the virgin of the sun-第55节

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never　a　blow　struck　back。　At　least　he　withdraw　a　little；　then　came　for
me　with　a　rush；　holding　his　sword　high　above　his　head　with　the　purpose
of　striking　me　above　that　guard；　or　so　I　supposed。　Then；　of　a　sudden；
I　knew　what　to　do。　Wheeling　Wave…Flame　with　all　my　strength　in　both
hands；　I　smote；　not　at　Kari　but　at　the　ivory　handle　of　his　sword。　The
keen　and　ancient　steel　that　might　well　have　been　some　of　that　which；
as　legend　told；　was　forged　by　the　dwarfs　in　Norseland；　fell　upon　the
ivory　between　his　hand…grip　and　the　cross…piece　and　shore　through　it
as　I　had　hoped　that　it　would　do；　so　that　the　blade　of　Kari's　sword；
severed　just　above　the　hilt；　fell　to　the　ground　and　the　hilt　itself
was　jarred　from　his　hand。

His　nobles　saw　and　groaned　while　the　Chancas　shouted　with　joy；　for　now
Kari　was　defenceless　and　save　for　the　death　itself；　this　fight　to　the
death　was　ended。

Kari　folded　his　arms　upon　his　breast　and　bent　his　head。

〃It　is　the　decree　of　my　god；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　did　ill　to　trust　to　the
sword　of　a　villain　whom　you　slew。　Strike；　Conqueror；　and　make　an　end。〃

I　rested　myself　upon　Wave…Flame　and　answered：

〃If　I　strike　not；　O　Inca；　will　you　take　back　your　words　and　let　peace
reign　between　your　people　and　the　Chancas？〃

〃Nay；〃　he　answered。　〃What　I　have　said；　I　have　said。　If　yonder　false
woman　is　given　up　to　suffer　the　fate　of　those　who　have　betrayed　the
Sun；　then　there　shall　be　peace　between　the　peoples；　but　not　otherwise；
since　while　I　live　I　will　wage　war　upon　her　and　you；　and　upon　the
Chancas　who　shelter　both　of　you。〃

Now　rage　took　hold　of　me；　who　remembered　that　while　this　woman…hater
lived　blood　must　flow　in　streams；　but　that　if　he　died　there　would　be
peace　and　Quilla　would　be　safe。　So　I　lifted　my　sword　a　little；　and　as
I　did　so　Quilla　rose　from　her　stone　and　stumbled　forward；　crying：

〃O　Lord；　shed　not　the　Inca's　holy　blood　for　me。　Let　me　be　given　up！
Let　me　be　given　up！〃

Then　some　spirit　entered　into　me　and　I　spoke；　saying：

〃Lady；　half　of　your　prayer　I　grant　and　half　I　deny。　I　will　not　shed
the　Inca's　blood；　as　soon　would　I　shed　yours。　Nor　will　I　suffer　you　to
be　given　up　who　have　done　no　wrong；　since　it　was　I　who　took　you　away
by　force；　as　Urco　would　have　done。　Kari；　hearken　to　me。　Not　once　only
when　we　were　in　danger　together　in　past　days　have　you　said　to　me　that
we　must　put　our　faith　in　the　gods　we　worship；　and　thus　we　did。　Now
again　I　hearken　to　that　counsel　of　yours　and　put　my　faith　in　the　God　I
worship。　You　threaten　to　gather　all　the　strength　of　your　mighty
empire；　and　because　of　what　I　hold　to　be　your　superstitions；　to
destroy　the　Chanca　people　to　the　last　babe　and　to　level　their　city　to
the　last　stone。　I　do　not　believe　that　the　God　I　worship　will　suffer
this　to　come　about；　though　how　he　will　stay　your　vengeance　I　do　not
know。　Kari；　great　Inca　of　Tavantinsuyu；　Lord　of　all　this　strange　new
world；　I；　the　White　Wanderer…from…the…Sea；　give　you　your　life　and　save
you　as　once　before　I　saved　you　in　a　far　land；　and　with　your　life　I
give　you　my　blessing　in　all　matters　but　this　one　alone。　Kari；　my
brother；　look　your　last　on　me　and　go　in　peace。〃

