both gone to hurry the servants to bring the water, as T'an Yun had likewise been taken home, on account of her mother's illness, and She Yueh, on the other hand, was at present ailing in her quarters, while the several waiting-maids, who were in there besides to attend to the dirty work, and answer the calls, had, surmising that he would not requisition their services, one and all gone out in search of their friends and in quest of their companions, it occurred, contrary to their calculations, that Pao-yue remained this whole length of time quite alone in his apartments; and as it so happened that Pao-yue wanted tea to drink, he had to call two or three times before he at last saw three old matrons walk in. But at the sight of them, Pao-yue hastily waved his hand and exclaimed: 'No matter, no matter; I don't want you,' whereupon the matrons had no help but to withdraw out of the rooms; and as Pao-yue perceived that there were no waiting-maids at hand, he had to come down and take a cup and go up to the teapot to pour the tea; when he heard some one from behind him observe: 'Master Secundus, beware, you'll scorch your hand; wait until I come to pour it!' And as she spoke, she walked up to him, and took the cup from his grasp, to the intense surprise, in fact, of Pao-yue, who inquired: 'Where were you that you have suddenly come to give me a start?'
The waiting-maid smiled as she handed him the tea. 'I was in the back court,' she replied, 'and just came in from the back door of the inner rooms; and is it likely that you didn't, sir, hear the sound of my footsteps?'
Pao-yue drank his tea, and as he simultaneously passed the servant-girl under a minute inspection, he found that though she wore several articles of clothing the worse for wear, she was, nevertheless, with that head of beautiful hair, as black as the plumage of a raven, done up in curls, her face so oblong, her figure so slim and elegant, indeed, supremely beautiful, sweet, and spruce, and Pao-yue eagerly inquired: 'Are you also a girl attached to this room of mine?'
'I am,' rejoined that waiting-maid.
'But since you belong to this room, how is it I don't know you?' Pao-yue added.
When the maid heard these words, she forced a laugh. 'There are even many,' she explained, 'that are strangers to you; and is it only myself? I've never, before this, served tea, or handed water, or brought in anything; nor have I attended to a single duty in your presence, so how could you know me?'
'But why don't you attend to any of those duties that would bring you to my notice?' Pao-yue questioned.
'I too,' answered the maid, 'find it as difficult to answer such a question. There's however one thing that I must report to you, master Secundus. Yesterday, some Mr. Yuen Erh or other came to see you; but as I thought you, sir, had no leisure, I speedily bade Pei Ming tell him to come early to-day. But you unexpectedly went over again to the mansion of the Prince of Pei Ching.'
When she had spoken as far as this, she caught sight of Ch'iu Wen and Pi Hen enter the court, giggling and laughing; the two of them carrying between them a bucket of water; and while raising their skirts with one hand, they hobbled along, as the water spurted and plashed. The waiting-maid hastily come out to meet them so as to relieve them of their burden, but Ch'iu Wen and Pi Hen were in the act of standing face to face and finding fault with each other; one saying, 'You've wetted my clothes,' the other adding, 'You've trod on my shoes,' and upon, all of a sudden, espying some one walk out to receive the water, and discovering, when they came to see, that it was actually no one else than Hsiao Hung, they were at once both so taken aback that, putting down the bucket, they hurried into the room; and when they looked about and saw that there was no other person inside besides Pao-yue they were at once displeased. But as they were meanwhile compelled to get ready the articles necessary for his bath, they waited until Pao-yue was about to divest himself of his clothes, when the couple of them speedily pulled the door to behind them, as they went out, and walked as far as the room on the opposite side, in search of Hsiao Hung; of whom they inquired: 'What were you doing in his room a short while back?'
'When was I ever in the room?' Hsiao Hung replied; 'simply because I lost sight of my handkerchief, I went to the back to try and find it, when unexpectedly Mr. Secundus, who wanted tea, called for you sisters; and as there wasn't one even of you there, I walked in and poured a cup for him, and just at that very moment you sisters came back.'
