the virgin of the sun-第49节

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temple　to　present　Kari　as　the　heir　to　the　throne　to　the　vast　crowd
which　waited　upon　the　open　square　outside　its　doors。

Here　the　ceremony　went　on。　The　Inca　and　most　of　us；　for　there　was　not
space　for　all；　although　we　were　packed　as　closely　together　as　Hastings
herrings　in　a　basket；　took　our　stand　upon　a　platform　that　was
surrounded　by　a　marvellous　cable　made　of　links　of　solid　gold　which；　it
was　said；　needed　fifty　men　to　lift　it　from　the　ground。　Then　Upanqui；
whose　strength　seemed　restored　to　him；　perhaps　because　of　some　drug
that　he　had　eaten；　or　under　the　spur　of　this　great　event；　stepped
forward　to　the　edge　of　the　low　platform　and　addressed　the　multitude　in
eloquent　words；　setting　out　the　matter　as　he　had　done　in　the　temple。
He　ended　his　speech　by　asking　the　formal　question：

〃Do　you；　Children　of　the　Sun；　accept　the　prince　Kari；　my　first…born；
to　be　Inca　after　me？〃

There　was　a　roar　of　assent；　and　as　it　died　away　Upanqui　turned　to　call
Kari　to　him　that　he　might　present　him　to　the　people。

At　this　very　moment　in　the　gathering　twilight　I　saw　a　great　fierce…
faced　man　with　a　bandaged　head；　whom　I　knew　to　be　Urco；　leap　over　the
golden　chain。　He　sprang　upon　the　platform　and　with　a　shout　of　〃I　do
not　accept　him；　and　thus　I　pay　back　treachery；〃　plunged　a　gleaming
copper　knife　or　sword　into　the　Inca's　breast。

In　an　instant；　before　any　could　stir　in　that　packed　crowd；　Urco　had
leapt　back　over　the　golden　chain；　and　from　the　edge　of　the　platform；
to　vanish　amongst　those　beneath；　who　doubtless　were　men　of　his
following　disguised　as　citizens　or　peasants。

Indeed　all　who　beheld　seemed　frozen　with　horror。　One　great　sigh　went
up　and　then　there　was　silence；　since　no　such　deed　as　this　was　known　in
the　annals　of　that　empire。　For　a　moment　the　aged　Upanqui　stood　upon
his　feet；　the　blood　pouring　down　his　white　beard　and　jewelled　robe。
Then　he　turned　a　little　and　said　in　a　clear　and　gentle　voice：

〃Kari；　you　will　be　Inca　sooner　than　I　thought。　Receive　me；　O　God　my
Father；　and　pardon　this　murderer　who；　I　think；　can　be　no　true　son　of
mine。〃

Then　he　fell　forward　on　his　face　and　when　we　lifted　him　he　was　dead。

Still　the　silence　hung；　it　was　as　though　the　tongues　of　men　were
smitten　with　dumbness。　At　length　Kari　stepped　forward　and　cried：

〃The　Inca　is　dead；　but　I；　the　Inca；　live　on　to　avenge　him。　I　declare
war　upon　Urco　the　murderer　and　all　who　cling　to　Urco！〃

Now　the　spell　was　lifted；　and　from　those　dim　hordes　there　went　up　a
yell　of　hatred　against　Urco　the　butcher　and　parricide；　while　men
rushed　to　and　fro　searching　for　him。　In　vain！　for　he　had　escaped　in
the　darkness。

On　the　following　day；　with　more　ceremonies；　though　many　of　these　were
omitted　because　of　the　terror　and　trouble　of　the　times；　Kari　was
crowned　Inca；　exchanging　the　yellow　for　the　crimson　Fringe　and　taking
the　throne　name　of　Upanqui　after　his　father。　In　Cuzco　there　was　none
to　say　him　nay　for　the　whole　city　was　horror…struck　because　of　the
sacrilege　that　had　been　committed。　Also　those　who　clung　to　Urco　had
fled　away　with　him　to　a　town　named　Huarina　on　the　borders　of　the　great
lake　called　Titicaca；　where　was　an　island　with　marvellous　temples　full
of　gold；　which　town　lay　at　a　distance　from　Cuzco。



