fond of such things. These will be quite enough! We don't want anything else, so don't go to any useless trouble!'
Goody Liu gave utterance to profuse expressions of gratitude and signified her readiness to comply with her wishes.
'Just you go to sleep,' P'ing Erh urged, 'and I'll get the things ready for you and put them in here. As soon as the day breaks to-morrow, I'll send the servant-lads to hire a cart and pack them in; don't you therefore worry yourself in the least on that score!'
Goody Liu felt more and more ineffably grateful. So crossing over, she again said, with warm protestations of thankfulness, good bye to lady Feng; after which, she repaired to dowager lady Chia's quarters on this side, where she slept, with one sleep, during the whole night. Early the next day, as soon as she had combed her hair and performed her ablutions, she asked to go and pay her adieus to lady Chia. But as old lady Chia was unwell, the various members of the family came to see how she was getting on. On their reappearance outside, they transmitted orders that the doctor should be sent for. In a little time, a matron reported that the doctor had arrived, and an old nurse invited dowager lady Chia to ensconce herself under the curtain.
'I'm an old woman!' lady Chia remonstrated. 'Am I not aged enough to be a mother to that fellow? and am I, pray, to still stand on any ceremonies with him? There's no need to drop the curtain; I'll see him as I am, and have done.'
Hearing her objections, the matrons fetched a small table, and, laying a small pillow on it, they directed a servant to ask the doctor in.
Presently, they perceived the trio Chia Chen, Chia Lien, and Chia Jung, bringing Dr. Wang. Dr. Wang did not presume to use the raised road, but confining himself to the side steps, he kept pace with Chia Chen until they reached the platform. Two matrons, who had been standing, one on either side from an early hour, raised the portiere. A couple of old women servants then took the lead and showed the way in. But Pao-yue too appeared on the scene to meet them.
They found old lady Chia seated bolt upright on the couch, dressed in a blue crape jacket, lined with sheep skin, every curl of which resembled a pearl. On the right and left stood four young maids, whose hair had not as yet been allowed to grow, with fly-brushes, finger-bowls, and other such articles in their hands. Five or six old nurses were also drawn up on both sides like wings. At the back of the jade-green gauze mosquito-house were faintly visible several persons in red and green habiliments, with gems on their heads, and gold trinkets in their coiffures.
Dr. Wang could not muster the courage to raise his head. With speedy step, he advanced and paid his obeisance. Dowager lady Chia noticed that he wore the official dress of the sixth grade, and she accordingly concluded that he must be an imperial physician. 'How are you noble doctor?' she inquired, forcing a smile. 'What is the worthy surname of this noble doctor?' she then asked Chia Chen.
Chia Chen and his companions made prompt reply. 'His surname is Wang,' they said.
'There was once a certain Wang Chuen-hsiao who filled the chair of President of the College of Imperial Physicians,' dowager lady smilingly proceeded. 'He excelled in feeling the pulse.'
Dr. Wang bent his body, and with alacrity he lowered his head and returned her smile. 'That was,' he explained, 'my grand uncle.'
'Is it really so!' laughingly pursued dowager lady Chia, upon catching this reply. 'We can then call ourselves old friends!'
So speaking, she quietly put out her hand and rested it on the small pillow. A nurse laid hold of a small stool and placed it before the small table, slightly to the side of it. Dr. Wang bent one knee and took a seat on the stool. Drooping his head, he felt the pulse of the one hand for a long while; next, he examined that of the other; after which, hastily making a curtsey, he bent his head and started on his way out of the apartment.
'Excuse me for the trouble I've put you to!' dowager lady Chia smiled. 'Chen Erh, escort him outside, and do see that he has a cup of tea.'
Chia Chen, Chia Lien and the rest of their companions immediately acquiesced by uttering several yes's, and once more they led Dr. Wang into the outer study.
'Your worthy senior,' Dr. Wang explained, 'has nothing else the matter with her than a slight chill, which she must have inadvertently contracted. She needn't, after all, take any medicines; all she need do is to diet herself and keep warm a little; and she'll get all right. But I'll now write a prescription, in here. Should her venerable ladyship care to take any of the medicine, then prepare a dose, according to the prescription, and let her have it. But should she be loth to have any, well, never mind, it won't be of any consequence.'
