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《红楼梦》翻译（一百二十六）
《红楼梦》翻译（一百二十六）
原著第六十五回　　贾二舍偷娶尤二姨　尤三姐思嫁柳二郎　　话说贾琏贾珍贾蓉等三人商议，事事妥贴，至初二日，先将尤老和三姐送入新房．尤老一看，虽不似贾蓉口内之言，也十分齐备，母女二人已称了心．鲍二夫妇见了如一盆火， 赶着尤老一口一声唤老娘，又或是老太太，赶着三姐唤三姨，或是姨娘．至次日五更天，一乘素轿，将二姐抬来．各色香烛纸马，并铺盖以及酒饭，早已备得十分妥当．一时，贾琏素服坐了小轿而来，拜过天地，焚了纸马．那尤老见二姐身上头上焕然一新不是在家模样，十分得意．搀入洞房．是夜贾琏同他颠鸾倒凤，百般恩爱，不消细说．　　那贾琏越看越爱， 越瞧越喜，不知怎生奉承这二姐，乃命鲍二等人不许提三说二的， 直以奶奶称之，自己也称奶奶，竟将凤姐一笔勾倒．有时回家中，只说在东府有事羁绊， 凤姐辈因知他和贾珍相得，自然是或有事商议，也不疑心．再家下人虽多，都不管这些事．便有那游手好闲专打听小事的人，也都去奉承贾琏，乘机讨些便宜，谁肯去露风．于是贾琏深感贾珍不尽．贾琏一月出五两银子做天天的供给．若不来时，他母女三人一处吃饭，若贾琏来了，他夫妻二人一处吃，他母女便回房自吃．贾琏又将自己积年所有的梯己， 一并搬了与二姐收着，又将凤姐素日之为人行事，枕边衾内尽情告诉了他， 只等一死，便接他进去．二姐听了，自是愿意．当下十来个人，倒也过起日子来，十分丰足．　　眼见已是两个月光景． 这日贾珍在铁槛寺作完佛事，晚间回家时，因与他姨妹久别， 竟要去探望探望．先命小厮去打听贾琏在与不在，小厮回来说不在．贾珍欢喜，将左右一概先遣回去，只留两个心腹小童牵马．一时，到了新房，已是掌灯时分，悄悄入去． 两个小厮将马拴在圈内，自往下房去听候．贾珍进来，屋内才点灯，先看过了尤氏母女， 然后二姐出见，贾珍仍唤二姨．大家吃茶，说了一回闲话．贾珍因笑说：“我作的这保山如何？ 若错过了，打着灯笼还没处寻，过日你姐姐还备了礼来瞧你们呢。”说话之间，尤二姐已命人预备下酒馔，关起门来，都是一家人，原无避讳．那鲍二来请安，贾珍便说：“你还是个有良心的小子，所以叫你来伏侍．日后自有大用你之处，不可在外头吃酒生事． 我自然赏你．倘或这里短了什么，你琏二爷事多，那里人杂，你只管去回我．我们弟兄不比别人。”鲍二答应道：“是，小的知道．若小的不尽心，除非不要这脑袋了。”贾珍点头说：“要你知道。”当下四人一处吃酒．尤二姐知局，便邀他母亲说：“我怪怕的，妈同我到那边走走来。”尤老也会意，便真个同他出来只剩小丫头们．贾珍便和三姐挨肩擦脸，百般轻薄起来．小丫头子们看不过，也都躲了出去，凭他两个自在取乐，不知作些什么勾当．　　跟的两个小厮都在厨下和鲍二饮酒，鲍二女人上灶．忽见两个丫头也走了来嘲笑，要吃酒．鲍二因说：“姐儿们不在上头伏侍，也偷来了．一时叫起来没人，又是事。”他女人骂道：“胡涂浑呛了的忘八！你撞丧那黄汤罢．撞丧碎了，夹着你那ィ子挺你的尸去．叫不叫，与你Б相干！一应有我承当，风雨横竖洒不着你头上来。”这鲍二原因妻子发迹的， 近日越发亏他．自己除赚钱吃酒之外，一概不管，贾琏等也不肯责备他，故他视妻如母，百依百随，且吃够了便去睡觉．这里鲍二家的陪着这些丫鬟小厮吃酒，讨他们的好，准备在贾珍前上好．　　四人正吃的高兴，忽听扣门之声，鲍二家的忙出来开门，看见是贾琏下马，问有事无事．鲍二女人便悄悄告他说：“大爷在这里西院里呢。”贾琏听了便回至卧房．只见尤二姐和他母亲都在房中，见他来了，二人面上便有些讪讪的．贾琏反推不知，只命：“快拿酒来，咱们吃两杯好睡觉．我今日很乏了。”尤二姐忙上来陪笑接衣奉茶，问长问短．贾琏喜的心痒难受．一时鲍二家的端上酒来，二人对饮．他丈母不吃，自回房中睡去了．两个小丫头分了一个过来伏侍．贾琏的心腹小童隆儿拴马去，见已有了一匹马，细瞧一瞧， 知是贾珍的，心下会意，也来厨下．只见喜儿寿儿两个正在那里坐着吃酒，见他来了， 也都会意，故笑道：“你这会子来的巧．我们因赶不上爷的马，恐怕犯夜，往这里来借宿一宵的． &隆儿便笑道：“有的是炕，只管睡．我是二爷使我送月银的，交给了奶奶，我也不回去了。”喜儿便说：“我们吃多了，你来吃一钟。”隆儿才坐下，端起杯来，忽听马棚内闹将起来．原来二马同槽，不能相容，互相蹶踢起来．隆儿等慌的忙放下酒杯，出来喝马，好容易喝住，另拴好了，方进来．鲍二家的笑说：“你三人就在这里罢，茶也现成了，我可去了。”说着，带门出去．这里喜儿喝了几杯，已是楞子眼了．隆儿寿儿关了门，回头见喜儿直挺挺的仰卧炕上，二人便推他说：“好兄弟，起来好生睡，只顾你一个人，我们就苦了。”那喜儿便说道：“咱们今儿可要公公道道的贴一炉子烧饼，要有一个充正经的人，我痛把你妈一у。”隆儿寿儿见他醉了，也不必多说，只得吹了灯，将就睡下． 尤二姐听见马闹，心下便不自安，只管用言语混乱贾琏．那贾琏吃了几杯，春兴发作，便命收了酒果，掩门宽衣．尤二姐只穿着大红小袄，散挽乌云，满脸春色，比白日更增了颜色． 贾琏搂他笑道：“人人都说我们那夜叉婆齐整，如今我看来，给你拾鞋也不要。”尤二姐道：“我虽标致，却无品行．看来到底是不标致的好。”贾琏忙问道：“这话如何说？ 我却不解。”尤二姐滴泪说道：“你们拿我作愚人待，什么事我不知．我如今和你作了两个月夫妻， 日子虽浅，我也知你不是愚人．我生是你的人，死是你的鬼，如今既作了夫妻， 我终身靠你，岂敢瞒藏一字．我算是有靠，将来我妹子却如何结果？据我看来，这个形景恐非长策，要作长久之计方可。”贾琏听了，笑道：“你且放心，我不是拈酸吃醋之辈． 前事我已尽知，你也不必惊慌．你因妹夫倒是作兄的，自然不好意思，不如我去破了这例。”说着走了，便至西院中来，只见窗内灯烛辉煌，二人正吃酒取乐．贾琏便推门进去，笑说：“大爷在这里，兄弟来请安。”贾珍羞的无话，只得起身让坐．贾琏忙笑道：“何必又作如此景象，咱们弟兄从前是如何样来！大哥为我操心，我今日粉身碎骨， 感激不尽．大哥若多心，我意何安．从此以后，还求大哥如昔方好，不然，兄弟能可绝后，再不敢到此处来了。”说着，便要跪下．慌的贾珍连忙搀起，只说：“兄弟怎么说， 我无不领命。”贾琏忙命人：“看酒来，我和大哥吃两杯。”又拉尤三姐说：“你过来，陪小叔子一杯。”贾珍笑着说：“老二，到底是你，哥哥必要吃干这钟。”说着，一扬脖．尤三姐站在炕上，指贾琏笑道：“你不用和我花马吊嘴的，清水下杂面，你吃我看见．见提着影戏人子上场，好歹别戳破这层纸儿．你别油蒙了心，打谅我们不知道你府上的事．这会子花了几个臭钱，你们哥儿俩拿着我们姐儿两个权当粉头来取乐儿，你们就打错了算盘了．我也知道你那老婆太难缠，如今把我姐姐拐了来做二房，偷的锣儿敲不得．我也要会会那凤奶奶去， 看他是几个脑袋几只手．若大家好取和便罢，倘若有一点叫人过不去， 我有本事先把你两个的牛黄狗宝掏了出来，再和那泼妇拼了这命，也不算是尤三姑奶奶！喝酒怕什么，咱们就喝！&说着，自己绰起壶来斟了一杯，自己先喝了半杯， 搂过贾琏的脖子来就灌，说：“我和你哥哥已经吃过了，咱们来亲香亲香。”唬的贾琏酒都醒了． 贾珍也不承望尤三姐这等无耻老辣．弟兄两个本是风月场中耍惯的，不想今日反被这闺女一席话说住．尤三姐一叠声又叫：“将姐姐请来，要乐咱们四个一处同乐． 俗语说`便宜不过当家'，他们是弟兄，咱们是姊妹，又不是外人，只管上来。”尤二姐反不好意思起来．贾珍得便就要一溜，尤三姐那里肯放．贾珍此时方后悔，不承望他是这种为人，与贾琏反不好轻薄起来．　　这尤三姐松松挽着头发，大红袄子半掩半开，露着葱绿抹胸，一痕雪脯．底下绿裤红鞋， 一对金莲或翘或并，没半刻斯文．两个坠子却似打秋千一般，灯光之下，越显得柳眉笼翠雾， 檀口点丹砂．本是一双秋水眼，再吃了酒，又添了饧涩**浪，不独将他二姊压倒，据珍琏评去，所见过的上下贵贱若干女子，皆未有此绰约风流者．二人已酥麻如醉，不禁去招他一招，他那**态风情，反将二人禁住．那尤三姐放出手眼来略试了一试， 他弟兄两个竟全然无一点别识别见，连口中一句响亮话都没了，不过是酒色二字而已．自己高谈阔论，任意挥霍撒落一阵，拿他弟兄二人嘲笑取乐，竟真是他**了男人， 并非男人**了他．一时他的酒足兴尽，也不容他弟兄多坐，撵了出去，自己关门睡去了．自此后，或略有丫鬟婆娘不到之处，便将贾琏，贾珍，贾蓉三个泼声厉言痛骂，说他爷儿三个诓骗了他寡妇孤女． 贾珍回去之后，以后亦不敢轻易再来，有时尤三姐自己高了兴悄命小厮来请，方敢去一会，到了这里，也只好随他的便．谁知这尤三姐天生脾气不堪，仗着自己风流标致，偏要打扮的出色，另式作出许多万人不及的**情浪态来，哄的男子们垂涎落魄， 欲近不能，欲远不舍，迷离颠倒，他以为乐．他母姊二人也十分相劝，他反说：“姐姐糊涂．咱们金玉一般的人，白叫这两个现世宝沾污了去，也算无能． 而且他家有一个极利害的女人，如今瞒着他不知，咱们方安．倘或一日他知道了，岂有干休之理，势必有一场大闹，不知谁生谁死．趁如今我不拿他们取乐作践准折，到那时白落个臭名，后悔不及。”因此一说，他母女见不听劝，也只得罢了．那尤三姐天天挑拣穿吃，打了银的，又要金的，有了珠子，又要宝石，吃的肥鹅，又宰肥鸭．或不趁心，连桌一推，衣裳不如意，不论绫缎新整，便用剪刀剪碎，撕一条，骂一句，究竟贾珍等何曾随意了一日， 反花了许多昧心钱．贾琏来了，只在二姐房内，心中也悔上来．无奈二姐倒是个多情人，以为贾琏是终身之主了，凡事倒还知疼着痒．若论起温柔和顺，凡事必商必议，不敢恃才自专，实较凤姐高十倍，若论标致，言谈行事，也胜五分．虽然如今改过，但已经失了脚，有了一个&**&字，凭他有甚好处也不算了．偏这贾琏又说：“谁人无错， 知过必改就好。”故不提已往之**，只取现今之善，便如胶授漆，似水如鱼，一心一计，誓同生死，那里还有凤平二人在意了？二姐在枕边衾内，也常劝贾琏说：“你和珍大哥商议商议， 拣个熟的人，把三丫头聘了罢．留着他不是常法子，终久要生出事来，怎么处？&贾琏道：“前日我曾回过大哥的，他只是舍不得．我说`是块肥羊肉，只是烫的慌， 玫瑰花儿可爱，刺大扎手．咱们未必降的住，正经拣个人聘了罢．'他只意意思思，就丢开手了．你叫我有何法。”二姐道：“你放心．咱们明日先劝三丫头，他肯了，叫他自己闹去．闹的无法，少不得聘他。”贾琏听了说：“这话极是。”至次日，二姐另备了酒，贾琏也不出门， 至午间特请他小妹过来，与他母亲上坐．尤三姐便知其意，酒过三巡，不用姐姐开口，先便滴泪泣道：“姐姐今日请我，自有一番大礼要说．但妹子不是那愚人，也不用絮絮叨叨提那从前丑事，我已尽知，说也无益．既如今姐姐也得了好处安身，妈也有了安身之处，我也要自寻归结去，方是正理．但终身大事，一生至一死，非同儿戏．我如今改过守分， 只要我拣一个素日可心如意的人方跟他去．若凭你们拣择，虽是富比石崇， 才过子建，貌比潘安的，我心里进不去，也白过了一世。”贾琏笑道：“这也容易．凭你说是谁就是谁，一应彩礼都有我们置办，母亲也不用操心。”尤三姐泣道：“姐姐知道，不用我说：“贾琏笑问二姐是谁，二姐一时也想不起来．大家想来，贾琏便道：“定是此人无移了！&便拍手笑道：“我知道了．这人原不差，果然好眼力。”二姐笑问是谁，贾琏笑道：“别人他如何进得去，一定是宝玉。”二姐与尤老听了，亦以为然．尤三姐便啐了一口，道：“我们有姊妹十个，也嫁你弟兄十个不成．难道除了你家，天下就没了好男子了不成！&众人听了都诧异：“除去他，还有那一个？&尤三姐笑道：“别只在眼前想，姐姐只在五年前想就是了。”　　正说着，忽见贾琏的心腹小厮兴儿走来请贾琏说：“老爷那边紧等着叫爷呢．小的答应往舅老爷那边去了， 小的连忙来请。”贾琏又忙问：“昨日家里没人问？&兴儿道：“小的回奶奶说，爷在家庙里同珍大爷商议作百日的事，只怕不能来家。”贾琏忙命拉马， 隆儿跟随去了，留下兴儿答应人来事务．尤二姐拿了两碟菜，命拿大杯斟了酒，就命兴儿在炕沿下蹲着吃， 一长一短向他说话儿．问他家里奶奶多大年纪，怎个利害的样子， 老太太多大年纪，太太多大年纪，姑娘几个，各样家常等语．兴儿笑嘻嘻的在炕沿下一头吃， 一头将荣府之事备细告诉他母女．又说：“我是二门上该班的人．我们共是两班， 一班四个，共是八个．这八个人有几个是奶奶的心腹，有几个是爷的心腹．奶奶的心腹我们不敢惹， 爷的心腹奶奶的就敢惹．提起我们奶奶来，心里歹毒，口里尖快．我们二爷也算是个好的，那里见得他．倒是跟前的平姑娘为人很好，虽然和奶奶一气，他倒背着奶奶常作些个好事． 小的们凡有了不是，奶奶是容不过的，只求求他去就完了．如今合家大小除了老太太，太太两个人，没有不恨他的，只不过面子情儿怕他．皆因他一时看的人都不及他，只一味哄着老太太，太太两个人喜欢．他说一是一，说二是二， 没人敢拦他．又恨不得把银子钱省下来堆成山，好叫老太太，太太说他会过日子，殊不知苦了下人， 他讨好儿．估着有好事，他就不等别人去说，他先抓尖儿，或有了不好事或他自己错了， 他便一缩头推到别人身上来，他还在旁边拨火儿．如今连他正经婆婆大太太都嫌了他， 说他`雀儿拣着旺处飞，黑母鸡一窝儿，自家的事不管，倒替人家去瞎张罗' ．若不是老太太在头里，早叫过他去了。”尤二姐笑道：“你背着他这等说他， 将来你又不知怎么说我呢．我又差他一层儿，越发有的说了。”兴儿忙跪下说道：“奶奶要这样说， 小的不怕雷打！但凡小的们有造化起来，先娶奶奶时若得了奶奶这样的人，小的们也少挨些打骂，也少提心吊胆的．如今跟爷的这几个人，谁不背前背后称扬奶奶圣德怜下．我们商量着叫二爷要出来，情愿来答应奶奶呢。”尤二姐笑道：“猴儿у的， 还不起来呢．说句顽话，就唬的那样起来．你们作什么来，我还要找了你奶奶去呢。”兴儿连忙摇手说：“奶奶千万不要去．我告诉奶奶，一辈子别见他才好．嘴甜心苦，两面三刀，上头一脸笑，脚下使绊子，明是一盆火，暗是一把刀：都占全了．只怕三姨的这张嘴还说他不过． 好，奶奶这样斯文良善人，那里是他的对手！&尤氏笑道：“我只以礼待他， 他敢怎么样！&兴儿道：“不是小的吃了酒放肆胡说，奶奶便有礼让，他看见奶奶比他标致， 又比他得人心，他怎肯干休善罢？人家是醋罐子，他是醋缸醋瓮．凡丫头们二爷多看一眼， 他有本事当着爷打个烂羊头．虽然平姑娘在屋里，大约一年二年之间两个有一次到一处，他还要口里掂十个过子呢，气的平姑娘性子发了，哭闹一阵，说： `又不是我自己寻来的，你又浪着劝我，我原不依，你反说我反了，这会子又这样．他一般的也罢了， 倒央告平姑娘。”尤二姐笑道：“可是扯谎？这样一个夜叉，怎么反怕屋里的人呢？ &兴儿道：“这就是俗语说的`天下逃不过一个理字去'了．这平儿是他自幼的丫头， 陪了过来一共四个，嫁人的嫁人，死的死了，只剩了这个心腹．他原为收了屋里， 一则显他贤良名儿，二则又叫拴爷的心，好不外头走邪的．又还有一段因果：我们家的规矩，凡爷们大了，未娶亲之先都先放两个人伏侍的．二爷原有两个，谁知他来了没半年， 都寻出不是来，都打发出去了．别人虽不好说，自己脸上过不去，所以强逼着平姑娘作了房里人． 那平姑娘又是个正经人，从不把这一件事放在心上，也不会挑妻窝夫的， 倒一味忠心赤胆伏侍他，才容下了。”尤二姐笑道：“原来如此．但我听见你们家还有一位寡妇奶奶和几位姑娘．他这样利害，这些人如何依得？&兴儿拍手笑道：“原来奶奶不知道．我们家这位寡妇奶奶，他的浑名叫作`大菩萨'，第一个善德人．我们家的规矩又大， 寡妇奶奶们不管事，只宜清净守节．妙在姑娘又多，只把姑娘们交给他，看书写字，学针线，学道理，这是他的责任．除此问事不知，说事不管．只因这一向他病了，事多，这大奶奶暂管几日．究竟也无可管，不过是按例而行，不象他多事逞才．我们大姑娘不用说， 但凡不好也没这段大福了．二姑娘的浑名是`二木头'，戳一针也不知嗳哟一声．三姑娘的浑名是`玫瑰花'。”尤氏姊妹忙笑问何意．兴儿笑道：“玫瑰花又红又香，无人不爱的，只是刺戳手．也是一位神道，可惜不是太太养的，`老鸹窝里出凤凰'．四姑娘小，他正经是珍大爷亲妹子，因自幼无母，老太太命太太抱过来养这么大，也是一位不管事的． 奶奶不知道，我们家的姑娘不算，另外有两个姑娘，真是天上少有，地下无双．一个是咱们姑太太的女儿，姓林，小名儿叫什么黛玉，面庞身段和三姨不差什么，一肚子文章，只是一身多病，这样的天，还穿夹的，出来风儿一吹就倒了．我们这起没王法的嘴都悄悄的叫他`多病西施'．还有一位姨太太的女儿，姓薛，叫什么宝钗，竟是雪堆出来的．每常出门或上车，或一时院子里瞥见一眼，我们鬼使神差，见了他两个， 不敢出气儿。”尤二姐笑道：“你们大家规矩，虽然你们小孩子进的去，然遇见小姐们， 原该远远藏开。”兴儿摇手道：“不是，不是．那正经大礼，自然远远的藏开，自不必说．就藏开了，自己不敢出气，是生怕这气大了，吹倒了姓林的，气暖了，吹化了姓薛的。”说的满屋里都笑起来了．不知端详，且听下回分解．霍克斯译文CHAPTER 64Five fair women make subjects fora chaste maid’s verseAnd nine jade dragons make alove-gift for a flirtAs soon as Jia Rong learned that evening was ready, he returned to the temple and reported to his father to that effect. At once preparations for the procession into the city were put in motion. Bearers were organized, insignia, funeral banners and all the other paraphernalia got ready overnight, and messengers hurriedly sent out to relations and friends telling them when the procession would set out: five o’clock on the morn ing of the fourth.The procession, needless to say, was of dazzling magnificence, and troops of mourners took part in it. It provoked varying reactions from the crowd numbering many thousands who lined the road to watch it, all the way from the Temple of the Iron Threshold to the gates of Ning-guo House. Some took a ** pleas others admired the wealth
