第90部分(第1/7 页)

〃After　you　are　gone；　I　shall　only　bury　myself　in　the　hills　and　hide　in　the　forests；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Xu　Shu　said；　〃I　had　in　my　heart　for　you　the　position　of　leader　of　the　chieftains；　but　my　plans　have　been　altogether　upset　by　my　mother。　I　have　been　of　no　advantage　to　you；　nor　should　I　do　any　good　by　remaining。　But　you　ought　to　seek　some　person　of　lofty　wisdom　to　help　you　in　your　great　enterprise。　It　is　unseemly　to　be　downcast。〃

〃I　shall　find　none　to　help　better　than　you；　my　master。〃

〃How　can　I　permit　such　extravagant　praise？〃　said　Xu　Shu。　〃I　am　only　a　useless　blockhead。〃

As　he　moved　off；　he　said　to　the　followers；　〃Officers；　I　hope　you　will　render　the　Princely　One　good　service；　whereby　to　write　his　name　large　in　the　country's　annals　and　cause　his　fame　to　glow　in　the　pages　of　history。　Do　not　be　like　me；　a　person　who　has　left　his　work　half　done。〃

They　were　all　deeply　affected。　Liu　Bei　could　not　bring　himself　to　part　from　his　friend。　He　escorted　him　a　little　further；　and　yet　a　little　further；　till　Xu　Shu　said；　〃I　will　not　trouble　you；　O　Princely　One；　to　e　further。　Let　us　say　our　farewell　here。〃

Liu　Bei　dismounted；　took　Xu　Shu　by　the　hands；　and　said；　〃Alas！　We　part。　Each　goes　his　way；　and　who　knows　if　we　shall　meet　again？〃

His　tears　fell　like　rain　and　Xu　Shu　wept　also。　But　the　last　goodbyes　were　said。　When　the　traveler　had　gone；　Liu　Bei　stood　gazing　after　the　little　party　and　watched　it　slowly　disappear。　At　the　last　glimpse　he　broke　into　lamentation。

〃He　is　gone！　What　shall　I　do？〃

One　of　the　trees　shut　out　the　traveler　from　his　sight；　and　Liu　Bei　pointed　at　it；　saying；　〃Wish　that　I　could　cut　down　every　tree　in　the　countryside！〃

〃Why？〃　said　his　officers。

〃Because　they　hinder　my　sight　of　Xu　Shu。〃