the virgin of the sun-第46节

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〃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。　It　is　true　that
this　law　applies　to　them　/before/　they　contract　the　holy　marriage。
Still；　if　the　point　came　up　before　me　as　high…priest；　I　might　perhaps
find　that　it　applied　also　to　those　who　were　maimed　/after/　marriage。
The　case　is　rare；　for　which　precedents　cannot　be　found　if　the　search
be　thorough。　Now　through　the　wickedness　of　Urco；　as　it　happens；　this
lady　Quilla　has　been　blinded；　and　therefore　is　no　longer　perfect　in
her　body。　Do　you　understand？〃

〃Quite。　But　what　would　Upanqui　or　Kari　say？　The　Incas　you　declare　are
always　bigots　and　might　interpret　this　law　otherwise。〃

〃I　cannot　tell；　Lord；　but　let　us　cease　from　beating　bushes。　I　will
help　you　if　I　can；　if　you　will　help　me　if　/you/　can；　though　I　daresay
that　in　the　end　you；　who　are　not　a　bigot；　must　take　the　law　into　your
own　hands；　as　perhaps　the　lady　Quilla；　who　is　a　moon…worshipper；　would
be　willing　to　do　also。〃

The　finish　of　it　was　that　this　cunning　priest　and　statesman　and　I　made
a　bargain。　If　I　could　win　Kari　over　to　his　interests；　then　he　swore　by
the　Sun　that　he　would　gain　me　access　to　the　lady　Quilla　and　help　me　to
fly　with　her；　if　so　we　both　wished；　while　I　on　my　part　swore　to　plead
his　cause　with　Kari。　Moreover；　as　he　showed　me；　there　was　little　fear
that　either　of　us　would　break　these　oaths　since　henceforth　each　lay　in
the　power　of　the　other。

After　this　we　passed　on　to　public　matters。　I　was　charged　to　offer　an
honourable　truce　to　Huaracha　and　the　Chancas　with　permission　to　them
to　camp　their　armies　in　certain　valleys　near　to　Cuzco　where　they　would
be　fed　until　peace　was　declared；　which　peace　would　give　them　all　they
needed；　namely；　their　freedom　and　safeguards　from　attack。　For　the　rest
I　was　to　bring　Kari　and　those　who　had　deserted　to　him　on　the　yesterday
into　Cuzco　where　none　would　molest　them。

Then　he　went；　leaving　me　happier　than　I　had　been　since　I　bade　farewell
to　Quilla。　For　now　at　last　I　saw　light；　a　faint　uncertain　light；　it
was　true；　only　to　be　reached；　if　reached　at　all；　through　many
difficulties　and　dangers；　but　still　light。　At　last　I　had　found　someone
in　this　land　of　black　superstition　who　was　not　a　bigot；　and　who；　being
the　High…priest　of　the　Sun；　knew　too　much　of　his　god　to　fear　him　or　to
believe　that　he　should　come　down　to　earth　and　burn　it　up　should　one　of
the　hundreds　of　his　brides　seek　another　husband。　Of　course　this　Larico
might　betray　me　and　Quilla；　but　I　did　not　think　he　would；　since　he　had
nothing　to　gain　thereby；　and　might　have　much　to　lose；　for　the　reason
that　I　was　able；　or　he　thought　that　I　was　able；　to　set　Kari　against
him。　At　least　I　could　only　go　forward　and　trust　to　fortune；　though　in
fact　hitherto　she　had　never　shown　me　favour　where　woman　was　concerned。



Awhile　later　I　was　being　borne　in　one　of　the　Inca's　own　litters　back
to　the　camp　of　the　Chancas；　accompanied　by　an　embassy　of　great　lords。

