第二十六回

第二十六回 蜂腰桥设言传心事 潇湘馆春困发幽情

话说宝玉养过了三十三天之后，不但身体强壮，亦且连脸上疮痕平复，仍回大观园内去。这也不在话下。

且说近日宝玉病的时节，贾芸带着家下小厮坐更看守，昼夜在这里，那红玉同众丫鬟也在这里守着宝玉，彼此相见多日，都渐渐混熟了。那红玉见贾芸手里拿的手帕子，倒像是自己从前掉的，待要问他，又不好问的。不料那和尚道士来过，用不着一切男人，贾芸仍种树去了。这件事待要放下，心内又放不下，待要问去，又怕人猜疑。

正是犹豫不决神魂不定之际，忽听窗外问道：“姐姐在屋里没有？”红玉闻听，在窗眼内望外一看，原来是本院的个小丫头名叫佳蕙的，因答说：“在家里，你进来罢。”佳蕙听了，跑进来就坐在床上，笑道：“我好造化！才刚在院子里洗东西，宝玉叫往林姑娘那里送茶叶，花大姐姐交给我送去。可巧老太太那里给林姑娘送钱来，正分给他们的丫头们呢。见我去了，林姑娘就抓了两把给我，也不知多少。你替我收着。”便把手帕子打开，把钱倒了出来，红玉替他一五一十的数了收起。

佳蕙道：“你这一程子心里到底觉怎么样？依我说，你竟家去住两日，请一个大夫来瞧瞧，吃两剂药就好了。”红玉道：“那里的话，好好的，家去作什么！”佳蕙道：“我想起来了，林姑娘生的弱，时常他吃药，你就和他要些来吃，也是一样。”红玉道：“胡说！药也是混吃的。”佳蕙道：“你这也不是个长法儿，又懒吃懒喝的，终久怎么样？”红玉道：“怕什么，还不如早些儿死了倒干净！”佳蕙道：“好好的，怎么说这些话？”红玉道：“你那里知道我心里的事！”

佳蕙点头想了一会，道[1]〔一〕：“可也怨不得，这个地方难站。就像昨儿老太太因宝玉病了这些日子，说跟着服侍的这些人都辛苦了，如今身上好了，各处还完了愿，叫把跟着的人都按着等儿赏他们。我们算年纪小，上不去，我也不抱怨；像你怎么也不算在里头？我心里就不服。袭人那怕他得十分儿，也不恼他，原该的。说良心话，谁还敢比他呢？别说他素日殷勤小心，便是不殷勤小心，也拚不得。可气晴雯、绮霰他们这几个，都算在上等里去，仗着老子娘的脸面，众人倒捧着他去。你说可气不可气？”红玉道：“也不犯着气他们。俗语说的好，‘千里搭长棚，没有个不散的筵席’，谁守谁一辈子呢？不过三年五载，各人干各人的去了。那时谁还管谁呢？”这两句话不觉感动了佳蕙的心肠，由不得眼睛红了，又不好意思好端端的哭，只得勉强笑道：“你这话说的却是。昨儿宝玉还说，明儿怎么样收拾房子，怎么样做衣裳，倒像有几百年的熬煎。”

红玉听了冷笑了两声，方要说话，只见一个未留头的小丫头子走进来，手里拿着些花样子并两张纸，说道：“这是两个样子，叫你描出来呢。”说着向红玉掷下，回身就跑了。红玉向外问道：“倒是谁的？也等不得说完就跑，谁蒸下馒头等着你，怕冷了不成！”那小丫头在窗外只说得一声：“是绮大姐姐的。”抬起脚来咕咚咕咚又跑了。

红玉便赌气把那样子掷在一边，向抽屉内找笔，找了半天都是秃了的，因说道：“前儿一枝新笔，放在那里了？怎么一时想不起来。”一面说着，一面出神，想了一会方笑道：“是了，前儿晚上莺儿拿了去了。”便向佳蕙道：“你替我取了来。”佳蕙道：“花大姐姐还等着我替他抬箱子呢，你自己取去罢。”红玉道：“他等着你，你还坐着闲打牙儿？我不叫你取去，他也不等着你了。坏透了的小蹄子！”说着，自己便出房来，出了怡红院，一径往宝钗院内来。

刚至沁芳亭畔，只见宝玉的奶娘李嬷嬷从那边走来。红玉立住笑问道：“李奶奶，你老人家那去了？怎打这里来？”李嬷嬷站住将手一拍道：“你说说，好好的又看上了那个种树的什么云哥儿雨哥儿的，这会子逼着我叫了他来。明儿叫上房里听见，可又是不好。”红玉笑道：“你老人家当真的就依了他去叫了？”李嬷嬷道：“可怎么样呢？”红玉笑道：“那一个要是知道好歹，就回不进来才是。”李嬷嬷道：“他又不痴，为什么不进来？”红玉道：“既是进来，你老人家该同他一齐来，回来叫他一个人乱碰，可是不好呢。”李嬷嬷道：“我有那样工夫和他走？不过告诉了他，回来打发个小丫头子或是老婆子，带进他来就完了。”说着，拄着拐杖一径去了。

红玉听说，便站着出神，且不去取笔。一时，只见一个小丫头子跑来，见红玉站在那里，便问道：“林姐姐，你在这里作什么呢？”红玉抬头见是小丫头子坠儿。红玉道：“那去？”坠儿道：“叫我带进芸二爷来。”说着一径跑了。这里红玉刚走至蜂腰桥门前，只见那边坠儿引着贾芸来了。那贾芸一面走，一面拿眼把红玉一溜；那红玉只装着和坠儿说话，也把眼去一溜贾芸：四目恰相对时，红玉不觉脸红了，一扭身往蘅芜苑去了。不在话下。

这里贾芸随着坠儿，逶迤来至怡红院中。坠儿先进去回明了，然后方领贾芸进去。贾芸看时，只见院内略略有几点山石，种着芭蕉，那边有两只仙鹤在松树下剔翎[2]。一溜回廊上吊着各色笼子，笼着仙禽异鸟。上面小小五间抱厦，一色雕镂新鲜花样隔扇，上面悬着一个匾额，四个大字，题道是“怡红快绿”。贾芸想道：“怪道叫‘怡红院’，原来匾上是恁样四个字。”正想着，只听里面隔着纱窗子笑说道：“快进来罢。我怎么就忘了你两三个月！”

贾芸听得是宝玉的声音，连忙进入房内。抬头一看，只见金碧辉煌，文章灼，却看不见宝玉在那里。一回头，只见左边立着一架大穿衣镜，从镜后转出两个一般大的十五六岁的丫头来说：“请二爷里头屋里坐。”贾芸连正眼也不敢看，连忙答应了。又进一道碧纱橱，只见小小一张填漆床上，悬着大红销金撒花帐子。宝玉穿着家常衣服，靸着鞋，倚在床上拿着本书看，见他进来，将书掷下，早堆着笑立起身来。贾芸忙上前请了安，宝玉让坐，便在下面一张椅子上坐了。宝玉笑道：“只从那个月见了你，我叫你往书房里来，谁知接接连连许多事情，就把你忘了。”贾芸笑道：“总是我没福，偏偏又遇着叔叔身上欠安。叔叔如今可大安了？”宝玉道：“大好了。我倒听见说你辛苦了好几天。”贾芸道：“辛苦也是该当的。叔叔大安了，也是我们一家子的造化。”

