第一一三回

第一一三回 忏宿冤凤姐托村妪 释旧憾情婢感痴郎

话说赵姨娘在寺内得了暴病，见人少了，更加混说起来，唬得众人都恨，就有两个女人搀着。赵姨娘双膝跪在地下，说一回，哭一回，有时爬在地下叫饶，说：“打杀我了！红胡子的老爷，我再不敢了。”有一时双手合着，也是叫疼。眼睛突出，嘴里鲜血直流，头发披散，人人害怕，不敢近前。那时又将天晚，赵姨娘的声音只管喑哑起来了，居然鬼嚎一般。无人敢在他跟前，只得叫了几个有胆量的男人进来坐着，赵姨娘一时死去，隔了些时又回过来，整整的闹了一夜。

到了第二天，也不言语，只装鬼脸，自己拿手撕开衣服，露出胸膛，好像有人剥他的样子。可怜赵姨娘虽说不出来，其痛苦之状实在难堪。正在危急，大夫来了，也不敢诊，只嘱咐“办理后事罢”，说了起身就走。那送大夫的家人再三央告说：“请老爷看看脉，小的好回禀家主。”那大夫用手一摸，已无脉息。贾环听了，然后大哭起来。众人只顾贾环，谁料理赵姨娘。只有周姨娘心里苦楚，想到：“做偏房侧室的下场头不过如此！况他还有儿子的，我将来死起来还不知怎样呢！”于是反哭的悲切。且说那人赶回家去回禀了。贾政即派家人去照例料理，陪着环儿住了三天，一同回来。

那人去了，这里一人传十，十人传百，都知道赵姨娘使了毒心害人被阴司里拷打死了。又说是“琏二奶奶只怕也好不了，怎么说琏二奶奶告的呢。”这些话传到平儿耳内，甚是着急，看着凤姐的样子实在是不能好的了，看着贾琏近日并不似先前的恩爱，本来事也多，竟像不与他相干的。平儿在凤姐跟前只管劝慰，又想着邢、王二夫人回家几日，只打发人来问问，并不亲身来看。凤姐心里更加悲苦。贾琏回来也没有一句贴心的话。凤姐此时只求速死，心里一想，邪魔悉至。只见尤二姐从房后走来，渐近床前说：“姐姐，许久的不见了。做妹妹的想念的很，要见不能，如今好容易进来见见姐姐。姐姐的心机也用尽了，咱们的二爷糊涂，也不领姐姐的情，反倒怨姐姐作事过于苛刻，把他的前程去了，叫他如今见不得人。我替姐姐气不平。”凤姐恍惚说道：“我如今也后悔我的心忒窄了，妹妹不念旧恶，还来瞧我。”平儿在旁听见，说道：“奶奶说什么？”凤姐一时苏醒，想起尤二姐已死，必是他来索命。被平儿叫醒，心里害怕，又不肯说出，只得勉强说道：“我神魂不定，想是说梦话。给我捶捶。”平儿上去捶着，见个小丫头子进来，说是“刘姥姥来了，婆子们带着来请奶奶的安。”平儿急忙下来说：“在那里呢？”小丫头子说：“他不敢就进来，还听奶奶的示下。”平儿听了点头，想凤姐病里必是懒待见人，便说道：“奶奶现在养神呢，暂且叫他等着。你问他来有什么事么？”小丫头子说道：“他们问过了，没有事。说知道老太太去世了，因没有报才来迟了。”小丫头子说着，凤姐听见，便叫“平儿，你来，人家好心来瞧，不要冷淡人家。你去请了刘姥姥进来，我和他说说话儿。”平儿只得出来请刘姥姥这里坐。

凤姐刚要合眼，又见一个男人一个女人走向炕前，就像要上炕似的。凤姐着忙，便叫平儿说：“那里来了一个男人跑到这里来了！”连叫两声，只见丰儿小红赶来说：“奶奶要什么？”凤姐睁眼一瞧，不见有人，心里明白，不肯说出来，便问丰儿道：“平儿这东西那里去了？”丰儿道：“不是奶奶叫去请刘姥姥去了么。”凤姐定了一会神，也不言语。

只见平儿同刘姥姥带了一个小女孩儿进来，说：“我们姑奶奶在那里？”平儿引到炕边，刘姥姥便说：“请姑奶奶安。”凤姐睁眼一看，不觉一阵伤心，说：“姥姥你好？怎么这时候才来？你瞧你外孙女儿也长的这么大了。”刘姥姥看着凤姐骨瘦如柴，神情恍惚，心里也就悲惨起来，说：“我的奶奶，怎么这几个月不见，就病到这个分儿。我糊涂的要死，怎么不早来请姑奶奶的安！”便叫青儿给姑奶奶请安。青儿只是笑，凤姐看了倒也十分喜欢，便叫小红招呼着。刘姥姥道：“我们屯乡里的人不会病的，若一病了就要求神许愿，从不知道吃药的。我想姑奶奶的病不要撞着什么了罢？”平儿听着那话不在理，便在背地里扯他。刘姥姥会意，便不言语。那里知道这句话倒合了凤姐的意，扎挣着说：“姥姥你是有年纪的人，说的不错。你见过的赵姨娘也死了，你知道么？”刘姥姥诧异道：“阿弥陀佛！好端端一个人怎么就死了？我记得他也有一个小哥儿，这便怎么样呢？”平儿道：“这怕什么，他还有老爷太太呢。”刘姥姥道：“姑娘，你那里知道，不好死了是亲生的，隔了肚皮子是不中用的。”这句话又招起凤姐的愁肠，呜呜咽咽的哭起来了。众人都来劝解。

