Hung Lou Meng - book 2 | Page 6

other, I
would reward you most liberally."

When the Taoist matron, Ma, heard this, she drew near to her.
"O-mi-to-fu! desist at once from asking me!" she designedly exclaimed.
"How can I know anything about such matters, contrary as they are to
what is right?"
"There you are again!" Mrs. Chao replied. "You're one ever most ready
to succour those in distress, and to help those in danger, and is it likely
that you'll quietly look on, while some one comes and compasses my
death as well as that of my son? Are you, pray, fearful lest I shouldn't
give you any reward?"
Ma, the Taoist matron, greeted this remark with a smile. "You're right
enough in what you say," she ventured, "of my being unable to bear the
sight of yourself and son receiving insult from a third party; but as for
your mention of rewards, why, what's there of yours that I still covet?"
This answer slightly reassured Mrs. Chao's mind. "How is it," she
speedily urged, "that an intelligent person like you should have become
so dense? If, indeed, the spell prove efficacious, and we exterminate
them both, is there any apprehension that this family estate won't be
ours? and when that time comes, won't you get all you may wish?"
At this disclosure, Ma, the Taoist matron, lowered her head for a long
time. "When everything," she observed, "shall have been settled
satisfactorily, and when there'll be, what's more, no proof at all, will
you still pay any heed to me?"
"What's there hard about this?" remarked Mrs. Chao. "I've saved
several taels from my own pin-money, and have besides a good number
of clothes and head-ornaments. So you can first take several of these
away with you. And I'll further write an I.O.U., and entrust it to you,
and when that time does come, I'll pay you in full."
"That will do!" answered the Taoist matron, Ma.
Mrs. Chao thereupon dismissed even a young servant-girl, who
happened to be in the room, and hastily opening a trunk, she produced
several articles of clothing and jewelry, as well as a few odd pieces of

silver from her own pocket-money. Then also writing a promissory
note for fifty taels, she surrendered the lot to Ma, the Taoist matron.
"Take these," she said, "in advance for presents in your temple."
At the sight of the various articles and of the promissory note, the
Taoist matron became at once unmindful of what was right and what
was wrong; and while her mouth was full of assent, she stretched out
her arm, and first and foremost laid hold of the hard cash, and next
clutched the I.O.U. Turning then towards Mrs. Chao, she asked for a
sheet of paper; and taking up a pair of scissors, she cut out two human
beings and gave them to Mrs. Chao, enjoining her to write on the upper
part of them the respective ages of the two persons in question.
Looking further for a sheet of blue paper, she cut out five blue-faced
devils, which she bade her place together side by side with the paper
men, and taking a pin she made them fast. "When I get home," she
remarked, "I'll have recourse to some art, which will, beyond doubt,
prove efficacious."
When she however had done speaking, she suddenly saw Madame
Wang's waiting-maid make her appearance inside the room. "What! my
dame, are you in here!" the girl exclaimed. "Why, our lady is waiting
for you!"
The two dames then parted company.
But passing them over, we will now allude to Lin Tai-yµ. As Pao-yü
had scalded his face, and did not go out of doors very much, she often
came to have a chat with him. On this particular day she took up, after
her meal, some book or other and read a couple of pages out of it. Next,
she busied herself a little with needlework, in company with Tzu Chuan.
She felt however thoroughly dejected and out of sorts. So she strolled
out of doors along with her. But catching sight of the newly sprouted
bamboo shoots, in front of the pavilion, they involuntarily stepped out
of the entrance of the court, and penetrated into the garden. They cast
their eyes on all four quarters; but not a soul was visible. When they
became conscious of the splendour of the flowers and the chatter of the
birds, they, with listless step, turned their course towards the I Hung
court. There they found several servant-girls baling out water; while a

bevy of them stood under the verandah, watching the thrushes having
their bath. They heard also the sound of laughter in the rooms.
The fact is that Li Kung-ts'ai, lady Feng, and Pao-ch'ai were assembled
inside. As soon as they saw them