To every remark that Chia She uttered, Chin Wen-hsiang acquiesced. 'Yes!' he said.
'Mind you don't humbug me!' Chia She observed. 'I shall to-morrow send again your mistress round to ask Yuean Yang. If you two have spoken to her, and she hasn't given a favorable answer, well, then, no blame will fall on you. But if she does assent, when she broaches the subject with her, look out for your heads!'
Chin Wen-hsiang eagerly expressed his obedience over and over again, and withdrawing out of the room, he retraced his footsteps homeward. Nor did he have the patience to wait until he could commission his womankind to speak to her. Indeed he went in person and told her face to face the injunctions entrusted to him. Yuean Yang was incensed to such a degree that she was at a loss what reply to make. 'I'm quite ready to go,' she rejoined, after some cogitation, 'but you people must take me before my old mistress first and let me tell her something about it.'
Her brother and sister-in-law flattered themselves that reflection had induced her to alter her previous decision, and they were both immeasurably delighted. Her sister-in-law there and then led her into the upper quarters and ushered her into the presence of old lady Chia. As luck would have it, Madame Wang, Mrs. Hsueeh, Li Wan, lady Feng, Pao-ch'ai and the other girls were, together with several respectable outside married women who acted as housekeepers, having some fun with old lady Chia. Yuean Yang observed where her mistress was seated, and hastily dragging her sister-in-law before her, she fell on her knees, and explained to her, with tears in her eyes, what proposal Madame Hsing had made to her, what her sister-in-law, who lived in the garden, had told her, and what message her brother had recently conveyed to her. 'As I would not accept his advances,' (she continued), 'our senior master has just now gone so far as to insinuate 'that I was violently attached to Pao-yue; or if that wasn't the case, my object was to gain time so as to espouse some one outside. That were I even to go up to the very heavens, I couldn't, during my lifetime, escape his clutches, and that he would, in the long run, wreak his vengeance on me.' I have obstinately made up my mind, so I may state in the presence of all of you here, that I'll, under no circumstances, marry, as long as I live, any man whatsoever, not to speak of his being a Pao-yue, (precious jade); but even a Pao Chin, (precious gold), a Pao Yin, (precious silver); a Pao T'ien Wang, (precious lord of heaven); or a Pao Huang Ti, (precious Emperor); and have done! Were even your venerable ladyship to press me to take such a step, I couldn't comply with your commands, though you may threaten to cut my throat with a sword. I'm quite prepared to wait upon your ladyship, till you depart this life; but go with my father, mother, or brother, I won't! I'll either commit suicide, or cut my hair off, and go and become a nun. If you fancy that I'm not in earnest, and that I'm temporarily using this language to put you off, may, as surely as heaven, earth, the spirits, the sun and moon look upon me, my throat be covered with boils!'
Yuean Yang had, in fact, upon entering the room, brought along a pair of scissors, concealed in her sleeve, and, while she spoke, she drew her hand back, and, dishevelling her tresses, she began to clip them. When the matrons and waiting-maids saw what she was up to, they hurriedly did everything they could to induce her to desist from her purpose; but already half of her locks had gone. And when they found on close inspection, that with the thick crop of hair she happily had, she had not succeeded in cutting it all, they immediately dressed it up for her.
Upon hearing of Chia She's designs, dowager lady Chia was provoked to displeasure. Her whole body trembled and shook. 'Of all the attendants I've had,' she cried, 'there only remains this single one, upon whom I can depend, and now they want to conspire and carry her off!' Noticing then Madame Wang standing close to her, she turned herself towards her. 'All you people really know is to impose upon me!' she resumed. 'Outwardly, you display filial devotion; but, secretly, you plot and scheme against me. If I have aught that's worth having, you come and dun me for it. If I have any one who's nice, you come and ask for her. What's left to me is this low waiting- maid, but as you see that she serves me faithfully, you naturally can't stand it, and you're doing your utmost to estrange her from me so as to be the better able to play your tricks upon me.'
Madame Wang quickly rose to her feet. She did not, however, dare to return a single syllable in self- defence.