巧姐儿听见他母亲悲哭，便走到炕前用手拉着凤姐的手，也哭起来。凤姐一面哭着道：“你见过了姥姥了没有？”巧姐儿道：“没有。”凤姐道：“你的名字还是他起的呢，就和干娘一样，你给他请个安。”巧姐儿便走到跟前，刘姥姥忙着拉着道：“阿弥陀佛，不要折杀我了！巧姑娘，我一年多不来，你还认得我么？”巧姐儿道：“怎么不认得。那年在园里见的时候我还小，前年你来，我还合你要隔年的蝈蝈儿，你也没有给我，必是忘了。”刘姥姥道：“好姑娘，我是老糊涂了。若说蝈蝈儿，我们屯里多得很，只是不到我们那里去，若去了，要一车也容易。”凤姐道：“不然你带了他去罢。”刘姥姥笑道：“姑娘这样千金贵体，绫罗裹大了的，吃的是好东西，到了我们那里，我拿什么哄他顽，拿什么给他吃呢？这倒不是坑杀我了么。”说着，自己还笑，他说：“那么着，我给姑娘做个媒罢。我们那里虽说是屯乡里，也有大财主人家，几千顷地，几百牲口，银子钱亦不少，只是不像这里有金的，有玉的。姑奶奶是瞧不起这种人家，我们庄家人瞧着这样大财主，也算是天上的人了。”凤姐道：“你说去，我愿意就给。”刘姥姥道：“这是顽话儿罢咧。放着姑奶奶这样，大官大府的人家只怕还不肯给，那里肯给庄家人。就是姑奶奶肯了，上头太太们也不给。”巧姐因他这话不好听，便走了去和青儿说话。两个女孩儿倒说得上，渐渐的就熟起来了。

这里平儿恐刘姥姥话多，搅烦了凤姐，便拉了刘姥姥说：“你提起太太来，你还没有过去呢。我出去叫人带了你去见见，也不枉来这一趟。”刘姥姥便要走。凤姐道：“忙什么，你坐下，我问你近来的日子还过的么？”刘姥姥千恩万谢的说道：“我们若不仗着姑奶奶”，说着，指着青儿说：“他的老子娘都要饿死了。如今虽说是庄家人苦，家里也挣了好几亩地，又打了一眼井，种些菜蔬瓜果，一年卖的钱也不少，尽够他们嚼吃的了。这两年姑奶奶还时常给些衣服布匹，在我们村里算过得的了。阿弥陀佛，前日他老子进城，听见姑奶奶这里动了家，我就几乎唬杀了。亏得又有人说不是这里，我才放心。后来又听见说这里老爷升了，我又喜欢，就要来道喜，为的是满地的庄家来不得。昨日又听说老太太没有了，我在地里打豆子，听见了这话，唬得连豆子都拿不起来了，就在地里狠狠的哭了一大场。我和女婿说，我也顾不得你们了，不管真话谎话，我是要进城瞧瞧去的。我女儿女婿也不是没良心的，听见了也哭了一回子，今儿天没亮就赶着我进城来了。我也不认得一个人，没有地方打听，一径来到后门，见是门神都糊了[1]，我这一唬又不小。进了门找周嫂子，再找不着，撞见一个小姑娘，说周嫂子他得了不是了，撵了。我又等了好半天，遇见了熟人，才得进来。不打谅姑奶奶也是那么病。”说着，又掉下泪来。平儿等着急，也不等他说完拉着就走，说：“你老人家说了半天，口干了，咱们喝碗茶去罢。”拉着刘姥姥到下房坐着，青儿在巧姐儿那边。刘姥姥道：“茶倒不要。好姑娘，叫人带了我去请太太的安，哭哭老太太去罢。”平儿道：“你不用忙，今儿也赶不出城的了。方才我是怕你说话不防头招的我们奶奶哭，所以催你出来的。别思量。”刘姥姥道：“阿弥陀佛，姑娘是你多心，我知道。倒是奶奶的病怎么好呢？”平儿道：“你瞧去妨碍不妨碍？”刘姥姥道：“说是罪过，我瞧着不好。”

正说着，又听凤姐叫呢。平儿及到床前，凤姐又不言语了。平儿正问丰儿，贾琏进来，向炕上一瞧，也不言语，走到里间气哼哼的坐下。只有秋桐跟了进去，倒了茶，殷勤一回，不知嘁嘁喳喳的说些什么。回来贾琏叫平儿来问道：“奶奶不吃药么？”平儿道：“不吃药。怎么样呢？”贾琏道：“我知道么！你拿柜子上的钥匙来罢。”平儿见贾琏有气，又不敢问，只得出来凤姐耳边说了一声。凤姐不言语，平儿便将一个匣子搁在贾琏那里就走。贾琏道：“有鬼叫你吗！你搁着叫谁拿呢？”平儿忍气打开，取了钥匙开了柜子，便问道：“拿什么？”贾琏道：“咱们有什么吗？”平儿气得哭道：“有话明白说，人死了也愿意！”贾琏道：“还要说么！头里的事是你们闹的。如今老太太的还短了四五千银子，老爷叫我拿公中的地帐弄银子，你说有么？外头拉的帐不开发使得么？谁叫我应这个名儿！只好把老太太给我的东西折变去罢了。你不依么？”平儿听了，一句不言语，将柜里东西搬出。只见小红过来说：“平姐姐快走，奶奶不好呢。”平儿也顾不得贾琏，急忙过来，见凤姐用手空抓，平儿用手攥着哭叫。贾琏也过来一瞧，把脚一跺道：“若是这样，是要我的命了。”说着，掉下泪来。丰儿进来说：“外头找二爷呢。”贾琏只得出去。

这里凤姐愈加不好，丰儿等不免哭起来。巧姐听见赶来。刘姥姥也急忙走到炕前，嘴里念佛，捣了些鬼，果然凤姐好些。一时王夫人听了丫头的信，也过来了，先见凤姐安静些，心下略放心，见了刘姥姥，便说：“刘姥姥，你好？什么时候来的？”刘姥姥便说：“请太太安。”不及细说，只言凤姐的病。讲究了半天，彩云进来说：“老爷请太太呢。”王夫人叮咛了平儿几句话，便过去了。凤姐闹了一回，此时又觉清楚些，见刘姥姥在这里，心里信他求神祷告，便把丰儿等支开，叫刘姥姥坐在头边，告诉他心神不宁如见鬼怪的样。刘姥姥便说我们屯里什么菩萨灵，什么庙有感应。凤姐道：“求你替我祷告，要用供献的银钱我有。”便在手腕上褪下一支金镯子来交给他。刘姥姥道：“姑奶奶，不用那个。我们村庄人家许了愿，好了，花上几百钱就是了，那用这些。就是我替姑奶奶求去，也是许愿。等姑奶奶好了，要花什么自己去花罢。”凤姐明知刘姥姥一片好心，不好勉强，只得留下，说：“姥姥，我的命交给你了。我的巧姐儿也是千灾百病的，也交给你了。”刘姥姥顺口答应，便说：“这么着，我看天气尚早，还赶得出城去，我就去了。明儿姑奶奶好了，再请还愿去。”凤姐因被众冤魂缠绕害怕，巴不得他就去，便说：“你若肯替我用心，我能安稳睡一觉，我就感激你了。你外孙女儿叫他在这里住下罢。”刘姥姥道：“庄家孩子没有见过世面，没的在这里打嘴。我带他去的好。”凤姐道：“这就是多心了。既是咱们一家，这怕什么。虽说我们穷了，这一个人吃饭也不碍什么。”刘姥姥见凤姐真情，落得叫青儿住几天，又省了家里的嚼吃。只怕青儿不肯，不如叫他来问问，若是他肯，就留下。于是和青儿说了几句。青儿因与巧姐儿顽得熟了，巧姐又不愿他去，青儿又愿意在这里。刘姥姥便吩咐了几句，辞了平儿，忙忙的赶出城去。不题。

