the virgin of the sun-第41节

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keep　a　good　heart；　since　I　do　not　believe　that　all　is　ended　between
us。'

〃Then　we　were　parted　and　I　saw　her　no　more。〃

〃And　did　you　hear　no　more；　Kari？〃

〃I　heard　much；　Lord。　I　heard　that　when　Urco　learned　that　the　lady
Quilla　had　vanished　away　into　the　House　of　Virgins；　whither　he　might
not　come；　and　that　he　was　robbed　of　the　bride　whom　he　desired；　he　grew
mad　with　rage。　Indeed；　of　this　I　saw　something　myself。　Two　days　later；
with　thousands　of　others　I　was　in　the　great　square　in　front　of　the
Temple　of　the　Sun；　where　the　Inca　Upanqui　sat　in　state　upon　a　golden
throne　to　receive　the　praise　of　his　people　upon　his　safe　return　after
his　long　and　hard　journey；　and　as　some　reported；　to　lay　down　his
lordship　in　favour　of　Urco；　also　to　tell　the　people　that　the　danger　of
war　with　the　Chancas　had　passed　away。　Scarcely　had　the　ceremony　begun
when　Urco　appeared　at　the　head　of　a　number　of　lords　and　princes　of　the
Inca　blood；　who　are　of　his　clan；　and　I　noticed　that　he　was　drunk　and
furious。　He　advanced　to　the　foot　of　the　throne；　almost　without
obeisance；　and　shouted：

〃'Where　is　the　lady　Quilla；　daughter　of　Huaracha；　who　is　promised　to
me　in　marriage；　Inca？　Why　have　you　hidden　her　away；　Inca？'

〃'Because　the　Sun；　our　Father；　has　claimed　her　as　his　bride　and　has
taken　her　to　dwell　in　his　holy　house；　where　never　again　may　the　eyes
of　man　behold　her；　Prince！'　answered　Upanqui。

〃'You　mean　that　robbing　me；　you　have　taken　her　for　yourself；　Inca；'
shouted　Urco　again。

〃Then　Upanqui　stood　up　and　swore　by　the　Sun　that　this　was　not　so　and
that　what　he　had　done　was　done　by　the　decree　of　the　god　and　at　the
prayer　of　the　lady　Quilla；　who　having　seen　Urco；　had　declared　that
either　she　would　be　wed　to　the　god　or　die　by　her　own　hand；　which　would
bring　the　vengeance　of　the　Sun　upon　the　people。

〃Then　Urco　went　mad。　He　raved　at　the　Inca　and　while　all　present
shivered　with　fear；　he　cursed　the　Sun　our　Father；　yes；　even　when　a
cloud　came　up　in　the　clear　sky　and　veiled　the　face　of　the　god；
heedless　of　the　omen；　he　continued　his　curses　and　blasphemy。　Moreover；
he　said　that　soon　he　would　be　Inca　and　that　then；　if　he　must　tear　the
House　of　Virgins　stone　from　stone；　as　Inca　he　would　drag　forth　the
lady　Quilla　and　make　her　his　wife。

〃Now　at　these　words　Upanqui　stood　up　and　rent　his　robes。

〃'Must　my　ears　be　outraged　with　such　blasphemies？'　he　cried。　'Know；
Son　Urco；　that　this　day　I　was　minded　to　take　off　the　Royal　Fringe　and
to　set　it　on　your　head；　crowning　you　Inca　in　my　place　while　I　withdrew
to　pass　the　remainder　of　my　days　at　Yucay　in　peace　and　prayer。　My　will
is　changed。　This　I　shall　not　do。　My　life　is　not　done　and　strength
returns　to　my　mind　and　body。　Here　I　stay　as　Inca。　Now　I　see　that　I　am
punished　for　my　sin。'

〃'What　sin？'　shouted　Urco。

〃'The　sin　of　setting　you　before　my　eldest　lawful　son；　Kari；　whose　wife
you　stole；　Kari；　whom　also　it　is　said　you　poisoned　and　who　at　least
has　vanished　and　is　doubtless　dead。'

