by the time the thirty-three day ' convalescence have end , not only be bao-yu 's health and strength completely restore , but even the burn-mark on he face have vanish , and he be allow to move back into the garden .
it may be recall that when bao-yu 's sickness be at its height , it have be find necessary to call in jia yun with a number of page under he command to take turn in watch over he .
crimson be there too at that time , have be bring in with the other maid from he apartment .
during those few day she and jia yun therefore have ample opportunity of see each other , and a certain familiarity begin to grow up between they .
crimson notice that jia yun be often to be see sport a handkerchief very much like the one she have lose .
she nearly ask he about it , but in the end be too shy .
then , after the monk 's visit , the presence of the menfolk be no longer require and jia yun go back to he tree-planting .
though crimson could still not dismiss the matter entirely from she mind , she do not ask anyone about it for fear of arouse they suspicion .
a day or two after they return to green delights , crimson be sit in she room , still brood over this handkerchief business , when a voice outside the window inquire whether she be in .
peep through a eyelet in the casement she recognize melilot , a little maid who belong to the same apartment as herself .
' yes , i be in , ' she say .
' come inside ! '
little melilot come bound in and sit down on the bed with a giggle .
' i be in luck ! ' she say .
' i be wash some thing in the yard when bao-yu ask for some tea to be take round to miss lin 's for he and miss aroma give i the job of take it .
when i get there , miss lin have just be give some money by she old ladyship and be share it out among she maid , so when she see i she just say " here you be ! " and give i two big handful of it .
i have no idea how much it be .
will you look after it for i , please ? '
she undo she handkerchief and pour out a shower of coin .
crimson carefully count they for she and put they away in a safe place .
' what be be the matter with you lately ? ' say melilot .
' if you ask i , i think you ought to go home for a day or two and call in a doctor .
i expect you need some medicine . '
' silly ! ' say crimson .
' i be perfectly all right .
what should i want to go home for ? '
' i know what , then , ' say melilot .
' miss lin 's very weakly .
she be always take medicine .
why do not you ask she to give you some of hers ?
it would probably do just as well . '
' oh , nonsense ! ' say crimson .
' you can not take other people 's medicine just like that ! '
' well , you can not go on in this way , ' say melilot , ' never eat or drink properly .
what will become of you ?
' who care ? ' say crimson .
' the sooner i be dead the better ! '
' you should not say such thing , ' say melilot , ' it be not right . '
' why not ? ' say crimson .
' how do you know what be on my mind ? '
melilot shake she head sympathetically .
' i can not say i really blame you , ' she say .
' thing be very difficult here at time .
take yesterday , for example .
she old ladyship say that as bao-yu be better now and there be to be a thanksgiving for he recovery , all those who have the trouble of nurse he during he illness be to be reward accord to they grade .
well now , i can understand the very young one like i not be include , but why should they leave you out ?
i feel really sorry for you when i hear that they would leave you out .
aroma , of course , you would expect to get more than anyone else .
i do not blame she at all .
in fact , i think it be owe to she .
let 's be honest : none of we can compare with aroma .
i mean , even if she do not always take so much trouble over everything , no one would want to quarrel about she have a bigger share .
what make i so angry be that people like skybright and mackerel should count as top grade when everyone know they be only put there to curry favour with bao-yu .
do not it make you angry ? '
' i do not see much point in get angry , ' say crimson .
' you know what they say about the mile-wide marquee : " even the longest party must have a end " ?
well , none of we be here for ever , you know .
another four or five year from now when we have each go we different way it will not matter any longer what all the rest of we be do . '
little melilot find this talk of parting and impermanence vaguely affect and a slight moisture be to be observe about she eye .
she think shame to cry without good cause , however , and mask she emotion with a smile : ' that be perfectly true .
only yesterday bao-yu be go on about all the thing he be go to do to he room and the clothes he be go to have make and everything , just as if he have a hundred or two year ahead of he with nothing to do but kill time in . '
crimson laugh scornfully , though whether at melilot 's simplicity or at bao-yu 's improvidence be unclear , since just as she be about to comment , a little maid come run in , so young that she hair be still do up in two little girl 's horn .
she be carry some pattern and sheet of paper .
