the virgin of the sun-第58章

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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　gates　of　Hell　themselves；　should　come　to　the　courtyard　of　my
palace　after　nightfall；　bringing　a　litter　and　disguised　as　its
bearers；　but　having　their　arms　hidden　beneath　their　cloaks。

These　matters　settled；　I　waited　upon　the　Inca　Kari　and　craved　of　him
leave　to　take　a　journey。　I　told　him　that　I　was　weary　with　so　much
fighting　and　desired　to　rest　amidst　my　friends　the　Chancas。

He　gazed　at　me　awhile；　then　stretched　out　his　sceptre　to　me　in　token
that　my　request　was　granted；　and　said　in　a　sad　voice：

〃So　you　would　leave　me；　my　brother；　because　I　cannot　give　you　that
which　you　desire。　Bethink　you。　You　will　be　no　nearer　to　the　Moon　（by
which　he　meant　Quilla）　at　Chanca　than　you　are　at　Cuzco　and　here；　next
to　the　Inca；　you　are　the　greatest　in　the　Empire　who　by　decree　are
named　his　brother　and　the　general　of　his　armies。〃

Now；　though　my　gorge　rose　at　it；　I　lied　to　him；　saying：

〃The　Moon　is　set　for　me；　so　let　her　sleep　whom　I　shall　see　no　more。
For　the　rest；　learn；　O　Kari；　that　Huaracha　has　sworn　to　me　that　I
shall　be；　not　his　brother　but　his　son；　and　Huaracha　is　sickthey　say
to　death。〃

〃You　mean　that　you　would　choose　to　be　King　over　the　Chancas　rather
than　stand　next　to　the　throne　among　the　Quichuas？〃　he　said；　scanning
me　sharply。

〃Aye；　Kari；〃　I　replied；　still　lying。　〃Since　I　must　dwell　in　this
strange　land；　I　would　do　so　as　a　kingno　less。〃

〃To　that　you　have　a　right；　Brother；　who　are　far　above　us　all。　But　when
you　are　a　king；　what　is　your　plan？　Do　you　purpose　to　strive　to　conquer
me　and　rule　over　Tavantinsuyu；　as　perchance　you　could　do？〃

〃Nay；　I　shall　never　make　war　upon　you；　Kari；　unless　you　break　your
treaty　with　the　Chancas　and　strive　to　subdue　them。〃

〃Which　I　shall　never　do；　Brother。〃

Then　he　paused　awhile　and　spoke　again　with　more　passion　that　I　had
ever　known　in　him；　saying：

〃Would　that　this　woman　who　comes　between　us　were　dead。　Would　that　she
had　never　been　born。　In　truth；　I　am　minded　to　pray　to　my　father；　the
Sun；　that　he　will　be　pleased　to　take　her　to　himself；　for　then
perchance　we　two　might　be　as　we　were　in　the　old　time　yonder　in　your
England；　and　when　we　faced　perils　side　by　side　upon　the　ocean　and　in
the　forests。　A　curse　on　Woman　the　Divider；　and　all　the　curses　of　all
the　gods　upon　this　woman　whom　I　may　not　give　to　you。　Had　she　been　of
my　Household　I　would　have　bidden　you　to　take　her；　yes；　even　if　she
were　my　wife；　but　she　is　the　wife　of　the　god　and　therefore　I　may　not
alas！　I　may　not；〃　and　he　hid　his　face　in　his　robe　and　groaned。

Now　when　I　heard　these　words　I　grew　afraid　who　knew　well　that　she　of
whom　the　Inca　prays　the　Sun　that　she　may　die；　does　die；　and　swiftly。

〃Do　not　add　to　this　lady's　wrongs　by　robbing　her　of　life　as　well　as　of
sight　and　liberty；　Kari；〃　I　said。

〃Have　no　fear；　Brother；〃　he　answered；　〃she　is　safe　from　me。　No　word
shall　pass　my　lips　though　it　is　true　that　in　my　heart　I　wish　that　she
would　die。　Go　your　ways；　Brother　and　Friend；　and　when　you　grow　weary
of　kingship　if　it　comes　to　you；　as　to　tell　truth　already　I　grow　weary；
return　to　me。　Perchance；　forgetting　that　we　had　been　kings；　we　might
journey　hence　together　over　the　world's　edge。〃

Then　he　stood　up　on　his　throne　and　bowed　towards　me；　kissing　the　air
as　though　to　a　god；　and　taking　the　royal　chain　that　every　Inca　wore
from　about　his　neck；　set　it　upon　mine。　This　done；　turning；　he　left　me
without　another　word。

With　a　heavy　heart　I　returned　to　my　palace　where　I　dwelt。　At　sundown　I
ate　according　to　my　custom；　and　dismissed　those　who　waited　upon　me　to
the　servants'　quarters。　There　were　but　two　of　them　for　my　private　life
was　simple。　Then　I　slept　till　past　midnight　and　rising；　went　into　the
courtyard　where　I　found　the　eight　Chanca　captains　disguised　as　litter…
bearers　and　with　them　the　litter。　I　led　them　to　an　empty　guard…house
and　bade　them　stay　there　in　silence。　After　this　I　returned　to　my
chamber　and　waited。