Saying this, he wrote the prescription, as he sipped his tea. But when about to take his leave, he saw a nurse bring Ta Chieh-erh into the room. 'Mr. Wang,' she said, 'do also have a look at our Chieh Erh!'
Upon hearing her appeal, Dr. Wang immediately rose to his feet. While she was clasped in her nurse's arms, he rested Ta Chieh-erh's hand on his left hand and felt her pulse with his right, and rubbing her forehead, he asked her to put out her tongue and let him see it. 'Were I to express my views about Chieh Erh, you would again abuse me! If she's, however, kept quiet and allowed to go hungry for a couple of meals, she'll get over this. There's no necessity for her to take any decocted medicines. I'll just send her some pills, which you'll have to dissolve in a preparation of ginger, and give them to her before she goes to sleep; when she has had these, there will be nothing more the matter with her.'
At the conclusion of these recommendations, he bade them goodbye and took his departure. Chia Chen and his companions then took the prescription and came and explained to old lady Chia the nature of her indisposition, and, depositing on the table, the paper given to them by the doctor, they quitted her presence. But nothing more need be said about them.
Madame Wang and Li Wan, lady Feng, Pao Ch'ai and the other young ladies noticed, meanwhile, that the doctor had gone, and they eventually egressed from the back of the mosquito-house. After a short stay, Madame Wang returned to her quarters. Goody Liu repaired, when she perceived everything quiet again, into the upper rooms and made her adieus to dowager lady Chia.
'When you've got any leisure, do pay us another visit,' old lady Chia urged, and bidding Yuan Yang come to her, 'Do be careful,' she added, 'and see dame Liu safely on her way out; for not being well I can't escort you myself.'
Goody Liu expressed her thanks, and saying good bye a second time, she betook herself, along with Yuean Yang, into the servants' quarters. Here Yuean Yang pointed at a bundle on the stove-couch. 'These are,' she said, 'several articles of clothing, belonging to our old mistress; they were presented to her in years gone by, by members of our family on her birthdays and various festivals; her ladyship never wears anything made by people outside; yet to hoard these would be a downright pity! Indeed, she hasn't worn them even once. It was yesterday that she told me to get out two costumes and hand them to you to take along with you, either to give as presents, or to be worn by some one in your home; but don't make fun of us! In the box you'll find the flour-fruits, for which you asked. This bundle contains the medicines to which you alluded the other day. There are 'plum-blossom- spotted-tongue pills,' and 'purple-gold- ingot-pills,' also 'vivifying-blood-vessels-pills,' as well as 'driving-offspring and preserving-life pills;' each kind being rolled up in a sheet bearing the prescription; and the whole lot of them are packed up in here. While these two are purses for you to wear in the way of ornaments.' So saying, she forthwith loosened the cord, and, producing two ingots representing pencils, and with 'ju i' on them, implying 'your wishes will surely be fulfilled,' she drew near and showed them to her, 'Take the purses,' she pursued smiling, 'but do leave these behind and give them to me.'
Goody Liu was so overjoyed that she had, from an early period, come out afresh with several thousands of invocations of Buddha's names. When she therefore heard Yuean Yang's suggestion, 'Miss,' she quickly rejoined, 'you're at perfect liberty to keep them!'
Yuean Yang perceived that her words were believed by her; so smiling she once more dropped the ingots into the purse. 'I was only joking with you for fun!' she observed. 'I've got a good many like these; keep them therefore and give them, at the close of the year, to your young children.'
Speaking the while, she espied a young maid walk in with a cup from the 'Ch'eng' kiln, and hand it to old goody Liu. 'This,' (she said,) 'our master Secundus, Mr. Pao, gives you.'
'Whence could I begin enumerating the things I got!' Goody Liu exclaimed. 'In what previous existence did I accomplish anything so meritorious as to bring to-day this heap of blessings upon me!'
With these words, she eagerly took possession of the cup.
