the virgin of the sun-第41章

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He　laughed；　and　turning　to　the　two　soldiers；　who　also　were　staring　at
my　mail　and　sword；　bade　them　go。　When　the　heavy　door　had　shut　behind
them　and　we　were　quite　alone；　he　said：

〃My　lord　Hurachi；　I　have　heard　from　my　daughter　how　she　found　you　in
the　sea；　a　story　indeed。　I　have　also　heard；　or　guessed；　it　matters　not
which；　that　her　heart　has　turned　towards　you；　as　is　not　strange；
seeing　the　manner　of　man　you　are；　if　indeed　you　be　not　more　than　man；
and　that　women　are　ever　prone　to　love　those　whom　they　think　they　have
saved。　Is　this　true；　my　lord　Hurachi？〃

〃Ask　of　the　Lady　Quilla；　O　King。〃

〃Mayhap　I　have　asked　and　at　last　it　seems　that　you　make　no　denial。　Now
hearken；　my　lord　Hurachi。　You　are　my　honoured　guest　and　save　one
thing；　all　I　have　is　yours；　but　you　must　talk　no　more　alone　with　the
lady　Quilla　in　gardens　at　night。〃

Now；　making　no　attempt　to　deny　or　explain　which　I　saw　would　be
useless；　since　he　knew　it　all；　I　asked　boldly：

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　thought　that　perchance　my　daughter　had　told　you；　Lord　Hurachi；　but
if　you　desire　to　hear　it　from　my　own　lips　also；　for　this　reason。　The
lady　Quilla　is　promised　in　marriage　and　if　she　lives　that　promise　must
be　fulfilled；　since　on　it　hangs　the　fate　of　nations。　Therefore；　it　is；
although　to　grieve　to　part　such　a　pair；　that　you　and　she　must　meet　no
more　in　gardens　or　elsewhere。　Know　that　if　you　do；　you　will　bring
about　her　death　and　your　own；　if　gods　can　die。〃

Now　I　thought　awhile　and　answered：

〃These　are　heavy　words；　King　Huaracha；　seeing　that　I　will　not　hide
from　you　that　I　love　your　daughter　well　and　that　she；　who　is　great…
hearted；　loves　me　well　and　desires　me　for　her　husband。〃

〃I　know　it　and　I　grieve　for　both　of　you；〃　he　said　courteously。

〃King　Huaracha；〃　I　went　on；　〃I　see　that　you　are　a　soldier　and　the　lord
of　armies；　and　it　has　come　into　my　mind　that　perchance　you　dream　of
war。〃

〃The　gods　see　far；　White　Lord。〃

〃Now　god　or　man；　I　also　am　a　soldier；　King；　and　I　know　arts　of　battle
which　perhaps　are　hidden　from　you　and　your　people；　also　I　cannot　be
harmed　by　weapons　because　of　magic　armour　that　I　wear；　and　none　can
stand　before　me　in　fight　because　of　this　magic　sword　I　carry；　and　I
can　direct　battles　with　a　general's　mind。　In　a　great　war；　King；　I
might　be　useful　to　you　were　I　the　husband　of　your　daughter　and
therefore　your　son　and　friend；　and　perchance　by　my　skill　make　the
difference　to　you　and　your　nation　between　victory　and　defeat。〃

〃Doubtless　this　is　so；　O　Son…of…the…Sea。〃

〃In　the　same　fashion；　King；　were　I　upon　the　side　of　your　enemies；　to
them　I　might　bring　victory　and　to　you　defeat。　Whom　do　you　desire　that
I　should　serve；　you　or　them？〃

〃I　desire　that　you　should　serve　me；〃　he　replied　with　eagerness。　〃Do　so
and　all　the　wealth　of　this　land　shall　be　yours；　with　the　rule　of　my
armies　under　me。　You　shall　have　palaces　and　fields　and　gold　and
silver；　and　the　fairest　of　its　daughters　for　wives；　and　be　worshipped
as　a　god；　and　for　aught　I　know；　be　king　after　me；　not　only　of　my
country　but　mayhap　of　another　that　is　even　greater。〃

〃It　is　a　good　offer；　King；　but　not　enough。　Give　me　your　daughter；
Quilla；　and　you　may　keep　all　the　rest。〃

〃White　Lord；　I　cannot；　since　to　do　so　I　must　break　my　word。〃

〃Then；　King；　I　cannot　serve　you；　and　unless　you　kill　me　firstif　you
are　ableI　will　be；　not　your　friend；　but　your　enemy。〃

〃Can　a　god　be　killed；　and　if　so　can　a　guest　be　killed？　Lord；　you　know
that　he　cannot。　Yet　he　can　remain　a　guest。　To　my　country　you　have
come；　Lord；　and　in　my　country　you　shall　stay；　unless　you　have　wings
beneath　that　silver　coat。　Quilla　goes　hence　but　here　you　bide；　my　lord
Hurachi。〃

〃Perchance　I　shall　find　the　wings；〃　I　answered。

〃Aye；　Lord；　for　it　is　said　that　the　dead　fly；　and　if　I　may　not　kill
you；　others　may。　Therefore　my　counsel　to　you　is　to　stay　here；　taking
such　things　as　my　poor　country　can　give　you；　and　not　to　try　to　follow
the　moon　（by　this　he　meant　Quilla）　to　the　golden　city　of　Cuzco；　which
henceforth　must　be　her　home。〃

