Читаем Three Kingdoms Romance полностью

“If you two go, how can I hang back?” said Zhang Fei.

“If you go, then you must be polite.”

Zhang Fei said he would not forget himself, and the three set out. When they were a quarter of mile from the little cottage, Liu Bei dismounted, deciding to show his respect by approaching the house on foot. Very soon he met Zhuge Jun, whom he saluted with great deference, inquiring whether his brother was at home.

“He returned last evening; you can see him today, General.”

As Zhuge Jun said this, he went off with some swagger.

“Fortune favors me this time,” said Liu Bei, “I am going to see the Master.”

“That was a rude fellow;” said Zhang Fei, “it would not have hurt him to have conducted us to the house. Why did he go off like that?”

“Each one has his own affairs,” said Liu Bei. “What power have we over him?”

Soon the three stood at the door and they knocked. The serving lad came out and asked their business, and Liu Bei said very deferentially, “I would trouble the servant of the genius, gentle page, to inform the Master that Liu Bei wishes to pay his respects to him.”

“My master is at home, but he is asleep.”

“In that case do not announce me.”

Liu Bei bade his two brothers wait at the door quietly, and he himself entered with careful steps. There was the man he sought, lying asleep on the couch, stretched on a simple mat. Liu Bei saluted him with joined hands at a respectful distance.

The time passed and still the sleeper did not wake. The two brothers left without, beginning to feel impatient, also came in, and Zhang Fei was annoyed at seeing his revered elder brother respectfully standing by while another slept.

“What an arrogant fellow is this Master?” said he. “There is our brother waiting, while he sleeps on perfectly carelessly. I will go to the back of the place and let off a bomb and see if that will rouse him.”

“No, no; you must do nothing of the kind,” whispered Guan Yu, and then Liu Bei told them to go out again.

Just then Liu Bei noticed that the Master moved. He turned over as though about to rise, but, instead, he faced the wall and again fell asleep. The serving lad made as if he would rouse his master, but Liu Bei forbade him to be disturbed, and Liu Bei waited yet another weary hour. Then Zhuge Liang woke up repeating to himself the lines:

“Can any know what fate is his?

Yet have I felt throughout my life,

The day would come at last to quit

The calm retreat for toil and strife.”

As he finished he turned to the lad, saying, “Have any of the usual people come?”

“Liu Bei, the Uncle of the Emperor is here,” said the boy. “He has been waiting a long time.”

“Why did you not tell me?” said he, rising from the couch. “I must dress.”

Zhuge Liang rose and turned into a room behind to dress. In a short time he reappeared, his clothing properly arranged, to receive his visitor.

Then Liu Bei saw coming toward him a young man rather below medium height with a refined face. He wore a head-wrap and a long crane-white gown. He moved with much dignity as though he was rather more than mortal.

Liu Bei bowed, saying, “I am one of the offshoots of the Han family, a simple person from Zhuo. I have long known the Master's fame, which has indeed thundered in my ear. Twice I have come to visit you, without success. Once I left my name on your writing table; you may have my note.”

Zhuge Liang replied, “This hermit is but a dilatory person by temperament. I know I have to thank you for more than one vain visit and I am ashamed to think of them.”

These courteous remarks and the proper bows exchanged, the two men sat in their relative positions as host and guest, and the serving lad brought tea.

Then Zhuge Liang said, “From your letter I know that you grieve for both people and government. If I were not so young and if I possessed any talent, I would venture to question you.”

Liu Bei replied, “Sima Hui and Xu Shu have both spoken of you; can it be that their words were vain? I trust, O Master, that you will not despise my worthlessness but will condescend to instruct me.”

“The two men you speak of are very profound scholars. I am but a peasant, a mere farmer, and who am I that I should talk of empire politics? Those two misled you when they spoke of me. Why do you reject the beautiful jewel for a worthless pebble?”

“But your abilities are world embracing and marvelous. How can you be content to allow time to pass while you idle away life in these secluded haunts? I conjure you, O Master, to remember the inhabitants of the world and remove my crass ignorance by bestowing instruction upon me.”

“But what is your ambition, General?”