CHAPTER XLVI.
An improper man with difficulty keeps from improprieties. The maid, Yuean Yang, vows to break off the marriage match.
Lin Tai-yue, to resume our story, dropped off gradually to sleep aboutthe close of the fourth watch. As there is therefore nothing more thatwe can for the present say about her, let us take up the thread of ournarrative with lady Feng.
Upon hearing that Madame Hsing wanted to see her, she could not make outwhat it could be about, so hurriedly putting on some extra things on herperson and head, she got into a carriage and crossed over.
Madame Hsing at once dismissed every attendant from her suite ofapartments. "I sent for you," she began, addressing herself to ladyFeng, in a confidential tone, "not for anything else, but on account ofsomething which places me on the horns of a dilemma. My husband hasentrusted me with a job; and being quite at my wits' ends how to act,I'd like first to consult with you. My husband has taken quite a fancyto Yuean Yang, who is in our worthy senior's rooms; so much so, that he'sdesirous to get her into his quarters as a secondary wife. He hasdeputed me therefore to ask her of our venerable ancestor. I know thatthis is quite an ordinary matter. Yet I can't help fearing that ourworthy senior may refuse to give her. But do you perchance see your wayto bring this concern about?"
Lady Feng listened to her. "You shouldn't, I say, go and bang your headagainst a nail!" she then vehemently exclaimed. "Were our old ancestorseparated from Yuean Yang, she wouldn't even touch her rice! How evercould she reconcile herself to part from her? Besides, our worthy seniorhas time and again said, in the course of a chat, 'that she can't seethe earthly use of a man well up in years, as your lord and master is,having here one concubine, and there another? That cooping them up inhis rooms, is a mere waste of human beings. That he neglects hisconstitution and doesn't husband it; and that he doesn't either attenddiligently to his official duties, but spends his whole days in boozingwith his young concubines. When your ladyship hears these nice doings ofhis, don't you feel enamoured with that fine gentleman of ours? Were heeven to try, at this juncture, to beat a retreat, he couldn't, I fear,effectively do so. Yet, instead of (making an effort to turn tail), hewants to go and dig the tiger's nostrils with a blade of straw. Don't,my lady, be angry with me; but I daren't undertake the errand. It'sclear as day that it will be a wild goose chase. What's more, it will dohim no good; but will, contrariwise, heap disgrace upon his own head!Our Mr. Chia She is now so stricken in years, that in all his actions heunavoidably behaves somewhat as a dotard. It would be well therefore foryour ladyship to advise him what to do. It isn't as if he were in theprime of life to be able to do all these things with impunity! He's gotat present a whole array of brothers, nieces, sons, and grandsons; andshould he still go on in this wild sort of way, how will he be able toface any of them?"
Madame Hsing gave a sardonic smile. "There are endless wealthy familieswith three and four concubines," she said, "and is it in ours that sucha thing won't do? But were I even to tender him as much advice as I can,it isn't at all likely that he'll abide by it! Even though that maid beone beloved by our venerable senior, it doesn't follow that she'll verywell be able to give a rebuff to a hoary-bearded elderly son, and,erewhile, an official, were he to express a wish to have her as aninmate of his household! I sent for you for no other purpose than todeliberate with you, and here you take the initiative and enumerate awhole array of shortcomings. But is there any reason why I shouldcommission you to go? Of course I'll go and speak to her! You make abold statement that I don't give him any good counsel; but don't you yetknow that with a disposition, such as his, he rushes, before I can verywell open my lips to advise him, into a tantrum with me?"
Lady Feng was well alive to the fact that Madame Hsing was, by nature,simple and weak-minded, and that all she knew was to adulate Chia She soas to ensure her own safety. That she was, in the next place, everready, so greedy was she, to grasp as much hard cash and as manyeffects, as she could lay hold of, for her own private gain. That sheleft all family matters, irrespective of important or unimportant, underthe sole control of Chia She; but that, whenever anything turned up,involving any receipts or payments, she extorted an unusual percentage,the moment the money passed through her clutches, giving out as apretence: 'Well Chia She is so extravagant that I have to interfere andeffect sufficient economies to enable us to make up our deficits.' Andthat she would not trust any one, whether son, daughter or servant, norlend an ear to a single word of remonstrance. When she therefore nowheard Madame Hsing speak as she did, she concluded that she must be inanother of her perverse moods, and that any admonitions would be of noavail. So hastily forcing a smile: "My lady," she observed, "you'reperfectly right in your remarks! But how long can I have lived, and whatdiscrimination can I boast of? It seems to me that if a father andmother do not bestow, not a mere servant-girl like she is, but a livingjewel of the size of her, on one like Mr. Chia She, to whom are theylikely to give her? How can one give faith to words spoken behind one'sback? So what a fool I was (in cramming what I heard down my throat)!Just take our Mr. Secundus, (my husband), as an instance. If ever hedoes anything to incur blame, Mr. Chia She and you, my lady, feel sowrath with him as to only wish you could lay hands upon him there andthen and give him such a blow as would kill him downright, but themoment you set eyes on his face, your whole resentment vanishes, and lo,you again let him have, as of old, everything, and anything, much thoughboth of you might relish it in your hearts! Our worthy ancestor willcertainly therefore behave in the present instance, with equalliberality, towards Mr. Chia She! So if her ladyship feels in the humourto-day, she'll let him have her, I fancy, at once this very day, if hemakes the proper advances. But I'll go ahead and coax our venerablesenior; and, when your ladyship comes over, I'll find some pretence toget out of the way, and take along with me those too who may be presentin her rooms, so as to make it convenient for you to broach the subject.If she gives her, so much the better. But if even she doesn't, it won'tmatter; for none of the inmates will have any idea what the object ofyour mission could have been."