The　Inca　heard；　and　raising　his　head；　stared　at　me　with　his　fine；
melancholy　eyes。　Then　suddenly　from　those　eyes　there　came　a　gush　of
tears。　More；　he　knelt　before　me　and　kissed　the　ground；　as　the　humblest
of　his　slaves　might　do　before　his　own　majesty。

〃Most　noble　of　men；〃　he　said；　lifting　himself　up　again；　〃I　worship
you。　Yes；　I；　the　Inca；　worship　you。　Would　that　I　might　take　back　my
oath；　but　this　I　cannot　do　because　my　god　hardens　my　heart　and　then
would　decree　destruction　on　my　people。　Mayhap　he　whom　you　serve　will
bring　things　to　pass　as　you　foretell；　as　it　would　seem　he　has　brought
it　to　pass　that　I　should　eat　the　dust　before　you。　I　hope　that　it　may
be　so　who　love　not　the　sight　of　blood；　but　who　like　the　shot　arrow
must　yet　follow　my　course；　driven　by　the　strength　that　loosed　me。
Brother；　honoured　and　beloved；　fare　you　well！　May　happiness　be　yours
in　life　and　death；　and　there　in　death　may　we　meet　again　and　once　more
be　brothers　where　no　women　come　to　part　us。〃



Then　Kari　turned　and　went　with　bowed　head；　together　with　his　nobles；
who　followed　him　as　sadly　as　those　who　surround　a　corpse；　but　not
until　they　had　given　to　me　that　royal　salute　which　is　only　rendered　to
the　Inca　in　his　glory。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIII

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　KISS　OF　QUILLA

Her　women　bore　Quilla　swooning　from　that　ill…fated　field；　and　sick　and
sad　she　remained　until　once　more　we　saw　the　City　of　the　Chancas。　Yet
all　this　while　strength　and　sight　were　returning　to　her　eyes；　so　that
in　the　end　she　could　see　as　well　as　ever　she　had　done；　for　which　I
thanked　Heaven。

Messengers　had　gone　before　us；　so　that　when　we　drew　near　all　the
people　of　the　Chancas　came　out　to　meet　us；　a　mighty　multitude；　who
spread　flowers　before　us　and　sang　songs　of　joy。　On　the　same　evening　I
was　summoned　by　Huaracha　and　found　him　dying。　There　in　the　presence　of
his　chief　captains　Quilla　and　I　told　him　all　our　story；　to　which　he
listened；　answering　nothing。　When　it　was　finished　he　said：

〃I　thank　you；　Lord…from…the…Sea；　who　through　great　perils　have　saved
my　daughter　and　brought　her　home　to　bid　farewell　to　me；　untarnished　as
she　went。　I　understand　now　that　it　was　an　evil　policy　which　led　me　to
promise　her　in　marriage　to　the　prince　Urco。　Through　your　valour　it　has
come　to　naught　and　I　am　glad。　Great　dangers　still　lie　ahead　of　you　and
of　my　people。　Deal　with　them　as　you　will　and　can；　for　henceforward；
Lord…from…the…Sea；　they　are　your　people；　yours　and　my　daughter's
together；　since　it　is　my　desire　and　command　that　you　two　should　wed　so
soon　as　I　am　laid　with　my　fathers。　Perchance　it　had　been　better　if　you
had　slain　the　Inca　when　he　was　in　your　hand；　but　man　goes　where　his
spirit　leads　him。　My　blessing　and　the　blessing　of　my　gods　be　on　you
both　and　on　your　children。　Leave　me；　for　I　can　say　no　more。〃

That　night　King　Huaracha　died。

Three　days　later　he　was　buried　with　great　pomp　beneath　the　floor　of
the　Temple　of　the　Moon；　not　being　preserved　and　kept　above　ground
after　the　fashion　of　the　Incas。

