A long silence followed. Then two women brought in a low table covered with scarcely touched dishes of fish and meat which they set down on the kang.

• "半日鸦雀不闻之后；忽见二人抬了一张炕桌来；放在这边炕上；桌上碗盘森列；仍是满满的鱼肉在内；不过略动了几样.；"