but there were also a few sour-faced Confucian scholars who looked down their noses and muttered something about sumptuousness being no substitute for grief. A buzz of discussion followed its passing all along the route.The procession reached the mansion at about th the coffin was deposited in its shr the lament was raised. After that the mourners began gradually to depart. Only those members of the Jia clan remained who had undertaken to lend the family a hand with the reception. Among relations not of the Jia sur name the only one to stay behind was Lady Xing’s brother, Xing De-quan.As long as there were visitors around, convention obliged Cousin Zhen and Jia Rong to remain in appropriately grief-stricken attitudes beside the coffin, conforming, as far as possible, to the scriptural canons on mourning which enjoin the bereaved son, among other things, to ‘lie upon rushes with a sod of earth for his pillow’; but as soon as the last guest had gone, they were off like a shot to enjoy the society of their young female relations inside.Throughout this period Bao-yu too was expected to put on mourning and go over every day to Ning-guo House to spend the whole day there beside the coffin. Xi-feng was not well enough to go over daily, but on days when there were sutra-readings and the callers were numerous, she would drag herself over and lend You-shi a hand in entertaining the wives.One morning after the early offering, when Cousin Zhen and Jia Rong, worn out by a succession of short nights and long, exhausting days, lay dozing beside the coffin, Bao-yu thought that as there were no visitors he might just as well go back home and see Dai-yu. Calling at Green Delights on the way, he found the courtyard silent and deserted. In the coolness of the surrounding gallery a few old women and junior maids were sitting or lying about in various postures of sleep. He had no wish to disturb them, and would have made his way
but just as he was approaching the doorway, Number Four caughtsight of him and started up, intending to raise the blind for him to enter. She had not time to do so however, for at that very moment Parfumée came rushing out and very nearly ran into him. She checked her self just in time.‘What are you doing here?’ There was an expression of pleased surprise on her face. ‘Don’t let Skybright get me! She’s trying to hit me.’Inside the room there was a clatter of numerous tiny objects striking the floor and a moment later Skybright burst through the doorway in pursuit.‘Where are you, you little wretch? If you’ve lost, you have to have a slap. It’s no good running to Bao-yu to protect you: he isn’t here today.’Bao-yu laughingly intercepted her.‘She’s only little. I don’t know how she’s offended you, but won’t you forgive her for my sake?’Bao-yu’s sudden appearance at that moment was so unexpected that Skybright found it comical.‘Parfumée must be a little witch! I wouldn’t have thought even magic spells could bring someone so quickly! Well, I don’t care!’ she said, having recovered somewhat from her surprise. ‘Magic or no magic, I’m going to get her!’She wrested the arm free that Bao-yu was holding and darted at Parfumée; but Parfuméedodged behind Bao-yu’s back and clung to him. Bao-yu took Skybright by one hand and Parfumée by the other and walked with them into the room. There, on the kang under the west wall, Musk, Ripple, Emerald and Swallow sat playing dibs: melon-seeds for winners and slaps for losers. Parfumée had lost to Skybright and run out to avoid the slap. The clattering noise that Bao- yu had heard was the sound of dib-stones falling from Skybright’s lap when she got up to chase her. Bao-yu surveyed the scene approvingly.‘I thought you’d be a bit quiet here with me away,’ he said. ‘And as the days are so long now, I was afraid you might be going to sleep after lunch and making yourselves ill. I’m glad you’ve found a way of keeping yourselves amused - Where’s Aroma?’ he asked, suddenly noticing that she was not with them.‘Oh, Aroma,’ said Skybright. ‘Aroma’s gone religious. She’s sitting on her own in the next room like Bodhidharma with her face to the wall. I haven’t dared disturb her so I haven’t the least idea what she’s doing. Whatever it is, she’s being very quiet about it. You’d better go in and have a look: perhaps she’s attained Enlightenment!’Bao-yu laughed and went into the inner room. He found Aroma sitting on the couch by the window making knots in a length of grey silk cord. She rose to her feet as he entered.‘What lies has that wretch Skybright been telling about me? I wanted to get on with this knotting, that’s what I came in here for. I hadn’t got time to fool about with the others, so I pretended that I wanted to take advantage of your being away by sitting here quietly on my own and meditating for a bit. Bodhidharma, indeed! I’ll pinch that girl’s mouth!’Bao-yu laughed and sat down beside her to watch her knot.‘The days are so long now, you ought to take a break of some kind. If you don’t fancy playing with the others, why not come with me to see Cousin Lin? Surely it’s much too hot for knotting?’‘I noticed that you’re still wearing that old black fan-cover we made for you when you went into mourning for Mrs Rong. As long as you were only wearing it once or twice a year, it didn’t seem worth the tro but now that you have to wear summer mourning every day at the other House, I thought it was high time I made you a new one. As soon as I’ve finished this cord for it, you can take the old one off and put it on. I know you don’t care very much about this sort of thing, but if Her Old Ladyship were to see you wearing the old one when she got back, she’d be sure to blame me for neglecting you. She’d say I was too lazy even to notice what you were wearing.’Bao-yu smiled.‘It’s very nice of you to have thought about it. But don’t drive yourself too hard. You don’t want to give yourself a heat stroke.’At that moment Parfumée came in carrying a cup of water -cooled tea for him on a tray. Because as a little boy he had been delicate, Bao-yu was never given ice-cold tea to drink in summer. To cool his tea they plunged the tea-pot into a basin of water freshly drawn from the well. The water was changed several times until the tea inside the pot, though not chilled, had reached a pleasant freshness. He drank half the contents of the cup while Parfumée held it to his lips, then turned his head back again to address Aroma.