评论
打印
While therefore its shape has been adhered to， its size has unavoidably been slightly enlarged， to admit of the reader being able， conveniently， to peruse the inscription， even by very lamplight， and though he may be under the influence of wine.
these explanations have been given to obviate any such sneering remarks as： "What could be， pray， the size of the mouth of a child in his mother's womb， and how could it grasp such a large and clumsy thing？"
On the face of the jade was written：
Precious Gem of Spiritual Perception. If thou wilt lose me not and never forget me， Eternal life and constant luck will be with thee！
On the reverse was written：
1 To exorcise evil spirits and the accessory visitations； 2 To cure predestined sickness； 3 To prognosticate weal and woe.
Pao Ch'ai having looked at the amulet， twisted it again to the face， and scrutinising it closely， read aloud：
If thou wilt lose me not and never forget me， Eternal life and constant luck will be with thee！
She perused these lines twice， and， turning round， she asked Ying Erh laughingly： "Why don't you go and pour the tea？ what are you standing here like an idiot！"
"these two lines which I've heard，" smiled Ying Erh， "would appear to pair with the two lines on your necklet， miss！"
"What！" eagerly observed Pao-yue with a grin， when he caught these words， "are there really eight characters too on your necklet， cousin？ do let me too see it."
"Don't listen to what she says，" remarked Pao Ch'ai， "there are no characters on it."
"My dear cousin，" pleaded Pao-yue entreatingly， "how is it you've seen mine？"
Pao Ch'ai was brought quite at bay by this remark of his， and she consequently added， "there are also two propitious phrases engraved on this charm， and that's why I wear it every day. Otherwise， what pleasure would there be in carrying a clumsy thing."
As she spoke， she unfastened the button， and produced from inside her crimson robe， a crystal-like locket， set with pearls and gems， and with a brilliant golden fringe. Pao-yue promptly received it from her， and upon minute examination， found that there were in fact four characters on each side； the eight characters on both sides forming two sentences of good omen. The similitude of the locket is likewise then given below. On the face of the locket is written：
"Part not from me and cast me not away；"
And on the reverse：
"And youth， perennial freshness will display！"
Pao-yue examined the charm， and having also read the inscription twice over aloud， and then twice again to himself， he said as he smiled， "Dear cousin， these eight characters of yours form together with mine an antithetical verse."
"they were presented to her，" ventured Ying Erh， "by a mangy-pated bonze， who explained that they should be engraved on a golden trinket……"
Pao Ch'ai left her no time to finish what she wished to say， but speedily called her to task for not going to bring the tea， and then inquired of Pao-yue "Where he had come from？"
Pao-yue had， by this time， drawn quite close to Pao Ch'ai， and perceived whiff after whiff of some perfume or other， of what kind he could not tell. "What perfume have you used， my cousin，" he forthwith asked， "to fumigate your dresses with？ I really don't remember smelling any perfumery of the kind before."
"I'm very averse，" replied Pao Ch'ai blandly， "to the odour of fumigation； good clothes become impregnated with the smell of smoke."
"In that case，" observed Pao-yue， "what scent is it？"
"Yes， I remember，" Pao Ch'ai answered， after some reflection； "it's the scent of the 'cold fragrance' pills which I took this morning."
