Chapter 8 gentleman's wife

I'm not writing about some women who can stone him with your stones, I'm making a mirror for you superiors. their family one A master who was once added to his name with various respectful titles, members of Congress, Arhat, Piggy, and King Kong, and later he was an adviser to the Presidential Palace, a councilor, so he did nothing and became a rich lord. He is a well-educated, very capable person, and he was extremely powerful in the parliament. He often debated with political opponents fiercely, sacrificed an ink cartridge and flew to the rostrum when he disagreed with him, and often wrote some political articles to "" King Kong Monthly" to publish.Still only forty-five years old.Few people understand the reason why he closed his doors and became a gentleman in his forties.

one In order to entertain themselves, ordinary gentlemen mostly recite a little bit of Buddhism, learn to sit quietly, practice Tai Chi, talk about physiognomy, and appreciate gold, stone, calligraphy and painting.The other thing is to drink a little wine and play cards.This gentleman does not regard his life as an exception, and he has all the bad virtues of all gentlemen. one It is a self-owned house with an ancient locust tree outside the door, a golden red door, and a horse stone placed outside the door. (Because there is no horse to get on, the stone has become a resting place for hawkers selling candied haws.) There is a porter inside the gate, and there is a small black-flowered lap dog.The concierge holds two walnuts in his hand and can dance with a stone mallet. The bulldog is lonely and has nothing to do all day long, so he squats by the door to watch the street.The house is a big or small house with two courtyards. In the living room, there are soft sofas, carpets, writing desks, famous calligraphy and paintings on the walls, antique toys on the mahogany long table, and all the parts for playing cards.In the wife's room, there are small palace lanterns, a large copper bed, a high mirror table, long thin silk paintings of ladies, and an extremely exquisite large wardrobe.There are messy clothes, old-fashioned umbrellas and straw hats that are no longer needed, and women's hollow leather shoes.

The gentleman has a young wife and four clever children.His wife was once praised as a beauty, and his children were all decent and clean.Because this complete family, this master, has been cultivated in this happy and safe life, there is no better reason to refuse to gain weight. The gentleman gradually gained weight, his stomach always went first when he walked, he snored and fell asleep when he had nothing to say when sitting at home, he ate a lot of food, and his voice was stagnant when talking.My wife is used to it, and she doesn't feel that these situations are funny at all.Employers are not surprised because all rich lords in the world are like this.Only the gentleman's son, the third young master, who is interested in a gentleman, always laughs and asks what's inside his father's belly when he sees the look on his stomach.The gentleman remembered Su Dongpo's story, so he told his son that it was "full of knowledge".If the son doesn't understand the meaning, please ask his wife to explain it for him. When the wife is not in a bad mood, the wife will tell the son that this is a "baby". , Ask the nanny why the young master has a toothache, and why the young master has pimples on his head.

The young master is more sensible when he is older, he only likes to eat odds and ends, and doesn't like to talk empty words, so mothers always like the eldest son.Because he ate too much odds and ends, his face was yellow all year round, he didn't like to talk when he saw people, he was smart in reading, but he loved playing very much. He knew how to sit at the table and read cards when he was nine years old, and he could "pick dirt" when he was ten. Taking the card for the mother, both the gentleman and his wife thought that the child would be extremely successful in the future.

The gentleman's wife has raised four sons for the gentleman, and she is still extremely fair and tender, and has retained the beauty of a woman. From human eyes, she is still under thirty years old.In fact, he was thirty-two years old, because he was married in his twenties, and now the young master is ten years old.The gentleman's son is ten years old and the youngest is three years old. According to the rules of Beijing officials, each child has a mother and aunt. In addition, there are coachmen, porters, cooks, needleworkers, window cleaners, and a total of eleven. a servant.There are often guests at home to play cards, both men and women.After the table was set, people got on the table, and the four white hands fought to shuffle the cards on the table. The aunt who hugged the young master stood behind the guests to look at the cards.When the wife said, "Auntie, you are looking after the young master, why do you stay here?" The old Sanhe County folks seemed to remember their duties, and carried the young master out of the street to watch the funeral. The gong went.Although the young master's aunt, cook and coachman don't have to stand at the table to see who wins or loses, they know that at night, after the chartered car picks up the guests, the wife will call people together to distribute rewards for these inferior people. number.After getting the number of rewards, these people use the money in various ways according to their status.As usual, the cook likes to play cards, the porter can drink, the coachman has a woman, and the wives each have a thin, starving son, and a husband who does nothing.Sometimes the wife loses and is not very happy, so everyone keeps quiet, and dare not discuss this amount, and dare not make such absurd plans on this amount.Because if the wife loses again for the second time and feels unlucky, the reward will be given to the servant instead of money, and it will be just some insults.To be honest, there are too many things that make the master angry. These things are really idle things. They don’t do anything for a day and can’t figure out anything. There are so many people, and they are still confused. There is no way to find a table, and everyone knows how to extend their hands when they pay a penny.The wife often scolds others angrily like this, and the servant will never answer her words. Everyone knows that after a while of scolding, other things will diverge.In the end, either the guest came or the wife went to visit elsewhere.The wife has many things to do, so she will not scold for a long time, and she will not be angry if she loses a lot of money, so every servant knows how to be a servant, and is very respectful to the wife.

The wife loves her son very much. When the child is crying and sick, while busy calling for a doctor, she scolds the aunt, because if the aunt is as good as her own son, as a rule, the child should not be sick and loved. cry.However, apart from sometimes dressing up a few children and taking them to the park to eat snacks and look at flowers, the mothers don't often get close to their mothers.In addition, there are too many things for mothers in other seasons, mothers often have guests, often visits, and usually have many opportunities to quarrel with gentlemen. When children see their mothers like this, they seem to be reluctant to get close to her mother.Sometimes the youngest young master has to visit his mother, and the wife has to pretend to be angry and scold others, so that the aunt can take the young master away.