‘I told Tealeaf when I left that if anyone important turns up at Cousin Zhen’s, he is to let otherwise I shan’t be going back there.’He got up to go. As he was leaving the house, he called back to Emerald and the others in the outer room:‘If I’m wanted for anything, you’ll find me at Miss Lin’s.’ On his way there, just as he was about to cross Drenched Blossoms Bridge, he came upon Snowgoose followed by two old women carrying an assortment of caltrops, melons and lotus-roots.‘What are they for?’ Bao-yu asked her. ‘I know your mistress never eats that sort of thing. Is she expecting Mrs Zhu or someone?’‘If I tell you, you mustn’t let on when you see her,’ said Snowgoose.Bao-yu nodded.‘You can go on ahead and give that stuff to Miss Nightingale,’ Snowgoose said to the two women. ‘If she asks you why I’m not with you, tell her I’m doing something and I’ll be back directly.’The women made some reply and continued on their way. Snowgoose waited until they were out of earshot.‘The Mistress has been feeling a bit better this last day or two. But when Miss Tan looked in after lunch today and wanted her to go with her to call on Mrs Lian, she wouldn’t go. She appeared to be thinking about something and had a little cry. Then presently she picked up her writing-brush and did a lot of writing - poetry I think. She told me to send out for some melons and things. While I did that, she said, Nightin gale was to clear the qin-table in the inner room, move it into the outside room, and put the dragon incense-burner on it. She said she’d tell us what to do with the melons when I got back. If she’s planning to entertain someone, I don’t see what she wants the incense-burner for - certainly not for burning incense in, because she doesn’t like incense as a rule. She likes to have fresh flowers and fruit and gourds about her but not incense because she doesn’t like the smell of it in her clothes. Anyway, if she does want to burn some, why not in the inner room, where she spends all her time? Unless it’s because the old women have made the outer room a bit smelly and she’s burning it to get rid of the smell. The fact is, I really don’t know. You’ll have to go and find out for yourself.’While she was speaking, Bao-yu had unconsciously lowered his head.‘From what Snowgoose says,’ he thought, ‘there must be some other reason for this. She wouldn’t have things put out specially if she were merely entertaining one of the girls. Perhaps today is the anniversary of Aunt Lin’s death. No, just a bit: it can’t be. When it is, Grandma always sends her the stuff for the offering and she’s done that already this year. Perhaps it’s for a seasonal offering. Perhaps she’s been reading the Doctrine of the Mean: In each season of the year ... offer things seasonableIt’s possible. If I go and see her now, when she is feeling upset, I am sure to want to talk her out of it and shall probably only succeed in causing her to suppress her grief. On the other hand, if I don’t go, then with no one there to stop her, she may simply go on getting more and more upset. Either way will be bad for her. The best thing will be for me to go and see Cousin Feng first, sit with her for a bit, and look in at Cousin Lin’s on my way back. Then, if she is still upset, I shall try to find some means of consoling her. In that way I shall be able to prevent her grief from getting out of hand, though at the same time she will have had a chance of giving it expression, so that there will be no danger of its being unhealthily repressed.’Having come to this decision, he let Snowgoose go on to the Naiad’s House alone and made his way out of the Garden to Xi-feng’s place. He arrived just as a number of women-servants who had been reporting on household matters were leaving. Xi-feng herself was leaning inside the gateway talking to Patience. She smiled at Bao-yu as she saw him come.‘You’ve come back, then? I’ve just this moment been telling Lin Zhi-xiao’s wife to send someone over to the other place to tell your pages that if you don’t appear to be doing anything they ought to slip in and ask you to come back here for a rest. I was afraid that in this hot weather with so many people milling around there, you might find the sweaty smells a bit too much for you. But you’ve come back anyway, so I needn’t have bothered.’‘Thank you for the kind thought, though,’ said Bao-yu. ‘I decided to come back here partly because there was nothing there for me to do, but also because I noticed that you haven’t been over there for some days and I wanted to see if you were all right. How are you feeling lately?’‘Oh, still pretty much the same,’ said Xi-feng. ‘Still up one day and down the next. Now that Grandmother and your mother are away, those senior women are getting quite out of hand, fighting or quarrelling about something or other every day. We’ve even had cases of *** and thieving recently. Of course, your si but she’s a young unmarried girl and there are certain things she can’t be told about. When they crop up, I have to struggle out of bed and deal with them myself. So I don’t really get a lot of rest. Under the circumstances there’s not much prospect yet of getting better: all I can hope is that I shan’t get any worse!’‘I know. But you’ve got to look after yourself,’ said Bao-yu. ‘You must try not to worry so much.’He chatted with her a little longer before going back into the Garden. Arriving at the Naiad’s House, he could see the remains of incense smoke as he entered the courtyard gate. In the outer room there was a wet patch on the flagstones where a libation had been poured, and Nightingale was super vising the removal of the qin-table to the inside room and the replacement of various other objects and bits of furniture. Concluding that the little service (if that is what it had been) must just be over, he went inside. Dai-yu was lying down with her face to the wall. She looked ill and exhausted. At the sound of Nightingale’s ‘Master Bao, Miss’, she raised herself wearily, though with a smiling face, and invited him to sit by her.‘How have you been these last few days, coz?’ he said. ‘You look a bit calmer than you did, but something seems to have been upsetting you.’‘I can’t imagine why you should say so,’ said Dai-yu. ‘I am perfectly all right.’‘How can you expect me to believe that?’ said Bao-yu. ‘The tears are still wet on your face. You should learn to take things a bit easier. It is bad for a person who has so much illness to be constantly indulging in grief. If you end up by und I-’The realization that what he was about to say was probably something that ought not to be said caused the words to stick in his throat. For although, from the fact that he and Dai-yu had grown up together, there existed a most perfect sympathy between them, although there was nothing in the world that either of them wanted more than to live and die in each other’s company, the understanding that this was so was a wordless one which had never been expressed. In the past, because Dai-yu was so sensitive, words had all too often proved a stumbling-block. And now today, when the whole point of his coming here was to comfort her, here he was again, on the point of saying something that would offend her! Finding that he could not go on, a sort of panic gripped him. He feared he was goi and yet he so desperately wanted to help her. As he thought about it, the panic gave way to a feeling of helpless sadness and he began to cry.Dai-yu, sensing that he was about to make one of those extravagant statements that she always found so irritating, had indeed been on the po but when she saw his internal struggle and the tears which followed it, she felt not angry with him but moved, and being herself of a tearful disposition, was soon sitting there in silence and weeping with him for company. To Nightingale, who came in at that moment with some tea, it appeared as if they must have been having a quarrel.