the virgin of the sun-第47节

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Upanqui　said　that　the　matter　should　be　attended　to；　speaking　in　a
royal　fashion　as　though　it　were　one　of　little　moment；　which　showed　me
how　great　an　emperor　he　must　be。　Great　he　was；　indeed；　seeing　that　all
the　broad　land　of　England　would　have　made　but　one　province　of　his　vast
dominions；　which　in　every　part　were　filled　with　people　who；　unless
they　chanced　to　be　in　rebellion　like　the　Yuncas；　lived　but　to　do　his
will。

After　this；　when　I　thought　the　audience　was　ended；　a　chamberlain
advanced　to　the　foot　of　the　throne；　and　kneeling；　said　that　a
suppliant　prayed　speech　with　the　Inca。　Upanqui　waved　his　sceptre；　that
long　staff　which　I　have　described；　in　token　that　he　should　be
admitted。　Then　presently　up　the　chamber　came　Kari　arrayed　in　the　tunic
and　cloak　of　an　Inca　prince；　wearing　in　his　ear　a　disc　carved　with　the
image　of　the　Sun；　and　a　chain　of　emeralds　and　gold　about　his　neck。　Nor
did　he　come　alone；　for　he　was　attended　by　a　brilliant　band　of　those
lords　and　captains　who　had　deserted　to　him　on　the　day　of　the　great
battle。　He　advanced　and　knelt　before　the　throne。

〃Who　is　this　that　carries　the　emblems　of　the　Holy　Blood　and　is　clothed
like　a　Prince　of　the　Sun？〃　asked　Upanqui；　affecting　ignorance　and
unconcern；　though　I　saw　the　colour　mount　to　his　cheeks　and　the　sceptre
shake　in　his　withered　hand。

〃One　who　is　indeed　of　the　holy　Inca　blood；　one　sprung　from　the　purest
lineage　of　the　Sun；〃　answered　the　stately　Kari　in　his　quiet　voice。

〃How　then　is　he　named？〃　asked　the　Inca　again。

〃He　is　named　Kari；　first…born　son　of　Upanqui；　O　Inca。〃

〃Such　a　son　I　had　once；　but　he　is　long　dead；　or　so　they　told　me；〃　said
Upanqui　in　a　trembling　voice。

〃He　is　not　dead；　O　Inca。　He　lives　and　he　kneels　before　you。　Urco
poisoned　him；　but　the　Sun　his　Father　recovered　him；　and　the　Spirit
that　is　above　all　gods　supported　him。　The　sea　bore　him　to　a　far　land；
where　he　found　a　white　god　who　befriended　and　cared　for　him；〃　here　he
turned　his　head　towards　me。　〃With　this　god　he　returned　to　his　own
country　and　here　he　kneels　before　you；　O　Inca。〃

〃It　cannot　be；〃　said　the　Inca。　〃What　sign　do　you　bring　who　name
yourself　Kari？　Show　me　the　image　of　the　Spirit　above　the　gods　that
from　his　childhood　for　generations　has　been　hung　about　the　neck　of　the
Inca's　eldest　son；　born　from　the　Queen。〃

Kari　opened　his　robe　and　drew　out　that　golden　effigy　of　Pachacamac
which　he　always　wore。

Upanqui　examined　it；　holding　it　close　to　his　rheumy　eyes。

〃It　seems　to　be　the　same；〃　he　said；　〃as　I　should　know　upon　whose
breast　it　lay　until　my　first　son　was　born。　And　yet　who　can　be　sure
since　such　things　may　be　copied？〃

Then　he　handed　back　the　image　to　Kari　and　after　reflecting　awhile；
said：

〃Bring　hither　the　Mother　of　the　Royal　Nurses。〃

Apparently　this　lady　was　in　waiting；　for　in　a　minute　she　appeared
before　the　throne；　an　old　and　withered　woman　with　beady　eyes。

