CHAPTER LIV.
Dowager lady Chia, nee Shih, does away with rotten old customs. Wang Hsi-feng imitates in jest (the dutiful son), by getting herself up in gaudy theatrical clothes.
Chia Chen and Chia Lien had, we will now explain, secretly got readylarge baskets of cash, so the moment they heard old lady Chia utter theword 'tip,' they promptly bade the pages be quick and fling the money.The noise of the cash, running on every side of the stage, was all thatfell on the ear. Dowager lady Chia thoroughly enjoyed it.
The two men then rose to their feet. The pages hastened to lay hold of asilver kettle, newly brought in with fresh wine, and to deposit it inChia Lien's hands, who followed Chia Chen with quick step into the innerrooms. Chia Chen advanced first up to 'sister-in-law' Li's table, andcurtseying, he raised her cup, and turned round, whereupon Chia Lienquickly filled it to the brim. Next they approached Mrs. Hsueeh's table,and they also replenished her cup.
These two ladies lost no time in standing up, and smilinglyexpostulating. "Gentlemen," they said, "please take your seats. What'sthe use of standing on such ceremonies?"
But presently every one, with the exception of the two ladies MesdamesHsing and Wang, quitted the banquet and dropping their arms againsttheir bodies they stood on one side. Chia Chen and his companion thendrew near dowager lady Chia's couch. But the couch was so low that theyhad to stoop on their knees. Chia Chen was in front, and presented thecup. Chia Lien was behind, and held the kettle up to her. Butnotwithstanding that only these two offered her wine, Chia Tsung and theother young men followed them closely in the order of their age andgrade; so the moment they saw them kneel, they immediately threwthemselves on their knees. Pao-yue too prostrated himself at once.
Hsiang-yuen stealthily gave him a push. "What's the use of your nowfollowing their lead again and falling on your knees?" she said. "Butsince you behave like this, wouldn't it be well if you also went andpoured wine all round?"
Pao-yue laughed. "Hold on a bit," he rejoined in a low tone, "and I'll goand do so."
So speaking, he waited until his two relatives had finished pouring thewine and risen to their feet, when he also went and replenished the cupsof Mesdames Wang and Hsing.
"What about the young ladies?" Chia Chen smilingly asked.
"You people had better be going," old lady Chia and the other ladiesunanimously observed. "They'll, then, be more at their ease."
At this hint Chia Chen and his companions eventually withdrew. Thesecond watch had not, at the time, yet gone. The play that was beingsung was: 'The eight worthies look at the lanterns,' consisting of eightacts; and had now reached a sensational part.
Pao-yue at this stage left the feast and was going out. "Where are youoff to?" inquired his grandmother Chia. "The crackers outside aredreadful. Mind, the lighted pieces of paper falling from above mightburn you."
Pao-yue smiled. "I'm not going far," he answered. "I'm merely going outof the room, and will be back at once."
Dowager lady Chia directed the matrons to "be careful and escort him."
Pao-yue forthwith sallied out; with no other attendants however than SheYueeh, Ch'iu Wen and several youthful maids.
"How is it," his grandmother Chia felt obliged so ask, "that I don't seeanything of Hsi Jen? Is she too now putting on high and mighty airs thatshe only sends these juvenile girls here?"
Madame Wang rose to her feet with all haste. "Her mother," sheexplained, "died the other day; so being in deep mourning, she couldn'tvery well present herself."
Dowager lady Chia nodded her head assentingly. "When one is in service,"she smilingly remarked, "there should be no question of mourning or nomourning. Is it likely that, if she were still in my pay, she wouldn'tat present be here? All these practices have quite become precedents!"
Lady Feng crossed over to her. "Had she even not been in mourningto-night," she chimed in with a laugh, "she would have had to be in thegarden and keep an eye over that pile of lanterns, candles, andfireworks, as they're most dangerous things. For as soon as anytheatricals are set on foot in here, who doesn't surreptitiously sneakout from the garden to have a look? But as far as she goes, she'sdiligent, and careful of every place. Moreover, when the companydisperses and brother Pao-yue retires to sleep, everything will be inperfect readiness. But, had she also come, that bevy of servantswouldn't again have cared a straw for anything; and on his return, afterthe party, the bedding would have been cold, the tea-water wouldn't havebeen ready, and he would have had to put up with every sort ofdiscomfort. That's why I told her that there was no need for her tocome. But should you, dear senior, wish her here, I'll send for herstraightway and have done."
Old lady Chia lent an ear to her arguments. "What you say," she promptlyput in, "is perfectly right. You've made better arrangements than Icould. Quick, don't send for her! But when did her mother die? How is itI know nothing about it?"
"Some time ago," lady Feng laughed, "Hsi Jen came in person and toldyou, worthy ancestor, and how is it you've forgotten it?"
"Yes," resumed dowager lady Chia smiling, after some reflection, "Iremember now. My memory is really not of the best."
At this, everybody gave way to laughter. "How could your venerableladyship," they said, "recollect so many matters?"
Dowager lady Chia thereupon heaved a sigh. "How I remember," she added,"the way she served me ever since her youth up; and how she waited uponYuen Erh also; how at last she was given to that prince of devils, andhow she has slaved away with that imp for the last few years. She is,besides, not a slave-girl, born or bred in the place. Nor has she everreceived any great benefits from our hands. When her mother died, Imeant to have given her several taels for her burial; but it quiteslipped from my mind."
"The other day," lady Feng remarked, "Madame Wang presented her withforty taels; so that was all right."