After listening to her suggestion, Madame Hsing began again to feel in ahappier frame of mind. "My idea is," she observed, "that I shouldn'tstart by mentioning anything to our venerable senior, for were she tosay that she wouldn't give her, the matter would be simply quashed onthe head. I can't help thinking that I should first and foremost quietlyapproach Yuean Yang on the subject. She will, of course, feel extremelyashamed, but when I explain everything minutely to her, she'll certainlyhave nothing to say against the proposal, and everything will be allright. I can then speak to our old senior; and, despite any desire onher part not to accede to our wishes, she won't be able to put the girloff, provided she herself be willing; for as the adage says: 'If aperson wishes to go, it's no use trying to keep him.' Thus needless tosay, the whole thing will be satisfactorily settled!"
"You're really shrewd in your devices, my lady!" lady Feng smilinglyejaculated. "This is perfect in every respect! For without taking YueanYang into account, what girl does not long to rise high, or hope toexalt herself, or think of pushing herself forward above the rest as tocast away the chances of becoming half a mistress, and prefer insteadbeing a maid, and merely becoming by and bye the mate of someservant-lad?"
"Quite so!" Madame Hsing smiled. "But let's put Yuean Yang aside. Who isthere, even among the various elderly waiting-maids, who look after thehouse, who wouldn't be only too willing to step into these shoes? You'dbetter then go ahead. But, mind, don't let the cat out of the bag! I'lljoin you as soon as I can finish my evening meal."
"Yuean Yang," thereupon secretly reflected lady Feng, "has always been anextremely shrewd-minded girl; to such a degree, that there isnotwithstanding all our arguments, no saying positively whether she'llaccept or refuse. So were I to go ahead, and Madame Hsing to follow meby and bye, there won't be any occasion for her to grumble or complain,so long as she assents; but, if she doesn't, why, Madame Hsing, who isso suspicious a creature, will po
ssibly imagine that I've been gassingwith her, and been the means of making her put on side and assume highairs. When Madame Hsing finds then that my conjectures have turned outtrue again, her shame will be converted into anger, and she'll so venther spite upon me that I shall, after all, be put in a false position.Would it not be better then that she and I should go together; for, ifshe says 'yes,' I'll be all right; and, if she replies 'no,' I'll be onthe safe side; and no suspicion, of any kind, will fall upon me!"
At the close of her reflections, "As I was about to cross over here,"she remarked laughingly, "our aunt yonder sent us two baskets of quails,and I gave orders that they should be fried, with the idea that theyshould be brought to your ladyship, in time for you to have some at yourevening repast. Just as I was stepping inside the main entrance, I sawthe servant-boys carrying your curricle; they said that it was yourladyship's vehicle, that it had cracked, and that they were taking it tobe repaired. Wouldn't it be as well then that you should now come in mycarriage, for it will be better for you and me to get there together?"
At this suggestion, Madame Hsing directed her servants to come andchange her costume. Lady Feng quickly waited upon her, and in a whilethe two ladies got into one and the same curricle and drove over.
"My lady," lady Feng went on to say, "it would be well for you to lookup our worthy senior, for were I to accompany you, and her ladyship toask me what was the object of my visit, it would be rather awkward. Thebest way is for your ladyship to go first, and I'll join you, as soon asI divest myself of my fine clothes."
Madame Hsing noticed how reasonable her proposal was, and she readilybetook herself to old lady Chia's quarters. But after a chat with hersenior, she quitted the apartment, under the pretence that she was goingto Madame Wang's rooms. Then making her exit by the back door, shepassed in front of Yuean Yang's bedroom. Here she saw Yuean Yang sitting,hard at work at some needlework. The moment she caught sight of MadameHsing, she rose to her feet.
"What are you up to?" Madame Hsing laughingly inquired. "Let me see! Howmuch nicer you embroider artificial flowers now!"
So speaking, she entered, and, taking the needlework from her hands, shescrutinised it, while extolling its beauty. Then laying down the work,and scanning her again from head to foot, she observed that her costumeconsisted of a half-new, grey thin silk jacket, and a bluish satinwaistcoat with scollops; that below this came a water-green jupe; thather waist was slim as that of a wasp; that her shoulders sloped as ifpared; that her face resembled a duck's egg; that her hair was black andshiny; that her nose was very high, and that on both her cheeks wereslightly visible several small flat moles.
Yuean Yang realised how intently she was being passed under scrutiny, andbegan to feel inwardly uneasy; while utter astonishment prevailed in hermind. "Madame," she felt impelled to ask, "what do you come for at thisimpossible hour?"
At a wink from Madame Hsing, her attendants withdrew from the room.Madame Hsing forthwith seated herself, and grasped Yuean Yang's hand inhers. "I've come," she smiled, "with the special purpose of presentingyou my congratulations."
This reply enabled Yuean Yang at once to form within herself some surmisemore or less correct of the object of her errand, and suddenly blushingcrimson, she lowered her head, and uttered not a word.
