三國演義英文版

第290部分 (第1/7頁)

Now　the　Jin　leader　Wang　Jun　had　gone　down　the　river　with　his　naval　force。　From　his　scouts　he　heard　of　the　iron　chains　and　the　hammers　that　had　been　laid　in　the　river　to　hinder　his　progress。　But　he　only　laughed。　He　constructed　great　rafts　of　timber　and　placed　on　them　straw　effigies　of　soldiers　in　armors　and　sent　them　down　river　with　the　current。　The　defenders　of　Wu　took　them　for　real　troops　and；　alarmed　by　their　numbers；　fled　in　panic。　Then　the　great　hammers　and　chains　were　dragged　away　as　the　rafts　drifted　on。　Moreover；　on　the　rafts　they　laid　great　torches　many　fathoms　long；　and　very　thick；　made　of　straw　soaked　in　linseed　oil。　When　the　raft　was　checked　by　a　chain；　the　torches　were　lighted　and　the　chains　exposed　to　the　heat　till　they　melted　and　broke　asunder。　Thus　the　rafts　went　down　stream　conquering　wherever　they　came。

Then　the　Prime　Minister　of　Wu；　Zhang　Ti；　sent　two　leaders；　General　of　the　Left　Army　Shen　Zong　and　General　of　the　Right　Army　Zhuge　Xing；　to　try　to　check　the　advance　of　the　armies。

Shen　Zong　said　to　his　colleague；　〃The　forces　above　have　failed　to　stop　the　enemy；　and　the　enemy　will　surely　e　here。　We　shall　have　to　put　forth　all　our　strength。　If　haply　we　can　succeed；　the　safety　of　our　South　Land　is　assured。　But　suppose　we　fight　and　lose　the　battle；　then　is　our　country　lost。〃

〃Sir；　you　only　say　what　is　too　true；〃　said　Zhuge　Xing。

Just　as　they　talked　of　these　matters　came　reports　of　the　approach　of　their　enemies　in　irresistible　force。　The　two　leaders　were　seized　with　panic　and　went　back　to　see　the　Prime　Minister。

〃Our　country　is　lost！〃　cried　Zhuge　Xing。　〃Why　not　run？〃

〃We　all　know　that　the　land　is　doomed；〃　replied　Zhang　Ti。　〃But　if　we　make　no　defense；　and　no　one　dies　for　his　country；　shall　we　not　be　shamed？〃