At these words, old lady Chia nodded assent. "Yes, never mind aboutthat," she observed. "Yuan Yang's mother also died, as it happens, theother day; but taking into consideration that both her parents lived inthe south, I didn't let her return home to observe a period of mourning.But as both these girls are now in mourning, why not allow them to livetogether? They'll thus be able to keep each other company. Take a fewfruits, eatables, and other such things," continuing she bade a matron,"and give them to those two girls to eat."
"Would she likely wait until now?" Hu Po laughingly interposed. "Why,she joined (Hsi Jen) long ago."
In the course of this conversation, the various inmates partook of somemore wine, and watched the theatricals.
But we will now turn our attention to Pao-yue. He made his way straightinto the garden. The matrons saw well enough that he was returning tohis rooms, but instead of following him in, they ensconced themselvesnear the fire in the tea-room situated by the garden-gate, and made thebest of the time by drinking and playing cards with the girls in chargeof the tea. Pao-yue entered the court. The lanterns burnt brightly, yetnot a human voice was audible. "Have they all, forsooth, gone to sleep?"She Yueeh ventured. "Let's walk in gently, and give them a fright!"
Presently, they stepped, on tiptoe, past the mirrored partition-wall. Ata glance, they discerned Hsi Jen lying on the stove-couch, face to facewith some other girl. On the opposite side sat two or three old nursesnodding, half asleep. Pao-yue conjectured that both the girls wereplunged in sleep, and was just about to enter, when of a sudden some onewas heard to heave a sigh and to say: "How evident it is that worldlymatters are very uncertain! Here you lived all alone in here, while yourfather and mother tarried abroad, and roamed year after year from eastto west, without any fixed place of abode. I ever thought that youwouldn't have been able to be with them at their last moments; but, asit happened, (your mother) died in this place this year, and you could,after all, stand by her to the end."
"Quite so!" rejoined Hsi Jen. "Even I little expected to be able to seeany of my parents' funeral. When I broke the news to our Madame Wang,she also gave me forty taels. This was really a kind attention on h
erpart. I hadn't nevertheless presumed to indulge in any vain hopes."
Pao-yue overheard what was said. Hastily twisting himself round, heremarked in a low voice, addressing himself to She Yueeh and hercompanions: "Who would have fancied her also in here? But were I toenter, she'll bolt away in another tantrum! Better then that we shouldretrace our steps, and let them quietly have a chat together, eh? HsiJen was alone, and down in the mouth, so it's a fortunate thing that shejoined her in such good time."
As he spoke, they once more walked out of the court with gentle tread.Pao-yue went to the back of the rockery, and stopping short, he raisedhis clothes. She Yueeh and Ch'iu Wen stood still, and turned their facesaway. "Stoop," they smiled, "and then loosen your clothes! Be carefulthat the wind doesn't blow on your stomach!"
The two young maids, who followed behind, surmised that he was bent uponsatisfying a natural want, and they hurried ahead to the tea-room toprepare the water.
Just, however, as Pao-yue was crossing over, two married women came insight, advancing from the opposite direction. "Who's there?" theyinquired.
"Pao-yue is here," Ch'ing Wen answered. "But mind, if you bawl and shoutlike that, you'll give him a start."
The women promptly laughed. "We had no idea," they said, "that we werecoming, at a great festive time like this, to bring trouble uponourselves! What a lot of hard work must day after day fall to yourshare, young ladies."
Speaking the while, they drew near. She Yueeh and her friends then askedthem what they were holding in their hands.
"We're taking over," they replied, "some things to the two girls: MissChin and Miss Hua."
"They're still singing the 'Eight Worthies' outside," She Yueeh went onto observe laughingly, "and how is it you're running again to MissChin's and Miss Hua's before the 'Trouble-first moon-box' has been gonethrough?"
"Take the lid off," Pao-yue cried, "and let me see what there's inside."
Ch'in Wen and She Yueeh at once approached and uncovered the boxes. Thetwo women promptly stooped, which enabled Pao-yue to see that thecontents of the two boxes consisted alike of some of the finest fruitsand tea-cakes, which had figured at the banquet, and, nodding his head,he walked off, while She Yueeh and her friend speedily threw the lidsdown anyhow, and followed in his track.
"Those two dames are pleasant enough," Pao-yue smiled, "and they know howto speak decently; but it's they who get quite worn out every day, andthey contrariwise say that you've got ample to do daily. Now, doesn'tthis amount to bragging and boasting?"
"Those two women," She Yueeh chimed in, "are not bad. But such of them asdon't know what good manners mean are ignorant to a degree of allpropriety."
"You, who know what's what," Pao-yue added, "should make allowances forthat kind of rustic people. You should pity them; that's all."
Speaking, he made his exit out of the garden gate. The matrons had,though engaged in drinking and gambling, kept incessantly stepping outof doors to furtively keep an eye on his movements, so that the momentthey perceived Pao-yue appear, they followed him in a body. On theirarrival in the covered passage of the reception-hall, they espied twoyoung waiting-maids; the one with a small basin in her hand; the otherwith a towel thrown over her arm. They also held a bowl and smallkettle, and had been waiting in that passage for ever so long.
Ch'iu Wen was the first to hastily stretch out her hand and test thewater. "The older you grow," she cried, "the denser you get! How couldone ever use this icy-cold water?"
"Miss, look at the weather!" the young maid replied. "I was afraid thewater would get cold. It was really scalding; is it cold now?"
While she made this rejoinder, an old matron was, by a strangecoincidence, seen coming along, carrying a jug of hot water. "Deardame," shouted the young maid, "come over and pour some for me in here!"
"My dear girl," the matron responded, "this is for our old mistress tobrew tea with. I'll tell you what; you'd better go and fetch someyourself. Are you perchance afraid lest your feet might grow bigger bywalking?"
