"It won't do to be angry with them！" Hsiao Hung observed. "The proverb says： 'You may erect a shed a thousand _li_ long， but there is no entertainment from which the guests will not disperse！' And who is it that will tarry here for a whole lifetime？ In another three years or five years every single one of us will have gone her own way； and who will， when that time comes， worry her mind about any one else？"

these allusions had the unexpected effect of touching Chia Hui to the heart； and in spite of herself the very balls of her eyes got red. But so uneasy did she feel at crying for no reason that she had to exert herself to force a smile. "What you say is true，" she ventured. "And yet， Pao-yue even yesterday explained how the rooms should be arranged by and bye； and how the clothes should be made， just as if he was bound to hang on to dear life for several hundreds of years."

Hsiao Hung， at these words， gave a couple of sardonic smiles. But when about to pass some remark， she perceived a youthful servant-girl， who had not as yet let her hair grow， walk in， holding in her hands several patterns and two sheets of paper. "You are asked，" she said， "to trace these two designs！"

As she spoke， she threw them at Hsiao Hung， and twisting herself round， she immediately scampered away.

"Whose are they， after all？" Hsiao Hung inquired， addressing herself outside. "Couldn't you wait even so much as to conclude what you had to say， but flew off at once？ Who is steaming bread and waiting for you？ Or are you afraid， forsooth， lest it should get cold？"

"they belong to sister Ch'i，" the young servant-girl merely returned for answer from outside the window； and raising her feet high， she ran tramp-tramp on her way back again.

Hsiao Hung lost control over her temper， and snatching the designs， she flung them on one side. She then rummaged in a drawer for a pencil， but finding， after a prolonged search， that they were all blunt； "Where did I，" she thereupon ejaculated， "put that brand-new pencil the other day？ How is it I can't remember where it is？"

While she soliloquised， she became wrapt in thought. After some reflection she， at length， gave a smile. "Of course！" she exclaimed， "the other evening Ying Erh took it away." And turning towards Chia Hui， "Fetch it for me，" she shouted.

"Sister Hua，" Chia Hui rejoined， "is waiting for me to get a box for her， so you had better go for it yourself！"

"What！" remarked Hsiao Hung， "she's waiting for you， and are you still squatting here chatting leisurely？ Hadn't it been that I asked you to go and fetch it， she too wouldn't have been waiting for you； you most perverse vixen！"

With these words on her lips， she herself walked out of the room， and leaving the I Hung court， she straightway proceeded in the direction of Pao-ch'ai's court. As soon， however， as she reached the Hsin Fang pavilion， she saw dame Li， Pao-yue's nurse， appear in view from the opposite side； so Hsiao Hung halted and putting on a smile， "Nurse Li，" she asked， "where are you， old dame， bound for？ How is it you're coming this way？"

Nurse Li stopped short， and clapped her hands. "Tell me，" she said， "has he deliberately again gone and fallen in love with that Mr. something or other like Yun （cloud）， or Yue （rain）？ They now insist upon my bringing him inside， but if they get wind of it by and bye in the upper rooms， it won't again be a nice thing."

"Are you， old lady，" replied Hsiao Hung smiling， "taking things in such real earnest that you readily believe them and want to go and ask him in here？"

"What can I do？" rejoined nurse Li.

"Why， that fellow，" added Hsiao Hung laughingly， "will， if he has any idea of decency， do the right thing and not come."

"Besides， he's not a fool！" pleaded nurse Li； "so why shouldn't he come in？"

"Well， if he is to come，" answered Hsiao Hung， "it will devolve upon you， worthy dame， to lead him along with you； for were you by and bye to let him penetrate inside all alone and knock recklessly about， why， it won't do at all."

"Have I got all that leisure，" retorted nurse Li， "to trudge along with him？ I'll simply tell him to come； and later on I can despatch a young servant-girl or some old woman to bring him in， and have done."