Hong lou meng. English

by Xueqin Cao

  CHAPTER XLVIII.

  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, HsueehP'an's indignation gradually abated. But notwithstanding that his painsand aches completely disappeared, in three or five days' time, the scarsof his wounds were not yet healed and shamming illness, he remained athome; so ashamed was he to meet any of his relations or friends.

  In a twinkle, the tenth moon drew near; and as several among thepartners in the various shops, with which he was connected, wanted to gohome, after the settlement of the annual accounts, he had to give them afarewell spread at home. In their number was one Chang Te-hui, who fromhis early years filled the post of manager in Hsueeh P'an's pawnshop; andwho enjoyed in his home a living of two or three thousand taels. Hispurpose too was to visit his native place this year, and to return thefollowing spring.

  "Stationery and perfumery have been so scarce this year," heconsequently represented, "that prices will next year inevitably behigh; so when next year comes, what I'll do will be to send up my elderand younger sons ahead of me to look after the pawnshop, and when Istart on my way back, before the dragon festival, I'll purchase a stockof paper, scents and fans and bring them for sale. And though we'll haveto reduce the duties, payable at the barriers, and other expenses, therewill still remain for us a considerable percentage of profit."

  This proposal set Hsueeh P'an musing, "With the dressing I've recentlyhad," 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 oreven a year, there isn't a place where I can safely retire. And to shamillness, day after day, isn't again quite the right thing! In additionto this, here I've reached this grown-up age, and yet I'm neither acivilian nor a soldier. It's true I call myself a merchant; but I'venever in point of fact handled the scales or the abacus. Nor do I knowanything about our territories, customs and manners, distances androutes. So wouldn't it be advisable that I should also get ready some ofmy capital, and go on a tour with Chang Te-hui for a year or so? WhetherI earn any money or not, will be equally immaterial to me. More, I shallescape from all disgrace. It will, secondly, be a good thing for me tosee a bit of country."

  This resolution once arrived at in his mind, he waited until they rosefrom the banquet, when he, with calmness and equanimity, brought hisplans to Chang Te-hui's cognizance, and asked him to postpone hisdeparture for a day or two so that they should proceed on the journeytogether.

  In the evening, he imparted the tidings to his mother. Mrs. Hsueeh, uponhearing his intention, was albeit delighted, tormented with freshmisgivings lest he should stir up trouble abroad,--for as far as theexpense was concerned she deemed it a mere bagatelle,--and sheconsequently would not permit him to go. "You have," she reasoned withhim, "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 andselling, for you are in no need of the few hundreds of taels, you maymake."

  Hsueeh P'an had long ago thoroughly resolved in his mind what to do andhe did not therefore feel disposed to listen to her remonstrances. "Youdaily tax me," he pleaded, "with being ignorant of the world, with notknowing this, and not learning that, and now that I stir up my goodresolution, with the idea of putting an end to all trifling, and that Iwish to become a man, to do something for myself, and learn how to carryon business, you won't let me! But what would you have me do? BesidesI'm not a girl that you should coop me up at home! And when is thislikely to come to an end? Chang Te-hui is, moreover, a man well up inyears; and he is an old friend of our family, so if I go with him, however will I be able to do anything that's wrong? Should I at any time beguilty of any impropriety, he will be sure to speak to me, and to exhortme. He even knows the prices of things and customs of trade; and as Ishall, as a matter of course, consult him in everything, what advantagewon't I enjoy? But if you refuse to let me go, I'll wait for a couple ofdays, and, without breathing a word to any one at home, I'll furtivelymake my preparations and start, and, when by next year I shall have mademy fortune and come back, you'll at length know what stuff I'm madeoff!"

  When he had done speaking, he flew into a huff and went off to sleep.

  Mrs. Hsueeh felt impelled, after the arguments she heard him propound, todeliberate with Pao-ch'ai.

