they had perceived how obstinate Hsi Jen was in not taking it back that they at last volunteered to keep it.
'Are there,' Hsi Jen then inquired, 'any servant-boys on duty outside the back gate?'
'There are four of them every day,' answered one of the matrons. 'They're put there with the sole idea of attending to any orders that might be given them from inside. But, Miss, if you've anything to order them to do, we'll go and deliver your message.'
'What orders can I have to give them?' Hsi Jen laughed. 'Mr. Pao, our master Secundus, was purposing to send some one to-day to the young marquis' house to take something over to Miss Shih. But you come at an opportune moment so you might, on your way out, tell the servant-boys at the back gate to hire a carriage; and on its return you can come here and get the money. But don't let them rush recklessly against people in the front part of the compound!'
The matrons signified their obedience and took their leave. Hsi Jen retraced her steps into the house to fetch a tray in which to place the presents intended for Shih Hsiang-yuen, but she discovered the shelf for trays empty. Upon turning round, however, she caught sight of Ch'ing Wen, Ch'iu Wen, She Yueeh and the other girls, seated together, busy with their needlework. 'Where is the white cornelian tray with twisted threads gone to?' Hsi Jen asked.
At this question, one looked at the one, and the other stared at the other, but none of them could remember anything about it. After a protracted lapse of time, Ch'ing Wen smiled. 'It was taken to Miss Tertia's with a present of lichees,' she rejoined, 'and it hasn't as yet been returned.'
'There are plenty of articles,' Hsi Jen remarked, 'for sending over things on ordinary occasions; and do you deliberately go and carry this off?'
'Didn't I maintain the same thing?' Ch'ing Wen retorted. 'But so well did this tray match with the fresh lichees it contained, that when I took it over, Miss T'an Ch'un herself noticed the fact. 'How splendid,' she said, and lo, putting even the tray by, she never had it brought over. But, look! hasn't the pair of beaded vases, which stood on the very top of that shelf, been fetched as yet?'
'The mention of these vases,' Ch'iu Wen laughed, 'reminds me again of a funny incident. Whenever our Mr. Pao-yue's filial piety is aroused, he shows himself filial over and above the highest degree! The other day, he espied the olea flowers in the park, and he plucked two twigs. His original idea was to place them in a vase for himself, but a sudden thought struck him. 'These are flowers,' he mused, 'which have newly opened in our garden, so how can I presume to be the first to enjoy them?' And actually taking down that pair of vases, he filled them with water with his own hands, put the flowers in, and, calling a servant to carry them, he in person took one of the vases into dowager lady Chia's, and then took the other to Madame Wang's. But, as it happens, even his attendants reap some benefit, when once his filial feelings are stirred up! As luck would have it, the one who carried the vases over on that day was myself. The sight of these flowers so enchanted our venerable lady that there was nothing that she wouldn't do. 'Pao-yue,' she said to every one she met, 'is the one, after all, who shows me much attention. So much so, that he has even thought of bringing me a twig of flowers! And yet, the others bear me a grudge on account of the love that I lavish on him!' Our venerable mistress, you all know very well, has never had much to say to me. I have all along not been much of a favourite in the old lady's eyes. But on that occasion she verily directed some one to give me several hundreds of cash. 'I was to be pitied,' she observed, 'for being born with a weak physique!' This was, indeed, an unforeseen piece of good luck! The several hundreds of cash are a mere trifle; but what's not easy to get is this sort of honour! After that, we went over into Madame Wang's. Madame Wang was, at the time, with our lady Secunda, Mrs. Chao, and a whole lot of people; turning the boxes topsy-turvey, trying to find some coloured clothes her ladyship had worn long ago in her youth, so as to give them to some one or other. Who it was, I don't know. But the moment she saw us, she did not even think of searching for any clothes, but got lost in admiration for the flowers. Our lady Secunda was also standing by, and she made sport of the matter. She extolled our master Pao, for his filial piety and for his knowledge of right and wrong; and what with what was true and what wasn't, she came out with two cart-loads of compliments. These things spoken in the presence of the whole company so added to Madame Wang's lustre and sealed every one's mouth, that her ladyship was more and more filled with gratification, and she gave me two ready-made clothes as a present. These too are of no consequence; one way or another, we get some every year; but nothing can come up to this sort of lucky chance!'
