the virgin of the sun-第53节

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felt　a　path　round　the　table。　Then　suddenly　a　door　at　the　back　of　the
hall　was　thrown　open　and　by　the　grey　light　which　came　through　the
doorway　I　perceived　the　last　of　the　ravishers　departing。　We　scrambled
across　the　dais　where　the　golden　chair　was　overthrown　and　the　embalmed
Upanqui　lay；　a　stiff　and　huddled　heap　upon　his　back；　staring　at　me
with　jewelled　eyes。

We　gained　the　door　which；　happily；　none　had　remembered　to　close；　and
passed　out　into　the　parklike　grounds　beyond。　A　hundred　paces　or　more
ahead　of　us；　by　the　glowing　light；　I　saw　a　litter　passing　between　the
trees　surrounded　by　armed　men；　and　knew　that　in　it　was　Quilla　being
borne　to　captivity　and　shame。

After　it　we　sped。　It　passed　the　gate　of　the　park　wall；　but　when　we
reached　that　gate　it　was　shut　and　barred　and　we　must　waste　time
breaking　it　down；　which　we　did　by　help　of　a　felled　tree　that　lay　at
hand。　We　were　through　it；　and　now　the　rim　of　the　sun　had　appeared　so
that　through　the　morning　mist；　which　clung　to　the　hillside　beyond　the
town；　we　could　see　the　litter；　the　full　half　of　a　mile　away。　On　we
went　up　the　hill；　gaining　as　we　ran；　for　we　had　no　litter　to　bear；　nor
aught　else　save　the　sack　of　armour　which　one　of　the　Chancas　had
thought　to　bring　with　him　when　he　rushed　into　the　hall；　and　with　it　my
long　bow　and　shaft。

Now；　at　a　certain　place　between　this　hill　and　another　there　was　a
gorge　such　as　are　common　in　that　country；　a　gorge　so　deep　and　narrow
that　in　places　the　light　of　day　scarcely　struggles　to　the　pathways　at
its　bottom。　Into　this　tunnel　the　litter　vanished　and　when　we　drew　near
I　saw　that　its　mouth　was　held　by　armed　men；　six　of　them　or　more。
Taking　my　bow　from　the　Chanca　I　strung　it　and　shot　swiftly。　The　man　at
whom　I　aimed　went　down。　Again　I　shot　and　another　fell；　whereon　the
rest　of　them　took　cover　behind　stones。

Throwing　back　the　bow　to　the　Chanca；　for　now　it　was　useless；　we
charged。　That　business　was　soon　over；　for　presently　all　those　of
Urco's　men　who　remained　there　were　dead；　save　one　who；　being　cut　off；
fled　down　hill　towards　the　city；　taking　with　him　the　news　of　what　had
passed　in　the　palace　of　dead　Upanqui。

We　entered　the　mouth　of　the　gorge；　plunging　towards　the　gloom；　though
as　it　chanced　this　place　faced　towards　the　east；　so　that　the　low　sun；
which　now　was　fully　up；　shone　down　it　and　gave　us　light　that　later
would　have　been　lacking。

I；　who　was　very　swift　of　foot　and　to　whom　rage　and　fear　gave　wings；
outran　my　companions。　Swinging　myself　round　a　rock　which　lay　in　the
pathway；　I　saw　the　litter　again　not　a　hundred　yards　ahead。　It　halted
because；　as　it　seemed　to　me；　one　or　more　of　the　bearers　stumbled　and
fell　among　the　stones。　I　rushed　at　them；　roaring。　Perhaps　it　had　been
wiser　to　wait　for　my　companions；　but　I　was　mad　and　feared　nothing。
They　saw　me　and　a　cry　went　up　of：

〃The　White　God！　The　terrible　White　God！〃

Then　fear　took　hold　of　them　and　they　fled；　leaving　the　litter　on　the
ground。　Yes；　all　of　them　fled　save　one；　Urco　himself。

