三国演义英文版-第58部分

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Liu　Bei　was　startled　and　said；　〃How　did　you　know？〃
〃Nobody　noticed　but　I　saw。〃
Liu　Bei　could　not　prevaricate　and　said；　〃It　was　the　presumption　of　the　man　that　made　my　brother　so　angry。　Guan　Yu　could　not　help　it。〃
The　visitor　covered　his　face　and　wept。
〃Ah；〃　said　he；　〃if　all　the　court　ministers　were　like　Guan　Yu；　there　would　be　no　sighs　for　lack　of　tranquillity。〃
Now　Liu　Bei　felt　that　possibly　Cao　Cao　had　sent　his　visitor　to　try　him；　so　he　cautiously　replied；　〃Where　are　the　sighs　for　lack　of　tranquillity　while　Cao　Cao　is　at　the　head　of　affairs？〃
Dong　Cheng　changed　color　and　rose　from　his　seat。
〃You；　Sir；　are　a　relative　of　His　Majesty；　and　so　I　showed　you　my　inmost　feelings。　Why　did　you　mislead　me？〃
But　Liu　Bei　said；　〃Because　I　feared　you　might　be　misleading　me；　and　I　wanted　to　find　out。〃
At　this　Dong　Cheng　drew　out　the　decree　he　had　received　and　showed　it。　His　host　was　deeply　moved。　Then　Dong　Cheng　produced　the　pledge。　There　were　only　six　names　to　it；　and　these　were　Dong　Cheng；　Wang　Zifu；　Chong　Ji；　Wu　Shi；　Wu　Zilan；　and　Ma　Teng。
〃Since　you　have　a　decree　like　this；　I　cannot　but　do　my　share；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　and　at　Dong　Cheng's　request　he　added　his　name　and　signature　to　the　others　and　handed　it　back。
〃Now　let　us　but　get　three　more；　which　will　make　ten；　and　we　shall　be　ready　to　act。〃
〃But　you　must　move　with　great　caution　and　not　let　this　get　abroad；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
The　two　remained　talking　till　an　early　hour　in　the　morning　when　the　visitor　left。
Now　in　order　to　put　Cao　Cao　quite　off　the　scent　that　any　plot　against　him　was　in　progress；　Liu　Bei　began　to　devote　himself　to　gardening；　planting　vegetables；　and　watering　them　with　his　own　hands。　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　ventured　to　remonstrate　with　him　for　taking　to　such　an　occupation　when　great　matters　needed　attention。
〃The　reason　for　this　you　may　not　know；〃　replied　he。
And　they　said　no　more。
One　day　when　the　two　brothers　were　absent；　and　Liu　Bei　was　busy　in　his　garden；　two　generals　of　Cao　Cao；　Xu　Chu　and　Zhang　Liao；　with　an　escort　came　from　Cao　Cao；　saying；　〃The　mand　of　the　Prime　Minister　is　that　you　e　at　once。〃
〃What　important　affair　is　afoot？〃　asked　Liu　Bei　nervously。
〃We　know　nothing。　We　were　ordered　to　e　and　request　your　presence。〃
All　he　could　do　was　to　follow。
When　Liu　Bei　arrived；　Cao　Cao　met　him　and　laughingly　said；　〃That　is　a　big　business　you　have　in　hand　at　home。〃
This　remark　made　Liu　Bei　turn　the　color　of　clay。　Cao　Cao　took　him　by　the　hand　and　led　him　straight　to　the　private　garden；　saying；　〃The　growth　of　vegetables　that　you　are　trying　to　learn　is　very　difficult。〃
Liu　Bei　breathed　again。　He　said；　〃That　is　hardly　a　business。　It　is　only　a　solace。〃
Cao　Cao　said；　〃I　happened　to　notice　the　green　plums　on　the　trees　today；　and　suddenly　my　thoughts　went　back　to　a　year　ago　when　we　were　thrashing　Zhang　Xiu。　We　were　marching　through　a　parched　county；　and　everyone　was　suffering　from　thirst。　Suddenly　I　lifted　my　whip；　and　pointing　at　something　in　the　distance　I　said；　'Look　at　those　fruitful　plum　trees　in　the　forest　ahead。'　The　soldiers　heard　it；　and　it　made　their　mouths　water。　Seeing　the　plums　kindles　my　appreciation。　I　owe　something　to　the　plums；　and　we　will　repay　it　today。　I　ordered　the　servants　to　heat　some　wine　very　hot　and　sent　to　invite　you　to　share　it。〃
Liu　Bei　was　quite　posed　by　this　time　and　no　longer　suspected　any　sinister　design。　He　went　with　his　host　to　a　small　spring　pavilion　in　a　plum　garden；　where　the　wine　cups　were　already　laid　out　and　green　plums　filled　the　dishes。　They　sat　down　to　a　confidential　talk　and　free　enjoyment　of　their　wine。
As　they　drank；　the　weather　gradually　changed；　clouds　gathering　and　threatening　rain。　The　servants　pointed　out　a　mass　of　cloud　that　looked　like　a　dragon　hung　in　the　sky。　Both　host　and　guest　leaned　over　the　balcony　looking　at　it。
〃Do　you　understand　the　evolution　of　dragons？〃　asked　Cao　Cao　of　the　guest。
〃Not　in　detail。〃
〃A　dragon　can　assume　any　size；　can　rise　in　glory　or　hide　from　sight。　Bulky；　it　generates　clouds　and　evolves　mist；　attenuated；　it　can　scarcely　hide　a　mustard　stalk　or　conceal　a　shadow。　Mounting；　it　can　soar　to　the　empyrean；　subsiding；　it　lurks　in　the　uttermost　depths　of　the　ocean。　This　is　the　midspring　season；　and　the　dragon　chooses　this　moment　for　its　transformations　like　a　person　realizing　his　own　desires　and　overrunning　the　world。　The　dragon　among　animals　pares　with　the　hero　among　people。　You；　General；　have　traveled　all　lakes　and　rivers。　You　must　know　who　are　the　heroes　of　the　present　day；　and　I　wish　you　would　say　who　they　are。〃
〃I　am　just　a　mon　dullard。　How　can　I　know　such　things？〃
〃Do　not　be　so　modest；〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃Thanks　to　your　kindly　protection　I　have　a　post　at　court。　But　as　to　heroes　I　really　do　not　know　who　they　are。〃
〃You　may　not　have　looked　upon　their　faces；　but　you　must　have　heard　their　names。〃
〃Yuan　Shu　of　the　South　of　River　Huai；　with　his　strong　army　and　abundant　resources：　Is　he　one？〃　asked　Liu　Bei。
His　host　laughed；　〃A　rotting　skeleton　in　a　graveyard。　I　shall　put　him　out　of　the　way　shortly。〃
〃Well；　Yuan　Shao　then。　The　highest　offices　of　state　have　been　held　in　his　family　for　four　generations；　and　his　clients　are　many　in　the　empire。　He　is　firmly　posted　in　Jizhou；　and　he　mands　the　services　of　many　able　people。　Surely　he　is　one。〃
〃A　bully；　but　a　coward。　He　is　fond　of　grandiose　schemes；　but　is　devoid　of　decision。　He　makes　for　great　things　but　grudges　the　necessary　sacrifice。　He　loses　sight　of　everything　else　in　view　of　a　little　present　advantage。　He　is　not　one。〃
〃There　is　Liu　Biao　of　Jingzhou。　He　is　renowned　as　a　man　of　perfection；　whose　fame　has　spread　on　all　sides。　Surely　he　is　a　hero。〃
〃He　is　a　mere　semblance；　a　man　of　vain　reputation。　No；　not　he。〃
〃Sun　Ce　is　a　sturdy　sort；　the　chief　of　all　in　the　South　Land。　Is　he　a　hero？〃
〃He　has　profited　by　the　reputation　of　his　father　Sun　Jian。　Sun　Ce　is　not　a　real　hero。〃
〃What　of　Liu　Zhang　of　Yizhou？〃
〃Though　he　is　of　the　reigning　family；　he　is　nothing　more　than　a　watch　dog。　How　could　you　make　a　hero　of　him？〃
〃What　about　Zhang　Xiu；　Zhang　Lu；　Han　Sui；　and　all　those　leaders？〃
Cao　Cao　clapped　his　hands　and　laughed　very　loudly；　saying；　〃Paltry　people　like　them　are　not　worth　mentioning。〃
〃With　these　exceptions　I　really　know　none。〃
〃Now　heroes　are　the　ones　who　cherish　lofty　designs　in　their　bosoms　and　have　plans　to　achieve　them。　They　have　all…embracing　schemes；　and　the　whole　world　is　at　their　mercy。〃
〃Who　is　such　a　person？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