"You know well enough," she next heard Madame Hsing resume, "thatthere's not a single reliable person with my husband; but much thoughwe'd like to purchase some other girl we fear that such as might comeout of a broker's household wouldn't be quite spotless and taintless.Nor would one be able to get any idea what her failings are, until aftershe has been purchased and brought home; when she too will be sure, intwo or three days, to behave like an imp and play some monkey tricks!That's why we thought of choosing some home-born girl out of those whichthrong in our mansion, but then again we could find none decent enough;for if her looks were not at fault, her disposition was not proper; andif she possessed this quality, she lacked that one. Hence it is thatafter repeatedly choosing with dispassionate eye, during half a year,(he finds) that there's only you among that whole bevy of girls, who'sworth anything; that in looks, behaviour and deportment, you're gentle,trustworthy, and perfection itself in every respect. His intentiontherefore is to ask your hand of our old lady and take you over andattach you to his quarters. You won't be treated as one newly-purchased,or newly-sought for outside; for the moment you put your foot into ourhouse, you'll at once have your face shaved and be promoted to asecondary wife; so you'll thus attain as much dignity as honour. More,you're one who is anxious to excel; and, as the proverb says, 'gold willstill be exchanged for gold.' My husband has, who'd have thought it,taken a fancy to you, so when you now enter our threshold, you'll fulfilthe wish you've cherished all along with such high purpose and loftyaim, and stop the mouths of those persons, who are envious of your lot.Follow me therefore and let's go and lay the matter before our venerableancestor."
Arguing the while, she dragged her by the hand with the idea of hurryingher off there and then. Yuean Yang, however, blushed to her very ears,and, snatching her hand out of her grip she refused to budge.
Madame Hsing was conscious that she was under the spell of intenseshame. "What's there in this to be ashamed?" she continued, "You needn'tbesides breathe a word! All you have to do is to follow me, that's all."
Yuean Yang continued to droop her head and to decline to go with her.Madame Hsing, perceiving her behaviour, went on to exhort her. "Is itlikely, pray," she said, "that you still hesitate? If you actually don'tfeel inclined to accept the offer, you're, in real truth, a foolishgirl; for here you let go the chances of becoming the secondary consortof a master, and choose instead to continue a servant-girl. You'll beunited, in two or three years, to no one higher than some youngdomestic, and remain as much a bond-servant as ever! If you come alongwith us, you know that my disposition too is gentle; that I'm not one ofthose persons, who don't show any regard for any one; that my husbandwill also treat you as well as he does every one else, and that when, inthe course of a year or so, you give birth to a son or daughter, you'llbe placed on the same footing as myself. And of all the servants athome, will any you may wish to employ not deign to move to execute yourorders? If now that you have a chance of becoming a mistress, you don'tchoose to, why, you'll miss the opportunity, and then you may repent it,but it will be too late!"
Yuean Yang still kept her head bent against her chest and spake not asyllable by way of reply.
"How is it," added Madame Hsing, "that you, who've ever been so quickhave now too begun to be so infirm of purpose? What is there thatdoesn't fall in with your wishes? Just tell me; and I can safely assureyou that you'll have everything done to satisfy you."
Yuean Yang observed, as hitherto, perfect silence.
"I suppose," laughed Madame Hsing, "that having a father and mother, youyourself don't wish to speak, for fear of being put to the blush, andthat you want to wait until such time as they consult you about it, eh?This is quite right! But you'd better let me go and make the proposal tothem and tell them to come and ascertain your wishes; and whatever youranswer then may be just entrust it to them."
This said, she sped into lady Feng's suite of rooms.
Lady Feng had long ago changed her attire, and availed herself of theabsence of any bystander in her apartments to confide the whole matterto P'ing Erh.
P'ing Erh nodded her head and smiled. "According to my views, success isnot so certain," she observed. "She and I have often secretly talkedthis matter over, and the arguments I heard her propound don't make itthe least probable that she'll consent. But all we can say now is:'We'll see!'"
"Madame Hsing," lady Feng remarked, "is sure to come over here toconsult with me. If she has assented, well and good; but, if she hasn't,she'll bring displeasure upon her own self, and won't she feel out ofcountenance, if all of you are present? So tell the others to fryseveral quails, and get anything nice, that goes well with them, andprepare it for our repast, while you can go and stroll about in someother
spot, and return when you fancy she has gone."
Hearing this, P'ing Erh transmitted her wishes word for word to thematrons; after which, she sauntered leisurely all alone, into thegarden.
When Yuean Yang saw Madame Hsing depart, she concluded that she was boundto go into lady Feng's rooms to consult with her, and that some one wassure to come and ask her about the proposal, so thinking it advisable tocross over to this side of the mansion to get out of the way, sheconsequently repaired in quest of Hu Po.
"Should our old mistress," she said to her, "ask for me, just say that Iwas so unwell that I couldn't even have any breakfast; that I've goneinto the garden for a stroll, but that I will be back at once."
Hu Po undertook to tell her so, and Yuean Yang then betook herself toointo the garden. While lolling all over the place, she, contrary to herexpectations, encountered P'ing Erh. P'ing Erh looked round to see thatthere was no one about. "Here comes the new secondary wife!" shesmilingly exclaimed.
Yuean Yang caught this greeting, and promptly the colour rose to herface. "How strange it is," she rejoined, "that you've all colludedtogether to come, with one accord, and scheme against me! But wait untilI've had it out with your mistress, and then I'll set things all right."
When P'ing Erh observed the angry look on Yuean Yang's countenance, herconscience was so stricken with remorse, on account of the inconsiderateremark she had passed, that drawing her under the maple tree, she madeher sit on the same boulder as herself, and then went so far as torecount to her, from beginning to end, all that transpired, andeverything that was said on lady Feng's return, a short while back, fromthe off mansion.
