +your nurse having a row with Hsi Jen!" she said. "Hsi Jen treats her +well enough, but that nurse of yours would also like to keep her well +under her thumb; she's indeed an old dotard;" and Pao-yue was anxious to +go over at once, but Pao-ch'ai laid hold of him and kept him back, +suggesting: "It's as well that you shouldn't wrangle with your nurse, +for she's quite stupid from old age; and it's but fair, on the contrary, +that you should bear with her a little." + +"I know all about that!" Pao-yue rejoined. But having concluded this +remark, he walked into his room, where he discovered nurse Li, leaning +on her staff, standing in the centre of the floor, abusing Hsi Jen, +saying: "You young wench! how utterly unmindful you are of your origin! +It's I who've raised you up, and yet, when I came just now, you put on +high airs and mighty side, and remained reclining on the stove-couch! +You saw me well enough, but you paid not the least heed to me! Your +whole heart is set upon acting like a wily enchantress to befool Pao-yue; +and you so impose upon Pao-yue that he doesn't notice me, but merely +lends an ear to what you people have to say! You're no more than a low +girl bought for a few taels and brought in here; and will it ever do +that you should be up to your mischievous tricks in this room? But +whether you like it or not, I'll drag you out from this, and give you to +some mean fellow, and we'll see whether you will still behave like a +very imp, and cajole people or not?" + +Hsi Jen was, at first, under the simple impression that the nurse was +wrath for no other reason than because she remained lying down, and she +felt constrained to explain that "she was unwell, that she had just +succeeded in perspiring, and that having had her head covered, she +hadn't really perceived the old lady;" but when she came subsequently to +hear her mention that she imposed upon Pao-yue, and also go so far as to +add that she would be given to some mean fellow, she unavoidably +experienced both a sense of shame and injury, and found it impossible to +restrain herself from beginning to cry. + +Pao-yue had, it is true, caught all that had been said, but unable with +any propriety to take notice of it, he thought it his duty to explain +matters for her. "She's ill," he observed, "and is taking medicines; and +if you don't believe it," he went on, "well then ask the rest of the +servant-girls." + +Nurse Li at these words flew into a more violent dudgeon. "Your sole +delight is to screen that lot of sly foxes!" she remarked, "and do you +pay any notice to me? No, none at all! and whom would you like me to go +and ask; who's it that doesn't back you? and who hasn't been dismounted +from her horse by Hsi Jen? I know all about it; but I'll go with you and +explain all these matters to our old mistress and my lady; for I've +nursed you till I've brought you to this age, and now that you don't +feed on milk, you thrust me on one side, and avail yourself of the +servant-girls, in your wish to browbeat me." + +As she uttered this remark, she too gave way to tears, but by this time, +Tai-yue and Pao-ch'ai had also come over, and they set to work to +reassure her. "You, old lady," they urged, "should bear with them a +little, and everything will be right!" And when nurse Li saw these two +arrive, she hastened to lay bare her grievances to them; and taking up +the question of the dismissal in days gone by, of Hsi Hsueeh, for having +drunk some tea, of the cream eaten on the previous day, and other +similar matters, she spun a long, interminable yarn. + +By a strange coincidence lady Feng was at this moment in the upper +rooms, where she had been making up the account of losses and winnings, +and upon hearing at the back a continuous sound of shouting and +bustling, she readily concluded that nurse Li's old complaint was +breaking forth, and that she was finding fault with Pao-yue's servants. +But she had, as luck would have it, lost money in gambling on this +occasion, so that she was ready to visit her resentment upon others. +With hurried step, she forthwith came over, and laying hold of nurse Li, +"Nurse," she said smiling, "don't lose your temper, on a great festival +like this, and after our venerable lady has just gone through a day in +excellent spirits! You're an old dame, and should, when others get up a +row, still do what is right and keep them in proper order; and aren't +you, instead of that, aware what good manners imply, that you will start +vociferating in this place, and make our dowager lady full of +displeasure? Tell me who's not good, and I'll beat her for you; but be +quick and come along with me over to my quarters, where a pheasant which +they have roasted is scalding hot, and let us go and have a glass of +wine!" And as she spoke, she dragged her along and went on her way. +"Feng Erh," she also called, "hold the staff for your old lady Li, and +the handkerchief to wipe her tears with!" While nurse Li walked along +with lady Feng, her feet scarcely touched the ground, as she kept on +saying: "I don't really attach any value to this decrepid existence of +mine! and I had rather disregard good manners, have a row and lose face, +as it's better, it seems to me, than to put up with the temper of that +wench!" + +Behind followed Pao-ch'ai and Tai-yue, and at the sight of the way in +which lady Feng dealt with her, they both clapped their hands, and +exclaimed, laughing, "What piece of luck that this gust of wind has +come, and dragged away this old matron!" while Pao-yue nodded his head to +and fro and soliloquised with a sigh: "One can neither know whence +originates this score; for she will choose the weak one to maltreat; nor +can one see what girl has given her offence that she has come to be put +in her black books!" + +Scarcely had he ended this remark, before Ch'ing Wen, who stood by, put +in her word. "Who's gone mad again?" she interposed, "and what good +would come by hurting her feelings? But did even any one happen to hurt +her, she would have pluck enough to bear the brunt, and wouldn't act so +improperly as to involve others!" + +Hsi Jen wept, and as she, did so, she drew Pao-yue towards her: "All +through my having aggrieved an old nurse," she urged, "you've now again +given umbrage, entirely on my account, to this crowd of people; and +isn't this still enough for me to bear but must you also go and drag in +third parties?" + +When Pao-yue realised that to this sickness of hers, had also been +superadded all these annoyances, he promptly stifled his resentment, +suppressed his voice and consoled her so far as to induce her to lie +down again to perspire. And when he further noticed how scalding like +soup and burning like fire she was, he himself watched by her, and +reclining by her side, he tried to cheer her, saying: "All you must do +is to take good care of your ailment; and don't give your mind to those +trifling matters, and get angry." + +"Were I," Hsi Jen smiled sardonically, "to lose my temper over such +concerns, would I be able to stand one moment longer in this room? The +only thing is that if she goes on, day after day, doing nothing else +than clamour in this manner, how can she let people get along? But you +rashly go and hurt people's feelings for our sakes; but they'll bear it +in mind, and when they find an opportunity, they'll come out with what's +easy enough to say, but what's not pleasant to hear, and how will we all +feel then?" + +While her mouth gave utterance to these words, she could not stop her +tears from running; but fearful, on the other hand, lest Pao-yue should +be annoyed, she felt compelled to again strain every nerve to repress +them. But in a short while, the old matrons employed for all sorts of +duties, brought in some mixture of two drugs; and, as Pao-yue noticed +that she was just on the point of perspiring, he did not allow her to +get up, but readily taking it up to her, she immediately swallowed it, +with her head still on her pillow; whereupon he gave speedy directions +to the young servant-maids to lay her stove-couch in order. + +"Whether you mean to have anything to eat or not," Hsi Jen advised, "you +should after all sit for a time with our old mistress and our lady, and +have a romp with the young ladies; after which you can come back again; +while I, by quietly keeping lying down, will also feel the better." + +When Pao-yue heard this suggestion, he had no help but to accede, and, +after she had divested herself of her hair-pins and earrings, and he saw +her lie down, he betook himself into the drawing-rooms, where he had his +repast with old lady Chia. But the meal over, her ladyship felt still +disposed to play at cards with the nurses, who had looked after the +household for many years; and Pao-yue, bethinking himself of Hsi Jen, +hastened to return to his apartments; where seeing that Hsi Jen was +drowsily falling asleep, he himself would have wished to go to bed, but +the hour was yet early. And as about this time Ch'ing Wen, I Hsia, Ch'in +Wen, Pi Hen had all, in their desire of getting some excitement, started +in search of Yuean Yang, Hu Po and their companions, to have a romp with +them, and he espied She Yueeh alone in the outer room, having a game of +dominoes by lamp-light, Pao-yue inquired full of smiles: "How is it you +don't go with them?" + +"I've no money," She Yueeh replied. + +"Under the bed," continued Pao-yue, "is heaped up all that money, and +isn't it enough yet for you to lose from?" + +"Had we all gone to play," She Yueeh added, "to whom would the charge of +this apartment have been handed over? That other one is sick again, and +the whole room is above, one mass of lamps, and below, full of fire; and +all those old matrons, ancient as the heavens, should, after all their +exertions in waiting upon you from morning to night, be also allowed +some rest; while the young servant girls, on the other hand, have +likewise been on duty the whole day long, and shouldn't they even at +this hour be left to go and have some distraction? and that's why I am +in here on watch." + +When Pao-yue heard these words, which demonstrated distinctly that she +was another Hsi Jen, he consequently put on a smile and remarked: "I'll +sit in here, so you had better set your mind at ease and go!" + +"Since you remain in here, there's less need for me to go," resumed She +Yueeh, "for we two can chat and play and laugh; and won't that be nice?" + +"What can we two do? it will be awfully dull! but never mind," Pao-yue +rejoined; "this morning you said that your head itched, and now that you +have nothing to do, I may as well comb it for you." + +"Yes! do so!" readily assented She Yueeh, upon catching what he +suggested; and while still speaking, she brought over the dressing-case +containing a set of small drawers and looking-glass, and taking off her +ornaments, she dishevelled her hair; whereupon Pao-yue picked up the fine +comb and passed it repeatedly through her hair; but he had only combed +it three or five times, when he perceived Ch'ing Wen hurriedly walk in +to fetch some money. As soon as she caught sight of them both: "You +haven't as yet drunk from the marriage cup," she said with a smile full +of irony, "and have you already put up your hair?" + +"Now that you've come, let me also comb yours for you," Pao-yue +continued. + +"I'm not blessed with such excessive good fortune!" Ch'ing Wen retorted, +and as she uttered these words, she took the money, and forthwith +dashing the portiere after her, she quitted the room. + +Pao-yue stood at the back of She Yueeh, and She Yueeh sat opposite the +glass, so that the two of them faced each other in it, and Pao-yue +readily observed as he gazed in the glass, "In the whole number of rooms +she's the only one who has a glib tongue!" + +She Yueeh at these words hastily waved her hand towards the inside of the +glass, and Pao-yue understood the hint; and suddenly a sound of "hu" was +heard from the portiere, and Ch'ing Wen ran in once again. + +"How have I got a glib tongue?" she inquired; "it would be well for us +to explain ourselves." + +"Go after your business, and have done," She Yueeh interposed laughingly; +"what's the use of your coming and asking questions of people?" + +"Will you also screen him?" Ch'ing Wen smiled significantly; "I know all +about your secret doings, but wait until I've got back my capital, and +we'll then talk matters over!" + +With this remark still on her lips, she straightway quitted the room, +and during this while, Pao-yue having finished combing her hair, asked +She Yueeh to quietly wait upon him, while he went to sleep, as he would +not like to disturb Hsi Jen. + +Of the whole night there is nothing to record. But the next day, when he +got up at early dawn, Hsi Jen had already perspired, during the night, +so that she felt considerably lighter and better; but limiting her diet +to a little rice soup, she remained quiet and nursed herself, and Pao-yue +was so relieved in mind that he came, after his meal, over on this side +to his aunt Hsueeh's on a saunter. The season was the course of the first +moon, and the school was shut up for the new year holidays; while in the +inner chambers the girls had put by their needlework, and were all +having a time of leisure, and hence it was that when Chia Huan too came +over in search of distraction, he discovered Pao-ch'ai, Hsiang Ling, +Ying Erh, the three of them, in the act of recreating themselves by +playing at chess. Chia Huan, at the sight of them, also wished to join +in their games; and Pao-ch'ai, who had always looked upon him with, in +fact, the same eye as she did Pao-yue, and with no different sentiment of +any kind, pressed him to come up, upon hearing that he was on this +occasion desirous to play; and, when he had seated himself together with +them, they began to gamble, staking each time a pile of ten cash. The +first time, he was the winner, and he felt supremely elated at heart, +but as it happened that he subsequently lost in several consecutive +games he soon became a prey to considerable distress. But in due course +came the game in which it was his turn to cast the dice, and, if in +throwing, he got seven spots, he stood to win, but he was likewise bound +to be a winner were he to turn up six; and when Ying Erh had turned up +three spots and lost, he consequently took up the dice, and dashing them +with spite, one of them settled at five; and, as the other reeled wildly +about, Ying Erh clapped her hands, and kept on shouting, "one spot;" +while Chia Huan at once gazed with fixed eye and cried at random: "It's +six, it's seven, it's eight!" But the dice, as it happened, turned up at +one spot, and Chia Huan was so exasperated that putting out his hand, he +speedily made a snatch at the dice, and eventually was about to lay hold +of the money, arguing that it was six spot. But Ying Erh expostulated, +"It was distinctly an ace," she said. And as Pao-ch'ai noticed how +distressed Chia Huan was, she forthwith cast a glance at Ying Erh and +observed: "The older you get, the less manners you have! Is it likely +that gentlemen will cheat you? and don't you yet put down the money?" + +Ying Erh felt her whole heart much aggrieved, but as she heard Pao-ch'ai +make these remarks, she did not presume to utter a sound, and as she was +under the necessity of laying down the cash, she muttered to herself: +"This one calls himself a gentleman, and yet cheats us of these few +cash, for which I myself even have no eye! The other day when I played +with Mr. Pao-yue, he lost ever so many, and yet he did not distress +himself! and what remained of the cash were besides snatched away by a +few servant-girls, but all he did was to smile, that's all!" + +Pao-ch'ai did not allow her time to complete what she had to say, but +there and then called her to account and made her desist; whereupon Chia +Huan exclaimed: "How can I compare with Pao-yue; you all fear him, and +keep on good terms with him, while you all look down upon me for not +being the child of my lady." And as he uttered these words, he at once +gave way to tears. + +"My dear cousin," Pao-ch'ai hastened to advise him, "leave off at once +language of this kind, for people will laugh at you;" and then went on +to scold Ying Erh, when Pao-yue just happened to come in. Perceiving him +in this plight, "What is the matter?" he asked; but Chia Huan had not +the courage to say anything. + +Pao-ch'ai was well aware of the custom, which prevailed in their family, +that younger brothers lived in respect of the elder brothers, but she +was not however cognisant of the fact that Pao-yue would not that any one +should entertain any fear of him. His idea being that elder as well as +younger brothers had, all alike, father and mother to admonish them, and +that there was no need for any of that officiousness, which, instead of +doing good gave, on the contrary, rise to estrangement. "Besides," (he +reasoned,) "I'm the offspring of the primary wife, while he's the son of +the secondary wife, and, if by treating him as leniently as I have done, +there are still those to talk about me, behind my back, how could I +exercise any control over him?" But besides these, there were other +still more foolish notions, which he fostered in his mind; but what +foolish notions they were can you, reader, guess? As a result of his +growing up, from his early youth, among a crowd of girls, of whom, in +the way of sister, there was Yuean Ch'un, of cousins, from his paternal +uncle's side, there were Ying Ch'un, and Hsi Ch'un, and of relatives +also there were Shih Hsiang-yuen, Lin Tai-yue, Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai and the +rest, he, in due course, resolved in his mind that the divine and +unsullied virtue of Heaven and earth was only implanted in womankind, +and that men were no more than feculent dregs and foul dirt. And for +this reason it was that men were without discrimination, considered by +him as so many filthy objects, which might or might not exist; while the +relationships of father, paternal uncles, and brothers, he did not +however presume to disregard, as these were among the injunctions +bequeathed by the holy man, and he felt bound to listen to a few of +their precepts. But to the above causes must be assigned the fact that, +among his brothers, he did no more than accomplish the general purport +of the principle of human affections; bearing in mind no thought +whatever that he himself was a human being of the male sex, and that it +was his duty to be an example to his younger brothers. And this is why +Chia Huan and the others entertained no respect for him, though in their +veneration for dowager lady Chia, they yielded to him to a certain +degree. + +Pao-ch'ai harboured fears lest, on this occasion, Pao-yue should call him +to book, and put him out of face, and she there and then lost no time in +taking Chia Huan's part with a view to screening him. + +"In this felicitous first moon what are you blubbering for?" Pao-yue +inquired, "if this place isn't nice, why then go somewhere else to play. +But from reading books, day after day, you've studied so much that +you've become quite a dunce. If this thing, for instance, isn't good, +that must, of course, be good, so then discard this and take up that, +but is it likely that by sticking to this thing and crying for a while +that it will become good? You came originally with the idea of reaping +some fun, and you've instead provoked yourself to displeasure, and isn't +it better then that you should be off at once." + +Chia Huan upon hearing these words could not but come back to his +quarters; and Mrs. Chao noticing the frame of mind in which he was felt +constrained to inquire: "Where is it that you've been looked down upon +by being made to fill up a hole, and being trodden under foot?" + +"I was playing with cousin Pao-ch'ai," Chia Huan readily replied, "when +Ying Erh insulted me, and deprived me of my money, and brother Pao-yue +drove me away." + +"Ts'ui!" exclaimed Mrs. Chao, "who bade you (presume so high) as to get +up into that lofty tray? You low and barefaced thing! What place is +there that you can't go to and play; and who told you to run over there +and bring upon yourself all this shame?" + +As she spoke, lady Feng was, by a strange coincidence, passing outside +under the window; so that every word reached her ear, and she speedily +asked from outside the window: "What are you up to in this happy first +moon? These brothers are, really, but mere children, and will you just +for a slight mistake, go on preaching to him! what's the use of coming +out with all you've said? Let him go wherever he pleases; for there are +still our lady and Mr. Chia Cheng to keep him in order. But you go and +sputter him with your gigantic mouth; he's at present a master, and if +there be anything wrong about him, there are, after all, those to rate +him; and what business is that of yours? Brother Huan, come out with +you, and follow me and let us go and enjoy ourselves." + +Chia Huan had ever been in greater fear and trembling of lady Feng, than +of madame Wang, so that when her summons reached his ear, he hurriedly +went out, while Mrs. Chao, on the other hand, did not venture to breathe +a single word. + +"You too," resumed lady Feng, addressing Chia Huan; "are a thing devoid +of all natural spirit! I've often told you that if you want to eat, +drink, play, or laugh, you were quite free to go and play with whatever +female cousin, male cousin, or sister-in-law you choose to disport +yourself with; but you won't listen to my words. On the contrary, you +let all these persons teach you to be depraved in your heart, perverse +in your mind, to be sly, artful, and domineering; and you've, besides, +no respect for your own self, but will go with that low-bred lot! and +your perverse purpose is to begrudge people's preferences! But what +you've lost are simply a few cash, and do you behave in this manner? How +much did you lose?" she proceeded to ask Chia Huan; and Chia Huan, upon +hearing this question, felt constrained to obey, by saying something in +the way of a reply. "I've lost," he explained, "some hundred or two +hundred cash." + +"You have," rejoined lady Feng, "the good fortune of being a gentleman, +and do you make such a fuss for the loss of a hundred or two hundred +cash!" and turning her head round, "Feng Erh," she added, "go and fetch +a thousand cash; and as the girls are all playing at the back, take him +along to go and play. And if again by and by, you're so mean and +deceitful, I shall, first of all, beat you, and then tell some one to +report it at school, and won't your skin be flayed for you? All because +of this want of respect of yours, your elder cousin is so angry with you +that his teeth itch; and were it not that I prevent him, he would hit +you with his foot in the stomach and kick all your intestines out! Get +away," she then cried; whereupon Chia Huan obediently followed Feng Erh, +and taking the money he went all by himself to play with Ying Ch'un and +the rest; where we shall leave him without another word. + +But to return to Pao-yue. He was just amusing himself and laughing with +Pao-ch'ai, when at an unexpected moment, he heard some one announce that +Miss Shih had come. At these words, Pao-yue rose, and was at once going +off when "Wait," shouted Pao-ch'ai with a smile, "and we'll go over +together and see her." + +Saying this, she descended from the stove-couch, and came, in company +with Pao-yue, to dowager lady Chia's on this side, where they saw Shih +Hsiang-yuen laughing aloud, and talking immoderately; and upon catching +sight of them both, she promptly inquired after their healths, and +exchanged salutations. + + +Lin Tai-yue just happened to be standing by, and having set the question +to Pao-yue "Where do you come from?" "I come from cousin Pao-ch'ai's +rooms," Pao-yue readily replied. + +Tai-yue gave a sardonic smile. "What I maintain is this," she rejoined, +"that lucky enough for you, you were detained over there; otherwise, you +would long ago have, at once, come flying in here!" + +"Am I only free to play with you?" Pao-yue inquired, "and to dispel your +ennui! I simply went over to her place for a run, and that quite +casually, and will you insinuate all these things?" + +"Your words are quite devoid of sense," Tai-yue added; "whether you go or +not what's that to me? neither did I tell you to give me any +distraction; you're quite at liberty from this time forth not to pay any +notice to me!" + +Saying this, she flew into a high dudgeon and rushed back into her room; +but Pao-yue promptly followed in her footsteps: "Here you are again in a +huff," he urged, "and all for no reason! Had I even passed any remark +that I shouldn't, you should anyhow have still sat in there, and chatted +and laughed with the others for a while; instead of that, you come again +to sit and mope all alone!" + +"Are you my keeper?" Tai-yue expostulated. + +"I couldn't, of course," Pao-yue smiled, "presume to exercise any +influence over you; but the only thing is that you are doing your own +health harm!" + +"If I do ruin my health," Tai-yue rejoined, "and I die, it's my own +lookout! what's that to do with you?" + +"What's the good," protested Pao-yue, "of talking in this happy first +moon of dying and of living?" + +"I _will_ say die," insisted Tai-yue, "die now, at this very moment! +but you're afraid of death; and you may live a long life of a hundred +years, but what good will that be!" + +"If all we do is to go on nagging in this way," Pao-yue remarked smiling, +"will I any more be afraid to die? on the contrary, it would be better +to die, and be free!" + +"Quite so!" continued Tai-yue with alacrity, "if we go on nagging in this +way, it would be better for me to die, and that you should be free of +me!" + +"I speak of my own self dying," Pao-yue added, "so don't misunderstand my +words and accuse people wrongly." + +While he was as yet speaking, Pao-ch'ai entered the room: "Cousin Shih +is waiting for you;" she said; and with these words, she hastily pushed +Pao-yue on, and they walked away. + +Tai-yue, meanwhile, became more and more a prey to resentment; and +disconsolate as she felt, she shed tears in front of the window. But not +time enough had transpired to allow two cups of tea to be drunk, before +Pao-yue came back again. At the sight of him, Tai-yue sobbed still more +fervently and incessantly, and Pao-yue realising the state she was in, +and knowing well enough how arduous a task it would be to bring her +round, began to join together a hundred, yea a thousand kinds of soft +phrases and tender words to console her. But at an unforeseen moment, +and before he could himself open his mouth, he heard Tai-yue anticipate +him. + +"What have you come back again for?" she asked. "Let me die or live, as +I please, and have done! You've really got at present some one to play +with you, one who, compared with me, is able to read and able to +compose, able to write, to speak, as well as to joke, one too who for +fear lest you should have ruffled your temper dragged you away: and what +do you return here for now?" + +Pao-yue, after listening to all she had to say, hastened to come up to +her. "Is it likely," he observed in a low tone of voice, "that an +intelligent person like you isn't so much as aware that near relatives +can't be separated by a distant relative, and a remote friend set aside +an old friend! I'm stupid, there's no gainsaying, but I do anyhow +understand what these two sentiments imply. You and I are, in the first +place, cousins on my father's sister's side; while sister Pao-ch'ai and +I are two cousins on mother's sides, so that, according to the degrees +of relationship, she's more distant than yourself. In the second place, +you came here first, and we two have our meals at one table and sleep in +one bed, having ever since our youth grown up together; while she has +only recently come, and how could I ever distance you on her account?" + +"Ts'ui!" Tai-yue exclaimed. "Will I forsooth ever make you distance her! +who and what kind of person have I become to do such a thing? What (I +said) was prompted by my own motives." + +"I too," Pao-yue urged, "made those remarks prompted by my own heart's +motives, and do you mean to say that your heart can only read the +feelings of your own heart, and has no idea whatsoever of my own?" + +Tai-yue at these words, lowered her head and said not a word. But after a +long interval, "You only know," she continued, "how to feel bitter +against people for their action in censuring you: but you don't, after +all, know that you yourself provoke people to such a degree, that it's +hard for them to put up with it! Take for instance the weather of to-day +as an example. It's distinctly very cold, to-day, and yet, how is it +that you are so contrary as to go and divest yourself of the pelisse +with the bluish breast-fur overlapping the cloth?" + +"Why say I didn't wear it?" Pao-yue smilingly observed. "I did, but +seeing you get angry I felt suddenly in such a terrible blaze, that I at +once took it off!" + +Tai-yue heaved a sigh. "You'll by and by catch a cold," she remarked, +"and then you'll again have to starve, and vociferate for something to +eat!" + +While these two were having this colloquy, Hsiang-yuen was seen to walk +in! "You two, Ai cousin and cousin Lin," she ventured jokingly, "are +together playing every day, and though I've managed to come after ever +so much trouble, you pay no heed to me at all!" + +"It's invariably the rule," Tai-yue retorted smilingly, "that those who +have a defect in their speech will insist upon talking; she can't even +come out correctly with 'Erh' (secundus) cousin, and keeps on calling +him 'Ai' cousin, 'Ai' cousin! And by and by when you play 'Wei Ch'i' +you're sure also to shout out yao, ai, (instead of erh), san; (one, two, +three)." + +Pao-yue laughed. "If you imitate her," he interposed, "and get into that +habit, you'll also begin to bite your tongue when you talk." + +"She won't make even the slightest allowance for any one," Hsiang-yuen +rejoined; "her sole idea being to pick out others' faults. You may +readily be superior to any mortal being, but you shouldn't, after all, +offend against what's right and make fun of every person you come +across! But I'll point out some one, and if you venture to jeer her, +I'll at once submit to you." + +"Who is it?" Tai-yue vehemently inquired. + +"If you do have the courage," Hsiang-yuen answered, "to pick out cousin +Pao-ch'ai's faults, you then may well be held to be first-rate!" + +Tai-yue after hearing these words, gave a sarcastic smile. "I was +wondering," she observed, "who it was. Is it indeed she? How could I +ever presume to pick out hers?" + +Pao-yue allowed her no time to finish, but hastened to say something to +interrupt the conversation. + +"I couldn't, of course, during the whole of this my lifetime," +Hsiang-yuen laughed, "attain your standard! but my earnest wish is that +by and by should be found for you, cousin Lin, a husband, who bites his +tongue when he speaks, so that you should every minute and second listen +to 'ai-ya-os!' O-mi-to-fu, won't then your reward be manifest to my +eyes!" + +As she made this remark, they all burst out laughing heartily, and +Hsiang-yuen speedily turned herself round and ran away. + +But reader, do you want to know the sequel? Well, then listen to the +explanation given in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + The eminent Hsi Jen, with winsome ways, rails at Pao-yue, with a view + to exhortation. + The beauteous P'ing Erh, with soft words, screens Chia Lien. + + +But to resume our story. When Shih Hsiang-yuen ran out of the room, she +was all in a flutter lest Lin Tai-yue should catch her up; but Pao-yue, +who came after her, readily shouted out, "You'll trip and fall. How ever +could she come up to you?" + +Lin Tai-yue went in pursuit of her as far as the entrance, when she was +impeded from making further progress by Pao-yue, who stretched his arms +out against the posts of the door. + +"Were I to spare Yuen Erh, I couldn't live!" Lin Tai-yue exclaimed, as she +tugged at his arms. But Hsiang-yuen, perceiving that Pao-yue obstructed +the door, and surmising that Tai-yue could not come out, speedily stood +still. "My dear cousin," she smilingly pleaded, "do let me off this +time!" + +But it just happened that Pao-ch'ai, who was coming along, was at the +back of Hsiang-yuen, and with a face also beaming with smiles: "I advise +you both," she said, "to leave off out of respect for cousin Pao-yue, and +have done." + +"I don't agree to that," Tai-yue rejoined; "are you people, pray, all of +one mind to do nothing but make fun of me?" + +"Who ventures to make fun of you?" Pao-yue observed advisingly; "and +hadn't you made sport of her, would she have presumed to have said +anything about you?" + +While this quartet were finding it an arduous task to understand one +another, a servant came to invite them to have their repast, and they +eventually crossed over to the front side, and as it was already time +for the lamps to be lit, madame Wang, widow Li Wan, lady Feng, Ying +Ch'un, T'an Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and the other cousins, adjourned in a body +to dowager lady Chia's apartments on this side, where the whole company +spent a while in a chat on irrelevant topics, after which they each +returned to their rooms and retired to bed. Hsiang-yuen, as of old, +betook herself to Tai-yue's quarters to rest, and Pao-yue escorted them +both into their apartment, and it was after the hour had already past +the second watch, and Hsi Jen had come and pressed him several times, +that he at length returned to his own bedroom and went to sleep. The +next morning, as soon as it was daylight, he threw his clothes over him, +put on his low shoes and came over into Tai-yue's room, where he however +saw nothing of the two girls Tzu Chuean and Ts'ui Lu, as there was no one +else here in there besides his two cousins, still reclining under the +coverlets. Tai-yue was closely wrapped in a quilt of almond-red silk, and +lying quietly, with closed eyes fast asleep; while Shih Hsiang-yuen, with +her handful of shiny hair draggling along the edge of the pillow, was +covered only up to the chest, and outside the coverlet rested her curved +snow-white arm, with the gold bracelets, which she had on. + +At the sight of her, Pao-yue heaved a sigh. "Even when asleep," he +soliloquised, "she can't be quiet! but by and by, when the wind will +have blown on her, she'll again shout that her shoulder is sore!" With +these words, he gently covered her, but Lin Tai-yue had already awoke out +of her sleep, and becoming aware that there was some one about, she +promptly concluded that it must, for a certainty, be Pao-yue, and turning +herself accordingly round, and discovering at a glance that the truth +was not beyond her conjectures, she observed: "What have you run over to +do at this early hour?" to which question Pao-yue replied: "Do you call +this early? but get up and see for yourself!" + +"First quit the room," Tai-yue suggested, "and let us get up!" + +Pao-yue thereupon made his exit into the ante-chamber, and Tai-yue jumped +out of bed, and awoke Hsiang-yuen. When both of them had put on their +clothes, Pao-yue re-entered and took a seat by the side of the toilet +table; whence he beheld Tzu-chuean and Hsueeh Yen walk in and wait upon +them, as they dressed their hair and performed their ablutions. +Hsiang-yuen had done washing her face, and Ts'uei Lue at once took the +remaining water and was about to throw it away, when Pao-yue interposed, +saying: "Wait, I'll avail myself of this opportunity to wash too and +finish with it, and thus save myself the trouble of having again to go +over!" Speaking the while, he hastily came forward, and bending his +waist, he washed his face twice with two handfuls of water, and when Tzu +Chuean went over to give him the scented soap, Pao-yue added: "In this +basin, there's a good deal of it, and there's no need of rubbing any +more!" He then washed his face with two more handfuls, and forthwith +asked for a towel, and Ts'uei Lue exclaimed: "What! have you still got +this failing? when will you turn a new leaf?" But Pao-yue paid not so +much as any heed to her, and there and then called for some salt, with +which he rubbed his teeth, and rinsed his mouth. When he had done, he +perceived that Hsiang-yuen had already finished combing her hair, and +speedily coming up to her, he put on a smile, and said: "My dear cousin, +comb my hair for me!" + +"This can't be done!" Hsiang-yuen objected. + +"My dear cousin," Pao-yue continued smirkingly, "how is it that you +combed it for me in former times?" + +"I've forgotten now how to comb it!" Hsiang-yuen replied. + +"I'm not, after all, going out of doors," Pao-yue observed, "nor will I +wear a hat or frontlet, so that all that need be done is to plait a few +queues, that's all!" Saying this, he went on to appeal to her in a +thousand and one endearing terms, so that Hsiang-yuen had no alternative, +but to draw his head nearer to her and to comb one queue after another, +and as when he stayed at home he wore no hat, nor had, in fact, any +tufted horns, she merely took the short surrounding hair from all four +sides, and twisting it into small tufts, she collected it together over +the hair on the crown of the head, and plaited a large queue, binding it +fast with red ribbon; while from the root of the hair to the end of the +queue, were four pearls in a row, below which, in the way of a tip, was +suspended a golden pendant. + +"Of these pearls there are only three," Hsiang-yuen remarked as she went +on plaiting; "this isn't one like them; I remember these were all of one +kind, and how is it that there's one short?" + +"I've lost one," Pao-yue rejoined. + +"It must have dropped," Hsiang-yuen added, "when you went out of doors, +and been picked up by some one when you were off your guard; and he's +now, instead of you, the richer for it." + +"One can neither tell whether it has been really lost," Tai-yue, who +stood by, interposed, smiling the while sarcastically; "nor could one +say whether it hasn't been given away to some one to be mounted in some +trinket or other and worn!" + +Pao-yue made no reply; but set to work, seeing that the two sides of the +dressing table were all full of toilet boxes and other such articles, +taking up those that came under his hand and examining them. Grasping +unawares a box of cosmetic, which was within his reach, he would have +liked to have brought it to his lips, but he feared again lest +Hsiang-yuen should chide him. While he was hesitating whether to do so or +not, Hsiang-yuen, from behind, stretched forth her arm and gave him a +smack, which sent the cosmetic flying from his hand, as she cried out: +"You good-for-nothing! when will you mend those weaknesses of yours!" +But hardly had she had time to complete this remark, when she caught +sight of Hsi Jen walk in, who upon perceiving this state of things, +became aware that he was already combed and washed, and she felt +constrained to go back and attend to her own coiffure and ablutions. But +suddenly, she saw Pao-ch'ai come in and inquire: "Where's cousin Pao-yue +gone?" + +"Do you mean to say," Hsi Jen insinuated with a sardonic smile, "that +your cousin Pao-yue has leisure to stay at home?" + +When Pao-ch'ai heard these words, she inwardly comprehended her meaning, +and when she further heard Hsi Jen remark with a sigh: "Cousins may well +be on intimate terms, but they should also observe some sort of +propriety; and they shouldn't night and day romp together; and no matter +how people may tender advice it's all like so much wind blowing past the +ears." Pao-ch'ai began, at these remarks, to cogitate within her mind: +"May I not, possibly, have been mistaken in my estimation of this girl; +for to listen to her words, she would really seem to have a certain +amount of _savoir faire_!" + +Pao-ch'ai thereupon took a seat on the stove-couch, and quietly, in the +course of their conversation on one thing and another, she managed to +ascertain her age, her native village and other such particulars, and +then setting her mind diligently to put, on the sly, her conversation +and mental capacity to the test, she discovered how deeply worthy she +was to be respected and loved. But in a while Pao-yue arrived, and +Pao-ch'ai at once quitted the apartment. + +"How is it," Pao-yue at once inquired, "that cousin Pao-ch'ai was +chatting along with you so lustily, and that as soon as she saw me +enter, she promptly ran away?" + +Hsi Jen did not make any reply to his first question, and it was only +when he had repeated it that Hsi Jen remarked: "Do you ask me? How can I +know what goes on between you two?" + +When Pao-yue heard these words, and he noticed that the look on her face +was so unlike that of former days, he lost no time in putting on a smile +and asking: "Why is it that you too are angry in real earnest?" + +"How could I presume to get angry!" Hsi Jen rejoined smiling +indifferently; "but you mustn't, from this day forth, put your foot into +this room! and as you have anyhow people to wait on you, you shouldn't +come again to make use of my services, for I mean to go and attend to +our old mistress, as in days of old." + +With this remark still on her lips, she lay herself down on the +stove-couch and closed her eyes. When Pao-yue perceived the state of mind +she was in, he felt deeply surprised and could not refrain from coming +forward and trying to cheer her up. But Hsi Jen kept her eyes closed and +paid no heed to him, so that Pao-yue was quite at a loss how to act. But +espying She Yueeh enter the room, he said with alacrity: "What's up with +your sister?" + +"Do I know?" answered She Yueeh, "examine your own self and you'll +readily know!" + +After these words had been heard by Pao-yue, he gazed vacantly for some +time, feeling the while very unhappy; but raising himself impetuously: +"Well!" he exclaimed, "if you don't notice me, all right, I too will go +to sleep," and as he spoke he got up, and, descending from the couch, he +betook himself to his own bed and went to sleep. Hsi Jen noticing that +he had not budged for ever so long, and that he faintly snored, presumed +that he must have fallen fast asleep, so she speedily rose to her feet, +and, taking a wrapper, came over and covered him. But a sound of "hu" +reached her ear, as Pao-yue promptly threw it off and once again closed +his eyes and feigned sleep. Hsi Jen distinctly grasped his idea and, +forthwith nodding her head, she smiled coldly. "You really needn't lose +your temper! but from this time forth, I'll become mute, and not say one +word to you; and what if I do?" + +Pao-yue could not restrain himself from rising. "What have I been up to +again," he asked, "that you're once more at me with your advice? As far +as your advice goes, it's all well and good; but just now without one +word of counsel, you paid no heed to me when I came in, but, flying into +a huff, you went to sleep. Nor could I make out what it was all about, +and now here you are again maintaining that I'm angry. But when did I +hear you, pray, give me a word of advice of any kind?" + +"Doesn't your mind yet see for itself?" Hsi Jen replied; "and do you +still expect me to tell you?" + +While they were disputing, dowager lady Chia sent a servant to call him +to his repast, and he thereupon crossed over to the front; but after he +had hurriedly swallowed a few bowls of rice, he returned to his own +apartment, where he discovered Hsi Jen reclining on the outer +stove-couch, while She Yueeh was playing with the dominoes by her side. +Pao-yue had been ever aware of the intimacy which existed between She +Yueeh and Hsi Jen, so that paying not the slightest notice to even She +Yueeh, he raised the soft portiere and straightway walked all alone into +the inner apartment. She Yueeh felt constrained to follow him in, but +Pao-yue at once pushed her out, saying: "I don't venture to disturb you +two;" so that She Yueeh had no alternative but to leave the room with a +smiling countenance, and to bid two young waiting-maids go in. Pao-yue +took hold of a book and read for a considerable time in a reclining +position; but upon raising his head to ask for some tea, he caught sight +of a couple of waiting-maids, standing below; the one of whom, slightly +older than the other, was exceedingly winsome. + +"What's your name?" Pao-yue eagerly inquired. + +"I'm called Hui Hsiang, (orchid fragrance)," that waiting-maid rejoined +simperingly. + +"Who gave you this name?" Pao-yue went on to ask. + +"I went originally under the name of Yuen Hsiang (Gum Sandarac)," added +Hui Hsiang, "but Miss Hua it was who changed it." + +"You should really be called Hui Ch'i, (latent fragrance), that would be +proper; and why such stuff as Hui Hsiang, (orchid fragrance)?" + +"How many sisters have you got?" he further went on to ask of her. + +"Four," replied Hui Hsiang. + +"Which of them are you?" Pao-yue asked. + +"The fourth," answered Hui Hsiang. + +"By and by you must be called Ssu Erh, (fourth child)," Pao-yue +suggested, "for there's no need for any such nonsense as Hui Hsiang +(orchid fragrance) or Lan Ch'i (epidendrum perfume.) Which single girl +deserves to be compared to all these flowers, without profaning pretty +names and fine surnames!" + +As he uttered these words, he bade her give him some tea, which he +drank; while Hsi Jen and She Yueeh, who were in the outer apartment, had +been listening for a long time and laughing with compressed lips. + +Pao-yue did not, on this day, so much as put his foot outside the door of +his room, but sat all alone sad and dejected, simply taking up his +books, in order to dispel his melancholy fit, or diverting himself with +his writing materials; while he did not even avail himself of the +services of any of the family servants, but simply bade Ssu Erh answer +his calls. + +This Ssu Erh was, who would have thought it, a girl gifted with +matchless artfulness, and perceiving that Pao-yue had requisitioned her +services, she speedily began to devise extreme ways and means to +inveigle him. When evening came, and dinner was over, Pao-yue's eyes were +scorching hot and his ears burning from the effects of two cups of wine +that he had taken. Had it been in past days, he would have now had Hsi +Jen and her companions with him, and with all their good cheer and +laughter, he would have been enjoying himself. But here was he, on this +occasion, dull and forlorn, a solitary being, gazing at the lamp with an +absolute lack of pleasure. By and by he felt a certain wish to go after +them, but dreading that if they carried their point, they would, in the +future, come and tender advice still more immoderate, and that, were he +to put on the airs of a superior to intimidate them, he would appear to +be too deeply devoid of all feeling, he therefore, needless to say, +thwarted the wish of his heart, and treated them just as if they were +dead. And as anyway he was constrained also to live, alone though he +was, he readily looked upon them, for the time being as departed, and +did not worry his mind in the least on their account. On the contrary, +he was able to feel happy and contented with his own society. Hence it +was that bidding Ssu Erh trim the candles and brew the tea, he himself +perused for a time the "Nan Hua Ching," and upon reaching the precept: +"On thieves," given on some additional pages, the burden of which was: +"Therefore by exterminating intuitive wisdom, and by discarding +knowledge, highway robbers will cease to exist, and by taking off the +jade and by putting away the pearls, pilferers will not spring to +existence; by burning the slips and by breaking up the seals, by +smashing the measures, and snapping the scales, the result will be that +the people will not wrangle; by abrogating, to the utmost degree, wise +rules under the heavens, the people will, at length, be able to take +part in deliberation. By putting to confusion the musical scale, and +destroying fifes and lutes, by deafening the ears of the blind Kuang, +then, at last, will the human race in the world constrain his sense of +hearing. By extinguishing literary compositions, by dispersing the five +colours and by sticking the eyes of Li Chu, then, at length, mankind +under the whole sky, will restrain the perception of his eyes. By +destroying and eliminating the hooks and lines, by discarding the +compasses and squares, and by amputating Kung Chui's fingers, the human +race will ultimately succeed in constraining his ingenuity,"--his high +spirits, on perusal of this passage, were so exultant that taking +advantage of the exuberance caused by the wine, he picked up his pen, +for he could not repress himself, and continued the text in this wise: +"By burning the flower, (Hua-Hsi Jen) and dispersing the musk, (She +Yueeh), the consequence will be that the inmates of the inner chambers +will, eventually, keep advice to themselves. By obliterating Pao-ch'ai's +supernatural beauty, by reducing to ashes Tai-yue's spiritual perception, +and by destroying and extinguishing my affectionate preferences, the +beautiful in the inner chambers as well as the plain will then, at +length, be put on the same footing. And as they will keep advice to +themselves, there will be no fear of any disagreement. By obliterating +her supernatural beauty, I shall then have no incentive for any violent +affection; by dissolving her spiritual perception, I will have no +feelings with which to foster the memory of her talents. The hair-pin, +jade, flower and musk (Pao-ch'ai, Tai-yue, Hsi Jen and She Yueeh) do each +and all spread out their snares and dig mines, and thus succeed in +inveigling and entrapping every one in the world." + +At the conclusion of this annex, he flung the pen away, and lay himself +down to sleep. His head had barely reached the pillow before he at once +fell fast asleep, remaining the whole night long perfectly unconscious +of everything straight up to the break of day, when upon waking and +turning himself round, he, at a glance, caught sight of no one else than +Hsi Jen, sleeping in her clothes over the coverlet. + +Pao-yue had already banished from his mind every thought of what had +transpired the previous day, so that forthwith giving Hsi Jen a push: +"Get up!" he said, "and be careful where you sleep, as you may catch +cold." + +The fact is that Hsi Jen was aware that he was, without regard to day or +night, ever up to mischief with his female cousins; but presuming that +if she earnestly called him to account, he would not mend his ways, she +had, for this reason, had recourse to tender language to exhort him, in +the hope that, in a short while, he would come round again to his better +self. But against all her expectations Pao-yue had, after the lapse of a +whole day and night, not changed the least in his manner, and as she +really was in her heart quite at a loss what to do, she failed to find +throughout the whole night any proper sleep. But when on this day, she +unexpectedly perceived Pao-yue in this mood, she flattered herself that +he had made up his mind to effect a change, and readily thought it best +not to notice him. Pao-yue, seeing that she made no reply, forthwith +stretched out his hand and undid her jacket; but he had just unclasped +the button, when his arm was pushed away by Hsi Jen, who again made it +fast herself. + +Pao-yue was so much at his wit's ends that he had no alternative but to +take her hand and smilingly ask: "What's the matter with you, after all, +that I've had to ask you something time after time?" + +Hsi Jen opened her eyes wide. "There's nothing really the matter with +me!" she observed; "but as you're awake, you surely had better be going +over into the opposite room to comb your hair and wash; for if you +dilly-dally any longer, you won't be in time." + +"Where shall I go over to?" Pao-yue inquired. + +Hsi Jen gave a sarcastic grin. "Do you ask me?" she rejoined; "do I +know? you're at perfect liberty to go over wherever you like; from this +day forth you and I must part company so as to avoid fighting like cocks +or brawling like geese, to the amusement of third parties. Indeed, when +you get surfeited on that side, you come over to this, where there are, +after all, such girls as Fours and Fives (Ssu Erh and Wu Erh) to dance +attendance upon you. But such kind of things as ourselves uselessly +defile fine names and fine surnames." + +"Do you still remember this to-day!" Pao-yue asked with a smirk. + +"Hundred years hence I shall still bear it in mind," Hsi Jen protested; +"I'm not like you, who treat my words as so much wind blowing by the +side of your ears, that what I've said at night, you've forgotten early +in the morning." + +Pao-yue perceiving what a seductive though angry air pervaded her face +found it difficult to repress his feelings, and speedily taking up, from +the side of the pillow, a hair-pin made of jade, he dashed it down +breaking it into two exclaiming: "If I again don't listen to your words, +may I fare like this hair-pin." + +Hsi Jen immediately picked up the hair-pin, as she remarked: "What's up +with you at this early hour of the morning? Whether you listen or not is +of no consequence; and is it worth while that you should behave as you +do?" + +"How can you know," Pao-yue answered, "the anguish in my heart!" + +"Do you also know what anguish means?" Hsi Jen observed laughing; "if +you do, then you can judge what the state of my heart is! But be quick +and get up, and wash your face and be off!" + +As she spoke, they both got out of bed and performed their toilette; but +after Pao-yue had gone to the drawing rooms, and at a moment least +expected by any one, Tai-yue walked into his apartment. Noticing that +Pao-yue was not in, she was fumbling with the books on the table and +examining them, when, as luck would have it, she turned up the Chuang +Tzu of the previous day. Upon perusing the passage tagged on by Pao-yue, +she could not help feeling both incensed and amused. Nor could she +restrain herself from taking up the pen and appending a stanza to this +effect: + + Who is that man, who of his pen, without good rhyme, made use, + A toilsome task to do into the Chuang-tzu text to steal, + Who for the knowledge he doth lack no sense of shame doth feel, + But language vile and foul employs third parties to abuse? + +At the conclusion of what she had to write, she too came into the +drawing room; but after paying her respects to dowager lady Chia, she +walked over to madame Wang's quarters. + +Contrary to everybody's expectations, lady Feng's daughter, Ta Chieh +Erh, had fallen ill, and a great fuss was just going on as the doctor +had been sent for to diagnose her ailment. + +"My congratulations to you, ladies," the doctor explained; "this young +lady has fever, as she has small-pox; indeed it's no other complaint!" + +As soon as madame Wang and lady Feng heard the tidings, they lost no +time in sending round to ascertain whether she was getting on all right +or not, and the doctor replied: "The symptoms are, it is true, serious, +but favourable; but though after all importing no danger, it's necessary +to get ready the silkworms and pigs' tails." + +When lady Feng received this report, she, there and then, hastened to +make the necessary preparations, and while she had the rooms swept and +oblations offered to the goddess of small-pox, she, at the same time, +transmitted orders to her household to avoid viands fried or roasted in +fat, or other such heating things; and also bade P'ing Erh get ready the +bedding and clothes for Chia Lien in a separate room, and taking pieces +of deep red cotton material, she distributed them to the nurses, +waiting-maids and all the servants, who were in close attendance, to cut +out clothes for themselves. And having had likewise some apartments +outside swept clean, she detained two doctors to alternately deliberate +on the treatment, feel the pulse and administer the medicines; and for +twelve days, they were not at liberty to return to their homes; while +Chia Lien had no help but to move his quarters temporarily into the +outer library, and lady Feng and P'ing Erh remained both in daily +attendance upon madame Wang in her devotions to the goddess. + +Chia Lien, now that he was separated from lady Feng, soon felt disposed +to look round for a flame. He had only slept alone for a couple of +nights, but these nights had been so intensely intolerable that he had +no option than to choose, for the time being, from among the young +pages, those who were of handsome appearance, and bring them over to +relieve his monotony. In the Jung Kuo mansion, there was, it happened, a +cook, a most useless, good-for-nothing drunkard, whose name was To Kuan, +in whom people recognised an infirm and a useless husband so that they +all dubbed him with the name of To Hun Ch'ung, the stupid worm To. As +the wife given to him in marriage by his father and mother was this year +just twenty, and possessed further several traits of beauty, and was +also naturally of a flighty and frivolous disposition, she had an +extreme penchant for violent flirtations. But To Hun-ch'ung, on the +other hand, did not concern himself (with her deportment), and as long +as he had wine, meat and money he paid no heed whatever to anything. And +for this reason it was that all the men in the two mansions of Ning and +Jung had been successful in their attentions; and as this woman was +exceptionally fascinating and incomparably giddy, she was generally +known by all by the name To Ku Ning (Miss To). + +Chia Lien, now that he had his quarters outside, chafed under the pangs +of irksome ennui, yet he too, in days gone by, had set his eyes upon +this woman, and had for long, watered in the mouth with admiration; but +as, inside, he feared his winsome wife, and outside, he dreaded his +beloved lads, he had not made any advances. But this To Ku Niang had +likewise a liking for Chia Lien, and was full of resentment at the +absence of a favourable opportunity; but she had recently come to hear +that Chia Lien had shifted his quarters into the outer library, and her +wont was, even in the absence of any legitimate purpose, to go over +three and four times to entice him on; but though Chia Lien was, in +every respect, like a rat smitten with hunger, he could not dispense +with holding consultation with the young friends who enjoyed his +confidence; and as he struck a bargain with them for a large amount of +money and silks, how could they ever not have come to terms (with him to +speak on his behalf)? Besides, they were all old friends of this woman, +so that, as soon as they conveyed the proposal, she willingly accepted +it. When night came To Hun Ch'ung was lying on the couch in a state of +drunkenness, and at the second watch, when every one was quiet, Chia +Lien at once slipped in, and they had their assignation. As soon as he +gazed upon her face, he lost control over his senses, and without even +one word of ordinary greeting or commonplace remark, they forthwith, +fervently indulged in a most endearing tete-a-tete. + +This woman possessed, who could have thought it, a strange natural +charm; for, as soon as any one of her lovers came within any close +distance of her, he speedily could not but notice that her very tendons +and bones mollified, paralysed-like from feeling, so that his was the +sensation of basking in a soft bower of love. What is more, her +demonstrative ways and free-and-easy talk put even those of a born +coquette to shame, with the result that while Chia Lien, at this time, +longed to become heart and soul one with her, the woman designedly +indulged in immodest innuendoes. + +"Your daughter is at home," she insinuated in her recumbent position, +"ill with the small-pox, and prayers are being offered to the goddess; +and your duty too should be to abstain from love affairs for a couple of +days, but on the contrary, by flirting with me, you've contaminated +yourself! but, you'd better be off at once from me here!" + +"You're my goddess!" gaspingly protested Chia Lien, as he gave way to +demonstrativeness; "what do I care about any other goddess!" + +The woman began to be still more indelicate in her manner, so that Chia +Lien could not refrain himself from making a full exhibition of his warm +sentiments. When their tete-a-tete had come to a close, they both went +on again to vow by the mountains and swear by the seas, and though they +found it difficult to part company and hard to tear themselves away, +they, in due course, became, after this occasion, mutual sworn friends. +But by a certain day the virus in Ta Chieh's system had become +exhausted, and the spots subsided, and at the expiry of twelve days the +goddess was removed, and the whole household offered sacrifices to +heaven, worshipped the ancestors, paid their vows, burnt incense, +exchanged congratulations, and distributed presents. And these +formalities observed, Chia Lien once more moved back into his own +bedroom and was reunited with lady Feng. The proverb is indeed true +which says: "That a new marriage is not equal to a long separation," for +there ensued between them demonstrations of loving affection still more +numerous than heretofore, to which we need not, of course, refer with +any minuteness. + +The next day, at an early hour, after lady Feng had gone into the upper +rooms, P'ing Erh set to work to put in order the clothes and bedding, +which had been brought from outside, when, contrary to her expectation, +a tress of hair fell out from inside the pillow-case, as she was intent +upon shaking it. P'ing Erh understood its import, and taking at once the +hair, she concealed it in her sleeve, and there and then came over into +the room on this side, where she produced the hair, and smirkingly asked +Chia Lien, "What's this?" + +Chia Lien, at the sight of it, lost no time in making a snatch with the +idea of depriving her of it; and when P'ing Erh speedily endeavoured to +run away, she was clutched by Chia Lien, who put her down on the +stove-couch, and came up to take it from her hand. + +"You heartless fellow!" P'ing Erh laughingly exclaimed, "I conceal this, +with every good purpose, from her knowledge, and come to ask you about +it, and you, on the contrary, fly into a rage! But wait till she comes +back, and I'll tell her, and we'll see what will happen." + +At these words, Chia Lien hastily forced a smile. "Dear girl!" he +entreated, "give it to me, and I won't venture again to fly into a +passion." + +But hardly was this remark finished, when they heard the voice of lady +Feng penetrate into the room. As soon as it reached the ear of Chia +Lien, he was at a loss whether it was better to let her go or to snatch +it away, and kept on shouting, "My dear girl! don't let her know." + +P'ing Erh at once rose to her feet; but lady Feng had already entered +the room; and she went on to bid P'ing Erh be quick and open a box and +find a pattern for madame Wang. P'ing Erh expressed her obedience with +alacrity; but while in search of it, lady Feng caught sight of Chia +Lien; and suddenly remembering something, she hastened to ask P'ing Erh +about it. + +"The other day," she observed, "some things were taken out, and have you +brought them all in or not?" + +"I have!" P'ing Erh assented. + +"Is there anything short or not?" lady Feng inquired. + +"I've carefully looked at them," P'ing Erh added, "and haven't found +even one single thing short." + +"Is there anything in excess?" lady Feng went on to ascertain. + +P'ing Erh laughed. "It's enough," she rejoined, "that there's nothing +short; and how could there really turn out to be anything over and +above?" + +"That this half month," lady Feng continued still smiling, "things have +gone on immaculately it would be hard to vouch; for some intimate friend +there may have been, who possibly has left something behind, in the +shape of a ring, handkerchief or other such object, there's no saying +for certain!" + +While these words were being spoken, Chia Lien's face turned perfectly +sallow, and, as he stood behind lady Feng, he was intent upon gazing at +P'ing Erh, making signs to her (that he was going) to cut her throat as +a chicken is killed, (threatening her not to utter a sound) and +entreating her to screen him; but P'ing Erh pretended not to notice him, +and consequently observed smiling: "How is it that my ideas should +coincide with those of yours, my lady; and as I suspected that there may +have been something of the kind, I carefully searched all over, but I +didn't find even so much as the slightest thing wrong; and if you don't +believe me, my lady, you can search for your own self." + +"You fool!" lady Feng laughed, "had he any things of the sort, would he +be likely to let you and I discover them!" + +With these words still on her lips, she took the patterns and went her +way; whereupon P'ing Erh pointed at her nose, and shook her head to and +fro. "In this matter," she smiled, "how much you should be grateful to +me!" A remark which so delighted Chia Lien that his eyebrows distended, +and his eyes smiled, and running over, he clasped her in his embrace, +and called her promiscuously: "My darling, my pet, my own treasure!" + +"This," observed P'ing Erh, with the tress in her hand, "will be my +source of power, during all my lifetime! if you treat me kindly, then +well and good! but if you behave unkindly, then we'll at once produce +this thing!" + +"Do put it away, please," Chia Lien entreated smirkingly, "and don't, on +an any account, let her know about it!" and as he uttered these words, +he noticed that she was off her guard, and, with a snatch, readily +grabbed it adding laughingly: "In your hands, it would be a source of +woe, so that it's better that I should burn it, and have done with it!" +Saying this he simultaneously shoved it down the sides of his boot, +while P'ing Erh shouted as she set her teeth close: "You wicked man! you +cross the river and then demolish the bridge! but do you imagine that +I'll by and by again tell lies on your behalf!" + +Chia Lien perceiving how heart-stirring her seductive charms were, +forthwith clasped her in his arms, and begged her to be his; but P'ing +Erh snatched her hands out of his grasp and ran away out of the room; +which so exasperated Chia Lien that as he bent his body, he exclaimed, +full of indignation: "What a dreadful niggardly young wench! she +actually sets her mind to stir up people's affections with her wanton +blandishments, and then, after all, she runs away!" + +"If I be wanton, it's my own look-out;" P'ing Erh answered, from outside +the window, with a grin, "and who told you to arouse your affections? Do +you forsooth mean to imply that my wish is to become your tool? And did +she come to know about it would she again ever forgive me?" + +"You needn't dread her!" Chia Lien urged; "wait till my monkey is up, +and I'll take this jealous woman, and beat her to atoms; and she'll then +know what stuff I'm made of. She watches me just as she would watch a +thief! and she's only to hobnob with men, and I'm not to say a word to +any girl! and if I do say aught to a girl, or get anywhere near one, she +must at once give way to suspicion. But with no regard to younger +brothers or nephews, to young and old, she prattles and giggles with +them, and doesn't entertain any fear that I may be jealous; but +henceforward I too won't allow her to set eyes upon any man." + +"If she be jealous, there's every reason," P'ing Erh answered, "but for +you to be jealous on her account isn't right. Her conduct is really +straightforward, and her deportment upright, but your conduct is +actuated by an evil heart, so much so that even I don't feel my heart at +ease, not to say anything of her." + +"You two," continued Chia Lien, "have a mouth full of malicious breath! +Everything the couple of you do is invariably proper, while whatever I +do is all from an evil heart! But some time or other I shall bring you +both to your end with my own hands!" + +This sentence was scarcely at an end, when lady Feng walked into the +court. "If you're bent upon chatting," she urgently inquired, upon +seeing P'ing Erh outside the window, "why don't you go into the room? +and what do you mean, instead, by running out, and speaking with the +window between?" + +Chia Lien from inside took up the string of the conversation. "You +should ask her," he said. "It would verily seem as if there were a tiger +in the room to eat her up." + +"There's not a single person in the room," P'ing Erh rejoined, "and what +shall I stay and do with him?" + +"It's just the proper thing that there should be no one else! Isn't it?" +lady Feng remarked grinning sarcastically. + +"Do these words allude to me?" P'ing Erh hastily asked, as soon as she +had heard what she said. + +Lady Feng forthwith laughed. "If they don't allude to you," she +continued, "to whom do they?" + +"Don't press me to come out with some nice things!" P'ing Erh +insinuated, and, as she spoke, she did not even raise the portiere (for +lady Feng to enter), but straightway betook herself to the opposite +side. + +Lady Feng lifted the portiere with her own hands, and walked into the +room. "That girl P'ing Erh," she exclaimed, "has gone mad, and if this +hussey does in real earnest wish to try and get the upper hand of me, it +would be well for you to mind your skin." + +Chia Lien listened to her, as he kept reclining on the couch. "I never +in the least knew," he ventured, clapping his hands and laughing, "that +P'ing Erh was so dreadful; and I must, after all, from henceforth look +up to her with respect!" + +"It's all through your humouring her," lady Feng rejoined; "so I'll +simply settle scores with you and finish with it." + +"Ts'ui!" ejaculated Chia Lien at these words, "because you two can't +agree, must you again make a scapegoat of me! Well then, I'll get out of +the way of both of you!" + +"I'll see where you'll go and hide," lady Feng observed. + +"I've got somewhere to go!" Chia Lien added; and with these words, he +was about to go, when lady Feng urged: "Don't be off! I have something +to tell you." + +What it is, is not yet known, but, reader, listen to the account given +in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + Upon hearing the text of the stanza, Pao-yue comprehends the Buddhistic + spells. + While the enigmas for the lanterns are being devised, Chia Cheng is + grieved by a prognostic. + + +Chia Lien, for we must now prosecute our story, upon hearing lady Feng +observe that she had something to consult about with him, felt +constrained to halt and to inquire what it was about. + +"On the 21st," lady Feng explained, "is cousin Hsueeh's birthday, and +what do you, after all, purpose doing?" + +"Do I know what to do?" exclaimed Chia Lien; "you have made, time and +again, arrangements for ever so many birthdays of grown-up people, and +do you, really, find yourself on this occasion without any resources?" + +"Birthdays of grown-up people are subject to prescribed rules," lady +Feng expostulated; "but her present birthday is neither one of an adult +nor that of an infant, and that's why I would like to deliberate with +you!" + +Chia Lien upon hearing this remark, lowered his head and gave himself to +protracted reflection. "You're indeed grown dull!" he cried; "why you've +a precedent ready at hand to suit your case! Cousin Lin's birthday +affords a precedent, and what you did in former years for cousin Lin, +you can in this instance likewise do for cousin Hsueeh, and it will be +all right." + +At these words lady Feng gave a sarcastic smile. "Do you, pray, mean to +insinuate," she added, "that I'm not aware of even this! I too had +previously come, after some thought, to this conclusion; but old lady +Chia explained, in my hearing yesterday, that having made inquiries +about all their ages and their birthdays, she learnt that cousin Hsueeh +would this year be fifteen, and that though this was not the birthday, +which made her of age, she could anyhow well be regarded as being on the +dawn of the year, in which she would gather up her hair, so that our +dowager lady enjoined that her anniversary should, as a matter of +course, be celebrated, unlike that of cousin Lin." + +"Well, in that case," Chia Lien suggested, "you had better make a few +additions to what was done for cousin Lin!" + +"That's what I too am thinking of," lady Feng replied, "and that's why +I'm asking your views; for were I, on my own hook, to add anything you +would again feel hurt for my not have explained things to you." + +"That will do, that will do!" Chia Lien rejoined laughing, "none of +these sham attentions for me! So long as you don't pry into my doings it +will be enough; and will I go so far as to bear you a grudge?" + +With these words still in his mouth, he forthwith went off. But leaving +him alone we shall now return to Shih Hsiang-yuen. After a stay of a +couple of days, her intention was to go back, but dowager lady Chia +said: "Wait until after you have seen the theatrical performance, when +you can return home." + +At this proposal, Shih Hsiang-yuen felt constrained to remain, but she, +at the same time, despatched a servant to her home to fetch two pieces +of needlework, which she had in former days worked with her own hands, +for a birthday present for Pao-ch'ai. + +Contrary to all expectations old lady Chia had, since the arrival of +Pao-ch'ai, taken quite a fancy to her, for her sedateness and good +nature, and as this happened to be the first birthday which she was +about to celebrate (in the family) she herself readily contributed +twenty taels which, after sending for lady Feng, she handed over to her, +to make arrangements for a banquet and performance. + +"A venerable senior like yourself," lady Feng thereupon smiled and +ventured, with a view to enhancing her good cheer, "is at liberty to +celebrate the birthday of a child in any way agreeable to you, without +any one presuming to raise any objection; but what's the use again of +giving a banquet? But since it be your good pleasure and your purpose to +have it celebrated with eclat, you could, needless to say, your own self +have spent several taels from the private funds in that old treasury of +yours! But you now produce those twenty taels, spoiled by damp and +mould, to play the hostess with, with the view indeed of compelling us +to supply what's wanted! But hadn't you really been able to contribute +any more, no one would have a word to say; but the gold and silver, +round as well as flat, have with their heavy weight pressed down the +bottom of the box! and your sole object is to harass us and to extort +from us. But raise your eyes and look about you; who isn't your +venerable ladyship's son and daughter? and is it likely, pray, that in +the future there will only be cousin Pao-yue to carry you, our old lady, +on his head, up the Wu T'ai Shan? You may keep all these things for him +alone! but though we mayn't at present, deserve that anything should be +spent upon us, you shouldn't go so far as to place us in any +perplexities (by compelling us to subscribe). And is this now enough for +wines, and enough for the theatricals?" + +As she bandied these words, every one in the whole room burst out +laughing, and even dowager lady Chia broke out in laughter while she +observed: "Do you listen to that mouth? I myself am looked upon as +having the gift of the gab, but why is it that I can't talk in such a +wise as to put down this monkey? Your mother-in-law herself doesn't dare +to be so overbearing in her speech; and here you are jabber, jabber with +me!" + +"My mother-in-law," explained lady Feng, "is also as fond of Pao-yue as +you are, so much so that I haven't anywhere I could go and give vent to +my grievances; and instead of (showing me some regard) you say that I'm +overbearing in my speech!" + +With these words, she again enticed dowager lady Chia to laugh for a +while. The old lady continued in the highest of spirits, and, when +evening came, and they all appeared in her presence to pay their +obeisance, her ladyship made it a point, while the whole company of +ladies and young ladies were engaged in chatting, to ascertain of +Pao-ch'ai what play she liked to hear, and what things she fancied to +eat. + +Pao-ch'ai was well aware that dowager lady Chia, well up in years though +she was, delighted in sensational performances, and was partial to sweet +and tender viands, so that she readily deferred, in every respect, to +those things, which were to the taste of her ladyship, and enumerated a +whole number of them, which made the old lady become the more exuberant. +And the next day, she was the first to send over clothes, nicknacks and +such presents, while madame Wang and lady Feng, Tai-yue and the other +girls, as well as the whole number of inmates had all presents for her, +regulated by their degree of relationship, to which we need not allude +in detail. + +When the 21st arrived, a stage of an ordinary kind, small but yet handy, +was improvised in dowager lady Chia's inner court, and a troupe of young +actors, who had newly made their debut, was retained for the nonce, +among whom were both those who could sing tunes, slow as well as fast. +In the drawing rooms of the old lady were then laid out several tables +for a family banquet and entertainment, at which there was not a single +outside guest; and with the exception of Mrs. Hsueeh, Shih Hsiang-yuen, +and Pao-ch'ai, who were visitors, the rest were all inmates of her +household. + +On this day, Pao-yue failed, at any early hour, to see anything of Lin +Tai-yue, and coming at once to her rooms in search of her, he discovered +her reclining on the stove-couch. "Get up," Pao-yue pressed her with a +smile, "and come and have breakfast, for the plays will commence +shortly; but whichever plays you would like to listen to, do tell me so +that I may be able to choose them." + +Tai-yue smiled sarcastically. "In that case," she rejoined, "you had +better specially engage a troupe and select those I like sung for my +benefit; for on this occasion you can't be so impertinent as to make use +of their expense to ask me what I like!" + +"What's there impossible about this?" Pao-yue answered smiling; "well, +to-morrow I'll readily do as you wish, and ask them too to make use of +what is yours and mine." + +As he passed this remark, he pulled her up, and taking her hand in his +own, they walked out of the room and came and had breakfast. When the +time arrived to make a selection of the plays, dowager lady Chia of her +own motion first asked Pao-ch'ai to mark off those she liked; and though +for a time Pao-ch'ai declined, yielding the choice to others, she had no +alternative but to decide, fixing upon a play called, "the Record of the +Western Tour," a play of which the old lady was herself very fond. Next +in order, she bade lady Feng choose, and lady Feng, had, after all, in +spite of madame Wang ranking before her in precedence, to consider old +lady Chia's request, and not to presume to show obstinacy by any +disobedience. But as she knew well enough that her ladyship had a +penchant for what was exciting, and that she was still more partial to +jests, jokes, epigrams, and buffoonery, she therefore hastened to +precede (madame Wang) and to choose a play, which was in fact no other +than "Liu Erh pawns his clothes." + +Dowager lady Chia was, of course, still more elated. And after this she +speedily went on to ask Tai-yue to choose. Tai-yue likewise concedingly +yielded her turn in favour of madame Wang and the other seniors, to make +their selections before her, but the old lady expostulated. "To-day," +she said, "is primarily an occasion, on which I've brought all of you +here for your special recreation; and we had better look after our own +selves and not heed them! For have I, do you imagine, gone to the +trouble of having a performance and laying a feast for their special +benefit? they're already reaping benefit enough by being in here, +listening to the plays and partaking of the banquet, when they have no +right to either; and are they to be pressed further to make a choice of +plays?" + +At these words, the whole company had a hearty laugh; after which, +Tai-yue, at length, marked off a play; next in order following Pao-yue, +Shih Hsiang-yuen, Ying-ch'un, T'an Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un, widow Li Wan, and +the rest, each and all of whom made a choice of plays, which were sung +in the costumes necessary for each. When the time came to take their +places at the banquet, dowager lady Chia bade Pao-ch'ai make another +selection, and Pao-ch'ai cast her choice upon the play: "Lu Chih-shen, +in a fit of drunkenness stirs up a disturbance up the Wu T'ai mountain;" +whereupon Pao-yue interposed, with the remark: "All you fancy is to +choose plays of this kind;" to which Pao-ch'ai rejoined, "You've +listened to plays all these years to no avail! How could you know the +beauties of this play? the stage effect is grand, but what is still +better are the apt and elegant passages in it." + +"I've always had a dread of such sensational plays as these!" Pao-yue +retorted. + +"If you call this play sensational," Pao-ch'ai smilingly expostulated, +"well then you may fitly be looked upon as being no connoisseur of +plays. But come over and I'll tell you. This play constitutes one of a +set of books, entitled the 'Pei Tien Peng Ch'un,' which, as far as +harmony, musical rests and closes, and tune go, is, it goes without +saying, perfect; but there's among the elegant compositions a ballad +entitled: 'the Parasitic Plant,' written in a most excellent style; but +how could you know anything about it?" + +Pao-yue, upon hearing her speak of such points of beauty, hastily drew +near to her. "My dear cousin," he entreated, "recite it and let me hear +it!" Whereupon Pao-ch'ai went on as follows: + + My manly tears I will not wipe away, + But from this place, the scholar's home, I'll stray. + The bonze for mercy I shall thank; under the lotus altar shave my + pate; + With Yuean to be the luck I lack; soon in a twinkle we shall separate, + And needy and forlorn I'll come and go, with none to care about my + fate. + Thither shall I a suppliant be for a fog wrapper and rain hat; my + warrant I shall roll, + And listless with straw shoes and broken bowl, wherever to convert my + fate may be, I'll stroll. + +As soon as Pao-yue had listened to her recital, he was so full of +enthusiasm, that, clapping his knees with his hands, and shaking his +head, he gave vent to incessant praise; after which he went on to extol +Pao-ch'ai, saying: "There's no book that you don't know." + +"Be quiet, and listen to the play," Lin Tai-yue urged; "they haven't yet +sung about the mountain gate, and you already pretend to be mad!" + +At these words, Hsiang-yuen also laughed. But, in due course, the whole +party watched the performance until evening, when they broke up. Dowager +lady Chia was so very much taken with the young actor, who played the +role of a lady, as well as with the one who acted the buffoon, that she +gave orders that they should be brought in; and, as she looked at them +closely, she felt so much the more interest in them, that she went on to +inquire what their ages were. And when the would-be lady (replied) that +he was just eleven, while the would-be buffoon (explained) that he was +just nine, the whole company gave vent for a time to expressions of +sympathy with their lot; while dowager lady Chia bade servants bring a +fresh supply of meats and fruits for both of them, and also gave them, +besides their wages, two tiaos as a present. + +"This lad," lady Feng observed smiling, "is when dressed up (as a girl), +a living likeness of a certain person; did you notice it just now?" + +Pao-ch'ai was also aware of the fact, but she simply nodded her head +assentingly and did not say who it was. Pao-yue likewise expressed his +assent by shaking his head, but he too did not presume to speak out. +Shih Hsiang-yuen, however, readily took up the conversation. "He +resembles," she interposed, "cousin Lin's face!" When this remark +reached Pao-yue's ear, he hastened to cast an angry scowl at Hsiang-yuen, +and to make her a sign; while the whole party, upon hearing what had +been said, indulged in careful and minute scrutiny of (the lad); and as +they all began to laugh: "The resemblance is indeed striking!" they +exclaimed. + +After a while, they parted; and when evening came Hsiang-yuen directed +Ts'ui Lue to pack up her clothes. + +"What's the hurry?" Ts'ui Lue asked. "There will be ample time to pack +up, on the day on which we go!" + +"We'll go to-morrow," Hsiang-yuen rejoined; "for what's the use of +remaining here any longer--to look at people's mouths and faces?" + +Pao-yue, at these words, lost no time in pressing forward. + +"My dear cousin," he urged; "you're wrong in bearing me a grudge! My +cousin Lin is a girl so very touchy, that though every one else +distinctly knew (of the resemblance), they wouldn't speak out; and all +because they were afraid that she would get angry; but unexpectedly out +you came with it, at a moment when off your guard; and how ever couldn't +she but feel hurt? and it's because I was in dread that you would give +offence to people that I then winked at you; and now here you are angry +with me; but isn't that being ungrateful to me? Had it been any one +else, would I have cared whether she had given offence to even ten; that +would have been none of my business!" + +Hsiang-yuen waved her hand: "Don't," she added, "come and tell me these +flowery words and this specious talk, for I really can't come up to your +cousin Lin. If others poke fun at her, they all do so with impunity, +while if I say anything, I at once incur blame. The fact is I shouldn't +have spoken of her, undeserving as I am; and as she's the daughter of a +master, while I'm a slave, a mere servant girl, I've heaped insult upon +her!" + +"And yet," pleaded Pao-yue, full of perplexity, "I had done it for your +sake; and through this, I've come in for reproach. But if it were with +an evil heart I did so, may I at once become ashes, and be trampled upon +by ten thousands of people!" + +"In this felicitous firstmonth," Hsiang-yuen remonstrated, "you shouldn't +talk so much reckless nonsense! All these worthless despicable oaths, +disjointed words, and corrupt language, go and tell for the benefit of +those mean sort of people, who in everything take pleasure in irritating +others, and who keep you under their thumb! But mind don't drive me to +spit contemptuously at you." + +As she gave utterance to these words, she betook herself in the inner +room of dowager lady Chia's suite of apartments, where she lay down in +high dudgeon, and, as Pao-yue was so heavy at heart, he could not help +coming again in search of Tai-yue; but strange to say, as soon as he put +his foot inside the doorway, he was speedily hustled out of it by +Tai-yue, who shut the door in his face. + +Pao-yue was once more unable to fathom her motives, and as he stood +outside the window, he kept on calling out: "My dear cousin," in a low +tone of voice; but Tai-yue paid not the slightest notice to him so that +Pao-yue became so melancholy that he drooped his head, and was plunged in +silence. And though Hsi Jen had, at an early hour, come to know the +circumstances, she could not very well at this juncture tender any +advice. + +Pao-yue remained standing in such a vacant mood that Tai-yue imagined that +he had gone back; but when she came to open the door she caught sight of +Pao-yue still waiting in there; and as Tai-yue did not feel justified to +again close the door, Pao-yue consequently followed her in. + +"Every thing has," he observed, "a why and a wherefore; which, when +spoken out, don't even give people pain; but you will rush into a rage, +and all without any rhyme! but to what really does it owe its rise?" + +"It's well enough, after all, for you to ask me," Tai-yue rejoined with +an indifferent smile, "but I myself don't know why! But am I here to +afford you people amusement that you will compare me to an actress, and +make the whole lot have a laugh at me?" + +"I never did liken you to anything," Pao-yue protested, "neither did I +ever laugh at you! and why then will you get angry with me?" + +"Was it necessary that you should have done so much as made the +comparison," Tai-yue urged, "and was there any need of even any laughter +from you? why, though you mayn't have likened me to anything, or had a +laugh at my expense, you were, yea more dreadful than those who did +compare me (to a singing girl) and ridiculed me!" + +Pao-yue could not find anything with which to refute the argument he had +just heard, and Tai-yue went on to say. "This offence can, anyhow, be +condoned; but, what is more, why did you also wink at Yuen Erh? What was +this idea which you had resolved in your mind? wasn't it perhaps that if +she played with me, she would be demeaning herself, and making herself +cheap? She's the daughter of a duke or a marquis, and we forsooth the +mean progeny of a poor plebeian family; so that, had she diverted +herself with me, wouldn't she have exposed herself to being depreciated, +had I, perchance, said anything in retaliation? This was your idea +wasn't it? But though your purpose was, to be sure, honest enough, that +girl wouldn't, however, receive any favours from you, but got angry with +you just as much as I did; and though she made me also a tool to do you +a good turn, she, on the contrary, asserts that I'm mean by nature and +take pleasure in irritating people in everything! and you again were +afraid lest she should have hurt my feelings, but, had I had a row with +her, what would that have been to you? and had she given me any offence, +what concern would that too have been of yours?" + +When Pao-yue heard these words, he at once became alive to the fact that +she too had lent an ear to the private conversation he had had a short +while back with Hsiang-yuen: "All because of my, fears," he carefully +mused within himself, "lest these two should have a misunderstanding, I +was induced to come between them, and act as a mediator; but I myself +have, contrary to my hopes, incurred blame and abuse on both sides! This +just accords with what I read the other day in the Nan Hua Ching. 'The +ingenious toil, the wise are full of care; the good-for-nothing seek for +nothing, they feed on vegetables, and roam where they list; they wander +purposeless like a boat not made fast!' 'The mountain trees,' the text +goes on to say, 'lead to their own devastation; the spring (conduces) to +its own plunder; and so on." And the more he therefore indulged in +reflection, the more depressed he felt. "Now there are only these few +girls," he proceeded to ponder minutely, "and yet, I'm unable to treat +them in such a way as to promote perfect harmony; and what will I +forsooth do by and by (when there will be more to deal with)!" + +When he had reached this point in his cogitations, (he decided) that it +was really of no avail to agree with her, so that turning round, he was +making his way all alone into his apartments; but Lin Tai-yue, upon +noticing that he had left her side, readily concluded that reflection +had marred his spirits and that he had so thoroughly lost his temper as +to be going without even giving vent to a single word, and she could not +restrain herself from feeling inwardly more and more irritated. "After +you've gone this time," she hastily exclaimed, "don't come again, even +for a whole lifetime; and I won't have you either so much as speak to +me!" + +Pao-yue paid no heed to her, but came back to his rooms, and laying +himself down on his bed, he kept on muttering in a state of chagrin; and +though Hsi Jen knew full well the reasons of his dejection, she found it +difficult to summon up courage to say anything to him at the moment, and +she had no alternative but to try and distract him by means of +irrelevant matters. "The theatricals which you've seen to-day," she +consequently observed smiling, "will again lead to performances for +several days, and Miss Pao-ch'ai will, I'm sure, give a return feast." + +"Whether she gives a return feast or not," Pao-yue rejoined with an +apathetic smirk, "is no concern of mine!" + +When Hsi Jen perceived the tone, so unlike that of other days, with +which these words were pronounced: "What's this that you're saying?" she +therefore remarked as she gave another smile. "In this pleasant and +propitious first moon, when all the ladies and young ladies are in high +glee, how is it that you're again in a mood of this sort?" + +"Whether the ladies and my cousins be in high spirits or not," Pao-yue +replied forcing a grin, "is also perfectly immaterial to me." + +"They are all," Hsi Jen added, smilingly, "pleasant and agreeable, and +were you also a little pleasant and agreeable, wouldn't it conduce to +the enjoyment of the whole company?" + +"What about the whole company, and they and I?" Pao-yue urged. "They all +have their mutual friendships; while I, poor fellow, all forlorn, have +none to care a rap for me." + +His remarks had reached this clause, when inadvertently the tears +trickled down; and Hsi Jen realising the state of mind he was in, did +not venture to say anything further. But as soon as Pao-yue had reflected +minutely over the sense and import of this sentence, he could not +refrain from bursting forth into a loud fit of crying, and, turning +himself round, he stood up, and, drawing near the table, he took up the +pencil, and eagerly composed these enigmatical lines: + + If thou wert me to test, and I were thee to test, + Our hearts were we to test, and our minds to test, + When naught more there remains for us to test + That will yea very well be called a test, + And when there's naught to put, we could say, to the test, + We will a place set up on which our feet to rest. + +After he had finished writing, he again gave way to fears that though he +himself could unfold their meaning, others, who came to peruse these +lines, would not be able to fathom them, and he also went on +consequently to indite another stanza, in imitation of the "Parasitic +Plant," which he inscribed at the close of the enigma; and when he had +read it over a second time, he felt his heart so free of all concern +that forthwith he got into his bed, and went to sleep. + +But, who would have thought it, Tai-yue, upon seeing Pao-yue take his +departure in such an abrupt manner, designedly made use of the excuse +that she was bent upon finding Hsi Jen, to come round and see what he +was up to. + +"He's gone to sleep long ago!" Hsi Jen replied. + +At these words, Tai-yue felt inclined to betake herself back at once; but +Hsi Jen smiled and said: "Please stop, miss. Here's a slip of paper, and +see what there is on it!" and speedily taking what Pao-yue had written a +short while back, she handed it over to Tai-yue to examine. Tai-yue, on +perusal, discovered that Pao-yue had composed it, at the spur of the +moment, when under the influence of resentment; and she could not help +thinking it both a matter of ridicule as well as of regret; but she +hastily explained to Hsi Jen: "This is written for fun, and there's +nothing of any consequence in it!" and having concluded this remark, she +readily took it along with her to her room, where she conned it over in +company with Hsiang-yuen; handing it also the next day to Pao-ch'ai to +peruse. The burden of what Pao-ch'ai read was: + + In what was no concern of mine, I should to thee have paid no heed, + For while I humour this, that one to please I don't succeed! + Act as thy wish may be! go, come whene'er thou list; 'tis naught to + me. + Sorrow or joy, without limit or bound, to indulge thou art free! + What is this hazy notion about relatives distant or close? + For what purpose have I for all these days racked my heart with woes? + Even at this time when I look back and think, my mind no pleasure + knows. + +After having finished its perusal, she went on to glance at the +Buddhistic stanza, and smiling: "This being," she soliloquised; "has +awakened to a sense of perception; and all through my fault, for it's +that ballad of mine yesterday which has incited this! But the subtle +devices in all these rationalistic books have a most easy tendency to +unsettle the natural disposition, and if to-morrow he does actually get +up, and talk a lot of insane trash, won't his having fostered this idea +owe its origin to that ballad of mine; and shan't I have become the +prime of all guilty people?" + +Saying this, she promptly tore the paper, and, delivering the pieces to +the servant girls, she bade them go at once and burn them. + +"You shouldn't have torn it!" Tai-yue remonstrated laughingly. "But wait +and I'll ask him about it! so come along all of you, and I vouch I'll +make him abandon that idiotic frame of mind and that depraved language." + +The three of them crossed over, in point of fact, into Pao-yue's room, +and Tai-yue was the first to smile and observe. "Pao-yue, may I ask you +something? What is most valuable is a precious thing; and what is most +firm is jade, but what value do you possess and what firmness is innate +in you?" + +But as Pao-yue could not, say anything by way of reply, two of them +remarked sneeringly: "With all this doltish bluntness of his will he +after all absorb himself in abstraction?" While Hsiang-yuen also clapped +her hands and laughed, "Cousin Pao has been discomfited." + +"The latter part of that apothegm of yours," Tai-yue continued, "says: + + "We would then find some place on which our feet to rest. + +"Which is certainly good; but in my view, its excellence is not as yet +complete! and I should still tag on two lines at its close;" as she +proceeded to recite: + + "If we do not set up some place on which our feet to rest, + For peace and freedom then it will be best." + +"There should, in very truth, be this adjunct to make it thoroughly +explicit!" Pao-ch'ai added. "In days of yore, the sixth founder of the +Southern sect, Hui Neng, came, when he went first in search of his +patron, in the Shao Chou district; and upon hearing that the fifth +founder, Hung Jen, was at Huang Mei, he readily entered his service in +the capacity of Buddhist cook; and when the fifth founder, prompted by a +wish to select a Buddhistic successor, bade his neophytes and all the +bonzes to each compose an enigmatical stanza, the one who occupied the +upper seat, Shen Hsiu, recited: + + "A P'u T'i tree the body is, the heart so like a stand of mirror + bright, + On which must needs, by constant careful rubbing, not be left dust to + alight! + +"And Hui Neng, who was at this time in the cook-house pounding rice, +overheard this enigma. 'Excellent, it is excellent,' he ventured, 'but +as far as completeness goes it isn't complete;' and having bethought +himself of an apothegm: 'The P'u T'i, (an expression for Buddha or +intelligence),' he proceeded, 'is really no tree; and the resplendent +mirror, (Buddhistic term for heart), is likewise no stand; and as, in +fact, they do not constitute any tangible objects, how could they be +contaminated by particles of dust?' Whereupon the fifth founder at once +took his robe and clap-dish and handed them to him. Well, the text now +of this enigma presents too this identical idea, for the simple fact is +that those lines full of subtleties of a short while back are not, as +yet, perfected or brought to an issue, and do you forsooth readily give +up the task in this manner?" + +"He hasn't been able to make any reply," Tai-yue rejoined sneeringly, +"and must therefore be held to be discomfited; but were he even to make +suitable answer now, there would be nothing out of the common about it! +Anyhow, from this time forth you mustn't talk about Buddhistic spells, +for what even we two know and are able to do, you don't as yet know and +can't do; and do you go and concern yourself with abstraction?" + +Pao-yue had, in his own mind, been under the impression that he had +attained perception, but when he was unawares and all of a sudden +subjected to this question by Tai-yue, he soon found it beyond his power +to give any ready answer. And when Pao-ch'ai furthermore came out with a +religious disquisition, by way of illustration, and this on subjects, in +all of which he had hitherto not seen them display any ability, he +communed within himself: "If with their knowledge, which is indeed in +advance of that of mine, they haven't, as yet, attained perception, what +need is there for me now to bring upon myself labour and vexation?" + +"Who has, pray," he hastily inquired smilingly, after arriving at the +end of his reflections, "indulged in Buddhistic mysteries? what I did +amounts to nothing more than nonsensical trash, written, at the spur of +the moment, and nothing else." + +At the close of this remark all four came to be again on the same terms +as of old; but suddenly a servant announced that the Empress (Yuean +Ch'un) had despatched a messenger to bring over a lantern-conundrum with +the directions that they should all go and guess it, and that after they +had found it out, they should each also devise one and send it in. At +these words, the four of them left the room with hasty step, and +adjourned into dowager lady Chia's drawing room, where they discovered a +young eunuch, holding a four-cornered, flat-topped lantern, of white +gauze, which had been specially fabricated for lantern riddles. On the +front side, there was already a conundrum, and the whole company were +vying with each other in looking at it and making wild guesses; when the +young eunuch went on to transmit his orders, saying: "Young ladies, you +should not speak out when you are guessing; but each one of you should +secretly write down the solutions for me to wrap them up, and take them +all in together to await her Majesty's personal inspection as to whether +they be correct or not." + +Upon listening to these words, Pao-ch'ai drew near, and perceived at a +glance, that it consisted of a stanza of four lines, with seven +characters in each; but though there was no novelty or remarkable +feature about it, she felt constrained to outwardly give utterance to +words of praise. "It's hard to guess!" she simply added, while she +pretended to be plunged in thought, for the fact is that as soon as she +had cast her eye upon it, she had at once solved it. Pao-yue, Tai-yue, +Hsiang-yuen, and T'an-ch'un, had all four also hit upon the answer, and +each had secretly put it in writing; and Chia Huan, Chia Lan and the +others were at the same time sent for, and every one of them set to work +to exert the energies of his mind, and, when they arrived at a guess, +they noted it down on paper; after which every individual member of the +family made a choice of some object, and composed a riddle, which was +transcribed in a large round hand, and affixed on the lantern. This +done, the eunuch took his departure, and when evening drew near, he came +out and delivered the commands of the imperial consort. "The conundrum," +he said, "written by Her Highness, the other day, has been solved by +every one, with the exception of Miss Secunda and master Tertius, who +made a wrong guess. Those composed by you, young ladies, have likewise +all been guessed; but Her Majesty does not know whether her solutions +are right or not." While speaking, he again produced the riddles, which +had been written by them, among which were those which had been solved, +as well as those which had not been solved; and the eunuch, in like +manner, took the presents, conferred by the imperial consort, and handed +them over to those who had guessed right. To each person was assigned a +bamboo vase, inscribed with verses, which had been manufactured for +palace use, as well as articles of bamboo for tea; with the exception of +Ying-ch'un and Chia Huan, who were the only two persons who did not +receive any. But as Ying-ch'un looked upon the whole thing as a joke and +a trifle, she did not trouble her mind on that score, but Chia Huan at +once felt very disconsolate. + +"This one devised by Mr. Tertius," the eunuch was further heard to say, +"is not properly done; and as Her Majesty herself has been unable to +guess it she commanded me to bring it back, and ask Mr. Tertius what it +is about." + +After the party had listened to these words, they all pressed forward to +see what had been written. The burden of it was this: + + The elder brother has horns only eight; + The second brother has horns only two; + The elder brother on the bed doth sit; + Inside the room the second likes to squat. + +After perusal of these lines, they broke out, with one voice, into a +loud fit of laughter; and Chia Huan had to explain to the eunuch that +the one was a pillow, and the other the head of an animal. Having +committed the explanation to memory and accepted a cup of tea, the +eunuch took his departure; and old lady Chia, noticing in what buoyant +spirits Yuean Ch'un was, felt herself so much the more elated, that +issuing forthwith directions to devise, with every despatch, a small but +ingenious lantern of fine texture in the shape of a screen, and put it +in the Hall, she bade each of her grandchildren secretly compose a +conundrum, copy it out clean, and affix it on the frame of the lantern; +and she had subsequently scented tea and fine fruits, as well as every +kind of nicknacks, got ready, as prizes for those who guessed right. + +And when Chia Cheng came from court and found the old lady in such high +glee he also came over in the evening, as the season was furthermore +holiday time, to avail himself of her good cheer to reap some enjoyment. +In the upper part of the room seated themselves, at one table dowager +lady Chia, Chia Cheng, and Pao-yue; madame Wang, Pao-ch'ai, Tai-yue, +Hsiang-yuen sat round another table, and Ying-ch'un, Tan-ch'un and Hsi +Ch'un the three of them, occupied a separate table, and both these +tables were laid in the lower part, while below, all over the floor, +stood matrons and waiting-maids for Li Kung-ts'ai and Hsi-feng were both +seated in the inner section of the Hall, at another table. + +Chia Chen failed to see Chia Lan, and he therefore inquired: "How is it +I don't see brother Lan," whereupon the female servants, standing below, +hastily entered the inner room and made inquiries of widow Li. "He +says," Mrs. Li stood up and rejoined with a smile, "that as your master +didn't go just then to ask him round, he has no wish to come!" and when +a matron delivered the reply to Chia Cheng; the whole company exclaimed +much amused: "How obstinate and perverse his natural disposition is!" +But Chia Cheng lost no time in sending Chia Huan, together with two +matrons, to fetch Chia Lan; and, on his arrival, dowager lady Chia bade +him sit by her side, and, taking a handful of fruits, she gave them to +him to eat; after which the party chatted, laughed, and enjoyed +themselves. + +Ordinarily, there was no one but Pao-yue to say much or talk at any +length, but on this day, with Chia Cheng present, his remarks were +limited to assents. And as to the rest, Hsiang-yuen had, though a young +girl, and of delicate physique, nevertheless ever been very fond of +talking and discussing; but, on this instance, Chia Cheng was at the +feast, so that she also held her tongue and restrained her words. As for +Tai-yue she was naturally peevish and listless, and not very much +inclined to indulge in conversation; while Pao-ch'ai, who had never been +reckless in her words or frivolous in her deportment, likewise behaved +on the present occasion in her usual dignified manner. Hence it was that +this banquet, although a family party, given for the sake of relaxation, +assumed contrariwise an appearance of restraint, and as old lady Chia +was herself too well aware that it was to be ascribed to the presence of +Chia Cheng alone, she therefore, after the wine had gone round three +times, forthwith hurried off Chia Cheng to retire to rest. + +No less cognisant was Chia Cheng himself that the old lady's motives in +packing him off were to afford a favourable opportunity to the young +ladies and young men to enjoy themselves, and that is why, forcing a +smile, he observed: "Having to-day heard that your venerable ladyship +had got up in here a large assortment of excellent riddles, on the +occasion of the spring festival of lanterns, I too consequently prepared +prizes, as well as a banquet, and came with the express purpose of +joining the company; and why don't you in some way confer a fraction of +the fond love, which you cherish for your grandsons and granddaughters, +upon me also, your son?" + +"When you're here," old lady Chia replied smilingly, "they won't venture +to chat or laugh; and unless you go, you'll really fill me with intense +dejection! But if you feel inclined to guess conundrums, well, I'll tell +you one for you to solve; but if you don't guess right, mind, you'll be +mulcted!" + +"Of course I'll submit to the penalty," Chia Cheng rejoined eagerly, as +he laughed, "but if I do guess right, I must in like manner receive a +reward!" + +"This goes without saying!" dowager lady Chia added; whereupon she went +on to recite: + + The monkey's body gently rests on the tree top! + +"This refers," she said, "to the name of a fruit." + +Chia Cheng was already aware that it was a lichee, but he designedly +made a few guesses at random, and was fined several things; but he +subsequently gave, at length, the right answer, and also obtained a +present from her ladyship. + +In due course he too set forth this conundrum for old lady Chia to +guess: + + Correct its body is in appearance, + Both firm and solid is it in substance; + To words, it is true, it cannot give vent, + But spoken to, it always does assent. + +When he had done reciting it, he communicated the answer in an undertone +to Pao-yue; and Pao-yue fathoming what his intention was, gently too told +his grandmother Chia, and her ladyship finding, after some reflection, +that there was really no mistake about it, readily remarked that it was +an inkslab. + +"After all," Chia Cheng smiled; "Your venerable ladyship it is who can +hit the right answer with one guess!" and turning his head round, "Be +quick," he cried, "and bring the prizes and present them!" whereupon the +married women and waiting-maids below assented with one voice, and they +simultaneously handed up the large trays and small boxes. + +Old lady Chia passed the things, one by one, under inspection; and +finding that they consisted of various kinds of articles, novel and +ingenious, of use and of ornament, in vogue during the lantern festival, +her heart was so deeply elated that with alacrity she shouted, "Pour a +glass of wine for your master!" + +Pao-yue took hold of the decanter, while Ying Ch'un presented the cup of +wine. + +"Look on that screen!" continued dowager lady Chia, "all those riddles +have been written by the young ladies; so go and guess them for my +benefit!" + +Chia Cheng signified his obedience, and rising and walking up to the +front of the screen, he noticed the first riddle, which was one composed +by the Imperial consort Yuean, in this strain: + + The pluck of devils to repress in influence it abounds, + Like bound silk is its frame, and like thunder its breath resounds. + But one report rattles, and men are lo! in fear and dread; + Transformed to ashes 'tis what time to see you turn the head. + +"Is this a cracker?" Chia Cheng inquired. + +"It is," Pao-yue assented. + +Chia Cheng then went on to peruse that of Ying-Ch'un's, which referred +to an article of use: + + Exhaustless is the principle of heavenly calculations and of human + skill; + Skill may exist, but without proper practice the result to find hard + yet + will be! + Whence cometh all this mixed confusion on a day so still? + Simply it is because the figures Yin and Yang do not agree. + +"It's an abacus," Chia Cheng observed. + +"Quite so!" replied Ying Ch'un smiling; after which they also conned the +one below, by T'an-ch'un, which ran thus and had something to do with an +object: + + This is the time when 'neath the stairs the pages their heads raise! + The term of "pure brightness" is the meetest time this thing to make! + The vagrant silk it snaps, and slack, without tension it strays! + The East wind don't begrudge because its farewell it did take! + +"It would seem," Chia Cheng suggested, "as if that must be a kite!" + +"It is," answered T'an C'h'un; whereupon Chia Cheng read the one below, +which was written by Tai-yue to this effect and bore upon some thing: + + After the audience, his two sleeves who brings with fumes replete? + Both by the lute and in the quilt, it lacks luck to abide! + The dawn it marks; reports from cock and man renders effete! + At midnight, maids no trouble have a new one to provide! + The head, it glows during the day, as well as in the night! + Its heart, it burns from day to day and 'gain from year to year! + Time swiftly flies and mete it is that we should hold it dear! + Changes might come, but it defies wind, rain, days dark or bright! + +"Isn't this a scented stick to show the watch?" Chia Cheng inquired. + +"Yes!" assented Pao-yue, speaking on Tai-yue's behalf; and Chia Cheng +thereupon prosecuted the perusal of a conundrum, which ran as follows, +and referred to an object; + + With the South, it sits face to face, + And the North, the while, it doth face; + If the figure be sad, it also is sad, + If the figure be glad, it likewise is glad! + +"Splendid! splendid!" exclaimed Chia Cheng, "my guess is that it's a +looking-glass. It's excellently done!" + +Pao-yue smiled. "It is a looking glass!" he rejoined. + +"This is, however, anonymous; whose work is it?" Chia Cheng went on to +ask, and dowager lady Chia interposed: "This, I fancy, must have been +composed by Pao-yue," and Chia Cheng then said not a word, but continued +reading the following conundrum, which was that devised by Pao-ch'ai, on +some article or other: + + Eyes though it has; eyeballs it has none, and empty 'tis inside! + The lotus flowers out of the water peep, and they with gladness meet, + But when dryandra leaves begin to drop, they then part and divide, + For a fond pair they are, but, united, winter they cannot greet. + +When Chia Cheng finished scanning it, he gave way to reflection. "This +object," he pondered, "must surely be limited in use! But for persons of +tender years to indulge in all this kind of language, would seem to be +still less propitious; for they cannot, in my views, be any of them the +sort of people to enjoy happiness and longevity!" When his reflections +reached this point, he felt the more dejected, and plainly betrayed a +sad appearance, and all he did was to droop his head and to plunge in a +brown study. + +But upon perceiving the frame of mind in which Chia Cheng was, dowager +lady Chia arrived at the conclusion that he must be fatigued; and +fearing, on the other hand, that if she detained him, the whole party of +young ladies would lack the spirit to enjoy themselves, she there and +then faced Chia Cheng and suggested: "There's no need really for you to +remain here any longer, and you had better retire to rest; and let us +sit a while longer; after which, we too will break up!" + +As soon as Chia Cheng caught this hint, he speedily assented several +consecutive yes's; and when he had further done his best to induce old +lady Chia to have a cup of wine, he eventually withdrew out of the Hall. +On his return to his bedroom, he could do nothing else than give way to +cogitation, and, as he turned this and turned that over in his mind, he +got still more sad and pained. + +"Amuse yourselves now!" readily exclaimed dowager lady Chia, during this +while, after seeing Chia Cheng off; but this remark was barely finished, +when she caught sight of Pao-yue run up to the lantern screen, and give +vent, as he gesticulated with his hands and kicked his feet about, to +any criticisms that first came to his lips. "In this," he remarked, +"this line isn't happy; and that one, hasn't been suitably solved!" +while he behaved just like a monkey, whose fetters had been let loose. + +"Were the whole party after all," hastily ventured Tai-yue, "to sit down, +as we did a short while back and chat and laugh; wouldn't that be more +in accordance with good manners?" + +Lady Feng thereupon egressed from the room in the inner end and +interposed her remarks. "Such a being as you are," she said, "shouldn't +surely be allowed by Mr. Chia Cheng, an inch or a step from his side, +and then you'll be all right. But just then it slipped my memory, for +why didn't I, when your father was present, instigate him to bid you +compose a rhythmical enigma; and you would, I have no doubt, have been +up to this moment in a state of perspiration!" + +At these words, Pao-yue lost all patience, and laying hold of lady Feng, +he hustled her about for a few moments. + +But old lady Chia went on for some time to bandy words with Li +Kung-ts'ai, with the whole company of young ladies and the rest, so that +she, in fact, felt considerably tired and worn out; and when she heard +that the fourth watch had already drawn nigh, she consequently issued +directions that the eatables should be cleared away and given to the +crowd of servants, and suggested, as she readily rose to her feet, "Let +us go and rest! for the next day is also a feast, and we must get up at +an early hour; and to-morrow evening we can enjoy ourselves again!" +whereupon the whole company dispersed. + +But now, reader, listen to the sequel given in the chapter which +follows. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + Pao-yue and Tai-yue make use of some beautiful passages from the Record + of the Western Side-building to bandy jokes. + The excellent ballads sung in the Peony Pavilion touch the tender + heart of Tai-yue. + + +Soon after the day on which Chia Yuan-ch'un honoured the garden of Broad +Vista with a visit, and her return to the Palace, so our story goes, she +forthwith desired that T'an-ch'un should make a careful copy, in +consecutive order, of the verses, which had been composed and read out +on that occasion, in order that she herself should assign them their +rank, and adjudge the good and bad. And she also directed that an +inscription should be engraved on a stone, in the Broad Vista park, to +serve in future years as a record of the pleasant and felicitous event; +and Chia Cheng, therefore, gave orders to servants to go far and wide, +and select skilful artificers and renowned workmen, to polish the stone +and engrave the characters in the garden of Broad Vista; while Chia Chen +put himself at the head of Chia Jung, Chia P'ing and others to +superintend the work. And as Chia Se had, on the other hand, the control +of Wen Kuan and the rest of the singing girls, twelve in all, as well as +of their costumes and other properties, he had no leisure to attend to +anything else, and consequently once again sent for Chia Ch'ang and Chia +Ling to come and act as overseers. + +On a certain day, the works were taken in hand for rubbing the stones +smooth with wax, for carving the inscription, and tracing it with +vermilion, but without entering into details on these matters too +minutely, we will return to the two places, the Yu Huang temple and the +Ta Mo monastery. The company of twelve young bonzes and twelve young +Taoist priests had now moved out of the Garden of Broad Vista, and Chia +Cheng was meditating upon distributing them to various temples to live +apart, when unexpectedly Chia Ch'in's mother, nee Chou,--who resided in +the back street, and had been at the time contemplating to pay a visit +to Chia Cheng on this side so as to obtain some charge, be it either +large or small, for her son to look after, that he too should be put in +the way of turning up some money to meet his expenses with,--came, as +luck would have it, to hear that some work was in hand in this mansion, +and lost no time in driving over in a curricle and making her appeal to +lady Feng. And as lady Feng remembered that she had all along not +presumed on her position to put on airs, she willingly acceded to her +request, and after calling to memory some suitable remarks, she at once +went to make her report to madame Wang: "These young bonzes and Taoist +priests," she said, "can by no means be sent over to other places; for +were the Imperial consort to come out at an unexpected moment, they +would then be required to perform services; and in the event of their +being scattered, there will, when the time comes to requisition their +help, again be difficulties in the way; and my idea is that it would be +better to send them all to the family temple, the Iron Fence Temple; and +every month all there will be to do will be to depute some one to take +over a few taels for them to buy firewood and rice with, that's all, and +when there's even a sound of their being required uttered, some one can +at once go and tell them just one word 'come,' and they will come +without the least trouble!" + +Madame Wang gave a patient ear to this proposal, and, in due course, +consulted with Chia Cheng. + +"You've really," smiled Chia Cheng at these words, "reminded me how I +should act! Yes, let this be done!" And there and then he sent for Chia +Lien. + +Chia Lien was, at the time, having his meal with lady Feng, but as soon +as he heard that he was wanted, he put by his rice and was just walking +off, when lady Feng clutched him and pulled him back. "Wait a while," +she observed with a smirk, "and listen to what I've got to tell you! if +it's about anything else, I've nothing to do with it; but if it be about +the young bonzes and young Taoists, you must, in this particular matter, +please comply with this suggestion of mine," after which, she went on in +this way and that way to put him up to a whole lot of hints. + +"I know nothing about it," Chia Lien rejoined smilingly, "and as you +have the knack you yourself had better go and tell him!" + +But as soon as lady Feng heard this remark, she stiffened her head and +threw down the chopsticks; and, with an expression on her cheeks, which +looked like a smile and yet not a smile, she glanced angrily at Chia +Lien. "Are you speaking in earnest," she inquired, "or are you only +jesting?" + +"Yuen Erh, the son of our fifth sister-in-law of the western porch, has +come and appealed to me two or three times, asking for something to look +after," Chia Lien laughed, "and I assented and bade him wait; and now, +after a great deal of trouble, this job has turned up; and there you are +once again snatching it away!" + +"Compose your mind," lady Feng observed grinning, "for the Imperial +Consort has hinted that directions should be given for the planting, in +the north-east corner of the park, of a further plentiful supply of pine +and cedar trees, and that orders should also be issued for the addition, +round the base of the tower, of a large number of flowers and plants and +such like; and when this job turns up, I can safely tell you that Yun +Erh will be called to assume control of these works." + +"Well if that be really so," Chia Lien rejoined, "it will after all do! +But there's only one thing; all I was up to last night was simply to +have some fun with you, but you obstinately and perversely wouldn't." + +Lady Feng, upon hearing these words, burst out laughing with a sound of +Ch'ih, and spurting disdainfully at Chia Lien, she lowered her head and +went on at once with her meal; during which time Chia Lien speedily +walked away laughing the while, and betook himself to the front, where +he saw Chia Cheng. It was, indeed, about the young bonzes, and Chia Lien +readily carried out lady Feng's suggestion. "As from all appearances," +he continued, "Ch'in Erh has, actually, so vastly improved, this job +should, after all, be entrusted to his care and management; and provided +that in observance with the inside custom Ch'in Erh were each day told +to receive the advances, things will go on all right." And as Chia Cheng +had never had much attention to give to such matters of detail, he, as +soon as he heard what Chia Lien had to say, immediately signified his +approval and assent. And Chia Lien, on his return to his quarters, +communicated the issue to lady Feng; whereupon lady Feng at once sent +some one to go and notify dame Chou. + +Chia Ch'in came, in due course, to pay a visit to Chia Lien and his +wife, and was incessant in his expressions of gratitude; and lady Feng +bestowed upon him a further favour by giving him, as a first instalment, +an advance of the funds necessary for three months' outlay, for which +she bade him write a receipt; while Chia Lien filled up a cheque and +signed it; and a counter-order was simultaneously issued, and he came +out into the treasury where the sum specified for three months' +supplies, amounting to three hundred taels, was paid out in pure ingots. + +Chia Ch'in took the first piece of silver that came under his hand, and +gave it to the men in charge of the scales, with which he told them to +have a cup of tea, and bidding, shortly after, a boy-servant take the +money to his home, he held consultation with his mother; after which, he +hired a donkey for himself to ride on, and also bespoke several +carriages, and came to the back gate of the Jung Kuo mansion; where +having called out the twenty young priests, they got into the carriages, +and sped straightway beyond the city walls, to the Temple of the Iron +Fence, where nothing of any note transpired at the time. + +But we will now notice Chia Yuean-ch'un, within the precincts of the +Palace. When she had arranged the verses composed in the park of Broad +Vista in their order of merit, she suddenly recollected that the sights +in the garden were sure, ever since her visit through them, to be +diligently and respectfully kept locked up by her father and mother; and +that by not allowing any one to go in was not an injustice done to this +garden? "Besides," (she pondered), "in that household, there are at +present several young ladies, capable of composing odes, and able to +write poetry, and why should not permission be extended to them to go +and take their quarters in it; in order too that those winsome persons +might not be deprived of good cheer, and that the flowers and willows +may not lack any one to admire them!" + +But remembering likewise that Pao-yue had from his infancy grown up among +that crowd of female cousins, and was such a contrast to the rest of his +male cousins that were he not allowed to move into it, he would, she +also apprehended, be made to feel forlorn; and dreading lest his +grandmother and his mother should be displeased at heart, she thought it +imperative that he too should be permitted to take up his quarters +inside, so that things should be put on a satisfactory footing; and +directing the eunuch Hsia Chung to go to the Jung mansion and deliver +her commands, she expressed the wish that Pao-ch'ai and the other girls +should live in the garden and that it should not be kept closed, and +urged that Pao-yue should also shift into it, at his own pleasure, for +the prosecution of his studies. And Chia Cheng and madame Wang, upon +receiving her commands, hastened, after the departure of Hsia Chung, to +explain them to dowager lady Chia, and to despatch servants into the +garden to tidy every place, to dust, to sweep, and to lay out the +portieres and bed-curtains. The tidings were heard by the rest even with +perfect equanimity, but Pao-yue was immoderately delighted; and he was +engaged in deliberation with dowager lady Chia as to this necessary and +to that requirement, when suddenly they descried a waiting-maid arrive, +who announced: "Master wishes to see Pao-yue." + +Pao-yue gazed vacantly for a while. His spirits simultaneously were swept +away; his countenance changed colour; and clinging to old lady Chia, he +readily wriggled her about, just as one would twist the sugar (to make +sweetmeats with), and could not, for the very death of him, summon up +courage to go; so that her ladyship had no alternative but to try and +reassure him. "My precious darling" she urged, "just you go, and I'll +stand by you! He won't venture to be hard upon you; and besides, you've +devised these excellent literary compositions; and I presume as Her +Majesty has desired that you should move into the garden, his object is +to give you a few words of advice; simply because he fears that you +might be up to pranks in those grounds. But to all he tells you, +whatever you do, mind you acquiesce and it will be all right!" + +And as she tried to compose him, she at the same time called two old +nurses and enjoined them to take Pao-yue over with due care, "And don't +let his father," she added, "frighten him!" + +The old nurses expressed their obedience, and Pao-yue felt constrained to +walk ahead; and with one step scarcely progressing three inches, he +leisurely came over to this side. Strange coincidence Chia Cheng was in +madame Wang's apartments consulting with her upon some matter or other, +and Chin Ch'uan-erh, Ts'ai Yun, Ts'ai Feng, Ts'ai Luan, Hsiu Feng and +the whole number of waiting-maids were all standing outside under the +verandah. As soon as they caught sight of Pao-yue, they puckered up their +mouths and laughed at him; while Chin Ch'uan grasped Pao-yue with one +hand, and remarked in a low tone of voice: "On these lips of mine has +just been rubbed cosmetic, soaked with perfume, and are you now inclined +to lick it or not?" whereupon Ts'ai Yuen pushed off Chin Ch'uan with one +shove, as she interposed laughingly, "A person's heart is at this moment +in low spirits and do you still go on cracking jokes at him? But avail +yourself of this opportunity when master is in good cheer to make haste +and get in!" + +Pao-yue had no help but to sidle against the door and walk in. Chia Cheng +and madame Wang were, in fact, both in the inner rooms, and dame Chou +raised the portiere. Pao-yue stepped in gingerly and perceived Chia Cheng +and madame Wang sitting opposite to each other, on the stove-couch, +engaged in conversation; while below on a row of chairs sat Ying Ch'un, +T'an Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and Chia Huan; but though all four of them were +seated in there only T'an Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and Chia Huan rose to their +feet, as soon as they saw him make his appearance in the room; and when +Chia Cheng raised his eyes and noticed Pao-yue standing in front of him, +with a gait full of ease and with those winsome looks of his, so +captivating, he once again realised what a mean being Chia Huan was, and +how coarse his deportment. But suddenly he also bethought himself of +Chia Chu, and as he reflected too that madame Wang had only this son of +her own flesh and blood, upon whom she ever doated as upon a gem, and +that his own beard had already begun to get hoary, the consequence was +that he unwittingly stifled, well nigh entirely, the feeling of hatred +and dislike, which, during the few recent years he had ordinarily +fostered towards Pao-yue. And after a long pause, "Her Majesty," he +observed, "bade you day after day ramble about outside to disport +yourself, with the result that you gradually became remiss and lazy; but +now her desire is that we should keep you under strict control, and that +in prosecuting your studies in the company of your cousins in the +garden, you should carefully exert your brains to learn; so that if you +don't again attend to your duties, and mind your regular tasks, you had +better be on your guard!" Pao-yue assented several consecutive yes's; +whereupon madame Wang drew him by her side and made him sit down, and +while his three cousins resumed the seats they previously occupied: +"Have you finished all the pills you had been taking a short while +back?" madame Wang inquired, as she rubbed Pao-yue's neck. + +"There's still one pill remaining," Pao-yue explained by way of reply. + +"You had better," madame Wang added, "fetch ten more pills tomorrow +morning; and every day about bedtime tell Hsi Jen to give them to you; +and when you've had one you can go to sleep!" + +"Ever since you, mother, bade me take them," Pao-yue rejoined, "Hsi Jen +has daily sent me one, when I was about to turn in." + +"Who's this called Hsi Jen?" Chia Chen thereupon ascertained. + +"She's a waiting-maid!" madame Wang answered. + +"A servant girl," Chia Cheng remonstrated, "can be called by whatever +name one chooses; anything is good enough; but who's it who has started +this kind of pretentious name!" + +Madame Wang noticed that Chia Cheng was not in a happy frame of mind, so +that she forthwith tried to screen matters for Pao-yue, by saying: "It's +our old lady who has originated it!" + +"How can it possibly be," Chia Cheng exclaimed, "that her ladyship knows +anything about such kind of language? It must, for a certainty, be +Pao-yue!" + +Pao-yue perceiving that he could not conceal the truth from him, was +under the necessity of standing up and of explaining; "As I have all +along read verses, I remembered the line written by an old poet: + + "What time the smell of flowers wafts itself into man, one knows the + day is warm. + +"And as this waiting-maid's surname was Hua (flower), I readily gave her +the name, on the strength of this sentiment." + +"When you get back," madame Wang speedily suggested addressing Pao-yue, +"change it and have done; and you, sir, needn't lose your temper over +such a trivial matter!" + +"It doesn't really matter in the least," Chia Cheng continued; "so that +there's no necessity of changing it; but it's evident that Pao-yue +doesn't apply his mind to legitimate pursuits, but mainly devotes his +energies to such voluptuous expressions and wanton verses!" And as he +finished these words, he abruptly shouted out: "You brute-like child of +retribution! Don't you yet get out of this?" + +"Get away, off with you!" madame Wang in like manner hastened to urge; +"our dowager lady is waiting, I fear, for you to have her repast!" + +Pao-yue assented, and, with gentle step, he withdrew out of the room, +laughing at Chin Ch'uan-erh, as he put out his tongue; and leading off +the two nurses, he went off on his way like a streak of smoke. But no +sooner had he reached the door of the corridor than he espied Hsi Jen +standing leaning against the side; who perceiving Pao-yue come back safe +and sound heaped smile upon smile, and asked: "What did he want you +for?" + +"There was nothing much," Pao-yue explained, "he simply feared that I +would, when I get into the garden, be up to mischief, and he gave me all +sorts of advice;" and, as while he explained matters, they came into the +presence of lady Chia, he gave her a clear account, from first to last, +of what had transpired. But when he saw that Lin Tai-yue was at the +moment in the room, Pao-yue speedily inquired of her: "Which place do you +think best to live in?" + +Tai-yue had just been cogitating on this subject, so that when she +unexpectedly heard Pao-yue's inquiry, she forthwith rejoined with a +smile: "My own idea is that the Hsio Hsiang Kuan is best; for I'm fond +of those clusters of bamboos, which hide from view the tortuous +balustrade and make the place more secluded and peaceful than any +other!" + +Pao-yue at these words clapped his hands and smiled. "That just meets +with my own views!" he remarked; "I too would like you to go and live in +there; and as I am to stay in the I Hung Yuan, we two will be, in the +first place, near each other; and next, both in quiet and secluded +spots." + +While the two of them were conversing, a servant came, sent over by Chia +Cheng, to report to dowager lady Chia that: "The 22nd of the second moon +was a propitious day for Pao-yue and the young ladies to shift their +quarters into the garden; that during these few days, servants should be +sent in to put things in their proper places and to clean; that Hsueh +Pao-ch'ai should put up in the Heng Wu court; that Lin Tai-yue was to +live in the Hsiao Hsiang lodge; that Chia Ying-ch'un should move into +the Cho Chin two-storied building; that T'an Ch'un should put up in the +Ch'iu Yen library; that Hsi Ch'un should take up her quarters in the +Liao Feng house; that widow Li should live in the Tao Hsiang village, +and that Pao-yue was to live in the I Hung court. That at every place two +old nurses should be added and four servant-girls; that exclusive of the +nurse and personal waiting-maid of each, there should, in addition, be +servants, whose special duties should be to put things straight and to +sweep the place; and that on the 22nd, they should all, in a body, move +into the garden." + +When this season drew near, the interior of the grounds, with the +flowers waving like embroidered sashes, and the willows fanned by the +fragrant breeze, was no more as desolate and silent as it had been in +previous days; but without indulging in any further irrelevant details, +we shall now go back to Pao-yue. + +Ever since he shifted his quarters into the park, his heart was full of +joy, and his mind of contentment, fostering none of those extraordinary +ideas, whose tendency could be to give birth to longings and hankerings. +Day after day, he simply indulged, in the company of his female cousins +and the waiting-maids, in either reading his books, or writing +characters, or in thrumming the lute, playing chess, drawing pictures +and scanning verses, even in drawing patterns of argus pheasants, in +embroidering phoenixes, contesting with them in searching for strange +plants, and gathering flowers, in humming poetry with gentle tone, +singing ballads with soft voice, dissecting characters, and in playing +at mora, so that, being free to go everywhere and anywhere, he was of +course completely happy. From his pen emanate four ballads on the times +of the four seasons, which, although they could not be looked upon as +first-rate, afford anyhow a correct idea of his sentiments, and a true +account of the scenery. + +The ballad on the spring night runs as follows: + + The silken curtains, thin as russet silk, at random are spread out. + The croak of frogs from the adjoining lane but faintly strikes the + ear. + The pillow a slight chill pervades, for rain outside the window falls. + The landscape, which now meets the eye, is like that seen in dreams by + man. + In plenteous streams the candles' tears do drop, but for whom do they + weep? + Each particle of grief felt by the flowers is due to anger against me. + It's all because the maids have by indulgence indolent been made. + The cover over me I'll pull, as I am loth to laugh and talk for long. + +This is the description of the aspect of nature on a summer night: + + The beauteous girl, weary of needlework, quiet is plunged in a long + dream. + The parrot in the golden cage doth shout that it is time the tea to + brew. + The lustrous windows with the musky moon like open palace-mirrors + look; + The room abounds with fumes of sandalwood and all kinds of imperial + scents. + From the cups made of amber is poured out the slippery dew from the + lotus. + The banisters of glass, the cool zephyr enjoy flapped by the willow + trees. + In the stream-spanning kiosk, the curtains everywhere all at one time + do wave. + In the vermilion tower the blinds the maidens roll, for they have made + the night's toilette. + +The landscape of an autumnal evening is thus depicted: + + In the interior of the Chiang Yuen house are hushed all clamorous din + and noise. + The sheen, which from Selene flows, pervades the windows of carnation + gauze. + The moss-locked, streaked rocks shelter afford to the cranes, plunged + in sleep. + The dew, blown on the t'ung tree by the well, doth wet the roosting + rooks. + Wrapped in a quilt, the maid comes the gold phoenix coverlet to + spread. + The girl, who on the rails did lean, on her return drops the + kingfisher flowers! + This quiet night his eyes in sleep he cannot close, as he doth long + for wine. + The smoke is stifled, and the fire restirred, when tea is ordered to + be brewed. + +The picture of a winter night is in this strain: + + The sleep of the plum trees, the dream of the bamboos the third watch + have already reached. + Under the embroidered quilt and the kingfisher coverlet one can't + sleep for the cold. + The shadow of fir trees pervades the court, but cranes are all that + meet the eye. + Both far and wide the pear blossom covers the ground, but yet the hawk + cannot be heard. + The wish, verses to write, fostered by the damsel with the green + sleeves, has waxed cold. + The master, with the gold sable pelisse, cannot endure much wine. + But yet he doth rejoice that his attendant knows the way to brew the + tea. + The newly-fallen snow is swept what time for tea the water must be + boiled. + +But putting aside Pao-yue, as he leisurely was occupied in scanning some +verses, we will now allude to all these ballads. There lived, at that +time, a class of people, whose wont was to servilely court the +influential and wealthy, and who, upon perceiving that the verses were +composed by a young lad of the Jung Kuo mansion, of only twelve or +thirteen years of age, had copies made, and taking them outside sang +their praise far and wide. There were besides another sort of +light-headed young men, whose heart was so set upon licentious and +seductive lines, that they even inscribed them on fans and screen-walls, +and time and again kept on humming them and extolling them. And to the +above reasons must therefore be ascribed the fact that persons came in +search of stanzas and in quest of manuscripts, to apply for sketches and +to beg for poetical compositions, to the increasing satisfaction of +Pao-yue, who day after day, when at home, devoted his time and attention +to these extraneous matters. But who would have anticipated that he +could ever in his quiet seclusion have become a prey to a spirit of +restlessness? Of a sudden, one day he began to feel discontent, finding +fault with this and turning up his nose at that; and going in and coming +out he was simply full of ennui. And as all the girls in the garden were +just in the prime of youth, and at a time of life when, artless and +unaffected, they sat and reclined without regard to retirement, and +disported themselves and joked without heed, how could they ever have +come to read the secrets which at this time occupied a place in the +heart of Pao-yue? But so unhappy was Pao-yue within himself that he soon +felt loth to stay in the garden, and took to gadding about outside like +an evil spirit; but he behaved also the while in an idiotic manner. + +Ming Yen, upon seeing him go on in this way, felt prompted, with the +idea of affording his mind some distraction, to think of this and to +devise that expedient; but everything had been indulged in with surfeit +by Pao-yue, and there was only this resource, (that suggested itself to +him,) of which Pao-yue had not as yet had any experience. Bringing his +reflections to a close, he forthwith came over to a bookshop, and +selecting novels, both of old and of the present age, traditions +intended for outside circulation on Fei Yen, Ho Te, Wu Tse-t'ien, and +Yang Kuei-fei, as well as books of light literature consisting of +strange legends, he purchased a good number of them with the express +purpose of enticing Pao-yue to read them. As soon as Pao-yue caught sight +of them, he felt as if he had obtained some gem or jewel. "But you +mustn't," Ming Yen went on to enjoin him, "take them into the garden; +for if any one were to come to know anything about them, I shall then +suffer more than I can bear; and you should, when you go along, hide +them in your clothes!" + +But would Pao-yue agree to not introducing them into the garden? So after +much wavering, he picked out only several volumes of those whose style +was more refined, and took them in, and threw them over the top of his +bed for him to peruse when no one was present; while those coarse and +very indecent ones, he concealed in a bundle in the outer library. + +On one day, which happened to be the middle decade of the third moon, +Pao-yue, after breakfast, took a book, the "Hui Chen Chi," in his hand +and walked as far as the bridge of the Hsin Fang lock. Seating himself +on a block of rock, that lay under the peach trees in that quarter, he +opened the Hui Chen Chi and began to read it carefully from the +beginning. But just as he came to the passage: "the falling red +(flowers) have formed a heap," he felt a gust of wind blow through the +trees, bringing down a whole bushel of peach blossoms; and, as they +fell, his whole person, the entire surface of the book as well as a +large extent of ground were simply bestrewn with petals of the blossoms. +Pao-yue was bent upon shaking them down; but as he feared lest they +should be trodden under foot, he felt constrained to carry the petals in +his coat and walk to the bank of the pond and throw them into the +stream. The petals floated on the surface of the water, and, after +whirling and swaying here and there, they at length ran out by the Hsin +Fang lock. But, on his return under the tree, he found the ground again +one mass of petals, and Pao-yue was just hesitating what to do, when he +heard some one behind his back inquire, "What are you up to here?" and +as soon as Pao-yue turned his head round, he discovered that it was Lin +Tai-yue, who had come over carrying on her shoulder a hoe for raking +flowers, that on this hoe was suspended a gauze-bag, and that in her +hand she held a broom. + +"That's right, well done!" Pao-yue remarked smiling; "come and sweep +these flowers, and throw them into the water yonder. I've just thrown a +lot in there myself!" + +"It isn't right," Lin Tai-yue rejoined, "to throw them into the water. +The water, which you see, is clean enough here, but as soon as it finds +its way out, where are situated other people's grounds, what isn't there +in it? so that you would be misusing these flowers just as much as if +you left them here! But in that corner, I have dug a hole for flowers, +and I'll now sweep these and put them into this gauze-bag and bury them +in there; and, in course of many days, they will also become converted +into earth, and won't this be a clean way (of disposing of them)?" + +Pao-yue, after listening to these words, felt inexpressibly delighted. +"Wait!" he smiled, "until I put down my book, and I'll help you to clear +them up!" + +"What's the book?" Tai-yue inquired. + +Pao-yue at this question was so taken aback that he had no time to +conceal it. "It's," he replied hastily, "the Chung Yung and the Ta +Hsueeh!" + +"Are you going again to play the fool with me? Be quick and give it to +me to see; and this will be ever so much better a way!" + +"Cousin," Pao-yue replied, "as far as you yourself are concerned I don't +mind you, but after you've seen it, please don't tell any one else. It's +really written in beautiful style; and were you to once begin reading +it, why even for your very rice you wouldn't have a thought?" + +As he spoke, he handed it to her; and Tai-yue deposited all the flowers +on the ground, took over the book, and read it from the very first page; +and the more she perused it, she got so much the more fascinated by it, +that in no time she had finished reading sixteen whole chapters. But +aroused as she was to a state of rapture by the diction, what remained +even of the fascination was enough to overpower her senses; and though +she had finished reading, she nevertheless continued in a state of +abstraction, and still kept on gently recalling the text to mind, and +humming it to herself. + +"Cousin, tell me is it nice or not?" Pao-yue grinned. + +"It is indeed full of zest!" Lin Tai-yue replied exultingly. + +"I'm that very sad and very sickly person," Pao-yue explained laughing, +"while you are that beauty who could subvert the empire and overthrow +the city." + +Lin Tai-yue became, at these words, unconsciously crimson all over her +cheeks, even up to her very ears; and raising, at the same moment, her +two eyebrows, which seemed to knit and yet not to knit, and opening wide +those eyes, which seemed to stare and yet not to stare, while her +peach-like cheeks bore an angry look and on her thin-skinned face lurked +displeasure, she pointed at Pao-yue and exclaimed: "You do deserve death, +for the rubbish you talk! without any provocation you bring up these +licentious expressions and wanton ballads to give vent to all this +insolent rot, in order to insult me; but I'll go and tell uncle and +aunt." + +As soon as she pronounced the two words "insult me," her eyeballs at +once were suffused with purple, and turning herself round she there and +then walked away; which filled Pao-yue with so much distress that he +jumped forward to impede her progress, as he pleaded: "My dear cousin, I +earnestly entreat you to spare me this time! I've indeed said what I +shouldn't; but if I had any intention to insult you, I'll throw myself +to-morrow into the pond, and let the scabby-headed turtle eat me up, so +that I become transformed into a large tortoise. And when you shall have +by and by become the consort of an officer of the first degree, and you +shall have fallen ill from old age and returned to the west, I'll come +to your tomb and bear your stone tablet for ever on my back!" + +As he uttered these words, Lin Tai-yue burst out laughing with a sound of +"pu ch'ih," and rubbing her eyes, she sneeringly remarked: "I too can +come out with this same tune; but will you now still go on talking +nonsense? Pshaw! you're, in very truth, like a spear-head, (which looks) +like silver, (but is really soft as) wax!" + +"Go on, go on!" Pao-yue smiled after this remark; "and what you've said, +I too will go and tell!" + +"You maintain," Lin Tai-yue rejoined sarcastically, "that after glancing +at anything you're able to recite it; and do you mean to say that I +can't even do so much as take in ten lines with one gaze?" + +Pao-yue smiled and put his book away, urging: "Let's do what's right and +proper, and at once take the flowers and bury them; and don't let us +allude to these things!" + +Forthwith the two of them gathered the fallen blossoms; but no sooner +had they interred them properly than they espied Hsi Jen coming, who +went on to observe: "Where haven't I looked for you? What! have you +found your way as far as this! But our senior master, Mr. Chia She, over +there isn't well; and the young ladies have all gone over to pay their +respects, and our old lady has asked that you should be sent over; so go +back at once and change your clothes!" + +When Pao-yue heard what she said, he hastily picked up his books, and +saying good bye to Tai-yue, he came along with Hsi Jen, back into his +room, where we will leave him to effect the necessary change in his +costume. But during this while, Lin Tai-yue was, after having seen Pao-yue +walk away, and heard that all her cousins were likewise not in their +rooms, wending her way back alone, in a dull and dejected mood, towards +her apartment, when upon reaching the outside corner of the wall of the +Pear Fragrance court, she caught, issuing from inside the walls, the +harmonious strains of the fife and the melodious modulations of voices +singing. Lin Tai-yue readily knew that it was the twelve singing-girls +rehearsing a play; and though she did not give her mind to go and +listen, yet a couple of lines were of a sudden blown into her ears, and +with such clearness, that even one word did not escape. Their burden was +this: + + These troth are beauteous purple and fine carmine flowers, which in + this way all round do bloom, + And all together lie ensconced along the broken well, and the + dilapidated wall! + +But the moment Lin Tai-yue heard these lines, she was, in fact, so +intensely affected and agitated that she at once halted and lending an +ear listened attentively to what they went on to sing, which ran thus: + + A glorious day this is, and pretty scene, but sad I feel at heart! + Contentment and pleasure are to be found in whose family courts? + +After overhearing these two lines, she unconsciously nodded her head, +and sighed, and mused in her own mind. "Really," she thought, "there is +fine diction even in plays! but unfortunately what men in this world +simply know is to see a play, and they don't seem to be able to enjoy +the beauties contained in them." + +At the conclusion of this train of thought, she experienced again a +sting of regret, (as she fancied) she should not have given way to such +idle thoughts and missed attending to the ballads; but when she once +more came to listen, the song, by some coincidence, went on thus: + + It's all because thy loveliness is like a flower and like the comely + spring, + That years roll swiftly by just like a running stream. + +When this couplet struck Tai-yu's ear, her heart felt suddenly a prey to +excitement and her soul to emotion; and upon further hearing the words: + + Alone you sit in the secluded inner rooms to self-compassion giving + way. + +--and other such lines, she became still more as if inebriated, and like +as if out of her head, and unable to stand on her feet, she speedily +stooped her body, and, taking a seat on a block of stone, she minutely +pondered over the rich beauty of the eight characters: + + It's all because thy loveliness is like a flower and like the comely + spring, + That years roll swiftly by just like a running stream. + +Of a sudden, she likewise bethought herself of the line: + + Water flows away and flowers decay, for both no feelings have. + +--which she had read some days back in a poem of an ancient writer, and +also of the passage: + + When on the running stream the flowers do fall, spring then is past + and gone; + +--and of: + + Heaven (differs from) the human race, + +--which also appeared in that work; and besides these, the lines, which +she had a short while back read in the Hsi Hiang Chi: + + The flowers, lo, fall, and on their course the waters red do flow! + Petty misfortunes of ten thousand kinds (my heart assail!) + +both simultaneously flashed through her memory; and, collating them all +together, she meditated on them minutely, until suddenly her heart was +stricken with pain and her soul fleeted away, while from her eyes +trickled down drops of tears. But while nothing could dispel her present +state of mind, she unexpectedly realised that some one from behind gave +her a tap; and, turning her head round to look, she found that it was a +young girl; but who it was, the next chapter will make known. