小说园

第101部分（第2页）

〃Do　you　know　anything　of　the　two　ladies？〃

〃Not　very　long　ago　I　saw　Lady　Gan　go　south　with　a　party　of　other　women。　Her　hair　was　down；　and　she　was　barefooted〃

Hearing　this；　without　even　another　glance　at　the　speaker；　Zhao　Yun　put　his　horse　at　full　gallop　toward　the　south。　Soon　he　saw　a　small　crowd　of　people；　male　and　female；　walking　hand　in　hand。

〃Is　Lady　Gan　among　you！〃　he　called　out。

A　woman　in　the　rear　of　the　party　looked　up　at　him　and　uttered　a　loud　cry。

He　slipped　off　his　steed；　stuck　his　spear　in　the　sand；　and　wept；　〃It　was　my　fault　that　you　were　lost。　But　where　are　Lady　Mi　and　our　child　lord？〃

Lady　Gan　replied；　〃She　and　I　were　forced　to　abandon　our　carriage　and　mingle　with　the　crowd　on　foot。　Then　a　band　of　soldiers　came　up；　and　we　were　separated。　I　do　not　know　where　they　are。　I　ran　for　my　life。〃

As　she　spoke；　a　howl　of　distress　rose　from　the　crowd　of　fugitives；　for　a　thousand　of　soldiers　appeared。　Zhao　Yun　recovered　his　spear　and　mounted　ready　for　action。　Presently　he　saw　among　the　soldiers　a　prisoner　bound　upon　a　horse；　and　the　prisoner　was　Mi　Zhu。　Behind　Mi　Zhu　followed　a　general　gripping　a　huge　sword。　The　troops　belonged　to　the　army　of　Cao　Ren；　and　the　general　was　Chunyu　Dao。　Having　captured　Mi　Zhu；　he　was　just　taking　him　to　his　chief　as　a　proof　of　his　prowess。

Zhao　Yun　shouted　and　rode　at　the　captor　who　was　speedily　slain　by　a　spear　thrust　and　his　captive　was　set　free。　Then　taking　two　of　the　horses；　Zhao　Yun　set　Lady　Gan　on　one　and　Mi　Zhu　took　the　other。　They　rode　away　toward　Long　Slope　Bridge。

But　there；　standing　grim　on　the　bridge；　was　Zhang　Fei。

As　soon　as　he　saw　Zhao　Yun；　he　called　out；　〃Zhao　Yun；　why　have　you　betrayed　our　lord？〃

〃I　fell　behind　because　I　was　seeking　the　ladies　and　our　child　lord；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　talking　of　betrayal？〃

〃If　it　had　not　been　that　Jian　Yong　arrived　before　you　and　told　me　the　story；　I　should　hardly　have　spared　you。〃

〃Where　is　the　master？〃　said　Zhao　Yun。

〃Not　far　away；　in　front　there；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

〃Conduct　Lady　Gan　to　him。　I　am　going　to　look　for　Lady　Mi；〃　said　Zhao　Yun　to　his　panion；　and　he　turned　back　along　the　road　by　which　he　had　e。

Before　long　he　met　a　leader　armed　with　an　iron　spear　and　carrying　a　sword　slung　across　his　back；　riding　a　curvetting　steed；　and　leading　ten　other　horsemen。　Without　uttering　a　word　Zhao　Yun　rode　straight　toward　him　and　engaged。　At　the　first　pass　Zhao　Yun　disarmed　his　opponent　and　brought　him　to　earth。　His　followers　galloped　away。

This　fallen　officer　was　no　other　than　Xiahou　En；　Cao　Caos　sword…bearer。　And　the　sword　on　Xiahou　Ens　back　was　his　masters。　Cao　Cao　had　two　swords；　one　called　〃Trust　in　God〃　and　the　other　〃Blue　Blade〃。　Trust　in　God　was　the　weapon　Cao　Cao　usually　wore　at　his　side；　the　other　being　carried　by　his　sword…bearer。　The　Blue　Blade　would　cut　clean　through　iron　as　though　it　were　mud；　and　no　sword　had　so　keen　an　edge。

Before　Zhao　Yun　thus　fell　in　with　Xiahou　En；　the　later　was　simply　plundering；　depending　upon　the　authority　implied　by　his　office。　Least　of　all　thought　he　of　such　sudden　death　as　met　he　at　Zhao　Yuns　hands。

So　Zhao　Yun　got　possession　of　a　famous　sword。　The　name　Blue　Blade　was　chased　in　gold　characters　so　that　he　recognized　its　value　at　once。　He　stuck　it　in　his　belt　and　again　plunged　into　the　press。　Just　as　he　did　so；　he　turned　his　head　and　saw　he　had　not　a　single　follower　left。　He　was　quite　alone。

Nevertheless　not　for　a　single　instant　thought　he　of　turning　back。　He　was　too　intent　upon　his　quest。　To　and　fro；　back　and　forth；　he　rode　questioning　this　person　and　that。

At　length　a　man　said；　〃A　woman　with　a　child　in　her　arms；　and　wounded　in　the　thigh　so　that　she　cannot　walk；　is　lying　over　there　through　that　hole　in　the　wall。〃

Zhao　Yun　rode　to　look　and　there；　beside　an　old　well　behind　the　broken　wall　of　a　burned　house；　sat　the　mother　clasping　the　child　to　her　breast　and　weeping。

Zhao　Yun　was　on　his　knees　before　her　in　a　moment。

〃My　child　will　live　then　since　you　are　here；〃　cried　Lady　Mi。　〃Pity　him；　O　General！　Protect　him；　for　he　is　the　only　son　of　his　fathers　flesh　and　blood。　Take　him　to　his　father；　and　I　can　die　content。〃

〃It　is　my　fault　that　you　have　suffered；〃　replied　Zhao　Yun。　〃But　it　is　useless　to　say　more。　I　pray　you　take　my　horse；　while　I　will　walk　beside　and　protect　you　till　we　get　clear。〃

She　replied；　〃I　may　not　do　that。　What　would　you　do　without　a　steed？　But　the　boy　here　I　confide　to　your　care。　I　am　badly　wounded　and　cannot　hope　to　live。　Pray　take　him　and　go　your　way。　Do　not　trouble　more　about　me。〃

〃I　hear　shouting；〃　said　Zhao　Yun。　〃The　soldiers　will　be　upon　us　again　in　a　moment。　Pray　mount　quickly！〃

〃But　really　I　cannot　move；〃　she　said。　〃Do　not　let　there　be　a　double　loss！〃

And　she　held　out　the　child　toward　him　as　she　spoke。

〃Take　the　child！〃　cried　Lady　Mi。　〃His　life　and　safety　are　in　your　hands。〃

Again　and　again　Zhao　Yun　besought　her　to　get　on　his　horse；　but　she　would　not。

The　shouting　drew　nearer　and　nearer；　Zhao　Yun　spoke　harshly；　saying；　〃If　you　will　not　do　what　I　say；　what　will　happen　when　the　soldiers　e　up？〃

She　said　no　more。　Throwing　the　child　on　the　ground；　she　turned　over　and　threw　herself　into　the　old　well。　And　there　she　perished。

The　warrior　relies　upon　the　strength　of　his　charger；

Afoot；　how　could　he　bear　to　safety　his　young　prince？

Brave　mother！　Who　died　to　preserve　the　son　of　her　husbands　line；

Heroine　was　she；　bold　and　decisive！

Seeing　that　Lady　Mi　had　resolved　the　question　by　dying；　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　done。　Zhao　Yun　pushed　ov