the virgin of the sun-第34节

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from　the　ocean；　but　also　to　greet　their　princess；　the　lady　Quilla。

Indeed；　now　I　learned　for　the　first　time　how　high　a　princess　she　was；
since　when　her　litter　passed；　these　folk　prostrated　themselves；
kissing　the　air　and　the　dust。　Moreover；　as　soon　as　she　came　among　them
Quilla's　bearing　changed；　for　her　carriage　grew　more　haughty　and　her
words　fewer。　Now　she　seldom　spoke　save　to　issue　a　command；　not　even　to
myself；　although　I　noted　that　she　studied　me　with　her　eyes　when　she
thought　that　I　was　not　observing　her。

During　our　midday　halt　I　looked　up　and　saw　that　an　army　was
approaching　us；　five　thousand　men　or　more；　and　asked　Kari　its　meaning。

〃These；〃　he　answered；　〃are　some　of　the　troops　of　Huaracha；　King　of　the
Chancas；　whom　he　sends　out　to　greet　his　daughter　and　only　child；　also
his　guest；　the　White　God。〃

〃Some　of　the　troops！　Has　he　more；　then？〃

〃Aye；　Master；　ten　times　as　many；　as　I　think。　This　is　a　great　people；
almost　as　great　as　that　of　the　Incas　who　live　at　Cuzco。　Come　now　into
the　tent　and　put　on　your　armour；　that　you　may　be　ready　to　meet　them。〃

I　did　so；　and；　stepping　forth　clad　in　the　shining　steel；　took　my　stand
where　Kari　showed　me；　upon　a　rise　of　ground。　On　my　right　at　a　little
distance　stood　Quilla；　more　splendidly　arrayed　than　I　had　ever　seen
her；　and　behind　her　her　maidens　and　the　captains　and　counsellors　of
her　following。

The　army　drew　nearer；　marshalled　in　regiments　and　halted　on　the　plain
some　two　hundred　yards　away。　Presently　from　it　advanced　generals　and
old　men；　clad　in　white；　whom　I　took　to　be　priests　and　elders。　They
approached　to　the　number　of　twenty　or　more　and　bowed　deeply；　first　to
Quilla；　who　bent　her　head　in　acknowledgment　and　then　to　myself。　After
this　they　went　to　speak　with　Quilla　and　her　following；　but　what　they
said　I　did　not　know。　All　the　while；　however；　their　eyes　were　fixed　on
me。　Then　Quilla　brought　them　to　me　and　one　by　one　they　bowed　before
me；　saying　something　in　a　language　which　I　did　not　understand　well；
for　it　was　somewhat　different　from　that　which　Kari　had　taught　me。

After　this　we　entered　the　litters；　and；　escorted　by　that　great　army；
were　borne　forward　down　valleys　and　over　ridges　till　about　sunset　we
came　to　a　large　cup…like　plain　in　the　centre　of　which　stood　the　city
called　Chanca。　Of　this　city　I　did　not　see　much　except　that　it　was　very
great　as　the　darkness　was　falling　when　we　entered；　and　afterwards　I
could　not　go　out　because　of　the　crowds　that　pressed　about　me。　I　was
borne　down　a　wide　street　to　a　house　that　stood　in　a　large　garden　which
was　walled　about。　Here　in　this　fine　house　I　found　food　prepared　for
me；　and　drink；　all　of　it　served　in　dishes　and　cups　of　gold　and　silver；
also　there　were　women　who　waited　upon　me；　as　did　Kari　who　now　was
called　Zapana　and　seemed　to　be　my　slave。

When　I　had　eaten　I　went　out　alone　into　the　garden；　for　on　this　plain
the　air　was　very　warm　and　pleasant。　It　was　a　beautiful　garden；　and　I
wandered　about　among　its　avenues　and　flowering　bushes；　glad　to　be
solitary　and　to　have　time　to　think。　Amongst　other　things　I　wondered
where　Quilla　might　be；　for　of　her　I　had　seen　nothing　from　the　time
that　we　entered　the　town。　I　hated　to　be　parted　from　her；　because　in
this　vast　strange　land　into　which　I　had　wandered　she　was　the　only　one
for　whom　I　had　come　to　care　and　without　whom　I　felt　I　should　die　of
loneliness。

