红楼梦298文本已添加

298

‘You have a very devious way of going aboutthings,’ said Xi-feng with a hint of malice in her smile. ‘Why couldn’t youhave spoken up sooner? A little thing like this is hardly worth so much delay.We still need some more trees and shrubs planted in the garden, and I’ve beentrying to think of someone to do the job. If you’d spoken up earlier, it couldall have been done by now.’‘You can set me to work tomorrow, Auntie. I’ll be ready.’ 凤姐冷笑道：“你们要拣远路儿走，叫我也难了。早告诉我一声儿，什么不成的，多大点子事，耽误到这会子。那园子里还要种树种花呢，我只想不出一个人来，你早来不早完了？”贾芸笑道：“既是这样，婶娘明儿就派了我罢。”Xi-feng thought for a while.‘I don’t know that it’s a very suitable jobfor you. Perhaps we’d better wait until next New Year and put you in charge oflanterns and fireworks. That’s a much bigger job.’ 凤姐半晌说道：“这个我看着不大好。等明年正月里的烟火灯烛那个大宗儿下来，再派你罢。”‘Look, Auntie: you give me this planting jobnow, then; if you’re satisfied with the way I do it, you can give me the otherjob later on.’Xi-feng laughed:‘You certainly know how to fish with a long line!—All right, then! It’snot really my affair, but I suppose as your Uncle has mentioned it to me—I’monly going next door now and I shall be back again after lunch. Come round alittle after midday to get the money and you shall start your planting the dayafter tomorrow.’She told the servants to harness the carriage and drove off tomake her call. 贾芸道：“好婶娘，先把这个派了我罢。果然这个办得好，再派我那个。”凤姐笑道：“你倒会拉长线儿。罢了，要不是你叔叔说，我不管你的事。我不过吃了饭就过来，你到午错的时候来领银子，后日就进去种树。”说毕，命人驾了香车，一径去了。Beside himself with joy, Jia Yun nowcontinued on his way to Sunset Studio to look for Bao-yu. In point of factBao-yu had gone off first thing that morning to call on the Prince of Bei-jing;but no one seemed to know about this, and Jia Yun sat waiting expectantlythroughout the whole of the morning. Having waited until noon, he inquiredwhether Xi-feng was back yet, and being informed that she was, he wrote out aform of receipt, took it round to the Lians’ apartment, and sent in word thathe had called for his tally. Sunshine came out in response to his message andasked him for the receipt, which he took indoors. Presently he reappeared andhanded it back to Jia Yun with the date and amount filled in in the blanks hehad left for this purpose, together with the precious tally which would enablehim to draw the money. Glancing at the receipt as he took it from him, Jia Yunwas delighted to observe that the figures entered were for a payment of twohundred taels of silver. He hurried off to the counting-house to collect it,then home once more to share the joyful news with his mother. 贾芸喜不自禁，来至绮霰斋打听宝玉，谁知宝玉一早便往北静王府里去了。贾芸便呆呆的坐到晌午，打听凤姐回来，便写个领票来领对牌。至院外，命人通报了，彩明走了出来，单要了领票进去，批了银数年月，一并连对牌交与了贾芸。贾芸接了，看那批上银数批了二百两，心中喜不自禁，翻身走到银库上，交与收牌票的，领了银子。回家告诉他母亲，自是母子俱各欢喜。