且说栊翠庵原是贾府的地址，因盖省亲园子，将那庵圈在里头，向来食用香火并不动贾府的钱粮。今日妙玉被劫，那女尼呈报到官，一则候官府缉盗的下落，二则是妙玉基业不便离散，依旧住下。不过回明了贾府。那时贾府的人虽都知道，只为贾政新丧，且又心事不宁，也不敢将这些没要紧的事回禀。只有惜春知道此事，日夜不安。渐渐传到宝玉耳边，说妙玉被贼劫去，又有的说妙玉凡心动了跟人而走。宝玉听得十分纳闷，想来必是被强徒抢去，这个人必不肯受，一定不屈而死。但是一无下落，心下甚不放心，每日长嘘短叹。还说：“这样一个人自称为‘槛外人’，怎么遭此结局！”又想到：“当日园中何等热闹，自从二姐姐出阁以来，死的死，嫁的嫁，我想他一尘不染是保得住的了，岂知风波顿起，比林妹妹死的更奇！”由是一而二，二而三，追思起来，想到《庄子》上的话，虚无缥缈，人生在世，难免风流云散，不禁的大哭起来。袭人等又道是他的疯病发作，百般的温柔解劝。宝钗初时不知何故，也用话箴规。怎奈宝玉抑郁不解，又觉精神恍惚。宝钗想不出道理，再三打听，方知妙玉被劫不知去向，也是伤感，只为宝玉愁烦，便用正言解释。因提起“兰儿自送殡回来，虽不上学，闻得日夜攻苦。他是老太太的重孙，老太太素来望你成人，老爷为你日夜焦心，你为闲情痴意糟踏自己，我们守着你如何是个结果！”说得宝玉无言可答，过了一回才说道：“我那管人家的闲事，只可叹咱们家的运气衰颓。”宝钗道：“可又来，老爷太太原为是要你成人，接续祖宗遗绪[2]。你只是执迷不悟，如何是好。”宝玉听来，话不投机，便靠在桌上睡去。宝钗也不理他，叫麝月等伺候着，自己却去睡了。

宝玉见屋里人少，想起：“紫鹃到了这里，我从没合他说句知心的话儿，冷冷清清撂着他，我心里甚不过意。他呢，又比不得麝月秋纹，我可以安放得的。想起从前我病的时候，他在我这里伴了好些时，如今他的那一面小镜子还在我这里，他的情义却也不薄了。如今不知为什么，见我就是冷冷的。若说为我们这一个呢，他是和林妹妹最好的，我看他待紫鹃也不错。我有不在家的日子，紫鹃原与他有说有讲的；到我来了，紫鹃便走开了。想来自然是为林妹妹死了我便成了家的原故。嗳，紫鹃，紫鹃，你这样一个聪明女孩儿，难道连我这点子苦处都看不出来么！”因又一想：“今晚他们睡的睡，做活的做活，不如趁着这个空儿我找他去，看他有什么话。倘或我还有得罪之处，便陪个不是也使得。”想定主意，轻轻的走出了房门，来找紫鹃。

那紫鹃的下房也就在西厢里间。宝玉悄悄的走到窗下，只见里面尚有灯光，便用舌头舐破窗纸往里一瞧，见紫鹃独自挑灯，又不是做什么，呆呆的坐着。宝玉便轻轻的叫道：“紫鹃姐姐还没有睡么？”紫鹃听了唬了一跳，怔怔的半日才说：“是谁？”宝玉道：“是我。”紫鹃听着，似乎是宝玉的声音，便问：“是宝二爷么？”宝玉在外轻轻的答应了一声。紫鹃问道：“你来做什么？”宝玉道：“我有一句心里的话要和你说说，你开了门，我到你屋里坐坐。”紫鹃停了一会儿说道：“二爷有什么话，天晚了，请回罢，明日再说罢。”宝玉听了，寒了半截。自己还要进去，恐紫鹃未必开门，欲要回去，这一肚子的隐情，越发被紫鹃这一句话勾起。无奈，说道：“我也没有多馀的话，只问你一句。”紫鹃道：“既是一句，就请说。”宝玉半日反不言语。紫鹃在屋里不见宝玉言语，知他素有痴病，恐怕一时实在抢白了他，勾起他的旧病倒也不好了，因站起来细听了一听，又问道：“是走了，还是傻站着呢？有什么又不说，尽着在这里怄人。已经怄死了一个，难道还要怄死一个么！这是何苦来呢！”说着，也从宝玉舐破之处往外一张，见宝玉在那里呆听。紫鹃不便再说，回身剪了剪烛花。忽听宝玉叹了一声道：“紫鹃姐姐，你从来不是这样铁心石肠，怎么近来连一句好好儿的话都不和我说了？我固然是个浊物，不配你们理我；但只我有什么不是，只望姐姐说明了，那怕姐姐一辈子不理我，我死了倒作个明白鬼呀！”紫鹃听了，冷笑道：“二爷就是这个话呀，还有什么？若就是这个话呢，我们姑娘在时我也跟着听俗了！若是我们有什么不好处呢，我是太太派来的，二爷倒是回太太去，左右我们丫头们更算不得什么了。”说到这里，那声儿便哽咽起来，说着又醒鼻涕，宝玉在外知他伤心哭了，便急的跺脚道：“这是怎么说，我的事情你在这里几个月还有什么不知道的。就便别人不肯替我告诉你，难道你还不叫我说，叫我憋死了不成！”说着，也呜咽起来了。

