第166部分(第2/7 页)

　noise　of　battle；　set　out　for　the　river　bank。　On　his　way　Chen　Wu　met　Pang　De　and　the　legion　under　him。　A　melee　ensued。　Then　Sun　Quan　with　Zhou　Tai　and　his　troops　joined　in。

The　small　force　from　the　ships　that　had　attacked　Li　Dian　was　now　surrounded。　So　Sun　Quan　gave　the　signal　for　an　onslaught　that　should　rescue　them。　This　failed；　and　Sun　Quan　was　himself　surrounded　in　turn　and　soon　in　desperate　straits。　From　a　height；　Cao　Cao　saw　his　difficulties　and　sent　in　Xu　Chu　to　cut　Sun　Quan's　column　in　halves　so　that　neither　half　could　aid　the　other。

When　Zhou　Tai　had　cut　an　alley　out　of　the　press　and　reached　the　riverside；　he　looked　for　his　master。　But　Sun　Quan　was　nowhere　visible；　so　Zhou　Tai　dashed　once　again　into　the　battle。

ing　to　his　own　troops；　he　cried；　〃Where　is　our　lord？〃

They　pointed　to　where　the　press　was　most　dense。　Zhou　Tai　stiffened　and　dashed　in。

Presently　he　reached　his　lord's　side　and　cried　out；　〃My　lord；　follow　me；　and　I　will　hack　a　way　out！〃

Zhou　Tai　fought　his　way　out　to　the　river　bank。　Then　he　turned　to　look；　and　Sun　Quan　was　not　behind　him。　So　he　turned　back；　forced　his　way　in；　and　once　again　found　his　way　to　his　master's　side。

〃I　cannot　get　out。　The　arrows　are　too　thick！〃　said　Sun　Quan。

〃Then　go　first；　my　lord；　and　I　will　follow！〃

Sun　Quan　then　urged　his　steed　as　fast　as　he　could　go；　and　Zhou　Tai　kept　off　all　pursuit。　Zhou　Tai　sustained　many　wounds　and　the　arrows　rattled　on　his　helmet；　but　he　got　clear　at　last　and　Sun　Quan　was　safe。　As　they　neared　the　river　bank；　Lu　Meng　came　up　with　some　of　the　naval　force　and　escorted　Sun　Quan　down　to　the　ships。

〃I　owe　my　safety　to　Zhou　Tai；　who　thrice　came　to　my　aid；〃　said　Sun　Quan。　〃But　Xu　Sheng　is　still　in　the　thick　of　the　fight；　and　how　can　we　sav