第二十四回

第二十四回 醉金刚轻财尚义侠 痴女儿遗帕惹相思

话说林黛玉正自情思萦逗、缠绵固结之时，忽有人从背后击了他一掌，说道：“你作什么一个人在这里？”林黛玉倒唬了一跳，回头看时，不是别人，却是香菱。林黛玉道：“你这个傻丫头，唬我一跳。你这会子打那里来？”香菱嘻嘻的笑道：“我来寻我们的姑娘的，找他总找不着。你们紫鹃也找你呢，说琏二奶奶送了什么茶叶来给你的。走罢，回家去坐着。”一面说着，一面拉着黛玉的手回潇湘馆来了。果然凤姐儿送了两小瓶上用新茶来。林黛玉和香菱坐了。况他们有甚正事谈讲，不过说些这一个绣的好，那一个刺的精，又下一回棋，看两句书，香菱便走了。不在话下。

如今且说宝玉因被袭人找回房去，果见鸳鸯歪在床上看袭人的针线呢，见宝玉来了，便说道：“你往那里去了？老太太等着你呢，叫你过那边请大老爷的安去。还不快换了衣服走呢。”袭人便进房去取衣服。宝玉坐在床沿上，褪了鞋等靴子穿的工夫，回头见鸳鸯穿着水红绫子袄儿，青缎子背心，束着白绉绸汗巾儿，脸向那边低着头看针线，脖子上戴着花领子[1]。宝玉便把脸凑在他脖项上，闻那香油气，不住用手摩挲，其白腻不在袭人之下，便猴上身去涎皮笑道：“好姐姐，把你嘴上的胭脂赏我吃了罢。”一面说着，一面扭股糖似的粘在身上。鸳鸯便叫道：“袭人，你出来瞧瞧。你跟他一辈子，也不劝劝，还是这么着。”袭人抱了衣服出来，向宝玉道：“左劝也不改，右劝也不改，你到底是怎么样？你再这么着，这个地方可就难住了。”一边说，一边催他穿了衣服，同鸳鸯往前面来见贾母。

见过贾母，出至外面，人马俱已齐备。刚欲上马，只见贾琏请安回来了，正下马，二人对面，彼此问了两句话。只见旁边转出一个人来，“请宝叔安。”宝玉看时，只见这人容长脸，长挑身材，年纪只好十八九岁，生得着实斯文清秀，倒也十分面善，只是想不起是那一房的，叫什么名字。贾琏笑道：“你怎么发呆，连他也不认得？他是后廊上[2]住的五嫂子的儿子芸儿。”宝玉笑道：“是了，是了，我怎么就忘了。”因问他母亲好，这会子什么勾当。贾芸指贾琏道：“找二叔说句话。”宝玉笑道：“你倒比先越发出挑了，倒像我的儿子。”贾琏笑道：“好不害臊！人家比你大四五岁呢，就替你作儿子了？”宝玉笑道：“你今年十几岁了？”贾芸道：“十八岁。”

原来这贾芸最伶俐乖觉，听宝玉这样说，便笑道：“俗语说的，‘摇车里的爷爷，拄拐的孙孙’。虽然岁数大，山高高不过太阳。只从我父亲没了，这几年也无人照管教导。如若宝叔不嫌侄儿蠢笨，认作儿子，就是我的造化了。”贾琏笑道：“你听见了？认儿子不是好开交的呢。”说着就进去了。宝玉笑道：“明儿你闲了，只管来找我，别和他们鬼鬼祟祟的。这会子我不得闲儿。明儿你到书房里来，和你说天话儿，我带你园里玩耍去。”说着扳鞍上马，众小厮围随往贾赦这边来。

见了贾赦，不过是偶感些风寒，先述了贾母问的话，然后自己请了安。贾赦先站起来回了贾母话，次后便唤人来：“带哥儿去太太屋里坐着。”宝玉退出，来至后面，进入上房。邢夫人见了他来，先倒站了起来，请过贾母安，宝玉方请安。邢夫人拉他上炕坐了，方问别人好，又命人倒茶来。一钟茶未吃完，只见那贾琮〔一〕来问宝玉好。邢夫人道：“那里找活猴儿去！你那奶妈子死绝了，也不收拾收拾你，弄的黑眉乌嘴的，那里像大家子念书的孩子！”

正说着，只见贾环、贾兰小叔侄两个也来了，请过安，邢夫人便叫他两个椅子上坐了。贾环见宝玉同邢夫人坐在一个坐褥上，邢夫人又百般摩挲抚弄他，早已心中不自在了，坐不多时，便和贾兰使眼色儿要走。贾兰只得依他，一同起身告辞。宝玉见他们要走，自己也就起身，要一同回去。邢夫人笑道：“你且坐着，我还和你说话呢。”宝玉只得坐了。邢夫人向他两个道：“你们回去，各人替我问你们各人的母亲好。你们姑娘、姐姐、妹妹都在这里呢，闹的我头晕，今儿不留你们吃饭了。”贾环等答应着，便出来回家去了。

宝玉笑道：“可是姐姐们都过来了，怎么不见？”邢夫人道：“他们坐了一会子，都往后头不知那屋里去了。”宝玉道：“大娘方才说有话说，不知是什么话？”邢夫人笑道：“那里有什么话，不过是叫你等着，同你姊妹们吃了饭去。还有一个好玩的东西给你带回去玩。”娘儿两个说话，不觉早又晚饭时节。调开桌椅，罗列杯盘，母女姊妹们吃毕了饭。宝玉去辞贾赦，同姊妹们一同回家，见过贾母、王夫人等，各自回房安息。不在话下。

且说贾芸进去见了贾琏，因打听可有什么事情。贾琏告诉他：“前儿倒有一件事情出来，偏生你婶子再三求了我，给了贾芹了。他许了我，说明儿园里还有几处要栽花木的地方，等这个工程出来，一定给你就是了。”贾芸听了，半晌说道：“既是这样，我就等着罢。叔叔也不必先在婶子跟前提我今儿来打听的话，到跟前再说也不迟。”贾琏道：“提他作什么，我那里有这些工夫说闲话儿呢。明儿一个五更，还要到兴邑去走一趟，须得当日赶回来才好。你先去等着，后日起更以后你来讨信儿，来早了我不得闲。”说着便回后面换衣服去了。

贾芸出了荣国府回家，一路思量，想出一个主意来，便一径往他母舅卜世仁家来。原来卜世仁现开香料铺，方才从铺子里来，忽见贾芸进来，彼此见过了，因问他这早晚什么事跑了来。贾芸道：“有件事求舅舅帮衬[4]帮衬。我有一件事，用些冰片麝香使用，好歹舅舅每样赊四两给我，八月里按数送了银子来。”卜世仁冷笑道：“再休提赊欠一事。前儿也是我们铺子里一个伙计，替他的亲戚赊了几两银子的货，至今总未还上。因此我们大家赔上，立了合同，再不许替亲友赊欠。谁要赊欠，就要罚他二十两银子的东道。况且如今这个货也短，你就拿现银子到我们这不三不四的铺子里来买，也还没有这些，只好倒扁儿〔二〕[6]去。这是一。二则你那里有正经事，不过赊了去又是胡闹。你只说舅舅见你一遭儿就派你一遭儿不是。你小人儿家很不知好歹，也到底立个主见，赚几个钱，弄得穿是穿吃〔三〕是吃的，我看着也喜欢。”

贾芸笑道：“舅舅说的倒干净。我父亲没的时候，我年纪又小，不知事。后来听见我母亲说，都还亏舅舅们在我们家出主意，料理的丧事。难道舅舅就不知道的，还是有一亩地两间房子，如今在我手里花了不成？巧媳妇做不出没米的粥来，叫我怎么样呢？还亏是我呢，要是别个，死皮赖脸三日两头儿来缠着舅舅，要三升米二升豆子的，舅舅也就没有法呢。”