宝玉正在这里伤心，忽听背后一个人接言道：“你叫谁替你说呢？谁是谁的什么？自己得罪了人自己央及呀，人家赏脸不赏在人家，何苦来拿我们这些没要紧的垫喘儿呢。”这一句话把里外两个人都吓了一跳。你道是谁，原来却是麝月。宝玉自觉脸上没趣。只见麝月又说道：“到底是怎么着？一个陪不是，一个人又不理。你倒是快快的央及呀。嗳，我们紫鹃姐姐也就太狠心了，外头这么怪冷的，人家央及了这半天，总连个活动气儿也没有。”又向宝玉道：“刚才二奶奶说了，多早晚了，打量你在那里呢，你却一个人站在这房檐底下做什么！”紫鹃里面接着说道：“这可是什么意思呢？早就请二爷进去，有话明日说罢。这是何苦来！”宝玉还要说话，因见麝月在那里，不好再说别的，只得一面同麝月走回，一面说道：“罢了，罢了！我今生今世也难剖白〔一〕这个心了！惟有老天知道罢了！”说到这里，那眼泪也不知从何处来的，滔滔不断了。麝月道：“二爷，依我劝你死了心罢，白陪眼泪也可惜了儿的。”宝玉也不答言，遂进了屋子。只见宝钗睡了，宝玉也知宝钗装睡。却是袭人说了一句道：“有什么话明日说不得，巴巴儿的跑那里去闹，闹出——”说到这里也就不肯说，迟了一迟才接着道：“身上不觉怎么样？”宝玉也不言语，只摇摇头儿，袭人一面才打发睡下。一夜无眠，自不必说。

这里紫鹃被宝玉一招，越发心里难受，直直的哭了一夜。思前想后，“宝玉的事，明知他病中不能明白，所以众人弄鬼弄神的办成了。后来宝玉明白了，旧病复发，常时哭想，并非忘情负义之徒。今日这种柔情，一发叫人难受，只可怜我们林姑娘真真是无福消受他。如此看来，人生缘分都有一定，在那未到头时，大家都是痴心妄想。乃至无可如何，那糊涂的也就不理会了，那情深义重的也不过临风对月，洒泪悲啼。可怜那死的倒未必知道，这活的真真是苦恼伤心，无休无了。算来竟不如草木石头，无知无觉，倒也心中干净！”想到此处，倒把一片酸热之心一时冰冷了。才要收拾睡时，只听东院里吵嚷起来。未知何事，下回分解。

[1] 门神都糊了——民间以为门神可以驱鬼护宅；有丧家用白纸把门神遮盖起来，为使死者鬼魂得以超生。

[2] 祖宗遗绪——祖宗遗下的事业。绪：事业，功业。

〔一〕 “剖白”，原作“白陪”，藤本同。从程乙本改。

CHAPTER 113. Xi-feng repents of her former misdeeds, and entrusts her child to a village dame Nightingale softens a long-standing animosity, and warms to her besotted master

After the departure of most of the family from the temple, Aunt Zhao grew more delirious than ever, and those who had remained with her listened aghast. Two serving-women attempted to support her where she knelt on the ground, one minute raving incoherently, the next sobbing her heart out in anguish. Then she grovelled and began begging for mercy:

‘Oh Great Lord Red Beard! You’re killing me! I’ll never be so wicked again!’

She wrung her hands and howled in agony. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets, blood gushed from her mouth, her hair was wildly dishevelled. She was a terrifying sight, and no one now dared go near her.

By evening her voice began to grow hoarse and she sounded more and more like a croaking harpy. None of the women could bear to be in her presence, and they deputed some of the more courageous menfolk to come in and keep watch on her. One minute she seemed to be gone, then she came round again, and so it went on all night. By the next morning she was incapable of speech, her face was horribly contorted and she began rending her clothes and baring her bosom, as if someone else was stripping her naked. She was now totally inarticulate, and the torment she was undergoing was terrible to behold.

She seemed to have reached a final crisis, when the doctor arrived. He would not take her pulse, but gave orders at once for her last things to be made ready and himself prepared to leave without further ado. The servant who had brought him entreated him to stay and take her pulse, so that he could at least return with a satisfactory report to his master, and in the end the doctor relented. He felt her pulse once, and pronounced that there was no sign of life. Hearing this, Jia Huan burst out wailing, and immediately everyone’s attention was turned to him and no one spared another thought for Aunt Zhao, lying dead on the kang, her feet bare, her hair in disarray. Only Aunt Zhou seemed affected.

‘Such is the end of a concubine!’ she thought morbidly to herself. ‘And she even bore the Master a son. Who knows what sort of a death mine will be!’

The servant meanwhile hurried back to inform Jia Zheng, who sent a man to attend to Aunt Zhao’s funeral arrangements and to stay on with Jia Huan at the temple for three days, after which they were both to return. The accepted version of Aunt Zhao’s death was that she had been called before the Infernal Tribunal and tortured to death for her wilful attempt to injure the lives of others. A speedy end was also predicted for Xi-feng, since Aunt Zhao had named her as her own accuser in the Nether World.

When this last piece of gossip reached the ears of Patience, she was most distressed. Her mistress did indeed seem beyond hope of recovery, and to make matters worse, Jia Lian had recently made it plain that he had no scrap of affection left for his wife. He was now more preoccupied than ever, and appeared completely unconcerned by Xi-feng’s illness. Patience did her best to be cheerful with Xi-feng; but Ladies Xing and Wang, although they had been back from the temple for several days, had neither of them paid her a personal visit, and had only sent a maid to enquire after her health. Their coldness intensified Xi-feng’s misery, as did the fact that Jia Lian on his return had not so much as a kind word for her.

All Xi-feng wanted now was to die a quick death, and this made her a prey to all manner of evil spirits. On one occasion she saw the figure of You Er-jie slowly approaching her bed from the back of the room.

‘It is so long since we last met, sister!’ said the apparition. ‘I’ve thought a great deal about you, but it’s been impossible for me to come and see you. Now I’ve managed to do so at last, and I find you reduced to this extremity. Lian is too much of a fool to appreciate what you’ve done for him, and instead he complains how mean you are, and says that you’re ruining his career and making him feel thoroughly ashamed. I can’t bear to see you treated so!’

‘I myself have come to regret my own small-mindedness,’ mumbled Xi-feng in reply. ‘Dear sister! It is so kind of you to visit me like this, and to put past grievances behind you!’

Patience was standing at her side and heard her speaking.

‘What was that, ma’am?’ she asked.

