Chapter 27

Chapter 27

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Chapter 27: At Pendant Bluery Pavilion, Consort Yang Sporting with Gilt Butterflies; At the Flowers' Burial Mound, Flying Swallow Weeping for Fallen Petals

Daiyu was still weeping when she heard the courtyard gate open. Out came Baochai, with Baoyu and Xiren and a whole crowd seeing her off. She would have gone up to question Baoyu, but feared that pressing him in front of so many people might embarrass him, so she stepped aside, letting Baochai pass. Only after Baoyu and the others had gone in and closed the gate did she turn back, and even then she gazed at the gate and shed a few more tears. Finding it all rather pointless, she turned and went back listlessly, removing the remnants of her makeup without any spirit.

Zijuan and Xueyan knew Daiyu's temperament well enough by now: she would sit in idleness, either frowning or heaving long sighs, and for no apparent reason she would often weep without cease. At first people had tried to console her, supposing she was thinking of her parents, longing for her hometown, or nursing some grievance, and they had done their best to soothe and comfort her. But later, month after month, year after year, she grew so habitually like this that everyone simply took it for granted and paid her no more mind. So no one bothered with her now; they let her sit in her gloom and went off to sleep. Daiyu herself leaned against the bed rail, knees drawn up, arms wrapped around them, eyes brimming with tears, rigid as a figure carved in wood or molded in clay, sitting thus well into the second watch of the night before she finally slept. Nothing more happened that night.

The next day was the twenty-sixth of the fourth month. It so happened that the solar term Mangzhong—Grain in the Ear—began that day at the hour of *wei*. According to ancient custom, on the day Mangzhong commenced, all manner of gifts were prepared and offered to send off the Flower Goddess. The reasoning was that once Mangzhong had passed, summer arrived; all the flowers fell and the Flower Goddess relinquished her throne, so she had to be sent off with a farewell ceremony. This custom was especially popular among women, so everyone in Prospect Garden had risen early that morning. The girls had woven sedan chairs and horses from flower petals and willow branches, or fashioned banners, pennants, and streamers from silks, gauzes, and brocades, all tied with colored threads. Every tree and every branch in the garden had these decorations hung upon it. The whole garden fluttered with embroidered ribbons and flowering branches; and the girls themselves, dressed so beautifully that they would have put peaches and apricots to shame and made swallows and orioles envious, formed a scene too rich to describe in full.

Now Baochai, Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun, Li Wan, Xifeng, and also Qiaojie, Dajie, Xiangling, and all the maidservants were playing together in the garden, but Lin Daiyu was nowhere to be seen. Yingchun remarked, "Where is Cousin Lin? What a lazy wench! Surely she isn't still asleep at this hour?" Baochai said, "Wait for me—I'll go and stir her up." With that she left the group and headed straight for Bamboo Lodge. As she walked along, she encountered the twelve little actresses, including Wenguan, coming toward her. They greeted her, and they chatted a while. Then Baochai turned and pointed, saying, "They're all over there—go and join them. I'll fetch Miss Lin and be right back." She then made her way, somewhat circuitously, toward Bamboo Lodge. Suddenly she looked up and saw Baoyu going in. Baochai stopped and thought it over: Baoyu and Daiyu had grown up together from childhood, and between these cousins there was much that was free of the usual proprieties, with laughter, teasing, and unpredictable moods. Besides, Daiyu was by nature suspicious and prone to petty jealousies. If she herself followed Baoyu in right now, it would be awkward for Baoyu and would arouse Daiyu's suspicions. No, far better to turn back. With that, she retraced her steps.

Just as she was about to go look for some of the other girls, she noticed a pair of jade-colored butterflies directly ahead, large as round fans, fluttering up and down on the breeze in a most delightful dance. Baochai felt like catching them for sport, so she took a fan from her sleeve and ran down into the grass to try. The butterflies kept rising and falling, flitting back and forth, threading through flowers and crossing willows, on their way toward the other side of the pond. This drew Baochai after them, tiptoeing all the way to Pendant Bluery Pavilion in the middle of the pool, her face glistening with sweat and her breathing soft and rapid. By now she had lost interest in catching them and was just about to turn back when she heard the sound of whispering from inside Pendant Bluery Pavilion. The pavilion was surrounded on all four sides by covered winding walkways and zigzag bridges; it had been built on the water in the middle of the pool, with carved and latticed partitions papered over on every side.