  "If brother," Pao-ch'ai smilingly rejoined, "were in real earnest aboutgaining experience in some legitimate concerns, it would be well andgood. But though he speaks, now that he is at home, in a plausiblemanner, 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 worththe while distressing yourself too much about him! If he does actuallymend his ways, it will be the happiness of our whole lives. But if hedoesn't change, you won't, mother, be able to do anything more; forthough, in part, it depends on human exertion, it, in part, depends uponthe will of heaven! If you keep on giving way to fears that, with hislack of worldly experience, he can't be fit to go abroad and can't be upto any business, and you lock him up at home this year, why next yearhe'll be just the same! Such being the case, you'd better, ma,--sincehis arguments are right and specious enough,--make up your mind tosacrifice from eight hundred to a thousand taels and let him have themfor a try. He'll, at all events, have one of his partners to lend him ahelping hand, one who won't either think it a nice thing to play any ofhis 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, andno one upon whom to rely, for when one goes abroad, who cares for anyone else? Those who have, eat; and those who haven't starve. When hetherefore casts his eyes about him and realises that there's no one todepend upon, he may, upon seeing this, be up to less mischief than werehe to stay at home; but of course, there's no saying."

  Mrs. Hsueeh listened to her, and communed within herself for a moment."What you say is, indeed, right and proper!" she remarked. "And couldone, by spending a small sum, make him learn something profitable, itwill be well worth!"

  They then matured their plans; and nothing further of any notetranspired during the rest of the night.

  The next day, Mrs. Hsueeh sent a messenger to invite Chang Te-hui to comeround. On his arrival, she charged Hsueeh P'an to regale him in thelibrary. Then appearing, in person, outside the window of the coveredback passage, she made thousand of appeals to Chang Te-hui to look afterher son and take good care of him.

  Chang Te-hui assented to her solicitations with profuse assurances, andtook his leave after the collation.

  "The fourteenth," he went on to explain to Hsueeh P'an. "is a propitiousday to start. So, worthy friend, you'd better be quick and pack up yourbaggage, and hire a mule, for us to begin our long journey as soon asthe day dawns on the fourteenth."

  Hsueeh P'an was intensely gratified, and he communicated their plans toMrs. Hsueeh. Mrs. Hsueeh then set to, and worked away, with the assistanceof Pao-ch'ai, Hsiang Ling and two old nurses, for several consecutivedays, before she got his luggage ready. She fixed upon the husband ofHsueeh P'an's nurse an old man with hoary head, two old servants withample experience and long services, and two young pages, who acted asHsueeh P'an's constant attendants, to go with him as his companions, sothe party mustered, inclusive of master and followers, six persons inall. Three large carts were hired for the sole purpose of carrying thebaggage and requisites; and four mules, suitable for long journeys, werelikewise engaged. A tall, dark brown, home-bred mule was selected forHsueeh P'an's use; but a saddle horse, as well, was provided for him.

  After the various preparations had been effected, Mrs. Hsueeh, Pao-ch'aiand the other inmates tendered him, night after night, words of advice.But we can well dispense with dilating on this topic. On the arrival ofthe thirteenth, Hsueeh P'an went and bade good-bye to his maternaluncles. After
which, he came and paid his farewell visit to the membersof the Chia household. Chia Chen and the other male relativesunavoidably prepared an entertainment to speed him off. But to thesefestivities, there is likewise little need to allude with anyminuteness.

  On the fourteenth, at break of day, Mrs. Hsueeh, Pao-ch'ai and the othermembers of the family accompanied Hsueeh P'an beyond the ceremonial gate.Here his mother and her daughter stood and watched him, their four eyesfixed intently on him, until he got out of sight, when they, at length,retraced their footsteps into the house.

  Mrs. Hsueeh had, in coming up to the capital, only brought four or fivefamily domestics and two or three old matrons and waiting-maids withher, so, after the departure on the recent occasion, of those, whofollowed Hsueeh P'an, no more than one or two men-servants remained inthe outer quarters. Mrs. Hsueeh repaired therefore on the very same dayinto the study, and had the various ornaments, bric-a-brac, curtains andother articles removed into the inner compound and put away. Thenbidding the wives of the two male attendants, who had gone with HsueehP'an, likewise move their quarters inside, along with the other women,she went on to impress upon Hsiang Ling to put everything carefully awayin her own room as well, and to lock the doors; "for," (she said), "youmust come at night and sleep with me."

