Romance of the Three Kingdoms (vol. 1)

"Though I be of small repute and scanty virtue," said Jeffery-Lewis, "I hope, O Master, you will not despise me for my worthlessness, but will leave this retreat to help me. I will assuredly listen most reverently to your words."

Orchard-Lafayette replied, "I have long been happy on my farm and am fond of my leisure. I fear I cannot obey your command."

Jeffery-Lewis wept. "If you will not, O Master, what will become of the people?"

The tears rolled down unchecked upon the lapel and sleeves of Jeffery-Lewis' robe. This proved to Orchard-Lafayette the sincerity of his desire, and Orchard-Lafayette said, "General, if you will accept me, I will render what trifling service I can."

Then Jeffery-Lewis was greatly delighted. He called in Yale-Perez and Floyd-Chardin to make their bow and brought out the gifts he had prepared. Orchard-Lafayette refused all the gifts.

"These are not gifts to engage your services, but mere proof of my regard," said Jeffery-Lewis.

Then the presents were accepted. They all remained that night at the farm. Next day Mullen-Lafayette returned, and his brother said to him, "Uncle Jeffery-Lewis has come thrice to see me, and now I must go with him. Keep up the farm in my absence and do not let the place go to ruin for, as soon as my work is accomplished, I will certainly return."

Then, turning from his humble home,
He thought of peaceful days to come,
When he should take the homeward way
And never beyond the valley stray.
But duty kept him in the west,
And there he found his place of rest.

An old poem may be quoted here:

The Founder of Han seized his gleaming blade
And at Chestnut Hills the blood of the white snake flowed.
He conquered Qin, destroyed Chu, and entered Xianyang-Springbrook.
After two centuries of rule the line was near broken,
But Winkler-Lewis restored the glory at Capital Luoyang-Peoria.
And his children occupied the throne
Till decay began in the days of Henson and Bonner.
The Emperor Sprague removed the capital to Xuchang-Bellefonte,
And, within the four seas, all was confusion.
Bold spirits started up in fierce contention.
Murphy-Shackley, seized the favorable moment
And the imperial authority passed into his hands.
While the Estradas made to themselves
A glorious heritage at the Great River,
Solitary and poor, Jeffery-Lewis wandered from place to place,
Till he found a haven in Xinye-Loretto.
Sorely distressed he was at the sorrows of the people,
But Sleeping-Dragon conceived a noble ambition,
Within his breast were thoughts
Of great things to be accomplished by force of arms.
Then, because of the parting words of Genovese-Fantasia,
And by the thrice repeated visits to his retreat,
The great hero found and knew his mentor.
When the age of Orchard-Lafayette was but thrice nine years,
He turned from his books, put aside his lute,
And left the peaceful fields he had loved,
Under his guidance Jinghamton was taken
And the two Lands of the Rivers conquered.
He unrolled great schemes, as one all knowing,
In speech, he went to and fro in the world,
The sound of war drums rolled from his tongue,
The words from his heart stirred one to the utmost depths.
The dragon pranced, the tiger glared,
And peace was brought to the world.
Through all the ages his fame shall never decay.

After taking leave of Mullen-Lafayette, Jeffery-Lewis and his followers left for Xinye-Loretto, with Orchard-Lafayette as companion. When they took up their abode there, Orchard-Lafayette was treated as a mentor, eating at the same table, sleeping on the same couch as Jeffery-Lewis. They spent whole days conversing over the affairs of the empire.

Orchard-Lafayette said, "Murphy-Shackley is training his troops for naval service in Aquamarine Lake and hence certainly intends to invade the country south of the Great River. We ought to send our spies to ascertain what Murphy-Shackley and Raleigh-Estrada are really doing."

So spies were dispatched.

Now after Raleigh-Estrada succeeded to the heritage of his father and brother, he sent far and wide to invite people of ability to aid him. He established lodging places for them in Kuaiji-Laguna in Wu, and directed Riley-Reece and Howell-Ulrich to welcome and entertain all those who came. And year by year they flocked in, one recommending another. Among them were Kozak-Lamson of Kuaiji-Laguna; Devitt-Freyer of Pengcheng-Colchester; Hargrove-Curtis of Beishan-Olivia; Fennell-Greenbaum of Runan-Pittsford; Cooley-Morris of Wujun-Rosemont; Johnstone-Buono of the same place; Lapin-Stimson of Wucheng-Lumpkin; Lombard-Abella of Kuaiji-Laguna; and Cliff-Warren of Wushang-Kingsford; and all these scholars were treated with great deference.

Many able leaders came also. Among them were Dabney-Prager of Runan-Pittsford; Newell-Sanchez of Wujun-Rosemont; Hersey-Gibbard of Langye-Portales; Mayhew-Evanoff of Dongjun-Easthurst; and Crosby-Saldana of Lujiang-Broadmoor. Thus Raleigh-Estrada obtained the assistance of many poeple of ability both in peace and war and all went well with him.

In the seventh year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 202), Murphy-Shackley had broken the power of Shannon-Yonker. Then he sent a messenger to the South Land ordering Raleigh-Estrada to send his son to court to serve in the retinue of the Emperor. Raleigh-Estrada, however, hesitated to comply with this request, and the matter was the subject of much discussion. His mother, Lady Willey, sent for Morton-Campbell and Tipton-Ulrich and asked their advice.

Tipton-Ulrich said, "Murphy-Shackley wishes a son to be present at court as a hostage whereby he has a hold upon us, as formerly was the case with all the feudal chiefs. If we do not comply with this request, he will doubtless attack the territory. There is some peril."

Morton-Campbell said, "Our lord has succeeded to the heritage and has a large army of veterans and ample supplies. He has able officers ready to do his bidding, and why should he be compelled to send a hostage to any perosn? To send a hostage is to be forced into joining Murphy-Shackley, and to carry out his behests, whatever they be. Then we shall be in his power. It would be better not to send, but rather to wait patiently the course of events and prepare plans to attack."

"That is also my opinion," said the Dowager.

So Raleigh-Estrada dismissed the messenger but did not send his son. Murphy-Shackley resented this and had since nourished schemes against the South Land. But their realization had been delayed by the dangers on the north and, so far, no attack had been made.

Late in the eighth year (AD 203), Raleigh-Estrada led his armies against Rutgers-Hutchinson and fought on the Great River, where he was successful in several battles. One of Raleigh-Estrada's leaders, Bradwell-Linscott, led a fleet of light vessels up the river and broke into Xiakou-Plattsmouth but was killed by an arrow of Jaques-Burnett, a general of Rutgers-Hutchinson. Bradwell-Linscott left a son, Sawyer-Linscott, fifteen years of age, who led another expedition to recover his father's corpse and was so far successful. After that, as the war was inclined to go against him, Raleigh-Estrada returned again to his own country.