"I've often seen her take money out of that lacquered press, ornamented with designs made with shells;" Pao-yü added; "so come along with me, and let's go and search."
As he spoke, he and She Yüeh came together into what was used as a store-room by Hsi Jen. Upon opening the shell-covered press, they found the top shelf full of pens, pieces of ink, fans, scented cakes, various kinds of purses, handkerchiefs and other like articles, while on the lower shelf were piled several strings of cash. But, presently they pulled out the drawer, when they saw, in a small wicker basket, several pieces of silver, and a steelyard.
She Yüeh quickly snatched a piece of silver. Then raising the steelyard,
"Which is the one tael mark?" she asked.
Pao-yü laughed. "It's amusing that you should appeal to me!" he said.
"You really behave as if you had only just come!"
She Yüeh also laughed, and was about to go and make inquiries of some one else, when Pao-yü interfered. "Choose a piece out of those big ones and give it to him, and have done," he said. "We don't go in for buying and selling, so what's the use of minding such trifles!"
She Yüeh, upon hearing this, dropped the steelyard, and selected a piece, which she weighed in her hand. "This piece," she smiled, "must, I fancy, be a tael. But it would be better to let him have a little more. Don't let's give too little as those poor brats will have a laugh at our expense. They won't say that we know nothing about the steelyard; but that we are designedly mean."
A matron who stood at the threshold of the door, smilingly chimed in. "This ingot," she said, "weighs five taels. Even if you cut half of it off, it will weigh a couple of taels, at least. But there are no sycee shears at hand, so, miss, put this piece aside and choose a smaller one."
She Yüeh had already closed the press and walked out. "Who'll go and fumble about again?" she laughed. "If there's a little more, well, you take it and finish."
"Be quick," Pao-yü remarked, "and tell Pei Ming to go for another doctor. It will be all right."
The matron received the money and marched off to go and settle matters.