第四十八回
第四十八回 滥情人情误思游艺 慕雅女雅集苦吟诗
且说薛蟠听见如此说了，气方渐平。三五日后，疼痛虽愈，伤痕未平，只装病在家，愧见亲友。
展眼已到十月，因有各铺面伙计内有算年帐要回家的，少不得家内治酒饯行。内有一个张德辉，年过六十，自幼在薛家当铺内揽总，家内也有二三千金的过活，今岁也要回家，明春方来。因说起，“今年纸札香料短少，明年必是贵的。明年先打发大小儿上来当铺内照管，赶端阳前我顺路贩些纸札香扇来卖。除去关税花销，亦可以剩得几倍利息。”薛蟠听了，心中忖度：“我如今捱了打，正难见人，想着要躲个一年半载，又没处去躲。天天装病，也不是事。况且我长了这么大，文又不文，武又不武，虽说做买卖，究竟戥子[2]算盘从没拿过，地土风俗远近道路又不知道，不如也打点几个本钱，和张德辉逛一年来。赚钱也罢，不赚钱也罢，且躲躲羞去。二则逛逛山水也是好的。”心内主意已定，至酒席散后，便和张德辉说知，命他等一二日一同前往。
晚间薛蟠告诉了他母亲。薛姨妈听了虽是欢喜，但又恐他在外生事，花了本钱倒是末事，因此不命他去。只说：“好歹你守着我，我还能放心些。况且也不用做这买卖，也不等着这几百银子来用。你在家里安分守己的，就强似这几百银子了。”薛蟠主意已定，那里肯依。只说：“天天又说我不知世事，这个也不知，那个也不学。如今我发狠把那些没要紧的都断了，如今要成人立事，学习着做买卖，又不准我了，叫我怎么样呢？我又不是个丫头，把我关在家里，何日是个了日？况且那张德辉又是个年高有德的，咱们和他世交，我同他去，怎么得有舛错？我就一时半刻有不好的去处，他自然说我劝我。就是东西贵贱行情，他是知道的，自然色色问他，何等顺利，倒不叫我去。过两日我不告诉家里，私自打点了一走，明年发了财回家，那时才知道我呢。”说毕，赌气睡觉去了。
薛姨妈听他如此说，因和宝钗商议。宝钗笑道：“哥哥果然要经历正事，正是好的了。只是他在家时说着好听，到了外头，旧病复犯，越发难拘束他了。但也愁不得许多。他若是真改了，是他一生的福。若不改，妈也不能又有别的法子。一半尽人力，一半听天命罢了。这么大人了，若只管怕他不知世路，出不得门，干不得事，今年关在家里，明年还是这个样儿。他既说的名正言顺，妈就打谅着丢了八百一千银子，竟交与他试一试。横竖有伙计们帮着，也未必好意思哄骗他的。二则他出去了，左右没有助兴的人，又没了倚仗的人，到了外头，谁还怕谁，有了的吃，没了的饿着，举眼无靠，他见这样，只怕比在家里省了事也未可知。”薛姨妈听了，思忖半晌说道：“倒是你说的是。花两个钱，叫他学些乖来也值了。”商议已定，一宿无话。
至次日，薛姨妈命人请了张德辉来，在书房中命薛蟠款待酒饭，自己在后廊下，隔着窗子，向里千言万语嘱托张德辉照管薛蟠。张德辉满口应承，吃过饭告辞，又回说：“十四日是上好出行日期，大世兄即刻打点行李，雇下骡子，十四一早就长行了。”薛蟠喜之不尽，将此话告诉了薛姨妈。薛姨妈便和宝钗香菱并两个老年的嬷嬷连日打点行装，派下薛蟠之乳父老苍头一名，当年谙事旧仆二名，外有薛蟠随身常使小厮二人，主仆一共六人，雇了三辆大车，单拉行李使物，又雇了四个长行骡子。薛蟠自骑一匹家内养的铁青大走骡，外备一匹坐马。诸事完毕，薛姨妈宝钗等连夜劝戒之言，自不必备说。
至十三日，薛蟠先去辞了他舅舅，然后过来辞了贾宅诸人。贾珍等未免又有饯行之说，也不必细述。至十四日一早，薛姨妈宝钗等直同薛蟠出了仪门，母女两个四只泪眼看他去了，方回来。
薛姨妈上京带来的家人不过四五房，并两三个老嬷嬷小丫头，今跟了薛蟠一去，外面只剩了一两个男子。因此薛姨妈即日到书房，将一应陈设玩器并帘幔等物尽行搬了进来收贮，命那两个跟去的男子之妻一并也进来睡觉。又命香菱将他屋里也收拾严紧，“将门锁了，晚间和我去睡。”宝钗道：“妈既有这些人〔一〕作伴，不如叫菱姐姐和我作伴去。我们园里又空，夜长了，我每夜作活，越多一个人岂不越好。”薛姨妈听了，笑道：“正是我忘了，原该叫他同你去才是。我前日还同你哥哥说，文杏又小，道三不着两，莺儿一个人不够服侍的，还要买一个丫头来你使。”宝钗道：“买的不知底里，倘或走了眼，花了钱小事，没的淘气。倒是慢慢的打听着，有知道来历的，买个还罢了。”一面说，一面命香菱收拾了衾褥妆奁，命一个老嬷嬷并臻儿送至蘅芜苑去，然后宝钗和香菱才同回园中来。
香菱道：“我原要和奶奶说的，大爷去了，我和姑娘作伴儿去〔二〕。又恐怕奶奶多心，说我贪着园里来顽；谁知你竟说了。”宝钗笑道：“我知道你心里羡慕这园子不是一日两日了，只是没个空儿。就每日来一趟，慌慌张张的，也没趣儿。所以趁着机会，越性住上一年，我也多个作伴的，你也遂了心。”香菱笑道：“好姑娘，你趁着这个工夫，教给我作诗罢。”宝钗笑道：“我说你‘得陇望蜀’[5]呢。我劝你今儿头一日进来，先出园东角门，从老太太起，各处各人你都瞧瞧，问候一声儿，也不必特意告诉他们说搬进园来。若有提起因由，你只带口说我带了你进来作伴儿就完了。回来进了园，再到各姑娘房里走走。”
香菱应着才要走时，只见平儿忙忙的走来。香菱忙问了好，平儿只得陪笑相问。宝钗因向平儿笑道：“我今儿带了他来作伴儿，正要去回你奶奶一声儿。”平儿笑道：“姑娘说的是那里话？我竟没话答言了。”宝钗道：“这才是正理。店房也有个主人，庙里也有个住持。虽不是大事，到底告诉一声，便是园里坐更上夜的人知道添了他两个，也好关门候户的了。你回去告诉一声罢，我不打发人去了。”平儿答应着，因又向香菱笑道：“你既来了，也不拜一拜街坊邻舍去？”宝钗笑道：“我正叫他去呢。”平儿道：“你且不必往我们家去，二爷病了在家里呢。”香菱答应着去了，先从贾母处来，不在话下。
且说平儿见香菱去了，便拉宝钗忙说道：“姑娘可听见我们的新闻了？”宝钗道：“我没听见新闻。因连日打发我哥哥出门，所以你们这里的事，一概也不知道，连姊妹们这两日也没见。”平儿笑道：“老爷把二爷打了个动不得，难道姑娘就没听见？”宝钗道：“早起恍惚听见了一句，也信不真。我也正要瞧你奶奶去呢，不想你来了。又是为了什么打他？”
平儿咬牙骂道：“都是那贾雨村什么风村，半路途中那里来的饿不死的野杂种！认了不到十年，生了多少事出来！今年春天，老爷不知在那个地方看见了几把旧扇子，回家看家里所有收着的这些好扇子都不中用了，立刻叫人各处搜求。谁知就有一个不知死的冤家，混号儿世人叫他作石呆子，穷的连饭也没的吃，偏他家就有二十把旧扇子，死也不肯拿出大门来。二爷好容易烦了多少情，见了这个人，说之再三，把二爷请到他家里坐着，拿出这扇子略瞧了一瞧。据二爷说，原是不能再有的，全是湘妃、棕竹、麋鹿、玉竹[6]的，皆是古人写画真迹，因来告诉了老爷。老爷便叫买他的，要多少银子给他多少。偏那石呆子说：‘我饿死冻死，一千两银子一把我也不卖！’老爷没法子，天天骂二爷没能为。已经许了他五百两，先兑银子后拿扇子。他只是不卖，只说：‘要扇子，先要我的命！’姑娘想想，这有什么法子？谁知雨村那没天理的听见了，便设了个法子，讹他拖欠了官银，拿他到衙门里去，说所欠官银，变卖家产赔补，把这扇子抄了来，作了官价送了来。那石呆子如今不知是死是活。老爷拿着扇子问着二爷说：‘人家怎么弄了来？’二爷只说了一句：‘为这点子小事，弄得人坑家败业，也不算什么能为！’老爷听了就生了气，说二爷拿话堵老爷，因此这是第一件大的。这几日还有几件小的，我也记不清，所以都凑在一处，就打起来了。也没拉倒用板子棍子，就站着，不知拿什么混打一顿，脸上打破了两处。我们听见姨太太这里有一种丸药，上棒疮的，姑娘快寻一丸子给我。”宝钗听了，忙命莺儿去要了一丸来与平儿。宝钗道：“既这样，替我问候罢，我就不去了。”平儿答应着去了，不在话下。
且说香菱见过众人之后，吃过晚饭，宝钗等都往贾母处去了，自己便往潇湘馆中来。此时黛玉已好了大半，见香菱也进园来住，自是欢喜。香菱因笑道：“我这一进来了，也得了空儿，好歹教给我作诗，就是我的造化了。”黛玉笑道：“既要作诗，你就拜我作师。我虽不通，大略也还教得起你。”香菱笑道：“果然这样，我就拜你作师。你可不许腻烦的。”
