小说园

第63部分（第1页）

〃As　the　Prime　Minister　has　granted　the　three　requests　which　my　friend　petitioned　for　on　my　behalf；　there　is　now　but　little　to　discuss；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃As　I　have　spoken；　so　be　it。　I　could　not　break　faith；〃　replied　Cao　Cao。

〃Whenever　I　hear　where　Uncle　Liu　Bei　is；　I　must　certainly　go　to　him；　even　if　through　fire　and　water。　It　may　be　that　there　will　be　no　time　nor　opportunity　of　saying　farewell。　I　trust　you　will　understand　the　reason。〃

〃If　Liu　Bei　should　prove　to　be　alive；　you　must　certainly　be　allowed　to　go　to　him。　But　I　fear　that　in　the　confusion　he　may　have　lost　his　life。　You　may　set　your　mind　at　rest　and　let　me　make　inquiries。〃

Guan　Yu　thanked　him。　Then　a　banquet　was　prepared　in　Guan　Yus　honor。　Next　day　the　army　started　on　its　homeward　march。

For　the　journey　to　the　capital；　a　carriage　was　prepared　for　the　two　ladies；　and　Guan　Yu　was　its　guard。　On　the　road　they　rested　at　a　certain　post　station；　and　Cao　Cao；　anxious　to　promise　Guan　Yu　by　beguiling　him　into　forgetfulness　of　his　duty；　assigned　Guan　Yu　to　the　same　apartment　as　his　sisters…in…law。　Guan　Yu　stood　the　whole　night　before　the　door　with　a　lighted　candle　in　his　hand。　Not　once　did　he　yield　to　fatigue。　Cao　Caos　respect　for　him　could　not　but　increase。

At　the　capital　the　Prime　Minister　assigned　a　dignified　residence　to　Guan　Yu；　which　he　immediately　divided　into　two　enclosures；　the　inner　one　for　the　two　ladies　and　the　other　for　himself。　He　placed　a　guard　of　eighteen　of　his　veterans　over　the　womens　quarters。

Guan　Yu　was　presented　to　Emperor　Xian　who　conferred　upon　him　the　rank　of　General　Who　Serves　the　Hans。　Guan　Yu　expressed　his　thanks　to　the　Emperor。　Next　day　Cao　Cao　made　a　great　banquet；　inviting　all　his　advisers　and　officers；　solely　in　honor　of　Guan　Yu；　who　sat　in　the　seat　of　honor。　Beside　this　Guan　Yu　received　presents　of　silks　and　gold　and　silver　vessels；　all　of　which　Guan　Yu　sent　into　the　ladies　quarters　for　their　use　and　keeping。　In　fact　from　the　day　of　arrival　in　the　capital；　Guan　Yu　was　treated　with　marked　respect　and　distinction；　small　banquets　following　each　other　in　each　three　days；　and　large　banquets　held　in　each　five　days。

Cao　Cao　also　presented　him　with　ten　most　lovely　serving　girls。　Guan　Yu　sent　these　also　within　to　wait　upon　his　two　sisters…in…law。

Every　third　day　Guan　Yu　went　to　the　door　of　the　womens　quarters　to　inquire　after　their　welfare；　and　then　they　asked　if　any　news　of　the　wanderer　had　e。　This　ceremony　closed　with　the　words：　〃Brother…in…law；　you　may　retire　when　you　wish。〃

Cao　Cao　heard　of　this　extremely　correct　behavior　and　thought　all　the　more　of　the　man　for　it。

One　day　Cao　Cao　noticed　that　the　robe　Guan　Yu　was　wearing　was　old　and　frayed。　Taking　his　measurements；　Cao　Cao　had　a　new　one　made　of　fine　brocade　and　presented　it　to　him。　Guan　Yu　took　it　and　put　it　on　under　the　old　robe；　so　that　the　latter　covered　it。

〃Why　so　very　thrifty？〃　laughed　Cao　Cao。

〃It　is　not　thrift；〃　was　his　reply。　〃The　old　robe　was　a　gift　from　my　brother；　and　I　wear　it　because　it　reminds　me　of　him。　I　could　not　allow　the　new　gift　to　eclipse　his　old　one。〃

