the story of the stone（－）

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1、CHAPTER73Ahalf-wittedservant-girlpicksupahighlyembarrassingobjectAndaneasy-goingyoungmistressrefusestoinquireintoatheftAsweweresayingattheendofthelastchapter，AuntZhaoandJiazilengwereinterruptedinthemidstoftheirdiscussionbyasuddencrash．Themaids，whenquestioned，saidtha

2、tithadbeencausedbyanoutercasementofoneofthewindowsfalling．Itcouldnothavebeenproperlyfastenedandmusthaveslippeditscatch．Afterfirstroundlycursingthem，AuntZhaowentoutsidewiththemtosuperviseitsreplacement．Whenshecameinagain，shehelpedJiaZhengtosettledownforthenight．Andso

3、weleavethem．*Meanwhile，overatGreenDelights，Bao-yuhadjustgonetobed．Themaidswerethemselvesonthepointofdoingsowhenasuddenknockingwasheardatthecourtyardgate．TheoldwomanwhoopeneditrecognizedthecallerasamaidofAuntZhao’scalledMagpie，andaskedherwhatshewanted；butinsteadofans

4、wering，thegirlpushedpastherandrushedstraightinside．ShefoundBao-yualreadylyingdown，butengagedinbanteringconversationwithSkybrightandacoupleofothermaidswhoweresittingontheedgeofhisbed．‘What’sthematter？’theyaskedwhentheysawwhotheirvisitorwas．‘Whatbringsyououtatthishour

5、？’‘I’vecometowarnyou，’saidMagpie，addressingherselfinanurgentwhispertoBao-yu．‘IheardmymistressjustnowjabberingtoSirZhengaboutsomething，andthoughIcouldn’tmakeoutwhattheyweretalkingabout，Iheardhimsay“Bao-yu”acoupleoftimes．IthoughtI’dbetterputyouonyourguardincaseheaskst

6、oseeyoutomorrowaboutanything．’Sheturnedandhurriedoutagainassoonasshehadfinishedspeaking．Aromatoldsomeonetorunafterherandaskhertostayforacupoftea，butshewasafraidofbeingshutinsidetheGardenwhentheyclosedthegate，andinsistedongoingbackimmediately．Bao-yuknewthatinAuntZhao

7、’stwistedimaginationhewasregardedasanenemy，andthoughhedidnotknowwhatshehadsaid，themerefactthatshehad-399-beentalkingabouthimwasenoughtomakehimfeeluncomfortableallover，muchasMonkeydidwhenheheardTripitakarecitingthespellfortighteningtheironbandroundhishead．Aftergiving

8、themattersomethought，heconcludedthattheonlypracticalwayinwhichhecouldpreparehimselfforthemorrowwouldbebyrevisinghistexts．Shouldhisfatherta