第96部分(第2/7 页)

ng；　〃My　mother　cannot　bear　the　sight　of　me。　My　very　life　is　in　danger。　Can　you　not　save　me；　Uncle？〃

〃My　worthy　nephew；　this　is　a　family　affair。　You　should　not　e　to　me。〃

Zhuge　Liang　who　was　present；　smiled。　Liu　Bei　turned　to　him　to　know　what　he　should　do。

〃This　is　a　family　affair。　I　cannot　touch　it！〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang。

The　young　man　soon　left；　and　when　Liu　Bei　was　saying　good…bye；　he　whispered；　〃I　will　get　Zhuge　Liang　to　return　your　call；　and　you　can　do　so　and　so。　He　will　advise　you。〃

Liu　Qi　thanked　him　and　left。　Next　day　when　the　call　was　to　be　returned；　Liu　Bei　pretended　to　be　suffering　from　colic　and　made　that　an　excuse　to　send　Zhuge　Liang　to　return　the　call。

The　adviser　went；　and　when　he　had　reached　the　palace；　dismounted；　and　was　led　in；　Liu　Qi　conducted　him　into　one　of　the　inner　rooms。

When　the　tea　had　been　brought；　Liu　Qi　said；　〃I　am　an　object　of　my　stepmother's　dislike。　Can　you　advise　me　what　to　do？〃

〃As　a　mere　stranger　guest；　I　can　hardly　have　anything　to　do　with　your　own　'bone　and　flesh'　matters。　If　I　did；　and　the　story　got　abroad；　much　harm　might　ensue。〃

With　this　he　rose　to　take　leave。

But　Liu　Qi　was　unwilling　to　say　farewell；　and　he　said；　〃Your　glory　has　turned　in　my　direction。　You　cannot　mean　to　go　away　so　pointlessly。〃

Liu　Qi　led　his　visitor　into　a　private　chamber　and　had　refreshments　brought。　While　they　ate　and　drank；　Liu　Qi　repeated　his　first　request：　What　was　he　to　do　since　his　stepmother　disliked　him。

〃It　is　not　the　sort　of　thing　I　can　advise　in；〃　replied　Zhuge　Liang；　as　he　rose　for　the　second　time　to　take　leave。

〃Master；　if　you　will　not　reply；　that　is　well。　But　why　incontinently　leave　me？〃

So　the　adviser　once　more　seated　himself；　and　Liu　Qi　said；　〃There