Hearing voices from inside the pavilion, Baochai halted and listened closely. One voice said, "Just look—if this handkerchief really is the one you lost, then take it; if it isn't, give it back to Master Yun." Another replied, "Why, that's mine! Give it here, please." Then the first voice said, "What will you give me in return? Surely you don't expect me to find it for nothing." The other answered, "Since I promised to reward you, I wouldn't cheat you." The first voice went on, "I found it for you, so naturally you should reward me—but what about the person who picked it up? Aren't you going to reward him too?" The second voice retorted, "Don't talk nonsense. He's a gentleman of the family—if he picked up my thing, of course he should return it. What reward would I give him?" The first voice said, "If you don't reward him, how am I to answer him? Besides, he told me again and again that if there was no reward, he wouldn't let me give it to you." After a pause, the other answered, "Very well, then—give him this of mine as his reward. But if you tell anyone else, you must swear an oath." The first voice said, "If I tell anyone, may a boil grow on me, and may I die a terrible death!" Then the other voice exclaimed, "Oh dear! We've been so busy talking, we didn't notice someone might be listening outside. We'd better push all these partitions open—then if anyone sees us here, they'll just think we're chatting and joking. If anyone comes close, we'll be able to see them and stop talking."

Baochai, overhearing these words outside, was alarmed. She thought to herself: "No wonder that from ancient times to the present, those who engage in lewdness and thievery all possess sharp wits. Now that they have opened up and see me here, won't they be mortified? Moreover, the voice just speaking sounds very much like that of Hong'er from Baoyu's quarters. She has always been proud and ambitious, a truly cunning and eccentric creature. Today I've overheard her secret. A person in desperation may rebel; a dog in desperation may jump over a wall. Not only will this create trouble, but I'll also be in an awkward position. If I try to run away now, it's probably too late to hide. I have no choice but to employ a 'golden cicada shedding its shell' strategy."

Before she had finished thinking this, she heard a creak. Baochai deliberately made her footsteps heavier and called out with a laugh: "Pinny, I see you—where are you hiding?" As she spoke, she deliberately hurried forward. Inside the pavilion, Daiyu and Hong'er had just pushed open the window when they heard Baochai say this and hurry toward them. Both of them were startled into a daze. Baochai, on the contrary, turned to the two of them with a smile and said: "Where have you hidden Miss Lin?" Daiyu said: "When did we ever see Miss Lin?" Baochai said: "Just now, from across the river, I saw Miss Lin crouching here playing with the water. I wanted to sneak up and give her a scare, but before I could reach her, she spotted me and slipped off to the east—and vanished. Could she have hidden in here?" As she spoke, she deliberately went in and searched for a while, then withdrew, saying as she went: "She must have slipped into one of the grottoes in the rockery. If she encounters a snake and gets bitten, so be it." As she spoke and walked away, she laughed to herself: The matter is covered up, at least. I wonder how those two will react.

As it happened, Hong'er believed Baochai's words and took them as true. After Baochai had gone some distance, she pulled Daiyu and said: "This is terrible! Miss Lin was crouching here—she must have overheard everything!" When Daiyu heard this, she too remained silent for a long while. Hong'er said again: "What are we going to do about this?" Daiyu said: "Even if she heard, whose concern is it? Each person tends to their own affairs and that's that." Hong'er said: "If it were Miss Bao who heard, it would still be all right. But Miss Lin has a sharp tongue and a meticulous mind. Once she's heard it, if word gets out, what then?" As the two were speaking, they saw Wen Guan, Xiangling, Siqi, and others coming up to the pavilion. The two had no choice but to cover up the matter and joke and laugh with them.

