ou　still　alive；　then；　brothers？〃　said　he。

〃We　are　not　men；　we　are　shades；〃　said　Guan　Yu。　〃The　Supreme　One　has　conferred　spirithood　upon　us　in　consideration　of　our　faithfulness　throughout　life；　and　ere　long；　brother；　we　three　shall　be　together　again。〃

The　First　Ruler　clutched　at　the　figures　and　burst　into　tears；　then　he　awoke。　The　two　figures　were　no　longer　there。　He　called　in　his　people　and　asked　the　hour。　They　told　him　the　third　watch。

〃I　am　not　much　longer　for　this　world；〃　said　he　with　a　sigh。

Messengers　were　sent　to　Capital　Chengdu　to　summon　the　Prime　Minister　and　other　high　officers　of　state　to　receive　the　Emperor's　last　instructions。　They　came；　Zhuge　Liang　bringing　the　two　younger　sons；　Prince　of　Lu　Liu　Yung　and　Prince　of　Liang　Liu　Li。　The　eldest；　the　heir…apparent；　was　left　in　charge　of　the　capital。

Zhuge　Liang　saw　at　once　that　his　master　was　very　ill。　He　bowed　to　the　ground　at　the　foot　of　the　Dragon　Couch。

The　dying　Emperor　bade　him　e　near　and　sit　beside　him；　and　he　patted　his　Minister　on　the　back；　saying；　〃The　attainment　of　emperorship　was　your　work。　Little　thought　you　that　I　should　prove　so　stupid　as　not　to　follow　your　advice　and　so　bring　about　the　late　disasters。　But　I　am　deeply　sorry；　and　now　I　shall　not　live　long。　My　heir　is　a　degenerate；　but　I　must　leave　him　to　do　the　best　he　can　with　the　great　inheritance。〃

And　the　tears　flowed　in　streams。

〃I　trust　Your　Majesty　will　fulfill　the　hopes　of　the　people　by　a　speedy　recovery；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang；　also　in　tears。

Turning　his　head；　the　First　Ruler　saw　Ma　Su；　Ma　Liang's　brother；　at　the　bedside。　He　bade　him　retire。

When　Ma　Su　had　left　the　chamber；　the　First　Ruler　said；　〃Do　you　think　Ma　Su　is　clever？〃

〃He　is　one　of　the　ablest　people　in　the　empir