Xi-feng suddenly awoke and recalled at once that You Er-jie was dead. This must be her spirit seeking the life of her tormentor in vengeance. Now that Patience had woken her, she felt scared but at the same time reluctant to confess her fear. She tried somewhat shakily to compose herself.

‘I’m just feeling a little unsettled,’ she said to Patience. ‘I think I must have been talking in my sleep. Will you come and give me a rub?’

Patience climbed up onto the kang and had just started pummelling her when a junior maid came in and announced that Grannie Liu had come, and was being brought in by the serving-women to pay her respects to Mrs Lian.

‘Where is she?’ asked Patience, getting down anxiously from the kang.

‘She didn’t presume to come straight in,’ replied the maid. ‘She is waiting for Mrs Lian’s instructions.’

Patience nodded. She thought that Xi-feng would feel too weak to receive visitors, and said to the maid:

‘Mrs Lian needs to have a rest. Tell Grannie Liu to wait a while. Did you ask her what she has come about?’

‘They have already asked her,’ replied the maid, ‘and she said she has come on no particular business. She has only just learned of Her Old Ladyship’s death. She would have come before if she had known sooner.’

Xi-feng had overheard them, and called Patience over:

‘If someone has had the kindness to call, we must not appear rude or unappreciative. Go and ask Grannie Liu to come in. I should like to talk to her.’

Patience reluctantly complied, and went out herself to fetch Grannie Liu. As soon as she left the room, Xi-feng began to drift off to sleep again, and as her eyes closed she saw another apparition – this time a man and a woman walking towards the kang. It seemed they were about to climb up onto it, and she called out in alarm for Patience:

‘There’s a man coming towards me!’

Her cries brought Felicity and Crimson rushing to her bedside.

‘What do you want, ma’am?’

Xi-feng opened her eyes. The figures had vanished. She knew they must be spectres come to haunt her, but again could not bring herself to say so in front of the maids.

‘Where’s that wretched Patience got to?’ she asked.

‘Didn’t you send her to fetch Grannie Liu?’

Xi-feng lay still for a while in silence to recover her spirits. Presently Patience returned with Grannie Liu, who had brought a little girl with her and was asking:

‘And where’s our Mrs Lian?’

Patience led her up to the kang.

‘Good day, ma’am,’ said Grannie Liu.

Xi-feng opened her eyes, and as she looked at the old dame, she felt strangely moved.

‘How are you, Grannie?’ she asked. ‘Why has it been so long since you last came to see us? How big your granddaughter has grown!’

Grannie Liu was most distressed to see the state Xi-feng was in – as thin as a stick, and evidently confused in her mind.

‘Why, Mrs Lian!’ she exclaimed. ‘To think that in the few months since last I was here you could have fallen so ill! I’m a foolish old baggage and deserve to die for not having visited you sooner!’

She told little Qing-er to come up and pay her respects, but the girl only giggled. Xi-feng thought what a sweet child she was, and told Crimson to take charge of her.

‘We country folk never fall ill,’ pronounced Grannie Liu. ‘If happen we should, then we pray to the gods and make our vows. We never take medicines and the like. I’m wondering now if you mightn’t have fallen foul of some evil spirit, to have taken ill like this, ma’am?’

Patience was aware that Grannie Liu’s rustic superstitions were ill-timed, and gave her a meaningful tug from the rear. The old dame interpreted this correctly and fell silent. But her words had in fact found an echo in Xi-feng’s own thoughts.

‘Grannie, dear,’ she said, speaking with a great effort, ‘you’re a lady with years of experience, and what you say is true. Did you know that Aunt Zhao had died too? You met her when you were here, didn’t you?’

‘Holy Name!’ exclaimed the old lady in the greatest surprise. ‘Fancy her dying, just like that! She was such a sturdy body. And she’d a young son if I recall – what will become of him?’

‘He’ll be all right,’ Patience consoled her. ‘He still has the Master and Lady Wang to look after him.’

‘That’s as may be,’ replied Grannie Liu gravely. ‘But can you be so sure, miss? I mean, it’s his own mother – however bad she may have been – as has died. Nobody can ever take a mother’s place.’

This coincided with another of Xi-feng’s keenest anxieties, and she broke down and began sobbing. They all rallied round to comfort her.

When Qiao-jie heard her mother in such distress, she came to the kang, held her hand and burst into tears herself.

‘Have you said hello to Grannie Liu?’ asked Xi-feng tearfully.

‘No, Mama.’

‘She gave you your name, and is like a foster-mother to you. Give her a curtsey now.’

Qiao-jie went across to Grannie Liu and was about to curtsey when Grannie Liu seized her and said:

‘Holy Precious Name! Don’t you go weighing me down with such honours – it’ll carry me to my grave! Miss Qiao-jie, it’s over a year since I last was here; do you still remember me?’

‘Of course I do! That time when I saw you in the Garden I was still a very little girl. But I remember two years ago I asked you to bring me some big crickets. I can see you haven’t brought me any. You must have forgotten.’

‘Oh missie!’ exclaimed Grannie Liu. ‘What a silly old soul I am! If you want crickets we’ve enough and to spare at home. But you never come and visit us. If you came, you could bring home a cartload of crickets if you so wanted.’

‘In that case,' put in Xi-feng, ‘why not take her home with you for a visit?’

‘How could I possibly, ma’am?’ said Grannie Liu laughing. ‘Such a fine gentle young lady that’s grown up wrapped in silks and satins and used to dainty things to eat – why, what would I give her to play with at home? What would I feed her with? Would you have me die of shame?’

She cackled and went on:

‘Mind you, I could act as a matchmaker for the young lady. Ours may only be a village, but we’ve wealthy folk there all the same, with land that spreads for thousands of acres around and hundreds of cattle and a fair bit of money too. Nothing to compare with the treasure you’ve got here, of course. In fact come to think of it you’d probably not so much as glance at such folk really, ma’am. But to us country people they’re dwellers in heaven!’

‘By all means go ahead and propose the match,' said Xi-feng. ‘I should be only too pleased to give Qiao-jie in marriage to such a family.’

‘Come, ma’am, you must be joking. Why, I dare say you’d be fussy about some great official family that lived in a big mansion, let alone simple country people. And even if you were willing, I hardly think Their Ladyships would be!’

Qiao-jie found the conversation embarrassing and had gone off somewhere to talk to Qing-er. The two girls were soon chatting away together, and gradually struck up a friendship.

