CHAPTER XXVIII.
Chiang Yue-han lovingly presents a rubia-scented silk sash. Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai blushingly covers her musk-perfumed string of red beads.
Lin Tai-yue, the story goes, dwelt, after Ch'ing Wen's refusal, theprevious night, to open the door, under the impression that the blamelay with Pao-yue. The following day, which by another remarkablecoincidence, happened to correspond with the season, when the god offlowers had to be feasted, her total ignorance of the truecircumstances, and her resentment, as yet unspent, aroused again in herdespondent thoughts, suggested by the decline of spring time. Sheconsequently gathered a quantity of faded flowers and fallen petals, andwent and interred them. Unable to check the emotion, caused by the decayof the flowers, she spontaneously recited, after giving way to severalloud lamentations, those verses which Pao-yue, she little thought,overheard from his position on the mound. At first, he did no more thannod his head and heave sighs, full of feeling. But when subsequently hisear caught:
"Here I am fain these flowers to inter, but humankind will laugh me as a fool; Who knows who will, in years to come, commit me to my grave! In a twinkle springtime draws to an end, and maidens wax in age. Flowers fade and maidens die; and of either naught any more is known."
he unconsciously was so overpowered with grief that he threw himself onthe mound, bestrewing the whole ground with the fallen flowers hecarried in his coat, close to his chest. "When Tai-yue's flowerlikecharms and moon-like beauty," he reflected, "by and bye likewise reach atime when they will vanish beyond any hope of recovery, won't my heartbe lacerated and my feelings be mangled! And extending, since Tai-yuemust at length some day revert to a state when it will be difficult tofind her, this reasoning to other persons, like Pao-ch'ai, Hsiang Ling,Hsi Jen and the other girls, they too are equally liable to attain astate beyond the reach of human search. But when Pao-ch'ai and all therest have ultimately reached that stage when no trace will be visible ofthem, where shall I myself be then? And when my own human form will havevanished and gone, whither I know not yet, to what person, I wonder,will this place, this garden and these plants, revert?"
From one to a second, and from a second to a third, he thus pursued hisreflections, backwards and forwards, until he really did not know how hecould best, at this time and at such a juncture, dispel his fit ofanguish. His state is adequately described by:
The shadow of a flower cannot err from the flower itself to the left or the right. The song of birds can only penetrate into the ear from the east or the west.
Lin Tai-yue was herself a prey to emotion and agitation, when unawaressorrowful accents also struck her ear, from the direction of the mound."Every one," she cogitated, "laughs at me for labouring under a foolishmania, but is there likely another fool besides myself?" She then raisedher head, and, casting a glance about her, she discovered that it wasPao-yue. "Ts'ui!" eagerly cried Tai-yue, "I was wondering who it was; butis it truly this ruthless-hearted and short-lived fellow!"
But the moment the two words "short-lived" dropped from her mouth, shesealed her lips; and, heaving a deep sigh, she turned herself round andhurriedly walked off.
Pao-yue, meanwhile, remained for a time a prey to melancholy. Butperceiving that Tai-yue had retired, he at once realised that she musthave caught sight of him and got out of his way; and, as his own companyafforded him no pleasure, he shook the dust off his clothes, rose to hisfeet and descending the hill, he started for the I Hung court by thepath by which he had come. But he espied Tai-yue walking in advance ofhim, and with rapid stride, he overtook her. "Stop a little!" he cried."I know you don't care a rap for me; but I'll just make one singleremark, and from this day forward we'll part company."
Tai-yue looked round. Observing that it was Pao-yue, she was about toignore him; hearing him however mention that he had only one thing tosay, "Please tell me what it is," she forthwith rejoined.
Pao-yue smiled at her. "If I pass two remarks will you listen to me; yesor no?" he asked.
At these words, Tai-yue twisted herself round and beat a retreat. Pao-yuehowever followed behind.
"Since this is what we've come to now," he sighed, "what was the use ofwhat existed between us in days gone by?"
As soon as Tai-yue heard his exclamation, she stopped short impulsively.Turning her face towards him, "what about days gone by," she remarked,"and what about now?"
"Ai!" ejaculated Pao-yue, "when you got here in days gone by, wasn't Iyour playmate in all your romps and in all your fun? My heart may havebeen set upon anything, but if you wanted it you could take it away atonce. I may have been fond of any eatable, but if I came to learn thatyou too fancied it, I there and then put away what could be put away, ina clean place, to wait, Miss, for your return. We had our meals at onetable; we slept in one and the same bed; whatever the servant-girlscould not remember, I reminded them of, for fear lest your temper, Miss,should get ruffled. I flattered myself that cousins, who have grown uptogether from their infancy, as you and I have, would have continued,through intimacy or friendship, either would have done, in peace andharmony until the end, so as to make it palpable that we are above therest. But, contrary to all my expectations, now that you, Miss, havedeveloped in body as well as in mind, you don't take the least heed ofme. You lay hold instead of some cousin Pao or cousin Feng or other fromhere, there and everywhere and give them a place in your affections;while on the contrary you disregard me for three days at a stretch anddecline to see anything of me for four! I have besides no brother orsister of the same mother as myself. It's true there are a couple ofthem, but these, are you not forsooth aware, are by another mother! Youand I are only children, so I ventured to hope that you would havereciprocated my feelings. But, who'd have thought it, I've simply thrownaway this heart of mine, and here I am with plenty of woes to bear, butwith nowhere to go and utter them!"
While expressing these sentiments, tears, unexpectedly, trickled fromhis eyes.
When Lin Tai-yue caught, with her ears, his protestations, and noticedwith her eyes his state of mind, she unconsciously experienced an inwardpang, and, much against her will, tears too besprinkled her cheeks; so,drooping her head, she kept silent.
Her manner did not escape Pao-yue's notice. "I myself am aware," hespeedily resumed, "that I'm worth nothing now; but, however imperfect Imay be, I could on no account presume to become guilty of anyshortcoming with you cousin. Were I to ever commit the slightest fault,your task should be either to tender me advice and warn me not to do itagain, or to blow me up a little, or give me a few whacks; and all thisreproof I wouldn't take amiss. But no one would have ever anticipatedthat you wouldn't bother your head in the least about me, and that youwould be the means of driving me to my wits' ends, and so much out of mymind and off my head, as to be quite at a loss how to act for the best.In fact, were death to come upon me, I would be a spirit driven to mygrave by grievances. However much exalted bonzes and eminent Taoistpriests might do penance, they wouldn't succeed in releasing my soulfrom suffering; for it would still be needful for you to clearly explainthe facts, so that I might at last be able to come to life."
