the virgin of the sun-第48章

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which　was　unwalled；　and　there　amidst　its　streets　and　houses　await　the
attack　of　the　Inca　hosts　that　were　encamped　upon　its　farther　side；　for
thus　protected　by　their　walls　we　hoped　that　we　should　be　more　equal　to
them。　Yet　things　happened　otherwise；　since　with　the　first　light；
without　which　we　did　not　dare　to　move　over　unknown　ground；　we
perceived　that　during　the　darkness　the　Inca　armies　had　moved　round　and
through　the　town　and　were　gathered　by　the　ten　thousand　in　dense
battalions　upon　the　farther　side　of　the　plain。

Now　we　took　council　together　and　in　the　end　decided　not　to　attack　as
we　had　proposed；　but　to　await　their　onslaught　on　the　rocky　ridge　up
which　they　must　climb。　So　we　commanded　that　our　army；　which　was
marshalled　in　three　divisions　abreast　and　two　wings　with　the　Yuncas　as
a　reserve　behind；　should　eat　and　make　ready。　In　the　centre　of　our　main
division；　which　numbered　some　fifteen　thousand　of　the　Chanca　troops；
and　a　little　in　front　of　it；　was　a　low　long　hill　upon　the　highest
point　of　which　I　took　my　place；　standing　upon　a　rock　with　a　group　of
captains　and　messengers　behind　me　and　a　guard　of　about　a　thousand
picked　men　massed　upon　the　slopes　and　around　the　hill。　From　this　high
point　I　could　see　everything；　and　in　my　glittering　armour　was　visible
to　all；　friends　and　foes　together。

After　a　pause；　during　which　the　priests　of　the　Chancas　and　of　the
Yuncas　behind　us　sacrificed　sheep　to　the　moon　and　the　many　other　gods
they　worshipped；　and　those　of　the　Quichuas；　as　I　could　see　from　my
rock；　made　prayers　and　offerings　to　the　rising　sun；　with　a　mighty
shouting　the　Inca　hosts　began　to　advance　across　the　plain　towards　us。
Reckoning　them　with　my　eye　I　saw　that　they　outnumbered　us　by　two　or
three　to　one；　indeed　their　hordes　seemed　to　be　countless；　and　always
more　of　them　came　on　behind　from　the　dim　recesses　of　the　city。　Divided
into　three　great　armies　they　crept　across　the　plain；　a　wild　and
gorgeous　spectacle；　the　sunlight　shining　upon　the　forest　of　their
spears　and　on　their　rich　barbaric　uniforms。

A　furlong　or　more　away　they　halted　and　took　counsel；　pointing　to　me
with　their　spears　as　though　they　feared　me。　We　stood　quite　still；
though　some　of　our　generals　urged　that　we　should　charge；　but　this　I
counselled　Huaracha　not　to　do；　who　desired　that　the　Quichuas　should
break　their　strength　upon　us。　At　length　some　word　was　given；　the
splendid　〃rainbow　Banner〃　of　the　Incas　was　unfurled　and；　still　divided
into　three　armies　with　a　wide　stretch　of　plain　between　each　of　them
they　attacked；　yelling　like　all　the　fiends　of　hell。

Now　they　had　reached　us　and　there　began　the　most　terrible　battle　that
was　told　of　in　the　history　of　that　land。　Wave　after　wave　of　them
rolled　up　against　us；　but　our　battalions　which　I　had　not　trained　in
vain　stood　like　rocks　and　slew　and　slew　and　slew　till　the　dead　could
be　counted　by　the　thousand。　Again　and　again　they　strove　to　storm　the
hill　on　which　I　stood；　hoping　to　kill　me；　and　each　time　we　beat　them
back。　Picking　out　their　generals　I　loosed　shaft　after　shaft　from　my
long　bow；　and　seldom　did　I　miss；　nor　could　their　cotton…quilted　armour
turn　those　bitter　arrows。

〃/The　shafts　of　the　god！　The　shafts　of　the　god！/〃　they　cried；　and
shrank　back　from　before　me。

There　appeared　a　man　with　a　yellow　fillet　on　his　head　and　a　robe　that
was　studded　with　precious　stones；　a　huge　man　with　great　limbs　and
flaming　eyes；　a　loose…mouthed；　hideous　man　who　wielded　a　big　axe　of
copper　and　carried　a　bow　longer　than　any　I　had　seen　in　that　land。
Hooking　the　axe　to　his　belt；　he　set　an　arrow　on　the　bow　and　let　drive
at　me。　It　sped　true　and　struck　me　full　upon　the　breast；　only　to
shatter　on　the　good　French　mail；　which　copper　could　not　pierce。

Again　he　shot；　and　this　time　the　arrow　glanced　from　my　helm。　Then　I
drew　on　him　and　my　shaft；　that　I　had　aimed　at　his　head；　cut　away　the
fringe　about　his　brow　and　carried　it　far　away。　At　this　sight　a　groan
went　up　from　the　lords　about　him；　and　one　cried：