  "Since you've got all these people to keep you company, ma," Pao-ch'airemarked, "wouldn't it be as well to tell sister Ling to come and be mycompanion? 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 anextra person with me?"

  "Quite so!" smiled Mrs. Hsueeh, "I forgot that! I should have told her togo with you; it's but right. It was only the other day that I mentionedto your brother that: 'Wen Hsing too was young, and not fit to attend toeverything that turns up, that Ying Erh could not alone do all thewaiting, and that it was necessary to purchase another girl for yourservice.'"

  "If we buy one, we won't know what she's really like!" Pao-ch'aidemurred. "If she gives us the slip, the money we may have spent on herwill be a mere trifle, so long as she hasn't been up to any pranks! Solet's quietly make inquiries, and, when we find one with well-knownantecedents, we can purchase her, and, we'll be on the safe side then!"

  While speaking, she told Hsiang Ling to collect her bedding and clothes;and desiring an old matron and Ch'in Erh to take them over to the HengWu Yuean, Pao-ch'ai returned at last into the garden in company withHsiang Ling.

  "I meant to have proposed to my lady," Hsiang Ling said to Pao-ch'ai,"that, when master left, I should be your companion, miss; but I fearedlest her ladyship should, with that suspicious mind of hers, havemaintained that I was longing to come into the garden to romp. But who'dhave thought it, it was you, after all, who spoke to her about it!"

  "I am well aware," Pao-ch'ai smiled, "that you've been inwardly yearningfor this garden, and that not for a day or two, but with the little timeyou can call your own, you would find it no fun, were you even able torun 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 Hsiang Ling, "do let's make the bestof this time, and teach me how to write verses!"

  "I say," Pao-ch'ai laughed, "'you no sooner, get the Lung state than youlong for the Shu'! I advise you to wait a bit. This is the first daythat you spend in here, and you should, first and foremost, go out ofthe garden by the eastern side gate and look up and salute every one inher respective quarters commencing from our old lady. But you needn'tmake it a point of telling them that you've moved into the garden. Ifanyone does allude to the reason why you've shifted your quarters, youcan 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."

  Hsiang Ling signified her acquiescence, and was about to start when shesaw P'ing Erh rush in with hurried step. Hsiang Ling hastened to askafter her health, and P'ing Erh felt compelled to return her smile, andreciprocate her inquiry.

  "I've brought her in to-day," Pao-ch'ai thereupon smilingly said toP'ing Erh, "to make a companion of her. She was just on the point ofgoing to tell your lady about it!"

  "What is this that you're saying, Miss?" P'ing Erh rejoined, with asmile. "I really am at a loss what reply to make to you!"

  "It's the right thing!" Pao-ch'ai answered. "' In a house, there's themaster, and in a temple there's the chief priest.' It's true, it's noimportant concern, but something must, in fact, be mentioned, so thatthose, who sit up on night duty in the garden, may be aware that thesetwo have been added to my rooms, and know when to close the gates andwhen to wait. When you get back therefore do mention it, so that Imayn't have to send some one to tell them."

  P'ing Erh promised to carry out her wishes. "As you're moved in here,"she said to Hsiang Ling, "won't you go and pay your respects to yourneighbours?"

  "I had just this very moment," Pao-ch'ai smiled, "told her to go and doso."

  "You needn't however go to our house," P'ing Erh remarked, "our Mr.Secundus is laid up at home."

  Hsiang Ling assented and went off, passing first and foremost by dowagerlady Chia's apartments. But without devoting any of our attention toher, we will revert to P'ing Erh.

  Seeing Hsiang Ling walk out of the room, she drew Pao-ch'ai near her."Miss! have you heard our news?" she inquired in a low tone of voice.

  "I haven't heard any news," Pao-ch'ai responded. "We've been daily sobusy in getting my brother's things ready for his voyage abroad, that weknow nothing whatever of any of your affairs in here. I haven't evenseen anything of my female cousins these last two days."