说着，只见有个丫鬟端了茶来与他。那贾芸口里和宝玉说着话，眼睛却溜瞅那丫鬟：细挑身材，容长脸面，穿着银红袄儿，青缎背心，白绫细折裙。——不是别个，却是袭人。那贾芸自从宝玉病了几天，他在里头混了两日，他却把那有名人口认记了一半。他也知道袭人在宝玉房中比别个不同，今见他端了茶来，宝玉又在旁边坐着，便忙站起来笑道：“姐姐怎么替我倒起茶来。我来到叔叔这里，又不是客，让我自己倒罢。”宝玉道：“你只管坐着罢。丫头们跟前也是这样。”贾芸笑道：“虽如此说，叔叔房里姐姐们，我怎么敢放肆呢。”一面说，一面坐下吃茶。

那宝玉便和他说些没要紧的散话。又说道谁家的戏子好，谁家的花园好，又告诉他谁家的丫头标致，谁家的酒席丰盛，又是谁家有奇货，又是谁家有异物。那贾芸口里只得顺着他说，说了一会，见宝玉有些懒懒的了，便起身告辞。宝玉也不甚留，只说：“你明儿闲了，只管来。”仍命小丫头子坠儿送他出去。

出了怡红院，贾芸见四顾无人，便把脚慢慢停着些走，口里一长一短和坠儿说话，先问他“几岁了？名字叫什么？你父母在那一行上？在宝叔房内几年了？一个月多少钱？共总宝叔房内有几个女孩子？”那坠儿见问，便一桩桩的都告诉他了。贾芸又道：“才刚那个与你说话的，他可是叫小红？”坠儿笑道：“他倒叫小红。你问他作什么？”贾芸道：“方才他问你什么手帕子，我倒拣了一块。”坠儿听了笑道：“他问了我好几遍，可有看见他的帕子。我有那么大工夫管这些事！今儿他又问我，他说我替他找着了，他还谢我呢。才在蘅芜苑门口说的，二爷也听见了，不是我撒谎。好二爷，你既拣了，给我罢。我看他拿什么谢我。”

原来上月贾芸进来种树之时，便拣了一块罗帕，便知是所在园内的人失落的，但不知是那一个人的，故不敢造次[3]。今听见红玉问坠儿，便知是红玉的，心内不胜喜幸。又见坠儿追索，心中早得了主意，便向袖内将自己的一块取了出来，向坠儿笑道：“我给是给你，你若得了他的谢礼，不许瞒着我。”坠儿满口里答应了，接了手帕子，送出贾芸，回来找红玉，不在话下。

如今且说宝玉打发了贾芸去后，意思懒懒的歪在床上，似有朦胧之态。袭人便走上来，坐在床沿上推他，说道：“怎么又要睡觉？闷的很，你出去逛逛不是？”宝玉见说，便拉他的手笑道：“我要去，只是舍不得你。”袭人笑道：“快起来罢！”一面说，一面拉了宝玉起来。宝玉道：“可往那去呢？怪腻腻烦烦的。”袭人道：“你出去了就好了。只管这么葳蕤[4]，越发心里烦腻。”

宝玉无精打采的，只得依他。晃出了房门，在回廊上调弄了一回雀儿；出至院外，顺着沁芳溪看了一回金鱼。只见那边山坡上两只小鹿箭也似的跑来，宝玉不解其意。正自纳闷，只见贾兰在后面拿着一张小弓追了下来，一见宝玉在前面，便站住了，笑道：“二叔叔在家里呢，我只当出门去了。”宝玉道：“你又淘气了。好好的射他作什么？”贾兰笑道：“这会子不念书，闲着作什么？所以演习演习骑射。”宝玉道：“把牙栽了，那时才不演呢。”

说着，顺着脚一径来至一个院门前，只见凤尾森森，龙吟细细[5]。举目望门上一看，只见匾上写着“潇湘馆”三字。宝玉信步走入，只见湘帘垂地，悄无人声。走至窗前，觉得一缕幽香从碧纱窗中暗暗透出。宝玉便将脸贴在纱窗上，往里看时，耳内忽听得细细的长叹了一声道：“‘每日家情思睡昏昏。’[6]”宝玉听了，不觉心内痒将起来，再看时，只见黛玉在床上伸懒腰。宝玉在窗外笑道：“为甚么‘每日家情思睡昏昏’？”一面说，一面掀帘子进来了。

林黛玉自觉忘情，不觉红了脸，拿袖子遮了脸，翻身向里装睡着了。宝玉才走上来要扳他的身子，只见黛玉的奶娘并两个婆子却跟了进来说：“妹妹睡觉呢，等醒了再请来。”刚说着，黛玉便翻身坐了起来，笑道：“谁睡觉呢。”那两三个婆子见黛玉起来，便笑道：“我们只当姑娘睡着了。”说着，便叫紫鹃说：“姑娘醒了，进来伺候。”一面说，一面都去了。

黛玉坐在床上，一面抬手整理鬓发，一面笑向宝玉道：“人家睡觉，你进来作什么？”宝玉见他星眼微饧，香腮带赤，不觉神魂早荡，一歪身坐在椅子上，笑道：“你才说什么？”黛玉道：“我没说什么。”宝玉笑道：“给你个榧子[7]吃！我都听见了。”

二人正说话，只见紫鹃进来。宝玉笑道：“紫鹃，把你们的好茶倒碗我吃。”紫鹃道：“那里是好的呢？要好的，只是等袭人来。”黛玉道：“别理他，你先给我舀水去罢。”紫鹃笑道：“他是客，自然先倒了茶来再舀水去。”说着倒茶去了。宝玉笑道：“好丫头，‘若共你多情小姐同鸳帐，怎舍得叠被铺床？’[8]”林黛玉登时撂下脸来，说道：“二哥哥，你说什么？”宝玉笑道：“我何尝说什么。”黛玉便哭道：“如今新兴的，外头听了村话来，也说给我听；看了混帐书，也来拿我取笑儿。我成了爷们解闷的。”一面哭着，一面下床来往外就走。宝玉不知要怎样，心下慌了，忙赶上来道：“好妹妹，我一时该死，你别告诉去。我再要敢，嘴上就长个疔，烂了舌头。”

正说着，只见袭人走来说道：“快回去穿衣服，老爷叫你呢。”宝玉听了，不觉打了个焦雷〔二〕一般，也顾不得别的，疾忙回来穿衣服。出园来，只见焙茗在二门前等着，宝玉便问道：“你可知道叫我是为什么？”焙茗道：“爷快出来罢，横竖是见去的，到那里就知道了。”一面说，一面催着宝玉。

转过大厅，宝玉心里还自狐疑，只听墙角边一阵呵呵大笑，回头只见薛蟠拍着手笑了出来，笑道：“要不说姨父叫你，你那里出来的这么快。”焙茗也笑道：“爷别怪我。”忙跪下了。宝玉怔了半天，方解过来了，是薛蟠哄他出来。薛蟠连忙打恭作揖陪不是，又求“不要难为了小子，都是我逼他去的”。宝玉也无法了，只好笑问道：“你哄我也罢了，怎么说我父亲呢？我告诉姨娘去，评评这个理，可使得么？”薛蟠忙道：“好兄弟，我原为求你快些出来，就忘了忌讳这句话。改日你也哄我，说我的父亲就完了。”宝玉道：“嗳，嗳，越发该死了。”又向焙茗道：“反叛肏的，还跪着作什么！”焙茗连忙叩头起来。