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + The drunken Chin Kang makes light of lucre and shows a preference for + generosity. + The foolish girl mislays her handkerchief and arouses mutual thoughts. + + + +But to return to our narrative. Lin Tai-yue's sentimental reflections +were the while reeling and ravelling in an intricate maze, when +unexpectedly some one from behind gave her a tap, saying: "What are you +up to all alone here?" which took Lin Tai-yu so much by surprise that +she gave a start, and turning her head round to look and noticing that +it was Hsiang Ling and no one else; "You stupid girl!" Lin Tai-yue +replied, "you've given me such a fright! But where do you come from at +this time?" + +Hsiang Ling giggled and smirked. "I've come," she added, "in search of +our young lady, but I can't find her anywhere. But your Tzu Chuan is +also looking after you; and she says that lady Secunda has sent a +present to you of some tea. But you had better go back home and sit +down." + +As she spoke, she took Tai-yue by the hand, and they came along back to +the Hsiao Hsiang Kuan; where lady Feng had indeed sent her two small +catties of a new season tea, of superior quality. But Lin Tai-yue sat +down, in company with Hsiang Ling, and began to converse on the merits +of this tapestry and the fineness of that embroidery; and after they had +also had a game at chess, and read a few sentences out of a book, Hsiang +Ling took her departure. But we need not speak of either of them, but +return now to Pao-yue. Having been found, and brought back home, by Hsi +Jen, he discovered Yuan Yang reclining on the bed, in the act of +examining Hsi Jen's needlework; but when she perceived Pao-yue arrive, +she forthwith remarked: "Where have you been? her venerable ladyship is +waiting for you to tell you to go over and pay your obeisance to our +Senior master, and don't you still make haste to go and change your +clothes and be off!" + +Hsi Jen at once walked into the room to fetch his clothes, and Pao-yue +sat on the edge of the bed, and pushed his shoes off with his toes; and, +while waiting for his boots to put them on, he turned round and +perceiving that Yuean Yang, who was clad in a light red silk jacket and a +green satin waistcoat, and girdled with a white crepe sash, had her face +turned the other way, and her head lowered giving her attention to the +criticism of the needlework, while round her neck she wore a collar with +embroidery, Pao-yue readily pressed his face against the nape of her +neck, and as he sniffed the perfume about it, he did not stay his hand +from stroking her neck, which in whiteness and smoothness was not below +that of Hsi Jen; and as he approached her, "My dear girl," he said +smiling and with a drivelling face, "do let me lick the cosmetic off +your mouth!" clinging to her person, as he uttered these words, like +twisted sweetmeat. + +"Hsi Jen!" cried Yuean Yang at once, "come out and see! You've been with +him a whole lifetime, and don't you give him any advice; but let him +still behave in this fashion!" Whereupon, Hsi Jen walked out, clasping +the clothes, and turning to Pao-yue, she observed, "I advise you in this +way and it's no good, I advise you in that way and you don't mend; and +what do you mean to do after all? But if you again behave like this, it +will then, in fact, be impossible for me to live any longer in this +place!" + +As she tendered these words of counsel, she urged him to put his clothes +on, and, after he had changed, he betook himself, along with Yuan Yang, +to the front part of the mansion, and bade good-bye to dowager lady +Chia; after which he went outside, where the attendants and horses were +all in readiness; but when he was about to mount his steed, he perceived +Chia Lien back from his visit and in the act of dismounting; and as the +two of them stood face to face, and mutually exchanged some inquiries, +they saw some one come round from the side, and say: "My respects to +you, uncle Pao-yue!" + +When Pao-yue came to look at him, he noticed that this person had an +oblong face, that his body was tall and lanky, that his age was only +eighteen or nineteen, and that he possessed, in real truth, an air of +refinement and elegance; but though his features were, after all, +exceedingly familiar, he could not recall to mind to what branch of the +family he belonged, and what his name was. + +"What are you staring vacantly for?" Chia Lien inquired laughing. + +"Don't you even recognise him? He's Yuen Erh, the son of our fifth +sister-in-law, who lives in the back court!" + +"Of course!" Pao-yue assented complacently. "How is it that I had +forgotten just now!" And having gone on to ask how his mother was, and +what work he had to do at present; "I've come in search of uncle +Secundus, to tell him something," Chia Yuen replied, as he pointed at +Chia Lien. + +"You've really improved vastly from what you were before," added Pao-yue +smiling; "you verily look just is if you were my son!" + +"How very barefaced!" Chia Lien exclaimed as he burst out laughing; +"here's a person four or five years your senior to be made your son!" + +"How far are you in your teens this year?" Pao-yue inquired with a smile. + +"Eighteen!" Chia Yuen rejoined. + +This Chia Yuen was, in real deed, sharp and quick-witted; and when he +heard Pao-yue remark that he looked like his son, he readily gave a +sarcastic smile and observed, "The proverb is true which says, 'the +grandfather is rocked in the cradle while the grandson leans on a +staff.' But though old enough in years, I'm nevertheless like a +mountain, which, in spite of its height, cannot screen the sun from +view. Besides, since my father's death, I've had no one to look after +me, and were you, uncle Pao, not to disdain your doltish nephew, and to +acknowledge me as your son, it would be your nephew's good fortune!" + +"Have you heard what he said?" Chia Lien interposed cynically. "But to +acknowledge him as a son is no easy question to settle!" and with these +words, he walked in; whereupon Pao-yue smilingly said: "To-morrow when +you have nothing to do, just come and look me up; but don't go and play +any devilish pranks with them! I've just now no leisure, so come +to-morrow, into the library, where I'll have a chat with you for a whole +day, and take you into the garden for some fun!" + +With this remark still on his lips, he laid hold of the saddle and +mounted his horse; and, followed by the whole bevy of pages, he crossed +over to Chia She's on this side; where having discovered that Chia She +had nothing more the matter with him than a chill which he had suddenly +contracted, he commenced by delivering dowager lady Chia's message, and +next paid his own obeisance. Chia She, at first, stood up and made +suitable answer to her venerable ladyship's inquiries, and then calling +a servant, "Take the gentleman," he said, "into my lady's apartment to +sit down." + +Pao-yue withdrew out of the room, and came by the back to the upper +apartment; and as soon as madame Hsing caught sight of him, she, before +everything else, rose to her feet and asked after old lady Chia's +health; after which, Pao-yue made his own salutation, and madame Hsing +drew him on to the stove-couch, where she induced him to take a seat, +and eventually inquired after the other inmates, and also gave orders to +serve the tea. But scarcely had they had tea, before they perceived Chia +Tsung come in to pay his respects to Pao-yue. + +"Where could one find such a living monkey as this!" madame Hsing +remarked; "is that nurse of yours dead and gone that she doesn't even +keep you clean and tidy, and that she lets you go about with those +eyebrows of yours so black and that mouth so filthy! you scarcely look +like the child of a great family of scholars." + +While she spoke, she perceived both Chia Huan and Chia Lan, one of whom +was a young uncle and the other his nephew, also advance and present +their compliments, and madame Hsing bade the two of them sit down on the +chairs. But when Chia Huan noticed that Pao-yue sat on the same rug with +madame Hsing, and that her ladyship was further caressing and petting +him in every possible manner, he soon felt so very unhappy at heart, +that, after sitting for a short time, he forthwith made a sign to Chia +Lan that he would like to go; and as Chia Lan could not but humour him, +they both got up together to take their leave. But when Pao-yue perceived +them rise, he too felt a wish to go back along with them, but madame +Hsing remarked smilingly, "You had better sit a while as I've something +more to tell you," so that Pao-yue had no alternative but to stay. "When +you get back," madame Hsing added, addressing the other two, "present, +each one of you, my regards to your respective mothers. The young +ladies, your cousins, are all here making such a row that my head is +dazed, so that I won't to-day keep you to have your repast here." To +which Chia Huan and Chia Lan assented and quickly walked out. + +"If it be really the case that all my cousins have come over," Pao-yue +ventured with a smirk, "how is it that I don't see them?" + +"After sitting here for a while," madame Hsing explained, "they all went +at the back; but in what rooms they have gone, I don't know." + +"My senior aunt, you said you had something to tell me, Pao-yue observed; +what's it, I wonder?" + +"What can there possibly be to tell you?" madame Hsing laughed; "it was +simply to make you wait and have your repast with the young ladies and +then go; but there's also a fine plaything that I'll give you to take +back to amuse yourself with." + +These two, the aunt and her nephew, were going on with their colloquy +when, much to their surprise, it was time for dinner and the young +ladies were all invited to come. The tables and chairs were put in their +places, and the cups and plates were arranged in proper order; and, +after the mother, her daughter and the cousins had finished their meal, +Pao-yue bade good-bye to Chia She and returned home in company with all +the young ladies; and when they had said good-night to dowager lady +Chia, madame Wang and the others, they each went back into their rooms +and retired to rest; where we shall leave them without any further +comment and speak of Chia Yuen's visit to the mansion. As soon as he saw +Chia Lien, he inquired what business it was that had turned up, and Chia +Lien consequently explained: "The other day something did actually +present itself, but as it happened that your aunt had again and again +entreated me, I gave it to Chia Ch'in; as she promised me that there +would be by and by in the garden several other spots where flowers and +trees would be planted; and that when this job did occur, she would, for +a certainty, give it to you and finish!" + +Chia Yuen, upon hearing these words, suggested after a short pause; "If +that be so, there's nothing for me to do than to wait; but, uncle, you +too mustn't make any allusion beforehand in the presence of aunt to my +having come to-day to make any inquiries; for there will really be ample +time to speak to her when the job turns up!" + +"Why should I allude to it?" Chia Lien rejoined. "Have I forsooth got +all this leisure to talk of irrelevant matters! But to-morrow, besides, +I've got to go as far as Hsing Yi for a turn, and it's absolutely +necessary that I should hurriedly come back the very same day; so off +with you now and go and wait; and the day after to-morrow, after the +watch has been set, come and ask for news; but mind at any earlier hour, +I shan't have any leisure!" With these words, he hastily went at the +back to change his clothes. And from the time Chia Yun put his foot out +of the door of the Jung Kuo mansion, he was, the whole way homeward, +plunged in deep thought; but having bethought himself of some expedient, +he straightway wended his steps towards the house of his maternal uncle, +Pu Shih-jen. This Pu Shih-jen, it must be explained, kept, at the +present date, a shop for the sale of spices. He had just returned home +from his shop, and as soon as he noticed Chia Yun, he inquired of him +what business brought him there. + +"There's something," Chia Yun replied, "in which I would like to crave +your assistance, uncle; I'm in need of some baroos camphor and musk, so +please, uncle, give me on credit four ounces of each kind, and on the +festival of the eighth moon, I'll bring you the amount in full." + +Pu Shih-jen gave a sardonic smile. "Don't," he said, "again allude to +any such thing as selling on tick! Some time back a partner in our +establishment got several ounces of goods for his relatives on credit, +and up to this date the bill hasn't as yet been settled; the result +being that we've all had to make the amount good, so that we've entered +into an agreement that we should no more allow any one to obtain on tick +anything on behalf of either relative or friend, and that whoever acted +contrary to this resolution should be, at once, fined twenty taels, with +which to stand a treat. Besides, the stock of these articles is now +short, and were you also to come, with ready money to this our mean shop +to buy any, we wouldn't even have as much to give you. The best way +therefore is for you to go elsewhere. This is one side of the question; +for on the other, you can't have anything above-board in view; and were +you to obtain what you want as a loan you would again go and play the +giddy dog! But you'll simply say that on every occasion your uncle sees +you, he avails himself of it to find fault with you, but a young fellow +like you doesn't know what's good and what is bad; and you should, +besides, make up your mind to earn a few cash, wherewith to clothe and +feed yourself, so that, when I see you, I too may rejoice!" + +"What you, uncle, say," Chia Yun rejoined smiling, "is perfectly right; +the only thing is that at the time of my father's death, I was likewise +so young in years that I couldn't understand anything; but later on, I +heard my mother explain how that for everything, it was lucky that you, +after all, my uncles, went over to our house and devised the ways and +means, and managed the funeral; and is it likely you, uncle, aren't +aware of these things? Besides, have I forsooth had a single acre of +land or a couple of houses, the value of which I've run through as soon +as it came into my hands? An ingenious wife cannot make boiled rice +without raw rice; and what would you have me do? It's your good fortune +however that you've got to deal with one such as I am, for had it been +any one else barefaced and shameless, he would have come, twice every +three days, to worry you, uncle, by asking for two pints of rice and two +of beans, and you then, uncle, would have had no help for it." + +"My dear child," Pu Shih-jen exclaimed, "had I anything that I could +call my own, your uncle as I am, wouldn't I feel bound to do something +for you? I've day after day mentioned to your aunt that the misfortune +was that you had no resources. But should you ever succeed in making up +your mind, you should go into that mighty household of yours, and when +the gentlemen aren't looking, forthwith pocket your pride and hobnob +with those managers, or possibly with the butlers, as you may, even +through them, be able to get some charge or other! The other day, when I +was out of town, I came across that old Quartus of the third branch of +the family, astride of a tall donkey, at the head of four or five +carriages, in which were about forty to fifty bonzes and Taoist priests +on their way to the family fane, and that man can't lack brains, for +such a charge to have fallen to his share!" + +Chia Yuen, upon hearing these words, indulged in a long and revolting +rigmarole, and then got up to take his leave. + +"What are you in such a hurry for?" Pu Shih-jen remarked. "Have your +meal and then go!" + +But this remark was scarcely ended when they heard his wife say: "Are +you again in the clouds? When I heard that there was no rice, I bought +half a catty of dry rice paste, and brought it here for you to eat; and +do you pray now still put on the airs of a well-to-do, and keep your +nephew to feel the pangs of hunger?" + +"Well, then, buy half a catty more, and add to what there is, that's +all," Pu Shih-jen continued; whereupon her mother explained to her +daughter, Yin Chieh, "Go over to Mrs. Wang's opposite, and ask her if +she has any cash, to lend us twenty or thirty of them; and to-morrow, +when they're brought over, we'll repay her." + +But while the husband and wife were carrying on this conversation, Chia +Yuen had, at an early period, repeated several times: "There's no need to +go to this trouble," and off he went, leaving no trace or shadow behind. +But without passing any further remarks on the husband and wife of the +Pu family, we will now confine ourselves to Chia Yuen. Having gone in +high dudgeon out of the door of his uncle's house, he started straight +on his way back home; but while distressed in mind, and preoccupied with +his thoughts, he paced on with drooping head, he unexpectedly came into +collision with a drunken fellow, who gripped Chia Yuen, and began to +abuse him, crying: "Are your eyes gone blind, that you come bang against +me?" + +The tone of voice, when it reached Chia Yuen ears, sounded like that of +some one with whom he was intimate; and, on careful scrutiny, he found, +in fact, that it was his next-door neighbour, Ni Erh. This Ni Erh was a +dissolute knave, whose only idea was to give out money at heavy rates of +interest and to have his meals in the gambling dens. His sole delight +was to drink and to fight. + +He was, at this very moment, coming back home from the house of a +creditor, whom he had dunned, and was already far gone with drink, so +that when, at an unforeseen moment, Chia Yuen ran against him, he meant +there and then to start a scuffle with him. + +"Old Erh!" Chia Yuen shouted, "stay your hand; it's I who have hustled +against you." + +As soon as Ni Erh heard the tone of his voice, he opened wide his +drunken eyes and gave him a look; and realising that it was Chia Yuen, he +hastened to loosen his grasp and to remark with a smile, as he staggered +about, "Is it you indeed, master Chia Secundus? where were you off to +now?" + +"I couldn't tell you!" Chia Yuen rejoined; "I've again brought +displeasure upon me, and all through no fault of mine." + +"Never mind!" urged Ni Erh, "if you're in any trouble you just tell me, +and I'll give vent to your spite for you; for in these three streets, +and six lanes, no matter who may give offence to any neighbours of mine, +of me, Ni Erh, the drunken Chin Kang, I'll wager that I compel that +man's family to disperse, and his home to break up!" + +"Old Ni, don't lose your temper," Chia Yuen protested, "but listen and +let me tell you what happened!" After which, he went on to tell Ni Erh +the whole affair with Pu Shih-jen. As soon as Ni Erh heard him, he got +into a frightful rage; "Were he not," he shouted, a "relative of yours, +master Secundus, I would readily give him a bit of my mind! Really +resentment will stifle my breath! but never mind! you needn't however +distress yourself. I've got here a few taels ready at hand, which, if +you require, don't scruple to take; and from such good neighbours as you +are, I won't ask any interest upon this money." + +With this remark still on his lips, he produced from his pouch a bundle +of silver. + +"Ni Erh has, it is true, ever been a rogue," Chia Yuen reflected in his +own mind, "but as he is regulated in his dealings by a due regard to +persons, he enjoys, to a great degree, the reputation of generosity; and +were I to-day not to accept this favour of his, he'll, I fear, be put to +shame; and it won't contrariwise be nice on my part! and isn't it better +that I should make use of his money, and by and by I can repay him +double, and things will be all right!" + +"Old Erh," he therefore observed aloud with a smile, "you're really a +fine fellow, and as you've shown me such eminent consideration, how can +I presume not to accept your offer! On my return home, I'll write the +customary I.O.U., and send it to you, and all will be in order." + +Ni Erh gave a broad grin. "It's only fifteen taels and three mace," he +answered, "and if you insist upon writing an I.O.U., I won't then lend +it to you!" + +Chia Yuen at these words, took over the money, smiling the while. "I'll +readily," he retorted, "comply with your wishes and have done; for +what's the use of exasperating you!" + +"Well then that will be all right!" Ni Erh laughed; "but the day is +getting dark; and I shan't ask you to have a cup of tea or stand you a +drink, for I've some small things more to settle. As for me, I'm going +over there, but you, after all, should please wend your way homewards; +and I shall also request you to take a message for me to my people. Tell +them to close the doors and turn in, as I'm not returning home; and that +in the event of anything occurring, to bid our daughter come over +to-morrow, as soon as it is daylight, to short-legged Wang's house, the +horse-dealer's, in search of me!" And as he uttered this remark he +walked away, stumbling and hobbling along. But we will leave him without +further notice and allude to Chia Yuen. + +He had, at quite an unexpected juncture, met this piece of luck, so that +his heart was, of course, delighted to the utmost degree. "This Ni Erh," +he mused, "is really a good enough sort of fellow, but what I dread is +that he may have been open-handed in his fit of drunkenness, and that he +mayn't, by and by, ask for his money to be paid twice over; and what +will I do then? Never mind," he suddenly went on to ponder, "when that +job has become an accomplished fact, I shall even have the means to pay +him back double the original amount." + +Prompted by this resolution, he came over to a money-shop, and when he +had the silver weighed, and no discrepancy was discovered in the weight, +he was still more elated at heart; and on his way back, he first and +foremost delivered Ni Erh's message to his wife, and then returned to +his own home, where he found his mother seated all alone on a +stove-couch spinning thread. As soon as she saw him enter, she inquired +where he had been the whole day long, in reply to which Chia Yuen, +fearing lest his parent should be angry, forthwith made no allusion to +what transpired with Pu Shih-jen, but simply explained that he had been +in the western mansion, waiting for his uncle Secundus, Lien. This over, +he asked his mother whether she had had her meal or not, and his parent +said by way of reply: "I've had it, but I've kept something for you in +there," and calling to the servant-maid, she bade her bring it round, +and set it before him to eat. But as it was already dark, when the lamps +had to be lit, Chia Yuen, after partaking of his meal, got ready and +turned in. + +Nothing of any notice transpired the whole night; but the next day, as +soon it was dawn, he got up, washed his face, and came to the main +street, outside the south gate, and purchasing some musk from a +perfumery shop, he, with rapid stride, entered the Jung Kuo mansion; and +having, as a result of his inquiries, found out that Chia Lien had gone +out of doors, Chia Yuen readily betook himself to the back, in front of +the door of Chia Lien's court, where he saw several servant-lads, with +immense brooms in their hands, engaged in that place in sweeping the +court. But as he suddenly caught sight of Chou Jui's wife appear outside +the door, and call out to the young boys; "Don't sweep now, our lady is +coming out," Chia Yuen eagerly walked up to her and inquired, with a face +beaming with smiles: "Where's aunt Secunda going to?" + +To this inquiry, Chou Jui's wife explained: "Our old lady has sent for +her, and I expect, it must be for her to cut some piece of cloth or +other." But while she yet spoke, they perceived a whole bevy of people, +pressing round lady Feng, as she egressed from the apartment. + +Chia Yuen was perfectly aware that lady Feng took pleasure in flattery, +and delighted in display, so that hastily dropping his arms, he with all +reverence, thrust himself forward and paid his respects to her. But lady +Feng did not even so much as turn to look at him with straight eyes; but +continued, as hitherto, her way onwards, simply confining herself to +ascertaining whether his mother was all right, and adding: "How is it +that she doesn't come to our house for a stroll?" + +"The thing is," Chia Yuen replied, "that she's not well: she, however, +often thinks fondly of you, aunt, and longs to see you; but as for +coming round, she's quite unable to do so." + +"You have, indeed, the knack of telling lies!" lady Feng laughed with +irony; "for hadn't I alluded to her, she would never have thought of +me!" + +"Isn't your nephew afraid," Chia Yuen protested smilingly, "of being +blasted by lightning to have the audacity of telling lies in the +presence of an elder! Even so late as yesterday evening, she alluded to +you, aunt! 'Though naturally,' she said, 'of a weak constitution, you +had, however, plenty to attend to! that it's thanks to your supremely +eminent energies, aunt, that you're, after all, able to manage +everything in such a perfect manner; and that had you ever made the +slightest slip, there would have long ago crept up, goodness knows, what +troubles!'" + +As soon as lady Feng heard these words, her whole face beamed with +smiles, and she unconsciously halted her steps, while she proceeded to +ask: "How is it that, both your mother and yourself, tattle about me +behind my back, without rhyme or reason?" + +"There's a reason for it," Chia Yuen observed, "which is simply this. +I've an excellent friend with considerable money of his own at home, who +recently kept a perfumery shop; but as he obtained, by purchase, the +rank of deputy sub-prefect, he was, the other day, selected for a post +in Yunnan, in some prefecture or other unknown to me; whither he has +gone together with his family. He even closed this shop of his, and +forthwith collecting all his wares, he gave away, what he could give +away, and what he had to sell at a discount, was sold at a loss; while +such valuable articles, as these, were all presented to relatives or +friends; and that's why it is that I came in for some baroos camphor and +musk. But I at the time, deliberated with my mother that to sell them +below their price would be a pity, and that if we wished to give them as +a present to any one, there was no one good enough to use such perfumes. +But remembering how you, aunt, had all along in years gone by, even to +this day, to spend large bundles of silver, in purchasing such articles, +and how, not to speak of this year with an imperial consort in the +Palace, what's even required for this dragon boat festival, will also +necessitate the addition of hundred times as much as the quantity of +previous years, I therefore present them to you, aunt, as a token of my +esteem!" + +With these words still on his lips, he simultaneously produced an +ornamented box, which he handed over to her. And as lady Feng was, at +this time, making preparations for presents for the occasion of the +dragon boat festival, for which perfumes were obligatory, she, with all +promptitude, directed Feng Erh: "Receive Mr. Yuen's present and take it +home and hand it over to P'ing Erh. To one," she consequently added, +"who seems to me so full of discrimination, it isn't a wonder that your +uncle is repeatedly alluding, and that he speaks highly of you; how that +you talk with all intelligence and that you have experience stored up in +your mind." + +Chia Yuen upon hearing this propitious language, hastily drew near one +step, and designedly asked: "Does really uncle often refer to me?" + +The moment lady Feng caught this question, she was at once inclined to +tell him all about the charge to be entrusted to him, but on second +thought, she again felt apprehensive lest she should be looked lightly +upon by him, by simply insinuating that she had promptly and needlessly +promised him something to do, so soon as she got a little scented ware; +and this consideration urged her to once more restrain her tongue, so +that she never made the slightest reference even to so much as one word +about his having been chosen to look after the works of planting the +flowers and trees. And after confining herself to making the first few +irrelevant remarks which came to her lips, she hastily betook herself +into dowager lady Chia's apartments. + +Chia Yuen himself did not feel as if he could very well advert to the +subject, with the result that he had no alternative but to retrace his +steps homewards. But as when he had seen Pao-yue the previous day, he had +asked him to go into the outer library and wait for him, he therefore +finished his meal and then once again entered the mansion and came over +into the I Hsia study, situated outside the ceremonial gate, over at old +lady Chia's part of the compound, where he discovered the two lads Ming +Yen, whose name had been changed into Pei Ming, and Chu Yo playing at +chess, and just arguing about the capture of a castle; and besides them, +Yin Ch'uan, Sao Hua, T'iao Yuen, Pan Ho, these four or five of them, up +to larks, stealing the young birds from the nests under the eaves of the +house. + +As soon as Chia Yuen entered the court, he stamped his foot and shouted, +"The monkeys are up to mischief! Here I am, I've come;" and when the +company of servant-boys perceived him, they one and all promptly +dispersed; while Chia Yuen walked into the library, and seating himself +at once in a chair, he inquired, "Has your master Secundus, Mr. Pao, +come down?" + +"He hasn't been down here at all to-day," Pei Ming replied, "but if you, +Mr. Secundus, have anything to tell him, I'll go and see what he's up to +for you." + +Saying this he there and then left the room; and Chia Yuen meanwhile gave +himself to the inspection of the pictures and nicknacks. But some +considerable time elapsed, and yet he did not see him arrive; and +noticing besides that the other lads had all gone to romp, he was just +plunged in a state of despondency, when he heard outside the door a +voice cry out, with winning tone, and tender accents: "My elder +brother!" + +Chia Yuen looked out, and saw that it was a servant-maid of fifteen or +sixteen, who was indeed extremely winsome and spruce. As soon however as +the maid caught a glimpse of Chia Yuen, she speedily turned herself round +and withdrew out of sight. But, as luck would have it, it happened that +Pei Ming was coming along, and seeing the servant-maid in front of the +door, he observed: "Welcome, welcome! I was quite at a loss how to get +any news of Pao-yue." And as Chia Yuen discerned Pei Ming, he hastily too, +ran out in pursuit of him, and ascertained what was up; whereupon Pei +Ming returned for answer: "I waited a whole day long, and not a single +soul came over; but this girl is attached to master Secundus' (Mr. +Pao's) rooms!" and, "My dear girl," he consequently went on to say, "go +in and take a message. Say that Mr. Secundus, who lives under the +portico, has come!" + +The servant-maid, upon hearing these words, knew at once that he was a +young gentleman belonging to the family in which she served, and she did +not skulk out of sight, as she had done in the first instance; but with +a gaze sufficient to kill, she fixed her two eyes upon Chia Yuen, when +she heard Chia Yuen interpose: "What about over the portico and under the +portico; you just tell him that Yuen Erh is come, that's all." + +After a while this girl gave a sarcastic smile. "My idea is," she +ventured, "that you, master Secundus, should really, if it so please +you, go back, and come again to-morrow; and to-night, if I find time, +I'll just put in a word with him!" + +"What's this that you're driving at?" Pei Ming then shouted. + +And the maid rejoined: "He's not even had a siesta to-day, so that he'll +have his dinner at an early hour, and won't come down again in the +evening; and is it likely that you would have master Secundus wait here +and suffer hunger? and isn't it better than he should return home? The +right thing is that he should come to-morrow; for were even by and by +some one to turn up, who could take a message, that person would simply +acquiesce with the lips, but would he be willing to deliver the message +in for you?" + +Chia Yuen, upon finding how concise and yet how well expressed this +girl's remarks had been, was bent upon inquiring what her name was; but +as she was a maid employed in Pao-yue's apartments, he did not therefore +feel justified in asking the question, and he had no other course but to +add, "What you say is quite right, I'll come to-morrow!" and as he +spoke, he there and then was making his way outside, when Pei Ming +remarked: "I'll go and pour a cup of tea; and master Secundus, have your +tea and then go." + +Chia Yuen turned his head round, as he kept on his way, and said by way +of rejoinder: "I won't have any tea; for I've besides something more to +attend to!" and while with his lips he uttered these words, he, with his +eyes, stared at the servant-girl, who was still standing in there. + +Chia Yuen wended his steps straightway home; and the next day, he came to +the front entrance, where, by a strange coincidence, he met lady Feng on +her way to the opposite side to pay her respects. She had just mounted +her carriage, but perceiving Chia Yuen arrive, she eagerly bade a servant +stop him, and, with the window between them, she smiled and observed: +"Yuen Erh, you're indeed bold in playing your pranks with me! I thought +it strange that you should give me presents; but the fact is you had a +favour to ask of me; and your uncle told me even yesterday that you had +appealed to him!" + +Chia Yuen smiled. "Of my appeal to uncle, you needn't, aunt, make any +mention; for I'm at this moment full of regret at having made it. Had I +known, at an early hour, that things would have come to this pass, I +would, from the very first, have made my request to you, aunt; and by +this time everything would have been settled long ago! But who would +have anticipated that uncle was, after all, a man of no worth!" + +"Strange enough," lady Feng remarked sneeringly, "when you found that +you didn't succeed in that quarter, you came again yesterday in search +of me!" + +"Aunt, you do my filial heart an injustice," Chia Yuen protested; "I +never had such a thought; had I entertained any such idea, wouldn't I, +aunt, have made my appeal to you yesterday? But as you are now aware of +everything, I'll really put uncle on one side, and prefer my request to +you; for circumstances compel me to entreat you, aunt, to be so good as +to show me some little consideration!" + +Lady Feng laughed sardonically. "You people will choose the long road to +follow and put me also in a dilemma! Had you told me just one word at an +early hour, what couldn't have been brought about? an affair of state +indeed to be delayed up to this moment! In the garden, there are to be +more trees planted and flowers laid down, and I couldn't think of any +person that I could have recommended, and had you spoken before this, +wouldn't the whole question have been settled soon enough?" + +"Well, in that case, aunt," ventured Chia Yuen with a smile, "you had +better depute me to-morrow, and have done!" + +"This job," continued lady Feng after a pause, "is not, my impression +is, very profitable; and if you were to wait till the first moon of next +year, when the fireworks, lanterns, and candles will have to be +purveyed, I'll depute you as soon as those extensive commissions turn +up." + +"My dear aunt," pleaded Chia Yuen, "first appoint me to this one, and if +I do really manage this satisfactorily, you can then commission me with +that other!" + +"You know in truth how to draw a long thread," lady Feng observed +laughing. "But hadn't it been that your uncle had spoken to me on your +account, I wouldn't have concerned myself about you. But as I shall +cross over here soon after the repast, you had better come at eleven +a.m., and fetch the money, for you to enter into the garden the day +after to-morrow, and have the flowers planted!" + +As she said this, she gave orders to drive the "scented" carriage, and +went on her way by the quickest cut; while Chia Yuen, who was +irrepressibly delighted, betook himself into the I Hsia study, and +inquired after Pao-yue. But, who would have thought it, Pao-yue had, at an +early hour, gone to the mansion of the Prince of Pei Ching, so that Chia +Yuen had to sit in a listless mood till noon; and when he found out that +lady Feng had returned, he speedily wrote an acknowledgment and came to +receive the warrant. On his arrival outside the court, he commissioned a +servant to announce him, and Ts'ai Ming thereupon walked out, and merely +asking for the receipt, went in, and, after filling in the amount, the +year and moon, he handed it over to Chia Yuen together with the warrant. +Chia Yuen received them from him, and as the entry consisted of two +hundred taels, his heart was full of exultant joy; and turning round, he +hurried to the treasury, where after he had taken over the amount in +silver, he returned home and laid the case before his mother, and +needless to say, that both the parent and her son were in high spirits. +The next day, at the fifth watch, Chia Yun first came in search of Ni +Erh, to whom he repaid the money, and then taking fifty taels along with +him, he sped outside the western gate to the house of Fang Ch'un, a +gardener, to purchase trees, where we will leave him without saying +anything more about him. + +We will now resume our story with Pao-yue. The day on which he +encountered Chia Yuen, he asked him to come in on the morrow and have a +chat with him, but this invitation was practically the mere formal talk +of a rich and well-to-do young man, and was not likely to be so much as +borne in mind; and so it was that it readily slipped from his memory. On +the evening of the day, however, on which he returned home from the +mansion of the Prince Pei Ching, he came, after paying his salutations +to dowager lady Chia, madame Wang, and the other inmates, back into the +garden; but upon divesting himself of all his fineries, he was just +about to have his bath, when, as Hsi Jen had, at the invitation of Hsueeh +Pao-ch'ai, crossed over to tie a few knotted buttons, as Ch'in Wen and +Pi Hen had both gone to hurry the servants to bring the water, as T'an +Yun had likewise been taken home, on account of her mother's illness, +and She Yueh, on the other hand, was at present ailing in her quarters, +while the several waiting-maids, who were in there besides to attend to +the dirty work, and answer the calls, had, surmising that he would not +requisition their services, one and all gone out in search of their +friends and in quest of their companions, it occurred, contrary to their +calculations, that Pao-yue remained this whole length of time quite alone +in his apartments; and as it so happened that Pao-yue wanted tea to +drink, he had to call two or three times before he at last saw three old +matrons walk in. But at the sight of them, Pao-yue hastily waved his hand +and exclaimed: "No matter, no matter; I don't want you," whereupon the +matrons had no help but to withdraw out of the rooms; and as Pao-yue +perceived that there were no waiting-maids at hand, he had to come down +and take a cup and go up to the teapot to pour the tea; when he heard +some one from behind him observe: "Master Secundus, beware, you'll +scorch your hand; wait until I come to pour it!" And as she spoke, she +walked up to him, and took the cup from his grasp, to the intense +surprise, in fact, of Pao-yue, who inquired: "Where were you that you +have suddenly come to give me a start?" + +The waiting-maid smiled as she handed him the tea. "I was in the back +court," she replied, "and just came in from the back door of the inner +rooms; and is it likely that you didn't, sir, hear the sound of my +footsteps?" + +Pao-yue drank his tea, and as he simultaneously passed the servant-girl +under a minute inspection, he found that though she wore several +articles of clothing the worse for wear, she was, nevertheless, with +that head of beautiful hair, as black as the plumage of a raven, done up +in curls, her face so oblong, her figure so slim and elegant, indeed, +supremely beautiful, sweet, and spruce, and Pao-yue eagerly inquired: +"Are you also a girl attached to this room of mine?" + +"I am," rejoined that waiting-maid. + +"But since you belong to this room, how is it I don't know you?" Pao-yue +added. + +When the maid heard these words, she forced a laugh. "There are even +many," she explained, "that are strangers to you; and is it only myself? +I've never, before this, served tea, or handed water, or brought in +anything; nor have I attended to a single duty in your presence, so how +could you know me?" + +"But why don't you attend to any of those duties that would bring you to +my notice?" Pao-yue questioned. + +"I too," answered the maid, "find it as difficult to answer such a +question. There's however one thing that I must report to you, master +Secundus. Yesterday, some Mr. Yuen Erh or other came to see you; but as I +thought you, sir, had no leisure, I speedily bade Pei Ming tell him to +come early to-day. But you unexpectedly went over again to the mansion +of the Prince of Pei Ching." + +When she had spoken as far as this, she caught sight of Ch'iu Wen and Pi +Hen enter the court, giggling and laughing; the two of them carrying +between them a bucket of water; and while raising their skirts with one +hand, they hobbled along, as the water spurted and plashed. The +waiting-maid hastily come out to meet them so as to relieve them of +their burden, but Ch'iu Wen and Pi Hen were in the act of standing face +to face and finding fault with each other; one saying, "You've wetted my +clothes," the other adding, "You've trod on my shoes," and upon, all of +a sudden, espying some one walk out to receive the water, and +discovering, when they came to see, that it was actually no one else +than Hsiao Hung, they were at once both so taken aback that, putting +down the bucket, they hurried into the room; and when they looked about +and saw that there was no other person inside besides Pao-yue they were +at once displeased. But as they were meanwhile compelled to get ready +the articles necessary for his bath, they waited until Pao-yue was about +to divest himself of his clothes, when the couple of them speedily +pulled the door to behind them, as they went out, and walked as far as +the room on the opposite side, in search of Hsiao Hung; of whom they +inquired: "What were you doing in his room a short while back?" + +"When was I ever in the room?" Hsiao Hung replied; "simply because I +lost sight of my handkerchief, I went to the back to try and find it, +when unexpectedly Mr. Secundus, who wanted tea, called for you sisters; +and as there wasn't one even of you there, I walked in and poured a cup +for him, and just at that very moment you sisters came back." + +"You barefaced, low-bred thing!" cried Ch'iu Wen, turning towards her +and spurting in her face. "It was our bounden duty to tell you to go and +hurry them for the water, but you simply maintained that you were busy +and made us go instead, in order to afford you an opportunity of +performing these wily tricks! and isn't this raising yourself up li by +li? But don't we forsooth, even so much as come up to you? and you just +take that looking-glass and see for yourself, whether you be fit to +serve tea and to hand water or not?" + +"To-morrow," continued Pi Hea, "I'll tell them that whenever there's +anything to do connected with his wanting tea, or asking for water, or +with fetching things for him, not one of us should budge, and that +_she_ alone should be allowed to go, and have done!" + +"If this be your suggestion," remarked Ch'iu Wen, "wouldn't it be still +better that we should all disperse, and let her reign supreme in this +room!" + +But while the two of them were up to this trouble, one saying one thing, +and another, another, they caught sight of two old nurses walk in to +deliver a message from lady Feng; who explained: "To-morrow, someone +will bring in gardeners to plant trees, and she bids you keep under more +rigorous restraint, and not sun your clothes and petticoats anywhere and +everywhere; nor air them about heedlessly; that the artificial hill +will, all along, be entirely shut in by screening curtains, and that you +mustn't he running about at random." + +"I wonder," interposed Ch'iu Wen with alacrity, "who it is that will +bring the workmen to-morrow, and supervise the works?" + +"Some one or other called Mr. Yuen, living at the back portico," the old +woman observed. + +But Ch'iu Wen and Pi Hen were neither of them acquainted with him, and +they went on promiscuously asking further questions on his account, but +Hsiao Hung knew distinctly in her mind who it was, and was well aware +that it was the person whom she had seen, the previous day, in the outer +library. + +The surname of this Hsiao Hung had, in fact, been originally Lin, while +her infant name had been Hung Yue; but as the word Yue improperly +corresponded with the names of Pao-yue and Tai-yue, she was, in due +course, simply called Hsiao Hung. She was indeed an hereditary servant +of the mansion; and her father had latterly taken over the charge of all +matters connected with the farms and farmhouses in every locality. This +Hung-yue came, at the age of sixteen, into the mansion, to enter into +service, and was attached to the Hung Yuan, where in point of fact she +found both a quiet and pleasant home; and when contrary to all +expectation, the young ladies as well as Pao-yue, were subsequently +permitted to move their quarters into the garden of Broad Vista, it so +happened that this place was, moreover, fixed upon by Pao-yue. This Hsiao +Hung was, it is true, a girl without any experience, but as she could, +to a certain degree, boast of a pretty face, and as, in her own heart, +she recklessly fostered the idea of exalting herself to a higher +standard, she was ever ready to thrust herself in Pao-yue's way, with a +view to showing herself off. But attached to Pao-yue's personal service +were a lot of servants, all of whom were glib and specious, so that how +could she ever find an opportunity of thrusting herself forward? But +contrary to her anticipations, there turned up, eventually on this day, +some faint glimmer of hope, but as she again came in for a spell of +spiteful abuse from Ch'iu Wen and her companion, her expectations were +soon considerably frustrated, and she was just plunged in a melancholy +mood, when suddenly she heard the old nurse begin the conversation about +Chia Yuen, which unconsciously so affected her heart that she hastily +returned, quite disconsolate, into her room, and lay herself down on her +bed, giving herself quietly to reflection. But while she was racking and +torturing her brain and at a moment when she was at a loss what decision +to grasp, her ear unexpectedly caught, emanating from outside the +window, a faint voice say: "Hsiao Hung, I've picked up your pocket +handkerchief in here!" and as soon as Hsiao Hung heard these words, she +walked out with hurried step and found that it was no one else than Chia +Yuen in person; and as Hsiao Hung unwillingly felt her powdered face +suffused with brushes: "Where did you pick it up, Mr. Secundus?" she +asked. + +"Come over," Chia Yuen smiled, "and I'll tell you!" And as he uttered +these words, he came up and drew her to him; but Hsiao Hung twisted +herself round and ran away; but was however tripped over by the step of +the door. + +Now, reader, do you want to know the sequel? If so the next chapter will +explain. + + + + +END OF BOOK I + + + + + + + ERRATA [as noted in the original book]. + + + Preface rhythm not rhymes + + Chap. I Page 7 Line 30 on _not_ in + " " " 13 " 11 _dele_ he + " II " 22 " 18 Yue-ts'un _not_ Y-tues'un + " " " 22 " 25 dele _one_ the + " " " 30 " 14 imbued with _not_ by + " III " 50 " 33 rhythm _not_ rythm + " IV " 64 " 27 _dele_ as _and read:_ and his + widowed mother etc. + " " " 65 " 3 _dele_ in _and read_: while the + rest of his + " V " 80 " 23 monitory _not_ Monotony + " " " 87 " 21 fervour _not_ favour + " VI " 92 " 20 bonzes _not_ bonze + " " " 93 " 1 _Read_: Ai-ya, exclaimed old Goody; + It may very well be said that the + marquis' door etc. + " " " 99 " 4 _read_: a la Chao Chuen + " VII " 114 " 13 Chia Jung _not_ Ch'ia Jung + " " " 119 " 10 steward _not_ setward + " IX " 140 " 10 whiff _not_ wiff + " " " 141 " 26 roll _not_ rollster + " X " 157 " 16 action _not_ actions + " XIII " 196 " 23 in the fear _not_ in fear + " XIV " 199 " 39 roll _not_ rollster + " XV " 215 " 23 preparations _not_ preparation + " XVI " 231 " 22 But these words _not_ But that these + words etc. + " " " 238 " 33 roll _not_ rollester + " XVIII " 270 " 11 _delete_ he + " " " 270 " 40 otter _not_ other + " " " 280 " 20 roll _not_ rollster + " XIX " 290 " 15 _supply_ 'the' _before_ milk + " XX " 304 " 39 _read_: lying down, and she felt etc. + " XXI " 321 " 35 though he was _not_ were + " " " 324 " 12 _supply_ 'with' _after_ fumbling + " XXIII " 331 " 32 _read_: a fancy to _not_ for + " " " 338 " 13 _supply_ 'himself' _after_ + laying + " XXIII " 349 " 38 him _not_ her + " " " 353 " 39 devotes his energies to _not_ upon + " " " 361 " 1 felt _not_ fell + " " " 371 " 21 lips _not_ slips + + + + ERRATA [additional ones caught during Project Gutenberg proofreading.] + + Chap. I Page 3 Line 23: mustn't _not_ must'nt + II " 29 " 33: tranquility _not_ tranquilty + III " 44 " 2: library _not_ litrary + III " 50 " 18: neck _not_ neek + III " 50 " 19: ornaments _not_ ormaments + V " 70 " 26: consistency _not_ consisteney + V " 73 " 13: "daughter, Shou Ch'ang" _not_ + "daughter. Shou Ch'ang" + V " 86 " 15: haven't _not_ have'nt + VI " 95 " 20: You've _not_ Youv'e + VI " 95 " 34: it's _not_ its + VI " 96 " 2: come _not_ came + VII " 114 " 14: Isn't _not_ Is'nt + VIII " 121 " 17: subsequently _not_ subequently + IX " 145 " 1: consternation _not_ conternation + X " 155 " 37: night's _not_ night't + XI " 167 " 28: Isn't _not_ Is'nt + XII " 179 " 1: insistence _not_ insistance + XII " 182 " 33: affectionate _not_ affectunate + XIII " 198 " 37: roll _not_ rollster + XIV " 203 " 22: Ts'ai's _not_ T'sai's + XIV " 206 " 1: exclaimed _not_ exclained + XV " 218 " 21: each _not_ eaeh + XVI " 226 " 34: pupil _not_ purpil + XVII " 249 " 35: intertwine _not_ interwine + XVII " 252 " 29: isn't _not_ is'nt + XVII " 255 " 15: and _not_ aud + XVII " 260 " 35: unexpectedly _not_ unexpectly + XVIII " 280 " 20: roll _not_ rollster + XX " 315 " 12: three)." _not_ three." + XXI " 329 " 31: Isn't _not_ Is'nt + XXII " 341 " 11: hasn't _not_ has'nt + XXII " 344 " 16: enjoy _not_ injoy + XXII " 346 " 6: meetest _not_ metest + XXII " 346 " 20: Isn't _not_ Is'nt + XXIII " 349 " 10: difficulties _not_ diffiulties + XXIII " 356 " 1: autumnal _not_ autummal + XXIII " 356 " 41: manuscripts _not_ manscripts + XXIV " 364 " 38: back," _not_ back, + XXIV " 368 " 19: neighbours _not_ neighours + XXIV " 377 " 17: opportunity _not_ apportunity + + +[Notes on Project Gutenberg edition. The original Chinese novel was +written by Cao Xueqin. Another author later added half again as much. H. +Bencraft Joly translated only the work of the first author, essentially +two-thirds of the whole; the work ends abruptly at the end of volume II +as if he intended to go on, but the third volume was never published. +The work was not well proofread originally. There are other better and +more complete English translations, but this is the only one we could +find that is in the public domain in the USA. + +Both lists of errata have been corrected in the text. The error noted +in the original errata list as being on page 140 was actually on page +145. There were far too many punctuation errata that were corrected, +to list them all here. + +There IS such a word as 'teapoy'; it is NOT 'teapot' and it means a +three-legged table. 'Dullness' was consistently spelled 'dulness' and is +left thus. 'Decrepit' was consistently spelled 'decrepid' and is left +thus. 'Dote, dotes,' etc. was consistently spelled 'doat, doats,' etc. +and is left thus. 'License' is spelled once thus and once 'licence.' The +word 'speciality' appears only once, and that is the proper British +spelling. + +Whenever a proper name normally contained an umlaut we attempted to +supply it in the instances where it was missing; this was most common +with the name Pao-yue. There were also variations of use of apostrophes +in proper names, and many were corrected. Neither of these is +listed in the errata above.] + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, HUNG LOU MENG, BOOK I *** + +This file should be named 7hlm110.txt or 7hlm110.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 7hlm111.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 7hlm110a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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Book II (7hlm210.txt, 7hlm210.zip, 8hlm210.txt, + or 8hllm210.zip) will be found in our etext05 directory + (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext05/). + + + + +HUNG LOU MENG, BOOK I + +OR, THE DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER, A CHINESE NOVEL IN TWO BOOKS + +BY + +CAO XUEQIN + +Translated by H. BENCRAFT JOLY + + + + + + + +BOOK I. + + + + + +PREFACE. + +This translation was suggested not by any pretensions to range myself +among the ranks of the body of sinologues, but by the perplexities and +difficulties experienced by me as a student in Peking, when, at the +completion of the Tzu Erh Chi, I had to plunge in the maze of the Hung +Lou Meng. + +Shortcomings are, I feel sure, to be discovered, both in the prose, as +well as among the doggerel and uncouth rhymes, in which the text has +been more adhered to than rhythm; but I shall feel satisfied with the +result, if I succeed, even in the least degree, in affording a helping +hand to present and future students of the Chinese language. + +H. BENCRAFT JOLY, H.B.M. Vice-Consulate, Macao, 1st September, 1891. + + + + + + +THE DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Chen Shih-yin, in a vision, apprehends perception and spirituality. + Chia Yü-ts'un, in the (windy and dusty) world, cherishes fond thoughts + of a beautiful maiden. + + +This is the opening section; this the first chapter. Subsequent to the +visions of a dream which he had, on some previous occasion, experienced, +the writer personally relates, he designedly concealed the true +circumstances, and borrowed the attributes of perception and +spirituality to relate this story of the Record of the Stone. With this +purpose, he made use of such designations as Chen Shih-yin (truth under +the garb of fiction) and the like. What are, however, the events +recorded in this work? Who are the dramatis personae? + +Wearied with the drudgery experienced of late in the world, the author +speaking for himself, goes on to explain, with the lack of success which +attended every single concern, I suddenly bethought myself of the +womankind of past ages. Passing one by one under a minute scrutiny, I +felt that in action and in lore, one and all were far above me; that in +spite of the majesty of my manliness, I could not, in point of fact, +compare with these characters of the gentle sex. And my shame forsooth +then knew no bounds; while regret, on the other hand, was of no avail, +as there was not even a remote possibility of a day of remedy. + +On this very day it was that I became desirous to compile, in a +connected form, for publication throughout the world, with a view to +(universal) information, how that I bear inexorable and manifold +retribution; inasmuch as what time, by the sustenance of the benevolence +of Heaven, and the virtue of my ancestors, my apparel was rich and fine, +and as what days my fare was savory and sumptuous, I disregarded the +bounty of education and nurture of father and mother, and paid no heed +to the virtue of precept and injunction of teachers and friends, with +the result that I incurred the punishment, of failure recently in the +least trifle, and the reckless waste of half my lifetime. There have +been meanwhile, generation after generation, those in the inner +chambers, the whole mass of whom could not, on any account, be, through +my influence, allowed to fall into extinction, in order that I, unfilial +as I have been, may have the means to screen my own shortcomings. + +Hence it is that the thatched shed, with bamboo mat windows, the bed of +tow and the stove of brick, which are at present my share, are not +sufficient to deter me from carrying out the fixed purpose of my mind. +And could I, furthermore, confront the morning breeze, the evening moon, +the willows by the steps and the flowers in the courtyard, methinks +these would moisten to a greater degree my mortal pen with ink; but +though I lack culture and erudition, what harm is there, however, in +employing fiction and unrecondite language to give utterance to the +merits of these characters? And were I also able to induce the inmates +of the inner chamber to understand and diffuse them, could I besides +break the weariness of even so much as a single moment, or could I open +the eyes of my contemporaries, will it not forsooth prove a boon? + +This consideration has led to the usage of such names as Chia Yü-ts'un +and other similar appellations. + +More than any in these pages have been employed such words as dreams and +visions; but these dreams constitute the main argument of this work, and +combine, furthermore, the design of giving a word of warning to my +readers. + +Reader, can you suggest whence the story begins? + +The narration may border on the limits of incoherency and triviality, +but it possesses considerable zest. But to begin. + +The Empress Nü Wo, (the goddess of works,) in fashioning blocks of +stones, for the repair of the heavens, prepared, at the Ta Huang Hills +and Wu Ch'i cave, 36,501 blocks of rough stone, each twelve chang in +height, and twenty-four chang square. Of these stones, the Empress Wo +only used 36,500; so that one single block remained over and above, +without being turned to any account. This was cast down the Ch'ing Keng +peak. This stone, strange to say, after having undergone a process of +refinement, attained a nature of efficiency, and could, by its innate +powers, set itself into motion and was able to expand and to contract. + +When it became aware that the whole number of blocks had been made use +of to repair the heavens, that it alone had been destitute of the +necessary properties and had been unfit to attain selection, it +forthwith felt within itself vexation and shame, and day and night, it +gave way to anguish and sorrow. + +One day, while it lamented its lot, it suddenly caught sight, at a great +distance, of a Buddhist bonze and of a Taoist priest coming towards that +direction. Their appearance was uncommon, their easy manner remarkable. +When they drew near this Ch'ing Keng peak, they sat on the ground to +rest, and began to converse. But on noticing the block newly-polished +and brilliantly clear, which had moreover contracted in dimensions, and +become no larger than the pendant of a fan, they were greatly filled +with admiration. The Buddhist priest picked it up, and laid it in the +palm of his hand. + +"Your appearance," he said laughingly, "may well declare you to be a +supernatural object, but as you lack any inherent quality it is +necessary to inscribe a few characters on you, so that every one who +shall see you may at once recognise you to be a remarkable thing. And +subsequently, when you will be taken into a country where honour and +affluence will reign, into a family cultured in mind and of official +status, in a land where flowers and trees shall flourish with +luxuriance, in a town of refinement, renown and glory; when you once +will have been there..." + +The stone listened with intense delight. + +"What characters may I ask," it consequently inquired, "will you +inscribe? and what place will I be taken to? pray, pray explain to me in +lucid terms." "You mustn't be inquisitive," the bonze replied, with a +smile, "in days to come you'll certainly understand everything." Having +concluded these words, he forthwith put the stone in his sleeve, and +proceeded leisurely on his journey, in company with the Taoist priest. +Whither, however, he took the stone, is not divulged. Nor can it be +known how many centuries and ages elapsed, before a Taoist priest, K'ung +K'ung by name, passed, during his researches after the eternal reason +and his quest after immortality, by these Ta Huang Hills, Wu Ch'i cave +and Ch'ing Keng Peak. Suddenly perceiving a large block of stone, on the +surface of which the traces of characters giving, in a connected form, +the various incidents of its fate, could be clearly deciphered, K'ung +K'ung examined them from first to last. They, in fact, explained how +that this block of worthless stone had originally been devoid of the +properties essential for the repairs to the heavens, how it would be +transmuted into human form and introduced by Mang Mang the High Lord, +and Miao Miao, the Divine, into the world of mortals, and how it would +be led over the other bank (across the San Sara). On the surface, the +record of the spot where it would fall, the place of its birth, as well +as various family trifles and trivial love affairs of young ladies, +verses, odes, speeches and enigmas was still complete; but the name of +the dynasty and the year of the reign were obliterated, and could not be +ascertained. + +On the obverse, were also the following enigmatical verses: + + Lacking in virtues meet the azure skies to mend, + In vain the mortal world full many a year I wend, + Of a former and after life these facts that be, + Who will for a tradition strange record for me? + +K'ung K'ung, the Taoist, having pondered over these lines for a while, +became aware that this stone had a history of some kind. + +"Brother stone," he forthwith said, addressing the stone, "the concerns +of past days recorded on you possess, according to your own account, a +considerable amount of interest, and have been for this reason +inscribed, with the intent of soliciting generations to hand them down +as remarkable occurrences. But in my own opinion, they lack, in the +first place, any data by means of which to establish the name of the +Emperor and the year of his reign; and, in the second place, these +constitute no record of any excellent policy, adopted by any high +worthies or high loyal statesmen, in the government of the state, or in +the rule of public morals. The contents simply treat of a certain number +of maidens, of exceptional character; either of their love affairs or +infatuations, or of their small deserts or insignificant talents; and +were I to transcribe the whole collection of them, they would, +nevertheless, not be estimated as a book of any exceptional worth." + +"Sir Priest," the stone replied with assurance, "why are you so +excessively dull? The dynasties recorded in the rustic histories, which +have been written from age to age, have, I am fain to think, invariably +assumed, under false pretences, the mere nomenclature of the Han and +T'ang dynasties. They differ from the events inscribed on my block, +which do not borrow this customary practice, but, being based on my own +experiences and natural feelings, present, on the contrary, a novel and +unique character. Besides, in the pages of these rustic histories, +either the aspersions upon sovereigns and statesmen, or the strictures +upon individuals, their wives, and their daughters, or the deeds of +licentiousness and violence are too numerous to be computed. Indeed, +there is one more kind of loose literature, the wantonness and pollution +in which work most easy havoc upon youth. + +"As regards the works, in which the characters of scholars and beauties +is delineated their allusions are again repeatedly of Wen Chün, their +theme in every page of Tzu Chien; a thousand volumes present no +diversity; and a thousand characters are but a counterpart of each +other. What is more, these works, throughout all their pages, cannot +help bordering on extreme licence. The authors, however, had no other +object in view than to give utterance to a few sentimental odes and +elegant ballads of their own, and for this reason they have fictitiously +invented the names and surnames of both men and women, and necessarily +introduced, in addition, some low characters, who should, like a buffoon +in a play, create some excitement in the plot. + +"Still more loathsome is a kind of pedantic and profligate literature, +perfectly devoid of all natural sentiment, full of self-contradictions; +and, in fact, the contrast to those maidens in my work, whom I have, +during half my lifetime, seen with my own eyes and heard with my own +ears. And though I will not presume to estimate them as superior to the +heroes and heroines in the works of former ages, yet the perusal of the +motives and issues of their experiences, may likewise afford matter +sufficient to banish dulness, and to break the spell of melancholy. + +"As regards the several stanzas of doggerel verse, they may too evoke +such laughter as to compel the reader to blurt out the rice, and to +spurt out the wine. + +"In these pages, the scenes depicting the anguish of separation, the +bliss of reunion, and the fortunes of prosperity and of adversity are +all, in every detail, true to human nature, and I have not taken upon +myself to make the slightest addition, or alteration, which might lead +to the perversion of the truth. + +"My only object has been that men may, after a drinking bout, or after +they wake from sleep or when in need of relaxation from the pressure of +business, take up this light literature, and not only expunge the traces +of antiquated books, and obtain a new kind of distraction, but that they +may also lay by a long life as well as energy and strength; for it bears +no point of similarity to those works, whose designs are false, whose +course is immoral. Now, Sir Priest, what are your views on the subject?" + +K'ung K'ung having pondered for a while over the words, to which he had +listened intently, re-perused, throughout, this record of the stone; and +finding that the general purport consisted of nought else than a +treatise on love, and likewise of an accurate transcription of facts, +without the least taint of profligacy injurious to the times, he +thereupon copied the contents, from beginning to end, to the intent of +charging the world to hand them down as a strange story. + +Hence it was that K'ung K'ung, the Taoist, in consequence of his +perception, (in his state of) abstraction, of passion, the generation, +from this passion, of voluptuousness, the transmission of this +voluptuousness into passion, and the apprehension, by means of passion, +of its unreality, forthwith altered his name for that of "Ch'ing Tseng" +(the Voluptuous Bonze), and changed the title of "the Memoir of a Stone" +(Shih-t'ou-chi,) for that of "Ch'ing Tseng Lu," The Record of the +Voluptuous Bonze; while K'ung Mei-chi of Tung Lu gave it the name of +"Feng Yüeh Pao Chien," "The Precious Mirror of Voluptuousness." In later +years, owing to the devotion by Tsao Hsüeh-ch'in in the Tao Hung study, +of ten years to the perusal and revision of the work, the additions and +modifications effected by him five times, the affix of an index and the +division into periods and chapters, the book was again entitled "Chin +Ling Shih Erh Ch'ai," "The Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling." A stanza was +furthermore composed for the purpose. This then, and no other, is the +origin of the Record of the Stone. The poet says appositely:-- + + Pages full of silly litter, + Tears a handful sour and bitter; + All a fool the author hold, + But their zest who can unfold? + +You have now understood the causes which brought about the Record of the +Stone, but as you are not, as yet, aware what characters are depicted, +and what circumstances are related on the surface of the block, reader, +please lend an ear to the narrative on the stone, which runs as +follows:-- + +In old days, the land in the South East lay low. In this South-East part +of the world, was situated a walled town, Ku Su by name. Within the +walls a locality, called the Ch'ang Men, was more than all others +throughout the mortal world, the centre, which held the second, if not +the first place for fashion and life. Beyond this Ch'ang Men was a +street called Shih-li-chieh (Ten _Li_ street); in this street a lane, +the Jen Ch'ing lane (Humanity and Purity); and in this lane stood an old +temple, which on account of its diminutive dimensions, was called, by +general consent, the Gourd temple. Next door to this temple lived the +family of a district official, Chen by surname, Fei by name, and +Shih-yin by style. His wife, née Feng, possessed a worthy and virtuous +disposition, and had a clear perception of moral propriety and good +conduct. This family, though not in actual possession of excessive +affluence and honours, was, nevertheless, in their district, conceded to +be a clan of well-to-do standing. As this Chen Shih-yin was of a +contented and unambitious frame of mind, and entertained no hankering +after any official distinction, but day after day of his life took +delight in gazing at flowers, planting bamboos, sipping his wine and +conning poetical works, he was in fact, in the indulgence of these +pursuits, as happy as a supernatural being. + +One thing alone marred his happiness. He had lived over half a century +and had, as yet, no male offspring around his knees. He had one only +child, a daughter, whose infant name was Ying Lien. She was just three +years of age. On a long summer day, on which the heat had been intense, +Shih-yin sat leisurely in his library. Feeling his hand tired, he +dropped the book he held, leant his head on a teapoy, and fell asleep. + +Of a sudden, while in this state of unconsciousness, it seemed as if he +had betaken himself on foot to some spot or other whither he could not +discriminate. Unexpectedly he espied, in the opposite direction, two +priests coming towards him: the one a Buddhist, the other a Taoist. As +they advanced they kept up the conversation in which they were engaged. +"Whither do you purpose taking the object you have brought away?" he +heard the Taoist inquire. To this question the Buddhist replied with a +smile: "Set your mind at ease," he said; "there's now in maturity a plot +of a general character involving mundane pleasures, which will presently +come to a denouement. The whole number of the votaries of voluptuousness +have, as yet, not been quickened or entered the world, and I mean to +avail myself of this occasion to introduce this object among their +number, so as to give it a chance to go through the span of human +existence." "The votaries of voluptuousness of these days will naturally +have again to endure the ills of life during their course through the +mortal world," the Taoist remarked; "but when, I wonder, will they +spring into existence? and in what place will they descend?" + +"The account of these circumstances," the bonze ventured to reply, "is +enough to make you laugh! They amount to this: there existed in the +west, on the bank of the Ling (spiritual) river, by the side of the San +Sheng (thrice-born) stone, a blade of the Chiang Chu (purple pearl) +grass. At about the same time it was that the block of stone was, +consequent upon its rejection by the goddess of works, also left to +ramble and wander to its own gratification, and to roam about at +pleasure to every and any place. One day it came within the precincts of +the Ching Huan (Monitory Vision) Fairy; and this Fairy, cognizant of the +fact that this stone had a history, detained it, therefore, to reside at +the Ch'ih Hsia (purple clouds) palace, and apportioned to it the duties +of attendant on Shen Ying, a fairy of the Ch'ih Hsia palace. + +"This stone would, however, often stroll along the banks of the Ling +river, and having at the sight of the blade of spiritual grass been +filled with admiration, it, day by day, moistened its roots with sweet +dew. This purple pearl grass, at the outset, tarried for months and +years; but being at a later period imbued with the essence and +luxuriance of heaven and earth, and having incessantly received the +moisture and nurture of the sweet dew, divested itself, in course of +time, of the form of a grass; assuming, in lieu, a human nature, which +gradually became perfected into the person of a girl. + +"Every day she was wont to wander beyond the confines of the Li Hen +(divested animosities) heavens. When hungry she fed on the Pi Ch'ing +(hidden love) fruit--when thirsty she drank the Kuan ch'ou (discharged +sorrows,) water. Having, however, up to this time, not shewn her +gratitude for the virtue of nurture lavished upon her, the result was +but natural that she should resolve in her heart upon a constant and +incessant purpose to make suitable acknowledgment. + +"I have been," she would often commune within herself, "the recipient of +the gracious bounty of rain and dew, but I possess no such water as was +lavished upon me to repay it! But should it ever descend into the world +in the form of a human being, I will also betake myself thither, along +with it; and if I can only have the means of making restitution to it, +with the tears of a whole lifetime, I may be able to make adequate +return." + +"This resolution it is that will evolve the descent into the world of so +many pleasure-bound spirits of retribution and the experience of +fantastic destinies; and this crimson pearl blade will also be among the +number. The stone still lies in its original place, and why should not +you and I take it along before the tribunal of the Monitory Vision +Fairy, and place on its behalf its name on record, so that it should +descend into the world, in company with these spirits of passion, and +bring this plot to an issue?" + +"It is indeed ridiculous," interposed the Taoist. "Never before have I +heard even the very mention of restitution by means of tears! Why should +not you and I avail ourselves of this opportunity to likewise go down +into the world? and if successful in effecting the salvation of a few of +them, will it not be a work meritorious and virtuous?" + +"This proposal," remarked the Buddhist, "is quite in harmony with my own +views. Come along then with me to the palace of the Monitory Vision +Fairy, and let us deliver up this good-for-nothing object, and have done +with it! And when the company of pleasure-bound spirits of wrath descend +into human existence, you and I can then enter the world. Half of them +have already fallen into the dusty universe, but the whole number of +them have not, as yet, come together." + +"Such being the case," the Taoist acquiesced, "I am ready to follow you, +whenever you please to go." + +But to return to Chen Shih-yin. Having heard every one of these words +distinctly, he could not refrain from forthwith stepping forward and +paying homage. "My spiritual lords," he said, as he smiled, "accept my +obeisance." The Buddhist and Taoist priests lost no time in responding +to the compliment, and they exchanged the usual salutations. "My +spiritual lords," Shih-yin continued; "I have just heard the +conversation that passed between you, on causes and effects, a +conversation the like of which few mortals have forsooth listened to; +but your younger brother is sluggish of intellect, and cannot lucidly +fathom the import! Yet could this dulness and simplicity be graciously +dispelled, your younger brother may, by listening minutely, with +undefiled ear and careful attention, to a certain degree be aroused to a +sense of understanding; and what is more, possibly find the means of +escaping the anguish of sinking down into Hades." + +The two spirits smiled, "The conversation," they added, "refers to the +primordial scheme and cannot be divulged before the proper season; but, +when the time comes, mind do not forget us two, and you will readily be +able to escape from the fiery furnace." + +Shih-yin, after this reply, felt it difficult to make any further +inquiries. "The primordial scheme," he however remarked smiling, +"cannot, of course, be divulged; but what manner of thing, I wonder, is +the good-for-nothing object you alluded to a short while back? May I not +be allowed to judge for myself?" + +"This object about which you ask," the Buddhist Bonze responded, "is +intended, I may tell you, by fate to be just glanced at by you." With +these words he produced it, and handed it over to Shih-yin. + +Shih-yin received it. On scrutiny he found it, in fact, to be a +beautiful gem, so lustrous and so clear that the traces of characters on +the surface were distinctly visible. The characters inscribed consisted +of the four "T'ung Ling Pao Yü," "Precious Gem of Spiritual Perception." +On the obverse, were also several columns of minute words, which he was +just in the act of looking at intently, when the Buddhist at once +expostulated. + +"We have already reached," he exclaimed, "the confines of vision." +Snatching it violently out of his hands, he walked away with the Taoist, +under a lofty stone portal, on the face of which appeared in large type +the four characters: "T'ai Hsü Huan Ching," "The Visionary limits of the +Great Void." On each side was a scroll with the lines: + + When falsehood stands for truth, truth likewise becomes false, + Where naught be made to aught, aught changes into naught. + +Shih-yin meant also to follow them on the other side, but, as he was +about to make one step forward, he suddenly heard a crash, just as if +the mountains had fallen into ruins, and the earth sunk into +destruction. As Shih-yin uttered a loud shout, he looked with strained +eye; but all he could see was the fiery sun shining, with glowing rays, +while the banana leaves drooped their heads. By that time, half of the +circumstances connected with the dream he had had, had already slipped +from his memory. + +He also noticed a nurse coming towards him with Ying Lien in her arms. +To Shih-yin's eyes his daughter appeared even more beautiful, such a +bright gem, so precious, and so lovable. Forthwith stretching out his +arms, he took her over, and, as he held her in his embrace, he coaxed +her to play with him for a while; after which he brought her up to the +street to see the great stir occasioned by the procession that was going +past. + +He was about to come in, when he caught sight of two priests, one a +Taoist, the other a Buddhist, coming hither from the opposite direction. +The Buddhist had a head covered with mange, and went barefooted. The +Taoist had a limping foot, and his hair was all dishevelled. + +Like maniacs, they jostled along, chattering and laughing as they drew +near. + +As soon as they reached Shih-yin's door, and they perceived him with +Ying Lien in his arms, the Bonze began to weep aloud. + +Turning towards Shih-yin, he said to him: "My good Sir, why need you +carry in your embrace this living but luckless thing, which will involve +father and mother in trouble?" + +These words did not escape Shih-yin's ear; but persuaded that they +amounted to raving talk, he paid no heed whatever to the bonze. + +"Part with her and give her to me," the Buddhist still went on to say. + +Shih-yin could not restrain his annoyance; and hastily pressing his +daughter closer to him, he was intent upon going in, when the bonze +pointed his hand at him, and burst out in a loud fit of laughter. + +He then gave utterance to the four lines that follow: + + You indulge your tender daughter and are laughed at as inane; + Vain you face the snow, oh mirror! for it will evanescent wane, + When the festival of lanterns is gone by, guard 'gainst your doom, + 'Tis what time the flames will kindle, and the fire will consume. + +Shih-yin understood distinctly the full import of what he heard; but his +heart was still full of conjectures. He was about to inquire who and +what they were, when he heard the Taoist remark,--"You and I cannot +speed together; let us now part company, and each of us will be then +able to go after his own business. After the lapse of three ages, I +shall be at the Pei Mang mount, waiting for you; and we can, after our +reunion, betake ourselves to the Visionary Confines of the Great Void, +there to cancel the name of the stone from the records." + +"Excellent! first rate!" exclaimed the Bonze. And at the conclusion of +these words, the two men parted, each going his own way, and no trace +was again seen of them. + +"These two men," Shih-yin then pondered within his heart, "must have had +many experiences, and I ought really to have made more inquiries of +them; but at this juncture to indulge in regret is anyhow too late." + +While Shih-yin gave way to these foolish reflections, he suddenly +noticed the arrival of a penniless scholar, Chia by surname, Hua by +name, Shih-fei by style and Yü-ts'un by nickname, who had taken up his +quarters in the Gourd temple next door. This Chia Yü-ts'un was +originally a denizen of Hu-Chow, and was also of literary and official +parentage, but as he was born of the youngest stock, and the possessions +of his paternal and maternal ancestors were completely exhausted, and +his parents and relatives were dead, he remained the sole and only +survivor; and, as he found his residence in his native place of no +avail, he therefore entered the capital in search of that reputation, +which would enable him to put the family estate on a proper standing. He +had arrived at this place since the year before last, and had, what is +more, lived all along in very straitened circumstances. He had made the +temple his temporary quarters, and earned a living by daily occupying +himself in composing documents and writing letters for customers. Thus +it was that Shih-yin had been in constant relations with him. + +As soon as Yü-ts'un perceived Shih-yin, he lost no time in saluting him. +"My worthy Sir," he observed with a forced smile; "how is it you are +leaning against the door and looking out? Is there perchance any news +astir in the streets, or in the public places?" + +"None whatever," replied Shih-yin, as he returned the smile. "Just a +while back, my young daughter was in sobs, and I coaxed her out here to +amuse her. I am just now without anything whatever to attend to, so +that, dear brother Chia, you come just in the nick of time. Please walk +into my mean abode, and let us endeavour, in each other's company, to +while away this long summer day." + +After he had made this remark, he bade a servant take his daughter in, +while he, hand-in-hand with Yü-ts'un, walked into the library, where a +young page served tea. They had hardly exchanged a few sentences, when +one of the household came in, in flying haste, to announce that Mr. Yen +had come to pay a visit. + +Shih-yin at once stood up. "Pray excuse my rudeness," he remarked +apologetically, "but do sit down; I shall shortly rejoin you, and enjoy +the pleasure of your society." "My dear Sir," answered Yü-ts'un, as he +got up, also in a conceding way, "suit your own convenience. I've often +had the honour of being your guest, and what will it matter if I wait a +little?" While these apologies were yet being spoken, Shih-yin had +already walked out into the front parlour. During his absence, Yü-ts'un +occupied himself in turning over the pages of some poetical work to +dispel ennui, when suddenly he heard, outside the window, a woman's +cough. Yü-ts'un hurriedly got up and looked out. He saw at a glance that +it was a servant girl engaged in picking flowers. Her deportment was out +of the common; her eyes so bright, her eyebrows so well defined. Though +not a perfect beauty, she possessed nevertheless charms sufficient to +arouse the feelings. Yü-ts'un unwittingly gazed at her with fixed eye. +This waiting-maid, belonging to the Chen family, had done picking +flowers, and was on the point of going in, when she of a sudden raised +her eyes and became aware of the presence of some person inside the +window, whose head-gear consisted of a turban in tatters, while his +clothes were the worse for wear. But in spite of his poverty, he was +naturally endowed with a round waist, a broad back, a fat face, a square +mouth; added to this, his eyebrows were swordlike, his eyes resembled +stars, his nose was straight, his cheeks square. + +This servant girl turned away in a hurry and made her escape. + +"This man so burly and strong," she communed within herself, "yet at the +same time got up in such poor attire, must, I expect, be no one else +than the man, whose name is Chia Yü-ts'un or such like, time after time +referred to by my master, and to whom he has repeatedly wished to give a +helping hand, but has failed to find a favourable opportunity. And as +related to our family there is no connexion or friend in such straits, I +feel certain it cannot be any other person than he. Strange to say, my +master has further remarked that this man will, for a certainty, not +always continue in such a state of destitution." + +As she indulged in this train of thought, she could not restrain herself +from turning her head round once or twice. + +When Yü-ts'un perceived that she had looked back, he readily interpreted +it as a sign that in her heart her thoughts had been of him, and he was +frantic with irrepressible joy. + +"This girl," he mused, "is, no doubt, keen-eyed and eminently shrewd, +and one in this world who has seen through me." + +The servant youth, after a short time, came into the room; and when +Yü-ts'un made inquiries and found out from him that the guests in the +front parlour had been detained to dinner, he could not very well wait +any longer, and promptly walked away down a side passage and out of a +back door. + +When the guests had taken their leave, Shih-yin did not go back to +rejoin Yü-ts'un, as he had come to know that he had already left. + +In time the mid-autumn festivities drew near; and Shih-yin, after the +family banquet was over, had a separate table laid in the library, and +crossed over, in the moonlight, as far as the temple and invited +Yü-ts'un to come round. + +The fact is that Yü-ts'un, ever since the day on which he had seen the +girl of the Chen family turn twice round to glance at him, flattered +himself that she was friendly disposed towards him, and incessantly +fostered fond thoughts of her in his heart. And on this day, which +happened to be the mid-autumn feast, he could not, as he gazed at the +moon, refrain from cherishing her remembrance. Hence it was that he gave +vent to these pentameter verses: + + Alas! not yet divined my lifelong wish, + And anguish ceaseless comes upon anguish + I came, and sad at heart, my brow I frowned; + She went, and oft her head to look turned round. + Facing the breeze, her shadow she doth watch, + Who's meet this moonlight night with her to match? + The lustrous rays if they my wish but read + Would soon alight upon her beauteous head! + +Yü-ts'un having, after this recitation, recalled again to mind how that +throughout his lifetime his literary attainments had had an adverse fate +and not met with an opportunity (of reaping distinction), went on to rub +his brow, and as he raised his eyes to the skies, he heaved a deep sigh +and once more intoned a couplet aloud: + + The gem in the cask a high price it seeks, + The pin in the case to take wing it waits. + +As luck would have it, Shih-yin was at the moment approaching, and upon +hearing the lines, he said with a smile: "My dear Yü-ts'un, really your +attainments are of no ordinary capacity." + +Yü-ts'un lost no time in smiling and replying. "It would be presumption +in my part to think so," he observed. "I was simply at random humming a +few verses composed by former writers, and what reason is there to laud +me to such an excessive degree? To what, my dear Sir, do I owe the +pleasure of your visit?" he went on to inquire. "Tonight," replied +Shih-yin, "is the mid-autumn feast, generally known as the full-moon +festival; and as I could not help thinking that living, as you my worthy +brother are, as a mere stranger in this Buddhist temple, you could not +but experience the feeling of loneliness. I have, for the express +purpose, prepared a small entertainment, and will be pleased if you will +come to my mean abode to have a glass of wine. But I wonder whether you +will entertain favourably my modest invitation?" Yü-ts'un, after +listening to the proposal, put forward no refusal of any sort; but +remarked complacently: "Being the recipient of such marked attention, +how can I presume to repel your generous consideration?" + +As he gave expression to these words, he walked off there and then, in +company with Shih-yin, and came over once again into the court in front +of the library. In a few minutes, tea was over. + +The cups and dishes had been laid from an early hour, and needless to +say the wines were luscious; the fare sumptuous. + +The two friends took their seats. At first they leisurely replenished +their glasses, and quietly sipped their wine; but as, little by little, +they entered into conversation, their good cheer grew more genial, and +unawares the glasses began to fly round, and the cups to be exchanged. + +At this very hour, in every house of the neighbourhood, sounded the fife +and lute, while the inmates indulged in music and singing. Above head, +the orb of the radiant moon shone with an all-pervading splendour, and +with a steady lustrous light, while the two friends, as their exuberance +increased, drained their cups dry so soon as they reached their lips. + +Yü-ts'un, at this stage of the collation, was considerably under the +influence of wine, and the vehemence of his high spirits was +irrepressible. As he gazed at the moon, he fostered thoughts, to which +he gave vent by the recital of a double couplet. + + 'Tis what time three meets five, Selene is a globe! + Her pure rays fill the court, the jadelike rails enrobe! + Lo! in the heavens her disk to view doth now arise, + And in the earth below to gaze men lift their eyes. + +"Excellent!" cried Shih-yin with a loud voice, after he had heard these +lines; "I have repeatedly maintained that it was impossible for you to +remain long inferior to any, and now the verses you have recited are a +prognostic of your rapid advancement. Already it is evident that, before +long, you will extend your footsteps far above the clouds! I must +congratulate you! I must congratulate you! Let me, with my own hands, +pour a glass of wine to pay you my compliments." + +Yü-ts'un drained the cup. "What I am about to say," he explained as he +suddenly heaved a sigh, "is not the maudlin talk of a man under the +effects of wine. As far as the subjects at present set in the +examinations go, I could, perchance, also have well been able to enter +the list, and to send in my name as a candidate; but I have, just now, +no means whatever to make provision for luggage and for travelling +expenses. The distance too to Shen Ching is a long one, and I could not +depend upon the sale of papers or the composition of essays to find the +means of getting there." + +Shih-yin gave him no time to conclude. "Why did you not speak about this +sooner?" he interposed with haste. "I have long entertained this +suspicion; but as, whenever I met you, this conversation was never +broached, I did not presume to make myself officious. But if such be the +state of affairs just now, I lack, I admit, literary qualification, but +on the two subjects of friendly spirit and pecuniary means, I have, +nevertheless, some experience. Moreover, I rejoice that next year is +just the season for the triennial examinations, and you should start for +the capital with all despatch; and in the tripos next spring, you will, +by carrying the prize, be able to do justice to the proficiency you can +boast of. As regards the travelling expenses and the other items, the +provision of everything necessary for you by my own self will again not +render nugatory your mean acquaintance with me." + +Forthwith, he directed a servant lad to go and pack up at once fifty +taels of pure silver and two suits of winter clothes. + +"The nineteenth," he continued, "is a propitious day, and you should +lose no time in hiring a boat and starting on your journey westwards. +And when, by your eminent talents, you shall have soared high to a lofty +position, and we meet again next winter, will not the occasion be +extremely felicitous?" + +Yü-ts'un accepted the money and clothes with but scanty expression of +gratitude. In fact, he paid no thought whatever to the gifts, but went +on, again drinking his wine, as he chattered and laughed. + +It was only when the third watch of that day had already struck that the +two friends parted company; and Shih-yin, after seeing Yü-ts'un off, +retired to his room and slept, with one sleep all through, never waking +until the sun was well up in the skies. + +Remembering the occurrence of the previous night, he meant to write a +couple of letters of recommendation for Yü-ts'un to take along with him +to the capital, to enable him, after handing them over at the mansions +of certain officials, to find some place as a temporary home. He +accordingly despatched a servant to ask him to come round, but the man +returned and reported that from what the bonze said, "Mr. Chia had +started on his journey to the capital, at the fifth watch of that very +morning, that he had also left a message with the bonze to deliver to +you, Sir, to the effect that men of letters paid no heed to lucky or +unlucky days, that the sole consideration with them was the nature of +the matter in hand, and that he could find no time to come round in +person and bid good-bye." + +Shih-yin after hearing this message had no alternative but to banish the +subject from his thoughts. + +In comfortable circumstances, time indeed goes by with easy stride. Soon +drew near also the happy festival of the 15th of the 1st moon, and +Shih-yin told a servant Huo Ch'i to take Ying Lien to see the +sacrificial fires and flowery lanterns. + +About the middle of the night, Huo Ch'i was hard pressed, and he +forthwith set Ying Lien down on the doorstep of a certain house. When he +felt relieved, he came back to take her up, but failed to find anywhere +any trace of Ying Lien. In a terrible plight, Huo Ch'i prosecuted his +search throughout half the night; but even by the dawn of day, he had +not discovered any clue of her whereabouts. Huo Ch'i, lacking, on the +other hand, the courage to go back and face his master, promptly made +his escape to his native village. + +Shih-yin--in fact, the husband as well as the wife--seeing that their +child had not come home during the whole night, readily concluded that +some mishap must have befallen her. Hastily they despatched several +servants to go in search of her, but one and all returned to report that +there was neither vestige nor tidings of her. + +This couple had only had this child, and this at the meridian of their +life, so that her sudden disappearance plunged them in such great +distress that day and night they mourned her loss to such a point as to +well nigh pay no heed to their very lives. + +A month in no time went by. Shih-yin was the first to fall ill, and his +wife, Dame Feng, likewise, by dint of fretting for her daughter, was +also prostrated with sickness. The doctor was, day after day, sent for, +and the oracle consulted by means of divination. + +Little did any one think that on this day, being the 15th of the 3rd +moon, while the sacrificial oblations were being prepared in the Hu Lu +temple, a pan with oil would have caught fire, through the want of care +on the part of the bonze, and that in a short time the flames would have +consumed the paper pasted on the windows. + +Among the natives of this district bamboo fences and wooden partitions +were in general use, and these too proved a source of calamity so +ordained by fate (to consummate this decree). + +With promptness (the fire) extended to two buildings, then enveloped +three, then dragged four (into ruin), and then spread to five houses, +until the whole street was in a blaze, resembling the flames of a +volcano. Though both the military and the people at once ran to the +rescue, the fire had already assumed a serious hold, so that it was +impossible for them to afford any effective assistance for its +suppression. + +It blazed away straight through the night, before it was extinguished, +and consumed, there is in fact no saying how many dwelling houses. +Anyhow, pitiful to relate, the Chen house, situated as it was next door +to the temple, was, at an early part of the evening, reduced to a heap +of tiles and bricks; and nothing but the lives of that couple and +several inmates of the family did not sustain any injuries. + +Shih-yin was in despair, but all he could do was to stamp his feet and +heave deep sighs. After consulting with his wife, they betook themselves +to a farm of theirs, where they took up their quarters temporarily. But +as it happened that water had of late years been scarce, and no crops +been reaped, robbers and thieves had sprung up like bees, and though the +Government troops were bent upon their capture, it was anyhow difficult +to settle down quietly on the farm. He therefore had no other resource +than to convert, at a loss, the whole of his property into money, and to +take his wife and two servant girls and come over for shelter to the +house of his father-in-law. + +His father-in-law, Feng Su, by name, was a native of Ta Ju Chou. +Although only a labourer, he was nevertheless in easy circumstances at +home. When he on this occasion saw his son-in-law come to him in such +distress, he forthwith felt at heart considerable displeasure. +Fortunately Shih-yin had still in his possession the money derived from +the unprofitable realization of his property, so that he produced and +handed it to his father-in-law, commissioning him to purchase, whenever +a suitable opportunity presented itself, a house and land as a provision +for food and raiment against days to come. This Feng Su, however, only +expended the half of the sum, and pocketed the other half, merely +acquiring for him some fallow land and a dilapidated house. + +Shih-yin being, on the other hand, a man of books and with no experience +in matters connected with business and with sowing and reaping, +subsisted, by hook and by crook, for about a year or two, when he became +more impoverished. + +In his presence, Feng Su would readily give vent to specious utterances, +while, with others, and behind his back, he on the contrary expressed +his indignation against his improvidence in his mode of living, and +against his sole delight of eating and playing the lazy. + +Shih-yin, aware of the want of harmony with his father-in-law, could not +help giving way, in his own heart, to feelings of regret and pain. In +addition to this, the fright and vexation which he had undergone the +year before, the anguish and suffering (he had had to endure), had +already worked havoc (on his constitution); and being a man advanced in +years, and assailed by the joint attack of poverty and disease, he at +length gradually began to display symptoms of decline. + +Strange coincidence, as he, on this day, came leaning on his staff and +with considerable strain, as far as the street for a little relaxation, +he suddenly caught sight, approaching from the off side, of a Taoist +priest with a crippled foot; his maniac appearance so repulsive, his +shoes of straw, his dress all in tatters, muttering several sentiments +to this effect: + + All men spiritual life know to be good, + But fame to disregard they ne'er succeed! + From old till now the statesmen where are they? + Waste lie their graves, a heap of grass, extinct. + All men spiritual life know to be good, + But to forget gold, silver, ill succeed! + Through life they grudge their hoardings to be scant, + And when plenty has come, their eyelids close. + All men spiritual life hold to be good, + Yet to forget wives, maids, they ne'er succeed! + Who speak of grateful love while lives their lord, + And dead their lord, another they pursue. + All men spiritual life know to be good, + But sons and grandsons to forget never succeed! + From old till now of parents soft many, + But filial sons and grandsons who have seen? + +Shih-yin upon hearing these words, hastily came up to the priest, "What +were you so glibly holding forth?" he inquired. "All I could hear were a +lot of hao liao (excellent, finality.") + +"You may well have heard the two words 'hao liao,'" answered the Taoist +with a smile, "but can you be said to have fathomed their meaning? You +should know that all things in this world are excellent, when they have +attained finality; when they have attained finality, they are excellent; +but when they have not attained finality, they are not excellent; if +they would be excellent, they should attain finality. My song is +entitled Excellent-finality (hao liao)." + +Shih-yin was gifted with a natural perspicacity that enabled him, as +soon as he heard these remarks, to grasp their spirit. + +"Wait a while," he therefore said smilingly; "let me unravel this +excellent-finality song of yours; do you mind?" + +"Please by all means go on with the interpretation," urged the Taoist; +whereupon Shih-yin proceeded in this strain: + + Sordid rooms and vacant courts, + Replete in years gone by with beds where statesmen lay; + Parched grass and withered banian trees, + Where once were halls for song and dance! + Spiders' webs the carved pillars intertwine, + The green gauze now is also pasted on the straw windows! + What about the cosmetic fresh concocted or the powder just scented; + Why has the hair too on each temple become white like hoarfrost! + Yesterday the tumulus of yellow earth buried the bleached bones, + To-night under the red silk curtain reclines the couple! + Gold fills the coffers, silver fills the boxes, + But in a twinkle, the beggars will all abuse you! + While you deplore that the life of others is not long, + You forget that you yourself are approaching death! + You educate your sons with all propriety, + But they may some day, 'tis hard to say become thieves; + Though you choose (your fare and home) the fatted beam, + You may, who can say, fall into some place of easy virtue! + Through your dislike of the gauze hat as mean, + You have come to be locked in a cangue; + Yesterday, poor fellow, you felt cold in a tattered coat, + To-day, you despise the purple embroidered dress as long! + Confusion reigns far and wide! you have just sung your part, I come on + the boards, + Instead of yours, you recognise another as your native land; + What utter perversion! + In one word, it comes to this we make wedding clothes for others! + (We sow for others to reap.) + +The crazy limping Taoist clapped his hands. "Your interpretation is +explicit," he remarked with a hearty laugh, "your interpretation is +explicit!" + +Shih-yin promptly said nothing more than,--"Walk on;" and seizing the +stole from the Taoist's shoulder, he flung it over his own. He did not, +however, return home, but leisurely walked away, in company with the +eccentric priest. + +The report of his disappearance was at once bruited abroad, and plunged +the whole neighbourhood in commotion; and converted into a piece of +news, it was circulated from mouth to mouth. + +Dame Feng, Shih-yin's wife, upon hearing the tidings, had such a fit of +weeping that she hung between life and death; but her only alternative +was to consult with her father, and to despatch servants on all sides to +institute inquiries. No news was however received of him, and she had +nothing else to do but to practise resignation, and to remain dependent +upon the support of her parents for her subsistence. She had fortunately +still by her side, to wait upon her, two servant girls, who had been +with her in days gone by; and the three of them, mistress as well as +servants, occupied themselves day and night with needlework, to assist +her father in his daily expenses. + +This Feng Su had after all, in spite of his daily murmurings against his +bad luck, no help but to submit to the inevitable. + +On a certain day, the elder servant girl of the Chen family was at the +door purchasing thread, and while there, she of a sudden heard in the +street shouts of runners clearing the way, and every one explain that +the new magistrate had come to take up his office. + +The girl, as she peeped out from inside the door, perceived the lictors +and policemen go by two by two; and when unexpectedly in a state chair, +was carried past an official, in black hat and red coat, she was indeed +quite taken aback. + +"The face of this officer would seem familiar," she argued within +herself; "just as if I had seen him somewhere or other ere this." + +Shortly she entered the house, and banishing at once the occurrence from +her mind, she did not give it a second thought. At night, however, while +she was waiting to go to bed, she suddenly heard a sound like a rap at +the door. A band of men boisterously cried out: "We are messengers, +deputed by the worthy magistrate of this district, and come to summon +one of you to an enquiry." + +Feng Su, upon hearing these words, fell into such a terrible +consternation that his eyes stared wide and his mouth gaped. + +What calamity was impending is not as yet ascertained, but, reader, +listen to the explanation contained in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + The spirit of Mrs. Chia Shih-yin departs from the town of Yang Chou. + Leng Tzu-hsing dilates upon the Jung Kuo Mansion. + + +To continue. Feng Su, upon hearing the shouts of the public messengers, +came out in a flurry and forcing a smile, he asked them to explain +(their errand); but all these people did was to continue bawling out: +"Be quick, and ask Mr. Chen to come out." + +"My surname is Feng," said Feng Su, as he promptly forced himself to +smile; "It is'nt Chen at all: I had once a son-in-law whose surname was +Chen, but he has left home, it is now already a year or two back. Is it +perchance about him that you are inquiring?" + +To which the public servants remarked: "We know nothing about Chen or +Chia (true or false); but as he is your son-in-law, we'll take you at +once along with us to make verbal answer to our master and have done +with it." + +And forthwith the whole bevy of public servants hustled Feng Su on, as +they went on their way back; while every one in the Feng family was +seized with consternation, and could not imagine what it was all about. + +It was no earlier than the second watch, when Feng Su returned home; and +they, one and all, pressed him with questions as to what had happened. + +"The fact is," he explained, "the newly-appointed Magistrate, whose +surname is Chia, whose name is Huo and who is a native of Hu-chow, has +been on intimate terms, in years gone by, with our son-in-law; that at +the sight of the girl Chiao Hsing, standing at the door, in the act of +buying thread, he concluded that he must have shifted his quarters over +here, and hence it was that his messengers came to fetch him. I gave him +a clear account of the various circumstances (of his misfortunes), and +the Magistrate was for a time much distressed and expressed his regret. +He then went on to make inquiries about my grand-daughter, and I +explained that she had been lost, while looking at the illuminations. +'No matter,' put in the Magistrate, 'I will by and by order my men to +make search, and I feel certain that they will find her and bring her +back.' Then ensued a short conversation, after which I was about to go, +when he presented me with the sum of two taels." + +The mistress of the Chen family (Mrs. Chen Shih-yin) could not but feel +very much affected by what she heard, and the whole evening she uttered +not a word. + +The next day, at an early hour, Yü-ts'un sent some of his men to bring +over to Chen's wife presents, consisting of two packets of silver, and +four pieces of brocaded silk, as a token of gratitude, and to Feng Su +also a confidential letter, requesting him to ask of Mrs. Chen her maid +Chiao Hsing to become his second wife. + +Feng Su was so intensely delighted that his eyebrows expanded, his eyes +smiled, and he felt eager to toady to the Magistrate (by presenting the +girl to him). He hastened to employ all his persuasive powers with his +daughter (to further his purpose), and on the same evening he forthwith +escorted Chiao Hsing in a small chair to the Yamên. + +The joy experienced by Yü-ts'un need not be dilated upon. He also +presented Feng Su with a packet containing one hundred ounces of gold; +and sent numerous valuable presents to Mrs. Chen, enjoining her "to live +cheerfully in the anticipation of finding out the whereabouts of her +daughter." + +It must be explained, however, that the maid Chi'ao Hsing was the very +person, who, a few years ago, had looked round at Yü-ts'un and who, by +one simple, unpremeditated glance, evolved, in fact, this extraordinary +destiny which was indeed an event beyond conception. + +Who would ever have foreseen that fate and fortune would both have so +favoured her that she should, contrary to all anticipation, give birth +to a son, after living with Yü-ts'un barely a year, that in addition to +this, after the lapse of another half year, Yü-ts'un's wife should have +contracted a sudden illness and departed this life, and that Yü-ts'un +should have at once raised her to the rank of first wife. Her destiny is +adequately expressed by the lines: + + Through but one single, casual look + Soon an exalted place she took. + +The fact is that after Yü-ts'un had been presented with the money by +Shih-yin, he promptly started on the 16th day for the capital, and at +the triennial great tripos, his wishes were gratified to the full. +Having successfully carried off his degree of graduate of the third +rank, his name was put by selection on the list for provincial +appointments. By this time, he had been raised to the rank of Magistrate +in this district; but, in spite of the excellence and sufficiency of his +accomplishments and abilities, he could not escape being ambitious and +overbearing. He failed besides, confident as he was in his own merits, +in respect toward his superiors, with the result that these officials +looked upon him scornfully with the corner of the eye. + +A year had hardly elapsed, when he was readily denounced in a memorial +to the Throne by the High Provincial authorities, who represented that +he was of a haughty disposition, that he had taken upon himself to +introduce innovations in the rites and ceremonies, that overtly, while +he endeavoured to enjoy the reputation of probity and uprightness, he, +secretly, combined the nature of the tiger and wolf; with the +consequence that he had been the cause of much trouble in the district, +and that he had made life intolerable for the people, &c. &c. + +The Dragon countenance of the Emperor was considerably incensed. His +Majesty lost no time in issuing commands, in reply to the Memorial, that +he should be deprived of his official status. + +On the arrival of the despatch from the Board, great was the joy felt by +every officer, without exception, of the prefecture in which he had held +office. Yü-ts'un, though at heart intensely mortified and incensed, +betrayed not the least outward symptom of annoyance, but still +preserved, as of old, a smiling and cheerful countenance. + +He handed over charge of all official business and removed the savings +which he had accumulated during the several years he had been in office, +his family and all his chattels to his original home; where, after +having put everything in proper order, he himself travelled (carried the +winds and sleeved the moon) far and wide, visiting every relic of note +in the whole Empire. + +As luck would have it, on a certain day while making a second journey +through the Wei Yang district, he heard the news that the Salt +Commissioner appointed this year was Lin Ju-hai. This Lin Ju-hai's +family name was Lin, his name Hai and his style Ju-hai. He had obtained +the third place in the previous triennial examination, and had, by this +time, already risen to the rank of Director of the Court of Censors. He +was a native of Kú Su. He had been recently named by Imperial +appointment a Censor attached to the Salt Inspectorate, and had arrived +at his post only a short while back. + +In fact, the ancestors of Lin Ju-hai had, from years back, successively +inherited the title of Marquis, which rank, by its present descent to +Ju-hai, had already been enjoyed by five generations. When first +conferred, the hereditary right to the title had been limited to three +generations; but of late years, by an act of magnanimous favour and +generous beneficence, extraordinary bounty had been superadded; and on +the arrival of the succession to the father of Ju-hai, the right had +been extended to another degree. It had now descended to Ju-hai, who +had, besides this title of nobility, begun his career as a successful +graduate. But though his family had been through uninterrupted ages the +recipient of imperial bounties, his kindred had all been anyhow men of +culture. + +The only misfortune had been that the several branches of the Lin family +had not been prolific, so that the numbers of its members continued +limited; and though there existed several households, they were all +however to Ju-hai no closer relatives than first cousins. Neither were +there any connections of the same lineage, or of the same parentage. + +Ju-hai was at this date past forty; and had only had a son, who had died +the previous year, in the third year of his age. Though he had several +handmaids, he had not had the good fortune of having another son; but +this was too a matter that could not be remedied. + +By his wife, née Chia, he had a daughter, to whom the infant name of Tai +Yü was given. She was, at this time, in her fifth year. Upon her the +parents doated as much as if she were a brilliant pearl in the palm of +their hand. Seeing that she was endowed with natural gifts of +intelligence and good looks, they also felt solicitous to bestow upon +her a certain knowledge of books, with no other purpose than that of +satisfying, by this illusory way, their wishes of having a son to +nurture and of dispelling the anguish felt by them, on account of the +desolation and void in their family circle (round their knees). + +But to proceed. Yü-ts'un, while sojourning at an inn, was unexpectedly +laid up with a violent chill. Finding on his recovery, that his funds +were not sufficient to pay his expenses, he was thinking of looking out +for some house where he could find a resting place when he suddenly came +across two friends acquainted with the new Salt Commissioner. Knowing +that this official was desirous to find a tutor to instruct his +daughter, they lost no time in recommending Yü-ts'un, who moved into the +Yamên. + +His female pupil was youthful in years and delicate in physique, so that +her lessons were irregular. Besides herself, there were only two waiting +girls, who remained in attendance during the hours of study, so that +Yü-ts'un was spared considerable trouble and had a suitable opportunity +to attend to the improvement of his health. + +In a twinkle, another year and more slipped by, and when least expected, +the mother of his ward, née Chia, was carried away after a short +illness. His pupil (during her mother's sickness) was dutiful in her +attendance, and prepared the medicines for her use. (And after her +death,) she went into the deepest mourning prescribed by the rites, and +gave way to such excess of grief that, naturally delicate as she was, +her old complaint, on this account, broke out anew. + +Being unable for a considerable time to prosecute her studies, Yü-ts'un +lived at leisure and had no duties to attend to. Whenever therefore the +wind was genial and the sun mild, he was wont to stroll at random, after +he had done with his meals. + +On this particular day, he, by some accident, extended his walk beyond +the suburbs, and desirous to contemplate the nature of the rustic +scenery, he, with listless step, came up to a spot encircled by hills +and streaming pools, by luxuriant clumps of trees and thick groves of +bamboos. Nestling in the dense foliage stood a temple. The doors and +courts were in ruins. The walls, inner and outer, in disrepair. An +inscription on a tablet testified that this was the temple of Spiritual +Perception. On the sides of the door was also a pair of old and +dilapidated scrolls with the following enigmatical verses. + + Behind ample there is, yet to retract the hand, the mind heeds not, + until. + Before the mortal vision lies no path, when comes to turn the will. + +"These two sentences," Yü-ts'un pondered after perusal, "although simple +in language, are profound in signification. I have previous to this +visited many a spacious temple, located on hills of note, but never have +I beheld an inscription referring to anything of the kind. The meaning +contained in these words must, I feel certain, owe their origin to the +experiences of some person or other; but there's no saying. But why +should I not go in and inquire for myself?" + +Upon walking in, he at a glance caught sight of no one else, but of a +very aged bonze, of unkempt appearance, cooking his rice. When Yü-ts'un +perceived that he paid no notice, he went up to him and asked him one or +two questions, but as the old priest was dull of hearing and a dotard, +and as he had lost his teeth, and his tongue was blunt, he made most +irrelevant replies. + +Yü-ts'un lost all patience with him, and withdrew again from the +compound with the intention of going as far as the village public house +to have a drink or two, so as to enhance the enjoyment of the rustic +scenery. With easy stride, he accordingly walked up to the place. +Scarcely had he passed the threshold of the public house, when he +perceived some one or other among the visitors who had been sitting +sipping their wine on the divan, jump up and come up to greet him, with +a face beaming with laughter. + +"What a strange meeting! What a strange meeting!" he exclaimed aloud. + +Yü-ts'un speedily looked at him, (and remembered) that this person had, +in past days, carried on business in a curio establishment in the +capital, and that his surname was Leng and his style Tzu-hsing. + +A mutual friendship had existed between them during their sojourn, in +days of yore, in the capital; and as Yü-ts'un had entertained the +highest opinion of Leng Tzu-hsing, as being a man of action and of great +abilities, while this Leng Tzu-hsing, on the other hand, borrowed of the +reputation of refinement enjoyed by Yü-ts'un, the two had consequently +all along lived in perfect harmony and companionship. + +"When did you get here?" Yü-ts'un eagerly inquired also smilingly. "I +wasn't in the least aware of your arrival. This unexpected meeting is +positively a strange piece of good fortune." + +"I went home," Tzu-hsing replied, "about the close of last year, but now +as I am again bound to the capital, I passed through here on my way to +look up a friend of mine and talk some matters over. He had the kindness +to press me to stay with him for a couple of days longer, and as I after +all have no urgent business to attend to, I am tarrying a few days, but +purpose starting about the middle of the moon. My friend is busy to-day, +so I roamed listlessly as far as here, never dreaming of such a +fortunate meeting." + +While speaking, he made Yü-ts'un sit down at the same table, and ordered +a fresh supply of wine and eatables; and as the two friends chatted of +one thing and another, they slowly sipped their wine. + +The conversation ran on what had occurred after the separation, and +Yü-ts'un inquired, "Is there any news of any kind in the capital?" + +"There's nothing new whatever," answered Tzu-hsing. "There is one thing +however: in the family of one of your worthy kinsmen, of the same name +as yourself, a trifling, but yet remarkable, occurrence has taken +place." + +"None of my kindred reside in the capital," rejoined Yü-ts'un with a +smile. "To what can you be alluding?" + +"How can it be that you people who have the same surname do not belong +to one clan?" remarked Tzu-hsing, sarcastically. + +"In whose family?" inquired Yü-ts'un. + +"The Chia family," replied Tzu-hsing smiling, "whose quarters are in the +Jung Kuo Mansion, does not after all reflect discredit upon the lintel +of your door, my venerable friend." + +"What!" exclaimed Yü-ts'un, "did this affair take place in that family? +Were we to begin reckoning, we would find the members of my clan to be +anything but limited in number. Since the time of our ancestor Chia Fu, +who lived while the Eastern Han dynasty occupied the Throne, the +branches of our family have been numerous and flourishing; they are now +to be found in every single province, and who could, with any accuracy, +ascertain their whereabouts? As regards the Jung-kuo branch in +particular, their names are in fact inscribed on the same register as +our own, but rich and exalted as they are, we have never presumed to +claim them as our relatives, so that we have become more and more +estranged." + +"Don't make any such assertions," Tzu-hsing remarked with a sigh, "the +present two mansions of Jung and Ning have both alike also suffered +reverses, and they cannot come up to their state of days of yore." + +"Up to this day, these two households of Ning and of Jung," Yü-ts'un +suggested, "still maintain a very large retinue of people, and how can +it be that they have met with reverses?" + +"To explain this would be indeed a long story," said Leng Tzu-hsing. +"Last year," continued Yü-ts'un, "I arrived at Chin Ling, as I +entertained a wish to visit the remains of interest of the six +dynasties, and as I on that day entered the walled town of Shih T'ou, I +passed by the entrance of that old residence. On the east side of the +street, stood the Ning Kuo mansion; on the west the Jung Kuo mansion; +and these two, adjoining each other as they do, cover in fact well-nigh +half of the whole length of the street. Outside the front gate +everything was, it is true, lonely and deserted; but at a glance into +the interior over the enclosing wall, I perceived that the halls, +pavilions, two-storied structures and porches presented still a majestic +and lofty appearance. Even the flower garden, which extends over the +whole area of the back grounds, with its trees and rockeries, also +possessed to that day an air of luxuriance and freshness, which betrayed +no signs of a ruined or decrepid establishment." + +"You have had the good fortune of starting in life as a graduate," +explained Tzu-tsing as he smiled, "and yet are not aware of the saying +uttered by some one of old: that a centipede even when dead does not lie +stiff. (These families) may, according to your version, not be up to the +prosperity of former years, but, compared with the family of an ordinary +official, their condition anyhow presents a difference. Of late the +number of the inmates has, day by day, been on the increase; their +affairs have become daily more numerous; of masters and servants, high +and low, who live in ease and respectability very many there are; but of +those who exercise any forethought, or make any provision, there is not +even one. In their daily wants, their extravagances, and their +expenditure, they are also unable to adapt themselves to circumstances +and practise economy; (so that though) the present external framework +may not have suffered any considerable collapse, their purses have +anyhow begun to feel an exhausting process! But this is a mere trifle. +There is another more serious matter. Would any one ever believe that in +such families of official status, in a clan of education and culture, +the sons and grandsons of the present age would after all be each +(succeeding) generation below the standard of the former?" + +Yü-ts'un, having listened to these remarks, observed: "How ever can it +be possible that families of such education and refinement can observe +any system of training and nurture which is not excellent? Concerning +the other branches, I am not in a position to say anything; but +restricting myself to the two mansions of Jung and Ning, they are those +in which, above all others, the education of their children is +methodical." + +"I was just now alluding to none other than these two establishments," +Tzu-hsing observed with a sigh; "but let me tell you all. In days of +yore, the duke of Ning Kuo and the duke of Jung Kuo were two uterine +brothers. The Ning duke was the elder; he had four sons. After the death +of the duke of Ning Kuo, his eldest son, Chia Tai-hua, came into the +title. He also had two sons; but the eldest, whose name was Hu, died at +the age of eight or nine; and the only survivor, the second son, Chia +Ching, inherited the title. His whole mind is at this time set upon +Taoist doctrines; his sole delight is to burn the pill and refine the +dual powers; while every other thought finds no place in his mind. +Happily, he had, at an early age, left a son, Chia Chen, behind in the +lay world, and his father, engrossed as his whole heart was with the +idea of attaining spiritual life, ceded the succession of the official +title to him. His parent is, besides, not willing to return to the +original family seat, but lives outside the walls of the capital, +foolishly hobnobbing with all the Taoist priests. This Mr. Chen had also +a son, Chia Jung, who is, at this period, just in his sixteenth year. +Mr. Ching gives at present no attention to anything at all, so that Mr. +Chen naturally devotes no time to his studies, but being bent upon +nought else but incessant high pleasure, he has subversed the order of +things in the Ning Kuo mansion, and yet no one can summon the courage to +come and hold him in check. But I'll now tell you about the Jung mansion +for your edification. The strange occurrence, to which I alluded just +now, came about in this manner. After the demise of the Jung duke, the +eldest son, Chia Tai-shan, inherited the rank. He took to himself as +wife, the daughter of Marquis Shih, a noble family of Chin Ling, by whom +he had two sons; the elder being Chia She, the younger Chia Cheng. This +Tai Shan is now dead long ago; but his wife is still alive, and the +elder son, Chia She, succeeded to the degree. He is a man of amiable and +genial disposition, but he likewise gives no thought to the direction of +any domestic concern. The second son Chia Cheng displayed, from his +early childhood, a great liking for books, and grew up to be correct and +upright in character. His grandfather doated upon him, and would have +had him start in life through the arena of public examinations, but, +when least expected, Tai-shan, being on the point of death, bequeathed a +petition, which was laid before the Emperor. His Majesty, out of regard +for his former minister, issued immediate commands that the elder son +should inherit the estate, and further inquired how many sons there were +besides him, all of whom he at once expressed a wish to be introduced in +his imperial presence. His Majesty, moreover, displayed exceptional +favour, and conferred upon Mr. Cheng the brevet rank of second class +Assistant Secretary (of a Board), and commanded him to enter the Board +to acquire the necessary experience. He has already now been promoted to +the office of second class Secretary. This Mr. Cheng's wife, nèe Wang, +first gave birth to a son called Chia Chu, who became a Licentiate in +his fourteenth year. At barely twenty, he married, but fell ill and died +soon after the birth of a son. Her (Mrs. Cheng's) second child was a +daughter, who came into the world, by a strange coincidence, on the +first day of the year. She had an unexpected (pleasure) in the birth, +the succeeding year, of another son, who, still more remarkable to say, +had, at the time of his birth, a piece of variegated and crystal-like +brilliant jade in his mouth, on which were yet visible the outlines of +several characters. Now, tell me, was not this a novel and strange +occurrence? eh?" + +"Strange indeed!" exclaimed Yü-ts'un with a smile; "but I presume the +coming experiences of this being will not be mean." + +Tzu-hsing gave a faint smile. "One and all," he remarked, "entertain the +same idea. Hence it is that his mother doats upon him like upon a +precious jewel. On the day of his first birthday, Mr. Cheng readily +entertained a wish to put the bent of his inclinations to the test, and +placed before the child all kinds of things, without number, for him to +grasp from. Contrary to every expectation, he scorned every other +object, and, stretching forth his hand, he simply took hold of rouge, +powder and a few hair-pins, with which he began to play. Mr. Cheng +experienced at once displeasure, as he maintained that this youth would, +by and bye, grow up into a sybarite, devoted to wine and women, and for +this reason it is, that he soon began to feel not much attachment for +him. But his grandmother is the one who, in spite of everything, prizes +him like the breath of her own life. The very mention of what happened +is even strange! He is now grown up to be seven or eight years old, and, +although exceptionally wilful, in intelligence and precocity, however, +not one in a hundred could come up to him! And as for the utterances of +this child, they are no less remarkable. The bones and flesh of woman, +he argues, are made of water, while those of man of mud. 'Women to my +eyes are pure and pleasing,' he says, 'while at the sight of man, I +readily feel how corrupt, foul and repelling they are!' Now tell me, are +not these words ridiculous? There can be no doubt whatever that he will +by and bye turn out to be a licentious roué." + +Yü-ts'un, whose countenance suddenly assumed a stern air, promptly +interrupted the conversation. "It doesn't quite follow," he suggested. +"You people don't, I regret to say, understand the destiny of this +child. The fact is that even the old Hanlin scholar Mr. Cheng was +erroneously looked upon as a loose rake and dissolute debauchee! But +unless a person, through much study of books and knowledge of letters, +so increases (in lore) as to attain the talent of discerning the nature +of things, and the vigour of mind to fathom the Taoist reason as well as +to comprehend the first principle, he is not in a position to form any +judgment." + +Tzu-hsing upon perceiving the weighty import of what he propounded, +"Please explain," he asked hastily, "the drift (of your argument)." To +which Yü-ts'un responded: "Of the human beings created by the operation +of heaven and earth, if we exclude those who are gifted with extreme +benevolence and extreme viciousness, the rest, for the most part, +present no striking diversity. If they be extremely benevolent, they +fall in, at the time of their birth, with an era of propitious fortune; +while those extremely vicious correspond, at the time of their +existence, with an era of calamity. When those who coexist with +propitious fortune come into life, the world is in order; when those who +coexist with unpropitious fortune come into life, the world is in +danger. Yao, Shun, Yü, Ch'eng T'ang, Wen Wang, Wu Wang, Chou Kung, Chao +Kung, Confucius, Mencius, T'ung Hu, Han Hsin, Chou Tzu, Ch'eng Tzu, Chu +Tzu and Chang Tzu were ordained to see light in an auspicious era. +Whereas Ch'i Yu, Kung Kung, Chieh Wang, Chou Wang, Shih Huang, Wang +Mang, Tsao Ts'ao, Wen Wen, An Hu-shan, Ch'in Kuei and others were one +and all destined to come into the world during a calamitous age. Those +endowed with extreme benevolence set the world in order; those possessed +of extreme maliciousness turn the world into disorder. Purity, +intelligence, spirituality and subtlety constitute the vital spirit of +right which pervades heaven and earth, and the persons gifted with +benevolence are its natural fruit. Malignity and perversity constitute +the spirit of evil, which permeates heaven and earth, and malicious +persons are affected by its influence. The days of perpetual happiness +and eminent good fortune, and the era of perfect peace and tranquility, +which now prevail, are the offspring of the pure, intelligent, divine +and subtle spirit which ascends above, to the very Emperor, and below +reaches the rustic and uncultured classes. Every one is without +exception under its influence. The superfluity of the subtle spirit +expands far and wide, and finding nowhere to betake itself to, becomes, +in due course, transformed into dew, or gentle breeze; and, by a process +of diffusion, it pervades the whole world. + +"The spirit of malignity and perversity, unable to expand under the +brilliant sky and transmuting sun, eventually coagulates, pervades and +stops up the deep gutters and extensive caverns; and when of a sudden +the wind agitates it or it be impelled by the clouds, and any slight +disposition, on its part, supervenes to set itself in motion, or to +break its bounds, and so little as even the minutest fraction does +unexpectedly find an outlet, and happens to come across any spirit of +perception and subtlety which may be at the time passing by, the spirit +of right does not yield to the spirit of evil, and the spirit of evil is +again envious of the spirit of right, so that the two do not harmonize. +Just like wind, water, thunder and lightning, which, when they meet in +the bowels of the earth, must necessarily, as they are both to dissolve +and are likewise unable to yield, clash and explode to the end that they +may at length exhaust themselves. Hence it is that these spirits have +also forcibly to diffuse themselves into the human race to find an +outlet, so that they may then completely disperse, with the result that +men and women are suddenly imbued with these spirits and spring into +existence. At best, (these human beings) cannot be generated into +philanthropists or perfect men; at worst, they cannot also embody +extreme perversity or extreme wickedness. Yet placed among one million +beings, the spirit of intelligence, refinement, perception and subtlety +will be above these one million beings; while, on the other hand, the +perverse, depraved and inhuman embodiment will likewise be below the +million of men. Born in a noble and wealthy family, these men will be a +salacious, lustful lot; born of literary, virtuous or poor parentage, +they will turn out retired scholars or men of mark; though they may by +some accident be born in a destitute and poverty-stricken home, they +cannot possibly, in fact, ever sink so low as to become runners or +menials, or contentedly brook to be of the common herd or to be driven +and curbed like a horse in harness. They will become, for a certainty, +either actors of note or courtesans of notoriety; as instanced in former +years by Hsü Yu, T'ao Ch'ien, Yuan Chi, Chi Kang, Liu Ling, the two +families of Wang and Hsieh, Ku Hu-t'ou, Ch'en Hou-chu, T'ang Ming-huang, +Sung Hui-tsung, Liu T'ing-chih, Wen Fei-ching, Mei Nan-kung, Shih +Man-ch'ing, Lui C'hih-ch'ing and Chin Shao-yu, and exemplified +now-a-days by Ni Yün-lin, T'ang Po-hu, Chu Chih-shan, and also by Li +Kuei-men, Huang P'an-cho, Ching Hsin-mo, Cho Wen-chün; and the women +Hung Fu, Hsieh T'ao, Ch'ü Ying, Ch'ao Yün and others; all of whom were +and are of the same stamp, though placed in different scenes of action." + +"From what you say," observed Tzu-hsing, "success makes (a man) a duke +or a marquis; ruin, a thief!" + +"Quite so; that's just my idea!" replied Yü-ts'un; "I've not as yet let +you know that after my degradation from office, I spent the last couple +of years in travelling for pleasure all over each province, and that I +also myself came across two extraordinary youths. This is why, when a +short while back you alluded to this Pao-yü, I at once conjectured, with +a good deal of certainty, that he must be a human being of the same +stamp. There's no need for me to speak of any farther than the walled +city of Chin Ling. This Mr. Chen was, by imperial appointment, named +Principal of the Government Public College of the Chin Ling province. Do +you perhaps know him?" + +"Who doesn't know him?" remarked Tzu-hsing. "This Chen family is an old +connection of the Chia family. These two families were on terms of great +intimacy, and I myself likewise enjoyed the pleasure of their friendship +for many a day." + +"Last year, when at Chin Ling," Yü-ts'un continued with a smile, "some +one recommended me as resident tutor to the school in the Chen mansion; +and when I moved into it I saw for myself the state of things. Who would +ever think that that household was grand and luxurious to such a degree! +But they are an affluent family, and withal full of propriety, so that a +school like this was of course not one easy to obtain. The pupil, +however, was, it is true, a young tyro, but far more troublesome to +teach than a candidate for the examination of graduate of the second +degree. Were I to enter into details, you would indeed have a laugh. 'I +must needs,' he explained, 'have the company of two girls in my studies +to enable me to read at all, and to keep likewise my brain clear. +Otherwise, if left to myself, my head gets all in a muddle.' Time after +time, he further expounded to his young attendants, how extremely +honourable and extremely pure were the two words representing woman, +that they are more valuable and precious than the auspicious animal, the +felicitous bird, rare flowers and uncommon plants. 'You may not' (he was +wont to say), 'on any account heedlessly utter them, you set of foul +mouths and filthy tongues! these two words are of the utmost import! +Whenever you have occasion to allude to them, you must, before you can +do so with impunity, take pure water and scented tea and rinse your +mouths. In the event of any slip of the tongue, I shall at once have +your teeth extracted, and your eyes gouged out.' His obstinacy and +waywardness are, in every respect, out of the common. After he was +allowed to leave school, and to return home, he became, at the sight of +the young ladies, so tractable, gentle, sharp, and polite, transformed, +in fact, like one of them. And though, for this reason, his father has +punished him on more than one occasion, by giving him a sound thrashing, +such as brought him to the verge of death, he cannot however change. +Whenever he was being beaten, and could no more endure the pain, he was +wont to promptly break forth in promiscuous loud shouts, 'Girls! girls!' +The young ladies, who heard him from the inner chambers, subsequently +made fun of him. 'Why,' they said, 'when you are being thrashed, and you +are in pain, your only thought is to bawl out girls! Is it perchance +that you expect us young ladies to go and intercede for you? How is that +you have no sense of shame?' To their taunts he gave a most plausible +explanation. 'Once,' he replied, 'when in the agony of pain, I gave vent +to shouting girls, in the hope, perchance, I did not then know, of its +being able to alleviate the soreness. After I had, with this purpose, +given one cry, I really felt the pain considerably better; and now that +I have obtained this secret spell, I have recourse, at once, when I am +in the height of anguish, to shouts of girls, one shout after another. +Now what do you say to this? Isn't this absurd, eh?" + +"The grandmother is so infatuated by her extreme tenderness for this +youth, that, time after time, she has, on her grandson's account, found +fault with the tutor, and called her son to task, with the result that I +resigned my post and took my leave. A youth, with a disposition such as +his, cannot assuredly either perpetuate intact the estate of his father +and grandfather, or follow the injunctions of teacher or advice of +friends. The pity is, however, that there are, in that family, several +excellent female cousins, the like of all of whom it would be difficult +to discover." + +"Quite so!" remarked Tzu-hsing; "there are now three young ladies in the +Chia family who are simply perfection itself. The eldest is a daughter +of Mr. Cheng, Yuan Ch'un by name, who, on account of her excellence, +filial piety, talents, and virtue, has been selected as a governess in +the palace. The second is the daughter of Mr. She's handmaid, and is +called Ying Ch'un; the third is T'an Ch'un, the child of Mr. Cheng's +handmaid; while the fourth is the uterine sister of Mr. Chen of the Ning +Mansion. Her name is Hsi Ch'un. As dowager lady Shih is so fondly +attached to her granddaughters, they come, for the most part, over to +their grandmother's place to prosecute their studies together, and each +one of these girls is, I hear, without a fault." + +"More admirable," observed Yü-ts'un, "is the régime (adhered to) in the +Chen family, where the names of the female children have all been +selected from the list of male names, and are unlike all those +out-of-the-way names, such as Spring Blossom, Scented Gem, and the like +flowery terms in vogue in other families. But how is it that the Chia +family have likewise fallen into this common practice?" + +"Not so!" ventured Tzu-h'sing. "It is simply because the eldest daughter +was born on the first of the first moon, that the name of Yuan Ch'un was +given to her; while with the rest this character Ch'un (spring) was then +followed. The names of the senior generation are, in like manner, +adopted from those of their brothers; and there is at present an +instance in support of this. The wife of your present worthy master, Mr. +Lin, is the uterine sister of Mr. Chia. She and Mr. Chia Cheng, and she +went, while at home, under the name of Chia Min. Should you question the +truth of what I say, you are at liberty, on your return, to make minute +inquiries and you'll be convinced." + +Yü-ts'un clapped his hands and said smiling, "It's so, I know! for this +female pupil of mine, whose name is Tai-yü, invariably pronounces the +character _min_ as _mi_, whenever she comes across it in the +course of her reading; while, in writing, when she comes to the +character 'min,' she likewise reduces the strokes by one, sometimes by +two. Often have I speculated in my mind (as to the cause), but the +remarks I've heard you mention, convince me, without doubt, that it is +no other reason (than that of reverence to her mother's name). Strange +enough, this pupil of mine is unique in her speech and deportment, and +in no way like any ordinary young lady. But considering that her mother +was no commonplace woman herself, it is natural that she should have +given birth to such a child. Besides, knowing, as I do now, that she is +the granddaughter of the Jung family, it is no matter of surprise to me +that she is what she is. Poor girl, her mother, after all, died in the +course of the last month." + +Tzu-hsing heaved a sigh. "Of three elderly sisters," he explained, "this +one was the youngest, and she too is gone! Of the sisters of the senior +generation not one even survives! But now we'll see what the husbands of +this younger generation will be like by and bye!" + +"Yes," replied Yü-ts'un. "But some while back you mentioned that Mr. +Cheng has had a son, born with a piece of jade in his mouth, and that he +has besides a tender-aged grandson left by his eldest son; but is it +likely that this Mr. She has not, himself, as yet, had any male issue?" + +"After Mr. Cheng had this son with the jade," Tzu-hsing added, "his +handmaid gave birth to another son, who whether he be good or bad, I +don't at all know. At all events, he has by his side two sons and a +grandson, but what these will grow up to be by and bye, I cannot tell. +As regards Mr. Chia She, he too has had two sons; the second of whom, +Chia Lien, is by this time about twenty. He took to wife a relative of +his, a niece of Mr. Cheng's wife, a Miss Wang, and has now been married +for the last two years. This Mr. Lien has lately obtained by purchase +the rank of sub-prefect. He too takes little pleasure in books, but as +far as worldly affairs go, he is so versatile and glib of tongue, that +he has recently taken up his quarters with his uncle Mr. Cheng, to whom +he gives a helping hand in the management of domestic matters. Who would +have thought it, however, ever since his marriage with his worthy wife, +not a single person, whether high or low, has there been who has not +looked up to her with regard: with the result that Mr. Lien himself has, +in fact, had to take a back seat (_lit_. withdrew 35 li). In looks, +she is also so extremely beautiful, in speech so extremely quick and +fluent, in ingenuity so deep and astute, that even a man could, in no +way, come up to her mark." + +After hearing these remarks Yü-ts'un smiled. "You now perceive," he +said, "that my argument is no fallacy, and that the several persons +about whom you and I have just been talking are, we may presume, human +beings, who, one and all, have been generated by the spirit of right, +and the spirit of evil, and come to life by the same royal road; but of +course there's no saying." + +"Enough," cried Tzu-hsing, "of right and enough of evil; we've been +doing nothing but settling other people's accounts; come now, have +another glass, and you'll be the better for it!" + +"While bent upon talking," Yü-ts'un explained, "I've had more glasses +than is good for me." + +"Speaking of irrelevant matters about other people," Tzu-hsing rejoined +complacently, "is quite the thing to help us swallow our wine; so come +now; what harm will happen, if we do have a few glasses more." + +Yü-ts'un thereupon looked out of the window. + +"The day is also far advanced," he remarked, "and if we don't take care, +the gates will be closing; let us leisurely enter the city, and as we go +along, there will be nothing to prevent us from continuing our chat." + +Forthwith the two friends rose from their seats, settled and paid their +wine bill, and were just going, when they unexpectedly heard some one +from behind say with a loud voice: + +"Accept my congratulations, Brother Yü-ts'un; I've now come, with the +express purpose of giving you the welcome news!" + +Yü-ts'un lost no time in turning his head round to look at the speaker. +But reader, if you wish to learn who the man was, listen to the details +given in the following chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + Lin Ju-hai appeals to his brother-in-law, Chia Cheng, recommending + Yü-ts'un, his daughter's tutor, to his consideration. + Dowager lady Chia sends to fetch her granddaughter, out of + commiseration for her being a motherless child. + + +But to proceed with our narrative. + +Yü-ts'un, on speedily turning round, perceived that the speaker was no +other than a certain Chang Ju-kuei, an old colleague of his, who had +been denounced and deprived of office, on account of some case or other; +a native of that district, who had, since his degradation, resided in +his family home. + +Having lately come to hear the news that a memorial, presented in the +capital, that the former officers (who had been cashiered) should be +reinstated, had received the imperial consent, he had promptly done all +he could, in every nook and corner, to obtain influence, and to find the +means (of righting his position,) when he, unexpectedly, came across +Yü-ts'un, to whom he therefore lost no time in offering his +congratulations. The two friends exchanged the conventional salutations, +and Chang Ju-kuei forthwith communicated the tidings to Yü-ts'un. + +Yü-ts'un was delighted, but after he had made a few remarks, in a great +hurry, each took his leave and sped on his own way homewards. + +Leng Tzu-hsing, upon hearing this conversation, hastened at once to +propose a plan, advising Yü-ts'un to request Lin Ju-hai, in his turn, to +appeal in the capital to Mr. Chia Cheng for support. + +Yü-ts'un accepted the suggestion, and parted from his companion. + +On his return to his quarters, he made all haste to lay his hand on the +Metropolitan Gazette, and having ascertained that the news was +authentic, he had on the next day a personal consultation with Ju-hai. + +"Providence and good fortune are both alike propitious!" exclaimed +Ju-hai. "After the death of my wife, my mother-in-law, whose residence +is in the capital, was so very solicitous on my daughter's account, for +having no one to depend upon, that she despatched, at an early period, +boats with men and women servants to come and fetch her. But my child +was at the time not quite over her illness, and that is why she has not +yet started. I was, this very moment, cogitating to send my daughter to +the capital. And in view of the obligation, under which I am to you for +the instruction you have heretofore conferred upon her, remaining as yet +unrequited, there is no reason why, when such an opportunity as this +presents itself, I should not do my utmost to find means to make proper +acknowledgment. I have already, in anticipation, given the matter my +attention, and written a letter of recommendation to my brother-in-law, +urging him to put everything right for you, in order that I may, to a +certain extent, be able to give effect to my modest wishes. As for any +outlay that may prove necessary, I have given proper explanation, in the +letter to my brother-in-law, so that you, my brother, need not trouble +yourself by giving way to much anxiety." + +As Yü-ts'un bowed and expressed his appreciation in most profuse +language,-- + +"Pray," he asked, "where does your honoured brother-in-law reside? and +what is his official capacity? But I fear I'm too coarse in my manner, +and could not presume to obtrude myself in his presence." + +Ju-hai smiled. "And yet," he remarked, "this brother-in-law of mine is +after all of one and the same family as your worthy self, for he is the +grandson of the Duke Jung. My elder brother-in-law has now inherited the +status of Captain-General of the first grade. His name is She, his style +Ngen-hou. My second brother-in-law's name is Cheng, his style is +Tzu-chou. His present post is that of a Second class Secretary in the +Board of Works. He is modest and kindhearted, and has much in him of the +habits of his grandfather; not one of that purse-proud and haughty kind +of men. That is why I have written to him and made the request on your +behalf. Were he different to what he really is, not only would he cast a +slur upon your honest purpose, honourable brother, but I myself likewise +would not have been as prompt in taking action." + +When Yü-ts'un heard these remarks, he at length credited what had been +told him by Tzu-hsing the day before, and he lost no time in again +expressing his sense of gratitude to Lin Ju-hai. + +Ju-hai resumed the conversation. + +"I have fixed," (he explained,) "upon the second of next month, for my +young daughter's departure for the capital, and, if you, brother mine, +were to travel along with her, would it not be an advantage to herself, +as well as to yourself?" + +Yü-ts'un signified his acquiescence as he listened to his proposal; +feeling in his inner self extremely elated. + +Ju-hai availed himself of the earliest opportunity to get ready the +presents (for the capital) and all the requirements for the journey, +which (when completed,) Yü-ts'un took over one by one. His pupil could +not, at first, brook the idea, of a separation from her father, but the +pressing wishes of her grandmother left her no course (but to comply). + +"Your father," Ju-hai furthermore argued with her, "is already fifty; +and I entertain no wish to marry again; and then you are always ailing; +besides, with your extreme youth, you have, above, no mother of your own +to take care of you, and below, no sisters to attend to you. If you now +go and have your maternal grandmother, as well as your mother's brothers +and your cousins to depend upon, you will be doing the best thing to +reduce the anxiety which I feel in my heart on your behalf. Why then +should you not go?" + +Tai-yü, after listening to what her father had to say, parted from him +in a flood of tears and followed her nurse and several old matrons from +the Jung mansion on board her boat, and set out on her journey. + +Yü-ts'un had a boat to himself, and with two youths to wait on him, he +prosecuted his voyage in the wake of Tai-yü. + +By a certain day, they reached Ching Tu; and Yü-ts'un, after first +adjusting his hat and clothes, came, attended by a youth, to the door of +the Jung mansion, and sent in a card, which showed his lineage. + +Chia Cheng had, by this time, perused his brother-in-law's letter, and +he speedily asked him to walk in. When they met, he found in Yü-ts'un an +imposing manner and polite address. + +This Chia Cheng had, in fact, a great penchant above all things for men +of education, men courteous to the talented, respectful to the learned, +ready to lend a helping hand to the needy and to succour the distressed, +and was, to a great extent, like his grandfather. As it was besides a +wish intimated by his brother-in-law, he therefore treated Yü-ts'un with +a consideration still more unusual, and readily strained all his +resources to assist him. + +On the very day on which the memorial was submitted to the Throne, he +obtained by his efforts, a reinstatement to office, and before the +expiry of two months, Yü-t'sun was forthwith selected to fill the +appointment of prefect of Ying T'ien in Chin Ling. Taking leave of Chia +Cheng, he chose a propitious day, and proceeded to his post, where we +will leave him without further notice for the present. + +But to return to Tai-yü. On the day on which she left the boat, and the +moment she put her foot on shore, there were forthwith at her disposal +chairs for her own use, and carts for the luggage, sent over from the +Jung mansion. + +Lin Tai-yü had often heard her mother recount how different was her +grandmother's house from that of other people's; and having seen for +herself how above the common run were already the attendants of the +three grades, (sent to wait upon her,) in attire, in their fare, in all +their articles of use, "how much more," (she thought to herself) "now +that I am going to her home, must I be careful at every step, and +circumspect at every moment! Nor must I utter one word too many, nor +make one step more than is proper, for fear lest I should be ridiculed +by any of them!" + +From the moment she got into the chair, and they had entered within the +city walls, she found, as she looked around, through the gauze window, +at the bustle in the streets and public places and at the immense +concourse of people, everything naturally so unlike what she had seen +elsewhere. + +After they had also been a considerable time on the way, she suddenly +caught sight, at the northern end of the street, of two huge squatting +lions of marble and of three lofty gates with (knockers representing) +the heads of animals. In front of these gates, sat, in a row, about ten +men in coloured hats and fine attire. The main gate was not open. It was +only through the side gates, on the east and west, that people went in +and came out. Above the centre gate was a tablet. On this tablet were +inscribed in five large characters--"The Ning Kuo mansion erected by +imperial command." + +"This must be grandmother's eldest son's residence," reflected Tai-yü. + +Towards the east, again, at no great distance, were three more high +gateways, likewise of the same kind as those she had just seen. This was +the Jung Kuo mansion. + +They did not however go in by the main gate; but simply made their +entrance through the east side door. + +With the sedans on their shoulders, (the bearers) proceeded about the +distance of the throw of an arrow, when upon turning a corner, they +hastily put down the chairs. The matrons, who came behind, one and all +also dismounted. (The bearers) were changed for four youths of seventeen +or eighteen, with hats and clothes without a blemish, and while they +carried the chair, the whole bevy of matrons followed on foot. + +When they reached a creeper-laden gate, the sedan was put down, and all +the youths stepped back and retired. The matrons came forward, raised +the screen, and supported Tai-yü to descend from the chair. + +Lin Tai-yü entered the door with the creepers, resting on the hand of a +matron. + +On both sides was a verandah, like two outstretched arms. An Entrance +Hall stood in the centre, in the middle of which was a door-screen of Ta +Li marble, set in an ebony frame. On the other side of this screen were +three very small halls. At the back of these came at once an extensive +courtyard, belonging to the main building. + +In the front part were five parlours, the frieze of the ceiling of which +was all carved, and the pillars ornamented. On either side, were covered +avenues, resembling passages through a rock. In the side-rooms were +suspended cages, full of parrots of every colour, thrushes, and birds of +every description. + +On the terrace-steps, sat several waiting maids, dressed in red and +green, and the whole company of them advanced, with beaming faces, to +greet them, when they saw the party approach. "Her venerable ladyship," +they said, "was at this very moment thinking of you, miss, and, by a +strange coincidence, here you are." + +Three or four of them forthwith vied with each other in raising the door +curtain, while at the same time was heard some one announce: "Miss Lin +has arrived." + +No sooner had she entered the room, than she espied two servants +supporting a venerable lady, with silver-white hair, coming forward to +greet her. Convinced that this lady must be her grandmother, she was +about to prostrate herself and pay her obeisance, when she was quickly +clasped in the arms of her grandmother, who held her close against her +bosom; and as she called her "my liver! my flesh!" (my love! my +darling!) she began to sob aloud. + +The bystanders too, at once, without one exception, melted into tears; +and Tai-yü herself found some difficulty in restraining her sobs. Little +by little the whole party succeeded in consoling her, and Tai-yü at +length paid her obeisance to her grandmother. Her ladyship thereupon +pointed them out one by one to Tai-yü. "This," she said, "is the wife of +your uncle, your mother's elder brother; this is the wife of your uncle, +her second brother; and this is your eldest sister-in-law Chu, the wife +of your senior cousin Chu." + +Tai-yü bowed to each one of them (with folded arms). + +"Ask the young ladies in," dowager lady Chia went on to say; "tell them +a guest from afar has just arrived, one who comes for the first time; +and that they may not go to their lessons." + +The servants with one voice signified their obedience, and two of them +speedily went to carry out her orders. + +Not long after three nurses and five or six waiting-maids were seen +ushering in three young ladies. The first was somewhat plump in figure +and of medium height; her cheeks had a congealed appearance, like a +fresh lichee; her nose was glossy like goose fat. She was gracious, +demure, and lovable to look at. + +The second had sloping shoulders, and a slim waist. Tall and slender was +she in stature, with a face like the egg of a goose. Her eyes so +beautiful, with their well-curved eyebrows, possessed in their gaze a +bewitching flash. At the very sight of her refined and elegant manners +all idea of vulgarity was forgotten. + +The third was below the medium size, and her mien was, as yet, +childlike. + +In their head ornaments, jewelry, and dress, the get-up of the three +young ladies was identical. + +Tai-yü speedily rose to greet them and to exchange salutations. After +they had made each other's acquaintance, they all took a seat, whereupon +the servants brought the tea. Their conversation was confined to +Tai-yü's mother,--how she had fallen ill, what doctors had attended her, +what medicines had been given her, and how she had been buried and +mourned; and dowager lady Chia was naturally again in great anguish. + +"Of all my daughters," she remarked, "your mother was the one I loved +best, and now in a twinkle, she has passed away, before me too, and I've +not been able to so much as see her face. How can this not make my heart +sore-stricken?" + +And as she gave vent to these feelings, she took Tai-yü's hand in hers, +and again gave way to sobs; and it was only after the members of the +family had quickly made use of much exhortation and coaxing, that they +succeeded, little by little, in stopping her tears. + +They all perceived that Tai-yü, despite her youthful years and +appearance, was lady-like in her deportment and address, and that though +with her delicate figure and countenance, (she seemed as if) unable to +bear the very weight of her clothes, she possessed, however, a certain +captivating air. And as they readily noticed the symptoms of a weak +constitution, they went on in consequence to make inquiries as to what +medicines she ordinarily took, and how it was that her complaint had not +been cured. + +"I have," explained Tai-yü, "been in this state ever since I was born; +though I've taken medicines from the very time I was able to eat rice, +up to the present, and have been treated by ever so many doctors of +note, I've not derived any benefit. In the year when I was yet only +three, I remember a mangy-headed bonze coming to our house, and saying +that he would take me along, and make a nun of me; but my father and +mother would, on no account, give their consent. 