the virgin of the sun-第50节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


no　woman　is　concerned；　I　know　that　you　will　be　faithful　to　me　and　I
sorely　need　your　help。〃



So　with　a　heavy　heart　I　went　back　to　the　camp　of　Huaracha　and　told　him
Kari's　words。　He　was　very　wroth　when　he　heard　them；　since　his　gods
were　different　to　those　of　the　Incas　and　he　thought　nothing　of　the
holiness　of　the　Virgins　of　the　Sun；　and　once　again　talked　of　renewing
the　war。　Still　it　came　to　nothing　for　sundry　reasons　of　which　the
greatest　was　that　his　sickness　increased　on　him　as　the　days　went　by。
Also　I　told　him　that　much　as　I　desired　Quilla；　I　could　not　fight　upon
his　side　since　I　was　sworn　to　aid　Kari　against　Urco　and　my　word　might
not　be　broken。　Moreover；　the　Yuncas　who　had　been　our　allies；　wearying
of　their　long　absence　from　home　and　satisfied　with　the　gentle
forgiveness　and　the　redress　of　their　grievances　which　the　new　Inca　had
promised　them；　were　gone；　having　departed　on　their　long　march　to　the
coast；　while　many　of　the　Chancas　themselves　were　slipping　back　to
their　own　country。　Therefore　Huaracha's　hour　had　passed　by。

So　at　length　we　agreed　that　it　would　be　foolish　to　attack　Cuzco　in
order　to　try　to　rescue　Quilla；　since　even　if　Huaracha　won　in　face　of　a
desperate　defence；　probably　it　would　be　only　to　find　that　his　daughter
was　dead　or　had　vanished　away　to　some　unknown　and　distant　convent。　All
that　we　could　do　was　to　trust　to　fortune　to　deliver　her　into　our
hands。　We　agreed　further　that；　having　obtained　an　honourable　peace　and
all　else　that　he　desired；　it　would　be　well　for　Huaracha　to　return　to
his　own　land；　leaving　me　a　body　of　five　thousand　picked　men　who　were
willing　to　serve　under　me；　to　assist　in　the　war　against　Urco；　to　be　my
guard　and　that　of　Quilla；　if　perchance　I　could　deliver　her　from　the
House　of　the　Sun。

When　this　was　known　five　thousand　of　the　best　and　bravest　of　the
Chancas；　young　soldiers　who　sought　adventure　and　battle　and　whom　I　had
trained；　stepped　forward　at　once　and　swore　themselves　to　my　service。
Bidding　farewell　to　Huaracha；　with　these　troops　I　returned　to　Cuzco；
sending　messengers　ahead　to　explain　the　reason　of　their　coming　to
Kari；　who　welcomed　them　well　and　gave　them　quarters　round　the　palace
which　was　allotted　to　me。

A　few　days　later　we　advanced　on　the　town　Huarina；　a　great　host　of　us；
and　outside　of　it　met　the　yet　greater　host　of　Urco　in　a　mighty　battle
that　endured　for　a　day　and　a　night；　and　yet；　like　that　of　the　Field　of
Blood；　remained　neither　lost　nor　won。　When　the　thousands　of　the　dead
had　been　buried　and　the　wounded　sent　back　to　Cuzco；　we　attacked　the
city　of　Huarina；　I　leading　the　van　with　my　Chancas；　and　stormed　the
place；　driving　Urco　and　his　forces　out　on　the　farther　side。

They　retreated　to　the　mountains　and　there　followed　a　long　and　tedious
war　without　great　battles。　At　length；　although　the　Inca's　armies　had
suffered　sorely；　we　forced　those　of　Urco　to　the　shores　of　the　Lake
Titicaca；　where　most　of　them　melted　away　into　the　swamps　and　certain
tree…clad；　low…lying　valleys。　Urco　himself；　however；　with　a　number　of
followers；　escaped　in　boats　to　the　holy　island　in　the　lake。

