第15部分(第5/7 页)

ngtze　or　Yangzi　river；　which　flows　from　west　to　east　to　the　Pacific　at　Shanghai。

〃I　heard　this　treasured　seal　had　been　lost　during　the　trouble　in　the　Palace　when　the　Ten　Regular　Attendants　hurried　off　the　Emperor。　It　was　missed　on　His　Majesty's　return。　Now　my　lord　has　it　and　certainly　will　e　to　the　imperial　dignity。　But　you　must　not　remain　here　in　the　north。　Quickly　go　home　to　Changsha；　south　of　the　Great　River*；　where　you　can　lay　plans　for　the　acplishment　of　the　great　design。〃

〃Your　words　exactly　accord　with　my　thoughts；〃　said　Sun　Jian。　〃Tomorrow　I　will　make　an　excuse　that　I　am　unwell　and　get　away。〃

The　soldiers　were　told　to　keep　the　discovery　a　secret。　But　one　among　them　was　a　patriot　of　the　elected　chief　of　the　confederacy………Yuan　Shao。　He　thought　this　might　be　of　great　advantage　to　him；　so　he　stole　away　out　of　the　camp　and　betrayed　his　master。　He　went　to　Yuan　Shao's　camp；　informed　the　secret；　and　received　a　liberal　reward。　Yuan　Shao　kept　the　informant　in　his　own　camp。

Next　morning　Sun　Jian　came　to　take　leave；　saying；　〃I　am　rather　unwell　and　wish　to　return　to　Changsha。〃

Yuan　Shao　laughed；　saying；　〃I　know　what　you　are　suffering　from：　It　is　called　the　Imperial　Hereditary　Seal！〃

This　was　a　shock　to　Sun　Jian；　and　he　paled　but　said；　〃Whence　these　words？〃

Yuan　Shao　said；　〃The　armies　were　raised　for　the　good　of　the　state　and　to　relieve　it　from　oppression。　The　seal　is　state　property；　and　since　you　have　got　hold　of　it；　you　should　publicly　hand　it　over　to　me　as　chief。　When　Dong　Zhuo　has　been　slain；　it　must　go　back　to　the　government。　What　do　you　mean　by　concealing　it　and　going　away？〃

〃How　could　the　seal　get　into　my　hands？〃　said　Sun　Jian。

〃Where　is　the　article　out　of　the　well　near　the　Hall　of　Paragons？〃

〃I　have