評論
打印
Lin Ju-hai dies in the City of Yang Chou. Chia Pao-yue meets the Prince of Pei Ching on the way.
When Lai Sheng， be it noticed in continuing our story， the major-domo in the Ning Kuo mansion， came to hear that from inside an invitation had been extended to lady Feng to act as deputy， he summoned together his co-workers and other servants. "Lady Secunda， of the western mansion，" he harangued them， "has now been asked to take over the control of internal affairs； and should she come we must， when we apply for anything， or have anything to say， be circumspect in our service； we should all every day come early and leave late； and it's better that we should exert ourselves during this one month and take rest after it's over. We mustn't throw away our old 'face，' for she's well known to be an impetuous thing， with a soured face and a hard heart， who， when angry， knows no distinction of persons."
the whole company unanimously admitted that he was right； and one of their number too observed smilingly， "It's but right that for the inner apartments， we should， in fact， get her to come and put things in proper order， as everything is very much what it should not be."
But while he uttered these words， they saw Lai Wang's wife coming， with an indent in hand， to fetch paper for the supplications and prayers， the amount of which was mentioned on the order； and they one and all hastened to press her into a seat， and to help her to a cup of tea； while a servant was told to fetch the quantity of paper required. （When it was brought，） Lai Wang carried it in his arms and came， the whole way with his wife， as far as the ceremonial gate； when he， at length， delivered it over to her and she clasped it， and walked into the room all alone.
Lady Feng issued prompt directions to Ts'ai Ming to prepare a register； and sending， there and then， for Lai Sheng's wife， she asked her to submit， for her perusal， the roll with the servants' names. She furthermore fixed upon an early hour of the following day to convene the domestics and their wives in the mansion， in order that they should receive their orders； but， after cursorily glancing over the number of entries in the list， and making a few inquiries of Lai Sheng's wife， she soon got into her curricle， and went home.
On the next day， at six and two quarters， she speedily came over. The matrons and married women of the Ning Kuo mansion assembled together， as soon as they heard of her arrival； but， perceiving lady Feng， assisted by Lai Sheng's wife， engaged in apportioning the duties of each servant， they could not presume to intrude， but remained outside the window listening to what was going on.
"As I've been asked to take over the charge，" they heard lady Feng explain to Lai Sheng's wife， "I'm， needless to say， sure to incur the displeasure of you all， for I can't compare with your mistress， who has such a sweet temper， and allows you to have your own way. But saying nothing more of those ways， which prevailed hitherto among your people in this mansion， you must now do as I tell you； for on the slightest disregard of my orders， I shall， with no discrimination between those who may be respectable and those who may not be， clearly and distinctly call all alike to account."
Having concluded these remarks， she went on to order Ts'ai Ming to read the roll； and， as their names were uttered， one by one was called in， and passed under inspection. After this inspection， which was got over in a short time， she continued giving further directions. "These twenty，" she said "should be divided into two companies； ten in each company， whose sole daily duties should be to attend inside to the guests， coming and going， and to serve tea for them； while with any other matters， they needn't have anything to do. These other twenty should also be divided into two companies， whose exclusive duties will be， day after day， to look after the tea and eatables of the relatives of our family； and these too will have no business to concern themselves with outside matters. These forty will again be divided into two companies， who will have nothing else to look to than to remain in front of the coffin and offer incense， renew the oil， hang up the streamers， watch the coffin， offer sacrifices of rice， and oblations of tea， and mourn with the mourners； and neither need they mind anything outside these duties. These four servants will be specially attached to the inner tea-rooms to look after cups， saucers and the tea articles generally； and in the event of the loss of any single thing， the four of them will have to make it good between them. These other four servants will have the sole charge of the articles required for eatables and wine； and should any get mislaid compensation will have likewise to be made by them. These eight servants will only have to attend to taking over the sacrificial offerings； while these eight will have nothing more to see to beyond keeping an eye over the lamps， oil， candles and paper wanted everywhere. I'll have a whole supply served out and handed to you eight to by and by apportion to the various places， in quantities which I will determine. These thirty servants are each day， by rotation， to keep watch everywhere during the night， looking after the gates and windows， taking care of the fires and candles， and sweeping the grounds； while the servants， who remain， are to be divided for duty in the houses and rooms， each one having charge of a particular spot. And beginning from the tables， chairs and curios in each place， up to the very cuspidors and brooms， yea even to each blade of grass or sprout of herb， which may be there， the servants looking after this part will be called upon to make good anything that may be either mislaid or damaged. You， Lai Sheng's wife， will every day have to exercise general supervision and inspection； and should there be those who be lazy， any who may gamble， drink， fight or wrangle， come at once and report the matter to me； and you mustn't show any leniency， for if I come to find it out， I shall have no regard to the good old name of three or four generations， which you may enjoy. You now all have your fixed duties， so that whatever batch of you after this acts contrary to these orders， I shall simply have something to say to that batch and to no one else. The servants， who have all along been in my service， carry watches on their persons， and things， whether large or small， are invariably done at a fixed time. But， in any case， you also have clocks in your master's rooms， so that at 6.30， I shall come and read the roll， and at ten you'll have breakfast. Whenever there is any indent of any permits to be made or any report to be submitted， it should be done at 11.30 a.m. and no later. At 7 p.m.， after the evening paper has been burnt， I shall come to each place in person to hold an inspection； and on my return， the servants on watch for the night will hand over the keys. The next day， I shall again come over at 6.30 in the morning； and needless to say we must all do the best we can for these few days； and when the work has been finished your master is sure to recompense you."