We　built　a　fleet　of　/balsas/　with　reeds　and　blown…out　sheepskins；　and
followed　him。　Landing　on　the　isle　we　stormed　the　city　of　temples　which
were　more　wondrous　and　even　fuller　of　gold　and　precious　things　than
those　of　Cuzco。　Here　the　men　of　Urco　fought　desperately；　but　driving
them　from　street　to　street；　at　length　we　penned　them　in　one　of　the
largest　of　the　temples　of　which　by　some　mischance　a　reed　roof　was　set
on　fire；　so　that　there　they　perished　miserably。　It　was　a　dreadful
scene　such　as　I　never　wish　to　behold　again。　Also；　after　all　Urco　and
some　of　his　captains；　breaking　out　of　the　burning　temple　under　cover
of　the　smoke　escaped；　either　in　/balsas/　or；　as　many　declare；　by
swimming　the　lake。　At　least　they　were　gone　nor　search　as　we　might　on
the　mainland　could　they　be　found。

So　all　being　finished；　except　for　the　escape　of　Urco；　we　returned　to
Cuzco　which　Kari　entered　in　triumph；　I　marching　at　his　side；　wearied
out　with　war　and　bloodshed。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XI

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　HOUSE　OF　DEATH

Now　at　one　time　during　this　long　war　against　Urco　victory　smiled　upon
him；　though　afterwards　the　scale　went　down　against　him。　Kari　was
defeated　in　a　pitched　battle　and　I　who　commanded　another　army　was
almost　surrounded　in　a　valley。　When　everything　seemed　lost；　afterwards
I　escaped　by　leading　my　soldiers　round　up　the　slope　of　a　mountain　and
surprising　Urco　in　the　rear；　but　as　it　ended　well　for　us　I　need　not
speak　of　that　matter。

It　was　while　all　was　at　its　blackest　for　us　that　a　certain　officer　was
brought　to　me　who　was　captured　while　striving　to　desert；　or　at　least
to　pass　our　outposts。　As　it　happened　I　knew　this　man　again　having；
unseen　myself；　noted　him　on　the　previous　day　talking　earnestly　to　the
high…priest　Larico；　who；　with　other　priests；　accompanied　my　army；
perhaps　to　keep　a　watch　on　me。　I　took　this　captain　apart　and
questioned　him　alone；　threatening　him　with　death　by　torment　if　he　did
not　reveal　his　errand　to　me。

In　the　end；　being　very　much　afraid；　he　spoke。　From　him　I　learned　that
he　was　a　messenger　from　Larico　to　Urco。　Believing　that　our　defeat　was
almost　certain；　Larico　had　sent　him　to　make　his　peace　with　Urco　by
betraying　all　Kari's　and　my　own　plans　to　him　and　revealing　how　he
might　most　easily　destroy　us。　He　said　also　that　he；　Larico；　had　only
joined　the　party　of　Upanqui；　and　of　Kari　after　him；　under　threats　of
death　and　that　always　in　his　heart　he　had　been　true　to　Urco；　whom　he
acknowledged　as　his　Lord　and　as　the　rightful　Inca　whom　he　would　help
to　restore　to　the　Throne　with　all　the　power　of　the　Priesthood　of　the
Sun。　Further；　he　sent　by　this　spy　a　secret　message　by　means　of　little
cords　cunningly　knotted；　which　knots　served　these　people　as　writing；
since　they　could　read　them　as　we　read　a　book。

Now；　being　always　desirous　of　knowledge；　I　had　caused　myself　to　be
instructed　in　the　plan　of　this　knot…writing　which　by　this　time　I　could
read　well　enough。　Therefore　I　was　able　to　spell　out　this　message。　It
said　shortly　but　plainly；　that　knowing　he　still　desired　her；　he；
Larico；　as　high…priest　would　hand　over　to　Urco　the　lady　Quilla；
daughter　to　the　King　of　the　Chancas　who　unlawfully　had　been　hidden
away　among　the　Virgins　of　the　Sun；　also　that　he　would　betray　me；　the
White…God…from…the…Sea　who　sought　to　steal　her　away；　into　Urco's
hands；　that　he　might　kill　me　if　he　could。

