CHAPTER XXIX.
A happy man enjoys a full measure of happiness, but still prays for happiness. A beloved girl is very much loved, but yet craves for more love.
Pao-yue, so our story runs, was gazing vacantly, when Tai-yue, at a momentleast expected, flung her handkerchief at him, which just hit him on theeyes, and frightened him out of his wits. "Who was it?" he cried.
Lin Tai-yue nodded her head and smiled. "I would not venture to do such athing," she said, "it was a mere slip of my hand. As cousin Pao-ch'aiwished to see the silly wild goose, I was pointing it out to her, whenthe handkerchief inadvertently flew out of my grip."
Pao-yue kept on rubbing his eyes. The idea suggested itself to him tomake some remonstrance, but he could not again very well open his lips.
Presently, lady Feng arrived. She then alluded, in the course ofconversation, to the thanksgiving service, which was to be offered onthe first, in the Ch'ing Hsue temple, and invited Pao-ch'ai, Pao-yue,Tai-yue and the other inmates with them to be present at the theatricals.
"Never mind," smiled Pao-ch'ai, "it's too hot; besides, what playshaven't I seen? I don't mean to come."
"It's cool enough over at their place," answered lady Feng. "There arealso two-storied buildings on either side; so we must all go! I'll sendservants a few days before to drive all that herd of Taoist priests out,to sweep the upper stories, hang up curtains, and to keep out everysingle loafer from the interior of the temple; so it will be all rightlike that. I've already told our Madame Wang that if you people don'tgo, I mean to go all alone, as I've been again in very low spirits theselast few days, and as when theatricals come off at home, it's out of thequestion for me to look on with any peace and quiet."
When dowager lady Chia heard what she said, she smiled. "Well, in thatcase," she remarked, "I'll go along with you."
Lady Feng, at these words, gave a smile. "Venerable ancestor," shereplied, "were you also to go, it would be ever so much better; yet Iwon't feel quite at my ease!"
"To-morrow," dowager lady Chia continued, "I can stay in the two-storiedbuilding, situated on the principal site, while you can go to the one onthe side. You can then likewise dispense with coming over to where Ishall be to stand on any ceremonies. Will this suit you or not?"
"This is indeed," lady Feng smiled, "a proof of your regard for me, myworthy senior."
Old lady Chia at this stage faced Pao-ch'ai. "You too should go," shesaid, "so should your mother; for if you remain the whole day long athome, you will again sleep your head off."
Pao-ch'ai felt constrained to signify her assent. Dowager lady Chia thenalso despatched domestics to invite Mrs. Hsueeh; and, on their way, theynotified Madame Wang that she was to take the young ladies along withher. But Madame Wang felt, in the first place, in a poor state ofhealth, and was, in the second, engaged in making preparations for thereception of any arrivals from Yuean Ch'un, so that she, at an earlyhour, sent word that it was impossible for her to leave the house. Yetwhen she received old lady Chia's behest, she smiled and exclaimed: "Areher spirits still so buoyant!" and transmitted the message into thegarden that any, who had any wish to avail themselves of theopportunity, were at liberty to go on the first, with their venerablesenior as their chaperonne. As soon as these tidings were spread abroad,every one else was indifferent as to whether they went or not; but ofthose girls who, day after day, never put their foot outside thedoorstep, which of them was not keen upon going, the moment they heardthe permission conceded to them? Even if any of their respectivemistresses were too lazy to move, they employed every expedient toinduce them to go. Hence it was that Li Kung-ts'ai and the other inmatessignified their unanimous intention to be present. Dowager lady Chia, atthis, grew more exultant than ever, and she issued immediate directionsfor servants to go and sweep and put things in proper order. But to allthese preparations, there is no necessity of making detailed reference;sufficient to relate that on the first day of the moon, carriages stoodin a thick maze, and men and horses in close concourse, at the entranceof the Jung Kuo mansion.
When the servants, the various managers and other domestics came tolearn that the Imperial Consort was to perform good deeds and thatdowager lady Chia was to go in person and offer incense, they arranged,as it happened that the first of the moon, which was the principal dayof the ceremonies, was, in addition, the season of the dragon-boatfestival, all the necessary articles in perfect readiness and withunusual splendour. Shortly, old lady Chia and the other inmates startedon their way. The old lady sat in an official chair, carried by eightbearers: widow Li, lady Feng and Mrs. Hsueeh, each in a four-bearerchair. Pao-ch'ai and Tai-yue mounted together a curricle with green coverand pearl tassels, bearing the eight precious things. The three sisters,Ying Ch'un, T'an Ch'un, and Hsi Ch'un got in a carriage with red wheelsand ornamented hood. Next in order, followed dowager lady Chia'swaiting-maids, Yuean Yang, Ying Wu, Hu Po, Chen Chu; Lin Tai-yue'swaiting-maids Tzu Chuean, Hsueeh Yen, and Ch'un Ch'ien; Pao-ch'ai'swaiting-maids Ying Erh and Wen Hsing; Ying Ch'un's servant-girls SsuCh'i and Hsiu Chue; T'an Ch'un's waiting-maids Shih Shu and Ts'ui Mo; HsiCh'un's servant-girls Ju Hua and Ts'ai P'ing; and Mrs. Hsueeh'swaiting-maids T'ung Hsi, and T'ung Kuei. Besides these, were joined totheir retinue: Hsiang Ling and Hsiang Ling's servant-girl Ch'in Erh;Mrs. Li's waiting-maids Su Yuen and Pi Yueeh; lady Feng's servant-girlsP'ing Erh, Feng Erh and Hsiao Hung, as well as Madame Wang's twowaiting-maids Chin Ch'uan and Ts'ai Yuen. Along with lady Feng, came anurse carrying Ta Chieh Erh. She drove in a separate carriage, togetherwith a couple of servant-girls. Added also to the number of the suitewere matrons and nurses, attached to the various establishments, and thewives of the servants of the household, who were in attendance out ofdoors. Their carriages, forming one black solid mass, therefore, crammedthe whole extent of the street.
