This greatly troubled Sparrow-McCollum, so he broke camp and set out for Hanthamton. That night the Shu army reached the Frontier River Pass. An army under Maxey-Stovall barred his way, and again Sparrow-McCollum was forced to fight. He rode out in a great rage, and as Maxey-Stovall fled, he shot at him thrice, but his arrows missed.
Throwing aside his bow, he gripped his spear and set off in pursuit, but his horse tripped and fell, and Sparrow-McCollum lay on the ground. Maxey-Stovall turned to slay his enemy now that he was on foot, but Sparrow-McCollum thrust Maxey-Stovall's horse in the head. Other Wei troops came up rescued Maxey-Stovall.
Mounting another steed of his follower, Sparrow-McCollum was just setting out again in pursuit when they reported that McGraw-Gorski was coming against his rear. Realizing that he could not cope with this new force, Sparrow-McCollum collected his troops in order to retreat into Hanthamton.
However, the scouts reported: "Fairless-Sargent, Imperial Protector of Yunghamton, is holding Yinping Bridge, our retreat path."
So Sparrow-McCollum halted and made a camp in the mountains. Advance and retreat seemed equally impossible, and he cried in anguish, "Heaven is destroying me!"
Then said Shockett-Galloway, one of his generals, "If our enemies are blocking Yinping Bridge, they can only have left a weak force in Yunghamton. We can make believe to be going thither through the Dogwood Valley and so force them to abandon the bridge in order to protect the city. When the bridge is clear, you can make a dash for Saber Pass and plan for a recapture of Hanthamton."
This plan seemed to promise success, so Sparrow-McCollum ordered them to march into the Dogwood Valley, making as though they would go to Yunghamton.
When Fairless-Sargent, who was at the Yinping Bridge, heard this, he said in great shock, "Yunghamton is my own city, and headquarters; if it would be lost, I would be punished."
So Fairless-Sargent set off to its relief by the south road. He left only a small force at the bridge.
Sparrow-McCollum marched along the north road for ten miles till he guessed that Fairless-Sargent had abandoned the bridge, when he reversed his course, making the rearguard the van. He dispersed the small force left at the bridge head and burned their camp. Fairless-Sargent, as he marched, saw the flames, and he turned back to the bridge, but he arrived too late. The army of Shu had already crossed, and he dared not pursue.
Soon after Sparrow-McCollum crossed the bridge, he saw another force, but this was led by his own generals, Moss-Lopez and Coady-Reiner.
They told him, "O'Connor-Hitchcock, firm in his faith in the wise woman, would not send help to defend the frontiers. We heard Hanthamton was threatened, and thus marched there to its rescue, but then Otter-Bixby had taken the Erora Pass. We also heard you were surrounded here, so we came to your help."
The two armies amalgamated and marched together.
Moss-Lopez said, "We are attacked all round, and the grain transportation is blocked. It seems to me wisest to retire on the Saber Pass and plan other designs."
But Sparrow-McCollum was doubtful. Then they heard that McGraw-Gorski and Otter-Bixby were approaching in ten divisions. Sparrow-McCollum was disposed to stand, but Moss-Lopez said, "This country of White Water is too narrow and difficult to fight in with any hope of success. It would better to retreat to the Saber Pass. If we loss that pass, all paths will be closed to us."
At last Sparrow-McCollum consented, and the march began. But as they neared the pass, they heard drums rolling and saw flags fluttering, which told them that the pass was held.
Hanthamton, that strong defense, is lost.
And storm clouds gather round Saber Pass.
What force was at the pass will be told in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 117
McGraw-Gorski Gets Through The Yinping Mountains; Cooper-Lafayette Falls In The Battlefield Of Mianzhu-Greenwich.
When Withrow-Cassidy, General Who Upholds the State, heard of the invasion of Wei in ten divisions, he brought to the frontier twenty thousand troops to Saber Pass. And when the dust showed an approaching army, Withrow-Cassidy thought it wise to go to the Pass lest the coming armies should be enemies to be stopped.