Now Xifeng stood on the hillside beckoning. Hong'er immediately left the others and ran up to Xifeng, smiling broadly. She asked: "What does the lady wish me to do?" Xifeng looked her over carefully. Seeing that she was clean and pretty, and that she spoke with good sense, she said with a smile: "My maids didn't follow me in today. Just now something occurred to me, and I need someone to run an errand. I don't know whether you can handle it and whether you can carry out instructions properly." Hong'er said with a smile: "Whatever the lady has to say, just tell me to go ahead. If I don't carry it out properly and delay the lady's business, I'll accept whatever punishment the lady sees fit." Xifeng said with a smile: "Whose young lady's quarters are you from? If I send you out and she comes back looking for you, I'll explain it for you." Hong'er said: "I'm from the Second Master's quarters." Xifeng laughed and said: "Oh-ho! So you're from Baoyu's quarters. No wonder. Very well, then. If he asks, I'll speak for you. Go to my house and tell your Sister Ping: on the table in the outer room, under the rack for the Ru-ware tray, there is a roll of silver. It's one hundred and sixty taels, the wages for the embroiderers. When Mrs. Zhang comes to ask for it, weigh it in his hand and let him see it, then give it to him to take away. Also, inside, by the head of the bed, there is a small purse—bring that back."

Hong'er turned and went. When she returned, Xifeng was no longer on the hillside. Seeing Siqi coming out of the grotto adjusting her skirt, she hurried up and asked: "Sister, do you know where the Second Lady went?" Siqi said: "No idea." Hong'er looked around and saw Tanchun and Baochai by the pond watching the fish. Hong'er came up and asked with a smile: "Do you ladies know where the Second Lady went?" Tanchun said: "Try looking for her at your Eldest Lady's courtyard." Hong'er then went to Daoxiang Village. At the head of the path she ran right into Qiwen, Qixian, Bihen, Zixiao, Shueyue, Shuyu, Ruhua, Ying'er, and a whole crowd of others. The moment Qiwen saw Hong'er, she said: "You're just being crazy! The flowers in the courtyard aren't watered, the birds aren't fed, the tea stove isn't lit, and you wander about outside." Hong'er said: "Yesterday the Second Master said the flowers don't need watering today—water them once every other day. When I was feeding the birds, sister was still sleeping." Bihen said: "What about the tea stove?" Hong'er said: "Today isn't my turn to tend the stove. Whether there's tea or not, don't ask me." Qixian said: "Listen to her mouth! Don't say anything more—let her go wander." Hong'er said: "You can ask me whether I've been wandering or not. The Second Lady sent me to deliver a message and fetch something." She held up the purse for them to see. Only then did they stop talking and go their separate ways. Qiwen said with a sneer: "No wonder! So she's climbed up to a high branch and doesn't look at us anymore. I don't know whether she's heard a word or half a word, or whether she even knows names and surnames, and yet she gets so excited over it! This one little incident doesn't count for much. After this, she'll still have to listen to orders! If she has what it takes, let her leave this garden from now on and stay far away on that high branch—then she'll have something to boast about." With that, she went off.

Here, upon overhearing this, Xiren could hardly defend herself, and had no choice but to swallow her indignation and go look for Sister Feng. When she reached Li Wan's apartment, she found Sister Feng there indeed, chatting with Li Wan. Xiren stepped forward and reported, "Sister Ping said that as soon as Your Ladyship came out, she took charge of the silver. Only when Zhangcai's wife came asking for it did she weigh it out in front of her and let her take it away." As she spoke, she handed up the purse, adding, "Sister Ping instructed me to report to Your Ladyship: Wang'er came in just now to ask for Your Ladyship's instructions about which household to visit next. Sister Ping sent him off according to Your Ladyship's own wishes." Sister Feng laughed. "And how did she manage that?" Xiren said, "Sister Ping said: 'Our mistress sends her regards to the mistress here. It's only because our Second Master is away from home, and though things have been delayed a couple of days, the mistress here need have no concerns. When the Fifth Mistress is better, our mistress will accompany the Fifth Mistress to call on the mistress here. The Fifth Mistress sent someone over the other day to say that the Aunt on the mother's side has sent a letter inquiring after the mistress here, and also asking the Young Mistress here to find two boxes of the Elixir of Longevity, Proven Divine and Absolutely Effective. If she has them, let the mistress send someone to deliver them to our mistress's place. Tomorrow someone will be going that way and can take them along to the Aunt on the mother's side.'"

