the virgin of the sun-第54章

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of　the　Stars；　of　the　Lightnings　and　of　the　Rainbow；　which　perhaps　with
its　many　colours　that　sprang　from　jewels；　was　the　most　dazzling　of
them　all。

The　sight　of　so　much　glory　overwhelmed　me；　and　it　came　into　my　mind
that　if　only　it　were　known　of　in　Europe；　men　would　die　by　the　ten
thousand　on　the　chance　that　they　might　conquer　this　country　and　make
its　wealth　theirs。　Yet　here；　save　for　these　purposes　of　ornament　and
to　be　used　as　offerings　to　the　gods　and　Incas；　it　was　of　no　account　at
all。

But　in　this　temple　of　the　Sun　was　a　marvel　greater　than　its　gold。　For
on　either　side　of　the　carved　likenesses　of　the　sun；　seated　upon　chairs
of　gold；　sat　the　dead　Incas　and　their　queens。　Yes；　clothed　in　their
royal　robes　and　emblems；　with　the　Fringe　upon　their　brows；　there　they
sat　with　their　heads　bent　forward；　so　wonderfully　preserved　by　the
arts　these　people　have；　that　except　for　the　stamp　of　death　upon　their
countenances；　they　might　have　been　sleeping　men　and　women。　Thus　in　the
dead　face　of　the　mother　of　Kari　I　could　read　her　likeness　to　her　son。
Of　these　departed　kings　and　queens　there　were　many；　since　from　the
first　Inca　of　whom　history　told　all　were　gathered　here　in　the　holy
House　and　under　the　guardianship　of　the　effigy　of　their　god；　the　Sun；
from　whom　they　believed　themselves　to　be　descended。　The　sight　was　so
solemn　that　it　awed　me；　as　it　did　all　that　congregation；　for　I　noted
that　here　men　walked　with　unsandalled　feet　and　that　in　speaking　none
raised　their　voices　high。

The　old　Inca；　Upanqui；　entered；　gloriously　apparelled　and　accompanied
by　lords　and　priests；　while　after　him　came　Kari　with　his　retinue　of
great　men。　The　Inca　bowed　to　the　company　whereon　everyone　in　the　great
temple；　save　myself　alone　whose　British　pride　kept　me　on　my　feet；
standing　like　one　left　living　on　a　battlefield　among　a　multitude　of
slain；　prostrated　himself　before　his　divine　majesty。　At　a　sign　they
rose　again　and　the　Inca　seated　himself　upon　his　jewelled　golden　throne
beneath　the　effigy　of　the　Sun；　while　Kari　took　his　place　upon　a　lesser
throne　to　the　Inca's　right。

Looking　at　him　there　in　his　splendour　on　this　day　when　he　came　into
his　own　again；　I　bethought　me　of　the　wretched；　starving　Indian　marked
with　blows　and　foul　with　filth　whom　I　had　rescued　from　the　cruel　mob
upon　the　Thames…side　wharf；　and　wondered　at　this　enormous　change　of
fortune　and　the　chain　of　wonderful　events　by　which　it　had　been　brought
about。

My　fortune　also　had　changed；　for　then　I　was　great　in　my　own　fashion；
who　now　had　become　but　a　wanderer；　welcomed　indeed　in　this　glittering
new　world　of　which　yonder　we　knew　nothing；　because　I　was　strange　and
different；　also　full　of　unheard…of　learning　and　skilled　in　war；　but
still　nothing　but　an　outcast　wanderer；　and　so　doomed　to　live　and　die。
And　as　I　thought；　so　thought　Kari；　for　our　glances　met；　and　I　read　it
in　his　eyes。

Yonder　sat　my　servant　who　had　become　my　lord；　and　though　he　was　still
my　friend；　soon　I　felt　he　would　be　lost　in　the　state　matters　of　that
great　empire；　leaving　me　more　lonely　than　before。　Also　his　mind　was
not　as　my　mind；　as　his　blood　was　not　my　blood；　and　he　was　the　slave　of
a　faith　that　to　me　was　a　hateful　superstition　doubtless　begotten　by
the　Devil；　who　under　the　name　of　/Cupay/；　some　worshipped　in　that
land；　though　others　declared　that　this　/Cupay/　was　the　God　of　the
Dead。

Oh！　that　I　could　flee　away　with　Quilla　and　at　her　side　live　out　what
was　left　to　me　of　life；　since　of　all　these　multitudes　she　alone
understood　and　was　akin　to　me；　because　the　sacred　fire　of　love　had
burned　away　our　differences　and　opened　her　eyes。　But　Quilla　was
snatched　from　me　by　the　law　of　their　accursed　faith；　and　whatever　else
Kari　might　give；　he　would　never　give　me　this　lady　of　the　Moon；　since；
as　he　had　said；　to　him　this　would　be　sacrilege。

The　ceremonies　began。　First　Larico；　the　high…priest　of　the　Sun；
clothed　in　his　white　sacerdotal　robes；　made　sacrifice　upon　a　little
altar　which　stood　in　front　of　the　Inca's　throne。

