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"You saw her，" observed Mrs. Yu， "on the third in here； how that she bore up with a violent effort for ever so long， but it was all because of the friendship that exists between you two， that she still longed for your society， and couldn't brook the idea of tearing herself away."
When lady Feng heard these words， her eyes got quite red， and after a time she at length exclaimed： "In the Heavens of a sudden come wind and rain； while with man， in a day and in a night， woe and weal survene！ But with her tender years， if for a complaint like this she were to run any risk， what pleasure is there for any human being to be born and to sojourn in the world？"
She was just speaking， when Chia Jung walked into the apartment； and after paying his respects to madame Hsing， madame Wang， and lady Feng， he then observed to Mrs. Yu： "I have just taken over the eatables to our venerable ancestor； and， at the same time， I told him that my father was at home waiting upon the senior， and entertaining the junior gentlemen of the whole family， and that in compliance with grandfather's orders， he did not presume to go over. The old gentleman was much delighted by what he heard me say， and having signified that that was all in order， bade me tell father and you， mother， to do all you can in your attendance upon the senior gentlemen and ladies， enjoining me to entertain， with all propriety， my uncles， aunts， and my cousins. He also went on to urge me to press the men to cut， with all despatch， the blocks for the Record of Meritorious Deeds， and to print ten thousand copies for distribution. All these messages I have duly delivered to my father， but I must now be quick and go out， so as to send the eatables for the elder as well as for the younger gentlemen of the entire household."
"Brother Jung Erh，" exclaimed lady Feng， "wait a moment. How is your wife getting on？ how is she， after all， to-day？"
"Not well，" replied Chia Jung. "But were you， aunt， on your return to go in and see her， you will find out for yourself."
Chia Jung forthwith left the room. During this interval， Mrs. Yu addressed herself to mesdames Hsing and Wang； "My ladies，" she asked， "will you have your repast in here， or will you go into the garden for it？ There are now in the garden some young actors engaged in making their preparations？"
"It's better in here，" madame Wang remarked， as she turned towards madame Hsing.
Mrs. Yu thereupon issued directions to the married women and matrons to be quick in serving the eatables. The servants， in waiting outside the door， with one voice signified their obedience； and each of them went off to fetch what fell to her share. In a short while， the courses were all laid out， and Mrs. Yu pressed mesdames Hsing and Wang， as well as her mother， into the upper seats； while she， together with lady Feng and Pao-yue， sat at a side table.
"We've come，" observed mesdames Hsing and Wang， "with the original idea of paying our congratulations to our venerable senior on the occasion of his birthday； and isn't this as if we had come for our own birthdays？"
"the old gentleman，" answered lady Feng， "is a man fond of a quiet life； and as he has already consummated a process of purification， he may well be looked upon as a supernatural being， so that the purpose to which your ladyships have given expression may be considered as manifest to his spirit， upon the very advent of the intention."
As this sentence was uttered the whole company in the room burst out laughing. Mrs. Yu's mother， mesdames Hsing and Wang， and lady Feng having one and all partaken of the banquet， rinsed their mouths and washed their hands， which over， they expressed a wish to go into the garden.