‘Just when Miss Lin is getting along nicely,’ she said to Bao- yu with some asperity, ‘what do you mean by coming along here and upsetting her?’Bao-yu laughed and wiped his eyes.‘I’ve done no such thing.’To cover up his embarrassment, he got up and began pacing about the room. In doing so, he caught sight of a sheet of ** sticking out from underneath Dai-yu’s inkstone. The temptation to reach out and pick it up proved irresistible, and before Dai-yu could get up and snatch it from him, he had put it in the bosom of his gown.‘Let me read it, Dai!’‘Whatever you come here about,’ said Dai-yu, ‘you always seem to end up by nosing through my **s.’Bao-chai came in while she was speaking.‘What is it you want to read, cousin?’ she asked Bao-yu.Bao-yu still had no idea what the piece of ** contained, and because he was uncertain what Dai-yu’s feelings would be about his reading it, he hesitated to answer Bao-chai’s question for fear of giving Dai-yu offence. He therefore smiled and said nothing, while all the time his eyes rested on Dai-yu questioningly. Dai-yu smiled at Bao-chai and invited her to be seated.‘I’ve been looking at some lives of famous women,’ said Dai-yu, ‘all of them women who are famous in history for their beauty or intelligence. There was so much I found moving - heartening and admirable in some cases, tragic and deplorable in others - that after lunch today, having nothing better to do, I decided to make a selection of them and try writing poems about them in which some of those feelings could be expressed. Then Tan-chun came in and asked me to go with her to see Cousin Feng, but I didn’t feel up to it. After doing only five of the poems I had planned, I suddenly felt too tired to go on and left them lying there on the table, little thinking that Master Bao would come along and dis cover them. I wouldn’t really mind his seeing them if it weren’t for the fear that he might go copying them out and showing them to other people.’‘When did I ever do such a thing?’ said Bao-yu indignantly. ‘If you’re referring to the White Crab-flower poems on that fan, I wrote them on it myself in small kai-shu characters merely for the convenience of always having them by me when I wanted to look at them. I fully realize that poems written in the privacy of the women’s quarters are not lightly to be passed around outside. Ever since you spoke to me about it, I have been careful not to carry that fan with me anywhere but inside the Garden.’‘Cousin Lin is right to be worried,’ said Bao-chai. ‘Now that the poems are written on that fan, there is always the possibility that you might one day forget and carry it with you to your room outside. Suppose Uncle’s literary gentlemen were to see it there, they would be sure to ask you who the poems were by. If as a result of that they were to become public property, it would be extremely unpleasant for us. “A stupid woman is a virtuous one”: that is what the old proverb says. A girl’s first concern is to be virtuous, her second is to be industrious. She may write poetry if she likes as a diversion, but it is an accomplishment she could just as well do without. The last thing girls of good family need is a literary reputation.’ She paused and gave Dai-yu a smile. ‘There would be no harm in letting me see them of course. The important thing is not to allow Cousin Bao to go off with them.’‘In the light of what you have just been saying,’ said Dai-yu drily, ‘I’m not at all sure that I ought to let you look at them either. Anyway,’ she pointed to Bao-yu, ‘he’s already got them.’Bao-yu assumed from her tone that he might read them. Extracting the ** from the inside pocket of his gown, he drew up close to Bao-chai so that the two of them could peruse it together. This is what they read.Xi ShiThat kingdom-quelling beauty dissolved like the flower of foam.In the foreignpalace, Xi Shi, did you yearn for your old home?Who laughs at your ugly neighbour with her frown-and-simper now,Still steeping her yam at the brook-side, and the hair ***-white on her brow?*Yu JiThe very crows are grieving as they caw in the cold night air. She faces her beaten Tyrant King with a haggard look of despair:‘Let the others wait for the hangman, to be hacked an‘Better the taste of one’s own steel in the decent dark of a tent.’*LadyBrightTo a loveliness that dazzled, the palace of HFor ‘the fair are mostly ill-fated’, as has been said often before.Yet it seems strange that an emperor - even one with such tepid views –Should abandon his eyes’ own judgement and let a painter choose!*Green PearlPebble or pearl - to Shi Chong it was only a rich man’s whim:Do you really believe your undoubted charms meant so very much to him?It was fate, from some past life preordained, that made him take his rash stand,And the craving to have a companion in death’s dark, silent land.*Red DusterShe marked the firm, courteous protest, the well-phrased confident plan,And, under the unsuccessful clerk, saw the essential Man.The great Yang Su in her eyes was finished from that hour:He could not hold a girl like her for all his pomp and power.*After praising the poems enthusiastically, Bao-yu suggested that, as there were five of them, a good collective title would be ‘Songs for Five Fair Women’; and without waiting for Dai-yu’s approval, he picked up her writing-brush and wrote it on the left-hand side of the sheet after the poems.‘Whatever subject one chooses for a poem,’ said Bao-chai, ‘it is important that one’s treatment of it should be original. If one merely plods along in the footsteps of earlier poets, it doesn’t matter how fine the language is, the lack of originality will prevent it from being a really good poem. Thus, many poets have taken Lady Bright as their theme, but the best ones have always contrived to give the subject a new turn, one emphasizing the sad fate of Lady Bright herself, another the wickedness of the painter Ma Yan-shou, another the frivolousness of the Han emperor who employed him to paint portraits of court ladies rather than portraits of distinguished statesmen and soldiers, and so on. Further new twists were given to this theme by Wang An-shi:What brush could ever capture a beauty’s breathing grace?The painter did not merit death who botched that lovely face.and by Ou-yang Xiu:A prince so ill able to control what went on under his noseMust hope in vain to impose his rule on remote barbarian foes.Cousin Lin shows the same originality as these two poets, by presenting each of her subjects in a novel and interesting light -’Before she could continue with her disquisition, a servant came in to announce that Jia Lian was back. His arrival at the Ning mansion had been reported some time ago and he was expected any moment at Rong-guo House. Bao-yu at once got up and, hurrying out to the front part of the mansion, waited inside the main gate for his cousin to arrive. He did not have to wait long. Within moments Jia Lian was dis mounting from his horse and stepping through the gateway. Bao-yu advanced to meet him, touched hand and knee to the ground in greeting, and wished good health, first, as was good manners, to his grandmother and mother, from whom Jia Lian had come, and then to Jia Lian himself. The cousins then went inside together, hand in hand. Li Wan, Xi-feng, Bao -chai, Dai-yu, Ying-chun, Tan-chun and Xi-chun were already waiting for Jia Lian in the hall. After each of them had greeted him individually, he gave them his news.