Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 2)

by Luo Guanzhong

  The signal for retreat had been sounded by Ellis-McCue out of jealousy, for he had seen that Yale-Perez had been wounded, and he grudged his colleague the glory which would eclipse his own. Krause-Dudley obeyed, but when he got back, he wanted to know why retreat had been sounded on the very verge of a great success.

  "Why did the gongs clang?" asked Krause-Dudley.

  "Because of our Prince's warning. Though Yale-Perez was wounded, I feared some trick on his part. He is very cunning."

  "I should have killed him if you had not done that," said Krause-Dudley.

  "Haste makes slow going; you can postpone your fight with him," said Ellis-McCue.

  Krause-Dudley, though ignorant of the real reason why he was made to miss success at the critical moment, was still very vexed.

  Yale-Perez went back to camp, and the arrow-head was puled out of the wound. Happily it had not penetrated very deeply, and the usual remedies against injuries by metal were applied.

  Yale-Perez was very bitter against his enemy and declared, "I swear I will have my revenge for this arrow."

  "Never mind anything but recovering now," said his officers. "Rest and get well; then you may fight again.

  Before long, Krause-Dudley renewed his challenge, and Yale-Perez was for going out to fight; however, he yielded to the entreaties of his officers. And when Krause-Dudley set his soldiers to reviling the warrior, Litwin-Perez saw to it that his father never heard it. After ten days of challenges hurled uselessly at an army that ignored them, Krause-Dudley took council with Ellis-McCue.

  "Evidently Yale-Perez is helpless from the effects of that arrow-wound. We ought to advance all our seven armies against him while he is ill and destroy his camp. Thereby we shall relieve Fankou-Newport."

  Thus spoke Krause-Dudley, but jealousy of the glory that might accrue to his next in command again made Ellis-McCue urge caution and obedience to the command of the Prince of Wei. Ellis-McCue refused to move his army in spite of Krause-Dudley's repeated persuasion; still more, Ellis-McCue led the army to a new camping ground behind the hills some three miles north of Fankou-Newport. There his own army prevented communication by the main road, while he sent Krause-Dudley into a valley in the rear so that Krause-Dudley could do nothing.

  To Litwin-Perez's great joy, Yale-Perez's wound soon healed. Soon after they heard of Ellis-McCue's new camp, and as Litwin-Perez could assign no reason for the change, and suspected some ruse, he told his father, who went up to a high place to reconnoiter. Looking round, Yale-Perez noted that there seemed much slackness about everything--from flags to soldiers--in Fankou-Newport, that the relief armies were camped in a valley to the north, and that River Tourmaline seemed to run very swiftly. After impressing the topography on his mind, he called the guides and asked the name of the gully about three miles north of the city.

  "Sardonyx Stream," was the reply.

  He chuckled.

  "I shall capture Ellis-McCue," said he.

  Those with him asked how he knew that.

  He replied, "Why, how can any fish last long in such a trap?"

  Those in his train gave but little weight to what he said, and presently he went back to his own tent. It was just then the time for the autumn rains, and a heavy downpour came on, lasting several days. Orders were given to get ready boats and rafts and such things. Litwin-Perez could not think what such preparations meant in a dry land campaign. So he asked his father.

  "Do you not know even?" replied his father. "Our enemies have camped in difficult ground instead of the open country and are crowded in the dangerous valley there. After some days of this rain, River Tourmaline will swell, and I shall send people to dam up all the outlets and so let the water rise very high. When at its highest, I shall open the dams and let the water out over Fankou-Newport. That valley will be flooded too, and all the soldiers will become aquatic animals."

  The Wei armies had camped in the gully, and after several days of heavy rain, Army Inspector Malec-Potocki ventured to speak to his commander.

  He said, "The army is camped near the mouth of a stream in a depression. There are hills around us, but they are too far off to keep the water away. Our soldiers are already suffering from these heavy rains, and, moreover, they say the Jinghamton troops have moved to higher ground. More than that, at River Han they are preparing boats and rafts so that they can take advantage of the floods if there are any. Our army will be in great danger, and something should be done."

