the virgin of the sun-第35章

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love　him？〃

〃I　think　not。　I　think　that　like　you　she　hates　him；　yet　will　marry　him
for　reasons　of　policy。〃

〃Doubtless　she　hates　him　now；　whatever　she　did　a　week　ago；〃　said　Kari
in　a　dry　voice。　〃But　what　fruit　will　this　tree　bear？　Master；　are　you
minded　to　come　with　me　to…morrow　to　visit　the　temple　of　Pachacamac　in
the　inner　sanctuary　of　which　sits　the　god　Rimac　who　speaks　oracles？〃

〃For　what　purpose；　Kari？〃　I　answered　moodily。

〃That　we　may　hear　oracles；　Master。　I　think　that　if　you　choose　to　go
the　lady　Quilla　would　come　with　us；　since　perhaps　she　would　like　also
to　hear　oracles。〃

〃I　will　go　if　it　can　be　done　in　secret；　say　at　night；　for　I　weary　of
being　stared　at　by　these　people。〃

This　I　said　because　I　desired　to　learn　of　the　religion　of　this　nation
and　to　see　new　things。

〃Perhaps　it　can　be　so　ordered；　Master。　I　will　ask　of　the　matter。〃

It　seemed　that　Kari　did　ask；　perhaps　of　the　high　priest　of　Pachacamac；
for　between　all　the　worshippers　of　this　god　there　was　a　brotherhood；
perhaps　of　the　lord　Quismancu；　or　perhaps　of　Quilla　herselfI　do　not
know。　At　least；　on　this　same　day　Quismancu　inquired　whether　it　would
please　me　to　visit　the　temple　that　night；　and　so　the　matter　was
settled。

Accordingly；　after　the　darkness　had　fallen；　two　litters　were　brought
into　which　we　entered；　Quilla　and　a　waiting　woman　seating　themselves
in　one　of　them　and　Kari　and　I　in　the　other；　for　Quismancu　and　his　wife
did　not　comewhy　I　cannot　say。　Then；　preceded　by　another　litter　in
which　was　a　priest　of　the　god；　and　surrounded　by　a　guard　of　soldiers；
through　a　rain…storm　we　were　borne　up　the　hillit　was　but　a　little
wayto　the　temple。

Here；　before　the　golden　doors　on　which　the　lightning　glimmered
fitfully；　we　descended　and　were　led　by　white…robed　men　bearing
lanterns；　through　various　courts　to　the　inner　sanctuary　of　the　god；　on
the　threshold　of　which　I　crossed　myself；　not　loving　the　company　of
heathen　idols。　So　far　as　I　could　see　by　the　lamplight　it　was　a　great
and　glorious　place；　and　everywhere　that　the　eye　fell　was　goldplaces
of　gold　on　the　walls；　offerings　of　gold　upon　the　floor；　stars　of　gold
upon　the　roof。　The　strange　thing　about　this　holy　place；　however；　was
that　it　seemed　to　be　quite　empty　except　for　the　aforesaid　gold。　There
was　neither　altar　nor　imagenothing　but　a　lamp…lit　void。

Here　all　prostrated　themselves；　save　I　alone；　and　prayed　in　silence。
When　they　rose　again；　in　a　whisper　I　asked　of　Kari　where　was　the　god。
To　which　he　answered：　〃Nowhere；　yet　everywhere。〃　This　I　thought　a　true
saying；　and　indeed　so　solemn　was　that　place　that　I　felt　as　though　I
were　surrounded　by　that　which　is　divine。

After　a　while　the　priests；　who　were　gorgeously　apparelled；　led　us
across　the　sanctuary　to　a　door　that　opened　upon　some　stairs。　Down
these　stairs　we　went　into　a　long　passage　that　seemed　to　run　beneath
the　earth；　for　the　air　in　it　was　heavy。　When　we　had　walked　a　hundred
paces　or　more　in　this　narrow　place；　we　came　to　other　steps　and　another
door；　passing　through　which　we　found　ourselves　in　a　second　temple；
smaller　than　that　which　we　had　visited；　but　like　to　it　rich　with　gold。
In　the　centre　of　this　temple　sat　the　image　of　a　man　rudely　fashioned
of　gold。

〃Behold　Rimac　the　Speaker！〃　whispered　Kari。

〃How　can　gold　speak？〃　I　asked。

Kari　made　no　answer。

Presently　the　priests　began　to　mutter　prayers　and　incantations　that　I
thought　unholy；　after　which　they　laid　offerings　of　what　looked　like
raw　flesh　set　in　cups　of　gold　before　the　idol；　that　I　thought　unholier
still。　Lastly　they　drew　back　and　asked　of　what　we　would　learn。

I　made　no　answer　who　did　not　like　the　business。　Nor　did　Kari　say
anything；　but　Quilla　spoke　out　boldly；　saying　that　we　would　learn　of
the　future　and　what　would　befall　us。