‘Grandmother will be arriving here early tomorrow. She’s been keeping very well on the journey. Today she sent me on ahead to make sure that everything here is all right. I shall be leaving again tomorrow at four o’clock in the morning and going out of the city to meet her.’They asked him a few questions about the journey, but because they knew how tired he must be after so much travel, soon left him so that he could go back to his own room and get some rest. About the remainder of that day our narrative is silent.Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang arrived home round about lunchtime the following day. When the initial greetings were over, the old lady sat for a while and sipped a cup of tea before taking Lady Wang and the others with her to Ning-guo House. A great wailing rose up as she arrived. Jia She and Jia Lian had gone there after seeing the old lady home, and as she and her party entered the room in which the coffin stood, the two of them advanced to meet her at the head of a number of weeping clansmen, and supported her one on each side as she ap proached the coffin. At the foot of it Cousin Zhen and Jia Rong knelt down, pressing their heads against her skirts and weeping piteously. To people of advancing years even simulated grief is distressing, and Grandmother Jia, an arm about each head, wept very bitterly herself, Jia She and Jia Lian did their best to comfort her, and at last, when her grief had some what abated, she moved on, to the right of the coffin-screens, where You-shi and her daughter-in-law were waiting for her. Here there was more clinging and weeping, after which those present came forward one by one to salute Grandmother Jia and welcome her in a more normal fashion.Cousin Zhen, fearing that Grandmother Jia, who had still not rested properly after her tiring journey, would become distressed if she were to sit much longer in such melancholy surroundings, strongly urged her not to stay. When at last he had prevailed on her to go and she was back in her own apartment at Rong-guo House, it became evident that the shock of mourning, following so soon upon the discomforts of travel, had indeed had an adverse effect on her ageing con stitution. By nightfall she was showing all the symptoms of incipient illness: heaviness in the head, a constricted feeling in the chest, a blocked-up nose and hoarseness of the voice. The doctor was summoned immediately and half that night and the whole of the following day taken up with consulta tions, prescriptions and the preparation and administering of medicine. Fortunately the illness had not yet established itself in her system and responded rapidly to treatment. There was a slight outbreak of perspiration round about midnight of the second night and after that her pulse and temperature both returned to normal. Everyone breat though to be on the safe side they kept up the dosage for another day.A few days later it was Jia Jing's 'funeral' - in this case no more than the re-depositing of his coffin in the family temple. Grandmother Jia was still not well Bao-yu stayed at home to look a and Xi- feng was still insufficiently recovered. Apart from them, all the other members of the Rong-guo family, Jia She, Jia Lian, Lady Xing and Lady Wang, together with all the men- and women-servants of their households, accompanied their Ning -guo cousins to the Temple of the Iron Threshold. They were bac but Cousin Zhen, You-shi and Jia Rong stayed on at the temple for the Hundred Days, at the end of which Jia Jing was to be taken to his final resting-place in Nanking. Old Mrs You and her two daughters remained all this while at the Ning-guo mansion to keep an eye on things.Jia Lian had heard a good deal in the past about these two step-sisters of You-shi, though, to his great regret, he had never until very recently had an opportunity of meeting them. The opportunity had presented itself on the occasion of Jia Jing's removal into the city. Since then they had become fairly well acquainted. Acquaintanceship in his case (Jia Lian being what he was) had been accompanied by the first stirrings of lust. He felt encouraged by an unsavoury rumour he had heard to the effect that his cousins Zhen and Rong, both father and son, had at one time or another enjoyed the sisters' favours. Whenever he had a chance to, he flirted or made eyes at them - unsuccessfully in San-jie's case, for she met all his advances with indifference, but with a more promising reaction from her sister. Unfortunately, with so many pairs of eyes watching, he could not follow up his success, apart from which he was a little scared that Cousin Zhen might be jealous. Between him and Er-jie it could be said that there was a
but for the time being there could be nothing more.This all changed after the funeral. Then, at Ning-guo House, apart from Mrs You and the two sisters and a few maids and older women employed to do the rough work, hardly anyone from the master apartment was left behind. All the personal maids, parlour maids and concubines stayed with their master and mistress at the temple. As for the married servants, their activities were confined to keeping watch at night and mind and since they had their own quarters outside, they had no reason to go inside the house except when they were on duty. This seemed to Jia Lian to be an excellent time to act. A pretended wish to keep Cousin Zhen company at the temple gave him an excuse for absenting himself fr6m his own house, whilst the pretext of attending to household matters on Cousin Zhen's behalf enabled him to make several trips back to Ning-guo House, thus providing him with further opportunities for pursuing his flirtation with Er-jie. One day Yu Lu, a junior steward from Ning-guo House, came out to see Cousin Zhen about some business.‘The total cost of the procession, including funeral furnishings and hire of labour, was one thousand one hundred and ten taels. Of that, five hundred taels have already been paid, leaving six hundred and ten taels outstanding. Yesterday I had the managers of both agencies round asking me for the rest of the money. I thought I’d better see you about it and ask you what I’m to do.’‘Why didn’t you go straight to the counting-house and draw what’s wanted?’ said Cousin Zhen. ‘I don’t see why you should need to come bothering me about it.,‘I did go to the counting-house, sir,’ said Yu Lu, ‘but since Sir Jing passed away they have already paid out so much that they’ve barely got enough left to pay for the Hundred Days services and the expenses of your stay here in the temple. They couldn’t pay these bills without eating into what has been earmarked for something else. That’s why I’ve come out to see you. I wondered whether you would want me to pay them out of your personal account, or whether there’s some other account you could transfer the money from. If you will let me know what you want me to do, I’ll go ahead and do it.’Cousin Zhen laughed.‘The days when we had money lying around unused in private accounts have long since passed. You’ll have to borrow the money where you can.’It was Yu Lu’s turn to laugh.‘If it were one hundred or two hundred taels, sir, I might be able but five or six hundred? Where would I get a sum like that at short notice?’After thinking for a bit, Cousin Zhen turned to Jia Rong:‘Go to your mother, Rong, and ask her for that five hundred taels the Zhens of Nanking sent us after the funeral. It hasn’t been handed in to the counting-house yet. And ask her to have a rake-around and see if she can’t raise the whole sum.’Jia Rong hurried off.In a very short time he was back again with his mother’s answer.‘Mother says two hundred of the five hundred has already been spent. She sent the remaining three hundred back home for Grandmother You to take care of.’‘In that case,’ said Cousin Zhen, ‘you’d better go back with Yu Lu to ask her for it and let him have it. While you’re about it, you’ll be able to see if everything at home is all right. And of course give my regards to your aunts. Yu Lu, you’ll have to raise the rest of the money as best you can by borrowing.’Jia Rong and Yu Lu promised to do his bidding, but just as they were about to withdraw Jia Lian walked into the room. Yu Lu stepped up to him smartly and dropped him a salute.‘What’s happened?’ said Jia Lian.Cousin Zhen proceeded to explain to him why Yu Lu was there. As he did so, it occurred to Jia Lian that this would be a good opportunity of going to the Ning-guo mansion and looking up Er-jie again.‘It seems a pity to go straining one’s credit for so trifling a sum,’ he said. ‘I had a little windfall the other day that I haven’t made use of yet. Why don’t I let him have that to add to your three hundred and save him the trouble of borrow ing?’‘That will be splendid,’ said Cousin Zhen. ‘Perhaps you will authorize Rong to pick it up then, when he goes to collect the three hundred?’‘I think it will be necessary to go for it myself,’ said Jia Lian hurriedly. ‘In any case I haven’t been home for some days. I really ought to drop in and pay my respects to Grandmother and Lady Wang and my parents. I shall be able to look in at your place too, Zhen, and make sure that your servants are behaving themselves. And pay my respects to your mother -in-law, of course.’‘It means imposing on you once again,’ said Cousin Then, smiling. ‘I don’t know whether I should let you.’‘For goodness’ sake!’ said Jia Lian. ‘One’s own cousin!’‘Go with your uncle, then,’ Cousin Zhen instructed Jia Rong, ‘and when you see Lady Jia and the other ladies and Sir She to make your bow to them, remember to say that your mother and I send them our regards. And don’t forget to ask whether Lady Jia is quite better yet and whether or not she is still taking medicine.’Having ‘yessir’-ed each one of these commands, Jia Rong followed his Uncle Lian outside. The two of them then took horse and, accompanied by Yu Lu and several pages, all on horseback, rode out towards the city. As Er-lie was very much on his mind, Jia Lian beguiled the journey by talking to his nephew about her as they rode along. He spoke approvingly of her good looks and gentle character. He remarked what perfect poise she had and what a soft and pleasing way of speaking. In fact, he concluded, everything about her excited one’s admiration and respect.‘Everyone speaks so highly of your Aunt Feng, but to my mind she isn’t a patch on her.’Jia Rong understood very well where this conversation was leading them.‘If you love her so much, Uncle,’ he said, ‘why not let me he your matchmaker and arrange for you to have her as your Number Two?’‘Is that a joke,’ said Jia Lian, ‘or are you in earnest?’‘I’m being perfectly serious.’Jia Lian laughed:‘It’s certainly an attractive proposal. The only trouble is, I don’t think your Aunt Feng would ever stand for it. And besides, your Grandmother You might not be willing. And haven’t I heard somewhere that your Aunt Er is already engaged to someone?’‘None of these is really a problem,’ said Jia Rong. ‘Aunt Er and Aunt San, although they took his surname, were not really my Grandpa You’s daughters. When Gran married my Grandpa You as his second wife, she brought them with her from a previous marriage. I’ve heard Gran say that when she was carrying Aunt Er, her first husband had an agreement with a friend of his called Zhang, who was a manager on one of the Imperial Farms and whose own wife was also pregnant at the time. They agreed that if the children their wives were carrying turned out to be a boy and a girl, they should be betrothed to each other. In that way Aunt Er was engaged to the Zhangs’ boy from the moment she was born. Later on the Zhangs lost all their money in a lawsuit, and Gran lost her first husband and married my Grandpa You, and for ten or fifteen years now she hasn’t heard a word from them. She often com plains about the betrothal and says she wishes she
and Father is anxious to betroth Aunt Er to some one else. He’s only waiting until he has found the right person, and then he means to find out where the Zhangs are, hand them a small sum of money, and persuade them to sign a deed of revocation. The Zhangs are so poor, they are hardly likely to refuse. In fact, when they’ve seen the kind of people we are, they probably won’t dare. And whatever Father and Gran might have thought about Aunt Er becoming a Number Two in other circumstances, I’m sure they would have no objection in your case. The only difficulty as I see it is Aunt Feng.’Jia Lian was so enraptured by the main part of what Jia Rong had been saying, that it is doubtful whether he heard those last words at all. For some moments he rode on in silence, a fatuous grin on his face. Meanwhile Jia Rong was thinking.‘I’ll tell you what, Uncle,’ he said presently: ‘if you’ve got the nerve, there’s one way of doing this that would be absolutely fool-proof. It would involve you in spending a bit of money though.’‘Never mind that, dear boy!’ said Jia Lian eagerly. ‘If you have a plan, just tell me what it is.’