CHAPTER XL.
The venerable lady Shih attends a second banquet in the garden of Broad Vista. Chin Yuean-yang three times promulgates, by means of dominoes, the order to quote passages from old writers.
As soon as Pao-yue, we will now explain, heard what the lad told him, herushed with eagerness inside. When he came to look about him, hediscovered Hu Po standing in front of the screen. "Be quick and go," sheurged. "They're waiting to speak to you."
Pao-yue wended his way into the drawing rooms. Here he found dowager ladyChia, consulting with Madame Wang and the whole body of young ladies,about the return feast to be given to Shih Hsiang-yuen.
"I've got a plan to suggest," he consequently interposed. "As there areto be no outside guests, the eatables too should not be limited to anykind or number. A few of such dishes, as have ever been to the liking ofany of us, should be fixed upon and prepared for the occasion. Neithershould any banquet be spread, but a high teapoy can be placed in frontof each, with one or two things to suit our particular tastes. Besides,a painted box with partitions and a decanter. Won't this be an originalway?"
"Capital!" shouted old lady Chia. "Go and tell the people in the cookhouse," she forthwith ordered a servant, "to get ready to-morrow suchdishes as we relish, and to put them in as many boxes as there will bepeople, and bring them over. We can have breakfast too in the garden."
But while they were deliberating, the time came to light the lamps.Nothing of any note transpired the whole night. The next day, they gotup at early dawn. The weather, fortunately, was beautifully clear. LiWan turned out of bed at daybreak. She was engaged in watching the oldmatrons and servant-girls sweeping the fallen leaves, rubbing the tablesand chairs, and preparing the tea and wine vessels, when she perceivedFeng Erh usher in old goody Liu and Pan Erh. "You're very busy, oursenior lady!" they said.
"I told you that you wouldn't manage to start yesterday," Li Wan smiled,"but you were in a hurry to get away."
"Your worthy old lady," goody Liu replied laughingly, "wouldn't let mego. She wanted me to enjoy myself too for a day before I went."
Feng Erh then produced several large and small keys. "Our mistress Liensays," she remarked, "that she fears that the high teapoys which are outare not enough, and she thinks it would be as well to open the loft andtake out those that are put away and use them for a day. Our lady shouldreally have come and seen to it in person, but as she has something totell Madame Wang, she begs your ladyship to open the place, and get afew servants to bring them out."
Li Wan there and then told Su Yuen to take the keys. She also bade amatron go out and call a few servant-boys from those on duty at thesecond gate. When they came, Li Wan remained in the lower story of theTa Kuan loft, and looking up, she ordered the servants to go and openthe Cho Chin hall and to bring the teapoys one by one. The youngservant-lads, matrons and servant-maids then set to work, in a body, andcarried down over twenty of them.
"Be careful with them," shouted Li Wan. "Don't be bustling about just asif you were being pursued by ghosts! Mind you don't break the tenons!"Turning her head round, "old dame," she observed, addressing herselfsmilingly to goody Liu, "go upstairs too and have a look!"
Old goody Liu was longing to satisfy her curiosity, so at the baremention of the permission, she uttered just one word ("come") and,dragging Pan Erh along, she trudged up the stairs. On her arrivalinside, she espied, pile upon pile, a whole heap of screens, tables andchairs, painted lanterns of different sizes, and other similar articles.She could not, it is true, make out the use of the various things, but,at the sight of so many colours, of such finery and of the unusualbeauty of each article, she muttered time after time the name of Buddha,and then forthwith wended her way downstairs. Subsequently (theservants) locked the doors and every one of them came down.
"I fancy," cried Li Wan, "that our dowager lady will feel disposed (togo on the water), so you'd better also get the poles, oars and awningsfor the boats and keep them in readiness."
The servants expressed their obedience. Once more they unlocked thedoors, and carried down everything required. She then bade a lad notifythe boatwomen go to the dock and punt out two boats. But while all thisbustle was going on, they discovered that dowager lady Chia had alreadyarrived at the head of a whole company of people. Li Wan promptly wentup to greet them.
"Dear venerable senior," she smiled, "you must be in good spirits tohave come in here! Imagining that you hadn't as yet combed your hair, Ijust plucked a few chrysanthemums, meaning to send them to you."
While she spoke, Pi Yueeh at once presented to her a jadite tray, of thesize of a lotus leaf, containing twigs cut from every species ofchrysanthemum. Old lady Chia selected a cluster of deep red and pinnedit in her hair about her temples. But turning round, she noticed oldgoody Liu. "Come over here," she vehemently cried with a smile; "and puton a few flowers."
Scarcely was this remark concluded, than lady Feng dragged goody Liuforward. "Let me deck you up!" she laughed. With these words, she seizeda whole plateful of flowers and stuck them three this way, four thatway, all over her head. Old lady Chia, and the whole party were greatlyamused; so much so, that they could not check themselves.
"I wonder," shouted goody Liu smiling, "what blessings I have broughtupon my head that such honours are conferred upon it to-day!"
"Don't you yet pull them away," they all laughed, "and chuck them in herface! She has got you up in such a way as to make a regular old elf ofyou!"
"I'm an old hag, I admit," goody Liu pursued with a laugh; "but when Iwas young, I too was pretty and fond of flowers and powder! But the bestthing I can do now is to keep to such fineries as befit my advancedage!"
While they bandied words, they reached the Hsin Fang pavilion. Thewaiting maids brought a large embroidered rug and spread it over theplanks of the divan near the balustrade. On this rug dowager lady Chiasat, with her back leaning against the railing; and, inviting goody Liuto also take a seat next to her, "Is this garden nice or not?" she askedher.
Old goody Liu invoked Buddha several times. "We country-people," sherejoined, "do invariably come, at the close of each year, into the cityand buy pictures and stick them about. And frequently do we findourselves in our leisure moments wondering how we too could manage toget into the pictures, and walk about the scenes they represent. Ipresumed that those pictures were purely and simply fictitious, for howcould there be any such places in reality? But, contrary to myexpectations, I found, as soon as I entered this garden to-day and had alook about it, that it was, after all, a hundred times better than thesevery pictures. But if only I could get some one to make me a sketch ofthis garden, to take home with me and let them see it, so that when wedie we may have reaped some benefit!"