After lending him a patient ear, Tai-yue suddenly banished from hermemory all recollection of the occurrences of the previous night. "Well,in that case," she said, "why did you not let a servant-girl open thedoor when I came over?"
This question took Pao-yue by surprise. "What prompts you to say this?"he exclaimed. "If I have done anything of the kind, may I die at once."
"Psha!" cried Tai-yue, "it's not right that you-should recklessly broachthe subject of living or dying at this early morn! If you say yea, it'syea; and nay, it's nay; what use is there to utter such oaths!"
"I didn't really see you come over," protested Pao-yue. "Cousin Pao-ch'aiit was, who came and sat for a while and then left."
After some reflection, Lin Tai-yue smiled. "Yes," she observed, "yourservant-girls must, I fancy, have been too lazy to budge, grumpy and ina cross-grained mood; this is probable enough."
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"This is, I feel sure, the reason," answered Pao-yue, "so when I go back,I'll find out who it was, call them to task and put things right."
"Those girls of yours;" continued Tai-yue, "should be given a lesson, butproperly speaking it isn't for me to mention anything about it. Theirpresent insult to me is a mere trifle; but were to-morrow some Miss Pao(precious) or some Miss Pei (jewel) or other to come, and were she to besubjected to insult, won't it be a grave matter?"
While she taunted him, she pressed her lips, and laughed sarcastically.
Pao-yue heard her remarks and felt both disposed to gnash his teeth withrage, and to treat them as a joke; but in the midst of their colloquy,they perceived a waiting-maid approach and invite them to have theirmeal.
Presently, the whole body of inmates crossed over to the front.
"Miss," inquired Madame Wang at the sight of Tai-yue, "have you taken anyof Dr. Pao's medicines? Do you feel any better?"
"I simply feel so-so," replied Lin Tai-yue, "but grandmother Chiarecommended me to go on taking Dr. Wang's medicines."
"Mother," Pao-yue interposed, "you've no idea that cousin Lin's is aninternal derangement; it's because she was born with a delicate physiquethat she can't stand the slightest cold. All she need do is to take acouple of closes of some decoction to dispel the chill; yet it'spreferable that she should have medicine in pills."
"The other day," said Madame Wang, "the doctor mentioned the name ofsome pills, but I've forgotten what it is."
"I know something about pills," put in Pao-yue; "he merely told her totake some pills or other called 'ginseng as-a-restorative-of-the-system.'"
"That isn't it," Madame Wang demurred.
"The 'Eight-precious-wholesome-to-mother' pills," Pao-yue proceeded, "orthe 'Left-angelica' or 'Right-angelica;' if these also aren't the ones,they must be the 'Eight-flavour Rehmannia-glutinosa' pills."
"None of these," rejoined Madame Wang, "for I remember well that therewere the two words chin kang (guardians in Buddhistic temples)."
"I've never before," observed Pao-yue, clapping his hands, "heard of theexistence of chin kang pills; but in the event of there being any chinkang pills, there must, for a certainty, be such a thing as P'u Sa(Buddha) powder."
At this joke, every one in the whole room burst out laughing. Pao-ch'aicompressed her lips and gave a smile. "It must, I'm inclined to think,"she suggested, "be the 'lord-of-heaven-strengthen-the-heart' pills!"
"Yes, that's the name," Madame Wang laughed, "why, now, I too havebecome muddle-headed."
"You're not muddle-headed, mother," said Pao-yue, "it's the mention ofChin kangs and Buddhas which confused you."
"Stuff and nonsense!" ejaculated Madame Wang. "What you want again isyour father to whip you!"
"My father," Pao-yue laughed, "wouldn't whip me for a thing like this."
"Well, this being their name," resumed Madame Wang, "you had better tellsome one to-morrow to buy you a few."
"All these drugs," expostulated Pao-yue, "are of no earthly use. Wereyou, mother, to give me three hundred and sixty taels, I'll concoct asupply of pills for my cousin, which I can certify will make her feelquite herself again before she has finished a single supply."
"What trash!" cried Madame Wang. "What kind of medicine is there socostly!"
"It's a positive fact," smiled Pao-yue. "This prescription of mine isunlike all others. Besides, the very names of those drugs are quaint,and couldn't be enumerated in a moment; suffice it to mention theplacenta of the first child; three hundred and sixty ginseng roots,shaped like human beings and studded with leaves; four fat tortoises;full-grown polygonum multiflorum; the core of the Pachyma cocos, foundon the roots of a fir tree of a thousand years old; and other suchspecies of medicines. They're not, I admit, out-of-the-way things; butthey are the most excellent among that whole crowd of medicines; andwere I to begin to give you a list of them, why, they'd take you allquite aback. The year before last, I at length let Hsueeh P'an have thisrecipe, after he had made ever so many entreaties during one or twoyears. When, however, he got the prescription, he had to search foranother two or three years and to spend over and above a thousand taelsbefore he succeeded in having it prepared. If you don't believe me,mother, you are at liberty to ask cousin Pao-ch'ai about it."
At the mention of her name, Pao-ch'ai laughingly waved her hand. "I knownothing about it," she observed. "Nor have I heard anything about it, sodon't tell your mother to ask me any questions."
"Really," said Madame Wang smiling, "Pao-ch'ai is a good girl; she doesnot tell lies."
Pao-yue was standing in the centre of the room. Upon hearing these words,he turned round sharply and clapped his hands. "What I stated just now,"he explained, "was the truth; yet you maintain that it was all lies."
As he defended himself, he casually looked round, and caught sight ofLin Tai-yue at the back of Pao-ch'ai laughing with tight-set lips, andapplying her fingers to her face to put him to shame.