Blushes flew to Yuean Yang's cheeks. Facing P'ing Erh, she gave asardonic smile. "We've all ever been friends," she said, "that is: HsiJen, Hu Po, Su Yuen, Tzu Chuean, Ts'ai Hsia, Yue Ch'uan, She Yueeh, Ts'uiMo, Ts'ui Lue, who was in Miss Shih's service and is now gone, K'o Jenand Chin Ch'uan, now deceased, Hsi Hsueeh, who left, and you and I. Eversince our youth up, how many chats have the ten or dozen of us not had,and what have we not been up to together? But now that we've grown up,each of us has gone her own way! Yet, my heart is just what it was indays gone by. Whenever there's anything for me to say or do, I don't tryto impose upon any of you; so just first treasure in your heart thesecret I'm going to tell you, and don't mention it to our lady Secunda!Not to speak of our senior master wishing to make me his concubine, wereeven our lady to die this very moment, and he to send endlessgo-betweens, and countless betrothal presents, with the idea of weddingme and taking me over as his lawful primary wife, I wouldn't also go."
P'ing Erh was at this point desirous to put in some observation, whenfrom behind the boulder became audible the loud tones of laughter. "Youmost barefaced girl!" a voice cried. "It's well you're not afraid ofyour teeth falling when you utter such things!"
These words reached the ears of both girls, and, so unawares were theytaken, that they got a regular start, and jumping up with all haste theywent to see behind the boulder. They found no one else than Hsi Jen, whopresented herself before them, with a smiling countenance, and asked:"What's up? Do tell me!"
As she spoke, the trio seated themselves on a rock. P'ing Erh thenimparted to Hsi Jen as well the drift of their recent conversation.
"Properly speaking, we shouldn't pass such judgments," Hsi Jen remarked,after listening to her confidences, "but this senior master of ours isreally a most licentious libertine. So much so, that whenever he comesacross a girl with any good looks about her, he won't let her out of hisgrasp."
"Since you don't like to entertain his offer," P'ing Erh suggested,"I'll put you up to a plan."
"What plan is it?" Yuean Yang inquired.
"Just simply tell our old mistress," P'ing Erh laughed, "this answer:that you've already been promised to our master Secundus, Mr. Lien. Oursenior master then won't very well be able to be importunate.'"
"Ts'ui!" ejaculated Yuean Yang. "What a thing you are! Do you still makesuch suggestions? Didn't your mistress the other day utter this sillynonsense! Who'd have thought it, her words have now come true!"
"If you won't have either of them," Hsi Jen smiled, "my idea is that youshould tell our old lady point blank and ask her to give out that shepromised you long ago to our master, number two, Pao-yue. Our seniormaster will then banish this fad from his mind."
Yuean Yang was overcome with anger, shame and exasperation. "Whatdreadful vixens both of you are!" she shouted. "You don't deserve anatural death! I find myself in a fix, and treat you as decent sort ofpersons and confide in you so that you should arrange matters for me;and not to say that you don't bother yourselves a rap about me, you taketurn and turn about to poke fun at me! You're under the impression, inyour own minds, that your fates are sealed, and that both of you arebound by and bye to become secondary wives; but I can't help thinkingthat affairs under the heavens don't so certainly fall in always withone's wishes and expectations! So you'd better now pull up a bit, andnot be cheeky to such an excessive degree!"
Both her companions then realised in what state of despair she was, andpromptly forcing a smile, "Dear sister," they said, "don't be so touchy!We've been, ever since we were little mites, like very sisters! Allwe've done is to spontaneously indulge in a little fun in a spot wherethere's no one present. But tell us what you've decided to do, so thatwe too should know, and set our minds at ease."
"Decided what?" Yuean Yang cried. "All I know is that I won't go; that'sfinished."
P'ing Erh shook her head. "You mightn't go," she interposed, "but itisn't likely that the matter will drop. You're well aware what sort oftemperament that of our senior master's is. It's true that you'reattached to our old mistress' rooms, and that he can't, just at present,presume to do the least thing to you; but can it be, forsooth, thatyou'll be with the old dame for your whole lifetime? You'll also have toleave to get married, and if you then fall into his hands, it won't gowell with you."
Yuean Yang smiled ironically. "I won't leave this place so long as my oldlady lives!" Yuean Yang protested. "In the event of her ladyshipdeparting this life, he'll have, under any circumstances, to also gointo mourning for three years; for there's no such thing as starting bymarrying a concubine, soon after a mother's death! And while he waitsfor three years to expire, can one say what may not happen? It will betime enough to talk about it when that date comes. But should I bedriven to despair from being hard pressed, I'll cut my hair off andbecome a nun. If not, there's yet another thing: death! And as for awhole life time I shall not join myself to a man, what joy will not thenbe mine, for having managed to preserve my purity?"
"In very truth," P'ing Erh and Hsi Jen laughed, "this vixen has no senseof shame! She has now more than ever spoken whatever came foremost toher lips!"
"What matters a moment's shame," Yuean Yang rejoined, "when things havereached this juncture? But if you don't believe my words, well, you'llbe able to see by and bye; then you'll feel convinced. Madame Hsing saida short while back that she was going to look up my father and mother,but I'd like to see whether she'll proceed to Nanking to find them."
