第63部分(第3/7 页)

Lady　Mi；　and　we　think　he　must　be　dead。　So　we　weep。〃

〃Dreams　are　not　to　be　credited；〃　he　replied。　〃You　dreamed　of　him　because　you　were　thinking　of　him。　Pray　do　not　grieve。〃

Just　then　Guan　Yu　was　invited　to　another　banquet；　so　he　took　leave　of　the　ladies　and　went。　Seeing　Guan　Yu　looked　sad　and　tearful；　his　host　asked　the　reason。

〃My　sisters…in…law　have　been　weeping　for　my　brother；　and　I　cannot　help　being　sad　in　sympathy。〃

Cao　Cao　smiled　and　tried　to　cheer　up　his　guest。　Cao　Cao　plied　Guan　Yu　with　wine　so　that　Guan　Yu　became　quite　intoxicated　and　sat　stroking　his　beard　and　saying；　〃What　a　useless　thing　am　I！　I　could　do　no　service　for　my　country；　and　I　have　parted　from　my　elder　brother。〃

〃How　many　hairs　in　your　beard？〃　suddenly　asked　his　host。

〃Some　hundreds；　perhaps。　In　the　autumn　a　few　fall　out；　but　in　the　winter　it　is　fullest。　Then　I　use　a　black　silk　bag　to　keep　the　hairs　from　being　broken；〃　replied　Guan　Yu。

Cao　Cao　had　a　bag　made　for　him　to　protect　his　beard。　Soon　after　when　they　were　at　court；　the　Emperor　asked　what　was　the　bag　he　saw　on　Guan　Yu's　breast。

〃My　beard　is　rather　long；　Your　Majesty；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃So　the　Prime　Minister　gave　me　a　bag　to　protect　it。〃

The　Emperor　bade　him　take　off　the　bag　and　show　his　beard　in　all　its　fullness　and　it　fell　in　rippling　waves　below　his　breast。

〃Really　a　most　beautiful　beard！〃　said　the　Emperor。

This　is　why　people　call　him：　〃The　Man　with　the　Beautiful　Beard。〃

Another　time；　after　a　banquet；　Cao　Cao　was　seeing　his　guest　start　from　the　gate　of　his　palace　when　he　noticed　that　his　charger　was　very　thin。

〃Why　is　it　so　thin？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

〃My　worthless　body　is　rather　heavy　and　really　too　much　for　it。　It　is　always　out　of　condition。〃

Ca