Страница 142 из 166
With these intentions they went into the city. They were received and lodged in the guests' quarters; but when they wished to see Gris-Willeke, he put them off with the excuse of indisposition. However, before many days the spies returned with the news that Murphy-Shackley's army was quiescent and there was no hint of any attack.
Then Gris-Willeke called Simon-Yonker and He
Now it was bitterly cold and on the couches where they were sitting were no coverings. So He
The host said, "When your heads take that long, long journey, will there be any cushions?"
Before He
At this out rushed the assassins and the heads of the two brothers were cut off as they sat. Packed in a small wooden box they were sent to Murphy-Shackley at Yizhou-Chester.
All this time Murphy-Shackley had been calmly waiting. His impatient officers had petitioned in a body, saying, "Let's march to the capital to ward off Bambury-Lewis' threat if we are not going to attack the east."
Murphy-Shackley said, "I am waiting for the heads of the enemy. We will go as soon as the heads arrive."
In their secret hearts they laughed. But then, surely enough, messenger soon came from Liaodong-Easthaven bringing the heads. Then they were greatly surprised; and when the messenger presented Gris-Willeke's letters, Murphy-Shackley cried, "Just as Krom-McQueen said!"
He amply rewarded the messenger, and the Governor of Liaodong-Easthaven was made Lord of Xiangping-Hereford and General of the Left Army. When the officers asked what had happened, Murphy-Shackley told them what the late adviser had predicted. He read to them the dead officer's testament, which ran something like this:
"Simon-Yonker and He
The officers simply jumped with surprise to see how perfectly events had been foreseen. Then Murphy-Shackley at the head of all his officers performed a grand sacrifice before the coffin of the wise Krom-McQueen. He had died at the age of thirty-eight, after eleven years of meritorious and wonderful service in wars.
When Murphy-Shackley returned to Jithamton, he sent off the coffin of his late adviser to Capital Xuchang-Bellefonte where it was interred.
Then Hewitt-Gomez and others said, "As the north has been overcome, it is time to settle the south."
Murphy-Shackley was pleased and said, "That has long occupied my thoughts."
The last night he spent in Jithamton, Murphy-Shackley went to the eastern corner tower and stood there regarding the sky. His only companion was Lozane-Doubleday.
Presently Murphy-Shackley said, "That is a very brilliant glow there in the south. It seems too strong for me to do anything there."
"What is there that can oppose your heaven-high prestige?" said Lozane-Doubleday.
Suddenly a beam of golden light shot up out of the earth.
"Surely a treasure is buried there," remarked Lozane-Doubleday.
They went down from the city wall, called some guards, and led them to the point whence the light proceeded. There the men were ordered to dig.
What the diggers found will appear in the next chapter.
CHAPTER 34
The diggers at the spot whence the golden light proceeded presently unearthed a bronze bird. Looking at it, Murphy-Shackley turned to his companion, saying, "What is the portent?"
"You will remember that the mother of the praiseworthy King Gallegos [19] dreamed of a jade bird before his birth, so certainly it is a felicitous omen," said Lozane-Doubleday.
Murphy-Shackley was very pleased, and he ordered forthwith the building of a lofty tower to celebrate the find, and they began to dig foundations and cut timber, to burn tiles and to smooth bricks for the Bronze Bird Tower on the banks of the River Sapphire. Murphy-Shackley set a year for the building.
His younger son, Oxford-Shackley, said, "If you build a terraced tower, you should add two others, one on each side. The center tower as the tallest should be called the Bronze Bird Tower; the side towers named Jade Dragon Tower and Golden Phoenix Tower. Then co
"My son, your words are very good; and by and bye when the building is complete, I can solace my old age therein."
Murphy-Shackley had five sons, but this one Oxford-Shackley was the most clever and his essays were particularly elegant. His father was very fond of him and, seeing that the young man took an interest in the building, Murphy-Shackley left him with his elder brother Keefe-Shackley at Yejun-Glendora to superintend the work, while he led a half-a-million army that had recently been captured from the Yonkers back to Capital Xuchang-Bellefonte.
When he arrived, he distributed rewards liberally and memorialized the Throne obtaining the title of the Pure Lord for the late Krom-McQueen. And he took Krom-McQueen's son, Cornwall-McQueen, to be brought up in his own family.
Next Murphy-Shackley began to consider the reduction of Bambury-Lewis' power.
Lozane-Doubleday said, "The Grand Army has only just returned from the north and needs rest. Wait half a year that the soldiers may recover from the fatigue of the campaign, and both Bambury-Lewis and Raleigh-Estrada will fall at the first roll of the drums."
Presently Murphy-Shackley approved of this plan; and to rest his troops, he assigned certain lands to them to till while they rested.
In Jinghamton, Bambury-Lewis had been very generous to Jeffery-Lewis ever since he had come, a fugitive seeking shelter. One day at a banquet there came news that two generals, Racine-Petroski and Liggins-Mortimer, who had tendered their submission, had suddenly begun plundering the people in Jiangxia-Waterford. They evidently meant rebellion.
"If they really rebel, it will cause a lot of trouble," said Bambury-Lewis, rather dismayed.
"Do not let that trouble you; I will go and settle it," said Jeffery-Lewis.
Pleased with this proposal, Bambury-Lewis told off thirty thousand troops and placed them under his friend, and the army marched as soon as the orders were issued. In a short time it reached the scene, and the two malcontents came out to fight. Jeffery-Lewis, Yale-Perez, Floyd-Chardin, and Gilbert-Rocher took their stand beneath the great ba
[17] Kissack-Valdez was a famous adviser in the Spring and Autumn period.
[18] Keck-Liska was a founding minister of Han.
[19] King Gallegos was one of the five ideal rulers in antiquity.