第274部分(第3/7 页)

　the　following　day　was　sent　to　Deng　Ai；　who　accepted　it　joyfully。

Next　day　the　two　armies　were　arrayed　in　front　of　the　Qishan　Mountains。　The　troops　of　Shu　arrayed　according　to　the　〃Eight　Formations〃　designed　by　Zhuge　Liang；　which　are　called　Heaven；　Earth；　Wind；　Cloud；　Bird；　Serpent；　Dragon；　and　Tiger。　While　the　maneuver　was　in　progress；　Deng　Ai　recognized　it　as　the　Eight　Gates　Formation　and　placed　his　troops　accordingly。

Jiang　Wei　then　gripped　his　spear　and　rode　out；　saying；　〃You　have　made　a　good　imitation　of　my　eight；　but　can　you　work　variations？〃

〃You　call　these　yours！　Did　you　think　that　you　alone　held　the　secret？　Since　I　have　made　it；　of　course　I　know　the　variations。〃

Deng　Ai　reentered　his　ranks；　gave　the　signal　officers　certain　orders；　and　the　eight　gates　were　evolved　in　rapid　succession　into　sixty…four　gates。　Then　he　rode　to　the　front　again。

〃What　of　my　evolution？〃　asked　Deng　Ai。

〃Not　so　bad。　Would　you　like　to　try　a　surrounding　move　with　me？〃　replied　Jiang　Wei。

〃Why　not？〃

The　two　armies　moved　in　orderly　ranks。　Deng　Ai　stood　in　the　midst　of　his　army　giving　the　necessary　orders。　Then　the　clash　came；　but　his　tactics　did　not　grip。　Then　Jiang　Wei　waved　a　certain　signal　flag；　and　his　force　suddenly　assumed　the　form　of　a　serpent　coiled　on　the　ground　with　Deng　Ai　in　the　center。　Shouts　arose　all　about　him；　and　Deng　Ai　could　not　understand　what　had　happened　and　began　to　feel　afraid。　Gradually　the　troops　of　Shu　closed　in　upon　him；　and　he　saw　no　way　of　escape。

〃Deng　Ai；　you　must　surrender！〃　cried　the　soldiers。

〃Indeed　a　moment　of　pride　had　led　me　into　the　trap　of　Jiang　Wei！〃　he　sighed。

Suddenly　from　the　northwest　a　cohort　dashed　in。　To　Deng　Ai's　great　joy　they　were　soldiers　of　Wei；　and　they　forced　ove