the virgin of the sun-第42章

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was　death；　and　its　name　was　/Lautu/。　He　was　a　very　old　man　for　his
white　locks　and　beard　hung　down　upon　his　splendid　garments　and　he
supported　himself　upon　his　royal　staff　that　was　headed　by　a　great
emerald。　His　fine…cut　face　also；　though　still　kingly；　was　weak　with
age　and　his　eyes　were　blear。　At　the　sight　of　him　all　rose　and　Huaracha
descended　from　his　throne；　saying　in　a　loud　voice：

〃Welcome　to　the　land　of　the　Chancas；　O　Upanqui；　Inca　of　the　Quichuas。〃

The　old　monarch　eyed　him　for　a　moment；　then　answered　in　a　thin　voice：

〃Greeting　to　Huaracha；　/Curaca/　of　the　Chancas。〃

Huaracha　bowed　and　said：

〃I　thank　you；　but　here　among　my　own　people　my　title　is　not　/Curaca/；
but　King；　O　Inca。〃

Upanqui　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height　and　replied：

〃The　Incas　know　no　kings　throughout　the　land　of　Tavantinsuyu　save
themselves；　O　Huaracha。〃

〃Be　it　so；　O　Inca；　yet　the　Chancas；　who　are　unconquered；　know　a　king；
and　I　am　he。　I　pray　you　be　seated；　O　Inca。〃

Upanqui　stood　still　for　a　moment　frowning；　and；　as　I　thought；　was
about　to　make　some　short　answer；　when　suddenly　his　glance　fell　upon　me
and　changed　the　current　of　his　mind。

〃Is　that　the　White…god…from…the…Sea？〃　he　asked；　with　an　almost
childish　curiosity。　〃I　heard　that　he　was　here；　and　to　tell　the　truth
that　is　why　I　came；　just　to　look　at　him；　not　to　bandy　words　with　you；
O　Huaracha；　who　they　say　can　only　be　talked　to　with　a　spear　point。
What　a　red　beard　he　has　and　how　his　coat　shines。　Let　him　come　and
worship　me。〃

〃He　will　come；　but　I　do　not　think　that　he　will　worship。　They　say　he　is
a　god　himself；　O　Inca。〃

〃Do　they？　Well；　now　I　remember　there　are　strange　prophecies　about　a
white　god　who　should　rise　out　of　the　sea；　as　did　the　forefather　of　the
Incas。　They　say；　too；　that　this　god　shall　do　much　mischief　to　the　land
when　he　comes。　So　perhaps　he　had　better　not　draw　too　near　to　me；　for　I
like　not　the　look　of　that　great　big　sword　of　his。　By　the　Sun；　my
father；　he　is　tall　and　big　and　strong〃　（I　had　risen　from　my　chair）
〃and　his　beard　is　like　a　fire；　it　will　set　the　hearts　of　all　the　women
burning；　though　perhaps　if　he　is　a　god　he　does　not　care　for　women。　I
must　consult　my　magicians　about　it；　and　the　head　priest　of　the　Temple
of　the　Sun。　Tell　the　White　God　to　make　ready　to　return　with　me　to
Cuzco。〃

〃The　lord　Hurachi　is　my　guest；　O　Inca；　and　here　he　bides　with　me；〃
said　Huaracha。

〃Nonsense；　nonsense！　When　the　Inca　invites　any　one　to　his　court；　he
must　come。　But　enough　of　him　for　the　present。　I　came　here　to　talk　of
other　matters。　What　were　they？　Let　me　sit　down　and　think。〃

So　he　was　conducted　to　his　throne　upon　which　he　sat　trying　to　collect
his　mind；　which　I　saw　was　weak　with　age。　The　end　of　it　was　that　he
called　to　his　aid　a　stern…faced；　shifty…eyed；　middle…aged　minister；
whom　after　I　came　to　know　as　the　High…priest　Larico；　the　private
Councillor　of　himself　and　of　his　son；　Urco；　and　one　of　the　most
powerful　men　in　the　kingdom。　This　noble；　I　noted；　was　one　who　had　the
rank　of　an　Earman；　that　is；　he　wore　in　his　ear；　which　like　that　of
Kari　was　stretched　out　to　receive　it；　a　golden　disc　of　the　size　of　an
apple；　whereon　was　embossed　the　image　of　the　sun。

At　a　sign　and　a　word　from　his　dotard　master　this　Larico　began　to　speak
for　him　as　though　he　were　the　Inca　himself；　saying：

〃Hearken；　O　Huaracha。　I　have　undertaken　this　toilsome　journey；　the
last　I　shall　make　as　Inca；　for　be　it　known　to　you　that　I　purpose　to
divest　myself　of　the　royal　Fringe　in　favour　of　the　prince；　Urco；
begotten　to　me　in　the　body　and　of　the　Sun　in　spirit；　and　to　retire　to
end　my　days　in　peace　at　my　palace　of　Yucay；　waiting　there　patiently
until　it　pleases　my　father；　the　Sun；　to　take　me　to　his　bosom。〃

Here　Larico　paused　to　allow　this　great　news　to　sink　into　the　minds　of
his　hearers；　and　I　thought　to　myself　that　when　I　died　I　would　choose
to　be　gathered　to　any　bosom　rather　than　to　that　of　the　Sun；　which　put
me　in　mind　of　hell。　Then　he　went　on：

