Chapter 13 · 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.
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.