'You barefaced, low-bred thing!' cried Ch'iu Wen, turning towards her and spurting in her face. 'It was our bounden duty to tell you to go and hurry them for the water, but you simply maintained that you were busy and made us go instead, in order to afford you an opportunity of performing these wily tricks! and isn't this raising yourself up li by li? But don't we forsooth, even so much as come up to you? and you just take that looking-glass and see for yourself, whether you be fit to serve tea and to hand water or not?'
'To-morrow,' continued Pi Hea, 'I'll tell them that whenever there's anything to do connected with his wanting tea, or asking for water, or with fetching things for him, not one of us should budge, and that
'If this be your suggestion,' remarked Ch'iu Wen, 'wouldn't it be still better that we should all disperse, and let her reign supreme in this room!'
But while the two of them were up to this trouble, one saying one thing, and another, another, they caught sight of two old nurses walk in to deliver a message from lady Feng; who explained: 'To-morrow, someone will bring in gardeners to plant trees, and she bids you keep under more rigorous restraint, and not sun your clothes and petticoats anywhere and everywhere; nor air them about heedlessly; that the artificial hill will, all along, be entirely shut in by screening curtains, and that you mustn't he running about at random.'
'I wonder,' interposed Ch'iu Wen with alacrity, 'who it is that will bring the workmen to-morrow, and supervise the works?'
'Some one or other called Mr. Yuen, living at the back portico,' the old woman observed.
But Ch'iu Wen and Pi Hen were neither of them acquainted with him, and they went on promiscuously asking further questions on his account, but Hsiao Hung knew distinctly in her mind who it was, and was well aware that it was the person whom she had seen, the previous day, in the outer library.
The surname of this Hsiao Hung had, in fact, been originally Lin, while her infant name had been Hung Yue; but as the word Yue improperly corresponded with the names of Pao-yue and Tai-yue, she was, in due course, simply called Hsiao Hung. She was indeed an hereditary servant of the mansion; and her father had latterly taken over the charge of all matters connected with the farms and farmhouses in every locality. This Hung-yue came, at the age of sixteen, into the mansion, to enter into service, and was attached to the Hung Yuan, where in point of fact she found both a quiet and pleasant home; and when contrary to all expectation, the young ladies as well as Pao-yue, were subsequently permitted to move their quarters into the garden of Broad Vista, it so happened that this place was, moreover, fixed upon by Pao-yue. This Hsiao Hung was, it is true, a girl without any experience, but as she could, to a certain degree, boast of a pretty face, and as, in her own heart, she recklessly fostered the idea of exalting herself to a higher standard, she was ever ready to thrust herself in Pao-yue's way, with a view to showing herself off. But attached to Pao-yue's personal service were a lot of servants, all of whom were glib and specious, so that how could she ever find an opportunity of thrusting herself forward? But contrary to her anticipations, there turned up, eventually on this day, some faint glimmer of hope, but as she again came in for a spell of spiteful abuse from Ch'iu Wen and her companion, her expectations were soon considerably frustrated, and she was just plunged in a melancholy mood, when suddenly she heard the old nurse begin the conversation about Chia Yuen, which unconsciously so affected her heart that she hastily returned, quite disconsolate, into her room, and lay herself down on her bed, giving herself quietly to reflection. But while she was racking and torturing her brain and at a moment when she was at a loss what decision to grasp, her ear unexpectedly caught, emanating from outside the window, a faint voice say: 'Hsiao Hung, I've picked up your pocket handkerchief in here!' and as soon as Hsiao Hung heard these words, she walked out with hurried step and found that it was no one else than Chia Yuen in person; and as Hsiao Hung unwillingly felt her powdered face suffused with brushes: 'Where did you pick it up, Mr. Secundus?' she asked.
'Come over,' Chia Yuen smiled, 'and I'll tell you!' And as he uttered these words, he came up and drew her to him; but Hsiao Hung twisted herself round and ran away; but was however tripped over by the step of the door.
Now, reader, do you want to know the sequel? If so the next chapter will explain.
END OF BOOK I
NOTES