Upon catching the wish she expressed, dowager lady Chia pointed at HsiCh'un. "Look at that young granddaughter of mine!" she smiled. "She'sgot the knack of drawing. So what do you say to my asking her to-morrowto make a picture for you?"
This suggestion filled goody Liu with enthusiasm and speedily crossingover, she clasped Hsi Ch'un in her arms. "My dear Miss!" she cried, "soyoung in years, and yet so pretty, and so accomplished too! Mightn't yoube a spirit come to life!"
After old lady Chia had had a little rest, she in person took goody Liuand showed her everything there was to be seen. First, they visited theHsiao Hsiang lodge. The moment they stepped into the entrance, a narrowavenue, flanked on either side with kingfisher-like green bamboos, mettheir gaze. The earth below was turfed all over with moss. In thecentre, extended a tortuous road, paved with pebbles. Goody Liu leftdowager lady Chia and the party walk on the raised road, while sheherself stepped on the earth. But Hu Po tugged at her. "Come up, olddame, and walk here!" she exclaimed. "Mind the fresh moss is slipperyand you might fall."
"I don't mind it!" answered goody Liu. "We people are accustomed towalking (on such slippery things)! So, young ladies, please proceed. Anddo look after your embroidered shoes! Don't splash them with mud."
But whil
e bent upon talking with those who kept on the raised road, sheunawares reached a spot, which was actually slippery, and with a soundof "ku tang" she tumbled over.
The whole company clapped their hands and laughed boisterously.
"You young wenches," shouted out dowager lady Chia, "don't you yet raiseher up, but stand by giggling?"
This reprimand was still being uttered when goody Liu had alreadycrawled up. She too was highly amused. "Just as my mouth was bragging,"she observed, "I got a whack on the lips!"
"Have you perchance twisted your waist?" inquired old lady Chia. "Tellthe servant-girls to pat it for you!"
"What an idea!" retorted goody Liu, "am I so delicate? What day evergoes by without my tumbling down a couple of times? And if I had to bepatted every time wouldn't it be dreadful!"
Tzu Chuan had at an early period raised the speckled bamboo portiere.Dowager lady Chia and her companions entered and seated themselves. LinTai-yue with her own hands took a small tray and came to present acovered cup of tea to her grandmother.
"We won't have any tea!" Madame Wang interposed, "so, miss, you needn'tpour any."
Lin Tai-yue, hearing this, bade a waiting-maid fetch the chair from underthe window where she herself often sat, and moving it to the lower side,she pressed Madame Wang into it. But goody Liu caught sight of thepencils and inkslabs, lying on the table placed next to the window, andespied the bookcase piled up to the utmost with books. "This mustsurely," the old dame ejaculated, "be some young gentleman's study!"
"This is the room of this granddaughter-in-law of mine," dowager ladyChia explained, smilingly pointing to Tai-yue.
Goody Liu scrutinised Lin Tai-yue with intentness for a while. "Is thisanything like a young lady's private room?" she then observed with asmile. "Why, in very deed, it's superior to any first class library!"
"How is it I don't see Pao-yue?" his grandmother Chia went on to inquire.
"He's in the boat, on the pond," the waiting-maids, with one voice,returned for answer.
"Who also got the boats ready?" old lady Chia asked.
"The loft was open just now so they were taken out," Li Wan said, "andas I thought that you might, venerable senior, feel inclined to have arow, I got everything ready."
After listening to this explanation, dowager lady Chia was about to passsome remark, but some one came and reported to her that Mrs. Hsueeh hadarrived. No sooner had old lady Chia and the others sprung to their feetthan they noticed that Mrs. Hsueeh had already made her appearance. Whiletaking a seat: "Your venerable ladyship," she smiled, "must be incapital spirits to-day to have come at this early hour!"
"It's only this very minute that I proposed that any one who came late,should be fined," dowager lady Chia laughed, "and, who'd have thoughtit, here you, Mrs. Hsueeh, arrive late!"
After they had indulged in good-humoured raillery for a time, old ladyChia's attention was attracted by the faded colour of the gauze on thewindows, and she addressed herself to Madame Wang. "This gauze," shesaid, "may have been nice enough when it was newly pasted, but after atime nothing remained of kingfisher green. In this court too there areno peach or apricot trees and these bamboos already are green inthemselves, so were this shade of green gauze to be put up again, itwould, instead of improving matters, not harmonise with thesurroundings. I remember that we had at one time four or five kinds ofcoloured gauzes for sticking on windows, so give her some to-morrow tochange that on there."
"When I opened the store yesterday," hastily put in Lady Feng, "Inoticed that there were still in those boxes, made of large planks,several rolls of 'cicada wing' gauze of silvery red colour. There werealso several rolls with designs of twigs of flowers of every kind,several with 'the rolling clouds and bats' pattern, and several withfigures representing hundreds of butterflies, interspersed amongflowers. The colours of all these were fresh, and the gauze supple. ButI failed to see anything of the kind you speak of. Were two rolls taken(from those I referred to), and a couple of bed-covers of embroideredgauze made out of them, they would, I fancy, be a pretty sight!"
"Pshaw!" laughed old lady Chia, "every one says that there's nothing youhaven't gone through and nothing you haven't seen, and don't you evenknow what this gauze is? Will you again brag by and bye, after this?"
Mrs. Hsueeh and all the others smiled. "She may have gone through a gooddeal," they remarked, "but how can she ever presume to pit herselfagainst an old lady like you? So why don't you, venerable senior, tellher what it is so that we too may be edified."
Lady Feng too gave a smile. "My dear ancestor," she pleaded, "do tell mewhat it is like."
Dowager lady Chia thereupon proceeded to enlighten Mrs. Hsueeh and thewhole company. "That gauze is older in years than any one of you," shesaid. "It isn't therefore to be wondered, if you make a mistake and takeit for 'cicada wing' gauze. But it really bears some resemblance to it;so much so, indeed, that any one, not knowing the difference, wouldimagine it to be the 'cicada wing' gauze. Its true name, however, is'soft smoke' silk."