黛玉道：“什么难事，也值得去学！不过是起承转合[7]，当中承转是两副对子，平声对仄声，虚的对实的，实的对虚的[8]，若是果有了奇句，连平仄虚实不对都使得的。”香菱笑道：“怪道我常弄一本旧诗偷空儿看一两首，又有对的极工的，又有不对的，又听见说‘一三五不论，二四六分明’[9]。看古人的诗上亦有顺的，亦有二四六上错了的，所以天天疑惑。如今听你一说，原来这些格调规矩竟是末事，只要词句新奇为上。”黛玉道：“正是这个道理。词句究竟还是末事，第一立意要紧。若意趣真了，连词句不用修饰，自是好的，这叫做‘不以词害意’[10]。”
香菱笑道：“我只爱陆放翁的诗‘重帘不卷留香久，古砚微凹聚墨多’[11]，说的真有趣！”黛玉道：“断不可看这样的诗。你们因不知诗，所以见了这浅近的就爱，一入了这个格局，再学不出来的。你只听我说，你若真心要学，我这里有《王摩诘[12]全集》，你且把他的五言律[13]读一百首，细心揣摩透熟了，然后再读一二百首老杜[14]的七言律，次再李青莲[15]的七言绝句[16]读一二百首。肚子里先有了这三个人作了底子，然后再把陶渊明、应、谢、阮、庾、鲍[17]等人的一看。你又是一个极聪敏伶俐的人，不用一年的工夫，不愁不是诗翁了！”香菱听了，笑道：“既这样，好姑娘，你就把这书给我拿出来，我带回去，夜里念几首也是好的。”
黛玉听说，便命紫鹃将王右丞的五言律拿来，递与香菱，又道：“你只看有红圈的都是我选的，有一首念一首。不明白的问你姑娘，或者遇见我，我讲与你就是了。”香菱拿了诗，回至蘅芜苑中，诸事不顾，只向灯下一首一首的读起来。宝钗连催他数次睡觉，他也不睡。宝钗见他这般苦心，只得随他去了。
一日，黛玉方梳洗完了，只见香菱笑吟吟的送了书来，又要换杜律[18]。黛玉笑道：“共记得多少首？”香菱笑道：“凡红圈选的我尽读了。”黛玉道：“可领略了些滋味没有？”香菱笑道：“领略了些滋味，不知可是不是，说与你听听。”黛玉笑道：“正要讲究讨论，方能长进。你且说来我听。”
香菱笑道：“据我看来，诗的好处，有口里说不出来的意思，想去却是逼真的。有似乎无理的，想去竟是有理有情的。”黛玉笑道：“这话有了些意思，但不知你从何处见得？”香菱笑道：“我看他《塞上》一首[19]，那一联云：‘大漠孤烟直，长河落日圆。’想来烟如何直？日自然是圆的。这‘直’字似无理，‘圆’字似太俗。合上书一想，倒像是见了这景的。若说再找两个字换这两个，竟再找不出两个字来。再还有‘日落江湖白，潮来天地青’[20]，这‘白’‘青’两个字也似无理。想来，必得这两个字才形容得尽，念在嘴里倒像有几千斤重的一个橄榄。还有‘渡头馀落日，墟里上孤烟’[21]，这‘馀’字和‘上’字，难为他怎么想来！我们那年上京来，那日下晚便湾住船，岸上又没有人，只有几棵树，远远的几家人家作晚饭，那个烟竟是碧青，连云直上。谁知我昨日晚上读了这两句，倒像我又到了那个地方去了。”
正说着，宝玉和探春也来了，也都入坐听他讲诗。宝玉笑道：“既是这样，也不用看诗。会心处不在多，听你说了这两句，可知‘三昧’[22]你已得了。”黛玉笑道：“你说他这‘上孤烟’好，你还不知他这一句还是套了前人来的。我给你这一句瞧瞧，更比这个淡而现成。”说着便把陶渊明的“暧暧远人村，依依墟里烟”[23]翻了出来，递与香菱。香菱瞧了，点头叹赏，笑道：“原来‘上’字是从‘依依’两个字上化出来的。”宝玉大笑道：“你已得了，不用再讲，越发倒学杂了。你就作起来，必是好的。”探春笑道：“明儿我补一个柬来，请你入社。”香菱笑道：“姑娘何苦打趣我，我不过是心里羡慕，才学着顽罢了。”
探春黛玉都笑道：“谁不是顽？难道我们是认真作诗呢！若说我们认真成了诗，出了这园子，把人的牙还笑倒了呢。”宝玉道：“这也算自暴自弃了。前日我在外头和相公们商议画儿〔三〕，他们听见咱们起诗社，求我把稿子给他们瞧瞧。我就写了几首给他们看看，谁不真心叹服。他们都抄了刻去了。”探春黛玉忙问道：“这是真话么？”宝玉笑道：“说谎的是那架上的鹦哥。”黛玉探春听说，都道：“你真真胡闹！且别说那不成诗，便是成诗，我们的笔墨[25]也不该传到外头去。”宝玉道：“这怕什么！古来闺阁中的笔墨不要传出去，如今也没有人知道了。”说着，只见惜春打发了入画来请宝玉，宝玉方去了。
香菱又逼着黛玉换出杜律来，又央黛玉探春二人：“出个题目，让我诌去，诌了来，替我改正。”黛玉道：“昨夜的月最好，我正要诌一首，竟未诌成，你竟作一首来。十四寒[26]的韵，由你爱用那几个字去。”
香菱听了，喜的拿回诗来，又苦思一回作两句诗，又舍不得杜诗，又读两首。如此茶饭无心，坐卧不定。宝钗道：“何苦自寻烦恼。都是颦儿引的你，我和他算帐去。你本来呆头呆脑的，再添上这个，越发弄成个呆子了。”香菱笑道：“好姑娘，别混我。”一面说，一面作了一首，先与宝钗看。宝钗〔四〕看了笑道：“这个不好，不是这个作法。你别怕臊，只管拿了给他瞧去，看他是怎么说。”香菱听了，便拿了诗找黛玉。
黛玉看时，只见写道是：
月挂中天夜色寒，清光皎皎影团团。
诗人助兴常思玩，野客添愁不忍观。
翡翠楼边悬玉镜，珍珠帘外挂冰盘。
良宵何用烧银烛，晴彩辉煌映画栏。
黛玉笑道：“意思却有，只是措词不雅。皆因你看的诗少，被他缚住了。把这首丢开，再作一首，只管放开胆子去作。”
香菱听了，默默的回来，越性连房也不入，只在池边树下，或坐在山石上出神，或蹲在地下抠土，来往的人都诧异。李纨、宝钗、探春、宝玉等听得此信，都远远的站在山坡上瞧着他。只见他皱一回眉，又自己含笑一回。
宝钗笑道：“这个人定要疯了！昨夜嘟嘟哝哝直闹到五更天才睡下，没一顿饭的工夫天就亮了。我就听见他起来了，忙忙碌碌梳了头就找颦儿去。一回来了，呆了一日，作了一首又不好，这会子自然另作呢。”宝玉笑道：“这正是‘地灵人杰’[28]，老天生人再不虚赋情性的。我们成日叹说可惜他这么个人竟俗了，谁知到底有今日。可见天地至公。”宝钗笑道：“你能够像他这苦心就好了，学什么有个不成的。”宝玉不答。
只见香菱兴兴头头的又往黛玉那边去了。探春笑道：“咱们跟了去，看他有些意思没有。”说着，一齐都往潇湘馆来。只见黛玉正拿着诗和他讲究。众人因问黛玉作的如何。黛玉道：“自然算难为他了，只是还不好。这一首过于穿凿了，还得另作。”
众人因要诗看时，只见作道：
非银非水映窗寒，试看晴空护玉盘。
淡淡梅花香欲染，丝丝柳带露初干。
只疑残粉涂金砌，恍若轻霜抹玉栏。
梦醒西楼人迹绝，馀容犹可隔帘看。
宝钗笑道：“不像吟月了，月字底下添一个‘色’字倒还使得，你看句句倒是月色。这也罢了，原来诗从胡说来，再迟几天就好了。”
香菱自为这首妙绝，听如此说，自己扫了兴，不肯丢开手，便要思索起来。因见他姊妹们说笑，便自己走至阶前竹下闲步，挖心搜胆，耳不旁听，目不别视。一时探春隔窗笑说道：“菱姑娘〔五〕，你闲闲罢。”香菱怔怔〔六〕答道：“‘闲’字是十五删的，你错了韵了。”众人听了，不觉大笑起来。宝钗道：“可真是诗魔了。都是颦儿引的他！”黛玉道：“圣人说‘诲人不倦’，他又来问我，我岂有不说之理。”李纨笑道：“咱们拉了他往四姑娘房里去，引他瞧瞧画儿，叫他醒一醒才好。”
说着，真个出来拉了他过藕香榭，至暖香坞中。惜春正乏倦，在床上歪着睡午觉，画缯[31]立在壁间，用纱罩着。众人唤醒了惜春，揭纱看时，十停方有了三停。香菱见画上有几个美人，因指着笑道：“这一个是我们姑娘，那一个是林姑娘。”探春笑道：“凡会作诗的都画在上头，快学罢。”说着，顽笑了一回。
各自散后，香菱满心中还是想诗。至晚间对灯出了一回神，至三更以后上床卧下，两眼鳏鳏[32]，直到五更方才朦胧睡去了。一时天亮，宝钗醒了，听了一听，他安稳睡了，心下想：“他翻腾了一夜，不知可作成了？这会子乏了，且别叫他。”正想着，只听香菱从梦中笑道：“可是有了，难道这一首还不好？”宝钗听了，又是可叹，又是可笑，连忙唤醒了他，问他：“得了什么？你这诚心都通了仙了。学不成诗，还弄出病来呢。”一面说，一面梳洗了，会同姊妹往贾母处来。
原来香菱苦志学诗，精血诚聚，日间做不出，忽于梦中得了八句。梳洗已毕，便忙录出来，自己并不知好歹，便拿来又找黛玉。刚到沁芳亭，只见李纨与众姊妹方从王夫人处回来，宝钗正告诉他们说他梦中作诗说梦话。众人正笑，抬头见他来了，便都争着要诗看。且听下回分解。
