第19部分(第1/7 页)

ld　be　seen。　Could　she　be　of　any　use　she　would　not　shrink　from　a　myriad　deaths。〃

A　sudden　idea　came　to　Wang　Yun；　and　he　stuck　the　ground　with　his　staff。　And　he　said；　〃Who　would　think　that　the　fate　of　Han　lay　on　your　palm？　e　with　me！〃

The　girl　followed　him　into　the　house。　Then　he　dismissed　all　the　waiting　attendants；　placed　Diao　Chan　on　a　chair　and　bowed　before　her。　She　was　frightened　and　threw　herself　on　the　ground；　asking　in　terror　what　it　all　meant。

Said　Wang　Yun；　〃You　can　sympathize　with　the　people　of　Han；〃　and　the　fount　of　his　tears　opened　afresh。

〃My　lord；　as　thy　handmaid　said　just　now；　use　her　in　any　way：　Thy　handmaid　will　never　shrink；〃　said　the　girl。

Wang　Yun　knelt；　saying；　〃The　people　are　on　the　brink　of　destruction；　the　prince　and　his　officers　are　in　jeopardy；　and　you；　you　are　the　only　savior。　That　wretch　Dong　Zhuo　wants　to　depose　the　Emperor；　and　not　a　person　among　us　can　find　means　to　stop　him。　Now　he　has　a　son；　a　bold　warrior　it　is　true；　but　both　father　and　son　have　a　weakness　for　beauty；　and　I　am　going　to　use　what　I　may　call　the　'chaining'　plan。　I　shall　first　propose　you　in　marriage　to　Lu　Bu　and　then；　after　you　are　betrothed；　I　shall　present　you　to　Dong　Zhuo；　and　you　will　take　every　opportunity　to　force　them　asunder　and　turn　sway　their　countenances　from　each　other；　cause　the　son　to　kill　his　adopted　father　and　so　put　an　end　to　the　great　evil。　Thus　you　may　restore　the　altars　of　the　land　that　it　may　live　again。　All　this　lies　within　your　power：　Will　you　do　it？〃

〃Thy　handmaid　has　promised　not　to　recoil　from　death　itself。　You　may　use　my　poor　self　in　any　way；　and　I　must　do　my　best。〃

〃But　if　this　gets　abroad　then　we　are　all　lost！〃

〃Fear　not；〃　said　she。　〃If　thy　handmaid　does　not　show　gratitude；　may　she　peri