But Lady Feng, who had been in the inner rooms overseeing the servantslaying the table, came out at once, as soon as she overheard theconversation. "Brother Pao tells no lies," she smilingly chimed in,"this is really a fact. Some time ago cousin Hsueeh P'an came over inperson and asked me for pearls, and when I inquired of him what hewanted them for, he explained that they were intended to compound somemedicine with; adding, in an aggrieved way, that it would have beenbetter hadn't he taken it in hand for he never had any idea that itwould involve such a lot of trouble! When I questioned him what themedicine was, he returned for answer that it was a prescription ofbrother Pao's; and he mentioned ever so many ingredients, which I don'teven remember. 'Under other circumstances,' he went on to say, 'I wouldhave purchased a few pearls, but what are absolutely wanted are suchpearls as have been worn on the head; and that's why I come to ask you,cousin, for some. If, cousin, you've got no broken ornaments at hand, inthe shape of flowers, why, those that you have on your head will do aswell; and by and bye I'll choose a few good ones and give them to you,to wear.' I had no other course therefore than to snap a couple of twigsfrom some flowers I have, made of pearls, and to let him take them away.One also requires a piece of deep red gauze, three feet in length of thebest quality; and the pearls must be triturated to powder in a mortar."
After each sentence expressed by lady Feng, Pao-yue muttered aninvocation to Buddha. "The thing is as clear as sunlight now," heremarked.
The moment lady Feng had done speaking, Pao-yue put in his word."Mother," he added, "you should know that this is a mere makeshift, forreally, according to the letter of the prescription, these pearls andprecious stones should, properly speaking, consist of such as had beenobtained from, some old grave and been worn as head-ornaments by somewealthy and honourable person of bygone days. But how could one go nowon this account and dig up graves, and open tombs! Hence it is that suchas are simply in use among living persons can equally well besubstituted."
"O-mi-to-fu!" exclaimed Madame Wang, after listening to him throughout."That will never do, and what an arduous job to uselessly saddle one'sself with; for even though there be interred in some graves people,who've been dead for several hundreds of years, it wouldn't be apropitious thing were their corpses turned topsy-turvey now and thebones abstracted; just for the sake of preparing some medicine orother."
Pao-yue thereupon addressed himself to Tai-yue. "Have you heard what wassaid or not?" he asked. "And is there, pray, any likelihood that cousinSecunda would also follow in my lead and tell lies?"
While saying this, his eyes were, albeit his face was turned towards LinTai-yue, fixed upon Pao-ch'ai.
Lin Tai-yue pulled Madame Wang. "You just listen to him, aunt," sheobserved. "All because cousin Pao-ch'ai would not accommodate him bylying, he appeals to me."
"Pao-yue has a great knack," Madame Wang said, "of dealing contemptuouslywith you, his cousin."
"Mother," Pao-yue smilingly protested, "you are not aware how the casestands. When cousin Pao-ch'ai lived at home, she knew nothing
whateverabout my elder cousin Hsueeh P'an's affairs, and how much less now thatshe has taken up her quarters inside the garden? She, of course, knowsless than ever about them! Yet, cousin Lin just now stealthily treatedmy statements as lies, and put me to the blush."
These words were still on his lips, when they perceived a waiting-maid,from dowager lady Chia's apartments, come in quest of Pao-yue and LinTai-yue to go and have their meal. Lin Tai-yue, however, did not even callPao-yue, but forthwith rising to her feet, she went along, dragging thewaiting-maid by the hand.
"Let's wait for master Secundus, Mr. Pao, to go along with us," demurredthe girl.
"He doesn't want anything to eat," Lin Tai-yue replied; "he won't comewith us, so I'll go ahead." So saying she promptly left the room.
"I'll have my repast with my mother to-day," Pao-yue said.
"Not at all," Madame Wang remarked, "not at all. I'm going to fastto-day, so it's only right and proper that you should go and have yourown."
"I'll also fast with you then," Pao-yue retorted.
As he spoke, he called out to the servant to go back, and rushing up tothe table, he took a seat.
Madame Wang faced Pao-ch'ai and her companions. "You, girls," sheobserved, "had better have your meal, and let him have his own way!"
"It's only right that you should go," Pao-ch'ai smiled. "Whether youhave anything to eat or not, you should go over for a while to keepcompany to cousin Lin, as she will be quite distressed and out ofspirits."
"Who cares about her!" Pao-yue rejoined, "she'll get all right againafter a time."
Shortly, they finished their repast. But Pao-yue apprehended, in thefirst place, that his grandmother Chia, would be solicitous on hisaccount, and longed, in the second, to be with Lin Tai-yue, so hehurriedly asked for some tea to rinse his mouth with.
"Cousin Secundus," T'an Ch'un and Hsi Ch'un interposed with an ironiclaugh, "what's the use of the hurry-scurry you're in the whole day long!Even when you're having your meals, or your tea, you're in this sort offussy helter-skelter!"
"Make him hurry up and have his tea," Pao-ch'ai chimed in smiling, "sothat he may go and look up his cousin Lin. He'll be up to all kinds ofmischief if you keep him here!"
Pao-yue drank his tea. Then hastily leaving the apartment, he proceededstraightway towards the eastern court. As luck would have it, the momenthe got near lady Feng's court, he descried lady Feng standing at thegateway. While standing on the step, and picking her teeth with anear-cleaner, she superintended about ten young servant-boys removing theflower-pots from place to place. As soon as she caught sight of Pao-yueapproaching, she put on a smiling face. "You come quite opportunely,"she said; "walk in, walk in, and write a few characters for me."
Pao-yue had no option but to follow her in. When they reached theinterior of her rooms, lady Feng gave orders to a servant to fetch apen, inkslab and paper.
"Forty rolls of deep red ornamented satin," she began, addressingherself to Pao-yue, "forty rolls of satin with dragons; a hundred rollsof gauzes of every colour, of the finest quality; four goldnecklaces...."
"What's this?" Pao-yue shouted, "it is neither a bill; nor is it a listof presents, and in what style shall I write it?"
Lady Feng remonstrated with him. "Just you go on writing," she said,"for, in fact, as long as I can make out what it means, it's all that isneeded."
Pao-yue at this response felt constrained to proceed with the writing.
This over lady Feng put the paper by. As she did so, "I've stillsomething more to tell you," she smilingly pursued, "but I wonderwhether you will accede to it or not. There is in your rooms aservant-maid, Hsiao Hung by name, whom I would like to bring over intomy service, and I'll select several girls to-morrow to wait on you; willthis do?"
"The servants in my quarters," answered Pao-yue, "muster a large crowd,so that, cousin, you are at perfect liberty to send for any one of them,who might take your fancy; what's the need therefore of asking me aboutit?"
"If that be so," continued lady Feng laughingly, "I'll tell some one atonce to go and bring her over."
