第四十九回
第四十九回 琉璃世界白雪红梅 脂粉香娃割腥啖膻
话说香菱见众人正说笑，他便迎上去笑道：“你们看这一首。若使得，我便还学；若还不好，我就死了这作诗的心了。”说着，把诗递与黛玉及众人看时，只见写道是：
精华欲掩料应难，影自娟娟魄自寒[1]。
一片砧敲千里白[2]，半轮鸡唱五更残。
绿蓑[3]江上秋闻笛，红袖楼头夜倚栏。
博得嫦娥应借问，缘何不使永团圆！
众人看了笑道：“这首不但好，而且新巧有意趣。可知俗语说‘天下无难事，只怕有心人’。社里一定请你了。”香菱听了心下不信，料着是他们瞒哄自己的话，还只管问黛玉宝钗等。
正说之间，只见几个小丫头并老婆子忙忙的走来，都笑道：“来了好些姑娘奶奶们，我们都不认得，奶奶姑娘们快认亲去。”李纨笑道：“这是那里的话？你到底说明白了是谁的亲戚？”那婆子丫头都笑道：“奶奶的两位妹子都来了。还有一位姑娘，说是薛大姑娘的妹妹，还有一位爷，说是薛大爷的兄弟。我这会子请姨太太去呢，奶奶和姑娘们先上去罢。”说着，一径去了。宝钗笑道：“我们薛蝌和他妹妹来了不成？”李纨也笑道：“我们婶子又上京来了不成？他们也不能凑在一处，这可是奇事。”大家纳闷，来至王夫人上房，只见乌压压一地的人。
原来邢夫人之兄嫂带了女儿岫烟进京来投邢夫人的，可巧凤姐之兄王仁也正进京，两亲家一处打帮来了。走至半路泊船时，正遇见李纨之寡婶带着两个女儿——大名李纹，次名李绮——也上京。大家叙起来又是亲戚，因此三家一路同行。后有薛蟠之从弟[4]薛蝌，因当年父亲在京时已将胞妹薛宝琴许配都中梅翰林之子为婚，正欲进京发嫁，闻得王仁进京，他也带了妹子随后赶来。所以今日会齐了来访投各人亲戚。
于是大家见礼叙过，贾母王夫人都欢喜非常。贾母因笑道：“怪道昨日晚上灯花爆了又爆，结了又结，原来应到今日。”一面叙些家常，一面收看带来的礼物，一面命留酒饭。凤姐儿自不必说，忙上加忙。李纨宝钗自然和婶母姊妹叙离别之情。黛玉见了，先是欢喜，次后想起众人皆有亲眷，独自己孤单，无个亲眷，不免又去垂泪。宝玉深知其情，十分劝慰了一番方罢。
然后宝玉忙忙来至怡红院中，向袭人、麝月、晴雯等笑道：“你们还不快看人去！谁知宝姐姐的亲哥哥是那个样子，他这叔伯兄弟形容举止另是一样了，倒像是宝姐姐的同胞兄弟似的。更奇在你们成日家只说宝姐姐是绝色的人物，你们如今瞧瞧他这妹子，更有大嫂嫂这两个妹子，我竟形容不出了。老天，老天，你有多少精华灵秀，生出这些人上之人来！可知我井底之蛙，成日家自说现在的这几个人是有一无二的，谁知不必远寻，就是本地风光，一个赛似一个，如今我又长了一层学问了。除了这几个，难道还有几个不成？”一面说，一面自笑自叹。袭人见他又有了魔意，便不肯去瞧。晴雯等早去瞧了一遍回来，笑向袭人道：“你快瞧瞧去！大太太的一个侄女儿，宝姑娘一个妹妹，大奶奶两个妹妹，倒像一把子四根水葱儿。”
一语未了，只见探春也笑着进来找宝玉，因说道：“咱们的诗社可兴旺了。”宝玉笑道：“正是呢。这是你一高兴起诗社，所以鬼使神差来了这些人。但只一件，不知他们可学过作诗不曾？”探春道：“我才都问了问他们，虽是他们自谦，看其光景，没有不会的。便是不会也没难处，你看香菱就知道了。”
袭人笑道：“他们说薛大姑娘的妹妹更好，三姑娘看着怎么样？”探春道：“果然的话。据我看，连他姐姐并这些人总不及他。”袭人听了，又是诧异，又笑道：“这也奇了，还从那里再瞧好的去呢？我倒要瞧瞧去。”探春道：“老太太一见了，喜欢的无可不可，已经逼着太太认了干女儿了。老太太要养活[5]，才刚已经定了。”宝玉喜的忙问：“这果然的？”探春道：“我几时说过谎！”又笑道：“有了这个好孙女儿，就忘了你这孙子了。”宝玉笑道：“这倒不妨，原该多疼女儿些才是正理。明儿十六，咱们可该起社了。”
探春道：“林丫头刚起来了，二姐姐又病了，终是七上八下的。”宝玉道：“二姐姐又不大作诗，没有他又何妨。”探春道：“越性等几天，他们新来的混熟了，咱们邀上他们岂不好？这会子大嫂子宝姐姐心里自然没有诗兴的，况且湘云没来，颦儿刚好了，人人不合式。不如等着云丫头来了，这几个新的也熟了，颦儿也大好了，大嫂子和宝姐姐心也闲了，香菱诗也长进了：如此邀一满社，岂不好？咱们两个如今且往老太太那里去听听，除宝姐姐的妹妹不算外，他一定是在咱们家住定了的。倘或那三个要不在咱们这里住，咱们央告着老太太留下他们在园子里住下，咱们岂不多添几个人，越发有趣了。”宝玉听了，喜的眉开眼笑，忙说道：“倒是你明白。我终久是个糊涂心肠，空喜欢一会子，却想不到这上头来。”
说着，兄妹两个一齐往贾母处来。果然王夫人已认了宝琴作干女儿，贾母欢喜非常，连园中也不命住，晚上跟着贾母一处安寝。薛蝌自向薛蟠书房中住下。贾母便和邢夫人说：“你侄女儿也不必家去了，园里住几天，逛逛再去。”
邢夫人兄嫂家中原艰难，这一上京，原仗的是邢夫人与他们治房舍，帮盘缠，听如此说，岂不愿意。邢夫人便将岫烟交与凤姐儿。凤姐儿筹算得园中姊妹多，性情不一，且又不便另设一处，莫若送到迎春一处去，倘日后邢岫烟有些不遂意的事，纵然邢夫人知道了，与自己无干。从此后若邢岫烟家去住的日期不算，若在大观园住到一个月上，凤姐儿亦照迎春的分例送一分与岫烟。凤姐儿冷眼敁敠岫烟心性为人，竟不像邢夫人及他的父母一样，却是温厚可疼的人。因此凤姐儿又怜他家贫命苦，比别的姊妹多疼他些，邢夫人倒不大理论了。
贾母王夫人因素喜李纨贤惠，且年轻守节，令人敬服，今见他寡婶来了，便不肯令他外头去住。那李婶虽十分不肯，无奈贾母执意不从，只得带着李纹李绮在稻香村住下来。
当下安插既定，谁知保龄侯史鼐又迁委[6]了外省大员，不日要带了家眷去上任。贾母因舍不得湘云，便留下他了，接到家中，原要命凤姐儿另设一处与他住。史湘云执意不肯，只要与宝钗一处住，因此就罢了。
此时大观园中比先更热闹了多少。李纨为首，馀者迎春、探春、惜春、宝钗、黛玉、湘云、李纹、李绮、宝琴、邢岫烟，再添上凤姐儿和宝玉，一共十三个。叙起年庚，除李纨年纪最长，他十二个人皆不过十五六七岁，或有这三个同年，或有那五个共岁，或有这两个同月同日，那两个同刻同时，所差者大半是时刻月分而已。连他们自己也不能细细分晰，不过是“弟”“兄”“姊”“妹”四个字随便乱叫。
如今香菱正满心满意只想作诗，又不敢十分罗唣宝钗，可巧来了个史湘云。那史湘云又是极爱说话的，那里禁得起香菱又请教他谈诗，越发高了兴，没昼没夜高谈阔论起来。宝钗因笑道：“我实在聒噪的受不得了。一个女孩儿家，只管拿着诗作正经事讲起来，叫有学问的人听了，反笑话说不守本分的。一个香菱没闹清，偏又添了你这么个话口袋子，满嘴里说的是什么：怎么是杜工部之沉郁，韦苏州之淡雅，又怎么是温八叉之绮靡，李义山之隐僻[7]。放着两个现成的诗家不知道，提那些死人做什么！”湘云听了，忙笑问道：“是那两个？好姐姐，你告诉我。”宝钗笑道：“呆香菱之心苦，疯湘云之话多。”湘云香菱听了，都笑起来。
正说着，只见宝琴来了，披着一领斗篷，金翠辉煌，不知何物。宝钗忙问：“这是那里的？”宝琴笑道：“因下雪珠儿，老太太找了这一件给我的。”香菱上来瞧道：“怪道这么好看，原来是孔雀毛织的。”湘云道：“那里是孔雀毛，就是野鸭子头上的毛作的。可见老太太疼你了，这样疼宝玉，也没给他穿。”宝钗道：“真俗语说‘各人有缘法’。我也再想不到他这会子来，既来了，又有老太太这么疼他。”湘云道：“你除了在老太太跟前，就在园里来，这两处只管顽笑吃喝。到了太太屋里，若太太在屋里，只管和太太说笑，多坐一回无妨；若太太不在屋里，你别进去，那屋里人多心坏，都是要害咱们的。”说的宝钗、宝琴、香菱、莺儿等都笑了。宝钗笑道：“说你没心，却又有心；虽然有心，到底嘴太直了。我们这琴儿就有些像你。你天天说要我作亲姐姐，我今儿竟叫你认他作亲妹妹罢了。”湘云又瞅了宝琴半日，笑道：“这一件衣裳也只配他穿，别人穿了，实在不配。”
