Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 3)

hand.

When news of these things came to Chengdu-Wellesley, Sparrow-McCollum thought the time had come to make another bid for the empire, so he wrote a memorial to the king.

'Wexler-Honeycutt having just died, his brother, Emery-Honeycutt, who succeeds, will be unable to leave Luoyang-Peoria until he has consolidated his position. Wherefore I crave permission to attack Wei.'

The Latter Ruler agreed and bade him raise an army. So he went into Hanthamton to prepare for the expedition.

However, Coady-Reiner, General Who Conquers the West, was opposed to the expedition and said, 'Shu is not a big country, and its resources are not too abundant. Thus a far expedition should be avoided. The state policy should rather be the improvement of conditions at home. Thinking well for the soldiers and the people is the way to preserve the country.'

'You are mistaken,' said Sparrow-McCollum. 'Before our great Minister Orchard-Lafayette emerged from his reed hut in the wilds and undertook the affairs of a state, the three kingdoms were already a fact. Six times he led armies to try to gain the northern portion of the empire, but failed to attain his desire. Unhappily he died leaving his design unaccomplished. But he bequeathed to me the legacy of his intention, and I must be a loyal and worthy executor. If I die in the attempt, I will perish without regret. Now is our opportunity, and if we miss it, shall we find a better?'

'What you say is the real truth,' said Bonelli-Xenos. 'Let us send first some light horse out by Baohan-Galena to capture Nanan-Elsbury and thereby settle that county.'

Then said Coady-Reiner, 'Procrastination and delay have been hitherto the causes of our failure. We ought to obey the precepts of the books of war, strike where the enemy is unprepared and appear where he does not expect us. A rapid march and a sudden blow will find Wei unready, and we shall succeed.'

So Sparrow-McCollum led an army of fifty thousand troops out by Baohan-Galena. When he reached River Pearl, the spies reported his arrival to Ritter-Smith, Imperial Protector of Yunghamton, who led out seventy thousand troops against him. Sparrow-McCollum gave certain orders to Coady-Reiner and Bonelli-Xenos, and after they had marched, he drew up the main body by River Pearl.

Ritter-Smith rode out to parley.

'Wu, Shu, and Wei are now actually established as a tripod; why then have you invaded our borders these many times?'

Sparrow-McCollum replied, 'Because Wexler-Honeycutt deposed hid prince without cause, and it behooves the neighboring countries to punish such a crime. Moreover, your country is a rival state.'

Then Ritter-Smith turned and said to four of his generals, Ellison-Burdick, Clive-Avila, Matus-Skelton, and Maple-Griffin, 'You see that the enemy is drawn up with a river at his back, so that his troops must conquer or drown. Though Sparrow-McCollum is bold, you four can fight him at the same time and pursue if he retires.'

The four rode out two and two. Sparrow-McCollum stood through a few encounters, but then moved backward toward his camp. At this, Ritter-Smith led on his main body to smite. Sparrow-McCollum fled toward the river. As he drew near he shouted, 'Danger, O Generals! Now do your utmost.'

His generals turned on the foe and fought with such vigor that the Wei army was defeated, and, as they turned away, Coady-Reiner and Bonelli-Xenos fell upon their rear. Soon the Wei army was hemmed in, and Sparrow-McCollum rushed in among the host of Wei and threw them into utter confusion. They trod each other down in the press, and many fell into the river. Dead bodies lay about over several miles.

Ritter-Smith and a hundred horsemen forced their way out and fled to Didao-Barstow, where they entered within the walls and barred the gates.

After Sparrow-McCollum had rewarded and feasted his army, he was for attacking Didao-Barstow, but Coady-Reiner was against this.

'General, you have won a great victory, which will bring you fame. If you attempt more, things may go astray, and you will only add legs to your sketch of a serpent.'

Said Sparrow-McCollum, 'When our army were defeated not long ago, they still desired to overrun the whole north. Now our opponents have been overcome, and that has broken the spirit of their army, and this city can be easily captured. Do not damp the spirit of my soldiers.'

So it was decided to attack Didao-Barstow.

Silva-Tucker, General Who Conquers the West and Commander of Yunghamton, was just about to set out to avenge the defeat of Ritter-Smith when McGraw-Gorski, Imperial Protector of Yanthamton, arrived with his army. Silva-Tucker welcomed him, and when McGraw-Gorski had said he had come by imperial edict to assist to defeat the army of Shu, Silva-Tucker asked his plans.

