the virgin of the sun-第56节

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〃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　what　I
am；　a　maiden；　wild…hearted　and　untaught；　no　man　shall　ever　have　a
truer　and　more　loving　wife。　It　is　my　hope；　even　that　my　love　will　be
such　that　in　it　at　last　you　may　learn　to　forget　that　other　lady　far
away　who　once　was　yours；　if　only　for　an　hour。〃

Now　I　shrank　as　from　a　sword　prick；　since　first　loves；　whatever　the
tale　of　them；　as　Quilla　guessed　or　Nature　taught　her；　are　not　easily
forgot；　and　even　when　they　are　dead　their　ghosts　will　rise　and　haunt
us。

〃And　my　hope；　most　dear；　is　that　you　will　be　mine；　not　for　an　hour　but
for　all　our　life's　days；〃　I　answered。

〃Aye；〃　she　said；　sighing；　〃but　who　knows　how　many　these　will　be？
Therefore　let　us　pluck　the　flowers　before　they　wither。　I　hear　steps。
The　lords　come　to　summon　us。　Be　pleased　to　enter　the　Council　at　my
side　and　holding　me　by　the　hand。　There　I　have　somewhat　to　say　to　the
people。　The　shadow　of　the　Inca　Kari；　whom　you　spared；　still　lies　cold
upon　us　and　them。〃

Before　I　could　ask　her　meaning　the　lords　entered；　three　of　them；　and
glancing　at　us　curiously；　said　that　all　were　gathered。　Then　they
turned　and　went　before　us　to　the　great　hall　where　every　place　was
filled。　Hand　in　hand　we　mounted　the　dais；　and　as　we　came　all　the
audience　rose　and　greeted　us　with　a　roar　of　welcome。

Quilla　seated　herself　upon　a　throne　and　motioned　to　me　to　take　my
place　upon　another　throne　at　her　side；　which　I　noted　stood　a　little
higher　than　that　on　which　she　sat；　and　this；　as　I　learned　afterwards；
not　by　chance。　It　was　planned　so　to　tell　the　people；　of　the　Chancas
that　henceforth　I　was　their　king　while　she　was　but　my　wife。

When　the　shouting　had　died　away　Quilla　rose　from　her　throne　and　began
to　speak；　which　like　many　of　the　higher　class　of　this　people　she　could
do　well　enough。

〃Lords　and　Captains　of　the　Chanca　nation；〃　she　said；　〃my　father；　the
king　Huaracha；　being　dead；　leaving　no　lawful　son；　I　have　succeeded　to
his　dignities；　and　summoned　you　here　to　take　counsel　with　me。

〃First；　learn　this；　that　I；　your　Queen　and　Lady；　have　been　chosen　as
wife　by　him　who　sits　at　my　side。〃

Here　the　company　shouted　again；　thus　announcing　that　this　tidings
pleased　them。　For　though　by　now　only　the　common　people　still　believed
me　to　be　a　god　risen　from　the　sea；　all　held　that　I　was　a　great　general
and　a　great　man；　one　who　knew　much　that　they　did　not　know；　and　who
could　both　lead　and　fight　better　than　the　best　of　them。　Indeed；　since
I　had　slain　Urco　with　my　hands　and　overcome　Kari；　who　as　Inca　was
believed　to　be　clothed　with　the　strength　of　the　Sun　and　therefore
unconquerable；　I　was　held　to　be　unmatched　throughout　Tavantinsuyu。
Moreover；　the　army　that　had　fought　under　my　command　loved　me　as　though
I　were　their　father　as　well　as　their　general。　Therefore　all　greeted
this　tidings　well　enough　without　astonishment；　for　they　knew　it　was
their　dead　king's　wish　that　I　should　wed　his　daughter　and　that　to　win
her　I　had　gone　through　much。

In　answer　to　their　shoutings　I；　too；　rose　from　my　seat；　and　drawing
the　sword　Wave…Flame；　which　I　wore　girt　about　my　dinted　armour；　with
it　I　saluted　first　Quilla　and　then　the　gathered　nobles；　saying：