When　I　had　mastered　all　this　I　was　filled　with　rage　and　bethought　me
that　I　would　cause　Larico　to　be　taken　and　suffer　the　fate　of　traitors。
Soon；　however；　I　changed　this　mind　of　mine　and　placing　the　spy　in
close　keeping　where　none　could　come　at　him；　I　set　a　watch　on　Larico
but　said　nothing　to　him　or　to　Kari　of　all　that　I　had　learned。

A　few　days　later　our　fortunes　changed　and　Urco；　defeated；　was　in　full
flight　to　the　shores　of　Lake　Titicaca。　After　this　I　knew　we　had
nothing　more　to　fear　from　this　fox…hearted　high…priest　who　above
everything　desired　to　be　on　the　winning　side　and　to　continue　in　his
place　and　power。　So　knowing　that　I　held　him　fast　I　bided　my　time；
because　through　him　alone　I　could　hope　to　come　at　Quilla。　That　time
came　after　the　war　was　over　and　we　had　returned　to　Cuzco　in　triumph。
As　soon　as　the　rejoicings　were　over　and　Kari　was　firmly　seated　on　his
throne；　I　sent　for　Larico；　which；　as　the　greatest　man　in　the　kingdom
after　the　Inca；　I　was　able　to　do。

He　appeared　in　answer　to　my　summons　and　we　bowed　to　each　other；　after
which　he　began　to　praise　me　for　my　generalship；　saying　that　had　it　not
been　for　me；　Urco　would　have　won　the　war　and　that　the　Inca　had　done
well　to　name　me　his　Brother　before　the　people　and　to　say　that　to　me　he
owed　his　throne。

〃Yes；　that　is　true；〃　I　answered；　〃and　now；　since　through　me；　you；
Larico；　are　the　third　greatest　man　in　the　kingdom　and　remain　High…
Priest　of　the　Sun　and　Whisperer　in　the　Inca's　ear；　I　would　put　you　in
mind　of　a　certain　bargain　that　we　made　when　I　promised　you　all　these
things；　Larico。〃

〃What　bargain；　Lord…of…the…Sea。〃

〃That　you　would　bring　me　and　a　Virgin　of　the　Sun；　who　while　she　was　of
the　earth　was　named　Quilla；　together；　Larico；　and　enable　her　to　return
from　those　of　the　Sun　to　my　arms；　Larico。〃

Now　his　face　grew　troubled　and　he　answered：

〃Lord；　I　have　thought　much　of　this　matter；　desiring　above　all　things
to　fulfil　my　word　and　I　grieve　to　tell　you　that　it　is　impossible。〃

〃Why；　Larico？〃

〃Because　I　find　that　the　law　of　my　faith　is　against　it；　Lord。〃

〃Is　that　all；　Larico？〃　I　asked　with　a　smile。

〃No；　Lord。　Because　I　find　that　the　Inca　would　not　suffer　it　and　swears
to　kill　all　who　attempt　to　touch　the　lady　Quilla。〃

〃Is　that　all；　Larico？〃

〃No；　Lord。　Because　I　find　that　a　woman　who　has　been　betrothed　to　one
of　the　royal　blood　may　never　pass　to　another　man。〃

〃Now　perhaps　we　come　nearer　to　it；　Larico。　You　mean　that　if　this
happened　and　perchance　after　all　Urco　should　come　to　the　throne；　as　he
might　do　if　Kari　his　brother　diedas　any　man　may　diehe　would　hold
you　to　account。〃

〃Yes；　Lord；　if　that　chanced；　as　chance　it　may；　since　Urco　still　lives
and　I　hear　is　gathering　new　armies　among　th