The Dream of the Red Chamber

e in licentious love - Old Goody Liu

in his dream by her infant name, was at heart very exercised, bu

ething, and the servants promptly gave him a decoction of lungngan. Af

and it came in contact with his person, it felt so icy cold to the touch, covered as it

tter with you?

e sight of his state, she to a great extent readily accounted for the reason in her heart. From modest shame, she unconsciously became purple in the face, and not venturing to ask another question she continued adjusting his clothes. This task

t tell any one," entreated

smiling, as she tried to stifle her blushes

-yü, "which only a few words

was overpowered with modesty and covered her face with her hands; and as she bent down, she gave way to a fit of laughter. Pao-yü had always been fond of Hsi Je

y attempted with Pao-yü a violent flirtation, and lucky enough no one broke in upon them during their tête-à-tête. From this date, Pao-yü treated Hsi Jen with special regard, fa

ll as the low, there were three hundred persons and more. Their affairs may not have been very numerous, still there were, every day, ten and twenty

li, a person small and insignificant as a grain of mustard seed happened, on account of her distant relationship with the Jung family, to come on this very

r office in the capital, and had, in years gone by, been acquainted with lady Feng's grandfather, that is madame Wang's father. Being cove

adame Wang herself, who knew anything of these distant relations, from the fact of having fol

the city walls and settled down in his native village. Wang Ch'eng also died soon after his father, leaving a son, known in his infancy as Kou Erh, who married a Miss

ounded the rice and attended to all the other domestic concerns, the brother and sister, Ch'ing Erh and Pan Erh, the two of th

pendent for her maintenance on a couple of acres of poor land, with the result that when her son-in-law received her in his

Erh was, inevitably, exceedingly exercised in his heart. Having had several cups of wine to dispel his distress, he sat at home and tried to seize upon every trifle to give vent to hi

rinking became quite a habit with you; that's how, at the present time, your resources are quite uncertain; when you had money, you looked ahead, and didn't mind behind; and now that you have no money, you blindly fly into huffs. A fine fellow and a capital hero you have made!

rd what she had to say, "is to sit on the couch and talk tr

l, after all, that we should put our heads together and devise some means

I have besides no revenue collectors as relatives, or friends in official positions; and what way could

and not condescended to go and bow to them, that an estrangement has arisen. I remember how in years gone by, I and my daughter paid them a visit. The second daughter of the family was really so pleasant and knew so well how to treat people with kindness, and without in fact any high airs! She's at present the wife of Mr. Chia, the second son of the Jung Kuo mansion; and I hear people say that now that she's advanced in years, she's still more considerate to the poor, regardful of the old, and very fond of

tion, "but with such mouth and phiz as yours and mine, how could we present ourselves before her door? Why I fear that t

he heard these remarks, he forthwith began to feel at heart a little more at ease. When

ve in days gone by seen this lady on one occasion, why shouldn't you, old la

s like the wide ocean! what sort of thing am I? why the servants of that family

and go first and call upon Chou Jui, who is attached to that household; and when once you've seen him, there will be some little c

es, you're a man, and with a mouth and phiz like that of yours, you couldn't, on any account, go on this errand. My daughter is a young woman, and she too couldn't very well go and expose

nd having performed her toilette, she gave a few useful hints to Pan Erh; who, being a child of five or six years of age, was

s and horses. Goody Liu could not however muster the courage to go by, but having shaken her clothes, and said a few more seasonable words to Pan Erh, she subsequently squatted in front of the side gate, whence she could se

herself forward. "Gentlemen," she v

nised her for a time. "Where do you

rked goody Liu, as she forced a smile; "which of you, gentlemen,

it was after the lapse of a considerable time that they suggested: "Go and wait at a distance, at t

ttendants was an old

," he said, "is gone south: his house is at the back row; his wife is anyhow at home; so go round this way, un

here she saw several pedlars resting their burdens. There were also those who sold things to eat, and those wh

like to ask you just a word, my young friend," she

Chous; and there are also two young married ladies of the na

oman of my lady,"

