第一○九回

第一○九回 候芳魂五儿承错爱 还孽债迎女返真元

话说宝钗叫袭人问出原故，恐宝玉悲伤成疾，便将黛玉临死的话与袭人假作闲谈，说是：“人生在世，有意有情，到了死后各自干各自的去了，并不是生前那样个人死后还是这样。活人虽有痴心，死的竟不知道。况且林姑娘既说仙去，他看凡人是个不堪的浊物，那里还肯混在世上。只是人自己疑心，所以招些邪魔外祟来缠扰了。”宝钗虽是与袭人说话，原说给宝玉听的。袭人会意，也说是“没有的事。若说林姑娘的魂灵儿还在园里，我们也算好的，怎么不曾梦见了一次。”宝玉在外闻听得，细细的想道：“果然也奇。我知道林妹妹死了，那一日不想几遍，怎么从没梦过。想是他到天上去了，瞧我这凡夫俗子不能交通神明，所以梦都没有一个儿。我就在外间睡着，或者我从园里回来，他知道我的实心，肯与我梦里一见。我必要问他实在那里去了，我也时常祭奠。若是果然不理我这浊物，竟无一梦，我便不想他了。”主意已定，便说：“我今夜就在外间睡了，你们也不用管我。”宝钗也不强他，只说：“你不要胡思乱想。你不瞧瞧，太太因你园里去了急得话都说不出来。若是知道还不保养身子，倘或老太太知道了，又说我们不用心。”宝玉道：“白这么说罢咧，我坐一会子就进来。你也乏了，先睡罢。”宝钗知他必进来的，假意说道：“我睡了，叫袭姑娘伺候你罢。”宝玉听了，正合机宜。候宝钗睡了，他便叫袭人麝月另铺设下一副被褥，常叫人进来瞧二奶奶睡着了没有。宝钗故意装睡，也是一夜不宁。那宝玉知是宝钗睡着，便与袭人道：“你们各自睡罢，我又不伤感。你若不信，你就服侍我睡了再进去，只要不惊动我就是了。”袭人果然服侍他睡下，便预备下了茶水，关好了门，进里间去照应一回，各自假寐，宝玉若有动静，再为出来。宝玉见袭人等进来，便将坐更的两个婆子支到外头，他轻轻的坐起来，暗暗的祝了几句，便睡下了，欲与神交。起初再睡不着，以后把心一静，便睡去了。

岂知一夜安眠，直到天亮。宝玉醒来，拭眼坐起来想了一回，并无有梦，便叹口气道：“正是‘悠悠生死别经年，魂魄不曾来入梦’[2]。”宝钗却一夜反没有睡着，听宝玉在外边念这两句，便接口道：“这句又说莽撞了，如若林妹妹在时，又该生气了。”宝玉听了，反不好意思，只得起来搭讪着往里间走来，说：“我原要进来的，不觉得一个盹儿就打着了。”宝钗道：“你进来不进来与我什么相干。”袭人等本没有睡，眼见他们两个说话，即忙倒上茶来。已见老太太那边打发小丫头来，问：“宝二爷昨睡得安顿么？若安顿时，早早的同二奶奶梳洗了就过去。”袭人便说：“你去回老太太，说宝玉昨夜很安顿，回来就过来。”小丫头去了。

宝钗起来梳洗了，莺儿袭人等跟着先到贾母那里行了礼，便到王夫人那边起至凤姐都让过了，仍到贾母处，见他母亲也过来了。大家问起：“宝玉晚上好么？”宝钗便说：“回去就睡了，没有什么。”众人放心，又说些闲话。只见小丫头进来说：“二姑奶奶要回去了。听见说孙姑爷那边人来到大太太那里说了些话，大太太叫人到四姑娘那边说不必留了，让他去罢。如今二姑奶奶在大太太那边哭呢，大约就过来辞老太太。”贾母众人听了，心中好不自在，都说：“二姑娘这样一个人，为什么命里遭着这样的人，一辈子不能出头。这便怎么好！”说着，迎春进来，泪痕满面，因为是宝钗的好日子，只得含着泪，辞了众人要回去。贾母知道他的苦处，也不便强留，只说道：“你回去也罢了。但是不要悲伤，碰着了这样人，也是没法儿的。过几天我再打发人接你去。”迎春道：“老太太始终疼我，如今也疼不来了。可怜我只是没有再来的时候了。”说着，眼泪直流。众人都劝道：“这有什么不能回来的？比不得你三妹妹，隔得远，要见面就难了。”贾母等想起探春，不觉也大家落泪，只为是宝钗的生日，即转悲为喜说：“这也不难，只要海疆平静，那边亲家调进京来，就见的着了。”大家说：“可不是这么着呢。”说着，迎春只得含悲而别。众人送了出来，仍回贾母那里。从早至暮，又闹了一天。

众人见贾母劳乏，各自散了。独有薛姨妈辞了贾母，到宝钗那里，说道：“你哥哥是今年过了，直要等到皇恩大赦的时候减了等才好赎罪。这几年叫我孤苦伶仃怎么处！我想要与你二哥哥完婚，你想想好不好？”宝钗道：“妈妈是为着大哥哥娶了亲唬怕的了，所以把二哥哥的事犹豫起来。据我说很该就办。邢姑娘是妈妈知道的，如今在这里也很苦，娶了去虽说我家穷，究竟比他傍人门户好多着呢。”薛姨妈道：“你得便的时候就去告诉老太太，说我家没人，就要拣日子了。”宝钗道：“妈妈只管同二哥哥商量，挑个好日子，过来和老太太、大太太说了，娶过去就完了一宗事。这里大太太也巴不得娶了去才好。”薛姨妈道：“今日听见史姑娘也就回去了，老太太心里要留你妹妹在这里住几天，所以他住下了。我想他也是不定多早晚就走的人了，你们姊妹们也多叙几天话儿。”宝钗道：“正是呢。”于是薛姨妈又坐了一坐，出来辞了众人回去了。

却说宝玉晚间归房，因想昨夜黛玉竟不入梦，“或者他已经成仙，所以不肯来见我这种浊人也是有的；不然就是我的性儿太急了，也未可知。”便想了个主意，向宝钗说道：“我昨夜偶然在外间睡着，似乎比在屋里睡的安稳些，今日起来心里也觉清净些。我的意思还要在外间睡两夜，只怕你们又来拦我。”宝钗听了，明知早晨他嘴里念诗是为着黛玉的事了。想来他那个呆性是不能劝的，倒好叫他睡两夜，索性自己死了心也罢了，况兼昨夜听他睡的倒也安静，便道：“好没来由，你只管睡去，我们拦你作什么！但只不要胡思乱想，招出些邪魔外祟来。”宝玉笑道：“谁想什么！”袭人道：“依我劝二爷竟还是屋里睡罢，外边一时照应不到，着了风倒不好。”宝玉未及答言，宝钗却向袭人使了个眼色。袭人会意，便道：“也罢，叫个人跟着你罢，夜里好倒茶倒水的。”宝玉便笑道：“这么说，你就跟了我来。”袭人听了倒没意思起来，登时飞红了脸，一声也不言语。宝钗素知袭人稳重，便说道：“他是跟惯了我的，还叫他跟着我罢。叫麝月、五儿照料着也罢了。况且今日他跟着我闹了一天也乏了，该叫他歇歇了。”宝玉只得笑着出来。宝钗因命麝月、五儿给宝玉仍在外间铺设了，又嘱咐两个人醒睡些，要茶要水都留点神儿。

两个答应着出来，看见宝玉端然坐在床上，闭目合掌，居然像个和尚一般，两个也不敢言语，只管瞅着他笑。宝钗又命袭人出来照应。袭人看见这般却也好笑，便轻轻的叫道：“该睡了，怎么又打起坐来了！”宝玉睁开眼看见袭人，便道：“你们只管睡罢，我坐一坐就睡。”袭人道：“因为你昨日那个光景，闹的二奶奶一夜没睡。你再这么着，成何事体。”宝玉料着自己不睡都不肯睡，便收拾睡下。袭人又嘱咐了麝月等几句，才进去关门睡了。这里麝月五儿两个人也收拾了被褥，伺候宝玉睡着，各自歇下。

