Fragment 5 - Posted 28th November 2014

We were distracted and absent-minded all morning. We made our usual excursion to the meadow, but limited our play to kite-flying and skipping. We didn't trust ourselves to play tag. I carried the stick and kept a look-out for bandits, but there were none. I thought we might revise our instruction-book during siesta, but Shrr Li didn't want to, and once she had said so, I realised neither did I. So we fretted and dozed during the midday heat. White Ghost slept soundly, as far as I could tell. Ma Peng told us that we were to eat early and report directly to the Good Fortune Suite, and hinted that White Ghost should be in "parade-ground order". I think she imagines she is still in the army. It was helpful advice all the same, and we spent an hour and some hot water making sure he was as clean as we could make him. He submits to this obediently and with resignation, but I think he secretly enjoys the attention. Then of course we had to tidy ourselves. Ma Chao served us a light meal of spiced noodles. As she collected our bowls, she shot a meaning glance at White Ghost's tooth stick, which was another useful hint. We were clean, neat and fresh of breath when we climbed an unfamiliar staircase, and presented ourselves at the Good Fortune Suite. Meng Chu herself opened the doors to us. They were large double doors and very formal, and she shut them firmly behind us. I touched White Ghost on the back of the hand, which is his signal, and he bowed and said "Respectful Greetings!" Meng Chu clapped her hands and gave a peal of laughter. She was wearing a long flowing garment in broad red and white vertical stripes. It was not clasped, but cunningly weighted at the collar and hem, so that it hung partially open, neither exactly concealing or quite revealing. The sleeves were short, to cover only the upper arm, but cut very wide, although they did not gape. It was plain and rich at the same time, and fascinating to the eye. She let us admire the robe, and explained, "This is the formal garment of the Good Fortune Suite. I have yours here. While you remain in these chambers, these are the only garments you should wear. There are closets here for your normal clothes. When you are ready, please come through." We spent a little time admiring ourselves in these new garments. There was none for White Ghost, nor did we expect any. The closets were carved wood, very rich, and as we put away our clothes we admired these too. Taking a deep breath, we passed underneath the arch and found ourselves in the most elegant room we had ever seen. "Please take your time to look around, " said Meng Chu. The ceiling was arched, or rather domed, with a high lantern that filtered the sunlight and mirrored it around the room. The dome was gilded with an intricate interwoven pattern that dazzled the eye. There were two broad lattice windows , curtained with fine muslin that let the breeze pass, but shielded us from view. In all four corners of the room there was a large oil lantern, each with a shade a globe of frosted glass, so it looked as though a moon floated there. In the centre of the room was a low, padded dais, furnished with bolsters, cushions and pillows. This was big enough to accommodate four people, and I understood that this was bench, divan and bed. A sideboard held a tray of sweetmeats, a decanter and glasses. There were two upright chairs, which seemed a little out of place, and large cushioned footstools. There were also some curious articles I had never seen before. One resembled a woodworker's sawhorse, but upholstered in dark leather. There was a large cupboard with wonderful carvings of dragons and peacocks. I didn't dare to open it. Through another arch was a tiled room with washing facilities and commodes. The main room had large, grand tapestries on the wall, with brilliant colours and eye-catching subjects. One was of goldfish in a pond. Another was of two cranes at sunset. A third depicted a bunch of peonies. The last, which White Ghost was studying, was the Moon Goddess at her bath. Shrr Li was examining a large painted screen, which showed figures of women and ghosts in various forms of embrace. The surprising thing was that the ghosts were not white, or even black, which sometimes happens, but bore the same features and colouring as we do ourselves. "Mistress, I beg to ask, how old is this screen?" The Mistress rose and gazed at the screen wistfully. "You need not be so formal in these chambers. You may call me Chu within these walls. Outside, it will be different, naturally. The screen? I am not sure. Two, three hundred years? It dates from before the second revolution, and possibly before the first. " Shrr Li ventured, "Maybe before the plague?" Mistress blinked, and said, "You mean the plague of plagues? That is only legend, a fairy story. We have no reliable history from that time. But yes, it dates from before the time of trouble." We gazed at the screen, sombrely, each lost in our own thoughts. "What kind of a hostess am I, " wondered Mistress, "letting the mood sink to these depths? We must be friends and we must be cheerful. Let me pour you a glass of this excellent liqueur, and we can nibble on these dainties while we amuse ourselves. Please let White Ghost do his party piece again!" On cue, White Ghost bowed and uttered his "Respectful Greetings", and Meng Chu again clapped her hands and loosed a peal of laughter. "Very good!" she cried. "Can he say anything else?" "Only our names," admitted Shrr Li. "We were thinking of 'please' and 'thank you' but hadn't quite managed it yet." I pointed to myself, and White Ghost managed "Xu Xan". Shrr Li pointed to herself and the name was not quite so clear. Delighted, Meng Chu pointed to herself and White Ghost managed "Meng Chu". "Admirable!" exclaimed the Mistress. "We must learn 'please' and 'thank you'. And this is such a suitable occasion. May I offer you this glass?" She lifted the liqueur glass towards me. Glancing at White Ghost, I said "please", and as I took the glass, "thank you." White Ghost pricked up his ears and was listening carefully. Meng Chu repeated the tableau with Shrr Li and finally, with eyes twinkling, raised a glass towards White Ghost. "Please," he said. He took the glass, and said "Thank you!" Meng Chu laughed delightedly and kissed him on the cheek. This took us all by surprise. We sipped our liqueur. It was sweet and pleasant and very strong. I could see the colour rising in Shrr Li's cheeks, and White Ghost was blinking. "Now make yourselves comfortable, while I do my party piece," announced Meng Chu. We lounged on the great divan and sipped our