正说着，只见琥珀走来笑道：“老太太说了，叫宝姑娘别管紧了琴姑娘。他还小呢，让他爱怎么样就怎么样。要什么东西只管要去，别多心。”宝钗忙起身答应了，又推宝琴笑道：“你也不知是那里来的福气！你倒去罢，仔细我们委曲着你。我就不信我那些儿不如你。”说话之间，宝玉黛玉都进来了，宝钗犹自嘲笑。湘云因笑道：“宝姐姐，你这话虽是顽话，恰有人真心是这样想呢。”琥珀笑道：“真心恼的再没别人，就只是他。”口里说，手指着宝玉。宝钗湘云都笑道：“他倒不是这样人。”琥珀又笑道：“不是他，就是他。”说着又指着黛玉。湘云便不则声。宝钗忙笑道：“更不是了。我的妹妹和他的妹妹一样。他喜欢的比我还疼呢，那里还恼？你信云儿混说。他的那嘴有什么实据。”
宝玉素习深知黛玉有些小性儿，且尚不知近日黛玉和宝钗之事，正恐贾母疼宝琴他心中不自在，今见湘云如此说了，宝钗又如此答，再审度黛玉声色亦不似往时，果然与宝钗之说相符，心中闷闷不解。因想：“他两个素日不是这样的好，今看来竟更比他人好十倍。”一时林黛玉又赶着宝琴叫妹妹，并不提名道姓，直是亲姊妹一般。那宝琴年轻心热，且本性聪敏，自幼读书识字，今在贾府住了两日，大概人物已知。又见诸姊妹都不是那轻薄脂粉，且又和姐姐皆和契，故也不肯怠慢。其中又见林黛玉是个出类拔萃的，便更与黛玉亲敬异常。宝玉看着只是暗暗的纳罕。
一时宝钗姊妹往薛姨妈房内去后，湘云往贾母处来，林黛玉回房歇着。宝玉便找了黛玉来，笑道：“我虽看了《西厢记》，也曾有明白的几句，说了取笑，你曾恼过。如今想来，竟有一句不解，我念出来你讲讲我听。”黛玉听了，便知有文章，因笑道：“你念出来我听听。”宝玉笑道：“那《闹简》上有一句说得最好，‘是几时孟光接了梁鸿案？’[8]‘孟光接了梁鸿案’这七个字，不过是现成的典，难为他这‘是几时’三个虚字问的有趣。是几时接了？你说说我听听。”黛玉听了，禁不住也笑起来，因笑道：“这原问的好。他也问的好，你也问的好。”宝玉道：“先时你只疑我，如今你也没的说，我反落了单。”黛玉笑道：“谁知他竟真是个好人，我素日只当他藏奸。”因把说错了酒令起，连送燕窝病中所谈之事，细细告诉了宝玉。宝玉方知缘故，因笑道：“我说呢，正纳闷‘是几时孟光接了梁鸿案’，原来是从‘小孩儿家口没遮拦’就接了案了。”
黛玉因又说起宝琴来，想起自己没有姊妹，不免又哭了。宝玉忙劝道：“你又自寻烦恼了。你瞧瞧，今年比旧年越发瘦了，你还不保养。每天好好的，你必是自寻烦恼，哭一会子，才算完了这一天的事。”黛玉拭泪道：“近来我只觉心酸，眼泪却像比旧年少了些的。心里只管酸痛，眼泪却不多。”宝玉道：“这是你哭惯了心里疑的，岂有眼泪会少的！”
正说着，只见他屋里的小丫头子送了猩猩毡斗篷[9]来，又说：“大奶奶才打发人来说，下了雪，要商议明日请人作诗呢。”一语未了，只见李纨的丫头走来请黛玉。宝玉便邀着黛玉同往稻香村来。黛玉换上掐金挖云红香羊皮小靴[10]，罩了一件大红羽纱面白狐狸里的鹤氅[11]，束一条青金闪绿双环四合如意绦[12]，头上罩了雪帽。
二人一齐踏雪行来。只见众姊妹都在那边，都是一色大红猩猩毡与羽毛缎斗篷，独李纨穿一件青哆罗呢[13]对襟褂子，薛宝钗穿一件莲青斗纹锦上添花洋线番羓丝[14]的鹤氅；邢岫烟仍是家常旧衣，并无避雪之衣。一时史湘云来了，穿着贾母与他的一件貂鼠脑袋面子大毛黑灰鼠里子里外发烧大褂子[15]，头上带着一顶挖云鹅黄片金里大红猩猩毡昭君套[16]，又围着大貂鼠风领[17]。黛玉先笑道：“你们瞧瞧，孙行者来了。他一般的也拿着雪褂子，故意装出个小骚达子来。”湘云笑道：“你们瞧我里头打扮的。”一面说，一面脱了褂子。只见他里头穿着一件半新的靠色三镶领袖秋香色盘金五色绣龙窄裉小袖掩衿[18]银鼠短袄，里面短短的一件水红妆缎狐肷〔一〕褶子[20]，腰里紧紧束着一条蝴蝶结子长穗五色宫绦，脚下也穿着麂[21]皮小靴，越显的蜂腰猿臂、鹤势螂形[22]。众人都笑道：“偏他只爱打扮成个小子的样儿，原比他打扮女儿更俏丽了些。”
湘云道：“快商议作诗！我听听是谁的东家？”李纨道：“我的主意。想来昨儿的正日已过了，再等正日又太远，可巧又下雪，不如大家凑个社，又替他们接风，又可以作诗。你们意思怎么样？”宝玉先道：“这话很是。只是今日晚了〔二〕，若到明儿，晴了又无趣。”众人都道，“这雪未必晴，纵晴了，这一夜下的也够赏了。”李纨道：“我这里虽好，又不如芦雪广〔三〕[25]好。我已经打发人笼地炕[26]去了，咱们大家拥炉作诗。老太太想来未必高兴，况且咱们小顽意儿，单给凤丫头个信儿就是了。你们每人一两银子就够了，送到我这里来。”指着香菱、宝琴、李纹、李绮、岫烟道，“他们五个不算外，咱们里头二丫头病了不算，四丫头告了假也不算，你们四分子送了来，我包总五六两银子也尽够了。”宝钗等一齐应诺。因又拟题限韵，李纨笑道：“我心里自己定了，等到了明日临期，横竖知道。”说毕，大家又闲话了一回，方往贾母处来。本日无话。
到了次日一早，宝玉因心里记挂着这事，一夜没好生得睡，天亮了就爬起来。掀开帐子一看，虽门窗尚掩，只见窗上光辉夺目，心内早踌躇起来，埋怨定是晴了，日光已出。一面忙起来揭起窗屉，从玻璃窗内往外一看，原来不是日光，竟是一夜大雪，下将有一尺多厚，天上仍是搓绵扯絮一般。宝玉此时欢喜非常，忙唤人起来，盥漱已毕，只穿一件茄色哆罗呢狐皮袄子，罩一件海龙皮小小鹰膀褂[27]，束了腰，披了玉针蓑，戴上金藤笠[28]，登上沙棠屐，忙忙的往芦雪广来。出了院门，四顾一望，并无二色，远远的是青松翠竹，自己却如装在玻璃盒内一般。于是走至山坡之下，顺着山脚刚转过去，已闻得一股寒香拂鼻。回头一看，恰是妙玉门前栊翠庵中有十数株红梅如胭脂一般，映着雪色，分外显得精神，好不有趣！宝玉便立住，细细的赏玩一回方走。只见蜂腰板桥上一个人打着伞走来，是李纨打发了请凤姐儿去的人。
宝玉来至芦雪广，只见丫鬟婆子正在那里扫雪开径。原来这芦雪广盖在傍山临水河滩之上，一带几间，茅檐土壁，槿篱竹牖[29]，推窗便可垂钓，四面都是芦苇掩覆，一条去径逶迤穿芦度苇过去，便是藕香榭的竹桥了。众丫鬟婆子见他披蓑戴笠而来，都笑道：“我们才说正少一个渔翁，如今都全了。姑娘们吃了饭才来呢，你也太性急了。”宝玉听了，只得回来。刚至沁芳亭，见探春正从秋爽斋来，围着大红猩猩毡斗篷，戴着观音兜[30]，扶着小丫头，后面一个妇人打着青绸油伞。宝玉知他往贾母处去，便立在亭边，等他来到，二人一同出园前去。宝琴正在里间房内梳洗更衣。
一时众姊妹来齐，宝玉只嚷饿了，连连催饭。好容易等摆上来，头一样菜便是牛乳蒸羊羔。贾母便说：“这是我们有年纪的人的菜，没见天日的东西，可惜你们小孩子们吃不得。今儿另外有新鲜鹿肉，你们等着吃。”众人答应了。宝玉却等不得，只拿茶泡了一碗饭，就着野鸡瓜齑忙忙的咽完了。贾母道：“我知道你们今儿又有事情，连饭也不顾吃了。”便叫“留着鹿肉与他晚上吃”，凤姐忙说“还有呢”，方才罢了。史湘云便悄和宝玉计较道：“有新鲜鹿肉，不如咱们要一块，自己拿了园里弄着，又顽又吃。”宝玉听了，巴不得一声儿，便真和凤姐要了一块，命婆子送入园去。
