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After these remarks， she turned her head round， and directed a young maid-servant to fetch the text of the Dream of the Red Chamber， which she handed to Pao-yue， who took it over； and as he followed the words with his eyes， with his ears he listened to the strains of this song：
Preface of the Bream of the Red Chamber.——When the Heavens were opened and earth was laid out chaos prevailed！ What was the germ of love？ It arises entirely from the strength of licentious love.
What day， by the will of heaven， I felt wounded at heart， and what time I was at leisure， I made an attempt to disburden my sad heart； and with this object in view I indited this Dream of the Bed Chamber， on the subject of a disconsolate gold trinket and an unfortunate piece of jade.
Waste of a whole Lifetime. All maintain that the match between gold and jade will be happy. All I can think of is the solemn oath contracted in days gone by by the plant and stone！ Vain will I gaze upon the snow， Hsueeh， [Pao-ch'ai]， pure as crystal and lustrous like a gem of the eminent priest living among the hills！ Never will I forget the noiseless Fairy Grove， Lin [Tai-yue]， beyond the confines of the mortal world！ Alas！ now only have I come to believe that human happiness is incomplete； and that a couple may be bound by the ties of wedlock for life， but that after all their hearts are not easy to lull into contentment.
Vain knitting of the brows. The one is a spirit flower of Fairyland； the other is a beautiful jade without a blemish. Do you maintain that their union will not be remarkable？ Why how then is it that he has come to meet her again in this existence？ If the union will you say， be strange， how is it then that their love affair will be but empty words？ The one in her loneliness will give way to useless sighs. The other in vain will yearn and crave. The one will be like the reflection of the moon in water； the other like a flower reflected in a mirror. Consider， how many drops of tears can there be in the eyes？ and how could they continue to drop from autumn to winter and from spring to flow till summer time？
But to come to Pao-yue. After he had heard these ballads， so diffuse and vague， he failed to see any point of beauty in them； but the plaintive melody of the sound was nevertheless sufficient to drive away his spirit and exhilarate his soul. Hence it was that he did not make any inquiries about the arguments， and that he did not ask about the matter treated， but simply making these ballads the means for the time being of dispelling melancholy， he therefore went on with the perusal of what came below.
Despicable Spirit of Death！ You will be rejoicing that glory is at its height when hateful death will come once again， and with eyes wide with horror， you will discard all things， and dimly and softly the fragrant spirit will waste and dissolve！ You will yearn for native home， but distant will be the way， and lofty the mountains. Hence it is that you will betake yourself in search of father and mother， while they lie under the influence of a dream， and hold discourse with them. "Your child，" you will say， "has already trodden the path of death！ Oh my parents， it behoves you to speedily retrace your steps and make good your escape！"
Separated from Relatives. You will speed on a journey of three thousand li at the mercy of wind and rain， and tear yourself from all your family ties and your native home！ Your fears will be lest anguish should do any harm to your parents in their failing years！ "Father and mother，" you will bid them， "do not think with any anxiety of your child. From ages past poverty as well as success have both had a fixed destiny； and is it likely that separation and reunion are not subject to predestination？ Though we may now be far apart in two different places， we must each of us try and preserve good cheer. Your abject child has， it is true， gone from home， but abstain from distressing yourselves on her account！"
Sorrow in the midst of Joy. While wrapped as yet in swaddling clothes， father and mother， both alas！ will depart， and dwell though you will in that mass of gauze， who is there who will know how to spoil you with any fond attention？ Born you will be fortunately with ample moral courage， and high-minded and boundless resources， for your parents will not have， in the least， their child's secret feelings at heart！ You will be like a moon appearing to view when the rain holds up， shedding its rays upon the Jade Hall； or a gentle breeze （wafting its breath upon it）。 Wedded to a husband， fairy like fair and accomplished， you will enjoy a happiness enduring as the earth and perennial as the Heavens！ and you will be the means of snapping asunder the bitter fate of your youth！ But， after all， the clouds will scatter in Kao T'ang and the waters of the Hsiang river will get parched！ This is the inevitable destiny of dissolution and continuance which prevails in the mortal world， and what need is there to indulge in useless grief？
