about it. Let's hurry up now, and compose a few fine ones, so as to have them ready to enjoy some good fun in the first moon.'
Speaking the while, they came in a body into the room with the earthen couches, where they found the cups, dishes and eatables already laid out in readiness. On the walls had been put up the themes, metre, and specimen verses. Pao-yue and Hsiang-yuen hastened to examine what was written. They saw that they had to take for a theme something on the present scenery and indite a stanza with antithetical pentameter lines; that the word 'hsiao,' second (in the book of metre), had been fixed upon as a rhyme; but that there was, below that, no mention, as yet, made of any precedence.
'I can't write verses very well,' Li Wan pleaded, 'so all I'll do will be to devise three lines, and the one, who'll finish the task first, we'll have afterwards to pair them.'
'We should, after all,' Pao-ch'ai urged, 'make some distinction with regard to order.'
But, reader, if you entertain any desire to know the sequel, peruse the particulars recorded in the chapter that follows.
CHAPTER L.
In the Lu Hsueeh pavilion, they vie with each other in pairing verses
on the scenery.
In the Nuan Hsiang village, they compose, in beautiful style, riddles
for the spring lanterns.
But to continue. 'We should, after all,' Pao-ch'ai suggested, 'make some distinction as to order. Let me write out what's needful.'
After uttering this proposal, she urged every one to draw lots and determine the precedence. The first one to draw was Li Wan. After her, a list of the respective names was made in the order in which they came out.
'Well, in that case,' lady Feng rejoined, 'I'll also give a top line.'
The whole party laughed in chorus. 'It will be ever so much better like this,' they said.
Pao-ch'ai supplied above 'the old labourer of Tao Hsiang' the word 'Feng,' whereupon Li Wan went on to explain the theme to her.
'You musn't poke fun at me!' lady Feng smiled, after considerable reflection. 'I've only managed to get a coarse line. It consists of five words. As for the rest, I have no idea how to manage them.'
'The coarser the language, the better it is,' one and all laughed. 'Out with it! You can then go and attend to your legitimate business!'
'I fancy,' lady Feng observed, 'that when it snows there's bound to be northerly wind, for last night I heard the wind blow from the north the whole night long. I've got a line, it's:
''The whole night long the northern wind was high;'
'but whether it will do or not, I am not going to worry my mind about it.'
One and all, upon hearing this, exchanged looks. 'This line is, it's true, coarse,' they smiled, 'and gives no insight into what comes below, but it's just the kind of opening that would be used by such as understand versification. It's not only good, but it will afford to those, who come after you, inexhaustible scope for writing. In fact, this line will take the lead, so 'old labourer of Tao Hsiang' be quick and indite some more to tag on below.'
Lady Feng, 'sister-in-law' Li, and P'ing Erh had then another couple of glasses, after which each went her own way. During this while Li Wan wrote down:
The whole night long the northern wind was high;
and then she herself subjoined the antithetical couplet:
The door I ope, and lo the flakes of snow are still toss'd by the
wind,
And drop into the slush. Oh, what a pity they're so purely white!
Hsiang Ling recited:
All o'er the ground is spread, alas, this bright, refulgent gem;
But with an aim; for it is meant dry herbage to revive.
T'an Ch'un said:
Without design the dying sprouts of grain it nutrifies.
But in the villages the price of mellow wine doth rise.
Li Ch'i added:
In a good year, grain in the house is plentiful.
The bulrush moves and the ash issues from the tube.
Li Wen continued:
What time spring comes the handle of the Dipper turns.
The bleaky hills have long ago their verdure lost.
Chou-yen proceeded:
On a frost-covered stream, no tide can ever rise.
Easy the snow hangs on the sparse-leaved willow twigs.
Hsiang-yuen pursued:
Hard 'tis for snow to pile on broken plantain leaves.
The coal, musk-scented, burns in the precious tripod.
Pao-ch'in recited:
Th' embroidered sleeve enwraps the golden sable in its folds.
The snow transcends the mirror by the window in lustre.
Pao-yue suggested:
The fragrant pepper clings unto the wall.
The side wind still in whistling gusts doth blow.
Tai-yue added:
A quiet dream becomes a cheerless thing.
Where is the fife with plum bloom painted on?
Pao-ch'ai continued:
In whose household is there a flute made of green jade?
The fish fears lest the earth from its axis might drop.
'I'll go and see that the wine is warm for you people,' Li Wan smiled.
But when Pao-ch'ai told Pao-ch'in to connect some lines, she caught sight of Hsiang-yuen rise to her feet and put in:
What time the dragon wages war, the clouds dispel.
Back to the wild shore turns the man with single scull.
Pao-ch'in thereupon again appended the couplet:
The old man hums his lines, and with his whip he points at the 'Pa'
bridge.
Fur coats are, out of pity, on the troops at the frontiers bestowed.
But would Hsiang-yuen allow any one to have a say? The others could not besides come up to her in quickness of wits so that, while their eyes were fixed on her, she with eyebrows uplifted and figure outstretched proceeded to say:
More cotton coats confer, for bear in memory th' imperial serfs!
The rugged barbarous lands are (on account of snow) with dangers
fraught.
Pao-ch'ai praised the verses again and again, and next contributed the distich:
The twigs and branches live in fear of being tossed about.
With what whiteness and feath'ry step the flakes of snow descend!
Tai-yue eagerly subjoined the lines:
