第281部分(第3/7 页)

　way；　they　had　only　two　thousand　soldiers　left。　Before　them　stood　a　range　named　Heaven　Cliffs；　which　no　horse　could　ascend。　Deng　Ai　climbed　up　on　foot　to　see　his　son　and　the　troops　with　him　opening　up　a　road。　They　were　exhausted　with　fatigue　and　weeping。

Deng　Ai　asked　why　they　were　so　sad；　and　his　son　replied；　〃We　have　found　an　impassable　precipice　away　to　the　northwest　which　we　cannot　get　through。　All　our　labor　has　been　in　vain。〃

Deng　Ai　said；　〃We　have　got　over　two　hundred　and　fifty　miles；　and　just　beyond　is　Jiangyou。　We　cannot　go　back。　How　can　one　get　tiger　cubs　except　by　going　into　tiger　caves？　Here　we　are；　and　it　will　be　a　very　great　feat　to　capture　Chengdu。〃

They　all　said　they　would　go　on。　So　they　came　to　the　precipice。　First　they　threw　over　their　weapons；　then　the　leader　wrapped　himself　in　blankets　and　rolled　over　the　edge；　next　the　generals　followed　him；　also　wrapped　in　blankets。　Those　who　had　not　blankets　were　let　down　by　cords　round　the　waist；　and　others　clinging　to　trees　followed　one　after　another　till　all　had　descended　and　the　Heaven　Cliffs　was　passed。　Then　they　retook　their　armor　and　weapons　and　went　on　their　way。

They　came　across　a　stone　by　the　roadside。　It　bore　a　mysterious　inscription；　translated　literally　it　read：

＇e＇　Two　Lius　were　just　founded；　armies　pass　by　here。　Deng　Ai　and　Zhong　Hui　pete；　both　soon　die。

〃This　stone　is　a　message　of　Zhuge　Liang　the　Prime　Minister：　Two　fires　were　just　founded；　armies　pass　by　here。　Two　soldiers　pete；　both　soon　die。〃*

Deng　Ai　was　astonished。　Presently　he　bowed　before　the　stone　and　prayed　to　the　spirit　of　Zhuge　Liang。

〃O　Martial　Lord；　immortal！　I　grieve　that　I　am　not　thy　worthy　disciple。〃

The　rugged　lofty　mountain　peaks

Of　Yinping；　pierce　the　sky；