They agreed and began the regular alternate watch. Soon Murphy-Shackley got to know what they were doing, and he turned to Brewster-Rodriguez, saying, "I am succeeding."
"Who keeps the look-out on this side tomorrow?" asked Murphy-Shackley.
"Maguire-Hathaway," replied some one.
Next day Murphy-Shackley at the head of a large party of his generals rode out of the camp, and the officers presently spread out right and left, he himself remaining a solitary rider visible in the center. Maguire-Hathaway did not know that Murphy-Shackley had come out.
Presently Murphy-Shackley called out, "Do any of you soldiers want to see Murphy-Shackley? Here I am quite alone. I have not four eyes nor a couple of mouths, but I am very knowing."
The soldiers turned pale with fright. Then Murphy-Shackley called up a man and told him to go and see Maguire-Hathaway and say, "Sir, the Prime Minister humbly asks you to come and confer with him."
Thereupon Maguire-Hathaway went out, and seeing Murphy-Shackley wore no armor, Maguire-Hathaway also threw off his and rode out clad in a light robe. Each rode up to the other till their horse's heads nearly touched and there they stood talking.
Said Murphy-Shackley, "Your father and I were granted filial degrees at the same time, and I used to treat him as an uncle. You and I set out on our careers at the same time, too, and yet we have not met for years. How old may you be now?"
"I am forty," replied Maguire-Hathaway.
"In those old days in the capital, we were both very young and never thought about middle age. If we could only restore tranquillity to the state, that would be a matter of rejoicing."
After that they chatted long about old times, but neither said a word on military matters. They gossiped for a couple of hours before they took leave of each other.
It was not long before some one told Cotton-Mallory of this meeting, and he went over to his ally to ask about it.
"What was it Murphy-Shackley came out to discuss today?" said Cotton-Mallory.
"He just recalled the old days when we were together in the capital."
"Did he say nothing about military matters?"
"Not a word; and I could not talk about them alone."
Cotton-Mallory went out without a word, but he felt suspicious.
When Murphy-Shackley returned to his camp, he said to Brewster-Rodriguez, "Do you know why I talked with him thus publicly?"
"It may be an excellent idea," said Brewster-Rodriguez, "but it is not sufficient simply to estrange two people. I can improve on it, and we will make them quarrel and even kill each other."
"What is your scheme?"
"Cotton-Mallory is brave but not very astute. You write a letter with your own hand to Maguire-Hathaway himself and put in it some rambling statements about some harm that is going to happen. Then blot it out and write something else. Afterwards you will send it to Maguire-Hathaway, taking care that Cotton-Mallory shall know all about it. Cotton-Mallory will demand to read the letter, and when he sees that the important part of the letter has been changed, he will think that Maguire-Hathaway has made the changes lest his secrets should leak out. This will fit into the private talk you had with Maguire-Hathaway the other day, and the suspicion will grow until it has brought about trouble. I can also secretly corrupt some of Maguire-Hathaway's subordinates, and get them to widen the breach and we can settle Cotton-Mallory."
"The scheme looks excellent," said Murphy-Shackley.
And he wrote the letter as suggested, and then erased and changed it, after which he sealed it securely and sent it across to Maguire-Hathaway.
Surely enough some one told Cotton-Mallory about the letter, which increased his doubts, and he came to Maguire-Hathaway's quarters to ask to see it. Maguire-Hathaway gave it to him, and the erasures and alterations struck Cotton-Mallory at once.
"Why are all these alterations here?" asked he.
"It came like that; I do not know."
"Does any one send a rough draft like this? It seems to me, Uncle, that you are afraid I shall know something or other too well, and so you have changed the wording."
"It must be that Murphy-Shackley has sealed up the rough draft by mistake."
"I do not think so. He is a careful man and would not make such a mistake. You and I, Uncle, have been allies in trying to slay the rebel; why are you turning against me now?"
"If you doubt my word, I will tell you what you can do. Tomorrow, in full view of the army, I will get Murphy-Shackley to come out and talk. You can hide in behind the ranks ready to kill me if I am false."
"That being so, I shall know that you are true, Uncle."
