评论
打印
"It should be 'fairy land，'" suggested all of them， "so as to be apposite！"
Chia Cheng nodded his head and said nothing. But as soon as Pao-yue caught sight of this spot something was suddenly aroused in his heart and he began to ponder within himself. "This place really resembles something that I've seen somewhere or other." But he could not at the moment recall to mind what year， moon， or day this had happened.
Chia Cheng bade him again propose a motto； but Pao-yue was bent upon thinking over the details of the scenery he had seen on a former occasion， and gave no thought whatever to this place， so that the whole company were at a loss what construction to give to his silence， and came simply to the conclusion that， after the bullying he had had to put up with for ever so long， his spirits had completely vanished， his talents become exhausted and his speech impoverished； and that if he were harassed and pressed， he might perchance， as the result of anxiety， contract some ailment or other， which would of course not be a suitable issue， and they lost no time in combining together to dissuade Chia Cheng.
"Never mind，" they said， "to-morrow will do to compose some device； let's drop it now."
Chia Cheng himself was inwardly afraid lest dowager lady Chia should be anxious， so that he hastily remarked as he forced a smile. "You beast， there are， after all， also occasions on which you are no good！ but never mind！ I'll give you one day to do it in， and if by to-morrow you haven't been able to compose anything， I shall certainly not let you off. This is the first and foremost place and you must exercise due care in what you write."
Saying this， he sallied out， at the head of the company， and cast another glance at the scenery.
Indeed from the time they had entered the gate up to this stage， they had just gone over five or six tenths of the whole ground， when it happened again that a servant came and reported that some one had arrived from Mr. Yue-'ts'un's to deliver a message. "These several places （which remain），" Chia Cheng observed with a smile， "we have no time to pass under inspection； but we might as well nevertheless go out at least by that way， as we shall be able， to a certain deGREe， to have a look at the general aspect."
With these words， he showed the way for the family companions until they reached a large bridge， with water entering under it， looking like a curtain made of crystal. This bridge， the fact is， was the dam， which communicated with the river outside， and from which the stream was introduced into the grounds.
"What's the name of this water-gate？" Chia Cheng inquired.
"This is，" replied Pao-yue， "the main stream of the Hsin Fang river， and is therefore called the Hsin Fang water-gate."
"Nonsense！" exclaimed Chia Cheng. "the two words Hsin Fang must on no account be used！"
And as they speedily advanced on their way， they either came across elegant halls， or thatched cottages； walls made of piled-up stone， or gates fashioned of twisted plants； either a secluded nunnery or Buddhist fane， at the foot of some hill； or some unsullied houses， hidden in a grove， tenanted by rationalistic priestesses； either extensive corridors and winding grottoes； or square buildings， and circular pavilions. But Chia Cheng had not the energy to enter any of these places， for as he had not had any rest for ever so long， his legs felt shaky and his feet weak.
Suddenly they also discerned ahead of them a court disclose itself to view.
"When we get there，" Chia Cheng suggested， "we must have a little rest." Straightway as he uttered the remark， he led them in， and winding round the jade-GREen peach-trees， covered with blossom， they passed through the bamboo fence and flower-laden hedge， which were twisted in such a way as to form a circular， cavelike gateway， when unexpectedly appeared before their eyes an enclosure with whitewashed walls， in which verdant willows drooped in every direction.
Chia Cheng entered the gateway in company with the whole party. Along the whole length of both sides extended covered passages， connected with each other； while in the court were laid out several rockeries. In one quarter were planted a number of banana trees； on the opposite stood a plant of begonia from Hsi Fu. Its appearance was like an open umbrella. The gossamer hanging （from its branches） resembled golden threads. The corollas （seemed） to spurt out cinnabar.
"What a beautiful flower！ what a beautiful flower！" ejaculated the whole party with one voice； "begonias are verily to be found； but never before have we seen anything the like of this in beauty."
"This is called the maiden begonia and is， in fact， a foreign species，" Chia Cheng observed. "There's a homely tradition that it is because it emanates from the maiden kingdom that its flowers are most prolific； but this is likewise erratic talk and devoid of common sense."
"they are， after all，" rejoined the whole company， "so unlike others （we have seen）， that what's said about the maiden kingdom is， we are inclined to believe， possibly a fact."
"I presume，" interposed Pao-yue， "that some clever bard or poet， （perceiving） that this flower was red like cosmetic， delicate as if propped up in sickness， and that it closely resembled the nature of a young lady， gave it， consequently， the name of maiden！ People in the world will propagate idle tales， all of which are unavoidably treated as gospel！"
"We receive （with thanks） your instructions； what excellent explanation！" they all remarked unanimously， and as they expressed these words， the whole company took their seats on the sofas under the colonnade.
"Let's think of some original text or other for a motto，" Chia Cheng having suggested， one of the companions opined that the two characters： "Banana and stork" would be felicitous； while another one was of the idea that what would be faultless would be： "Collected splendour and waving elegance！"
"'Collected splendour and waving elegance' is excellent，" Chia Cheng observed addressing himself to the party； and Pao-yue himself， while also extolling it as beautiful， went on to say： "There's only one thing however to be reGREtted！"
"What about reGREt？" the company inquired.