Dowager lady Chia and other members of the party had already proceeded aconsiderable distance in their chairs, and yet the inmates at the gatehad not finished mounting their vehicles. This one shouted: "I won't sitwith you." That one cried: "You've crushed our mistress' bundle." In thecarriages yonder, one screamed: "You've pulled my flowers off." Anotherone nearer exclaimed: "You've broken my fan." And they chatted andchatted, and talked and laughed with such incessant volubility, thatChou Jui's wife had to go backward and forward calling them to task."Girls," she said, "this is the street. The on-lookers will laugh atyou!" But it was only after she had expostulated with them several timesthat any sign of improvement became at last visible.
The van of the procession had long ago reached the entrance of theCh'ing Hsue Temple. Pao-yue rode on horseback. He preceded the chairoccupied by his grandmother Chia. The throngs that filled the streetsranged themselves on either side.
On their arrival at the temple, the sound of bells and the rattle ofdrums struck their ear. Forthwith appeared the head-bonze Chang, a stickof incense in hand; his cloak thrown over his shoulders. He took hisstand by the wayside at the head of a company of Taoist priests topresent his greetings. The moment dowager lady Chia reached, in herchair, the interior of the main gate, she descried the lares andpenates, the lord presiding over that particular district, and the clayimages of the various gods, and she at once gave orders to halt. ChiaChen advanced to receive her acting as leader to the male members of thefamily. Lady Feng was well aware that Yuean Yang and the other attendantswere at the back and could not overtake their old mistress, so sheherself alighted from her chair to volunteer her services. She was aboutto hastily press forward and support her, when, by a strange accident, ayoung Taoist neophyte, of twelve or thirteen years of age, who held acase containing scissors, with which he had been snuffing the candlesburning in the various places, just seized the opportunity to run outand hide himself, when he unawares rushed, head foremost, into ladyFeng's arms. Lady Feng speedily raised her hand and gave him such a slapon the face that she made the young fellow reel over and perform asomersault. "You boorish young bastard!" she shouted, "where are yourunning to?"
The you
ng Taoist did not even give a thought to picking up the scissors,but crawling up on to his feet again, he tried to scamper outside. Butjust at that very moment Pao-ch'ai and the rest of the young ladies weredismounting from their vehicles, and the matrons and women-servants wereclosing them in so thoroughly on all sides that not a puff of wind or adrop of rain could penetrate, and when they perceived a Taoist neophytecome rushing headlong out of the place, they, with one voice, exclaimed:"Catch him, catch him! Beat him, beat him!"
Old lady Chia overheard their cries. She asked with alacrity what thefuss was all about. Chia Chen immediately stepped outside to makeinquiries. Lady Feng then advanced and, propping up her old senior, shewent on to explain to her that a young Taoist priest, whose duties wereto snuff the candles, had not previously retired out of the compound,and that he was now endeavouring to recklessly force his way out."
"Be quick and bring the lad here," shouted dowager lady Chia, as soon asshe heard her explanation, "but, mind, don't frighten him. Children ofmean families invariably get into the way of being spoilt byover-indulgence. How ever could he have set eyes before upon suchdisplay as this! Were you to frighten him, he will really be much to bepitied; and won't his father and mother be exceedingly cut up?"
As she spoke, she asked Chia Chen to go and do his best to bring himround. Chia Chen felt under the necessity of going, and he managed todrag the lad into her presence. With the scissors still clasped in hishand, the lad fell on his knees, and trembled violently.
Dowager lady Chia bade Chia Chen raise him up. "There's nothing tofear!" she said reassuringly. Then she asked him how old he was.
The boy, however, could on no account give vent to speech.
"Poor boy!" once more exclaimed the old lady. And continuing: "BrotherChen," she added, addressing herself to Chia Chen, "take him away, andgive him a few cash to buy himself fruit with; and do impress upon everyone that they are not to bully him."
Chia Chen signified his assent and led him off.
During this time, old lady Chia, taking along with her the whole familyparty, paid her devotions in storey after storey, and visited everyplace.
The young pages, who stood outside, watched their old mistress and theother inmates enter the second row of gates. But of a sudden they espiedChia Chen wend his way outwards, leading a young Taoist priest, andcalling the servants to come, say; "Take him and give him severalhundreds of cash and abstain from ill-treating him." At these orders,the domestics approached with hurried step and led him off.
Chia Chen then inquired from the terrace-steps where the majordomo was.At this inquiry, the pages standing below, called out in chorus,"Majordomo!"
Lin Chih-hsiao ran over at once, while adjusting his hat with one hand,and appeared in the presence of Chia Chen.
"Albeit this is a spacious place," Chia Chen began, "we muster a goodconcourse to-day, so you'd better bring into this court those servants,who'll be of any use to you, and send over into that one those whowon't. And choose a few from among those young pages to remain on duty,at the second gate and at the two side entrances, so as to ask forthings and deliver messages. Do you understand me, yes or no? The youngladies and ladies have all come out of town to-day, and not a singleoutsider must be permitted to put his foot in here."
"I understand," replied Lin Chih-hsiao hurriedly signifying hisobedience. Next he uttered several yes's.
"Now," proceeded Chia Chen; "you can go on your way. But how is it, Idon't see anything of Jung Erh?" he went on to ask.
This question was barely out of his lips, when he caught sight of JungErh running out of the belfry. "Look at him," shouted Chia Chen. "Lookat him! I don't feel hot in here, and yet he must go in search of a coolplace. Spit at him!" he cried to the family servants.
The young pages were fully aware that Chia Chen's ordinary dispositionwas such that he could not brook contradiction, and one of the ladsspeedily came forward and sputtered in Chia Jung's face. But Chia Chenstill kept his gaze fixed on him, so the young page had to inquire ofChia Jung: "Master doesn't feel hot here, and how is it that you, Sir,have been the first to go and get cool?"