"I don't care whose it is," Ch'iu Wen put in. "If you don't give me any,I shall certainly empty our old lady's teapot and wash my hands."
The old matron turned her head; and, catching sight of Ch'iu Wen, shethere and then raised the jug and poured some of the water.
"That will do!" exclaimed Ch'iu Wen. "With all your years, don't you yetknow what's what? Who isn't aware that it's for our old mistress? Butwould one presume to ask for what shouldn't be asked for?"
"My eyes are so dim," the matron rejoined with a smile, "that I didn'trecognise this young lady."
When Pao-yue had washed his hands, the young maid took the small jug andfilled the bowl; and, as she held it in her hand, Pao-yue rinsed hismouth. But Ch'iu Wen and She Yueeh availed themselves likewise of thewarm water to have a wash; after which, they followed Pao-yue in.
Pao-yue at once asked for a kettle of warm wine, and, starting fromsister-in-law Li, he began to replenish their cups. (Sister-in-law Liand his aunt Hsueeh) pressed him, however, with smiling faces, to take aseat; but his grandmother Chia remonstrated. "He's only a youngster,"she said, "so let him pour the wine! We must all drain this cup!"
With these words, she quaffed her own cup, leaving no heel-taps.Mesdames Hsing and Wang also lost no time in emptying theirs; so Mrs.Hsueeh and 'sister-in-law' Li had no alternative but to drain theirshare.
"Fill the cups too of your female cousins, senior or junior," dowagerlady Chia went on to tell Pao-yue. "And you mayn't pour the wine anyhow.Each of you must swallow every drop of your drinks."
Pao-yue upon hearing her wishes, set to work, while signifying hisassent, to replenish the cups of the several young ladies in theirproper gradation. But when he got to Tai-yue, she raised the cup, for shewould not drink any wine herself, and applied it to Pao-yue's lips.Pao-yue drained the contents with one breath; upon which Tai-yue gave hima smile, and said to him: "I am much obliged to you."
Pao-yue next poured a cup for her. But lady Feng immediately laughed andexpostulated. "Pao-yue!" she cried, "you mustn't take any cold wine.Mind, your hand will tremble, and you won't be able to-morrow to writeyour characters or to draw the bow."
"I'm not having any cold wine," Pao-yue replied.
"I know you're not," lady Feng smiled, "but I simply warn you."
After this, Pao-yue finished helping the rest of the inmates inside, withthe exception of Chia Jung's wife, for whom he bade a maid fill a cup.Then emerging again into the covered passage, he replenished the cups ofChia Chen and his companions; after which, he tarried with them for awhile, and at last walked in and resumed his former seat.
Presently, the soup was brought, and soon after that the 'feast oflanterns' cakes were handed round.
Dowager lady Chia gave orders that the play should be interrupted for atime. "Those young people," (she said) "are be to pitied! Let them toohave some hot soup and warm viands. They then can go on again. Take ofevery kind of fruit," she continued, "'feast of lanterns' cakes, andother such dainties and give them a few."
The play was shortly stopped. The matrons ushered in a couple of blindsinging-girls, who often came to the house, and put two benches, on theopposite side, for them. Old lady Chia desired them to take a seat, andbanjos and guitars were then handed to them.
"What stories would you like to hear?" old lady Chia inquired of'sister-in-law' Li and Mrs. Hsueeh.
"We don't care what they are;" both of them rejoined with one voice."Any will do!"
"Have you of late added any new stories to your stock?" old lady Chiaasked.
"We've got a new story," the two girls explained. "It's about an oldaffair of the time of the Five Dynasties, which trod down the T'angdynasty."
"What's its title?" old lady Chia inquired.
"It's called: 'A Feng seeks a Luan in marriage': (the male phoenix asksthe female phoenix in marriage)," one of the girls answered.
"The title is all very well," dowager lady Chia proceeded, "but why Iwonder was it ever given to it. Firs
t tell us its general purport, andif it's interesting, you can continue."
"This story," the girl explained, "treats of the time when the T'angdynasty was extinguished. There lived then one of the gentry, who hadoriginally been a denizen of Chin Ling. His name was Wang Chun. He hadbeen minister under two reigns. He had, about this time, pleaded old ageand returned to his home. He had about his knees only one son, calledWang Hsi-feng."
When the company heard so far, they began to laugh.
"Now isn't this a duplicate of our girl Feng's name?" old lady Chialaughingly exclaimed.
A married woman hurried up and pushed (the girl). "That's the name ofyour lady Secunda," she said, "so don't use it quite so heedlessly!"
"Go on with your story!" dowager lady Chia shouted.
The girl speedily stood up, smiling the while. "We do deserve death!"she observed. "We weren't aware that it was our lady's worthy name."
"Why should you be in such fear and trembling?" lady Feng laughed. "Goon! There are many duplicate names and duplicate surnames."
The girl then proceeded with her story. "In a certain year," sheresumed, "his honour old Mr. Wang saw his son Mr. Wang off for thecapital to be in time for the examinations. One day, he was overtaken bya heavy shower of rain and he betook himself into a village for shelter.Who'd have thought it, there lived in this village, one of the gentry,of the name of Li, who had been an old friend of his honour old Mr.Wang, and he kept Mr. Wang junior to put up in his library. This Mr. Lihad no son, but only a daughter. This young daughter's worthy name wasCh'u Luan. She could perform on the lute; she could play chess; and shehad a knowledge of books and of painting. There was nothing that she didnot understand."