[1] 游艺——《论语·述而》：“游于艺。”指沉潜于六艺之教，后亦泛指从事技术或艺术的锻炼。
[2] 戥（děnɡ等）子——一种称量金银、药品等所用的小秤，计量单位从分厘到两。
〔一〕 “人”字原无，从各本补。
〔二〕 “我原要和奶奶说的，大爷去了，我和姑娘作伴儿去”，原仅作“我久要和姑娘作伴儿去”，从蒙府、戚序本增改。
[5] 得陇望蜀——《后汉书·岑彭传》：“人苦不知足，既平陇（陇西，古郡名，在今甘肃省），复望蜀（古郡名，今四川）。”后以喻人之贪得无厌。
[6] 湘妃、棕竹、麋鹿、玉竹——四种名贵的竹子，纹理美观，可以制做扇骨。湘妃：指湘妃竹，又称斑竹。产于湖南、广西，竹上有紫色斑点。传说舜帝南巡，死于苍梧，其妃湘夫人追至，哭甚哀，以泪挥竹，故竹上斑点若泪痕。见晋代张华《博物志》。棕竹：元代刘美之《续竹谱》：“棕竹，蜀中多有之；皮叶皆似棕，亦谓之桃花竹。”麋鹿：是一种表皮像麋鹿角纹的竹子。玉竹：《群芳谱》：“玉竹，青黄相间。”
[7] 起承转合——旧体诗文章法结构的术语。起：开端。承：承接上文进一步加以申述。转：转折，从另一方面论述主题。合：全文结语。
[8] 平仄虚实——平仄：汉字读音有四种声调，即平、上、去、入。平又分阴平、阳平；上、去、入三声，属于仄声。格律诗每句每字的声调有规定的平仄格式，一般以平声对仄声。虚实：律诗共八句，中间四句规定为两副对子（也称对仗），要按照词性的虚实相对，虚词对虚词，实词对实词。这里林黛玉说：“虚的对实的，实的对虚的”，可能是作者或传抄中的笔误。
[9] 一三五不论，二四六分明——格律诗对平仄声的规定，每句的第一、三、五字要求的较宽，平仄皆可，可以不论（第五字一般也是不宜违律的）；第二、四、六字则要求较严，平仄必须依律。但这只是初学诗的一种入门歌诀，其实并非完全这样，第一、三、五字能否调换平仄声，也是有许多具体条件限制的。
[10] 不以词害意——这是说作诗要以“意”（内容）为先，文辞格律次之，不要因过分注重辞采形式而损害了内容。
[11] “重帘不卷”二句——宋代陆游《书室明暖，终日婆娑其间，倦则扶杖至小园，戏作长句》之二中的句子。重帘：一重一重的帘幕。
[12] 王摩诘——唐代诗人王维，字摩诘。唐肃宗时官尚书右丞，人称王右丞。
[13] 五言律、七言律——律：是律诗的简称，每首八句，中间四句为“对仗”。每句五字的叫五言律；每句七字的叫七言律。超过八句的律诗，叫排律。
[14] 老杜——指盛唐时期大诗人杜甫，为了区别于稍后的晚唐诗人杜牧，故世称杜甫为“老杜”，杜牧为“小杜”。
[15] 李青莲——即唐代大诗人李白，幼时曾随父迁居四川绵州彰明县（今四川江油县）青莲乡，自号青莲居士。
[16] 七言绝句——七言：每句七个字。绝句：每首四句的格律诗。
[17] 应、谢、阮、庾、鲍——应：字德琏，东汉末年诗人，“建安七子”之一。谢：指南朝宋诗人谢灵运。阮：指三国时魏诗人阮籍，字嗣宗，“竹林七贤”之一。庾：指北朝周诗人庾信，字子山。鲍：指南朝宋诗人鲍照，字明远。
[18] 杜律——指杜甫的律诗。
[19] 《塞上》一首——指王维《使至塞上》一诗。
[20] “日落”二句——见王维《送邢桂州》。白：指日落时江湖上的茫茫白光。青：指潮来时天地间的苍莽昏暗。
[21] “渡头”二句——王维《辋川闲居赠裴秀才迪》中诗句。墟里：村落。
[22] 三昧——佛教用语。本意是心神专一，杂念止息，是佛家修持的重要方法之一。后借指事物的奥秘和精义。
[23] “暧暧”二句——陶渊明《归田园居五首》之一中诗句。暧暧：昏暗模糊的样子。依依：隐约可见的样子。
〔三〕 “画儿”，原作“话儿”，从各本改。
[25] 笔墨——在这里代指诗文作品。
[26] 十四寒——诗韵中上平声第十四部以“寒”字开头的韵目，称为十四寒。后面“十五删”则是上平声第十五部以“删”字开头的韵目。
〔四〕 “看。宝钗”，原无，从蒙府、戚序本补。
[28] 地灵人杰——意为山川灵秀，必然孕育杰出人物。
〔五〕 “菱姑娘”，原无，从各本补。
〔六〕 “怔怔”，原无，从各本补。
[31] 画缯（zēnɡ增）——绘画用的绢。此指经矾过的重绢绷张竖立的画稿。缯：古代对丝织品的统称。
[32] 鳏（ɡuān关）鳏——鳏：一种大鱼，其性独行。其字从鱼，鱼目常睁不闭，故常用“鳏鳏”形容忧愁失眠的样子。
CHAPTER 48 A sensual-minded man gets into such trouble through his sensuality that he entertains the idea of going abroad. An estimable and refined girl manages, after great exertion, to compose verses at a refined meeting.
But to resume our story, after hearing his mother’s arguments, Xue Pan’s indignation gradually abated. But notwithstanding that his pains and aches completely disappeared, in three or five days’ time, the scars of his wounds were not yet healed and shamming illness, he remained at home, so ashamed was he to meet any of his relations or friends.
In a twinkle, the tenth moon drew near; and as several among the partners in the various shops, with which he was connected, wanted to go home, after the settlement of the annual accounts, he had to give them a farewell spread at home. In their number was one Zhang De hui, who from his early years filled the post of manager in Xue Pan’s pawnshop; and who enjoyed in his home a living of two or three thousand taels. His purpose too was to visit his native place this year, and to return the following spring.
“Stationery and perfumery have been so scarce this year,” he consequently represented, “that prices will next year inevitably be high; so when next year comes, what I’ll do will be to send up my elder and younger sons ahead of me to look after the pawnshop, and when I start on my way back, before the dragon festival, I’ll purchase a stock of paper, scents, and fans and bring them for sale. And though we’ll have to reduce the duties, payable at the barriers, and other expenses, there will still remain for us a considerable percentage of profit.”
