the virgin of the sun-第44节

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splendid　chamber　hung　with　tapestries　fantastically　wrought　and　having
cushioned　seats；　and　tables　of　rich　woods　incrusted　with　precious
stones。　Here　servants　or　slaves　appeared　with　a　chamberlain　who　bowed
deeply　and　welcomed　me　in　the　name　of　the　Inca。

Then；　as　though　I　were　something　half　divine；　gently　enough；　they
loosed　the　sword　from　my　wrist；　took　the　long　bow　from　my　back；　with
the　few　arrows　that　remained；　also　my　dagger；　and　hid　them　away。　They
unbound　me；　and　freeing　me　from　my　armour；　as　I　told　them　how；　and　the
garments　beneath；　laved　me　with　warm；　scented　water；　rubbed　my　bruised
limbs；　and　clothed　me　in　wonderful　soft　garments；　also　scented　and
fastened　about　my　middle　with　a　golden　belt。　This　done；　food　and
spiced　drinks　of　their　native　wine　were　brought　to　me　in　golden
vessels。　I　ate　and　drank　and；　being　very　weary；　laid　myself　down　upon
one　of　the　couches　to　sleep。　For　now　I　no　longer　took　any　thought　as
to　what　might　befall　me；　but　received　all　as　it　came；　good　and　ill
together；　entrusting　my　body　and　soul　to　the　care　of　God　and　St。
Hubert。　Indeed；　what　else　could　I　do　who　was　disarmed　and　a　prisoner？

When　I　awoke　again；　very　stiff　and　bruised；　but　much　refreshed；　night
had　fallen；　for　hanging　lamps　were　lit　about　the　room。　By　their　light
I　saw　the　chamberlain　of　whom　I　have　spoken　standing　before　me。　I
asked　him　his　errand。　With　many　bows　he　said　that　if　I　were　rested　the
Inca　Upanqui　desired　my　presence　that　he　might　speak　with　me。

I　bade　him　lead　on；　and；　with　others　who　waited　without；　he　conducted
me　through　a　maze　of　passages　into　a　glorious　chamber　where　everything
seemed　to　be　gold；　for　even　the　walls　were　panelled　with　it。　Never　had
I　dreamt　of　so　much　gold；　indeed　the　sight　of　it　wearied　me　till　I
could　have　welcomed　that　of　humble　brick　or　wood。　At　the　end　of　this
chamber　that　was　also　lit　with　lamps；　were　curtains。　Presently　these
were　drawn　by　two　beautiful　women　in　jewelled　skirts　and　head…dresses；
and　behind　them　on　a　dais　I　saw　a　couch　and　on　the　couch　the　old　Inca
Upanqui　looking　feebler　than　when　I　had　last　beheld　him　in　the　Chanca
city；　and　very　simply　clad　in　a　white　tunic。　Only　on　his　head　he　wore
the　red　fringe　from　which　I　suppose　he　never　parted　day　or　night。　He
looked　up　and　said：

〃Greeting；　White…Lord…from…the…Sea。　So　you　have　come　to　visit　me　after
all；　though　you　said　that　you　would　not。〃

〃I　have　been　brought　to　visit　you；　Inca；〃　I　answered。

〃Yes；　yes；　they　tell　me　they　captured　you　in　the　battle；　though　I
expect　that　was　by　your　own　will　as　you　had　wearied　of　those　Chancas。
For　what　/laso/　can　hold　a　god？〃

〃None；〃　I　answered　boldly。

〃Of　course　not；　and　that　you　are　a　kind　of　god　there　is　no　doubt
because　of　the　things　you　did　in　that　battle。　They　say　that　the　arrows
and　spears　melted　when　they　touched　you　and　that　you　shot　and　cut　down
men　by　scores。　Also　that　when　the　prince　Urco　tried　to　kill　you；
although　he　is　the　strongest　man　in　my　kingdom；　you　knocked　him　over
as　though　he　had　been　a　little　child　and　hacked　his　head　open　so　that
they　do　not　know　whether　he　will　live　or　die。　I　think　I　hope　he　will
die；　for　you　see　I　have　quarrelled　with　him。〃

