CHAPTER XXI.

The eminent Hsi Jen, with winsome ways, rails at Pao-yü, with a view

to exhortation.

The beauteous P'ing Erh, with soft words, screens Chia Lien.

But to resume our story. When Shih Hsiang-yün ran out of the room, she

was all in a flutter lest Lin Tai-yü should catch her up; but Pao-yü,

who came after her, readily shouted out, "You'll trip and fall. How ever

could she come up to you?"

Lin Tai-yü went in pursuit of her as far as the entrance, when she was

impeded from making further progress by Pao-yü, who stretched his arms

out against the posts of the door.

"Were I to spare Yün Erh, I couldn't live!" Lin Tai-yü exclaimed, as she

tugged at his arms. But Hsiang-yün, perceiving that Pao-yü obstructed

the door, and surmising that Tai-yü could not come out, speedily stood

still. "My dear cousin," she smilingly pleaded, "do let me off this

time!"

But it just happened that Pao-ch'ai, who was coming along, was at the

back of Hsiang-yün, and with a face also beaming with smiles: "I advise

you both," she said, "to leave off out of respect for cousin Pao-yü, and

have done."

"I don't agree to that," Tai-yü rejoined; "are you people, pray, all of

one mind to do nothing but make fun of me?"

"Who ventures to make fun of you?" Pao-yü observed advisingly; "and

hadn't you made sport of her, would she have presumed to have said

anything about you?"

While this quartet were finding it an arduous task to understand one

another, a servant came to invite them to have their repast, and they

eventually crossed over to the front side, and as it was already time

for the lamps to be lit, madame Wang, widow Li Wan, lady Feng, Ying

Ch'un, T'an Ch'un, Hsi Ch'un and the other cousins, adjourned in a body

to dowager lady Chia's apartments on this side, where the whole company

spent a while in a chat on irrelevant topics, after which they each

returned to their rooms and retired to bed. Hsiang-yün, as of old,

betook herself to Tai-yü's quarters to rest, and Pao-yü escorted them

both into their apartment, and it was after the hour had already past

the second watch, and Hsi Jen had come and pressed him several times,

that he at length returned to his own bedroom and went to sleep. The

next morning, as soon as it was daylight, he threw his clothes over him,

put on his low shoes and came over into Tai-yü's room, where he however

saw nothing of the two girls Tzu Chüan and Ts'ui Lu, as there was no one

else here in there besides his two cousins, still reclining under the

coverlets. Tai-yü was closely wrapped in a quilt of almond-red silk, and

lying quietly, with closed eyes fast asleep; while Shih Hsiang-yün, with

her handful of shiny hair draggling along the edge of the pillow, was

covered only up to the chest, and outside the coverlet rested her curved

snow-white arm, with the gold bracelets, which she had on.

At the sight of her, Pao-yü heaved a sigh. "Even when asleep," he

soliloquised, "she can't be quiet! but by and by, when the wind will

have blown on her, she'll again shout that her shoulder is sore!" With

these words, he gently covered her, but Lin Tai-yü had already awoke out

of her sleep, and becoming aware that there was some one about, she

promptly concluded that it must, for a certainty, be Pao-yü, and turning

herself accordingly round, and discovering at a glance that the truth

was not beyond her conjectures, she observed: "What have you run over to

do at this early hour?" to which question Pao-yü replied: "Do you call

this early? but get up and see for yourself!"

"First quit the room," Tai-yü suggested, "and let us get up!"

Pao-yü thereupon made his exit into the ante-chamber, and Tai-yü jumped

out of bed, and awoke Hsiang-yün. When both of them had put on their

clothes, Pao-yü re-entered and took a seat by the side of the toilet

table; whence he beheld Tzu-chüan and Hsüeh Yen walk in and wait upon

them, as they dressed their hair and performed their ablutions.

Hsiang-yün had done washing her face, and Ts'üi Lü at once took the

remaining water and was about to throw it away, when Pao-yü interposed,

saying: "Wait, I'll avail myself of this opportunity to wash too and

finish with it, and thus save myself the trouble of having again to go

over!" Speaking the while, he hastily came forward, and bending his

waist, he washed his face twice with two handfuls of water, and when Tzu

Chüan went over to give him the scented soap, Pao-yü added: "In this

basin, there's a good deal of it, and there's no need of rubbing any

more!" He then washed his face with two more handfuls, and forthwith

asked for a towel, and Ts'üi Lü exclaimed: "What! have you still got

this failing? when will you turn a new leaf?" But Pao-yü paid not so

much as any heed to her, and there and then called for some salt, with

which he rubbed his teeth, and rinsed his mouth. When he had done, he

perceived that Hsiang-yün had already finished combing her hair, and

speedily coming up to her, he put on a smile, and said: "My dear cousin,

comb my hair for me!"

"This can't be done!" Hsiang-yün objected.

"My dear cousin," Pao-yü continued smirkingly, "how is it that you

combed it for me in former times?"

"I've forgotten now how to comb it!" Hsiang-yün replied.

