the virgin of the sun-第28节

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Why　did　he　scold　me　about　faith？　Why　did　he　address　me　as　〃White　Man〃
instead　of　〃Master〃？　Was　it　because　he　had　reached　a　country　where　he
was　great　and　I　was　nothing？　I　supposed　so；　and　answered；

〃And　are　these　your　subjects；　O　noble　Kari？〃　and　I　pointed　to　the
crawling　turtles。　〃And　is　this　the　rich　and　wondrous　land　where　gold
and　silver　are　as　mud？〃　and　I　pointed　to　the　barren　rocks　and　sand
around。

He　smiled　at　my　jest；　and　answered　more　humbly：

〃Nay；　Master；　yonder　is　my　land。〃

Then　I　looked；　following　his　glance；　and　saw　many　leagues　way　across
the　water　two　snowclad　peaks　rising　above　a　bank　of　clouds。

〃I　know　those　mountains；〃　he　went　on；　〃without　doubt　they　are　one　of
the　gateways　of　my　land。〃

〃Then　we　might　as　well　be　in　London　for　all　the　hope　we　have　of
passing　that　gate；　Kari。　But　tell　me　what　has　chanced。〃

〃This；　I　think。　A　very　great　wave　caught　us　and　threw　us　right　over
those　rocks　on　to　the　shore。　Lookthere　is　the　/balsa/；〃　and　he
pointed　to　a　broken　heap　of　reeds　and　pierced　skins。

With　his　help　I　rose　and　went　to　it。　Now　none　could　know　that　it　had
been　a　boat。　Still；　the　/balsa/　it　was　and　nothing　else；　and　tied　in
its　tangled　mass　still　remained　those　things　which　we　had　brought　with
us；　such　as　my　black　bow　and　armour；　though　all　the　jars　were　broken。

〃It　has　borne　us　well；　but　will　never　bear　us　again；〃　I　said。

〃That　is　so；　Master。　But　if　we　were　in　my　own　country　yonder　I　would
set　its　fragments　in　a　case　of　gold　and　place　them　in　the　Temple　of
the　Sun　as　a　memorial。〃

Then　we　went　to　a　pool　of　rainwater　that　lay　in　a　hollow　rock　near　by；
and　drank　our　fill；　for　we　were　very　thirsty。　Also　among　the　ruins　of
the　/balsa/　we　found　some　of　the　dried　fish　that　was　left　to　us；　and
having　washed　it；　filled　ourselves。　After　this　we　limped　to　the　crest
of　the　land　behind　and　perceived　that　we　were　on　a　little　island；
perhaps　two　hundred　English　acres　in　extent；　whereon　nothing　grew
except　some　coarse　grass。　This　island；　however；　was　the　haunt　of　great
numbers　of　seafowl　which　nested　there；　also　of　the　turtles　that　I　have
mentioned；　and　of　certain　beasts　like　seals　or　otters。

〃At　least　we　shall　not　starve；〃　I　said；　〃though　in　the　dry　season　we
may　die　of　thirst。〃



Now　there　on　that　island　we　remained　for　four　long　months。　For　food　we
ate　the　turtles；　which　we　cooked　over　fires　that　Kari　made　by
cunningly　twirling　a　pointed　piece　of　driftwood　in　the　hollow　of
another　piece　that　he　filled　with　the　dust　of　dried　grass。　Had　he
lacked　that　knowledge　we　must　have　starved　or　lived　on　raw　flesh。　As
it　was；　we　had　plenty　with　this　meat　and　that　of　birds　and　their　eggs；
also　of　fish　that　we　caught　in　the　pools　when　the　tide　was　down。　From
the　shells　of　the　turtles；　by　the　help　of　stones；　we　built　us　a　kind
of　hut　to　keep　off　the　sun　and　the　rain；　which　in　that　hot　place　was
sufficient　shelter；　also；　when　the　stench　was　out　of　them；　we　used
other　shells　in　which　to　catch　rainwater　that　we　stored　as　best　we
could　against　seasons　of　drought。　Lastly；　with　my　big　bow　which　was
saved　with　the　armour；　I　shot　sea…otters；　and　from　their　pelts　we　made
us　garments　after　rubbing　the　skins　with　turtle　fat　and　handling　them
to　make　them　soft。