On　the　last　day　of　the　mourning　a　council　was　summoned　of　all　the
great　ones　in　the　country　to　the　number　of　several　hundreds；　to　which
I　was　bidden。　This　was　done　in　the　name　of　Quilla；　who　was　now　named
by　a　title　which　meant；　〃High　Lady；〃　or　〃Queen。〃　I　went　to　it　eagerly
enough　who　had　seen　nothing　of　her　since　that　night　of　her　father's
death；　for；　according　to　the　custom　of　this　people；　she　had　spent　the
time　of　mourning　alone　with　her　women。

To　my　surprise　I　was　led　by　an　officer；　not　into　the　great　hall　where
I　knew　the　notables　were　assembling；　but　to　that　same　little　chamber
where　first　I　had　talked　with　Huaracha；　Quilla's　father。　Here　the
officer　left　me　wondering。　Presently　I　heard　a　sound　and　looking　up；
saw　Quilla　herself　standing　between　the　curtains；　like　to　a　picture　in
its　frame。　She　was　royally　arrayed　and　wore　upon　her　brow　and　breast
the　emblem　of　the　moon；　so　that　she　seemed　to　glitter　in　that　dusky
place；　though　nothing　about　her　shone　with　such　a　light　as　did　her
large　and　doe…like　eyes。

〃Greeting；　my　Lord；〃　she　said　in　her　soft　voice；　curtseying　to　me　as
she　spoke。　〃Has　my　Lord　aught　to　say　to　me？　If　so；　it　must　be　quick；
since　the　Great　Council　waits。〃

Now　I　grew　foolish　and　tongue…tied；　but　at　length　stammered　out：

〃Nothing；　except　what　I　have　said　beforethat　I　love　you。〃

She　smiled　a　little　in　her　slow　fashion；　then　asked：

〃Is　there　naught　to　add？〃

〃What　can　there　be　to　add　to　love；　Quilla？〃

〃I　know　not；〃　she　answered；　still　smiling。　〃Yet　in　what　does　the　love
of　man　and　woman　end？〃

I　shook　my　head　and　answered：

〃In　many　things；　all　of　them　different。　In　hell　sometimes；　and　more
rarely　in　heaven。〃

〃And　on　earth　which　lies　between　the　two；　should　those　who　love　escape
death　and　separation？〃

〃Well；　on　earthin　marriage。〃

She　looked　at　me　again　and　this　time　a　new　light　shone　in　her　eyes
which　I　could　not　misinterpret。

〃Do　you　mean　that　you　will　marry　me；　Quilla？〃　I　muttered。

〃Such　was　my　father's　wish；　Lord；　but　what　is　yours？　Oh！　have　done；〃
she　went　on　in　a　changed　voice。　〃For　what　have　we　suffered　all　these
things　and　gone　through　such　long　partings　and　dangers　so　dreadful？
Was　it　not　that　if　Fate　should　spare　us　we　might　come　together　at
last？　And　has　not　Fate　spared　usfor　a　while？　What　said　the　prophecy
of　me　in　the　Temple　of　Rimac？　Was　it　not　that　the　Sun　should　be　my
refuge　andI　forget　the　rest。〃

〃I　remember　it；〃　I　said。　〃That　in　the　beloved　arms　you　should　sleep　at
last。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　went　on；　the　blood　mounting　to　her　cheeks；　〃that　in　the
beloved　arms　I　should　sleep　at　last。　So；　the　first　part　of　the
prophecy　has　come　true。〃

〃As　the　rest　shall　come　true；〃　I　broke　in；　awaking；　and　swept　her　to
my　breast。

〃Are　you　sure；〃　she　murmured　presently；　〃that　you　love　me；　a　woman
whom　you　think　savage；　well　enough　to　wed　me？〃

〃Aye；　more　than　sure；〃　I　answered。

〃Hearken；　Lord。　I　knew　it　always；　but　being　woman　I　desired　to　hear　it
from　your　own　lips。　Of　this　be　certain：　that　though　I　am　but　wha