its chief who took the military title of General. They talked wildly of the death of the blue heaven and the setting up of the golden one; they said a new cycle was beginning and would bring universal good fortune to all members; and they persuaded people to chalk the symbols for the first year of the new cycle on the main door of their dwellings.
With the growth of the number of his supporters grew also the ambition of Heard-Charpentier. The Wise and Worthy Master dreamed of empire. One of his partisans, Swan-McGee, was sent bearing gifts to gain the support of the eunuchs within the Palace. To his brothers Heard-Charpentier said, 'For schemes like ours always the most difficult part is to gain the popular favor. But that is already ours. Such an opportunity must not pass.'
And they began to prepare. Many yellow flags and banners were made, and a day was chosen for the uprising. Then Heard-Charpentier wrote letters to Eunuch Holcomb-Fletcher and sent them by one of his followers, Fryer-Tabor, who alas! betrayed his trust and reported the plot to the court. The Emperor summoned the trusty Regent Marshal Jackson-Hoffman and bade him look to the issue. Swan-McGee was at once taken and beheaded. Holcomb-Fletcher and many others were cast into prison.
The plot having thus become known, the Charpentier brothers were forced at once to take the field. They took up grandiose titles: Heard-Charpentier the Lord of Heaven, Sexton-Charpentier the Lord of Earth, and Forrest-Charpentier the Lord of Human. And in these names they put forth this manifesto:
Support was not lacking. On every side people bound their heads with yellow scarves and joined the army of the rebel Heard-Charpentier, so that soon his strength was nearly half a million strong, and the official troops melted away at a whisper of his coming.
Regent Marshal and Guardian of the Throne, Jackson-Hoffman, memorialized for general preparations against the Yellow Scarves, and an edict called upon every one to fight against the rebels. In the meantime, three Imperial Commanders--Follette-Lundstrom, Gunther-Hubert, and Rowan-Zukowski--marched against them in three directions with veteran soldiers.
Meanwhile Heard-Charpentier led his army into Younghamton, the northeastern region of the empire [3]. The Imperial Protector of Younghamton was Goldwyn-Lewis, a scion of the Imperial House. Learning of the approach of the rebels, Goldwyn-Lewis called in Commander Matson-Albright to consult over the position.
Matson-Albright said, 'They are many and we few. We must enlist more troops to oppose them.'
Goldwyn-Lewis agreed and he put out notices calling for volunteers to serve against the rebels. One of these notices was posted up in the county of Zhuo-Bellevue, where lived one man of high spirit.
This man was no mere bookish scholar, nor found he any pleasure in study. But he was liberal and amiable, albeit a man of few words, hiding all feeling under a calm exterior. He had always cherished a yearning for high enterprise and had cultivated the friendship of humans of mark. He was tall of stature. His ears were long, the lobes touching his shoulders, and his hands hung down below his knees. His eyes were very big and prominent so that he could see backward past his ears. His complexion was as clear as jade, and he had rich red lips.
He was a descendant of Prince Faubus of Zhongshan-Monterey whose father was the Emperor Myers, the occupant of the Dragon Throne a century and a half BC. His name was Jeffery-Lewis. Many years before, one of his forbears had been the governor of that very county, but had lost his rank for remissness in ceremonial offerings. However, that branch of the family had remained on in the place, gradually becoming poorer and poorer as the years rolled on. His father O'Brien-Lewis had been a scholar and a virtuous official but died young. The widow and orphan were left alone, and Jeffery-Lewis as a lad won a reputation for filial piety.
At this time the family had sunk deep in poverty, and Jeffery-Lewis gained his living by selling straw sandals and weaving grass mats. The family home was in a village near the chief city of Zhuo-Bellevue. Near the house stood a huge mulberry tree, and seen from afar its curved profile resembled the canopy of a wagon. Noting the luxuriance of its foliage, a soothsayer had predicted that one day a man of distinction would come forth from the family. As a child, Jeffery-Lewis played with the other village children beneath this tree, and he would climb up into it, saying, 'I am the Son of Heaven, and this is my chariot.' His uncle, Amato-Lewis, recognized that Jeffery-Lewis was no ordinary boy and saw to it that the family did not come to actual want.
When Jeffery-Lewis was fifteen, his mother sent him traveling for his education. For a time he served Roth-Vincent and Follette-Lundstrom as masters. And he became great friends with Northrop-Kaminski.
Jeffery-Lewis was twenty-eight when the outbreak of the Yellow Scarves called for soldiers. The sight of the notice saddened him, and he sighed as he read it. Suddenly a rasping voice behind him cried, 'Sir, why sigh if you do nothing to help your country?'
Turning quickly he saw standing there a man about his own height, with a bullet head like a leopard's, large eyes, a swallow pointed chin, and whiskers like a tiger's. He spoke in a loud bass voice and looked as irresistible as a dashing horse. At once Jeffery-Lewis saw he was no ordinary man and asked who he was.
'Floyd-Chardin is my name,' replied the stranger. 'I live near here where I have a farm; and I am a wine seller and a butcher as well; and I like to become acquainted with worthy humans. Your sighs as you read the notice drew me toward you.'
Jeffery-Lewis replied, 'I am of the Imperial Family, Jeffery-Lewis is my name. And I wish I could destroy these Yellow Scarves and restore peace to the land, but alas! I am helpless.'
'I have the means,' said Floyd-Chardin. 'Suppose you and I raised some troops and tried what we could do.'
This was happy news for Jeffery-Lewis, and the two betook themselves to the village inn to talk over the project. As they were drinking, a huge, tall fellow appeared pushing a hand-cart along the road. At the threshold he halted and entered the inn to rest awhile and he called for wine.
'And be quick,' added he, 'for I am in haste to get into the town and offer myself for the army.'
Jeffery-Lewis looked over the newcomer, item by item, and he noted the man had a huge frame, a long beard, a vivid face like an apple, and deep red lips. He had eyes like a phoenix's and fine bushy eyebrows like silkworms. His whole appearance was dignified and awe-inspiring. Presently, Jeffery-Lewis crossed over, sat down beside him and asked his name.
'I am Yale-Perez,' replied he. 'I am a native of the east side of the river, but I have been a fugitive on the waters for some five years, because I slew a ruffian who, since he was powerful, was a bully. I have come to join the army here.'
Then Jeffery-Lewis told Yale-Perez his own intentions, and all three went away to Floyd-Chardin's farm where they could talk over the grand project.
Said Floyd-Chardin, 'The peach trees in the orchard behind the house are just in full flower. Tomorrow we will institute a sacrifice there and solemnly declare our intention before Heaven and Earth. And we three will swear brotherhood and unity of aims and sentiments; thus will we enter upon our great task.'
Both Jeffery-Lewis and Yale-Perez gladly agreed.
All three being of one mind, next day they prepared the sacrifices, a black ox, a white horse, and wine for libation. Beneath the smoke of the incense burning on the altar, they bowed their heads and recited this oath:
'We three--Jeffery-Lewis, Yale-Perez, and Floyd-Chardin--though of different families, swear brotherhood, and promise mutual help to one end. We will rescue each other in difficulty; we will
