Hung Lou Meng, Book II

want?'

Lady Feng scrutinised her for a time. Observing how spruce and pretty she was in looks, and how genial in her speech, she felt prompted to give her a smile. 'My own waiting-maid,' she said, 'hasn't followed me in here to-day; and as I've just this moment bethought myself of something and would like to send some one on an errand, I wonder whether you're fit to undertake the charge and deliver a message faithfully.'

'Don't hesitate in entrusting me with any message you may have to send,' replied Hsiao Hung with a laugh. 'I'll readily go and deliver it. Should I not do so faithfully, and blunder in fulfilling your business, my lady, you may visit me with any punishment your ladyship may please, and I'll have nothing to say.'

'What young lady's servant are you,' smiled lady Feng? 'Tell me, so that when she comes back, after I've sent you out, and looks for you, I may be able to tell her about you.'

'I'm attached to our Master Secundus,' Mr. Pao's rooms,' answered Hsiao Hung.

'Ai-ya!' ejaculated lady Feng, as soon as she heard these words. 'Are you really in Pao-yue's rooms! How strange! Yet it comes to the same thing. Well, if he asks for you, I'll tell him where you are. Go now to our house and tell your sister P'ing that she'll find on the table in the outer apartment and under the stand with the plate from the Ju kiln, a bundle of silver; that it contains the one hundred and twenty taels for the embroiderers' wages; and that when Chang Ts'ai's wife comes, the money should be handed to her to take away, after having been weighed in her presence and been given to her to tally. Another thing too I want. In the inner apartment and at the head of the bed you'll find a small purse, bring it along to me.'

Hsiao Hung listened to her orders and then started to carry them out. On her return, in a short while, she discovered that lady Feng was not on the hillock. But perceiving Ssu Ch'i egress from the cave and stand still to tie her petticoat, she walked up to her. 'Sister, do you know where our lady Secunda is gone to?' she asked.

'I didn't notice,' rejoined Ssu Ch'i.

At this reply, Hsiao Hung turned round and cast a glance on all four quarters. Seeing T'an Ch'un and Pao-ch'ai standing by the bank of the pond on the opposite side and looking at the fish, Hsiao Hung advanced up to them. 'Young ladies,' she said, straining a smile, 'do you perchance have any idea where our lady Secunda is gone to now?'

'Go into your senior lady's court and look for her!' T'an Ch'un answered.

Hearing this, Hsiao Hung was proceeding immediately towards the Tao Hsiang village, when she caught sight, just ahead of her, of Ch'ing Wen, Ch'i Hsia, Pi Hen, Ch'iu Wen, She Yueeh, Shih Shu, Ju Hua, Ying Erh and some other girls coming towards her in a group.

The moment Ch'ing Wen saw Hsiao Hung, she called out to her. 'Are you gone clean off your head?' she exclaimed. 'You don't water the flowers, nor feed the birds or prepare the tea stove, but gad about outside!'

'Yesterday,' replied Hsiao Hung, 'Mr. Secundus told me that there was no need for me to water the flowers to-day; that it was enough if they were watered every other day. As for the birds, you're still in the arms of Morpheus, sister, when I give them their food.'

'And what about the tea-stove?' interposed Pi Hen.

'To-day,' retorted Hsiao Hung, 'is not my turn on duty, so don't ask me whether there be any tea or not!'

'Do you listen to that mouth of hers!' cried Ch'i Hsia, 'but don't you girls speak to her; let her stroll about and have done!'

'You'd better all go and ask whether I've been gadding about or not,' continued Hsiao Hung. 'Our lady Secunda has just bidden me go and deliver a message, and fetch something.'

Saying this, she raised the purse and let them see it; and they, finding they could hit upon nothing more to taunt her with, trudged along onwards.

Ch'ing Wen smiled a sarcastic smile. 'How funny!' she cried. 'Lo, she climbs up a high branch and doesn't condescend to look at any one of us! All she told her must have been just some word or two, who knows! But is it likely that our lady has the least notion of her name or surname that she rides such a high horse, and behaves in this manner! What credit is it in having been sent on a trifling errand like this! Will we, by and bye, pray, hear anything more about you? If you've got any gumption, you'd better skedaddle out of this garden this very day. For, mind, it's only if you manage to hold your lofty perch for any length of time that you can be thought something of!'

