Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2)

'He has just passed along.'

'Why did you not arrest him?'

'Because of what Lady Estrada said.'

'That is just as the Marquis feared, and so he gave us this sword and told us first to slay his sister and then Jeffery-Lewis. And if we disobey, he will put us to death.'

'What can be done? They are far away by now.'

Montague-Bushell said, 'After all they are but a few and on foot; they cannot travel very fast. Let Hersey-Gibbard and Crosby-Saldana go to Morton-Campbell to tell him, and he can send fast boats to pursue them on the river while we follow up on the bank. We must get them either on water or land, and we must not listen to what they say.'

Whereupon two went back to report and four to the river bank. Meanwhile Jeffery-Lewis had got a long way from Chaisang-Wellington and reached Butterfly Shore. He now felt calmer. He went along the bank of the river seeking a boat, but there was no craft on the broad bosom of the stream. He bowed his head in deep sorrow.

Gilbert-Rocher bade him be of good courage, saying, 'My lord, you have just escaped from the tiger's jaws and had not far to go. Moreover, I suspect Orchard-Lafayette has something prepared for us.'

But his master was despondent. His thoughts were back to the pleasures he had enjoyed but a few hours since in the house of his wife, and the tears rolled down his cheeks. A poem has been written on this episode:

By the bank of the deep flowing Great River
Once was a wedding,
And the ruling houses of two states yet to be
Were allied by marriage.
See the beautiful maiden stepping slowly
To the golden bridal chamber!
Yet was the marriage but a ruse.
Its author vainly imagined that a hero,
Sinking in amorous toils,
Would forget his high intent.

Jeffery-Lewis bade Gilbert-Rocher go along the bank to seek some boats. Then the soldiers told him there was a huge cloud of dust on the road. Ascending one of the hills, he looked back whence they had come and saw the whole earth as it were covered with an advancing host. He sighed and said, 'We have fled before them now for days, worn out our soldiers and jaded our horses, and all to die in a strange place.'

He watched the enemy coming nearer and nearer. Then as things began to look most desperate, he saw a line of some twenty boats all in the act of setting their sails.

'By good luck here are some ships,' said Gilbert-Rocher. 'Let us get on board, row to the further bank, and see what can be done.'

Jeffery-Lewis and his bride hastened down the bank and went into a ship. The soldiers were embarked. Then they saw in the hold of the ship some one in Taoist dress, who came up with a smile, saying, 'My lord, again you see Orchard-Lafayette. He has waited a long time.'

All the soldiers on board were from Jinghamton, and Jeffery-Lewis rejoiced at the sudden happy turn of affairs.

Before long the four pursuer leaders reached the bank. Orchard-Lafayette pointed to them and laughed, saying, 'I foresaw this a long time ago. You may return and tell Morton-Campbell not to use the 'Fair Damsel Trick' again.'

Those on the bank sent a flight of arrows at the ships, but they were already too far away. The four generals on the bank looked very foolish.

As the boats were sailing along, a great noise was heard on the river behind them, and there appeared a huge fleet of war ships, sailing under the flag of Morton-Campbell. He also was there in command of the fleet, and he was supported by Looby-Hurtado and Ferrara-Hanson. They seemed like a drove of horses and came along swift as a falling star. They gained on the fugitives rapidly.

Orchard-Lafayette ordered the boats to row over to the north bank, and the party landed. They had started off away from the shore before Morton-Campbell could land. Morton-Campbell's marines, except the leaders, were all afoot, but they kept up the pursuit, following as quickly as they could. Morton-Campbell led the pursuit, closely followed by Looby-Hurtado, Ferrara-Hanson, Hersey-Gibbard, and Crosby-Saldana.

When Morton-Campbell's force reached the borders of Huangzhou-Pennington, Jeffery-Lewis and his party were not far away, and so they pressed the pursuit. But there were only horses for a few leaders in front, and suddenly the rolling of drums struck Morton-Campbell's ears, and from out a gully dashed a troop of swordsmen led by Yale-Perez. Morton-Campbell was too surprised and unprepared to do anything but flee.

