Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

Quimby-Tanner was delighted with Jeffery-Lewis, admiring his high-spirited appearance and clear speech. Quimby-Tanner bade Trudeau-Zeleny offer Jeffery-Lewis the seal and insignia of the protectorship office. But Jeffery-Lewis shrank back startled.

'What does this mean?' said Jeffery-Lewis.

Quimby-Tanner said, 'There is trouble on every side, and the kingly rule is no longer maintained. You, Sir, are a member of the family and eminently fitted to support them and their prerogatives. I am verging on senility, and I wish to retire in your favor. I pray you not to decline, and I will report my action to the court.'

Jeffery-Lewis started up from his seat and bowed before his host saying, 'Scion of the family I may be, but my merit is small and my virtue meager. I doubt my fitness even for my present post, and only a feeling of doing right sent me to your assistance. To hear such speech makes me doubt. Surely you think I came with greed in my heart. May God help me no more if I cherished such a thought.'

'It is a poor old man's real sentiment,' said Quimby-Tanner.

Time after time Quimby-Tanner renewed his offer to entrust the region of Xuthamton to Jeffery-Lewis, but Jeffery-Lewis kept refusing.

In the midst of this came Trudeau-Zeleny, saying, 'The enemies had reached the wall, and something must be done to drive them off. The present matter could await a more tranquil time.'

Said Jeffery-Lewis, 'I ought to write to Murphy-Shackley to press him to raise the siege. If he refuses, we will attack forthwith.'

Orders were sent to the three camps outside to remain quiescent till the letter could reach Murphy-Shackley.

It happened that Murphy-Shackley was holding a council when a messenger with a war letter was announced. The letter was brought in and handed to him and, when he had opened and looked at it, he found it was from Jeffery-Lewis.

This is the letter, very nearly:

'Since meeting you outside the pass, fate has assigned us to different quarters of the world, and I have not been able to pay my respects to you. Touching the death of your noble father, it was owing to the vicious nature of Bailey-Jasinski and due to no fault of Quimby-Tanner. Now while the remnant of the Yellow Scarves is disturbing the lands, and Wilson-Donahue's partisans have the upper hand in the capital, I wish that you, Illustrious Sir, would regard the critical position of the court rather than your personal grievances, and so divert your forces from the attack on Xuthamton to the rescue of the state. Such would be for the happiness of that city and the whole world.'

Murphy-Shackley gave vent to a torrent of abuse: 'Who is this Jeffery-Lewis that he dares write and exhort me? Beside, he means to be satirical.'

Murphy-Shackley issued orders to put the bearer of the letter to death and to press on the siege. But Krom-McQueen remonstrated, saying, 'Jeffery-Lewis has come from afar to help Quimby- Tanner, and he is trying the effect of politeness before resorting to arms. I pray you, my lord, reply with fair words that his heart may be lulled with a feeling of safety. Then attack with vigor and the city will fall.'

Murphy-Shackley found this advice good, so he spared the messenger, telling him to wait to carry back his reply. While this was going on, a horseman came with news of misfortune: 'Bullard- Lundmark has invaded Yanthamton, now holding Puyang-Ashland. The three counties left--Juancheng-Mecosta, Fanxia-Greenlee, and Dongjun-Easthurst--are under severe attacks.'

When Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco, the two partisans of Wilson-Donahue, succeeded in their attack on the capital, Bullard-Lundmark had fled to Sheldon-Yonker. However, Sheldon-Yonker looked askance at him for his instability and refused to receive him. Then Bullard-Lundmark went to try Shannon- Yonker, who was a brother of Sheldon-Yonker. Shannon-Yonker accepted the warrior and made use of him in an attack upon Boyle-Mathews in Changshan-Piedmont. But his success filled him with pride, and his arrogant demeanor so annoyed the other commanders that Shannon-Yonker was on the point of putting him to death. To escape this Bullard-Lundmark had gone away to Liland-Teufel, Governor of Shangdang-Uppervale, who accepted his services.

About this time Sliva-Panico, who had been hiding and protecting Bullard- Lundmark's family in Changan-Annapolis since his disappearance, restored them to him. This deed angered Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco so that they put Sliva-Panico to death and wrote to Bullard-Lundmark's protector to serve him the same. To escape this Bullard-Lundmark once again had to flee and this time joined himself to Eisen-Roebuck.

Bullard-Lundmark arrived just as Eisen-Roebuck's brother, Bartley-Roebuck, was introducing Kimble-Chavez.

Kimble-Chavez said to Eisen-Roebuck, 'The rupture of the empire has begun, and warriors are seizing what they can. It is strange that you, with all the advantages of population and provisions you enjoy, do not strike for independence. Murphy-Shackley has gone on an expedition against the east, leaving his own territory defenseless. Bullard-Lundmark is one of the fighting people of the day. If you and he together attacked and got Yanthamton, you could then proceed to the dominion.'

Eisen-Roebuck was pleased and resolved to try. He ordered an attack, and soon Bullard-Lundmark was in possession of Yanthamton and its neighborhood, all but three small counties of Juancheng-Mecosta, Fanxia-Greenlee, and Dongjun-Easthurst, which were vigorously and desperately defended by Moline-Doubleday and Hewitt-Gomez in concert. Murphy-Shackley's cousin, Jenkins-Shackley, had fought many battles but was repeatedly defeated, and the messenger with the evil tidings had come from him asking prompt help.

Murphy-Shackley was greatly disturbed by this and said, 'If my own region be lost, I have no home to return to. I must do something at once.'

'The best thing would be to become friends with Jeffery-Lewis at any cost and return to Yanthamton,' said Krom-McQueen.

Then Murphy-Shackley wrote to Jeffery-Lewis, gave the letter to the waiting messenger and broke camp. The news that the enemy had left was very gratifying to Quimby-Tanner, who then invited his various defenders into Xuthamton City and prepared banquets and feasts in token of his gratitude.

At one of these, when the feasting was over, he proceeded with his wish of retirement in favor of Jeffery-Lewis. Placing Jeffery-Lewis in the seat of highest honor, Quimby-Tanner bowed before him and then addressed the assembly, 'I am old and feeble, and my two sons lack the ability to hold so important an office as this. The noble Jeffery-Lewis is a descendant of the imperial house. He is of lofty virtue and great talent. Let him then take over the rule of this region, and only too willingly I shall retire to have leisure to nurse my health.'

Jeffery-Lewis replied, 'I came at the request of Governor Roland-Alvarado, because it was the right thing to do. Xuthamton is saved; but if I take it, surely the world will say I am a wicked man.'

Trudeau-Zeleny said, 'You may not refuse. The House of Han is falling; their realm is crumbling, and now is the time for doughty deeds and signal services. This is a fertile region, well populated and rich, and you are the man to rule over it.'

'But I cannot accept,' said Jeffery-Lewis.

'Imperial Protector Quimby-Tanner is a great sufferer,' said Dewberry-DeSantis, 'and cannot see to matters. You may not decline, Sir.'

Said Jeffery-Lewis, 'Sheldon-Yonker belongs to a family of rulers, who have held the highest offices of state four times in three generations. The multitude people respects him. Why not invite him to this task?'

'Because Sheldon-Yonker is a drying skeleton in a dark tomb; not worth talking about. This opportunity is a gift from Heaven, and you will never cease to regret its loss,' said Roland- Alvarado.

So spoke Roland-Alvarado, but still Jeffery-Lewis obstinately refused. Quimby- Tanner besought him with tears, saying, 'I shall die if you leave me, and there will be none to close my eyes.'

'Brother, you should accept the offer thus made,' said Yale-Perez.