第15章 出生是人生的起点（7）

　　宝钗的人生与宝玉的人生因婚姻而永久地紧紧联系在一起，而黛玉的人生与宝玉的人生因恋爱而紧密地联系在一起。宝黛之恋被扼杀，造成了黛玉之死和宝玉决定削发为僧，终成令人心碎的爱情悲剧。宝钗与宝玉的婚姻用偷梁换柱之计婚配得天衣无缝。尽管宝玉被迫与宝钗结了婚，但他与她志不同，道不合，最后抛弃了她而出了家，造成了他们没有爱情的婚姻悲剧。这就是为什么宝玉、黛玉和宝钗的人生在“红楼梦十二支歌词”的第一歌（除“红楼梦引子”外）“终生误”中都有反映——“都道是金玉良缘，俺只念木石前盟。空对着，山中高士晶莹雪；终不忘，世外仙姝寂寞林。叹人间，美中不足今方信：纵然是齐眉举案，到底意难平。”

　　Baochai’s life is permanently bound up with Baoyu’s by marriage while Daiyu’s life is closely relatedwith Baoyu’s by love. The love between Daiyu and Baoyu is strangled to death and ends in a heart-breakingtragedy， including the death of Daiyu and Baoyu’s decision to be tonsured to become a monk. The marriagebetween Baochai and Baoyu is well-matched by a plan to fob off a different bride on Baoyu. Although Baoyugets married to Baochai by force， he has little in common with her and finally decides to forsake her andtonsure himself to become a monk. Consequently， their marriage without love ends up tragically. That’s whythe lives of Baoyu， Daiyu and Baochai are reflected in the first song (except“Prologue to The Dream of RedMansions”) A Life Misspent of“the Dream of Red Mansions Songs”—well-matched， all say， the goldand the jade； I alone recall the pledge between plant and stone. Vainly facing the hermit in sparkling snow-clad hills I forget not the fairy in lone woods beyond the world. I sigh， learning that no man’s happiness iscomplete： Even a pair thought well-matched may find disappointment.

　　史湘云：史湘云是贾母史家的侄孙女，忠靖侯史鼎的侄女。襁褓中，父母双亡。纵居那绮罗丛，谁知娇养？宝钗说：“湘云在家里一点儿做不得主。他们家嫌费用大，竟不用那些针线上的人，差不多儿的东西都是她们娘儿们动手：为什么这几次她来了，她和我说话儿，见没人在跟前，她就说家里累的慌？我再问她两句家常过日子的话，她就连眼圈儿都红了，嘴里含含糊糊，待说不说的。看她的情景儿，自然从小儿没了父母是苦的。”“上次她告诉我，说在家里做活做到三更天，要是替别人做一点半点儿，那些奶奶太太们，还不受用呢。”

　　Shi Xiangyun： Shi Xiangyun is the Lady Dowager’s grandniece， of the Shi family and the niece of ShiDing， Marquis of Zhong Jing. She is still in her cradle when her parents die. Although living in luxury whowill dote on her？“Xiangyun is a nobody at home”. Baochai said，“To save expense， her people no longeremploy sewing-women but make practically everything they need themselves. That’s why， during her last fewvisits， she’s confided to me when nobody was about that she gets quite tired out at home. And when I askedabout their daily life， her eyes filled with tears and she made some evasive answer. So I gather she’s havinga hard time of it because she lost her parents so early on.”“Last time she did tell me she has to work tillmidnight at home， and if she does the least bit of work for other people the ladies of the house don’t like it.”

　　湘云住在她叔父史鼎家，但她婶母对她不好。难怪她总想到贾府作客。每当她离开贾家时，湘云都是眼泪汪汪，并叫宝玉到跟前悄悄地嘱咐道：“就是老太太想不起我来，你时常提着，好等老太太打发人接我去。”只要湘云一回到贾府大观园，便如鱼得水，就恢复了她那天真活泼、心直口快、无拘无束、古道热肠的天性。

　　Xiangyun lives with her uncle Shi Ding but her aunt is not very kind to her. That’s why she always wantsto visit the Jia family. Whenever she leaves the Jias， her eyes are brimming with tears and beckons Baoyu toher side.“If the old lady forgets me，”she whispers，“do remind her to send someone to fetch me back.”Solong as Xiangyun returns to the Grand View Garden of the Jia family， just like a fish in water， she recoversher nature of being innocent and lively， frank and outspoken， free and easy， considerate and warmhearted.

