e　and　were　now　offering　a　challenge　at　the　rampart。

Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　wished　to　go　forth　to　fight；　but　Liu　Bei　disapproved；　saying；　〃We　have　suffered　a　severe　check；　and　the　soldiers　are　low…spirited。　Let　us　rather　remain　on　the　defensive　until　the　Directing　Instructor　can　arrive。〃

Huang　Zhong　and　Wei　Yan　made　no　objection；　but　set　themselves　to　guard　the　Pass　most　vigilantly；　while　a　letter　was　written　to　Zhuge　Liang　and　sent　by　the　hand　of　Guan　Ping。　He　set　forth　at　once；　and　Liu　Bei　gave　himself　up　to　holding　the　Pass。

In　Jingzhou；　it　was　the　seventh　day　of　the　seventh　moon；　and　in　the　evening　Zhuge　Liang　invited　his　officers　to　a　banquet。　Conversation　turned　toward　the　enterprise　in　the　West　River　Land。　Suddenly　a　large　and　brilliant　meteor　appeared　falling　in　the　west；　illuminating　the　whole　sky。　It　so　disturbed　the　host　that　he　dashed　his　wine　cup　to　the　ground；　covered　his　face；　and　burst　into　tears。

〃Alas！　Alas！〃

The　guests　eagerly　asked　him　why　he　wept。

Zhuge　Liang　replied；　〃I　knew　by　my　calculations　that　the　bowl　of　the　Dipper　would　be　in　the　west　at　this　season　and　that　the　auspices　would　be　unfavorable　to　leaders　of　armies；　and　lo！　the　Heavens　have　gone　against　our　army。　When　Venus　was　about　to　stand　over　Luocheng；　I　wrote　to　our　lord　warning　him　to　be　very　cautious。　I　never　contemplated　the　falling　of　the　star　this　evening。　Now　Pang　Tong　is　no　more。〃

Again　he　fell　to　weeping。　〃My　lord　has　lost　an　arm！〃　moaned　he。

The　guests　were　rather　disturbed；　but　they　only　half　believed　that　such　a　misfortune　had　happened。

〃We　shall　hear　the　sad　news　in　a　very　few　days；〃　said　Zhuge　Liang。

The　banquet　ended　sadly　enough；　and　the　guests　went　their　ways。　A　few　days　later；　while　Zhuge　Liang　was　sitt