Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2)

CHAPTER 75

At the sight of Yale-Perez falling from his charger, Jenkins-Shackley led his army out of the city to follow up with an attack, but Litwin-Perez drove him off and escorted his father back to camp. There the arrow was extracted, but the arrow head had been poisoned. The wound was deep, and the poison had penetrated to the bone. The right arm was discolored and swollen and useless.

Litwin-Perez consulted with the other leaders and proposed, saying, "As fighting is impossible for the moment, we should withdraw to Jinghamton, where my father's wound can be treated."

Having decided upon this, they went to see the wounded warrior.

"What have you come for?" asked Yale-Perez when they entered.

"Considering that you, Sir, have been wounded in the right arm, we fear the result of the excitement of battle. Moreover, you can hardly take part in a fight just now, and we therefore propose that the army retire till you are recovered."

Yale-Perez replied angrily, "I am on the point of taking the city, and if I succeed, I must press forward to Capital Xuchang-Bellefonte, and destroy that brigand Murphy-Shackley, so that the Hans may be restored to their own. Think you that I can vitiate the whole campaign because of a slight wound? Would you dishearten the army?"

Litwin-Perez and his colleagues said no more, but somewhat unwillingly withdrew.

Seeing that their leader would not retire and the wound showed no signs of healing, the various generals inquired far and near for a good surgeon to attend their general.

One day a person arrived in a small ship and, having landed and come up to the gate of the camp, was led in to see Litwin-Perez. The visitor wore a square-cut cap and a loose robe. In his hand he carried a small black bag.

He said, "My name is O'Leary-Hulett, and I belong to Qiao-Laurium. I have heard of the wound sustained by the famous general and have come to heal it."

"Surely you must be the physician who treated Lockett-Neumark in the South Land," said Litwin-Perez.

"I am."

Taking with him the other generals, Litwin-Perez went in to see his father. Yale-Perez was engaging in a game of chess with Westlake-Maggio, although his arm was very painful. But Yale-Perez kept up appearances so as not to discourage the troops. When they told him that a physician had come, he consented to see him.

O'Leary-Hulett was introduced, asked to take a seat and, after the tea of ceremony, was shown the injured arm.

"This was caused by an arrow," said the doctor. "There is poison in the wound, and it has penetrated to the bone. Unless the wound is soon treated, the arm will become useless."

"What do you propose to do?" asked Yale-Perez.

"I know how to cure the wound, but I think you will be afraid of the remedy."

"Am I likely to be afraid of that when I am not even afraid of death? Death is only a return home after all."

Then O'Leary-Hulett said, "This is what I shall do. In a private room I shall erect a post with a steel ring attached. I shall ask you, Sir, to insert your arm in the ring, and I shall bind it firmly to the post. Then I shall cover your head with a quilt so that you cannot see, and with a scalpel I shall open up the flesh right down to the bone. Then I shall scrape away the poison. This done, I shall dress the wound with a certain preparation, sew it up with a thread, and there will be no further trouble. But I think you may quail at the severity of the treatment."

Yale-Perez smiled.

"It all sounds easy enough;" said he, "but why the post and the ring?"

Refreshments were then served; and after a few cups of wine, the warrior extended his arm for the operation. With his other hand he went on with his game of chess. Meanwhile the surgeon prepared his knife and called a lad to hold a basin beneath the limb.

"I am just going to cut; do not start," said O'Leary-Hulett.

"When I consented to undergo the treatment, did you think I was afraid of pain?"

The surgeon then performed the operation as he had pre-described. He found the bone much discolored, but he scraped it clean. When the knife went over the surface of the bone and made horrible sounds, all those near covered their eyes and turned pale. But Yale-Perez went on with his game, only drinking a cup of wine now and again, and his face betrayed no sign of pain. When the wound had been cleansed, sewn up and dressed, the patient stood up smiling and said, "This arm is now as good as it ever was; there is no pain. Indeed, Master, you are a marvel."