＇e＇　Sai；　a　reader：　〃Cao　Cao　is　the　better　winner。　Liu　Bei　is　the　better　man。。。　as　far　as　the　heart　is　concerned。　Liu　Bei　is　modeled　as　what　Confucious　would　have　considered　a　perfect　ruler。　But　in　the　contest　of　war　and　politics。。。　Cao　Cao　has　him　beat。　So　I　say　that　Cao　Cao　should　have　used　his　talents　to　unite　China　and　then　handed　it　over　to　Liu　Bei。。。　never　will　happen。〃　。。。。。
Cao　Cao　pointed　his　finger　first　at　his　guest　and　then　at　himself；　saying；　〃The　only　heroes　in　the　world　are　you　and　I。〃*
Liu　Bei　gasped；　and　the　spoon　and　chopsticks　rattled　to　the　floor。　Now　just　at　that　moment　the　storm　burst　with　a　tremendous　peal　of　thunder　and　rush　of　rain。
Liu　Bei　stooped　down　to　recover　the　fallen　articles；　saying；　〃What　a　shock！　And　it　was　quite　close。〃
〃What！　Are　you　afraid　of　thunder？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
Liu　Bei　replied；　〃The　Sage　One　paled　at　a　sudden　peal　of　thunder　or　fierce　gust　of　wind。　Why　should　one　not　fear？〃
Thus　he　glossed　over　the　real　fact；　that　it　was　the　words　he　had　heard　that　had　so　startled　him。