Chia Jung however dropped his arms, and did not venture to utter asingle sound. Chia Yuen, Chia P'ing, Chia Ch'in and the other youngpeople overheard what was going on and not only were they scared out oftheir wits, but even Chia Lien, Chia Pin, Chia Ch'ung and theircompanions were stricken with intense fright and one by one they quietlyslipped down along the foot of the wall.
"What are you standing there for?" Chia Chen shouted to Chia Jung."Don't you yet get on your horse and gallop home and tell your motherthat our venerable senior is here with all the young ladies, and bidthem come at once and wait upon them?"
As soon as Chia Jung heard these words, he ran out with hurried strideand called out repeatedly for his horse. Now he felt resentment, arguingwithin himself: "Who knows what he has been up to the whole morning,that he now finds fault with me!" Now he went on to abuse the youngservants, crying: "Are your hands made fast, that you can't lead thehorse round?" And he felt inclined to bid a servant-boy go on theerrand, but fearing again lest he should subsequently be found out, andbe at a loss how to account for his conduct he felt compelled to proceedin person; so mounting his steed, he started on his way.
But to return to Chia Chen. Just as he was about to be take himselfinside, he noticed the Taoist Chang, who stood next to him, force asmile. "I'm not properly speaking," he remarked, "on the same footing asthe others and should be in attendance inside, but as on account of theintense heat, the young ladies have come out of doors, I couldn'tpresume to take upon myself to intrude and ask what your orders, Sir,are. But the dowager lady may possibly inquire about me, or may like tovisit any part of the temple, so I shall wait in here."
Chia Chen was fully cognisant that this Taoist priest, Chang, had, it istrue, in past days, stood as a substitute for the Duke of the Jung Kuomansion, but that the former Emperor had, with his own lips, conferredupon him the appellation of the 'Immortal being of the Great Unreal,'that he held at present the seal of 'Taoist Superior,' that the reigningEmperor had raised him to the rank of the 'Pure man,' that the princes,now-a-days, dukes, and high officials styled him the "Supernaturalbeing," and he did not therefore venture to treat him with anydisrespect. In the second place, (he knew that) he had paid frequentvisits to the mansions, and that he had made the acquaintance of theladies and young ladies, so when he heard his present remark hesmilingly rejoined. "Do you again make use of such language amongstourselves? One word more, and I'll take that beard of yours, and outrootit! Don't you yet come along with me inside?"
"Hah, hah," laughed the Taoist Chang aloud, as he followed Chia Chen in.Chia Chen approached dowager lady Chia. Bending his body he strained alaugh. "Grandfather Chang," he said, "has come in to pay his respects."
"Raise him up!" old lady Chia vehemently called out.
Chia Chen lost no time in pulling him to his feet and bringing him over.
The Taoist Chang first indulged in loud laughter. "Oh Buddha ofunlimited years!" he then observed. "Have you kept all right and in goodhealth, throughout, venerable Senior? Have all the ladies and youngladies continued well? I haven't been for some time to your mansion topay my obeisance, but you, my dowager lady, have improved more andmore."
"Venerable Immortal Being!" smiled old lady Chia, "how are you; quitewell?"
"Thanks to the ten thousand blessings he has enjoyed from your hands,"rejoined Chang the Taoist, "your servant too continues pretty strong andhale. In every other respect, I've, after all, been all right; but Ihave felt much concern about Mr. Pao-yue. Has he been all right all thetime? The other day, on the 26th of the fourth moon, I celebrated thebirthday of the 'Heaven-Pervading-Mighty-King;' few people came andeverything went off right and proper. I told them to invite Mr. Pao tocome for a stroll; but how was it they said that he wasn't at home?"
"It was indeed true that he was away from home," remarked dowager ladyChia. As she spoke, she turned her head round and
called Pao-yue.
Pao-yue had, as it happened, just returned from outside where he had beento make himself comfortable, and with speedy step, he came forward. "Myrespects to you, grandfather Chang," he said.
The Taoist Chang eagerly clasped him in his arms and inquired how he wasgetting on. Turning towards old lady Chia, "Mr. Pao," he observed, "hasgrown fatter than ever."
"Outwardly, his looks," replied dowager lady Chia, "may be all right,but, inwardly, he is weak. In addition to this, his father presses himso much to study that he has again and again managed, all through thisbullying, to make his child fall sick."
"The other day," continued Chang the Taoist, "I went to several placeson a visit, and saw characters written by Mr. Pao and verses composed byhim, all of which were exceedingly good; so how is it that his worthyfather still feels displeased with him, and maintains that Mr. Pao isnot very fond of his books? According to my humble idea, he knows quiteenough. As I consider Mr. Pao's face, his bearing, his speech and hisdeportment," he proceeded, heaving a sigh, "what a striking resemblanceI find in him to the former duke of the Jung mansion!" As he utteredthese words, tears rolled down his cheeks.
At these words, old lady Chia herself found it hard to control herfeelings. Her face became covered with the traces of tears. "Quite so,"she assented, "I've had ever so many sons and grandsons, and not one ofthem betrayed the slightest resemblance to his grandfather; and thisPao-yue turns out to be the very image of him!"
"What the former duke of Jung Kuo was like in appearance," Chang, theTaoist went on to remark, addressing himself to Chia Chen, "yougentlemen, and your generation, were, of course, needless to say, not intime to see for yourselves; but I fancy that even our Senior master andour Master Secundus have but a faint recollection of it."
This said, he burst into another loud fit of laughter. "The other day,"he resumed, "I was at some one's house and there I met a young girl, whois this year in her fifteenth year, and verily gifted with a beautifulface, and I bethought myself that Mr. Pao must also have a wife foundfor him. As far as looks, intelligence and mental talents, extractionand family standing go, this maiden is a suitable match for him. But asI didn't know what your venerable ladyship would have to say about it,your servant did not presume to act recklessly, but waited until I couldascertain your wishes before I took upon myself to open my mouth withthe parties concerned."
