第281部分(第4/7 頁)

The　somber　crane　with　wearied　wing

Can　scarcely　over　them　fly。

Intrepid　Deng　Ai　in　blankets　wrapped

Rolled　down　the　craggy　steep；

His　feat　Zhuge　Liang　prophesied

By　insight　wondrous　deep。

Having　crossed　this　great　range　of　mountains　without　discovery；　Deng　Ai　marched　forward。　Presently　he　came　to　a　roomy　camp；　empty　and　deserted。　He　was　told　that　while　Zhuge　Liang　lived；　a　thousand　troops　had　been　kept　in　garrison　at　this　point　of　danger；　but　the　Latter　Ruler　had　withdrawn　them。　Deng　Ai　sighed　at　the　thought。

He　said　to　his　troops；　〃Now　retreat　is　impossible；　there　is　no　road　back。　Before　you　lies　Jiangyou　with　stores　in　abundance。　Advance　and　you　live；　retreat　and　you　die。　You　must　fight　with　all　your　strength。〃

〃We　will　fight　to　the　death！〃　they　cried。

The　leader　was　now　afoot；　doing　double　marches　with　his　two　thousand　troops　toward　Jiangyou。

The　mander　at　Jiangyou　was　Ma　Miao。　He　heard　the　East　River　Land　had　fallen　into　the　hands　of　the　enemy。　Though　some　thing　prepared　for　defense；　yet　his　post　had　a　wide　area　to　cover　and　guard；　and　he　trusted　Jiang　Wei　would　defend　the　Saber　Pass。　So　he　did　not　take　his　military　duties　very　seriously；　just　maintaining　the　daily　drills　and　then　going　home　to　his　wife　to　cuddle　up　to　the　stove　and　drink。

His　wife　was　of　the　Li　family。　When　she　heard　of　the　state　of　things　on　the　frontier；　she　said　to　her　husband；　〃If　there　is　so　great　danger　on　the　borders；　how　is　it　you　are　so　unaffected？〃

〃The　affair　is　in　Jiang　Wei's　hands　and　is　not　my　concern；〃　replied　he。

〃Nevertheless；　you　finally　have　to　guard　the　capital；　and　that　is　a　heavy　responsibility。〃

〃O；　well！　The　Emperor　trusts　his　favorite　Huang　Hao　entirely　and　is　sunk　in　vice　an