第67部分(第2/7 页)

n　to　tell　their　mander；　who　came　out　to　accost　the　travelers。

Guan　Yu　dismounted　and　returned　the　officer's　salute；　and　Kong　Xiu　said；　〃Whither　are　you　going？〃

〃I　have　left　the　Prime　Minister　to　go　into　the　North　of　Yellow　River　to　find　my　brother。〃

〃But　Yuan　Shao　is　my　master's　rival。　You　have　authority　from　him　to　go　thither？〃

〃I　left　hurriedly　and　could　not　get　it。〃

〃If　you　have　no　authority；　you　must　wait　while　I　send　to　request　orders。〃

〃To　remain　while　you　send　and　receive　an　answer　will　delay　me　greatly；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃I　must　stand　by　my　instructions。　That　is　the　only　thing　to　do；〃　said　Kong　Xiu。

〃Then　you　refuse　to　let　me　pass？〃

〃If　you　want　to　go　through；　leave　the　family　as　a　gage。〃

At　this　Guan　Yu　got　very　angry　and　made　to　cut　at　the　mander　on　the　spot；　but　Kong　Xiu　withdrew　into　the　gate　and　beat　the　drums　for　an　attack。　Thereupon　the　soldiers　armed　themselves；　mounted；　and　came　down　to　oppose　the　passage；　crying；　〃Dare　you　go　through；　eh？〃

The　carriage　was　sent　off　to　a　safe　distance；　and　then　Guan　Yu　rode　at　full　speed　directly　at　the　mander　of　the　guard；　who　set　his　spear　and　came　to　meet　him。　The　two　steeds　met　and　the　men　engaged；　but　at　the　first　stroke　of　the　green…dragon　saber　the　mander　of　the　gate　fell　to　the　earth　dead。　His　troops　fled。

〃Soldiers；　do　not　flee！〃　cried　Guan　Yu。　〃I　killed　him　because　I　could　do　no　otherwise。　I　have　nothing　against　you；　but　I　would　ask　you　to　tell　the　Prime　Minister　how　this　thing　came　to　pass；　that　Kong　Xiu　wished　to　kill　me；　and　so　I　slew　him　in　self　defense。〃

The　soldiers　bowed　before　him；　and　Guan　Yu；　with　the　carriage；　passed　through　the　gates　and　continued　their　way　to　Luoyang。　But　one　of　the　guards　of　the　pass　went　quic