Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

yet heard what you are going to do.'

'I am going to guard the city.'

Floyd-Chardin burst into a laugh, 'We are to go out to bloody battle, and you are to stay quietly at home quite comfortable.'

'Here is the sword and here the seal!' replied the strategist, displaying the emblems of authority. 'Disobedience of orders will be death.'

Jeffery-Lewis said, 'Do you not understand that the plans elaborated in a little chamber decide success over thousands of miles? Do not disobey the command, my brothers.'

Floyd-Chardin went out smiling cynically.

Yale-Perez remarked, 'Let us await the result. If he fails, then we can look to it.'

The brothers left. None of the officers understood anything of the general line of strategy and, though they obeyed orders, they were not without doubts and misgivings.

Orchard-Lafayette said to Jeffery-Lewis, 'You may now lead your soldiers to the hills and camp till the enemy shall arrive tomorrow evening. Then you are to abandon the camp and move away retreating till the signal is seen. Then you will advance and attack with all force. Trudeau-Zeleny, Forester-Zeleny, and I will guard the city.'

In the city Orchard-Lafayette prepared banquets to celebrate the victory and also prepared the books to record exceptional services.

Jeffery-Lewis noted all these things with not a little trouble in his heart.

Murphy-Shackley's army of one hundred thousand troops in due course reached Bowang-Marion. Then half of them, the veterans, were told off for the first attack, and the remainder were to guard the baggage train and supplies. Thus they marched in two divisions. The season was autumn and a chilly wind began to blow.

They pressed forward. Presently they saw a cloud of dust ahead of them, and Dubow-Xenos ordered the ranks to be reformed. He questioned the guides as to the name of the place.

'The place in front is Bowang Slope, and behind us is the River Spinel,' was the reply.

Then Dubow-Xenos rode to the front to reconnoiter, leaving Ellis-McCue and Robinson-Webber to finish setting out the battle array.

Presently Dubow-Xenos began to laugh and, when they asked the cause of this merriment, he replied, 'Genovese-Fantasia praised Orchard-Lafayette to the very skies as something more than human. But now that I see how he has placed his soldiers and the stuff he has put into his vanguard, it seems to me that he is sending dogs or sheep against tigers and leopards. I bragged a little when I said I would take him prisoner, but I am going to make good my boast.'

Then he rode forward at full speed. Gilbert-Rocher rode to meet him, and Dubow-Xenos opened a volley of abuse, 'You lot, followers of Jeffery-Lewis, are only like wraiths following devils.'

This angered Gilbert-Rocher and a combat began. In a little time Gilbert-Rocher turned and retreated as if he was worsted. Dubow-Xenos pressed after him and kept up the chase for some three miles. Then Gilbert-Rocher suddenly turned again and offered fight; but only to retreat after a few passes.

Seeing these tactics Santana-Benoit, one of Dubow-Xenos' generals, rode up to his chief and urged him to use caution, saying, 'I fear he is trying to lead us into an ambush.'

'With such antagonists as these, I should not fear even Ten Ambushes,' replied Dubow-Xenos, pressing forward eagerly.

Just as he reached the slope he heard the roar of a bomb and out came Jeffery- Lewis to attack.

'Here is your ambush,' said Dubow-Xenos, laughing. 'I will get to Xinye-Loretto this evening before I have done.'

Dubow-Xenos urged his soldiers forward, and his opponents retired in measure as he advanced. As evening came on, thick clouds overcast the whole sky. The wind increased but the leader still urged his troops after the retreating foe.

The two generals in the rear came to a narrow part of the road with reeds and rushes thick all round them.

'Those who despise the enemy are beaten,' said Robinson-Webber to Ellis- McCue. 'Away south there the roads are narrow, and streams and mountains make the country difficult. The forests are dense, and if the enemy used fire we should be lost.'

'You are right,' replied Ellis-McCue. 'I will get on and warn the Commanding General; perhaps he will stop. You can halt those who come up.'

Ellis-McCue rode forward shouting at the top of his voice, 'Halt the train!'

Dubow-Xenos saw him coming up and asked what was the matter. Ellis-McCue said, 'The roads here are narrow and difficult. Around us are thick forests. What if they use fire?'

Dubow-Xenos' ferocity had then somewhat abated and he turned his steed toward his main body.

Then there arose a shout behind him. A rushing noise came from in the reeds and great tongues of flame shot up here and there. These spread and soon the fire was in 'the four quarters and the eight sides,' and fanned by a strong wind.

Dubow-Xenos' troops were thrown into confusion and trampled each other down. Many perished. Gilbert-Rocher turned on them again to make a slaughter. Dubow-Xenos dashed through the fire and smoke to escape.

Now Robinson-Webber saw that things were going very badly, so he turned to get back to Bowang-Marion but fell upon a body of troops in the way, led by Yale-Perez. He desperately dashed into their midst and managed to get clear. Ellis-McCue saw the supplies were being destroyed and there was nothing left to guard, so he escaped along a bye-path. Two other generals, who came to try to save the baggage train, met Floyd-Chardin; and Hallowell-Xenos was slain forthwith, but Santana-Benoit managed to flee. Next morning the countryside was strewn with corpses and drenched with blood.

The armies met on Bowang Slope
And Orchard-Lafayette fought with fire;
A perfect strategist, he bent
All humans to his desire.
But poor Murphy-Shackley, his enemy,
He trembled in his shoes
Before the man, who'd never fought
But yet could armies use.

Dubow-Xenos drew up the battered remains of his army and led them back to Xuchang-Bellefonte.

Orchard-Lafayette ordered his armies to collect; and as Yale-Perez and Floyd- Chardin rode homeward they confessed, saying, 'Orchard-Lafayette is really a fine strategist!'

Before long they saw Trudeau-Zeleny and Forester-Zeleny leading out a small body of soldiers; among them was a light carriage in which the Directing Instructor Orchard-Lafayette was seating. Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin dismounted and bowed before him. The remaining bodies came in. The spoil was