'As you cannot bear to +part from her and to give her up,' he then remarked, 'her ailment will, +I fear, never, throughout her life, be cured. If you wish to see her all +right, it is only to be done by not letting her, from this day forward, +on any account, listen to the sound of weeping, or see, with the +exception of her parents, any relatives outside the family circle. Then +alone will she be able to go through this existence in peace and in +quiet.' No one heeded the nonsensical talk of this raving priest; but +here am I, up to this very day, dosing myself with ginseng pills as a +tonic." + +"What a lucky coincidence!" interposed dowager lady Chia; "some of these +pills are being compounded here, and I'll simply tell them to have an +extra supply made; that's all." + +Hardly had she finished these words, when a sound of laughter was heard +from the back courtyard. "Here I am too late!" the voice said, "and not +in time to receive the distant visitor!" + +"Every one of all these people," reflected Tai-yü, "holds her peace and +suppresses the very breath of her mouth; and who, I wonder, is this +coming in this reckless and rude manner?" + +While, as yet, preoccupied with these thoughts, she caught sight of a +crowd of married women and waiting-maids enter from the back room, +pressing round a regular beauty. + +The attire of this person bore no similarity to that of the young +ladies. In all her splendour and lustre, she looked like a fairy or a +goddess. In her coiffure, she had a band of gold filigree work, +representing the eight precious things, inlaid with pearls; and wore +pins, at the head of each of which were five phoenixes in a rampant +position, with pendants of pearls. On her neck, she had a reddish gold +necklet, like coiled dragons, with a fringe of tassels. On her person, +she wore a tight-sleeved jacket, of dark red flowered satin, covered +with hundreds of butterflies, embroidered in gold, interspersed with +flowers. Over all, she had a variegated stiff-silk pelisse, lined with +slate-blue ermine; while her nether garments consisted of a jupe of +kingfisher-colour foreign crepe, brocaded with flowers. + +She had a pair of eyes, triangular in shape like those of the red +phoenix, two eyebrows, curved upwards at each temple, like willow +leaves. Her stature was elegant; her figure graceful; her powdered face +like dawning spring, majestic, yet not haughty. Her carnation lips, long +before they parted, betrayed a smile. + +Tai-yü eagerly rose and greeted her. + +Old lady Chia then smiled. "You don't know her," she observed. "This is +a cunning vixen, who has made quite a name in this establishment! In +Nanking, she went by the appellation of vixen, and if you simply call +her Feng Vixen, it will do." + +Tai-yü was just at a loss how to address her, when all her cousins +informed Tai-yü, that this was her sister-in-law Lien. + +Tai-yü had not, it is true, made her acquaintance before, but she had +heard her mother mention that her eldest maternal uncle Chia She's son, +Chia Lien, had married the niece of Madame Wang, her second brother's +wife, a girl who had, from her infancy, purposely been nurtured to +supply the place of a son, and to whom the school name of Wang Hsi-feng +had been given. + +Tai-yü lost no time in returning her smile and saluting her with all +propriety, addressing her as my sister-in-law. This Hsi-feng laid hold +of Tai-yü's hand, and minutely scrutinised her, for a while, from head +to foot; after which she led her back next to dowager lady Chia, where +they both took a seat. + +"If really there be a being of such beauty in the world," she +consequently observed with a smile, "I may well consider as having set +eyes upon it to-day! Besides, in the air of her whole person, she +doesn't in fact look like your granddaughter-in-law, our worthy +ancestor, but in every way like your ladyship's own kindred- +granddaughter! It's no wonder then that your venerable ladyship +should have, day after day, had her unforgotten, even for a second, in +your lips and heart. It's a pity, however, that this cousin of mine +should have such a hard lot! How did it happen that our aunt died at +such an early period?" + +As she uttered these words, she hastily took her handkerchief and wiped +the tears from her eyes. + +"I've only just recovered from a fit of crying," dowager lady Chia +observed, as she smiled, "and have you again come to start me? Your +cousin has only now arrived from a distant journey, and she is so +delicate to boot! Besides, we have a few minutes back succeeded in +coaxing her to restrain her sobs, so drop at once making any allusion to +your former remarks!" + +This Hsi-feng, upon hearing these words, lost no time in converting her +sorrow into joy. + +"Quite right," she remarked. "But at the sight of my cousin, my whole +heart was absorbed in her, and I felt happy, and yet wounded at heart: +but having disregarded my venerable ancestor's presence, I deserve to be +beaten, I do indeed!" + +And hastily taking once more Tai-yü's hand in her own: "How old are you, +cousin?" she inquired; "Have you been to school? What medicines are you +taking? while you live here, you mustn't feel homesick; and if there's +anything you would like to eat, or to play with, mind you come and tell +me! or should the waiting maids or the matrons fail in their duties, +don't forget also to report them to me." + +Addressing at the same time the matrons, she went on to ask, "Have Miss +Lin's luggage and effects been brought in? How many servants has she +brought along with her? Go, as soon as you can, and sweep two lower +rooms and ask them to go and rest." + +As she spake, tea and refreshments had already been served, and Hsi-feng +herself handed round the cups and offered the fruits. + +Upon hearing the question further put by her maternal aunt Secunda, +"Whether the issue of the monthly allowances of money had been finished +or not yet?" Hsi-feng replied: "The issue of the money has also been +completed; but a few moments back, when I went along with several +servants to the back upper-loft, in search of the satins, we looked for +ever so long, but we saw nothing of the kind of satins alluded to by +you, madame, yesterday; so may it not be that your memory misgives you?" + +"Whether there be any or not, of that special kind, is of no +consequence," observed madame Wang. "You should take out," she therefore +went on to add, "any two pieces which first come under your hand, for +this cousin of yours to make herself dresses with; and in the evening, +if I don't forget, I'll send some one to fetch them." + +"I've in fact already made every provision," rejoined Hsi-feng; "knowing +very well that my cousin would be arriving within these two days, I have +had everything got ready for her. And when you, madame, go back, if you +will pass an eye over everything, I shall be able to send them round." + +Madame Wang gave a smile, nodded her head assentingly, but uttered not a +word by way of reply. + +The tea and fruit had by this time been cleared, and dowager lady Chia +directed two old nurses to take Tai-yü to go and see her two maternal +uncles; whereupon Chia She's wife, madame Hsing, hastily stood up and +with a smiling face suggested, "I'll take my niece over; for it will +after all be considerably better if I go!" + +"Quite so!" answered dowager lady Chia, smiling; "you can go home too, +and there will be no need for you to come over again!" + +Madame Hsing expressed her assent, and forthwith led Tai-yü to take +leave of madame Wang. The whole party escorted them as far as the door +of the Entrance Hall, hung with creepers, where several youths had drawn +a carriage, painted light blue, with a kingfisher-coloured hood. + +Madame Hsing led Tai-yü by the hand and they got up into their seats. +The whole company of matrons put the curtain down, and then bade the +youths raise the carriage; who dragged it along, until they came to an +open space, where they at length put the mules into harness. + +Going out again by the eastern side gate, they proceeded in an easterly +direction, passed the main entrance of the Jung mansion, and entered a +lofty doorway painted black. On the arrival in front of the ceremonial +gate, they at once dismounted from the curricle, and madame Hsing, +hand-in-hand with Tai-yü, walked into the court. + +"These grounds," surmised Tai-yü to herself, "must have been originally +converted from a piece partitioned from the garden of the Jung mansion." + +Having entered three rows of ceremonial gates they actually caught sight +of the main structure, with its vestibules and porches, all of which, +though on a small scale, were full of artistic and unique beauty. They +were nothing like the lofty, imposing, massive and luxurious style of +architecture on the other side, yet the avenues and rockeries, in the +various places in the court, were all in perfect taste. + +When they reached the interior of the principal pavilion, a large +concourse of handmaids and waiting maids, got up in gala dress, were +already there to greet them. Madame Hsing pressed Tai-yü into a seat, +while she bade some one go into the outer library and request Mr. Chia +She to come over. + +In a few minutes the servant returned. "Master," she explained, "says: +'that he has not felt quite well for several days, that as the meeting +with Miss Lin will affect both her as well as himself, he does not for +the present feel equal to seeing each other, that he advises Miss Lin +not to feel despondent or homesick; that she ought to feel quite at home +with her venerable ladyship, (her grandmother,) as well as her maternal +aunts; that her cousins are, it is true, blunt, but that if all the +young ladies associated together in one place, they may also perchance +dispel some dulness; that if ever (Miss Lin) has any grievance, she +should at once speak out, and on no account feel a stranger; and +everything will then be right." + +Tai-yü lost no time in respectfully standing up, resuming her seat after +she had listened to every sentence of the message to her. After a while, +she said goodbye, and though madame Hsing used every argument to induce +her to stay for the repast and then leave, Tai-yü smiled and said, "I +shouldn't under ordinary circumstances refuse the invitation to dinner, +which you, aunt, in your love kindly extend to me, but I have still to +cross over and pay my respects to my maternal uncle Secundus; if I went +too late, it would, I fear, be a lack of respect on my part; but I shall +accept on another occasion. I hope therefore that you will, dear aunt, +kindly excuse me." + +"If such be the case," madame Hsing replied, "it's all right." And +presently directing two nurses to take her niece over, in the carriage, +in which they had come a while back, Tai-yü thereupon took her leave; +madame Hsing escorting her as far as the ceremonial gate, where she gave +some further directions to all the company of servants. She followed the +curricle with her eyes so long as it remained in sight, and at length +retraced her footsteps. + +Tai-yü shortly entered the Jung Mansion, descended from the carriage, +and preceded by all the nurses, she at once proceeded towards the east, +turned a corner, passed through an Entrance Hall, running east and west, +and walked in a southern direction, at the back of the Large Hall. On +the inner side of a ceremonial gate, and at the upper end of a spacious +court, stood a large main building, with five apartments, flanked on +both sides by out-houses (stretching out) like the antlers on the head +of deer; side-gates, resembling passages through a hill, establishing a +thorough communication all round; (a main building) lofty, majestic, +solid and grand, and unlike those in the compound of dowager lady Chia. + +Tai-yü readily concluded that this at last was the main inner suite of +apartments. A raised broad road led in a straight line to the large +gate. Upon entering the Hall, and raising her head, she first of all +perceived before her a large tablet with blue ground, upon which figured +nine dragons of reddish gold. The inscription on this tablet consisted +of three characters as large as a peck-measure, and declared that this +was the Hall of Glorious Felicity. + +At the end, was a row of characters of minute size, denoting the year, +month and day, upon which His Majesty had been pleased to confer the +tablet upon Chia Yuan, Duke of Jung Kuo. Besides this tablet, were +numberless costly articles bearing the autograph of the Emperor. On the +large black ebony table, engraved with dragons, were placed three +antique blue and green bronze tripods, about three feet in height. On +the wall hung a large picture representing black dragons, such as were +seen in waiting chambers of the Sui dynasty. On one side stood a gold +cup of chased work, while on the other, a crystal casket. On the ground +were placed, in two rows, sixteen chairs, made of hard-grained cedar. + +There was also a pair of scrolls consisting of black-wood antithetical +tablets, inlaid with the strokes of words in chased gold. Their burden +was this: + + On the platform shine resplendent pearls like sun or moon, + And the sheen of the Hall façade gleams like russet sky. + +Below, was a row of small characters, denoting that the scroll had been +written by the hand of Mu Shih, a fellow-countryman and old friend of +the family, who, for his meritorious services, had the hereditary title +of Prince of Tung Ngan conferred upon him. + +The fact is that madame Wang was also not in the habit of sitting and +resting, in this main apartment, but in three side-rooms on the east, so +that the nurses at once led Tai-yü through the door of the eastern wing. + +On a stove-couch, near the window, was spread a foreign red carpet. On +the side of honour, were laid deep red reclining-cushions, with dragons, +with gold cash (for scales), and an oblong brown-coloured +sitting-cushion with gold-cash-spotted dragons. On the two sides, stood +one of a pair of small teapoys of foreign lacquer of peach-blossom +pattern. On the teapoy on the left, were spread out Wen Wang tripods, +spoons, chopsticks and scent-bottles. On the teapoy on the right, were +vases from the Ju Kiln, painted with girls of great beauty, in which +were placed seasonable flowers; (on it were) also teacups, a tea service +and the like articles. + +On the floor on the west side of the room, were four chairs in a row, +all of which were covered with antimacassars, embroidered with +silverish-red flowers, while below, at the feet of these chairs, stood +four footstools. On either side, was also one of a pair of high teapoys, +and these teapoys were covered with teacups and flower vases. + +The other nick-nacks need not be minutely described. + +The old nurses pressed Tai-yü to sit down on the stove-couch; but, on +perceiving near the edge of the couch two embroidered cushions, placed +one opposite the other, she thought of the gradation of seats, and did +not therefore place herself on the couch, but on a chair on the eastern +side of the room; whereupon the waiting maids, in attendance in these +quarters, hastened to serve the tea. + +While Tai-yü was sipping her tea, she observed the headgear, dress, +deportment and manners of the several waiting maids, which she really +found so unlike what she had seen in other households. She had hardly +finished her tea, when she noticed a waiting maid approach, dressed in a +red satin jacket, and a waistcoat of blue satin with scollops. + +"My lady requests Miss Lin to come over and sit with her," she remarked +as she put on a smile. + +The old nurses, upon hearing this message, speedily ushered Tai-yü again +out of this apartment, into the three-roomed small main building by the +eastern porch. + +On the stove-couch, situated at the principal part of the room, was +placed, in a transverse position, a low couch-table, at the upper end of +which were laid out, in a heap, books and a tea service. Against the +partition-wall, on the east side, facing the west, was a reclining +pillow, made of blue satin, neither old nor new. + +Madame Wang, however, occupied the lower seat, on the west side, on +which was likewise placed a rather shabby blue satin sitting-rug, with a +back-cushion; and upon perceiving Tai-yü come in she urged her at once +to sit on the east side. + +Tai-yü concluded, in her mind, that this seat must certainly belong to +Chia Cheng, and espying, next to the couch, a row of three chairs, +covered with antimacassars, strewn with embroidered flowers, somewhat +also the worse for use, Tai-yü sat down on one of these chairs. + +But as madame Wang pressed her again and again to sit on the couch, +Tai-yü had at length to take a seat next to her. + +"Your uncle," madame Wang explained, "is gone to observe this day as a +fast day, but you'll see him by and bye. There's, however, one thing I +want to talk to you about. Your three female cousins are all, it is +true, everything that is nice; and you will, when later on you come +together for study, or to learn how to do needlework, or whenever, at +any time, you romp and laugh together, find them all most obliging; but +there's one thing that causes me very much concern. I have here one, who +is the very root of retribution, the incarnation of all mischief, one +who is a ne'er-do-well, a prince of malignant spirits in this family. He +is gone to-day to pay his vows in the temple, and is not back yet, but +you will see him in the evening, when you will readily be able to judge +for yourself. One thing you must do, and that is, from this time forth, +not to pay any notice to him. All these cousins of yours don't venture +to bring any taint upon themselves by provoking him." + +Tai-yü had in days gone by heard her mother explain that she had a +nephew, born into the world, holding a piece of jade in his mouth, who +was perverse beyond measure, who took no pleasure in his books, and +whose sole great delight was to play the giddy dog in the inner +apartments; that her maternal grandmother, on the other hand, loved him +so fondly that no one ever presumed to call him to account, so that +when, in this instance, she heard madame Wang's advice, she at once felt +certain that it must be this very cousin. + +"Isn't it to the cousin born with jade in his mouth, that you are +alluding to, aunt?" she inquired as she returned her smile. "When I was +at home, I remember my mother telling me more than once of this very +cousin, who (she said) was a year older than I, and whose infant name +was Pao-yü. She added that his disposition was really wayward, but that +he treats all his cousins with the utmost consideration. Besides, now +that I have come here, I shall, of course, be always together with my +female cousins, while the boys will have their own court, and separate +quarters; and how ever will there be any cause of bringing any slur upon +myself by provoking him?" + +"You don't know the reasons (that prompt me to warn you)," replied +madame Wang laughingly. "He is so unlike all the rest, all because he +has, since his youth up, been doated upon by our old lady! The fact is +that he has been spoilt, through over-indulgence, by being always in the +company of his female cousins! If his female cousins pay no heed to him, +he is, at any rate, somewhat orderly, but the day his cousins say one +word more to him than usual, much trouble forthwith arises, at the +outburst of delight in his heart. That's why I enjoin upon you not to +heed him. From his mouth, at one time, issue sugared words and +mellifluous phrases; and at another, like the heavens devoid of the sun, +he becomes a raving fool; so whatever you do, don't believe all he +says." + +Tai-yü was assenting to every bit of advice as it was uttered, when +unexpectedly she beheld a waiting-maid walk in. "Her venerable ladyship +over there," she said, "has sent word about the evening meal." + +Madame Wang hastily took Tai-yü by the hand, and emerging by the door of +the back-room, they went eastwards by the verandah at the back. Past the +side gate, was a roadway, running north and south. On the southern side +were a pavilion with three divisions and a Reception Hall with a +colonnade. On the north, stood a large screen wall, painted white; +behind it was a very small building, with a door of half the ordinary +size. + +"These are your cousin Feng's rooms," explained madame Wang to Tai-yü, +as she pointed to them smiling. "You'll know in future your way to come +and find her; and if you ever lack anything, mind you mention it to her, +and she'll make it all right." + +At the door of this court, were also several youths, who had recently +had the tufts of their hair tied together, who all dropped their hands +against their sides, and stood in a respectful posture. Madame Wang then +led Tai-yü by the hand through a corridor, running east and west, into +what was dowager lady Chia's back-court. Forthwith they entered the door +of the back suite of rooms, where stood, already in attendance, a large +number of servants, who, when they saw madame Wang arrive, set to work +setting the tables and chairs in order. + +Chia Chu's wife, née Li, served the eatables, while Hsi-feng placed the +chopsticks, and madame Wang brought the soup in. Dowager lady Chia was +seated all alone on the divan, in the main part of the apartment, on the +two sides of which stood four vacant chairs. + +Hsi-feng at once drew Tai-yü, meaning to make her sit in the foremost +chair on the left side, but Tai-yü steadily and concedingly declined. + +"Your aunts and sisters-in-law, standing on the right and left," dowager +lady Chia smilingly explained, "won't have their repast in here, and as +you're a guest, it's but proper that you should take that seat." + +Then alone it was that Tai-yü asked for permission to sit down, seating +herself on the chair. + +Madame Wang likewise took a seat at old lady Chia's instance; and the +three cousins, Ying Ch'un and the others, having craved for leave to sit +down, at length came forward, and Ying Ch'un took the first chair on the +right, T'an Ch'un the second, and Hsi Ch'un the second on the left. +Waiting maids stood by holding in their hands, flips and finger-bowls +and napkins, while Mrs. Li and lady Feng, the two of them, kept near the +table advising them what to eat, and pressing them to help themselves. + +In the outer apartments, the married women and waiting-maids in +attendance, were, it is true, very numerous; but not even so much as the +sound of the cawing of a crow could be heard. + +The repast over, each one was presented by a waiting-maid, with tea in a +small tea tray; but the Lin family had all along impressed upon the mind +of their daughter that in order to show due regard to happiness, and to +preserve good health, it was essential, after every meal, to wait a +while, before drinking any tea, so that it should not do any harm to the +intestines. When, therefore, Tai-yü perceived how many habits there were +in this establishment unlike those which prevailed in her home, she too +had no alternative but to conform herself to a certain extent with them. +Upon taking over the cup of tea, servants came once more and presented +finger-bowls for them to rinse their mouths, and Tai-yü also rinsed +hers; and after they had all again finished washing their hands, tea was +eventually served a second time, and this was, at length, the tea that +was intended to be drunk. + +"You can all go," observed dowager lady Chia, "and let us alone to have +a chat." + +Madame Wang rose as soon as she heard these words, and having made a few +irrelevant remarks, she led the way and left the room along with the two +ladies, Mrs. Li and lady Feng. + +Dowager lady Chia, having inquired of Tai-yü what books she was reading, +"I have just begun reading the Four Books," Tai-yü replied. "What books +are my cousins reading?" Tai-yü went on to ask. + +"Books, you say!" exclaimed dowager lady Chia; "why all they know are a +few characters, that's all." + +The sentence was barely out of her lips, when a continuous sounding of +footsteps was heard outside, and a waiting maid entered and announced +that Pao-yü was coming. Tai-yü was speculating in her mind how it was +that this Pao-yü had turned out such a good-for-nothing fellow, when he +happened to walk in. + +He was, in fact, a young man of tender years, wearing on his head, to +hold his hair together, a cap of gold of purplish tinge, inlaid with +precious gems. Parallel with his eyebrows was attached a circlet, +embroidered with gold, and representing two dragons snatching a pearl. +He wore an archery-sleeved deep red jacket, with hundreds of butterflies +worked in gold of two different shades, interspersed with flowers; and +was girded with a sash of variegated silk, with clusters of designs, to +which was attached long tassels; a kind of sash worn in the palace. Over +all, he had a slate-blue fringed coat of Japanese brocaded satin, with +eight bunches of flowers in relief; and wore a pair of light blue satin +white-soled, half-dress court-shoes. + +His face was like the full moon at mid-autumn; his complexion, like +morning flowers in spring; the hair along his temples, as if chiselled +with a knife; his eyebrows, as if pencilled with ink; his nose like a +suspended gallbladder (a well-cut and shapely nose); his eyes like +vernal waves; his angry look even resembled a smile; his glance, even +when stern, was full of sentiment. + +Round his neck he had a gold dragon necklet with a fringe; also a cord +of variegated silk, to which was attached a piece of beautiful jade. + +As soon as Tai-yü became conscious of his presence, she was quite taken +aback. "How very strange!" she was reflecting in her mind; "it would +seem as if I had seen him somewhere or other, for his face appears +extremely familiar to my eyes;" when she noticed Pao-yü face dowager +lady Chia and make his obeisance. "Go and see your mother and then come +back," remarked her venerable ladyship; and at once he turned round and +quitted the room. + +On his return, he had already changed his hat and suit. All round his +head, he had a fringe of short hair, plaited into small queues, and +bound with red silk. The queues were gathered up at the crown, and all +the hair, which had been allowed to grow since his birth, was plaited +into a thick queue, which looked as black and as glossy as lacquer. +Between the crown of the head and the extremity of the queue, hung a +string of four large pearls, with pendants of gold, representing the +eight precious things. On his person, he wore a long silvery-red coat, +more or less old, bestrewn with embroidery of flowers. He had still +round his neck the necklet, precious gem, amulet of Recorded Name, +philacteries, and other ornaments. Below were partly visible a fir-cone +coloured brocaded silk pair of trousers, socks spotted with black +designs, with ornamented edges, and a pair of deep red, thick-soled +shoes. + +(Got up as he was now,) his face displayed a still whiter appearance, as +if painted, and his eyes as if they were set off with carnation. As he +rolled his eyes, they brimmed with love. When he gave utterance to +speech, he seemed to smile. But the chief natural pleasing feature was +mainly centred in the curve of his eyebrows. The ten thousand and one +fond sentiments, fostered by him during the whole of his existence, were +all amassed in the corner of his eyes. + +His outward appearance may have been pleasing to the highest degree, but +yet it was no easy matter to fathom what lay beneath it. + +There are a couple of roundelays, composed by a later poet, (after the +excellent rhythm of the) Hsi Chiang Yueh, which depict Pao-yü in a most +adequate manner. + +The roundelays run as follows: + + To gloom and passion prone, without a rhyme, + Inane and madlike was he many a time, + His outer self, forsooth, fine may have been, + But one wild, howling waste his mind within: + Addled his brain that nothing he could see; + A dunce! to read essays so loth to be! + Perverse in bearing, in temper wayward; + For human censure he had no regard. + When rich, wealth to enjoy he knew not how; + When poor, to poverty he could not bow. + Alas! what utter waste of lustrous grace! + To state, to family what a disgrace! + Of ne'er-do-wells below he was the prime, + Unfilial like him none up to this time. + Ye lads, pampered with sumptuous fare and dress, + Beware! In this youth's footsteps do not press! + +But to proceed with our story. + +"You have gone and changed your clothes," observed dowager lady Chia, +"before being introduced to the distant guest. Why don't you yet salute +your cousin?" + +Pao-yü had long ago become aware of the presence of a most beautiful +young lady, who, he readily concluded, must be no other than the +daughter of his aunt Lin. He hastened to advance up to her, and make his +bow; and after their introduction, he resumed his seat, whence he +minutely scrutinised her features, (which he thought) so unlike those of +all other girls. + +Her two arched eyebrows, thick as clustered smoke, bore a certain not +very pronounced frowning wrinkle. She had a pair of eyes, which +possessed a cheerful, and yet one would say, a sad expression, +overflowing with sentiment. Her face showed the prints of sorrow stamped +on her two dimpled cheeks. She was beautiful, but her whole frame was +the prey of a hereditary disease. The tears in her eyes glistened like +small specks. Her balmy breath was so gentle. She was as demure as a +lovely flower reflected in the water. Her gait resembled a frail willow, +agitated by the wind. Her heart, compared with that of Pi Kan, had one +more aperture of intelligence; while her ailment exceeded (in intensity) +by three degrees the ailment of Hsi-Tzu. + +Pao-yü, having concluded his scrutiny of her, put on a smile and said, +"This cousin I have already seen in days gone by." + +"There you are again with your nonsense," exclaimed lady Chia, +sneeringly; "how could you have seen her before?" + +"Though I may not have seen her, ere this," observed Pao-yü with a +smirk, "yet when I look at her face, it seems so familiar, and to my +mind, it would appear as if we had been old acquaintances; just as if, +in fact, we were now meeting after a long separation." + +"That will do! that will do!" remarked dowager lady Chia; "such being +the case, you will be the more intimate." + +Pao-yü, thereupon, went up to Tai-yü, and taking a seat next to her, +continued to look at her again with all intentness for a good long +while. + +"Have you read any books, cousin?" he asked. + +"I haven't as yet," replied Tai-yü, "read any books, as I have only been +to school for a year; all I know are simply a few characters." + +"What is your worthy name, cousin?" Pao-yü went on to ask; whereupon +Tai-yü speedily told him her name. + +"Your style?" inquired Pao-yü; to which question Tai-yü replied, "I have +no style." + +"I'll give you a style," suggested Pao-yü smilingly; "won't the double +style 'P'in P'in,' 'knitting brows,' do very well?" + +"From what part of the standard books does that come?" T'an Ch'un +hastily interposed. + +"It is stated in the Thorough Research into the state of Creation from +remote ages to the present day," Pao-yü went on to explain, "that, in +the western quarter, there exists a stone, called Tai, (black,) which +can be used, in lieu of ink, to blacken the eyebrows with. Besides the +eyebrows of this cousin taper in a way, as if they were contracted, so +that the selection of these two characters is most appropriate, isn't +it?" + +"This is just another plagiarism, I fear," observed T'an Ch'un, with an +ironic smirk. + +"Exclusive of the Four Books," Pao-yü remarked smilingly, "the majority +of works are plagiarised; and is it only I, perchance, who plagiarise? +Have you got any jade or not?" he went on to inquire, addressing Tai-yü, +(to the discomfiture) of all who could not make out what he meant. + +"It's because he has a jade himself," Tai-yü forthwith reasoned within +her mind, "that he asks me whether I have one or not.--No; I haven't +one," she replied. "That jade of yours is besides a rare object, and how +could every one have one?" + +As soon as Pao-yü heard this remark, he at once burst out in a fit of +his raving complaint, and unclasping the gem, he dashed it disdainfully +on the floor. "Rare object, indeed!" he shouted, as he heaped invective +on it; "it has no idea how to discriminate the excellent from the mean, +among human beings; and do tell me, has it any perception or not? I too +can do without this rubbish!" + +All those, who stood below, were startled; and in a body they pressed +forward, vying with each other as to who should pick up the gem. + +Dowager lady Chia was so distressed that she clasped Pao-yü in her +embrace. "You child of wrath," she exclaimed. "When you get into a +passion, it's easy enough for you to beat and abuse people; but what +makes you fling away that stem of life?" + +Pao-yü's face was covered with the traces of tears. "All my cousins +here, senior as well as junior," he rejoined, as he sobbed, "have no +gem, and if it's only I to have one, there's no fun in it, I maintain! +and now comes this angelic sort of cousin, and she too has none, so that +it's clear enough that it is no profitable thing." + +Dowager lady Chia hastened to coax him. "This cousin of yours," she +explained, "would, under former circumstances, have come here with a +jade; and it's because your aunt felt unable, as she lay on her +death-bed, to reconcile herself to the separation from your cousin, that +in the absence of any remedy, she forthwith took the gem belonging to +her (daughter), along with her (in the grave); so that, in the first +place, by the fulfilment of the rites of burying the living with the +dead might be accomplished the filial piety of your cousin; and in the +second place, that the spirit of your aunt might also, for the time +being, use it to gratify the wish of gazing on your cousin. That's why +she simply told you that she had no jade; for she couldn't very well +have had any desire to give vent to self-praise. Now, how can you ever +compare yourself with her? and don't you yet carefully and circumspectly +put it on? Mind, your mother may come to know what you have done!" + +As she uttered these words, she speedily took the jade over from the +hand of the waiting-maid, and she herself fastened it on for him. + +When Pao-yü heard this explanation, he indulged in reflection, but could +not even then advance any further arguments. + +A nurse came at the moment and inquired about Tai-yü's quarters, and +dowager lady Chia at once added, "Shift Pao-yü along with me, into the +warm room of my suite of apartments, and put your mistress, Miss Lin, +temporarily in the green gauze house; and when the rest of the winter is +over, and repairs are taken in hand in spring in their rooms, an +additional wing can be put up for her to take up her quarters in." + +"My dear ancestor," ventured Pao-yü; "the bed I occupy outside the green +gauze house is very comfortable; and what need is there again for me to +leave it and come and disturb your old ladyship's peace and quiet?" + +"Well, all right," observed dowager lady Chia, after some consideration; +"but let each one of you have a nurse, as well as a waiting-maid to +attend on you; the other servants can remain in the outside rooms and +keep night watch and be ready to answer any call." + +At an early hour, besides, Hsi-feng had sent a servant round with a grey +flowered curtain, embroidered coverlets and satin quilts and other such +articles. + +Tai-yü had brought along with her only two servants; the one was her own +nurse, dame Wang, and the other was a young waiting-maid of sixteen, +whose name was called Hsüeh Yen. Dowager lady Chia, perceiving that +Hsüeh Yen was too youthful and quite a child in her manner, while nurse +Wang was, on the other hand, too aged, conjectured that Tai-yü would, in +all her wants, not have things as she liked, so she detached two +waiting-maids, who were her own personal attendants, named Tzu Chüan and +Ying Ko, and attached them to Tai-yü's service. Just as had Ying Ch'un +and the other girls, each one of whom had besides the wet nurses of +their youth, four other nurses to advise and direct them, and exclusive +of two personal maids to look after their dress and toilette, four or +five additional young maids to do the washing and sweeping of the rooms +and the running about backwards and forwards on errands. + +Nurse Wang, Tzu Chüan and other girls entered at once upon their +attendance on Tai-yü in the green gauze rooms, while Pao-yü's wet-nurse, +dame Li, together with an elderly waiting-maid, called Hsi Jen, were on +duty in the room with the large bed. + +This Hsi Jen had also been, originally, one of dowager lady Chia's +servant-girls. Her name was in days gone by, Chen Chu. As her venerable +ladyship, in her tender love for Pao-yü, had feared that Pao-yü's +servant girls were not equal to their duties, she readily handed her to +Pao-yü, as she had hitherto had experience of how sincere and +considerate she was at heart. + +Pao-yü, knowing that her surname was at one time Hua, and having once +seen in some verses of an ancient poet, the line "the fragrance of +flowers wafts itself into man," lost no time in explaining the fact to +dowager lady Chia, who at once changed her name into Hsi Jen. + +This Hsi Jen had several simple traits. While in attendance upon dowager +lady Chia, in her heart and her eyes there was no one but her venerable +ladyship, and her alone; and now in her attendance upon Pao-yü, her +heart and her eyes were again full of Pao-yü, and him alone. But as +Pao-yü was of a perverse temperament and did not heed her repeated +injunctions, she felt at heart exceedingly grieved. + +At night, after nurse Li had fallen asleep, seeing that in the inner +chambers, Tai-yü, Ying Ko and the others had not as yet retired to rest, +she disrobed herself, and with gentle step walked in. + +"How is it, miss," she inquired smiling, "that you have not turned in as +yet?" + +Tai-yü at once put on a smile. "Sit down, sister," she rejoined, +pressing her to take a seat. Hsi Jen sat on the edge of the bed. + +"Miss Lin," interposed Ying Ko smirkingly, "has been here in an awful +state of mind! She has cried so to herself, that her eyes were flooded, +as soon as she dried her tears. 'It's only to-day that I've come,' she +said, 'and I've already been the cause of the outbreak of your young +master's failing. Now had he broken that jade, as he hurled it on the +ground, wouldn't it have been my fault? Hence it was that she was so +wounded at heart, that I had all the trouble in the world, before I +could appease her." + +"Desist at once, Miss! Don't go on like this," Hsi Jen advised her; +"there will, I fear, in the future, happen things far more strange and +ridiculous than this; and if you allow yourself to be wounded and +affected to such a degree by a conduct such as his, you will, I +apprehend, suffer endless wounds and anguish; so be quick and dispel +this over-sensitive nature!" + +"What you sisters advise me," replied Tai-yü, "I shall bear in mind, and +it will be all right." + +They had another chat, which lasted for some time, before they at length +retired to rest for the night. + +The next day, (she and her cousins) got up at an early hour and went +over to pay their respects to dowager lady Chia, after which upon coming +to madame Wang's apartments, they happened to find madame Wang and +Hsi-feng together, opening the letters which had arrived from Chin Ling. +There were also in the room two married women, who had been sent from +madame Wang's elder brother's wife's house to deliver a message. + +Tai-yü was, it is true, not aware of what was up, but T'an Ch'un and the +others knew that they were discussing the son of her mother's sister, +married in the Hsüeh family, in the city of Chin Ling, a cousin of +theirs, Hsüeh P'an, who relying upon his wealth and influence had, by +assaulting a man, committed homicide, and who was now to be tried in the +court of the Ying T'ien Prefecture. + +Her maternal uncle, Wang Tzu-t'eng, had now, on the receipt of the +tidings, despatched messengers to bring over the news to the Chia +family. But the next chapter will explain what was the ultimate issue of +the wish entertained in this mansion to send for the Hsüeh family to +come to the capital. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + An ill-fated girl happens to meet an ill-fated young man. + The Hu Lu Bonze adjudicates the Hu Lu case. + + +Tai-yü, for we shall now return to our story, having come, along with +her cousin to madame Wang's apartments, found madame Wang discussing +certain domestic occurrences with the messengers, who had arrived from +her elder brother's wife's home, and conversing also about the case of +homicide, in which the family of her mother's sister had become +involved, and other such relevant topics. Perceiving how pressing and +perplexing were the matters in which madame Wang was engaged, the young +ladies promptly left her apartments, and came over to the rooms of their +widow sister-in-law, Mrs. Li. + +This Mrs. Li had originally been the spouse of Chia Chu. Although Chu +had died at an early age, he had the good fortune of leaving behind him +a son, to whom the name of Chia Lan was given. He was, at this period, +just in his fifth year, and had already entered school, and applied +himself to books. + +This Mrs. Li was also the daughter of an official of note in Chin Ling. +Her father's name was Li Shou-chung, who had, at one time, been Imperial +Libationer. Among his kindred, men as well as women had all devoted +themselves to poetry and letters; but ever since Li Shou-chung continued +the line of succession, he readily asserted that the absence of literary +attainments in his daughter was indeed a virtue, so that it soon came +about that she did not apply herself in real earnest to learning; with +the result that all she studied were some parts of the "Four Books for +women," and the "Memoirs of excellent women," that all she read did not +extend beyond a limited number of characters, and that all she committed +to memory were the examples of these few worthy female characters of +dynasties of yore; while she attached special importance to spinning and +female handiwork. To this reason is to be assigned the name selected for +her, of Li Wan (Li, the weaver), and the style of Kung Ts'ai (Palace +Sempstress). + +Hence it was that, though this Li Wan still continued, after the loss of +her mate, while she was as yet in the spring of her life, to live amidst +affluence and luxury, she nevertheless resembled in every respect a +block of rotten wood or dead ashes. She had no inclination whatsoever to +inquire after anything or to listen to anything; while her sole and +exclusive thought was to wait upon her relatives and educate her son; +and, in addition to this, to teach her young sisters-in-law to do +needlework and to read aloud. + +Tai-yü was, it is true, at this period living as a guest in the Chia +mansion, where she certainly had the several young ladies to associate +with her, but, outside her aged father, (she thought) there was really +no need for her to extend affection to any of the rest. + +But we will now speak of Chia Yü-ts'un. Having obtained the appointment +of Prefect of Ying T'ien, he had no sooner arrived at his post than a +charge of manslaughter was laid before his court. This had arisen from +some rivalry between two parties in the purchase of a slave-girl, either +of whom would not yield his right; with the result that a serious +assault occurred, which ended in homicide. + +Yü-ts'un had, with all promptitude, the servants of the plaintiffs +brought before him, and subjected them to an examination. + +"The victim of the assault," the plaintiffs deposed, "was your servants' +master. Having on a certain day, purchased a servant-girl, she +unexpectedly turned out to be a girl who had been carried away and sold +by a kidnapper. This kidnapper had, first of all, got hold of our +family's money, and our master had given out that he would on the third +day, which was a propitious day, take her over into the house, but +this kidnapper stealthily sold her over again to the Hsüeh family. When +we came to know of this, we went in search of the seller to lay hold of +him, and bring back the girl by force. But the Hsüeh party has been all +along _the_ bully of Chin Ling, full of confidence in his wealth, +full of presumption on account of his prestige; and his arrogant menials +in a body seized our master and beat him to death. The murderous master +and his crew have all long ago made good their escape, leaving no trace +behind them, while there only remain several parties not concerned in +the affair. Your servants have for a whole year lodged complaints, but +there has been no one to do our cause justice, and we therefore implore +your Lordship to have the bloodstained criminals arrested, and thus +conduce to the maintenance of humanity and benevolence; and the living, +as well as the dead, will feel boundless gratitude for this heavenly +bounty." + +When Yü-ts'un heard their appeal, he flew into a fiery rage. "What!" he +exclaimed. "How could a case of such gravity have taken place as the +murder of a man, and the culprits have been allowed to run away +scot-free, without being arrested? Issue warrants, and despatch +constables to at once lay hold of the relatives of the bloodstained +criminals and bring them to be examined by means of torture." + +Thereupon he espied a Retainer, who was standing by the judgment-table, +wink at him, signifying that he should not issue the warrants. Yü-t'sun +gave way to secret suspicion, and felt compelled to desist. + +Withdrawing from the Court-room, he retired into a private chamber, from +whence he dismissed his followers, only keeping this single Retainer to +wait upon him. + +The Retainer speedily advanced and paid his obeisance. "Your worship," +he said smiling, "has persistently been rising in official honours, and +increasing in wealth so that, in the course of about eight or nine +years, you have forgotten me." + +"Your face is, however, extremely familiar," observed Yü-ts'un, "but I +cannot, for the moment, recall who you are." + +"Honourable people forget many things," remarked the Retainer, as he +smiled. "What! Have you even forgotten the place where you started in +life? and do you not remember what occurred, in years gone by, in the Hu +Lu Temple?" + +Yü-ts'un was filled with extreme astonishment; and past events then +began to dawn upon him. + +The fact is that this Retainer had been at one time a young priest in +the Hu Lu temple; but as, after its destruction by fire, he had no place +to rest his frame, he remembered how light and easy was, after all, this +kind of occupation, and being unable to reconcile himself to the +solitude and quiet of a temple, he accordingly availed himself of his +years, which were as yet few, to let his hair grow, and become a +retainer. + +Yü-ts'un had had no idea that it was he. Hastily taking his hand in his, +he smilingly observed, "You are, indeed, an old acquaintance!" and then +pressed him to take a seat, so as to have a chat with more ease, but the +Retainer would not presume to sit down. + +"Friendships," Yü-ts'un remarked, putting on a smiling expression, +"contracted in poor circumstances should not be forgotten! This is a +private room; so that if you sat down, what would it matter?" + +The Retainer thereupon craved permission to take a seat, and sat down +gingerly, all awry. + +"Why did you, a short while back," Yü-ts'un inquired, "not allow me to +issue the warrants?" + +"Your illustrious office," replied the Retainer, "has brought your +worship here, and is it likely you have not transcribed some philactery +of your post in this province!" + +"What is an office-philactery?" asked Yü-ts'un with alacrity. + +"Now-a-days," explained the Retainer, "those who become local officers +provide themselves invariably with a secret list, in which are entered +the names and surnames of the most influential and affluent gentry of +note in the province. This is in vogue in every province. Should +inadvertently, at any moment, one give umbrage to persons of this +status, why, not only office, but I fear even one's life, it would be +difficult to preserve. That's why these lists are called +office-philacteries. This Hsüeh family, just a while back spoken of, how +could your worship presume to provoke? This case in question affords no +difficulties whatever in the way of a settlement; but the prefects, who +have held office before you, have all, by doing violence to the feelings +and good name of these people, come to the end they did." + +As he uttered these words, he produced, from inside a purse which he had +handy, a transcribed office-philactery, which he handed over to +Yü-ts'un; who upon perusal, found it full of trite and unpolished +expressions of public opinion, with regard to the leading clans and +notable official families in that particular district. They ran as +follows: + +The "Chia" family is not "chia," a myth; white jade form the Halls; gold +compose their horses! The "A Fang" Palace is three hundred li in extent, +but is no fit residence for a "Shih" of Chin Ling. The eastern seas lack +white jade beds, and the "Lung Wang," king of the Dragons, has come to +ask for one of the Chin Ling Wang, (Mr. Wang of Chin Ling.) In a +plenteous year, snow, (Hsüeh,) is very plentiful; their pearls and gems +are like sand, their gold like iron. + +Scarcely had Yü-ts'un done reading, when suddenly was heard the +announcement, communicated by the beating of a gong, that Mr. Wang had +come to pay his respects. + +Yü-ts'un hastily adjusted his official clothes and hat, and went out of +the room to greet and receive the visitor. Returning after a short while +he proceeded to question the Retainer (about what he had been perusing.) + +"These four families," explained the Retainer, "are all interlaced by +ties of relationship, so that if you offend one, you offend all; if you +honour one, you honour all. For support and protection, they all have +those to take care of their interests! Now this Hsüeh, who is charged +with homicide, is indeed the Hsüeh implied by 'in a plenteous year, +(Hsüeh,) snow, is very plentiful.' In fact, not only has he these three +families to rely upon, but his (father's) old friends, and his own +relatives and friends are both to be found in the capital, as well as +abroad in the provinces; and they are, what is more, not few in number. +Who is it then that your Worship purposes having arrested?" + +When Yü-ts'un had heard these remarks, he forthwith put on a smile and +inquired of the Retainer, "If what you say be true, how is then this +lawsuit to be settled? Are you also perchance well aware of the place of +retreat of this homicide?" + +"I don't deceive your Worship," the Retainer ventured smiling, "when I +say that not only do I know the hiding-place of this homicide, but that +I also am acquainted with the man who kidnapped and sold the girl; I +likewise knew full well the poor devil and buyer, now deceased. But +wait, and I'll tell your worship all, with full details. This person, +who succumbed to the assault, was the son of a minor gentry. His name +was Feng Yüan. His father and mother are both deceased, and he has +likewise no brothers. He looked after some scanty property in order to +eke out a living. His age was eighteen or nineteen; and he had a strong +penchant for men's, and not much for women's society. But this was too +the retribution (for sins committed) in a previous existence! for +coming, by a strange coincidence, in the way of this kidnapper, who was +selling the maid, he straightway at a glance fell in love with this +girl, and made up his mind to purchase her and make her his second wife; +entering an oath not to associate with any male friends, nor even to +marry another girl. And so much in earnest was he in this matter that he +had to wait until after the third day before she could enter his +household (so as to make the necessary preparations for the marriage). +But who would have foreseen the issue? This kidnapper quietly disposed +of her again by sale to the Hsüeh family; his intention being to pocket +the price-money from both parties, and effect his escape. Contrary to +his calculations, he couldn't after all run away in time, and the two +buyers laid hold of him and beat him, till he was half dead; but neither +of them would take his coin back, each insisting upon the possession of +the girl. But do you think that young gentleman, Mr. Hsüeh, would yield +his claim to her person? Why, he at once summoned his servants and bade +them have recourse to force; and, taking this young man Feng, they +assailed him till they made mincemeat of him. He was then carried back +to his home, where he finally died after the expiry of three days. This +young Mr. Hsüeh had previously chosen a day, on which he meant to set +out for the capital, and though he had beaten the young man Feng to +death, and carried off the girl, he nevertheless behaved in the manner +of a man who had had no concern in the affair. And all he gave his mind +to was to take his family and go along on his way; but not in any wise +in order to evade (the consequences) of this (occurrence). This case of +homicide, (he looked upon) as a most trivial and insignificant matter, +which, (he thought), his brother and servants, who were on the spot, +would be enough to settle. But, however, enough of this person. Now does +your worship know who this girl is who was sold?" + +"How could I possibly know?" answered Yü-ts'un. + +"And yet," remarked the Retainer, as he laughed coldly, "this is a +person to whom you are indebted for great obligations; for she is no one +else than the daughter of Mr. Chen, who lived next door to the Hu Lu +temple. Her infant name is 'Ying Lien.'" + +"What! is it really she?" exclaimed Yü-ts'un full of surprise. "I heard +that she had been kidnapped, ever since she was five years old; but has +she only been sold recently?" + +"Kidnappers of this kind," continued the Retainer, "only abduct infant +girls, whom they bring up till they reach the age of twelve or thirteen, +when they take them into strange districts and dispose of them through +their agents. In days gone by, we used daily to coax this girl, Ying +Lien, to romp with us, so that we got to be exceedingly friendly. Hence +it is that though, with the lapse of seven or eight years, her mien has +assumed a more surpassingly lovely appearance, her general features +have, on the other hand, undergone no change; and this is why I can +recognise her. Besides, in the centre of her two eyebrows, she had a +spot, of the size of a grain of rice, of carnation colour, which she has +had ever since she was born into the world. This kidnapper, it also +happened, rented my house to live in; and on a certain day, on which the +kidnapper was not at home, I even set her a few questions. She said, +'that the kidnapper had so beaten her, that she felt intimidated, and +couldn't on any account, venture to speak out; simply averring that the +kidnapper was her own father, and that, as he had no funds to repay his +debts, he had consequently disposed of her by sale!' I tried time after +time to induce her to answer me, but she again gave way to tears and +added no more than: 'I don't really remember anything of my youth.' Of +this, anyhow, there can be no doubt; on a certain day the young man Feng +and the kidnapper met, said the money was paid down; but as the +kidnapper happened to be intoxicated, Ying Lien exclaimed, as she +sighed: 'My punishment has this day been consummated!' Later on again, +when she heard that young Feng would, after three days, have her taken +over to his house, she once more underwent a change and put on such a +sorrowful look that, unable to brook the sight of it, I waited till the +kidnapper went out, when I again told my wife to go and cheer her by +representing to her that this Mr. Feng's fixed purpose to wait for a +propitious day, on which to come and take her over, was ample proof that +he would not look upon her as a servant-girl. 'Furthermore,' (explained +my wife to her), 'he is a sort of person exceedingly given to fast +habits, and has at home ample means to live upon, so that if, besides, +with his extreme aversion to women, he actually purchases you now, at a +fancy price, you should be able to guess the issue, without any +explanation. You have to bear suspense only for two or three days, and +what need is there to be sorrowful and dejected?' After these +assurances, she became somewhat composed, flattering herself that she +would from henceforth have a home of her own. + +"But who would believe that the world is but full of disappointments! On +the succeeding day, it came about that the kidnapper again sold her to +the Hsüeh family! Had he disposed of her to any other party, no harm +would anyhow have resulted; but this young gentleman Hsüeh, who is +nicknamed by all, 'the Foolish and overbearing Prince,' is the most +perverse and passionate being in the whole world. What is more, he +throws money away as if it were dust. The day on which he gave the +thrashing with blows like falling leaves and flowing water, he dragged +(_lit_. pull alive, drag dead) Ying Lien away more dead than alive, +by sheer force, and no one, even up to this date, is aware whether she +be among the dead or the living. This young Feng had a spell of empty +happiness; for (not only) was his wish not fulfilled, but on the +contrary he spent money and lost his life; and was not this a lamentable +case?" + +When Yü-ts'un heard this account he also heaved a sigh. "This was +indeed," he observed, "a retribution in store for them! Their encounter +was likewise not accidental; for had it been, how was it that this Feng +Yüan took a fancy to Ying Lien? + +"This Ying Lien had, during all these years, to endure much harsh +treatment from the hands of the kidnapper, and had, at length, obtained +the means of escape; and being besides full of warm feeling, had he +actually made her his wife, and had they come together, the event would +certainly have been happy; but, as luck would have it, there occurred +again this contretemps. + +"This Hsüeh is, it is true, more laden with riches and honours than Feng +was, but when we bear in mind what kind of man he is he certainly, with +his large bevy of handmaids, and his licentious and inordinate habits, +cannot ever be held equal to Feng Yüan, who had set his heart upon one +person! This may appositely be termed a fantastic sentimental destiny, +which, by a strange coincidence, befell a couple consisting of an +ill-fated young fellow and girl! But why discuss third parties? The only +thing now is how to decide this case, so as to put things right." + +"Your worship," remarked the Retainer smiling, "displayed, in years gone +by, such great intelligence and decision, and how is it that today you, +on the contrary, become a person without any resources! Your servant has +heard that the promotion of your worship to fill up this office is due +to the exertions of the Chia and Wang families; and as this Hsüeh P'an +is a relative of the Chia mansion, why doesn't your worship take your +craft along with the stream, and bring, by the performance of a +kindness, this case to an issue, so that you may again in days to come, +be able to go and face the two Dukes Chia and Wang?" + +"What you suggest," replied Yü-ts'un, "is, of course, right enough; but +this case involves a human life, and honoured as I have been, by His +Majesty the Emperor, by a restoration to office, and selection to an +appointment, how can I at the very moment, when I may strain all my +energies to show my gratitude, by reason of a private consideration, set +the laws at nought? This is a thing which I really haven't the courage +to do." + +"What your worship says is naturally right and proper," remarked the +Retainer at these words, smiling sarcastically, "but at the present +stage of the world, such things cannot be done. Haven't you heard the +saying of a man of old to the effect that great men take action suitable +to the times. 'He who presses,' he adds, 'towards what is auspicious and +avoids what is inauspicious is a perfect man.' From what your worship +says, not only you couldn't, by any display of zeal, repay your +obligation to His Majesty, but, what is more, your own life you will +find it difficult to preserve. There are still three more considerations +necessary to insure a safe settlement." + +Yü-ts'un drooped his head for a considerable time. + +"What is there in your idea to be done?" he at length inquired. + +"Your servant," responded the Retainer, "has already devised a most +excellent plan. It's this: To-morrow, when your Lordship sits in court, +you should, merely for form's sake, make much ado, by despatching +letters and issuing warrants for the arrest of the culprits. The +murderer will naturally not be forthcoming; and as the plaintiffs will +be strong in their displeasure, you will of course have some members of +the clan of the Hsüeh family, together with a few servants and others, +taken into custody, and examined under torture, when your servant will +be behind the scenes to bring matters to a settlement, by bidding them +report that the victim had succumbed to a sudden ailment, and by urging +the whole number of the kindred, as well as the headmen of the place, to +hand in a declaration to that effect. Your Worship can aver that you +understand perfectly how to write charms in dust, and conjure the +spirit; having had an altar, covered with dust, placed in the court, you +should bid the military and people to come and look on to their heart's +content. Your Worship can give out that the divining spirit has +declared: 'that the deceased, Feng Yüan, and Hsüeh P'an had been enemies +in a former life, that having now met in the narrow road, their +destinies were consummated; that Hsüeh P'an has, by this time, +contracted some indescribable disease and perished from the effects of +the persecution of the spirit of Feng.' That as the calamity had +originated entirely from the action of the kidnapper, exclusive of +dealing with the kidnapper according to law, the rest need not be +interfered with, and so on. Your servant will be in the background to +speak to the kidnapper and urge him to make a full confession; and when +people find that the response of the divining spirit harmonizes with the +statements of the kidnapper, they will, as a matter of course, entertain +no suspicion. + +"The Hsüeh family have plenty of money, so that if your Worship +adjudicates that they should pay five hundred, they can afford it, or +one thousand will also be within their means; and this sum can be handed +to the Feng family to meet the outlay of burning incense and burial +expenses. The Feng family are, besides, people of not much consequence, +and (the fuss made by them) being simply for money, they too will, when +they have got the cash in hand, have nothing more to say. But may it +please your worship to consider carefully this plan and see what you +think of it?" + +"It isn't a safe course! It isn't a safe course!" Yü-ts'un observed as +he smiled. "Let me further think and deliberate; and possibly by +succeeding in suppressing public criticism, the matter might also be +settled." + +These two closed their consultation by a fixed determination, and the +next day, when he sat in judgment, he marked off a whole company of the +plaintiffs as well as of the accused, as were mentioned by name, and had +them brought before him. Yü-ts'un examined them with additional +minuteness, and discovered in point of fact, that the inmates of the +Feng family were extremely few, that they merely relied upon this charge +with the idea of obtaining some compensation for joss-sticks and +burials; and that the Hsüeh family, presuming on their prestige and +confident of patronage, had been obstinate in the refusal to make any +mutual concession, with the result that confusion had supervened, and +that no decision had been arrived at. + +Following readily the bent of his feelings, Yü-ts'un disregarded the +laws, and adjudicated this suit in a random way; and as the Feng family +came in for a considerable sum, with which to meet the expense for +incense and the funeral, they had, after all, not very much to say (in +the way of objections.) + +With all despatch, Yü-ts'un wrote and forwarded two letters, one to Chia +Cheng, and the other to Wang Tzu-t'eng, at that time commander-in-chief +of a Metropolitan Division, simply informing them: that the case, in +which their worthy nephew was concerned, had come to a close, and that +there was no need for them to give way to any extreme solicitude. + +This case had been settled through the exclusive action of the young +priest of the Hu Lu temple, now an official Retainer; and Yü-ts'un, +apprehending, on the other hand, lest he might in the presence of +others, divulge the circumstances connected with the days gone by, when +he was in a state of penury, naturally felt very unhappy in his mind. +But at a later period, he succeeded, by ultimately finding in him some +shortcoming, and deporting him to a far-away place, in setting his fears +at rest. + +But we will put Yü-ts'un on one side, and refer to the young man Hsüeh, +who purchased Ying Lien, and assaulted Feng Yuan to death. + +He too was a native of Chin Ling and belonged to a family literary +during successive generations; but this young Hsüeh had recently, when +of tender age, lost his father, and his widowed mother out of pity for +his being the only male issue and a fatherless child, could not help +doating on him and indulging him to such a degree, that when he, in +course of time, grew up to years of manhood, he was good for nothing. + +In their home, furthermore, was the wealth of a millionaire, and they +were, at this time, in receipt of an income from His Majesty's privy +purse, for the purvey of various articles. + +This young Hsüeh went at school under the name of P'an. His style was +Wen Ch'i. His natural habits were extravagant; his language haughty and +supercilious. He had, of course, also been to school, but all he knew +was a limited number of characters, and those not well. The whole day +long, his sole delight was in cock-fighting and horse-racing, rambling +over hills and doing the sights. + +Though a Purveyor, by Imperial appointment, he had not the least idea of +anything relating to matters of business or of the world. All he was +good for was: to take advantage of the friendships enjoyed by his +grandfather in days of old, to present himself at the Board of Revenue +to perfunctorily sign his name and to draw the allowance and rations; +while the rest of his affairs he, needless to say, left his partners and +old servants of the family to manage for him. + +His widowed mother, a Miss Wang, was the youngest sister of Wang +Tzu-t'eng, whose present office was that of Commander-in-Chief of a +Metropolitan Division; and was, with Madame Wang, the spouse of Chia +Cheng, of the Jung Kuo Mansion, sisters born of one mother. She was, in +this year, more or less forty years of age and had only one son: this +Hsüeh P'an. + +She also had a daughter, who was two years younger than Hsüeh P'an, and +whose infant name was Pao Ch'ai. She was beautiful in appearance, and +elegant and refined in deportment. In days gone by, when her father +lived, he was extremely fond of this girl, and had her read books and +study characters, so that, as compared with her brother, she was +actually a hundred times his superior. Having become aware, ever since +her father's death, that her brother could not appease the anguish of +her mother's heart, she at once dispelled all thoughts of books, and +gave her sole mind to needlework, to the menage and other such concerns, +so as to be able to participate in her mother's sorrow, and to bear the +fatigue in lieu of her. + +As of late the Emperor on the Throne held learning and propriety in high +esteem, His Majesty called together and singled out talent and ability, +upon which he deigned to display exceptional grace and favour. Besides +the number called forth from private life and chosen as Imperial +secondary wives, the daughters of families of hereditary official status +and renown were without exception, reported by name to the authorities, +and communicated to the Board, in anticipation of the selection for +maids in waiting to the Imperial Princesses and daughters of Imperial +Princes in their studies, and for filling up the offices of persons of +eminence, to urge them to become excellent. + +Ever since the death of Hsüeh P'an's father, the various assistants, +managers and partners, and other employes in the respective provinces, +perceiving how youthful Hsüeh P'an was in years, and how much he lacked +worldly experience, readily availed themselves of the time to begin +swindling and defrauding. The business, carried on in various different +places in the capital, gradually also began to fall off and to show a +deficit. + +Hsüeh P'an had all along heard that the capital was the _one_ place +for gaieties, and was just entertaining the idea of going on a visit, +when he eagerly jumped at the opportunity (that presented itself,) first +of all to escort his sister, who was going to wait for the selection, in +the second place to see his relatives, and in the third to enter +personally the capital, (professedly) to settle up long-standing +accounts, and to make arrangements for new outlays, but, in reality, +with the sole purpose of seeing the life and splendour of the +metropolis. + +He therefore, had, at an early period, got ready his baggage and small +luggage, as well as the presents for relatives and friends, things of +every description of local production, presents in acknowledgment of +favours received, and other such effects, and he was about to choose a +day to start on his journey when unexpectedly he came in the way of the +kidnapper who offered Ying Lien for sale. As soon as Hsüeh P'an saw how +_distinguée_ Ying Lien was in her appearance, he formed the +resolution of buying her; and when he encountered Feng Yüan, come with +the object of depriving him of her, he in the assurance of superiority, +called his sturdy menials together, who set upon Feng Yüan and beat him +to death. Forthwith collecting all the affairs of the household, and +entrusting them one by one to the charge of some members of the clan and +several elderly servants of the family, he promptly took his mother, +sister and others and after all started on his distant journey, while +the charge of homicide he, however, treated as child's play, flattering +himself that if he spent a few filthy pieces of money, there was no +doubt as to its settlement. + +He had been on his journey how many days, he had not reckoned, when, on +a certain day, as they were about to enter the capital, he furthermore +heard that his maternal uncle, Wang Tzu-t'eng, had been raised to the +rank of Supreme Governor of nine provinces, and had been honoured with +an Imperial command to leave the capital and inspect the frontiers. + +Hsüeh P'an was at heart secretly elated. "I was just lamenting," he +thought, "that on my visit to the capital, I would have my maternal +uncle to exercise control over me, and that I wouldn't be able to gambol +and frisk to my heart's content, but now that he is leaving the capital, +on promotion, it's evident that Heaven accomplishes man's wishes." + +As he consequently held consultation with his mother; "Though we have," +he argued, "several houses of our own in the capital, yet for these last +ten years or so, there has been no one to live in them, and the people +charged with the looking after them must unavoidably have stealthily +rented them to some one or other. It's therefore needful to let servants +go ahead to sweep and get the place in proper order, before we can very +well go ourselves." + +"What need is there to go to such trouble?" retorted his mother; "the +main object of our present visit to the capital is first of all to pay +our respects to our relatives and friends; and it is, either at your +elder uncle's, my brother's place, or at your other uncle's, my sister's +husband's home, both of which families' houses are extremely spacious, +that we can put up provisionally, and by and bye, at our ease, we can +send servants to make our house tidy. Now won't this be a considerable +saving of trouble?" + +"My uncle, your brother," suggested Hsüeh P'an, "has just been raised to +an appointment in an outside province, so that, of course, in his house, +things must be topsy-turvey, on account of his departure; and should we +betake ourselves, like a hive of bees and a long trail, to him for +shelter; won't we appear very inconsiderate?" + +"Your uncle," remarked his mother, "is, it is true, going on promotion, +but there's besides the house of your aunt, my sister. What is more, +during these last few years from both your uncle's and aunt's have, time +after time, been sent messages, and letters forwarded, asking us to come +over; and now that we've come, is it likely, though your uncle is busy +with his preparations to start on his journey, that your aunt of the +Chia family won't do all she can to press us to stay? Besides, were we +to have our house got ready in a scramble, won't it make people think it +strange? I however know your idea very well that were we kept to stay at +your uncle's and aunt's, you won't escape being under strict restraint, +unlike what would be the case were we to live in our own house, as you +would be free then to act as you please! Such being the case, go, on +your own account, and choose some place to take up your quarters in, +while I myself, who have been separated from your aunt and cousins for +these several years, would however like to stay with them for a few +days; and I'll go along with your sister and look up your aunt at her +home. What do you say; will this suit you or not?" + +Hsüeh P'an, upon hearing his mother speak in this strain, knew well +enough that he could not bring her round from her determination; and he +had no help but to issue the necessary directions to the servants to +make straight for the Jung Kuo mansion. Madame Wang had by this time +already come to know that in the lawsuit, in which Hsüeh P'an was +concerned, Chia Yü-ts'un had fortunately intervened and lent his good +offices, and was at length more composed in her mind. But when she again +saw that her eldest brother had been advanced to a post on the frontier, +she was just deploring that, deprived of the intercourse of the +relatives of her mother's family, how doubly lonely she would feel; +when, after the lapse of a few days, some one of the household brought +the unexpected announcement that "our lady, your sister, has, with the +young gentleman, the young lady and her whole household, entered the +capital and have dismounted from their vehicles outside the main +entrance." This news so delighted madame Wang that she rushed out, with +a few attendants, to greet them in the large Entrance Hall, and brought +Mrs. Hsüeh and the others into her house. + +The two sisters were now reunited, at an advanced period of their lives, +so that mixed feelings of sorrow and joy thronged together, but on these +it is, of course, needless to dilate. + +After conversing for a time on what had occurred, subsequent to their +separation, madame Wang took them to pay their obeisance to dowager lady +Chia. They then handed over the various kinds of presents and indigenous +articles, and after the whole family had been introduced, a banquet was +also spread to greet the guests. + +Hsüeh P'an, having paid his respects to Chia Cheng and Chia Lien, was +likewise taken to see Chia She, Chia Chen and the other members. + +Chia Cheng sent a messenger to tell madame Wang that "'aunt' Hsüeh had +already seen many springs and autumns, while their nephew was of tender +age, with no experience, so that there was every fear, were he to live +outside, that something would again take place. In the South-east corner +of our compound," (he sent word,) "there are in the Pear Fragrance +Court, over ten apartments, all of which are vacant and lying idle; and +were we to tell the servants to sweep them, and invite 'aunt' Hsüeh and +the young gentleman and lady to take up their quarters there, it would +be an extremely wise thing." + +Madame Wang had in fact been entertaining the wish to keep them to live +with them, when dowager lady Chia also sent some one to say that, "Mrs. +Hsüeh should be asked to put up in the mansion in order that a greater +friendliness should exist between them all." + +Mrs. Hsüeh herself had all along been desirous to live in one place with +her relatives, so as to be able to keep a certain check over her son, +fearing that, if they lived in a separate house outside, the natural +bent of his habits would run riot, and that some calamity would be +brought on; and she therefore, there and then, expressed her sense of +appreciation, and accepted the invitation. She further privately told +madame Wang in clear terms, that every kind of daily expense and general +contribution would have to be entirely avoided and withdrawn as that +would be the only thing to justify her to make any protracted stay. And +madame Wang aware that she had, in her home, no difficulty in this line, +promptly in fact complied with her wishes. + +From this date it was that "aunt" Hsüeh and her children took up their +quarters in the Pear Fragrance Court. + +This Court of Pear Fragrance had, we must explain, been at one time used +as a place for the quiet retirement of the Duke Jung in his advanced +years. It was on a small scale, but ingeniously laid out. There were, at +least, over ten structures. The front halls and the back houses were all +in perfect style. There was a separate door giving on to the street, and +the people of the household of Hsüeh P'an used this door to go in and +out. At the south-west quarter, there was also a side door, which +communicated with a narrow roadway. Beyond this narrow road, was the +eastern court of madame Wang's principal apartment; so that every day, +either after her repast, or in the evening, Mrs. Hsüeh would readily +come over and converse, on one thing and another, with dowager lady +Chia, or have a chat with madame Wang; while Pao-ch'ai came together, +day after day, with Tai yü, Ying-ch'un, her sisters and the other girls, +either to read, to play chess, or to do needlework, and the pleasure +which they derived was indeed perfect. + +Hsüeh P'an however had all along from the first instance, been loth to +live in the Chia mansion, as he dreaded that with the discipline +enforced by his uncle, he would not be able to be his own master; but +his mother had made up her mind so positively to remain there, and what +was more, every one in the Chia mansion was most pressing in their +efforts to keep them, that there was no alternative for him but to take +up his quarters temporarily there, while he at the same time directed +servants to go and sweep the apartments of their own house, with a view +that they should move into them when they were ready. + +But, contrary to expectation, after they had been in their quarters for +not over a month, Hsüeh P'an came to be on intimate relations with all +the young men among the kindred of the Chia mansion, the half of whom +were extravagant in their habits, so that great was, of course, his +delight to frequent them. To-day, they would come together to drink +wine; the next day to look at flowers. They even assembled to gamble, to +dissipate and to go everywhere and anywhere; leading, with all their +enticements, Hsüeh P'an so far astray, that he became far worse, by a +hundred times, than he was hitherto. + +Although it must be conceded that Chia Cheng was in the education of his +children quite correct, and in the control of his family quite +systematic, yet in the first place, the clan was so large and the +members so numerous, that he was unable to attend to the entire +supervision; and, in the second place, the head of the family, at this +period, was Chia Chen, who, as the eldest grandchild of the Ning +mansion, had likewise now come into the inheritance of the official +status, with the result that all matters connected with the clan +devolved upon his sole and exclusive control. In the third place, public +as well as private concerns were manifold and complex, and being a man +of negligent disposition, he estimated ordinary affairs of so little +consequence that any respite from his official duties he devoted to no +more than the study of books and the playing of chess. + +Furthermore, this Pear Fragrance Court was separated by two rows of +buildings from his quarters and was also provided with a separate door +opening into the street, so that, being able at their own heart's desire +to go out and to come in, these several young fellows could well indulge +their caprices, and gratify the bent of their minds. + +Hence it was that Hsüeh P'an, in course of time gradually extinguished +from his memory every idea of shifting their quarters. + +But what transpired, on subsequent days, the following chapter will +explain. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + The spirit of Chia Pao-yü visits the confines of the Great Void. + The Monitory Vision Fairy expounds, in ballads, the Dream of the Red + Chamber. + + +Having in the fourth Chapter explained, to some degree, the +circumstances attending the settlement of the mother and children of the +Hsüeh family in the Jung mansion, and other incidental matters, we will +now revert to Lin Tai-yü. + +Ever since her arrival in the Jung mansion, dowager lady Chia showed her +the highest sympathy and affection, so that in everything connected with +sleeping, eating, rising and accommodation she was on the same footing +as Pao-yü; with the result that Ying Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and T'an Ch'un, +her three granddaughters, had after all to take a back seat. In fact, +the intimate and close friendliness and love which sprung up between the +two persons Pao-yü and Tai-yü, was, in the same degree, of an +exceptional kind, as compared with those existing between the others. By +daylight they were wont to walk together, and to sit together. At night, +they would desist together, and rest together. Really it was a case of +harmony in language and concord in ideas, of the consistency of varnish +or of glue, (a close friendship), when at this unexpected juncture there +came this girl, Hsüeh Pao-ch'ai, who, though not very much older in +years (than the others), was, nevertheless, in manner so correct, and in +features so beautiful that the consensus of opinion was that Tai-yü +herself could not come up to her standard. + +What is more, in her ways Pao-Ch'ai was so full of good tact, so +considerate and accommodating, so unlike Tai-yü, who was supercilious, +self-confident, and without any regard for the world below, that the +natural consequence was that she soon completely won the hearts of the +lower classes. Even the whole number of waiting-maids would also for the +most part, play and joke with Pao-ch'ai. Hence it was that Tai-yü +fostered, in her heart, considerable feelings of resentment, but of this +however Pao-ch'ai had not the least inkling. + +Pao-yü was, likewise, in the prime of his boyhood, and was, besides, as +far as the bent of his natural disposition was concerned, in every +respect absurd and perverse; regarding his cousins, whether male or +female, one and all with one common sentiment, and without any +distinction whatever between the degrees of distant or close +relationship. Sitting and sleeping, as he now was under the same roof +with Tai-yü in dowager lady Chia's suite of rooms, he naturally became +comparatively more friendly with her than with his other cousins; and +this friendliness led to greater intimacy and this intimacy once +established, rendered unavoidable the occurrence of the blight of +harmony from unforeseen slight pretexts. + +These two had had on this very day, for some unknown reason, words +between them more or less unfriendly, and Tai-yü was again sitting all +alone in her room, giving way to tears. Pao-yü was once more within +himself quite conscience-smitten for his ungraceful remarks, and coming +forward, he humbly made advances, until, at length, Tai-yü little by +little came round. + +As the plum blossom, in the eastern part of the garden of the Ning +mansion, was in full bloom, Chia Chen's spouse, Mrs. Yu, made +preparations for a collation, (purposing) to send invitations to dowager +lady Chia, mesdames Hsing, and Wang, and the other members of the +family, to come and admire the flowers; and when the day arrived the +first thing she did was to take Chia Jung and his wife, the two of them, +and come and ask them round in person. Dowager lady Chia and the other +inmates crossed over after their early meal; and they at once promenaded +the Hui Fang (Concentrated Fragrance) Garden. First tea was served, and +next wine; but the entertainment was no more than a family banquet of +the kindred of the two mansions of Ning and Jung, so that there was a +total lack of any novel or original recreation that could be put on +record. + +After a little time, Pao-yü felt tired and languid and inclined for his +midday siesta. "Take good care," dowager lady Chia enjoined some of +them, "and stay with him, while he rests for a while, when he can come +back;" whereupon Chia Jung's wife, Mrs. Ch'in, smiled and said with +eagerness: "We got ready in here a room for uncle Pao, so let your +venerable ladyship set your mind at ease. Just hand him over to my +charge, and he will be quite safe. Mothers and sisters," she continued, +addressing herself to Pao-yü's nurses and waiting maids, "invite uncle +Pao to follow me in here." + +Dowager lady Chia had always been aware of the fact that Mrs. Ch'in was +a most trustworthy person, naturally courteous and scrupulous, and in +every action likewise so benign and gentle; indeed the most estimable +among the whole number of her great grandsons' wives, so that when she +saw her about to go and attend to Pao-yü, she felt that, for a +certainty, everything would be well. + +Mrs. Ch'in, there and then, led away a company of attendants, and came +into the rooms inside the drawing room. Pao-yü, upon raising his head, +and catching sight of a picture hung on the upper wall, representing a +human figure, in perfect style, the subject of which was a portrait of +Yen Li, speedily felt his heart sink within him. + +There was also a pair of scrolls, the text of which was: + + A thorough insight into worldly matters arises from knowledge; + A clear perception of human nature emanates from literary lore. + +On perusal of these two sentences, albeit the room was sumptuous and +beautifully laid out, he would on no account remain in it. "Let us go at +once," he hastened to observe, "let us go at once." + +Mrs. Ch'in upon hearing his objections smiled. "If this," she said, "is +really not nice, where are you going? if you won't remain here, well +then come into my room." + +Pao-yü nodded his head and gave a faint grin. + +"Where do you find the propriety," a nurse thereupon interposed, "of an +uncle going to sleep in the room of a nephew's wife?" + +"Ai ya!" exclaimed Mrs. Ch'in laughing, "I don't mind whether he gets +angry or not (at what I say); but how old can he be as to reverentially +shun all these things? Why my brother was with me here last month; +didn't you see him? he's, true enough, of the same age as uncle Pao, but +were the two of them to stand side by side, I suspect that he would be +much higher in stature." + +"How is it," asked Pao-yü, "that I didn't see him? Bring him along and +let me have a look at him!" + +"He's separated," they all ventured as they laughed, "by a distance of +twenty or thirty li, and how can he be brought along? but you'll see him +some day." + +As they were talking, they reached the interior of Mrs. Ch'in's +apartments. As soon as they got in, a very faint puff of sweet fragrance +was wafted into their nostrils. Pao-yü readily felt his eyes itch and +his bones grow weak. "What a fine smell!" he exclaimed several +consecutive times. + +Upon entering the apartments, and gazing at the partition wall, he saw a +picture the handiwork of T'ang Po-hu, consisting of Begonias drooping in +the spring time; on either side of which was one of a pair of scrolls, +written by Ch'in Tai-hsü, a Literary Chancellor of the Sung era, running +as follows: + + A gentle chill doth circumscribe the dreaming man, because the spring + is cold. + The fragrant whiff, which wafts itself into man's nose, is the perfume + of wine! + +On the table was a mirror, one which had been placed, in days of yore, +in the Mirror Palace of the Emperor Wu Tse-t'ien. On one side stood a +gold platter, in which Fei Yen, who lived in the Ch'ao state, used to +stand and dance. In this platter, was laid a quince, which An Lu-shan +had flung at the Empress T'ai Chen, inflicting a wound on her breast. In +the upper part of the room, stood a divan ornamented with gems, on which +the Emperor's daughter, Shou Ch'ang, was wont to sleep, in the Han Chang +Palace Hanging, were curtains embroidered with strings of pearls, by +T'ung Ch'ang, the Imperial Princess. + +"It's nice in here, it's nice in here," exclaimed Pao-yü with a chuckle. + +"This room of mine," observed Mrs. Ch'in smilingly, "is I think, good +enough for even spirits to live in!" and, as she uttered these words, +she with her own hands, opened a gauze coverlet, which had been washed +by Hsi Shih, and removed a bridal pillow, which had been held in the +arms of Hung Niang. Instantly, the nurses attended to Pao-yü, until he +had laid down comfortably; when they quietly dispersed, leaving only the +four waiting maids: Hsi Jen, Ch'iu Wen, Ch'ing Wen and She Yueh to keep +him company. + +"Mind be careful, as you sit under the eaves," Mrs. Ch'in recommended +the young waiting maids, "that the cats do not start a fight!" + +Pao-yü then closed his eyes, and, little by little, became drowsy, and +fell asleep. + +It seemed to him just as if Mrs. Ch'in was walking ahead of him. +Forthwith, with listless and unsettled step, he followed Mrs. Ch'in to +some spot or other, where he saw carnation-like railings, jade-like +steps, verdant trees and limpid pools--a spot where actually no trace of +any human being could be met with, where of the shifting mundane dust +little had penetrated. + +Pao-yü felt, in his dream, quite delighted. "This place," he mused, "is +pleasant, and I may as well spend my whole lifetime in here! though I +may have to lose my home, I'm quite ready for the sacrifice, for it's +far better being here than being flogged, day after day, by father, +mother, and teacher." + +While he pondered in this erratic strain, he suddenly heard the voice of +some human being at the back of the rocks, giving vent to this song: + + Like scattering clouds doth fleet a vernal dream; + The transient flowers pass like a running stream; + Maidens and youths bear this, ye all, in mind; + In useless grief what profit will ye find? + +Pao-yü perceived that the voice was that of a girl. The song was barely +at an end, when he soon espied in the opposite direction, a beautiful +girl advancing with majestic and elastic step; a girl quite unlike any +ordinary mortal being. There is this poem, which gives an adequate +description of her: + + Lo she just quits the willow bank; and sudden now she issues from the + flower-bedecked house; + As onward alone she speeds, she startles the birds perched in the + trees, by the pavilion; to which as she draws nigh, her shadow + flits by the verandah! + Her fairy clothes now flutter in the wind! a fragrant perfume like + unto musk or olea is wafted in the air; Her apparel lotus-like is + sudden wont to move; and the jingle of her ornaments strikes the + ear. + Her dimpled cheeks resemble, as they smile, a vernal peach; her + kingfisher coiffure is like a cumulus of clouds; her lips part + cherry-like; her pomegranate-like teeth conceal a fragrant + breath. + Her slender waist, so beauteous to look at, is like the skipping snow + wafted by a gust of wind; the sheen of her pearls and kingfisher + trinkets abounds with splendour, green as the feathers of a duck, + and yellow as the plumes of a goose; + Now she issues to view, and now is hidden among the flowers; beautiful + she is when displeased, beautiful when in high spirits; with + lissome step, she treads along the pond, as if she soars on wings + or sways in the air. + Her eyebrows are crescent moons, and knit under her smiles; she + speaks, and yet she seems no word to utter; her lotus-like feet + with ease pursue their course; she stops, and yet she seems still + to be in motion; the charms of her figure all vie with ice in + purity, and in splendour with precious gems; Lovely is her + brilliant attire, so full of grandeur and refined grace. + Loveable her countenance, as if moulded from some fragrant substance, + or carved from white jade; elegant is her person, like a phoenix, + dignified like a dragon soaring high. + What is her chastity like? Like a white plum in spring with snow + nestling in its broken skin; Her purity? Like autumn orchids + bedecked with dewdrops. + Her modesty? Like a fir-tree growing in a barren plain; Her + comeliness? Like russet clouds reflected in a limpid pool. + Her gracefulness? Like a dragon in motion wriggling in a stream; + Her refinement? Like the rays of the moon shooting on to a cool + river. + Sure is she to put Hsi Tzu to shame! Bound to put Wang Ch'iang to the + blush! What a remarkable person! Where was she born? and whence + does she come? + One thing is true that in Fairy-land there is no second like her! that + in the Purple Courts of Heaven there is no one fit to be her peer! + Forsooth, who can it be, so surpassingly beautiful! + +Pao-yü, upon realising that she was a fairy, was much elated; and with +eagerness advanced and made a bow. + +"My divine sister," he ventured, as he put on a smile. "I don't know +whence you come, and whither you are going. Nor have I any idea what +this place is, but I make bold to entreat that you would take my hand +and lead me on." + +"My abode," replied the Fairy, "is above the Heavens of Divested +Animosities, and in the ocean of Discharged Sorrows. I'm the Fairy of +Monitory Vision, of the cave of Drooping Fragrance, in the mount of +Emitted Spring, within the confines of the Great Void. I preside over +the voluptuous affections and sensual debts among the mortal race, and +supervise in the dusty world, the envies of women and the lusts of man. +It's because I've recently come to hear that the retribution for +voluptuousness extends up to this place, that I betake myself here in +order to find suitable opportunities of disseminating mutual affections. +My encounter with you now is also not a matter of accident! This spot is +not distant from my confines. I have nothing much there besides a cup of +the tender buds of tea plucked by my own hands, and a pitcher of +luscious wine, fermented by me as well as several spritelike singing and +dancing maidens of great proficiency, and twelve ballads of spiritual +song, recently completed, on the Dream of the Red Chamber; but won't you +come along with me for a stroll?" + +Pao-yü, at this proposal, felt elated to such an extraordinary degree +that he could skip from joy, and there and then discarding from his mind +all idea of where Mrs. Ch'in was, he readily followed the Fairy. + +They reached some spot, where there was a stone tablet, put up in a +horizontal position, on which were visible the four large characters: +"The confines of the Great Void," on either side of which was one of a +pair of scrolls, with the two antithetical sentences: + + When falsehood stands for truth, truth likewise becomes false; + When naught be made to aught, aught changes into naught! + +Past the Portal stood the door of a Palace, and horizontally, above this +door, were the four large characters: "The Sea of Retribution, the +Heaven of Love." There were also a pair of scrolls, with the inscription +in large characters: + + Passion, alas! thick as the earth, and lofty as the skies, from ages + past to the present hath held incessant sway; + How pitiful your lot! ye lustful men and women envious, that your + voluptuous debts should be so hard to pay! + +Pao-yü, after perusal, communed with his own heart. "Is it really so!" +he thought, "but I wonder what implies the passion from old till now, +and what are the voluptuous debts! Henceforward, I must enlighten +myself!" + +Pao-yü was bent upon this train of thoughts when he unwittingly +attracted several evil spirits into his heart, and with speedy step he +followed in the track of the fairy, and entered two rows of doors when +he perceived that the Lateral Halls were, on both sides, full of tablets +and scrolls, the number of which he could not in one moment ascertain. +He however discriminated in numerous places the inscriptions: The Board +of Lustful Love; the Board of contracted grudges; The Board of Matutinal +sobs; the Board of nocturnal tears; the Board of vernal affections; and +the Board of autumnal anguish. + +After he had perused these inscriptions, he felt impelled to turn round +and address the Fairy. "May I venture to trouble my Fairy," he said, "to +take me along for a turn into the interior of each of these Boards? May +I be allowed, I wonder, to do so?" + +"Inside each of these Boards," explained the Fairy, "are accumulated the +registers with the records of all women of the whole world; of those who +have passed away, as well as of those who have not as yet come into it, +and you, with your mortal eyes and human body, could not possibly be +allowed to know anything in anticipation." + +But would Pao-yü, upon hearing these words, submit to this decree? He +went on to implore her permission again and again, until the Fairy +casting her eye upon the tablet of the board in front of her observed, +"Well, all right! you may go into this board and reap some transient +pleasure." + +Pao-yü was indescribably joyous, and, as he raised his head, he +perceived that the text on the tablet consisted of the three characters: +the Board of Ill-fated lives; and that on each side was a scroll with +the inscription: + + Upon one's self are mainly brought regrets in spring and autumn gloom; + A face, flowerlike may be and moonlike too; but beauty all for whom? + +Upon perusal of the scroll Pao-yü was, at once, the more stirred with +admiration; and, as he crossed the door, and reached the interior, the +only things that struck his eye were about ten large presses, the whole +number of which were sealed with paper slips; on every one of these +slips, he perceived that there were phrases peculiar to each province. + +Pao-yü was in his mind merely bent upon discerning, from the rest, the +slip referring to his own native village, when he espied, on the other +side, a slip with the large characters: "the Principal Record of the +Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling." + +"What is the meaning," therefore inquired Pao-yü, "of the Principal +Record of the Twelve Maidens of Chin Ling?" + +"As this is the record," explained the Fairy, "of the most excellent and +prominent girls in your honourable province, it is, for this reason, +called the Principal Record." + +"I've often heard people say," observed Pao-yü, "that Chin Ling is of +vast extent; and how can there only be twelve maidens in it! why, at +present, in our own family alone, there are more or less several +hundreds of young girls!" + +The Fairy gave a faint smile. "Through there be," she rejoined, "so +large a number of girls in your honourable province, those only of any +note have been selected and entered in this record. The two presses, on +the two sides, contain those who are second best; while, for all who +remain, as they are of the ordinary run, there are, consequently, no +registers to make any entry of them in." + +Pao-yü upon looking at the press below, perceived the inscription: +"Secondary Record of the twelve girls of Chin Ling;" while again in +another press was inscribed: "Supplementary Secondary Record of the +Twelve girls of Chin Ling." Forthwith stretching out his hand, Pao-yü +opened first the doors of the press, containing the "supplementary +secondary Record," extracted a volume of the registers, and opened it. +When he came to examine it, he saw on the front page a representation of +something, which, though bearing no resemblance to a human being, +presented, at the same time, no similitude to scenery; consisting simply +of huge blotches made with ink. The whole paper was full of nothing else +but black clouds and turbid mists, after which appeared the traces of a +few characters, explaining that-- + + A cloudless moon is rare forsooth to see, + And pretty clouds so soon scatter and flee! + Thy heart is deeper than the heavens are high, + Thy frame consists of base ignominy! + Thy looks and clever mind resentment will provoke, + And thine untimely death vile slander will evoke! + A loving noble youth in vain for love will yearn. + +After reading these lines, Pao-yü looked below, where was pictured a +bouquet of fresh flowers and a bed covered with tattered matting. There +were also several distiches running as follows: + + Thy self-esteem for kindly gentleness is but a fancy vain! + Thy charms that they can match the olea or orchid, but thoughts inane! + While an actor will, envious lot! with fortune's smiles be born, + A youth of noble birth will, strange to say, be luckless and forlorn. + +Pao-yü perused these sentences, but could not unfold their meaning, so, +at once discarding this press, he went over and opened the door of the +press of the "Secondary Records" and took out a book, in which, on +examination, he found a representation of a twig of Olea fragrans. +Below, was a pond, the water of which was parched up and the mud dry, +the lotus flowers decayed, and even the roots dead. At the back were +these lines: + + The lotus root and flower but one fragrance will give; + How deep alas! the wounds of thy life's span will be; + What time a desolate tree in two places will live, + Back to its native home the fragrant ghost will flee! + +Pao-yü read these lines, but failed to understand what they meant. He +then went and fetched the "Principal Record," and set to looking it +over. He saw on the first page a picture of two rotten trees, while on +these trees was suspended a jade girdle. There was also a heap of snow, +and under this snow was a golden hair-pin. There were in addition these +four lines in verse: + + Bitter thy cup will be, e'en were the virtue thine to stop the loom, + Thine though the gift the willow fluff to sing, pity who will thy + doom? + High in the trees doth hang the girdle of white jade, + And lo! among the snow the golden pin is laid! + +To Pao-yü the meaning was again, though he read the lines over, quite +unintelligible. He was, about to make inquiries, but he felt convinced +that the Fairy would be both to divulge the decrees of Heaven; and +though intent upon discarding the book, he could not however tear +himself away from it. Forthwith, therefore, he prosecuted a further +perusal of what came next, when he caught sight of a picture of a bow. +On this bow hung a citron. There was also this ode: + + Full twenty years right and wrong to expound will be thy fate! + What place pomegranate blossoms come in bloom will face the Palace + Gate! + The third portion of spring, of the first spring in beauty short will + fall! + When tiger meets with hare thou wilt return to sleep perennial. + +Further on, was also a sketch of two persons flying a kite; a broad +expanse of sea, and a large vessel; while in this vessel was a girl, who +screened her face bedewed with tears. These four lines were likewise +visible: + + Pure and bright will be thy gifts, thy purpose very high; + But born thou wilt be late in life and luck be passed by; + At the tomb feast thou wilt repine tearful along the stream, + East winds may blow, but home miles off will be, even in dream. + +After this followed a picture of several streaks of fleeting clouds, and +of a creek whose waters were exhausted, with the text: + + Riches and honours too what benefit are they? + In swaddling clothes thou'lt be when parents pass away; + The rays will slant, quick as the twinkle of an eye; + The Hsiang stream will recede, the Ch'u clouds onward fly! + +Then came a picture of a beautiful gem, which had fallen into the mire, +with the verse: + + Thine aim is chastity, but chaste thou wilt not be; + Abstraction is thy faith, but void thou may'st not see; + Thy precious, gemlike self will, pitiful to say, + Into the mundane mire collapse at length some day. + +A rough sketch followed of a savage wolf, in pursuit of a beautiful +girl, trying to pounce upon her as he wished to devour her. This was the +burden of the distich: + + Thy mate is like a savage wolf prowling among the hills; + His wish once gratified a haughty spirit his heart fills! + Though fair thy form like flowers or willows in the golden moon, + Upon the yellow beam to hang will shortly be its doom. + +Below, was an old temple, in the interior of which was a beautiful +person, just in the act of reading the religious manuals, as she sat all +alone; with this inscription: + + In light esteem thou hold'st the charms of the three springs for their + short-liv'd fate; + Thine attire of past years to lay aside thou chang'st, a Taoist dress + to don; + How sad, alas! of a reputed house and noble kindred the scion, + Alone, behold! she sleeps under a glimmering light, an old idol for + mate. + +Next in order came a hill of ice, on which stood a hen-phoenix, while +under it was this motto: + + When time ends, sure coincidence, the phoenix doth alight; + The talents of this human form all know and living see, + For first to yield she kens, then to control, and third genial to be; + But sad to say, things in Chin Ling are in more sorry plight. + +This was succeeded by a representation of a desolate village, and a +dreary inn. A pretty girl sat in there, spinning thread. These were the +sentiments affixed below: + + When riches will have flown will honours then avail? + When ruin breaks your home, e'en relatives will fail! + But sudden through the aid extended to Dame Liu, + A friend in need fortune will make to rise for you. + +Following these verses, was drawn a pot of Orchids, by the side of +which, was a beautiful maiden in a phoenix-crown and cloudy mantle +(bridal dress); and to this picture was appended this device: + + What time spring wanes, then fades the bloom of peach as well as plum! + Who ever can like a pot of the olea be winsome! + With ice thy purity will vie, vain their envy will be! + In vain a laughing-stock people will try to make of thee. + +At the end of this poetical device, came the representation of a lofty +edifice, on which was a beauteous girl, suspending herself on a beam to +commit suicide; with this verse: + + Love high as heav'n, love ocean-wide, thy lovely form will don; + What time love will encounter love, license must rise wanton; + Why hold that all impiety in Jung doth find its spring, + The source of trouble, verily, is centred most in Ning. + +Pao-yü was still bent upon prosecuting his perusal, when the Fairy +perceiving that his intellect was eminent and bright, and his natural +talents quickwitted, and apprehending lest the decrees of heaven should +be divulged, hastily closed the Book of Record, and addressed herself to +Pao-yü. "Come along with me," she said smiling, "and see some wonderful +scenery. What's the need of staying here and beating this gourd of +ennui?" + +In a dazed state, Pao-yü listlessly discarded the record, and again +followed in the footsteps of the Fairy. On their arrival at the back, he +saw carnation portières, and embroidered curtains, ornamented pillars, +and carved eaves. But no words can adequately give an idea of the +vermilion apartments glistening with splendour, of the floors garnished +with gold, of the snow reflecting lustrous windows, of the palatial +mansions made of gems. He also saw fairyland flowers, beautiful and +fragrant, and extraordinary vegetation, full of perfume. The spot was +indeed elysian. + +He again heard the Fairy observe with a smiling face: "Come out all of +you at once and greet the honoured guest!" + +These words were scarcely completed, when he espied fairies walk out of +the mansion, all of whom were, with their dangling lotus sleeves, and +their fluttering feather habiliments, as comely as spring flowers, and +as winsome as the autumn moon. As soon as they caught sight of Pao-yü, +they all, with one voice, resentfully reproached the Monitory Vision +Fairy. "Ignorant as to who the honoured guest could be," they argued, +"we hastened to come out to offer our greetings simply because you, +elder sister, had told us that, on this day, and at this very time, +there would be sure to come on a visit, the spirit of the younger sister +of Chiang Chu. That's the reason why we've been waiting for ever so +long; and now why do you, in lieu of her, introduce this vile object to +contaminate the confines of pure and spotless maidens?" + +As soon as Pao-yü heard these remarks, he was forthwith plunged in such +a state of consternation that he would have retired, but he found it +impossible to do so. In fact, he felt the consciousness of the foulness +and corruption of his own nature quite intolerable. The Monitory Vision +Fairy promptly took Pao-yü's hand in her own, and turning towards her +younger sisters, smiled and explained: "You, and all of you, are not +aware of the why and wherefore. To-day I did mean to have gone to the +Jung mansion to fetch Chiang Chu, but as I went by the Ning mansion, I +unexpectedly came across the ghosts of the two dukes of Jung and Ning, +who addressed me in this wise: 'Our family has, since the dynasty +established itself on the Throne, enjoyed merit and fame, which pervaded +many ages, and riches and honours transmitted from generation to +generation. One hundred years have already elapsed, but this good +fortune has now waned, and this propitious luck is exhausted; so much so +that they could not be retrieved! Our sons and grandsons may be many, +but there is no one among them who has the means to continue the family +estate, with the exception of our kindred grandson, Pao-yü alone, who, +though perverse in disposition and wayward by nature, is nevertheless +intelligent and quick-witted and qualified in a measure to give effect +to our hopes. But alas! the good fortune of our family is entirely +decayed, so that we fear there is no person to incite him to enter the +right way! Fortunately you worthy fairy come at an unexpected moment, +and we venture to trust that you will, above all things, warn him +against the foolish indulgence of inordinate desire, lascivious +affections and other such things, in the hope that he may, at your +instigation, be able to escape the snares of those girls who will allure +him with their blandishments, and to enter on the right track; and we +two brothers will be ever grateful.' + +"On language such as this being addressed to me, my feelings of +commiseration naturally burst forth; and I brought him here, and bade +him, first of all, carefully peruse the records of the whole lives of +the maidens in his family, belonging to the three grades, the upper, +middle and lower, but as he has not yet fathomed the import, I have +consequently led him into this place to experience the vision of +drinking, eating, singing and licentious love, in the hope, there is no +saying, of his at length attaining that perception." + +Having concluded these remarks, she led Pao-yü by the hand into the +apartment, where he felt a whiff of subtle fragrance, but what it was +that reached his nostrils he could not tell. + +To Pao-yü's eager and incessant inquiries, the Fairy made reply with a +sardonic smile. "This perfume," she said, "is not to be found in the +world, and how could you discern what it is? This is made of the essence +of the first sprouts of rare herbs, growing on all hills of fame and +places of superior excellence, admixed with the oil of every species of +splendid shrubs in precious groves, and is called the marrow of +Conglomerated Fragrance." + +At these words Pao-yü was, of course, full of no other feeling than +wonder. + +The whole party advanced and took their seats, and a young maidservant +presented tea, which Pao-yü found of pure aroma, of excellent flavour +and of no ordinary kind. "What is the name of this tea?" he therefore +asked; upon which the Fairy explained. "This tea," she added, +"originates from the Hills of Emitted Spring and the Valley of Drooping +Fragrance, and is, besides, brewed in the night dew, found on spiritual +plants and divine leaves. The name of this tea is 'one thousand red in +one hole.'" + +At these words Pao-yü nodded his head, and extolled its qualities. +Espying in the room lutes, with jasper mountings, and tripods, inlaid +with gems, antique paintings, and new poetical works, which were to be +seen everywhere, he felt more than ever in a high state of delight. +Below the windows, were also shreds of velvet sputtered about and a +toilet case stained with the traces of time and smudged with cosmetic; +while on the partition wall was likewise suspended a pair of scrolls, +with the inscription: + + A lonesome, small, ethereal, beauteous nook! + What help is there, but Heaven's will to brook? + +Pao-yü having completed his inspection felt full of admiration, and +proceeded to ascertain the names and surnames of the Fairies. One was +called the Fairy of Lustful Dreams; another "the High Ruler of +Propagated Passion;" the name of one was "the Golden Maiden of +Perpetuated Sorrow;" of another the "Intelligent Maiden of Transmitted +Hatred." (In fact,) the respective Taoist appellations were not of one +and the same kind. + +In a short while, young maid-servants came in and laid the table, put +the chairs in their places, and spread out wines and eatables. There +were actually crystal tankards overflowing with luscious wines, and +amber glasses full to the brim with pearly strong liquors. But still +less need is there to give any further details about the sumptuousness +of the refreshments. + +Pao-yü found it difficult, on account of the unusual purity of the +bouquet of the wine, to again restrain himself from making inquiries +about it. + +"This wine," observed the Monitory Dream Fairy, "is made of the twigs of +hundreds of flowers, and the juice of ten thousands of trees, with the +addition of must composed of unicorn marrow, and yeast prepared with +phoenix milk. Hence the name of 'Ten thousand Beauties in one Cup' was +given to it." + +Pao-yü sang its incessant praise, and, while he sipped his wine, twelve +dancing girls came forward, and requested to be told what songs they +were to sing. + +"Take," suggested the Fairy, "the newly-composed Twelve Sections of the +Dream of the Red Chamber, and sing them." + +The singing girls signified their obedience, and forthwith they lightly +clapped the castagnettes and gently thrummed the virginals. These were +the words which they were heard to sing: + + At the time of the opening of the heavens and the laying out of the + earth chaos prevailed. + +They had just sung this one line when the Fairy exclaimed: "This ballad +is unlike the ballads written in the dusty world whose purport is to +hand down remarkable events, in which the distinction of scholars, +girls, old men and women, and fools is essential, and in which are +furthermore introduced the lyrics of the Southern and Northern Palaces. +These fairy songs consist either of elegaic effusions on some person or +impressions of some occurrence or other, and are impromptu songs readily +set to the music of wind or string instruments, so that any one who is +not cognisant of their gist cannot appreciate the beauties contained in +them. So you are not likely, I fear, to understand this lyric with any +clearness; and unless you first peruse the text and then listen to the +ballad, you will, instead of pleasure, feel as if you were chewing wax +(devoid of any zest)." + +After these remarks, she turned her head round, and directed a young +maid-servant to fetch the text of the Dream of the Red Chamber, which +she handed to Pao-yü, who took it over; and as he followed the words +with his eyes, with his ears he listened to the strains of this song: + +Preface of the Bream of the Red Chamber.--When the Heavens were opened +and earth was laid out chaos prevailed! What was the germ of love? It +arises entirely from the strength of licentious love. + +What day, by the will of heaven, I felt wounded at heart, and what time +I was at leisure, I made an attempt to disburden my sad heart; and with +this object in view I indited this Dream of the Bed Chamber, on the +subject of a disconsolate gold trinket and an unfortunate piece of jade. + +Waste of a whole Lifetime. All maintain that the match between gold and +jade will be happy. All I can think of is the solemn oath contracted in +days gone by by the plant and stone! Vain will I gaze upon the snow, +Hsüeh, [Pao-ch'ai], pure as crystal and lustrous like a gem of the +eminent priest living among the hills! Never will I forget the noiseless +Fairy Grove, Lin [Tai-yü], beyond the confines of the mortal world! +Alas! now only have I come to believe that human happiness is +incomplete; and that a couple may be bound by the ties of wedlock for +life, but that after all their hearts are not easy to lull into +contentment. + +Vain knitting of the brows. The one is a spirit flower of Fairyland; the +other is a beautiful jade without a blemish. Do you maintain that their +union will not be remarkable? Why how then is it that he has come to +meet her again in this existence? If the union will you say, be strange, +how is it then that their love affair will be but empty words? The one +in her loneliness will give way to useless sighs. The other in vain will +yearn and crave. The one will be like the reflection of the moon in +water; the other like a flower reflected in a mirror. Consider, how many +drops of tears can there be in the eyes? and how could they continue to +drop from autumn to winter and from spring to flow till summer time? + +But to come to Pao-yü. After he had heard these ballads, so diffuse and +vague, he failed to see any point of beauty in them; but the plaintive +melody of the sound was nevertheless sufficient to drive away his spirit +and exhilarate his soul. Hence it was that he did not make any inquiries +about the arguments, and that he did not ask about the matter treated, +but simply making these ballads the means for the time being of +dispelling melancholy, he therefore went on with the perusal of what +came below. + +Despicable Spirit of Death! You will be rejoicing that glory is at its +height when hateful death will come once again, and with eyes wide with +horror, you will discard all things, and dimly and softly the fragrant +spirit will waste and dissolve! You will yearn for native home, but +distant will be the way, and lofty the mountains. Hence it is that you +will betake yourself in search of father and mother, while they lie +under the influence of a dream, and hold discourse with them. "Your +child," you will say, "has already trodden the path of death! Oh my +parents, it behoves you to speedily retrace your steps and make good +your escape!" + +Separated from Relatives. You will speed on a journey of three thousand +li at the mercy of wind and rain, and tear yourself from all your family +ties and your native home! Your fears will be lest anguish should do any +harm to your parents in their failing years! "Father and mother," you +will bid them, "do not think with any anxiety of your child. From ages +past poverty as well as success have both had a fixed destiny; and is it +likely that separation and reunion are not subject to predestination? +Though we may now be far apart in two different places, we must each of +us try and preserve good cheer. Your abject child has, it is true, gone +from home, but abstain from distressing yourselves on her account!" + +Sorrow in the midst of Joy. While wrapped as yet in swaddling clothes, +father and mother, both alas! will depart, and dwell though you will in +that mass of gauze, who is there who will know how to spoil you with any +fond attention? Born you will be fortunately with ample moral courage, +and high-minded and boundless resources, for your parents will not have, +in the least, their child's secret feelings at heart! You will be like a +moon appearing to view when the rain holds up, shedding its rays upon +the Jade Hall; or a gentle breeze (wafting its breath upon it). Wedded +to a husband, fairy like fair and accomplished, you will enjoy a +happiness enduring as the earth and perennial as the Heavens! and you +will be the means of snapping asunder the bitter fate of your youth! +But, after all, the clouds will scatter in Kao T'ang and the waters of +the Hsiang river will get parched! This is the inevitable destiny of +dissolution and continuance which prevails in the mortal world, and what +need is there to indulge in useless grief? + +Intolerable to the world. Your figure will be as winsome as an olea +fragrans; your talents as ample as those of a Fairy! You will by nature +be so haughty that of the whole human race few will be like you! You +will look upon a meat diet as one of dirt, and treat splendour as coarse +and loathsome! And yet you will not be aware that your high notions will +bring upon you the excessive hatred of man! You will be very eager in +your desire after chastity, but the human race will despise you! Alas, +you will wax old in that antique temple hall under a faint light, where +you will waste ungrateful for beauty, looks and freshness! But after all +you will still be worldly, corrupt and unmindful of your vows; just like +a spotless white jade you will be whose fate is to fall into the mire! +And what need will there be for the grandson of a prince or the son of a +duke to deplore that his will not be the good fortune (of winning your +affections)? + +The Voluptuary. You will resemble a wolf in the mountains! a savage +beast devoid of all human feeling! Regardless in every way of the +obligations of days gone by, your sole pleasure will be in the +indulgence of haughtiness, extravagance, licentiousness and dissolute +habits! You will be inordinate in your conjugal affections, and look +down upon the beautiful charms of the child of a marquis, as if they +were cat-tail rush or willow; trampling upon the honourable daughter of +a ducal mansion, as if she were one of the common herd. Pitiful to say, +the fragrant spirit and beauteous ghost will in a year softly and gently +pass away! + +The Perception that all things are transient like flowers. You will look +lightly upon the three springs and regard the blush of the peach and the +green of the willow as of no avail. You will beat out the fire of +splendour, and treat solitary retirement as genial! What is it that you +say about the delicate peaches in the heavens (marriage) being +excellent, and the petals of the almond in the clouds being plentiful +(children)? Let him who has after all seen one of them, (really a mortal +being) go safely through the autumn, (wade safely through old age), +behold the people in the white Poplar village groan and sigh; and the +spirits under the green maple whine and moan! Still more wide in expanse +than even the heavens is the dead vegetation which covers the graves! +The moral is this, that the burden of man is poverty one day and +affluence another; that bloom in spring, and decay in autumn, constitute +the doom of vegetable life! In the same way, this calamity of birth and +the visitation of death, who is able to escape? But I have heard it said +that there grows in the western quarter a tree called the P'o So +(Patient Bearing) which bears the fruit of Immortal life! + +The bane of Intelligence. Yours will be the power to estimate, in a +thorough manner, the real motives of all things, as yours will be +intelligence of an excessive degree; but instead (of reaping any +benefit) you will cast the die of your own existence! The heart of your +previous life is already reduced to atoms, and when you shall have died, +your nature will have been intelligent to no purpose! Your home will be +in easy circumstances; your family will enjoy comforts; but your +connexions will, at length, fall a prey to death, and the inmates of +your family scatter, each one of you speeding in a different direction, +making room for others! In vain, you will have harassed your mind with +cankering thoughts for half a lifetime; for it will be just as if you +had gone through the confused mazes of a dream on the third watch! +Sudden a crash (will be heard) like the fall of a spacious palace, and a +dusky gloominess (will supervene) such as is caused by a lamp about to +spend itself! Alas! a spell of happiness will be suddenly (dispelled by) +adversity! Woe is man in the world! for his ultimate doom is difficult +to determine! + +Leave behind a residue of happiness! Hand down an excess of happiness; +hand down an excess of happiness! Unexpectedly you will come across a +benefactor! Fortunate enough your mother, your own mother, will have +laid by a store of virtue and secret meritorious actions! My advice to +you, mankind, is to relieve the destitute and succour the distressed! Do +not resemble those who will harp after lucre and show themselves +unmindful of the ties of relationship: that wolflike maternal uncle of +yours and that impostor of a brother! True it is that addition and +subtraction, increase and decrease, (reward and punishment,) rest in the +hands of Heaven above! + +Splendour at last. Loving affection in a mirror will be still more +ephemeral than fame in a dream. That fine splendour will fleet how soon! +Make no further allusion to embroidered curtain, to bridal coverlet; for +though you may come to wear on your head a pearl-laden coronet, and, on +your person, a jacket ornamented with phoenixes, yours will not +nevertheless be the means to atone for the short life (of your husband)! +Though the saying is that mankind should not have, in their old age, the +burden of poverty to bear, yet it is also essential that a store of +benevolent deeds should be laid up for the benefit of sons and +grandsons! (Your son) may come to be dignified in appearance and wear on +his head the official tassel, and on his chest may be suspended the gold +seal resplendent in lustre; he may be imposing in his majesty, and he +may rise high in status and emoluments, but the dark and dreary way +which leads to death is short! Are the generals and ministers who have +been from ages of old still in the flesh, forsooth? They exist only in a +futile name handed down to posterity to reverence! + +Death ensues when things propitious reign! Upon the ornamented beam will +settle at the close of spring the fragrant dust! Your reckless +indulgence of licentious love and your naturally moonlike face will soon +be the source of the ruin of a family. The decadence of the family +estate will emanate entirely from Ching; while the wane of the family +affairs will be entirely attributable to the fault of Ning! Licentious +love will be the main reason of the long-standing grudge. + +The flying birds each perch upon the trees! The family estates of those +in official positions will fade! The gold and silver of the rich and +honoured will be scattered! those who will have conferred benefit will, +even in death, find the means of escape! those devoid of human feelings +will reap manifest retribution! Those indebted for a life will make, in +due time, payment with their lives; those indebted for tears have +already (gone) to exhaust their tears! Mutual injuries will be revenged +in no light manner! Separation and reunion will both alike be determined +by predestination! You wish to know why your life will be short; look +into your previous existence! Verily, riches and honours, which will +come with old age, will likewise be a question of chance! Those who will +hold the world in light esteem will retire within the gate of +abstraction; while those who will be allured by enticement will have +forfeited their lives (The Chia family will fulfil its destiny) as +surely as birds take to the trees after they have exhausted all they had +to eat, and which as they drop down will pile up a hoary, vast and lofty +heap of dust, (leaving) indeed a void behind! + +When the maidens had finished the ballads, they went on to sing the +"Supplementary Record;" but the Monitory Vision Fairy, perceiving the +total absence of any interest in Pao-yü, heaved a sigh. "You silly +brat!" she exclaimed. "What! haven't you, even now, attained +perception!" + +"There's no need for you to go on singing," speedily observed Pao-yü, as +he interrupted the singing maidens; and feeling drowsy and dull, he +pleaded being under the effects of wine, and begged to be allowed to lie +down. + +The Fairy then gave orders to clear away the remains of the feast, and +escorted Pao-yü to a suite of female apartments, where the splendour of +such objects as were laid out was a thing which he had not hitherto +seen. But what evoked in him wonder still more intense, was the sight, +at an early period, of a girl seated in the room, who, in the freshness +of her beauty and winsomeness of her charms, bore some resemblance to +Pao-ch'ai, while, in elegance and comeliness, on the other hand, to +Tai-yu. + +While he was plunged in a state of perplexity, the Fairy suddenly +remarked: "All those female apartments and ladies' chambers in so many +wealthy and honourable families in the world are, without exception, +polluted by voluptuous opulent puppets and by all that bevy of +profligate girls. But still more despicable are those from old till now +numberless dissolute roués, one and all of whom maintain that libidinous +affections do not constitute lewdness; and who try, further, to prove +that licentious love is not tantamount to lewdness. But all these +arguments are mere apologies for their shortcomings, and a screen for +their pollutions; for if libidinous affection be lewdness, still more +does the perception of licentious love constitute lewdness. Hence it is +that the indulgence of sensuality and the gratification of licentious +affection originate entirely from a relish of lust, as well as from a +hankering after licentious love. Lo you, who are the object of my love, +are the most lewd being under the heavens from remote ages to the +present time!" + +Pao-yü was quite dumbstruck by what he heard, and hastily smiling, he +said by way of reply: "My Fairy labours under a misapprehension. Simply +because of my reluctance to read my books my parents have, on repeated +occasions, extended to me injunction and reprimand, and would I have the +courage to go so far as to rashly plunge in lewd habits? Besides, I am +still young in years, and have no notion what is implied by lewdness!" + +"Not so!" exclaimed the Fairy; "lewdness, although one thing in +principle is, as far as meaning goes, subject to different +constructions; as is exemplified by those in the world whose heart is +set upon lewdness. Some delight solely in faces and figures; others find +insatiable pleasure in singing and dancing; some in dalliance and +raillery; others in the incessant indulgence of their lusts; and these +regret that all the beautiful maidens under the heavens cannot minister +to their short-lived pleasure. These several kinds of persons are foul +objects steeped skin and all in lewdness. The lustful love, for +instance, which has sprung to life and taken root in your natural +affections, I and such as myself extend to it the character of an +abstract lewdness; but abstract lewdness can be grasped by the mind, but +cannot be transmitted by the mouth; can be fathomed by the spirit, but +cannot be divulged in words. As you now are imbued with this desire only +in the abstract, you are certainly well fit to be a trustworthy friend +in (Fairyland) inner apartments, but, on the path of the mortal world, +you will inevitably be misconstrued and defamed; every mouth will +ridicule you; every eye will look down upon you with contempt. After +meeting recently your worthy ancestors, the two Dukes of Ning and Jung, +who opened their hearts and made their wishes known to me with such +fervour, (but I will not have you solely on account of the splendour of +our inner apartments look down despisingly upon the path of the world), +I consequently led you along, my son, and inebriated you with luscious +wines, steeped you in spiritual tea, and admonished you with excellent +songs, bringing also here a young sister of mine, whose infant name is +Chien Mei, and her style K'o Ching, to be given to you as your wedded +wife. To-night, the time will be propitious and suitable for the +immediate consummation of the union, with the express object of letting +you have a certain insight into the fact that if the condition of the +abode of spirits within the confines of Fairyland be still so +(imperfect), how much the more so should be the nature of the affections +which prevail in the dusty world; with the intent that from this time +forth you should positively break loose from bondage, perceive and amend +your former disposition, devote your attention to the works of Confucius +and Mencius, and set your steady purpose upon the principles of +morality." + +Having ended these remarks, she initiated him into the mysteries of +licentious love, and, pushing Pao-yü into the room, she closed the door, +and took her departure all alone. Pao-yü in a dazed state complied with +the admonitions given him by the Fairy, and the natural result was, of +course, a violent flirtation, the circumstances of which it would be +impossible to recount. + +When the next day came, he was by that time so attached to her by ties +of tender love and their conversation was so gentle and full of charm +that he could not brook to part from K'o Ching. Hand-in-hand, the two of +them therefore, went out for a stroll, when they unexpectedly reached a +place, where nothing else met their gaze than thorns and brambles, which +covered the ground, and a wolf and a tiger walking side by side. Before +them stretched the course of a black stream, which obstructed their +progress; and over this stream there was, what is more, no bridge to +enable one to cross it. + +While they were exercising their minds with perplexity, they suddenly +espied the Fairy coming from the back in pursuit of them. "Desist at +once," she exclaimed, "from making any advance into the stream; it is +urgent that you should, with all speed, turn your faces round!" + +Pao-yü lost no time in standing still. "What is this place?" he +inquired. + +"This is the Ford of Enticement," explained the Fairy. "Its depth is ten +thousand chang; its breadth is a thousand li; in its stream there are no +boats or paddles by means of which to effect a passage. There is simply +a raft, of which Mu Chu-shih directs the rudder, and which Hui Shih chen +punts with the poles. They receive no compensation in the shape of gold +or silver, but when they come across any one whose destiny it is to +cross, they ferry him over. You now have by accident strolled as far as +here, and had you fallen into the stream you would have rendered quite +useless the advice and admonition which I previously gave you." + +These words were scarcely concluded, when suddenly was heard from the +midst of the Ford of Enticement, a sound like unto a peal of thunder, +whereupon a whole crowd of gobblins and sea-urchins laid hands upon +Pao-yü and dragged him down. + +This so filled Pao-yü with consternation that he fell into a +perspiration as profuse as rain, and he simultaneously broke forth and +shouted, "Rescue me, K'o Ching!" + +These cries so terrified Hsi Jen and the other waiting-maids, that they +rushed forward, and taking Pao-yü in their arms, "Don't be afraid, +Pao-yü," they said, "we are here." + +But we must observe that Mrs. Ch'in was just inside the apartment in the +act of recommending the young waiting-maids to be mindful that the cats +and dogs did not start a fight, when she unawares heard Pao-yü, in his +dream, call her by her infant name. In a melancholy mood she therefore +communed within herself, "As far as my infant name goes, there is, in +this establishment, no one who has any idea what it is, and how is it +that he has come to know it, and that he utters it in his dream?" And +she was at this period unable to fathom the reason. But, reader, listen +to the explanations given in the chapter which follows. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + Chia Pao-yü reaps his first experience in licentious love. + Old Goody Liu pays a visit to the Jung Kuo Mansion. + + +Mrs. Ch'in, to resume our narrative, upon hearing Pao-yü call her in his +dream by her infant name, was at heart very exercised, but she did not +however feel at liberty to make any minute inquiry. + +Pao-yü was, at this time, in such a dazed state, as if he had lost +something, and the servants promptly gave him a decoction of lungngan. +After he had taken a few sips, he forthwith rose and tidied his clothes. + +Hsi Jen put out her hand to fasten the band of his garment, and as soon +as she did so, and it came in contact with his person, it felt so icy +cold to the touch, covered as it was all over with perspiration, that +she speedily withdrew her hand in utter surprise. + +"What's the matter with you?" she exclaimed. + +A blush suffused Pao-yü's face, and he took Hsi Jen's hand in a tight +grip. Hsi Jen was a girl with all her wits about her; she was besides a +couple of years older than Pao-yü and had recently come to know +something of the world, so that at the sight of his state, she to a +great extent readily accounted for the reason in her heart. From modest +shame, she unconsciously became purple in the face, and not venturing to +ask another question she continued adjusting his clothes. This task +accomplished, she followed him over to old lady Chia's apartments; and +after a hurry-scurry meal, they came back to this side, and Hsi Jen +availed herself of the absence of the nurses and waiting-maids to hand +Pao-yü another garment to change. + +"Please, dear Hsi Jen, don't tell any one," entreated Pao-yü, with +concealed shame. + +"What did you dream of?" inquired Hsi Jen, smiling, as she tried to +stifle her blushes, "and whence comes all this perspiration?" + +"It's a long story," said Pao-yü, "which only a few words will not +suffice to explain." + +He accordingly recounted minutely, for her benefit, the subject of his +dream. When he came to where the Fairy had explained to him the +mysteries of love, Hsi Jen was overpowered with modesty and covered her +face with her hands; and as she bent down, she gave way to a fit of +laughter. Pao-yü had always been fond of Hsi Jen, on account of her +gentleness, pretty looks and graceful and elegant manner, and he +forthwith expounded to her all the mysteries he had been taught by the +Fairy. + +Hsi Jen was, of course, well aware that dowager lady Chia had given her +over to Pao-yü, so that her present behaviour was likewise no +transgression. And subsequently she secretly attempted with Pao-yü a +violent flirtation, and lucky enough no one broke in upon them during +their tête-à-tête. From this date, Pao-yü treated Hsi Jen with special +regard, far more than he showed to the other girls, while Hsi Jen +herself was still more demonstrative in her attentions to Pao-yü. But +for a time we will make no further remark about them. + +As regards the household of the Jung mansion, the inmates may, on adding +up the total number, not have been found many; yet, counting the high as +well as the low, there were three hundred persons and more. Their +affairs may not have been very numerous, still there were, every day, +ten and twenty matters to settle; in fact, the household resembled, in +every way, ravelled hemp, devoid even of a clue-end, which could be used +as an introduction. + +Just as we were considering what matter and what person it would be best +to begin writing of, by a lucky coincidence suddenly from a distance of +a thousand li, a person small and insignificant as a grain of mustard +seed happened, on account of her distant relationship with the Jung +family, to come on this very day to the Jung mansion on a visit. We +shall therefore readily commence by speaking of this family, as it after +all affords an excellent clue for a beginning. + +The surname of this mean and humble family was in point of fact Wang. +They were natives of this district. Their ancestor had filled a minor +office in the capital, and had, in years gone by, been acquainted with +lady Feng's grandfather, that is madame Wang's father. Being covetous of +the influence and affluence of the Wang family, he consequently joined +ancestors with them, and was recognised by them as a nephew. + +At that time, there were only madame Wang's eldest brother, that is lady +Feng's father, and madame Wang herself, who knew anything of these +distant relations, from the fact of having followed their parents to the +capital. The rest of the family had one and all no idea about them. + +This ancestor had, at this date, been dead long ago, leaving only one +son called Wang Ch'eng. As the family estate was in a state of ruin, he +once more moved outside the city walls and settled down in his native +village. Wang Ch'eng also died soon after his father, leaving a son, +known in his infancy as Kou Erh, who married a Miss Liu, by whom he had +a son called by the infant name of Pan Erh, as well as a daughter, +Ch'ing Erh. His family consisted of four, and he earned a living from +farming. + +As Kou Erh was always busy with something or other during the day and +his wife, dame Liu, on the other hand, drew the water, pounded the rice +and attended to all the other domestic concerns, the brother and sister, +Ch'ing Erh and Pan Erh, the two of them, had no one to look after them. +(Hence it was that) Kou Erh brought over his mother-in-law, old goody +Liu, to live with them. + +This goody Liu was an old widow, with a good deal of experience. She had +besides no son round her knees, so that she was dependent for her +maintenance on a couple of acres of poor land, with the result that when +her son-in-law received her in his home, she naturally was ever willing +to exert heart and mind to help her daughter and her son-in-law to earn +their living. + +This year, the autumn had come to an end, winter had commenced, and the +weather had begun to be quite cold. No provision had been made in the +household for the winter months, and Kou Erh was, inevitably, +exceedingly exercised in his heart. Having had several cups of wine to +dispel his distress, he sat at home and tried to seize upon every trifle +to give vent to his displeasure. His wife had not the courage to force +herself in his way, and hence goody Liu it was who encouraged him, as +she could not bear to see the state of the domestic affairs. + +"Don't pull me up for talking too much," she said; "but who of us +country people isn't honest and open-hearted? As the size of the bowl we +hold, so is the quantity of the rice we eat. In your young days, you +were dependent on the support of your old father, so that eating and +drinking became quite a habit with you; that's how, at the present time, +your resources are quite uncertain; when you had money, you looked +ahead, and didn't mind behind; and now that you have no money, you +blindly fly into huffs. A fine fellow and a capital hero you have made! +Living though we now be away from the capital, we are after all at the +feet of the Emperor; this city of Ch'ang Ngan is strewn all over with +money, but the pity is that there's no one able to go and fetch it away; +and it's no use your staying at home and kicking your feet about." + +"All you old lady know," rejoined Kou Erh, after he had heard what she +had to say, "is to sit on the couch and talk trash! Is it likely you +would have me go and play the robber?" + +"Who tells you to become a robber?" asked goody Liu. "But it would be +well, after all, that we should put our heads together and devise some +means; for otherwise, is the money, pray, able of itself to run into our +house?" + +"Had there been a way," observed Kou Erh, smiling sarcastically, "would +I have waited up to this moment? I have besides no revenue collectors as +relatives, or friends in official positions; and what way could we +devise? 'But even had I any, they wouldn't be likely, I fear, to pay any +heed to such as ourselves!" + +"That, too, doesn't follow," remarked goody Liu; "the planning of +affairs rests with man, but the accomplishment of them rests with +Heaven. After we have laid our plans, we may, who can say, by relying on +the sustenance of the gods, find some favourable occasion. Leave it to +me, I'll try and devise some lucky chance for you people! In years gone +by, you joined ancestors with the Wang family of Chin Ling, and twenty +years back, they treated you with consideration; but of late, you've +been so high and mighty, and not condescended to go and bow to them, +that an estrangement has arisen. I remember how in years gone by, I and +my daughter paid them a visit. The second daughter of the family was +really so pleasant and knew so well how to treat people with kindness, +and without in fact any high airs! She's at present the wife of Mr. +Chia, the second son of the Jung Kuo mansion; and I hear people say that +now that she's advanced in years, she's still more considerate to the +poor, regardful of the old, and very fond of preparing vegetable food +for the bonzes and performing charitable deeds. The head of the Wang +mansion has, it is true, been raised to some office on the frontier, but +I hope that this lady Secunda will anyhow notice us. How is it then that +you don't find your way as far as there; for she may possibly remember +old times, and some good may, no one can say, come of it? I only wish +that she would display some of her kind-heartedness, and pluck one hair +from her person which would be, yea thicker than our waist." + +"What you suggest, mother, is quite correct," interposed Mrs. Liu, Kou +Erh's wife, who stood by and took up the conversation, "but with such +mouth and phiz as yours and mine, how could we present ourselves before +her door? Why I fear that the man at her gate won't also like to go and +announce us! and we'd better not go and have our mouths slapped in +public!" + +Kou Erh, who would have thought it, prized highly both affluence and +fame, so that when he heard these remarks, he forthwith began to feel at +heart a little more at ease. When he furthermore heard what his wife had +to say, he at once caught up the word as he smiled. + +"Old mother," he rejoined; "since that be your idea, and what's more, +you have in days gone by seen this lady on one occasion, why shouldn't +you, old lady, start to-morrow on a visit to her and first ascertain how +the wind blows!" + +"Ai Ya!" exclaimed old Goody, "It may very well be said that the +marquis' door is like the wide ocean! what sort of thing am I? why the +servants of that family wouldn't even recognise me! even were I to go, +it would be on a wild goose chase." + +"No matter about that," observed Kou Erh; "I'll tell you a good way; you +just take along with you, your grandson, little Pan Erh, and go first +and call upon Chou Jui, who is attached to that household; and when once +you've seen him, there will be some little chance. This Chou Jui, at one +time, was connected with my father in some affair or other, and we were +on excellent terms with him." + +"That I too know," replied goody Liu, "but the thing is that you've had +no dealings with him for so long, that who knows how he's disposed +towards us now? this would be hard to say. Besides, you're a man, and +with a mouth and phiz like that of yours, you couldn't, on any account, +go on this errand. My daughter is a young woman, and she too couldn't +very well go and expose herself to public gaze. But by my sacrificing +this old face of mine, and by going and knocking it (against the wall) +there may, after all, be some benefit and all of us might reap profit." + +That very same evening, they laid their plans, and the next morning +before the break of day, old goody Liu speedily got up, and having +performed her toilette, she gave a few useful hints to Pan Erh; who, +being a child of five or six years of age, was, when he heard that he +was to be taken into the city, at once so delighted that there was +nothing that he would not agree to. + +Without further delay, goody Liu led off Pan Erh, and entered the city, +and reaching the Ning Jung street, she came to the main entrance of the +Jung mansion, where, next to the marble lions, were to be seen a crowd +of chairs and horses. Goody Liu could not however muster the courage to +go by, but having shaken her clothes, and said a few more seasonable +words to Pan Erh, she subsequently squatted in front of the side gate, +whence she could see a number of servants, swelling out their chests, +pushing out their stomachs, gesticulating with their hands and kicking +their feet about, while they were seated at the main entrance chattering +about one thing and another. + +Goody Liu felt constrained to edge herself forward. "Gentlemen," she +ventured, "may happiness betide you!" + +The whole company of servants scrutinised her for a time. "Where do you +come from?" they at length inquired. + +"I've come to look up Mr. Chou, an attendant of my lady's," remarked +goody Liu, as she forced a smile; "which of you, gentlemen, shall I +trouble to do me the favour of asking him to come out?" + +The servants, after hearing what she had to say, paid, the whole number +of them, no heed to her; and it was after the lapse of a considerable +time that they suggested: "Go and wait at a distance, at the foot of +that wall; and in a short while, the visitors, who are in their house, +will be coming out." + +Among the party of attendants was an old man, who interposed, + +"Don't baffle her object," he expostulated; "why make a fool of her?" +and turning to goody Liu: "This Mr. Chou," he said, "is gone south: his +house is at the back row; his wife is anyhow at home; so go round this +way, until you reach the door, at the back street, where, if you will +ask about her, you will be on the right track." + +Goody Liu, having expressed her thanks, forthwith went, leading Pan Erh +by the hand, round to the back door, where she saw several pedlars +resting their burdens. There were also those who sold things to eat, and +those who sold playthings and toys; and besides these, twenty or thirty +boys bawled and shouted, making quite a noise. + +Goody Liu readily caught hold of one of them. "I'd like to ask you just +a word, my young friend," she observed; "there's a Mrs. Chou here; is +she at home?" + +"Which Mrs. Chou?" inquired the boy; "we here have three Mrs. Chous; and +there are also two young married ladies of the name of Chou. What are +the duties of the one you want, I wonder ?" + +"She's a waiting-woman of my lady," replied goody Liu. + +"It's easy to get at her," added the boy; "just come along with me." + +Leading the way for goody Liu into the backyard, they reached the wall +of a court, when he pointed and said, "This is her house.