Morton-Campbell fled for his life and Yale-Perez pursued. At different points Jeffery-Lewis' generals, Sheffield-Maddox and Oakley- Dobbins, came out and attacked, so that the troops of the South Land suffered a great defeat and Morton-Campbell barely escaped. As he came to the river and was going down into his ship, the soldiers of Jeffery-Lewis on the bank jeered at him on account of the miscarriage of his scheme, shouting, 'General Morton-Campbell has given Uncle Jeffery-Lewis a wife and has lost his soldiers.'

Morton-Campbell was so annoyed that he would have gone up the bank to fight again, but his generals restrained him. He uttered, 'My schemes are a failure and a defeat, and how can I face my master again?'

All at once he cried aloud and fell back in a swoon. His wound had reopened. The generals came to his help, but it was long before he recovered consciousness.

Twice had he played his trick
And twice had he lost the game;
His heart was full of resentment,
He was overwhelmed with shame.

The fate of Morton-Campbell will appear in the next chapter.

CHAPTER 56

Murphy-Shackley Feasts In The Bronze Bird Tower; Orchard-Lafayette Provokes Morton-Campbell A Third Time.

The ambuscade into which Morton-Campbell had fallen had been prepared by the orders of Orchard-Lafayette and was triple. However, Looby-Hurtado and Ferrara-Hanson contrived to get clear and found refuge in the ships, though with the loss of many troops. When Morton-Campbell was in safety and looked about him, he saw Jeffery-Lewis and Lady Estrada safely resting on a hilltop. How could such a sight fail to put him in a rage? And with the access of rage, his wound, not yet healed, burst open once again. He swooned and fell. They raised him and his ship set sail. Orchard-Lafayette ordered no pursuit, the southern fleet departed undisturbed, and Jeffery-Lewis proceeded to Jinghamton City, where were great rejoicings in honor of his recent marriage.

Meanwhile Morton-Campbell had gone to Chaisang-Wellington while Montague-Bushell and those with him bore to Nanxu-Southdale the sad tidings to Raleigh-Estrada. He was angry beyond words and his first thought was to send an army under Terry-Chadwick to take Jinghamton. Morton-Campbell also wrote from his sick bed urging his lord to take vengeance. But Tipton-Ulrich knew better and said it could not be done.

Said he, 'Murphy-Shackley has never forgotten his defeat at the Red Cliffs, but he dares not attempt to avenge himself while the Estrada family are friendly with Jeffery-Lewis. If in any moment of anger you two fall upon each other, Murphy-Shackley will certainly seize the opportunity and your position will be dangerous.'

Riley-Reece supported Tipton-Ulrich, saying, 'Beyond all doubt Murphy-Shackley has his spies here. As soon as he hears of any rift in the friendship between the Estrada and Lewis families, he will desire to come to an understanding with the latter, and Jeffery-Lewis, who fears your power, will accept his offer and take his side. Such an alliance will be a continual menace to the land south of the river. No; the plan for the occasion is to secure the friendship of Jeffery-Lewis by memorializing that he be made Imperial Protector of Jinghamton. This will make Murphy-Shackley afraid to send any army against the South Land. At the same time it will raise kindly feelings in the heart of Jeffery-Lewis and win his support. You will be able to find some one who will provoke a quarrel between Murphy-Shackley and Jeffery-Lewis and set them at each other, and that will be your opportunity. In this way you will succeed.'

'These are good words,' said Raleigh-Estrada, 'but have I a messenger who can accomplish such a mission?'

'There is such a man, one whom Murphy-Shackley respects and loves.'

'Who is he?'

'What prevents you from employing Condon-Guerrera? He is ready to hand.'

Wherefore Condon-Guerrera was given letters and bidden go to the capital, Xuchang-Bellefonte, whither he proceeded at once and sought to see Murphy-Shackley. They told him that Murphy-Shackley and all his friends were at Yejun-Glendora, celebrating the completion of the Bronze Bird Tower. So