  "Our master, Mr. Chia She, has beaten our Mr. Secundus to such a degreethat he can't budge," P'ing Erh smiled. "But is it likely, miss, thatyou've heard nothing about it?"

  "This morning," Pao-ch'ai said by way of reply, "I heard a vague reporton the subject, but I didn't believe it could be true. I was just aboutto go and look up your mistress, when you unexpectedly arrived. But whydid he beat him again?"

  P'ing Erh set her teeth to and gave way to abuse. "It's all on accountof some Chia Yue-ts'un or other; a starved and half-dead boorish bastard,who went yonder quite unexpectedly. It isn't yet ten years, since we'veknown him, and he has been the cause of ever so much trouble! In thespring of this year, Mr. Chia She saw somewhere or other, I can't tellwhere, a lot of antique fans; so, when on his return home, he noticedthat the fine fans stored away in the house, were all of no use, he atonce directed servants to go everywhere and hunt up some like those hehad seen. Who'd have anticipated it, they came across a recklesscreature of retribution, dubbed by common consent the 'stone fool,' whothough 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 utterlyrefused to take out of his main door. Our Mr. Secundus had thus aprecious lot of bother to ask ever so many favours of people. But whenhe got to see the man, he made endless appeals to him before he couldget him to invite him to go and sit in his house; when producing thefans, he allowed him to have a short inspection of them. From what ourMr. Secundus says, it would be really difficult to get any the like ofthem. They're made entirely of spotted black bamboo, and the stags andjadelike clusters of bamboo on them are the genuine pictures, drawn bymen of olden times. When he got back, he explained these things to Mr.Chia She, who readily asked him to buy them, and give the man his ownprice for them. The 'stone fool,' however, refused. 'Were I even to bedying from hunger,' he said, 'or perishing from frostbites, and so muchas a thousand taels were offered me for each single fan, I wouldn't partwith them.' Mr. Chia She could do nothing, but day after day he abusedour Mr. Secundus as a good-for-nothing. Yet he had long ago promised theman five hundred taels, payable cash down in advance, before delivery ofthe fans, but he would not sell them. 'If you want the fans,' he hada
nswered, 'you must first of all take my life.' Now, miss, do considerwhat was to be done? But, Yue-ts'un is, as it happens, a man with noregard for divine justice. Well, when he came to hear of it, he at oncedevised a plan to lay hold of these fans, so fabricating the chargeagainst him of letting a government debt drag on without payment, he hadhim arrested and brought before him in the Yamen; when he adjudicatedthat his family property should be converted into money to make up theamount 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 forthat 'stone fool,' no one now has the faintest idea whether he be deador alive. Mr. Chia She, however, taunted Mr. Secundus. 'How is it,' hesaid, 'that other people can manage to get them?' Our master simplyrejoined 'that to bring ruin upon a person in such a trivial mattercould not be accounted ability.' But, at these words, his fathersuddenly rushed into a fury, and averred that Mr. Secundus had saidthings to gag his mouth. This was the main cause. But several minormatters, which I can't even recollect, also occurred during these lastfew days. So, when all these things accumulated, he set to work and gavehim a sound thrashing. He didn't, however, drag him down and strike himwith a rattan or cane, but recklessly assaulted him, while he stoodbefore him, with something or other, which he laid hold of, and brokehis face open in two places. We understand that Mrs. Hsueeh has in heresome medicine or other for applying on wounds, so do try, miss, and finda ball of it and let me have it!"

  Hearing this, Pao-ch'ai speedily directed Ying Erh to go and look forsome, and, on discovering two balls of it, she brought them over andhanded them to P'ing Erh.

  "Such being the case," Pao-ch'ai said, "do make, on your return, theusual inquiries for me, and I won't then need to go."

  P'ing Erh turned towards Pao-ch'ai, and expressed her readiness toexecute her commission, after which she betook herself home, where wewill leave her without further notice.