er," added the boy; "j

a court, when he pointed and said, "This is her house.- Mother Chou!" he w

th all haste she came out to greet

o her. "How are you," s

lied, "Old goody Liu, are you well? How many years is it since we've seen

ing, as she walked along, "and do forget many th

-maid to pour the tea. While they were having their tea she remarked, "How Pan Erh has managed to grow!" and

u, "were you simply passing by? or d

w; and, in the second place also, to inquire after my lady's health. If you could introduce me to see her for a while,

e by in his attempt to purchase some land, obtained considerably the support of Kou Erh, so that when she, on this occasion, saw goody Liu in such a dilemma,

nd coming in, during the two seasons of spring and autumn, and when at leisure, he takes the young gentlemen out of doors, and then his business is done. As for myself, I have to accompany my lady and young married ladies on anything connected with out-of-doors; but as you are a relative of my lady and have besides treated me as a high person and come to me for help, I'll, after all, break this custom and deliver yo

n. "Isn't it strange? what I said about her years back has come out qu

's always lady Feng who does the honours and entertains them, and it's better to-day that y

y Liu; "I leave it entirely to y

says: 'Our convenience is the convenience of others.' All I have t

the side pavilion, and quietly ascertain whether, i

d during this while, the two of them continued

older than twenty, and yet so talented as to manage such

She has now excelled the others and developed the very features of a beautiful young woman. To say the least, she has ten thousand eyes in her heart, and were they willing to wager their mouths, why ten men gif

nerable lady's apartment," she reported, "repast has been spread

ur for her meal, and as she is free we had better first go and wait for her; for were we to be even one step too late, a crowd of servants

ice on Pan Erh, they followed Chou Jui's wife through winding passages to Chia Lien's house. They came in the first instance into the side pavilion

ng-maid of lady Feng, P'ing Erh by name, who enjoyed her confidence, to whom Ch

n to meet her, so that, on this occasion, she can't but receive her; and this is why I've brought her in! I'll wait here

vised the plan of asking them to walk in, and to sit ther

aid raised a red woollen portière, and as soon as they entered the hall, they smelt a whiff of perfume as it came wafted

did nothing else the while than nod her head, smack her lips and invoke Buddha. Forthwith she was led to the eastern side into the suite of apartments, where was the bedroom of Chia Lien's elde

esembled a flower or the moon (in beauty), readily imagined her to be lady Feng, and was about to address her as my lady; but when she heard Mrs. Chou speak to her as Mis

ey had partaken of it, old goody Liu could hear nothing but a "lo tang, lo tang" noise, resembling very much the sound of a bolting frame winnowing flour, and she could not resist looking now to the

he sound of a golden bell or copper cymbal, which gave her quite a start. In a twinkle of the eyes followed eight or nine consecutive strokes; and she

l haste. "Old goody Liu," they urged, "do sit down and

ey went out to

eupon about ten or twenty women, with rustling clothes and petticoats, made their entrance, one by one, into the hall, and thence into the room

!" she heard some one

ch as the caw of a crow could be heard, when she unexpectedly perceived two servants carry in a couch-table, and lay it on this side of the divan. Upo

up such a noise, and would have some meat to eat, but goody

ile, they came at length with slow step into the room on this side, where they saw on the outside of the door, suspended by brass hooks, a deep red flowered soft portière. Below the window, on the southern side, was a stove-couch, and on this couch was spread a crimson

, and a jupe of deep red foreign crepe, lined with ermine. Resplendent with pearl-powder and with cosmetics, she sat in there, stately and majestic, with a small brass poker in her hands, with which she was stirring the ashes of the hand-stove.