--Mother Chou!" +he went on to shout with alacrity; "there's an old lady who wants to see +you." + +Chou Jui's wife was at home, and with all haste she came out to greet +her visitor. "Who is it?" she asked. + +Goody Liu advanced up to her. "How are you," she inquired, "Mrs. Chou?" + +Mrs. Chou looked at her for some time before she at length smiled and +replied, "Old goody Liu, are you well? How many years is it since we've +seen each other; tell me, for I forget just now; but please come in and +sit." + +"You're a lady of rank," answered goody Liu smiling, as she walked +along, "and do forget many things. How could you remember such as +ourselves?" + +With these words still in her mouth, they had entered the house, +whereupon Mrs. Chou ordered a hired waiting-maid to pour the tea. While +they were having their tea she remarked, "How Pan Erh has managed to +grow!" and then went on to make inquiries on the subject of various +matters, which had occurred after their separation. + +"To-day," she also asked of goody Liu, "were you simply passing by? or +did you come with any express object?" + +"I've come, the fact is, with an object!" promptly replied goody Liu; +"(first of all) to see you, my dear sister-in-law; and, in the second +place also, to inquire after my lady's health. If you could introduce me +to see her for a while, it would be better; but if you can't, I must +readily borrow your good offices, my sister-in-law, to convey my +message." + +Mr. Chou Jui's wife, after listening to these words, at once became to a +great extent aware of the object of her visit. Her husband had, however, +in years gone by in his attempt to purchase some land, obtained +considerably the support of Kou Erh, so that when she, on this occasion, +saw goody Liu in such a dilemma, she could not make up her mind to +refuse her wish. Being in the second place keen upon making a display of +her own respectability, she therefore said smilingly: + +"Old goody Liu, pray compose your mind! You've come from far off with a +pure heart and honest purpose, and how can I ever not show you the way +how to see this living Buddha? Properly speaking, when people come and +guests arrive, and verbal messages have to be given, these matters are +not any of my business, as we all here have each one kind of duties to +carry out. My husband has the special charge of the rents of land coming +in, during the two seasons of spring and autumn, and when at leisure, he +takes the young gentlemen out of doors, and then his business is done. +As for myself, I have to accompany my lady and young married ladies on +anything connected with out-of-doors; but as you are a relative of my +lady and have besides treated me as a high person and come to me for +help, I'll, after all, break this custom and deliver your message. +There's only one thing, however, and which you, old lady, don't know. We +here are not what we were five years before. My lady now doesn't much +worry herself about anything; and it's entirely lady Secunda who looks +after the menage. But who do you presume is this lady Secunda? She's the +niece of my lady, and the daughter of my master, the eldest maternal +uncle of by-gone days. Her infant name was Feng Ko." + +"Is it really she?" inquired promptly goody Liu, after this explanation. +"Isn't it strange? what I said about her years back has come out quite +correct; but from all you say, shall I to-day be able to see her?" + +"That goes without saying," replied Chou Jui's wife; "when any visitors +come now-a-days, it's always lady Feng who does the honours and +entertains them, and it's better to-day that you should see her for a +while, for then you will not have walked all this way to no purpose." + +"O mi to fu!" exclaimed old goody Liu; "I leave it entirely to your +convenience, sister-in-law." + +"What's that you're saying?" observed Chou Jui's wife. "The proverb +says: 'Our convenience is the convenience of others.' All I have to do +is to just utter one word, and what trouble will that be to me." + +Saying this, she bade the young waiting maid go to the side pavilion, +and quietly ascertain whether, in her old ladyship's apartment, table +had been laid. + +The young waiting-maid went on this errand, and during this while, the +two of them continued a conversation on certain irrelevant matters. + +"This lady Feng," observed goody Liu, "can this year be no older than +twenty, and yet so talented as to manage such a household as this! the +like of her is not easy to find!" + +"Hai! my dear old goody," said Chou Jui's wife, after listening to her, +"it's not easy to explain; but this lady Feng, though young in years, is +nevertheless, in the management of affairs, superior to any man. She has +now excelled the others and developed the very features of a beautiful +young woman. To say the least, she has ten thousand eyes in her heart, +and were they willing to wager their mouths, why ten men gifted with +eloquence couldn't even outdo her! But by and bye, when you've seen her, +you'll know all about her! There's only this thing, she can't help being +rather too severe in her treatment of those below her." + +While yet she spake, the young waiting-maid returned. "In her venerable +lady's apartment," she reported, "repast has been spread, and already +finished; lady Secunda is in madame Wang's chamber." + +As soon as Chou Jui's wife heard this news, she speedily got up and +pressed goody Liu to be off at once. "This is," she urged, "just the +hour for her meal, and as she is free we had better first go and wait +for her; for were we to be even one step too late, a crowd of servants +will come with their reports, and it will then be difficult to speak to +her; and after her siesta, she'll have still less time to herself." + +As she passed these remarks, they all descended the couch together. +Goody Liu adjusted their dresses, and, having impressed a few more words +of advice on Pan Erh, they followed Chou Jui's wife through winding +passages to Chia Lien's house. They came in the first instance into the +side pavilion, where Chou Jui's wife placed old goody Liu to wait a +little, while she herself went ahead, past the screen-wall and into the +entrance of the court. + +Hearing that lady Feng had not come out, she went in search of an +elderly waiting-maid of lady Feng, P'ing Erh by name, who enjoyed her +confidence, to whom Chou Jui's wife first recounted from beginning to +end the history of old goody Liu. + +"She has come to-day," she went on to explain, "from a distance to pay +her obeisance. In days gone by, our lady used often to meet her, so +that, on this occasion, she can't but receive her; and this is why I've +brought her in! I'll wait here for lady Feng to come down, and explain +everything to her; and I trust she'll not call me to task for officious +rudeness." + +P'ing Erh, after hearing what she had to say, speedily devised the plan +of asking them to walk in, and to sit there pending (lady Feng's +arrival), when all would be right. + +Chou Jui's wife thereupon went out and led them in. When they ascended +the steps of the main apartment, a young waiting-maid raised a red +woollen portière, and as soon as they entered the hall, they smelt a +whiff of perfume as it came wafted into their faces: what the scent was +they could not discriminate; but their persons felt as if they were +among the clouds. + +The articles of furniture and ornaments in the whole room were all so +brilliant to the sight, and so vying in splendour that they made the +head to swim and the eyes to blink, and old goody Liu did nothing else +the while than nod her head, smack her lips and invoke Buddha. Forthwith +she was led to the eastern side into the suite of apartments, where was +the bedroom of Chia Lien's eldest daughter. P'ing Erh, who was standing +by the edge of the stove-couch, cast a couple of glances at old goody +Liu, and felt constrained to inquire how she was, and to press her to +have a seat. + +Goody Liu, noticing that P'ing Erh was entirely robed in silks, that she +had gold pins fixed in her hair, and silver ornaments in her coiffure, +and that her countenance resembled a flower or the moon (in beauty), +readily imagined her to be lady Feng, and was about to address her as my +lady; but when she heard Mrs. Chou speak to her as Miss P'ing, and P'ing +Erh promptly address Chou Jui's wife as Mrs. Chou, she eventually became +aware that she could be no more than a waiting-maid of a certain +respectability. + +She at once pressed old goody Liu and Pan Erh to take a seat on the +stove-couch. P'ing Erh and Chou Jui's wife sat face to face, on the +edges of the couch. The waiting-maids brought the tea. After they had +partaken of it, old goody Liu could hear nothing but a "lo tang, lo +tang" noise, resembling very much the sound of a bolting frame winnowing +flour, and she could not resist looking now to the East, and now to the +West. Suddenly in the great Hall, she espied, suspended on a pillar, a +box at the bottom of which hung something like the weight of a balance, +which incessantly wagged to and fro. + +"What can this thing be?" communed goody Liu in her heart, "What can be +its use?" While she was aghast, she unexpectedly heard a sound of "tang" +like the sound of a golden bell or copper cymbal, which gave her quite a +start. In a twinkle of the eyes followed eight or nine consecutive +strokes; and she was bent upon inquiring what it was, when she caught +sight of several waiting-maids enter in a confused crowd. "Our lady has +come down!" they announced. + +P'ìng Erh, together with Chou Jui's wife, rose with all haste. "Old +goody Liu," they urged, "do sit down and wait till it's time, when we'll +come and ask you in." + +Saying this, they went out to meet lady Feng. + +Old goody Liu, with suppressed voice and ear intent, waited in perfect +silence. She heard at a distance the voices of some people laughing, +whereupon about ten or twenty women, with rustling clothes and +petticoats, made their entrance, one by one, into the hall, and thence +into the room on the other quarter. She also detected two or three +women, with red-lacquered boxes in their hands, come over on this part +and remain in waiting. + +"Get the repast ready!" she heard some one from the offside say. + +The servants gradually dispersed and went out; and there only remained +in attendance a few of them to bring in the courses. For a long time, +not so much as the caw of a crow could be heard, when she unexpectedly +perceived two servants carry in a couch-table, and lay it on this side +of the divan. Upon this table were placed bowls and plates, in proper +order replete, as usual, with fish and meats; but of these only a few +kinds were slightly touched. + +As soon as Pan Erh perceived (all these delicacies), he set up such a +noise, and would have some meat to eat, but goody Liu administered to +him such a slap, that he had to keep away. + +Suddenly, she saw Mrs. Chou approach, full of smiles, and as she waved +her hand, she called her. Goody Liu understood her meaning, and at once +pulling Pan Erh off the couch, she proceeded to the centre of the Hall; +and after Mrs. Chou had whispered to her again for a while, they came at +length with slow step into the room on this side, where they saw on the +outside of the door, suspended by brass hooks, a deep red flowered soft +portière. Below the window, on the southern side, was a stove-couch, and +on this couch was spread a crimson carpet. Leaning against the wooden +partition wall, on the east side, stood a chain-embroidered back-cushion +and a reclining pillow. There was also spread a large watered satin +sitting cushion with a gold embroidered centre, and on the side stood +cuspidores made of silver. + +Lady Feng, when at home, usually wore on her head a front-piece of dark +martin à la Chao Chün, surrounded with tassels of strung pearls. She had +on a robe of peach-red flowered satin, a short pelisse of slate-blue +stiff silk, lined with squirrel, and a jupe of deep red foreign crepe, +lined with ermine. Resplendent with pearl-powder and with cosmetics, she +sat in there, stately and majestic, with a small brass poker in her +hands, with which she was stirring the ashes of the hand-stove. P'ing +Erh stood by the side of the couch, holding a very small lacquered +tea-tray. In this tray was a small tea-cup with a cover. Lady Feng +neither took any tea, nor did she raise her head, but was intent upon +stirring the ashes of the hand-stove. + +"How is it you haven't yet asked her to come in?" she slowly inquired; +and as she spake, she turned herself round and was about to ask for some +tea, when she perceived that Mrs. Chou had already introduced the two +persons and that they were standing in front of her. + +She forthwith pretended to rise, but did not actually get up, and with a +face radiant with smiles, she ascertained about their health, after +which she went in to chide Chou Jui's wife. "Why didn't you tell me they +had come before?" she said. + +Old goody Liu was already by this time prostrated on the ground, and +after making several obeisances, "How are you, my lady?" she inquired. + +"Dear Mrs. Chou," lady Feng immediately observed, "do pull her up, and +don't let her prostrate herself! I'm yet young in years and don't know +her much; what's more, I've no idea what's the degree of the +relationship between us, and I daren't speak directly to her." + +"This is the old lady about whom I spoke a short while back," speedily +explained Mrs. Chou. + +Lady Feng nodded her head assentingly. + +By this time old goody Liu had taken a seat on the edge of the +stove-couch. As for Pan Erh, he had gone further, and taken refuge +behind her back; and though she tried, by every means, to coax him to +come forward and make a bow, he would not, for the life of him, consent. + +"Relatives though we be," remarked lady Feng, as she smiled, "we haven't +seen much of each other, so that our relations have been quite distant. +But those who know how matters stand will assert that you all despise +us, and won't often come to look us up; while those mean people, who +don't know the truth, will imagine that we have no eyes to look at any +one." + +Old goody Liu promptly invoked Buddha. "We are at home in great +straits," she pleaded, "and that's why it wasn't easy for us to manage +to get away and come! Even supposing we had come as far as this, had we +not given your ladyship a slap on the mouth, those gentlemen would also, +in point of fact, have looked down upon us as a mean lot." + +"Why, language such as this," exclaimed lady Feng smilingly, "cannot +help making one's heart full of displeasure! We simply rely upon the +reputation of our grandfather to maintain the status of a penniless +official; that's all! Why, in whose household is there anything +substantial? we are merely the denuded skeleton of what we were in days +of old, and no more! As the proverb has it: The Emperor himself has +three families of poverty-stricken relatives; and how much more such as +you and I?" + +Having passed these remarks, she inquired of Mrs. Chou, "Have you let +madame know, yes or no?" + +"We are now waiting," replied Mrs. Chou, "for my lady's orders." + +"Go and have a look," said lady Feng; "but, should there be any one +there, or should she be busy, then don't make any mention; but wait +until she's free, when you can tell her about it and see what she says." + +Chou Jui's wife, having expressed her compliance, went off on this +errand. During her absence, lady Feng gave orders to some servants to +take a few fruits and hand them to Pan Erh to eat; and she was inquiring +about one thing and another, when there came a large number of married +women, who had the direction of affairs in the household, to make their +several reports. + +P'ing Erh announced their arrival to lady Feng, who said: "I'm now +engaged in entertaining some guests, so let them come back again in the +evening; but should there be anything pressing then bring it in and I'll +settle it at once." + +P'ing Erh left the room, but she returned in a short while. "I've asked +them," she observed, "but as there's nothing of any urgency, I told them +to disperse." Lady Feng nodded her head in token of approval, when she +perceived Chou Jui's wife come back. "Our lady," she reported, as she +addressed lady Feng, "says that she has no leisure to-day, that if you, +lady Secunda, will entertain them, it will come to the same thing; that +she's much obliged for their kind attention in going to the trouble of +coming; that if they have come simply on a stroll, then well and good, +but that if they have aught to say, they should tell you, lady Secunda, +which will be tantamount to their telling her." + +"I've nothing to say," interposed old goody Liu. "I simply come to see +our elder and our younger lady, which is a duty on my part, a relative +as I am." + +"Well, if there's nothing particular that you've got to say, all right," +Mrs. Chou forthwith added, "but if you do have anything, don't hesitate +telling lady Secunda, and it will be just as if you had told our lady." + +As she uttered these words, she winked at goody Liu. Goody Liu +understood what she meant, but before she could give vent to a word, her +face got scarlet, and though she would have liked not to make any +mention of the object of her visit, she felt constrained to suppress her +shame and to speak out. + +"Properly speaking," she observed, "this being the first time I see you, +my lady, I shouldn't mention what I've to say, but as I come here from +far off to seek your assistance, my old friend, I have no help but to +mention it." + +She had barely spoken as much as this, when she heard the youths at the +inner-door cry out: "The young gentleman from the Eastern Mansion has +come." + +Lady Feng promptly interrupted her. "Old goody Liu," she remarked, "you +needn't add anything more." She, at the same time, inquired, "Where's +your master, Mr. Jung?" when became audible the sound of footsteps along +the way, and in walked a young man of seventeen or eighteen. His +appearance was handsome, his person slender and graceful. He had on +light furs, a girdle of value, costly clothes and a beautiful cap. + +At this stage, goody Liu did not know whether it was best to sit down or +to stand up, neither could she find anywhere to hide herself. + +"Pray sit down," urged lady Feng, with a laugh; "this is my nephew!' Old +goody Liu then wriggled herself, now one way, and then another, on to +the edge of the couch, where she took a seat. + +"My father," Chia Jung smilingly ventured, "has sent me to ask a favour +of you, aunt. On some previous occasion, our grand aunt gave you, dear +aunt, a stove-couch glass screen, and as to-morrow father has invited +some guests of high standing, he wishes to borrow it to lay it out for a +little show; after which he purposes sending it back again." + +"You're late by a day," replied lady Feng. "It was only yesterday that I +gave it to some one." + +Chia Jung, upon hearing this, forthwith, with giggles and smiles, made, +near the edge of the couch, a sort of genuflexion. "Aunt," he went on, +"if you don't lend it, father will again say that I don't know how to +speak, and I shall get another sound thrashing. You must have pity upon +your nephew, aunt." + +"I've never seen anything like this," observed lady Feng sneeringly; +"the things belonging to the Wang family are all good, but where have +you put all those things of yours? the only good way is that you +shouldn't see anything of ours, for as soon as you catch sight of +anything, you at once entertain a wish to carry it off." + +"Pray, aunt," entreated Chia Jung with a smile, "do show me some +compassion." + +"Mind your skin!" lady Feng warned him, "if you do chip or spoil it in +the least." + +She then bade P'ing Erh take the keys of the door of the upstairs room +and send for several trustworthy persons to carry it away. + +Chia Jung was so elated that his eyebrows dilated and his eyes smiled. +"I've brought myself," he added, with vehemence, "some men to take it +away; I won't let them recklessly bump it about." + +Saying this, he speedily got up and left the room. + +Lady Feng suddenly bethought herself of something, and turning towards +the window, she called out, "Jung Erh, come back." Several servants who +stood outside caught up her words: "Mr. Jung," they cried, "you're +requested to go back;" whereupon Chia Jung turned round and retraced his +steps; and with hands drooping respectfully against his sides, he stood +ready to listen to his aunt's wishes. + +Lady Feng was however intent upon gently sipping her tea, and after a +good long while of abstraction, she at last smiled: "Never mind," she +remarked; "you can go. But come after you've had your evening meal, and +I'll then tell you about it. Just now there are visitors here; and +besides, I don't feel in the humour." + +Chia Jung thereupon retired with gentle step. + +Old goody Liu, by this time, felt more composed in body and heart. "I've +to-day brought your nephew," she then explained, "not for anything else, +but because his father and mother haven't at home so much as anything to +eat; the weather besides is already cold, so that I had no help but to +take your nephew along and come to you, old friend, for assistance!" + +As she uttered these words, she again pushed Pan Erh forward. "What did +your father at home tell you to say?" she asked of him; "and what did he +send us over here to do? Was it only to give our minds to eating fruit?" + +Lady Feng had long ago understood what she meant to convey, and finding +that she had no idea how to express herself in a decent manner, she +readily interrupted her with a smile. "You needn't mention anything," +she observed, "I'm well aware of how things stand;" and addressing +herself to Mrs. Chou, she inquired, "Has this old lady had breakfast, +yes or no?" + +Old goody Liu hurried to explain. "As soon as it was daylight," she +proceeded, "we started with all speed on our way here, and had we even +so much as time to have any breakfast?" + +Lady Feng promptly gave orders to send for something to eat. In a short +while Chou Jui's wife had called for a table of viands for the guests, +which was laid in the room on the eastern side, and then came to take +goody Liu and Pan Erh over to have their repast. + +"My dear Mrs. Chou," enjoined lady Feng, "give them all they want, as I +can't attend to them myself;" which said, they hastily passed over into +the room on the eastern side. + +Lady Feng having again called Mrs. Chou, asked her: "When you first +informed madame about them, what did she say?" "Our Lady observed," +replied Chou Jui's wife, "that they don't really belong to the same +family; that, in former years, their grandfather was an official at the +same place as our old master; that hence it came that they joined +ancestors; that these few years there hasn't been much intercourse +(between their family and ours); that some years back, whenever they +came on a visit, they were never permitted to go empty-handed, and that +as their coming on this occasion to see us is also a kind attention on +their part, they shouldn't be slighted. If they've anything to say," +(our lady continued), "tell lady Secunda to do the necessary, and that +will be right." + +"Isn't it strange!" exclaimed lady Feng, as soon as she had heard the +message; "since we are all one family, how is it I'm not familiar even +with so much as their shadow?" + +While she was uttering these words, old goody Liu had had her repast and +come over, dragging Pan Erh; and, licking her lips and smacking her +mouth, she expressed her thanks. + +Lady Feng smiled. "Do pray sit down," she said, "and listen to what I'm +going to tell you. What you, old lady, meant a little while back to +convey, I'm already as much as yourself well acquainted with! Relatives, +as we are, we shouldn't in fact have waited until you came to the +threshold of our doors, but ought, as is but right, to have attended to +your needs. But the thing is that, of late, the household affairs are +exceedingly numerous, and our lady, advanced in years as she is, +couldn't at a moment, it may possibly be, bethink herself of you all! +What's more, when I took over charge of the management of the menage, I +myself didn't know of all these family connections! Besides, though to +look at us from outside everything has a grand and splendid aspect, +people aren't aware that large establishments have such great hardships, +which, were we to recount to others, they would hardly like to credit as +true. But since you've now come from a great distance, and this is the +first occasion that you open your mouth to address me, how can I very +well allow you to return to your home with empty hands! By a lucky +coincidence our lady gave, yesterday, to the waiting-maids, twenty taels +to make clothes with, a sum which they haven't as yet touched, and if +you don't despise it as too little, you may take it home as a first +instalment, and employ it for your wants." + +When old goody Liu heard the mention made by lady Feng of their +hardships, she imagined that there was no hope; but upon hearing her +again speak of giving her twenty taels, she was exceedingly delighted, +so much so that her eyebrows dilated and her eyes gleamed with smiles. + +"We too know," she smilingly remarked, "all about difficulties! but the +proverb says, 'A camel dying of leanness is even bigger by much than a +horse!' No matter what those distresses may be, were you yet to pluck +one single hair from your body, my old friend, it would be stouter than +our own waist." + +Chou Jui's wife stood by, and on hearing her make these coarse +utterances, she did all she could to give her a hint by winking, and +make her desist. Lady Feng laughed and paid no heed; but calling P'ing +Erh, she bade her fetch the parcel of money, which had been given to +them the previous day, and to also bring a string of cash; and when +these had been placed before goody Liu's eyes: "This is," said lady +Feng, "silver to the amount of twenty taels, which was for the time +given to these young girls to make winter clothes with; but some other +day, when you've nothing to do, come again on a stroll, in evidence of +the good feeling which should exist between relatives. It's besides +already late, and I don't wish to detain you longer and all for no +purpose; but, on your return home, present my compliments to all those +of yours to whom I should send them." + +As she spake, she stood up. Old goody Liu gave utterance to a thousand +and ten thousand expressions of gratitude, and taking the silver and +cash, she followed Chou Jui's wife on her way to the out-houses. "Well, +mother dear," inquired Mrs. Chou, "what did you think of my lady that +you couldn't speak; and that whenever you opened your mouth it was all +'your nephew.' I'll make just one remark, and I don't mind if you do get +angry. Had he even been your kindred nephew, you should in fact have +been somewhat milder in your language; for that gentleman, Mr. Jung, is +her kith and kin nephew, and whence has appeared such another nephew of +hers (as Pan Erh)?" + +Old goody Liu smiled. "My dear sister-in-law," she replied, "as I gazed +upon her, were my heart and eyes, pray, full of admiration or not? and +how then could I speak as I should?" + +As they were chatting, they reached Chou Jui's house. They had been +sitting for a while, when old goody Liu produced a piece of silver, +which she was purposing to leave behind, to be given to the young +servants in Chou Jui's house to purchase fruit to eat; but how could +Mrs. Chou satiate her eye with such a small piece of silver? She was +determined in her refusal to accept it, so that old goody Liu, after +assuring her of her boundless gratitude, took her departure out of the +back gate she had come in from. + +Reader, you do not know what happened after old goody Liu left, but +listen to the explanation which will be given in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + Presentation of artificial flowers made in the Palace. + Chia Lien disports himself with Hsi-feng. + Pao-yü meets Ch'in Chung at a family party. + + +To resume our narrative. Chou Jui's wife having seen old goody Liu off, +speedily came to report the visit to madame Wang; but, contrary to her +expectation, she did not find madame Wang in the drawing-room; and it +was after inquiring of the waiting-maids that she eventually learnt that +she had just gone over to have a chat with "aunt" Hsüeh. Mrs. Chou, upon +hearing this, hastily went out by the eastern corner door, and through +the yard on the east, into the Pear Fragrance Court. + +As soon as she reached the entrance, she caught sight of madame Wang's +waiting-maid, Chin Ch'uan-erh, playing about on the terrace steps, with +a young girl, who had just let her hair grow. When they saw Chou Jui's +wife approach, they forthwith surmised that she must have some message +to deliver, so they pursed up their lips and directed her to the +inner-room. Chou Jui's wife gently raised the curtain-screen, and upon +entering discovered madame Wang, in voluble conversation with "aunt" +Hsüeh, about family questions and people in general. + +Mrs. Chou did not venture to disturb them, and accordingly came into the +inner room, where she found Hsüeh Pao-ch'ai in a house dress, with her +hair simply twisted into a knot round the top of the head, sitting on +the inner edge of the stove-couch, leaning on a small divan table, in +the act of copying a pattern for embroidery, with the waiting-maid Ying +Erh. When she saw her enter, Pao Ch'ai hastily put down her pencil, and +turning round with a face beaming with smiles, "Sister Chou," she said, +"take a seat." + +Chou Jui's wife likewise promptly returned the smile. + +"How is my young lady?" she inquired, as she sat down on the edge of the +couch. "I haven't seen you come over on the other side for two or three +days! Has Mr. Pao-yü perhaps given you offence?" + +"What an idea!" exclaimed Pao Ch'ai, with a smile. "It's simply that +I've had for the last couple of days my old complaint again, and that +I've in consequence kept quiet all this time, and looked after myself." + +"Is that it?" asked Chou Jui's wife; "but after all, what rooted kind of +complaint are you subject to, miss? you should lose really no time in +sending for a doctor to diagnose it, and give you something to make you +all right. With your tender years, to have an organic ailment is indeed +no trifle!" + +Pao Ch'ai laughed when she heard these remarks. + +"Pray," she said, "don't allude to this again; for this ailment of mine +I've seen, I can't tell you, how many doctors; taken no end of medicine +and spent I don't know how much money; but the more we did so, not the +least little bit of relief did I see. Lucky enough, we eventually came +across a bald-pated bonze, whose speciality was the cure of nameless +illnesses. We therefore sent for him to see me, and he said that I had +brought this along with me from the womb as a sort of inflammatory +virus, that luckily I had a constitution strong and hale so that it +didn't matter; and that it would be of no avail if I took pills or any +medicines. He then told me a prescription from abroad, and gave me also +a packet of a certain powder as a preparative, with a peculiar smell and +strange flavour. He advised me, whenever my complaint broke out, to take +a pill, which would be sure to put me right again. And this has, after +all, strange to say, done me a great deal of good." + +"What kind of prescription is this one from abroad, I wonder," remarked +Mrs. Chou; "if you, miss, would only tell me, it would be worth our +while bearing it in mind, and recommending it to others: and if ever we +came across any one afflicted with this disease, we would also be doing +a charitable deed." + +"You'd better not ask for the prescription," rejoined Pao Ch'ai smiling. +"Why, its enough to wear one out with perplexity! the necessaries and +ingredients are few, and all easy to get, but it would be difficult to +find the lucky moment! You want twelve ounces of the pollen of the white +peone, which flowers in spring, twelve ounces of the pollen of the white +summer lily, twelve ounces of the pollen of the autumn hibiscus flower, +and twelve ounces of the white plum in bloom in the winter. You take the +four kinds of pollen, and put them in the sun, on the very day of the +vernal equinox of the succeeding year to get dry, and then you mix them +with the powder and pound them well together. You again want twelve mace +of water, fallen on 'rain water' day....." + +"Good gracious!" exclaimed Mrs. Chou promptly, as she laughed. "From all +you say, why you want three years' time! and what if no rain falls on +'rain water' day! What would one then do?" + +"Quite so!" Pao Ch'ai remarked smilingly; "how can there be such an +opportune rain on that very day! but to wait is also the best thing, +there's nothing else to be done. Besides, you want twelve mace of dew, +collected on 'White Dew' day, and twelve mace of the hoar frost, +gathered on 'Frost Descent' day, and twelve mace of snow, fallen on +'Slight Snow' day! You next take these four kinds of waters and mix them +with the other ingredients, and make pills of the size of a lungngan. +You keep them in an old porcelain jar, and bury them under the roots of +some flowers; and when the ailment betrays itself, you produce it and +take a pill, washing it down with two candareens of a yellow cedar +decoction." + +"O-mi-to-fu!" cried Mrs. Chou, when she heard all this, bursting out +laughing. "It's really enough to kill one! you might wait ten years and +find no such lucky moments!" + +"Fortunate for me, however," pursued Pao Ch'ai, "in the course of a year +or two, after the bonze had told me about this prescription, we got all +the ingredients; and, after much trouble, we compounded a supply, which +we have now brought along with us from the south to the north; and lies +at present under the pear trees." + +"Has this medicine any name or other of its own?" further inquired Mrs. +Chou. + +"It has a name," replied Pao Ch'ai; "the mangy-headed bonze also told it +me; he called it 'cold fragrance' pill." + +Chou Jui's wife nodded her head, as she heard these words. "What do you +feel like after all when this complaint manifests itself?" she went on +to ask. + +"Nothing much," replied Pao Ch'ai; "I simply pant and cough a bit; but +after I've taken a pill, I get over it, and it's all gone." + +Mrs. Chou was bent upon making some further remark, when madame Wang was +suddenly heard to enquire, "Who is in here?" + +Mrs. Chou went out hurriedly and answered; and forthwith told her all +about old goody Liu's visit. Having waited for a while, and seeing that +madame Wang had nothing to say, she was on the point of retiring, when +"aunt" Hsueh unexpectedly remarked smiling: "Wait a bit! I've something +to give you to take along with you." + +And as she spoke, she called for Hsiang Ling. The sound of the +screen-board against the sides of the door was heard, and in walked the +waiting-maid, who had been playing with Chin Ch'uan-erh. "Did my lady +call?" she asked. + +"Bring that box of flowers," said Mrs. Hsueh. + +Hsiang Ling assented, and brought from the other side a small +embroidered silk box. + +"These," explained "aunt" Hsüeh, "are a new kind of flowers, made in the +palace. They consist of twelve twigs of flowers of piled gauze. I +thought of them yesterday, and as they will, the pity is, only get old, +if uselessly put away, why not give them to the girls to wear them in +their hair! I meant to have sent them over yesterday, but I forgot all +about them. You come to-day most opportunely, and if you will take them +with you, I shall have got them off my hands. To the three young ladies +in your family give two twigs each, and of the six that will remain give +a couple to Miss Lin, and the other four to lady Feng." + +"Better keep them and give them to your daughter Pao Ch'ai to wear," +observed madame Wang, "and have done with it; why think of all the +others?" + +"You don't know, sister," replied "aunt" Hsüeh, "what a crotchety thing +Pao Ch'ai is! she has no liking for flower or powder." + +With these words on her lips, Chou Jui's wife took the box and walked +out of the door of the room. Perceiving that Chin Ch'uan-erh was still +sunning herself outside, Chou Jui's wife asked her: "Isn't this Hsiang +Ling, the waiting-maid that we've often heard of as having been +purchased just before the departure of the Hsüeh family for the capital, +and on whose account there occurred some case of manslaughter or other?" + +"Of course it's she," replied Chin Ch'uan. But as they were talking, +they saw Hsiang Ling draw near smirkingly, and Chou Jui's wife at once +seized her by the hand, and after minutely scrutinizing her face for a +time, she turned round to Chin Ch'uan-erh and smiled. "With these +features she really resembles slightly the style of lady Jung of our +Eastern Mansion." + +"So I too maintain!" said Chin Ch'uan-erh. + +Chou Jui's wife then asked Hsiang Ling, "At what age did you enter this +family? and where are your father and mother at present?" and also +inquired, "In what year of your teens are you? and of what place are you +a native?" + +But Hsiang Ling, after listening to all these questions, simply nodded +her head and replied, "I can't remember." + +When Mrs. Chou and Chin Ch'uan-erh heard these words, their spirits +changed to grief, and for a while they felt affected and wounded at +heart; but in a short time, Mrs. Chou brought the flowers into the room +at the back of madame Wang's principal apartment. + +The fact is that dowager lady Chia had explained that as her +granddaughters were too numerous, it would not be convenient to crowd +them together in one place, that Pao-yü and Tai-yü should only remain +with her in this part to break her loneliness, but that Ying Ch'un, T'an +Ch'un, and Hsi Ch'un, the three of them, should move on this side in the +three rooms within the antechamber, at the back of madame lady Wang's +quarters; and that Li Wan should be told off to be their attendant and +to keep an eye over them. + +Chou Jui's wife, therefore, on this occasion came first to these rooms +as they were on her way, but she only found a few waiting-maids +assembled in the antechamber, waiting silently to obey a call. + +Ying Ch'un's waiting-maid, Ssu Chi, together with Shih Shu, T'an Ch'un's +waiting-maid, just at this moment raised the curtain, and made their +egress, each holding in her hand a tea-cup and saucer; and Chou Jui's +wife readily concluding that the young ladies were sitting together also +walked into the inner room, where she only saw Ying Ch'un and T'an Ch'un +seated near the window, in the act of playing chess. Mrs. Chou presented +the flowers and explained whence they came, and what they were. + +The girls forthwith interrupted their game, and both with a curtsey, +expressed their thanks, and directed the waiting-maids to put the +flowers away. + +Mrs. Chou complied with their wishes (and handing over the flowers); +"Miss Hsi Ch'un," she remarked, "is not at home; and possibly she's over +there with our old lady." + +"She's in that room, isn't she?" inquired the waiting-maids. + +Mrs. Chou at these words readily came into the room on this side, where +she found Hsi Ch'un, in company with a certain Chih Neng, a young nun of +the "moon reflected on water" convent, talking and laughing together. On +seeing Chou Jui's wife enter, Hsi Ch'un at once asked what she wanted, +whereupon Chou Jui's wife opened the box of flowers, and explained who +had sent them. + +"I was just telling Chih Neng," remarked Hsi Ch'un laughing, "that I +also purpose shortly shaving my head and becoming a nun; and strange +enough, here you again bring me flowers; but supposing I shave my head, +where can I wear them?" + +They were all very much amused for a time with this remark, and Hsi +Ch'un told her waiting-maid, Ju Hua, to come and take over the flowers. + +"What time did you come over?" then inquired Mrs. Chou of Chih Neng. +"Where is that bald-pated and crotchety superior of yours gone?" + +"We came," explained Chih Neng, "as soon as it was day; after calling +upon madame Wang, my superior went over to pay a visit in the mansion of +Mr. Yü, and told me to wait for her here." + +"Have you received," further asked Mrs. Chou, "the monthly allowance for +incense offering due on the fifteenth or not?" + +"I can't say," replied Chih Neng. + +"Who's now in charge of the issue of the monthly allowances to the +various temples?" interposed Hsi Ch'un, addressing Mrs. Chou, as soon as +she heard what was said. + +"It's Yü Hsin," replied Chou Jui's wife, "who's intrusted with the +charge." + +"That's how it is," observed Hsi Ch'un with a chuckle; "soon after the +arrival of the Superior, Yü Hsin's wife came over and kept on whispering +with her for some time; so I presume it must have been about this +allowance." + +Mrs. Chou then went on to bandy a few words with Chih Neng, after which +she came over to lady Feng's apartments. Proceeding by a narrow passage, +she passed under Li Wan's back windows, and went along the wall +ornamented with creepers on the west. Going out of the western side +gate, she entered lady Feng's court, and walked over into the Entrance +Hall, where she only found the waiting-girl Feng Erh, sitting on the +doorsteps of lady Feng's apartments. + +When she caught sight of Mrs. Chou approaching, she at once waved her +hand, bidding her go to the eastern room. Chou Jui's wife understood her +meaning, and hastily came on tiptoe to the chamber on the east, where +she saw a nurse patting lady Feng's daughter to sleep. + +Mrs. Chou promptly asked the nurse in a low tone of voice: "Is the young +lady asleep at this early hour? But if even she is I must wake her up." + +The nurse nodded her head in assent, but as these inquiries were being +made, a sound of laughter came from over the other side, in which lady +Feng's voice could be detected; followed, shortly after, by the sound of +a door opening, and out came P'ing Erh, with a large brass basin in her +hands, which she told Feng Erh to fill with water and take inside. + +P'ing Erh forthwith entered the room on this side, and upon perceiving +Chou Jui's wife: "What have you come here again for, my old lady?" she +readily inquired. + +Chou Jui's wife rose without any delay, and handed her the box. "I've +come," said she, "to bring you a present of flowers." + +Upon hearing this, P'ing Erh opened the box, and took out four sprigs, +and, turning round, walked out of the room. In a short while she came +from the inner room with two sprigs in her hand, and calling first of +all Ts'ai Ming, she bade her take the flowers over to the mansion on the +other side and present them to "madame" Jung, after which she asked Mrs. +Chou to express her thanks on her return. + +Chou Jui's wife thereupon came over to dowager lady Chia's room on this +side of the compound, and as she was going through the Entrance Hall, +she casually came, face to face, with her daughter, got up in gala +dress, just coming from the house of her mother-in-law. + +"What are you running over here for at this time?" promptly inquired +Mrs. Chou. + +"Have you been well of late, mother?" asked her daughter. "I've been +waiting for ever so long at home, but you never come out! What's there +so pressing that has prevented you from returning home? I waited till I +was tired, and then went on all alone, and paid my respects to our +venerable lady; I'm now, on my way to inquire about our lady Wang. What +errand haven't you delivered as yet, ma; and what is it you're holding?" + +"Ai! as luck would have it," rejoined Chou Jui's wife smilingly, "old +goody Liu came over to-day, so that besides my own hundred and one +duties, I've had to run about here and there ever so long, and all for +her! While attending to these, Mrs. Hsueh came across me, and asked me +to take these flowers to the young ladies, and I've been at it up to +this very moment, and haven't done yet! But coming at this time, you +must surely have something or other that you want me to do for you! +what's it?" + +"Really ma, you're quick at guessing!" exclaimed her daughter with a +smile; "I'll tell you what it's all about. The day before yesterday, +your son-in-law had a glass of wine too many, and began altercating with +some person or other; and some one, I don't know why, spread some evil +report, saying that his antecedents were not clear, and lodged a charge +against him at the Yamen, pressing the authorities to deport him to his +native place. That's why I've come over to consult with you, as to whom +we should appeal to, to do us this favour of helping us out of our +dilemma!" + +"I knew at once," Mrs. Chou remarked after listening, "that there was +something wrong; but this is nothing hard to settle! Go home and wait +for me and I'll come straightway, as soon as I've taken these flowers to +Miss Lin; our madame Wang and lady Secunda have both no leisure (to +attend to you now,) so go back and wait for me! What's the use of so +much hurry!" + +Her daughter, upon hearing this, forthwith turned round to go back, when +she added as she walked away, "Mind, mother, and make haste." + +"All right," replied Chou Jui's wife, "of course I will; you are young +yet, and without experience, and that's why you are in this flurry." + +As she spoke, she betook herself into Tai-yü's apartments. Contrary to +her expectation Tai-yü was not at this time in her own room, but in +Pao-yü's; where they were amusing themselves in trying to solve the +"nine strung rings" puzzle. On entering Mrs. Chou put on a smile. +"'Aunt' Hsüeh," she explained, "has told me to bring these flowers and +present them to you to wear in your hair." + +"What flowers?" exclaimed Pao-yü. "Bring them here and let me see them." + +As he uttered these words, he readily stretched out his hands and took +them over, and upon opening the box and looking in, he discovered, in +fact, two twigs of a novel and artistic kind of artificial flowers, of +piled gauze, made in the palace. + +Tai-yü merely cast a glance at them, as Pao-yü held them. "Have these +flowers," she inquired eagerly, "been sent to me alone, or have all the +other girls got some too?" + +"Each one of the young ladies has the same," replied Mrs. Chou; "and +these two twigs are intended for you, miss." + +Tai-yü forced a smile. "Oh! I see," she observed. "If all the others +hadn't chosen, even these which remain over wouldn't have been given to +me." + +Chou Jui's wife did not utter a word in reply. + +"Sister Chou, what took you over on the other side?" asked Pao-yü. + +"I was told that our madame Wang was over there," explained Mrs. Chou, +"and as I went to give her a message, 'aunt' Hsüeh seized the +opportunity to ask me to bring over these flowers." + +"What was cousin Pao Ch'ai doing at home?" asked Pao-yü. "How is it +she's not even been over for these few days?" + +"She's not quite well," remarked Mrs. Chou. + +When Pao-yü heard this news, "Who'll go," he speedily ascertained of the +waiting-maids, "and inquire after her? Tell her that cousin Lin and I +have sent round to ask how our aunt and cousin are getting on! ask her +what she's ailing from and what medicines she's taking, and explain to +her that I know I ought to have gone over myself, but that on my coming +back from school a short while back, I again got a slight chill; and +that I'll go in person another day." + +While Pao-yü was yet speaking, Hsi Hsüeh volunteered to take the +message, and went off at once; and Mrs. Chou herself took her leave +without another word. + +Mrs. Chou's son-in-law was, in fact, Leng Tzu-hsing, the intimate friend +of Yü-ts'un. Having recently become involved with some party in a +lawsuit, on account of the sale of some curios, he had expressly charged +his wife to come and sue for the favour (of a helping hand). Chou Jui's +wife, relying upon her master's prestige, did not so much as take the +affair to heart; and having waited till evening, she simply went over +and requested lady Feng to befriend her, and the matter was forthwith +ended. + +When the lamps were lit, lady Feng came over, after having disrobed +herself, to see madame Wang. "I've already taken charge," she observed, +"of the things sent round to-day by the Chen family. As for the presents +from us to them, we should avail ourselves of the return of the boats, +by which the fresh delicacies for the new year were forwarded, to hand +them to them to carry back." + +Madame Wang nodded her head in token of approval. + +"The birthday presents," continued lady Feng, "for lady Ling Ngan, the +mother of the Earl of Ling Ngan, have already been got together, and +whom will you depute to take them over?" + +"See," suggested madame Wang, "who has nothing to do; let four maids go +and all will be right! why come again and ask me?" + +"Our eldest sister-in-law Chen," proceeded lady Feng, "came over to +invite me to go to-morrow to their place for a little change. I don't +think there will be anything for me to do to-morrow." + +"Whether there be or not," replied madame Wang, "it doesn't matter; you +must go, for whenever she comes with an invitation, it includes us, who +are your seniors, so that, of course, it isn't such a pleasant thing for +you; but as she doesn't ask us this time, but only asks you, it's +evident that she's anxious that you should have a little distraction, +and you mustn't disappoint her good intention. Besides it's certainly +right that you should go over for a change." + +Lady Feng assented, and presently Li Wan, Ying Ch'un and the other +cousins, likewise paid each her evening salutation and retired to their +respective rooms, where nothing of any notice transpired. + +The next day lady Feng completed her toilette, and came over first to +tell madame Wang that she was off, and then went to say good-bye to +dowager lady Chia; but when Pao-yü heard where she was going, he also +wished to go; and as lady Feng had no help but to give in, and to wait +until he had changed his clothes, the sister and brother-in-law got into +a carriage, and in a short while entered the Ning mansion. + +Mrs. Yu, the wife of Chia Chen, and Mrs. Ch'in, the wife of Mr. Chia +Jung, the two sisters-in-law, had, along with a number of maids, +waiting-girls, and other servants, come as far as the ceremonial gate to +receive them, and Mrs. Yu, upon meeting lady Feng, for a while indulged, +as was her wont, in humorous remarks, after which, leading Pao-yü by the +hand, they entered the drawing room and took their seats, Mrs. Ch'in +handed tea round. + +"What have you people invited me to come here for?" promptly asked lady +Feng; "if you have anything to present me with, hand it to me at once, +for I've other things to attend to." + +Mrs. Yu and Mrs. Ch'in had barely any time to exchange any further +remarks, when several matrons interposed, smilingly: "Had our lady not +come to-day, there would have been no help for it, but having come, you +can't have it all your own way." + +While they were conversing about one thing and another, they caught +sight of Chia Jung come in to pay his respects, which prompted Pao-yü to +inquire, "Isn't my elder brother at home to-day?" + +"He's gone out of town to-day," replied Mrs. Yu, "to inquire after his +grandfather. You'll find sitting here," she continued, "very dull, and +why not go out and have a stroll?" + +"A strange coincidence has taken place to-day," urged Mrs. Ch'in, with a +smile; "some time back you, uncle Pao, expressed a wish to see my +brother, and to-day he too happens to be here at home. I think he's in +the library; but why not go and see for yourself, uncle Pao?" + +Pao-yü descended at once from the stove-couch, and was about to go, when +Mrs. Yu bade the servants to mind and go with him. "Don't you let him +get into trouble," she enjoined. "It's a far different thing when he +comes over under the charge of his grandmother, when he's all right." + +"If that be so," remarked lady Feng, "why not ask the young gentleman to +come in, and then I too can see him. There isn't, I hope, any objection +to my seeing him?" + +"Never mind! never mind!" observed Mrs. Yu, smilingly; "it's as well +that you shouldn't see him. This brother of mine is not, like the boys +of our Chia family, accustomed to roughly banging and knocking about. +Other people's children are brought up politely and properly, and not in +this vixenish style of yours. Why, you'd ridicule him to death!" + +"I won't laugh at him then, that's all," smiled lady Feng; "tell them to +bring him in at once." + +"He's shy," proceeded Mrs. Ch'in, "and has seen nothing much of the +world, so that you are sure to be put out when you see him, sister." + +"What an idea!" exclaimed lady Feng. "Were he even No Cha himself, I'd +like to see him; so don't talk trash; if, after all, you don't bring him +round at once, I'll give you a good slap on the mouth." + +"I daren't be obstinate," answered Mrs. Ch'in smiling; "I'll bring him +round!" + +In a short while she did in fact lead in a young lad, who, compared with +Pao-yü, was somewhat more slight but, from all appearances, superior to +Pao-yü in eyes and eyebrows, (good looks), which were so clear and +well-defined, in white complexion and in ruddy lips, as well as graceful +appearance and pleasing manners. He was however bashful and timid, like +a girl. + +In a shy and demure way, he made a bow to lady Feng and asked after her +health. + +Lady Feng was simply delighted with him. "You take a low seat next to +him!" she ventured laughingly as she first pushed Pao-yü back. Then +readily stooping forward, she took this lad by the hand and asked him to +take a seat next to her. Presently she inquired about his age, his +studies and such matters, when she found that at school he went under +the name of Ch'in Chung. + +The matrons and maids in attendance on lady Feng, perceiving that this +was the first time their mistress met Ch'in Chung, (and knowing) that +she had not at hand the usual presents, forthwith ran over to the other +side and told P'ing Erh about it. + +P'ing Erh, aware of the close intimacy that existed between lady Feng +and Mrs. Ch'in, speedily took upon herself to decide, and selecting a +piece of silk, and two small gold medals, (bearing the wish that he +should attain) the highest degree, the senior wranglership, she handed +them to the servants who had come over, to take away. + +Lady Feng, however, explained that her presents were too mean by far, +but Mrs. Ch'in and the others expressed their appreciation of them; and +in a short time the repast was over, and Mrs. Yu, lady Feng and Mrs. +Ch'in played at dominoes, but of this no details need be given; while +both Pao-yü and Ch'in Chung sat down, got up and talked, as they +pleased. + +Since he had first glanced at Ch'in Chung, and seen what kind of person +he was, he felt at heart as if he had lost something, and after being +plunged in a dazed state for a time, he began again to give way to +foolish thoughts in his mind. + +"There are then such beings as he in the world!" he reflected. "I now +see there are! I'm however no better than a wallowing pig or a mangy +cow! Despicable destiny! why was I ever born in this household of a +marquis and in the mansion of a duke? Had I seen the light in the home +of some penniless scholar, or poverty-stricken official, I could long +ago have enjoyed the communion of his friendship, and I would not have +lived my whole existence in vain! Though more honourable than he, it is +indeed evident that silk and satins only serve to swathe this rotten +trunk of mine, and choice wines and rich meats only to gorge the filthy +drain and miry sewer of this body of mine! Wealth! and splendour! ye are +no more than contaminated with pollution by me!" + +Ever since Ch'in Chung had noticed Pao-yü's unusual appearance, his +sedate deportment, and what is more, his hat ornamented with gold, and +his dress full of embroidery, attended by beautiful maids and handsome +youths, he did not indeed think it a matter of surprise that every one +was fond of him. + +"Born as I have had the misfortune to be," he went on to commune within +himself, "in an honest, though poor family, how can I presume to enjoy +his companionship! This is verily a proof of what a barrier poverty and +wealth set between man and man. What a serious misfortune is this too in +this mortal world!" + +In wild and inane ideas of the same strain, indulged these two youths! + +Pao-yü by and by further asked of him what books he was reading, and +Ch'in Chung, in answer to these inquiries, told him the truth. A few +more questions and answers followed; and after about ten remarks, a +greater intimacy sprang up between them. + +Tea and fruits were shortly served, and while they were having their +tea, Pao-yü suggested, "We two don't take any wine, and why shouldn't we +have our fruit served on the small couch inside, and go and sit there, +and thus save you all the trouble?" + +The two of them thereupon came into the inner apartment to have their +tea; and Mrs. Ch'in attended to the laying out of fruit and wines for +lady Feng, and hurriedly entered the room and hinted to Pao-yü: "Dear +uncle Pao, your nephew is young, and should he happen to say anything +disrespectful, do please overlook it, for my sake, for though shy, he's +naturally of a perverse and wilful disposition, and is rather given to +having his own way." + +"Off with you!" cried Pao-yü laughing; "I know it all." Mrs. Ch'in then +went on to give a bit of advice to her brother, and at length came to +keep lady Feng company. Presently lady Feng and Mrs. Yu sent another +servant to tell Pao-yü that there was outside of everything they might +wish to eat and that they should mind and go and ask for it; and Pao-yü +simply signified that they would; but his mind was not set upon drinking +or eating; all he did was to keep making inquiries of Ch'in Chung about +recent family concerns. + +Ch'in Chung went on to explain that his tutor had last year relinquished +his post, that his father was advanced in years and afflicted with +disease, and had multifarious public duties to preoccupy his mind, so +that he had as yet had no time to make arrangements for another tutor, +and that all he did was no more than to keep up his old tasks; that as +regards study, it was likewise necessary to have the company of one or +two intimate friends, as then only, by dint of a frequent exchange of +ideas and opinions, one could arrive at progress; and Pao-yü gave him no +time to complete, but eagerly urged, "Quite so! But in our household, we +have a family school, and those of our kindred who have no means +sufficient to engage the services of a tutor are at liberty to come over +for the sake of study, and the sons and brothers of our relatives are +likewise free to join the class. As my own tutor went home last year, I +am now also wasting my time doing nothing; my father's intention was +that I too should have gone over to this school, so that I might at +least temporarily keep up what I have already read, pending the arrival +of my tutor next year, when I could again very well resume my studies +alone at home. But my grandmother raised objections; maintaining first +of all, that the boys who attend the family classes being so numerous, +she feared we would be sure to be up to mischief, which wouldn't be at +all proper; and that, in the second place, as I had been ill for some +time, the matter should be dropped, for the present. But as, from what +you say, your worthy father is very much exercised on this score, you +should, on your return, tell him all about it, and come over to our +school. I'll also be there as your schoolmate; and as you and I will +reap mutual benefit from each other's companionship, won't it be nice!" + +"When my father was at home the other day," Ch'in Chung smiled and said, +"he alluded to the question of a tutor, and explained that the free +schools were an excellent institution. He even meant to have come and +talked matters over with his son-in-law's father about my introduction, +but with the urgent concerns here, he didn't think it right for him to +come about this small thing, and make any trouble. But if you really +believe that I might be of use to you, in either grinding the ink, or +washing the slab, why shouldn't you at once make the needful +arrangements, so that neither you nor I may idle our time? And as we +shall be able to come together often and talk matters over, and set at +the same time our parents' minds at ease, and to enjoy the pleasure of +friendship, won't it be a profitable thing!" + +"Compose your mind!" suggested Pao-yü. "We can by and by first of all, +tell your brother-in-law, and your sister as well as sister-in-law +Secunda Lien; and on your return home to-day, lose no time in explaining +all to your worthy father, and when I get back, I'll speak to my +grandmother; and I can't see why our wishes shouldn't speedily be +accomplished." + +By the time they had arrived at this conclusion, the day was far +advanced, and the lights were about to be lit; and they came out and +watched them once more for a time as they played at dominoes. When they +came to settle their accounts Mrs. Ch'in and Mrs. Yu were again the +losers and had to bear the expense of a theatrical and dinner party; and +while deciding that they should enjoy this treat the day after the +morrow, they also had the evening repast. + +Darkness having set in, Mrs. Yu gave orders that two youths should +accompany Mr. Ch'in home. The matrons went out to deliver the +directions, and after a somewhat long interval, Ch'in Chung said goodbye +and was about to start on his way. + +"Whom have you told off to escort him?" asked Mrs. Yu. + +"Chiao Ta," replied the matrons, "has been told to go, but it happens +that he's under the effects of drink and making free use again of +abusive language." + +Mrs. Yu and Mrs. Chin remonstrated. "What's the use," they said, "of +asking him? that mean fellow shouldn't be chosen, but you will go again +and provoke him." + +"People always maintain," added lady Feng, "that you are far too +lenient. But fancy allowing servants in this household to go on in this +way; why, what will be the end of it?" + +"You don't mean to tell me," observed Mrs. Yu, "that you don't know this +Chiao Ta? Why, even the gentlemen one and all pay no heed to his doings! +your eldest brother, Chia Cheng, he too doesn't notice him. It's all +because when he was young he followed our ancestor in three or four +wars, and because on one occasion, by extracting our senior from the +heap of slain and carrying him on his back, he saved his life. He +himself suffered hunger and stole food for his master to eat; they had +no water for two days; and when he did get half a bowl, he gave it to +his master, while he himself had sewage water. He now simply presumes +upon the sentimental obligations imposed by these services. When the +seniors of the family still lived, they all looked upon him with +exceptional regard; but who at present ventures to interfere with him? +He is also advanced in years, and doesn't care about any decent manners; +his sole delight is wine; and when he gets drunk, there isn't a single +person whom he won't abuse. I've again and again told the stewards not +to henceforward ask Chiao Ta to do any work whatever, but to treat him +as dead and gone; and here he's sent again to-day." + +"How can I not know all about this Chiao Ta?" remarked lady Feng; "but +the secret of all this trouble is, that you won't take any decisive +step. Why not pack him off to some distant farm, and have done with +him?" And as she spoke, "Is our carriage ready?" she went on to inquire. + +"All ready and waiting," interposed the married women. + +Lady Feng also got up, said good-bye, and hand in hand with Pao-yü, they +walked out of the room, escorted by Mrs. Yu and the party, as far as the +entrance of the Main Hall, where they saw the lamps shedding a brilliant +light and the attendants all waiting on the platforms. Chiao Ta, +however, availing himself of Chia Chen's absence from home, and elated +by wine, began to abuse the head steward Lai Erh for his injustice. + +"You bully of the weak and coward with the strong," he cried, "when +there's any pleasant charge, you send the other servants, but when it's +a question of seeing any one home in the dark, then you ask me, you +disorderly clown! a nice way you act the steward, indeed! Do you forget +that if Mr. Chiao Ta chose to raise one leg, it would be a good deal +higher than your head! Remember please, that twenty years ago, Mr. Chiao +Ta wouldn't even so much as look at any one, no matter who it was; not +to mention a pack of hybrid creatures like yourselves!" + +While he went on cursing and railing with all his might, Chia Jung +appeared walking by lady Feng's carriage. All the servants having tried +to hush him and not succeeding, Chia Jung became exasperated; and +forthwith blew him up for a time. "Let some one bind him up," he cried, +"and tomorrow, when he's over the wine, I'll call him to task, and we'll +see if he won't seek death." + +Chiao Ta showed no consideration for Chia Jung. On the contrary, he +shouted with more vigour. Going up to Chia Jung: "Brother Jung," he +said, "don't put on the airs of a master with Chiao Ta. Not to speak of +a man such as you, why even your father and grandfather wouldn't presume +to display such side with Chiao Ta. Were it not for Chiao Ta, and him +alone, where would your office, honours, riches and dignity be? Your +ancestor, whom I brought back from the jaws of death, heaped up all this +estate, but up to this very day have I received no thanks for the +services I rendered! on the contrary, you come here and play the master; +don't say a word more, and things may come right; but if you do, I'll +plunge the blade of a knife white in you and extract it red." + +Lady Feng, from inside the carriage, remarked to Chia Jung: "Don't you +yet pack off this insolent fellow! Why, if you keep him in your house, +won't he be a source of mischief? Besides, were relatives and friends to +hear about these things, won't they have a laugh at our expense, that a +household like ours should be so devoid of all propriety?" + +Chia Jung assented. The whole band of servants finding that Chiao Ta was +getting too insolent had no help but to come up and throw him over, and +binding him up, they dragged him towards the stables. Chiao Ta abused +even Chia Chen with still more vehemence, and shouted in a boisterous +manner. "I want to go," he cried, "to the family Ancestral Temple and +mourn my old master. Who would have ever imagined that he would leave +behind such vile creatures of descendants as you all, day after day +indulging in obscene and incestuous practices, 'in scraping of the +ashes' and in philandering with brothers-in-law. I know all about your +doings; the best thing is to hide one's stump of an arm in one's +sleeve!" (wash one's dirty clothes at home). + +The servants who stood by, upon hearing this wild talk, were quite at +their wits' end, and they at once seized him, tied him up, and filled +his mouth to the fullest extent with mud mixed with some horse refuse. + +Lady Feng and Chia Jung heard all he said from a distance, but pretended +not to hear; but Pao-yü, seated in the carriage as he was, also caught +this extravagant talk and inquired of lady Feng: "Sister, did you hear +him say something about 'scraping of the ashes?' What's it?" + +"Don't talk such rubbish!" hastily shouted lady Feng; "it was the +maudlin talk of a drunkard! A nice boy you are! not to speak of your +listening, but you must also inquire! wait and I'll tell your mother and +we'll see if she doesn't seriously take you to task." + +Pao-yü was in such a state of fright that he speedily entreated her to +forgive him. "My dear sister," he craved, "I won't venture again to say +anything of the kind" + +"My dear brother, if that be so, it's all right!" rejoined lady Feng +reassuringly; "on our return we'll speak to her venerable ladyship and +ask her to send some one to arrange matters in the family school, and +invite Ch'in Chung to come to school for his studies." + +While yet this conversation was going on, they arrived at the Jung +Mansion. + +Reader, do you wish to know what follows? if you do, the next chapter +will unfold it. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + By a strange coincidence, Chia Pao-yü becomes acquainted with the + golden clasp. + In an unexpected meeting, Hsüeh Pao-ch'ai sees the jade of spiritual + perception. + + +Pao-yü and lady Feng, we will now explain, paid, on their return home, +their respects to all the inmates, and Pao-yü availed himself of the +first occasion to tell dowager lady Chia of his wish that Ch'in Chung +should come over to the family school. "The presence for himself of a +friend as schoolmate would," he argued, "be fitly excellent to stir him +to zeal," and he went on to speak in terms of high praise of Ch'in +Chung, his character and his manners, which most of all made people +esteem him. + +Lady Feng besides stood by him and backed his request. "In a day or +two," she added, "Ch'in Chung will be coming to pay his obeisance to +your venerable ladyship." + +This bit of news greatly rejoiced the heart of dowager lady Chia, and +lady Feng likewise did not let the opportunity slip, without inviting +the old lady to attend the theatrical performance to come off the day +after the morrow. Dowager lady Chia was, it is true, well on in years, +but was, nevertheless, very fond of enjoyment, so that when the day +arrived and Mrs. Yu came over to invite her round, she forthwith took +madame Wang, Lin Tai-yü, Pao-yü and others along and went to the play. + +It was about noon, when dowager lady Chia returned to her apartments for +her siesta; and madame Wang, who was habitually partial to a quiet life, +also took her departure after she had seen the old lady retire. Lady +Feng subsequently took the seat of honour; and the party enjoyed +themselves immensely till the evening, when they broke up. + +But to return to Pao-yü. Having accompanied his grandmother Chia back +home, and waited till her ladyship was in her midday sleep, he had in +fact an inclination to return to the performance, but he was afraid lest +he should be a burden to Mrs. Ch'in and the rest and lest they should +not feel at ease. Remembering therefore that Pao Ch'ai had been at home +unwell for the last few days, and that he had not been to see her, he +was anxious to go and look her up, but he dreaded that if he went by the +side gate, at the back of the drawing-room, he would be prevented by +something or other, and fearing, what would be making matters worse, +lest he should come across his father, he consequently thought it better +to go on his way by a detour. The nurses and waiting-maids thereupon +came to help him to change his clothes; but they saw him not change, but +go out again by the second door. These nurses and maids could not help +following him out; but they were still under the impression that he was +going over to the other mansion to see the theatricals. Contrary to +their speculations, upon reaching the entrance hall, he forthwith went +to the east, then turned to the north, and walking round by the rear of +the hall, he happened to come face to face with two of the family +companions, Mr. Ch'an Kuang, and Mr. Tan T'ing-jen. As soon as they +caught sight of Pao-yü, they both readily drew up to him, and as they +smiled, the one put his arm round his waist, while the other grasped him +by the hand. + +"Oh divine brother!" they both exclaimed, "this we call dreaming a +pleasant dream, for it's no easy thing to come across you!" + +While continuing their remarks they paid their salutations, and inquired +after his health; and it was only after they had chatted for ever so +long, that they went on their way. The nurse called out to them and +stopped them, "Have you two gentlemen," she said, "come out from seeing +master?" + +They both nodded assent. "Your master," they explained, "is in the Meng +P'o Chai small library having his siesta; so that you can go through +there with no fear." + +As they uttered these words, they walked away. + +This remark also evoked a smile from Pao-yü, but without further delay +he turned a corner, went towards the north, and came into the Pear +Fragrance Court, where, as luck would have it, he met the head manager +of the Household Treasury, Wu Hsin-teng, who, in company with the head +of the granary, Tai Liang, and several other head stewards, seven +persons in all, was issuing out of the Account Room. + +On seeing Pao-yü approaching, they, in a body, stood still, and hung +down their arms against their sides. One of them alone, a certain +butler, called Ch'ien Hua, promptly came forward, as he had not seen +Pao-yü for many a day, and bending on one knee, paid his respects to +Pao-yü. Pao-yü at once gave a smile and pulled him up. + +"The day before yesterday," smiled all the bystanders, "we were +somewhere together and saw some characters written by you, master +Secundus, in the composite style. The writing is certainly better than +it was before! When will you give us a few sheets to stick on the wall?" + +"Where did you see them?" inquired Pao-yü, with a grin. + +"They are to be found in more than one place," they replied, "and every +one praises them very much, and what's more, asks us for a few." + +"They are not worth having," observed Pao-yü smilingly; "but if you do +want any, tell my young servants and it will be all right." + +As he said these words, he moved onwards. The whole party waited till he +had gone by, before they separated, each one to go his own way. + +But we need not dilate upon matters of no moment, but return to Pao-yü. + +On coming to the Pear Fragrance Court, he entered, first, into "aunt" +Hsüeh's room, where he found her getting some needlework ready to give +to the waiting-maids to work at. Pao-yü forthwith paid his respects to +her, and "aunt" Hsüeh, taking him by the hand, drew him towards her and +clasped him in her embrace. + +"With this cold weather," she smilingly urged, "it's too kind of you, my +dear child, to think of coming to see me; come along on the stove-couch +at once!--Bring some tea," she continued, addressing the servants, "and +make it as hot as it can be!" + +"Isn't Hsüeh P'an at home?" Pao-yü having inquired: "He's like a horse +without a halter," Mrs. Hsüeh remarked with a sigh; "he's daily running +here and there and everywhere, and nothing can induce him to stay at +home one single day." + +"Is sister (Pao Ch'ai) all right again?" asked Pao-yü. "Yes," replied +Mrs. Hsüeh, "she's well again. It was very kind of you two days ago to +again think of her, and send round to inquire after her. She's now in +there, and you can go and see her. It's warmer there than it's here; go +and sit with her inside, and, as soon as I've put everything away, I'll +come and join you and have a chat." + +Pao-yü, upon hearing this, jumped down with alacrity from the +stove-couch, and walked up to the door of the inner room, where he saw +hanging a portière somewhat the worse for use, made of red silk. Pao-yü +raised the portière and making one step towards the interior, he found +Pao Ch'ai seated on the couch, busy over some needlework. On the top of +her head was gathered, and made into a knot, her chevelure, black as +lacquer, and glossy like pomade. She wore a honey-coloured wadded robe, +a rose-brown short-sleeved jacket, lined with the fur of the squirrel of +two colours: the "gold and silver;" and a jupe of leek-yellow silk. Her +whole costume was neither too new, neither too old, and displayed no +sign of extravagance. + +Her lips, though not rouged, were naturally red; her eyebrows, though +not pencilled, were yet blue black; her face resembled a silver basin, +and her eyes, juicy plums. She was sparing in her words, chary in her +talk, so much so that people said that she posed as a simpleton. She was +quiet in the acquittal of her duties and scrupulous as to the proper +season for everything. "I practise simplicity," she would say of +herself. + +"How are you? are you quite well again, sister?" inquired Pao-yü, as he +gazed at her; whereupon Pao Ch'ai raised her head, and perceiving Pao-yü +walk in, she got up at once and replied with a smile, "I'm all right +again; many thanks for your kindness in thinking of me." + +While uttering this, she pressed him to take a seat on the stove-couch, +and as he sat down on the very edge of the couch, she told Ying Erh to +bring tea and asked likewise after dowager lady Chia and lady Feng. "And +are all the rest of the young ladies quite well?" she inquired. + +Saying this she scrutinised Pao-yü, who she saw had a head-dress of +purplish-gold twisted threads, studded with precious stones. His +forehead was bound with a gold circlet, representing two dragons, +clasping a pearl. On his person he wore a light yellow, archery-sleeved +jacket, ornamented with rampant dragons, and lined with fur from the +ribs of the silver fox; and was clasped with a dark sash, embroidered +with different-coloured butterflies and birds. Round his neck was hung +an amulet, consisting of a clasp of longevity, a talisman of recorded +name, and, in addition to these, the precious jade which he had had in +his mouth at the time of his birth. + +"I've daily heard every one speak of this jade," said Pao Ch'ai with a +smile, "but haven't, after all, had an opportunity of looking at it +closely, but anyhow to-day I must see it." + +As she spoke, she drew near. Pao-yü himself approached, and taking it +from his neck, he placed it in Pao Ch'ai's hand. Pao Ch'ai held it in +her palm. It appeared to her very much like the egg of a bird, +resplendent as it was like a bright russet cloud; shiny and smooth like +variegated curd and covered with a net for the sake of protection. + +Readers, you should know that this was the very block of useless stone +which had been on the Ta Huang Hills, and which had dropped into the +Ch'ing Keng cave, in a state of metamorphosis. A later writer expresses +his feelings in a satirical way as follows: + + Nü Wo's fusion of stones was e'er a myth inane, + But from this myth hath sprung fiction still more insane! + Lost is the subtle life, divine, and real!--gone! + Assumed, mean subterfuge! foul bags of skin and bone! + Fortune, when once adverse, how true! gold glows no more! + In evil days, alas! the jade's splendour is o'er! + Bones, white and bleached, in nameless hill-like mounds are flung, + Bones once of youths renowned and maidens fair and young. + +The rejected stone has in fact already given a record of the +circumstances of its transformation, and the inscription in seal +characters, engraved upon it by the bald-headed bonze, and below will +now be also appended a faithful representation of it; but its real size +is so very diminutive, as to allow of its being held by a child in his +mouth while yet unborn, that were it to have been drawn in its exact +proportions, the characters would, it is feared, have been so +insignificant in size, that the beholder would have had to waste much of +his eyesight, and it would besides have been no pleasant thing. + +While therefore its shape has been adhered to, its size has unavoidably +been slightly enlarged, to admit of the reader being able, conveniently, +to peruse the inscription, even by very lamplight, and though he may be +under the influence of wine. + +These explanations have been given to obviate any such sneering remarks +as: "What could be, pray, the size of the mouth of a child in his +mother's womb, and how could it grasp such a large and clumsy thing?" + +On the face of the jade was written: + + Precious Gem of Spiritual Perception. + If thou wilt lose me not and never forget me, + Eternal life and constant luck will be with thee! + +On the reverse was written: + + 1 To exorcise evil spirits and the accessory visitations; + 2 To cure predestined sickness; + 3 To prognosticate weal and woe. + +Pao Ch'ai having looked at the amulet, twisted it again to the face, and +scrutinising it closely, read aloud: + + If thou wilt lose me not and never forget me, + Eternal life and constant luck will be with thee! + +She perused these lines twice, and, turning round, she asked Ying Erh +laughingly: "Why don't you go and pour the tea? what are you standing +here like an idiot!" + +"These two lines which I've heard," smiled Ying Erh, "would appear to +pair with the two lines on your necklet, miss!" + +"What!" eagerly observed Pao-yü with a grin, when he caught these words, +"are there really eight characters too on your necklet, cousin? do let +me too see it." + +"Don't listen to what she says," remarked Pao Ch'ai, "there are no +characters on it." + +"My dear cousin," pleaded Pao-yü entreatingly, "how is it you've seen +mine?" + +Pao Ch'ai was brought quite at bay by this remark of his, and she +consequently added, "There are also two propitious phrases engraved on +this charm, and that's why I wear it every day. Otherwise, what pleasure +would there be in carrying a clumsy thing." + +As she spoke, she unfastened the button, and produced from inside her +crimson robe, a crystal-like locket, set with pearls and gems, and with +a brilliant golden fringe. Pao-yü promptly received it from her, and +upon minute examination, found that there were in fact four characters +on each side; the eight characters on both sides forming two sentences +of good omen. The similitude of the locket is likewise then given below. +On the face of the locket is written: + + "Part not from me and cast me not away;" + +And on the reverse: + + "And youth, perennial freshness will display!" + +Pao-yü examined the charm, and having also read the inscription twice +over aloud, and then twice again to himself, he said as he smiled, "Dear +cousin, these eight characters of yours form together with mine an +antithetical verse." + +"They were presented to her," ventured Ying Erh, "by a mangy-pated +bonze, who explained that they should be engraved on a golden +trinket...." + +Pao Ch'ai left her no time to finish what she wished to say, but +speedily called her to task for not going to bring the tea, and then +inquired of Pao-yü "Where he had come from?" + +Pao-yü had, by this time, drawn quite close to Pao Ch'ai, and perceived +whiff after whiff of some perfume or other, of what kind he could not +tell. "What perfume have you used, my cousin," he forthwith asked, "to +fumigate your dresses with? I really don't remember smelling any +perfumery of the kind before." + +"I'm very averse," replied Pao Ch'ai blandly, "to the odour of +fumigation; good clothes become impregnated with the smell of smoke." + +"In that case," observed Pao-yü, "what scent is it?" + +"Yes, I remember," Pao Ch'ai answered, after some reflection; "it's the +scent of the 'cold fragrance' pills which I took this morning." + +"What are these cold fragrance pills," remarked Pao-yü smiling, "that +they have such a fine smell? Give me, cousin, a pill to try." + +"Here you are with your nonsense again," Pao Ch'ai rejoined laughingly; +"is a pill a thing to be taken recklessly?" + +She had scarcely finished speaking, when she heard suddenly some one +outside say, "Miss Lin is come;" and shortly Lin Tai-yü walked in in a +jaunty manner. + +"Oh, I come at a wrong moment!" she exclaimed forthwith, smirking +significantly when she caught sight of Pao-yü. + +Pao-yü and the rest lost no time in rising and offering her a seat, +whereupon Pao Ch'ai added with a smile, "How can you say such things?" + +"Had I known sooner," continued Tai-yü, "that he was here, I would have +kept away." + +"I can't fathom this meaning of yours," protested Pao Ch'ai. + +"If one comes," Tai-yü urged smiling, "then all come, and when one +doesn't come, then no one comes. Now were he to come to-day, and I to +come to-morrow, wouldn't there be, by a division of this kind, always +some one with you every day? and in this way, you wouldn't feel too +lonely, nor too crowded. How is it, cousin, that you didn't understand +what I meant to imply?" + +"Is it snowing?" inquired Pao-yü, upon noticing that she wore a cloak +made of crimson camlet, buttoning in front. + +"It has been snowing for some time," ventured the matrons, who were +standing below. "Fetch my wrapper!" Pao-yü remarked, and Tai-yü readily +laughed. "Am I not right? I come, and, of course, he must go at once." + +"Did I ever mention that I was going?" questioned Pao-yü; "I only wish +it brought to have it ready when I want it." + +"It's a snowy day," consequently remarked Pao-yü's nurse, dame Li, "and +we must also look to the time, but you had better remain here and amuse +yourself with your cousin. Your aunt has, in there, got ready tea and +fruits. I'll tell the waiting-maid to go and fetch your wrapper and the +boys to return home." Pao-yü assented, and nurse Li left the room and +told the boys that they were at liberty to go. + +By this time Mrs. Hsüeh had prepared tea and several kinds of nice +things and kept them all to partake of those delicacies. Pao-yü, having +spoken highly of some goose feet and ducks' tongues he had tasted some +days before, at his eldest sister-in-law's, Mrs. Yu's, "aunt" Hsüeh +promptly produced several dishes of the same kind, made by herself, and +gave them to Pao-yü to try. "With a little wine," added Pao-yü with a +smile, "they would be first rate." + +Mrs. Hsüeh thereupon bade the servants fetch some wine of the best +quality; but dame Li came forward and remonstrated. "My lady," she said, +"never mind the wine." + +Pao-yü smilingly pleaded: "My nurse, I'll take just one cup and no +more." + +"It's no use," nurse Li replied, "were your grandmother and mother +present, I wouldn't care if you drank a whole jar. I remember the day +when I turned my eyes away but for a moment, and some ignorant fool or +other, merely with the view of pandering for your favour, gave you only +a drop of wine to drink, and how this brought reproaches upon me for a +couple of days. You don't know, my lady, you have no idea of his +disposition! it's really dreadful; and when he has had a little wine he +shows far more temper. On days when her venerable ladyship is in high +spirits, she allows him to have his own way about drinking, but he's not +allowed to have wine on any and every day; and why should I have to +suffer inside and all for nothing at all?" + +"You antiquated thing!" replied Mrs. Hsüeh laughing, "set your mind at +ease, and go and drink your own wine! I won't let him have too much, and +should even the old lady say anything, let the fault be mine." + +Saying this, she asked a waiting-maid to take nurse Li along with her +and give her also a glass of wine so as to keep out the cold air. + +When nurse Li heard these words, she had no alternative but to go for a +time with all the others and have some wine to drink. + +"The wine need not be warmed: I prefer it cold!" Pao-yü went on to +suggest meanwhile. + +"That won't do," remonstrated Mrs. Hsüeh; "cold wine will make your hand +tremble when you write." + +"You have," interposed Pao Ch'ai smiling, "the good fortune, cousin +Pao-yü, of having daily opportunities of acquiring a knowledge of every +kind of subject, and yet don't you know that the properties of wine are +mostly heating? If you drink wine warm, its effects soon dispel, but if +you drink it cold, it at once congeals in you; and as upon your +intestines devolves the warming of it, how can you not derive any harm? +and won't you yet from this time change this habit of yours? leave off +at once drinking that cold wine." + +Pao-yü finding that the words he had heard contained a good deal of +sense, speedily put down the cold wine, and having asked them to warm +it, he at length drank it. + +Tai-yü was bent upon cracking melon seeds, saying nothing but simply +pursing up her lips and smiling, when, strange coincidence, Hsüeh Yen, +Tai-yü's waiting-maid, walked in and handed her mistress a small +hand-stove. + +"Who told you to bring it?" ascertained Tai-yü grinningly. "I'm sorry to +have given whoever it is the trouble; I'm obliged to her. But did she +ever imagine that I would freeze to death?" + +"Tzu Chuan was afraid," replied Hsüeh Yen, "that you would, miss, feel +cold, and she asked me to bring it over." + +Tai-yü took it over and held it in her lap. "How is it," she smiled, +"that you listen to what she tells you, but that you treat what I say, +day after day, as so much wind blowing past your ears! How is it that +you at once do what she bids you, with even greater alacrity than you +would an imperial edict?" + +When Pao-yü heard this, he felt sure in his mind that Tai-yü was +availing herself of this opportunity to make fun of him, but he made no +remark, merely laughing to himself and paying no further notice. Pao +Ch'ai, again, knew full well that this habit was a weak point with +Tai-yü, so she too did not go out of her way to heed what she said. + +"You've always been delicate and unable to stand the cold," interposed +"aunt" Hsüeh, "and is it not a kind attention on their part to have +thought of you?" + +"You don't know, aunt, how it really stands," responded Tai-yü +smilingly; "fortunately enough, it was sent to me here at your quarters; +for had it been in any one else's house, wouldn't it have been a slight +upon them? Is it forsooth nice to think that people haven't so much as a +hand-stove, and that one has fussily to be sent over from home? People +won't say that the waiting-maids are too officious, but will imagine +that I'm in the habit of behaving in this offensive fashion." + +"You're far too punctilious," remarked Mrs. Hsüeh, "as to entertain such +notions! No such ideas as these crossed my mind just now." + +While they were conversing, Pao-yü had taken so much as three cups of +wine, and nurse Li came forward again to prevent him from having any +more. Pao-yü was just then in a state of exultation and excitement, (a +state) enhanced by the conversation and laughter of his cousins, so that +was he ready to agree to having no more! But he was constrained in a +humble spirit to entreat for permission. "My dear nurse," he implored, +"I'll just take two more cups and then have no more." + +"You'd better be careful," added nurse Li, "your father is at home +to-day, and see that you're ready to be examined in your lessons." + +When Pao-yü heard this mention, his spirits at once sank within him, and +gently putting the wine aside, he dropped his head upon his breast. + +Tai-yü promptly remonstrated. "You've thrown cold water," she said, +"over the spirits of the whole company; why, if uncle should ask to see +you, well, say that aunt Hsüeh detained you. This old nurse of yours has +been drinking, and again makes us the means of clearing her muddled +head!" + +While saying this, she gave Pao-yü a big nudge with the intent of +stirring up his spirits, adding, as she addressed him in a low tone of +voice: "Don't let us heed that old thing, but mind our own enjoyment." + +Dame Li also knew very well Tai-yü's disposition, and therefore +remarked: "Now, Miss Lin, don't you urge him on; you should after all, +give him good advice, as he may, I think, listen to a good deal of what +you say to him." + +"Why should I urge him on?" rejoined Lin Tai-yü, with a sarcastic smile, +"nor will I trouble myself to give him advice. You, old lady, are far +too scrupulous! Old lady Chia has also time after time given him wine, +and if he now takes a cup or two more here, at his aunt's, lady Hsüeh's +house, there's no harm that I can see. Is it perhaps, who knows, that +aunt is a stranger in this establishment, and that we have in fact no +right to come over here to see her?" + +Nurse Li was both vexed and amused by the words she had just heard. +"Really," she observed, "every remark this girl Lin utters is sharper +than a razor! I didn't say anything much!" + +Pao Ch'ai too could not suppress a smile, and as she pinched Tai-yü's +cheek, she exclaimed, "Oh the tongue of this frowning girl! one can +neither resent what it says, nor yet listen to it with any +gratification!" + +"Don't be afraid!" Mrs. Hsüeh went on to say, "don't be afraid; my son, +you've come to see me, and although I've nothing good to give you, you +mustn't, through fright, let the trifle you've taken lie heavy on your +stomach, and thus make me uneasy; but just drink at your pleasure, and +as much as you like, and let the blame fall on my shoulders. What's +more, you can stay to dinner with me, and then go home; or if you do get +tipsy, you can sleep with me, that's all." + +She thereupon told the servants to heat some more wine. "I'll come," she +continued, "and keep you company while you have two or three cups, after +which we'll have something to eat!" + +It was only after these assurances that Pao-yü's spirits began at +length, once more to revive, and dame Li then directed the waiting-maids +what to do. "You remain here," she enjoined, "and mind, be diligent +while I go home and change; when I'll come back again. Don't allow him," +she also whispered to "aunt" Hsüeh, "to have all his own way and drink +too much." + +Having said this, she betook herself back to her quarters; and during +this while, though there were two or three nurses in attendance, they +did not concern themselves with what was going on. As soon as they saw +that nurse Li had left, they likewise all quietly slipped out, at the +first opportunity they found, while there remained but two +waiting-maids, who were only too glad to curry favour with Pao-yü. But +fortunately "aunt" Hsüeh, by much coaxing and persuading, only let him +have a few cups, and the wine being then promptly cleared away, pickled +bamboo shoots and chicken-skin soup were prepared, of which Pao-yü drank +with relish several bowls full, eating besides more than half a bowl of +finest rice congee. + +By this time, Hsüeh Pao Ch'ai and Lin Tai-yü had also finished their +repast; and when Pao-yü had drunk a few cups of strong tea, Mrs. Hsüeh +felt more easy in her mind. Hsüeh Yen and the others, three or four of +them in all, had also had their meal, and came in to wait upon them. + +"Are you now going or not?" inquired Tai-yü of Pao-yü. + +Pao-yü looked askance with his drowsy eyes. "If you want to go," he +observed, "I'll go with you." + +Tai-yü hearing this, speedily rose. "We've been here nearly the whole +day," she said, "and ought to be going back." + +As she spoke the two of them bade good-bye, and the waiting-maids at +once presented a hood to each of them. + +Pao-yü readily lowered his head slightly and told a waiting-maid to put +it on. The girl promptly took the hood, made of deep red cloth, and +shaking it out of its folds, she put it on Pao-yü's head. + +"That will do," hastily exclaimed Pao-yü. "You stupid thing! gently a +bit; is it likely you've never seen any one put one on before? let me do +it myself." + +"Come over here, and I'll put it on for you," suggested Tai-yü, as she +stood on the edge of the couch. Pao-yü eagerly approached her, and +Tai-yü carefully kept the cap, to which his hair was bound, fast down, +and taking the hood she rested its edge on the circlet round his +forehead. She then raised the ball of crimson velvet, which was as large +as a walnut, and put it in such a way that, as it waved tremulously, it +should appear outside the hood. These arrangements completed she cast a +look for a while at what she had done. "That's right now," she added, +"throw your wrapper over you!" + +When Pao-yü caught these words, he eventually took the wrapper and threw +it over his shoulders. + +"None of your nurses," hurriedly interposed aunt Hsüeh, "are yet come, +so you had better wait a while." + +"Why should we wait for them?" observed Pao-yü. "We have the +waiting-maids to escort us, and surely they should be enough." + +Mrs. Hsüeh finding it difficult to set her mind at ease deputed two +married women to accompany the two cousins; and after they had both +expressed (to these women) their regret at having troubled them, they +came straightway to dowager lady Chia's suite of apartments. + +Her venerable ladyship had not, as yet, had her evening repast. Hearing +that they had been at Mrs. Hsüeh's, she was extremely pleased; but +noticing that Pao-yü had had some wine, she gave orders that he should +be taken to his room, and put to bed, and not be allowed to come out +again. + +"Do take good care of him," she therefore enjoined the servants, and +when suddenly she bethought herself of Pao-yü's attendants, "How is it," +she at once inquired of them all, "that I don't see nurse Li here?" + +They did not venture to tell her the truth, that she had gone home, but +simply explained that she had come in a few moments back, and that they +thought she must have again gone out on some business or other. + +"She's better off than your venerable ladyship," remarked Pao-yü, +turning round and swaying from side to side. "Why then ask after her? +Were I rid of her, I believe I might live a little longer." + +While uttering these words, he reached the door of his bedroom, where he +saw pen and ink laid out on the writing table. + +"That's nice," exclaimed Ch'ing Wen, as she came to meet him with a +smile on her face, "you tell me to prepare the ink for you, but though +when you get up, you were full of the idea of writing, you only wrote +three characters, when you discarded the pencil, and ran away, fooling +me, by making me wait the whole day! Come now at once and exhaust all +this ink before you're let off." + +Pao-yü then remembered what had taken place in the morning. "Where are +the three characters I wrote?" he consequently inquired, smiling. + +"Why this man is tipsy," remarked Ch'ing Wen sneeringly. "As you were +going to the other mansion, you told me to stick them over the door. I +was afraid lest any one else should spoil them, as they were being +pasted, so I climbed up a high ladder and was ever so long in putting +them up myself; my hands are even now numb with cold." + +"Oh I forgot all about it," replied Pao-yü grinning, "if your hands are +cold, come and I'll rub them warm for you." + +Promptly stretching out his hand, he took those of Ch'ing Wen in his, +and the two of them looked at the three characters, which he recently +had written, and which were pasted above the door. In a short while, +Tai-yü came. + +"My dear cousin," Pao-yü said to her smilingly, "tell me without any +prevarication which of the three characters is the best written?" + +Tai-yü raised her head and perceived the three characters: Red, Rue, +Hall. "They're all well done," she rejoined, with a smirk, "How is it +you've written them so well? By and bye you must also write a tablet for +me." + +"Are you again making fun of me?" asked Pao-yü smiling; "what about +sister Hsi Jen?" he went on to inquire. + +Ch'ing Wen pouted her lips, pointing towards the stove-couch in the +inner room, and, on looking in, Pao-yü espied Hsi Jen fast asleep in her +daily costume. + +"Well," Pao-yü observed laughing, "there's no harm in it, but its rather +early to sleep. When I was having my early meal, on the other side," he +proceeded, speaking to Ch'ing Wen, "there was a small dish of dumplings, +with bean-curd outside; and as I thought you would like to have some, I +asked Mrs. Yu for them, telling her that I would keep them, and eat them +in the evening; I told some one to bring them over, but have you +perchance seen them?" + +"Be quick and drop that subject," suggested Ch'ing Wen; "as soon as they +were brought over, I at once knew they were intended for me; as I had +just finished my meal, I put them by in there, but when nurse Li came +she saw them. 'Pao-yü,' she said, 'is not likely to eat them, so I'll +take them and give them to my grandson.' And forthwith she bade some one +take them over to her home." + +While she was speaking, Hsi Hsüeh brought in tea, and Pao-yü pressed his +cousin Lin to have a cup. + +"Miss Lin has gone long ago," observed all of them, as they burst out +laughing, "and do you offer her tea?" + +Pao-yü drank about half a cup, when he also suddenly bethought himself +of some tea, which had been brewed in the morning. "This morning," he +therefore inquired of Hsi Hsüeh, "when you made a cup of maple-dew tea, +I told you that that kind of tea requires brewing three or four times +before its colour appears; and how is that you now again bring me this +tea?" + +"I did really put it by," answered Hsi Hsüeh, "but nurse Li came and +drank it, and then went off." + +Pao-yü upon hearing this, dashed the cup he held in his hand on the +ground, and as it broke into small fragments, with a crash, it spattered +Hsi Hsüeh's petticoat all over. + +"Of whose family is she the mistress?" inquired Pao-yü of Hsi Hsüeh, as +he jumped up, "that you all pay such deference to her. I just simply had +a little of her milk, when I was a brat, and that's all; and now she has +got into the way of thinking herself more high and mighty than even the +heads of the family! She should be packed off, and then we shall all +have peace and quiet." + +Saying this, he was bent upon going, there and then, to tell dowager +lady Chia to have his nurse driven away. + +Hsi Jen was really not asleep, but simply feigning, with the idea, when +Pao-yü came, to startle him in play. At first, when she heard him speak +of writing, and inquire after the dumplings, she did not think it +necessary to get up, but when he flung the tea-cup on the floor, and got +into a temper, she promptly jumped up and tried to appease him, and to +prevent him by coaxing from carrying out his threat. + +A waiting-maid sent by dowager lady Chia came in, meanwhile, to ask what +was the matter. + +"I had just gone to pour tea," replied Hsi Jen, without the least +hesitation, "and I slipped on the snow and fell, while the cup dropped +from my hand and broke. Your decision to send her away is good," she +went on to advise Pao-yü, "and we are all willing to go also; and why +not avail yourself of this opportunity to dismiss us in a body? It will +be for our good, and you too on the other hand, needn't perplex yourself +about not getting better people to come and wait on you!" + +When Pao-yü heard this taunt, he had at length not a word to say, and +supported by Hsi Jen and the other attendants on to the couch, they +divested him of his clothes. But they failed to understand the drift of +what Pao-yü kept on still muttering, and all they could make out was an +endless string of words; but his eyes grew heavier and drowsier, and +they forthwith waited upon him until he went to sleep; when Hsi Jen +unclasped the jade of spiritual perception, and rolling it up in a +handkerchief, she lay it under the mattress, with the idea that when he +put it on the next day it should not chill his neck. + +Pao-yü fell sound asleep the moment he lay his head on the pillow. By +this time nurse Li and the others had come in, but when they heard that +Pao-yü was tipsy, they too did not venture to approach, but gently made +inquiries as to whether he was asleep or not. On hearing that he was, +they took their departure with their minds more at ease. + +The next morning the moment Pao-yü awoke, some one came in to tell him +that young Mr. Jung, living in the mansion on the other side, had +brought Ch'in Chung to pay him a visit. + +Pao-yü speedily went out to greet them and to take them over to pay +their respects to dowager lady Chia. Her venerable ladyship upon +perceiving that Ch'in Chung, with his handsome countenance, and his +refined manners, would be a fit companion for Pao-yü in his studies, +felt extremely delighted at heart; and having readily detained him to +tea, and kept him to dinner, she went further and directed a servant to +escort him to see madame Wang and the rest of the family. + +With the fond regard of the whole household for Mrs. Ch'in, they were, +when they saw what a kind of person Ch'in Chung was, so enchanted with +him, that at the time of his departure, they all had presents to give +him; even dowager lady Chia herself presented him with a purse and a +golden image of the God of Learning, with a view that it should incite +him to study and harmony. + +"Your house," she further advised him, "is far off, and when it's cold +or hot, it would be inconvenient for you to come all that way, so you +had better come and live over here with me. You'll then be always with +your cousin Pao-yü, and you won't be together, in your studies, with +those fellow-pupils of yours who have no idea what progress means." + +Ch'in Chung made a suitable answer to each one of her remarks, and on +his return home he told everything to his father. + +His father, Ch'in Pang-yeh, held at present the post of Secretary in the +Peking Field Force, and was well-nigh seventy. His wife had died at an +early period, and as she left no issue, he adopted a son and a daughter +from a foundling asylum. + +But who would have thought it, the boy also died, and there only +remained the girl, known as Kó Ch'ing in her infancy, who when she grew +up, was beautiful in face and graceful in manners, and who by reason of +some relationship with the Chia family, was consequently united by the +ties of marriage (to one of the household). + +Ch'in Pang-yeh was in his fiftieth year when he at length got this son. +As his tutor had the previous year left to go south, he remained at home +keeping up his former lessons; and (his father) had been just thinking +of talking over the matter with his relatives of the Chia family, and +sending his son to the private school, when, as luck would have it, this +opportunity of meeting Pao-yü presented itself. + +Knowing besides that the family school was under the direction of the +venerable scholar Chia Tai-ju, and hoping that by joining his class, +(his son) might advance in knowledge and by these means reap reputation, +he was therefore intensely gratified. The only drawbacks were that his +official emoluments were scanty, and that both the eyes of everyone in +the other establishment were set upon riches and honours, so that he +could not contribute anything short of the amount (given by others); but +his son's welfare throughout life was a serious consideration, and he, +needless to say, had to scrape together from the East and to collect +from the West; and making a parcel, with all deference, of twenty-four +taels for an introduction present, he came along with Ch'in Chung to +Tai-ju's house to pay their respects. But he had to wait subsequently +until Pao-yü could fix on an auspicious date on which they could +together enter the school. + +As for what happened after they came to school, the next chapter will +divulge. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + Chia Cheng gives good advice to his wayward son. + Li Kuei receives a reprimand. + Chia Jui and Li Kuei rebuke the obstinate youths! + Ming Yen causes trouble in the school-room. + + +But to return to our story. Mr. Ch'in, the father, and Ch'in Chung, his +son, only waited until the receipt, by the hands of a servant, of a +letter from the Chia family about the date on which they were to go to +school. Indeed, Pao-yü was only too impatient that he and Ch'in Chung +should come together, and, without loss of time, he fixed upon two days +later as the day upon which they were definitely to begin their studies, +and he despatched a servant with a letter to this effect. + +On the day appointed, as soon as it was daylight, Pao-yü turned out of +bed. Hsi Jen had already by that time got books, pencils and all writing +necessaries in perfect readiness, and was sitting on the edge of the bed +in a moping mood; but as soon as she saw Pao-yü approach, she was +constrained to wait upon him in his toilette and ablutions. + +Pao-yü, noticing how despondent she was, made it a point to address her. +"My dear sister," he said, "how is it you aren't again yourself? Is it +likely that you bear me a grudge for being about to go to school, +because when I leave you, you'll all feel dull?" + +Hsi Jen smiled. "What an ideal" she replied. "Study is a most excellent +thing, and without it a whole lifetime is a mere waste, and what good +comes in the long run? There's only one thing, which is simply that when +engaged in reading your books, you should set your mind on your books; +and that you should think of home when not engaged in reading. Whatever +you do, don't romp together with them, for were you to meet our master, +your father, it will be no joke! Although it's asserted that a scholar +must strain every nerve to excel, yet it's preferable that the tasks +should be somewhat fewer, as, in the first place, when one eats too +much, one cannot digest it; and, in the second place, good health must +also be carefully attended to. This is my view on the subject, and you +should at all times consider it in practice." + +While Hsi Jen gave utterance to a sentence, Pao-yü nodded his head in +sign of approval of that sentence. Hsi Jen then went on to speak. "I've +also packed up," she continued, "your long pelisse, and handed it to the +pages to take it over; so mind, when it's cold in the school-room, +please remember to put on this extra clothing, for it's not like home, +where you have people to look after you. The foot-stove and hand-stove, +I've also sent over; and urge that pack of lazy-bones to attend to their +work, for if you say nothing, they will be so engrossed in their +frolics, that they'll be loth to move, and let you, all for nothing, +take a chill and ruin your constitution." + +"Compose your mind," replied Pao-yü; "when I go out, I know well enough +how to attend to everything my own self. But you people shouldn't remain +in this room, and mope yourselves to death; and it would be well if you +would often go over to cousin Lin's for a romp." + +While saying this, he had completed his toilette, and Hsi Jen pressed +him to go and wish good morning to dowager lady Chia, Chia Cheng, madame +Wang, and the other members of the family. + +Pao-yü, after having gone on to give a few orders to Ch'ing Wen and She +Yueh, at length left his apartments, and coming over, paid his obeisance +to dowager lady Chia. Her venerable Ladyship had likewise, as a matter +of course, a few recommendations to make to him, which ended, he next +went and greeted madame Wang; and leaving again her quarters, he came +into the library to wish Chia Cheng good morning. + +As it happened, Chia Cheng had on this day returned home at an early +hour, and was, at this moment, in the library, engaged in a friendly +chat with a few gentlemen, who were family companions. Suddenly +perceiving Pao-yü come in to pay his respects, and report that he was +about to go to school, Chia Cheng gave a sardonic smile. "If you do +again," he remarked, "make allusions to the words going to school, +you'll make even me blush to death with shame! My advice to you is that +you should after all go your own way and play; that's the best thing for +you; and mind you don't pollute with dirt this floor by standing here, +and soil this door of mine by leaning against it!" + +The family companions stood up and smilingly expostulated. + +"Venerable Sir," they pleaded, "why need you be so down upon him? Our +worthy brother is this day going to school, and may in two or three +years be able to display his abilities and establish his reputation. He +will, beyond doubt, not behave like a child, as he did in years gone +past. But as the time for breakfast is also drawing nigh, you should, +worthy brother, go at once." + +When these words had been spoken, two among them, who were advanced in +years, readily took Pao-yü by the hand, and led him out of the library. + +"Who are in attendance upon Pao-yü?" Chia Cheng having inquired, he +heard a suitable reply, "We, Sir!" given from outside; and three or four +sturdy fellows entered at an early period and fell on one knee, and +bowed and paid their obeisance. + +When Chia Cheng came to scrutinise who they were, and he recognised Li +Kuei, the son of Pao-yü's nurse, he addressed himself to him. "You +people," he said, "remain waiting upon him the whole day long at school, +but what books has he after all read? Books indeed! why, he has read and +filled his brains with a lot of trashy words and nonsensical phrases, +and learnt some ingenious way of waywardness. Wait till I have a little +leisure, and I'll set to work, first and foremost, and flay your skin +off, and then settle accounts with that good-for-nothing!" + +This threat so terrified Li Kuei that he hastily fell on both his knees, +pulled off his hat, knocked his head on the ground, and gave vent to +repeated assenting utterances: "Oh, quite so, Sir! Our elder brother Mr. +Pao has," he continued, "already read up to the third book of the Book +of Odes, up to where there's something or other like: 'Yiu, Yiu, the +deer bleat; the lotus leaves and duckweed.' Your servant wouldn't +presume to tell a lie!" + +As he said this, the whole company burst out into a boisterous fit of +laughter, and Chia Cheng himself could not also contain his countenance +and had to laugh. "Were he even," he observed, "to read thirty books of +the Book of Odes, it would be as much an imposition upon people and no +more, as (when the thief) who, in order to steal the bell, stops up his +own ears! You go and present my compliments to the gentleman in the +schoolroom, and tell him, from my part, that the whole lot of Odes and +old writings are of no use, as they are subjects for empty show; and +that he should, above all things, take the Four Books, and explain them +to him, from first to last, and make him know them all thoroughly by +heart,--that this is the most important thing!" + +Li Kuei signified his obedience with all promptitude, and perceiving +that Chia Cheng had nothing more to say, he retired out of the room. + +During this while, Pao-yü had been standing all alone outside in the +court, waiting quietly with suppressed voice, and when they came out he +at once walked away in their company. + +Li Kuei and his companions observed as they shook their clothes, "Did +you, worthy brother, hear what he said that he would first of all flay +our skins off! People's servants acquire some respectability from the +master whom they serve, but we poor fellows fruitlessly wait upon you, +and are beaten and blown up in the bargain. It would be well if we were, +from henceforward, to be treated with a certain amount of regard." + +Pao-yü smiled, "Dear Brother," he added, "don't feel aggrieved; I'll +invite you to come round to-morrow!" + +"My young ancestor," replied Li Kuei, "who presumes to look forward to +an invitation? all I entreat you is to listen to one or two words I have +to say, that's all." + +As they talked they came over once more to dowager lady Chia's on this +side. + +Ch'in Chung had already arrived, and the old lady was first having a +chat with him. Forthwith the two of them exchanged salutations, and took +leave of her ladyship; but Pao-yü, suddenly remembering that he had not +said good-bye to Tai-yü, promptly betook himself again to Tai-yü's +quarters to do so. + +Tai-yü was, at this time, below the window, facing the mirror, and +adjusting her toilette. Upon hearing Pao-yü mention that he was on his +way to school, she smiled and remarked, "That's right! you're now going +to school and you'll be sure to reach the lunar palace and pluck the +olea fragrans; but I can't go along with you." + +"My dear cousin," rejoined Pao-yü, "wait for me to come out from school, +before you have your evening meal; wait also until I come to prepare the +cosmetic of rouge." + +After a protracted chat, he at length tore himself away and took his +departure. + +"How is it," interposed Tai-yü, as she once again called out to him and +stopped him, "that you don't go and bid farewell to your cousin Pao +Ch'ai?" + +Pao-yü smiled, and saying not a word by way of reply he straightway +walked to school, accompanied by Ch'in Chung. + +This public school, which it must be noticed was also not far from his +quarters, had been originally instituted by the founder of the +establishment, with the idea that should there be among the young +fellows of his clan any who had not the means to engage a tutor, they +should readily be able to enter this class for the prosecution of their +studies; that all those of the family who held official position should +all give (the institution) pecuniary assistance, with a view to meet the +expenses necessary for allowances to the students; and that they were to +select men advanced in years and possessed of virtue to act as tutors of +the family school. + +The two of them, Ch'in Chung and Pao-yü, had now entered the class, and +after they and the whole number of their schoolmates had made each +other's acquaintance, their studies were commenced. Ever since this +time, these two were wont to come together, go together, get up +together, and sit together, till they became more intimate and close. +Besides, dowager lady Chia got very fond of Ch'in Chung, and would again +and again keep him to stay with them for three and five days at a time, +treating him as if he were one of her own great-grandsons. Perceiving +that in Ch'in Chung's home there was not much in the way of sufficiency, +she also helped him in clothes and other necessaries; and scarcely had +one or two months elapsed before Ch'in Chung got on friendly terms with +every one in the Jung mansion. + +Pao-yü was, however, a human being who could not practise contentment +and observe propriety; and as his sole delight was to have every caprice +gratified, he naturally developed a craving disposition. "We two, you +and I, are," he was also wont secretly to tell Ch'in Chung, "of the same +age, and fellow-scholars besides, so that there's no need in the future +to pay any regard to our relationship of uncle and nephew; and we should +treat each other as brothers or friends, that's all." + +Ch'in Chung at first (explained that) he could not be so presumptuous; +but as Pao-yü would not listen to any such thing, but went on to address +him as brother and to call him by his style Ch'ing Ch'ing, he had +likewise himself no help, but to begin calling him, at random, anything +and anyhow. + +There were, it is true, a large number of pupils in this school, but +these consisted of the sons and younger brothers of that same clan, and +of several sons and nephews of family connections. The proverb +appositely describes that there are nine species of dragons, and that +each species differs; and it goes of course without saying that in a +large number of human beings there were dragons and snakes, confusedly +admixed, and that creatures of a low standing were included. + +Ever since the arrival of the two young fellows, Ch'in Chung and Pao-yü, +both of whom were in appearance as handsome as budding flowers, and +they, on the one hand, saw how modest and genial Ch'in Chung was, how he +blushed before he uttered a word, how he was timid and demure like a +girl, and on the other hand, how that Pao-yü was naturally proficient in +abasing and demeaning himself, how he was so affable and good-natured, +considerate in his temperament and so full of conversation, and how that +these two were, in consequence, on such terms of intimate friendship, it +was, in fact, no matter of surprise that the whole company of +fellow-students began to foster envious thoughts, that they, behind +their backs, passed on their account, this one one disparaging remark +and that one another, and that they insinuated slanderous lies against +them, which extended inside as well as outside the school-room. + +Indeed, after Hsüeh P'an had come over to take up his quarters in madame +Wang's suite of apartments, he shortly came to hear of the existence of +a family school, and that this school was mainly attended by young +fellows of tender years, and inordinate ideas were suddenly aroused in +him. While he therefore fictitiously gave out that he went to school, +[he was as irregular in his attendance as the fisherman] who catches +fish for three days, and suns his nets for the next two; simply +presenting his school-fee gift to Chia Tai-jui and making not the least +progress in his studies; his sole dream being to knit a number of +familiar friendships. Who would have thought it, there were in this +school young pupils, who, in their greed to obtain money, clothes and +eatables from Hsüeh P'an, allowed themselves to be cajoled by him, and +played tricks upon; but on this topic, it is likewise superfluous to +dilate at any length. + +There were also two lovable young scholars, relatives of what branch of +the family is not known, and whose real surnames and names have also not +been ascertained, who, by reason of their good and winsome looks, were, +by the pupils in the whole class, given two nicknames, to one that of +"Hsiang Lin," "Fragrant Love," and to the other "Yü Ai," "Precious +Affection." But although every one entertained feelings of secret +admiration for them, and had the wish to take liberties with the young +fellows, they lived, nevertheless, one and all, in such terror of Hsüeh +P'an's imperious influence, that they had not the courage to come +forward and interfere with them. + +As soon as Ch'in Chung and Pao-yü had, at this time, come to school, and +they had made the acquaintance of these two fellow-pupils, they too +could not help becoming attached to them and admiring them, but as they +also came to know that they were great friends of Hsüeh P'an, they did +not, in consequence, venture to treat them lightly, or to be unseemly in +their behaviour towards them. Hsiang Lin and Yü Ai both kept to +themselves the same feelings, which they fostered for Ch'in Chung and +Pao-yü, and to this reason is to be assigned the fact that though these +four persons nurtured fond thoughts in their hearts there was however no +visible sign of them. Day after day, each one of them would, during +school hours, sit in four distinct places: but their eight eyes were +secretly linked together; and, while indulging either in innuendoes or +in double entendres, their hearts, in spite of the distance between +them, reflected the whole number of their thoughts. + +But though their outward attempts were devoted to evade the detection of +other people's eyes, it happened again that, while least expected, +several sly lads discovered the real state of affairs, with the result +that the whole school stealthily frowned their eyebrows at them, winked +their eyes at them, or coughed at them, or raised their voices at them; +and these proceedings were, in fact, not restricted to one single day. + +As luck would have it, on this day Tai-jui was, on account of business, +compelled to go home; and having left them as a task no more than a +heptameter line for an antithetical couplet, explaining that they should +find a sentence to rhyme, and that the following day when he came back, +he would set them their lessons, he went on to hand the affairs +connected with the class to his elder grandson, Chia Jui, whom he asked +to take charge. + +Wonderful to say Hsüeh P'an had of late not frequented school very +often, not even so much as to answer the roll, so that Ch'in Chung +availed himself of his absence to ogle and smirk with Hsiang Lin; and +these two pretending that they had to go out, came into the back court +for a chat. + +"Does your worthy father at home mind your having any friends?" Ch'in +Chung was the first to ask. But this sentence was scarcely ended, when +they heard a sound of coughing coming from behind. Both were taken much +aback, and, speedily turning their heads round to see, they found that +it was a fellow-scholar of theirs, called Chin Jung. + +Hsiang Lin was naturally of somewhat hasty temperament, so that with +shame and anger mutually impelling each other, he inquired of him, +"What's there to cough at? Is it likely you wouldn't have us speak to +each other?" + +"I don't mind your speaking," Chin Jung observed laughing; "but would +you perchance not have me cough? I'll tell you what, however; if you +have anything to say, why not utter it in intelligible language? Were +you allowed to go on in this mysterious manner, what strange doings +would you be up to? But I have sure enough found you out, so what's the +need of still prevaricating? But if you will, first of all, let me +partake of a share in your little game, you and I can hold our tongue +and utter not a word. If not, why the whole school will begin to turn +the matter over." + +At these words, Ch'in Chung and Hsiang Lin were so exasperated that +their blood rushed up to their faces. "What have you found out?" they +hastily asked. + +"What I have now detected," replied Chin Jung smiling, "is the plain +truth!" and saying this he went on to clap his hands and to call out +with a loud voice as he laughed: "They have moulded some nice well-baked +cakes, won't you fellows come and buy one to eat!" (These two have been +up to larks, won't you come and have some fun!) + +Both Ch'in Chung and Hsiang Lin felt resentful as well as fuming with +rage, and with hurried step they went in, in search of Chia Jui, to whom +they reported Chin Jung, explaining that Chin Jung had insulted them +both, without any rhyme or reason. + +The fact is that this Chia Jui was, in an extraordinary degree, a man +with an eye to the main chance, and devoid of any sense of propriety. +His wont was at school to take advantage of public matters to serve his +private interest, and to bring pressure upon his pupils with the intent +that they should regale him. While subsequently he also lent his +countenance to Hsüeh P'an, scheming to get some money or eatables out of +him, he left him entirely free to indulge in disorderly behaviour; and +not only did he not go out of his way to hold him in check, but, on the +contrary, he encouraged him, infamous though he was already, to become a +bully, so as to curry favour with him. + +But this Hsüeh P'an was, by nature, gifted with a fickle disposition; +to-day, he would incline to the east, and to-morrow to the west, so that +having recently obtained new friends, he put Hsiang Lin and Yü Ai aside. +Chin Jung too was at one time an intimate friend of his, but ever since +he had acquired the friendship of the two lads, Hsiang Lin and Yü Ai, he +forthwith deposed Chin Jung. Of late, he had already come to look down +upon even Hsiang Lin and Yü Ai, with the result that Chia Jui as well +was deprived of those who could lend him support, or stand by him; but +he bore Hsüeh P'an no grudge, for wearying with old friends, as soon as +he found new ones, but felt angry that Hsiang Lin and Yü Ai had not put +in a word on his behalf with Hsüeh P'an. Chia Jui, Chin Jung and in fact +the whole crowd of them were, for this reason, just harbouring a jealous +grudge against these two, so that when he saw Ch'in Chung and Hsiang Lin +come on this occasion and lodge a complaint against Chin Jung, Chia Jui +readily felt displeasure creep into his heart; and, although he did not +venture to call Ch'in Chung to account, he nevertheless made an example +of Hsiang Lin. And instead (of taking his part), he called him a +busybody and denounced him in much abusive language, with the result +that Hsiang Lin did not, contrariwise, profit in any way, but brought +displeasure upon himself. Even Ch'in Chung grumbled against the +treatment, as each of them resumed their places. + +Chin Jung became still more haughty, and wagging his head and smacking +his lips, he gave vent to many more abusive epithets; but as it happened +that they also reached Yü Ai's ears, the two of them, though seated +apart, began an altercation in a loud tone of voice. + +Chin Jung, with obstinate pertinacity, clung to his version. "Just a +short while back," he said, "I actually came upon them, as they were +indulging in demonstrations of intimate friendship in the back court. +These two had resolved to be one in close friendship, and were eloquent +in their protestations, mindful only in persistently talking their +trash, but they were not aware of the presence of another person." + +But his language had, contrary to all expectations, given, from the very +first, umbrage to another person, and who do you, (gentle reader,) +imagine this person to have been? + +This person was, in fact, one whose name was Chia Se; a grandson +likewise of a main branch of the Ning mansion. His parents had died at +an early period, and he had, ever since his youth, lived with Chia Chen. +He had at this time grown to be sixteen years of age, and was, as +compared with Chia Jung, still more handsome and good looking. These two +cousins were united by ties of the closest intimacy, and were always +together, whether they went out or stayed at home. + +The inmates of the Ning mansion were many in number, and their opinions +of a mixed kind; and that whole bevy of servants, devoid as they were of +all sense of right, solely excelled in the practice of inventing stories +to backbite their masters; and this is how some mean person or other +again, who it was is not known, insinuated slanderous and opprobrious +reports (against Chia Se). Chia Chen had, presumably, also come to hear +some unfavourable criticisms (on his account), and having, of course, to +save himself from odium and suspicion, he had, at this juncture, after +all, to apportion him separate quarters, and to bid Chia Se move outside +the Ning mansion, where he went and established a home of his own to +live in. + +This Chia Se was handsome as far as external appearances went, and +intelligent withal in his inward natural gifts, but, though he nominally +came to school, it was simply however as a mere blind; for he treated, +as he had ever done, as legitimate occupations, such things as cock +fighting, dog-racing and visiting places of easy virtue. And as, above, +he had Chia Chen to spoil him by over-indulgence; and below, there was +Chia Jung to stand by him, who of the clan could consequently presume to +run counter to him? + +Seeing that he was on the closest terms of friendship with Chia Jung, +how could he reconcile himself to the harsh treatment which he now saw +Ch'in Chung receive from some persons? Being now bent upon pushing +himself forward to revenge the injustice, he was, for the time, giving +himself up to communing with his own heart. "Chin Jung, Chia Jui and the +rest are," he pondered, "friends of uncle Hsüeh, but I too am on +friendly terms with him, and he with me, and if I do come forward and +they tell old Hsüeh, won't we impair the harmony which exists between +us? and if I don't concern myself, such idle tales make, when spoken, +every one feel uncomfortable; and why shouldn't I now devise some means +to hold them in check, so as to stop their mouths, and prevent any loss +of face!" + +Having concluded this train of thought, he also pretended that he had to +go out, and, walking as far as the back, he, with low voice, called to +his side Ming Yen, the page attending upon Pao-yü in his studies, and in +one way and another, he made use of several remarks to egg him on. + +This Ming Yen was the smartest of Pao-yü's attendants, but he was also +young in years and lacked experience, so that he lent a patient ear to +what Chia Se had to say about the way Chin Jung had insulted Ch'in +Chung. "Even your own master, Pao-yü," (Chia Se added), "is involved, +and if you don't let him know a bit of your mind, he will next time be +still more arrogant." + +This Ming Yen was always ready, even with no valid excuse, to be +insolent and overbearing to people, so that after hearing the news and +being furthermore instigated by Chia Se, he speedily rushed into the +schoolroom and cried out "Chin Jung;" nor did he address him as Mr. +Chin, but merely shouted "What kind of fellow is this called Chin?" + +Chia Se presently shuffled his feet, while he designedly adjusted his +dress and looked at the rays of the sun. "It's time," he observed and +walking forthwith, first up to Chia Jui, he explained to him that he had +something to attend to and would like to get away a little early; and as +Chia Jui did not venture to stop him, he had no alternative but to let +him have his way and go. + +During this while, Ming Yen had entered the room and promptly seizing +Chin Jung in a grip: "What we do, whether proper or improper," he said, +"doesn't concern you! It's enough anyway that we don't defile your +father! A fine brat you are indeed, to come out and meddle with your Mr. +Ming!" + +These words plunged the scholars of the whole class in such +consternation that they all wistfully and absently looked at him. + +"Ming Yen," hastily shouted out Chia Jui, "you're not to kick up a +rumpus." + +Chin Jung was so full of anger that his face was quite yellow. "What a +subversion of propriety! a slave and a menial to venture to behave in +this manner! I'll just simply speak to your master," he exclaimed as he +readily pushed his hands off and was about to go and lay hold of Pao-yü +to beat him. + +Ch'in Chung was on the point of turning round to leave the room, when +with a sound of 'whiff' which reached him from behind, he at once caught +sight of a square inkslab come flying that way. Who had thrown it he +could not say, but it struck the desk where Chia Lan and Chia Chün were +seated. + +These two, Chia Lan and Chia Chün, were also the great-grandsons of a +close branch of the Jung mansion. This Chia Chün had been left +fatherless at an early age, and his mother doated upon him in an unusual +manner, and it was because at school he was on most friendly terms with +Chia Lan, that these two sat together at the same desk. Who would have +believed that Chia Chün would, in spite of being young in years, have +had an extremely strong mind, and that he would be mostly up to mischief +without the least fear of any one. He watched with listless eye from his +seat Chin Jung's friends stealthily assist Chin Jung, as they flung an +inkslab to strike Ming Yen, but when, as luck would have it, it hit the +wrong mark, and fell just in front of him, smashing to atoms the +porcelain inkslab and water bottle, and smudging his whole book with +ink, Chia Chün was, of course, much incensed, and hastily gave way to +abuse. "You consummate pugnacious criminal rowdies! why, doesn't this +amount to all of you taking a share in the fight!" And as he uttered +this abuse, he too forthwith seized an inkslab, which he was bent upon +flinging. + +Chia Lan was one who always tried to avoid trouble, so that he lost no +time in pressing down the inkslab, while with all the words his mouth +could express, he tried to pacify him, adding "My dear brother, it's no +business of yours and mine." + +Chia Chün could not repress his resentment; and perceiving that the +inkslab was held down, he at once laid hold of a box containing books, +which he flung in this direction; but being, after all, short of +stature, and weak of strength, he was unable to send it anywhere near +the mark; so that it dropped instead when it got as far as the desk +belonging to Pao-yü and Ch'in Chung, while a dreadful crash became +audible as it fell smash on the table. The books, papers, pencils, +inkslabs, and other writing materials were all scattered over the whole +table; and Pao-yü's cup besides containing tea was itself broken to +pieces and the tea spilt. + +Chia Chün forthwith jumped forward with the intent of assailing the +person who had flung the inkslab at the very moment that Chin Jung took +hold of a long bamboo pole which was near by; but as the space was +limited, and the pupils many, how could he very well brandish a long +stick? Ming Yen at an early period received a whack, and he shouted +wildly, "Don't you fellows yet come to start a fight." + +Pao-yü had, besides, along with him several pages, one of whom was +called Sao Hung, another Ch'u Yo, another Mo Yü. These three were +naturally up to every mischief, so that with one voice, bawling +boisterously, "You children of doubtful mothers, have you taken up +arms?" Mo Yü promptly took up the bar of a door; while Sao Hung and Ch'u +Yo both laid hold of horsewhips, and they all rushed forward like a hive +of bees. + +Chia Jui was driven to a state of exasperation; now he kept this one in +check, and the next moment he reasoned with another, but who would +listen to his words? They followed the bent of their inclinations and +stirred up a serious disturbance. + +Of the whole company of wayward young fellows, some there were who gave +sly blows for fun's sake; others there were who were not gifted with +much pluck and hid themselves on one side; there were those too who +stood on the tables, clapping their hands and laughing immoderately, +shouting out: "Go at it." + +The row was, at this stage, like water bubbling over in a cauldron, when +several elderly servants, like Li Kuei and others, who stood outside, +heard the uproar commence inside, and one and all came in with all haste +and united in their efforts to pacify them. Upon asking "What's the +matter?" the whole bevy of voices shouted out different versions; this +one giving this account, while another again another story. But Li Kuei +temporised by rebuking Ming Yen and others, four in all, and packing +them off. + +Ch'in Chung's head had, at an early period, come into contact with Chin +Jung's pole and had had the skin grazed off. Pao-yü was in the act of +rubbing it for him, with the overlap of his coat, but realising that the +whole lot of them had been hushed up, he forthwith bade Li Kuei collect +his books. + +"Bring my horse round," he cried; "I'm going to tell Mr. Chia Tai-ju +that we have been insulted. I won't venture to tell him anything else, +but (tell him I will) that having come with all propriety and made our +report to Mr. Chia Jui, Mr. Chia Jui instead (of helping us) threw the +fault upon our shoulders. That while he heard people abuse us, he went +so far as to instigate them to beat us; that Ming Yen seeing others +insult us, did naturally take our part; but that they, instead (of +desisting,) combined together and struck Ming Yen and even broke open +Ch'in Chung's head. And that how is it possible for us to continue our +studies in here?" + +"My dear sir," replied Li Kuei coaxingly, "don't be so impatient! As Mr. +Chia Tai-ju has had something to attend to and gone home, were you now, +for a trifle like this, to go and disturb that aged gentleman, it will +make us, indeed, appear as if we had no sense of propriety: my idea is +that wherever a thing takes place, there should it be settled; and +what's the need of going and troubling an old man like him. This is all +you, Mr. Chia Jui, who is to blame; for in the absence of Mr. Chia +Tai-ju, you, sir, are the head in this school, and every one looks to +you to take action. Had all the pupils been at fault, those who deserved +a beating should have been beaten, and those who merited punishment +should have been punished! and why did you wait until things came to +such a pass, and didn't even exercise any check?" + +"I blew them up," pleaded Chia Jui, "but not one of them would listen." + +"I'll speak out, whether you, worthy sir, resent what I'm going to say +or not," ventured Li Kuei. "It's you, sir, who all along have after all +had considerable blame attached to your name; that's why all these young +men wouldn't hear you! Now if this affair is bruited, until it reaches +Mr. Chia Tai-ju's ears, why even you, sir, will not be able to escape +condemnation; and why don't you at once make up your mind to disentangle +the ravelled mess and dispel all trouble and have done with it!" + +"Disentangle what?" inquired Pao-yü; "I shall certainly go and make my +report." + +"If Chin Jung stays here," interposed Ch'in Chung sobbing, "I mean to go +back home." + +"Why that?" asked Pao-yü. "Is it likely that others can safely come and +that you and I can't? I feel it my bounden duty to tell every one +everything at home so as to expel Chin Jung. This Chin Jung," he went on +to inquire as he turned towards Lei Kuei, "is the relative or friend of +what branch of the family?" + +Li Kuei gave way to reflection and then said by way of reply: "There's +no need whatever for you to raise this question; for were you to go and +report the matter to the branch of the family to which he belongs, the +harmony which should exist between cousins will be still more impaired." + +"He's the nephew of Mrs. Huang, of the Eastern mansion," interposed Ming +Yen from outside the window. "What a determined and self-confident +fellow he must be to even come and bully us; Mrs. Huang is his paternal +aunt! That mother of yours is only good for tossing about like a +millstone, for kneeling before our lady Lien, and begging for something +to pawn. I've no eye for such a specimen of mistress." + +"What!" speedily shouted Li Kuei, "does this son of a dog happen to know +of the existence of all these gnawing maggots?" (these disparaging +facts). + +Pao-yü gave a sardonic smile. "I was wondering whose relative he was," +he remarked; "is he really sister-in-law Huang's nephew? well, I'll go +at once and speak to her." + +As he uttered these words, his purpose was to start there and then, and +he called Ming Yen in, to come and pack up his books. Ming Yen walked in +and put the books away. "Master," he went on to suggest, in an exultant +manner, "there's no need for you to go yourself to see her; I'll go to +her house and tell her that our old lady has something to ask of her. I +can hire a carriage to bring her over, and then, in the presence of her +venerable ladyship, she can be spoken to; and won't this way save a lot +of trouble?" + +"Do you want to die?" speedily shouted Li Kuei; "mind, when you go back, +whether right or wrong, I'll first give you a good bumping, and then go +and report you to our master and mistress, and just tell them that it's +you, and only you, who instigated Mr. Pao-yü! I've succeeded, after ever +so much trouble, in coaxing them, and mending matters to a certain +extent, and now you come again to continue a new plan. It's you who +stirred up this row in the school-room; and not to speak of your +finding, as would have been the proper course, some way of suppressing +it, there you are instead still jumping into the fire." + +Ming Yen, at this juncture, could not muster the courage to utter a +sound. By this time Chia Jui had also apprehended that if the row came +to be beyond clearing up, he himself would likewise not be clear of +blame, so that circumstances compelled him to pocket his grievances and +to come and entreat Ch'in Chung as well as to make apologies to Pao-yü. +These two young fellows would not at first listen to his advances, but +Pao-yü at length explained that he would not go and report the +occurrence, provided only Chin Jung admitted his being in the wrong. +Chin Jung refused, at the outset, to agree to this, but he ultimately +could find no way out of it, as Chia Jui himself urged him to make some +temporising apology. + +Li Kuei and the others felt compelled to tender Chin Jung some good +advice: "It's you," they said, "who have given rise to the disturbance, +and if you don't act in this manner, how will the matter ever be brought +to an end?" so that Chin Jung found it difficult to persist in his +obstinacy, and was constrained to make a bow to Ch'in Chung. + +Pao-yü was, however, not yet satisfied, but would insist upon his +knocking his head on the ground, and Chia Jui, whose sole aim was to +temporarily smother the affair, quietly again urged Chin Jung, adding +that the proverb has it: "That if you keep down the anger of a minute, +you will for a whole life-time feel no remorse." + +Whether Chin Jung complied or not to his advice is not known, but the +following chapter will explain. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + Widow Chin, prompted by a desire to reap advantage, puts up + temporarily with an insult. + Dr. Chang in discussing Mrs. Chin's illness minutely exhausts its + origin. + + +We will now resume our story. As the persons against Chin Jung were so +many and their pressure so great, and as, what was more, Chia Jui urged +him to make amends, he had to knock his head on the ground before Ch'in +Chung. Pao-yü then gave up his clamorous remonstrances and the whole +crowd dispersed from school. + +Chin Jung himself returned home all alone, but the more he pondered on +the occurrence, the more incensed he felt. "Ch'in Chung," he argued, "is +simply Chia Jung's young brother-in-law, and is no son or grandson of +the Chia family, and he too joins the class and prosecutes his studies +on no other footing than that of mine; but it's because he relies upon +Pao-yü's friendship for him that he has no eye for any one. This being +the case, he should be somewhat proper in his behaviour, and there would +be then not a word to say about it! He has besides all along been very +mystical with Pao-yü, imagining that we are all blind, and have no eyes +to see what's up! Here he goes again to-day and mixes with people in +illicit intrigues; and it's all because they happened to obtrude +themselves before my very eyes that this rumpus has broken out; but of +what need I fear?" + +His mother, née Hu, hearing him mutter; "Why meddle again," she +explained, "in things that don't concern you? I had endless trouble in +getting to speak to your paternal aunt; and your aunt had, on the other +hand, a thousand and one ways and means to devise, before she could +appeal to lady Secunda, of the Western mansion; and then only it was +that you got this place to study in. Had we not others to depend upon +for your studies, would we have in our house the means sufficient to +engage a teacher? Besides, in other people's school, tea and eatables +are all ready and found; and these two years that you've been there for +your lessons, we've likewise effected at home a great saving in what +would otherwise have been necessary for your eating and use. Something +has been, it's true, economised; but you have further a liking for spick +and span clothes. Besides, it's only through your being there to study, +that you've come to know Mr. Hsüeh! that Mr. Hsüeh, who has even in one +year given us so much pecuniary assistance as seventy and eighty taels! +And now you would go and raise a row in this school-room! why, if we +were bent upon finding such another place, I tell you plainly, and once +for all, that we would find it more difficult than if we tried to scale +the heavens! Now do quietly play for a while, and then go to sleep, and +you'll be ever so much better for it then." + +Chin Jung thereupon stifled his anger and held his tongue; and, after a +short while, he in fact went to sleep of his own accord. + +The next day he again went to school, and no further comment need be +made about it; but we will go on to explain that a young lady related to +her had at one time been given in marriage to a descendant (of the +eldest branch) of the Chia family, (whose names were written) with the +jade radical, Chia Huang by name; but how could the whole number of +members of the clan equal in affluence and power the two mansions of +Ning and Jung? This fact goes, as a matter of course, without saying. +The Chia Huang couple enjoyed some small income; but they also went, on +frequent occasions, to the mansions of Ning and Jung to pay their +respects; and they knew likewise so well how to adulate lady Feng and +Mrs. Yu, that lady Feng and Mrs. Yu would often grant them that +assistance and support which afforded them the means of meeting their +daily expenses. + +It just occurred on this occasion that the weather was clear and fine, +and that there happened, on the other hand, to be nothing to attend to +at home, so forthwith taking along with her a matron, (Mrs. Chia Huang) +got into a carriage and came over to see widow Chin and her nephew. +While engaged in a chat, Chin Jung's mother accidentally broached the +subject of the affair, which had transpired in the school-room of the +Chia mansion on the previous day, and she gave, for the benefit of her +young sister-in-law, a detailed account of the whole occurrence from +beginning to end. + +This Mrs. Huang would not have had her temper ruffled had she not come +to hear what had happened; but having heard about it, anger sprung from +the very depths of her heart. "This fellow, Ch'in Chung," she exclaimed, +"is a relative of the Chia family, but is it likely that Jung Erh isn't, +in like manner, a relative of the Chia family; and when relatives are +many, there's no need to put on airs! Besides, does his conduct consist, +for the most part, of anything that would make one get any face? In +fact, Pao-yü himself shouldn't do injury to himself by condescending to +look at him. But, as things have come to this pass, give me time and +I'll go to the Eastern mansion and see our lady Chen and then have a +chat with Ch'in Chung's sister, and ask her to decide who's right and +who's wrong!" + +Chin Jung's mother upon hearing these words was terribly distressed. +"It's all through my hasty tongue," she observed with vehemence, "that +I've told you all, sister-in-law: but please, sister, give up at once +the idea of going over to say anything about it! Don't trouble yourself +as to who is in the right, and who is in the wrong; for were any +unpleasantness to come out of it, how could we here stand on our legs? +and were we not to stand on our legs, not only would we never be able to +engage a tutor, but the result will be, on the contrary, that for his +own person will be superadded many an expense for eatables and +necessaries." + +"What do I care about how many?" replied Mrs. Huang; "wait till I've +spoken about it, and we'll see what will be the result." Nor would she +accede to her sister-in-law's entreaties, but bidding, at the same time, +the matron look after the carriage, she got into it, and came over to +the Ning Mansion. + +On her arrival at the Ning Mansion, she entered by the eastern side +gate, and dismounting from the carriage, she went in to call on Mrs. Yu, +the spouse of Chia Chen, with whom she had not the courage to put on any +high airs; but gently and quietly she made inquiries after her health, +and after passing some irrelevant remarks, she ascertained: "How is it I +don't see lady Jung to-day?" + +"I don't know," replied Mrs. Yu, "what's the matter with her these last +few days; but she hasn't been herself for two months and more; and the +doctor who was asked to see her declares that it is nothing connected +with any happy event. A couple of days back, she felt, as soon as the +afternoon came, both to move, and both even to utter a word; while the +brightness of her eyes was all dimmed; and I told her, 'You needn't +stick to etiquette, for there's no use for you to come in the forenoon +and evening, as required by conventionalities; but what you must do is, +to look after your own health. Should any relative come over, there's +also myself to receive them; and should any of the senior generation +think your absence strange, I'll explain things for you, if you'll let +me.' + +"I also advised brother Jung on the subject: 'You shouldn't,' I said, +'allow any one to trouble her; nor let her be put out of temper, but let +her quietly attend to her health, and she'll get all right. Should she +fancy anything to eat, just come over here and fetch it; for, in the +event of anything happening to her, were you to try and find another +such a wife to wed, with such a face and such a disposition, why, I +fear, were you even to seek with a lantern in hand, there would really +be no place where you could discover her. And with such a temperament +and deportment as hers, which of our relatives and which of our elders +don't love her?' That's why my heart has been very distressed these two +days! As luck would have it early this morning her brother turned up to +see her, but who would have fancied him to be such a child, and so +ignorant of what is proper and not proper to do? He saw well enough that +his sister was not well; and what's more all these matters shouldn't +have been recounted to her; for even supposing he had received the +gravest offences imaginable, it behoved him anyhow not to have broached +the subject to her! Yesterday, one would scarcely believe it, a fight +occurred in the school-room, and some pupil or other who attends that +class, somehow insulted him; besides, in this business, there were a +good many indecent and improper utterances, but all these he went and +told his sister! Now, sister-in-law, you are well aware that though (our +son Jung's) wife talks and laughs when she sees people, that she is +nevertheless imaginative and withal too sensitive, so that no matter +what she hears, she's for the most part bound to brood over it for three +days and five nights, before she loses sight of it, and it's from this +excessive sensitiveness that this complaint of hers arises. Today, when +she heard that some one had insulted her brother, she felt both vexed +and angry; vexed that those fox-like, cur-like friends of his had moved +right and wrong, and intrigued with this one and deluded that one; angry +that her brother had, by not learning anything profitable, and not +having his mind set upon study, been the means of bringing about a row +at school; and on account of this affair, she was so upset that she did +not even have her early meal. I went over a short while back and +consoled her for a time, and likewise gave her brother a few words of +advice; and after having packed off that brother of hers to the mansion +on the other side, in search of Pao-yü, and having stood by and seen her +have half a bowl of birds' nests soup, I at length came over. Now, +sister-in-law, tell me, is my heart sore or not? Besides, as there's +nowadays no good doctor, the mere thought of her complaint makes my +heart feel as if it were actually pricked with needles! But do you and +yours, perchance, know of any good practitioner?" + +Mrs. Chin had, while listening to these words, been, at an early period, +so filled with concern that she cast away to distant lands the reckless +rage she had been in recently while at her sister-in-law's house, when +she had determined to go and discuss matters over with Mrs. Ch'in. Upon +hearing Mrs. Yu inquire of her about a good doctor, she lost no time in +saying by way of reply: "Neither have we heard of any one speak of a +good doctor; but from the account I've just heard of Mrs. Ch'in's +illness, it may still, there's no saying, be some felicitous ailment; +so, sister-in-law, don't let any one treat her recklessly, for were she +to be treated for the wrong thing, the result may be dreadful!" + +"Quite so!" replied Mrs. Yu. + +But while they were talking, Chia Chen came in from out of doors, and +upon catching sight of Mrs. Chin; "Isn't this Mrs. Huang?" he inquired +of Mrs. Yu; whereupon Mrs. Chin came forward and paid her respects to +Chia Chen. + +"Invite this lady to have her repast here before she goes," observed +Chia Chen to Mrs. Yu; and as he uttered these words he forthwith walked +into the room on the off side. + +The object of Mrs. Chin's present visit had originally been to talk to +Mrs. Ch'in about the insult which her brother had received from the +hands of Ch'in Chung, but when she heard that Mrs. Ch'in was ill, she +did not have the courage to even so much as make mention of the object +of her errand. Besides, as Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu had given her a most +cordial reception, her resentment was transformed into pleasure, so that +after a while spent in a further chat about one thing and another, she +at length returned to her home. + +It was only after the departure of Mrs. Chin that Chia Chen came over +and took a seat. "What did she have to say for herself during this visit +to-day?" he asked of Mrs. Yu. + +"She said nothing much," replied Mrs. Yu. "When she first entered the +room, her face bore somewhat of an angry look, but, after a lengthy chat +and as soon as mention of our son's wife's illness was made, this +angered look after all gradually abated. You also asked me to keep her +for the repast, but, having heard that our son's wife was so ill she +could not very well stay, so that all she did was to sit down, and after +making a few more irrelevant remarks, she took her departure. But she +had no request to make. To return however now to the illness of Jung's +wife, it's urgent that you should find somewhere a good doctor to +diagnose it for her; and whatever you do, you should lose no time. The +whole body of doctors who at present go in and out of our household, are +they worth having? Each one of them listens to what the patient has to +say of the ailment, and then, adding a string of flowery sentences, out +he comes with a long rigmarole; but they are exceedingly diligent in +paying us visits; and in one day, three or four of them are here at +least four and five times in rotation! They come and feel her pulse, +they hold consultation together, and write their prescriptions, but, +though she has taken their medicines, she has seen no improvement; on +the contrary, she's compelled to change her clothes three and five times +each day, and to sit up to see the doctor; a thing which, in fact, does +the patient no good." + +"This child too is somewhat simple," observed Chia Chen; "for what need +has she to be taking off her clothes, and changing them for others? And +were she again to catch a chill, she would add something more to her +illness; and won't it be dreadful! The clothes may be no matter how +fine, but what is their worth, after all? The health of our child is +what is important to look to! and were she even to wear out a suit of +new clothes a-day, what would that too amount to? I was about to tell +you that a short while back, Feng Tzu-ying came to see me, and, +perceiving that I had somewhat of a worried look, he asked me what was +up; and I told him that our son's wife was not well at all, that as we +couldn't get any good doctor, we couldn't determine with any certainty, +whether she was in an interesting condition, or whether she was +suffering from some disease; that as we could neither tell whether there +was any danger or not, my heart was, for this reason, really very much +distressed. Feng Tzu-ying then explained that he knew a young doctor who +had made a study of his profession, Chang by surname, and Yu-shih by +name, whose learning was profound to a degree; who was besides most +proficient in the principles of medicine, and had the knack of +discriminating whether a patient would live or die; that this year he +had come to the capital to purchase an official rank for his son, and +that he was now living with him in his house. In view of these +circumstances, not knowing but that if, perchance, the case of our +daughter-in-law were placed in his hands, he couldn't avert the danger, +I readily despatched a servant, with a card of mine, to invite him to +come; but the hour to-day being rather late, he probably won't be round, +but I believe he's sure to be here to-morrow. Besides, Feng-Tzu-ying was +also on his return home, to personally entreat him on my behalf, so that +he's bound, when he has asked him, to come and see her. Let's therefore +wait till Dr. Chang has been here and seen her, when we can talk matters +over!" + +Mrs. Yu was very much cheered when she heard what was said. "The day +after to-morrow," she felt obliged to add, "is again our senior's, Mr. +Chia Ching's birthday, and how are we to celebrate it after all?" + +"I've just been over to our Senior's and paid my respects," replied Chia +Chen, "and further invited the old gentleman to come home, and receive +the congratulations of the whole family. + +"'I'm accustomed,' our Senior explained, 'to peace and quiet, and have +no wish to go over to that worldly place of yours; for you people are +certain to have published that it's my birthday, and to entertain the +design to ask me to go round to receive the bows of the whole lot of +you. But won't it be better if you were to give the "Record of +Meritorious Acts," which I annotated some time ago, to some one to copy +out clean for me, and have it printed? Compared with asking me to come, +and uselessly receive the obeisances of you all, this will be yea even a +hundred times more profitable! In the event of the whole family wishing +to pay me a visit on any of the two days, to-morrow or the day after +to-morrow, if you were to stay at home and entertain them in proper +style, that will be all that is wanted; nor will there be any need to +send me anything! Even you needn't come two days from this; and should +you not feel contented at heart, well, you had better bow your head +before me to-day before you go. But if you do come again the day after +to-morrow, with a lot of people to disturb me, I shall certainly be +angry with you.' After what he said, I will not venture to go and see +him two days hence; but you had better send for Lai Sheng, and bid him +get ready a banquet to continue for a couple of days." + +Mrs. Yu, having asked Chia Jung to come round, told him to direct Lai +Sheng to make the usual necessary preparations for a banquet to last for +a couple of days, with due regard to a profuse and sumptuous style. + +"You go by-and-by," (she advised him), "in person to the Western Mansion +and invite dowager lady Chia, mesdames Hsing and Wang, and your +sister-in-law Secunda lady Lien to come over for a stroll. Your father +has also heard of a good doctor, and having already sent some one to ask +him round, I think that by to-morrow he's sure to come; and you had +better tell him, in a minute manner, the serious symptoms of her ailment +during these few days." + +Chia Jung having signified his obedience to each of her recommendations, +and taken his leave, was just in time to meet the youth coming back from +Feng Tzu-ying's house, whither he had gone a short while back to invite +the doctor round. + +"Your slave," he consequently reported, "has just been with a card of +master's to Mr. Feng's house and asked the doctor to come. 