the virgin of the sun-第44章

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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　ask　that　you　will　stop　with　my　father　and　give　him　your　help
in　the　war　that　must　come。　I　would　see　this　Urco　crushed；　but　without
that　help　I　am　sure　that　the　Chancas　and　the　Yuncas　are　too　weak　to
overthrow　the　Inca　might。　Remember　that　if　I　escape　marriage　thus　only
can　you　hope　to　win　me；　namely；　by　the　defeat　and　death　of　Urco。　Say；
then；　that　you　will　stay　here　and　help　to　lead　the　Chanca　armies；　and
say　it　swiftly；　since　that　dotard；　Upanqui；　frets　to　be　gone。　Hark！
his　messengers　call　and　search；　my　women　can　hold　them　back　no　more。〃

〃I　will　stay；〃　I　answered　hoarsely。

〃I　thank　you；　and　now　farewell；　till　in　life　or　death　we　meet　again。
Thoughts　come　to　my　mind　which　I　have　no　time　to　utter。〃

〃To　mine　also；　Quilla；　and　here　is　one　of　them。　You　know　the　man　who
was　with　me　on　the　island。　Well；　he　is　more　than　he　seems。〃

〃So　I　guessed；　but　where　is　he　now？〃

〃In　hiding；　Quilla。　If　you　should　chance　to　find　him；　bear　in　mind
that　he　is　an　enemy　of　Urco　and　one　not　friendless；　also　that　he　loves
me　after　his　fashion。　Trust　him；　I　pray　you。　Urco　is　not　the　only　one
of　the　Inca　blood；　Quilla。〃

She　glanced　at　me　quickly　and　nodded　her　head。　Then　without　more
words；　for　officers　were　pressing　towards　us；　she　drew　a　ring　off　her
finger；　a　thick　and　ancient　golden　ring　on　which　were　cut　what　looked
like　flowers；　or　images　of　the　sun；　and　gave　it　to　me。

〃Wear　this　for　my　sake。　It　is　very　old　and　has　a　story　of　true　love
that　I　have　no　time　to　tell；〃　she　said。

I　took　it　and　in　exchange　passed　to　her　that　ancient　ring　which　my
mother　had　given　to　me；　the　ring　that　had　come　down　to　her　with　the
sword　Wave…Flame；　saying：

〃This；　too；　is　old　and　has　a　story；　wear　it　in　memory　of　me。〃

Then　we　parted　and　presently　she　was　gone。

I　stood　watching　her　litter　till　it　vanished　in　the　evening　haze。　Then
I　turned　to　go　to　find　myself　face　to　face　with　Huaracha。

〃Lord…from…the…Sea；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　played　a　man'sor　a　god's
part　to…day。　Had　you　bidden　my　daughter　bide　here；　she　would　have　done
so　for　love　of　you　and　the　Chanca　people　must　have　been　destroyed；　for
as　that　old　Inca　or　his　spokesman　told　us；　the　breaking　of　my　oath
would　have　been　taken　as　a　declaration　of　instant　war。　Now　we　have
breathing　time；　and　in　the　end　things　may　go　otherwise。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃but　what　of　Quilla　and　what　of　me？〃

〃I　know　not　your　creed　or　what　with　you　is　honour；　White　Lord；　but
among　us　whom　perhaps　you　think　of　small　account；　it　is　thought　and
held　that　there　are　times　when　a　man　or　a　woman；　especially　if　they　be
highly　placed；　must　do　sacrifice　for　the　good　of　the　many　who　cling　to
them　for　guidance　and　for　safety。　This　you　and　my　daughter　have　done
and　therefore　I　honour　both　of　you。〃

〃To　what　end　is　the　sacrifice　made？〃　I　asked　bitterly。　〃That　one
people　may　struggle　for　dominion　over　another　people；　no　more。〃

〃You　are　mistaken；　Lord。　Not　for　victory　or　to　increase　my　dominions
do　I　desire　to　war　upon　the　Incas；　but　because　unless　I　strike　I　shall
presently　be　struck；　though　for　a　little　while　this　marriage　might
hold　back　the　blow。　Alone　in　the　midst　of　the　vast　territories　over
which　the　Incas　rule；　the　Chancas　stem　their　tide　of　conquest　and
remain　free　amongst　many　nations　of　slaved。　Therefore　for　ages　these
Incas；　like　those　who　ruled　before　them　at　Cuzco；　have　sworn　to
destroy　us；　and　Urco　has　sworn　it　above　all。〃

〃Urco　might　die　or　be　deposed；　Huaracha。〃

〃If　so　another　would　put　on　the　Fringe　and　be　vowed　to　the　ancient
policy　that　does　not　change　from　generation　to　generation。　Therefore　I
must　fight　or　perish　with　my　people。　Hearken；　Lord…from…the…Sea！　Stay
here　with　me　and　become　as　my　brother　and　a　general　of　my　armies；　for
where　will　they　not　follow　when　you　lead；　who　are　held　to　be　a　god？
Then　if　we　conquer；　in　reward；　from　a　brother　you　shall　become　a　son；
and　to　you　after　me　I　swear　shall　pass　the　Chanca　crown。　Moreover；　to
you；　if　she　can　be　saved；　I　will　give　in　marriage　her　whom　you　love。
Think　before　you　refuse。　I　know　not　whence　you　come；　but　this　I　know：
that　you　can　return　thither　no　more；　unless；　indeed；　you　are　a　spirit。
Here　your　lot　is　cast　till　death。　Therefore　make　it　glorious。
Perchance　you　might　fly　to　the　Inca　and　there　become　a　marvel　and　a
show；　furnished　with　gold　and　palaces　and　lands；　but　always　you　would
be　a　servant；　while　I　offer　to　you　a　crown　and　the　rule　of　a　people
great　and　free。〃