〃An　omen；　O　Urco；　an　evil　omen！〃

〃Aye；〃　he　shouted；　〃for　the　White　Wizard　who　shot　the　arrow。〃

Dropping　the　bow；　he　rushed　up　the　hill　at　me　roaring；　axe　aloft；　and
followed　by　his　company。　He　smote；　and　I　caught　the　blow　upon　my
shield；　and　striking　back　with　Wave…Flame；　shore　through　the　shaft　of
the　axe　that　he　had　lifted　to　guard　his　head　as　though　it　had　been
made　of　reed；　aye；　and　through　the　quilted　cotton　on　his　shoulder
strengthened　with　strips　of　gold；　and　to　the　bone　beneath。

Then　a　man　slipped　past　me。　It　was　Kari；　striking　at　Urco　with
Deleroy's　sword。　They　closed　and　rolled　down　the　slope　locked　in　each
other's　arms。　What　chanced　after　this　I　do　not　know；　for　others　rushed
in　and　all　grew　confused；　but　presently　Kari　limped　back　somewhat
shaken　and　bleeding；　and　I　caught　sight　of　Urco；　little　hurt；　as　it
seemed；　amidst　his　lords　at　the　bottom　of　the　slope。

At　this　moment　I　heard　a　great　shouting　and　looking　round；　saw　that
the　Quichuas　had　broken　through　our　left　and　were　slaughtering　many；
while　the　rest　fled；　also　that　our　right　was　wavering。　I　sent
messengers　to　Huaracha；　bidding　him　call　up　the　Yunca　rear　guard。　They
were　slow　in　coming　and　I　began　to　fear　that　all　was　lost　for　little
by　little　the　hordes　of　the　men　of　Cuzco　were　surrounding　us。

Then　it　was　that　Kari；　or　some　with　him；　lifted　a　banner　that　had　been
wrapped　upon　a　pole；　a　blue　banner　upon　which　was　embroidered　a　golden
sun。　At　the　sight　of　it　there　was　tumult　in　the　Inca　ranks；　and
presently　a　great　body　of　men；　five　or　six　thousand　of　them　that　had
seemed　to　be　in　reserve；　ran　forward　shouting；　〃/Kari！　Kari！/〃　and
fell　upon　those　who　were　pursuing　our　shattered　left；　breaking　them　up
and　dispersing　them。　Also　at　last　the　Yuncas　came　up　and　drove　back
the　regiments　that　assailed　our　right；　while　from　Urco's　armies　there
rose　a　cry　of　〃Treachery！〃

Trumpets　blew　and　the　Inca　host；　gathering　itself　together　and
abandoning　its　dead　and　wounded；　drew　back　sullenly　on　to　the　plain；
and　there　halted　in　three　bodies　as　before；　though　much　lessened　in
number。

Huaracha　appeared；　saying：

〃Strike；　White　Lord！　It　is　our　hour！　The　heart　is　out　of　them。〃

The　signal　was　given；　and　roaring　like　a　hurricane；　presently　the
Chancas　charged。　Down　the　slope　they　went；　I　at　the　head　of　them　with
Huaracha　on　one　side　and　Kari　on　the　other。　The　swift…footed　Chancas
outran　me　who　was　hindered　by　my　mail。　We　charged　in　three　masses　as
we　had　stood　on　the　ridge；　following　those　open　lanes　of　ground　up
which　the　foe　had　not　come；　because　these　were　less　cumbered　with　dead
and　wounded。　Presently　I　saw　why　those　of　Cuzco　had　left　these　lanes
untrod；　for　of　a　sudden　some　warriors；　who　had　outstripped　me；
vanished。　They　had　fallen　into　a　pit　covered　over　with　earth　laid　upon
canes；　of　which　the　bottom　was　set　with　sharp　stakes。　Others；　who　were
running　along　the　lanes　of　open　ground　to　right　and　left；　also　fell
into　pits　of　which　there　were　scores　all　carefully　prepared　against
the　day　of　battle。　With　trouble　the　Chancas　were　halted；　but　not
before　we　had　lost　some　hundreds　of　men。　Then　we　advanced　again　across
that　ground　over　which　the　Inca　host　had　retreated。

At　length　we　reached　their　lines；　passing　through　a　storm　of　arrows；
and　there　began　such　a　battle　as　I　had　never　heard　of　or　even　dreamed。
With　axes；　stone…headed　clubs　and　spears；　both　armies　fought
furiously；　and　though　the　Incas　still　outnumbered　us　by　two　to　one；
because　of　my　training　our　regiments　drove　them　back。　Lord　after　lord
rushed　at　me　with　glaring　eyes；　but　my　mail　turned　their　copper　spears
and　knives　of　flint。　Oh！　Wave…Flame　fed　full　that　day；　and　if
Thorgrimmer　my　forefather　could　have　seen　us　from　his　home　in
Valhalla；　surely　he　must　have　sworn　by　Odin　that　never　had　he　given　it
such　a　feast。

The　Inca　warriors　grew　afraid　and　shrank　back。

〃This　Red…Beard　from　the　sea　is　indeed　a　god。　He　cannot　be　slain！〃　I
heard　them　cry。

Then　Urco　appeared；　bloody　and　furious；　shouting：

〃Cowards！　I　will　show　you　whether　he　cannot　be　slain。〃

He　rushed　onward　to　meetnot　me；　but　Huaracha；　who　seeing　that　I　was
weary；　had　leapt　in　front　of　me。　They　fought；　and　Huaracha　went　down
and　wa