三国演义英文版-第217章

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〃I　knew　your　impulsive　temper；　and　so　I　followed　you。　Since　you　have　got　the　better　of　him；　you　may　well　rest　and　recuperate　for　the　fight　tomorrow　with　Ma　Chao。〃
The　rolling　of　drums　at　dawn　next　day　declared　the　arrival　of　Ma　Chao。　Liu　Bei　looked　at　the　array　from　a　point　of　vantage　and　saw　Ma　Chao　emerge　from　the　shadow　of　his　great　standard。　Ma　Chao　wore　a　lion　helmet；　and　his　belt　was　clasped　with　the　shaggy　head　of　a　wild　beast。　His　breastplate　was　silver　and　his　robe　of　white。　As　his　dress　and　bearing　were　so　extraordinary；　so　were　his　abilities　superior。　And　Liu　Bei　looked　at　him；　sighing　admiringly。
〃He　justifies　what　people　say；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　〃Handsome　Ma　Chao。〃
Zhang　Fei　was　for　going　down　at　once；　but　his　brother　once　more　checked　him；　saying；　〃No；　not　yet。　Avoid　the　first　keenness　of　his　fighting　ardor。〃
Thus　below　was　Ma　Chao　challenging　Zhang　Fei；　while；　above；　Zhang　Fei　was　fretting　at　being　unable　to　settle　Ma　Chao。　Time　after　time　Zhang　Fei　was　setting　out；　but　each　time　his　brother　checked　him。　And　so　it　continued　till　past　midday；　when　Liu　Bei；　noticing　signs　of　fatigue　and　weariness　among　Ma　Chao's　army；　decided　that　it　was　time　to　let　Zhang　Fei　try　his　fortune。　Whereupon　Liu　Bei　chose　out　five　hundred　horsemen　to　acpany　his　brother　and　let　the　party　go。
Ma　Chao　seeing　Zhang　Fei　ing　with　so　small　a　force；　signaled　with　his　spear　to　his　array　to　retire　a　bowshot；　and　Zhang　Fei's　troops　halted。　When　all　his　troops　had　taken　their　places；　Zhang　Fei　set　serpent　halberd　and　rode　out。
〃Do　you　know　who　I　am？〃　shouted　Zhang　Fei。　〃I　am　Zhang　Fei　of　Yan！〃
Ma　Chao　replied；　〃My　family　having　been　noble　for　many　generations。　I　am　not　likely　to　know　any　rustic　dolts！〃
This　reply　upset　Zhang　Fei；　and　in　a　moment　the　two　steeds　were　rushing　toward　each　other；　both　men　with　poised　spears。　The　fight　began　and　continued　for　a　hundred　bouts。　Neither　had　the　advantage。
〃A　veritable　tiger　of　a　leader；〃　sighed　Liu　Bei。
But　Liu　Bei　felt　that　Zhang　Fei　was　running　a　risk；　wherefore　he　sounded　the　gong　as　a　signal　to　cease　the　fight。　And　each　drew　off　to　his　own　side。　Zhang　Fei　rested　his　steed　for　a　time；　then；　leaving　his　helmet；　he　wound　a　turban　about　his　head；　mounted；　and　rode　out　to　renew　the　fight。　Ma　Chao　also　came　out；　and　the　duel　continued。
Presently　Liu　Bei　thought　his　brother　in　danger。　So　he　girded　on　his　armor　and　went　down　into　the　plain。　He　watched　till　they　had　fought　another　hundred　bouts；　and　then　as　both　seemed　to　wax　fiercer　than　ever；　he　gave　the　signal　again　to　cease　the　battle。　Both　drew　off　and　returned　each　to　his　own　side。
It　was　then　getting　late；　and　Liu　Bei　said　to　his　brother；　〃You　had　better　retire　for　today。　He　is　a　terrible　opponent。　Try　him　again　tomorrow。〃
But　Zhang　Fei's　spirit　was　roused；　and　it　was　unlikely　that　such　advice　would　be　palatable。
〃No；〃　shouted　he；　〃I　will　die　and　not　e　back！〃
〃But　it　is　late。　You　cannot　go　on　fighting；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
〃Let　them　bring　torches；　and　we　will　have　a　night　battle；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。
Ma　Chao　having　mounted　a　fresh　steed；　now　rode　out　and　shouted；　〃Dare　you　try　a　night　battle；　Zhang　Fei？〃
Zhang　Fei's　excitement　rose　higher。　He　hastily　changed　horses　with　his　brother　and　rode　forth。
〃If　I　do　not　capture　you；　I　will　not　go　back　to　the　Pass；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。
〃And　if　I　do　not　overe　you；　I　will　not　return　to　the　camp；〃　said　Ma　Chao。
Both　sides　cheered。　They　lit　many　thousand　torches　till　it　seemed　as　light　as　day；　and　the　two　great　generals　went　to　the　front　to　fight。　At　the　twentieth　bout　Ma　Chao　turned　his　steed　and　tied。
〃Whither　are　you　going？〃　called　out　Zhang　Fei。
The　fact　was　that　Ma　Chao　had　begun　to　see　he　could　not　win　in　direct　and　simple　bat；　so　he　thought　to　try　a　ruse。　By　a　false　flight；　as　though　he　knew　he　had　lost；　he　would　inveigle　Zhang　Fei　into　pursuit。　He　picked　up　a　copper　mace　secretly　and　kept　a　careful　watch　on　his　opponent　for　the　most　favorable　moment　to　strike。　But　Ma　Chao's　flight　only　put　Zhang　Fei　upon　his　guard；　and　when　the　moment　came　for　the　blow　with　the　mace　he　dodged；　so　that　the　weapon　flew　harmlessly　past　his　ear。　Then　Zhang　Fei　turned　his　horse。　Whereupon　Ma　Chao　began　to　pursue。　Then　Zhang　Fei　pulled　up；　took　his　bow；　fitted　an　arrow　to　the　string；　and　let　fly　at　Ma　Chao。　But　Ma　Chao　also　dodged；　and　the　arrow　flew　by。　Then　each　returned　to　his　own　side。
