the virgin of the sun-第33章

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the　Moon；　who　am　named　Moon　and　wear　her　symbol　on　my　brow。〃

〃Did　I　not　tell　you　so？〃　exclaimed　Kari　to　me　with　a　gloomy　air。

Then　Quilla　went　on：

〃Strangers；　I　was　out　fishing　with　two　of　my　maidens　and　we　had
drifted　far　from　land。　As　the　sun　sank　I　caught　sight　of　the　smoke　of
your　fire；　and　having　been　told　that　this　isle　was　desert；　my　heart
drew　me　to　discover　who　had　lit　it。　So；　though　my　maidens　were　afraid；
hither　I　sailed　and　paddled；　and　the　rest　you　know。　Hearken！　I　will
declare　myself。　I　am　the　only　child　of　Huaracha；　King　of　the　People　of
the　Chancas；　born　of　his　wife；　a　princess　of　the　Inca　blood　who　now
has　been　gathered　to　her　Father；　the　Sun。　I　am　here　on　a　visit　to　my
mother's　kinsman；　Quismancu；　the　Chief　of　the　Yuncas　of　the
Coastlands；　to　whom　my　father；　the　King；　has　sent　an　embassy　on
matters　of　which　I　know　nothing。　Behind　yonder　rock　is　my　/balsa/　and
with　it　are　the　two　maidens。　Say；　is　it　your　wish　to　bide　here　upon
this　isle；　or　to　return　into　the　sea；　or　to　accompany　me　back　to　the
town　of　Quismancu？　If　so；　we　must　sail　ere　the　weather　breaks；　lest　we
should　be　drowned。〃

〃Certainly　it　is　my　wish　to　accompany　you；　Lady；　though　a　god　of　the
sea　cannot　be　drowned；〃　I　said　quickly　before　Kari　could　speak。
Indeed；　he　did　not　speak　at　all；　he　only　shrugged　his　shoulders　and
sighed；　like　one　who　accepts　some　evil　gift　from　Fate　because　he　must。

〃So　be　it！〃　exclaimed　Quilla。　〃Now　I　go　to　make　ready　the　/balsa/　and
to　warn　the　maidens　lest　they　be　frightened。　When　you　are　prepared　you
will　find　us　yonder　behind　the　rock。〃

Then　she　bowed　in　a　stately　fashion　an　departed；　walking　with　the
proud；　light　step　of　a　deer。

From　our　little　hut　I　took　out　my　armour　and　with　Kari's　help；　put　it
on；　because　he　declared　that　thus　it　would　be　more　easily　carried；
though　I　think　he　had　other　reasons　in　his　mind。

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃unless　the　/balsa/　oversets；　when　I　shall　find
mail　hard　to　swim　in。〃

〃The　/balsa/　will　not　overset；　sailing　beneath　the　moon　with　that
Moon…lady　for　a　pilot；〃　he　replied　heavily。　〃Had　the　sun　been　up；　it
might　have　been　different。　Moreover；　the　path　into　a　net　is　always
wide　and　easy。〃

〃What　net？〃　I　asked。

〃One　that　is　woven　of　women's　hair；　I　think。　Already；　if　I　mistake
not；　such　a　net　has　been　about　your　throat；　Master；　and　next　time　it
will　stay　there。　Hearken　now　to　me。　The　gods　thrust　us　into　high
matters。　The　Yuncas　of　whose　chief　this　lady　is　a　guest　are　a　great
people　whom　my　people　have　conquered　in　war；　but　who　wait　the
opportunity　to　rebel；　if　they　have　not　already　done　so。　The　Chancas；
of　those　king　she　is　the　daughter；　are　a　still　greater　people　who　for
years　have　threatened　war　upon　my　people。〃

〃Well；　what　of　it；　Kari？　With　such　questions　this　lady　will　have
nothing　to　do。〃

〃I　think　she　has　much　to　do　with　them。　I　think　that　she　knows　more
than　she　seems　to　know；　and　that　she　is　an　envoy　from　the　Chancas　to
the　Yuncas。　To　whom　is　she　affianced；　I　wonder？　Some　Great　One；
doubtless。　Well；　we　shall　learn　in　time；　and　meanwhile；　I　pray　you；
Master；　remember　that　she　says　she　/is/　affianced；　and　that　in　this
land　men　are　very　jealous　even　of　a　white　god　who　rises　from　the　sea。〃

〃Of　course　I　shall　remember；〃　I　answered　sharply。　〃Have　I　not　had
enough　of　women　who　are　affianced？〃

〃By　your　prayer　of　the　moon　this　night；　which　the　moon　answered　so
well　and　quickly；　one　might　think　not。　Also　this　daughter　of　hers　is
fair；　and　perchance　when　she　gave　her　hand　she　kept　her　heart。　Listen
again；　Master。　Of　me　and　of　whom　I　am；　say　nothing；　save　that　you
found　me　on　this　island　where　I　dwelt　a　hermit　when　you　rose　from　the
sea。　As　for　my　name；　why；　it　is　Zapana。　Remember　that　if　you　breathe
my　rank　and　history；　however　much　sweet　lips　may　try　to　cozen　them　out
of　you；　you　bring　me　to　my　death；　who　now　do　not　wish　to　die；　having　a
vengeance　to　accomplish　and　a　throne　to　win。　Therefore　treat　me　as　a
dog；　as　one　of　no　account；　and　be　silent　even　in　your　sleep。〃