"Yes, she can go and fetch her," acquiesced Pao-yue.
While replying, he made an attempt to take his leave. "Come back,"shouted lady Feng, "I've got something more to tell you."
"Our venerable senior has sent for me," Pao-yue rejoined; "if you haveanything to tell me you must wait till my return."
After this explanation, he there and then came over to his grandmotherChia's on this side, where he found that they had already got throughtheir meal.
"Have you had anything nice to eat with your mother?" old lady Chiaasked.
"There was really nothing nice," Pao-yue smiled. "Yet I managed to have abowl of rice more than usual."
"Where's cousin Lin?" he then inquired.
"She's in the inner rooms," answered his grandmother.
Pao-yue stepped in. He caught sight of a waiting-maid, standing below,blowing into an iron, and two servant-girls seated on the stove-couchmaking a chalk line. Tai-yue with stooping head was cutting out somethingor other with a pair of scissors she held in her hand.
Pao-yue advanced further in. "O! what's this that you are up to!" hesmiled. "You have just had your rice and do you bob your head down inthis way! Why, in a short while you'll be having a headache again!"
Tai-yue, however, did not heed him in the least, but busied herselfcutting out what she had to do.
"The corner of that piece of satin is not yet right," a servant-girl putin. "You had better iron it again!"
Tai-yue threw down the scissors. "Why worry yourself about it?" she said;"it will get quite right after a time."
But while Pao-yue was listening to what was being said, and was inwardlyfeeling in low spirits, he became aware that Pao-ch'ai, T'an Ch'un andthe other girls had also arrived. After a short chat with dowager ladyChia, Pao-ch'ai likewise entered the apartment to find out what hercousin Lin was up to. The moment she espied Lin Tai-yue engaged incutting out something: "You have," she cried, "attained more skill thanever; for there you can even cut out clothes!"
"This too," laughed Tai-yue sarcastically, "is a mere falsehood, tohoodwink people with, nothing more."
"I'll tell you a joke," replied Pao-ch'ai smiling, "when I just now saidthat I did not know anything about that medicine, cousin Pao-yue feltdispleased." "Who cares!" shouted Lin Tai-yue. "He'll get all rightshortly."
"Our worthy grandmother wishes to play at dominoes," Pao-yue thereuponinterposed directing his remarks to Pao-ch'ai; "and there's no one thereat present to have a game with her; so you'd better go and play withher."
"Have I come over now to play dominoes!" promptly smiled Pao-ch'ai whenshe heard his suggestion. With this remark, she nevertheless at oncequitted the room.
"It would be well for you to go," urged Lin Tai-yue, "for there's a tigerin here; and, look out, he might eat you up."
As she spoke, she went on with her cutting.
Pao-yue perceived how both she was to give him any of her attention, andhe had no alternative but to force a smile and to observe: "You shouldalso go for a stroll! It will be time enough by and bye to continue yourcutting."
But Tai-yue would pay no heed whatever to him. Pao-yue addressed himselftherefore to the servant-girls. "Who has taught her how to cut out thesethings?" he asked.
"What does it matter who taught me how to cut?" Tai-yue vehementlyexclaimed, when she realised that he was speaking to the maids. "It's nobusiness of yours, Mr. Secundus."
Pao-yue was then about to say something in his defence when he saw aservant come in and report that there was some one outside who wished tosee him. At this announcement, Pao-yue betook himself with alacrity outof the room.
"O-mi-to-fu!" observed Tai-yue, turning outwards, "it wouldn't matter toyou if you found me dead on your return!"
On his arrival outside, Pao-yue discovered Pei Ming. "You are invited,"he said, "to go to Mr. Feng's house."
Upon hearing this message, Pao-yue knew well enough that it was abou
t theproject mooted the previous day, and accordingly he told him to go andask for his clothes, while he himself wended his steps into the library.
Pei Ming came forthwith to the second gate and waited for some one toappear. Seeing an old woman walk out, Pei Ming went up to her. "OurMaster Secundus, Mr. Pao," he told her, "is in the study waiting for hisout-door clothes; so do go in, worthy dame, and deliver the message."
"It would be better," replied the old woman, "if you did not echo yourmother's absurdities! Our Master Secundus, Mr. Pao, now lives in thegarden, and all the servants, who attend on him, stay in the garden; anddo you again come and bring the message here?"
At these words, Pei Ming smiled. "You're quite right," he rejoined, "inreproving me, for I've become quite idiotic."
So saying, he repaired with quick step to the second gate on the eastside, where, by a lucky hit, the young servant-boys on duty, werekicking marbles on the raised road. Pei Ming explained to them theobject of his coming. A young boy thereupon ran in. After a longinterval, he, at length, made his appearance, holding, enfolded in hisarms, a bundle of clothes, which he handed to Pei Ming, who thenreturned to the library. Pao-yue effected a change in his costume, andgiving directions to saddle his horse, he only took along with him thefour servant-boys, Pei Ming, Chu Lo, Shuang Jui and Shou Erh, andstarted on his way. He reached Feng Tzu-ying's doorway by a short cut. Aservant announced his arrival, and Feng Tzu-ying came out and usheredhim in. Here he discovered Hsueeh P'an, who had already been waiting along time, and several singing-boys besides; as well as Chiang Yue-han,who played female roles, and Yuen Erh, a courtesan in the Chin Hsiangcourt. The whole company exchanged salutations. They next had tea. "Whatyou said the other day," smiled Pao-yue, raising his cup, "about goodfortune coming out of evil fortune has preyed so much upon my mind, bothby day and night, that the moment I received your summons I hurried tocome immediately."
"My worthy cousins," rejoined Feng Tzu-ying smiling. "You're all far toocredulous! It's a mere hoax that I made use of the other day. For somuch did I fear that you would be sure to refuse if I openly asked youto a drinking bout, that I thought it fit to say what I did. But yourattendance to-day, so soon after my invitation, makes it clear, littlethough one would have thought it, that you've all taken it as puregospel truth."
This admission evoked laughter from the whole company. The wines wereafterwards placed on the table, and they took the seats consistent withtheir grades. Feng Tzu-ying first and foremost called the singing-boysand offered them a drink. Next he told Yuen Erh to also approach and havea cup of wine.