Now　there　was　a　long　silence；　and　I　confess　that　fear　got　hold　of　me；
for　it　seemed　to　me　as　though　spirits　were　moving　in　the　air　and
through　the　darkness　behind　usyes；　as　though　I　could　hear　their
whisperings　and　the　rustle　of　their　wings。　Suddenly；　at　the　end　of
this　silence；　the　golden　image　in　front　of　us　began　to　glow　as　though
it　were　molten；　and　the　emerald　eyes　that　were　set　in　its　head　to
sparkle　terribly；　which　frightened　me　so　much　that　had　it　not　been　for
shame's　sake　I　would　have　run　away；　but　because　of　this　stood　still
and　prayed　to　St。　Hubert　to　protect　me　from　the　devil　and　his　works。
Presently　I　prayed　still　harder；　for　the　image　began　to　speakyes；　in
a　horrid；　whistling　voice　it　spoke；　although　no　one　was　near　to　it。
These　were　the　words　it　said：

〃Who　is　this　clad　in　silver　whose　skin　is　white　and　whose　hair　is
yellow？　Such　an　one　I　have　not　seen　for　a　thousand　years；　and　such　as
he　it　is　that　shall　possess　themselves　of　the　Land　of　Tavantinsuyu；
shall　steal　its　wealth；　shall　slay　its　people；　and　shall　cast　down　its
gods。　But　not　yet；　not　yet！　Therefore　this　is　the　command　of
Pachacamac；　uttered　by　the　voice　of　Rimac　the　Speaker；　that　none　do
harm　to　or　cross　the　will　of　this　mighty　seaborn　lord；　since　he　shall
be　as　a　strong　wall　to　many　and　his　sword　shall　be　red　with　the　blood
of　the　wicked。〃

The　whistling　voice　ceased　while　the　priests　and　all　there　stared　at
me；　for　they　seemed　to　think　its　words　fateful。　Then　suddenly　it　began
again：

〃And　who　is　this　that　came　out　of　the　sea　with　the　Shining　One；　having
wandered　further　than　any　of　his　ancient　blood？　I　know。　I　know；　yet　I
may　not　say；　since　the　Spirit　of　spirits　whose　image　he　wears　upon　his
heart　bids　me　be　silent。　Be　bold！　Be　bold！　Prosper　and　grow　great；
Child　of　Pachacamac；　for　thy　wanderings　are　not　yet　done。　Still　there
is　a　mountain　to　be　climbed；　and　on　the　crest　of　it　hangs　a　fringe　of
Heaven's　gold。〃

Again　the　voice　ceased；　while　this　time　all　stared　at　Kari；　who　shook
his　head　humbly　as　though　bewildered　by　what　he　could　not　understand。
Once　more　the　image　spoke：

〃Who　is　this　daughter　of　the　Sun；　in　whose　veins　play　moonbeams　and
who　is　fairer　than　the　evening　star？　One；　I　think；　whom　men　shall
desire　and　because　of　whom　shall　flow　the　blood　of　the　great。　One
whose　thought　is　swift　as　the　lightning　and　subtle　as　the　snake；　one
in　whom　passion　burns　like　fire　in　the　womb　of　the　mountain；　but　who
is　filled　with　spirit　that　dances　above　the　fire　and　who　longs　for
things　that　are　afar。　Daughter　of　the　Sun　in　whose　blood　run　the
moonbeams；　thou　shalt　slip　from　the　hated　arms　and　the　Sun　shall　be
thy　shelter；　and　in　the　beloved　arms　thou　shalt　sleep　at　last。　Yet
from　the　vengeance　of　the　god　betrayed　fly　fast　and　far！〃

Again　the　voice　ceased；　and　I　thought　that　all　was　over。　But　it　was
not　so；　for　after　a　little　space　the　golden　figure　of　the　oracle
glowed　more　fiercely　than　before　and　the　emerald　eyes　shone　more
terribly；　and　in　a　kind　of　scream　it　spoke；　saying：

〃The　snows　of　Tavantinsuyu　shall　be　red　with　blood；　the　waters　of　her
rivers　shall　be　full　of　blood。　Yes；　ye　three　shall　wade　through　blood；
and　in　a　rain　of　blood　shall　pluck　the　fruit　of　your　desires。　Still
for　a　while　the　gods　of　Tavantinsuyu　shall　endure　and　its　kings　shall
reign　and　its　children　shall　be　free。　But　in　the　end　death　for　the
gods　and　death　for　the　kings　and　death　for　the　people。　Still；　not　yet
not　yet！　None　who　live　shall　see　it；　nor　their　children；　nor　their
children's　children。　Rimac　the　Voice　has　spoken；　treasure　ye　his　words
and　interpret　them　as　ye　will。〃



The　whistling　voice　died　away　like　the　thin　cry　of　some　starving　child
in　a　desert；　and　there　was　a　great　silence。　Then　in　a　moment　the
figure　of　gold　ceased　to　glow　and　the　eyes　of　emerald　to　burn；　leaving
the　thing　but　a　dead　lump　of　metal。　The　priests　prostrated　themselves；
and　rising；　led　us　from　the　place　without　a　word；　but　in　the　light　of
the　lamps　I　saw　that　their　faces　were　full　of　terrorso　full　that　I
doubted　whether　it　could　be　feigned。

As　we　had　come；　so　we　went；　and　at　last　found　ourselves　outside　the
glittering　temple　doors　where　the　litters　awaited　us。

〃What　did　it　mean？〃　I　whispered　to　Quilla；　who　was　by　my　side。

〃For　you　and　the　other　I　know　not；〃　she　answered　hurriedly；　〃but　for
me　I　think　that　it　means　death。　Yet；　not　untilnot　until〃　And　she
ceased。

At　that　moment　the　moon　a