評論
打印
the spirit of Mrs. Chia Shih-yin departs from the town of Yang Chou. Leng Tzu-hsing dilates upon the Jung Kuo Mansion.
To continue. Feng Su， upon hearing the shouts of the public messengers， came out in a flurry and forcing a smile， he asked them to explain （their errand）； but all these people did was to continue bawling out： "Be quick， and ask Mr. Chen to come out."
"My surname is Feng，" said Feng Su， as he promptly forced himself to smile； "It is'nt Chen at all： I had once a son-in-law whose surname was Chen， but he has left home， it is now already a year or two back. Is it perchance about him that you are inquiring？"
To which the public servants remarked： "We know nothing about Chen or Chia （true or false）； but as he is your son-in-law， we'll take you at once along with us to make verbal answer to our master and have done with it."
And forthwith the whole bevy of public servants hustled Feng Su on， as they went on their way back； while every one in the Feng family was seized with consternation， and could not imagine what it was all about.
It was no earlier than the second watch， when Feng Su returned home； and they， one and all， pressed him with questions as to what had happened.
"the fact is，" he explained， "the newly-appointed Magistrate， whose surname is Chia， whose name is Huo and who is a native of Hu-chow， has been on intimate terms， in years gone by， with our son-in-law； that at the sight of the girl Chiao Hsing， standing at the door， in the act of buying thread， he concluded that he must have shifted his quarters over here， and hence it was that his messengers came to fetch him. I gave him a clear account of the various circumstances （of his misfortunes）， and the Magistrate was for a time much distressed and expressed his reGREt. He then went on to make inquiries about my grand-daughter， and I explained that she had been lost， while looking at the illuminations. 'No matter，' put in the Magistrate， 'I will by and by order my men to make search， and I feel certain that they will find her and bring her back.' Then ensued a short conversation， after which I was about to go， when he presented me with the sum of two taels."
the mistress of the Chen family （Mrs. Chen Shih-yin） could not but feel very much affected by what she heard， and the whole evening she uttered not a word.
the next day， at an early hour， Yue-ts'un sent some of his men to bring over to Chen's wife presents， consisting of two packets of silver， and four pieces of brocaded silk， as a token of gratitude， and to Feng Su also a confidential letter， requesting him to ask of Mrs. Chen her maid Chiao Hsing to become his second wife.
Feng Su was so intensely delighted that his eyebrows expanded， his eyes smiled， and he felt eager to toady to the Magistrate （by presenting the girl to him）。 He hastened to employ all his persuasive powers with his daughter （to further his purpose）， and on the same evening he forthwith escorted Chiao Hsing in a small chair to the Yamen.
the joy experienced by Yue-ts'un need not be dilated upon. He also presented Feng Su with a packet containing one hundred ounces of gold； and sent numerous valuable presents to Mrs. Chen， enjoining her "to live cheerfully in the anticipation of finding out the whereabouts of her daughter."
It must be explained， however， that the maid Chi'ao Hsing was the very person， who， a few years ago， had looked round at Yue-ts'un and who， by one simple， unpremeditated glance， evolved， in fact， this extraordinary destiny which was indeed an event beyond conception.
Who would ever have foreseen that fate and fortune would both have so favoured her that she should， contrary to all anticipation， give birth to a son， after living with Yue-ts'un barely a year， that in addition to this， after the lapse of another half year， Yue-ts'un's wife should have contracted a sudden illness and departed this life， and that Yue-ts'un should have at once raised her to the rank of first wife. Her destiny is adequately expressed by the lines：
Through but one single， casual look Soon an exalted place she took.