' you be to copy out these two pattern . '
she throw they in crimson 's direction and straightway dart out again .
crimson shout after she : ' who be they for , then ?
you might at least finish you message before rush off .
what be you in such a tear hurry about ?
be someone steam wheatcake for you and you be afraid they 'll get cold ? '
' they be for mackerel . '
the little maid pause long enough to bawl a answer through the window , then pick up she heel , go pound off , plim-plam , plim-plam , plim-plam , as fast as she have come .
crimson throw the pattern crossly to one side and go to hunt in she drawer for a brush to trace they with .
after rummage for several minute she have only succeed in find a few worn-out one , too moulted for use .
' funny ! ' she say .
' i could have swear i put a new one in there the other day ... '
she think a bit , then laugh at herself as she remember : ' of course .
oriole take it , the evening before last . '
she turn to melilot .
' would you go and get it for i , then ? '
' i be afraid i can not , ' say melilot .
' miss aroma 's wait for i to fetch some box for she .
you 'll have to get it yourself . '
' if aroma 's wait for you , why have you be sit here gossip all this time ? ' say crimson .
' if i have not ask you to go and get it , she would not have be wait , would she ?
lazy little beast ! '
she leave the room and walk out of the gate of green delights and in the direction of bao-chaus 's courtyard .
she be just pass by drenched blossoms pavilion when she catch sight of bao-yu 's old wet-nurse , nannie li , come from the opposite direction and stand respectfully aside to wait for she .
' where have you be , mrs li ? ' she ask she .
' i do not expect to see you here . '
nannie li make a flap gesture with she hand : ' what do you think , my dear : he nib have take a fancy to the young fellow who do the tree-planting — " yin " or " yun " or whatever he name be — so nannie have to go and ask he in .
let 's hope they ladyship do not find out about it .
there 'll be trouble if they do . '
' be you really go to ask he in ? '
' yes .
why ? '
crimson laugh : ' if you mr yun know what be good for he , he will not agree to come . '
' he be no fool , ' say nannie li .
' why should not he ? '
' any way , if he do come in , ' say crimson , ignore she question , ' you can not just bring he in and then leave he , mrs li .
you 'll have to take he back again yourself afterwards .
you do not want he wander off on he own .
there be no know who he might bump into . '
( crimson herself , be the secret hope . )
' gracious i !
i have not get that much spare time , ' say nannie li .
' all i have do be just to tell he that he be get to come .
i 'll send someone else to fetch he in when i get back presently - one of the girl , or one of the older woman , maybe . '
she hobble off on she stick , leave crimson standing there in a muse , she mission to fetch the tracing-brush momentarily forget .
she be still stand there a minute or two later when a little maid come along , who , see that it be crimson , ask she what she be do there .
crimson look up .
it be trinket , another of the maid from green delights .
' where be you go ? '
crimson ask she .
' i have be send to fetch mr yun , ' say trinket .
' i have to bring he inside to meet master bao . '
she run off on she way .
at the gate to wasp waist bridge crimson run into trinket again , this time with jia yun in tow .
he eye seek crimson 's ; and hers , as she make pretence of converse with trinket , seek he .
they two pair of eye meet and briefly skirmish ; then crimson feel herself blush , and turn away abruptly , she make off for allspice court .
we narrative now follow jia yun and trinket along the wind pathway to the house of green delights .
soon they be at the courtyard gate and jia yun wait outside while she go in to announce he arrival .
she return presently to lead he inside .
there be a few scattered rock in the courtyard and some clump of jade-green plantain .
two stork stand in the shadow of a pine-tree , preen themselves with they long bill .
the gallery surround the courtyard be hang with cage of unusual design in which perch or flutter a wide variety of bird , some of they gay-plumaged exotic one .
above the step be a little five-frame penthouse building with a glimpse of delicately-carved partition visible through the open doorway , above which a horizontal board hang , inscribe with the word crimson joys and green delight
' so that be why it be call " the house of green delight " ' jia yun tell himself .