那知宝玉要睡越睡不着，见他两个人在那里打铺，忽然想起那年袭人不在家时晴雯、麝月两个人服侍，夜间麝月出去，晴雯要唬他，因为没穿衣服着了凉，后来还是从这个病上死的。想到这里，一心移在晴雯身上去了。忽又想起凤姐说五儿给晴雯脱了个影儿，因又将想晴雯的心肠移在五儿身上。自己假装睡着，偷偷的看那五儿，越瞧越像晴雯，不觉呆性复发。听了听，里间已无声息，知是睡了。却见麝月也睡着了，便故意叫了麝月两声，却不答应。五儿听见宝玉唤人，便问道：“二爷要什么？”宝玉道：“我要漱漱口。”五儿见麝月已睡，只得起来重新剪了蜡花，倒了一钟茶来，一手托着漱盂。却因赶忙起来的，身上只穿着一件桃红绫子小袄儿，松松的挽着一个儿。宝玉看时，居然晴雯复生。忽又想起晴雯说的“早知担个虚名，也就打个正经主意了”，不觉呆呆的呆看，也不接茶。

那五儿自从芳官去后，也无心进来了。后来听见凤姐叫他进来服侍宝玉，竟比宝玉盼他进来的心还急。不想进来以后，见宝钗袭人一般尊贵稳重，看着心里实在敬慕；又见宝玉疯疯傻傻，不似先前风致；又听见王夫人为女孩子们和宝玉顽笑都撵了：所以把这件事搁在心上，倒无一毫的儿女私情了。怎奈这位呆爷今晚把他当作晴雯，只管爱惜起来。那五儿早已羞得两颊红潮，又不敢大声说话，只得轻轻的说道：“二爷漱口啊。”宝玉笑着接了茶在手中，也不知道漱了没有，便笑嘻嘻的问道：“你和晴雯姐姐好不是啊？”五儿听了摸不着头脑，便道：“都是姐妹，也没有什么不好的。”宝玉又悄悄的问道：“晴雯病重了我看他去，不是你也去了么？”五儿微微笑着点头儿。宝玉道：“你听见他说什么了没有？”五儿摇着头儿道：“没有。”宝玉已经忘神，便把五儿的手一拉。五儿急得红了脸，心里乱跳，便悄悄说道：“二爷有什么话只管说，别拉拉扯扯的。”宝玉才放了手，说道：“他和我说来着，‘早知担了个虚名，也就打正经主意了。’你怎么没听见么？”五儿听了这话明明是轻薄自己的意思，又不敢怎么样，便说道：“那是他自己没脸，这也是我们女孩儿家说得的吗。”宝玉着急道：“你怎么也是这么个道学先生！我看你长的和他一模一样，我才肯和你说这个话，你怎么倒拿这些话来糟踏他！”

此时五儿心中也不知宝玉是怎么个意思，便说道：“夜深了，二爷也睡罢，别紧着坐着，看凉着。刚才奶奶和袭人姐姐怎么嘱咐了？”宝玉道：“我不凉。”说到这里，忽然想起五儿没穿着大衣服，就怕他也像晴雯着了凉，便说道：“你为什么不穿上衣服就过来！”五儿道：“爷叫的紧，那里有尽着穿衣裳的空儿。要知道说这半天话儿时，我也穿上了。”宝玉听了，连忙把自己盖的一件月白绫子绵袄儿揭起来递给五儿，叫他披上。五儿只不肯接，说：“二爷盖着罢，我不凉。我凉我有我的衣裳。”说着，回到自己铺边，拉了一件长袄披上。又听了听，麝月睡的正浓，才慢慢过来说：“二爷今晚不是要养神呢吗？”宝玉笑道：“实告诉你罢，什么是养神，我倒是要遇仙的意思。”五儿听了，越发动了疑心，便问道：“遇什么仙？”宝玉道：“你要知道，这话长着呢。你挨着我来坐下，我告诉你。”五儿红了脸笑道：“你在那里躺着，我怎么坐呢。”宝玉道：“这个何妨。那一年冷天，也是你麝月姐姐和你晴雯姐姐顽，我怕冻着他，还把他揽在被里渥着呢。这有什么的！大凡一个人总不要酸文假醋才好。”五儿听了，句句都是宝玉调戏之意。那知这位呆爷却是实心实意的话儿。五儿此时走开不好，站着不好，坐下不好，倒没了主意了，因微微的笑着道：“你别混说了，看人家听见这是什么意思。怨不得人家说你专在女孩儿身上用工夫，你自己放着二奶奶和袭人姐姐都是仙人儿似的，只爱和别人胡缠。明儿再说这些话，我回了二奶奶，看你什么脸见人。”

正说着，只听外面咕咚一声，把两个人吓了一跳。里间宝钗咳嗽了一声。宝玉听见，连忙呶嘴儿。五儿也就忙忙的息了灯悄悄的躺下了。原来宝钗、袭人因昨夜不曾睡，又兼日间劳乏了一天，所以睡去，都不曾听见他们说话。此时院中一响，早已惊醒，听了听，也无动静。宝玉此时躺在床上，心里疑惑：“莫非林妹妹来了，听见我和五儿说话故意吓我们的？”翻来覆去，胡思乱想，五更以后，才朦胧睡去。

却说五儿被宝玉鬼混了半夜，又兼宝钗咳嗽，自己怀着鬼胎，生怕宝钗听见了，也是思前想后，一夜无眠。次日一早起来，见宝玉尚自昏昏睡着，便轻轻的收拾了屋子。那时麝月已醒，便道：“你怎么这么早起来了，你难道一夜没睡吗？”五儿听这话又似麝月知道了的光景，便只是讪笑，也不答言。不一时，宝钗袭人也都起来，开了门见宝玉尚睡，却也纳闷：“怎么外边两夜睡得倒这般安稳？”及宝玉醒来，见众人都起来了，自己连忙爬起，揉着眼睛，细想昨夜又不曾梦见，可是仙凡路隔了。慢慢的下了床，又想昨夜五儿说的宝钗袭人都是天仙一般，这话却也不错，便怔怔的瞅着宝钗。宝钗见他发怔，虽知他为黛玉之事，却也定不得梦不梦，只是瞅的自己倒不好意思，便道：“二爷昨夜可真遇见仙了么？”宝玉听了，只道昨晚的话宝钗听见了，笑着勉强说道：“这是那里的话！”那五儿听了这一句，越发心虚起来，又不好说的，只得且看宝钗的光景。只见宝钗又笑着问五儿道：“你听见二爷睡梦中和人说话来着么？”宝玉听了，自己坐不住，搭讪着走开了。五儿把脸飞红，只得含糊道：“前半夜倒说了几句，我也没听真。什么‘担了虚名’，又什么‘没打正经主意’，我也不懂，劝着二爷睡了。后来我也睡了，不知二爷还说来着没有。”宝钗低头一想：“这话明是为黛玉了。但尽着叫他在外头，恐怕心邪了招出些花妖月姊来。况兼他的旧病原在姊妹上情重，只好设法将他的心意挪移过来，然后能免无事。”想到这里，不免面红耳热起来，也就讪讪的进房梳洗去了。

且说贾母两日高兴，略吃多了些，这晚有些不受用，第二天便觉着胸口饱闷。鸳鸯等要回贾政。贾母不叫言语，说：“我这两日嘴馋些吃多了点子，我饿一顿就好了。你们快别吵嚷。”于是鸳鸯等并没有告诉人。

这日晚间，宝玉回到自己屋里，见宝钗自贾母王夫人处才请了晚安回来。宝玉想着早起之事，未免赧颜抱惭。宝钗看他这样，也晓得是个没意思的光景，因想着：“他是个痴情人，要治他的这病，少不得仍以痴情治之。”想了一回，便问宝玉道：“你今夜还在外间睡去罢咧？”宝玉自觉没趣，便道：“里间外间都是一样的。”宝钗意欲再说，反觉不好意思。袭人道：“罢呀，这倒是什么道理呢。我不信睡得那么安稳！”五儿听见这话，连忙接口道：“二爷在外间睡，别的倒没什么，只是爱说梦话，叫人摸不着头脑儿，又不敢驳他的回。”袭人便道：“我今日挪到床上睡睡，看说梦话不说？你们只管把二爷的铺盖铺在里间就完了。”宝钗听了，也不作声。宝玉自己惭愧不来，那里还有强嘴的分儿，便依着搬进里间来。一则宝玉负愧，欲安慰宝钗之心；二则宝钗恐宝玉思郁成疾，不如假以词色，使得稍觉亲近，以为移花接木之计。于是当晚袭人果然挪出去。宝玉因心中愧悔，宝钗欲拢络宝玉之心，自过门至今日，方才如鱼得水，恩爱缠绵，所谓二五之精妙合而凝[3]的了。此是后话。

