the virgin of the sun-第45节

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〃Yes；　yes；　Lord…from…the…Sea；　that　happens；　the　gods　who　took　them
away　bring　them　backand　this　servant　of　yoursthey　say　he　is　so
like　to　Kari　that　he　might　be　the　same　man　grown　older。　Andwhy　did
those　regiments；　all　of　them　officered　by　men　who　used　to　love　Kari；
go　over　to　Huaracha　to…day；　and　why　do　rumours　run　through　the　land
like　the　wind　that　springs　up　suddenly　in　fine　weather？　Tell　me　of
this　servant　of　yours　and　how　you　found　him　in　the　sea。〃

〃Why　should　I　tell　you；　Inca？　Is　it　because　you　want　to　kill　him　who
is　so　like　to　this　lost　Kari　of　yours？〃

〃No；　nogods　can　keep　each　other's　counsel；　can　they　not？　It　is
because　I　would　giveoh！　half　my　godship　to　know　that　he　is　alive。
Hark　you；　Urco　wearies　me　so　much　that　sometimes　I　wonder　whether　he
really　is　my　son。　Who　can　tell？　There　was　a　certain　lord　of　the
coastlands；　a　hairy　giant　who；　they　said；　could　eat　half　a　sheep　at　a
sitting　and　break　the　backs　of　men　in　his　hands；　of　whom　Urco's　mother
used　to　think　much。　But　who　can　tell？　No　one　except　my　father；　the
Sun；　and　he　guards　his　secretsfor　the　present。　At　least　Urco　wearies
me　with　his　coarse　crimes　and　his　drunkenness；　though　the　army　loves
him　because　he　is　a　butcher　and　liberal。　We　quarrelled　the　other　day
over　the　small　matter　of　this　lady　Quilla；　and　he　threatened　me　till　I
grew　wrath　and　said　that　I　would　not　hand　him　my　crown　as　I　had
purposed　to　do。　Yes；　I　grew　wrath　and　hated　him　for　whose　sake　I　had
sinned　because　his　mother　bewitched　me。　Lord…from…the…Sea；〃　here　his
voice　dropped　to　a　whisper；　〃I　am　afraid　of　Urco。　Even　a　god　such　as　I
am　can　be　murdered；　Lord…from…the…Sea。　That　is　why　I　will　not　go　to
Yucay；　for　there　I　might　die　and　none　know　it；　whereas　here　I　still　am
Inca　and　a　god　whom　it　is　sacrilege　to　touch。〃

〃I　understand；　but　how　can　I　help　you；　Inca；　who　am　but　a　prisoner　in
your　palace？〃

〃No；　no；　you　are　only　a　prisoner　in　name。　At　the　worst　Urco　will　be
sick　for　a　long　while；　since　the　physicians　say　that　sword　of　yours
has　bitten　deep；　and　during　that　time　all　power　is　mine。　Messengers
are　at　your　service；　you　are　free　to　come　and　go　as　you　will。　Bring
this　servant　of　yours　to　my　presence；　for　doubtless　he　trusts　you。　I
would　speak　with　him；　O　Lord…from…the…Sea。〃

〃If　I　should　do　this；　Inca；　will　the　lady　Quilla　be　given　back　to　her
father？〃

〃Nay；　it　would　be　sacrilege。　Ask　what　else　you　will；　lands　and　rule
and　palaces　and　wivesnot　that。　Myself　I　should　not　dare　to　lay　a
finger　on　her　who　rests　in　the　arms　of　the　Sun。　What　does　it　matter
about　this　Quilla　who　is　but　one　fair　woman　among　thousands？〃

I　thought　awhile；　then　answered；　〃I　think　it　matters　much；　Inca。
Still；　that　this　bloodshed　may　be　stayed；　I　will　do　my　best　to　bring
him　who　was　my　servant　to　your　presence　if　you　can　find　me　the　means
to　come　at　him；　and　afterwards　we　will　talk　again。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　weary　now。　Afterwards　we　will　talk　again。　Farewell；　Lord…
from…the…Sea。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IX