Old lady Chia eagerly chimed in. "It's no wonder," she said, "that thestory has been called: 'A Feng seeks a Luan in marriage,' '(a malephoenix seeks a female phoenix in marriage).' But you needn't proceed.I've already guessed the denouement. There's no doubt that Wang Hsi-fengasks for the hand of this Miss Ch'u Luan."
"Your venerable ladyship must really have heard the story before," thesinging-girl smiled.
"What hasn't our worthy senior heard?" they all exclaimed. "But she'squick enough in guessing even unheard of things."
"All these stories run invariably in one line," old lady Chia laughinglyrejoined. "They're all about pretty girls and scholars. There's no funin them. They abuse people's daughters in every possible way, and thenthey still term them nice pretty girls. They're so concocted thatthere's not even a semblance of truth in them. From the very first, theycanvass the families of the gentry. If the paterfamilias isn't apresident of a board; then he's made a minister. The heroine is bound tobe as lovable as a gem. This young lady is sure to understand all aboutletters, and propriety. She knows every thing and is, in a word, apeerless beauty. At the sight of a handsome young man, she pays no heedas to whether he be relation or friend, but begins to entertain thoughtsof the primary affair of her life, and forgets her parents and sets herbooks on one side. She behaves as neither devil nor thief would: so inwhat respect does she resemble a nice pretty girl? Were even her brainfull of learning, she couldn't be accounted a nice pretty girl, afterbehaving in this manner! Just like a young fellow, whose mind is wellstored with book-lore, and who goes and plays the robber! Now is itlikely that the imperial laws would look upon him as a man of parts, andthat they wouldn't bring against him some charge of robbery? From thisit's evident that those, who fabricate these stories, contradictthemselves. Besides, they may, it's true, say that the heroines belongto great families of official and literary status, that they'reconversant with propriety and learning and that their honourable motherstoo understand books and good manners, but great households like theirsmust, in spite of the parents having pleaded old age and returned totheir natives places, contain a great number of inmates; and the nurses,maids and attendants on these young ladies must also be many; and how isit then that, whenever these stories make reference to such matters, oneonly hears of young ladies with but a single close attendant? What can,think for yourselves, all the other people be up to? Indeed, what issaid before doesn't accord with what comes afterwards. Isn't it so, eh?"
The party listened to her with much glee. "These criticisms of yours,venerable ancestor," they said, "have laid bare every singlediscrepancy."
"They have however their reasons," old lady Chia smilingly resumed."Among the writers of these stories, there are some, who begrudgepeople's wealth and honours, or possibly those, who having solicited afavour (of the wealthy and honorable), and not obtained the object, uponwhich their wishes were set, have fabricated lies in order to disparagepeople. There is moreover a certain class of persons, who become socorrupted by the perusal of such tales that they are not satisfied untilthey themselves pounce upon some nice pretty girl. Hence is it that, forfun's sake, they devise all these yarns. But how could such as they everknow the principle which prevails in official and literary families? Notto speak of the various official and literary families spoken about inthese anecdotes, take now our own immediate case as an instance. We'reonly such a middle class household, and yet we've got none of thoseoccurrences; so don't let her go on spinning these endless yarns. Wemust on no account have any of these stories told us! Why, even themaids themselves don't understand any of this sort of language. I'vebeen getting so old the last few years, that I felt unawares quitemelancholy whenever the girls went to live far off, so my wont has beento have a few passages recounted to me; but as soon as they got back, Iat once put a stop to these things."
'Sister-in-law' Li and Mrs. Hsueeh both laughed. "This is just the rule,"they said, "which should exist in great families. Not even in our homesis any of this confused talk allowed to reach the ears of the youngpeople."
Lady Feng came forward and poured some wine. "Enough, that will do!" shelaughed. "The wine has got quite cold. My dear ancestor, do take a sipand moisten your throat with, before you begin again to dilate onfalsehoods. What we've been having now can well be termed 'Record of adiscussion on falsehoods.' It has had its origin in this reign, in thisplace, in this year, in this moon, on this day and at this very season.But, venerable senior, you've only got one mouth, so you couldn't verywell simultaneously speak of two families. 'When two flowers opentogether,' the proverb says, 'one person can only speak of one.' Butwhether the stones be true or fictitious, don't let us say anything moreabout them. Let's have the footlights put in order, and look at theplayers. Dear senior, do let these two relatives have a glass of wineand see a couple of plays; and you can then start arguing about onedynasty after another. Eh, what do you say?"
Saying this, she poured the wine, laughing the while. But she hadscarcely done speaking before the whole company were convulsed withlaughter. The two singing girls were themselves unable to keep theircountenance.
"Lady Secunda," they both exclaimed, "what a sharp tongue you have! Wereyour ladyship to take to story-telling, we really would have nowhere toearn our rice."
"Don't be in such overflowing spirits," Mrs. Hsueeh laughed. "There arepeople outside; this isn't like any ordinary occasion."
"There's only my senior brother-in-law Chen outside," lady Feng smiled."And we've been like brother and sister from our youth up. We've rompedand been up to every mischief to this age together. But all on accountof my marriage, I've had of late years to stand on ever so manyceremonies. Why besides being like brother and sister from the time wewere small kids, he's anyhow my senior brother-in-law, and I his juniorsister-in-law. (One among) those twenty four dutiful sons, travestiedhimself in theatrical costume (to amuse his parents), but those fellowshaven't sufficient spirit to come in some stage togs and try and makeyou have a laugh, dear ancestor. I've however succeeded, after ever somuch exertion, in so diverting you as to induce you to eat a little morethan you would, and in putting everybody in good humour; and I should bethanked by one and all of you; it's only right that I should. But can itbe that you will, on the contrary, poke fun at me?"