〃Rumours　have　reached　me；　the　Inca；　that　you；　Huaracha；　Chief　of　the
Chancas；　are　making　ready　to　wage　war　upon　my　empire。　It　was　to　test
these　rumours；　although　I　did　not　believe　them；　that　awhile　ago　I　sent
an　embassy　to　ask　your　only　child；　the　lady　Quilla；　in　marriage　to　the
prince　Urco；　promising；　since　he　has　no　sister　whom　he　may　wed　and
since　on　the　mother's　side　she；　your　daughter；　has　the　holy　Inca　blood
in　her　veins；　that　she　should　become　his　/Coya/；　or　Queen；　and　the
mother　of　him　who　shall　succeed　to　the　throne。〃

〃The　embassy　came；　and　received　my　answer；　O　Inca；〃　said　Huaracha。

〃Yes；　and　the　answer　was　that　the　lady　Quilla　should　be　given　in
marriage　to　the　Prince　Urco；　but　as　she　was　absent　on　a　visit；　this
could　not　happen　until　she　returned。　But　since　then；　O　Huaracha；　more
rumours　have　reached　me　that　you　still　prepare　for　war　and　seek　to
make　alliances　among　my　subjects；　tempting　them　to　rebel　against　me。
Therefore　I　am　here　myself　to　lead　away　the　lady　Quilla　and　to　deliver
her　to　the　Prince　Urco。〃

〃Why　did　not　the　Prince　Urco　come　in　person；　O　Inca？〃

〃For　this　reason；　Huaracha；　from　whom　I　desire　to　hide　nothing。　If　the
Prince　had　come；　you　might　have　set　a　trap　for　him　and　killed　him；　who
is　the　hope　of　the　Empire。〃

〃So　I　might　for　you；　his　father；　O　Inca。〃

〃Aye；　I　know　it；　but　what　would　that　avail　you　while　the　Prince　sits
safe　at　Cuzco　ready　to　assume　the　Fringe？　Also　I　am　old　and　care　not
when　or　how　I　die；　whose　work　is　done。　Moreover；　few　would　desire　to
anger　the　gods　by　the　murder　of　an　aged　guest；　and　therefore　I　visit
you　sitting　here　in　the　midst　of　your　armies　with　but　a　handful　of
followers；　trusting　to　your　honour　and　to　my　father　the　Sun　to　protect
me。　Now　answer　mewill　you　give　the　hand　of　your　daughter　to　my　son
and　thereby　make　alliance　with　me；　or　will　you　wage　war　upon　my　empire
and　be　destroyed；　you　and　your　people　together？〃

Here　Upanqui；　who　hitherto　had　been　listening　in　silence　to　the　words
of　Larico；　spoken　on　his　behalf；　broke　in；　saying：

〃Yes；　yes；　that　is　right；　only　make　him　understand　that　the　Inca　will
be　his　over…lord；　since　the　Inca　can　have　no　rivals　in　all　the　land。〃

〃My　answer　is；〃　said　Huaracha；　〃that　I　will　give　my　daughter　in
marriage　as　I　have　promised；　but　that　the　Chancas　are　a　free　people
and　accept　no　over…lord。〃

〃Foolishness；　foolishness！〃　said　Upanqui。　〃As　well　might　the　tree　say
that　it　would　not　bend　before　the　wind。　However；　you　can　settle　that
matter　afterwards　with　Urco；　and　indeed　with　your　daughter；　who　will
be　his　queen　and　is　your　heiress；　for　I　understand　you　have　no　other
lawful　child。　Why　talk　of　war　and　other　troubles　when　thus　your
kingdom　falls　to　us　by　marriage？　Now　let　me　see　this　lady　Quilla　who
is　to　become　my　daughter。〃

Huaracha；　who　had　listened　to　all　this　babble　with　a　stern　set　face；
turned　to　Quilla　and　made　a　sign。　She　descended　from　her　chair　and
advancing；　stood　before　the　Inca；　a　vision　of　splendour　and　of　beauty；
and　bowed　to　him。　He　stared　at　her　awhile；　as　did　all　his　company；
then　said：

〃So　you　are　the　lady　Quilla。　A　fair　woman；　a　very　fair　woman；　and　a
proud；　one　who　ought　to　be　able　to　lead　Urco　aright　if　any　one　can。
Well　named；　too；　after　the　moon；　for　the　moonlight　seems　to　shine　in
your　eyes；　Lady　Quilla。　Indeed　and　indeed　were　I　but　a　score　of　years
younger　I　should　tell　Urco　to　seek　another　queen　and　keep　you　for
myself。〃

Then　Quilla　spoke　for　the　first　time；　saying：

〃Be　it　as　you　will；　O　Inca。　I　am　promised　in　marriage　to　the　Child　of
the　Sun　and　which　child　is　nothing　to　me。〃

〃Well　said；　Lady　Quilla；　and　why　should　I　wonder？　Though　I　grow　old
they　tell　me　that　I　am　still　handsome；　a　great　deal　better　looking
than　Urco；　in　fact；　who　is　a　rough　man　and　of　a　coarser　type。　You　ask
my　wives　when　you　come　to　Cuzco；　one　of　them　told　me　the　other　day
that　there　was　no　one　so　handsome　in　the　whole　city；　and　earned　a
beautiful　present　for　her　pretty　speech。　What　is　it　you　say；　Larico？
Why　are　you　always　interfering　with　me？　Well；　perhaps　you　are　right；
and；　Lady　Quilla；　if　you　are　ready；　it　is　time　to　start。　No；　no；　I
thank　you；　Curaca；　but　I　will　not　stop　for　any　feasting　who　desire　to
be　back　at　my　camp　be