Why do gentlemen lack this kind of self-cultivation, they must quarrel with their wives to let the servants understand this habit?It is a reason that does not overflow the usual gentleman's family organization.A little money, one visit without making new clothes, more times, is a kind of ambiguous behavior that gentlemen never lack.The wife found a small hand towel for women in the gentleman's mandarin coat pocket, heard some rumors from friends, learned some secrets from the mother's aunt, and learned some secrets from the driver.Or, when you get to bed and find something, you have to expand the matter at a given opportunity, so you curse and yell, those with eyes shed tears, and those with mouths good at lying and swearing justify and swear, so originally prepared I will not go out as a guest, and I will not be able to sleep even if I am going to sleep.If the wife who has been crying for a while is not to be outdone, or if the gentleman has other things on her mind and cannot take the best way to make amends, the wife will go out alone and go to another house as a guest.The gentleman was ashamed and not without a little anger, so he immediately asked where his wife was going.Angry wives still go to the house of acquaintances to play cards, because with the cards in hand, even if they are angry, they are not angry with others.After one day, or during the noisy day, at night, the gentleman must call his acquaintances everywhere to ask if his wife is there.Sometimes the wife remembers this behavior, justice is by her side, and unwilling to make peace, she always tells the master in advance to tell the gentleman that he is not here.Sometimes even though he has instructed the master, when the mansion calls, the master knows that the gentleman wants to make peace, so he always tells the wife where he is, so the gentleman comes after he arrives, pretending that nothing happened, Ask your wife to win or lose.If others say that he has won, the gentleman does not need to say anything, just stands behind and looks at the cards. When the circle is full, the gentleman will definitely take his wife home.If someone says that he has lost, the gentleman knows what he should do, which is to throw a one hundred and eighty note from his purse, put it in front of his wife, and at the same time roll up his sleeves and volunteer to make money for the wife.Now that the shares have been increased, the wife is already willing to make peace, and it is not good to be too unkind to the owner's face, so she naturally stands up and gives the gentleman a seat.Seeing that there is a turning point, the gentleman is very happy to stick his big butt on the hot chair where his wife is sitting, but he still does not forget to say, "Don't go, don't go, I want your help, otherwise these ladies will deceive my myopic eyes! "The host seems to be very sensible about those kind of very decent jokes. He always laughs when he hears these words. No matter how embarrassed the wife is to walk away, the two couples still go home when the circle is full.I have called everywhere, and my wife still doesn't understand the season, so the owner asked the driver as usual, and as usual, the driver had received orders from his wife, only saying that his wife didn't let him know where he was going, and he got out of the car after sending him to the market. of.So the gentleman took a car and went to find his wife.Every time I go to an acquaintance's house, the servants in that mansion don't think it is strange. The master and concubine in the mansion are all reconciled by themselves, and they understand these things. This gentleman came to talk.When I went to the second house, the third house, and sometimes the seventh house, my wife found it.Sometimes after searching for a while, the gentleman's new anger slowly grows in his heart, he doesn't want to run away anymore, he roars to go home, or he simply goes to play in the house that made his wife run away, and when he returns home, he lies in bed. Smoking and napping on the big soft chair.As soon as this aspect insisted, the wife saw no news on the other side, and became a little weak and panicked.Or let the host call home, as a third party, let the gentleman come to pick him up; or let the hostess accompany the wife home, and use all the rights of gentlemen's wives, when the wife teaches the gentleman a lesson. pause.Although the gentleman was not very happy, since he saw his wife came back, and she was accompanied by a woman who had made some harmless jokes at another time, at this time, he took advantage of the opportunity and The wife ordered to go away, the host and the guest smiled knowingly, the big, fat, soft and fatty palm pinched the hand of the peacemaker who was good at playing cards and doing other interesting behaviors, the servant was not in the living room, a well-educated Gentleman, you have to thank the person who specially came to do peace affairs. On the one hand, he silently and most cautiously did some behaviors that made the peace affairs teacher couldn't help laughing, and on the other hand, he called his wife's nickname softly, saying "what are you doing here?" Not coming out" This kind of justice is responsible.The wife had already conceded the defeat first, and at this time the visitor was coming, so she couldn't hold on anymore, so she came out.After he came out, he talked some nonsense, because there was one host and one guest, and he only needed two more to make a table. The gentleman saw the guest made a knowing smile, and hurried to call to invite people.There were a lot of women sitting at home feeling bored, so naturally before half an hour, in the living room of this family, four white hands and several shining diamond rings were rattling on the table.

With regard to this kind of family war, there have been incidents where the wives' faults started and the wives' faults started.There have been.But a man is a man after all, a gentleman, before he learns other things, he learns to make concessions in this respect, so he only uses this hand to resist his wife when he has no choice but to avoid such conflicts in normal seasons. Yes.Because the gentleman understands that every gentleman and wife has developed a taste under a habit. Some families have maintained peace with mutual understanding, and some families have given the gentleman a chance to be free.All in all, the curious taste of the ladies can help the gentry class to strengthen some friendships. Because of this fact, gentlemen pretend to be deaf and dumb to live a peaceful and quiet life, so there are a lot of people.Since this gentleman's wife lacks such a handle for her husband to obtain, this lady is more respected and feared by gentlemen than other wives in the mansion.

Another Gentleman's Family As a guest, the gentleman and his wife went to an acquaintance's house in the west city. He is also a gentleman, with three aunts and wives, and a group of children.The eldest daughter is studying in a famous church university, the youngest daughter is studying in elementary school, rich and powerful, and the son has just returned from studying in the United States, and will soon go to work for the Ministry of Education in Xinjing.When gentlemen and wives come to this house, they will play cards no matter what, because there are no outside visitors, and there is always a table of cards in this house.The young lady came back from school and scrambled to stand in for her mother. The eldest and young master were still waiting for the boat, and would often stand behind the concubine, inserting his hand through the gap from time to time, snatching a card, shouting loudly, and throwing the card to to the table.The gentleman was paralyzed by madness, so he lay down on a rattan chair in a corner of the living room and groaned. When dinner was served, he helped him to the table to eat.Gentlemen and wives come to play cards with such a family.

When he got there, he saw the paralyzed man, and he spoke to that trash in the tone of his own son and daughter. "Uncle, aren't you feeling better these days?" "Much better. Thanks for that orange." "Should I also thank you for the children's food? Uncle can't eat sour. Someone from my place brought foreign apples from Shanghai. I need someone to deliver some tomorrow." "Don't give it away, I can't eat it. XXX is busy recently, so I don't come here." "I keep in touch with monks all day long." "There are also good monks, who can draw and write poems, and talk elegantly, which is very rare."

