第47部分(第3/7 页)

f　their　way　from　the　scene　of　his　defeat；　he　heard　someone　ing　up　behind　him。　When　he　got　closer　the　person　proved　to　be　Sun　Qian。

〃Alas！　I　know　not　the　fate　of　my　brothers；　whether　they　be　alive　or　dead；　and　my　wife　and　children　are　lost　to　me！　What　can　I　do？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Sun　Qian　replied；　〃I　see　nothing　better　than　getting　away　to　Cao　Cao；　whence　we　may　be　able　to　plan　our　future　moves。〃

Liu　Bei　had　no　better　plan　to　propose；　and　the　two　men　directed　their　way　to　Xuchang；　choosing　by…roads　rather　than　highways。　When　their　small　supplies　ran　out；　they　entered　a　village　to　beg。　But　when　the　people　of　any　place　heard　that　Liu　Bei　of　Yuzhou　was　the　man　who　needed　help；　they　vied　with　each　other　in　offering　all　that　was　required。

One　day　they　sought　shelter　at　a　house　whence　a　youth　came　out　and　made　a　low　obeisance。　They　asked　his　name　and　he　gave　it　as　Liu　An；　of　a　well　known　family　of　hunters。　Hearing　who　the　visitor　was；　the　hunter　wished　to　lay　before　him　a　dish　of　game；　but　though　he　sought　for　a　long　time；　nothing　could　be　found　for　the　table。　So　Liu　An　came　home；　killed　his　wife　and　prepared　a　portion　for　his　guest。

While　eating　Liu　Bei　asked；　〃What　flesh　is　it？〃

Liu　An　told　him：　〃Wolf。〃

Liu　Bei　knew　no　better　and　ate　his　fill。　Next　day　at　daylight；　just　as　Liu　Bei　was　leaving；　he　went　to　the　stables　in　the　rear　to　get　his　horse　and　passing　through　the　kitchen；　he　saw　the　dead　body　of　a　woman　lying　on　the　table。　The　flesh　of　one　arm　had　been　cut　away。　Quite　startled　he　asked　what　this　meant；　and　then　he　knew　what　he　had　eaten　the　night　before。　He　was　deeply　sorry　at　this　proof　of　his　host's　regard　and　the　tears　rained　down　as　he　mounted　his　steed　at　the　gate。

〃I　wish　I　could　go　with　you；〃　said　Liu　An；　〃but　a