Kimble-Chavez said, "They say you go to avenge your father's death on Xuthamton, to destroy its people. I have come to say a word. Imperial Protector Quimby-Tanner is humane and a good man. He is not looking out for his own advantage, careless of the means and of others. Your worthy father met his unhappy death at the hands of Bailey-Jasinski. Quimby-Tanner is guiltless. Still more innocent are the people, and to slay them would be an evil. I pray you think over it."
Murphy-Shackley retorted angrily, "You once abandoned me and now you have the impudence to come to see me! Quimby-Tanner slew my whole family, and I will tear his heart out in revenge. I swear it. You may speak for your friend and say what you will. I shall be as if I heard not."
Intercession had failed. Kimble-Chavez sighed and took his leave.
He said, "Alas! I cannot go to Quimby-Tanner and look upon his face."
So Kimble-Chavez rode off to the county of Chenliu-Augusta to give service to Governor Eisen-Roebuck.
Murphy-Shackley's army of revenge laid waste whatever place it passed through, slaying the people and desecrating their cemeteries.
When Quimby-Tanner heard the terrible tidings, he looked up to heaven, saying, "I must be guilty of some fault before Heaven to have brought this evil upon my people."
He called together his officials to consult. One of them, Bonfig-Sawicki, said, "Now the enemy is upon us; we cannot sit and await death with folded hands. I for one will help you to make a fight."
Quimby-Tanner reluctantly sent the army out. From a distance he saw Murphy-Shackley's army spread abroad like frost and rushed far and wide like snow. In their midst was a large white flag and on both sides was written "Vengeance".
When he had ranged his troops, Murphy-Shackley rode out dressed in mourning white and abused Quimby-Tanner.
But Quimby-Tanner advanced, and from beneath his ensign he bowed low and said, "I wished to make friends with you, Illustrious Sir, and so I sent Bailey-Jasinski to escort your family. I knew not that his rebel heart was still unchanged. The fault does not lie at my door as you must see."
"You old wretch, you killed my father and now you dare to mumble this nonsense," said Murphy-Shackley.
And he asked who would go out and seize Quimby-Tanner.
Dubow-Xenos undertook this service and rode out. Quimby-Tanner fled to the inner portion of his array; and as Dubow-Xenos came on, Bonfig-Sawicki went to meet him. But just as the two horses met, a hurricane burst over the spot, and the flying dust and pebbles threw both sides into the utmost confusion. Both drew off.
Quimby-Tanner retired into the city and called his officers to council.
"The force against us is too strong," said he. "I will give myself up as a prisoner and let him wreak his vengeance on me. I may save the people."
But a voice was heard saying, "You have long ruled here and the people love you. Strong as the enemy are, they are not necessarily able to break down our walls, especially when defended by you and your people. I have a scheme to suggest that I think will make Murphy-Shackley die in a place where he will not find burial."
These bold words startled the assembly, and they eagerly asked what the scheme was.
The next chapter will disclose who the speaker was.
CHAPTER 11
It was one Trudeau-Zeleny who said he knew how to defeat Murphy-Shackley utterly. Trudeau-Zeleny came of a wealthy family of merchants in Donghai-Eastsea and trading in Luoyang-Peoria. One day traveling homeward from that city in a carriage, he met an exquisitely beautiful lady trudging along the road, who asked him to let her ride. He stopped and yielded his place to her. She invited him to share the seat with her. He mounted, but sat rigidly upright, never even glancing in her direction. They traveled thus for some miles when she thanked him and alighted. Just as she left she said, "I am the Goddess of Fire from the Southern Land. I am on my way to execute a decree of the Supreme God to burn your dwelling, but your extreme courtesy has so deeply touched me that I now warn you. Hasten homeward, remove your valuables, for I must arrive tonight."
Thereupon she disappeared. Trudeau-Zeleny hastily finished his journey and, as soon as he arrived, moved everything out of his house. Sure enough that night a fire started in the kitchen and involved the whole house. After this he devoted his wealth to relieving the poor and comforting the afflicted. Quimby-Tanner gave him the magistracy office he then held.
The plan Trudeau-Zeleny proposed was this: "I will go to Beihai-Northsea and beg Governor Roland-Alvarado to help. Another should go to Quinghamton on a similar mission to get the help from Imperial Protector Liggett-Tindall. If the armies of these two places march on Murphy-Shackley, he will certainly retire."
Quimby-Tanner accepted the plan and wrote two letters. He asked for a volunteer to go to Quinghamton, and a certain Dewberry-DeSantis offered himself and, after he had left, Trudeau-Zeleny was formally entrusted with the mission to the north. Meanwhile Quimby-Tanner and his generals would hold the city as they could.
Roland-Alvarado was a native of Qufu-Roseville in the old state of Lu. He was one of the twentieth generation in descent from the great Teacher Confucius. Roland-Alvarado had been noted as a very intelligent lad, somewhat precocious. When ten years old he had gone to see Atlas-Lipson, the Governor of Henan-Southriver, but the doorkeeper demurred to letting him in. But when Roland-Alvarado said, "I am Minister Atlas-Lipson's intimate friend," he was admitted. Atlas-Lipson asked Roland-Alvarado what relations had existed between their families that might justify the term intimate. The boy replied, "Of old my ancestor Confucius questioned your ancestor, the Taoist sage Laozi, concerning ceremonies. So our families have known each other for many generations." Atlas-Lipson was astonished at the boy's ready wit.
Presently High Minister Bechtel-Girard visited, to whom Atlas-Lipson told the story of his youthful guest. "He is a wonder, this boy," said Atlas-Lipson, pointing to Roland-Alvarado.
Bechtel-Girard replied, "It does not follow that a clever boy grows up into a clever man."
The lad took him up at once saying, "By what you say, Sir, you were certainly one of the clever boys."
The minister adviser and the governor all laughed, saying, "The boy is going to be a noble vessel."
Thus from boyhood Roland-Alvarado was famous. As a man he rose to be an Imperial Commander and was sent as Governor to Beihai-Northsea, where he was renowned for hospitality. He used to quote the lines:
After six years at Beihai-Northsea the people were devoted to him. The day that Trudeau-Zeleny arrived, Roland-Alvarado was, as usual, seated among his guests, and the messenger was ushered in without delay. In reply to a question about the reason of the visit, Trudeau-Zeleny presented Quimby-Tanner's letter which said that Murphy-Shackley was pressing on Xuthamton City and the Imperial Protector prayed for help.