'O-mi-to-fu!' observed Tai-yue, turning outwards, 'it wouldn't matter to you if you found me dead on your return!'
On his arrival outside, Pao-yue discovered Pei Ming. 'You are invited,' he said, 'to go to Mr. Feng's house.'
Upon hearing this message, Pao-yue knew well enough that it was about the project mooted the previous day, and accordingly he told him to go and ask for his clothes, while he himself wended his steps into the library.
Pei Ming came forthwith to the second gate and waited for some one to appear. Seeing an old woman walk out, Pei Ming went up to her. 'Our Master Secundus, Mr. Pao,' he told her, 'is in the study waiting for his out-door clothes; so do go in, worthy dame, and deliver the message.'
'It would be better,' replied the old woman, 'if you did not echo your mother's absurdities! Our Master Secundus, Mr. Pao, now lives in the garden, and all the servants, who attend on him, stay in the garden; and do you again come and bring the message here?'
At these words, Pei Ming smiled. 'You're quite right,' he rejoined, 'in reproving me, for I've become quite idiotic.'
So saying, he repaired with quick step to the second gate on the east side, where, by a lucky hit, the young servant-boys on duty, were kicking marbles on the raised road. Pei Ming explained to them the object of his coming. A young boy thereupon ran in. After a long interval, he, at length, made his appearance, holding, enfolded in his arms, a bundle of clothes, which he handed to Pei Ming, who then returned to the library. Pao-yue effected a change in his costume, and giving directions to saddle his horse, he only took along with him the four servant-boys, Pei Ming, Chu Lo, Shuang Jui and Shou Erh, and started on his way. He reached Feng Tzu-ying's doorway by a short cut. A servant announced his arrival, and Feng Tzu-ying came out and ushered him in. Here he discovered Hsueeh P'an, who had already been waiting a long time, and several singing-boys besides; as well as Chiang Yue-han, who played female roles, and Yuen Erh, a courtesan in the Chin Hsiang court. The whole company exchanged salutations. They next had tea. 'What you said the other day,' smiled Pao-yue, raising his cup, 'about good fortune coming out of evil fortune has preyed so much upon my mind, both by day and night, that the moment I received your summons I hurried to come immediately.'
'My worthy cousins,' rejoined Feng Tzu-ying smiling. 'You're all far too credulous! It's a mere hoax that I made use of the other day. For so much did I fear that you would be sure to refuse if I openly asked you to a drinking bout, that I thought it fit to say what I did. But your attendance to-day, so soon after my invitation, makes it clear, little though one would have thought it, that you've all taken it as pure gospel truth.'
This admission evoked laughter from the whole company. The wines were afterwards placed on the table, and they took the seats consistent with their grades. Feng Tzu-ying first and foremost called the singing-boys and offered them a drink. Next he told Yuen Erh to also approach and have a cup of wine.
By the time, however, that Hsueeh P'an had had his third cup, he of a sudden lost control over his feelings, and clasping Yuen Erh's hand in his: 'Do sing me,' he smiled, 'that novel ballad of your own composition; and I'll drink a whole jar full. Eh, will you?'
This appeal compelled Yuen Erh to take up the guitar. She then sang:
Lovers have I two.
To set aside either I cannot bear.
When my heart longs for thee to come,
It also yearns for him.
Both are in form handsome and fair.
Their beauty to describe it would be hard.
Just think, last night, when at a silent hour, we met in secret, by
the trellis
frame laden with roses white,
One to his feelings stealthily was giving vent,
When lo, the other caught us in the act,
And laying hands on us; there we three stood like litigants before the
bar.
And I had, verily, no word in answer for myself to give.
At the close of her song, she laughed. 'Well now,' she cried, 'down with that whole jar!'
'Why, it isn't worth a jarful,' smiled Hsueeh P'an at these words. 'Favour us with some other good song!'
'Listen to what I have to suggest,' Pao-yue interposed, a smile on his lips. 'If you go on drinking in this reckless manner, we will easily get drunk and there will be no fun in it. I'll take the lead and swallow a large cupful and put in force a new penalty; and any one of you who doesn't comply with it, will be mulcted in ten large cupfuls, in quick succession!'
Speedily rising from the banquet, he poured the wine for the company. Feng Tzu-ying and the rest meanwhile exclaimed with one voice: 'Quite right! quite right!'
Pao-yue then lifted a large cup and drained it with one draught. 'We will now,' he proposed, 'dilate on the four characters, 'sad, wounded, glad and joyful.' But while discoursing about young ladies, we'll have to illustrate the four states as well. At the end of this recitation, we'll have to drink the 'door cup' over the wine, to sing an original and seasonable ballad, while over the heel taps, to make allusion to some object on the table, and devise something with some old poetical lines or ancient scrolls, from the Four Books or the Five Classics, or with some set phrases.'
Hsueeh P'an gave him no time to finish. He was the first to stand up and prevent him from proceeding. 'I won't join you, so don't count me; this is, in fact, done in order to play tricks upon me.'
Yuen Erh, however, also rose to her feet and shoved him down into his seat.
'What are you in such a funk for?' she laughed. 'You're fortunate enough to be able to drink wine daily, and can't you, forsooth, even come up to me? Yet I mean to recite, by and bye, my own share. If you say what's right, well and good; if you don't, you will simply have to swallow several cups of wine as a forfeit, and is it likely you'll die from drunkenness? Are you, pray, going now to disregard this rule and to drink, instead, ten large cups; besides going down to pour the wine?'
One and all clapped in applause. 'Well said!' they shouted.
After this, Hueeh P'an had no way out of it and felt compelled to resume his seat.
They then heard Pao-yue recite:
A girl is sad,
When her spring-time of life is far advanced and she still occupies a
vacant inner-room.
A girl feels wounded in her heart,
When she regrets having allowed her better half to go abroad and win a
marquisdom.
A girl is glad,
When looking in the mirror, at the time of her morning toilette, she
finds her colour fair.
A girl is joyful,
What time she sits on the frame of a gallows-swing, clad in a thin
spring gown.
Having listened to him, 'Capital!' one and all cried out in a chorus. Hsueeh P'an alone raised his face, shook his head and remarked: 'It isn't good, he must be fined.'
'Why should he be fined?' demurred the party.
'Because,' retorted Hsueeh P'an, 'what he says is entirely unintelligible to me. So how can he not be fined?'
Yuen Erh gave him a pinch.-'Just you quietly think of yours,' she laughed; 'for if by and bye you are not ready you'll also have to bear a fine.'
In due course Pao-yue took up the guitar. He was heard to sing:
'When mutual thoughts arise, tears, blood-stained, endless drop, like
