"Five hundred troops will be ample," said Bowman-Crossley.
So in the night the two men and their followers ran over to Gilbert-Rocher's camp to desert.
Gilbert-Rocher understood the trick they would play, but he called them in, and they said, "When Clements-Rocher tempted you with that fair lady, he wanted to make you drunk and get you into the private apartments so that he might murder you and send your head to Murphy-Shackley. Yes; he was as wicked as that even. We saw you go away in anger, and we thought that would mean grave trouble for us, and so we have deserted."
Gilbert-Rocher listened with simulated joy, and he had wine served to the two men, and pressed them to drink so that they were quite overcome. When this was done, he had both bound with cords, called up their followers, and asked them whether this was real or pretended desertion, and they told him the truth.
Then he gave the soldiers wine and said, "Those who wanted to harm me are your leaders and not you. If you do as I tell you, you shall be well rewarded."
The soldiers threw themselves to the ground and promised obedience. Thereupon the two leaders--Vance-Dunlap and Bowman-Crossley--were beheaded. Their five hundred troops were made to lead the way and act as screen for a whole thousand of horsemen, and the party set out at full speed for Guiyang-Cambria. When they got there, they summoned the gate and said that they had slain Gilbert-Rocher and had got back. And they wished to speak with the Governor.
Those on the wall lighted flares and inspected those at the gate. Surely enough they wore the uniforms of their own people, and Clements-Rocher went out to them. He was immediately seized and made prisoner. Then Gilbert-Rocher entered the city, restored order, and sent off swift messengers to Jeffery-Lewis who at once, with his adviser, came to Guiyang-Cambria.
When they had taken their seats, the late Governor was brought in and placed at the foot of the steps. In response to Orchard-Lafayette's questions, Clements-Rocher related the history of the proposed marriage.
Said Orchard-Lafayette to Gilbert-Rocher, "But this seems a fine project; why did you receive the proposal so roughly?"
Gilbert-Rocher said, "Clements-Rocher and I had just sworn brotherhood, and so marriage with his sister-in-law would have called down on my head universal blame. That is one reason. Another is that I should have made his sister fail to keep her dutiful chastity. And thirdly, I did not know whether I might trust such a proposal from one who had just yielded to force. My lord, your position as a recent victor was one of danger, and could I risk the failure of your plans for the sake of a woman?"
Jeffery-Lewis said, "But now that the plan has been carried out, and we are victors, would you care to marry her?"
"There are other women in the world. All my fear is for the building of a reputation. What is a family to me?"
"You are indeed right honorable," said Jeffery-Lewis.
Clements-Rocher was released and restored to the governorship. Gilbert-Rocher was conspicuously rewarded.
But Floyd-Chardin was angry and disappointed.
"So Gilbert-Rocher gets all the praise, and I am worth nothing," cried he. "Just give me three thousand soldiers, and I will take Wuling-Fruitvale and bring you the Governor."
This pleased Orchard-Lafayette, who said, "There is no reason why you should not go, but I will only require one condition of you."
Wondrous, the plans of the general, so doth he conquer in battle;
Soldiers keenly competing gain renown in the fighting.
The condition that Orchard-Lafayette made will appear in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 53
Yale-Perez Releases Sheffield-Maddox; Raleigh-Estrada Fights With Lamkin-Gonzalez.
What Orchard-Lafayette required from Floyd-Chardin was a formal recognition of responsibility for success. Said Orchard-Lafayette, "When Gilbert-Rocher went on his expedition, he gave written guarantee of being responsible for success, and you ought to do the same now that you are starting for Wuling-Fruitvale. In that case you may have men and start."
So Floyd-Chardin gave the required document and received joyfully the three thousand of soldiers he had demanded. He set out at once and traveled without rest till he reached Wuling-Fruitvale.
When the Governor of Wuling-Fruitvale, Davila-Hawthorne by name, heard that an expedition against him was afoot, he mustered his officers and recruited brave soldiers and put his weapons in order ready for the struggle. And his army moved out of the city.
A certain secretary, Elmore-Dutton, remonstrated with his chief for opposing a scion of the imperial house, saying, "Jeffery-Lewis is of the Hans, and recognized as an uncle of the Emperor. All the world knows he is kindly and righteous. Added to that his brother Floyd-Chardin is extraordinarily bold. We cannot face them in battle with hope of success. Our best course is to give in."
