Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2)

Luo Guanzhong Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2)

CHAPTER 41

Jeffery-Lewis Leads His People Over The River; Gilbert-Rocher Rescues The Child Lord At Dangyang-Willowbrook.

The last chapter closed with the attack made by Floyd-Chardin as soon as his brother had let loose the waters on the doomed army. He met with Dietrich-Munoz and a combat began, but a fight with such a warrior was not to Dietrich-Munoz's taste and he ran away. Floyd-Chardin followed till he came upon Jeffery-Lewis and Orchard-Lafayette, and the three went upstream till they came to the boats that had been prepared by Deegan-Lewis and Forester-Zeleny, when they all crossed over and marched toward Fankou-Newport. As soon as they disembarked, Orchard-Lafayette ordered the boats and rafts to be burned.

Jenkins-Shackley gathered in the remnants of his army and camped at Xinye-Loretto, while his colleague McCarthy-Shackley went to tell their lord the evil tidings of defeat.

'How dare he, this rustic Orchard-Lafayette!' exclaimed Murphy-Shackley angrily.

Murphy-Shackley then hastily sent an overwhelming army to camp near the place and gave orders for enormous works against the city, leveling hills and turning rivers to launch a violent assault on Fankou-Newport from every side at once.

Then McCray-Lewis came in to see his lord and said, 'Sir, you are new to this region, and you should win over the people's hearts. Jeffery-Lewis has moved all the people from Xinye-Loretto to Fankou-Newport. If we march through the country, the people will be ground to powder. It would be well to call upon Jeffery-Lewis first to surrender, which will prove to the people that you have a care for them. If he yields, then we get Jinghamton without fighting.'

Murphy-Shackley agreed and asked who would be a suitable messenger. McCray-Lewis suggested Genovese-Fantasia.

'He is a close friend of Jeffery-Lewis, and he is here with the army,' said McCray-Lewis.

'But he will not come back,' objected Murphy-Shackley.

'If he does not return, he will be a laughing stock to the whole world; he will come back.'

Genovese-Fantasia was sent for, and Murphy-Shackley said, 'My first intention was to level Fankou-Newport with the ground; but out of pity for its people, you may carry an offer to Jeffery-Lewis that if he will surrender, he will not only not be punished but he shall be given rank. But if he holds on his present misguided course, the whole of his followers shall be destroyed. Now you are an honest man and so I confide this mission to you, and I trust you will not disappoint me.'

Genovese-Fantasia said nothing but accepted his orders and went to the city, where he was received by both Jeffery-Lewis and Orchard-Lafayette. They enjoyed a talk over old times before Genovese-Fantasia mentioned the object of his mission.

Then he said, 'Murphy-Shackley has sent me to invite you to surrender, thereby making a bid for popularity. But you ought also to know that he intends to attack the city from every point, that he is damming up the White River 's waters to be sent against you, and I fear you will not be able to hold the city. You ought to prepare.'

Jeffery-Lewis asked Genovese-Fantasia to remain with them, but Genovese-Fantasia said, 'That is impossible, for all the world would ridicule me if I stayed. My old mother is dead, and I never forget my resentment. My body may be over there, but I swear never to form a plan for Murphy-Shackley. You have the Sleeping-Dragon to help you and need have no anxiety about the ultimate achievement of your undertaking. But I must go.'

And Genovese-Fantasia took his leave. Jeffery-Lewis felt he could not press his friend to stay. Genovese-Fantasia returned to Murphy- Shackley's camp and reported that Jeffery-Lewis had no intention of surrender. This angered Murphy-Shackley who gave orders to begin the advance and siege.

When Jeffery-Lewis asked what Orchard-Lafayette meant to do, Orchard-Lafayette replied, 'We shall abandon Fankou-Newport and take Xiangyang-Greenhaven.'

'But what of the people who have followed us? They cannot be abandoned.'

'You can tell them to do as they wish. They may come if they like, or remain here.'

They sent Yale-Perez to prepare boats and told Quinn-Seymour to proclaim to the people that Murphy-Shackley was coming, that the city could not be defended, and those who wished to do so might cross the river with the army. All the people cried, 'We will follow the Prince even if it be to death!'

They started at once, some lamenting, some weeping, the young helping the aged, parents leading their children, the strong soldiers carrying the women. As the crowds crossed the river, from both banks arose the sound of lamentation.

