Chapter 97

林黛玉焚稿断痴情

薛宝钗出闺成大礼

Bringing up blood has brought Daiyu to her senses, but she quickly recalls Baoyu’s forthcoming wedding, quietly setting her heart on an early death. Ripple, shocked, reveals what has happened to Grandmother Jia; she, Xifeng and Lady Wang are concerned both about the information leak and Daiyu’s health. They visit her and are distraught, deciding to make funeral preparations despite the doctor’s positive diagnosis. Lady Jia finds it hard to understand and sympathise with Daiyu’s lovesickness; wedding preparations continue regardless. The next day, Xifeng tells Baoyu he is to marry Daiyu; he shows comprehension as well as imbecility. The ladies then go to Aunt Xue; they play down Baoyu’s illness and, despite concerns for Baochai’s feelings, she assents to a quick wedding. When she tells Baochai the next day, Baochai cries; Ke soon brings Pan’s approval and Aunt Xue feels more at ease setting about wedding preparations. The next day is revealed to be an auspicious day for the exchange of presents. Baoyu is shown the presents chosen for him to give; his reaction shows an improvement in his wits. The servants are sent to take the presents to Aunt Xue’s, the route planned to avoid the Naiad’s House.

Daiyu is getting iller, despite Nightingale trying to reassure her. Preoccupied with the wedding, and with Lady Jia’s feelings towards her having hardened, not a single person comes to visit. One day, she is helped to sit up and manages to ask her maids for the handkerchiefs with poetry on. Pathetically she tries to tear them. She asks for the brazier to be lit and drops them in before adding her manuscripts of poetry, despite Nightingale trying to stop her and Snowgoose pulling them out. It is clear to Nightingale the next morning that she has reached a crisis, but she finds Grandmother Jia’s apartment – including Baoyu’s room - empty. She is filled with bitter resentment, and extracts from a page that the wedding is to be that evening. Returning to the Naiad’s House, she finds Daiyu having taking another turn for the worse. She sends for Li Wan (as a widow, she is excluded from the festivities). Li Wan frets to see just how weak Daiyu is, but is able to rally the maids who are convulsed with grief. Patience suddenly runs in with Steward Lin’s wife, sent by Xifeng to check on Daiyu and summon Nightingale for other duties. After a curt exchange, it is agreed that Snowgoose will go instead. She goes with a message to start funeral preparations.

She dare not show her grief, and is unaware of her role – Baoyu is healthier with joy for his imminent marriage to Daiyu, and sees Snowgoose walking with the bridal palanquin. Bride and groom kneel for the ceremony, and are showered with fruit as they sit on the bridal bed. Before long, Baoyu lifts Baochai’s veil as Oriole takes Snowgoose’s place. He admires her appearance, although utterly bewildered, and is helped to a chair. Both are silent, until he asks who she is. Confused, he suffers a relapse, repeatedly declaring that he must find Daiyu; he is sedated and sleeps. When Zheng takes his leave the next day, he is told that the marriage was not consummated and that Baoyu is too ill to accompany him away, but not of the relapse. Baoyu does perform some formalities to his father, as does Baochai, but he suffers another relapse immediately after Zheng’s departure.