By the time, however, that Hsueeh P'an had had his third cup, he of asudden lost control over his feelings, and clasping Yuen Erh's hand inhis: "Do sing me," he smiled, "that novel ballad of your owncomposition; and I'll drink a whole jar full. Eh, will you?"
This appeal compelled Yuen Erh to take up the guitar. She then sang:
Lovers have I two. To set aside either I cannot bear. When my heart longs for thee to come, It also yearns for him. Both are in form handsome and fair. Their beauty to describe it would be hard. Just think, last night, when at a silent hour, we met in secret, by the trellis frame laden with roses white, One to his feelings stealthily was giving vent, When lo, the other caught us in the act, And laying hands on us; there we three stood like litigants before the bar. And I had, verily, no word in answer for myself to give.
At the close of her song, she laughed. "Well now," she cried, "down withthat whole jar!"
"Why, it isn't worth a jarful," smiled Hsueeh P'an at these words."Favour us with some other good song!"
"Listen to what I have to suggest," Pao-yue interposed, a smile on hislips. "If you go on drinking in this reckless manner, we will easily getdrunk and there will be no fun in it. I'll take the lead and swallow alarge cupful and put in force a new penalty; and any one of you whodoesn't comply with it, will be mulcted in ten large cupfuls, in quicksuccession!"
Speedily rising from the banquet, he poured the wine for the company.Feng Tzu-ying and the rest meanwhile exclaimed with one voice: "Quiteright! quite right!"
Pao-yue then lifted a large cup and drained it with one draught. "We willnow," he proposed, "dilate on the four characters, 'sad, wounded, gladand joyful.' But while discoursing about young ladies, we'll have toillustrate the four states as well. At the end of this recitation, we'llhave to drink the 'door cup' over the wine, to sing an original andseasonable ballad, while over the heel taps, to make allusion to someobject on the table, and devise something with some old poetical linesor ancient scrolls, from the Four Books or the Five Classics, or withsome set phrases."
Hsueeh P'an gave him no time to finish. He was the first to stand up andprevent him from proceeding. "I won't join you, so don't count me; thisis, in fact, done in order to play tricks upon me."
Yuen Erh, however, also rose to her feet and shoved him down into hisseat.
"What are you in such a funk for?" she laughed. "You're fortunate enoughto be able to drink wine daily, and can't you, forsooth, even come up tome? Yet I mean to recite, by and bye, my own share. If you say what'sright, well and good; if you don't, you will simply have to swallowseveral cups of wine as a forfeit, and is it likely you'll die fromdrunkenness? Are you, pray, going now to disregard this rule and todrink, instead, ten large cups; besides going down to pour the wine?"
One and all clapped in applause. "Well said!" they shouted.
After this, Hueeh P'an had no way out of it and felt compelled to resumehis seat.
They then heard Pao-yue recite:
A girl is sad, When her spring-time of life is far advanced and she still occupies a vacant inner-room. A girl feels wounded in her heart, When she regrets having allowed her better half to go abroad and win a marquisdom. A girl is glad, When looking in the mirror, at the time of her morning toilette, she finds her colour fair. A girl is joyful, What time she sits on the frame of a gallows-swing, clad in a thin spring gown.
Having listened to him, "Capital!" one and all cried out in a chorus.Hsueeh P'an alone raised his face, shook his head and remarked: "It isn'tgood, he must be fined."
"Why should he be fined?" demurred the party.
"Because," retorted Hsueeh P'an, "what he says is entirely unintelligibleto me. So how can he not be fined?"
Yuen Erh gave him a pinch.--"Just you quietly think of yours," shelaughed; "for if by and bye you are not ready you'll also have to bear afine."
In due course Pao-yue took up the guitar. He was heard to sing:
"When mutual thoughts arise, tears, blood-stained, endless drop, like lentiles sown broadcast. In spring, in ceaseless bloom nourish willows and flowers around the painted tower. Inside the gauze-lattice peaceful sleep flies, when, after dark, come wind and rain. Both new-born sorrows and long-standing griefs cannot from memory ever die! E'en jade-fine rice, and gold-like drinks they make hard to go down; they choke the throat. The lass has not the heart to desist gazing in the glass at her wan face. Nothing can from that knitted brow of hers those frowns dispel; For hard she finds it patient to abide till the clepsydra will have run its course. Alas! how fitly like the faint outline of a green hill which nought can screen; Or like a green-tinged stream, which ever ceaseless floweth onward far and wide!"
When the song drew to an end, his companions with one voice cried out:"Excellent!"
Hsueeh P'an was the only one to find fault. "There's no metre in them,"he said.
Pao-yue quaffed the "opening cup," then seizing a pear, he added:
"While the rain strikes the pear-blossom I firmly close the door,"
and thus accomplished the requirements of the rule.
Feng Tzu-ying's turn came next.
"A maid is glad."
he commenced:
When at her first confinement she gives birth to twins, both sons. A maid is joyful, When on the sly she to the garden creeps crickets to catch. A maid
is sad, When her husband some sickness gets and lies in a bad state. A maiden is wounded at heart, When a fierce wind blows down the tower, where she makes her toilette.
Concluding this recitation, he raised the cup and sang:
"Thou art what one could aptly call a man. But thou'rt endowed with somewhat too much heart! How queer thou art, cross-grained and impish shrewd! A spirit too, thou couldst not be more shrewd. If all I say thou dost not think is true, In secret just a minute search pursue; For then thou'lt know if I love thee or not."
His song over, he drank the "opening cup" and then observed:
"The cock crows when the moon's rays shine upon the thatched inn."
After his observance of the rule followed Yuen Erh's turn.
A girl is sad,
Yuen Erh began,
When she tries to divine on whom she will depend towards the end of life.
"My dear child!" laughingly exclaimed Hsueeh P'an, "your worthy Mr. Hsueehstill lives, and why do you give way to fears?"
"Don't confuse her!" remonstrated every one of the party, "don't muddleher!"
"A maiden is wounded at heart."
Yuen Erh proceeded:
"When her mother beats and scolds her and never for an instant doth desist."
"It was only the other day," interposed Hsueeh P'an, "that I saw yourmother and that I told her that I would not have her beat you."
"If you still go on babbling," put in the company with one consent,"you'll be fined ten cups."
Hsueeh P'an promptly administered himself a slap on the mouth. "How youlack the faculty of hearing!" he exclaimed. "You are not to say a wordmore!"
