第92部分(第4/7 页)

way　disappointed。　This　time　I　have　braved　the　elements　and　e　again　and　my　reward　is　here。　I　see　your　face；　and　I　am　indeed　fortunate。〃

The　young　man　hastily　returned　the　salute　and　said；　〃General；　you　must　be　that　Liu　Bei　of　Yuzhou　who　wishes　to　see　my　brother。〃

〃Then；　Master；　you　are　not　Sleeping　Dragon！〃　said　Liu　Bei；　starting　back。

〃I　am　his　younger　brother；　Zhuge　Jun。　He　has　another　elder　brother；　Zhuge　Jin；　now　with　Sun　Quan　in　the　South　Land　as　a　counselor。　Zhuge　Liang　is　the　second　of　our　family。〃

〃Is　your　brother　at　home？〃

〃Only　yesterday　he　arranged　to　go　a　jaunt　with　Cui　Zhouping。〃

〃Whither　have　they　gone？〃

〃Who　can　say？　They　may　take　a　boat　and　sail　away　among　the　lakes；　or　go　to　gossip　with　the　priests　in　some　remote　mountain　temple；　or　wander　off　to　visit　a　friend　in　some　far　away　village；　or　be　sitting　in　some　cave　with　a　lute　or　a　chessboard。　Their　goings　and　ings　are　uncertain　and　nobody　can　guess　at　them。〃

〃What　very　poor　luck　have　I！　Twice　have　I　failed　to　meet　the　great　sage。〃

〃Pray　sit　a　few　moments；　and　let　me　offer　you　some　tea。〃

〃Brother；　since　the　master　is　not　here；　I　pray　you　remount　and　go；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

〃Since　I　am　here；　why　not　a　little　talk　before　we　go　home　again？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Then　turning　to　his　host　he　continued；　〃Can　you　tell　me　if　your　worthy　brother　is　skilled　in　strategy　and　studies　works　on　war？〃

〃I　do　not　know。〃

Grumbled　Zhang　Fei；　〃The　wind　and　snow　are　getting　worse。　We　ought　to　go　back。〃

Liu　Bei　turned　on　him　angrily　and　told　him　to　stop。

Zhuge　Jun　said；　〃Since　my　brother　is　absent；　I　will　not　presume　to　detain　you　longer。　I　will　return　your　call　soon。〃

〃Please　do　not　take　that　trouble。　In　a　few　days　I　will