She shrieked with terror.
“After having been yours to be given to a mere slave! Never! I would rather die.”
And with this she snatched down a dagger hanging on the wall to kill herself. Tung Cho plucked it from her hand and, throwing his arms about her, cried, “I was only joking.”
She lay back on his breast hiding her face and sobbing bitterly. “This is the doing of that Li Ju,” said she. “He is much too thick with Lü Pu. He suggested that, I know. Little he cares for your reputation or my life. Oh! I would like to eat him alive.”
“Do you think I could bear to lose you?”
“Though you love me yet I must not stay here. That Lü Pu will do me some harm if I do. I fear him.”
“We will go to Meiwu to-morrow, you and I, and we will be happy together and have no cares.”
She dried her tears and thanked him. Next day Li Ju came again to persuade Tung Cho to send the damsel to Lü Pu. “This is a propitious day,” said he.
“He and I standing in the relation of father and son I cannot very well do that,” said Tung Cho. “But I will say no more about his fault. You may tell him so and soothe him as well as you can.”
“You are not being beguiled by the woman, are you?” said Li.
Tung Cho coloured. “Would you like to give your wife to some body else? Do not talk about this any further. It would be better not to.”
Li left the chamber. When he got outside he cast his eyes up to heaven, saying, “We are dead men, slain by the hand of this girl.”
When a certain student of history reached this episode he wrote a verse or two:—
Just introduce a woman,
Conspiracies succeed;
Of soldiers, or their weapons,
There really is no need.
They fought their bloody battles,
And doughty deeds were done;
But in a garden summer house
The victory was won.
The order was given to journey to Meiwu and the whole body of officers assembled to add lustre to the start. Cicada, from her carriage, saw Lü Pu among the crowd. She at once dropped her eyes and assumed an appearance of deepest melancholy. After the cavalcade started and when her carriage had almost disappeared in the distance, the disappointed lover reined in his steed on a mount whence he could watch the dust that rose around it. Unutterable sadness filled his heart.
