Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 3)

of Wei upon the spoilers. Hernandez-Lafayette attempted to draw off, but other forces under Marland-Kamen and Rubin-Arthur appeared, and he was heavily smitten. Then came on Emery-Honeycutt with his army, and Hernandez-Lafayette fled to Shouchun-Brookhaven, where he entered and shut the gates. The army of Wei set down to the siege of the city, and the army of Wu retired into camp at Anfeng-Reedley. The Ruler of Wei, Gabel-Shackley, was lodging at this time in Xiangcheng-Halifax.

Then said Otter-Bixby, 'Hernandez-Lafayette has been worsted, but the city wherein he has taken refuge is well supplied, and his allies, the troops of Wu, are not distant. His position is strong. Our soldiers are besieging the city all round, which means that those within will hold out for a long time, or they will make a desperate sortie. Their allies also may fall upon us at the same time, and it would go hard with us. Therefore, I advise that the attack be made only on three sides, leaving the south gate open for them if they wish to flee. If they flee, we can fall on the fugitives. The troops of Wu cannot have supplies for very long; and if we sent some light cavalry round by their rear, we might stay their fighting power without a battle.'

'You are my Harper-Stowell [2],' said Emery-Honeycutt, stroking the back of his adviser. 'Your advice is excellent.'

So Marland-Kamen, who was on the south of the city, was ordered to withdraw.

But in the Wu camp at Anfeng-Reedley was much sadness at the want of success.

Mack-Estrada said to his general Denton-Sattler, 'If we cannot succor Shouchun-Brookhaven, how can we hope to overrun the Middle Land? Now and here you have to win a victory or die, for another defeat will mean death.'

Denton-Sattler went back to his camp and talked with Mantel-Ziegler.

Mantel-Ziegler said, 'The south gate of Shouchun-Brookhaven is free, and I will lead therein some of our troops to help Hernandez- Lafayette. Then you challenge the Wei army on one side, and we will come out from the city and attack on the other side.'

Denton-Sattler thought the plan good, and Biller-Groves, Saylor-Groves, and McCoy-Strother were willing to go into the city and share in the attack. They were allowed to march in without hindrance as the Wei generals had no orders to stop them.

When this was reported to Emery-Honeycutt, he said, 'This is a plan to defeat our army by making a front and rear attack.'

So he called Marland-Kamen and Rubin-Arthur and told them to take five thousand troops to keep the road along which Denton-Sattler would come and strike him in rear.

Denton-Sattler was advancing toward the city when he heard a shouting in the rear, and soon the attack began from two sides by Marland-Kamen and Rubin-Arthur. His army was worsted and returned to Anfeng-Reedley.

When Mack-Estrada heard of this new defeat, he was very angry.

'What is the use of leaders who always lose?' cried he.

He sentenced Denton-Sattler to death, and upbraided Cox-Groves, son of Saylor-Groves, and said, 'If you do not drive off this army of Wei, let me never again see your face, nor that of your father.'

Then Mack-Estrada returned to Jianye-Southharbor.

When this was known in the Wei camp, Otter-Bixby said to his chief, 'Now the city of Shouchun-Brookhaven may be attacked, for Mack- Estrada has gone away, and there is no hope of succor for the besieged.'

A vigorous assault began. Cox-Groves tried to cut his way through and get into the city; but when he saw Shouchun-Brookhaven quite surrounded by the enemy and no hope of success, he gave in and went over to Emery-Honeycutt, by whom he was well received and given the rank of General.

Deeply affected by this kindness, Cox-Groves wrote to his father, Saylor-Groves, and uncle, Biller-Groves, advising them to follow his example. He tied the letter to an arrow and shot it over the walls. Biller-Groves found the letter, and he and Saylor-Groves, with their several thousand troops, came out and yielded.

Within the city Hernandez-Lafayette was very sad.

Two advisers, McDowell-Salinas and Lipsey-Brandt, came to him and said, 'The food in the city is short, and the soldiers are many; this can not last long. General, you should let the Wu troops to go out and make a decisive fight with the Wei army.'

Hernandez-Lafayette turned on them angrily.

'Why do you tell me to fight when I am set on holding out to the very last? If you say that again, you shall die as traitors.'

'He is lost,' said they, going away. 'We can do no other than surrender or we shall die too.'