As she derided her, she continued on her way.

During this while, Hsiao Hung listened to her, but as she did not find it a suitable moment to retaliate, she felt constrained to suppress her resentment and go in search of lady Feng.

On her arrival at widow Li's quarters, she, in point of fact, discovered lady Feng seated inside with her having a chat. Hsiao Hung approached her and made her report. 'Sister P'ing says,' she observed, 'that as soon as your ladyship left the house, she put the money by, and that when Chang Ts'ai's wife went in a little time to fetch it, she had it weighed in her presence, after which she gave it to her to take away.'

With these words, she produced the purse and presented it to her. 'Sister P'ing bade me come and tell your ladyship,' she added, continuing, 'that Wang Erh came just now to crave your orders, as to who are the parties from whom he has to go and (collect interest on money due) and sister P'ing explained to him what your wishes were and sent him off.'

'How could she tell him where I wanted him to go?' Lady Feng laughed.

'Sister P'ing says,' Hsiao Hung proceeded, 'that our lady presents her compliments to your ladyship (widow Li) here-(To lady Feng) that our master Secundus has in fact not come home, and that albeit a delay of (a day) or two will take place (in the collection of the money), your ladyship should, she begs, set your mind at ease. (To Li Wan). That when lady Quinta is somewhat better, our lady will let lady Quinta know and come along with her to see your ladyship. (To lady Feng). That lady Quinta sent a servant the day before yesterday to come over and say that our lady, your worthy maternal aunt, had despatched a letter to inquire after your ladyship's health; that she also wished to ask you, my lady, her worthy niece in here, for a couple of 'long-life-great-efficacy-full-of-every-virtue' pills; and that if you have any, they should, when our lady bids a servant come over, be simply given her to bring to our lady here, and that any one bound to- morrow for that side could then deliver them on her way to her ladyship, your aunt yonder, to take along with her.'

'Ai-yo-yo!' exclaimed widow Li, before the close of the message. 'It's impossible for me to make out what you're driving at! What a heap of ladyships and misters!'

'It's not to be wondered at that you can't make them out,' interposed lady Feng laughing. 'Why, her remarks refer to four or five distinct families.'

While speaking, she again faced Hsiao Hung. 'My dear girl,' she smiled, 'what a trouble you've been put to! But you speak decently, and unlike the others who keep on buzz-buzz-buzz, like mosquitoes! You're not aware, sister-in-law, that I actually dread uttering a word to any of the girls outside the few servant-girls and matrons in my own immediate service; for they invariably spin out, what could be condensed in a single phrase, into a long interminable yarn, and they munch and chew their words; and sticking to a peculiar drawl, they groan and moan; so much so, that they exasperate me till I fly into a regular rage. Yet how are they to know that our P'ing Erh too was once like them. But when I asked her: 'must you forsooth imitate the humming of a mosquito, in order to be accounted a handsome girl?' and spoke to her, on several occasions, she at length improved considerably.'

'What a good thing it would be,' laughed Li Kung-ts'ai, 'if they could all be as smart as you are.'

'This girl is first-rate!' rejoined lady Feng, 'she just now delivered two messages. They didn't, I admit, amount to much, yet to listen to her, she spoke to the point.'

'To-morrow,' she continued, addressing herself to Hsiao Hung smilingly, 'come and wait on me, and I'll acknowledge you as my daughter; and the moment you come under my control, you'll readily improve.'

At this news, Hsiao Hung spurted out laughing aloud.

'What are you laughing for?' Lady Feng inquired. 'You must say to yourself that I am young in years and that how much older can I be than yourself to become your mother; but are you under the influence of a spring dream? Go and ask all those people older than yourself. They would be only too ready to call me mother. But snapping my fingers at them, I to-day exalt you.'

'I wasn't laughing about that,' Hsiao Hung answered with a smiling face. 'I was amused by the mistake your ladyship made about our generations. Why, my mother claims to be your daughter, my lady, and are you now going to recognise me too as your daughter?'