"I've truly not had a hearty laugh the l
ast few days," old lady Chiasmiled, "but thanks to the funny things she recounted just now, I'vemanaged to get in somewhat better spirits in here. So I'll have anothercup of wine." Then having drunk her wine, "Pao-yue," she went on to say,"come and present a cup to your sister-in-law!"
Lady Feng gave a smile. "There's no use for him to give me any wine,"she ventured. "(I'll drink out of your cup,) so as to bring upon myselfyour longevity, venerable ancestor."
While uttering this response, she raised dowager lady Chia's cup to herlips, and drained the remaining half of the contents; after which, shehanded the cup to a waiting-maid, who took one from those which had beenrinsed with tepid water, and brought it to her. But in due course, thecups from the various tables were cleared, and clean ones, washed inwarm water, were substituted; and when fresh wine had been served round,(lady Feng and the maid) resumed their seats.
"Venerable lady," a singing-girl put in, "you don't like the stories wetell; but may we thrum a song for you?"
"You two," remarked old lady Chia, "had better play a duet of the'Chiang Chuen ling' song: 'the general's command.'"
Hearing her wishes, the two girls promptly tuned their cords, to suitthe pitch of the song, and struck up on their guitars.
"What watch of the night is it?" old lady Chia at this point inquired.
"It's the third watch," the matrons replied with alacrity.
"No wonder it has got so chilly and damp!" old lady Chia added.
Extra clothes were accordingly soon fetched by the servants and maids.
Madame Wang speedily rose to her feet and forced a smile. "Venerablesenior," she said, "wouldn't it be prudent for you to move on to thestove couch in the winter apartments? It would be as well. These tworelatives are no strangers. And if we entertain them, it will he allright."
"Well, in that case," dowager lady Chia smilingly rejoined, "whyshouldn't the whole company adjourn inside? Wouldn't it be warmer for usall?"
"I'm afraid there isn't enough sitting room for every one of us," MadameWang explained.
"I've got a plan," old lady Chia added. "We can now dispense with thesetables. All we need are two or three, placed side by side; we can thensit in a group, and by bundling together it will be both sociable aswell as warm."
"Yes, this will be nice!" one and all cried.
Assenting, they forthwith rose from table. The married women hastened toremove the debandade of the banquet. Then placing three large tableslengthways side by side in the inner rooms, they went on to properlyarrange the fruits and viands, some of which had been replenished,others changed.
"You must none of you stand on any ceremonies!" dowager lady Chiaobserved. "If you just listen while I allot you your places, and sitdown accordingly, it will be all right!"
Continuing, she motioned to Mrs. Hsueeh and 'sister-in-law' Li to takethe upper seats on the side of honour, and, making herself comfortableon the west, she bade the three cousins Pao-ch'in, Tai-yue and Hsian-yuensit close to her on the left and on the right. "Pao-yue," she proceeded"you must go next to your mother." So presently she put Pao-yue, andPao-ch'ai and the rest of the young ladies between Mesdames Hsing andWang. On the west, she placed, in proper gradation, dame Lou, along withChia Lan, and Mrs. Yu and Li Wan, with Chia Lan, (number two,) betweenthem. While she assigned a chair to Chia Jung's wife among the lowerseats, put crosswise. "Brother Chen," old lady Chia cried, "take yourcousins and be off! I'm also going to sleep in a little time."
Chia Chen and his associates speedily expressed their obedience, andmade, in a body, their appearance inside again to listen to anyinjunctions she might have to give them.
"Bundle yourself away at once!" shouted dowager lady Chia. "You needn'tcome in. We've just sat down, and you'll make us get up again. Go andrest; be quick! To-morrow, there are to be some more grand doings!" ChiaChen assented with alacrity. "But Jung Erh should remain to replenishthe cups," he smiled; "it's only fair that he should."
"Quite so!" answered old lady Chia laughingly. "I forgot all about him."
"Yes!" acquiesced Chia Chen. Then twisting himself round, he led ChiaLien and his companions out of the apartment.
(Chia Chen and Chia Lien) were, of course, both pleased at being able toget away. So bidding the servants see Chia Tsung and Chia Huang to theirrespective homes, (Chia Chen) arranged with Chia Lien to go in pursuitof pleasure and in quest of fun. But we will now leave them to their owndevices without another word.
"I was just thinking," meanwhile dowager lady Chia laughed, "that itwould be well, although you people are numerous enough to enjoyyourselves, to have a couple of great-grandchildren present at thisbanquet, so Jung Erh now makes the full complement. But Jung Erh sitnear your wife, for she and you will then make the pair complete."
The wife of a domestic thereupon presented a play-bill.
"We, ladies," old lady Chia demurred, "are now chatting in high glee,and are about to start a romp. Those young folks have, also, beensitting up so far into the night that they must be quite cold, so letthe plays alone. Tell them then to have a rest. Yet call our own girlsto come and sing a couple of plays on this stage. They too will thushave a chance of watching us a bit."
After lending an ear to her, the married women assented and quitted theroom. And immediately finding some servant to go to the garden of BroadVista and summon the girls, they betook themselves, at the same time, asfar as the second gate and called a few pages to wait on them.
The pages went with hurried step to the rooms reserved for the players,and taking with them the various grown-up members of the company, theyonly left the more youthful behind. Then fetching, in a little time, WenKuan and a few other girls, twelve in all, from among the novices in thePear Fragrance court, they egressed by the corner gate leading out ofthe covered passage. The matrons took soft bundles in their arms, astheir strength was not equal to carrying boxes. And under the convictionthat their old mistress would prefer plays of three or five acts, theyhad put together the necessary theatrical costumes.