Patience was worried that Grannie Liu’s endless ramblings would wear Xi-feng out, and presently she took her aside and said:

‘Speaking of Her Ladyship, you still haven’t been to call on her. I’ll find someone to take you over there. It would be a great pity not to see her now that you’re here.’

Grannie Liu was about to set off, but Xi-feng called her back:

‘What’s the great hurry? Sit down, I want to talk to you. Tell me how things have been at home.’

Grannie Liu thanked Xi-feng profusely for her kind concern.

‘If it weren’t for your help, ma’am,’ she began, pointing at Qing-er, ‘her ma and pa would have starved to death by now. Life is still hard (how could it be otherwise for country folk?), but they’ve been able to scrape together an acre or two and put down a well and grow some vegetables and fruits and gourds. With the money they get every year for the produce, they manage to keep body and soul together. And what with the clothes and material you’ve been sending us so regularly these past two years, ma’am, we’re thought of as among the more comfortably off in our village. Holy Name! I remember the day when Qing-er’s father came into town and heard the news that your family had been raided by the Embroidered Jackets, ma’am. When he came home and told me, I nearly died of the shock! Then later someone else told me it wasn’t your side of the family after all – I was so relieved! Afterwards I heard about Sir Zheng being promoted and was so pleased I wanted to come straight here to offer my congratulations. But we had so much to do on the land that I couldn’t get away. And then yesterday I heard that Her Old Ladyship had passed away! I was bringing in the beans, and I was that shocked I couldn’t go on, I just had to sit down on the ground and cry my heart out. I said to my son-in-law: “I don’t care what you say, it may be true or it may just be a rumour, but either way I’m going into town to find out for myself!” They’re not a bad sort, my daughter and her man, and they wet their eyes too when they heard the news. So this morning they saw me off and I left before first light and came here as quick as I could. There was no one to ask on the way and I couldn’t get any news, so I came straight here to the back gate and when I saw the door-gods all pasted over with white I got the shock of my life. I tried finding Mrs Zhou, but there was no sign of her. Then I ran into a young lady who told me Mrs Zhou was in trouble and had been given the sack. I waited for ages before I saw someone I knew and was able to come in. I’d no idea you were so sick too, ma’am!’

Grannie Liu was in tears. The distressing effect she was having on Xi-feng made Patience anxious, and she drew her aside before she could say any more:

‘Now, Grannie, after all this talking your mouth must be awfully dry. How about a nice cup of tea?’

She took her off into one of the maids’ rooms, while Qing-er continued playing in Qiao-jie’s room.

‘I really don’t want any tea,’ protested Grannie Liu. ‘Please, miss, can someone take me over to Her Ladyship’s now? I’d like to pay my respects and mourn for Her Old Ladyship.’

‘There’s no hurry,’ said Patience. ‘It will be too late for you to leave this evening anyway. I was afraid you would upset Mrs Lian with all your talking. That’s why I hurried you out. I hope you won’t take offence.’

‘Holy Name! How very thoughtful of you, miss! But how is Mrs Lian ever going to get better?’

‘Does it look serious to you?’ asked Patience.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t say this,’ replied Grannie Liu, ‘but to me it looks very nasty.’

They heard Xi-feng calling and Patience hurried to her bedside. Xi-feng said nothing further, however, and Patience was just asking Felicity what the trouble was when they were interrupted by the arrival of Jia Lian. He glanced at the kang where Xi-feng lay, then without a word stomped into the inner room, uttered a series of exasperated grunts and sat down. Autumn was the only one to follow him in. She poured his tea and waited on him attentively, whispering something in his ear. Jia Lian summoned Patience and asked her:

‘Isn’t Mrs Lian taking medicine?’

‘What if she isn’t?’

‘Oh, how should I know? Bring me the key to the chest.’

The blackness of his mood was more evident than ever to Patience. She restrained herself from saying anything in reply, but went out and whispered in Xi-feng’s ear. Xi-feng was silent. Patience fetched a casket, placed it by Jia Lian’s side and walked away.

‘Where are you off to in such a damned hurry?’ snapped Jia Lian. ‘Aren’t you going to take the key out for me, now that you’ve dumped the thing there?’

Patience tried not to react. She opened the casket, took out the key and opened the chest with it. Then she asked:

‘What do you want from it?’

‘What have we got in there?’

Patience finally broke down. Half angrily, half tearfully she begged Jia Lian:

‘Please, won’t you tell us what the matter is? It’s not fair to keep us in this dreadful suspense …’

‘What is there to say? You’re the ones who caused this trouble in the first place. Now we owe four or five thousand taels for Grandmother’s funeral, and Uncle Zheng has told me to mortgage some family property to raise the money. Do you imagine we’ve anything left to mortgage? It’s going to look pretty bad if we can’t meet our debts. I never asked to do this. I shall just have to pawn the things Grandmother gave me. Well, what’s the matter with you? Don’t you agree?’

Patience did not say a word, but started taking everything out of the chest. Crimson came up to her:

‘Come quickly! Mrs Lian has been taken bad!’

Patience hurried in, forgetting Jia Lian entirely, and found Xi-feng waving her arms wildly in the air. She tried to hold her down, calling out to her tearfully. Even Jia Lian now came in to have a look. He stamped his foot and cried:

‘This will be the death of me!’

Tears started to his eyes. Felicity came in:

‘You’re wanted outside, sir.’

Jia Lian checked himself and went out.

Xi-feng was weakening with every minute, and Felicity and the other maids began wailing and sobbing. Qiao-jie heard and came running in, followed by Grandmother Liu, who hurried over to the kang and began muttering prayers to the Buddha and a lot of other mumbo-jumbo, which appeared to rally Xi-feng’s spirits a little. Presently Lady Wang arrived, having heard the news from a maid; by this time Xi-feng was more peaceful, and Lady Wang saw no undue cause for concern. She greeted Grannie Liu and asked her how long she had been at Rong-guo House. Grannie Liu returned the greeting and immediately began talking at some length about Xi-feng’s illness. After a while Suncloud appeared with a message that her mistress was wanted by Sir Zheng, whereupon Lady Wang gave Patience a few instructions and left.