Now　having　no　more　to　say；　since　war　had　been　declared　between　us；　as
it　were；　I　rose　to　bid　this　king　farewell。　He　also　rose；　then；　as
though　struck　by　a　sudden　thought；　said　that　he　desired　to　speak　with
my　servant；　Zapana；　he　whom　the　lady　Quilla　had　found　with　me　in　the
island　of　the　sea。　I　replied　that　he　could　not　since　Zapana　had
vanished；　I　knew　not　where。

At　this　intelligence　he　appeared　to　be　disturbed　and　was　beginning　to
question　me　somewhat　sternly　as　to　who　Zapana　might　be　and　how　I　had
first　come　into　his　company；　when　the　door　of　the　room　opened　and
through　it　Quilla　entered　even　more　gorgeously　robed　and　looking
lovelier　than　ever　I　had　seen　her。　She　bowed；　first　to　the　King　and
then　to　me；　saying：

〃Lord　and　Father；　I　come　to　tell　you　that　the　Inca　Upanqui　draws　near
with　his　princes　and　captains。〃

〃Is　it　so；　Daughter？〃　he　answered。　〃Then　make　your　farewell　here　and
now　to　this　White…Son…of…the…Sea；　since　it　is　my　will　that　you　depart
with　Upanqui　who　comes　to　escort　you　to　Cuzco；　the　City　of　the　Sun；
there　to　be　given　as　wife　to　the　prince　Urco；　son　of　the　Sun；　who　will
sit　on　the　Inca's　throne。〃

〃I　make　my　farewell　to　the　lord　Hurachi　as　you　command；〃　she　answered；
curtseying　；　and　in　a　very　quiet　voice；　〃but　know；　my　father；　that　I
love　this　White　Lord　as　he　loves　me；　and　that　therefore；　although　I
may　be　given　to　the　Prince　Urco；　as　a　gold　cup　is　given；　never　shall
he　drink　from　the　cup　and　never　will　I　be　his　wife。〃

〃You　have　courage；　Daughter；　and　I　like　courage；〃　said　Huaracha。　〃For
the　rest；　settle　the　matter　as　you　will　and　if　you　can　slip　from　the
coils　of　this　snake　of　an　Urco　unpoisoned；　do　so；　since　my　bargain　is
fulfilled　and　my　honour　satisfied。　Only　hither　you　shall　not　return　to
the　lord　Hurachi；　nor　shall　the　lord　Hurachi　go　to　you　at　Cuzco。〃

〃That　shall　be　as　the　gods　decree；　my　father；　and　meanwhile　I　play　my
part　as　/you/　decree。　Lord　Hurachi；　fare　you　well　till　in　life　or
death　we　meet　again。〃

Then　she　bowed　to　me；　and　went；　and　presently　without　more　words　we
followed　after　her。



In　front　of　the　palace　there　was　a　great　square　of　open　ground
surrounded　by　houses；　except　towards　the　east；　and　on　this　square　was
marshalled　an　army　of　men　all　splendidly　arrayed　and　carrying　copper…
headed　spears。　In　front　of　these　was　pitched　a　great　pavilion　made　of
cloths　of　various　colours。　Here　King　Huaracha；　simply　dressed　in　a
robe　of　white　cotton　but　wearing　a　little　crown　of　gold　and　carrying　a
large　spear；　took　his　seat　upon　a　throne；　while　to　his　right；　on　a
smaller　throne；　sat　Quilla；　and　on　his　left　stood　yet　another　throne
ornamented　with　gold；　that　was　empty。　Between　the　throne　of　Huaracha
and　that　which　was　empty　stood　a　chair　covered　with　silver　on　which　I
was　bidden　to　take　my　seat；　so　placed　that　all　could　see　me；　while
behind　and　around　were　lords　and　generals。

Scarcely　were　we　arranged　when　from　the　dip　beyond　the　open　space
appeared　heralds　who　carried　spears　and　were　fantastically　dressed。
These　shouted　that　the　Inca　Upanqui；　the　Child　of　the　Sun；　the　god　who
ruled　the　earth；　drew　near。

〃Let　him　approach！〃　said　Huaracha　briefly；　and　they　departed。

Awhile　later　there　arose　a　sound　of　barbarous　music　and　of　chanting
and　from　the　dip　below　emerged　a　glittering　litter　borne　upon　the
shoulders　of　richly　clothed　men　all　of　whom；　I　was　told　afterwards；
were　princes　by　blood；　and　surrounded　by　beautiful　women　who　carried
jewelled　fans；　and　by　councillors。　It　was　the　litter　of　the　Inca
Upanqui；　and　after　it　marched　a　guard　of　picked　warriors；　perhaps
there　were　a　hundred　of　them；　not　more。

The　litter　was　set　down　in　front　of　the　throne；　gilded　curtains　were
drawn　and　out　of　it　came　a　man　whose　attire　dazzled　the　eyes。　It
seemed　to　consist　of　gold　and　precious　stones　sewn　on　to　a　mantle　of
crimson　wool。　He　wore　a　head…dress　also　of　as　many　colours　as　Joseph's
coat；　surmounted　by　two　feathers；　which　he　alone　might　bear；　from
which　head…dress　a　scarlet　fringe　that　was　made　of　tasselled　wool　hung
down　upon　his　forehead。　This　was　the　Inca's　crown；　even　to　touch　which
was　death；　and　its　name　was　/Lautu/。　He　was　a　very　old　man　for　his