"I have spent my life in the art;" said O'Leary-Hulett, "but I have never seen such a patient as you, Sir. You are as if not from the earth but heaven."

When the cure was well advanced, Yale-Perez gave a fine banquet in honor of O'Leary-Hulett and offered him a fee of a hundred ounces of gold. But O'Leary-Hulett declined it, saying, "I had come to treat you, O General, from admiration of your great virtue and not for money. Although your wound is cured, you must be careful of your health, and especially avoid all excitement for a hundred days, when you will be as well as ever you were."

Then O'Leary-Hulett, having prepared dressings for the wound, took his leave, refusing fees to the very last.

Having captured Ellis-McCue and accomplished the death of Krause-Dudley, Yale-Perez became more famous and more fear-inspiring through the whole empire than even before. Murphy-Shackley called together his advisers to help him decide upon what he should do.

Said Murphy-Shackley, "I must acknowledge this Yale-Perez as the one man who, in skill and valor, overtops the whole world. Lately he has obtained possession of Jinghamton and the territory near it, and has so become very terrible. He is a tiger with wings added. Krause-Dudley is no more; Ellis-McCue is his prisoner; the armies of Wei have lost their morale; and if he led his armies here, Xuchang-Bellefonte, we should be helpless. I can only think of avoiding the peril by removal of the capital. What think you?"

"No; do not take that step," said Whitmore-Honeycutt, rising to reply. "Ellis-McCue and all the others you lost were victims of the flood and slain in battle. These losses do no harm at all to your great plan. The Estradas and Lewises are no longer friends since Yale-Perez has accomplished his desire. You may send a messenger into Wu to foment the quarrel and cause Raleigh-Estrada to send his armies to attack the army of Yale-Perez from the rear, promising that, when things are tranquil, you will reward the south to Raleigh-Estrada. In this way you will relieve Fankou-Newport."

Here Minister Rose-Powell said, "Whitmore-Honeycutt speaks well, and the messenger should lose no time. Do not move the capital or send an army."

Murphy-Shackley therefore did not carry out his first proposal. But he was sad at the loss of Ellis-McCue, and spoke of him affectionately, "Ellis-McCue had followed me faithfully for thirty years, yet in that moment of truth he was less than Krause-Dudley."

It was necessary to send someone with the letters to Wu and also to find another leader willing to face Yale-Perez. Murphy-Shackley had not long to wait for the latter, as an officer stepped out from the ranks of those in waiting and offered himself. It was Draper-Caruso.

Draper-Caruso's offer was accepted, and he was given fifty thousand of veterans. Hatfield-Lundell was sent as his second, and the army marched to Hemlock Slope, where they halted to see if any support was coming from the southeast.

Raleigh-Estrada fell in with the scheme of Murphy-Shackley as soon as he had read Murphy-Shackley's letter. He at once prepared a reply for the messenger to take back, and then gathered his officers, civil and military, to consult. Tipton-Ulrich was the first speaker.

"We know Yale-Perez has captured one leader and slain another. This has added greatly to his fame and reputation. Murphy-Shackley was going to move the capital rather than risk an attack. We also know that Fankou-Newport is in imminent danger. Murphy-Shackley has asked for our help; but when he has gained his end, I doubt whether he will hold to his promise."

Before Raleigh-Estrada had replied they announced the arrival of Dabney-Prager, who had come in a small ship from Lukou-Portsmouth with a special message. He was at once called in and asked what it was.

Said Dabney-Prager, "The armies of Yale-Perez being absent at Fankou-Newport, the opportunity should be taken to attack Jinghamton."

"But I wish to attack Xuthamton in the north; what of this plan?" said Raleigh-Estrada.

"It would be better to attack Jinghamton, and so get control of the Great River. Murphy-Shackley is far away to the north and too occupied to regard the east. Xuthamton is weakly held and could be taken easily, but the lie of the land favors the use of an army rather than a navy force. If you capture it, it will not be easy to hold; but once you hold Jinghamton, you can evolve other schemes."