　　湘云在大观园有很多表兄弟、表姐妹和宝钗、袭人等朋友，常在一起过得很愉快。因此，当她叔父史鼎又迁委外省大员，不日要带家眷去上任，贾母因舍不得湘云，便留下她，接到家中，原要命凤姐儿另设一处与她住时，她却执意不肯，只要和宝钗一处住。在宝钗、黛玉来荣府之前，湘云曾在贾家寄居过一些时期，和宝玉、袭人已成了儿时好友。黛玉因湘云佩有金麒麟，今忽见宝玉也有麒麟，便恐借此生隙，同湘云也做出那些风流佳事来，因而悄悄走来，见机行事，以察二人之意。不想刚走进来，正听见湘云说“经济”一事，宝玉又说：“林妹妹不说这些混帐话，要说这话，我也和他生分了。”这才解除了黛玉的误解。

　　Xiangyun has many cousins and friends， such as Baochai， Xiren， etc. in the Grand View Garden.

　　They are often having a good time there. Thus， when her uncle Shi Ding was transferred to a provincialgovernorship and would be taking his family to his new post in a few days and the Lady Dowager would notwant to part with Xiangyun and would keep her and have her fetched to their house， directing Xifeng to giveher a separate establishment， Xiangyun resolutely declined， and at her insistence they let her move in withBaochai instead. Xiangyun had stayed with the Jias for some periods of time and made good children-friendswith Baoyu and Xiren before Daiyu and Baochai came to stay in the Rong Mansion. Daiyu was much worriedabout the fact that Baoyu’s possession of a gold unicorn as Xiangyun’s might lead to a romance between them.

　　So she slipped over to see what was happening and judge of their feelings for each other， arriving just asXiangyun was speaking of“worldly affairs”， and in time to hear Baoyu answer，“Miss Lin never talks suchdisgusting nonsense. If she did， I’d have stopped having anything to do with her.”This has released Daiyufrom misunderstanding.

　　湘云和黛玉处境相同，都父母双亡，寄居贾母门下（贾母是湘云的伯祖母，是黛玉的外祖母），两个都是才女，年轻漂亮，很会写诗，她俩联写的诗“寒塘渡鹤影（湘云写），冷月葬诗魂（黛玉联）”已成了人们不能忘却的千古绝句。但她们对人生的态度和性格特点不同：湘云对人生乐观坚强，黛玉对人生悲观失望。湘云性格开朗，潇洒自如，爱说爱笑，古道热肠，追求一种“是真名士自风流”的人生；黛玉生来体弱多病，素多猜忌，好弄小性儿，多愁善感，说话直率尖刻，追求高于一切（包括她生命）的自由纯洁的爱情。

　　Xiangyun and Daiyu are placed in the same position—Their parents died early. They’re living with theLady Dowager (who is Xiangyun’s Grandaunt and Daiyuu’s Grandmother). Both of them are talented girls，young and beautiful， very good at writing poems. The poem written by them together“A stork’s shadow flitsacross the chilly pool (written by Xiangyun)， the poet’s spirit is buried in cold moonlight”(matched by Daiyu)has become the reputed lines for myriad years， which people can never forget. But their attitudes towardstheir lives and their characteristics are quite different： Xiangyun’s attitude towards her life is optimisticand staunch while Daiyu’s is pessimistic and despondent. Xiangyun has a bright and cheerful disposition，is always natural and unrestrained， talkative and laughing， considerate and warmhearted， seeking for a lifethat“a real scholar can afford to be eccentric.”But Daiyu is born weak and often ill. She’s rather jealousand petty-minded， oversensitive and speaking candidly and carpingly. She’s been seeking for a free and purelove which is considered above everything， including her life.