"This is also a nice sounding name," lady Feng agreed. "But up to theage I've reached, I have never heard of any such designation, in spiteof the many hundreds of specimens of gauzes and silks, I've seen."
"How long can you have lived?" old lady Chia added smilingly, "and howmany kinds of things can you have met, that you indulge in this talltalk? Of this 'soft smoke' silk, there only exist four kinds of colours.The one is red-blue; the other is russet; the other pine-green; theother silvery-red; and it's because, when made into curtains or stuck onwindow-frames, it looks from far like smoke or mist, that it is called'soft smoke' silk. The silvery-red is also called 'russet shadow' gauze.Among the gauzes used in the present day, in the palace above, there arenone so supple and rich, light and closely-woven as this!"
"Not to speak of that girl Feng not having seen it," Mrs. Hsueeh laughed,"why, even I have never so much as heard anything of it."
While the conversation proceeded in this strain, lady Feng soon directeda servant to fetch a roll. "Now isn't this the kind!" dowager lady Chiaexclaimed. "At first, we simply had it stuck on the window frames, butwe subsequently used it for covers and curtains, just for a trial, andreally they were splendid! So you had better to-morrow try and findseveral rolls, and take some of the silvery-red one and have it fixed onthe windows for her."
While lady Feng promised to attend to her commission, the partyscrutinised it, and unanimously extolled it with effusion. Old goody Liutoo strained her eyes and examined it, and her lips incessantly mutteredBuddha's name. "We couldn't," she ventured, "afford to make clothes ofsuch stuff, much though we may long to do so; and won't it be a pity touse it for sticking on windows?"
"But it doesn't, after all, look well, when made into clothes," old ladyChia explained.
Lady Feng hastily pulled out the lapel of the deep-red brocaded gauzejacket she had on, and, facing dowager lady Chia and Mrs. Hsueeh, "Lookat this jacket of mine," she remarked.
"This is also of first-rate quality!" old lady Chia and Mrs. Hsueehrejoined. "This is nowadays made in the palace for imperial use, but itcan't possibly come up to this!"
"It's such thin stuff," lady Feng observed, "and do you still say thatit was made in the palace for imperial use? Why, it doesn't, in fact,compare favourably with even this, which is worn by officials!"
"You'd better search again!" old lady Chia urged; "I believe there mustbe more of it! If there be, bring it all out, and give this old relativeLiu a couple of rolls! Should there be any red-blue, I'll make a curtainto hang up. What remains can be matched with some lining, and cut into afew double waistcoats for the waiting-maids to wear. It would be sheerwaste to keep these things, as they will be spoilt by the damp."
Lady Feng vehemently acquiesced; after which, she told a servant to takethe gauze away.
"These rooms are so small!" dowager lady Chia then observed, smiling."We had better go elsewhere for a stroll."
"Every one says," old goody Liu put in, "that big people live in bighou
ses! When I saw yesterday your main apartments, dowager lady, withall those large boxes, immense presses, big tables, and spacious beds tomatch, they did, indeed, present an imposing sight! Those presses arelarger than our whole house; yea loftier too! But strange to say therewere ladders in the back court. 'They don't also,' I thought, 'go up tothe house tops to sun things, so what can they keep those ladders inreadiness for?' Well, after that, I remembered that they must berequired for opening the presses to take out or put in things. And thatwithout those ladders, how could one ever reach that height? But nowthat I've also seen these small rooms, more luxuriously got up than thelarge ones, and full of various articles, all so fascinating and hardlyeven known to me by name, I feel, the more I feast my eyes on them, themore unable to tear myself away from them."
"There are other things still better than this," lady Feng added. "I'lltake you to see them all!"
Saying this, they straightway left the Hsiao Hsiang lodge. From adistance, they spied a whole crowd of people punting the boats in thelake.
"As they've got the boats ready," old lady Chia proposed, "we may aswell go and have a row in them!"
As she uttered this suggestion, they wended their steps along thepersicary-covered bank of the Purple Lily Isle. But before reaching thelake, they perceived several matrons advancing that way with largemulti-coloured boxes in their hands, made all alike of twisted wire andinlaid with gold. Lady Feng hastened to inquire of Madame Wang wherebreakfast was to be served.
"Ask our venerable senior," Madame Wang replied, "and let them lay itwherever she pleases."
Old lady Chia overheard her answer, and turning her head round: "MissTertia," she said, "take the servants, and make them lay breakfastwherever you think best! We'll get into the boats from here."
Upon catching her senior's wishes, lady Feng retraced her footsteps, andaccompanied by Li Wan, T'an Ch'un, Yuean Yang and Hu Po, she led off theservants, carrying the eatables, and other domestics, and came by thenearest way, to the Ch'iu Shuang library, where they arranged the tablesin the Hsiao Ts'ui hall.
"We daily say that whenever the gentlemen outside have anything to drinkor eat, they invariably have some one who can raise a laugh and whomthey can chaff for fun's sake," Yuan Yang smiled, "so let's also to-dayget a female family-companion."
Li Wan, being a person full of kindly feelings, did not fathom theinsinuation, though it did not escape her ear. Lady Feng, however,thoroughly understood that she alluded to old goody Liu. "Let us tooto-day," she smilingly remarked, "chaff her for a bit of fun!"
These two then began to mature their plans.
Li Wan chided them with a smile. "You people," she said, "don't knoweven how to perform the least good act! But you're not small childrenany more, and are you still up to these pranks? Mind, our venerableancestor might call you to task!"
"That has nothing whatever to do with you, senior lady," Yuean Yanglaughed, "it's my own look out!"
These words were still on her lips, when she saw dowager lady Chia andthe rest of the company arrive. They each sat where and how theypleased. First and foremost, a waiting-maid brought two trays of tea.After tea, lady Feng laid hold of a napkin, made of foreign cloth, inwhich were wrapped a handful of blackwood chopsticks, encircled withthree rings, of inlaid silver, and distributed them on the tables, inthe order in which they were placed.