  After Hsiang Ling, for we will take up the thread of our narrative withher, completed her visits to the various inmates, she had her eveningmeal. Then when Pao-ch'ai and every one else went to dowager lady Chia'squarters, she came into the Hsiao Hsiang lodge. By this time Tai-yue hadgot considerably better. Upon hearing that Hsiang Ling had also movedinto the garden, she, needless to say, was filled with delight.

  "Now, that I've come in here," Hsiang Ling then smiled and said, "doplease teach me, at your leisure, how to write verses. It will be a bitof good luck for me if you do."

  "Since you're anxious to learn how to versify," Tai-yue answered with asmile, "you'd better acknowledge me as your tutor; for though I'm not agood hand at poetry, yet I know, after all, enough to be able to teachyou."

  "Of course you do!" Hsiang Ling laughingly remarked. "I'll readily treatyou as my tutor. But you mustn't put yourself to any trouble!"

  "Is there anything so difficult about this," Tai-yue pursued, "as to makeit necessary to go in for any study? Why, it's purely and simply amatter of openings, elucidations, embellishments and conclusions. Theelucidations and embellishments, which come in the centre, should formtwo antithetical sentences, the even tones must pair with the uneven.Empty words must correspond with full words; and full words with emptywords. In the event of any out-of-the-way lines, it won't matter if theeven and uneven tones, and the empty and full words do not pair."

  "Strange though it may appear," smiled Hsiang Ling, "I often handlebooks with old poems, and read one or two stanzas, whenever I can stealthe time; and some among these I find pair most skilfully, while othersdon't. I have also heard that the first, third and fifth lines are of noconsequence; and that the second, fourth and sixth must be clearlydistinguished. But I notice that there are in the poetical works ofancient writers both those which accord with the rules, as well as thosewhose second, fourth and sixth lines are not in compliance with anyrule. Hence it is that my mind has daily been full of doubts. But afterthe hints you've given me, I really see that all these formulas are ofno account, and that the main requirement is originality of diction."

  "Yes, that's just the principle that holds good," Tai-yue answered. "Butdiction is, after all, a last consideration. The first and foremostthing is the choice of proper sentiments; for when the sentiments arecorrect, there'll even be no need to polish the diction; it's certain tobe elegant. This is called versifying without letting the diction affectthe sentiments."

  "What I admire," Hsiang Ling proceeded with a smile; "are the lines byold Lu Fang;

  "The double portiere, 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," Tai-yue observed, "read poetry of the kind.It's because you people don't know what verses mean that you, no soonerread any shallow lines like these, than they take your fancy. But whenonce 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 WangMo-chieh's complete collection; so you'd better take his one hundredstanzas, written in the pentameter rule of versification, and carefullystudy them, until you apprehend them thoroughly. Afterwards, look overthe one hundred and twenty stanzas of Lao T'u, in the heptameter rule;and next read a hundred or two hundred of the heptameter four-linedstanzas by Li Ch'ing-lieu. When you have, as a first step, digestedthese three authors, and made them your foundation, you can take T'aoYuan-ming, Ying, Liu, Hsieh, Yuean, Yue, Pao and other writers and gothrough them once. And with those sharp and quick wits of yours, I've nodoubt but that you will become a regular poet before a year's time."

  "Well, in that case," Hsiang Ling smiled, after listening to her, "bringme the book, my dear miss, so that I may take it along. It will be agood thing if I can manage to read several stanzas at night."

  At these words, Tai-yue bade Tzu Chuean fetch Wang Tso-ch'eng's pentameterstanzas. When brought, she handed them to Hsiang Ling. "Only perusethose marked with red circles" she said. "They've all been selected byme. Read each one of them; and should there be any you can't fathom, askyour miss about them. Or when you come across me, I can explain them toyou."

  Hsiang Ling took the poems and repaired back to the Heng Wu-yuean. Andwithout worrying her mind about anything she approached the lamp andbegan to con stanza after stanza. Pao-ch'ai pressed her, severalconsecutive times, to go to bed; but as even rest was far from herthoughts, Pao-ch'ai let her, when she perceived what trouble she wastaking over her task, have her own way in the matter.

  Tai-yue had one day just finished combing her hair and performing herablutions, when she espied Hsiang Ling come with smiles playing abouther lips, to return her the book and to ask her to let her have T'u'spoetical compositions in exchange.

