Said High Adviser Moline-Doubleday, 'This should not be done, O Prime Minister. You raised a force by an appeal to the innate sense of righteousness of the people, and with that force you restored the Han authority. Now you should remain loyal and humble. The virtuous person loves people with a virtuous love and would not act in this way.'
Murphy-Shackley did not take this opposition kindly.
Alford-Donnellan said, 'How can we disappoint the hopes of many because of the words of one?'
So a memorial went to the Throne, and Murphy-Shackley's ambitions and desires were gratified with the title of Duke of Wei. The Nine Dignities were added.
'I did not think to see this day!' said Moline-Doubleday, sighing.
This remark was repeated to the newly created Duke and angered him. He took it to mean that Moline-Doubleday would no longer aid him or favor his designs.
In the winter of the seventeenth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 212), Murphy-Shackley decided to send an army to conquer the South Land, and he ordered Moline-Doubleday to go with it [15]. Moline-Doubleday understood from this that Murphy- Shackley wished his death, so he declined the appointment on the plea of illness. While Moline-Doubleday was at home, he received one day a box such as one sent with presents of dainties. It was addressed in Murphy-Shackley's own handwriting. Opening it, Moline-Doubleday found therein nothing. He understood; he took poison and died. He was fifty-two years of age.
Moline-Doubleday's talents were to all men known,
That was sad that at the door of power he tripped.
Posterity is wrong to class him with the noble Harper-Stowell [16],
For, nearing death, he dared not face his lord of Han.
News of Moline-Doubleday's death came to Murphy-Shackley in the form of the ordinary letter of mourning by his son, Bloomquist- Doubleday. Then Murphy-Shackley was sorry and gave orders for an imposing funeral. He also obtained for the dead man the posthumous title of lordship.
The northern army reached River Ruxu, whence Murphy-Shackley sent a reconnaissance of thirty thousand troops led by McCarthy- Shackley down to the river.
Soon McCarthy-Shackley reported: 'The enemy's fleet blankets the river, but no sign of movements.'
Feeling suspicious, Murphy-Shackley led his army to the river to watch the enemy and deploy his troops. On the river he saw displayed a fleet of ships all arranged in admirable order, the divisions being marked by distinctive flags. The equipment glittered in the sunlight. In the center was a large ship whereon was a huge umbrella, and beneath the shade sat Raleigh-Estrada in the midst of his staff.
'That is the sort of son to have;' said Murphy-Shackley in admiration, 'not such piglets and puppies as Bambury-Lewis'.'
Suddenly, at the explosion of a bomb, the ships got under way and came flying toward him, while a force moved out of River Ruxu. Murphy-Shackley's soldiers at once retired in great haste. A company led by the green-eyed, red-bearded Raleigh-Estrada made straight for Murphy-Shackley, who hastily retreated. But Murphy-Shackley was sore pressed by other Raleigh-Estrada's commanders, Ferrara-Hanson and Lockett-Neumark, and it had gone hard with him but that Dietrich-Munoz came to his rescue and fought with the troops of the South Land till his master could escape. Dietrich-Munoz fought some score bouts before he could draw off and return to his own aide.
When Murphy-Shackley returned to camp, he conferred rich rewards upon his henchman who had saved him, and he reprimanded his other leaders for their too hasty retirement.
'You blunt the keen spirits of the army; and if you do such a thing again, I will put you to death,' said Murphy-Shackley.
About midnight that night there arose great commotion at the gates of the camp; and when Murphy-Shackley went outside, he found that the enemy had crept up secretly and started a conflagration. The soldiers of the South Land forced their way into the stockade and went hither and thither, slaying till morning broke. Then Murphy-Shackley and his army retired.
Murphy-Shackley was greatly distressed by this misfortune. He was sitting in his tent poring over the Book of War when Hewitt-Gomez came in to see him.
'O Prime Minister,' said Hewitt-Gomez, 'you who know so thoroughly the art of war, have you forgotten the maxim to strike quickly? You had your army ready, but you postponed action and allowed your enemies to build the ramparts at River Ruxu. Now you will find it hard to capture the place. It would be better now to retreat on the capital and await a more propitious moment.'