一时大家散后，进园齐往芦雪广来，听李纨出题限韵，独不见湘云宝玉二人。黛玉道：“他两个再到不了一处，若到一处，生出多少故事来。这会子一定算计那块鹿肉去了。”正说着，只见李婶也走来看热闹，因问李纨道：“怎么一个带玉的哥儿和那一个挂金麒麟的姐儿，那样干净清秀，又不少吃的，他两个在那里商议着要吃生肉呢，说的有来有去的。我只不信肉也生吃得的。”众人听了，都笑道：“了不得，快拿了他两个来。”黛玉笑道：“这可是云丫头闹的，我的卦再不错。”
李纨等忙出来找着他两个说道：“你们两个要吃生的，我送你们到老太太那里吃去。那怕吃一只生鹿，撑病了不与我相干。这么大雪，怪冷的，替我作祸呢。”宝玉笑道：“没有的事，我们烧着吃呢。”李纨道：“这还罢了。”只见老婆们拿了铁炉、铁叉、铁丝[31]来，李纨道：“仔细割了手，不许哭！”说着，同探春进去了。
凤姐打发了平儿来回复不能来，为发放年例正忙。湘云见了平儿，那里肯放。平儿也是个好顽的，素日跟着凤姐儿无所不至，见如此有趣，乐得顽笑，因而褪去手上的镯子，三个围着火炉儿，便要先烧三块吃。那边宝钗黛玉平素看惯了，不以为异，宝琴等及李婶深为罕事。探春与李纨等已议定了题韵。探春笑道：“你闻闻，香气这里都闻见了，我也吃去。”说着，也找了他们来。李纨也随来说：“客已齐了，你们还吃不够？”湘云一面吃，一面说道：“我吃这个方爱吃酒，吃了酒才有诗。若不是这鹿肉，今儿断不能作诗。”说着，只见宝琴披着凫靥裘站在那里笑。湘云笑道：“傻子，过来尝尝。”宝琴笑说：“怪脏的。”宝钗笑道：“你尝尝去，好吃的。你林姐姐弱，吃了不消化，不然他也爱吃。”宝琴听了，便过去吃了一块，果然好吃，便也吃起来。
一时凤姐儿打发小丫头来叫平儿。平儿说：“史姑娘拉着我呢，你先走罢。”小丫头去了。一时只见凤姐也披了斗篷走来，笑道：“吃这样好东西，也不告诉我！”说着也凑着一处吃起来。黛玉笑道：“那里找这一群花子去！罢了，罢了，今日芦雪广遭劫，生生被云丫头作践了。我为芦雪广一大哭！”湘云冷笑道：“你知道什么！‘是真名士自风流’，你们都是假清高，最可厌的。我们这会子腥膻大吃大嚼，回来却是锦心绣口。”宝钗笑道：“你回来若作的不好了，把那肉掏了出来，就把这雪压的芦苇子揌[32]上些，以完此劫。”
说着，吃毕，洗漱〔四〕了一回。平儿带镯子时却少了一个，左右前后乱找了一番，踪迹全无。众人都诧异。凤姐儿笑道：“我知道这镯子的去向。你们只管作诗去，我们也不用找，只管前头去，不出三日包管就有了。”说着又问：“你们今儿作什么诗？老太太说了，离年又近了，正月里还该作些灯谜儿大家顽笑。”众人听了，都笑道：“可是倒忘了。如今赶着作几个好的，预备正月里顽。”说着，一齐来至地炕屋内，只见杯盘果菜俱已摆齐，墙上已贴出诗题、韵脚、格式来了。宝玉湘云二人忙看时，只见题目是“即景联句[34]，五言排律一首，限二萧韵。”后面尚未列次序。李纨道：“我不大会作诗，我只起三句罢，然后谁先得了谁先联。”宝钗道：“到底分个次序。”要知端的，且听下回分解。
[1] 精华一联——精华，月亮纯净的光华。影，月之形；魄，月之质。此联既咏月，又自寓。
[2] “一片”句——化用李白《子夜吴歌》“长安一片月，万户捣衣声”的意境。砧：捣衣石。
[3] 绿蓑——即蓑衣，这里用以代指飘泊江上的旅人。唐代张志和《渔歌子》：“青箬笠，绿蓑衣，斜风细雨不须归。”
[4] 从弟——即堂弟。
[5] 养活——此处指抚养培育之意。
[6] 迁委——即官职调动。
[7] 杜工部之沉郁，韦苏州之淡雅，温八叉之绮靡，李义山之隐僻——见明代高《唐诗品汇总序》。杜工部：指杜甫，他曾任工部员外郎，其诗风格沉郁顿挫。韦苏州：即韦应物，唐代诗人，曾任苏州刺史，其诗风格恬淡自然。温八叉：即温庭筠，唐代诗人兼词人，相传他才思敏捷，叉手八次即可成篇，故称温八叉，其诗风艳丽，故云绮靡。李义山：即李商隐，唐代诗人，其诗隐曲晦涩，且多无题诗，尤难索解，故云隐僻。
[8] “孟光接了梁鸿案”——语出金批本《西厢记》第三本第二折。《后汉书·梁鸿传》中本是梁鸿接了孟光的案。这句唱词在《西厢记》里是比喻莺莺接受了张生的爱情。这里是比喻黛玉接受了宝钗的友情。下文“小孩儿家口没遮拦”，也是《西厢记》金批本（第三本第二折）中的唱词。“口没遮拦”，即嘴不严实的意思。
[9] 猩猩毡斗篷——用红色毛料制作的斗篷。猩猩：古谓猩猩血可作红颜料，故称红颜色为猩红或猩色。斗篷：一种宽大无袖的御寒外罩，也叫“一口钟”、“一裹圆”。
[10] 掐金挖云红香羊皮小靴——掐：一种针线工艺的名称。掐金挖云：即用金线掐出边缘，再用其他丝织品挖出云头形，装饰靴尖部位。红香羊皮：即染成大红色的羊皮。
[11] 大红羽纱面白狐狸里的鹤氅——羽纱：毛织物，也称羽毛纱，疏细者称羽纱，厚密者称羽缎，制成衣服均可防雨雪。清王士祯《皇华纪闻》卷三：“西洋有羽缎、羽纱，以鸟羽毛织成，每一匹价至六七十金，着雨不湿。”白狐狸：指狐狸腋窝部位的皮毛。皮质轻软，毛色纯白，又称狐白。鹤氅：析鸟羽为裘，后亦指斗篷类御寒外衣。
[12] 青金闪绿双环四合如意绦——青金：是与赤金相对而言，这里指不发红的金线。闪绿：青金丝线加绿色丝线织成的丝带呈闪绿的光泽。双环四合如意：图案花纹的一种，这里指丝带头上所结的绦扣。绦：丝带。
[13] 哆罗呢——一种西洋传入的阔幅呢料。
[14] 莲青斗文锦上添花洋线番羓丝——莲青：指蓝紫色。斗文：指交叉的图案。锦上添花：指在图案上又重叠自然花卉。洋线番羓丝：指丝线毛线混合的织物。
[15] 里外发烧大褂子——即表里都用毛皮做的大褂子。
[16] 挖云鹅黄片金里大红猩猩毡昭君套——一种帽面用大红猩猩毡子、帽里用“鹅黄片金”做的古时女用风帽。片金，是织成品，产于南京。挖云，指帽里前面卷起露在外面的云头。
[17] 风领——一种类似围巾的皮领子，不与衣服连在一起，用时另戴。《清稗类钞》：“加于项，覆于肩，形如菱。”
[18] 靠色三镶领袖秋香色盘金五色绣龙窄裉小袖掩衿——三种相近的颜色叫靠色，衣服的领袖有三道镶边叫做三镶。秋香色：黄绿色。盘金：用金线在绣花上再加工。裉：衣服腋下部位。
〔一〕 “狐肷”，原作“狐腋”，从各本改。
[20] 妆缎狐肷褶（xí习）子——织缎技法的术语。“妆缎”：又叫“妆花缎”，是江宁府的产品，有点像锦。狐肷：指狐腋部腹部的皮毛。褶子：大领的外衣，清以前是普通的便服，清代成年人不穿褶子，多做给小孩穿。
[21] 麂（jǐ己）——底本误为“麀”，径改。麂，状似鹿而小。麂皮：也叫“绒面革”，实际上多用獐鹿或山羊等皮加工制成，绒面向外，软而柔，宜于缝制靴鞋、手套等物。
[22] 蜂腰猿臂、鹤势螂形——喻人腰细臂长，俏便利落。这里用来形容史湘云的打扮像武士。蜂腰：腰上束带，其细如蜂腰；猿臂，古代喻善射者之臂为“猿臂”，谓臂长如猿，可运转自如。鹤势螂形：抬头挺胸。脂批云：“近之拳谱中有坐马势，便似螂之蹲立。昔人爱轻捷便俏，闲取一螂，观其仰颈叠胸之势。今四字无出处，却写尽矣。”
〔二〕 “只是今日晚了”，原作“只是晚了晚了”，从各本改。
〔三〕 “广”，底本四十九回七处，五十回一处，皆作“广”，其他各脂本歧异甚多，按：底本不误。
