評論
打印
"My divine sister，" he ventured， as he put on a smile. "I don't know whence you come， and whither you are going. Nor have I any idea what this place is， but I make bold to entreat that you would take my hand and lead me on."
"My abode，" replied the Fairy， "is above the Heavens of Divested Animosities， and in the ocean of Discharged Sorrows. I'm the Fairy of Monitory Vision， of the cave of Drooping Fragrance， in the mount of Emitted Spring， within the confines of the GREat Void. I preside over the voluptuous affections and sensual debts among the mortal race， and supervise in the dusty world， the envies of women and the lusts of man. It's because I've recently come to hear that the retribution for voluptuousness extends up to this place， that I betake myself here in order to find suitable opportunities of disseminating mutual affections. My encounter with you now is also not a matter of accident！ This spot is not distant from my confines. I have nothing much there besides a cup of the tender buds of tea plucked by my own hands， and a pitcher of luscious wine， fermented by me as well as several spritelike singing and dancing maidens of great proficiency， and twelve ballads of spiritual song， recently completed， on the Dream of the Red Chamber； but won't you come along with me for a stroll？"
Pao-yue， at this proposal， felt elated to such an extraordinary deGREe that he could skip from joy， and there and then discarding from his mind all idea of where Mrs. Ch'in was， he readily followed the Fairy.
they reached some spot， where there was a stone tablet， put up in a horizontal position， on which were visible the four large characters： "The confines of the GREat Void，" on either side of which was one of a pair of scrolls， with the two antithetical sentences：
When falsehood stands for truth， truth likewise becomes false； When naught be made to aught， aught changes into naught！
Past the Portal stood the door of a Palace， and horizontally， above this door， were the four large characters： "The Sea of Retribution， the Heaven of Love." There were also a pair of scrolls， with the inscription in large characters：
Passion， alas！ thick as the earth， and lofty as the skies， from ages past to the present hath held incessant sway； How pitiful your lot！ ye lustful men and women envious， that your voluptuous debts should be so hard to pay！
Pao-yue， after perusal， communed with his own heart. "Is it really so！" he thought， "but I wonder what implies the passion from old till now， and what are the voluptuous debts！ Henceforward， I must enlighten myself！"
Pao-yue was bent upon this train of thoughts when he unwittingly attracted several evil spirits into his heart， and with speedy step he followed in the track of the fairy， and entered two rows of doors when he perceived that the Lateral Halls were， on both sides， full of tablets and scrolls， the number of which he could not in one moment ascertain. He however discriminated in numerous places the inscriptions： The Board of Lustful Love； the Board of contracted grudges； The Board of Matutinal sobs； the Board of nocturnal tears； the Board of vernal affections； and the Board of autumnal anguish.
After he had perused these inscriptions， he felt impelled to turn round and address the Fairy. "May I venture to trouble my Fairy，" he said， "to take me along for a turn into the interior of each of these Boards？ May I be allowed， I wonder， to do so？"
"Inside each of these Boards，" explained the Fairy， "are accumulated the registers with the records of all women of the whole world； of those who have passed away， as well as of those who have not as yet come into it， and you， with your mortal eyes and human body， could not possibly be allowed to know anything in anticipation."
But would Pao-yue， upon hearing these words， submit to this decree？ He went on to implore her permission again and again， until the Fairy casting her eye upon the tablet of the board in front of her observed， "Well， all right！ you may go into this board and reap some transient pleasure."