〃How　very　high　principled！〃　said　Cao　Cao；　sighing。

One　day　when　Guan　Yu　was　at　home；　there　came　a　messenger　to　say　that　the　two　women　had　thrown　themselves　on　the　ground　and　were　weeping。　They　would　not　say　why。

Guan　Yu　set　his　dress　in　order；　went　over；　and　knelt　by　the　door；　saying；　〃Why　this　grief；　sisters…in…law？〃

Lady　Gan　replied；　〃In　the　night　I　dreamed　that　the　Uncle　had　fallen　into　a　pit。　I　woke　up　and　told　Lady　Mi；　and　we　think　he　must　be　dead。　So　we　weep。〃

〃Dreams　are　not　to　be　credited；〃　he　replied。　〃You　dreamed　of　him　because　you　were　thinking　of　him。　Pray　do　not　grieve。〃

Just　then　Guan　Yu　was　invited　to　another　banquet；　so　he　took　leave　of　the　ladies　and　went。　Seeing　Guan　Yu　looked　sad　and　tearful；　his　host　asked　the　reason。

〃My　sisters…in…law　have　been　weeping　for　my　brother；　and　I　cannot　help　being　sad　in　sympathy。〃

Cao　Cao　smiled　and　tried　to　cheer　up　his　guest。　Cao　Cao　plied　Guan　Yu　with　wine　so　that　Guan　Yu　became　quite　intoxicated　and　sat　stroking　his　beard　and　saying；　〃What　a　useless　thing　am　I！　I　could　do　no　service　for　my　country；　and　I　have　parted　from　my　elder　brother。〃

〃How　many　hairs　in　your　beard？〃　suddenly　asked　his　host。

〃Some　hundreds；　perhaps。　In　the　autumn　a　few　fall　out；　but　in　the　winter　it　is　fullest。　Then　I　use　a　black　silk　bag　to　keep　the　hairs　from　being　broken；〃　replied　Guan　Yu。

Cao　Cao　had　a　bag　made　for　him　to　protect　his　beard。　Soon　after　when　they　were　at　court；　the　Emperor　asked　what　was　the　bag　he　saw　on　Guan　Yus　breast。

〃My　beard　is　rather　long；　Your　Majesty；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃So　the　Prime　Minister　gave　me　a　bag　to　protect　it。〃

The　Emperor　bade　him　take　off　the　bag　and　show　his　beard　in　all　its　fullness　and　it　fell　in　rippling　waves　below　his　breast。

〃Really　a　most　beautiful　beard！〃　said　the　Emperor。

This　is　why　people　call　him：　〃The　Man　with　the　Beautiful　Beard。〃

Another　time；　after　a　banquet；　Cao　Cao　was　seeing　his　guest　start　from　the　gate　of　his　palace　when　he　noticed　that　his　charger　was　very　thin。

〃Why　is　it　so　thin？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃My　worthless　body　is　rather　heavy　and　really　too　much　for　it。　It　is　always　out　of　condition。〃

Cao　Cao　at　once　told　his　attendants　to　bring　out　a　certain　steed；　and　before　long　it　appeared。　It　was　red；　like　glowing　charcoal；　and　a　handsome　creature　in　every　way。

〃Do　you　recognize　it？〃　asked　Cao　Cao。

〃Why；　it　is　no　other　than　Red　Hare！〃　cried　Guan　Yu。

〃Yes；　it　is　Red　Hare；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

And　he　presented　the　horse；　all　fully　caparisoned；　to　his　guest。

Guan　Yu　bowed　many　times　and　thanked　him　again　and　again；　till　Cao　Cao　began　to　feel　displeased　and　said；　〃I　have　given　you　many　things；　lovely　handmaids　and　gold　and　silks　and　never　won　a　bow　of　gratitude　from　you　before。　This　horse　seems　to　please　you　better　than　all　the　rest。　Why　do　you　think　so　poorly　of　the　damsels　and　so　much　of　the　steed？〃

〃I　know　the　horse：　It　can　travel　five　hundred　miles　a　day；　and　I　am　very　lucky　to　get　him。　Now　as　soon　as　I　find　out　where　my　brother　is；　I　can　get　to　him　in　a　single　day；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

Cao　Cao　grumbled　to　himself　and　began　to　repent　of　his　gift。