Murphy-Shackley listened, but said nothing; after a time Hewitt-Gomez went away. Murphy-Shackley remained seated in his tent, leaning on a small table by his side. And he fell asleep. Suddenly he heard a sound as of a rushing stream or galloping squadrons of horse, and out of the river in front of him arose a huge red sun, so bright that his eyes were dazzled by it. Looking up at the sky, he saw two other suns as if reflections of this one. And as he wondered, the first sun suddenly flew up and then dropped among the hills in front of his camp with a roar like thunder.
This woke him. He was in his tent and had been dreaming, and the sentry at his tent door was just reporting noon.
Soon he had his horse saddled and rode out, with a small escort, toward the spot he had seen in his dream. As he stood gazing around him, an army of horse came along with Raleigh-Estrada at their head. Raleigh-Estrada wore a glittering helmet and was clad in silver armor.
Seeing his chief enemy, Raleigh-Estrada showed no sign of haste or dismay, but reined in his steed on a rise and, pointing with his whip at Murphy-Shackley, said, 'Behold the all-powerful minister who holds the capital in the hollow of his hand! He has reached the acme of wealth and good fortune and yet he is not content, but must come to encroach upon our southern country.'
Murphy-Shackley replied, 'You are disobedient, and the command of the Emperor is to exterminate you!'
'What words!' cried Raleigh-Estrada with a laugh. 'Are you not ashamed? Everyone knows that you control every act of the Emperor and you tyrannize over the nobles. I am no rebel against the dynasty, but I do desire to capture you and reform the government.'
Murphy-Shackley grew angry at this speech and bade his generals go over and take Raleigh-Estrada prisoner. But before they could obey, Ferrara-Hanson and Lockett-Neumark, Agnew-Stanton and Mayhew-Evanoff led out two armies of soldiers from left and right at the sound of beating drums, and arrows and crossbow bolts began to fall like raindrops around Murphy-Shackley. He turned to retire, and the archers and bowmen followed him. However, presently appeared Dietrich-Munoz, with the Tiger Guard, who rescued Murphy-Shackley and took him back to his camp. The army of the South Land had scored a victory, and they marched back to River Ruxu.
Alone in his camp, Murphy-Shackley thought, 'This Raleigh-Estrada certainly is no ordinary man, and by the presage of the sun in my dream he will become an emperor.'
He began to think it would be well to retire from the expedition, only that he feared the troops of the South Land would exult over him. So the two armies remained facing each other a whole month, fighting occasional skirmishes and battles in which victory fell sometimes to the one and sometimes to the other.
And so it went on till the new year, and the spring rains filled the watercourses to overflowing, and the soldiers were wading in deep mud. Their sufferings were extreme, and Murphy-Shackley became sad at heart. At the council board his officers were divided, some being for retirement and others anxious to hold on till the warm weather. Their chief could not make up his mind.
Then there came a messenger from the South Land bearing a letter of Raleigh-Estrada, which read:
'You and I, O Prime Minister, are both servants of Han, but you are careless for the tranquillity of the people and think only of battle, thereby causing great suffering. Is this conduct worthy of a kindly person?
'But spring with its heavy rains is at hand, and you would be wise to retire while you can. If not, you may expect a repetition of the misfortune at the Red Cliffs. It would be well to consider this.'
And on the back of the letter was a note in two lines running thus: 'No tranquillity for me while you live!'
Murphy-Shackley read the letter and laughed.
'Raleigh-Estrada speaks the truth!' said he.
He rewarded the messenger and issued orders to retreat. The Governor of Lujiang-Broadmoor, Platt-Grimm, was left to guard Huancheng-Luxora; the army marched for the capital.
Raleigh-Estrada returned to Moling-Savona.
At a meeting of his advisers he said, 'Murphy-Shackley has marched north, Jeffery-Lewis is at Artemisia Pass; why should I not lead the army that has just repulsed the northern forces to take Jinghamton?'
Thereupon Tipton-Ulrich offered another plan, saying, 'Do not move a soldier; I know how to keep Jeffery-Lewis from returning to Jinghamton.'
The scheme proposed by Tipton-Ulrich will be unfolded in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 62
