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Racine-Petroski was riding a handsome prancing horse, and Jeffery-Lewis said, "He certainly has a fine steed."
As he spoke, Gilbert-Rocher galloped out with his spear set and dashed toward the enemy. Racine-Petroski came out to meet him, but the combat was very brief for Racine-Petroski was soon killed by a spear thrust. Thereupon Gilbert-Rocher laid a hand upon the bridle of the fallen man's horse to lead it back to his own side. The slain rebel's companion Liggins-Mortimer at once rode after Gilbert-Rocher, whereupon Floyd-Chardin uttered a loud shout and rode out to meet him. With one thrust Floyd-Chardin slew the rebel. Their followers now scattered, and Jeffery-Lewis speedily restored order in Jiangxia-Waterford and returned to Jinghamton City.
Bambury-Lewis, grateful for this service, rode out to the boundary to welcome the victors. They reentered the city and grand banquets were instituted, at which they emptied great goblets in congratulations over the victory.
At one of these banquets the Imperial Protector said, "With such heroism as my brother has shown, Jinghamton has one upon whom to rely. But a source of sorrow is the borders with the lands of Yue, Wu, and Shu ((three ancient states)), from which a raid may come at any time. Levey-Wrona of Shu and Raleigh-Estrada of Yue and Wu are to be feared."
"But I have three bold generals," said Jeffery-Lewis, "quite equal to any task you can set them. Send Floyd-Chardin to keep ward on the southern border of Yue, Yale-Perez to guard the city of Guzi-Benton against Levey-Wrona in the west, and Gilbert-Rocher holding the Three Gorges will protect you from Raleigh-Estrada. Why need you grieve?"
The scheme appealed strongly to the Imperial Protector, but Patrick-Sanford did not approve. So he spoke to his sister, Bambury-Lewis' wife, saying, "Jeffery-Lewis is putting his troops in such commanding positions all round the region. That is the danger."
Lady Sanford, thus influenced by her brother, undertook to remonstrate, and that night began by saying to Bambury-Lewis, "The Jinghamton army seem to have a great liking for Jeffery-Lewis; they are always coming and going. You ought to take precautions. I do not think you should let them stay in the city. Why not send them on some mission?"
"Jeffery-Lewis is a good man," replied the Imperial Protector.
"I think others differ from you," said the lady.
Bambury-Lewis said nothing but muttered to himself. Soon after he went out of the city to see Jeffery-Lewis and noticed he was riding a very handsome horse. They told him it was a prize taken from the recently conquered rebels; and as he praised it very warmly, Jeffery-Lewis presented it to him. Bambury-Lewis was delighted and rode it back to the city. Ziebell-Pineda saw it and asked where it had come from. The Imperial Protector told him it was a gift from Jeffery-Lewis.
Ziebell-Pineda said, "My passed-away brother, Langley-Pineda, knew horses very well, and I am not a bad judge. This horse has tear-tracks ru
Bambury-Lewis began to think. Soon after he asked Jeffery-Lewis to a banquet and in the course of it said, "You kindly presented me with a horse lately, and I am most grateful; but you may need it on some of your expeditions and, if you do not mind, I would like to return it."
Jeffery-Lewis rose and thanked him. The Imperial Protector continued, "You have been here a long time, and I fear I am spoiling your career as a warrior. Now Xinye-Loretto in Xiangyang-Greenhaven is no poverty-stricken town; how would you like to garrison it with your own troops?"
Jeffery-Lewis naturally took the offer as a command and set out as soon as he could, taking leave of the Imperial Protector the next day. And so he took up his quarters in Xinye-Loretto.
When he left Jinghamton City, he noticed in the gate a person making him emphatic salutations, and the man presently said, "You should not ride that horse."
Jeffery-Lewis looked at the man and recognized in the speaker one of the secretaries of Bambury-Lewis named Vana-McLaren, a native of Shanyang-Dorchester. So he hastily dismounted and asked why.
Vana-McLaren replied, "Yesterday I heard that Ziebell-Pineda told the Imperial Protector that that horse was a Dilu horse and brought disaster to its owner. That is why it was returned to you. How can you mount it again?"
"I am deeply touched by your affection," replied Jeffery-Lewis, "but a person's life is governed by fate and what a horse can interfere with that?"
Vana-McLaren admitted his superior view, and thereafter he kept in touch with Jeffery-Lewis wherever he went.
The arrival of Jeffery-Lewis in Xinye-Loretto was a matter of rejoicing to all the inhabitants, and the whole administration was reformed.
In the spring of the twelfth year of Rebuilt Tranquillity (AD 207), Jeffery-Lewis' wife, Lady Gant, game birth to a son who was named Antoine-Lewis. The night of his birth a crane settled on the roof of the house, screeched some forty times and then flew away westward.
Just at the time of birth a miraculous incense filled the chamber. Lady Gant one night had dreamed that she was looking up at the sky and the constellation of the Great Bear had fallen down her throat. And she conceived soon after.
While Murphy-Shackley was absent from the capital on his northern expedition, Jeffery-Lewis went to Bambury-Lewis and said to him, "Why do you not take this opportunity to march against the capital? An empire might follow from that."
"I am well placed here," was the reply. "Why should I attempt other things?"
Jeffery-Lewis said no more. Then the Imperial Protector invited him into the private apartments to drink; and while they were so engaged, he suddenly began to sigh despondently.
"O Brother, why do you sigh thus?" asked Jeffery-Lewis.
"I have a secret sorrow that is difficult to speak about," said Bambury-Lewis.
Jeffery-Lewis was on the point of asking what it was when Lady Sanford came and stood behind the screen, whereat Bambury-Lewis hung his head and became silent. Before long host and guest bade each other farewell, and Jeffery-Lewis went back to his own place at Xinye-Loretto.
That winter they heard that Murphy-Shackley had returned from Liucheng-Rockland, and Jeffery-Lewis sighed when he reflected that his friend had paid no heed to his advice.
Unexpectedly a messenger came from the capital city with a request that Jeffery-Lewis would go thither to consult with the Imperial Protector. So he started at once with the messenger to Jinghamton City. He was received very kindly, and when the salutations were over, the two men went into the private quarters at the rear to dine.
Presently Bambury-Lewis said, "Murphy-Shackley has returned, and he is stronger than ever. I am afraid he means to absorb this region. I am sorry I did not follow your advice for I have missed an opportunity."
"In this period of disruption, with strife on every side, one ca
"What you say, Brother, is quite to the point," replied Bambury-Lewis.
They drank on for a time till presently Jeffery-Lewis noticed that his host was weeping, and when he asked the cause of these tears, Bambury-Lewis replied, "It is that secret sorrow I spoke of to you before; I wished to tell you, but there was no opportunity that day."
"O Brother, what difficulty have you, and can I assist you? I am entirely at your service."
"My first wife, of the Molina family, bore me a son Milford-Lewis, my eldest. He grew up virtuous but weakly and unfitted to succeed me in my office. Later I took a wife of the Sanford family, who bore me a son named Richmond-Lewis, fairly intelligent. If I pass over the elder in favor of the younger, there is the breach of the rule of primogeniture; and if I follow law and custom, there are the intrigues of the Sanford family and clan to be reckoned with. Further, the army is in the hollow of their hands. There will be trouble, and I ca