红楼梦Chapter19_小升初阅读_小升初-查字典英语网

红楼梦Chapter19

As luck would have it on this day， at an early hour， Hsi Jens mother came again in person and told dowager lady Chia that she would take Hsi Jen home to drink a cup of tea brewed in the new year and that she would return in the evening. For this reason Pao-yue was only in the company of all the waiting-maids， throwing dice， playing at chess and amusing himself. But while he was in the room playing with them with a total absence of zest， he unawares perceived a few waiting-maids arrive， who informed him that their senior master Mr. Chen， of the Eastern Mansion， had come to invite him to go and see a theatrical performance， and the fireworks， which were to be let off.

Upon hearing these words， Pao-yue speedily asked them to change his clothes; but just as he was ready to start， presents of cream， steamed with sugar， arrived again when least expected from the Chia Consort， and Pao-yue recollecting with what relish Hsi Jen had partaken of this dish on the last occasion forthwith bid them keep it for her; while he went himself and told dowager lady Chia that he was going over to see the play.

the plays sung over at Chia Chens consisted， who would have thought it， of Ting Lang recognises his father， and Huang Po-ying deploys the spirits for battle， and in addition to these， Sung Hsing-che causes GREat commotion in the heavenly palace; Ghiang Tai-kung kills the general and deifies him， and other such like. Soon appeared the spirits and devils in a confused crowd on the stage， and suddenly also became visible the whole band of sprites and goblins， among which were some waving streamers， as they went past in a procession， invoking Buddha and burning incense. The sound of the gongs and drums and of shouts and cries were audible at a distance beyond the lane; and in the whole street， one and all extolled the performance as exceptionally grand， and that the like could never have been had in the house of any other family.