Constrained　to　lodge　in　a　tiger's　lair；
He　played　a　waiting　part；
But　when　Cao　Cao　talked　of　breaking　humans；
Then　terror　gripped　his　heart。
But　he　cleverly　used　the　thunder　peal
As　excuse　for　turning　pale；
O　quick　to　seize　occasions　thus！
He　surely　must　prevail。

The　shower　had　passed；　and　there　appeared　two　men　rushing　through　the　garden；　both　armed。　In　spite　of　the　attendants；　they　forced　their　way　to　the　pavilion　where　sat　the　two　friends。　They　were　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei。
The　two　brothers　had　been　outside　the　city　at　archery　practice　when　Cao　Cao's　invitation　had　e　so　peremptorily。　On　their　return　they　heard　that　two　officers　had　arrived　and　led　away　Liu　Bei　to　the　Prime　Minister。　They　hastened　to　his　palace　and　were　told　their　brother　was　with　his　host　in　the　grounds；　and　they　feared　something　had　happened。　So　they　rushed　in。
Now　when　they　saw　their　brother　quietly　talking　with　Cao　Cao　and　enjoying　a　cup　of　wine；　they　took　up　their　usual　places　and　meekly　stood　waiting。
〃Why　did　you　e？〃　said　Cao　Cao。
〃We　heard　that　you；　Sir；　had　invited　our　brother　to　a　wine　party；　and　we　came　to　amuse　you　with　a　little　sword　play；〃　said　they。

＇e＇　At　that　time　Liu　Bang；　Governor　of　Pei；　and　Xiang　Yu；　King　of　West　Chu；　were　fighting　Qin　under　the　Chu　banner。　Liu　Bang　was　the　first　mander　who　entered　Qin's　capital；　Xianyang。　The　loss　of　this　honor　enraged　Xiang　Yu；　and　he　was　set　to　attack　Liu　Bang's　force。　But　his　uncle　Xiang　Ba　wanted　to　mediate　the　situation；　and　Xiang　Ba　invited　Liu　Bang　to　visit　Xiang　Yu's　camp　in　Hongmen。　During　a　banquet　at　Hongmen；　Xiang　Yu's　adviser　Fan　Zeng　ordered　Xiang　Chang　to　perform　a　sword…dance　and　take　the　chance　to　kill　Liu　Bang。　However；　as　Xiang　Chang　closed　in　Liu　Bang；　Xiang　Ba　rose　to　perform　another　sword…dance　and　fend　off　the　attack。　Just　then　Liu　Bang's　general　Fan　Kuai　bursted　in；　armed　and　angry…looking。　Fan　Kuai　proclaimed　his　lord's　achievements　and　denounced　the　murder　plot。　In　the　confusion；　Liu　Bang　slipped　away　and　rushed　back　to　his　camp。　。。。。。
〃This　is　not　a　Hongmen　Banquet；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。　〃What　use　have　we　for　Xiang　Chang　and　Xiang　Ba　of　old？*〃
Liu　Bei　smiled。　The　host　ordered　wine　to　be　served　to　the　two　〃Fan　Kuais〃　to　allay　their　anxiety　and；　soon　after；　the　three　took　their　leave　and　returned　homeward。
〃We　were　nearly　frightened　to　death；〃　said　Guan　Yu。
The　story　of　the　dropped　chopsticks　was　told。　The　two　asked　what　their　brother　intended　by　his　actions。
〃My　learning　gardening　was　to　convince　Cao　Cao　of　my　perfect　simplicity　and　the　absence　of　any　ambition。　But　when　he　suddenly　pointed　to　me　as　one　of　the　heroes；　I　was　startled；　for　I　thought　he　had　some　suspicions。　Happily　the　thunder　at　that　moment　supplied　the　excuse　I　wanted。〃
〃Really　you　are　very　clever；〃　said　they。
Next　day　Cao　Cao　again　invited　Liu　Bei　and　while　the　two　we