' the name be take from the inscription . '
a laughing voice address he from behind one of the silk gauze casement : ' come on in !
it must be two or three month since i first forget we appointment ! '
jia yun recognize the voice as bao-yu 's and hurry up the step inside .
he look about he , dazzle by the brilliance of gold and semi-precious inlay-work and the richness of the ornament and furnishings , but unable to see bao-yu in the midst of it all .
to the left of he be a full-length mirror from behind which two girl now emerge , both about fifteen or sixteen year old and of much the same build and height .
they address he by name and ask he to come inside .
slightly overawe , he mutter something in reply and hurry after they , not daring to take more than a furtive glance at they from the corner of he eye .
they usher he into a tent-like summer ' cabinet ' of green net , whose principal furniture be a tiny lacquered bed with crimson hanging heavily pattern in gold .
on this bao-yu , wear everyday clothes and a pair of bedroom slipper , be recline , book in hand .
he throw the book down as jia yun enter and rise to he foot with a welcome smile .
jia yun swiftly drop knee and hand to floor in greet .
bid to sit , he modestly place himself on a bedside chair .
' after i invite you round to my study that day , ' say bao-yu , ' a whole lot of thing seem to happen one after the other , and i be afraid i quite forget about you visit . '
jia yun return he smile : ' let 's just say that it be not my luck to see you then .
but you have be ill since then , uncle bao .
be you quite better now ? '
' quite better , thank you .
i hear you have be very busy these last few day . '
' that be as it should be , ' say jia yun .
' but i be glad you be better , uncle .
that be a piece of good fortune for all of we . '
as they chat , a maid come in with some tea .
jia yun be talk to bao-yu as she approach , but he eye be on she .
she be tall and rather thin with a long oval face , and she be wear a rose-pink dress over a closely pleated white satin skirt and a black satin sleeveless jacket over the dress .
in the course of he brief sojourn among they in the early day of bao-yu 's illness , jia yun have get by heart the name of most of the principal female of bao-yu 's establishment .
he know at a glance that the maid now serve he tea be aroma .
he be also aware that she be in some way more important than the other maid and that to be wait on by she in the seat presence of she master be a honour .
jump hastily to he foot he address she with a modest smile : ' you should not pour tea for i , miss !
i be not like a visitor here .
you should let i pour for myself ! '
' oh do sit down ! ' say bao-yu .
' you do not have to be like that in front of the maid ! '
' i know , ' say jia yun .
' but a body-servant !
i do not like to presume . '
he sit down , nevertheless , and sip he tea while bao-yu make conversation on a number of unimportant topic .
he tell he which household keep the best troupe of player , which have the finest garden , whose maid be the prettiest , who give the best party , and who have the best collection of curiosity or the strangest pet .
jia yun do he best to keep up with he .
after a while bao-yu show sign of flagging , and when jia yun , observe what appear to be fatigue , rise to take he leave , he do not very strongly press he to stay .
' you must come again when you can spare the time , ' say bao-yu , and order trinket to see he out of the garden .
once outside the gateway of green delights , jia yun look around he on all side , and have ascertain that there be no one else about , slow down to a more dawdle pace so that he could ask trinket a few question .
indeed , the little maid be subject to quite a catechism :
how old be she ?
what be she name ?
what do she father and mother do ?
how many year have she be work for he uncle bao ?
how much pay do she get a month ?
how many girl be there work for he altogether ?
trinket seem to have no objection , however , and answer each question as it come .
' that girl you be talk to on the way in , ' he say , ' be not she name " crimson " ? '
trinket laugh : ' yes .
why do you ask ? '
' i hear she ask you about a handkerchief .
only it just so happen that i pick one up . '
trinket show interest .
' she be ask i about that handkerchief of hers a number of time .
i tell she , i have get better thing to do with my time than go look for people 's handkerchief .
but when she ask i about it again today , she say that if i could find it for she , she would give i a reward .
come to think of it , you be there when she say that , be not you ?
it be when we be outside the gate of allspice court .
so you can bear i out .
oh mr jia , please let i have it if you have pick it up and i 'll be able to see what she will give i for it ! '
jia yun have pick up a silk handkerchief a month previously at the time when he tree-planting activity have just start .
he know that it must have be drop by one or another of the female inmate of the garden , but not know which , have not so far venture to do anything about he discovery .
when earlier on he have hear crimson question trinket about she loss , he have realize , with a thrill of pleasure , that the handkerchief he have pick up must have be hers .
trinket 's request now give he just the opening he require .
he draw a handkerchief of he own from inside he sleeve and hold it up in front of she with a smile : ' i 'll give it to you on one condition .
