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While lady Feng advanced leisurely， she inquired， "How many plays have been recited？" to which question one of the matrons replied， "They have gone through eight or nine." But while engaged in conversation， they had already reached the back door of the Tower of Celestial Fragrance， where she caught sight of Pao-yue playing with a company of waiting-maids and pages. "Brother Pao，" lady Feng exclaimed， "don't be up to too much mischief！" "The ladies are all sitting upstairs，" interposed one of the maids. "Please， my lady， this is the way up."
At these words lady Feng slackened her pace， raised her dress， and walked up the stairs， where Mrs. Yu was already at the top of the landing waiting for her.
"You two，" remarked Mrs. Yu， smiling， "are so friendly， that having met you couldn't possibly tear yourself away to come. You had better to-morrow move over there and take up your quarters with her and have done； but sit down and let me， first of all， present you a glass of wine."
Lady Feng speedily drew near mesdames Hsing and Wang， and begged permission to take a seat； while Mrs. Yu brought the programme， and pressed lady Feng to mark some plays.
"the senior ladies occupy the seats of honour，" remonstrated lady Feng， "and how can I presume to choose？"
"We， and our relative by marriage， have selected several plays，" explained mesdames Hsing and Wang， "and it's for you now to choose some good ones for us to listen to."
Standing up， lady Feng signified her obedience； and taking over the programme， and perusing it from top to bottom， she marked off one entitled， the "Return of the Spirit，" and another called "Thrumming and Singing；" after which she handed back the programme， observing， "When they have done with the 'Ennoblement of two Officers，' which they are singing just at present， it will be time enough to sing these two."
"Of course it will，" retorted madame Wang， "but they should get it over as soon as they can， so as to allow your elder Brother and your Sister-in-law to have rest； besides， their hearts are not at ease."
"You senior ladies don't come often，" expostulated Mrs. Yu， "and you and I will derive more enjoyment were we to stay a little longer； it's as yet early in the day！"
Lady Feng stood up and looked downstairs. "Where have all the gentlemen gone to？" she inquired.
"the gentlemen have just gone over to the Pavilion of Plenteous Effulgence，" replied a matron， who stood by； "they have taken along with them ten musicians and gone in there to drink their wine."
"It wasn't convenient for them，" remarked lady Feng， "to be over here； but who knows what they have again gone to do behind our backs？"
"Could every one，" interposed Mrs. Yu， "resemble you， a person of such propriety！"
While they indulged in chatting and laughing， the plays they had chosen were all finished； whereupon the tables were cleared of the wines， and the repast was served. The meal over， the whole company adjourned into the garden， and came and sat in the drawing-room. After tea， they at length gave orders to get ready the carriages， and they took their leave of Mrs. Yu's mother. Mrs. Yu， attended by all the secondary wives， servants， and married women， escorted them out， while Chia Chen， along with the whole bevy of young men， stood by the vehicles， waiting in a group for their arrival.
After saluting mesdames Hsing and Wang， "Aunts，" they said， "you must come over again to-morrow for a stroll."