About　two　hours　before　the　dawn　Larico　came；　knocking　on　the　side…door
as　we　had　planned。　I　opened　to　him　and　he　entered　disguised　in　a
hooded　cloak　of　sheep's　wool　which　covered　his　robes　and　his　face；
such　as　priests　wear　when　the　weather　is　cold。　He　gave　to　me　the
garments　of　a　priest　of　the　Sun　which　he　had　brought　with　him　in　a
cloth。　I　clothed　myself　in　them　though　because　of　the　fashion　of　them
to　do　this　I　must　be　rid　of　my　armour　which　would　have　betrayed　me。
Larico　desired　that　I　should　take　off　the　sword　Wave…Flame　also；　but；
mistrusting　him；　this　I　would　not　do；　but　made　shift　to　hide　it　and　my
dagger　beneath　the　priest's　cloak。　The　armour　I　wrapped　in　a　bundle
and　took　with　me。

Presently　we　went　out；　having　spoken　few　words　since　the　time　for
speech　had　gone　by　and　peril　or　some　fear　of　what　might　befall　weighed
upon　our　tongues。　In　the　guard…house　I　found　the　Chancas　at　whom
Larico　looked　curiously　but　said　nothing。　To　them　I　gave　the　bundle　of
armour　to　be　hidden　in　the　litter　and　with　it　my　long　bow；　having
first　revealed　myself　to　them　by　lifting　the　hood　of　my　cloak。　Then　I
bade　them　follow　me。

Larico　and　I　walked　in　front　and　after　us　came　the　eight　men；　four　of
them　bearing　the　empty　litter；　and　the　other　four　marching　behind。
This　was　well　planned　since　if　any　saw　us　or　if　we　met　guards　as　once
or　twice　we　did；　these　thought　that　we　were　priests　taking　one　who　was
sick　or　dead　to　be　tended　or　to　be　made　ready　for　burial。　Once；
however；　we　were　challenged；　but　Larico　spoke　some　word　and　we　passed
on　without　question。

At　length　in　the　darkness　before　the　dawn　we　came　to　the　private
palace　of　dead　Upanqui。　At　its　garden　gate　Larico　would　have　had　me
leave　the　litter　with　the　eight　Chanca　warriors　disguised　as　bearers。
I　refused；　saying　that　they　must　come　to　the　doors　of　the　palace；　and
when　he　grew　urgent；　tapped　my　sword；　whispering　to　him　fiercely　that
he　had　best　beware　lest　it　should　be　he　who　stayed　at　the　gate。　Then
he　gave　way　and　we　advanced　all　of　us　across　the　garden　to　the　door　of
the　palace。　Larico　unlocked　the　door　with　a　key　and　we　entered；　he　and
I　alone；　for　here　I　bade　the　Chancas　await　my　return。

We　crept　down　a　short　passage　that　was　curtained　at　its　end。　Passing
the　curtains　I　found　myself　in　Upanqui's　banqueting…hall。　This　hall
was　dimly　lit　with　one　hanging　golden　lamp。　By　its　light　I　saw
something　more　wondrous　and　of　its　sort　more　awful　than　ever　I　had
seen　in　that　strange　land。

There；　on　a　dais；　in　his　chair　of　gold；　sat　dead　Upanqui　arrayed　in
all　his　gorgeous　Inca　robes　and　so　marvellously　preserved　that　he
might　have　been　a　man　asleep。　With　arms　crossed　and　his　sceptre　at　his
side；　he　sat　staring　down　the　hall　with　fixed　and　empty　eyes；　a
dreadful　figure　of　life　in　death。　About　him　and　around　the　dais　were
set　all　his　riches；　vases　and　furniture　of　gold；　and　jewels　piled　in
heaps；　there　to　remain　till　the　roof　fell　in　and　buried　them；　since　on
this　hallowed　wealth　the　boldest　dared　not　lay　a　hand。　In　the　centre
of　the　hall；　also；　was　a　table　prepared　as　though　for　feasters；　for
amid　jewelled　cups　and　platters　stood　the　meats　and　wines　which　day　by
day　were　brought　afresh　by　the　Virgins　of　the　Sun。　Doubtless　there
were　more　wonders；　but　these　I　could　not　see　because　the　light　did　not
reach　them；　or　to　the　doorways　of　the　chambers　that　opened　from　the
hall。　Moreover；　there　was　something　else　which　caught　my　eye。

At　the　foot　of　the　dais　crouched　a　figure　which　at　first　I　took　to　be
that　of　some　dead　one　also　embalmed；　perhaps　a　wife　or　daughter　of　the
dead　Inca　who　had　been　set　with　him　in　this　place。　While　I　stared　at
it　the　figure　stirred；　having　heard　our　footsteps；　rose　and　turned；
standing　so　that　the　light　from　the　hanging　lamp　fell　full　upon　it。　It
was　Quilla　clad　in　white　and　purple　with　a　golden　likeness　of　the　Sun
blazoned　upon　her　breast！

So　beauteous　did　she　look　searching　the　darkness　with　great　blind　eyes
and　her　rich　flowing　hair　flowing　from　beneath　her　jewelled　headdress；
a　diadem　fashioned　to　resemble　the　Sun's　rays；　that　my　breath　failed
me　and　my　heart　stood　still。

〃There　stand