　　湘云因她女婿病着，贾母死后，只来的一次，屈指算是后日送殡，不能不去。又见她女婿的病已成痨症，暂且不妨，只得坐夜前一日过来。想起贾母素日疼她；又想到自己命苦，刚配了一个才貌双全的男人，性情又好，偏偏的得了冤孽症候，不过捱日子罢了；于是更加悲痛，直哭了半夜。宝玉瞅着也不胜悲伤，又不好上前去劝。见她淡妆素服，不敷脂粉，更比未出嫁的时候犹胜几分。至于湘云的婚姻，那是她叔父的主意，头里原好；如今丈夫死于痨病，她立志守寡，也就苦了。

　　Since Xiangyun’s husband was ill， she had visited only once after the old lady’s death； but she felt shemust attend the funeral which she reckoned would be held in two days’ time. In any case， her husband’sillness had proved to be consumption， so that he was in no immediate danger. She therefore came over the daybefore the wake， when she recalled the old lady’s goodness to her， then thought of her own wretched fate. Shehad only just married a talented， handsome husband with a cheerful disposition， but then he had contractedthis fatal illness which might any day carry him off. In distress she wept half the night. Baoyu， seeing this，grieved for her too but was in no position to comfort her. He noticed that in her white mourning， her face bareof rouge and powder， she looked even lovelier than before her marriage. As for her marriage， that was heruncle’s idea and all went well to start with， but now her husband’s died of consumption and she’s made up hermind never to marry again， poor thing.

　　湘云很年轻就守寡的说法在她《咏白海棠诗》“自是霜娥偏爱冷”句中得到了印证。

　　她很会写诗，正如黛玉、宝钗一样。据说她最后又嫁给了贾宝玉，听起来很合情合理，在她《对菊》《供菊》的诗句中也有一些暗示。例如《对菊》中，“别圃移来贵比金”暗示她的再婚。诗行“数去更无君傲世，看来惟我有知音”中，是谁如此傲世？倘是宝玉，也就是雪芹，知音之人自是湘云（黛玉已死）。“秋光荏苒休辜负，相对原宜惜寸阴”，正是“黄昏恋”者的共同心声，共同祈盼！在《供菊》中，“弹琴酌酒喜堪俦”暗示他们的幸福生活。

　　“抛书人对一枝秋。霜清纸帐来新梦，圃冷斜阳忆旧游。”“抛书人”是谁？“新梦”是什么？“旧游”何处？我们认为指的是曹雪芹与《红楼梦》。曹雪芹正是通过写《红楼梦》来“忆”出他们的“旧游”——他们先前的生活（经历），来做出“新梦”——他们的新思想、新追求。“傲世也因同气味”暗指宝玉与湘云共同的“气味”——“傲世”！

　　The view that Xiangyun is widowed when she’s quite young has been confirmed by the line“Likethe goddess of frost who loves the cold”from her poem Song of white Begonia. Xiangyun is very goodat writing poems， just as Daiyu and Baochai do. It is said that she’s finally remarried to Jia Baoyu—CaoXueqin. It sounds quite reasonable. There are also some indications in the lines of her poems Facingthe Chrysanthemum and Displaying the Chrysanthemum. For Instance， in her poem Facing theChrysanthemum： the line“Brought from another plot， more precious than gold”indicates her remarriage.

　　In the lines“None， surely， in the world as proud as you； I alone， it seems， know your worth”， who’s so proudin the world！ None other than Cao Xueqin！ If it is Baoyu， i.e Cao Xueqin， whose bosom friend is naturallyXiangyun (since Daiyu’s been dead). It’s just the aged-lovers’ heartfelt wishes and expectations that“Weshould make the most of autumn， gone so soon， and facing you I treasure every moment.”In her poemDisplaying the Chrysanthemum： the line“Music and wine gladly accompany”indicates their happy life.

　　In the lines“Tossing my book aside I face a spray of autumn. Fresh dreams penetrate the curtain in clearfrost， sunset in chill garden recalls a former visit.”， who’s“tossing my book aside”？ What are“freshdreams？”Where’s“a former visit？”In the way of our thinking， they indicate Cao Xueqin and A Dream ofRed Mansions. By writing A Dream of Red Mansions Cao Xueqin“recalls a former visit”—their formerlives (experience) and has“fresh dreams”—their new ideas and aspirations. The line“You too disdain theworld， for we share the same taste”indicates that Xueqin and Xiangyun“share the same taste”—both ofthem disdain the world！

　　妙玉：妙玉本是苏州人氏，祖上也是读书仕宦之家，因自幼多病，买了许多替身，皆不中用，到底这姑娘入了空门，方才好了，所以带发修行。年方十八岁，法名妙玉。如今父母俱已亡故，身边只有两个老嬷嬷，一个小丫头服侍，文墨也极通，经文也不用学了，模样又极好。因听说“长安”都中有观音遗迹，并贝叶遗文，去年随了师父上来，现在西门外牟尼院住着。他师父极精演先天神数，于去年冬圆寂了。遗言说她：“不宜回乡，在此静候，自有结果。”所以未曾扶灵回去。王夫人听了报告并问道：“这样我们何不接了他来？”林之孝家的回道：“若请他，他说：‘侯门公府，必以贵势压人，我再不去的。’”王夫人道：