Mrs. Hsueeh noticed that Madame Wang herself came in for her share of blame, and she did not feel as if she could any longer make an attempt to tender words of advice. Li Wan, the moment she heard Yuean Yang speak in the strain she did, seized an early opportunity to lead the young ladies out of the room. T'an Ch'un was a girl with plenty of common sense, so reflecting within herself that Madame Wang could not, in spite of the insult heaped upon her, very well presume to say any thing to exculpate herself, that Mrs. Hsueeh could not, of course, in her position of sister, bring forward any arguments, that Pao-ch'ai was unable to explain things on behalf of her maternal aunt, and that Li Wan, lady Feng or Pao-yue could, still less, take upon themselves the right of censorship, she thought the opportunity rendered necessary the services of a daughter; but, as Ying Ch'un was so quiet, and Hsi Ch'un so young, she consequently walked in, no sooner did she overhear from outside the window what was said inside, and forcing a smile, she addressed herself to her grandmother. 'How does this matter concern Madame Wang, my mother?' she interposed. 'Venerable senior, just consider! This is a matter affecting her husband's eldest brother; and how could she, a junior sister-in-law, know anything about it?...'
But before she had exhausted all her arguments, dowager lady Chia's countenance thawed into a smile. 'I've really grown stupid from old age!' she exclaimed. 'Mrs. Hsueeh, don't make fun of me! This eldest sister of yours is most reverent to me; and so unlike that senior lady of mine, who only knows how to regard her lord and master and to simply do things for the mere sake of appearances when she deals with her mother-in-law. I've therefore done her a wrong!'
Mrs. Hsueeh confined her reply to a 'yes.' 'Dear senior, you're so full of prejudices,' she afterwards observed, 'that you love your youngest son's wife more than any one of the others; but it's quite natural.'
'I have no prejudices,' old lady Chia protested. 'Pao-yue,' she then proceeded, 'I unjustly found fault with your mother; but, how was it that even you didn't tell me anything, but that you looked on, while she was having her feelings trampled upon?'
'Could I,' smiled Pao-yue, 'have taken my mother's part, and run down my senior uncle and aunt? If my mother did not bear the whole blame, upon whom could she throw it? And had I admitted that it was I who was entirely at fault, you, venerable ancestor, wouldn't have believed me.'
'What you say is quite reasonable,' his grandmother laughed. 'So be quick and fall on your knees before your mother and tell her: 'mother, don't feel aggrieved! Our old lady is so advanced in years. Do it for Pao-yue's sake!''
At this suggestion, Pao-yue hastily crossed over, and dropping on his knees, he was about to open his lips, when Madame Wang laughingly pulled him up. 'Get up,' she cried, 'at once! This won't do at all! Is it likely, pray, that you would tender apologies to me on behalf of our venerable ancestor?'
Hearing this, Pao-yue promptly stood up.
'Even that girl Feng didn't call me to my senses,' dowager lady Chia smiled again.
'I don't lay a word to your charge, worthy senior,' lady Feng remarked smilingly, 'and yet you brand me with reproach!'
This rejoinder amused dowager lady Chia. 'This is indeed strange!' she said to all around. 'But I'd like to listen to these charges.'
'Who told you, dear senior,' lady Feng resumed, 'to look after your attendants so well, and lavish such care on them as to make them plump and fine as water onions? How ever can you therefore bear people a grudge, if they ask for her hand? I'm, lucky for you, your grandson's wife; for were I your grandson, I would long ere this have proposed to her. Would I have ever waited up to the present?'
'Is this any fault of mine?' dowager lady Chia laughed.
'Of course, it's your fault, venerable senior!' lady Feng retorted with a smile.
'Well, in that case, I too don't want her,' old lady Chia proceeded laughing. 'Take her away, and have done!'
'Wait until I go through this existence,' lady Feng responded, 'and, in the life to come, I'll assume the form of a man and apply for her hand.'
'Take her along,' dowager lady Chia laughed, 'and give her to Lien-Erh to attach to his apartments; and we'll see whether that barefaced father-in-law of yours will still wish to have her or not.'
'Lien-Erh is not a match for her!' lady Feng added. 'He's only a fit mate for such as myself and P'ing Erh. A pair of loutish bumpkins like us to have anything to do with such a one as herself!'
At this rejoinder, they all exploded into a hearty fit of laughter. But a waiting-maid thereupon announced: 'Our senior lady has come.' So Madame Wang immediately quitted the room to go and meet her.