"Bring that small hard-wood table over," old lady Chia then exclaimed;"and let our relative Liu sit next to me here!"
No sooner did the servants hear her order than they hurried to move thetable to where she wanted it. Lady Feng, during this interval, made asign with her eye to Yuean Yang. Yuean Yang there and then dragged goodyLiu out of the hall and began to impress in a low tone of voice variousthings on her mind. "This is the custom which prevails in ourhousehold," she proceeded, "and if you disregard it we'll have a laughat your expense!"
Having arranged everything she had in view, they at length returned totheir places. Mrs. Hsueeh had come over, after her meal, so she simplyseated herself on one side and sipped her tea. Dowager lady Chia withPao-yue, Hsiang-yuen, Tai-yue and Pao-ch'ai sat at one table. Madame Wangtook the girls, Ying Ch'un, and her sisters, and occupied one table. Oldgoody Liu took a seat at a table next to dowager lady Chia. Heretofore,while their old mistress had her repast, a young servant-maid usuallystood by her to hold the finger bowl, yak-brush, napkin and other suchnecessaries, but Yuean Yang did not of late fulfil any of these duties,so when, on this occasion, she deliberately seized the yak-brush andcame over and flapped it about, the servant-girls concluded that she wasbent upon playing some tricks upon goody Liu, and they readily withdrewand let her have her way.
While Yuean Yang attended to her self-imposed duties, she winked at theold dame.
"Miss," goody Liu exclaimed, "set your mind at ease!" Goody Liu sat downat the table and took up the chopsticks, but so heavy and clumsy did shefind them that she could not handle them conveniently. The fact is thatlady Feng and Yuean Yang had put their heads together and decided to onlyassign to goody Liu a pair of antiquated four-cornered ivory chopsticks,inlaid with gold.
"These forks," shouted goody Liu, after scrutinising them, "are heavierthan the very iron-lever over at my place. How ever can I move themabout?"
This remark had the effect of making every one explode into a fit oflaughter. But a married woman standing in the centre of the room, with abox in her hands, attracted their gaze. A waiting-maid went up to herand removed the cover of the box. Its contents were two bowls ofeatables. Li Wan took one of these and placed it on dowager lady Chia'stable, while lady Feng chose the bowl with pigeon's eggs and put it ongoody Liu's table.
"Please (commence)," Dowager lady Chia uttered from the near side, whereshe sat.
Goody Liu at this speedily sprung to her feet. "Old Liu, old Liu," sheroared with a loud voice, "your eating capacity is as big as that of abuffalo! You've gorged like an old sow and can't raise your head up!"Then puffing out her cheeks, she added not a word.
The whole party was at first taken quite aback. But, as soon as theyheard the drift of her remarks, every one, both high as well as low,began to laugh boisterously. Hsiang-yuen found it so difficult torestrain herself that she spurted out the tea she had in her mouth. LinTai-yue indulged in such laughter that she was quite out of breath, andpropping herself up on the table, she kept on ejaculating 'Ai-yo.'Pao-yue rolled into his grandmother's lap. The old lady herself was soamused that she clasped Pao-yue in her embrace, and gave way to endearingepithets. Madame Wang laughed, and pointed at lady Feng with her finger;but as for saying a word, she could not. Mrs. Hsueeh had much difficultyin curbing her mirth, and she sputtered the tea, with which her mouthwas full, all over T'an Ch'un's petticoat. T'an Ch'un threw the contentsof the teacup, she held in her hand, over Ying Ch'un; while Hsi Ch'unquitted her seat, and, pulling her nurse away, bade her rub her stomachfor her.
Below, among the lower seats, there was not one who was not with bentwaist and doubled-up back. Some retired to a corner and, squatting down,laughed away. Others suppressed their laughter and came up and changedthe clothes of their young mistresses. Lady Feng and Yuan Yang were theonly ones, who kept their countenance. Still they continued helping oldgoody Liu to food.
Old goody Liu took up the chopsticks. "Even the chickens in this placeare fine," she went on to add, pretending, she did not hear what wasgoing on; "the eggs they lay are small, but so dainty! How very prettythey are! Let me help myself to one!"
The company had just managed to check themselves, but, the moment thesewords fell on their ears, they started again with their laughter. Oldlady Chia laughed to such an extent that tears streamed from her eyes.And so little could she bear the strain any longer that Hu Po stoodbehind her and patted her.
"This must be the work of that vixen Feng!" old lady Chia laughed. "Shehas ever been up to tricks like a very imp, so be quick and disbelieveall her yarns!"
Goody Liu was in the act of praising the eggs as small yet dainty, whenlady Feng inte
rposed with a smile. "They're one tael each, be quick, andtaste them;" she said; "they're not nice when they get cold!"
Goody Liu forthwith stretched out the chopsticks with the intent ofcatching one; but how could she manage to do so? They rolled and rolledin the bowl for ever so long; and, it was only after extreme difficultythat she succeeded in shoving one up. Extending her neck forward, shewas about to put it in her mouth, when it slipped down again, and rolledon to the floor. She hastily banged down the chopsticks, and was goingherself to pick it up, when a servant, who stood below, got hold of itand took it out of the room.
Old goody Liu heaved a sigh. "A tael!" she soliloquised, "and here itgoes without a sound!"
Every one had long ago abandoned all idea of eating, and, gazing at her,they enjoyed the fun.
"Who has now brought out these chopsticks again?" old lady Chia went onto ask. "We haven't invited any strangers or spread any large banquet!It must be that vixen Feng who gave them out! But don't you yet changethem!"
The servants, standing on the floor below, had indeed had no hand ingetting those ivory chopsticks; they had, in fact, been brought by ladyFeng and Yuean Yang; but when they heard these remarks, they hurried toput them away and to change them for a pair similar to those used by theothers, made of blackwood inlaid with silver.
"They've taken away the gold ones," old goody Liu shouted, "and herecome silver ones! But, after all, they're not as handy as those we use!"
"Should there be any poison in the viands," lady Feng observed, "you candetect it, as soon as this silver is dipped into them!"
"If there's poison in such viands as these," old goody Liu added, "whythose of ours must be all arsenic! But though it be the death of me,I'll swallow every morsel!"
