the virgin of the sun-第30部分

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daughter　of　the　Moon；　who　is　vowed　to　the　son　of　the　Sun　in　marriage；
save　to　death？〃

〃There　are　worse　things　than　death；　Quilla。〃

〃Aye；　but　my　life　is　in　pawn。　I　must　live　that　my　people　may　not　die。
Myself　I　offered　it　to　this　cause　and　now；　being　royal；　I　cannot　take
it　back　again　for　my　own　joy。　It　is　better　to　be　shamed　with　honour
than　to　be　loved　in　the　lap　of　shame。〃

〃What　then？〃　I　asked　hopelessly。

〃Only　this；　that　above　us　are　the　gods；　andheard　you　not　the　oracle
of　Rimac　that　declared　to　me　that　I　should　slip　from　the　hated　arms；
that　the　Sun　should　be　my　shelter；　and　in　the　beloved　arms　I　should
sleep　at　last；　though　from　the　vengeance　of　the　god　betrayed　I　must
fly　fast　and　far？　I　think　that　this　means　death；　but　also　it　means
life　in　death　andO　arms　beloved；　you　shall　fold　me　yet。　I　know　not
how；　but　have　faithfor　you　shall　fold　me　yet。　Meanwhile；　tempt　me
not　from　the　path　of　honour；　since　this　I　know；　that　it　alone　can　lead
me　to　my　home。　Yet　who　is　the　god　betrayed　from　whom　I　must　fly？　Who；
who？〃

Thus　she　spoke　and　was　silent；　and　I；　too；　was　silent。　Yes；　there　we
sat；　both　silent　in　the　darkness；　searching　the　heavens　for　a　guiding
star。　And　as　we　sat；　presently　I　heard　the　voice　of　Kari　saying：

〃Have　I　found　you；　Lord；　and　you　also；　Lady　Quilla？　Return；　I　pray
you；　for　all　search　and　are　frightened。〃

〃Why？〃　I　answered。　〃The　lady　Quilla　and　I　study　this　wondrous　scene。〃

〃Yes；　Lord；　though　to　those　who　are　not　god…born　it　would　be　difficult
in　this　darkness。　Suffer；　now　that　I　show　you　the　path。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　V

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　KARI　GOES

As　it　chanced　during　the　remaining　days　of　that　journey；　Quilla　and　I
were　not　again　alone　together　（that　is　to　say；　except　once　for　a　few
minutes）；　for　we　were　never　out　of　eyeshot　of　someone　in　our　company。
Thus　Kari　clung　to　me　very　closely；　indeed；　and　when　I　asked　him　why；
told　me　bluntly　that　it　was　for　my　safety's　sake。　A　god　to　remain　a
god；　he　said；　should　live　alone　in　a　temple。　When　he　began　to　mix　with
others　of　the　earth　and　to　do　those　things　they　did；　to　eat　and　to
drink；　to　laugh　and　to　frown；　even　to　slip　in　the　mud　or　to　stumble
over　the　stones　in　the　common　path；　those　others　would　come　to　think
that　there　was　small　difference　between　god　and　man。　Especially　would
they　think　so　if　he　were　observed　to　love　the　company　of　women　or　to
melt　beneath　their　soft　glances。

Now　I　grew　sore　at　the　sting　of　these　arrows　which　of　late　he　had
loved　to　shoot　at　me；　and　without　pretending　to　misunderstand　him；
said　outright：

〃The　truth　is；　Kari；　that　you　are　jealous　of　the　lady　Quilla　as　once
you　were　jealous　of　another。〃

He　considered　the　matter　in　his　grave　fashion；　and　answered：

〃Yes；　Master；　that　is　the　truth；　or　part　of　it。　You　saved　my　life；　and
sheltered　me　when　I　was　alone　in　a　strange　land；　and　for　this　and　for
yourself　I　came　to　love　you　very　greatly；　and　love；　if　it　be　true；　is
always　jealous　and　always　hates　a　rival。〃

〃There　are　different　sorts　of　loves；〃　I　said；　〃that　of　a　man　for　man
is　one；　that　of　man　for　woman　is　another。〃

〃Yes；　Master；　and　that　of　woman　for　man　is　a　third；　moreover；　there　is
this　about　itit　is　the　acid　which　turns　all　other　loves　sour。　Where
are　a　man's　friends　when　a　woman　has　him　by　the　heart？although
perchance　they　love　him　better　than　ever　will　the　woman　who　at　bottom
loves　herself　best　of　all。　Still；　let　that　be；　for　so　Nature　works；
and　who　can　fight　against　Nature？　What　Quilla　takes；　Kari　loses；　and
Kari　must　be　content　to　lose。〃

〃Have　you　done？〃　I　asked　angrily；　who　wearied　of　his　homilies。

〃No；　Master。　The　matter　of　jealousy　is　small　and　private；　so　is　the
matter　of　love。　But；　Master；　you　have　not　told　me　outright　whether　you
love　the　lady　Quilla；　and；　what　is　more　important；　whether　she　loves
you。〃

