小说园

第20部分（第1页）

it　mean？〃

〃Of　course　you　do　not　understand。　Yesterday　when　I　was　at　court；　the　Prime　Minister　told　me　he　had　something　to　talk　to　me　about　in　my　own　house。　So　naturally　I　prepared　for　his　ing；　and　while　we　were　at　dinner　he　said；　I　have　heard　something　of　a　girl　named　Diao　Chan　whom　you　have　promised　to　my　son　Lu　Bu。　I　thought　it　was　mere　rumor　so　I　wanted　to　ask　if　it　was　true。　Beside　I　should　like　to　see　her。　I　could　not　say　no；　so　she　came　in　and　made　her　bow　to　the　lord　of　lords。　Then　he　said　that　it　was　a　lucky　day　and　he　would　take　her　away　with　him　and　betroth　her　to　you。　Just　think；　Sir：　When　the　Prime　Minister　had　e　himself；　could　I　stop　him？〃

〃You　were　not　so　very　wrong；〃　said　Lu　Bu。　〃But　for　a　time　I　had　misunderstood　you。　I　owe　you　an　apology。〃

〃The　girl　has　a　small　trousseau；　which　I　will　send　as　soon　as　she　has　gone　over　to　your　dwelling。〃

Lu　Bu　thanked　him　and　went　away。　Next　day　he　went　into　the　palace　to　find　out　the　truth；　but　could　hear　nothing。　Then　he　made　his　way　into　the　private　quarters　and　questioned　the　maids。　Presently　one　told　him　that　the　Prime　Minister　had　brought　home　a　new　bedfellow　the　night　before　and　was　not　up　yet。　Lu　Bu　was　very　angry。　Next　he　crept　round　behind　his　masters　sleeping　apartment。

By　this　time　Diao　Chan　had　risen　and　was　dressing　her　hair　at　the　window。　Looking　out　she　saw　a　long　shadow　fall　across　the　little　lake。　She　recognized　the　headdress；　and　peeping　around　she　saw　it　was　indeed　no　other　than　Lu　Bu。　Thereupon　she　contracted　her　eyebrows；　simulating　the　deepest　grief；　and　with　her　dainty　handkerchief　she　wiped　her　eyes　again　and　again。　Lu　Bu　stood　watching　her　a　long　time。

Soon　after　he　went　in　to　give　morning　greeting。　Dong　Zhuo　was　sitting　in　the　reception　room。　Seeing　his　henchman；　Dong　Zhuo　asked　if　there　was　anything　new。

〃Nothing；〃　was　the　reply。

Lu　Bu　waited　while　Dong　Zhuo　took　his　morning　meal。　As　he　stood　beside　his　master；　he　glanced　over　at　the　curtain　and　saw　a　woman　there　behind　the　screen　showing　a　half　face　from　time　to　time　and　throwing　amorous　glances　at　him。　He　felt　it　was　his　beloved；　and　his　thoughts　flew　to　her。　Presently　Dong　Zhuo　noticed　his　expression　and　began　to　feel　suspicious。

〃If　there　is　nothing；　you　may　go；〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。

Lu　Bu　sulkily　withdrew。

Dong　Zhuo　now　thought　of　nothing　but　his　new　mistress　and　for　more　than　a　month　neglected　all　affairs；　devoting　himself　entirely　to　pleasure。　Once　he　was　a　little　indisposed；　and　Diao　Chan　was　constantly　at　his　side；　never　even　undressing　to　show　her　solicitude。　She　gratified　his　every　whim。　Dong　Zhuo　grew　more　and　more　fond　of　her。

One　day　Lu　Bu　went　to　inquire　after　his　fathers　health。　Dong　Zhuo　was　asleep；　and　Diao　Chan　was　sitting　at　the　head　of　his　couch。　Leaning　forward　she　gazed　at　the　visitor；　with　one　hand　pointed　to　her　heart；　the　other　at　Dong　Zhuo　asleep；　and　her　tears　fell。　Lu　Bu　felt　heartbroken。　Dong　Zhuo　drowsily　opened　his　eyes；　and　seeing　his　sons　gaze　fixed　on　something　behind　him；　he　turned　over　and　saw　who　it　was。

He　angrily　rebuked　his　son；　saying；　〃Dare　you　make　love　to　my　beauty？〃

He　told　the　servants　to　turn　Lu　Bu　out；　shouting；　〃Never　let　him　enter　here　again！〃