"A girl is glad,"
Yuen Erh then resumed:
When her lover cannot brook to leave her and return home. A maiden is joyful, When hushing the pan-pipe and double pipe, a stringed instrument she thrums.
At the end of her effusion, she at once began to sing:
"T'is the third day of the third moon, the nutmegs bloom; A maggot, lo, works hard to pierce into a flower; But though it ceaseless bores it cannot penetrate. So crouching on the buds, it swing-like rocks itself. My precious pet, my own dear little darling, If I don't choose to open how can you steal in?"
Finishing her song, she drank the "opening cup," after which she added:"the delicate peach-blossom," and thus complied with the exigencies ofthe rule.
Next came Hsueeh P'an. "Is it for me to speak now?" Hsueeh P'an asked.
"A maiden is sad..."
But a long time elapsed after these words were uttered and yet nothingfurther was heard.
"Sad for what?" Feng Tzu-ying laughingly asked. "Go on and tell us atonce!"
Hsueeh P'an was much perplexed. His eyes rolled about like a bell.
"A girl is sad..."
he hastily repeated. But here again he coughed twice before heproceeded.
"A girl is sad."
he said:
"When she marries a spouse who is a libertine."
This sentence so tickled the fancy of the company that they burst outinto a loud fit of laughter.
"What amuses you so?" shouted Hsueeh P'an, "is it likely that what I sayis not correct? If a girl marries a man, who chooses to forget allvirtue, how can she not feel sore at heart?"
But so heartily did they all laugh that their bodies were bent in two."What you say is quite right," they eagerly replied. "So proceed at oncewith the rest."
Hsueeh P'an thereupon stared with vacant gaze.
"A girl is grieved...."
he added:
But after these few words he once more could find nothing to say.
"What is she grieved about?" they asked.
"When a huge monkey finds its way into the inner room."
Hsueeh P'an retorted.
This reply set every one laughing. "He must be mulcted," they cried, "hemust be mulcted. The first one could anyhow be overlooked; but this lineis more unintelligible."
As they said this, they were about to pour the wine, when Pao-yuesmilingly interfered. "The rhyme is all right," he observed.
"The master of the rules," Hsueeh P'an remarked, "approves it in everyway, so what are you people fussing about?"
Hearing this, the company eventually let the matter drop.
"The two lines, that follow, are still more difficult," suggested YuenErh with a smile, "so you had better let me recite for you."
"Fiddlesticks!" exclaimed Hsueeh P'an, "do you really fancy that I haveno good ones! Just you listen to what I shall say.
"A girl is glad, When in the bridal room she lies, with flowery candles burning, and she is loth to rise at morn."
This sentiment filled one and all with amazement. "How supremelyexcellent this line is!" they ejaculated.
"A girl is joyful,"
Hsueeh P'an resumed,
"During the consummation of wedlock."
Upon catching this remark, the party turned their heads away, andshouted: "Dreadful! Dreadful! But quick sing your song and have done."
Forthwith Hsueeh P'an sang:
"A mosquito buzzes heng, heng, heng!"
Every one was taken by surprise. "What kind of song is this?" theyinquired.
But Hsueeh P'an went on singing:
"Two flies buzz weng, weng, weng."
"Enough," shouted his companions, "that will do, that will do!"
"Do you want to hear it or not?" asked Hsueeh P'an, "this is a new kindof song, called the 'Heng, heng air,' but if you people are not disposedto listen, let me off also from saying what I have to say over theheel-taps and I won't then sing."
"We'll let you off! We'll let you off," answered one and all, "so don'tbe hindering others."
"A maiden is sad,"
Chiang Yue-han at once began,
When her husband leaves home and never does return. A maiden is disconsolate, When she has no money to go and buy some _olea frangrans_ oil. A maiden is glad, When the wick of the lantern forms two heads like twin flowers on one stem. A maiden is joyful, When true conjugal peace prevails between her and her mate.
His recital over, he went on to sing:
"How I love thee with those seductive charms of thine, heaven-born! In truth thou'rt like a living fairy from the azure skies! The spring of life we now enjoy; we are yet young in years. Our union is, indeed, a happy match! But. lo! the milky way doth at its zenith soar; Hark to the drums which beat around in the watch towers; So raise the silver lamp and let us soft under the nuptial curtain steal."
Finishing the song, he drank the "opening cup." "I know," he smiled,"few poetical quotations bearing on this sort of thing. By a stroke ofgood fortune, however, I yesterday conned a pair of antitheticalscrolls; of these I can only remember just one line, but lucky enoughfor me the object it refers to figures as well on this festive board."
This said he forthwith drained the wine, and, picking up a bud of adiminutive variety of _olea fragrans_, he recited:
"When the perfume of flowers wafts (hsi jen) itself into a man, he knows the day is warm."
The company unanimously conceded that the rule had been adhered to. ButHsueeh P'an once again jumped up. "It's awful, awful!" he bawled outboisterously; "he should be fined, he should be made to pay a forfeit;there's no precious article whatever on this table; how is it then thatyou introduce precious things?"
"There was nothing about precious things!" Chiang Yue-han vehementlyexplained.
"What I are you still prevaricating?" Hsueeh P'an cried, "Well, repeat itagain!"
Chiang Yue-han had no other course but to recite the line a second time."Now is not Hsi Jen a precious thing?" Hsueeh P'an asked. "If she isn't,what is she? And if you don't believe me, you ask him about it,"pointing, at the conclusion of this remark, at Pao-yue.
Pao-yue felt very uncomfortable. Rising to his feet, "Cousin," heobserved, "you should be fined heavily."
"I should be! I should be!" Hsuee
h P'an shouted, and saying this, he tookup the wine and poured it down his throat with one gulp.
Feng Tzu-ying, Chiang Yue-han and their companions thereupon asked him toexplain the allusion. Yuen Erh readily told them, and Chiang Yue-hanhastily got up and pleaded guilty.
"Ignorance," the party said with one consent, "does not amount toguilt."
But presently Pao-yue quitted the banquet to go and satisfy a naturalwant and Chiang Yue-han followed him out. The two young fellows haltedunder the eaves of the verandah, and Chiang Yue-han then recommenced tomake ample apologies. Pao-yue, however, was so attracted by his handsomeand genial appearance, that he took quite a violent fancy to him; andsqueezing his hand in a firm grip. "If you have nothing to do," heurged, "do let us go over to our place. I've got something more to askyou. It's this, there's in your worthy company some one called Ch'iKuan, with a reputation extending at present throughout the world; but,unfortunately, I alone have not had the good luck of seeing him evenonce."