　　“他既是宦家小姐，自然要性傲些。就下个请帖请他何妨？”因此，妙玉被邀请作了大观园内栊翠庵住持。

　　Miaoyu： Miaoyu comes from a Suzhou family of scholars and officials. She was delicate as a child，and although they bought many substitute novices for her， it was no use—her health didn’t improve untilshe joined the Buddhist order herself. That’s how she became a lay sister. She’s eighteen this year and hername in religion is Miaoyu. Her parents are dead now and she only has two old nurses and one maid to lookafter her. She’s widely read and well-versed in the sutras， besides being very good-looking. She came to thecapital last year， having heard there were relics of Guanyin here and canons inscribed on pattra leaves. She’sbeen living in the Sakyamuni Convent outside the West Gate. Her tutor was an excellent diviner， but shepassed away last winter. Miaoyu had meant to escort the coffin back to her native place； but as her tutor laydying she told the girl not to go back home but to wait quietly where she was for something fortune had in storefor her. So she didn’t accompany the coffin back.“In that case， why not ask her here？”Lady Wang listenedto the report and asked.“She’d refuse，”objected Lin Zhixiao’s wife.“She’d be afraid of being looked downon in a noble household.“A young lady from an official family is bound to be rather proud，”agreed LadyWang.“Why not send her a written invitation？”Thus Miaoyu was invited to be Abbess of Green LatticeNunnery in Grand View Garden.

　　贾母带了刘姥姥至栊翠庵来。妙玉相迎进去。然后她亲自捧了一个海棠花式雕漆填金“云龙献寿”的小茶盘，里面放了一个成窑五彩小盖钟，捧与贾母，并说：“这是‘老君眉’。”贾母接了，又问：“是什么水？”妙玉道：“是旧年蠲的雨水。”贾母便吃了半盏，笑着递与刘姥姥，说，“你尝尝这个茶。”刘姥姥便一口吃尽。上茶后妙玉便把宝钗黛玉的衣襟一拉，二人随她出去。宝玉悄悄的随后跟了来。只见妙玉让他们在耳房内，她自向风炉上煽滚了水，另泡了一壶茶。她刚要去取杯，只见道婆收了上面茶盏来，妙玉忙命：

　　“将那成窑的茶杯别收了，搁在外头去罢。”宝玉会意，知为刘姥姥吃了，她嫌腌罥，不要了。又见妙玉另拿出两只极好的杯来，斟了一杯给宝钗，另一杯给了黛玉，仍将前番自己常日吃茶的那只绿玉斗来斟与宝玉。黛玉因问：“这也是旧年的雨水？”妙玉冷笑道：“你这么个人，竟是大俗人，连水也尝不出来！这是五年前我在玄墓蟠香寺住着，收的梅花上的雪，统共得了那一鬼脸青的花瓮一瓮，总舍不得吃，埋在地下，今年夏天才开了。我只吃过一回，这是第二回了。——你怎么尝不出来？隔年蠲的雨水，那有这样清淳？如何吃得！”

　　黛玉知她天性怪僻，不好多话，亦不好多坐，吃过茶，便约着宝钗走出来。宝玉和妙玉陪笑说道：“那茶杯虽然腌罥了，白撩了岂不可惜？依我说，不如就给了那贫婆子罢，他卖了也可以度日。你说使得么？”妙玉听了，想了一想，点头说道：“这也罢了。幸而那杯子是我没吃过的；若是我吃过的，我就砸碎了也不能给他。你要给他，我也不管，你只交给他，快拿了去罢。”宝玉道：“自然如此。你那里和他说话去？越发连你都腌罥了。只交给我就是了。”妙玉便命人拿来递给宝玉。宝玉接了，又道：“等我们出去了，我叫几个小么儿来河里打几桶水来洗地如何？”妙玉笑道：“这更好了。只是你嘱咐他们，抬了水，只搁在山门外头墙根下，别进门来。”宝玉道：“这是自然的。”说着，便袖着那杯，递给贾母屋里的小丫头拿着，说：“明日刘姥姥家去，给他带去罢。”交代明白，贾母已经出来要回去，妙玉亦不甚留，送出山门，回身便将门闭了。正如歌“世难容”所说：“却不知好高人愈妒，过洁世同嫌。”