〃Lords　of　the　Chancas；　when　on　an　island　in　the　sea；　my　eyes　fell　upon
this　lady　who　to…day　is　your　queen；　I　loved　her　and　swore　that　I　would
wed　her　if　I　might。　Between　that　day　and　this　much　has　befallen。　She
was　snatched　away　to　be　made　the　wife　of　Urco；　heir　to　the　Inca
throne；　and　afterwards；　to　escape　him　whom　she　hated；　she　took　refuge
in　the　House　of　the　Inca　god。　Then；　people　of　the　Chancas；　came　the
great　war　which　we　shared　together；　and　in　the　end　I　rescued　her　from
that　house　of　bondage；　and　slew　Urco　while　he　strove　to　steal　or　stab
her。　This　done；　I　conquered　Kari　the　Inca；　who　was　as　my　brother；　yet
because　I　saved　your　lady　from　his　god　the　Sun；　became　my　enemy；　and
together　she　and　I　returned　to　this；　her　land。　Now　it　is　her　will　to
wed　me；　as　it　has　always　been　mine　to　wed　her；　and　here　in　front　of
all　of　you　I　take　her　to　wife；　as　she　takes　me　to　husband；　hoping　that
for　many　years　it　may　be　given　to　us　to　rule　over　you；　and　to　our
children　after　us。　Yet　I　warn　you　that　although　in　the　great　war　that
has　been；　if　with　much　loss；　we　have　held　our　own　against　all　the
hosts　of　Cuzco　and　won　an　honourable　peace；　by　this　marriage　of　ours；
which　robs　the　Inca　god　of　one　of　a　thousand　brides；　that　peace　is
broken。　Therefore　in　the　future；　as　in　the　past；　there　will　be　war
between　the　Quichua　and　the　Chanca　peoples。〃

〃We　know　it；〃　shouted　the　nobles。　〃War　is　decreed；　let　war　come！〃

〃What　would　you　have　had　me　do？〃　I　went　on。　〃Leave　your　queen　to
languish　in　the　House　of　the　Sun；　wed　to　nothingness；　or　suffer　her　to
be　dragged　away　to　be　one　of　Urco's　women；　or　hand　her　back　to　Kari　to
be　slain　as　a　sacrifice　to　a　god　whom　you　do　not　accept？〃

〃Nay！〃　they　cried。　〃We　would　have　her　wed　you；　White　Lord…from…the…
Sea；　that　she　may　become　a　mother　of　kings。〃

〃So　I　thought；　Chancas。　Yet　I　warn　you　that　there　is　trouble　near。　The
storm　gathers　and　soon　it　will　burst；　since　Kari　is　not　one　who　breaks
his　oaths。〃

〃Why　did　you　not　kill　him　when　he　was　in　your　hand；　and　take　his
throne？〃　asked　one。

〃Because　I　could　not。　Because　it　would　not　have　been　pleasing　to
Heaven　that　I　should　slay　a　man　who　for　years　had　been　as　my　brother。
Because　in　this　way　or　in　that　the　deed　would　have　fallen　back　upon　my
head；　upon　the　head　of　the　lady　Quilla；　and　upon　your　heads　also；　O
people　of　the　Chancas；　because〃

At　this　moment　there　was　disturbance　at　the　end　of　the　hall；　and　a
herald　cried：

〃An　embassy！　An　embassy　from　Kari；　the　Inca。〃

〃Let　it　be　admitted；〃　said　Quilla。

Presently　up　the　central　passage　marched　the　embassy　with　pomp；　great
lords　and　〃earmen；〃　every　man　of　them；　and　bowed　before　us。

〃Your　words？〃　said　Quilla　quietly。

〃They　are　these；　Lady；〃　answered　the　spokesman　of　the　party。　〃For　the
last　time　the　Inca　demands　that　you　should　surrender　yourself　to　be
sacrificed　as　one　who　has　betrayed　the　Sun。　He　asks　it　of　you　since　he
has　learned　that　your　father　Huaracha　is　no　more。〃

