【简介】感谢网友“雕龙文库”参与投稿，这里小编给大家分享一些，方便大家学习。
In honour of Chia Chings birthday， a family banquet is spread in the Ning Mansion. At the sight of Hsi-feng， Chia Jui entertains feelings of licentious love.
We will now explain， in continuation of our story， that on the day of Chia Chings birthday， Chia Chen began by getting ready luscious delicacies and rare fruits， which he packed in sixteen spacious present boxes， and bade Chia Jung take them， along with the servants belonging to the household， over to Chia Ching.
Turning round towards Chia Jung： Mind， he said， that you observe whether your grandfather be aGREeable or not， before you set to work and pay your obeisance! My father， tell him， has complied with your directions， venerable senior， and not presumed to come over; but he has at home ushered the whole company of the members of the family (into your apartments)， where they all paid their homage facing the side of honour.
After Chia Jung had listened to these injunctions， he speedily led off the family domestics， and took his departure. During this interval， one by one arrived the guests. First came Chia Lien and Chia Se， who went to see whether the seats in the various places (were sufficient)。 Is there to be any entertainment or not? they also inquired.
Our master， replied the servants， had， at one time， intended to invite the venerable Mr. Chia Ching to come and spend this day at home， and hadnt for this reason presumed to get up any entertainment. But when the other day he came to hear that the old gentleman was not coming， he at once gave us orders to go in search of a troupe of young actors， as well as a band of musicians， and all these people are now engaged making their preparations on the stage in the garden.
Next came， in a group， mesdames Hsing and Wang， lady Feng and Pao-yue， followed immediately after by Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu; Mrs. Yus mother having already arrived and being in there in advance of her. Salutations were exchanged between the whole company， and they pressed one another to take a seat. Chia Chen and Mrs. Yu both handed the tea round.
Our venerable lady， they explained， as they smiled， is a worthy senior; while our father is， on the other hand， only her nephew; so that on a birthday of a man of his age， we should really not have had the audacity to invite her ladyship; but as the weather， at this time， is cool， and the chrysanthemums， in the whole garden， are in luxuriant blossom， we have requested our venerable ancestor to come for a little distraction， and to see the whole number of her children and grand-children amuse themselves. This was the object we had in view， but， contrary to our expectations， our worthy senior has not again conferred upon us the lustre of her countenance.
Lady Feng did not wait until madame Wang could open her mouth， but took the initiative to reply. Our venerable lady， she urged， had， even so late as yesterday， said that she meant to come; but， in the evening， upon seeing brother Pao eating peaches， the mouth of the old lady once again began to water， and after partaking of a little more than the half of one， she had， about the fifth watch， to get out of bed two consecutive times， with the result that all the forenoon to-day， she felt her body considerably worn out. She therefore bade me inform our worthy senior that it was utterly impossible for her to come to-day; adding however that， if there were any delicacies， she fancied a few kinds， but that they should be very tender.
When Chia Chen heard these words， he smiled. Our dowager lady， he replied， is， I argued， so fond of amusement that， if she doesnt come to-day， there must， for a certainty， be some valid reason; and thats exactly what happens to be the case.
the other day I heard your eldest sister explain， interposed madame Wang， that Chia Jungs wife was anything but well; but whats after all the matter with her?
She has， observed Mrs. Yu， contracted this illness verily in a strange manner! Last moon at the time of the mid-autumn festival， she was still well enough to be able to enjoy herself， during half the night， in company with our dowager lady and madame Wang. On her return， she continued in good health， until after the twentieth， when she began to feel more and more languid every day， and loth， likewise， to eat anything; and this has been going on for well-nigh half a month and more; she hasnt besides been anything like her old self for two months.
May she not， remarked madame Hsing， taking up the thread of the conversation， be ailing for some happy event?