Before she had finished, Li Wan cried, "Ai-yao-yao! I can't make head or tail of all this. So many 'mistresses' and 'masters' piled up in a heap!" Sister Feng laughed. "No wonder you can't follow it—there are four or five different households tangled up in that speech." She turned to Xiren with a smile. "Good child, it was no small feat to tell it all so clearly. Not like the others, who drawl and mince their words like mosquitoes. Sister-in-law, you don't know—apart from the few maids and old women I keep at my beck and call these days, I dread talking to the rest of them. They're sure to stretch a single sentence out into two or three pieces, chewing on every syllable, putting on airs, humming and huffing until I'm ready to burst into flames, and they have no idea! Our Ping'er used to be just like that too. I asked her straight out: 'Is humming like a mosquito the only way to be a beauty?' It took me several rounds of scolding before she improved." Li Wan laughed. "Everyone ought to be as loud and rough as you, you old rascal." Sister Feng went on, "This girl is a good one. She's only spoken twice just now, but from the sound of her voice, she's crisp and decisive." She turned to Xiren again with a smile. "Come and serve me tomorrow. I'll adopt you as my daughter—once I've trained you up, you'll amount to something."

Xiren burst out laughing. Sister Feng said, "Why are you laughing? You think I'm too young? I'm only a few years older than you, and I'm to be your mother? You're still dreaming spring dreams! Go and ask around—there are plenty of people older than you who've begged me to be their mother, and I wouldn't give them the time of day. Today I'm doing you a favor!" Xiren laughed. "I'm not laughing at that. I'm laughing because Your Ladyship has got the generations wrong. My mother is Your Ladyship's daughter, and now you want to adopt me as a daughter too." Sister Feng said, "Who's your mother?" Li Wan laughed with surprise. "You really don't know her? She's the daughter of Lin Zhixiao." Sister Feng was greatly astonished. "Oh! So she's their girl." She added with a smile, "Lin Zhixiao and his wife are a pair who couldn't be coaxed into making a sound even with a needle. I've always said they were perfectly matched—one deaf as a post, the other mute as the grave. Who would have expected them to raise such a clever, sharp girl! How old are you?" Xiren said, "Seventeen." She was asked her name. Xiren said, "My original name was Xiren, but because it overlapped with the Second Master's name, I'm now just called Hong'er."

Sister Feng frowned at this, tossed her head, and said, "How tiresome! As if everyone who gets the character 'jade' in their name must benefit from it—you want jade, I want jade." She went on, "If she's willing to follow me, I'll speak to her mother. 'Madam Lai has a great deal on her hands these days, and I can't tell who's who in this household anymore—pick out two good maids for me, will you?' She'll agree readily enough. But instead of selecting anyone, she goes and sends this girl off to another quarter. Could it be that following me is necessarily a bad thing?" Li Wan laughed. "You're being oversensitive again. She came here before you spoke—how can you blame her mother?" Sister Feng said, "Well then, tomorrow I'll speak to Baoyu and tell him to find someone else, and have this girl come serve me. But I wonder whether she herself would be willing?" Xiren laughed. "Willing or not, we wouldn't dare say. Only, if we followed Your Ladyship, we'd learn to read people's expressions, how to conduct ourselves in company, and we'd get to see something of how things are managed, great and small." Just then, one of Lady Wang's maids came to summon her, and Sister Feng took her leave of Li Wan and departed. Xiren returned to Happy Red Court—but that is another story.

We now turn to Lin Daiyu. Having slept badly the night before, she woke later than usual the next morning. When she heard that all the young ladies were in the garden holding a flower-farewell gathering, she feared they would laugh at her for being dull and lazy, and quickly washed and dressed before going out. She had just reached the courtyard when she saw Baoyu come in, laughing. "Good sister," he said, "did you confess to me yesterday? You kept me worrying all night."