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　KARI　COMES　TO　HIS　OWN

When　I　awoke　on　the　following　morning　in　the　splendid　chamber　of　which
I　have　spoken；　it　was　to　find　that　my　armour　and　arms　had　been
restored　to　me；　and　very　glad　was　I　to　see　Wave…Flame　again。　After　I
had　eaten　and；　escorted　by　servants；　walked　in　the　gardens；　for　never
could　I　be　left　alone；　marvelling　at　the　wondrous　golden　fruits　and
flowers；　a　messenger　came　to　me；　saying　that　the　/Villaorna/　desired
speech　with　me。　I　wondered　who　this　/Villaorna/　might　be；　but　when　he
entered　I　saw　that　he　was　Larico；　that　same　stern…faced；　cunning…eyed
lord　who　had　been　the　spokesman　of　the　Inca　when　he　visited　the　city
of　the　Chancas。　Also　I　learned　that　/Villaorna/　was　his　title　and
meant　〃Chief　priest。〃

We　bowed　to　each　other　and　all　were　sent　from　the　chamber；　leaving　us
quite　alone。

〃Lord…from…the…Sea；〃　he　said；　〃the　Inca　sends　me；　his　Councillor　and
blood　relative；　who　am　head　priest　of　the　Sun；　to　desire　that　you　will
go　on　an　embassy　for　him　to　the　camp　of　the　Chancas。　First；　however；
it　is　needful　that　you　should　swear　by　the　Sun　that　you　will　return
thence　to　Cuzco。　Will　you　do　this？〃

Now　as　there　was　nothing　I　desired　more　than　to　return　to　Cuzco　where
Quilla　was；　I　answered　that　I　would　swear　by　my　own　god；　by　the　Sun；
and　by　my　sword；　unless　the　Chancas　detained　me　by　force。　Further；　I
prayed　him　to　set　out　his　business。

He　did　so　in　these　words：

〃Lord；　we　have　come　to　know；　it　matters　not　how；　that　the　man　who
appeared　with　you　in　this　land　is　no　other　than　Kari；　the　elder　son　of
the　Inca；　whom　we　thought　dead。　Now　it　is　in　the　Inca's　mind；　and　in
the　minds　of　us；　his　councillors；　to　proclaim　the　Prince　Kari　as　heir
to　the　throne　which　soon　he　would　be　called　upon　to　fill。　But　the
matter　is　very　dangerous；　seeing　that　Urco　still　commands　the　army　and
many　of　the　great　lords　who　are　of　his　mother's　House　cling　to　him；
hoping　to　receive　advancement　from　him　when　he　becomes　Inca。〃

〃But；　Priest　Larico；　Urco；　they　say；　is　like　to　die；　and　if　so　all
this　trouble　will　melt　like　a　cloud。〃

〃Your　sword　bit　deep；　Lord；　but　I　have　it　from　his　physicians　that　as
the　brain　is　uncut　he　will　not　die；　although　he　will　be　sick　for　a
long　while。　Therefore　we　must　act　while　he　is　sick；　since　it　is　not
lawful　to　bring　about　his　end；　even　if　he　could　be　come　at。　Time
presses；　Lord；　for　as　you　have　seen；　the　Inca　is　old　and　feeble　and
his　mind　is　weak。　Indeed　at　times　he　has　no　mind；　though　at　others　his
strength　returns　to　him。〃

〃Which　means　that　I　deal　with　you　who　are　the　chief　priest；　and　those
behind　you；〃　I　said；　looking　him　in　the　eyes。