卜世仁道：“我的儿，舅舅要有，还不是该的。我天天和你舅母说，只愁你没算计儿。你但凡立的起来，到你大房里，就是他们爷儿们见不着，便下个气，和他们的管家或者管事的人们嬉和嬉和[8]，也弄个事儿管管。前日我出城去，撞见了你们三房里的老四，骑着大叫驴，带着五辆车，有四五十和尚道士，往家庙去了。他那不亏能干的，就有这样的好事儿到他手里〔四〕了！”贾芸听他韶刀[10]的不堪，便起身告辞。卜世仁道：“怎么急的这样，吃了饭再去罢。”一句未完，只见他娘子说道：“你又糊涂了。说着没有米，这里买了半斤面来下给你吃，这会子还装胖呢。留下外甥挨饿不成？”卜世仁说：“再买半斤来添上就是了。”他娘子便叫女孩儿：“银姐，往对门王奶奶家去问，有钱借二三十个，明儿就送过来。”夫妻两个说话，那贾芸早说了几个“不用费事”，去的无影无踪了。

不言卜家夫妇，且说贾芸赌气离了母舅家门，一径回归旧路，心下正自烦恼，一边想，一边低头只管走，不想一头就碰在一个醉汉身上，把贾芸唬了一跳。听那醉汉骂道：“臊你娘的！瞎了眼睛，碰起我来了。”贾芸忙要躲身，早被那醉汉一把抓住，对面一看，不是别人，却是紧邻倪二。原来这倪二是个泼皮，专放重利债，在赌博场吃闲钱，专管打降[11]吃酒。如今正从欠钱人家索了利钱，吃醉回来，不想被贾芸碰了一头，正没好气，抡拳就要打。只听那人叫道：“老二住手！是我冲撞了你。”倪二听见是熟人的语音，将醉眼睁开看时，见是贾芸，忙把手松了，趔趄[12]着笑道：“原来是贾二爷，我该死，我该死。这会子往那里去？”贾芸道：“告诉不得你，平白的又讨了个没趣儿。”倪二道：“不妨不妨，有什么不平的事，告诉我，替你出气。这三街六巷，凭他是谁，有人得罪了我醉金刚倪二的街坊，管叫他人离家散！”

贾芸道：“老二，你且别气，听我告诉你这原故。”说着，便把卜世仁一段事告诉了倪二。倪二听了大怒，“要不是令舅，我便骂不出好话来，真真气死我倪二。也罢，你也不用愁烦，我这里现有几两银子，你若用什么，只管拿去买办。但只一件，你我作了这些年的街坊，我在外头有名放帐，你却从没有和我张过口。也不知你厌恶我是个泼皮，怕低了你的身分；也不知是你怕我难缠，利钱重？若说怕利钱重，这银子我是不要利钱的，也不用写文约；若说怕低了你的身分，我就不敢借给你了，各自走开。”一面说，一面果然从搭包[13]里掏出一卷银子来。

贾芸心下自思：“素日倪二虽然是泼皮无赖，却因人而使，颇颇的有义侠之名。若今日不领他这情，怕他臊了，倒恐生事。不如借了他的，改日加倍还他也倒罢了。”想毕笑道：“老二，你果然是个好汉，我何曾不想着你，和你张口。但只是我见你所相与交结的，都是些有胆量的有作为的人，似我们这等无能无为的你倒不理。我若和你张口，你岂肯借给我。今日既蒙高情，我怎敢不领，回家按例写了文约过来便是了。”倪二大笑道：“好会说话的人。我却听不上这话。既说‘相与交结’四个字，如何放帐给他，使他的利钱！既把银子借与他，图他的利钱，便不是相与交结了。闲话也不必讲。既肯青目，这是十五两三钱有零的银子，便拿去治买东西。你要写什么文契，趁早把银子还我，让我放给那些有指望的人使去。”贾芸听了，一面接了银子，一面笑道：“我便不写罢了，有何着急的。”倪二笑道：“这不是话。天气黑了，也不让茶让酒，我还到那边有点事情去，你竟请回去。我还求你带个信儿与舍下，叫他们早些关门睡罢，我不回家去了；倘或有要紧事儿〔五〕，叫我们女儿明儿一早到马贩子王短腿家来找我。”一面说，一面趔趄着脚儿去了，不在话下。

且说贾芸偶然碰了这件事，心中也十分罕希，想那倪二倒果然有些意思，只是还怕他一时醉中慷慨，到明日加倍的要起来，便怎处，心内犹豫不决。忽又想道：“不妨，等那件事成了，也可加倍还他。”想毕，一直走到个钱铺里，将那银子称一称，十五两三钱四分二厘。贾芸见倪二不撒谎，心下越发欢喜，收了银子，来至家门，先到隔壁将倪二的信捎了与他娘子知道，方回家来。见他母亲自在炕上拈线，见他进来，便问那去了一日。贾芸恐他母亲生气，便不说起卜世仁的事来，只说在西府里等琏二叔的，问他母亲吃了饭不曾。他母亲已吃过了，说留的饭在那里。小丫头子拿过来与他吃。

那天已是掌灯时候，贾芸吃了饭收拾歇息，一宿无话。次日一早起来，洗了脸，便出南门，大香铺里买了冰麝，便往荣国府来。打听贾琏出了门，贾芸便往后面来。到贾琏院门前，只见几个小厮拿着大高笤帚在那里扫院子呢。忽见周瑞家的从门里出来叫小厮们：“先别扫，奶奶出来了。”贾芸忙上前笑问：“二婶婶那去？”周瑞家的道：“老太太叫，想必是裁什么尺头。”

正说着，只见一群人簇着凤姐出来了。贾芸深知凤姐是喜奉承尚排场的，忙把手逼着[15]，恭恭敬敬抢上来请安。凤姐连正眼也不看，仍往前走着，只问他母亲好，“怎么不来我们这里逛逛？”贾芸道：“只是身上不大好，倒时常记挂着婶子，要来瞧瞧，又不能来。”凤姐笑道：“可是会撒谎，不是我提起他来，你就不说他想我了。”贾芸笑道：“侄儿不怕雷打了，就敢在长辈前撒谎。昨儿晚上还提起婶子来，说婶子身子生的单弱，事情又多，亏婶子好大精神，竟料理的周周全全；要是差一点儿的，早累的不知怎么样呢。”

凤姐听了满脸是笑，不由的便止了步，问道：“怎么好好的你娘儿们在背地里嚼起我来？”贾芸道：“有个原故，只因我有个朋友，家里有几个钱，现开香铺。只因他身上捐着个通判[16]，前儿选了云南不知那一处，连家眷一齐去，把这香铺也不在这里开了。便把帐物攒了一攒[17]，该给人的给人，该贱发的贱发了，像这细贵的货，都分着送与亲朋。他就一共送了我些冰片、麝香。我就和我母亲商量，若要转卖，不但卖不出原价来，而且谁家拿这些银子买这个作什么，便是很有钱的大家子，也不过使个几分几钱就挺折腰[18]了；若说送人，也没个人配使这些，倒叫他一文不值半文转卖了。因此我就想起婶子来。往年间我还见婶子大包的银子买这些东西呢，别说今年贵妃宫中，就是这个端阳节下，不用说这些香料自然是比往常加上十倍去的。因此想来想去，只孝顺婶子一个人才合式，方不算遭塌这东西。”一边说，一边将一个锦匣举起来。

凤姐正是要办端阳的节礼，采买香料药饵的时节，忽见贾芸如此一来，听这一篇话，心下又是得意又是欢喜，便命丰儿：“接过芸哥儿的来，送了家去，交给平儿。”因又说道：“看着你这样倒很知好歹，怪道你叔叔常提你，说你说话儿也明白，心里有见识。”贾芸听这话入了港，便打进一步来，故意问道：“原来叔叔也曾提我的？”凤姐见问，才要告诉他与他管事情的那话，便忙又止住，心下想道：“我如今要告诉他那话，倒叫他看着我见不得东西似的，为得了这点子香，就混许他管事了。今儿先别提起这事。”想毕，便把派他监种花木工程的事都隐瞒的一字不提，随口说了两句淡话〔六〕，便往贾母那里去了。贾芸也不好提的，只得回来。

