we have show how bao-yu be in dai-yu 's room tell she the story of the magic mouse ; how bao-chai burst in on they and twit bao-yu with he failure to remember the ' green wax ' allusion on the night of the lantern festival ; and how the three of they sit tease each other with good-humoured banter .
bao-yu have be afraid that by sleep after she meal dai-yu would give herself indigestion or suffer from insomnia through be insufficiently tired when she go to bed at night , but bao-chai 's arrival and the lively conversation that follow it banish all dai-yu 's desire to sleep and enable he to lay aside he anxiety on she behalf .
just then a sudden commotion arise from the direction of bao-yu 's room , and the three of they stop talk and turn they head to listen .
dai-yu be the first to speak : ' that be you nannie quarrel with aroma , ' she say .
' to think how that poor girl go out of she way to be nice to the old woman , yet still she manage to find fault with she !
she really must be get senile . '
bao-yu be for rush over straight away , but bao-chaus restrain he : ' do not go quarrel with you nannie , whatever you do !
she be only a silly old woman .
you have to indulge she a bit . '
' of course , ' say bao-yu and run off .
he find nannie li lean on she stick in the middle of the room abuse aroma : ' ungrateful little baggage !
after all i have do for you – and now when i come to call on you , you lie back there on the kang like a young madam and have not even the grace to look up and take notice of i !
you and you air and grace !
all you ever think about be how to win bao-yu over to you .
thanks to you he will not listen to i any more .
he only do what you say .
to think that a cheap bit of goods like you that they only pay a few tael of silver for should come along here and turn the whole place upside down !
the best thing they could do with you would be to marry you off to one of the boy and send you packing .
then we would see how you manage to play the siren and lead young gentleman astray ! '
aroma at first thought that nannie li 's anger arise solely on account of she failure to get up and welcome she , and have start to excuse herself on that supposition : ' i be ill , mrs li .
i have just be sweating .
i do not see you because i have my head under the clothes . '
but when the old woman proceed to go on about lead young man astray and marry she off to a servant and what not , she feel wrong and humiliate , and in spite of she effort to restrain they , burst into tear of sheer helplessness .
bao-yu have hear all this , and though too embarrassed to argue , could scarcely refrain from say a word or two in aroma 's defence :
' she be ill .
she be have to take medicine , ' he say .
' if you do not believe i , ask any of the maid . '
this make the old woman even angrier .
' oh yes !
you stick up for the little hussy !
you do not care about i any more !
and which of they be i suppose to ask , pray ?
they will all take you side against i .
you be all under aroma 's thumb , every one of you .
i know what go on here , do not think i do not !
well , you can come along with i to see she old ladyship and she ladyship about this .
let they hear how you have cast i off – i that rear you at my own breast – now that you do not need my milk any more , and how you encourage a pack of snotty-nosed little maidservant to amuse themselves at my expense ! '
she be in tear herself by now , and weep as she curse .
by this time dai-yu and bao-chaus have also arrive on the scene and do they best to calm she : ' come , nannie !
be a bit more forbear with they !
try to forget about it ! '
nannie li turn towards this new audience and proceed to pour out she trouble in a interminable gabble in which tea and snowpink and drinking koumiss mingled incoherently .
xi-feng happen to be in grandmother jia 's room tot up the day 's score for the final settlement when she hear this hubbub in the rear apartment .
she identify it immediately as nannie li on the rampage once more , take out on bao-yu 's unfortunate maid some of the spleen occasion by she recent gambling loss .
at once she hurry over , seize nannie li by the hand , and admonish she with smile briskness : ' now , nannie , we must not lose we temper !
this be the new year holiday and she old ladyship have be enjoy herself all day .
a person of you year ought to be stop other people from quarrel , not upset she old ladyship by quarrel yourself .
surely you know better than that ?
if anyone have be misbehave , you have only to tell i and i 'll have they beat for you .
now i have get a nice hot pheasant stew in my room .
you just come along with i and you shall have some of that and a drink to go with it ! '
she proceed to haul she off the premise , address a few word over she shoulder to she maid felicity as she go : ' felicity , bring nannie 's stick for she , there be a good girl !
and for goodness ' sake give she a handkerchief to wipe she eye with ! '
unable to hold she ground , the old nannie be bear off in xi-feng 's wake , mutter plaintively as she go :
' i wish i be dead , i really do !
but i would sooner forget meself and make a scene like i have today and be shame in front of you all than put up with the insolence of those shameless little baggage ! '
watch this sudden exit , bao-chaus and dai-yu laugh and clap they hand :
' how splendid !
