the virgin of the sun-第45章

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she　seemed　to　come　to　me　as　a　ghost　might　do　and　to　stand　by　my　bed；
looking　at　me　with　sad　and　longing　eyes。　So　real　was　her　presence　that
sometimes　I　began　to　believe　that　she　must　have　died　to　the　world　and
was　in　truth　a　ghost；　or　else　that　she　had　found　the　power　to　throw
her　soul　afar；　as　it　is　said　certain　of　these　Indian　folk；　if　so　they
should　be　called；　can　do。　At　least　there　she　seemed　to　be　while　I
remained　awake　and　afterwards　when　I　slept；　and　I　know　not　whether　her
strange　company　joyed　or　pained　me　more。　For　alas！　she　could　not　talk
to　me；　or　tell　me　how　it　fared　with　her；　and；　to　speak　truth；　now　that
she　was　the　wife　of　another　man；　as　I　supposed；　I　desired　to　forget
her　if　I　could。

For　of　Quilla　no　word　reached　us。　We　heard　that　she　had　come　safely　to
Cuzco　and　after　that　nothing　more。　Of　her　marriage　there　was　no
tidings；　indeed　she　seemed　to　have　vanished　away。　Certain　of
Huaracha's　spies　reported　to　him；　however；　that　the　great　army　which
Urco　had　gathered　to　attack　him　had　been　partly　disbanded；　which
seemed　to　show　that　the　Inca　no　longer　prepared　for　immediate　war。
Only　then　what　had　happened　to　Quilla；　whose　person　was　the　price　of
peace？　Perhaps　she　was　hidden　away　during　the　preparations　for　her
nuptials；　at　least　I　could　think　of　nothing　else；　unless　indeed　she
had　chosen　to　kill　herself　or　died　naturally。

Soon；　however；　all　news　ceased；　for　Huaracha　shut　his　frontiers；
hoping　that　thus　Urco　might　not　learn　that　he　was　gathering　armies。

At　length；　when　our　forces　were　almost　ready　to　march；　Kari　came；　Kari
whom　I　thought　lost。

One　night　when　I　was　seated　at　my　work　by　lamplight；　writing　down
numbers　upon　a　parchment；　a　shadow　fell　across　it；　and　looking　up　I
saw　Kari　standing　before　me；　travel…worn　and　weary；　but　Kari　without
doubt；　unless　I　dreamed。

〃Have　you　food；　Lord？〃　he　asked　while　I　stared　at　him。　〃I　need　it　and
would　eat　before　I　speak。〃

I　found　meat　and　native　beer　and　brought　them　to　him；　for　it　was　late
and　my　servants　were　asleep；　waiting　till　he　had　filled　himself；　for
by　this　time　I　had　learned　something　of　the　patience　of　these　people。
At　length　he　spoke；　saying：

〃Huaracha's　watch　is　good；　and　to　pass　it　I　must　journey　far　into　the
mountains　and　sleep　three　nights　without　food　amid　their　snows。〃

〃Whence　come　you？〃　I　asked。

〃From　Cuzco；　Lord。〃

〃Then　what　of　the　lady　Quilla？　Does　she　still　live？　Is　she　wed　to
Urco？〃

〃She　lives；　or　lived　fourteen　days　ago；　and　she　is　not　wed。　But　where
she　is　no　man　may　ever　come。　You　have　looked　your　last　upon　the　lady
Quilla；　Lord。〃

〃If　she　lives　and　is　unwed；　why？〃　I　asked；　trembling。

〃Because　she　is　numbered　among　the　Virgins　of　the　Sun　our　Father；　and
therefore　inviolate　to　man。　Were　I　the　Inca；　though　I　love　you　and
know　all；　should　you　attempt　to　take　her；　yes；　even　you；　I　would　kill
you　if　I　could；　and　with　my　own　sword。　In　our　land；　Lord；　there　is　one
crime　which　has　no　forgiveness；　and　that　is　to　lay　hands　upon　a　Virgin
of　the　Sun。　We　believe；　Lord；　that　if　this　is　done；　great　curses　will
fall　upon　our　country；　while　as　for　the　man　who　works　the　crime；
before　he　passes　to　eternal　vengeance　he　and　all　his　house　and　the
town　whence　he　came　must　perish　utterly；　and　that　false　virgin　who　has
betrayed　our　father；　the　Sun；　must　die　slowly　and　by　fire。〃

〃Has　this　ever　chanced？〃　I　asked。

〃History　does　not　tell　it；　Lord；　since　none　have　been　so　wicked；　but
such　is　the　law。〃

I　thought　to　myself　that　it　was　a　very　evil　law；　and　cruel；　also　that
I　would　break　it　if　I　found　opportunity；　but　made　no　answer；　knowing
when　to　be　silent　and　that　I　might　as　well　strive　to　move　a　mountain
from　its　base　as　to　turn　Kari　from　the　blindness　of　his　folly　bred　of
false　faith。　After　all；　could　I　blame　him；　seeing　that　we　held　the
same　of　the　sacredness　of　nuns　and；　it　was　said；　killed　them　if　they
broke　their　vows？

