you　are　in　my　hands　again。〃

〃I　am　again　an　unfortunate　victim；〃　said　Meng　Huo。　〃Once　more　I　have　blundered　into　your　net；　and　now　I　shall　die　with　unclosed　eyes。〃

Zhuge　Liang　shouted　to　the　lictors　to　take　him　away　and　behead　him。

Meng　Huo　never　blenched　at　the　sentence；　but　he　turned　to　his　captor　and　said；　〃If　you　freed　me　only　once　more；　I　would　wipe　out　the　shame　of　all　four　captures。〃

Zhuge　Liang　smiled　at　the　bold　reply　and　bade　the　lictors　loose　his　bonds；　and　the　attendants　served　him　with　wine。　Meng　Huo　was　invited　to　sit　in　the　mander's　tent。

Said　Zhuge　Liang；　〃Four　times　you　have　been　treated　generously　and　yet　you　are　still　defiant。　Why？〃

〃Though　I　am　what　you　call　a　barbarian；　I　would　scorn　to　employ　your　vile　ruses。　And　that　is　why　I　remain　defiant。〃

〃I　have　liberated　you　four　times。　Do　you　think　you　can　give　battle　again？〃

〃If　you　catch　me　again；　I　will　incline　my　heart　to　yield　and　I　will　give　everything　in　my　ravine　to　reward　your　army。　I　will　also　take　an　oath　not　to　cause　any　further　trouble。〃

Zhuge　Liang　smiled；　but　let　him　go。　The　King　thanked　him　and　left。

As　soon　as　he　was　set　at　liberty；　Meng　Huo　got　together　several　thousand　of　his　adherents　and　went　away　southward。　Before　long　he　fell　in　with　his　brother；　Meng　You；　who　had　got　together　an　army　and　was　on　his　way　to　avenge　his　brother。　As　soon　as　they　saw　each　other；　the　brothers　fell　upon　each　other's　necks　and　wept。　They　related　their　experiences。

Meng　You　said；　〃We　cannot　stand　against　the　enemy。　We　have　been　defeated　several　times。　Now　I　think　we　had　better　go　into　the　mountains　and　hide　in　some　dark　gully　where　they　cannot　find　us。　Those　soldiers　of　Shu　will　never　stand　the　summer　heat。　They　must　retire。〃

〃W