My second aunt laughed because she was a little familiar with the same monk.This wife doesn't talk about poetry and painting, she just thinks that monks really have "good people", and they can talk about some personal things without restraint, and of course the meaning inside is not suitable for publicity. The young master who had a degree from the United States, a Christian, said, "All monks should be beheaded." The gentleman opened his eyes, expressing his displeasure at this new-school childish grotesque. "Why, talk nonsense as soon as you open your mouth! What's the difference between Buddha and Christ? Don't they all have to save people?" The young master remembered that his father was useless, and Jesus was sympathetic to the old man, so he immediately took on an air of conciliation and compromise, "I say monks, not Buddhas." The aunt said, "I don't know why you men hate monks." The young master was about to answer when he heard the phone ringing in the corner of the living room outside, so he ran to the corner to answer the phone.The gentleman and wife who came here said, "Uncle, how is the daughter-in-law?" The trash kept silent and looked at the young lady, because the young lady had only quarreled with her father before one o'clock.Missy laughed.The eldest lady laughed when she thought of another matter. The second concubine said, "I saw the photo. We went to his room with the eldest lady and found the letter. The eldest lady read it and laughed very hard. There is also a small hair knot, who left it, and... ..." The third aunt blushed for some reason, and walked out with an excuse. The eldest lady chased her out, "Sanniang, auntie is here, let's play cards!" The gentlemen and wives chased after her, went to the porch, and caught up with the eldest lady, "Go slowly, girl, I'll tell you." The eldest lady seemed to have understood the meaning of what she said long ago, and asked the gentleman's wife to walk down the big lilac tree.The two sat down on the little green wicker chair and looked at each other's white face and dark eyes.The eldest lady smiled, blushed, and stretched out her hand to pinch the hand of the gentleman's wife. "Auntie, don't force me." "What's forcing you? You girl, so smart. You pretended so that I couldn't recognize who it was yesterday. Let me ask you, how many times have you been there?" "Auntie, how many times have you been here?" "I ask you!" "I've only been there three times, don't tell Dad!" "I never thought it was you." "I didn't know it was my aunt." "Win or lose?" "I didn't lose much. Auntie lost 2,700, and changed the diamond ring too, and kept it from daddy, so he wouldn't know." "Auntie?" "It's San Niang." Sanniang was screaming for the eldest lady in the courtyard, when she heard someone talking here, she also came behind the flower wall made of lilac flowers.Seeing that the eldest lady was with the gentleman's wife, he said, "Please come to the table, the cards have been set early." The gentleman's wife said, "San Niang, you are not lucky, why did you lose a lot of money?" This woman was born as a prostitute. She has seen big scenes, experienced many winds and rains, and is very smart and sensible. She is the best at making eyebrows and eyes, so she smiled at the young lady, as if saying that the young lady should not tell outsiders about this.But the aunt knew that the gentleman's wife was not an outsider, so she said, "XX can't go, if you go, you will lose. It's better to be a young lady." He asked again, "Where do you often go, madam?" The gentleman's wife shook her head, because she didn't go there to gamble, but just to monitor the gentleman's husband, and she couldn't tell the concubine or the eldest lady about this matter, so it was vague. . They remembered that the cards had been placed on the table, and walked back to the inner hall from the small corridor on the left under the flowers, and saw the eldest young master talking foreign language with earphones by the phone. Hee hee laughing, the two women are both baffled and funny. The four clattered and shuffled the cards, distributed the chips, each had a small mahogany coffee table with cigarettes on it, and fine material covered bowls, and brewed Xinmaojian tea.The other is a small plate with American oranges cut into small slices.The four people are the gentleman and wife of the host, the gentleman and wife of the guest, the wife of the second concubine, and the eldest lady.In addition, there are people who stand behind each other, and when the family reconciles, they will cleverly stretch out their free hands to beg for money. They are the third concubine who is "dreaming".Unwilling to be lonely, disabled people would push out the movable chairs they were sitting on and go to one end of the hall to let the aunts and wives beat their backs and talk to the card players at the same time. After the young master made the phone call, he turned away from the