红楼梦Chapter6_小升初阅读_小升初-查字典英语网

红楼梦Chapter6

To-day， she also asked of goody Liu， were you simply passing by? or did you come with any express object?

ve come， the fact is， with an object! promptly replied goody Liu; (first of all) to see you， my dear sister-in-law; and， in the second place also， to inquire after my ladys health. If you could introduce me to see her for a while， it would be better; but if you cant， I must readily borrow your good offices， my sister-in-law， to convey my message.

Mr. Chou Juis wife， after listening to these words， at once became to a GREat extent aware of the object of her visit. Her husband had， however， in years gone by in his attempt to purchase some land， obtained considerably the support of Kou Erh， so that when she， on this occasion， saw goody Liu in such a dilemma， she could not make up her mind to refuse her wish. Being in the second place keen upon making a display of her own respectability， she therefore said smilingly：

Old goody Liu， pray compose your mind! Youve come from far off with a pure heart and honest purpose， and how can I ever not show you the way how to see this living Buddha? Properly speaking， when people come and guests arrive， and verbal messages have to be given， these matters are not any of my business， as we all here have each one kind of duties to carry out. My husband has the special charge of the rents of land coming in， during the two seasons of spring and autumn， and when at leisure， he takes the young gentlemen out of doors， and then his business is done. As for myself， I have to accompany my lady and young married ladies on anything connected with out-of-doors; but as you are a relative of my lady and have besides treated me as a high person and come to me for help， Ill， after all， break this custom and deliver your message. Theres only one thing， however， and which you， old lady， dont know. We here are not what we were five years before. My lady now doesnt much worry herself about anything; and its entirely lady Secunda who looks after the menage. But who do you presume is this lady Secunda? Shes the niece of my lady， and the daughter of my master， the eldest maternal uncle of by-gone days. Her infant name was Feng Ko.