Hsia was the only one who still got on well with him, so pouring a cup
of tea, she handed it to him. But she felt prompted to whisper to him:
"Keep quiet a bit! what's the use of making people dislike you?"

"I know myself how matters stand," Chia Huan rejoined, as he cast a
steady glance at her; "so don't you try and befool me! Now that you are
on intimate terms with Pao-yue, you don't pay much heed to me. I've also
seen through it myself."

Ts'ai Hsiao set her teeth together, and gave him a fillip on the head.
"You heartless fellow!" she cried. "You're like the dog, that bit Lue
T'ung-pin. You have no idea of what's right and what's wrong!"

While these two nagged away, they noticed lady Feng and Madame Wang
cross together over to them. Madame Wang at once assailed him with
questions. She asked him how many ladies had been present on that day,
whether the play had been good or bad, and what the banquet had been
like.

But a brief interval over, Pao-yue too appeared on the scene. After
saluting Madame Wang, he also made a few remarks, with all decorum; and
then bidding a servant remove his frontlet, divest him of his long gown
and pull off his boots, he rushed head foremost, into his mother's lap.

Madame Wang caressed and patted him. But while Pao-yue clung to his
mother's neck, he spoke to her of one thing and then another.

"My child," said Madame Wang, "you've again had too much to drink; your
face is scalding hot, and if you still keep on rubbing and scraping it,
why, you'll by and bye stir up the fumes of wine! Don't you yet go and