living room in a new-style suit. Hearing the lively sound of cards being washed, he was about to go out and have something to do, so he also stood still at the card table. "You college students also play cards?" "Why can't I accompany my mother and aunt?" The gentleman and wife of the guests asked the young master, "Brother Chun, do you have any cards in foreign countries?" The gentleman and wife of the owner laughed, "Not only does he play cards, our young master also works as a teacher at the ×× club in the United States. Those foreigners gave him ten yuan at one o'clock and asked him to give advice!" "Really, I will also go to the United States in the future." The eldest lady said: "I want to go. When I graduate, I will go with my aunt. We can... Slow down, one hundred and twenty pairs. Mom, why didn't you play this mahjong earlier, I will look at this card It's been a long time. Haha, one hundred and two!" After saying that, the woman put the card to her mouth and kissed it, expressing her feelings for her. Mother seemed unconvinced, and looked for other troubles, "Yuyu, why is this girl so wild? Who did you learn these wild words from?" The eldest lady kept silent, because the eldest young master held her arm and wanted to replace a village, so the eldest lady yelled, "No, no, I will be the first to go to the village!" After the young master arrived, he sat down on the mother's seat, shuffled the cards enthusiastically, called the dice enthusiastically, dealt a deck of forty decks, and then left humming the song sung by the American students. This game of cards was played until night, and then another wife came, and the second aunt gave up the vacancy, and the game was still played with five people.At dinner time, many chickens and ducks and many delicate side dishes were placed on the table. Under the very bright electric lights, the card players did not need to change their seats, and they still ate dinner in their original seats.The useless people also came together, asking about the winners and losers of this and that, ate a lot of fish, added rice three times, and said that the dishes made by the cook are not always very palatable these days.Because I found a chicken foot in a bowl of chicken without peeling off the skin, I called the cook and scolded some grown-ups as usual, saying how this thing can still entertain guests, and I want to take the chicken back. go.The cook took a large magnetic bowl back to the stove, saw that all the good meat had been eaten, and said nothing.He went back to the room and called for some more soup, so he scooped up another pot of clear soup from the simmering chicken pot and brought it up. After dinner, the night time is still long, the eldest lady has to go to school at eight o'clock tomorrow morning, the mother brought this up, she was embarrassed to antagonize her in front of the guests, so she abdicated and let the three The concubine came to fill in the vacancy, and the four of them went back to work. But the eldest lady stood still behind her mother, and when she encountered a card that should be played, she always suddenly and unexpectedly stretched her hand from her mother's shoulder to the table, and took it. With a graceful posture, he touched the cards with his hands, without looking at them, and threw them to the center of the table with a hiss.Because the mother couldn't refuse because of this substitute, she had to give way in the end. It's eight o'clock, the second young master, the third young lady, and the third young master did not forget the host that my sister promised in Rili, and chose the movie "Mother's Interesting History" starring ××, and asked the eldest lady to accompany her to be the host.It happened that a senior three yuan snatched a single hang for the third aunt and wife, and was very angry, unwilling to fight again, so he took his own car with a group of siblings to go to ×× to watch a movie.The hosts, gentlemen and wives, still went to the table again. When the Eldest Young Master came back, the trash had gone back to the bedroom to sleep.The young master stood behind the third aunt and looked at the cards, looked at the cards for a while, and then left.After the third aunt arrived, she asked the second aunt to play cards, and said that there was something wrong, so she walked out of the living room. So the gentleman and wife of the guest said, "Auntie, you are so lucky." The owner, Mrs. Gentleman, said, "It's so noisy, it's like a child." In addition, the visitor also has five children, so she said, "It's good to drive them all to school. I only allow three of them to come back once every two weeks." The restaurant dances twice. "It's better to have more people in the family." "Our young master will go to Nanjing in a few days, what to do with 'side affairs', I don't know what to do." "There are several hundred a month." "I heard that there are three hundred and three. Three hundred and