第18部分(第6/7 页)

eavens；　and　the　courtiers　were　faint　with　terror。　But　the　author　of　the　misery　ate　and　drank；　chatted　and　smiled　as　if　nothing　was　going　on。

Another　day　Dong　Zhuo　was　presiding　at　a　great　gathering　of　officers　who　were　seated　in　two　long　rows。　After　the　wine　had　gone　up　and　down　several　times；　Lu　Bu　entered　and　whispered　a　few　words　in　his　master's　ear。

Dong　Zhuo　smiled　and　said；　〃He　was　always　so。　Take　Minister　Zhang　Wan　outside。〃

The　others　all　turned　pale。　In　a　little　time　a　serving　man　brought　the　head　of　their　fellow　guest　on　a　red　dish　and　showed　it　to　their　host。　They　nearly　died　with　fright。

〃Do　not　fear；〃　said　Dong　Zhuo　smiling。　〃Minister　Zhang　Wan　was　in　league　with　Yuan　Shu　to　assassinate　me。　A　letter　he　wrote　fell　by　mistake　into　the　hands　of　my　son；　so　I　have　had　him　put　to　death。　You　gentlemen；　who　have　no　reason；　need　have　no　fear。〃

The　officials　hastened　to　disperse。　One　of　them；　Minister　of　the　Interior　Wang　Yun；　who　had　witnessed　all　this；　returned　to　his　palace　very　pensive　and　much　distressed。　The　same　evening；　a　bright　moonlight　night；　he　took　his　staff　and　went　strolling　in　his　private　garden。　Standing　near　one　of　the　creeper　trellises；　he　gazed　up　at　the　sky　and　the　tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks。　Suddenly　he　heard　a　rustle　in　the　Peony　Pavilion　and　someone　sighing　deeply。　Stealthily　creeping　near；　he　saw　there　one　of　the　household　singing　girls　named　Diao　Chan。

This　maiden　had　been　brought　up　in　his　palace；　where　she　had　been　taught　to　sing　and　dance。　At　twenty…one；　she　was　then　just　bursting　into　womanhood；　a　pretty　and　clever　girl　whom　Wang　Yun　regarded　more　as　a　daughter　than　a　dependant。

After　listening　for　some　time；　Wang　Yun　suddenly　called　out；　〃What　mischief　are　you　up　to　there；　you　naughty　g