'The gentleman +here,' replied the doctor, 'has just told me about it; but to-day, I've +had to call on people the whole day, and I've only this moment come +home; and I feel now my strength (so worn out), that I couldn't really +stand any exertion. In fact were I even to get as far as the mansion, I +shouldn't be in a fit state to diagnose the pulses! I must therefore +have a night's rest, but, to-morrow for certain, I shall come to the +mansion. My medical knowledge,' he went on to observe, 'is very shallow, +and I don't deserve the honour of such eminent recommendation; but as +Mr. Feng has already thus spoken of me in your mansion, I can't but +present myself. It will be all right if in anticipation you deliver this +message for me to your honourable master; but as for your worthy +master's card, I cannot really presume to keep it.' It was again at his +instance that I've brought it back; but, Sir, please mention this result +for me (to master)." + +Chia Jung turned back again, and entering the house delivered the +message to Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu; whereupon he walked out, and, calling +Lai Sheng before him, he transmitted to him the orders to prepare the +banquet for a couple of days. + +After Lai Sheng had listened to the directions, he went off, of course, +to get ready the customary preparations; but upon these we shall not +dilate, but confine ourselves to the next day. + +At noon, a servant on duty at the gate announced that the Doctor Chang, +who had been sent for, had come, and Chia Chen conducted him along the +Court into the large reception Hall, where they sat down; and after they +had partaken of tea, he broached the subject. + +"Yesterday," he explained, "the estimable Mr. Feng did me the honour to +speak to me of your character and proficiency, venerable doctor, as well +as of your thorough knowledge of medicine, and I, your mean brother, was +filled with an immeasurable sense of admiration!" + +"Your Junior," remonstrated Dr. Chang, "is a coarse, despicable and mean +scholar and my knowledge is shallow and vile! but as worthy Mr. Feng did +me the honour yesterday of telling me that your family, sir, had +condescended to look upon me, a low scholar, and to favour me too with +an invitation, could I presume not to obey your commands? But as I +cannot boast of the least particle of real learning, I feel overburdened +with shame!" + +"Why need you be so modest?" observed Chia Chen; "Doctor, do please walk +in at once to see our son's wife, for I look up, with full reliance, to +your lofty intelligence to dispel my solicitude!" + +Chia Jung forthwith walked in with him. When they reached the inner +apartment, and he caught sight of Mrs. Ch'in, he turned round and asked +Chia Jung, "This is your honourable spouse, isn't it?" + +"Yes, it is," assented Chia Jung; "but please, Doctor, take a seat, and +let me tell you the symptoms of my humble wife's ailment, before her +pulse be felt. Will this do?" + +"My mean idea is," remarked the Doctor, "that it would, after all, be +better that I should begin by feeling her pulse, before I ask you to +inform me what the source of the ailment is. This is the first visit I +pay to your honourable mansion; besides, I possess no knowledge of +anything; but as our worthy Mr. Feng would insist upon my coming over to +see you, I had in consequence no alternative but to come. After I have +now made a diagnosis, you can judge whether what I say is right or not, +before you explain to me the phases of the complaint during the last few +days, and we can deliberate together upon some prescription; as to the +suitableness or unsuitableness of which your honourable father will then +have to decide, and what is necessary will have been done." + +"Doctor," rejoined Chia Jung, "you are indeed eminently clear sighted; +all I regret at present is that we have met so late! But please, Doctor, +diagnose the state of the pulse, so as to find out whether there be hope +of a cure or not; if a cure can be effected, it will be the means of +allaying the solicitude of my father and mother." + +The married women attached to that menage forthwith presented a pillow; +and as it was being put down for Mrs. Ch'in to rest her arm on, they +raised the lower part of her sleeve so as to leave her wrist exposed. +The Doctor thereupon put out his hand and pressed it on the pulse of the +right hand. Regulating his breath (to the pulsation) so as to be able to +count the beatings, he with due care and minuteness felt the action for +a considerable time, when, substituting the left hand, he again went +through the same operation. + +"Let us go and sit outside," he suggested, after he had concluded +feeling her pulses. Chia Jung readily adjourned, in company with the +Doctor, to the outer apartment, where they seated themselves on the +stove-couch. A matron having served tea; "Please take a cup of tea, +doctor," Chia Jung observed. When tea was over, "Judging," he inquired, +"Doctor, from the present action of the pulses, is there any remedy or +not?" + +"The action of the pulse, under the forefinger, on the left hand of your +honorable spouse," proceeded the Doctor, "is deep and agitated; the left +hand pulse, under the second finger, is deep and faint. The pulse, under +the forefinger, of the right hand, is gentle and lacks vitality. The +right hand pulse, under my second finger, is superficial, and has lost +all energy. The deep and agitated beating of the forepulse of the left +hand arises from the febrile state, due to the weak action of the heart. +The deep and delicate condition of the second part of the pulse of the +left wrist, emanates from the sluggishness of the liver, and the +scarcity of the blood in that organ. The action of the forefinger pulse, +of the right wrist, is faint and lacks strength, as the breathing of the +lungs is too weak. The second finger pulse of the right wrist is +superficial and devoid of vigour, as the spleen must be affected +injuriously by the liver. The weak action of the heart, and its febrile +state, should be the natural causes which conduce to the present +irregularity in the catamenia, and insomnia at night; the poverty of +blood in the liver, and the sluggish condition of that organ must +necessarily produce pain in the ribs; while the overdue of the +catamenia, the cardiac fever, and debility of the respiration of the +lungs, should occasion frequent giddiness in the head, and swimming of +the eyes, the certain recurrence of perspiration between the periods of +3 to 5 and 5 to 7, and the sensation of being seated on board ship. The +obstruction of the spleen by the liver should naturally create distaste +for liquid or food, debility of the vital energies and prostration of +the four limbs. From my diagnosis of these pulses, there should exist +these various symptoms, before (the pulses and the symptoms can be said) +to harmonise. But should perchance (any doctor maintain) that this state +of the pulses imports a felicitous event, your servant will not presume +to give an ear to such an opinion!" + +A matron, who was attached as a personal attendant (to Mrs. Ch'in,) and +who happened to be standing by interposed: "How could it be otherwise?" +she ventured. "In real truth, Doctor, you speak like a supernatural +being, and there's verily no need for us to say anything! We have now, +ready at hand, in our household, a good number of medical gentlemen, who +are in attendance upon her, but none of these are proficient enough to +speak in this positive manner. Some there are who say that it's a +genital complaint; others maintain that it's an organic disease. This +doctor explains that there is no danger: while another, again, holds +that there's fear of a crisis either before or after the winter +solstice; but there is, in one word, nothing certain said by them. May +it please you, sir, now to favour us with your clear directions." + +"This complaint of your lady's," observed the Doctor, "has certainly +been neglected by the whole number of doctors; for had a treatment with +certain medicines been initiated at the time of the first occurrence of +her habitual sickness, I cannot but opine that, by this time, a perfect +cure would have been effected. But seeing that the organic complaint has +now been, through neglect, allowed to reach this phase, this calamity +was, in truth, inevitable. My ideas are that this illness stands, as +yet, a certain chance of recovery, (three chances out of ten); but we +will see how she gets on, after she has had these medicines of mine. +Should they prove productive of sleep at night, then there will be added +furthermore two more chances in the grip of our hands. From my +diagnosis, your lady is a person, gifted with a preëminently excellent, +and intelligent disposition; but an excessive degree of intelligence is +the cause of frequent contrarieties; and frequent contrarieties give +origin to an excessive amount of anxious cares. This illness arises from +the injury done, by worrying and fretting, to the spleen, and from the +inordinate vigour of the liver; hence it is that the relief cannot come +at the proper time and season. Has not your lady, may I ask, heretofore +at the period of the catamenia, suffered, if indeed not from anaemia, +then necessarily from plethora? Am I right in assuming this or not?" + +"To be sure she did," replied the matron; "but she has never been +subject to anaemia, but to a plethora, varying from either two to three +days, and extending, with much irregularity, to even ten days." + +"Quite so!" observed the Doctor, after hearing what she had to say, "and +this is the source of this organic illness! Had it in past days been +treated with such medicine as could strengthen the heart, and improve +the respiration, would it have reached this stage? This has now overtly +made itself manifest in an ailment originating from the paucity of water +and the vigour of fire; but let me make use of some medicines, and we'll +see how she gets on!" + +There and then he set to work and wrote a prescription, which he handed +to Chia Jung, the purpose of which was: Decoction for the improvement of +respiration, the betterment of the blood, and the restoration of the +spleen. Ginseng, Atractylodes Lancea; Yunnan root; Prepared Ti root; +Aralia edulis; Peony roots; Levisticum from Sze Ch'uan; Sophora +tormentosa; Cyperus rotundus, prepared with rice; Gentian, soaked in +vinegar; Huai Shan Yao root; Real "O" glue; Carydalis Ambigua; and Dried +liquorice. Seven Fukien lotus seeds, (the cores of which should be +extracted,) and two large zizyphi to be used as a preparative. + +"What exalted intelligence!" Chia Jung, after perusing it, exclaimed. +"But I would also ask you, Doctor, to be good enough to tell me whether +this illness will, in the long run, endanger her life or not?" + +The Doctor smiled. "You, sir, who are endowed with most eminent +intelligence (are certain to know) that when a human illness has reached +this phase, it is not a derangement of a day or of a single night; but +after these medicines have been taken, we shall also have to watch the +effect of the treatment! My humble opinion is that, as far as the winter +of this year goes, there is no fear; in fact, after the spring equinox, +I entertain hopes of a complete cure." + +Chia Jung was likewise a person with all his wits about him, so that he +did not press any further minute questions. + +Chia Jung forthwith escorted the Doctor and saw him off, and taking the +prescription and the diagnosis, he handed them both to Chia Chen for his +perusal, and in like manner recounted to Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu all that +had been said on the subject. + +"The other doctors have hitherto not expressed any opinions as positive +as this one has done," observed Mrs. Yu, addressing herself to Chia +Chen, "so that the medicines to be used are, I think, surely the right +ones!" + +"He really isn't a man," rejoined Chia Chen, "accustomed to give much of +his time to the practice of medicine, in order to earn rice for his +support: and it's Feng Tzu-ying, who is so friendly with us, who is +mainly to be thanked for succeeding, after ever so much trouble, in +inducing him to come. But now that we have this man, the illness of our +son's wife may, there is no saying, stand a chance of being cured. But +on that prescription of his there is ginseng mentioned, so you had +better make use of that catty of good quality which was bought the other +day." + +Chia Jung listened until the conversation came to a close, after which +he left the room, and bade a servant go and buy the medicines, in order +that they should be prepared and administered to Mrs. Ch'in. + +What was the state of Mrs. Ch'in's illness, after she partook of these +medicines, we do not know; but, reader, listen to the explanation given +in the chapter which follows. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + In honour of Chia Ching's birthday, a family banquet is spread in the + Ning Mansion. + At the sight of Hsi-feng, Chia Jui entertains feelings of licentious + love. + + +We will now explain, in continuation of our story, that on the day of +Chia Ching's birthday, Chia Chen began by getting ready luscious +delicacies and rare fruits, which he packed in sixteen spacious present +boxes, and bade Chia Jung take them, along with the servants belonging +to the household, over to Chia Ching. + +Turning round towards Chia Jung: "Mind," he said, "that you observe +whether your grandfather be agreeable or not, before you set to work and +pay your obeisance! 'My father,' tell him, 'has complied with your +directions, venerable senior, and not presumed to come over; but he has +at home ushered the whole company of the members of the family (into +your apartments), where they all paid their homage facing the side of +honour.'" + +After Chia Jung had listened to these injunctions, he speedily led off +the family domestics, and took his departure. During this interval, one +by one arrived the guests. First came Chia Lien and Chia Se, who went to +see whether the seats in the various places (were sufficient). "Is there +to be any entertainment or not?" they also inquired. + +"Our master," replied the servants, "had, at one time, intended to +invite the venerable Mr. Chia Ching to come and spend this day at home, +and hadn't for this reason presumed to get up any entertainment. But +when the other day he came to hear that the old gentleman was not +coming, he at once gave us orders to go in search of a troupe of young +actors, as well as a band of musicians, and all these people are now +engaged making their preparations on the stage in the garden." + +Next came, in a group, mesdames Hsing and Wang, lady Feng and Pao-yü, +followed immediately after by Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu; Mrs. Yu's mother +having already arrived and being in there in advance of her. Salutations +were exchanged between the whole company, and they pressed one another +to take a seat. Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu both handed the tea round. + +"Our venerable lady," they explained, as they smiled, "is a worthy +senior; while our father is, on the other hand, only her nephew; so that +on a birthday of a man of his age, we should really not have had the +audacity to invite her ladyship; but as the weather, at this time, is +cool, and the chrysanthemums, in the whole garden, are in luxuriant +blossom, we have requested our venerable ancestor to come for a little +distraction, and to see the whole number of her children and +grand-children amuse themselves. This was the object we had in view, +but, contrary to our expectations, our worthy senior has not again +conferred upon us the lustre of her countenance." + +Lady Feng did not wait until madame Wang could open her mouth, but took +the initiative to reply. "Our venerable lady," she urged, "had, even so +late as yesterday, said that she meant to come; but, in the evening, +upon seeing brother Pao eating peaches, the mouth of the old lady once +again began to water, and after partaking of a little more than the half +of one, she had, about the fifth watch, to get out of bed two +consecutive times, with the result that all the forenoon to-day, she +felt her body considerably worn out. She therefore bade me inform our +worthy senior that it was utterly impossible for her to come to-day; +adding however that, if there were any delicacies, she fancied a few +kinds, but that they should be very tender." + +When Chia Chen heard these words, he smiled. "Our dowager lady," he +replied, "is, I argued, so fond of amusement that, if she doesn't come +to-day, there must, for a certainty, be some valid reason; and that's +exactly what happens to be the case." + +"The other day I heard your eldest sister explain," interposed madame +Wang, "that Chia Jung's wife was anything but well; but what's after all +the matter with her?" + +"She has," observed Mrs. Yu, "contracted this illness verily in a +strange manner! Last moon at the time of the mid-autumn festival, she +was still well enough to be able to enjoy herself, during half the +night, in company with our dowager lady and madame Wang. On her return, +she continued in good health, until after the twentieth, when she began +to feel more and more languid every day, and loth, likewise, to eat +anything; and this has been going on for well-nigh half a month and +more; she hasn't besides been anything like her old self for two +months." + +"May she not," remarked madame Hsing, taking up the thread of the +conversation, "be ailing for some happy event?" + +But while she was uttering these words, some one from outside announced: +"Our senior master, second master and all the gentlemen of the family +have come, and are standing in the Reception Hall!" Whereupon Chia Chen +and Chia Lien quitted the apartment with hurried step; and during this +while, Mrs. Yu reiterated how that some time ago a doctor had also +expressed the opinion that she was ailing for a happy event, but that +the previous day, had come a doctor, recommended by Feng Tzu-ying--a +doctor, who had from his youth up made medicine his study, and was very +proficient in the treatment of diseases,--who asserted, after he had +seen her, that it was no felicitous ailment, but that it was some grave +complaint. "It was only yesterday," (she explained,) "that he wrote his +prescription; and all she has had is but one dose, and already to-day +the giddiness in the head is considerably better; as regards the other +symptoms they have as yet shown no marked improvement." + +"I maintain," remarked lady Feng, "that, were she not quite unfit to +stand the exertion, would she in fact, on a day like this, be unwilling +to strain every nerve and come round." + +"You saw her," observed Mrs. Yu, "on the third in here; how that she +bore up with a violent effort for ever so long, but it was all because +of the friendship that exists between you two, that she still longed for +your society, and couldn't brook the idea of tearing herself away." + +When lady Feng heard these words, her eyes got quite red, and after a +time she at length exclaimed: "In the Heavens of a sudden come wind and +rain; while with man, in a day and in a night, woe and weal survene! But +with her tender years, if for a complaint like this she were to run any +risk, what pleasure is there for any human being to be born and to +sojourn in the world?" + +She was just speaking, when Chia Jung walked into the apartment; and +after paying his respects to madame Hsing, madame Wang, and lady Feng, +he then observed to Mrs. Yu: "I have just taken over the eatables to our +venerable ancestor; and, at the same time, I told him that my father was +at home waiting upon the senior, and entertaining the junior gentlemen +of the whole family, and that in compliance with grandfather's orders, +he did not presume to go over. The old gentleman was much delighted by +what he heard me say, and having signified that that was all in order, +bade me tell father and you, mother, to do all you can in your +attendance upon the senior gentlemen and ladies, enjoining me to +entertain, with all propriety, my uncles, aunts, and my cousins. He also +went on to urge me to press the men to cut, with all despatch, the +blocks for the Record of Meritorious Deeds, and to print ten thousand +copies for distribution. All these messages I have duly delivered to my +father, but I must now be quick and go out, so as to send the eatables +for the elder as well as for the younger gentlemen of the entire +household." + +"Brother Jung Erh," exclaimed lady Feng, "wait a moment. How is your +wife getting on? how is she, after all, to-day?" + +"Not well," replied Chia Jung. "But were you, aunt, on your return to go +in and see her, you will find out for yourself." + +Chia Jung forthwith left the room. During this interval, Mrs. Yu +addressed herself to mesdames Hsing and Wang; "My ladies," she asked, +"will you have your repast in here, or will you go into the garden for +it? There are now in the garden some young actors engaged in making +their preparations?" + +"It's better in here," madame Wang remarked, as she turned towards +madame Hsing. + +Mrs. Yu thereupon issued directions to the married women and matrons to +be quick in serving the eatables. The servants, in waiting outside the +door, with one voice signified their obedience; and each of them went +off to fetch what fell to her share. In a short while, the courses were +all laid out, and Mrs. Yu pressed mesdames Hsing and Wang, as well as +her mother, into the upper seats; while she, together with lady Feng and +Pao-yü, sat at a side table. + +"We've come," observed mesdames Hsing and Wang, "with the original idea +of paying our congratulations to our venerable senior on the occasion of +his birthday; and isn't this as if we had come for our own birthdays?" + +"The old gentleman," answered lady Feng, "is a man fond of a quiet life; +and as he has already consummated a process of purification, he may well +be looked upon as a supernatural being, so that the purpose to which +your ladyships have given expression may be considered as manifest to +his spirit, upon the very advent of the intention." + +As this sentence was uttered the whole company in the room burst out +laughing. Mrs. Yu's mother, mesdames Hsing and Wang, and lady Feng +having one and all partaken of the banquet, rinsed their mouths and +washed their hands, which over, they expressed a wish to go into the +garden. + +Chia Jung entered the room. "The senior gentlemen," he said to Mrs. Yu, +"as well as all my uncles and cousins, have finished their repast; but +the elder gentleman Mr. Chia She, who excused himself on the score of +having at home something to attend to, and Mr. Secundus (Chia Cheng), +who is not partial to theatrical performances and is always afraid that +people will be too boisterous in their entertainments, have both of them +taken their departure. The rest of the family gentlemen have been taken +over by uncle Secundus Mr. Lien, and Mr. Se, to the other side to listen +to the play. A few moments back Prince Nan An, Prince Tung P'ing, Prince +Hsi Ning, Prince Pei Ching, these four Princes, with Niu, Duke of Chen +Kuo, and five other dukes, six in all, and Shih, Marquis of Chung Ching, +and other seven, in all eight marquises, sent their messengers with +their cards and presents. I have already told father all about it; but +before I did so, the presents were put away in the counting room, the +lists of presents were all entered in the book, and the 'received with +thanks' cards were handed to the respective messengers of the various +mansions; the men themselves were also tipped in the customary manner, +and all of them were kept to have something to eat before they went on +their way. But, mother, you should invite the two ladies, your mother +and my aunt, to go over and sit in the garden." + +"Just so!" observed Mrs. Yu, "but we've only now finished our repast, +and were about to go over." + +"I wish to tell you, madame," interposed lady Feng, "that I shall go +first and see brother Jung's wife and then come and join you." + +"All right," replied madame Wang; "we should all have been fain to have +paid her a visit, did we not fear lest she should look upon our +disturbing her with displeasure, but just tell her that we would like to +know how she is getting on!" + +"My dear sister," remarked Mrs. Yu, "as our son's wife has a ready ear +for all you say, do go and cheer her up, (and if you do so,) it will +besides set my own mind at ease; but be quick and come as soon as you +can into the garden." + +Pao-yü being likewise desirous to go along with lady Feng to see lady +Ch'in, madame Wang remarked, "Go and see her just for a while, and then +come over at once into the garden; (for remember) she is your nephew's +wife, (and you couldn't sit in there long)." + +Mrs. Yu forthwith invited mesdames Wang and Hsing, as well as her own +mother, to adjourn to the other side, and they all in a body walked into +the garden of Concentrated Fragrance; while lady Feng and Pao-yü betook +themselves, in company with Chia Jung, over to this side. + +Having entered the door, they with quiet step walked as far as the +entrance of the inner chamber. Mrs. Ch'in, upon catching sight of them, +was bent upon getting up; but "Be quick," remonstrated lady Feng, "and +give up all idea of standing up; for take care your head will feel +dizzy." + +Lady Feng hastened to make a few hurried steps forward and to grasp Mrs. +Ch'in's hand in hers. "My dear girl!" she exclaimed; "How is it that +during the few days I've not seen you, you have grown so thin?" + +Readily she then took a seat on the rug, on which Mrs. Ch'in was seated, +while Pao-yü, after inquiring too about her health, sat in the chair on +the opposite side. + +"Bring the tea in at once," called out Chia Jung, "for aunt and uncle +Secundus have not had any tea in the drawing room." + +Mrs. Ch'in took lady Feng's hand in her own and forced a smile. "This is +all due to my lack of good fortune; for in such a family as this, my +father and mother-in-law treat me just as if I were a daughter of their +own flesh and blood! Besides, your nephew, (my husband,) may, it is +true, my dear aunt, be young in years, but he is full of regard for me, +as I have regard for him, and we have had so far no misunderstanding +between us! In fact, among the senior generation, as well as that of the +same age as myself, in the whole clan, putting you aside, aunt, about +whom no mention need be made, there is not one who has not ever had +anything but love for me, and not one who has not ever shown me anything +but kindness! But since I've fallen ill with this complaint, all my +energy has even every bit of it been taken out of me, so that I've been +unable to show to my father and mother-in-law any mark of filial +attention, yea so much as for one single day and to you, my dear aunt, +with all this affection of yours for me, I have every wish to be dutiful +to the utmost degree, but, in my present state, I'm really not equal to +it; my own idea is, that it isn't likely that I shall last through this +year." + +Pao-yü kept, while (she spoke,) his eyes fixed intently upon a picture +on the opposite side, representing some begonias drooping in the spring +time, and upon a pair of scrolls, with this inscription written by Ch'in +Tai-hsü: + + A gentle chill doth circumscribe the dreaming man because the spring + is cold! + The fragrant whiff which wafts itself into man's nose, is the perfume + of wine! + +And he could not help recalling to mind his experiences at the time when +he had fallen asleep in this apartment, and had, in his dream, visited +the confines of the Great Void. He was just plunged in a state of +abstraction, when he heard Mrs. Ch'in give utterance to these +sentiments, which pierced his heart as if they were ten thousand arrows, +(with the result that) tears unwittingly trickled from his eyes. + +Lady Feng perceiving him in tears felt it extremely painful within +herself to bear the sight; but she was on pins and needles lest the +patient should detect their frame of mind, and feel, instead (of +benefit), still more sore at heart, which would not, after all, be quite +the purpose of her visit; which was to afford her distraction and +consolation. "Pao-yü," she therefore exclaimed, "you are like an old +woman! Ill, as she is, simply makes her speak in this wise, and how ever +could things come to such a pass! Besides, she is young in years, so +that after a short indisposition, her illness will get all right!" +"Don't," she said as she turned towards Mrs. Ch'in, "give way to silly +thoughts and idle ideas! for by so doing won't you yourself be +aggravating your ailment?" + +"All that her sickness in fact needs," observed Chia Jung, "is, that she +should be able to take something to eat, and then there will be nothing +to fear." + +"Brother Pao," urged lady Feng, "your mother told you to go over, as +soon as you could, so that don't stay here, and go on in the way you're +doing, for you after all incite this lady also to feel uneasy at heart. +Besides, your mother over there is solicitous on your account." "You had +better go ahead with your uncle Pao," she consequently continued, +addressing herself to Chia Jung, "while I sit here a little longer." + +When Chia Jung heard this remark, he promptly crossed over with Pao-yü +into the garden of Concentrated Fragrance, while lady Feng went on both +to cheer her up for a time, and to impart to her, in an undertone, a +good deal of confidential advice. + +Mrs. Yu had despatched servants, on two or three occasions, to hurry +lady Feng, before she said to Mrs. Ch'in: "Do all you can to take good +care of yourself, and I'll come and see you again. You're bound to get +over this illness; and now, in fact, that you've come across that +renowned doctor, you have really nothing more to fear." + +"He might," observed Mrs. Ch'in as she smiled, "even be a supernatural +being and succeed in healing my disease, but he won't be able to remedy +my destiny; for, my dear aunt, I feel sure that with this complaint of +mine, I can do no more than drag on from day to day." + +"If you encourage such ideas," remonstrated lady Feng, "how can this +illness ever get all right? What you absolutely need is to cast away all +these notions, and then you'll improve. I hear moreover that the doctor +asserts that if no cure be effected, the fear is of a change for the +worse in spring, and not till then. Did you and I moreover belong to a +family that hadn't the means to afford any ginseng, it would be +difficult to say how we could manage to get it; but were your father and +mother-in-law to hear that it's good for your recovery, why not to speak +of two mace of ginseng a day, but even two catties will be also within +their means! So mind you do take every care of your health! I'm now off +on my way into the garden." + +"Excuse me, my dear aunt," added Mrs. Ch'in, "that I can't go with you; +but when you have nothing to do, I entreat you do come over and see me! +and you and I can sit and have a long chat." + +After lady Feng had heard these words, her eyes unwillingly got quite +red again. "When I'm at leisure I shall, of course," she rejoined, "come +often to see you;" and forthwith leading off the matrons and married +women, who had come over with her, as well as the women and matrons of +the Ning mansion, she passed through the inner part of the house, and +entered, by a circuitous way, the side gate of the park, when she +perceived: yellow flowers covering the ground; white willows flanking +the slopes; diminutive bridges spanning streams, resembling the Jo Yeh; +zigzag pathways (looking as if) they led to the steps of Heaven; limpid +springs dripping from among the rocks; flowers hanging from hedges +emitting their fragrance, as they were flapped by the winds; red leaves +on the tree tops swaying to and fro; groves picture-like, half stripped +of foliage; the western breeze coming with sudden gusts, and the wail of +the oriole still audible; the warm sun shining with genial rays, and the +cicada also adding its chirp: structures, visible to the gaze at a +distance in the South-east, soaring high on various sites and resting +against the hills; three halls, visible near by on the North-west, +stretching in one connected line, on the bank of the stream; strains of +music filling the pavilion, imbued with an unwonted subtle charm; and +maidens in fine attire penetrating the groves, lending an additional +spell to the scene. + +Lady Feng, while engaged in contemplating the beauties of the spot, +advanced onwards step by step. She was plunged in a state of ecstasy, +when suddenly, from the rear of the artificial rockery, egressed a +person, who approached her and facing her said, "My respects to you, +sister-in-law." + +Lady Feng was so startled by this unexpected appearance that she drew +back. "Isn't this Mr. Jui?" she ventured. + +"What! sister-in-law," exclaimed Chia Jui, "don't you recognise even +me?" + +"It isn't that I didn't recognise you," explained lady Feng, "but at the +sudden sight of you, I couldn't conceive that it would possibly be you, +sir, in this place!" + +"This was in fact bound to be," replied Chia Jui; "for there's some +subtle sympathy between me and you, sister-in-law. Here I just +stealthily leave the entertainment, in order to revel for a while in +this solitary place when, against every expectation, I come across you, +sister-in-law; and isn't this a subtle sympathy?" + +As he spoke, he kept his gaze fixed on lady Feng, who being an +intelligent person, could not but arrive, at the sight of his manner, at +the whole truth in her surmises. "It isn't to be wondered at," she +consequently observed, as she smiled hypocritically, "that your eldest +brother should make frequent allusion to your qualities! for after +seeing you on this occasion, and hearing you utter these few remarks, I +have readily discovered what an intelligent and genial person you are! I +am just now on my way to join the ladies on the other side, and have no +leisure to converse with you; but wait until I've nothing to attend to, +when we can meet again." + +"I meant to have gone over to your place and paid my respects to you, +sister-in-law," pleaded Chia Jui, "but I was afraid lest a person of +tender years like yourself mightn't lightly receive any visitors!" + +Lady Feng gave another sardonic smile. "Relatives," she continued, "of +one family, as we are, what need is there to say anything of tender +years?" + +After Chia Jui had heard these words, he felt his heart swell within him +with such secret joy that he was urged to reflect: "I have at length +to-day, when least I expected it, obtained this remarkable encounter +with her!" + +But as the display of his passion became still more repulsive, lady Feng +urged him to go. "Be off at once," she remarked, "and join the +entertainment; for mind, if they find you out, they will mulct you in so +many glasses of wine!" + +By the time this suggestion had reached Chia Jui's ears, half of his +body had become stiff like a log of wood; and as he betook himself away, +with lothful step, he turned his head round to cast glances at her. Lady +Feng purposely slackened her pace; and when she perceived that he had +gone a certain distance, she gave way to reflection. "This is indeed," +she thought, "knowing a person, as far as face goes, and not as heart! +Can there be another such a beast as he! If he really continues to +behave in this manner, I shall soon enough compass his death, with my +own hands, and he'll then know what stuff I'm made of." + +Lady Feng, at this juncture moved onward, and after turning round a +chain of hillocks, she caught sight of two or three matrons coming along +with all speed. As soon as they espied lady Feng they put on a smile. +"Our mistress," they said, "perceiving that your ladyship was not +forthcoming, has been in a great state of anxiety, and bade your +servants come again to request you to come over. + +"Is your mistress," observed lady Feng, "so like a quick-footed demon?" + +While lady Feng advanced leisurely, she inquired, "How many plays have +been recited?" to which question one of the matrons replied, "They have +gone through eight or nine." But while engaged in conversation, they had +already reached the back door of the Tower of Celestial Fragrance, where +she caught sight of Pao-yü playing with a company of waiting-maids and +pages. "Brother Pao," lady Feng exclaimed, "don't be up to too much +mischief!" "The ladies are all sitting upstairs," interposed one of the +maids. "Please, my lady, this is the way up." + +At these words lady Feng slackened her pace, raised her dress, and +walked up the stairs, where Mrs. Yu was already at the top of the +landing waiting for her. + +"You two," remarked Mrs. Yu, smiling, "are so friendly, that having met +you couldn't possibly tear yourself away to come. You had better +to-morrow move over there and take up your quarters with her and have +done; but sit down and let me, first of all, present you a glass of +wine." + +Lady Feng speedily drew near mesdames Hsing and Wang, and begged +permission to take a seat; while Mrs. Yu brought the programme, and +pressed lady Feng to mark some plays. + +"The senior ladies occupy the seats of honour," remonstrated lady Feng, +"and how can I presume to choose?" + +"We, and our relative by marriage, have selected several plays," +explained mesdames Hsing and Wang, "and it's for you now to choose some +good ones for us to listen to." + +Standing up, lady Feng signified her obedience; and taking over the +programme, and perusing it from top to bottom, she marked off one +entitled, the "Return of the Spirit," and another called "Thrumming and +Singing;" after which she handed back the programme, observing, "When +they have done with the 'Ennoblement of two Officers,' which they are +singing just at present, it will be time enough to sing these two." + +"Of course it will," retorted madame Wang, "but they should get it over +as soon as they can, so as to allow your elder Brother and your +Sister-in-law to have rest; besides, their hearts are not at ease." + +"You senior ladies don't come often," expostulated Mrs. Yu, "and you and +I will derive more enjoyment were we to stay a little longer; it's as +yet early in the day!" + +Lady Feng stood up and looked downstairs. "Where have all the gentlemen +gone to?" she inquired. + +"The gentlemen have just gone over to the Pavilion of Plenteous +Effulgence," replied a matron, who stood by; "they have taken along with +them ten musicians and gone in there to drink their wine." + +"It wasn't convenient for them," remarked lady Feng, "to be over here; +but who knows what they have again gone to do behind our backs?" + +"Could every one," interposed Mrs. Yu, "resemble you, a person of such +propriety!" + +While they indulged in chatting and laughing, the plays they had chosen +were all finished; whereupon the tables were cleared of the wines, and +the repast was served. The meal over, the whole company adjourned into +the garden, and came and sat in the drawing-room. After tea, they at +length gave orders to get ready the carriages, and they took their leave +of Mrs. Yu's mother. Mrs. Yu, attended by all the secondary wives, +servants, and married women, escorted them out, while Chia Chen, along +with the whole bevy of young men, stood by the vehicles, waiting in a +group for their arrival. + +After saluting mesdames Hsing and Wang, "Aunts," they said, "you must +come over again to-morrow for a stroll." + +"We must be excused," observed madame Wang, "we've sat here the whole +day to-day, and are, after all, feeling quite tired; besides, we shall +need to have some rest to-morrow." + +Both of them thereupon got into their carriages and took their +departure, while Chia Jui still kept a fixed gaze upon lady Feng; and it +was after Chia Chen had gone in that Li Kuei led round the horse, and +that Pao-yü mounted and went off, following in the track of mesdames +Hsing and Wang. + +Chia Chen and the whole number of brothers and nephews belonging to the +family had, during this interval, partaken of their meal, and the whole +party at length broke up. But in like manner, all the inmates of the +clan and the guests spent on the morrow another festive day, but we need +not advert to it with any minuteness. + +After this occasion, lady Feng came in person and paid frequent visits +to Mrs. Ch'in; but as there were some days on which her ailment was +considerably better, and others on which it was considerably worse, Chia +Chen, Mrs. Yu, and Chia Jung were in an awful state of anxiety. + +Chia Jui, it must moreover be noticed, came over, on several instances, +on a visit to the Jung mansion; but it invariably happened that he found +that lady Feng had gone over to the Ning mansion. + +This was just the thirtieth of the eleventh moon, the day on which the +winter solstice fell; and the few days preceding that season, dowager +lady Chia, madame Wang and lady Feng did not let one day go by without +sending some one to inquire about Mrs. Ch'in; and as the servants, on +their return, repeatedly reported that, during the last few days, +neither had her ailment aggravated, nor had it undergone any marked +improvement, madame Wang explained to dowager lady Chia, that as a +complaint of this nature had reached this kind of season without getting +any worse, there was some hope of recovery. + +"Of course there is!" observed the old lady; "what a dear child she is! +should anything happen to her, won't it be enough to make people die +from grief!" and as she spake she felt for a time quite sore at heart. +"You and she," continuing, she said to lady Feng, "have been friends for +ever so long; to-morrow is the glorious first (and you can't go), but +after to-morrow you should pay her a visit and minutely scrutinise her +appearance: and should you find her any better, come and tell me on your +return! Whatever things that dear child has all along a fancy for, do +send her round a few even as often as you can by some one or other!" + +Lady Feng assented to each of her recommendations; and when the second +arrived, she came, after breakfast, to the Ning mansion to see how Mrs. +Ch'in was getting on; and though she found her none the worse, the flesh +all over her face and person had however become emaciated and parched +up. She readily sat with Mrs. Ch'in for a long while, and after they had +chatted on one thing and another, she again reiterated the assurances +that this illness involved no danger, and distracted her for ever so +long. + +"Whether I get well or not," observed Mrs. Ch'in, "we'll know in spring; +now winter is just over, and I'm anyhow no worse, so that possibly I may +get all right; and yet there's no saying; but, my dear sister-in-law, do +press our old lady to compose her mind! yesterday, her ladyship sent me +some potato dumplings, with minced dates in them, and though I had two, +they seem after all to be very easily digested!" + +"I'll send you round some more to-morrow," lady Feng suggested; "I'm now +going to look up your mother-in-law, and will then hurry back to give my +report to our dowager lady." + +"Please, sister-in-law," Mrs. Ch'in said, "present my best respects to +her venerable ladyship, as well as to madame Wang." + +Lady Feng signified that she would comply with her wishes, and, +forthwith leaving the apartment, she came over and sat in Mrs. Yu's +suite of rooms. + +"How do you, who don't see our son's wife very often, happen to find +her?" inquired Mrs. Yu. + +Lady Feng drooped her head for some time. "There's no help," she +ventured, "for this illness! but you should likewise make every +subsequent preparation, for it would also be well if you could scour it +away." + +"I've done so much as to secretly give orders," replied Mrs. Yu, "to get +things ready; but for that thing (the coffin), there's no good timber to +be found, so that it will have to be looked after by and by." + +Lady Feng swallowed hastily a cup of tea, and after a short chat, "I +must be hurrying back," she remarked, "to deliver my message to our +dowager lady!" + +"You should," urged Mrs. Yu, "be sparse in what you tell her lady ship +so as not to frighten an old person like her!" + +"I know well enough what to say," replied lady Feng. + +Without any further delay, lady Feng then sped back. On her arrival at +home she looked up the old lady. "Brother Jung's wife," she explained, +"presents her compliments, and pays obeisance to your venerable +ladyship; she says that she's much better, and entreats you, her worthy +senior, to set your mind at ease! That as soon as she's a little better +she will come and prostrate herself before your ladyship." + +"How do you find her?" inquired dowager lady Chia. + +"For the present there's nothing to fear," continued lady Feng; "for her +mien is still good." + +After the old lady had heard these words, she was plunged for a long +while in deep reflection; and as she turned towards lady Feng, "Go and +divest yourself of your toilette," she said, "and have some rest." + +Lady Feng in consequence signified her obedience, and walked away, +returning home after paying madame Wang a visit. P'ing Erh helped lady +Feng to put on the house costume, which she had warmed by the fire, and +lady Feng eventually took a seat and asked "whether there was anything +doing at home?" + +P'ing Erh then brought the tea, and after going over to hand the cup: +"There's nothing doing," she replied; "as regards the interest on the +three hundred taels, Wang Erh's wife has brought it in, and I've put it +away. Besides this, Mr. Jui sent round to inquire if your ladyship was +at home or not, as he meant to come and pay his respects and to have a +chat." + +"Heng!" exclaimed lady Feng at these words. "Why should this beast +compass his own death? we'll see when he comes what is to be done." + +"Why is this Mr. Jui so bent upon coming?' P'ing Erh having inquired, +lady Feng readily gave her an account of how she had met him in the +course of the ninth moon in the Ning mansion, and of what had been said +by him. + +"What a mangy frog to be bent upon eating the flesh of a heavenly +goose!" ejaculated P'ing Erh. "A stupid and disorderly fellow with no +conception of relationship, to harbour such a thought! but we'll make +him find an unnatural death!" + +"Wait till he comes," added lady Feng, "when I feel certain I shall find +some way." + +What happened, however, when Chia Jui came has not, as yet, been +ascertained, but listen, reader, to the explanation given in the next +chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + Wang Hsi-feng maliciously lays a trap for Chia Jui, under pretence + that his affection is reciprocated. + Chia T'ien-hsiang gazes at the face of the mirror of Voluptuousness. + + +Lady Feng, it must be noticed in continuation of our narrative, was just +engaged in talking with P'ing Erh, when they heard some one announce +that Mr. Jui had come. Lady Feng gave orders that he should be invited +to step in, and Chia Jui perceiving that he had been asked to walk in +was at heart elated at the prospect of seeing her. + +With a face beaming with smiles, Lady Feng inquired again and again how +he was; and, with simulated tenderness she further pressed him to take a +seat and urged him to have a cup of tea. + +Chia Jui noticed how still more voluptuous lady Feng looked in her +present costume, and, as his eyes burnt with love, "How is it," he +inquired, "that my elder brother Secundus is not yet back?" + +"What the reason is I cannot tell," lady Feng said by way of reply. + +"May it not be," Chia Jui smilingly insinuated, "that some fair damsel +has got hold of him on the way, and that he cannot brook to tear himself +from her to come home?" + +"That makes it plain that there are those among men who fall in love +with any girl they cast their eyes on," hinted lady Feng. + +"Your remarks are, sister-in-law, incorrect, for I'm none of this kind!" +Chia Jui explained smirkingly. + +"How many like you can there be!" rejoined lady Feng with a sarcastic +smile; "in ten, not one even could be picked out!" + +When Chia Jui heard these words, he felt in such high glee that he +rubbed his ears and smoothed his cheeks. "My sister-in-law," he +continued, "you must of course be extremely lonely day after day." + +"Indeed I am," observed lady Feng, "and I only wish some one would come +and have a chat with me to break my dull monotony." + +"I daily have ample leisure," Chia Jui ventured with a simper, "and +wouldn't it be well if I came every day to dispel your dulness, +sister-in-law?" + +"You are simply fooling me," exclaimed lady Feng laughing. "It isn't +likely you would wish to come over here to me?" + +"If in your presence, sister-in-law, I utter a single word of falsehood, +may the thunder from heaven blast me!" protested Chia Jui. "It's only +because I had all along heard people say that you were a dreadful +person, and that you cannot condone even the slightest shortcoming +committed in your presence, that I was induced to keep back by fear; but +after seeing you, on this occasion, so chatty, so full of fun and most +considerate to others, how can I not come? were it to be the cause of my +death, I would be even willing to come!" + +"You're really a clever person," lady Feng observed sarcastically. "And +oh so much superior to both Chia Jung and his brother! Handsome as their +presence was to look at, I imagined their minds to be full of +intelligence, but who would have thought that they would, after all, be +a couple of stupid worms, without the least notion of human affection!" + +The words which Chia Jui heard, fell in so much the more with his own +sentiments, that he could not restrain himself from again pressing +forward nearer to her; and as with eyes strained to give intentness to +his view, he gazed at lady Feng's purse: "What rings have you got on?" +he went on to ask. + +"You should be a little more deferential," remonstrated lady Feng in a +low tone of voice, "so as not to let the waiting-maids detect us." + +Chia Jui withdrew backward with as much alacrity as if he had received +an Imperial decree or a mandate from Buddha. + +"You ought to be going!" lady Feng suggested, as she gave him a smile. + +"Do let me stay a while longer," entreated Chia Jui, "you are indeed +ruthless, my sister-in-law." + +But with gentle voice did lady Feng again expostulate. "In broad +daylight," she said, "with people coming and going, it is not really +convenient that you should abide in here; so you had better go, and when +it's dark and the watch is set, you can come over, and quietly wait for +me in the corridor on the Eastern side!" + +At these words, Chia Jui felt as if he had received some jewel or +precious thing. "Don't make fun of me!" he remarked with vehemence. "The +only thing is that crowds of people are ever passing from there, and how +will it be possible for me to evade detection?" + +"Set your mind at ease!" lady Feng advised; "I shall dismiss on leave +all the youths on duty at night; and when the doors, on both sides, are +closed, there will be no one else to come in!" + +Chia Jui was delighted beyond measure by the assurance, and with +impetuous haste, he took his leave and went off; convinced at heart of +the gratification of his wishes. He continued, up to the time of dusk, a +prey to keen expectation; and, when indeed darkness fell, he felt his +way into the Jung mansion, availing himself of the moment, when the +doors were being closed, to slip into the corridor, where everything was +actually pitch dark, and not a soul to be seen going backwards or +forwards. + +The door leading over to dowager lady Chia's apartments had already been +put under key, and there was but one gate, the one on the East, which +had not as yet been locked. Chia Jui lent his ear, and listened for ever +so long, but he saw no one appear. Suddenly, however, was heard a sound +like "lo teng," and the east gate was also bolted; but though Chia Jui +was in a great state of impatience, he none the less did not venture to +utter a sound. All that necessity compelled him to do was to issue, with +quiet steps, from his corner, and to try the gates by pushing; but they +were closed as firmly as if they had been made fast with iron bolts; and +much though he may, at this juncture, have wished to find his way out, +escape was, in fact, out of the question; on the south and north was one +continuous dead wall, which, even had he wished to scale, there was +nothing which he could clutch and pull himself up by. + +This room, besides, was one the interior (of which was exposed) to the +wind, which entered through (the fissure) of the door; and was perfectly +empty and bare; and the weather being, at this time, that of December, +and the night too very long, the northerly wind, with its biting gusts, +was sufficient to penetrate the flesh and to cleave the bones, so that +the whole night long he had a narrow escape from being frozen to death; +and he was yearning, with intolerable anxiety for the break of day, when +he espied an old matron go first and open the door on the East side, and +then come in and knock at the western gate. + +Chia Jui seeing that she had turned her face away, bolted out, like a +streak of smoke, as he hugged his shoulders with his hands (from intense +cold.) As luck would have it, the hour was as yet early, so that the +inmates of the house had not all got out of bed; and making his escape +from the postern door, he straightaway betook himself home, running back +the whole way. + +Chia Jui's parents had, it must be explained, departed life at an early +period, and he had no one else, besides his grandfather Tai-ju, to take +charge of his support and education. This Tai-ju had, all along, +exercised a very strict control, and would not allow Chia Jui to even +make one step too many, in the apprehension that he might gad about out +of doors drinking and gambling, to the neglect of his studies. + +Seeing, on this unexpected occasion, that he had not come home the whole +night, he simply felt positive, in his own mind, that he was certain to +have run about, if not drinking, at least gambling, and dissipating in +houses of the demi-monde up to the small hours; but he never even gave +so much as a thought to the possibility of a public scandal, as that in +which he was involved. The consequence was that during the whole length +of the night he boiled with wrath. + +Chia Jui himself, on the other hand, was (in such a state of +trepidation) that he could wipe the perspiration (off his face) by +handfuls; and he felt constrained on his return home, to have recourse +to deceitful excuses, simply explaining that he had been at his eldest +maternal uncle's house, and that when it got dark, they kept him to +spend the night there. + +"Hitherto," remonstrated Tai-ju, "when about to go out of doors, you +never ventured to go, on your own hook, without first telling me about +it, and how is it that yesterday you surreptitiously left the house? for +this offence alone you deserve a beating, and how much more for the lie +imposed upon me." + +Into such a violent fit of anger did he consequently fly that laying +hands on him, he pulled him over and administered to him thirty or forty +blows with a cane. Nor would he allow him to have anything to eat, but +bade him remain on his knees in the court conning essays; impressing on +his mind that he would not let him off, before he had made up for the +last ten days' lessons. + +Chia Jui had in the first instance, frozen the whole night, and, in the +next place, came in for a flogging. With a stomach, besides, gnawed by +the pangs of hunger, he had to kneel in a place exposed to drafts +reading the while literary compositions, so that the hardships he had to +endure were of manifold kinds. + +Chia Jui's infamous intentions had at this junction undergone no change; +but far from his thoughts being even then any idea that lady Feng was +humbugging him, he seized, after the lapse of a couple of days, the +first leisure moments to come again in search of that lady. + +Lady Feng pretended to bear him a grudge for his breach of faith, and +Chia Jui was so distressed that he tried by vows and oaths (to establish +his innocence.) Lady Feng perceiving that he had, of his own accord, +fallen into the meshes of the net laid for him, could not but devise +another plot to give him a lesson and make him know what was right and +mend his ways. + +With this purpose, she gave him another assignation. "Don't go over +there," she said, "to-night, but wait for me in the empty rooms giving +on to a small passage at the back of these apartments of mine. But +whatever you do, mind don't be reckless." + +"Are you in real earnest?" Chia Jui inquired. + +"Why, who wants to play with you?" replied lady Feng; "if you don't +believe what I say, well then don't come!" + +"I'll come, I'll come, yea I'll come, were I even to die!" protested +Chia Jui. + +"You should first at this very moment get away!" lady Feng having +suggested, Chia Jui, who felt sanguine that when evening came, success +would for a certainty crown his visit, took at once his departure in +anticipation (of his pleasure.) + +During this interval lady Feng hastily set to work to dispose of her +resources, and to add to her stratagems, and she laid a trap for her +victim; while Chia Jui, on the other hand, was until the shades of +darkness fell, a prey to incessant expectation. + +As luck would have it a relative of his happened to likewise come on +that very night to their house and to only leave after he had dinner +with them, and at an hour of the day when the lamps had already been +lit; but he had still to wait until his grandfather had retired to rest +before he could, at length with precipitate step, betake himself into +the Jung mansion. + +Straightway he came into the rooms in the narrow passage, and waited +with as much trepidation as if he had been an ant in a hot pan. He +however waited and waited, but he saw no one arrive; he listened but not +even the sound of a voice reached his ear. His heart was full of intense +fear, and he could not restrain giving way to surmises and suspicion. +"May it not be," he thought, "that she is not coming again; and that I +may have once more to freeze for another whole night?" + +While indulging in these erratic reflections, he discerned some one +coming, looking like a black apparition, who Chia Jui readily concluded, +in his mind, must be lady Feng; so that, unmindful of distinguishing +black from white, he as soon as that person arrived in front of him, +speedily clasped her in his embrace, like a ravenous tiger pouncing upon +its prey, or a cat clawing a rat, and cried: "My darling sister, you +have made me wait till I'm ready to die." + +As he uttered these words, he dragged the comer, in his arms, on to the +couch in the room; and while indulging in kisses and protestations of +warm love, he began to cry out at random epithets of endearment. + +Not a sound, however, came from the lips of the other person; and Chia +Jui had in the fulness of his passion, exceeded the bounds of timid love +and was in the act of becoming still more affectionate in his +protestations, when a sudden flash of a light struck his eye, by the +rays of which he espied Chia Se with a candle in hand, casting the light +round the place, "Who's in this room?" he exclaimed. + +"Uncle Jui," he heard some one on the couch explain, laughing, "was +trying to take liberties with me!" + +Chia Jui at one glance became aware that it was no other than Chia Jung; +and a sense of shame at once so overpowered him that he could find +nowhere to hide himself; nor did he know how best to extricate himself +from the dilemma. Turning himself round, he made an attempt to make good +his escape, when Chia Se with one grip clutched him in his hold. + +"Don't run away," he said; "sister-in-law Lien has already reported your +conduct to madame Wang; and explained that you had tried to make her +carry on an improper flirtation with you; that she had temporised by +having recourse to a scheme to escape your importunities, and that she +had imposed upon you in such a way as to make you wait for her in this +place. Our lady was so terribly incensed, that she well-nigh succumbed; +and hence it is that she bade me come and catch you! Be quick now and +follow me, and let us go and see her." + +After Chia Jui had heard these words, his very soul could not be +contained within his body. + +"My dear nephew," he entreated, "do tell her that it wasn't I; and I'll +show you my gratitude to-morrow in a substantial manner." + +"Letting you off," rejoined Chia Se, "is no difficult thing; but how +much, I wonder, are you likely to give? Besides, what you now utter with +your lips, there will be no proof to establish; so you had better write +a promissory note." + +"How could I put what happened in black and white on paper?" observed +Chia Jui. + +"There's no difficulty about that either!" replied Chia Se; "just write +an account of a debt due, for losses in gambling, to some one outside; +for payment of which you had to raise funds, by a loan of a stated +number of taels, from the head of the house; and that will be all that +is required." + +"This is, in fact, easy enough!" Chia Jui having added by way of answer; +Chia Se turned round and left the room; and returning with paper and +pencils, which had been got ready beforehand for the purpose, he bade +Chia Jui write. The two of them (Chia Jung and Chia Se) tried, the one +to do a good turn, and the other to be perverse in his insistence; but +(Chia Jui) put down no more than fifty taels, and appended his +signature. + +Chia Se pocketed the note, and endeavoured subsequently to induce Chia +Jung to come away; but Chia Jung was, at the outset, obdurate and +unwilling to give in, and kept on repeating; "To-morrow, I'll tell the +members of our clan to look into your nice conduct!" + +These words plunged Chia Jui in such a state of dismay, that he even +went so far as to knock his head on the ground; but, as Chia Se was +trying to get unfair advantage of him though he had at first done him a +good turn, he had to write another promissory note for fifty taels, +before the matter was dropped. + +Taking up again the thread of the conversation, Chia Se remarked, "Now +when I let you go, I'm quite ready to bear the blame! But the gate at +our old lady's over there is already bolted, and Mr. Chia Cheng is just +now engaged in the Hall, looking at the things which have arrived from +Nanking, so that it would certainly be difficult for you to pass through +that way. The only safe course at present is by the back gate; but if +you do go by there, and perchance meet any one, even I will be in for a +mess; so you might as well wait until I go first and have a peep, when +I'll come and fetch you! You couldn't anyhow conceal yourself in this +room; for in a short time they'll be coming to stow the things away, and +you had better let me find a safe place for you." + +These words ended, he took hold of Chia Jui, and, extinguishing again +the lantern, he brought him out into the court, feeling his way up to +the bottom of the steps of the large terrace. "It's safe enough in this +nest," he observed, "but just squat down quietly and don't utter a +sound; wait until I come back before you venture out." + +Having concluded this remark, the two of them (Chia Se and Chia Jung) +walked away; while Chia Jui was, all this time, out of his senses, and +felt constrained to remain squatting at the bottom of the terrace +stairs. He was about to consider what course was open for him to adopt, +when he heard a noise just over his head; and, with a splash, the +contents of a bucket, consisting entirely of filthy water, was emptied +straight down over him from above, drenching, as luck would have it, his +whole person and head. + +Chia Jui could not suppress an exclamation. "Ai ya!" he cried, but he +hastily stopped his mouth with his hands, and did not venture to give +vent to another sound. His whole head and face were a mass of filth, and +his body felt icy cold. But as he shivered and shook, he espied Chia Se +come running. "Get off," he shouted, "with all speed! off with you at +once!" + +As soon as Chia Jui returned to life again, he bolted with hasty +strides, out of the back gate, and ran the whole way home. The night had +already reached the third watch, so that he had to knock at the door for +it to be opened. + +"What's the matter?" inquired the servants, when they saw him in this +sorry plight; (an inquiry) which placed him in the necessity of making +some false excuse. "The night was dark," he explained, "and my foot +slipped and I fell into a gutter." + +Saying this, he betook himself speedily to his own apartment; and it was +only after he had changed his clothes and performed his ablutions, that +he began to realise that lady Feng had made a fool of him. He +consequently gave way to a fit of wrath; but upon recalling to mind the +charms of lady Feng's face, he felt again extremely aggrieved that he +could not there and then clasp her in his embrace, and as he indulged in +these wild thoughts and fanciful ideas, he could not the whole night +long close his eyes. + +From this time forward his mind was, it is true, still with lady Feng, +but he did not have the courage to put his foot into the Jung mansion; +and with Chia Jung and Chia Se both coming time and again to dun him for +the money, he was likewise full of fears lest his grandfather should +come to know everything. + +His passion for lady Feng was, in fact, already a burden hard to bear, +and when, moreover, the troubles of debts were superadded to his tasks, +which were also during the whole day arduous, he, a young man of about +twenty, as yet unmarried, and a prey to constant cravings for lady Feng, +which were difficult to gratify, could not avoid giving way, to a great +extent, to such evil habits as exhausted his energies. His lot had, what +is more, been on two occasions to be frozen, angered and to endure much +hardship, so that with the attacks received time and again from all +sides, he unconsciously soon contracted an organic disease. In his heart +inflammation set in; his mouth lost the sense of taste; his feet got as +soft as cotton from weakness; his eyes stung, as if there were vinegar +in them. At night, he burnt with fever. During the day, he was +repeatedly under the effects of lassitude. Perspiration was profuse, +while with his expectorations of phlegm, he brought up blood. The whole +number of these several ailments came upon him, before the expiry of a +year, (with the result that) in course of time, he had not the strength +to bear himself up. Of a sudden, he would fall down, and with his eyes, +albeit closed, his spirit would be still plunged in confused dreams, +while his mouth would be full of nonsense and he would be subject to +strange starts. + +Every kind of doctor was asked to come in, and every treatment had +recourse to; and, though of such medicines as cinnamon, aconitum seeds, +turtle shell, ophiopogon, Yü-chü herb, and the like, he took several +tens of catties, he nevertheless experienced no change for the better; +so that by the time the twelfth moon drew once again to an end, and +spring returned, this illness had become still more serious. + +Tai-ju was very much concerned, and invited doctors from all parts to +attend to him, but none of them could do him any good. And as later on, +he had to take nothing else but decoctions of pure ginseng, Tai-ju could +not of course afford it. Having no other help but to come over to the +Jung mansion, and make requisition for some, Madame Wang asked lady Feng +to weigh two taels of it and give it to him. "The other day," rejoined +lady Feng, "not long ago, when we concocted some medicine for our +dowager lady, you told us, madame, to keep the pieces that were whole, +to present to the spouse of General Yang to make physic with, and as it +happens it was only yesterday that I sent some one round with them." + +"If there's none over here in our place," suggested madame Wang, "just +send a servant to your mother-in-law's, on the other side, to inquire +whether they have any. Or it may possibly be that your elder +brother-in-law Chen, over there, might have a little. If so, put all you +get together, and give it to them; and when he shall have taken it, and +got well and you shall have saved the life of a human being, it will +really be to the benefit of you all." + +Lady Feng acquiesced; but without directing a single person to institute +any search, she simply took some refuse twigs, and making up a few mace, +she despatched them with the meagre message that they had been sent by +madame Wang, and that there was, in fact, no more; subsequently +reporting to madame Wang that she had asked for and obtained all there +was and that she had collected as much as two taels, and forwarded it to +them. + +Chia Jui was, meanwhile, very anxious to recover his health, so that +there was no medicine that he would not take, but the outlay of money +was of no avail, for he derived no benefit. + +On a certain day and at an unexpected moment, a lame Taoist priest came +to beg for alms, and he averred that he had the special gift of healing +diseases arising from grievances received, and as Chia Jui happened, +from inside, to hear what he said, he forthwith shouted out: "Go at +once, and bid that divine come in and save my life!" while he +reverentially knocked his head on the pillow. + +The whole bevy of servants felt constrained to usher the Taoist in; and +Chia Jui, taking hold of him with a dash, "My Buddha!" he repeatedly +cried out, "save my life!" + +The Taoist heaved a sigh. "This ailment of yours," he remarked, "is not +one that could be healed with any medicine; I have a precious thing here +which I'll give you, and if you gaze at it every day, your life can be +saved!" + +When he had done talking, he produced from his pouch a looking-glass +which could reflect a person's face on the front and back as well. On +the upper part of the back were engraved the four characters: "Precious +Mirror of Voluptuousness." Handing it over to Chia Jui: "This object," +he proceeded, "emanates from the primordial confines of the Great Void +and has been wrought by the Monitory Dream Fairy in the Palace of +Unreality and Spirituality, with the sole intent of healing the +illnesses which originate from evil thoughts and improper designs. +Possessing, as it does, the virtue of relieving mankind and preserving +life, I have consequently brought it along with me into the world, but I +only give it to those intelligent preëminent and refined princely men to +set their eyes on. On no account must you look at the front side; and +you should only gaze at the back of it; this is urgent, this is +expedient! After three days, I shall come and fetch it away; by which +time, I'm sure, it will have made him all right." + +These words finished, he walked away with leisurely step, and though all +tried to detain him, they could not succeed. + +Chia Jui received the mirror. "This Taoist," he thought, "would seem to +speak sensibly, and why should I not look at it and try its effect?" At +the conclusion of these thoughts, he took up the Mirror of +Voluptuousness, and cast his eyes on the obverse side; but upon +perceiving nought else than a skeleton standing in it, Chia Jui +sustained such a fright that he lost no time in covering it with his +hands and in abusing the Taoist. "You good-for-nothing!" he exclaimed, +"why should you frighten me so? but I'll go further and look at the +front and see what it's like." + +While he reflected in this manner, he readily looked into the face of +the mirror, wherein he caught sight of lady Feng standing, nodding her +head and beckoning to him. With one gush of joy, Chia Jui felt himself, +in a vague and mysterious manner, transported into the mirror, where he +held an affectionate tête-à-tête with lady Feng. Lady Feng escorted him +out again. On his return to bed, he gave vent to an exclamation of "Ai +yah!" and opening his eyes, he turned the glass over once more; but +still, as hitherto, stood the skeleton in the back part. + +Chia Jui had, it is true, experienced all the pleasant sensations of a +tête-à-tête, but his heart nevertheless did not feel gratified; so that +he again turned the front round, and gazed at lady Feng, as she still +waved her hand and beckoned to him to go. Once more entering the mirror, +he went on in the same way for three or four times, until this occasion, +when just as he was about to issue from the mirror, he espied two +persons come up to him, who made him fast with chains round the neck, +and hauled him away. Chia Jui shouted. "Let me take the mirror and I'll +come along." But only this remark could he utter, for it was forthwith +beyond his power to say one word more. The servants, who stood by in +attendance, saw him at first still holding the glass in his hand and +looking in, and then, when it fell from his grasp, open his eyes again +to pick it up, but when at length the mirror dropped, and he at once +ceased to move, they in a body came forward to ascertain what had +happened to him. He had already breathed his last. The lower part of his +body was icy-cold; his clothes moist from profuse perspiration. With all +promptitude they changed him there and then, and carried him to another +bed. + +Tai-ju and his wife wept bitterly for him, to the utter disregard of +their own lives, while in violent terms they abused the Taoist priest. +"What kind of magical mirror is it?" they asked. "If we don't destroy +this glass, it will do harm to not a few men in the world!" + +Having forthwith given directions to bring fire and burn it, a voice was +heard in the air to say, "Who told you to look into the face of it? You +yourselves have mistaken what is false for what is true, and why burn +this glass of mine?" + +Suddenly the mirror was seen to fly away into the air; and when Tai-ju +went out of doors to see, he found no one else than the limping Taoist, +shouting, "Who is he who wishes to destroy the Mirror of +Voluptuousness?" While uttering these words, he snatched the glass, and, +as all eyes were fixed upon him, he moved away lissomely, as if swayed +by the wind. + +Tai-ju at once made preparations for the funeral and went everywhere to +give notice that on the third day the obsequies would commence, that on +the seventh the procession would start to escort the coffin to the Iron +Fence Temple, and that on the subsequent day, it would be taken to his +original home. + +Not much time elapsed before all the members of the Chia family came, in +a body, to express their condolences. Chia She, of the Jung Mansion, +presented twenty taels, and Chia Cheng also gave twenty taels. Of the +Ning Mansion, Chia Chen likewise contributed twenty taels. The remainder +of the members of the clan, of whom some were poor and some rich, and +not equally well off, gave either one or two taels, or three or four, +some more, some less. Among strangers, there were also contributions, +respectively presented by the families of his fellow-scholars, +amounting, likewise, collectively to twenty or thirty taels. + +The private means of Tai-ju were, it is true, precarious, but with the +monetary assistance he obtained, he anyhow performed the funeral rites +with all splendour and éclat. + +But who would have thought it, at the close of winter of this year, Lin +Ju-hai contracted a serious illness, and forwarded a letter, by some +one, with the express purpose of fetching Lin Tai-yü back. These +tidings, when they reached dowager lady Chia, naturally added to the +grief and distress (she already suffered), but she felt compelled to +make speedy preparations for Tai-yü's departure. Pao-yü too was +intensely cut up, but he had no alternative but to defer to the +affection of father and daughter; nor could he very well place any +hindrance in the way. + +Old lady Chia, in due course, made up her mind that she would like Chia +Lien to accompany her, and she also asked him to bring her back again +along with him. But no minute particulars need be given of the manifold +local presents and of the preparations, which were, of course, +everything that could be wished for in excellence and perfectness. +Forthwith the day for starting was selected, and Chia Lien, along with +Lin Tai-yü, said good-bye to all the members of the family, and, +followed by their attendants, they went on board their boats, and set +out on their journey for Yang Chou. + +But, Reader, should you have any wish to know fuller details, listen to +the account given in the subsequent Chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + Ch'in K'o-ch'ing dies, and Chia Jung is invested with the rank of + military officer to the Imperial Body-guard. + Wang Hsi-feng lends her help in the management of the Jung Kuo + Mansion. + + +Lady Feng, it must be added, in prosecuting our narrative, was ever +since Chia Lien's departure to accompany Tai-yü to Yang Chou, really +very dejected at heart; and every day, when evening came, she would, +after simply indulging in a chat and a laugh with P'ing Erh, turn in, in +a heedless frame of mind, for the night. + +In the course of the night of this day, she had been sitting with P'ing +Erh by lamp-light clasping the hand-stove; and weary of doing her work +of embroidery, she had at an early hour, given orders to warm the +embroidered quilt, and both had gone to bed; and as she was bending her +fingers, counting the progress of the journey, and when they should be +arriving, unexpectedly, the third watch struck. + +P'ing Erh had already fallen fast asleep; and lady Feng was feeling at +length her sleepy eyes slightly dose, when she faintly discerned Mrs. +Ch'in walk in from outside. + +"My dear sister-in-law," she said as she smiled, "sleep in peace; I'm on +my way back to-day, and won't even you accompany me just one stage? But +as you and I have been great friends all along, I cannot part from you, +sister-in-law, and have therefore come to take my leave of you. There +is, besides, a wish of mine, which isn't yet accomplished; and if I +don't impart it to you, it isn't likely that telling any one else will +be of any use." + +Lady Feng could not make out the sense of the words she heard. "What +wish is it you have?" she inquired, "do tell me, and it will be safe +enough with me." + +"You are, my dear sister-in-law, a heroine among women," observed Mrs. +Ch'in, "so much so that those famous men, with sashes and official hats, +cannot excel you; how is it that you're not aware of even a couple of +lines of common adages, of that trite saying, 'when the moon is full, it +begins to wane; when the waters are high, they must overflow?' and of +that other which says that 'if you ascend high, heavy must be your +fall.' Our family has now enjoyed splendour and prosperity for already +well-nigh a century, but a day comes when at the height of good fortune, +calamity arises; and if the proverb that 'when the tree falls, the +monkeys scatter,' be fulfilled, will not futile have been the reputation +of culture and old standing of a whole generation?" + +Lady Feng at these words felt her heart heavy, and overpowered by +intense awe and veneration. + +"The fears you express are well founded," she urgently remarked, "but +what plan is there adequate to preserve it from future injury?" + +"My dear sister-in-law," rejoined Mrs. Ch'in with a sardonic smile, +"you're very simple indeed! When woe has reached its climax, weal +supervenes. Prosperity and adversity, from days of yore up to the +present time, now pass away, and now again revive, and how can +(prosperity) be perpetuated by any human exertion? But if now, we could +in the time of good fortune, make provision against any worldly +concerns, which might arise at any season of future adversity, we might +in fact prolong and preserve it. Everything, for instance, is at present +well-regulated; but there are two matters which are not on a sure +footing, and if such and such suitable action could be adopted with +regard to these concerns, it will, in subsequent days, be found easy to +perpetuate the family welfare in its entity." + +"What matters are these?" inquired lady Feng. + +"Though at the graves of our ancestors," explained Mrs. Ch'in, +"sacrifices and oblations be offered at the four seasons, there's +nevertheless no fixed source of income. In the second place, the family +school is, it is true, in existence; but it has no definite +grants-in-aid. According to my views, now that the times are prosperous, +there's, as a matter of course, no lack of offerings and contributions; +but by and bye, when reverses set in, whence will these two outlays be +met from? Would it not be as well, and my ideas are positive on this +score, to avail ourselves of the present time, when riches and honours +still reign, to establish in the immediate vicinity of our ancestral +tombs, a large number of farms, cottages, and estates, in order to +enable the expenditure for offerings and grants to entirely emanate from +this source? And if the household school were also established on this +principle, the old and young in the whole clan can, after they have, by +common consent, determined upon rules, exercise in days to come control, +in the order of the branches, over the affairs connected with the landed +property, revenue, ancestral worship and school maintenance for the year +(of their respective term.) Under this rotatory system, there will +likewise be no animosities; neither will there be any mortgages, or +sales, or any of these numerous malpractices; and should any one happen +to incur blame, his personal effects can be confiscated by Government. +But the properties, from which will be derived the funds for ancestral +worship, even the officials should not be able to appropriate, so that +when reverses do supervene, the sons and grandsons of the family may be +able to return to their homes, and prosecute their studies, or go in for +farming. Thus, while they will have something to fall back upon, the +ancestral worship will, in like manner, be continued in perpetuity. But, +if the present affluence and splendour be looked upon as bound to go on +without intermission, and with no thought for the day to come, no +enduring plan be after all devised, presently, in a little while, there +will, once again, transpire a felicitous occurrence of exceptional kind, +which, in point of fact, will resemble the splendour of oil scorched on +a violent fire, or fresh flowers decorated with brocades. You should +bear in mind that it will also be nothing more real than a transient +pageant, nothing but a short-lived pleasure! Whatever you do, don't +forget the proverb, that 'there's no banquet, however sumptuous, from +which the guests do not disperse;' and unless you do, at an early date, +take precautions against later evils, regret will, I apprehend, be of no +avail." + +"What felicitous occurrence will take place?" lady Feng inquired with +alacrity. + +"The decrees of Heaven cannot be divulged; but as I have been very +friendly with you, sister-in-law, for so long, I will present you, +before I take my leave, with two lines, which it behoves you to keep in +mind," rejoined Mrs. Ch'in, as she consequently proceeded to recite what +follows: + + The three springs, when over, all radiance will wane; + The inmates to seek each a home will be fain. + +Lady Feng was bent upon making further inquiries, when she heard a +messenger at the second gate strike the "cloudy board" four consecutive +blows. It was indeed the announcement of a death; and it woke up lady +Feng with a start. A servant reported that lady Jung of the eastern +mansion was no more. + +Lady Feng was so taken aback that a cold perspiration broke out all over +her person, and she fell for a while into vacant abstraction. But she +had to change her costume, with all possible haste, and to come over to +madame Wang's apartments. + +By this time, all the members of the family were aware of the tidings, +and there was not one of them who did not feel disconsolate; one and all +of them were much wounded at heart. The elder generation bethought +themselves of the dutiful submission which she had all along displayed; +those of the same age as herself reflected upon the friendship and +intimacy which had ever existed with her; those younger than her +remembered her past benevolence. Even the servants of the household, +whether old or young, looked back upon her qualities of sympathy with +the poor, pity of the destitute, affection for the old, and +consideration for the young; and not one of them all was there who did +not mourn her loss, and give way to intense grief. + +But these irrelevant details need not be dilated upon; suffice it to +confine ourselves to Pao-yü. + +Consequent upon Lin Tai-yü's return home, he was left to his own self +and felt very lonely. Neither would he go and disport himself with +others; but with the daily return of dusk, he was wont to retire quietly +to sleep. + +On this day, while he was yet under the influence of a dream, he heard +the announcement of Mrs. Ch'in's death, and turning himself round +quickly he crept out of bed, when he felt as if his heart had been +stabbed with a sword. With a sudden retch, he straightway expectorated a +mouthful of blood, which so frightened Hsi Jen and the rest that they +rushed forward and supported him. + +"What is the matter?" they inquired, and they meant also to go and let +dowager lady Chia know, so as to send for a doctor, but Pao-yü dissuaded +them. + +"There's no need of any flurry; it's nothing at all," he said, "it's +simply that the fire of grief has attacked the heart, and that the blood +did not circulate through the arteries." + +As he spoke, he speedily raised himself up, and, after asking for his +clothes and changing, he came over to see dowager lady Chia. His wish +was to go at once to the other side; and Hsi Jen, though feeling uneasy +at heart, seeing the state of mind he was in, did not again hinder him, +as she felt constrained to let him please himself. + +When old lady Chia saw that he was bent upon going: "The breath is just +gone out of the body," she consequently remonstrated, "and that side is +still sullied. In the second place it's now dark, and the wind is high; +so you had better wait until to-morrow morning, when you will be in +ample time." + +Pao-yü would not agree to this, and dowager lady Chia gave orders to get +the carriage ready, and to depute a few more attendants and followers to +go with him. Under this escort he went forward and straightway arrived +in front of the Ning mansion, where they saw the main entrance wide +open, the lamps on the two sides giving out a light as bright as day, +and people coming and going in confused and large numbers; while the +sound of weeping inside was sufficient to shake the mountains and to +move the hills. + +Pao-yü dismounted from the carriage; and with hurried step, walked into +the apartment, where the coffin was laid. He gave vent to bitter tears +for a few minutes, and subsequently paid his salutations to Mrs. Yu. +Mrs. Yu, as it happened, had just had a relapse of her old complaint of +pains in the stomach and was lying on her bed. + +He eventually came out again from her chamber to salute Chia Chen, just +at the very moment that Chia Tai-ju, Chia Tai-hsiu, Chia Ch'ih, Chiao +Hsiao, Chia Tun, Chia She, Chia Cheng, Chia Tsung, Chia Pin, Chia Hsing, +Chia Kuang, Chia Shen, Chia Ch'iung, Chia Lin, Chia Se, Chia Ch'ang, +Chia Ling, Chia Yün, Chia Ch'in, Chia Chen, Chia P'ing, Chia Tsao, Chia +Heng, Chia Fen, Chia Fang, Chia Lan, Chia Chun, Chia Chih and the other +relatives of the families had likewise arrived in a body. + +Chia Chen wept so bitterly that he was like a man of tears. "Of the +whole family, whether young or old, distant relatives or close friends," +he was just explaining to Chia Tai-ju and the rest, "who did not know +that this girl was a hundred times better than even our son? but now +that her spirit has retired, it's evident that this elder branch of the +family will be cut off and that there will be no survivor." + +While he gave vent to these words, he again burst into tears, and the +whole company of relatives set to work at once to pacify him. "She has +already departed this life," they argued, "and tears are also of no +avail, besides the pressing thing now is to consult as to what kind of +arrangements are to be made." + +Chia Chen clapped his hands. "What arrangements are to be made!" he +exclaimed; "nothing is to be done, but what is within my means." + +As they conversed, they perceived Ch'in Yeh and Ch'in Chung, as well as +several relations of Mrs. Yu, arrive, together with Mrs. Yu's sisters; +and Chia Chen forthwith bade Chia Ch'ung, Chia Shen, Chia Lin and Chia +Se, the four of them, to go and entertain the guests; while he, at the +same time, issued directions to go and ask the Astrologer of the +Imperial Observatory to come and choose the days for the ceremonies. + +(This Astrologer) decided that the coffin should remain in the house for +seven times seven days, that is forty-nine days; that after the third +day, the mourning rites should be begun and the formal cards should be +distributed; that all that was to be done during these forty-nine days +was to invite one hundred and eight Buddhist bonzes to perform, in the +main Hall, the High Confession Mass, in order to ford the souls of +departed relatives across the abyss of suffering, and afterwards to +transmute the spirit (of Mrs. Ch'in); that, in addition, an altar should +be erected in the Tower of Heavenly Fragrance, where nine times nine +virtuous Taoist priests should, for nineteen days, offer up prayers for +absolution from punishment, and purification from retribution. That +after these services, the tablet should be moved into the Garden of +Concentrated Fragrance, and that in the presence of the tablet, fifteen +additional eminent bonzes and fifteen renowned Taoist Priests should +confront the altar and perform meritorious deeds every seven days. + +The news of the death of the wife of his eldest grandson reached Chia +Ching; but as he himself felt sure that, at no distant date, he would +ascend to the regions above, he was loth to return again to his home, +and so expose himself to the contamination of the world, as to +completely waste the meritorious excellence acquired in past days. For +this reason, he paid no heed to the event, but allowed Chia Chen a free +hand to accomplish the necessary preparations. + +Chia Chen, to whom we again revert, was fond of display and +extravagance, so that he found, on inspection of coffins, those few made +of pine-wood unsuitable to his taste; when, strange coincidence, Hsüeh +P'an came to pay his visit of condolence, and perceiving that Chia Chen +was in quest of a good coffin: "In our establishment," he readily +suggested, "we have a lot of timber of some kind or other called Ch'iang +wood, which comes from the T'ieh Wang Mount, in Huang Hai; and which +made into coffins will not rot, not for ten thousand years. This lot +was, in fact, brought down, some years back, by my late father; and had +at one time been required by His Highness I Chung, a Prince of the royal +blood; but as he became guilty of some mismanagement, it was, in +consequence, not used, and is still lying stored up in our +establishment; and another thing besides is that there's no one with the +means to purchase it. But if you do want it, you should come and have a +look at it." + +Chia Chen, upon hearing this, was extremely delighted, and gave orders +that the planks should be there and then brought over. When the whole +family came to inspect them, they found those for the sides and the +bottom to be all eight inches thick, the grain like betel-nut, the smell +like sandal-wood or musk, while, when tapped with the hand, the sound +emitted was like that of precious stones; so that one and all agreed in +praising the timber for its remarkable quality. + +"What is their price?" Chia Chen inquired with a smile. + +"Even with one thousand taels in hand," explained Hsüeh P'an laughingly, +"I feel sure you wouldn't find any place, where you could buy the like. +Why ask about price? if you just give the workmen a few taels for their +labour, it will be quite sufficient." + +Chia Chen, at these words, lost no time in giving expression to profuse +assurances of gratitude, and was forthwith issuing directions that the +timber should be split, sawn and made up, when Chia Cheng proffered his +advice. "Such articles shouldn't," he said, "be, in my idea, enjoyed by +persons of the common run; it would be quite ample if the body were +placed in a coffin made of pine of the best quality." + +But Chia Chen would not listen to any suggestion. + +Suddenly he further heard that Mrs. Ch'in's waiting-maid, Jui Chu by +name, had, after she had become alive to the fact that her mistress had +died, knocked her head against a post, and likewise succumbed to the +blows. This unusual occurrence the whole clan extolled in high terms; +and Chia Chen promptly directed that, with regard to ceremonies, she +should be treated as a granddaughter, and that the body should, after it +had been placed in the coffin, be also deposited in the Hall of Attained +Immortality, in the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance. + +There was likewise a young waiting-maid, called Pao Chu, who, as Mrs. +Ch'in left no issue, was willing to become an adopted child, and begged +to be allowed to undertake the charge of dashing the mourning bowl, and +accompanying the coffin; which pleased Chia Chen so much that he +speedily transmitted orders that from that time forth Pao Chu should be +addressed by all as 'young miss.' + +Pao Chu, after the rites of an unmarried daughter, mourned before the +coffin to such an unwonted degree, as if bent upon snapping her own +life; while the members of the entire clan, as well as the inmates of +the Mansions, each and all, readily observed, in their conduct, the +established mourning usages, without of course any transgression or +confusion. + +"Chia Jung," pondered Chia Chen, "has no higher status than that of +graduate by purchase, and were this designation written on the funeral +streamer, it will not be imposing, and, in point of fact, the retinue +will likewise be small." He therefore was exceedingly unhappy, in his +own mind, when, as luck would have it, on this day, which was the fourth +day of the first seven, Tai Ch'üan, a eunuch of the Palace of High +Renown, whose office was that of Palace Overseer, first prepared +sacrificial presents, which he sent round by messengers, and next came +himself in an official chair, preceded by criers beating the gong, to +offer sacrificial oblations. + +Chia Chen promptly received him, and pressed him into a seat; and when +they adjourned into the Hall of the Loitering Bees, tea was presented. + +Chia Chen had already arrived at a fixed purpose, so that he seized an +opportunity to tell him of his wish to purchase an office for Chia +Jung's advancement. + +Tai Ch'üan understood the purport of his remark. "It is, I presume," he +added smilingly, "that the funeral rites should be a little more +sumptuous." + +"My worthy sir," eagerly rejoined Chia Chen, "your surmise on that score +is perfectly correct." + +"The question," explained Tai Ch'üan, "comes up at an opportune moment; +for there is just at present a good vacancy. Of the three hundred +officers who at present constitute the Imperial Body Guard, there are +two wanting. Yesterday marquis Hsiang Yang's third brother came to +appeal to me with one thousand five hundred taels of ready money, which +he brought over to my house. You know the friendship of old standing +which exists between him and me, so that, placing other considerations +aside, I without a second thought, assented for his father's sake. But +there still remains another vacancy, which, who would have thought it, +fat general Feng, of Yung Hsing, asked to purchase for his son; but I +have had no time to give him an answer. Besides, as our child wants to +purchase it, you had better at once write a statement of his +antecedents." + +Chia Chen lost no time in bidding some one write the statement on red +paper, which Tai Ch'üan found, on perusal, to record that Chia Jung was +a graduate, by purchase, of the District of Chiang Ning, of the Ying +T'ien Prefecture, in Chiang Nan; that Chia Tai-hua, his great +grandfather, had been Commander-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Camp, and +an hereditary general of the first class, with the prefix of Spiritual +Majesty; that his grandfather Chia Ching was a metropolitan graduate of +the tripos in the Ping Ch'en year; and that his father Chia Chen had +inherited a rank of nobility of the third degree, and was a general, +with the prefix of Majestic Intrepidity. + +Tai Ch'üan, after perusal, turned his hand behind him and passed (the +statement) to a constant attendant of his, to put away: "Go back," he +enjoined him, "and give it to His Excellency Mr. Chao, at the head of +the Board of Revenue, and tell him, that I present him my compliments, +and would like him to draw up a warrant for subaltern of the Imperial +Body Guard of the fifth grade, and to also issue a commission; that he +should take the particulars from this statement and fill them up; and +that to-morrow I'll come and have the money weighed and sent over." + +The young attendant signified his obedience, and Tai Ch'üan thereupon +took his leave. Chia Chen did all he could to detain him, but with no +success; so that he had no alternative but to escort him as far as the +entrance of the Mansion. As he was about to mount into his chair, Chia +Chen inquired, "As regards the money, shall I go and pay it into the +Board, or am I to send it to the Board of Eunuchs?" + +"If you were to go and pay it at the Board," observed Tai Ch'üan; "you +are sure to suffer loss; so that it would be better if you just weighed +exactly one thousand taels and sent them over to my place; for then an +end will be put to all trouble." + +Chia Chen was incessant in his expression of gratitude. "When the period +of mourning has expired," he consequently added, "I shall lead in +person, my despicable eldest son to your mansion, to pay our obeisance, +and express our thanks." + +They then parted company, but close upon this, were heard again the +voices of runners. It was, in fact, the spouse of Shih Ting, the marquis +of Chung Ching, who was just arriving. Shih Hsiang-yun, mesdames Wang, +and Hsing, lady Feng and the rest came out at once, to greet her, and +lead her into the Main Building; when they further saw the sacrificial +presents of the three families, of the marquis of Chin Hsiang, the +marquis of Ch'uan Ning, and the earl of Shou Shan, likewise spread out +in front of the tablet. + +In a short while, these three noblemen descended from their chairs, and +Chia Chen received them in the Large Hall. In like manner all the +relatives and friends arrived in such quick succession, one coming, +another going, that it is impossible to remember even so much as their +number. One thing need be said that during these forty-nine days the +street on which the Ning Kuo mansion stood, was covered with a sheet of +white, formed by the people, coming and going; and thronged with +clusters of flowers, as the officials came and went. + +At the instance of Chia Chen, Chia Jung, the next day donned his gala +dress and went over for his papers; and on his return the articles in +use in front of the coffin, as well as those belonging to the cortege +and other such things, were all regulated by the rules prescribed for an +official status of the fifth degree; while, on the tablet and notice +alike the inscription consisted of: Spirit of lady Ch'in, (by marriage) +of the Chia mansion, and by patent a lady of the fifth rank (of the +titles of honour). + +The main entrance of the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance, adjoining the +street, was opened wide; and on both sides were raised sheds for the +musicians, and two companies of players, dressed in blue, discoursed +music at the proper times; while one pair after another of the +paraphernalia was drawn out so straight as if cut by a knife or slit by +an axe. There were also two large carmine boards, carved with gilt +inscriptions, erected outside the gate; the designations in bold +characters on the upper sides being: Guard of the Imperial Antechamber, +charged with the protection of the Inner Palace and Roads, in the Red +Prohibited City. + +On the opposite side, facing each other, rose, high above the ground, +two altars for the services of the Buddhist and Taoist priests, while a +placard bore the inscription in bold type: Funeral Obsequies of lady +Ch'in, (by marriage) of the Chia mansion, by patent a lady of the fifth +rank, consort of the eldest grandson of the hereditary duke of Ning Kuo, +and guard of the Imperial Antechamber, charged with the protection of +the Inner Palace and Roads in the Red Prohibited City. We, Wan Hsü, by +Heaven's commands charged with the perennial preservation of perfect +peace in the Kingdom of the Four Continents, as well as of the lands +contained therein, Head Controller of the School of Void and Asceticism, +and Superior in Chief (of the Buddhist hierarchy); and Yeh Sheng, +Principal Controller, since the creation, of the Disciples of Perfect +Excellence and Superior in Chief (of the Taoist priesthood), and others, +having in a reverent spirit purified ourselves by abstinence, now raise +our eyes up to Heaven, prostrate ourselves humbly before Buddha, and +devoutly pray all the Chia Lans, Chieh Tis, Kung Ts'aos and other +divinities to extend their sacred bounties, and from afar to display +their spiritual majesty, during the forty-nine days (of the funeral +rites), for the deliverance from judgment and the absolution from +retribution (of the spirit of lady Ch'in), so that it may enjoy a +peaceful and safe passage, whether by sea or by land; and other such +prayers to this effect, which are in fact not worth the trouble of +putting on record. + +Chia Chen had, it is true, all his wishes gratified; but, as his wife +was laid up in the inner chambers, with a relapse of her old complaint, +and was not in a fit state to undertake the direction of the ceremonies, +he was very much distressed lest, when the high officials (and their +wives) came and went, there should occur any breach of the prescribed +conventionalities, which he was afraid would evoke ridicule. Hence it +was that he felt in low spirits; but while he was plunged in solicitude +Pao-yü, who happened to be close by, readily inquired, "Everything may +be safely looked upon as being satisfactorily settled, and why need you, +elder brother, still be so full of concern?" + +Chia Chen forthwith explained to him how it was that in the ladies' +apartments there was no one (to do the honours), but Pao-yü at these +words smiled: "What difficulty is there about it?" he remarked; "I'll +recommend some one to take temporary charge of the direction of things +for you during the month, and I can guarantee that everything will be +properly carried out." + +"Who is it?" Chia Chen was quick to ask; but as Pao-yü perceived that +there were still too many relatives and friends seated around, he did +not feel as if he could very well speak out; so that he went up to Chia +Chen and whispered a couple of remarks in his ear. + +Chia Chen's joy knew no bounds when he heard this suggestion. +"Everything will indeed be properly carried out," he added laughingly; +"but I must now be going at once." + +With these words, he drew Pao-yü along, and taking leave of the whole +number of visitors, they forthwith came into the drawing rooms. + +This day was luckily not a grand occasion, so that few relatives and +friends had come. In the inner apartments there were only a small number +of ladies of close kinship. Mesdames Hsing and Wang, and lady Feng, and +the women of the whole household, were entertaining the guests, when +they heard a servant announce that Mr. Chia Chen had come. (This +announcement) took the whole body of ladies and young ladies so much by +surprise, that, with a rushing sound, they tried to hide in the back +rooms; but they were not quick enough (to effect their escape). + +Lady Feng alone composedly stood up. Chia Chen was himself at this time +rather unwell, and being also very much cut up, he entered the room +shuffling along, propping himself up with a staff. + +"You are not well?" therefore remarked madame Hsing and the others, "and +you've had besides so much to attend to during these consecutive days, +that what you require is rest to get all right; and why do you again +come over?" + +Chia Chen was, as he leant on his staff, straining every nerve to bend +his body so as to fall on his knees and pay his respects to them, and +express his sense of obligation for the trouble they had taken, when +madame Hsing and the other ladies hastily called Pao-yü to raise him up, +bidding a servant move a chair for him to sit on. Chia Chen would not +take a seat; but making an effort to return a smile, "Your nephew," he +urged, "has come over, as there's a favour that I want to ask of my two +aunts as well as of my eldest cousin." + +"What is it?" promptly inquired madame Hsing and the rest. + +"My aunts," Chia Chen replied with all haste, "you surely are aware that +your grandson's wife is now no more; your nephew's wife is also laid up +unwell, and, as I see that things in the inner apartments are really not +what they should properly be, I would trouble my worthy eldest cousin to +undertake in here the direction of affairs for a month; and if she does, +my mind will be set at ease." + +Madame Hsing smiled. "Is it really about this that you've come?" she +asked; "your eldest cousin is at present staying with your aunt Secunda, +and all you have to do is to speak to her and it will be all right." + +"How ever could a mere child like her," speedily remonstrated madame +Wang, "carry out all these matters? and shouldn't she manage things +properly, she will, on the contrary, make people laugh, so it would +therefore be better that you should trouble some one else." + +"What your ideas are, aunt," rejoined Chia Chen smiling, "your nephew +has guessed; you're afraid lest my eldest cousin should have to bear +fatigue and annoyance; for as to what you say, that she cannot manage +things, why my eldest cousin has, from her youth up, ever been in her +romping and playing so firm and decided; and now that she has entered +the married estate, and has the run of affairs in that mansion, she must +have reaped so much the more experience, and have become quite an old +hand! I've been thinking these last few days that outside my eldest +cousin, there's no one else who could come to my help; and, aunt, if you +don't do it for the face of your nephew and your nephew's wife, do it, +at least, for the affection you bore to her who is no more." + +While he uttered these words tears trickled down his face. The fears +that madame Wang inwardly entertained were that lady Feng had no +experience in funeral matters, and she apprehended, that if she was not +equal to managing them, she would incur the ridicule of others; but when +she now heard Chia Chen make the appeal in such a disconsolate mood, she +relented considerably in her resolution. But as she turned her eyes +towards lady Feng (to ascertain her wishes), she saw that she was +plunged in abstraction. + +Lady Feng had all along found the greatest zest in taking the initiative +in everything, with the idea of making a display of her abilities, so +that when she perceived how earnest Chia Chen was in his entreaties, she +had, at an early period, made up her mind to give a favourable reply. +Seeing besides madame Wang show signs of relenting, she readily turned +round and said to her, "My elder cousin has made his appeal in such a +solicitous way that your ladyship should give your consent and have done +with it." + +"Do you think you are equal to the task?" inquired madame Wang in a +whisper. + +"What's there that I couldn't be equal to?" replied lady Feng; "for +urgent matters outside, my cousin may be said to have already made full +provision; and all there is to be done is to keep an eye over things +inside. But should there occur anything that I don't know, I can ask +you, madame, and it will be right." + +Madame Wang perceiving the reasonableness of what she heard her say, +uttered not a word, and when Chia Chen saw that lady Feng had assented; +"How much you do attend to I don't mind," he observed, forcing another +smile, "but I must, in any case, entreat you, cousin, to assume the +onerous charge. As a first step I'll pay my obeisance to you in here, +and when everything has been finished, I shall then come over into that +mansion to express my thanks." + +With these words still on his lips, he made a low bow, but lady Feng had +scarcely had time to return the compliment, before Chia Chen had +directed a servant to fetch the warrant of the Ning mansion, which he +bade Pao-yü hand over to lady Feng. + +"Cousin," he added, "take whatever steps you think best; and if you want +anything, all you have to do is to simply send for it with this, and +there will even be no use to consult me. The only thing I must ask you +is, not to be too careful in order to save me expense, for the main +consideration is that things should be handsomely done. In the second +place, it will be well if you were also to treat servants here in the +same way as in the other mansion, and not be too scrupulous in the fear +that any one might take offence. Outside these two concerns, there's +nothing else to disturb my mind." + +Lady Feng did not venture to take over the warrant at once, but merely +turned round to ascertain what were madame Wang's wishes. + +"In view of the reason brother Chen advances," madame Wang rejoined, +"you had better assume the charge at once and finish with it; don't, +however, act on your own ideas; but when there's aught to be done, be +careful and send some one to consult your cousin's wife, ever so little +though it be on the subject." + +Pao-yü had already taken over the warrant from Chia Chen's grasp, and +forcibly handed it to lady Feng, "Will you, cousin," he went on to +question, "take up your quarters here or will you come every day? should +you cross over, day after day, it will be ever so much more fatiguing +for you, so that I shall speedily have a separate court got ready for +you in here, where you, cousin, can put up for these several days and be +more comfortable." + +"There's no need," replied lady Feng smiling; "for on that side they +can't do without me; and it will be better if I were to come daily." + +"Do as you like," Chia Chen observed; and after subsequently passing a +few more irrelevant remarks, he at length left the room. + +After a time, the lady relatives dispersed, and madame Wang seized the +opportunity to inquire of lady Feng, "What do you purpose doing to-day?" + +"You had better, please madame, go back," urged lady Feng, "for I must +first of all find out some clue before I can go home." + +Madame Wang, upon hearing these words, returned to her quarters, in +advance, in company with madame Hsing, where we will leave them. + +Lady Feng meanwhile came into a colonnade, which enclosed a suite of +three apartments, and taking a seat, she gave way to reflection. "The +first consideration," she communed within herself, "is that the +household is made up of mixed elements, and things might be lost; the +second is that the preparations are under no particular control, with +the result that, when the time comes, the servants might shirk their +duties; the third is that the necessary expenditure being great, there +will be reckless disbursements and counterfeit receipts; the fourth, +that with the absence of any distinction in the matter of duties, +whether large or small, hardship and ease will be unequally shared; and +the fifth, that the servants being arrogant, through leniency, those +with any self-respect will not brook control, while those devoid of +'face' will not be able to improve their ways." + +These five were, in point of fact, usages in vogue in the Ning mansion. +But as you are unable, reader, to ascertain here how lady Feng set +things right, listen to the explanations given in the following chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + Lin Ju-hai dies in the City of Yang Chou. + Chia Pao-yü meets the Prince of Pei Ching on the way. + + +When Lai Sheng, be it noticed in continuing our story, the major-domo in +the Ning Kuo mansion, came to hear that from inside an invitation had +been extended to lady Feng to act as deputy, he summoned together his +co-workers and other servants. "Lady Secunda, of the western mansion," +he harangued them, "has now been asked to take over the control of +internal affairs; and should she come we must, when we apply for +anything, or have anything to say, be circumspect in our service; we +should all every day come early and leave late; and it's better that we +should exert ourselves during this one month and take rest after it's +over. We mustn't throw away our old 'face,' for she's well known to be +an impetuous thing, with a soured face and a hard heart, who, when +angry, knows no distinction of persons." + +The whole company unanimously admitted that he was right; and one of +their number too observed smilingly, "It's but right that for the inner +apartments, we should, in fact, get her to come and put things in proper +order, as everything is very much what it should not be." + +But while he uttered these words, they saw Lai Wang's wife coming, with +an indent in hand, to fetch paper for the supplications and prayers, the +amount of which was mentioned on the order; and they one and all +hastened to press her into a seat, and to help her to a cup of tea; +while a servant was told to fetch the quantity of paper required. (When +it was brought,) Lai Wang carried it in his arms and came, the whole way +with his wife, as far as the ceremonial gate; when he, at length, +delivered it over to her and she clasped it, and walked into the room +all alone. + +Lady Feng issued prompt directions to Ts'ai Ming to prepare a register; +and sending, there and then, for Lai Sheng's wife, she asked her to +submit, for her perusal, the roll with the servants' names. She +furthermore fixed upon an early hour of the following day to convene the +domestics and their wives in the mansion, in order that they should +receive their orders; but, after cursorily glancing over the number of +entries in the list, and making a few inquiries of Lai Sheng's wife, she +soon got into her curricle, and went home. + +On the next day, at six and two quarters, she speedily came over. The +matrons and married women of the Ning Kuo mansion assembled together, as +soon as they heard of her arrival; but, perceiving lady Feng, assisted +by Lai Sheng's wife, engaged in apportioning the duties of each servant, +they could not presume to intrude, but remained outside the window +listening to what was going on. + +"As I've been asked to take over the charge," they heard lady Feng +explain to Lai Sheng's wife, "I'm, needless to say, sure to incur the +displeasure of you all, for I can't compare with your mistress, who has +such a sweet temper, and allows you to have your own way. But saying +nothing more of those ways, which prevailed hitherto among your people +in this mansion, you must now do as I tell you; for on the slightest +disregard of my orders, I shall, with no discrimination between those +who may be respectable and those who may not be, clearly and distinctly +call all alike to account." + +Having concluded these remarks, she went on to order Ts'ai Ming to read +the roll; and, as their names were uttered, one by one was called in, +and passed under inspection. After this inspection, which was got over +in a short time, she continued giving further directions. "These +twenty," she said "should be divided into two companies; ten in each +company, whose sole daily duties should be to attend inside to the +guests, coming and going, and to serve tea for them; while with any +other matters, they needn't have anything to do. These other twenty +should also be divided into two companies, whose exclusive duties will +be, day after day, to look after the tea and eatables of the relatives +of our family; and these too will have no business to concern themselves +with outside matters. These forty will again be divided into two +companies, who will have nothing else to look to than to remain in front +of the coffin and offer incense, renew the oil, hang up the streamers, +watch the coffin, offer sacrifices of rice, and oblations of tea, and +mourn with the mourners; and neither need they mind anything outside +these duties. These four servants will be specially attached to the +inner tea-rooms to look after cups, saucers and the tea articles +generally; and in the event of the loss of any single thing, the four of +them will have to make it good between them. These other four servants +will have the sole charge of the articles required for eatables and +wine; and should any get mislaid compensation will have likewise to be +made by them. These eight servants will only have to attend to taking +over the sacrificial offerings; while these eight will have nothing more +to see to beyond keeping an eye over the lamps, oil, candles and paper +wanted everywhere. I'll have a whole supply served out and handed to you +eight to by and by apportion to the various places, in quantities which +I will determine. These thirty servants are each day, by rotation, to +keep watch everywhere during the night, looking after the gates and +windows, taking care of the fires and candles, and sweeping the grounds; +while the servants, who remain, are to be divided for duty in the houses +and rooms, each one having charge of a particular spot. And beginning +from the tables, chairs and curios in each place, up to the very +cuspidors and brooms, yea even to each blade of grass or sprout of herb, +which may be there, the servants looking after this part will be called +upon to make good anything that may be either mislaid or damaged. You, +Lai Sheng's wife, will every day have to exercise general supervision +and inspection; and should there be those who be lazy, any who may +gamble, drink, fight or wrangle, come at once and report the matter to +me; and you mustn't show any leniency, for if I come to find it out, I +shall have no regard to the good old name of three or four generations, +which you may enjoy. You now all have your fixed duties, so that +whatever batch of you after this acts contrary to these orders, I shall +simply have something to say to that batch and to no one else. The +servants, who have all along been in my service, carry watches on their +persons, and things, whether large or small, are invariably done at a +fixed time. But, in any case, you also have clocks in your master's +rooms, so that at 6.30, I shall come and read the roll, and at ten +you'll have breakfast. Whenever there is any indent of any permits to be +made or any report to be submitted, it should be done at 11.30 a.m. and +no later. At 7 p.m., after the evening paper has been burnt, I shall +come to each place in person to hold an inspection; and on my return, +the servants on watch for the night will hand over the keys. The next +day, I shall again come over at 6.30 in the morning; and needless to say +we must all do the best we can for these few days; and when the work has +been finished your master is sure to recompense you." + +When she had done speaking, she went on to give orders that tea, oil, +candles, feather dusters, brooms and other necessaries should be issued, +according to the fixed quantities. She also had furniture, such as +table-covers, antimacassars, cushions, rugs, cuspidors, stools and the +like brought over and distributed; while, at the same time, she took up +the pencil and made a note of the names of the persons in charge of the +various departments, and of the articles taken over by the respective +servants, in entries remarkable for the utmost perspicacity. + +The whole body of servants received their charge and left; but they all +had work to go and attend to; not as in former times, when they were at +liberty to select for themselves what was convenient to do, while the +arduous work, which remained over, no one could be found to take in +hand. Neither was it possible for them in the various establishments to +any longer avail themselves of the confusion to carelessly mislay +things. In fact, visitors came and guests left, but everything after all +went off quietly, unlike the disorderly way which prevailed hitherto, +when there was no clue to the ravel; and all such abuses as indolence, +and losses, and the like were completely eradicated. + +Lady Feng, on her part, (perceiving) the weight her influence had in +enjoining the observance of her directions, was in her heart exceedingly +delighted. But as she saw, that Chia Chen was, in consequence of Mrs. +Yu's indisposition, even so much the more grieved as to take very little +to drink or to eat, she daily, with her own hands, prepared, in the +other mansion, every kind of fine congee and luscious small dishes, +which she sent over, in order that he might be tempted to eat. + +And Chia Lien had likewise given additional directions that every day +the finest delicacies should be taken into the ante-chamber, for the +exclusive use of lady Feng. + +Lady Feng was not one to shirk exertion and fatigue, so that, day after +day, she came over at the proper time, called the roll, and managed +business, sitting all alone in the ante-chamber, and not congregating +with the whole bevy of sisters-in-law. Indeed, even when relatives or +visitors came or went, she did not go to receive them, or see them off. + +This day was the thirty-fifth day, the very day of the fifth seven, and +the whole company of bonzes had just (commenced the services) for +unclosing the earth, and breaking Hell open; for sending a light to show +the way to the departed spirit; for its being admitted to an audience by +the king of Hell; for arresting all the malicious devils, as well as for +soliciting the soul-saving Buddha to open the golden bridge and to lead +the way with streamers. The Taoist priests were engaged in reverently +reading the prayers; in worshipping the Three Pure Ones and in +prostrating themselves before the Gemmy Lord. The disciples of +abstraction were burning incense, in order to release the hungered +spirits, and were reading the water regrets manual. There was also a +company of twelve nuns of tender years, got up in embroidered dresses, +and wearing red shoes, who stood before the coffin, silently reading all +the incantations for the reception of the spirit (from the lower +regions,) with the result that the utmost bustle and stir prevailed. + +Lady Feng, well aware that not a few guests would call on this day, was +quick to get out of bed at four sharp, to dress her hair and perform her +ablutions. After having completed every arrangement for the day, she +changed her costume, washed her hands, and swallowed a couple of +mouthfuls of milk. By the time she had rinsed her mouth, it was exactly +6.30; and Lai Wang's wife, at the head of a company of servants, had +been waiting a good long while, when lady Feng appeared in front of the +Entrance Hall, mounted her carriage and betook herself, preceded by a +pair of transparent horn lanterns, on which were written, in large type, +the three characters, Jung Kuo mansion, to the main entrance gate of the +Ning Household. The door lanterns shed brilliant rays from where they +were suspended; while on either side the lanterns, of uniform colours, +propped upright, emitted a lustrous light as bright as day. + +The servants of the family, got up in their mourning clothes, covered +the ground far and wide like a white sheet. They stood drawn in two +rows, and requested that the carriage should drive up to the main +entrance. The youths retired, and all the married women came forward, +and raising the curtain of the carriage, lady Feng alighted; and as with +one arm she supported herself on Feng Erh, two married women, with +lanterns in their hands, lighted the way. Pressed round by the servants, +lady Feng made her entry. The married women of the Ning mansion advanced +to greet her, and to pay their respects; and this over, lady Feng, with +graceful bearing, entered the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance. +Ascending the Spirit Hall, where the tablet was laid, the tears, as soon +as she caught sight of the coffin, trickled down her eyes like pearls +whose string had snapped; while the youths in the court, and their +number was not small, stood in a reverent posture, with their arms +against their sides, waiting to burn the paper. Lady Feng uttered one +remark, by way of command: "Offer the tea and burn the paper!" when the +sound of two blows on the gong was heard and the whole band struck up +together. A servant had at an early period placed a large armchair in +front of the tablet, and lady Feng sat down, and gave way to loud +lamentations. Promptly all those, who stood inside or outside, whether +high or low, male or female, took up the note, and kept on wailing and +weeping until Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu, after a time, sent a message to +advise her to withhold her tears; when at length lady Feng desisted. + +Lai Wang's wife served the tea; and when she had finished rinsing her +mouth, lady Feng got up; and, taking leave of all the members of the +clan, she walked all alone into the ante-chamber, where she ascertained, +in the order of their names, the number of the servants of every +denomination in there. They were all found to be present, with the +exception of one, who had failed to appear, whose duties consisted in +receiving and escorting the relatives and visitors. Orders were promptly +given to summon him, and the man appeared in a dreadful fright. "What!" +exclaimed lady Feng, as she forced a smile, "is it you who have been +remiss? Is it because you're more respectable than they that you don't +choose to listen to my words?" + +"Your servant," he pleaded, "has come at an early hour every day; and +it's only to-day that I come late by one step; and I entreat your +ladyship to forgive this my first offence." + +While yet he spoke, she perceived the wife of Wang Hsing, of the Jung +Kuo mansion, come forward and pop her head in to see what was going on; +but lady Feng did not let this man go, but went on to inquire of Wang +Hsing's wife what she had come for. + +Wang Hsing's wife drew near. "I've come," she explained, "to get an +order, so as to obtain some thread to make tassels for the carriages and +chairs." Saying this, she produced the permit and handed it up, +whereupon lady Feng directed Ts'ai Ming to read the contents aloud. "For +two large, sedan chairs," he said, "four small sedan chairs and four +carriages, are needed in all so many large and small tassels, each +tassel requiring so many catties of beads and thread." + +Lady Feng finding, after she had heard what was read, that the numbers +(and quantities) corresponded, forthwith bade Ts'ai Ming make the proper +entry; and when the order from the Jung Kuo mansion had been fetched, +and thrown at her, Wang Hsing's wife took her departure. + +Lady Feng was on the very point of saying something, when she espied +four managers of the Jung Kuo mansion walk in; all of whom wanted +permits to indent for stores. Having asked them to read out the list of +what they required, she ascertained that they wanted four kinds of +articles in all. Drawing attention to two items: "These entries," she +remarked, "are wrong; and you had better go again and make out the +account clearly, and then come and fetch a permit." + +With these words, she flung down the requisitions, and the two men went +their way in lower spirits than when they had come. + +Lady Feng then caught sight of the wife of Chang Ts'ai standing by, and +asked her what was her business, whereupon Chang Ts'ai's wife promptly +produced an indent. "The covers of the carriages and sedan chairs," she +reported, "have just been completed, and I've come to fetch the amount +due to the tailors for wages." + +Lady Feng, upon hearing her explanation, took over the indent, and +directed Ts'ai Ming to enter the items in the book. After Wang Hsing had +handed over the money, and obtained the receipt of the accountant, duly +signed, which tallied with the payment, he subsequently walked away in +company with Chang Ts'ai's wife. Lady Feng simultaneously proceeded to +give orders that another indent should be read, which was for money to +purchase paper with to paste on the windows of Pao-yü's outer +school-room, the repairs to which had been brought to completion, and as +soon as lady Feng heard the nature of the application, she there and +then gave directions that the permit should be taken over and an entry +made, and that the money should be issued after Chang Ts'ai's wife had +delivered everything clearly. + +"If to-morrow he were to come late," lady Feng then remarked, "and if +the day after, I were to come late; why by and by there'll be no one +here at all! I should have liked to have let you off, but if I be +lenient with you on this first instance, it will be hard for me, on the +occurrence of another offence, to exercise any control over the rest. +It's much better therefore that I should settle accounts with you." + +The moment she uttered these words, she put on a serious look, and gave +orders that he should be taken out and administered twenty blows with +the bamboo. When the servants perceived that lady Feng was in an angry +mood, they did not venture to dilly-dally, but dragged him out, and gave +him the full number of blows; which done, they came in to report that +the punishment had been inflicted. + +Lady Feng likewise threw down the Ning Mansion order and exclaimed, +addressing herself to Lai Sheng: "Cut him a month's wages and rice! and +tell them all to disperse, and have done with it!" + +All the servants at length withdrew to attend to their respective +duties, while the man too, who had been flogged, walked away, as he did +all he could to conceal his shame and stifle his tears. About this time +arrived and went, in an incessant stream, servants from both the Jung +and Ning mansions, bent upon applying for permits and returning permits, +and with one by one again did lady Feng settle accounts. And, as in due +course, the inmates of the Ning mansion came to know how terrible lady +Feng was, each and all were ever since so wary and dutiful that they did +not venture to be lazy. + +But without going into further details on this subject, we shall now +return to Pao-yü. Seeing that there were a lot of people about and +fearing lest Ch'in Chung might receive some offence, he lost no time in +coming along with him to sit over at lady Feng's. Lady Feng was just +having her repast, and upon seeing them arrive: "Your legs are long +enough, and couldn't you have come somewhat quicker!" she laughingly +observed. + +"We've had our rice, thanks," replied Pao-yü. + +"Have you had it," inquired lady Feng, "outside here, or over on the +other side?" + +"Would we eat anything with all that riff-raff?" exclaimed Pao-yü; +"we've really had it over there; in fact, I now come after having had +mine with dowager lady Chia." + +As he uttered these words, they took their seats. Lady Feng had just +finished her meal, when a married woman from the Ning mansion came to +get an order to obtain an advance of money to purchase incense and +lanterns with. + +"I calculated," observed lady Feng, "that you would come to-day to make +requisition, but I was under the impression that you had forgotten; had +you really done so you would certainly have had to get them on your own +account, and I would have been the one to benefit." + +"Didn't I forget? I did," rejoined the married woman as she smiled; "and +it's only a few minutes back that it came to my mind; had I been one +second later I wouldn't have been in time to get the things." + +These words ended, she took over the order and went off. Entries had, at +the time to be made in the books, and orders to be issued, and Ch'in +Chung was induced to interpose with a smirk, "In both these mansions of +yours, such orders are alike in use; but were any outsider stealthily to +counterfeit one and to abscond, after getting the money, what could ever +be done?" + +"In what you say," replied lady Feng, "you take no account of the laws +of the land." + +"How is it that from our house, no one comes to get any orders or to +obtain anything?" Pao-yü having inquired: "At the time they come to +fetch them," rejoined lady Feng, "you're still dreaming; but let me ask +you one thing, when will you two at last begin your evening course of +studies?" + +"Oh, I wish we were able to begin our studies this very day," Pao-yü +added; "that would be the best thing, but they're very slow in putting +the school-room in order, so that there's no help for it!" + +Lady Feng laughed. "Had you asked me," she remarked, "I can assure you +it would have been ready quick enough." + +"You too would have been of no use," observed Pao-yü, "for it will +certainly be ready by the time they ought to finish it in." + +"But in order that they should do the work," suggested lady Feng, "it's +also necessary that they should have the material, they can't do without +them; and if I don't give them any permits, it will be difficult to +obtain them." + +Pao-yü at these words readily drew near to lady Feng, and there and then +applied for the permits. "My dear sister," he added, "do give them the +permits to enable them to obtain the material and effect the repairs." + +"I feel quite sore from fatigue," ventured lady Feng, "and how can I +stand your rubbing against me? but compose your mind. They have this +very day got the paper, and gone to paste it; and would they, for +whatever they need, have still waited until they had been sent for? they +are not such fools after all!" + +Pao-yü would not believe it, and lady Feng at once called Ts'ai Ming to +look up the list, which she handed for Pao-yü's inspection; but while +they were arguing a servant came in to announce that Chao Erh, who had +gone to Su Chow, had returned, and lady Feng all in a flurry directed +that he should be asked to walk in. Chao Erh bent one knee and paid his +obeisance. + +"Why have you come back?" lady Feng readily inquired. + +"Mr. Secundus (Chia Lien)," he reported, "sent me back to tell you that +Mr. Lin (our dowager lady's) son-in-law, died on the third of the ninth +moon; that Master Secundus is taking Miss Lin along with him to escort +the coffin of Mr. Lin as far as Su Chow; and that they hope to be back +some time about the end of the year. Master despatched me to come and +announce the news, to bring his compliments, and to crave our old lady's +instructions as well as to see how you are getting on in my lady's home. +He also bade me take back to him a few long fur pelisses." + +"Have you seen any one else besides me?" lady Feng inquired. + +"I've seen every one," rejoined Chao Erh; and withdrew hastily at the +conclusion of this remark, out of the apartment, while lady Feng turned +towards Pao-yü with a smile and said, "Your cousin Lin can now live in +our house for ever." + +"Poor thing!" exclaimed Pao-yü. "I presume that during all these days +she has wept who knows how much;" and saying this he wrinkled his brow +and heaved a deep sigh. + +Lady Feng saw Chao Erh on his return, but as she could not very well, in +the presence of third persons, make minute inquiries after Chia Lien, +she had to continue a prey to inward solicitude till it was time to go +home, for, not having got through what she had to do, she was compelled +to wait patiently until she went back in the evening, when she again +sent word for Chao Erh to come in, and asked him with all minuteness +whether the journey had been pleasant throughout, and for full +particulars. That very night, she got in readiness the long pelisses, +which she herself, with the assistance of P'ing Erh, packed up in a +bundle; and after careful thought as to what things he would require, +she put them in the same bundle and committed them to Chao Erh's care. +She went on to solicitously impress upon Chao Erh to be careful in his +attendance abroad. "Don't provoke your master to wrath," she said, "and +from time to time do advise him not to drink too much wine; and don't +entice him to make the acquaintance of any low people; for if you do, +when you come back I will cut your leg off." + +The preparations were hurriedly and confusedly completed; and it was +already the fourth watch of the night when she went to sleep. But soon +again the day dawned, and after hastily performing her toilette and +ablutions, she came over to the Ning Mansion. + +As Chia Chen realised that the day for escorting the body away was +drawing nigh, he in person went out in a curricle, along with +geomancers, to the Temple of the Iron Fence to inspect a suitable place +for depositing the coffin. He also, point by point, enjoined the +resident managing-bonze, Se K'ung, to mind and get ready brand-new +articles of decoration and furniture, and to invite a considerable +number of bonzes of note to be at hand to lend their services for the +reception of the coffin. + +Se K'ung lost no time in getting ready the evening meal, but Chia Chen +had, in fact, no wish for any tea or rice; and, as the day was far +advanced and he was not in time to enter the city, he had, after all, to +rest during that night as best he could in a "chaste" room in the +temple. The next morning, as soon as it was day, he hastened to come +into the city and to make every preparation for the funeral. He likewise +deputed messengers to proceed ahead to the Temple of the Iron Fence to +give, that very night, additional decorative touches to the place where +the coffin was to be deposited, and to get ready tea and all the other +necessaries, for the use of the persons who would be present at the +reception of the coffin. + +Lady Feng, seeing that the day was not far distant, also apportioned +duties and made provision for everything beforehand with circumspect +care; while at the same time she chose in the Jung mansion, such +carriages, sedan chairs and retinue as were to accompany the cortege, in +attendance upon madame Wang, and gave her mind furthermore to finding a +place where she herself could put up in at the time of the funeral. +About this very time, it happened that the consort of the Duke Shan Kuo +departed this life, and that mesdames Wang and Hsing had likewise to go +and offer sacrifices, and to follow the burial procession; that the +birthday occurred of the consort of Prince Hsi An; that presents had to +be forwarded on the occasion of this anniversary; and that the consort +of the Duke of Chen Kuo gave birth to a first child, a son, and +congratulatory gifts had, in like manner, to be provided. Besides, her +uterine brother Wang Jen was about to return south, with all his family, +and she had too to write her home letters, to send her reverent +compliments to her father and mother, as well as to get the things ready +that were to be taken along. There was also Ying Ch'un, who had +contracted some illness, and the doctor had every day to be sent for, +and medicines to be administered, the notes of the doctor to be looked +after, consisting of the bulletins of the diagnosis and the +prescriptions, with the result that the various things that had to be +attended to by lady Feng were so manifold that it would, indeed, be +difficult to give an exhaustive idea of them. + +In addition to all this, the day for taking the coffin away was close at +hand, so that lady Feng was so hard pressed for time that she had even +no desire for any tea to drink or anything to eat, and that she could +not sit or rest in peace. As soon as she put her foot into the Ning +mansion, the inmates of the Jung mansion would follow close upon her +heels; and the moment she got back into the Jung mansion, the servants +again of the Ning mansion would follow her about. In spite however of +this great pressure, lady Feng, whose natural disposition had ever been +to try and excel, was urged to strain the least of her energies, as her +sole dread was lest she should incur unfavourable criticism from any +one; and so excellent were the plans she devised, that every one in the +clan, whether high or low, readily conceded her unlimited praise. + +On the night of this day, the body had to be watched, and in the inner +suite of apartments two companies of young players as well as jugglers +entertained the relatives, friends and other visitors during the whole +of the night. Mrs. Yu was still laid up in the inside room, so that the +whole task of attending to and entertaining the company devolved upon +lady Feng alone, who had to look after everything; for though there +were, in the whole clan, many sisters-in-law, some there were too +bashful to speak, others too timid to stand on their feet; while there +were also those who were not accustomed to meeting company; and those +likewise who were afraid of people of high estate and shy of officials. +Of every kind there were, but the whole number of them could not come up +to lady Feng's standard, whose deportment was correct and whose speech +was according to rule. Hence it was that she did not even so much as +heed any of that large company, but gave directions and issued orders, +adopting any course of action which she fancied, just as if there were +no bystander. + +The whole night, the lanterns emitted a bright light and the fires +brilliant rays; while guests were escorted on their way out and +officials greeted on their way in; but of this hundredfold bustle and +stir nothing need, of course, be said. + +The next morning at the dawn of day, and at a propitious moment, +sixty-four persons, dressed all alike in blue, carried the coffin, +preceded by a streamer with the record in large characters: Coffin of +lady Ch'in, a lady of the fifth degree, (by marriage) of the Chia +mansion, deceased at middle age, consort of the grandson of the Ning Kuo +Duke with the first rank title of honour, (whose status is) a guard of +the Imperial antechamber, charged with the protection of the Inner +Palace and Roads in the Red Prohibited City. + +The various paraphernalia and ornaments were all brand-new, hurriedly +made for the present occasion, and the uniform lustrous brilliancy they +shed was sufficient to dazzle the eyes. + +Pao-chu, of course, observed the rites prescribed for unmarried +daughters, and dashed the bowl and walked by the coffin, as she gave way +to most bitter lamentations. + +At that time, among the officials who escorted the funeral procession, +were Niu Chi-tsung, the grandson of the Chen Kuo duke, who had now +inherited the status of earl of the first degree; Liu Fang, the grandson +of Liu Piao, duke of Li Kuo, who had recently inherited the rank of +viscount of the first class; Ch'en Jui-wen, a grandson of Ch'en Yi, duke +of Ch'i Kuo, who held the hereditary rank of general of the third +degree, with the prefix of majestic authority; Ma Shang, the grandson of +Ma K'uei, duke of Chih Kuo, by inheritance general of the third rank +with the prefix of majesty afar; Hou Hsiao-keng, an hereditary viscount +of the first degree, grandson of the duke of Hsiu Kuo, Hou Hsiao-ming by +name; while the death of the consort of the duke of Shan Kuo had obliged +his grandson Shih Kuang-chu to go into mourning so that he could not be +present. These were the six families which had, along with the two +households of Jung and Ning, been, at one time, designated the eight +dukes. + +Among the rest, there were besides the grandson of the Prince of Nan An; +the grandson of the Prince of Hsi An; Shih Ting, marquis of Chung Ching; +Chiang Tzu-ning, an hereditary baron of the second grade, grandson of +the earl of P'ing Yuan; Hsieh K'un, an hereditary baron of the second +order and Captain of the Metropolitan camp, grandson of the marquis of +Ting Ch'ang: Hsi Chien-hui, an hereditary baron of the second rank, a +grandson of the marquis of Nang Yang; Ch'in Liang, in command of the +Five Cities, grandson of the marquis of Ching T'ien. The remainder were +Wei Chi, the son of the earl of Chin Hsiang; Feng Tzu-ying, the son of a +general, whose prefix was supernatural martial spirit; Ch'en Yeh-chün, +Wei Jo-lan and others, grandsons and sons of princes who could not be +enumerated. + +In the way of ladies, there were also in all about ten large official +sedan chairs full of them, thirty or forty private chairs, and including +the official and non-official chairs, and carriages containing inmates +of the household, there must have been over a hundred and ten; so that +with the various kinds of paraphernalia, articles of decoration and +hundreds of nick-nacks, which preceded, the vast expanse of the cortege +covered a continuous line extending over three or four li. + +They had not been very long on their way, when they reached variegated +sheds soaring high by the roadside, in which banquets were spread, +feasts laid out, and music discoursed in unison. These were the viatory +sacrificial offerings contributed by the respective families. The first +shed contained the sacrificial donations of the mansion of the Prince of +Tung P'ing; the second shed those of the Prince of Nan An; the third +those of the Prince of Hsi Ning, and the fourth those of the Prince of +Pei Ching. + +Indeed of these four Princes, the reputation enjoyed in former days by +the Prince of Pei Ching had been the most exalted, and to this day his +sons and grandsons still succeeded to the inheritance of the princely +dignity. The present incumbent of the Princedom of Pei Ching, Shih Jung, +had not as yet come of age, but he was gifted with a presence of +exceptional beauty, and with a disposition condescending and genial. At +the demise, recently, of the consort of the eldest grandson of the +mansion of Ning Kuo, he, in consideration of the friendship which had +formerly existed between the two grandfathers, by virtue of which they +had been inseparable, both in adversity as well as in prosperity, +treating each other as if they had not been of different surnames, was +consequently induced to pay no regard to princely dignity or to his +importance, but having like the others paid, on the previous day, his +condolences and presented sacrificial offerings, he had further now +raised a shed wherein to offer libations. Having directed every one of +his subordinate officers to remain in this spot in attendance, he +himself went at the fifth watch to court, and when he acquitted himself +of his public duties he forthwith changed his attire for a mourning +costume, and came along, in an official sedan chair, preceded by gongs +and umbrellas. Upon reaching the front of the shed the chair was +deposited on the ground, and as his subordinate officers pressed on +either side and waited upon him, neither the military nor the populace, +which composed the mass of people, ventured to make any commotion. In a +short while, the long procession of the Ning mansion became visible, +spreading far and wide, covering in its course from the north, the whole +ground like a silver mountain. At an early hour, the forerunners, +messengers and other attendants on the staff of the Ning mansion +apprised Chia Chen (of the presence of the sheds), and Chia Chen with +all alacrity gave orders that the foremost part of the cortege should +halt. Attended by Chia She and Chia Chen, the three of them came with +hurried step to greet (the Prince of Pei Ching), whom they saluted with +due ceremony. Shih Jung, who was seated in his sedan chair, made a bow +and returned their salutations with a smile, proceeding to address them +and to treat them, as he had done hitherto, as old friends, without any +airs of self-importance. + +"My daughter's funeral has," observed Chia Chen, "put your Highness to +the trouble of coming, an honour which we, though noble by birth, do not +deserve." + +Shih Jung smiled. "With the terms of friendship," he added, "which have +existed for so many generations (between our families), is there any +need for such apologies?" + +Turning his head round there and then, he gave directions to the senior +officer of his household to preside at the sacrifices and to offer +libations in his stead; and Chia She and the others stood together on +one side and made obeisance in return, and then came in person again and +gave expression to their gratitude for his bounty. + +Shih Jung was most affable and complaisant. "Which is the gentleman," he +inquired of Chia Chen, "who was born with a piece of jade in his mouth? +I've long had a wish to have the pleasure of seeing him, and as he's +sure to be on the spot on an occasion like this, why shouldn't you +invite him to come round?" + +Chia Chen speedily drew back, and bidding Pao-yü change his mourning +clothes, he led him forward and presented him. + +Pao-yü had all along heard that Shih Jung was a worthy Prince, perfect +in ability as well as in appearance, pleasant and courteous, not bound +down by any official custom or state rite, so that he had repeatedly +felt a keen desire to meet him. With the sharp control, however, which +his father exercised over him, he had not been able to gratify his wish. +But on this occasion, he saw on the contrary that he came to call him, +and it was but natural that he should be delighted. Whilst advancing, he +scrutinised Shih Jung with the corner of his eye, who, seated as he was +in the sedan chair, presented an imposing sight. + +But, reader, what occurred on his approach is not yet known, but listen +to the next chapter, which will divulge it. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + Lady Peng, née Wang, exercises her authority in the Iron Fence Temple. + Ch'in Ching-ch'ing (Ch'ing Chung) amuses himself in the Man-t'ou + (Bread) nunnery. + + +But we shall now resume our story. When Pao-yü raised his eyes, he +noticed that Shih Jung, Prince of Pei Ching, wore on his head a princely +cap with pure white tassels and silvery feathers, that he was appareled +in a white ceremonial robe, (with a pattern representing) the toothlike +ripple of a river and the waters of the sea, embroidered with +five-clawed dragons; and that he was girded with a red leather belt, +inlaid with white jade. That his face was like a beauteous gem; that his +eyes were like sparkling stars; and that he was, in very truth, a human +being full of graceful charms. + +Pao-yü hastily pressed forward and made a reverent obeisance, and Shih +Jung lost no time in extending his arms from inside the sedan-chair, and +embracing him. At a glance, he saw that Pao-yü had on his head a silver +cap, to which the hair was attached, that he had, round his forehead, a +flap on which were embroidered a couple of dragons issuing from the sea, +that he wore a white archery-sleeved robe, ornamented with dragons, and +that his waist was encircled by a silver belt, inlaid with pearls; that +his face resembled vernal flowers and that his eyes were like drops of +lacquer. + +Shih Jung smiled. "Your name is," he said, "no trumped-up story; for +you, verily, resemble a precious gem; but where's the valuable trinket +you had in your mouth?" he inquired. + +As soon as Pao-yü heard this inquiry, he hastened to produce the jade +from inside his clothes and to hand it over to Shih Jung. Shih Jung +minutely examined it; and having also read the motto on it, he +consequently ascertained whether it was really efficacious or not. + +"It's true that it's said to be," Pao-yü promptly explained, "but it +hasn't yet been put to the test." + +Shih Jung extolled it with unbounded praise, and, as he did so, he set +the variegated tassels in proper order, and, with his own hands, +attached it on to Pao-yü's neck. Taking also his hand in his, he +inquired of Pao-yü what was his age? and what books he was reading at +present, to each of which questions Pao-yü gave suitable answer. + +Shih Jung perceiving the perspicacity of his speech and the propriety of +his utterances, simultaneously turned towards Chia Chen and observed +with a smile on his face: "Your worthy son is, in very truth, like the +young of a dragon or like the nestling of a phoenix! and this isn't an +idle compliment which I, a despicable prince, utter in your venerable +presence! But how much more glorious will be, in the future, the voice +of the young phoenix than that of the old phoenix, it isn't easy to +ascertain." + +Chia Chen forced a smile: "My cur-like son," he replied, "cannot presume +to such bountiful praise and golden commendation; but if, by the virtue +of your Highness' excess of happiness, he does indeed realise your +words, he will be a source of joy to us all!" + +"There's one thing, however," continued Shih Jung; "with the excellent +abilities which your worthy scion possesses, he's sure, I presume, to be +extremely loved by her dowager ladyship, (his grandmother), and by all +classes. But for young men of our age it's a great drawback to be doated +upon, for with over-fondness, we cannot help utterly frustrating the +benefits of education. When I, a despicable prince, was young, I walked +in this very track, and I presume that your honourable son cannot +likewise but do the same. By remaining at home, your worthy scion will +find it difficult to devote his attention to study; and he will not reap +any harm, were he to come, at frequent intervals, to my humble home; for +though my deserts be small, I nevertheless enjoy the great honour of the +acquaintance of all the scholars of note in the Empire, so that, +whenever any of them visit the capital, not one of them is there who +does not lower his blue eyes upon me. Hence it is that in my mean abode, +eminent worthies rendezvous; and were your esteemed son to come, as +often as he can, and converse with them and meet them, his knowledge +would, in that case, have every opportunity of making daily strides +towards improvement." + +Chia Chen speedily bent his body and expressed his acquiescence, by way +of reply; whereupon Shih Jung went further, and taking off from his +wrist a chaplet of pearls, he presented it to Pao-yü. + +"This is the first time we meet," he observed. "Our meeting was so +unexpected that I have no suitable congratulatory present to offer you. +This was conferred upon me by His Majesty, and is a string of +chaplet-pearls, scented with Ling Ling, which will serve as a temporary +token of respectful congratulations." + +Pao-yü hastened to receive it from his hands, and turning round, he +reverently presented it to Chia Chen. Chia Chen and Pao-yü jointly +returned thanks; and forthwith Chia She, Chia Chen and the rest came +forward in a body, and requested the Prince to turn his chair homewards. + +"The departed," expostulated Shih Jung, "has already ascended the +spiritual regions, and is no more a mortal being in this dusty world +exposed to vicissitude like you and I. Although a mean prince like me +has been the recipient of the favour of the Emperor, and has +undeservedly been called to the princely inheritance, how could I +presume to go before the spiritual hearse and return home?" + +Chia She and the others, perceiving how persistent he was in his refusal +had no course but to take their leave, express their sense of gratitude +and to rejoin the cortege. They issued orders to their servants to stop +the band, and to hush the music, and making the procession go by, they +at length left the way clear for Shih Jung to prosecute his way. + +But we will now leave him and resume our account of the funeral of the +Ning mansion. All along its course the road was plunged in unusual +commotion. As soon as they reached the city gates Chia She, Chia Cheng, +Chia Chen, and the others again received donations from all their fellow +officers and subordinates, in sacrificial sheds erected by their +respective families, and after they returned thanks to one after +another, they eventually issued from the city walls, and proceeded +eventually along the highway, in the direction of the Temple of the Iron +Fence. + +Chia Chen, at this time, went, together with Chia Jung, up to all their +seniors, and pressed them to get into their sedan chairs, and to ride +their horses; and Chia She and all of the same age as himself were +consequently induced to mount into their respective carriages or chairs. +Chia Chen and those of the same generation were likewise about to ride +their horses, when lady Feng, through her solicitude on Pao-yü's +account, gave way to fears lest now that they had reached the open +country, he should do as he pleased, and not listen to the words of any +of the household, and lest Chia Chen should not be able to keep him in +check; and, as she dreaded that he might go astray, she felt compelled +to bid a youth call him to her; and Pao-yü had no help but to appear +before her curricle. + +"My dear brother," lady Feng remarked smiling, "you are a respectable +person, and like a girl in your ways, and shouldn't imitate those +monkeys on horseback! do get down and let both you and I sit together in +this carriage; and won't that be nice?" + +At these words, Pao-yü readily dismounted and climbed up into the +carriage occupied by lady Feng; and they both talked and laughed, as +they continued their way. + +But not a long time elapsed before two men, on horseback, were seen +approaching from the opposite direction. Coming straight up to lady +Feng's vehicle they dismounted, and said, as they leaned on the sides of +her carriage, "There's a halting place here, and will it not please your +ladyship to have a rest and change?" + +Lady Feng directed them to ask the two ladies Hsing and Wang what they +would like to do, and the two men explained: "These ladies have +signified that they had no desire to rest, and they wish your ladyship +to suit your convenience." + +Lady Feng speedily issued orders that they should have a rest, before +they prosecuted their way, and the servant youth led the harnessed +horses through the crowd of people and came towards the north, while +Pao-yü, from inside the carriage, urgently asked that Mr. Ch'in should +be requested to come. + +Ch'in Chung was at this moment on horseback following in the track of +his father's carriage, when unexpectedly he caught sight of Pao-yü's +page, come at a running pace and invite him to have some refreshment. +Ch'in Chung perceived from a distance that the horse, which Pao-yü had +been riding, walked behind lady Feng's vehicle, as it went towards the +north, with its saddle and bridles all piled up, and readily concluding +that Pao-yü must be in the same carriage with that lady, he too turned +his horse and came over in haste and entered, in their company, the door +of a farm-house. + +This dwelling of the farmer's did not contain many rooms so that the +women and girls had nowhere to get out of the way; and when the village +lasses and country women perceived the bearing and costumes of lady +Feng, Pao-yü, and Ch'in Chung, they were inclined to suspect that +celestial beings had descended into the world. + +Lady Feng entered a thatched house, and, in the first place, asked +Pao-yü and the rest to go out and play. Pao-yü took the hint, and, along +with Ch'in Chung, he led off the servant boys and went to romp all over +the place. + +The various articles in use among the farmers they had not seen before, +with the result that after Pao-yü had inspected them, he thought them +all very strange; but he could neither make out their names nor their +uses. But among the servant boys, there were those who knew, and they +explained to them, one after another, what they were called, as well as +what they were for. As Pao-yü, after this explanation, nodded his head; +"It isn't strange," he said, "that an old writer has this line in his +poetical works, 'Who can realise that the food in a bowl is, grain by +grain, all the fruit of labour.' This is indeed so!" As he spoke, they +had come into another house; and at the sight of a spinning wheel on a +stove-bed, they thought it still more strange and wonderful, but the +servant boys again told them that it was used for spinning the yarn to +weave cloth with, and Pao-yü speedily jumping on to the stove-bed, set +to work turning the wheel for the sake of fun, when a village lass of +about seventeen or eighteen years of age came forward, and asked them +not to meddle with it and spoil it. + +The servant boys promptly stopped her interference; but Pao-yü himself +desisted, as he added: "It's because I hadn't seen one before that I +came to try it for fun." + +"You people can't do it," rejoined the lass, "let me turn it for you to +see." + +Ch'in Chung secretly pulled Pao-yü and remarked, "It's great fun in this +village!" but Pao-yü gave him a nudge and observed, "If you talk +nonsense again, I'll beat you." Watching intently, as he uttered these +words, the village girl who started reeling the thread, and presented, +in very truth, a pretty sight. But suddenly an old woman from the other +side gave a shout. "My girl Secunda, come over at once;" and the lass +discarded the spinning-wheel and hastily went on her way. + +Pao-yü was the while feeling disappointed and unhappy, when he espied a +servant, whom lady Feng had sent, come and call them both in. Lady Feng +had washed her hands and changed her costume; and asked him whether he +would change or not, and Pao-yü, having replied "No! it doesn't matter +after all if I don't change," the female attendants served tea, cakes +and fruits and also poured the scented tea. Lady Feng and the others +drank their tea, and waiting until they had put the various articles by, +and made all the preparations, they promptly started to get into their +carriages. Outside, Wang Erh had got ready tips and gave them to the +people of the farm, and the farm women and all the inmates went up to +them to express their gratitude; but when Pao-yü came to look carefully, +he failed to see anything of the lass who had reeled the thread. But +they had not gone far before they caught sight of this girl Secunda +coming along with a small child in her arms, who, they concluded, was +her young brother, laughing and chatting, in company with a few young +girls. + +Pao-yü could not suppress the voice of love, but being seated in the +carriage, he was compelled to satisfy himself by following her with his +eyes. Soon however the vehicle sped on as rapidly as a cloud impelled by +the wind, so that when he turned his head round, there was already no +vestige to be seen of her; but, while they were bandying words, they had +unexpectedly overtaken the great concourse of the cortege. + +Likewise, at an early stage men were stationed ahead, with Buddhist +drums and gold cymbals, with streamers, and jewelled coverings; and the +whole company of bonzes, belonging to the Iron Fence Temple, had already +been drawn out in a line by the sides of the road. In a short while, +they reached the interior of the temple, where additional sacrifices +were offered and Buddhistic services performed; and where altars had +again been erected to burn incense on. The coffin was deposited in a +side room of the inner court; and Pao Chu got ready a bed-room in which +she could keep her watch. + +In the outer apartments, Chia Chen did the honours among the whole party +of relatives and friends, some of whom asked to be allowed to stay for +their meals, while others at this stage took their leave. And after they +had one by one returned thanks, the dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts +and barons, each in respective batches, (got up to go,) and they kept on +leaving from between 1 and 3 p.m. before they had finally all dispersed. + +In the inner Chambers, the ladies were solely entertained and attended +to by lady Feng. First to make a move were the consorts of officials; +and noon had also come, by the time the whole party of them had taken +their departure. Those that remained were simply a few relatives of the +same clan and others like them, who eventually left after the completion +of the three days' rationalistic liturgies. + +The two ladies Hsing and Wang, well aware at this time that lady Feng +could on no account return home, desired to enter the city at once; and +madame Wang wanted to take Pao-yü home; but Pao-yü, who had, on an +unexpected occasion, come out into the country, entertained, of course, +no wish to go back; and he would agree to nothing else than to stay +behind with lady Feng, so that madame Wang had no alternative but to +hand him over to her charge and to start. + +This Temple of the Iron Fence had, in fact, been erected in days gone +by, at the expense of the two dukes Ning and Jung; and there still +remained up to these days, acres of land, from which were derived the +funds for incense and lights for such occasions, on which the coffins of +any members, old or young, (who died) in the capital, had to be +deposited in this temple; and the inner and outer houses, in this +compound were all kept in readiness and good order, for the +accommodation of those who formed part of the cortège. + +At this time, as it happened, the descendants mustered an immense crowd, +and among them were poor and rich of various degrees, or with likes and +dislikes diametrically opposed. There were those, who, being in +straitened circumstances at home, and easily contented, readily took up +their quarters in the temple. And there were those with money and +position, and with extravagant ideas, who maintained that the +accommodation in the temple was not suitable, and, of course, went in +search of additional quarters, either in country houses, or in convents, +where they could have their meals and retire, after the ceremonies were +over. + +On the occasion of Mrs. Ch'in's funeral, all the members of the clan put +up temporarily in the Iron Fence Temple; lady Feng alone looked down +upon it as inconvenient, and consequently despatched a servant to go and +tell Ch'ing Hsü, a nun in the Bread Convent, to empty two rooms for her +to go and live in. + +This Bread Convent had at one time been styled the Shui Yueh nunnery +(water moon); but as good bread was made in that temple, it gave rise to +this nickname. + +This convent was not very distant from the Temple of the Iron Fence, so +that as soon as the bonzes brought their functions to a close, and the +sacrifice of evening was offered, Chia Chen asked Chia Jung to request +lady Feng to retire to rest; and as lady Feng perceived that there still +remained several sisters-in-law to keep company to the female relatives, +she readily, of her own accord, took leave of the whole party, and, +along with Pao-yü and Ch'in Chung, came to the Water Moon Convent. + +Ch'in Yeh, it must be noticed, was advanced in years and a victim to +many ailments, so that he was unable to remain in the temple long, and +he bade Ch'in Chung tarry until the coffin had been set in its resting +place, with the result that Ch'in Chung came along, at the same time as +lady Feng and Pao-yü, to the Water Moon Convent, where Ch'ing Hsü +appeared, together with two neophytes, Chih Shan and Chih Neng, to +receive them. After they had exchanged greetings, lady Feng and the +others entered the "chaste" apartments to change their clothes and wash +their hands; and when they had done, as she perceived how much taller in +stature Chih Neng had grown and how much handsomer were her features, +she felt prompted to inquire, "How is it that your prioress and +yourselves haven't been all these days as far as our place?" + +"It's because during these days we haven't had any time which we could +call our own," explained Ch'ing Hsü. "Owing to the birth of a son in Mr. +Hu's mansion, dame Hu sent over about ten taels and asked that we should +invite several head-nuns to read during three days the service for the +churching of women, with the result that we've been so very busy and had +so little leisure, that we couldn't come over to pay our respects to +your ladyship." + +But leaving aside the old nun, who kept lady Feng company, we will now +return to the two lads Pao-yü and Ch'in Chung. They were up to their +pranks in the main building of the convent, when seeing Chih Neng come +over: "Here's Neng Erh," Pao-yü exclaimed with a smile. + +"Why notice a creature like her?" remarked Ch'in Chung; to which Pao-yü +rejoined laughingly: "Don't be sly! why then did you the other day, when +you were in the old lady's rooms, and there was not a soul present, hold +her in your arms? and do you want to fool me now ?" + +"There was nothing of the kind," observed Ch'in Chung smiling. + +"Whether there was or not," replied Pao-yü, "doesn't concern me; but if +you will stop her and tell her to pour a cup of tea and bring it to me +to drink, I'll then keep hands off." + +"This is indeed very strange!" Ch'in Chung answered laughing; "do you +fear that if you told her to pour you one, that she wouldn't; and what +need is there that I should tell her?" + +"If I ask her," Pao-yü observed, "to pour it, she wouldn't be as ready +as she would were you to tell her about it." + +Ch'in Chung had no help but to speak. "Neng Erh!" he said, "bring a cup +of tea." + +This Neng Erh had, since her youth, been in and out of the Jung mansion, +so that there was no one that she did not know; and she had also, time +after time, romped and laughed with Pao-yü and Ch'in Chung. Being now +grown up she gradually came to know the import of love, and she readily +took a fancy to Ch'in Chung, who was an amorous being. Ch'in Chung too +returned her affection, on account of her good looks; and, although he +and she had not had any very affectionate tête-à-têtes, they had, +however, long ago come to understand each other's feelings and wishes. + +Chih Neng walked away and returned after having poured the tea. + +"Give it to me," Ch'in Chung cried out smirkingly; while Pao-yü likewise +shouted: "Give it to me." + +Chih Neng compressed her lips and sneeringly rejoined, "Are you going to +have a fight even over a cup of tea? Is it forsooth likely that there's +honey in my hand?" + +Pao-yü was the first to grasp and take over the cup, but while drinking +it, he was about to make some inquiry, when he caught sight of Chih +Shan, who came and called Chih Neng away to go and lay the plates with +fruit on the table. Not much time elapsed before she came round to +request the two lads to go and have tea and refreshments; but would they +eat such things as were laid before them? They simply sat for a while +and came out again and resumed their play. + +Lady Feng too stayed for a few moments, and then returned, with the old +nun as her escort, into the "unsullied" rooms to lie down. By this time, +all the matrons and married women discovered that there was nothing else +to be done, and they dispersed in succession, retiring each to rest. +There only remained in attendance several young girls who enjoyed her +confidence, and the old nun speedily availed herself of the opportunity +to speak. "I've got something," she said, "about which I mean to go to +your mansion to beg of madame Wang; but I'll first request you, my lady, +to tell me how to set to work." + +"What's it?" ascertained lady Feng. + +"O-mi-to-fu!" exclaimed the old nun, "It's this; in days gone by, I +first lived in the Ch'ang An district. When I became a nun and entered +the monastery of Excellent Merit, there lived, at that time, a +subscriber, Chang by surname, a very wealthy man. He had a daughter, +whose infant name was Chin Ko; the whole family came in the course of +that year to the convent I was in, to offer incense, and as luck would +have it they met Li Ya-nei, a brother of a secondary wife of the Prefect +of the Ch'ang An Prefecture. This Li Ya-nei fell in love at first sight +with her, and would wed Chin Ko as his wife. He sent go-betweens to ask +her in marriage, but, contrary to his expectations, Chin Ko had already +received the engagement presents of the son of the ex-Major of the +Ch'ang An Prefecture. The Chang family, on the other hand, were afraid +that if they withdrew from the match, the Major would not give up his +claim, and they therefore replied that she was already promised to +another. But, who would have thought it, this Mr. Li was seriously bent +upon marrying the young lady. But while the Chang family were at a loss +what plan to devise, and both parties were in a dilemma, the family of +the Major came unexpectedly to hear of the news; and without even +looking thoroughly into the matter, they there and then had recourse to +insult and abuse. 'Is a girl,' they insinuated, 'to be promised to the +sons of several families!' And obstinately refusing to allow the +restitution of the betrothal presents, they at once had recourse to +litigation and brought an action (against the girl's people.) That +family was at their wits' end, and had no alternative but to find some +one to go to the capital to obtain means of assistance; and, losing all +patience, they insisted upon the return of the presents. I believe that +the present commander of the troops at Ch'ang An, Mr. Yün, is on +friendly terms with your honourable family, and could one solicit madame +Wang to put in a word with Mr. Chia Cheng to send a letter and ask Mr. +Yün to speak to that Major, I have no fear that he will not agree. +Should (your ladyship) be willing to take action, the Chang family are +even ready to present all they have, though it may entail the ruin of +their estate." + +"This affair is, it's true, of no great moment," lady Feng replied +smiling, after hearing this appeal; "but the only thing is that madame +Wang does no longer attend to matters of this nature." + +"If madame doesn't heed them," suggested the old nun, "you, my lady, can +safely assume the direction." + +"I'm neither in need of any money to spend," added lady Feng with a +smirk, "nor do I undertake such matters!" + +These words did not escape Ching Hsü's ear; they scattered to the winds +her vain hopes. After a minute or so she heaved a sigh. + +"What you say may be true enough," she remarked; "but the Chang family +are also aware that I mean to come and make my appeal to your mansion; +and were you now not to manage this affair, the Chang family having no +idea that the lack of time prevents any steps being taken and that no +importance is attached to their presents, it will appear, on the +contrary, as if there were not even this little particle of skill in +your household." + +At these words lady Feng felt at once inspirited. "You've known of old," +she added, "that I've never had any faith in anything concerning +retribution in the Court of Judgment in the unseen or in hell; and that +whatever I say that I shall do, that I do; tell them therefore to bring +three thousand taels; and I shall then remedy this grievance of theirs." + +The old nun upon hearing this remark was so exceedingly delighted, that +she precipitately exclaimed, "They've got it, they've got it! there will +be no difficulty about it." + +"I'm not," lady Feng went on to add, "like those people, who afford help +and render assistance with an eye to money; these three thousand taels +will be exclusively devoted for the travelling expenses of those youths, +who will be sent to deliver messages and for them to make a few cash for +their trouble; but as for me I don't want even so much as a cash. In +fact I'm able at this very moment to produce as much as thirty thousand +taels." + +The old nun assented with alacrity, and said by way of reply, "If that +be so, my lady, do display your charitable bounty at once to-morrow and +bring things to an end." + +"Just see," remarked lady Feng, "how hard pressed I am; which place can +do without me? but since I've given you my word, I shall, needless to +say, speedily bring the matter to a close." + +"A small trifle like this," hinted the old nun, "would, if placed in the +hands of any one else, flurry her to such an extent that she would be +quite at a loss what to do; but in your hands, my lady, even if much +more were superadded, it wouldn't require as much exertion as a wave of +your hand. But the proverb well says: 'that those who are able have much +to do;' for madame Wang, seeing that your ladyship manages all concerns, +whether large or small, properly, has still more shoved the burden of +everything on your shoulders, my lady; but you should, it's but right, +also take good care of your precious health." + +This string of flattery pleased lady Feng more and more, so that +heedless of fatigue she went on to chat with still greater zest. + +But, thing unthought of, Ch'in Chung availed himself of the darkness, as +well as of the absence of any one about, to come in quest of Chih Neng. +As soon as he reached the room at the back, he espied Chih Neng all +alone inside washing the tea cups; and Ch'in Chung forthwith seized her +in his arms and implanted kisses on her cheek. Chih Neng got in a +dreadful state, and stamping her feet, cried, "What are you up to?" and +she was just on the point of shouting out, when Ch'in Chung rejoined: +"My dear girl! I'm nearly dead from impatience, and if you don't again +to-day accept my advances, I shall this very moment die on this spot." + +"What you're bent upon," added Chih Neng, "can't be effected; not unless +you wait until I've left this den and parted company from these people, +when it will be safe enough." + +"This is of course easy enough!" remonstrated Ch'in Chung; "but the +distant water cannot extinguish the close fire!" + +As he spoke, with one puff, he put out the light, plunging the whole +room in pitch darkness; and seizing Chih Neng, he pushed her on to the +stove-couch and started a violent love affair. Chih Neng could not, +though she strained every nerve, escape his importunities; nor could she +very well shout, so that she felt compelled to humour him; but while he +was in the midst of his ecstatic joy, they perceived a person walk in, +who pressed both of them down, without uttering even so much as a sound, +and plunged them both in such a fright that their very souls flew away +and their spirits wandered from their bodies; and it was after the third +party had burst out laughing with a spurting sound that they eventually +became aware that it was Pao-yü; when, springing to his feet +impetuously, Ch'in Chung exclaimed full of resentment, "What's this that +you're up to!" + +"If you get your monkey up," retorted Pao-yü, "why, then let you and I +start bawling out;" which so abashed Chih Neng that she availed herself +of the gloomy light to make her escape; while Pao-yü had dragged Ch'in +Chung out of the room and asked, "Now then, do you still want to play +the bully!" + +"My dear fellow," pleaded Ch'in Chung smilingly, "whatever you do don't +shout out and let every one know; and all you want, I'll agree to." + +"We needn't argue just now," Pao-yü observed with a grin; "wait a while, +and when all have gone to sleep, we can minutely settle accounts +together." + +Soon it was time to ease their clothes, and go to bed; and lady Feng +occupied the inner room; Ch'in Chung and Pao-yü the outer; while the +whole ground was covered with matrons of the household, who had spread +their bedding, and sat watching. As lady Feng entertained fears that the +jade of Spiritual Perception might be lost, she waited until Pao-yü fell +asleep, when having directed a servant to bring it to her, she placed it +under the side of her own pillow. + +What accounts Pao-yü settled with Ch'in Chung cannot be ascertained; and +as in the absence of any positive proof what is known is based upon +surmises, we shall not venture to place it on record. + +Nothing worth noticing occurred the whole night; but the next day, as +soon as the morning dawned, dowager lady Chia and madame Wang promptly +despatched servants to come and see how Pao-yü was getting on; and to +tell him likewise to put on two pieces of extra clothing, and that if +there was nothing to be done it would be better for him to go back. + +But was it likely that Pao-yü would be willing to go back? Besides Ch'in +Chung, in his inordinate passion for Chih Neng, instigated Pao-yü to +entreat lady Feng to remain another day. Lady Feng pondered in her own +mind that, although the most important matters connected with the +funeral ceremonies had been settled satisfactorily, there were still a +few minor details, for which no provision had been made, so that could +she avail herself of this excuse to remain another day would she not win +from Chia Chen a greater degree of approbation, in the second place, +would she not be able further to bring Ch'ing Hsü's business to an +issue, and, in the third place, to humour Pao-yü's wish? In view of +these three advantages, which would accrue, "All that I had to do, I +have done," she readily signified to Pao-yü, "and if you be bent upon +running about in here, you'll unavoidably place me in still greater +trouble; so that we must for certain start homewards to-morrow." + +"My dear cousin, my own dear cousin," urgently entreated Pao-yü, when he +heard these words, "let's stay only this one day, and to-morrow we can +go back without fail." + +They actually spent another night there, and lady Feng availed herself +of their stay to give directions that the case which had been entrusted +to her the previous day by the old nun should be secretly communicated +to Lai Wang Erh. Lai Wang's mind grasped the import of all that was said +to him, and, having entered the city with all despatch, he went in +search of the gentleman, who acted as secretary (in Mr. Yün's office), +pretending that he had been directed by Mr. Chia Lien to come and ask +him to write a letter and to send it that very night to the Ch'ang An +magistrate. The distance amounted to no more than one hundred li, so +that in the space of two days everything was brought to a satisfactory +settlement. The general, whose name was Yün Kuang, had been for a long +time under obligations to the Chia family, so that he naturally could +not refuse his co-operation in such small trifles. When he had handed +his reply, Wang Erh started on his way back; where we shall leave him +and return to lady Feng. + +Having spent another day, she on the morrow took leave of the old nun, +whom she advised to come to the mansion after the expiry of three days +to fetch a reply. + +Ch'in Chung and Chih Neng could not, by any means, brook the separation, +and they secretly agreed to a clandestine assignation; but to these +details we need not allude with any minuteness; sufficient to say that +they had no alternative but to bear the anguish and to part. + +Lady Feng crossed over again to the temple of the Iron Fence and +ascertained how things were progressing. But as Pao Chu was obstinate in +her refusal to return home, Chia Chen found himself under the necessity +of selecting a few servants to act as her companions. But the reader +must listen to what is said in the next chapter by way of explanation. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + Chia Yuan-ch'un is, on account of her talents, selected to enter the + Feng Ts'ao Palace. + Ch'in Ching-ch'ing departs, in the prime of life, by the yellow spring + road. + + +But we must now return to the two lads, Ch'in Chung and Pao-yü. After +they had passed, along with lady Feng from the Temple of the Iron Fence, +whither she had gone to see how things were getting on, they entered the +city in their carriages. On their arrival at home, they paid their +obeisance to dowager lady Chia, madame Wang and the other members of the +family, whence they returned to their own quarters, where nothing worth +mentioning transpired during the night. + +On the next day, Pao-yü perceiving that the repairs to the outer +schoolroom had been completed, settled with Ch'in Chung that they should +have evening classes. But as it happened that Ch'in Chung, who was +naturally of an extremely delicate physique, caught somewhat of a chill +in the country and clandestinely indulged, besides, in an intimacy with +Chih Neng, which unavoidably made him fail to take good care of himself, +he was, shortly after his return, troubled with a cough and a feverish +cold, with nausea for drink and food, and fell into such an extremely +poor state of health that he simply kept indoors and nursed himself, and +was not in a fit condition to go to school. Pao-yü's spirits were +readily damped, but as there was likewise no remedy he had no other +course than to wait until his complete recovery, before he could make +any arrangements. + +Lady Feng had meanwhile received a reply from Yün Kuang, in which he +informed her that everything had been satisfactorily settled, and the +old nun apprised the Chang family that the major had actually suppressed +his indignation, hushed his complaints, and taken back the presents of +the previous engagement. But who would have ever anticipated that a +father and mother, whose hearts were set upon position and their +ambition upon wealth, could have brought up a daughter so conscious of +propriety and so full of feeling as to seize the first opportunity, +after she had heard that she had been withdrawn from her former +intended, and been promised to the Li family, to stealthily devise a way +to commit suicide, by means of a handkerchief. The son of the Major, +upon learning that Chin Ko had strangled herself, there and then jumped +into the river and drowned himself, as he too was a being full of love. +The Chang and Li families were, sad to relate, very much cut up, and, in +very truth, two lives and money had been sacrificed all to no use. + +Lady Feng, however, during this while, quietly enjoyed the three +thousand taels, and madame Wang did not have even so much as the +faintest idea of the whole matter. But ever since this occasion, lady +Feng's audacity acquired more and more strength; and the actions of this +kind, which she, in after days, performed, defy enumeration. + +One day, the very day on which Chia Cheng's birthday fell, while the +members of the two households of Ning and Jung were assembled together +offering their congratulations, and unusual bustle and stir prevailed, a +gatekeeper came in, at quite an unexpected moment, to announce that Mr. +Hsia, Metropolitan Head Eunuch of the six palaces, had come with the +special purpose of presenting an edict from his Majesty; a bit of news +which plunged Chia She, Chia Cheng and the whole company into great +consternation, as they could not make out what was up. Speedily +interrupting the theatrical performance, they had the banquet cleared, +and the altar laid out with incense, and opening the centre gate they +fell on their knees to receive the edict. + +Soon they caught sight of the head eunuch, Hsia Ping-chung, advancing on +horseback, and besides himself, a considerable retinue of eunuchs. The +eunuch Hsia did not, in fact, carry any mandate or present any decree; +but straightway advancing as far as the main hall, he dismounted, and, +with a face beaming with smiles, he walked into the Hall and took his +stand on the southern side. + +"I have had the honour," he said, "of receiving a special order to at +once summon Chia Cheng to present himself at Court and be admitted in +His Majesty's presence in the Lin Ching Hall." + +When he had delivered this message, he did not so much as take any tea, +but forthwith mounted his horse and took his leave. + +Chia Cheng and the others could not even conceive what omen this summons +implied, but he had no alternative but to change his clothes with all +haste and to present himself at Court, while dowager lady Chia and the +inmates of the whole household were, in their hearts, a prey to such +perplexity and uncertainty that they incessantly despatched messengers +on flying steeds to go and bring the news. + +After the expiry of four hours, they suddenly perceived Lai Ta and three +or four other butlers run in, quite out of breath, through the +ceremonial gate and report the glad tidings. "We have received," they +added, "our master's commands, to hurriedly request her venerable +ladyship to take madame Wang and the other ladies into the Palace, to +return thanks for His Majesty's bounty;" and other words to the same +purport. + +Dowager lady Chia was, at this time, standing, with agitated heart, +under the verandah of the Large Hall waiting for tidings, whilst the two +ladies, mesdames Hsing and Wang, Mrs. Yu, Li Wan, lady Feng, Ying Ch'un +and her sisters, even up to Mrs. Hsüeh and the rest, were congregated in +one place ascertaining what was the news. Old lady Chia likewise called +Lai Ta in and minutely questioned him as to what had happened. "Your +servants," replied Lai Ta, "simply stood waiting outside the Lin Chuang +gate, so that we were in total ignorance of what was going on inside, +when presently the Eunuch Hsia came out and imparted to us the glad +tidings; telling us that the eldest of the young ladies in our household +had been raised, by His Majesty, to be an overseer in the Feng Ts'ao +Palace, and that he had, in addition, conferred upon her the rank of +worthy and virtuous secondary consort. By and by, Mr. Chia Cheng came +out and also told us the same thing. Master is now gone back again to +the Eastern Palace, whither he requests your venerable ladyship to go at +once and offer thanks for the Imperial favour." + +When old lady Chia and the other members of the family heard these +tidings they were at length reassured in their minds, and so elated were +they all in one moment that joy was visible in their very faces. Without +loss of time, they commenced to don the gala dresses suitable to their +rank; which done, old lady Chia led the way for the two ladies, mesdames +Hsing and Wang, as well as for Mrs. Yu; and their official chairs, four +of them in all, entered the palace like a trail of fish; while Chia She +and Chia Chen, who had likewise changed their clothes for their court +dress, took Chia Se and Chia Jung along and proceeded in attendance upon +dowager lady Chia. + +Indeed, of the two households of Ning and Jung, there was not one, +whether high or low, woman or man, who was not in a high state of +exultation, with the exception of Pao-yü, who behaved just as if the +news had not reached his ears; and can you, reader, guess why? The fact +is that Chih Neng, of the Water Moon Convent, had recently entered the +city in a surreptitious manner in search of Ch'in Chung; but, contrary +to expectation, her visit came to be known by Ch'in Yeh, who drove Chih +Neng away and laid hold of Ch'in Chung and gave him a flogging. But this +outburst of temper of his brought about a relapse of his old complaint, +with the result that in three or five days, he, sad to say, succumbed. +Ch'in Chung had himself ever been in a delicate state of health and had +besides received a caning before he had got over his sickness, so that +when he now saw his aged father pass away from the consequences of a fit +of anger, he felt, at this stage, so full of penitence and distress that +the symptoms of his illness were again considerably aggravated. Hence it +was that Pao-yü was downcast and unhappy at heart, and that nothing +could, in spite of the promotion of Yuan Ch'un by imperial favour, +dispel the depression of his spirits. + +Dowager lady Chia and the rest in due course offered thanks and returned +home, the relatives and friends came to present their congratulations, +great stir and excitement prevailed during these few days in the two +mansions of Ning and Jung, and every one was in high glee; but he alone +looked upon everything as if it were nothing; taking not the least +interest in anything; and as this reason led the whole family to sneer +at him, the result was that he got more and more doltish. + +Luckily, however, Chia Lien and Tai-yü were on their way back, and had +despatched messengers, in advance, to announce the news that they would +be able to reach home the following day, so that when Pao-yü heard the +tidings, he was at length somewhat cheered. And when he came to +institute minute inquiries, he eventually found out: "that Chia Yü-ts'un +was also coming to the capital to have an audience with His Majesty, +that it was entirely because Wang Tzu-t'eng had repeatedly laid before +the Throne memorials recommending him that he was coming on this +occasion to wait in the metropolis for a vacancy which he could fill up; +that as he was a kinsman of Chia Lien's, acknowledging the same +ancestors as he did, and he stood, on the other hand, with Tai-yü, in +the relationship of tutor and pupil, he was in consequence following the +same road and coming as their companion; that Lin Ju-hai had already +been buried in the ancestral vault, and that every requirement had been +attended to with propriety; that Chia Lien, on this voyage to the +capital, would, had he progressed by the ordinary stages, have been over +a month before he could reach home, but that when he came to hear the +good news about Yuan Ch'un, he pressed on day and night to enter the +capital; and that the whole journey had been throughout, in every +respect, both pleasant and propitious." + +But Pao-yü merely ascertained whether Tai-yü was all right, and did not +even so much as trouble his mind with the rest of what he heard; and he +remained on the tiptoe of expectation, till noon of the morrow; when, in +point of fact, it was announced that Mr. Lien, together with Miss Lin, +had made their entrance into the mansion. When they came face to face, +grief and joy vied with each other; and they could not help having a +good cry for a while; after which followed again expressions of sympathy +and congratulations; while Pao-yü pondered within himself that Tai-yü +had become still more surpassingly handsome. + +Tai-yü had also brought along with her a good number of books, and she +promptly gave orders that the sleeping rooms should be swept, and that +the various nicknacks should be put in their proper places. She further +produced a certain quantity of paper, pencils and other such things, and +distributed them among Pao Ch'ai, Ying Ch'un, Pao-yü and the rest; and +Pao-yü also brought out, with extreme care, the string of Ling-ling +scented beads, which had been given to him by the Prince of Pei Ching, +and handed them, in his turn, to Tai-yü as a present. + +"What foul man has taken hold of them?" exclaimed Tai-yü. "I don't want +any such things;" and as she forthwith dashed them down, and would not +accept them, Pao-yü was under the necessity of taking them back. But for +the time being we will not allude to them, but devote our attention to +Chia Lien. + +Having, after his arrival home, paid his salutations to all the inmates, +he retired to his own quarters at the very moment that lady Feng had +multifarious duties to attend to, and had not even a minute to spare; +but, considering that Chia Lien had returned from a distant journey, she +could not do otherwise than put by what she had to do, and to greet him +and wait on him. + +"Imperial uncle," she said, in a jocose manner, when she realised that +there was no outsider present in the room, "I congratulate you! What +fatigue and hardship you, Imperial uncle, have had to bear throughout +the whole journey, your humble servant heard yesterday, when the courier +sent ahead came and announced that Your Highness would this day reach +this mansion. I have merely got ready a glass of mean wine for you to +wipe down the dust with, but I wonder, whether Your Highness will deign +to bestow upon it the lustre of your countenance, and accept it." + +Chia Lien smiled. "How dare I presume to such an honour," he added by +way of rejoinder; "I'm unworthy of such attention! Many thanks, many +thanks." + +P'ing Erh and the whole company of waiting-maids simultaneously paid +their obeisance to him, and this ceremony concluded, they presented tea. +Chia Lien thereupon made inquiries about the various matters, which had +transpired in their home after his departure, and went on to thank lady +Feng for all the trouble she had taken in the management of them. + +"How could I control all these manifold matters," remarked lady Feng; +"my experience is so shallow, my speech so dull and my mind so simple, +that if any one showed me a club, I would mistake it for a pin. Besides, +I'm so tender-hearted that were any one to utter a couple of glib +remarks, I couldn't help feeling my heart give way to compassion and +sympathy. I've had, in addition, no experience in any weighty questions; +my pluck is likewise so very small that when madame Wang has felt in the +least displeased, I have not been able to close my eyes and sleep. +Urgently did I more than once resign the charge, but her ladyship +wouldn't again agree to it; maintaining, on the contrary, that my object +was to be at ease, and that I was not willing to reap experience. +Leaving aside that she doesn't know that I take things so much to heart, +that I can scoop the perspiration in handfuls, that I daren't utter one +word more than is proper, nor venture to recklessly take one step more +than I ought to, you know very well which of the women servants, in +charge of the menage in our household, is easy to manage! If ever I make +the slightest mistake, they laugh at me and poke fun at me; and if I +incline a little one way, they show their displeasure by innuendoes; +they sit by and look on, they use every means to do harm, they stir up +trouble, they stand by on safe ground and look on and don't give a +helping hand to lift any one they have thrown over, and they are, one +and all of them, old hands in such tricks. I'm moreover young in years +and not able to keep people in check, so that they naturally don't show +any regard for me! What is still more ridiculous is that after the death +of Jung Erh's wife in that mansion, brother Chen, time and again, begged +madame Wang, on his very knees, to do him the favour to ask me to lend +him a hand for several days. I repeatedly signified my refusal, but her +ladyship gave her consent in order to oblige him, so that I had no help +but to carry out her wish; putting, as is my wont, everything +topsy-turvey, and making matters worse than they were; with the result +that brother Chen up to this day bears me a grudge and regrets having +asked for my assistance. When you see him to-morrow, do what you can to +excuse me by him. 'Young as she is,' tell him, 'and without experience +of the world, who ever could have instigated Mr. Chia Cheng to make such +a mistake as to choose her.'" + +While they were still chatting, they heard people talking in the outer +apartments, and lady Feng speedily inquired who it was. P'ing Erh +entered the room to reply. "Lady Hsüeh," she said, "has sent sister +Hsiang Ling over to ask me something; but I've already given her my +answer and sent her back." + +"Quite so," interposed Chia Lien with a smile. "A short while ago I went +to look up Mrs. Hsüeh and came face to face with a young girl, whose +features were supremely perfect, and as I suspected that, in our +household, there was no such person, I asked in the course of +conversation, Mrs. Hsüeh about her, and found out eventually that this +was the young waiting-maid they had purchased on their way to the +capital, Hsiang Ling by name, and that she had after all become an +inmate of the household of that big fool Hsüeh. Since she's had her hair +dressed as a married woman she does look so much more pre-eminently +beautiful! But that big fool Hsüeh has really brought contamination upon +her." + +"Ai!" exclaimed lady Feng, "here you are back from a trip to Suchow and +Hang Chow, where you should have seen something of the world! and have +you still an eye as envious and a heart so covetous? Well, if you wish +to bestow your love on her, there's no difficulty worth speaking of. +I'll take P'ing Erh over and exchange her for her; what do you say to +that? that old brother Hsüeh is also one of those men, who, while eating +what there is in the bowl, keeps an eye on what there is in the pan! For +the last year or so, as he couldn't get Hsiang Ling to be his, he made +ever so many distressing appeals to Mrs. Hsüeh; and Mrs. Hsüeh while +esteeming Hsiang Ling's looks, though fine, as after all a small matter, +(thought) her deportment and conduct so far unlike those of other girls, +so gentle and so demure that almost the very daughters of masters and +mistresses couldn't attain her standard, that she therefore went to the +trouble of spreading a banquet, and of inviting guests, and in open +court, and in the legitimate course, she gave her to him for a secondary +wife. But half a month had scarcely elapsed before he looked upon her +also as a good-for-nothing person as he did upon a large number of them! +I can't however help feeling pity for her in my heart." + +Scarcely had she time to conclude what she had to say when a youth, on +duty at the second gate, transmitted the announcement that Mr. Chia +Cheng was in the Library waiting for Mr. Secundus. At these words, Chia +Lien speedily adjusted his clothes, and left the apartment; and during +his absence, lady Feng inquired of P'ing Erh what Mrs. Hsüeh wanted a +few minutes back, that she sent Hsiang Ling round in such a hurry. + +"What Hsiang Ling ever came?" replied P'ing Erh. "I simply made use of +her name to tell a lie for the occasion. Tell me, my lady, (what's come +to) Wang Erh's wife? why she's got so bad that there's even no common +sense left in her!" Saying this she again drew near lady Feng's side, +and in a soft tone of voice, she continued: "That interest of yours, my +lady, she doesn't send later, nor does she send it sooner; but she must +send it round the very moment when master Secundus is at home! But as +luck would have it, I was in the hall, so that I came across her; +otherwise, she would have walked in and told your ladyship, and Mr. +Secundus would naturally have come to know about it! And our master +would, with that frame of mind of his, have fished it out and spent it, +had the money even been at the bottom of a pan full of oil! and were he +to have heard that my lady had private means, would he not have been +still more reckless in spending? Hence it was that, losing no time in +taking the money over, I had to tell her a few words which, who would +have thought, happened to be overheard by your ladyship; that's why, in +the presence of master Secundus, I simply explained that Hsiang Ling had +come!" + +These words evoked a smile from lady Feng. "Mrs. Hsueh, I thought to +myself," she observed, "knows very well that your Mr. Secundus has come, +and yet, regardless of propriety, she, instead (of keeping her at home), +sends some one over from her inner rooms! and it was you after all, you +vixen, playing these pranks!" + +As she uttered this remark, Chia Lien walked in, and lady Feng issued +orders to serve the wine and the eatables, and husband and wife took +their seats opposite to each other; but notwithstanding that lady Feng +was very partial to drink, she nevertheless did not have the courage to +indulge her weakness, but merely partook of some to keep him company. +Chia Lien's nurse, dame Chao, entered the room, and Chia Lien and lady +Feng promptly pressed her to have a glass of wine, and bade her sit on +the stove-couch, but dame Chao was obstinate in her refusal. P'ing Erh +and the other waiting-maids had at an early hour placed a square stool +next to the edge of the couch, where was likewise a small footstool, and +on this footstool dame Chao took a seat, whereupon Chia Lien chose two +dishes of delicacies from the table, which he handed her to place on the +square stool for her own use. + +"Dame Chao," lady Feng remarked, "couldn't very well bite through that, +for mind it might make her teeth drop! This morning," she therefore +asked of P'ing Erh, "I suggested that that shoulder of pork stewed with +ham was so tender as to be quite the thing to be given to dame Chao to +eat; and how is it you haven't taken it over to her? But go at once and +tell them to warm it and bring it in! Dame Chao," she went on, "just you +taste this Hui Ch'üan wine brought by your foster-son." + +"I'll drink it," replied dame Chao, "but you, my lady, must also have a +cup: what's there to fear? the one thing to guard against is any excess, +that's all! But I've now come over, not for any wine or eatables; on the +contrary, there's a serious matter, which I would ask your ladyship to +impress on your mind, and to show me some regard, for this master of +ours is only good to utter fine words, but when the time (to act) does +come, he forgets all about us! As I have had the good fortune to nurse +him in his infancy and to bring him up to this age, 'I too have grown +old in years,' I said to him, 'and all that belong to me are those two +sons, and do look upon them with some particular favour!' With any one +else I shouldn't have ventured to open my mouth, but him I anyway +entreated time and again on several occasions. His assent was of course +well and good, but up to this very moment he still withholds his help. +Now besides from the heavens has dropped such a mighty piece of good +luck; and in what place will there be no need of servants? that's why I +come to tell you, my lady, as is but right, for were I to depend upon +our master, I fear I shall even die of starvation." + +Lady Feng laughed. "You'd better," she suggested, "put those two elder +foster brothers of his both under my charge! But you've nursed that +foster-son from his babyhood, and don't you yet know that disposition of +his, how that he takes his skin and flesh and sticks it, (not on the +body of a relative), but, on the contrary, on that of an outsider and +stranger? (to Chia Lien.) Which of those foster brothers whom you have +now discarded, isn't clearly better than others? and were you to have +shown them some favour and consideration, who would have ventured to +have said 'don't?' Instead of that, you confer benefits upon thorough +strangers, and all to no purpose whatever! But these words of mine are +also incorrect, eh? for those whom we regard as strangers you, +contrariwise, will treat just as if they were relatives!" + +At these words every one present in the room burst out laughing; even +nurse Chao could not repress herself; and as she invoked Buddha,--"In +very truth," she exclaimed, "in this room has sprung up a kind-hearted +person! as regards relatives and strangers, such foolish distinctions +aren't drawn by our master; and it's simply because he's full of pity +and is tenderhearted that he can't put off any one who gives vent to a +few words of entreaty, and nothing else!" + +"That's quite it!" rejoined lady Feng smiling sarcastically, "to those +whom he looks upon as relatives, he's kindhearted, but with me and his +mother he's as hard as steel." + +"What you say, my lady, is very considerate," remarked nurse Chao, "and +I'm really so full of delight that I'll have another glass of good wine! +and, if from this time forward, your ladyship will act as you think +best, I'll have then nothing to be sorry for!" + +Chia Lien did not at this juncture feel quite at his ease, but he could +do no more than feign a smile. "You people," he said, "should leave off +talking nonsense, and bring the eatables at once and let us have our +meal, as I have still to go on the other side and see Mr. Chia Chen, to +consult with him about business." + +"To be sure you have," ventured lady Feng, "and you shouldn't neglect +your legitimate affairs; but what did Mr. Chia Chen tell you when he +sent for you just a while back?" + +"It was about the visit (of Yuan Ch'un) to her parents," Chia Lien +explained. + +"Has after all permission for the visit been granted?" lady Feng +inquired with alacrity. + +"Though not quite granted," Chia Lien replied joyously, "it's +nevertheless more or less an accomplished fact." + +"This is indeed evidence of the great bounty of the present Emperor!" +lady Feng observed smirkingly; "one doesn't hear in books, or see in +plays, written from time to time, any mention of such an instance, even +so far back as the days of old!" + +Dame Chao took up again the thread of the conversation. "Indeed it's +so!" she interposed; "But I'm in very truth quite stupid from old age, +for I've heard every one, high and low, clamouring during these few +days, something or other about 'Hsing Ch'in' or no 'Hsing Ch'in,' but I +didn't really pay any heed to it; and now again, here's something more +about this 'Hsing Ch'in,' but what's it all about, I wonder?" + +"The Emperor at present on the Throne," explained Chia Lien, "takes into +consideration the feelings of his people. In the whole world, there is +(in his opinion), no more essential thing than filial piety; maintaining +that the feelings of father, mother, son and daughter are +indiscriminately subject to one principle, without any distinction +between honorable and mean. The present Emperor himself day and night +waits upon their majesties his Father and the Empress Dowager, and yet +cannot, in the least degree, carry out to the full his ideal of filial +piety. The secondary consorts, meritorious persons and other inmates of +the Palace, he remembered, had entered within its precincts many years +back, casting aside fathers and mothers, so how could they not help +thinking of them? Besides, the fathers and mothers, who remain at home +must long for their daughters, of whom they cannot get even so much as a +glimpse, and if, through this solicitude, they were to contract any +illness, the harmony of heaven would also be seriously impaired, so for +this reason, he memorialised the Emperor, his father, and the Empress +Dowager that every month, on the recurrence of the second and sixth +days, permission should be accorded to the relatives of the imperial +consorts to enter the palace and make application to see their +daughters. The Emperor, his father, and Empress Dowager were, forthwith, +much delighted by this representation, and eulogised, in high terms, the +piety and generosity of the present Emperor, his regard for the will of +heaven and his research into the nature of things. Both their sacred +Majesties consequently also issued a decree to the effect: that the +entrance of the relatives of the imperial consorts into the Palace could +not but interfere with the dignity of the state, and the rules of +conventional rites, but that as the mothers and daughters could not +gratify the wishes of their hearts, Their Majesties would, after all, +show a high proof of expedient grace, and issue a special command that: +'exclusive of the generous bounty, by virtue of which the worthy +relations of the imperial consorts could enter the palace on the second +and sixth days, any family, having extensive accommodation and separate +courts suitable for the cantonment of the imperial body-guard, could, +without any detriment, make application to the Inner Palace, for the +entrance of the imperial chair into the private residences, to the end +that the personal feelings of relations might be gratified, and that +they should collectively enjoy the bliss of a family reunion.' After the +issue of this decree, who did not leap from grateful joy! The father of +the honourable secondary consort Chou has now already initiated works, +in his residence, for the repairs to the separate courts necessary for +the visiting party. Wu T'ien-yu too, the father of Wu, the distinguished +consort, has likewise gone outside the city walls in search of a +suitable plot of ground; and don't these amount to well-nigh +accomplished facts?" + +"O-mi-to-fu!" exclaimed dame Chao. "Is it really so? but from what you +say, our family will also be making preparations for the reception of +the eldest young lady!" + +"That goes without saying," added Chia Lien, "otherwise, for what +purpose could we be in such a stir just now?" + +"It's of course so!" interposed lady Feng smiling, "and I shall now have +an opportunity of seeing something great of the world. My misfortune is +that I'm young by several years; for had I been born twenty or thirty +years sooner, all these old people wouldn't really be now treating me +contemptuously for not having seen the world! To begin with, the Emperor +Tai Tsu, in years gone by, imitated the old policy of Shun, and went on +a tour, giving rise to more stir than any book could have ever produced; +but I happen to be devoid of that good fortune which could have enabled +me to come in time." + +"Ai ya, ya!" ejaculated dame Chao, "such a thing is rarely met with in a +thousand years! I was old enough at that time to remember the +occurrence! Our Chia family was then at Ku Su, Yangchow and all along +that line, superintending the construction of ocean vessels, and the +repairs to the seaboard. This was the only time in which preparations +were made for the reception of the Emperor, and money was lavished in +quantities as great as the billowing waters of the sea!" + +This subject once introduced, lady Feng took up the thread of the +conversation with vehemence. "Our Wang family," she said, "did also make +preparations on one occasion. At that time my grandfather was in sole +charge of all matters connected with tribute from various states, as +well as with general levées, so that whenever any foreigners arrived, +they all came to our house to be entertained, while the whole of the +goods, brought by foreign vessels from the two Kuang provinces, from +Fukien, Yunnan and Chekiang, were the property of our family." + +"Who isn't aware of these facts?" ventured dame Chao; "there is up to +this day a saying that, 'in the eastern sea, there was a white jade bed +required, and the dragon prince came to request Mr. Wang of Chin Ling +(to give it to him)!' This saying relates to your family, my lady, and +remains even now in vogue. The Chen family of Chiang Nan has recently +held, oh such a fine old standing! it alone has entertained the Emperor +on four occasions! Had we not seen these things with our own eyes, were +we to tell no matter whom, they wouldn't surely ever believe them! Not +to speak of the money, which was as plentiful as mud, all things, +whether they were to be found in the world or not, were they not heaped +up like hills, and collected like the waters of the sea? But with the +four characters representing sin and pity they didn't however trouble +their minds." + +"I've often heard," continued lady Feng, "my eldest uncle say that +things were in such a state, and how couldn't I believe? but what +surprises me is how it ever happened that this family attained such +opulence and honour!" + +"I'll tell your ladyship and all in one sentence," replied nurse Chao. +"Why they simply took the Emperor's money and spent it for the Emperor's +person, that's all! for what family has such a lot of money as to +indulge in this useless extravagance?" + +While they were engaged in this conversation, a servant came a second +time, at the instance of madame Wang, to see whether lady Feng had +finished her meal or not; and lady Feng forthwith concluding that there +must be something waiting for her to attend to, hurriedly rushed through +her repast. She had just rinsed her mouth and was about to start when +the youths, on duty at the second gate, also reported that the two +gentlemen, Mr. Chia Jung and Mr. Chia Se, belonging to the Eastern +mansion, had arrived. + +Chia Lien had, at length, rinsed his mouth; but while P'ing Erh +presented a basin for him to wash his hands, he perceived the two young +men walk in, and readily inquired of them what they had to say. + +Lady Feng was, on account (of their arrival), likewise compelled to +stay, and she heard Chia Jung take the lead and observe: "My father has +sent me to tell you, uncle, that the gentlemen, have already decided +that the whole extent of ground, starting from the East side, borrowing +(for the occasion) the flower garden of the Eastern mansion, straight up +to the North West, had been measured and found to amount in all to three +and a half li; that it will be suitable for the erection of extra +accommodation for the visiting party; that they have already +commissioned an architect to draw a plan, which will be ready by +to-morrow; that as you, uncle, have just returned home, and must +unavoidably feel fatigued, you need not go over to our house, but that +if you have anything to say you should please come tomorrow morning, as +early as you can, and consult verbally with him." + +"Thank uncle warmly," Chia Lien rejoined smilingly, "for the trouble he +has taken in thinking of me; I shall, in that case, comply with his +wishes and not go over. This plan is certainly the proper one, for while +trouble will thus be saved, the erection of the quarters will likewise +be an easy matter; for had a distinct plot to be selected and to be +purchased, it would involve far greater difficulties. What's more, +things wouldn't, after all, be what they properly should be. When you +get back, tell your father that this decision is the right one, and that +should the gentlemen have any further wish to introduce any change in +their proposals, it will rest entirely with my uncle to prevent them, as +it's on no account advisable to go and cast one's choice on some other +plot; that to-morrow as soon as it's daylight, I'll come and pay my +respects to uncle, when we can enter into further details in our +deliberations!" + +Chia Jung hastily signified his assent by several yes's, and Chia Se +also came forward to deliver his message. "The mission to Ku Su," he +explained, "to find tutors, to purchase servant girls, and to obtain +musical instruments, and theatrical properties and the like, my uncle +has confided to me; and as I'm to take along with me the two sons of a +couple of majordomos, and two companions of the family, besides, Tan +P'ing-jen and Pei Ku-hsiu, he has, for this reason, enjoined me to come +and see you, uncle." + +Upon hearing this, Chia Lien scrutinised Chia Se. "What!" he asked, "are +you able to undertake these commissions? These matters are, it's true, +of no great moment; but there's something more hidden in them!" + +Chia Se smiled. "The best thing I can do," he remarked, "will be to +execute them in my novice sort of way, that's all." + +Chia Jung was standing next to lady Feng, out of the light of the lamp, +and stealthily pulled the lapel of her dress. Lady Feng understood the +hint, and putting on a smiling expression, "You are too full of fears!" +she interposed. "Is it likely that our uncle Chen doesn't, after all, +know better than we do what men to employ, that you again give way to +apprehensions that he isn't up to the mark! but who are those who are, +in every respect, up to the mark? These young fellows have grown up +already to this age, and if they haven't eaten any pork, they have +nevertheless seen a pig run. If Mr. Chen has deputed him to go, he is +simply meant to sit under the general's standard; and do you imagine, +forsooth, that he has, in real earnest, told him to go and bargain about +the purchase money, and to interview the brokers himself? My own idea is +that (the choice) is a very good one." + +"Of course it is!" observed Chia Lien; "but it isn't that I entertain +any wish to be factious; my only object is to devise some plan or other +for him. Whence will," he therefore went on to ask, "the money required +for this purpose come from?" + +"A little while ago the deliberations reached this point," rejoined Chia +Se; "and Mr. Lai suggested that there was no necessity at all to take +any funds from the capital, as the Chen family, in Chiang Nan, had still +in their possession Tls. 50,000 of our money. That he would to-morrow +write a letter of advice and a draft for us to take along, and that we +should, first of all, obtain cash to the amount of Tls. 30,000, and let +the balance of Tls. 20,000 remain over, for the purchase of painted +lanterns, and coloured candles, as well as for the outlay for every kind +of portieres, banners, curtains and streamers." + +Chia Lien nodded his head. "This plan is first-rate!" he added. + +"Since that be so," observed lady Feng, as she addressed herself to Chia +Se, "I've two able and reliable men; and if you would take them with +you, to attend to these matters, won't it be to your convenience?" + +Chia Se forced a smile. "I was just on the point," he rejoined, "of +asking you, aunt, for the loan of two men, so that this suggestion is a +strange coincidence." + +As he went on to ascertain what were their names, lady Feng inquired +what they were of nurse Chao. But nurse Chao had, by this time, become +quite dazed from listening to the conversation, and P'ing Erh had to +give her a push, as she smiled, before she returned to consciousness. +"The one," she hastened to reply, "is called Chao T'ien-liang and the +other Chao T'ien-tung." + +"Whatever you do," suggested lady Feng, "don't forget them; but now I'm +off to look after my duties." + +With these words, she left the room, and Chia Jung promptly followed her +out, and with gentle voice he said to her: "Of whatever you want, aunt, +issue orders that a list be drawn up, and I'll give it to my brother to +take with him, and he'll carry out your commissions according to the +list." + +"Don't talk nonsense!" replied lady Feng laughing; "I've found no place, +as yet, where I could put away all my own things; and do the stealthy +practices of you people take my fancy?" + +As she uttered these words she straightway went her way. + +Chia Se, at this time, likewise, asked Chia Lien: "If you want anything +(in the way of curtains), I can conveniently have them woven for you, +along with the rest, and bring them as a present to you." + +"Don't be in such high glee!" Chia Lien urged with a grin, "you've but +recently been learning how to do business, and have you come first and +foremost to excel in tricks of this kind? If I require anything, I'll of +course write and tell you, but we needn't talk about it." + +Having finished speaking, he dismissed the two young men; and, in quick +succession, servants came to make their business reports, not limited to +three and five companies, but as Chia Lien felt exhausted, he forthwith +sent word to those on duty at the second gate not to allow any one at +all to communicate any reports, and that the whole crowd should wait +till the next day, when he would give his mind to what had to be done. + +Lady Feng did not come to retire to rest till the third watch; but +nothing need be said about the whole night. + +The next morning, at an early hour, Chia Lien got up and called on Chia +She and Chia Cheng; after which, he came over to the Ning Kuo mansion; +when, in company with the old major-domos and other servants, as well as +with several old family friends and companions, he inspected the grounds +of the two mansions, and drew plans of the palatial buildings (for the +accommodation of the Imperial consort and her escort) on her visit to +her parents; deliberating at the same time, on the subject of the works +and workmen. + +From this day the masons and workmen of every trade were collected to +the full number; and the articles of gold, silver, copper, and pewter, +as well as the earth, timber, tiles, and bricks, were brought over, and +carried in, in incessant supplies. In the first place, orders were +issued to the workmen to demolish the wall and towers of the garden of +Concentrated Fragrance, and extend a passage to connect in a straight +line with the large court in the East of the Jung mansion; for the whole +extent of servants' quarters on the Eastern side of the Jung mansion had +previously been pulled down. + +The two residences of Ning and Jung were, in these days, it is true, +divided by a small street, which served as a boundary line, and there +was no communication between them, but this narrow passage was also +private property, and not in any way a government street, so that they +could easily be connected, and as in the garden of Concentrated +Fragrance, there was already a stream of running water, which had been +introduced through the corner of the Northern wall, there was no further +need now of going to the trouble of bringing in another. Although the +rockeries and trees were not sufficient, the place where Chia She lived, +was an old garden of the Jung mansion, so that the bamboos, trees, and +rockeries in that compound, as well as the arbours, railings and other +such things could all be very well removed to the front; and by these +means, these two grounds, situated as they were besides so very near to +each other, could, by being thrown into one, conduce to the saving of +considerable capital and labour; for, in spite of some deficiency, what +had to be supplied did not amount to much. And it devolved entirely upon +a certain old Hu, a man of note, styled Shan Tzu-yeh, to deliberate upon +one thing after another, and to initiate its construction. + +Chia Cheng was not up to these ordinary matters, so that it fell to Chia +She, Chia Chen, Chia Lien, Lai Ta, Lai Sheng, Lin Chih-hsiao, Wu +Hsin-teng, Chan Kuang, Ch'eng Jih-hsing and several others to allot the +sites, to set things in order, (and to look after) the heaping up of +rockeries, the digging of ponds, the construction of two-storied +buildings, the erection of halls, the plantation of bamboos and the +cultivation of flowers, everything connected with the improvement of the +scenery devolving, on the other hand, upon Shan Tzu-yeh to make +provision for, and after leaving Court, he would devote such leisure +moments as he had to merely going everywhere to give a look at the most +important spots, and to consult with Chia She and the others; after +which he troubled his mind no more with anything. And as Chia She did +nothing else than stay at home and lie off, whenever any matter turned +up, trifling though it may have been as a grain of mustard seed or a +bean, Chia Chen and his associates had either to go and report it in +person or to write a memorandum of it. Or if he had anything to say, he +sent for Chia Lien, Lai Ta and others to come and receive his +instructions. Chia Jung had the sole direction of the manufacture of the +articles in gold and silver; and as for Chia Se, he had already set out +on his journey to Ku Su. Chia Chen, Lai Ta and the rest had also to call +out the roll with the names of the workmen, to superintend the works and +other duties relative thereto, which could not be recorded by one pen +alone; sufficient to say that a great bustle and stir prevailed, but to +this subject we shall not refer for a time, but allude to Pao-yü. + +As of late there were in the household concerns of this magnitude to +attend to, Chia Cheng did not come to examine him in his lessons, so +that he was, of course, in high spirits, but, as unfortunately Ch'in +Chung's complaint became, day by day, more serious, he was at the same +time really so very distressed at heart on his account, that enjoyment +was for him out of the question. + +On this day, he got up as soon as it was dawn, and having just combed +his hair and washed his face and hands, he was bent upon going to ask +dowager lady Chia to allow him to pay a visit to Ch'in Chung, when he +suddenly espied Ming Yen peep round the curtain-wall at the second gate, +and then withdraw his head. Pao-yü promptly walked out and inquired what +he was up to. + +"Mr. Ch'in Chung," observed Ming Yen, "is not well at all." + +Pao-yü at these words was quite taken aback. "It was only yesterday," he +hastily added, "that I saw him, and he was still bright and cheery; and +how is it that he's anything but well now?" + +"I myself can't explain," replied Ming Yen; "but just a few minutes ago +an old man belonging to his family came over with the express purpose of +giving me the tidings." + +Upon hearing this news, Pao-yü there and then turned round and told +dowager lady Chia; and the old lady issued directions to depute some +trustworthy persons to accompany him. "Let him go," (she said), "and +satisfy his feelings towards his fellow-scholar; but as soon as he has +done, he must come back; and don't let him tarry too long." + +Pao-yü with hurried step left the room and came and changed his clothes. +But as on his arrival outside, the carriage had not as yet been got +ready, he fell into such a state of excitement, that he went round and +round all over the hall in quite an erratic manner. In a short while, +after pressure had been brought to bear, the carriage arrived, and +speedily mounting the vehicle, he drove up to the door of Ch'in Chung's +house, followed by Li Kuei, Ming Yen and the other servants. Everything +was quiet. Not a soul was about. Like a hive of bees they flocked into +the house, to the astonishment of two distant aunts, and of several male +cousins of Ch'in Chung, all of whom had no time to effect their retreat. + +Ch'in Chung had, by this time, had two or three fainting fits, and had +already long ago been changed his mat. As soon as Pao-yü realised the +situation, he felt unable to repress himself from bursting forth aloud. +Li Kuei promptly reasoned with him. "You shouldn't go on in this way," +he urged, "you shouldn't. It's because Mr. Ch'in is so weak that lying +flat on the stove-couch naturally made his bones feel uncomfortable; and +that's why he has temporarily been removed down here to ease him a +little. But if you, sir, go on in this way, will you not, instead of +doing him any good, aggravate his illness?" + +At these words, Pao-yü accordingly restrained himself, and held his +tongue; and drawing near, he gazed at Ch'in Chung's face, which was as +white as wax, while with closed eyes, he gasped for breath, rolling +about on his pillow. + +"Brother Ching," speedily exclaimed Pao-yü, "Pao-yü is here!" But though +he shouted out two or three consecutive times, Ch'in Chung did not heed +him. + +"Pao-yü has come!" Pao-yü went on again to cry. But Ch'in Chung's spirit +had already departed from his body, leaving behind only a faint breath +of superfluous air in his lungs. + +He had just caught sight of a number of recording devils, holding a +warrant and carrying chains, coming to seize him, but Ch'in Chung's soul +would on no account go along with them; and remembering how that there +was in his home no one to assume the direction of domestic affairs, and +feeling concerned that Chih Neng had as yet no home, he consequently +used hundreds of arguments in his entreaties to the recording devils; +but alas! these devils would, none of them, show him any favour. On the +contrary, they heaped invectives upon Ch'in Chung. + +"You're fortunate enough to be a man of letters," they insinuated, "and +don't you know the common saying that: 'if the Prince of Hell call upon +you to die at the third watch, who can presume to retain you, a human +being, up to the fifth watch?' In our abode, in the unseen, high as well +as low, have all alike a face made of iron, and heed not selfish +motives; unlike the mortal world, where favouritism and partiality +prevail. There exist therefore many difficulties in the way (to our +yielding to your wishes)." + +While this fuss was going on, Ch'in Chung's spirit suddenly grasped the +four words, "Pao-yü has come," and without loss of time, it went on +again to make further urgent appeals. "Gentlemen, spiritual deputies," +it exclaimed; "show me a little mercy and allow me to return to make +just one remark to an intimate friend of mine, and I'll be back again." + +"What intimate friend is this again?" the devils observed with one +voice. + +"I'm not deceiving you, gentlemen," rejoined Ch'in Chung; "it's the +grandson of the duke of Jung Kuo, whose infant name is Pao-yü." + +The Decider of life was, at first, upon hearing these words, so seized +with dismay that he vehemently abused the devils sent on the errand. + +"I told you," he shouted, "to let him go back for a turn; but you would +by no means comply with my words! and now do you wait until he has +summoned a man of glorious fortune and prosperous standing to at last +desist?" + +When the company of devils perceived the manner of the Decider of life, +they were all likewise so seized with consternation that they bustled +with hand and feet; while with hearts also full of resentment: "You, +sir," they replied, "were at one time such a terror, formidable as +lightning; and are you not forsooth able to listen with equanimity to +the two sounds of 'Pao-yü?' our humble idea is that mortal as he is, and +immortal as we are, it wouldn't be to our credit if we feared him!" + +But whether Ch'in Chung, after all, died or survived, the next chapter +will explain. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + In the Ta Kuan Garden, (Broad Vista,) the merits of Pao-yü are put to + the test, by his being told to write devices for scrolls and + tablets. + Yuan Ch'un returns to the Jung Kuo mansion, on a visit to her parents, + and offers her congratulations to them on the feast of lanterns, + on the fifteenth of the first moon. + + +Ch'in Chung, to resume our story, departed this life, and Pao-yü went on +so unceasingly in his bitter lamentations, that Li Kuei and the other +servants had, for ever so long, an arduous task in trying to comfort him +before he desisted; but on his return home he was still exceedingly +disconsolate. + +Dowager lady Chia afforded monetary assistance to the amount of several +tens of taels; and exclusive of this, she had sacrificial presents +likewise got ready. Pao-yü went and paid a visit of condolence to the +family, and after seven days the funeral and burial took place, but +there are no particulars about them which could be put on record. + +Pao-yü, however, continued to mourn (his friend) from day to day, and +was incessant in his remembrance of him, but there was likewise no help +for it. Neither is it known after how many days he got over his grief. + +On this day, Chia Chen and the others came to tell Chia Cheng that the +works in the garden had all been reported as completed, and that Mr. +Chia She had already inspected them. "It only remains," (they said), +"for you, sir, to see them; and should there possibly be anything which +is not proper, steps will be at once taken to effect the alterations, so +that the tablets and scrolls may conveniently be written." + +After Chia Cheng had listened to these words, he pondered for a while. +"These tablets and scrolls," he remarked, "present however a difficult +task. According to the rites, we should, in order to obviate any +shortcoming, request the imperial consort to deign and compose them; but +if the honourable consort does not gaze upon the scenery with her own +eyes, it will also be difficult for her to conceive its nature and +indite upon it! And were we to wait until the arrival of her highness, +to request her to honour the grounds with a visit, before she composes +the inscriptions, such a wide landscape, with so many pavilions and +arbours, will, without one character in the way of a motto, albeit it +may abound with flowers, willows, rockeries, and streams, nevertheless +in no way be able to show off its points of beauty to advantage." + +The whole party of family companions, who stood by, smiled. "Your views, +remarkable sir," they ventured, "are excellent; but we have now a +proposal to make. Tablets and scrolls for every locality cannot, on any +account, be dispensed with, but they could not likewise, by any means, +be determined upon for good! Were now, for the time being, two, three or +four characters fixed upon, harmonising with the scenery, to carry out, +for form's sake, the idea, and were they provisionally utilised as +mottoes for the lanterns, tablets and scrolls, and hung up, pending the +arrival of her highness, and her visit through the grounds, when she +could be requested to decide upon the devices, would not two exigencies +be met with satisfactorily?" + +"Your views are perfectly correct," observed Chia Cheng, after he had +heard their suggestion; "and we should go to-day and have a look at the +place so as then to set to work to write the inscriptions; which, if +suitable, can readily be used; and, if unsuitable, Yü-ts'un can then be +sent for, and asked to compose fresh ones." + +The whole company smiled. "If you, sir, were to compose them to-day," +they ventured, "they are sure to be excellent; and what need will there +be again to wait for Yü-ts'un!" + +"You people are not aware," Chia Cheng added with a smiling countenance, +"that I've been, even in my young days, very mediocre in the composition +of stanzas on flowers, birds, rockeries and streams; and that now that +I'm well up in years and have moreover the fatigue and trouble of my +official duties, I've become in literary compositions like these, which +require a light heart and gladsome mood, still more inapt. Were I even +to succeed in composing any, they will unavoidably be so doltish and +forced that they would contrariwise be instrumental in making the +flowers, trees, garden and pavilions, through their demerits, lose in +beauty, and present instead no pleasing feature." + +"This wouldn't anyhow matter," remonstrated all the family companions, +"for after perusing them we can all decide upon them together, each one +of us recommending those he thinks best; which if excellent can be kept, +and if faulty can be discarded; and there's nothing unfeasible about +this!" + +"This proposal is most apposite," rejoined Chia Cheng. "What's more, the +weather is, I rejoice, fine to-day; so let's all go in a company and +have a look." + +Saying this, he stood up and went forward, at the head of the whole +party; while Chia Chen betook himself in advance into the garden to let +every one know of their coming. As luck would have it, Pao-yü--for he +had been these last few days thinking of Ch'in Chung and so ceaselessly +sad and wounded at heart, that dowager lady Chia had frequently directed +the servants to take him into the new garden to play--made his entrance +just at this very time, and suddenly became aware of the arrival of Chia +Chen, who said to him with a smile, "Don't you yet run away as fast as +you can? Mr. Chia Cheng will be coming in a while." + +At these words, Pao-yü led off his nurse and the youths, and rushed at +once out of the garden, like a streak of smoke; but as he turned a +corner, he came face to face with Chia Cheng, who was advancing towards +that direction, at the head of all the visitors; and as he had no time +to get out of the way, the only course open to him was to stand on one +side. + +Chia Cheng had, of late, heard the tutor extol him by saying that he +displayed special ability in rhyming antithetical lines, and that +although he did not like to read his books, he nevertheless possessed +some depraved talents, and hence it was that he was induced at this +moment to promptly bid him follow him into the garden, with the intent +of putting him to the test. + +Pao-yü could not make out what his object was, but he was compelled to +follow. As soon as they reached the garden gate, and he caught sight of +Chia Chen, standing on one side, along with several managers: "See that +the garden gate is closed for a time," Chia Cheng exclaimed, "for we'll +first see the outside and then go in." + +Chia Chen directed a servant to close the gate, and Chia Cheng first +looked straight ahead of him towards the gate and espied on the same +side as the main entrance a suite of five apartments. Above, the +cylindrical tiles resembled the backs of mud eels. The doors, railings, +windows, and frames were all finely carved with designs of the new +fashion, and were painted neither in vermilion nor in white colours. The +whole extent of the walls was of polished bricks of uniform colour; +while below, the white marble on the terrace and steps was engraved with +western foreign designs; and when he came to look to the right and to +the left, everything was white as snow. At the foot of the white-washed +walls, tiger-skin pebbles were, without regard to pattern, promiscuously +inserted in the earth in such a way as of their own selves to form +streaks. Nothing fell in with the custom of gaudiness and display so +much in vogue, so that he naturally felt full of delight; and, when he +forthwith asked that the gate should be thrown open, all that met their +eyes was a long stretch of verdant hills, which shut in the view in +front of them. + +"What a fine hill, what a pretty hill!" exclaimed all the companions +with one voice. + +"Were it not for this one hill," Chia Cheng explained, "whatever scenery +is contained in it would clearly strike the eye, as soon as one entered +into the garden, and what pleasure would that have been?" + +"Quite so," rejoined all of them. "But without large hills and ravines +in one's breast (liberal capacities), how could one attain such +imagination!" + +After the conclusion of this remark, they cast a glance ahead of them, +and perceived white rugged rocks looking, either like goblins, or +resembling savage beasts, lying either crossways, or in horizontal or +upright positions; on the surface of which grew moss and lichen with +mottled hues, or parasitic plants, which screened off the light; while, +slightly visible, wound, among the rocks, a narrow pathway like the +intestines of a sheep. + +"If we were now to go and stroll along by this narrow path," Chia Cheng +suggested, "and to come out from over there on our return, we shall have +been able to see the whole grounds." + +Having finished speaking, he asked Chia Chen to lead the way; and he +himself, leaning on Pao-yü, walked into the gorge with leisurely step. +Raising his head, he suddenly beheld on the hill a block of stone, as +white as the surface of a looking-glass, in a site which was, in very +deed, suitable to be left for an inscription, as it was bound to meet +the eye. + +"Gentlemen," Chia Cheng observed, as he turned his head round and +smiled, "please look at this spot. What name will it be fit to give it?" + +When the company heard his remark, some maintained that the two words +"Heaped verdure" should be written; and others upheld that the device +should be "Embroidered Hill." Others again suggested: "Vying with the +Hsiang Lu;" and others recommended "the small Chung Nan." And various +kinds of names were proposed, which did not fall short of several tens. + +All the visitors had been, it must be explained, aware at an early +period of the fact that Chia Cheng meant to put Pao-yü's ability to the +test, and for this reason they merely proposed a few combinations in +common use. But of this intention, Pao-yü himself was likewise +cognizant. + +After listening to the suggestions, Chia Cheng forthwith turned his head +round and bade Pao-yü think of some motto. + +"I've often heard," Pao-yü replied, "that writers of old opine that it's +better to quote an old saying than to compose a new one; and that an old +engraving excels in every respect an engraving of the present day. +What's more, this place doesn't constitute the main hill or the chief +feature of the scenery, and is really no site where any inscription +should be put, as it no more than constitutes the first step in the +inspection of the landscape. Won't it be well to employ the exact text +of an old writer consisting of 'a tortuous path leading to a secluded +(nook).' This line of past days would, if inscribed, be, in fact, +liberal to boot." + +After listening to the proposed line, they all sang its praise. +"First-rate! excellent!" they cried, "the natural talents of your second +son, dear friend, are lofty; his mental capacity is astute; he is unlike +ourselves, who have read books but are simple fools." + +"You shouldn't," urged Chia Cheng smilingly, "heap upon him excessive +praise; he's young in years, and merely knows one thing which he turns +to the use of ten purposes; you should laugh at him, that's all; but we +can by and by choose some device." + +As he spoke, he entered the cave, where he perceived beautiful trees +with thick foliage, quaint flowers in lustrous bloom, while a line of +limpid stream emanated out of a deep recess among the flowers and trees, +and oozed down through the crevice of the rock. Progressing several +steps further in, they gradually faced the northern side, where a +stretch of level ground extended far and wide, on each side of which +soared lofty buildings, intruding themselves into the skies, whose +carved rafters and engraved balustrades nestled entirely among the +depressions of the hills and the tops of the trees. They lowered their +eyes and looked, and beheld a pure stream flowing like jade, stone steps +traversing the clouds, a balustrade of white marble encircling the pond +in its embrace, and a stone bridge with three archways, the animals upon +which had faces disgorging water from their mouths. A pavilion stood on +the bridge, and in this pavilion Chia Chen and the whole party went and +sat. + +"Gentlemen," he inquired, "what shall we write about this?" + +"In the record," they all replied, "of the 'Drunken Old Man's Pavilion,' +written in days of old by Ou Yang, appears this line: 'There is a +pavilion pinioned-like,' so let us call this 'the pinioned-like +pavilion,' and finish." + +"Pinioned-like," observed Chia Cheng smiling, "is indeed excellent; but +this pavilion is constructed over the water, and there should, after +all, be some allusion to the water in the designation. My humble opinion +is that of the line in Ou Yang's work, '(the water) drips from between +the two peaks,' we should only make use of that single word 'drips.'" + +"First-rate!" rejoined one of the visitors, "capital! but what would +really be appropriate are the two characters 'dripping jadelike.'" + +Chia Chen pulled at his moustache, as he gave way to reflection; after +which, he asked Pao-yü to also propose one himself. + +"What you, sir, suggested a while back," replied Pao-yü, "will do very +well; but if we were now to sift the matter thoroughly, the use of the +single word 'drip' by Ou Yang, in his composition about the Niang +spring, would appear quite apposite; while the application, also on this +occasion, to this spring, of the character 'drip' would be found not +quite suitable. Moreover, seeing that this place is intended as a +separate residence (for the imperial consort), on her visit to her +parents, it is likewise imperative that we should comply with all the +principles of etiquette, so that were words of this kind to be used, +they would besides be coarse and inappropriate; and may it please you to +fix upon something else more recondite and abstruse." + +"What do you, gentlemen, think of this argument?" Chia Cheng remarked +sneeringly. "A little while ago, when the whole company devised +something original, you observed that it would be better to quote an old +device; and now that we have quoted an old motto, you again maintain +that it's coarse and inappropriate! But you had better give us one of +yours." + +"If two characters like 'dripping jadelike' are to be used," Pao-yü +explained, "it would be better then to employ the two words 'Penetrating +Fragrance,' which would be unique and excellent, wouldn't they?" + +Chia Cheng pulled his moustache, nodded his head and did not utter a +word; whereupon the whole party hastily pressed forward with one voice +to eulogize Pao-yü's acquirements as extraordinary. + +"The selection of two characters for the tablet is an easy matter," +suggested Chia Cheng, "but now go on and compose a pair of antithetical +phrases with seven words in each." + +Pao-yü cast a glance round the four quarters, when an idea came into his +head, and he went on to recite: + + The willows, which enclose the shore, the green borrow from three + bamboos; + On banks apart, the flowers asunder grow, yet one perfume they give. + +Upon hearing these lines, Chia Cheng gave a faint smile, as he nodded +his head, whilst the whole party went on again to be effusive in their +praise. But forthwith they issued from the pavilions, and crossed the +pond, contemplating with close attention each elevation, each stone, +each flower, or each tree. And as suddenly they raised their heads, they +caught sight, in front of them, of a line of white wall, of numbers of +columns, and beautiful cottages, where flourished hundreds and thousands +of verdant bamboos, which screened off the rays of the sun. + +"What a lovely place!" they one and all exclaimed. + +Speedily the whole company penetrated inside, perceiving, as soon as +they had entered the gate, a zigzag arcade, below the steps of which was +a raised pathway, laid promiscuously with stones, and on the furthest +part stood a diminutive cottage with three rooms, two with doors leading +into them and one without. Everything in the interior, in the shape of +beds, teapoys, chairs and tables, were made to harmonise with the space +available. Leading out of the inner room of the cottage was a small door +from which, as they egressed, they found a back-court with lofty pear +trees in blossom and banana trees, as well as two very small retiring +back-courts. At the foot of the wall, unexpectedly became visible an +aperture where was a spring, for which a channel had been opened +scarcely a foot or so wide, to enable it to run inside the wall. Winding +round the steps, it skirted the buildings until it reached the front +court, where it coiled and curved, flowing out under the bamboos. + +"This spot," observed Chia Cheng full of smiles, "is indeed pleasant! +and could one, on a moonlight night, sit under the window and study, one +would not spend a whole lifetime in vain!" + +As he said this, he quickly cast a glance at Pao-yü, and so terrified +did Pao-yü feel that he hastily drooped his head. The whole company lost +no time in choosing some irrelevant talk to turn the conversation, and +two of the visitors prosecuted their remarks by adding that on the +tablet, in this spot, four characters should be inscribed. + +"Which four characters?" Chia Cheng inquired, laughingly. + +"The bequeathed aspect of the river Ch'i!" suggested one of them. + +"It's commonplace," observed Chia Cheng. + +Another person recommended "the remaining vestiges of the Chü Garden." + +"This too is commonplace!" replied Chia Cheng. + +"Let brother Pao-yü again propound one!" interposed Chia Chen, who stood +by. + +"Before he composes any himself," Chia Cheng continued, "his wont is to +first discuss the pros and cons of those of others; so it's evident that +he's an impudent fellow!" + +"He's most reasonable in his arguments," all the visitors protested, +"and why should he be called to task?" + +"Don't humour him so much!" Chia Cheng expostulated. "I'll put up for +to-day," he however felt constrained to tell Pao-yü, "with your haughty +manner, and your rubbishy speech, so that after you have, to begin with, +given us your opinion, you may next compose a device. But tell me, are +there any that will do among the mottoes suggested just now by all the +gentlemen?" + +"They all seem to me unsuitable!" Pao-yü did not hesitate to say by way +of reply to this question. + +Chia Cheng gave a sardonic smile. "How all unsuitable?" he exclaimed. + +"This," continued Pao-yü, "is the first spot which her highness will +honour on her way, and there should be inscribed, so that it should be +appropriate, something commending her sacred majesty. But if a tablet +with four characters has to be used, there are likewise devices ready at +hand, written by poets of old; and what need is there to compose any +more?" + +"Are forsooth the devices 'the river Ch'i and the Chu Garden' not those +of old authors?" insinuated Chia Cheng. + +"They are too stiff," replied Pao-yü. "Would not the four characters: 'a +phoenix comes with dignified air,' be better?" + +With clamorous unanimity the whole party shouted: "Excellent:" and Chia +Cheng nodding his head; "You beast, you beast!" he ejaculated, "it may +well be said about you that you see through a thin tube and have no more +judgment than an insect! Compose another stanza," he consequently bade +him; and Pao-yü recited: + + In the precious tripod kettle, tea is brewed, but green is still the + smoke! + O'er is the game of chess by the still window, but the fingers are yet + cold. + +Chia Cheng shook his head. "Neither does this seem to me good!" he said; +and having concluded this remark he was leading the company out, when +just as he was about to proceed, he suddenly bethought himself of +something. + +"The several courts and buildings and the teapoys, sideboards, tables +and chairs," he added, "may be said to be provided for. But there are +still all those curtains, screens and portieres, as well as the +furniture, nicknacks and curios; and have they too all been matched to +suit the requirements of each place?" + +"Of the things that have to be placed about," Chia Chen explained, a +good number have, at an early period, been added, and of course when the +time comes everything will be suitably arranged. As for the curtains, +screens, and portieres, which have to be hung up, I heard yesterday +brother Lien say that they are not as yet complete, that when the works +were first taken in hand, the plan of each place was drawn, the +measurements accurately calculated and some one despatched to attend to +the things, and that he thought that yesterday half of them were bound +to come in. + +Chia Cheng, upon hearing this explanation, readily remembered that with +all these concerns Chia Chen had nothing to do; so that he speedily sent +some one to go and call Chia Lien. + +Having arrived in a short while, "How many sorts of things are there in +all?" Chia Cheng inquired of him. "Of these how many kinds have by this +time been got ready? and how many more are short?" + +At this question, Chia Lien hastily produced, from the flaps of his +boot, a paper pocket-book, containing a list, which he kept inside the +tops of his boot. After perusing it and reperusing it, he made suitable +reply. "Of the hundred and twenty curtains," he proceeded, "of stiff +spotted silks, embroidered with dragons in relief, and of the curtains +large and small, of every kind of damask silk, eighty were got +yesterday, so that there still remain forty of them to come. The two +portieres were both received yesterday; and besides these, there are the +two hundred red woollen portieres, two hundred portieres of Hsiang Fei +bamboo; two hundred door-screens of rattan, with gold streaks, and of +red lacquered bamboo; two hundred portieres of black lacquered rattan; +two hundred door-screens of variegated thread-netting with clusters of +flowers. Of each of these kinds, half have come in, but the whole lot of +them will be complete no later than autumn. Antimacassars, table-cloths, +flounces for the beds, and cushions for the stools, there are a thousand +two hundred of each, but these likewise are ready and at hand." + +As he spoke, they proceeded outwards, but suddenly they perceived a hill +extending obliquely in such a way as to intercept the passage; and as +they wound round the curve of the hill faintly came to view a line of +yellow mud walls, the whole length of which was covered with paddy +stalks for the sake of protection, and there were several hundreds of +apricot trees in bloom, which presented the appearance of being fire, +spurted from the mouth, or russet clouds, rising in the air. Inside this +enclosure, stood several thatched cottages. Outside grew, on the other +hand, mulberry trees, elms, mallows, and silkworm oaks, whose tender +shoots and new twigs, of every hue, were allowed to bend and to +intertwine in such a way as to form two rows of green fence. Beyond this +fence and below the white mound, was a well, by the side of which stood +a well-sweep, windlass and such like articles; the ground further down +being divided into parcels, and apportioned into fields, which, with the +fine vegetables and cabbages in flower, presented, at the first glance, +the aspect of being illimitable. + +"This is," Chia Cheng observed chuckling, "the place really imbued with +a certain amount of the right principle; and laid out, though it has +been by human labour, yet when it strikes my eye, it so moves my heart, +that it cannot help arousing in me the wish to return to my native place +and become a farmer. But let us enter and rest a while." + +As he concluded these words, they were on the point of walking in, when +they unexpectedly discerned a stone, outside the trellis gate, by the +roadside, which had also been left as a place on which to inscribe a +motto. + +"Were a tablet," argued the whole company smilingly, "put up high in a +spot like this, to be filled up by and by, the rustic aspect of a farm +would in that case be completely done away with; and it will be better, +yea far better to erect this slab on the ground, as it will further make +manifest many points of beauty. But unless a motto could be composed of +the same excellence as that in Fan Shih-hu's song on farms, it will not +be adequate to express its charms!" + +"Gentlemen," observed Chia Cheng, "please suggest something." + +"A short while back," replied the whole company, "your son, venerable +brother, remarked that devising a new motto was not equal to quoting an +old one, and as sites of this kind have been already exhausted by +writers of days of old, wouldn't it be as well that we should +straightway call it the 'apricot blossom village?' and this will do +splendidly." + +When Chia Cheng heard this remark, he smiled and said, addressing +himself to Chia Chen: "This just reminds me that although this place is +perfect in every respect, there's still one thing wanting in the shape +of a wine board; and you had better then have one made to-morrow on the +very same pattern as those used outside in villages; and it needn't be +anything gaudy, but hung above the top of a tree by means of bamboos." + +Chia Chen assented. "There's no necessity," he went on to explain, "to +keep any other birds in here, but only to rear a few geese, ducks, fowls +and such like; as in that case they will be in perfect keeping with the +place." + +"A splendid idea!" Chia Cheng rejoined, along with all the party. + +"'Apricot blossom village' is really first-rate," continued Chia Cheng +as he again addressed himself to the company; "but the only thing is +that it encroaches on the real designation of the village; and it will +be as well to wait (until her highness comes), when we can request her +to give it a name." + +"Certainly!" answered the visitors with one voice; "but now as far as a +name goes, for mere form, let us all consider what expressions will be +suitable to employ." + +Pao-yü did not however give them time to think; nor did he wait for Chia +Cheng's permission, but suggested there and then: "In old poetical works +there's this passage: 'At the top of the red apricot tree hangs the flag +of an inn,' and wouldn't it be advisable, on this occasion, to +temporarily adopt the four words: 'the sign on the apricot tree is +visible'?" + +"'Is visible' is excellent," suggested the whole number of them, "and +what's more it secretly accords with the meaning implied by 'apricot +blossom village.'" + +"Were the two words 'apricot blossom' used for the name of the village, +they would be too commonplace and unsuitable;" added Pao-yü with a +sardonic grin, "but there's another passage in the works of a poet of +the T'ang era: 'By the wooden gate near the water the corn-flower emits +its fragrance;' and why not make use of the motto 'corn fragrance +village,' which will be excellent?" + +When the company heard his proposal, they, with still greater vigour, +unanimously combined in crying out "Capital!" as they clapped their +hands. + +Chia Cheng, with one shout, interrupted their cries, "You ignorant child +of wrath!" he ejaculated; "how many old writers can you know, and how +many stanzas of ancient poetical works can you remember, that you will +have the boldness to show off in the presence of all these experienced +gentlemen? (In allowing you to give vent to) all the nonsense you +uttered my object was no other than to see whether your brain was clear +or muddled; and all for fun's sake, that's all; and lo, you've taken +things in real earnest!" + +Saying this, he led the company into the interior of the hall with the +mallows. The windows were pasted with paper, and the bedsteads made of +wood, and all appearance of finery had been expunged, and Chia Cheng's +heart was naturally much gratified; but nevertheless, scowling angrily +at Pao-yü, "What do you think of this place?" he asked. + +When the party heard this question, they all hastened to stealthily give +a nudge to Pao-yü, with the express purpose of inducing him to say it +was nice; but Pao-yü gave no ear to what they all urged. "It's by far +below the spot," he readily replied, "designated 'a phoenix comes with +dignified air.'" + +"You ignorant stupid thing!" exclaimed Chia Cheng at these words; "what +you simply fancy as exquisite, with that despicable reliance of yours +upon luxury and display, are two-storied buildings and painted pillars! +But how can you know anything about this aspect so pure and unobtrusive, +and this is all because of that failing of not studying your books!" + +"Sir," hastily answered Pao-yü, "your injunctions are certainly correct; +but men of old have often made allusion to 'natural;' and what is, I +wonder, the import of these two characters?" + +The company had perceived what a perverse mind Pao yü possessed, and +they one and all were much surprised that he should be so silly beyond +the possibility of any change; and when now they heard the question he +asked, about the two characters representing "natural," they, with one +accord, speedily remarked, "Everything else you understand, and how is +it that on the contrary you don't know what 'natural' implies? The word +'natural' means effected by heaven itself and not made by human labour." + +"Well, just so," rejoined Pao-yü; "but the farm, which is laid out in +this locality, is distinctly the handiwork of human labour; in the +distance, there are no neighbouring hamlets; near it, adjoin no wastes; +though it bears a hill, the hill is destitute of streaks; though it be +close to water, this water has no spring; above, there is no pagoda +nestling in a temple; below, there is no bridge leading to a market; it +rises abrupt and solitary, and presents no grand sight! The palm would +seem to be carried by the former spot, which is imbued with the natural +principle, and possesses the charms of nature; for, though bamboos have +been planted in it, and streams introduced, they nevertheless do no +violence to the works executed. 'A natural landscape,' says, an ancient +author in four words; and why? Simply because he apprehended that what +was not land, would, by forcible ways, be converted into land; and that +what was no hill would, by unnatural means, be raised into a hill. And +ingenious though these works might be in a hundred and one ways, they +cannot, after all, be in harmony."... + +But he had no time to conclude, as Chia Cheng flew into a rage. "Drive +him off," he shouted; (but as Pao-yü) was on the point of going out, he +again cried out: "Come back! make up," he added, "another couplet, and +if it isn't clear, I'll for all this give you a slap on your mouth." + +Pao-yü had no alternative but to recite as follows: + + A spot in which the "Ko" fibre to bleach, as the fresh tide doth swell + the waters green! + A beauteous halo and a fragrant smell the man encompass who the cress + did pluck! + +Chia Cheng, after this recital, nodded his head. "This is still worse!" +he remarked, but as he reproved him, he led the company outside, and +winding past the mound, they penetrated among flowers, and wending their +steps by the willows, they touched the rocks and lingered by the stream. +Passing under the trellis with yellow roses, they went into the shed +with white roses; they crossed by the pavilion with peonies, and walked +through the garden, where the white peony grew; and entering the court +with the cinnamon roses, they reached the island of bananas. As they +meandered and zigzagged, suddenly they heard the rustling sound of the +water, as it came out from a stone cave, from the top of which grew +parasitic plants drooping downwards, while at its bottom floated the +fallen flowers. + +"What a fine sight!" they all exclaimed; "what beautiful scenery!" + +"Gentlemen," observed Chia Cheng, "what name do you propose for this +place?" + +"There's no further need for deliberation," the company rejoined; "for +this is just the very spot fit for the three words 'Wu Ling Spring.'" + +"This too is matter-of-fact!" Chia Cheng objected laughingly, "and +likewise antiquated." + +"If that won't do," the party smiled, "well then what about the four +characters implying 'An old cottage of a man of the Ch'in dynasty?'" + +"This is still more exceedingly plain!" interposed Pao-yü. "'The old +cottage of a man of the Ch'in dynasty' is meant to imply a retreat from +revolution, and how will it suit this place? Wouldn't the four +characters be better denoting 'an isthmus with smart weed, and a stream +with flowers'?" + +When Chia Cheng heard these words, he exclaimed: "You're talking still +more stuff and nonsense?" and forthwith entering the grotto, Chia Cheng +went on to ask of Chia Chen, "Are there any boats or not?" + +"There are to be," replied Chia Chen, "four boats in all from which to +pick the lotus, and one boat for sitting in; but they haven't now as yet +been completed." + +"What a pity!" Chia Cheng answered smilingly, "that we cannot go in." + +"But we could also get into it by the tortuous path up the hill," Chia +Chen ventured; and after finishing this remark, he walked ahead to show +the way, and the whole party went over, holding on to the creepers, and +supporting themselves by the trees, when they saw a still larger +quantity of fallen leaves on the surface of the water, and the stream +itself, still more limpid, gently and idly meandering along on its +circuitous course. By the bank of the pond were two rows of weeping +willows, which, intermingling with peach and apricot trees, screened the +heavens from view, and kept off the rays of the sun from this spot, +which was in real truth devoid of even a grain of dust. + +Suddenly, they espied in the shade of the willows, an arched wooden +bridge also reveal itself to the eye, with bannisters of vermilion +colour. They crossed the bridge, and lo, all the paths lay open before +them; but their gaze was readily attracted by a brick cottage spotless +and cool-looking; whose walls were constructed of polished bricks, of +uniform colour; (whose roof was laid) with speckless tiles; and whose +enclosing walls were painted; while the minor slopes, which branched off +from the main hill, all passed along under the walls on to the other +side. + +"This house, in a site like this, is perfectly destitute of any charm!" +added Chia Cheng. + +And as they entered the door, abruptly appeared facing them, a large +boulder studded with holes and soaring high in the skies, which was +surrounded on all four sides by rocks of every description, and +completely, in fact, hid from view the rooms situated in the compound. +But of flowers or trees, there was not even one about; and all that was +visible were a few strange kinds of vegetation; some being of the +creeper genus, others parasitic plants, either hanging from the apex of +the hill, or inserting themselves into the base of the rocks; drooping +down even from the eaves of the house, entwining the pillars, and +closing round the stone steps. Or like green bands, they waved and +flapped; or like gold thread, they coiled and bent, either with seeds +resembling cinnabar, or with blossoms like golden olea; whose fragrance +and aroma could not be equalled by those emitted by flowers of ordinary +species. + +"This is pleasant!" Chia Cheng could not refrain from saying; "the only +thing is that I don't know very much about flowers." + +"What are here are lianas and ficus pumila!" some of the company +observed. + +"How ever can the liana and the ficus have such unusual scent?" +questioned Chia Cheng. + +"Indeed they aren't!" interposed Pao-yü. "Among all these flowers, there +are also ficus and liana, but those scented ones are iris, ligularia, +and 'Wu' flowers; that kind consist, for the most part, of 'Ch'ih' +flowers and orchids; while this mostly of gold-coloured dolichos. That +species is the hypericum plant, this the 'Yü Lu' creeper. The red ones +are, of course, the purple rue; the green ones consist for certain, of +the green 'Chih' plant; and, to the best of my belief, these various +plants are mentioned in the 'Li Sao' and 'Wen Hsuan.' These rare plants +are, some of them called something or other like 'Huo Na' and 'Chiang +Hui;' others again are designated something like 'Lun Tsu' and 'Tz'u +Feng;' while others there are whose names sound like 'Shih Fan,' 'Shui +Sung' and 'Fu Liu,' which together with other species are to be found in +the 'Treatise about the Wu city' by Tso T'ai-chung. There are also those +which go under the appellation of 'Lu T'i,' or something like that; +while there are others that are called something or other like 'Tan +Chiao,' 'Mi Wu' and 'Feng Lien;' reference to which is made in the +'Treatise on the Shu city.' But so many years have now elapsed, and the +times have so changed (since these treatises were written), that people, +being unable to discriminate (the real names) may consequently have had +to appropriate in every case such names as suited the external aspect, +so that they may, it is quite possible, have gradually come to be called +by wrong designations." + +But he had no time to conclude; for Chia Cheng interrupted him. "Who has +ever asked you about it?" he shouted; which plunged Pao-yü into such a +fright, that he drew back, and did not venture to utter another word. + +Chia Cheng perceiving that on both sides alike were covered passages +resembling outstretched arms, forthwith continued his steps and entered +the covered way, when he caught sight, at the upper end, of a +five-roomed building, without spot or blemish, with folding blinds +extending in a connected line, and with corridors on all four sides; (a +building) which with its windows so green, and its painted walls, +excelled, in spotless elegance, the other buildings they had seen +before, to which it presented such a contrast. + +Chia Cheng heaved a sigh. "If one were able," he observed, "to boil his +tea and thrum his lyre in here, there wouldn't even be any need for him +to burn any more incense. But the execution of this structure is so +beyond conception that you must, gentlemen, compose something nice and +original to embellish the tablet with, so as not to render such a place +of no effect!" + +"There's nothing so really pat," suggested the company smiling; "as 'the +orchid-smell-laden breeze' and 'the dew-bedecked epidendrum!" + +"These are indeed the only four characters," rejoined Chia Cheng, "that +could be suitably used; but what's to be said as far as the scroll +goes?" + +"I've thought of a couplet," interposed one of the party, "which you'll +all have to criticise, and put into ship-shape; its burden is this: + + "The musk-like epidendrum smell enshrouds the court, where shines the + sun with oblique beams; + The iris fragrance is wafted over the isle illumined by the moon's + clear rays." + +"As far as excellence is concerned, it's excellent," observed the whole +party, "but the two words representing 'with oblique beams' are not +felicitous." + +And as some one quoted the line from an old poem: + + The angelica fills the court with tears, what time the sun doth slant. + +"Lugubrious, lugubrious!" expostulated the company with one voice. + +Another person then interposed. "I also have a couplet, whose merits +you, gentlemen, can weigh; it runs as follows: + + "Along the three pathways doth float the Yü Hui scented breeze! + The radiant moon in the whole hall shines on the gold orchid!" + +Chia Cheng tugged at his moustache and gave way to meditation. He was +just about also to suggest a stanza, when, upon suddenly raising his +head, he espied Pao-yü standing by his side, too timid to give vent to a +single sound. + +"How is it," he purposely exclaimed, "that when you should speak, you +contrariwise don't? Is it likely that you expect some one to request you +to confer upon us the favour of your instruction?" + +"In this place," Pao-yü rejoined at these words, "there are no such +things as orchids, musk, resplendent moon or islands; and were one to +begin quoting such specimens of allusions, to scenery, two hundred +couplets could be readily given without, even then, having been able to +exhaust the supply!" + +"Who presses your head down," Chia Cheng urged, "and uses force that you +must come out with all these remarks?" + +"Well, in that case," added Pao-yü, "there are no fitter words to put on +the tablet than the four representing: 'The fragrance pure of the +ligularia and iris.' While the device on the scroll might be: + + "Sung is the nutmeg song, but beauteous still is the sonnet! + Near the T'u Mei to sleep, makes e'en a dream with fragrance full!" + +"This is," laughed Chia Cheng sneeringly, "an imitation of the line: + + "A book when it is made of plaintain leaves, the writing green is also + bound to be! + +"So that there's nothing remarkable about it." + +"Li T'ai-po, in his work on the Phoenix Terrace," protested the whole +party, "copied, in every point, the Huang Hua Lou. But what's essential +is a faultless imitation. Now were we to begin to criticise minutely the +couplet just cited, we would indeed find it to be, as compared with the +line 'A book when it is made of plantain leaves,' still more elegant and +of wider application!" + +"What an idea?" observed Chia Cheng derisively. + +But as he spoke, the whole party walked out; but they had not gone very +far before they caught sight of a majestic summer house, towering high +peak-like, and of a structure rising loftily with storey upon storey; +and completely locked in as they were on every side they were as +beautiful as the Jade palace. Far and wide, road upon road coiled and +wound; while the green pines swept the eaves, the jady epidendrum +encompassed the steps, the animals' faces glistened like gold, and the +dragons' heads shone resplendent in their variegated hues. + +"This is the Main Hall," remarked Chia Cheng; "the only word against it +is that there's a little too much finery." + +"It should be so," rejoined one and all, "so as to be what it's intended +to be! The imperial consort has, it is true, an exalted preference for +economy and frugality, but her present honourable position requires the +observance of such courtesies, so that (finery) is no fault." + +As they made these remarks and advanced on their way the while, they +perceived, just in front of them, an archway project to view, +constructed of jadelike stone; at the top of which the coils of large +dragons and the scales of small dragons were executed in perforated +style. + +"What's the device to be for this spot?" inquired Chia Cheng. + +"It should be 'fairy land,'" suggested all of them, "so as to be +apposite!" + +Chia Cheng nodded his head and said nothing. But as soon as Pao-yü +caught sight of this spot something was suddenly aroused in his heart +and he began to ponder within himself. "This place really resembles +something that I've seen somewhere or other." But he could not at the +moment recall to mind what year, moon, or day this had happened. + +Chia Cheng bade him again propose a motto; but Pao-yü was bent upon +thinking over the details of the scenery he had seen on a former +occasion, and gave no thought whatever to this place, so that the whole +company were at a loss what construction to give to his silence, and +came simply to the conclusion that, after the bullying he had had to put +up with for ever so long, his spirits had completely vanished, his +talents become exhausted and his speech impoverished; and that if he +were harassed and pressed, he might perchance, as the result of anxiety, +contract some ailment or other, which would of course not be a suitable +issue, and they lost no time in combining together to dissuade Chia +Cheng. + +"Never mind," they said, "to-morrow will do to compose some device; +let's drop it now." + +Chia Cheng himself was inwardly afraid lest dowager lady Chia should be +anxious, so that he hastily remarked as he forced a smile. "You beast, +there are, after all, also occasions on which you are no good! but never +mind! I'll give you one day to do it in, and if by to-morrow you haven't +been able to compose anything, I shall certainly not let you off. This +is the first and foremost place and you must exercise due care in what +you write." + +Saying this, he sallied out, at the head of the company, and cast +another glance at the scenery. + +Indeed from the time they had entered the gate up to this stage, they +had just gone over five or six tenths of the whole ground, when it +happened again that a servant came and reported that some one had +arrived from Mr. Yü-'ts'un's to deliver a message. "These several places +(which remain)," Chia Cheng observed with a smile, "we have no time to +pass under inspection; but we might as well nevertheless go out at least +by that way, as we shall be able, to a certain degree, to have a look at +the general aspect." + +With these words, he showed the way for the family companions until they +reached a large bridge, with water entering under it, looking like a +curtain made of crystal. This bridge, the fact is, was the dam, which +communicated with the river outside, and from which the stream was +introduced into the grounds. + +"What's the name of this water-gate?" Chia Cheng inquired. + +"This is," replied Pao-yü, "the main stream of the Hsin Fang river, and +is therefore called the Hsin Fang water-gate." + +"Nonsense!" exclaimed Chia Cheng. "The two words Hsin Fang must on no +account be used!" + +And as they speedily advanced on their way, they either came across +elegant halls, or thatched cottages; walls made of piled-up stone, or +gates fashioned of twisted plants; either a secluded nunnery or Buddhist +fane, at the foot of some hill; or some unsullied houses, hidden in a +grove, tenanted by rationalistic priestesses; either extensive corridors +and winding grottoes; or square buildings, and circular pavilions. But +Chia Cheng had not the energy to enter any of these places, for as he +had not had any rest for ever so long, his legs felt shaky and his feet +weak. + +Suddenly they also discerned ahead of them a court disclose itself to +view. + +"When we get there," Chia Cheng suggested, "we must have a little rest." +Straightway as he uttered the remark, he led them in, and winding round +the jade-green peach-trees, covered with blossom, they passed through +the bamboo fence and flower-laden hedge, which were twisted in such a +way as to form a circular, cavelike gateway, when unexpectedly appeared +before their eyes an enclosure with whitewashed walls, in which verdant +willows drooped in every direction. + +Chia Cheng entered the gateway in company with the whole party. Along +the whole length of both sides extended covered passages, connected with +each other; while in the court were laid out several rockeries. In one +quarter were planted a number of banana trees; on the opposite stood a +plant of begonia from Hsi Fu. Its appearance was like an open umbrella. +The gossamer hanging (from its branches) resembled golden threads. The +corollas (seemed) to spurt out cinnabar. + +"What a beautiful flower! what a beautiful flower!" ejaculated the whole +party with one voice; "begonias are verily to be found; but never before +have we seen anything the like of this in beauty." + +"This is called the maiden begonia and is, in fact, a foreign species," +Chia Cheng observed. "There's a homely tradition that it is because it +emanates from the maiden kingdom that its flowers are most prolific; but +this is likewise erratic talk and devoid of common sense." + +"They are, after all," rejoined the whole company, "so unlike others (we +have seen), that what's said about the maiden kingdom is, we are +inclined to believe, possibly a fact." + +"I presume," interposed Pao-yü, "that some clever bard or poet, +(perceiving) that this flower was red like cosmetic, delicate as if +propped up in sickness, and that it closely resembled the nature of a +young lady, gave it, consequently, the name of maiden! People in the +world will propagate idle tales, all of which are unavoidably treated as +gospel!" + +"We receive (with thanks) your instructions; what excellent +explanation!" they all remarked unanimously, and as they expressed these +words, the whole company took their seats on the sofas under the +colonnade. + +"Let's think of some original text or other for a motto," Chia Cheng +having suggested, one of the companions opined that the two characters: +"Banana and stork" would be felicitous; while another one was of the +idea that what would be faultless would be: "Collected splendour and +waving elegance!" + +"'Collected splendour and waving elegance' is excellent," Chia Cheng +observed addressing himself to the party; and Pao-yü himself, while also +extolling it as beautiful, went on to say: "There's only one thing +however to be regretted!" + +"What about regret?" the company inquired. + +"In this place," Pao-yü explained, "are set out both bananas as well as +begonias, with the intent of secretly combining in them the two +properties of red and green; and if mention of one of them be made, and +the other be omitted, (the device) won't be good enough for selection." + +"What would you then suggest?" Chia Cheng asked. + +"I would submit the four words, 'the red (flowers) are fragrant, the +green (banana leaves) like jade,' which would render complete the +beauties of both (the begonias and bananas)." + +"It isn't good! it isn't good!" Chia Cheng remonstrated as he shook his +head; and while passing this remark, he conducted the party into the +house, where they noticed that the internal arrangements effected +differed from those in other places, as no partitions could, in fact, be +discerned. Indeed, the four sides were all alike covered with boards +carved hollow with fretwork, (in designs consisting) either of rolling +clouds and hundreds of bats; or of the three friends of the cold season +of the year, (fir, bamboo and almond); of scenery and human beings, or +of birds or flowers; either of clusters of decoration, or of relics of +olden times; either of ten thousand characters of happiness or of ten +thousand characters of longevity. The various kinds of designs had been +all carved by renowned hands, in variegated colours, inlaid with gold, +and studded with precious gems; while on shelf upon shelf were either +arranged collections of books, or tripods were laid out; either pens and +inkslabs were distributed about, or vases with flowers set out, or +figured pots were placed about; the designs of the shelves being either +round or square; or similar to sunflowers or banana leaves; or like +links, half overlapping each other. And in very truth they resembled +bouquets of flowers or clusters of tapestry, with all their fretwork so +transparent. Suddenly (the eye was struck) by variegated gauzes pasted +(on the wood-work), actually forming small windows; and of a sudden by +fine thin silks lightly overshadowing (the fretwork) just as if there +were, after all, secret doors. The whole walls were in addition traced, +with no regard to symmetry, with outlines of the shapes of curios and +nick-nacks in imitation of lutes, double-edged swords, hanging bottles +and the like, the whole number of which, though (apparently) suspended +on the walls, were all however on a same level with the surface of the +partition walls. + +"What fine ingenuity!" they all exclaimed extollingly; "what a labour +they must have been to carry out!" + +Chia Cheng had actually stepped in; but scarcely had they reached the +second stage, before the whole party readily lost sight of the way by +which they had come in. They glanced on the left, and there stood a +door, through which they could go. They cast their eyes on the right, +and there was a window which suddenly impeded their progress. They went +forward, but there again they were obstructed by a bookcase. They turned +their heads round, and there too stood windows pasted with transparent +gauze and available door-ways: but the moment they came face to face +with the door, they unexpectedly perceived that a whole company of +people had likewise walked in, just in front of them, whose appearance +resembled their own in every respect. But it was only a mirror. And when +they rounded the mirror, they detected a still larger number of doors. + +"Sir," Chia Chen remarked with a grin; "if you'll follow me out through +this door, we'll forthwith get into the back-court; and once out of the +back-court, we shall be, at all events, nearer than we were before." + +Taking the lead, he conducted Chia Cheng and the whole party round two +gauze mosquito houses, when they verily espied a door through which they +made their exit, into a court, replete with stands of cinnamon roses. +Passing round the flower-laden hedge, the only thing that spread before +their view was a pure stream impeding their advance. The whole company +was lost in admiration. "Where does this water again issue from?" they +cried. + +Chia Chen pointed to a spot at a distance. "Starting originally," he +explained, "from that water-gate, it runs as far as the mouth of that +cave, when from among the hills on the north-east side, it is introduced +into that village, where again a diverging channel has been opened and +it is made to flow in a south-westerly direction; the whole volume of +water then runs to this spot, where collecting once more in one place, +it issues, on its outward course, from beneath that wall." + +"It's most ingenious!" they one and all exclaimed, after they had +listened to him; but, as they uttered these words, they unawares +realised that a lofty hill obstructed any further progress. The whole +party felt very hazy about the right road. But "Come along after me," +Chia Chen smilingly urged, as he at once went ahead and showed the way, +whereupon the company followed in his steps, and as soon as they turned +round the foot of the hill, a level place and broad road lay before +them; and wide before their faces appeared the main entrance. + +"This is charming! this is delightful!" the party unanimously exclaimed, +"what wits must have been ransacked, and ingenuity attained, so as to +bring things to this extreme degree of excellence!" + +Forthwith the party egressed from the garden, and Pao-yü's heart +anxiously longed for the society of the young ladies in the inner +quarters, but as he did not hear Chia Cheng bid him go, he had no help +but to follow him into the library. But suddenly Chia Cheng bethought +himself of him. "What," he said, "you haven't gone yet! the old lady +will I fear be anxious on your account; and is it pray that you haven't +as yet had enough walking?" + +Pao-yü at length withdrew out of the library. On his arrival in the +court, a page, who had been in attendance on Chia Cheng, at once pressed +forward, and took hold of him fast in his arms. "You've been lucky +enough," he said, "to-day to have been in master's good graces! just a +while back when our old mistress despatched servants to come on several +occasions and ask after you, we replied that master was pleased with +you; for had we given any other answer, her ladyship would have sent to +fetch you to go in, and you wouldn't have had an opportunity of +displaying your talents. Every one admits that the several stanzas you +recently composed were superior to those of the whole company put +together; but you must, after the good luck you've had to-day, give us a +tip!" + +"I'll give each one of you a tiao," Pao-yü rejoined smirkingly. + +"Who of us hasn't seen a tiao?" they all exclaimed, "let's have that +purse of yours, and have done with it!" + +Saying this, one by one advanced and proceeded to unloosen the purse, +and to unclasp the fan-case; and allowing Pao-yü no time to make any +remonstrance, they stripped him of every ornament in the way of +appendage which he carried about on his person. "Whatever we do let's +escort him home!" they shouted, and one after another hustled round him +and accompanied him as far as dowager lady Chia's door. + +Her ladyship was at this moment awaiting his arrival, so that when she +saw him walk in, and she found out that (Chia Cheng) had not bullied +him, she felt, of course, extremely delighted. But not a long interval +elapsed before Hsi Jen came to serve the tea; and when she perceived +that on his person not one of the ornaments remained, she consequently +smiled and inquired: "Have all the things that you had on you been again +taken away by these barefaced rascals?" + +As soon as Lin Tai-yü heard this remark, she crossed over to him and saw +at a glance that not one single trinket was, in fact, left. "Have you +also given them," she felt constrained to ask, "the purse that I gave +you? Well, by and by, when you again covet anything of mine, I shan't +let you have it." + +After uttering these words, she returned into her apartment in high +dudgeon, and taking the scented bag, which Pao-yü had asked her to make +for him, and which she had not as yet finished, she picked up a pair of +scissors, and instantly cut it to pieces. + +Pao-yü noticing that she had lost her temper, came after her with +hurried step, but the bag had already been cut with the scissors; and as +Pao-yü observed how extremely fine and artistic this scented bag was, in +spite of its unfinished state, he verily deplored that it should have +been rent to pieces for no rhyme or reason. Promptly therefore +unbuttoning his coat, he produced from inside the lapel the purse, which +had been fastened there. "Look at this!" he remarked as he handed it to +Tai-yü; "what kind of thing is this! have I given away to any one what +was yours?" Lin Tai-yü, upon seeing how much he prized it as to wear it +within his clothes, became alive to the fact that it was done with +intent, as he feared lest any one should take it away; and as this +conviction made her sorry that she had been so impetuous as to have cut +the scented bag, she lowered her head and uttered not a word. + +"There was really no need for you to have cut it," Pao-yü observed; "but +as I know that you're loth to give me anything, what do you say to my +returning even this purse?" + +With these words, he threw the purse in her lap and walked off; which +vexed Tai-yü so much the more that, after giving way to tears, she took +up the purse in her hands to also destroy it with the scissors, when +Pao-yü precipitately turned round and snatched it from her grasp. + +"My dear cousin," he smilingly pleaded, "do spare it!" and as Tai-yü +dashed down the scissors and wiped her tears: "You needn't," she urged, +"be kind to me at one moment, and unkind at another; if you wish to have +a tiff, why then let's part company!" But as she spoke, she lost control +over her temper, and, jumping on her bed, she lay with her face turned +towards the inside, and set to work drying her eyes. + +Pao-yü could not refrain from approaching her. "My dear cousin, my own +cousin," he added, "I confess my fault!" + +"Go and find Pao-yü!" dowager lady Chia thereupon gave a shout from +where she was in the front apartment, and all the attendants explained +that he was in Miss Lin's room. + +"All right, that will do! that will do!" her ladyship rejoined, when she +heard this reply; "let the two cousins play together; his father kept +him a short while back under check, for ever so long, so let him have +some distraction. But the only thing is that you mustn't allow them to +have any quarrels." To which the servants in a body expressed their +obedience. + +Tai-yü, unable to put up with Pao-yü's importunity, felt compelled to +rise. "Your object seems to be," she remarked, "not to let me have any +rest. If it is, I'll run away from you." Saying which, she there and +then was making her way out, when Pao-yü protested with a face full of +smiles: "Wherever you go, I'll follow!" and as he, at the same time, +took the purse and began to fasten it on him, Tai-yü stretched out her +hand, and snatching it away, "You say you don't want it," she observed, +"and now you put it on again! I'm really much ashamed on your account!" +And these words were still on her lips when with a sound of Ch'ih, she +burst out laughing. + +"My dear cousin," Pao-yü added, "to-morrow do work another scented bag +for me!" + +"That too will rest upon my good pleasure," Tai-yü rejoined. + +As they conversed, they both left the room together and walked into +madame Wang's suite of apartments, where, as luck would have it, +Pao-ch'ai was also seated. + +Unusual commotion prevailed, at this time, over at madame Wang's, for +the fact is that Chia Se had already come back from Ku Su, where he had +selected twelve young girls, and settled about an instructor, as well as +about the theatrical properties and the other necessaries. And as Mrs. +Hsüeh had by this date moved her quarters into a separate place on the +northeast side, and taken up her abode in a secluded and quiet house, +(madame Wang) had had repairs of a distinct character executed in the +Pear Fragrance Court, and then issued directions that the instructor +should train the young actresses in this place; and casting her choice +upon all the women, who had, in days of old, received a training in +singing, and who were now old matrons with white hair, she bade them +have an eye over them and keep them in order. Which done, she enjoined +Chia Se to assume the chief control of all matters connected with the +daily and monthly income and outlay, as well as of the accounts of all +articles in use of every kind and size. + +Lin Chih-hsiao also came to report: "that the twelve young nuns and +Taoist girls, who had been purchased after proper selection, had all +arrived, and that the twenty newly-made Taoist coats had also been +received. That there was besides a maiden, who though devoted to +asceticism, kept her chevelure unshaved; that she was originally a +denizen of Suchow, of a family whose ancestors were also people of +letters and official status; that as from her youth up she had been +stricken with much sickness, (her parents) had purchased a good number +of substitutes (to enter the convent), but all with no relief to her, +until at last this girl herself entered the gate of abstraction when she +at once recovered. That hence it was that she grew her hair, while she +devoted herself to an ascetic life; that she was this year eighteen +years of age, and that the name given to her was Miao Yü; that her +father and mother were, at this time, already dead; that she had only by +her side, two old nurses and a young servant girl to wait upon her; that +she was most proficient in literature, and exceedingly well versed in +the classics and canons; and that she was likewise very attractive as +far as looks went; that having heard that in the city of Ch'ang-an, +there were vestiges of Kuan Yin and relics of the canons inscribed on +leaves, she followed, last year, her teacher (to the capital). She now +lives," he said, "in the Lao Ni nunnery, outside the western gate; her +teacher was a great expert in prophetic divination, but she died in the +winter of last year, and her dying words were that as it was not +suitable for (Miao Yü) to return to her native place, she should await +here, as something in the way of a denouement was certain to turn up; +and this is the reason why she hasn't as yet borne the coffin back to +her home!" + +"If such be the case," madame Wang readily suggested, "why shouldn't we +bring her here?" + +"If we are to ask her," Lin Chih-hsiao's wife replied, "she'll say that +a marquis' family and a duke's household are sure, in their honourable +position, to be overbearing to people; and I had rather not go." + +"As she's the daughter of an official family," madame Wang continued, +"she's bound to be inclined to be somewhat proud; but what harm is there +to our sending her a written invitation to ask her to come!" + +Lin Chih-hsiao's wife assented; and leaving the room, she made the +secretary write an invitation and then went to ask Miao Yü. The next day +servants were despatched, and carriages and sedan chairs were got ready +to go and bring her over. + +What subsequently transpired is not as yet known, but, reader, listen to +the account given in the following chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + His Majesty shows magnanimous bounty. + The Imperial consort Yuan pays a visit to her parents. + The happiness of a family gathering. + Pao-yü displays his polished talents. + + +But let us resume our story. A servant came, at this moment, to report +that for the works in course of execution, they were waiting for gauze +and damask silk to paste on various articles, and that they requested +lady Feng to go and open the depôt for them to take the gauze and silk, +while another servant also came to ask lady Feng to open the treasury +for them to receive the gold and silver ware. And as Madame Wang, the +waiting-maids and the other domestics of the upper rooms had all no +leisure, Pao-ch'ai suggested: "Don't let us remain in here and be in the +way of their doing what there is to be done, and of going where they +have to go," and saying this, she betook herself, escorted by Pao-yü and +the rest, into Ying Ch'un's rooms. + +Madame Wang continued day after day in a great state of flurry and +confusion, straight up to within the tenth moon, by which time every +arrangement had been completed, and the overseers had all handed in a +clear statement of their accounts. The curios and writing materials, +wherever needed, had all already been laid out and everything got ready, +and the birds (and animals), from the stork, the deer and rabbits to the +chickens, geese and the like, had all been purchased and handed over to +be reared in the various localities in the garden; and over at Chia +Se's, had also been learnt twenty miscellaneous plays, while a company +of young nuns and Taoist priestesses had likewise the whole number of +them, mastered the intonation of Buddhist classics and incantations. + +Chia Cheng after this, at length, was slightly composed in mind, and +cheerful at heart; and having further invited dowager lady Chia and +other inmates to go into the garden, he deliberated with them on, and +made arrangements for, every detail in such a befitting manner that not +the least trifle remained for which suitable provision had not been +made; and Chia Cheng eventually mustered courage to indite a memorial, +and on the very day on which the memorial was presented, a decree was +received fixing upon the fifteenth day of the first moon of the ensuing +year, the very day of the Shang Yuan festival, for the honourable +consorts to visit their homes. + +Upon the receipt of this decree, with which the Chia family was +honoured, they had still less leisure, both by day as well as by night; +so much so that they could not even properly observe the new year +festivities. But in a twinkle of the eye, the festival of the full moon +of the first moon drew near; and beginning from the eighth day of the +first moon, eunuchs issued from the palace and inspected beforehand the +various localities, the apartments in which the imperial consort was to +change her costume; the place where she would spend her leisure moments; +the spot where she would receive the conventionalities; the premises +where the banquets would be spread; the quarters where she would retire +for rest. + +There were also eunuchs who came to assume the patrol of the grounds and +the direction of the defences; and they brought along with them a good +many minor eunuchs, whose duty it was to look after the safety of the +various localities, to screen the place with enclosing curtains, to +instruct the inmates and officials of the Chia mansion whither to go out +and whence to come in from, what side the viands should be brought in +from, where to report matters, and in the observance of every kind of +etiquette; and for outside the mansion, there were, on the other hand, +officers from the Board of Works, and a superintendent of the Police, of +the "Five Cities," in charge of the sweeping of the streets and roads, +and the clearing away of loungers. While Chia She and the others +superintended the workmen in such things as the manufacture of flowered +lanterns and fireworks. + +The fourteenth day arrived and everything was in order; but on this +night, one and all whether high or low, did not get a wink of sleep; and +when the fifteenth came, every one, at the fifth watch, beginning from +dowager lady Chia and those who enjoyed any official status, appeared in +full gala dress, according to their respective ranks. In the garden, the +curtains were, by this time, flapping like dragons, the portieres flying +about like phoenixes with variegated plumage. Gold and silver glistened +with splendour. Pearls and precious