第35部分(第4/7 页)

　replied　Zhang　Fei。

Liu　Bei　would　not　consent。

Next　day；　when　Lu　Bu　came　to　offer　congratulations；　he　was　received　as　usual。　He　said；　〃I　have　e　to　felicitate　you　on　the　receipt　of　the　imperial　bounty。〃

Liu　Bei　thanked　him　in　due　form。　But　then　he　saw　Zhang　Fei　draw　his　sword　and　e　up　the　hall　as　if　to　slay　Lu　Bu。　Liu　Bei　hastily　interfered　and　stopped　Zhang　Fei。

Lu　Bu　was　surprised　and　said；　〃Why　do　you　wish　to　slay　me；　Zhang　Fei？〃

〃Cao　Cao　says　you　are　immoral　and　tells　my　brother　to　kill　you；〃　shouted　Zhang　Fei。

Liu　Bei　shouted　again　and　again　to　Zhang　Fei　to　go　away；　and　he　led　Lu　Bu　into　the　private　apartments　out　of　the　way。　Then　he　told　Lu　Bu　the　whole　story　and　showed　him　the　secret　letter。

Lu　Bu　wept　as　he　finished　reading；　〃This　is　that　miscreant's　scheme　for　sowing　discord　between　us。〃

〃Be　not　anxious；　elder　brother；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃I　pledge　myself　not　to　be　guilty　of　such　an　infamous　crime。〃

Lu　Bu　again　and　again　expressed　his　gratitude；　and　Liu　Bei　kept　him　for　a　time。　They　remained　talking　and　drinking　wine　till　late。

Said　Guan　Yu　and　Zhang　Fei　later；　〃Why　not　kill　him？〃

Liu　Bei　said；　〃Because　Cao　Cao　fears　that　Lu　Bu　and　I　may　attack　him；　he　is　trying　to　separate　us　and　get　us　to　swallow　each　other；　while　he　steps　in　and　takes　the　advantage。　Is　there　any　other　reason？〃

Guan　Yu　nodded　assent；　but　Zhang　Fei　said；　〃I　want　to　get　him　out　of　the　way　lest　he　trouble　us　later。〃

〃That　is　not　what　a　noble　man　should　do；〃　said　his　elder　brother。

Soon　the　messenger　was　dismissed　and　returned　to　the　capital　with　a　the　reply　from　Liu　Bei。　The　letter　only　said　the　instruction　would　take　time　to　plan　and　implement。　But　the　messenger；　when　he　saw　Cao　Cao；　told　him　the　story　o