〃I　will　remember；　Kari。〃

〃That　is　not　enoughswear　it。〃

〃Good。　I　swear　itby　the　moon。〃

〃Nay；　not　by　the　moon；　for　the　moon　is　woman　and　changes。　Swear　it　by
this；〃　and　from　beneath　his　skin　robe　he　drew　out　the　golden　image　of
Pachacamac。　〃Swear　it　by　the　Spirit　of　the　Universe；　of　whom　Sun　and
Moon　and　Stars　are　but　servants；　the　Spirit　whom　all　men　worship　in
this　shape　or　in　that。〃

So　to　please　him　I　laid　my　hand　upon　the　golden　symbol　and　swore。
Then；　very　hurriedly；　we　made　up　a　tale　of　how；　clad　in　my　armour；　I
had　risen　from　the　sea　and　found　him　on　the　island；　and　how　knowing　me
for　a　white　god　who　once　in　ages　past　had　visited　that　land　and　who；
as　prophecy　foretold；　should　return　to　it　in　days　to　come；　he　had
worshipped　me　and　become　my　slave。

This　done　we　went　down　to　the　rock；　Kari　walking　after　me　and　bearing
all　our　small　possessions　and　with　them　Deleroy's　sword。　Passing　round
the　rock　we　saw　the　/balsa/　drawn　up　to　the　sand；　and　by　it　the　lady
Quilla；　who　now　had　put　off　her　fine　robes　and　again　was　attired　as　a
fishing…girl　as　I　had　seen　her　in　my　dream；　and　with　her　two　tall
girls　in　the　same　scanty　garments。　When　these　saw　me　in　the　glittering
armour；　which　in　our　long　idle　hours　we　had　polished　till　it　shone
like　silver；　with　the　shield　upon　my　arm　and　the　casque　upon　my　head
and　the　great　sword　girded　about　my　middle　and　the　black　bow　in　my
hand；　they　screamed　with　fear　and　fell　upon　their　faces；　while　even
Quilla　started　back　and　glanced　towards　the　boat。

〃Fear　not；〃　I　said。　〃The　gods　are　kind　to　those　who　do　them　service；
though　to　those　who　would　harm　them　they　are　terrible。〃

Kari　also　went　to　them　and　whispered　in　their　ears　what　tale　I　know
not。　In　the　end　they　rose　trembling；　and　having　motioned　to　me　to　be
seated　in　it；　with　the　help　of　Kari　pushed　the　/balsa/；　which　I　noted
with　joy　was　large　and　well　made；　down　into　the　sea。　Then　one　by　one
they　climbed　in；　Quilla　taking　the　steering…oar；　while　Kari　and　the
two　maidens　hoisted　the　little　sail　and　paddled　till　we　were　clear　of
the　island；　where　the　gentle　wind　caught　the　/balsa/。　Then　they
shipped　the　paddles；　and　although　full　laden；　we　sailed　quietly
towards　the　mainland。

Now　I　was　at　the　bow　of　the　/balsa/　and　Quilla　was　at　its　stern；　and
between　us　were　the　others；　so　that　during　all　that　long　night's
journey　I　had　no　speech　with　her　and　must　content　myself　with　gazing
over　my　shoulder　at　her　beauty　as　best　I　could；　which　was　not　well；
because　of　Kari；　who　ever　seemed　to　come　between　my　eyes　and　hers。

Thus　the　long　hours　went　by　till　at　length　when　we　were　near　the　land
the　moon　sank；　and　we　sailed　on　through　the　twilight。　Then　came　the
dawn；　and　there　in　front　of　us　we　saw　the　lovely　strand　green　with
palms　within　a　ring　of　snow…clad　mountains；　two　of　them　the　great
peaks　that　we　had　seen　from　our　isle。

On　the　shore　was　a　city　of　white；　flat…roofed　houses；　and　rising　above
it；　perchance　the　half　of　a　mile　from　the　sea；　a　hill　four　or　five
hundred　feet　in　height　and　terraced。　On　the　top　of　the　hill　stood　a
mighty　building；　painted　red；　that　from　the　look　of　it　I　took　to　be
one　of　the　churches　of　these　people；　in　the　centre　of　which　gleamed
great　doors　that；　as　I　found　afterwards；　were　covered　with　plates　of
gold。

〃Behold　the　temple　of　Pachacamac；　Master；〃　whispered　Kari；　bowing　his
head　and　kissing　the　air　in　token　of　reverence。

By　this　time　watchmen；　who　had　been　set　there　to　search　the　sea　or　the
boat　of　Quilla；　had　noted　our　approach。　They　shouted　and　pointed　to　me
who　sat　in　the　prow　clad　in　my　armour　upon　which　the　sun　glittered；
then　began　to　run　to　and　fro　as　though　in　fear　or　excitement；　so　that
ere　we　reached　the　shore　a　great　crowd　had　gathered。　Meanwhile；　Quilla
had　put　on　her　silver…broidered　mantle　and　her　head…dress　of　feathers；
crowned　with　the　crescent　of　the　moon。　As　we　touched　the　beach　she
came　forward；　and　for　the　first　time　during　that　night　spoke　to　me
saying：

〃Remain　here　in　the　/balsa/；　Lord；　while　I　talk　with　these　people；　and
when　I　summon　you　be　pleased　to　come。　Fear　notnone　will　harm　you。〃

Then　she　sprang　from　the　prow　of　the　/balsa/　to　the　shore；　fo