評論
打印
By a strange coincidence， Chia Pao-yue becomes acquainted with the golden clasp. In an unexpected meeting， Hsueeh Pao-ch'ai sees the jade of spiritual perception.
Pao-yue and lady Feng， we will now explain， paid， on their return home， their respects to all the inmates， and Pao-yue availed himself of the first occasion to tell dowager lady Chia of his wish that Ch'in Chung should come over to the family school. "The presence for himself of a friend as schoolmate would，" he argued， "be fitly excellent to stir him to zeal，" and he went on to speak in terms of high praise of Ch'in Chung， his character and his manners， which most of all made people esteem him.
Lady Feng besides stood by him and backed his request. "In a day or two，" she added， "Ch'in Chung will be coming to pay his obeisance to your venerable ladyship."
This bit of news GREatly rejoiced the heart of dowager lady Chia， and lady Feng likewise did not let the opportunity slip， without inviting the old lady to attend the theatrical performance to come off the day after the morrow. Dowager lady Chia was， it is true， well on in years， but was， nevertheless， very fond of enjoyment， so that when the day arrived and Mrs. Yu came over to invite her round， she forthwith took madame Wang， Lin Tai-yue， Pao-yue and others along and went to the play.
It was about noon， when dowager lady Chia returned to her apartments for her siesta； and madame Wang， who was habitually partial to a quiet life， also took her departure after she had seen the old lady retire. Lady Feng subsequently took the seat of honour； and the party enjoyed themselves immensely till the evening， when they broke up.
But to return to Pao-yue. Having accompanied his grandmother Chia back home， and waited till her ladyship was in her midday sleep， he had in fact an inclination to return to the performance， but he was afraid lest he should be a burden to Mrs. Ch'in and the rest and lest they should not feel at ease. Remembering therefore that Pao Ch'ai had been at home unwell for the last few days， and that he had not been to see her， he was anxious to go and look her up， but he dreaded that if he went by the side gate， at the back of the drawing-room， he would be prevented by something or other， and fearing， what would be making matters worse， lest he should come across his father， he consequently thought it better to go on his way by a detour. The nurses and waiting-maids thereupon came to help him to change his clothes； but they saw him not change， but go out again by the second door. These nurses and maids could not help following him out； but they were still under the impression that he was going over to the other mansion to see the theatricals. Contrary to their speculations， upon reaching the entrance hall， he forthwith went to the east， then turned to the north， and walking round by the rear of the hall， he happened to come face to face with two of the family companions， Mr. Ch'an Kuang， and Mr. Tan T'ing-jen. As soon as they caught sight of Pao-yue， they both readily drew up to him， and as they smiled， the one put his arm round his waist， while the other grasped him by the hand.
"Oh divine brother！" they both exclaimed， "this we call dreaming a pleasant dream， for it's no easy thing to come across you！"
While continuing their remarks they paid their salutations， and inquired after his health； and it was only after they had chatted for ever so long， that they went on their way. The nurse called out to them and stopped them， "Have you two gentlemen，" she said， "come out from seeing master？"
they both nodded assent. "Your master，" they explained， "is in the Meng P'o Chai small library having his siesta； so that you can go through there with no fear."
As they uttered these words， they walked away.
This remark also evoked a smile from Pao-yue， but without further delay he turned a corner， went towards the north， and came into the Pear Fragrance Court， where， as luck would have it， he met the head manager of the Household Treasury， Wu Hsin-teng， who， in company with the head of the granary， Tai Liang， and several other head stewards， seven persons in all， was issuing out of the Account Room.
On seeing Pao-yue approaching， they， in a body， stood still， and hung down their arms against their sides. One of them alone， a certain butler， called Ch'ien Hua， promptly came forward， as he had not seen Pao-yue for many a day， and bending on one knee， paid his respects to Pao-yue. Pao-yue at once gave a smile and pulled him up.
"the day before yesterday，" smiled all the bystanders， "we were somewhere together and saw some characters written by you， master Secundus， in the composite style. The writing is certainly better than it was before！ When will you give us a few sheets to stick on the wall？"
"Where did you see them？" inquired Pao-yue， with a grin.
"they are to be found in more than one place，" they replied， "and every one praises them very much， and what's more， asks us for a few."
"they are not worth having，" observed Pao-yue smilingly； "but if you do want any， tell my young servants and it will be all right."