three is not enough for him. At any rate, I can also change the money. I don't want me to support him." "They all said that it's good to come back to the United States, and the eldest lady should also go in the future." "She said that if she didn't go to the United States, she would go to France. French women only know how to dress up. This girl likes it." It was the gentleman's wife's turn to dream about being idle, so she stood behind the Hong's house and looked at it for a while, and then stood behind the Pi's house and looked at it for a while, ate some candied pine nuts, and drank some hot tea.If you want to go out for a while, you go out from the living room, pass the small courtyard to the east, pass the round door, and pass the long corridor.The magnolia tree in the side courtyard over there is in full bloom, casting shadows on the ground in the moonlight, which is very interesting.On the other side of the magnolia tree is the study room of the young master. Hearing someone talking, he aroused a little curiosity, so he walked through the window and went down there, only to hear the laughter of a very familiar woman, and then he heard the voice, the voice was very small, as if There is a dispute in a certain situation. "be careful,……" "Don't do this, I'll just..." After listening for a while, the gentleman's wife suddenly realized that this was not a suitable place to stand. She felt feverish on her face, and quietly walked back to the front yard.The moon hangs in the sky, and there is a very slight wind blowing the fragrance of flowers. In the inner hall, I don’t know who made a big deal. I can only hear the laughter of the host and guest and the lively sound of playing cards. The gentleman and wife thought of the master at home, and suddenly became unhappy. Playing cards here again. Hearing the girl calling inside, he knew he was looking for someone, so he went into the inner hall, without saying a word, filled the vacant seat of the master gentleman's wife, and put his two hands into the cards to make a mess. After a while, the third concubine came, silently and extremely reserved, and stood behind the other gentleman and wife, put her hands on the back of the chair, and watched everyone deal the cards. Another gentleman's wife wrinkled her nose while laying down a tube, and said, "San Niang, you really make people laugh at you, how come you smell so fragrant at night." The third aunt kept silent, smiled slightly, and walked behind the guests, the gentlemen and the wives.The gentleman's wife turned to look at the third aunt's wife, and the woman laughed and asked how much she had won.The gentleman's wife suddenly understood why this man had a strong fragrance, and he played the wrong card. Mrs. Gentleman said, "The moon is so nice outside. Let's go out to see the moon after we finish playing this card." The third aunt seemed to understand something from these words, she bit her red lips with her white teeth, left the card table, sat silently on a darker sofa, and hid herself behind the deep soft backrest. one something new The young master of the ×× mansion came to see the master at the gentleman's house in Donghuangchenggen, but the master was not at home, so the gentleman's wife let the visitor into the living room and put a new big chair. "Yesterday I thought my aunt would be staying at my house, why didn't you get through the night?" "I'm afraid that our child has a fever and needs to be taken care of." "I still want to play four laps, but I don't know how many times my aunt won and left." "Where. If you don't go to Nanjing, we will fight again tomorrow." "It's okay to go today, Sanniang is always a corner." "San Niang Tong..." The gentleman's wife suddenly slipped out of her mouth, merging what she wanted to say into surprise. She saw this neat and gentle young man standing there, and the two of them couldn't continue talking because of this sentence. .The young man was too embarrassed to know what to do, and lowered his head. After a while, the Eldest Young Master found a piano in the corner of the room, got relief, went over and pressed the keys with his hands, making high and low scattered sounds.When the child heard the sound of the piano, he dragged his aunt to the living room to watch the piano playing.The gentleman's wife held the child in her hands and asked the aunt to peel some pears and bring them apples. The young master did not dare to ask the gentleman's wife, but only teased the child and asked him to sing. After arriving, the two took a car and went to the waste mansion in Xicheng.In the car, the gentleman and wife regretted their slip of the tongue, because they are still young. Regarding these things, in front of a junior of twenty-six or seventeen years old, the elders are always unable to come up with some physiological reasons. Look like an elder.This decent young man also feels embarrassed by this ambiguous situation because