just the sort of wind we need to blow the old woman away ! '
but bao-yu shake he head and sigh : ' i wonder what have really upset she .
obviously she only pick on aroma because she be weak and can not defend herself .
i wonder which of the girl have offend she to make she so ... '
he be interrupt by skybright :
' why should any of we want to upset she ?
do you think we be mad ?
and even if we have offend she , we should be perfectly capable of own up to it and not let someone else take the blame ! '
aroma grasp bao-yu 's hand and weep :
' because i offend one old nurse , you have to go offend a whole roomful of people .
do not you think there be be enough trouble already without drag other people into it ? '
see how ill she look and realize that distress of mind could only aggravate she condition , bao-yu stifle he indignation and do he best to comfort she so that she might be able to settle down once more and continue sweating out the fever .
she skin be burn to the touch .
he decide to stay with she for a while , and lie down beside she , speak to she soothingly :
' just try to get better , now !
never mind all that other nonsense !
it be of no importance . '
aroma smile bitterly .
' if i have allow myself to get upset about thing like that , i should not have last in this room for five minute !
still , if we be always go to have this sort of trouble , i think in the long run i just sha not be able to stand any more .
you do not seem to realize .
you offend people on my account and the next moment you have forget all about it .
but they have not .
it be all score up against i ; and as soon as something go a bit wrong , they come out with all these horrible thing about i .
it make it so unpleasant for all of we . '
she cry weakly as she say this , but presently check herself for fear of upset bao-yu .
soon the odd-job woman come in with the second infusion of aroma 's medicine .
bao-yu could see that she have start sweating again and tell she not to get up , hold the medicine for she himself and support she while she drink it .
then he tell one of the junior maid to make up a bed for she on the kang .
' whether you be go to eat there or not , ' aroma say to he , ' you would better go and sit with she old ladyship and she ladyship for a bit and play a while with the young lady before you come back here again .
i shall be all right if i lie here quietly on my own . '
bao-yu thought he have better do as she say , and after wait until she have take off she ornament and be lie tuck up in bed , he go to the front apartment and take he dinner with grandmother jia .
after dinner grandmother jia want to go on play card with some of the old stewardess .
bao-yu , still worry about aroma , return to he own room , where he find she sleeping fitfully .
he think of go to bed himself , but it be still too early .
skybright , mackerel , ripple and emerald have go off in quest of livelier entertainment , hope to persuade grandmother jia 's maid , faithful and amber , to join they in a game .
only musk be leave in the outer room , play patience under the lamp with a set of domino .
bao-yu smile at she .
' why do not you go off to join the other ? '
' i have not get any money . '
' there be a great pile of money under the bed .
be not that enough for you to lose ? '
' if we all go off to play , ' say musk , ' who would look after this room ?
there be she sick inside .
and lamp and stove burn everywhere .
the old woman be practically dead on they foot after wait on you all day ; i have to let they go and rest .
and the girl have be on duty all day , too .
you could scarcely grudge they some time off now for amusement .
- which leave only i to look after the place . '
' another aroma , ' think bao-yu to himself and give she another smile .
' i 'll sit here while you be away .
there be nothing to worry about here if you would like to go . '
' there be even less excuse for go if you be here , ' say musk .
' why can not we both sit here and talk ? '
' what can we do ? ' say bao-yu .
' just sit here talk be go to be rather dull .
i know !
you be say this morning that you head be itchy .
as you have not get anything else to do now , i 'll comb it for you . '
' all right , ' say musk , and fetch she toilet-box with the mirror on top she proceed to take off she ornament and shake she hair out .
bao-yu take a comb and begin to comb it for she .
but he have not draw it more than four or five time through she hair , when skybright come burst in to get some more money .
see the two of they together , she smile sarcastically : ' fancy !
do she hair already – before you have even drunk the marriage-cup ! '
bao-yu laugh .
' come here !
i 'll do yours for you too , if you like ! '
' i would not presume , thanks all the same ! '
she take the money , and with a swish of the door-blind be go .
bao-yu be stand behind musk as she sit look at herself in the mirror .
they eye meet in the glass and they both laugh .
' of all the girl in this room she have the sharpest tongue , ' say bao-yu .
musk signal to he agitatedly in the glass with she hand .
bao-yu take she meaning ; but it be too late .
with another swish of the door-blind , skybright have already dart in again .
' oh !
sharp-tongued , be i ?
perhaps you would like to say a bit more on that subject ? '
' get along with you ! ' laugh musk .
