第137部分(第2/7 页)

　cases　were　disposed　of；　and　the　arrears　of　the　hundred　days　settled　and　decided。

This　done；　the　Magistrate　threw　aside　his　pen　and　turned　to　the　inquisitors；　saying；　〃Where　is　the　disorder？　When　I　can　take　on　Cao　Cao　and　Sun　Quan　as　easily　as　I　can　read　this　paper；　what　attention　from　me　is　needed　for　the　business　of　this　paltry　place？〃

Zhang　Fei　was　astonished　at　the　man's　ability；　rose　from　his　seat；　and　crossed　over；　saying；　〃You　are　indeed　a　marvel；　Master。　I　have　not　treated　you　respectfully　enough；　but　now　I　shall　mend　you　to　my　brother　with　all　my　might。〃

Then　Pang　Tong　drew　forth　Lu　Su's　letter　and　showed　it　to　Zhang　Fei。

〃Why　did　you　not　show　this　to　my　brother　when　you　first　saw　him？〃　asked　Zhang　Fei。

〃If　I　had　had　a　chance；　I　would　have　done　so。　But　is　it　likely　that　one　would　just　take　advantage　of　a　letter　of　mendation　to　make　a　visit？〃

Zhang　Fei　turned　to　his　colleague　and　said；　〃You　just　saved　a　wise　man　for　us。〃

Sun　Qian　and　Zhang　Fei　left　the　magistracy　and　returned　to　Liu　Bei　to　whom　they　related　what　had　happened。

Liu　Bei　then　seemed　to　be　conscious　of　his　error　and　said；　〃I　have　been　wrong。　I　have　behaved　unjustly　to　a　learned　person。〃

Zhang　Fei　then　gave　his　brother　the　letter　in　which　Lu　Su　had　remended　Pang　Tong。　Opening　it　he　read：

〃Pang　Tong　is　not　the　sort　of　person　to　be　met　with　in　any　day's　march。　Employ　him　in　some　capacity　where　extra　ordinary　talent　is　required；　and　his　powers　will　declare　themselves。　Beware　of　judging　him　by　his　looks；　or　you　may　lose　the　advantage　of　his　abilities；　and　some　other　will　gain　him。　This　would　be　a　misfortune。〃

While　Liu　Bei　was　feeling　cast　down　at　the　mistake　he　had　made；　as　shown　by　the　letter；　they　announced　the　return　of　Zhuge