第14部分(第6/7 页)

the　fugitives　and　defiled　the　women。　A　wail　of　sorrow　arose　to　the　very　sky。

Dong　Zhuo's　final　orders　as　he　left　Capital　Luoyang　were　to　burn　the　whole　city：　Houses；　palaces；　temples；　and　everything　were　devoured　by　the　flames。　The　capital　became　but　a　patch　of　scorched　earth。

Dong　Zhuo　sent　Lu　Bu　to　desecrate　the　tombs　of　the　emperors　and　their　consorts　for　the　jewels　therein；　and　the　mon　soldiers　took　the　occasion　to　dig　up　the　graves　of　officials　and　plunder　the　cemeteries　of　the　wealthy。　The　spoil　of　the　city；　gold　and　silver；　pearls　and　silks；　and　beautiful　ornaments；　filled　several　thousand　carts。　With　these　and　the　persons　of　the　Emperor　and　his　household；　Dong　Zhuo　moved　off　to　the　new　capital　in　the　first　year　of　Inauguration　of　Tranquillity　（AD　190）。

Luoyang　being　thus　abandoned；　the　general　of　Dong　Zhuo　at　River　Si　Pass；　Zhao　Cen；　evacuated　that　post　of　vantage；　which　Sun　Jian　at　once　occupied。　Liu　Bei　and　his　brothers　took　Tiger　Trap　Pass　and　the　confederate　lords　advanced。

Sun　Jian　hastened　to　the　late　capital　which　was　still　in　flames。　When　he　arrived；　dense　smoke　hung　all　over　it　and　spread　for　miles　around。　No　living　thing；　not　a　fowl；　or　a　dog；　or　a　human　being；　remained。　Sun　Jian　told　off　his　soldiers　to　extinguish　the　fires　and　set　out　camping　places　for　the　confederate　lords。

Cao　Cao　went　to　see　Yuan　Shao　and　said；　〃Dong　Zhuo　has　gone　west。　We　ought　to　follow　and　attack　his　rear　without　loss　of　time。　Why　do　you　remain　inactive？〃

〃All　our　colleagues　are　worn　out；　and　there　is　nothing　to　be　gained　by　attack；〃　said　Yuan　Shao。

Cao　Cao　said；　〃This　moment　was　most　propitious　in　the　utter　confusion　that　reigned………palaces　burned；　the　Emperor　abducted；　the　whole　world　upset；　and　no　one　knowing　whither　to　turn。