〃Mother；〃　said　the　Inca；　〃you　were　with　the　/Coya/　（that　is　the　Queen）
who　has　been　gathered　to　the　Sun；　when　her　boy　was　born；　and
afterwards　nursed　him　for　years。　If　you　saw　it；　would　you　know　his
body　again　after　he　has　come　to　middle　age？〃

〃Aye；　O　Inca。〃

〃How；　Mother？〃

〃By　three　moles；　O　Inca；　which　we　women　used　to　call　/Yuti/；　/Quilla/；
and　/Chasca/〃　（that　is；　the　Sun；　the　Moon；　and　the　planet　Venus）；
〃which　were　the　marks　of　good　fortune　stamped　by　the　gods　upon　the
Prince's　back　between　the　shoulders；　set　one　above　the　other。〃

〃Man　who　call　yourself　Kari；　are　you　willing　that　this　old　crone
should　see　your　flesh？〃　asked　Upanqui。

By　way　of　answer　Kari　with　a　little　smile　stripped　himself　of　his
broidered　tunic　and　other　garments　and　stood　before　us　naked　to　the
middle。　Then　he　turned　his　back　to　the　Mother　of　the　Nurses。　She
hobbled　up　and　searched　it　with　her　bright　eyes。

〃Many　scars；〃　she　muttered；　〃scars　in　front　and　scars　behind。　This
warrior　has　known　battles　and　blows。　But　what　have　we　here？　Look；　O
Inca；　/Yuti/；　/Quilla/；　and　/Chasca/；　set　one　above　the　other；　though
/Chasca/　is　almost　hidden　by　a　hurt。　Oh！　my　fosterling；　O　my　Prince
whom　I　nursed　at　these　withered　breasts；　are　you　come　back　from　the
dead　to　take　your　own　again？　O　Kari　of　the　Holy　Blood；　Kari　the　lost
who　is　Kari　the　found！〃

Then　sobbing　and　muttering　she　threw　her　arms　about　him　and　kissed
him。　Nor　did　he　shame　to　kiss　her　in　return；　there　before　them　all。

〃Restore　his　garments　to　the　royal　Prince；〃　said　Upanqui；　〃and　bring
hither　the　Fringe　that　is　worn　by　the　Inca's　heir。〃

It　was　produced　without　delay　by　the　high…priest　Larico；　which　told　me
at　once　that　all　this　scene　had　been　prepared。　Upanqui　took　it　from
Larico；　and　beckoning　Kari　to　him；　with　the　priest's　help　bound　it
about　his　brow；　thereby　acknowledging　him　and　restoring　him　as　heir…
apparent　to　the　Empire。　Then　he　kissed　him　on　the　brow　and　Kari　knelt
down　and　did　his　father　homage。

After　this　they　went　away　together　accompanied　only　by　Larico　and　two
or　three　of　the　councillors　of　Inca　blood　and　as　I　learned　from　Larico
afterwards；　told　each　other　their　tales　and　made　plans　to　outwit；　and
if　need　were　to　destroy；　Urco　and　his　faction。

On　the　following　day　Kari　was　established　in　a　house　of　his　own　that
was　more　of　a　fortress　than　a　palace；　for　it　was　built　of　great　stones
with　narrow　gates；　and　surrounded　by　an　open　space。　Upon　this　space；
as　a　guard；　were　encamped　all　those　who　had　deserted　to　him　in　the
battle　of　the　Field　of　Blood；　who　had　returned　to　Cuzco　from　the　camp
of　Huaracha　now　that　Kari　was　accepted　as　the　royal　heir。　Also　other
troops　who　were　loyal　to　the　Inca　were　stationed　near　by；　while　those
who　clung　to　Urco　departed　secretly　to　that　town　where　he　lay　sick。
Moreover；　proclamation　was　made　that　on　the　day　of　the　new　moon；　which
the　magicians　declared　to　be　auspicious；　Kari　would　be　publicly
presented　to　the　people　in　the　Temple　of　the　Sun　as　the　Inca's　lawful
heir；　in　place　of　Urco　disinherited　for　crimes　that　he　had　committed
against　the　Sun；　the　Empire；　and　the　Inca　his　father。

