红楼梦Chapter13_小升初阅读_小升初-查字典英语网

红楼梦Chapter13

Chia Chen， upon hearing this， was extremely delighted， and gave orders that the planks should be there and then brought over. When the whole family came to inspect them， they found those for the sides and the bottom to be all eight inches thick， the grain like betel-nut， the smell like sandal-wood or musk， while， when tapped with the hand， the sound emitted was like that of precious stones; so that one and all aGREed in praising the timber for its remarkable quality.

What is their price? Chia Chen inquired with a smile.

Even with one thousand taels in hand， explained Hsueeh Pan laughingly， I feel sure you wouldnt find any place， where you could buy the like. Why ask about price? if you just give the workmen a few taels for their labour， it will be quite sufficient.

Chia Chen， at these words， lost no time in giving expression to profuse assurances of gratitude， and was forthwith issuing directions that the timber should be split， sawn and made up， when Chia Cheng proffered his advice. Such articles shouldnt， he said， be， in my idea， enjoyed by persons of the common run; it would be quite ample if the body were placed in a coffin made of pine of the best quality.

But Chia Chen would not listen to any suggestion.

Suddenly he further heard that Mrs. Chs waiting-maid， Jui Chu by name， had， after she had become alive to the fact that her mistress had died， knocked her head against a post， and likewise succumbed to the blows. This unusual occurrence the whole clan extolled in high terms; and Chia Chen promptly directed that， with regard to ceremonies， she should be treated as a granddaughter， and that the body should， after it had been placed in the coffin， be also deposited in the Hall of Attained Immortality， in the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance.