第一小说网

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第92部分（第3页）

And　only　will　perch　on　a　magnolia　tree。

The　scholar　is　hidden；　O！

Till　his　lord　appear　he　can　patient　be。

He　tills　his　fields；　O！

He　is　well…content　and　loves　his　home；

He　awaits　his　day；　O！

His　books　and　his　lute　to　leave　and　roam。

As　the　song　ended　Liu　Bei　advanced　and　saluted；　saying；　〃Master；　long　have　I　yearned　for　you；　but　have　found　it　impossible　to　salute　you。　Lately　Water　Mirror　spoke　of　you　and　I　hastened　to　your　dwelling；　only　to　e　away　disappointed。　This　time　I　have　braved　the　elements　and　e　again　and　my　reward　is　here。　I　see　your　face；　and　I　am　indeed　fortunate。〃

The　young　man　hastily　returned　the　salute　and　said；　〃General；　you　must　be　that　Liu　Bei　of　Yuzhou　who　wishes　to　see　my　brother。〃

〃Then；　Master；　you　are　not　Sleeping　Dragon！〃　said　Liu　Bei；　starting　back。

〃I　am　his　younger　brother；　Zhuge　Jun。　He　has　another　elder　brother；　Zhuge　Jin；　now　with　Sun　Quan　in　the　South　Land　as　a　counselor。　Zhuge　Liang　is　the　second　of　our　family。〃

〃Is　your　brother　at　home？〃

〃Only　yesterday　he　arranged　to　go　a　jaunt　with　Cui　Zhouping。〃

〃Whither　have　they　gone？〃

〃Who　can　say？　They　may　take　a　boat　and　sail　away　among　the　lakes；　or　go　to　gossip　with　the　priests　in　some　remote　mountain　temple；　or　wander　off　to　visit　a　friend　in　some　far　away　village；　or　be　sitting　in　some　cave　with　a　lute　or　a　chessboard。　Their　goings　and　ings　are　uncertain　and　nobody　can　guess　at　them。〃

〃What　very　poor　luck　have　I！　Twice　have　I　failed　to　meet　the　great　sage。〃

〃Pray　sit　a　few　moments；　and　let　me　offer　you　some　tea。〃

〃Brother；　since　the　master　is　not　here；　I　pray　you　remount　and　go；〃　said　Zhang　Fei。

〃Since　I　am　here；　why　not　a　little　talk　before　we　go　home　again？〃　said　Liu　Bei。

Then　turning　to　his　host　he　continued；　〃Can　you　tell　me　if　your　worthy　brother　is　skilled　in　strategy　and　studies　works　on　war？〃

〃I　do　not　know。〃

Grumbled　Zhang　Fei；　〃The　wind　and　snow　are　getting　worse。　We　ought　to　go　back。〃

Liu　Bei　turned　on　him　angrily　and　told　him　to　stop。

Zhuge　Jun　said；　〃Since　my　brother　is　absent；　I　will　not　presume　to　detain　you　longer。　I　will　return　your　call　soon。〃

〃Please　do　not　take　that　trouble。　In　a　few　days　I　will　e　again。　But　if　I　could　borrow　paper　and　ink；　I　would　leave　a　note　to　show　your　worthy　brother　that　I　am　zealous　and　earnest。〃

Zhuge　Jun　produced　the　〃four　treasures〃　of　the　scholar；　and　Liu　Bei；　thawing　out　the　frozen　brush　between　his　lips；　spread　the　sheet　of　delicate　note…paper　and　wrote：

〃Liu　Bei　has　long　admired　your　fame。　He　has　visited　your　dwelling　twice；　but　to　his　great　regret　he　has　gone　empty　away。　He　humbly　remembers　that　he　is　a　distant　relative　of　the　Emperor；　that　he　has　undeservedly　enjoyed　fame　and　rank。　When　he　sees　the　proper　government　wrested　aside　and　replaced　by　pretense；　the　foundation　of　the　state　crumbling　away；　hordes　of　braves　creating　confusion　in　the　country；　and　an　evil　cabal　behaving　unseemly　toward　the　rightful　Prince；　then　his　heart　and　gall　are　torn　to　shreds。　Though　he　has　a　real　desire　to　assist；　yet　is　he　deficient　in　the　needful　skill。　Wherefore　he　turns　to　the　Master；　trusting　in　his　kindness；　graciousness；　loyalty；　and　righteousness。　Would　the　Master　but　use　his　talent；　equal　to　that　of　Lu　Wang；　and　perform　great　deeds　like　Zhang　Liang；　then　would　the　empire　be　happy　and　the　throne　would　be　secure。

〃This　is　written　to　tell　you　that；　after　purification　of　mind　with　fasting　and　of　body　with　fragrant　baths；　Liu　Bei　will　e　again　to　prostrate　himself　in　your　honored　presence　and　receive　enlightenment〃

The　letter　written　and　given　to　Zhuge　Jun；　Liu　Bei　took　his　leave；　exceedingly　disappointed　at　this　second　failure。

As　he　was　mounting；　he　saw　the　serving　lad　waving　his　hand　outside　the　hedge　and　heard　him　call　out；　〃The　old　Master　is　ing！〃

Liu　Bei　looked　and　then　saw　a　figure　seated　on　a　donkey　leisurely　jogging　along　over　a　bridge。

The　rider　of　the　donkey　wore　a　cap　with　long　flaps　down　to　his　shoulders；　and　his　body　was　wrapped　in　a　fox　fur　robe。　A　youth　followed　him　bearing　a　jar　of　wine。　As　he　came　through　the　snow　he　hummed　a　song：

〃This　is　eve；　the　sky　is　overcast；

The　north　wind　es　with　icy　blast；

Light　snowflakes　whirl　down　until

A　white　pall　covers　dale　and　hill。

Perhaps　above　the　topmost　sky

White　dragons　strive　for　mastery；

The　armor　scales　from　their　forms　riven