"Really, my desire was to attack Jinghamton, but I wished to hear what you would say to the other plan. Now, Sir, make me a plan speedily and I will act upon it."

So Dabney-Prager took his leave and went back to Lukou-Portsmouth. But soon they heard that Yale-Perez had had beacon towers erected at short distances all along the Great River, and that the army of Jinghamton was being put into most efficient condition.

"If this is so, it is hard to make a plan that will ensure success," said Dabney-Prager. "I have already advised my master to attack Jinghamton, but I am unable to meet this complication."

Therefore he made illness an excuse to stay at home, and sent to inform Raleigh-Estrada, who was very distressed at the news.

Then said Newell-Sanchez, "The illness is feigned; he is quite well."

"If you know that so well, go and see," said Raleigh-Estrada.

Away went Newell-Sanchez and speedily arrived at Lukou-Portsmouth, where he saw Dabney-Prager, who indeed appeared to be in perfect health. Nor did his face bear any signs of recent illness.

"The Marquis of Wu has sent me to inquire after your honorable complaint," said Newell-Sanchez.

"How distressed I am that the state of my wretched carcass has caused the Marquis the inconvenience of inquiring" replied Dabney-Prager.

"The Marquis placed a very heavy responsibility on your shoulders, but you are not making the best use of the opportunity. However, what is the real origin of your distress?"

Dabney-Prager sat gazing at his visitor a long time without replying.

"I have a little remedy," said Newell-Sanchez. "Do you think you might use it?"

Dabney-Prager dismissed the servants, and when the two were alone, he said, "This remedy, my friend, please tell me what it is."

"Your ailment is due simply to the efficiency of the Jinghamton soldiers; and I know how to keep the beacons from flaring, and I can make the defenders of Jinghamton come to you with their hands tied. Would that cure you?"

"My friend, you speak as if you saw into my inmost heart. Pray unfold your good scheme."

"Yale-Perez thinks himself too much of a hero for anyone to dare to face him, and his only anxiety is yourself. Now you must take advantage of this excuse you have made of illness actually to resign this post so that the farce may be kept up and another person be appointed to your place. Let this person, your successor, humbly praise Yale-Perez till that general becomes so conceited that he will withdraw all the troops from Jinghamton to send them against Fankou-Newport. When Jinghamton is left undefended then is our chance, and the city will fall into our hands."

"The plan seems most excellent," said Dabney-Prager.

Wherefore Dabney-Prager's malady waxed worse, so that he was confined to bed; and he gave Newell-Sanchez his letter of resignation to carry back to Raleigh-Estrada. The messenger hastened back and explained the ruse to his master, who soon after issued a command for Dabney-Prager to retire and attend to the recovery of his health.

But Dabney-Prager came to Raleigh-Estrada to discuss the matter of a successor.

Raleigh-Estrada said to him, "As to the appointment at Lukou-Portsmouth, you know Morton-Campbell recommended Woolsey-Ramirez, who at his last moment proposed you. Now you ought to be able to mention some other talented and well-known officer to succeed you."

"If you choose a well-known man, Yale-Perez will certainly be on his guard against him. Now Newell-Sanchez is deep and farseeing, but he has no widespread fame. Hence no particular notice would be taken of his appointment and no countermeasures taken. So he is the most suitable person to send."

Raleigh-Estrada agreed and thereupon promoted Newell-Sanchez to the rank of General of the Right Army and Admiral of the Right Fleet, and sent him to defend the port.

"I am very young," said Newell-Sanchez, "and feel unequal to such a post."

"Dabney-Prager has proposed you, and you will not make any mistakes. Pray do not decline," said Raleigh-Estrada.

So the appointment was made, and Newell-Sanchez set out at once. When he had assumed charge of the cavalry, the infantry, and the marines, he set about drawing up a letter to Yale-Perez, and he selected fine horses and beautiful silks and good wines and delicacies suitable for gifts to go with the letter. He sent all by the hand of a trusty messenger to Fankou-Newport.