This proposal set Xue Pan musing, “With the dressing I’ve recently had,” he pondered, “I cannot very well, at present, appear before anyone. Were the fancy to take me to get out of the way for half a year or even a year, there isn’t a place where I can safely retire. And to sham illness, day after day, isn’t again quite the right thing! In addition to this, here I’ve reached this grown-up age, and yet I’m neither a civilian nor a soldier. It’s true I call myself a merchant, but I’ve never in point of fact handled the scales or the abacus. Nor do I know anything about our territories, customs and manners, distances and routes. So wouldn’t it be advisable that I should also get ready some of my capital, and go on a tour with Zhang Dehui for a year or so? Whether I earn any money or not, will be equally immaterial to me. More, I shall escape from all disgrace. It will, secondly, be a good thing for me to see a bit of country.”
This resolution once arrived at in his mind, he waited until they rose from the banquet, when he, with calmness and equanimity, brought his plans to Zhang Dehui’s cognizance, and asked him to postpone his departure for a day or two so that they should proceed on the journey together.
In the evening, he imparted the tidings to his mother. Mrs. Xue, upon hearing his intention, was, albeit delighted, tormented with fresh misgivings lest he should stir up trouble abroad—for as far as the expense was concerned she deemed it a mere bagatelle—and she consequently would not permit him to go. “You have,” she reasoned with him, “to take proper care of me, so that I may be able to live in peace. Another thing is, that you can well dispense with all this buying and selling, for you are in no need of the few hundreds of taels you may make.”
Xue Pan had long ago thoroughly resolved in his mind what to do and he did not therefore feel disposed to listen to her remonstrances. “You daily tax me,” he pleaded, “with being ignorant of the world, with not knowing this, and not learning that, and now that I stir up my good resolution, with the idea of putting an end to all trifling, and that I wish to become a man, to do something for myself, and learn how to carry on business, you won’t let me! But what would you have me do? Besides I’m not a girl that you should coop me up at home! And when is this likely to come to an end? Zhang Dehui is, moreover, a man well up in years; and he is an old friend of our family, so if I go with him, how ever will I be able to do anything that’s wrong? Should I at any time be guilty of any impropriety, he will be sure to speak to me, and to exhort me. He even knows the prices of things and customs of trade; and as I shall, as a matter of course, consult him in everything, what advantage won’t I enjoy? But if you refuse to let me go, I’ll wait for a couple of days, and, without breathing a word to anyone at home, I’ll furtively make my preparations and start, and, when by next year I shall have made my fortune and come back, you’ll at length know what stuff I’m made off!”
When he had done speaking, he flew into a huff and went off to sleep.
Mrs. Xue felt impelled, after the arguments she heard him propound, to deliberate with Baochai.