Then　the　civil　war　began　and　raged　for　three　whole　months；　though　of
all　that　happened　in　that　time　because　of　the　labour　of　it；　I　set　down
little；　who　would　get　forward　with　my　story。

In　this　war　I　played　a　great　part。　The　fear　of　Kari　was　that　the
Chancas；　seeing　the　Inca　realm　thus　rent　in　two；　would　once　more
attack　Cuzco。　This　it　became　my　business　to　prevent。　As　the　ambassador
of　Kari　I　visited　the　camp　of　Huaracha；　bearing　offers　of　peace　which
gave　to　him　more　than　he　could　ever　hope　to　win　by　strength　of　arms。　I
found　the　old　warrior…king　still　sick　and　wasted　because　of　the　hurt
from　Urco's　club；　though　now　he　could　walk　upon　crutches；　and　set　out
the　case。　He　answered　that　he　had　no　wish　to　fight　against　Kari　who
had　offered　him　such　honourable　terms；　especially　when　he　was　waging
war　against　Urco　whom　he；　Huaracha；　hated；　because　he　had　striven　to
poison　his　daughter　and　dealt　him　a　blow　which　he　was　sure　would　end
in　his　death。　Therefore　he　was　ready　to　make　a　firm　peace　with　the　new
Inca；　if　in　addition　to　what　he　offered　he　would　surrender　to　him
Quilla　who　was　his　heiress　and　would　be　Queen　of　the　Chancas　after
him。

With　these　words　I　went　back　to　Kari；　only　to　find　that　on　this　matter
he　was　hard　as　a　rock　of　the　mountains。　In　vain　did　I　plead　with　him；
and　in　vain　did　the　high…priest；　Larico；　by　subtle　hints　and
arguments；　strive　to　gentle　his　mind。

〃My　brother；〃　said　Kari　in　that　soft　even　voice　of　his；　when　he　had
heard　me　patiently　to　the　end；　〃forgive　me　if　I　tell　you　that　in
advancing　this　prayer；　for　one　word　you　say　on　behalf　of　King
Huaracha；　you　say　two　for　yourself；　who　having　unhappily　been
bewitched　by　her；　desire　this　Virgin　of　the　Sun；　the　lady　Quilla；　to
be　your　wife。　My　brother；　take　everything　else　that　I　have　to　give；
but　leave　this　lady　alone。　If　I　handed　her　over　to　Huaracha　or　to　you；
as　I　have　told　you　before；　I　should　bring　upon　myself　and　upon　my
people　the　curse　of　my　father　the　Sun；　and　of　Pachacamac；　the　Spirit
who　is　above　the　Sun。　It　was　because　Upanqui；　my　father　according　to
the　flesh；　dared　to　look　upon　her　after　she　had　entered　the　House　of
the　Sun；　as　I　have　learned　he　did；　that　a　bloody　and　a　cruel　death
came　upon　him；　for　so　the　magicians　and　the　wise　men　have　assured　me
that　the　oracles　declare。　Therefore；　rather　than　do　this　crime　of
crimes；　I　would　choose　that　Huaracha　should　renew　the　war　against　us
and　that　you　should　join　yourself　to　him；　or　even　to　Urco；　and　strive
to　tear　me　from　the　Throne；　for　then　even　if　I　were　slain；　I　should
die　with　honour。〃