　　The Lady Dowager took Granny Liu to Green Lattice Nunnery. Miaoyu promptly ushered them intothe courtyard. Then she brought out in her own hands a carved lacquer tea-tray in the shape of crab-apple blossom， inlaid with a golden design of the“cloud dragon offering longevity.”On this was a coveredgilded polychrome bowl made in the Cheng Hua period， which she offered to the Lady Dowager， and saidsmilingly：“This is Patriarch’s Eyebrows.”“What water have you used？”asked the old lady.“Rain-water saved from last year.”replied Miaoyu smiling. The Lady Dowager drank half the bowl and passedthe rest with a twinkle to Granny Liu， urging her to taste the tea. The old woman drank it straight off. Havingserved tea， Miaoyu plucked at the lapels of Baochai’s and Daiyu’s clothes and they went out with her， followedsurreptitiously by Baoyu. Miaoyu invited them into a side room， while she herself fanned the stove and whenthe water boiled brewed some fresh tea. She was just looking for cups when an old nun came in bringingthe used bowls.“Don’t put away that Cheng Hua bowl，”cried Miaoyu hastily.“Leave it outside.”Baoyuknew that because Granny Liu had used it， she thought it too dirty to keep. Then he saw Miaoyu produce twoexcellent cups and fill them， one to Baochai， the other to Daiyu. She offered Baoyu the green jade beakerthat she normally drank from herself.“Is this made with last year’s rain-water too？”asked Daiyu. Miaoyusmiled disdainfully.“Can you really be so vulgar as not even to tell the difference？ This is snow I gatheredfrom plum-blossom five years ago while staying in Curly Fragrance Nunnery on Mount Xuanmu. I managedto fill that whole dark blue porcelain pot， but it seemed too precious to use so I’ve kept it buried in the earthall these years， not opening it till this summer. Today is only the second time I’ve used it. Surely you cantaste the difference？ How could last year’s rain-water be as light and pure as this？”Daiyu， knowing hereccentricity， did not like to say too much or stay too long. After finishing her tea she signalled to Baochai andthe two girls left， followed by Baoyu. As he was leaving he said with a smile to Miaoyu，“That bowl may havebeen contaminated， but surely it’s a pity to throw it away？ I think you’d do better to give it to that poor woman，who’d make enough by selling it to keep her for some time. Don’t you agree？”After a little reflection Miaoyunodded.“All right，”she said.“It’s a good thing I’d never drunk out of it， or I’d have smashed it. But I can’tgive it to her myself. If you want to give it to her， I’ve no objection. Go ahead and take it.”“Of course，”hechuckled.“How could you speak to the likes of her？ You’d be contaminating yourself. Just let me haveit.”Miaoyu sent for the bowl and had it handed to him. As he took it he said，“After we’ve gone， shall I senda few pages with some buckets of water from the stream to wash your floors？”“That’s a good idea.”Shesmiled.“Only make them leave the buckets by the wall outside the gate. They mustn’t come in.”“Ofcourse not.”He withdrew， the bowl in his sleeve， and entrusted it to one of his grandmother’s small maidswith the instruction，“Give this to Granny Liu to take home tomorrow.”By this time the Lady Dowager wasready to leave， and Miaoyu did not press her hard to stay but saw them out and closed the gate behind them.

　　Just as the song Spurned by the World reads：“She knows not that superiority fosters hatred， for the worlddespises too much purity.”

　　妙玉在宝玉生日那天打发个妈妈送来贺卡，上面写着：“槛外人妙玉恭肃遥叩芳辰。”