且说次日宝玉宝钗同起，宝玉梳洗了先过贾母这边来。这里贾母因疼宝玉，又想宝钗孝顺，忽然想起一件东西，便叫鸳鸯开了箱子，取出祖上所遗一个汉玉玦，虽不及宝玉他那块玉石，挂在身上却也稀罕。鸳鸯找出来递与贾母，便说道：“这件东西我好像从没见的，老太太这些年还记得这样清楚，说是那一箱什么匣子里装着，我按着老太太的话一拿就拿出来了。老太太怎么想着拿出来做什么？”贾母道：“你那里知道，这块玉还是祖爷爷给我们老太爷，老太爷疼我，临出嫁的时候叫了我去亲手递给我的。还说：‘这玉是汉时所佩的东西，很贵重，你拿着就像见了我的一样。’我那时还小，拿了来也不当什么，便撂在箱子里。到了这里，我见咱们家的东西也多，这算得什么，从没带过，一撂便撂了六十多年。今儿见宝玉这样孝顺，他又丢了一块玉，故此想着拿出来给他，也像是祖上给我的意思。”一时宝玉请了安，贾母便喜欢道：“你过来，我给你一件东西瞧瞧。”宝玉走到床前，贾母便把那块汉玉递给宝玉。宝玉接来一瞧，那玉有三寸方圆，形似甜瓜，色有红晕，甚是精致。宝玉口口称赞。贾母道：“你爱么？这是我祖爷爷给我的，我传了你罢。”宝玉笑着请了个安谢了，又拿了要送给他母亲瞧。贾母道：“你太太瞧了告诉你老子，又说疼儿子不如疼孙子了。他们从没见过。”宝玉笑着去了。宝钗等又说了几句话，也辞了出来。

自此贾母两日不进饮食，胸口仍是结闷，觉得头晕目眩，咳嗽。邢、王二夫人、凤姐等请安，见贾母精神尚好，不过叫人告诉贾政，立刻来请了安。贾政出来，即请大夫看脉。不多一时，大夫来诊了脉，说是有年纪的人停了些饮食，感冒些风寒，略消导发散些就好了。开了方子，贾政看了，知是寻常药品，命人煎好进服。以后贾政早晚进来请安，一连三日，不见稍减。贾政又命贾琏：“打听好大夫，快去请来瞧老太太的病。咱们家常请的几个大夫，我瞧着不怎么好，所以叫你去。”贾琏想了一想，说道：“记得那年宝兄弟病的时候，倒是请了一个不行医的来瞧好了的，如今不如找他。”贾政道：“医道却是极难的，愈是不兴时的大夫倒有本领。你就打发人去找来罢。”贾琏即忙答应去了，回来说道：“这刘大夫新近出城教书去了，过十来天进城一次。这时等不得，又请了一位，也就来了。”贾政听了，只得等着。不题。

且说贾母病时，合宅女眷无日不来请安。一日，众人都在那里，只见看园内腰门的老婆子进来，回说：“园里的栊翠庵的妙师父知道老太太病了，特来请安。”众人道：“他不常过来，今儿特地来，你们快请进来。”凤姐走到床前回贾母。岫烟是妙玉的旧相识，先走出去接他。只见妙玉头带妙常髻[4]，身上穿一件月白素绸袄儿，外罩一件水田青缎镶边长背心，拴着秋香色的丝绦，腰下系一条淡墨画的白绫裙，手执麈尾念珠，跟着一个侍儿，飘飘拽拽的走来。岫烟见了问好，说是“在园内住的日子，可以常常来瞧瞧你。近来因为园内人少，一个人轻易难出来。况且咱们这里的腰门常关着，所以这些日子不得见你。今儿幸会。”妙玉道：“头里你们是热闹场中，你们虽在外园里住，我也不便常来亲近。如今知道这里的事情也不大好，又听说是老太太病着，又惦记你，并要瞧瞧宝姑娘。我那管你们的关不关，我要来就来，我不来你们要我来也不能啊。”岫烟笑道：“你还是那种脾气。”一面说着，已到贾母房中。众人见了都问了好。妙玉走到贾母床前问候，说了几句套话。贾母便道：“你是个女菩萨，你瞧瞧我的病可好得了好不了？”妙玉道：“老太太这样慈善的人，寿数正有呢。一时感冒，吃几贴药想来也就好了。有年纪人只要宽心些。”贾母道：“我倒不为这些，我是极爱寻快乐的。如今这病也不觉怎样，只得胸隔闷饱，刚才大夫说是气恼所致。你是知道的，谁敢给我气受，这不是那大夫脉理平常么。我和琏儿说了，还是头一个大夫说感冒伤食的是，明儿仍请他来。”说着，叫鸳鸯吩咐厨房里办一桌净素菜来，请他在这里便饭。妙玉道：“我已吃过午饭了，我是不吃东西的。”王夫人道：“不吃也罢，咱们多坐一会说些闲话儿罢。”妙玉道：“我久已不见你们，今儿来瞧瞧。”又说了一回话便要走，回头见惜春站着，便问道：“四姑娘为什么这样瘦？不要只管爱画劳了心。”惜春道：“我久不画了。如今住的房屋不比园里的显亮，所以没兴画。”妙玉道：“你如今住在那一所了？”惜春道：“就是你才进来的那个门东边的屋子。你要来很近。”妙玉道：“我高兴的时候来瞧你。”惜春等说着送了出去，回身过来，听见丫头们回说大夫在贾母那边呢。众人暂且散去。

那知贾母这病日重一日，延医调治不效，以后又添腹泻。贾政着急，知病难医，即命人到衙门告假，日夜同王夫人亲视汤药。一日，见贾母略进些饮食，心里稍宽。只见老婆子在门外探头，王夫人叫彩云看去，问问是谁。彩云看了是陪迎春到孙家去的人，便道：“你来做什么？”婆子道：“我来了半日，这里找不着一个姐姐们，我又不敢冒撞，我心里又急。”彩云道：“你急什么？又是姑爷作践姑娘不成么？”婆子道：“姑娘不好了。前儿闹了一场，姑娘哭了一夜，昨日痰堵住了。他们又不请大夫，今日更利害了。”彩云道：“老太太病着呢，别大惊小怪的。”王夫人在内已听见了，恐老太太听见不受用，忙叫彩云带他外头说去。岂知贾母病中心静，偏偏听见，便道：“迎丫头要死了么？”王夫人便道：“没有。婆子们不知轻重，说是这两日有些病，恐不能就好，到这里问大夫。”贾母道：“瞧我的大夫就好，快请了去。”王夫人便叫彩云叫这婆子去回大太太去，那婆子去了。这里贾母便悲伤起来，说是：“我三个孙女儿，一个享尽了福死了，三丫头远嫁不得见面，迎丫头虽苦，或者熬出来，不打量他年轻轻儿的就要死了。留着我这么大年纪的人活着做什么！”王夫人鸳鸯等解劝了好半天。那时宝钗、李氏等不在房中，凤姐近来有病，王夫人恐贾母生悲添病，便叫人叫了他们来陪着，自己回到房中，叫彩云来埋怨这婆子不懂事，“以后我在老太太那里，你们有事不用来回。”丫头们依命不言。岂知那婆子刚到邢夫人那里，外头的人已传进来说：“二姑奶奶死了。”邢夫人听了，也便哭了一场。现今他父亲不在家中，只得叫贾琏快去瞧看。知贾母病重，众人都不敢回。可怜一位如花似月之女，结褵[5]年馀，不料被孙家揉搓以致身亡。又值贾母病笃，众人不便离开，竟容孙家草草完结。

贾母病势日增，只想这些好女儿。一时想起湘云，便打发人去瞧他。回来的人悄悄的找鸳鸯，因鸳鸯在老太太身旁，王夫人等都在那里，不便上去，到了后头找了琥珀，告诉他道：“老太太想史姑娘，叫我们去打听。那里知道史姑娘哭得了不得，说是姑爷得了暴病，大夫都瞧了，说这病只怕不能好，若变了个痨病，还可捱过四五年。所以史姑娘心里着急。又知道老太太病，只是不能过来请安，还叫我不要在老太太面前提起。倘或老太太问起来，务必托你们变个法儿回老太太才好。”琥珀听了，咳了一声，就也不言语了，半日说道：“你去罢。”琥珀也不便回，心里打算告诉鸳鸯，叫他撒谎去，所以来到贾母床前，只见贾母神色大变，地下站着一屋子的人，嘁嘁的说“瞧着是不好了”，也不敢言语了。这里贾政悄悄的叫贾琏到身旁，向耳边说了几句话。贾琏轻轻的答应出去了，便传齐了现在家的一干家人说：“老太太的事待好出来了，你们快快分头派人办去。头一件先请出板来瞧瞧，好挂里子[6]。快到各处将各人的衣服量了尺寸，都开明了，便叫裁缝去做孝衣。那棚杠执事都去讲定。厨房里还该多派几个人。”赖大等回道：“二爷，这些事不用爷费心，我们早打算好了。只是这项银子在那里打算？”贾琏道：“这种银子不用打算了，老太太自己早留下了。刚才老爷的主意只要办的好，我想外面也要好看。”赖大等答应，派人分头办去。