‘Don’t say anything about this when we arrive,’ said Jia Rong, ‘but wait until I have had a chance to explain it all to Father and he can arrange it with my Gran. When it’s all settled, buy a little house somewhere in the streets at the back of our mansion, furnish it, install one or two married couples to look after it, and then all you have to do is choose the day: you can marry Aunt Er then and nobody be any the wiser. Of course, you’d have to impress on the servants that they are no but provided they don’t talk, there’s no reason why Aunt Feng tucked away in the inner courtyards should ever hear about it. And by the time you’ve been living together for a year or two, you ought to be able to ride the storm out even if your secret is blown. You’d have to face an explosion from Sir She, but you can tell him that you did it for the family, because Aunt Feng is unable to have a son. And as for Aunt Feng herself, when she sees that the rice is cooked and knows that it can’t be uncooked, she’ll have to put up with it. That only leaves the old lady to square, and you should be able to do that easily enough with a bit of coaxing.’There is an old saying, ‘Desire maketh the wise man a fool’. Jia Lian was so intoxicated by his desire for Er-jie that Jia Rong’s idiotic plan struck him as unassailable. The fact that he was in mourning, the fact that a secret marriage of the kind he was contemplating was bigamous and illegal, the fact that he had an extremely strict father and an exceptionally jealous wife - all those things which ought to have given him pause were lightly brushed aside. Nor did it occur to him that Jia Rong’s counsel was by no means disinterested. Jia Rong had designs upon Er-jie himself, to which the presence of his father, when they were all togeth was an impediment. If Jia Lian married Er-jie, she would have to live outside, and there would be unlimited opportunities for larks with her whenever Jia Lian was away. Blind to all this, Jia Lian thanked Jia Rong profusely and promised him a suitable reward.‘If you can really arrange this for me, dear boy, I’ll buy you a pair of the prettiest little girls who are to be had and make you a present of them!’They were by now approaching the gates of Ning-guo House.‘You go in here and ask my Gran for the money to give to Yu Lu, Uncle. I’m going on to the other House to pay my respects to the old lady.’Jia Lian smiled and nodded.‘When you see her, don’t let on that I came here with you, will you?’‘All right,’ said Jia R then, leaning over, he added in a low voice in his uncle’s ear: ‘If you should happen to see Aunt Er today, don’t let impatience get the better of you! A scandal now will make it harder to arrange things later.’‘Cheeky devil!’ said Jia Lian laughing. ‘Go on, be on your way now! I’ll be waiting for you here.While Jia Rong went on to the Rong mansion alone, Jia Lian turned into the gateway of Ning-guo House. The men-servants temporarily in charge there were waiting inside the gate to welcome him, with the other servants all lined up behind them. They clustered round him as he made his way up to the hall. There, for form’s sake, he asked them a few per functory questions before dismissing them and continuing on his way to the inner apartments.As cousins and intimates having no secrets from one another, Cousin Zhen and Jia Lian had always felt free to come and go in each other’s apartments without formality, and so, when Jia Lian approached the main sitting-room of Cousin Zhen’s apartment, the old women at the door simply raised the portiere for him and let him go in unannounced.Looking round him as he entered, Jia Lian saw only Er- jie and a couple of maids sewing together on the kang at the southern end of the room. The mother and the other sister were not in evidence. He went up and greeted her. In response to her smiling invitation to join her, he climbed up and sat with his back resting against the openwork partition along the eastern side of the kang, insisting that Er-jie should take the place of honour. After a few generalities, he asked her where Mrs You and San-jie were.‘Just gone out the back to see about something,’ said Er-jie. ‘They’ll be here again in a moment.’The maids now went outside to fetch tea, leaving the two of them alone together. Jia Lian ogled Er-jie meaningfully, but she merely smiled, keeping her eyes demurely downwards, and pretended not to notice. At this stage, a physical advance would be premature. He noticed that as she sat there her hands were continuously playing with a length of silk handkerchief to which a tiny embroidered bag was attached. To fill in the embarrassed silence that was developing, he pretended to be feeling for something at his waist.‘Oh, I’ve come out without my betel! Give me some betel, my dear, if you’ve got any.’‘I have got some,’ said Er-jie, ‘but it’s not for other people.’ Jia Lian laughed and made a movement towards her, as if he intended to snatch the handkerchief and its little pouch from her by force, whereupon Er-jie, rather than risk someone coming in and finding them in the midst of an unseemly tussle, threw it across to him with a little laugh. Jia Lian caught it in mid-air, emptied the contents into the palm of his hand, selected one single half-eaten nut which he popped into his mouth and began chewing, and stuffed all the rest back into the bag. He was just going to hand it back to her when the two maids came in again with the tea. Jia Lian took a cup from one of them and began sipping it. While the maids were not looking, he contrived to unfasten a Han jade girdle pend ant in the form of nine tiny interlocking dragons that he wore attached to his belt, tie it onto the handkerchief and toss it back for Er-jie to catch. But Er-jie pretended not to have noticed. She allowed the handkerchief with the two small objects attached to it to fall beside her on the kang and went on calmly sipping her tea.Just then there was a rattle of the portiere and old Mrs You and San-jie came into the room from the back, attended by two little maids. Jia Lian signalled with his eyes to Er-jie that she should pick the handkerchief up, but Er-jie continued to ignore him. In somewhat of a panic by now and wondering what Er-jie could be at, he rose to his feet arid advanced to meet San-jie and the old lady. When, after exchanging courtesies with them, he glanced back behind him, Er-jie was stand ing unconcernedly in the same place, with the same inscrut ab but the handkerchief had vanished. He breathed a sigh of relief.When they were all seated and a few pleasantries had been exchanged between them, Jia Lian remembered the business on which he was supposed to have come.‘Zhen’s wife says that she sent a packet of silver to you the other day to look after for her. It’s wanted now to pay some bills with, so Zhen has sent me to ask you for it and also to find out if everything at home is all right.’Mrs You at once told Er-jie to take the key of the chest and fetch the money for her.‘I’m also glad of the opportunity my errand gives me of offering you my respects, ma’am, and of seeing the young ladies again,’ Jia Lian continued after Er-jie had gone. ‘I must say, you are looking extremely well. But I am sorry the young ladies should have to put up with the inconvenience of moving into a strange house.’