"Your parents are in Nanking looking after the houses," P'ing Erh said,"and they can't come up; yet, in the long run, they can be found out.Your elder brother and your sister-in-law are besides in here atpresent. You, poor thing, are a child born in this establishment. You'renot like us two, who are solitary creatures here."
"What does it matter whether I be born here or not?" Yuean Yangexclaimed. "'You can lead a horse to a fountain, but you can't make himdrink!' So if I don't listen to any proposals, is it likely, may I ask,that they'll kill my father and mother?" While the words were still onher lips, they caught sight of her sister-in-law, advancing from theopposite side. "As they couldn't at once get at your parents," Hsi Jenremarked, "they've, for a certainty, told your sister-in-law."
"All this wench is good for," Yuean Yang shouted, "is 'to rush about asif selling camels in the six states!' If she heard what I said, shewon't feel flattered."
But wh
ile she spoke, her sister-in-law approached them. "Where didn't Ilook for you?" her sister-in-law smilingly observed. "Have you, miss,run over here? Come along with me; I've got something to tell you!"
P'ing Erh and Hsi Jen speedily motioned to her to sit down, but (YueanYang's) sister-in-law demurred. "Young ladies, pray be seated; I've comein search of our girl to tell her something."
Hsi Jen and P'ing Erh feigned perfect ignorance. "What can it be thatit's so pressing?" they said with a smile. "We were engaged in guessingpuns here, so let's find out this, before you go."
"What do you want to tell me?" Yuan Yang inquired. "Speak out!"
"Follow me!" her sister-in-law laughed. "When we get over there, I'lltell you. It's really some good tidings!"
"Is it perchance what Madame Hsing has told you?" Yuean Yang asked.
"Since you, miss, know what it's all about," her sister-in-law addedsmilingly, "what else remains for me to do? Be quick and come with meand I'll explain everything. Verily, it's a piece of happiness as largeas the heavens!"
Yuean Yang, at these words, rose to her feet and spat contemptuously withall her might in her sister-in-law's face. Pointing at her: "Be quick,"she cried abusively, "and stop that filthy tongue of yours! It would beever so much better, were you to bundle yourself away from this! Whatgood tidings and what piece of happiness! Little wonder is it that youlong and crave the whole day long to see other people's daughter turnedinto a secondary wife as one and all of your family would rely upon herto act contrary to reason and right! A whole household has beenconverted into secondary wives! But the sight fills you with such keenjealousy that you would like to also lay hold of me and throw me intothe pit-fire! If any honours fall to my share, all of you outside willdo everything disorderly and improper, and raise yourselves, in your ownestimations, to the status of uncles (and aunts). But if I don't getany, and come to grief, you'll draw in your foul necks, and let me liveor die as I please!"
While indulging in this raillery, she gave vent to tears. P'ing Erh andHsi Jen did all they could to reason with her so as to prevent her fromcrying.
Her sister-in-law felt quite out of countenance. "Whether you mean toaccept the proposal, or not," she consequently said, "you can anyhowspeak nicely. It isn't worth the while dragging this one in andinvolving that one! The proverb adequately says: 'In the presence of adwarf one mustn't speak of dwarfish things!' Here you've been heapinginsult upon me, but I didn't presume to retaliate. These two youngladies have however given you no provocation whatever; and yet byreferring, as you've done, in this way and that way to secondary wiveshow can people stand it peacefully?"
"You shouldn't speak so!" Hsi Jen and P'ing Erh quickly remonstrated."She didn't allude to us; so don't be implicating others! Have you heardof any ladies or gentlemen who'd like to raise us to the rank ofsecondary wives? What's more, we two have neither father nor mother, norbrothers, within these doors, to avail themselves of our positions toact in a way contrary to right and reason! If she abuses people, let herdo so; it isn't worth our while to be touchy!"
"Seeing," Yuean Yang resumed, "that the abuse I've heaped upon her headhas put her to such shame that she doesn't know where to go and screenher face, she tries to egg you two on! But you two have, fortunately,your wits about you! Though quite impatient, I never started arguing thequestion; she it was who chose to speak just now."
Her sister-in-law felt inwardly much disconcerted, and beat a retreat inhigh dudgeon. But Yuean Yang so lost her temper that she still went on toabuse her; and it was only after P'ing Erh and Hsi Jen had admonishedher for ever so long that she let the matter drop.
"What were you hiding there for?" P'ing Erh then asked Hsi Jen. "Wecouldn't see anything of you."
"I went," Hsi Jen explained, "into Miss Quarta's rooms to see our Mr.Pao-yue, but, who'd have thought it, I got there a little too late, andthey told me that he had gone home. But my suspicions were, however,aroused as I couldn't make out how it was that I hadn't come across him,and I was about to go and hunt him up in Miss Lin's apartments, when Imet one of her servants who said that he hadn't been there either. Thenjust as I was surmising that he must have gone out of the garden,behold, you came, as luck would have it, from the opposite direction.But I dodged you, so you didn't see anything of me. Subsequently, shetoo appeared on the scene; but I got behind the boulder, from the backof these trees. I, however, saw that you two had come to have a chat.Strange to say, though you have four eyes between you, you never caughta glimpse of me."
Scarcely had she concluded this remark, than they heard some one elsefrom behind, laughingly exclaim, "Four eyes never saw you, but your sixeyes haven't as yet found me out!"
The three girls received quite a shock from fright; but turning round,they perceived that it was no other person than Pao-yue.
Hsi Jen smiled, and was the first to speak. "You've made me have a goodsearch," she said. "Where do you hail from?"
