第127部分(第2/7 页)

away；　Huang　Zhong　thought　in　his　heart；　〃He　spared　me　only　yesterday；　and　I　cannot　bear　to　shoot　him　today。〃

Putting　up　his　sword；　Huang　Zhong　took　his　bow　and　twanged　the　string　only。　No　arrow　flew。　Guan　Yu　dodged；　but　seeing　no　arrow　in　the　air；　he　retook　the　pursuit。　Again　Huang　Zhong　twanged　an　arrowless　bowstring；　and　again　Guan　Yu　dodged；　but　no　arrow　came。

Then　Guan　Yu　said　to　himself；　〃He　cannot　shoot；〃　and　pressed　on　in　pursuit。

As　they　neared　the　city　wall；　the　veteran　stopped　on　the　drawbridge；　fitted　an　arrow；　pulled　the　bow；　and　sent　an　arrow　flying　that　just　hit　the　base　of　the　plume　on　Guan　Yu's　helmet。

The　soldiers　shouted　at　the　display　of　marksmanship。　Guan　Yu　was　taken　aback　and　set　off　for　camp　with　the　arrow　still　sticking。　Then　he　heard　that　Huang　Zhong's　skill　was　said　to　be　equal　to　piercing　a　willow　leaf　at　a　hundred　paces；　and　Guan　Yu　understood　that　he　owed　this　warning　in　the　shape　of　an　arrow　in　his　plume　to　gratitude　for　sparing　the　veteran　the　preceding　day。

Both　withdrew。　But　when　the　veteran　leader　went　up　on　the　wall　to　see　the　Governor；　he　was　at　once　seized。

〃What　have　I　done？〃　cried　Huang　Zhong。

〃I　have　seen　these　last　three　days　that　you　were　fooling　me。　You　were　slack　the　day　before　yesterday；　which　proved　you　had　some　sinister　intention。　Yesterday；　when　your　horse　stumbled　and　he　spared　you；　it　showed　that　you　were　in　league　with　him。　And　today　you　twice　twanged　a　vain　bowstring；　while　at　the　third　shot　you　only　hit　your　opponent's　helmet。　Dare　you　say　there　is　no　secret　understanding　in　all　this？　If　I　do　not　put　you　to　death；　it　will　assuredly　redound　to　my　own　hurt。〃

Han　Xuan　ordered　Huang　Zhong　to　be　executed　outside　the　city　gate。　Han　Xuan　also　met　the　intercession　of　the