第101部分(第2/7 页)

　Bei　halted　and　placed　himself　at　the　head　of　his　own　guard　of　two　thousand　soldiers　to　meet　whatever　might　e。

Presently　Cao　Cao's　men　appeared　and　made　fierce　onslaught。　Defense　was　impossible；　though　Liu　Bei　fought　desperately。　By　good　fortune　just　at　the　crisis　Zhang　Fei　came　up；　cut　an　alley　through；　rescued　his　brother；　and　got　him　away　to　the　east。　Presently　they　were　stopped　by　Wen　Ping。

〃Turncoat！　Can　you　still　look　humans　in　the　face？〃　cried　Liu　Bei。

Wen　Ping　was　overwhelmed　with　shame　and　led　his　troops　away。　Zhang　Fei；　now　fighting；　protected　his　brother　till　dawn。

By　that　time　Liu　Bei　had　got　beyond　the　sound　of　battle；　and　there　was　time　to　rest。　Only　a　few　of　his　followers　had　been　able　to　keep　near　him。　He　knew　nothing　of　the　fate　of　his　officers　or　the　people。

He　lifted　up　his　voice　in　lamentation；　saying；　〃Myriads　of　living　souls　are　suffering　from　love　of　me；　and　my　officers　and　my　loved　ones　are　lost。　One　would　be　a　graven　image　not　to　weep　at　such　loss！〃

Still　plunged　in　sadness；　presently　he　saw　hurrying　toward　him　Mi　Fang；　with　an　enemy's　arrow　still　sticking　in　his　face。

Mi　Fang　exclaimed；　〃Zhao　Yun　has　gone　over　to　Cao　Cao！〃

Liu　Bei　angrily　bade　him　be　silent；　crying；　〃Do　you　think　I　can　believe　that　of　my　old　friend？〃

〃Perhaps　he　has　gone　over；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃He　must　see　that　we　are　nearly　lost　and　there　are　riches　and　honors　on　the　other　side。〃

〃He　has　followed　me　faithfully　through　all　my　misfortunes。　His　heart　is　firm　as　a　rock。　No　riches　or　honors　would　move　him；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

〃I　saw　him　go　away　northwest；〃　said　Mi　Fang。

〃Wait　till　I　meet　him；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。　〃If　I　run　against　him；　I　will　kill　him！〃

〃Beware　how　you　doubt　him；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃Have