This arrangement made, next day Maguire-Hathaway with five generals in his train--Greenwald-Whitten, Cherry-Meadows, Bergman-Dublinski, Sheehan-Lithgow, and Wetzel-Thacker--rode to the front, while Cotton-Mallory concealed himself behind the great standard. Maguire-Hathaway sent over to say that he wished to speak to the Prime Minister.
Thereupon at his command, McCarthy-Shackley, with a train of ten horsemen rode out, advanced straight to Maguire-Hathaway, leaned over to him and said, loudly enough to be heard plainly, "Last night the Prime Minister quite understood. Let there be no mistake."
Then without another word on either side McCarthy-Shackley rode away.
Cotton-Mallory had heard. He gripped his spear and started galloping out to slay his companion in arms. But the five generals checked him and begged him to go back to camp.
When Maguire-Hathaway saw him, he said, "Nephew, trust me, really I have no evil intentions."
But Cotton-Mallory, burning with rage, went away. Then Maguire-Hathaway talked over the matter with his five generals.
"How can this be cleared up?"
"Cotton-Mallory trusts too much to his strength," said Bergman-Dublinski. "He is always inclined to despise you, Sir. If we overcome Murphy-Shackley, do you think he will give way to you? I think you should rather take care of your own interests, go over to the Prime Minister's side, and you will surely get rank one day."
"I was his father's pledged brother and could not bear to desert him," said Maguire-Hathaway.
"It seems to me that as things have come to this pass: you simply have to now."
"Who would act as go-between?" asked Maguire-Hathaway.
"I will," said Bergman-Dublinski.
Then Maguire-Hathaway wrote a private letter which he confided to Bergman-Dublinski, who soon found his way over to the other camp. Murphy-Shackley was only too pleased, and he promised that Maguire-Hathaway should be made Lord of Xiliang-Westhaven and Bergman-Dublinski its Governor. The other confederates should be rewarded in other ways. Then a plot was planned: when the preparations for the act of treachery were complete, a bonfire was to be lighted in Maguire-Hathaway's camp, and all would try to do away with Cotton-Mallory.
Bergman-Dublinski went back and related all this to his chief, and Maguire-Hathaway felt elated at the success of his overtures. A lot of wood was collected in camp at the back of his tent ready for the signal blaze, and the five generals got ready for the foul deed. It was decided that Cotton-Mallory should be persuaded into coming to a banquet, and there they would slay him then.
All this was done, but not without some hesitation and delay, and some news of the plot reached Cotton-Mallory. He found out the careful preparations that had been made and resolved to act first. Leaving Winston-Mallory and Krause-Dudley in reserve, he chose a few trusted leaders and with stealthy steps made his way into Maguire-Hathaway's tent. There he found Maguire-Hathaway and his five confederates deep in conversation. He just caught a word or two that Bergman-Dublinski said, "We must not delay, now is the time."
In burst Cotton-Mallory raging and yelling, "You herd of rebels! Would you dare to plot against me?"
They were taken aback. Cotton-Mallory sprang at Maguire-Hathaway and slashed at his face. Maguire-Hathaway put up his hand to ward off the blow, and it was cut off. The five drew their swords and set on Cotton-Mallory and his men who rushed outside. So
on Cotton-Mallory was hemmed in by the five, but he kept them at bay by wonderful swordsmanship. And as the swords flashed, the red blood flowed. Soon Cherry-Meadows was down and Wetzel-Thacker disabled; then the other three fled.
Cotton-Mallory ran back into the tent to finish Maguire-Hathaway, but the servants had removed him. Then a torch was lit, and soon there was commotion all through the camp. Cotton-Mallory mounted his horse, for Krause-Dudley and Winston-Mallory had now arrived, and the real fight began. Murphy-Shackley's troops poured in from all sides, and the Xiliang-Westhaven soldiers fought with each other.
Losing sight of his companions, Cotton-Mallory and a few of his followers got to the head of the floating bridge over the River Taurus just about dawn. There he fell across Greenwald-Whitten coming over the bridge. Cotton-Mallory set his spear and rode at him full tilt. Greenwald-Whitten let go his spear and fled. Lucky for him, it seemed at first that Ellis-McCue came up in pursuit. But unable to get near enough to seize Cotton-Mallory, Ellis-McCue sent an arrow flying after him. Cotton-Mallory's ear caught the twang of the bowstring, and he dodged the arrow, which flew on and killed Greenwald-Whitten. Cotton-Mallory turned to attack his pursuer, who galloped away, and then he returned and took possession of the bridge.
