評論
打印
"Why is it，" the Chia consort inquired， "that there is no tablet in this Hall？"
the eunuch in waiting fell on his knees. "This is the main Hall，" he reverently replied， "and the officials， outside the palace， did not presume to take upon themselves to suggest any motto."
the Chia consort shook her head and said not a word； whereupon the eunuch， who acted as master of ceremonies， requested Her Majesty to ascend the throne and receive homage. The band stationed on the two flights of steps struck up a tune， while two eunuchs ushered Chia She， Chia Cheng and the other members on to the moonlike stage， where they arranged themselves in order and ascended into the hall， but when the ladies-in-waiting transmitted her commands that the homage could be dispensed with， they at once retraced their footsteps.
（the master of the ceremonies）， in like manner led forward the dowager lady of the Jung Kuo mansion， as well as the female relatives， from the steps on the east side， on to the moon-like stage； where they were placed according to their ranks. But the maids-of-honour again commanded that they should dispense with the ceremony， so they likewise promptly withdrew.
After tea had been thrice presented， the Chia consort descended the Throne， and the music ceased. She retired into a side room to change her costume， and the private chairs were then got ready for her visit to her parents. Issuing from the garden， she came into the main quarters belonging to dowager lady Chia， where she was bent upon observing the domestic conventionalities， when her venerable ladyship， and the other members of the family， prostrated themselves in a body before her， and made her desist. Tears dropped down from the eyes of the Chia consort as （she and her relatives） mutually came forward， and GREeted each other， and as with one hand she grasped old lady Chia， and with the other she held madame Wang， the three had plenty in their hearts which they were fain to speak about； but， unable as each one of them was to give utterance to their feelings， all they did was to sob and to weep， as they kept face to face to each other； while madame Hsing， widow Li Wan， Wang Hsi-feng， and the three sisters： Ying Ch'un， T'an Ch'un， and Hsi Ch'un， stood aside in a body shedding tears and saying not a word.
After a long time， the Chia consort restrained her anguish， and forcing a smile， she set to work to reassure old lady Chia and madame Wang. "Having in days gone by，" she urged， "been sent to that place where no human being can be seen， I have to-day after extreme difficulty returned home； and now that you ladies and I have been reunited， instead of chatting or laughing we contrariwise give way to incessant tears！ But shortly， I shall be gone， and who knows when we shall be able again to even see each other！"
When she came to this sentence， they could not help bursting into another tit of crying； and Madame Hsing hastened to come forward， and to console dowager lady Chia and the rest. But when the Chia consort resumed her seat， and one by one came again， in turn， to exchange salutations， they could not once more help weeping and sobbing for a time.
Next in order， were the managers and servants of the eastern and western mansions to perform their obeisance in the outer pavilion； and after the married women and waiting-maids had concluded their homage， the Chia consort heaved a sigh. "How many relatives，" she observed， "there are all of whom， alas！ I may not see."
"there are here now，" madame Wang rejoined with due respect， "kindred with outside family names， such as Mrs. Hsueeh， nee Wang， Pao-ch'ai， and Tai-yue waiting for your commands； but as they are distant relatives， and without official status， they do not venture to arrogate to themselves the right of entering into your presence." But the Chia consort issued directions that they should be invited to come that they should see each other； and in a short while， Mrs. Hsueeh and the other relatives walked in， but as they were on the point of performing the rites， prescribed by the state， she bade them relinquish the observance so that they came forward， and each， in turn， alluded to what had transpired during the long separation.
Pao Ch'in also and a few other waiting-maids， whom the Chia consort had originally taken along with her into the palace， knocked their heads before dowager lady Chia， but her ladyship lost no time in raising them up， and in bidding them go into a separate suite of rooms to be entertained； and as for the retainers， eunuchs as well as maids-of-honour， ladies-in-waiting and every attendant， there were needless to say， those in the two places， the Ning mansion and Chia She's residence， to wait upon them； there only remained three or four young eunuchs to answer the summons.
the mother and daughter and her cousins conversed for some time on what had happened during the protracted separation， as well as on domestic affairs and their private feelings， when Chia Cheng likewise advanced as far as the other side of the portiere， and inquired after her health， and the Chia consort from inside performed the homage and other conventionalities （due to her parent）。
"the families of farmers，" she further went on to say to her father， "feed on salted cabbage， and clothe in cotton material； but they readily enjoy the happiness of the relationships established by heaven！ We， however， relatives though we now be of one bone and flesh， are， with all our affluence and honours， living apart from each other， and deriving no happiness whatsoever！"
Chia Cheng， on his part endeavoured， to restrain his tears. "I belonged，" he rejoined， "to a rustic and poor family； and among that whole number of pigeons and pheasants， how could I have imagined that I would have obtained the blessing of a hidden phoenix！ Of late all for the sake of your honourable self， His Majesty， above， confers upon us his heavenly benefits； while we， below， show forth the virtue of our ancestors！ And it is mainly because the vital principle of the hills， streams， sun， and moon， and the remote virtue of our ancestors have been implanted in you alone that this good fortune has attained me Cheng and my wife！ Moreover， the present emperor， bearing in mind the GREat bounty shewn by heaven and earth in promoting a ceaseless succession， has vouchsafed a more generous act of grace than has ever been displayed from old days to the present. And although we may besmear our liver and brain in the mire， how could we show our gratitude， even to so slight a degree as one ten-thousandth part. But all I can do is， in the daytime， to practise diligence， vigilance at night， and loyalty in my official duties. My humble wish is that His Majesty， my master， may live ten thousand years and see thousands of autumns， so as to promote the welfare of all mankind in the world！ And you， worthy imperial consort， must， on no account， be mindful of me Cheng and my wife， decrepid as we are in years. What I would solicit more than anything is that you should be more careful of yourself， and that you should be diligent and reverential in your service to His Majesty， with the intent that you may not prove ungrateful of his affectionate regard and bountiful grace."