Seeing how amusing the old woman was and with what relish she devouredher food, dowager lady Chia took her own dishes and passed them over toher.
She then likewise bade an old matron take various viands and put them ina bowl for Pan Erh. But presently, the repast was concluded, and oldlady Chia and all the other inmates adjoined into T'an Ch'un's bedroomfor a chat.
The remnants were, meanwhile, cleared away, and fresh tables were laid.
Old goody Liu watched Li Wan and lady Feng sit opposite each other andeat. "Putting everything else aside," she sighed, "what most takes myfancy is the way things are done in your mansion. It isn't to bewondered at that the adage has it that: 'propriety originates from greatfamilies.'"
"Don't be too touchy," lady Feng hastily smiled, "we all made fun of youjust now."
But barely had she done speaking, when Yuean Yang too walked in. "Oldgoody Liu," she said laughingly, "don't be angry! I tender you myapologies, venerable dame!"
"What are you saying, Miss?" old goody Liu rejoined smiling. "We'vecoaxed our dowager lady to get a little distraction; and what reason isthere to be angry? From the very first moment you spoke to me, I knew atonce that it was intended to afford merriment to you all! Had I beenangry at heart, I wouldn't have gone so far as to say what I did!"
Yuean Yang then blew up the servants. "Why," she shouted, "don't you poura cup of tea for the old dame?"
"That sister-in-law," promptly explained old goody Liu, "gave me a cup alittle while back. I've had it already. But you, Miss, must also havesomething to eat."
Lady Feng dragged Yuean Yang into a seat. "Have your meal with us!" shesaid. "You'll thus save another fuss by and bye."
Yuean Yang readily seated herself. The matrons came up and added to thenumber of bowls and chopsticks, and the trio went through their meal.
"From all I see," smiled goody Liu, "you people eat just a little andfinish. It's lucky you don't feel the pangs of hunger! But it isn'tastonishing if a whiff of wind can puff you over!"
"A good many eatables remained over to-day. Where are they all gone to?"Yuean Yang inquired.
"They haven't as yet been apportioned!" the matrons responded. "They'rekept in here until they can be given in a lump to them to eat!"
"They can't get through so many things!" Yuean Yang resumed. "You had aswell therefore choose two bowls and send them over to that girl P'ing,in your mistress Secundus' rooms."
"She has had her repast long ago." lady Feng put in. "There's no need togive her any!"
"With what she can't eat, herself," Yuean Yang continued, "she can feedthe cats."
At these words, a matron lost no time in selecting two sorts ofeatables, and, taking the box, she went to take them over.
"Where's Su Yun gone to?" Yuean Yang asked.
"They're all in here having their meal together." Li Wan replied. "Whatdo you want her for again?"
"Well, in that case, never mind," Yuean Yang answered.
"Hsi Jen isn't here," lady Feng observed, "so tell some one to take hera few things!"
Yuan Yang, hearing this, directed a servant to send her also a feweatables. "Have the partition boxes been filled with wine for by andbye?" Yuean Yang went on to ask the matrons.
"They'll be ready, I think, in a little while," a matron explained.
"Hurry them up a bit!" Yuean Yang added.
The matron signified her assent.
Lady Feng and her friends then came into T'an Ch'un's apartments, wherethey found the ladies chatting and laughing.
T'an Ch'un had ever shown an inclination for plenty of room. Hence thatsuite of three apartments had never been partitioned. In the centre wasplaced a large table of rosewood and Ta li marble. On this table, werelaid in a heap every kind of copyslips written by persons of note.Several tens of valuable inkslabs and various specimens of tubes andreceptacles for pens figured also about; the pens in which were asthickly packed as trees in a forest. On the off side, stood a flowerbowl from the 'Ju' kiln, as large as a bushel measure. In it was placed,till it was quite full, a bunch of white chrysanthemums, in appearancelike crystal balls. In the middle of the west wall, was suspended alarge picture representing vapor and rain; the handiwork of MiNang-yang. On the left and right of this picture was hung a pair ofantithetical scrolls--the autograph of Yen Lue. The lines on thesescrolls were:
Wild scenes are to the taste of those who leisure love, And springs and rookeries are their rustic resort.
On the table, figured a large tripod. On the left, stood on a blackwoodcabinet, a huge bowl from a renowned government kiln. This bowlcontained about ten "Buddha's hands" of beautiful yellow and fineproportions. On the right, was suspended, on a Japanese-lacquered frame,a white jade sonorous plate. Its shape resembled two eyes, one by theside of the other. Next to it hung a small hammer.
Pan Erh had become a little more confident and was about to seize thehammer and beat the plate, when the waiting-maids hastened to preventhim. Next, he wanted a "Buddha's hand" to eat. T'an Ch'un chose one andlet him have it. "You may play with it," she said, "but you can't eatit."
On the east side stood a sleeping divan. On a movable bed was hung aleek-green gauze curtain, ornamented with double embroideries,representing flowers, plants and insects. Pan Erh ran up to have a look."This is a green-cicada," he shouted; "this a grasshopper!"
But old goody Liu promptly gave him a slap. "You mean scamp!" she cried."What an awful rumpus you're kicking up! I simply brought you along withme to look at things; and lo, you put on airs;" and she beat Pan Erhuntil he burst out crying. It was only after every one quickly combinedin using their efforts to solace him that he at length desisted.
Old lady Chia then looked through the gauze casement into the back courtfor some time. "The dryandra trees by the eaves of the covered passageare growing all right," she remarked. "The only thing is that theirfoliage is rather sparse."
But while she passed this remark, a sudden gust of wind swept by, andfaintly on her ear fell the strains of music. "In whose house is there awedding?" old lady Chia inquired. "This place must be very near thestreet!"
"How could one hear what's going on in the street?" Madame Wang and theothers smiled. "It's our twelve girls practising on their wind andstring instruments!"
r /> "As they're practising," dowager lady Chia eagerly cried, smilingly,"why not ask them to come in here and practise? They'll be able to havea stroll also, while we, on our part, will derive some enjoyment."
