第154部分 (第1/7页)

age；　he　put　on　his　armor；　mounted　his　steed；　and　went　up　close　to　the　walls　with　a　few　mounted　followers；　and　challenged　those　on　the　ramparts　to　fight　him。　But　the　defenders　on　the　walls　only　replied　with　shameful　abuse；　and　none　accepted　the　challenge。　Zhang　Fei　galloped　again　and　again　to　the　drawbridge；　only　to　be　driven　off　each　time　with　flights　of　arrows。　But　not　a　man　came　outside　the　walls。　As　the　day　closed　in；　the　warrior；　still　fuming　with　wrath；　returned　to　his　own　camp。

Next　day　Zhang　Fei　again　led　his　troops　to　the　foot　of　the　wall　and　challenged。　Again　the　challenge　was　refused。　But　Yan　Yan　shot　an　arrow　from　the　tower　that　struck　Zhang　Fei's　helmet。　This　angered　him　still　more。

Pointing　the　finger　of　disdain　at　his　enemy；　Zhang　Fei　cried；　〃I　will　capture　you　yet；　you　old　fool；　and　then　I　will　devour　your　flesh！〃

So　again　at　eventide　the　troops　of　Jingzhou　returned　to　camp　bucking　their　desire。　On　the　third　day　Zhang　Fei　and　his　troops　made　the　circuit　of　the　city　along　the　edge　of　the　moat；　hurling　insults　at　their　enemies。

It　so　happened　that　the　city　was　set　on　a　hill　with　rugged　heights　all　round；　so　that　going　around　it　the　assailants　were　sometimes　on　hill　tops　and　sometimes　on　the　level。　While　standing　on　one　of　the　hills；　Zhang　Fei　noticed　that　he　could　see　clear　down　into　the　city。　There　stood　the　defenders　in　their　ranks；　all　ready　for　battle　although　none　of　them　came　out。　And　the　mon　people　went　to　and　fro　carrying　bricks　and　bringing　stones　to　strengthen　the　defenses。　Then　Zhang　Fei　ordered　his　horsemen　to　dismount　and　his　footmen　to　sit　down　so　that　they　could　not　be　seen　from　the　city。　He　hoped　thus　to　cheat　the　defenders　into　thinking　that　there　were　none　to　attack　and　so　induce　them　to　e　out。　But　this　also