"Some time ago," responded dowager lady Chia, "a bonze explained that itwas ordained by destiny that this child shouldn't be married at an earlyage, and that we should put things off until he grew somewhat in yearsbefore anything was settled. But mark my words now. Pay no regard as towhether she be of wealthy and honourable stock or not, the essentialthing is to find one whose looks make her a fit match for him and thencome at once and tell me. For even admitting that the girl is poor, allI shall have to do will be to bestow on her a few ounces of silver; butfine looks and a sweet temperament are not easy things to come across."
When she had done speaking, lady Feng was heard to smilingly interpose:"Grandfather Chang, aren't you going to change the talisman of 'RecordedName' of our daughter? The other day, lucky enough for you, you hadagain the great cheek to send some one to ask me for some satin ofgosling-yellow colour. I gave it to you, for had I not, I was afraidlest your old face should have been made to feel uneasy."
"Hah, hah," roared the Taoist Chang, "just see how my eyes must havegrown dim! I didn't notice that you, my lady, were in here; nor did Iexpress one word of thanks to you! The talisman of 'Recorded Name' isready long ago. I meant to have sent it over the day before yesterday,but the unforeseen visit of the Empress to perform meritorious deedsupset my equilibrium, and made me quite forget it. But it's still placedbefore the gods, and if you will wait I'll go and fetch it."
Saying this, he rushed into the main hall. Presently, he returned with atea-tray in hand, on which was spread a deep red satin cover, brocadedwith dragons. In this, he presented the charm. Ta Chieh-erh's nurse tookit from him.
But just as the Taoist was on the point of taking Ta Chieh-erh in hisembrace, lady Feng remarked with a smile: "It would have been sufficientif you'd carried it in your hand! And why use a tray to lay it on?"
"My hands aren't clean," replied the Taoist Chang, "so how could I verywell have taken hold of it? A tray therefore made things much cleaner!"
"When you produced that tray just now," laughed lady Feng, "you gave mequite a start; I didn't imagine that it was for the purpose of bringingthe charm in. It really looked as if you were disposed to beg donationsof us."
This observation sent the whole company into a violent fit of laughter.Even Chia Chen could not suppress a smile.
"What a monkey!" dowager lady Chia exclaimed, turning her head round."What a monkey you are! Aren't you afraid of going down to that Hell,where tongues are cut off?"
"I've got nothing to do with any men whatever," rejoined lady Fenglaughing, "and why does he time and again tell me that it's my boundenduty to lay up a store of meritorious deeds; and that if I'm remiss, mylife will be short?"
Chang, the Taoist, indulged in further laughter. "I brought out," heexplained, "the tray so as to kill two birds with one stone. It wasn't,however, to beg for donations. On the contrary, it was in order to putin it the jade, which I meant to ask Mr. Pao to take off, so as to carryit outside and let all those Taoist friends of mine, who come from faraway, as well as my neophytes and the young apprentices, see what it'slike."
"Well, since that be the case," added old lady Chia, "why do you, atyour age, try your strength by running about the whole day long? Takehim at once along and let them see it! But were you to have called himin there, wouldn't it have saved a lot of trouble?"
"Your venerable ladyship," resumed Chang, the Taoist, "isn't aware thatthough I be, to look at, a man of eighty, I, after all, continue, thanksto your protection, my dowager lady, quite hale and strong. In thesecond place, there are crowds of people in the outer rooms; and thesmells are not agreeable. Besides it's a very hot day and Mr. Paocouldn't stand the heat as he is not accustomed to it. So were he tocatch any disease from the filthy odours, it would be a grave thing!"
After these forebodings old lady Chia accordingly desired Pao-yue tounclasp the jade of Spiritual Perception, and to deposit it in the tray.The Taoist, Chang, carefully ensconced it in the folds of the wrapper,embroidered with dragons, and left the room, supporting the tray withboth his hands.
During this while, dowager lady Chia and the other inmates devoted moreof their time in visiting the various places. But just as they were onthe point of going up the two-storied building, they heard Chia Chenshout: "Grandfather Chang has brought back the jade."
As he spoke, the Taoist Chang was seen advancing up to them, the tray inhand. "The whole company," he smiled, "were much obliged to me. Theythink Mr. Pao's jade really lovely! None of them have, however, anysuitable gifts to bestow. These are religious articles, used by each ofthem in propagating the doctrines of Reason, but they're all only tooready to give them as congratulatory presents. If, Mr. Pao, you don'tfancy them for anything else, just keep them to play with or to giveaway to others."
Dowager lady Chia, at these words, looked into the tray. She discoveredthat its contents consisted of gold signets, and jade rings, orsceptres, implying: "may you have your wishes accomplished ineverything," or "may you enjoy peace and health from year to year;" thatthe various articles were strung with pearls or inlaid with preciousstones, worked in jade or mounted in gold; and that they were in allfrom thirty to fifty.
"What nonsense you're talking!" she then exclaimed. "Those people areall divines, and where could they have rummaged up these things? Butwhat need is there for any such presents? He may, on no account, acceptthem."
"These are intended as a small token of their esteem," responded Chang,the Taoist, smiling, "your servant cannot therefore venture to interferewith them. If your venerable ladyship will not keep them, won't you makeit patent to them that I'm treated contemptuously, and unlike
what oneshould be, who has joined the order through your household?"
Only when old lady Chia heard these arguments did she direct a servantto receive the presents.
"Venerable senior," Pao-yue smilingly chimed in. "After the reasonsadvanced by grandfather Chang, we cannot possibly refuse them. Butalbeit I feel disposed to keep these things, they are of no avail to me;so would it not be well were a servant told to carry the tray and tofollow me out of doors, that I may distribute them to the poor?