〃What　news；　Kari？〃　I　asked。

〃Much；　Lord。　Hearken。　Disguised　as　a　peasant　who　had　come　into　this
country　to　barter　wool　from　a　village　near　to　Cuzco；　I　joined　myself
to　the　train　of　the　Inca　Upanqui；　among　whose　lords　I　found　a　friend
who　had　loved　me　in　past　years　and　kept　my　secret　as　he　was　bound　to
do；　having　passed　into　the　brotherhood　of　knights　with　me　while　we
were　lads。　Through　him；　in　place　of　a　man　who　was　sick；　I　became　one
of　the　bearers　of　the　lady　Quilla's　litter　and　thus　was　always　about
her　and　at　times　had　speech　with　her　in　secret；　for　she　knew　me　again
notwithstanding　my　disguise　and　uniform。　So　I　became　one　of　those　who
waited　on　her　when　she　ate　and　noted　all　that　passed。

〃After　the　first　day　the　Inca　Upanqui；　he　who　is　my　father　and　whose
lawful　heir　I　am；　although　he　discarded　me　for　Urco　and　believes　me
dead；　made　it　a　habit　to　take　his　food　in　the　same　tent　or　rest…house
chamber　as　the　lady　Quilla。　Lord；　being　very　clever；　she　set　herself
to　charm　him；　so　that　soon　he　began　to　dote　upon　her；　as　old；　worn…out
men　sometimes　do　upon　young　and　beautiful　women。　She；　too；　pretended
to　grow　fond　of　him　and　at　last　told　him　in　so　many　words　that　she
grieved　it　was　not　he　that　she　was　to　marry　whose　wisdom　she　hung
upon；　in　place　of　a　prince　who；　she　heard；　was　not　wise。　This；　she
said；　because　she　knew　well　that　the　Inca　would　never　marry　any　more
and　indeed　had　lived　alone　for　years。　Still；　being　flattered；　he　told
her　it　was　hard　that　she　should　be　forced　to　wed　one　to　whom　she　had
no　mind；　whereon　she　prayed　him；　even　with　tears；　to　save　her　from
such　a　fate。　At　last　he　vowed　that　he　would　do　so　by　setting　her　among
the　Virgins　of　the　Sun　on　whom　no　man　may　look。　She　thanked　him　and
said　that　she　would　consider　the　matter；　since；　for　reasons　that　you
may　guess；　Lord；　she　did　not　desire　to　become　a　Virgin　of　the　Sun　and
to　pass　the　rest　of　her　days　in　prayer　and　the　weaving　of　the　Inca's
garments。

〃So　it　went　on　until　when　we　were　a　day's　march　from　Cuzco；　Urco；　my
brother；　came　to　meet　his　promised　bride。　Now；　Urco　is　a　huge　man　and
hideous；　one　whom　none　would　believe　to　have　been　born　of　the　Inca
blood。　Coarse　he　is；　and　dissolute；　given　to　drink　also；　though　a
great　fighter　and　brave　in　battle；　and　quick…brained　when　he　is　sober。
I　was　present　when　they　met　and　I　saw　the　lady　Quilla　shiver　and　turn
pale　at　the　sight　of　him；　while　he　on　his　part　devoured　her　beauty
with　his　eyes。　They　spoke　but　few　words　together；　yet　before　these
were　done；　he　told　her　it　was　his　will　that　they　should　be　wed　at　once
on　the　day　after　she　came　to　Cuzco；　nor　would　he　listen　to　the　Inca
Upanqui　who　said；　being　cunning　and　wishing　to　gain　time；　that　due
preparation　must　be　made　for　so　great　a　business。

〃Thereupon　Urco　grew　angry　with　his　father；　who　both　fears　and　loves
him；　and　answered　that；　being　almost　Inca；　this　matter　was　one　which
he　would　settle　for　himself。　So　fierce　was　he　that　Upanqui　became
afraid　and　went　away。　When　they　were　alone　Urco　strove　to　embrace
Quilla；　but　she　fled　from　him　and　hid　with　her　maidens　in　a　private
place。　After　this；　at　the　feast　Urco　took　too　much　drink　according　to
his　custom　and　was　led　away　to　sleep　by　his　lords。　Then　Quilla　waited
upon　the　Inca　and　said：

〃'O　Inca；　I　have　seen　the　Prince　and　I　claim　your　promise　to　save　me
from　him。　O　Inca；　abandoning　all　thought　of　marriage；　I　will　become
the　bride　of　our　Father　the　Sun。'

〃Upanqui；　who　was　wroth　with　Urco　because　he　had　crossed　his　will；
swore　by　the　Sun　itself　that　he　would　not　fail　her；　come　what　might；
since　Urco　should　learn　that　he　was　not　yet　Inca。〃

〃What　happened　then？〃　I　asked；　staring　him　in　the　eyes。

〃After　this；　Lord；　when　we　were　halted　before　making　the　state　entry
into　Cuzco；　for　a　moment　the　lady　Quilla　found　opportunity　for　private
speech　with　me。　This　is　what　she　said：

〃'Tell　my　father；　King　Huaracha；　that　I　have　fulfilled　his　oath；　but
that　I　cannot　marry　Urco。　Therefore　I　seek　refuge　in　the　arms　of　the
Sun；　as　the　oracle　Rimac　foretold　that　I　should　do；　having　to　choose
between　this　fate　and　that　of　death。　Tell　my　Lord…from…the…Sea　what
has　befallen　me　and　bid　him　farewell　to　me。　Still　say　that　he　must
keep　a　good　heart；　since　I　do　not　believe　that　all　is　ended　between
us。'