贾琏复回到自己房中，便问平儿：“你奶奶今儿怎么样？”平儿把嘴往里一努说：“你瞧去。”贾琏进内，见凤姐正要穿衣，一时动不得，暂且靠在炕桌儿上。贾琏道：“你只怕养不住了。老太太的事今儿明儿就要出来了，你还脱得过么。快叫人将屋里收拾收拾就该扎挣上去了。若有了事，你我还能回来么。”凤姐道：“咱们这里还有什么收拾的，不过就是这点子东西，还怕什么！你先去罢，看老爷叫你。我换件衣裳就来。”

贾琏先回到贾母房里，向贾政悄悄的回道：“诸事已交派明白了。”贾政点头。外面又报太医进来了，贾琏接入，又诊了一回，出来悄悄的告诉贾琏：“老太太的脉气不好，防着些。”贾琏会意，与王夫人等说知。王夫人即忙使眼色叫鸳鸯过来，叫他把老太太的装裹衣服预备出来。鸳鸯自去料理。贾母睁眼要茶喝，邢夫人便进了一杯参汤。贾母刚用嘴接着喝，便道：“不要这个，倒一钟茶来我喝。”众人不敢违拗，即忙送上来，一口喝了，还要，又喝一口，便说：“我要坐起来。”贾政等道：“老太太要什么只管说，可以不必坐起来才好。”贾母道：“我喝了口水，心里好些，略靠着和你们说说话。”珍珠等用手轻轻的扶起，看见贾母这回精神好些。未知生死，下回分解。

[1] 返真元——意即死亡。道家谓人死为返归自然，称“反真”。语本《庄子·大宗师》。元：本初；元始。

[2] “悠悠生死”两句——唐代白居易《长恨歌》中诗句，写唐玄宗对杨贵妃的思念，渴望在梦中见到死去的杨贵妃。

[3] 二五之精妙合而凝——隐指生命之孕育。语出宋代周敦颐《太极图说》：“五行之生也，各一其性。无极之真，二五之精，妙合而凝。‘乾道成男，坤道成女。’二气交感，化生万物。”“二”指阴阳，“五”指五行。

[4] 妙常髻——带发修行的尼姑所梳的一种发髻，上覆巾帻。

[5] 结褵（lí离）——古代女子出嫁，母亲把褵（也作，即佩巾）结在女儿身上。《诗·豳风·东山》：“亲结其褵。”后以结褵为女子成婚的代称。

[6] 板、挂里子——板：这里指棺木。给棺材内壁涂上桐油、松香、黄蜡之类并覆以丝绸一类织物叫“挂里子”。

CHAPTER 109. Fivey shares a vigil, and receives affection meant for another Ying-chun pays her debt to fate, and returns to the Realm of Primordial Truth

Bao-chai, having extracted from Aroma a detailed account of what had happened in the Garden, feared that a fresh bout of grief might indeed cause Bao-yu to fall ill again. In an attempt to avert this she deliberately alluded to Dai-yu’s dying moments, in the course of an apparently casual conversation with Aroma.

‘Human beings have certain feelings towards each other while they are alive,’ she went on to say. ‘But after death a person enters a separate realm and becomes a different entity. Someone still alive may continue to be infatuated, but the dead person, the object of that feeling, will be quite oblivious of it. Besides, if Miss Lin has become a fairy, she must take a very dim view of lesser mortals and would hardly deign to mingle with them on this earthly plane. To start imagining such things is to invite trouble and to lay oneself open to possession by evil spirits.’

She was talking to Aroma, but her words were clearly intended for Bao-yu’s ears. Aroma realized this and replied in an appropriate vein:

‘Of course she’s not a fairy. It’s out of the question. If Miss Lin’s spirit were haunting the Garden, why has she never once appeared to me in a dream? She and I were good friends, after all …’

Bao-yu was listening from outside, and considered this idea of Aroma’s carefully:

‘It is strange! Since I first learned of Cousin Lin’s death, I’ve thought of her constantly, every day. But why have I never once seen her in my dreams? It must be because she’s in Heaven, and thinks me a dull earthling incapable of communicating on her exalted level. I know what I’ll do: tonight I’ll sleep here in the outer room. Perhaps since I’ve just returned from the Garden she will be more aware of my feelings, and will condescend to visit me this once in a dream. If she does, I must be sure to ask her where she has gone, so that I can make offerings to her regularly. If on the other hand it turns out that she is too pure for even a single dream-visit, then I must try to put her out of my mind once and for all.’

Having made this resolution, he said aloud:

‘I shall sleep out here tonight. You needn’t be bothered on my account.’

Bao-chai did not try to oppose him directly, but cautioned him:

‘Don’t go having any foolish ideas. Didn’t you see how worried Mother was when she heard that you’d been in the Garden? She could hardly speak for anxiety! You must be sensible and look after yourself. If you go and do something silly again and Grandmother finds out, it’s us she’ll blame for not taking proper care of you.’

‘I wasn’t being serious,’ said Bao-yu. ‘I’d just like to sit here for a while and then come in. You must be tired too. Go to sleep, don’t wait up for me.’

Bao-chai thought he would probably come in later, and said with an air of affected nonchalance:

‘Very well then. I’m going to sleep. Aroma can look after you.’ This was exactly what Bao-yu had been hoping for. He waited until Bao-chai had gone to bed and then told Aroma and Musk to lay out his bedding. He sent one or the other of them in at frequent intervals to see if ‘Mrs Bao was asleep yet or not’. Bao-chai pretended to be asleep, although in fact she was wide awake and remained so the entire night. Bao-yu was quite taken in, and said to Aroma:

‘You and Musk can both go and sleep now. I’m not upset any more. If you don’t believe me, stay here with me until I fall asleep and then go in. But I don’t want to be disturbed later on in the night.’

Aroma stayed for a while, saw him into bed and made him some tea. Then she closed the door and retired to the inner room, where after finishing a few odd jobs, she lay down. She too only feigned sleep, and lay awake, ready to jump up if Bao-yu needed her outside.

Bao-yu dismissed the two serving-women on night-watch; and when he was alone he sat up very quietly, said a silent prayer and then lay down again. At first sleep eluded him, but gradually his mind grew more peaceful and eventually he nodded off and slept soundly the whole night through. When he awoke it was already broad daylight. He rubbed his eyes, sat up in bed and reflected. He had had a dreamless sleep. Nothing whatsoever had occurred. He sighed.

‘As the poet once said,’ he mused out loud:

Since death’s parting, slow and sad the year has been; Even in my dreams, her soul has not been seen.’

Bao-chai, who in contrast to Bao-yu had not slept a wink all night, heard him recite these well-known lines from Bo Ju-yi’s ‘Song of Enduring Grief’, and remarked:

‘What a singularly inept quotation! If Cousin Lin were alive, she’d be cross with you again, for comparing her to Yang Gui-fei!’

Bao-yu was embarrassed that she had overheard him. He climbed out of bed and walked sheepishly into the inner room.

‘I meant to come in last night,’ he said. ‘But somehow I lay down and fell fast asleep.’

‘What difference does it make to me whether you came in or not?’ said Bao-chai.

Aroma had not slept either, and hearing the two of them talking she hurried over at once to pour tea. At that moment a junior maid from Grandmother Jia’s arrived.

‘Did Mr Bao have a good night’s sleep?’ she asked. ‘If so, then will he and Mrs Bao please call on Her Old Ladyship as soon as they have completed their toilet?’

‘Please inform Her Old Ladyship,’ replied Bao-chai, ‘that Mr Bao slept extremely well and that we will both call presently.’

The maid departed with this message.

Bao-chai completed her toilet at once, and accompanied by Oriole and Aroma she went first to pay her respects to Grandmother Jia. Then she called politely on Lady Wang and Xi-feng, before returning once more to Grandmother Jia’s. Her mother had by now arrived.