We　passed　over　that　dreadful；　bloodstained　plain　where；　under　a　flag
of　truce；　both　sides　were　engaged　in　burying　the　thousands　of　their
dead；　and　came　to　the　ridge　whence　we　had　charged　on　the　yester　morn。
Here　sentries　stopped　us　and　I　descended　from　my　litter。　When　the
Chancas　saw　me　in　my　armour　come　back　to　them　alive；　they　set　up　a
great　shouting　and　presently　I　and　the　lords　with　me　were　led　to　the
pavilion　of　King　Huaracha。

We　found　him　lying　sick　upon　a　couch；　for　though　he　showed　no　wound　he
had　been　badly　bruised　upon　the　body　by　a　blow　from　Urco's　club　and；
as　I　feared；　was　hurt　in　the　bowels。　He　greeted　me　with　delight；　since
he　thought　that　I　might　have　been　killed　after　I　was　captured；　and
asked　how　I　came　to　appear　in　his　camp　in　the　company　of　our　enemies。
I　told　him　at　once　what　had　chanced　and　that　I　was　sworn　to　return　to
Cuzco　when　I　had　done　my　business。　Then　the　Inca's　ambassadors　set　out
their　proposals　for　a　truce；　and　retired；　while　Huaracha　discussed
them　with　his　generals　and　Kari；　who　also　was　overjoyed　to　see　me
safe。

The　end　of　it　was　that　they　were　accepted　on　the　terms　offered；
namely；　that　Huaracha　and　his　army　should　withdraw　to　the　valleys　of
which　I　have　spoken；　and　there　camp；　receiving　all　the　food　they
needed　until　a　peace　could　be　offered　such　as　he　would　be　willing　to
accept。　Indeed；　the　Chancas　were　glad　to　agree　to　this　plan　for　their
losses　in　the　battle　had　been　very　great　and　they　were　in　no　state　to
renew　the　attack　upon　Cuzco；　which　was　still　defended　by　such　mighty
hordes　of　brave　warriors　fighting　for　their　homes；　families；　and
freedom。

So　all　was　agreed　on　the　promise　that　peace　should　be　made　within
thirty　days　or　sooner；　and　that　if　it　were　not　the　war　should
re…commence。

Then　privately；　I　told　Huaracha　all　that　I　had　learned　about　Quilla
and　that　I　had　still　hopes　of　saving　her　though　what　these　were　I　did
not　tell　him。　When　he　had　thought；　he　said　that　now　the　fate　of　Quilla
must　be　left　in　the　hands　of　the　gods　and　mine；　since　not　even　for　her
could　he　neglect　the　opportunity　of　an　honourable　peace；　seeing　that
another　battle　might　mean　destruction。　Also　he　pointed　out　that　he　was
hurt　and　I　who　had　been　general　under　him　was　a　prisoner　and　bound　by
my　oath　to　return　to　prison；　so　that　the　Chancas　had　lost　their
leaders。

After　this　we　parted；　I　promising　to　work　for　his　cause　and　to　come　to
see　him　again；　if　I　might。

These　matters　finished　I　went　aside　with　Kari　to　a　place　where　none
could　hear　us；　and　there　laid　before　him　the　offers　of　Larico；　the
high…priest；　showing　him　how　the　case　stood。　Of　Quilla；　however；　I
said　nothing　to　him；　though　it　pained　me　to　keep　back　part　of　the
truth　even　from　Kari。　Yet；　what　was　I　to　do；　who　knew　that　if　I　told
him　all　and　he　became　Inca；　or　the　Inca's　acknowledged　heir；　he　would
work　against　me　because　of　his　superstitious　madness；　and　perhaps
cause　Quilla　to　be　killed　by　the　priests；　as　one　whose　feet　were　set
in　the　path　of　sacrilege？　So　on　this　matter　I　held　my　peace；　nor　did
he　ask　me　anything　concerning　Quilla　who；　I　think；　wished　to　hear
nothing　of　that　lady　and　what　had　befallen　her。

When　he　had　learned　all；　he　said：

〃This　may　be　a　trap；　Lord。　I　do　not　trust　yonder　Larico；　who　has
always　been　my　enemy　and　Urco's　friend。〃

