小说园

第93部分（第1页）

Sun　Quan　Attacks　Xiakou　To　Take　Revenges。

Nothing　discouraged　by　two　unsuccessful　visits　to　the　retreat　of　the　sage　whose　advice　he　sought　to　secure；　Liu　Bei　made　preparations　for　a　third　visit。

His　brothers　disapproved；　and　Guan　Yu　said；　〃Brother；　you　have　sought　him　twice。　Surely　this　is　showing　even　too　much　deference。　I　do　not　believe　in　this　fame　of　his　for　learning。　He　is　avoiding　you　and　dare　not　submit　to　the　test。　Why　so　obstinately　hold　this　idea？〃

＇e＇　Guan　Zhong　was　priminister　of　Duke　Huan　of　Qi。　Guan　Zhong　made　Qi　a　powerful　state　during　the　Spring　and　Autumn　period。　。。。。。

＇e＇　Lu　Wang　was　a　master　strategist；　founding　minister　of　Zhou　Dynasty；　counselor　to　King　Wen。　Before　joining　King　Wen；　Lu　Wang　had　been　a　fisher；　who　mediated　on　the　river　bank　on　political　events。　。。。。。

〃You　are　wrong；　my　brother。　In　the　Spring　and　Autumn　Period　Prince　Huan　of　Qi　paid　five　visits　to　the　Eastern　Suburb　before　he　got　to　see　Guan　Zhong*。　And　my　desire　to　see　Zhuge　Liang　is　even　greater　than　his。〃

〃I　think　you　are　mistaken；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃How　can　this　villager　be　such　a　marvel　of　wisdom？　You　should　not　go　again　and；　if　he　will　not　e；　I　will　bring　him　with　a　hempen　rope。〃

〃Have　you　forgotten　the　great　King　Wens　visit　to　Lu　Wang*；　the　old　man　of　the　River　Wei？　If　King　Wen　could　show　such　deference　to　a　wise　man；　where　am　I　too　deferential？　If　you　will　not　go；　your　brother　and　I　will　go　without　you；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃If　you　two　go；　how　can　I　hang　back？〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

〃If　you　go；　then　you　must　be　polite。〃

Zhang　Fei　said　he　would　not　forget　himself；　and　the　three　set　out。　When　they　were　a　quarter　of　mile　from　the　little　cottage；　Liu　Bei　dismounted；　deciding　to　show　his　respect　by　approaching　the　house　on　foot。　Very　soon　he　met　Zhuge　Jun；　whom　he　saluted　with　great　deference；　inquiring　whether　his　brother　was　at　home。

〃He　returned　last　evening。　You　can　see　him　today；　General。〃

As　Zhuge　Jun　said　this；　he　went　off　with　some　swagger。

〃Fortune　favors　me　this　time；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃I　am　going　to　see　the　Master。〃

〃That　was　a　rude　fellow；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃It　would　not　have　hurt　him　to　have　conducted　us　to　the　house。　Why　did　he　go　off　like　that？〃

〃Each　one　has　his　own　affairs；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃What　power　have　we　over　him？〃

Soon　the　three　stood　at　the　door；　and　they　knocked。　The　serving　lad　came　out　and　asked　their　business。

Liu　Bei　said　very　deferentially；　〃I　would　trouble　the　servant　of　the　genius；　gentle　page；　to　inform　the　Master　that　Liu　Bei　wishes　to　pay　his　respects　to　him。〃

〃My　master　is　at　home；　but　he　is　asleep。〃

〃In　that　case　do　not　announce　me。〃

Liu　Bei　bade　his　two　brothers　wait　at　the　door　quietly；　and　he　himself　entered　with　careful　steps。　There　was　the　man　he　sought；　lying　asleep　on　the　couch；　stretched　on　a　simple　mat。　Liu　Bei　saluted　him　with　joined　hands　at　a　respectful　distance。

The　time　passed　and　still　the　sleeper　did　not　wake。　The　two　brothers　left　without；　beginning　to　feel　impatient；　also　came　in；　and　Zhang　Fei　was　annoyed　at　seeing　his　revered　elder　brother　respectfully　standing　by　while　another　slept。

〃What　an　arrogant　fellow　is　this　Master？〃　said　he。　〃There　is　our　brother　waiting；　while　he　sleeps　on　perfectly　carelessly。　I　will　go　to　the　back　of　the　place　and　let　off　a　bomb　and　see　if　that　will　rouse　him。〃

〃No；　no；　you　must　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　whispered　Guan　Yu；　and　then　Liu　Bei　told　them　to　go　out　again。

Just　then　Liu　Bei　noticed　that　the　Master　moved。　He　turned　over　as　though　about　to　rise；　but；　instead；　he　faced　the　wall　and　again　fell　asleep。　The　serving　lad　made　as　if　he　would　rouse　his　master；　but　Liu　Bei　forbade　him　to　be　disturbed；　and　Liu　Bei　waited　yet　another　weary　hour。　Then　Zhuge　Liang　woke　up　repeating　to　himself　the　lines：

〃Can　any　know　what　fate　is　his？

Yet　have　I　felt　throughout　my　life；

The　day　would　e　at　last　to　quit

The　calm　retreat　for　toil　and　strife。〃

As　he　finished；　he　turned　to　the　lad；　saying；　〃Have　any　of　the　usual　people　e？〃

〃Liu　Bei；　the　Uncle　of　the　Emperor　is　here；〃　said　the　boy。　〃He　has　been　waiting　a　long　time。〃

〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me？〃　said　he；　rising　from　the　couch。　〃I　must　dress。〃