第69部分(第3/7 页)

st　came　running　out；　saying；　〃It　was　not　with　my　consent　that　my　son　did　this　evil　thing。　I　know　he　is　very　guilty　and　deserves　death。　But　his　mother　loves　him　tenderly；　and　I　pray　you　be　generous　and　pardon　him！〃

〃Really　he　is　unworthy　of　his　father；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃What　you　told　me　shows　he　is　a　degenerate。　For　your　sake　I　pardon　him。〃

Then　Guan　Yu　told　his　own　people　to　keep　a　better　lookout；　sent　the　people　about　their　business　and；　in　pany　with　Sun　Qian；　went　away　to　rest。

Next　morning　both　the　host　and　hostess　were　up　betimes　waiting　to　thank　Guan　Yu　for　forgiving　their　son's　mad　freak。

〃My　son　has　insulted　your　tiger　dignity；　I　know；　and　I　am　deeply　affected　by　your　kindness　in　not　punishing　him；〃　said　the　old　man。

〃Bring　him　here　and　I　will　talk　to　him；〃　said　Guan　Yu。

〃He　went　out　before　daylight　with　a　lot　of　his　fellow　rogues；　and　I　know　not　where　he　is。〃

So　Guan　Yu　bade　them　farewell；　got　the　ladies　into　their　carriage；　and　they　moved　out　of　the　farmyard。　Guan　Yu　and　Sun　Qian　riding　abreast　as　escort。　They　took　the　road　toward　the　hills。

Before　they　had　gone　far；　they　saw　a　large　party　of　men；　led　by　a　couple　of　riders；　pouring　down　one　of　the　gullies。　One　of　the　riders　wore　a　yellow　turban　and　a　battle　robe。　The　other　was　Guo　Chang's　son。

The　wearer　of　the　turban　called　out；　saying；　〃I　am　one　of　the　manders　of　Zhang　Jue　the　Lord　of　Heaven。　Whoever　you　may　be；　leave　that　horse　you　are　riding　for　me。　You　may　then　go　free！〃

Guan　Yu　greeted　the　speech　with　a　hearty　laugh。

〃O　you　mad　ignoramus！　If　you　had　ever　been　with　Zhang　Jue　as　a　bandit；　you　would　have　learned　to　know　Liu　Bei；　Guan　Yu；　and　Zhang　Fei；　the　three　brothers。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　the　ruddy　long　beard　called　Guan　Yu；　b