"I was just leaving cousin Quarta's," Pao-yue laughed, "when I noticedyou coming along, just in front of me; and knowing well enough that youwere bent upon finding me, I concealed myself to have a lark with you. Isaw you then go by, with uplifted head, enter the court, walk out again,and ask every one you met on your way; but there I stood convulsed withlaughter. I was only waiting to rush up to you and frighten you, when Iafterwards realised that you too were prowling stealthily about, so Ireadily inferred that you also were playing a trick upon some one. Thenwhen I put out my head and looked before me, I saw that it was these twogirls, so I came behind you, by a circuitous way; and as soon as youleft, I forthwith sneaked into your hiding place."
"Let's go and look behind there," P'ing Erh suggested laughingly; "wemay possibly discover another couple; there's no saying."
"There's no one else!" Pao-yue laughed.
Yuean Yang had long ago concluded that every word of their conversationhad been overheard by Pao-yue; but leaning against the rock, shepretended to be fast asleep.
Pao-yue gave her a push. "This stone is cold!" he smiled. "Let's go andsleep in our rooms. Won't it be better there?"
Saying this, he made an attempt to pull Yuean Yang to her feet. Thenhastily pressing P'ing Erh to repair to his quarters and have some tea,he united his efforts with those of Hsi Jen, and tried to induce YueanYang to come away. Yuean Yang, at length, got up, and the quartet betookthemselves, after all, into the I Hung court.
Pao-yue had caught every word that had fallen from their lips a fewminutes back, and felt, indeed, at heart so much distressed on YueanYang's behalf, that throwing himself silently on his bed, he left thethree girls in the outer rooms to prosecute their chat and laugh.
On the other side of the compound, Madame Hsing about this time inquiredof lady Feng who Yuean Yang's father was.
"Her father," lady Feng replied, "is called Chin Ts'ai. He and his wifeare in Nanking; they have to look after our houses there, so they can'tpay frequent visits to the capital. Her brother is the Wen-hsiang, whoacts at present as our senior's accountant; but her sister-in-law too isemployed in our worthy ancestor's yonder as head washerwoman."
Madame Hsing thereupon despatched a servant to go and call Yuean Yang'ssister-in-law. On Mrs. Chin Wen-hsiang's arrival, she told her all. Mrs.Chin was naturally pleased and left in capital spirits to find YueanYang, in the hope that the moment she communicated the offer to her, thewhole thing would be satisfactorily arranged. But contrary to all heranticipations, she had to bear a good blowing up from Yuean Yang, and tobe told several unpleasant things by Hsi Jen and P'ing Erh, so that shewas filled with as much shame as indignation. She then came and reportedthe result to Madame Hsing. "It's no use," she said, "she gave me ascolding." But as lady Feng was standing by, she could not summon upcourage enough to allude to P'ing Erh, so she added: "Hsi Jen too helpedher to rate me, and they told me a whole lot of improper words, whichcould not be breathed in a mistress' ears. It would thus be better toarrange with our master to purchase a girl and have done; for from all Isee, neither can that mean vixe
n enjoy such great good fortune, nor wesuch vast propitious luck!"
"What's that again to do with Hsi Jen? How came they to know anythingabout it?" Madame Hsing exclaimed upon learning the issue. "Who else waspresent?" she proceeded to inquire.
"There was Miss P'ing!" was Chin's wife's reply.
"Shouldn't you have given her a slap on the mouth?" lady Fengprecipitately shouted. "As soon as I ever put my foot outside the door,she starts gadding about; and I never see so much as her shadow, when Iget home. She too is bound to have had a hand in telling you somethingor other!"
"Miss P'ing wasn't present," Chin's wife protested. "Looking from adistance it seemed to me like her; but I couldn't see distinctly. It wasa mere surmise on my part that it was she at all."
"Go and fetch her at once!" lady Feng shouted to a servant. "Tell herthat I've come home, and that Madame Hsing is also here and wants her tohelp her in her hurry."
Feng Erh quickly came up to her. "Miss Lin," she observed, "despatched amessenger for her, and asked her in writing three and four times beforeshe at last went. I advised her to get back so soon as your ladyshipstepped inside the gate, but 'tell your mistress,' Miss Lin said, 'thatI've put her to the inconvenience of coming round, as I've got somethingfor her to do for me.'"
This explanation satisfied lady Feng and she let the matter drop. "Whathas she got to do," she purposely went on to ask, "that she will troubleher day after day?"
Madame Hsing was driven to her wits' ends. As soon as the meal was over,she returned home; and, in the evening, she communicated to Chia She theresult of her errand. After some reflection, Chia She promptly summonedChia Lien.
"There are other people in Nanking to look after our property," he toldhim on his arrival; "there's not only one family, so be quick and deputesome one to go and summon Chin Ts'ai to come up to the capital."
"Last night a letter arrived from Nanking," Chia Lien rejoined, "to theeffect that Chin Ts'ai had been suffering from some phlegm-obstructionin the channels of the heart. So a coffin and money were allowed fromthe other mansion. Whether he be dead or alive now, I don't know. Buteven if alive, he must have lost all consciousness. It would thereforebe a fruitless errand to send for him. His wife, on the other hand, isquite deaf."
Hearing this, Chia She gave vent to an exclamation of reproof, and nextlaunched into abuse. "You stupid and unreasonable rascal!" he shouted."Is it you of all people, who are up to those things? Don't you yetbundle yourself off from my presence?"
