評論
打印
Tai-yue was bent upon cracking melon seeds， saying nothing but simply pursing up her lips and smiling， when， strange coincidence， Hsueeh Yen， Tai-yue's waiting-maid， walked in and handed her mistress a small hand-stove.
"Who told you to bring it？" ascertained Tai-yue grinningly. "I'm sorry to have given whoever it is the trouble； I'm obliged to her. But did she ever imagine that I would freeze to death？"
"Tzu Chuan was afraid，" replied Hsueeh Yen， "that you would， miss， feel cold， and she asked me to bring it over."
Tai-yue took it over and held it in her lap. "How is it，" she smiled， "that you listen to what she tells you， but that you treat what I say， day after day， as so much wind blowing past your ears！ How is it that you at once do what she bids you， with even GREater alacrity than you would an imperial edict？"
When Pao-yue heard this， he felt sure in his mind that Tai-yue was availing herself of this opportunity to make fun of him， but he made no remark， merely laughing to himself and paying no further notice. Pao Ch'ai， again， knew full well that this habit was a weak point with Tai-yue， so she too did not go out of her way to heed what she said.
"You've always been delicate and unable to stand the cold，" interposed "aunt" Hsueeh， "and is it not a kind attention on their part to have thought of you？"
"You don't know， aunt， how it really stands，" responded Tai-yue smilingly； "fortunately enough， it was sent to me here at your quarters； for had it been in any one else's house， wouldn't it have been a slight upon them？ Is it forsooth nice to think that people haven't so much as a hand-stove， and that one has fussily to be sent over from home？ People won't say that the waiting-maids are too officious， but will imagine that I'm in the habit of behaving in this offensive fashion."
"You're far too punctilious，" remarked Mrs. Hsueeh， "as to entertain such notions！ No such ideas as these crossed my mind just now."
While they were conversing， Pao-yue had taken so much as three cups of wine， and nurse Li came forward again to prevent him from having any more. Pao-yue was just then in a state of exultation and excitement， （a state） enhanced by the conversation and laughter of his cousins， so that was he ready to aGREe to having no more！ But he was constrained in a humble spirit to entreat for permission. "My dear nurse，" he implored， "I'll just take two more cups and then have no more."
"You'd better be careful，" added nurse Li， "your father is at home to-day， and see that you're ready to be examined in your lessons."
When Pao-yue heard this mention， his spirits at once sank within him， and gently putting the wine aside， he dropped his head upon his breast.
Tai-yue promptly remonstrated. "You've thrown cold water，" she said， "over the spirits of the whole company； why， if uncle should ask to see you， well， say that aunt Hsueeh detained you. This old nurse of yours has been drinking， and again makes us the means of clearing her muddled head！"
While saying this， she gave Pao-yue a big nudge with the intent of stirring up his spirits， adding， as she addressed him in a low tone of voice： "Don't let us heed that old thing， but mind our own enjoyment."
Dame Li also knew very well Tai-yue's disposition， and therefore remarked： "Now， Miss Lin， don't you urge him on； you should after all， give him good advice， as he may， I think， listen to a good deal of what you say to him."
"Why should I urge him on？" rejoined Lin Tai-yue， with a sarcastic smile， "nor will I trouble myself to give him advice. You， old lady， are far too scrupulous！ Old lady Chia has also time after time given him wine， and if he now takes a cup or two more here， at his aunt's， lady Hsueeh's house， there's no harm that I can see. Is it perhaps， who knows， that aunt is a stranger in this establishment， and that we have in fact no right to come over here to see her？"
Nurse Li was both vexed and amused by the words she had just heard. "Really，" she observed， "every remark this girl Lin utters is sharper than a razor！ I didn't say anything much！"
Pao Ch'ai too could not suppress a smile， and as she pinched Tai-yue's cheek， she exclaimed， "Oh the tongue of this frowning girl！ one can neither resent what it says， nor yet listen to it with any gratification！"
"Don't be afraid！" Mrs. Hsueeh went on to say， "don't be afraid； my son， you've come to see me， and although I've nothing good to give you， you mustn't， through fright， let the trifle you've taken lie heavy on your stomach， and thus make me uneasy； but just drink at your pleasure， and as much as you like， and let the blame fall on my shoulders. What's more， you can stay to dinner with me， and then go home； or if you do get tipsy， you can sleep with me， that's all."
She thereupon told the servants to heat some more wine. "I'll come，" she continued， "and keep you company while you have two or three cups， after which we'll have something to eat！"
It was only after these assurances that Pao-yue's spirits began at length， once more to revive， and dame Li then directed the waiting-maids what to do. "You remain here，" she enjoined， "and mind， be diligent while I go home and change； when I'll come back again. Don't allow him，" she also whispered to "aunt" Hsueeh， "to have all his own way and drink too much."
