第40部分(第2/7 页)

n；〃　said　the　host。　〃Do　not　take　it　amiss。〃

Liu　Bei；　being　quite　ignorant　of　his　intentions；　was　very　uneasy。　Presently　his　fellow　guest　entered。　Seeing　Liu　Bei　in　the　tent；　and　in　the　seat　of　honor；　Ji　Ling　was　puzzled；　hesitated　and　tried　to　withdraw。　But　the　attendants　prevented　this　and　Lu　Bu；　advancing；　laid　hold　of　him　and　drew　him　into　the　tent　as　if　he　had　been　a　child。

〃Do　you　wish　to　slay　me？〃　asked　Ji　Ling。

〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　Lu　Bu。

〃Then　you　are　going　to　slay　Long…Ears？〃

〃No；　not　that。〃

〃Then　what　does　it　mean？〃

〃Liu　Bei　and　I　are　brothers。　Now；　General；　you　are　besieging　him；　and　so　I　have　e　to　the　rescue。〃

〃Then　slay　me；〃　said　Ji　Ling。

〃There　would　be　no　sense　in　that。　All　my　life　I　have　disliked　fighting　and　quarrels；　but　have　loved　making　peace。　And　now　I　want　to　settle　the　quarrel　between　you　two。〃

〃May　I　ask　how　you　think　of　doing　so？〃

〃I　have　a　means　and　one　approved　of　Heaven　itself。〃

Then　Lu　Bu　drew　Ji　Ling　within　the　tent　and　led　him　up　to　Liu　Bei。　The　two　men　faced　each　other；　full　of　mutual　suspicion；　but　their　host　placed　himself　between　them　and　they　took　their　seats；　Liu　Bei　on　the　right　hand　of　the　host。

The　banquet　began。　After　a　number　of　courses　almost　in　silence；　Lu　Bu　spoke；　saying；　〃I　wish　you　two　gentlemen　to　listen　to　me　and　put　an　end　to　your　strife。〃

Liu　Bei　made　no　reply；　but　Ji　Ling　said；　〃I　have　e　with　an　army　of　one　hundred　thousand　at　the　express　bidding　of　my　master　to　take　Liu　Bei。　How　can　I　cease　the　strife？　I　must　fight。〃

〃What！〃　exclaimed　Zhang　Fei　drawing　his　sword。　〃Few　as　we　are；　we　regard　you　no　more　than　a　lot　of　children。　What　are　you　pared　with　a　million　Yellow　Scarves？　You　dare　hurt　our　brother！〃

Guan　Y