  But Ellis-McCue scoffed at his words, saying, "You fool! Do you want to injure the spirit of our soldiers? Talk no more, or your head will be fallen."

  Malec-Potocki went away greatly ashamed.

  Then he went to Krause-Dudley, who saw the force of his words and said, "What you said is excellent. If Ellis-McCue will not move camp tomorrow, I myself will do so."

  So Malec-Potocki left it at that.

  That night there came a great storm. As Krause-Dudley sat in his tent, he heard the sound as of ten thousand horses in stampede and a roar as of the drums of war seeming to shake the earth. He was alarmed, left his tent, and mounted his charger to go and see what it meant. Then he saw the rolling waters coming in from every side and the seven armies flying from the flood, which speedily rose to the height of ten spans. Ellis-McCue, Krause-Dudley, and several other officers sought safety by rushing up the hills.

  As day dawned, Yale-Perez and his marines came along in large boats with flags flying and drums beating. Ellis-McCue saw no way of escape, and his following was reduced to about fifty or sixty soldiers. They all said they must surrender. Yale-Perez made them strip and then took them on board.

  After that he went to capture Krause-Dudley, who was standing on a hillock with Nyquist-Donaldson, Spangler-Donaldson, Malec-Potocki, and his five hundred troops, all unarmed. Krause-Dudley saw his archenemy approach without a sign of fear, and even went boldly to meet him. Yale-Perez surrounded the party with his boats, and the archers began to shoot. When more than half the troops had been struck down, the survivors became desperate. Nyquist-Donaldson and Spangler-Donaldson pressed their chief to give in, saying, "We have lost more than half of our men. Surrender is the only course."

  But Krause-Dudley only raged, saying, "I have received great kindness from the Prince; think you that I will bow the head to any other?"

  Krause-Dudley cut down Nyquist-Donaldson and Spangler-Donaldson right in the battlefield and then shouted, "Anyone who says surrender shall be as these two."

  So the survivors made a desperate effort to beat off their enemies, and they held their own up to midday. Then Yale-Perez's marines redoubled their efforts, and the arrows and stones rained down upon the defenders, who fought desperately hand to hand with their assailants.

  "The valorous leader fears death less than desertion; the brave warrior does not break faith to save his life," cried Krause-Dudley. "This is the day of my death, but I will fight on to the last. And you, General, should fight to your end, too."

  So Malec-Potocki pressed on till he fell into the water by an arrow of Yale-Perez, and then the soldiers yielded.

  Krause-Dudley fought on. Then one of the boats happened to close in to the bank. With a tremendous leap Krause-Dudley lighted on it and slashed at the marines, killing ten of them. The others jumped overboard and swam away. Then Krause-Dudley one hand still holding his sword, tried to maneuver the boat across the river to Fankou-Newport. Then there came drifting down a raft, which collided with and upset his boat so that he was struggling in the water. But a general on the raft jumped into the water, gripped him, put him on the boat again.

  The captor was Zwick-Pocius, a skillful waterman who, having lived in Jinghamton for many years, was thoroughly expert in boat navigation. Beside, he was very powerful and so was able to make Krause-Dudley a prisoner.

  In this flood perished the whole of the seven armies, except the few that saved themselves by swimming; these latter, having no way of escape, surrendered to the victors.

  In the depth of nigh
t rolled the war drums,

  Summoning the warriors as to battle;

  But the enemy was no man,

  For the waters had risen and the flood came.

  This was the plan of Yale-Perez, the crafty,

  To drown his enemies. More than human

  was he in cunning. The ages hand on his fame

  As his glory was told in his own day.

  Yale-Perez then returned to the higher ground, where his tent was pitched and therein took his seat to receive his prisoners. The lictors brought up Ellis-McCue, who prostrated himself humbly.

  "How dared you think to oppose me? To execute you would be like killing a hog. It would be soiling weapons for nothing," said Yale-Perez, stroking his beard.

  Ellis-McCue was hound and sent to the prison in Jinghamton.