“If brother,” Baochai smilingly rejoined, “were in real earnest about gaining experience in some legitimate concerns, it would be well and good. But though he speaks, now that he is at home, in a plausible manner, the moment he gets abroad, his old mania will break out again, and it will be hard to exercise any check over him. Yet, it isn’t worth the while distressing yourself too much about him! If he does actually mend his ways, it will be the happiness of our whole lives. But if he doesn’t change, you won’t, mother, be able to do anything more; for though, in part, it depends on human exertion, it, in part, depends upon the will of heaven! If you keep on giving way to fears that, with his lack of worldly experience, he can’t be fit to go abroad and can’t be up to any business, and you lock him up at home this year, why next year he’ll be just the same! Such being the case, you’d better, ma—since his arguments are right and specious enough—make up your mind to sacrifice from eight hundred to a thousand taels and let him have them for a try. He’ll, at all events, have one of his partners to lend him a helping hand, one who won’t either think it a nice thing to play any of his tricks upon him. In the second place, there will be, when he’s gone, no one to the left of him or to the right of him, to stand by him, and no one upon whom to rely, for when one goes abroad, who cares for any one else? Those who have, eat; and those who haven’t starve. When he therefore casts his eyes about him and realizes that there’s no one to depend upon, he may, upon seeing this, be up to less mischief than were he to stay at home; but of course, there’s no saying.”
Mrs. Xue listened to her, and communed within herself for a moment. “What you say is, indeed, right and proper!” she remarked. “And could one, by spending a small sum, make him learn something profitable, it will be well worth!”
They then matured their plans; and nothing further of any note transpired during the rest of the night.
The next day, Mrs. Xue sent a messenger to invite Zhang Dehui to come round. On his arrival, she charged Xue Pan to regale him in the library. Then appearing, in person, outside the window of the covered back passage, she made thousands of appeals to Zhang Dehui to look after her son and take good care of him.
Zhang Dehui assented to her solicitations with profuse assurances, and took his leave after the collation.
“The fourteenth,” he went on to explain to Xue Pan. “is a propitious day to start. So, worthy friend, you’d better be quick and pack up your baggage, and hire a mule, for us to begin our long journey as soon as the day dawns on the fourteenth.”
Xue Pan was intensely gratified, and he communicated their plans to Mrs. Xue. Mrs. Xue then set to, and worked away, with the assistance of Baochai, Xiangling, and two old nurses, for several consecutive days, before she got his luggage ready. She fixed upon the husband of Xue Pan’s nurse an old man with hoary head, two old servants with ample experience and long services, and two young pages, who acted as Xue Pan’s constant attendants, to go with him as his companions, so the party mustered, inclusive of master and followers, six persons in all. Three large carts were hired for the sole purpose of carrying the baggage and requisites; and four mules, suitable for long journeys, were likewise engaged. A tall, dark brown, home-bred mule was selected for Xue Pan’s use; but a saddle horse, as well, was provided for him.
After the various preparations had been effected, Mrs. Xue, Baochai and the other inmates tendered him, night after night, words of advice. But we can well dispense with dilating on this topic. On the arrival of the thirteenth, Xue Pan went and bade good-bye to his maternal uncles. After which, he came and paid his farewell visit to the members of the Jia household. Jia Zhen and the other male relatives unavoidably prepared an entertainment to speed him off. But to these festivities, there is likewise little need to allude with any minuteness.
On the fourteenth, at break of day, Mrs. Xue, Baochai, and the other members of the family accompanied Xue Pan beyond the ceremonial gate. Here his mother and her daughter stood and watched him, their four eyes fixed intently on him, until he got out of sight, when they, at length, retraced their footsteps into the house.
Mrs. Xue had, in coming up to the capital, only brought four or five family domestics and two or three old matrons and waiting-maids with her, so, after the departure on the recent occasion, of those who followed Xue Pan, no more than one or two men-servants remained in the outer quarters. Mrs. Xue repaired therefore on the very same day into the study, and had the various ornaments, bric-à-brac, curtains, and other articles removed into the inner compound and put away. Then bidding the wives of the two male attendants, who had gone with Xue Pan, likewise move their quarters inside, along with the other women, she went on to impress upon Xiangling to put everything carefully away in her own room as well, and to lock the doors; “for,” (she said,) “you must come at night and sleep with me.”
“Since you’ve got all these people to keep you company, ma,” Baochai remarked, “wouldn’t it be as well to tell sister Ling to come and be my companion? Our garden is besides quite empty and the nights are so long! And as I work away every night, won’t it be better for me to have an extra person with me?”
“Quite so!” smiled Mrs. Xue, “I forgot that! I should have told her to go with you; it’s but right. It was only the other day that I mentioned to your brother that: ‘Wenxing too was young, and not fit to attend to everything that turns up, that Ying’er could not alone do all the waiting, and that it was necessary to purchase another girl for your service.’”
“If we buy one, we won’t know what she’s really like!” Baochai demurred. “If she gives us the slip, the money we may have spent on her will be a mere trifle, so long as she hasn’t been up to any pranks! So let’s quietly make inquiries, and, when we find one with well-known antecedents, we can purchase her, and we’ll be on the safe side then!”
While speaking, she told Xiangling to collect her bedding and clothes; and desiring an old matron and Zhen’er to take them over to the Hengwu Yuan, Baochai returned at last into the garden in company with Xiangling.
“I meant to have proposed to my lady,” Xiangling said to Baochai, “that, when master left, I should be your companion, miss; but I feared lest her ladyship should, with that suspicious mind of hers, have maintained that I was longing to come into the garden to romp. But who’d have thought it, it was you, after all, who spoke to her about it!”
“I am well aware,” Baochai smiled, “that you’ve been inwardly yearning for this garden, and that not for a day or two, but with the little time you can call your own, you would find it no fun, were you even able to run over once in a day, so long as you have to do it in a hurry-scurry! Seize therefore this opportunity of staying, better still, for a year; as I, on my side, will then have an extra companion; and you, on yours, will be able to accomplish your wishes.”
“My dear miss!” laughingly observed Xiangling, “do let’s make the best of this time, and teach me how to write verses!”
“I say,” Baochai laughed, “‘you no sooner, get the Long state than you long for the Shu’! I advise you to wait a bit. This is the first day that you spend in here, and you should, first and foremost, go out of the garden by the eastern side gate and look up and salute everyone in her respective quarters commencing from our old lady. But you needn’t make it a point of telling them that you’ve moved into the garden. If anyone does allude to the reason why you’ve shifted your quarters, you can simply explain cursorily that I’ve brought you in as a companion, and then drop the subject. On your return by and bye into the garden, you can pay a visit to the apartments of each of the young ladies.”
Xiangling signified her acquiescence, and was about to start when she saw Ping’er rush in with hurried step. Xiangling hastened to ask after her health, and Ping’er felt compelled to return her smile, and reciprocate her inquiry.
“I’ve brought her in today,” Baochai thereupon smilingly said to Ping’er, “to make a companion of her. She was just on the point of going to tell your lady about it!”
“What is this that you’re saying, Miss?” Ping’er rejoined, with a smile. “I really am at a loss what reply to make to you!”
“It’s the right thing!” Baochai answered. “‘In a house, there’s the master, and in a temple there’s the chief priest.’ It’s true, it’s no important concern, but something must, in fact, be mentioned, so that those who sit up on night duty in the garden may be aware that these two have been added to my rooms, and know when to close the gates and when to wait. When you get back therefore do mention it, so that I mayn’t have to send someone to tell them.”
Ping’er promised to carry out her wishes. “As you’re moved in here,” she said to Xiangling, “won’t you go and pay your respects to your neighbors?”
“I had just this very moment,” Baochai smiled, “told her to go and do so.”
“You needn’t however go to our house,” Ping’er remarked, “our Mr. Secundus is laid up at home.”
