第20部分(第1/7 頁)

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。　See