評論
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"What are you in such a funk for？" she laughed. "You're fortunate enough to be able to drink wine daily， and can't you， forsooth， even come up to me？ Yet I mean to recite， by and bye， my own share. If you say what's right， well and good； if you don't， you will simply have to swallow several cups of wine as a forfeit， and is it likely you'll die from drunkenness？ Are you， pray， going now to disregard this rule and to drink， instead， ten large cups； besides going down to pour the wine？"
One and all clapped in applause. "Well said！" they shouted.
After this， Hueeh P'an had no way out of it and felt compelled to resume his seat.
they then heard Pao-yue recite：
A girl is sad， When her spring-time of life is far advanced and she still occupies a vacant inner-room. A girl feels wounded in her heart， When she reGREts having allowed her better half to go abroad and win a marquisdom. A girl is glad， When looking in the mirror， at the time of her morning toilette， she finds her colour fair. A girl is joyful， What time she sits on the frame of a gallows-swing， clad in a thin spring gown.
Having listened to him， "Capital！" one and all cried out in a chorus. Hsueeh P'an alone raised his face， shook his head and remarked： "It isn't good， he must be fined."
"Why should he be fined？" demurred the party.
"Because，" retorted Hsueeh P'an， "what he says is entirely unintelligible to me. So how can he not be fined？"
Yuen Erh gave him a pinch.——"Just you quietly think of yours，" she laughed； "for if by and bye you are not ready you'll also have to bear a fine."
In due course Pao-yue took up the guitar. He was heard to sing：
"When mutual thoughts arise， tears， blood-stained， endless drop， like lentiles sown broadcast. In spring， in ceaseless bloom nourish willows and flowers around the painted tower. Inside the gauze-lattice peaceful sleep flies， when， after dark， come wind and rain. Both new-born sorrows and long-standing griefs cannot from memory ever die！ E'en jade-fine rice， and gold-like drinks they make hard to go down； they choke the throat. The lass has not the heart to desist gazing in the glass at her wan face. Nothing can from that knitted brow of hers those frowns dispel； For hard she finds it patient to abide till the clepsydra will have run its course. Alas！ how fitly like the faint outline of a GREen hill which nought can screen； Or like a green-tinged stream， which ever ceaseless floweth onward far and wide！"
When the song drew to an end， his companions with one voice cried out： "Excellent！"
Hsueeh P'an was the only one to find fault. "There's no metre in them，" he said.
Pao-yue quaffed the "opening cup，" then seizing a pear， he added：
"While the rain strikes the pear-blossom I firmly close the door，"
and thus accomplished the requirements of the rule.
Feng Tzu-ying's turn came next.
"A maid is glad."
he commenced：
When at her first confinement she gives birth to twins， both sons. A maid is joyful， When on the sly she to the garden creeps crickets to catch. A maid is sad， When her husband some sickness gets and lies in a bad state. A maiden is wounded at heart， When a fierce wind blows down the tower， where she makes her toilette.
Concluding this recitation， he raised the cup and sang：
"Thou art what one could aptly call a man. But thou'rt endowed with somewhat too much heart！ How queer thou art， cross-grained and impish shrewd！ A spirit too， thou couldst not be more shrewd. If all I say thou dost not think is true， In secret just a minute search pursue； For then thou'lt know if I love thee or not."
His song over， he drank the "opening cup" and then observed：
"the cock crows when the moon's rays shine upon the thatched inn."
After his observance of the rule followed Yuen Erh's turn.
A girl is sad，
Yuen Erh began，
When she tries to divine on whom she will depend towards the end of life.
"My dear child！" laughingly exclaimed Hsueeh P'an， "your worthy Mr. Hsueeh still lives， and why do you give way to fears？"
"Don't confuse her！" remonstrated every one of the party， "don't muddle her！"
"A maiden is wounded at heart."
Yuen Erh proceeded：
"When her mother beats and scolds her and never for an instant doth desist."
"It was only the other day，" interposed Hsueeh P'an， "that I saw your mother and that I told her that I would not have her beat you."
"If you still go on babbling，" put in the company with one consent， "you'll be fined ten cups."
Hsueeh P'an promptly administered himself a slap on the mouth. "How you lack the faculty of hearing！" he exclaimed. "You are not to say a word more！"
"A girl is glad，"
Yuen Erh then resumed：
When her lover cannot brook to leave her and return home. A maiden is joyful， When hushing the pan-pipe and double pipe， a stringed instrument she thrums.
At the end of her effusion， she at once began to sing：
"T'is the third day of the third moon， the nutmegs bloom； A maggot， lo， works hard to pierce into a flower； But though it ceaseless bores it cannot penetrate. So crouching on the buds， it swing-like rocks itself. My precious pet， my own dear little darling， If I don't choose to open how can you steal in？"
Finishing her song， she drank the "opening cup，" after which she added： "the delicate peach-blossom，" and thus complied with the exigencies of the rule.
Next came Hsueeh P'an. "Is it for me to speak now？" Hsueeh P'an asked.
