释旧憾情婢感痴郎
Aunt Zhao’s delirium gets worse; her fits are irregular and
terrifying, and none of the women can bear to be with her. The doctor who
arrives pronounces her dead, and Zheng sends someone to attend to Huan and the
funeral. Gossip spreads, predicting a speedy death for Xifeng too. Patience is
distressed; she seems beyond hope, and Lian is unconcerned. Xifeng wants to
die, and sees an apparition of Erjie, which scares her. Grannie Liu has arrived
with her granddaughter Qinger 青儿; Xifeng calls her
in despite her illness, but sees another spectral apparition before she enters.
Grannie Liu, who is visiting having heard of Lady Jia’s death, is devastated to
see how ill Xifeng is. Patience is cautious that she doesn’t say anything
tactless to upset her; Grannie Liu talks with Qiaojie, who she named. Xifeng
suggests taking her with her back to the country. Grannie Liu tells Xifeng how
she upsetting she has found all the recent news. Upon leaving, she tells
Patience that she fears the illness is very nasty. Lian enters in a black mood,
which upsets Patience. He asks her to open a casket, when Xifeng takes a turn
for the worse. Qiaojie and Grannie Liu rush in, followed by Lady Wang, by which
time she has improved. Warmed by Grannie Liu’s presence, Xifeng calls her over
and asks her to pray for her. She offers her a bracelet, and is refused;
Grannie Liu hurries out to pray, leaving Qinger, who is by now firm friends
with Qiaojie.
The nuns inform the Jias of their decision to stay, despite
Adamantina’s disappearance. The house staff have not told anyone apart from
Xichun, but rumours reach Baoyu, who sighs at her strange and worldly end.
After he is depressed for several days, Baochai finds out. Although sad, she
criticises his brooding and lack of work. He falls asleep; upon waking, he
resolves to speak with Nightingale for the first time since she entered his
service. At first she tells him to go away; he is disheartened. He then talks
her round, but finds himself at a loss for words. Eventually he asks her what
he has done wrong, at which she scoffs and snivels, causing him to sob. Musk
interrupts and rebukes them both; he returns in tears with Musk to further
rebuke from Aroma. Both he and Nightingale have a sleepless night; she reflects
deeply and reevaluates him and his situation, feeling touched by his devotion
and regretting Daiyu’s fate. She hears a great rumpus come from Xifeng’s.
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