Daiyu turned and called out to Zijuan: "Tidy up the room and put down a screen panel. When the big swallows come back, let down the curtain and prop it with the lion-shaped doorstop. Once you've burned the incense, cover the brazier." As she spoke, she walked out again. Baoyu, seeing her behave this way, thought she was still angry about the incident of the previous noon, unaware of the whole affair that had taken place the previous evening. He bowed and made his respects earnestly. Daiyu did not even look at him and walked out of the courtyard by herself to find the other sisters. Baoyu felt puzzled and tried to figure it out: judging by her manner, it did not seem to be about yesterday's matter, but I came back late yesterday and didn't see her, so there should have been no opportunity to offend her. As he pondered, he could not help but follow after her.

He saw Baochai and Tanchun watching the cranes dance over there. When they saw Daiyu approaching, the three stood together and began talking. Then they saw Baoyu coming, and Tanchun laughed: "Brother Bao, how are you? I haven't seen you for three whole days."

Baoyu laughed: "How are you, sister? I was just asking after you at the elder sister-in-law's the other day."

Tanchun said: "Brother Bao, come here. I want to talk with you."

Baoyu followed her, leaving Baochai and Daiyu behind, and came to stand under a pomegranate tree. Tanchun then said: "Has Father summoned you these past few days?"

Baoyu laughed: "No, he hasn't."

Tanchun said: "Yesterday I vaguely heard that Father had sent for you."

Baoyu laughed: "Someone must have misheard. He didn't summon me."

Tanchun laughed again: "These past few months I've saved up ten or so strings of cash. Take it, and when you go out wandering tomorrow, bring me back some fine calligraphy or paintings, or some clever little playthings."

Baoyu said: "I've wandered everywhere, inside and outside the city, through great temples and small shrines, and I've never seen anything truly novel and exquisite. It's nothing but those old curios of gold, jade, bronze, and porcelain that have nowhere to be put, and then silks, food, and clothes."

Tanchun said: "Who wants those? It's like that little willow-twig basket you bought last time, the incense box carved from a whole bamboo root, the little wind stove molded from clay—those were the things I liked. I was so delighted, and then everyone else fell in love with them too and snatched them up as if they were treasures."

Baoyu laughed: "So that's what you wanted. Those aren't worth much. Give the boys five hundred cash and they'll bring back a whole cartful."

Tanchun said: "What do those servants know? Pick out the ones that are plain but not vulgar, straightforward but not clumsy. Bring me plenty of those. I'll also make you a pair of shoes like the last ones, but with even more care. How would that be?"

Baoyu laughed: "Speaking of shoes, it reminds me of a story. That day I was wearing them and happened to run into Father. Father was displeased and asked who had made them. I didn't dare mention 'Third Sister,' so I said they had been given to me by my aunt for my birthday. When Father heard they were from my aunt, he couldn't say much, but after a while he still said: 'What a waste of effort and silk to make such things!' I told Xiren about it when I got back, and Xiren said it was all right, but Madam Zhao was fuming with resentment: 'A proper younger brother, with his shoes and stockings all worn out where no one can see, and yet he makes these things!'"

When Tanchun heard this, her face darkened at once. "How can anyone be so muddled! Am I someone who ought to be making shoes? Doesn't Huan have his regular allowance and his people? Clothes are clothes, shoes and stockings are stockings, and there are maids and old nurses aplenty. Why say such complaints! Who is she trying to impress? I simply make a pair or two when I have nothing to do, and if I want to give them to whichever brother I please, I follow my own heart. Who would dare stop me? It's just pointless anger."

Baoyu nodded and laughed: "You don't understand. She naturally has her own notions."

At this Tanchun became even more angry. She turned her head away and said: "Even you are muddled! Of course she has her own notions—nothing but petty, mean-spirited thinking. Let her think whatever she likes. I only acknowledge Father and Mother; I care for no one else. When it comes to my sisters and brothers, whoever is good to me, I am good to them. I don't know anything about 'legitimate' or 'concubine-born.' Strictly speaking, I shouldn't speak against her, but she's too muddled—it's absurd! There's something else funny: last time I gave you that money and asked you to bring me some playthings. Two days later, when she saw me, she also said she had no money and was in difficulty, but I paid no mind. Then later, when the maids went out, she started complaining, saying why did I give my saved money to you and not to Huan. When I heard that, I was both amused and furious, and I went straight to Mother." Just then they heard Baochai call from the side: "Have you finished? Come here. Clearly you're brother and sister, leaving everyone else aside to talk your private talk. Are we not even allowed to listen?" At this, Tanchun and Baoyu both laughed and came over.