He　stood　there　rolling　his　eyes　and　gnashing　his　teeth；　looking　huge
and　awful　in　those　shadows；　looking　like　a　devil　from　hell。　Suddenly　a
thought　seemed　to　take　him；　and　leaping　at　the　litter　he　tore　aside
its　curtains　and　dragged　out　Quilla；　who　fell　prone　upon　the　ground。

〃If　I　may　not　have　her；　you　shall　not；　White　Thief。　See！　I　give　back
his　bride　to　the　Sun；〃　he　shouted；　and　lifted　his　copper　sword　to
pierce　her　through。

Now　I　was　still　ten　paces　or　so　away　and　saw　that　before　I　could　reach
him　that　sword　would　be　in　her　heart。　What　could　I　do？　Oh！　St。　Hubert
must　have　helped　me　then　for　I　knew　in　an　instant。　In　my　hand　was
Wave…Flame　and　with　all　my　strength　I　hurled　it　at　his　head。

The　great　blade　hurtled　hissing　through　the　air。　I　saw　the　sunlight
shine　on　it。　He　strove　to　leap　clear；　but　too　late；　for　it　caught　him
on　the　hand　that　he　had　lifted　to　protect　his　head；　and　shore　off　two
of　his　fingers　so　that　he　dropped　his　sword。　Next　instant；　still
roaring；　as　doubtless　old　Thorgrimmer；　my　forefather；　used　to　do　when
he　fought　to　the　death；　for　blood　is　very　strong；　I　leapt　on　the
giant；　who　like　myself　was　swordless。　There　in　the　gulf　we　wrestled。
He　was　a　mighty　man；　but　now　my　strength　was　as　that　of　ten。　I　threw
him　to　the　ground　by　a　Sussex　trick　I　knew　and　there　we　rolled　over
and　over　each　other。　Once　he　had　me　undermost　and　I　think　would　have
choked　me；　had　it　not　been　that　his　right　hand　lacked　two　fingers。

With　a　mighty　heave　I　lifted　him　so　that　now　we　lay　side　by　side。　He
was　groping　for　a　knifeI　did　not　see；　but　knew　it。　Near　his　head　a
sharp…edged　stone　rose　in　the　path　to　the　height　of　a　man's　hand　or
more。　I　saw　it　and　bethought　me　what　to　do　if　I　could。　Again　I　heaved
and　as　at　length　he　found　the　knife　and　stabbed　at　me；　scratching　my
face；　I　got　his　bull's　neck　upon　that　stone。　Then　I　loosed　my　hand　and
caught　him　by　the　hair。　Back　I　pressed　his　great　head；　back　and　back
with　all　my　might　till　something　snapped。

Urco's　neck　was　broken。　Urco　quivered　and　was　dead！

I　lay　by　his　side；　panting。　A　voice　came　from　the　white　heap　upon　the
ground　by　whom　and　for　whom　this　dreadful　combat　had　been　fought；　the
voice　of　Quilla。

〃One　died；　but　who　lives？〃　asked　the　voice。

I　could　not　answer　because　I　had　no　breath。　All　my　strength　was　gone。
Still　I　sat　up；　supporting　myself　with　my　hand　and　hoping　that　it
would　come　back。　Quilla　turned　her　face　towards　me；　or　rather　towards
the　sound　that　I　had　made　in　moving；　and　I　thought　to　myself　how　sad
it　was　that　she　should　be　blind。　Presently　she　spoke　again　and　now　her
voice　quavered：

〃I　/see/　who　it　is　that　lives；〃　she　said。　〃Something　has　broken　in　my
eyes　and；　Lord　and　Love；　I　see　that　it　is　/you/　who　live。　You；　you；
and　oh！　you　bleed。〃

Then　the　Chancas　came　bounding　down　the　gorge　and　found　us。

They　looked　at　the　dead　giant　and　saw　how　he　had　died；　killed　by
strength；　not　by　the　sword；　they　looked　and　bent　the　knee　and　praised
me；　saying　that　I　was　indeed　a　god；　since　no　man　could　have　done　this
deed；　killing　the　huge　Urco　with　his　naked　hands。　Then　they　placed
Quilla　back　in　her　litter　and　six　of　them　bore　her　down　that　black
gorge。　The　two　who　remained；　for　in　that　fight　none　of　them　had　been
hurt；　supported　me　till　my　strength　came　back；　for　the　cut　in　the　face
that　I　had　received　from　Urco's　dagger　was　but　slight。　We　reached　the
mouth　of　the　gorge　and　took　counsel。

