the virgin of the sun-第39章

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hide　the　shining　of　my　spears；　and；　Daughter；　you　are　that　dust。
To…morrow　the　old　Inca　Upanqui　visits　me　here　with　a　small　army。　I
read　your　thought。　It　isWhy　do　you　not　kill　him　and　his　army？
Daughter；　for　this　reason。　He　is　very　aged　and　about　to　lay　down　his
sceptre；　who　grows　feeble　of　mind　and　body。　If　I　killed　him　what　would
it　serve　me；　seeing　that　he　has　left　his　son；　Urco；　who　will　be　Inca；
ruling　at　Cuzco；　and　that　of　his　soldiers　not　one　in　fifty　will　be
with　him　here？　Moreover；　he　is　my　guest；　and　the　gods　frown　on　those
who　slay　their　guests；　nor　will　men　ever　trust　them　more。'

〃Now　I　answered：　'You　spoke　of　me　as　a　cloud　of　dust；　Father；　how；
then；　can　this　poor　dust　serve　your　ends　and　those　of　the　Chanca
people？'

〃'Thus　Daughter；'　he　answered。　'With　your　own　consent　you　are　promised
in　marriage　to　Urco。　Upanqui　the　Inca　has　heard　rumours　that　the
Chancas　prepare　for　war。　Therefore；　he　who　travels　on　his　last　journey
through　certain　of　his　dominions　comes　to　lead　you　away；　to　be　Urco's
bride；　saying　to　himself；　〃If　those　rumours　are　true；　King　Huaracha
will　withhold　his　only　child　and　heiress；　since　never　will　he　make　war
upon　Cuzco　if　she　rules　there　as　its　queen。〃　Therefore；　if　I　refuse
you　to　him；　he　will　withdraw　and　begin　the　war；　rolling　down　his
thousands　upon　us　before　we　are　ready；　and　bringing　the　Chancas　to
destruction　and　enslavement。　Therefore　also　not　only　my　fate；　but　the
fate　of　all　your　country　lies　in　your　hand。'

〃'Father；'　I　said；　'tell　me；　who　was　ever　dear　to　you　that　lack　sons；
is　there　no　escape？　Must　I　eat　this　bitter　bread？　Before　you　answer；
learn　that　you　have　guessed　aright；　and　that　I　who；　when　I　made　that
promise；　cared　for　no　man；　have　come　to　feel　the　burning　of　love's
fire！'

〃Now　he　looked　at　me　awhile；　then　said：　'Child　of　the　Moon；　there　is
but　one　escape；　and　it　must　be　soughtin　the　moon。　The　dead　cannot　be
given　in　marriage。　If　your　strait　is　so　sore；　though　it　would　cut　me
to　the　heart；　perchance　it　is　better　that　you　should　die　and　go
whither　doubtless　he　whom　you　love　will　soon　follow　you。　Depart　now
and　counsel　with　Heaven　in　your　sleep。　To…morrow；　before　Upanqui
comes；　we　will　talk　again。'

〃So　I　knelt　and　kissed　the　hand　of　the　King；　my　father；　and　left　him；
wondering　at　his　nobleness　who　could　show　such　a　road　to　his　only
child；　though　its　treading　would　mean　woe　to　him　and　mayhap　the　ruin
of　his　hopes。　Still　that　road　is　an　old　one　among　the　women　of　my
people；　and　why　should　I　not　walk　it；　as　thousands　have　done　before
me？〃

〃How　came　you　here？〃　I　asked　hoarsely。

〃Lord；　I　guessed　that　you　would　be　walking　in　this　garden　which　joins
on　to　that　of　the　palace；　andnone　were　about；　andthe　door　in　the
wall　was　open。　Indeed；　it　was　almost　as　though　I　were　left　alone　and
unwatched　of　set　purpose。　So　I　came　and　soughtand　found；　having　a
question　to　put　to　you。〃

〃What　question；　Quilla？〃

〃This：　Shall　I　live　or　shall　I　die？　Speak　the　word　and　I　obey。　Yet　ere
you　speak；　remember　that　if　I　live　we　meet　for　the　last　time；　since
very　soon　I　go　hence　to　become　the　wife　of　Urco　and　play　the　part　that
is　prepared　for　me？〃

Now　when　I；　Hubert；　heard　these　words；　I　felt　as　though　my　heart　would
burst　within　my　breast　and　knew　not　what　to　say。　So　to　gain　time　I
asked　her：

〃Which　do　you　desireto　live　or　to　die？〃

She　laughed　a　little　as　she　answered：

〃That　is　a　strange　question；　Lord。　Have　I　not　told　you　that　if　I　live
I　must　do　so　befouled　as　one　of　Urco's　women；　whereas；　if　I　die；　I　die
clean　and　take　my　love　with　me　to　where　Urco　cannot　come；　but　where；
mayhap；　another　may　follow　at　the　appointed　time。〃

〃Which　time　would　be　very　soon；　I　think；　Quilla；　seeing　that　he　who
had　spoiled　all　this　pretty　plot　would　scarcely　be　left　long　upon　the
earth；　even　if　he　wished　to　stay　there。　Yet　I　say：　Do　not　dielive
on。〃

〃To　become　Urco's　woman！　That　is　strange　counsel　from　a　lover's　lips；
Lord；　such　as　would　scarcely　have　been　given　by　any　of　our　nobles。〃