"This is really," rejoined Chiang Yue-han with a smile, "my own infantname."
This disclosure at once made Pao-yue quite exuberant, and stamping hisfeet he smiled. "How lucky! I'm in luck's way!" he exclaimed. "In verytruth your reputation is no idle report. But to-day is our firstmeeting, and what shall I do?"
After some thought, he produced a fan from his sleeve, and, unlooseningone of the jade pendants, he handed it to Ch'i Kuan. "This is a meretrifle," he said. "It does not deserve your acceptance, yet it will be asmall souvenir of our acquaintance to-day."
Ch'i Kuan received it with a smile. "I do not deserve," he replied,"such a present. How am I worthy of such an honour! But never mind, I'vealso got about me here a strange thing, which I put on this morning; itis brand-new yet, and will, I hope, suffice to prove to you a little ofthe feeling of esteem which I entertain for you."
With these protestations, he raised his garment, and, untying a deep redsash, with which his nether clothes were fastened, he presented it toPao-yue. "This sash," he remarked, "is an article brought as tribute fromthe Queen of the Hsi Hsiang Kingdom. If you attach this round you insummer, your person will emit a fragrant perfume, and it will notperspire. It was given to me yesterday by the Prince of Pei Ching, andit is only to-day that I put it on. To any one else, I would certainlynot be willing to present it. But, Mr. Secundus, please do unfasten theone you have on and give it to me to bind round me."
This proposal extremely delighted Pao-yue. With precipitate haste, heaccepted his gift, and, undoing the dark brown sash he wore, hesurrendered it to Ch'i Kuan. But both had just had time to adjust theirrespective sashes when they heard a loud voice say: "Oh! I've caughtyou!" And they perceived Hsueeh P'an come out by leaps and bounds.Clutching the two young fellows, "What do you," he exclaimed, "leaveyour wine for and withdraw from the banquet. Be quick and produce thosethings, and let me see them!"
"There's nothing to see!" rejoined the two young fellows with one voice.
Hsueeh P'an, however, would by no means fall in with their views. And itwas only Feng Tzu-ying, who made his appearance on the scene, whosucceeded in dissuading him. So resuming their seats, they drank untildark, when the company broke up.
Pao-yue, on his return into the garden, loosened his clothes, and hadtea. But Hsi Jen noticed that the pendant had disappeared from his fanand she inquired of him what had become of it.
"I must have lost it this very moment," Pao-yue replied.
At bedtime, however, descrying a deep red sash, with spots like specksof blood, attached round his waist, Hsi Jen guessed more or less thetruth of what must have transpired. "As you have such a nice sash tofasten your trousers with," Hsi Jen consequently said, "you'd betterreturn that one of mine."
This reminder made the fact dawn upon Pao-yue that the sash hadoriginally been the property of Hsi Jen, and that he should by rightsnot have parted with it; but however much he felt his conscience smittenby remorse, he failed to see how he could very well disclose the truthto her. He could therefore only put on a smiling expression and add,"I'll give you another one instead."
Hsi Jen was prompted by his rejoinder to nod her head and sigh. "I feltsure;" she observed; "that you'd go again and do these things! Yet youshouldn't take my belongings and bestow them on that low-bred sort ofpeople. Can it be that no consideration finds a place in your heart?"
She then felt disposed to tender him a few more words of admonition, butdreading, on the other hand, lest she should, by irritating him, bringthe fumes of the wine to his head, she thought it best to also retire tobed.
Nothing worth noticing occurred during that night. The next day, whenshe woke up at the break of day, she heard Pao-yue call out laughingly:"Robbers have been here in the night; are you not aware of it? Just youlook at my trousers."
Hsi Jen lowered her head and looked. She saw at a glance that the sash,which Pao-yue had worn the previous day, was bound round her own waist,and she at once realised that Pao-yue must have effected the changeduring the night; but promptly unbinding it, "I don't care for suchthings!" she cried, "quick, take it away!"
At the sight of her manner, Pao-yue had to coax her with gentle terms.This so disarmed Hsi Jen, that she felt under the necessity of puttingon the sash; but, subsequently when Pao-yue stepped out of the apartment,she at last pulled it off, and, throwing it away in an empty box, shefound one of hers and fastened it round her waist.
Pao-yue, however, did not in the least notice what she did, but inquiredwhether anything had happened the day before.
"Lady Secunda," Hsi Jen explained, "dispatched some one and fetchedHsiao Hung away. Her wish was to have waited for your return; but as Ithought that it was of no consequence, I took upon myself to decide, andsent her off."
"That's all right!" rejoined Pao-yue. "I knew all about it, there was noneed for her to wait."
"Yesterday," resumed Hsi Jen, "the Imperial Consort deputed the EunuchHsia to bring a hundred and twenty ounces of silver and to convey hercommands that from the first to the third, there should be offered, inthe Ch'ing Hsu temple, thanksgiving services to last for three days andthat theatrical performances should be given, and oblations presented:and to tell our senior master, Mr. Chia Chen, to take all the gentlemen,and go and burn incense and worship Buddha. Besides this, she also sentpresents for the dragon festival."
Continuing, she bade a young servant-maid produce the presents, whichhad been received the previous day. Then he saw two palace fans of thebest quality, two strings of musk-scented beads, two rolls of silk, asfine as the phoenix tail, and a superior mat worked with hibiscus. Atthe sight of these things, Pao-yue was filled with immeasurablepleasure, and he asked whether the articles brought to all the otherswere similar to his.
"The only things in excess of yours that our venerable mistress has,"Hsi Jen explained, "consist of a scented jade sceptre and a pillow madeof agate. Those of your worthy father and mother, our master andmistress, and of your aunt exceed yours by a scented sceptre of jade.Yours are the same as Miss Pao's. Miss Lin's are like those of MissesSecunda, Tertia and Quarta, who received nothing beyond a fan andseveral pearls and none of all the other things. As for our senior lady,Mrs. Chia Chu, and lady Secunda, these two got each two rolls of gauze,two rolls of silk, two scented bags, and two sticks of medicine."