"You are perfectly right in what you say!" smiled dowager lady Chia.
The Taoist Chang, however, went on speedily to use various arguments todissuade him. "Mr. Pao," he observed, "your intention is, it is true, toperform charitable acts; but though you may aver that these things areof little value, you'll nevertheless find among them several articlesyou might turn to some account. Were you to let the beggars have them,why they will, first of all, be none the better for them; and, next, itwill contrariwise be tantamount to throwing them away! If you want todistribute anything among the poor, why don't you dole out cash tothem?"
"Put them by!" promptly shouted Pao-yue, after this rejoinder, "and whenevening comes, take a few cash and distribute them."
These directions given, Chang, the Taoist, retired out of the place.
Dowager lady Chia and her companions thereupon walked upstairs and satin the main part of the building. Lady Feng and her friends adjournedinto the eastern part, while the waiting-maids and servants remained inthe western portion, and took their turns in waiting on theirmistresses.
Before long, Chia Chen came back. "The plays," he announced, "have beenchosen by means of slips picked out before the god. The first one on thelist is the 'Record of the White Snake.'"
"Of what kind of old story does 'the record of the white snake,' treat?"old lady Chia inquired.
"The story about Han Kao-tsu," replied Chia Chen, "killing a snake andthen ascending the throne. The second play is, 'the Bed covered withivory tablets.'"
"Has this been assigned the second place?" asked dowager lady Chia. "Yetnever mind; for as the gods will it thus, there is no help than not todemur. But what about the third play?" she went on to inquire.
"The Nan Ko dream is the third," Chia Chen answered.
This response elicited no comment from dowager lady Chia. Chia Chentherefore withdrew downstairs, and betook himself outside to makearrangements for the offerings to the gods, for the paper money andeatables that had to be burnt, and for the theatricals about to begin.So we will leave him without any further allusion, and take up ournarrative with Pao-yue.
Seating himself upstairs next to old lady Chia, he called to aservant-girl to fetch the tray of presents given to him a short whileback, and putting on his own trinket of jade, he fumbled about with thethings for a bit, and picking up one by one, he handed them to hisgrandmother to admire. But old lady Chia espied among them a unicorn,made of purplish gold, with kingfisher feathers inserted, and eagerlyextending her arm, she took it up. "This object," she smiled, "seems tome to resemble very much one I've seen worn also by the young lady ofsome household or other of ours."
"Senior cousin, Shih Hsiang-yuen," chimed in Pao-ch'ai, a smile playingon her lips, "has one, but it's a trifle smaller than this."
"Is it indeed Yuen-erh who has it?" exclaimed old lady Chia.
"Now that she lives in our house," remarked Pao-yue, "how is it that evenI haven't seen anything of it?"
"Cousin Pao-ch'ai," rejoined T'an Ch'un laughingly, "has the power ofobservation; no matter what she sees, she remembers."
Lin Tai-yue gave a sardonic smile. "As far as other matters areconcerned," she insinuated, "her observation isn't worth speaking of;where she's extra-observant is in articles people may wear about theirpersons."
Pao-chai, upon catching this sneering remark, at once turned her headround, and pretended she had not heard. But as soon as Pao-yue learntthat Shih Hsiang-yuen possessed a similar trinket, he speedily picked upthe unicorn, and hid it in his breast, indulging, at the same time, infurther reflection. Yet, fearing lest people might have noticed that hekept back that particular thing the moment he discovered that ShihHsiang-yuen had one identical with it, he fixed his eyes intently uponall around while clutching it. He found however that not one of them waspaying any heed to his movements except Lin Tai-yue, who, while gazing athim was, nodding her head, as if with the idea of expressing heradmiration. Pao-yue, therefore, at once felt inwardly ill at ease, andpulling out his hand, he observed, addressing himself to Tai-yue with anassumed smile, "This is really a fine thing to play with; I'll keep itfor you, and when we get back home, I'll pass a ribbon through it foryou to wear." "I don't care about it," said Lin Tai-yue, giving her heada sudden twist.
"Well," continued Pao-yue laughingly, "if you don't like it, I can't dootherwise than keep it myself."
Saying this, he once again thrust it away. But just as he was about toopen his lips to make some other observation, he saw Mrs. Yu, the spouseof Chia Chen, arrive along with the second wife recently married by ChiaJung, that is, his mother and her daughter-in-law, to pay theirobeisance to dowager lady Chia.
"What do you people rush over here for again?" old lady Chia inquired.
"I came here for a turn, simply because I had nothing to do."
But no sooner was this inquiry concluded than they heard a messengerannounce: "that some one had come from the house of general Feng."
The family of Feng Tzu-ying had, it must be explained, come to learn thenews that the inmates of the Chia mansion were offering a thanksgivingservice in the temple, and, without loss of time, they got togetherpresents of pigs, sheep, candles, tea and eatables and sent them over.The moment lady Feng heard about it she hastily crossed to the main partof the two-storied building. "Ai-ya;" she ejaculated, clapping her handsand laughing. "I never expected anything of the sort; we merely saidthat we ladies were coming for a leisurely stroll and people imaginedthat we were spreading a sumptuous altar with lenten viands and came tobring us offerings! But it's all our old lady's fault for bruiting itabout! Why, we haven't even got any slips of paper with tips ready."
She had just finished speaking, when she perceived two matrons, whoacted as house-keepers in the Feng family, walk upstairs. But before theFeng servants could take their leave, presents likewise arrived, inquick succession, from Chao, the Vice-President of the Board. In duecourse, one lot of visitors followed another. For as every one got windof the fact that the Chia family was having thanksgiving services, andthat the ladies were in the temple, distant and close relatives,friends, old friends and acquaintances all came to present theircontributions. So much so, that dowager lady Chia began at this junctureto feel sorry that she had ever let the cat out of the bag. "This is noregular fasting," she said, "we simply have come for a little change;and we should not have put any one to any inconvenience!" Althoughtherefore she was to have remained present all day at the theatricalperformance, she promptly returned home soon after noon, and the nextday she felt very loth to go out of doors again.