I　thought　to　myself　that　so　did　I；　but　I　only　asked：

〃How　did　the　battle　end；　Inca？〃

〃As　it　began；　Lord　Hurachi。　A　great　many　men　have　been　killed　on　both
sides；　thousands　and　thousands　of　them；　and　neither　army　has　the
victory。　They　have　drawn　back　and　sit　growling　at　each　other　like　two
angry　lions　which　are　afraid　to　fight　again。　Indeed；　I　do　not　want
them　to　fight；　and　now　that　Urco　cannot　interfere；　I　shall　put　a　stop
to　all　this　bloodshed　if　I　am　able。　Tell　me；　for　you　were　with　him；
why　does　this　Huaracha；　who　I　hear　is　also　wounded；　want　to　make　war
on　me　with　those　troublesome　Chancas　of　his？〃

〃Because　your　son；　the　prince　Urco；　has　poisoned；　or　tried　to　poison；
his　only　child；　Quilla。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know；　and　it　was　a　wicked　thing　to　do。　You　see；　Lord；
what　happened　was　this：　That　lovely　Quilla；　who　is　fairer　than　her
mother　the　Moon；　was　to　have　married　Urco。　But；　Lord；　as　it　chanced　on
our　journey　together；　although　I　am　oldwell；　she　became　enamoured　of
me；　and　prayed　me　to　protect　her　from　Urco。　Such　things　happen　to
women；　Lord；　whose　hearts；　when　they　behold　the　divine；　are　apt　to
carry　them　away　from　the　vulgar；〃　and　he　laughed　in　a　silly　fashion
like　the　vain　old　fool　that　he　was。

〃Naturally。　How　could　she　help　it；　Inca？　Who；　after　seeing　you；　would
wish　to　turn　to　Urco？〃

〃No　one；　especially　as　Urco　is　a　coarse　and　brutal　fellow。　Well；　what
was　I　to　do？　There　are　reasons　why　I　do　not　wish　to　marry　again　at　my
age；　indeed　I　am　tired　of　the　sight　of　women；　who　want　time　to　pray
and　think　of　holy　things；　also　if　I　had　done　what　she　wished；　some
might　have　thought　that　I　had　behaved　badly　to　Urco。　At　the　same　time；
a　woman's　heart　is　sacred　and　I　could　not　do　violence　to　that　of　one
so　sweet　and　understanding　and　lovely。　So　I　put　her　into　the　House　of
the　Virgins　of　the　Sun　where　she　will　be　quite　safe。〃

〃It　seems　that　she　was　not　safe；　Inca。〃

〃No；　because　that　violent　man；　Urco；　being　disappointed　and　very
jealous；　through　some　low　creature　of　his；　who　waited　on　the　Virgins；
tried　to　poison　her　with　a　drug　which　would　have　made　her　all　swollen
and　hideous　and　covered　her　face　with　blotches；　also　perhaps　have　sent
her　mad。　Luckily　one　of　the　matrons；　whom　we　call　/Mama…conas/；
knocked　the　cup　away　before　she　drank；　but　some　of　the　horrible　poison
went　into　her　eyes　and　blinded　her。〃

〃So　she　lives；　Inca。〃

〃Certainly　she　lives。　I　have　learnt　that　for　myself；　because　in　this
country　it　is　not　wise　to　trust　what　they　tell　you。　You　know　as　Inca　I
have　privileges；　and　although　even　I　do　not　talk　to　them；　I　caused
those　Virgins　of　the　Sun　to　be　led　in　front　of　me；　which　in　strictness
even　I　ought　not　to　have　done。　It　was　a　dreary　business；　Lord　Hurachi；
for　though　those　Virgins　may　be　so　holy；　some　of　them　are　very　old　and
hideous　and　of　course　Quilla　as　a　novice　came　last　in　the　line
conducted　by　two　/Mama…conas/　who　are　cousins　of　my　own。　The　odd　thing
is　that　the　poison　seems　to　have　made　her　much　more　beautiful　than
before；　for　her　eyes　have　grown　bigger　and　are　glorious；　shining　like
stars　seen　when　there　is　frost。　Well；　there　she　is　safe　from　Urco　and
every　other　man；　however　wicked　and　impious。　But　what　does　this
Huaracha　want？〃

