the virgin of the sun-第52章

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of　truce；　both　sides　were　engaged　in　burying　the　thousands　of　their
dead；　and　came　to　the　ridge　whence　we　had　charged　on　the　yester　morn。
Here　sentries　stopped　us　and　I　descended　from　my　litter。　When　the
Chancas　saw　me　in　my　armour　come　back　to　them　alive；　they　set　up　a
great　shouting　and　presently　I　and　the　lords　with　me　were　led　to　the
pavilion　of　King　Huaracha。

We　found　him　lying　sick　upon　a　couch；　for　though　he　showed　no　wound　he
had　been　badly　bruised　upon　the　body　by　a　blow　from　Urco's　club　and；
as　I　feared；　was　hurt　in　the　bowels。　He　greeted　me　with　delight；　since
he　thought　that　I　might　have　been　killed　after　I　was　captured；　and
asked　how　I　came　to　appear　in　his　camp　in　the　company　of　our　enemies。
I　told　him　at　once　what　had　chanced　and　that　I　was　sworn　to　return　to
Cuzco　when　I　had　done　my　business。　Then　the　Inca's　ambassadors　set　out
their　proposals　for　a　truce；　and　retired；　while　Huaracha　discussed
them　with　his　generals　and　Kari；　who　also　was　overjoyed　to　see　me
safe。

The　end　of　it　was　that　they　were　accepted　on　the　terms　offered；
namely；　that　Huaracha　and　his　army　should　withdraw　to　the　valleys　of
which　I　have　spoken；　and　there　camp；　receiving　all　the　food　they
needed　until　a　peace　could　be　offered　such　as　he　would　be　willing　to
accept。　Indeed；　the　Chancas　were　glad　to　agree　to　this　plan　for　their
losses　in　the　battle　had　been　very　great　and　they　were　in　no　state　to
renew　the　attack　upon　Cuzco；　which　was　still　defended　by　such　mighty
hordes　of　brave　warriors　fighting　for　their　homes；　families；　and
freedom。

So　all　was　agreed　on　the　promise　that　peace　should　be　made　within
thirty　days　or　sooner；　and　that　if　it　were　not　the　war　should
re…commence。

Then　privately；　I　told　Huaracha　all　that　I　had　learned　about　Quilla
and　that　I　had　still　hopes　of　saving　her　though　what　these　were　I　did
not　tell　him。　When　he　had　thought；　he　said　that　now　the　fate　of　Quilla
must　be　left　in　the　hands　of　the　gods　and　mine；　since　not　even　for　her
could　he　neglect　the　opportunity　of　an　honourable　peace；　seeing　that
another　battle　might　mean　destruction。　Also　he　pointed　out　that　he　was
hurt　and　I　who　had　been　general　under　him　was　a　prisoner　and　bound　by
my　oath　to　return　to　prison；　so　that　the　Chancas　had　lost　their
leaders。

After　this　we　parted；　I　promising　to　work　for　his　cause　and　to　come　to
see　him　again；　if　I　might。

These　matters　finished　I　went　aside　with　Kari　to　a　place　where　none
could　hear　us；　and　there　laid　before　him　the　offers　of　Larico；　the
high…priest；　showing　him　how　the　case　stood。　Of　Quilla；　however；　I
said　nothing　to　him；　though　it　pained　me　to　keep　back　part　of　the
truth　even　from　Kari。　Yet；　what　was　I　to　do；　who　knew　that　if　I　told
him　all　and　he　became　Inca；　or　the　Inca's　acknowledged　heir；　he　would
work　against　me　because　of　his　superstitious　madness；　and　perhaps
cause　Quilla　to　be　killed　by　the　priests；　as　one　whose　feet　were　set
in　the　path　of　sacrilege？　So　on　this　matter　I　held　my　peace；　nor　did
he　ask　me　anything　concerning　Quilla　who；　I　think；　wished　to　hear
nothing　of　that　lady　and　what　had　befallen　her。

When　he　had　learned　all；　he　said：

〃This　may　be　a　trap；　Lord。　I　do　not　trust　yonder　Larico；　who　has
always　been　my　enemy　and　Urco's　friend。〃

〃I　think　he　is　his　own　friend　first；〃　I　answered；　〃who　knows　that　if
Urco　recovers　he　will　kill　him；　because　he　has　taken　the　part　of　your
father；　Upanqui；　in　their　quarrels；　and　suspects　him。〃

〃I　am　not　sure；〃　said　Kari。　〃Yet　something　must　be　risked。　Did　I　not
tell　you　when　we　were　sailing　down　the　English　river　that　we　must　put
faith　in　our　gods；　yes；　afterwards　also；　and　more　than　once？　And　did
not　the　gods　save　us？　Well；　now　again　I　trust　to　my　god；〃　and　drawing
out　the　image　of　Pachacamac；　which　he　wore　round　his　neck；　he　kissed
it；　then　turning；　bowed　and　prayed　to　the　Sun。

〃I　will　come　with　you；〃　he　said；　when　he　had　finished　his　devotions；
〃to　live　to　be　Inca；　or　to　die；　as　the　Sun　decrees。〃

So　he　came　and　with　him　some　of　his　friends；　captains　of　those　who　had
deserted　to　him　in　the　battle。　But　the　five　thousand　soldiers；　or
those　who　were　left　of　them；　did　not　come　as　yet　because　they　feared
lest　they　should　be　set　upon　and　butchered　by　the　regiments　of　Urco。