she turned herself round and was about to ask for some tea, when she perceived that Mrs

diant with smiles, she ascertained about their health, after which she went in t

ted on the ground, and after making several ob

strate herself! I'm yet young in years and don't know her much; what's more, I've no ide

om I spoke a short while back,

dded her hea

, he had gone further, and taken refuge behind her back; and though she tried, by every me

have been quite distant. But those who know how matters stand will assert that you all despise us, and won't often come

easy for us to manage to get away and come! Even supposing we had come as far as this, had we not given your la

her to maintain the status of a penniless official; that's all! Why, in whose household is there anything substantial? we are merely the denuded skeleton of what we

e inquired of Mrs. Chou, "Have

replied Mrs. Chou, "

here, or should she be busy, then don't make any mention; but wait un

e servants to take a few fruits and hand them to Pan Erh to eat; and she was inquiring about one thing and another, when th

entertaining some guests, so let them come back again in the evening; but sh

Jui's wife come back. "Our lady," she reported, as she addressed lady Feng, "says that she has no leisure to-day, that if you, lady Secunda, will entertain them, it will come to the same thing; that she's much obliged for their k

I simply come to see our elder and our younger lad

Mrs. Chou forthwith added, "but if you do have anything, don't hesitate

e she could give vent to a word, her face got scarlet, and though she would have liked not to make

lady, I shouldn't mention what I've to say, but as I come here from far of

eard the youths at the inner-door cry out: "The y

e's your master, Mr. Jung?" when became audible the sound of footsteps along the way, and in walked a young man of seventeen or eighteen.

r it was best to sit down or to stand up, ne

phew!' Old goody Liu then wriggled herself, now one way, and t

r grand aunt gave you, dear aunt, a stove-couch glass screen, and as to-morrow father has invited some guests of hi

lady Feng. "It was only yester

sort of genuflexion. "Aunt," he went on, "if you don't lend it, father will again say that I don't k

y are all good, but where have you put all those things of yours? the only good way is that you shouldn't se

hia Jung with a smile, "d

warned him, "if you do chi

e door of the upstairs room and send for se

smiled. "I've brought myself," he added, with vehemence, "some

speedily got up

servants who stood outside caught up her words: "Mr. Jung," they cried, "you're requested to go back;" whereupon Chia Jung turned

at last smiled: "Never mind," she remarked; "you can go. But come after you've had your evening meal, an

upon retired wi

d, "not for anything else, but because his father and mother haven't at home so much as anything to eat; the weather be

your father at home tell you to say?" she asked of him; "and what did he

a decent manner, she readily interrupted her with a smile. "You needn't mention anything," she observed, "I'm well awar

ht," she proceeded, "we started with all speed on our way h

s wife had called for a table of viands for the guests, which was laid in the room on t

hey want, as I can't attend to them myself;" which said,

n official at the same place as our old master; that hence it came that they joined ancestors; that these few years there hasn't been much intercourse (between their family and ours); that some years back, whenever they came on a visit, they were never permi

ad heard the message; "since we are all one family, how i

her repast and come over, dragging Pan Erh; and, licking

dvanced in years as she is, couldn't at a moment, it may possibly be, bethink herself of you all! What's more, when I took over charge of the management of the menage, I myself didn't know of all these family connections! Besides, though to look at us from outside everything has a grand and splendid aspect, people aren't aware that large establishments have such great hardships, which, were we to recount to others, they would hardly like to credit as tru

t there was no hope; but upon hearing her again speak of giving her twenty taels, she was e

of leanness is even bigger by much than a horse!' No matter what those distresses may be, were you

us day, and to also bring a string of cash; and when these had been placed before goody Liu's eyes: "This is," said lady Feng, "silver to the amount of twenty taels, which was for the time given to these young girls to make winter clothes with; but some other day, when you've nothing to

dear," inquired Mrs. Chou, "what did you think of my lady that you couldn't speak; and that whenever you opened your mouth it was all 'your nephew.' I'll make just one remark, and I don't mind if you do get angry. Had h

"as I gazed upon her, were my heart and eyes, pray, full o

ehind, to be given to the young servants in Chou Jui's house to purchase fruit to eat; but how could Mrs. Chou satiate her eye with such a small piece of silver? She was

old goody Liu left, but listen to the explan