After listening to her enumeration, "What's the reason of this?" hesmiled. "How is it that Miss Lin's are not the same as mine, but thatMiss Pao's instead are like my own? May not the message have beenwrongly delivered?"
"When they were brought out of the palace yesterday," Hsi Jen rejoined,"they were already divided in respective shares, and slips were alsoplaced on them, so that how could any mistake have been made? Yours wereamong those for our dowager lady's apartments. When I went and fetchedthem, her venerable ladyship said that I should tell you to go thereto-morrow at the fifth watch to return thanks.
"Of course, it's my duty to go over," Pao-yue cried at these words, butforthwith calling Tzu Chuean: "Take these to your Miss Lin," he told
her,"and say that I got them, yesterday, and that she is at liberty to keepout of them any that take her fancy."
Tzu Chuean expressed her obedience and took the things away. After ashort time she returned. "Miss Lin says," she explained, "that she alsogot some yesterday, and that you, Master Secundus, should keep yours."
Hearing this reply, Pao-yue quickly directed a servant to put them away.But when he had washed his face and stepped out of doors, bent upongoing to his grandmother's on the other side, in order to pay hisobeisance, he caught sight of Lin Tai-yue coming along towards him, fromthe opposite direction. Pao-yue hurriedly walked up to her, "I told you,"he smiled, "to select those you liked from my things; how is it youdidn't choose any?"
Lin Tai-yue had long before banished from her recollection the incidentof the previous day, which had made her angry with Pao-yue, and was onlyexercised about the occurrence of this present occasion. "I'm not giftedwith such extreme good fortune," she consequently answered, "as to beable to accept them. I can't compete with Miss Pao, in connection withwhom something or other about gold or about jade is mentioned. We aresimply beings connected with the vegetable kingdom."
The allusion to the two words "gold and jade," aroused, of a sudden,much emotion in the heart of Pao-yue. "If beyond what people say aboutgold or jade," he protested, "the idea of any such things ever crossesmy mind, may the heavens annihilate me, and may the earth extinguish me,and may I for ten thousand generations never assume human form!"
These protestations convinced Lin Tai-yue that suspicion had been arousedin him. With all promptitude, she smiled and observed, "They're all tono use! Why utter such oaths, when there's no rhyme or reason! Who caresabout any gold or any jade of yours!"
"It would be difficult for me to tell you, to your face, all the secretsof my heart," Pao-yue resumed, "but by and bye you'll surely come to knowall about them! After the three--my old grandmother, my father and mymother--you, my cousin, hold the fourth place; and, if there be afifth, I'm ready to swear another oath."
"You needn't swear any more," Lin Tai-yue replied, "I'm well aware thatI, your younger cousin, have a place in your heart; but the thing isthat at the sight of your elder cousin, you at once forget all aboutyour younger cousin."
"This comes again from over-suspicion!" ejaculated Pao; "for I'm not atall disposed that way."
"Well," resumed Lin Tai-yue, "why did you yesterday appeal to me whenthat hussey Pao-ch'ai would not help you by telling a story? Had it beenI, who had been guilty of any such thing, I don't know what you wouldn'thave done again."
But during their _tete-a-tete_, they espied Pao-ch'ai approach fromthe opposite direction, so readily they beat a retreat. Pao-ch'ai haddistinctly caught sight of them, but pretending she had not seen them,she trudged on her way, with lowered head, and repaired into MadameWang's apartments. After a short stay, she came to this side to paydowager lady Chia a visit. With her she also found Pao-yue.
Pao-ch'ai ever made it a point to hold Pao-yue aloof as her mother had indays gone by mentioned to Madame Wang and her other relatives that thegold locket had been the gift of a bonze, that she had to wait untilsuch time as some suitor with jade turned up before she could be givenin marriage, and other similar confidences. But on discovery theprevious day that Yuean Ch'un's presents to her alone resembled those ofPao-yue, she began to feel all the more embarrassed. Luckily, however,Pao-yue was so entangled in Lin Tai-yue's meshes and so absorbed in heartand mind with fond thoughts of his Lin Tai-yue that he did not pay theleast attention to this circumstance. But she unawares now heard Pao-yueremark with a smile: "Cousin Pao, let me see that string of scentedbeads of yours!"
By a strange coincidence, Pao-ch'ai wore the string of beads round herleft wrist so she had no alternative, when Pao-yue asked her for it, thanto take it off. Pao-ch'ai, however, was naturally inclined toembonpoint, and it proved therefore no easy matter for her to get thebeads off; and while Pao-yue stood by watching her snow-white arm,feelings of admiration were quickly stirred up in his heart. "Were thisarm attached to Miss Lin's person," he secretly pondered, "I might,possibly have been able to caress it! But it is, as it happens, part andparcel of her body; how I really do deplore this lack of good fortune."
Suddenly he bethought himself of the secret of gold and jade, and heagain scanned Pao-ch'ai's appearance. At the sight of her countenance,resembling a silver bowl, her eyes limpid like water and almond-like inshape, her lips crimson, though not rouged, her eyebrows jet-black,though not pencilled, also of that fascination and grace which presentedsuch a contrast to Lin Tai-yue's style of beauty, he could not refrainfrom falling into such a stupid reverie, that though Pao-ch'ai had gotthe string of beads off her wrist, and was handing them to him, heforgot all about them and made no effort to take them. Pao-ch'airealised that he was plunged in abstraction, and conscious of theawkward position in which she was placed, she put down the string ofbeads, and turning round was on the point of betaking herself away, whenshe perceived Lin Tai-yue, standing on the door-step, laughingsignificantly while biting a handkerchief she held in her mouth. "Youcan't resist," Pao-ch'ai said, "a single puff of wind; and why do youstand there and expose yourself to the very teeth of it?"
"Wasn't I inside the room?" rejoined Lin Tai-yue, with a cynical smile."But I came out to have a look as I heard a shriek in the heavens; itturned out, in fact, to be a stupid wild goose!"
"A stupid wild goose!" repeated Pao-ch'ai. "Where is it, let me also seeit!"
"As soon as I got out," answered Lin Tai-yue, "it flew away with a't'e-rh' sort of noise."
While replying, she threw the handkerchief, she was holding, straightinto Pao-yue's face. Pao-yue was quite taken by surprise. He was hit onthe eye. "Ai-yah!" he exclaimed.
But, reader, do you want to hear the sequel? In that case, listen to thecircumstances, which will be disclosed in the next chapter.