薛蟠道：“要不是，我也不敢惊动，只因明儿五月初三日是我的生日，谁知古董行的程日兴，他不知那里寻了来的这么粗这么长粉脆的鲜藕，这么大的大西瓜，这么长一尾新鲜的鲟鱼，这么大的一个暹罗国进贡的灵柏香熏的暹猪。你说，他这四样礼可难得不难得？那鱼、猪不过贵而难得，这藕和瓜亏他怎么种出来的。我连忙孝敬了母亲，赶着给你们老太太、姨父、姨母送了些去。如今留了些，我要自己吃，恐怕折福，左思右想，除我之外，惟有你还配吃，所以特请你来。可巧唱曲儿的小幺儿又才来了，我同你乐一天何如？”

一面说，一面来至他书房里。只见詹光、程日兴、胡斯来〔三〕、单聘仁等并唱曲儿的都在这里，见他进来，请安的，问好的，都彼此见过了。吃了茶，薛蟠即命人摆酒来。说犹未了，众小厮七手八脚摆了半天，方才停当归坐。宝玉果见瓜藕新异，因笑道：“我的寿礼还未送来，倒先扰了。”薛蟠道：“可是[11]呢，明儿你送我什么？”宝玉道：“我可有什么可送的？若论银钱吃的穿的东西，究竟还不是我的，惟有我写一张字，画一张画，才算是我的。”

薛蟠笑道：“你提画儿，我才想起来。昨儿我看人家一张春宫[12]，画的着实好。上面还有许多的字，也没细看，只看落的款，是‘庚黄’画的。真真的好的了不得！”宝玉听说，心下猜疑道：“古今字画也都见过些，那里有个‘庚黄’？”想了半天，不觉笑将起来，命人取过笔来，在手心里写了两个字，又问薛蟠道：“你看真了是‘庚黄’？”薛蟠道：“怎么看不真！”宝玉将手一撒，与他看道：“别是这两字罢？其实与‘庚黄’相去不远。”众人都看时，原来是“唐寅”两个字，都笑道：“想必是这两字，大爷一时眼花了也未可知。”薛蟠只觉没意思，笑道：“谁知他‘糖银’‘果银’的。”

正说着，小厮来回“冯大爷来了”。宝玉便知是神武将军冯唐之子冯紫英来了。薛蟠等一齐都叫“快请”。说犹未了，只见冯紫英一路说笑，已进来了。众人忙起席让坐。冯紫英笑道：“好呀！也不出门了，在家里高乐罢。”宝玉薛蟠都笑道：“一向少会，老世伯身上康健？”紫英答道：“家父倒也托庇康健。近来家母偶着了些风寒，不好了两天。”

薛蟠见他面上有些青伤，便笑道：“这脸上又和谁挥拳的？挂了幌子了。”冯紫英笑道：“从那一遭把仇都尉的儿子〔四〕打伤了，我就记了再不怄气，如何又挥拳？这个脸上，是前日打围[14]，在铁网山教兔鹘[15]捎一翅膀。”宝玉道：“几时的话？”紫英道：“三月二十八日去的，前儿也就回来了。”宝玉道：“怪道前儿初三四儿，我在沈世兄家赴席不见你呢。我要问，不知怎么就忘了。单你去了，还是老世伯也去了？”紫英道：“可不是家父去，我没法儿，去罢了。难道我闲疯了，咱们几个人吃酒听唱的不乐，寻那个苦恼去？这一次，大不幸之中又大幸。”

薛蟠众人见他吃完了茶，都说道：“且入席，有话慢慢的说。”冯紫英听说，便立起身来说道：“论理，我该陪饮几杯才是，只是今儿有一件大大要紧的事，回去还要见家父面回，实不敢领。”薛蟠宝玉众人那里肯依，死拉着不放。冯紫英笑道：“这又奇了。你我这些年，那回儿有这个道理的？果然不能遵命。若必定叫我领，拿大杯来，我领两杯就是了。”众人听说，只得罢了。薛蟠执壶，宝玉把盏，斟了两大海[16]。那冯紫英站着，一气而尽。

宝玉道：“你到底把这个‘不幸之幸’说完了再走。”冯紫英笑道：“今儿说的也不尽兴。我为这个，还要特治一东，请你们去细谈一谈；二则还有所恳之处。”说着执手就走。薛蟠道：“越发说的人热剌剌的丢不下。多早晚才请我们，告诉了，也免的人犹疑。”冯紫英道：“多则十日，少则八天。”一面说，一面出门上马去了。众人回来，依席又饮了一回方散。

宝玉回至园中，袭人正记挂着他去见贾政，不知是祸是福；只见宝玉醉醺醺的回来，问其原故，宝玉一一向他说了。袭人道：“人家牵肠挂肚的等着，你且高乐去，也到底打发人来给个信儿。”宝玉道：“我何尝不要送信儿，只因冯世兄来了，就混忘了。”

正说着，只见宝钗走进来笑道：“偏了我们新鲜东西了。”宝玉笑道：“姐姐家的东西，自然先偏了我们了。”宝钗摇头笑道：“昨儿哥哥倒特特的请我吃，我不吃，叫他留着请人送人罢。我知道我的命小福薄，不配吃那个。”说着，丫鬟倒了茶来，吃茶说闲话儿，不在话下。

却说那林黛玉听见贾政叫了宝玉去了，一日不回来，心中也替他忧虑。至晚饭后，闻得宝玉来了，心里要找他问问是怎么样了。一步步行来，见宝钗进宝玉的院内去了，自己也便随后走了来。刚到了沁芳桥，只见各色水禽都在池中浴水，也认不出名色来，但见一个个文彩炫耀，好看异常，因而站住看了一会。再往怡红院来，只见院门关着，黛玉便以手扣门。

谁知晴雯和碧痕正拌了嘴，没好气，忽见宝钗来了，那晴雯正把气移在宝钗身上，正在院内抱怨说：“有事没事跑了来坐着，叫我们三更半夜的不得睡觉！”忽听又有人叫门，晴雯越发动了气，也并不问是谁，便说道：“都睡下了，明儿再来罢！”林黛玉素知丫头们的情性，他们彼此顽耍惯了，恐怕院内的丫头没听真是他的声音，只当是别的丫头们来了，所以不开门，因而又高声说道：“是我，还不开么？”晴雯偏生还没听出来，便使性子说道：“凭你是谁，二爷吩咐的，一概不许放人进来呢！”

林黛玉听了，不觉气怔在门外，待要高声问他，逗起气来，自己又回思一番：“虽说是舅母家如同自己家一样，到底是客边[17]。如今父母双亡，无依无靠，现在他家依栖。如今认真淘气[18]，也觉没趣。”一面想，一面又滚下泪珠来。正是回去不是，站着不是。正没主意，只听里面一阵笑语之声，细听一听，竟是宝玉、宝钗二人。林黛玉心中益发动了气，左思右想，忽然想起了早起的事来：“必竟是宝玉恼我要告他的原故。但只我何尝告你了，你也打听打听，就恼我到这步田地。你今儿不叫我进来，难道明儿就不见面了！”越想越伤感起来，也不顾苍苔露冷，花径风寒，独立墙角边花阴之下，悲悲戚戚呜咽起来。