if she let you have this reward you be speak of ; you have get to let i know .
no cheating , mind ! '
trinket receive the handkerchief with eager assurance that he would be inform of the outcome , and have see he out of the garden , go back again to look for crimson .
we narrative return now to bao-yu .
after dispose of jia yun , bao-yu continue to feel extremely lethargic and lay back on the bed with every appearance of be about to doze off to sleep .
aroma hurry over to he and , sit on the edge of the bed , rouse he with a shake : ' come on !
surely you be not go to sleep again ?
you need some fresh air .
why do not you go outside and walk around for a bit ? '
bao-yu take she by the hand and smile at she .
' i would like to go , ' he say , ' but i do not want to leave you . '
' silly ! ' say aroma with a laugh .
' do not say what you do not mean ! '
she hoick he to he foot .
' well , where be i go to go then ? ' say bao-yu .
' i just feel so bored . '
' never mind where , just go out ! ' say aroma .
' if you stay mope indoors like this , you 'll get even more bore . '
bao-yu follow she advice , albeit half-heartedly , and go out into the courtyard .
after visit the cage in the gallery and play for a bit with the bird , he amble out of the courtyard into the garden and along the batik of drenched blossoms stream , pause for a while to look at the goldfish in the water .
as he do so , a pair of fawn come run like the wind from the hillside opposite .
bao-yu be puzzle .
there seem to be no reason for they mysterious terror .
but just then little jia lan come run down the same slope after they , a tiny bow clutch in he hand .
see he uncle ahead of he , he stand politely to attention and greet he cheerfully : ' hello , uncle .
i do not know you be at home .
i think you would go out . '
' mischievous little blighter , be not you ? ' say bao-yu .
' what do you want to go shoot they for , poor little thing ? '
' i have get no reading to do today , ' say jia lan , ' and i do not like to hang about do nothing , so i think i would practise my archery and equitation . '
' goodness !
you would better not waste time jawing , then , ' say bao-yu , and leave the young toxophilite to he pursuit .
move on , without much thinking where he be go , he come presently to the gate of a courtyard .
denser than feather on the phoenix ' tail the stir leaf murmur with a pent dragon 's moan .
the multitudinous bamboo and the board above the gate confirm that he foot have , without conscious direction , carry he to the naiad 's house .
of they own accord they now carry he through the gateway and into the courtyard .
the house seem silent and desert , its bamboo door-blind hang unrolled to the ground ; but as he approach the window , he detect a faint sweetness in the air , traceable to a thin curl of incense smoke which drift out through the green gauze of the casement .
he press he face to the gauze ; but before he eye could distinguish anything , he ear become aware of a long , languorous sigh and the sound of a voice speaking : ' each day in a drowsy wake dream of love . '
bao-yu feel a sudden yearning for the speaker .
he could see she now .
it be dai-yu , of course , lie on she bed , stretch herself and yawn luxuriously .
he laugh : ' why " each day in a drowsy wake dream of love " ? ' he ask through the window ( the word be from he beloved western chamber ) ; then go to the doorway he lift up the door-blind and walk into the room .
dai-yu realize that she have be catch off she guard .
she cover she burning face with she sleeve , and turn over towards the wall , pretend to be asleep .
bao-yu go over intend to turn she back again , but just at that moment dai-yu 's old wet-nurse come hurry in with two other old woman at she heel : ' miss lin 's asleep , sir .
would you mind come back again after she be wake up ? '
dai-yu at once turn over and sit up with a laugh : ' who be asleep ? '
the three old woman laugh apologetically .
' sorry , miss .
we think you be asleep .
nightingale !
come inside now !
you mistress be awake . '
have shout for nightingale , the three guardian of morality retire .
' what do you mean by come into people 's room when they be asleep ? ' say dai-yu , smile up at bao-yu as she sit on the bed 's edge pat she hair into shape .
at the sight of those soft cheek so adorably flush and the starry eye a little misted with sleep a wave of emotion pass over he .
he sink into a chair and smile back at she : ' what be that you be say just now before i come in ? '
' i do not say anything , ' say dai-yu .
bao-yu laugh and snap he finger at she : ' put that on you tongue , girl !
i hear you say it . '
while they be talk to one another , nightingale come in .