因昨日见了宝玉，叫他到外书房等着，贾芸吃了饭便又进来，到贾母那边仪门外绮霰斋书房里来。只见焙茗〔七〕、锄药两个小厮下象棋，为夺“车”正拌嘴；还有引泉、扫花、挑云、伴鹤四五个，又在房檐上掏小雀儿玩。贾芸进入院内，把脚一跺，说道：“猴头们淘气，我来了。”众小厮看见贾芸进来，都才散了。贾芸进入房内，便坐在椅子上问：“宝二爷没下来？”焙茗道：“今儿总没下来。二爷说什么，我替你哨探哨探去。”说着，便出去了。

这里贾芸便看字画古玩，有一顿饭工夫还不见来，再看看别的小厮，都顽去了。正是烦闷，只听门前娇声嫩语的叫了一声“哥哥”。贾芸往外瞧时，看是一个十六七岁的丫头，生的倒也细巧干净。那丫头见了贾芸，便抽身躲了过去。恰值焙茗走来，见那丫头在门前，便说道：“好，好，正抓不着个信儿。”贾芸见了焙茗，也就赶了出来，问怎么样。焙茗道：“等了这一日，也没个人儿过来。这就是宝二爷房里的。好姑娘，你进去带个信儿，就说廊上的二爷来了。”

那丫头听说，方知是本家的爷们，便不似先前那等回避，下死眼把贾芸钉了两眼。听那贾芸说道：“什么是廊上廊下的，你只说是芸儿就是了。”半晌，那丫头冷笑了一笑：“依我说，二爷竟请回家去，有什么话明儿再来。今儿晚上得空儿我回了他。”焙茗道：“这是怎么说？”那丫头道：“他今儿也没睡中觉，自然吃的晚饭早。晚上他又不下来。难道只是耍的二爷在这里等着挨饿不成！不如家去，明儿来是正经。便是回来有人带信，那都是不中用的。他不过口里应着，他倒给带呢！”贾芸听这丫头说话简便俏丽，待要问他的名字，因是宝玉房里的，又不便问，只得说道：“这话倒是，我明儿再来。”说着便往外走。焙茗道：“我倒茶去，二爷吃了茶再去。”贾芸一面走，一面回头说：“不吃茶，我还有事呢。”口里说话，眼睛瞧那丫头还站在那里呢。

那贾芸一径回家。至次日来至大门前，可巧遇见凤姐往那边去请安，才上了车，见贾芸来，便命人唤住，隔窗子笑道：“芸儿，你竟有胆子在我的跟前弄鬼。怪道你送东西给我，原来你有事求我。昨儿你叔叔才告诉我说你求他。”贾芸笑道：“求叔叔这事，婶子休提，我昨儿正后悔呢。早知这样，我竟一起头求婶子，这会子也早完了。谁承望叔叔竟不能的。”凤姐笑道：“怪道你那里没成儿[21]，昨儿又来寻我。”贾芸道：“婶子辜负了我的孝心，我并没有这个意思。若有这个意思，昨儿还不求婶子。如今婶子既知道了，我倒要把叔叔丢下，少不得求婶子好歹疼我一点儿。”

凤姐冷笑道：“你们要拣远路儿走，叫我也难说。早告诉我一声儿，有什么不成的，多大点子事，耽误到这会子。那园子里还要种树〔八〕种花，我只想不出一个人来，你早来不早完了。”贾芸笑道：“既这样，婶子明儿就派我罢。”凤姐半晌道：“这个我看着不大好。等明年正月里烟火灯烛那个大宗儿下来，再派你罢。”贾芸道：“好婶子，先把这个派了我罢。果然这个办的好，再派我那个。”凤姐笑道：“你倒会拉长线儿。罢了，要不是你叔叔说，我不管你的事。我也不过吃了饭就过来，你到午错的时候来领银子，后儿就进去种树。”说毕，令人驾起香车，一径去了。

贾芸喜不自禁，来至绮霰斋打听宝玉，谁知宝玉一早便往北静王府里去了。贾芸便呆呆的坐到晌午，打听凤姐回来，便写个领票来领对牌。至院外，命人通报了，彩明走了出来，单要了领票进去，批了银数年月，一并连对牌交与了贾芸。贾芸接了，看那批上银数批了二百两，心中喜不自禁，翻身走到银库上，交与收牌票的，领了银子。回家告诉母亲，自是母子俱各欢喜。次日一过五鼓，贾芸先找了倪二，将前银按数还他。那倪二见贾芸有了银子，他便按数收回，不在话下。这里贾芸又拿了五十两，出西门找到花儿匠方椿家里去买树，不在话下。

如今且说宝玉，自那日见了贾芸，曾说明日着他进来说话儿。如此说了之后，他原是富贵公子的口角，那里还把这个放在心上，因而便忘怀了。这日晚上，从北静王府里回来，见过贾母、王夫人等，回至园内，换了衣服，正要洗澡。袭人因被薛宝钗烦了去打结子[23]；秋纹、碧痕两个去催水；檀云又因他母亲的生日接了出去；麝月又现在家中养病；虽还有几个作粗活听唤的丫头，估着叫不着他们，都出去寻伙觅伴的玩去了。不想这一刻的工夫，只剩了宝玉在房内。偏生的宝玉要吃茶，一连叫了两三声，方见两三个老嬷嬷走进来。宝玉见了他们，连忙摇手儿说：“罢，罢，不用你们了。”老婆子们只得退出。

宝玉见没丫头们，只得自己下来，拿了碗向茶壶去倒茶。只听背后说道：“二爷仔细烫了手，让我们来倒。”一面说，一面走上来，早接了碗过去。宝玉倒唬了一跳，问：“你在那里的？忽然来了，唬我一跳。”那丫头一面递茶，一面回说：“我在后院子里，才从里间的后门进来，难道二爷就没听见脚步响？”宝玉一面吃茶，一面仔细打量那丫头：穿着几件半新不旧的衣裳，倒是一头黑鬒鬒[24]的头发，挽着个，容长脸面，细巧身材，却十分俏丽干净。

宝玉看了，便笑问道：“你也是我这屋里的人么？”那丫头道：“是的。”宝玉道：“既是这屋里的，我怎么不认得？”那丫头听说，便冷笑了一声道：“认不得的也多，岂只我一个。从来我又不递茶递水，拿东拿西，眼见的事一点儿不作，那里认得呢。”宝玉道：“你为什么不作那眼见的事？”那丫头道：“这话我也难说。只是有一句话回二爷：昨儿有个什么芸儿来找二爷。我想二爷不得空儿，便叫焙茗回他，叫他今日早起来，不想二爷又往北府里去了。”

刚说到这句话，只见秋纹、碧痕嘻嘻哈哈的说笑着进来，两个人共提着一桶水，一手撩着衣裳，趔趔趄趄，泼泼撒撒的。那丫头便忙迎去接。那秋纹、碧痕正对着抱怨，“你湿了我的裙子”，那个又说“你踹了我的鞋”。忽见走出一个人来接水，二人看时，不是别人，原来是小红。二人便都诧异，将水放下，忙进房来东瞧西望，并没个别人，只有宝玉，便心中大不自在。只得预备下洗澡之物，待宝玉脱了衣裳，二人便带上门出来，走到那边房内便找小红，问他方才在屋里说什么。小红道：“我何曾在屋里的？只因我的手帕子不见了，往后头找手帕子去。不想二爷要茶吃，叫姐姐们一个没有，是我进去了，才倒了茶，姐姐们便来了。”

