Pao-yü laboured under the impression that they were addressing him. With hasty step, he consequently drew near them, and returned their smiles. "I got here," he answered, "quite listlessly. What old family friend's garden is this, I wonder? But sisters, pray, take me for a stroll."
The maids smiled with one consent. "Really!" they exclaimed, "this isn't our Pao-yü. But his looks too are spruce and nice; and he is as precocious too with his tongue."
Pao-yü caught their remarks. "Sisters!" he eagerly cried, "is there actually a second Pao-yü in here?"
"As for the two characters 'Pao-yü,'" the maids speedily explained, "every one in our house has received our old mistress' and our mistress' injunctions to use them as a spell to protract his life for many years and remove misfortune from his path, and when we call him by that name, he simply goes into ecstasies, at the very mention of it. But you, young brat, from what distant parts of the world do you hail that you've recklessly been also dubbed by the same name? But beware lest we pound that frowzy flesh of yours into mincemeat."
"Let's be off at once!" urged another maid, as she smiled. "Don't let our Pao-yü see us here and say again that by hobnobbing with this stinking young fellow, we've been contaminated by all his pollution."
With these words on her lips, they straightway walked off.
Pao-yü fell into a brown study. "There's never been," he mused, "any one to treat me with such disdain before! But what is it, in fact, that induces them to behave towards me in this manner? May it not be true that there lives another human being the very image of myself?"
While lost in reverie, he advanced with heedless step, until he reached a courtyard. Pao-yü was struck with wonder. "Is there actually," he cried, "besides the I Hung court another court like it?" Spontaneously then ascending the steps, he entered an apartment, in which he discerned some one reclining on a couch. On the off side sat several girls, busy at needlework; now laughing joyfully; now practising their jokes; when he overheard the young person on the couch heave a sigh.
"Pao-yü," smilingly inquired a maid, "what, aren't you asleep? What are you once more sighing for? I presume it's because your sister is ill that you abandon yourself again to idle fears and immoderate anguish!"
These words fell on Pao-yü's ears, and took him quite aback.