‘How was Bao-yu last night?’ was what everyone wanted to know.

‘He went to sleep as soon as we got home,’ Bao-chai informed them. ‘He was fine.’

They were relieved to hear this and the conversation passed to various other topics. Presently a junior maid came in to say that Ying-chun was going home:

‘Mr Sun sent someone to Lady Xing’s to complain, and Her Ladyship sent word to Miss Xi-chun to say that Miss Ying-chun must not be detained, but should return at once. Miss Ying-chun is at Her Ladyship’s now. She’s very upset, and is crying. She will be coming over presently to say goodbye, ma’am.’

Grandmother Jia was greatly distressed.

‘Why did fate have to bring together a sweet child like Ying and this monster Sun! She’ll have to bear with it for the rest of her life. There’s no way out for her, poor girl!’

As they were speaking, Ying-chun came in, her cheeks wet with tears. The family were still supposed to be celebrating Bao-chai’s birthday, so she did her best not to cry as she made her farewells. Grandmother Jia knew that Ying-chun must not delay her departure and she did not try to detain her.

‘You’d best be on your way,’ she said. ‘But please, however bad things are, try to look on the bright side! He’s what he is and there is little you can do to change him. In a few days I’ll send someone to invite you home again for another visit.’

‘Oh Grannie!’ sobbed Ying-chun. ‘You’ve always loved me! But it’s no good! I know I’ll never come home again!’

She could contain herself no longer, and tears streamed down her cheeks.

‘Come along now!’

They all did what they could to cheer her up: ‘Of course you’ll come again! You should be thankful you’re not at the other end of the world, like poor Tan. She has almost no chance whatsoever of coming home.’

This mention of Tan-chun only brought more tears to the eyes of Grandmother Jia and the ladies. Once again, the fact that it was Bao-chai’s birthday induced one of them to try and strike a more optimistic note:

‘Who knows: if peace is restored on the coast, Tan’s father-in-law may be transferred back to the capital, and then we shall be able to see her!’

‘Of course!’ everyone concurred.

Ying-chun had now to contain her grief as best she could and take her leave. They saw her out, and then returned to Grandmother Jia’s, where the party continued for the rest of that day and into the evening. When they saw that the old lady was tired, they all went their separate ways home.

Aunt Xue, after bidding farewell to Grandmother Jia, went to have a talk with Bao-chai:

‘Your brother has survived this year, and if he can only receive an Imperial pardon and have his sentence reduced, he may still be able to pay his fine and be set free. These past few years have been so unbearably lonely and wretched for me! I’ve been thinking, perhaps I should go ahead with your cousin Ke’s wedding after all; what do you think?’

‘You’re anxious about it, aren’t you, Mama?’ replied Bao-chai. ‘Pan’s marriage turned out so badly, and you’re worried that Ke’s will be the same. Well, my advice is to go ahead. You know Xiu-yan’s character, and have nothing to fear on that account. Life is very hard for her at present. Once she’s married into our family, however poor we are, it’s bound to be better for her than being totally dependent on others as she is now.’

‘In that case,’ said Aunt Xue, ‘will you tell Lady Jia when you have a chance? I’ve no one at home, and I should like her to choose a lucky day for the wedding.’

‘Just talk it over with Ke and choose a good day between you,’ said Bao-chai. ‘Then you can let Grandmother and Aunt Xing know, and go ahead with the wedding. I’m sure Aunt Xing will be only too glad to be rid of Xiu-yan.’

‘I heard today that Xiang-yun is going home,’ said Aunt Xue. ‘Lady Jia wants Bao-qin to stay on here with you for a few days. She will be marrying too, quite soon, so you should take the chance of having a good chat with her.’

‘I will, Mama.’

Aunt Xue remained with her daughter a little longer, and then after saying goodbye to the others, went home.

Let us return to Bao-yu. When he found himself in his apartment again that evening, he pondered his experience of the night before. There was no denying the fact that Dai-yu had failed to appear to him in a dream. That meant one of two things: either she had indeed already become a fairy, and was holding herself aloof from intercourse with as coarse a being as himself; or else he was just being too impatient. He decided to give this second alternative the benefit of the doubt, and resolved to prolong his experiment a little.

‘Somehow last night,’ he said to Bao-chai, ‘when I fell asleep outside, I had a sounder night’s sleep than I usually do in the inner room. I woke up feeling very calm and refreshed. I’ve been thinking, I should like to try it again for another couple of nights. But I suppose you and Aroma will object again …’

Early that morning when she had heard him reciting the poem, Bao-chai knew it was the memory of Dai-yu that had inspired it. She knew that this obsession of his was something mere words would never cure, and concluded that she might as well let him go ahead and spend the two nights outside, and thus be the agent of his own disenchantment. Anyway, the fact of the matter was that he had slept soundly the previous night. She had been awake herself, and knew.

‘What nonsense!’ she replied. ‘Why should we object? If you want to sleep there, go ahead. Just don’t have any foolish ideas. You’ll only be laying yourself open to possession by evil spirits.’

Bao-yu laughed: ‘Why ever should I do that?’

Aroma was opposed to the plan:

‘I think you should sleep in the inner room. It’s harder to look after you properly in the outer room. You might catch a chill or something.’

Before Bao-yu had time to reply, Bao-chai gave Aroma a meaningful look.

‘Oh well,’ said Aroma, taking the point, at least you should have someone with you to bring you a drink if you need one.’

Bao-yu laughed:

‘Why not you?’

Aroma was embarrassed by this. She blushed fiercely and said nothing. Bao-chai knew that Aroma was too sensible nowadays for that sort of banter, and spoke on her behalf:

‘Aroma is used to being with me now. I think she should stay here. Musk and Fivey can look after you. Besides, Aroma has spent all day traipsing about with me, and she’s tired. She deserves a rest.’

Bao-yu smiled and walked out of the room.

Bao-chai told Musk and Fivey to make up his bed in the outer room.

‘Sleep lightly,’ she instructed them, ‘and be ready to bring him a drink if he wants one.’

‘We will, ma’am,' they replied, and went out, to find Bao-yu sitting bolt upright on the couch, eyes closed and palms together, like a monk in meditation. They did not dare say a word, but stood staring at him, with a smile on their faces. Bao-chai sent Aroma in to see if she was needed, and Aroma too found his posture highly comical.

‘Time to sleep,’ she whispered. ‘What do you want to start meditating for at this hour of the night?’

Bao-yu opened his eyes and looked at her.

‘You can all go to bed now,’ he announced. ‘I shall sit up for a little longer and then go to sleep.’

‘Last night,’ said Aroma, ‘you kept Mrs Bao awake till morning. Surely you’re not intending a repeat performance, are you?’

Bao-yu could see that if he did not go to sleep nobody else would either, and climbed into bed. Aroma gave Musk and Fivey a few final instructions, and then went back to the inner room to sleep, closing the door behind her.

Musk and Fivey sorted out their own bedding, and waited for Bao-yu to fall asleep before going to bed themselves. But he remained obstinately wide awake. Watching them make the beds, he found himself suddenly thinking of the time when Aroma had been away and Skybright and Musk had been left to look after him. It was on that occasion that Musk had gone out during the night and Skybright had tried to play a trick on her and give her a fright. She had been too lightly dressed, and had caught cold as a result; and it was this cold that eventually led to the illness from which she died. His mind was now completely taken up with memories of Skybright. Then suddenly he remembered how Xi-feng had once likened Fivey to Skybright – ‘the spitting image’ had been her words. Imperceptibly his old feelings towards Skybright began to transfer themselves to Fivey. He lay there pretending to be asleep, and furtively watching her. The more he watched her, the more the resemblance struck him, and the more he felt himself aroused. All was silent in the inner room; they must be asleep, he thought to himself. But he needed to discover if Musk was still awake. He called her name a couple of times, and there was no reply. Fivey heard, however:

‘What do you want, Mr Bao?’

‘I’d like to rinse my mouth.’

Fivey could see that Musk was asleep, so she hurriedly rose from her bed, trimmed the wick in the lamp again and took Bao-yu a cup of tea, carrying the spittoon in her other hand. She was in too much of a hurry to change, and had nothing but a little pink silk jacket over her pyjamas. Her hair was loosely coiled on top of her head. Looking at her, Bao-yu could almost imagine Skybright come back from the dead. Suddenly he remembered Skybright’s dying words: ‘If I’d known in advance that it would be like this, I might have behaved rather differently …’ He stared at Fivey in a besotted fashion, quite oblivious of the teacup in her outstretched hand.