' do not go start any more argument ! '
' and do not you go stick up for he ! ' say skybright gaily .
' i know what you be up to , you two .
you do not deceive i with you goings-on .
i 'll have something to say to you about this when i get back later .
just wait until i have win some of my money back ! '
with that she dart off once more .
when bao-yu have finish comb she hair , he ask musk to help he get to bed – very quietly , so as not to disturb aroma .
and that end we account of that day .
first thing next morning aroma awake to find that she have sweat heavily during the night and that she body feel very much lighter ; but she would take only a little congee for breakfast in order not to tax she system too soon .
bao-yu saw that there be no further cause for concern , and after he meal drift off to aunt xue 's apartment in search of amusement .
now this be the prime of the year , when the schoolroom be close for the new year holiday and the use of the needle be forbid to maidenly finger throughout the whole of the lucky month , so that boy and girl alike be all agreeably unemployed , and bao-yu 's half-brother jia huan , on holiday like all the rest , have also drift over to aunt xue 's place in search of amusement .
he find bao-chaus , caltrop and oriole there play a game of race go , and after watch they for a bit , want to play too .
bao-chaus have always behave towards jia huan in exactly the same way as she do towards bao-yu and make no distinction between they .
consequently , when he ask to play , she at once make a place for he and invite he to join they on the kang .
they play for stake of ten cash each a game .
jia huan win the first game and feel very pleased .
but then , as luck would have it , he lose several time in a row and begin to get somewhat rattle .
it be now he turn to throw the dice .
he need seven to win , and if he throw anything less than seven , the dice would go next to oriole , who need only three .
he hurl they from the pot with all he might .
one of they rest at two .
the other continued rather erratically to roll about .
' ace !
ace !
ace ! ' cry oriole , clap she hand .
' six !
seven !
eight ! ' shout jia huan glare at oriole and command the die to perform the impossible .
but the perverse wanderer finally come to rest with the ace uppermost , make a grand total of three .
with the speed of desperation jia huan reach out and snatch it up , claim , as he do so , that it be a six .
' it be a ace , ' say oriole , ' as plain as anything ! '
bao-chaus could see that jia huan be rattle , and dart a sharp look at oriole , command she to yield .
' you grow more unmannerly every day , ' she tell she .
' surely you do not think one of the master would cheat you ?
come on !
put you money down ! '
oriole smart with the injustice of this , but she mistress have order it , so she have to pay up without argue .
she could not , however , forbear a few rebellious muttering :
' huh !
one of the master !
cheat a maid out of a few copper !
even i should be ashamed !
look how much money bao-yu lose when he be play with we the other day , yet he do not mind .
even when some of the maid take all he have leave , he only laugh ... '
she would have go on , but bao-chai check she angrily .
' how can i hope to compete with bao-yu ? ' say jia huan , begin to blubber .
' you be all afraid of he .
you all take he part against i because i be only a concubine 's son . '
bao-chaus be shock :
' please do not say thing like that , cousin !
you 'll make yourself ridiculous . '
once more she rebuke oriole .
just at that moment bao-yu walk in , and see the state that jia huan be in , ask he what be the matter .
but jia huan dare not say anything .
bao-chaus , familiar with the state of affair , normal in other family , which place the younger brother in fearful subjection to the elder , assume that jia huan be afraid of bao-yu .
she be unaware that bao-yu positively dislike anyone be afraid of he .
' we be both equally subject to we parent ' control , ' he would say of himself and jia huan .
' why should i create a greater distance between we by try to control he myself – especially when i be the wife 's son and he be the concubine 's ?
people already talk behind we back , even when i do nothing .
it would be ten time worse if i be to start boss he about . '
but there be another , zanier , notion which contribute to this attitude .
let we try to explain it .
bao-yu have from early youth grow up among girl .
there be he sister yuan-chun and tan-chun , he cousin of the same surname ying-chun and xi-chun , and he distaff-cousin shi xiang-yun , lin dai-yu and xue bao-chai .
as a result of this upbringing , he have come to the conclusion that the pure essence of humanity be all concentrate in the female of the species and that male be its mere dregs and off-scouring .
to he , therefore , all member of he own sex without distinction be brute who might just as well not have exist .
only in the case of he father , uncle and brother , where rudeness and disobedience be expressly forbid by the teaching of confucius , do he make a exception – and even then the allowance he make in respect of the fraternal bond be extremely perfunctory .
it certainly never occur to he that he own maleness place he under any obligation to set a example to the younger male in he clan .
the latter – jia huan include – reciprocate with a healthy disrespect only slightly temper by they fear of he doting grandmother .
but bao-chai be ignorant of all this ; and fear that bao-yu might embarrass they all by deliver a big brother 's telling-off , she hasten to jia huan 's defence .