原来这林黛玉秉绝代姿容，具希世俊美，不期这一哭，那附近柳枝花朵上的宿鸟栖鸦一闻此声，俱忒楞楞[19]飞起远避，不忍再听。真是：

花魂默默无情绪，鸟梦痴痴何处惊。

因有一首诗道：

颦儿才貌世应希，独抱幽芳出绣闺；

呜咽一声犹未了，落花满地鸟惊飞。

那林黛玉正自啼哭，忽听“吱喽”一声，院门开处，不知是那一个出来。要知端的，且听下回分解。

〔一〕 “佳蕙点头想了一会道”，原作“佳蕙道，我想了会子”，从各本改。

[2] 剔翎——鸟类用嘴啄刮自己的羽毛。

[3] 造次——轻率、鲁莽。

[4] 葳蕤（wēi　ruí威瑞阳平）——本指草木下垂的样子，此指无精打采、萎靡不振。

[5] 凤尾森森，龙吟细细——凤尾森森：喻竹林茂盛。宋·方伯谟《斑竹》诗：“凤尾森森半已舒，玳纹滴沥画难如。”龙吟：常用以形容箫笛之类管乐器的声音，梁·刘孝先《咏竹》：“谁能制长笛，当为吐龙吟。”这里喻风吹竹林发出的声响。

[6] 每日家情思睡昏昏——《西厢记》杂剧第二本《崔莺莺夜听琴》第一折莺莺的唱词。描写崔莺莺思念张生的烦闷心绪。家：一作“价”，语尾助词，无义。

[7] 榧（fěi匪）子——拇指和中指紧捏，猛然相捻发出声响，俗称“榧子”。向对方“打榧子”含有轻佻、玩笑的意思。

[8] “若共你”二句——《西厢记》杂剧第一本《张君瑞闹道场》第二折张生的唱词。原剧“多情小姐”指莺莺，“叠被铺床”者指红娘。这里宝玉自比张生，把黛玉比作莺莺，把紫鹃比作红娘。

〔二〕 “焦雷”，底本作“雷的”，据俄藏本改。

〔三〕 “胡斯来”，原作“胡思来”，从各本改。

[11] 可是——此处作“可不是”解。

[12] 春宫——淫画。

〔四〕 “仇都尉的儿子”，原无“的儿子”三字，从各本补。

[14] 打围——围猎禽兽叫“打围”，亦即打猎。

[15] 兔鹘（ɡǔ鼓）——即鹘，一种猎鹰，善扑兔雁等，出自松花江下游地区，又称“海东青”。

[16] 大海——这里指大酒杯。

[17] 客边——以客人的身份寄居在别人家里。

[18] 淘气——这里是怄气的意思。

[19] 忒楞楞——象声词，形容鸟飞的声音。

CHAPTER 26. A conversation on Wasp Waist Bridge is a cover for communication of a different kind And a soliloquy overhead in the Naiad’s House reveals unsuspected depths of feeling

By the time the thirty-three days’ convalescence had ended, not only were Bao-yu’s health and strength completely restored, but even the burn-marks on his face had vanished, and he was allowed to move back into the Garden.

It may be recalled that when Bao-yu’s sickness was at its height, it had been found necessary to call in Jia Yun with a number of pages under his command to take turns in watching over him. Crimson was there too at that time, having been brought in with the other maids from his apartment. During those few days she and Jia Yun therefore had ample opportunity of seeing each other, and a certain familiarity began to grow up between them.

Crimson noticed that Jia Yun was often to be seen sporting a handkerchief very much like the one she had lost. She nearly asked him about it, but in the end was too shy. Then, after the monk’s Visit, the presence of the menfolk was no longer required and Jia Yun went back to his tree-planting. Though Crimson could still not dismiss the matter entirely from her mind, she did not ask anyone about it for fear of arousing their suspicions.

A day or two after their return to Green Delights, Crimson was sitting in her room, still brooding over this handkerchief business, when a voice outside the window inquired whether she was in. Peeping through an eyelet in the casement she recognized Melilot, a little maid who belonged to the same apartment as herself.

‘Yes, I’m in,’ she said. ‘Come inside!’

Little Melilot came bounding in and sat down on the bed with a giggle.

‘I’m in luck!’ she said. ‘I was washing some things in the yard when Bao-yu asked for some tea to be taken round to Miss Lin’s for him and Miss Aroma gave me the job of taking it. When I got there, Miss Lin had just been given some money by Her Old Ladyship and was sharing it out among her maids; so when she saw me she just said “Here you are!” and gave me two big handfuls of it. I’ve no idea how much it is. Will you look after it for me, please?’

She undid her handkerchief and poured out a shower of coins. Crimson carefully counted them for her and put them away in a safe place.

‘What’s been the matter with you lately?’ said Melilot. ‘If you ask me, I think you ought to go home for a day or two and call in a doctor. I expect you need some medicine.’

‘Silly!’ said Crimson. ‘I’m perfectly all right. What should I want to go home for?’

‘I know what, then,’ said Melilot. ‘Miss Lin’s very weakly. She’s always taking medicine. Why don’t you ask her to give you some of hers? It would probably do just as well.’

‘Oh, nonsense!’ said Crimson. ‘You can’t take other people’s medicines just like that!’

‘Well, you can’t go on in this way,’ said Melilot, ‘never eating or drinking properly. What will become of you?

‘Who cares?’ said Crimson. ‘The sooner I’m dead the better!’

‘You shouldn’t say such things,’ said Melilot. ‘It isn’t right.’

‘Why not?’ said Crimson. ‘How do you know what is on my mind?

Melilot shook her head sympathetically.

‘I can’t say I really blame you,’ she said. ‘Things are very difficult here at times. Take yesterday, for example. Her Old Ladyship said that as Bao-yu was better now and there was to be a thanksgiving for his recovery, all those who had the trouble of nursing him during his illness were to be rewarded according to their grades. Well now, I can understand the very young ones like me not being included, but why should they leave you out? I felt really sorry for you when I heard that they’d left you out. Aroma, of course, you’d expect to get more than anyone else. I don’t blame her at all. In fact, I think it’s owing to her. Let’s be honest: none of us can compare with Aroma. I mean, even if she didn’t always take so much trouble over everything, no one would want to quarrel about her having a bigger share. What makes me so angry is that people like Skybright and Mackerel should count as top grade when everyone knows they’re only put there to curry favour with Bao-yu. Doesn’t it make you angry?’

‘I don’t see much point in getting angry,’ said Crimson. ‘You know what they said about the mile-wide marquee: “Even the longest party must have an end”? Well, none of us is here for ever, you know. Another four or five years from now when we’ve each gone our different ways it won’t matter any longer what all the rest of us are doing.’

Little Melilot found this talk of parting and impermanence vaguely affecting and a slight moisture was to be observed about her eyes. She thought shame to cry without good cause, however, and masked her emotion with a smile:

‘That’s perfectly true. Only yesterday Bao-yu was going on about all the things he’s going to do to his rooms and the clothes he’s going to have made and everything, just as if he had a hundred or two years ahead of him with nothing to do but kill time in.’