〃I　care　nothing　for　crowns；〃　I　answered；　sighing。　〃Still；　such　was
Quilla's　prayer；　perchance　the　last　that　ever　she　will　make　to　me。
Therefore　I　accept　and　will　serve　you　and　your　cause；　that　seems
noble；　faithfully　to　the　end；　O　Huaracha。〃

Then　I　stretched　out　my　hand　to　him　and　so　our　compact　was　sealed。



On　the　very　next　day　my　work　began。　Huaracha　made　me　known　to　his
captains；　commanding　them　to　obey　me　in　all　things；　which；　looking　on
me　as　half　divine；　they　did　readily　enough。

Now；　of　soldiering　I　knew　little　who　was　a　seaman　bred；　yet　as　I　had
learned；　a　man　of　the　English　race　in　however　strange　a　country　he
finds　himself　can　make　a　path　there　to　his　ends。

Moreover；　in　London　I　had　heard　much　talk　of　armies　and　their　ordering
and　often　watched　troops　at　their　exercise；　also　I　know　how　to　handle
bow　and　sword；　and　was　accustomed　to　the　management　of　men。　So　putting
all　these　memories　together；　I　set　myself　to　the　task　of　turning　a　mob
of　half…savage　fellows　with　arms　into　an　ordered　host。　I　created
regiments　and　officered　them　with　the　best　captains　that　I　could　find；
collecting　in　each　regiment　so　far　as　possible　the　people　of　a　certain
town　or　district。　These　companies　I　drilled　and　exercised；　teaching
them　to　use　such　weapons　as　they　had　to　the　best　purpose。

Also　I　caused　them　to　shape　stronger　bows　on　the　model　of　my　own　with
which　I　had　shot　the　three　Frenchmen　far　away　at　Hastings　that；　as　it
was　said；　once　had　been　the　battle…bow　of　Thorgrimmer　the　Norseman　my
ancestor；　as　the　sword　Wave…Flame　was　his　battle…sword。　When　these
Chancas　saw　how　far　and　with　what　a　good　aim　I　could　shoot　with　this
bow；　they　strove　day　and　night　to　learn　to　equal　me；　though　it　is　true
they　never　did。　Also　I　bettered　their　body…armour　of　quilting　by
settings　sheets　of　leather　（since　in　that　country　there　is　no　iron）
taken　from　the　hides　of　wild　animals　and　of　their　long…haired　native
sheep；　between　the　layers　of　cotton。　Other　things　I　did　also；　too　many
and　long　to　record。

The　end　of　it　was　that　within　three　months　Huaracha　had　an　army　of
some　fifty　thousand　men　who；　if　not　well　trained；　still　kept
discipline；　and　could　move　in　regiments；　who　knew　also　how　to　shoot
with　their　bows　and　to　use　their　copper…headed　spears　and　axes　of　that
metal；　or　of　hard　stone；　to　the　best　purpose。

Then　at　length　came　the　Yuncas　to　join　us；　thirty　or　forty　thousand　of
them；　wild　fellows　and　brave　enough；　but　undisciplined。　With　these　I
could　do　little　since　time　was　lacking；　save　send　some　of　the　officers
whom　I　had　trained　to　teach　their　chiefs　and　captains　what　they　were
able。

Thus　I　was　employed　from　dawn　till　dark　and　often　after　it；　in　talk
with　Huaracha　and　his　generals；　or　in　drawing　plans　with　ink　that　I
found　a　means　to　make；　upon　parchment　of　sheepskin　and　noting　down
numbers　and　other　things；　a　sight　at　which　these　people　who　knew
nothing　of　writing　marvelled　very　much。　Great　were　my　labours；　yet　in
them　I　found　more　happiness　than　I　had　known　since　that　fatal　day　when
I；　the　rich　London　merchant；　Hubert　of　Hastings；　had　stood　before　the
altar　of　St。　Margaret's　church　with　Blanche　Aleys。　Indeed；　every
cranny　of　my　time　and　mind　being　thus　filled　with　things　finished　or
attempted；　I　forgot　my　great　loneliness　as　an　alien　in　a　strange　land；
and　once　more　became　as　I　had　been　when　I　trafficked　in　the　Cheap。

But　toil　as　I　would；　I　could　not　forget　Quilla。　During　the　day　I　might
mask　her　memory　in　its　urgent　business；　but　when　I　lay　down　to　rest
she　seemed　to　come　to　me　as　a　ghost　might　do　and　to　stand　by　my　bed；
looking　at　me　with　sa