' what be you cry about in the middle of the new year holiday ? ' say bao-yu to jia huan , ignore bao-chaus 's excuse .
' if you do not like it here , why do not you go somewhere else ?
i think you brain must have be addle by too much study .
ca not you see that if there be something you do not like , there must be something else you do like , and that all you have get to do be leave the one and go after the other ?
not hang on to it and cry .
cry will not make it any better .
you come here to enjoy yourself , do not you ?
and now you be here you be miserable , right ?
then the thing to do be to go somewhere else , be not it ? '
in the face of such a argument jia huan could not very well remain .
when he get back to he own apartment , he real mother , ' aunt ' zhao ( lady wang be he mother only in name ) observe the dejected state he be in .
' who be be make a doormat of you this time ? ' she ask he , and , obtain no immediate reply , ask again .
' i have just be play at bao-chaus 's .
oriole cheat i and bao-yu turn i out . '
aunt zhao spat contemptuously :
' nasty little brat !
that be what come of get above yourself .
who ask you to go play with that lot ?
you could have go anywhere else to play .
ask for trouble ! '
just at that moment xi-feng happen to be pass by outside , and hear what she say , shout back at she through the window :
' what sort of language be that to be use in the middle of the new year holiday ?
he be only a child .
he have not do anything terrible .
what do you want to go carry on at he like that for ?
no matter where he be be , sir zheng and lady wang be quite capable of look after he themselves .
there be no cause for you to go bite he head off !
after all , he be one of the master .
if he be misbehave himself , you should leave the telling-off to those whose job it be .
it be no business of yours .
huan !
come out here !
come and play with i ! '
jia huan have always be afraid of xi-feng – more even than he be of lady wang – and hear she call he , come run out immediately .
aunt zhao dare not say a word .
' you be a poor-spirited creature ! '
xi-feng say to he .
' how many time have i tell you that you can eat and drink and play with any of the boy and girl you like ?
but instead of do as i say , you hang about with these other people and let they warp you mind for you and fill it up with mischief .
you have no self-respect , that be you trouble .
ca not keep away from the gutter .
you insist on make yourself disagreeable and then you complain that people be prejudice against you !
fancy make a fuss like that about lose a few copper !
how much do you lose ? '
' one or two hundred , ' jia huan mutter abjectly .
' all this fuss about one or two hundred cash !
and you one of the master ! '
she turn to felicity .
' go and get a string of cash for he , felicity , and take he round to the back where miss ying and the girl be play !
and if i have any more of this nonsense from you in future , young man , ' she go on to jia huan , ' i 'll first give you a good hiding myself and then send someone to tell the school about you and see if they can knock a bit of sense into you !
it set you cousin lian 's tooth on edge to see you so want in self-respect .
he would have disembowel you by now i should not wonder , if i have not keep he hand off you !
now be off with you ! '
' yes , ' say jia huan meekly and go off with felicity .
when he have get he money , he take himself off to play with ying-chun and the girl .
and there we must leave he .
while bao-yu be enjoy himself with bao-chaus , a servant announce that miss shi have arrive , and he hurriedly get up to go .
' wait ! ' say bao-chai .
' let 's go and see she together ! '
she get down from the kang as she say this , and accompany he round to grandmother jia 's apartment .
shi xiang-yun be already there , laugh and chatter away nineteen to the dozen , but rise to greet they as they enter .
dai-yu be there too .
' where have you be ? ' she ask bao-yu .
' bao-chaus 's . '
' i see ' ( very frostily ) .
' i think something must have be detain you .
otherwise you would have come fly here long since . '
' be one only allow to play with you , ' say bao-yu , ' and keep you amuse ?
i just happen to be visit she .
why should you start make remark like that ? '
' how thoroughly disagreeable you be ! ' say dai-yu .
' what do i care whether you go to see she or not ?
and i be sure i never ask to be keep amuse .
from now on you can ignore i completely , as far as i be concerned . '
with that she go back to she own room in a temper .
bao-yu come run after .