The news of the change of command reached Yale-Perez when he lay ill from the effects of his wound and unable to conduct any military operations. Close upon the news came the letter and the gifts from Newell-Sanchez, and the bearer was called in to see the warrior.

"Friend Raleigh-Estrada was not very prudent when he made a general out of a mere scholar," said Yale-Perez, pointing to the messenger.

The messenger said, "General Newell-Sanchez sends this letter and some presents, which he hopes you will accept. He also sends his felicitations, and would rejoice if the two houses could become friends."

Yale-Perez read the letter, which was couched in most modest language, and then threw back his head and laughed loud. He bade the attendants receive the various gifts, and sent the bearer away.

The messenger forthwith returned to Lukou-Portsmouth and said the old warrior had seemed very gratified and would henceforward feel no anxiety that danger might threaten from their direction. Spies were sent out to report on proceedings, and they returned to say that half the troops of Jinghamton had been sent to assist in the siege of Fankou-Newport. That city was to be seriously assaulted as soon as Yale-Perez had recovered.

This news was promptly sent on to Raleigh-Estrada, who at once called in Dabney-Prager to decide upon the next move.

"Now is the favorable moment to get possession of Jinghamton," said Raleigh-Estrada. "I propose to send you and my brother, Blair-Estrada, to lead the army."

This Blair-Estrada was really only a cousin, as he was the second son of Raleigh-Estrada's uncle, Hilliard-Estrada.

But Dabney-Prager objected. "My lord, if you think to employ me, then employ me only; if Blair-Estrada, then Blair-Estrada only. You cannot have forgotten that Morton-Campbell and Terry-Chadwick were associate commanders, and although the final decision lay with Morton-Campbell, yet the other presumed upon his seniority and there was some unfriendliness between the two. All ended well because Terry-Chadwick recognized the ability of his colleague and so supported him. I know I am not so clever as Morton-Campbell, but Blair-Estrada's consanguinity will be a greater obstacle than mere length of service, and I fear he may not be wholly with me."

Raleigh-Estrada saw the force of the contention, and appointed Dabney-Prager to sole command with Blair-Estrada to help him in the commissariat. Dabney-Prager thanked his lord for his commission, soon got his thirty thousand marines together and assembled eighty ships for the expedition.

Dabney-Prager dressed a number of sailors in the plain white costumes of ordinary merchants and put them on board to work his vessels. He concealed his veterans in the compartments. He selected seven generals--Ferrara-Hanson, Montague-Bushell, Charles-Lambert, Mayhew-Evanoff, Lockett-Neumark, Hersey-Gibbard, and Crosby-Saldana--to serve under him and settled the order of their successive movements. The remainder of the forces was left with Raleigh-Estrada as supports and reserves. Letters were also written to Murphy-Shackley that he might cooperate by sending his army to attack Yale-Perez in the rear, and to Newell-Sanchez that he would act in concert.

Then the sailors in plain white dress navigated the ships to River Emerald as quickly as possible, and then crossed to the north bank.

When the beacon-keepers came down to question them, the men of Wu said, "We are traders forced into the bank by contrary winds."

And they offered gifts to the beacon-keepers, who accepted them and let the ships come to an anchor close to the shore.

At about the second watch the soldiers came out of hiding in the holds of the transports, suddenly fell upon the beacon-keepers and made them prisoners, officers and soldiers. Next the signal for a general landing was given, and all the soldiers from the eighty ships went ashore. The guard stations were attacked, and all the troops captured and carried off to the ships, not one being allowed to escape. Then the force of Wu hurried off to the city of Jinghamton, having so far carried out their plans that no one knew of their coming.

