三国演义英文版- 第150部分

Lu　Su　gave　a　banquet　for　Zhuge　Liang　after　which　the　guest　left。
Just　as　Zhuge　Liang　was　embarking；　his　arm　was　clutched　by　a　person　in　Taoist　dress　who　said　with　a　smile；　〃You　exasperated　literally　to　death　the　man　whose　body　lies　up　there。　To　e　here　as　a　mourner　is　an　open　insult　to　the　South　Land。　It　is　as　good　as　to　say　they　have　no　other　left。〃
Zhuge　Liang　turned　to　look；　and　he　saw　it　was　no　other　than　Pang　Tong；　or　the　Young　Phoenix。　Then　Zhuge　Liang　laughed　in　his　turn；　and　they　two　hand　in　hand　went　down　into　the　ship；　where　they　talked　heart　to　heart　for　a　long　time。
Before　leaving；　Zhuge　Liang　gave　his　friend　a　letter　and　said；　〃I　do　not　think　that　Sun　Quan　will　use　you　as　you　merit。　If　you　find　life　here　distasteful；　then　you　may　e　to　Jingzhou　and　help　to　support　my　master。　He　is　liberal　and　virtuous　and　will　not　disdain　what　you　have　spent　your　life　in　learning。〃
Then　they　parted；　and　Zhuge　Liang　went　alone　to　Jingzhou。
Lu　Su　had　the　coffin　of　Zhou　Yu　taken　to　Wuhu；　where　Sun　Quan　received　it　with　sacrifices　and　lamentations。　The　dead　leader　was　buried　in　his　native　place。
Zhou　Yu's　family　consisted　of　two　sons　and　a　daughter；　the　children　being　named　Zhou　Xun；　Zhou　Yin；　and　Zhou　Ying。　Sun　Quan　treated　them　with　generosity　and　tenderness。
Lu　Su　was　not　satisfied　that　he　was　the　fittest　successor　to　his　late　chief　and　said；　〃Zhou　Yu　was　not　right　in　remending　me；　for　I　have　not　the　requisite　ability　and　am　unfitted　for　this　post。　But　I　can　mend　to　you　a　certain　able　man；　conversant　with　all　knowledge；　and　a　most　capable　strategist；　not　inferior　to　the　old　Guan　Zhong　or　Yue　Yi；　one　whose　plans　are　as　good　as　those　of　Sun　Zi　and　Wu　Qi；　the　most　famous　masters　of　the　Art　of　War。　Zhou　Yu　often　took　his　advice；　and　Zhuge　Liang　believes　in　him。　And　he　is　at　hand。〃
This　was　good　news　for　Sun　Quan；　who　asked　the　man's　name；　and　when　he　heard　it　was　Pang　Tong　or　Young　Phoenix；　he　replied；　〃Yes；　I　know　him　by　reputation。　Let　him　e。〃
Whereupon　Pang　Tong　was　invited　to　the　palace　and　introduced。　The　formal　salutations　over；　Sun　Quan　was　disappointed　with　the　man's　appearance；　which　was　indeed　extraordinary。　Pang　Tong　had　bushy　eyebrows；　a　turned…up　nose；　and　a　stubby　beard。　So　Sun　Quan　was　prejudiced　against　Pang　Tong。
〃What　have　you　studied；〃　asked　Sun　Quan；　〃and　what　are　you　master　of？〃
Pang　Tong　replied；　〃One　must　not　be　narrow　and　obstinate；　one　must　change　with　circumstances。〃
〃How　does　your　learning　pare　with　that　of　Zhou　Yu？〃　asked　Sun　Quan。
〃My　learning　is　not　to　be　pared　with　his　in　the　least。　Mine　is　far　greater。〃
Now　Sun　Quan　had　always　loved　his　late　general；　and　he　could　not　bear　to　hear　him　disparaged。　This　speech　of　Pang　Tong　only　increased　his　dislike。
So　Sun　Quan　said；　〃You　may　retire；　Sir。　I　will　send　for　you　when　I　can　employ　you。〃
Pang　Tong　uttered　one　long　sigh　and　went　away。
When　he　had　gone；　Lu　Su　said；　〃My　lord；　why　not　employ　him？〃
〃What　good　would　result？　He　is　just　one　of　those　mad　fellows。〃
〃He　did　good　service　at　the　Red　Cliffs　fight；　however；　for　it　was　he　who　got　Cao　Cao　to　chain　his　ships　together。〃
〃It　was　simply　that　Cao　Cao　wished　to　chain　his　ships　together。　No　credit　was　due　to　this　fellow。　In　any　case　I　give　you　my　word　that　I　will　not　employ　him。　That　much　is　certain。〃
Lu　Su　went　out　and　explained　to　Pang　Tong　that　the　failure　was　not　due　to　lack　of　remendation；　but　simply　a　whim　of　Sun　Quan；　and　he　must　put　up　with　it。　The　disappointed　suitor　hung　his　head　and　sighed　many　times　without　speaking。