〃He　wants　his　blinded　daughter　back；　Inca。〃

〃Impossible；　impossible！　Who　ever　heard　of　such　a　thing！　Why；　Heaven
and　Earth　would　come　together　and　the　Sun；　my　father；　and　her　husband；
would　burn　us　all　up。　Still；　perhaps；　we　could　come　to　an　agreement
for　Huaracha　must　have　had　enough　fighting　and　very　likely　he　will
die。　Now　I　am　tired　of　talking　about　the　lady　Quilla　and　I　want　to　ask
you　something。〃

〃Speak　on；　Inca。〃

Suddenly　the　old　dotard's　manner　changed：　he　became　quick　and　shrewd；
as　doubtless　he　was　in　his　prime；　for　this　Upanqui　had　been　a　great
king。　At　the　beginning　of　our　talk　the　two　women　of　whom　I　have　spoken
and　the　chamberlain　had　withdrawn　to　the　end　of　the　chamber　where　they
waited　with　their　hands　folded；　like　those　who　adore　before　an　altar。
Still　he　peered　about　him　to　make　sure　that　none　were　within　hearing；
and　in　the　end　beckoned　to　me　to　ascend　the　dais　and　sit　upon　the
couch　beside　him；　saying：

〃You　see　I　trust　you　although　you　are　a　god　from　the　sea　who　has　been
fighting　against　me。　Now　hearken。　You　had　a　servant　with　you；　a　very
strange　man；　who　is　said　also　to　have　come　out　of　the　sea；　though　that
I　cannot　believe　since　he　is　like　one　of　our　princes。　Where　is　that
man？〃

〃With　the　army　of　Huaracha；　Inca。〃

〃So　I　have　heard。　I　heard　also　that　in　the　battle　he　hoisted　a　banner
with　the　sun　blazoned　on　it；　and　that　thereon　certain　regiments　of
mine　deserted　to　Huaracha。　Now；　why　did　they　do　that？〃

〃I　understand；　O　Inca；　that　the　kings　of　this　land　have　many　children。
Perhaps　he　might　be　one　of　them。〃

〃Ah！　You　are　clever　as　a　god　should　be。　Well；　I　am　a　god　also　and　the
same　thought　has　come　to　me；　although　as　a　fact　I　have　only　had　two
legitimate　sons　and　the　others　are　of　no　account。　The　eldest　of　these
was　an　able　and　beautiful　prince　named　Kari；　but　we　quarrelled；　and　to
tell　the　truth　there　was　a　woman　in　the　matter；　or　rather　two　women；
for　Kari's　mother　fought　with　Urco's　mother　whom　I　loved；　because　she
never　scolded　me；　which　the　other　did。　So　Urco　was　named　to　be　Inca
after　me。　Yet　that　was　not　enough　for　him　who　remained　jealous　of　his
brother　Kari　who　outpassed　him　in　all　things　save　strength　of　body。
They　wooed　the　same　beautiful　woman　and　Kari　won　her；　whereon　Urco
seduced　her　from　him；　and　afterwards　he　or　someone　killed　her。　At
least　she　died；　I　forget　how。　Then　the　lords　of　the　Inca　blood　began
to　turn　towards　Kari　because　he　was　royal　and　wise；　which　would　have
meant　civil　war　when　I　had　been　gathered　to　the　Sun。　Therefore　Urco
poisoned　him；　or　so　it　was　rumoured；　at　any　rate；　he　vanished　away；
and　often　since　then　I　have　mourned　him。〃

〃The　dead　come　to　life　again　sometimes；　Inca。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　Lord…from…the…Sea；　that　happens；　the　gods　who　took　them
away　bring　them　ba