〃I　think　he　is　his　own　friend　first；〃　I　answered；　〃who　knows　that　if
Urco　recovers　he　will　kill　him；　because　he　has　taken　the　part　of　your
father；　Upanqui；　in　their　quarrels；　and　suspects　him。〃

〃I　am　not　sure；〃　said　Kari。　〃Yet　something　must　be　risked。　Did　I　not
tell　you　when　we　were　sailing　down　the　English　river　that　we　must　put
faith　in　our　gods；　yes；　afterwards　also；　and　more　than　once？　And　did
not　the　gods　save　us？　Well；　now　again　I　trust　to　my　god；〃　and　drawing
out　the　image　of　Pachacamac；　which　he　wore　round　his　neck；　he　kissed
it；　then　turning；　bowed　and　prayed　to　the　Sun。

〃I　will　come　with　you；〃　he　said；　when　he　had　finished　his　devotions；
〃to　live　to　be　Inca；　or　to　die；　as　the　Sun　decrees。〃

So　he　came　and　with　him　some　of　his　friends；　captains　of　those　who　had
deserted　to　him　in　the　battle。　But　the　five　thousand　soldiers；　or
those　who　were　left　of　them；　did　not　come　as　yet　because　they　feared
lest　they　should　be　set　upon　and　butchered　by　the　regiments　of　Urco。



That　night；　when　we　were　back　safe　in　Cuzco；　Kari　and　the　high…priest；
Larico　talked　together　in　secret。　Of　what　passed　between　them　he　only
told　me　that　they　had　come　to　an　agreement　which　satisfied　them　both。
Larico　said　the　same　to　me　when　next　I　saw　him；　adding：

〃You　have　kept　your　word　and　served　my　turn；　Lord…from…the…Sea；
therefore　I　will　keep　mine　and　serve　yours　when　the　time　comes。　Yet　be
warned　by　me　and　say　nothing　of　a　certain　lady　to　the　prince　Kari；
since　when　I　spoke　a　word　to　him　on　the　matter；　hinting　that　her
surrender　to　her　father　Huaracha　would　make　peace　with　him　more　easy
and　lasting；　he　answered　that　first　would　he　fight　Huaracha；　and　the
Yuncas　as　well；　to　the　last　man　in　Cuzco。

〃To　the　Sun　she　has　gone；〃　he　said；　〃and　with　the　Sun　she　must　stay；
lest　the　curse　of　the　Sun　and　of　Pachacamac；　the　Spirit　above　the　sun；
should　fall　on　me　and　all　of　us。〃

Larico　told　me　also　that；　fearing　something；　the　great　lords；　who　were
of　Urco's　party；　had　borne　him　away　in　a　litter　to　a　strong　city　in
the　mountains　about　five　leagues　from　Cuzco；　escorted　by　thousands　of
picked　men　who　would　stay　in　and　about　that　city。

On　the　next　morning　I　was　summoned　to　wait　upon　the　Inca　Upanqui；　and
went；　wearing　my　armour。　I　found　him　in　the　same　great　chamber　as
before；　only　now　he　was　more　royally　arrayed；　and　with　him　were　sundry
of　his　high　lords　of　the　Inca　blood；　also　certain　priests；　among　them
the　/Villaorna/　Larico。

The　old　king；　who　on　that　day　seemed　clear　in　his　mind　and　well；
greeted　me　in　his　kindly　fashion　and　bade　me　set　out　all　that　had
passed　between　me　and　Huaracha　in　the　Chanca　camp。　This　I　did；　only　I
hid　from　him　how　great　had　been　the　Chanca　losses　in　the　battle　and
how　glad　they　were　to　declare　a　truce　and　rest。

Upanqui　said　that　the　matter　should　be　attended　to；　speaking　in　a
royal　fashion　as　though　it　were　one　of　little　moment；