〃Brother；〃　said　Kari　to　me；　for　so　he　called　me　now　that　he　was　an
acknowledged　Prince；　when　I　went　to　meet　him　in　his　grandeur；
〃Brother；　did　I　not　tell　you　always　that　we　must　trust　to　our　gods？
See；　I　have　not　trusted　in　vain　though　it　is　true　that　dangers　still
lie　ahead　of　me；　and　perhaps　civil　war。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃your　gods　are　in　the　way　of　giving　you　all　you
want；　but　it　is　not　so　with　mine　and　me。〃

〃What　then　do　you　desire；　Brother；　who　can　have　even　to　the　half　of
the　kingdom？〃

〃Kari；〃　I　replied；　〃I　cry　not　for　the　Earth；　but　for　the　Moon。〃

He　understood；　and　his　face　grew　stern。

〃Brother；　the　Moon　alone　is　beyond　you；　for　she　inhabits　the　sky　while
you　still　dwell　upon　the　earth；〃　he　answered　with　a　frown；　and　then
began　to　talk　of　the　peace　with　Huaracha。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　X

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　GREAT　HORROR

The　day　of　the　new　moon　came　and　with　it　the　great　horror　that　caused
all　the　Empire　of　Tavantinsuyu　to　tremble；　fearing　lest　Heaven　should
be　avenged　upon　it。

Since　Upanqui　had　found　his　elder　son　again　he　began　to　dote　upon　him；
as　in　such　a　case　the　old　and　weak…minded　often　do；　and　would　walk
about　the　gardens　and　palaces　with　his　arm　around　his　neck　babbling　to
him　of　whatever　was　uppermost　in　his　mind。　Moreover；　his　soul　was
oppressed　because　he　had　done　Kari　wrong　in　the　past；　and　preferred
Urco　to　him　under　the　urging　of　that　prince's　mother。

〃The　truth　is；　Son；〃　I　myself　heard　him　say　to　Kari；　〃that　we　men　who
seem　to　rule　the　world　do　not　rule　it　at　all；　because　always　women
rule　us。　This　they　do　through　our　passions　which　the　gods　planted　in
us　for　their　own　ends；　also　because　they　are　more　single　in　their
minds。　The　man　thinks　of　many　things；　the　woman　only　thinks　of　what
she　desires。　Therefore　the　man　whom　Nature　already　has　bemused；　only
brings　a　little　piece　of　his　mind　to　fight　against　her　whole　mind；　and
so　is　conquered；　he　who　was　made　for　one　thing　only；　to　be　the　mate　of
the　woman　that　she　may　mother　more　men　in　order　to　serve　the　wills　of
other　women　who　yet　seem　to　be　those　men's　slaves。〃

〃So　I　have　learned；　Father；〃　answered　the　grave　Kari；　〃and　for　this
reason　having　suffered　in　the　past；　I　am　determined　to　have　as　little
to　do　with　women　as　is　possible　for　one　in　my　place。　During　my　travels
in　other　lands；　as　in　this　country；　I　have　seen　men　great　and　noble
brought　to　nothingness　and　ruin　by　their　love　for　women；　down　into　the
dirt；　indeed；　when　their　hands　were　full　of　the　world's　wealth　and
glory。　Moreover；　I　have　noticed　that　they　seldom　learn　wisdom；　and
that　what　they　have　done　before；　they　are　ready　to　do　again；　who
believe　anything　that　soft　lips　swear　to　them。　Yes；　even　that　they　are
loved　for　themselves　alone；　as　I　own　to　my　sorrow；　once　I　did　myself。
Urco　could　not　have　taken　that　fair　wife　of　mine；　Father；　if　she　had
not　been　willing　to　go　when　she　saw　that　I　had　lost　your　favour　and
with　it　the　hope　of　the　Scarlet　Fringe。〃

Here　Kari　looked　at　me；　of　whom　I　knew　he　was　thinking　all　this　time；
and　seeing　that　I　could　overhear　his　talk；　began　to　speak　of　something
else。



On　the　appointed　day　there　w