"I'm not, after all, going out of doors," Pao-yü observed, "nor will I

wear a hat or frontlet, so that all that need be done is to plait a few

queues, that's all!" Saying this, he went on to appeal to her in a

thousand and one endearing terms, so that Hsiang-yün had no alternative,

but to draw his head nearer to her and to comb one queue after another,

and as when he stayed at home he wore no hat, nor had, in fact, any

tufted horns, she merely took the short surrounding hair from all four

sides, and twisting it into small tufts, she collected it together over

the hair on the crown of the head, and plaited a large queue, binding it

fast with red ribbon; while from the root of the hair to the end of the

queue, were four pearls in a row, below which, in the way of a tip, was

suspended a golden pendant.

"Of these pearls there are only three," Hsiang-yün remarked as she went

on plaiting; "this isn't one like them; I remember these were all of one

kind, and how is it that there's one short?"

"I've lost one," Pao-yü rejoined.

"It must have dropped," Hsiang-yün added, "when you went out of doors,

and been picked up by some one when you were off your guard; and he's

now, instead of you, the richer for it."

"One can neither tell whether it has been really lost," Tai-yü, who

stood by, interposed, smiling the while sarcastically; "nor could one

say whether it hasn't been given away to some one to be mounted in some

trinket or other and worn!"

Pao-yü made no reply; but set to work, seeing that the two sides of the

dressing table were all full of toilet boxes and other such articles,

taking up those that came under his hand and examining them. Grasping

unawares a box of cosmetic, which was within his reach, he would have

liked to have brought it to his lips, but he feared again lest

Hsiang-yün should chide him. While he was hesitating whether to do so or

not, Hsiang-yün, from behind, stretched forth her arm and gave him a

smack, which sent the cosmetic flying from his hand, as she cried out:

"You good-for-nothing! when will you mend those weaknesses of yours!"

But hardly had she had time to complete this remark, when she caught

sight of Hsi Jen walk in, who upon perceiving this state of things,

became aware that he was already combed and washed, and she felt

constrained to go back and attend to her own coiffure and ablutions. But

suddenly, she saw Pao-ch'ai come in and inquire: "Where's cousin Pao-yü

gone?"

"Do you mean to say," Hsi Jen insinuated with a sardonic smile, "that

your cousin Pao-yü has leisure to stay at home?"

When Pao-ch'ai heard these words, she inwardly comprehended her meaning,

and when she further heard Hsi Jen remark with a sigh: "Cousins may well

be on intimate terms, but they should also observe some sort of

propriety; and they shouldn't night and day romp together; and no matter

how people may tender advice it's all like so much wind blowing past the

ears." Pao-ch'ai began, at these remarks, to cogitate within her mind:

"May I not, possibly, have been mistaken in my estimation of this girl;

for to listen to her words, she would really seem to have a certain

amount of _savoir faire_!"

Pao-ch'ai thereupon took a seat on the stove-couch, and quietly, in the

course of their conversation on one thing and another, she managed to

ascertain her age, her native village and other such particulars, and

then setting her mind diligently to put, on the sly, her conversation

and mental capacity to the test, she discovered how deeply worthy she

was to be respected and loved. But in a while Pao-yü arrived, and

Pao-ch'ai at once quitted the apartment.

"How is it," Pao-yü at once inquired, "that cousin Pao-ch'ai was

chatting along with you so lustily, and that as soon as she saw me

enter, she promptly ran away?"

Hsi Jen did not make any reply to his first question, and it was only

when he had repeated it that Hsi Jen remarked: "Do you ask me? How can I

know what goes on between you two?"

When Pao-yü heard these words, and he noticed that the look on her face

was so unlike that of former days, he lost no time in putting on a smile

and asking: "Why is it that you too are angry in real earnest?"

"How could I presume to get angry!" Hsi Jen rejoined smiling

indifferently; "but you mustn't, from this day forth, put your foot into

this room! and as you have anyhow people to wait on you, you shouldn't

come again to make use of my services, for I mean to go and attend to

our old mistress, as in days of old."

With this remark still on her lips, she lay herself down on the

stove-couch and closed her eyes. When Pao-yü perceived the state of mind

she was in, he felt deeply surprised and could not refrain from coming

forward and trying to cheer her up. But Hsi Jen kept her eyes closed and

paid no heed to him, so that Pao-yü was quite at a loss how to act. But

espying She Yüeh enter the room, he said with alacrity: "What's up with

your sister?"

"Do I know?" answered She Yüeh, "examine your own self and you'll

readily know!"

After these words had been heard by Pao-yü, he gazed vacantly for some

time, feeling the while very unhappy; but raising himself impetuously:

"Well!" he exclaimed, "if you don't notice me, all right, I too will go

to sleep," and as he spoke he got up, and, descending from the couch, he

betook himself to his own bed and went to sleep. Hsi Jen noticing that

he had not budged for ever so long, and that he faintly snored, presumed

that he must have fallen fast asleep, so she speedily rose to her feet,

and, taking a wrapper, came over and covered him. But a sound of "hu"

reached her ear, as Pao-yü promptly threw it off and once again closed

his eyes and feigned sleep. Hsi Jen distinctly grasped his idea and,

forthwith nodding her head, she smiled coldly. "You really needn't lose

your temper! but from this time forth, I'll become mute, and not say one

word to you; and what if I do?"