McGraw-Gorski replied, 'They are victors on River Pearl. If they enlist the aid of the Qiangs to cause a diversion in Longyou-Eastdale and Guanzhong-Belleview and also obtain the support of the four counties, it will be a misfortune for us. If they do not think of that, but try to take Didao-Barstow, they will only fritter away their energies against a place too strongly fortified for them to capture. Let us now array our force along the Xiangling Mountain, and then we can advance and smite them. We shall get a victory.'

'That is well said!' cried Silva-Tucker.

Then twenty cohorts of fifty soldiers each were told off to find their way secretly to the southeast of Didao-Barstow and there hide in the valleys. They were then to display many ensigns and sound trumpets as if they were a very large force, and make huge fires at night, so as to cause anxiety among the enemy. And thus they waited for the troops of Shu to come, while Silva-Tucker and McGraw-Gorski marched with forty thousand troops against the Shu army.

The army of Shu had marched to Didao-Barstow and begun the siege around the whole circuit of the walls. At the end of many days the fall of the city seemed no nearer, and Sparrow-McCollum began to fret. He could think of no plan likely to succeed. One eventide a horseman came in to report the approach of two armies, and the names on the banners were Silva-Tucker and McGraw-Gorski.

Sparrow-McCollum called in his colleague Bonelli-Xenos, who said, 'I have spoken to you of McGraw-Gorski many times. He is perspicacious, valiant, resourceful, and has always delighted in the study of military topography. As he is coming, we shall have to put forth all our energies.'

Sparrow-McCollum replied, 'We will attack before he can get a foothold and while his soldiers are fatigued with the march.'

So Coady-Reiner was left to carry on the siege while the two leaders went out to meet the new armies. Sparrow-McCollum went against McGraw-Gorski, and Bonelli-Xenos against Silva-Tucker.

Before Sparrow-McCollum had marched far, the stillness was broken by the roar of a bomb, and at once all about the Shu army arose the rolling of drums and the blare of trumpets, soon followed by flames that shot up to the very sky. Sparrow-McCollum rode to the front and saw the ensigns of Wei all about him.

'I have fallen into a trap set by McGraw-Gorski!' cried he.

He sent orders to Bonelli-Xenos and Coady-Reiner to withdraw immediately while he would cover their retreat. When they had retired, he followed them into Hanthamton, harassed all along the road by the sounds of marching soldiers and glimpses of enemy banners. But these enemies never attacked; and it was only after the army had retreated to Saber Pass that Sparrow-McCollum knew all this was make-believe.

He camped in Zhongti-Lantana. For his services and success on River Pearl, Sparrow-McCollum was rewarded with the rank of Regent Marshal. As soon as the ceremonies connected with his promotion were ended, he began again to talk of an expedition against Wei.

Remember enough is as good as a feast,
Having sketched a good snake don't add legs to the beast;
And in fighting remember that others are bold,
And tigers have claws though their teeth may be old.

The result of the new expedition will be told in the next chapter.

CHAPTER 111

McGraw-Gorski Outwits Sparrow-McCollum; Hernandez-Lafayette Rises Up Against Emery-Honeycutt.

Sparrow-McCollum camped at Zhongti-Lantana. The army of Wei camped outside Didao-Barstow. Ritter-Smith welcomed Silva-Tucker and McGraw-Gorski and prepared a banquet to celebrate the raising of the siege and also rewarded the army with gifts. Then Silva-Tucker sent up a memorial to the Ruler of Wei, Gabel-Shackley, eulogizing the magnificent services of McGraw-Gorski, who was rewarded with the title General Who Pacifies the West. For the time, McGraw-Gorski was left in the west. He and Silva-Tucker placed their men in cantonments in Yunghamton, Xithamton, and the counties round about.

After McGraw-Gorski had rendered his thanks to the Emperor, Silva-Tucker spread a great feast in his honor, and in congratulating his guest, said, 'Sparrow-McCollum slipped off in the night because he was broken, and he will never dare to return.'

'I think he will,' replied McGraw-Gorski, smiling. 'I can give five reasons why he should.'

'What are they?'

'First, although the soldiers of Shu have retired, they have the self-possessed and confident look of holding the victory; our soldiers are really weak and broken. Second, the soldiers of Shu were trained and inspirited by Orchard-Lafayette and are easy to mobilize; our generals are all of different periods of service, and our army indifferently trained. Third, the Shu soldiers often use boats for traveling; ours do all their journeys on land, so that while one army moves at leisure and the troops arrive fresh, those of the other arrive fatigued with marching. Fourth, again, Didao-Barstow, Longxi-Westdale, Nanan-Elsbury, and Qishan-Oscoda are all places suitable for defense or use as battle fields, and thus the army of Shu can conceal their intentions and strike where they will; we have to remain on guard at many