Xiangling assented and went off, passing first and foremost by dowager lady Jia’s apartments. But without devoting any of our attention to her, we will revert to Ping’er.
Seeing Xiangling walk out of the room, she drew Baochai near her. “Miss! have you heard our news?” she inquired in a low tone of voice.
“I haven’t heard any news,” Baochai responded. “We’ve been daily so busy in getting my brother’s things ready for his voyage abroad, that we know nothing whatever of any of your affairs in here. I haven’t even seen anything of my female cousins these last two days.”
“Our master, Mr. Jia She, has beaten our Mr. Secundus to such a degree that he can’t budge,” Ping’er smiled. “But is it likely, miss, that you’ve heard nothing about it?”
“This morning,” Baochai said by way of reply, “I heard a vague report on the subject, but I didn’t believe it could be true. I was just about to go and look up your mistress when you unexpectedly arrived. But why did he beat him again?”
Ping’er set her teeth to and gave way to abuse. “It’s all on account of some Jia Yuncun or other; a starved and half-dead boorish bastard, who went yonder quite unexpectedly. It isn’t yet ten years since we’ve known him, and he has been the cause of ever so much trouble! In the spring of this year, Mr. Jia She saw somewhere or other, I can’t tell where, a lot of antique fans; so, when on his return home, he noticed that the fine fans stored away in the house were all of no use, he at once directed servants to go everywhere and hunt up some like those he had seen. Who’d have anticipated it, they came across a reckless creature of retribution, dubbed by common consent the ‘stone fool,’ who though so poor as to not even have any rice to put to his mouth, happened to have at home twenty antique fans. But these he utterly refused to take out of his main door. Our Mr. Secundus had thus a precious lot of bother to ask ever so many favors of people. But when he got to see the man, he made endless appeals to him before he could get him to invite him to go and sit in his house; when producing the fans, he allowed him to have a short inspection of them. From what our Mr. Secundus says, it would be really difficult to get any the like of them. They’re made entirely of spotted black bamboo, and the stags and jadelike clusters of bamboo on them are the genuine pictures, drawn by men of olden times. When he got back, he explained these things to Mr. Jia She, who readily asked him to buy them, and give the man his own price for them. The ‘stone fool,’ however, refused. ‘Were I even to be dying from hunger,’ he said, ‘or perishing from frostbites, and so much as a thousand taels were offered me for each single fan, I wouldn’t part with them.’ Mr. Jia She could do nothing, but day after day he abused our Mr. Secundus as a good-for-nothing. Yet he had long ago promised the man five hundred taels, payable cash down in advance, before delivery of the fans, but he would not sell them. ‘If you want the fans,’ he had answered, ‘you must first of all take my life.’ Now, miss, do consider what was to be done? But, Yuncun is, as it happens, a man with no regard for divine justice. Well, when he came to hear of it, he at once devised a plan to lay hold of these fans, so fabricating the charge against him of letting a government debt drag on without payment, he had him arrested and brought before him in the Yamen; when he adjudicated that his family property should be converted into money to make up the amount due to the public chest; and, confiscating the fans in question, he set an official value on them and sent them over here. And as for that ‘stone fool,’ no one now has the faintest idea whether he be dead or alive. Mr. Jia She, however, taunted Mr. Secundus. ‘How is it,’ he said, ‘that other people can manage to get them?’ Our master simply rejoined ‘that to bring ruin upon a person in such a trivial matter could not be accounted ability.’ But, at these words, his father suddenly rushed into a fury, and averred that Mr. Secundus had said things to gag his mouth. This was the main cause. But several minor matters, which I can’t even recollect, also occurred during these last few days. So, when all these things accumulated, he set to work and gave him a sound thrashing. He didn’t, however, drag him down and strike him with a rattan or cane, but recklessly assaulted him, while he stood before him, with something or other, which he laid hold of, and broke his face open in two places. We understand that Mrs. Xue has in here some medicine or other for applying on wounds, so do try, miss, and find a ball of it and let me have it!”
Hearing this, Baochai speedily directed Ying’er to go and look for some, and, on discovering two balls of it, she brought them over and handed them to Ping’er.
“Such being the case,” Baochai said, “do make, on your return, the usual inquiries for me, and I won’t then need to go.”
Ping’er turned towards Baochai, and expressed her readiness to execute her commission, after which she betook herself home, where we will leave her without further notice.
After Xiangling, for we will take up the thread of our narrative with her, completed her visits to the various inmates, she had her evening meal. Then when Baochai and everyone else went to dowager lady Jia’s quarters, she came into the Xiaoxiang lodge. By this time Daiyu had got considerably better. Upon hearing that Xiangling had also moved into the garden, she, needless to say, was filled with delight.
“Now, that I’ve come in here,” Xiangling then smiled and said, “do please teach me, at your leisure, how to write verses. It will be a bit of good luck for me if you do.”
“Since you’re anxious to learn how to versify,” Daiyu answered with a smile, “you’d better acknowledge me as your tutor; for though I’m not a good hand at poetry, yet I know, after all, enough to be able to teach you.”
“Of course you do!” Xiangling laughingly remarked. “I’ll readily treat you as my tutor. But you mustn’t put yourself to any trouble!”
“Is there anything so difficult about this,” Daiyu pursued, “as to make it necessary to go in for any study? Why, it’s purely and simply a matter of openings, elucidations, embellishments, and conclusions. The elucidations and embellishments, which come in the center, should form two antithetical sentences, the even tones must pair with the uneven. Empty words must correspond with full words; and full words with empty words. In the event of any out-of-the-way lines, it won’t matter if the even and uneven tones, and the empty and full words do not pair.”
“Strange though it may appear,” smiled Xiangling, “I often handle books with old poems, and read one or two stanzas, whenever I can steal the time; and some among these I find pair most skilfully, while others don’t. I have also heard that the first, third, and fifth lines are of no consequence; and that the second, fourth, and sixth must be clearly distinguished. But I notice that there are in the poetical works of ancient writers both those which accord with the rules, as well as those whose second, fourth, and sixth lines are not in compliance with any rule. Hence it is that my mind has daily been full of doubts. But after the hints you’ve given me, I really see that all these formulas are of no account, and that the main requirement is originality of diction.”
“Yes, that’s just the principle that holds good,” Daiyu answered. “But diction is, after all, a last consideration. The first and foremost thing is the choice of proper sentiments; for when the sentiments are correct, there’ll even be no need to polish the diction; it’s certain to be elegant. This is called versifying without letting the diction affect the sentiments.”
“What I admire,” Xiangling proceeded with a smile, “are the lines by old Lu Fang;
“The double portière, when not raised, retains the fragrance long. An old inkslab, with a slight hole, collects plenty of ink.
“Their language is so clear that it’s charming.”
“You must on no account,” Daiyu observed, “read poetry of the kind. It’s because you people don’t know what verses mean that you, no sooner read any shallow lines like these, than they take your fancy. But when once you get into this sort of style, it’s impossible to get out of it. Mark my words! If you are in earnest about learning, I’ve got here Wang Mojie’s complete collection; so you’d better take his one hundred stanzas, written in the pentameter rule of versification, and carefully study them, until you apprehend them thoroughly. Afterwards, look over the one hundred and twenty stanzas of Lao Du, in the heptameter rule; and next read a hundred or two hundred of the heptameter four-lined stanzas by Li Qinglian. When you have, as a first step, digested these three authors, and made them your foundation, you can take Tao Yuanming, Ying, Liu, Xie, Yuan, Yu, Bao, and other writers and go through them once. And with those sharp and quick wits of yours, I’ve no doubt but that you will become a regular poet before a year’s time.”
