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-yuen objected.
'My dear cousin,' Pao-yue continued smirkingly, 'how is it that you combed it for me in former times?'
'I've forgotten now how to comb it!' Hsiang-yuen replied.
'I'm not, after all, going out of doors,' Pao-yue 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-yuen 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-yuen 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-yue rejoined.
'It must have dropped,' Hsiang-yuen 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-yue, 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-yue 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-yuen should chide him. While he was hesitating whether to do so or not, Hsiang-yuen, 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-yue gone?'
'Do you mean to say,' Hsi Jen insinuated with a sardonic smile, 'that your cousin Pao-yue 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
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-yue arrived, and Pao-ch'ai at once quitted the apartment.
'How is it,' Pao-yue 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-yue 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-yue 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-yue was quite at a loss how to act. But espying She Yueeh enter the room, he said with alacrity: 'What's up with your sister?'
'Do I know?' answered She Yueeh, 'examine your own self and you'll readily know!'
After these words had been heard by Pao-yue, 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-yue 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-yue 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 Yueeh was playing with the dominoes by her side. Pao-yue had been ever aware of the intimacy which existed between She Yueeh and Hsi Jen, so that paying not the slightest notice to even She Yueeh, he raised the soft portiere and straightway walked all alone into the inner apartment. She Yueeh felt constrained to follow him in, but Pao-yue at once pushed her out, saying: 'I don't venture to disturb you two;' so that She Yueeh had no alternative but to leave the room with a smiling countenance, and to bid two young waiting-maids go in. Pao-yue 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-yue eagerly inquired.
'I'm called Hui Hsiang, (orchid fragrance),' that waiting-maid rejoined simperingly.
'Who gave you this name?' Pao-yue went on to ask.
'I went originally under the name of Yuen 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-yue asked.
'The fourth,' answered Hui Hsiang.
'By and by you must be called Ssu Erh, (fourth child),' Pao-yue 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 Yueeh, who were in the outer apartment, had been listening for a long time and laughing with compressed lips.
Pao-yue 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