'Psha!' Ch'ing Wen ejaculated with a significant smile, 'you are indeed a mean thing, who has seen nothing of the world! She gave the good ones to others and the refuse to you; and do you still pat on all this side?'
'No matter whether what she gave me was refuse or not,' Ch'iu Wen protested, 'it's, after all, an act of bounty on the part of her ladyship.'
'Had it been myself,' Ch'ing Wen pursued, 'I would at once have refused them! It wouldn't have mattered if she had given me what had been left by some one else; but we all stand on an equal footing in these rooms, and is there any one, forsooth, so much the more exalted or honorable than the other as to justify her taking what is good and bestowing it upon her and giving me what is left? I had rather not take them! I might have had to give offence to Madame Wang, but I wouldn't have put up with such a slight!'
'To whom did she give any in these rooms?' Ch'iu Wen vehemently inquired. 'I was unwell and went home for several days, so that I am not aware to whom any were given. Dear sister, do tell me who it is so that I may know.'
'Were I to tell you,' Ch'ing Wen rejoined, 'is it likely that you would return them at this hour to Madame Wang?'
'What nonsense,' Ch'iu Wen laughed. 'Ever since I've heard about it, I've been delighted and happy. No matter if she even bestowed upon me what remained from anything given to a dog in these rooms, I would have been thankful for her ladyship's kindness. I wouldn't have worried my mind with anything else!'
After listening to her, everybody laughed. 'Doesn't she know how to jeer in fine style!' they ejaculated unanimously; 'for weren't they given to that foreign spotted pug dog?'
'You lot of filthy-tongued creatures!' Hsi Jen laughed, 'when you've got nothing to do, you make me the scapegoat to crack your jokes, and poke your fun at! But what kind of death will, I wonder, each of you have!'
'Was it verily you, sister, who got them?' Ch'iu Wen asked with a smile. 'I assure you I had no idea about it! I tender you my apologies.'
'You might be a little less domineering!' Hsi Jen remarked smilingly. 'The thing now is, who of you will go and fetch the tray.'
'The vases too,' Shih Yueeh suggested, 'must be got back when there's any time to spare; for there's nothing to say about our venerable mistress' quarters, but Madame Wang's apartments teem with people and many hands. The rest are all right; but Mrs. Chao and all that company will, when they see that the vase hails from these rooms, surely again foster evil designs, and they won't feel happy until they've done all they can to spoil it! Besides, Madame Wang doesn't trouble herself about such things. So had we not as well bring it over a moment sooner?'
Hearing this, Ch'ing Wen threw down her needlework. 'What you say is perfectly right,' she assented, 'so you'd better let me go and fetch it.'
'I'll, after all, go for it.' Ch'iu Wen cried. 'You can go and get that tray of yours!'
'You should let me once go for something!' Ch'ing Wen pleaded. 'Whenever any lucky chance has turned up, you've invariably grabbed it; and can it be that you won't let me have a single turn?'
'Altogether,' She Yueeh said laughingly, 'that girl Ch'iu Wen got a few clothes just once; can such a lucky coincidence present itself again today that you too should find them engaged in searching for clothes?'
'Albeit I mayn't come across any clothes,' Ch'ing Wen rejoined with a sardonic smile, 'our Madame Wang may notice how diligent I am, and apportion me a couple of taels out of her public expenses; there's no saying.' Continuing, 'Don't you people,' she laughed, 'try and play your pranks with me; for is there anything that I don't twig?'
As she spoke, she ran outside. Ch'iu Wen too left the room in her company; but she repaired to T'an Ch'un's quarters and fetched the tray.
Hsi Jen then got everything ready. Calling an old nurse attached to the same place as herself, Sung by name, 'Just go first and wash, comb your hair and put on your out-of-door clothes,' she said to her, 'and then come back as I want to send you at once with a present to Miss Shih.'
'Miss,' urged the nurse Sung, 'just give me what you have; and, if you have any message, tell it me; so that when I've tidied myself I may go straightway.'
Hsi Jen, at this proposal, brought two small twisted wire boxes; and, opening first the one in which were two