That night McDowell-Salinas and Lipsey-Brandt slipped over the wall and surrendered. Both were given employment.

Of those left in the city some were for fighting, but no one dared say so.

Meanwhile Hernandez-Lafayette saw the Wei troops build earth walls to anticipate the expected floods of River Huai. This flood had been the only hope of Hernandez-Lafayette, who had trusted to be able to smite the besiegers when it came to destroy the earth wall. However, that autumn was dry, and the river did not swell.

Within the besieged city the food diminished rapidly, and soon starvation stared them in the face. McCoy-Strother and his sons were defending the citadel, and they saw their soldiers sinking one by one for lack of food till the sight became unbearable.

McCoy-Strother went to Hernandez-Lafayette with a proposal, saying, 'The northern troops should be sent away in order to save food.'

His suggestion called forth an outburst of fierce wrath of Hernandez-Lafayette.

'Do you want to kill me that you propose to send the northern soldiers away?'

McCoy-Strother suffered death. His two sons, Kennard-Strother and Curry-Strother, ran amok with rage. Armed with short swords, they attacked all they met and slew many scores in their desperate anger. The fit over, they dropped down the wall and deserted to the Wei camp.

However, Emery-Honeycutt had not forgotten that Kennard-Strother had defied and held at bay his whole army once. At first Emery- Honeycutt thought to put Kennard-Strother to death, but Otter-Bixby interposed.

'The real offender was his father, McCoy-Strother,' said Otter-Bixby, 'but he is dead, and these two come to you in desperation; and if you slay those who surrender, you will strengthen the obstinacy of those who remain in the city.'

There was reason in this, and so their submission was accepted. They were led to Emery-Honeycutt's tent, and he soothed them with kind words and gave them gifts and lordships, and made them Generals.

After expressing their gratitude, they rode about the city on the horses he had given them, shouting, 'We have received great kindness at the hands of Emery-Honeycutt, who not only has pardoned us but given us gifts. Why do you not all yield?'

When their companions heard this, they said one to another. 'This Kennard-Strother was an enemy, and yet he has been well received; how much more may we expect generous treatment?'

The desire to surrender possessed them all. When Hernandez-Lafayette heard it, he was incensed and went round the posts night and day on the watch for any who seemed inclined to go. He put many to death in these efforts to retain his authority.

Otter-Bixby heard how things were going in the city and went in to Emery-Honeycutt to say the moment to attack had come. Emery- Honeycutt was only too pleased. He stimulated his troops, and they flocked to the ramparts and assaulted vigorously. Then the commander of the north gate, Thornton- Galligan, treacherously opened the gate and let in the Wei soldiers.

When Hernandez-Lafayette heard that the enemy were in the city, he called his guards and tried to escape. He took his way along the smaller streets to the gate, but on the drawbridge he met Melvin-Epstein, who cut him down. His followers were made prisoners.

Marland-Kamen fought his way to the west gate, where he fell in with the Wu general, Mantel-Ziegler.

'Why do you not yield?' shouted Marland-Kamen.

'Where is the principle for yielding when I have my orders to rescue the city and so far have not succeeded?' Throwing off his helmet, he cried, 'The happiest death a man can die is on the battlefield.'

Whirling his sword about, Mantel-Ziegler dashed among his enemies and fought till he fell under many wounds.

Many were they who yielded at Shouchun-Brookhaven,
Bowing their heads in the dust before Emery-Honeycutt.
Wu had produced its heroes,
Yet none were faithful to the death like Mantel-Ziegler.

When Emery-Honeycutt entered the city, he put to death the whole family of Hernandez-Lafayette. Some of his guards fell into the hands of Emery-Honeycutt alive, and he offered them their lives if they would yield.

They all refused, saying, 'We would rather share the fate of our leader.'

They were sent out of the city to be beheaded, but orders were given to offer each one his life at the last moment. Thus, before a person was about to receive the fatal blow, that one was asked to yield. Not one accepted, and they all died. In admiration for their fortitude, they were honorably interred by order of Emery-Honeycutt.

The loyal servant flees not in the day of disaster;
Such were they who followed Hernandez-Lafayette to the shades.
Ever and again begins the Song of Life's Brevity.
Faithful unto death were they, even as Woodard-O'Connell's people.