第51部分(第1/7 頁)

d　could　not　run。

Now　the　crowd　of　officers　seeing　the　golden…barbed　arrow　sticking　in　the　wound　concluded　at　once　that　the　shot　was　the　Emperor's；　so　they　rushed　up　and　shouted　〃Wan　shui！　O　King！　Live　forever！〃

Cao　Cao　rode　out　pushing　past　the　Emperor　and　acknowledged　the　congratulations。

They　all　turned　pale。　Guan　Yu；　who　was　behind　Liu　Bei；　was　especially　angry。　The　silkworm　eyebrows　stood　up　fiercely；　and　the　red　phoenix　eyes　glared　as；　sword　in　hand；　he　rode　hastily　forth　to　cut　down　the　audacious　Prime　Minister　for　his　impertinence。

However；　Liu　Bei　hastily　waved　him　back　and　shot　at　him　a　meaning　glance　so　that　Guan　Yu　stopped　and　made　no　further　move。

Liu　Bei　bowing　toward　Cao　Cao　said；　〃Most　sincere　felicitations！　A　truly　supernatural　shot；　such　as　few　have　achieved！〃

〃It　is　only　the　enormous　good　fortune　of　the　Son　of　Heaven！〃　said　Cao　Cao　with　a　smile。

Then　he　turned　his　steed　and　felicitated　the　Emperor。　But　he　did　not　return　the　bow；　he　hung　it　over　his　own　shoulder　instead。

The　hunt　finished　with　banqueting；　and　when　the　entertainments　were　over；　they　returned　to　the　capital；　all　glad　of　some　repose　after　the　expedition。

Guan　Yu　was　still　angry　of　the　Prime　Minister's　breach　of　decorum。

One　day　Guan　Yu　said　to　Liu　Bei；　〃Brother；　why　did　you　prevent　me　from　killing　that　rebel　and　so　ridding　the　world　of　a　scoundrel？　He　insults　the　Emperor　and　ignores　everybody　else。〃

〃When　you　throw　stones　at　a　rat；　beware　of　the　vase；〃　quoted　Liu　Bei。　〃Cao　Cao　was　only　a　horse's　head　away　from　Our　Lord；　and　in　the　midst　of　a　crowd　of　his　partisans。　In　that　momentary　burst　of　anger；　if　you　had　struck　and　failed；　and　harm　had　e　to　the　Emperor；　what　an　awful　crime　would　have　been　laid　to　us！〃