But while she was uttering these words， some one from outside announced： Our senior master， second master and all the gentlemen of the family have come， and are standing in the Reception Hall! Whereupon Chia Chen and Chia Lien quitted the apartment with hurried step; and during this while， Mrs. Yu reiterated how that some time ago a doctor had also expressed the opinion that she was ailing for a happy event， but that the previous day， had come a doctor， recommended by Feng Tzu-yinga doctor， who had from his youth up made medicine his study， and was very proficient in the treatment of diseases，who asserted， after he had seen her， that it was no felicitous ailment， but that it was some grave complaint. It was only yesterday， (she explained，) that he wrote his prescription; and all she has had is but one dose， and already to-day the giddiness in the head is considerably better; as regards the other symptoms they have as yet shown no marked improvement.
I maintain， remarked lady Feng， that， were she not quite unfit to stand the exertion， would she in fact， on a day like this， be unwilling to strain every nerve and come round.
You saw her， observed Mrs. Yu， on the third in here; how that she bore up with a violent effort for ever so long， but it was all because of the friendship that exists between you two， that she still longed for your society， and couldnt brook the idea of tearing herself away.
When lady Feng heard these words， her eyes got quite red， and after a time she at length exclaimed： In the Heavens of a sudden come wind and rain; while with man， in a day and in a night， woe and weal survene! But with her tender years， if for a complaint like this she were to run any risk， what pleasure is there for any human being to be born and to sojourn in the world?
She was just speaking， when Chia Jung walked into the apartment; and after paying his respects to madame Hsing， madame Wang， and lady Feng， he then observed to Mrs. Yu： I have just taken over the eatables to our venerable ancestor; and， at the same time， I told him that my father was at home waiting upon the senior， and entertaining the junior gentlemen of the whole family， and that in compliance with grandfathers orders， he did not presume to go over. The old gentleman was much delighted by what he heard me say， and having signified that that was all in order， bade me tell father and you， mother， to do all you can in your attendance upon the senior gentlemen and ladies， enjoining me to entertain， with all propriety， my uncles， aunts， and my cousins. He also went on to urge me to press the men to cut， with all despatch， the blocks for the Record of Meritorious Deeds， and to print ten thousand copies for distribution. All these messages I have duly delivered to my father， but I must now be quick and go out， so as to send the eatables for the elder as well as for the younger gentlemen of the entire household.
Brother Jung Erh， exclaimed lady Feng， wait a moment. How is your wife getting on? how is she， after all， to-day?
Not well， replied Chia Jung. But were you， aunt， on your return to go in and see her， you will find out for yourself.
Chia Jung forthwith left the room. During this interval， Mrs. Yu addressed herself to mesdames Hsing and Wang; My ladies， she asked， will you have your repast in here， or will you go into the garden for it? There are now in the garden some young actors engaged in making their preparations?
Its better in here， madame Wang remarked， as she turned towards madame Hsing.
Mrs. Yu thereupon issued directions to the married women and matrons to be quick in serving the eatables. The servants， in waiting outside the door， with one voice signified their obedience; and each of them went off to fetch what fell to her share. In a short while， the courses were all laid out， and Mrs. Yu pressed mesdames Hsing and Wang， as well as her mother， into the upper seats; while she， together with lady Feng and Pao-yue， sat at a side table.
Weve come， observed mesdames Hsing and Wang， with the original idea of paying our congratulations to our venerable senior on the occasion of his birthday; and isnt this as if we had come for our own birthdays?
the old gentleman， answered lady Feng， is a man fond of a quiet life; and as he has already consummated a process of purification， he may well be looked upon as a supernatural being， so that the purpose to which your ladyships have given expression may be considered as manifest to his spirit， upon the very advent of the intention.
As this sentence was uttered the whole company in the room burst out laughing. Mrs. Yus mother， mesdames Hsing and Wang， and lady Feng having one and all partaken of the banquet， rinsed their mouths and washed their hands， which over， they expressed a wish to go into the garden.