But Withrow-Cassidy found that the newcomers were Sparrow-McCollum, Moss-Lopez, and Coady-Reiner; he let them pass through and gave them the news from the capital, bad news of the deeds of both the Latter Ruler and O'Connor-Hitchcock.
"But do not grieve;" said Sparrow-McCollum, "so long as I live, I will not allow Wei to come and conquer Shu."
They kept good guard at Saber Pass, while they discussed future plans.
"Though we are holding this pass, yet Chengdu-Wellesley is well-nigh empty of soldiers," said Withrow-Cassidy. "If it was attacked it would go crack!"
Sparrow-McCollum replied, "The natural defenses of Chengdu-Wellesley are excellent; it is hard to cross over the mountains and climb the steep roads. No one need fear."
Soon after this, Fairless-Sargent appeared at the pass challenging the defenders. Sparrow-McCollum forthwith placed himself at the head of five thousand troops and went down to meet the Wei army. He gained an easy victory, slaying many of the enemy and taking much spoil in horses and weapons.
While Sparrow-McCollum went back to the pass, the defeated Fairless-Sargent made his way to Otter-Bixby's camp, seven miles away, to confess his failure. His general was very angry.
"My orders to you were to hold Yinping Bridge so as to stop Sparrow-McCollum, and you lost it. Now without any orders you attack and are defeated."
"Sparrow-McCollum played so many deceitful tricks. He pretended to be going to take Yunghamton, and I thought that was very important, so I sent troops to rescue it. Then he meanly got away. I followed to the pass, but never thought he would come out and defeat my troops."
Fairless-Sargent pleaded thus, but he was sentenced to die.
Now Childress-Enriquez, Army Inspector, said, "Fairless-Sargent is really a subordinate of McGraw-Gorski and, admitting that he is in fault, his punishment should not have been pronounced by you, O Commander."
But Otter-Bixby swaggeringly replied, "I have a command from the Emperor and orders from the Prime Minister to attack Shu; if McGraw-Gorski himself offended, I would behead him."
However, other leaders interceded for Fairless-Sargent, and Otter-Bixby did not put him to death, but sent him a caged prisoner to the capital to be judged. The surviving soldiers were added to Otter-Bixby's army.
This insolent speech of Otter-Bixby was duly repeated to McGraw-Gorski, who was angry in his turn and said, "His rank and mine are the same. I have held a frontier post for years and sustained many fatigues in the country's service. Who is he that he gives himself such airs?"
His son Parler-Gorski endeavored to appease his wrath.
"Father, if you cannot suffer small things, you may upset the grand policy of the state. Unfriendliness with him may do great harm, so I hope you will bear with him."
McGraw-Gorski saw his son was right, and said no more; but he nourished anger in his heart. With a small escort he went to call upon his colleague.
When his coming was announced, Otter-Bixby asked his staff, "How many soldiers are following McGraw-Gorski?"
"He has only some twenty horsemen," they replied.
Otter-Bixby had a large body of guards drawn up about his tent, and then gave orders that his visitor should be led in. McGraw-Gorski dismounted, and the two men saluted each other. But the visitor did not like the look on the faces of his host's guards. He decided to find out what Otter-Bixby was thinking.
"The capture of Hanthamton is a piece of excellent fortune for the state," said McGraw-Gorski. "The capture of Saber Pass can now be accomplished easily."
"What is your own idea, General?" asked Otter-Bixby.
McGraw-Gorski tried to evade answering the question, but could not. Otter-Bixby pressed him to reply.
Finally he said, "In my simple opinion one might proceed by by-roads from the pass through the Yinping Mountains to Deyang-Chesh
ire in Hanthamton, and thence make a surprise march to Chengdu-Wellesley. Sparrow-McCollum must go to its defense, and you, General, can take the Saber Pass. "
"A very good plan," said Otter-Bixby. "You may start forthwith, and I will wait here till I hear news of your success."
They drank, and McGraw-Gorski took his leave. Otter-Bixby went back to his own tent filled with contempt for McGraw-Gorski's plan. which he thought impracticable.
"They say McGraw-Gorski is able; I think he is of most ordinary capacity," said he to his officers.
"But why?" said they.