　　宝玉竟不知回帖上回个什么字样才与“槛外人”相配。当他看见岫烟时，忙问：“姐姐那里去？”岫烟笑道：“我找妙玉说话。”宝玉听了，诧异说道：“他为人孤癖，不合时宜，万人不入他目，原来他推重姐姐，竟知姐姐不是我们一流俗人！”岫烟笑道：“他也未必真心重我，但我和他做过十年的邻居，只一墙之隔：他在蟠香寺修炼，我家原来寒素，赁房居住，就赁了他庙里的房子，住了十年，无事到他庙里去作伴，我所认得的字，都是承他所授；我和他又是贫贱之交，又有半师之分。因我们投亲去了，闻得他因不合时宜，权势不容，竟投到这里来。如今又两缘凑合，我们得遇，旧情竟未改易，承他青目，更胜当日。”宝玉听了，恍如听了焦雷一般，喜得笑道：“如今遇见姐姐，真是天缘凑合，求姐姐指教。”说着便将拜帖取与岫烟看。岫烟笑道：“他这脾气竟不能改，竟是生成这等放诞诡僻了。从来没见拜帖上下别号的：这可是俗语说的‘僧不僧，俗不俗，女不女，男不男，成个什么理数！”宝玉听说，忙笑道：“姐姐不知道，他原不在这些人中里……因取了我是个些微有知识的，方给我这帖子。”岫烟听了宝玉这话，方笑道：“怪道俗话说的，‘闻名不如见面’，又怪不的妙玉竟下这帖子给你，又怪不的上年竟给你那些梅花。既连他这样，少不得我告诉你原故。”他常说，古人中，皆无好诗，只有两句好：“纵有千年铁门槛，终须一个土馒头。”所以他自称“槛外之人”。你如今只下“槛内人”，便合了他的心了。“嗳哟”了一声，宝玉方笑道：“姐姐就请，让我去写回帖。”宝玉在帖上只写“槛内人宝玉熏沐谨拜”几字，亲自拿了到栊翠庵，只隔门缝儿投进去，便回来了。

　　On Baoyu’s birthday Miaoyu sent an old servant with a greeting card to Baoyu who read：“Miaoyu， theone outside the threshold， sends respectful greetings on the young master’s birthday.”Bayou didn’t know howto word a reply matching that phrase“outside the threshold.”When he saw Xiuyan， he inquired：“Whereare you going， cousin？”“To have a chat with Miaoyu，”was the answer. In surprise he remarked，“She’s soaloof and unconventional that she looks down on everybody. If she thinks so highly of you， this shows you’renot vulgar like the rest of us.”“She may not really think highly of me，”replied Xiuyan with a smile，“butwe were next-door neighbours for ten years when she was practicing asceticism in Curly Fragrance Nunnery.

　　My family was poor， and we lived for ten years in a house rented from the nunnery； so I often went in to seeher when I was free， and she’s the one who taught me all the characters I know. Apart from being friends inpoverty， she was half my teacher too. After we had left the nunnery to join our relatives， I heard that becauseshe’d offended certain powerful people by her eccentric ways she had to come here for protection too. So asluck would have it we met again， and our old feeling for each other hadn’t changed—in fact she’s even kinderto me than before.”Much impressed by this account Baoyu said with delight，“Meeting you is a heaven-sent chance. You must tell me what to do.”Then he showed the card to Xiuyan.“She hasn’t changed in theleast，”observed Xiuyan with a smile.“She was born like this—headstrong and eccentric. I’ve never seenother people use appellations like this in greeting cards. Why， this， as the saying goes， is neither fish， fleshnor fowl！ It doesn’t make sense.”“But you see she’s not one of us，”Baoyu put in.“She’s only sent me thisgreeting because she thinks I have some slight discernment.”Hearing this， Xiuyan said cheerfully，“As theproverb says，‘To know someone by repute is not as good as meeting face to face.’No wonder Miaoyu sentyou this greeting card； no wonder she gave you that plum-blossom last year. As even she shows you specialconsideration， I shall have to explain this to you.”She often says that the only good poetry written by theancients was the two lines：

　　For a thousand years you may have an iron threshold，But the end must be a mound of earth”

　　This is why she calls herself“the one outside the threshold.”To fall in with her you should callyourself“the one inside the threshold.”“Aiya！”Baoyu exclaimed.“Well， cousin， I won’t hold you upany longer. I must go and write a reply.”Baoyu wrote on the card：“With the deepest respects of Baoyu， theone inside the threshold.”Taking this himself to the nunnery， he slipped it through a crack in the gate， thenwent back.