After Wen Kuan and the rest of the girls had been introduced into theroom by the matrons, they paid their obeisance, and, dropping their armsagainst their sides, they stood reverentially.
"In this propitious first moon," old lady Chia smiled, "won't yourteacher let you come out for a stroll? What are you singing now? Theeight acts of the 'Eight worthies' recently sung here were so noisy,that they made my head ache; so you'd better let us have something morequiet. You must however bear in mind that Mrs. Hsueeh and Mrs. Li areboth people, who give theatricals, and have heard I don't know how manyfine plays. The young ladies here have seen better plays than our owngirls; and they have heard more beautiful songs than they. Theseactresses, you see here now, formed once, despite their youth, part of acompany belonging to renowned families, fond of plays; and though merechildren, they excel any troupe composed of grown-up persons. Sowhatever we do, don't let us say anything disparaging about them. But wemust now have something new. Tell Fang Kuan to sing us the 'Hsuen Meng'ballad; and let only flutes and Pandean pipes be used. The otherinstruments can be dispensed with."
"Your venerable ladyship is quite right," Wen Kuan smiled. "Our actingcouldn't, certainly, suit the taste of such people as Mrs. Hsueeh, Mrs.Li and the young ladies. Nevertheless, let them merely heed ourenunciation, and listen to our voices; that's all."
"Well said!" dowager lady Chia laughed.
'Sister-in-law' Li and Mrs. Hsueeh were filled with delight. "What asharp girl!" they remarked smilingly. "But do you also try to imitateour old lady by pulling our leg?"
"They're intended to afford us some ready-at-hand recreation," old ladyChia smiled. "Besides, they don't go out to earn money. That's how it isthey are not so much up to the times." At the close of this remark, shealso desired K'uei Kuan to sing the play: 'Hui Ming sends a letter.'"You needn't," she added, "make your face up. Just sing this couple ofplays so as to merely let both those ladies hear a kind of parody ofthem. But if you spare yourselves the least exertion, I shall beunhappy." r />
When they heard this, Wen Kuan and her companions left the apartment andpromptly apparelled themselves and mounted the stage. First in order,was sung the 'Hsuen Meng;' next, '(Hui Ming) sends a letter;' duringwhich, everybody observed such perfect silence that not so much as thecaw of a crow fell on the ear.
"I've verily seen several hundreds of companies," Mrs. Hsueeh smiled,"but never have I come across any that confined themselves to flutes."
"There are some," dowager lady Chia answered. "In fact, in that playacted just now called: 'Love in the western tower at Ch'u Ch'iang,'there's a good deal sung by young actors in unison with the flutes. Butlengthy unison pieces of this description are indeed few. This too,however, is purely a matter of taste; there's nothing out of the wayabout it. When I was of her age," resuming, she pointed at Hsiang-yuen,"her grandfather kept a troupe of young actresses. There was among themone, who played the lute so efficiently that she performed the part whenthe lute is heard in the 'Hsi Hsiang Chi,' the piece on the lute in the'Yue Ts'an Chi,' and that in the supplementary 'P'i Pa Chi,' on theMongol flageolet with the eighteen notes, in every way as if she hadbeen placed in the real circumstances herself. Yea, far better thanthis!"
"This is still rarer a thing!" the inmates exclaimed.
Old lady Chia then shortly called the married women, and bade them tellWen Kuan and the other girls to use both wind and string instruments andrender the piece; 'At the feast of lanterns, the moon is round.'
The women servants received her orders and went to execute them. ChiaJung and his wife meanwhile passed the wine round.
When lady Feng saw dowager lady Chia in most exuberant spirits, shesmiled. "Won't it be nice," she said, "to avail ourselves of thepresence of the singing girls to pass plum blossom round and have thegame of forfeits: 'Spring-happy eyebrow-corners-go-up,' eh?"
"That's a fine game of forfeits!" Old lady Chia cried, with a smile. "Itjust suits the time of the year."
Orders were therefore given at once to fetch a forfeit drum, varnishedblack, and ornamented with designs executed with copper tacks. Whenbrought, it was handed to the singing girls to put on the table and rapon it. A twig of red plum blossom was then obtained. "The one in whosehand it is when the drum stops," dowager lady Chia laughingly proposed,"will have to drink a cup of wine, and to say something or other aswell."
"I'll tell you what," lady Feng interposed with a smile. "Who of us canpit herself against you, dear ancestor, who have ever ready at handwhatever you want to say? With the little use we are in this line, won'tthere be an absolute lack of fun in our contributions? My idea is thatit would be nicer were something said that could be appreciated both bythe refined as well as the unrefined. So won't it be preferable that theperson, in whose hands the twig remains, when the drum stops, shouldcrack some joke or other?"
Every one, who heard her, was fully aware what a good hand she hadalways been at witty things, and how she, more than any other, had aninexhaustible supply of novel and amusing rules of forfeits, everstocked in her mind, so her suggestion not only gratified the variousinmates of the family seated at the banquet, but even filled the wholeposse of servants, both old and young, who stood in attendance below,with intense delight. The young waiting-maids rushed with eagerness insearch of the young ladies and told them to come and listen to theirlady Secunda, who was on the point again of saying funny things. A wholecrowd of servant-girls anxiously pressed inside and crammed the room. Ina little time, the theatricals were brought to a close, and the musicwas stopped. Dowager lady Chia had some soup, fine cakes and fruitshanded to Wen Kuan and her companions to regale themselves with, andthen gave orders to sound the drum. The singing-girls were both experts,so now they beat fast; and now slow. Either slow like the dripping ofthe remnants of water in a clepsydra. Or quick, as when beans are beingsown. Or with the velocity of the pace of a scared horse, or that of theflash of a swift lightning. The sound of the drum came to a standstillabruptly. The twig of plum blossom had just reached old lady Chia, whenby a strange coincidence, the rattle ceased. Every one blurted out intoa boisterous fit of laughter. Chia Jung hastily approached and filled acup. "It's only natural," they laughingly cried, "that you venerablesenior, should be the first to get exhilarated; for then, thanks to you,we shall also come in for some measure of good cheer."
