the virgin of the sun-第16章

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noted　about　him　was　that　the　lobe　of　his　ear　was　pierced　and　in　a
strange　fashion；　since　the　gristle　was　stretched　to　such　a　size　that　a
small　apple　could　have　been　placed　within　its　ring。　For　the　rest　the
man's　limbs　were　so　thin　as　though　from　hunger；　that　everywhere　his
bones　showed；　while　his　skin　was　scarred　with　cuts　and　scratches；　and
on　his　forehead　was　a　large　bruise。　He　seemed　bewildered　also　and　very
weak；　yet　I　think　he　understood　that　I　was　playing　a　friend's　part　to
him；　for　he　bowed　towards　me　in　a　stately；　courteous　way　and　kissed
the　air　thrice；　but　what　this　meant　at　the　time　I　did　not　know。

I　spoke　to　him　in　English；　but　he　shook　his　head　gently　to　show　that
he　did　not　understand。　Then；　as　though　by　an　afterthought；　he　touched
his　breast　several　times；　and　after　each　touch；　said　in　a　voice　of
strange　softness；　〃Kari；〃　which　I　took　it　he　meant　was　his　name。　At
any　rate；　from　that　time　forward　I　called　him　Kari。

Now　the　question　was　how　to　deal　with　him。　Leave　him　there　to　be
mocked　or　to　perish　I　could　not；　nor　was　there　anywhere　whither　I
could　send　him。　Therefore　it　seemed　the　only　thing　to　do　was　to　take
him　home　with　me。　So　grasping　his　arm　gently　I　led　him　off　the　quay
where　our　horses　were　and　motioned　to　him　to　mount　one　that　had　been
ridden　by　a　servant　whom　I　bade　to　walk。　At　the　sight　of　these　horses；
however；　a　great　terror　took　hold　of　him　for　he　trembled　all　over；　a
sweat　bursting　out　upon　his　face；　and　clung　to　me　as　though　for
protection；　making　it　evident　that　he　had　never　seen　such　an　animal
before。　Indeed；　nothing　would　persuade　him　to　go　near　them；　for　he
shook　his　head　and　pointed　to　his　feet；　thus　showing　me　that　he
preferred　to　walk；　however　weak　his　state。

The　end　of　it　was　that　walk　he　did　and　I　with　him　from　Thames　side　to
the　Cheap；　since　I　dared　not　leave　him　alone　for　fear　lest　he　should
run　away。　A　strange　sight　we　presented；　I　leading　this　dusky　wanderer
through　the　streets；　and　glad　was　I　that　night　was　falling　so　that　few
saw　us　and　those　who　did　thought；　I　believe；　that　I　was　bringing　some
foreign　thief　to　jail。

At　length　we　reached　the　Boat　House　as　my　dwelling　was　called；　from
the　image　of　the　old　Viking　vessel　that　my　uncle　had　carved　and　set
above　the　door；　and　I　led　him　in　staring　about　him　with　all　his　eyes；
which　in　his　thin　face　looked　large　as　those　of　an　owl；　taking　him　up
the　stairs；　which　seemed　to　puzzle　him　much；　for　at　every　step　he
lifted　his　leg　high　into　the　air；　to　an　empty　guest　room。

Here　besides　the　bed　and　other　furniture　was　a　silver　basin　with　its
jug；　one　of　the　beautiful　things　that　John　Grimmer　had　brought　I　know
not　whence。　On　these　Kari　fixed　his　eyes　at　once；　staring　at　them　in
the　light　of　the　candles　that　I　had　lit；　as　though　they　were　familiar
to　him。　Indeed；　after　glancing　at　me　as　though　for　permission；　he　went
to　the　jug　that　was　kept　full　of　water　in　case　of　visitors　of　whom　I
had　many　on　business；　lifted　it；　and　after　pouring　a　few　drops　of　the
water　on　to　the　floor　as　though　he　made　some　offering；　drank　deeply；
thus　showing　that　he　was　parched　with　thirst。

Then　without　more　ado　he　filled　the　basin　and　throwing　off　his
tattered　robe　began　to　wash　himself　to　the　waist；　round　which　he　wore
another　garment；　of　dirty　cotton　I　thought；　which　looked　like　a
woman's　petticoat。　Watching　him　I　noted　two　things；　that　his　poor　body
was　as　scratched　and　scarred　as　though　by　old　thorn　wounds；　as　were
his　face　and　hands；　also　marked　with　great　bruises　as　though　from
kicks　and　blows；　and　secondly　that　hung　about　his　neck　was　a　wondrous
golden　image　about　four　inches　in　length。　It　was　of　rude　workmanship
with　knees　bent　up　under　the　chin；　but　the　face；　in　which　little
emeralds　were　set　for　eyes；　was　of　a　great　and　solemn　dignity。

This　image　Kari　washed　before　he　touched　himself　with　water；　bowing　to
it　the　while；　and　when　he　saw　me　observing　him；　looked　upwards　to　the
sky　and　said　a　word　that　sounded　like　/Pachacamac/；　from　which　I　took
it　to　be　some　idol　that　the　poor　man　worshipped。　Lastly；　tied　about
his　middle　was　a　hide　bag　filled　with　I　knew　not　what。

