reason for it?' she promptly demurred. 'Who has again been twenty months in the womb? Or is it forsooth any one who's gone to the wars, and managed to escape with his life, carrying his master on his back? Your mistress is certainly very ingenious! She tells me to disregard the precedent, in order that she should pose as a benefactress! She wishes to take the money, which Madame Wang spurns, so as to reap the pleasure of conferring favours! Just you tell her that I could not presume to add or reduce anything, or even to adopt any reckless decision. Let her add what she wants and make a display of bounty. When she gets better and is able to come out, she can effect whatever additions she fancies.'
The moment P'ing Erh arrived, she obtained a fair insight (into lady Feng's designs), so when she heard the present remarks, she grasped a still more correct idea of things. But perceiving an angry look about T'an Ch'un's face, she did not have the temerity to behave towards her as she would, had she found her in the high spirits of past days. All she did therefore was to stand aloof with her arms against her sides and to wait in rigid silence. Just at that moment, however, Pao-ch'ai dropped in, on her return from the upper rooms. T'an Ch'un quickly rose to her feet, and offered her a seat. But before they had had time to exchange any words, a married woman likewise came to report some business.
But as T'an Ch'un had been having a good cry, three or four young maids brought her a basin, towel, and hand-glass and other articles of toilette. T'an Ch'un was at the moment seated cross-legged, on a low wooden couch, so the maid with the basin had, when she drew near, to drop on both her knees and lift it high enough to bring it within reach. The other two girls prostrated themselves next to her and handed the towels and the rest of the toilet things, which consisted of a looking-glass, rouge and powder. But P'ing Erh noticed that Shih Shu was not in the room, and approaching T'an Ch'un with hasty step, she tucked up her sleeves for her and unclasped her bracelets. Seizing also a large towel from the hands of one of the maids, she covered the lapel on the front part of T'an Ch'un's dress; whereupon T'an Ch'un put out her hands, and washed herself in the basin.
'My lady and miss,' the married woman observed, 'may it please you to pay what has been spent in the family school for Mr. Chia Huan and Mr.. Chia Lan during the year.'
P'ing Erh was the first to speak. 'What are you in such a hurry for?' she cried. 'You've got your eyes wide open, and must be able to see our young lady washing her face; instead of coming forward to wait on her, you start talking! Do you also behave in this blind sort of way in the presence of your lady Secunda? This young lady is, it's true, generous and lenient, but I'll go and report you to your mistress. I'll simply tell her that you people have no eye for Miss T'an Ch'un. But when you find yourselves in a mess, don't bear me any malice.'
At this hint the woman took alarm, and hastily forcing a smile, she pleaded guilty. 'I've been rude,' she exclaimed. With these words, she rushed with all despatch out of the room.
T'an Ch'un smoothed her face. While doing so, she turned herself towards P'ing Erh and gave her a cynical smile. 'You've come just one step too late,' she remarked. 'You weren't in time to see something laughable! Even sister Wu, an old hand at business though she be, failed to look up clearly an old custom and came to play her tricks on us. But when we plied her with questions, she luckily had the face to admit that it had slipped from her memory. 'Do you,' I insinuated, 'also forget, when you've got anything to report to lady Secunda? and have you subsequently to go and hunt up all about it?' Your mistress can't, I fancy, be so patient as to wait while she goes and institutes proper search.'
P'ing Erh laughed. 'Were she to have behaved but once in this wise,' she observed, 'I feel positive that a couple of the tendons of her legs would have long ago been snapped. But, Miss, don't credit all they say. It's because they see that our senior mistress is as sweet-tempered as a 'P'u-sa,' and that you, miss, are a modest young lady, that they, naturally, shirk their duties and come and take liberties with you. Your mind is set upon playing the giddy dogs,' continuing, she added; speaking towards those beyond the doorway; 'but when your mistress gets quite well again, we'll tell her all.'
'You're gifted with the greatest perspicacity, miss,' the married women, standing outside the door, smiled in chorus. 'The proverb says: 'the person who commits a fault must be the one to suffer.' We don't in any way presume to treat any mistress with disdain. Our mistress at present is in delicate health, and if we intentionally provoke her, may we, when we die, have no place to have our corpses interred in.'