[25] 广（yǎn眼）——因岩架成之屋。
[26] 地炕——古建筑中最考究的采暖方式，最早见于《水经注》。其构造为在房屋檐廊上设烧火炕，炕内砌灶，以煤为燃料，灼热的烟气在地面下的烟道内往复盘旋，将砖砌地面烘热，从而使热气流自地面上升，为室内供暖。
[27] 海龙皮鹰膀褂——海龙皮：是一种类似水獭皮的皮毛，色深于獭，更有光泽。多用作翻毛皮衣，整个皮褂是用一条一条皮子拼成，犹如山鹰翅膀上的花纹，故名。
[28] 玉针蓑、金藤笠——玉针蓑：用白玉草编织成的蓑衣。白玉草是清代用以制凉帽的材料。金藤笠：用藤皮细条编成笠，刷以桐油，呈金黄色，故名。
[29] 槿（jǐn紧）篱竹牖（yǒu有）——槿：即木槿，落叶灌木，夏秋开花，多植庭院供观赏，兼作篱笆，故称槿篱。竹牖：竹窗。
[30] 观音兜——古时妇女戴的一种风帽，因形似观音所戴的兜帽，故名。
[31] 铁丝（ménɡ蒙）——铁丝编成的烘烤食物的网状架子。
[32] 揌（sāi腮）——这里同“塞”、“”。
〔四〕 “洗漱”，原作“洗浴”，从蒙府、戚序本改。
[34] 联句——旧时作诗的一种方式，两人或多人共作一诗，相互联吟成篇。一般联律诗的，由一人先起一句、三句或更多，停于单数句，留着双数句（下联）让下一人属对，下一人对出上联下句，再出下联上句，让别人属对，如此轮流相继。也有一人只出一句的，如本书下回联句的后半首，各人为了争强斗胜，便抢先出句。
CHAPTER 49 White snow and red plum blossom in the crystal world. The pretty girl, fragrant with powder, cuts some meat and eats it.
Xiangling, we will now proceed, perceived the young ladies engaged in chatting and laughing, and went up to them with a smiling countenance. “Just you look at this stanza!” she said. “If it’s all right, then I’ll continue my studies; but if it isn’t worth any thing, I’ll banish at once from my mind all idea of going in for versification.”
With these words, she handed the verses to Daiyu and her companions. When they came to look at them, they found this to be their burden:
If thou would’st screen Selene’s beauteous sheen, thou’lt find it hard.
Her shadows are by nature full of grace, frigid her form.
A row of clothes-stones batter, while she lights a thousand li.
When her disc’s half, and the cock crows at the fifth watch, ‘tis cold.
Wrapped in my green cloak in autumn, I hear flutes on the stream.
While in the tower the red-sleeved maid leans on the rails at night.
She feels also constrained to ask of the goddess Chang’e:
Why it is that she does not let the moon e’er remain round?
“This stanza is not only good,” they with one voice exclaimed, after perusing it, “but it’s original, it’s charming. It bears out the proverb: ‘In the world, there’s nothing difficult; the only thing hard to get at is a human being with a will.’ We’ll certainly ask you to join our club.”
Xiangling caught this remark; but so little did she credit it that fancying that they were making fun of her, she still went on to press Daiyu, Baochai, and the other girls to give her their opinions. But while engaged in speaking, she spied a number of young waiting-maids, and old matrons come with hurried step. “Several young ladies and ladies have come,” they announced smilingly, “but we don’t know any of them. So your ladyship and you, young ladies, had better come at once and see what relatives they are.”
“What are you driving at?” Li Wan laughed. “You might, after all, state distinctly whose relatives they are.”
“Your ladyship’s two young sisters have come,” the matrons and maids rejoined smiling. “There’s also another young lady, who says she’s miss Xue’s cousin, and a gentleman who pretends to be Mr. Xue Pan’s junior cousin. We are now off to ask Mrs. Xue to meet them. But your lady-ship and the young ladies might go in advance and greet them.” As they spoke, they straightway took their leave.
