評(píng)論
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After lady Feng had heard these words， her eyes unwillingly got quite red again. "When I'm at leisure I shall， of course，" she rejoined， "come often to see you；" and forthwith leading off the matrons and married women， who had come over with her， as well as the women and matrons of the Ning mansion， she passed through the inner part of the house， and entered， by a circuitous way， the side gate of the park， when she perceived： yellow flowers covering the ground； white willows flanking the slopes； diminutive bridges spanning streams， resembling the Jo Yeh； zigzag pathways （looking as if） they led to the steps of Heaven； limpid springs dripping from among the rocks； flowers hanging from hedges emitting their fragrance， as they were flapped by the winds； red leaves on the tree tops swaying to and fro； groves picture-like， half stripped of foliage； the western breeze coming with sudden gusts， and the wail of the oriole still audible； the warm sun shining with genial rays， and the cicada also adding its chirp： structures， visible to the gaze at a distance in the South-east， soaring high on various sites and resting against the hills； three halls， visible near by on the North-west， stretching in one connected line， on the bank of the stream； strains of music filling the pavilion， imbued with an unwonted subtle charm； and maidens in fine attire penetrating the groves， lending an additional spell to the scene.
Lady Feng， while engaged in contemplating the beauties of the spot， advanced onwards step by step. She was plunged in a state of ecstasy， when suddenly， from the rear of the artificial rockery， eGREssed a person， who approached her and facing her said， "My respects to you， sister-in-law."
Lady Feng was so startled by this unexpected appearance that she drew back. "Isn't this Mr. Jui？" she ventured.
"What！ sister-in-law，" exclaimed Chia Jui， "don't you recognise even me？"
"It isn't that I didn't recognise you，" explained lady Feng， "but at the sudden sight of you， I couldn't conceive that it would possibly be you， sir， in this place！"
"This was in fact bound to be，" replied Chia Jui； "for there's some subtle sympathy between me and you， sister-in-law. Here I just stealthily leave the entertainment， in order to revel for a while in this solitary place when， against every expectation， I come across you， sister-in-law； and isn't this a subtle sympathy？"
As he spoke， he kept his gaze fixed on lady Feng， who being an intelligent person， could not but arrive， at the sight of his manner， at the whole truth in her surmises. "It isn't to be wondered at，" she consequently observed， as she smiled hypocritically， "that your eldest brother should make frequent allusion to your qualities！ for after seeing you on this occasion， and hearing you utter these few remarks， I have readily discovered what an intelligent and genial person you are！ I am just now on my way to join the ladies on the other side， and have no leisure to converse with you； but wait until I've nothing to attend to， when we can meet again."
"I meant to have gone over to your place and paid my respects to you， sister-in-law，" pleaded Chia Jui， "but I was afraid lest a person of tender years like yourself mightn't lightly receive any visitors！"
Lady Feng gave another sardonic smile. "Relatives，" she continued， "of one family， as we are， what need is there to say anything of tender years？"
After Chia Jui had heard these words， he felt his heart swell within him with such secret joy that he was urged to reflect： "I have at length to-day， when least I expected it， obtained this remarkable encounter with her！"
But as the display of his passion became still more repulsive， lady Feng urged him to go. "Be off at once，" she remarked， "and join the entertainment； for mind， if they find you out， they will mulct you in so many glasses of wine！"
By the time this suggestion had reached Chia Jui's ears， half of his body had become stiff like a log of wood； and as he betook himself away， with lothful step， he turned his head round to cast glances at her. Lady Feng purposely slackened her pace； and when she perceived that he had gone a certain distance， she gave way to reflection. "This is indeed，" she thought， "knowing a person， as far as face goes， and not as heart！ Can there be another such a beast as he！ If he really continues to behave in this manner， I shall soon enough compass his death， with my own hands， and he'll then know what stuff I'm made of."
Lady Feng， at this juncture moved onward， and after turning round a chain of hillocks， she caught sight of two or three matrons coming along with all speed. As soon as they espied lady Feng they put on a smile. "Our mistress，" they said， "perceiving that your ladyship was not forthcoming， has been in a GREat state of anxiety， and bade your servants come again to request you to come over.
"Is your mistress，" observed lady Feng， "so like a quick-footed demon？"