‘Tut, for one’s own kin!’ said Mrs You, smiling. ‘You are too polite, Mr Lian! It’s of no consequence where we stay: one bed is as good as another. To tell you the truth, things have been very difficult for us since Mr You passed away. If it hadn’t been for the help given us by my daughter’s husband, I really don’t know how we should have managed. To look after the house for him in his time of trouble is the very least we can do in return. It can certainly not be spoken of as an incon venience.’Er-jie had now returned with the silver and han her mother handed it to Jia L and Jia Lian ordered one of the maids to call in one of the old women from outside, whom he then instructed to take it to Yu Lu and tell him to wait for him in the front.While the old woman was going off with the money, Jia Rong’s voice could be heard outside in the courtyard and a few moments later he appeared. He greeted his grandmother and two aunts before turning with a smile to Jia Lian:‘Sir She has been asking about you, Uncle. He says there’s something he wants you to do for him. He was going to send someone to fetch you from the temple, but I told him you were already on your way into the city. He told me that if I ran into you on my way back, I was to tell you to hurry.’Jia Lian hastily rose to go, but delayed to hear something that Jia Rong was saying to Mrs You.‘You know the other day I was telling you that Father has found a husband for Aunt Er, Gran. In looks and build he has quite a strong resemblance to Uncle Lian. Does that please you?’Since he was pointing a finger at Jia Lian and simultaneously making a face at Er-jie while he said this, the question appeared to be meant as much for Er-jie as for her mother. If so, Er -jie was too embarrassed to answer. Not so her sister, however.‘Little monster!’ San-jie shouted, half angrily and half in jest. ‘Keep your dirty little mouth shut - unless you want me to come over and shut it for you!’Jia Rong retreated, laughing, and Jia Lian, taking a laughing farewell of the old lady and her daughters, went out after him. He stopped in the hall again on his way out to admonish the servants: not to gamble, not to drink, and so forth. Then, after a private aside with Jia Rong in which he urged him to return with all speed to the temple and speak about a certain matter to his father, he went with Yu Lu to the other mansion and gave him the balance of the amount owing. Having dispatched Yu Lu, he went in to see what his father wanted, and after that to Grandmother Jia’s apartment to pay his respects. But these are formalities with which we need not concern ourselves.We return, then, to the Ning-guo mansion, where Jia Rong, concluding, when he saw Yu Lu go off with Jia Lian, that there was nothing more for him to do, went back to the inner apartments for further badinage with his young aunts before setting off once more for the temple. It was evening when he arrived there and reported back to his father.‘Yu Lu got the money all right. And Lady Jia is now completely recovered. She is no longer taking medicine.’He availed himself of the opportunity to tell his father about Jia Lian: how, on the journey into town, he had expressed a desire to take Er-jie as his Number Two and how he proposed to set her up in a separate establishment, keeping Xi-feng in ignorance of the marriage.‘His sole reason for taking a Number Two,’ Jia Rong explained, ‘is that he wants a son. And the reason he particularly wants Aunt Er is because he feels it would be better to keep things in the family and have someone he knows, than risk taking some unknown person from outside. He was very insistent that I should speak to you about this.’He omitted to mention that he was the author of this plan. Cousin Zhen, after reflecting on it, seemed well disposed. ‘Actually, it’s not a bad idea. I wonder whether your Aunt Er would be willing, though. You’d better go in again tomorrow and have a word with your Grandmother You. Tell her to talk to your Aunt Er about it and see if she accepts. If she does, we can go ahead and fix it up properly.’After a good deal more advice to Jia Rong on how he was to conduct himself, Cousin Zhen went inside to see You-shi and told her about the plan. You-shi could see at once that it would not work and did her
but Cousin Zben’ and in the end, since she was accustomed to giving in to him, and since Er-jie was in any case only a step-sister, for whom therefore she felt only limited responsi bility, she allowed the menfolk to go ahead and washed her hands of the whole affair.Jia Rong went into town next morning and told his grandmother what his father had told him to say. He also added a good deal of his own. He told her what a capital person Jia L how Xi-feng was ill and not ex how Jia Lian was planning to buy a house outside and install Er-jie in it temporarily, but how in a year or two, as soon as Xi-feng was dead, he would move her inside and make her his Number One. He went on to tell her about the gifts Cousin Zhen would give for the betrothal and of the wedding presents that Jia Lian was pl how Jia Lian was prepared to look after Mrs Y and how in due course he would see San-jie provided with a husband. The Liang dynasty preacher on whom the heavens rained down flowers could not have spoken with greater eloquence. Mrs You could hardly fail to agree, particularly in view of the fact that she depended on Cousin Zhen for her livelihood and that it was he who was sponsoring the marriage. And Jia Lian was such a fine young gentleman - infinitely superior to that Zhang boy. She would go to Er-jie at once and talk it over with her.You Er-jie was a highly impressionable young woman. Already, in the past, she had compromised herself with her sister’s husband. And she had always resented the arbitrary betrothal to Zhang Hua (as the Zhangs’ boy was called) which seemed to condemn her to a lifetime of poverty. If Jia Lian loved her and her brother-in-law was prepared to give her away, what possible objection could she have to the marriage? Her consent was given with a nod, conveyed at once to Jia Rong by her mother, and in due course reported to Cousin Zhen.Next day Cousin Zhen invited Jia Lian to the temple to hear from his own lips that Mrs You had consented. Jia Lian, delighted that the matter had been settled with so little trouble, at once began discussing what to do. Agents had to be engaged to look round for a suitable house, jewellery for Er-jie’s trousseau had to be ordered, and furnishings had to be pur chased for the house. Within a few days all this had been done. A twenty-frame house in Little Flower Lane about two thirds of a mile north of Two Dukes Street had been bought, fur nished throughout, and two little maids purchased to go with it.Jia Lian was at first uncertain what to do about older servants. If he used servants from his own household, their transfer was on the other hand a married couple purchased from outside would be strangers, and therefore of uncertain loyalty and impossible to trust. Suddenly he remembered Bao Er, whose unfortunate wife had hanged herself after being attacked by Xi-feng in a fit of jealous rage. At the time Jia Lian had given him some money and promised him a new wife. The wife he had eventually chosen for him was none other than the Mattress, widowed since the drunken cook ‘Droopy’ Duo had finally drunk himself to death. Bao Er had had prior experience of her charms and knew that he was ge and the Mattress for her part was glad to be married to someone who (thanks to Jia Lian’s subvention) could afford to be free with his money. This couple, united in their loyalty to Jia Lian and dislike of Xi-feng, seemed an ideal choice for the new establishment and were to their immense satisfaction installed in it, along with