There　was　Kari；　it　is　true；　who　I　knew　loved　me　in　his　fashion；　but
between　him　and　me　there　was　a　great　gulf　fixed；　not　only　of　race　and
faith；　but　of　something　now　which　I　did　not　wholly　understand。　In
London　he　had　been　my　servant　and　his　ends　were　my　ends；　on　our
wandering　he　had　been　my　companion　in　great　adventures。　But　now　I　knew
that　other　interests　and　desires　had　taken　a　hold　of　him；　and　that　he
trod　a　road　of　which　I　could　not　see　the　goal；　and　no　longer　thought
much　of　me　save　when　what　I　did　or　desired　to　do　came　between　him　and
that　goal。

Therefore　Quilla　alone　was　left　to　me；　and　Quilla　was　about　to　be
taken　away。　Oh！　I　wearied　of　this　strange　land　with　its　snowclad
mountains　and　rich　valleys；　its　hordes　of　dark…skinned　people　with
large　eyes；　smiling　faces；　and　secret　hearts；　its　great　cities；
temples；　and　palaces　filled　with　useless　gold　and　silver；　its
brilliant　sunshine　and　rushing　rivers；　its　gods；　kings；　and　policies。
They　were　alien　to　me；　every　one　of　them；　and　if　Quilla　were　taken
away　and　I　were　left　quite　alone；　then　I　thought　that　it　would　be　well
to　die。

Something　moved　behind　a　palm　trunk　of　the　avenue　in　which　I　walked；
and　not　knowing　whether　it　were　beast　or　man；　I　laid　my　hand　upon　my
sword　which　I　still　wore；　although　I　had　taken　off　the　armour。　Before
I　could　draw　it　my　wrist　was　grasped　and　a　soft　voice　whispered　in　my
ear：

〃Fear　nothing；　it　is　IQuilla。〃

Quilla　it　was；　wrapped　in　a　long　hooded　cloak　such　as　the　peasant
women　wear　in　the　cold　country；　for　she　threw　back　the　hood　and　a　beam
of　starlight　fell　upon　her　face。

〃Hearken！〃　she　said。　〃It　is　dangerous　to　both　of　us；　but　I　have　come
to　bid　you　farewell。〃

〃Farewell！　I　feared　it　would　be　thus；　but　why　so　soon；　Quilla？〃

〃For　this　reason；　Love　and　Lord。　I　have　seen　my　father　the　King；　and
made　my　report　to　him　of　the　matter　with　which　I　was　sent　to　deal
among　the　Yuncas。　It　pleased　him；　and　since　his　mood　was　gracious；　I
opened　my　heart　to　him　and　told　him　that　no　longer　did　I　wish　to　be
given　in　marriage　to　Urco；　who　will　soon　put　on　the　Inca　fringe；　for；
as　you　know；　it　is　to　him　that　I　am　promised！〃

〃What　did　he　answer；　Quilla？〃

〃He　answered：　'This　means；　Daughter；　that　you　have　met　some　other　man
to　whom　you　do　wish　to　be　given　in　marriage。　I　will　not　ask　his　name；
since　if　I　knew　it　it　would　be　my　duty　to　kill　him；　however　high　and
noble　he　might　be。'〃

〃Then　he　guesses；　Quilla？〃

〃I　think　he　guesses；　I　think　that　already　some　have　whispered　in　his
ear；　but　he　does　not　wish　to　listen　who　desires　to　remain　deaf　and
blind。〃