Chia Jung entered the room. The senior gentlemen， he said to Mrs. Yu， as well as all my uncles and cousins， have finished their repast; but the elder gentleman Mr. Chia She， who excused himself on the score of having at home something to attend to， and Mr. Secundus (Chia Cheng)， who is not partial to theatrical performances and is always afraid that people will be too boisterous in their entertainments， have both of them taken their departure. The rest of the family gentlemen have been taken over by uncle Secundus Mr. Lien， and Mr. Se， to the other side to listen to the play. A few moments back Prince Nan An， Prince Tung Ping， Prince Hsi Ning， Prince Pei Ching， these four Princes， with Niu， Duke of Chen Kuo， and five other dukes， six in all， and Shih， Marquis of Chung Ching， and other seven， in all eight marquises， sent their messengers with their cards and presents. I have already told father all about it; but before I did so， the presents were put away in the counting room， the lists of presents were all entered in the book， and the received with thanks cards were handed to the respective messengers of the various mansions; the men themselves were also tipped in the customary manner， and all of them were kept to have something to eat before they went on their way. But， mother， you should invite the two ladies， your mother and my aunt， to go over and sit in the garden.
Just so! observed Mrs. Yu， but weve only now finished our repast， and were about to go over.
I wish to tell you， madame， interposed lady Feng， that I shall go first and see brother Jungs wife and then come and join you.
All right， replied madame Wang; we should all have been fain to have paid her a visit， did we not fear lest she should look upon our disturbing her with displeasure， but just tell her that we would like to know how she is getting on!
My dear sister， remarked Mrs. Yu， as our sons wife has a ready ear for all you say， do go and cheer her up， (and if you do so，) it will besides set my own mind at ease; but be quick and come as soon as you can into the garden.
Pao-yue being likewise desirous to go along with lady Feng to see lady Chin， madame Wang remarked， Go and see her just for a while， and then come over at once into the garden; (for remember) she is your nephews wife， (and you couldnt sit in there long)。
Mrs. Yu forthwith invited mesdames Wang and Hsing， as well as her own mother， to adjourn to the other side， and they all in a body walked into the garden of Concentrated Fragrance; while lady Feng and Pao-yue betook themselves， in company with Chia Jung， over to this side.
Having entered the door， they with quiet step walked as far as the entrance of the inner chamber. Mrs. Chin， upon catching sight of them， was bent upon getting up; but Be quick， remonstrated lady Feng， and give up all idea of standing up; for take care your head will feel dizzy.
Lady Feng hastened to make a few hurried steps forward and to grasp Mrs. Chs hand in hers. My dear girl! she exclaimed; How is it that during the few days Ive not seen you， you have grown so thin?
Readily she then took a seat on the rug， on which Mrs. Chin was seated， while Pao-yue， after inquiring too about her health， sat in the chair on the opposite side.
Bring the tea in at once， called out Chia Jung， for aunt and uncle Secundus have not had any tea in the drawing room.
Mrs. Chin took lady Fengs hand in her own and forced a smile. This is all due to my lack of good fortune; for in such a family as this， my father and mother-in-law treat me just as if I were a daughter of their own flesh and blood! Besides， your nephew， (my husband，) may， it is true， my dear aunt， be young in years， but he is full of regard for me， as I have regard for him， and we have had so far no misunderstanding between us! In fact， among the senior generation， as well as that of the same age as myself， in the whole clan， putting you aside， aunt， about whom no mention need be made， there is not one who has not ever had anything but love for me， and not one who has not ever shown me anything but kindness! But since Ive fallen ill with this complaint， all my energy has even every bit of it been taken out of me， so that Ive been unable to show to my father and mother-in-law any mark of filial attention， yea so much as for one single day and to you， my dear aunt， with all this affection of yours for me， I have every wish to be dutiful to the utmost deGREe， but， in my present state， Im really not equal to it; my own idea is， that it isnt likely that I shall last through this year.
Pao-yue kept， while (she spoke，) his eyes fixed intently upon a picture on the opposite side， representing some begonias drooping in the spring time， and upon a pair of scrolls， with this inscription written by Chin Tai-hsue：
A gentle chill doth circumscribe the dreaming man because the spring is cold! The fragrant whiff which wafts itself into mans nose， is the perfume of wine!
