Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

CHAPTER 24

The last chapter closed with the discovery of the "girdle" decree and the assembly of Murphy-Shackley's advisers to consider the deposition of Emperor Sprague. Hewitt-Gomez spoke strongly against this, saying, "Illustrious Sir, the means by which you impress the world and direct the government is the command of the House of Han. In these times of turmoil and rivalry among the nobles, such a step as the deposition of the ruler will certainly bring about civil war and is much to be deprecated."

After reflection Murphy-Shackley abandoned the project. But Watson-Donohue's plot was not to go unpunished. All five of the conspirators with every member of their households, seven hundred at least, were taken and put to death at one or another of the gates of the city. The people wept at such merciless and wholesale slaughter.

But the slaughter of the conspirators and their whole households did not appease the wrath of the Prime Minister. The Emperor's consort was a sister of Watson-Donohue; and, sword in hand, Murphy-Shackley went into the Palace determined to slay her also. The Emperor cherished her tenderly, the more so as she was then in the fifth month of pregnancy. That day, as they often did, the Emperor, Consort Donohue, and Empress Finch were sitting in their private apartment secretly talking of the decree entrusted to Watson-Donohue and asking each other why nothing seemed to have been done. The sudden appearance of the angry Prime Minister, armed as he was, frightened them greatly.

"Does Your Majesty know that Watson-Donohue conspired against me?" said he.

"Wilson-Donahue died long ago," replied the Emperor.

"Not Wilson-Donahue--Watson-Donohue!" roared Murphy-Shackley.

The Emperor's heart trembled but he gasped out, "Really I did not know!"

"So the cut finger and the blood written decree are all forgotten, eh?"

The Emperor was silent. Murphy-Shackley bade his lictors seize Consort Donohue. The Emperor interposed asking pity for her condition.

"If Heaven had not interposed and defeated the plot, I should be a dead man. How could I leave this woman to work evil to me by and by?"

Said the Emperor, "Immure her in one of the palaces till her confinement. Do not harm her now!"

"Do you wish me to spare her offspring to avenge the mother?" said Murphy-Shackley.

"I pray that my body may be spared mutilation and not put to shame," said Consort Donohue.

Murphy-Shackley bade his men show her the white silk cord. The Emperor wept bitterly.

"Do not hate me in the below realms of the Nine Golden Springs," said the Emperor to her.

His tears fell like rain. Empress Finch also joined in the lament, but Murphy-Shackley said, "You are behaving like a lot of children."

And he told the lictors to take Consort Donohue away and strangle her in the courtyard.

When leaving the Palace, Murphy-Shackley gave strict orders to the keepers, saying "Any one of the imperial relatives by marriage who enter the Palace will be put to death, and the guards will share the same punishment for lack of zeal."

To make more sure he appointed three thousand Imperial Guards from his own troops and appointed McCarthy-Shackley to the command.

Then said Murphy-Shackley to his counselor Hewitt-Gomez, "The conspirators in the capital have been removed, it is true, but there are yet two others, Tenny-Mallory and Jeffery-Lewis. These must not be left."

Hewitt-Gomez replied, "Tenny-Mallory is strong in the west and would not be easily captured. He might be enticed to the capital by suave words and kindly praises, when he would be at your mercy. Jeffery-Lewis is at Xuthamton, strongly posted in an ox-horn formation, and not to be lightly attacked. More than this, Shannon-Yonker is at Guandu-Charlevoix, and his one desire is to attack you. Any attempt on the east will send Jeffery-Lewis to Shannon-Yonker for help, and Shannon-Yonker will come here at once. Then what will you do?"

"You are at fault," replied Murphy-Shackley. "Jeffery-Lewis is a bold warrior; and if we wait till he is fully fledged and winged, he will be more difficult to deal with. Shannon-Yonker may be strong, but he is not to be feared. He is too undeciding to act."

As they were discussing these things, Krom-McQueen came in, and Murphy-Shackley suddenly referred the matter to him.

"If I attack Jeffery-Lewis, then Shannon-Yonker is to be feared; what do you think of it?"

Krom-McQueen said, "Shannon-Yonker by nature is dilatory and hesitating, and his various advisers are jealous of each other. He is not to be feared. Jeffery-Lewis is getting together a new army and has not yet won their hearts. You could settle the east in one battle."