gems shed out their brilliant +lustre. The tripod censers burnt the Pai-ho incense. In the vases were +placed evergreens. Silence and stillness prevailed, and not a man +ventured so much as to cough. + +Chia She and the other men were standing outside the door giving on to +the street on the west; and old lady Chia and the other ladies were +outside the main entrance of the Jung mansion at the head of the street, +while at the mouth of the lane were placed screens to rigorously +obstruct the public gaze. They were unable to bear the fatigue of any +further waiting when, at an unexpected moment, a eunuch arrived on +horseback, and Chia Cheng went up to meet him, and ascertained what +tidings he was the bearer of. + +"It's as yet far too early," rejoined the eunuch, "for at one o'clock +(her highness) will have her evening repast, and at two she has to +betake herself to the Palace of Precious Perception to worship Buddha. +At five, she will enter the Palace of Great Splendour to partake of a +banquet, and to see the lanterns, after which, she will request His +Majesty's permission; so that, I'm afraid, it won't be earlier than +seven before they set out." + +Lady Feng's ear caught what was said. "If such be the case," she +interposed, "may it please your venerable ladyship, and you, my lady, to +return for a while to your apartments, and wait; and if you come when +it's time you'll be here none too late." + +Dowager lady Chia and the other ladies immediately left for a time and +suited their own convenience, and as everything in the garden devolved +upon lady Feng to supervise, she ordered the butlers to take the eunuchs +and give them something to eat and drink; and at the same time, she sent +word that candles should be brought in and that the lanterns in the +various places should be lit. + +But unexpectedly was heard from outside the continuous patter of horses +running, whereupon about ten eunuchs hurried in gasping and out of +breath. They clapped their hands, and the several eunuchs (who had come +before), understanding the signal, and knowing that the party had +arrived, stood in their respective positions; while Chia She, at the +head of all the men of the clan, remained at the western street door, +and dowager lady Chia, at the head of the female relatives of the +family, waited outside the principal entrance to do the honours. + +For a long interval, everything was plunged in silence and quiet; when +suddenly two eunuchs on horseback were espied advancing with leisurely +step. Reaching the western street gate, they dismounted, and, driving +their horses beyond the screens, they forthwith took their stand facing +the west. After another long interval, a second couple arrived, and went +likewise through the same proceedings. In a short time, drew near about +ten couples, when, at length, were heard the gentle strains of music, +and couple by couple advanced with banners, dragons, with fans made with +phoenix feathers, and palace flabella of pheasant plumes; and those +besides who carried gold-washed censers burning imperial incense. Next +in order was brought past a state umbrella of golden yellow, with +crooked handle and embroidered with seven phoenixes; after which quickly +followed the crown, robe, girdle and shoes. + +There were likewise eunuchs, who took a part in the procession, holding +scented handkerchiefs and embroidered towels, cups for rinsing the +mouth, dusters and other such objects; and company after company went +past, when, at the rear, approached with stately step eight eunuchs +carrying an imperial sedan chair, of golden yellow, with a gold knob and +embroidered with phoenixes. + +Old lady Chia and the other members of the family hastily fell on their +knees, but a eunuch came over at once to raise her ladyship and the +rest; and the imperial chair was thereupon carried through the main +entrance, the ceremonial gate and into a court on the eastern side, at +the door of which stood a eunuch, who prostrated himself and invited +(her highness) to dismount and change her costume. + +Having forthwith carried her inside the gate, the eunuchs dispersed; and +only the maids-of-honour and ladies-in-waiting ushered Yuan Ch'un out of +the chair, when what mainly attracted her eye in the park was the +brilliant lustre of the flowered lamps of every colour, all of which +were made of gauze or damask, and were beautiful in texture, and out of +the common run; while on the upper side was a flat lantern with the +inscription in four characters, "Regarded (by His Majesty's) benevolence +and permeated by his benefits." + +Yuan Ch'un entered the apartment and effected the necessary changes in +her toilette; after which, she again egressed, and, mounting her chair, +she made her entry into the garden, when she perceived the smoke of +incense whirling and twirling, and the reflection of the flowers +confusing the eyes. Far and wide, the rays of light, shed by the +lanterns, intermingled their brilliancy, while, from time to time, fine +strains of music sounded with clamorous din. But it would be impossible +to express adequately the perfect harmony in the aspect of this scene, +and the grandeur of affluence and splendour. + +The imperial consort of the Chia family, we must now observe, upon +catching sight, from the interior of her chair, of the picture presented +within as well as without the confines of this garden, shook her head +and heaved a sigh. "What lavish extravagance! What excessive waste!" she +soliloquised. + +But of a sudden was again seen a eunuch who, on his knees, invited her +to get into a boat; and the Chia consort descended from the chair and +stepped into the craft, when the expanse of a limpid stream met her +gaze, whose grandeur resembled that of the dragon in its listless +course. The stone bannisters, on each side, were one mass of air-tight +lanterns, of every colour, made of crystal or glass, which threw out a +light like the lustre of silver or the brightness of snow. + +The willow, almond and the whole lot of trees, on the upper side, were, +it is true, without blossom and leaves; but pongee and damask silks, +paper and lustring had been employed, together with rice-paper, to make +flowers of, which had been affixed on the branches. Upon each tree were +suspended thousands of lanterns; and what is more, the lotus and aquatic +plants, the ducks and water fowl in the pond had all, in like manner, +been devised out of conches and clams, plumes and feathers. The various +lanterns, above and below, vied in refulgence. In real truth, it was a +crystal region, a world of pearls and precious stones. On board the boat +were also every kind of lanterns representing such designs as are used +on flower-pots, pearl-laden portieres, embroidered curtains, oars of +cinnamon wood, and paddles of magnolia, which need not of course be +minutely described. + +They entered a landing with a stone curb; and on this landing was +erected a flat lantern upon which were plainly visible the four +characters the "Persicary beach and flower-laden bank." But, reader, you +have heard how that these four characters "the persicary beach and the +flower-laden bank," the motto "a phoenix comes with dignified air," and +the rest owe one and all their origin to the unexpected test to which +Chia Cheng submitted, on a previous occasion, Pao-yü's literary +abilities; but how did it come about that they were actually adopted? + +You must remember that the Chia family had been, generation after +generation, given to the study of letters, so that it was only natural +that there should be among them one or two renowned writers of verses; +for how could they ever resemble the families of such upstarts, who only +employ puerile expressions as a makeshift to get through what they have +to do? But the why and the wherefore must be sought in the past. The +consort, belonging to the Chia mansion, had, before she entered the +palace, been, from her infancy, also brought up by dowager lady Chia; +and when Pao-yü was subsequently added to the family, she was the eldest +sister and Pao-yü the youngest child. The Chia consort, bearing in mind +how that she had, when her mother was verging on old age, at length +obtained this younger brother, she for this reason doated upon him with +single love; and as they were besides companions in their attendance +upon old lady Chia, they were inseparable for even a moment. Before +Pao-yü had entered school, and when three or four years of age, he had +already received oral instruction from the imperial spouse Chia from the +contents of several books and had committed to memory several thousands +of characters, for though they were only sister and brother, they were +like mother and child. And after she had entered the Palace, she was +wont time and again to have letters taken out to her father and her +cousins, urgently recommending them to be careful with his bringing up, +that if they were not strict, he could not possibly become good for +anything, and that if they were immoderately severe, there was the +danger of something unpropitious befalling him, with the result, +moreover, that his grandmother would be stricken with sorrow; and this +solicitude on his account was never for an instant lost sight of by her. + +Hence it was that Chia Cheng having, a few days back, heard his teacher +extol him for his extreme abilities, he forthwith put him to the test on +the occasion of their ramble through the garden. And though (his +compositions) were not in the bold style of a writer of note, yet they +were productions of their own family, and would, moreover, be +instrumental, when the Chia consort had her notice attracted by them, +and come to know that they were devised by her beloved brother, in also +not rendering nugatory the anxious interest which she had ever +entertained on his behalf, and he, therefore, purposely adopted what had +been suggested by Pao-yü; while for those places, for which on that day +no devices had been completed, a good number were again subsequently +composed to make up what was wanted. + +After the Chia consort had, for we shall now return to her, perused the +four characters, she gave a smile. "The two words 'flower-laden bank,'" +she said, "are really felicitous, so what use was there for 'persicary +beach?'" + +When the eunuch in waiting heard this observation, he promptly jumped +off the craft on to the bank, and at a flying pace hurried to +communicate it to Chia Cheng, and Chia Cheng instantly effected the +necessary alteration. + +By this time the craft had reached the inner bank, and leaving the boat, +and mounting into her sedan chair, she in due course contemplated the +magnificent Jade-like Palace; the Hall of cinnamon wood, lofty and +sublime; and the marble portals with the four characters in bold style: +the "Precious confines of heavenly spirits," which the Chia consort gave +directions should be changed for the four words denoting: "additional +Hall (for the imperial consort) on a visit to her parents." And +forthwith making her entrance into the travelling lodge her gaze was +attracted by torches burning in the court encompassing the heavens, +fragments of incense strewn on the ground, fire-like trees and gem-like +flowers, gold-like windows and jade-like bannisters. But it would be +difficult to give a full account of the curtains, which rolled up (as +fine as a) shrimp's moustache; of the carpets of other skins spread on +the floor; of the tripods exhaling the fragrant aroma of the brain of +the musk deer; of the screens in a row resembling fans made of pheasant +tails. Indeed, the gold-like doors and the windows like jade were +suggestive of the abode of spirits; while the halls made of cinnamon +wood and the palace of magnolia timber, of the very homes of the +imperial secondary consorts. + +"Why is it," the Chia consort inquired, "that there is no tablet in this +Hall?" + +The eunuch in waiting fell on his knees. "This is the main Hall," he +reverently replied, "and the officials, outside the palace, did not +presume to take upon themselves to suggest any motto." + +The Chia consort shook her head and said not a word; whereupon the +eunuch, who acted as master of ceremonies, requested Her Majesty to +ascend the throne and receive homage. The band stationed on the two +flights of steps struck up a tune, while two eunuchs ushered Chia She, +Chia Cheng and the other members on to the moonlike stage, where they +arranged themselves in order and ascended into the hall, but when the +ladies-in-waiting transmitted her commands that the homage could be +dispensed with, they at once retraced their footsteps. + +(The master of the ceremonies), in like manner led forward the dowager +lady of the Jung Kuo mansion, as well as the female relatives, from the +steps on the east side, on to the moon-like stage; where they were +placed according to their ranks. But the maids-of-honour again commanded +that they should dispense with the ceremony, so they likewise promptly +withdrew. + +After tea had been thrice presented, the Chia consort descended the +Throne, and the music ceased. She retired into a side room to change her +costume, and the private chairs were then got ready for her visit to her +parents. Issuing from the garden, she came into the main quarters +belonging to dowager lady Chia, where she was bent upon observing the +domestic conventionalities, when her venerable ladyship, and the other +members of the family, prostrated themselves in a body before her, and +made her desist. Tears dropped down from the eyes of the Chia consort as +(she and her relatives) mutually came forward, and greeted each other, +and as with one hand she grasped old lady Chia, and with the other she +held madame Wang, the three had plenty in their hearts which they were +fain to speak about; but, unable as each one of them was to give +utterance to their feelings, all they did was to sob and to weep, as +they kept face to face to each other; while madame Hsing, widow Li Wan, +Wang Hsi-feng, and the three sisters: Ying Ch'un, T'an Ch'un, and Hsi +Ch'un, stood aside in a body shedding tears and saying not a word. + +After a long time, the Chia consort restrained her anguish, and forcing +a smile, she set to work to reassure old lady Chia and madame Wang. +"Having in days gone by," she urged, "been sent to that place where no +human being can be seen, I have to-day after extreme difficulty returned +home; and now that you ladies and I have been reunited, instead of +chatting or laughing we contrariwise give way to incessant tears! But +shortly, I shall be gone, and who knows when we shall be able again to +even see each other!" + +When she came to this sentence, they could not help bursting into +another tit of crying; and Madame Hsing hastened to come forward, and to +console dowager lady Chia and the rest. But when the Chia consort +resumed her seat, and one by one came again, in turn, to exchange +salutations, they could not once more help weeping and sobbing for a +time. + +Next in order, were the managers and servants of the eastern and western +mansions to perform their obeisance in the outer pavilion; and after the +married women and waiting-maids had concluded their homage, the Chia +consort heaved a sigh. "How many relatives," she observed, "there are +all of whom, alas! I may not see." + +"There are here now," madame Wang rejoined with due respect, "kindred +with outside family names, such as Mrs. Hsüeh, née Wang, Pao-ch'ai, and +Tai-yü waiting for your commands; but as they are distant relatives, and +without official status, they do not venture to arrogate to themselves +the right of entering into your presence." But the Chia consort issued +directions that they should be invited to come that they should see each +other; and in a short while, Mrs. Hsüeh and the other relatives walked +in, but as they were on the point of performing the rites, prescribed by +the state, she bade them relinquish the observance so that they came +forward, and each, in turn, alluded to what had transpired during the +long separation. + +Pao Ch'in also and a few other waiting-maids, whom the Chia consort had +originally taken along with her into the palace, knocked their heads +before dowager lady Chia, but her ladyship lost no time in raising them +up, and in bidding them go into a separate suite of rooms to be +entertained; and as for the retainers, eunuchs as well as +maids-of-honour, ladies-in-waiting and every attendant, there were +needless to say, those in the two places, the Ning mansion and Chia +She's residence, to wait upon them; there only remained three or four +young eunuchs to answer the summons. + +The mother and daughter and her cousins conversed for some time on what +had happened during the protracted separation, as well as on domestic +affairs and their private feelings, when Chia Cheng likewise advanced as +far as the other side of the portiere, and inquired after her health, +and the Chia consort from inside performed the homage and other +conventionalities (due to her parent). + +"The families of farmers," she further went on to say to her father, +"feed on salted cabbage, and clothe in cotton material; but they readily +enjoy the happiness of the relationships established by heaven! We, +however, relatives though we now be of one bone and flesh, are, with all +our affluence and honours, living apart from each other, and deriving no +happiness whatsoever!" + +Chia Cheng, on his part endeavoured, to restrain his tears. "I +belonged," he rejoined, "to a rustic and poor family; and among that +whole number of pigeons and pheasants, how could I have imagined that I +would have obtained the blessing of a hidden phoenix! Of late all for +the sake of your honourable self, His Majesty, above, confers upon us +his heavenly benefits; while we, below, show forth the virtue of our +ancestors! And it is mainly because the vital principle of the hills, +streams, sun, and moon, and the remote virtue of our ancestors have been +implanted in you alone that this good fortune has attained me Cheng and +my wife! Moreover, the present emperor, bearing in mind the great bounty +shewn by heaven and earth in promoting a ceaseless succession, has +vouchsafed a more generous act of grace than has ever been displayed +from old days to the present. And although we may besmear our liver and +brain in the mire, how could we show our gratitude, even to so slight a +degree as one ten-thousandth part. But all I can do is, in the daytime, +to practise diligence, vigilance at night, and loyalty in my official +duties. My humble wish is that His Majesty, my master, may live ten +thousand years and see thousands of autumns, so as to promote the +welfare of all mankind in the world! And you, worthy imperial consort, +must, on no account, be mindful of me Cheng and my wife, decrepid as we +are in years. What I would solicit more than anything is that you should +be more careful of yourself, and that you should be diligent and +reverential in your service to His Majesty, with the intent that you may +not prove ungrateful of his affectionate regard and bountiful grace." + +The Chia consort, on the other hand, enjoined "that much as it was +expedient to display zeal, in the management of state matters, it +behoved him, when he had any leisure, to take good care of himself, and +that he should not, whatever he did, give way to solicitude on her +behalf." And Chia Cheng then went on to say "that the various +inscriptions in the park over the pavilions, terraces, halls and +residences had been all composed by Pao-yü, and, that in the event of +there being one or two that could claim her attention, he would be happy +if it would please her to at once favour him with its name." Whereupon +the imperial consort Yüan, when she heard that Pao-yü could compose +verses, forthwith exclaimed with a smile: "He has in very truth made +progress!" + +After Chia Cheng had retired out of the hall, the Chia consort made it a +point to ask: "How is it that I do not see Pao-yü?" and dowager lady +Chia explained: "An outside male relative as he is, and without official +rank, he does not venture to appear before you of his own accord." + +"Bring him in!" the imperial consort directed; whereupon a young eunuch +ushered Pao-yü in. After he had first complied with the state +ceremonies, she bade him draw near to her, and taking his hand, she held +it in her lap, and, as she went on to caress his head and neck, she +smiled and said: "He's grown considerably taller than he was before;" +but she had barely concluded this remark, when her tears ran down as +profuse as rain. Mrs. Yu, lady Feng, and the rest pressed forward. "The +banquet is quite ready," they announced, "and your highness is requested +to favour the place with your presence." + +The imperial consort Yuan stood up and asking Pao-yü to lead the way, +she followed in his steps, along with the whole party, and betook +herself on foot as far as the entrance of the garden gate, whence she at +once espied, in the lustre shed by the lanterns, every kind of +decorations. Entering the garden, they first passed the spots with the +device "a phoenix comes with dignified air," "the red (flowers are) +fragrant and the green (banana leaves like) jade!" "the sign on the +apricot tree is visible," "the fragrance pure of the ligularia and +iris," and other places; and ascending the towers they walked up the +halls, forded the streams and wound round the hills; contemplating as +they turned their gaze from side to side, each place arranged in a +different style, and each kind of article laid out in unique designs. +The Chia consort expressed her admiration in most profuse eulogiums, and +then went on to advise them: "that it was not expedient to indulge in +future in such excessive extravagance and that all these arrangements +were over and above what should have been done." + +Presently they reached the main pavilion, where she commanded that they +could dispense with the rites and take their seats. A sumptuous banquet +was laid out, at which dowager lady Chia and the other ladies occupied +the lower seats and entertained each other, while Mrs. Yu, widow Li Wan, +lady Feng and the rest presented the soup and handed the cups. The +Imperial consort Yuan subsequently directed that the pencils and +inkslabs should be brought, and with her own hands she opened the silken +paper. She chose the places she liked, and conferred upon them a name; +and devising a general designation for the garden, she called it the Ta +Kuan garden (Broad vista), while for the tablet of the main pavilion the +device she composed ran as follows: "Be mindful of the grace and +remember the equity (of His Majesty);" with this inscription on the +antithetical scrolls: + + Mercy excessive Heaven and earth display, + And it men young and old hail gratefully; + From old till now they pour their bounties great + Those rich gifts which Cathay and all states permeate. + +Changing also the text: "A phoenix comes with dignified air for the +Hsiao Hsiang Lodge." + +"The red (flowers are) fragrant and the green (banana leaves like) +jade," she altered into "Happy red and joyful green"; bestowing upon the +place the appellation of the I Hung court (joyful red). The spot where +"the fragrance pure of the ligularia and iris," was inscribed, she +called "the ligularia and the 'Wu' weed court;" and where was "the sign +in the apricot tree is visible," she designated "the cottage in the +hills where dolichos is bleached." The main tower she called the Broad +Vista Tower. The lofty tower facing the east, she designated "the +variegated and flowery Hall;" bestowing on the line of buildings, facing +the west, the appellation of "the Hall of Occult Fragrance;" and besides +these figured such further names as: "the Hall of peppery wind," "the +Arbour of lotus fragrance," "the Islet of purple caltrop," "the Bank of +golden lotus," and the like. There were also tablets with four +characters such as: "the peach blossom and the vernal rain;" "the +autumnal wind prunes the Eloecocca," "the artemisia leaves and the night +snow," and other similar names which could not all be placed on record. +She furthermore directed that such tablets as were already put up, +should not be dismounted, and she forthwith took the lead and composed +an heptameter stanza, the burden of which was: + + Hills it enclasps, embraces streams, with skill it is laid out: + What task the grounds to raise! the works to start and bring about! + Of scenery in heaven and amongst men store has been made; + The name Broad Vista o'er the fragrant park should be engraved. + +When she had finished writing, she observed smilingly, as she addressed +herself to all the young ladies: "I have all along lacked the quality of +sharpness and never besides been good at verses; as you, sisters, and +all of you have ever been aware; but, on a night like this I've been +fain to do my best, with the object of escaping censure, and of not +reflecting injustice on this scenery and nothing more. But some other +day when I've got time, be it ever so little, I shall deem it my duty to +make up what remains by inditing a record of the Broad Vista Garden, as +well as a song on my visit to my parents and other such literary +productions in memory of the events of this day. You sisters and others +must, each of you, in like manner compose a stanza on the motto on each +tablet, expressing your sentiments, as you please, without being +restrained by any regard for my meagre ability. Knowing as I do besides +that Pao-yü is, indeed, able to write verses, I feel the more delighted! +But among his compositions, those I like the best are those in the two +places, 'the Hsiao Hsiang Lodge,' and 'the court of Heng and Wu;' and +next those of 'the Joyful red court,' and 'the cottage in the hills, +where the dolichos is bleached.' As for grand sites like these four, +there should be found some out-of-the-way expressions to insert in the +verses so that they should be felicitous. The antithetical lines +composed by you, (Pao-yü), on a former occasion are excellent, it is +true; but you should now further indite for each place, a pentameter +stanza, so that by allowing me to test you in my presence, you may not +show yourself ungrateful for the trouble I have taken in teaching you +from your youth up." + +Pao-yü had no help but to assent, and descending from the hall, he went +off all alone to give himself up to reflection. + +Of the three Ying Ch'un, T'an Ch'un, and Hsi Ch'un, T'an Ch'un must be +considered to have also been above the standard of her sisters, but she, +in her own estimation, imagined it, in fact, difficult to compete with +Hsüeh Pao-ch'ai and Lin Tai-yü. With no alternative however than that of +doing her best, she followed the example of all the rest with the sole +purpose of warding off criticism. And Li Wan too succeeded, after much +exertion, in putting together a stanza. + +The consort of the Chia family perused in due order the verses written +by the young ladies, the text of which is given below. + +The lines written by Ying Ch'un on the tablet of "Boundless spirits and +blissful heart" were: + + A park laid out with scenery surpassing fine and rare! + Submissive to thy will, on boundless bliss bashful I write! + Who could believe that yonder scenes in this world found a share! + Will not thy heart be charmed on thy visit by the sight? + +These are the verses by T'an Ch'un on the tablet of "All nature vies in +splendour": + + Of aspect lofty and sublime is raised a park of fame! + Honoured with thy bequest, my shallow lore fills me with shame. + No words could e'er amply exhaust the beauteous skill, + For lo! in very truth glory and splendour all things fill! + +Thus runs Hsi Ch'un's stanza on the tablet of the "Conception of +literary compositions": + + The hillocks and the streams crosswise beyond a thousand li extend! + The towers and terraces 'midst the five-coloured clouds lofty ascend! + In the resplendent radiance of both sun and moon the park it lies! + The skill these scenes to raise the skill e'en essays to conceive + outvies! + +The lines composed by Li Wan on the tablet "grace and elegance," +consisted of: + + The comely streams and hillocks clear, in double folds, embrace; + E'en Fairyland, forsooth, transcend they do in elegance and grace! + The "Fragrant Plant" the theme is of the ballad fan, green-made. + Like drooping plum-bloom flap the lapel red and the Hsiang gown. + From prosperous times must have been handed down those pearls and + jade. + What bliss! the fairy on the jasper terrace will come down! + When to our prayers she yields, this glorious park to contemplate, + No mortal must e'er be allowed these grounds to penetrate. + +The ode by Hsüeh Pao-ch'ai on the tablet of "Concentrated Splendour and +Accumulated auspiciousness" was: + + Raised on the west of the Imperial city, lo! the park stored with + fragrant smell, + Shrouded by Phoebe's radiant rays and clouds of good omen, in wondrous + glory lies! + The willows tall with joy exult that the parrots their nests have + shifted from the dell. + The bamboo groves, when laid, for the phoenix with dignity to come, + were meant to rise. + The very eve before the Empress' stroll, elegant texts were ready and + affixed. + If even she her parents comes to see, how filial piety supreme must + be! + When I behold her beauteous charms and talents supernatural, with awe + transfixed, + One word, to utter more how can I troth ever presume, when shame + overpowers me. + +The distich by Lin Tai-yü on the tablet of "Spiritual stream outside the +world," ran thus: + + Th' imperial visit doth enhance joy and delight. + This fairy land from mortal scenes what diff'rent sight! + The comely grace it borrows of both hill and stream; + And to the landscape it doth add a charm supreme. + The fumes of Chin Ku wine everything permeate; + The flowers the inmate of the Jade Hall fascinate. + The imperial favour to receive how blessed our lot! + For oft the palace carriage will pass through this spot. + +The Chia consort having concluded the perusal of the verses, and +extolled them for a time: "After all," she went on to say with a smile, +"those composed by my two cousins, Hsüeh Pao-ch'ai and Lin Tai-yü, +differ in excellence from those of all the rest; and neither I, stupid +as I am, nor my sisters can attain their standard." + +Lin Tao-yü had, in point of fact, made up her mind to display, on this +evening, her extraordinary abilities to their best advantage, and to put +down every one else, but contrary to her expectations the Chia consort +had expressed her desire that no more than a single stanza should be +written on each tablet, so that unable, after all, to disregard her +directions by writing anything in excess, she had no help but to compose +a pentameter stanza, in an offhand way, merely with the intent of +complying with her wishes. + +Pao-yü had by this time not completed his task. He had just finished two +stanzas on the Hsiao Hsiang Lodge and the Heng Wu garden, and was just +then engaged in composing a verse on the "Happy red Court." In his draft +figured a line: "The (leaves) of jade-like green in spring are yet +rolled up," which Pao-ch'ai stealthily observed as she turned her eyes +from side to side; and availing herself of the very first moment, when +none of the company could notice her, she gave him a nudge. "As her +highness," she remarked, "doesn't relish the four characters, +representing the red (flowers are) fragrant, and the green (banana +leaves) like jade, she changed them, just a while back, for 'the joyful +red and gladsome green;' and if you deliberately now again employ these +two words 'jade-like green,' won't it look as if you were bent upon +being at variance with her? Besides, very many are the old books, in +which the banana leaves form the theme, so you had better think of +another line and substitute it and have done with it!" + +When Pao-yü heard the suggestion made by Pao-ch'ai, he speedily replied, +as he wiped off the perspiration: "I can't at all just at present call +to mind any passage from the contents of some old book." + +"Just simply take," proposed Pao-ch'ai smilingly, "the character jade in +jade-like green and change it into the character wax, that's all." + +"Does 'green wax,'" Pao-yü inquired, "come out from anywhere?" + +Pao-ch'ai gently smacked her lips and nodded her head as she laughed. "I +fear," she said, "that if, on an occasion like to-night, you show no +more brains than this, by and by when you have to give any answers in +the golden hall, to the questions (of the examiner), you will, really, +forget (the very first four names) of Chao, Oh'ien, Sun and Li (out of +the hundred)! What, have you so much as forgotten the first line of the +poem by Han Yü, of the T'ang dynasty, on the Banana leaf: + + "Cold is the candle and without a flame, the green wax dry?" + +On hearing these words, Pao-yü's mind suddenly became enlightened. "What +a fool I am!" he added with a simper; "I couldn't for the moment even +remember the lines, ready-made though they were and staring at me in my +very eyes! Sister, you really can be styled my teacher, little though +you may have taught me, and I'll henceforward address you by no other +name than 'teacher,' and not call you 'sister' any more!" + +"Don't you yet hurry to go on," Pao-ch'ai again observed in a gentle +tone of voice sneeringly, "but keep on calling me elder sister and +younger sister? Who's your sister? that one over there in a yellow coat +is your sister!" + +But apprehending, as she bandied these jokes, lest she might be wasting +his time, she felt constrained to promptly move away; whereupon Pao-yü +continued the ode he had been working at, and brought it to a close, +writing in all three stanzas. + +Tai-yü had not had so far an opportunity of making a display of her +ability, and was feeling at heart in a very dejected mood; but when she +perceived that Pao-yü was having intense trouble in conceiving what he +had to write, and she found, upon walking up to the side of the table, +that he had only one stanza short, that on "the sign on the apricot tree +is visible," she consequently bade him copy out clean the first three +odes, while she herself composed a stanza, which she noted down on a +slip of paper, rumpled up into a ball, and threw just in front of +Pao-yü. + +As soon as Pao-yü opened it and glanced at it, he realised that it was a +hundred times better than his own three stanzas, and transcribing it +without loss of time, in a bold writing, he handed up his compositions. + +On perusal, the Chia Consort read what follows. By Pao-yü, on: "A +phoenix comes with dignified air:" + + The bamboos just now don that jadelike grace, + Which worthy makes them the pheasant to face; + Each culm so tender as if to droop fain, + Each one so verdant, in aspect so cool, + The curb protects, from the steps wards the pool. + The pervious screens the tripod smell restrain. + The shadow will be strewn, mind do not shake + And (Hsieh) from her now long fine dream (awake)! + +On "the pure fragrance of the Ligularia and Iris Florentina:" + + Hengs and Wus the still park permeate; + The los and pis their sweet perfume enhance; + And supple charms the third spring flowers ornate; + Softly is wafted one streak of fragrance! + A light mist doth becloud the tortuous way! + With moist the clothes bedews, that verdure cold! + The pond who ever sinuous could hold? + Dreams long and subtle, dream the household Hsieh. + +On "the happy red and joyful green:" + + Stillness pervades the deep pavilion on a lengthy day. + The green and red, together matched, transcendent grace display. + Unfurled do still remain in spring the green and waxlike leaves. + No sleep yet seeks the red-clad maid, though night's hours be + far-spent, + But o'er the rails lo, she reclines, dangling her ruddy sleeves; + Against the stone she leans shrouded by taintless scent, + And stands the quarter facing whence doth blow the eastern wind! + Her lord and master must look up to her with feelings kind. + +On "the sign on the apricot tree is visible:" + + The apricot tree sign to drink wayfarers doth invite; + A farm located on a hill, lo! yonder strikes the sight! + And water caltrops, golden lotus, geese, as well as flows, + And mulberry and elm trees which afford rest to swallows. + That wide extent of spring leeks with verdure covers the ground; + And o'er ten li the paddy blossom fragrance doth abound. + In days of plenty there's a lack of dearth and of distress, + And what need then is there to plough and weave with such briskness? + +When the Chia consort had done with the perusal, excessive joy filled +her heart. "He has indeed made progress!" she exclaimed, and went on to +point at the verses on "the sign on the apricot tree," as being the +crowning piece of the four stanzas. In due course, she with her own +hands changed the motto "a cottage in the hills where dolichos is +bleached" into "the paddy-scented village;" and bidding also T'an Ch'un +to take the several tens of stanzas written then, and to transcribe them +separately on ornamented silk paper, she commanded a eunuch to send them +to the outer quarters. And when Chia Cheng and the other men perused +them, one and all sung their incessant praise, while Chia Cheng, on his +part, sent in some complimentary message, with regard to her return home +on a visit. + +Yuan Ch'un went further and gave orders that luscious wines, a ham and +other such presents should be conferred upon Pao-yü, as well as upon +Chia Lan. This Chia Lan was as yet at this time a perfect youth without +any knowledge of things in general, so that all that he could do was to +follow the example of his mother, and imitate his uncle in performing +the conventional rites. + +At the very moment that Chia Se felt unable, along with a company of +actresses, to bear the ordeal of waiting on the ground floor of the +two-storied building, he caught sight of a eunuch come running at a +flying pace. "The composition of verses is over," he said, "so quick +give me the programme;" whereupon Chia Se hastened to present the +programme as well as a roll of the names of the twelve girls. And not a +long interval elapsed before four plays were chosen; No. 1 being the +Imperial Banquet; No. 2 Begging (the weaver goddess) for skill in +needlework; No. 3 The spiritual match; and No. 4 the Parting spirit. +Chia Se speedily lent a hand in the getting up, and the preparations for +the performance, and each of the girls sang with a voice sufficient to +split the stones and danced in the manner of heavenly spirits; and +though their exterior was that of the characters in which they were +dressed up for the play, their acting nevertheless represented, in a +perfect manner, both sorrow as well as joy. As soon as the performance +was brought to a close, a eunuch walked in holding a golden salver +containing cakes, sweets, and the like, and inquired who was Ling Kuan; +and Chia Se readily concluding that these articles were presents +bestowed upon Ling Kuan, made haste to take them over, as he bade Ling +Kuan prostrate herself. + +"The honourable consort," the eunuch further added, "directs that Ling +Kuan, who is the best actress of the lot, should sing two more songs; +any two will do, she does not mind what they are." + +Chia Se at once expressed his obedience, and felt constrained to urge +Ling Kuan to sing the two ballads entitled: "The walk through the +garden" and "Frightened out of a dream." But Ling Kuan asserted that +these two ballads had not originally been intended for her own role; and +being firm in her refusal to accede and insisting upon rendering the two +songs "The Mutual Promise" and "The Mutual Abuse," Chia Se found it hard +to bring her round, and had no help but to let her have her own way. The +Chia consort was so extremely enchanted with her that she gave +directions that she should not be treated harshly, and that this girl +should receive a careful training, while besides the fixed number of +presents, she gave her two rolls of palace silk, two purses, gold and +silver ingots, and presents in the way of eatables. + +Subsequently, when the banquet had been cleared, and she once more +prosecuted her visit through those places to which she had not been, she +quite accidentally espied the Buddhist Temple encircled by hills, and +promptly rinsing her hands, she walked in and burnt incense and +worshipped Buddha. She also composed the device for a tablet, "a humane +boat on the (world's) bitter sea," and went likewise so far as to show +special acts of additional grace to a company of ascetic nuns and Taoist +priestesses. + +A eunuch came in a short while and reverently fell on his knees. "The +presents are all in readiness," he reported, "and may it please you to +inspect them and to distribute them, in compliance with custom;" and +presented to her a list, which the Chia consort perused from the very +top throughout without raising any objection, and readily commanding +that action should be taken according to the list, a eunuch descended +and issued the gifts one after another. The presents for dowager lady +Chia consisted, it may be added, of two sceptres, one of gold, the other +of jade, with "may your wishes be fulfilled" inscribed on them; a staff +made of lign-aloes; a string of chaplet beads of Chia-nan fragrant wood; +four rolls of imperial satins with words "Affluence and honours" and +Perennial Spring (woven in them); four rolls of imperial silk with +Perennial Happiness and Longevity; two shoes of purple gold bullion, +representing a pen, an ingot and "as you like;" and ten silver ingots +with the device "Felicitous Blessings." While the two shares for madame +Hsing and madame Wang were only short of hers by the sceptres and +staffs, four things in all. Chia She, Chia Cheng and the others had each +apportioned to him a work newly written by the Emperor, two boxes of +superior ink, and gold and silver cups, two pairs of each; their other +gifts being identical with those above. Pao-ch'ai, Tai-yü, all the +sisters and the rest were assigned each a copy of a new book, a fine +slab and two pair of gold and silver ornaments of a novel kind and +original shape; Pao-yü likewise receiving the same presents. Chia Lan's +gifts consisted of two necklets, one of gold, the other of silver, and +of two pair of gold ingots. Mrs. Yu, widow Li Wan, lady Feng and the +others had each of them, four ingots of gold and silver; and, in the way +of keepsakes, four pieces of silk. There were, in addition, presents +consisting of twenty-four pieces of silk and a thousand strings of good +cash to be allotted to the nurses, and waiting-maids, in the apartments +of dowager lady Chia, madame Wang and of the respective sisters; while +Chia Chen, Chia Lien, Chia Huan, Chia Jung and the rest had, every one, +for presents, a piece of silk, and a pair of gold and silver ingots. + +As regards the other gifts, there were a hundred rolls of various +coloured silks, a thousand ounces of pure silver, and several bottles of +imperial wine, intended to be bestowed upon all the men-servants of the +mansions, on the East and the West, as well as upon those who had been +in the garden overseeing works, arranging the decorations, and in +waiting to answer calls, and upon those who looked after the theatres +and managed the lanterns. There being, besides, five hundred strings of +pure cash for the cooks, waiters, jugglers and hundreds of actors and +every kind of domestic. + +The whole party had finished giving expression to their thanks for her +bounty, when the managers and eunuchs respectfully announced: "It is +already a quarter to three, and may it please your Majesty to turn back +your imperial chariot;" whereupon, much against her will, the Chia +consort's eyes brimmed over, and she once more gave vent to tears. +Forcing herself however again to put on a smile, she clasped old lady +Chia's and madame Wang's hands, and could not bring herself to let them +go; while she repeatedly impressed upon their minds: that there was no +need to give way to any solicitude, and that they should take good care +of their healths; that the grace of the present emperor was so vast, +that once a month he would grant permission for them to enter the palace +and pay her a visit. "It is easy enough for us to see each other," (she +said,) "and why should we indulge in any excess of grief? But when his +majesty in his heavenly generosity allows me another time to return +home, you shouldn't go in for such pomp and extravagance." + +Dowager lady Chia and the other inmates had already cried to such an +extent that sobs choked their throats and they could with difficulty +give utterance to speech. But though the Chia consort could not +reconcile herself to the separation, the usages in vogue in the imperial +household could not be disregarded or infringed, so that she had no +alternative but to stifle the anguish of her heart, to mount her +chariot, and take her departure. + +The whole family experienced meanwhile a hard task before they succeeded +in consoling the old lady and madame Wang and in supporting them away +out of the garden. But as what follows is not ascertained, the next +chapter will disclose it. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + + In the vehemence of her feelings, Hua (Hsi Jen) on a quiet evening + admonishes Pao-yü. + While (the spell) of affection continues unbroken, Pao-yü, on a still + day, perceives the fragrance emitted from Tai-yü's person. + + +The Chia consort, we must now go on to explain, returned to the Palace, +and the next day, on her appearance in the presence of His Majesty, she +thanked him for his bounty and gave him furthermore an account of her +experiences on her visit home. His Majesty's dragon countenance was much +elated, and he also issued from the privy store coloured satins, gold +and silver and such like articles to be presented to Chia Cheng and the +other officials in the various households of her relatives. But +dispensing with minute details about them, we will now revert to the two +mansions of Jung and Ning. + +With the extreme strain on mind and body for successive days, the +strength of one and all was, in point of fact, worn out and their +respective energies exhausted. And it was besides after they had been +putting by the various decorations and articles of use for two or three +days, that they, at length, got through the work. + +Lady Feng was the one who had most to do, and whose responsibilities +were greatest. The others could possibly steal a few leisure moments and +retire to rest, while she was the sole person who could not slip away. +In the second place, naturally anxious as she was to excel and both to +fall in people's estimation, she put up with the strain just as if she +were like one of those who had nothing to attend to. But the one who had +the least to do and had the most leisure was Pao-yü. + +As luck would have it on this day, at an early hour, Hsi Jen's mother +came again in person and told dowager lady Chia that she would take Hsi +Jen home to drink a cup of tea brewed in the new year and that she would +return in the evening. For this reason Pao-yü was only in the company of +all the waiting-maids, throwing dice, playing at chess and amusing +himself. But while he was in the room playing with them with a total +absence of zest, he unawares perceived a few waiting-maids arrive, who +informed him that their senior master Mr. Chen, of the Eastern Mansion, +had come to invite him to go and see a theatrical performance, and the +fireworks, which were to be let off. + +Upon hearing these words, Pao-yü speedily asked them to change his +clothes; but just as he was ready to start, presents of cream, steamed +with sugar, arrived again when least expected from the Chia Consort, and +Pao-yü recollecting with what relish Hsi Jen had partaken of this dish +on the last occasion forthwith bid them keep it for her; while he went +himself and told dowager lady Chia that he was going over to see the +play. + +The plays sung over at Chia Chen's consisted, who would have thought it, +of "Ting L'ang recognises his father," and "Huang Po-ying deploys the +spirits for battle," and in addition to these, "Sung Hsing-che causes +great commotion in the heavenly palace;" "Ghiang T'ai-kung kills the +general and deifies him," and other such like. Soon appeared the spirits +and devils in a confused crowd on the stage, and suddenly also became +visible the whole band of sprites and goblins, among which were some +waving streamers, as they went past in a procession, invoking Buddha and +burning incense. The sound of the gongs and drums and of shouts and +cries were audible at a distance beyond the lane; and in the whole +street, one and all extolled the performance as exceptionally grand, and +that the like could never have been had in the house of any other +family. + +Pao-yü, noticing that the commotion and bustle had reached a stage so +unbearable to his taste, speedily betook himself, after merely sitting +for a little while, to other places in search of relaxation and fun. +First of all, he entered the inner rooms, and after spending some time +in chatting and laughing with Mrs. Yu, the waiting-maids, and secondary +wives, he eventually took his departure out of the second gate; and as +Mrs. Yu and her companions were still under the impression that he was +going out again to see the play, they let him speed on his way, without +so much as keeping an eye over him. + +Chia Chen, Chia Lien, Hsúeh P'an and the others were bent upon guessing +enigmas, enforcing the penalties and enjoying themselves in a hundred +and one ways, so that even allowing that they had for a moment noticed +that he was not occupying his seat, they must merely have imagined that +he had gone inside and not, in fact, worried their minds about him. And +as for the pages, who had come along with Pao-yü, those who were a +little advanced in years, knowing very well that Pao-yü would, on an +occasion like the present, be sure not to be going before dusk, +stealthily therefore took advantage of his absence, those, who could, to +gamble for money, and others to go to the houses of relatives and +friends to drink of the new year tea, so that what with gambling and +drinking the whole bevy surreptitiously dispersed, waiting for dusk +before they came back; while those, who were younger, had all crept into +the green rooms to watch the excitement; with the result that Pao-yü +perceiving not one of them about bethought himself of a small reading +room, which existed in previous days on this side, in which was +suspended a picture of a beauty so artistically executed as to look +life-like. "On such a bustling day as this," he reasoned, "it's pretty +certain, I fancy, that there will be no one in there; and that beautiful +person must surely too feel lonely, so that it's only right that I +should go and console her a bit." With these thoughts, he hastily betook +himself towards the side-house yonder, and as soon as he came up to the +window, he heard the sound of groans in the room. Pao-yü was really +quite startled. "What!" (he thought), "can that beautiful girl, +possibly, have come to life!" and screwing up his courage, he licked a +hole in the paper of the window and peeped in. It was not she, however, +who had come to life, but Ming Yen holding down a girl and likewise +indulging in what the Monitory Dream Fairy had taught him. + +"Dreadful!" exclaimed Pao-yü, aloud, unable to repress himself, and, +stamping one of his feet, he walked into the door to the terror of both +of them, who parting company, shivered with fear, like clothes that are +being shaken. Ming Yen perceiving that it was Pao-yü promptly fell on +his knees and piteously implored for pardon. + +"What! in broad daylight! what do you mean by it? Were your master Mr. +Chen to hear of it, would you die or live?" asked Pao-yü, as he +simultaneously cast a glance at the servant-girl, who although not a +beauty was anyhow so spick and span, and possessed besides a few charms +sufficient to touch the heart. From shame, her face was red and her ears +purple, while she lowered her head and uttered not a syllable. + +Pao-yü stamped his foot. "What!" he shouted, "don't you yet bundle +yourself away!" + +This simple remark suggested the idea to the girl's mind who ran off, as +if she had wings to fly with; but as Pao-yü went also so far as to go in +pursuit of her, calling out: "Don't be afraid, I'm not one to tell +anyone," Ming Yen was so exasperated that he cried, as he went after +them, "My worthy ancestor, this is distinctly telling people about it." + +"How old is that servant girl?" Pao-yü having asked; "She's, I expect, +no more than sixteen or seventeen," Ming Yen rejoined. + +"Well, if you haven't gone so far as to even ascertain her age," Pao-yü +observed, "you're sure to know still less about other things; and it +makes it plain enough that her acquaintance with you is all vain and +futile! What a pity! what a pity!" + +He then went on to enquire what her name was; and "Were I," continued +Ming Yen smiling, "to tell you about her name it would involve a long +yarn; it's indeed a novel and strange story! She relates that while her +mother was nursing her, she dreamt a dream and obtained in this dream +possession of a piece of brocaded silk, on which were designs, in +variegated colours, representing opulence and honour, and a continuous +line of the character Wan; and that this reason accounts for the name of +Wan Erh, which was given her." + +"This is really strange!" Pao-yü exclaimed with a grin, after lending an +ear to what he had to say; "and she is bound, I think, by and by to have +a good deal of good fortune!" + +These words uttered, he plunged in deep thought for a while, and Ming +Yen having felt constrained to inquire: "Why aren't you, Mr. Secundus, +watching a theatrical performance of this excellent kind?" "I had been +looking on for ever so long," Pao-yü replied, "until I got quite weary; +and had just come out for a stroll, when I happened to meet you two. But +what's to be done now?" + +Ming Yen gave a faint smile. "As there's no one here to know anything +about it," he added, "I'll stealthily take you, Mr. Secundus, for a walk +outside the city walls; and we'll come back shortly, before they've got +wind of it." + +"That won't do," Pao-yü demurred, "we must be careful, or else some +beggar might kidnap us away; besides, were they to come to hear of it, +there'll be again a dreadful row; and isn't it better that we should go +to some nearer place, from which we could, after all, return at once?" + +"As for some nearer place," Ming Yen observed; "to whose house can we +go? It's really no easy matter!" + +"My idea is," Pao-yü suggested with a smirk, "that we should simply go, +and find sister Hua, and see what she's up to at home." + +"Yes! Yes!" Ming Yen replied laughingly; "the fact is I had forgotten +all about her home; but should it reach their ears," he continued, +"they'll say that it was I who led you, Mr. Secundus, astray, and +they'll beat me!" + +"I'm here for you!" Pao-yü having assured him; Ming Yen at these words +led the horses round, and the two of them speedily made their exit by +the back gate. Luckily Hsi Jen's house was not far off. It was no +further than half a li's distance, so that in a twinkle they had already +reached the front of the door, and Ming Yen was the first to walk in and +to call for Hsi Jen's eldest brother Hua Tzu-fang. + +Hsi Jen's mother had, on this occasion, united in her home Hsi Jen, +several of her sister's daughters, as well as a few of her nieces, and +they were engaged in partaking of fruits and tea, when they heard some +one outside call out, "Brother Hua." Hua Tzu-fang lost no time in +rushing out; and upon looking and finding that it was the two of them, +the master and his servant, he was so taken by surprise that his fears +could not be set at rest. Promptly, he clasped Pao-yü in his arms and +dismounted him, and coming into the court, he shouted out at the top of +his voice: "Mr. Pao has come." The other persons heard the announcement +of his arrival, with equanimity, but when it reached Hsi Jen's ears, she +truly felt at such a loss to fathom the object of his visit that issuing +hastily out of the room, she came to meet Pao-yü, and as she laid hold +of him: "Why did you come?" she asked. + +"I felt awfully dull," Pao-yü rejoined with a smile, "and came to see +what you were up to." + +Hsi Jen at these words banished, at last, all anxiety from her mind. +"You're again up to your larks," she observed, "but what's the aim of +your visit? Who else has come along with him?" she at the same time went +on to question Ming Yen. + +"All the others know nothing about it!" explained Ming Yen exultingly; +"only we two do, that's all." + +When Hsi Jen heard this remark, she gave way afresh to solicitous fears: +"This is dreadful!" she added; "for were you to come across any one from +the house, or to meet master; or were, in the streets, people to press +against you, or horses to collide with you, as to make (his horse) shy, +and he were to fall, would that too be a joke? The gall of both of you +is larger than a peck measure; but it's all you, Ming Yen, who has +incited him, and when I go back, I'll surely tell the nurses to beat +you." + +Ming Yen pouted his mouth. "Mr. Secundus," he pleaded, "abused me and +beat me, as he bade me bring him here, and now he shoves the blame on my +shoulders! 'Don't let us go,' I suggested; 'but if you do insist, well +then let us go and have done.'" + +Hua Tzu-fang promptly interceded. "Let things alone," he said; "now that +they're already here, there's no need whatever of much ado. The only +thing is that our mean house with its thatched roof is both so crammed +and so filthy that how could you, sir, sit in it!" + +Hsi Jen's mother also came out at an early period to receive him, and +Hsi Jen pulled Pao-yü in. Once inside the room, Pao-yü perceived three +or five girls, who, as soon as they caught sight of him approaching, all +lowered their heads, and felt so bashful that their faces were suffused +with blushes. But as both Hua Tzu-fang and his mother were afraid that +Pao-yü would catch cold, they pressed him to take a seat on the +stove-bed, and hastened to serve a fresh supply of refreshments, and to +at once bring him a cup of good tea. + +"You needn't be flurrying all for nothing," Hsi Jen smilingly +interposed; "I, naturally, should know; and there's no use of even +laying out any fruits, as I daren't recklessly give him anything to +eat." + +Saying this, she simultaneously took her own cushion and laid it on a +stool, and after Pao-yü took a seat on it, she placed the footstove she +had been using, under his feet; and producing, from a satchet, two +peach-blossom-scented small cakes, she opened her own hand-stove and +threw them into the fire; which done, she covered it well again and +placed it in Pao-yü's lap. And eventually, she filled her own tea-cup +with tea and presented it to Pao-yü, while, during this time, her mother +and sister had been fussing about, laying out in fine array a tableful +of every kind of eatables. + +Hsi Jen noticed that there were absolutely no things that he could eat, +but she felt urged to say with a smile: "Since you've come, it isn't +right that you should go empty away; and you must, whether the things be +good or bad, taste a little, so that it may look like a visit to my +house!" + +As she said this, she forthwith took several seeds of the fir-cone, and +cracking off the thin skin, she placed them in a handkerchief and +presented them to Pao-yü. But Pao-yü, espying that Hsi Jen's two eyes +were slightly red, and that the powder was shiny and moist, quietly +therefore inquired of Hsi Jen, "Why do you cry for no rhyme or reason?" + +"Why should I cry?" Hsi Jen laughed; "something just got into my eyes +and I rubbed them." By these means she readily managed to evade +detection; but seeing that Pao-yü wore a deep red archery-sleeved +pelisse, ornamented with gold dragons, and lined with fur from foxes' +ribs and a grey sable fur surtout with a fringe round the border. "What! +have you," she asked, "put on again your new clothes for? specially to +come here? and didn't they inquire of you where you were going?" + +"I had changed," Pao-yü explained with a grin, "as Mr. Chen had invited +me to go over and look at the play." + +"Well, sit a while and then go back;" Hsi Jen continued as she nodded +her head; "for this isn't the place for you to come to!" + +"You'd better be going home now," Pao-yü suggested smirkingly; "where +I've again kept something good for you." + +"Gently," smiled Hsi Jen, "for were you to let them hear, what figure +would we cut?" And with these, words, she put out her hand and +unclasping from Pao-yü's neck the jade of Spiritual Perception, she +faced her cousins and remarked exultingly. "Here! see for yourselves; +look at this and learn! When I repeatedly talked about it, you all +thought it extraordinary, and were anxious to have a glance at it; +to-day, you may gaze on it with all your might, for whatever precious +thing you may by and by come to see will really never excel such an +object as this!" + +When she had finished speaking, she handed it over to them, and after +they had passed it round for inspection, she again fastened it properly +on Pao-yü's neck, and also bade her brother go and hire a small +carriage, or engage a small chair, and escort Pao-yü back home. + +"If I see him back," Hua Tzu-fang remarked, "there would be no harm, +were he even to ride his horse!" + +"It isn't because of harm," Hsi Jen replied; "but because he may come +across some one from the house." + +Hua Tzu-fang promptly went and bespoke a small chair; and when it came +to the door, the whole party could not very well detain him, and they of +course had to see Pao-yü out of the house; while Hsi Jen, on the other +hand, snatched a few fruits and gave them to Ming Yen; and as she at the +same time pressed in his hand several cash to buy crackers with to let +off, she enjoined him not to tell any one as he himself would likewise +incur blame. + +As she uttered these words, she straightway escorted Pao-yü as far as +outside the door, from whence having seen him mount into the sedan +chair, she dropped the curtain; whereupon Ming Yen and her brother, the +two of them, led the horses and followed behind in his wake. Upon +reaching the street where the Ning mansion was situated, Ming Yen told +the chair to halt, and said to Hua Tzu-fang, "It's advisable that I +should again go, with Mr. Secundus, into the Eastern mansion, to show +ourselves before we can safely betake ourselves home; for if we don't, +people will suspect!" + +Hua Tzu-fang, upon hearing that there was good reason in what he said, +promptly clasped Pao-yü out of the chair and put him on the horse, +whereupon after Pao-yü smilingly remarked: "Excuse me for the trouble +I've surely put you to," they forthwith entered again by the back gate; +but putting aside all details, we will now confine ourselves to Pao-yü. + +After he had walked out of the door, the several waiting-maids in his +apartments played and laughed with greater zest and with less restraint. +Some there were who played at chess, others who threw the dice or had a +game of cards; and they covered the whole floor with the shells of +melon-seeds they were cracking, when dame Li, his nurse, happened to +come in, propping herself on a staff, to pay her respects and to see +Pao-yü, and perceiving that Pao-yü was not at home and that the +servant-girls were only bent upon romping, she felt intensely disgusted. +"Since I've left this place," she therefore exclaimed with a sigh, "and +don't often come here, you've become more and more unmannerly; while the +other nurse does still less than ever venture to expostulate with you; +Pao-yü is like a candlestick eighty feet high, shedding light on others, +and throwing none upon himself! All he knows is to look down upon people +as being filthy; and yet this is his room and he allows you to put it +topsy-turvey, and to become more and more unmindful of decorum!" + +These servant-girls were well aware that Pao-yü was not particular in +these respects, and that in the next place nurse Li, having pleaded old +age, resigned her place and gone home, had nowadays no control over +them, so that they simply gave their minds to romping and joking, and +paid no heed whatever to her. Nurse Li however still kept on asking +about Pao-yü, "How much rice he now ate at one meal? and at what time he +went to sleep?" to which questions, the servant-girls replied quite at +random; some there being too who observed: "What a dreadful despicable +old thing she is!" + +"In this covered bowl," she continued to inquire, "is cream, and why not +give it to me to eat?" and having concluded these words, she took it up +and there and then began eating it. + +"Be quick, and leave it alone!" a servant-girl expostulated, "that, he +said, was kept in order to be given to Hsi Jen; and on his return, when +he again gets into a huff, you, old lady, must, on your own motion, +confess to having eaten it, and not involve us in any way as to have to +bear his resentment." + +Nurse Li, at these words, felt both angry and ashamed. "I can't +believe," she forthwith remarked, "that he has become so bad at heart! +Not to speak of the milk I've had, I have, in fact every right to even +something more expensive than this; for is it likely that he holds Hsi +Jen dearer than myself? It can't forsooth be that he doesn't bear in +mind how that I've brought him up to be a big man, and how that he has +eaten my blood transformed into milk and grown up to this age! and will +be because I'm now having a bowl of milk of his be angry on that score! +I shall, yes, eat it, and we'll see what he'll do! I don't know what you +people think of Hsi Jen, but she was a lowbred girl, whom I've with my +own hands raised up! and what fine object indeed was she!" + +As she spoke, she flew into a temper, and taking the cream she drank the +whole of it. + +"They don't know how to speak properly!" another servant-girl interposed +sarcastically, "and it's no wonder that you, old lady, should get angry! +Pao-yü still sends you, venerable dame, presents as a proof of his +gratitude, and is it possible that he will feel displeased for such a +thing like this?" + +"You girls shouldn't also pretend to be artful flatterers to cajole me!" +nurse Li added; "do you imagine that I'm not aware of the dismissal, the +other day, of Hsi Hsüeh, on account of a cup of tea? and as it's clear +enough that I've incurred blame, I'll come by and by and receive it!" + +Having said this, she went off in a dudgeon, but not a long interval +elapsed before Pao-yü returned, and gave orders to go and fetch Hsi Jen; +and perceiving Ching Ling reclining on the bed perfectly still: "I +presume she's ill," Pao-yü felt constrained to inquire, "or if she isn't +ill, she must have lost at cards." + +"Not so!" observed Chiu Wen; "she had been a winner, but dame Li came in +quite casually and muddled her so that she lost; and angry at this she +rushed off to sleep." + +"Don't place yourselves," Pao-yü smiled, "on the same footing as nurse +Li, and if you were to let her alone, everything will be all right." + +These words were still on his lips when Hsi Jen arrived. After the +mutual salutations, Hsi Jen went on to ask of Pao-yü: "Where did you +have your repast? and what time did you come back?" and to present +likewise, on behalf of her mother and sister, her compliments to all the +girls, who were her companions. In a short while, she changed her +costume and divested herself of her fineries, and Pao-yü bade them fetch +the cream. + +"Nurse Li has eaten it," the servant-girls rejoined, and as Pao-yü was +on the point of making some remark Hsi Jen hastened to interfere, +laughing the while; "Is it really this that you had kept for me? many +thanks for the trouble; the other day, when I had some, I found it very +toothsome, but after I had partaken of it, I got a pain in the stomach, +and was so much upset, that it was only after I had brought it all up +that I felt all right. So it's as well that she has had it, for, had it +been kept here, it would have been wasted all for no use! What I fancy +are dry chestnuts; and while you clean a few for me, I'll go and lay the +bed!" + +Pao-yü upon hearing these words credited them as true, so that he +discarded all thought of the cream and fetched the chestnuts, which he, +with his own hands, selected and pealed. Perceiving at the same time +that none of the party were present in the room, he put on a smile and +inquired of Hsi Jen: "Who were those persons dressed in red to day?" + +"They're my two cousins on my mother's side," Hsi Jen explained, and +hearing this, Pao-yü sang their praise as he heaved a couple of sighs. + +"What are you sighing for?" Hsi Jen remarked. "I know the secret reasons +of your heart; it's I fancy because she isn't fit to wear red!" + +"It isn't that," Pao-yü protested smilingly, "it isn't that; if such a +person as that isn't good enough to be dressed in red, who would +forsooth presume to wear it? It's because I find her so really lovely! +and if we could, after all, manage to get her into our family, how nice +it would be then!" + +Hsi Jen gave a sardonic smile. "That it's my own fate to be a slave +doesn't matter, but is it likely that the destiny of even my very +relatives could be to become one and all of them bond servants? But you +should certainly set your choice upon some really beautiful girl, for +she would in that case be good enough to enter your house." + +"Here you are again with your touchiness!" Pao-yü eagerly exclaimed +smiling, "if I said that she should come to our house, does it +necessarily imply that she should be a servant? and wouldn't it do were +I to mention that she should come as a relative!" + +"That too couldn't exalt her to be a fit match for you!" rejoined Hsi +Jen; but Pao-yü being loth to continue the conversation, simply busied +himself with cleaning the chestnuts. + +"How is it you utter not a word?" Hsi Jen laughed; "I expect it's +because I just offended you by my inconsiderate talk! But if by and by +you have your purpose fixed on it, just spend a few ounces of silver to +purchase them with, and bring them in and have done!" + +"How would you have one make any reply?" Pao-yü smilingly rejoined; "all +I did was to extol her charms; for she's really fit to have been born in +a deep hall and spacious court as this; and it isn't for such foul +things as myself and others to contrariwise spend our days in this +place!" + +"Though deprived of this good fortune," Hsi Jen explained, "she's +nevertheless also petted and indulged and the jewel of my maternal uncle +and my aunt! She's now seventeen years of age, and everything in the way +of trousseau has been got ready, and she's to get married next year." + +Upon hearing the two words "get married," he could not repress himself +from again ejaculating: "Hai hai!" but while he was in an unhappy frame +of mind, he once more heard Hsi Jen remark as she heaved a sigh: "Ever +since I've come here, we cousins haven't all these years been able to +get to live together, and now that I'm about to return home, they, on +the other hand, will all be gone!" + +Pao-yü, realising that there lurked in this remark some meaning or +other, was suddenly so taken aback that dropping the chestnuts, he +inquired: "How is it that you now want to go back?" + +"I was present to-day," Hsi Jen explained, "when mother and brother held +consultation together, and they bade me be patient for another year, and +that next year they'll come up and redeem me out of service!" + +Pao-yü, at these words, felt the more distressed. "Why do they want to +redeem you?" he consequently asked. + +"This is a strange question!" Hsi Jen retorted, "for I can't really be +treated as if I were the issue born in this homestead of yours! All the +members of my family are elsewhere, and there's only myself in this +place, so that how could I end my days here?" + +"If I don't let you go, it will verily be difficult for you to get +away!" Pao-yü replied. + +"There has never been such a principle of action!" urged Hsi Jen; "even +in the imperial palace itself, there's a fixed rule, by which possibly +every certain number of years a selection (of those who have to go takes +place), and every certain number of years a new batch enters; and +there's no such practice as that of keeping people for ever; not to +speak of your own home." + +Pao-yü realised, after reflection, that she, in point of fact, was +right, and he went on to observe: "Should the old lady not give you your +release, it will be impossible for you to get off." + +"Why shouldn't she release me?" Hsi Jen questioned. "Am I really so very +extraordinary a person as to have perchance made such an impression upon +her venerable ladyship and my lady that they will be positive in not +letting me go? They may, in all likelihood, give my family some more +ounces of silver to keep me here; that possibly may come about. But, in +truth, I'm also a person of the most ordinary run, and there are many +more superior to me, yea very many! Ever since my youth up, I've been in +her old ladyship's service; first by waiting upon Miss Shih for several +years, and recently by being in attendance upon you for another term of +years; and now that our people will come to redeem me, I should, as a +matter of right, be told to go. My idea is that even the very redemption +money won't be accepted, and that they will display such grace as to let +me go at once. And, as for being told that I can't be allowed to go as +I'm so diligent in my service to you, that's a thing that can on no +account come about! My faithful attendance is an obligation of my +duties, and is no exceptional service! and when I'm gone you'll again +have some other faithful attendant, and it isn't likely that when I'm no +more here, you'll find it impracticable to obtain one!" + +After Pao-yü had listened to these various arguments, which proved the +reasonableness of her going and the unreasonableness of any detention, +he felt his heart more than ever a prey to distress. "In spite of all +you say," he therefore continued, "the sole desire of my heart is to +detain you; and I have no doubt but that the old lady will speak to your +mother about it; and if she were to give your mother ample money, +she'll, of course, not feel as if she could very well with any decency +take you home!" + +"My mother won't naturally have the audacity to be headstrong!" Hsi Jen +ventured, "not to speak besides of the nice things, which may be told +her and the lots of money she may, in addition, be given; but were she +even not to be paid any compliments, and not so much as a single cash +given her, she won't, if you set your mind upon keeping me here, presume +not to comply with your wishes, were it also against my inclination. One +thing however; our family would never rely upon prestige, and trust upon +honorability to do anything so domineering as this! for this isn't like +anything else, which, because you take a fancy to it, a hundred per cent +profit can be added, and it obtained for you! This action can be well +taken if the seller doesn't suffer loss! But in the present instance, +were they to keep me back for no rhyme or reason, it would also be of no +benefit to yourself; on the contrary, they would be instrumental in +keeping us blood relatives far apart; a thing the like of which, I feel +positive that dowager lady Chia and my lady will never do!" + +After lending an ear to this argument, Pao-yü cogitated within himself +for a while. "From what you say," he then observed, "when you say you'll +go, it means that you'll go for certain!" + +"Yes, that I'll go for certain," Hsi Jen rejoined. + +"Who would have anticipated," Pao-yü, after these words, mused in his +own heart, "that a person like her would have shown such little sense of +gratitude, and such a lack of respect! Had I," he then remarked aloud +with a sigh, "been aware, at an early date, that your whole wish would +have been to go, I wouldn't, in that case, have brought you over! But +when you're away, I shall remain alone, a solitary spirit!" + +As he spoke, he lost control over his temper, and, getting into bed, he +went to sleep. + +The fact is that when Hsi Jen had been at home, and she heard her mother +and brother express their intention of redeeming her back, she there and +then observed that were she even at the point of death, she would not +return home. "When in past days," she had argued, "you had no rice to +eat, there remained myself, who was still worth several taels; and +hadn't I urged you to sell me, wouldn't I have seen both father and +mother die of starvation under my very eyes? and you've now had the good +fortune of selling me into this place, where I'm fed and clothed just +like a mistress, and where I'm not beaten by day, nor abused by night! +Besides, though now father be no more, you two have anyhow by putting +things straight again, so adjusted the family estate that it has resumed +its primitive condition. And were you, in fact, still in straitened +circumstances, and you could by redeeming me back, make again some more +money, that would be well and good; but the truth is that there's no +such need, and what would be the use for you to redeem me at such a time +as this? You should temporarily treat me as dead and gone, and shouldn't +again recall any idea of redeeming me!" + +Having in consequence indulged in a loud fit of crying, her mother and +brother resolved, when they perceived her in this determined frame of +mind, that for a fact there was no need for her to come out of service. +What is more they had sold her under contract until death, in the +distinct reliance that the Chia family, charitable and generous a family +as it was, would, possibly, after no more than a few entreaties, make +them a present of her person as well as the purchase money. In the +second place, never had they in the Chia mansion ill-used any of those +below; there being always plenty of grace and little of imperiousness. +Besides, the servant-girls, who acted as personal attendants in the +apartments of the old as well as of the young, were treated so far +unlike the whole body of domestics in the household that the daughters +even of an ordinary and penniless parentage could not have been so +looked up to. And these considerations induced both the mother as well +as her son to at once dispel the intention and not to redeem her, and +when Pao-yü had subsequently paid them an unexpected visit, and the two +of them (Pao-yü and Hsi Jen) were seen to be also on such terms, the +mother and her son obtained a clearer insight into their relations, and +still one more burden (which had pressed on their mind) fell to the +ground, and as besides this was a contingency, which they had never +reckoned upon, they both composed their hearts, and did not again +entertain any idea of ransoming her. + +It must be noticed moreover that Hsi Jen had ever since her youth not +been blind to the fact that Pao-yü had an extraordinary temperament, +that he was self-willed and perverse, far even in excess of all young +lads, and that he had, in addition, a good many peculiarities and many +unspeakable defects. And as of late he had placed such reliance in the +fond love of his grandmother that his father and mother even could not +exercise any extreme control over him, he had become so much the more +remiss, dissolute, selfish and unconcerned, not taking the least +pleasure in what was proper, that she felt convinced, whenever she +entertained the idea of tendering him advice, that he would not listen +to her. On this day, by a strange coincidence, came about the discussion +respecting her ransom, and she designedly made use, in the first +instance, of deception with a view to ascertain his feelings, to +suppress his temper, and to be able subsequently to extend to him some +words of admonition; and when she perceived that Pao-yü had now silently +gone to sleep, she knew that his feelings could not brook the idea of +her return and that his temper had already subsided. She had never had, +as far as she was concerned, any desire of eating chestnuts, but as she +feared lest, on account of the cream, some trouble might arise, which +might again lead to the same results as when Hsi Hsüeh drank the tea, +she consequently made use of the pretence that she fancied chestnuts, in +order to put off Pao-yü from alluding (to the cream) and to bring the +matter speedily to an end. But telling forthwith the young waiting-maids +to take the chestnuts away and eat them, she herself came and pushed +Pao-yü; but at the sight of Pao-yü with the traces of tears on his face, +she at once put on a smiling expression and said: "What's there in this +to wound your heart? If you positively do wish to keep me, I shall, of +course, not go away!" + +Pao-yü noticed that these words contained some hidden purpose, and +readily observed: "Do go on and tell me what else I can do to succeed in +keeping you here, for of my own self I find it indeed difficult to say +how!" + +"Of our friendliness all along," Hsi Jen smilingly rejoined, "there's +naturally no need to speak; but, if you have this day made up your mind +to retain me here, it isn't through this friendship that you'll succeed +in doing so. But I'll go on and mention three distinct conditions, and, +if you really do accede to my wishes, you'll then have shown an earnest +desire to keep me here, and I won't go, were even a sword to be laid on +my neck!" + +"Do tell me what these conditions are," Pao-yü pressed her with +alacrity, as he smiled, "and I'll assent to one and all. My dear sister, +my own dear sister, not to speak of two or three, but even two or three +hundred of them I'm quite ready to accept. All I entreat you is that you +and all of you should combine to watch over me and take care of me, +until some day when I shall be transformed into flying ashes; but flying +ashes are, after all, not opportune, as they have form and substance and +they likewise possess sense, but until I've been metamorphosed into a +streak of subtle smoke. And when the wind shall have with one puff +dispelled me, all of you then will be unable to attend to me, just as +much as I myself won't be able to heed you. You will, when that time +comes, let me go where I please, as I'll let you speed where you choose +to go!" + +These words so harassed Hsi Jen that she hastened to put her hand over +his mouth. "Speak decently," she said; "I was on account of this just +about to admonish you, and now here you are uttering all this still more +loathsome trash." + +"I won't utter these words again," Pao-yü eagerly added. + +"This is the first fault that you must change," Hsi Jen replied. + +"I'll amend," Pao-yü observed, "and if I say anything of the kind again +you can wring my mouth; but what else is there?" + +"The second thing is this," Hsi Jen explained; "whether you really like +to study or whether you only pretend to like study is immaterial; but +you should, when you are in the presence of master, or in the presence +of any one else, not do nothing else than find fault with people and +make fun of them, but behave just as if you were genuinely fond of +study, so that you shouldn't besides provoke your father so much to +anger, and that he should before others have also a chance of saying +something! 'In my family,' he reflects within himself, 'generation after +generation has been fond of books, but ever since I've had you, you +haven't accomplished my expectations, and not only is it that you don't +care about reading books,'--and this has already filled his heart with +anger and vexation,--'but both before my face and behind my back, you +utter all that stuff and nonsense, and give those persons, who have, +through their knowledge of letters, attained high offices, the nickname +of the "the salaried worms." You also uphold that there's no work +exclusive (of the book where appears) "fathom spotless virtue;" and that +all other books consist of foolish compilations, which owe their origin +to former authors, who, unable themselves to expound the writings of +Confucius, readily struck a new line and invented original notions.' Now +with words like these, how can one wonder if master loses all patience, +and if he does from time to time give you a thrashing! and what do you +make other people think of you?" + +"I won't say these things again," Pao-yü laughingly protested, "these +are the reckless and silly absurdities of a time when I was young and +had no idea of the height of the heavens and the thickness of the earth; +but I'll now no more repeat them. What else is there besides?" + +"It isn't right that you should sneer at the bonzes and vilify the +Taoist priests, nor mix cosmetics or prepare rouge," Hsi Jen continued; +"but there's still another thing more important, you shouldn't again +indulge the bad habits of licking the cosmetic, applied by people on +their lips, nor be fond of (girls dressed) in red!" + +"I'll change in all this," Pao-yü added by way of rejoinder; "I'll +change in all this; and if there's anything more be quick and tell me." + +"There's nothing more," Hsi Jen observed; "but you must in everything +exercise a little more diligence, and not indulge your caprices and +allow your wishes to run riot, and you'll be all right. And should you +comply to all these things in real earnest, you couldn't carry me out, +even in a chair with eight bearers." + +"Well, if you do stay in here long enough," Pao-yü remarked with a +smile, "there's no fear as to your not having an eight-bearer-chair to +sit in!" + +Hsi Jen gave a sardonic grin. "I don't care much about it," she replied; +"and were I even to have such good fortune, I couldn't enjoy such a +right. But allowing I could sit in one, there would be no pleasure in +it!" + +While these two were chatting, they saw Ch'iu Wen walk in. "It's the +third watch of the night," she observed, "and you should go to sleep. +Just a few moments back your grandmother lady Chia and our lady sent a +nurse to ask about you, and I replied that you were asleep." + +Pao-yü bade her fetch a watch, and upon looking at the time, he found +indeed that the hand was pointing at ten; whereupon rinsing his mouth +again and loosening his clothes, he retired to rest, where we will leave +him without any further comment. + +The next day, Hsi Jen got up as soon as it was dawn, feeling her body +heavy, her head sore, her eyes swollen, and her limbs burning like fire. +She managed however at first to keep up, an effort though it was, but as +subsequently she was unable to endure the strain, and all she felt +disposed to do was to recline, she therefore lay down in her clothes on +the stove-couch. Pao-yü hastened to tell dowager lady Chia, and the +doctor was sent for, who, upon feeling her pulse and diagnosing her +complaint, declared that there was nothing else the matter with her than +a chill, which she had suddenly contracted, that after she had taken a +dose or two of medicine, it would be dispelled, and that she would be +quite well. After he had written the prescription and taken his +departure, some one was despatched to fetch the medicines, which when +brought were properly decocted. As soon as she had swallowed a dose, +Pao-yü bade her cover herself with her bed-clothes so as to bring on +perspiration; while he himself came into Tai-yü's room to look her up. +Tai-yü was at this time quite alone, reclining on her bed having a +midday siesta, and the waiting-maids having all gone out to attend to +whatever they pleased, the whole room was plunged in stillness and +silence. Pao-yü raised the embroidered soft thread portiere and walked +in; and upon espying Tai-yü in the room fast asleep, he hurriedly +approached her and pushing her: "Dear cousin," he said, "you've just had +your meal, and are you asleep already?" and he kept on calling "Tai-yü" +till he woke her out of her sleep. + +Perceiving that it was Pao-yü, "You had better go for a stroll," Tai-yü +urged, "for the day before yesterday I was disturbed the whole night, +and up to this day I haven't had rest enough to get over the fatigue. My +whole body feels languid and sore." + +"This languor and soreness," Pao-yü rejoined, "are of no consequence; +but if you go on sleeping you'll be feeling very ill; so I'll try and +distract you, and when we've dispelled this lassitude, you'll be all +right." + +Tai-yü closed her eyes. "I don't feel any lassitude," she explained, +"all I want is a little rest; and you had better go elsewhere and come +back after romping about for a while." + +"Where can I go?" Pao-yü asked as he pushed her. "I'm quite sick and +tired of seeing the others." + +At these words, Tai-yü burst out laughing with a sound of Ch'ih. "Well! +since you wish to remain here," she added, "go over there and sit down +quietly, and let's have a chat." + +"I'll also recline," Pao-yü suggested. + +"Well, then, recline!" Tai-yü assented. + +"There's no pillow," observed Pao-yü, "so let us lie on the same +pillow." + +"What nonsense!" Tai-yü urged, "aren't those pillows outside? get one +and lie on it." + +Pao-yü walked into the outer apartment, and having looked about him, he +returned and remarked with a smile: "I don't want those, they may be, +for aught I know, some dirty old hag's." + +Tai-yü at this remark opened her eyes wide, and as she raised herself +up: "You're really," she exclaimed laughingly, "the evil star of my +existence! here, please recline on this pillow!" and as she uttered +these words, she pushed her own pillow towards Pao-yü, and, getting up +she went and fetched another of her own, upon which she lay her head in +such a way that both of them then reclined opposite to each other. But +Tai-yü, upon turning up her eyes and looking, espied on Pao-yü's cheek +on the left side of his face, a spot of blood about the size of a +button, and speedily bending her body, she drew near to him, and rubbing +it with her hand, she scrutinised it closely. "Whose nail," she went on +to inquire, "has scratched this open?" + +Pao-yü with his body still reclining withdrew from her reach, and as he +did so, he answered with a smile: "It isn't a scratch; it must, I +presume, be simply a drop, which bespattered my cheek when I was just +now mixing and clarifying the cosmetic paste for them." + +Saying this, he tried to get at his handkerchief to wipe it off; but +Tai-yü used her own and rubbed it clean for him, while she observed: "Do +you still give your mind to such things? attend to them you may; but +must you carry about you a placard (to make it public)? Though uncle +mayn't see it, were others to notice it, they would treat it as a +strange occurrence and a novel bit of news, and go and tell him to curry +favour, and when it has reached uncle's ear, we shall all again not come +out clean, and provoke him to anger." + +Pao-yü did not in the least heed what she said, being intent upon +smelling a subtle scent which, in point of fact, emanated from Tai-yü's +sleeve, and when inhaled inebriated the soul and paralysed the bones. +With a snatch, Pao-yü laid hold of Tai-yü's sleeve meaning to see what +object was concealed in it; but Tai-yü smilingly expostulated: "At such +a time as this," she said, "who keeps scents about one?" + +"Well, in that case," Pao-yü rejoined with a smirking face, "where does +this scent come from?" + +"I myself don't know," Tai-yü replied; "I presume it must be, there's no +saying, some scent in the press which has impregnated the clothes." + +"It doesn't follow," Pao-yü added, as he shook his head; "the fumes of +this smell are very peculiar, and don't resemble the perfume of +scent-bottles, scent-balls, or scented satchets!" + +"Is it likely that I have, like others, Buddhistic disciples," Tai-yü +asked laughing ironically, "or worthies to give me novel kinds of +scents? But supposing there is about me some peculiar scent, I haven't, +at all events, any older or younger brothers to get the flowers, buds, +dew, and snow, and concoct any for me; all I have are those common +scents, that's all." + +"Whenever I utter any single remark," Pao-yü urged with a grin, "you at +once bring up all these insinuations; but unless I deal with you +severely, you'll never know what stuff I'm made of; but from henceforth +I'll no more show you any grace!" + +As he spoke, he turned himself over, and raising himself, he puffed a +couple of breaths into both his hands, and hastily stretching them out, +he tickled Tai-yü promiscuously under her armpits, and along both sides. +Tai-yü had never been able to stand tickling, so that when Pao-yü put +out his two hands and tickled her violently, she forthwith giggled to +such an extent that she could scarcely gasp for breath. "If you still go +on teasing me," she shouted, "I'll get angry with you!" + +Pao-yü then kept his hands off, and as he laughed, "Tell me," he asked, +"will you again come out with all those words or not?" + +"I daren't do it again," Tai-yü smiled and adjusted her hair; adding +with another laugh: "I may have peculiar scents, but have you any 'warm' +scents?" + +Pao-yü at this question, could not for a time unfold its meaning: "What +'warm' scent?" he therefore asked. + +Tai-yü nodded her head and smiled deridingly. "How stupid! what a fool!" +she sighed; "you have jade, and another person has gold to match with +you, and if some one has 'cold' scent, haven't you any 'warm' scent as a +set-off?" + +Pao-yü at this stage alone understood the import of her remark. + +"A short while back you craved for mercy," Pao-yü observed smilingly, +"and here you are now going on talking worse than ever;" and as he spoke +he again put out his hands. + +"Dear cousin," Tai-yü speedily implored with a smirk, "I won't venture +to do it again." + +"As for letting you off," Pao-yü remarked laughing, "I'll readily let +you off, but do allow me to take your sleeve and smell it!" and while +uttering these words, he hastily pulled the sleeve, and pressing it +against his face, kept on smelling it incessantly, whereupon Tai-yü drew +her hand away and urged: "You must be going now!" + +"Though you may wish me to go, I can't," Pao-yü smiled, "so let us now +lie down with all propriety and have a chat," laying himself down again, +as he spoke, while Tai-yü likewise reclined, and covered her face with +her handkerchief. Pao-yü in a rambling way gave vent to a lot of +nonsense, which Tai-yü did not heed, and Pao-yü went on to inquire: "How +old she was when she came to the capital? what sights and antiquities +she saw on the journey? what relics and curiosities there were at Yang +Chou? what were the local customs and the habits of the people?" + +Tai-yü made no reply; and Pao-yü fearing lest she should go to sleep, +and get ill, readily set to work to beguile her to keep awake. "Ai yah!" +he exclaimed, "at Yang Chou, where your official residence is, has +occurred a remarkable affair; have you heard about it?" + +Tai-yü perceiving that he spoke in earnest, that his words were correct +and his face serious, imagined that what he referred to was a true +story, and she therefore inquired what it was? + +Pao-yü upon hearing her ask this question, forthwith suppressed a laugh, +and, with a glib tongue, he began to spin a yarn. "At Yang Chou," he +said, "there's a hill called the Tai hill; and on this hill stands a +cave called the Lin Tzu." + +"This must all be lies," Tai-yü answered sneeringly, "as I've never +before heard of such a hill." + +"Under the heavens many are the hills and rivers," Pao-yü rejoined, "and +how could you know them all? Wait until I've done speaking, when you +will be free to express your opinion!" + +"Go on then," Tai-yü suggested, whereupon Pao-yü prosecuted his +raillery. "In this Lin Tzu cave," he said, "there was once upon a time a +whole swarm of rat-elves. In some year or other and on the seventh day +of the twelfth moon, an old rat ascended the throne to discuss matters. +'Tomorrow,' he argued, 'is the eighth of the twelfth moon, and men in +the world will all be cooking the congee of the eighth of the twelfth +moon. We have now in our cave a short supply of fruits of all kinds, and +it would be well that we should seize this opportunity to steal a few +and bring them over.' Drawing a mandatory arrow, he handed it to a +small rat, full of aptitude, to go forward on a tour of inspection. The +young rat on his return reported that he had already concluded his +search and inquiries in every place and corner, and that in the temple +at the bottom of the hill alone was the largest stock of fruits and +rice. 'How many kinds of rice are there?' the old rat ascertained, 'and +how many species of fruits?' 'Rice and beans,' the young rat rejoined, +'how many barns-full there are, I can't remember; but in the way of +fruits there are five kinds: 1st, red dates; 2nd, chestnuts; 3rd, ground +nuts; 4th, water caltrops, and 5th, scented taros.' At this report the +old rat was so much elated that he promptly detailed rats to go forth; +and as he drew the mandatory arrow, and inquired who would go and steal +the rice, a rat readily received the order and went off to rob the rice. +Drawing another mandatory arrow, he asked who would go and abstract the +beans, when once more a rat took over the arrow and started to steal the +beans; and one by one subsequently received each an arrow and started on +his errand. There only remained the scented taros, so that picking again +a mandatory arrow, he ascertained who would go and carry away the taros: +whereupon a very puny and very delicate rat was heard to assent. 'I +would like,' he said, 'to go and steal the scented taros.' The old rat +and all the swarm of rats, upon noticing his state, feared that he would +not be sufficiently expert, and apprehending at the same time that he +was too weakly and too devoid of energy, they one and all would not +allow him to proceed. 'Though I be young in years and though my frame be +delicate,' the wee rat expostulated, 'my devices are unlimited, my talk +is glib and my designs deep and farseeing; and I feel convinced that, on +this errand, I shall be more ingenious in pilfering than any of them.' +'How could you be more ingenious than they?' the whole company of rats +asked. 'I won't,' explained the young rat, 'follow their example, and go +straight to work and steal, but by simply shaking my body, and +transforming myself, I shall metamorphose myself into a taro, and roll +myself among the heap of taros, so that people will not be able to +detect me, and to hear me; whereupon I shall stealthily, by means of the +magic art of dividing my body into many, begin the removal, and little +by little transfer the whole lot away, and will not this be far more +ingenious than any direct pilfering or forcible abstraction?' After the +whole swarm of rats had listened to what he had to say, they, with one +voice, exclaimed: 'Excellent it is indeed, but what is this art of +metamorphosis we wonder? Go forth you may, but first transform yourself +and let us see you.' At these words the young rat laughed. 'This isn't a +hard task!' he observed, 'wait till I transform myself.' + +"Having done speaking, he shook his body and shouted out 'transform,' +when he was converted into a young girl, most beauteous and with a most +lovely face. + +"'You've transformed yourself into the wrong thing,' all the rats +promptly added deridingly; 'you said that you were to become a fruit, +and how is it that you've turned into a young lady?' + +"The young rat in its original form rejoined with a sneering smile: 'You +all lack, I maintain, experience of the world; what you simply are aware +of is that this fruit is the scented taro, but have no idea that the +young daughter of Mr. Lin, of the salt tax, is, in real truth, a genuine +scented taro.'" + +Tai-yü having listened to this story, turned herself round and raising +herself, she observed laughing, while she pushed Pao-yü: "I'll take that +mouth of yours and pull it to pieces! Now I see that you've been +imposing upon me." + +With these words on her lips, she readily gave him a pinch, and Pao-yü +hastened to plead for mercy. "My dear cousin," he said, "spare me; I +won't presume to do it again; and it's when I came to perceive this +perfume of yours, that I suddenly bethought myself of this old story." + +"You freely indulge in abusing people," Tai-yü added with a smile, "and +then go on to say that it's an old story." + +But hardly had she concluded this remark before they caught sight of +Pao-ch'ai walk in. "Who has been telling old stories?" she asked with a +beaming face; "do let me also hear them." + +Tai-yü pressed her at once into a seat. "Just see for yourself who else +besides is here!" she smiled; "he goes in for profuse abuses and then +maintains that it's an old story!" + +"Is it indeed cousin Pao-yü?" Pao-ch'ai remarked. "Well, one can't feel +surprised at his doing it; for many have ever been the stories stored up +in his brain. The only pity is that when he should make use of old +stories, he invariably forgets them! To-day, he can easily enough recall +them to mind, but in the stanza of the other night on the banana leaves, +when he should have remembered them, he couldn't after all recollect +what really stared him in the face! and while every one else seemed so +cool, he was in such a flurry that he actually perspired! And yet, at +this moment, he happens once again to have a memory!" + +At these words, Tai-yü laughed. "O-mi-to-fu!" she exclaimed. "You are +indeed my very good cousin! But you've also (to Pao-yü) come across your +match. And this makes it clear that requital and retribution never fail +or err." + +She had just reached this part of her sentence, when in Pao-yü's rooms +was heard a continuous sound of wrangling; but as what transpired is not +yet known, the ensuing chapter will explain. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + + Wang Hsi-feng with earnest words upbraids Mrs. Chao's jealous notions. + Lin Tai-yü uses specious language to make sport of Shih Hsiang-yün's + querulous tone of voice. + + +But to continue. Pao-yü was in Tai yü's apartments relating about the +rat-elves, when Pao-ch'ai entered unannounced, and began to gibe Pao-yü, +with trenchant irony: how that on the fifteenth of the first moon, he +had shown ignorance of the allusion to the green wax; and the three of +them then indulged in that room in mutual poignant satire, for the sake +of fun. Pao-yü had been giving way to solicitude lest Tai-yü should, by +being bent upon napping soon after her meal, be shortly getting an +indigestion, or lest sleep should, at night, be completely dispelled, as +neither of these things were conducive to the preservation of good +health, when luckily Pao-ch'ai walked in, and they chatted and laughed +together; and when Lin Tai-yü at length lost all inclination to dose, he +himself then felt composed in his mind. But suddenly they heard +clamouring begin in his room, and after they had all lent an ear and +listened, Lin Tai-yü was the first to smile and make a remark. "It's +your nurse having a row with Hsi Jen!" she said. "Hsi Jen treats her +well enough, but that nurse of yours would also like to keep her well +under her thumb; she's indeed an old dotard;" and Pao-yü was anxious to +go over at once, but Pao-ch'ai laid hold of him and kept him back, +suggesting: "It's as well that you shouldn't wrangle with your nurse, +for she's quite stupid from old age; and it's but fair, on the contrary, +that you should bear with her a little." + +"I know all about that!" Pao-yü rejoined. But having concluded this +remark, he walked into his room, where he discovered nurse Li, leaning +on her staff, standing in the centre of the floor, abusing Hsi Jen, +saying: "You young wench! how utterly unmindful you are of your origin! +It's I who've raised you up, and yet, when I came just now, you put on +high airs and mighty side, and remained reclining on the stove-couch! +You saw me well enough, but you paid not the least heed to me! Your +whole heart is set upon acting like a wily enchantress to befool Pao-yü; +and you so impose upon Pao-yü that he doesn't notice me, but merely +lends an ear to what you people have to say! You're no more than a low +girl bought for a few taels and brought in here; and will it ever do +that you should be up to your mischievous tricks in this room? But +whether you like it or not, I'll drag you out from this, and give you to +some mean fellow, and we'll see whether you will still behave like a +very imp, and cajole people or not?" + +Hsi Jen was, at first, under the simple impression that the nurse was +wrath for no other reason than because she remained lying down, and she +felt constrained to explain that "she was unwell, that she had just +succeeded in perspiring, and that having had her head covered, she +hadn't really perceived the old lady;" but when she came subsequently to +hear her mention that she imposed upon Pao-yü, and also go so far as to +add that she would be given to some mean fellow, she unavoidably +experienced both a sense of shame and injury, and found it impossible to +restrain herself from beginning to cry. + +Pao-yü had, it is true, caught all that had been said, but unable with +any propriety to take notice of it, he thought it his duty to explain +matters for her. "She's ill," he observed, "and is taking medicines; and +if you don't believe it," he went on, "well then ask the rest of the +servant-girls." + +Nurse Li at these words flew into a more violent dudgeon. "Your sole +delight is to screen that lot of sly foxes!" she remarked, "and do you +pay any notice to me? No, none at all! and whom would you like me to go +and ask; who's it that doesn't back you? and who hasn't been dismounted +from her horse by Hsi Jen? I know all about it; but I'll go with you and +explain all these matters to our old mistress and my lady; for I've +nursed you till I've brought you to this age, and now that you don't +feed on milk, you thrust me on one side, and avail yourself of the +servant-girls, in your wish to browbeat me." + +As she uttered this remark, she too gave way to tears, but by this time, +Tai-yü and Pao-ch'ai had also come over, and they set to work to +reassure her. "You, old lady," they urged, "should bear with them a +little, and everything will be right!" And when nurse Li saw these two +arrive, she hastened to lay bare her grievances to them; and taking up +the question of the dismissal in days gone by, of Hsi Hsüeh, for having +drunk some tea, of the cream eaten on the previous day, and other +similar matters, she spun a long, interminable yarn. + +By a strange coincidence lady Feng was at this moment in the upper +rooms, where she had been making up the account of losses and winnings, +and upon hearing at the back a continuous sound of shouting and +bustling, she readily concluded that nurse Li's old complaint was +breaking forth, and that she was finding fault with Pao-yü's servants. +But she had, as luck would have it, lost money in gambling on this +occasion, so that she was ready to visit her resentment upon others. +With hurried step, she forthwith came over, and laying hold of nurse Li, +"Nurse," she said smiling, "don't lose your temper, on a great festival +like this, and after our venerable lady has just gone through a day in +excellent spirits! You're an old dame, and should, when others get up a +row, still do what is right and keep them in proper order; and aren't +you, instead of that, aware what good manners imply, that you will start +vociferating in this place, and make our dowager lady full of +displeasure? Tell me who's not good, and I'll beat her for you; but be +quick and come along with me over to my quarters, where a pheasant which +they have roasted is scalding hot, and let us go and have a glass of +wine!" And as she spoke, she dragged her along and went on her way. +"Feng Erh," she also called, "hold the staff for your old lady Li, and +the handkerchief to wipe her tears with!" While nurse Li walked along +with lady Feng, her feet scarcely touched the ground, as she kept on +saying: "I don't really attach any value to this decrepid existence of +mine! and I had rather disregard good manners, have a row and lose face, +as it's better, it seems to me, than to put up with the temper of that +wench!" + +Behind followed Pao-ch'ai and Tai-yü, and at the sight of the way in +which lady Feng dealt with her, they both clapped their hands, and +exclaimed, laughing, "What piece of luck that this gust of wind has +come, and dragged away this old matron!" while Pao-yü nodded his head to +and fro and soliloquised with a sigh: "One can neither know whence +originates this score; for she will choose the weak one to maltreat; nor +can one see what girl has given her offence that she has come to be put +in her black books!" + +Scarcely had he ended this remark, before Ch'ing Wen, who stood by, put +in her word. "Who's gone mad again?" she interposed, "and what good +would come by hurting her feelings? But did even any one happen to hurt +her, she would have pluck enough to bear the brunt, and wouldn't act so +improperly as to involve others!" + +Hsi Jen wept, and as she, did so, she drew Pao-yü towards her: "All +through my having aggrieved an old nurse," she urged, "you've now again +given umbrage, entirely on my account, to this crowd of people; and +isn't this still enough for me to bear but must you also go and drag in +third parties?" + +When Pao-yü realised that to this sickness of hers, had also been +superadded all these annoyances, he promptly stifled his resentment, +suppressed his voice and consoled her so far as to induce her to lie +down again to perspire. And when he further noticed how scalding like +soup and burning like fire she was, he himself watched by her, and +reclining by her side, he tried to cheer her, saying: "All you must do +is to take good care of your ailment; and don't give your mind to those +trifling matters, and get angry." + +"Were I," Hsi Jen smiled sardonically, "to lose my temper over such +concerns, would I be able to stand one moment longer in this room? The +only thing is that if she goes on, day after day, doing nothing else +than clamour in this manner, how can she let people get along? But you +rashly go and hurt people's feelings for our sakes; but they'll bear it +in mind, and when they find an opportunity, they'll come out with what's +easy enough to say, but what's not pleasant to hear, and how will we all +feel then?" + +While her mouth gave utterance to these words, she could not stop her +tears from running; but fearful, on the other hand, lest Pao-yü should +be annoyed, she felt compelled to again strain every nerve to repress +them. But in a short while, the old matrons employed for all sorts of +duties, brought in some mixture of two drugs; and, as Pao-yü noticed +that she was just on the point of perspiring, he did not allow her to +get up, but readily taking it up to her, she immediately swallowed it, +with her head still on her pillow; whereupon he gave speedy directions +to the young servant-maids to lay her stove-couch in order. + +"Whether you mean to have anything to eat or not," Hsi Jen advised, "you +should after all sit for a time with our old mistress and our lady, and +have a romp with the young ladies; after which you can come back again; +while I, by quietly keeping lying down, will also feel the better." + +When Pao-yü heard this suggestion, he had no help but to accede, and, +after she had divested herself of her hair-pins and earrings, and he saw +her lie down, he betook himself into the drawing-rooms, where he had his +repast with old lady Chia. But the meal over, her ladyship felt still +disposed to play at cards with the nurses, who had looked after the +household for many years; and Pao-yü, bethinking himself of Hsi Jen, +hastened to return to his apartments; where seeing that Hsi Jen was +drowsily falling asleep, he himself would have wished to go to bed, but +the hour was yet early. And as about this time Ch'ing Wen, I Hsia, Ch'in +Wen, Pi Hen had all, in their desire of getting some excitement, started +in search of Yüan Yang, Hu Po and their companions, to have a romp with +them, and he espied She Yüeh alone in the outer room, having a game of +dominoes by lamp-light, Pao-yü inquired full of smiles: "How is it you +don't go with them?" + +"I've no money," She Yüeh replied. + +"Under the bed," continued Pao-yü, "is heaped up all that money, and +isn't it enough yet for you to lose from?" + +"Had we all gone to play," She Yüeh added, "to whom would the charge of +this apartment have been handed over? That other one is sick again, and +the whole room is above, one mass of lamps, and below, full of fire; and +all those old matrons, ancient as the heavens, should, after all their +exertions in waiting upon you from morning to night, be also allowed +some rest; while the young servant girls, on the other hand, have +likewise been on duty the whole day long, and shouldn't they even at +this hour be left to go and have some distraction? and that's why I am +in here on watch." + +When Pao-yü heard these words, which demonstrated distinctly that she +was another Hsi Jen, he consequently put on a smile and remarked: "I'll +sit in here, so you had better set your mind at ease and go!" + +"Since you remain in here, there's less need for me to go," resumed She +Yüeh, "for we two can chat and play and laugh; and won't that be nice?" + +"What can we two do? it will be awfully dull! but never mind," Pao-yü +rejoined; "this morning you said that your head itched, and now that you +have nothing to do, I may as well comb it for you." + +"Yes! do so!" readily assented She Yüeh, upon catching what he +suggested; and while still speaking, she brought over the dressing-case +containing a set of small drawers and looking-glass, and taking off her +ornaments, she dishevelled her hair; whereupon Pao-yü picked up the fine +comb and passed it repeatedly through her hair; but he had only combed +it three or five times, when he perceived Ch'ing Wen hurriedly walk in +to fetch some money. As soon as she caught sight of them both: "You +haven't as yet drunk from the marriage cup," she said with a smile full +of irony, "and have you already put up your hair?" + +"Now that you've come, let me also comb yours for you," Pao-yü +continued. + +"I'm not blessed with such excessive good fortune!" Ch'ing Wen retorted, +and as she uttered these words, she took the money, and forthwith +dashing the portiere after her, she quitted the room. + +Pao-yü stood at the back of She Yüeh, and She Yüeh sat opposite the +glass, so that the two of them faced each other in it, and Pao-yü +readily observed as he gazed in the glass, "In the whole number of rooms +she's the only one who has a glib tongue!" + +She Yüeh at these words hastily waved her hand towards the inside of the +glass, and Pao-yü understood the hint; and suddenly a sound of "hu" was +heard from the portiere, and Ch'ing Wen ran in once again. + +"How have I got a glib tongue?" she inquired; "it would be well for us +to explain ourselves." + +"Go after your business, and have done," She Yüeh interposed laughingly; +"what's the use of your coming and asking questions of people?" + +"Will you also screen him?" Ch'ing Wen smiled significantly; "I know all +about your secret doings, but wait until I've got back my capital, and +we'll then talk matters over!" + +With this remark still on her lips, she straightway quitted the room, +and during this while, Pao-yü having finished combing her hair, asked +She Yüeh to quietly wait upon him, while he went to sleep, as he would +not like to disturb Hsi Jen. + +Of the whole night there is nothing to record. But the next day, when he +got up at early dawn, Hsi Jen had already perspired, during the night, +so that she felt considerably lighter and better; but limiting her diet +to a little rice soup, she remained quiet and nursed herself, and Pao-yü +was so relieved in mind that he came, after his meal, over on this side +to his aunt Hsüeh's on a saunter. The season was the course of the first +moon, and the school was shut up for the new year holidays; while in the +inner chambers the girls had put by their needlework, and were all +having a time of leisure, and hence it was that when Chia Huan too came +over in search of distraction, he discovered Pao-ch'ai, Hsiang Ling, +Ying Erh, the three of them, in the act of recreating themselves by +playing at chess. Chia Huan, at the sight of them, also wished to join +in their games; and Pao-ch'ai, who had always looked upon him with, in +fact, the same eye as she did Pao-yü, and with no different sentiment of +any kind, pressed him to come up, upon hearing that he was on this +occasion desirous to play; and, when he had seated himself together with +them, they began to gamble, staking each time a pile of ten cash. The +first time, he was the winner, and he felt supremely elated at heart, +but as it happened that he subsequently lost in several consecutive +games he soon became a prey to considerable distress. But in due course +came the game in which it was his turn to cast the dice, and, if in +throwing, he got seven spots, he stood to win, but he was likewise bound +to be a winner were he to turn up six; and when Ying Erh had turned up +three spots and lost, he consequently took up the dice, and dashing them +with spite, one of them settled at five; and, as the other reeled wildly +about, Ying Erh clapped her hands, and kept on shouting, "one spot;" +while Chia Huan at once gazed with fixed eye and cried at random: "It's +six, it's seven, it's eight!" But the dice, as it happened, turned up at +one spot, and Chia Huan was so exasperated that putting out his hand, he +speedily made a snatch at the dice, and eventually was about to lay hold +of the money, arguing that it was six spot. But Ying Erh expostulated, +"It was distinctly an ace," she said. And as Pao-ch'ai noticed how +distressed Chia Huan was, she forthwith cast a glance at Ying Erh and +observed: "The older you get, the less manners you have! Is it likely +that gentlemen will cheat you? and don't you yet put down the money?" + +Ying Erh felt her whole heart much aggrieved, but as she heard Pao-ch'ai +make these remarks, she did not presume to utter a sound, and as she was +under the necessity of laying down the cash, she muttered to herself: +"This one calls himself a gentleman, and yet cheats us of these few +cash, for which I myself even have no eye! The other day when I played +with Mr. Pao-yü, he lost ever so many, and yet he did not distress +himself! and what remained of the cash were besides snatched away by a +few servant-girls, but all he did was to smile, that's all!" + +Pao-ch'ai did not allow her time to complete what she had to say, but +there and then called her to account and made her desist; whereupon Chia +Huan exclaimed: "How can I compare with Pao-yü; you all fear him, and +keep on good terms with him, while you all look down upon me for not +being the child of my lady." And as he uttered these words, he at once +gave way to tears. + +"My dear cousin," Pao-ch'ai hastened to advise him, "leave off at once +language of this kind, for people will laugh at you;" and then went on +to scold Ying Erh, when Pao-yü just happened to come in. Perceiving him +in this plight, "What is the matter?" he asked; but Chia Huan had not +the courage to say anything. + +Pao-ch'ai was well aware of the custom, which prevailed in their family, +that younger brothers lived in respect of the elder brothers, but she +was not however cognisant of the fact that Pao-yü would not that any one +should entertain any fear of him. His idea being that elder as well as +younger brothers had, all alike, father and mother to admonish them, and +that there was no need for any of that officiousness, which, instead of +doing good gave, on the contrary, rise to estrangement. "Besides," (he +reasoned,) "I'm the offspring of the primary wife, while he's the son of +the secondary wife, and, if by treating him as leniently as I have done, +there are still those to talk about me, behind my back, how could I +exercise any control over him?" But besides these, there were other +still more foolish notions, which he fostered in his mind; but what +foolish notions they were can you, reader, guess? As a result of his +growing up, from his early youth, among a crowd of girls, of whom, in +the way of sister, there was Yüan Ch'un, of cousins, from his paternal +uncle's side, there were Ying Ch'un, and Hsi Ch'un, and of relatives +also there were Shih Hsiang-yün, Lin Tai-yü, Hsüeh Pao-ch'ai and the +rest, he, in due course, resolved in his mind that the divine and +unsullied virtue of Heaven and earth was only implanted in womankind, +and that men were no more than feculent dregs and foul dirt. And for +this reason it was that men were without discrimination, considered by +him as so many filthy objects, which might or might not exist; while the +relationships of father, paternal uncles, and brothers, he did not +however presume to disregard, as these were among the injunctions +bequeathed by the holy man, and he felt bound to listen to a few of +their precepts. But to the above causes must be assigned the fact that, +among his brothers, he did no more than accomplish the general purport +of the principle of human affections; bearing in mind no thought +whatever that he himself was a human being of the male sex, and that it +was his duty to be an example to his younger brothers. And this is why +Chia Huan and the others entertained no respect for him, though in their +veneration for dowager lady Chia, they yielded to him to a certain +degree. + +Pao-ch'ai harboured fears lest, on this occasion, Pao-yü should call him +to book, and put him out of face, and she there and then lost no time in +taking Chia Huan's part with a view to screening him. + +"In this felicitous first moon what are you blubbering for?" Pao-yü +inquired, "if this place isn't nice, why then go somewhere else to play. +But from reading books, day after day, you've studied so much that +you've become quite a dunce. If this thing, for instance, isn't good, +that must, of course, be good, so then discard this and take up that, +but is it likely that by sticking to this thing and crying for a while +that it will become good? You came originally with the idea of reaping +some fun, and you've instead provoked yourself to displeasure, and isn't +it better then that you should be off at once." + +Chia Huan upon hearing these words could not but come back to his +quarters; and Mrs. Chao noticing the frame of mind in which he was felt +constrained to inquire: "Where is it that you've been looked down upon +by being made to fill up a hole, and being trodden under foot?" + +"I was playing with cousin Pao-ch'ai," Chia Huan readily replied, "when +Ying Erh insulted me, and deprived me of my money, and brother Pao-yü +drove me away." + +"Ts'ui!" exclaimed Mrs. Chao, "who bade you (presume so high) as to get +up into that lofty tray? You low and barefaced thing! What place is +there that you can't go to and play; and who told you to run over there +and bring upon yourself all this shame?" + +As she spoke, lady Feng was, by a strange coincidence, passing outside +under the window; so that every word reached her ear, and she speedily +asked from outside the window: "What are you up to in this happy first +moon? These brothers are, really, but mere children, and will you just +for a slight mistake, go on preaching to him! what's the use of coming +out with all you've said? Let him go wherever he pleases; for there are +still our lady and Mr. Chia Cheng to keep him in order. But you go and +sputter him with your gigantic mouth; he's at present a master, and if +there be anything wrong about him, there are, after all, those to rate +him; and what business is that of yours? Brother Huan, come out with +you, and follow me and let us go and enjoy ourselves." + +Chia Huan had ever been in greater fear and trembling of lady Feng, than +of madame Wang, so that when her summons reached his ear, he hurriedly +went out, while Mrs. Chao, on the other hand, did not venture to breathe +a single word. + +"You too," resumed lady Feng, addressing Chia Huan; "are a thing devoid +of all natural spirit! I've often told you that if you want to eat, +drink, play, or laugh, you were quite free to go and play with whatever +female cousin, male cousin, or sister-in-law you choose to disport +yourself with; but you won't listen to my words. On the contrary, you +let all these persons teach you to be depraved in your heart, perverse +in your mind, to be sly, artful, and domineering; and you've, besides, +no respect for your own self, but will go with that low-bred lot! and +your perverse purpose is to begrudge people's preferences! But what +you've lost are simply a few cash, and do you behave in this manner? How +much did you lose?" she proceeded to ask Chia Huan; and Chia Huan, upon +hearing this question, felt constrained to obey, by saying something in +the way of a reply. "I've lost," he explained, "some hundred or two +hundred cash." + +"You have," rejoined lady Feng, "the good fortune of being a gentleman, +and do you make such a fuss for the loss of a hundred or two hundred +cash!" and turning her head round, "Feng Erh," she added, "go and fetch +a thousand cash; and as the girls are all playing at the back, take him +along to go and play. And if again by and by, you're so mean and +deceitful, I shall, first of all, beat you, and then tell some one to +report it at school, and won't your skin be flayed for you? All because +of this want of respect of yours, your elder cousin is so angry with you +that his teeth itch; and were it not that I prevent him, he would hit +you with his foot in the stomach and kick all your intestines out! Get +away," she then cried; whereupon Chia Huan obediently followed Feng Erh, +and taking the money he went all by himself to play with Ying Ch'un and +the rest; where we shall leave him without another word. + +But to return to Pao-yü. He was just amusing himself and laughing with +Pao-ch'ai, when at an unexpected moment, he heard some one announce that +Miss Shih had come. At these words, Pao-yü rose, and was at once going +off when "Wait," shouted Pao-ch'ai with a smile, "and we'll go over +together and see her." + +Saying this, she descended from the stove-couch, and came, in company +with Pao-yü, to dowager lady Chia's on this side, where they saw Shih +Hsiang-yün laughing aloud, and talking immoderately; and upon catching +sight of them both, she promptly inquired after their healths, and +exchanged salutations. + + +Lin Tai-yü just happened to be standing by, and having set the question +to Pao-yü "Where do you come from?" "I come from cousin Pao-ch'ai's +rooms," Pao-yü readily replied. + +Tai-yü gave a sardonic smile. "What I maintain is this," she rejoined, +"that lucky enough for you, you were detained over there; otherwise, you +would long ago have, at once, come flying in here!" + +"Am I only free to play with you?" Pao-yü inquired, "and to dispel your +ennui! I simply went over to her place for a run, and that quite +casually, and will you insinuate all these things?" + +"Your words are quite devoid of sense," Tai-yü added; "whether you go or +not what's that to me? neither did I tell you to give me any +distraction; you're quite at liberty from this time forth not to pay any +notice to me!" + +Saying this, she flew into a high dudgeon and rushed back into her room; +but Pao-yü promptly followed in her footsteps: "Here you are again in a +huff," he urged, "and all for no reason! Had I even passed any remark +that I shouldn't, you should anyhow have still sat in there, and chatted +and laughed with the others for a while; instead of that, you come again +to sit and mope all alone!" + +"Are you my keeper?" Tai-yü expostulated. + +"I couldn't, of course," Pao-yü smiled, "presume to exercise any +influence over you; but the only thing is that you are doing your own +health harm!" + +"If I do ruin my health," Tai-yü rejoined, "and I die, it's my own +lookout! what's that to do with you?" + +"What's the good," protested Pao-yü, "of talking in this happy first +moon of dying and of living?" + +"I _will_ say die," insisted Tai-yü, "die now, at this very moment! +but you're afraid of death; and you may live a long life of a hundred +years, but what good will that be!" + +"If all we do is to go on nagging in this way," Pao-yü remarked smiling, +"will I any more be afraid to die? on the contrary, it would be better +to die, and be free!" + +"Quite so!" continued Tai-yü with alacrity, "if we go on nagging in this +way, it would be better for me to die, and that you should be free of +me!" + +"I speak of my own self dying," Pao-yü added, "so don't misunderstand my +words and accuse people wrongly." + +While he was as yet speaking, Pao-ch'ai entered the room: "Cousin Shih +is waiting for you;" she said; and with these words, she hastily pushed +Pao-yü on, and they walked away. + +Tai-yü, meanwhile, became more and more a prey to resentment; and +disconsolate as she felt, she shed tears in front of the window. But not +time enough had transpired to allow two cups of tea to be drunk, before +Pao-yü came back again. At the sight of him, Tai-yü sobbed still more +fervently and incessantly, and Pao-yü realising the state she was in, +and knowing well enough how arduous a task it would be to bring her +round, began to join together a hundred, yea a thousand kinds of soft +phrases and tender words to console her. But at an unforeseen moment, +and before he could himself open his mouth, he heard Tai-yü anticipate +him. + +"What have you come back again for?" she asked. "Let me die or live, as +I please, and have done! You've really got at present some one to play +with you, one who, compared with me, is able to read and able to +compose, able to write, to speak, as well as to joke, one too who for +fear lest you should have ruffled your temper dragged you away: and what +do you return here for now?" + +Pao-yü, after listening to all she had to say, hastened to come up to +her. "Is it likely," he observed in a low tone of voice, "that an +intelligent person like you isn't so much as aware that near relatives +can't be separated by a distant relative, and a remote friend set aside +an old friend! I'm stupid, there's no gainsaying, but I do anyhow +understand what these two sentiments imply. You and I are, in the first +place, cousins on my father's sister's side; while sister Pao-ch'ai and +I are two cousins on mother's sides, so that, according to the degrees +of relationship, she's more distant than yourself. In the second place, +you came here first, and we two have our meals at one table and sleep in +one bed, having ever since our youth grown up together; while she has +only recently come, and how could I ever distance you on her account?" + +"Ts'ui!" Tai-yü exclaimed. "Will I forsooth ever make you distance her! +who and what kind of person have I become to do such a thing? What (I +said) was prompted by my own motives." + +"I too," Pao-yü urged, "made those remarks prompted by my own heart's +motives, and do you mean to say that your heart can only read the +feelings of your own heart, and has no idea whatsoever of my own?" + +Tai-yü at these words, lowered her head and said not a word. But after a +long interval, "You only know," she continued, "how to feel bitter +against people for their action in censuring you: but you don't, after +all, know that you yourself provoke people to such a degree, that it's +hard for them to put up with it! Take for instance the weather of to-day +as an example. It's distinctly very cold, to-day, and yet, how is it +that you are so contrary as to go and divest yourself of the pelisse +with the bluish breast-fur overlapping the cloth?" + +"Why say I didn't wear it?" Pao-yü smilingly observed. "I did, but +seeing you get angry I felt suddenly in such a terrible blaze, that I at +once took it off!" + +Tai-yü heaved a sigh. "You'll by and by catch a cold," she remarked, +"and then you'll again have to starve, and vociferate for something to +eat!" + +While these two were having this colloquy, Hsiang-yün was seen to walk +in! "You two, Ai cousin and cousin Lin," she ventured jokingly, "are +together playing every day, and though I've managed to come after ever +so much trouble, you pay no heed to me at all!" + +"It's invariably the rule," Tai-yü retorted smilingly, "that those who +have a defect in their speech will insist upon talking; she can't even +come out correctly with 'Erh' (secundus) cousin, and keeps on calling +him 'Ai' cousin, 'Ai' cousin! And by and by when you play 'Wei Ch'i' +you're sure also to shout out yao, ai, (instead of erh), san; (one, two, +three)." + +Pao-yü laughed. "If you imitate her," he interposed, "and get into that +habit, you'll also begin to bite your tongue when you talk." + +"She won't make even the slightest allowance for any one," Hsiang-yün +rejoined; "her sole idea being to pick out others' faults. You may +readily be superior to any mortal being, but you shouldn't, after all, +offend against what's right and make fun of every person you come +across! But I'll point out some one, and if you venture to jeer her, +I'll at once submit to you." + +"Who is it?" Tai-yü vehemently inquired. + +"If you do have the courage," Hsiang-yün answered, "to pick out cousin +Pao-ch'ai's faults, you then may well be held to be first-rate!" + +Tai-yü after hearing these words, gave a sarcastic smile. "I was +wondering," she observed, "who it was. Is it indeed she? How could I +ever presume to pick out hers?" + +Pao-yü allowed her no time to finish, but hastened to say something to +interrupt the conversation. + +"I couldn't, of course, during the whole of this my lifetime," +Hsiang-yün laughed, "attain your standard! but my earnest wish is that +by and by should be found for you, cousin Lin, a husband, who bites his +tongue when he speaks, so that you should every minute and second listen +to 'ai-ya-os!' O-mi-to-fu, won't then your reward be manifest to my +eyes!" + +As she made this remark, they all burst out laughing heartily, and +Hsiang-yün speedily turned herself round and ran away. + +But reader, do you want to know the sequel? Well, then listen to the +explanation given in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + + The eminent Hsi Jen, with winsome ways, rails at Pao-yü, with a view + to exhortation. + The beauteous P'ing Erh, with soft words, screens Chia Lien. + + +But to resume our story. When Shih Hsiang-yün ran out of the room, she +was all in a flutter lest Lin Tai-yü should catch her up; but Pao-yü, +who came after her, readily shouted out, "You'll trip and fall. How ever +could she come up to you?" + +Lin Tai-yü went in pursuit of her as far as the entrance, when she was +impeded from making further progress by Pao-yü, who stretched his arms +out against the posts of the door. + +"Were I to spare Yün Erh, I couldn't live!" Lin Tai-yü exclaimed, as she +tugged at his arms. But Hsiang-yün, perceiving that Pao-yü obstructed +the door, and surmising that Tai-yü could not come out, speedily stood +still. "My dear cousin," she smilingly pleaded, "do let me off this +time!" + +But it just happened that Pao-ch'ai, who was coming along, was at the +back of Hsiang-yün, and with a face also beaming with smiles: "I advise +you both," she said, "to leave off out of respect for cousin Pao-yü, and +have done." + +"I don't agree to that," Tai-yü rejoined; "are you people, pray, all of +one mind to do nothing but make fun of me?" + +"Who ventures to make fun of you?" Pao-yü observed advisingly; "and +hadn't you made sport of her, would she have presumed to have said +anything about you?" + +While this quartet were finding it an arduous task to understand one +another, a servant came to invite them to have their repast, and they +eventually crossed over to the front side, and as it was already time +for the lamps to be lit, madame Wang, widow Li Wan, lady Feng, Ying +Ch'un, T'an Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and the other cousins, adjourned in a body +to dowager lady Chia's apartments on this side, where the whole company +spent a while in a chat on irrelevant topics, after which they each +returned to their rooms and retired to bed. Hsiang-yün, as of old, +betook herself to Tai-yü's quarters to rest, and Pao-yü escorted them +both into their apartment, and it was after the hour had already past +the second watch, and Hsi Jen had come and pressed him several times, +that he at length returned to his own bedroom and went to sleep. The +next morning, as soon as it was daylight, he threw his clothes over him, +put on his low shoes and came over into Tai-yü's room, where he however +saw nothing of the two girls Tzu Chüan and Ts'ui Lu, as there was no one +else here in there besides his two cousins, still reclining under the +coverlets. Tai-yü was closely wrapped in a quilt of almond-red silk, and +lying quietly, with closed eyes fast asleep; while Shih Hsiang-yün, with +her handful of shiny hair draggling along the edge of the pillow, was +covered only up to the chest, and outside the coverlet rested her curved +snow-white arm, with the gold bracelets, which she had on. + +At the sight of her, Pao-yü heaved a sigh. "Even when asleep," he +soliloquised, "she can't be quiet! but by and by, when the wind will +have blown on her, she'll again shout that her shoulder is sore!" With +these words, he gently covered her, but Lin Tai-yü had already awoke out +of her sleep, and becoming aware that there was some one about, she +promptly concluded that it must, for a certainty, be Pao-yü, and turning +herself accordingly round, and discovering at a glance that the truth +was not beyond her conjectures, she observed: "What have you run over to +do at this early hour?" to which question Pao-yü replied: "Do you call +this early? but get up and see for yourself!" + +"First quit the room," Tai-yü suggested, "and let us get up!" + +Pao-yü thereupon made his exit into the ante-chamber, and Tai-yü jumped +out of bed, and awoke Hsiang-yün. When both of them had put on their +clothes, Pao-yü re-entered and took a seat by the side of the toilet +table; whence he beheld Tzu-chüan and Hsüeh Yen walk in and wait upon +them, as they dressed their hair and performed their ablutions. +Hsiang-yün had done washing her face, and Ts'üi Lü at once took the +remaining water and was about to throw it away, when Pao-yü interposed, +saying: "Wait, I'll avail myself of this opportunity to wash too and +finish with it, and thus save myself the trouble of having again to go +over!" Speaking the while, he hastily came forward, and bending his +waist, he washed his face twice with two handfuls of water, and when Tzu +Chüan went over to give him the scented soap, Pao-yü added: "In this +basin, there's a good deal of it, and there's no need of rubbing any +more!" He then washed his face with two more handfuls, and forthwith +asked for a towel, and Ts'üi Lü exclaimed: "What! have you still got +this failing? when will you turn a new leaf?" But Pao-yü paid not so +much as any heed to her, and there and then called for some salt, with +which he rubbed his teeth, and rinsed his mouth. When he had done, he +perceived that Hsiang-yün had already finished combing her hair, and +speedily coming up to her, he put on a smile, and said: "My dear cousin, +comb my hair for me!" + +"This can't be done!" Hsiang-yün objected. + +"My dear cousin," Pao-yü continued smirkingly, "how is it that you +combed it for me in former times?" + +"I've forgotten now how to comb it!" Hsiang-yün replied. + +"I'm not, after all, going out of doors," Pao-yü observed, "nor will I +wear a hat or frontlet, so that all that need be done is to plait a few +queues, that's all!" Saying this, he went on to appeal to her in a +thousand and one endearing terms, so that Hsiang-yün had no alternative, +but to draw his head nearer to her and to comb one queue after another, +and as when he stayed at home he wore no hat, nor had, in fact, any +tufted horns, she merely took the short surrounding hair from all four +sides, and twisting it into small tufts, she collected it together over +the hair on the crown of the head, and plaited a large queue, binding it +fast with red ribbon; while from the root of the hair to the end of the +queue, were four pearls in a row, below which, in the way of a tip, was +suspended a golden pendant. + +"Of these pearls there are only three," Hsiang-yün remarked as she went +on plaiting; "this isn't one like them; I remember these were all of one +kind, and how is it that there's one short?" + +"I've lost one," Pao-yü rejoined. + +"It must have dropped," Hsiang-yün added, "when you went out of doors, +and been picked up by some one when you were off your guard; and he's +now, instead of you, the richer for it." + +"One can neither tell whether it has been really lost," Tai-yü, who +stood by, interposed, smiling the while sarcastically; "nor could one +say whether it hasn't been given away to some one to be mounted in some +trinket or other and worn!" + +Pao-yü made no reply; but set to work, seeing that the two sides of the +dressing table were all full of toilet boxes and other such articles, +taking up those that came under his hand and examining them. Grasping +unawares a box of cosmetic, which was within his reach, he would have +liked to have brought it to his lips, but he feared again lest +Hsiang-yün should chide him. While he was hesitating whether to do so or +not, Hsiang-yün, from behind, stretched forth her arm and gave him a +smack, which sent the cosmetic flying from his hand, as she cried out: +"You good-for-nothing! when will you mend those weaknesses of yours!" +But hardly had she had time to complete this remark, when she caught +sight of Hsi Jen walk in, who upon perceiving this state of things, +became aware that he was already combed and washed, and she felt +constrained to go back and attend to her own coiffure and ablutions. But +suddenly, she saw Pao-ch'ai come in and inquire: "Where's cousin Pao-yü +gone?" + +"Do you mean to say," Hsi Jen insinuated with a sardonic smile, "that +your cousin Pao-yü has leisure to stay at home?" + +When Pao-ch'ai heard these words, she inwardly comprehended her meaning, +and when she further heard Hsi Jen remark with a sigh: "Cousins may well +be on intimate terms, but they should also observe some sort of +propriety; and they shouldn't night and day romp together; and no matter +how people may tender advice it's all like so much wind blowing past the +ears." Pao-ch'ai began, at these remarks, to cogitate within her mind: +"May I not, possibly, have been mistaken in my estimation of this girl; +for to listen to her words, she would really seem to have a certain +amount of _savoir faire_!" + +Pao-ch'ai thereupon took a seat on the stove-couch, and quietly, in the +course of their conversation on one thing and another, she managed to +ascertain her age, her native village and other such particulars, and +then setting her mind diligently to put, on the sly, her conversation +and mental capacity to the test, she discovered how deeply worthy she +was to be respected and loved. But in a while Pao-yü arrived, and +Pao-ch'ai at once quitted the apartment. + +"How is it," Pao-yü at once inquired, "that cousin Pao-ch'ai was +chatting along with you so lustily, and that as soon as she saw me +enter, she promptly ran away?" + +Hsi Jen did not make any reply to his first question, and it was only +when he had repeated it that Hsi Jen remarked: "Do you ask me? How can I +know what goes on between you two?" + +When Pao-yü heard these words, and he noticed that the look on her face +was so unlike that of former days, he lost no time in putting on a smile +and asking: "Why is it that you too are angry in real earnest?" + +"How could I presume to get angry!" Hsi Jen rejoined smiling +indifferently; "but you mustn't, from this day forth, put your foot into +this room! and as you have anyhow people to wait on you, you shouldn't +come again to make use of my services, for I mean to go and attend to +our old mistress, as in days of old." + +With this remark still on her lips, she lay herself down on the +stove-couch and closed her eyes. When Pao-yü perceived the state of mind +she was in, he felt deeply surprised and could not refrain from coming +forward and trying to cheer her up. But Hsi Jen kept her eyes closed and +paid no heed to him, so that Pao-yü was quite at a loss how to act. But +espying She Yüeh enter the room, he said with alacrity: "What's up with +your sister?" + +"Do I know?" answered She Yüeh, "examine your own self and you'll +readily know!" + +After these words had been heard by Pao-yü, he gazed vacantly for some +time, feeling the while very unhappy; but raising himself impetuously: +"Well!" he exclaimed, "if you don't notice me, all right, I too will go +to sleep," and as he spoke he got up, and, descending from the couch, he +betook himself to his own bed and went to sleep. Hsi Jen noticing that +he had not budged for ever so long, and that he faintly snored, presumed +that he must have fallen fast asleep, so she speedily rose to her feet, +and, taking a wrapper, came over and covered him. But a sound of "hu" +reached her ear, as Pao-yü promptly threw it off and once again closed +his eyes and feigned sleep. Hsi Jen distinctly grasped his idea and, +forthwith nodding her head, she smiled coldly. "You really needn't lose +your temper! but from this time forth, I'll become mute, and not say one +word to you; and what if I do?" + +Pao-yü could not restrain himself from rising. "What have I been up to +again," he asked, "that you're once more at me with your advice? As far +as your advice goes, it's all well and good; but just now without one +word of counsel, you paid no heed to me when I came in, but, flying into +a huff, you went to sleep. Nor could I make out what it was all about, +and now here you are again maintaining that I'm angry. But when did I +hear you, pray, give me a word of advice of any kind?" + +"Doesn't your mind yet see for itself?" Hsi Jen replied; "and do you +still expect me to tell you?" + +While they were disputing, dowager lady Chia sent a servant to call him +to his repast, and he thereupon crossed over to the front; but after he +had hurriedly swallowed a few bowls of rice, he returned to his own +apartment, where he discovered Hsi Jen reclining on the outer +stove-couch, while She Yüeh was playing with the dominoes by her side. +Pao-yü had been ever aware of the intimacy which existed between She +Yüeh and Hsi Jen, so that paying not the slightest notice to even She +Yüeh, he raised the soft portiere and straightway walked all alone into +the inner apartment. She Yüeh felt constrained to follow him in, but +Pao-yü at once pushed her out, saying: "I don't venture to disturb you +two;" so that She Yüeh had no alternative but to leave the room with a +smiling countenance, and to bid two young waiting-maids go in. Pao-yü +took hold of a book and read for a considerable time in a reclining +position; but upon raising his head to ask for some tea, he caught sight +of a couple of waiting-maids, standing below; the one of whom, slightly +older than the other, was exceedingly winsome. + +"What's your name?" Pao-yü eagerly inquired. + +"I'm called Hui Hsiang, (orchid fragrance)," that waiting-maid rejoined +simperingly. + +"Who gave you this name?" Pao-yü went on to ask. + +"I went originally under the name of Yün Hsiang (Gum Sandarac)," added +Hui Hsiang, "but Miss Hua it was who changed it." + +"You should really be called Hui Ch'i, (latent fragrance), that would be +proper; and why such stuff as Hui Hsiang, (orchid fragrance)?" + +"How many sisters have you got?" he further went on to ask of her. + +"Four," replied Hui Hsiang. + +"Which of them are you?" Pao-yü asked. + +"The fourth," answered Hui Hsiang. + +"By and by you must be called Ssu Erh, (fourth child)," Pao-yü +suggested, "for there's no need for any such nonsense as Hui Hsiang +(orchid fragrance) or Lan Ch'i (epidendrum perfume.) Which single girl +deserves to be compared to all these flowers, without profaning pretty +names and fine surnames!" + +As he uttered these words, he bade her give him some tea, which he +drank; while Hsi Jen and She Yüeh, who were in the outer apartment, had +been listening for a long time and laughing with compressed lips. + +Pao-yü did not, on this day, so much as put his foot outside the door of +his room, but sat all alone sad and dejected, simply taking up his +books, in order to dispel his melancholy fit, or diverting himself with +his writing materials; while he did not even avail himself of the +services of any of the family servants, but simply bade Ssu Erh answer +his calls. + +This Ssu Erh was, who would have thought it, a girl gifted with +matchless artfulness, and perceiving that Pao-yü had requisitioned her +services, she speedily began to devise extreme ways and means to +inveigle him. When evening came, and dinner was over, Pao-yü's eyes were +scorching hot and his ears burning from the effects of two cups of wine +that he had taken. Had it been in past days, he would have now had Hsi +Jen and her companions with him, and with all their good cheer and +laughter, he would have been enjoying himself. But here was he, on this +occasion, dull and forlorn, a solitary being, gazing at the lamp with an +absolute lack of pleasure. By and by he felt a certain wish to go after +them, but dreading that if they carried their point, they would, in the +future, come and tender advice still more immoderate, and that, were he +to put on the airs of a superior to intimidate them, he would appear to +be too deeply devoid of all feeling, he therefore, needless to say, +thwarted the wish of his heart, and treated them just as if they were +dead. And as anyway he was constrained also to live, alone though he +was, he readily looked upon them, for the time being as departed, and +did not worry his mind in the least on their account. On the contrary, +he was able to feel happy and contented with his own society. Hence it +was that bidding Ssu Erh trim the candles and brew the tea, he himself +perused for a time the "Nan Hua Ching," and upon reaching the precept: +"On thieves," given on some additional pages, the burden of which was: +"Therefore by exterminating intuitive wisdom, and by discarding +knowledge, highway robbers will cease to exist, and by taking off the +jade and by putting away the pearls, pilferers will not spring to +existence; by burning the slips and by breaking up the seals, by +smashing the measures, and snapping the scales, the result will be that +the people will not wrangle; by abrogating, to the utmost degree, wise +rules under the heavens, the people will, at length, be able to take +part in deliberation. By putting to confusion the musical scale, and +destroying fifes and lutes, by deafening the ears of the blind Kuang, +then, at last, will the human race in the world constrain his sense of +hearing. By extinguishing literary compositions, by dispersing the five +colours and by sticking the eyes of Li Chu, then, at length, mankind +under the whole sky, will restrain the perception of his eyes. By +destroying and eliminating the hooks and lines, by discarding the +compasses and squares, and by amputating Kung Chui's fingers, the human +race will ultimately succeed in constraining his ingenuity,"--his high +spirits, on perusal of this passage, were so exultant that taking +advantage of the exuberance caused by the wine, he picked up his pen, +for he could not repress himself, and continued the text in this wise: +"By burning the flower, (Hua-Hsi Jen) and dispersing the musk, (She +Yüeh), the consequence will be that the inmates of the inner chambers +will, eventually, keep advice to themselves. By obliterating Pao-ch'ai's +supernatural beauty, by reducing to ashes Tai-yü's spiritual perception, +and by destroying and extinguishing my affectionate preferences, the +beautiful in the inner chambers as well as the plain will then, at +length, be put on the same footing. And as they will keep advice to +themselves, there will be no fear of any disagreement. By obliterating +her supernatural beauty, I shall then have no incentive for any violent +affection; by dissolving her spiritual perception, I will have no +feelings with which to foster the memory of her talents. The hair-pin, +jade, flower and musk (Pao-ch'ai, Tai-yü, Hsi Jen and She Yüeh) do each +and all spread out their snares and dig mines, and thus succeed in +inveigling and entrapping every one in the world." + +At the conclusion of this annex, he flung the pen away, and lay himself +down to sleep. His head had barely reached the pillow before he at once +fell fast asleep, remaining the whole night long perfectly unconscious +of everything straight up to the break of day, when upon waking and +turning himself round, he, at a glance, caught sight of no one else than +Hsi Jen, sleeping in her clothes over the coverlet. + +Pao-yü had already banished from his mind every thought of what had +transpired the previous day, so that forthwith giving Hsi Jen a push: +"Get up!" he said, "and be careful where you sleep, as you may catch +cold." + +The fact is that Hsi Jen was aware that he was, without regard to day or +night, ever up to mischief with his female cousins; but presuming that +if she earnestly called him to account, he would not mend his ways, she +had, for this reason, had recourse to tender language to exhort him, in +the hope that, in a short while, he would come round again to his better +self. But against all her expectations Pao-yü had, after the lapse of a +whole day and night, not changed the least in his manner, and as she +really was in her heart quite at a loss what to do, she failed to find +throughout the whole night any proper sleep. But when on this day, she +unexpectedly perceived Pao-yü in this mood, she flattered herself that +he had made up his mind to effect a change, and readily thought it best +not to notice him. Pao-yü, seeing that she made no reply, forthwith +stretched out his hand and undid her jacket; but he had just unclasped +the button, when his arm was pushed away by Hsi Jen, who again made it +fast herself. + +Pao-yü was so much at his wit's ends that he had no alternative but to +take her hand and smilingly ask: "What's the matter with you, after all, +that I've had to ask you something time after time?" + +Hsi Jen opened her eyes wide. "There's nothing really the matter with +me!" she observed; "but as you're awake, you surely had better be going +over into the opposite room to comb your hair and wash; for if you +dilly-dally any longer, you won't be in time." + +"Where shall I go over to?" Pao-yü inquired. + +Hsi Jen gave a sarcastic grin. "Do you ask me?" she rejoined; "do I +know? you're at perfect liberty to go over wherever you like; from this +day forth you and I must part company so as to avoid fighting like cocks +or brawling like geese, to the amusement of third parties. Indeed, when +you get surfeited on that