That　night；　when　we　were　back　safe　in　Cuzco；　Kari　and　the　high…priest；
Larico　talked　together　in　secret。　Of　what　passed　between　them　he　only
told　me　that　they　had　come　to　an　agreement　which　satisfied　them　both。
Larico　said　the　same　to　me　when　next　I　saw　him；　adding：

〃You　have　kept　your　word　and　served　my　turn；　Lord…from…the…Sea；
therefore　I　will　keep　mine　and　serve　yours　when　the　time　comes。　Yet　be
warned　by　me　and　say　nothing　of　a　certain　lady　to　the　prince　Kari；
since　when　I　spoke　a　word　to　him　on　the　matter；　hinting　that　her
surrender　to　her　father　Huaracha　would　make　peace　with　him　more　easy
and　lasting；　he　answered　that　first　would　he　fight　Huaracha；　and　the
Yuncas　as　well；　to　the　last　man　in　Cuzco。

〃To　the　Sun　she　has　gone；〃　he　said；　〃and　with　the　Sun　she　must　stay；
lest　the　curse　of　the　Sun　and　of　Pachacamac；　the　Spirit　above　the　sun；
should　fall　on　me　and　all　of　us。〃

Larico　told　me　also　that；　fearing　something；　the　great　lords；　who　were
of　Urco's　party；　had　borne　him　away　in　a　litter　to　a　strong　city　in
the　mountains　about　five　leagues　from　Cuzco；　escorted　by　thousands　of
picked　men　who　would　stay　in　and　about　that　city。

On　the　next　morning　I　was　summoned　to　wait　upon　the　Inca　Upanqui；　and
went；　wearing　my　armour。　I　found　him　in　the　same　great　chamber　as
before；　only　now　he　was　more　royally　arrayed；　and　with　him　were　sundry
of　his　high　lords　of　the　Inca　blood；　also　certain　priests；　among　them
the　/Villaorna/　Larico。

The　old　king；　who　on　that　day　seemed　clear　in　his　mind　and　well；
greeted　me　in　his　kindly　fashion　and　bade　me　set　out　all　that　had
passed　between　me　and　Huaracha　in　the　Chanca　camp。　This　I　did；　only　I
hid　from　him　how　great　had　been　the　Chanca　losses　in　the　battle　and
how　glad　they　were　to　declare　a　truce　and　rest。

Upanqui　said　that　the　matter　should　be　attended　to；　speaking　in　a
royal　fashion　as　though　it　were　one　of　little　moment；　which　showed　me
how　great　an　emperor　he　must　be。　Great　he　was；　indeed；　seeing　that　all
the　broad　land　of　England　would　have　made　but　one　province　of　his　vast
dominions；　which　in　every　part　were　filled　with　people　who；　unless
they　chanced　to　be　in　rebellion　like　the　Yuncas；　lived　but　to　do　his
will。

After　this；　when　I　thought　the　audience　was　ended；　a　chamberlain
advanced　to　the　foot　of　the　throne；　and　kneeling；　said　that　a
suppliant　prayed　speech　with　the　Inca。　Upanqui　waved　his　sceptre；　that
long　staff　which　I　have　described；　in　token　that　he　should　be
admitted。　Then　presently　up　the　chamber　came　Kari　arrayed　in　the　tunic
and　cloak　of　an　Inca　prince；　wearing　in　his　ear　a　disc　carved　with　the
image　of　the　Sun；　and　a　chain　of　emeralds　and　gold　about　his　neck。　Nor
did　he　come　alone；　for　he　was　attended　by　a　brilliant　band　of　those
lords　and　captains　who　had　deserted　to　him　on　the　day　of　the　great
battle。　He　advanced　and　knelt　before　the　throne。

〃Who　is　this　that　carries　the　emblems　of　the　Holy　Blood　and　is　clothed
like　a　Prince　of　the　Sun？〃　asked　Upanqui；　affecting　ignorance　and
unconcern；　though　I　saw　the　colour　mount　to　his　cheeks　and　the　sceptre
shake　in　his　withered　hand。

〃One　who　is　indeed　of　the　holy　Inca　blood；　one　sprung　from　the　purest
lineage　of　the　Sun；〃　answered　the　stately　Kari　in　his　quiet　voice。

〃How　then　is　he　named？〃　asked　the　Inca　again。

〃He　is　named　Kari；　first…born　son　of　Upanqui；　O　Inca。〃

〃Such　a　son　I　had　once；　but　he　is　long　dead；　or　so　they　told　me；〃　said
Upanqui　in　a　trembling　voice。

〃He　is　not　dead；　O　Inca。　He　lives　and　he　kneels　before　you。　Urco
poisoned　him；　but　the　Sun　his　Father　recovered　him；　and　the　Spirit
that　is　above　all　gods　supported　him。　The　sea　bore　him　to　a　far　land；
where　he　found　a　white　god　who　befriended　and　cared　for　him；〃　here　he
turned　his　head　towards　me。　〃With　this　god　he　returned　to　his　own
country　and　here　he　kneels　before　you；　O　Inca。〃

〃It　cannot　be；〃　said　the　Inca。　〃What　sign　do　you　bring　who　name
yourself　Kari？　Show　me　the　image　of　the