Chapter 20 · 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.
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.