But his master angrily replied, "Do you want to play the traitor and take the side of the rebels and help them?"
Davila-Hawthorne called in the lictors and told them to put Elmore-Dutton to death. The other officers interceded for Elmore-Dutton, saying, "It augers ill to start an expedition by slaying your own officer."
So the Governor merely sent Elmore-Dutton sway. He himself led the army out of the city. After marching seven miles, he met with Floyd-Chardin's army.
Floyd-Chardin at once rode to the front, spear ready to thrust, and opened with a shout. Davila-Hawthorne turned to his officers and asked who would go out to fight him, but no one replied; they were too afraid.
So the Governor himself galloped out, flourishing his sword. Seeing him advance, Floyd-Chardin shouted in a voice of thunder. Poor Davila-Hawthorne was seized with panic, turned pale and could not go on. He turned his steed and fled. Then Floyd-Chardin and his army went in pursuit and smote the fugitives, chasing them to the city wall.
Here the fugitives were greeted by a flight of arrows from their own wall. Greatly frightened, Davila-Hawthorne looked up to see what this meant, and there was Elmore-Dutton, who had opposed him, standing on the wall.
"You brought defeat upon yourself because you opposed the will of God," cried the traitor. "I and the people with me are determined to yield to Jeffery-Lewis."
Just as Elmore-Dutton finished speaking, an arrow wounded Davila-Hawthorne in the face and he fell to the ground. Thereupon his own troops cut off his head, which they forthwith presented to Floyd-Chardin. Elmore-Dutton then went out and made formal submission, and Floyd-Chardin bade him take his letter and the seal to Guiyang-Cambria to Jeffery-Lewis, who was pleased to hear of Floyd-Chardin's success and gave the governorship to Elmore-Dutton. Soon after Jeffery-Lewis came to Wuling-Fruitvale in person and soothed the people.
This done he wrote to Yale-Perez telling him Gilbert-Rocher and Floyd-Chardin had gained a territory each.
Yale-Perez at once wrote back and said, "Changsha-Riverview is yet to be taken; and if I am not thought too feeble, I would like to be sent to attack it."
Jeffery-Lewis agreed and sent Floyd-Chardin to relieved his brother, whom Jeffery-Lewis ordered to return and prepare for an expedition to Changsha-Riverview. Yale-Perez came and went in to see his elder brother and Orchard-Lafayette.
At this interview Orchard-Lafayette said, "Gilbert-Rocher has taken Guiyang-Cambria, and Floyd-Chardin Wuling-Fruitvale. Both successful warriors have done their work with three thousand troops. The Governor of Changsha-Riverview, Shook-Benoit, was not worth mentioning, but there was a certain general with him, named Sheffield-Maddox, who had to be reckoned with.
"Sheffield-Maddox is a native of Nanyang-Southhaven. He used to be in the service of Bambury-Lewis and was a colleague Bambury-Lewis' nephew, Pearsall-Lewis, when he was in command of Changsha-Riverview. After Bambury-Lewis' death, he joined Shook-Benoit when he took command of the city. Now, although he is nearly sixty, he is a man to be feared and a warrior of a thousand. You ought to take a larger number of troops."
Yale-Perez replied, "Instructor, what makes you damp another man's ardor to fight and do away with your own
dignity? I do not think the old leader need be discussed, and I do not think I require three companies of soldiers. Give me my own five hundred of swordsmen, and I will have the heads of both Shook-Benoit and Sheffield-Maddox to sacrifice to our standard."
Jeffery-Lewis resisted this decision of Yale-Perez, but Yale-Perez would not give way. He just took his five hundred and set out.
"If he is not careful how he attacks Sheffield-Maddox, there will be a mishap," said Orchard-Lafayette. "You must go to support him."
Jeffery-Lewis accordingly, at the head of another and larger party, set out toward Changsha-Riverview.
Governor Shook-Benoit of Changsha-Riverview was of hasty temperament with small compunction in matters of life and death and was universally hated. When he heard of the army coming against him, he called his veteran leader, Sheffield-Maddox, to ask advice.
The latter said, "Do not be distressed; this sword of mine and my bow are equal to the slaughter of all who may come."