Ever since the departure of Parfumée, Fivey had given up all idea of coming to serve at Green Delights; but then, when Xi-feng gave orders for her to be taken into Bao-yu’s service, she was more excited about it than Bao-yu himself. To her surprise, after her arrival the generally distinguished and dignified manner in which Bao-chai and Aroma conducted themselves made a deep impression on her, and she found herself coming to respect and admire them greatly, whereas Bao-yu by contrast seemed to her to have degenerated into a complete idiot, and to be not half so handsome as he used to be. Besides she knew that Lady Wang had dismissed some of the maids for flirting with Bao-yu, and she therefore decided to dismiss any foolish and romantic notions she might previously have entertained concerning him. But now here he was, the simpleton, evidently taking a fancy to her (she knew nothing of the process by which his feelings for Skybright had been transferred to her).

Both her cheeks were burning. She did not dare say anything out loud, but whispered:

‘Mr Bao, please go ahead and rinse your mouth!’

He smiled and took the cup in his hand. She could not tell whether he ever did rinse his mouth or not, as the next she knew he was giggling and asking her:

‘Weren’t you friends with Skybright?’

Fivey didn’t understand what he was getting at.

‘Of course. We were all of us on good terms.’

Bao-yu lowered his voice to a whisper:

‘When Skybright was so very ill, I went to visit her. You were there, weren’t you?’

Fivey smiled and nodded her head.

‘Did you hear her say anything?’ asked Bao-yu.

‘No,’ replied Fivey, shaking her head.

Bao-yu held Fivey’s hand. He seemed to be completely carried away. She blushed fiercely and her heart missed a beat.

‘Mr Bao!’ she whispered. ‘Whatever’s on your mind, just go ahead and say it. But please stop behaving like this.’

Bao-yu let go of her hand.

‘ “If I’d known in advance that it would be like this, I might have behaved rather differently …” That’s what Skybright said. Surely you must have heard?’

It seemed quite plain to Fivey what manner of ‘different behaviour’ he had in mind. She felt she must protest:

‘If that’s what she said, she should have been ashamed of herself! No decent girl would suggest a thing like that!’

‘Don’t you start preaching at me too!’ snapped Bao-yu irritably. ‘I was thinking how like Skybright you looked – that’s the only reason I told you what she said. How dare you slander her!’

Fivey could no longer discern Bao-yu’s true intentions.

‘It’s late,’ she said. ‘You really should go to sleep and not sit up like this. You might catch cold. Didn’t you hear what Mrs Bao and Aroma said just now?’

‘I’m not cold,’ said Bao-yu. As he said this, it suddenly struck him that Fivey was most inadequately clad, and that she might catch a chill just as Skybright had done.

‘Why aren’t you wearing a proper robe?’ he asked her.

‘You called, and it sounded important,’ she replied. ‘I was hardly going to take time off to dress! I would have, mind you, if I’d known you were going to keep me talking this long.’

Bao-yu handed Fivey the pale blue silken padded jacket that was lying on the bed, and told her to put it on. But she refused.

‘You keep it – I’m not cold. And anyway, I’ve a perfectly good robe of my own.’

She went across to her bed and put on a long robe. She listened out for a moment. Musk was sound asleep. She crossed slowly back to Bao-yu:

‘I thought you were supposed to be having a quiet night?’

Bao-yu smiled.

‘To tell you the truth, that was never my intention. Actually, I was hoping to meet a fairy …’

His words strengthened her suspicions.

‘Who do you mean?’

‘I’ll tell you if you like,’ he replied. ‘But it’s a long story. You’d better come up here and sit next to me …’

‘But you’re all tucked up in bed!’ she protested, blushing again and smiling coyly. ‘How can I possibly sit next to you?’

‘Why not? One night a year or two ago, when the weather was cold and Skybright stayed up to play a trick on Musk, I was afraid she was going to catch a chill, so I tucked her under my quilt to keep her warm. What’s wrong with it? People shouldn’t be so prudish.’

Fivey thought he was merely putting ideas into her head. She did not know that he sincerely meant every word he said. She contemplated her dilemma. She could hardly escape; and yet if she remained, it would be equally awkward for her to remain standing or to sit down beside him. She gave him a little glance and her face puckered into a smile:

‘Don’t say such silly things! People might hear. No wonder you have such a reputation. How can you still need to go flirting, with two such beautiful ladies as Mrs Bao and Aroma by your side! Don’t you ever suggest such a thing again, or I’ll report you to Mrs Bao. And then you’ll have cause to be ashamed!’

As she was speaking there was a sudden noise outside, which startled them both, and shortly afterwards Bao-chai could be heard coughing in the inner room. Bao-yu made a quick motion with his lips, and Fivey hurriedly extinguished the lamp and stole back to bed. In fact, earlier that evening, both Bao-chai and Aroma had gone straight to sleep, exhausted after their previous sleepless night and the day’s exertions, and both of them had slept soundly through this conversation between Bao-yu and Fivey. It was the sudden noise in the courtyard that had woken them too. They listened for any further sound, but all was quiet. Bao-yu meanwhile lay down in bed again, and was thinking to himself:

‘That noise must surely have been Cousin Lin! She came, and then, when she heard me talking with Fivey, she decided to give us both a fright.’

He lay there tossing and turning, a thousand wild fancies running through his head, and only nodded off some time after three in the morning.

Bao-yu’s advances had left Fivey with a guilty conscience, and when Bao-chai coughed she feared that they had both been overheard, and lay awake worrying about it all night. Early the next morning she rose, and seeing Bao-yu still fast asleep, began quietly tidying the room. Musk was already awake.

‘Why are you up so early?’ she asked Fivey. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve been awake all night …’

This led Fivey to suspect that Musk had overheard them too. She smiled awkwardly and said nothing. Presently Bao-chai and Aroma got up, opened the door and came into the outer room, where they were greatly surprised to find Bao-yu still asleep. It puzzled them that he should have slept there so soundly on two consecutive nights.

When Bao-yu awoke and saw them all standing around him, he sat up at once and rubbed his eyes. He thought back over the night. No, there had still been no dream. He had met no one. He consoled himself with the words of the old saying:

Fairies and mortals tread different paths, And ne’er the twain shall meet.

As he climbed slowly down from his bed, Fivey’s words about Bao-chai and Aroma were still ringing in his ears: ‘two such beautiful ladies’. Yes, she was right, he thought to himself, and proceeded to stare at Bao-chai. Bao-chai thought he was drifting into one of his brown studies, and felt certain it must be to do with Dai-yu again, though she still had not enquired whether his dream had been fruitful or not. She soon began to feel uncomfortable under his penetrating gaze, and finally asked:

‘Well, did you meet a fairy last night or not?’

Bao-yu concluded from this that she must have overheard his tête-à-tête with Fivey. He gave a nervous little laugh and replied with feigned surprise:

‘What do you mean?’

Fivey for her part was feeling more and more guilty and apprehensive, and silently observed Bao-chai’s reaction. Bao-chai turned to her next and asked with a smile:

‘Well, did Mr Bao talk in his sleep last night?’

At this Bao-yu, muttering some incoherent excuse, walked rather sheepishly from the room. Fivey blushed fiercely and replied as evasively as she could:

‘He said something or other early in the night, but I didn’t quite catch it. Something about “knowing in advance that things would be like this”, and then something about “behaving rather differently”. I couldn’t understand what he was trying to say, so I just told him to go back to sleep. Then I fell asleep myself, and if he said any more I certainly didn’t hear it.’

Bao-chai lowered her head in thought:

Obviously something to do with Dai-yu. If I let him go on sleeping in the outer room he’s bound to get more and more of these weird ideas into his head, and who knows what strange apparitions and flower fairies we’ll have then. It is his weakness for our sex that has always been his vulnerable spot. How can I win him over myself? Until I can do that, this will never stop.’

A fierce and somewhat unmaidenly blush came to her cheeks, and she walked back into the inner room in something of a fluster to do her toilet.

During the two-day birthday festivities, Grandmother Jia had overeaten, and on the second evening she was a little off colour. The following day she had a painfully bloated feeling in her stomach, which Faithful wanted to report to Jia Zheng. But Grandmother Jia forbade her:

‘I’ve just been a bit greedy over the past couple of days. A fast will soon put me right. Don’t you go making a fuss.’

Consequently Faithful told no one.

