to contribute along with the lot.'
'That's a good child!' lady Chia laughingly rejoined.
'Those above as well as those below have all alike given their share,' lady Feng went on to observe with a smile. 'But there are still those two secondary wives; are they to give anything or not? Do go and ask them! It's but right that we should go to the extreme length and include them. Otherwise, they'll imagine that we've looked down upon them!'
'Just so!' eagerly answered lady Chia, at these words. 'How is it that we forgot all about them? The only thing is, I fear, they've got no time to spare; yet, tell a servant-girl to go and ask them what they'll do!'
While she spoke, a servant-girl went off. After a long absence, she returned. 'Each of them,' she reported, 'will likewise contribute two taels.'
Dowager lady Chia was delighted with the result. 'Fetch a pen and inkslab,' she cried, 'and let's calculate how much they amount to, all together.'
Mrs. Yu abused lady Feng in a low tone of voice. 'I'll take you, you mean covetous creature, and ... ! All these mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law have come forward and raised money to celebrate your birthday, and are you yet not satisfied that you must also drag in those two miserable beings! But what do you do it for?'
'Try and talk less trash!' lady Feng smiled; also in an undertone. 'We'll be leaving this place in a little time and then I'll square up accounts with you! But why ever are those two miserable? When they have money, they uselessly give it to other people; and isn't it better that we should get hold of it, and enjoy ourselves with it?'
While she uttered these taunts, they computed that the collections would reach a sum over and above one hundred and fifty taels.
'We couldn't possibly run through all this for a day's theatricals and banquet!' old lady Chia exclaimed.
'As no outside guests are to be invited,' Mrs. Yu interposed, 'and the number of tables won't also be many, there will be enough to cover two or three days' outlay! First of all, there won't be anything to spend for theatricals, so we'll effect a saving on that item.'
'Just call whatever troupe that girl Feng may say she likes best,' dowager lady Chia suggested.
'We've heard quite enough of the performances of that company of ours,' lady Feng said; 'let's therefore spend a little money and send for another, and see what they can do.'
'I leave that to you, brother Chen's wife,' old lady Chia pursued, 'in order that our girl Feng should have occasion to trouble her mind with as little as possible, and be able to enjoy a day's peace and quiet. It's only right that she should.'
Mrs. Yu replied that she would be only too glad to do what she could. They then prolonged their chat for a little longer, until one and all realised that their old senior must be quite fagged out, and they gradually dispersed.
After seeing Mesdames Hsing and Wang off, Mrs. Yu and the other ladies adjourned into lady Feng's rooms to consult with her about the birthday festivities.
'Don't ask me!' lady Feng urged. 'Do whatever will please our worthy ancestor.'
'What a fine thing you are to come across such a mighty piece of luck!' Mrs. Yu smiled. 'I was wondering what had happened that she summoned us all! Why, was it simply on this account? Not to breathe a word about the money that I'll have to contribute, must I have trouble and annoyance to bear as well? How will you show me any thanks?'
'Don't bring shame upon yourself!' lady Feng laughed. 'I didn't send for you; so why should I be thankful to you! If you funk the exertion, go at once and let our venerable senior know, and she'll depute some one else and have done.'
'You go on like this as you see her in such excellent spirits, that's why!' Mrs. Yu smilingly answered. 'It would be well, I advise you, to pull in a bit; for if you be too full of yourself, you'll get your due reward!'
After some further colloquy, these two ladies eventually parted company.
On the next day, the money was sent over to the Ning Kuo Mansion at the very moment that Mrs. Yu had got up, and was performing her toilette and ablutions. 'Who brought it?' she asked.
'Nurse Lin,' the servant-girl said by way of response.
'Call her in,' Mrs. Yu said.
The servant-girls walked as far as the lower rooms and called Lin Chih-hsiao's wife to come in. Mrs. Yu bade her seat herself on the footstool. While she hurriedly combed her hair and washed her face and hands, she wanted to know how much the bundle contained in all.
'This is what's subscribed by us servants.' Lin Chih-hsiao's wife replied, 'and so I collected it and brought it over first. As for the contributions of our venerable mistress, and those of the ladies, they aren't ready yet.'
But simultaneously with this reply, the waiting-maids announced: 'Our lady of the other mansion and Mrs. Hsueeh have sent over some one with their portions.'
'You mean wenches!' Mrs. Yu cried, scolding them with a smile. 'All the gumption you've got is to simply bear in mind this sort of nonsense! In a fit of good cheer, your old mistress yesterday purposely expressed a wish to imitate those poor people, and raise a subscription. But you at once treasured it up in your memory, and, when the thing came to be canvassed by you, you treated it in real earnest! Don't you yet quick bundle yourselves out, and bring the money in! Be careful and give them some tea before you see them off.'
The waiting-maids smilingly hastened to go and take delivery of the money and bring it in. It consisted, in all, of two bundles, and contained Pao-ch'ai's and Tai-yue's shares as well.
'Whose shares are wanting?' Mrs. Yu asked.
'Those of our old lady, of Madame Wang, the young ladies, and of our girls below are still missing,' Lin Chih- hsiao's wife explained.
'There's also that of your senior lady,' Mrs. Yu proceeded.
'You'd better hurry over, my lady,' Lin Chih-hsiao's wife said; 'for as this money will be issued through our mistress Secunda, she'll nobble the whole of it.'
While conversing, Mrs. Yu finished arranging her coiffure and performing her ablutions; and, giving orders to see that the carriage was got ready, she shortly arrived at the Jung mansion. First and foremost she called on lady Feng. Lady Feng, she discovered, had already put the money into a packet, and was on the point of sending it over.
'Is it all there?' Mrs. Yu asked.
'Yes, it is,' lady Feng smiled, 'so you might as well take it away at once; for if it gets mislaid, I've nothing to do with it.'
'I'm somewhat distrustful,' Mrs. Yu laughed, 'so I'd like to check it in your presence.'
These words over, she verily checked sum after sum. She found Li Wan's share alone wanting. 'I said that you were up to tricks!' laughingly observed Mrs. Yu. 'How is it that your elder sister-in-law's isn't here?'
'There's all that money; and isn't it yet enough?' lady Feng smiled. 'If there's merely a portion short it shouldn't matter! Should the money prove insufficient, I can then look you up, and give it to you.'
'When the others were present yesterday,' Mrs. Yu pursued, 'you were ready enough to act as any human being would; but here you're again to-day prevaricating with me! I won't, by any manner of means, agree to this proposal of yours! I'll simply go and ask for the money of our venerable senior.'
'I see how dreadful you are!' lady Feng laughed. 'But when something turns up by and bye, I'll also be very punctilious; so don't you then bear me a grudge!'
'Well, never mind if you don't give your quota!' Mrs. Yu smilingly rejoined. 'Were it not that I consider the dutiful attentions you've all along shown me would I ever be ready to humour you?'
So rejoining, she produced P'ing Erh's share. 'P'ing Erh, come here,' she cried, 'take this share of yours and put it away! Should the money collected turn out to be below what's absolutely required, I'll make up the sum for you.'
P'ing Erh apprehended her meaning. 'My lady,' she answered, with a cheerful countenance, 'it would come to the same thing if you were to first spend what you want and to give me afterwards any balance that may remain of it.'
'Is your mistress alone to be allowed to do dishonest acts,' Mrs. Yu laughed, 'and am I not to be free to bestow a favour?'
P'ing Erh had no option, but to retain her portion.
'I want to see,' Mrs. Yu added, 'where your mistress, who is so extremely careful, will run through all the