Thus；　then；　we　lived　from　moon　to　moon　upon　that　desert　place；　till　I
thought　I　should　go　mad　with　loneliness　and　despair；　for　no　help　came
near　us。　There　were　the　mountains　of　the　mainland　far　away；　but
between　them　and　us　stretched　leagues　of　sea　that　we　could　not　swim；
nor　had　we　anything　of　which　to　make　a　boat。

〃Here　we　must　remain　until　we　die！〃　at　last　I　cried　in　my
wretchedness。

〃Nay；〃　answered　Kari；　〃our　gods　are　still　with　us　and　will　save　us　in
their　season。〃



This；　indeed；　they　did　in　a　strange　fashion。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　III

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　DAUGHTER　OF　THE　MOON

For　the　fourth　time　since　we　were　cast　away　on　this　island　the　huge
full　moon　shone　in　a　sky　of　wondrous　blue。　Kari　and　I　watched　it　rise
between　the　two　snow…clad　peaks　far　away　that　he　had　called　a　gateway
to　his　land；　which　was　so　near　to　us　and　yet　it　would　seem　more
distant　than　Heaven　itself。　Heaven　we　might　hope　to　reach　upon　the
wings　of　spirit　when　we　died；　but　to　that　country　how　could　we　come？

We　watched　that　great　moon　climb　higher　and　higher　up　a　ladder　of
little　bar…like　clouds；　till　wearying　we　let　our　eyes　fall　upon　the
glittering　pathway　which　its　light　made　upon　the　bosom　of　the　placid
sea。　Suddenly　Kari　stared　and　stared。

〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked　idly。

〃I　thought　I　saw　something　yonder　far　away　where　Quilla's　footsteps
make　the　waters　bright；〃　he　said；　speaking　in　his　own　language　in
which　now　we　often　talked　together。

〃Quilla's？〃　I　exclaimed。　〃Oh！　I　forgot：　that　is　the　lady　moon's　name
in　your　tongue；　is　it　not？　Well；　come；　Quilla；　and　I　will　wed　and
worship　you；　as　'tis　said　the　ancients　did；　and　never　turn　to　look
upon　another；　be　she　woman；　or　goddess；　or　both。　Only　come　and　take　me
from　this　accursed　isle　and　in　payment　I'll　die　for　you；　if　need　be；
when　first　I've　taught　you　how　to　love　as　star　or　woman　never　loved
before。〃

〃Hush！〃　said　Kari　in　a　grave　voice；　when　he　had　listened　to　this　mad
stuff　that　burst　through　my　lips　from　the　spring　of　a　mind　distraught
by　misery　and　despair。

〃Why　should　I　hush？〃　I　asked。　〃Is　it　not　pleasant　to　think　of　the　moon
wearing　a　lovely　woman's　shape　and　descending　to　give　a　lonely　mortal
love　and　comfort？〃

〃Because；　Master；　to　me　and　my　people　the　moon　is　a　goddess　who　hears
prayer　and　answers　it。　Suppose；　then；　that　she　heard　you　and　answered
you　and　came　to　you　and　claimed　your　love；　what　then？〃

〃Why；　then；　friend　Kari；〃　I　raved　on；　〃then　I　should　welcome　her；　for
love　goes　a　begging；　ready　as　ripe　fruit　to　be　plucked　by　the　first
hand　if　it　be　fair　enough；　ready　to　melt　beneath　the　first　lips　if
they　be　warm　enough。　'Tis　said　that　it　is　the　man　who　loves　and　the
woman　who　accepts　the　love。　But　that　is　not　true。　It　is　the　man；　Kari；
who　waits　to　be　loved　and　pays　back　just　as　much　as　is　given　to　him；
and　no　more；　like　an　honest　merchant；　for　if　he　does　otherwise；　then
he　suffers　for　it；　as　I　have　learned。　Therefore；　come；　Quilla；　and
love　as　a　Celestial　can　and　I　swear　that　step　by　step　I'll　keep　pace
with　you　in　flesh　and　spirit　through　Heaven；　or　through　Hell；　since
love　I　must　have；　or　death。〃

〃I　pray　you；　talk　not　so；〃　said　Kari　again；　in　a　frightened　voice；
〃since　those　words　of　yours　come　from　the　heart　and　will　be　heard。　The
goddess　is　a　woman；　too；　and　what　woman　will　turn　from　such　a　bait？〃

〃Let　her　take　it；　then。　Why　not？〃

〃Because；　O　friend；　because　/Quilla/　is　wed　to　/Yuti/；　the　Moon　is　the
Sun's　wife；　and　if　the　Sun　grows　jealous　what　will　happen　to　the　man
who　has　robbed　the　greatest　of　the　world's　gods？〃

〃I　do　not　know　and　I　do　not　care。　If　Quilla　would　but　come　and　love
me；　I'd　take　my　chance　of　Yuti　whom　as　a　Christian　I　defy。〃

Kari　shuddered　at　this　blasphemy；　then　having　once　more　scanned　that
silver　pathway　on　the　waters；　but　without　avail　for　the　great　fish　or
drifting　tree　or　whatever　he　had　seen；　was　gone；　prayed　after　his
fashion　at　night；　to　Pachacamac；　Spirit　of　the　Universe；　or　to　the　Sun
his　servant；　god　of　the　world；　I　know　not　which；　and　rolling　himself
in　his　rug　of　skins；　crept　into　our　little　hut　to　sleep。

But　as　yet　I　did　not　sleep；　for　though　Kari　hated　both；　this　talk　of
love　and　women　had　stirred　my　blood　and　made　me　wakeful。　So　I　took　a
rough　comb　that　I　had　fashioned　from　the　shell　of　a　turtle；　and
dragged　it　through　my　long　fair　beard；　which；　growing　fast；　now　hung
down　far　upon　my　breast；　and　through　the　curling　hair　that　lay　upon　my
shoulders；　for　I　had　become　as　other　wild　men　are；　and　sang　to　myself
there　by　the　little　fire　which　we　kept　burning　day　and　night　and　tried
to　think　of　happy　things　that　never　should　I　know　again。

At　length　the　fit　passed　and　I　grew　weary　and　laid　myself　down　by　the
fire；　for　the　night　being　so　fine　and　warm　I　would　not　go　into　the
hut；　and　there　sleep　found　me。

I　dreamed　in　my　sleep。　I　dreamed　that　a　very　beautiful　woman　who　wore
upon　her　naked　breast　the　emblem　of　the　moon　fashioned　in　crystal；
stood　over　me；　looking　down　upon　me　with　large　dark　eyes。　And　as　she
looked　she　sighed。　Thrice　she　sighed；　each　time　more　deeply　than　the
last。　Then　she　knelt　down　by　meor　so　it　seemed　in　my　dream；　and　laid
a　tress　of　her　long　dark　hair　against　my　yellow　locks；　as　though　she
would　match　them　together。　She　did　more；　indeedin　my　dreamfor
lifting　that　tress　of　fragrant　hair；　she　let　it　fall　like　thistledown
across　my　face　and　mouth；　and　then　kissed　the　hair；　for　I　felt　her
breath　reach　me　through　its　strands。

The　dream　ended　thus；　though　I　wished　very　much　that　it　would　go　on；
and　I　felt　as　though　it　had　gone　away　as　such　visions　do。　Awhile
later；　as　I　suppose；　I　awoke　quite　suddenly；　and　opened　my　eyes。
There；　near　to　me；　glittering　in　the　full　light　of　the　brilliant　moon；
stood　the　woman　of　my　dream；　only　now　her　naked　breast　was　covered
with　a　splendid　cloak　broidered　with　silver；　and　on　her　dark　locks　was
a　feathered　headdress　in　front　of　which　rose　the　crescent