the virgin of the sun-第43章

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thank　you；　Curaca；　but　I　will　not　stop　for　any　feasting　who　desire　to
be　back　at　my　camp　before　dark；　since　who　knows　what　may　happen　to　one
in　the　dark　in　a　strange　country？〃

Then　at　last　Huaracha　grew　angry。

〃Be　it　as　you　will；　O　Inca；〃　he　said；　〃but　know　that　you　offer　me　a
threefold　insult。　First　you　refuse　the　feast　that　has　been　made　ready
for　you　whereat　you　were　to　meet　all　the　notables　of　my　kingdom。
Secondly；　you　give　me；　who　am　a　king；　the　title　of　a　petty　chief　who
owns　your　rule。　Thirdly；　you　throw　doubts　upon　my　honour；　hinting　that
I　may　cause　you　to　be　murdered　in　the　dark。　Now　I　am　minded　to　say　to
you；　'Begone　from　my　poor　country；　Lord　Inca；　in　safety；　but　leave　my
daughter　behind　you。'〃

Now　at　these　words；　I；　Hubert；　saw　the　fires　of　hope　burn　up　in　the
large　eyes　of　Quilla；　as　they　did　in　my　own　heart；　for　might　they　not
mean　that　she　would　escape　from　Urco　after　all？　But；　alas；　they　were
extinguished　like　a　brand　that　is　dipped　in　water。

〃Tush；　tush！〃　said　the　old　dotard；　〃what　a　fire…eater　are　you；　friend
Huaracha。　Know　that　I　never　care　to　eat；　except　at　night；　also　that
the　chill　of　the　air　after　my　father　the　Sun　has　set　makes　my　bones
ache；　and　as　for　titlestake　any　one　you　like；　except　that　of　Inca。〃

〃Mayhap　that　is　the　one　I　shall　take　before　all　is　done；〃　broke　in　the
furious　Huaracha；　who　would　not　be　quieted　by　the　councillors
whispering　in　his　ears。

It　was　at　this　moment　that　the　minister　and　high…priest；　Larico；　who
had　been　noting　all　that　passed　with　an　impassive　face；　said　coldly：

〃Be　not　wroth；　O　King　Huaracha；　and　lay　not　too　much　weight　upon　the
idle　words　of　the　glorious　Inca；　since　even　the　gods　will　doze　at
times　when　they　are　weighed　down　by　the　cares　of　empire。　No　affront
was　meant　to　you　and　least　of　all　does　the　Inca　or　any　one　of　us；
dream　that　you　would　tarnish　your　honour　by　offering　violence　to　your
guests　by　day　or　by　night。　Yet　know　this；　that　if；　after　all　that　has
been　sworn；　you　withhold　your　daughter；　the　lady　Quilla；　from　the
house　of　Urco　who　is　her　lord　to　be；　it　will　breed　instant　war；　since
as　soon　as　word　of　it　comes　to　Cuzco；　which　will　be　within　twenty
hours；　for　messengers　wait　all　along　the　road；　the　great　armies　of　the
Inca　that　are　gathered　there　will　begin　to　move。　Judge；　then；　if　you
have　the　strength　to　withstand　them；　and　choose　whether　you　will　live
on　in　glory　and　honour；　or　bring　yourself　to　death　and　your　people　to
slavery。　Now；　King　Huaracha；　speaking　on　behalf　of　Urco；　who　within
some　few　moons　will　be　Inca；　I　ask　youwill　you　suffer　the　lady
Quilla　to　journey　with　us　to　Cuzco　and　thereby　proclaim　peace　between
our　peoples　or　will　you　keep　her　here　against　your　oath　and　hers；　and
thereby　declare　war？〃

Huaracha　sat　silent；　lost　in　thought；　and　the　old　Inca　Upanqui　began
to　babble　again；　saying：

〃Very　well　put；　I　could　not　have　said　it　better　myself；　indeed；　I　did
say　it；　for　this　coxcomb　of　a　Larico；　who　thinks　himself　so　clever
just　because　I　made　him　high…priest　of　the　Sun　under　me　and　he　is　of
my　blood；　is　after　all　nothing　but　the　tongue　in　my　mouth。　You　don't
really　want　to　die；　Huaracha；　do　you；　after　seeing　most　of　your　people
killed　and　your　country　wasted？　For　you　know　that　is　what　must　happen。
If　you　do　not　send　your　daughter　as　you　promised；　within　a　few　hours　a
hundred　thousand　men　will　be　marching　on　you　and　another　hundred
thousand　gathering　behind　them。　Anyhow；　please　make　up　your　mind　one
way　or　another；　as　I　wish　to　leave　this　place。〃

Huaracha　thought　on　awhile。　Then　he　descended　from　his　throne　and
beckoned　to　Quilla。　She　came　and　he　led　her　towards　the　back　part　of
the　pavilion　behind　and　a　little　to　the　left　of　the　chair　on　which　I
sat　where　none　could　hear　their　talk　save　me；　of　whom　he　seemed　to
take　no　note；　perhaps　because　he　had　forgotten　me；　or　perhaps　because
he　desired　that　I　should　know　all。

〃Daughter；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃what　word？　Before　you　answer
remember　that　if　I　refuse　to　send　you；　now　for　the　first　time　I　break
my　oath。〃