Chia Lien withdrew out of the room in a state of trepidation. But in ashort while, (Chia She) gave orders to call Chin Wen-hsiang. Chia Lien(meanwhile) remained in the outer study, for as he neither ventured togo home, nor presumed to face his father, his only alternative was totarry behind. Presently, Chin Wen-hsiang arrived. The servant-lads ledhim straightway past the second gate; and he only came out again andtook his departure after sufficient time had elapsed to enable one tohave four or five meals in.
Chia Lien could not for long summon up courage enough to ask what wasup, but when he found out, after a time, that Chia She had gone tosleep, he eventually crossed over to his quarters. In the course of theevening lady Feng told him the whole story. Then, at last, he understoodthe meaning of the excitement.
But to revert to Yuean Yang. She did not get, the whole night, a wink ofsleep. On the morrow, her brother reported to dowager lady Chia that hewould like to take her home on a visit. Dowager lady Chia accorded herconsent and told her she could go and see her people. Yuean Yang,however, would have rather preferred to stay where she was, but the fearlest her old mistress should give way to suspicion, placed her under thenecessity of going, much against her own inclinations though it was. Herbrother then had no course but to lay before her Chia She's proposal,and all his promises that she would occupy an honourable position, andthat she would be a secondary wife, with control in the house; but YueanYang was so persistent in her refusal that her brother was quitenonplussed and he was compelled to return, and inform Chia She.
Chia She flew into a dreadful passion. "I'll tell you what," he shouted;"bid your wife go and tell her that I say: 'that she must, like thegoddess Ch'ang O herself who has from olden times shown a predilectionfor young people, only despise me for being advanced in years; that, asfar as I can see, she must be hankering after some young men; that itmust, most likely, be Pao-yue; but probably Lien Erh too! If she fostersthese affections, warn her to at once set them at rest; for should shenot come, when I'm ready to have her, who will by and bye venture totake her? This is the first thing. Should she imagine, in the nextplace, that because our venerable senior is fond of her, she may, in thefuture, be engaged to be married in the orthodox way, tell her toconsider carefully that she won't very well be able to escape my grip,no matter in what family she may marry. That it's only in case of herdying or of her not wedding any one throughout her life that I shallsubmit to her decision. Under other circumstances, urge her to seize thefirst opportunity and change her mind, as she'll come in for manybenefits.'"
To every remark that Chia She uttered, Chin Wen-hsiang acquiesced."Yes!" he said.
"Mind you don't humbug me!" Chia She observed. "I shall to-morrow sendagain your mistress round to ask Yuean Yang. If you two have spoken toher, and she hasn't given a favorable answer, well, then, no blame willfall on you. But if she does assent, when she broaches the subject withher, look out for your heads!"
Chin Wen-hsiang eagerly expressed his obedience over and over again, andwithdrawing out of the room, he retraced his footsteps homeward. Nor didhe have the patience to wait until he could commission his womankind tospeak to her. Indeed he went in person and told her face to face theinjunctions entrusted to him. Yuean Yang was incensed to such a degreethat she was at a loss what reply to make. "I'm quite ready to go," sherejoined, after some cogitation, "but you people must take me before myold mistress first and let me tell her something about it."
Her brother and sister-in-law flattered themselves that reflection hadinduced her to alter her previous decision, and they were bothimmeasurably delighted. Her sister-in-law there and then led her intothe upper quarters and ushered her into the presence of old lady Chia.As luck would have it, Madame Wang, Mrs. Hsueeh, Li Wan, lady Feng,Pao-ch'ai and the other girls were, together with several respectableoutside married women who acted as housekeepers, having some fun withold lady Chia. Yuean Yang observed where her mistress was seated, andhastily dragging her sister-in-law before her, she fell on her knees,and explained to her, with tears in her eyes, what proposal Madame Hsinghad made to her, what her sister-in-law, who lived in the garden, hadtold her, and what message her brother had recently conveyed to her. "AsI would not accept his advances," (she continued), "our senior masterhas just now gone so far as to insinuate 'that I was violently attachedto Pao-yue; or if that wasn't the case, my object was to gain time so asto espouse some one outside. That were I even to go up to the veryheavens, I couldn't, during my lifetime, escape his clutches, and thathe would, in the long run, wreak his vengeance on me.' I haveobstinately made up my mind, so I may state in the presence of all ofyou here, that I'll, under no circumstances, marry, as long as I live,any man whatsoever, not to speak of his being a Pao-yue, (precious jade);but even a Pao Chin, (precious gold), a Pao Yin, (precious silver); aPao T'ien Wang, (precious lord of heaven); or a Pao Huang Ti, (preciousEmperor); and have done! Were even your venerable ladyship to press meto take such a step, I couldn't comply with your commands, though youmay threaten to cut my throat with a sword. I'm quite prepared to waitupon your ladyship, till you depart this life; but go with my father,mother, or brother, I won't! I'll either commit suicide, or cut my hairoff, and go and become a nun. If you fancy that I'm not in earnest, andthat I'm temporarily using this language to put you off, may, as surelyas heaven, earth, the spirits, the sun and moon look upon me, my throatbe covered with boils!"
Yuean Yang had, in fact, upon entering the room, brought along a pair ofscissors, concealed in her sleeve, and, while she spoke, she dre
w herhand back, and, dishevelling her tresses, she began to clip them. Whenthe matrons and waiting-maids saw what she was up to, they hurriedly dideverything they could to induce her to desist from her purpose; butalready half of her locks had gone. And when they found on closeinspection, that with the thick crop of hair she happily had, she hadnot succeeded in cutting it all, they immediately dressed it up for her.