秋纹听了，兜脸啐了一口，骂道：“没脸的下流东西！正经叫你催水去，你说有事，倒叫我们去，你可等着做这个巧宗儿。一里一里的，这不上来了。难道我们倒跟不上你了？你也拿镜子照照，配递茶递水不配！”碧痕道：“明儿我说给他们，凡要茶要水送东送西的事，咱们都别动，只叫他去便是了。”秋纹道：“这么说，不如我们散了，单让他在这屋里呢。”二人你一句，我一句，正闹着，只见有个老嬷嬷进来传凤姐的话说：“明日有人带花儿匠来种树，叫你们严紧些，衣服裙子别混晒混晾的。那土山上一溜都拦着帏幙呢，可别混跑。”秋纹便问：“明儿不知是谁带进匠人来监工？”那婆子道：“说什么后廊上的芸哥儿。”秋纹、碧痕听了都不知道，只管混问别的话。那小红听见了，心内却明白，就知是昨儿外书房所见那人了。

原来这小红本姓林，小名红玉，只因“玉”字犯了林黛玉、宝玉，便都把这个字隐起来，便都叫他“小红”。原是荣国府中世代的旧仆，他父母现在收管各处房田事务。这红玉年方十六岁，因分人在大观园的时节，把他便分在怡红院中，倒也清幽雅静。不想后来命人进来居住，偏生这一所儿又被宝玉占了。这红玉虽然是个不谙事的丫头，却因他原有三分容貌，心内着实妄想痴心的向上攀高，每每的要在宝玉面前现弄现弄。只是宝玉身边一干人，都是伶牙俐爪的，那里插的下手去。不想今儿才有些消息，又遭秋纹等一场恶意，心内早灰了一半。正闷闷的，忽然听见老嬷嬷说起贾芸来，不觉心中一动，便闷闷的回至房中，睡在床上暗暗盘算，翻来掉去，正没个抓寻。忽听窗外低低的叫道：“红玉，你的手帕子我拾在这里呢。”红玉听了忙走出来看，不是别人，正是贾芸。红玉不觉的粉面含羞，问道：“二爷在那里拾着的？”贾芸笑道：“你过来，我告诉你。”一面说，一面就上来拉他。那红玉急回身一跑，却被门槛绊倒。要知端的，下回分解。

[1] 领子——亦称领衣、眉子，即俗所谓“假领”。清代衣、领分用。

[2] 后廊上——这里不是指房屋的后廊，是指贾府附近的某一居处。如说“西廊下”，也是指某一居处而言。

〔一〕 “贾琮”，“琮”原作“综”，从各本改。

[4] 帮衬——意为帮助。

〔二〕 “倒扁儿”，原作“倒辨儿”，从梦稿、甲辰本改。

[6] 倒扁儿——即倒揣。这里指无货可卖，须到别家铺子去套购货物来应付门面。

〔三〕 “你小人儿家很不知好歹，也到底立个主见，赚几个钱，弄得穿是穿吃”二十七字，底本脱漏，各本均有，文字略异，今从梦稿、郑藏本增补。

[8] 嬉和嬉和——即“递嬉（嘻）和”，主动亲近、讨好之意。

〔四〕 “的，就有这样的好事儿到他手里”，底本原作“的事到他了”，旁添“这”、“就”二字后成“的这事就到他了”。据俄藏本改。

[10] 韶刀——较“唠叨”稍重，不仅语言噜，而且分寸失当。

[11] 打降——即打架。清代郝懿行《证俗文》：“俗谓手械斗为打降。降，下也，打之使降服也。……或读为打架，盖降声之转也。”一说即为“打杠”。赌场开局，下注后，某一局外人将局中某一方押的注提走，意为吃赔都归他负责，谓之“打降（ɡànɡ杠）”。能在赌场打降者，一般都有一定的势力。

[12] 趔趄（liè　qie列切）——即踉跄。脚步歪斜不稳。

[13] 搭包——也作搭膊。有两种：一种是长条形，两端有口袋，搭在肩上，前后盛放钱物。一种是用长条布捆叠成腰带状，扎在腰间，也可裹系钱物。

〔五〕 “叫他们早些关门睡罢，我不回家去了；倘或有要紧事儿”二十二字，原缺，各本均有，文字略异，今从梦稿本补。

[15] 把手逼着——逼：读闭（bì）。逼着：即并着。两臂下垂，两手紧贴身体的两侧，以示敬畏的样子。

[16] 通判——明、清时为协助知府处理政务的官。

[17] 攒了一攒——攒：凑聚。这里指把现有的家财凑一凑。

[18] 挺折腰——这里是到顶的意思。

〔六〕 “两句淡话”，原作“两句没要紧的话”，“要紧的”三字为旁添。戚序本作“两句闲话”。从舒序本改。

〔七〕 “焙茗”，即宝玉的小厮“茗烟”。底本自本回至三十四回，均改称“焙茗”，第三十九回以后，又用“茗烟”。对于改名的原因，书中并无交待。今保存底本原貌备考。

[21] 没成儿——即没指望。

〔八〕 “种树”，底本无。据杨藏、俄藏本补。

[23] 结子——用丝绳或绦带编结成各种花样，用以系挂珠玉等饰物，下有长穗。

[24] 黑鬒（zhěn诊）鬒——这里形容头发乌黑稠密。鬒：黑发。

CHAPTER 24. The Drunken Diamond shows nobility of character in handling his money And the Quiet-voiced Girl provides material for fantasy by losing her handkerchief

As Dai-yu continued to crouch there, a prisoner of her own sorrowful thoughts and emotions, someone suddenly came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder:

‘What are you doing here all on your own?’

She looked round with a start. It was Caltrop.

‘You silly girl!’ said Dai-yu. ‘You gave me quite a shock, creeping up on me like that. Where have you just come from?’

Caltrop laughed mischievously:

‘I’ve been looking for our young lady, but I can’t find her anywhere. Your Nightingale is looking for you too, by the way. She says Mrs Lian has sent you – I think it’s some kind of tea. Shall I go with you?’

She took her by the hand and accompanied her back to the Naiad’s House. The present from Xi-feng she had mentioned was waiting there when they arrived: two little cylindrical containers of a new tea supplied to the Palace for the Emperor’s own use. The two girls sat down and discussed the relative merits of various pieces of embroidery, played a little Go, and looked at one or two books. Then Caltrop went off again.

Our narrative leaves them at this point and passes to other matters.

Recalled to his own apartment by Aroma, Bao-yu arrived back to find his grandmother’s maid Faithful reclining on the couch examining Aroma’s needlework.

‘Where have you been?’ she said, as soon as she saw him enter. ‘Her Old Ladyship is waiting for you. She wants you to go next door to see how your Uncle She is getting on. You’d better hurry up and get changed!’

Aroma went into the next room to get his clothes. Bao-yu sat on the edge of the couch and kicked his shoes off. While he was waiting for his boots to come, he turned and scrutinized Faithful. She was wearing a pale strawberry-coloured dress of silk damask, a sleeveless black satin jacket, stockings of eggshell blue, and dark-red embroidered slippers. Her neck, which was towards him as she bent down once more to inspect the needlework, was encircled at its base by a reddish-purple silk scarf. A fascinating neck. He bent down over it to sniff its perfume and stroked it softly with his hand. It was as smooth and white as Aroma’s. With an impish chuckle he threw himself upon her and clung like sticky toffee about her person:

‘Come on, Faithful darling, give us a taste of your lipstick!’

Faithful called out to Aroma in the next room:

‘Aroma, come in and look at this! All the years you’ve been with him now – haven’t you managed to cure him yet?’

Aroma came in with her arms full of clothes.

‘I don’t know what’s the matter with you,’ she said to Bao-yu. ‘Heaven knows, I’ve tried hard enough to cure you! If you go on much longer like this, you’re just going to make it impossible to go on living here any longer.’

