第136部分(第5/7 页)

ied；　〃Yes；　I　know　him　by　reputation。　Let　him　e。〃

Whereupon　Pang　Tong　was　invited　to　the　palace　and　introduced。　The　formal　salutations　over；　Sun　Quan　was　disappointed　with　the　man's　appearance；　which　was　indeed　extraordinary。　Pang　Tong　had　bushy　eyebrows；　a　turned…up　nose；　and　a　stubby　beard。　So　Sun　Quan　was　prejudiced　against　Pang　Tong。

〃What　have　you　studied；〃　asked　Sun　Quan；　〃and　what　are　you　master　of？〃

Pang　Tong　replied；　〃One　must　not　be　narrow　and　obstinate；　one　must　change　with　circumstances。〃

〃How　does　your　learning　pare　with　that　of　Zhou　Yu？〃　asked　Sun　Quan。

〃My　learning　is　not　to　be　pared　with　his　in　the　least。　Mine　is　far　greater。〃

Now　Sun　Quan　had　always　loved　his　late　general；　and　he　could　not　bear　to　hear　him　disparaged。　This　speech　of　Pang　Tong　only　increased　his　dislike。

So　Sun　Quan　said；　〃You　may　retire；　Sir。　I　will　send　for　you　when　I　can　employ　you。〃

Pang　Tong　uttered　one　long　sigh　and　went　away。

When　he　had　gone；　Lu　Su　said；　〃My　lord；　why　not　employ　him？〃

〃What　good　would　result？　He　is　just　one　of　those　mad　fellows。〃

〃He　did　good　service　at　the　Red　Cliffs　fight；　however；　for　it　was　he　who　got　Cao　Cao　to　chain　his　ships　together。〃

〃It　was　simply　that　Cao　Cao　wished　to　chain　his　ships　together。　No　credit　was　due　to　this　fellow。　In　any　case　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　will　not　employ　him。　That　much　is　certain。〃

Lu　Su　went　out　and　explained　to　Pang　Tong　that　the　failure　was　not　due　to　lack　of　remendation；　but　simply　a　whim　of　Sun　Quan；　and　he　must　put　up　with　it。　The　disappointed　suitor　hung　his　head　and　sighed　many　times　without　speaking。

〃I　fear　you　are　doomed　to　constant　disappointment　here；〃　said　Lu　Su。　〃There　is　nothing　you　can　hope　for；　eh？〃

But　st