第41部分(第2/7 页)

upon　in　spite　of　his　many　infirmities；　he　went　to　see　Lu　Bu。

〃Noble　Sir；　what　brings　you　here？〃　asked　Lu　Bu。

〃I　heard　you　were　dead；　and　I　came　to　mourn；〃　quavered　the　old　man。

〃Who　said　that？〃　exclaimed　his　host。

〃Once　upon　a　time　you　received　grand　presents　from　Yuan　Shu　that　you　might　slay　Liu　Bei；　but　you　got　out　by　that　clever　shot　at　your　halberd。　Now　they　suddenly　seek　a　marriage　alliance　thinking　to　get　hold　of　your　daughter　as　a　pledge。　The　next　move　will　be　an　attack　on　Xiaopei　and；　that　gone；　where　are　you？　Whatever　they　ask　in　future；　grain　or　troops　or　anything　else；　and　you　yield；　will　bring　your　own　end　nearer；　and　make　you　hated　all　round。　If　you　refuse；　then　you　are　false　to　the　duties　of　a　relative；　and　that　will　be　an　excuse　to　attack　you　openly。　Beside　this　Yuan　Shu　intends　to　call　himself　emperor；　which　would　be　rebellion；　and　you　would　be　of　the　rebel's　family：　Something　abominable；　which　the　multitude　people　would　not　suffer。〃

Lu　Bu　was　much　disturbed　to　hear　this。

〃I　have　been　misled　by　Chen　Gong！〃　cried　he。

So　he　hurriedly　sent　Zhang　Liao　to　bring　the　wedding　party；　which　had　been　ten　miles　away；　back　to　the　city。　When　they　had　e；　Lu　Bu　threw　Han　Yin　into　prison　and　sent　a　reply　to　Yuan　Shu　saying　curtly　that　the　girl's　trousseau　was　not　ready　and　she　could　not　be　married　till　it　was。

Chen　Gui　wanted　Han　Yin　to　be　sent　to　Capital　Xuchang。　But　Lu　Bu　was　hesitating　what　course　to　adopt；　when　he　heard　that　Liu　Bei　was　enlisting　soldiers　and　buying　horses　for　no　apparent　reason。

〃He　is　simply　doing　his　duty。　There　is　nothing　to　be　surprised　at；〃　said　Lu　Bu　at　first。

Then　came　two　officers；　Song　Xian　and　Wei　Xu；　saying；　〃As　you　ordered　us；　we　went　into　the　Huashang　Mountains　to　pur