J'ai mis presque un mois à lire le dernier Amy Tan, The Valley of Amazement, un pavé de 600 pages. Relations mère-fille, vie des
courtisanes dans la Chine du début 20e siècle, sur fond de changements
politiques et sociaux importants:
Le thé sert à classer les "maisons de fleurs":Cracked Egg ran into the courtyard. “What's going on? What's happening with the food? Why is the water not boiled? Lulu Mimi needs her tea.”The men sat there, smoking.“Eh! When you cut off your queues, did you slice out part of your brains as well? Who do you work for? Where will you go if this house shuts its doors? You'll be no better off than that beggar by the wall with one leg.” They grumbled and stood up.
She and Golden Dove supposedly met about ten years ago when they lived in a house on East Floral Alley. At the beginning, Golden Dove ran a teahouse for Chinese sailors. Then Mother started a pub for pirates. So Golden Dove made an even fancier teahouse for sea captains, and my mother made a private club for the owners of ships, and they kept outdoing each other until my mother started Hidden Jade Path, and that was that.
Magic Gourd thought we should start a small courtesan house. We would call it a private teahouse, which would set us apart from the opium flower houses. It suggested a place that was more refined, which might require men with manners and at least some amount of courting – perhaps not as much as in a first-class house. In any case, we had heard that even in first-class houses, the courting time required had been much reduced....We tallied up the cost of furnishing a refined teahouse. We obtained prices from Mr. Gao for the value of our jewelry. And we realized in the end we could afford one teacup.
We named our club The Golden Dove. In addition to fine liquor, we provided a tea service. Instead of favorite sing-along tunes on the piano, we hired a violinist and cellist who played Debussy...Golden Dove took her station standing at the ready in the private rooms. She whisked away empty cups and returned with clean ones that were filled. Among those well-to-do customers, the secrets were more lucrative.
Even the wealthiest man may have had frugal beginnings. Habits remain. When he has provided enough gifts to prove his sincerity, I will prepare the boudoir and let him know he is welcome to have tea with you after the party. Only serious suitors will be invited – and for tea only, perhaps a song. They'll see a hint of the inner chambers where they might lose their minds.
Never allow intimate relations with a suitor during this time. Be flirtatious but coy at parties. Meet new suitors for afternoon tea. A patron, however, is another matter.
A date was announced for my defloration: February 12, 1913, the day of my fifteenth birthday, the one-year anniversary of the emperor's abdication....The contenders were allowed into my boudoir for tea. Magic Gourd was always present to make sure no man pried from me an early sample.
She allowed Eminent to visit me in my room for tea....Eminent Tang had given me extravagant gifts over the past month, including a ring with rare imperial green jade and diamonds. I allowed him to visit my boudoir twice more – tea and snacks only.
Usually, depending on the guest, there would be either a selection of fruit or English butter cookies, and tea. Mother said that none was needed. I was shocked by her rudeness.
Tea arrived with a little pitcher of milk and a plate of butter cookies and jam. Madam Li said she had had to go to the foreign marketplace to find milk for spoiling the tea.
I could not solve everything at once. We sat in the courtyard, and when the tea arrived, we drank greedily, dispensing with the dainty sips between idle chat. Why should I bother to impress this woman with my manners?
envers les défunts.
As the mother of Perpetual's son, her spirit would receive daily offerings of smoky incense, fruit, and tea, as well as the forced obeisance of the rest of us.
Le thé réchauffe,
Miss Huffard placed a mug of hot tea in my hands and told me to drink it and warm myself from the inside out.
restaure,
Ten minutes later, the coolie returned. He had brought a basket. Inside were two brown eggs with crackled shells, three small bananas, and a flask that contained hot tea. ...I examined the basket of food. I was dubious about the cleanliness of these offerings. He pantomimed that all was clean and I had nothing to worry about. I was famished and thirsty. The eggs was odd-tasting but delicious. The bananas were sweet, and the tea was soothing.
endort, naturellement
Yet another maid set tea and snacks on a table. I ate greedily like the poor peasant I had become. And as soon as I drained the teacup, I lay down and did not wake up until late morning.
ou pas,
The ship's doctor said they would make arrangements for a lifeboat and a sailor to help me paddle. In the meantime, he said, I should calm down and have some tea and nourishment before the arduous journey back. “Drink,” he said, “it will settle your nerves.” And it did, because I did not awake for two days.
soutient les malades,
The doctor babbled as Edward coughed violently and tried to catch his breath. “This sort of bloody discharge is typical,” Dr. Albee said in a quick professional tone. “The tissue becomes irritated and bleeds.” He said we should feed him plenty of tea, no milk. I was glad to see the very cheerful doctor leave.
et est même une preuve d'amour:
“All those foul-tasting soups you made and your constant nagging to drink them,” Loyalty said, “even the cancer could not stand it and left.” Over breakfast each day, Loyalty kissed my forehead and thanked me for letting me see the new morning. He served me tea. That one act was an astonishing show of appreciation and love. Loyalty was used to others taking care of all the comforts of his daily life. He had never had to think of mine or anyone else's.
Aucun commentaire:
Publier un commentaire