評論
打印
As she passed these remarks， they all descended the couch together. Goody Liu adjusted their dresses， and， having impressed a few more words of advice on Pan Erh， they followed Chou Jui's wife through winding passages to Chia Lien's house. They came in the first instance into the side pavilion， where Chou Jui's wife placed old goody Liu to wait a little， while she herself went ahead， past the screen-wall and into the entrance of the court.
Hearing that lady Feng had not come out， she went in search of an elderly waiting-maid of lady Feng， P'ing Erh by name， who enjoyed her confidence， to whom Chou Jui's wife first recounted from beginning to end the history of old goody Liu.
"She has come to-day，" she went on to explain， "from a distance to pay her obeisance. In days gone by， our lady used often to meet her， so that， on this occasion， she can't but receive her； and this is why I've brought her in！ I'll wait here for lady Feng to come down， and explain everything to her； and I trust she'll not call me to task for officious rudeness."
P'ing Erh， after hearing what she had to say， speedily devised the plan of asking them to walk in， and to sit there pending （lady Feng's arrival）， when all would be right.
Chou Jui's wife thereupon went out and led them in. When they ascended the steps of the main apartment， a young waiting-maid raised a red woollen portiere， and as soon as they entered the hall， they smelt a whiff of perfume as it came wafted into their faces： what the scent was they could not discriminate； but their persons felt as if they were among the clouds.
the articles of furniture and ornaments in the whole room were all so brilliant to the sight， and so vying in splendour that they made the head to swim and the eyes to blink， and old goody Liu did nothing else the while than nod her head， smack her lips and invoke Buddha. Forthwith she was led to the eastern side into the suite of apartments， where was the bedroom of Chia Lien's eldest daughter. P'ing Erh， who was standing by the edge of the stove-couch， cast a couple of glances at old goody Liu， and felt constrained to inquire how she was， and to press her to have a seat.
Goody Liu， noticing that P'ing Erh was entirely robed in silks， that she had gold pins fixed in her hair， and silver ornaments in her coiffure， and that her countenance resembled a flower or the moon （in beauty）， readily imagined her to be lady Feng， and was about to address her as my lady； but when she heard Mrs. Chou speak to her as Miss P'ing， and P'ing Erh promptly address Chou Jui's wife as Mrs. Chou， she eventually became aware that she could be no more than a waiting-maid of a certain respectability.
She at once pressed old goody Liu and Pan Erh to take a seat on the stove-couch. P'ing Erh and Chou Jui's wife sat face to face， on the edges of the couch. The waiting-maids brought the tea. After they had partaken of it， old goody Liu could hear nothing but a "lo tang， lo tang" noise， resembling very much the sound of a bolting frame winnowing flour， and she could not resist looking now to the East， and now to the West. Suddenly in the GREat Hall， she espied， suspended on a pillar， a box at the bottom of which hung something like the weight of a balance， which incessantly wagged to and fro.
"What can this thing be？" communed goody Liu in her heart， "What can be its use？" While she was aghast， she unexpectedly heard a sound of "tang" like the sound of a golden bell or copper cymbal， which gave her quite a start. In a twinkle of the eyes followed eight or nine consecutive strokes； and she was bent upon inquiring what it was， when she caught sight of several waiting-maids enter in a confused crowd. "Our lady has come down！" they announced.
P'ing Erh， together with Chou Jui's wife， rose with all haste. "Old goody Liu，" they urged， "do sit down and wait till it's time， when we'll come and ask you in."
Saying this， they went out to meet lady Feng.
Old goody Liu， with suppressed voice and ear intent， waited in perfect silence. She heard at a distance the voices of some people laughing， whereupon about ten or twenty women， with rustling clothes and petticoats， made their entrance， one by one， into the hall， and thence into the room on the other quarter. She also detected two or three women， with red-lacquered boxes in their hands， come over on this part and remain in waiting.
"Get the repast ready！" she heard some one from the offside say.
the servants gradually dispersed and went out； and there only remained in attendance a few of them to bring in the courses. For a long time， not so much as the caw of a crow could be heard， when she unexpectedly perceived two servants carry in a couch-table， and lay it on this side of the divan. Upon this table were placed bowls and plates， in proper order replete， as usual， with fish and meats； but of these only a few kinds were slightly touched.
As soon as Pan Erh perceived （all these delicacies）， he set up such a noise， and would have some meat to eat， but goody Liu administered to him such a slap， that he had to keep away.
Suddenly， she saw Mrs. Chou approach， full of smiles， and as she waved her hand， she called her. Goody Liu understood her meaning， and at once pulling Pan Erh off the couch， she proceeded to the centre of the Hall； and after Mrs. Chou had whispered to her again for a while， they came at length with slow step into the room on this side， where they saw on the outside of the door， suspended by brass hooks， a deep red flowered soft portiere. Below the window， on the southern side， was a stove-couch， and on this couch was spread a crimson carpet. Leaning against the wooden partition wall， on the east side， stood a chain-embroidered back-cushion and a reclining pillow. There was also spread a large watered satin sitting cushion with a gold embroidered centre， and on the side stood cuspidores made of silver.
Lady Feng， when at home， usually wore on her head a front-piece of dark martin a la Chao Chuen， surrounded with tassels of strung pearls. She had on a robe of peach-red flowered satin， a short pelisse of slate-blue stiff silk， lined with squirrel， and a jupe of deep red foreign crepe， lined with ermine. Resplendent with pearl-powder and with cosmetics， she sat in there， stately and majestic， with a small brass poker in her hands， with which she was stirring the ashes of the hand-stove. P'ing Erh stood by the side of the couch， holding a very small lacquered tea-tray. In this tray was a small tea-cup with a cover. Lady Feng neither took any tea， nor did she raise her head， but was intent upon stirring the ashes of the hand-stove.
"How is it you haven't yet asked her to come in？" she slowly inquired； and as she spake， she turned herself round and was about to ask for some tea， when she perceived that Mrs. Chou had already introduced the two persons and that they were standing in front of her.
She forthwith pretended to rise， but did not actually get up， and with a face radiant with smiles， she ascertained about their health， after which she went in to chide Chou Jui's wife. "Why didn't you tell me they had come before？" she said.