"To gulp down this wine is an easy job," dowager lady smiled, "but tocrack jokes is somewhat difficult."
"Your jokes, dear ancestor, are even wittier than those of lady Feng,"the party shouted, "so favour us with one, and let's have a laugh!"
"I've nothing out of the way to evoke laughter with," old lady Chiasmilingly answered. "Yet all that remains for me to do is to thicken theskin of my antiquated phiz and come out with some joke. In a certainfamily," she consequently went on to narrate, "there were ten sons;these married ten wives. The tenth of these wives was, however, sointelligent, sharp, quick of mind, and glib of tongue, that her fatherand mother-in-law loved her best of all, and maintained from morning tonight that the other nine were not filial. These nine felt muchaggrieved and they accordingly took counsel together. 'We nine,' theysaid, 'are filial enough at heart; the only thing is that that shrew hasthe gift of the gab. That's why our father and mother-in-law think herso perfect. But to whom can we go and confide our grievance?' One ofthem was struck with an idea. 'Let's go to-morrow,' she proposed, 'tothe temple of the King of Hell and burn incense. We can then tell theKing our grudge and ask him how it was that, when he bade us receivelife and become human beings, he only conferred a glib tongue on thatvixen and that we were only allotted such blunt mouths?' The eightlistened to her plan, and were quite enraptured with it. 'This proposalis faultless!' they assented. On the next day, they sped in a body tothe temple of the God of Hell, and after burning incense, the ninesisters-in-law slept under the altar, on which their offerings werelaid. Their nine spirits waited with the special purpose of seeing thecarriage of the King of Hell arrive; but they waited and waited, and yethe did not come. They were just giving way to despair when they espiedSun Hsing-che, (the god of monkeys), advancing on a rolling cloud. Heespied the nine spirits, and felt inclined to take a golden rod and beatthem. The nine spirits were plunged in terror. Hastily they fell ontheir knees, and pleaded for mercy."
"'What are you up to?' Sun Hsing-che inquired."
"The nine women, with alacrity, told him all."
"After Sun Hsing-che had listened to their confidences, he stamped hisfoot and heaved a sigh. 'Is that the case?' he asked. 'Well, it's luckyenough you came across me, for had you waited for the God of Hell, hewouldn't have known anything about it.'"
"At these assurances, the nine women gave way to entreaties. 'Greatsaint,' they pleaded, 'if you were to display some commiseration, wewould be all right.'"
"Sun Hsing-che smiled. 'There's no difficulty in the way,' he observed.'On the day on which you ten sisters-in-law came to life, I was, as luckwould have it, on a visit to the King of Hell's place. So I (saw) him dosomething on the ground, and the junior sister-of-law of yours lap itup. But if you now wish to become smart and sharp-tongued, the remedylies in water. If I too were therefore to do something, and you to drinkit, the desired effect will be attained.'"
At the close of her story, the company roared with laughter.
"Splendid!" shouted lady Feng. "But luckily we're all slow of tongue anddull of intellect, otherwise, we too must have had the water of monkeysto drink."
"Who among us here," Mrs. Yu and dame Lou smilingly remarked, addressingthemselves to Li Wan, "has tasted any monkey's water. So don't shamignorance of things!"
"A joke must hit the point to be amusing," Mrs. Hsueeh ventured.
But while she spoke, (the girls) began again to beat the drum. The youngmaids were keen to hear lady Feng's jokes. They therefore explained tothe singing girls, in a confidential tone, that a cough would be thegiven signal (for them to desist). In no time (the blossom) was handedround on both sides. As soon as it came to lady Feng, the young maidspurposely gave a
cough. The singing-girl at once stopped short. "Nowwe've caught her!" shouted the party laughingly; "drink your wine, bequick! And mind you tell something nice! But don't make us laugh soheartily as to get stomachaches."
Lady Feng was lost in thought. Presently, she began with a smile. "Acertain household," she said, "was celebrating the first moon festival.The entire family was enjoying the sight of the lanterns, and drinkingtheir wine. In real truth unusual excitement prevailed. There were greatgrandmothers, grandmothers, daughters-in-law, grandsons' wives, greatgrandsons, granddaughters, granddaughters-in-law, aunts' granddaughters,cousins' granddaughters; and ai-yo-yo, there was verily such a bustleand confusion!"
While minding her story, they laughed. "Listen to all this mean mouthsays!" they cried. "We wonder what other ramifications she won'tintroduce!"
"If you want to bully me," Mrs. Yu smiled, "I'll tear that mouth ofyours to pieces."
Lady Feng rose to her feet and clapped her hands.
"One does all one can to rack one's brain," she smiled, "and here youcombine to do your utmost to confuse me! Well, if it is so, I won't goon."
"Proceed with your story," old lady Chia exclaimed with a smile. "Whatcomes afterwards?"
Lady Feng thought for a while. "Well, after that," she continuedlaughingly, "they all sat together and crammed the whole room. Theyprimed themselves with wine throughout the hours of night and then theybroke up."