' nightingale , ' say bao-yu , ' what about a cup of that excellent tea of yours ? '
' excellent tea ? ' say nightingale .
' there be nothing very special about the tea we drink here .
if nothing but the best will do , you would better wait for aroma to come . '
' never mind about he ! ' say dai-yu .
' first go and get i some water ! '
' he be we guest , ' say nightingale .
' i can not fetch you any water until i have give he he tea . '
and she go to pour he a cup .
' good girl ! ' say bao-yu .
' if with you amorous mistress i should wed , ' tis you , sweet maid , must make we bridal bed . '
the word , like dai-yu 's languorous line , be from western chamber , but in somewhat dubious taste .
dai-yu be dreadfully offend by they .
in a instant the smile have vanish from she face .
' what be that you say ? '
he laugh : ' i do not say anything . '
dai-yu begin to cry .
' this be you latest amusement , i suppose .
every time you hear some coarse expression outside or read some crude , disgusting book , you have to come back here and give i the benefit of it .
i be to become a source of entertainment for the menfolk now , it seem . '
she rise , weep , from the bed and go outside .
bao-yu follow she in alarm .
' dearest coz , it be very wrong of i to say that , but it just slip out without think .
please do not go and tell !
i promise never to say anything like that again .
may my mouth rot and my tongue decay if i do ! '
just at that moment aroma come hurry up : ' quick ! ' she say .
' you must come back and change .
the master want to see you . '
the descent of this thunderbolt drive all else from he mind and he rush off in a panic .
as soon as he have change , he hurry out of the garden .
tealeaf be wait for he outside the inner gate .
' i suppose you do not know what he want to see i about ? '
bao-yu ask he .
' i should hurry up , if i be you , ' say tealeaf .
' all i know be that he want to see you .
you 'll find out why soon enough when you get there . '
he hustle he along as he speak .
they have pass round the main hall , bao-yu still in a state of flutter apprehensiveness when there be a loud guffaw from a corner of the wall .
it be xue pan , clap he hand and stamp he foot in mirth .
' ho ! ho ! ho ! you would never have come this quickly if you have not be tell that uncle want you ! '
tealeaf , also laugh , fall on he knee .
bao-yu stand there look puzzle .
it be some moment before it dawn on he that he have be hoax .
xue pan be by this time be apologetic — bow repeatedly and pump he hand to show how sorry he be : ' do not blame the lad ! ' he say .
' it be not he fault .
i talk he into it . '
bao-yu saw that he could do nothing , and might as well accept with a good grace .
' i do not mind be make a fool of , ' he say , ' but i think it be go a bit far to bring my father into it .
i think perhaps i would better tell aunt xue and see what she think about it all . '
' now look here , old chap , ' say xue pan , get agitate , ' it be only because i want to fetch you out a bit quicker .
i admit it be very wrong of i to make free with you parent , but after all , you have only get to mention my father next time you want to fool i and we 'll be quit ! '
' aiyo ! ' say bao-yu .
' worse and worse ! '
he turn to tealeaf : ' treacherous little beast !
what be you still kneel for ? '
tealeaf kotowed and rise to he foot .
' look , ' say xue pan .
' i would not have trouble you otherwise , only it be my birthday on the third of next month and old hu and old cheng and a couple of the other , i do not know where they get they from but they have give i : a piece of fresh lotus root , ever so crisp and crunchy , as thick as that , look , and as long as that ; a huge great melon , look , as big as that ; a freshly-caught sturgeon as big as that ; and a cypress-smoked siamese sucking-pig as big as that that come in the tribute from siam .
do not you think it be clever of they to get i those thing ?
maybe not so much the sturgeon and the sucking-pig .
they be just expensive .
but where would you go to get a piece of lotus root or a melon like that ?
however do they get they to grow so big ?
i have give some of the stuff to mother , and while i be about it i send some round to you grandmother and auntie wang , but i have still get a lot leave over .
i can not eat it all myself : it would be unlucky .
but apart from i , the only person i can think of who be worthy to eat a present like this be you .
that be why i come over specially to invite you .
and we be lucky , because we have get a little chap who sing come round as well .
so you and i will be able to sit down and make a day of it , eh ?
really enjoy ourselves . '