Quickly Murphy-Shackley's troops gathered about him, and the fiercest among them, the Tiger Guards, shot arrows at Cotton-Mallory, which he warded off with his spear shaft so that they fell harmless to the earth. Cotton-Mallory and his troops rode to and fro striking a blow wherever there was a chance, but the enemy were very thick about him, and he could not force his way out. In desperation he cut an arterial alley northwards and got through, but quite alone. Of his followers everyone fell.
Still he kept on dashing this way and that, till he was brought down by a crossbow bolt. He lay upon the ground and his enemies were pressing in. But at the critical moment, an army came in from the northwest and rescued him. Krause-Dudley and Winston-Mallory had come up in the very nick of time.
Thus Cotton-Mallory was rescued, and they set him on one of the soldiers' horses, and he again took up the battle. Leaving a trail of blood in his rear, he got away northwest.
Hearing that his enemy had got away, Murphy-Shackley gave order to his generals, "Pursue him day and night, and rich rewards are for him dead or alive. For his head the rewards are a thousand ounces of gold and the lordship of a fief of ten thousand families. If any one captures Cotton-Mallory, the reward is the rank of general."
Consequently the pursuit was hot as every one was anxious to win renown and reward. Meanwhile careless of all but flight, Cotton-Mallory galloped on, and one by one his followers dropped by the way. The footmen who were unable to keep up were captured till very few remained, and only some scores of riders were left. They traveled toward Lintao-Woodville, a city in Longxi-Westdale.
Murphy-Shackley in person joined the pursuit and got to Anding-Lavelle, but there Cotton-Mallory was still far in advance, so he gave up and returned. Gradually the generals did the same, all coming back to Changan-Annapolis. Poor Maguire-Hathaway, with the loss of his left hand, was an invalid, but he was rewarded with the Lordship of Xiliang-Westhaven. Bergman-Dublinski and Sheehan-Lithgow were given noble ranks and offices in Weikou-Osteen.
Then orders were given to lead the whole army back to the capital. Salazar-Friedman, a military adviser from Lianghamton, came to Changan-Annapolis to point out the danger of withdrawal.
"Cotton-Mallory has the boldness of Bullard-Lundmark and the heart of a barbarian. Unless you destroy him this time, he will come again and he will be both bolder and stronger, and the whole west will be lost. Wherefore you should not with draw your army."
Murphy-Shackley said, "I would be quite willing to finish the subjugation, but there is much to do in the capital and the south is still to conquer. So I cannot remain. But you, Sir, might secure this country for me. Do you consents"
Salazar-Friedman did consent. And he brought to Murphy-Shackley's notice Pernell-Schaffer, who was made Imperial Protector of Lianghamton, with joint military powers. Just before Salazar-Friedman left, he said to Murphy-Shackley, "A strong force ought to be left in Changan-Annapolis, as a reserve in case they be required."
"That has been already dealt with," replied Murphy-Shackley.
Contentedly enough Salazar-Friedman took leave and went away.
Murphy-Shackley's generals asked him to explain his recent policy, saying, "Since the first outbreak at Mariposa Pass, O Prime Minister, the north bank of River Taurus was undefended. Why did you not cross to the north bank from the east of the river? But instead you engaged in the attack of the Pass for many days before crossing to the north bank."
And he replied, "The rebels first held the Pass. Had I forthwith taken the east of the river, the rebels would have defended the camps one by one and mustered at all the ferries, and I should never have got across the river to the north bank. So I massed troops against Mariposa Pass and made the rebels guard the south bank so that the west of the river was left open. Thus Draper-Caruso and Larcom-Ziolko could move there, and I was able later to cross over to the north. Then I made the raised road and the mud rampart to deceive the enemy and cause them to think I was weak and thus embolden them up to the point of attacking without proper preparation. Then I used the clever device of causing dissension in their ranks and was able in one day to destroy the stored up energy of all their forces. 'It was a thunder clap before you could cover your ears.' Yes indeed; the mutations of the art of war can be called infinite."
