of addressing themselves promiscuously and quite at random by the four words representing 'female cousin' and 'male cousin.'
Hsiang Ling was gratifying her wishes to her heart's content and devoting her mind exclusively to the composition of verses, not presuming however to make herself too much of a nuisance to Pao-ch'ai, when, by a lucky coincidence, Shih Hsiang-yuen came on the scene. But how was it possible for one so loquacious as Hsiang- yuen to avoid the subject of verses, when Hsiang Ling repeatedly begged her for explanations? This inspirited her so much the more, that not a day went by, yea not a single night, on which she did not start some loud argument and lengthy discussion.
'You really,' Pao-ch'ai felt impelled to laugh, 'kick up such a din, that it's quite unbearable! Fancy a girl doing nothing else than turning poetry into a legitimate thing for raising an argument! Why, were some literary persons to hear you, they would, instead of praising you, have a laugh at your expense, and say that you don't mind your own business. We hadn't yet got rid of Hsiang Ling with all her rubbish, and here we have a chatterbox like you thrown on us! But what is it that that mouth of yours keeps on jabbering? What about the bathos of Tu Kung-pu; and the unadorned refinement of Wei Su-chou? What also about Wen Pa-ch'a's elegant diction; and Li I-shan's abstruseness? A pack of silly fools that you are! Do you in any way behave like girls should?'
These sneers evoked laughter from both Hsiang Ling and Hsiang-yuen. But in the course of their conversation, they perceived Pao-ch'in drop in, with a waterproof wrapper thrown over her, so dazzling with its gold and purplish colours, that they were at a loss to make out what sort of article it could be.
'Where did you get this?' Pao-ch'ai eagerly inquired.
'It was snowing,' Pao-ch'in smilingly replied, 'so her venerable ladyship turned up this piece of clothing and gave it to me.'
Hsiang Ling drew near and passed it under inspection. 'No wonder,' she exclaimed, 'it looks so handsome! It's verily woven with peacock's feathers.'
'What about peacock's feathers?' Hsiang-yuen laughed. 'It's made of the feathers plucked from the heads of wild ducks. This is a clear sign that our worthy ancestor is fond of you, for with all her love for Pao-yue, she hasn't given it to him to wear.'
'Truly does the proverb say: 'that every human being has his respective lot.'' Pao-ch'ai smiled. 'Nothing ever was further from my thoughts than that she would, at this juncture, drop on the scene! Come she may, but here she also gets our dear ancestor to lavish such love on her!'
'Unless you stay with our worthy senior,' Hsiang-yuen said, 'do come into the garden. You may romp and laugh and eat and drink as much as you like in these two places. But when you get over to Madame Hsing's rooms, talk and joke with her, if she be at home, to your heart's content; it won't matter if you tarry ever so long. But should she not be in, don't put your foot inside; for the inmates are many in those rooms and their hearts are evil. All they're up to is to do us harm.'
These words much amused Pao-ch'ai, Pao-ch'in, Hsiang-Ling, Ying Erh and the others present.
'Were one to say,' Pao-ch'ai smiled, 'that you're heartless, (it wouldn't do); for you've got a heart. But despite your having a heart, your tongue is, in fact, a little too outspoken! You should really to-day acknowledge this Ch'in Erh of ours as your own sister!'
'This article of clothing,' Hsiang-yuen laughed, casting another glance at Pao-ch'in, 'is only meet for her to wear. It wouldn't verily look well on any one else.'
Saying this, she espied Hu Po enter the room. 'Our old mistress,' she put in smiling, 'bade me tell you, Miss Pao-ch'ai, not to keep too strict a check over Miss Ch'in, for she's yet young; that you should let her do as she pleases, and that whatever she wants you should ask for, and not be afraid.'
Pao-ch'ai hastily jumped to her feet and signified her obedience. Pushing Pao-ch'in, she laughed. 'Even you couldn't tell whence this piece of good fortune hails from,' she said. 'Be off now; for mind, we might hurt your feelings. I can never believe myself so inferior to you!'
As she spoke, Pao-yue and Tai-yue walked in. But as Pao-ch'ai continued to indulge in raillery to herself, 'Cousin Pao,' Hsiang-yuen smilingly remonstrated, 'you may, it's true, be jesting, but what if there were any one to entertain such ideas in real earnest?'
