第57部分(第4/7 页)

　to　let　the　man　escape。　The　man　found　his　opportunity；　crept　out　of　camp；　and　went　over　to　the　enemy；　to　whom　he　betrayed　the　plan　of　a　night　attack。　As　the　man　bore　signs　of　savage　punishment；　Liu　Dai　was　the　more　disposed　to　credit　his　desertion　and　tale。　So　Liu　Dai　made　his　arrangements；　putting　the　greater　part　of　his　troops　in　ambush　outside　his　camp　so　that　it　was　empty。

That　night；　having　divided　his　army　into　three　parties；　Zhang　Fei　went　to　attack　the　camp。　A　few　men　were　ordered　to　advance　directly；　dash　in　and　set　fire　going。　Two　larger　bodies　of　troops　were　to　go　round　to　the　rear　of　the　camp　and　attack　when　they　saw　the　fire　well　started。　At　the　third　watch；　Zhang　Fei；　with　his　veterans；　went　to　cut　off　Liu　Dai's　road　to　the　rear。

The　thirty　men　told　off　to　start　a　conflagration　made　their　way　into　the　camp　and　were　successful。　When　the　flames　arose；　the　ambushing　troops　rushed　out　but　only　to　find　themselves　attacked　on　both　sides。　This　confused　them；　and　as　they　knew　nothing　of　the　number　of　their　assailants；　they　were　panic　stricken　and　scattered。

Liu　Dai；　with　a　pany　of　footmen　got　clear　of　the　fight　and　fled；　but　he　went　straight　toward　Zhang　Fei。　Escape　was　impossible；　and　the　two　men　rode　up　each　to　attack　the　other。　Zhang　Fei　captured　his　opponent；　and　the　men　surrendered。　Zhang　Fei　sent　news　of　this　success　to　his　brothers。

Liu　Bei　said；　〃Hitherto　Zhang　Fei　has　been　rather　violent；　but　this　time　he　has　acted　wisely；　and　I　am　very　pleased。〃

They　rode　out　to　wele　Zhang　Fei。

〃You　said　I　was　too　rough。　How　now？〃　said　Zhang　Fei　to　his　brothers。

〃If　I　had　not　put　you　on　your　mettle；　you　would　not　have　evolved　this　stratagem；〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Zhang　Fei　laughed。　Then　appeared　the　captive　Liu　Dai；　in　bon