“Has our Xue Ke come along with his sisters?” Baochai inquired, with a smile.
“My aunt has probably also come to the capital,” Li Wan laughed. “How is it they’ve all arrived together? This is indeed a strange thing!” Then adjourning in a body into Madame Wang’s drawing rooms, they saw the floor covered with a black mass of people.
Madame Xing’s sister-in-law was there as well. She had entered the capital with her daughter, Xiuyan, to look up madame Xing. But lady Feng’s brother, Wang Ren, had, as luck would have it, just been preparing to start for the capital, so the two family connexions set out in company for their common destination. After accomplishing half their journey, they encountered, while their boats were lying at anchor, Li Wan’s widowed sister-in-law, who also was on her way to the metropolis, with her two girls, the elder of whom was Li Wen and the younger Li Qi. They all them talked matters over, and, induced by the ties of relationship, the three families prosecuted their voyage together. But subsequently, Xue Pan’s cousin Xue Ke—whose father had, when on a visit years ago to the capital, engaged his uterine sister to the son of the Mei Hanlin, whose residence was in the metropolis—came while planning to go and consummate the marriage, to learn of Wang Ren’s departure, so taking his sister with him, he kept in his track till he man-aged to catch him up. Hence it happened that they all now arrived in a body to look up their respective relatives. In due course, they exchanged the conventional salutations; and these over, they had a chat.
Dowager lady Jia and madame Wang were both filled with ineffable delight.
“Little wonder is it,” smiled old lady Jia, “if the snuff of the lamp crackled time and again; and if it formed and reformed into a head! It was, indeed, sure to come to this today!”
While she conversed on everyday topics, the presents had to be put away; and, as she, at the same time, expressed a wish to keep the new arrivals to partake of some wine and eatables, lady Feng had, needless to say, much extra work added to her ordinary duties.
Li Wan and Baochai descanted, of course, with their aunts and cousins on the events that had transpired since their separation. But Daiyu, though when they first met, continued in cheerful spirits, could not again, when the recollection afterwards flashed through her mind that one and all had their relatives, and that she alone had not a soul to rely upon, avoid withdrawing out of the way, and giving vent to tears.
Baoyu, however, read her feelings, and he had to do all that lay in his power to exhort her and to console her for a time before she cheered up. Baoyu then hurried into the Yihong court. Going up to Xiren, She yue, and Qingwen: “Don’t you yet hasten to go and see them?” he smiled. “Who’d ever have fancied that cousin Baochai’s own cousin would be what he is? That cousin of hers is so unique in appearance and in de portment. He looks as if he were cousin Baochai’s uterine younger brother. But what’s still more odd is that you should have kept on saying the whole day long that cousin Baochai is a very beautiful creature. You should now see her cousin, as well as the two girls of her senior sister-in-law. I couldn’t adequately tell you what they’re like. Good heavens! Good heavens! What subtle splendor and spiritual beauty must you possess to produce beings like them, so superior to other human creatures! How plain it is that I’m like a frog wallowing at the bottom of a well! I’ve throughout every hour of the day said to myself that nowhere could any girls be found to equal those at present in our home; but, as it happens, I haven’t had far to look! Even in our own native sphere, one would appear to eclipse the other! Here I have now managed to add one more stratum to my store of learning! But can it possibly be that outside these few, there can be any more like them?
As he uttered these sentiments, he smiled to himself. But Xiren noticed how much under the influence of his insane fits he once more was, and she promptly abandoned all idea of going over to pay her respects to the visitors.
Qingwen and the other girls had already gone and seen them and come back. Putting on a smile, “You’d better,” they urged Xiren, “be off at once and have a look at them. Our elder mistress’ niece, Miss Bao’s cousin, and our senior lady’s two sisters resemble a bunch of four leeks so pretty are they!”
But scarcely were these words out of their lips, than they perceived Tanchun too enter the room, beaming with smiles. She came in quest of Baoyu.
“Our poetical society is in a flourishing way,” she remarked.
“It is,” smiled Baoyu. “Here no sooner do we, in the exuberance of our spirits, start a poetical society, than the devils and gods bring through their agency, all these people in our midst! There’s only one thing however. Have they, I wonder, ever learnt how to write poetry or not?”
“I just now asked everyone of them,” Tanchun replied. “Their ideas of themselves are modest, it’s true, yet from all I can gather there’s not one who can’t versify. But should there even be any who can’t, there’s nothing hard about it. Just look at Xiangling. Her case will show you the truth of what I say.”
“Of the whole lot,” smiled Qingwen, “Miss Xue’s cousin carries the palm. What do you think about her, Miss Tertia?”
“It’s really so!” Tanchun responded. “In my own estimation, even her elder cousin and all this bevy of girls are not fit to hold a candle to her!”
Xiren felt much surprise at what she heard. “This is indeed odd!” she smiled. “Whence could one hunt up any better? We’d like to go and have a peep at her.”
“Our venerable senior,” Tanchun observed, “was at the very first sight of her so charmed with her that there’s nothing she wouldn’t do. She has already compelled our Madame Xing to adopt her as a godchild. Our dear ancestor wishes to bring her up herself; this point was settled a little while back.”
Baoyu went into ecstasies. “Is this a fact?” he eagerly inquired.
“How often have I gone in for yarns?” Tanchun said. “Now that our worthy senior,” continuing, she laughed, “has got this nice granddaughter, she has banished from her mind all thought of a grandson like you!”
“Never mind,” answered Baoyu smiling. “It’s only right that girls should be more doated upon. But tomorrow is the sixteenth, so we should have a meeting.”
“That girl Lin Daiyu is no sooner out of bed,” Tanchun remarked, “than cousin Secunda falls ill again. Everything is, in fact, up and down!”
“Our cousin Secunda,” Baoyu explained, “doesn’t also go in very much for verses, so, what would it matter if she were left out?”
“It would be well to wait a few days,” Tanchun urged, “until the newcomers have had time to see enough of us to become intimate. We can then invite them to join us. Won’t this be better? Our senior sister-in-law and cousin Bao have now no mind for poetry. Besides, Xiangyun has not arrived. Pin’er is just over her sickness. The members are not all therefore in a fit state, so wouldn’t it be preferable if we waited until that girl Yun came? The new arrivals will also have a chance of becoming friendly. Pin’er will likewise recover entirely. Our senior sister-in-law and cousin Bao will have time to compose their minds; and Xiangling to improve in her verses. We shall then be able to convene a full meeting and won’t it be better? You and I must now go over to our worthy ancestor’s, on the other side, and hear what’s up. But, barring cousin Baochai’s cousin—for we needn’t take her into account, as it’s sure to have been decided that she should live in our home—if the other three are not to stay here with us, we should entreat our grandmother to let them as well take up their quarters in the garden. And if we succeed in adding a few more to our number, won’t it be more fun for us?”
Baoyu at these words was so much the more gratified that his very eyebrows distended, and his eyes laughed. “You’ve got your wits about you!” he speedily exclaimed. “My mind is ever so dull! I’ve vainly given way to a fit of joy. But to think of these contingencies was beyond me!”
So saying the two cousins repaired together to their grandmother’s suite of apartments; where, in point of fact, Madame Wang had already gone through the ceremony of recognizing Xue Baoqin as her god-child. Dowager lady Jia’s fascination for her, however, was so much out of the common run that she did not tell her to take up her quarters in the garden. Of a night, she therefore slept with old lady Jia in the same rooms; while Xue Ke put up in Xue Pan’s study.
“Your niece needn’t either return home,” dowager lady Jia observed to Madame Xing. “Let her spend a few days in the garden and see the place before she goes.”