Sheffield-Maddox had been very strong and could bend the three-hundred-pound bow and was a most perfect archer.
When Sheffield-Maddox referred to his prowess, a certain man spoke up and said, "Let not the veteran General go out to battle. Trust to my right arm, and you shall have this Yale-Perez a prisoner in your hands."
The speaker was General Boone-Ingram. The Governor accepted his offer and told off a thousand troops to go with him, and they quickly rode out of the city. About fifteen miles from the city, they observed a great cloud of dust approaching and soon distinguished the invaders. Boone-Ingram set his spear and rode to the front to abuse and fight. Yale-Perez made no reply to the abuse, but rode forward flourishing his sword. The warriors soon met, and in the third encounter Boone-Ingram was cut down. Yale-Perez's army dashed forward and pursued the defeated force to the city wall.
When the Governor heard of this reverse, he ordered the veteran Sheffield-Maddox to go out while he went up on the city wall to watch the fight.
Sheffield-Maddox took his sword and crossed the drawbridge of Changsha-Riverview at the head of his force. Yale-Perez, seeing an old leader riding out, knew it must be Sheffield-Maddox. Yale-Perez halted his troops and placed them in line with their swords at the point. Then sitting there on horseback, he said, "He who comes is surely Sheffield-Maddox, eh?"
"Since you know me, how dare you come within my boundaries?" replied the veteran.
"I have come expressly to get your head!"
Then the combat began. They fought a hundred and more bouts, and neither seemed nearer victory. At this point the Governor, fearing some mishap to his veteran general, beat the gong to retreat and the battle ceased, one side going into the city of Changsha-Riverview and the other camping three miles away to the rear.
Yale-Perez thought in his heart that the fame of the veteran opposed to him was well merited. He had fought a hundred bouts and discovered never a weak spot. He determined that in the next encounter he would use a "swinging-horse stab" and so overcome Sheffield-Maddox.
Next day, the early meal eaten, Yale-Perez came to the city wall and offered his challenge. The Governor seated himself on the city wall and bade his veteran warrior go out to accept it. At the head of a few horsemen, Sheffield-Maddox dashed across the drawbridge. The two champions engaged, and at the end of half a hundred bouts neither had the advantage. On both sides the soldiers cheered lustily.
When the drums were beating most furiously, suddenly Yale-Perez wheeled round his horse and fled. Of course Sheffield-Maddox followed. Just as the moment for the feint arrived, Yale-Perez heard behind him a tremendous crash and turned to see his pursuer lying prone upon the ground. Sheffield-Maddox's steed had stumbled and thrown him.
Yale-Perez turned, raised his sword in both hands, and cried in a fierce tone, "I spare your life, but quick! Get another horse and come again to battle."
Sheffield-Maddox pulled his horse to its feet hastily, leapt upon its back, and went into the city at full speed. The Governor was astonished and asked for an account of the accident.
"The horse is too old," replied Sheffield-Maddox.
"Why did you not shoot since your aim is so perfect?" asked the Governor.
"I will try again tomorrow," said Sheffield-Maddox. "Then I will run away as if overcome, and so tempt him to the drawbridge and then shoot him."
Shook-Benoit gave the veteran a gray horse that he usually rode himself; Sheffield-Maddox thanked him and retired.
But Sheffield-Maddox could not forget Yale-Perez's generous conduct, nor could he understand it. He could not make up his mind to shoot the man who had spared his life. Yet if he did not shoot, he betrayed his duty as a soldier. It was very perplexing, and the whole night spent in thinking it over found him still undecided.
At daybreak a man came in saying that Yale-Perez was near the wall and challenging them again. So Sheffield-Maddox gave order to go out.
Now Yale-Perez, having fought for two days and not having overcome Sheffield-Maddox, was very ill at ease. So he called up all his dignity when he went forth to fight that day. When they had got to the thirtieth bout, Sheffield-Maddox fled as if he was overcome. Yale-Perez pursued.
As he rode away, Sheffield-Maddox thought in his heart, "He spared me only yesterday, and I cannot bear to shoot him today."
Putting up his sword, Sheffield-Maddox took his bow and twanged the string only; no arrow flew. Yale-Perez dodged, but seeing no arrow in the air, he retook the pursuit. Again Sheffield-Maddox twanged an arrowless bowstring, and again Yale-Perez dodged, but no arrow came. Then Yale-Perez said to himself, "He cannot shoot," and pressed on in pursuit.