She hurried him on with his dressing. When he was ready, he accompanied Faithful to the front apartment to see Grandmother Jia. Going outside again, he found horse and servants ready waiting and was about to get into the saddle, when he noticed Jia Lian dismounting opposite, having just returned from his visit. The two cousins went up to each other and exchanged a few words. Just at that moment a figure emerged from the side of the courtyard and greeted Bao-yu:

‘Uncle Bao! How are you?’

Bao-yu turned. It was a tall, thin youth of eighteen or nineteen who had spoken, with a thin, handsome face and an air of great natural refinement. Although his face was familiar, Bao-yu could not for the moment remember his name or which part of the clan he belonged to.

‘You look very puzzled!’ said Jia Lian amusedly. ‘Surely you know who this is? This is Jia Yun – Cousin Bu-shi’s boy, who lives in West Lane.’

‘Yes, of course,’ said Bao-yu. ‘I can’t think what made me forget! – How’s your mother?’ he asked Jia Yun. ‘What business brings you here today?’

Jia Yun pointed to Jia Lian:

‘I came here to have a word with Uncle Lian.’

‘You’ve grown very good-looking since I saw you last,’ said Bao-yu with a grin. ‘You could almost be my son.’

‘You’ve got a nerve!’ said Jia Lian laughing. ‘Your son? He’s five or six years older than you.’

‘How old are you then?’ Bao-yu asked him.

‘Eighteen.’

Being a sharp-witted young man who knew how to make the most of an opportunity, Jia Yun was quick to turn Bao-yu’s jest to good account.

‘There’s a saying about “grandsires in cradles and babbies with beards”, you know; and even if I am older than you, “the highest mountain can’t shut out the sun”! I’ve had no one to care for me during these last few years since my father died, and if you don’t mind having so stupid a person for your son, I should certainly be very happy to have you for a father.’

‘You hear that?’ said Jia Lian. ‘Now you’ve got yourself a son! You’ll find that parenthood is no laughing matter, I can tell you!’

He left them and went inside, chuckling to himself.

Bao-yu smiled at his new ‘son’:

‘Next time you’re free, come and see me. Don’t waste your time trying to join in their little intrigues! I’m afraid I’m not free at the moment, but if you will come round to my study tomorrow, we can spend all day together, and I shall be able to show you round the garden.’

With these words he mounted his horse and set off, his pages at his back, for Jia She’s.

Bao-yu found that his uncle was suffering from nothing more serious than a chill. He delivered his grandmother’s message first and then asked after his uncle on his own behalf. Jia She stood up to hear what his mother had to say, and when Bao-yu had finished, ordered a servant to take him to his Aunt King’s room. Bao-yu withdrew and followed the servant through the back and across the courtyard to the main reception room. Seeing him enter, Lady Xing rose to her feet to ask after Grandmother Jia, then sat down again to be asked after in turn by Bao-yu. Then she drew him up to sit beside her on the kang and asked him about the others, at the same time giving orders for tea to be served.

While they were still sipping the tea, little Jia Cong, the son of one of Jia She’s concubines, came in to say ‘hullo’ to his Cousin Bao.

‘Where did this little ragamuffin come from?’ Lady Xing scolded. ‘I don’t know what that Nannie of yours can be thinking of to let you get in such a state! I declare, your face is as black as a crow! No one would ever think to look at you that you were an educated little boy and came from a good family!’

While she scolded, Jia Huan and Jia Lan arrived, their duty call on Jia She evidently just completed. Lady Xing made them sit on chairs below the kang. Seeing Bao-yu up on the kang with Lady Xing and sharing her cushion, and observing how she fondled and petted him, Jia Huan soon began to feel uncomfortable and made a sign to Jia Lan indcating that they should go. As Jia Huan was his uncle, Jia Lan had to do as he said, so the little boy and the big one rose together to take their leave. Bao-yu said he would go with them, but Lady Xing stopped him with a gracious smile:

‘You sit where you are! I’ve got something else to say to you.’

He was obliged to stay. Lady Xing-turned to the other two:

‘When you get back, do each of you give my regards to your mothers. I won’t ask you to stay to dinner because I’ve already got the girls here and they are making so much rumpus that it’s given me a headache.’

Jia Huan and Jia Lan promised to convey her greetings and went out.

‘Where are the girls, then?’ Bao-yu asked after they had gone. ‘I haven’t seen them.’

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ said Lady Xing nonchalantly. ‘They only sat here for a few moments, then they went round to the back. They’re round the back somewhere or other.’

‘You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about, Aunt. What was it you wanted to tell me?’

‘Oh, nothing at all!’ said Lady Xing gaily. ‘I only said that because I wanted you to stay and have dinner here with me and the girls. And I’ve got something nice for you to take back with you afterwards.’

Bao-yu and his aunt chatted away, and before long it was time for dinner and the three girls were called in. A table and chairs were arranged, the table was laid, and Lady Xing, her daughter Ying-chun, her two nieces and her nephew sat down to their meal. When it was over, Bao-yu went in to take his leave of Jia She, after which he and the girls returned to their own side of the mansion. There they first went in to see Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang and then returned to their own apartments for the night.

So much for Bao-yu and the girls.

Let us return to Jia Yun who, after his encounter with Bao-yu, had gone in to see Jia Lian and ask him if there was any prospect of a job.

‘A job turned up only the other day,’ said Jia Lian, ‘but unfortunately your Aunt Feng was very anxious that I should give it to Jia Qin and I’m afraid I let him have it. However, she did mention that there will soon be a lot of planting to do in the garden, and she promised that as soon as that work turns up we shall definitely hand it over to you.’

Jia Yun was silent for some moments, then he said:

‘All right. I’ll just have to go on waiting, then. But would you mind not mentioning this visit to Auntie? I can tell her about it myself, if need be, next time I see her.’

‘I shan’t mention it,’ said Jia Lian. ‘I’ve got better things to do with my time than go running after her to talk about things like this! Tomorrow I have to go to Xing-yi, by the way. I have to get back on the same day – but perhaps you’d better wait until the day after tomorrow before coming round again. In fact, you’d better wait until the evening of the day after tomorrow – some time after the beginning of the first watch. Any time before that I shall be busy.’

He terminated the interview by going into the inner room to change his clothes.

Jia Yun went out of the Rong-guo mansion and set off for home, ruminating as he went. A plan at last formed in his mind. Instead of returning home, he struck off for the house of his maternal uncle.

His uncle’s name was Bu Shi-ren. He was the proprietor of a perfumery, and when Jia Yun arrived had only just got back from the shop. Seeing his nephew enter, he asked him what he had come about.

‘I’m on to something which needs your help.’ said Jia Yun. ‘Please Uncle, could you possibly let me have four ounces of Barus camphor and four ounces of musk on credit? I promise faithfully that you shall have the money by Autumn Quarter-day.’

Bu Shi-ren ‘humph-ed’ scornfully:

‘Don’t talk to me about credit! A while ago we let one of the assistants have several taels’ worth of goods on credit for one of his relations, and we haven’t seen the money for it yet. We had to share the loss between us. We’ve got a written agreement now that in future if any of us gives credit to a friend or relation, he is liable to a fine of twenty taels of silver to be shared out among the rest.

‘In any case, we’re short of stock on those two items. I doubt we’ve got that much in the shop, even if you could pay cash down for it. We’d have to try to raise it for you elsewhere.

‘And for another thing: what do you want it for, anyway? I don’t expect it’s for any serious purpose. Even if I let you have it on credit, I expect it would only get thrown away on some foolishness or other.

‘And don’t you go saying that your Uncle’s always on at you when you come to see him! You young people just don’t know what’s good for you. If only you could pull yourself together and earn a bit of money, no one would be happier for you than I should.’

Jia Yun smiled:

‘What you say is no doubt perfectly true, Uncle. But when Father died I was too little to understand what was going on, and according to what Mother has since told me, it was you who stepped in and took care of everything. Now you know as well as I do that it wasn’t I who spent all the money that came from selling off our little bit of property, and I don’t see what I am supposed to do without any capital. Even the cleverest housewife can’t make bread without flour! You’re lucky you’ve only got me to contend with. Anyone else in my position would be pestering the life out of you. They’d be round here scrounging all the time: a pound of rice one day, a quart of beans the next. Then you would have something to grumble about!’

