第111部分(第6/7 页)

by　name。　But　Jiang　Gan　affected　to　be　sound　asleep　and　made　no　sign。

Zhou　Yu　crept　out　of　the　tent；　while　Jiang　Gan　listened　with　all　his　ears。　He　heard　the　man　say；　〃Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun；　the　two　manders；　have　e。〃

But　listening　as　he　did　with　straining　ears；　he　could　not　make　out　what　followed。　Soon　after　Zhou　Yu　reentered　and　again　called　out　his　panion's　name。　But　no　reply　came；　for　Jiang　Gan　was　pretending　to　be　in　the　deepest　slumber　and　to　hear　nothing。　Then　Zhou　Yu　undressed　and　went　to　bed。

As　Jiang　Gan　lay　awake；　he　remembered　that　Zhou　Yu　was　known　to　be　meticulously　careful　in　affairs；　and　if　in　the　morning　Zhou　Yu　found　that　a　letter　had　disappeared；　he　would　certainly　slay　the　offender。　So　Jiang　Gan　lay　there　till　near　daylight　and　then　called　out　to　his　host。　Getting　no　reply；　he　rose；　dressed；　and　stole　out　of　the　tent。　Then　he　called　his　servant　and　made　for　the　camp　gate。

〃Whither　are　you　going；　Sir？〃　said　the　watchmen　at　the　gate。

〃I　fear　I　am　in　the　way　here；〃　replied　Jiang　Gan；　〃and　so　I　have　taken　leave　of　the　mander…in…Chief　for　a　time。　So　do　not　stop　me。〃

He　found　his　way　to　the　river　bank　and　reembarked。　Then；　with　flying　oars；　he　hastened　back　to　Cao　Cao's　camp。　When　he　arrived；　Cao　Cao　asked　at　once　how　he　had　sped；　and　he　had　to　acknowledge　failure。

〃Zhou　Yu　is　very　clever　and　perfectly　high…minded；〃　said　Jiang　Gan。　〃Nothing　that　I　could　say　moved　him　in　the　least。〃

〃Your　failure　makes　me　look　ridiculous；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃Well；　if　I　did　not　win　over　Zhou　Yu；　I　found　out　something　for　you。　Send　away　these　people；　and　I　will　tell　you；〃　said　Jiang　Gan。

The　servants　were　dismissed；　and　then　Jiang　Gan　produced　the　letter　he　had　stolen　from　Zhou　Yu's　tent。　He　gave　it　to　Cao　Cao。　C