第139部分(第3/7 页)

a　battle　began　which　went　against　Cao　Cao's　troops　from　the　first。　They　fell　fast；　but　some　of　them　cut　an　alley　through　the　press　and　made　for　the　Pass。　Their　enemies　flooded　into　the　Pass　in　close　pursuit；　and　they　had　to　abandon　their　post　and　flee　whither　they　could　find　a　way。

Pang　De　pursued　after　Cao　Hong；　but　Cao　Ren　came　to　his　rescue　and　they　both　fled。　Ma　Chao　and　Pang　De　took　the　Pass。

Cao　Hong　made　all　haste　to　his　master　to　give　him　the　evil　tidings。

〃When　I　gave　you　the　limit　of　ten　days；　why　did　you　leave　the　Pass　on　the　ninth？〃

〃Those　soldiers　from　Xiliang　hurled　every　sort　of　insult　at　us；〃　replied　Cao　Hong。　〃And　when　I　thought　I　had　them　unprepared；　I　took　the　opportunity。　But　I　fell　victim　to　their　cunning。〃

〃You　are　young　and　impetuous。　But；　Xu　Huang；　you　ought　to　have　known。〃

Xu　Huang　said；　〃He　would　not　listen；　though　I　told　him　many　times。　And　that　day　I　was　taking　in　stores　in　another　part　of　the　Pass。　As　soon　as　they　told　me；　I　felt　sure　there　would　be　some　misfortune；　and　so　I　hastened　after　him；　but　it　was　too　late。〃

Cao　Cao　was　annoyed　and　ordered　Cao　Hong　to　be　put　to　death。　But　his　colleague　officers　begged　that　he　might　be　pardoned；　and　as　he　had　confessed　his　fault；　he　was　allowed　to　go　free　and　unpunished。

Cao　Cao　advanced　to　Tong　Pass。

Cao　Ren　said；　〃We　should　establish　a　strong　stockade　before　attacking。〃

So　trees　were　felled　and　a　strong　stockade　built。　They　made　three　camps：　Cao　Ren　was　in　the　left；　Xiahou　Yuan；　the　right；　and　Cao　Cao　himself　was　in　the　center　one。

Soon　after；　Cao　Cao　and　all　his　officers　in　a　body　rushed　to　attack　the　Pass。　They　ran　against　the　Xiliang　troops　posted　on　two　sides；　halted　and　formed　their　array。　This　done；　Cao　Cao　rode　to　th