第8部分(第5/7 页)

　him　to　put　up　his　hands　and　e　over　to　your　side。〃

Dong　Zhuo　was　delighted　and　gazed　admiringly　at　the　speaker。　It　was　Li　Su；　a　general　in　the　Imperial　Tiger　Army。

〃What　arguments　will　you　use　with　him？〃　asked　Dong　Zhuo。

〃You　have　a　fine　horse；　Red　Hare；　one　of　the　best　ever　bred。　I　must　have　this　steed；　and　gold　and　pearls　to　win　his　heart。　Then　will　I　go　and　persuade　him。　He　will　certainly　abandon　Ding　Yuan's　service　for　yours。〃

〃What　think　you？〃　said　Dong　Zhuo　to　his　adviser　Li　Ru。

〃One　cannot　grudge　a　horse　to　win　an　empire；〃　was　the　reply。

So　they　gave　Li　Su　what　he　demanded………a　thousand　ounces　of　gold；　ten　strings　of　beautiful　pearls；　a　jeweled　belt；　and　Red　Hare………and　these　acpanied　Li　Su　on　his　visit　to　his　fellow　villager。

Li　Su　reached　the　camp　and　said　to　the　guard；　〃Please　tell　General　Lu　Bu　that　a　very　old　friend　has　e　to　visit　him。〃

He　was　admitted　forthwith。

〃Worthy　brother；　have　you　been　well　since　we　last　met？〃　greeted　Li　Su　while　bowing。

〃How　long　it　is　since　we　last　saw　each　other！〃　replied　Lu　Bu；　bowing　in　return。　〃And　where　are　you　now？〃

〃I　am　a　general　in　the　Imperial　Tiger　Army。　When　I　learned　you　were　a　strong　supporter　of　the　Throne；　I　could　not　say　how　I　rejoiced。　I　have　e　now　to　present　to　you　a　really　fine　horse；　a　five…hundred…mile…a…day　horse；　one　that　crosses　rivers　and　goes　up　mountains　as　if　they　were　the　level　plain。　Its　name　is　Red　Hare。　It　will　be　a　fitting　aid　to　your　valor。〃

Lu　Bu　bade　his　guards　lead　out　the　horse。　It　was　of　a　uniform　color　like　glowing…sun　red………not　a　hair　of　another　color。　It　measured　ten　spans　from　head　to　tail　and　from　hoof　to　neck　eight　spans。　When　it　neighed；　the　sound　filled　the　empyrean　and　shook　the　ocean。

Mark　ye　th