〃Now；　Lord；　when　I；　Kari；　heard　this　my　heart　melted　in　me　and　I　was
minded　to　declare　myself　to　Upanqui　my　father。　But　while　I　weighed　the
matter　for　a　moment；　knowing　that　if　I　did　so；　such　words　as　these
might　well　be　my　last　since　Urco　had　many　of　is　following　present；　who
perhaps　would　fall　upon　and　kill　me；　suddenly　my　father　Upanqui　fell
forward　in　a　swoon。　His　lords　and　physicians　bore　him　away。　Urco
followed　and　presently　the　multitude　departed　this　way　and　that。
Afterwards　we　were　told　that　the　Inca　had　recovered　but　must　not　be
disturbed　for　many　days。〃

〃Did　you　hear　more　of　Quilla；　Kari？〃

〃Yes；　Lord；〃　he　answered　gravely。　〃It　was　commonly　reported　that；
through　some　priestess　in　his　pay；　Urco　had　poisoned　her；　saying　that
as　she　had　chosen　the　Sun　as　husband；　to　the　Sun　she　would　go。〃

〃Poisoned　her！〃　I　muttered；　well…nigh　falling　to　the　ground。　〃Poisoned
her！〃

〃Aye；　Lord；　but　be　comforted　for　this　was　addedthat　she　who　gave　the
poison　was　taken　in　the　act　by　her　who　is　named　the　Mother　of　the
Virgins；　and　handed　over　to　the　women　who　cast　her　into　the　den　of
serpents；　where　she　perished；　screaming　that　it　was　Urco　who　had
forced　her　to　the　deed。〃

〃That　does　not　comfort　me；　man。　What　of　Quilla？　Did　she　die？〃

〃Lord；　it　is　said　not。　It　is　said　that　the　Mother　of　the　Virgins
dashed　away　the　cup　as　it　touched　her　lips。　But　this　is　said　also；
that　some　of　the　poison　flew　into　her　eyes　and　blinded　her。〃

I　groaned；　for　the　thought　of　Quilla　blinded　was　horrible。

〃Again　take　comfort；　Lord；　since　perchance　she　may　recover　from　this
blindness。　Also　I　was　told；　that　although　she　can　see　nothing；　her
beauty　is　not　marred；　that　the　venom　indeed　has　made　her　eyes　seem
larger　and　more　lovely　even　than　they　were　before。〃

I　made　no　answer；　who　feared　that　Kari　was　deceiving　me　or　perhaps　was
himself　deceived　and　that　Quilla　was　dead。　Presently　he　continued　his
story　in　the　same　quiet；　even　voice；　saying：

〃Lord；　after　this　I　sought　out　certain　of　my　friends　who　had　loved　me
in　my　youth　and　my　mother　also　while　she　lived；　revealing　myself　to
them。　We　made　plans　together；　but　before　aught　could　be　done　in
earnest；　it　was　needful　that　I　should　see　my　father　Upanqui。　While　I
was　waiting　till　he　had　recovered　from　the　stroke　that　fell　upon　him；
some　spy　betrayed　me　to　Urco；　who　searched　for　me　to　kill　me　and　well…
nigh　found　me。　The　end　of　it　was　that　I　was　forced　to　fly；　though
before　I　did　so　many　swore　themselves　to　my　cause　who　would　escape
from　the　tyranny　of　Urco。　Moreover；　it　was　agreed　that　if　I　returned
with　soldiers　at　my　back；　they　and　their　followers　would　come　out　to
join　me　to　the　number　of　thousands；　and　help　me　to　take　my　own　again
so　that　I　may　be　Inca　after　Upanqui　my　father。　Therefore　I　have　come
back　here　to　talk　with　you　and　Huaracha。

〃Such　is　my　tale。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VIII

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FIELD　OF　BLOOD

When　on　the　morrow　Huaracha；　King　of　the　Chancas；　heard　all　this　story
and　that　Urco　had　given　poison　to　his　daughter　Quilla；　who；　if　she
still　lived　at　all；　did　so；　it　was　said；　as　a　blind　woman；　a　kind　of
madness　took　hold　of　him。