‘My dear boy,’ said Bu Shi-ren, ‘if I had it to give, you should have it and welcome! Your trouble is, though, as I’m always telling your Aunt, you won’t think ahead. If only you’d pull yourself together and go and have a word with your Father’s folk at the big house – or if you can’t get to see them, put your pride in your pocket and make yourself agreeable to some of the stewards there – get yourself a job of some kind! When I was on my way out of the city the other day, I ran into that cousin of yours from North Street riding on a donkey with four or five carriages behind him and fifty or sixty nuns on his way to your family temple out in the country. Now that’s a shrewd young fellow! You can’t tell me he got that job by doing nothing!’

Exasperated by his uncle’s nagging, Jia Yun got up to go.

‘What’s the hurry?’ said Bu Shi-ren. ‘You can have something to eat before you go –’

‘Are you crazy?’ his wife’s voice cut in from the kitchen. ‘I told you we haven’t got any rice in the house. I’ve just bought this half a pound of noodles that I’m cooking for you now. I don’t know what you’re acting so lordly about, asking people to dinner. The boy’ll only go hungry if he stays!’

‘Buy another half a pound, woman, and put it in with the rest!’ said Bu Shi-ren.

‘Goldie!’ Mrs Bu shouted to her daughter. ‘Go over to Mrs Wang’s house across the road and ask if she can lend us a few cash. Tell her we can pay her back tomorrow!’

But before she had finished, Jia Yun, with a muttered ‘Don’t bother!’ had slipped quietly away.

Angrily leaving his uncle’s house behind him, he was on his way back home, eyes fixed on the ground as he brooded miserably on his affairs, when he walked head-on into a drunkard. The man seized hold of him with a curse:

‘You sodding blind, bumping into me like that?’

The voice was a familiar one. Looking closer he saw that it was his neighbour Ni Er, a racketeer who made most of his money from high-interest loans supplemented by what he took off other players in the gambling dens. He drank too much and was always getting into fights. At this particular moment he was on his way back from paying a little ‘call’ on one of his debtors – evidently a lucrative one, for he was already half-seas-over. He did not take kindly to being bumped into, and it would have gone badly with Jia Yun if he had not immediately identified himself:

‘Ni, old chap, don’t strike! It’s me! I wasn’t looking where I was going.’

Hearing the voice, Ni Er opened his bleary eyes a little wider, saw that it was Jia Yun, released him – lurching heavily as he did so – and gave a crapulous laugh:

‘Oh,’ he said, ‘young Mist’ Jia. Parm me. Wherra you jus’ come from?’

‘Don’t ask me!’ said Jia Yun bitterly. ‘I’ve just been given the bird!’

‘Nemmind!’ said Ni Er. ‘Anyone been bothering you, Mist’ Jia, jus’ tell me and I’ll settle accounts with him for you! You know me. Ni Er. The Drunken Diamond. Old Dime’ll look after you. Anyone this part of the town troubling neighbour of Dime’s, don’t care who he is, guarantee put him out of business.’

‘Look, Diamond, if you’ll promise not to get angry, I’ll tell you what happened,’ said Jia Yun, and proceeded to give him an account of his interview with Bu Shi-ren. Ni Er was hugely incensed:

‘Damn fella! Give the damn fella piece of my mind if he wasn’t a relation of yours. Make my blood boil. Damn fella! Nemmind. Dome be downhearted. Got a few taels of silver here. If you can use it, help yourself! Good neighbour of Dime’s. Here y’are. Interest-free loan.’

‘This man’s a racketeer,’ Jia Yun thought to himself, ‘but he’s been known to do a good turn before now – in fact, he’s got quite a reputation in some quarters as a champion of the poor. If I don’t accept his offer, he may turn nasty and I shall be in trouble. Better accept the money and pay back double the amount when I can.’

Having made the decision, he thanked Ni Er with a smile:

‘You’re a real sport, Diamond! Since you’ve been kind enough to make the offer then, I won’t refuse. I’ll make you out a proper IOU for it when I get home.’

Ni Er roared with laughter:

‘There’s only fifteen taels and six pennyweights of silver here. If you’re going to go writing IOUs, I won’t lend it to you!’

Jia Yun laughed too and took the money from him:

‘All right, Diamond, anything you say! Let’s not fall out about it!’

‘That’s more like it!’ said Ni Er. ‘Getting dark now. Won’t keep you for a drink. Still got a little business to do. You go on home. Like you to give a message to my old woman, be so kind. Not going home tonight. If there’s anything to tell me about, she can send my daughter round first thing tomorrow. Find me at Bandy Wang, the horse-dealer’s.’

With these words he went on his way, lurching horribly.

The encounter left Jia Yun somewhat bemused.

‘That Ni Er’s certainly a character!’ he thought. ‘The trouble is, it may only have been the drink that made him generous. Perhaps when he’s sobered up tomorrow he’ll want his money back with a hundred per cent interest. What am I going to do then?’

Then he suddenly remembered what the money would enable him to do:

‘Of course! It doesn’t matter! If I get the job, I can pay back the loan and a hundred per cent interest easily.’

With that thought uppermost in his mind he went into a money-changer’s to have the silver weighed. To his great delight it turned out to be exactly the amount Ni Er had said, not a pennyweight less. Then he went home, calling at Ni Er’s house on the way to give the message to his wife. Entering his own house he found his mother on the kang spinning. She looked up as he entered:

‘Where have you been all day?’

He did not like to mention that he had been to see her brother in case she was angry. He only said:

‘Been at Rong-guo House waiting for Uncle Lian. Have you had supper yet?’

‘Yes, I’ve had mine. I put something aside for you.’

She called to their little slavey to fetch it for him. Except for her work-lamp it was already dark indoors, so after finishing his supper he got himself ready for the night, unrolled his bedding, and settled down to sleep.

Rising early next morning, he went off as soon as he had washed to the shops in Central Street outside the south gate of the Inner City and bought camphor and musk at a perfumer’s. From there he went to Rong-guo House, and having first ascertained at the gate that Jia Lian was out for the day, he made his way to the Lians’ apartment at the back. Outside the gateway leading to their courtyard a number of page boys were sweeping the ground with long-handled brooms. Suddenly Zhou Rui’s wife came out and addressed them:

‘Stop sweeping now! The Mistress is coming.’

Jia Yun hurried up to her with a smile of greeting:

‘Where is Aunt Lian off to, then?’

‘Her Old Ladyship wants her,’ said Zhou Rui’s wife. ‘I think it’s to see about some tailoring.’

As she spoke, the subject of his inquiry emerged from the gateway, surrounded by a bevy of attendants. Jia Yun was well aware that she had a weakness for flattery and the showier forms of deference. Bringing his hands together in an exaggerated salute and stepping briskly forward, he made her a tremendous bow and wished her in good health.

Xi-feng continued to walk on and, without actually looking at him or turning her head, inquired after his mother’s health and asked why she never came to visit.

‘She’s not been very well, Auntie. She’s always thinking about you and meaning to pay a call, but when it’s come to it, she just hasn’t been able to get out.’

‘You’re a wonderful liar!’ said Xi-feng with a laugh. ‘I don’t suppose she’s ever thought about me until this moment!’

‘I’m too much afraid of lightning to lie to my superiors,’ said Jia Yun. ‘Mother was talking about you only last night, as a matter of fact. She said, “Your Auntie Lian is only a single weak woman, yet she has all those responsibilities. It’s a good thing she has the will-power to keep everything running so smoothly, because if that should go, she’d be worn out in no time.’”

Xi-feng was now all smiles, and halted in spite of herself to hear more.

‘And why should you and your mother be chewing over my affairs behind my back, pray?’