And he could not help recalling to mind his experiences at the time when he had fallen asleep in this apartment， and had， in his dream， visited the confines of the GREat Void. He was just plunged in a state of abstraction， when he heard Mrs. Chin give utterance to these sentiments， which pierced his heart as if they were ten thousand arrows， (with the result that) tears unwittingly trickled from his eyes.
Lady Feng perceiving him in tears felt it extremely painful within herself to bear the sight; but she was on pins and needles lest the patient should detect their frame of mind， and feel， instead (of benefit)， still more sore at heart， which would not， after all， be quite the purpose of her visit; which was to afford her distraction and consolation. Pao-yue， she therefore exclaimed， you are like an old woman! Ill， as she is， simply makes her speak in this wise， and how ever could things come to such a pass! Besides， she is young in years， so that after a short indisposition， her illness will get all right! Dont， she said as she turned towards Mrs. Chin， give way to silly thoughts and idle ideas! for by so doing wont you yourself be aggravating your ailment?
All that her sickness in fact needs， observed Chia Jung， is， that she should be able to take something to eat， and then there will be nothing to fear.
Brother Pao， urged lady Feng， your mother told you to go over， as soon as you could， so that dont stay here， and go on in the way youre doing， for you after all incite this lady also to feel uneasy at heart. Besides， your mother over there is solicitous on your account. You had better go ahead with your uncle Pao， she consequently continued， addressing herself to Chia Jung， while I sit here a little longer.
When Chia Jung heard this remark， he promptly crossed over with Pao-yue into the garden of Concentrated Fragrance， while lady Feng went on both to cheer her up for a time， and to impart to her， in an undertone， a good deal of confidential advice.
Mrs. Yu had despatched servants， on two or three occasions， to hurry lady Feng， before she said to Mrs. Chin： Do all you can to take good care of yourself， and Ill come and see you again. Youre bound to get over this illness; and now， in fact， that youve come across that renowned doctor， you have really nothing more to fear.
He might， observed Mrs. Chin as she smiled， even be a supernatural being and succeed in healing my disease， but he wont be able to remedy my destiny; for， my dear aunt， I feel sure that with this complaint of mine， I can do no more than drag on from day to day.
If you encourage such ideas， remonstrated lady Feng， how can this illness ever get all right? What you absolutely need is to cast away all these notions， and then youll improve. I hear moreover that the doctor asserts that if no cure be effected， the fear is of a change for the worse in spring， and not till then. Did you and I moreover belong to a family that hadnt the means to afford any ginseng， it would be difficult to say how we could manage to get it; but were your father and mother-in-law to hear that its good for your recovery， why not to speak of two mace of ginseng a day， but even two catties will be also within their means! So mind you do take every care of your health! Im now off on my way into the garden.
Excuse me， my dear aunt， added Mrs. Chin， that I cant go with you; but when you have nothing to do， I entreat you do come over and see me! and you and I can sit and have a long chat.
After lady Feng had heard these words， her eyes unwillingly got quite red again. When Im at leisure I shall， of course， she rejoined， come often to see you; and forthwith leading off the matrons and married women， who had come over with her， as well as the women and matrons of the Ning mansion， she passed through the inner part of the house， and entered， by a circuitous way， the side gate of the park， when she perceived： yellow flowers covering the ground; white willows flanking the slopes; diminutive bridges spanning streams， resembling the Jo Yeh; zigzag pathways (looking as if) they led to the steps of Heaven; limpid springs dripping from among the rocks; flowers hanging from hedges emitting their fragrance， as they were flapped by the winds; red leaves on the tree tops swaying to and fro; groves picture-like， half stripped of foliage; the western breeze coming with sudden gusts， and the wail of the oriole still audible; the warm sun shining with genial rays， and the cicada also adding its chirp： structures， visible to the gaze at a distance in the South-east， soaring high on various sites and resting against the hills; three halls， visible near by on the North-west， stretching in one connected line， on the bank of the stream; strains of music filling the pavilion， imbued with an unwonted subtle charm; and maidens in fine attire penetrating the groves， lending an additional spell to the scene.
