三国演义英文版-第27章

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〃How　could　I　be　grateful　enough　for　such　a　kindness！〃
〃She　would　be　most　fortunate　if　she　could　be　your　servant；〃　said　Wang　Yun。
Dong　Zhuo　thanked　his　host　warmly。
Then　the　orders　were　given　to　prepare　a　closed　carriage　and　convey　Diao　Chan　to　the　Prime　Minister's　palace。
Soon　after　Dong　Zhuo　took　his　leave；　and　Wang　Yun　acpanied　him　the　whole　way。
After　he　had　taken　leave；　Wang　Yun　mounted　to　ride　homeward。　Half　way　he　met　two　lines　of　guards　with　red　lamps　who　were　escorting　Lu　Bu　who　was　on　horseback　and　armed　with　his　trident　halberd。
Seeing　Wang　Yun；　Lu　Bu　at　once　reined　in；　stopped；　seized　him　by　the　sleeve；　and　said　angrily；　〃You　promised　Diao　Chan　to　me；　and　now　you　have　given　her　to　the　Prime　Minister：　What　foolery　is　this？〃
Wang　Yun　checked　him；　saying；　〃This　is　no　place　to　talk；　I　pray　you　e　to　my　house。〃
So　they　went　together；　and　Wang　Yun　led　Lu　Bu　into　a　private　room。
After　the　usual　exchange　of　polite　greetings；　Wang　Yun　said；　〃Why　do　you　find　fault　with　me；　General？〃
〃Somebody　told　me　that　you　had　sent　Diao　Chan　to　the　Prime　Minister's　palace　in　a　covered　carriage：　What　does　it　mean？〃
〃Of　course　you　do　not　understand。　Yesterday　when　I　was　at　court；　the　Prime　Minister　told　me　he　had　something　to　talk　to　me　about　in　my　own　house。　So　naturally　I　prepared　for　his　ing；　and　while　we　were　at　dinner　he　said；　'I　have　heard　something　of　a　girl　named　Diao　Chan　whom　you　have　promised　to　my　son　Lu　Bu。　I　thought　it　was　mere　rumor　so　I　wanted　to　ask　if　it　was　true。　Beside　I　should　like　to　see　her。'　I　could　not　say　no；　so　she　came　in　and　made　her　bow　to　the　lord　of　lords。　Then　he　said　that　it　was　a　lucky　day　and　he　would　take　her　away　with　him　and　betroth　her　to　you。　Just　think；　Sir：　When　the　Prime　Minister　had　e　himself；　could　I　stop　him？〃
〃You　were　not　so　very　wrong；〃　said　Lu　Bu。　〃But　for　a　time　I　had　misunderstood　you。　I　owe　you　an　apology。〃
〃The　girl　has　a　small　trousseau；　which　I　will　send　as　soon　as　she　has　gone　over　to　your　dwelling。〃
Lu　Bu　thanked　him　and　went　away。　Next　day　he　went　into　the　palace　to　find　out　the　truth；　but　could　hear　nothing。　Then　he　made　his　way　into　the　private　quarters　and　questioned　the　maids。　Presently　one　told　him　that　the　Prime　Minister　had　brought　home　a　new　bedfellow　the　night　before　and　was　not　up　yet。　Lu　Bu　was　very　angry。　Next　he　crept　round　behind　his　master's　sleeping　apartment。
By　this　time　Diao　Chan　had　risen　and　was　dressing　her　hair　at　the　window。　Looking　out　she　saw　a　long　shadow　fall　across　the　little　lake。　She　recognized　the　headdress；　and　peeping　around　she　saw　it　was　indeed　no　other　than　Lu　Bu。　Thereupon　she　contracted　her　eyebrows；　simulating　the　deepest　grief；　and　with　her　dainty　handkerchief　she　wiped　her　eyes　again　and　again。　Lu　Bu　stood　watching　her　a　long　time。
Soon　after　he　went　in　to　give　morning　greeting。　Dong　Zhuo　was　sitting　in　the　reception　room。　Seeing　his　henchman；　Dong　Zhuo　asked　if　there　was　anything　new。
〃Nothing；〃　was　the　reply。
Lu　Bu　waited　while　Dong　Zhuo　took　his　morning　meal。　As　he　stood　beside　his　master；　he　glanced　over　at　the　curtain　and　saw　a　woman　there　behind　the　screen　showing　a　half　face　from　time　to　time　and　throwing　amorous　glances　at　him。　He　felt　it　was　his　beloved；　and　his　thoughts　flew　to　her。　Presently　Dong　Zhuo　noticed　his　expression　and　began　to　feel　suspicious。
〃If　there　is　nothing；　you　may　go；〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。
Lu　Bu　sulkily　withdrew。
Dong　Zhuo　now　thought　of　nothing　but　his　new　mistress　and　for　more　than　a　month　neglected　all　affairs；　devoting　himself　entirely　to　pleasure。　Once　he　was　a　little　indisposed；　and　Diao　Chan　was　constantly　at　his　side；　never　even　undressing　to　show　her　solicitude。　She　gratified　his　every　whim。　Dong　Zhuo　grew　more　and　more　fond　of　her。
One　day　Lu　Bu　went　to　inquire　after　his　father's　health。　Dong　Zhuo　was　asleep；　and　Diao　Chan　was　sitting　at　the　head　of　his　couch。　Leaning　forward　she　gazed　at　the　visitor；　with　one　hand　pointed　to　her　heart；　the　other　at　Dong　Zhuo　asleep；　and　her　tears　fell。　Lu　Bu　felt　heartbroken。　Dong　Zhuo　drowsily　opened　his　eyes；　and　seeing　his　son's　gaze　fixed　on　something　behind　him；　he　turned　over　and　saw　who　it　was。
