第5部分(第1/7 页)

〃I　have　never　wronged　the　people　to　the　value　of　a　single　coin：　Then　where　is　a　bribe　to　e　from？〃

Next　day　the　inspector　had　the　minor　officials　before　him　and　forced　them　to　bear　witness　that　their　master　had　oppressed　the　people。　Liu　Bei　time　after　time　went　to　rebut　this　charge；　but　the　doorkeepers　drove　him　away　and　he　could　not　enter。

Now　Zhang　Fei　had　been　all　day　drowning　his　sorrow　in　wine　and　had　drunk　far　too　much。　Calling　for　his　horse　he　rode　out　past　the　lodging　of　the　inspector；　and　at　the　gate　saw　a　small　crowd　of　white…haired　people　weeping　bitterly。　He　asked　why。

They　said；　〃The　inspector　has　pelled　the　underlings　to　bear　false　witness　against　our　magistrate；　with　the　desire　to　injure　the　virtuous　Liu　Bei。　We　came　to　beg　mercy　for　him　but　are　not　permitted　to　enter。　Moreover；　we　have　been　beaten　by　the　doorkeepers。〃

This　provoked　the　irascible　and　half　intoxicated　Zhang　Fei　to　fury。　His　eyes　opened　wide　until　they　became　circles；　he　ground　his　teeth；　in　a　moment　he　was　off　his　steed；　had　forced　his　way　past　the　scared　doorkeepers　into　the　building；　and　was　in　the　rear　apartments。　There　he　saw　Imperial　Inspector　Du　Biao　sitting　on　high　with　the　official　underlings　in　bonds　at　his　feet。

〃Oppressor　of　the　people；　robber！〃　cried　Zhang　Fei。　〃Do　you　know　me？〃

But　before　the　inspector　could　reply；　Zhang　Fei　had　had　him　by　the　hair　and　had　dragged　him　down。　Another　moment　he　was　outside　and　firmly　lashed　to　the　hitching　post　in　front　of　the　building。　Then　breaking　off　a　switch　from　a　willow　tree；　Zhang　Fei　gave　his　victim　a　severe　thrashing；　only　staying　his　hand　when　the　tenth　switch　was　too　short　to　strike　with。

Liu　Bei　was　sitting　alone；　muning　with　his　sorrow；　when　he　heard　a　shouting　before　his　door。　He