That evening, when Bao-yu returned to his apartment and saw Bao-chai come in from paying her respects to Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang, he recalled the incident in the morning and blushed with shame. His embarrassment was evident to Bao-chai. For someone subject to such extremities of feeling (she thought to herself) the only remedy lay in the manipulation of those very feelings themselves.

‘Will you be sleeping outside again tonight?’ she asked.

Bao-yu did not seem keen to pursue the matter:

‘I really don’t mind one way or the other.’

Bao-chai could think of no suitable retort.

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ protested Aroma. ‘I don’t believe you really slept so soundly out there …’

Fivey promptly leapt to Bao-yu’s defence:

‘Mr Bao had a very peaceful night, apart from talking in his sleep. I couldn’t make head or tail of what he said, and it seemed best not to argue with him.’

‘I shall sleep out there tonight,’ announced Aroma, ‘and we’ll see if I talk in my sleep. You can go ahead and move Mr Bao’s bedding back into the inner room.’

Bao-chai made no comment. Bao-yu was too full of remorse to object, and went along meekly with Aroma’s plan. He was eager to make it up with Bao-chai, while her concern that too much introspection and grief would injure his health caused her to be especially tender towards him; she was quite deliberately trying to ‘graft herself’ on to the ‘stem’ of his affections, drawing him closer to her and usurping Dai-yu’s place in his heart. When Aroma went to sleep in the outer room that evening, Bao-yu was in a frame of mind to exhibit his penitence, and Bao-chai naturally had no intention of rejecting him. As a result, their marriage was that night physically consummated for the first time, and they tasted to the full the joys of nuptial intercourse. From this union Bao-chai conceived a child. But that belongs to a later part of our story.

When Bao-chai and Bao-yu rose in the morning, Bao-yu performed his ablutions and went ahead to call on Grandmother Jia. She had that very morning had a sudden fancy to give something to her darling grandson and to her devoted granddaughter-in-law, and had told Faithful to open one of her trunks and take out an antique Han dynasty jade thumb-ring, a family heirloom of hers. She knew it could not compare with Bao-yu’s original jade, but thought nevertheless that it would make rather an unusual pendant. Faithful found it and handed it to Grandmother Jia.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before. How could you remember so clearly where it was after all these years? You knew exactly which casket and which trunk. With your instructions I was able to find it straight away. What do you want it for, ma’am?’

‘I wouldn’t expect you to know about this ring,’ replied Grandmother Jia. ‘It was originally given to my father by my great-grandfather, and then when I was married my father sent for me and made me a present of it. He told me it was a very precious thumb-ring made in the Han dynasty, of the variety known as “broken circle”. He wanted me to keep it as a memento. I was very young at the time and didn’t think much of it; I just put it away in a trunk. And when I came to live here, and saw so many other treasures around me, it didn’t seem so very special. I’ve never even worn it. It must have been lying in that trunk for over sixty years. I was thinking today what a good grandson Bao-yu is to me; and since he has lost his own jade, I thought I might give this to him, just as my father gave it to me.’

Presently Bao-yu arrived to pay his respects.

‘Come here,’ said Grandmother Jia with a twinkle in her eye. ‘Come and have a look at something.’

Bao-yu walked over to the couch where she was lying, and Grandmother Jia handed him the jade thumb-ring. He took it in his hands and inspected it. It was about three inches in circumference, slightly elliptical in shape like an elongated melon, of a reddish hue. It was a very beautiful piece of workmanship. Bao-yu was most taken with it and enthused at some length.

‘Do you like it?’ said Grandmother Jia. ‘This was handed down to me from my great-grandpa, and now I’m passing it on to you.’

Bao-yu smiled, and dropping one knee to the ground to express his thanks, said he would like to go and show the ring to his mother.

‘When she sees it she will tell your father,’ Grandmother Jia teased him, ‘and then he will say that I love you more than I ever loved him. They have never even set eyes on it before.’

Bao-yu smiled and went out, leaving Bao-chai to stay for a while and chat with Grandmother Jia before taking her leave.

The old lady fasted for two days, but she still had a painfully bloated stomach, and began to cough and have dizzy spells. The ladies found her in good spirits when they paid their duty calls, but they sent a message to Jia Zheng that she was indisposed. He came immediately, and on leaving her apartment sent at once for a doctor to take her pulses and give a diagnosis. The doctor came presently and after a consultation pronounced that the condition was nothing unusual for a person of Grandmother Jia’s age. Faulty diet had caused a slight chill, which a little dispersant medication would soon put right. He wrote out a prescription, and Jia Zheng, seeing that it contained nothing out of the ordinary, told one of the maids to brew the ingredients up and administer the decoction to Grandmother Jia.

Jia Zheng visited Grandmother Jia morning and evening. After three days, when there was still no sign of improvement, he said to Jia Lian:

‘You must get in touch with a better doctor and ask him to come and look at your grandmother as soon as possible. I’m afraid none of our regular doctors is good enough.’

Jia Lian thought for a moment:

‘I remember a while ago when Bao-yu was ill, we ended up calling in a doctor who was not strictly speaking a regular practitioner at all – and yet he was the one to put Bao-yu right. Why don’t we send for him again?’

‘Medicine is certainly a subtle art,’ Jia Zheng mused aloud. ‘And sometimes the ablest physicians are not recognized as such. By all means send someone to fetch this man.’

Jia Lian departed at once, only to return with the news that the doctor in question had recently left town to instruct his disciples and would not be coming back for another ten days. As the matter was urgent, Jia Lian had invited another, who was already on his way. Jia Zheng waited anxiously for this doctor’s arrival.

During this illness, all the ladies were in constant attendance on Grandmother Jia. On one occasion, when there was quite a gathering of them in her apartment, one of the old women whose duty it was to watch the side gate of the Garden came in with a message.

‘Sister Adamantina from Green Bower Hermitage in the Garden has heard that Her Old Ladyship is ill, and has come specially to call.’

‘She so rarely visits,’ they commented. ‘Go and invite her in at once.’

Xi-feng went over to the bedside to tell Grandmother Jia, and Xiu-yan, Adamantina’s old friend, went out to meet her. Adamantina was wearing the head-covering of an unshorn nun, and a pale blue plain silk gown with a patchwork full-length sleeveless jacket over it, bordered with black silk; she had gathered her gown with a russet-green woven sash, beneath which she wore a long white damask-silk skirt decorated with a pattern in grey. She drifted in with her usual otherworldly air, holding a fly whisk and fingering a rosary, and followed by one of her attendants. Xiu-yan greeted her:

‘When I lived in the Garden too, I could come and see you often; but recently the Garden’s become so deserted, and it’s been difficult for me to go in there on my own. And anyway the side gate is usually closed. That’s why I haven’t been able to visit you for so long. How lovely it is to see you again!’

‘You and the others were always too caught up in the hustle and bustle of life,’ replied Adamatina. ‘That’s why even when you lived in the Garden I didn’t visit very often. But I’ve heard of the recent troubles, and learned that Her Old Ladyship has fallen ill; I’ve been thinking of you and I wanted to see Bao-chai. What difference does it make to me if the gates are closed or not? I chose to come, and I came; if I hadn’t chosen to come, it would have made no difference how much anybody wanted me to.’

Xiu-yan laughed.

‘You haven’t changed a bit, have you!’

By now they had entered Grandmother Jia’s room. The ladies all welcomed Adamantina, and she went up to the bedside, enquired after the old lady’s health and chatted with her for a while.

‘You’re a religious person,’ said the old lady. ‘Tell me: am I going to get better or not?’

‘A person as charitable and virtuous as yourself, Lady Jia, will surely live to a ripe old age,' replied Adamantina. ‘You’ve just caught a slight chill, and I’m sure a few doses of medicine will put it right. At your age the important thing is to relax and not worry so much.’

‘But you know I’m not the worrying type,’ said Grandmother Jia. ‘I’ve always been one for my bit of fun. There’s not much the matter with me, I just feel a little uncomfortable and have this bloated feeling in my stomach. The last doctor I saw said it was because I was letting myself get too overwrought. But you know perfectly well that no one dares to rub me up the wrong way! I don’t think that doctor really knew what he was talking about. I told Lian the first doctor was right – I’ve just got an upset stomach and a cold. Lian should send for him again tomorrow.’

She called Faithful over:

‘Tell the kitchen to prepare some vegetables so that Sister Adamantina can have something to eat while she’s here.’

‘I’ve already eaten,’ said Adamantina. ‘I won’t have anything now.’

‘Even if you are not going to eat,’ said Lady Wang, ‘stay and chat with us a little.’