drinks while the Mistress sang a song about a little girl who had lost her ball. She sang with gestures and facial expressions. It was long and very funny. Shrr Li and I were shaking with laughter and had to use the little tables to set our glasses down , so we could applaud. White Ghost was laughing too, at the gestures and faces, or perhaps just at Shrr Li and me. Meng Chu sighed and collapsed onto the divan. "Who is next?" she asked. We looked blank. "Don't be shy," she said. I hear you singing in the courtyard all the time. Sometimes I stop work to listen. You have lovely voices!" Shrr Li was crimson with embarrassment but I hauled her to her feet and muttered, "The song of the owl" to her. We faltered as we began, but soon sang at full volume, and Shrr Li so far forgot herself as to start treading as if she were in a laundry tub. This was so ridiculous that I had to do the same, and Mistress and White Ghost howled with laughter. When we had bowed to our applause, we made to sit down, but Mistress stopped us, saying, "But there are two of you! You must do two!" I couldn't think of anything, but Shrr Li lifted up her hands and said, "Pat-a-cake!" "Which one?" I asked. "Shoemaker's daughter!" she said. She stamped her foot to give the rhythm, and we pat-a-caked "Shoemaker's daughter". "Again!" she said, and stamped a faster beat. When we finished, I was out of breath and put my hands behind my back, refusing to do more. White Ghost and Meng Chu were clapping wildly. "How lovely!" remarked Meng Chu. "It is such a long time since I've heard such a thing. What a shame it is that we neglect these simple pleasures as we reach maturity. I insist you come and practice these with me. I shall make a point of it. But now, please enjoy your drinks while I light the lamps." In a fluid motion she rose, and lit a taper at wide candle. Lifting the shade she light the wick and trimmed it, then crossed to the opposite corner for that lamp. When she had done she gazed around the room. "I think two lamps are sufficient, don't you?" she remarked. The frosted shades gave the room a kind of welcoming twilight, softening every edge, and blurring every shadow. "Let me take your glasses," she said draining her own. We followed her example, and I felt my head swim for a moment. She stacked the glasses on the sideboard, and shrugged off her flowing robe. In the moody light she was the image of the Moon Goddess at bath. She sank onto the divan and gave each of us a long, slow appraising look. I slipped off my robe and moved forward. She lifted a pale hand and stroked White Ghost where his interest lay. "He is not yet quite ready," she murmured. Shrr Li sat perfectly still, as if afraid to move. "Shrr Li is shy," Meng Chu observed, "Let us make her comfortable." She reached into Shrr Li's robe and caressed her breast. Shrr Li moaned and lifted her face. Meng Chu mirrored her moan and moved forward as if in mute question. At once their lips met, and their bodies too. Shrr Li struggled out of the hampering robe, and I drew it away from her. Meng Chu stroked he breast, her back, returned her kisses, but her eyes returned to White Ghost. I stroked his chest, and felt his interest quicken. Now Meng Chu was lying back on the satin cushions, as Shrr Li plied kisses on her face and breasts. But Meng Chu's stare was fastened on White Ghost, daring him and drawing him. I moved behind Shrr Li, and cupped my hands beneath her breasts. She sighed and leaned back against me, as White Ghost moved forward and centred his interest on Meng Chu's private place. I looked from them to the painted screen and could see the embrace duplicated, there and by my side. We stroked and caressed each other and watched the heaving bodies until the chi was spent, and Shrr Li writhed and pressed herself under my fingers. Can I tell it all? I should consider the honour of the house, my Mistress, my own privacy... But you who read this, you know me not, to whom my secrets are no more than another leaf on the forest floor, you may not judge me. You who are from another village, or another country, or another time, listen, and I will tell you of how we lay glutted with pleasure, and feasted our eyes upon each other's naked bodies until the passion roused again. I will tell you how White Ghost lay prone while we two raised his interest, and with our other hands steadied Meng Chu to stand and straddle him, and lower herself to her best advantage, and to his. Shall I tell you how we kissed Meng Chu's body as she moved, and how White Ghost's hands possessed us both? Can you understand how four bodies can lose themselves together in one act of passion? Distant reader, I wish this joy for you. I woke to find Meng Chu standing, absently watching us, or watching nothing, with a strange smile on her face. As I raised my head she turned to me and spoke, as if to herself. "I feel my body change, like ripples moving on a pond. The chi has quickened within me and I can feel life stirring." I looked and wondered how this could be so. "No-one can know such a thing, and yet I know it. I know it as I feel the sun on my face, or as I walk a path by moonlight." She lowered herself to the divan and whispered in my ear, "the next chi must be yours." I lay and looked at the gilding on the dome, the pattern shifting and wavering in the dim light, and slow as syrup she lay next to me. She took my hand, and kissed it, and her other hand moved slow as syrup between my breasts, down, and down. Her fingers moved, slow as syrup, and stirred my longing, until my hips moved to move her fingers faster. Her hand withdrew, and I lifted my head to ask why, and there was White Ghost, and I drew him to me. How the flesh can be like bone! How the flesh can be like fire! How fire and bone produce such storms and waves! How the raging storm blows out, and leaves such gentle calm! I hugged him to me. My head was pillowed upon Meng Chu's belly when my eyes opened to daylight. Meng Chu lifted her chin so that I turned my head to look. White Ghost and Shrr Li were lying legs entwined. I felt a qualm of jealousy, that died in a moment against the fluid symmetry. Meng Chu and I smiled, and dozed. Breakfast was left on a tray outside the door. We ate informally on the divan, being beyond manners by this time. When our bowls were empty Mistress stretched and yawned. "White Ghost has performed heroically, and we should not expect so much of him on later occasions. We must vacate this room so it can be cleaned. When you take your exercise, take gentle exercise only. I look forward to your company this evening." We were charmed by her solicitude, and we took our leave.