Baoyu, having noticed that Lin Daiyu was nowhere to be seen, surmised that she had gone off to some other place to avoid him. After a moment's thought, he decided to wait a couple of days until her anger had cooled before going to see her. As he looked down, he saw a great many fallen flowers—touch-me-nots, pomegranates, and all sorts of blossoms—lying in a thick brocade-like carpet upon the ground. He sighed and said to himself, "She's nursing a grievance and hasn't come to tend these flowers. Let me gather them up and take them along, and I'll ask her about it tomorrow." Even as he spoke, he saw Baochai inviting the others to go out together. "I'll be right there," he said. But once the two of them had gone some distance away, he gathered up the flowers into his skirts and set off—climbing hills, crossing streams, passing through groves and flower beds—straight to the place where he and Lin Daiyu had buried the peach blossoms that day.

He had just reached the mound of flowers when, before he could round the slope, he heard a sound of sobbing from the other side of the hill. Someone was counting out words between sobs, weeping most piteously. Baoyu thought to himself, "This must be some maidservant from one of the households who has been wronged and has come to this place to cry." Even as he thought this, he stopped in his tracks and listened. The voice sang:

Flowers fade and fly and fill the sky—

Who pities the red that has perished, the fragrance that has fled?

Soft are the gossamer threads that flutter about the spring pavilion,

Light are the willow fluff that settles upon the embroidered screen.

A maiden in her chamber grieves that spring is dusk,

Her heart full of sorrow and nowhere to unburden it.

She takes her flower hoe and steps out from behind the embroidered door,

But can she bear to tread upon the fallen flowers, coming and going?

The willow sprigs and elm pods, carefree, put forth their fragrance,

Taking no heed of the peach blossoms drifting or the plum blossoms flying.

The peach and plum can bloom again next year,

But who will be in the maiden's chamber next year?

In the third month the fragrant nest was built,

But the swallows in the rafters are too heartless!

Next year, though the flowers may bloom again for them to peck,

They will not know that the people are gone, the rafters empty, and the nest overturned.

Three hundred and sixty days in a year—

The wind is a knife and the frost a sword, pressing hard upon her.

How long can she remain bright and beautiful?

Once she is adrift, it will be hard to find her.

The blossoms are easy to see when they bloom, but hard to find when they fall.

Before the steps, the flower-buried girl is sick at heart.

Alone she leans on her flower hoe, her tears falling in secret,

And where they fall upon the bare branches, they leave traces of blood.

The cuckoo falls silent as evening draws on;

She takes up her hoe and returns, closing the heavy door.

The green lamp shines upon the wall, and she has just lain down to sleep,

But the cold rain taps upon the window, and the quilt is still unwarmed.

What is it that makes this girl grieve so deeply—

Half pitying spring, half vexed with spring?

She pities spring when it suddenly arrives, and is vexed when it suddenly departs,

Coming without a word and going without a sound.

Last night, from beyond the courtyard, a mournful song arose—

Was it the soul of the flowers or the soul of the birds?

The soul of the flowers and the soul of the birds cannot be held back;

The birds are silent of themselves, and the flowers are ashamed of themselves.

Would that wings might grow from beneath my arms,

So that I might follow the flowers and fly to the very edge of the sky.

At the edge of the sky—

Where is there a fragrant mound?

Better to gather their fair bones into a broom of brocade,

And cover their grace with a mound of pure earth.

Pure in origin, let them return to purity—

Better this than to fall into the mire and be trapped in the ditch.

You have died today, and I have gathered you for burial;

I know not when my own body will perish.

Today I bury the flowers, and people laugh at me for my folly;

But who will bury me in years to come, I wonder?

Look—when spring fades and the flowers fall one by one,

That is the time when beauty grows old and dies.

When spring is spent and beauty has grown old,

The flowers fall and the person perishes—and neither knows of the other!

Baoyu, upon hearing this, was utterly entranced.

What happened next—that, gentle reader, you must hear in the chapter that follows.