红楼梦Chapter13_小升初阅读_小升初-查字典英语网

红楼梦Chapter13

Lady Feng could not make out the sense of the words she heard. What wish is it you have? she inquired， do tell me， and it will be safe enough with me.

You are， my dear sister-in-law， a heroine among women， observed Mrs. Chin， so much so that those famous men， with sashes and official hats， cannot excel you; how is it that youre not aware of even a couple of lines of common adages， of that trite saying， when the moon is full， it begins to wane; when the waters are high， they must overflow? and of that other which says that if you ascend high， heavy must be your fall. Our family has now enjoyed splendour and prosperity for already well-nigh a century， but a day comes when at the height of good fortune， calamity arises; and if the proverb that when the tree falls， the monkeys scatter， be fulfilled， will not futile have been the reputation of culture and old standing of a whole generation?

Lady Feng at these words felt her heart heavy， and overpowered by intense awe and veneration.

the fears you express are well founded， she urgently remarked， but what plan is there adequate to preserve it from future injury?

My dear sister-in-law， rejoined Mrs. Chin with a sardonic smile， youre very simple indeed! When woe has reached its climax， weal supervenes. Prosperity and adversity， from days of yore up to the present time， now pass away， and now again revive， and how can (prosperity) be perpetuated by any human exertion? But if now， we could in the time of good fortune， make provision against any worldly concerns， which might arise at any season of future adversity， we might in fact prolong and preserve it. Everything， for instance， is at present well-regulated; but there are two matters which are not on a sure footing， and if such and such suitable action could be adopted with regard to these concerns， it will， in subsequent days， be found easy to perpetuate the family welfare in its entity.