the virgin of the sun-第57章

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place　and　power。　So　knowing　that　I　held　him　fast　I　bided　my　time；
because　through　him　alone　I　could　hope　to　come　at　Quilla。　That　time
came　after　the　war　was　over　and　we　had　returned　to　Cuzco　in　triumph。
As　soon　as　the　rejoicings　were　over　and　Kari　was　firmly　seated　on　his
throne；　I　sent　for　Larico；　which；　as　the　greatest　man　in　the　kingdom
after　the　Inca；　I　was　able　to　do。

He　appeared　in　answer　to　my　summons　and　we　bowed　to　each　other；　after
which　he　began　to　praise　me　for　my　generalship；　saying　that　had　it　not
been　for　me；　Urco　would　have　won　the　war　and　that　the　Inca　had　done
well　to　name　me　his　Brother　before　the　people　and　to　say　that　to　me　he
owed　his　throne。

〃Yes；　that　is　true；〃　I　answered；　〃and　now；　since　through　me；　you；
Larico；　are　the　third　greatest　man　in　the　kingdom　and　remain　High…
Priest　of　the　Sun　and　Whisperer　in　the　Inca's　ear；　I　would　put　you　in
mind　of　a　certain　bargain　that　we　made　when　I　promised　you　all　these
things；　Larico。〃

〃What　bargain；　Lord…of…the…Sea。〃

〃That　you　would　bring　me　and　a　Virgin　of　the　Sun；　who　while　she　was　of
the　earth　was　named　Quilla；　together；　Larico；　and　enable　her　to　return
from　those　of　the　Sun　to　my　arms；　Larico。〃

Now　his　face　grew　troubled　and　he　answered：

〃Lord；　I　have　thought　much　of　this　matter；　desiring　above　all　things
to　fulfil　my　word　and　I　grieve　to　tell　you　that　it　is　impossible。〃

〃Why；　Larico？〃

〃Because　I　find　that　the　law　of　my　faith　is　against　it；　Lord。〃

〃Is　that　all；　Larico？〃　I　asked　with　a　smile。

〃No；　Lord。　Because　I　find　that　the　Inca　would　not　suffer　it　and　swears
to　kill　all　who　attempt　to　touch　the　lady　Quilla。〃

〃Is　that　all；　Larico？〃

〃No；　Lord。　Because　I　find　that　a　woman　who　has　been　betrothed　to　one
of　the　royal　blood　may　never　pass　to　another　man。〃

〃Now　perhaps　we　come　nearer　to　it；　Larico。　You　mean　that　if　this
happened　and　perchance　after　all　Urco　should　come　to　the　throne；　as　he
might　do　if　Kari　his　brother　diedas　any　man　may　diehe　would　hold
you　to　account。〃

〃Yes；　Lord；　if　that　chanced；　as　chance　it　may；　since　Urco　still　lives
and　I　hear　is　gathering　new　armies　among　the　mountains；　certainly　he
would　hold　me　to　account　for　I　have　heard　as　much。　Also　our　father　the
Sun　would　hold　me　to　account　and　so　would　the　Inca　who　wields　his
sceptre　upon　earth。〃

I　asked　him　why　he　did　not　think　of　all　these　things　before　when　he
had　much　to　gain　instead　of　now　when　he　had　gained　them　through　me；
and　he　answered　because　he　had　not　considered　them　enough。　Then　I
pretended　to　grow　angry　and　exclaimed：

〃You　are　a　rogue；　Larico！　You　promise　and　take　your　pay　and　you　do　not
perform。　Henceforth　I　am　your　enemy　and　one　to　whom　the　Inca
hearkens。〃

〃He　hearkens　still　more　to　this　god　the　Sun　and　to　me　who　am　the　voice
of　God；　White　Man；〃　he　answered；　adding　insolently；　〃You　would　strike
too　late；　your　power　over　me　and　my　fortunes　is　gone；　White　Man。〃

〃I　fear　it　is　so；〃　I　replied；　pretending　to　be　frightened；　〃so　let　us
say　no　more　of　the　matter。　After　all；　there　are　other　women　in　Cuzco
besides　this　fair　bride　of　the　Sun。　Now　before　you　go；　High…Priest；
will　you　who　are　so　learned　help　me　who　am　ignorant？　I　have　been
striving　to　master　your　method　of　conveying　thoughts　by　means　of
knots。　Here　I　have　a　bundle　of　strings　which　I　cannot　altogether
understand。　Be　pleased　to　interpret　them　to　me；　O　most　holy　and
upright　High…Priest。〃

Then　from　my　robe　I　drew　out　those　knotted　fibres　that　I　had　taken
from　his　messenger　and　held　them　before　Larico's　eyes。

He　stared　at　them　and　turned　pale。　His　hand　groped　for　his　dagger　till
he　saw　that　mine　was　on　the　hilt　of　Wave…Flame；　whereon　he　let　it
fall。　Next　the　thought　took　him　that　in　truth　I　could　not　read　the
knots　which　he　began　to　interpret　falsely。

〃Have　done；　Traitor；〃　I　laughed；　〃for　I　know　them　all。　So　Urco　may　wed
Quilla　and　I　may　not。　Also　cease　to　fret　as　to　that　messenger　of　yours
for　whom　you　seek　far　and　near；　since　he　is　safe　in　my　keeping。
To…morrow　I　take　him　to　deliver　his　message　not　to　Urco；　but　to　Kari
and　then；　Traitor？〃