Crimson laughed scornfully, though whether at Melilot’s simplicity or at Bao-yu’s improvidence is unclear, since just as she was about to comment, a little maid came running in, so young that her hair was still done up in two little girl’s horns. She was carrying some patterns and sheets of paper.

‘You’re to copy out these two patterns.’

She threw them in Crimson’s direction and straightway darted out again. Crimson shouted after her:

‘Who are they for, then? You might at least finish your message before rushing off. What are you in such a tearing hurry about? Is someone steaming wheatcakes for you and you’re afraid they’ll get cold?’

‘They’re for Mackerel.’ The little maid paused long enough to bawl an answer through the window, then picking up her heels, went pounding off, plim-plam, plim-plam, plim-plam, as fast as she had come.

Crimson threw the patterns crossly to one side and went to hunt in her drawer for a brush to trace them with. After rummaging for several minutes she had only succeeded in finding a few worn-out ones, too moulted for use.

‘Funny!’ she said. ‘I could have, sworn I put a new one in there the other day …’

She thought a bit, then laughed at herself as she remembered:

‘Of course. Oriole took it, the evening before last.’ She turned to Melilot. ‘Would you go and get it for me, then?’

‘I’m afraid I can’t,’ said Melilot. ‘Miss Aroma’s waiting for me to fetch some boxes for her. You’ll have to get it yourself.’

‘If Aroma’s waiting for you, why have you been sitting here gossiping all this time?’ said Crimson. ‘If I hadn’t asked you to go and get it, she wouldn’t have been waiting, would she? Lazy little beast!’

She left the room and walked out of the gate of Green Delights and in the direction of Bao-chai’s courtyard. She was just passing by Drenched Blossoms Pavilion when she caught sight of Bao-yu’s old wet-nurse, Nannie Li, coming from the opposite direction and stood respectfully aside to wait for her.

‘Where have you been, Mrs Li?’ she asked her. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here.’

Nannie Li made a flapping gesture with her hand:

‘What do you think, my dear: His Nibs has taken a fancy to the young fellow who does the tree-planting – “Yin” or “Yun” or whatever his name is – so Nannie has to go and ask him in. Let’s hope Their Ladyships don’t find out about it. There’ll be trouble if they do.’

‘Are you really going to ask him in?’

‘Yes. Why?’

Crimson laughed:

‘If your Mr Yun knows what’s good for him, he won’t agree to come.’

‘He’s no fool,’ said Nannie Li. ‘Why shouldn’t he?’

‘Any way, if he does come in,’ said Crimson, ignoring her question, ‘you can’t just bring him in and then leave him, Mrs Li. You’ll have to take him back again yourself afterwards. You don’t want him wandering off on his own. There’s no knowing who he might bump into.’

(Crimson herself, was the secret hope.)

‘Gracious me! I haven’t got that much spare time,’ said Nannie Li. ‘All I’ve done is just to tell him that he’s got to come. I’ll send someone else to fetch him in when I get back presently – one of the girls, or one of the older women, maybe.’

She hobbled off on her stick, leaving Crimson standing there in a muse, her mission to fetch the tracing-brush momentarily forgotten. She was still standing there a minute or two later when a little maid came along, who, seeing that it was Crimson, asked her what she was doing there. Crimson looked up. It was Trinket, another of the maids from Green Delights.

‘Where are you going?’ Crimson asked her.

‘I’ve been sent to fetch Mr Yun,’ said Trinket. ‘I have to bring him inside to meet Master Bao.’

She ran off on her way.

At the gate to Wasp Waist Bridge Crimson ran into Trinket again, this time with Jia Yun in tow. His eyes sought Crimson’s; and hers, as she made pretence of conversing with Trinket, sought his. Their two pairs of eyes met and briefly skirmished; then Crimson felt herself blushing, and turning away abruptly, she made off for Allspice Court.

Our narrative now follows Jia Yun and Trinket along the winding pathway to the House of Green Delights. Soon they were at the courtyard gate and Jia Yun waited outside while she went in to announce his arrival. She returned presently to lead him inside.

There were a few scattered rocks in the courtyard and some clumps of jade-green plantain. Two storks stood in the shadow of a pine-tree, preening themselves with their long bills. The gallery surrounding the courtyard was hung with cages of unusual design in which perched or fluttered a wide variety of birds, some of them gay-plumaged exotic ones. Above the steps was a little five-frame penthouse building with a glimpse of delicately-carved partitions visible through the open doorway, above which a horizontal board hung, inscribed with the words

CRIMSON JOYS AND GREEN DELIGHTS

‘So that’s why it’s called “The House of Green Delights”’ Jia Yun told himself. ‘The name is taken from the inscription.’

A laughing voice addressed him from behind one of the silk gauze casements:

‘Come on in! It must be two or three months since I first forgot our appointment!’

Jia Yun recognized the voice as Bao-yu’s and hurried up the steps inside. He looked about him, dazzled by the brilliance of gold and semi-precious inlay-work and the richness of the ornaments and furnishings, but unable to see Bao-yu in the midst of it all. To the left of him was a full-length mirror from behind which two girls now emerged, both about fifteen or sixteen years old and of much the same build and height. They addressed him by name and asked him to come inside. Slightly overawed, he muttered something in reply and hurried after them, not daring to take more than a furtive glance at them from the corner of his eye. They ushered him into a tent-like summer ‘cabinet’ of green net, whose principal furniture was a tiny lacquered bed with crimson hangings heavily patterned in gold. On this Bao-yu, wearing everyday clothes and a pair of bedroom slippers, was reclining, book in hand. He threw the book down as Jia Yun entered and rose to his feet with a welcoming smile. Jia Yun swiftly dropped knee and hand to floor in greeting. Bidden to sit, he modestly placed himself on a bedside chair.

‘After I invited you round to my study that day,’ said Bao-yu, ‘a whole lot of things seemed to happen one after the other, and I’m afraid I quite forgot about your visit.’

Jia Yun returned his smile:

‘Let’s just say that it wasn’t my luck to see you then. But you have been ill since then, Uncle Bao. Are you quite better now?’

‘Quite better, thank you. I hear you’ve been very busy these last few days.’

‘That’s as it should be,’ said Jia Yun. ‘But I’m glad you are better, Uncle. That’s a piece of good fortune for all of us.’

As they chatted, a maid came in with some tea. Jia Yun was talking to Bao-yu as she approached, but his eyes were on her. She was tall and rather thin with a long oval face, and she was wearing a rose-pink dress over a closely pleated white satin skirt and a black satin sleeveless jacket over the dress.

In the course of his brief sojourn among them in the early days of Bao-yu’s illness, Jia Yun had got by heart the names of most of the principal females of Bao-yu’s establishment. He knew at a glance that the maid now serving him tea was Aroma. He was also aware that she was in some way more important than the other maids and that to be waited on by her in the seated presence of her master was an honour. Jumping hastily to his feet he addressed her with a modest smile:

‘You shouldn’t pour tea for me, Miss! I’m not like a visitor here. You should let me pour for myself!’

‘Oh do sit down!’ said Bao-yu. ‘You don’t have to be like that in front of the maids!’

‘I know,’ said Jia Yun. ‘But a body-servant! I don’t like to presume.’

