Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/99

 He said, “I am but a simple officer in the palace of a minister; you are an exalted officer of State, why am I treated thus?”

“Because in the whole land there is no warrior your equal. Poor Yün bows not to an officer’s rank; he bows to his ability.”

This gratified Lü Pu mightily and his host continued to praise and flatter and ply him with wine and to talk of the virtues of the minister and his henchman.

Lü Pu laughed and drank huge goblets.

Presently most of the attendants were sent away, only a few kept to press the guest to drink. When the guest was very mellow Wang Yün suddenly said, “Let the child come in!”

Soon appeared two attendants, dressed in black, leading between them the exquisite and fascinating Sable Cicada.

“Who is this?” said Lü Pu startled into sobriety.

“This is my little girl, Cicada. You will not be annoyed at my familiarity, will you? But you have been so very friendly, I thought you would like to see her.”

He bade the girl present a goblet of wine and her eyes met those of the warrior.

The host feigning intoxication said, “The little one begs you, Commandant, to take a cup or two. We all depend upon you, all our house.”

Lü Pu begged the girl to sit down. She pretended to wish to retire. Her master pressed her to remain, saying that she might do so since the guest was a dear friend. So she took a seat modestly near her master.

Lü Pu kept his gaze fixed upon the maid while he swallowed cup after cup of wine.

“I should like to present her to you as a handmaid; would you accept?”

The guest started up. “If that is so you may rely upon my abject gratitude,” said he.

“We will choose a propitious day ere long and send her to the palace.”

Lü Pu was over-joyed. He could not keep his eyes off the girl and loving glances flashed from her liquid orbs.

However the time came for the guest to leave and Wang said, “I would ask you to remain the night but the Minister might suspect something.”

The guest thanked him again and again and departed. Some few days later when Wang Yün was at court and Lü Pu was absent he bowed low before Tung Cho and said, “I would that you would deign to come to dine at my lowly cottage, could your noble thought bend that way!”

“Should you invite me I would certainly hasten,” was the reply.

Wang Yün thanked him. He went home and prepared in the reception hall a feast in which figured every delicacy from land and sea. Beautiful embroideries surrounded the chief