第87部分(第1/7 页)

〃He　left　the　banquet…hall　quite　suddenly；　and　I　know　not　whither　he　has　gone；〃　was　the　reply。

Now　Zhao　Yun　was　cautious　and　careful　and　had　no　desire　to　act　hastily；　so　he　urged　his　horse　forward　till　he　came　to　the　river。　There　he　was　checked　by　a　torrent　without　ford　or　bridge。

At　once　he　turned　back　and　shouted　after　Cai　Mao；　〃You　invited　my　lord　to　a　feast。　What　means　this　going　after　him　with　a　squadron　of　horse？〃

Cai　Mao　replied；　〃It　is　my　duty　to　guard　the　officials　of　forty…two　counties　who　have　assembled　here；　as　I　am　the　Chief　mander。〃

〃Whither　have　you　driven　my　lord？〃　asked　Zhao　Yun。

〃They　tell　me　he　rode　quite　alone　out　through　the　west　gate；　but　I　have　not　seen　him。〃

Zhao　Yun　was　anxious　and　doubtful。　Again　he　rode　to　the　river　and　looked　around。　This　time　he　noticed　a　wet　track　on　the　farther　side。　He　thought　to　himself　that　it　was　almost　an　impossible　crossing　for　a　person　and　a　horse；　so　he　ordered　his　followers　to　scatter　and　search。　But　they　also　could　find　no　trace　of　Liu　Bei。

Zhao　Yun　turned　again　to　the　city。　By　the　time　he　had　reached　the　wall；　Cai　Mao　had　gone　within。　He　then　questioned　the　gate　wardens；　and　they　all　agreed　in　saying　that　Liu　Bei　had　ridden　out　at　full　gallop。　That　was　all　they　knew。　Fearing　to　reenter　the　city　lest　he　should　fall　into　an　ambush；　Zhao　Yun　started　for　Xinye。

After　that　marvelous　life…saving　leap　over　the　Tan　Torrent；　Liu　Bei　felt　elated　but　rather　dazed。

He　could　not　help　telling　himself；　〃My　safety　is　due　to　an　especial　interposition　of　Providence。〃

Following　a　tortuous　path；　he　urged　his　steed　toward　Nanzhang。　But　the　sun　sank　to　the　west　and　his　destination　seemed　yet　a　long　way　off。　Then　he　saw　a　young　cowherd　seated　on　the　back　of　a　buf