三国演义英文版-第143部分

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The　State　Patriarch　Qiao　resided　in　Nanxu　and　to　his　house；　leading　sheep　and　bearing　wine　jars；　went　the　bridegroom　elect。　Having　made　his　obeisance；　Liu　Bei　explained　that　as　Lu　Fan　had　arranged；　he　had　e　to　marry　a　wife。
In　the　meantime　the　five　hundred　guards；　all　in　gala　dress；　had　scattered　over　the　city　place　buying　all　sorts　of　things；　as　they　said；　for　the　wedding　of　Liu　Bei　with　the　daughter　of　the　Sun　House。　They　spread　the　news　far　and　wide　and　the　whole　town　talked　about　it。
When　Sun　Quan　heard　of　Liu　Bei's　arrival；　he　bade　Lu　Fan　wait　upon　him　and　take　him　to　the　guest…house。　Meanwhile　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao　went　to　the　Dowager　Marchioness；　mother　of　Sun　Quan；　to　congratulate　her　on　the　happy　event。
〃What　happy　event？〃　ejaculated　the　old　lady。
〃The　betrothal　of　your　beloved　daughter　to　Liu　Bei。　And　he　has　arrived　too；　as　surely　you　know。〃
〃My　poor　old　self　does　not　know；〃　said　the　Dowager。　〃I　have　heard　nothing　of　all　this。〃
She　at　once　summoned　her　son　and　also　sent　her　servants　out　into　the　town　to　see　what　was　going　about。
They　quickly　returned　to　say：　〃The　whole　city　know　of　the　ing　wedding；　and　the　bridegroom　is　now　at　the　guest…house。　Moreover；　he　has　e　with　a　large　escort；　and　they　are　spending　freely；　buying　pork　and　mutton　and　fruits；　all　in　readiness　for　the　wedding　feasting。　Lu　Fan　and　Sun　Qian　are　the　intermediaries　on　each　side；　and　they　are　in　the　guest…house　too。〃
The　Dowager　Marchioness　was　terribly　taken　aback　and　upset　so　that；　when　Sun　Quan　arrived；　he　found　his　mother　beating　her　breast　and　weeping　bitterly。
〃What　has　disturbed　you；　Mother？〃　asked　he。
〃What　you　have　just　done；〃　said　she。　〃You　have　treated　me　as　a　nonentity。　When　my　elder　sister　lay　dying；　what　did　she　tell　you？〃
Sun　Quan　began　to　be　frightened；　but　he　said　boldly；　〃Please　speak　out　plainly；　Mother。　What　is　this　great　sorrow？〃
〃When　a　son　is　grown；　he　takes　a　wife；　and　when　a　girl　is　old　enough；　she　goes　to　her　husband。　And　that　is　right　and　proper。　But　I　am　the　mother；　and　you　ought　to　have　told　me　that　your　sister　was　to　bee　the　wife　of　Liu　Bei。　Why　did　you　keep　me　in　the　dark？　It　was　my　place　to　promise　her　in　marriage。〃
〃Whence　es　this　story？〃　said　the　Marquis；　really　much　frightened。
〃Do　you　pretend　ignorance？　There　is　not　a　soul　in　the　city　who　does　not　know！　But　you　have　succeeded　in　keeping　me　in　the　dark。〃
〃I　heard　it　several　days　ago；〃　said　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao。　〃And　I　came　just　now　to　offer　my　felicitations。〃
〃There　is　no　such　thing；〃　said　Sun　Quan。　〃It　is　just　one　of　the　ruses　of　Zhou　Yu　to　get　hold　of　Jingzhou。　He　has　used　this　means　to　inveigle　Liu　Bei　here　and　hold　him　captive　till　Jingzhou　is　restored　to　us。　And　if　they　will　not　give　it　back；　then　Liu　Bei　will　be　put　to　death。　That　is　the　plot。　There　is　no　real　marriage。〃
But　the　Dowager　was　in　a　rage　and　vented　her　wrath　in　abusing　Zhou　Yu。
She　said；　〃Zhou　Yu　is　a　pretty　sort　of　governor　over　the　six　territories　and　eighty…one　counties；　if　he　cannot　find　any　means　of　recovering　one　region　except　making　use　of　my　child　as　a　decoy。　Truly　this　is　a　fine　deed；　to　spoil　the　whole　of　my　child's　life　and　condemn　her　to　perpetual　widowhood；　because　he　wants　to　use　the　fair　damsel　ruse　to　slay　a　man！　Who　will　ever　e　to　talk　of　marriage　with　her　after　this？〃
Said　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao；　〃By　this　means　you　may　indeed　recover　Jingzhou；　but　you　will　be　a　shameful　laughing　stock　to　all　the　world。　What　can　be　done？〃
Sun　Quan　had　nothing　to　say。　He　could　only　hang　his　head；　while　the　Dowager　abused　his　general。
The　State　Patriarch　Qiao　tried　to　soothe　her；　saying；　〃After　all　Liu　Bei；　the　Imperial　Uncle；　is　a　scion　of　the　reigning　family。　You　can　do　nothing　better　now　than　to　wele　him　as　a　son…in…law　and　not　let　this　ugly　story　get　abroad。〃
〃I　am　afraid　their　ages　do　not　match；〃　interposed　Sun　Quan。
〃Liu　Bei　is　a　very　famous　man；〃　said　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao。　〃There　can　be　no　shame　in　having　such　a　son…in…law。〃
〃I　have　never　seen　him；〃　said　the　Dowager。　〃Arrange　that　I　may　get　a　look　at　him　tomorrow　at　the　Sweet　Dew　Temple。　If　he　displeases　me；　you　may　work　your　will　on　him。　But　if　I　am　satisfied　with　him；　then　I　shall　simply　let　the　girl　marry　him。〃
Now　Sun　Quan　was　above　all　things　filial　and　at　once　agreed　to　what　his　mother　said。　He　went　out；　called　in　Lu　Fan；　and　told　him　to　arrange　a　banquet　for　the　morrow　at　the　temple　so　that　the　Dowager　Marchioness　might　see　the　bridegroom。