‘That’s a long story,’ said Jia Yun. ‘A very good friend of mine who runs a perfumery and had quite a bit put by in savings decided to invest his money in a government post and bought himself the place of an Assistant Sub-Prefect. Well, a few days ago his posting came and it turns out to be for somewhere down in Yunnan. He’s taking his family with him, so of course he won’t be able to keep on the shop, and he’s been going over all his stock deciding what to give away and what to put in his clearance sale. He decided to give the more valuable stuff to friends and relations. My share was a whole quarter of a pound of Borneo camphor and another quarter of musk, and I was discussing with Mother last night what we ought to do with it. We don’t know anyone who could afford to buy it; and it seems a shame to sell it at less than the price; and even if we gave it away, we couldn’t think of anyone who would want so much. But then I suddenly thought of you and the packets of money you’ve spent on this kind of thing in years past, and I thought to myself that this year, what with Her Grace in the Palace and the Double Fifth already not far off, you’re sure to be using ten or twelve times the usual amount. So, to cut a long story short, we decided to make a present of it to you. There you are, Auntie – a little token of my esteem!’

As he spoke, he took out a small brocade-covered box and respectfully raised it in both hands to offer her.

Now Xi-feng was just beginning to think about the problem of purchasing aromatics for the Double Fifth festival, and it pleased her very much to be relieved of the trouble of doing so – especially when it was in so agreeable a manner. She smiled at him graciously before turning to her maid:

‘Felicity, take my nephew’s present and give it to Patience to take care of!’

The smile was directed once more on Jia Yun:

‘You are very thoughtful. I’m not surprised your Uncle speaks so highly of you. He’s often told me what a well-spoken, sensible young man you are.’

They seemed to be sailing into harbour. Jia Yun took a step closer:

‘Has Uncle been talking to you about me then?’ – The tone in which he asked the question was deliberately meaningful.

Xi-feng was on the point of telling him that he would get the tree-planting job when she reflected that by doing so she would be cheapening herself in his estimation. He would almost certainly suppose that she was promising it in return for the perfume. In replying to his question she therefore confined herself to a few insipid civilities, avoiding all mention of jobs and trees, and presently continued on her way to Grandmother Jia’s.

Obviously Jia Yun was in no position to raise the subject if his aunt was not willing, so he was obliged to return in the same uncertainty in which he had come. Back home he remembered Bao-yu’s invitation of the previous day, and as soon as he had finished his meal, he returned once more to Rong-guo House and made his way to Sunset Studio outside the gateway leading to Lady Jia’s quarters. He found the pages Tealeaf and Ploughboy sitting over a game of chess and arguing about a piece that one of them had just taken. Other pages – Trickles, Sweeper, Cloudy and Storky – were up on the roof looking for fledgelings. Jia Yun entered the courtyard and stamped his foot:

‘Come on, you young rapscallions! Can’t you see you’ve got a visitor?’

The pages, except Tealeaf, melted away. Jia Yun went into the study and sat down in a chair.

‘Has Master Bao been here yet?’

‘He hasn’t been here yet today,’ said Tealeaf. ‘If you want to talk to him, I’ll have a look and see if he’s about.’

With that he, too, vanished.

For about the time it would take to eat a meal, Jia Yun gazed at the paintings, calligraphic scrolls and antiques which adorned the room. At the end of that time, as there was still no sign of Tealeaf, he took a look outside to see if there were any other pages whom he could ask to take a message; but they had all gone off to play elsewhere. Dejectedly he went back once more to wait.

‘Tealeaf!’

A soft and thrilling voice was calling from outside. Craning out to look he saw a fifteen – or sixteen-year-old maid standing near the entrance to the study. She was a neat, pleasant-looking girl with a pair of limpid, intelligent eyes. Seeing a strange man in the room, she quickly shrank back out of his line of vision. At that very moment Tealeaf walked back into the courtyard.

‘Ah, good!’ he said, catching sight of the maid. ‘I was beginning to wonder how I’d ever get a message to him.’

Jia Yun ran out to question him:

‘Well?’

‘Waited for ages,’ said Tealeaf, ‘but no one came by. She’s from his room, though’ – he indicated the soft-voiced maid – ‘Listen, dear,’ he said addressing her. ‘Can you take a message for us? Tell him that Mr Jia from West Lane is here.’

On learning that the visitor was a member of the clan, the maid became less concerned about concealment and engaged the limpid eyes in bolder scrutiny of his features. The object of her scrutiny now addressed her:

‘Don’t bother about the “West Lane” stuff! Just say that “Yun” has called!’

The girl reflected for some moments, then, with a half-smile, she said:

‘If I were you, Mr Jia, I’d go home now and come again tomorrow. I’ll try to get a message through to him this evening if I get the chance.’

‘What’s the idea?’ said Tealeaf.

‘He didn’t have his nap today,’ said the maid. ‘That means he’ll be having dinner early. Then suppose he doesn’t go out after dinner: are you going to let Mr Jia wait here all day without eating? It would be much better if he went home now and came again tomorrow. Even if I succeed in getting word through to him as soon as I get back, he’ll probably only send an answer to the message. I don’t expect he’ll actually come over.’

Her words were sensible and to the point and were spoken in the same thrilling tone that had first attracted him. Jia Yun would have liked to ask her name, but etiquette forbade that he should do so now that he knew she was one of Bao-yu’s maids. He just said:

‘I’m sure you’re right. I’ll come again tomorrow, then.’

He turned to go.

‘I’ll get some tea for you, Mr Jia,’ said Tealeaf. ‘Have a cup of tea before you go.’

‘No thanks,’ said Jia Yun, looking back over his shoulder but continuing to go. ‘I’ve got other business.’

The words were for Tealeaf, but the look which accompanied them was directed at the soft-voiced maid, who was still standing there.

Jia Yun went back home and returned next day as she had advised. On his way in he ran into Xi-feng outside the main gate. She was about to visit Jia Lian’s parents next door and had just got into her carriage. Seeing Jia Yun, she made her attendants call to him to stop.

‘Yun!’ She smiled at him through the window of the carriage. ‘You’ve got a nerve, my lad, playing a trick like that on me! I see now why you gave me that present. It’s a job you were after. Your Uncle told me yesterday. Apparently you’ve been on to him about it already.’

Jia Yun smiled back ruefully:

‘I’d rather we didn’t go into my dealings with Uncle, if you don’t mind! I’m beginning to wish I’d never spoken to him about it. If I’d realized earlier what the situation was, I should have gone straight to you in the first place. I’m sure if I had, it would all have been settled long ago. I’m afraid Uncle has let me down.’

‘Humph!’ said Xi-feng. ‘So that’s why you came to me yesterday, is it? You’d had no success with the husband so you thought you’d try your luck with the wife!’

‘That’s most unfair, Auntie!’ Jia Yun protested. ‘It was a purely disinterested present. I wasn’t thinking at all about a job when I gave it to you. If I had been, why do you suppose I didn’t take the opportunity of asking you about it at the time? However, since you do now know that I’m looking for one, I’d like to forget about Uncle and throw myself on your kindness instead.’

‘You have a very devious way of going about things,’ said Xi-feng with a hint of malice in her smile. ‘Why couldn’t you have spoken up sooner? A little thing like this is hardly worth so much delay. We still need some more trees and shrubs planted in the garden, and I’ve been trying to think of someone to do the job. If you’d spoken up earlier, it could all have been done by now.’

‘You can set me to work tomorrow, Auntie. I’ll be ready.’

Xi-feng thought for a while.

‘I don’t know that it’s a very suitable job for you. Perhaps we’d better wait until next New Year and put you in charge of lanterns and fireworks. That’s a much bigger job.’

‘Look, Auntie: you give me this planting job now, then; if you’re satisfied with the way I do it, you can give me the other job later on.’