Upon hearing this suggestion, lady Feng immediately directed a servantto go out and call them in. She further issued orders to bring a tableand spread a red cover over it.
"Let it be put," old lady Chia chimed in, "in the water-pavilion of theLotus Fragrance Arbour, for (the music) will borrow the ripple of thestream and sound ever so much more pleasant to the ear. We can by andbye drink our wine in the Cho Chin Hall; we'll thus have ample room, andbe able to listen from close!"
Every one admitted that the spot was well adapted. Dowager lady Chiaturned herself towards Mrs. Hsueeh. "Let's get ahead!" she laughed. "Theyoung ladies don't like any one to come in here, for fear lest theirquarters should get contaminated; so don't let us show ourselvesdisregardful of their wishes! The right thing would be to go and haveour wine aboard one of those boats!"
As she spoke, one and all rose to their feet. They were making their wayout when T'an Ch'un interposed. "What's this that you're saying?" shesmiled. "Please do seat yourselves, venerable senior, and you, Mrs.Hsueeh, and Madame Wang! You can't be going yet?"
"These three girls of mine are really nice! There are only twomistresses that are simply dreadful." Dowager lady Chia said smilingly."When we get drunk shortly, we'll go and sit in their rooms and have alark!"
These words evoked laughter from every one. In a body they quitted theplace. But they had not proceeded far before they reached the bankcovered with aquatic plants, to which place the boat-women, who had beenbrought from Ku Su, had already punted two crab-wood boats. Into one ofthese boats, they helped old lady Chia, Madame Wang, Mrs. Hsueeh, oldgoody Liu, Yuean Yang, and Yue Ch'uan-Erh. Last in order Li Wan followedon board. But lady Feng too stepped in, and standing up on the bow, sheinsisted upon punting.
Dowager lady Chia, however, remonstrated from her seat in the bottom ofthe boat. "This isn't a joke," she cried, "we're not on the river, it'strue, but there are some very deep places about, so be quick and comein. Do it for my sake."
"What's there to be afraid of?" lady Feng laughed. "Compose your mind,worthy ancestor."
Saying this, the boat was pushed off with one shove. When it reached themiddle of the lake, lady Feng became nervous, for the craft was smalland the occupants many, and hastily handing the pole to a boatwoman, shesquatted down at last.
Ying Ch'un, her sisters, their cousins, as well as Pao-yue subsequentlygot on board the second boat, and followed in their track; while therest of the company, consisting of old nurses and a bevy ofwaiting-maids, kept pace with them along the bank of the stream.
"All these broken lotus leaves are dreadful!" Pao-yue shouted. "Why don'tyou yet tell the servants to pull them off?"
"When was this garden left quiet during all the days of this year?"Pao-ch'ai smiled. "Why, people have come, day after day, to visit it, sowas there ever any time to tell the servants to come and clean it?"
"I have the greatest abhorrence," Lin Tai-yue chimed in, "for Li I'spoetical works, but there's only this line in them which I like:
"'Leave the dry lotus leaves so as to hear the patter of the rain.'
"and here you people deliberately mean again not to leave the dry lotusstay where they are."
"This is indeed a fine line!" Pao-yue exclaimed. "We mustn't hereafterlet them pull them away!"
While this conversation continued, they reached the shoaly inlet underthe flower-laden beech. They felt a coolness from the shady overgrowthpenetrate their very bones. The decaying vegetation and the witheredaquatic chestnut plants on the sand-bank enhanced, to a greater degree,the beauty of the autumn scenery.
Dowager lady Chia at this point observed some spotless rooms on thebank, so spick and so span. "Are not these Miss Hsueeh's quarters," sheasked. "Eh?"
"Yes, they are!" everybody answered.
Old lady Chia promptly bade them go alongside, and wending their way upthe marble steps, which seemed to lead to the clouds, they in a bodyentered the Heng Wu court. Here they felt a peculiar perfume comewafting into their nostrils, for the colder the season got the greenergrew that strange vegetation, and those fairy-like creepers. The variousplants were laden with seeds, which closely resembled red coral beans,as they drooped in lovely clusters.
The house, as soon as they put their foot into it, presented the aspectof a snow cave. There was a total absence of every object of ornament.On the table figured merely an earthenware vase, in which were placedseveral chrysanthemums. A few books and teacups were also conspicuous,but no further knicknacks. On the bed was suspended a green gauzecurtain, and of equally extreme plainness were the coverlets andmattresses belonging to it.
"This child," dowager lady Chia sighed, "is too simple! If you've gotnothing to lay about, why not ask your aunt for a few articles? I wouldnever raise any objection. I never thought about them. Your things, ofcourse, have been left at home, and have not been brought over."
So saying, she told Yuan Yang to go and fetch several bric-a-brac. Shenext went on to call lady Feng to task.
"She herself wouldn't have them," (lady Feng) rejoined. "We really sentover a few, but she refused every one of them and returned them."
"In her home also," smiled Mrs. Hsueeh, "she does not go in very much forsuch sort of things."
Old lady Chia nodded her head. "It will never do!" she added. "It does,it's true, save trouble; but were some relative to come on a visit,she'll find things in an impossible way. In the second place, suchsimplicity in the apartments of young ladies of tender age is quiteunpropitious! Why, if you young people go on in this way, we old fogiesshould go further and live in stables! You've all heard what is said inthose books and plays about the dreadful luxury, with which youngladies' quarters are got up. And though these girls of ours could notpresume to place themselves on the same footing as those young ladies,they shouldn't nevertheless exceed too much the bounds of whatconstitutes the right thing. If they have any objects ready at hand, whyshouldn't they lay them out? And if they have any strong predilectionfor simplicity, a few things less will do quite as well. I've always hadthe greatest knack for titifying a room, but being an old woman now Ihaven't the ease and inclination to attend to such things! These girlsare, however, learning how to do things very nicely. I was afraid thatthere would be an appearance of vulgarity in what they did, and that,even had they anything worth having, they'd so place them about as tospoil them; but from what I can see there's nothing vulgar about them.But let me now put things right for you, and I'll wager that everythingwill look grand as well as plain. I've got a couple of my ownknicknacks, which I've managed to keep to this day, by not allowingPao-yue to get a glimpse of them; for had he ever seen them, they toowould have long ago disappeared!" Continuing, she called Yuean Yang."Fetch that marble pot with scenery on it," she said to her; "that gauzescreen, and that tripod of transparent stone with black streaks, whichyou'll find in there, and lay out all three on this table. They'll beample! Bring likewise those ink pictures and white silk curtains, andchange these curtains."
