第162部分(第3/7 页)

e　of　Wei　to　get　the　Empress's　seal；〃　said　Chi　Lu。

The　Emperor　grew　alarmed。　When　Chi　Lu　reached　the　apartments　of　the　Empress；　she　had　just　risen。　Chi　Lu　ordered　to　take　the　seal　of　the　Empress　and　went　away。

As　soon　as　the　Empress　knew　of　this；　she　recognized　her　danger　and　hid　herself　in　the　hollow　walls　of　her　private　apartments　behind　one　of　the　ceremonial　halls。　She　had　not　been　long　in　hiding　when　Hua　Xin　with　a　pany　of　five　hundred　armed　soldiers　appeared　and　asked　where　she　was。　The　Palace　people　said　they　did　not　know。　The　red　doors　of　the　hall　were　burst　open；　and　Hua　Xin　looked　in；　but　he　saw　no　lady　there。　It　occurred　to　him　where　she　might　be　hidden；　and　he　ordered　his　men　to　break　open　the　wall。　With　his　own　hands；　he　laid　hold　of　the　lady's　hair　and　dragged　her　forth。

〃Spare　my　life！〃　pleaded　she。

〃You　may　say　what　you　have　to　say　to　the　Duke！〃　cried　he。

She　pulled　down　her　hair　and　kicked　off　her　shoes；　but　a　couple　of　soldiers　pushed　her　along　in　front　of　them　outside。

It　may　be　said　here　that　this　Hua　Xin　had　a　reputation　for　learning。　He　and　two　others；　Bing　Yuan　and　Guan　Ning；　all　good　friends；　made　a　little　coterie　which　was　known　as　〃The　Dragon〃。　Hua　Xin　was　the　〃head〃；　Bing　Yuan；　the　〃belly〃；　and　Guan　Ning；　the　〃tail〃。　One　day　Guan　Ning　and　Hua　Xin　were　hoeing　in　their　garden　to　grow　some　vegetables；　when　they　turned　up　an　ingot　of　gold。　Guan　Ning　went　on　with　his　labors　without　giving　a　second　glance　at　the　find；　but　Hua　Xin　picked　it　up。　After　regarding　it　a　moment；　he　threw　it　away　again。

Another　day　Guan　Ning　and　Hua　Xin　were　reading　together　when　there　arose　a　great　shouting　outside　the　window　of　the　study。　A　minister　from　the　Palace　was　passing。　Guan　Ning　took　no　notice；　but　kept　his　eyes　on　h