Xi-feng laughed:

‘You certainly know how to fish with a long line! – All right, then! It’s not really my affair, but I suppose as your Uncle has mentioned it to me — I’m only going next door now and I shall be back again after lunch. Come round a little after midday to get the money and you shall start your planting the day after tomorrow.’

She told the servants to harness the carriage and drove off to make her call.

Beside himself with joy, Jia Yun now continued on his way to Sunset Studio to look for Bao-yu. In point of fact Bao-yu had gone off first thing that morning to call on the Prince of Bei-jing; but no one seemed to know about this, and Jia Yun sat waiting expectantly throughout the whole of the morning. Having waited until noon, he inquired whether Xi-feng was back yet, and being informed that she was, he wrote out a form of receipt, took it round to the Lians’ apartment, and sent in word that he had called for his tally. Sunshine came out in response to his message and asked him for the receipt, which he took indoors. Presently he reappeared and handed it back to Jia Yun with the date and amount filled in in the blanks he had left for this purpose, together with the precious tally which would enable him to draw the money. Glancing at the receipt as he took it from him, Jia Yun was delighted to observe that the figures entered were for a payment of two hundred taels of silver. He hurried off to the counting-house to collect it, then home once more to share the joyful news with his mother.

Next day he was off long before daylight to look up Ni Er and pay him back the loan. That done, he took another fifty taels of the silver with him and called on a nurseryman outside the West Gate called Fang Chun, from whom he bought a large number of trees.

At this point our narrative abandons Jia Yun’s affairs and returns to Bao-yu.

When Bao-yu, in the course of his meeting with Jia Yun, had invited Jia Yun to drop in and spend the following day with him, the invitation was of the careless, half-serious kind that is unfortunately typical of young gentlemen of his class. As he had made no real effort to remember it at the time, it naturally slipped his memory the following day. Returning now, two evenings later, from the palace of the Prince of Bei-jing where he had been all day, he called first on his grandmother and his mother and then returned to his own rooms in the garden and changed back into his everyday clothes.

He decided to take a bath; and since Aroma was out, having been ‘borrowed’ by Bao-chai to make braid buttons on a dress, Ripple and Emerald had gone off to see about the water. Of the other senior maids, Skybright had been fetched home for her cousin’s birthday and Musk was away ill; and the few heavy-work maids left in attendance had all assumed that their services would not be required and had gone off in search of their gossips. For a quarter of an hour Bao-yu was left entirely on his own. It chanced that precisely at this moment he wanted someone to get him some tea. He had already called a couple of times without response and at his third call two or three old charwomen came hurrying in to see what was the matter.

‘No, no: I don’t need you!’ – he waved them away impatiently. The old women retired, baffled.

Since there were no maids, Bao-yu saw that he would have to serve himself. He found himself a cup and was about to take up the pot to pour himself some tea when a voice started speaking right behind him:

‘Let me, Master Bao! You might scald yourself.’

Bao-yu jumped. The owner of the voice hurriedly relieved him of the cup.

‘Where have you been all this time?’ he said. ‘You gave me quite a start, coming up suddenly like that!’

She handed him his tea with a smile:

‘I was in the back courtyard. I came in through the courtyard door at the back. Didn’t you hear me coming?’

Bao-yu sipped his tea and observed her carefully. Her dress, though not shabby, was far from new. By contrast she had a magnificent head of raven-black hair which was done up in a simple bun. The face was rather long and thin; the build slender; the overall impression that of a tidy, clean, graceful person.

‘Do you belong here then?’ he asked her.

‘Yes.’ She seemed amused.

‘If you do, how is it that I’ve never seen you before?’

She replied with some bitterness:

‘There are quite a few of us you’ve never seen. I’m not the only one, by any means. How could you have seen me? I’ve never been allowed to wait on you or show myself in your presence.’

‘Why not?’

‘I don’t think it’s for me to say. – Oh, there’s something I do have to tell you, though. Yesterday a gentleman calling himself “Yun” came to see you. I thought you probably wouldn’t be able to see him at the time, so I told Tealeaf to ask him round this morning. Unfortunately by the time he came, you’d already gone off to see the Prince—’

Their conversation was interrupted by the giggles of Ripple and Emerald who had just entered the courtyard with a large bucket of water. Each of them held the bucket by one hand and lifted her skirts up with the other. They were staggering under the unaccustomed weight and slopping a good deal of the water about as they went. The maid hurried out to relieve them. By now the giggles had given way to recriminations:

‘Look, you’ve soaked my dress!’

‘You trod on my toe!’

They stopped to look at this person who had just issued from the young Master’s room and saw with some surprise that it was Crimson. Putting down the water, they hurried indoors to look. Bao-yu was there on his own. The girls were indignant. As soon as they had prepared the bath and seen him undressed, they shut the door after them and hurried to the other side of the building to find Crimson.

‘What were you doing in his room just now?’ they asked her accusingly.

‘I wasn’t doing anything,’ said Crimson. ‘I couldn’t find my handkerchief, so I went to look for it round the back. He was calling for some tea and none of you happened to be about, so I ran in and poured it out for him. And just at that moment you came back.’

Ripple spat in her face:

‘Nasty, shameless little slut! When we asked you to fetch the water for us you said you were busy and made us go ourselves. You didn’t waste much time, having got him to yourself, did you? You think you’re on the way up, don’t you? Step by step. Well, we can catch up with you, my fine lady! Why don’t you take a look at yourself in the mirror and then ask yourself if you’re a fit person to go serving tea to the Masters?’

‘We’d better warn the others that when he asks for tea or anything in future they must stay where they are and let her go and get it!’

‘In that case,’ said Ripple, ‘the rest of us may as well clear off and let her have him all to herself!’

They were still at their antiphonal taunting when an old woman arrived with a message from Xi-feng:

‘Someone is bringing some workmen in tomorrow to plant trees, so you have all got to be extra careful. No hanging clothes out to dry all over the place! There will be screens put up along the line of the embankment and you are not to go running around outside.’

‘Who’s the person in charge of the workmen?’ asked Ripple.

‘A young chap called “Yun” from up the Lane,’ said the old woman.

The name meant nothing to Ripple and Emerald, who went on to ask about other matters; but Crimson knew it must be the young man she had met the day before in the outer study.

Crimson’s surname was ‘Lin’. Her family had been retainers in the Jia family for generations. Nowadays her father worked as a farm-bailiff on the family’s estates. She was sixteen. Along with many other servants, she had originally entered the Prospect Garden to carry out caretaking duties in the period when it was still unoccupied. The part of it she was assigned to was the House of Green Delights. She found it a very beautiful place to live in – very quiet and secluded. But this had changed when Bao-yu and the girls were commanded to move in and Bao-yu had chosen the House of Green Delights as his own residence.

Although Crimson was a very inexperienced maid, she had a measure of good looks and a determination to better herself. She was therefore constantly on the look-out for an opportunity of making herself known to Bao-yu and showing off her ability to serve him. Unfortunately the little group of body-servants who had accompanied him into the garden guarded their privileges with tooth and claw and were careful to allow no toehold to an ambitious outsider. Today she had at last found an opening, only to have her hopes immediately dashed by Ripple’s malice. She felt very discouraged.

Still smarting with resentment, she heard the old woman say that Jia Yun was coming next day into the garden. The name provoked a momentary flutter in her breast; but she returned to her room with the same feeling of resentment bottled up inside her and went to bed to ponder moodily on the events of the day. As the thoughts pursued themselves round and round in her mind without object or conclusion, she suddenly heard her name being called very softly outside her window:

‘Crimson! Crim! I’ve found your handkerchief!’

She quickly got up and went outside to look. To her surprise it was Jia Yun. A maidenly confusion mantled her comely cheek.

‘Where did you find it?’ she asked timidly.

Jia Yun laughed:

‘Come over here and I’ll show you!’

He took hold of her dress to pull her to him. Overcome with shame, she turned and fled, but her foot caught on the threshold and she fell on her face.

The conclusion of this adventure will be revealed in the following chapter.