〃Now　let　war　come；　I　will　not　rest　or　stay；〃　he　cried；　〃till　I　see
this　hound；　Urco；　dead；　and　hang　up　his　skin　stuffed　with　straw　as　an
offering　to　his　own　god；　the　Sun。〃

〃Yet　it　was　you；　King　Huaracha；　who　sent　the　lady　Quilla　to　this　Urco
for　your　own　purposes；〃　said　Kari　in　his　quiet　fashion。

〃Who　and　what　are　you　that　reprove　me？〃　asked　Huaracha　turning　on　him。
〃I　only　know　you　as　the　servant　or　slave　of　the　White…Lord…from…the…
Sea；　though　it　is　true　I　have　heard　stories　concerning　you；〃　he　added。

〃I　am　Kari；　the　first…born　lawful　son　of　Upanqui　and　by　right　heir　to
the　Inca　throne；　no　less；　O　Huaracha。　Urco　my　brother　robbed　me　of　my
wife；　as　through　the　folly　of　my　father；　upon　whose　heart　Urco's
mother　worked；　he　had　already　robbed　me　of　my　inheritance。　Then；　to
make　sure；　he　strove　to　poison　me　as　he　has　poisoned　your　daughter；
with　a　poison　that　would　make　me　mad　and　incapable　of　rule；　yet　leave
me　livingbecause　he　feared　lest　the　curse　of　the　Sun　should　fall
upon　him　if　he　murdered　me。　I　recovered　from　that　bane　and　wandered　to
a　far　land。　Now　I　have　returned　to　take　my　own；　if　I　am　able。　All　that
I　say　I　can　prove　to　you。〃

For　a　while　Huaracha　stared　at　him　astonished；　then　said：

〃And　if　you　prove　it；　what　do　you　ask　of　me；　O　Kari？〃

〃The　help　of　your　armies　to　enable　me　to　overthrow　Urco；　who　is　very
strong；　being　the　Commander　of　the　Quichua　hosts。〃

〃And　if　your　tale　be　true　and　Urco　is　overthrown；　what　do　you　promise
me　in　return？〃

〃The　independence　of　the　Chanca　people；　who　otherwise　must　soon　be
destroyed；　and　certain　other　added　territories　which　you　covet；　while
I　am　Inca。〃

〃And　with　this　my　daughter；　if　she　still　lives？〃　asked　Huaracha
looking　at　him。

〃Nay；〃　replied　Kari　firmly。　〃As　to　the　lady　Quilla　I　promise　nothing。
She　has　vowed　herself　to　my　Father　the　Sun；　and　what　I　have　already
told　the　Lord　Hurachi　here；　who　loves　her　I　tell　you。　Henceforward　no
man　may　look　upon　her；　who　is　the　Bride　of　the　Sun；　for　if　I　suffered
this；　certainly　the　curse　of　the　Sun　would　fall　upon　me　and　upon　my
people。　He　who　lays　a　hand　upon　her　I　will　strive　to　slay〃here　he
looked　at　me　with　meaning〃because　I　must　or　be　accurst。　Take　all
else；　but　let　the　lady　Quilla　be。　What　the　Sun　has；　he　holds　forever。〃

〃Perhaps　the　Moon；　her　mother；　may　have　something　to　say　in　that
matter；〃　said　Huaracha　gloomily。　〃Still；　let　it　lie　for　the　while。〃

Then　they　fell　to　discussing　the　terms　of　their　alliance　and；　when　it
came　to　battle；　what　help　Kari　could　bring　from　among　those　who　clung
to　him　in　Cuzco。

After　this　Huaracha　took　me　to　another　chamber；　where　we　debated　the
business。

〃This　Kari；　if　he　be　Kari　himself；　is　a　bigot；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　he
has　his　way；　neither　you　nor　I　will　ever　set　eyes　on　Quilla　again；
because　to　him　it　is　sacrilege。　So；　what　say　you？〃

I　answered　that　it　would　be　best　to　make　an　alliance　with　Kari；　whom　I
knew　to　be　honest　and　no　Pretender；　since　without　his　help　I　did　not
think　that　it　would　be　possible　to　defeat　the　armies　of　the　People　of
the　I