the virgin of the sun-第37章

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〃So；　having　once　loved；　you　can　never　love　again。〃

〃Why　not？　Perchance　I　can　love　too　much。　But　what　would　be　the　use
when　more　love　would　but　mean　more　loss　and　pain？〃

〃Whom　should　you　love；　my　lord　Hurachi；　seeing　that　the　women　of　your
own　folk　are　far　away？〃

〃I　think　one　who　is　very　near；　if　she　would　pay　back　love　for　love。〃

Quilla　made　no　answer；　and　I　thought　that　she　was　angry　and　would　go
away。　But　she　did　not；　indeed；　she　sat　herself　down　upon　the　stone　at
my　side　and　covered　her　face　with　her　hands　as　I　had　done　and　began　to
weep　as　I　had　done。　Now　in　my　turn　I　asked　her：

〃Why　do　you　weep？〃

〃Because　I；　too；　must　know　loneliness；　and　with　it　shame；　Lord
Hurachi。〃

At　these　words　my　heart　beat　and　passion　flamed　up　in　me。　Stretching
out　my　hand　I　drew　hers　away　and　in　the　dying　light　gazed　at　the　face
beneath。　Lo！　on　its　loveliness　there　was　a　look　which　could　not　be
misread。

〃Do　you；　then；　also　love？〃　I　whispered。

〃Aye；　more；　I　think；　than　ever　woman　loved　before。　From　the　moment
when　first　I　saw　you　sleeping　in　the　moonbeams　on　the　desert　isle；　I
knew　my　fate　had　found　me；　and　that　I　loved。　I　fought　against　it
because　I　must；　but　that　love　has　grown　and　grown；　till　now　I　am　all
love；　and；　having　given　everything；　have　no　more　left　to　give。〃

When　I　heard　this；　making　no　answer；　I　swept　her　into　my　arms　and
kissed　her；　and　there　she　lay　upon　my　breast　and　kissed　me　back。

〃Let　me　go；　and　hear　me；〃　she　murmured　presently；　〃for　you　are　strong
and　I　am　weak。〃

I　obeyed；　and　she　sank　back　upon　the　stone。

〃My　lord；〃　she　said；　〃our　case　is　very　sad；　or　at　least　my　case　is
sad；　since　though　you　being　a　man　may　love　often；　I　can　love　but　once；
and；　my　lord；　it　may　not　be。〃

〃Why　not？〃　I　asked　hoarsely。　〃Your　people　think　me　a　god；　cannot　a　god
take　whom　he　wills　to　wife？〃

〃Not　when　she　is　vowed　to　another　god；　he　who　will　be　Inca；　not　when
on　her；　mayhap；　hangs　the　fate　of　nations。〃

〃We　might　fly；　Quilla。〃

〃Whither　could　the　God…from…the…Sea　fly　and　whither　could　fly　the
daughter　of　the　Moon；　who　is　vowed　to　the　son　of　the　Sun　in　marriage；
save　to　death？〃

〃There　are　worse　things　than　death；　Quilla。〃

〃Aye；　but　my　life　is　in　pawn。　I　must　live　that　my　people　may　not　die。
Myself　I　offered　it　to　this　cause　and　now；　being　royal；　I　cannot　take
it　back　again　for　my　own　joy。　It　is　better　to　be　shamed　with　honour
than　to　be　loved　in　the　lap　of　shame。〃

〃What　then？〃　I　asked　hopelessly。

〃Only　this；　that　above　us　are　the　gods；　andheard　you　not　the　oracle
of　Rimac　that　declared　to　me　that　I　should　slip　from　the　hated　arms；
that　the　Sun　should　be　my　shelter；　and　in　the　beloved　arms　I　should
sleep　at　last；　though　from　the　vengeance　of　the　god　betrayed　I　must
fly　fast　and　far？　I　think　that　this　means　death；　but　also　it　means
life　in　death　andO　arms　beloved；　you　shall　fold　me　yet。　I　know　not
how；　but　have　faithfor　you　shall　fold　me　yet。　Meanwhile；　tempt　me
not　from　the　path　of　honour；　since　this　I　know；　that　it　alone　can　lead
me　to　my　home。　Yet　who　is　the　god　betrayed　from　whom　I　must　fly？　Who；
who？〃

Thus　she　spoke　and　was　silent；　and　I；　too；　was　silent。　Yes；　there　we
sat；　both　silent　in　the　darkness；　searching　the　heavens　for　a　guiding
star。　And　as　we　sat；　presently　I　heard　the　voice　of　Kari　saying：

〃Have　I　found　you；　Lord；　and　you　also；　Lady　Quilla？　Return；　I　pray
you；　for　all　search　and　are　frightened。〃

〃Why？〃　I　answered。　〃The　lady　Quilla　and　I　study　this　wondrous　scene。〃

〃Yes；　Lord；　though　to　those　who　are　not　god…born　it　would　be　difficult
in　this　darkness。　Suffer；　now　that　I　show　you　the　path。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　V

