第15部分(第2/7 页)

　am　doomed；　good　brother。　Go　and　save　yourself！〃

〃My　lord；　mount　my　horse　quickly！　I　will　go　afoot；〃　said　Cao　Hong。

〃If　those　wretches　e　up；　what　then？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃The　world　can　do　without　Cao　Hong；　but　not　without　you；　my　lord！〃

〃If　I　live；　I　shall　owe　you　my　life；〃　said　Cao　Cao。

So　he　mounted。　Cao　Hong　tore　off　his　own　breastplate；　gripped　his　sword；　and　went　on　foot　after　the　horse。　Thus　they　proceeded　till　the　fourth　watch　when　they　saw　before　them　a　broad　stream；　and　behind　they　still　heard　the　shouts　of　pursuers　drawing　nearer　and　nearer。

〃This　is　my　fate；〃　said　Cao　Cao。　〃I　am　really　doomed！〃

Cao　Hong　helped　Cao　Cao　down　from　his　horse。　Then　taking　off　his　fighting　robe　and　helmet；　Cao　Hong　took　the　wounded　man　on　his　back　and　waded　into　the　stream。　When　they　reached　the　further　side；　the　pursuers　had　already　gained　the　bank　whence　they　shot　arrows。

Cao　Cao　all　wet　pushed　on。　Dawn　was　near。　They　went　on　another　ten　miles　and　then　sat　down　to　rest　under　a　precipice。　Suddenly　loud　shouting　was　heard　and　a　party　of　horse　appeared。　It　was　Governor　Xu　Rong　who　had　forded　the　river　higher　up。　Just　at　this　moment　Xiahou　Dun　and　Xiahou　Yuan；　with　several　dozens　men；　came　along。

〃Hurt　not　my　lord！〃　cried　Xiahou　Dun　to　Xu　Rong；　who　at　once　rushed　at　him。

But　the　bat　was　short。　Xu　Rong　speedily　fell　under　a　spear　thrust　of　Xiahou　Dun；　and　his　troops　were　driven　off。　Before　long　Cao　Cao's　other　generals　arrived。　Sadness　and　joy　mingled　in　the　greetings。　They　gathered　together　the　few　hundreds　of　soldiers　left　and　then　returned　to　Luoyang。

When　the　confederate　lords　entered　Luoyang；　Sun　Jian；　after　extinguishing　the　fires；　camped　within　the　walls；　his　own　tent　being　set　up　near　the　Dynastic　Temple