　　宝玉轻轻地掀帘进去时，妙玉和惜春正在下棋。宝玉一面与妙玉施礼，一面又笑问道：

　　“妙公轻易不出禅关，今日何缘下凡一走？”妙玉听了，忽然把脸一红，也不答言，低了头，自看那棋。惜春还要下子，妙玉半日说道：“再下罢。”便起身理理衣裳，重新坐下，痴痴地问着宝玉道：“你从何处来？”宝玉想道：“或是妙玉的机锋。”转红了脸，答应不出来。惜春也笑道：“二哥哥，这什么难答的？你没有听见人家常说的，‘从来处来’么？

　　这也值得把脸红了，见了生人的似的！”妙玉听了这话，想起自家，心上一动，脸上一热，必然也是红的，倒觉不好意思起来。因站起来说道：我来得久了，要回庵里去了。惜春知妙玉为人，也不深留，送出门口。妙玉笑道：“久已不来这里，弯弯曲曲的，回去的路头都要迷住了。”宝玉道：“这倒要我来指引指引。何如？”妙玉道：“不敢，二爷前请。”于是二人别了惜春，走近潇湘馆，忽听得叮咚之声。妙玉道：“那里的琴声？”宝玉道：“想必是林妹妹那里抚琴呢。咱们去看他。”妙玉道：“从古只有听琴，再没有看琴的。”宝玉笑道：“我原说我是个俗人。”说着，二人走至潇湘馆外，在山子石上坐着静听，甚觉音调清切。当黛玉又歇了歇，妙玉道：“刚才‘侵’字韵是第一叠，如今‘扬’字韵是第二叠了。

　　咱们再听。”他们听了另一节后，妙玉道：“何忧思之深也！”宝玉道：“我虽不懂得，但听他声音，也觉得过悲了。”里头又调了一回弦。妙玉道：“君弦太高了，与无射律只怕不配呢。”妙玉听了，呀然失色道：“如何忽作变徵之声！音韵可裂金石矣！只是太过。”宝玉道：“太过便怎么？”妙玉道：“恐不能持久。”正议论时，听得君弦“嘣”的一声断了。妙玉站起来连忙就走。宝玉道：“怎么样？”妙玉道：“日后自知，你也不必多说。”

　　竟自走了。弄得宝玉满肚疑团，没精打采的归至怡红院中。

　　Miaoyu and Xichun were playing draughts when Baoyu softly raised the portiere and went in. Hegreeted Miaoyu and said to her with a smile，“It’s rarely that you leave your saintly abode. Why haveyou descended today to the mundane world？”Miaoyu flushed up but said nothing， lowering her head tokeep her eyes on the board. Xichun wanted to finish the game， but after a while Miaoyu said，“Let’s playsome other time.”She stood up to smooth down her clothes， but then sat down again and asked Baoyufatuously，“Where did you come from？”It occurred to Baoyu that she might be testing his understanding.

　　He reddened and could not answer.“Is that so hard to answer， Second Brother.”chuckled Xichun.“Haveyou never heard the saying，‘I came from where I’ve been’？ Why blush like that as if she were astranger？”Miaoyu took this dig personally. Her heart misgave her and her cheeks burned—she knew shemust be red in the face too. In her embarrassment she stood up and said，“I’ve been here so long. I mustbe getting back to my nunnery.”As Xichun knew her ways， instead of pressing her to stay she saw her tothe door.“It’s so long since last I was here，”said Miaoyu，“I may not be able to find my way back withall those twists and turns.”“Why not let me show you the way？”Baoyu volunteered.“Thank you， sir.

　　Please lead on！”Taking their leave of Xichun， they followed a winding path which took them near BambooLodge. Suddenly they heard a twanging.“Where does that luting come from？”Miaoyu asked.“It must beCousin Lin playing the lute.”Baoyu said.“Let’s call on her.”“One can only listen to luting， not look atit—that’s always been the rule，”she objected.“I’m a vulgar person， I know，”he said with a grin. Beingoutside Bamboo Lodge now， they seated themselves on an artificial hill to listen quietly to the clear music.

　　As Daiyu paused again， Miaoyu remarked，“The first stanza used the qin rhyme the second the yang rhyme.

　　Let’s hear what follows.”After they heard another stanza， Miaoyu commented，“How mournful！”“ThoughI don’t understand music， it does sound too sad，”Baoyu agreed. Inside， they heard the strings being re-tuned.“The main string is too high！”Miaoyu exclaimed.“It may not fit that scale.”The colour drainingfrom her face Miaoyu exclaimed，“Why did she suddenly play such a high note？ It’s enough to crack metalor stone！ This is too extreme.”“What do you mean？”“I doubt if she can keep it up.”Even as she saidthis， they heard the main string snap. Miaoyu stood up and hastily started off.“What’s the matter？”Baoyuasked.“You’ll know later； don’t talk about it.”With that she left， and Baoyu went back to Happy Red Courtfeeling puzzled and depressed.