After her bad spell, Xi-feng’s mind seemed to grow clearer. She saw Grannie Liu in the room once more, and began to feel a growing faith in the efficacy of the old dame’s prayers. She told Felicity and the others to leave them alone and, calling Grannie Liu over to the side of her bed, confided to her that she felt very troubled at heart and was constantly seeing spirits. Grannie Liu replied that in her home village there was a certain miraculous Bodhisattva, and a certain temple where prayers were always answered.

‘I beseech you to pray for me,’ said Xi-feng. ‘If you need money for offerings, I can provide it for you.’

She slipped a golden bracelet off her wrist and gave it to Grannie Liu.

‘There’s no need of that,’ said Grannie Liu. ‘If we country-folk make a vow, we give a few hundred cash when we get better – no need for anything as grand as this. If I go and pray for you, that will be your vow, ma’am, and when you’re better you can go yourself and give what you want.’

Xi-feng knew that Grannie Liu was sincere, and did not try to press the bracelet on her.

‘My life is in your hands, Grannie!’ she said. ‘My little girl also is pursued by countless ailments and afflictions. I entrust her to you as well.’

Grannie Liu readily agreed.

‘I really ought to be going if I’m to catch the gates,’ she said. ‘There’s still just time. In a day or two, when you’re better, you can come and offer thanks.’

Xi-feng’s soul was beleaguered by the spirits of those she had harmed during her lifetime, and she was eager for the old lady to go and pray for her:

‘Do your best for me. If I can only get some peaceful sleep, I shall be so grateful to you. You can leave your granddaughter here.’

‘But she’s only a country lass, and has no manners,’ protested Grannie Liu. ‘I’m afraid she’ll only make trouble here. I’d better take her with me.’

‘Don’t you worry. She is one of the family, it will be quite all right. We may be hard up, but I think we can feed one extra mouth.’

Grannie Liu could tell that Xi-feng meant what she said, and for her part she was only too pleased to let Qing-er stay with the Jias a few days and save a little at home. The only problem was that Qing-er herself might not be willing. She decided to call her over and offer her the choice, and soon discovered that the two girls had become firm friends, that Qiao-jie was most reluctant to let Qing-er go, and that Qing-er herself was eager to stay. The old lady gave her grandchild a few parting words of advice, said goodbye to Patience and hurried out, anxious to reach the city gates before they closed. And there our narrative must leave her.

Green Bower Hermitage was built on Jia family land, and when Prospect Garden was created for the Visitation, the site of the Hermitage was included within the Garden’s precincts. But as a religious establishment it had always been self-supporting, and had never been dependent on Jia family charity. The nuns in residence had reported Adamantina’s calamity to the authorities and were waiting for them to apprehend the criminals. Meanwhile, since their community belonged to Adamantina, they resolved to stay where they were, and informed the Jias to this effect.

Although the household staff all knew of Adamantina’s disappearance, they had not wanted to trouble Jia Zheng with such a matter at a time when he was in mourning and had a great deal else on his mind. In fact Xi-chun was the only one of the family to know about it at first, and was in a state of constant anxiety and suspense on Adamantina’s behalf. Then the story, or rather two versions of it, reached Bao-yu’s ears; according to one she had been kidnapped, according to the other she had succumbed to the temptations of the flesh and eloped of her own free will with a lover. ‘She must have been kidnapped,’ Bao-yu thought to himself in great perplexity. ‘A person like her would never have acquiesced in such a thing. She would rather have died!’ As time went by there was, still no news of her whereabouts, however, and every day Bao-yu sighed sadly to himself, reluctant to believe that Adamantina of all people, the self-styled ‘Dweller Beyond the Threshold’ of this world, could have come to so worldly an end. His thoughts ran on to the happier days they had shared in the Garden and the more troubled times that had followed: ‘Since Ying left home, some of my cousins have died, others have been married. Somehow I always thought that if there was one absolutely pure and incorruptible person among us, it was Adamantina. But now this sudden storm of calamity has blown up out of nowhere, and a death stranger than Dai-yu’s has taken her away!’ As he pursued this train of thought to its logical conclusion, a line from Zhuang-zi came into his mind: ‘This life, this insubstantial tissue of vanity, floats like a cloud on the wind!’ With this he burst into tears, and Aroma, who thought it was another of his fits, endeavoured to comfort him with tender words of affection.

At first Bao-chai could not imagine what had upset him, and she admonished him in her usual fashion. But when he continued depressed despite her efforts and remained in an apparent state of trance for days on end, she became greatly perplexed and eventually, after making persistent enquiries, discovered the truth. She was herself greatly distressed to learn of Adamantina’s disappearance, but her concern for Bao-yu tempered her grief, and she rallied him again briskly:

‘Look at young Lan now: I’ve heard that he’s been hard at work ever since he returned from the funeral! He hasn’t been going to school, but day and night he pores over his books at home on his own. And he’s only Lady Jia’s great-grandson! You’re her grandson; she had such high hopes for you. And Father worries day and night about you. And yet you indulge yourself and ruin your health over some trifle, some silly piece of sentimentality. We depend on you. What will happen to all of us, if you carry on like this?’

There was little Bao-yu could say in answer to this. After a long silence he finally came out with:

‘But it’s not a trifle! It’s a tragedy! It’s the decline of our entire family that I’m lamenting!’

‘Listen to you!’ retorted Bao-chai. ‘The one thing Father and Mother want is that you should do well and be a credit to the family. If you persist in this folly, how can the family fortunes ever hope to improve?’

Her words received a most unsympathetic reception from Bao-yu, who proceeded to lean over the table and doze off. Bao-chai ignored him, and went to bed, telling Musk and the others to wait on him.

Bao-yu soon awoke, and noticed how few people were left in the room with him.

‘I’ve never had a proper talk with Nightingale since she was transferred to our apartment,’ he thought to himself. ‘She probably thinks I’ve been very cold. I feel very bad about it. I can’t treat her like Musk or Ripple – they’re easy to deal with. Nightingale’s different. I remember how she kept me company all those times I was ill – I still have the little mirror she left. She must have felt something for me then, but somehow whenever we meet now, she’s very distant and cold. Surely it can’t be because of Chai; she and Dai-yu were the closest of friends, and she always treats Nightingale kindly too. When I’m not at home, in fact, she and Nightingale often talk and laugh together. But the moment I walk in, Nightingale leaves the room. It must be because my wedding took place at the very time when Dai-yu was dying … Oh Nightingale! Nightingale! Surely a clever girl like you can see the anguish that I suffer!’