Yuean Yang expressed her obedience. "All these articles have been putaway in the eastern loft," she smiled. "In what boxes they've been put,I couldn't tell; I must therefore go and find them quietly and if Ibring them over to-morrow, it will be time enough."
"To-morrow or the day after will do very well; but don't forget, that'sall," dowager lady Chia urged.
While conversing, they sat for a while. Presently, they left the roomsand repaired straightway into the Cho Chin hall. Wen Kuan and the othergirls came up and paid their obeisance. They next inquired what songsthey were to practise.
"You'd better choose a few pieces to rehearse out of those you knowbest," old lady Chia rejoined.
Wen Kuan and her companions then withdrew and betook themselves to theLotus Fragrance Pavilion. But we will leave them there without furtherallusion to them.
During this while, lady Feng had already, with the help of servants, goteverything in perfect order. On the left and right of the side of honourwere placed two divans. These divans were completely covered withembroidered covers and fine variegated mats. In front of each divanstood two lacquer teapoys, inlaid, some with designs of crab-appleflowers; others of plum blossom, some of lotus leaves, others ofsun-flowers. Some of these teapoys were square, others round. Theirshapes were all different. On each was placed a set consisting of astove and a bottle, also a box with partitions. The two divans and fourteapoys, in the place of honour, were used by dowager lady Chia and Mrs.Hsueeh. The chair and two teapoys in the next best place, by Madame Wang.The rest of the inmates had, all alike, a chair and a teapoy. On theeast side sat old goody Liu. Below old goody Liu came Madame Wang. Onthe west was seated Shih Hsiang-yuen. The second place was occupied byPao-ch'ai; the third by Tai-yue; the fourth by Ying Ch'un. T'an Ch'un andHsi Ch'un filled the lower seats, in their proper order; Pao-yue sat inthe last place. The two teapoys assigned to Li Wan and lady Feng stoodwithin the third line of railings, and beyond the second row of gauzeframes. The pattern of the partition-boxes corresponded likewise withthe pattern on the teapoys. Each inmate had a black decanter, withsilver, inlaid in foreign designs; as well as an ornamented, enamelledcup.
After they had all occupied the seats assigned to them, dowager ladyChia took the initiative and smilingly suggested: "Let's begin bydrinking a couple of cups of wine. But we should also have a game offorfeits to-day, we'll have plenty of fun then."
"You, venerable senior, must certainly have a good wine order toimpose," Mrs. Hsueeh laughingly observed, "but how could we ever complywith it? But if your aim be to intoxicate us, why, we'll all straightwaydrink one or two cups more than is good for us and finish!"
"Here's Mrs. Hsueeh beginning to be modest again to-day!" old lady Chiasmiled. "But I expect it's because she looks down upon me as being anold hag!"
"It isn't modesty!" Mrs. Hsueeh replied smiling. "It's all a dread lest Ishouldn't be able to observe the order and thus incur ridicule."
"If you don't give the right answer," Madame Wang promptly interposedwith a smile, "you'll only have to drink a cup or two more of wine, andshould we get drunk, we can go to sleep; and who'll, pray laugh at us?"
Mrs. Hsueeh nodded her head. "I'll agree to the order," she laughed,"but, dear senior, you must, after all, do the right thing and have acup of wine to start it."
"This is quite natural!" old lady Chia answered laughingly; and withthese words, she forthwith emptied a cup.
Lady Feng with hurried steps advanced to the centre of the room. "If weare to play at forfeits," she smilingly proposed, "we'd better invitesister Yuean Yang to come and join us."
The whole company was perfectly aware that if dowager lady Chia had togive out the rule of forfeits, Yuean Yang would necessarily have tosuggest it, so the moment they heard the proposal they, with commonconsent, approved it as excellent. Lady Feng therefore there and thendragged Yuean Yang over.
"As you're to take a part in the game of forfeits," Madame Wangsmilingly observed, "there's no reason why you should stand up." Andturning her head round, "Bring over," she bade a young waiting-maid, "achair and place it at your Mistress Secunda's table."
Yuean Yang, half refusing and half assenting, expressed her thanks, andtook the seat. After partaking also of a cup of wine, "Drinking rules,"she smiled, "resemble very much martial law; so irrespective of high orlow, I alone will preside. Any one therefore who disobeys my words willhave to suffer a penalty."
"Of course, it should be so!" Madame Wang and the others laughed, "so bequick and give out the rule!"
But before Yuean Yang had as yet opened her lips to speak, old goody Liuleft the table, and waving her hand: "Don't," she said, "make fun ofpeople in this way, for I'll go home."
"This will never do!" One and all smilingly protested.
Yuean Yang shouted to the young waiting-maids to drag her back to hertable; and the maids, while also indulging in laughter, actually pulledher and compelled her to rejoin the banquet.
"Spare me!" old goody Liu kept on crying, "spare me!"
"Any one who says one word more," Yuean Yang exclaimed, "will be fined awhole decanter full."
Old goody Liu then at length observed silence.
"I'll now give out the set of dominoes." Yuean Yang proceeded. "I'llbegin from our venerable mistress and follow down in proper order untilI come to old goody Liu, when I shall stop. So as to illustrate what Imeant just now by giving out a set, I'll take these three dominoes andplace them apart; you have to begin by saying something on the first,next, to allude to the second, and, after finishing with all three, totake the name of the whole set and match it with a line, no matterwhether it be from some stanza or roundelay, song or idyl, set phrasesor proverbs. But they must rhyme. And any one making a mistake will bemulcted in one cup."
"This rule is splendid; begin at once!" they all exclaimed.