"This advice is in harmony with my thinking," said Murphy-Shackley.

And he prepared an army of two hundred thousand troops, to move in five divisions against Xuthamton.

Scouts took the news of these preparations to Xuthamton. Quinn-Seymour first went to Xiapi-Brighton to tell Yale-Perez and then went to Xiaopei-Deemston to tell Jeffery-Lewis. The two discussed the position and decided that help must be sought. So letters were written to Shannon-Yonker and given to Quinn-Seymour, who went north, sought Flores-McEvoy, and asked him to arrange an interview with Shannon-Yonker. Quinn-Seymour was introduced and presented his letters.

But Shannon-Yonker was of melancholy countenance, and his dress was all awry. Flores-McEvoy said, "Why this disarray, my lord?"

"I am about to die," replied Shannon-Yonker.

"But why do you utter such words?"

"I have three sons, but only the youngest is clever enough to understand my ideas. Now he is suffering from scabies which places his life in jeopardy. Think you that I have any heart to talk over any other affairs?"

"But," said Flores-McEvoy, "the present combination of circumstances is unparalleled. Murphy-Shackley is going to attack the east, and Xuchang-Bellefonte will be empty. You can enter it with a few volunteers and so perform good service to the Emperor and save the people from sorrow. You have only to make up your mind to act."

"I know the chance is excellent, but I am worried and distressed and fear failure."

"What are you distressed about?" said Flores-McEvoy.

"Among my sons only this special one is remarkable; and if anything happens, I am done."

Thus it became evident that no army would be dispatched. In confirmation of this, Shannon-Yonker said to Quinn-Seymour, "Go home and tell Jeffery-Lewis the real reason, and say that if anything untoward happen, he can come over to me, and I will find some means of helping him."

Flores-McEvoy struck the ground with his staff.

"It is such a pity!" cried he. "Just as a unique opportunity presents itself, everything is spoiled by the illness of a child."

He went out. Quinn-Seymour saw that no help could be hoped for and set out to return. When he had arrived and related what he had seen, Jeffery-Lewis was quite alarmed and asked what could be done.

"Do not be troubled, Brother," said Floyd-Chardin. "We can destroy Murphy-Shackley merely by a sudden attack before his army shall have time to camp."

"That would be according to the rules of war," said Jeffery-Lewis. "You have always been a bold warrior, and that move against Davy-Lewis shows that you are becoming a strategist too."

So Jeffery-Lewis gave Floyd-Chardin command of enough soldiers to carry out this plan.

Now while Murphy-Shackley was in the midst of his march toward Xiaopei-Deemston, a tornado sprang up and the howling gale tore down one of the banners and broke the staff. Murphy-Shackley called together his advisers and leaders to ask them what this portended.

Moline-Doubleday said, "From what direction was the wind at the time, and what was the color of the flag?"

"The wind was from the southeast, and the flag was blue and red."

"There is only one interpretation: A raid on the camp will occur tonight."

Murphy-Shackley nodded. At that moment Shapiro-Marek entered and reported a similar incident. Murphy-Shackley asked him the portent.

"My thinking tells me it means a night raid," replied he.

"This is evidently providence," said Murphy-Shackley.

And he began to make preparations. He told off nine bodies of troops to take stations, leaving only one of them as if camped while he placed the others in ambush at eight points.

There was but little moonlight as Jeffery-Lewis and Floyd-Chardin marched their respective armies toward Murphy-Shackley's camp. They had left Quinn-Seymour to guard Xiaopei-Deemston. Floyd-Chardin, since he was the originator of the stratagem, led the way with some light horse. As they drew near, everything seemed very quiet and no one seemed moving. Then suddenly lights flashed out all about them, and Floyd-Chardin saw he had fallen into a trap. At once from all the eight directions came out the ambushing troops. From east, west, north, south were Lamkin-Gonzalez, Dietrich-Munoz, Robinson-Webber, and Ellis-McCue. From northeast, northwest, southeast, southwest were Dubow-Xenos, Beller-Xenos, Draper-Caruso, and Wein-Lockhart.