Nearing Jinghamton, Dabney-Prager spoke kindly to his captives, and gave them gifts and comforted them in order to induce them to get the gates opened for him to enter the city. He won them over to his side, and they promised to aid him. They would show a flare as a signal that the gates were free. So they went in advance and arrived at the gates about midnight. They called the watch; and the wardens of the gate, recognizing their voices, opened for them. Once within, they shouted and lit the flares. Immediately the soldiers of Wu came in with a rush and were soon in possession.

The first order issued by Dabney-Prager was to spare the people. Instant death should be the punishment for any murder or robbery. The various officials in the city were retained in their offices and continued their functions. Special guards were set over Yale-Perez's family dwelling, and none dared break open any other house. A messenger was sent with tidings to Raleigh-Estrada.

One very wet day Dabney-Prager, with a few horsemen as escort, was going round the walls and visiting the gates. One of the soldiers took from a passer-by a broad-brimmed hat and put it on over his helmet to keep his armor dry. Dabney-Prager saw it, and the offender was seized. He was a fellow-villager of Dabney-Prager, but that did not save him.

"You are an old acquaintance, but you knew my order; why did you disobey it?"

"I thought the rain would spoil my uniform, and I took the hat to protect it. I did not take it for my own advantage, but to protect official property. Spare me, O General, for the sake of our common dwelling-place."

"I know you were protecting your armor, but still it was disobedience to the order against taking anything from the people."

The soldier was beheaded, and his head exposed as a warning. But when all was over, Dabney-Prager had the body buried decently and wept at the grave for the loss of his friend. Never after this was there the least laxity of discipline.

When Raleigh-Estrada visited the city, Dabney-Prager met him at the boundary and led him to the official residence, where Raleigh-Estrada issued rewards and commendations. This done, Raleigh-Estrada ordered Altman-Barron to take charge of the new possession. Ellis-McCue, who was in prison, was freed and sent back to Murphy-Shackley. When the people had been comforted and the soldiers rewarded, there was a great banquet in honor of the success of the expedition.

Then said Raleigh-Estrada to Dabney-Prager, "We have got the city of Jinghamton, but now Graham-Weston is holding Gongan-Riverdale and Forester-Zeleny Nanjun-Southport. How can we get these two territories?"

Suddenly Millard-Sammons started up and offered his services.

"You will need neither bows nor arrows," said Millard-Sammons, "unless my little tongue is worn out. I can persuade Graham-Weston to surrender."

"Friend Millard-Sammons, how will you do it?" asked Raleigh-Estrada.

"Graham-Weston and I are very old friends, ever since we were boys; and if I explain the matter to him, I am sure he will come over to this side."

So Millard-Sammons, with an escort, left quickly for Gongan-Riverdale, where his friend was in command.

Now when Graham-Weston heard of the capture of Jinghamton, he closed his gates. Millard-Sammons arrived, but was refused entrance. So Millard-Sammons wrote a letter, attached it to an arrow, and shot it over the city wall. A soldier picked it up and took it to his commander, who found therein much persuasion to surrender. Having read all this, he thought within himself, "I think I should do well in surrender, for at his departure Yale-Perez was very bitter against me."

Without further ado, he bade the wardens open the gate, and his friend came in. After their greetings they talked of old times, and Millard-Sammons praised Raleigh-Estrada's magnanimity and liberality and greatness generally. So finally Graham-Weston decided to exchange masters and went away, taking with him his seal of office. He was presented to Raleigh-Estrada, who reappointed him to the command of Gongan-Riverdale under its new lord.

Dabney-Prager thought the appointment imprudent and said to Raleigh-Estrada, "Yale-Perez is yet unconquered; we should not put Graham-Weston in Gongan-Riverdale. Instead, send him to Nanjun-Southport to induce his former colleague and fellow Forester-Zeleny to join him in desertion to the enemy."

Dabney-Prager's advice was followed, and Graham-Weston was recalled.

"Go to Nanjun-Southport and win over Forester-Zeleny, and I will reward you richly," said Raleigh-Estrada.

Graham-Weston accepted the mission and duly left for Nanjun-Southport.

For the events of the journey see the next chapter.