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　KARI　GOES

As　it　chanced　during　the　remaining　days　of　that　journey；　Quilla　and　I
were　not　again　alone　together　（that　is　to　say；　except　once　for　a　few
minutes）；　for　we　were　never　out　of　eyeshot　of　someone　in　our　company。
Thus　Kari　clung　to　me　very　closely；　indeed；　and　when　I　asked　him　why；
told　me　bluntly　that　it　was　for　my　safety's　sake。　A　god　to　remain　a
god；　he　said；　should　live　alone　in　a　temple。　When　he　began　to　mix　with
others　of　the　earth　and　to　do　those　things　they　did；　to　eat　and　to
drink；　to　laugh　and　to　frown；　even　to　slip　in　the　mud　or　to　stumble
over　the　stones　in　the　common　path；　those　others　would　come　to　think
that　there　was　small　difference　between　god　and　man。　Especially　would
they　think　so　if　he　were　observed　to　love　the　company　of　women　or　to
melt　beneath　their　soft　glances。

Now　I　grew　sore　at　the　sting　of　these　arrows　which　of　late　he　had
loved　to　shoot　at　me；　and　without　pretending　to　misunderstand　him；
said　outright：

〃The　truth　is；　Kari；　that　you　are　jealous　of　the　lady　Quilla　as　once
you　were　jealous　of　another。〃

He　considered　the　matter　in　his　grave　fashion；　and　answered：

〃Yes；　Master；　that　is　the　truth；　or　part　of　it。　You　saved　my　life；　and
sheltered　me　when　I　was　alone　in　a　strange　land；　and　for　this　and　for
yourself　I　came　to　love　you　very　greatly；　and　love；　if　it　be　true；　is
always　jealous　and　always　hates　a　rival。〃

〃There　are　different　sorts　of　loves；〃　I　said；　〃that　of　a　man　for　man
is　one；　that　of　man　for　woman　is　another。〃

〃Yes；　Master；　and　that　of　woman　for　man　is　a　third；　moreover；　there　is
this　about　itit　is　the　acid　which　turns　all　other　loves　sour。　Where
are　a　man's　friends　when　a　woman　has　him　by　the　heart？although
perchance　they　love　him　better　than　ever　will　the　woman　who　at　bottom
loves　herself　best　of　all。　Still；　let　that　be；　for　so　Nature　works；
and　who　can　fight　against　Nature？　What　Quilla　takes；　Kari　loses；　and
Kari　must　be　content　to　lose。〃

〃Have　you　done？〃　I　asked　angrily；　who　wearied　of　his　homilies。

〃No；　Master。　The　matter　of　jealousy　is　small　and　private；　so　is　the
matter　of　love。　But；　Master；　you　have　not　told　me　outright　whether　you
love　the　lady　Quilla；　and；　what　is　more　important；　whether　she　loves
you。〃

〃Then　I　will　tell　you　now。　I　do　and　she　does。〃

〃You　love　the　lady　Quilla　and　she　says　that　she　loves　you；　which　may
or　may　not　be　true；　or　if　true　to…day　may　be　false　to…morrow。　For　your
sake　I　hope　that　it　is　not　true。〃

〃Why？〃　I　said　in　a　rage。

〃Because；　Master；　in　this　land　there　are　many　sorts　of　poison；　as　I
have　learned　to　my　cost。　Also　there　are　knives；　if　not　of　steel；　and
many　who　might　wish　to　discover　whether　a　god　who　courts　women　like　a
man　can　be　harmed　by　poisons　or　pierced　by　knives。　Oh！〃　he　added；　in
another　tone；　ceasing　from　his　bitter　jests；　〃believe　me　that　I　would
shield；　not　mock　you。　This　Lady　Quilla　is　a　queen　in　a　great　game　of
pieces　such　as　you　taught　me　to　play　far　away　in　England；　and　without
her　perchance　that　game　cannot　be　won；　or　so　those　who　play　it　think。
Now　you　would　steal　that　queen　and　thereby；　as　they　also　think；　bring
death　and　destruction　on　a　country。　It　is　not　safe；　Master。　There　are
plenty　of　fair　women　in　this　land；　take　your　pick　of　them；　but　leave
that　one　queen　alone。〃

〃Kari；〃　I　answered；　〃if　there　be　such　a　game；　are　you　not　perchance
one　of　the　players　on　this　side　or　on　that？〃

〃It　may　be　so；　Master；　and　if　you　have　not　guessed　it；　perhaps　one　day
I　will　tell　you　upon　which　side　I　play。　It　may　even　be　that　for　my　own
sake　I　should　be　glad　to　see　you　lift　this　queen　from　off　the　board；
and　that　what　I　tell　you　is　for　love　of　you　and　not　of　myself；　also　of
the　lady　Quilla；　who；　if　you　fall；　falls　with　you　down　through　the
black　night　into　the　arms　of　the　Moon；　her　mother。　But　I　have　said
enough；　and　indeed　it　is　foolish　to　waste　breath　in　such　talk；　since
Fate　will　have　its　way　with　both　of　you；　and　the　end　of　the　game　in
which　we　play　is　already　written　in　Pachacamac's　book　for　every　one　of
us。　Did　not　Rimac　speak　of　it　the　other　night？　So　play　on；　play　on；
and　let　Destiny　fulfil　itself。　If　I　dared　to　give　counsel　it　was　only
because　he　who　watches　the　battle　with　a　general's　eye　sees　more　of　it
than　he　who　fights。〃

Then　he　bowed　in　his　stately　fashion　and　left　me；　and　it　was　long　ere
he　spoke　to　me　again　of　this　matter　of　Quilla　and　our　love　for　one
another。

When　he　was　gone　my　anger　against　him　passed；　since　I　saw　that　he　was
warning　me　of　more　than　he　dared　to　s