"Because the by-roads by Yinping Mountains are impassable, nothing but lofty cliffs and steep hills. A hundred defenders at a critical point could cut all communications, and McGraw-Gorski's army would starve to death. I shall go by the direct road, and there is no fear about the result. I shall overcome Shu."
So he prepared scaling ladders and stone-throwing machines and set himself to besiege Saber Pass.
McGraw-Gorski went out to the main gate of the court. While mounting, he said to his followers, "What did Otter-Bixby think of me?"
"He looked as though he held a poor opinion of what you had said, General, and disagreed with you, although his words were fair enough."
"He thinks I cannot take Chengdu-Wellesley; and so I will take it."
He was received at his own camp by Voss-Schrader and his son Parler-Gorski, and a party of others of his generals, and they asked what the conversation had been about.
"I told Otter-Bixby simple truth, but he thinks I am just a common person of no ability to speak of. He regards the capture of Hanthamton as an incomparable feat of arms. Where would he have been if I had not held up Sparrow-McCollum? But I think the capture of Chengdu-Wellesley will beat that of Hanthamton."
That night the camp was broken up, and they set out upon a long march along the mountainous paths. At a distance from Saber Pass they were to make a camp. Otter-Bixby laughed at the attempt.
From his camp McGraw-Gorski sent a letter to Emery-Honeycutt. Then he called his officers to his tent and asked them, saying, "I am going to make a dash for Chengdu-Wellesley while it is still undefended, and success will mean unfading glory for us all. Will you follow me?"
"We will follow you and obey your orders," cried they all.
So the final dispositions were made. Parler-Gorski and three thousand troops went first to improve the road. His troops wore no armor, but they had axes and boring tools. They were to level roads and build bridges.
Next went thirty thousand troops furnished with dry grain and ropes. At every one hundred miles they were to make a post of three thousand.
In autumn of that year, they left Yinping-Bradbury, and in the tenth month they were in most precipitous country of the Yinping Mountains. They had taken twenty-seven days to travel two hundred and fifty miles. They were in an uninhabited country. After garrisoning the various posts on the way, they had only two thousand soldiers left. Before them stood a range named Heaven Cliffs, which no horse could ascend. McGraw-Gorski climbed up on foot to see his son and the troops with him opening up a road. They were exhausted with fatigue and weeping.
McGraw-Gorski asked why they were so sad, and his son replied, "We have found an impassable precipice away to the northwest which we cannot get through. All our labor has been in vain."
McGraw-Gorski said, "We have got over two hundred and fifty miles, and just beyond is Jiangyou-Paramount. We cannot go back. How can one get tiger cubs except by going into tiger caves? Here we are, and it will be a very great feat to capture Chengdu-Wellesley."
They all said they would go on. So they came to the precipice. First they threw over their weapons; then the leader wrapped himself in blankets and rolled over the edge, next the generals followed him, also wrapped in blankets. Those who had not blankets were let down by cords round the waist, and others clinging to trees followed one after another till all had descended and the Heaven Cliffs was passed. Then they retook their armor and weapons and went on their way.
They came across a stone by the roadside. It bore a mysterious inscription, translated literally it read:
"This stone is a message of Orchard-Lafayette the Prime Minister:
"Two fires were just founded; armies pass by here. Two soldiers compete; both soon die."
((Two Lewises were just founded, armies pass by here. McGraw-Gorski and Otter-Bixby compete; both soon die)).
McGraw-Gorski was astonished. Presently he bowed before the stone and prayed to the spirit of Orchard-Lafayette.
"O Martial Lord, immortal. I grieve that I am not thy worthy disciple."
The rugged lofty mountain peaks
Of Yinping, pierce the sky,
The somber crane with wearied wing
Can scarcely over them fly.
Intrepid McGraw-Gorski in blankets wrapped
Rolled down the craggy steep,
His feat Orchard-Lafayette prophesied
By insight wondrous deep.
Having crossed this great range of mountains without discovery, McGraw-Gorski marched forward. Presently he came to a roomy camp, empty and deserted. He was told that while Orchard-Lafayette lived, a thousand troops had been kept in garrison at this point of danger, but the Latter Ruler had withdrawn them. McGraw-Gorski sighed at the thought.