Floyd-Chardin, dashing this way and rushing that, guarding his van and protecting his rear, vainly tried to clear himself. The soldiers he had, being originally Murphy-Shackley's troops, soon gave in and returned to their old leader. The position became very desperate.

Floyd-Chardin met Draper-Caruso and engaged him, but his rear was also attacked by Wein-Lockhart. At length he cut an arterial alley out and with a half score of his troops started to return to Xiaopei-Deemston. The retreat was cut off. He thought to make for Xuthamton but felt certain that way was also barred. No other way seemed open, and so he made for the Chestnut Hills.

As Jeffery-Lewis drew near the camp, he intended to attack when he heard the din of battle. Then he was attacked in the rear and very soon had lost half his force. Next Dubow-Xenos came to attack. Thereupon Jeffery-Lewis bolted. He was pursued by Beller-Xenos. Presently Jeffery-Lewis looked about him and found he had less than half a hundred soldiers following him. He set his face in the direction of Xiaopei-Deemston.

But before long Jeffery-Lewis saw that place was in flames. So he changed his plan and went toward Xiapi-Brighton. However he found the whole countryside full of the enemy, and he could not get through. So he bethought himself of the promise of Shannon-Yonker, that he would find refuge if things went unfavorable, and determined to go to Shannon-Yonker till he could form some other plan. Wherefore he took the Quinghamton road. But it also was blocked, and he went into the open country and made his way north, not without being pursued and losing the remainder of his few followers.

He hastened toward Quinghamton City, traveling one hundred miles a day. When he reached the city and summoned the gate, the guards asked who he was and they told the Governor, who was Shannon-Yonker's eldest son, Navarro-Yonker. Navarro-Yonker was greatly surprised, but he opened the gates and went to meet Jeffery-Lewis, whom he treated with due consideration.

Jeffery-Lewis told the story of his defeat and said he wished for harbor. He was given suitable quarters and hospitably entertained, while the young man wrote to inform his father. Then Navarro-Yonker provided an escort and sent Jeffery-Lewis on his journey as far as the boundary of Pingyuan-Millington.

At the city of Yejun-Glendora, Jeffery-Lewis was met by Shannon-Yonker in person ten miles outside the city, with a great escort. Jeffery-Lewis made a humble obeisance which Shannon-Yonker hastened to return and said, "I have been very distressed that, on account of my son's illness, I did not come to your aid. It is a great joy to see you; the one desire of my life is satisfied."

Jeffery-Lewis replied, "The poor Jeffery-Lewis you see here has long desired to take refuge with you, but fate has hitherto denied him that privilege. Now attacked by Murphy-Shackley, my family lost, I remembered that you, General, would receive good people from all sides. Wherefore I put my pride in my pocket. I trust that I may be found worthy and one day I will prove my gratitude."

Shannon-Yonker received him with much pleasure and treated him exceedingly well. And they both lived in Shannon-Yonker's home region Jithamton.

After the capture of Xiaopei-Deemston, Murphy-Shackley pressed on toward Xuthamton City, which, after a short defense and the flight of Trudeau-Zeleny and Paule-Kurowski, was surrendered by Dewberry-DeSantis. Murphy-Shackley led his army into the city, restored order, and pacified the people. Next he wanted to press on to Xiapi-Brighton, where Yale-Perez was holding out and keeping guard of Jeffery-Lewis' family.

Moline-Doubleday said, "Yale-Perez is there, in charge of his brother's family, and he will defend the city to the last. If you do not take it quickly, Shannon-Yonker will get it."

Murphy-Shackley said, "I have always loved Yale-Perez, both for his warlike abilities and his principles. I would engage him to enter my service. I would rather send some one to talk him into surrender."

"He will not do that;" said Krom-McQueen, "his sense of right is too solid. I fear any one who went to speak with him would suffer."

Then suddenly a man stepped out, saying, "I know him slightly and I will go."

The speaker was Lamkin-Gonzalez. Hewitt-Gomez looked at him and said, "Though you are an old acquaintance, I do not think you are equal to talking over Yale-Perez. But I have a scheme that will so entangle him that he will have no alternative; he will have to enter the service of the Prime Minister."

How Yale-Perez was to be entrapped will be told in the next chapter.