'If any one took things in earnest,' Hu Po interposed laughing, 'why, she'd give offence to no one else but to him.' Pointing, as she uttered this remark, at Pao-yue.
'He's not that sort of person!' Pao-ch'ai and Hsiang-yuen simultaneously ventured, with a significant smile.
'If it isn't he,' Hu Po proceeded still laughing, 'it's she.' Turning again her finger towards Tai-yue.
Hsiang-yuen expressed not a word by way of rejoinder.
'That's still less likely,' Pao-ch'ai smiled, 'for my cousin is like her own sister; and she's far fonder of her than of me. How could she therefore take offence? Do you credit that nonsensical trash uttered by Yuen-erh! Why what good ever comes out of that mouth of hers?'
Pao-yue was ever well aware that Tai-yue was gifted with a somewhat mean disposition. He had not however as yet come to learn anything of what had recently transpired between Tai-yue and Pao-ch'ai. He was therefore just giving way to fears lest his grandmother's fondness for Pao-ch'in should be the cause of her feeling dejected. But when he now heard the remarks passed by Hsiang-yuen, and the rejoinders made, on the other hand, by Pao-ch'ai, and, when he noticed how different Tai-yue's voice and manner were from former occasions, and how they actually bore out Pao-ch'ai's insinuation, he was at a great loss how to solve the mystery. 'These two,' he consequently pondered, 'were never like this before! From all I can now see, they're, really, a hundred times far more friendly than any others are!' But presently he also observed Lin Tai-yue rush after Pao-ch'in, and call out 'Sister,' and, without even making any allusion to her name or any mention to her surname, treat her in every respect, just as if she were her own sister.
This Pao-ch'in was young and warm-hearted. She was naturally besides of an intelligent disposition. She had, from her very youth up, learnt how to read and how to write. After a stay, on the present occasion, of a couple of days in the Chia mansion, she became acquainted with nearly every inmate. And as she saw that the whole bevy of young ladies were not of a haughty nature, and that they kept on friendly terms with her own cousin, she did not feel disposed to treat them with any discourtesy. But she had likewise found out for herself that Lin Tai-yue was the best among the whole lot, so she started with Tai-yue, more than with any one else, a friendship of unusual fervour. This did not escape Pao-yue's notice; but all he could do was to secretly give way to amazement.
Shortly, however, Pao-ch'ai and her cousin repaired to Mrs. Hsueeh's quarters. Hsiang-yuen then betook herself to dowager lady Chia's apartments, while Lin Tai-yue returned to her room and lay down to rest.
Pao-yue thereupon came to look up Tai-yue.
'Albeit I've read the 'Record of the Western Side-room,'' he smiled, 'and understood a few passages of it, yet when I quoted some in order to make you laugh, you flew into a huff! But I now remember that there is, indeed, a passage, which is not intelligible to me; so let me quote it for you to explain it for me!'
Hearing this, Tai-yue immediately concluded that his words harboured some secret meaning, so putting on a smile, 'Recite it and let me hear it,' she said.
'In the 'Confusion' chapter,' Pao-yue laughingly began, 'there's a line couched in most beautiful language. It's this: 'What time did Meng Kuang receive Liang Hung's candlestick?' (When did you and Pao-ch'ai get to be such friends?) These five characters simply bear on a stock story; but to the credit of the writer be it, the question contained in the three empty words representing, 'What time' is set so charmingly! When did she receive it? Do tell me!'
At this inquiry, Tai-yue too could not help laughing. 'The question was originally nicely put,' she felt urged to rejoin with a laugh. 'But though the writer sets it gracefully, you ask it likewise with equal grace!'
'At one time,' Pao-yue. observed, 'all you knew was to suspect that I (was in love with Pao-ch'ai); and have you now no faults to find?'
'Who ever could have imagined her such a really nice girl!' Tai-yue smiled. 'I've all along thought her full of guile!' And seizing the occasion, she told Pao-yue with full particulars how she had, in the game of forfeits, made an improper quotation, and what advice Pao-ch'ai had given her on the subject; how she had even sent her some birds' nests, and what they had said in the course of the chat they had had during her illness.
Pao-yue then at length came to see why it was that such a warm friendship had sprung up between them. 'To tell you the truth,' he consequently remarked smilingly, 'I was just wondering when Meng Kuang had received Liang Hung's candlestick; and, lo, you, indeed, got it, when a mere child and through some reckless talk, (and your