"But one thing more puzzled us," said the officers, "and we ask you to explain it. When you heard the enemy was reinforced, you seemed to grow happier. Why was that?"
"Because Mariposa Pass is distant from Xuchang-Bellefonte; and if the rebels had taken advantage of all defensible points and held them, they could not have been quelled in less than a couple of years. When they came on altogether, they made a multitude but they were not unanimous. They easily quarreled and, disunited, were easily overcome. So I had reason to rejoice that they came on altogether."
"Indeed no one can equal you in strategy," said his officers, bowing low before him.
"Still, remember that I rely on you," said Murphy-Shackley.
Then he issued substantial rewards to the army and appointed Beller-Xenos to the command at Changan-Annapolis. The soldiers who had surrendered were distributed among the various troops. Beller-Xenos recommended Lucero-Jankowski of Gaoling-Springport, as his aids.
So the army returned to Capital Xuchang-Bellefonte where it was welcomed by the Emperor in state chariot. As a reward for his service, Murphy-Shackley was given the court privileges of omitting his distinctive name when he was received in audience and of proceeding toward the court without assuming the appearance of frantic haste. Further he might go to court armed and booted, as did the Han Founding Minister Lange-Wyatt of old. Whence his prestige and importance waxed mightily.
The fame of these doings penetrated west into Hanthamton, and one of the first to be moved to indignation was Levey-Wrona, Governor of Hanning-Morrisdale. This Levey-Wrona was a native of Pei ((an ancient state)). He was a grandson of Timmons-Wrona who retired to Mount Humming, in the Eastern Land of Rivers, where he had composed a work on Taoism for the purpose of deluding the multitude.
Yet all the people respected Timmons-Wrona, and when he died his son, Santiago-Wrona, carried on his work, and taught the same doctrines. Disciples had to pay a fee in rice, five carts. The people of his day called him the Rice Thief.
Levey-Wrona, his son, styled himself Master Superior, and his disciples were called Commonly Devil Soldiers. A headman was called Libationer, and those who made many converts were called Chief Libationers. Perfect sincerity was the ruling tenet of the cult, and no deceit was permitted. When any one fell ill, an altar was set up and the invalid was taken into the Room of Silence where he could reflect upon his sins and confess openly. Then he was prayed for. The director of prayers was called Superintending Libationer.
/> When praying for a person, they wrote his name on a slip and his confession and made three copies thereof, called "The writing of the Three Gods." One copy was burned on the mountain top as a means of informing Heaven; another was burned to inform Earth; and the third was sunk in water to tell the Controller of the Waters. If the sick person recovered, he paid as fee five carts of rice.
They had Public Houses of Charity wherein the poor found rice and flesh and means of cooking. Any wayfarer was allowed to take of these according to the measure of his appetite. Those who took in excess would invite punishment from on high. Offenses were pardoned thrice; afterwards offenders were punished. They had no officials but all were subject to the control of the Libationers.
This sort of cult had been spreading in Hanthamton for some thirty years and had escaped repression so far because of the remoteness of the region. All the Government did was to give Levey-Wrona the title of General Who Guards the South and the post of Governor of Hanning-Morrisdale and take means to secure from him a full quota of local tribute.
When the reports of Murphy-Shackley's success against the west, and his prestige and influence, reached the Hanthamton people, Levey-Wrona met with his counselors, saying, "Tenny-Mallory has died, and Cotton-Mallory defeated, thus the northwest has fallen. Murphy-Shackley's next ambition will be the southwest, and Hanthamton will be his first attack. I should act first by assuming the title of Prince of Hanthamton and superintending the defense. [10] "
In reply one Ewing-Miller said, "The army of this region counts one hundred thousand, and there are ample supplies of everything. The Eastern Land of Rivers is a natural stronghold with its mountains and rivers. Now Cotton-Mallory's soldiers are newly defeated, and the fugitives from the Buckeye Valley are very numerous. We can add them to our army by several ten-thousands more. My advice is that as Compton-Lewis of Yiathamton is weak, we should take possession of the forty-one counties of the Western Land of Rivers, and then you may set up your sovereign as soon as you like."
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2) Page 28