his aunt is a young woman, and he has nothing to say.Halfway through the car, the young master said, "Auntie, don't listen to their rumors." The gentleman's wife said, "You young people, be careful." Still not forgetting the sentence heard from under the window, when the gentleman's wife finished speaking, , I feel that my face is very hot, because the two people are sitting so close to each other, the warmth of the body is infecting each other, the young man, from the red face of the gentleman and wife, has a misunderstanding, his cleverness is here. At this time, it seemed that a new and reasonable attention was drawn, and this attention also felt that it was a way to relieve myself.Arriving at the mansion, when getting out of the car, go down first, reach out to the car, and hand over one hand intentionally, then gently hold it, and get out of the car, both of them felt a longing for their actions. Expanding, they exchanged a smile knowing each other. When they arrived at the trash's house, the young master disappeared, and after a while he reappeared with San Niang. The gentleman's wife felt that the third lady was very kind to her today, standing by the table, taking cigarettes and tea, and peeling nut shells. The other party goes to heart.Gentlemen and wives feel that they want to be a good person, to hide their plans, to fulfill their ideas, and to fulfill the obligations that their elders can do.Why is that?Because from Sanniang's eyes, it seemed that she had obtained an extremely sincere trust that this woman could no longer be irresponsible for this matter. The eldest lady has gone to Kunfan Women's University to study, and the young men have also gone to school. Today, I have invited two other guests, so Sanniang is not there. Often when the gentleman's wife is resting, Sanniang invites the gentleman's wife to the room , Look at the newly bought Hunan embroidery.The two of them had just walked through the yard, and saw Magnolia magnolii in the side yard, which was in full bloom, and a big tree with dazzling flowers, both of them went under the tree to see the flowers without any taboo. "The flowers were even more beautiful under the moonlight last night." The gentleman's wife said in her heart, smiling slightly. "I never thought there would be people coming to see the flowers!" The third aunt also thought so, smiling slightly. In the study, the young master heard someone walking, and hurriedly asked who it was. The gentleman's wife said, "Brother Chun, don't you want to go out?" "Auntie? Please come in and sit down." "Madam, let's go in and have a look, he has some nice pictures." So the two women went into the study of the eldest and young master. It was a not very spacious bedroom with brand-new walls, a small copper bed, a small table, and bookshelves on all sides, piled up with foreign books. The books, printed in gold letters in red and green, are of different sizes. They seem to have just been sorted out, and they look a little messy.In a rosewood cabinet next to the bed, there are some women's spices, a tall Victorian talking box, a large volume of records on it, an orange on top of the book, and a pipe next to the orange.The young master is sorting out something like a small clock, which is put on the table in front of the window. "What's the use?" "The radio box, the latest one brought back from the United States, can listen to Shanghai's singing." "Madam, the young master brought a small alarm watch, which is very interesting." "Oh, it's so small, how much is it worth?" "More than one hundred dollars, if my aunt is happy, I can give it to my aunt." "How embarrassing, you only bought one like this, how can I get it!" "It doesn't matter, my aunt is playing with it, and there is also a small box. This kind of watch is only patented by the United States. If it is broken, you can take it to the central watch shop to repair it without spending money, because all countries in the world sell the products produced by this watch company. , can be repaired." "Let's play by yourself. There are many children on my side. It's a pity to fall to the ground." "My aunt really treats me like an outsider." Gentlemen and wives have nothing to say.Because the third concubine had already put the watch into the hand of Mrs. Gentleman, and she was not allowed to speak any more.This woman accepted the favor and looked at the whole room, as if she wanted to say a word about trust, which meant that everyone could discuss it openly and honestly, so she said quietly: "Sanniang, listen to me, the family There are too many people, so be careful in everything.” Sanniang saw the eldest young master smiling, "We are grateful to the wife, we will never forget the benefits she has done to us." Eldest young master, this beautiful and blessed young man has nothing to say, he is flipping through the English Bible that is placed by the bed every day, he is silent, his face is burning