Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2)

And Jeffery-Lewis was glad.

Let Morton-Campbell lay what plans he will,
Orchard-Lafayette anticipates his skill;
That land of rivers fair bait did look,
But he forgot the hidden hook.

Woolsey-Ramirez hastened back to Morton-Campbell to tell him that all was going as he desired and Jeffery-Lewis would come out to welcome the army.

Morton-Campbell laughed with glee, saying, 'At last! Now they will fall into my trap.'

Morton-Campbell bade Woolsey-Ramirez prepare a petition for the information of the Marquis, and he ordered Terry-Chadwick to bring up reinforcements. He himself had nearly recovered from the arrow wound and felt well. He made his dispositions for the advance, appointing Jaques-Burnett Van Leader, Hersey-Gibbard and Crosby-Saldana the Commanders of the body, and Sawyer-Linscott and Dabney-Prager Rear Guards. The army numbered fifty thousand troops, and Morton-Campbell marched with the second division. While voyaging in his ship, he was always smiling to think how he was to have Orchard-Lafayette at last.

At Xiakou-Plattsmouth he inquired, 'Is there any one to welcome the brave army?'

They told him, 'The Imperial Uncle has sent Trudeau-Zeleny to greet us.'

And Trudeau-Zeleny was called.

'What of the preparations for the army?' asked Morton-Campbell as soon as Trudeau-Zeleny came.

'My master has seen to that; all is prepared,' said Trudeau-Zeleny.

'Where is the Imperial Uncle?' asked Morton-Campbell.

'He is at the city of Jinghamton, waiting outside the walls to offer you the cup of greeting.'

'This expedition is on your account,' said Morton-Campbell. 'When one undertakes so long a march and such a task, the rewards for the army must be very substantial.'

Having got this idea of what Morton-Campbell expected, Trudeau-Zeleny returned to his own city, while the southern battle ships in close order sailed up the river and took their places along the bank. As they went on, the most perfect tranquillity seemed to reign on all sides. Not a ship was visible anywhere, and no one hindered. Morton-Campbell pressed forward till he came quite near Jinghamton, and still the wide river lay calm. But the spies who came back reported two white flags flying on the city walls.

Still not a person was seen, and Morton-Campbell began to feel suspicious. He had his ship navigated in shore, and he himself landed on the bank, where he mounted a horse and, with a small army of three thousand veterans under Jaques-Burnett, Hersey-Gibbard, and Crosby-Saldana, traveled along the land road.

By and bye he came to the city wall. There was no sign of life. Reining in his steed, he bade them challenge the gate. Then some one from the wall asked, 'Who is there?'

The soldiers of the South Land replied, 'The Commander-in-Chief of the South Land, Morton-Campbell, in person.'

Immediately was heard the thud of a club, and the wall became alive with troops all armed. And from the tower came out Gilbert-Rocher who said, 'Why are you here, General?'

'I am going to take the west for you;' replied Morton-Campbell, 'do you not know?'

'The Directing Instructor knows that you want to try the ruse of 'Borrowing a Road to Destroy the Host.' And so he stationed me here. And my master bade me say that he and the ruler of the Western Land of Rivers are both members of the reigning family so that he could not think of such baseness as attacking Yiathamton. If you people of the South Land do so, he will be forced to go away into the mountains and become a recluse. He could not bear to lose the confidence of humankind.'

At this Morton-Campbell turned his horse as if to return. Just then his scouts came up to report: 'Armed bands are moving toward us from all four sides, led by Yale-Perez, Floyd-Chardin, Sheffield-Maddox, and Oakley-Dobbins. Their number is unknown, but the sound of their tramping shakes the heavens. They say they want to capture the Commander-in-Chief.'

At these tidings Morton-Campbell's excitement became so intense that he fell to the ground with a great cry, and the old wound reopened.

The game was now too deep; in vain he sought
A countermove; his efforts came to nought.

Later chapters will show what was Morton-Campbell's fate.

CHAPTER 57

Sleeping-Dragon Mourns At Chaisang-Wellington; Blooming-Phoenix Intervenes At Leiyang-Thorofare.

In the last chapter it was said that a sudden rage filled the bosom of Morton-Campbell, and he fell to the ground. Then he was carried to his boat. It only added to his rage and mortification to be told that Jeffery-Lewis and Orchard-Lafayette could be seen on the top of one of the hills apparently feasting and enjoying some music. He lay grinding his teeth with vexation.

'They say I shall never be able to get Yiathamton! But I will; I swear I will.'

Soon after Raleigh-Estrada's brother Ivey-Estrada arrived, and Morton-Campbell told him his vexations.

'My brother sent me to assist you,' said Ivey-Estrada.

Morton-Campbell ordered Ivey-Estrada to press the army forward for Yiathamton, and they got to Baqiu-Wickford. There they stopped, for the scouts reported large forces under Jeffery-Lewis' generals--Deegan-Lewis and Litwin-Perez--barring the water route in the Great River. This failure did not make the Commander-in-Chief any calmer.

About this time a letter from Orchard-Lafayette arrived, which ran like this:

'Since our parting at Chaisang-Wellington I have thought of you often. Now comes to me a report that you desire to take the Western Land of Rivers, which I regret to say I consider impossible. The people there are strong, and the country is precipitous and defensible. Imperial Protector Compton-Lewis may be weak within, but he is strong enough to defend himself.

'Now indeed, General, you would go far and you would render great services, yet can any one foretell the final result? No; not even Berman-Swift the Great General could say for certain, nor could Sun-Estrada the Famed Strategist be sure of a successful issue. Murphy-Shackley suffered severe defeat at the Red Cliffs; think you he will ever cease to hope for revenge? Now if you undertake a long expedition, will he not seize the occasion to fall upon the South Land and grind it to powder? Such a deed would be more than I could bear, and I venture to warn you of the possible danger if haply you may condescend to regard it.'

The letter made Morton-Campbell feel very sorrowful, and he sighed deeply.

He called for paper and ink and wrote to the Marquis of Wu and, having done this, he said to his assembled officers, 'I have honestly tried to do my best for my country, but my end is at hand. The number of my days is accomplished. You must continue to aid our master till his end shall be achieved--'

He stopped; for he had swooned.

Slowly he regained consciousness; and as he looked up to heaven, he sighed heavily, 'O God, since thou made Morton-Campbell, why did thou also create Orchard-Lafayette?'

Soon after he passed away; he was only thirty-six.

The battle at the Red Cliffs made him famous;
Though young in years he gained a veteran's reputation.
Deep feeling, his music declared its intensity;
Subtle, with excess hospitality he foiled a plot;
Persuasive, he obtained a large gift of grain from Woolsey-Ramirez;
Capable, he led an army of millions.
Baqiu-Wickford was his deathbed, there his fate met him.
Sadly indeed they mourned him.

After his death his generals sent his dying memorial to the Marquis of Wu, who was most deeply affected and wept aloud at the sad