第137部分 (第1/7页)

〃Where　is　the　Magistrate？〃　asked　Zhang　Fei。

〃Ever　since　his　arrival；　a　hundred　days　ago　and　more；　he　has　attended　to　no　business；　but　spends　his　days　from　morn　to　night　in　wine…bobbing　and　is　always　intoxicated。　Just　now　he　is　sleeping　off　a　debauch　and　is　not　yet　risen。〃

This　raised　Zhang　Fei's　choler；　and　he　would　have　dismissed　the　offender　forthwith　had　not　his　colleague　said；　〃Pang　Tong　is　a　man　of　great　ability；　and　it　would　be　wrong　to　deal　with　him　thus　summarily。　Let　us　inquire　into　it。　If　he　is　really　so　guilty；　we　will　punish　his　offense。〃

So　they　went　to　the　magistracy；　took　their　seats　in　the　Hall　of　Justice；　and　summoned　the　Magistrate　before　them。　He　came　with　dress　all　disordered　and　still　under　the　influence　of　wine。

〃My　brother　took　you　for　a　decent　person；〃　said　Zhang　Fei；　angrily；　〃and　sent　you　here　as　magistrate。　How　dare　you　throw　the　affairs　of　the　county　into　disorder？〃

〃Do　you　think　I　have　done　as　you　say；　General？〃　said　Pang　Tong。　〃What　affairs　have　I　disordered？〃

〃You　have　been　here　over　a　hundred　days　and　spent　the　whole　time　in　dissipation。　Is　not　that　disorderly？〃

〃Where　would　be　the　difficulty　in　dealing　with　the　business　of　a　trifling　county　like　this？　I　pray　you；　General；　sit　down　for　a　while　till　I　have　settled　the　cases。〃

Thereupon　Pang　Tong　bade　the　clerks　bring　in　all　the　arrears　and　he　would　settle　them　at　once。　So　they　brought　in　the　piles　of　papers　and　ordered　the　suitors　to　appear。　They　came　and　knelt　in　the　hall　while　the　magistrate；　brush　in　hand；　noted　this　and　minuted　that；　all　the　while　listening　to　the　pleadings。　Soon　all　the　difficulties　and　disputes　were　adjusted；　and　never　a　mistake　was　made；　as　the　satisfied　bows　of　the　people　proved。　By　midday　the　whole　of　the