第10部分(第3/7 页)

　his　friends　gathered　there。　When　the　wine　had　made　a　few　rounds；　the　host　suddenly　covered　his　face　and　began　to　weep。

The　guests　were　aghast。

〃Sir；　on　your　birthday　too；　why　do　you　weep？〃　said　they。

〃It　is　not　my　birthday；〃　replied　Wang　Yun。　〃But　I　wished　to　call　you　together；　and　I　feared　lest　Dong　Zhuo　should　suspect；　so　I　made　that　the　excuse。　This　man　insults　the　Emperor　and　does　as　he　wishes　so　that　the　imperial　prerogatives　are　in　imminent　peril。　I　think　of　the　days　when　our　illustrious　founder　destroyed　the　Qin；　annihilated　Chu；　and　obtained　the　empire。　Who　could　have　foreseen　this　day　when　that　Dong　Zhuo　has　subjugated　all　to　his　will？　That　is　why　I　weep。〃

Then　they　all　wept　with　him。

Seated　among　the　guests；　however；　was　Cao　Cao；　who　did　not　join　in　the　weeping　but　clapped　his　hands　and　laughed　aloud。

〃If　all　the　officers　of　the　government　weep　till　dawn；　and　from　dawn　weep　till　dark；　will　that　slay　Dong　Zhuo？〃　said　Cao　Cao。

Wang　Yun　turned　on　him　angrily。

〃Your　forbears　ate　the　bounty　of　the　Hans。　Do　you　feel　no　gratitude？　You　can　laugh？〃

〃I　laughed　at　the　absurdity　of　an　assembly　like　this　being　unable　to　pass　the　death　of　one　man。　Foolish　and　incapable　as　I　am；　I　will　cut　off　his　head　and　hang　it　at　the　gate　as　an　offering　to　the　people。〃

Wang　Yun　left　his　seat　and　went　over　to　Cao　Cao。

〃These　later　days；〃　Cao　Cao　continued；　〃I　have　bowed　my　head　to　Dong　Zhuo　with　the　sole　desire　of　finding　a　chance　to　destroy　him。　Now　he　begins　to　trust　me；　and　so　I　can　approach　him　sometimes。　You　have　a　sword　with　seven　precious　jewels　which　I　would　borrow；　and　I　will　go　into　his　palace　and　kill　him。　I　care　not　if　I　die　for　it。〃

〃What　good　fortune　for　the　world　that　this　is　so！〃　said　Wang