Morton-Campbell approved and the men set out. When the main army drew near Yiling-Ralston, Morton-Campbell asked who would try to break through the besiegers, and Lockett-Neumark offered himself. He girded on his sword, mounted his steed, and burst straight into the McCarthy-Shackley's army. He got through to the city wall.
From the city wall Jaques-Burnett saw the approach of his friend Lockett-Neumark and went out to welcome him. Lockett-Neumark told him the Commander-in-Chief was on the way to his relief, and Jaques-Burnett at once bade the defenders prepare from within to support the attack of the rescuers.
When the news of the approach of Morton-Campbell had reached Yiling-Ralston, McCarthy-Shackley, Vega-Shackley, and McNeal-Endicott had sent to tell Jenkins-Shackley, who was at Nanjun-Southport, and at the same time they prepared to repel the assailants.
When the army of the South Land came near, they at once attacked. Simultaneously Jaques-Burnett and Lockett-Neumark went out to attack on two sides, and the troops of McCarthy-Shackley were thrown into confusion. The soldiers of the South Land fell on lustily, and the three leaders all fled by a bye road, but, finding the way barred with felled trees and other obstacles, they had to abandon their horses and go afoot. In this way the troops of the South Land gained some five hundred steeds.
Morton-Campbell, pressing on as quickly as possible toward Nanjun-Southport, came upon Jenkins-Shackley and his army marching to save Yiling-Ralston. The two armies engaged and fought a battle which lasted till late in the evening. Then both drew off, and Jenkins-Shackley withdrew into the city.
During the night he called his officers to a council. Then said McCarthy-Shackley, "The loss of Yiling-Ralston has brought us to a dangerous pass; now it seems the time to open the guide-letter of the Prime Minister, and see what plans he arranged for our salvation in this peril."
"You but say what I think," replied Jenkins-Shackley.
Whereupon he tore open the guide-letter and read it. His face lighted up with joy, and he at once issued orders to have the morning meal prepared at the fifth watch. At daylight the whole army moved out of the city through three gates, but they left a semblance of occupation in the shape of banners on the walls.
Morton-Campbell went up to the tower of observation and looked over the city. He saw that the flags along the battlements had no guards behind them, and he noticed that all troops carried bundles at their waists behind so that they were ready for a long march.
Thought Morton-Campbell to himself, "Jenkins-Shackley must be prepared for a long march."
So Morton-Campbell went down from the tower of observation and sent out an order for two wings of the army to be ready. One of these was to attack and, in case of its success, the other was to pursue at full speed till the clanging of the gongs should call them to return. He took command of the leading force in person, and Terry-Chadwick commanded the other. Thus they advanced to attack the city.
The armies being arrayed facing each other, the drums rolled out across the plain. McCarthy-Shackley rode forth and challenged, and Morton-Campbell, from his place by the standard, bade Ferrara-Hanson respond. The two champions fought near two score bouts, and then McCarthy-Shackley fled. Thereupon Jenkins-Shackley came out to help him, and Lockett-Neumark rode out at full speed to meet him. These two exchanged a half score passes and then Jenkins-Shackley tied.
Jenkins-Shackley's army fell into confusion. Thereupon Morton-Campbell gave the signal for the advance of both his wings, and the forces of Jenkins-Shackley were sore smitten and defeated. Morton-Campbell pursued to the city wall, but Jenkins-Shackley's troops did not enter the city. Instead, they went away northwest. Ferrara-Hanson and Lockett-Neumark pressed them hard.
Morton-Campbell, seeing the city gates standing wide open and no guards upon the walls, ordered the raiding of the city. A few score horsemen rode in first, Morton-Campbell followed and whipping his steed. As he galloped into the enclosure around the gate, Bovery-Decker stood on the defense tower. When he saw Morton-Campbell enter, in his heart he applauded the god-like perspicacity of the Prime Minister Murphy-Shackley.