He sat down, nevertheless, and sipped his tea while Bao-yu made conversation on a number of unimportant topics. He told him which household kept the best troupe of players, which had the finest gardens, whose maids were the prettiest, who gave the best parties, and who had the best collection of curiosities or the strangest pets. Jia Yun did his best to keep up with him. After a while Bao-yu showed signs of flagging, and when Jia Yun, observing what appeared to be fatigue, rose to take his leave, he did not very strongly press him to stay.

‘You must come again when you can spare the time,’ said Bao-yu, and ordered Trinket to see him out of the Garden.

Once outside the gateway of Green Delights, Jia Yun looked around him on all sides, and having ascertained that there was no one else about, slowed down to a more dawdling pace so that he could ask Trinket a few questions. Indeed, the little maid was subjected to quite a catechism: How old was she? What was her name? What did her father and mother do? How many years had she been working for his Uncle Bao? How much pay did she get a month? How many girls were there working for him altogether? Trinket seemed to have no objection, however, and answered each question as it came.

‘That girl you were talking to on the way in,’ he said, ‘isn’t her name “Crimson”?’

Trinket laughed:

‘Yes. Why do you ask?’

‘I heard her asking you about a handkerchief. Only it just so happens that I picked one up.’

Trinket showed interest.

‘She’s asked me about that handkerchief of hers a number of times. I told her, I’ve got better things to do with my time than go looking for people’s handkerchiefs. But when she asked me about it again today, she said that if I could find it for her, she’d give me a reward. Come to think of it, you were there when she said that, weren’t you? It was when we were outside the gate of Allspice Court. So you can bear me out. Oh Mr Jia, please let me have it if you’ve picked it up and I’ll be able to see what she will give me for it!’

Jia Yun had picked up a silk handkerchief a month previously at the time when his tree-planting activities had just started. He knew that it must have been dropped by one or another of the female inmates of the Garden, but not knowing which, had not so far ventured to do anything about his discovery. When earlier on he had heard Crimson question Trinket about her loss, he had realized, with a thrill of pleasure, that the handkerchief he had picked up must have been hers. Trinket’s request now gave him just the opening he required. He drew a handkerchief of his own from inside his sleeve and held it up in front of her with a smile:

‘I’ll give it to you on one condition. If she lets you have this reward you were speaking of, you’ve got to let me know. No cheating, mind!’

Trinket received the handkerchief with eager assurances that he would be informed of the outcome, and having seen him out of the Garden, went back again to look for Crimson.

Our narrative returns now to Bao-yu.

After disposing of Jia Yun, Bao-yu continued to feel extremely lethargic and lay back on the bed with every appearance of being about to doze off to sleep. Aroma hurried over to him and, sitting on the edge of the bed, roused him with a shake:

‘Come on! Surely you are not going to sleep again? You need some fresh air. Why don’t you go outside and walk around for a bit?’

Bao-yu took her by the hand and smiled at her.

‘I’d like to go,’ he said, ‘but I don’t want to leave you.’

‘Silly!’ said Aroma with a laugh. ‘Don’t say what you don’t mean!’

She hoicked him to his feet.

‘Well, where am I going to go then?’ said Bao-yu. ‘I just feel so bored.’

‘Never mind where, just go out!’ said Aroma. ‘If you stay moping indoors like this, you’ll get even more bored.’

Bao-yu followed her advice, albeit half-heartedly, and went out into the courtyard. After visiting the cages in the gallery and playing for a bit with the birds, he ambled out of the courtyard into the Garden and along the bank of Drenched Blossoms Stream, pausing for a while to look at the goldfish in the water. As he did so, a pair of fawns came running like the wind from the hillside opposite. Bao-yu was puzzled. There seemed to be no reason for their mysterious terror. But just then little Jia Lan came running down the same slope after them, a tiny bow clutched in his hand. Seeing his uncle ahead of him, he stood politely to attention and greeted him cheerfully:

‘Hello, Uncle. I didn’t know you were at home. I thought you’d gone out.’

‘Mischievous little blighter, aren’t you?’ said Bao-yu. ‘What do you want to go shooting them for, poor little things?’

‘I’ve got no reading to do today,’ said Jia Lan, ‘and I don’t like to hang about doing nothing, so I thought I’d practise my archery and equitation.’

‘Goodness! You’d better not waste time jawing, then,’ said Bao-yu, and left the young toxophilite to his pursuits.

Moving on, without much thinking where he was going, he came presently to the gate of a courtyard.

Denser than feathers on the phoenix’ tail

The stirred leaves murmured with a pent dragon’s moan.

The multitudinous bamboos and the board above the gate confirmed that his feet had, without conscious direction, carried him to the Naiad’s House. Of their own accord they now carried him through the gateway and into the courtyard.

The House seemed silent and deserted, its bamboo door-blind hanging unrolled to the ground; but as he approached the window, he detected a faint sweetness in the air, traceable to a thin curl of incense smoke which drifted out through the green gauze of the casement. He pressed his face to the gauze; but before his eyes could distinguish anything, his ear became aware of a long, languorous sigh and the sound of a voice speaking:

‘Each day in a drowsy waking dream of love.’

Bao-yu felt a sudden yearning for the speaker. He could see her now. It was Dai-yu, of course, lying on her bed, stretching herself and yawning luxuriously.

He laughed:

‘Why “each day in a drowsy waking dream of love”?’ he asked through the window (the words were from his beloved Western Chamber); then going to the doorway he lifted up the door-blind and walked into the room.

Dai-yu realized that she had been caught off her guard. She covered her burning face with her sleeve, and turning over towards the wall, pretended to be asleep. Bao-yu went over intending to turn her back again, but just at that moment Dai-yu’s old wet-nurse came hurrying in with two other old women at her heels:

‘Miss Lin’s asleep, sir. Would you mind coming back again after she’s woken up?’

Dai-yu at once turned over and sat up with a laugh:

‘Who’s asleep?’

The three old women laughed apologetically.

‘Sorry, miss. We thought you were asleep. Nightingale! Come inside now! Your mistress is awake.’

Having shouted for Nightingale, the three guardians of morality retired.

‘What do you mean by coming into people’s rooms when they’re asleep?’ said Dai-yu, smiling up at Bao-yu as she sat on the bed’s edge patting her hair into shape.

At the sight of those soft cheeks so adorably flushed and the starry eyes a little misted with sleep a wave of emotion passed over him. He sank into a chair and smiled back at her:

‘What was that you were saying just now before I came in?’

‘I didn’t say anything,’ said Dai-yu.

Bao-yu laughed and snapped his fingers at her:

‘Put that on your tongue, girl! I heard you say it.’

While they were talking to one another, Nightingale came in.

‘Nightingale,’ said Bao-yu, ‘what about a cup of that excellent tea of yours?’

‘Excellent tea?’ said Nightingale. ‘There’s nothing very special about the tea we drink here. If nothing but the best will do, you’d better wait for Aroma to come.’

‘Never mind about him!’ said Dai-yu. ‘First go and get me some water!’

‘He is our guest,’ said Nightingale. ‘I can’t fetch you any water until I’ve given him his tea.’ And she went to pour him a cup.

‘Good girl!’ said Bao-yu.

‘If with your amorous mistress I should wed,

‘Tis you, sweet maid, must make our bridal bed.’

The words, like Dai-yu’s languorous line, were from Western Chamber, but in somewhat dubious taste. Dai-yu was dreadfully offended by them. In an instant the smile had vanished from her face.

‘What was that you said?’

He laughed:

‘I didn’t say anything.’