〃That　is　what　it　means；　Lord。　Now　hearken　while　I　tell　you　the　truth。
After　the　Inca　I　am　the　most　powerful　man　in　Tavantinsuyu；　indeed　for
the　most　part　the　Inca　speaks　with　my　voice　although　I　seem　to　speak
with　his。　Yet　I　am　in　a　snare。　Heretofore　I　have　supported　Urco
because　there　was　no　other　who　could　become　Inca；　although　he　is　a
brutal　and　an　evil　man。　Of　late；　however；　since　my　return　from　the
City　of　the　Chancas；　I　have　quarrelled　with　Urco　because　he　has　lost
that　witch；　the　lady　Quilla；　whom　he　desires　madly　and　lays　the　blame
on　me；　and　it　has　come　to　my　knowledge　that　when　he　succeeds　to　the
throne　it　is　his　purpose　to　kill　me；　which　doubtless　he　will　do　if　he
can；　or　at　the　least　to　cast　me　from　my　place　and　power；　which　is　as
bad　as　death。　Therefore；　I　desire　to　make　my　peace　with　Kari；　if　he
will　swear　to　continue　me　in　my　office；　and　this　I　can　only　do　through
you。　Bring　this　peace　about；　Lord；　and　I　will　promise　you　anything　you
may　wish；　even　perchance　to　the　Incaship　itself；　should　aught　happen
to　Kari　or　should　he　refuse　my　offers。　I　think　that　the　Quichuas　might
welcome　a　white　god　from　the　Sea　who　has　shown　himself　so　great　a
general　and　so　brave　in　battle；　and　who　has　knowledge　and　wisdom　more
than　theirs；　to　rule　over　them；〃　he　added　reflectively。　〃Only　then；
Lord；　it　would　be　needful　to　be　rid　of　Kari　as　well　as　of　Urco。〃

〃To　which　I　would　never　consent；〃　I　replied；　〃seeing　that　he　is　my
friend　with　whom　I　have　shared　many　dangers。　Moreover；　I　do　not　wish
to　be　Inca。〃

〃Is　there　then　anything　else　that　you　wish　very　much；　Lord？　A　thought
came　to　me；　yonder　at　the　City　of　the　Chancas。　By　the　way；　how　lovely
is　that　lady　Quilla　and　how　royal　a　woman。　It　is　most　strange　that　she
should　have　turned　her　mind　towards　an　aged　man　like　Upanqui。〃

We　looked　at　each　other。

〃Very　strange；〃　I　said。　〃It　seems　to　me　sad　also　that　this　beauteous
Quilla　should　be　immured　in　a　nunnery　for　life。　To　tell　you　the　truth；
High…priest；　since　it　is　not　good　for　man　to　live　alone；　rather　than
that　such　a　thing　should　have　happened　I　would　have　married　her
myself；　to　which　perchance　she　might　have　consented。〃

Again　we　looked　at　each　other　and　I　went　on：

〃I　hinted　as　much　to　Kari　after　we　heard　she　was　numbered　amongst　the
Virgins；　and　asked　him　whether；　should　he　become　Inca；　he　would　take
her　thence　and　give　her　to　me。〃

〃What　did　he　answer；　Lord？〃

〃He　said　that　though　he　loved　me　like　a　brother；　first　he　would　kill
me　with　his　own　hand；　since　such　a　deed　would　be　sacrilege　against　the
Sun。　Last　night　also　the　Inca　himself　said　much　the　same。〃

〃Is　it　so；　Lord？　Well；　we　priests　bring　up　our　Incas　to　think　thus。　If
we　did　not；　where　would　our　power　be；　seeing　that　we　are　the　Voice　of
the　Sun　upon　earth　and　issue　his　decrees？〃

〃But　do　you　always　think　thus　yourselves；　O　High…priest？〃

〃Not　quite　always。　There　are　loopholes　in　every　law　of　gods　and　men。
For　example；　I　believe　I　see　one　in　the　instance　of　this　lady　Quilla。
But　before　we　waste　more　time　in　talkingtell　me；　White　Lord；　do　you
desire　her；　and　if　so；　are　you　ready　to　pay　me　my　price？　It　is　that
you　shall　assure　to　me　the　friendship　of　the　prince　Kari；　should　he
become　Inca；　and　the　continuance　of　my　power　and　office。〃

〃My　answer　is　that　I　do　desire　this　lady；　O　High…priest；　and　that　if　I
can　I　will　obtain　from　Kari　the　promise　of　what　you　seek。　And　now
where　is　the　loophole？〃

〃I　seem　to　remember；　Lord；　that　there　is　an　ancient　law　which　says
that　none　who　are　maimed　may　be　the　wives　of　the　Sun。