〃Why　not　order　Jia　Hua　to　station　some　men　in　the　wings　of　the　temple？　Then　if　the　Dowager　be　not　pleased；　we　can　call　them　out　and　fall　upon　him；〃　said　Lu　Fan。
Accordingly　the　ambush　was　prepared　and　five　hundred　ruffians　posted　to　act　as　the　Dowager's　attitude　might　determine。
When　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao　took　his　leave　and　had　reached　his　house；　he　sent　to　tell　Liu　Bei；　saying；　〃Tomorrow　the　Marquis　and　the　Dowager　Marchioness　wished　to　see　you。　So　be　careful！〃
Liu　Bei　and　his　faithful　henchman　discussed　their　plans。
Zhao　Yun　said；　〃The　morrow　bodes　rather　ill　than　well。　However；　your　escort　shall　be　there。〃
Next　day　the　Dowager　Marchioness　and　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao　went　to　the　Temple　of　Sweet　Dew　as　had　been　arranged。　Sun　Quan　came　with　a　number　of　his　strategists；　and　when　all　were　assembled；　Lu　Fan　was　sent　to　the　guest…house　to　request　Liu　Bei　to　e。　He　obeyed　the　summons；　but　as　a　precaution　he　put　on　a　light　coat　of　mail　under　his　brocaded　robe。　His　followers　too　took　their　swords　upon　their　backs　and　followed　close。　He　mounted　his　steed；　and　the　cavalcade　set　out　for　the　temple。　At　the　door　of　the　temple　he　met　Sun　Quan　on　whom　the　visitor's　brave　demeanor　was　not　lost。　After　they　had　exchanged　salutations；　Sun　Quan　led　Liu　Bei　into　the　presence　of　his　mother。
〃Just　the　son…in…law　for　me！〃　said　the　Dowager　delighted　with　the　appearance　of　Liu　Bei。
〃He　has　the　air　of　an　emperor　and　a　look　like　the　sun；〃　remarked　the　State　Patriarch　Qiao。　〃When　one　remembers　also　that　his　fair　fame　has　spread　over　the　whole　earth；　you　may　well　be　congratulated　on　getting　such　a　noble　son…in…law。〃
Liu　Bei　bowed；　in　acknowledgment　of　his　reception。　Soon　after　they　were　all　seated　at　the　banquet　in　the　temple；　Zhao　Yun　entered　and　took　his　place　beside　Liu　Bei。
〃Who　is　this？〃　asked　the　Dowager。
〃This　is　Zhao　Yun　of　Changshan。〃
〃Then　he　must　be　the　hero　of　Dangyang；　who　saved　the　little　Liu　Shan。〃
〃Yes；　this　is　he；〃　replied　Liu　Bei。
〃A　fine　general！〃　said　the　Dowager；　and　she　gave　him　wine。
Presently　Zhao　Yun　said　to　his　master；　〃I　have　seen　a　lot　of　armed　ruffians　hidden　away　in　the　purlieus　of　the　temple。　They　can　be　there　for　no　good；　and　you　should　ask　the　Dowager　to　get　them　sent　away。〃
Thereupon　Liu　Bei　knelt　at　the　feet　of　the　Dowager　and；　weeping；　said；　〃If　you　would　slay　me；　let　it　be　here。〃
〃Why　do　you　say　this？〃　asked　she。
〃Because　there　are　assassins　in　hiding　in　the　wings　of　the　temple。　What　are　they　there　for　if　not　to　kill　me？〃
The　Dowager　wrathfully　turned　on　Sun　Quan；　〃What　are　armed　men　doing　there　today；　when　Liu　Bei　is　to　bee　my　son…in…law　and　the　pair　are　my　son　and　daughter？〃
Sun　Quan　said　he　did　not　know　and　sent　Lu　Fan　to　inquire。　Lu　Fan　put　the　blame　on　Jia　Hua。　The　Dowager　summoned　him　and　upbraided　him　severely。　He　had　nothing　to　say；　and　she　told　them　to　put　him　to　death。
But　Liu　Bei　interceded；　saying；　〃The　general's　death　will　do　me　harm　and　make　it　hard　for　me　to　stay　at　your　side。〃
The　State　Patriarch　Qiao　also　interceded；　and　she　only　ordered　the　general　out　of　her　presence。　His　subordinates　also　scattered　and　ran　like　frightened　rats。
By　and　bye；　strolling　out　of　the　banquet　room　into　the　temple　grounds；　Liu　Bei　came　to　a　boulder。　Drawing　his　sword　he　looked　up　to　heaven　and　prayed；　saying；　〃If　I　am　to　return　to　Jingzhou　and　achieve　my　intent　to　bee　a　chief　ruler；　then　may　I　cleave　this　boulder　asunder　with　my　sword。　But　if　I　am　to　meet　my　doom　in　this　place；　then　may　the　sword　fail　to　cut　this　stone。〃
Raising　his　sword　he　smote　the　boulder。　Sparks　flew　in　all　directions；　and　the　boulder　lay　split　in　twain。
It　happened　that　Sun　Quan　had　seen　the　blow；　and　he　said；　〃Why　do　you　thus　hate　that　stone？〃
Liu　Bei　replied；　〃I　am　near　my　fifth　decade　and　have　so　far　failed　to　rid　the　state　of　evil。　I　greatly　regret　my　failure。　Now　I　have　been　accepted　by　the　Dowager　as　her　son…in…law；　and　this　is　a　critical　moment　in　my　life。　So　I　implored　of　Heaven　a　portent　that　I　might　destroy　Cao　Cao　as　I　would　that　boulder　and　restore　the　dynasty。　You　saw　what　happened。〃
〃That　is　only　to　deceive　me；〃　thought　Sun　Quan。　Drawing　his　own　sword；　he　said；　〃And　I　also　ask　of　Heaven　an　omen；　that　if　I　am　to　destroy　Cao　Cao；　I　may　also　cut　this　rock。〃
So　he　spoke。　But　in　his　secret　heart　he　prayed；　〃If　I　am　to　recover　Jingzhou　and　extend　my　borders；　may　the　stone　be　cut　in　twain。〃
He　smote　the　stone　and　it　split　in　twain。　And　to　this　day　there　are　cross　cuts　in　the　stone；　which　is　still　preserved。
One　who　saw　this　relic　wrote　a　poem：

