第283部分(第3/7 页)

ranged　the　date　of　his　abdication。

Girding　on　his　sword；　he　was　setting　out　for　the　Palace　when　his　Consort；　Lady　Cui；　stopped　him；　saying；　〃My　Prince；　why　does　your　face　bear　this　look　of　terrible　anger？〃

He　replied；　〃The　army　of　Wei　is　at　the　gates；　and　my　father　has　made　his　Act　of　Surrender。　Tomorrow　he　and　all　his　ministers　are　going　out　of　the　city　to　submit　formally；　and　the　dynasty　will　end。　But　rather　than　bow　the　knee　to　another；　I　will　die　and　go　into　the　presence　of　the　First　Ruler　in　the　realms　below。〃

〃How　worthy；　how　worthy！〃　replied　she。　〃And　if　my　lord　must　die；　I；　thy　handmaid；　prays　that　she　may　die　first。　Then　may　my　Prince　depart。〃

〃But　why　should　you　die？〃

〃The　Prince　dies　for　his　father　and　the　handmaid　for　her　husband。　One　eternal　principle　guides　us　all。〃

Thereupon　she　dashed　herself　against　a　pillar；　and　so　she　died。　Then　Liu　Chan　slew　his　three　sons　and　cut　off　the　head　of　his　Consort　that　he　might　sever　all　ties　to　life　lest　he　be　tempted　to　live。　Bearing　the　head　of　the　princess　in　his　hand；　he　went　to　the　Temple　of　the　First　Ruler；　where　he　bowed　his　head；　saying；　〃Thy　servant　is　ashamed　at　seeing　the　kingdom　pass　to　another。　Therefore　has　he　slain　his　Consort　and　his　sons　that　nothing　should　induce　him　to　live　and　forego　death。〃

This　announcement　recited；　he　made　yet　another　to　his　ancestors。

〃My　ancestors；　if　you　have　spiritual　intelligence；　you　know　the　feelings　of　your　descendant。〃

Then　he　wept　sore　till　his　eyes　ran　blood；　and　he　mitted　suicide。　The　people　of　Shu　grieved　deeply　for　him；　and　a　poet　has　praised　his　noble　deed。

Both　king　and　courtiers；　willing；　bowed　the　knee；

One　son　alone　was　grieved　and　would　not　live。

The　western　kingdom　fell　to　rise　n