the virgin of the sun-第61章

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summon　those　lords　of　yours　and　I　will　summon　mine；　and　set　out　the
matter　to　them。〃

So　I　turned　and　beckoned　to　my　captains；　and　Kari　beckoned　to　his。
They　came；　and　in　the　hearing　of　all；　very　clearly　and　quietly　as　was
his　fashion；　he　repeated　every　word　that　he　had　said　to　me；　adding　to
them　others　of　like　meaning。　While　he　spoke　I　thought；　not　listening
over…much。

This　thing　was　hateful　to　me；　yet　I　was　in　a　snare；　since　according　to
the　customs　of　all　these　peoples　I　could　not　refuse　such　a　challenge
and　remain　unshamed。　Moreover；　it　was　to　the　advantage　of　the　Chancas；
aye；　and　of　the　Quichuas　also；　that　I　should　not　refuse　it　seeing　that
whether　I　lived　or　died；　peace　would　then　reign　between　them　who
otherwise　must　both　be　destroyed　by　war。　I　remembered　how　once　Quilla
had　sacrificed　herself　to　prevent　such　a　war；　though　in　the　end　that
war　had　come；　and　what　Quilla　had　done；　should　I　not　do　also？　Weary
though　I　was　I　did　not　fear　Kari；　brave　and　swift　as　he　might　be；
indeed　I　thought　that　I　could　kill　him　and　perhaps　take　his　throne；
since　the　Quichuas　worshipped　me；　who　so　often　had　led　their　armies　to
triumph；　almost　as　much　as　did　the　Chancas。　ButI　could　not　kill
Kari。　As　soon　would　I　kill　one　born　of　my　own　mother。　Was　there　then
no　escape？

The　answer　rose　in　my　mind。　There　was　an　escape。　I　could　suffer　Kari
to　kill　me。　Only　if　I　did　this；　what　of　Quilla！　After　all　that　had
come　and　gone；　must　I　lose　Quilla　thus；　and　must　Quilla　lose　me？
Surely　she　would　break　her　heart　and　die。　My　plight　was　desperate。　I
knew　not　what　to　do。　Then　of　a　sudden；　while　I　wavered；　some　voice
seemed　to　whisper　in　my　ear；　I　thought　it　must　be　that　of　St。　Hubert。
It　seemed　to　say　to　me；　〃Kari　trusts　to　his　god；　cannot　you　trust　to
yours；　Hubert　of　Hastings；　you　who　are　a　Christian　man？　Go　forward；
and　trust　to　yours；　Hubert　of　Hastings。〃

Kari's　gentle　voice　died　away；　he　had　finished　his　speech　and　all　men
looked　at　me。

〃What　word？〃　I　said　roughly　to　my　captains。

〃Only　this；　Lord；〃　answered　their　spokesman；　〃Fight　you　must；　of　that
there　can　be　no　doubt；　but　we　would　fight　with　you；　the　ten　of　the
Chancas　against　the　ten　of　the　Quichuas。〃

〃Aye；　that　is　good；〃　replied　the　first　of　Kari's　nobles。　〃This
business　is　too　great　to　set　upon　one　man's　skill　and　strength。〃

〃Have　done！〃　I　said。　〃It　lies　between　the　Inca　and　myself；〃　while　Kari
nodded；　and　repeated　〃Have　done！〃　after　me。

Then　I　sent　one　of　the　captains　back　to　the　camp　for　my　sword　and　Kari
commanded　that　his　should　be　brought　to　him；　since　according　to　the
custom　of　these　people　when　ambassadors　meet；　neither　of　us　was　armed。
Presently；　the　captain　holding　my　sword　returned；　and　with　him
servants　who　brought　my　armour。　Also　after　them　streamed　all　the　army
of　the　Chancas　among　whom　the　news　had　spread　like　wind…driven　fire；
and　lined　themselves　upon　the　ridge　to　watch。　As　he　came；　too；　I
noticed　that　this　captain　sharpened　Wave…Flame　with　a　certain　kind　of
stone　that　was　used　to　give　a　keen　edge　to　weapons。

He　brought　the　ancient　weapon　and　handed　it　to　me　on　his　knee。　The
Inca's　man　also　brought　his　sword　and　handed　it　to　him；　as　he　did　so；
bowing　his　forehead　to　the　dust。　Well　I　knew　that　weapon；　since　once
before　I　had　faced　it　in　desperate　battle　for　my　life。　It　was　the
ivory…handled　sword　of　the　lord　Deleroy　which　Kari　had　taken　from　his
dead　hand　after　I　slew　him　in　the　Solar　of　my　house　in　the　Cheap　at
London。　Then　the　servant　came　to　me　with　the　armour；　but　I　sent　him
away；　saying　that　as　the　Inca　had　none；　I　would　not　wear　it；　at　which
my　people　murmured。

Kari　saw　and　heard。

〃Noble　as　ever；〃　he　said　aloud。　〃Oh！　that　such　bright　honour　should
have　been　tarnished　by　a　woman's　breath。〃

Our　lords　discussed　the　manner　of　our　fighting；　but　to　them　I　paid
little　heed。

At　length　all　was　ready　and　we　stepped　forward　to　face　each　other　at　a
given　word；　clad　much　alike。　I　had　thrown　off　my　outer　garment　and
stood　bareheaded　in　a　jerkin　of　soft　sheepskin。　Kari；　too；　was
stripped　of　his　splendid　dress　and　clad　in　a　tunic　of　sheepskin。　Also；
that　we　might　be　quite　equal；　he　had　taken　off　his　turban…like
headgear　and　even　the　royal　Fringe；　whereat　his　lords　stared　at　each
other　for　they　thought　this　a　bad　omen。

