三国演义英文版-第187章

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〃I　lament　your　abandon；　when　your　false　friend；　Jiang　Gan；　came　to　you　at　Poyang　Lake。　There　you　manifested　your　lofty　ideals。
〃I　lament　your　magnificent　talents；　proved　in　civil　administration　as　in　military　science。　With　fire　attacking　the　fierce　enemy　at　the　Red　Cliffs；　you　brought　his　strength　to　weakness。
〃I　recall　you　as　you　were　but　yesterday；　bold　and　successful；　and　I　weep　your　untimely　death。　Prostrate　I　weep　tears　of　sorrow。　Loyal　and　upright　in　heart；　noble　and　spiritual　by　nature；　your　life　has　been　but　three　decades；　but　your　fame　will　endure　for　ages。
〃I　mourn　for　your　affection。　My　bowels　writhe　with　sorrow；　and　my　deep…seated　sadness　will　never　cease。　The　very　heavens　are　darkened；　the　army　is　sad；　your　lord　sheds　tears；　your　friends　weep　floods。
〃Scanty　of　ability　am　I；　yet　even　of　me　you　begged　plans　and　sought　schemes　to　aid　the　South　Land　to　repulse　Cao　Cao；　to　restore　the　Hans　and　fort　the　Lius。　But　with　you　as　the　firm　corner　stone　and　your　perfect　dispositions；　could　the　final　result　cause　any　anxiety？
〃Alas；　my　friend！　The　quick　and　the　dead　are　ever　separate；　they　mingle　never。　If　in　the　deep　shades　spirits　have　understanding；　you　now　read　my　inmost　heart；　yet　hereafter　there　will　be　none　on　earth　to　prehend。
〃Alas；　the　pain！
〃Deign　to　accept　this　my　sacrifice。〃
The　sacrifice　finished；　Zhuge　Liang　bowed　to　the　ground　and　keened　while　his　tears　gushed　forth　in　floods。　He　was　deeply　moved。
Those　who　stood　on　guard　by　the　bier　said　one　to　another；　〃People　lied　when　they　said　these　two　were　enemies。　Look　at　the　sincerity　shown　in　sacrifice。〃
And　Lu　Su　was　particularly　affected　by　the　display　of　feeling　and　thought；　〃Plainly　Zhuge　Liang　loved　Zhou　Yu　much；　but　Zhou　Yu　was　not　broadminded　enough　and　would　have　done　Zhuge　Liang　to　death。〃

Before　Sleeping　Dragon　emerged　from　his　Nanyang　retreat；
A　brilliant　man　had　descended　upon　this　earth；
Since；　O　Azure　Heaven；　ye　made　Zhou　Yu；
Why　needed　Yellow　Earth　produce　an　Zhuge　Liang？