hot, he looks more and more cute, red and white, and suddenly stands up , made three bows to the gentleman's wife, with a very sincere attitude, dragging the gentleman's wife's left hand in the posture of a dramatist playing Hammond, and said to the gentleman's wife with great excitement: "Auntie's concern, I Will not forget to the back of my head." The lady of the gentleman held the small button-sized watch with her right hand, and her left hand was being dragged by someone. She did not lack the demeanor of a character in the play, and said modestly and gently, "Children, just know that aunt is not in the way of your young people's work." Yes, I am worried about you! Let me ask you, when will there be a ship passing through Nanjing?" "I don't want to go, it's not that there's no boat." "Mother also kept it secret?" "My mother only knew that I didn't want to go, and didn't know why. She didn't want me to leave, so it was extremely inconvenient to help the old paralyzed man say that the ship was inspected." The gentleman's wife looked at the young nephew, then at the young concubine, and smiled, "What a couple." San Niang was embarrassed, but also smiled. "Ma'am, go to ×× tonight to try your luck. The owner there also makes very good dim sum, specially made. Have you tried it?" "I don't like big sums, and one hundred and two hundred seems out of reach—Brother Chun, is there any gambling in America?" "France and the United States have them. I don't know that they have them here recently. I haven't heard of them before. Is your aunt familiar with that?" "I went to see your uncle quietly. I pretended to be a mother and wore dark glasses. I didn't know anyone. Once I stood across from our fat man's table, and he couldn't tell it was me." "San Niang, let's go and have a look tonight. Auntie won't play cards anymore. Pretend you have something to go back, and we'll go together." The third aunt said the same thing, "Let's go together. I'll tell my wife how to get there." That's how it was settled. At about eight o'clock in the evening, the gentleman's wife didn't want to play cards anymore, talked to the trash for a while, and invited Sanniang to take her back. The young master was thinking about going to Dongcheng, so he took the gentleman's wife's car, and the three of them left together.The car crossed Chang'an Street and kept going until it reached Hardman Street, and then kept going. The driver was sensible and turned the car to the right. Because he calculated that he would get a special reward of ten yuan today, he was very happy and drove the car too. Much faster. The three of them went to XX, stayed in a special room to drink tea and rest, and prepared to eat special snacks.The second concubine whispered a few words to the young master, powdered her powder for a while, straightened her hair in front of the full-length mirror, said that the snacks would not be ready for a while, and she was going to try her luck first, and wanted to leave with her wallet. The gentleman's wife said, "San Niang, you will lose in such a panic!" The young master said, "San Niang is not afraid of losing, she is very refreshing, don't exchange your wallet for chips to lose." After the third aunt went downstairs, there were only two people left in the small room.The two talked nonsense for a while, and the young man remembered the day's events and the things he had discussed well with the third aunt, and felt hesitant, so the snacks were brought. "Auntie, would you like a glass of wine?" "No alcohol." "Have a small cup." "Then eat something sweet." "San Niang always likes sweet wine." 当差的拿酒去了，因为一个方便，大少爷走到绅士太太身后去取烟，把手触了她的肩。在那方，明白这是有意，感到可笑，也仍然感到小小动摇，因为这贵人记起日里在车上的情形，且记起昨晚上在窗下窃听的情形，显得拘束，又显得烦懑了，就说，“我要回去，你们在这里吧。” “为什么忙？” “为什么我到这里来？” “我要同婶婶说一句话，又怕骂。” "What words?" “婶婶样子象琴雪芳。” “说瞎话，我是戏子吗？” “是三娘说的，说美得很。” “三娘顶会说空话，”虽然这么答着，侧面正是一个镜台，这绅士太太，不知不觉把脸一侧，望到镜中自己的白脸长眉，温和的笑了。 男子低声的蕴藉的笑着，半天不说话。 绅士太太忽然想到了什么的神情，对着了大少爷，“我不懂你们年青人做些什么鬼计。” “婶婶是我们的恩人，我……”那只手，取了攻势，伸过去时，受了阻碍。 女人听这话不对头，见来势不雅，正想生气，站在长辈身分上教训这年青人一顿，拿酒的厮役已经在门外轻轻的啄门，两人距离忽然又远了。 把点心吃完，到后两人用小小起花高脚玻璃杯子，吃甜味桔子酒。三姨太太回来了，把皮夹掷到桌上，坐到床边去。 绅士太太问，“输了多少？” 三娘不作答，拿起皮夹欢欢喜喜掏出那小小的精巧红色牙膏筹码数着，一面做报告，一五一十，除开本，赢了五百三。 “我应当分三成，因为不是我陪你们来，你一定还要输。” 绅士太太当笑话说着。 大少爷就附和到这话说，“当真婶婶应当有一半，你们就用这个做本，两人合份，到后再结算。” “全归太太也不要紧，我们下楼去，现在热闹了点，张家大姑娘同到张七老爷都来了，×总理的三小姐也在场，五次输一千五，骄傲极了，越输人越好看。” “我可不下去，我不欢喜让她知道我在这里赌钱。” “大少爷？” “我也不去，我陪婶婶坐坐，三娘你去吧，到十一点我们回去。” “……你莫走！”三姨太还是笑笑的走了。 回到家中，皮夹中多了一个小表，多了四百块钱，见到老爷在客厅中沙发上打盹，就骂用人，为什么不喊老爷去睡。 当差的就说，才有客到这里谈话，刚走不久，问老爷睡不睡觉，说还要读一点书，等太太回来再叫他，所以不敢喊叫。绅士见到太太回了家，大声的叱娘姨，惊醒了。 “回来了，太太！到什么人家打牌这么晚？” 绅士太太装成生气的样子，就说，“运气坏极了，又输一百五。” 绅士正恐怕太太追问到别的事，或者从别的地方探听到了关于他的消息，贼人心虚，看到太太那神气，知道可以用钱调和了，就告给绅士太太明天可以还账。且安慰太太，输不要紧。又同太太谈各个熟人太太的牌术和那属于打牌的品德。这贵人日里还才到一个饭店里同一个女人鬼混过一次，待到太太问他白天做些什么事时，他就说到佛学会念经，因为今天是开化老和尚讲《楞严》日子。若是往日，绅士太太一定得诈绅士一阵，不是说杨老太太到过佛学会，就是说听说开化和尚已经上天津，绅士照例也就得做戏一样，赌一个小咒，事情才能和平了结，解衣上床。今晚上因为赢了钱，且得了一个小小金表，自己又正说着谎话，所以也就不再追究谈《楞严》谈到第几章那类事了。 两人回到卧室，太太把皮夹子收到自己小小的保险箱里去。绅士作为毫不注意的神气，一面弯腰低头解松绑裤管的带子，一面低声的摹仿梅畹华老板的《天女散花》摇板，用节奏调和到呼吸。 