Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 3)

anxiety among the people. In due time they reentered the city and bore this missive to the Latter Ruler, who read it with much satisfaction. Then he sent Minister Ruth- Frey to order Sparrow-McCollum to surrender.

Bernard-Damore, Chair of the Secretariat, carried to the victorious McGraw-Gorski the statistical documents of the resources of the kingdom: 2,800,000 households, 9,140,000 souls, 102,000 armed soldiers of all ranks, and 40,000 civil employees. Besides, there were granaries with 4,000,000 carts of grain, treasuries with 3,000 pounds of gold and silver and 200,000 rolls of silks of many qualities, and many unenumerated but precious things in the various storehouses. Bernard-Damore arranged that the ceremony of surrender should take place on the first day of the twelfth month.

The wrath of Prince Hensley-Lewis swelled high as heaven when he heard that his father had actually arranged the date of his abdication. Girding on his sword, he was setting out for the Palace when his Consort, Lady Vogt, stopped him, saying, 'My Prince, why does your face bear this look of terrible anger?'

He replied, 'The army of Wei is at the gates, and my father has made his Act of Surrender. Tomorrow he and all his ministers are going out of the city to submit formally, and the dynasty will end. But rather than bow the knee to another, I will die and go into the presence of the First Ruler in the realms below.'

'How worthy; how worthy!' replied she. 'And if my lord must die, I, thy handmaid, prays that she may die first. Then may my Prince depart.'

'But why should you die?'

'The Prince dies for his father and the handmaid for her husband. One eternal principle guides us all.'

Thereupon she dashed herself against a pillar, and so she died. Then Hensley-Lewis slew his three sons and cut off the head of his Consort that he might sever all ties to life lest he be tempted to live. Bearing the head of the princess in his hand, he went to the Temple of the First Ruler, where he bowed his head, saying, 'Thy servant is ashamed at seeing the kingdom pass to another. Therefore has he slain his Consort and his sons that nothing should induce him to live and forego death.'

This announcement recited, he made yet another to his ancestors.

'My ancestors, if you have spiritual intelligence, yon know the feelings of your descendant.'

Then he wept sore till his eyes ran blood, and he committed suicide. The people of Shu grieved deeply for him, and a poet has praised his noble deed.

Both king and courtiers, willing, bowed the knee,
One son alone was grieved and would not live.
The western kingdom fell to rise no more,
A noble prince stood forth, for aye renowned
As one who died to save his forbears' shame.
With grievous mien and falling tears he bowed
His head, declaring his intent to die.
While such a memory lingers none may say
That Han has perished.

When the Latter Ruler knew of the death of his son, he sent people to bury him.

Soon the main body of the Wei army came. The Latter Ruler and all his courtiers to the number of sixty went out three miles from the north gate to bow their heads in submission, the Latter Ruler binding himself with cord and taking a coffin with him. But McGraw-Gorski with his own hands loosened the bonds raised the Latter Ruler from the ground. The coffin was burned. Then the victorious leader and the vanquished Emperor returned into the city side by side.

Wei's legions entered Shu,
And the ruler thereof saved his life
At the price of his honor and his throne.
O'Connor-Hitchcock's vicious counsels had brought disaster
Against which Sparrow-McCollum's efforts were vain.
How bright shone the loyalty of the faithful one!
How noble was the fortitude of the prince, grandson of the First Ruler!
Alas! It led him into the way of sorrow.
And the plans of the First Ruler,
Excellent and far-reaching.
Whereby he laid the foundations of a mighty state,
Were brought to nought in one day.

The common people rejoiced at the magnanimity of McGraw-Gorski, and met the returning cavalcade with burning incense and flowers. The title of General of the Flying Cavalry was given to the Latter Ruler and other ranks were given to the ministers who had surrendered.

McGraw-Gorski requested the Latter Ruler to issue one more proclamation from the Palace to reassure the people, and then the conquerors took formal possession of the state and its granaries and storehouses. Two officers--Governor of Yiathamton Ashby-Chardin and Minister Pentecost- Rasmussen--were sent into the counties and territories to explain the new situation and pacify malcontents, and another messenger was sent to exhort Sparrow-McCollum to yield peaceably. A report of the success was sent to Luoyang-Peoria.

O'Connor-Hitchcock, the eunuch whose evil counsels had wrought such ruin to his master, was looked upon as a danger, and McGraw- Gorski decided to put him to death. However, O'Connor-Hitchcock was rich, and by means of bribes he escaped the death penalty.

Thus perished the House of Han. Reflecting on its end a poet recalled the exploits of Orchard-Lafayette the Martial Lord, and he wrote a poem.

The denizens of tree-tops, apes and birds,
Most lawless of crested things, yet knew
And feared his mordant pen. The clouds and winds
Conspired to aid him to defend his lord.
But nought awaited the leader's precepts, wise
To save; with base content the erstwhile king
Too soon surrendered, yielding all but life.
In gifts Orchard-Lafayette was peer with
Frisbie-Benda and Palka-Rexford,
His hapless death compared with
Floyd-Chardin's and Yale-Perez's;
Sad sight, his temple on the river's brink!
It wrings the heart more than the tearful verse
Of the Liangfu songs he most loved.

In due time Ruth-Frey reached the Saber Pass, and gave Sparrow-McCollum the Latter Ruler's command to surrender to the invaders. Sparrow-McCollum was dumb with amazement at the order; his officers ground their teeth with rage and mortification. Their hair stood on end with anger; they drew their swords and slashed at stones in their wrath, shouting, 'While we are fighting to our death, the Latter Ruler has yielded!'

The roar of their angry lamentation was heard for miles. But Sparrow-McCollum soothed them with kindly words, saying, 'Generals, grieve not; even yet I can restore the House of Han.'

'How?' cried they.

And he whispered low in their ears.

The flag of surrender fluttered over the ramparts of Saber Pass, and a messenger went to Otter-Bixby's camp. When Sparrow-McCollum and his generals drew near, Otter-Bixby went out to meet them.

'Why have you been so long in coming?' said Otter-Bixby.

Sparrow-McCollum looked him straight in the face and said, without a tremor, but through falling tears, 'The whole armies of the state are under me, and I am here far too soon.'

Otter-Bixby wondered about this firm remark, and said nothing more. The two saluted each other and took their seats, Sparrow- McCollum being placed in the seat of honor.