第72部分(第4/7 页)

nts　to　smite　the　Taoist　Saint　therewith。　They　all　besought　him　to　hold　his　hand。

〃You　want　to　follow　Yu　Ji　in　rebellion；　I　suppose；〃　cried　Sun　Ce。

The　officers；　now　thoroughly　cowed　by　the　rage　of　their　lord；　were　silent　and　showed　no　opposition　when　the　executioners　seized　the　Taoist　Saint　and　beheaded　him。

As　the　head　fell；　they　saw　just　a　wreath　of　black　smoke　drift　away　to　the　northeast　where　lay　the　Langye　Mountains。

The　corpse　was　exposed　in　the　market　place　as　a　warning　to　enchanters　and　wizards　and　such　people。　That　night　there　came　a　very　violent　storm；　and　when　it　calmed　down　at　daylight；　there　was　no　trace　of　the　body　of　Yu　Ji。　The　guards　reported　this；　and　Sun　Ce　in　his　wrath　sentenced　them　to　death。　But　as　he　did　so；　he　saw　Yu　Ji　calmly　walking　toward　him　as　if　the　Taoist　Saint　were　still　alive。　Sun　Ce　drew　his　sword　and　darted　forward　to　strike　at　the　wraith；　but　he　fainted　and　fell　to　the　ground。

They　carried　him　to　his　chamber；　and　in　a　short　time　he　recovered　consciousness。

His　mother；　Lady　Wu；　came　to　visit　him　and　said；　〃My　son；　you　have　done　wrong　to　slay　the　holy　one；　and　this　is　your　retribution。〃

〃Mother；　when　I　was　a　boy；　I　went　with　Father　to　wars；　where　people　are　cut　down　as　one　cuts　reed　stalks。　There　is　not　much　retribution　about　such　doings。　I　have　put　this　fellow　to　death　and　so　checked　a　great　evil。　Where　does　retribution　e　in？〃

〃This　es　of　want　of　faith；〃　she　replied。　〃Now　you　must　avert　the　evil　by　meritorious　deeds。〃

〃My　fate　depends　on　Heaven。　Wizards　can　do　me　no　harm；　so　why　avert　anything？〃

His　mother　saw　that　it　was　useless　to　try　persuasion；　but　she　told　his　attendants　to　do　some　good　deeds　secretly　whereby　the　evil　should　be　turned　aside。

That　night　abo