  "Of all these, how many stanzas can you recollect?" Tai-yue asked,smiling.

  "I've read every one of those marked with a red circle," Hsiang Linglaughingly rejoined.

  "Have you caught the ideas of any of them, yes or no?" Tai-yue inquired.

  "Yes, I've caught some!" Hsiang Ling smiled. "But whether rightly or notI don't know. Let me tell you."

  "You must really," Tai-yue laughingly remarked, "minutely solicitpeople's opinions if you want to make any progress. But go on and let mehear you."

  "From all I can see," Hsiang Ling smiled, "the beauty of poetry lies incertain ideas, which though not quite expressible in words are,nevertheless, found, on reflection, to be absolutely correct. Some mayhave the semblance of being totally devoid of sense, but, on secondthought, they'll truly be seen to be full of sense and feeling."

  "There's a good deal of right in what you say," Tai-yue observed. "But Iwonder 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 fa
r too commonplace a word. But upon throwing the wholepassage together, and pondering over it, one fancies having seen thescenery alluded to. Now were any one to suggest that two othercharacters should be substituted for these two, one would verily be hardpressed to find any other two as suitable. Besides this, there's alsothe 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 reflectionwill show that these two words are absolutely necessary to bring outthoroughly the aspect of the scenery. And in conning them over, onefeels just as if one had an olive, weighing several thousands ofcatties, in one's mouth, so much relish does one derive from them. Butthere'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 theauthor in their conception! When the boats made fast, in the evening ofa certain day of that year in which we came up to the capital, the bankswere without a trace of human beings; and there were only just a fewtrees about; in the distance loomed the houses of several familiesengaged 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 comeagain to that spot!"

  But in the course of their colloquy, Pao-yue and T'an Ch'un arrived; andentering the room, they seated themselves, and lent an ear to herarguments on the verses.

  "Seeing that you know so much," Pao-yue remarked with a smiling face,"you can dispense with reading poetical works, for you're not far offfrom proficiency. To hear you expatiate on these two lines, makes itevident to my mind that you've even got at their secret meaning."

  "You say," argued Tai-yue 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 plagiarised from anancient writer? But I'll show you the line I'm telling you of. You'llfind it far plainer and clearer than this."

  While uttering these words, she turned up T'ao Yuean-ming's,

  Dim in the distance lies a country place; Faint in the hamlet-market hangs the mist;

  and handed it to Hsiang Ling.

  Hsiang Ling perused it, and, nodding her head, she eulogised it."Really," she smiled, the word 'over' is educed from the two charactersimplying 'faint.'

  Pao-yue burst out into a loud fit of exultant laughter. "You've alreadygot it!" he cried. "There's no need of explaining anything more to you!Any further explanations will, in lieu of benefiting you, make youunlearn what you've learnt. Were you therefore to, at once, set to work,and versify, your lines are bound to be good."

  "To-morrow," observed T'an ch'un with a smile; "I'll stand an extratreat and invite you to join the society."

  "Why make a fool of me, miss?" Hsiang Ling laughingly ejaculated. "It'smerely that mania of mine that made me apply my mind to this subject atall; just for fun and no other reason."

  T'an Ch'un and Tai-yue both smiled. "Who doesn't go in for these thingsfor fun?" they asked. "Is it likely that we improvise verses in realearnest? Why, if any one treated our verses as genuine verses, and tookthem outside this garden, people would have such a hearty laugh at ourexpense that their very teeth would drop."

  "This is again self-violence and self-abasement!" Pao-yue interposed. Theother day, I was outside the garden, consulting with the gentlemen aboutpaintings, and, when they came to hear that we had started a poeticalsociety, they begged of me to let them have the rough copies to read. SoI wrote out several stanzas, and gave them to them to look over, and whodid not praise them with all sincerity? They even copied them and tookthem to have the blocks cut."

  "Are you speaking the truth?" T'an Ch'un and Tai-yue eagerly inquired.

  "If I'm telling a lie," Pao-yue laughed, "I'm like that cockatoo on thatframe!"