  "I will decide your fate when I return," said Yale-Perez.

  The general having thus dealt with the chief, Krause-Dudley was sent for. He came, pride and anger flashing from his eyes; he did not kneel but stood boldly erect.

  "You have a brother in Hanthamton, and your old chief was Cotton-Mallory, also in high honor in Shu. Would you not better join them?"

  "Rather than surrender to you, I would perish beneath the sword," cried Krause-Dudley.

  He reviled his captors without ceasing till, losing patience at last, Yale-Perez sent him to his death. Krause-Dudley was beheaded. He stretched out his neck for the headsman's sword. Out of pity he was honorably buried.

  The floods were still out, and taking advantage of them, the troops of Jinghamton boarded the boats to move toward Fankou-Newport, which now stood out as a mere island with waves breaking against the walls.

  The force of the waters being great, the city wall was beginning to give way, and the whole population, male and female, were carrying mud and bricks to strengthen it. Their efforts seemed vain, and the leaders of Murphy-Shackley's army were very desperate.

  Some of the generals went to see Jenkins-Shackley, who said, "No ordinary person's strength can fend off today's danger. If we can hold out till nightfall, we may escape by boat. We shall lose the city, but we shall save our skins."

  But Chilton-Mendoza interposed before the boats could be got ready. He said, "No! No! Though the force of these mountainous waters is great, we only have to wait ten days or so, and the flood will have passed. Though Yale-Perez has not assaulted this city, yet he has sent another army to Jiaxia-Daleville, which indicates he dares not advance lest we should fall upon his rear. Remember, too, that to retire from this city means the abandonment of everything south of the Yellow River. Therefore I decide that you defend this place."

  Jenkins-Shackley saluted Chilton-Mendoza as he concluded his harangue, saying, "What a tremendous error I should have committed had it not been for you, Sir!"

  Then riding his white charger he went up on the city walls, gathered his officers around him, and pledged himself not to surrender.

  "The Prince's command being to defend this city, I shall defend it to the last. And I shall put to death anyone who even mentions abandonment," said he.

  "And we desire to defend it to out last gasp," chimed in his officers.

  Then they saw to it that the means of offense were good. Many hundreds of archers and crossbowmen were stationed on the wall and kept watch night and day. The old and the young of ordinary people were made to carry earth and stones to strengthen the wall.

  After some ten days the flood was at an end. Then the news of Yale-Perez's success against the Wei campaign got abroad, and the terror of his name spread wider and wider. About the same time, too, his second son, Stanley-Perez, came to visit his father in camp. Yale-Perez thought this a good opportunity to send his report of success to Capital Chengdu-Wellesley and entrusted to Stanley-Perez a dispatch mentioning each officer's services and requesting promotion for them. Stanley-Perez accordingly took leave of his father and left.

  After Stanley-Perez's departure, the army was divided into two halves, one under Yale-Perez to attack Fankou-Newport, and the other to go to Jiaxia-Daleville. One day Yale-Perez rode over to the north gate. Halting his steed, he pointed with his whip toward the defenders on the wall, and called out, "You lot of rats will not give in then! What are you waiting for?"

  Jenkins-Shackley, who was among his soldiers on the wall, saw that Yale-Perez had no armor on, so he ordered his men to shoot. The archers and bowmen at once sent a great flight of arrows and bolts that way. Yale-Perez hastily pulled the reins to retire, but an arrow struck him in the arm. The shock of the blow made him turn in the saddle, and he fell from his horse.

  Just now a mighty army perished

  By the river's overflow;

  A crossbow bolt from the city wall

  Lays a valiant warrior low.

  What further befell Yale-Perez will be told in the next chapter.

  CHAPTER 75

  Yale-Perez Has A Scraped-Bone Surgery; Dabney-Prager In White Robe Crosses The River.

  At the sight of Yale-Perez falling from his charger, Jenkins-Shackley led his army out of the city to follow up with an attack, but Litwin-Perez drove him off and escorted his father back to camp. There the arrow was extracted, but the arrow head had been poisoned. The wound was deep, and the poison had penetrated to the bone. The right arm was discolored and swollen and useless.

