Lady Feng, 'sister-in-law' Li, and P'ing Erh had then another couple of gla.s.ses, after which each went her own way. During this while Li Wan wrote down:

The whole night long the northern wind was high;

and then she herself subjoined the ant.i.thetical couplet:

The door I ope, and lo the flakes of snow are still toss'd by the wind, And drop into the slush. Oh, what a pity they're so purely white!

Hsiang Ling recited:

All o'er the ground is spread, alas, this bright, refulgent gem; But with an aim; for it is meant dry herbage to revive.

T'an Ch'un said:

Without design the dying sprouts of grain it nutrifies.

But in the villages the price of mellow wine doth rise.

Li Ch'i added:

In a good year, grain in the house is plentiful.

The bulrush moves and the ash issues from the tube.

Li Wen continued:

What time spring comes the handle of the Dipper turns.

The bleaky hills have long ago their verdure lost.

Chou-yen proceeded:

On a frost-covered stream, no tide can ever rise.

Easy the snow hangs on the spa.r.s.e-leaved willow twigs.

Hsiang-yun pursued:

Hard 'tis for snow to pile on broken plantain leaves.

The coal, musk-scented, burns in the precious tripod.

Pao-ch'in recited:

Th' embroidered sleeve enwraps the golden sable in its folds.

The snow transcends the mirror by the window in l.u.s.tre.

Pao-yu suggested:

The fragrant pepper clings unto the wall.

The side wind still in whistling gusts doth blow.

Tai-yu added:

A quiet dream becomes a cheerless thing.

Where is the fife with plum bloom painted on?

Pao-ch'ai continued:

In whose household is there a flute made of green jade?

The fish fears lest the earth from its axis might drop.

"I'll go and see that the wine is warm for you people," Li Wan smiled.

But when Pao-ch'ai told Pao-ch'in to connect some lines, she caught sight of Hsiang-yun rise to her feet and put in:

What time the dragon wages war, the clouds dispel.

Back to the wild sh.o.r.e turns the man with single scull.

Pao-ch'in thereupon again appended the couplet:

The old man hums his lines, and with his whip he points at the 'Pa'

bridge.

Fur coats are, out of pity, on the troops at the frontiers bestowed.

But would Hsiang-yun allow any one to have a say? The others could not besides come up to her in quickness of wits so that, while their eyes were fixed on her, she with eyebrows uplifted and figure outstretched proceeded to say:

More cotton coats confer, for bear in memory th' imperial serfs!

The rugged barbarous lands are (on account of snow) with dangers fraught.

Pao-ch'ai praised the verses again and again, and next contributed the distich:

The twigs and branches live in fear of being tossed about.

With what whiteness and feath'ry step the flakes of snow descend!

Tai-yu eagerly subjoined the lines:

The snow as nimbly falls as moves the waist of the 'Sui' man when brandishing the sword.

The tender leaves of tea, so acrid to the taste, have just been newly brewed and tried.

As she recited this couplet, she gave Pao-yu a shove and urged him to go on. Pao-yu was, at the moment, enjoying the intense pleasure of watching the three girls Pao-ch'ai, Pao-ch'in and Tai-yu make a joint onslaught on Hsiang-yun, so that he had of course not given his mind to tagging any ant.i.thetical verses. But when he now felt Tai-yu push him he at length chimed in with:

The fir is the sole tree which is decreed for ever to subsist.

The wild goose follows in the mud the prints and traces of its steps.

Pao-ch'in took up the clue, adding:

In the forest, the axe of the woodcutter may betimes be heard.

With (snow) covered contours, a thousand peaks their heads jut in the air.

Hsiang-yun with alacrity annexed the verses:

The whole way tortuous winds like a coiled snake.

The flowers have felt the cold and ceased to bud.