' what on earth be you upset about this time ?
even if i have say anything wrong , you ought , out of simple courtesy , to sit and talk with the other for a bit ! '
' be you tell i how to behave ? '
' of course not .
it be just that you destroy you health by carry on in this way . '
' that be my affair .
if i choose to die , i do not see that it be any concern of yours . '
' oh , really , really !
here we be in the middle of the new year holiday , and you have to start talk about death ! '
' i do not care .
i 'll talk about death if i like , death !
death !
death !
i be go to die this minute .
if you be so afraid of death , i wish you long life .
a hundred year , will that satisfy you ? '
' do you think i be afraid of die when all you will do be quarrel ?
i wish i be dead .
it would be a relief . '
' exactly ! ' say dai-yu .
' if i be to die , it would be a relief from all this quarrel ! '
' i say if i be to die , ' say bao-yu .
' do not twist my word .
it be not fair . '
just then bao-chaus come hurry in .
' cousin shi 's wait for you ! '
she take hold of bao-yu 's hand and pull he after she , to the great mortification of dai-yu , who sit with she face to the window and shed tear of pure rage .
after about as long as it would take to drink two cup of tea , bao-yu come back again .
during he absence dai-yu 's sob seem to have redouble in intensity .
see the state she be in he realize that it would need careful handling and begin turn over in he mind all kind of soft and soothing thing to coax she with .
but before he could get he mouth open , she have anticipate he :
' what have you come for this time ?
why can not you just leave i here to die in peace ?
after all , you have get a new playmate now – one who can read and write and compose and laugh and talk to you much better than i can .
oh yes , and drag you off to be amuse if there be any danger of you get upset !
i really can not imagine what you have come back here for ! '
' " old friend be best friend and close kin be kindest , " ' say bao-yu , come over to where she sit and speak very quietly .
' you be too intelligent not to know that .
even a simpleton like i know that much !
take kinship first : you be my cousin on father 's side ; cousin bao be only a mother-cousin .
that make you much the closer kin .
and as for length of acquaintance : it be you who come here first .
you and i have practically grow up together – eat at the same table , even sleep in the same bed .
compare with you she be practially a new arrival .
why should i ever be any less close to you because of she ? '
' whatever do you take i for ?
do you think i want you to be any less close to she because of i ?
it be the way i feel that make i the way i be . '
' and it be the way i feel , ' say bao-yu , ' that make i the way i be !
do you mean to tell i that you know you own feeling about i but still do not know what my feeling be about you ? '
dai-yu lower she head and make no reply .
after a pause she say :
' you complain that whatever you do people be always get angry with you .
you do not seem to realize how much you provoke they by what you do .
take today , for instance .
it be obviously colder today than it be yesterday .
then why of all day should you choose today to leave you blue cape off ? '
bao-yu laugh .
' i do not .
i be wear it this morning the same as usual ; but when you start quarrel just now , i get into such a sweat that i have to take it off . '
' next thing you 'll be catch a cold , ' say dai-yu with a sigh , ' and then heaven know what grumbling and scolding there will be ! '
just then xiang-yun burst in on they and reprove they smilingly for abandon she :
' couthin bao , couthin lin : you can thee each other every day .
it ' th not often i get a chanthe to come here ; yet now i have come , you both ignore i ! '
dai-yu burst out laughing :
' lisping do not seem to make you any less talkative !
listen to you : " couthin ! "
" couthin ! "
presently , when you be play race go , you 'll be all " thicktheth " and " theventh " ! '
' you would better not imitate she , ' say bao-yu .
' it 'll get to be a habit .
you 'll be lisp yourself before you know where you be . '
' how you do pick on one ! ' say xiang-yun .
' always find fault .
even if you be tho perfect yourthelf , i do not thee why you have to go make fun of everyone elthe .
but i can show you thomeone you will not dare to find fault with .
i shall certainly think you a wonder if you do . '
' who be that ? ' say dai-yu .
' if you can find any shortcoming in cousin bao-chaus ' , say xiang-yun , ' you must be very good indeed . '
' oh she , ' say dai-yu coldly .
' i wonder whom you could mean .
i should never dare to find fault with she . '
but before she could say any more , bao-yu cut in and hurriedly change the subject .
' i shall never be a match for you as long as i live , ' xiang-yun say to dai-yu with a disarm smile .
' all i can thay ith that i hope you marry a lithping huthband , tho that you have " ithee-withee " " ithee-withee " in you earth every minute of the day .
ah , holy name !
i think i can thee that blethed day already before my eyeth ! '
bao-yu could not help laughing ; but xiang-yun have already turn and flee .
if you wish to know the conclusion of this scene , you must read the follow chapter .