Lu　Su　gave　a　banquet　for　Zhuge　Liang　after　which　the　guest　left。
Just　as　Zhuge　Liang　was　embarking；　his　arm　was　clutched　by　a　person　in　Taoist　dress　who　said　with　a　smile；　〃You　exasperated　literally　to　death　the　man　whose　body　lies　up　there。　To　e　here　as　a　mourner　is　an　open　insult　to　the　South　Land。　It　is　as　good　as　to　say　they　have　no　other　left。〃
Zhuge　Liang　turned　to　look；　and　he　saw　it　was　no　other　than　Pang　Tong；　or　the　Young　Phoenix。　Then　Zhuge　Liang　laughed　in　his　turn；　and　they　two　hand　in　hand　went　down　into　the　ship；　where　they　talked　heart　to　heart　for　a　long　time。
Before　leaving；　Zhuge　Liang　gave　his　friend　a　letter　and　said；　〃I　do　not　think　that　Sun　Quan　will　use　you　as　you　merit。　If　you　find　life　here　distasteful；　then　you　may　e　to　Jingzhou　and　help　to　support　my　master。　He　is　liberal　and　virtuous　and　will　not　disdain　what　you　have　spent　your　life　in　learning。〃
Then　they　parted；　and　Zhuge　Liang　went　alone　to　Jingzhou。
Lu　Su　had　the　coffin　of　Zhou　Yu　taken　to　Wuhu；　where　Sun　Quan　received　it　with　sacrifices　and　lamentations。　The　dead　leader　was　buried　in　his　native　place。
Zhou　Yu's　family　consisted　of　two　sons　and　a　daughter；　the　children　being　named　Zhou　Xun；　Zhou　Yin；　and　Zhou　Ying。　Sun　Quan　treated　them　with　generosity　and　tenderness。
Lu　Su　was　not　satisfied　that　he　was　the　fittest　successor　to　his　late　chief　and　said；　〃Zhou　Yu　was　not　right　in　remending　me；　for　I　have　not　the　requisite　ability　and　am　unfitted　for　this　post。　But　I　can　mend　to　you　a　certain　able　man；　conversant　with　all　knowledge；　and　a　most　capable　strategist；　not　inferior　to　the　old　Guan　Zhong　or　Yue　Yi；　one　whose　plans　are　as　good　as　those　of　Sun　Zi　and　Wu　Qi；　the　most　famous　masters　of　the　Art　of　War。　Zhou　Yu　often　took　his　advice；　and　Zhuge　Liang　believes　in　him。　And　he　is　at　hand。〃
This　was　good　news　for　Sun　Quan；　who　asked　the　man's　name；　and　when　he　heard　it　was　Pang　Tong　or　Young　Phoenix；　he　replied；　〃Yes；　I　know　him　by　reputation。　Let　him　e。〃
Whereupon　Pang　Tong　was　invited　to　the　palace　and　introduced。　The　formal　salutations　over；　Sun　Quan　was　disappointed　with　the　man's　appearance；　which　was　indeed　extraordinary。　Pang　Tong　had　bushy　eyebrows；　a　turned…up　nose；　and　a　stubby　beard。　So　Sun　Quan　was　prejudiced　against　Pang　Tong。
〃What　have　you　studied；〃　asked　Sun　Quan；　〃and　what　are　you　master　of？〃
Pang　Tong　replied；　〃One　must　not　be　narrow　and　obstinate；　one　must　change　with　circumstances。〃
〃How　does　your　learning　pare　with　that　of　Zhou　Yu？〃　asked　Sun　Quan。
〃My　learning　is　not　to　be　pared　with　his　in　the　least。　Mine　is　far　greater。〃
Now　Sun　Quan　had　always　loved　his　late　general；　and　he　could　not　bear　to　hear　him　disparaged。　This　speech　of　Pang　Tong　only　increased　his　dislike。
So　Sun　Quan　said；　〃You　may　retire；　Sir。　I　will　send　for　you　when　I　can　employ　you。〃
Pang　Tong　uttered　one　long　sigh　and　went　away。
When　he　had　gone；　Lu　Su　said；　〃My　lord；　why　not　employ　him？〃
〃What　good　would　result？　He　is　just　one　of　those　mad　fellows。〃
〃He　did　good　service　at　the　Red　Cliffs　fight；　however；　for　it　was　he　who　got　Cao　Cao　to　chain　his　ships　together。〃
〃It　was　simply　that　Cao　Cao　wished　to　chain　his　ships　together。　No　credit　was　due　to　this　fellow。　In　any　case　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　will　not　employ　him。　That　much　is　certain。〃
Lu　Su　went　out　and　explained　to　Pang　Tong　that　the　failure　was　not　due　to　lack　of　remendation；　but　simply　a　whim　of　Sun　Quan；　and　he　must　put　up　with　it。　The　disappointed　suitor　hung　his　head　and　sighed　many　times　without　speaking。
〃I　fear　you　are　doomed　to　constant　disappointment　here；〃　said　Lu　Su。　〃There　is　nothing　you　can　hope　for；　eh？〃
But　still　Pang　Tong　was　silent。
〃With　your　wonderful　gifts；　of　course　you　will　be　successful　whithersoever　you　may　go。　You　may　take　my　word　for　that。　But　to　whom　will　you　go？〃
〃I　think　I　will　join　Cao　Cao；〃　said　Pang　Tong　suddenly。
〃That　would　be　hinging　a　gleaming　pearl　into　darkness。　Rather　go　to　Liu　Bei；　who　would　appreciate　you　and　employ　you　fittingly。〃
〃The　truth　is　that　I　have　been　thinking　of　this　for　a　long　time；〃　said　Pang　Tong。　〃I　was　only　joking　just　now。〃
〃I　will　give　you　a　letter　to　Liu　Bei。　And　if　you　go　to　him；　you　must　try　to　maintain　peace　between　him　and　my　lord　and　get　them　to　act　together　against　Cao　Cao。〃
〃That　has　been　the　one　desire　of　my　life。〃
Pang　Tong　took　the　letter　offered　by　Lu　Su　and　soon　made　his　way　to　Jingzhou　City。　He　arrived　at　a　moment　that　Zhuge　Liang　was　absent　on　an　inspection　journey；　but　the　doorkeeper　announced　him　and　said　he　had　e　to　throw　in　his　lot　with　Liu　Bei。　He　was　received；　for　he　was　no　stranger　in　name。
When　Pang　Tong　was　admitted；　he　made　the　ordinary　salutation　but　did　not　make　an　obeisance　and　this；　coupled　with　his　ugly　face；　did　not　please　his　host。
〃You　have　e　a　long　and　arduous　journey；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
At　this　point　the　suitor　should　have　produced　his　letters　from　Zhuge　Liang　and　Lu　Su；　but　did　not。
Instead　he　replied；　〃I　hear；　O　Imperial　Uncle；　that　you　are　weling　the　wise　and　receiving　scholars；　wherefore　I　have　e　to　join　your　service。〃
〃The　country　is　decently　peaceful　now；　and　unfortunately　there　is　no　office　vacant。　But　away　to　the　northeast　there　is　a　small　magistracy；　Leiyang；　which　needs　a　chief。　I　can　offer　you　that　post　until　there　should　be　something　more　fitting。〃
Pang　Tong　thought　this　rather　poor　wele　for　a　person　of　his　talent。　But　his　friend　was　absent；　so　he　could　do　nothing　but　control　his　annoyance　and　accept。　He　took　his　leave　and　started。
But　when　he　arrived　at　his　post；　he　paid　no　attention　to　business　at　all。　He　gave　himself　up　entirely　to　dissipation。　The　taxes　were　not　collected　nor　were　lawsuits　decided。
News　of　this　reaching　Liu　Bei；　who　was　angry　and　said；　〃Here　is　this　stiff…necked　pedant　throwing　my　administration　into　disorder。〃
So　Liu　Bei　sent　Zhang　Fei　to　the　county　with　orders　to　make　a　general　inspection　of　the　whole　county　and　look　into　any　irregularities　and　disorders。　But　as　Liu　Bei　thought　there　might　be　some　tact　needed；　Sun　Qian　was　also　sent　as　coadjutor。
In　due　course　the　inquisitors　arrived　at　Leiyang；　where　they　were　received　by　the　officials　and　weled　by　the　people　at　the　boundary。　But　the　Magistrate　did　not　appear。
〃Where　is　the　Magistrate？〃　asked　Zhang　Fei。
〃Ever　since　his　arrival；　a　hund