Now　I　found　a　washball　made　of　oil　of　olives　mixed　with　beech　ash　and
showed　him　the　use　of　it。　At　first　he　shrank　from　this　strange　thing；
but　coming　to　understand　its　office；　served　himself　of　it　readily；
smiling　when　he　saw　how　well　it　cleansed　his　flesh。　Further；　I　fetched
a　shirt　of　silk　with　a　pair　of　easy　shoes　and　a　fur…lined　robe　that
had　belonged　to　my　uncle；　also　hosen；　and　showed　him　how　to　put　them
on；　which　he　learned　quickly　enough。　A　comb　and　a　brush　that　were　on
the　table　he　seemed　to　understand　already；　for　with　them　he　dressed
his　tangled　hair。

When　all　was　finished　in　a　fashion；　I　led　him　down　the　stairs　again　to
the　eating…room　where　supper　was　waiting；　and　offered　him　food；　at　the
sight　of　which　his　eyes　glistened；　for　clearly　he　was　well…nigh
starving。　The　chair　I　gave　him　he　would　not　sit　on；　whether　from
respect　for　me　or　because　it　was　strange　to　him；　I　do　not　know；　but
seeing　a　low　stool　of　tapestry　which　my　uncle　had　used　to　rest　his
feet；　he　crouched　upon　this；　and　thus　ate　of　whatever　I　gave　him；　very
delicately　though　he　was　so　hungry。　Then　I　poured　wine　from　Portugal
into　a　goblet　and　drank　some　myself　to　show　him　that　it　was　harmless；
which；　after　tasting　it；　he　swallowed　to　the　last　drop。

The　meal　being　finished　which　I　thought　it　was　well　to　shorten　lest　he
should　eat　too　much　who　was　so　weak；　again　he　lifted　up　his　eyes　as
though　in　gratitude；　and　as　a　sign　of　thankfulness；　or　so　I　suppose；
knelt　before　me；　took　my　hand；　and　pressed　it　against　his　forehead；
thereby；　although　I　did　not　know　it　at　the　time；　vowing　himself　to　my
service。　Then　seeing　how　weary　he　was　I　conducted　him　back　to　the
chamber　and　pointed　out　the　bed　to　him；　shutting　my　eyes　to　show　that
he　should　sleep　there。　But　this　he　would　not　do　until　he　had　dragged
the　bedding　on　to　the　floor；　from　which　I　gathered　that　his　people；
whoever　they　might　be；　had　the　habit　of　sleeping　on　the　ground。

Greatly　did　I　wonder　who　this　man　was　and　from　what　race　he　sprang；
since　never　had　I　seen　any　human　being　who　resembled　him　at　all。　Of
one　thing　only　was　I　certain；　namely；　that　his　rank　was　high；　since　no
noble　of　the　countries　that　I　knew　had　a　bearing　so　gentle　or　manners
so　fine。　Of　black　men　I　had　seen　several；　who　were　called　negroes；　and
others　of　a　higher　sort　called　Moors；　gross；　vulgar　fellows　for　the
most　part　and　cut…throats　if　in　an　ill…humour；　but　never　a　one　of　them
like　this　Kari。

It　was　long　before　my　curiosity　was　satisfied；　and　even　then　I　did　not
gather　much。　By　slow　degrees　Kari　learned　English；　or　something　of　it；
though　never　enough　to　talk　fluently　in　that　tongue　into　which　he
always　seemed　to　translate　in　his　mind　from　another　full　of　strange
figures　of　thought　and　speech。　When　after　many　months　he　had　mastered
sufficient　of　our　language；　I　asked　him　to　tell　me　his　story　which　he
tried　to　do。　All　I　could　make　of　it；　however；　came　to　this。

He　was；　he　said；　the　son　of　a　king　who　ruled　over　a　mighty　empire　far
far　away；　across　thousands　of　miles　of　sea　towards　that　part　of　the
sky　where　the　sun　sank。　He　declared　that　he　was　the　eldest　lawful　son；
born　of　the　King's　sister；　which　seemed　dreadful　to　my　ideas　though
perhaps　he　meant　cousin　or　relative；　but　that　there　were　scores　of
other　children　of　his　father；　which；　if　true；　showed　that　this　king
must　be　a　very　loose…living　man　who　resembled　in　his　domesticities　the
wise　Solomon　of　whom　my　uncle　was　so　fond。

It　appeared；　further；　according　to　the　tale；　that　this　king；　his
father；　had　another　son　born　of　a　different　mother；　and　that　of　this
son　he　was　fonder　than　of　my　guest；　Kari。　His　name　was　Urco；　and　he
was　jealous　of　and　hated　Kari　the　lawful　heir。　Moreover；　as　is　common；
a　woman　came　into　the　business；　since　Kari　had　a　wife；　the　loveliest
lady　in　all　the　land；　though　as　I　understood；　not　of　the　same　tribe　or
blood　as　himself；　and　with　this　wife　of　his　Urco　fell　in　love。　So
greatly　did　he　desire　her；　although　he　had　plenty　of　wives　of　his　own；
that　being　the　general　of　the　King's　troops；　he　sent　Kari