"By striking the wall, we've also stirred up dust," lady Feng argued."Why we've already put those people to the trouble so we should only betoo glad to-day to have another outing."
But as when dowager lady Chia interviewed the Taoist Chang, the previousday, he made allusion to Pao-yue and canvassed his engagement, Pao-yueexperienced, little as one would have thought it, much secretdispleasure during the whole of that day, and on his return home he flewinto a rage and abused Chang, the rationalistic priest, for harbouringdesigns to try and settle a match for him. At every breath and at everyword he resolved that henceforward he would not set eyes again upon theTaoist Chang. But no one but himself had any idea of the reason thatactuated him to absent himself. In the next place, Lin Tai-yue beganalso, on her return the day before, to ail from a touch of the sun, sotheir grandmother was induced by these two considerations to remain firmin her decision not to go. When lady Feng, however, found that she wouldnot join them, she herself took
charge of the family party and set outon the excursion.
But without descending to particulars, let us advert to Pao-yue. Seeingthat Lin Tai-yue had fallen ill, he was so full of solicitude on heraccount that he even had little thought for any of his meals, and notlong elapsed before he came to inquire how she was.
Tai-yue, on her part, gave way to fear lest anything should happen tohim, (and she tried to re-assure him). "Just go and look at the plays,"she therefore replied, "what's the use of boxing yourself up at home?"
Pao-yue was, however, not in a very happy frame of mind on account of thereference to his marriage made by Chang, the Taoist, the day before, sowhen he heard Lin Tai-yue's utterances: "If others don't understand me;"he mused, "it's anyhow excusable; but has she too begun to make fun ofme?" His heart smarted in consequence under the sting of a mortificationa hundred times keener than he had experienced up to that occasion. Hadhe been with any one else, it would have been utterly impossible for herto have brought into play feelings of such resentment, but as it was noother than Tai-yue who spoke the words, the impression produced upon himwas indeed different from that left in days gone by, when othersemployed similar language. Unable to curb his feelings, heinstantaneously lowered his face. "My friendship with you has been of noavail" he rejoined. "But, never mind, patience!"
This insinuation induced Lin Tai-yue to smile a couple of sarcasticsmiles. "Yes, your friendship with me has been of no avail," sherepeated; "for how can I compare with those whose manifold qualitiesmake them fit matches for you?"
As soon as this sneer fell on Pao-yue's ear he drew near to her. "Are youby telling me this," he asked straight to her face, "deliberately bentupon invoking imprecations upon me that I should be annihilated byheaven and extinguished by earth?"
Lin Tai-yue could not for a time fathom the import of his remarks. "Itwas," Pao-yue then resumed, "on account of this very conversation that Iyesterday swore several oaths, and now would you really make me repeatanother one? But were the heavens to annihilate me and the earth toextinguish me, what benefit would you derive?"
This rejoinder reminded Tai-yue of the drift of their conversation on theprevious day. And as indeed she had on this occasion framed in wordsthose sentiments, which should not have dropped from her lips, sheexperienced both annoyance and shame, and she tremulously observed: "IfI entertain any deliberate intention to bring any harm upon you, may Itoo be destroyed by heaven and exterminated by earth! But what's the useof all this! I know very well that the allusion to marriage madeyesterday by Chang, the Taoist, fills you with dread lest he mightinterfere with your choice. You are inwardly so irate that you come andtreat me as your malignant influence."
Pao-yue, the fact is, had ever since his youth developed a peculiar kindof mean and silly propensity. Having moreover from tender infancy grownup side by side with Tai-Yue, their hearts and their feelings were inperfect harmony. More, he had recently come to know to a great extentwhat was what, and had also filled his head with the contents of anumber of corrupt books and licentious stories. Of all the eminent andbeautiful girls that he had met too in the families of either distant orclose relatives or of friends, not one could reach the standard of LinTai-yue. Hence it was that he commenced, from an early period of hislife, to foster sentiments of love for her; but as he could not verywell give utterance to them, he felt time and again sometimes elated,sometimes vexed, and wont to exhaust every means to secretly subject herheart to a test.
Lin Tai-yue happened, on the other hand, to possess in like manner asomewhat silly disposition; and she too frequently had recourse tofeigned sentiments to feel her way. And as she began to conceal her truefeelings and inclinations and to simply dissimulate, and he to concealhis true sentiments and wishes and to dissemble, the two unrealitiesthus blending together constituted eventually one reality. But it washardly to be expected that trifles would not be the cause of tiffsbetween them. Thus it was that in Pao-yue's mind at this time prevailedthe reflection: "that were others unable to read my feelings, it wouldanyhow be excusable; but is it likely that you cannot realise that in myheart and in my eyes there is no one else besides yourself. But as youwere not able to do anything to dispel my annoyance, but made use,instead, of the language you did to laugh at me, and to gag my mouth,it's evident that though you hold, at every second and at every moment,a place in my heart, I don't, in fact, occupy a place in yours." Suchwas the construction attached to her conduct by Pao-yue, yet he did nothave the courage to tax her with it.
"If, really, I hold a place in your heart," Lin Tai-yue again reflected,"why do you, albeit what's said about gold and jade being a fit match,attach more importance to this perverse report and think nothing of whatI say? Did you, when I so often broach the subject of this gold andjade, behave as if you, verily, had never heard anything about it, Iwould then have seen that you treat me with preference and that youdon't harbour the least particle of a secret design. But how is it thatthe moment I allude to the topic of gold and jade, you at once lose allpatience? This is proof enough that you are continuously pondering overthat gold and jade, and that as soon as you hear me speak to you aboutthem, you apprehend that I shall once more give way to conjectures, andintentionally pretend to be quite out of temper, with the deliberateidea of cajoling me!"