Upon hearing of Chia She's designs, dowager lady Chia was provoked todispleasure. Her whole body trembled and shook. "Of all the attendantsI've had," she cried, "there only remains this single one, upon whom Ican depend, and now they want to conspire and carry her off!" Noticingthen Madame Wang standing close to her, she turned herself towards her."All you people really know is to impose upon me!" she resumed."Outwardly, you display filial devotion; but, secretly, you plot andscheme against me. If I have aught that's worth having, you come and dunme for it. If I have any one who's nice, you come and ask for her.What's left to me is this low waiting-maid, but as you see that sheserves me faithfully, you naturally can't stand it, and you're doingyour utmost to estrange her from me so as to be the better able to playyour tricks upon me."
Madame Wang quickly rose to her feet. She did not, however, dare toreturn a single syllable in self-defence.
Mrs. Hsueeh noticed that Madame Wang herself came in for her share ofblame, and she did not feel as if she could any longer make an attemptto tender words of advice. Li Wan, the moment she heard Yuean Yang speakin the strain she did, seized an early opportunity to lead the youngladies out of the room. T'an Ch'un was a girl with plenty of commonsense, so reflecting within herself that Madame Wang could not, in spiteof the insult heaped upon her, very well presume to say any thing toexculpate herself, that Mrs. Hsueeh could not, of course, in her positionof sister, bring forward any arguments, that Pao-ch'ai was unable toexplain things on behalf of her maternal aunt, and that Li Wan, ladyFeng or Pao-yue could, still less, take upon themselves the right ofcensorship, she thought the opportunity rendered necessary the servicesof a daughter; but, as Ying Ch'un was so quiet, and Hsi Ch'un so young,she consequently walked in, no sooner did she overhear from outside thewindow what was said inside, and forcing a smile, she addressed herselfto her grandmother. "How does this matter concern Madame Wang, mymother?" she interposed. "Venerable senior, just consider! This is amatter affecting her husband's eldest brother; and how could she, ajunior sister-in-law, know anything about it?..."
But before she had exhausted all her arguments, dowager lady Chia'scountenance thawed into a smile. "I've really grown stupid from oldage!" she exclaimed. "Mrs. Hsueeh, don't make fun of me! This eldestsister of yours is most reverent to me; and so unlike that senior ladyof mine, who only knows how to regard her lord and master and to simplydo things for the mere sake of appearances when she deals with hermother-in-law. I've therefore done her a wrong!"
Mrs. Hsueeh confined her reply to a 'yes.' "Dear senior, you're so fullof prejudices," she afterwards observed, "that you love your youngestson's wife more than any one of the others; but it's quite natural."
"I have no prejudices," old lady Chia protested. "Pao-yue," she thenproceeded, "I unjustly found fault with your mother; but, how was itthat even you didn't tell me anything, but that you looked on, while shewas having her feelings trampled upon?"
"Could I," smiled Pao-yue, "have taken my mother's part, and run down mysenior uncle and aunt? If my mother did not bear the whole blame, uponwhom could she throw it? And had I admitted that it was I who wasentirely at fault, you, venerable ancestor, wouldn't have believed me."
"What you say is quite reasonable," his grandmother laughed. "So bequick and fall on your knees before your mother and tell her: 'mother,don't feel aggrieved! Our old lady is so advanced in years. Do it forPao-yue's sake!'"
At this suggestion, Pao-yue hastily crossed over, and dropping on hisknees, he was about to open his lips, when Madame Wang laughingly pulledhim up. "Get up," she cried, "at once! This won't do at all! Is itlikely, pray, that you would tender apologies to me on behalf of ourvenerable ancestor?"
Hearing this, Pao-yue promptly stood up.
"Even that girl Feng didn't call me to my senses," dowager lady Chiasmiled again.
"I don't lay a word to your charge, worthy senior," lady Feng remarkedsmilingly, "and yet you brand me with reproach!"
This rejoinder amused dowager lady Chia. "This is indeed strange!" shesaid to all around. "But I'd like to listen to these charges."
"Who told you, dear senior," lady Feng resumed, "to look after yourattendants so well, and lavish such care on them as to make them plumpand fine as water onions? How ever can you therefore bear people agrudge, if they ask for her hand? I'm, lucky for you, your grandson'swife; for were I your grandson, I would long ere this have proposed toher. Would I have ever waited up to the present?"
"Is this any fault of mine?" dowager lady Chia laughed.
"Of course, it's your fault, venerable senior!" lady Feng retorted witha smile.
"Well, in that case, I too don't want her," old lady Chia proceededlaughing. "Take her away, and have done!"
"Wait until I go through this existence," lady Feng responded, "and, inthe life to come, I'll assume the form of a man and apply for her hand."
"Take her along," dowager lady Chia laughed, "and give her to Lien-Erhto attach to his apartments; and we'll see whether that barefacedfather-in-law of yours will still wish to have her or not."
"Lien-Erh is not a match for her!" lady Feng added. "He's only a fitmate for such as myself and P'ing Erh. A pair of loutish bumpkins likeus to have anything to do with such a one as herself!"
At this rejoinder, they all exploded into a hearty fit of laughter. Buta waiting-maid thereupon announced: "Our senior lady has come." SoMadame Wang immediately quitted the room to go and meet her.
But any further particulars, which you, reader may like to know, will begiven in the following chapter; so listen to it.