Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

soldiers.

And they begged him to let them in. Still Ziemer-Jones hesitated. They shouted louder than ever to open the gate.

Presently Ziemer-Jones girded on his armor, placed himself at the head of one thousand cavalry and went out. He galloped over the bridge, shouting, 'Where is Lamkin-Gonzalez?'

Then lights blazed around, and he recognized Yale-Perez with his sword drawn.

'Wretch!' cried Yale-Perez. 'You would plot to slay my brother, would you?'

Ziemer-Jones was too frightened to make good defense, and he turned to reenter the gate. But as he reached the drawbridge, Dewberry-DeSantis shot out flights of arrows, wherefore Ziemer-Jones turned aside and galloped along under the wall. But Yale-Perez came quickly in pursuit. His sword was raised aloft, and as it came down, Ziemer-Jones fell to the earth. Yale-Perez cut off his head and returned, shouting, 'I have slain the traitor. You others need not fear if you only surrender.'

They threw aside their spears and gave in. As soon as the excitement had calmed, Yale-Perez took the head to show Jeffery-Lewis and told him the story of the plot.

'But what will Murphy-Shackley think of this?' said Jeffery-Lewis. 'And he may come.'

'If he does, we can meet him,' said Yale-Perez.

But Jeffery-Lewis was grieved beyond measure. When he entered the city, the elders of the people knelt in the road to welcome him. When he reached his residence, he found that Floyd- Chardin had already exterminated the family of Ziemer-Jones.

Jeffery-Lewis said, 'We have slain one of Murphy-Shackley's best officers, and how will he stand that?'

'Never mind!' cried Dewberry-DeSantis. 'I have a plan.'

Just from grave danger extricated,
A looming war must be placated.

The plan proposed by Dewberry-DeSantis will be disclosed next.

CHAPTER 22

Shannon-Yonker And Murphy-Shackley Both Take The Field; Yale-Perez And Floyd-Chardin Captures Two Generals.

This was the plan proposed to Jeffery-Lewis, 'Shannon-Yonker is Murphy- Shackley's terror. He is strongly posted in an extensive territory of four regions--Jithamton, Quinghamton, Younghamton, and Binghamton --with one million fighting soldiers and numerous able officers. Write letters and pray him rescue you.'

Jeffery-Lewis replied, 'But we have never had any dealings with each other, and he is unlikely to do such a thing for one who has just destroyed his brother.'

'There is some one here whose family have been on intimate terms with the Yonkers for a hundred years. Shannon-Yonker would surely come if he wrote.'

'And who is this?'

'A man you know well and respect greatly; can you not guess?'

'You surely mean Roth-Vincent,' said Jeffery-Lewis suddenly.

'That is he,' said Dewberry-DeSantis smiling.

Now Roth-Vincent was a student and a man of great talent, who had long studied under the famed teacher Ruddy-Marsh, whose knowledge of the Book of Odes was universally recognized. Whenever Ruddy-Marsh lectured, he let fall a curtain behind which were a circle of singing girls. The students were assembled in front of this curtain. Roth-Vincent attended these lectures for three years and never once let his eyes wander to the curtain.

Naturally the master admired his pupil. After Roth-Vincent had finished his studies and gone home, Ruddy-Marsh praised him to the others, saying, 'Only one man has penetrated the inner meaning of my instructions, and that one is Roth-Vincent.'

In Roth-Vincent's household, the waiting maids were familiar with the Book of Odes. Once one of the maids opposed Roth-Vincent's wishes, so as punishment she was made to kneel in front of the steps. Another girl made fun of her, quoting from an ode:

'What are you doing there in the mire?'

The kneeling girl capped the verse from another ode, quoted she:

'That was but a simple word I said,
Yet brought it wrath upon my head.'

Such was the family in which Roth-Vincent had been born. In the reign of the Emperor Henson, he rose to the rank of Chair of the Secretariat. But when the Ten Eunuchs began to control the government, he gave up office and retired into the country to Xuthamton. Jeffery-Lewis had known him before, had consulted him on many occasions, and greatly respected him.

Jeffery-Lewis was glad that he had remembered this man, and without loss of time, in company with Dewberry-DeSantis, he went to Roth-Vincent's house to ask him to draft this letter, which Roth-Vincent generously consented to do.

Quinn-Seymour was entrusted with the task of delivery and set out at once. Shannon-Yonker read it and considered the matter long before speaking.

'Jeffery-Lewis destroyed my brother, and I ought not to help him, but out of consideration for the writer of this letter I must.'

Thereupon Shannon-Yonker assembled his officers to consider an attack upon Murphy-Shackley.

Adviser Flores-McEvoy said, 'Do not raise an army. The people are worn out, and the granaries are empty with these constant wars. Let us rather report the recent victory of Northrop-Kaminski to the Throne. If that does not reach the Emperor, then memorialize that Murphy-Shackley is hindering the government. Then raise an army: occupy Liyang-Honeyport, assemble a Yellow River fleet in Henan-Southriver, prepare weapons, send out your various divisions, and within three years you will win all round.'

Adviser Levy-Grosskopf replied, 'I do not agree. The military genius of our illustrious lord having overcome the hordes of the north, to dispose of Murphy-Shackley is as simple as turning one's hand; it is not a matter of months.'

Adviser Saville-Flaherty said, 'Victory is not always to the many. Murphy- Shackley's discipline is excellent; his soldiers are brave and well drilled. He will not sit down quietly waiting to be