〃Did　he　say　no　more；　Quilla？〃

〃He　said　much　more；　he　said　thisnow　I　tell　you　secrets；　Lord；　and
place　my　honour　in　your　keeping；　for　having　given　you　all　the　rest；
why　should　I　not　give　you　that　also？　He　said：　'Daughter；　you　who　have
been　my　ambassador；　you；　my　only　child；　who　know　all　my　counsel；　know
also　that　there　is　about　to　be　the　greatest　war　that　the　land　of
Tavantinsuyu　has　ever　known；　war　between　the　two　mighty　nations　of　the
Quichuas　of　Cuzco　whereof　the　old　Upanqui　is　king　and　god；　and　the
Chancas　whereof　I　am　king　and　you；　if　you　live；　in　a　day　to　come　will
be　the　queen。　No　longer　can　these　two　lions　dwell　in　the　same　forest；
one　of　them　must　devour　the　other；　nor　shall　I　fight　alone；　since　on
our　side　are　all　the　Yuncas　of　the　coast　who；　as　you　report　to　me；　are
ripe　for　rebellion。　But；　as　you　also　report；　and　as　I　have　learned
from　others；　they　are　not　yet　ready。　Moons　must　go　by　before　their
armies　are　joined　to　mine　and　I　throw　off　the　mask。　Is　it　not　so？'

〃I　answered　that　it　was　so；　and　my　father　went　on：

〃'Then　during　that　time；　Daughter；　a　dust　must　be　raised　that　will
hide　the　shining　of　my　spears；　and；　Daughter；　you　are　that　dust。
To…morrow　the　old　Inca　Upanqui　visits　me　here　with　a　small　army。　I
read　your　thought。　It　isWhy　do　you　not　kill　him　and　his　army？
Daughter；　for　this　reason。　He　is　very　aged　and　about　to　lay　down　his
sceptre；　who　grows　feeble　of　mind　and　body。　If　I　killed　him　what　would
it　serve　me；　seeing　that　he　has　left　his　son；　Urco；　who　will　be　Inca；
ruling　at　Cuzco；　and　that　of　his　soldiers　not　one　in　fifty　will　be
with　him　here？　Moreover；　he　is　my　guest；　and　the　gods　frown　on　those
who　slay　their　guests；　nor　will　men　ever　trust　them　more。'

〃Now　I　answered：　'You　spoke　of　me　as　a　cloud　of　dust；　Father；　how；
then；　can　this　poor　dust　serve　your　ends　and　those　of　the　Chanca
people？'

〃'Thus　Daughter；'　he　answered。　'With　your　own　consent　you　are　promised
in　marriage　to　Urco。　Upanqui　the　Inca　has　heard　rumours　that　the
Chancas　prepare　for　war。　Therefore；　he　who　travels　on　his　last　journey
through　certain　of　his　dominions　comes　to　lead　you　away；　to　be　Urco's
bride；　saying　to　himself；　〃If　those　rumours　are　true；　King　Huaracha
will　withhold　his　only　child　and　heiress；　since　never　will　he　make　war
upon　Cuzco　if　she　rules　there　as　its　queen。〃　Therefore；　if　I　refuse
you　to　him；　he　will　withdraw　and　begin　the　war；　rolling　down　his
thousands　upon　us　before　we　are　ready；　and　bringing　the　Chancas　to
destruction　and　enslavement。　Therefore　also　not　only　my　fate；　but　the
fate　of　all　your　country　lies　in　your　hand。'

〃'Father；'　I　said；　'tell　me；　who　was　ever　dear　to　you　that　lack　sons；
is　there　no　escape？　Must　I　eat　this　bitter　bread？　Before　you　answer；
learn　that　you　have　guessed　aright；　and　that　I　who；　when　I　made　that
promise；　cared　for　no　man；　have　come　to　feel　the　burning　of　love's
fire！'

〃Now　he　looked　at　me　awhile；　then　said：　'Child　of　the　Moon；　there　is
but　one　escape；　and　it　must　be　soughtin　the　moon。　The　dead　cannot　be
given　in　marriage。　If　your　strait　is　so　sore；　though　it　would　cut　me
to　the　heart；　perchance　it　is　better　that　you　should　die　and　go
whither　doubtless　he　whom　you　love　will　soon　follow　you。　Depart　now
and　counsel　with　Heave