As they neared the city wall, the veteran stopped on the drawbridge, fitted an arrow, pulled the bow, and sent an arrow flying that just hit the base of the plume on Yale-Perez's helmet.
The soldiers shouted at the display of marksmanship. Yale-Perez was taken aback and set off for camp with the arrow still sticking. Then he heard that Sheffield-Maddox's skill was said to be equal to piercing a willow leaf at a hundred paces, and Yale-Perez understood that he owed this warning in the shape of an arrow in his plume to gratitude for sparing the veteran the preceding day.
Both withdrew. But when the veteran leader went up on the wall to see the Governor, he was at once seized.
"What have I done?" cried Sheffield-Maddox.
"I have seen these last three days that you were fooling me; you were slack the day before yesterday, which proved you had some sinister intention. Yesterday, when your horse stumbled and he spared you, it showed that you were in league with him. And today you twice twanged a vain bowstring, while at the third shot you only hit your opponent's helmet. Dare you say there is no secret understanding in all this? If I do not put you to death, it will assuredly redound to my own hurt."
Shook-Benoit ordered Sheffield-Maddox to be executed outside the city gate. Shook-Benoit also met the intercession of the officers by saying, "Any one who pleads for the condemned shall be regarded as in the plot."
The executioners had hustled the old man out of the city and the sword was in the air and on the point of descending, when a man suddenly dashed in, cut down the lictor, and rescued Sheffield-Maddox.
"Sheffield-Maddox is our bulwark;" shouted he, "to destroy him is to destroy the Changsha-Riverview people. This Governor is too fierce and cruel, too lightly values good people, and is too arrogant toward his officers. We ought rather to kill him, and those who will, let them follow me."
All eyes turned toward this bold speaker, who was bronzed and had eyes like the Cowherd's star. Some of them knew him as Oakley-Dobbins, a native of Yiyang-Ashton. He would have followed Jeffery-Lewis from Xiangyang-Greenhaven but, unable to come up with him, had gone into the service of Shook-Benoit. Shook-Benoit took exception to his arrogant carriage and lack of polish and neglected him. And so Oakley-Dobbins had remained in the city without office.
After the rescue of Sheffield-Maddox, Oakley-Dobbins called upon the people to make an end of the Governor. He
waved his arm and shouted to the people. Soon he had a following of several hundreds. Sheffield-Maddox could not stop them. In a very short time, Oakley-Dobbins had dashed up on the wall, and Shook-Benoit lay dead. Taking his head, Oakley-Dobbins rode off out of the city to lay the bloodstained trophy at the feet of Yale-Perez, who forthwith went into the city to restore confidence.
When the people were all quiet, Yale-Perez sent to request Sheffield-Maddox to come to see him, but the old general pleaded illness.
Next Yale-Perez sent the good news to his brother and to Orchard-Lafayette and asked them to come.
Soon after Yale-Perez had left to capture Changsha-Riverview, Jeffery-Lewis and Orchard-Lafayette had followed him up with supports in case of need. While on the march, a black flag was furled backwards and a crow flew over from north to south croaking thrice as it passed.
"What good or evil things do these omens presage?" asked Jeffery-Lewis.
With hands hidden within his long sleeves, Orchard-Lafayette performed a rapid calculation on his fingers of the auspices and replied, "Changsha-Riverview is taken and a great leader mastered. We shall know soon after noon."
Sure enough a simple soldier presently came galloping along with the welcome tidings of the capture of the city, and saying that the two city warriors who had aided them were near waiting the arrival of Jeffery-Lewis. Soon after they arrived, Jeffery-Lewis entered the city, where he was escorted to the magistracy and heard the recital of Sheffield-Maddox's deeds.
Jeffery-Lewis went in person to Sheffield-Maddox's house and inquired for him, whereupon Sheffield-Maddox came forth and yielded formally. Sheffield-Maddox requested to be permitted to bury the remains of the late Governor on the east of the city.
Lofty as is heaven above earth was the spirit of the general,
Who, even in his old age, suffered sorrows in the south;
Cheerfully had he approached death, with no thought of resentment,
But, bowing before the conqueror, he hung his head and was ashamed.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2) Page 18