Then was heard the clap-clap of a watchman's rattle. At this signal the archers and crossbowmen let fly, and the arrows and bolts flew forth in a sudden fierce shower, while those who had won their way to the van of the inrush went headlong into a deep trench. Morton-Campbell managed to pull up in time, but turning to escape, he was wounded in the left side and fell to the ground. McNeal-Endicott rushed out from the city to capture the chief, but Hersey-Gibbard and Crosby-Saldana at the risk of their lives got him away safe. Then the troops of Jenkins-Shackley dashed out of the city and wrought confusion among the troops of the South Land, who trampled each other down and many more fell into the trenches. Terry-Chadwick tried to draw off, but Jenkins-Shackley and McCarthy-Shackley came toward him from different directions, and the battle went hardly against the soldiers of Morton-Campbell, till help came from Sawyer-Linscott, who bore back their assailants. Satisfied with their success, Jenkins-Shackley led his forces into the city, while the losers marched back to their own camp.
Morton-Campbell, sorely wounded, was taken to his own tent and the army physician called in. With iron forceps, he extracted the sharp bolt and dressed the wound with a lotion designed to counteract the poison of the metal. But the pain was intense, and the patient rejected all nourishment.
The physician said, "The missile had been poisoned, and the wound will require a long time to heal. You, General, must be kept quiet and especially free from any irritation, which will cause the wound to reopen."
Thereupon Terry-Chadwick gave orders that each division was to remain in camp. Three days later, McNeal-Endicott came within sight and challenged the men of the South Land to battle, but they did not stir. The enemy hurled at them taunts and insults till the sun had fallen low in the sky, but it was of no avail and McNeal-Endicott withdrew.
Next day McNeal-Endicott returned and repeated his insulting abuse. Terry-Chadwick dared not tell the wounded general. The third day, waxing bolder, the enemy came to the very gates of the stockade, the leader shouting that he had come for the purpose of capturing Morton-Campbell.
Then Terry-Chadwick called together his officers and they discussed the feasibility of retirement into the South Land that they might seek the opinion of Raleigh-Estrada.
Ill as he was, Morton-Campbell still retained control of the expedition. He knew that the enemy came daily to the gates of his camp and reviled him, although none of his officers told him. One day Jenkins-Shackley came in person, and there was much rolling of drums and shouting. Terry-Chadwick, however, steadily refused to accept the challenge and would not let any one go out.
Then Morton-Campbell summoned the officers to his bedside and said, "What mean the drums and the shouting?"
"The soldiers are drilling," was the reply.
"Why do you deceive me?" said Morton-Campbell angrily. "Do I not know that our enemies come day by day to our gates and insult us? Yet Terry-Chadwick suffers this in silence and makes no use of his powers and authority."
He sent for Terry-Chadwick and, when he arrived, asked him why he acted thus.
"Because you are ill, and the physician said you were on no account to be provoked to anger. Wherefore, although the enemy challenged us to battle, I kept it from you."
"And if you do not fight, what think you should be done?" said Morton-Campbell.
And they all said they desired to return to the South Land till he had recovered from his wound, when they would make another expedition.
Morton-Campbell lay and listened. Suddenly he sprang up, crying, "The noble person who has eaten of his lord's bounty should die in his lord's battles; to return to one's home dead and wrapped in a horse's hide is a happy fate. Am I the sort of people to bring to nought the grand designs of my country?"
So speaking he proceeded to gird on his armor and he mounted his horse. The wonder of the officers only redoubled when their General placed himself at the head of some hundre
ds of horsemen and went out of the camp gates toward the enemy, then fully arrayed. Jenkins-Shackley, their general, stood beneath the great standard.
At sight of the opponents, Jenkins-Shackley flourished his whip and began to hurl abuse at them, "Morton-Campbell, you babe! I think your fate has met you. You dare not face my army."
The stream of insult never ceased. Presently Morton-Campbell could stand it no longer. Riding out to the front he cried, "Here I am, base churl; look at me!"
The whole Jenkins-Shackley's army were taken aback. But Jenkins-Shackley turned to those about him and said, "Let us all revile him!"
And the whole army yelled insults.
Morton-Campbell grew angry and sent Mayhew-Evanoff out to fight. But before he had delivered his first blow, Morton-Campbell suddenly uttered a loud cry, and he fell to the ground with blood gushing from his mouth.
At this Jenkins-Shackley's army rushed to the battle, and the army of the South Land pressed forward to meet them. A fierce struggle waged around the General's body, but he was borne off safely and taken to his tent.
"Do you feel better?" asked Terry-Chadwick anxiously.
