第100部分(第1/7 頁)

en；　the　strong　soldiers　carrying　the　women。　As　the　crowds　crossed　the　river；　from　both　banks　arose　the　sound　of　lamentation。

Liu　Bei　was　much　affected　as　he　saw　all　this　from　the　boat。

〃Why　was　I　ever　born；〃　said　he；　〃to　be　the　cause　of　all　this　misery　to　the　people？〃

He　made　to　leap　into　the　river；　but　they　held　him　back。　All　were　deeply　sympathetic。　When　the　boat　reached　the　southern　shore；　he　looked　back　at　the　weeping　crowds　waiting　still　on　the　other　bank　and　was　again　moved　to　tears。　He　bade　Guan　Yu　hasten　the　boats　before　he　mounted　and　rode　on。

When　Xiangyang　came　in　sight；　they　saw　many　flags　flying　on　the　walls　and　that　the　moat　was　protected　by　barbed　barriers。

Liu　Bei　checked　his　horse　and　called　out；　〃Liu　Zong；　good　nephew！　I　only　wish　to　save　the　people　and　nothing　more。　I　pray　you　quickly　open　the　gates。〃

But　Liu　Zong　was　too　frightened　to　appear。　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun　went　up　to　one　of　the　fighting　towers　and　ordered　the　soldiers　to　shoot　arrows　down　on　those　without　the　walls。　The　people　gazed　up　at　the　towers　and　wept　aloud。

Suddenly　there　appeared　a　general；　with　a　small　following；　who　cried　out；　〃Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun　are　two　traitors。　The　princely　Liu　Bei　is　a　most　upright　man　and　has　e　here　to　preserve　his　people。　Why　do　you　repulse　him？〃

All　looked　at　this　man。　He　was　of　eight…span　height；　with　a　face　dark　brown　as　a　ripe　date。　He　was　from　Yiyang　and　named　Wei　Yan。　At　that　moment　he　looked　very　terrible；　whirling　his　sword　as　if　about　to　slice　up　the　gate　guards。　They　lost　no　time　in　throwing　open　the　gate　and　dropping　the　bridge。

〃e　in；　Uncle　Liu　Bei；〃　cried　Wei　Yan；　〃and　bring　your　army　to　slay　these　traitors！〃

Zhang　Fei　plunged　forward　to　take　Cai　Mao　and　Zhang　Yun；　but　h