Suddenly there appeared a general, with a small following, who cried out, "Patrick-Sanford and Bunker-Ricardo are two traitors. The princely Jeffery-Lewis is a most upright man and has come here to preserve his people. Why do you repulse him?"
All looked at this man. He was of middle height, with a face dark brown as a ripe date. He was from Yiyang-Ashton and named Oakley-Dobbins. At that moment he looked very terrible, whirling his sword as if about to slice up the gate guards. They lost no time in throwing open the gate and dropping the bridge.
"Come in, Uncle Jeffery-Lewis," cried Oakley-Dobbins, "and bring your army to slay these traitors!"
Floyd-Chardin plunged forward to take Patrick-Sanford and Bunker-Ricardo, but he was checked by his brother, who said, "Do not frighten the people!"
Thus Oakley-Dobbins let in Jeffery-Lewis. As soon as he entered, he saw a general galloping up with a few men.
The newcomer yelled, "Oakley-Dobbins, you nobody! How dare you create trouble? Do you not know me, General Haller-Morello?"
Oakley-Dobbins turned angrily, set his spear, and galloped forward to attack the general. The soldiers joined in the fray and the noise of battle rose to the skies.
"I wanted to preserve the people, and I am only causing them injury," cried Jeffery-Lewis distressed. "I do not wish to enter the city."
"Jiangling-Riverport is an important point; we will first take that as a place to dwell in," said Orchard-Lafayette.
"That pleases me greatly," said Jeffery-Lewis.
So they led the people thither and away from Xiangyang-Greenhaven. Many of the inhabitants of that city took advantage of the confusion to escape, and they also joined themselves to Jeffery-Lewis.
Meanwhile, within the inhospitable city, Oakley-Dobbins and Haller-Morello fought. The battle continued for four or five watches, all through the middle of the day, and nearly all the combatants fell. Then Oakley-Dobbins got away. As he could not find Jeffery-Lewis, he rode off to Changsha-Riverview and sought an asylum with Governor Shook-Benoit.
Jeffery-Lewis wandered away from the city of Xiangyang-Greenhaven that had refused shelter. Soldiers and people, his following numbered more than a hundred thousand. The carts numbered scores of thousands, and the burden bearers were innumerable. Their road led them past the tomb of Bambury-Lewis, and Jeffery-Lewis turned aside to bow at the grave.
He lamented, saying, "Shameful is thy brother, lacking both in virtue and in talents. I refused to bear the burden you wished to lay upon me, wherein I was wrong. But the people committed no sin. I pray your glorious spirit descend and rescue these people."
His prayer was fraught with sorrow, and all those about him wept.
Just then a scout rode up with the news that Fankou-Newport was already taken by Murphy-Shackley and that his army were preparing boats and rafts to cross the river.
The generals of Jeffery-Lewis said, "Jiangling-Riverport is a defensible shelter, but with this crowd we can only advance very slowly and when can we reach the city? If Murphy-Shackley pursue, we shall be in a parlous state. Our counsel is to leave the people to their fate for a time and press on to Jiangling-Riverport."
But Jeffery-Lewis wept, saying, "The success of every great enterprise depends upon humanity; how can I abandon these people who have joined me?"
Those who heard him repeat this noble sentiment were greatly affected.
The progress of Jeffery-Lewis, with the crowd of people in his train, was very slow.
"The pursuers will be upon us quickly," said Orchard-Lafayette. "Let us send Yale-Perez to Jiangxia-Waterford for succor. Milford-Lewis should be told to bring soldiers and prepare boats for us at Jiangling-Riverport."
Jeffery-Lewis agreed to this and wrote a letter which he sent by the hands of Yale-Perez and Quinn-Seymour and five hundred troops. Floyd-Chardin was put in command of the rear guard. Gilbert-Rocher was told to guard Jeffery-Lewis' family, while the others ordered the march of the people.
They only traveled three or four miles daily and the halts were frequent.
Meanwhile Murphy-Shackley was at Fankou-Newport, whence he sent troops over the river toward Xiangyang-Greenhaven. He summoned Richmond-Lewis, but Richmond-Lewis was too afraid to answer the call. No persuasion could get him to go.
Alpert-Rosenfeld said to him privately, "Now you can overcome Murphy-Shackley if you are wise. Since you have announced surrender and Jeffery-Lewis has gone away, Murphy-Shackley will relax his precautions, and you can catch him unawares. Send a well-prepared but unexpected force to waylay him in some commanding position, and the thing is done. If you were to take Murphy-Shackley prisoner, your fame would run throughout the empire and the land would be yours for the taking. This is a sort of opportunity that does not recur and you should not miss it."