红楼梦Chapter24_小升初阅读_小升初-查字典英语网

红楼梦Chapter24

We will now resume our story with Pao-yue. the day on which he encountered Chia Yuen， he asked him to come in on the morrow and have a chat with him， but this invitation was practically the mere formal talk of a rich and well-to-do young man， and was not likely to be so much as borne in mind; and so it was that it readily slipped from his memory. On the evening of the day， however， on which he returned home from the mansion of the Prince Pei Ching， he came， after paying his salutations to dowager lady Chia， madame Wang， and the other inmates， back into the garden; but upon divesting himself of all his fineries， he was just about to have his bath， when， as Hsi Jen had， at the invitation of Hsueeh Pao-chai， crossed over to tie a few knotted buttons， as Chin Wen and Pi Hen had both gone to hurry the servants to bring the water， as Tan Yun had likewise been taken home， on account of her mothers illness， and She Yueh， on the other hand， was at present ailing in her quarters， while the several waiting-maids， who were in there besides to attend to the dirty work， and answer the calls， had， surmising that he would not requisition their services， one and all gone out in search of their friends and in quest of their companions， it occurred， contrary to their calculations， that Pao-yue remained this whole length of time quite alone in his apartments; and as it so happened that Pao-yue wanted tea to drink， he had to call two or three times before he at last saw three old matrons walk in. But at the sight of them， Pao-yue hastily waved his hand and exclaimed： No matter， no matter; I dont want you， whereupon the matrons had no help but to withdraw out of the rooms; and as Pao-yue perceived that there were no waiting-maids at hand， he had to come down and take a cup and go up to the teapot to pour the tea; when he heard some one from behind him observe： Master Secundus， beware， youll scorch your hand; wait until I come to pour it! And as she spoke， she walked up to him， and took the cup from his grasp， to the intense surprise， in fact， of Pao-yue， who inquired： Where were you that you have suddenly come to give me a start?