the ninth vibration-第44章

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Accordingly；　he　commanded　that　the　subject　last　discussed　in　his　presence　should　be　transferred　to　the　Inner　Chambers；　and　it　was　his　Order　that　the　ladies　should　also　discuss　it；　and　their　opinions　be　engraved　on　ivory；　bound　together　with　red　silk　and　tassels　and　thus　presented　at　the　Dragon　feet。　The　subject　chosen　was　the　following：…

Describe　the　Qualities　of　the　Ideal　Man

Now　when　this　command　was　laid　before　the　August　Aunt；　the　guardian　of　the　Inner　Chambers；　she　was　much　perturbed　in　mind；　for　such　a　thing　was　unheard　of　in　all　the　annals　of　the　Empire。　Recovering　herself；　she　ventured　to　say　that　the　discussion　of　such　a　question　might　raise　very　disquieting　thoughts　in　the　minds　of　the　ladies；　who　could　not　be　supposed　to　have　any　opinions　at　all　on　such　a　subject。　Nor　was　it　desirable　that　they　should　have。　To　every　woman　her　husband　and　no　other　is　and　must　be　the　Ideal　Man。　So　it　was　always　in　the　past；　so　it　must　ever　be。　There　are　certain　things　which　it　is　dangerous　to　question　or　discuss；　and　how　can　ladies　who　have　never　spoken　with　any　other　man　than　a　parent　or　a　brother　judge　such　matters？

〃How；　indeed；〃　asked　this　lady　of　exalted　merit；　〃can　the　bat　form　an　idea　of　the　sunlight；　or　the　carp　of　the　motion　of　wings？　If　his　Celestial　Majesty　had　commanded　a　discussion　on　the　Superior　Woman　and　the　virtues　which　should　adorn　her；　some　sentiments　not　wholly　unworthy　might　have　been　offered。　But　this　is　a　calamity。　They　come　unexpectedly；　springing　up　like　mushrooms；　and　this　one　is　probably　due　to　the　lack　of　virtue　of　the　inelegant　and　unintellectual　person　who　is　now　speaking。〃

This　she　uttered　in　the　presence　of　the　principal　beauties　of　the　Inner　Chambers。　They　sat　or　reclined　about　her　in　attitudes　of　perfect　loveliness。　Two；　embroidering　silver　pheasants；　paused　with　their　needles　suspended　above　the　stretched　silk；　to　hear　the　August　Aunt。　One；　threading　beads　of　jewel　jade；　permitted　them　to　slip　from　the　string　and　so　distended　the　rose　of　her　mouth　in　surprise　that　the　small　pearl…shells　were　visible　within。　The　Lady　Tortoise；　caressing　a　scarlet　and　azure　macaw；　in　her　agitation　so　twitched　the　feathers　that　the　bird；　shrieking；　bit　her　finger。　The　Lady　Golden　Bells　blushed　deeply　at　the　thought　of　what　was　required　of　them；　and　the　little　Lady　Summer　Dress；　youngest　of　all　the　assembled　beauties；　was　so　alarmed　at　the　prospect　that　she　began　to　sob　aloud；　until　she　met　the　eye　of　the　August　Aunt　and　abruptly　ceased。

〃It　is　not；　however；　to　be　supposed；〃　said　the　August　Aunt；　opening　her　snuff…bottle　of　painted　crystal；　〃that　the　minds　of　our　deplorable　and　unattractive　sex　are　wholly　incapable　of　forming　opinions。　But　speech　is　a　grave　matter　for　women；　naturally　slow…witted　and　feeble…minded　as　they　are。　This　unenlightened　person　recalls　the　Odes　as　saying：…

　　　‘A　flaw　in　a　piece　of　white　jade　　　　　May　be　ground　away；　　　　　But　when　a　woman　has　spoken　foolishly　　　　　Nothing　can　be　done…'

a　consideration　which　should　make　every　lady　here　and　throughout　the　world　think　anxiously　before　speech。〃　So　anxiously　did　the　assembled　beauties　think；　that　all　remained　mute　as　fish　in　a　pool；　and　the　August　Aunt　continued：…

〃Let　Tsu…ssu　be　summoned。　It　is　my　intention　to　suggest　to　the　Dragon　Emperor　that　the　virtues　of　women　be　the　subject　of　our　discourse；　and　I　will　myself　open　and　conclude　the　discussion。〃

Tsu…ssu　was　not　long　in　kotowing　before　the　August　Aunt；　who　despatched　her　message　with　the　proper　ceremonial　due　to　its　Imperial　destination；　and　meanwhile；　in　much　agitation；　the　beauties　could　but　twitter　and　whisper　in　each　other's　ears；　and　await　the　response　like　condemned　prisoners　who　yet　hope　for　reprieve。

Scarce　an　hour　had　dripped　away　on　the　water…clock　when　an　Imperial　Missive　bound　with　yellow　silk　arrived；　and　the　August　Aunt；　rising；　kotowed　nine　times　before　she　received　it　in　her　jewelled　hand　with　its　delicate　and　lengthy　nails　ensheathed　in　pure　gold　and　set　with　gems　of　the　first　water。　She　then　read　it　aloud；　the　ladies　prostrating　themselves。