Madame Xing’s brother and sister-in-law were, indeed, in straitened circumstances at home. So much so that they had, on their present visit to the capital, actually to rely upon such accommodation as Madame Xing could procure for them and upon such help towards their traveling expenses as she could afford to give them. When she consequently heard her proposal, Madame Xing was, of course, only too glad to comply with her wishes, and readily she handed Xing Xiuyan to the charge of lady Feng. But lady Feng, bethinking herself of the number of young ladies already in the garden, of their divergent dispositions and, above all things, of the inconvenience of starting a separate household, deemed it advisable to send her to live along with Yingchun; for in the event, (she thought,) of Xing Xiuyan meeting afterwards with any contrarieties, she herself would be clear of all responsibility, even though Madame Xing came to hear about them. Deducting, therefore any period, spent by Xing Xiuyan on a visit home, lady Feng allowed Xing Xiuyan as well, if she extended her stay in the garden of Broad Vista for any time over a month, an amount equal to that allotted to Yingchun.
Lady Feng weighed with unprejudiced eye Xing Xiuyan’s tempera ment and deportment. She found in her not the least resemblance to Madame Xing, or even to her father and mother; but thought her a most genial and love-inspiring girl. This consideration actuated lady Feng (not to deal harshly with her), but to pity her instead for the poverty in which they were placed at home, and for the hard lot she had to bear, and to treat her with far more regard than she did any of the other young ladies. Madame Xing, however, did not lavish much attention on her.
Dowager lady Jia, Madame Wang and the rest had all along been fond of Li Wan for her virtuous and benevolent character. Besides, her continence in remaining a widow at her tender age commanded general esteem. When they therefore now saw her husbandless sister-in-law come to pay her a visit, they would not allow her to go and live outside the mansion. Her sister-in-law was, it is true, extremely opposed to the proposal, but as dowager lady Jia was firm in her determination, she had no other course but to settle down, along with Li Wen and Li Qi, in the Daoxiang village.
They had by this time assigned quarters to all the newcomers, when, who would have thought it, Shi Nai, Marquis of Baoling, was once again appointed to a high office in another province, and he had shortly to take his family and proceed to his post. But so little could old lady Jia brook the separation from Xiangyun that she kept her behind and received her in her own home. Her original idea was to have asked lady Feng to have separate rooms arranged for her, but Shi Xiangyun was so obstinate in her refusal, her sole wish being to put up with Baochai, that the idea had, in consequence, to be abandoned.
At this period, the garden of Broad Vista was again much more full of life than it had ever been before. Li Wan was the chief inmate. The rest consisted of Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, Baochai, Daiyu, Xiangyun, Li Wen, Li Qi, Baoqin, and Xing Xiuyan. In addition to these, there were lady Feng and Baoyu, so that they mustered thirteen in all. As regards age, irrespective of Li Wan, who was by far the eldest, and lady Feng, who came next, the other inmates did not exceed fourteen, sixteen, or seventeen. But the majority of them had come into the world in the same year, though in different months, so they themselves could not remember distinctly who was senior, and who junior. Even dowager lady Jia, Madame Wang, and the matrons and maids in the household were unable to tell the differences between them with any accuracy, given as they were to the simple observance of addressing themselves promiscuously and quite at random by the four words representing “female cousin” and “male cousin.”
Xiangling was gratifying her wishes to her heart’s content and devoting her mind exclusively to the composition of verses, not presuming however to make herself too much of a nuisance to Baochai, when, by a lucky coincidence, Shi Xiangyun came on the scene. But how was it possible for one so loquacious as Xiangyun to avoid the subject of verses, when Xiangling repeatedly begged her for explanations? This inspirited her so much the more, that not a day went by, yea not a single night, on which she did not start some loud argument and lengthy discussion.
“You really,” Baochai felt impelled to laugh, “kick up such a din, that it’s quite unbearable! Fancy a girl doing nothing else than turning poetry into a legitimate thing for raising an argument! Why, were some literary persons to hear you, they would, instead of praising you, have a laugh at your expense, and say that you don’t mind your own business. We hadn’t yet got rid of Xiangling with all her rubbish, and here we have a chatterbox like you thrown on us! But what is it that that mouth of yours keeps on jabbering? What about the bathos of Du Gongbu; and the unadorned refinement of Wei Suzhou? What also about Wen Bacha’s elegant diction; and Li Yishan’s abstruseness? A pack of silly fools that you are! Do you in any way behave like girls should?”
These sneers evoked laughter from both Xiangling and Xiangyun.
But in the course of their conversation, they perceived Baoqin drop in, with a waterproof wrapper thrown over her, so dazzling with its gold and purplish colors, that they were at a loss to make out what sort of article it could be.
“Where did you get this?” Baochai eagerly inquired.
“It was snowing,” Baoqin smilingly replied, “so her venerable lady-ship turned up this piece of clothing and gave it to me.”
Xiangling drew near and passed it under inspection. “No wonder,” she exclaimed, “it looks so handsome! It’s verily woven with peacock’s feathers.”
“What about peacock’s feathers?” Xiangyun laughed. “It’s made of the feathers plucked from the heads of wild ducks. This is a clear sign that our worthy ancestor is fond of you, for with all her love for Baoyu, she hasn’t given it to him to wear.”
“Truly does the proverb say: ‘that every human being has his respective lot.’” Baochai smiled. “Nothing ever was further from my thoughts than that she would, at this juncture, drop on the scene! Come she may, but here she also gets our dear ancestor to lavish such love on her!”
“Unless you stay with our worthy senior,” Xiangyun said, “do come into the garden. You may romp and laugh and eat and drink as much as you like in these two places. But when you get over to Madame Xing’s rooms, talk and joke with her, if she be at home, to your heart’s con tent; it won’t matter if you tarry ever so long. But should she not be in, don’t put your foot inside; for the inmates are many in those rooms and their hearts are evil. All they’re up to is to do us harm.”
These words much amused Baochai, Baoqin, Xiangling, Ying’er, and the others present.
“Were one to say,” Baochai smiled, “that you’re heartless, (it wouldn’t do); for you’ve got a heart. But despite your having a heart, your tongue is, in fact, a little too outspoken! You should really today acknowledge this Qin’er of ours as your own sister!”
“This article of clothing,” Xiangyun laughed, casting another glance at Baoqin, “is only meet for her to wear. It wouldn’t verily look well on anyone else.”
Saying this, she espied Hupo enter the room. “Our old mistress,” she put in smiling, “bade me tell you, Miss Baochai, not to keep too strict a check over Miss Qin, for she’s yet young; that you should let her do as she pleases, and that whatever she wants you should ask for, and not be afraid.”
Baochai hastily jumped to her feet and signified her obedience. Pushing Baoqin, she laughed. “Even you couldn’t tell whence this piece of good fortune hails from,” she said. “Be off now; for mind, we might hurt your feelings. I can never believe myself so inferior to you!”
As she spoke, Baoyu and Daiyu walked in. But as Baochai continued to indulge in raillery to herself, “Cousin Bao,” Xiangyun smilingly remonstrated, “you may, it’s true, be jesting, but what if there were anyone to entertain such ideas in real earnest?”
‘‘If anyone took things in earnest,” Hupo interposed laughing, ‘‘why, she’d give offence to no one else but to him.” Pointing, as she uttered this remark, at Baoyu.
“He’s not that sort of person!” Baochai and Xiangyun simultaneously ventured, with a significant smile.
“If it isn’t he,” Hupo proceeded still laughing, “it’s she.” Turning again her finger towards Daiyu.
Xiangyun expressed not a word by way of rejoinder.
“That’s still less likely,” Baochai smiled, “for my cousin is like her own sister; and she’s far fonder of her than of me. How could she there fore take offence? Do you credit that nonsensical trash uttered by Yun’er! Why what good ever comes out of that mouth of hers?”
Baoyu was ever well aware that Daiyu was gifted with a somewhat mean disposition. He had not however as yet come to learn anything of what had recently transpired between Daiyu and Baochai. He was therefore just giving way to fears lest his grandmother’s fondness for Baoqin should be the cause of her feeling dejected. But when he now heard the remarks passed by Xiangyun, and the rejoinders made, on the other hand, by Baochai, and, when he noticed how different Daiyu’s voice and manner were from former occasions, and how they actually bore out Baochai’s insinuation, he was at a great loss how to solve the mystery. “These two,” he consequently pondered, “were never like this before! From all I can now see, they’re, really, a hundred times far more friendly than any others are!” But presently he also observed Lin Daiyu rush after Baoqin, and call out “Sister,” and, without even making any allusion to her name or any mention to her surname, treat her in every respect, just as if she were her own sister.