side, you come over to this, where there are, +after all, such girls as Fours and Fives (Ssu Erh and Wu Erh) to dance +attendance upon you. But such kind of things as ourselves uselessly +defile fine names and fine surnames." + +"Do you still remember this to-day!" Pao-yü asked with a smirk. + +"Hundred years hence I shall still bear it in mind," Hsi Jen protested; +"I'm not like you, who treat my words as so much wind blowing by the +side of your ears, that what I've said at night, you've forgotten early +in the morning." + +Pao-yü perceiving what a seductive though angry air pervaded her face +found it difficult to repress his feelings, and speedily taking up, from +the side of the pillow, a hair-pin made of jade, he dashed it down +breaking it into two exclaiming: "If I again don't listen to your words, +may I fare like this hair-pin." + +Hsi Jen immediately picked up the hair-pin, as she remarked: "What's up +with you at this early hour of the morning? Whether you listen or not is +of no consequence; and is it worth while that you should behave as you +do?" + +"How can you know," Pao-yü answered, "the anguish in my heart!" + +"Do you also know what anguish means?" Hsi Jen observed laughing; "if +you do, then you can judge what the state of my heart is! But be quick +and get up, and wash your face and be off!" + +As she spoke, they both got out of bed and performed their toilette; but +after Pao-yü had gone to the drawing rooms, and at a moment least +expected by any one, Tai-yü walked into his apartment. Noticing that +Pao-yü was not in, she was fumbling with the books on the table and +examining them, when, as luck would have it, she turned up the Chuang +Tzu of the previous day. Upon perusing the passage tagged on by Pao-yü, +she could not help feeling both incensed and amused. Nor could she +restrain herself from taking up the pen and appending a stanza to this +effect: + + Who is that man, who of his pen, without good rhyme, made use, + A toilsome task to do into the Chuang-tzu text to steal, + Who for the knowledge he doth lack no sense of shame doth feel, + But language vile and foul employs third parties to abuse? + +At the conclusion of what she had to write, she too came into the +drawing room; but after paying her respects to dowager lady Chia, she +walked over to madame Wang's quarters. + +Contrary to everybody's expectations, lady Feng's daughter, Ta Chieh +Erh, had fallen ill, and a great fuss was just going on as the doctor +had been sent for to diagnose her ailment. + +"My congratulations to you, ladies," the doctor explained; "this young +lady has fever, as she has small-pox; indeed it's no other complaint!" + +As soon as madame Wang and lady Feng heard the tidings, they lost no +time in sending round to ascertain whether she was getting on all right +or not, and the doctor replied: "The symptoms are, it is true, serious, +but favourable; but though after all importing no danger, it's necessary +to get ready the silkworms and pigs' tails." + +When lady Feng received this report, she, there and then, hastened to +make the necessary preparations, and while she had the rooms swept and +oblations offered to the goddess of small-pox, she, at the same time, +transmitted orders to her household to avoid viands fried or roasted in +fat, or other such heating things; and also bade P'ing Erh get ready the +bedding and clothes for Chia Lien in a separate room, and taking pieces +of deep red cotton material, she distributed them to the nurses, +waiting-maids and all the servants, who were in close attendance, to cut +out clothes for themselves. And having had likewise some apartments +outside swept clean, she detained two doctors to alternately deliberate +on the treatment, feel the pulse and administer the medicines; and for +twelve days, they were not at liberty to return to their homes; while +Chia Lien had no help but to move his quarters temporarily into the +outer library, and lady Feng and P'ing Erh remained both in daily +attendance upon madame Wang in her devotions to the goddess. + +Chia Lien, now that he was separated from lady Feng, soon felt disposed +to look round for a flame. He had only slept alone for a couple of +nights, but these nights had been so intensely intolerable that he had +no option than to choose, for the time being, from among the young +pages, those who were of handsome appearance, and bring them over to +relieve his monotony. In the Jung Kuo mansion, there was, it happened, a +cook, a most useless, good-for-nothing drunkard, whose name was To Kuan, +in whom people recognised an infirm and a useless husband so that they +all dubbed him with the name of To Hun Ch'ung, the stupid worm To. As +the wife given to him in marriage by his father and mother was this year +just twenty, and possessed further several traits of beauty, and was +also naturally of a flighty and frivolous disposition, she had an +extreme penchant for violent flirtations. But To Hun-ch'ung, on the +other hand, did not concern himself (with her deportment), and as long +as he had wine, meat and money he paid no heed whatever to anything. And +for this reason it was that all the men in the two mansions of Ning and +Jung had been successful in their attentions; and as this woman was +exceptionally fascinating and incomparably giddy, she was generally +known by all by the name To Ku Ning (Miss To). + +Chia Lien, now that he had his quarters outside, chafed under the pangs +of irksome ennui, yet he too, in days gone by, had set his eyes upon +this woman, and had for long, watered in the mouth with admiration; but +as, inside, he feared his winsome wife, and outside, he dreaded his +beloved lads, he had not made any advances. But this To Ku Niang had +likewise a liking for Chia Lien, and was full of resentment at the +absence of a favourable opportunity; but she had recently come to hear +that Chia Lien had shifted his quarters into the outer library, and her +wont was, even in the absence of any legitimate purpose, to go over +three and four times to entice him on; but though Chia Lien was, in +every respect, like a rat smitten with hunger, he could not dispense +with holding consultation with the young friends who enjoyed his +confidence; and as he struck a bargain with them for a large amount of +money and silks, how could they ever not have come to terms (with him to +speak on his behalf)? Besides, they were all old friends of this woman, +so that, as soon as they conveyed the proposal, she willingly accepted +it. When night came To Hun Ch'ung was lying on the couch in a state of +drunkenness, and at the second watch, when every one was quiet, Chia +Lien at once slipped in, and they had their assignation. As soon as he +gazed upon her face, he lost control over his senses, and without even +one word of ordinary greeting or commonplace remark, they forthwith, +fervently indulged in a most endearing tête-à-tête. + +This woman possessed, who could have thought it, a strange natural +charm; for, as soon as any one of her lovers came within any close +distance of her, he speedily could not but notice that her very tendons +and bones mollified, paralysed-like from feeling, so that his was the +sensation of basking in a soft bower of love. What is more, her +demonstrative ways and free-and-easy talk put even those of a born +coquette to shame, with the result that while Chia Lien, at this time, +longed to become heart and soul one with her, the woman designedly +indulged in immodest innuendoes. + +"Your daughter is at home," she insinuated in her recumbent position, +"ill with the small-pox, and prayers are being offered to the goddess; +and your duty too should be to abstain from love affairs for a couple of +days, but on the contrary, by flirting with me, you've contaminated +yourself! but, you'd better be off at once from me here!" + +"You're my goddess!" gaspingly protested Chia Lien, as he gave way to +demonstrativeness; "what do I care about any other goddess!" + +The woman began to be still more indelicate in her manner, so that Chia +Lien could not refrain himself from making a full exhibition of his warm +sentiments. When their tête-à-tête had come to a close, they both went +on again to vow by the mountains and swear by the seas, and though they +found it difficult to part company and hard to tear themselves away, +they, in due course, became, after this occasion, mutual sworn friends. +But by a certain day the virus in Ta Chieh's system had become +exhausted, and the spots subsided, and at the expiry of twelve days the +goddess was removed, and the whole household offered sacrifices to +heaven, worshipped the ancestors, paid their vows, burnt incense, +exchanged congratulations, and distributed presents. And these +formalities observed, Chia Lien once more moved back into his own +bedroom and was reunited with lady Feng. The proverb is indeed true +which says: "That a new marriage is not equal to a long separation," for +there ensued between them demonstrations of loving affection still more +numerous than heretofore, to which we need not, of course, refer with +any minuteness. + +The next day, at an early hour, after lady Feng had gone into the upper +rooms, P'ing Erh set to work to put in order the clothes and bedding, +which had been brought from outside, when, contrary to her expectation, +a tress of hair fell out from inside the pillow-case, as she was intent +upon shaking it. P'ing Erh understood its import, and taking at once the +hair, she concealed it in her sleeve, and there and then came over into +the room on this side, where she produced the hair, and smirkingly asked +Chia Lien, "What's this?" + +Chia Lien, at the sight of it, lost no time in making a snatch with the +idea of depriving her of it; and when P'ing Erh speedily endeavoured to +run away, she was clutched by Chia Lien, who put her down on the +stove-couch, and came up to take it from her hand. + +"You heartless fellow!" P'ing Erh laughingly exclaimed, "I conceal this, +with every good purpose, from her knowledge, and come to ask you about +it, and you, on the contrary, fly into a rage! But wait till she comes +back, and I'll tell her, and we'll see what will happen." + +At these words, Chia Lien hastily forced a smile. "Dear girl!" he +entreated, "give it to me, and I won't venture again to fly into a +passion." + +But hardly was this remark finished, when they heard the voice of lady +Feng penetrate into the room. As soon as it reached the ear of Chia +Lien, he was at a loss whether it was better to let her go or to snatch +it away, and kept on shouting, "My dear girl! don't let her know." + +P'ing Erh at once rose to her feet; but lady Feng had already entered +the room; and she went on to bid P'ing Erh be quick and open a box and +find a pattern for madame Wang. P'ing Erh expressed her obedience with +alacrity; but while in search of it, lady Feng caught sight of Chia +Lien; and suddenly remembering something, she hastened to ask P'ing Erh +about it. + +"The other day," she observed, "some things were taken out, and have you +brought them all in or not?" + +"I have!" P'ing Erh assented. + +"Is there anything short or not?" lady Feng inquired. + +"I've carefully looked at them," P'ing Erh added, "and haven't found +even one single thing short." + +"Is there anything in excess?" lady Feng went on to ascertain. + +P'ing Erh laughed. "It's enough," she rejoined, "that there's nothing +short; and how could there really turn out to be anything over and +above?" + +"That this half month," lady Feng continued still smiling, "things have +gone on immaculately it would be hard to vouch; for some intimate friend +there may have been, who possibly has left something behind, in the +shape of a ring, handkerchief or other such object, there's no saying +for certain!" + +While these words were being spoken, Chia Lien's face turned perfectly +sallow, and, as he stood behind lady Feng, he was intent upon gazing at +P'ing Erh, making signs to her (that he was going) to cut her throat as +a chicken is killed, (threatening her not to utter a sound) and +entreating her to screen him; but P'ing Erh pretended not to notice him, +and consequently observed smiling: "How is it that my ideas should +coincide with those of yours, my lady; and as I suspected that there may +have been something of the kind, I carefully searched all over, but I +didn't find even so much as the slightest thing wrong; and if you don't +believe me, my lady, you can search for your own self." + +"You fool!" lady Feng laughed, "had he any things of the sort, would he +be likely to let you and I discover them!" + +With these words still on her lips, she took the patterns and went her +way; whereupon P'ing Erh pointed at her nose, and shook her head to and +fro. "In this matter," she smiled, "how much you should be grateful to +me!" A remark which so delighted Chia Lien that his eyebrows distended, +and his eyes smiled, and running over, he clasped her in his embrace, +and called her promiscuously: "My darling, my pet, my own treasure!" + +"This," observed P'ing Erh, with the tress in her hand, "will be my +source of power, during all my lifetime! if you treat me kindly, then +well and good! but if you behave unkindly, then we'll at once produce +this thing!" + +"Do put it away, please," Chia Lien entreated smirkingly, "and don't, on +an any account, let her know about it!" and as he uttered these words, +he noticed that she was off her guard, and, with a snatch, readily +grabbed it adding laughingly: "In your hands, it would be a source of +woe, so that it's better that I should burn it, and have done with it!" +Saying this he simultaneously shoved it down the sides of his boot, +while P'ing Erh shouted as she set her teeth close: "You wicked man! you +cross the river and then demolish the bridge! but do you imagine that +I'll by and by again tell lies on your behalf!" + +Chia Lien perceiving how heart-stirring her seductive charms were, +forthwith clasped her in his arms, and begged her to be his; but P'ing +Erh snatched her hands out of his grasp and ran away out of the room; +which so exasperated Chia Lien that as he bent his body, he exclaimed, +full of indignation: "What a dreadful niggardly young wench! she +actually sets her mind to stir up people's affections with her wanton +blandishments, and then, after all, she runs away!" + +"If I be wanton, it's my own look-out;" P'ing Erh answered, from outside +the window, with a grin, "and who told you to arouse your affections? Do +you forsooth mean to imply that my wish is to become your tool? And did +she come to know about it would she again ever forgive me?" + +"You needn't dread her!" Chia Lien urged; "wait till my monkey is up, +and I'll take this jealous woman, and beat her to atoms; and she'll then +know what stuff I'm made of. She watches me just as she would watch a +thief! and she's only to hobnob with men, and I'm not to say a word to +any girl! and if I do say aught to a girl, or get anywhere near one, she +must at once give way to suspicion. But with no regard to younger +brothers or nephews, to young and old, she prattles and giggles with +them, and doesn't entertain any fear that I may be jealous; but +henceforward I too won't allow her to set eyes upon any man." + +"If she be jealous, there's every reason," P'ing Erh answered, "but for +you to be jealous on her account isn't right. Her conduct is really +straightforward, and her deportment upright, but your conduct is +actuated by an evil heart, so much so that even I don't feel my heart at +ease, not to say anything of her." + +"You two," continued Chia Lien, "have a mouth full of malicious breath! +Everything the couple of you do is invariably proper, while whatever I +do is all from an evil heart! But some time or other I shall bring you +both to your end with my own hands!" + +This sentence was scarcely at an end, when lady Feng walked into the +court. "If you're bent upon chatting," she urgently inquired, upon +seeing P'ing Erh outside the window, "why don't you go into the room? +and what do you mean, instead, by running out, and speaking with the +window between?" + +Chia Lien from inside took up the string of the conversation. "You +should ask her," he said. "It would verily seem as if there were a tiger +in the room to eat her up." + +"There's not a single person in the room," P'ing Erh rejoined, "and what +shall I stay and do with him?" + +"It's just the proper thing that there should be no one else! Isn't it?" +lady Feng remarked grinning sarcastically. + +"Do these words allude to me?" P'ing Erh hastily asked, as soon as she +had heard what she said. + +Lady Feng forthwith laughed. "If they don't allude to you," she +continued, "to whom do they?" + +"Don't press me to come out with some nice things!" P'ing Erh +insinuated, and, as she spoke, she did not even raise the portiere (for +lady Feng to enter), but straightway betook herself to the opposite +side. + +Lady Feng lifted the portiere with her own hands, and walked into the +room. "That girl P'ing Erh," she exclaimed, "has gone mad, and if this +hussey does in real earnest wish to try and get the upper hand of me, it +would be well for you to mind your skin." + +Chia Lien listened to her, as he kept reclining on the couch. "I never +in the least knew," he ventured, clapping his hands and laughing, "that +P'ing Erh was so dreadful; and I must, after all, from henceforth look +up to her with respect!" + +"It's all through your humouring her," lady Feng rejoined; "so I'll +simply settle scores with you and finish with it." + +"Ts'ui!" ejaculated Chia Lien at these words, "because you two can't +agree, must you again make a scapegoat of me! Well then, I'll get out of +the way of both of you!" + +"I'll see where you'll go and hide," lady Feng observed. + +"I've got somewhere to go!" Chia Lien added; and with these words, he +was about to go, when lady Feng urged: "Don't be off! I have something +to tell you." + +What it is, is not yet known, but, reader, listen to the account given +in the next chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + + Upon hearing the text of the stanza, Pao-yü comprehends the Buddhistic + spells. + While the enigmas for the lanterns are being devised, Chia Cheng is + grieved by a prognostic. + + +Chia Lien, for we must now prosecute our story, upon hearing lady Feng +observe that she had something to consult about with him, felt +constrained to halt and to inquire what it was about. + +"On the 21st," lady Feng explained, "is cousin Hsüeh's birthday, and +what do you, after all, purpose doing?" + +"Do I know what to do?" exclaimed Chia Lien; "you have made, time and +again, arrangements for ever so many birthdays of grown-up people, and +do you, really, find yourself on this occasion without any resources?" + +"Birthdays of grown-up people are subject to prescribed rules," lady +Feng expostulated; "but her present birthday is neither one of an adult +nor that of an infant, and that's why I would like to deliberate with +you!" + +Chia Lien upon hearing this remark, lowered his head and gave himself to +protracted reflection. "You're indeed grown dull!" he cried; "why you've +a precedent ready at hand to suit your case! Cousin Lin's birthday +affords a precedent, and what you did in former years for cousin Lin, +you can in this instance likewise do for cousin Hsüeh, and it will be +all right." + +At these words lady Feng gave a sarcastic smile. "Do you, pray, mean to +insinuate," she added, "that I'm not aware of even this! I too had +previously come, after some thought, to this conclusion; but old lady +Chia explained, in my hearing yesterday, that having made inquiries +about all their ages and their birthdays, she learnt that cousin Hsüeh +would this year be fifteen, and that though this was not the birthday, +which made her of age, she could anyhow well be regarded as being on the +dawn of the year, in which she would gather up her hair, so that our +dowager lady enjoined that her anniversary should, as a matter of +course, be celebrated, unlike that of cousin Lin." + +"Well, in that case," Chia Lien suggested, "you had better make a few +additions to what was done for cousin Lin!" + +"That's what I too am thinking of," lady Feng replied, "and that's why +I'm asking your views; for were I, on my own hook, to add anything you +would again feel hurt for my not have explained things to you." + +"That will do, that will do!" Chia Lien rejoined laughing, "none of +these sham attentions for me! So long as you don't pry into my doings it +will be enough; and will I go so far as to bear you a grudge?" + +With these words still in his mouth, he forthwith went off. But leaving +him alone we shall now return to Shih Hsiang-yün. After a stay of a +couple of days, her intention was to go back, but dowager lady Chia +said: "Wait until after you have seen the theatrical performance, when +you can return home." + +At this proposal, Shih Hsiang-yün felt constrained to remain, but she, +at the same time, despatched a servant to her home to fetch two pieces +of needlework, which she had in former days worked with her own hands, +for a birthday present for Pao-ch'ai. + +Contrary to all expectations old lady Chia had, since the arrival of +Pao-ch'ai, taken quite a fancy to her, for her sedateness and good +nature, and as this happened to be the first birthday which she was +about to celebrate (in the family) she herself readily contributed +twenty taels which, after sending for lady Feng, she handed over to her, +to make arrangements for a banquet and performance. + +"A venerable senior like yourself," lady Feng thereupon smiled and +ventured, with a view to enhancing her good cheer, "is at liberty to +celebrate the birthday of a child in any way agreeable to you, without +any one presuming to raise any objection; but what's the use again of +giving a banquet? But since it be your good pleasure and your purpose to +have it celebrated with éclat, you could, needless to say, your own self +have spent several taels from the private funds in that old treasury of +yours! But you now produce those twenty taels, spoiled by damp and +mould, to play the hostess with, with the view indeed of compelling us +to supply what's wanted! But hadn't you really been able to contribute +any more, no one would have a word to say; but the gold and silver, +round as well as flat, have with their heavy weight pressed down the +bottom of the box! and your sole object is to harass us and to extort +from us. But raise your eyes and look about you; who isn't your +venerable ladyship's son and daughter? and is it likely, pray, that in +the future there will only be cousin Pao-yü to carry you, our old lady, +on his head, up the Wu T'ai Shan? You may keep all these things for him +alone! but though we mayn't at present, deserve that anything should be +spent upon us, you shouldn't go so far as to place us in any +perplexities (by compelling us to subscribe). And is this now enough for +wines, and enough for the theatricals?" + +As she bandied these words, every one in the whole room burst out +laughing, and even dowager lady Chia broke out in laughter while she +observed: "Do you listen to that mouth? I myself am looked upon as +having the gift of the gab, but why is it that I can't talk in such a +wise as to put down this monkey? Your mother-in-law herself doesn't dare +to be so overbearing in her speech; and here you are jabber, jabber with +me!" + +"My mother-in-law," explained lady Feng, "is also as fond of Pao-yü as +you are, so much so that I haven't anywhere I could go and give vent to +my grievances; and instead of (showing me some regard) you say that I'm +overbearing in my speech!" + +With these words, she again enticed dowager lady Chia to laugh for a +while. The old lady continued in the highest of spirits, and, when +evening came, and they all appeared in her presence to pay their +obeisance, her ladyship made it a point, while the whole company of +ladies and young ladies were engaged in chatting, to ascertain of +Pao-ch'ai what play she liked to hear, and what things she fancied to +eat. + +Pao-ch'ai was well aware that dowager lady Chia, well up in years though +she was, delighted in sensational performances, and was partial to sweet +and tender viands, so that she readily deferred, in every respect, to +those things, which were to the taste of her ladyship, and enumerated a +whole number of them, which made the old lady become the more exuberant. +And the next day, she was the first to send over clothes, nicknacks and +such presents, while madame Wang and lady Feng, Tai-yü and the other +girls, as well as the whole number of inmates had all presents for her, +regulated by their degree of relationship, to which we need not allude +in detail. + +When the 21st arrived, a stage of an ordinary kind, small but yet handy, +was improvised in dowager lady Chia's inner court, and a troupe of young +actors, who had newly made their début, was retained for the nonce, +among whom were both those who could sing tunes, slow as well as fast. +In the drawing rooms of the old lady were then laid out several tables +for a family banquet and entertainment, at which there was not a single +outside guest; and with the exception of Mrs. Hsüeh, Shih Hsiang-yün, +and Pao-ch'ai, who were visitors, the rest were all inmates of her +household. + +On this day, Pao-yü failed, at any early hour, to see anything of Lin +Tai-yü, and coming at once to her rooms in search of her, he discovered +her reclining on the stove-couch. "Get up," Pao-yü pressed her with a +smile, "and come and have breakfast, for the plays will commence +shortly; but whichever plays you would like to listen to, do tell me so +that I may be able to choose them." + +Tai-yü smiled sarcastically. "In that case," she rejoined, "you had +better specially engage a troupe and select those I like sung for my +benefit; for on this occasion you can't be so impertinent as to make use +of their expense to ask me what I like!" + +"What's there impossible about this?" Pao-yü answered smiling; "well, +to-morrow I'll readily do as you wish, and ask them too to make use of +what is yours and mine." + +As he passed this remark, he pulled her up, and taking her hand in his +own, they walked out of the room and came and had breakfast. When the +time arrived to make a selection of the plays, dowager lady Chia of her +own motion first asked Pao-ch'ai to mark off those she liked; and though +for a time Pao-ch'ai declined, yielding the choice to others, she had no +alternative but to decide, fixing upon a play called, "the Record of the +Western Tour," a play of which the old lady was herself very fond. Next +in order, she bade lady Feng choose, and lady Feng, had, after all, in +spite of madame Wang ranking before her in precedence, to consider old +lady Chia's request, and not to presume to show obstinacy by any +disobedience. But as she knew well enough that her ladyship had a +penchant for what was exciting, and that she was still more partial to +jests, jokes, epigrams, and buffoonery, she therefore hastened to +precede (madame Wang) and to choose a play, which was in fact no other +than "Liu Erh pawns his clothes." + +Dowager lady Chia was, of course, still more elated. And after this she +speedily went on to ask Tai-yü to choose. Tai-yü likewise concedingly +yielded her turn in favour of madame Wang and the other seniors, to make +their selections before her, but the old lady expostulated. "To-day," +she said, "is primarily an occasion, on which I've brought all of you +here for your special recreation; and we had better look after our own +selves and not heed them! For have I, do you imagine, gone to the +trouble of having a performance and laying a feast for their special +benefit? they're already reaping benefit enough by being in here, +listening to the plays and partaking of the banquet, when they have no +right to either; and are they to be pressed further to make a choice of +plays?" + +At these words, the whole company had a hearty laugh; after which, +Tai-yü, at length, marked off a play; next in order following Pao-yü, +Shih Hsiang-yün, Ying-ch'un, T'an Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un, widow Li Wan, and +the rest, each and all of whom made a choice of plays, which were sung +in the costumes necessary for each. When the time came to take their +places at the banquet, dowager lady Chia bade Pao-ch'ai make another +selection, and Pao-ch'ai cast her choice upon the play: "Lu Chih-shen, +in a fit of drunkenness stirs up a disturbance up the Wu T'ai mountain;" +whereupon Pao-yü interposed, with the remark: "All you fancy is to +choose plays of this kind;" to which Pao-ch'ai rejoined, "You've +listened to plays all these years to no avail! How could you know the +beauties of this play? the stage effect is grand, but what is still +better are the apt and elegant passages in it." + +"I've always had a dread of such sensational plays as these!" Pao-yü +retorted. + +"If you call this play sensational," Pao-ch'ai smilingly expostulated, +"well then you may fitly be looked upon as being no connoisseur of +plays. But come over and I'll tell you. This play constitutes one of a +set of books, entitled the 'Pei Tien Peng Ch'un,' which, as far as +harmony, musical rests and closes, and tune go, is, it goes without +saying, perfect; but there's among the elegant compositions a ballad +entitled: 'the Parasitic Plant,' written in a most excellent style; but +how could you know anything about it?" + +Pao-yü, upon hearing her speak of such points of beauty, hastily drew +near to her. "My dear cousin," he entreated, "recite it and let me hear +it!" Whereupon Pao-ch'ai went on as follows: + + My manly tears I will not wipe away, + But from this place, the scholar's home, I'll stray. + The bonze for mercy I shall thank; under the lotus altar shave my + pate; + With Yüan to be the luck I lack; soon in a twinkle we shall separate, + And needy and forlorn I'll come and go, with none to care about my + fate. + Thither shall I a suppliant be for a fog wrapper and rain hat; my + warrant I shall roll, + And listless with straw shoes and broken bowl, wherever to convert my + fate may be, I'll stroll. + +As soon as Pao-yü had listened to her recital, he was so full of +enthusiasm, that, clapping his knees with his hands, and shaking his +head, he gave vent to incessant praise; after which he went on to extol +Pao-ch'ai, saying: "There's no book that you don't know." + +"Be quiet, and listen to the play," Lin Tai-yü urged; "they haven't yet +sung about the mountain gate, and you already pretend to be mad!" + +At these words, Hsiang-yün also laughed. But, in due course, the whole +party watched the performance until evening, when they broke up. Dowager +lady Chia was so very much taken with the young actor, who played the +role of a lady, as well as with the one who acted the buffoon, that she +gave orders that they should be brought in; and, as she looked at them +closely, she felt so much the more interest in them, that she went on to +inquire what their ages were. And when the would-be lady (replied) that +he was just eleven, while the would-be buffoon (explained) that he was +just nine, the whole company gave vent for a time to expressions of +sympathy with their lot; while dowager lady Chia bade servants bring a +fresh supply of meats and fruits for both of them, and also gave them, +besides their wages, two tiaos as a present. + +"This lad," lady Feng observed smiling, "is when dressed up (as a girl), +a living likeness of a certain person; did you notice it just now?" + +Pao-ch'ai was also aware of the fact, but she simply nodded her head +assentingly and did not say who it was. Pao-yü likewise expressed his +assent by shaking his head, but he too did not presume to speak out. +Shih Hsiang-yün, however, readily took up the conversation. "He +resembles," she interposed, "cousin Lin's face!" When this remark +reached Pao-yü's ear, he hastened to cast an angry scowl at Hsiang-yün, +and to make her a sign; while the whole party, upon hearing what had +been said, indulged in careful and minute scrutiny of (the lad); and as +they all began to laugh: "The resemblance is indeed striking!" they +exclaimed. + +After a while, they parted; and when evening came Hsiang-yün directed +Ts'ui Lü to pack up her clothes. + +"What's the hurry?" Ts'ui Lü asked. "There will be ample time to pack +up, on the day on which we go!" + +"We'll go to-morrow," Hsiang-yün rejoined; "for what's the use of +remaining here any longer--to look at people's mouths and faces?" + +Pao-yü, at these words, lost no time in pressing forward. + +"My dear cousin," he urged; "you're wrong in bearing me a grudge! My +cousin Lin is a girl so very touchy, that though every one else +distinctly knew (of the resemblance), they wouldn't speak out; and all +because they were afraid that she would get angry; but unexpectedly out +you came with it, at a moment when off your guard; and how ever couldn't +she but feel hurt? and it's because I was in dread that you would give +offence to people that I then winked at you; and now here you are angry +with me; but isn't that being ungrateful to me? Had it been any one +else, would I have cared whether she had given offence to even ten; that +would have been none of my business!" + +Hsiang-yün waved her hand: "Don't," she added, "come and tell me these +flowery words and this specious talk, for I really can't come up to your +cousin Lin. If others poke fun at her, they all do so with impunity, +while if I say anything, I at once incur blame. The fact is I shouldn't +have spoken of her, undeserving as I am; and as she's the daughter of a +master, while I'm a slave, a mere servant girl, I've heaped insult upon +her!" + +"And yet," pleaded Pao-yü, full of perplexity, "I had done it for your +sake; and through this, I've come in for reproach. But if it were with +an evil heart I did so, may I at once become ashes, and be trampled upon +by ten thousands of people!" + +"In this felicitous firstmonth," Hsiang-yün remonstrated, "you shouldn't +talk so much reckless nonsense! All these worthless despicable oaths, +disjointed words, and corrupt language, go and tell for the benefit of +those mean sort of people, who in everything take pleasure in irritating +others, and who keep you under their thumb! But mind don't drive me to +spit contemptuously at you." + +As she gave utterance to these words, she betook herself in the inner +room of dowager lady Chia's suite of apartments, where she lay down in +high dudgeon, and, as Pao-yü was so heavy at heart, he could not help +coming again in search of Tai-yü; but strange to say, as soon as he put +his foot inside the doorway, he was speedily hustled out of it by +Tai-yü, who shut the door in his face. + +Pao-yü was once more unable to fathom her motives, and as he stood +outside the window, he kept on calling out: "My dear cousin," in a low +tone of voice; but Tai-yü paid not the slightest notice to him so that +Pao-yü became so melancholy that he drooped his head, and was plunged in +silence. And though Hsi Jen had, at an early hour, come to know the +circumstances, she could not very well at this juncture tender any +advice. + +Pao-yü remained standing in such a vacant mood that Tai-yü imagined that +he had gone back; but when she came to open the door she caught sight of +Pao-yü still waiting in there; and as Tai-yü did not feel justified to +again close the door, Pao-yü consequently followed her in. + +"Every thing has," he observed, "a why and a wherefore; which, when +spoken out, don't even give people pain; but you will rush into a rage, +and all without any rhyme! but to what really does it owe its rise?" + +"It's well enough, after all, for you to ask me," Tai-yü rejoined with +an indifferent smile, "but I myself don't know why! But am I here to +afford you people amusement that you will compare me to an actress, and +make the whole lot have a laugh at me?" + +"I never did liken you to anything," Pao-yü protested, "neither did I +ever laugh at you! and why then will you get angry with me?" + +"Was it necessary that you should have done so much as made the +comparison," Tai-yü urged, "and was there any need of even any laughter +from you? why, though you mayn't have likened me to anything, or had a +laugh at my expense, you were, yea more dreadful than those who did +compare me (to a singing girl) and ridiculed me!" + +Pao-yü could not find anything with which to refute the argument he had +just heard, and Tai-yü went on to say. "This offence can, anyhow, be +condoned; but, what is more, why did you also wink at Yün Erh? What was +this idea which you had resolved in your mind? wasn't it perhaps that if +she played with me, she would be demeaning herself, and making herself +cheap? She's the daughter of a duke or a marquis, and we forsooth the +mean progeny of a poor plebeian family; so that, had she diverted +herself with me, wouldn't she have exposed herself to being depreciated, +had I, perchance, said anything in retaliation? This was your idea +wasn't it? But though your purpose was, to be sure, honest enough, that +girl wouldn't, however, receive any favours from you, but got angry with +you just as much as I did; and though she made me also a tool to do you +a good turn, she, on the contrary, asserts that I'm mean by nature and +take pleasure in irritating people in everything! and you again were +afraid lest she should have hurt my feelings, but, had I had a row with +her, what would that have been to you? and had she given me any offence, +what concern would that too have been of yours?" + +When Pao-yü heard these words, he at once became alive to the fact that +she too had lent an ear to the private conversation he had had a short +while back with Hsiang-yün: "All because of my, fears," he carefully +mused within himself, "lest these two should have a misunderstanding, I +was induced to come between them, and act as a mediator; but I myself +have, contrary to my hopes, incurred blame and abuse on both sides! This +just accords with what I read the other day in the Nan Hua Ching. 'The +ingenious toil, the wise are full of care; the good-for-nothing seek for +nothing, they feed on vegetables, and roam where they list; they wander +purposeless like a boat not made fast!' 'The mountain trees,' the text +goes on to say, 'lead to their own devastation; the spring (conduces) to +its own plunder; and so on." And the more he therefore indulged in +reflection, the more depressed he felt. "Now there are only these few +girls," he proceeded to ponder minutely, "and yet, I'm unable to treat +them in such a way as to promote perfect harmony; and what will I +forsooth do by and by (when there will be more to deal with)!" + +When he had reached this point in his cogitations, (he decided) that it +was really of no avail to agree with her, so that turning round, he was +making his way all alone into his apartments; but Lin Tai-yü, upon +noticing that he had left her side, readily concluded that reflection +had marred his spirits and that he had so thoroughly lost his temper as +to be going without even giving vent to a single word, and she could not +restrain herself from feeling inwardly more and more irritated. "After +you've gone this time," she hastily exclaimed, "don't come again, even +for a whole lifetime; and I won't have you either so much as speak to +me!" + +Pao-yü paid no heed to her, but came back to his rooms, and laying +himself down on his bed, he kept on muttering in a state of chagrin; and +though Hsi Jen knew full well the reasons of his dejection, she found it +difficult to summon up courage to say anything to him at the moment, and +she had no alternative but to try and distract him by means of +irrelevant matters. "The theatricals which you've seen to-day," she +consequently observed smiling, "will again lead to performances for +several days, and Miss Pao-ch'ai will, I'm sure, give a return feast." + +"Whether she gives a return feast or not," Pao-yü rejoined with an +apathetic smirk, "is no concern of mine!" + +When Hsi Jen perceived the tone, so unlike that of other days, with +which these words were pronounced: "What's this that you're saying?" she +therefore remarked as she gave another smile. "In this pleasant and +propitious first moon, when all the ladies and young ladies are in high +glee, how is it that you're again in a mood of this sort?" + +"Whether the ladies and my cousins be in high spirits or not," Pao-yü +replied forcing a grin, "is also perfectly immaterial to me." + +"They are all," Hsi Jen added, smilingly, "pleasant and agreeable, and +were you also a little pleasant and agreeable, wouldn't it conduce to +the enjoyment of the whole company?" + +"What about the whole company, and they and I?" Pao-yü urged. "They all +have their mutual friendships; while I, poor fellow, all forlorn, have +none to care a rap for me." + +His remarks had reached this clause, when inadvertently the tears +trickled down; and Hsi Jen realising the state of mind he was in, did +not venture to say anything further. But as soon as Pao-yü had reflected +minutely over the sense and import of this sentence, he could not +refrain from bursting forth into a loud fit of crying, and, turning +himself round, he stood up, and, drawing near the table, he took up the +pencil, and eagerly composed these enigmatical lines: + + If thou wert me to test, and I were thee to test, + Our hearts were we to test, and our minds to test, + When naught more there remains for us to test + That will yea very well be called a test, + And when there's naught to put, we could say, to the test, + We will a place set up on which our feet to rest. + +After he had finished writing, he again gave way to fears that though he +himself could unfold their meaning, others, who came to peruse these +lines, would not be able to fathom them, and he also went on +consequently to indite another stanza, in imitation of the "Parasitic +Plant," which he inscribed at the close of the enigma; and when he had +read it over a second time, he felt his heart so free of all concern +that forthwith he got into his bed, and went to sleep. + +But, who would have thought it, Tai-yü, upon seeing Pao-yü take his +departure in such an abrupt manner, designedly made use of the excuse +that she was bent upon finding Hsi Jen, to come round and see what he +was up to. + +"He's gone to sleep long ago!" Hsi Jen replied. + +At these words, Tai-yü felt inclined to betake herself back at once; but +Hsi Jen smiled and said: "Please stop, miss. Here's a slip of paper, and +see what there is on it!" and speedily taking what Pao-yü had written a +short while back, she handed it over to Tai-yü to examine. Tai-yü, on +perusal, discovered that Pao-yü had composed it, at the spur of the +moment, when under the influence of resentment; and she could not help +thinking it both a matter of ridicule as well as of regret; but she +hastily explained to Hsi Jen: "This is written for fun, and there's +nothing of any consequence in it!" and having concluded this remark, she +readily took it along with her to her room, where she conned it over in +company with Hsiang-yün; handing it also the next day to Pao-ch'ai to +peruse. The burden of what Pao-ch'ai read was: + + In what was no concern of mine, I should to thee have paid no heed, + For while I humour this, that one to please I don't succeed! + Act as thy wish may be! go, come whene'er thou list; 'tis naught to + me. + Sorrow or joy, without limit or bound, to indulge thou art free! + What is this hazy notion about relatives distant or close? + For what purpose have I for all these days racked my heart with woes? + Even at this time when I look back and think, my mind no pleasure + knows. + +After having finished its perusal, she went on to glance at the +Buddhistic stanza, and smiling: "This being," she soliloquised; "has +awakened to a sense of perception; and all through my fault, for it's +that ballad of mine yesterday which has incited this! But the subtle +devices in all these rationalistic books have a most easy tendency to +unsettle the natural disposition, and if to-morrow he does actually get +up, and talk a lot of insane trash, won't his having fostered this idea +owe its origin to that ballad of mine; and shan't I have become the +prime of all guilty people?" + +Saying this, she promptly tore the paper, and, delivering the pieces to +the servant girls, she bade them go at once and burn them. + +"You shouldn't have torn it!" Tai-yü remonstrated laughingly. "But wait +and I'll ask him about it! so come along all of you, and I vouch I'll +make him abandon that idiotic frame of mind and that depraved language." + +The three of them crossed over, in point of fact, into Pao-yü's room, +and Tai-yü was the first to smile and observe. "Pao-yü, may I ask you +something? What is most valuable is a precious thing; and what is most +firm is jade, but what value do you possess and what firmness is innate +in you?" + +But as Pao-yü could not, say anything by way of reply, two of them +remarked sneeringly: "With all this doltish bluntness of his will he +after all absorb himself in abstraction?" While Hsiang-yün also clapped +her hands and laughed, "Cousin Pao has been discomfited." + +"The latter part of that apothegm of yours," Tai-yü continued, "says: + + "We would then find some place on which our feet to rest. + +"Which is certainly good; but in my view, its excellence is not as yet +complete! and I should still tag on two lines at its close;" as she +proceeded to recite: + + "If we do not set up some place on which our feet to rest, + For peace and freedom then it will be best." + +"There should, in very truth, be this adjunct to make it thoroughly +explicit!" Pao-ch'ai added. "In days of yore, the sixth founder of the +Southern sect, Hui Neng, came, when he went first in search of his +patron, in the Shao Chou district; and upon hearing that the fifth +founder, Hung Jen, was at Huang Mei, he readily entered his service in +the capacity of Buddhist cook; and when the fifth founder, prompted by a +wish to select a Buddhistic successor, bade his neophytes and all the +bonzes to each compose an enigmatical stanza, the one who occupied the +upper seat, Shen Hsiu, recited: + + "A P'u T'i tree the body is, the heart so like a stand of mirror + bright, + On which must needs, by constant careful rubbing, not be left dust to + alight! + +"And Hui Neng, who was at this time in the cook-house pounding rice, +overheard this enigma. 'Excellent, it is excellent,' he ventured, 'but +as far as completeness goes it isn't complete;' and having bethought +himself of an apothegm: 'The P'u T'i, (an expression for Buddha or +intelligence),' he proceeded, 'is really no tree; and the resplendent +mirror, (Buddhistic term for heart), is likewise no stand; and as, in +fact, they do not constitute any tangible objects, how could they be +contaminated by particles of dust?' Whereupon the fifth founder at once +took his robe and clap-dish and handed them to him. Well, the text now +of this enigma presents too this identical idea, for the simple fact is +that those lines full of subtleties of a short while back are not, as +yet, perfected or brought to an issue, and do you forsooth readily give +up the task in this manner?" + +"He hasn't been able to make any reply," Tai-yü rejoined sneeringly, +"and must therefore be held to be discomfited; but were he even to make +suitable answer now, there would be nothing out of the common about it! +Anyhow, from this time forth you mustn't talk about Buddhistic spells, +for what even we two know and are able to do, you don't as yet know and +can't do; and do you go and concern yourself with abstraction?" + +Pao-yü had, in his own mind, been under the impression that he had +attained perception, but when he was unawares and all of a sudden +subjected to this question by Tai-yü, he soon found it beyond his power +to give any ready answer. And when Pao-ch'ai furthermore came out with a +religious disquisition, by way of illustration, and this on subjects, in +all of which he had hitherto not seen them display any ability, he +communed within himself: "If with their knowledge, which is indeed in +advance of that of mine, they haven't, as yet, attained perception, what +need is there for me now to bring upon myself labour and vexation?" + +"Who has, pray," he hastily inquired smilingly, after arriving at the +end of his reflections, "indulged in Buddhistic mysteries? what I did +amounts to nothing more than nonsensical trash, written, at the spur of +the moment, and nothing else." + +At the close of this remark all four came to be again on the same terms +as of old; but suddenly a servant announced that the Empress (Yüan +Ch'un) had despatched a messenger to bring over a lantern-conundrum with +the directions that they should all go and guess it, and that after they +had found it out, they should each also devise one and send it in. At +these words, the four of them left the room with hasty step, and +adjourned into dowager lady Chia's drawing room, where they discovered a +young eunuch, holding a four-cornered, flat-topped lantern, of white +gauze, which had been specially fabricated for lantern riddles. On the +front side, there was already a conundrum, and the whole company were +vying with each other in looking at it and making wild guesses; when the +young eunuch went on to transmit his orders, saying: "Young ladies, you +should not speak out when you are guessing; but each one of you should +secretly write down the solutions for me to wrap them up, and take them +all in together to await her Majesty's personal inspection as to whether +they be correct or not." + +Upon listening to these words, Pao-ch'ai drew near, and perceived at a +glance, that it consisted of a stanza of four lines, with seven +characters in each; but though there was no novelty or remarkable +feature about it, she felt constrained to outwardly give utterance to +words of praise. "It's hard to guess!" she simply added, while she +pretended to be plunged in thought, for the fact is that as soon as she +had cast her eye upon it, she had at once solved it. Pao-yü, Tai-yü, +Hsiang-yün, and T'an-ch'un, had all four also hit upon the answer, and +each had secretly put it in writing; and Chia Huan, Chia Lan and the +others were at the same time sent for, and every one of them set to work +to exert the energies of his mind, and, when they arrived at a guess, +they noted it down on paper; after which every individual member of the +family made a choice of some object, and composed a riddle, which was +transcribed in a large round hand, and affixed on the lantern. This +done, the eunuch took his departure, and when evening drew near, he came +out and delivered the commands of the imperial consort. "The conundrum," +he said, "written by Her Highness, the other day, has been solved by +every one, with the exception of Miss Secunda and master Tertius, who +made a wrong guess. Those composed by you, young ladies, have likewise +all been guessed; but Her Majesty does not know whether her solutions +are right or not." While speaking, he again produced the riddles, which +had been written by them, among which were those which had been solved, +as well as those which had not been solved; and the eunuch, in like +manner, took the presents, conferred by the imperial consort, and handed +them over to those who had guessed right. To each person was assigned a +bamboo vase, inscribed with verses, which had been manufactured for +palace use, as well as articles of bamboo for tea; with the exception of +Ying-ch'un and Chia Huan, who were the only two persons who did not +receive any. But as Ying-ch'un looked upon the whole thing as a joke and +a trifle, she did not trouble her mind on that score, but Chia Huan at +once felt very disconsolate. + +"This one devised by Mr. Tertius," the eunuch was further heard to say, +"is not properly done; and as Her Majesty herself has been unable to +guess it she commanded me to bring it back, and ask Mr. Tertius what it +is about." + +After the party had listened to these words, they all pressed forward to +see what had been written. The burden of it was this: + + The elder brother has horns only eight; + The second brother has horns only two; + The elder brother on the bed doth sit; + Inside the room the second likes to squat. + +After perusal of these lines, they broke out, with one voice, into a +loud fit of laughter; and Chia Huan had to explain to the eunuch that +the one was a pillow, and the other the head of an animal. Having +committed the explanation to memory and accepted a cup of tea, the +eunuch took his departure; and old lady Chia, noticing in what buoyant +spirits Yüan Ch'un was, felt herself so much the more elated, that +issuing forthwith directions to devise, with every despatch, a small but +ingenious lantern of fine texture in the shape of a screen, and put it +in the Hall, she bade each of her grandchildren secretly compose a +conundrum, copy it out clean, and affix it on the frame of the lantern; +and she had subsequently scented tea and fine fruits, as well as every +kind of nicknacks, got ready, as prizes for those who guessed right. + +And when Chia Cheng came from court and found the old lady in such high +glee he also came over in the evening, as the season was furthermore +holiday time, to avail himself of her good cheer to reap some enjoyment. +In the upper part of the room seated themselves, at one table dowager +lady Chia, Chia Cheng, and Pao-yü; madame Wang, Pao-ch'ai, Tai-yü, +Hsiang-yün sat round another table, and Ying-ch'un, Tan-ch'un and Hsi +Ch'un the three of them, occupied a separate table, and both these +tables were laid in the lower part, while below, all over the floor, +stood matrons and waiting-maids for Li Kung-ts'ai and Hsi-feng were both +seated in the inner section of the Hall, at another table. + +Chia Chen failed to see Chia Lan, and he therefore inquired: "How is it +I don't see brother Lan," whereupon the female servants, standing below, +hastily entered the inner room and made inquiries of widow Li. "He +says," Mrs. Li stood up and rejoined with a smile, "that as your master +didn't go just then to ask him round, he has no wish to come!" and when +a matron delivered the reply to Chia Cheng; the whole company exclaimed +much amused: "How obstinate and perverse his natural disposition is!" +But Chia Cheng lost no time in sending Chia Huan, together with two +matrons, to fetch Chia Lan; and, on his arrival, dowager lady Chia bade +him sit by her side, and, taking a handful of fruits, she gave them to +him to eat; after which the party chatted, laughed, and enjoyed +themselves. + +Ordinarily, there was no one but Pao-yü to say much or talk at any +length, but on this day, with Chia Cheng present, his remarks were +limited to assents. And as to the rest, Hsiang-yün had, though a young +girl, and of delicate physique, nevertheless ever been very fond of +talking and discussing; but, on this instance, Chia Cheng was at the +feast, so that she also held her tongue and restrained her words. As for +Tai-yü she was naturally peevish and listless, and not very much +inclined to indulge in conversation; while Pao-ch'ai, who had never been +reckless in her words or frivolous in her deportment, likewise behaved +on the present occasion in her usual dignified manner. Hence it was that +this banquet, although a family party, given for the sake of relaxation, +assumed contrariwise an appearance of restraint, and as old lady Chia +was herself too well aware that it was to be ascribed to the presence of +Chia Cheng alone, she therefore, after the wine had gone round three +times, forthwith hurried off Chia Cheng to retire to rest. + +No less cognisant was Chia Cheng himself that the old lady's motives in +packing him off were to afford a favourable opportunity to the young +ladies and young men to enjoy themselves, and that is why, forcing a +smile, he observed: "Having to-day heard that your venerable ladyship +had got up in here a large assortment of excellent riddles, on the +occasion of the spring festival of lanterns, I too consequently prepared +prizes, as well as a banquet, and came with the express purpose of +joining the company; and why don't you in some way confer a fraction of +the fond love, which you cherish for your grandsons and granddaughters, +upon me also, your son?" + +"When you're here," old lady Chia replied smilingly, "they won't venture +to chat or laugh; and unless you go, you'll really fill me with intense +dejection! But if you feel inclined to guess conundrums, well, I'll tell +you one for you to solve; but if you don't guess right, mind, you'll be +mulcted!" + +"Of course I'll submit to the penalty," Chia Cheng rejoined eagerly, as +he laughed, "but if I do guess right, I must in like manner receive a +reward!" + +"This goes without saying!" dowager lady Chia added; whereupon she went +on to recite: + + The monkey's body gently rests on the tree top! + +"This refers," she said, "to the name of a fruit." + +Chia Cheng was already aware that it was a lichee, but he designedly +made a few guesses at random, and was fined several things; but he +subsequently gave, at length, the right answer, and also obtained a +present from her ladyship. + +In due course he too set forth this conundrum for old lady Chia to +guess: + + Correct its body is in appearance, + Both firm and solid is it in substance; + To words, it is true, it cannot give vent, + But spoken to, it always does assent. + +When he had done reciting it, he communicated the answer in an undertone +to Pao-yü; and Pao-yü fathoming what his intention was, gently too told +his grandmother Chia, and her ladyship finding, after some reflection, +that there was really no mistake about it, readily remarked that it was +an inkslab. + +"After all," Chia Cheng smiled; "Your venerable ladyship it is who can +hit the right answer with one guess!" and turning his head round, "Be +quick," he cried, "and bring the prizes and present them!" whereupon the +married women and waiting-maids below assented with one voice, and they +simultaneously handed up the large trays and small boxes. + +Old lady Chia passed the things, one by one, under inspection; and +finding that they consisted of various kinds of articles, novel and +ingenious, of use and of ornament, in vogue during the lantern festival, +her heart was so deeply elated that with alacrity she shouted, "Pour a +glass of wine for your master!" + +Pao-yü took hold of the decanter, while Ying Ch'un presented the cup of +wine. + +"Look on that screen!" continued dowager lady Chia, "all those riddles +have been written by the young ladies; so go and guess them for my +benefit!" + +Chia Cheng signified his obedience, and rising and walking up to the +front of the screen, he noticed the first riddle, which was one composed +by the Imperial consort Yüan, in this strain: + + The pluck of devils to repress in influence it abounds, + Like bound silk is its frame, and like thunder its breath resounds. + But one report rattles, and men are lo! in fear and dread; + Transformed to ashes 'tis what time to see you turn the head. + +"Is this a cracker?" Chia Cheng inquired. + +"It is," Pao-yü assented. + +Chia Cheng then went on to peruse that of Ying-Ch'un's, which referred +to an article of use: + + Exhaustless is the principle of heavenly calculations and of human + skill; + Skill may exist, but without proper practice the result to find hard + yet + will be! + Whence cometh all this mixed confusion on a day so still? + Simply it is because the figures Yin and Yang do not agree. + +"It's an abacus," Chia Cheng observed. + +"Quite so!" replied Ying Ch'un smiling; after which they also conned the +one below, by T'an-ch'un, which ran thus and had something to do with an +object: + + This is the time when 'neath the stairs the pages their heads raise! + The term of "pure brightness" is the meetest time this thing to make! + The vagrant silk it snaps, and slack, without tension it strays! + The East wind don't begrudge because its farewell it did take! + +"It would seem," Chia Cheng suggested, "as if that must be a kite!" + +"It is," answered T'an C'h'un; whereupon Chia Cheng read the one below, +which was written by Tai-yü to this effect and bore upon some thing: + + After the audience, his two sleeves who brings with fumes replete? + Both by the lute and in the quilt, it lacks luck to abide! + The dawn it marks; reports from cock and man renders effete! + At midnight, maids no trouble have a new one to provide! + The head, it glows during the day, as well as in the night! + Its heart, it burns from day to day and 'gain from year to year! + Time swiftly flies and mete it is that we should hold it dear! + Changes might come, but it defies wind, rain, days dark or bright! + +"Isn't this a scented stick to show the watch?" Chia Cheng inquired. + +"Yes!" assented Pao-yü, speaking on Tai-yü's behalf; and Chia Cheng +thereupon prosecuted the perusal of a conundrum, which ran as follows, +and referred to an object; + + With the South, it sits face to face, + And the North, the while, it doth face; + If the figure be sad, it also is sad, + If the figure be glad, it likewise is glad! + +"Splendid! splendid!" exclaimed Chia Cheng, "my guess is that it's a +looking-glass. It's excellently done!" + +Pao-yü smiled. "It is a looking glass!" he rejoined. + +"This is, however, anonymous; whose work is it?" Chia Cheng went on to +ask, and dowager lady Chia interposed: "This, I fancy, must have been +composed by Pao-yü," and Chia Cheng then said not a word, but continued +reading the following conundrum, which was that devised by Pao-ch'ai, on +some article or other: + + Eyes though it has; eyeballs it has none, and empty 'tis inside! + The lotus flowers out of the water peep, and they with gladness meet, + But when dryandra leaves begin to drop, they then part and divide, + For a fond pair they are, but, united, winter they cannot greet. + +When Chia Cheng finished scanning it, he gave way to reflection. "This +object," he pondered, "must surely be limited in use! But for persons of +tender years to indulge in all this kind of language, would seem to be +still less propitious; for they cannot, in my views, be any of them the +sort of people to enjoy happiness and longevity!" When his reflections +reached this point, he felt the more dejected, and plainly betrayed a +sad appearance, and all he did was to droop his head and to plunge in a +brown study. + +But upon perceiving the frame of mind in which Chia Cheng was, dowager +lady Chia arrived at the conclusion that he must be fatigued; and +fearing, on the other hand, that if she detained him, the whole party of +young ladies would lack the spirit to enjoy themselves, she there and +then faced Chia Cheng and suggested: "There's no need really for you to +remain here any longer, and you had better retire to rest; and let us +sit a while longer; after which, we too will break up!" + +As soon as Chia Cheng caught this hint, he speedily assented several +consecutive yes's; and when he had further done his best to induce old +lady Chia to have a cup of wine, he eventually withdrew out of the Hall. +On his return to his bedroom, he could do nothing else than give way to +cogitation, and, as he turned this and turned that over in his mind, he +got still more sad and pained. + +"Amuse yourselves now!" readily exclaimed dowager lady Chia, during this +while, after seeing Chia Cheng off; but this remark was barely finished, +when she caught sight of Pao-yü run up to the lantern screen, and give +vent, as he gesticulated with his hands and kicked his feet about, to +any criticisms that first came to his lips. "In this," he remarked, +"this line isn't happy; and that one, hasn't been suitably solved!" +while he behaved just like a monkey, whose fetters had been let loose. + +"Were the whole party after all," hastily ventured Tai-yü, "to sit down, +as we did a short while back and chat and laugh; wouldn't that be more +in accordance with good manners?" + +Lady Feng thereupon egressed from the room in the inner end and +interposed her remarks. "Such a being as you are," she said, "shouldn't +surely be allowed by Mr. Chia Cheng, an inch or a step from his side, +and then you'll be all right. But just then it slipped my memory, for +why didn't I, when your father was present, instigate him to bid you +compose a rhythmical enigma; and you would, I have no doubt, have been +up to this moment in a state of perspiration!" + +At these words, Pao-yü lost all patience, and laying hold of lady Feng, +he hustled her about for a few moments. + +But old lady Chia went on for some time to bandy words with Li +Kung-ts'ai, with the whole company of young ladies and the rest, so that +she, in fact, felt considerably tired and worn out; and when she heard +that the fourth watch had already drawn nigh, she consequently issued +directions that the eatables should be cleared away and given to the +crowd of servants, and suggested, as she readily rose to her feet, "Let +us go and rest! for the next day is also a feast, and we must get up at +an early hour; and to-morrow evening we can enjoy ourselves again!" +whereupon the whole company dispersed. + +But now, reader, listen to the sequel given in the chapter which +follows. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + + Pao-yü and Tai-yü make use of some beautiful passages from the Record + of the Western Side-building to bandy jokes. + The excellent ballads sung in the Peony Pavilion touch the tender + heart of Tai-yü. + + +Soon after the day on which Chia Yuan-ch'un honoured the garden of Broad +Vista with a visit, and her return to the Palace, so our story goes, she +forthwith desired that T'an-ch'un should make a careful copy, in +consecutive order, of the verses, which had been composed and read out +on that occasion, in order that she herself should assign them their +rank, and adjudge the good and bad. And she also directed that an +inscription should be engraved on a stone, in the Broad Vista park, to +serve in future years as a record of the pleasant and felicitous event; +and Chia Cheng, therefore, gave orders to servants to go far and wide, +and select skilful artificers and renowned workmen, to polish the stone +and engrave the characters in the garden of Broad Vista; while Chia Chen +put himself at the head of Chia Jung, Chia P'ing and others to +superintend the work. And as Chia Se had, on the other hand, the control +of Wen Kuan and the rest of the singing girls, twelve in all, as well as +of their costumes and other properties, he had no leisure to attend to +anything else, and consequently once again sent for Chia Ch'ang and Chia +Ling to come and act as overseers. + +On a certain day, the works were taken in hand for rubbing the stones +smooth with wax, for carving the inscription, and tracing it with +vermilion, but without entering into details on these matters too +minutely, we will return to the two places, the Yu Huang temple and the +Ta Mo monastery. The company of twelve young bonzes and twelve young +Taoist priests had now moved out of the Garden of Broad Vista, and Chia +Cheng was meditating upon distributing them to various temples to live +apart, when unexpectedly Chia Ch'in's mother, née Chou,--who resided in +the back street, and had been at the time contemplating to pay a visit +to Chia Cheng on this side so as to obtain some charge, be it either +large or small, for her son to look after, that he too should be put in +the way of turning up some money to meet his expenses with,--came, as +luck would have it, to hear that some work was in hand in this mansion, +and lost no time in driving over in a curricle and making her appeal to +lady Feng. And as lady Feng remembered that she had all along not +presumed on her position to put on airs, she willingly acceded to her +request, and after calling to memory some suitable remarks, she at once +went to make her report to madame Wang: "These young bonzes and Taoist +priests," she said, "can by no means be sent over to other places; for +were the Imperial consort to come out at an unexpected moment, they +would then be required to perform services; and in the event of their +being scattered, there will, when the time comes to requisition their +help, again be difficulties in the way; and my idea is that it would be +better to send them all to the family temple, the Iron Fence Temple; and +every month all there will be to do will be to depute some one to take +over a few taels for them to buy firewood and rice with, that's all, and +when there's even a sound of their being required uttered, some one can +at once go and tell them just one word 'come,' and they will come +without the least trouble!" + +Madame Wang gave a patient ear to this proposal, and, in due course, +consulted with Chia Cheng. + +"You've really," smiled Chia Cheng at these words, "reminded me how I +should act! Yes, let this be done!" And there and then he sent for Chia +Lien. + +Chia Lien was, at the time, having his meal with lady Feng, but as soon +as he heard that he was wanted, he put by his rice and was just walking +off, when lady Feng clutched him and pulled him back. "Wait a while," +she observed with a smirk, "and listen to what I've got to tell you! if +it's about anything else, I've nothing to do with it; but if it be about +the young bonzes and young Taoists, you must, in this particular matter, +please comply with this suggestion of mine," after which, she went on in +this way and that way to put him up to a whole lot of hints. + +"I know nothing about it," Chia Lien rejoined smilingly, "and as you +have the knack you yourself had better go and tell him!" + +But as soon as lady Feng heard this remark, she stiffened her head and +threw down the chopsticks; and, with an expression on her cheeks, which +looked like a smile and yet not a smile, she glanced angrily at Chia +Lien. "Are you speaking in earnest," she inquired, "or are you only +jesting?" + +"Yün Erh, the son of our fifth sister-in-law of the western porch, has +come and appealed to me two or three times, asking for something to look +after," Chia Lien laughed, "and I assented and bade him wait; and now, +after a great deal of trouble, this job has turned up; and there you are +once again snatching it away!" + +"Compose your mind," lady Feng observed grinning, "for the Imperial +Consort has hinted that directions should be given for the planting, in +the north-east corner of the park, of a further plentiful supply of pine +and cedar trees, and that orders should also be issued for the addition, +round the base of the tower, of a large number of flowers and plants and +such like; and when this job turns up, I can safely tell you that Yun +Erh will be called to assume control of these works." + +"Well if that be really so," Chia Lien rejoined, "it will after all do! +But there's only one thing; all I was up to last night was simply to +have some fun with you, but you obstinately and perversely wouldn't." + +Lady Feng, upon hearing these words, burst out laughing with a sound of +Ch'ih, and spurting disdainfully at Chia Lien, she lowered her head and +went on at once with her meal; during which time Chia Lien speedily +walked away laughing the while, and betook himself to the front, where +he saw Chia Cheng. It was, indeed, about the young bonzes, and Chia Lien +readily carried out lady Feng's suggestion. "As from all appearances," +he continued, "Ch'in Erh has, actually, so vastly improved, this job +should, after all, be entrusted to his care and management; and provided +that in observance with the inside custom Ch'in Erh were each day told +to receive the advances, things will go on all right." And as Chia Cheng +had never had much attention to give to such matters of detail, he, as +soon as he heard what Chia Lien had to say, immediately signified his +approval and assent. And Chia Lien, on his return to his quarters, +communicated the issue to lady Feng; whereupon lady Feng at once sent +some one to go and notify dame Chou. + +Chia Ch'in came, in due course, to pay a visit to Chia Lien and his +wife, and was incessant in his expressions of gratitude; and lady Feng +bestowed upon him a further favour by giving him, as a first instalment, +an advance of the funds necessary for three months' outlay, for which +she bade him write a receipt; while Chia Lien filled up a cheque and +signed it; and a counter-order was simultaneously issued, and he came +out into the treasury where the sum specified for three months' +supplies, amounting to three hundred taels, was paid out in pure ingots. + +Chia Ch'in took the first piece of silver that came under his hand, and +gave it to the men in charge of the scales, with which he told them to +have a cup of tea, and bidding, shortly after, a boy-servant take the +money to his home, he held consultation with his mother; after which, he +hired a donkey for himself to ride on, and also bespoke several +carriages, and came to the back gate of the Jung Kuo mansion; where +having called out the twenty young priests, they got into the carriages, +and sped straightway beyond the city walls, to the Temple of the Iron +Fence, where nothing of any note transpired at the time. + +But we will now notice Chia Yüan-ch'un, within the precincts of the +Palace. When she had arranged the verses composed in the park of Broad +Vista in their order of merit, she suddenly recollected that the sights +in the garden were sure, ever since her visit through them, to be +diligently and respectfully kept locked up by her father and mother; and +that by not allowing any one to go in was not an injustice done to this +garden? "Besides," (she pondered), "in that household, there are at +present several young ladies, capable of composing odes, and able to +write poetry, and why should not permission be extended to them to go +and take their quarters in it; in order too that those winsome persons +might not be deprived of good cheer, and that the flowers and willows +may not lack any one to admire them!" + +But remembering likewise that Pao-yü had from his infancy grown up among +that crowd of female cousins, and was such a contrast to the rest of his +male cousins that were he not allowed to move into it, he would, she +also apprehended, be made to feel forlorn; and dreading lest his +grandmother and his mother should be displeased at heart, she thought it +imperative that he too should be permitted to take up his quarters +inside, so that things should be put on a satisfactory footing; and +directing the eunuch Hsia Chung to go to the Jung mansion and deliver +her commands, she expressed the wish that Pao-ch'ai and the other girls +should live in the garden and that it should not be kept closed, and +urged that Pao-yü should also shift into it, at his own pleasure, for +the prosecution of his studies. And Chia Cheng and madame Wang, upon +receiving her commands, hastened, after the departure of Hsia Chung, to +explain them to dowager lady Chia, and to despatch servants into the +garden to tidy every place, to dust, to sweep, and to lay out the +portieres and bed-curtains. The tidings were heard by the rest even with +perfect equanimity, but Pao-yü was immoderately delighted; and he was +engaged in deliberation with dowager lady Chia as to this necessary and +to that requirement, when suddenly they descried a waiting-maid arrive, +who announced: "Master wishes to see Pao-yü." + +Pao-yü gazed vacantly for a while. His spirits simultaneously were swept +away; his countenance changed colour; and clinging to old lady Chia, he +readily wriggled her about, just as one would twist the sugar (to make +sweetmeats with), and could not, for the very death of him, summon up +courage to go; so that her ladyship had no alternative but to try and +reassure him. "My precious darling" she urged, "just you go, and I'll +stand by you! He won't venture to be hard upon you; and besides, you've +devised these excellent literary compositions; and I presume as Her +Majesty has desired that you should move into the garden, his object is +to give you a few words of advice; simply because he fears that you +might be up to pranks in those grounds. But to all he tells you, +whatever you do, mind you acquiesce and it will be all right!" + +And as she tried to compose him, she at the same time called two old +nurses and enjoined them to take Pao-yü over with due care, "And don't +let his father," she added, "frighten him!" + +The old nurses expressed their obedience, and Pao-yü felt constrained to +walk ahead; and with one step scarcely progressing three inches, he +leisurely came over to this side. Strange coincidence Chia Cheng was in +madame Wang's apartments consulting with her upon some matter or other, +and Chin Ch'uan-erh, Ts'ai Yun, Ts'ai Feng, Ts'ai Luan, Hsiu Feng and +the whole number of waiting-maids were all standing outside under the +verandah. As soon as they caught sight of Pao-yü, they puckered up their +mouths and laughed at him; while Chin Ch'uan grasped Pao-yü with one +hand, and remarked in a low tone of voice: "On these lips of mine has +just been rubbed cosmetic, soaked with perfume, and are you now inclined +to lick it or not?" whereupon Ts'ai Yün pushed off Chin Ch'uan with one +shove, as she interposed laughingly, "A person's heart is at this moment +in low spirits and do you still go on cracking jokes at him? But avail +yourself of this opportunity when master is in good cheer to make haste +and get in!" + +Pao-yü had no help but to sidle against the door and walk in. Chia Cheng +and madame Wang were, in fact, both in the inner rooms, and dame Chou +raised the portière. Pao-yü stepped in gingerly and perceived Chia Cheng +and madame Wang sitting opposite to each other, on the stove-couch, +engaged in conversation; while below on a row of chairs sat Ying Ch'un, +T'an Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and Chia Huan; but though all four of them were +seated in there only T'an Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and Chia Huan rose to their +feet, as soon as they saw him make his appearance in the room; and when +Chia Cheng raised his eyes and noticed Pao-yü standing in front of him, +with a gait full of ease and with those winsome looks of his, so +captivating, he once again realised what a mean being Chia Huan was, and +how coarse his deportment. But suddenly he also bethought himself of +Chia Chu, and as he reflected too that madame Wang had only this son of +her own flesh and blood, upon whom she ever doated as upon a gem, and +that his own beard had already begun to get hoary, the consequence was +that he unwittingly stifled, well nigh entirely, the feeling of hatred +and dislike, which, during the few recent years he had ordinarily +fostered towards Pao-yü. And after a long pause, "Her Majesty," he +observed, "bade you day after day ramble about outside to disport +yourself, with the result that you gradually became remiss and lazy; but +now her desire is that we should keep you under strict control, and that +in prosecuting your studies in the company of your cousins in the +garden, you should carefully exert your brains to learn; so that if you +don't again attend to your duties, and mind your regular tasks, you had +better be on your guard!" Pao-yü assented several consecutive yes's; +whereupon madame Wang drew him by her side and made him sit down, and +while his three cousins resumed the seats they previously occupied: +"Have you finished all the pills you had been taking a short while +back?" madame Wang inquired, as she rubbed Pao-yü's neck. + +"There's still one pill remaining," Pao-yü explained by way of reply. + +"You had better," madame Wang added, "fetch ten more pills tomorrow +morning; and every day about bedtime tell Hsi Jen to give them to you; +and when you've had one you can go to sleep!" + +"Ever since you, mother, bade me take them," Pao-yü rejoined, "Hsi Jen +has daily sent me one, when I was about to turn in." + +"Who's this called Hsi Jen?" Chia Chen thereupon ascertained. + +"She's a waiting-maid!" madame Wang answered. + +"A servant girl," Chia Cheng remonstrated, "can be called by whatever +name one chooses; anything is good enough; but who's it who has started +this kind of pretentious name!" + +Madame Wang noticed that Chia Cheng was not in a happy frame of mind, so +that she forthwith tried to screen matters for Pao-yü, by saying: "It's +our old lady who has originated it!" + +"How can it possibly be," Chia Cheng exclaimed, "that her ladyship knows +anything about such kind of language? It must, for a certainty, be +Pao-yü!" + +Pao-yü perceiving that he could not conceal the truth from him, was +under the necessity of standing up and of explaining; "As I have all +along read verses, I remembered the line written by an old poet: + + "What time the smell of flowers wafts itself into man, one knows the + day is warm. + +"And as this waiting-maid's surname was Hua (flower), I readily gave her +the name, on the strength of this sentiment." + +"When you get back," madame Wang speedily suggested addressing Pao-yü, +"change it and have done; and you, sir, needn't lose your temper over +such a trivial matter!" + +"It doesn't really matter in the least," Chia Cheng continued; "so that +there's no necessity of changing it; but it's evident that Pao-yü +doesn't apply his mind to legitimate pursuits, but mainly devotes his +energies to such voluptuous expressions and wanton verses!" And as he +finished these words, he abruptly shouted out: "You brute-like child of +retribution! Don't you yet get out of this?" + +"Get away, off with you!" madame Wang in like manner hastened to urge; +"our dowager lady is waiting, I fear, for you to have her repast!" + +Pao-yü assented, and, with gentle step, he withdrew out of the room, +laughing at Chin Ch'uan-erh, as he put out his tongue; and leading off +the two nurses, he went off on his way like a streak of smoke. But no +sooner had he reached the door of the corridor than he espied Hsi Jen +standing leaning against the side; who perceiving Pao-yü come back safe +and sound heaped smile upon smile, and asked: "What did he want you +for?" + +"There was nothing much," Pao-yü explained, "he simply feared that I +would, when I get into the garden, be up to mischief, and he gave me all +sorts of advice;" and, as while he explained matters, they came into the +presence of lady Chia, he gave her a clear account, from first to last, +of what had transpired. But when he saw that Lin Tai-yü was at the +moment in the room, Pao-yü speedily inquired of her: "Which place do you +think best to live in?" + +Tai-yü had just been cogitating on this subject, so that when she +unexpectedly heard Pao-yü's inquiry, she forthwith rejoined with a +smile: "My own idea is that the Hsio Hsiang Kuan is best; for I'm fond +of those clusters of bamboos, which hide from view the tortuous +balustrade and make the place more secluded and peaceful than any +other!" + +Pao-yü at these words clapped his hands and smiled. "That just meets +with my own views!" he remarked; "I too would like you to go and live in +there; and as I am to stay in the I Hung Yuan, we two will be, in the +first place, near each other; and next, both in quiet and secluded +spots." + +While the two of them were conversing, a servant came, sent over by Chia +Cheng, to report to dowager lady Chia that: "The 22nd of the second moon +was a propitious day for Pao-yü and the young ladies to shift their +quarters into the garden; that during these few days, servants should be +sent in to put things in their proper places and to clean; that Hsueh +Pao-ch'ai should put up in the Heng Wu court; that Lin Tai-yü was to +live in the Hsiao Hsiang lodge; that Chia Ying-ch'un should move into +the Cho Chin two-storied building; that T'an Ch'un should put up in the +Ch'iu Yen library; that Hsi Ch'un should take up her quarters in the +Liao Feng house; that widow Li should live in the Tao Hsiang village, +and that Pao-yü was to live in the I Hung court. That at every place two +old nurses should be added and four servant-girls; that exclusive of the +nurse and personal waiting-maid of each, there should, in addition, be +servants, whose special duties should be to put things straight and to +sweep the place; and that on the 22nd, they should all, in a body, move +into the garden." + +When this season drew near, the interior of the grounds, with the +flowers waving like embroidered sashes, and the willows fanned by the +fragrant breeze, was no more as desolate and silent as it had been in +previous days; but without indulging in any further irrelevant details, +we shall now go back to Pao-yü. + +Ever since he shifted his quarters into the park, his heart was full of +joy, and his mind of contentment, fostering none of those extraordinary +ideas, whose tendency could be to give birth to longings and hankerings. +Day after day, he simply indulged, in the company of his female cousins +and the waiting-maids, in either reading his books, or writing +characters, or in thrumming the lute, playing chess, drawing pictures +and scanning verses, even in drawing patterns of argus pheasants, in +embroidering phoenixes, contesting with them in searching for strange +plants, and gathering flowers, in humming poetry with gentle tone, +singing ballads with soft voice, dissecting characters, and in playing +at mora, so that, being free to go everywhere and anywhere, he was of +course completely happy. From his pen emanate four ballads on the times +of the four seasons, which, although they could not be looked upon as +first-rate, afford anyhow a correct idea of his sentiments, and a true +account of the scenery. + +The ballad on the spring night runs as follows: + + The silken curtains, thin as russet silk, at random are spread out. + The croak of frogs from the adjoining lane but faintly strikes the + ear. + The pillow a slight chill pervades, for rain outside the window falls. + The landscape, which now meets the eye, is like that seen in dreams by + man. + In plenteous streams the candles' tears do drop, but for whom do they + weep? + Each particle of grief felt by the flowers is due to anger against me. + It's all because the maids have by indulgence indolent been made. + The cover over me I'll pull, as I am loth to laugh and talk for long. + +This is the description of the aspect of nature on a summer night: + + The beauteous girl, weary of needlework, quiet is plunged in a long + dream. + The parrot in the golden cage doth shout that it is time the tea to + brew. + The lustrous windows with the musky moon like open palace-mirrors + look; + The room abounds with fumes of sandalwood and all kinds of imperial + scents. + From the cups made of amber is poured out the slippery dew from the + lotus. + The banisters of glass, the cool zephyr enjoy flapped by the willow + trees. + In the stream-spanning kiosk, the curtains everywhere all at one time + do wave. + In the vermilion tower the blinds the maidens roll, for they have made + the night's toilette. + +The landscape of an autumnal evening is thus depicted: + + In the interior of the Chiang Yün house are hushed all clamorous din + and noise. + The sheen, which from Selene flows, pervades the windows of carnation + gauze. + The moss-locked, streaked rocks shelter afford to the cranes, plunged + in sleep. + The dew, blown on the t'ung tree by the well, doth wet the roosting + rooks. + Wrapped in a quilt, the maid comes the gold phoenix coverlet to + spread. + The girl, who on the rails did lean, on her return drops the + kingfisher flowers! + This quiet night his eyes in sleep he cannot close, as he doth long + for wine. + The smoke is stifled, and the fire restirred, when tea is ordered to + be brewed. + +The picture of a winter night is in this strain: + + The sleep of the plum trees, the dream of the bamboos the third watch + have already reached. + Under the embroidered quilt and the kingfisher coverlet one can't + sleep for the cold. + The shadow of fir trees pervades the court, but cranes are all that + meet the eye. + Both far and wide the pear blossom covers the ground, but yet the hawk + cannot be heard. + The wish, verses to write, fostered by the damsel with the green + sleeves, has waxéd cold. + The master, with the gold sable pelisse, cannot endure much wine. + But yet he doth rejoice that his attendant knows the way to brew the + tea. + The newly-fallen snow is swept what time for tea the water must be + boiled. + +But putting aside Pao-yü, as he leisurely was occupied in scanning some +verses, we will now allude to all these ballads. There lived, at that +time, a class of people, whose wont was to servilely court the +influential and wealthy, and who, upon perceiving that the verses were +composed by a young lad of the Jung Kuo mansion, of only twelve or +thirteen years of age, had copies made, and taking them outside sang +their praise far and wide. There were besides another sort of +light-headed young men, whose heart was so set upon licentious and +seductive lines, that they even inscribed them on fans and screen-walls, +and time and again kept on humming them and extolling them. And to the +above reasons must therefore be ascribed the fact that persons came in +search of stanzas and in quest of manuscripts, to apply for sketches and +to beg for poetical compositions, to the increasing satisfaction of +Pao-yü, who day after day, when at home, devoted his time and attention +to these extraneous matters. But who would have anticipated that he +could ever in his quiet seclusion have become a prey to a spirit of +restlessness? Of a sudden, one day he began to feel discontent, finding +fault with this and turning up his nose at that; and going in and coming +out he was simply full of ennui. And as all the girls in the garden were +just in the prime of youth, and at a time of life when, artless and +unaffected, they sat and reclined without regard to retirement, and +disported themselves and joked without heed, how could they ever have +come to read the secrets which at this time occupied a place in the +heart of Pao-yü? But so unhappy was Pao-yü within himself that he soon +felt loth to stay in the garden, and took to gadding about outside like +an evil spirit; but he behaved also the while in an idiotic manner. + +Ming Yen, upon seeing him go on in this way, felt prompted, with the +idea of affording his mind some distraction, to think of this and to +devise that expedient; but everything had been indulged in with surfeit +by Pao-yü, and there was only this resource, (that suggested itself to +him,) of which Pao-yü had not as yet had any experience. Bringing his +reflections to a close, he forthwith came over to a bookshop, and +selecting novels, both of old and of the present age, traditions +intended for outside circulation on Fei Yen, Ho Te, Wu Tse-t'ien, and +Yang Kuei-fei, as well as books of light literature consisting of +strange legends, he purchased a good number of them with the express +purpose of enticing Pao-yü to read them. As soon as Pao-yü caught sight +of them, he felt as if he had obtained some gem or jewel. "But you +mustn't," Ming Yen went on to enjoin him, "take them into the garden; +for if any one were to come to know anything about them, I shall then +suffer more than I can bear; and you should, when you go along, hide +them in your clothes!" + +But would Pao-yü agree to not introducing them into the garden? So after +much wavering, he picked out only several volumes of those whose style +was more refined, and took them in, and threw them over the top of his +bed for him to peruse when no one was present; while those coarse and +very indecent ones, he concealed in a bundle in the outer library. + +On one day, which happened to be the middle decade of the third moon, +Pao-yü, after breakfast, took a book, the "Hui Chen Chi," in his hand +and walked as far as the bridge of the Hsin Fang lock. Seating himself +on a block of rock, that lay under the peach trees in that quarter, he +opened the Hui Chen Chi and began to read it carefully from the +beginning. But just as he came to the passage: "the falling red +(flowers) have formed a heap," he felt a gust of wind blow through the +trees, bringing down a whole bushel of peach blossoms; and, as they +fell, his whole person, the entire surface of the book as well as a +large extent of ground were simply bestrewn with petals of the blossoms. +Pao-yü was bent upon shaking them down; but as he feared lest they +should be trodden under foot, he felt constrained to carry the petals in +his coat and walk to the bank of the pond and throw them into the +stream. The petals floated on the surface of the water, and, after +whirling and swaying here and there, they at length ran out by the Hsin +Fang lock. But, on his return under the tree, he found the ground again +one mass of petals, and Pao-yü was just hesitating what to do, when he +heard some one behind his back inquire, "What are you up to here?" and +as soon as Pao-yü turned his head round, he discovered that it was Lin +Tai-yü, who had come over carrying on her shoulder a hoe for raking +flowers, that on this hoe was suspended a gauze-bag, and that in her +hand she held a broom. + +"That's right, well done!" Pao-yü remarked smiling; "come and sweep +these flowers, and throw them into the water yonder. I've just thrown a +lot in there myself!" + +"It isn't right," Lin Tai-yü rejoined, "to throw them into the water. +The water, which you see, is clean enough here, but as soon as it finds +its way out, where are situated other people's grounds, what isn't there +in it? so that you would be misusing these flowers just as much as if +you left them here! But in that corner, I have dug a hole for flowers, +and I'll now sweep these and put them into this gauze-bag and bury them +in there; and, in course of many days, they will also become converted +into earth, and won't this be a clean way (of disposing of them)?" + +Pao-yü, after listening to these words, felt inexpressibly delighted. +"Wait!" he smiled, "until I put down my book, and I'll help you to clear +them up!" + +"What's the book?" Tai-yü inquired. + +Pao-yü at this question was so taken aback that he had no time to +conceal it. "It's," he replied hastily, "the Chung Yung and the Ta +Hsüeh!" + +"Are you going again to play the fool with me? Be quick and give it to +me to see; and this will be ever so much better a way!" + +"Cousin," Pao-yü replied, "as far as you yourself are concerned I don't +mind you, but after you've seen it, please don't tell any one else. It's +really written in beautiful style; and were you to once begin reading +it, why even for your very rice you wouldn't have a thought?" + +As he spoke, he handed it to her; and Tai-yü deposited all the flowers +on the ground, took over the book, and read it from the very first page; +and the more she perused it, she got so much the more fascinated by it, +that in no time she had finished reading sixteen whole chapters. But +aroused as she was to a state of rapture by the diction, what remained +even of the fascination was enough to overpower her senses; and though +she had finished reading, she nevertheless continued in a state of +abstraction, and still kept on gently recalling the text to mind, and +humming it to herself. + +"Cousin, tell me is it nice or not?" Pao-yü grinned. + +"It is indeed full of zest!" Lin Tai-yü replied exultingly. + +"I'm that very sad and very sickly person," Pao-yü explained laughing, +"while you are that beauty who could subvert the empire and overthrow +the city." + +Lin Tai-yü became, at these words, unconsciously crimson all over her +cheeks, even up to her very ears; and raising, at the same moment, her +two eyebrows, which seemed to knit and yet not to knit, and opening wide +those eyes, which seemed to stare and yet not to stare, while her +peach-like cheeks bore an angry look and on her thin-skinned face lurked +displeasure, she pointed at Pao-yü and exclaimed: "You do deserve death, +for the rubbish you talk! without any provocation you bring up these +licentious expressions and wanton ballads to give vent to all this +insolent rot, in order to insult me; but I'll go and tell uncle and +aunt." + +As soon as she pronounced the two words "insult me," her eyeballs at +once were suffused with purple, and turning herself round she there and +then walked away; which filled Pao-yü with so much distress that he +jumped forward to impede her progress, as he pleaded: "My dear cousin, I +earnestly entreat you to spare me this time! I've indeed said what I +shouldn't; but if I had any intention to insult you, I'll throw myself +to-morrow into the pond, and let the scabby-headed turtle eat me up, so +that I become transformed into a large tortoise. And when you shall have +by and by become the consort of an officer of the first degree, and you +shall have fallen ill from old age and returned to the west, I'll come +to your tomb and bear your stone tablet for ever on my back!" + +As he uttered these words, Lin Tai-yü burst out laughing with a sound of +"pu ch'ih," and rubbing her eyes, she sneeringly remarked: "I too can +come out with this same tune; but will you now still go on talking +nonsense? Pshaw! you're, in very truth, like a spear-head, (which looks) +like silver, (but is really soft as) wax!" + +"Go on, go on!" Pao-yü smiled after this remark; "and what you've said, +I too will go and tell!" + +"You maintain," Lin Tai-yü rejoined sarcastically, "that after glancing +at anything you're able to recite it; and do you mean to say that I +can't even do so much as take in ten lines with one gaze?" + +Pao-yü smiled and put his book away, urging: "Let's do what's right and +proper, and at once take the flowers and bury them; and don't let us +allude to these things!" + +Forthwith the two of them gathered the fallen blossoms; but no sooner +had they interred them properly than they espied Hsi Jen coming, who +went on to observe: "Where haven't I looked for you? What! have you +found your way as far as this! But our senior master, Mr. Chia She, over +there isn't well; and the young ladies have all gone over to pay their +respects, and our old lady has asked that you should be sent over; so go +back at once and change your clothes!" + +When Pao-yü heard what she said, he hastily picked up his books, and +saying good bye to Tai-yü, he came along with Hsi Jen, back into his +room, where we will leave him to effect the necessary change in his +costume. But during this while, Lin Tai-yü was, after having seen Pao-yü +walk away, and heard that all her cousins were likewise not in their +rooms, wending her way back alone, in a dull and dejected mood, towards +her apartment, when upon reaching the outside corner of the wall of the +Pear Fragrance court, she caught, issuing from inside the walls, the +harmonious strains of the fife and the melodious modulations of voices +singing. Lin Tai-yü readily knew that it was the twelve singing-girls +rehearsing a play; and though she did not give her mind to go and +listen, yet a couple of lines were of a sudden blown into her ears, and +with such clearness, that even one word did not escape. Their burden was +this: + + These troth are beauteous purple and fine carmine flowers, which in + this way all round do bloom, + And all together lie ensconced along the broken well, and the + dilapidated wall! + +But the moment Lin Tai-yü heard these lines, she was, in fact, so +intensely affected and agitated that she at once halted and lending an +ear listened attentively to what they went on to sing, which ran thus: + + A glorious day this is, and pretty scene, but sad I feel at heart! + Contentment and pleasure are to be found in whose family courts? + +After overhearing these two lines, she unconsciously nodded her head, +and sighed, and mused in her own mind. "Really," she thought, "there is +fine diction even in plays! but unfortunately what men in this world +simply know is to see a play, and they don't seem to be able to enjoy +the beauties contained in them." + +At the conclusion of this train of thought, she experienced again a +sting of regret, (as she fancied) she should not have given way to such +idle thoughts and missed attending to the ballads; but when she once +more came to listen, the song, by some coincidence, went on thus: + + It's all because thy loveliness is like a flower and like the comely + spring, + That years roll swiftly by just like a running stream. + +When this couplet struck Tai-yu's ear, her heart felt suddenly a prey to +excitement and her soul to emotion; and upon further hearing the words: + + Alone you sit in the secluded inner rooms to self-compassion giving + way. + +--and other such lines, she became still more as if inebriated, and like +as if out of her head, and unable to stand on her feet, she speedily +stooped her body, and, taking a seat on a block of stone, she minutely +pondered over the rich beauty of the eight characters: + + It's all because thy loveliness is like a flower and like the comely + spring, + That years roll swiftly by just like a running stream. + +Of a sudden, she likewise bethought herself of the line: + + Water flows away and flowers decay, for both no feelings have. + +--which she had read some days back in a poem of an ancient writer, and +also of the passage: + + When on the running stream the flowers do fall, spring then is past + and gone; + +--and of: + + Heaven (differs from) the human race, + +--which also appeared in that work; and besides these, the lines, which +she had a short while back read in the Hsi Hiang Chi: + + The flowers, lo, fall, and on their course the waters red do flow! + Petty misfortunes of ten thousand kinds (my heart assail!) + +both simultaneously flashed through her memory; and, collating them all +together, she meditated on them minutely, until suddenly her heart was +stricken with pain and her soul fleeted away, while from her eyes +trickled down drops of tears. But while nothing could dispel her present +state of mind, she unexpectedly realised that some one from behind gave +her a tap; and, turning her head round to look, she found that it was a +young girl; but who it was, the next chapter will make known. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + + The drunken Chin Kang makes light of lucre and shows a preference for + generosity. + The foolish girl mislays her handkerchief and arouses mutual thoughts. + + + +But to return to our narrative. Lin Tai-yü's sentimental reflections +were the while reeling and ravelling in an intricate maze, when +unexpectedly some one from behind gave her a tap, saying: "What are you +up to all alone here?" which took Lin Tai-yu so much by surprise that +she gave a start, and turning her head round to look and noticing that +it was Hsiang Ling and no one else; "You stupid girl!" Lin Tai-yü +replied, "you've given me such a fright! But where do you come from at +this time?" + +Hsiang Ling giggled and smirked. "I've come," she added, "in search of +our young lady, but I can't find her anywhere. But your Tzu Chuan is +also looking after you; and she says that lady Secunda has sent a +present to you of some tea. But you had better go back home and sit +down." + +As she spoke, she took Tai-yü by the hand, and they came along back to +the Hsiao Hsiang Kuan; where lady Feng had indeed sent her two small +catties of a new season tea, of superior quality. But Lin Tai-yü sat +down, in company with Hsiang Ling, and began to converse on the merits +of this tapestry and the fineness of that embroidery; and after they had +also had a game at chess, and read a few sentences out of a book, Hsiang +Ling took her departure. But we need not speak of either of them, but +return now to Pao-yü. Having been found, and brought back home, by Hsi +Jen, he discovered Yuan Yang reclining on the bed, in the act of +examining Hsi Jen's needlework; but when she perceived Pao-yü arrive, +she forthwith remarked: "Where have you been? her venerable ladyship is +waiting for you to tell you to go over and pay your obeisance to our +Senior master, and don't you still make haste to go and change your +clothes and be off!" + +Hsi Jen at once walked into the room to fetch his clothes, and Pao-yü +sat on the edge of the bed, and pushed his shoes off with his toes; and, +while waiting for his boots to put them on, he turned round and +perceiving that Yüan Yang, who was clad in a light red silk jacket and a +green satin waistcoat, and girdled with a white crepe sash, had her face +turned the other way, and her head lowered giving her attention to the +criticism of the needlework, while round her neck she wore a collar with +embroidery, Pao-yü readily pressed his face against the nape of her +neck, and as he sniffed the perfume about it, he did not stay his hand +from stroking her neck, which in whiteness and smoothness was not below +that of Hsi Jen; and as he approached her, "My dear girl," he said +smiling and with a drivelling face, "do let me lick the cosmetic off +your mouth!" clinging to her person, as he uttered these words, like +twisted sweetmeat. + +"Hsi Jen!" cried Yüan Yang at once, "come out and see! You've been with +him a whole lifetime, and don't you give him any advice; but let him +still behave in this fashion!" Whereupon, Hsi Jen walked out, clasping +the clothes, and turning to Pao-yü, she observed, "I advise you in this +way and it's no good, I advise you in that way and you don't mend; and +what do you mean to do after all? But if you again behave like this, it +will then, in fact, be impossible for me to live any longer in this +place!" + +As she tendered these words of counsel, she urged him to put his clothes +on, and, after he had changed, he betook himself, along with Yuan Yang, +to the front part of the mansion, and bade good-bye to dowager lady +Chia; after which he went outside, where the attendants and horses were +all in readiness; but when he was about to mount his steed, he perceived +Chia Lien back from his visit and in the act of dismounting; and as the +two of them stood face to face, and mutually exchanged some inquiries, +they saw some one come round from the side, and say: "My respects to +you, uncle Pao-yü!" + +When Pao-yü came to look at him, he noticed that this person had an +oblong face, that his body was tall and lanky, that his age was only +eighteen or nineteen, and that he possessed, in real truth, an air of +refinement and elegance; but though his features were, after all, +exceedingly familiar, he could not recall to mind to what branch of the +family he belonged, and what his name was. + +"What are you staring vacantly for?" Chia Lien inquired laughing. + +"Don't you even recognise him? He's Yün Erh, the son of our fifth +sister-in-law, who lives in the back court!" + +"Of course!" Pao-yü assented complacently. "How is it that I had +forgotten just now!" And having gone on to ask how his mother was, and +what work he had to do at present; "I've come in search of uncle +Secundus, to tell him something," Chia Yün replied, as he pointed at +Chia Lien. + +"You've really improved vastly from what you were before," added Pao-yü +smiling; "you verily look just is if you were my son!" + +"How very barefaced!" Chia Lien exclaimed as he burst out laughing; +"here's a person four or five years your senior to be made your son!" + +"How far are you in your teens this year?" Pao-yü inquired with a smile. + +"Eighteen!" Chia Yün rejoined. + +This Chia Yün was, in real deed, sharp and quick-witted; and when he +heard Pao-yü remark that he looked like his son, he readily gave a +sarcastic smile and observed, "The proverb is true which says, 'the +grandfather is rocked in the cradle while the grandson leans on a +staff.' But though old enough in years, I'm nevertheless like a +mountain, which, in spite of its height, cannot screen the sun from +view. Besides, since my father's death, I've had no one to look after +me, and were you, uncle Pao, not to disdain your doltish nephew, and to +acknowledge me as your son, it would be your nephew's good fortune!" + +"Have you heard what he said?" Chia Lien interposed cynically. "But to +acknowledge him as a son is no easy question to settle!" and with these +words, he walked in; whereupon Pao-yü smilingly said: "To-morrow when +you have nothing to do, just come and look me up; but don't go and play +any devilish pranks with them! I've just now no leisure, so come +to-morrow, into the library, where I'll have a chat with you for a whole +day, and take you into the garden for some fun!" + +With this remark still on his lips, he laid hold of the saddle and +mounted his horse; and, followed by the whole bevy of pages, he crossed +over to Chia She's on this side; where having discovered that Chia She +had nothing more the matter with him than a chill which he had suddenly +contracted, he commenced by delivering dowager lady Chia's message, and +next paid his own obeisance. Chia She, at first, stood up and made +suitable answer to her venerable ladyship's inquiries, and then calling +a servant, "Take the gentleman," he said, "into my lady's apartment to +sit down." + +Pao-yü withdrew out of the room, and came by the back to the upper +apartment; and as soon as madame Hsing caught sight of him, she, before +everything else, rose to her feet and asked after old lady Chia's +health; after which, Pao-yü made his own salutation, and madame Hsing +drew him on to the stove-couch, where she induced him to take a seat, +and eventually inquired after the other inmates, and also gave orders to +serve the tea. But scarcely had they had tea, before they perceived Chia +Tsung come in to pay his respects to Pao-yü. + +"Where could one find such a living monkey as this!" madame Hsing +remarked; "is that nurse of yours dead and gone that she doesn't even +keep you clean and tidy, and that she lets you go about with those +eyebrows of yours so black and that mouth so filthy! you scarcely look +like the child of a great family of scholars." + +While she spoke, she perceived both Chia Huan and Chia Lan, one of whom +was a young uncle and the other his nephew, also advance and present +their compliments, and madame Hsing bade the two of them sit down on the +chairs. But when Chia Huan noticed that Pao-yü sat on the same rug with +madame Hsing, and that her ladyship was further caressing and petting +him in every possible manner, he soon felt so very unhappy at heart, +that, after sitting for a short time, he forthwith made a sign to Chia +Lan that he would like to go; and as Chia Lan could not but humour him, +they both got up together to take their leave. But when Pao-yü perceived +them rise, he too felt a wish to go back along with them, but madame +Hsing remarked smilingly, "You had better sit a while as I've something +more to tell you," so that Pao-yü had no alternative but to stay. "When +you get back," madame Hsing added, addressing the other two, "present, +each one of you, my regards to your respective mothers. The young +ladies, your cousins, are all here making such a row that my head is +dazed, so that I won't to-day keep you to have your repast here." To +which Chia Huan and Chia Lan assented and quickly walked out. + +"If it be really the case that all my cousins have come over," Pao-yü +ventured with a smirk, "how is it that I don't see them?" + +"After sitting here for a while," madame Hsing explained, "they all went +at the back; but in what rooms they have gone, I don't know." + +"My senior aunt, you said you had something to tell me, Pao-yü observed; +what's it, I wonder?" + +"What can there possibly be to tell you?" madame Hsing laughed; "it was +simply to make you wait and have your repast with the young ladies and +then go; but there's also a fine plaything that I'll give you to take +back to amuse yourself with." + +These two, the aunt and her nephew, were going on with their colloquy +when, much to their surprise, it was time for dinner and the young +ladies were all invited to come. The tables and chairs were put in their +places, and the cups and plates were arranged in proper order; and, +after the mother, her daughter and the cousins had finished their meal, +Pao-yü bade good-bye to Chia She and returned home in company with all +the young ladies; and when they had said good-night to dowager lady +Chia, madame Wang and the others, they each went back into their rooms +and retired to rest; where we shall leave them without any further +comment and speak of Chia Yün's visit to the mansion. As soon as he saw +Chia Lien, he inquired what business it was that had turned up, and Chia +Lien consequently explained: "The other day something did actually +present itself, but as it happened that your aunt had again and again +entreated me, I gave it to Chia Ch'in; as she promised me that there +would be by and by in the garden several other spots where flowers and +trees would be planted; and that when this job did occur, she would, for +a certainty, give it to you and finish!" + +Chia Yün, upon hearing these words, suggested after a short pause; "If +that be so, there's nothing for me to do than to wait; but, uncle, you +too mustn't make any allusion beforehand in the presence of aunt to my +having come to-day to make any inquiries; for there will really be ample +time to speak to her when the job turns up!" + +"Why should I allude to it?" Chia Lien rejoined. "Have I forsooth got +all this leisure to talk of irrelevant matters! But to-morrow, besides, +I've got to go as far as Hsing Yi for a turn, and it's absolutely +necessary that I should hurriedly come back the very same day; so off +with you now and go and wait; and the day after to-morrow, after the +watch has been set, come and ask for news; but mind at any earlier hour, +I shan't have any leisure!" With these words, he hastily went at the +back to change his clothes. And from the time Chia Yun put his foot out +of the door of the Jung Kuo mansion, he was, the whole way homeward, +plunged in deep thought; but having bethought himself of some expedient, +he straightway wended his steps towards the house of his maternal uncle, +Pu Shih-jen. This Pu Shih-jen, it must be explained, kept, at the +present date, a shop for the sale of spices. He had just returned home +from his shop, and as soon as he noticed Chia Yun, he inquired of him +what business brought him there. + +"There's something," Chia Yun replied, "in which I would like to crave +your assistance, uncle; I'm in need of some baroos camphor and musk, so +please, uncle, give me on credit four ounces of each kind, and on the +festival of the eighth moon, I'll bring you the amount in full." + +Pu Shih-jen gave a sardonic smile. "Don't," he said, "again allude to +any such thing as selling on tick! Some time back a partner in our +establishment got several ounces of goods for his relatives on credit, +and up to this date the bill hasn't as yet been settled; the result +being that we've all had to make the amount good, so that we've entered +into an agreement that we should no more allow any one to obtain on tick +anything on behalf of either relative or friend, and that whoever acted +contrary to this resolution should be, at once, fined twenty taels, with +which to stand a treat. Besides, the stock of these articles is now +short, and were you also to come, with ready money to this our mean shop +to buy any, we wouldn't even have as much to give you. The best way +therefore is for you to go elsewhere. This is one side of the question; +for on the other, you can't have anything above-board in view; and were +you to obtain what you want as a loan you would again go and play the +giddy dog! But you'll simply say that on every occasion your uncle sees +you, he avails himself of it to find fault with you, but a young fellow +like you doesn't know what's good and what is bad; and you should, +besides, make up your mind to earn a few cash, wherewith to clothe and +feed yourself, so that, when I see you, I too may rejoice!" + +"What you, uncle, say," Chia Yun rejoined smiling, "is perfectly right; +the only thing is that at the time of my father's death, I was likewise +so young in years that I couldn't understand anything; but later on, I +heard my mother explain how that for everything, it was lucky that you, +after all, my uncles, went over to our house and devised the ways and +means, and managed the funeral; and is it likely you, uncle, aren't +aware of these things? Besides, have I forsooth had a single acre of +land or a couple of houses, the value of which I've run through as soon +as it came into my hands? An ingenious wife cannot make boiled rice +without raw rice; and what would you have me do? It's your good fortune +however that you've got to deal with one such as I am, for had it been +any one else barefaced and shameless, he would have come, twice every +three days, to worry you, uncle, by asking for two pints of rice and two +of beans, and you then, uncle, would have had no help for it." + +"My dear child," Pu Shih-jen exclaimed, "had I anything that I could +call my own, your uncle as I am, wouldn't I feel bound to do something +for you? I've day after day mentioned to your aunt that the misfortune +was that you had no resources. But should you ever succeed in making up +your mind, you should go into that mighty household of yours, and when +the gentlemen aren't looking, forthwith pocket your pride and hobnob +with those managers, or possibly with the butlers, as you may, even +through them, be able to get some charge or other! The other day, when I +was out of town, I came across that old Quartus of the third branch of +the family, astride of a tall donkey, at the head of four or five +carriages, in which were about forty to fifty bonzes and Taoist priests +on their way to the family fane, and that man can't lack brains, for +such a charge to have fallen to his share!" + +Chia Yün, upon hearing these words, indulged in a long and revolting +rigmarole, and then got up to take his leave. + +"What are you in such a hurry for?" Pu Shih-jen remarked. "Have your +meal and then go!" + +But this remark was scarcely ended when they heard his wife say: "Are +you again in the clouds? When I heard that there was no rice, I bought +half a catty of dry rice paste, and brought it here for you to eat; and +do you pray now still put on the airs of a well-to-do, and keep your +nephew to feel the pangs of hunger?" + +"Well, then, buy half a catty more, and add to what there is, that's +all," Pu Shih-jen continued; whereupon her mother explained to her +daughter, Yin Chieh, "Go over to Mrs. Wang's opposite, and ask her if +she has any cash, to lend us twenty or thirty of them; and to-morrow, +when they're brought over, we'll repay her." + +But while the husband and wife were carrying on this conversation, Chia +Yün had, at an early period, repeated several times: "There's no need to +go to this trouble," and off he went, leaving no trace or shadow behind. +But without passing any further remarks on the husband and wife of the +Pu family, we will now confine ourselves to Chia Yün. Having gone in +high dudgeon out of the door of his uncle's house, he started straight +on his way back home; but while distressed in mind, and preoccupied with +his thoughts, he paced on with drooping head, he unexpectedly came into +collision with a drunken fellow, who gripped Chia Yün, and began to +abuse him, crying: "Are your eyes gone blind, that you come bang against +me?" + +The tone of voice, when it reached Chia Yün ears, sounded like that of +some one with whom he was intimate; and, on careful scrutiny, he found, +in fact, that it was his next-door neighbour, Ni Erh. This Ni Erh was a +dissolute knave, whose only idea was to give out money at heavy rates of +interest and to have his meals in the gambling dens. His sole delight +was to drink and to fight. + +He was, at this very moment, coming back home from the house of a +creditor, whom he had dunned, and was already far gone with drink, so +that when, at an unforeseen moment, Chia Yün ran against him, he meant +there and then to start a scuffle with him. + +"Old Erh!" Chia Yün shouted, "stay your hand; it's I who have hustled +against you." + +As soon as Ni Erh heard the tone of his voice, he opened wide his +drunken eyes and gave him a look; and realising that it was Chia Yün, he +hastened to loosen his grasp and to remark with a smile, as he staggered +about, "Is it you indeed, master Chia Secundus? where were you off to +now?" + +"I couldn't tell you!" Chia Yün rejoined; "I've again brought +displeasure upon me, and all through no fault of mine." + +"Never mind!" urged Ni Erh, "if you're in any trouble you just tell me, +and I'll give vent to your spite for you; for in these three streets, +and six lanes, no matter who may give offence to any neighbours of mine, +of me, Ni Erh, the drunken Chin Kang, I'll wager that I compel that +man's family to disperse, and his home to break up!" + +"Old Ni, don't lose your temper," Chia Yün protested, "but listen and +let me tell you what happened!" After which, he went on to tell Ni Erh +the whole affair with Pu Shih-jen. As soon as Ni Erh heard him, he got +into a frightful rage; "Were he not," he shouted, a "relative of yours, +master Secundus, I would readily give him a bit of my mind! Really +resentment will stifle my breath! but never mind! you needn't however +distress yourself. I've got here a few taels ready at hand, which, if +you require, don't scruple to take; and from such good neighbours as you +are, I won't ask any interest upon this money." + +With this remark still on his lips, he produced from his pouch a bundle +of silver. + +"Ni Erh has, it is true, ever been a rogue," Chia Yün reflected in his +own mind, "but as he is regulated in his dealings by a due regard to +persons, he enjoys, to a great degree, the reputation of generosity; and +were I to-day not to accept this favour of his, he'll, I fear, be put to +shame; and it won't contrariwise be nice on my part! and isn't it better +that I should make use of his money, and by and by I can repay him +double, and things will be all right!" + +"Old Erh," he therefore observed aloud with a smile, "you're really a +fine fellow, and as you've shown me such eminent consideration, how can +I presume not to accept your offer! On my return home, I'll write the +customary I.O.U., and send it to you, and all will be in order." + +Ni Erh gave a broad grin. "It's only fifteen taels and three mace," he +answered, "and if you insist upon writing an I.O.U., I won't then lend +it to you!" + +Chia Yün at these words, took over the money, smiling the while. "I'll +readily," he retorted, "comply with your wishes and have done; for +what's the use of exasperating you!" + +"Well then that will be all right!" Ni Erh laughed; "but the day is +getting dark; and I shan't ask you to have a cup of tea or stand you a +drink, for I've some small things more to settle. As for me, I'm going +over there, but you, after all, should please wend your way homewards; +and I shall also request you to take a message for me to my people. Tell +them to close the doors and turn in, as I'm not returning home; and that +in the event of anything occurring, to bid our daughter come over +to-morrow, as soon as it is daylight, to short-legged Wang's house, the +horse-dealer's, in search of me!" And as he uttered this remark he +walked away, stumbling and hobbling along. But we will leave him without +further notice and allude to Chia Yün. + +He had, at quite an unexpected juncture, met this piece of luck, so that +his heart was, of course, delighted to the utmost degree. "This Ni Erh," +he mused, "is really a good enough sort of fellow, but what I dread is +that he may have been open-handed in his fit of drunkenness, and that he +mayn't, by and by, ask for his money to be paid twice over; and what +will I do then? Never mind," he suddenly went on to ponder, "when that +job has become an accomplished fact, I shall even have the means to pay +him back double the original amount." + +Prompted by this resolution, he came over to a money-shop, and when he +had the silver weighed, and no discrepancy was discovered in the weight, +he was still more elated at heart; and on his way back, he first and +foremost delivered Ni Erh's message to his wife, and then returned to +his own home, where he found his mother seated all alone on a +stove-couch spinning thread. As soon as she saw him enter, she inquired +where he had been the whole day long, in reply to which Chia Yün, +fearing lest his parent should be angry, forthwith made no allusion to +what transpired with Pu Shih-jen, but simply explained that he had been +in the western mansion, waiting for his uncle Secundus, Lien. This over, +he asked his mother whether she had had her meal or not, and his parent +said by way of reply: "I've had it, but I've kept something for you in +there," and calling to the servant-maid, she bade her bring it round, +and set it before him to eat. But as it was already dark, when the lamps +had to be lit, Chia Yün, after partaking of his meal, got ready and +turned in. + +Nothing of any notice transpired the whole night; but the next day, as +soon it was dawn, he got up, washed his face, and came to the main +street, outside the south gate, and purchasing some musk from a +perfumery shop, he, with rapid stride, entered the Jung Kuo mansion; and +having, as a result of his inquiries, found out that Chia Lien had gone +out of doors, Chia Yün readily betook himself to the back, in front of +the door of Chia Lien's court, where he saw several servant-lads, with +immense brooms in their hands, engaged in that place in sweeping the +court. But as he suddenly caught sight of Chou Jui's wife appear outside +the door, and call out to the young boys; "Don't sweep now, our lady is +coming out," Chia Yün eagerly walked up to her and inquired, with a face +beaming with smiles: "Where's aunt Secunda going to?" + +To this inquiry, Chou Jui's wife explained: "Our old lady has sent for +her, and I expect, it must be for her to cut some piece of cloth or +other." But while she yet spoke, they perceived a whole bevy of people, +pressing round lady Feng, as she egressed from the apartment. + +Chia Yün was perfectly aware that lady Feng took pleasure in flattery, +and delighted in display, so that hastily dropping his arms, he with all +reverence, thrust himself forward and paid his respects to her. But lady +Feng did not even so much as turn to look at him with straight eyes; but +continued, as hitherto, her way onwards, simply confining herself to +ascertaining whether his mother was all right, and adding: "How is it +that she doesn't come to our house for a stroll?" + +"The thing is," Chia Yün replied, "that she's not well: she, however, +often thinks fondly of you, aunt, and longs to see you; but as for +coming round, she's quite unable to do so." + +"You have, indeed, the knack of telling lies!" lady Feng laughed with +irony; "for hadn't I alluded to her, she would never have thought of +me!" + +"Isn't your nephew afraid," Chia Yün protested smilingly, "of being +blasted by lightning to have the audacity of telling lies in the +presence of an elder! Even so late as yesterday evening, she alluded to +you, aunt! 'Though naturally,' she said, 'of a weak constitution, you +had, however, plenty to attend to! that it's thanks to your supremely +eminent energies, aunt, that you're, after all, able to manage +everything in such a perfect manner; and that had you ever made the +slightest slip, there would have long ago crept up, goodness knows, what +troubles!'" + +As soon as lady Feng heard these words, her whole face beamed with +smiles, and she unconsciously halted her steps, while she proceeded to +ask: "How is it that, both your mother and yourself, tattle about me +behind my back, without rhyme or reason?" + +"There's a reason for it," Chia Yün observed, "which is simply this. +I've an excellent friend with considerable money of his own at home, who +recently kept a perfumery shop; but as he obtained, by purchase, the +rank of deputy sub-prefect, he was, the other day, selected for a post +in Yunnan, in some prefecture or other unknown to me; whither he has +gone together with his family. He even closed this shop of his, and +forthwith collecting all his wares, he gave away, what he could give +away, and what he had to sell at a discount, was sold at a loss; while +such valuable articles, as these, were all presented to relatives or +friends; and that's why it is that I came in for some baroos camphor and +musk. But I at the time, deliberated with my mother that to sell them +below their price would be a pity, and that if we wished to give them as +a present to any one, there was no one good enough to use such perfumes. +But remembering how you, aunt, had all along in years gone by, even to +this day, to spend large bundles of silver, in purchasing such articles, +and how, not to speak of this year with an imperial consort in the +Palace, what's even required for this dragon boat festival, will also +necessitate the addition of hundred times as much as the quantity of +previous years, I therefore present them to you, aunt, as a token of my +esteem!" + +With these words still on his lips, he simultaneously produced an +ornamented box, which he handed over to her. And as lady Feng was, at +this time, making preparations for presents for the occasion of the +dragon boat festival, for which perfumes were obligatory, she, with all +promptitude, directed Feng Erh: "Receive Mr. Yün's present and take it +home and hand it over to P'ing Erh. To one," she consequently added, +"who seems to me so full of discrimination, it isn't a wonder that your +uncle is repeatedly alluding, and that he speaks highly of you; how that +you talk with all intelligence and that you have experience stored up in +your mind." + +Chia Yün upon hearing this propitious language, hastily drew near one +step, and designedly asked: "Does really uncle often refer to me?" + +The moment lady Feng caught this question, she was at once inclined to +tell him all about the charge to be entrusted to him, but on second +thought, she again felt apprehensive lest she should be looked lightly +upon by him, by simply insinuating that she had promptly and needlessly +promised him something to do, so soon as she got a little scented ware; +and this consideration urged her to once more restrain her tongue, so +that she never made the slightest reference even to so much as one word +about his having been chosen to look after the works of planting the +flowers and trees. And after confining herself to making the first few +irrelevant remarks which came to her lips, she hastily betook herself +into dowager lady Chia's apartments. + +Chia Yün himself did not feel as if he could very well advert to the +subject, with the result that he had no alternative but to retrace his +steps homewards. But as when he had seen Pao-yü the previous day, he had +asked him to go into the outer library and wait for him, he therefore +finished his meal and then once again entered the mansion and came over +into the I Hsia study, situated outside the ceremonial gate, over at old +lady Chia's part of the compound, where he discovered the two lads Ming +Yen, whose name had been changed into Pei Ming, and Chu Yo playing at +chess, and just arguing about the capture of a castle; and besides them, +Yin Ch'uan, Sao Hua, T'iao Yün, Pan Ho, these four or five of them, up +to larks, stealing the young birds from the nests under the eaves of the +house. + +As soon as Chia Yün entered the court, he stamped his foot and shouted, +"The monkeys are up to mischief! Here I am, I've come;" and when the +company of servant-boys perceived him, they one and all promptly +dispersed; while Chia Yün walked into the library, and seating himself +at once in a chair, he inquired, "Has your master Secundus, Mr. Pao, +come down?" + +"He hasn't been down here at all to-day," Pei Ming replied, "but if you, +Mr. Secundus, have anything to tell him, I'll go and see what he's up to +for you." + +Saying this he there and then left the room; and Chia Yün meanwhile gave +himself to the inspection of the pictures and nicknacks. But some +considerable time elapsed, and yet he did not see him arrive; and +noticing besides that the other lads had all gone to romp, he was just +plunged in a state of despondency, when he heard outside the door a +voice cry out, with winning tone, and tender accents: "My elder +brother!" + +Chia Yün looked out, and saw that it was a servant-maid of fifteen or +sixteen, who was indeed extremely winsome and spruce. As soon however as +the maid caught a glimpse of Chia Yün, she speedily turned herself round +and withdrew out of sight. But, as luck would have it, it happened that +Pei Ming was coming along, and seeing the servant-maid in front of the +door, he observed: "Welcome, welcome! I was quite at a loss how to get +any news of Pao-yü." And as Chia Yün discerned Pei Ming, he hastily too, +ran out in pursuit of him, and ascertained what was up; whereupon Pei +Ming returned for answer: "I waited a whole day long, and not a single +soul came over; but this girl is attached to master Secundus' (Mr. +Pao's) rooms!" and, "My dear girl," he consequently went on to say, "go +in and take a message. Say that Mr. Secundus, who lives under the +portico, has come!" + +The servant-maid, upon hearing these words, knew at once that he was a +young gentleman belonging to the family in which she served, and she did +not skulk out of sight, as she had done in the first instance; but with +a gaze sufficient to kill, she fixed her two eyes upon Chia Yün, when +she heard Chia Yün interpose: "What about over the portico and under the +portico; you just tell him that Yün Erh is come, that's all." + +After a while this girl gave a sarcastic smile. "My idea is," she +ventured, "that you, master Secundus, should really, if it so please +you, go back, and come again to-morrow; and to-night, if I find time, +I'll just put in a word with him!" + +"What's this that you're driving at?" Pei Ming then shouted. + +And the maid rejoined: "He's not even had a siesta to-day, so that he'll +have his dinner at an early hour, and won't come down again in the +evening; and is it likely that you would have master Secundus wait here +and suffer hunger? and isn't it better than he should return home? The +right thing is that he should come to-morrow; for were even by and by +some one to turn up, who could take a message, that person would simply +acquiesce with the lips, but would he be willing to deliver the message +in for you?" + +Chia Yün, upon finding how concise and yet how well expressed this +girl's remarks had been, was bent upon inquiring what her name was; but +as she was a maid employed in Pao-yü's apartments, he did not therefore +feel justified in asking the question, and he had no other course but to +add, "What you say is quite right, I'll come to-morrow!" and as he +spoke, he there and then was making his way outside, when Pei Ming +remarked: "I'll go and pour a cup of tea; and master Secundus, have your +tea and then go." + +Chia Yün turned his head round, as he kept on his way, and said by way +of rejoinder: "I won't have any tea; for I've besides something more to +attend to!" and while with his lips he uttered these words, he, with his +eyes, stared at the servant-girl, who was still standing in there. + +Chia Yün wended his steps straightway home; and the next day, he came to +the front entrance, where, by a strange coincidence, he met lady Feng on +her way to the opposite side to pay her respects. She had just mounted +her carriage, but perceiving Chia Yün arrive, she eagerly bade a servant +stop him, and, with the window between them, she smiled and observed: +"Yün Erh, you're indeed bold in playing your pranks with me! I thought +it strange that you should give me presents; but the fact is you had a +favour to ask of me; and your uncle told me even yesterday that you had +appealed to him!" + +Chia Yün smiled. "Of my appeal to uncle, you needn't, aunt, make any +mention; for I'm at this moment full of regret at having made it. Had I +known, at an early hour, that things would have come to this pass, I +would, from the very first, have made my request to you, aunt; and by +this time everything would have been settled long ago! But who would +have anticipated that uncle was, after all, a man of no worth!" + +"Strange enough," lady Feng remarked sneeringly, "when you found that +you didn't succeed in that quarter, you came again yesterday in search +of me!" + +"Aunt, you do my filial heart an injustice," Chia Yün protested; "I +never had such a thought; had I entertained any such idea, wouldn't I, +aunt, have made my appeal to you yesterday? But as you are now aware of +everything, I'll really put uncle on one side, and prefer my request to +you; for circumstances compel me to entreat you, aunt, to be so good as +to show me some little consideration!" + +Lady Feng laughed sardonically. "You people will choose the long road to +follow and put me also in a dilemma! Had you told me just one word at an +early hour, what couldn't have been brought about? an affair of state +indeed to be delayed up to this moment! In the garden, there are to be +more trees planted and flowers laid down, and I couldn't think of any +person that I could have recommended, and had you spoken before this, +wouldn't the whole question have been settled soon enough?" + +"Well, in that case, aunt," ventured Chia Yün with a smile, "you had +better depute me to-morrow, and have done!" + +"This job," continued lady Feng after a pause, "is not, my impression +is, very profitable; and if you were to wait till the first moon of next +year, when the fireworks, lanterns, and candles will have to be +purveyed, I'll depute you as soon as those extensive commissions turn +up." + +"My dear aunt," pleaded Chia Yün, "first appoint me to this one, and if +I do really manage this satisfactorily, you can then commission me with +that other!" + +"You know in truth how to draw a long thread," lady Feng observed +laughing. "But hadn't it been that your uncle had spoken to me on your +account, I wouldn't have concerned myself about you. But as I shall +cross over here soon after the repast, you had better come at eleven +a.m., and fetch the money, for you to enter into the garden the day +after to-morrow, and have the flowers planted!" + +As she said this, she gave orders to drive the "scented" carriage, and +went on her way by the quickest cut; while Chia Yün, who was +irrepressibly delighted, betook himself into the I Hsia study, and +inquired after Pao-yü. But, who would have thought it, Pao-yü had, at an +early hour, gone to the mansion of the Prince of Pei Ching, so that Chia +Yün had to sit in a listless mood till noon; and when he found out that +lady Feng had returned, he speedily wrote an acknowledgment and came to +receive the warrant. On his arrival outside the court, he commissioned a +servant to announce him, and Ts'ai Ming thereupon walked out, and merely +asking for the receipt, went in, and, after filling in the amount, the +year and moon, he handed it over to Chia Yün together with the warrant. +Chia Yün received them from him, and as the entry consisted of two +hundred taels, his heart was full of exultant joy; and turning round, he +hurried to the treasury, where after he had taken over the amount in +silver, he returned home and laid the case before his mother, and +needless to say, that both the parent and her son were in high spirits. +The next day, at the fifth watch, Chia Yun first came in search of Ni +Erh, to whom he repaid the money, and then taking fifty taels along with +him, he sped outside the western gate to the house of Fang Ch'un, a +gardener, to purchase trees, where we will leave him without saying +anything more about him. + +We will now resume our story with Pao-yü. The day on which he +encountered Chia Yün, he asked him to come in on the morrow and have a +chat with him, but this invitation was practically the mere formal talk +of a rich and well-to-do young man, and was not likely to be so much as +borne in mind; and so it was that it readily slipped from his memory. On +the evening of the day, however, on which he returned home from the +mansion of the Prince Pei Ching, he came, after paying his salutations +to dowager lady Chia, madame Wang, and the other inmates, back into the +garden; but upon divesting himself of all his fineries, he was just +about to have his bath, when, as Hsi Jen had, at the invitation of Hsüeh +Pao-ch'ai, crossed over to tie a few knotted buttons, as Ch'in Wen and +Pi Hen had both gone to hurry the servants to bring the water, as T'an +Yun had likewise been taken home, on account of her mother's illness, +and She Yueh, on the other hand, was at present ailing in her quarters, +while the several waiting-maids, who were in there besides to attend to +the dirty work, and answer the calls, had, surmising that he would not +requisition their services, one and all gone out in search of their +friends and in quest of their companions, it occurred, contrary to their +calculations, that Pao-yü remained this whole length of time quite alone +in his apartments; and as it so happened that Pao-yü wanted tea to +drink, he had to call two or three times before he at last saw three old +matrons walk in. But at the sight of them, Pao-yü hastily waved his hand +and exclaimed: "No matter, no matter; I don't want you," whereupon the +matrons had no help but to withdraw out of the rooms; and as Pao-yü +perceived that there were no waiting-maids at hand, he had to come down +and take a cup and go up to the teapot to pour the tea; when he heard +some one from behind him observe: "Master Secundus, beware, you'll +scorch your hand; wait until I come to pour it!" And as she spoke, she +walked up to him, and took the cup from his grasp, to the intense +surprise, in fact, of Pao-yü, who inquired: "Where were you that you +have suddenly come to give me a start?" + +The waiting-maid smiled as she handed him the tea. "I was in the back +court," she replied, "and just came in from the back door of the inner +rooms; and is it likely that you didn't, sir, hear the sound of my +footsteps?" + +Pao-yü drank his tea, and as he simultaneously passed the servant-girl +under a minute inspection, he found that though she wore several +articles of clothing the worse for wear, she was, nevertheless, with +that head of beautiful hair, as black as the plumage of a raven, done up +in curls, her face so oblong, her figure so slim and elegant, indeed, +supremely beautiful, sweet, and spruce, and Pao-yü eagerly inquired: +"Are you also a girl attached to this room of mine?" + +"I am," rejoined that waiting-maid. + +"But since you belong to this room, how is it I don't know you?" Pao-yü +added. + +When the maid heard these words, she forced a laugh. "There are even +many," she explained, "that are strangers to you; and is it only myself? +I've never, before this, served tea, or handed water, or brought in +anything; nor have I attended to a single duty in your presence, so how +could you know me?" + +"But why don't you attend to any of those duties that would bring you to +my notice?" Pao-yü questioned. + +"I too," answered the maid, "find it as difficult to answer such a +question. There's however one thing that I must report to you, master +Secundus. Yesterday, some Mr. Yün Erh or other came to see you; but as I +thought you, sir, had no leisure, I speedily bade Pei Ming tell him to +come early to-day. But you unexpectedly went over again to the mansion +of the Prince of Pei Ching." + +When she had spoken as far as this, she caught sight of Ch'iu Wen and Pi +Hen enter the court, giggling and laughing; the two of them carrying +between them a bucket of water; and while raising their skirts with one +hand, they hobbled along, as the water spurted and plashed. The +waiting-maid hastily come out to meet them so as to relieve them of +their burden, but Ch'iu Wen and Pi Hen were in the act of standing face +to face and finding fault with each other; one saying, "You've wetted my +clothes," the other adding, "You've trod on my shoes," and upon, all of +a sudden, espying some one walk out to receive the water, and +discovering, when they came to see, that it was actually no one else +than Hsiao Hung, they were at once both so taken aback that, putting +down the bucket, they hurried into the room; and when they looked about +and saw that there was no other person inside besides Pao-yü they were +at once displeased. But as they were meanwhile compelled to get ready +the articles necessary for his bath, they waited until Pao-yü was about +to divest himself of his clothes, when the couple of them speedily +pulled the door to behind them, as they went out, and walked as far as +the room on the opposite side, in search of Hsiao Hung; of whom they +inquired: "What were you doing in his room a short while back?" + +"When was I ever in the room?" Hsiao Hung replied; "simply because I +lost sight of my handkerchief, I went to the back to try and find it, +when unexpectedly Mr. Secundus, who wanted tea, called for you sisters; +and as there wasn't one even of you there, I walked in and poured a cup +for him, and just at that very moment you sisters came back." + +"You barefaced, low-bred thing!" cried Ch'iu Wen, turning towards her +and spurting in her face. "It was our bounden duty to tell you to go and +hurry them for the water, but you simply maintained that you were busy +and made us go instead, in order to afford you an opportunity of +performing these wily tricks! and isn't this raising yourself up li by +li? But don't we forsooth, even so much as come up to you? and you just +take that looking-glass and see for yourself, whether you be fit to +serve tea and to hand water or not?" + +"To-morrow," continued Pi Hea, "I'll tell them that whenever there's +anything to do connected with his wanting tea, or asking for water, or +with fetching things for him, not one of us should budge, and that +_she_ alone should be allowed to go, and have done!" + +"If this be your suggestion," remarked Ch'iu Wen, "wouldn't it be still +better that we should all disperse, and let her reign supreme in this +room!" + +But while the two of them were up to this trouble, one saying one thing, +and another, another, they caught sight of two old nurses walk in to +deliver a message from lady Feng; who explained: "To-morrow, someone +will bring in gardeners to plant trees, and she bids you keep under more +rigorous restraint, and not sun your clothes and petticoats anywhere and +everywhere; nor air them about heedlessly; that the artificial hill +will, all along, be entirely shut in by screening curtains, and that you +mustn't he running about at random." + +"I wonder," interposed Ch'iu Wen with alacrity, "who it is that will +bring the workmen to-morrow, and supervise the works?" + +"Some one or other called Mr. Yün, living at the back portico," the old +woman observed. + +But Ch'iu Wen and Pi Hen were neither of them acquainted with him, and +they went on promiscuously asking further questions on his account, but +Hsiao Hung knew distinctly in her mind who it was, and was well aware +that it was the person whom she had seen, the previous day, in the outer +library. + +The surname of this Hsiao Hung had, in fact, been originally Lin, while +her infant name had been Hung Yü; but as the word Yü improperly +corresponded with the names of Pao-yü and Tai-yü, she was, in due +course, simply called Hsiao Hung. She was indeed an hereditary servant +of the mansion; and her father had latterly taken over the charge of all +matters connected with the farms and farmhouses in every locality. This +Hung-yü came, at the age of sixteen, into the mansion, to enter into +service, and was attached to the Hung Yuan, where in point of fact she +found both a quiet and pleasant home; and when contrary to all +expectation, the young ladies as well as Pao-yü, were subsequently +permitted to move their quarters into the garden of Broad Vista, it so +happened that this place was, moreover, fixed upon by Pao-yü. This Hsiao +Hung was, it is true, a girl without any experience, but as she could, +to a certain degree, boast of a pretty face, and as, in her own heart, +she recklessly fostered the idea of exalting herself to a higher +standard, she was ever ready to thrust herself in Pao-yü's way, with a +view to showing herself off. But attached to Pao-yü's personal service +were a lot of servants, all of whom were glib and specious, so that how +could she ever find an opportunity of thrusting herself forward? But +contrary to her anticipations, there turned up, eventually on this day, +some faint glimmer of hope, but as she again came in for a spell of +spiteful abuse from Ch'iu Wen and her companion, her expectations were +soon considerably frustrated, and she was just plunged in a melancholy +mood, when suddenly she heard the old nurse begin the conversation about +Chia Yün, which unconsciously so affected her heart that she hastily +returned, quite disconsolate, into her room, and lay herself down on her +bed, giving herself quietly to reflection. But while she was racking and +torturing her brain and at a moment when she was at a loss what decision +to grasp, her ear unexpectedly caught, emanating from outside the +window, a faint voice say: "Hsiao Hung, I've picked up your pocket +handkerchief in here!" and as soon as Hsiao Hung heard these words, she +walked out with hurried step and found that it was no one else than Chia +Yün in person; and as Hsiao Hung unwillingly felt her powdered face +suffused with brushes: "Where did you pick it up, Mr. Secundus?" she +asked. + +"Come over," Chia Yün smiled, "and I'll tell you!" And as he uttered +these words, he came up and drew her to him; but Hsiao Hung twisted +herself round and ran away; but was however tripped over by the step of +the door. + +Now, reader, do you want to know the sequel? If so the next chapter will +explain. + + + + +END OF BOOK I + + + + + + + ERRATA [as noted in the original book]. + + + Preface rhythm not rhymes + + Chap. I Page 7 Line 30 on _not_ in + " " " 13 " 11 _dele_ he + " II " 22 " 18 Yü-ts'un _not_ Y-tüs'un + " " " 22 " 25 dele _one_ the + " " " 30 " 14 imbued with _not_ by + " III " 50 " 33 rhythm _not_ rythm + " IV " 64 " 27 _dele_ as _and read:_ and his + widowed mother etc. + " " " 65 " 3 _dele_ in _and read_: while the + rest of his + " V " 80 " 23 monitory _not_ Monotony + " " " 87 " 21 fervour _not_ favour + " VI " 92 " 20 bonzes _not_ bonze + " " " 93 " 1 _Read_: Ai-ya, exclaimed old Goody; + It may very well be said that the + marquis' door etc. + " " " 99 " 4 _read_: à la Chao Chün + " VII " 114 " 13 Chia Jung _not_ Ch'ia Jung + " " " 119 " 10 steward _not_ setward + " IX " 140 " 10 whiff _not_ wiff + " " " 141 " 26 roll _not_ rollster + " X " 157 " 16 action _not_ actions + " XIII " 196 " 23 in the fear _not_ in fear + " XIV " 199 " 39 roll _not_ rollster + " XV " 215 " 23 preparations _not_ preparation + " XVI " 231 " 22 But these words _not_ But that these + words etc. + " " " 238 " 33 roll _not_ rollester + " XVIII " 270 " 11 _delete_ he + " " " 270 " 40 otter _not_ other + " " " 280 " 20 roll _not_ rollster + " XIX " 290 " 15 _supply_ 'the' _before_ milk + " XX " 304 " 39 _read_: lying down, and she felt etc. + " XXI " 321 " 35 though he was _not_ were + " " " 324 " 12 _supply_ 'with' _after_ fumbling + " XXIII " 331 " 32 _read_: a fancy to _not_ for + " " " 338 " 13 _supply_ 'himself' _after_ + laying + " XXIII " 349 " 38 him _not_ her + " " " 353 " 39 devotes his energies to _not_ upon + " " " 361 " 1 felt _not_ fell + " " " 371 " 21 lips _not_ slips + + + + ERRATA [additional ones caught during Project Gutenberg proofreading.] + + Chap. I Page 3 Line 23: mustn't _not_ must'nt + II " 29 " 33: tranquility _not_ tranquilty + III " 44 " 2: library _not_ litrary + III " 50 " 18: neck _not_ neek + III " 50 " 19: ornaments _not_ ormaments + V " 70 " 26: consistency _not_ consisteney + V " 73 " 13: "daughter, Shou Ch'ang" _not_ + "daughter. Shou Ch'ang" + V " 86 " 15: haven't _not_ have'nt + VI " 95 " 20: You've _not_ Youv'e + VI " 95 " 34: it's _not_ its + VI " 96 " 2: come _not_ came + VII " 114 " 14: Isn't _not_ Is'nt + VIII " 121 " 17: subsequently _not_ subequently + IX " 145 " 1: consternation _not_ conternation + X " 155 " 37: night's _not_ night't + XI " 167 " 28: Isn't _not_ Is'nt + XII " 179 " 1: insistence _not_ insistance + XII " 182 " 33: affectionate _not_ affectunate + XIII " 198 " 37: roll _not_ rollster + XIV " 203 " 22: Ts'ai's _not_ T'sai's + XIV " 206 " 1: exclaimed _not_ exclained + XV " 218 " 21: each _not_ eaeh + XVI " 226 " 34: pupil _not_ purpil + XVII " 249 " 35: intertwine _not_ interwine + XVII " 252 " 29: isn't _not_ is'nt + XVII " 255 " 15: and _not_ aud + XVII " 260 " 35: unexpectedly _not_ unexpectly + XVIII " 280 " 20: roll _not_ rollster + XX " 315 " 12: three)." _not_ three." + XXI " 329 " 31: Isn't _not_ Is'nt + XXII " 341 " 11: hasn't _not_ has'nt + XXII " 344 " 16: enjoy _not_ injoy + XXII " 346 " 6: meetest _not_ metest + XXII " 346 " 20: Isn't _not_ Is'nt + XXIII " 349 " 10: difficulties _not_ diffiulties + XXIII " 356 " 1: autumnal _not_ autummal + XXIII " 356 " 41: manuscripts _not_ manscripts + XXIV " 364 " 38: back," _not_ back, + XXIV " 368 " 19: neighbours _not_ neighours + XXIV " 377 " 17: opportunity _not_ apportunity + + +[Notes on Project Gutenberg edition. The original Chinese novel was +written by Cao Xueqin. Another author later added half again as much. H. +Bencraft Joly translated only the work of the first author, essentially +two-thirds of the whole; the work ends abruptly at the end of volume II +as if he intended to go on, but the third volume was never published. +The work was not well proofread originally. There are other better and +more complete English translations, but this is the only one we could +find that is in the public domain in the USA. + +Both lists of errata have been corrected in the text. The error noted +in the original errata list as being on page 140 was actually on page +145. There were far too many punctuation errata that were corrected, +to list them all here. + +There IS such a word as 'teapoy'; it is NOT 'teapot' and it means a +three-legged table. 'Dullness' was consistently spelled 'dulness' and is +left thus. 'Decrepit' was consistently spelled 'decrepid' and is left +thus. 'Dote, dotes,' etc. was consistently spelled 'doat, doats,' etc. +and is left thus. 'License' is spelled once thus and once 'licence.' The +word 'speciality' appears only once, and that is the proper British +spelling. + +Whenever a proper name normally contained an umlaut we attempted to +supply it in the instances where it was missing; this was most common +with the name Pao-yü. There were also variations of use of apostrophes +in proper names, and many were corrected. Neither of these is +listed in the errata above.] + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, HUNG LOU MENG, BOOK I *** + +This file should be named 8hlm110.txt or 8hlm110.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 8hlm111.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 8hlm110a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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