‘Very well. It’s so long since I’ve been here. I wanted to see how you all were anyway.’

She talked with them a little longer, and then said she must be going. As she looked around she caught sight of Xi-chun.

‘Why are you looking so thin, Xi?’ she asked. ‘You mustn’t wear yourself out so with your painting.’

‘I haven’t painted for ages,’ said Xi-chun. ‘The room I’m living in now is not so light. And besides I don’t feel like painting nowadays.’

‘Where are you living now?’ asked Adamantina.

‘In a room to the east of the gate you’ve just come through,’ replied Xi-chun. ‘It’s very close, if you ever feel like dropping in.’

‘One day I will,’ replied Adamantina. ‘When I’m feeling in the right frame of mind.’

Xi-chun and the others saw her out, chatting as they went. By the time they returned, the maids informed them that the doctor was closeted with Grandmother Jia, and they all left and went their separate ways.

Contrary to everyone’s cheerful prognostications, Grandmother Jia gradually deteriorated. None of the treatment she received had any beneficial effect, and she started suffering from diarrhoea. Jia Zheng realized that her condition was becoming critical, and grew extremely concerned. He sent a messenger to the Board to say that he would be taking leave and staying at home, and he and Lady Wang waited on the old lady day and night, personally preparing and administering her medicines. One day they had just watched her eat and drink a little and were feeling slightly more optimistic, when they saw an old serving-woman poke her head round the door. Lady Wang sent Suncloud out to see who it was, and she discovered it to be one of the women Ying-chun had taken with her on her marriage.

‘What have you come for?’ she asked.

‘I’ve been waiting an age!’ replied the old woman. ‘I couldn’t find a maid anywhere and I didn’t want to come barging in. I’ve been worried silly!’

‘What’s the trouble?’ asked Suncloud. ‘Don’t tell me Mr Sun has been bullying our Miss Ying again!’

‘She’s past hope!’ said the old woman. ‘He had one of his fits the day before yesterday, and she was crying all that night, and then yesterday she had a bad attack and could hardly breathe. They wouldn’t send for a doctor, and today she’s even worse!’

‘Her Old Ladyship’s ill herself!’ said Suncloud. ‘For goodness’ sake don’t go making a lot of noise!’

Lady Wang had heard this conversation from inside, and afraid that Grandmother Jia would react badly to this latest turn of events, she ordered Suncloud to take the serving-woman away and talk to her somewhere else. But Grandmother Jia still had her wits sufficiently about her to overhear and understand a great part of the conversation.

‘Is Ying dying?’ she cried.

‘Certainly not,’ protested Lady Wang. ‘These women lose all sense of proportion. She’s just been a little poorly these past few days and they were concerned for her and came here to ask for a doctor.’

‘They’d better have mine,’ said Grandmother Jia. ‘Tell him to go and see her at once.’

Grandmother Jia began to grow very distressed.

‘Of my three granddaughters,’ she said, ‘the eldest spent her share of good fortune and died; Tan, my third, is married and has gone to live at the other end of the world, and I shall never see her again; and now Ying – I knew life was hard for her, but somehow I thought she would live to see better days. Now she’s going to die, and she’s so dreadfully young! And I shall be left here, a useless old woman with no reason to be alive!’

Lady Wang and Faithful did what they could to console her. Bao-chai and Li Wan were not present that day, and Xi-feng had been too ill to attend for several days. Lady Wang was afraid that Grandmother Jia’s illness would be aggravated by all this mental distress, and she sent at once for the other ladies, while she returned to her own apartment and called Suncloud to her.

‘That stupid old serving-woman!’ she grumbled. ‘In future when I’m with Her Old Ladyship, you’re not to disturb me, no matter what the trouble is!’

Suncloud promised to obey this injunction, and said no more. The old woman meanwhile had just reached Lady Xing’s when the news arrived that Ying-chun had died. Lady Xing burst into tears. In Jia She’s absence she had to send Jia Lian to the Suns to represent the family. Grandmother Jia was so ill that no one dared break the news to her.

Alas! What a cruel end for such a gentle creature, her flowerlike beauty crushed within a year of marriage!

None of the Jias could leave home with Grandmother Jia as she was, and the Suns gave Ying-chun a predictably makeshift funeral.

Grandmother Jia continued to deteriorate steadily, but still her only thought was for her granddaughters and great-nieces. On one occasion Xiang-yun was in the forefront of her mind, and she sent a maid to see how she was. The maid returned and tiptoed in to find Faithful. Faithful was at the bedside, as were Lady Wang and the other ladies; and the maid, not wishing to disturb them, went round to the back to find Amber.

‘Her Old Ladyship sent me to fetch news of Miss Xiang-yun,’ she told Amber, ‘and I found her crying her heart out! Her husband has suddenly been taken ill, and the doctors say there’s no hope for him. At the best it will turn into a consumption and he may last another four or five years! You can imagine how badly Miss Xiang-yun has taken it! She’s already heard about Her Old Ladyship’s illness, but now she simply can’t leave home. She told me not to mention her husband’s illness to Her Old Ladyship. If she does ask after Miss Xiang-yun, you must think of some way to explain her absence.’

Amber heaved a deep sigh, and after a long silence dismissed the maid. She too thought it unwise to inform Grandmother Jia, and went to her bedside with the intention of telling Faithful to invent some story. She found Grandmother Jia deathly pale, and everyone in the room whispering among themselves:

‘You can see she’s going!’

Amber did not dare utter a word. Jia Zheng discreetly called Jia Lian over to whisper something in his ear, and Jia Lian tiptoed off to do his bidding. Outside he assembled the remaining household staff.

‘Her Old Ladyship will soon be gone. You must make sure that everything is in order. First fetch out the coffin-boards for inspection, and measure them up for a lining. Go round all the apartments, take everyone’s measurements, and give the tailor a complete list, with instructions to make everyone a set of mourning clothes. Arrange for the funeral awning to be constructed in the courtyard and for coffin-bearers to be hired. And have extra staff put on duty in the kitchen.’

‘Mr Lian,’ replied Lai Da, on behalf of the others. ‘You don’t need to worry about these things. We have already thought of everything. But where is the money coming from?’

‘We won’t need to borrow,’ said Jia Lian. ‘Her Old Ladyship has made provision herself. The Master told me just now that he wants no expense spared. It must be done in style; we must put on a good show.’

‘Yes, sir.’

Lai Da and the others went about their business at once, and Jia Lian returned to his own apartment.

‘How is Mrs Lian?’ he asked Patience.

Patience shot her mouth out towards the inner room:

‘Go and see for yourself.’

Jia Lian went in. Xi-feng was struggling to dress herself, but was too weak to do so. She had collapsed on the kang, and was leaning on the little kang-table.

‘It’s no good hoping to snatch some rest now!’ exclaimed Jia Lian. ‘Grandmother is sinking fast and you must be there. Hurry up and tell them to tidy things up in here. And pull yourself together! If the worst happens, we won’t be able to get away for quite a while.’

‘We’ve got nothing left to tidy up!’ said Xi-feng bitterly. ‘Only a few odds and ends, nothing worth bothering about. You go on ahead, Sir Zheng may want you. I’ll come as soon as I’m properly dressed.’

Jia Lian returned to Grandmother Jia’s apartment and reported discreetly to Jia Zheng that all had been seen to and the various duties assigned. Jia Zheng nodded. The Imperial Physician was announced, and Jia Lian went out to receive him. Grandmother Jia’s pulses were taken and then the physician emerged to inform Jia Lian in hushed tones:

‘Lady Jia’s pulse-rate is very poor. You must be prepared for the worst.’

Jia Lian understood and passed the message on to Lady Wang and the others. Lady Wang beckoned Faithful with a meaningful glance and told her to prepare Grandmother Jia’s funeral clothes. Faithful went to fetch them.

The old lady opened her eyes and asked for a drink of tea. Lady Xing brought her a cup of ginseng tea, and she put her lips to it.

‘Not this!’ she protested. ‘Give me a proper cup of tea!’

They dared not deny her this request, and promptly brought her a cup of real tea. She took one gulp, and then another, and then announced that she wanted to sit up.

‘Mother,’ pleaded Jia Zheng on behalf of the others, ‘whatever you want, you have only to tell us; but please don’t exhaust yourself by trying to sit up.’

‘I’ve had a drink and I feel a bit better now,’ she replied. ‘I’d like to sit up and chat for a bit.’

Pearl and the other maids gently supported her with their hands. She seemed momentarily revived. Whether she was to live or die will be told in the next chapter.