P'ing Erh laughed a laugh full irony. 'So long as you're aware of this, it's well and good,' she said. And smiling a saturnine smile, she resumed, addressing herself to T'an Ch'un: 'Miss, you know very well how busy our lady has been and how little she could afford the time to keep this tribe of people in order. Of course, they couldn't therefore, be prevented from becoming remiss. The adage has it: 'Lookers-on are clear of sight!' During all these years that you, have looked on dispassionately, there have possibly been instances on which, though additions or reductions should have been made, our lady Secunda has not been able to effect them, so, miss, do add or curtail whatever you may deem necessary, in order that, first, Madame Wang may be benefited, and that, secondly, you mayn't too render nugatory the kindness with which you ever deal towards our mistress.'
But scarcely had she finished, than Pao-ch'ai and Li Wan smilingly interposed. 'What a dear girl!' they ejaculated. 'One really can't feel angry with that hussy Feng for being partial to her and fond of her. We didn't, at first, see how we could very well alter anything by any increase or reduction, but after what you've told us, we must hit upon one or two things and try and devise means to do something, with a view of not showing ourselves ungrateful of the advice you've tendered us.'
'My heart was swelling with indignation,' T'an Ch'un observed laughing, 'and I was about to go and give vent to my temper with her mistress, but now that she (P'ing Erh) has happened to come, she has, with a few words, quite dissuaded me from my purpose.'
While she spoke, she called the woman, who had been with them a few minutes back, to return into the room. 'For what things for Mr. Chia Huan and Mr. Chia Lau was the money expended during the year in the family school?' she inquired of her.
'For cakes,' replied the woman, 'they ate during the year at school; or for the purchase of paper and pens. Each one of them is allowed eight taels.'
'The various expenses on behalf of the young men,' T'an Ch'un added, 'are invariably paid in monthly instalments to the respective households. For cousin Chia Huan's, Mrs. Chao receives two taels. For Pao-yue's, Hsi Jen draws two taels from our venerable senior's suite of apartments. For cousin Chia Lan's, some one, in our senior lady's rooms, gets the proper allowance. So how is it that these extra eight taels have to be disbursed at school for each of these young fellows? Is it really for these eight taels that they go to school? But from this day forth I shall put a stop to this outlay. So P'ing Erh, when you get back, tell your mistress that I say that this item must absolutely be done away with.'
'This should have been done away with long ago,' P'ing Erh smiled. 'Last year our lady expressed her intention to eliminate it, but with the endless things that claimed her attention about the fall of the year, she forgot all about it.'
The woman had no other course than to concur with her views and to walk away. But the married women thereupon arrived from the garden of Broad Vista with the boxes of eatables. So Shih Shu and Su Yuen at once brought a small dining-table, and P'ing Erh began to fuss about laying the viands on it.
'If you've said all you had,' T'an Ch'un laughed, 'you'd better be off and attend to your business. What's the use of your bustling about here?'
'I've really got nothing to do,' P'ing Erh answered smiling. 'Our lady Secunda sent me first, to deliver a message; and next, because she feared that the servants in here weren't handy enough. The fact is, she bade me come and help the girls wait on you, my lady, and on you, miss.'
'Why don't you bring Mrs. Pao's meal so that she should have it along with us?' T'an Ch'un then inquired.
As soon as the waiting-maids heard her inquiry, they speedily rushed out and went under the eaves. 'Go,' they cried, directing the married women, 'and say that Miss Pao-ch'ai would like to have her repast just now in the hall along with the others, and tell them to send the eatables here.'
T'an Ch'un caught their directions. 'Don't be deputing people to go on reckless errands!' she vociferated. 'Those are dames, who manage important matters and look after the house, and do you send them to ask for eatables and inquire about tea? You haven't even the least notion about gradation. P'ing Erh is standing here, so tell her to go and give the message.'
P'ing Erh immediately assented, and issued from the room, bent upon going on the errand. But the married women stealthily pulled her back. 'How could you, miss, be made to go and tell them?' they smiled. 'We've got some one here, who can do so!'