Now　Larico　who；　notwithstanding　his　stern　face　and　proud　manner；　was　a
coward　at　heart；　fell　upon　his　knees　before　me　trembling　and　prayed　me
to　spare　his　life　which　lay　in　my　hand。　Well　he　knew　that　if　once　it
came　to　Kari's　ears；　even　a　high　priest　of　the　Sun　could　not　hope　to
escape　the　reward　of　such　treachery　as　his。

〃If　I　pardon　you；　what　will　you　give　me？〃　I　asked。

〃The　only　thing　that　you　will　take；　Lordthe　lady　Quilla　herself。
Hearken；　Lord。　Outside　the　city　is　the　palace　of　Upanqui　whom　Urco
slew。　There　in　the　great　hall　the　divine　Inca　sits　embalmed　and　into
that　holy　presence　none　dare　enter　save　the　Virgins　of　the　Sun　whose
office　it　is　to　wait　upon　the　mighty　dead。　To…morrow　one　hour　before
the　dawn；　when　all　men　sleep；　I　will　lead　you　to　this　hall　disguised
in　the　robes　of　a　priest　of　the　Sun；　so　that　on　the　way　thither　none
can　know　you。　There　you　will　find　but　one　Virgin　of　the　Sun；　the　lady
whom　you　seek。　Take　her　and　begone。　The　rest　I　leave　to　you。〃

〃How　do　I　know　that　you　will　not　set　some　trap　for　me；　Larico？〃

〃Thus；　Lord；　that　I　shall　be　with　you　and　share　your　sacrilege。　Also
my　life　will　be　in　your　hand。〃

〃Aye；　Larico；〃　I　answered　grimly；　〃and　if　aught　of　ill　befalls　me；
remember　that　this；〃　and　I　touched　the　knotted　cords；　〃will　find　its
way　to　Kari；　and　with　it　the　man　who　was　your　messenger。〃

He　nodded　and　answered：

〃Be　sure　that　I　have　but　one　desire；　to　know　you；　Lord；　and　this　woman
whom；　being　mad；　you　seek　so　madly；　far　from　Cuzco　and　never　to　look
upon　your　face　again。〃

Then　we　made　our　plans　as　to　when　and　where　we　should　meet　and　other
matters；　after　which　he　departed；　bowing　himself　away　with　many
smiles。

I　thought　to　myself　that　there　went　as　big　a　rogue　as　I　had　ever
known；　in　London　or　elsewhere；　and　fell　to　wondering　what　snare　he
would　set　for　me；　since　that　he　planned　some　snare　I　was　sure。　Why；
then；　did　I　prepare　to　fall　into　it？　I　asked　myself。　The　answer　was；
for　a　double　reason。　First；　although　my　whole　heart　was　sick　with
longing　for　the　sight　of　her；　now；　after　months　of　seeking；　I　was　no
nearer　to　Quilla　than　when　we　had　parted　in　the　city　of　the　Chancas；
nor　ever　should　be　without　Larico's　aid。　Secondly；　some　voice　within
me　told　me　to　go　forward　taking　all　hazards；　since　if　I　did　not；　our
parting　would　be　for　always　in　this　world。　Yes；　the　voice　warned　me
that　unless　I　saved　her　soon；　Quilla　would　be　no　more。　As　Huaracha　had
said；　there　was　more　poison　in　Cuzco；　and　murderers　were　not　far　to
seek。　Or　despair　might　do　its　work　with　her。　Or　she　might　kill　herself
as　once　she　had　proposed　to　do。　So　I　would　go　forward　even　though　the
path　I　walked　should　lead　me　to　my　doom。

That　day　I　did　many　things。　Now；　being　so　great　a　general　and　manor
godamong　these　people；　I　had　those　about　me　who　were　sworn　to　my
service　and　whom　I　could　trust。　For　one　of　these；　a　prince　of　the　Inca
blood；　of　the　House　of　Kari's　mother；　I　sent　and　gave　to　him　those
knotted　cords　that　were　the　proof　of　Larico's　treachery；　bidding　him
if　aught　of　evil　overtook　me；　or　if　I　could　not　be　found；　to　deliver
them　to　the　Inca　on　my　behalf　and　with　them　the　prisoned　messenger　who
was　in　his　keeping；　but　meanwhile　to　show　them　to　no　man。　He　bowed　and
swore　by　the　Sun　to　do　my　bidding；　thinking　doubtless　that；　my　work
finished　in　this　land；　I　purposed　to　return　into　the　sea　out　of　which
I　had　risen；　as　doubtless　a　god　could　do。

Next　I　summoned　the　captains　of　the　Chancas　who　had　fought　under　me
throughout　the　civil　war；　of　whom　about　half　remained　alive；　and　bade
them　gather　their　men　upon　the　ridge　where　I　had　stood　at　the
beginning　of　the　battle　of　the　Field　of　Blood；　and　wait　until　I　joined
them　there。　If　it　chanced；　however；　that　I　did　not　appear　within　six
days　I　commanded　that　they　should　march　back　to　their　own　country　and
make　report　to　King　Huaracha　that　I　had　〃returned　into　the　sea〃　for
reasons　that　he　would　guess。　Also　I　commanded　that　eight　famous
warriors　whom　I　named；　men　of　my　own　bodyguard　who　had　fought　with　me
in　all　our　battles　and　would　have　followed　me　through　fire　or　water　or
the