Hung Lou Meng - book 2 | Page 7

said Tai-yü, "is good; the only thing is, it has no colour."
"It's tribute tea from the Laos Kingdom," continued lady Feng. "When I tried it, I didn't either find it anything very fine. It's not up to what we ordinarily drink."
"To my taste, it's all right," put in Tai-yü. "But what your palates are like, I can't make out."
"As you say it's good," suggested Pao-yü, "you're quite at liberty to take all I have for your use."
"I've got a great deal more of it over there," lady Feng remarked.
"I'll tell a servant-girl to go and fetch it," Tai-yü replied.
"No need," lady Feng went on. "I'll send it over with some one. I also have a favour to ask of you to-morrow, so I may as well tell the servant to bring it along at the same time."
When Lin Tai-yü heard these words, she put on a smile. "You just mark this," she observed. "I've had to-day a little tea from her place, and she at once begins making a tool of me!"
"Since you've had some of our tea," lady Feng laughed, "how is it that you have not yet become a wife in our household?"
The whole party burst out laughing aloud. So much so, that they found it difficult to repress themselves. But Tai-yü's face was suffused with blushes. She turned her head the other way, and uttered not a word.
"Our sister-in-law Secunda's jibes are first-rate!" Pao-ch'ai chimed in with a laugh.
"What jibes!" exclaimed Tai-yü; "they're purely and simply the prattle of a mean mouth and vile tongue! They're enough to evoke people's displeasure!"
Saying this, she went on to sputter in disgust.
"Were you," insinuated lady Feng, "to become a wife in my family, what is there that you would lack?" Pointing then at Pao-yü, "Look here!" she cried--"Is not this human being worthy of you? Is not his station in life good enough for you? Are not our stock and estate sufficient for you? and in what slight degree can he make you lose caste?"
Tai-yü rose to her feet, and retired immediately. But Pao-ch'ai shouted out: "Here's P'in Erh in a huff! Don't you yet come back? when you've gone, there will really be no fun!"
While calling out to her, she jumped up to pull her back. As soon, however, as she reached the door of the room, she beheld Mrs. Chao, accompanied by Mrs. Chou; both coming to look up Pao-yü. Pao-yü and his companions got up in a body and pressed them into a seat. Lady Feng was the sole person who did not heed them.
But just as Pao-ch'ai was about to open her lips, she perceived a servant-girl, attached to Madame Wang's apartments, appear on the scene. "Your maternal uncle's wife has come," she said, "and she requests you, ladies and young ladies, to come out and see her."
Li Kung-ts'ai hurriedly walked away in company with lady Feng. The two dames, Mrs. Chao and Mrs. Chou, in like manner took their leave and quitted the room.
"As for me, I can't go out," Pao-yü shouted. "But whatever you do, pray, don't ask aunt to come in here." "Cousin Lin," he went on to say, "do stay on a while; I've got something to tell you."
Lady Feng overheard him. Turning her head towards Lin Tai-yü, "There's some one," she cried; "who wants to speak to you." And forthwith laying hold of Lin Tai-yü, she pushed her back and then trudged away, along with Li Kung-ts'ai.
During this time, Pao-yü clasped Tai-yü's hand in his. He did nothing than smile. But not a word did he utter. Tai-yü naturally, therefore, got crimson in the face, and struggled to escape his importunities.
"Ai-ya!" exclaimed Pao-yü. "How my head is sore!"
"It should be!" rejoined Tai-yü. "O-mi-to-fu."
Pao-yü then gave vent to a loud shout. His body bounced three or four feet high from the ground. His mouth was full of confused shrieks. But all he said was rambling talk.
Tai-yü and the servant-girls were full of consternation, and, with all possible haste, they ran and apprised Madame Wang and dowager lady Chia.
Wang Tzu-t'eng's wife was, at this time, also with them, so they all came in a body to see him. Pao-yü behaved more and more as if determined to clutch a sword or seize a spear to put an end to his existence. He raged in a manner sufficient to subvert the heavens and upset the earth.
As soon as dowager lady Chia and Madame Wang caught sight of him, they were struck with terror. They trembled wildly like a piece of clothing that is being shaken. Uttering a shout of: "My son," and another of: "My flesh," they burst out into a loud fit of crying. Presently, all the inmates were seized with fright. Even Chia She, Madame Hsing, Chia Cheng, Chia Chen, Chia Lien,