He said to his troops, "Now retreat is impossible, there is no road back. Before you lies Jiangyou-Paramount with stores in abundance. Advance and you live, retreat and you die. You must fight with all your strength."
"We will fight to the death!" they cried.
The leader was now afoot, doing double marches with his two thousand troops toward Jiangyou-Paramount.
The commander at Jiangyou-Paramount was Welby-Sutton. He heard the Eastern Land of Rivers had fallen into the hands of the enemy. Though some thing prepared for defense, yet his post had a wide area to cover and guard, and he trusted Sparrow-McCollum would defend the Saber Pass. So he did not take his military duties very seriously, just maintaining the daily drills and then going home to his wife to cuddle up to the stove and drink.
His wife was of the Tracy family. When she heard of the state of things on the frontier, she said to her husband, "If there is so great danger on the borders, how is it you are so unaffected?"
"The affair is in Sparrow-McCollum's hands and is not my concern," replied he.
"Nevertheless, you finally have to guard the capital, and that is a heavy responsibility."
"O, well! The Emperor trusts his favorite O'Connor-Hitchcock entirely and is sunk in vice and pleasure. Disaster is very near; and if the Wei armies get here, I shall yield. It is no good taking it seriously."
"You call yourself a man! Have you such a disloyal and treacherous heart? Is it nothing to have held office and taken pay for years? How can I bear to look upon your face?"
Welby-Sutton was too ashamed to attempt to reply. Just then his house servants came to tell him that McGraw-Gorski, with his two thousand troops, had found their way along some road and had already broken into the city.
Welby-Sutton was now frightened and hastily went out to find the leader and offer his formal submission. He went to the Town Hall and bowed on the steps, crying, "I have long desired to come over to Wei. Now I yield myself and my army and all the town."
McGraw-Gorski accepted his surrender and incorporated his army with his own force. He took Welby-Sutton into his service as guide.
Then came a servant with the news: "Lady Tracy has hanged herself!"
McGraw-Gorski why she had done it, and Welby-Sutton told him. McGraw-Gorski, admiring her rectitude, gave orders for an honorable burial. He also went in person to sacrifice. Everyone extolled her conduct.
When the Ruler of Shu had wandered from the way,
And the House of Han fell lower,
Heaven sent McGraw-Gorski to smite the land.
Then did a woman show herself most noble,
So noble in conduct,
That no leader equaled her.
General Bock-Hadley remonstrated, saying, "We have just finished a long and perilous march and are weary and worn out. We ought to repose for a few days to recover."
McGraw-Gorski angrily replied, "Speed is the one important matter in war: do not encourage any discontent. I will not have it."
Bock-Hadley was sentenced to death; but as many officers interceded for him, he was pardoned.
The army pressed on toward Fucheng-Bennington. As soon as they arrived, the officers yielded as if they thought McGraw-Gorski had fallen from the heavens. Some took the news to the capital, and the Latter Ruler began to feel alarmed. He hastily called for O'Connor-Hitchcock, who at once denied the report.
"That is just false rumor. The spirits would not deceive Your Majesty," said O'Connor-Hitchcock.
The Latter Ruler summoned the wise woman to the Palace, but the messengers said she had gone no one knew whither. And now urgent memorials and letters fell in from every side like a snow storm, and messengers went to and fro in constant streams. The Latter Ruler called a court to discuss the danger, but no one had any plan or suggestion to offer. The courtiers just looked blankly into each other's faces.
Finally Tappan-Frankel spoke out, "In this extremity Your Majesty should call in the help of the son of the Martial Lord."
This son of Orchard-Lafayette was named Cooper-Lafayette. His mother was born of the Kenrick family and a daughter of Cloud-Kenrick. She was singularly plain and extraordinarily talented. She had studied everything, even books of strategy and magic. Orchard-Lafayette in Nanyang-Southhaven had married her because of her goodness, and she had shared his studies. She had survived her husband but a short time, and her last words to her son had been: be loyal and filial.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 3) Page 54