红楼梦Chapter18_小升初阅读_小升初-查字典英语网

红楼梦Chapter18

Why is it， the Chia consort inquired， that there is no tablet in this Hall?

the eunuch in waiting fell on his knees. This is the main Hall， he reverently replied， and the officials， outside the palace， did not presume to take upon themselves to suggest any motto.

the Chia consort shook her head and said not a word; whereupon the eunuch， who acted as master of ceremonies， requested Her Majesty to ascend the throne and receive homage. The band stationed on the two flights of steps struck up a tune， while two eunuchs ushered Chia She， Chia Cheng and the other members on to the moonlike stage， where they arranged themselves in order and ascended into the hall， but when the ladies-in-waiting transmitted her commands that the homage could be dispensed with， they at once retraced their footsteps.

(the master of the ceremonies)， in like manner led forward the dowager lady of the Jung Kuo mansion， as well as the female relatives， from the steps on the east side， on to the moon-like stage; where they were placed according to their ranks. But the maids-of-honour again commanded that they should dispense with the ceremony， so they likewise promptly withdrew.

After tea had been thrice presented， the Chia consort descended the Throne， and the music ceased. She retired into a side room to change her costume， and the private chairs were then got ready for her visit to her parents. Issuing from the garden， she came into the main quarters belonging to dowager lady Chia， where she was bent upon observing the domestic conventionalities， when her venerable ladyship， and the other members of the family， prostrated themselves in a body before her， and made her desist. Tears dropped down from the eyes of the Chia consort as (she and her relatives) mutually came forward， and GREeted each other， and as with one hand she grasped old lady Chia， and with the other she held madame Wang， the three had plenty in their hearts which they were fain to speak about; but， unable as each one of them was to give utterance to their feelings， all they did was to sob and to weep， as they kept face to face to each other; while madame Hsing， widow Li Wan， Wang Hsi-feng， and the three sisters： Ying Chun， Tan Chun， and Hsi Chun， stood aside in a body shedding tears and saying not a word.