  "You verily do foolish things!" Tai-yue and T'an Ch'un exclaimed with onevoice, at these words. "But not to mention that they were doggerellines, had they even been anything like what verses should be, ourwritings shouldn't have been hawked about outside."

  "What's there to fear?" Pao-yue smiled. "Hadn't the writings of women ofold been handed outside the limits of the inner chambers, why, therewould, at present, be no one with any idea of their very existence."

  While he passed this remark, they saw Ju Hua arrive from Hsi Ch'un'squarters to ask Pao-yue to go over; and Pao-yue eventually took hisdeparture.

  Hsiang Ling then pressed (Tai-yue) to give her T'u's poems. "Do choosesome theme," she also asked Tai-yue and T'an Ch'un, "and let me go andwrite on it. When I've done, I'll bring it for you to correct."

  "Last night," Tai-yue observed, "the moon was so magnificent, that Imeant to improvise a stanza on it; but as I haven't done yet, go at onceand write one using the fourteenth rhyme, 'han,' (cool). You're atliberty to make use of whatever words you fancy."

  Hearing this, Hsiang Ling was simply delighted, and taking the poems,she went back. After considerable exertion, she succeeded in devising acouplet, but so little able was she to tear herself away from the 'T'u'poems, that she perused another couple of stanzas, until she had noinclination for either tea or food, and she felt in an unsettled mood,try though she did to sit or recline.

  "Why," Pao-ch'ai remonstrated, "do you bring such trouble upon yourself?It's that P'in Erh, who has led you on to it! But I'll settle accountswith her! You've all along been a thick-headed fool; but now that you'veburdened yourself with all this, you've become a greater fool."

  "Miss," smiled Hsiang Ling, "don't confuse me."

  So saying, she set to work and put together a stanza, which she firstand foremost handed to Pao-ch'ai to look over.

  "This isn't good!" Pao-ch'ai smilingly said. "This isn't the way to doit! 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, Hsiang Ling forthwith went with her verses in searchof Tai-yue. When Tai-yue 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 portiere. The eve is fine, so why need any silvery candles burn? A clear light shines with dazzling lustre on the painted rails.

  "There's a good deal of spirit in them," Tai-yue smiled, "but thelanguage is not elegant. It's because you've only read a few poeticalworks that you labour under restraint. Now put this stanza aside andwrite another. Pluck up your courage and go and work away."

  After listening to her advice, Hsiang Ling quietly wended her way back,but so much the more (preoccupied) was she in her mind that she did noteven enter the house, but remaining under the trees, planted by the sideof the pond, she either seated herself on a rock and plunged in areverie, or squatted down and dug the ground, to the astonishment of allthose, who went backwards and forwards. Li wan, Pao-ch'ai, T'an Ch'un,Pao-yue and some others heard about her; and, taking their position someway off on the mound, they watched her, much amused. At one time, theysaw her pucker up her eyebrows; and at another smile to herself.

  "That girl must certainly be cracked!" Pao-ch'ai laughed. "Last nightshe kept on muttering away straight up to the fifth watch, when she atlast turned in. But shortly, daylight broke, and I heard her get up andcomb her hair, all in a hurry, and rush after P'in Erh. 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, soshe's, of course, now trying to devise another."

  "This indeed shows," Pao-yue laughingly remarked, "that the earth isspiritual, that man is intelligent, and that heaven does not in thecreation of human beings bestow on them natural gif
ts to no purpose.We've been sighing and lamenting that it was a pity that such a one asshe, should, really, be so unpolished; but who could ever haveanticipated 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 Pao-ch'ai, at these words, "you could be aspainstaking as she is, what a good thing it would be. And would you failto attain success in anything you might take up?"

  Pao-yue made no reply. But realising that Hsiang Ling had crossed over inhigh spirits to find Tai-yue again, T'an Ch'un 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 Hsiao Hsiang lodge. Herethey discovered Tai-yue holding the verses and explaining various thingsto her.

  "What are they like?" they all thereupon inquired of Tai-yue.