Dai-yu began to cry.

‘This is your latest amusement, I suppose. Every time you hear some coarse expression outside or read some crude, disgusting book, you have to come back here and give me the benefit of it. I am to become a source of entertainment for the menfolk now, it seems.’

She rose, weeping, from the bed and went outside. Bao-yu followed her in alarm.

‘Dearest coz, it was very wrong of me to say that, but it just slipped out without thinking. Please don’t go and tell! I promise never to say anything like that again. May my mouth rot and my tongue decay if I do!’

Just at that moment Aroma came hurrying up:

‘Quick!’ she said. ‘You must come back and change. The Master wants to see you.’

The descent of this thunderbolt drove all else from his mind and he rushed off in a panic. As soon as he had changed, he hurried out of the Garden. Tealeaf was waiting for him outside the inner gate.

‘I suppose you don’t know what he wants to see me about?’ Bao-yu asked him.

‘I should hurry up, if I were you,’ said Tealeaf. ‘All I know is that he wants to see you. You’ll find out why soon enough when you get there.’

He hustled him along as he spoke.

They had passed round the main hall, Bao-yu still in a state of fluttering apprehensiveness, when there was a loud guffaw from a corner of the wall. It was Xue Pan, clapping his hands and stamping his feet in mirth.

‘Ho! Ho! Ho! You’d never have come this quickly if you hadn’t been told that Uncle wanted you!’

Tealeaf, also laughing, fell on his knees. Bao-yu stood there looking puzzled. It was some moments before it dawned on him that he had been hoaxed. Xue Pan was by this time being apologetic – bowing repeatedly and pumping his hands to show how sorry he was:

‘Don’t blame the lad!’ he said. ‘It wasn’t his fault. I talked him into it.’

Bao-yu saw that he could do nothing, and might as well accept with a good grace.

‘I don’t mind being made a fool of,’ he said, ‘but I think it was going a bit far to bring my father into it. I think perhaps I’d better tell Aunt Xue and see what she thinks about it all.’

‘Now look here, old chap,’ said Xue Pan, getting agitated, ‘it was only because I wanted to fetch you out a bit quicker. I admit it was very wrong of me to make free with your Parent, but after all, you’ve only got to mention my father next time you want to fool me and we’ll be quits!’

‘Aiyo!’ said Bao-yu. ‘Worse and worse!’ He turned to Tealeaf: ‘Treacherous little beast! What are you still kneeling for?’

Tealeaf kotowed and rose to his feet.

‘Look,’ said Xue Pan. ‘I wouldn’t have troubled you otherwise, only it’s my birthday on the third of next month and old Hu and old Cheng and a couple of the others, I don’t know where they got them from but they’ve given me:

a piece of fresh lotus root, ever so crisp and crunchy, as thick as that, look, and as long as that;

a huge great melon, look, as big as that;

a freshly-caught sturgeon as big as that;

and a cypress-smoked Siamese sucking-pig as big as that that came in the tribute from Siam.

Don’t you think it was clever of them to get me those things? Maybe not so much the sturgeon and the sucking-pig. They’re just expensive. But where would you go to get a piece of lotus root or a melon like that? However did they get them to grow so big? I’ve given some of the stuff to Mother, and while I was about it I sent some round to your grandmother and Auntie Wang, but I’ve still got a lot left over. I can’t eat it all myself: it would be unlucky. But apart from me, the only person I can think of who is worthy to eat a present like this is you. That’s why I came over specially to invite you. And we’re lucky, because we’ve got a little chap who sings coming round as well. So you and I will be able to sit down and make a day of it, eh? Really enjoy ourselves.’

Xue Pan, still talking, conducted Bao-yu to his ‘study’, where Zhan Guang, Cheng Ri-xing, Hu Si-lai and Dan Ping-ren (the four donors of the feast) and the young singer he had mentioned were already waiting. They rose to welcome Bao-yu as he entered. When the bowings and courtesies were over and tea had been taken, Xue Pan called for his servants to lay. A tremendous bustle ensued, which seemed to go on for quite a long time before everything was finally ready and the diners were able to take their places at the table.

Bao-yu noticed sliced melon and lotus root among the dishes, both of unusual quality and size.

‘It seems wrong to be sharing your presents with you before I have given you anything myself,’ he said jokingly.

‘Yes,’ said Xue Pan. ‘What are you planning to give me for my birthday next month? Something new and out of the ordinary, I hope.’

‘I haven’t really got anything much to give you,’ said Bao-yu. ‘Things like money and food and clothing I don’t want for, but they’re not really mine to give. The only way I could give you something that would really be mine would be by doing some calligraphy or painting a picture for you.’

‘Talking of pictures,’ said Xue Pan genially, ‘that’s reminded me. I saw a set of dirty pictures in someone’s house the other day. They were real beauties. There was a lot of writing on top that I didn’t pay much attention to, but I did notice the signature. I think it was “Geng Huang”, the man who painted them. They were really good!’

Bao-yu was puzzled. His knowledge of the masters of painting and calligraphy both past and present was not inconsiderable, but he had never in all his experience come across a ‘Geng Huang’. After racking his brains for some moments he suddenly began to chuckle and called for a writing-brush. A writing-brush having been produced by one of the servants, he wrote two characters with it in the palm of his hand.

‘Are you quite sure the signature you saw was “Geng Huang”?’ he asked Xue Pan.

‘What do you mean?’ said Xue Pan. ‘Of course I’m sure.’

Bao-yu opened his hand and held it up for Xue Pan to see:

‘You sure it wasn’t these two characters? They are quite similar.’

The others crowded round to look. They all laughed when they saw what he had written:

‘Yes, it must have been “Tang Yin”. Mr Xue couldn’t have been seeing straight that day. Ha! Ha! Ha!’

Xue Pan realized that he had made a fool of himself, but passed it off with an embarrassed laugh:

‘Oh, Tankin’ or wankin’,’ he said, ‘what difference does it make, anyway?’

Just then ‘Mr Feng’ was announced by one of the servants, which Bao-yu knew could only mean General Feng Tang’s son, Feng Zi-ying. Xue Pan and the rest told the boy to bring him in immediately, but Feng Zi-ying was already striding in, talking and laughing as he went. The others hurriedly rose and invited him to take a seat.

‘Ha!’ said Feng Zi-ying. ‘No need to go out then. Enjoyin’ yourselves at home, eh? Very nice too!’

‘It’s a long time since we’ve seen you around,’ said Bao-yu. ‘How’s the General?’

‘Fahver’s in good health, thank you very much,’ said Feng Zi-ying, ‘but Muvver hasn’t been too well lately. Caught a chill or somethin’.’

Observing with glee that Feng Zi-ying was sporting a black eye, Xue Pan asked him how he had come by it:

‘Been having a dust-up, then? Who was it this time? Looks as if he left his signature!’

Feng Zi-ying laughed:

‘Don’t use the mitts any more nowadays – not since that time I laid into Colonel Chou’s son and did him an injury. That was a lesson to me. I’ve learned to keep my temper since then. No, this happened the other day durin’ a huntin’ expedition in the Iron Net Mountains. I got flicked by a goshawk’s wing.’

‘When was this?’ Bao-yu asked him.

‘We left on the twenty-eighth of last month,’ said Feng Zi-ying. ‘Didn’t get back till a few days ago.’