〃That　I　could　never　do；〃　I　answered　sadly。

〃No；　my　brother　Hubert　（for　now　he　called　me　by　my　English　name
again）；　that　you　could　never　do；　being　what　you　are；　as　I　know　well。
So　like　the　rest　of　us　you　must　bear　your　burden。　Mayhap　it　may　please
my　gods；　or　your　gods　in　the　end；　and　in　some　way　that　I　cannot
foresee；　to　give　you　this　woman　whom　you　seek。　But　of　my　free　will　I
will　never　give　her　to　you。　To　me　the　deed　would　be　as　though　in　your
land　of　England　the　King　commanded　the　consecrated　bread　and　cups　of
wine　to　be　snatched　from　the　hands　of　the　priests　of　your　temples　and
cast　to　the　dogs；　or　given　to　cheer　the　infidels　within　your　gates；　or
dragged　away　the　nuns　from　your　convents　to　become　their　lemans。　What
would　you　think　of　such　a　king　in　your　own　country？　And　what；〃　he
added　with　meaning；　〃would　you　have　thought　of　me　if　there　I　had
stolen　one　of　these　nuns　because　she　was　beautiful　and　I　desired　her
as　a　wife？〃

Now　although　Kari's　words　stung　me　because　of　the　truth　that　was　in
them；　I　answered　that　to　me　this　matter　wore　another　face。　Also　that
Quilla　had　become　a　Virgin　of　the　Sun；　not　of　her　own　free　will；　but
to　escape　from　Urco。

〃Yes；　my　brother；〃　he　answered；　〃because　you　believe　my　religion　to　be
idolatry；　and　do　not　understand　that　the　Sun　to　me　is　the　symbol　and
garment　of　God；　and　that　when　we　of　the　Inca　blood；　or　those　of　us　who
have　the　inner　knowledge；　talk　of　him　as　our　Father；　we　mean　that　we
are　the　children　of　God；　though　the　common　people　are　taught
otherwise。　For　the　rest；　this　lady　took　her　vows　of　her　own　free　will
and　of　her　secret　reasons　I　know　nothing；　any　more　than　I　know　why　she
offered　herself　in　marriage　to　Urco　before　she　found　you　upon　the
island。　For　you　I　grieve；　and　for　her　also；　yet　I　would　have　you
remember　that；　as　your　own　priests　teach；　in　every　life　that　is　not
brutal　there　must　be　loss；　sorrow；　and　sacrifice；　since　by　these　steps
only　man　can　climb　towards　the　things　of　the　spirit。　Pluck　then　such
flowers　as　you　will　from　the　garden　that　Fate　gives　you；　but　leave
this　one　white　bloom　alone。〃

In　such　words　as　these　he　preached　at　me；　till　at　length　I　could　bear
no　more；　and　said　roughly：

〃To　me　it　is　a　very　evil　thing；　O　Inca；　to　separate　those　who　love
each　other；　and　one　that　cannot　be　pleasing　to　Heaven。　Therefore；
great　as　you　are；　and　friend　of　mine　as　you　are；　I　tell　you　to　your
face　that　if　I　can　take　the　lady　Quilla　out　of　that　golden　grave　of
hers　I　shall　do　so。〃

〃I　know　it；　my　brother；〃　he　answered；　〃and　therefore；　were　I　as　some
Incas　have　been；　I　should　cause　this　holy　Spouse　to　travel　more
quickly　to　the　skies　than　Nature　will　take　her。　But　this　I　will　not　do
because　I　know　also　that　Destiny　is　above　all　things　and　that　which
Destiny　decrees　will　happen　unhelped　by　man。　Still　I　tell　you　that　I
will　thwart　you　if　I　can　and　that　should　you　succeed　in　your　ends；　I
will　kill　you　if　I　can　and　the　lady　also；　because　you　have　committed
sacrilege。　Yes；　although　I　love　you　better　than　any　other　man；　I　will
kill　you。　And　if　King　Huaracha　should　be　able　to　snatch　her　away　by
force　I　will　make　war　on　him　until　either　I　and　my　people　or　he　and
his　people　are　destroyed。　And　now　let　us　talk　no　more　of　this　matter；
but　rather　of　our　plans　against　Urco；　since　in　these　at　least；　where
no　woman　is　concerned；　I　know　that　you　will　be　faithful　to　me　and　I
sorely　need　yo