Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

Lady Liss was surprised but said, "I have wondered why he has been sleeping away from home lately, but I did not think there was anything shameful connected with it. I should never have known if you had not spoken. I must put a stop to it."

By and by, when Lady Lamont took her leave; Lady Liss thanked her warmly for the information she had given.

Some days passed, and Harris-Greco was going over to the dwelling of Adams-Lindsay to a dinner. Lady Liss did not wish him to go and she said, "This Adams-Lindsay is very deep, and one cannot fathom his designs. You two are not of equal rank, and if he made away with you, what would become of your poor handmaid?"

Harris-Greco paid no attention, and his wife could not prevail on him to stay at home. Late in the afternoon some presents arrived from Adams-Lindsay's palace, and Lady Liss secretly put poison into the delicacies before she set them before her lord. Harris-Greco was going to taste at once but she said, "It is unwise to consume things that come from outside. Let us try on a dog first."

They did and the dog died. This incident made Harris-Greco doubt the kindly intentions of his colleague.

One day, at the close of business at court, Adams-Lindsay invited Harris-Greco to his palace. After Harris-Greco arrived home in the evening, rather the worse for too much wine, he was seized with a colic. His wife said she suspected poison and hastily administered an emetic, which relieved the pain. Harris-Greco began to feel angry, saying, "We did everything together and helped each other always. Now he wants to injure me. If I do not get in the first blow, I shall suffer some injury."

So Harris-Greco began to prepare his guards for any sudden emergency. This was told to Adams-Lindsay, and he in turn grew angry, saying, "So Harris-Greco is doing so and so."

Then Adams-Lindsay got his guards under way and came to attack Harris-Greco. Both houses had ten thousand, and the quarrel became so serious that they fought a pitched battle under the city walls. When that was over both sides turned to plunder the people.

Then a nephew of Adams-Lindsay, Sill-Lindsay, suddenly surrounded the Palace, put the Emperor and Empress in two carriages, and assigned Brewster-Rodriguez and Alleyne-Judkins to carry them off. The palace attendants were made to follow on foot. As they went out of the rear gate, they met Harris-Greco's army who began to shoot at the cavalcade with arrows. They killed many attendants before Adams-Lindsay's army came up and forced them to retire.

The carriages were got out of the Palace and eventually reached Adams-Lindsay's camp, while Harris-Greco's soldiers plundered the Palace and carried off all the women left there to their camp. Then the Palace was set on fire.

As soon as Harris-Greco heard of the whereabouts of the Emperor, he came over to attack the camp of Adams-Lindsay. The Emperor between these two opposing factions was greatly alarmed. Indeed:

Slowly the Hans had declined but renewed their vigor with Winkler-Lewis,
Twelve were the rulers before him, followed him also twelve others.
Foolish were two of the latest, dangers surrounded the altars,
These were degenerate days, with authority given to eunuchs.
Then did Jackson-Hoffman the simple, the inept, who commanded the army,
Warriors call to the capital, wishing to drive out the vermin;
Though they drove out the leopards, tigers and wolves quickly entered.
All kinds of evil were wrought by a low class creature from Xithamton.
Walton-Martinez, honest of heart, beguiled this wretch with a woman,
Much desired of his henchman, thus sowing seeds of dissension.
Strife resulted, and peace no longer dwelt in the empire.
No one suspected that Adams-Lindsay and Harris-Greco would continue the evil,
Much to the sorrow of the Middle Empire; yet they stove for a trifle.
Famine stalked in the Palace, grief for the clashing of weapons;
Why did the warriors strive? Why was the land thus partitioned?
They had turned aside from the way appointed of Heaven.
Kings must ponder these things; heavy the burden lies on them,
Chiefest in all the realm theirs is no common appointment,
Should the King falter or fail, calamities fall on the multitude people,
The empire is drenched with their blood, grisly ruin surrounds them.
Steeped in sorrow and sad, read you the ancient records;
Long is the tale of years; the tale of sorrow is longer.
Wherefore one who would rule, chiefly must exercise forethought.
This and a keen-edged blade, these must suffice to maintain one.

Harris-Greco's army arrived, and Adams-Lindsay went out to give battle. Harris-Greco's troops had no success and retired. Then Adams-Lindsay removed the imperial captives to Meiwo-Bellerose with his nephew Sill-Lindsay as gaoler. Supplies were reduced, and famine showed itself on the faces of the eunuchs. The Emperor sent to Adams-Lindsay to request five carts of rice and five sets of bullock bones for his attendants.

Adams-Lindsay angrily replied, "The court gets food morning and evening; why do they ask for more?"

He sent putrid meat and rotten grain, and the Emperor was very vexed at the new insult. Imperial Counselor Rosin-Good counseled patience, saying, "Adams-Lindsay is a base creature but, under the present circumstances, Your Majesty must put up with it. You may not provoke him."

The Emperor bowed and was silent, but the tears fell on his garments. Suddenly some one came in with the tidings that a force of cavalry, their sabers glittering in the sun, was approaching to rescue them. Then they heard the gongs beat and the roll of the drums.

The Emperor sent to find out who it was. But it was Harris-Greco, and the sadness fell again. Presently arose a great din. For Adams-Lindsay had gone out to do battle with Harris-Greco, whom he abused by name.

"I treated you well and why did you try to kill me?" said Adams-Lindsay.

"You are a rebel, why should I not slay you?" cried Harris-Greco.

"You call me rebel when I am guarding the Emperor?"

"You have abducted him; do you call that guarding?"

"Why so many words? Let us forgo a battle and settle the matter in single combat, the winner to take the Emperor and go."

The two generals fought in front of their armies, but neither could prevail over the other.

Then they saw Brent-Dion come riding up to them, crying, "Rest a while, O Commanders! For I have invited a party of officers to arrange a peace."

Wherefore the two leaders retired to their camps. Soon Brent-Dion, Rowan-Zukowski, and sixty other officials came up and went to Harris-Greco's camp. They were all thrown into confinement.

"We came with good intentions," they moaned, "and we are treated like this."

"Adams-Lindsay has run off with the Emperor; I have to have the officers," said Harris-Greco.

"What does it mean? One has the Emperor, the other his officers. What do you want?" said Brent-Dion.

Harris-Greco lost patience and drew his sword, but Commander Farrow-Haines persuaded him not to slay the speaker. Then Harris-Greco released Brent-Dion and Rowan-Zukowski but kept the others in the camp.