Then　Liu　Bei　came　out　to　the　front　of　his　battle　line　and　called　out；　〃Note　well；　O　Ma　Chao；　that　I；　who　have　never　treated　people　other　than　with　kindness　and　justice　and　truth　and　sincerity；　swear　that　I　will　not　take　advantage　of　your　period　of　repose　to　pursue　or　attack。　Wherefore　you　may　rest　awhile　in　peace。〃
Ma　Chao；　hearing　these　words；　withdrew　guarding　the　rear；　and　the　other　generals　one　by　one　returned；　while　Liu　Bei　drew　off　his　army　toward　the　Pass。
Early　next　day　Zhang　Fei　was　once　more　going　down　out　of　the　Pass　to　fight；　when　they　told　him　that　the　Directing　Instructor　had　arrived。　Liu　Bei　went　to　receive　him；　and　Zhuge　Liang　at　once　began　to　speak　of　Ma　Chao。
〃He　is　the　most　terrible　leader　of　the　age。　If　he　fights　a　desperate　battle　with　Zhang　Fei；　loss　of　a　general　will　ensue。　So　I　have　e　as　quickly　as　I　could。　I　left　Mianzhu　in　the　safe　hands　of　Zhao　Yun　and　Huang　Zhong。　I　think　I　have　a　little　ruse　left　that　will　bring　Ma　Chao　over　to　our　side。〃
〃Now　I　have　seen　the　man。　I　greatly　admire　him；〃　said　Liu　Bei。　〃If　we　could　only　win　him　over！〃
〃Then　listen；　my　lord；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。　〃Zhang　Lu　greatly　desires　the　title　of　'Prince　of　Hanzhong。'　Among　his　most　intimate　subordinates；　I　know　Yang　Song　open　to　bribery。　So　we　will　send　a　person　secretly　to　see　him　and　give　him　gold　and　silver　and　so　win　his　support。　This　done；　we　will　write　to　Zhang　Lu　and　tell　him　that　you　are　set　upon　taking　Yizhou　from　its　present　ruler；　which　will　give　an　opportunity　to　wipe　out　the　enmity　he　has　so　long　nourished　against　Liu　Zhang；　and　that　the　reward　of　his　remaining　firmly　on　our　side　to　the　end　will　be　that　you　will　memorialize　the　Throne　for　the　coveted　title　for　him。　This　will　make　him　order　Ma　Chao　to　return；　and；　when　that　is　done；　I　shall　find　a　means　of　winning　him　over。〃
Liu　Bei　wrote　a　letter　and　sent　it　by　the　hand　of　Sun　Qian　together　with　gold　and　pearls。　Sun　Qian　went　by　secret　roads　to　give　these　to　Yang　Song。　And　when　he　found　Yang　Song　and　explained　his　mission　in　private；　he　was　quickly　led　into　the　presence　of　Zhang　Lu。
〃How　can　Liu　Bei　memorialize　the　Throne　to　confer　on　me　the　rank　of　a　prince　when　he　is　but　a　simple　General　himself？〃　asked　Zhang　Lu；　when　he　understood　the　offer　and　its　conditions。
〃He　is　an　Imperial　Uncle；〃　said　Yang　Song。　〃With　such　a　rank　he　could　present　such　a　memorial。〃
Zhang　Lu　assented。　He　sent　orders　to　Ma　Chao　to　cease　fighting；　and　Sun　Qian　remained　as　the　guest　of　Yang　Song　till　he　should　see　whether　Ma　Chao　would　obey　the　mand。　Before　long　the　messenger　returned　with　a　word　from　Ma　Chao　that　he　could　not　cease　fighting　till　he　had　been　successful。　A　second　and　third　messenger　returned　with　a　similar　response。
〃This　Ma　Chao　is　untrustworthy；〃　said　Yang　Song。　〃He　will　not　withdraw　his　soldiers　because　he　contemplates　rebellion。　That　is　the　real　reason。〃
Yang　Song　set　stories　afloat　rumoring：　〃Ma　Chao　desires　to　make　himself　the　ruler　of　the　west　and　has　said　that　he　will　no　longer　be　content　with　subordinate　rank。　And　he　means　to　avenge　the　death　of　his　father。〃
The　rumors　came　to　the　ear　of　Zhang　Lu；　and　he　asked　Yang　Song　what　should　be　done。
Yang　Song　proposed；　saying；　〃Give　Ma　Chao　a　limit　of　a　month　in　order　to　acplish　his　task；　provided　he　consents　to　three　conditions。　And　if　he　does　not　agree；　he　will　have　to　be　put　to　death。　The　three　conditions　are　the　capture　of　West　River　Land；　the　head　of　Liu　Zhang；　and　the　repulse　of　the　Jingzhou　troops。　If　he　fails　in　anyone　of　these；　just　bring　his　head。　Meanwhile；　Zhang　Wei　should　be　sent　as　guard　at　one　of　the　strategic　points　which　will　control　Ma　Chao's　army　in　case　of　rebellion。〃
When　Ma　Chao　heard　the　three　demands　made　on　him；　he　was　greatly　troubled；　saying；　〃What　can　such　a　charge　mean？〃
After　taking　counsel　with　Ma　Dai；　it　seemed　best　to　suspend　fighting；　and　the　army　returned。
But　Yang　Song　had　not　yet　attained　his　end；　so　he　s