To　the　Princess　of　Han；　the　August　Aunt；　the　Lady　of　the　Nine　Superior　Virtues：…

〃Having　deeply　reflected　on　the　wisdom　submitted；　We　thus　reply。　Women　should　not　be　the　judges　of　their　own　virtues；　since　these　exist　only　in　relation　to　men。　Let　Our　Command　therefore　be　executed；　and　tablets　presented　before　us　seven　days　hence；　with　the　name　of　each　lady　appended　to　her　tablet。〃

It　was　indeed　pitiable　to　see　the　anxiety　of　the　ladies！　A　sacrifice　to　Kwan…Yin；　the　Goddess　of　Mercy；　of　a　jewel　from　each；　with　intercession　for　aid；　was　proposed　by　the　Lustrous　Lady；　but　the　majority　shook　their　heads　sadly。　The　August　Aunt；　tossing　her　head；　declared　that；　as　the　Son　of　Heaven　had　made　no　comment　on　her　proposal　of　opening　and　closing　the　discussion；　she　should　take　no　part　other　than　safeguarding　the　interests　of　propriety。　This　much　increased　the　alarm；　and；　kneeling　at　her　feet；　the　swan…like　beauties；　Deep…Snow　and　Winter　Moon　implored　her　aid　and　compassion。　But；　rising　indignantly；　the　August　Aunt　sought　her　own　apartments；　and　for　the　first　time　the　inmates　of　the　Pepper　Chamber　saw　with　regret　the　golden　dragons　embroidered　on　her　back。

It　was　then　that　the　Round…Faced　Beauty　ventured　a　remark。　This　maiden；　having　been　born　in　the　far…off　province　of　Ssuch…uan；　was　considered　a　rustic　by　the　distinguished　elegance　of　the　Palace　and；　therefore；　had　never　spoken　unless　decorum　required。　Still；　even　her　detractors　were　compelled　to　admit　the　charms　that　had　gained　her　her　name。　Her　face　had　the　flawless　outline　of　the　pearl；　and　like　the　blossom　of　the　plum　was　the　purity　of　her　complexion；　upon　which　the　darkness　of　her　eyebrows　resembled　two　silk…moths　alighted　to　flutter　above　the　brilliance　of　her　eyes　…　eyes　which　even　the　August　Aunt　had　commended　after　a　banquet　of　unsurpassed　variety。　Her　hair　had　been　compared　to　the　crow's　plumage；　her　waist　was　like　a　roll　of　silk；　and　her　discretion　in　habiting　herself　was　such　that　even　the　Lustrous　Lady　and　the　Lady　Tortoise　drew　instruction　from　the　splendours　of　her　robes。　It　created；　however；　a　general　astonishment　when　she　spoke。

〃Paragons　of　beauty；　what　is　this　dull　and　opaque。　witted　person　that　she　should　speak？〃

〃What；　indeed！〃　said　the　Celestial　Sister。　〃This　entirely　undistinguished　person　cannot　even　imagine。〃

A　distressing　pause　followed；　during　which　many　whispered　anxiously。　The　Lustrous　Lady　broke　it。

〃It　is　true　that　the　highly　ornamental　Round…Faced　Beauty　is　but　lately　come；　yet　even　the　intelligent　Ant　may　assist　the　Dragon；　and　in　the　presence　of　alarm；　what　is　decorum？　With　a　tiger　behind　one；　who　can　recall　the　Book　of　Rites　and　act　with　befitting　elegance？〃

〃The　high…born　will　at　all　times　remember　the　Rites！〃　retorted　the　Celestial　Sister。　〃Have　we　not　heard　the　August　Aunt　observe：　‘Those　who　understand　do　not　speak。　Those　who　speak　do　not　understand'？〃

The　Round…Faced　Beauty　collected　her　courage。

〃Doubtless　this　is　wisdom；　yet　if　the　wise　do　not　speak；　who　should　instruct　us？　The　August　Aunt　herself　would　be　silent。〃

All　were　confounded　by　this　dilemma；　and　the　little　Lady　Summer…Dress；　still　weeping；　entreated　that　the　Round…Faced　Beauty　might　be　heard。　The　Heavenly　Blossoms　then　prepared　to　listen　and　assumed　attitudes　of　attention；　which　so　disconcerted　the　Round…Faced　Beauty　that　she　blushed　like　a　spring　tulip　in　speaking。

〃Beautiful　ladies；　our　Lord；　who　is　unknown　to　us　all；　has　issued　an　august　command。　It　cannot　be　disputed；　for　the　whisper　of　disobedience　is　heard　as　thunder　in　the　Imperial　Presence。　Should　we　not　aid　each　other？　If　any　lady　has　formed　a　dream　in　her　soul　of　the　Ideal　Man；　might　not　such　a　picture　aid　us　all？　Let　us　not　be　‘say…nothing…do…nothing；'　but　act！〃

They　hung　their　heads　and　smiled；　but　none　would　allow　that　she　had　formed　such　an　image。　The　little　Lady　Tortoise；　laughing　behind　her　fan　of　sandalwood；　said　roguishly：　〃The　Ideal　Man　should　be　handsome；　liberal　in　giving；　and　assuredly　he　should　appreciate　the　beauty　of　his　wives。　But　this　we　cannot　say　to　the　Divine　Emperor。〃

A　sigh　rustled　through　the　Pepper　Chamber。　The　Celestial　Sister　looked　angrily　at　the　speake