It　was　just　then　I　heard　a　sound　behind　me；　and　turning　my　head　I　saw
Quilla　stumbling　towards　us　down　the　stony　slope　as　best　her　half…
blind　eyes　would　let　her；　and　crying　as　she　came：

〃Oh！　my　Lord；　fight　not。　Inca；　I　will　return　to　the　House　of　the　Sun！〃

〃Silence；　accursed　woman！〃　said　Kari；　frowning。　〃Does　the　Sun　take
back　such　as　you？　Silence　until　the　woe　that　you　have　wrought　is
finished；　and　then　wail　on　forever。〃

She　shrank　back　at　his　bitter；　unjust　words；　and　guided　by　the　women
who　had　followed　her；　sank　upon　a　stone；　where　she　sat　still　as　a
statue　or　as　dead　Upanqui　in　his　hall。

Now　one　called　aloud　the　pledges　of　the　fight　which　were　as　Kari　had
spoken　them。　He　listened　and　added：

〃Be　it　known；　also；　that　this　battle　is　to　the　death　of　one　or　both　of
us；　since　if　we　live　I　take　back　my　oaths　and　I　will　burn　yonder　witch
as　a　sacrifice　to　the　Sun　whom　she　has　betrayed；　and　destroy　her
people　and　her　city　according　to　the　ancient　law　of　Vengeance　on　the
House　of　those　who　have　deceived　the　Sun。〃

I　heard　but　made　no　answer；　who　did　not　wish　to　waste　my　breath　in
bandying　words　with　a　great　man；　whose　brain　had　been　turned　by
bigotry　and　woman…hatred。

A　moment　later　the　signal　was　given　and　we　were　at　it。　Kari　leapt　at
me　like　the　tree…lion　of　his　own　forests；　but　I　avoided　and　parried。
Thrice　he　leapt　and　thrice　I　did　this；　yes；　even　when　I　saw　an　opening
and　might　have　cut　him　down。　Almost　I　struck；　then　could　not。　The
Chancas　watched　me；　wondering　what　game　I　played　who　was　not　wont　to
fight　in　this　fashion；　and　I　also　wondered；　who　still　knew　not　what　to
do。　Something　I　must　do；　or　presently　I　should　be　slain；　since　soon　my
guard　would　fail　and　Deleroy's　sword　get　home　at　last。

I　think　that　Kari　grew　perplexed　at　this　patient　defence　of　mine；　and
never　a　blow　struck　back。　At　least　he　withdraw　a　little；　then　came　for
me　with　a　rush；　holding　his　sword　high　above　his　head　with　the　purpose
of　striking　me　above　that　guard；　or　so　I　supposed。　Then；　of　a　sudden；
I　knew　what　to　do。　Wheeling　Wave…Flame　with　all　my　strength　in　both
hands；　I　smote；　not　at　Kari　but　at　the　ivory　handle　of　his　sword。　The
keen　and　ancient　steel　that　might　well　have　been　some　of　that　which；
as　legend　told；　was　forged　by　the　dwarfs　in　Norseland；　fell　upon　the
ivory　between　his　hand…grip　and　the　cross…piece　and　shore　through　it
as　I　had　hoped　that　it　would　do；　so　that　the　blade　of　Kari's　sword；
severed　just　above　the　hilt；　fell　to　the　ground　and　the　hilt　itself
was　jarred　from　his　hand。

His　nobles　saw　and　groaned　while　the　Chancas　shouted　with　joy；　for　now
Kari　was　defenceless　and　save　for　the　death　itself；　this　fight　to　the
death　was　ended。

Kari　folded　his　arms　upon　his　breast　and　bent　his　head。

〃It　is　the　decree　of　my　god；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　did　ill　to　trust　to　the
sword　of　a　villain　whom　you　slew。　Strike；　Conqueror；　and　make　an　end。〃

I　rested　myself　upon　Wave…Flame　and　answered：

〃If　I　strike　not；　O　Inca；　will　you　take　back　your　words　and　let　peace
reign　between　your　people　and　the　Chancas？〃

〃Nay；〃　he　answered。　〃What　I　have　said；　I　have　said。　If　yonder　false
woman　is　given　up　to　suffer　the　fate　of　those　who　have　betrayed　the
Sun；　then　there　shall　be　peace　between　the　peoples；　but　not　otherwise；
since　while　I　live　I　will　wage　war　upon　her　and　you；　and　upon　the
Chancas　who　shelter　both　of　you。〃

Now　rage　took　hold　of　me；　who　remembered　that　while　this　woman…hater
lived　blood　must　flow　in　streams；　but　that　if　he　died　there　would　be
peace　and　Quilla　would　be　safe。　So　I　lifted　my　sword　a　little；　and　as
I　did　so　Quilla　rose　from　her　stone　and　stumbled　forward；　crying：

〃O　Lord；　shed　not　the　Inca's　holy　blood　for　me。　Let　me　be　given　up！
Let　me　be　given　up！〃

Then　some　spirit　entered　into　me　and　I　spoke；　saying：

〃Lady；　half　of　your　prayer　I　grant　and　half　I　deny。　I　will　not　shed
the　Inca's　blood；　as　soon　would　I　shed　yours