第87部分(第2/7 页)

falo　and　playing　on　a　short　flute。

〃If　I　were　only　as　happy！〃　sighed　Liu　Bei。

He　checked　his　horse　and　looked　at　the　lad；　who　stopped　his　beast；　ceased　playing　on　the　pipe；　and　stared　fixedly　at　the　stranger。

〃You　must　be　Liu　Bei；　the　general　who　fought　the　Yellow　Scarves；〃　said　the　boy　presently。

Liu　Bei　was　taken　aback。

〃How　can　you　know　my　name；　a　young　rustic　like　you　living　in　such　a　secluded　place？〃　said　he。

〃Of　course　I　do　not　know　you；　but　my　master　often　has　visitors；　and　they　all　talk　about　Liu　Bei；　the　tall　man　whose　hands　hang　down　below　his　knees　and　whose　eyes　are　very　prominent。　They　say　he　is　the　most　famous　man　of　the　day。　Now　you；　General；　are　just　such　a　man　as　they　talk　about；　and　surely　you　are　he。〃

〃Well；　who　is　your　master？〃

〃My　master's　name　is　Sima　Hui。　He　belongs　to　Yingchuan　and　his　Taoist　appellation　is　Water　Mirror。〃

〃Who　are　your　master's　friends　that　you　mentioned？〃

〃They　are　Pang　Degong　and　Pang　Tong　of　Xiangyang。〃

〃And　who　are　they？〃

〃Uncle　and　nephew。　Pang　Degong　is　ten　years　older　than　my　master；　the　other　is　five　years　younger。　One　day　my　master　was　up　in　a　tree　picking　mulberries　when　Pang　Tong　arrived。　They　began　to　talk　and　kept　it　up　all　day；　my　master　did　not　e　down　till　the　evening。　My　master　is　very　fond　of　Pang　Tong　and　calls　him　brother。〃

〃And　where　does　your　master　live？〃

〃In　that　wood　there；　in　front；〃　said　the　cowherd　pointing　to　it。　〃There　he　has　a　farmstead。〃

〃I　really　am　Liu　Bei；　and　you　might　lead　me　to　your　master　that　I　may　salute　him。〃

The　cowherd　led　the　way　for　about　one　mile；　when　Liu　Bei　found　himself　in　front　of　a　farm　house。　He　dismounted　and　went　to　the　center　door。　Suddenly　came　to　his　ear　the　soun