評(píng)論
打印
By a demoniacal art， a junior uncle and an elder brother's wife （Pao-yue and lady Feng） come across five devils. The gem of Spiritual Perception meets， in a fit of torpor， the two perfect men.
Hsiao Hung， the story continues， was much unsettled in her mind. Her thoughts rolled on in one connected string. But suddenly she became drowsy， and falling asleep， she encountered Chia Yuen， who tried to carry out his intention to drag her near him. She twisted herself round， and endeavoured to run away； but was tripped over by the doorstep. This gave her such a start that she woke up. Then， at length， she realised that it was only a dream. But so restlessly did she， in consequence of this fright， keep on rolling and tossing that she could not close her eyes during the whole night. As soon as the light of the next day dawned， she got up. Several waiting-maids came at once to tell her to go and sweep the floor of the rooms， and to bring water to wash the face with. Hsiao Hung did not even wait to arrange her hair or perform her ablutions； but， turning towards the looking-glass， she pinned her chevelure up anyhow； and， rinsing her hands， and， tying a sash round her waist， she repaired directly to sweep the apartments.
Who would have thought it， Pao-yue also had set his heart upon her the moment he caught sight of her the previous day. Yet he feared， in the first place， that if he mentioned her by name and called her over into his service， Hsi Jen and the other girls might feel the pangs of jealousy. He did not， either in the second place， have any idea what her disposition was like. The consequence was that he felt downcast； so much so， that when he got up at an early hour， he did not even comb his hair or wash， but simply remained seated， and brooded in a state of abstraction. After a while， he lowered the window. Through the gauze frame， from which he could distinctly discern what was going on outside， he espied several servant-girls， engaged in sweeping the court. All of them were rouged and powdered； they had flowers inserted in their hair， and were grandly got up. But the only one， of whom he failed to get a glimpse， was the girl he had met the day before.
Pao-yue speedily walked out of the door with slipshod shoes. Under the pretence of admiring the flowers， he glanced， now towards the east； now towards the west. But upon raising his head， he descried， in the southwest corner， some one or other leaning by the side of the railing under the covered passage. A crab-apple tree， however， obstructed the view and he could not see distinctly who it was， so advancing a step further in， he stared with intent gaze. It was， in point of fact， the waiting-maid of the day before， tarrying about plunged in a reverie. His wish was to go forward and meet her， but he did not， on the other hand， see how he could very well do so. Just as he was cogitating within himself， he， of a sudden， perceived Pi Hen come and ask him to go and wash his face. This reminder placed him under the necessity of betaking himself into his room. But we will leave him there， without further details， so as to return to Hsiao Hung.
She was communing with her own thoughts. But unawares perceiving Hsi Jen wave her hand and call her by name， she had to walk up to her.
"Our watering-pot is spoilt，" Hsi Jen smiled and said， "so go to Miss Lin's over there and find one for us to use."
Hsiao Hung hastened on her way towards the Hsiao Hsiang Kuan.
When she got as far as the Ts'ui Yen bridge， she saw， on raising her head and looking round， the mounds and lofty places entirely shut in by screens， and she bethought herself that labourers were that day to plant trees in that particular locality.
At a GREat distance off， a band of men were， in very deed， engaged in digging up the soil， while Chia Yuen was seated on a boulder on the hill， superintending the works. The time came for Hsiao Hung to pass by， but she could not muster the courage to do so. Nevertheless she had no other course than to quietly proceed to the Hsiao Hsiang Kuan. Then getting the watering-pot， she sped on her way back again. But being in low spirits， she retired alone into her room and lay herself down. One and all， however， simply maintained that she was out of sorts， so they did not pay any heed to her.
A day went by. On the morrow fell， in fact， the anniversary of the birth of Wang Tzu-t'eng's spouse， and some one was despatched from his residence to come and invite dowager lady Chia and Madame Wang. Madame Wang found out however that dowager lady Chia would not avail herself of the invitation， and neither would she go. So Mrs. Hsueeh went along with lady Feng， and the three sisters of the Chia family， and Pao-ch'ai and Pao-yue， and only returned home late in the evening.