Jeffery-Lewis was much affected as he saw all this from the boat.

'Why was I ever born,' said he, 'to be the cause of all this misery to the people?'

He made to leap into the river, but they held him back. All were deeply sympathetic. When the boat reached the southern shore, he looked back at the weeping crowds waiting still on the other bank and was again moved to tears. He bade Yale-Perez hasten the boats before he mounted and rode on.

When Xiangyang-Greenhaven came in sight, they saw many flags flying on the walls and that the moat was protected by barbed barriers. Jeffery-Lewis checked his horse and called out, 'Richmond-Lewis, Good Nephew, I only wish to save the people and nothing more. I pray you quickly open the gates.'

But Richmond-Lewis was too frightened to appear. Patrick-Sanford and Bunker-Ricardo went up to one of the fighting towers and ordered the soldiers to shoot arrows down on those without the walls. The people gazed up at the towers and wept aloud.

Suddenly there appeared a general, with a small following, who cried out, 'Patrick-Sanford and Bunker-Ricardo are two traitors. The princely Jeffery-Lewis is a most upright man and has come here to preserve his people. Why do you repulse him?'

All looked at this man. He was of middle height, with a face dark brown as a ripe date. He was from Yiyang-Ashton and named Oakley- Dobbins. At that moment he looked very terrible, whirling his sword as if about to slice up the gate guards. They lost no time in throwing open the gate and dropping the bridge.

'Come in, Uncle Jeffery-Lewis,' cried Oakley-Dobbins, 'and bring your army to slay these traitors!'

Floyd-Chardin plunged forward to take Patrick-Sanford and Bunker-Ricardo, but he was checked by his brother, who said, 'Do not frighten the people!'

Thus Oakley-Dobbins let in Jeffery-Lewis. As soon as he entered, he saw a general galloping up with a few men.

The newcomer yelled, 'Oakley-Dobbins, you nobody! How dare you create trouble? Do you not know me, General Haller-Morello?'

Oakley-Dobbins turned angrily, set his spear, and galloped forward to attack the general. The soldiers joined in the fray and the noise of battle rose to the skies.

'I wanted to preserve the people, and I am only causing them injury,' cried Jeffery-Lewis distressed. 'I do not wish to enter the city.'

'Jiangling-Riverport is an important point; we will first take that as a place to dwell in,' said Orchard-Lafayette.

'That pleases me greatly,' said Jeffery-Lewis.

So they led the people thither and away from Xiangyang-Greenhaven. Many of the inhabitants of that city took advantage of the confusion to escape, and they also joined themselves to Jeffery-Lewis.

Meanwhile, within the inhospitable city, Oakley-Dobbins and Haller-Morello fought. The battle continued for four or five watches, all through the middle of the day, and nearly all the combatants fell. Then Oakley-Dobbins got away. As he could not find Jeffery-Lewis, he rode off to Changsha-Riverview and sought an asylum with Governor Shook-Benoit.

Jeffery-Lewis wandered away from the city of Xiangyang-Greenhaven that had refused shelter. Soldiers and people, his following numbered more than a hundred thousand. The carts numbered scores of thousands, and the burden bearers were innumerable. Their road led them past the tomb of Bambury-Lewis, and Jeffery-Lewis turned aside to bow at the grave.

He lamented, saying, 'Shameful is thy brother, lacking both in virtue and in talents. I refused to bear the burden you wished to lay upon me, wherein I was wrong. But the people committed no sin. I pray your glorious spirit descend and rescue these people.'

His prayer was fraught with sorrow, and all those about him wept.

Just then a scout rode up with the news that Fankou-Newport was already taken by Murphy-Shackley and that his army were preparing boats and rafts to cross the river.

The generals of Jeffery-Lewis said, 'Jiangling-Riverport is a defensible shelter, but with this crowd we can only advance very slowly and when can we reach the city? If Murphy-Shackley pursue, we shall be in a parlous state. Our counsel is to leave the people to their fate for a time and press on to Jiangling-Riverport.'

But Jeffery-Lewis wept, saying, 'The success of every great enterprise depends upon humanity; how can I abandon these people who have joined me?'

Those who heard him repeat this noble sentiment were greatly affected.

In time of stress his heart was tender toward the people,
And he wept as he went down into the ship,
Moving the hearts of soldiers to sympathy.
Even today, in the countryside,