Pao-yü could not restrain himself from rising. "What have I been up to

again," he asked, "that you're once more at me with your advice? As far

as your advice goes, it's all well and good; but just now without one

word of counsel, you paid no heed to me when I came in, but, flying into

a huff, you went to sleep. Nor could I make out what it was all about,

and now here you are again maintaining that I'm angry. But when did I

hear you, pray, give me a word of advice of any kind?"

"Doesn't your mind yet see for itself?" Hsi Jen replied; "and do you

still expect me to tell you?"

While they were disputing, dowager lady Chia sent a servant to call him

to his repast, and he thereupon crossed over to the front; but after he

had hurriedly swallowed a few bowls of rice, he returned to his own

apartment, where he discovered Hsi Jen reclining on the outer

stove-couch, while She Yüeh was playing with the dominoes by her side.

Pao-yü had been ever aware of the intimacy which existed between She

Yüeh and Hsi Jen, so that paying not the slightest notice to even She

Yüeh, he raised the soft portiere and straightway walked all alone into

the inner apartment. She Yüeh felt constrained to follow him in, but

Pao-yü at once pushed her out, saying: "I don't venture to disturb you

two;" so that She Yüeh had no alternative but to leave the room with a

smiling countenance, and to bid two young waiting-maids go in. Pao-yü

took hold of a book and read for a considerable time in a reclining

position; but upon raising his head to ask for some tea, he caught sight

of a couple of waiting-maids, standing below; the one of whom, slightly

older than the other, was exceedingly winsome.

"What's your name?" Pao-yü eagerly inquired.

"I'm called Hui Hsiang, (orchid fragrance)," that waiting-maid rejoined

simperingly.

"Who gave you this name?" Pao-yü went on to ask.

"I went originally under the name of Yün Hsiang (Gum Sandarac)," added

Hui Hsiang, "but Miss Hua it was who changed it."

"You should really be called Hui Ch'i, (latent fragrance), that would be

proper; and why such stuff as Hui Hsiang, (orchid fragrance)?"

"How many sisters have you got?" he further went on to ask of her.

"Four," replied Hui Hsiang.

"Which of them are you?" Pao-yü asked.

"The fourth," answered Hui Hsiang.

"By and by you must be called Ssu Erh, (fourth child)," Pao-yü

suggested, "for there's no need for any such nonsense as Hui Hsiang

(orchid fragrance) or Lan Ch'i (epidendrum perfume.) Which single girl

deserves to be compared to all these flowers, without profaning pretty

names and fine surnames!"

As he uttered these words, he bade her give him some tea, which he

drank; while Hsi Jen and She Yüeh, who were in the outer apartment, had

been listening for a long time and laughing with compressed lips.

Pao-yü did not, on this day, so much as put his foot outside the door of

his room, but sat all alone sad and dejected, simply taking up his

books, in order to dispel his melancholy fit, or diverting himself with

his writing materials; while he did not even avail himself of the

services of any of the family servants, but simply bade Ssu Erh answer

his calls.

This Ssu Erh was, who would have thought it, a girl gifted with

matchless artfulness, and perceiving that Pao-yü had requisitioned her

services, she speedily began to devise extreme ways and means to

inveigle him. When evening came, and dinner was over, Pao-yü's eyes were

scorching hot and his ears burning from the effects of two cups of wine

that he had taken. Had it been in past days, he would have now had Hsi

Jen and her companions with him, and with all their good cheer and

laughter, he would have been enjoying himself. But here was he, on this

occasion, dull and forlorn, a solitary being, gazing at the lamp with an

absolute lack of pleasure. By and by he felt a certain wish to go after

them, but dreading that if they carried their point, they would, in the

future, come and tender advice still more immoderate, and that, were he

to put on the airs of a superior to intimidate them, he would appear to

be too deeply devoid of all feeling, he therefore, needless to say,

thwarted the wish of his heart, and treated them just as if they were

dead. And as anyway he was constrained also to live, alone though he

was, he readily looked upon them, for the time being as departed, and

did not worry his mind in the least on their account. On the contrary,

he was able to feel happy and contented with his own society. Hence it

was that bidding Ssu Erh trim the candles and brew the tea, he himself

perused for a time the "Nan Hua Ching," and upon reaching the precept:

"On thieves," given on some additional pages, the burden of which was:

"Therefore by exterminating intuitive wisdom, and by discarding

knowledge, highway robbers will cease to exist, and by taking off the

jade and by putting away the pearls, pilferers will not spring to

existence; by burning the slips and by breaking up the seals, by

smashing the measures, and snapping the scales, the result will be that

the people will not wrangle; by abrogating, to the utmost degree, wise

rules under the heavens, the people will, at length, be able to take