"I've got a set," Yuean Yang pursued; "on the left, is the piece'heaven,' (twelve dots)."
"Above head stretches the blue heaven,"
dowager lady Chia said.
"Good!" shouted every one.
"In the centre is a five and six," Yuean Yang resumed.
The fragrance of the plum blossom pierces the bones on the bridge "Six,"
old lady Chia added.
"There now remains," Yuean Yang explained, "one piece, the six and one."
"From among the fleecy clouds issues the wheel-like russet sun."
dowager lady Chia continued.
"The whole combined," Yuan Yang observed "forms 'the devil withdishevelled hair.'"
"This devil clasps the leg of the 'Chung Pa' devil,"
old lady Chia observed.
At the conclusion of her recitation, they all burst out laughing."Capital!" they shouted. Old lady Chia drained a cup. Yuean Yang thenwent on to remark, "I've got another set; the one on the left is adouble five."
"Bud after bud of the plum bloom dances in the wind,"
Mrs. Hsueeh replied.
"The one on the right is a ten spot," Yuean Yang pursued.
"In the tenth moon the plum bloom on the hills emits its fragrant smell,"
Mrs. Hsueeh added.
"The middle piece is the two and five, making the 'unlike seven;'" YueanYang observed.
"The 'spinning damsel' star meets the 'cow-herd' on the eve of the seventh day of the seventh moon,"
Miss Hsueeh said.
"Together they form: 'Erh Lang strolls on the five mounds;'" Yuean Yangcontinued.
"Mortals cannot be happy as immortals,"
Mrs. Hsueeh rejoined.
Her answers over, the whole company extolled them and had a drink. "I'vegot another set!" Yuean Yang once more exclaimed. "On the left, aredistinctly the distant dots of the double ace."
"Both sun and moon are so suspended as to shine on heaven and earth,"
Hsiang-yuen ventured.
"On the right, are a couple of spots, far apart, which clearly form aone and one." Yuean Yang pursued.
"What time a lonesome flower falls to the ground, no sound is audible,"
Hsiang-yuen rejoined.
"In the middle, there is the one and four," Yuean Yang added.
"The red apricot tree is planted by the sun, and leans against the clouds;"
Hsiang-yuen answered.
"Together they form the 'cherry fruit ripens for the ninth time,'" YueanYang said.
"In the imperial garden it is pecked by birds."
Hsiang-yuen replied.
When she had done with her part, she drank a cup of wine. "I've gotanother set," Yuean Yang began, "the one on the left is a double three."
"The swallows, pair by pair, chatter on the beams;"
Pao-ch'ai remarked.
"The right piece is a six," Yuean Yang added.
"The marsh flower is stretched by the breeze e'en
to the length of a green sash,"
Pao-ch'ai returned.
"The centre piece is a three and six, making a nine spot," Yuean Yangpursued.
"The three hills tower half beyond the azure skies;"
Pao-ch'ai rejoined.
"Lumped together they form: a 'chain-bound solitary boat,'" Yuean Yangresumed.
"Where there are wind and waves, there I feel sad;"
Pao-ch'ai answered.
When she had finished her turn and drained her cup, Yuean Yang went onagain. "On the left," she said, "there's a 'heaven.'"
"A morning fine and beauteous scenery, but, alas, what a day for me!"
Tai-yue replied.
When this line fell on Pao-chai's ear, she turned her head round andcast a glance at her, but Tai-yue was so nervous lest she should have topay a forfeit that she did not so much as notice her.
"In the middle there's the 'colour of the embroidered screen, (tenspots, four and six), is beautiful,'" Yuean Yang proceeded.
"Not e'en Hung Niang to the gauze window comes, any message to bring."
Tai-yue responded.
"There now remains a two and six, eight in all," Yuean Yang resumed.
"Twice see the jady throne when led in to perform the court ritual,"
Tai-yue replied.
"Together they form 'a basket suitable for putting plucked flowers in,'"Yuean Yang continued.
"The fairy wand smells nice as on it hangs a peony."
Tai-yue retorted.
At the close of her replies, she took a sip of wine. Yuean Yang thenresumed. "On the left," she said, "there's a four and five, making a'different-combined nine.'"
"The peach blossoms bear heavy drops of rain;"
Ying Ch'un remarked.
The company laughed. "She must be fined!" they exclaimed. "She has madea mistake in the rhyme. Besides, it isn't right!"
Ying Ch'un smiled and drank a sip. The fact is that both lady Feng andYuean Yang were so eager to hear the funny things that would be utteredby old goody Liu, that they with one voice purposely ruled that everyone answered wrong and fined them. When it came to Madame Wang's turn,Yuean Yang recited something for her. Next followed old goody Liu.
"When we country-people have got nothing to do," old goody Liu said, "afew of us too often come together and play this sort of game; but theanswers we give are not so high-flown; yet, as I can't get out of it,I'll likewise make a try!"
"It's easy enough to say what there is," one and all laughed, "so justyou go on and don't mind!"
"On the left," Yuean Yang smiled, "there's a double four, i.e. 'man.'"
Goody Liu listened intently. After considerable reflection,
"It's a peasant!"
she cried.
One and all in the room blurted out laughing.
"Well-said!" dowager lady Chia observed with a laugh, "that's the way."
"All we country-people know," old goody Liu proceeded, also laughing,"is just what comes within our own rough-and-ready wits, so young ladiesand ladies pray don't poke fun at me!"
"In the centre there's the three and four, green matched with red," YueanYang pursued.
"The large fire burnt the hairy caterpillar;"
old goody Liu ventured.
"This will do very well!", the party laughed, "go on with what is inyour line."
"On the right," Yuean Yang smilingly continued, "there's a one and four,and is really pretty."
"A turnip and a head of garlic."
old goody Liu answered.
This reply evoked further laughter from the whole company.
"Altogether, it's a twig of flowers," Yuean Yang added laughing.
"The flower dropped, and a huge melon formed."
old goody Liu observed, while gesticulating with both her hands by wayof illustration.
The party once more exploded in loud merriment.
But, reader, if you entertain any curiosity to hear what else was saidduring the banquet, listen to the explanation given in the next chapter.