He　angrily　rebuked　his　son；　saying；　〃Dare　you　make　love　to　my　beauty？〃
He　told　the　servants　to　turn　Lu　Bu　out；　shouting；　〃Never　let　him　enter　here　again！〃
Lu　Bu　went　off　home　very　wrath。　Meeting　Li　Ru；　he　told　Li　Ru　the　cause　of　his　anger。
The　adviser　hastened　to　see　his　master　and　said；　〃Sir；　you　aspire　to　be　ruler　of　the　empire。　Why　then　for　a　small　fault　do　you　blame　the　General？　If　he　turns　against　you；　it　is　all　over。〃
〃Then　what　can　I　do？〃　said　Dong　Zhuo。
〃Recall　him　tomorrow；　treat　him　well；　overwhelm　him　with　gifts　and　fair　words；　and　all　will　be　well。〃
So　Dong　Zhuo　did　so。　He　sent　for　Lu　Bu　and　was　very　gracious　and　said；　〃I　was　irritable　and　hasty　yesterday　owing　to　my　illness　and　I　wronged　you；　I　know。　Forgive　me。〃
He　gave　Lu　Bu　three　hundred　ounces　of　gold　and　twenty　rolls　of　brocade。　And　so　the　quarrel　was　made　up。　But　though　Lu　Bu's　body　was　with　his　adopted　father　Dong　Zhuo；　his　heart　was　with　his　promised　bride　Diao　Chan。
Dong　Zhuo　having　quite　recovered　went　to　court　again；　and　Lu　Bu　followed　him　as　usual。　Seeing　Dong　Zhuo　deep　in　conversation　with　the　Emperor；　Lu　Bu；　armed　as　he　was；　went　out　of　the　Palace　and　rode　off　to　his　chief's　residence。　He　tied　up　his　steed　at　the　entrance　and；　halberd　in　hand；　went　to　the　private　apartment　to　seek　his　love。　He　found　Diao　Chan；　and　she　told　him　to　go　out　into　the　garden　where　she　would　join　him　soon。　He　went；　taking　his　halberd　with　him；　and　he　leaned　against　the　rail　of　the　Phoenix　Pavilion　to　wait　for　Diao　Chan。
After　a　long　time　she　appeared；　swaying　gracefully　as　she　made　her　way　under　the　drooping　willows　and　parting　the　flowers　as　she　passed。　She　was　exquisite；　a　perfect　fairy　from　the　Palace　of　the　Moon。
Tears　were　in　her　eyes　as　she　came　up　and　said；　〃Though　I　am　not　the　Minister's　real　daughter；　yet　he　treated　me　as　his　own　child。　The　desire　of　my　life　was　fulfilled　when　he　plighted　me　to　you。　But　oh！　to　think　of　the　wickedness　of　the　Prime　Minister；　stealing　my　poor　self　as　he　did。　I　suffered　so　much。　I　longed　to　die；　only　that　I　had　not　told　you　the　real　truth。　So　I　lived　on；　bearing　my　shame　as　best　as　I　could　but　feeling　it　mean　still　to　live。　Now　that　I　have　seen　you；　I　can　end　it　all。　My　poor　sullied　body　is　no　longer　fit　to　serve　a　hero。　I　can　die　before　your　eyes　and　so　prove　how　true　I　am！〃
Thus　speaking　she　seized　the　curving　rail　and　started　into　the　lily　pond。　Lu　Bu　caught　her　in　his　strong　arms　and　wept　as　he　held　her　close。
〃I　knew　it：　I　always　knew　your　heart；〃　he　sobbed。　〃Only　we　never　had　a　chance　to　speak。〃
She　threw　her　arms　about　Lu　Bu。
〃If　I　cannot　be　your　wife　in　this　life；　I　will　in　the　ages　to　e；〃　she　whispered。
〃If　I　do　not　marry　you　in　this　life；　I　am　no　hero；〃　said　he。
〃Every　day　is　a　year　long。　O　pity　me！　Rescue　me！　My　lord！〃
〃I　have　only　stolen　away　for　a　brief　moment；　and　I　am　afraid　that　old　rebel　will　suspect　something；　so　I　must　not　stay　too　long；〃　said　Lu　Bu。
Diao　Chan　clung　to　his　robe；　saying；　〃If　you　fear　the　old　thief　so　much；　I　shall　never　see　another　sunrise。〃
Lu　Bu　stopped。
〃Give　me　a　little　time　to　think；〃　said　he。
And　he　picked　up　his　halberd　to　go。
〃In　the　deep　seclusion　of　the　harem；　I　heard　the　stories　of　your　prowess。　You　were　the　one　man　who　excelled　all　others。　Little　did　I　think　that　you　of　all　heroes　would　rest　content　under　the　dominion　of　another。〃
And　tears　rained　again！
A　wave　of　shame　flooded　his　face。　Leaning　his　halberd　against　the　railing；　he　turned　and　clasped　the　girl　to　his　breast；　soothing　her　with　fond　words。　The　lovers　held　each　other　close；　swaying　to　and　fro　with　emotion。　They　could　not　bring　themselves　to　say　farewell。
In　the　meantime　Dong　Zhuo　missed　his　henchman；　and　doubt　filled　his　heart。　Hastily　taking　leave　of　the　Emperor；　he　mounted　his　chariot　and　returned　to　his　palace。　There　at　the　gate　stood　Lu　Bu's　well　known　steed　Red　Hare；　riderless。　Dong　Zhuo　questioned　the　doorkeepers；　and　they　told　him　the　General　was　within。　He　sent　away　his　attendants　and　went　alone　to　the　private　apartments。　Lu　Bu　was　not　there。　He　called　Diao　Chan；　but　there　was　no　reply。　He　asked　where　she　was；　and　the　waiting　maid