第85部分(第4/7 页)

s　on　the　point　of　asking　what　it　was　when　Lady　Cai　came　and　stood　behind　the　screen；　whereat　Liu　Biao　hung　his　head　and　became　silent。　Before　long　host　and　guest　bade　each　other　farewell；　and　Liu　Bei　went　back　to　his　own　place　at　Xinye。

That　winter　they　heard　that　Cao　Cao　had　returned　from　Liucheng；　and　Liu　Bei　sighed　when　he　reflected　that　his　friend　had　paid　no　heed　to　his　advice。

Unexpectedly　a　messenger　came　from　the　capital　city　with　a　request　that　Liu　Bei　would　go　thither　to　consult　with　the　Imperial　Protector。　So　he　started　at　once　with　the　messenger　to　Jingzhou　City。　He　was　received　very　kindly；　and　when　the　salutations　were　over；　the　two　men　went　into　the　private　quarters　at　the　rear　to　dine。

Presently　Liu　Biao　said；　〃Cao　Cao　has　returned；　and　he　is　stronger　than　ever。　I　am　afraid　he　means　to　absorb　this　region。　I　am　sorry　I　did　not　follow　your　advice　for　I　have　missed　an　opportunity。〃

〃In　this　period　of　disruption；　with　strife　on　every　side；　one　cannot　pretend　that　there　will　be　no　more　opportunities。　If　you　only　take　what　that　offers；　there　will　be　nothing　to　regret。〃

〃What　you　say；　brother；　is　quite　to　the　point；〃　replied　Liu　Biao。

They　drank　on　for　a　time　till　presently　Liu　Bei　noticed　that　his　host　was　weeping；　and　when　he　asked　the　cause　of　these　tears；　Liu　Biao　replied；　〃It　is　that　secret　sorrow　I　spoke　of　to　you　before。　I　wished　to　tell　you；　but　there　was　no　opportunity　that　day。〃

〃O　brother；　what　difficulty　have　you；　and　can　I　assist　you？　I　am　entirely　at　your　service。〃

〃My　first　wife；　of　the　Chen　family；　bore　me　a　son　Liu　Qi；　my　eldest。　He　grew　up　virtuous　but　weakly　and　unfitted　to　succeed　me　in　my　office。　Later　I　took　a　wife　of　the　Cai　family；　who　bore　me　a　son　named　Liu　Zong；　fairly　intelligen