The various inmates noticed in what a serious and sedate manner shenarrated her story, and none ventured to pass any further remarks, butwaited anxiously for her to go on, when they became aware that shecoldly and drily came to a stop.
Shih Hsiang-yuen stared at her for ever so long.
"I'll tell you another," lady Feng laughingly remarked. "At the firstmoon festival, several persons carried a cracker as large as a room andwent out of town to let it off. Over and above ten thousand persons wereattracted, and they followed to see the sight. One among them was of animpatient disposition. He could not reconcile himself to wait; sostealthily he snatched a joss-stick and set fire to it. A sound of'pu-ch'ih' was heard. The whole number of spectators laughedboisterously and withdrew. The persons, who carried the cracker, felt agrudge against the cracker-seller for not having made it tight, (andwondered) how it was that every one had left without hearing it go off."
"Is it likely that the men themselves didn't hear the report?"Hsiang-yuen insinuated.
"Why, the men themselves were deaf," lady Feng rejoined.
After listening to her, they pondered for a while, and then suddenlythey laughed aloud in chorus. But remembering that her first story hadbeen left unfinished, they inquired of her: "What was, after all, theissue of the first story? You should conclude that too."
Lady Feng gave a rap on the table with her hand. "How vexatious youare!" she exclaimed. "Well, the next day was the sixteenth; so thefestivities of the year were over, and the feast itself was past andgone. I see people busy putting things away, and fussing about still, sohow can I make out what will be the end of it all?"
At this, one and all indulged in renewed merriment.
"The fourth watch has long ago been struck outside," lady Feng smilinglysaid. "From what I can see, our worthy senior is also tired out; and weshould, like when the cracker was let off in that story of the deafpeople, be bundling ourselves off and finish!"
Mrs. Yu and the rest covered their mouths with their handkerchiefs andlaughed. Now they stooped forward; and now they bent backward. Andpointing at her, "This thing," they cried, "has really a mean tongue."
Old lady Chia laughed. "Yes," she said, "this vixen Feng has, in realtruth, developed a meaner tongue than ever! But she alluded tocrackers," she added, "so let's also let off a few fireworks so as tocounteract the fumes of the wine."
Chia Jung overheard the suggestion. Hurriedly leaving the room, he tookthe pages with him, and having a scaffolding erected in the court, theyhung up the fireworks, and got everything in perfect readiness. Thesefireworks were articles of tribute, sent from different states, andwere, albeit not large in size, contrived with extreme ingenuity. Therepresentations of various kinds of events of antiquity were perfect,and in them were inserted all sorts of crackers.
Lin Tai-yue was naturally of a weak disposition, so she could not standthe report of any loud intonation. Her grandmother Chia thereforeclasped her immediately in her embrace. Mrs. Hsueeh, meanwhile, tookHsiang-yuen in her arms.
"I'm not afraid," smiled Hsiang-yuen.
"Nothing she likes so much as letting off huge crackers," Pao-ch'aismilingly interposed, "and could she fear this sort of thing?"
Madame Wang, thereupon, laid hold of Pao-yue, and pulled him in her lap.
"We've got no one to care a rap for us," lady Feng laughed.
"I'm here for you," Mrs. Yu rejoined with a laugh. "I'll embrace you.There you're again behaving like a spoilt child. You've heard aboutcrackers, and you comport yourself as if you'd had honey to eat! You'requite frivolous again to-day!"
"Wait till we break up," lady Feng answered laughing, "and we'll go andlet some off in our garden. I can fire them far better than any of theyoung lads!"
While they bandied words, one kind of firework after another was lightedoutside, and then later on some more again. Among these figured'fill-heaven-stars;' 'nine dragons-enter-clouds;' 'over-whole-land-a-crack-of-thunder;' 'fly-up-heavens;' 'sound-ten shots,' and other suchsmall crackers.
The fireworks over, the young actresses were again asked to render the'Lotus-flowers-fall,' and cash were strewn upon the stage. The younggirls bustled all over the boards, snatching cash and capering about.
The soup was next brought. "The night is long," old lady Chia said, "andsomehow or other I feel peckish."
"There's some congee," lady Feng promptly remarked, "prepared withduck's meat."
"I'd rather have plain things," dowager lady Chia answered.
"There's also some congee made with non-glutinous rice and powder ofdates. It's been cooked for the ladies who fast."
"If there's any of this, it will do very well," old lady Chia replied.
While she spoke, orders were given to remove the remnants of thebanquet, and inside as well as outside; were served every kind of_recherche_ small dishes. One and all then partook of some of theserefreshments, at their pleasure, and rinsing their mouths with tea, theyafterwards parted.
On the seventeenth, they also repaired, at an early hour, to the Ningmansion to present their compliments; and remaining in attendance, whilethe doors of the ancestral hall were closed and the images put away,they, at length, returned to their quarters.
Invitations had been issued on this occasion to drink the new year wineat Mrs. Hsueeh's residence. But dowager lady Chia had been out on severalconsecutive days, and so tired out did she feel that she withdrew to herrooms, after only a short stay.
After the eighteenth, relatives and friends arrived and made theirformal invitations; or else they came as guests to the banquets given.But so little was old lady Chia in a fit state to turn her mind toanything that the two ladies, Madame Hsing and lady Feng, had to attendbetween them to everything that cropped up. But Pao-yue as well did notgo anywhere else than to Wang Tzu-t'eng's, and the excuse he gave outwas that his grandmother kept him at home to dispel her ennui.
We need not, however, dilate on irrelevant details. In due course, thefestival of the fifteenth of the first moon passed. But, reader, if youhave any curiosity to learn any subsequent events, listen to those givenin the chapter below.