  "This is naturally a hard job for her!" Tai-yue rejoined. "They're notyet as good as they should be. This stanza is far too forced; you mustwrite another."

  One and all however expressed a desire to look over the verses. Onperusal, 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 jadelike 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," Pao-ch'ai smilinglyobserved. "Yet were, after the word 'moon', that of 'light' supplied, itwould be better; for, just see, if each of these lines treated of themoonlight, they would be all right. But poetry primarily springs fromnonsensical language. In a few days longer, you'll be able to do well."

  Hsiang Ling had flattered herself that this last stanza was perfect, andthe criticisms, that fell on her ear, damped her spirits again. She wasnot however disposed to relax in her endeavours, but felt eager tocommune with her own thoughts, so when she perceived the young ladieschatting and laughing, she betook herself all alone to the bamboo-groveat the foot of the steps; where she racked her brain, and ransacked hermind with such intentness that her ears were deaf to everything aroundher and her eyes blind to everything beyond her task.

  "Miss Ling," T'an Ch'un presently cried, smiling from inside the window,"do have a rest!"

  "The character 'rest;'" Hsiang Ling nervously replied, "comes from lotN. deg. 15, under 'shan', (to correct); so it's the wrong rhyme."

  This rambling talk made them involuntarily burst out laughing.

  "In very fact," Pao-sh'ai laughed, "she's under a poetical frenzy, andit's all P'in Erh who has incited her."

  "The holy man says," Tai-yue smilingly rejoined, "that 'one must not beweary of exhorting people'; and if she comes, time and again, to ask methis and that how can I possibly not tell her?"

  "Let's take her to Miss Quarta's rooms," Li Wan smiled, "and if we couldcoax her to look at the painting, and bring her to her senses, it willbe well."

  Speaking the while, she actually walked out of the room, and laying holdof her, she brought her through the Lotus Fragrance arbour to the bankof Warm Fragrance. Hsi Ch'un was tired and languid, and was lying on thewindow, having a midday siesta. The painting was resting against thepartition-wall, and was screened with a gauze cover. With one voice,they roused Hsi Ch'un, and raising the gauze cover to contemplate herwork, they saw that three tenths of it had already been accomplished.But their attention was attracted by the representation of severalbeautiful girls, inserted in the picture, so pointing at Hsiang Ling:"Every one who can write verses is to be put here," they said, "so bequick and learn."

  But while conversing, they played and laughed for a time, after which,each went her own way.

  Hsiang Ling was meanwhile preoccupied about her verses, so, when eveningcame, she sat facing the lamp absorbed in thought. And the third watchstruck before she got to bed. But her eyes were so wide awake, that itwas only after the fifth watch had come and gone, that she, at length,felt drowsy and fell fast asleep.

  Presently, the day dawned, and Pao-ch'ai woke up; but, when she lent anear, she discovered (Hsiang Ling) in a sound sleep. "She has racked herbrains the whole night long," she pondered. "I wonder, however, whethershe has succeeded in finishing her task. She must be tired now, so Iwon't disturb her."

  But in the midst of her cogitations, she heard Hsiang Ling laugh andexclaim in her sleep: "I've got it. It cannot be that this stanza toowon't be worth anything."

  "How sad and ridiculous!" Pao-ch'ai soliloquised 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 someillness."

  Chiding her the while, she combed her hair and washed; and, this done,she repaired, along with her cousins, into dowager lady Chia's quarters.

  Hsiang Ling made, in fact, such desperate efforts to learn all aboutpoetry that her system got quite out of order. But although she did notin the course of the day hit upon anything, she quite casually succeededin her dreams in devising eight lines; so concluding her toilette andher ablutions, she hastily jotted them down, and betook herself into theHsin Fang pavilion. Here she saw Li Wan and the whole bevy of youngladies, returning from Madame Wang's suite of apartments.

  Pao-ch'ai was in the act of telling them of the verses composed byHsiang Ling, while asleep, and of the nonsense she had been talking, andevery one of them was convulsed with laughter. But upon raising theirheads, and perceiving that she was approaching, they vied with eachother 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.