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第40章

the virgin of the sun-第40章

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Whilst I thought thus; lost in a rapture such as I had not felt since
Blanche kissed me at the mouth of the Hastings cave after I had killed
the three Frenchmen with as many arrows from my black bow; I heard a
sound and looked up to see a man standing before me。

〃Who is it?〃 I asked; grasping my sword; for his face was hidden in
the shadows。

〃I;〃 answered a voice which I knew to be that of Kari。

〃Then how did you come here? I saw no one pass the open ground。〃

〃Master; you are not the only one who loves to walk in gardens in the
quiet of the night。 I was here before yourself; behind yonder tree;〃
and he pointed to a palm not three paces distant。

〃Then; Kari; you must have seen〃

〃Yes; Master; I saw and heard; not everything; because there came a
point at which I shut my eyes and stopped my ears; but still much。〃

〃I am minded to kill you; Kari;〃 I said between my teeth; 〃who play
the spy upon me。〃

〃I guessed it would be so; Master;〃 he replied in his gentlest voice;
〃and for that reason; as you will notice; I am standing out of reach
of your sword。 You wonder why I am here。 I will tell you。 It is not
from any desire to watch your love…makings which weary me; who have
seen such before; but rather that I might find secrets; of which love
is always the loser; and those secrets I have learned。 How could I
have come by them otherwise; Master?〃

〃Surely you deserve to die;〃 I exclaimed furiously。

〃I think not; Master。 But listen and judge for yourself。 I have told
you something of my story; now you shall hear more; after which we
will talk of what I do or do not deserve。 I am the eldest son of the
Inca Upanqui; and Urco; of whom you have been talking is my younger
brother。 But Upanqui; our father; loved Urco's mother while mine he
did not love; and swore to her before she died that against right and
law; Urco; her son; should be Inca after him。 Therefore he hated me
because I stood in Urco's path; therefore too many troubles befell me;
and I was given over into Urco's hand; so that he took my wife and
tried to poison me; and the rest you know。 Now it was needful to me to
learn how things went; and for this reason I listened to the talk
between you and a certain lady。 It told me that Upanqui; my father;
comes here to…morrow; which indeed I knew already; and much else that
I had not heard。 This being so I must vanish away; since doubtless
Upanqui or his councillors would know me again; and as they are all of
them friends of Urco; perhaps I should taste more poison and of a
stronger sort。〃

〃Whither will you vanish; Kari?〃

〃I know not; Master; or if I know; I will not say; who have but just
been taught afresh how secrets can pass from ear to ear。 I must lie
hid; that is enough。 Yet do not think that therefore I shall desert
youI; while I live; will watch over you; a stranger in my country;
as you watched over me when I was a stranger in your England。〃

〃I thank you;〃 I answered; 〃and certainly you watch welltoo well;
sometimes; as I have found to…night。〃

〃You think it pleases me to spy upon you and a certain lady;〃 went on
Kari with an unruffled voice; 〃but it is not so。 What I do is for good
reasons; amongst others that I may protect you both; and if I can;
bring about what you desire。 That lady has a great heart; as I learned
but now; and after all you did well to love her; as she does well to
love you。 Therefore; although the dangers are so many; if I am able; I
will help you in your love and bring you together; yes; and save her
from the arms of Urco。 Nay; ask me not how; for I do not know; and the
case seems desperate。〃

〃But if you go; what shall I do alone?〃 I asked; alarmed。

〃Bide here; I think; Lord; giving it out that your servant Zapana has
deserted you。 Indeed it seems that this you must do; since the king of
this country will scarcely suffer you to be the companion of his
daughter upon her marriage journey to Cuzco; even if Upanqui so
desires。 Nor would it be wise; for if he did; misfortune might befall
you on the road。 There are some women; Lord; who cannot keep their
love out of their eyes; and henceforward there will be plenty to watch
the eyes and hearken to the most secret sighings of one of the
greatest of them。 Now farewell until I come to you again or send
others on my behalf。 Trust me; I pray you; since to whomever else I
may seem false; to you I am true; yes; to you and to another because
she has become a part of you。〃

Then before I could answer; Kari took my hand and touched it with his
lips。 Another moment and I had lost sight of him in the shadows。



                              CHAPTER VI

                              THE CHOICE

That night I slept but ill who was overwhelmed with all that had
befallen me of good and evil。 I had gained a wondrous love; but she
who gave it was; it seemed; about to be lost to me; aye; and to be
thrown to another whom she hated; to forward the dark policies of a
great and warlike people。 I had spoken to her with high words of hope;
but of it in my heart there was little。 She would follow what she held
to be her duty to the end; and that end; if she kept her promise and
did not die as she desired to dowasthe arms of Urco。 From these I
could see no escape for her; and the thought maddened me。 Moreover;
Kari was gone leaving me utterly alone among these strangers; and
whether he would return again I did not know。 Oh! almost I wished that
I were dead。

The morning broke at last and I arose and called for Zapana。 Then came
others who said that my servant; Zapana; could not be found; whereat I
affected surprise and anger。 Still these others waited on me well
enough; and I rose and ate in pomp and luxury。 Scarcely had I finished
my meal than there appeared heralds who summoned me to the presence of
the king Huaracha。

I went; borne in a litter; although an arrow from my black bow would
have flown from door to door。 At the portal of the palace; which was
like others I had seen; only finer; I was met by soldiers and gaily
dressed servants and led across a courtyard within; which I could see
was prepared for some ceremony; to a small chamber on the further
side。 Here; when my eyes grew accustomed to the half…darkness; I
perceived a man of some sixty years of age; and behind him two
soldiers。 At once I noted that everything about this man was plain and
simple; the chamber; which was little more than four whitewashed walls
with a floor of stone; the stool he sat on; even his apparel。 Here
were no gold or silver or broidered cloths; or gems; or other rich and
costly things such as these people love; but rather those that are
suited to a soldier。 A soldier he looked indeed; being burly and broad
and scarred upon his homely face; in which gleamed eyes that were
steady and piercing。

As I entered; the king Huaracha; for it was he; rose from his stool
and bowed to me; and I bowed back to him。 Then he motioned to one of
the soldiers to give me another stool; upon which I sat myself; and
speaking in a strong; low voice; using that tongue which Kari had
taught me; said:

〃Greeting; White…God…from…the…Sea; or golden…bearded man named the
lord Hurachi; I know not which; of whom I have heard so much and whom
I am glad to behold in my poor city。 Say; can you understand my talk?〃

Thus he spoke; searching me with his eyes; though all the while I
perceived that they rested rather on my armour and the great sword;
Wave…Flame; than on my face。

I gave him back his greeting and answered that I understood the tongue
he used though not so very well; whereon he began to speak about the
armour and the sword; which puzzled him who had never seen steel。

〃Make me some like them;〃 he said; 〃and I will give you ten times
their weight in gold; which; after all; is of no use since with it one
cannot kill enemies。〃

〃In my country with it one can corrupt them;〃 I answered; 〃or buy them
to be friends。〃

〃So you have a country;〃 he interrupted shrewdly。 〃I thought that the
gods had none。〃

〃Even the gods live somewhere;〃 I replied。

He laughed; and turning to the two soldiers; who also were staring at
my mail and sword; bade them go。 When the heavy doo

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