〃Aye；　Quilla；　and　it　is　given　because　I　am　not　of　your　people　and　do
not　think　as　they　think；　who　reject　their　customs。　You　are　not　yet
Urco's　wife；　and　may　be　rid　of　him　by　other　paths　than　that　of　death；
but　from　the　grave　there　is　no　escape。〃

〃And　in　the　grave　there　is　no　more　fear；　Lord。　Thither　Urco　cannot
come；　there　are　neither　wars　nor　plottings；　there　honour　does　not
beckon　and　love　hold　back。　I　say　that　I　will　die　and　make　an　end；　as
for　like　causes　many　of　my　blood　have　done；　though　not　here　and　now。
When　I　am　about　to　be　delivered　to　Urco　then　I　will　die；　and　perchance
not　alone。　Perchance　he　will　accompany　me；〃　she　added　slowly。

〃And　if　this　happens；　what　shall　I　do？〃

〃Live　on；　Lord；　and　find　other　women　to　love　you；　as　a　god　should。
There　are　many　in　this　land　fairer　and　wiser　than　I；　and；　save　myself；
you　may　take　whom　you　will。〃

〃Listen；　Quilla。　I　have　a　story　to　tell　you。〃

Then；　as　briefly　as　I　could；　I　set　out　the　tale　of　Blanche　and　of　her
end；　while　she　hung　upon　my　every　word。

〃Oh！　I　grieve　for　you；〃　she　said；　when　I　had　finished。

〃You　grieve　for　me；　and　yet；　what　she　did　for　my　sake　you　would　do
also；　so　that；　as　it　were；　both　my　hands　must　be　dyed　with　blood。　This
first　terror　I　have　borne；　but　if　a　second　falls　upon　me　then　I　know
that　I　shall　go　mad　and　perish　in　this　way　or　in　that；　and　you；
Quilla；　will　be　my　murderess。〃

〃No；　no；　not　that！〃　she　murmured。

〃Then　swear　to　me　by　your　god　and　by　your　spirit；　that　you　will　do
yourself　no　harm；　whatever　chances；　and　that　if　die　you　must；　it　shall
be　with　me　for　company。〃

〃Is　your　love　so　great　that　you　would　dare　this　for　my　sake；　Lord？〃

〃I　think　so；　though　not　till　all　else　had　failed。　I　think　that　if　you
were　taken　from　me；　Quilla；　I　could　not　live　on　here　in　loneliness　and
exilehowever　great　the　sin。　But　do　you　swear？〃

〃Aye；　Love　and　Lord；　I　swear；　for　your　sake。　Moreover；　I　add　to　the
oath。　If　perhaps　we　should　escape　these　perils　and　come　together；　I
will　be　such　a　wife　to　you　as　never　man　has　had。　I　will　wrap　you　round
with　love　and　lift　you　up　to　be　a　king；　that　you　may　live　in　glory
forgetting　your　home　across　the　sea；　and　all　the　sorrows　that　befell
you　there。　Children　you　shall　have　also　of　whom　you　need　not　be
ashamed；　though　my　dark　blood　runs　in　them；　and　armies　at　command　and
palaces　filled　with　gold；　and　all　royal　joys。　And　if　perchance　the
gods　declare　against　us；　and　we　pass　from　the　world　together；　then　I
think；　oh！　then　I　think　that　I　shall　give　you　finer　gifts　than　these；
though　what　they　are　I　know　not　yet；　since　to　the　power　of　love　there
is　no　endhere　on　earth　or　yonder　in　the　skies。〃

I　stared　at　her　face　in　the　starlight；　and　oh！　it　had　grown　splendid。
No　longer　was　it　that　of　a　woman；　since　through　it；　like　light　through
pearl；　shone　a　soul　divine。　It　might　have　been　a　goddess　who　stood
beside　me；　for　those　eyes　were　holy　and　her　embrace　that　wrapped　me
close　was　not　that　of　the　flesh　alone。

〃I　must　be　gone；〃　she　whispered；　〃but　now　I　go　without　fear。　Perchance
we　may　not　speak　again　for　long；　but　trust　me　always。　Play　your　part
and　I　will　play　mine。　Follow　me　wherever　I　am　taken　and　keep　near　to
me；　if　you　may；　as　ever　my　spirit　shall　be　near　to　you。　Then　what
matters　anything；　even　if　we　are　slain？　Farewell；　beloved；　kiss　me　and
farewell。〃

Another　moment　and　she　had　glided　away　and　was　lost　in　the　shadows。



She　was　gone；　and　I　stood　amazed　and　overcome。　Oh！　what　a　love　it　was
that　this　alien　woman　had　given　to　me　and　how　could　I　be　worthy　of　it？
Now　I　forgot　my　griefs；　now　I　no　longer　mourned　because　I　was　an
outcast　who　nevermore　might　look　upon　the　land　where　I　was　born；　nor
see　the　face　of　one　my　own　race　or　blood。　All　my　loss　was　paid　back　to
me　again　and　yet　again；　in　the　coin　of　the　glory　of　this　woman　whom　I
had　won。　Dangers　rose　about　us；　but　I　feared　them　no　more；　because　I
knew　that　her　love's　conquering　feet　would　stamp　them　flat　and　lead　me
safe　to　a　joyful　treasure…house　of　splendour　of　spirit　and　of　body
where　we　should　dwell　side　by　side；　triumphant　and　unafraid。

Whilst　I　thought　thus；　lost　in　a　rapture　such　as　I　had　not　felt　since
Blanche　kissed　me