到后把汗衣剥下，那个满腹经纶的尊贵肚子因为换衣的原因，在太太眼下，用着骄傲凌人的态度，挺然展露于灯光下，暗褐色的下垂的大肚，中缝一行长长的柔软的黑毛，刺目的呈一种图案调子。太太从这方面得到了一个联想，告绅士，今天西城××公馆才从美国回来不久的大少爷来看过他，不久就得过南京去。 绅士点点头，“这是一个得过哲学硕士的有作为的年青人，废物有这样一个儿子，自己将来不出山，也就不妨事了。” 绅士太太想到别的事情，就笑，这时也已经把袍子脱去，夹袄脱去，鞋袜脱去，站在床边，对镜用首巾包头，预备上床了。绅士从太太高硕微胖的身子上，在心上展开了一幅美人出浴图，且哗哗的隔房浴室便桶的流水声，也仿佛是日里的浴室情景，就用鼻音做出亵声，告太太小心不要招凉。 更新的事情 约有三天后，××秘密俱乐部的小房子里又有这三个人在吃点心。那三娘又赢了三百多块钱，分给了绅士太太一半。 这次绅士太太可在场了，先是输了一些，到后大少爷把婶婶邀上楼去，三姨太太不到一会儿就追上来，说是天红得到五百，把所输的收回，反赢三百多。绅士太太同大少爷除了称赞运气，并不说及其他事情。 绅士太太对于他们的事更显得关切，到废物公馆时，总借故到三姨太太房中去盘旋。打牌人多，也总是同三娘合手，两股均分，输赢各半。 星期日另外一个人家客厅里红木小方桌旁，有西城××公馆大小姐，有绅士太太，大小姐不明奥妙，问绅士太太，知不知道三娘近来的手气。 “婶婶不知道么？我听人说她输了五百。” “输五百吗？我一点不明白。” “我听人说的，她们看到她输。” “我不相信，三娘太聪明了，心眼玲珑，最会看风色，我以为她扳了本。” 大小姐因为抓牌就不说话了，绅士太太记到这个话，虽然当真不大相信，可是对于那两次事情，有点小小怀疑起来了。到后新来了两个客，主人提议再拼成一桌，绅士太太主张把三娘接来。电话说不来，有小事，今天少陪了。绅士太太把耳机要过身边来，捏了话机，用着动情的亲昵调子，“三娘，快来，我在这里！” 那边说了一句什么话，这边就说，“好好，你快来，我们打过四圈再说。” 说是有事的三姨太太，得到绅士太太的嘱咐，仍然答应就来，四个人都拿这事情当笑话说着，但都不明白这友谊的基础建筑到些什么关系上面。 不到一会，三娘的汽车就在这人家公馆大门边停住了。客来了，桌子摆在小客厅，三娘不即去，就来在绅士太太身后。 “太太赢了，我们仍然平分，好不好？” “好，你去吧，人家等得太久，张三太快要生气了。” 三娘去后，大小姐问绅士太太，“这几天婶婶同三娘到什么地方打牌。” 绅士太太摇头喊，“五万碰，不要忙！” 休息时，三娘扯了绅士太太走到廊下去，悄悄的告她，大少爷要请太太到××去吃饭。绅士太太记起了大小姐先前说的话，问三娘。 “三娘，你这几天又到××去过吗？” “哪里，我这两天门都不出。” “我听谁说你输了些钱。” "Who said that?" “没有这回事就没有这回事，我好象听谁提到。” 三娘把小小美丽嘴唇抿了一会，莞尔而笑，拍着绅士太太肩膊，“太太，我谎你，我又到过××，稍稍输了一点小数目。我猜这一定是宋太太说的。” 绅士太太本来听到三娘说不曾到过××，以为这是大小姐或者明白她们赢了钱，故有意探询，也就罢了。谁知三姨太太又说当真到过，这不是谎话的谎话，使她不能不对于前两天的赌博生出疑心了。她这时因为不好同三娘说破，以为另外可去问问大少爷，就忙为解释，说是听人说过，也记不起是谁了。她们到后都换了一个谈话方向，改口说到花。一树迎春颜色黄澄澄地象碎金缀在枝头上，在晚风中摇摆，姿态绝美，三娘折了一小枝，替绅士太太插到衣襟上去。 “太太，你真是美人，我一看到你，就嫌自己肮脏卑俗。” “你太会说话了。我是中年人了，哪里敌得过你们年青太太们，一身象奶酥抟成的。” 到了晚上，两人借故有事要走，把两桌牌拼成一桌。大小姐似乎稍稍奇怪，然而这也管不了许多。这位小姐对于牌的感情太好了，依旧上了桌子摸风，这两人就坐了汽车到大陆饭店去了。大陆饭店那方面一个房间里，大少爷早在那里等候了许久，人来了，极其欢喜。三娘把大少爷扯到身边，咬着耳朵说了两句话，大少爷望到绅士太太只点头微笑。两个人不久就走到隔壁房间去了，房里剩下绅士太太一个人。襟边的黄花掉落到地下，因为拾花，想起了日里三娘的称誉，回头去照镜子。照了好一会，又用手抹着自己头上光光的柔软的头发，顾影自怜，这女人稍稍觉得有点烦恼，从生理方面有一些意识模糊的对绅士的反抗，想站起身来走过去，看两个人在商量些什么事情。 推开那门，见到大少爷坐在大椅上，三娘坐大少爷腿上，把头聚在一处，正蜜蜜的接着吻。绅士太太不待说话，心中起着惊讶，赶忙缩回来了，仍然坐到现处，就听到两人在隔壁的笑声，且听到接吻嘴唇离开时的声音。一会儿，三娘走过房中来了，一只手藏在身后，头发乱乱的，脸红红的，一只手伏在绅士太太肩上，悄悄的说。 “太太，要看我前回说那个东西没有？” “这事你怎么当真？” “不是说笑话，这里有一份。” “真是丑事情。” 三娘不再作声，把藏在身后那只手拿定的一个摺子放到绅士太太面前，翻开了第一页。于是第二页，第三页，……两人相对低笑，不防大少爷，轻脚轻手，已经走到背后站定许久了。 ………… 回家去，绅士太太向绅士说头痛不舒服，要绅士到书房去睡。 one 年以后 绅士太太为绅士生养了第五个少爷，寄拜给废物三姨太太作干儿子。做干妈的三娘送了许多礼物给小孩。绅士家请满月酒，客厅卧房皆摆了牌。小孩子们各穿了新衣服，由娘姨带领，来到这里做客。绅士家一面举行汤饼宴，一面接亲家母过门。头一天是女客，废物不甘寂寞也接过来了。废物在客厅里一角，躺在那由公馆抬来的轿椅中，一面听太太们打牌嚷笑，一面同绅士谈天，讲到佛学中的果报，以及一切古今事情。按照一个绅士身分，采取了一个废人的感想，对于人心世道，莫不有所议及。绅士同废人说一阵，又各处走去，周旋到年青太太中间，这里看看，那里玩玩，怪有趣味。 院子中小客人哭了，就叹气，大声喊娘姨，叫取果子糖来款待小客人。因为女主人不大方便，不能出外走动，干妈收拾得袅袅婷婷，风流俏俊，代行主人的职务，也象绅士一样忙着一切。绅士却充满一种怜爱心情，争着抢着担当。 到了晚上，客人散尽，娘姨把各房间打扫收拾清楚，绅士走到太太房中去，忙了一整天，有点疲倦了，就坐到太太床边，低低的叹了一声气。看到桌上一大堆红绿礼物，看到镜台边干妈送来的大金锁同金寿星，想起那妇人飘逸潇洒风度，非常怜惜似的同太太说，“今天干妈真累了，忙了一天！” 绅士太太不做声，要绅士轻说点，莫惊吵了后房的小孩。 似乎因为是最幼的孩子，这孩子使母亲特别关心，虽然请得有一个奶娘，孩子的床就安置在自己房后小间。绅士也极其爱悦这小小生命的嫩芽。正象是因为这小孩的存在，母亲同父亲互相也都不大欢喜在小事上寻隙吵闹，家庭也变成非常和平了。 因为这孩子是西城废物公馆三姨太太的干儿子，从此以后，三娘有一个最好的理由来到东城绅士公馆了。因这贵人的过从，从此以后，绅士也常常有理由同自己太太讨论到这干亲家母的为人，不犯忌讳了。 有一天，绅士从别处得到了一个消息，拿来告给了太太。 “我听到人说西城废物公馆的大少爷，有人做媒。” 太太略略惊讶，注意的问，“是谁？” 两人在这件事情上说了一阵，绅士也不去注意到太太的神气，不知为什么，因为谈到消息，这绅士记起另外一种荒唐消息，就咕咕的笑个不止。 太太问，“笑什么？” 绅士还是笑，并不作答。 太太有点生气样子。其时正为小孩子剪裁一个小小绸胸巾，就放下了剪刀，一定要绅士说出。 绅士仍然笑着，过了好一会，才嚅嚅滞滞的说，“太太，我听到有笑话，说那大少爷和……有点……”绅士太太愕然了，把头偏向一边，惊讶而又惶恐的问，“怎么，你说什么！？” “我是听人说的，好象我们小孩子的……”“怎么，说什么？你们男子的口！” 绅士望到太太脸上突然变了颜色，料不到这事情会有这样吓人，就忙分辩说，“这是谣言，我知道！” 绅士太太简直要哭了。 绅士赶忙匆匆促促的分辩说，“是谣言，我是知道的！我只听说我们的孩子的干妈三娘，特别同那大少爷谈得合式，听到人这样说过，我也不相信。” 绅士太太放了一口气，才明白谣言所说的原是孩子的干妈，对于自己先前的态度忽然感到悔恨，且非常感到丈夫的可恼了，就骂绅士，以为真是一个堕落的老无耻，那么大一把年纪的人了，又不是年轻小孩子，不拘到什么地方，听到一点毫无根据的谰言，就拿来嚼咀。且说，“一个绅士都不讲身分，亏得你们念佛经，这些话拿去随便说，拔舌地狱不知怎么容得下你们这些人！” 绅士听到这教训，一面是心中先就并不缺少对于那干亲家母的一切憧憬，把太太这义正辞严的言语，嵌到肥心上去后，就不免感到了一点羞惭。见到太太样子还很难看，这尊贵的人，照老例，做戏一样赔了礼，说一点别的空话，搭搭讪讪走到书房继续做阿难伽叶传记的研究去了。 绅士太太好好保留到先前一刻的情形，保留到自己的惊，保留到丈夫的谦和，以及那些前后言语给她的动遥这女人，再把另外一些时节一些事情追究了一下，觉得全身忽然软弱起来，发着抖，再想支持到先前在绅士跟前的生气倔强，已经是万万办不到了。于是她就哭了，伏在那尚未完成的小孩子的胸巾上面，非常伤心的哭了。 悄悄溜到门边的绅士，看到太太那情形，还以为这是因为自己失去绅士身分的责难，以及物伤其类底痛苦，才使太太这样伤心，万分羞惭的转到书房去，想了半天主意，才想出一个计策来；不让太太知道，出了门雇街车到一个亲戚家里去，只说太太为别的事使气，想一个老太太装作不知道到他家里，邀她往公园去散散。把计策办妥当后，这绅士又才忙忙的回转家中，仍然去书房坐下，拿一本陶渊明的诗来读。 读了半天，听到客来了，到上房去了，又听到太太喊叫拿东西。过了一会又听到叫预备车子。来客同太太出去以后，绅士走到天井中，看看天气，天气非常好。好象很觉得寂寞，就走到上面房里去。看到一块还未剪裁成就的绸子，湿得象从水中浸过，绅士良心极其难过，本待乘到这机会，可以到一个相好的妇人处去玩玩，也下了决心，不再出门了。 绅士太太回来时，问用人，老爷什么时候出去，什么时候回来。用人回答太太，老爷并不出门，在书房中读书，一个人吃的晚饭。太太忙到书房去，望着老爷正跪在佛像前念经。站到门边许久，绅士把经念完了，回头才看到太太。两人皆有所内恧，都愿好好的讲了和，都愿意得到对方谅解。绅士太太极其温柔的走到老爷身边去。 “怎么一个人在家中？我以为你到傅家吃酒去了。” 绅士看到太太神气，是讲和的情形，就做着只有绅士才会做出的笑样子，问到什么地方去玩了来。明白是到公园了，就又问到公园什么馆子吃的晚饭，人多不多，碰到什么熟人没有。两人于是很虚伪又很诚实的谈到公园的一切，白鹤，鹿，花坛下围棋的林老头儿，四如轩的水饺子，说了半天，太太还不走去。 “累了，早睡一点吧。” "And you?" “我念了五遍经，近来念经真有了点奇迹，念完了神清气爽。” 听着这样谎话的绅士太太，容忍着，不去加以照例的笑谑，沉默了一阵，一个人走到上房去了。绅士在书房中，正想起傅家一个婢女打破茶碗的故事，一面脱去袜子，娘姨走来了，静静的怯怯的说，“老爷，太太请您老人家。”绅士点点头，娘姨退出去了，绅士不知为什么缘故，很觉得好笑，在心中搅起了些消失了多年的做新郎的情绪，趿上鞋，略显得匆促的向上房走去。 第二天，三娘来看孩子，绅士正想出门，在院子里迎面遇到了。想起前一天传说种种，绅士红着脸，笑着，敷衍着，一溜烟走了。三娘是也来告给绅士太太关于大少爷的婚事消息的，说了半天，后来接到别处电话，邀约打牌，绅士太太却回绝了。 两个人在家中密谈了一些时候，小孩子不知为什么哭了，绅士太太叫把小孩子抱来。小孩子一到母亲面前就停止了啼哭，望到这干妈，小小的伶精的黑眼仁，好象因为要认清楚这女人那么注意集中到三娘的脸。三娘把孩子抱在手上，哄着喝着，“小东西，你认得我！不许哭！再哭你爹爹会丢了你！世界上男人都心坏，只想骗女人，你长大了，可要孝顺你妈妈！” 绅士太太不知为什么原因，小孩子一不哭泣，又教奶妈快把孩子抱去了。 一九二九年作