第20部分(第3/7 页)

　Dong　Zhuo。

〃Recall　him　tomorrow；　treat　him　well；　overwhelm　him　with　gifts　and　fair　words；　and　all　will　be　well。〃

So　Dong　Zhuo　did　so。　He　sent　for　Lu　Bu　and　was　very　gracious　and　said；　〃I　was　irritable　and　hasty　yesterday　owing　to　my　illness　and　I　wronged　you；　I　know。　Forgive　me。〃

He　gave　Lu　Bu　three　hundred　ounces　of　gold　and　twenty　rolls　of　brocade。　And　so　the　quarrel　was　made　up。　But　though　Lu　Bu's　body　was　with　his　adopted　father　Dong　Zhuo；　his　heart　was　with　his　promised　bride　Diao　Chan。

Dong　Zhuo　having　quite　recovered　went　to　court　again；　and　Lu　Bu　followed　him　as　usual。　Seeing　Dong　Zhuo　deep　in　conversation　with　the　Emperor；　Lu　Bu；　armed　as　he　was；　went　out　of　the　Palace　and　rode　off　to　his　chief's　residence。　He　tied　up　his　steed　at　the　entrance　and；　halberd　in　hand；　went　to　the　private　apartment　to　seek　his　love。　He　found　Diao　Chan；　and　she　told　him　to　go　out　into　the　garden　where　she　would　join　him　soon。　He　went；　taking　his　halberd　with　him；　and　he　leaned　against　the　rail　of　the　Phoenix　Pavilion　to　wait　for　Diao　Chan。

After　a　long　time　she　appeared；　swaying　gracefully　as　she　made　her　way　under　the　drooping　willows　and　parting　the　flowers　as　she　passed。　She　was　exquisite；　a　perfect　fairy　from　the　Palace　of　the　Moon。

Tears　were　in　her　eyes　as　she　came　up　and　said；　〃Though　I　am　not　the　Minister's　real　daughter；　yet　he　treated　me　as　his　own　child。　The　desire　of　my　life　was　fulfilled　when　he　plighted　me　to　you。　But　oh！　to　think　of　the　wickedness　of　the　Prime　Minister；　stealing　my　poor　self　as　he　did。　I　suffered　so　much。　I　longed　to　die；　only　that　I　had　not　told　you　the　real　truth。　So　I　lived　on；　bearing　my　shame　as　best　as　I　could　but　feeling　it　mean　still　to　live。　Now　that　I　have　seen　you；　I　can　end　it　all。　My　poor　sullied