〃I　fear　you　are　doomed　to　constant　disappointment　here；〃　said　Lu　Su。　〃There　is　nothing　you　can　hope　for；　eh？〃
But　still　Pang　Tong　was　silent。
〃With　your　wonderful　gifts；　of　course　you　will　be　successful　whithersoever　you　may　go。　You　may　take　my　word　for　that。　But　to　whom　will　you　go？〃
〃I　think　I　will　join　Cao　Cao；〃　said　Pang　Tong　suddenly。
〃That　would　be　hinging　a　gleaming　pearl　into　darkness。　Rather　go　to　Liu　Bei；　who　would　appreciate　you　and　employ　you　fittingly。〃
〃The　truth　is　that　I　have　been　thinking　of　this　for　a　long　time；〃　said　Pang　Tong。　〃I　was　only　joking　just　now。〃
〃I　will　give　you　a　letter　to　Liu　Bei。　And　if　you　go　to　him；　you　must　try　to　maintain　peace　between　him　and　my　lord　and　get　them　to　act　together　against　Cao　Cao。〃
〃That　has　been　the　one　desire　of　my　life。〃
Pang　Tong　took　the　letter　offered　by　Lu　Su　and　soon　made　his　way　to　Jingzhou　City。　He　arrived　at　a　moment　that　Zhuge　Liang　was　absent　on　an　inspection　journey；　but　the　doorkeeper　announced　him　and　said　he　had　e　to　throw　in　his　lot　with　Liu　Bei。　He　was　received；　for　he　was　no　stranger　in　name。
When　Pang　Tong　was　admitted；　he　made　the　ordinary　salutation　but　did　not　make　an　obeisance　and　this；　coupled　with　his　ugly　face；　did　not　please　his　host。
〃You　have　e　a　long　and　arduous　journey；〃　said　Liu　Bei。
At　this　point　the　suitor　should　have　produced　his　letters　from　Zhuge　Liang　and　Lu　Su；　but　did　not。
Instead　he　replied；　〃I　hear；　O　Imperial　Uncle；　that　you　are　weling　the　wise　and　receiving　scholars；　wherefore　I　have　e　to　join　your　service。〃
〃The　country　is　decently　peaceful　now；　and　unfortunately　there　is　no　office　vacant。　But　away　to　the　northeast　there　is　a　small　magistracy；　Leiyang；　which　needs　a　chief。　I　can　offer　you　that　post　until　there　should　be　something　more　fitting。〃
Pang　Tong　thought　this　rather　poor　wele　for　a　person　of　his　talent。　But　his　friend　was　absent；　so　he　could　do　nothing　but　control　his　annoyance　and　accept。　He　took　his　leave　and　started。
But　when　he　arrived　at　his　post；　he　paid　no　attention　to　business　at　all。　He　gave　himself　up　entirely　to　dissipation。　The　taxes　were　not　collected　nor　were　lawsuits　decided。
News　of　this　reaching　Liu　Bei；　who　was　angry　and　said；　〃Here　is　this　stiff…necked　pedant　throwing　my　administration　into　disorder。〃
So　Liu　Bei　sent　Zhang　Fei　to　the　county　with　orders　to　make　a　general　inspection　of　the　whole　county　and　look　into　any　irregularities　and　disorders。　But　as　Liu　Bei　thought　there　might　be　some　tact　needed；　Sun　Qian　was　also　sent　as　coadjutor。
In　due　course　the　inquisitors　arrived　at　Leiyang；　where　they　were　received　by　the　officials　and　weled　by　the　people　at　the　boundary。　But　the　Magistrate　did　not　appear。
〃Where　is　the　Magistrate？〃　asked　Zhang　Fei。
〃Ever　since　his　arrival；　a　hundred　days　ago　and　more；　he　has　attended　to　no　business；　but　spends　his　days　from　morn　to　night　in　wine…bobbing　and　is　always　intoxicated。　Just　now　he　is　sleeping　off　a　debauch　and　is　not　yet　risen。〃
This　raised　Zhang　Fei's　choler；　and　he　would　have　dismissed　the　offender　forthwith　had　not　his　colleague　said；　〃Pang　Tong　is　a　man　of　great　ability；　and　it　would　be　wrong　to　deal　with　him　thus　summarily。　Let　us　inquire　into　it。　If　he　is　really　so　guilty；　we　will　punish　his　offense。〃
So　they　went　to　the　magistracy；　took　their　seats　in　the　Hall　of　Justice；　and　summoned　the　Magistrate　before　them。　He　came　with　dress　all　disordered　and　still　under　the　influence　of　wine。
