The Story of the Stone

Note on Spelling Preface Chapter 27 Beauty Perspiring sports with butterflies by the Raindrop Pavilion; And Beauty Suspiring weeps for fallen blossoms by the Flowers' Grave Chapter 28 A Crimson cummerbund becomes a pledge of friendship; And a chaplet of medicine-beads becomes a source of embarassment Chapter 29 In which the greatly blessed pray for yet greater blessings; And the highly strung rise to new heights of passion Chapter 30 Bao-Chai speaks of a fan and castigates her deriders; Charmante scratches a 'qiang' and mystifies a beholder Chapter 31 A torn fan is the price of silver laughter; And a lost kylin is the clue to a happy marriage Chapter 32 Bao-yu demonstrates confusion of mind by his declaration to the wrong person; And Golden shows an unconquerable spirit by ending her humiliation in death Chapter 33 An envious younger brother puts in a malicious word or two; And a scapegrace elder brother recieves a terrible chatisement Chapter 34 A wordless message meets with silent understanding; And a groundless imputation leads to undeserved rebukes Chapter 35 Sulky Silver tastes some lotus-leaf soup; And Golden Oriole knots a flower-patterned fringe Chapter 36 Bao-chai visits Green Delights and bears strange words from a sleeper; And Bao-yu visits Pear-tree Court and learns hard facts from a performer Chapter 37 A happy inspiration prompts Tan-chun to found the Crab-flower Club; And an ingenious arrangment enables Bao-chai to settle the chysanthemum poem titles Chapter 38 River Queen triumphs in her treatment of chysanthemum themes; And Lady Allspice is satirical on the subject of crabs An inventive old countrywoman tells a story of somewhat questionable veracity; And and impressionable young listener insists on getting to the bottom of the matter Chapter 40 Lady Jia holds two feasts in one day in the Prospect Garden; And Faithful makes four calls on three dominoes in the Painted Chamber Chapter 41 Jia Bao-yu tastes some superior tea at Green Bower Hermitage; And Grannie Liu samples the sleeping accommodation at Green Delights Chapter 42 Lady Allspice wins over a suspicious nature with some well-intentioned advice; And River Queen enhances her reputation as a wit with some amusing sarcasms Chapter 43 An old woman's whim is the occasion of a birthday collection; And a young man's remorse finds solace in a simple ceremony Chapter 44 Xi-feng's jealousy is the object of an unexpected provocation; And Patience's toilet is a source of unexpected delight Chapter 45 Sisterly understanding finds expression in words of sisterly frankness; And autumnal pluviousless is celebrated in verses of autumnal melancholy Chapter 46 An awkward person is given an awkward mission; And a faithful maid vows faithfulness unto death Chapter 47 In pursuit of love the Oaf King takes a fearful beating; And from fear of reprisal the Reluctant Playboy makes a hasty getaway Chapter 48 The Love-Deluded One Turns his thoughts to trade and travel; And the Poetry Enthusiast applies herself to making verses Chapter 49 Red flowers bloom brighter in dazzling snow; And venison reeks strangely on rosebud lips Chapter 50 Linked verses in Snowy Rushes Retreat; And lantern riddles in the Spring In Winter Room Chapter 51 A clever cousin composes some ingenious riddles; And an unskilful physician prescribes a barbarous remedy Chapter 52 Kind Patience conceals the theft of a Shrimp Whisker bracelet; And brave Skybright repairs the hole in a Peacock Gold snow-cape Chapter 53 Ning-guo House sacrifices to the ancestors on New Year's Eve; And Rong-guo House entertains the whole family on Fifteenth Night Appendix I: Regulated Verse Appendix II: Threesomes with the Dominoes Appendix III: Unsolved Riddles Characters in Volume 2 Genealogical Tables