These two cousins had, to all appearances, once been of one and the samemind, but the many issues, which had sprung up between them, broughtabout a contrary result and made them of two distinct minds.
"I don't care what you do, everything is well," Pao-yue further argued,"so long as you act up to your feelings; and if you do, I shall be everonly too willing to even suffer immediate death for your sake. Whetheryou know this or not, doesn't matter; it's all the same. Yet were you tojust do as my heart would have you, you'll afford me a clear proof thatyou and I are united by close ties and that you are no stranger to me!"
"Just you mind your own business," Lin Tai-yue on her side cogitated. "Ifyou will treat me well, I'll treat you well. And what need is there toput an end to yourself for my sake? Are you not aware that if you killyourself, I'll also kill myself? But this demonstrates that you don'twish me to be near to you, and that you really want that I should bedistant to you."
It will thus be seen that the desire, by which they were both actuated,to strive and draw each other close and ever closer became contrariwisetransformed into a wish to become more distant. But as it is no easytask to frame into words the manifold secret thoughts entertained byeither, we will now confine ourselves to a consideration of theirexternal manner.
The three words "a fine match," which Pao-yue heard again Lin Tai-yuepronounce proved so revolting to him that his heart got full of disgustand he was unable to give utterance to a single syllable. Losing allcontrol over his temper, he snatched from his neck the jade of SpiritualPerception and, clenching his teeth, he spitefully dashed it down on thefloor. "What rubbishy trash!" he cried. "I'll smash you to atoms and putan end to the whole question!"
The jade, however, happened to be of extraordinary hardness, and didnot, after all, sustain the slightest injury from this single fall. WhenPao-yue realised that it had not broken, he forthwith turned himselfround to get the trinket with the idea of carrying out his design ofsmashing it, but Tai-yue divined his intention, and soon started crying."What's the use of all this!" she demurred, "and why, pray, do youbatter that dumb thing about? Instead of smashing it, wouldn't it bebetter for you to come and smash me!"
But in the middle of their dispute, Tzu Chuean, Hsueeh Yen and the othermaids promptly interfered and quieted them. Subsequently, however, theysaw how deliberately bent Pao-yue was upon breaking the jade, and theyvehemently rushed up to him to snatch it from his hands. But they failedin their endeavours, and perceiving that he was getting more troublesomethan he had ever been before, they had no alternative but to go and callHsi Jen. Hsi Jen lost no time in running over and succeeded, at length,in getting hold of the trinket.
"I'm smashing what belongs to me," remarked Pao-yue with a cyn
ical smile,"and what has that to do with you people?"
Hsi Jen noticed that his face had grown quite sallow from anger, thathis eyes had assumed a totally unusual expression, and that he had neverhitherto had such a fit of ill-temper and she hastened to take his handin hers and to smilingly expostulate with him. "If you've had a tiffwith your cousin," she said, "it isn't worth while flinging this down!Had you broken it, how would her heart and face have been able to bearthe mortification?"
Lin Tai-yue shed tears and listened the while to her remonstrances. Yetthese words, which so corresponded with her own feelings, made it clearto her that Pao-yue could not even compare with Hsi Jen and wounded herheart so much more to the quick that she began to weep aloud. But themoment she got so vexed she found it hard to keep down the potion ofboletus and the decoction, for counter-acting the effects of the sun,she had taken only a few minutes back, and with a retch she broughteverything up. Tzu Chuean immediately pressed to her side and used herhandkerchief to stop her mouth with. But mouthful succeeded mouthful,and in no time the handkerchief was soaked through and through.
Hsueeh Yen then approached in a hurry and tapped her on the back.
"You may, of course, give way to displeasure," Tzu Chuean argued; "butyou should, after all, take good care of yourself Miss. You had justtaken the medicines and felt the better for them; and here you now beginvomitting again; and all because you've had a few words with our masterSecundus. But should your complaint break out afresh how will Mr. Paobear the blow?"
The moment Pao-yue caught this advice, which accorded so thoroughly withhis own ideas, he found how little Tai-yue could hold her own with TzuChuean. And perceiving how flushed Tai-yue's face was, how her templeswere swollen, how, while sobbing, she panted; and how, while crying, shewas suffused with perspiration, and betrayed signs of extreme weakness,he began, at the sight of her condition, to reproach himself. "Ishouldn't," he reflected, "have bandied words with her; for now thatshe's got into this frame of mind, I mayn't even suffer in her stead!"
The self-reproaches, however, which gnawed his heart made it impossiblefor him to refrain from tears, much as he fought against them. Hsi Jensaw them both crying, and while attending to Pao-yue, she too unavoidablyexperienced much soreness of heart. She nevertheless went on rubbingPao-yue's hands, which were icy cold. She felt inclined to advise Pao-yuenot to weep, but fearing again lest, in the first place, Pao-yue might beinwardly aggrieved, and nervous, in the next, lest she should not bedealing rightly by Tai-yue, she thought it advisable that they should allhave a good cry, as they might then be able to leave off. She herselftherefore also melted into tears. As for Tzu-Chuean, at one time, shecleaned the expectorated medicine; at another, she took up a fan andgently fanned Tai-yue. But at the sight of the trio plunged in perfectsilence, and of one and all sobbing for reasons of their own, grief,much though she did to struggle against it, mastered her feelings too,and producing a handkerchief, she dried the tears that came to her eyes.So there stood four inmates, face to face, uttering not a word andindulging in weeping.
Shortly, Hsi Jen made a supreme effort, and smilingly said to Pao-yue:"If you don't care for anything else, you should at least have shownsome regard for those tassels, strung on the jade, and not have wrangledwith Miss Lin."
