the virgin of the sun-第53章
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〃It cannot be；〃 said the Inca。 〃What sign do you bring who name
yourself Kari？ Show me the image of the Spirit above the gods that
from his childhood for generations has been hung about the neck of the
Inca's eldest son； born from the Queen。〃
Kari opened his robe and drew out that golden effigy of Pachacamac
which he always wore。
Upanqui examined it； holding it close to his rheumy eyes。
〃It seems to be the same；〃 he said； 〃as I should know upon whose
breast it lay until my first son was born。 And yet who can be sure
since such things may be copied？〃
Then he handed back the image to Kari and after reflecting awhile；
said：
〃Bring hither the Mother of the Royal Nurses。〃
Apparently this lady was in waiting； for in a minute she appeared
before the throne； an old and withered woman with beady eyes。
〃Mother；〃 said the Inca； 〃you were with the /Coya/ （that is the Queen）
who has been gathered to the Sun； when her boy was born； and
afterwards nursed him for years。 If you saw it； would you know his
body again after he has come to middle age？〃
〃Aye； O Inca。〃
〃How； Mother？〃
〃By three moles； O Inca； which we women used to call /Yuti/； /Quilla/；
and /Chasca/〃 （that is； the Sun； the Moon； and the planet Venus）；
〃which were the marks of good fortune stamped by the gods upon the
Prince's back between the shoulders； set one above the other。〃
〃Man who call yourself Kari； are you willing that this old crone
should see your flesh？〃 asked Upanqui。
By way of answer Kari with a little smile stripped himself of his
broidered tunic and other garments and stood before us naked to the
middle。 Then he turned his back to the Mother of the Nurses。 She
hobbled up and searched it with her bright eyes。
〃Many scars；〃 she muttered； 〃scars in front and scars behind。 This
warrior has known battles and blows。 But what have we here？ Look； O
Inca； /Yuti/； /Quilla/； and /Chasca/； set one above the other； though
/Chasca/ is almost hidden by a hurt。 Oh！ my fosterling； O my Prince
whom I nursed at these withered breasts； are you come back from the
dead to take your own again？ O Kari of the Holy Blood； Kari the lost
who is Kari the found！〃
Then sobbing and muttering she threw her arms about him and kissed
him。 Nor did he shame to kiss her in return； there before them all。
〃Restore his garments to the royal Prince；〃 said Upanqui； 〃and bring
hither the Fringe that is worn by the Inca's heir。〃
It was produced without delay by the high…priest Larico； which told me
at once that all this scene had been prepared。 Upanqui took it from
Larico； and beckoning Kari to him； with the priest's help bound it
about his brow； thereby acknowledging him and restoring him as heir…
apparent to the Empire。 Then he kissed him on the brow and Kari knelt
down and did his father homage。
After this they went away together accompanied only by Larico and two
or three of the councillors of Inca blood and as I learned from Larico
afterwards； told each other their tales and made plans to outwit； and
if need were to destroy； Urco and his faction。
On the following day Kari was established in a house of his own that
was more of a fortress than a palace； for it was built of great stones
with narrow gates； and surrounded by an open space。 Upon this space；
as a guard； were encamped all those who had deserted to him in the
battle of the Field of Blood； who had returned to Cuzco from the camp
of Huaracha now that Kari was accepted as the royal heir。 Also other
troops who were loyal to the Inca were stationed near by； while those
who clung to Urco departed secretly to that town where he lay sick。
Moreover； proclamation was made that on the day of the new moon； which
the magicians declared to be auspicious； Kari would be publicly
presented to the people in the Temple of the Sun as the Inca's lawful
heir； in place of Urco disinherited for crimes that he had committed
against the Sun； the Empire； and the Inca his father。
〃Brother；〃 said Kari to me； for so he called me now that he was an
acknowledged Prince； when I went to meet him in his grandeur；
〃Brother； did I not tell you always that we must trust to our gods？
See； I have not trusted in vain though it is true that dangers still
lie ahead of me； and perhaps civil war。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； 〃your gods are in the way of giving you all you
want； but it is not so with mine and me。〃
〃What then do you desire； Brother； who can have even to the half of
the kingdom？〃
〃Kari；〃 I replied； 〃I cry not for the Earth； but for the Moon。〃
He understood； and his face grew stern。
〃Brother； the Moon alone is beyond you； for she inhabits the sky while
you still dwell upon the earth；〃 he answered with a frown； and then
began to talk of the peace with Huaracha。
CHAPTER X
THE GREAT HORROR
The day of the new moon came and with it the great horror that caused
all the Empire of Tavantinsuyu to tremble； fearing lest Heaven should
be avenged upon it。
Since Upanqui had found his elder son again he began to dote upon him；
as in such a case the old and weak…minded often do； and would walk
about the gardens and palaces with his arm around his neck babbling to
him of whatever was uppermost in his mind。 Moreover； his soul was
oppressed because he had done Kari wrong in the past； and preferred
Urco to him under the urging of that prince's mother。
〃The truth is； Son；〃 I myself heard him say to Kari； 〃that we men who
seem to rule the world do not rule it at all； because always women
rule us。 This they do through our passions which the gods planted in
us for their own ends； also because they are more single in their
minds。 The man thinks of many things； the woman only thinks of what
she desires。 Therefore the man whom Nature already has bemused； only
brings a little piece of his mind to fight against her whole mind； and
so is conquered； he who was made for one thing only； to be the mate of
the woman that she may mother more men in order to serve the wills of
other women who yet seem to be those men's slaves。〃
〃So I have learned； Father；〃 answered the grave Kari； 〃and for this
reason having suffered in the past； I am determined to have as little
to do with women as is possible for one in my place。 During my travels
in other lands； as in this country； I have seen men great and noble
brought to nothingness and ruin by their love for women； down into the
dirt； indeed； when their hands were full of the world's wealth and
glory。 Moreover； I have noticed that they seldom learn wisdom； and
that what they have done before； they are ready to do again； who
believe anything that soft lips swear to them。 Yes； even that they are
loved for themselves alone； as I own to my sorrow； once I did myself。
Urco could not have taken that fair wife of mine； Father； if she had
not been willing to go when she saw that I had lost your favour and
with it the hope of the Scarlet Fringe。〃
Here Kari looked at me； of whom I knew he was thinking all this time；
and seeing that I could overhear his talk； began to speak of something
else。
On the appointed day there was a great gathering of the nobles of the
land； especially of those of the Inca blood； and of all that were
〃earmen；〃 a class of the same rank as our peers in England； to hear
the proclamation of Kari as the Inca's heir。 It was made before this
gorgeous company in the Great Temple of the Sun； which now I saw for
the first time。
It was a huge and most wondrous place well named the 〃House of Gold。〃
For here everything was gold。 On the western wall hung an image of the
Sun twenty feet or more across； an enormous graven plate of gold set
about with gems and having eyes and teeth of great emeralds。 The roof；
too； and the walls were all panelled with gold； even the cornices and
column heads were of solid gold。
Opening out of this temple also were others dedicated to the Moon and
Stars； that of the Moon being clothed in silver； with her radiant face
shaped in silver fixed to the western wall。 So it was with the temple
of the Stars； of the Lightnings and of the Rainbow； which perhaps with
its many colours that sprang from jewels； was