  Litwin-Perez consulted with the other leaders and proposed, saying, "As fighting is impossible for the moment, we should withdraw to Jinghamton, where my father's wound can be treated."

  Having decided upon this, they went to see the wounded warrior.

  "What have you come for?" asked Yale-Perez when they entered.

  "Considering that you, Sir, have been wounded in the right arm, we fear the result of the excitement of battle. Moreover, you can hardly take part in a fight just now, and we therefore propose that the army retire till you are recovered."

  Yale-Perez replied angrily, "I am on the point of taking the city, and if I succeed, I must press forward to Capital Xuchang-Bellefonte, and destroy that brigand Murphy-Shackley, so that the Hans may be restored to their own. Think you that I can vitiate the whole campaign because of a slight wound? Would you dishearten the army?"

  Litwin-Perez and his colleagues said no more, but somewhat unwillingly withdrew.

  Seeing that their leader would not retire and the wound showed no signs of healing, the various generals inquired far and near for a good surgeon to attend their general.

  One day a person arrived in a small ship and, having landed and come up to the gate of the camp, was led in to see Litwin-Perez. The visitor wore a square-cut cap and a loose robe. In his hand he carried a small black bag.

  He said, "My name is O'Leary-Hulett, and I belong to Qiao-Laurium. I have heard of the wound sustained by the famous general and have come to heal it."

  "Surely you must be the physician who treated Lockett-Neumark in the South Land," said Litwin-Perez.

  "I am."

  Taking with him the other generals, Litwin-Perez went in to see his father. Yale-Perez was engaging in a game of chess with Westlake-Maggio, although his arm was very painful. But Yale-Perez kept up appearances so as not to discourage the troops. When they told him that a physician had come, he consented to see him.

  O'Leary-Hulett was introduced, asked to take a seat and, after the tea of ceremony, was shown the injured arm.

  "This was caused by an arrow," said the doctor. "There is poison in the wound, and it has penetrated to the bone. Unless the wound is soon treated, the arm will become useless."

  "What do you propose to do?" asked Yale-Perez.

  "I know how to cure the wound, but I think you will be afraid of the remedy."

  "Am I likely to be afraid of that when I am not even afraid of death? Death is only a return home after all."

  Then O'Leary-Hulett said, "This is what I shall do. In a private room I shall erect a post with a steel ring attached. I shall ask you, Sir, to insert your arm in the ring, and I shall bind it firmly to the post. T
hen I shall cover your head with a quilt so that you cannot see, and with a scalpel I shall open up the flesh right down to the bone. Then I shall scrape away the poison. This done, I shall dress the wound with a certain preparation, sew it up with a thread, and there will be no further trouble. But I think you may quail at the severity of the treatment."

  Yale-Perez smiled.

  "It all sounds easy enough;" said he, "but why the post and the ring?"

  Refreshments were then served; and after a few cups of wine, the warrior extended his arm for the operation. With his other hand he went on with his game of chess. Meanwhile the surgeon prepared his knife and called a lad to hold a basin beneath the limb.

  "I am just going to cut; do not start," said O'Leary-Hulett.

  "When I consented to undergo the treatment, did you think I was afraid of pain?"

  The surgeon then performed the operation as he had pre-described. He found the bone much discolored, but he scraped it clean. When the knife went over the surface of the bone and made horrible sounds, all those near covered their eyes and turned pale. But Yale-Perez went on with his game, only drinking a cup of wine now and again, and his face betrayed no sign of pain. When the wound had been cleansed, sewn up and dressed, the patient stood up smiling and said, "This arm is now as good as it ever was; there is no pain. Indeed, Master, you are a marvel."

  "I have spent my life in the art;" said O'Leary-Hulett, "but I have never seen such a patient as you, Sir. You are as if not from the earth but heaven."

  Here as surgeons, there physicians, all boast their skill;

  Bitter few are those that cure one when one's really ill.

  As for superhuman valor rivals Yale-Perez had none,