The　shining　blades　fell　and　the　rock　was　shorn　through；
The　metal　rang　clear　and　the　sparks　widely　flew。
Thus　fate　then　declared　for　the　dynasties　two
And　the　tripartite　rule　there　began。

Both　put　up　their　swords　and　returned　hand　in　hand　to　the　banquet　hall。
After　some　more　courses；　Sun　Qian　gave　his　master　a　warning　look；　and　Liu　Bei　said；　〃I　pray　you　excuse　me　as　my　drinking　powers　are　very　small。〃
Wherefore　Sun　Quan　escorted　him　to　the　gate。
As　they　walked　down　looking　at　high　land　and　rolling　river　spreading　in　glorious　panorama　before　their　eyes；　Liu　Bei　exclaimed；　〃Really　this　is　the　finest　scene　in　the　whole　world！〃
These　words　are　recorded　on　a　tablet　in　the　Temple　of　the　Sweet　Dew；　and　one　who　read　them　wrote　a　poem：

From　the　riverside　hills　the　rain　clears　off；
And　the　black　clouds　roll　away；
And　this　is　the　place　of　joy　and　mirth
And　never　can　sorrow　stay。
And　here　two　heroes　of　ages　past
Decided　their　parts　to　play；
And　the　lofty　heights　flung　back　wind　and　wave
Then；　as　they　do　today。

Yes；　they　stood　both　entranced　by　the　beautiful　scene。　And　gradually　along　the　vast　river　the　wind　whipped　the　waves　into　snowy　foam　and　raised　them　high　toward　heaven。　And　in　the　midst　of　the　waves　appeared　a　tiny　leaf　of　a　boat　riding　over　the　waves　as　if　all　was　perfect　calm。
〃The　northern　people　are　rid