〃Of　such　oaths　I　think　little；〃　answered　Quilla。　〃Yet　of　another　thing
I　think　much。　Tell　me；　my　father；　if　the　Inca　declares　war　and　attacks
us；　can　we　withstand　his　armies？〃

〃No；　Daughter；　not　until　the　Yuncas　join　us　for　we　lack　sufficient
men。　Moreover；　we　are　not　ready；　nor　shall　be　for　another　two　moons；
or　more。〃

〃Then　it　stands　thus；　Father。　If　I　do　not　go　the　war　will　begin；　and
if　I　do　go　it　seems　that　it　will　be　staved　off　until　you　are　ready；　or
perhaps　for　always；　because　I　shall　be　the　peace…offering　and　it　will
be　thought　that　I；　your　heiress；　take　your　kingdom　as　my　marriage
portion　to　be　joined　to　that　of　the　Incas　at　your　death。　Is　it　thus？〃

〃It　is；　Quilla。　Only　then　you　will　work　to　bring　it　about　that　the
Land　of　the　Incas　shall　be　joined　to　the　Land　of　the　Chancas；　and　not
that　of　the　Chancas　to　that　of　the　Incas；　so　that　in　a　day　to　come　as
Queen　of　the　Chancas　you　shall　reign　over　both　of　them　and　your
children　after　you。〃

Now　I；　Hubert；　watching　Quilla　out　of　the　corners　of　my　eyes；　saw　her
turn　pale　and　tremble。

〃Speak　not　to　me　of　children；〃　she　said；　〃for　I　think　that　there　will
be　none；　and　talk　not　of　future　glories；　since　for　these　I　care
nothing。　It　is　for　our　people　that　I　care。　You　swear　to　me　that　if　I
do　not　go　your　armies　will　be　defeated　and　that　those　who　escape　the
spear　will　be　enslaved？〃

〃Aye；　I　swear　it　by　the　Moon　your　mother；　also　that　I　will　die　with　my
soldiers。〃

〃Yet　if　I　go　I　leave　behind　me　that　which　I　love；〃　here　she　glanced
towards　me；　〃and　give　myself　to　shame；　which　is　worse　than　death。　Is
that　your　desire；　my　father？〃

〃That　is　not　my　desire。　Remember；　Daughter；　that　you　were　party　to
this　plan；　aye；　that　it　sprang　from　your　far…seeing　mind。　Still；　now
that　your　heart　has　changed；　I　would　not　hold　you　to　your　bargain；　who
desire　most　of　all　things　to　see　you　happy　at　my　side。　Choose；
therefore；　and　I　obey。　On　your　head　be　it。〃

〃What　shall　I　say；　O　Lord；　whom　I　saved　from　the　sea？〃　asked　Quilla　in
a　piercing　whisper；　but　without　turning　her　head　towards　me。

Now　an　agony　took　hold　of　me　for　I　knew　that　what　I　bade　her；　that　she
would　say；　and　that　perchance　upon　my　answer　hung　the　fate　of　all　this
great　Chanca　people。　If　she　went　they　would　be　saved；　if　she　remained
perchance　she　would　be　my　wife　if　only　for　a　while。　For　the　Chancas　I
cared　nothing　and　for　the　Quichuas　I　cared　nothing；　but　Quilla　was　all
that　remained　to　me　in　the　world　and　if　she　went；　it　was　to　another
man。　I　would　bid　her　bide。　And　yetand　yet　if　her　case　were　mine　and
the　fate　of　England　hung　upon　my　breath；　what　then？

〃Be　swift；〃　she　whispered　again。

Then　I　spoke；　or　something　spoke　through　me；　saying：

〃Do　what　honour　bids　you；　O　Daughter　of　the　Moon；　for　what　is　love
without　honour？　Perchance　both　shall　still　be　yours　at　last。〃

〃I　thank　you；　Lord；　whose　heart　speaks　as　my　heart；〃　she　whispered　for
the　third　time；　then　lifting　her　head　and　looking　Huaracha　in　the
eyes；　said：

〃Father；　I　go；　but　that　I　will　wed　this　Urco　I　do　not　promise。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VII

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　RETURN　OF　KARI

So　Quilla；　seated　in　a　golden　litter　and　accompanied　by　maidens　as
became　her　rank；　soon　was　borne　away　in　the　train　of　the　Inca　Upanqui；
leaving　me　desolate。　Before　she　went；　under　pretence　of　bidding　me
farewell；　none　denying　her；　she　gained　private　speech　with　me　for　a
little　while。

〃Lord　and　Lover；〃　she　said；　〃I　go　to　what　fate　I　know　not；　leaving　you
to　what　fate　I　know　not；　and　as　your　lips　have　said；　it　is　right　that
I　should　go。　Now　I　have　something　to　ask　of　youthat　you　will　not
follow　me　as　it　is　in　your　heart　to　do。　But　last　night　I　prayed　of　you
to　dog　my　steps　and　wherever　I　might　go　to　keep　close　to　me；　that　the
knowledge　of　your　presence　might　be　my　comfort。　Now　my　mind　is
different。　If　I　must　be　married　to　this　Urco；　I　would　not　have　you　see
me　in　my　shame。　And　if　I　escape　marriage　you　cannot　help　me；　since　I
may　only　do　so　by　death　or　by　taking　refuge　where　you　cannot　come。
Also　I　have　another　reason。〃

〃What　reason；　Quilla？〃　I　asked。

〃This：　I　as