Lu　Bu　went　off　home　very　wrath。　Meeting　Li　Ru；　he　told　Li　Ru　the　cause　of　his　anger。

The　adviser　hastened　to　see　his　master　and　said；　〃Sir；　you　aspire　to　be　ruler　of　the　empire。　Why　then　for　a　small　fault　do　you　blame　the　General？　If　he　turns　against　you；　it　is　all　over。〃

〃Then　what　can　I　do？〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。

〃Recall　him　tomorrow；　treat　him　well；　overwhelm　him　with　gifts　and　fair　words；　and　all　will　be　well。〃

So　Dong　Zhuo　did　so。　He　sent　for　Lu　Bu　and　was　very　gracious　and　said；　〃I　was　irritable　and　hasty　yesterday　owing　to　my　illness　and　I　wronged　you；　I　know。　Forgive　me。〃

He　gave　Lu　Bu　three　hundred　ounces　of　gold　and　twenty　rolls　of　brocade。　And　so　the　quarrel　was　made　up。　But　though　Lu　Bus　body　was　with　his　adopted　father　Dong　Zhuo；　his　heart　was　with　his　promised　bride　Diao　Chan。

Dong　Zhuo　having　quite　recovered　went　to　court　again；　and　Lu　Bu　followed　him　as　usual。　Seeing　Dong　Zhuo　deep　in　conversation　with　the　Emperor；　Lu　Bu；　armed　as　he　was；　went　out　of　the　Palace　and　rode　off　to　his　chiefs　residence。　He　tied　up　his　steed　at　the　entrance　and；　halberd　in　hand；　went　to　the　private　apartment　to　seek　his　love。　He　found　Diao　Chan；　and　she　told　him　to　go　out　into　the　garden　where　she　would　join　him　soon。　He　went；　taking　his　halberd　with　him；　and　he　leaned　against　the　rail　of　the　Phoenix　Pavilion　to　wait　for　Diao　Chan。

After　a　long　time　she　appeared；　swaying　gracefully　as　she　made　her　way　under　the　drooping　willows　and　parting　the　flowers　as　she　passed。　She　was　exquisite；　a　perfect　fairy　from　the　Palace　of　the　Moon。

Tears　were　in　her　eyes　as　she　came　up　and　said；　〃Though　I　am　not　the　Ministers　real　daughter；　yet　he　treated　me　as　his　own　child。　The　desire　of　my　life　was　fulfilled　when　he　plighted　me　to　you。　But　oh！　to　think　of　the　wickedness　of　the　Prime　Minister；　stealing　my　poor　self　as　he　did。　I　suffered　so　much。　I　longed　to　die；　only　that　I　had　not　told　you　the　real　truth。　So　I　lived　on；　bearing　my　shame　as　best　as　I　could　but　feeling　it　mean　still　to　live。　Now　that　I　have　seen　you；　I　can　end　it　all。　My　poor　sullied　body　is　no　longer　fit　to　serve　a　hero。　I　can　die　before　your　eyes　and　so　prove　how　true　I　am！〃

Thus　speaking　she　seized　the　curving　rail　and　started　into　the　lily　pond。　Lu　Bu　caught　her　in　his　strong　arms　and　wept　as　he　held　her　close。

〃I　knew　it：　I　always　knew　your　heart；〃　he　sobbed。　〃Only　we　never　had　a　chance　to　speak。〃

She　threw　her　arms　about　Lu　Bu。

〃If　I　cannot　be　your　wife　in　this　life；　I　will　in　the　ages　to　e；〃　she　whispered。

〃If　I　do　not　marry　you　in　this　life；　I　am　no　hero；〃　said　he。

〃Every　day　is　a　year　long。　O　pity　me！　Rescue　me！　My　lord！〃

〃I　have　only　stolen　away　for　a　brief　moment；　and　I　am　afraid　that　old　rebel　will　suspect　something；　so　I　must　not　stay　too　long；〃　said　Lu　Bu。

Diao　Chan　clung　to　his　robe；　saying；　〃If　you　fear　the　old　thief　so　much；　I　shall　never　see　another　sunrise。〃

Lu　Bu　stopped。

〃Give　me　a　little　time　to　think；〃　said　he。