〃My　brother　took　you　for　a　decent　person；〃　said　Zhang　Fei；　angrily；　〃and　sent　you　here　as　magistrate。　How　dare　you　throw　the　affairs　of　the　county　into　disorder？〃
〃Do　you　think　I　have　done　as　you　say；　General？〃　said　Pang　Tong。　〃What　affairs　have　I　disordered？〃
〃You　have　been　here　over　a　hundred　days　and　spent　the　whole　time　in　dissipation。　Is　not　that　disorderly？〃
〃Where　would　be　the　difficulty　in　dealing　with　the　business　of　a　trifling　county　like　this？　I　pray　you；　General；　sit　down　for　a　while　till　I　have　settled　the　cases。〃
Thereupon　Pang　Tong　bade　the　clerks　bring　in　all　the　arrears　and　he　would　settle　them　at　once。　So　they　brought　in　the　piles　of　papers　and　ordered　the　suitors　to　appear。　They　came　and　knelt　in　the　hall　while　the　magistrate；　brush　in　hand；　noted　this　and　minuted　that；　all　the　while　listening　to　the　pleadings。　Soon　all　the　difficulties　and　disputes　were　adjusted；　and　never　a　mistake　was　made；　as　the　satisfied　bows　of　the　people　proved。　By　midday　the　whole　of　the　cases　were　disposed　of；　and　the　arrears　of　the　hundred　days　settled　and　decided。
This　done；　the　Magistrate　threw　aside　his　pen　and　turned　to　the　inquisitors；　saying；　〃Where　is　the　disorder？　When　I　can　take　on　Cao　Cao　and　Sun　Quan　as　easily　as　I　can　read　this　paper；　what　attention　from　me　is　needed　for　the　business　of　this　paltry　place？〃
Zhang　Fei　was　astonished　at　the　man's　ability；　rose　from　his　seat；　and　crossed　over；　saying；　〃You　are　indeed　a　marvel；　Master。　I　have　not　treated　you　respectfully　enough；　but　now　I　shall　mend　you　to　my　brother　with　all　my　might。〃
Then　Pang　Tong　drew　forth　Lu　Su's　letter　and　showed　it　to　Zhang　Fei。
〃Why　did　you　not　show　this　to　my　brother　when　you　first　saw　him？〃　asked　Zhang　Fei。
〃If　I　had　had　a　chance；　I　would　have　done　so。　But　is　it　likely　that　one　would　just　take　advantage　of　a　letter　of　mendation　to　make　a　visit？〃
Zhang　Fei　turned　to　his　colleague　and　said；　〃You　just　saved　a　wise　man　for　us。〃
Sun　Qian　and　Zhang　Fei　left　the　magistracy　and　returned　to　Liu　Bei　to　whom　they　related　what　had　happened。
Liu　Bei　then　seemed　to　be　conscious　of　his　error　and　said；　〃I　have　been　wrong。　I　have　behaved　unjustly　to　a　learned　person。〃
Zhang　Fei　then　gave　his　brother　the　letter　in　which　Lu　Su　had　remended　Pang　Tong。　Opening　it　he　read：
〃Pang　Tong　is　not　the　sort　of　person　to　be　met　with　in　any　day's　march。　Employ　him　in　some　capacity　where　extra　ordinary　talent　is　required；　and　his　powers　will　declare　themselves。　Beware　of　judging　him　by　his　looks；　or　you　may　lose　the　advantage　of　his　abilities；　and　some　other　will　gain　him。　This　would　be　a　misfortune。〃
While　Liu　Bei　was　feeling　cast　down　at　the　mistake　he　had　made；　as　shown　by　the　letter；　they　announced　the　return　of　Zhuge　Liang。
Soon　Zhuge　Liang　entered　the　hall；　and　the　first　question　he　put　after　the　formal　salutations　was：　〃Is　Directing…Instructor　Pang　Tong　quite　well？〃
〃He　is　in　charge　of　Leiyang；〃　replied　Liu　Bei；　〃where　he　is　given　to　wine　and　neglects　his　business。〃
Zhuge　Liang　laughed；　saying；　〃My　friend　Pang　Tong　has　extraordinary　abilities　and　ten　times　my　knowledge。　I　gave　him　a　letter　for　you；　my　lord。　Did　he　present　it？〃
〃This　very　day　I　have　received　a　letter；　but　from　Lu　Su。　I　have　had　no　letter　written　by　you。〃
〃When　a　person　of　transcendent　abilities　is　sent　to　a　paltry　post；　he　always　turns　to　wine　out　of　simple　ennui；〃　said