It　was　a　very　simple　sacrifice　of　fruit　and　corn　and　flowers；　with
what　seemed　to　be　strange…shaped　pieces　of　gold。　At　least　I　saw
nothing　else；　and　am　sure　that　nothing　that　had　life　was　laid　upon
that　altar　after　the　fashion　of　the　bloody　offerings　of　the　Jews；　and
indeed　of　those　of　some　of　the　other　peoples　of　that　great　land。

Prayers；　however；　were　spoken；　very　fine　prayers　and　pure　so　far　as　I
could　understand　them；　for　their　language　was　more　ancient　and
somewhat　different　to　that　which　was　used　in　common　speech；　also　the
priests　moved　about；　bowing　and　bending　the　knees　much　as　our　own　do
in　celebrating　the　mass；　though　whether　these　motions　were　in　honour
of　the　god　or　of　the　Inca；　I　am　not　sure。

When　the　sacrifice　was　over；　and　the　little　fire　that　burned　upon　the
altar　had　sunk　low；　though　I　was　told　that　for　hundreds　of　years　it
had　never　been　extinguished；　suddenly　the　Inca　began　to　speak。　With
many　particulars　that　I　had　not　heard　before　he　told　the　tale　of　Kari
and　of　his　estrangement　from　him　in　past　years　through　the　plottings
of　the　mother　of　Urco　who　now　was　dead；　like　the　mother　of　Kari。　This
woman；　it　would　appear；　had　persuaded　him；　the　Inca；　that　Kari　was
conspiring　against　him；　and　therefore　Urco　was　ordered　to　take　him
prisoner；　but　returned　only　with　Kari's　wife；　saying　that　Kari　had
killed　himself。

Here　Upanqui　became　overcome　with　emotion　as　the　aged　are　apt　to　do；
and　beat　his　breast；　even　shedding　tears　because　most　unjustly　he　had
allowed　these　things　to　happen　and　the　wicked　triumph　over　the　good；
for　which　sin　he　said　he　felt　sure　his　father　the　Sun　would　bring　some
punishment　on　him；　as　indeed　was　to　chance　sooner　than　he　thought。
Then　he　continued　his　story；　setting　out　all　Urco's　iniquities　and
sacrileges　against　the　gods；　also　his　murders　of　people　of　high　and
low　degree　and　his　stealing　of　their　wives　and　daughters。　Lastly　he
told　of　the　coming　of　Kari　who　was　supposed　to　be　dead；　and　all　that
story　which　I　have　set　out。

Having　finished　his　tale；　with　much　solemn　ceremonial　he　deposed　Urco
from　his　heirship　to　the　Empire　which　he　gave　back　to　Kari　to　whom　it
belonged　by　right　of　birth　and　calling　upon　his　dead　forefathers；　one
by　one；　to　be　witness　to　the　act；　with　great　formality　once　more　he
bound　the　Prince's　Fringe　about　his　brow。　As　he　did　this；　he　said
these　words：

〃Soon；　O　Prince　Kari；　you　must　change　this　yellow　circlet　for　that
which　I　wear；　and　take　with　it　all　the　burden　of　empire；　for　know　that
as　quickly　as　may　be　I　purpose　to　withdraw　to　my　palace　at　Yucay；
there　to　make　my　peace　with　God　before　I　am　called　hence　to　dwell　in
the　Mansions　of　the　Sun。〃

When　he　had　finished　Kari　did　homage　to　his　father；　and　in　that　quiet；
even　voice　of　his；　told　his　tale　of　the　wrongs　that　he　had　suffered　at
the　hands　of　Urco　his　brother　and　of　how　he　had　escaped；　living　but
maddened；　from　his　hate。　He　told　also　how　he　had　wandered　across　the
sea；　though　of　England　he　said　nothing；　and　been　saved　from　misery　and
death　by　myself；　a　very　great　person　in　my　own　country。　Still；　since　I
had　suffered　wrong　there；　as　he；　Kari；　had　in　his；　he　had　persuaded　me
to　accompany　him　back　to　his　own　land；　that　there　my　wisdom　might
shine　upon　its　darkness；　and　owing　to　my　divine　and　magical　gifts
hither　we　had　come　in　safety。　Lastly；　he　asked　the　assembled　priests
and　lords　if　they　were　content　to　accept　him　as　the　Inca　to　be；　and　to
stand　by　him　in　any　war　that　Urco　might　wage　against　him。

To　this　they　answered　that　they　were　content　and　would　stand　by　him。

Then　followed　many　other　rites　such　as　the　informing　of　the　dead
Incas；　one　by　one；　of　this　solemn　declaration；　through　the　mouth　of
the　high…priest；　and　the　offering　of　many　prayers　to　them　and　to　the
Sun　their　father。　So　long　were　these　prayers　with　the　chants　from
choirs　hidden　in　side　chapels　by　which　they　were　interspersed；　that
the　day　drew　towards　its　close　before　all　was　done。

Thus　it　came　about　that　the　dusk　was　gathering　when　the　Inca；　followed
by　Kari；　myself；　the　priests；　and　all　the　congregation；　left　the
temple　to　present　Kari　as　the　heir　to　the　throne　to　the　vast　crowd
which　waited　upon　the　open