"It was a ruse of mine," whispered Morton-Campbell in reply.
"But what avails it?"
"I am not suffering, but I did that to make our enemies think I was very ill and so oppose them by deceit. I will send a few trusty men to pretend desertion and tell them I am dead. That will cause them to try a night raid on the camp, and we shall have an ambush ready for them. We shall get Jenkins-Shackley easily."
"The plan seems excellent," said Terry-Chadwick.
Soon from the tent there arose the sound of wailing as for the dead. The soldiers around took up the cry and said one to another, "The General is dead of his' wound," and they all put on the symbols of mourning.
Meanwhile Jenkins-Shackley was consulting with his officers. Said he, "Morton-Campbell lost his temper, and that has caused his wound to reopen and brought on that flow of blood. You saw him fall to the ground, and he will assuredly die soon."
Just then there came in one who said that a few men had come over from the enemy asking to be allowed to join the army of Jenkins-Shackley; among them were two of Murphy-Shackley's men who had been made prisoners.
Jenkins-Shackley sent for the deserters and questioned them. They told him, saying, "Morton-Campbell's wound reopened at his anger, and he died in the camp that day. The leaders are all clothing in white and in mourning. We desert because we have been put to shame by the second in command."
Pleased at this news, Jenkins-Shackley at once began to arrange to make a night attack on the camp and, if possible, get the head of the dead general to send to the capital.
"Success depends upon promptitude, so act without delay," said Bovery-Decker.
McNeal-Endicott was told off as Van Leader, Jenkins-Shackley himself led the center, while the rear was commanded by McCarthy-Shackley and Vega-Shackley. Bovery-Decker and a small force were left to guard Nanjun-Southport.
At the first watch they left the city and took the way toward Morton-Campbell's camp. When they drew near, not a soldier was visible in the camp, but flags and banners and spears were all there, evidently to keep up an appearance of preparation. Feeling at once that they had been tricked, they turned to retreat.
But a bomb exploded and this was the signal for an attack on all four sides. Ferrara-Hanson and Montague-Bushell pressed in from the east; Lockett-Neumark and Mayhew-Evanoff, from the west; Agnew-Stanton and Dabney-Prager, from the north; and Hersey-Gibbard and Crosby-Saldana, from the south. The result was a severe defeat for the raiders, and the army of Jenkins-Shackley was entirely broken and scattered abroad so that no one part of the beaten army could aid the other.
Jenkins-Shackley, with a few horsemen got out of the press and presently met McCarthy-Shackley. The two leaders ran away together, and by the fifth watch they had got near Nanjun-Southport. Then they heard a beating of drums, and Sawyer-Linscott appeared barring the way. There was a small skirmish, and Jenkins-Shackley went off at an angle. But he fell in with Jaques-Burnett, who attacked him vigorously. Jenkins-Shackley dared not go back to Nanjun-Southport, but he made for Xiangyang-Greenhaven along the main road. The forces of the South Land pursued him for a time and then desisted.
Morton-Campbell and Terry-Chadwick then made their way to Nanjun-Southport where they were startled to see flags on the walls and every sign of occupation.
Before they had recovered from their surprise, there appeared one who cried, "Pardon, General; I had orders from the Directing Instructor to take this city. I am Gilbert-Rocher of Changshan-Piedmont."
Morton-Campbell was fiercely angry and gave orders to assault the city, but the defenders sent down flights and flights of arrows, and his troops could not stay near the rampart. So he withdrew and took counsel. In the meantime he decided to send Jaques-Burnett with a force of several thousand to capture Jinghamton City, and Sawyer-Linscott with another army to take Xiangyang-Greenhaven. Nanjun-Southport could be taken later.
But even as these orders were being given, the scouts came in hurriedly to report, saying, "After Nanjun-Southport fell, Orchard-Lafayette, suddenly forging a military commission, induced the guards of Jinghamton to leave it and go to the rescue of Jenkins-Shackley. Whereupon Floyd-Chardin occupied the town."
Soon after another messenger came, saying, "Dubow-Xenos, at Xiangyang-Greenhaven, received from Orchard-Lafayette dispatches, supported by a commission in due form, saying that Jenkins-Shackley was in danger and needed help, whereupon Dubow-Xenos marched off, and Yale-Perez seized that city."