To　return　to　Cuzco　after　what　I　had　done；　would　be　to　seek　death。　So
we　bore　away　to　the　right　and；　making　a　round；　came　about　ten　o'clock
of　the　morning　unmolested　by　any；　to　that　ridge　on　which　I　had　stood
at　the　beginning　of　the　battle　of　the　Field　of　Blood。　There　I　found
the　Chancas　encamped；　some　three　thousand　of　them；　as　I　had　commanded。
When　they　saw　me；　living　and　but　little　hurt；　they　shouted　for　joy；
and　when　they　learned　who　was　in　that　litter　they　went　well…nigh　mad。

Then　the　eight　warriors　with　me　told　them　all　the　tale　of　the　saving
of　Quilla　and　the　death　of　the　giant　Urco　at　my　hands；　whereon　their
captains　came　and　kissed　my　feet；　saying　that　I　was　in　truth　a　god；
though　heretofore　some　of　them　had　held　me　to　be　but　a　man。

〃God　or　man；〃　I　answered；　〃I　must　rest。　Let　the　women　tend　to　lady
Quilla；　and　give　me　food　and　drink；　after　which　I　will　sleep。　At
sunset　we　march　home　to　Huaracha；　your　king　and　mine；　to　give　him　back
his　daughter。　Till　then　there　is　naught　to　fear；　since　Kari　has　no
troops　at　hand　with　which　to　attack　us。　Still；　set　outposts。〃

So　I　ate　and　drank；　but　little　of　the　former　and　much　of　the　latter；　I
fear；　and　after　that　I　slept　as　soundly　as　one　who　is　dead；　for　I　was
outworn。

When　the　sun　was　within　an　hour　of　setting；　captains　awakened　me　and
said　that　an　embassy　from　Cuzco；　ten　men　only；　waited　outside　our
lines；　seeking　speech　with　me。　So　I　rose；　and　my　face　and　wound　having
been　dressed；　caused　water　to　be　poured　over　my　body；　and　was　rubbed
with　oil；　after　which；　clothed　in　the　robes　of　a　Chanca　noble；　but
wearing　no　armour；　I　went　out　with　nine　Chanca　captains　to　receive　the
embassy　on　the　plain　at　the　foot　of　the　hill；　at　that　very　spot　where
first　I　had　fought　with　Urco。

When　we　drew　near；　from　out　of　the　group　of　nobles　advanced　one　man。　I
looked　and　saw　that　he　was　Kari；　yes；　the　Inca　himself。

I　went　forward　to　meet　him　and　we　spoke　together　just　out　of　earshot
of　our　followers。

〃My　brother；〃　said　Kari；　〃I　have　learned　all　that　has　passed　and　I
give　you　praise　who　are　the　most　daring　among　men　and　the　first　among
warriors；　you　who　slew　the　giant　Urco　with　your　naked　hands。〃

〃And　thus　made　your　throne　safe　for　you；　Kari。〃

〃And　thus　made　my　throne　safe　for　me。　You　also　who　clove　Larico　to　the
breast　in　the　death…house　of　Upanqui；　my　father〃

〃And　thus　delivered　you　from　a　traitor；　Kari。〃

〃And　thus　delivered　me　from　a　traitor；　as　I　have　learned　also　from
your　messenger　who　handed　to　me　the　knotted　cord；　and　from　the　spy
whom　you　had　in　your　keeping。　I　repeat　that　you　are　the　most　daring
among　men　and　the　first　among　warriors；　almost　a　god　as　my　people　name
you。〃

I　bowed；　and　after　a　little　silence　he　went　on：

〃Would　that　this　were　all　that　I　have　to