This Baoqin was young and warm-hearted. She was naturally besides of an intelligent disposition. She had, from her very youth up, learnt how to read and how to write. After a stay, on the present occasion, of a couple of days in the Jia mansion, she became acquainted with nearly every inmate. And as she saw that the whole bevy of young ladies were not of a haughty nature, and that they kept on friendly terms with her own cousin, she did not feel disposed to treat them with any discourtesy. But she had likewise found out for herself that Lin Daiyu was the best among the whole lot, so she started with Daiyu, more than with anyone else, a friendship of unusual fervor. This did not escape Baoyu’s notice; but all he could do was to secretly give way to amazement.
Shortly, however, Baochai and her cousin repaired to Mrs. Xue’s quarters. Xiangyun then betook herself to dowager lady Jia’s apartments, while Lin Daiyu returned to her room and lay down to rest. Bao yu thereupon came to look up Daiyu.
“Albeit I’ve read the ‘Record of the Western Side-Room,’” he smiled, “and understood a few passages of it, yet when I quoted some in order to make you laugh, you flew into a huff! But I now remember that there is, indeed, a passage, which is not intelligible to me; so let me quote it for you to explain it for me!”
Hearing this, Daiyu immediately concluded that his words harbored some secret meaning, so putting on a smile, “Recite it and let me hear it,” she said.
“In the ‘Confusion’ chapter,” Baoyu laughingly began, “there’s a line couched in most beautiful language. It’s this: ‘What time did Meng Guang receive Liang Hong’s candlestick?’ (When did you and Baochai get to be such friends?) These five characters simply bear on a stock story; but to the credit of the writer be it, the question contained in the three empty words representing, ‘What time’ is set so charmingly! When did she receive it? Do tell me!”
At this inquiry, Daiyu too could not help laughing. “The question was originally nicely put,” she felt urged to rejoin with a laugh. “But though the writer sets it gracefully, you ask it likewise with equal grace!”
“At one time,” Baoyu observed, “all you knew was to suspect that I (was in love with Baochai); and have you now no faults to find?”
“Who ever could have imagined her such a really nice girl!” Daiyu smiled. “I’ve all along thought her full of guile!” And seizing the occasion, she told Baoyu with full particulars how she had, in the game of forfeits, made an improper quotation, and what advice Baochai had given her on the subject; how she had even sent her some birds’ nests, and what they had said in the course of the chat they had had during her illness.
Baoyu then at length came to see why it was that such a warm friendship had sprung up between them. “To tell you the truth,” he consequently remarked smilingly, “I was just wondering when Meng Guang had received Liang Hong’s candlestick; and, lo, you, indeed, got it, when a mere child and through some reckless talk (and your friendship was sealed).”
As the conversation again turned on Baoqin, Daiyu recalled to mind that she had no sister, and she could not help melting once more into tears.
Baoyu hastened to reason with her. “This is again bringing trouble upon yourself!” he argued. “Just see how much thinner you are this year than you were last; and don’t you yet look after your health? You deliberately worry yourself every day of your life. And when you’ve had a good cry, you feel at last that you’ve acquitted yourself of the duties of the day.”
“Of late,” Daiyu observed, drying her tears, “I feel sore at heart. But my tears are scantier by far than they were in years gone by. With all the grief and anguish, which gnaw my heart, my tears won’t fall plentifully.”
“This is because weeping has become a habit with you,” Baoyu added.
“But though you fancy to yourself that it is so, how can your tears have become scantier than they were?”
While arguing with her, he perceived a young waiting-maid, attached to his room, bring him a red felt wrapper. “Our senior mistress, lady Jia Zhu,” she went on, “has just sent a servant to say that, as it snows, arrangements should be made for inviting people tomorrow to write verses.”
But hardly was this message delivered, than they saw Li Wan’s maid enter, and invite Daiyu to go over. Baoyu then proposed to Daiyu to accompany him, and together they came to the Daoxiang village. Daiyu changed her shoes for a pair of low shoes made of red scented sheep skin, ornamented with gold, and hollowed clouds. She put on a deep red crape cloak, lined with white fox fur; girdled herself with a lapislazuli colored sash, decorated with bright green double rings and four scepters; and covered her head with a hat suitable for rainy weather. After which, the two cousins trudged in the snow, and repaired to this side of the mansion. Here they discovered the young ladies assembled, dressed all alike in deep red felt or camlet capes, with the exception of Li Wan, who was clad in a woollen jacket, buttoning in the middle.
Xue Baochai wore a pinkish-purple twilled pelisse, lined with foreign “pa” fur, worked with threads from abroad, and ornamented with double embroidery. Xing Xiuyan was still attired in an old costume, she ordinarily used at home, without any garment for protection against the rain. Shortly, Shi Xiangyun arrived. She wore the long pelisse, given her by dowager lady Jia, which gave warmth both from the inside and outside, as the top consisted of martin-head fur, and the lining of the long-haired coat of the dark grey squirrel. On her head, she had a deep red woollen hood, made by Zhao Jun, with designs of clouds scooped out on it. This was lined with gosling-yellow, gold-streaked silk. Round her neck, she had a collar of sable fur.
“Just see here!” Daiyu was the first to shout with a laugh. “Here comes Sun Xingzhe the ‘monkey-walker!’ Lo, like him, she holds a snow cloak, and purposely puts on the air of a young bewitching ape!”
“Look here, all of you!” Xiangyun laughed. “See what I wear inside!”
So saying, she threw off her cloak. This enabled them to notice that she wore underneath a half-new garment with three different colored borders on the collar and cuffs, consisting of a short pelisse of russet material lined with ermine and ornamented with dragons embroidered in variegated silks whose coils were worked with golden threads. The lapel was narrow. The sleeves were short. The folds buttoned on the side. Under this, she had a very short light-red brocaded satin bodkin, lined with fur from foxes’ ribs. Round her waist was lightly attached a many-hued palace sash, with butterfly knots and long tassels. On her feet, she too wore a pair of low shoes made of deer leather. Her waist looked more than ever like that of a wasp, her back like that of the gibbon. Her bearing resembled that of a crane, her figure that of a mantis.
“Her weak point,” they laughed unanimously, “is to get herself up to look like a young masher. But she does, there’s no denying, cut a much handsomer figure like this, than when she’s dressed up like a girl!”
On his arrival in the Luxue pavilion, Baoyu found the maids and matrons engaged in sweeping away the snow and opening a passage. This Luxue (Water-rush snow) pavilion was, we might explain, situated on a side hill, in the vicinity of a stream and spanned the rapids formed by it. The whole place consisted of several thatched roofs, mud walls, side fences, bamboo lattice windows and pushing windows, out of which fishing-lines could be conveniently dropped. On all four sides flourished one mass of reeds, which concealed the single path out of the pavilion. Turning and twisting, he penetrated on his way through the growth of reeds until he reached the spot where stretched the bamboo bridge leading to the Lotus Fragrance Arbor.
The moment the maids and matrons saw him approach with his waterproof-wrapper thrown over his person and his rain-hat on his head, they with one voice laughed, “We were just remarking that what was lacking was a fisherman, and lo, now we’ve got everything that was wanted! The young ladies are coming after their breakfast; you’re in too impatient a mood!”
At these words, Baoyu had no help but to retrace his footsteps. As soon as he reached the Qinfang pavilion, he perceived Tanchun, issuing from the Qiushuang Study, wrapped in a deep red woollen waterproof, and a “Guanyin” hood on her head, supporting herself on the arm of a young maid. Behind her, followed a married woman, holding a glazed umbrella made of green satin.
