A hasty messenger was sent to Luoyang-Peoria, and First Secretary Strauch-Barrow told the Prime Minister, Wexler-Honeycutt.
Strauch-Barrow said, "Metcalf-Lafayette is laying siege to Xincheng-Bolivar; the city should not try to repulse the attack, but simply hold out as long as possible. When the besiegers have exhausted their provisions, they will be compelled to retire. As they retreat, we can smite them. However, it is necessary to provide against any invasion from Shu."
Accordingly Emery-Honeycutt was sent to reinforce Norwood-Vicari so as to keep off Sparrow-McCollum, while Rossetti-Jennings and Barnett-Stallings kept the army of Wu at bay.
For months the army of Metcalf-Lafayette battered at Xincheng-Bolivar without success. He urged his generals to strenuous efforts, threatening to put to death anyone who was dilatory. At last his attacks looked like succeeding, for the northeast corner of the wall seemed shaken.
Then Upjoin-Mercado, the commander of Xincheng-Bolivar, thought of a device. He sent a persuasive messenger with all the register documents to Metcalf-Lafayette.
And the messenger said, "It is a rule in Wei that if a city holds out against attack for a hundred days and reinforcement has not arrived, then its commander may surrender without penalty to his family. Now Xincheng-Bolivar has held out for over ninety days, and my master hopes you will allow him to withstand the few days necessary to complete the hundred, when he will yield. Here are all register documents that he desires to tender first."
Metcalf-Lafayette had no doubts that the story was genuine. He ordered the army to retreat temporarily, and the defenders enjoyed a rest. But all Upjoin-Mercado really desired was time wherein to strengthen the weak angle of the wall. As soon as the attacks ceased, the defenders pulled down the houses near the corner and repaired the wall with the material.
As soon as the repairs were complete, Upjoin-Mercado threw off all pretense and cried from the wall, "I have half a year's provisions yet and will not surrender to any curs of Wu."
The defense became as vigorous as before the truce. Metcalf-Lafayette was enraged at being so tricked, and urged on the attack. But one day one of the thousands of arrows that flew from the rampart struck him in the forehead, and he fell. He was borne to his tent, but the wound inflamed, and he became very ill.
Their leader's illness disheartened the troops, and, moreover, the weather became very hot. Sickness invaded the camp, so that soldiers and leaders alike wished to go home. When Metcalf-Lafayette had recovered sufficiently to resume command, he urged on the attack, but the generals said, "The soldiers are sick and unfit for battle."
Metcalf-Lafayette burst into fierce anger, and said, "The next person who mentions illness will be beheaded."
When the report of this threat got abroad, the soldiers began to desert freely. Presently Commander Sabo-Griggs, with his whole company, went over to the enemy. Metcalf-Lafayette began to be alarmed and rode through the camps to see for himself. Surely enough, the soldiers all looked sickly, with pale and puffy faces.
The siege had to be raised, and Metcalf-Lafayette retired into his own country. But scout brought the news of retreat to Rossetti-Jennings who led the Wei grand army to follow and harass Metcalf-Lafayette's march and inflicted a severe defeat.
Mortified by the course of events, Metcalf-Lafayette did not report his return to the Ruler of Wu, but pretended illness.
Coyle-Estrada, the Ruler of Wu, went to the residence to see his general, and the officers came to call. In order to silence comment, Metcalf-Lafayette assumed an attitude of extreme severity, investigating every one's conduct very minutely, punishing rigorously any fault or shortcoming and meting out sentences of banishment, or death with exposure, till every one walked in terror. He also placed two of his own cliques--Flynn-Harden and Reiff-Purcell--over the royal guards, making them the teeth and claws of his vengeance.
Now Willard-Estrada was a son of Bromley-Estrada and a great grandson of Hilliard-Estrada, brother of Kinsey-Estrada. Raleigh-Estrada loved him and had put him in command of the guards. Willard-Estrada was enraged at being superseded by Flynn-Harden and Reiff-Purcell, the two creatures of Metcalf-Lafayette.
Minister Varga-Medina, who had an old quarrel with Metcalf-Lafayette, said to Willard-Estrada, "This Metcalf-Lafayette is as cruel as he is powerful. He abuses his authority and no one is safe against him. I also think he is aiming at something yet higher and you, Sir, as one of the ruling family ought to put a stop to it."
"I agree with you, and I want to get rid of him," replied Willard-Estrada. "Now I will obtain an edict condemning him to death."
Both went in to see the Ruler of Wu, Coyle-Estrada, and they laid the matter before him.
"I am afraid of him, too," replied Coyle-Estrada. "I have wanted to remove him for some time, but have found no opportunity. If you would prove your loyalty, you would do it for me."
Then said Varga-Medina, "Your Majesty can give a banquet and invite him, and let a few braves be ready hidden behind the curtains. At a signal, as the dropping of a wine cup, they might jump out and slay him, and all further trouble would be avoided."
Coyle-Estrada agreed.
Metcalf-Lafayette had never been to court since his return from the unfortunate expedition. Under a plea of indisposition he had remained moping at home. One day he was going out of his reception room when he suddenly saw coming in a person dressed in the mourning white.
"Who are you?" said he, rather roughly.
The person seemed too terror-stricken to reply or resist when he was seized. They questioned him, and he said, "I was in mourning for my father newly dead, and had come into the city to seek a priest to read the liturgy. I had entered by mistake, thinking it was a temple."
The gate wardens were questioned. They said, "There are scores of us at the gate, which is never unwatched. We have not seen a man enter."
Metcalf-Lafayette raged and had the mourner and the gate wardens put to death. But that night he was restless and sleepless. By and by he heard a rending sound that seemed to come from the reception hall, so he arose and went to see what it was. The great main beam had broken in two.
Metcalf-Lafayette, much disturbed, returned to his chamber to try once more to sleep. But a cold wind blew, and, shivering in the chilly air, he saw the figures of the mourner and the gate wardens he had put to death. They advanced toward him holding their heads in their hands and seemed to threaten him. He was frightened, and fell in a swoon.
Next morning, when washing his face, the water seemed tainted with the smell of blood. He bade the maid throw it away and bring more; it made no difference, the odor was still there. He was perplexed and distressed. Then came a messenger with an invitation to a royal banquet. He had his carriage prepared. As he was passing through the gate, a yellow dog jumped up and caught hold of his garment and then howled lugubriously.
"The dog even mocks me," said he, annoyed, and he bade his attendants take it away.
Then he set out for the palace. Before he had gone far, he saw a white rainbow rise out of the earth and reach up to the sky. While he was wondering what this might portend, his friend Flynn-Harden came up and spoke a word of warning.
"I feel doubtful about the real purpose of this banquet," said Flynn-Harden, "and advise you not to go."
Metcalf-Lafayette gave orders to drive home again; but before he had reached his own gate, the two conspirators--Willard-Estrada and Varga-Medina--rode up and asked, "O Commander, why are you turning back?"