Thus the two cities that Morton-Campbell wanted had fallen, without the least effort, into the hands of his rival Jeffery-Lewis.
"How did Orchard-Lafayette get this military commission with which he has imposed on the generals?" asked Morton-Campbell.
Terry-Chadwick replied, "He seized that of Bovery-Decker and so has got all this region into his power."
Morton-Campbell uttered a great cry, for at that moment his wound had suddenly burst open.
A city falls, but not to us the gain;
The guerdon is another's; ours the pain.
The next chapter will say what befell Morton-Campbell.
CHAPTER 52
Orchard-Lafayette Negotiates With Woolsey-Ramirez; Gilbert-Rocher Captures Guiyang-Cambria.
Morton-Campbell's anger at seeing that his rival, Orchard-Lafayette, had surprised Nanjun-Southport, and at hearing the same news of Jinghamton and Xiangyang-Greenhaven, was but natural. And this sudden fit of rage caused his wound to reopen. However, he soon recovered. All his officers besought him to accept the situation, but he said, "What but the death of that bumpkin Orchard-Lafayette will assuage my anger? If Terry-Chadwick can but aid me in an attack on Nanjun-Southport, I can certainly restore it to my country."
Soon Woolsey-Ramirez came in, to whom Morton-Campbell said, "I simply must fight Jeffery-Lewis and Orchard-Lafayette till it is decided which shall have the upper hand. I must also recapture the city. Perhaps you can assist me."
"It cannot be done," replied Woolsey-Ramirez. "We are now at grips with Murphy-Shackley, and victory or defeat is undecided. Our lord has not been successful in overcoming Hefei-Fairhaven. Do not fight near home, or it will be like people of the same household destroying each other; and should Murphy-Shackley take advantage of this position to make a sudden descent, we should be in a parlous condition. Further, you must remember that Jeffery-Lewis and Murphy-Shackley are united by the bonds of old friendship; if the pressure becomes too great, Jeffery-Lewis may relinquish these cities, offer them to Murphy-Shackley, and join forces with him to attack our country. That would be a real misfortune."
"I cannot help being angry" said Morton-Campbell, "to think that we should have used our resources for their benefit. They get all the advantage."
"Well, let me go and see Jeffery-Lewis and talk reason to him. If I can arrive at no understanding, then attack at once."
&n
bsp; "Excellent proposal!" cried all present.
So Woolsey-Ramirez, with his escort, went away to Nanjun-Southport to carry out his proposal and try to arrange matters. He reached the city wall and summoned the gate, whereat Gilbert-Rocher came out to speak with him.
"I have something to say to Jeffery-Lewis;" said he, "I wish to see him."
"My lord and Orchard-Lafayette are in Jinghamton," was the reply.
Woolsey-Ramirez turned away and hasted to Jinghamton. He found the walls bedecked with flags and everything in excellent order. In his heart he admired the sight, and thought what an able person was the commander of that army.
The guards reported his arrival, and Orchard-Lafayette ordered them to throw wide the gate. Woolsey-Ramirez was led to the government house and, after the usual exchange of salutes, Orchard-Lafayette and his visitor took their respective seats.
Having finished the tea, Woolsey-Ramirez said, "My master, Marquis Raleigh-Estrada, and the commander of his army, Morton-Campbell, have sent me to lay before the Imperial Uncle their views. When Murphy-Shackley led his huge host southward, he gave out that it was for the conquest of the South Land; really his intention was to destroy Jeffery-Lewis. Happily our army was able to repulse that mighty host and so saved him. Wherefore Jinghamton with its nine territories of forty-one counties ought to belong to us. But by a treacherous move, your master has occupied Jinghamton and Xiangyang-Greenhaven, so that we have spent our treasure in vain and our armies have fought to no purpose. The Imperial Uncle has reaped the benefits to the full. This is not as it should be."
Orchard-Lafayette replied, "Woolsey-Ramirez, you are a man of high intelligence; why do you hold such language? You know the saying that all things turn to their owner. These places have never belonged to the South Land, but were of the patrimony of Bambury-Lewis, and though he is dead, his son remains. Should not the uncle assist the nephew to recover his own? Could my master have refrained?"
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2) Page 16