His thoughts ran on:

‘This is my chance, while they are all asleep or busy sewing, to find Nightingale and have a talk with her. I’ll see what she has to say, and if there’s still some way in which I have caused offence, I can try to make it up with her.’

He stole quietly out of the room and went in search of Nightingale.

She was living in a maid’s room in the west wing. Bao-yu crept up to one of the windows, and seeing that there was still a light burning inside, used the tip of his tongue to moisten a spy-hole in the window-paper and peep through. He saw her sitting idly on her own by the lamp.

‘Nightingale!’ he whispered. ‘Are you still awake?’

Nightingale was startled and sat there stunned for a few moments before asking:

‘Who’s there?’

‘It’s me!’ replied Bao-yu.

Nightingale thought she recognized Bao-yu’s voice.

‘Is it you, Mr Bao?’

‘Yes!’ whispered Bao-yu, to which Nightingale replied:

‘What are you doing here?’

‘I’ve something private to talk to you about. Let me in and we can sit and have a chat.’

After a pause, Nightingale replied:

‘What do you want to talk about? It’s getting late. Please go back to your room now. You can tell me about it in the morning.’

Bao-yu was very disheartened. If he persisted in his efforts, he was afraid Nightingale would bar the door to him; on the other hand, if he went back, how would the emotions that seethed within him find an outlet, emotions that his short exchange with Nightingale had only served to intensify? He made one last attempt to talk her round:

‘I haven’t a great deal to say. Just one question to ask.’

‘Well, if it’s only one question, go ahead.’

Bao-yu, however, now suddenly found himself quite bereft of the power of speech, and a long silence ensued. Nightingale, on her side of the window, began to find his silence worrying. She knew his tendency to have fits, and feared that her brusque manner might have caused one of his relapses. She stood up and after listening carefully for a moment, asked:

‘Have you gone, or are you still standing there gawping? Why don’t you speak your mind instead of spending your time driving people to distraction? You’ve already driven one person to death; do you want to drive another? It’s all so senseless!’

She peeped back at Bao-yu through the spy-hole. There he was, standing, listening to her with a trance-like expression on his face. She felt it advisable to say no more, and walked back and began trimming her lamp. Suddenly she heard Bao-yu sigh:

‘Oh Nightingale! You’ve never been as cold as this before! Why have you not had a single good word for me recently? I know I’m a sorry specimen of humanity, too impure to merit any real respect. But I still wish you’d tell me what it is that I’ve done wrong. Then I could endure being shunned by you for the rest of my life. At least I could die knowing my faults.’

Nightingale sniffed scornfully.

‘Is that all you had to say? Isn’t there anything new? I know all that by heart. I heard enough of that when Miss Lin was alive. But if I’ve done anything wrong, you should take your complaints to Her Ladyship. She’s the one who told me to wait on you. We’re only maids anyway, what do we count for?’

She started sobbing and snivelling. Bao-yu knew that she was suffering too, and he stamped his foot in frustration.

‘How can you talk like that? After being here all these months, surely you must know what’s on my mind? And if none of the others will speak for me, won’t you let me tell you myself? Do you want me to go on bottling it up inside for ever, and choke to death?’

He too began sobbing his heart out, when a voice was heard behind him, saying:

‘Who, pray, should speak for you? Why drag others into it? You’ve offended her, so you jolly well make it up. It’s up to her to decide whether she’ll forgive you. Why put the blame on nobodies like us?’

Both Bao-yu on the outside of the window and Nightingale on the inside were greatly startled by this intruder – who turned out to be Musk. Bao-yu felt most embarrassed, as Musk continued:

‘What is going on here? One grovelling for forgiveness, the other refusing to take any notice. Come on now, you hurry up and apologize; and as for you, Nightingale, you’re being altogether too cruel! It’s dreadfully cold out here, and he’s been pleading with you for ages and not had so much as a breath of a response!’

She turned to Bao-yu:

‘It’s late, and Mrs Bao’s been wondering where you are. To think that you’ve been here all along, standing out on your own under the eaves! What are you up to?’

‘Honestly!’ protested Nightingale from inside. ‘This is ridiculous! I simply asked him to go away. I told him that whatever he had to talk about could wait till the morning. What’s the sense in all this?’

Bao-yu still wanted to speak to Nightingale, but now that they were no longer alone, he felt too embarrassed to continue. He resigned himself to returning with Musk, saying as he walked away:

‘So be it! I shall never in this lifetime be able to prove my true feelings! Heaven alone will know the truth!’

Tears started suddenly to his eyes and rolled in torrents down his cheeks.

‘Mr Bao!’ said Musk. ‘Take my advice and put the whole thing out of your mind. You’re wasting your tears.’

Bao-yu followed her silently to his room. Bao-chai was lying asleep, or rather, as he judged, feigning sleep, but Aroma greeted him with a rebuke:

‘Couldn’t it have waited till tomorrow? Did you have to go storming out there and work yourself up into another …’

Whatever she had been about to say, she thought better of it, and after a short pause went on to ask:

‘Are you sure you’re not feeling poorly?’

Bao-yu said nothing, but shook his head. Aroma put him to bed and it goes without saying that he spent a sleepless night.

Nightingale was most distressed by Bao-yu’s visit, and she too lay awake the whole of that night, weeping and reflecting deeply to herself:

‘It seems plain that the family conspired together and tricked him into the wedding at a time when he was too ill to understand. Then afterwards, when he knew what he had done, he suffered one of his attacks and that’s why he hasn’t been able to stop weeping and moping ever since. He’s obviously not the heartless, wicked person I took him for. Why, today his devotion was so touching, I felt really sorry for him. What a dreadful pity it is that our Miss Lin never had the fortune to be his bride! Such unions are clearly determined by fate. Until fate reveals itself, men continue to indulge in blind passion and fond imaginings; then, when the die is cast and the truth is known, the fools may remain impervious, but the ones who care deeply, the men of true sentiment, can only weep bitterly at the futility of their romantic attachments, at the tragedy of their earthly plight. She is dead and knows nothing; but he still lives, and there is no end to his suffering and torment. Better by far the destiny of plant or stone, bereft of knowledge and consciousness, but blessed at least with purity and peace of mind!’

These philosophical reflections cooled the feverish turmoil in Nightingale’s mind, and she was tidying up and preparing to go to bed, when she heard a great rumpus break out in the direction of Xi-feng’s apartment to the east. But to discover what this portended, you must turn to the next chapter.