“Well, in that case,” Xiangling smiled, after listening to her, “bring me the book, my dear miss, so that I may take it along. It will be a good thing if I can manage to read several stanzas at night.”
At these words, Daiyu bade Zijuan fetch Wang Youcheng’s pentameter stanzas. When brought, she handed them to Xiangling. “Only peruse those marked with red circles,” she said. “They’ve all been selected by me. Read each one of them; and should there be any you can’t fathom, ask your miss about them. Or when you come across me, I can explain them to you.”
Xiangling took the poems and repaired back to the Hengwu Yuan. And without worrying her mind about anything she approached the lamp and began to con stanza after stanza. Baochai pressed her, several consecutive times, to go to bed; but as even rest was far from her thoughts, Baochai let her, when she perceived what trouble she was taking over her task, have her own way in the matter.
Daiyu had one day just finished combing her hair and performing her ablutions, when she espied Xiangling come with smiles playing about her lips, to return her the book and to ask her to let her have Du’s poetical compositions in exchange.
“Of all these, how many stanzas can you recollect?” Daiyu asked, smiling.
“I’ve read everyone of those marked with a red circle,” Xiangling laughingly rejoined.
“Have you caught the ideas of any of them, yes or no?” Daiyu inquired.
“Yes, I’ve caught some!” Xiangling smiled. “But whether rightly or not I don’t know. Let me tell you.”
“You must really,” Daiyu laughingly remarked, “minutely solicit people’s opinions if you want to make any progress. But go on and let me hear you.”
“From all I can see,” Xiangling smiled, “the beauty of poetry lies in certain ideas, which though not quite expressible in words are, nevertheless, found, on reflection, to be absolutely correct. Some may have the semblance of being totally devoid of sense, but, on second thought, they’ll truly be seen to be full of sense and feeling.”
“There’s a good deal of right in what you say,” Daiyu observed. “But I wonder how you arrived at this conclusion?”
“I notice in that stanza on ‘the borderland,’ the antithetical couplet:
“In the vast desert reigns but upright mist. In the long river setteth the round sun.
“Consider now how ever can mist be upright? The sun is, of course, round. But the word ‘upright’ would seem to be devoid of common sense; and ‘round’ appears far too commonplace a word. But upon throwing the whole passage together, and pondering over it, one fancies having seen the scenery alluded to. Now were anyone to suggest that two other characters should be substituted for these two, one would verily be hard pressed to find any other two as suitable. Besides this, there’s also the couplet:
“When the sun sets, rivers and lakes are white; When the mist falls, the heavens and earth azure.
“Both ‘white’ and ‘azure’, apparently too lack any sense; but reflection will show that these two words are absolutely necessary to bring out thoroughly the aspect of the scenery. And in conning them over, one feels just as if one had an olive, weighing several thousands of catties, in one’s mouth, so much relish does one derive from them. But there’s this too:
“At the ferry stays the setting sun, O’er the mart hangs the lonesome mist.
“And how much trouble must these words ‘stay,’ and ‘over,’ have caused the author in their conception! When the boats made fast, in the evening of a certain day of that year in which we came up to the capital, the banks were without a trace of human beings; and there were only just a few trees about; in the distance loomed the houses of several families engaged in preparing their evening meal, and the mist was, in fact, azure like jade, and connected like clouds. So, when I, as it happened, read this couplet last night, it actually seemed to me as if I had come again to that spot!”
But in the course of their colloquy, Baoyu and Tanchun arrived; and entering the room, they seated themselves, and lent an ear to her arguments on the verses.
“Seeing that you know so much,” Baoyu remarked with a smiling face, “you can dispense with reading poetical works, for you’re not far off from proficiency. To hear you expatiate on these two lines, makes it evident to my mind that you’ve even got at their secret meaning.”
“You say,” argued Daiyu with a significant smile, “that the line:
‘“O’er (the mart) hangs the lonesome mist,’
“is good; but aren’t you yet aware that this is only plagiarized from an ancient writer? But I’ll show you the line I’m telling you of. You’ll find it far plainer and clearer than this.”
While uttering these words, she turned up Dao Yuanming’s:
Dim in the distance lies a country place; Faint in the hamlet-market hangs the mist;
and handed it to Xiangling.
Xiangling perused it, and, nodding her head, she eulogized it. “Really,” she smiled, “the word ‘over’ is educed from the two characters im plying ‘faint.’”
Baoyu burst out into a loud fit of exultant laughter. “You’ve already got it!” he cried. “There’s no need of explaining anything more to you! Any further explanations will, in lieu of benefiting you, make you unlearn what you’ve learnt. Were you therefore to, at once, set to work, and versify, your lines are bound to be good.”
“Tomorrow,” observed Tanchun with a smile, “I’ll stand an extra treat and invite you to join the society.”
“Why make a fool of me, miss?” Xiangling laughingly ejaculated. “It’s merely that mania of mine that made me apply my mind to this subject at all; just for fun and no other reason.”
Tanchun and Daiyu both smiled. “Who doesn’t go in for these things for fun?” they asked. “Is it likely that we improvise verses in real earnest? Why, if anyone treated our verses as genuine verses, and took them outside this garden, people would have such a hearty laugh at our expense that their very teeth would drop.”
“This is again self-violence and self-abasement!” Baoyu interposed. “The other day, I was outside the garden, consulting with the gentlemen about paintings, and, when they came to hear that we had started a poetical society, they begged of me to let them have the rough copies to read. So I wrote out several stanzas, and gave them to them to look over, and who did not praise them with all sincerity? They even copied them and took them to have the blocks cut.”
“Are you speaking the truth?” Tanchun and Daiyu eagerly inquired.
“If I’m telling a lie,” Baoyu laughed, “I’m like that cockatoo on that frame!”
“You verily do foolish things!” Daiyu and Tanchun exclaimed with one voice, at these words. “But not to mention that they were doggerel lines, had they even been anything like what verses should be, our writings shouldn’t have been hawked about outside.”
“What’s there to fear?” Baoyu smiled. “Hadn’t the writings of women of old been handed outside the limits of the inner chambers, why, there would, at present, be no one with any idea of their very existence.”
While he passed this remark, they saw Ruhua arrive from Xichun’s quarters to ask Baoyu to go over; and Baoyu eventually took his departure.
Xiangling then pressed (Daiyu) to give her Du’s poems. “Do choose some theme,” she also asked Daiyu and Tanchun, “and let me go and write on it. When I’ve done, I’ll bring it for you to correct.”
“Last night,” Daiyu observed, “the moon was so magnificent, that I meant to improvise a stanza on it; but as I haven’t done yet, go at once and write one using the fourteenth rhyme, ‘han’ (cool). You’re at lib erty to make use of whatever words you fancy.”
Hearing this, Xiangling was simply delighted, and taking the poems, she went back. After considerable exertion, she succeeded in devising a couplet, but so little able was she to tear herself away from the “Du” poems, that she perused another couple of stanzas, until she had no inclination for either tea or food, and she felt in an unsettled mood, try though she did to sit or recline.
“Why,” Baochai remonstrated, “do you bring such trouble upon yourself? It’s that Pin’er, who has led you on to it! But I’ll settle accounts with her! You’ve all along been a thick-headed fool; but now that you’ve burdened yourself with all this, you’ve become a greater fool.”
“Miss,” smiled Xiangling, “don’t confuse me.”
