小说园

第87部分（第1页）

〃He　left　the　banquet…hall　quite　suddenly；　and　I　know　not　whither　he　has　gone；〃　was　the　reply。

Now　Zhao　Yun　was　cautious　and　careful　and　had　no　desire　to　act　hastily；　so　he　urged　his　horse　forward　till　he　came　to　the　river。　There　he　was　checked　by　a　torrent　without　ford　or　bridge。

At　once　he　turned　back　and　shouted　after　Cai　Mao；　〃You　invited　my　lord　to　a　feast。　What　means　this　going　after　him　with　a　squadron　of　horse？〃

Cai　Mao　replied；　〃It　is　my　duty　to　guard　the　officials　of　forty…two　counties　who　have　assembled　here；　as　I　am　the　Chief　mander。〃

〃Whither　have　you　driven　my　lord？〃　asked　Zhao　Yun。

〃They　tell　me　he　rode　quite　alone　out　through　the　west　gate；　but　I　have　not　seen　him。〃

Zhao　Yun　was　anxious　and　doubtful。　Again　he　rode　to　the　river　and　looked　around。　This　time　he　noticed　a　wet　track　on　the　farther　side。　He　thought　to　himself　that　it　was　almost　an　impossible　crossing　for　a　person　and　a　horse；　so　he　ordered　his　followers　to　scatter　and　search。　But　they　also　could　find　no　trace　of　Liu　Bei。

Zhao　Yun　turned　again　to　the　city。　By　the　time　he　had　reached　the　wall；　Cai　Mao　had　gone　within。　He　then　questioned　the　gate　wardens；　and　they　all　agreed　in　saying　that　Liu　Bei　had　ridden　out　at　full　gallop。　That　was　all　they　knew。　Fearing　to　reenter　the　city　lest　he　should　fall　into　an　ambush；　Zhao　Yun　started　for　Xinye。

After　that　marvelous　life…saving　leap　over　the　Tan　Torrent；　Liu　Bei　felt　elated　but　rather　dazed。

He　could　not　help　telling　himself；　〃My　safety　is　due　to　an　especial　interposition　of　Providence。〃

Following　a　tortuous　path；　he　urged　his　steed　toward　Nanzhang。　But　the　sun　sank　to　the　west　and　his　destination　seemed　yet　a　long　way　off。　Then　he　saw　a　young　cowherd　seated　on　the　back　of　a　buffalo　and　playing　on　a　short　flute。

〃If　I　were　only　as　happy！〃　sighed　Liu　Bei。

He　checked　his　horse　and　looked　at　the　lad；　who　stopped　his　beast；　ceased　playing　on　the　pipe；　and　stared　fixedly　at　the　stranger。

〃You　must　be　Liu　Bei；　the　general　who　fought　the　Yellow　Scarves；〃　said　the　boy　presently。

Liu　Bei　was　taken　aback。

〃How　can　you　know　my　name；　a　young　rustic　like　you　living　in　such　a　secluded　place？〃　said　he。

〃Of　course　I　do　not　know　you；　but　my　master　often　has　visitors；　and　they　all　talk　about　Liu　Bei；　the　tall　man　whose　hands　hang　down　below　his　knees　and　whose　eyes　are　very　prominent。　They　say　he　is　the　most　famous　man　of　the　day。　Now　you；　General；　are　just　such　a　man　as　they　talk　about；　and　surely　you　are　he。〃

〃Well；　who　is　your　master？〃

〃My　masters　name　is　Sima　Hui。　He　belongs　to　Yingchuan　and　his　Taoist　appellation　is　Water　Mirror。〃

〃Who　are　your　masters　friends　that　you　mentioned？〃

〃They　are　Pang　Degong　and　Pang　Tong　of　Xiangyang。〃

〃And　who　are　they？〃

〃Uncle　and　nephew。　Pang　Degong　is　ten　years　older　than　my　master；　the　other　is　five　years　younger。　One　day　my　master　was　up　in　a　tree　picking　mulberries　when　Pang　Tong　arrived。　They　began　to　talk　and　kept　it　up　all　day；　my　master　did　not　e　down　till　the　evening。　My　master　is　very　fond　of　Pang　Tong　and　calls　him　brother。〃

〃And　where　does　your　master　live？〃

〃In　that　wood　there；　in　front；〃　said　the　cowherd　pointing　to　it。　〃There　he　has　a　farmstead。〃

〃I　really　am　Liu　Bei；　and　you　might　lead　me　to　your　master　that　I　may　salute　him。〃

The　cowherd　led　the　way　for　about　one　mile；　when　Liu　Bei　found　himself　in　front　of　a　farm　house。　He　dismounted　and　went　to　the　center　door。　Suddenly　came　to　his　ear　the　sound　of　a　lute　most　skillfully　played　and　the　air　was　extremely　beautiful。　He　stopped　his　guide　and　would　not　allow　him　to　announce　a　visitor；　but　stood　there　rapt　by　the　melody。

Suddenly　the　music　ceased。