第一小说网

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第87部分（第2页）

He　heard　a　deep　laugh　and　a　man　appeared；　saying；　〃Amidst　the　clear　and　subtle　sounds　of　the　lute；　there　suddenly　rang　out　a　high　note　as　though　some　noble　man　was　near。〃

〃That　is　my　master；〃　said　the　lad　pointing。

Liu　Bei　saw　before　him　a　figure　slender　and　straight　as　a　pine　tree；　a　very　〃chosen　vessel〃。　Hastening　forward　he　saluted。　The　skirt　of　his　robe　was　still　wet　from　the　river。

〃You　have　escaped　from　a　grave　danger　today；　Sir；〃　said　Water　Mirror。

Liu　Bei　was　startled　into　silence；　and　the　cowherd　said　to　his　master；　〃This　is　Liu　Bei。〃

Water　Mirror　asked　him　to　enter；　and　when　they　were　seated　in　their　relative　positions　as　host　and　guest；　Liu　Bei　glanced　round　the　room。　Upon　the　bookshelves　were　piled　books　and　manuscripts。　The　window　opened　upon　an　exquisite　picture　of　pines　and　bamboos　and　a　lute　lay　upon　a　stone　couch。　The　room　showed　refinement　in　its　last　degree。

〃Whence　e　you；　Illustrious　Sir？〃　asked　the　host。

〃By　chance　I　was　passing　this　way　and　the　lad　pointed　you　out　to　me。　So　I　came　to　bow　in　your　honored　presence。　I　cannot　tell　what　pleasure　it　gives　me。〃

Water　Mirror　laughed；　saying；　〃Why　this　mystery？　Why　must　you　conceal　the　truth？　You　have　certainly　just　escaped　from　a　grave　danger。〃

Then　Liu　Bei　told　the　story　of　the　banquet　and　the　flight。

〃I　knew　it　all　from　your　appearance；〃　said　his　host。　〃Your　name　has　long　been　familiar；　but　whence　es　it　that；　up　to　the　present；　you　are　only　a　homeless　devil？〃

〃I　have　suffered　many　a　check　during　my　life；〃　said　Liu　Bei；　〃and　through　one　of　them　am　I　here　now。〃

〃It　should　not　be　so。　But　the　reason　is　that　you　still　lack　the　one　person　to　aid　you。〃

〃I　am　simple　enough　in　myself；　I　know。　But　I　have　Sun　Qian；　Mi　Zhu；　and　Jian　Yong　on　the　civil　side；　and　for　warriors　I　have　Guan　Yu；　Zhang　Fei；　and　Zhao　Yun。　These　are　all　most　loyal　helpers；　and　I　depend　upon　them　not　a　little。〃

〃Your　fighting　generals　are　good：　Fit　to　oppose　a　legion。　The　pity　is　you　have　no　really　able　adviser。　Your　civilians　are　but　pallid　students　of　books；　not　people　fitted　to　weave　and　control　destiny。〃

〃I　have　always　yearned　to　find　one　of　those　marvelous　recluses　who　live　among　the　hills　till　their　day　arrive。　So　far　I　have　sought　in　vain。〃

〃You　know　what　the　Teacher　Confucius　said；　In　a　hamlet　of　ten　households　there　must　be　one　true　person。　Can　you　say　there　is　no　one？〃

〃I　am　simple　and　uninstructed。　I　pray　you　enlighten　me。〃

〃You　have　heard　what　the　street　children　sing：

〃In　eight　and　nine　years　begins　decay；

Four　years；　then　es　the　fateful　day；

When　destiny　will　show　the　way；

And　the　dragon　flies　out　of　the　mire！

〃This　song　was　first　heard　when　the　new　reign　style　was　adopted。　The　first　line　was　fulfilled　when　Imperial　Protector　Liu　Biao　lost　his　first　wife；　and　when　his　family　troubles　began。　The　next　line　relates　to　the　approaching　death　of　Liu　Biao；　and　there　is　not　a　single　person　among　all　his　crowd　of　officers　who　has　the　least　ability。　The　last　two　lines　will　be　fulfilled　in　you；　General。〃

Liu　Bei　started　up　in　surprise；　crying；　〃How　could　such　a　thing　be？〃

Water　Mirror　continued；　〃At　this　moment　the　marvelously　clever　people　of　the　earth　are　all　here　and　you；　Sir；　ought　to　seek　them。〃

〃Where　are　they？　Who　are　they？〃　said　Liu　Bei　quickly。

〃If　you　could　find　either　Sleeping　Dragon　or　Young　Phoenix；　you　could　restore　order　in　the　empire。〃