Baoyu knew very well that she was on her way to his grandmother’s, so speedily halting by the side of the pavilion, he waited for her to come up. The two cousins then left the garden together, and betook themselves to the front part of the mansion. Baoqin was at the time in the inner apartments, combing her hair , washing her hands and face, and changing her apparel. Shortly, the whole number of girls arrived. “I feel peckish!” Baoyu shouted; and again and again he tried to hurry the meal. It was with great impatience that he waited until the eatables could be laid on the table.
One of the dishes consisted of kid, boiled in cow’s milk. “This is medicine for us, who are advanced in years,” old lady Jia observed. “They’re things that haven’t seen the light! The pity is that you young people can’t have any. There’s some fresh venison today as an extra course, so you’d better wait and eat some of that!”
One and all expressed their readiness to wait. Baoyu however could not delay having something to eat. Seizing a cup of tea, he soaked a bowlful of rice, to which he added some meat from a pheasant’s leg, and gobbled it down in a scramble.
“I’m well aware,” dowager lady Jia said, “that as you’re up to something again today, you people have no mind even for your meal. Let them keep,” she therefore cried, “that venison for their evening repast!”
“What an idea!” lady Feng promptly put in. “We’ll have enough with what remains of it.”
Shi Xiangyun thereupon consulted with Baoyu. “As there’s fresh venison,” she said, “wouldn’t it be nice to ask for a haunch and take it into the garden and prepare it ourselves? We’ll thus be able to sate our hunger, and have some fun as well.”
At this proposal, Baoyu actually asked lady Feng to let them have a haunch, and he bade a matron carry it into the garden.
Presently, they all got up from table. After a time, they entered the garden and came in a body to the Lu Xue pavilion to hear Li Wan give out the themes, and fix upon the rhymes. But Xiangyun and Baoyu were the only two of whom nothing was seen.
“Those two,” Daiyu observed, “can’t get together! The moment they meet, how much trouble doesn’t arise! They must surely have now gone to hatch their plans over that haunch of venison.”
These words were still on her lips when she saw “sister-in-law” Li coming also to see what the noise was all about. “How is it,” she then inquired of Li Wan, “that that young fellow, with the jade, and that girl, with the golden unicorn round her neck, both of whom are so cleanly and tidy, and have besides ample to eat, are over there conferring about eating raw meat? There they are chatting, saying this and saying that; but I can’t see how meat can be eaten raw!”
This remark much amused the party. “How dreadful!” they exclaimed, “Be quick and bring them both here!”
“All this fuss,” Daiyu smiled, “is the work of that girl Yun. I’m not far off again in my surmises.”
Li Wan went out with precipitate step in search of the cousins. “If you two are bent upon eating raw meat,” she cried, “I’ll send you over to our old senior’s; you can do so there. What will I care then if you have a whole deer raw and make yourselves ill over it? It won’t be any business of mine. But it’s snowing hard and it’s bitterly cold, so be quick and go and write some verses for me and be off!”
“We’re doing nothing of the kind,” Baoyu hastily rejoined. “We’re going to eat some roasted meat.”
“Well, that won’t matter!” Li Wan observed. And seeing the old matrons bring an iron stove, prongs, and a gridiron of iron wire, “Mind you don’t cut your hands,” Li Wan resumed, “for we won’t have any crying!”
This remark concluded, she walked in.
Lady Feng had sent Ping’er from her quarters to announce that she was unable to come, as the issue of the customary annual money gave her just at present, plenty to keep her busy.
Xiangyun caught sight of Ping’er and would not let her go on her errand. But Ping’er too was fond of amusement, and had ever followed lady Feng everywhere she went, so, when she perceived what fun was to be got, and how merrily they joked and laughed, she felt impelled to take off her bracelets (and to join them). The trio then pressed round the fire; and Ping’er wanted to be the first to roast three pieces of venison to regale themselves with.
On the other side, Baochai and Daiyu had, even in ordinary times, seen enough of occasions like the present. They did not therefore think it anything out of the way; but Baoqin and the other visitors, inclusive of “sister-in-law” Li, were filled with intense wonder.
Tanchun had, with the help of Li Wan, and her companions, succeeded by this time in choosing the subjects and rhymes. “Just smell that sweet fragrance,” Tanchun remarked. “One can smell it even here! I’m also going to taste some.”
So speaking, she too went to look them up. But Li Wan likewise followed her out. “The guests are all assembled,” she observed. “Haven’t you people had enough as yet?”
While Xiangyun munched what she had in her month, she replied to her question. “Whenever,” she said, “I eat this sort of thing, I feel a craving for wine. It’s only after I’ve had some that I shall be able to rhyme. Were it not for this venison, I would today have positively been quite unfit for any poetry.” As she spoke, she discerned Baoqin, standing and laughing opposite to her, in her duck-down garment.
“You idiot,” Xiangyun laughingly cried, “come and have a mouthful to taste.”
“It’s too filthy!” Baoqin replied smiling.
“You go and try it.” Baochai added with a laugh. “It’s capital! Your cousin Lin is so very weak that she couldn’t digest it, if she had any. Otherwise she too is very fond of this.”
Upon hearing this, Baoqin readily crossed over and put a piece in her mouth; and so good did she find it that she likewise started eating some of it.
In a little time, however, lady Feng sent a young maid to call Ping’er.
“Miss Shi,” Ping’er explained, “won’t let me go. So just return ahead of me.”
The maid thereupon took her leave; but shortly after they saw lady Feng arrive; she too with a wrapper over her shoulders.
“You’re having,” she smiled; “such dainties to eat, and don’t you tell me?”
Saying this, she also drew near and began to eat.
“Where has this crowd of beggars turned up from?” Daiyu put in with a laugh. “But never mind, never mind! Here’s the Luxue pavilion come in for this calamity today, and, as it happens, it’s that chit Yun by whom it has been polluted! But I’ll have a good cry for the Luxue pavilion.”
Xiangyun gave an ironical smile. “What do you know?” she exclaimed. “A genuine man of letters is naturally refined. But as for the whole lot of you, your poor and lofty notions are all a sham! You are most loathsome! We may now be frowzy and smelly, as we munch away lustily with our voracious appetites, but by and bye we’ll prove as refined as scholars, as if we had cultured minds and polished tongues.”
“If by and bye,” Baochai laughingly interposed, “the verses you compose are not worth anything, I’ll tug out that meat you’ve eaten, and take some of these snow-buried weeds and stuff you up with. I’ll thus put an end to this evil fortune!”
While bandying words, they finished eating. For a time, they busied themselves with washing their hands. But when Ping’er came to put on her bracelets, she found one missing. She looked in a confused manner, at one time to the left, at another to the right; now in front of her, and then behind her for ever so long, but not a single vestige of it was visible. One and all were therefore filled with utter astonishment.
“I know where this bracelet has gone to,” lady Feng suggested smilingly. “But just you all go and attend to your poetry. We too can well dispense with searching for it, and repair to the front. Before three days are out, I’ll wager that it turns up. What verses are you writing today?” continuing, she went on to inquire. “Our worthy senior says that the end of the year is again nigh at hand, and that in the first moon some more conundrums will have to be devised to be affixed on lanterns, for the recreation of the whole family.”
“Of course we’ll have to write a few,” they laughingly rejoined, upon hearing her remarks. “We forgot all about it. Let’s hurry up now, and compose a few fine ones, so as to have them ready to enjoy some good fun in the first moon.”
Speaking the while, they came in a body into the room with the earthen couches, where they found the cups, dishes, and eatables already laid out in readiness. On the walls had been put up the themes, meter, and specimen verses. Baoyu and Xiangyun hastened to examine what was written. They saw that they had to take for a theme something on the present scenery and indite a stanza with antithetical pentameter lines; that the word “hsiao,” second (in the book of meter), had been fixed upon as a rhyme; but that there was, below that, no mention, as yet, made of any precedence.
“I can’t write verses very well,” Li Wan pleaded, “so all I’ll do will be to devise three lines, and the one, who’ll finish the task first, we’ll have afterwards to pair them.”
“We should, after all,” Baochai urged, “make some distinction with regard to order.”
But, reader, if you entertain any desire to know the sequel, peruse the particulars recorded in the chapter that follows.