‘Ah, that explains why I didn’t see you at Shen’s party earlier this month,’ said Bao-yu. ‘I meant at the time to ask why you weren’t there, but I forgot. Did you go alone on this expedition or was the General there with you?’

‘Fahver most certainly was there,’ said Feng Zi-ying. ‘I was practically dragged along in tow. Do you think I’m mad enough to go rushin’ off in pursuit of hideous hardships when I could be sittin’ comfortably at home eatin’ good food and drinkin’ good wine and listenin’ to the odd song or two? Still, some good came of it. It was a lucky accident.’

As he had now finished his tea, Xue Pan urged him to join them at table and tell them his story at leisure, but Feng Zi-ying rose to his feet again and declined.

‘I ought by rights to stay and drink a few cups with you,’ he said, ‘but there’s somethin’ very important I’ve got to see Fahver about now, so I’m afraid I really must refuse.’

But Xue Pan, Bao-yu and the rest were by no means content to let him get away with this excuse and propelled him insistently towards the table.

‘Now look here, this is too bad!’ Feng Zi-ying good-humouredly protested. ‘All the years we’ve been knockin’ around togevver we’ve never before insisted that a fellow should have to stay if he don’t want to. The fact is, I really can’t. Oh well, if I must have a drink, fetch some decent-sized cups and I’ll just put down a couple of quick ones!’

This was clearly the most he would concede and the others perforce acquiesced. Two sconce-cups were brought and ceremoniously filled, Bao-yu holding the cups and Xue Pan pouring from the wine-kettle. Feng Zi-ying drank them standing, one after the other, each in a single breath.

‘Now come on,’ said Bao-yu, ‘let’s hear about this “lucky accident” before you go!’

Feng Zi-ying laughed:

‘Couldn’t tell it properly just now,’ he said. ‘It’s somethin’ that needs a special party all to itself. I’ll invite you all round to my place another day and you shall have the details then. There’s a favour I want to ask too, by the bye, so we’ll be able to talk about that then as well.’

He made a determined movement towards the door.

‘Now you’ve got us all peeing ourselves with curiosity!’ said Xue Pan. ‘You might at least tell us when this party is going to be, to put us out of our suspense.’

‘Not more than ten days’ time and not less than eight,’ said Feng Zi-ying; and going out into the courtyard, he jumped on his horse and clattered away.

Having seen him off, the others went in again, reseated themselves at table, and resumed their potations. When the party finally broke up, Bao-yu returned to the Garden in a state of cheerful inebriation. Aroma, who had had no idea what the summons from Jia Zheng might portend and was still wondering anxiously what had become of him, at once demanded to know the cause of his condition. He gave her a full account of what had happened.

‘Well really!’ said Aroma. ‘Here were we practically beside ourselves with anxiety, and all the time you were there enjoying yourself! You might at least have sent word to let us know you were all right.’

‘I was going to send word,’ said Bao-yu. ‘Of course I was. But then old Feng arrived and it put it out of my mind.’

At that moment Bao-chai walked in, all smiles.

‘I hear you’ve made a start on the famous present,’ she said.

‘But surely you and your family must have had some already?’ said Bao-yu.

Bao-chai shook her head:

‘Pan was very pressing that I should have some, but I refused. I told him to save it for other people. I know I’m not really the right sort of person for such superior delicacies. If I were to eat any, I should be afraid of some frightful nemesis overtaking me.’

A maid poured tea for her as she spoke, and conversation of a desultory kind proceeded between sips.

Our narrative returns now to Dai-yu.

Having been present when Bao-yu received his summons, Dai-yu, too, was greatly worried about him – the more so as the day advanced and he had still not returned. Then in the evening, some time after dinner, she heard that he had just got back and resolved to go over and ask him exactly what had happened. She was sauntering along on the way there when she caught sight of Bao-chai some distance ahead of her, just entering Bao-yu’s courtyard. Continuing to amble on, she came presently to Drenched Blossoms Bridge, from which a large number of different kinds of fish were to be seen swimming about in the water below. Dai-yu did not know what kinds of fish they were, but they were so beautiful that she had to stop and admire them, and by the time she reached the House of Green Delights, the courtyard gate had been shut for the night and she was obliged to knock for admittance.

Now it so happened that Skybright had just been having a quarrel with Emerald, and being thoroughly out of temper, was venting some of her ill-humour on the lately arrived Bao-chai, complaining sotto voce behind her back about ‘people who were always inventing excuses to come dropping in and who kept other people staying up half the night when they would like to be in bed’. A knock at the gate coming in the midst of these resentful mutterings was enough to make her really angry.

‘They’ve all gone to bed,’ she shouted, not even bothering to inquire who the caller was. ‘Come again tomorrow!’

Dai-yu was aware that Bao-yu’s maids often played tricks on one another, and it occurred to her that the girl in the courtyard, not recognizing her voice, might have mistaken her for another maid and be keeping her locked out for a joke. She therefore called out again, this time somewhat louder than before:

‘Come on! Open up, please! It’s me.’

Unfortunately Skybright had still not recognized the voice.

‘I don’t care who you are,’ she replied bad-temperedly. ‘Master Bao’s orders are that I’m not to let anyone in.’

Dumbfounded by her insolence, Dai-yu stood outside the gate in silence. She could not, however much she felt like it, give vent to her anger in noisy expostulation. ‘Although they are always telling me to treat my Uncle’s house as my own,’ she reflected, ‘I am still really an outsider. And now that Mother and Father are both dead and I am on my own, to make a fuss about a thing like this when I am living in someone else’s house could only lead to further unpleasantness.’

A big tear coursed, unregarded, down her cheek.

She was still standing there irresolute, unable to decide whether to go or stay, when a sudden volley of talk and laughter reached her from inside. It resolved itself, as she listened attentively, into the voices of Bao-yu and Bao-chai. An even bitterer sense of chagrin took possession of her. Suddenly, as she hunted in her mind for some possible reason for her exclusion, she remembered the events of the morning and concluded that Bao-yu must think she had told on him to his parents and was punishing her for her betrayal.

‘But I would never betray you!’ she expostulated with him in her mind. ‘Why couldn’t you have asked first, before letting your resentment carry you to such lengths? If you won’t see me today, does that mean that from now on we are going to stop seeing each other altogether?’

The more she thought about it the more distressed she became.

Chill was the green moss pearled with dew

And chill was the wind in the avenue;

but Dai-yu, all unmindful of the unwholesome damp, had withdrawn into the shadow of a flowering fruit-tree by the corner of the wall, and grieving now in real earnest, began to cry as though her heart would break. And as if Nature herself were affected by the grief of so beautiful a creature, the crows who had been roosting in the trees round about flew up with a great commotion and removed themselves to another part of the Garden, unable to endure the sorrow of her weeping.

Tears filled each flower and grief their hearts perturbed,

And silly birds were from their nests disturbed.

The author of the preceding couplet has given us a quatrain in much the same vein:

Few in this world fair Frowner’s looks surpassed,

None matched her store of sweetness unexpressed.

The first sob scarcely from her lips had passed

When blossoms fell and birds flew off distressed.

As Dai-yu continued weeping there alone, the courtyard door suddenly opened with a loud creak and someone came out.

But in order to find out who it was, you will have to wait for the next volume.

EXPLICIT PRIMA PARS LAPIDIS HISTORIAE