So saying, she set to work and put together a stanza, which she first and foremost handed to Baochai to look over.
“This isn’t good!” Baochai smilingly said. “This isn’t the way to do it! Don’t fear of losing face, but take it and give it to her to peruse. We’ll see what she says.”
At this suggestion, Xiangling forthwith went with her verses in search of Daiyu. When Daiyu came to read them, she found their text to be:
The night grows cool, what time Selene reacheth the mid-heavens. Her radiance pure shineth around with such a spotless sheen. Bards oft for inspiration raise on her their thoughts and eyes. The rustic daren’t see her, so fears he to enhance his grief. Jade mirrors are suspended near the tower of malachite. An icelike plate dangles outside the gem-laden portière. The eve is fine, so why need any silvery candles burn? A clear light shines with dazzling luster on the painted rails.
“There’s a good deal of spirit in them,” Daiyu smiled, “but the language is not elegant. It’s because you’ve only read a few poetical works that you labor under restraint. Now put this stanza aside and write another. Pluck up your courage and go and work away.”
After listening to her advice, Xiangling quietly wended her way back, but so much the more (preoccupied) was she in her mind that she did not even enter the house, but remaining under the trees, planted by the side of the pond, she either seated herself on a rock and plunged in a reverie, or squatted down and dug the ground, to the astonishment of all those who went backwards and forwards. Li Wan, Baochai, Tanchun, Baoyu, and some others heard about her; and, taking their position some way off on the mound, they watched her, much amused. At one time, they saw her pucker up her eyebrows; and at another smile to herself.
“That girl must certainly be cracked!” Baochai laughed. “Last night she kept on muttering away straight up to the fifth watch, when she at last turned in. But shortly, daylight broke, and I heard her get up and comb her hair, all in a hurry, and rush after Pin’er. In a while, however, she returned; and, after acting like an idiot the whole day, she managed to put together a stanza. But it wasn’t after all, good, so she’s, of course, now trying to devise another.”
“This indeed shows,” Baoyu laughingly remarked, “that the earth is spiritual, that man is intelligent, and that heaven does not in the creation of human beings bestow on them natural gifts to no purpose. We’ve been sighing and lamenting that it was a pity that such a one as she, should, really, be so unpolished; but who could ever have anticipated that things would, in the long run, reach the present pass? This is a clear sign that heaven and earth are most equitable!”
“If only,” smiled Baochai, at these words, “you could be as painstaking as she is, what a good thing it would be. And would you fail to attain success in anything you might take up?”
Baoyu made no reply. But realising that Xiangling had crossed over in high spirits to find Daiyu again, Tanchun laughed and suggested, “Let’s follow her there, and see whether her composition is any good.”
At this proposal, they came in a body to the Xiaoxiang lodge. Here they discovered Daiyu holding the verses and explaining various things to her.
“What are they like?” they all thereupon inquired of Daiyu.
“This is naturally a hard job for her!” Daiyu rejoined. “They’re not yet as good as they should be. This stanza is far too forced; you must write another.”
One and all however expressed a desire to look over the verses. On perusal, they read:
‘Tis not silver, neither water that on the windows shines so cold.
Selene, mark! covers, like a jade platter, the clear vault of heaven.
What time the fragrance faint of the plum bloom is fain to tinge the air,
The dew-bedecked silken willow trees begin to lose their leaves.
‘Tis the remains of powder which methinks besmear the golden steps.
Her lustrous rays enshroud like light hoar-frost the jade-like balustrade.
When from my dreams I wake, in the west tower, all human trace is gone.
Her slanting orb can yet clearly be seen across the bamboo screen.
“It doesn’t sound like a song on the moon,” Baochai smilingly observed. “Yet were, after the word ‘moon’, that of ‘light’ supplied, it would be better; for, just see, if each of these lines treated of the moonlight, they would be all right. But poetry primarily springs from nonsensical language. In a few days longer, you’ll be able to do well.”
Xiangling had flattered herself that this last stanza was perfect, and the criticisms that fell on her ear, damped her spirits again. She was not however disposed to relax in her endeavors, but felt eager to commune with her own thoughts, so when she perceived the young ladies chatting and laughing, she betook herself all alone to the bamboo-grove at the foot of the steps; where she racked her brain, and ransacked her mind with such intentness that her ears were deaf to everything around her and her eyes blind to everything beyond her task.
“Miss Ling,” Tanchun presently cried, smiling from inside the window, “do have a rest!”
“The character ‘rest,’“ Xiangling nervously replied, “comes from lot number 15, under ‘shan’, (to correct), so it’s the wrong rhyme.”
This rambling talk made them involuntarily burst out laughing.
“In very fact,” Baochai laughed, “she’s under a poetical frenzy, and it’s all Pin’er who has incited her.”
“The holy man says,” Daiyu smilingly rejoined, “that ‘one must not be weary of exhorting people’ and if she comes, time and again, to ask me this and that how can I possibly not tell her?”
“Let’s take her to Miss Quarta’s rooms,” Li Wan smiled, “and if we could coax her to look at the painting, and bring her to her senses, it will be well.”
Speaking the while, she actually walked out of the room, and laying hold of her, she brought her through the Lotus Fragrance arbor to the bank of Warm Fragrance. Xichun was tired and languid, and was lying on the window, having a midday siesta. The painting was resting against the partition-wall, and was screened with a gauze cover. With one voice, they roused Xichun, and raising the gauze cover to contemplate her work, they saw that three-tenths of it had already been accomplished. But their attention was attracted by the representation of several beautiful girls, inserted in the picture, so pointing at Xiangling: “Everyone who can write verses is to be put here,” they said, “so be quick and learn.”
But while conversing, they played and laughed for a time, after which, each went her own way.
Xiangling was meanwhile preoccupied about her verses, so, when evening came, she sat facing the lamp absorbed in thought. And the third watch struck before she got to bed. But her eyes were so wide awake, that it was only after the fifth watch had come and gone, that she, at length, felt drowsy and fell fast asleep.
Presently, the day dawned, and Baochai woke up; but, when she lent an ear, she discovered (Xiangling) in a sound sleep. “She has racked her brains the whole night long,” she pondered. “I wonder, however, whether she has succeeded in finishing her task. She must be tired now, so I won’t disturb her.”
But in the midst of her cogitations, she heard Xiangling laugh and exclaim in her sleep: “I’ve got it. It cannot be that this stanza too won’t be worth anything.”
“How sad and ridiculous!” Baochai soliloquized with a smile. And, calling her by name, she woke her up. “What have you got?” she asked. “With that firmness of purpose of yours, you could even become a spirit! But before you can learn how to write poetry, you’ll be getting some illness.”
Chiding her the while, she combed her hair and washed; and, this done, she repaired, along with her cousins, into dowager lady Jia’s quarters.
Xiangling made, in fact, such desperate efforts to learn all about poetry that her system got quite out of order. But although she did not in the course of the day hit upon anything, she quite casually succeeded in her dreams in devising eight lines; so concluding her toilette and her ablutions, she hastily jotted them down, and betook herself into the Qinfang pavilion. Here she saw Li Wan and the whole bevy of young ladies, returning from Madame Wang’s suite of apartments.
Baochai was in the act of telling them of the verses composed by Xiang ling, while asleep, and of the nonsense she had been talking, and everyone of them was convulsed with laughter. But upon raising their heads, and perceiving that she was approaching, they vied with each other in pressing her to let them see her composition.
But, reader, do you wish to know any further particulars? If you do, read those given in the next chapter.