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On the two sides stood, face to face on the floor, twelve chairs carved and lacquered, over which were thrown antimacassars and small grey-squirrel rugs, of uniform colour. At the foot of each chair was a large copper foot-stove. On these chairs, Pao-ch'in and the other young ladies were asked to sit down. Mrs. Yu took a tray and with her own hands she presented tea to old lady Chia.
Yet here you are now again palming off a fib on us by saying that you haven't got them with you. You people may believe what she says, but I, for my part, don't." Pao-ch'in got red in the face. Drooping her head against her chest, she gave a faint smile; but she uttered not a word by way of response. "Really P'in Erh you've got into the habit of talking like this!" Pao-ch'ai laughed.
When the party heard, the story goes, that Pao-ch'in had made the old places of interest she had, in days gone by, visited in the various provinces, the theme of her verses, and that she had composed ten stanzas with four lines in each, which though referring to relics of antiquity, bore covertly on ten common objects, they all opined that they must be novel and ingenious, and they vied with each other in examining the text.
And they pointed at the last stanza as the best of the lot; which made it evident to Pao-yue that Pao-ch'in, albeit the youngest in years, was, on the other hand, the quickest in wits. Tai-yue and Hsiang-yuen then filled up a small cup with wine and simultaneously offered their congratulations to Pao-ch'in.
Pao-ch'ai eagerly inquired. "It was snowing," Pao-ch'in smilingly replied, "so her venerable ladyship turned up this piece of clothing and gave it to me." Hsiang Ling drew near and passed it under inspection. "No wonder," she exclaimed, "it looks so handsome! It's verily woven with peacock's feathers." "What about peacock's feathers?" Hsiang-yuen laughed.
The young maiden Hsueeh Pao-ch'in devises, in novel style, odes bearing on antiquities. A stupid doctor employs, in reckless manner, drugs of great strength.
The master gives the word and wind and clouds begin to move. T'an Ch'un had also one that she felt disposed to tell them, but just as she was about to open her lips, Pao-ch'in walked up to them. "The relics of various places I've seen since my youth," she smiled, "are not few, so I've now selected ten places of historic interest, on which I've composed ten odes, treating of antiquities.
Pao-ch'ai hastily jumped to her feet and signified her obedience. Pushing Pao-ch'in, she laughed. "Even you couldn't tell whence this piece of good fortune hails from," she said. "Be off now; for mind, we might hurt your feelings. I can never believe myself so inferior to you!" As she spoke, Pao-yue and Tai-yue walked in.
"From what you say," Pao-ch'in smilingly observed, "it's evident that you're not in earnest, cousin, in setting the club on foot. It's clear enough that your object is to embarrass people.
Your cousin Lin is so very weak that she couldn't digest it, if she had any. Otherwise she too is very fond of this." Upon hearing this, Pao-ch'in readily crossed over and put a piece in her mouth; and so good did she find it that she likewise started eating some of it. In a little time, however, lady Feng sent a young maid to call P'ing Erh. "Miss Shih," P'ing Erh explained, "won't let me go.
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