〃And　if　I　refuse　to　surrender　myself；　what　then；　O　Ambassador？〃

〃Then　in　the　name　of　the　Empire　and　in　his　own　name　the　Inca　declares
war　upon　you；　war　to　the　end；　until　not　one　of　Chanca　blood　is　left
living　beneath　the　sun　and　not　one　stone　marks　where　your　city　stood。
It　may　be　that　a　while　will　pass　before　this　sword　of　war　falls　upon
your　head；　since　the　Inca　must　gather　his　armies　and　give　a　breathing
space　to　his　peoples　after　all　the　troubles　that　have　been。　Yet　if　not
this　year；　then　next　year；　and　if　not　next　year；　then　the　year　after；
that　sword　shall　fall。〃

Quilla　listened　and　turned　pale；　though　more；　I　think；　with　wrath　than
fear。　Then　she　said：

〃You　have　heard；　Chancas；　and　know　how　stands　this　case。　If　I
surrender　myself　to　be　sacrificed；　the　Inca　in　his　mercy　will　spare
you；　if　I　do　not　surrender　myself；　soon　or　late　he　will　destroy　you
if　he　can。　Say；　then；　shall　I　surrender　myself？〃

Now　every　man　in　that　great　hall　leapt　up　and　from　every　throat　there
arose　a　shout　of

〃Never！〃

When　it　had　died　away　an　aged　chief　and　councillor；　an　uncle　of
Huaracha；　the　dead　King；　came　forward　and　stared　at　the　envoys　with
his　horny　eyes。

〃Go　back　to　the　Inca；〃　he　said；　〃and　tell　him　that　the　threats　of　the
mouth　are　one　thing　and　the　deeds　of　the　hand　are　another。　In　the　late
war　that　has　been　he　has　learned　something　of　our　quality；　both　as
foes　and　friends；　and　perchance　more　remains　for　him　to　learn。　Yonder
is　one〃and　he　pointed　to　myself〃who　is　about　to　become　our　King
and　the　husband　of　our　Queen。　By　the　help　of　that　one　and　of　some　of
us　the　Inca　won　his　throne。　From　the　mercy　of　that　one；　also；　but　a
little　while　ago　the　Inca　won　his　life。　Let　him　be　careful　lest
through　the　might　of　that　one；　behind　whom　stands　every　Chanca　that
breathes；　the　Inca　Kari　Upanqui　should　yet　lose　both　throne　and　life；
and　with　them　the　ancient　empire　of　the　Sun。　Thus　say　we　all。〃

〃Thus　say　we　all！〃　repeated　the　great　company　with　a　roar　that　shook
the　walls。

In　the　silence　that　followed　Quilla　asked：

〃Have　you　aught　to　add；　O　Ambassadors？〃

〃Ay；　this；〃　said　the　first　of　them。

〃The　Chanca　tree　is　about　to　be　cut　down；　but　the　Inca　still　offers　a
refuge　to　the　Lion　that　hides　among　its　branches　because　he　has　loved
that　Lion　from　of　old。　Let　the　White　Lord…from…the…Sea　over　whom　you
have　cast　the　net　of　your　witcheries　return　with　us　and　he　shall　be
saved　and　given　place　and　power；　and　with　them　a　brother's　love。〃

Now　Quilla　looked　at　me；　and　I　rose　to　speak　but　could　not；　since　all
that　came　from　my　lips　was　laughter。　At　length　I　said：

〃But　the　other　day　when　I　gave　him　his　life；　the　Inca　named　me　noble。
What　would　he　think　of　me　if　I　said　yes　to　this　offer？　Would　he　call
me　noble　then　and　the　Lion　that　dwells　in　the　Chanca　tree？　Or；
whatever　his　lips　might　speak；　would　not　his　heart　name　me　the　basest
of　slaves　and　no　lion　of　the　tree；　but　rather　a　snake　that　creeps　at
its　roots？　Get　you　gone