Tai-yue heard these words, and, mindless of her indisposition, she rushedover, and snatching the trinket, she picked up a pair of scissors, lyingclose at hand, bent upon cutting the tassels. Hsi Jen and Tzu Chuean wereon the point of wresting it from her, but she had already managed tomangle them into several pieces.
"I have," sobbed Tai-yue, "wasted my energies on them for nothing; for hedoesn't prize them. He's certain to find others to string some more finetassels for him."
Hsi Jen promptly took the jade. "Is it worth while going on in thisway!" she cried. "But this is all my fault for having blabbered just nowwhat should have been left unsaid."
"Cut it, if you like!" chimed in Pao-yue, addressing himself to Tai-yue."I will on no account wear it, so it doesn't matter a rap."
But while all they minded inside was to create this commotion, theylittle dreamt that the old matrons had descried Tai-yue weep bitterly andvomit copiously, and Pao-yue again dash his jade on the ground, and thatnot knowing how far the excitement might not go, and whether theythemselves might not become involved, they had repaired in a body to thefront, and reported the occurrence to dowager lady Chia and Madame Wang,their object being to try and avoid being themselves implicated in thematter. Their old mistress and Madame Wang, seeing them make so much ofthe occurrence as to rush with precipitate haste to bring it to theirnotice, could not in the least imagine what great disaster might nothave befallen them, and without loss of time they betook themselvestogether into the garden and came to see what the two cousins were upto.
Hsi Jen felt irritated and harboured resentment against Tzu Chuean,unable to conceive what business she had to go and disturb their oldmistress and Madame Wang. But Tzu Chuean, on the other hand, presumedthat it was Hsi Jen, who had gone and reported the matter to them, andshe too cherished angry feelings towards Hsi Jen.
Dowager lady Chia and Madame Wang walked into the apartment. They foundPao-yue on one side saying not a word. Lin Tai-yue on the other utteringnot a sound. "What's up again?" they asked. But throwing the whole blameupon the shoulders of Hsi Jen and Tzu Chuean, "why is it," they inquired,"that you were not diligent in your attendance on them. They now start aquarrel, and don't you exert yourselves in the least to restrain them?"
Therefore with obloquy and hard words they rated the two girls for atime in such a way that neither of them could put in a word by way ofreply, but felt compelled to listen patiently. And it was only afterdowager lady Chia had taken Pao-yue away with her that things quieteddown again.
One day passed. Then came the third of the moon. This was Hsueeh Pan'sbirthday, so in their house a banquet was spread and preparations madefor a performance; and to these the various inmates of the Chia mansionwent. But as Pao-yue had so hurt Tai-yue's feelings, the two cousins sawnothing whatever of each other, and conscience-stricken, despondent andunhappy, as he was at this time could he have had any inclination to bepresent at the plays? Hence it was that he refused to go on the pretextof indisposition.
Lin Tai-yue had got, a couple of days back, but a slight touch of the sunand naturally there was nothing much the matter with her. When the newshowever reached her that he did not intend to join the party, "If withhis weakness for wine and for theatricals," she pondered within herself,"he now chooses to stay away, instead of going, why, that quarrel withme yesterday must be at the bottom of it all. If this isn't the reason,well then it must be that he has no wish to attend, as he sees that I'mnot going either. But I should on no account have cut the tassels fromthat jade, for I feel sure he won't wear it again. I shall thereforehave to string some more on to it, before he puts it on."
On this account the keenest remorse gnawed her heart.
Dowager lady Chia saw well enough that they were both under theinfluence of temper. "We should avail ourselves of this occasion," shesaid to herself, "to go over and look at the plays, and as soon as thetwo young people come face to face, everything will be squared."Contrary to her expectations neither of them would volunteer to go. Thisso exasperated their old grandmother that she felt vexed with them. "Inwhat part of my previous existence could an old sufferer like myself,"she exclaimed, "have incurred such retribution that my destiny is tocome across these two troublesome new-fledged foes! Why, not a singleday goes by without their being instrumental in worrying my mind! Theproverb is indeed correct which says: 'that people who are not enemiesare not brought together!' But shortly my eyes shall be closed, thisbreath of mine shall be snapped, and those two enemies will be free tocause trouble even up to the very skies; for as my eyes will then loosetheir power of vision, and my heart will be void of concern, it willreally be nothing to me. But I couldn't very well stifle this breath oflife of mine!"
While inwardly a prey to re
sentment, she also melted into tears.
These words were brought to the ears of Pao-yue and Tai-yue. Neither ofthem had hitherto heard the adage: "people who are not enemies are notbrought together," so when they suddenly got to know the line, it seemedas if they had apprehended abstraction. Both lowered their heads andmeditated on the subtle sense of the saying. But unconsciously a streamof tears rolled down their cheeks. They could not, it is true, get aglimpse of each other; yet as the one was in the Hsiao Hsiang lodge,standing in the breeze, bedewed with tears, and the other in the I Hungcourt, facing the moon and heaving deep sighs, was it not, in fact, acase of two persons living in two distinct places, yet with feelingsemanating from one and the same heart?
Hsi Jen consequently tendered advice to Pao-yue. "You're a million timesto blame," she said, "it's you who are entirely at fault! For when sometime ago the pages in the establishment, wrangled with their sisters, orwhen husband and wife fell out, and you came to hear anything about it,you blew up the lads, and called them fools for not having the heart toshow some regard to girls; and now here you go and follow their lead.But to-morrow is the fifth day of the moon, a great festival, and willyou two still continue like this, as if you were very enemies? If so,our venerable mistress will be the more angry, and she certainly will bedriven sick! I advise you therefore to do what's right by suppressingyour spite and confessing your fault, so that we should all be on thesame terms as hitherto. You here will then be all right, and so will sheover there."
Pao-yue listened to what she had to say; but whether he fell in with herviews or not is not yet ascertained; yet if you, reader, choose to know,we will explain in the next chapter.