〃Then　I　will　tell　you　now。　I　do　and　she　does。〃

〃You　love　the　lady　Quilla　and　she　says　that　she　loves　you；　which　may
or　may　not　be　true；　or　if　true　to…day　may　be　false　to…morrow。　For　your
sake　I　hope　that　it　is　not　true。〃

〃Why？〃　I　said　in　a　rage。

〃Because；　Master；　in　this　land　there　are　many　sorts　of　poison；　as　I
have　learned　to　my　cost。　Also　there　are　knives；　if　not　of　steel；　and
many　who　might　wish　to　discover　whether　a　god　who　courts　women　like　a
man　can　be　harmed　by　poisons　or　pierced　by　knives。　Oh！〃　he　added；　in
another　tone；　ceasing　from　his　bitter　jests；　〃believe　me　that　I　would
shield；　not　mock　you。　This　Lady　Quilla　is　a　queen　in　a　great　game　of
pieces　such　as　you　taught　me　to　play　far　away　in　England；　and　without
her　perchance　that　game　cannot　be　won；　or　so　those　who　play　it　think。
Now　you　would　steal　that　queen　and　thereby；　as　they　also　think；　bring
death　and　destruction　on　a　country。　It　is　not　safe；　Master。　There　are
plenty　of　fair　women　in　this　land；　take　your　pick　of　them；　but　leave
that　one　queen　alone。〃

〃Kari；〃　I　answered；　〃if　there　be　such　a　game；　are　you　not　perchance
one　of　the　players　on　this　side　or　on　that？〃

〃It　may　be　so；　Master；　and　if　you　have　not　guessed　it；　perhaps　one　day
I　will　tell　you　upon　which　side　I　play。　It　may　even　be　that　for　my　own
sake　I　should　be　glad　to　see　you　lift　this　queen　from　off　the　board；
and　that　what　I　tell　you　is　for　love　of　you　and　not　of　myself；　also　of
the　lady　Quilla；　who；　if　you　fall；　falls　with　you　down　through　the
black　night　into　the　arms　of　the　Moon；　her　mother。　But　I　have　said
enough；　and　indeed　it　is　foolish　to　waste　breath　in　such　talk；　since
Fate　will　have　its　way　with　both　of　you；　and　the　end　of　the　game　in
which　we　play　is　already　written　in　Pachacamac's　book　for　every　one　of
us。　Did　not　Rimac　speak　of　it　the　other　night？　So　play　on；　play　on；
and　let　Destiny　fulfil　itself。　If　I　dared　to　give　counsel　it　was　only
because　he　who　watches　the　battle　with　a　general's　eye　sees　more　of　it
than　he　who　fights。〃

Then　he　bowed　in　his　stately　fashion　and　left　me；　and　it　was　long　ere
he　spoke　to　me　again　of　this　matter　of　Quilla　and　our　love　for　one
another。

When　he　was　gone　my　anger　against　him　passed；　since　I　saw　that　he　was
warning　me　of　more　than　he　dared　to　say；　not　for　himself；　but　because
he　loved　me。　Moreover；　I　was　afraid；　for　I　felt　that　I　was　moving　in
the　web　of　a　great　plot　that　I　did　not　understand；　of　which　Quilla　and
those　cold…eyed　lordlings　of　her　company　and　the　chief　whose　guest　I
had　been；　and　Kari　himself；　and　many　others　as　yet　unknown　to　me；　spun
the　invisible　threads。　One　day　these　might　choke　me。　Well；　if　they
did；　what　then？　Only　I　feared　for　Quillagreatly　I　feared　for　Quilla。

On　the　day　following　my　talk　with　Kari　at　length　we　reached　the　great
city　of　the　Chancas；　which；　after　them；　was　called　Chancaat　least　I
always　knew　it　by　that　name。　From　the　dawn　we　had　been　passing　through
rich　valleys　where　dwelt　thousands　of　these　Chancas　who；　I　could　see；
were　a　mighty　people　that　bore　themselves　proudly　and　like　soldiers。
In　multitudes　they　gathered　themselves　together　upon　either　side　of
the　road；　chiefly　to　catch　a　sight　of　me；　the　white　god　who　had　risen
from　the　ocean；　but　also　to　greet　their　princess；　the　lady　Quilla。

Indeed；　now　I　learned　for　the　first　time　how　high　a　princess　she　was；
since　when　her　litter　passed；　these　folk　prostrated　themselves；
kissing　the　air　and　the　dust。　Moreover；　as　soon　as　she　came　among　them
Quilla's　bearing　changed；　for　her　carriage　grew　more　haughty　and　her
words　fewer。　Now　she　seldom　spoke　save　to　issue　a　command；　not　even　to
myself；　although　I　noted　that　she　studied　me　with　her　eyes　when　she
thought　that　I　was　not　observing　her。

During　our　midday　halt　I　looked　up　and　saw　that　an　army　was
approaching　us；　five　thousand　men　or　more；　and　asked　Kari　its　meaning。

〃These；〃　he　answered；　〃are　some　of　the　troops　of　Huaracha；　King　of　the
Chancas；　whom　he　sends　out　to　greet　his　daughter　and　only　child；　also
his　guest；　the　White　God。〃

〃Some　of　the　troops！　Has　he　more；　then？〃

〃Aye；　Master；　ten　times　as　many；　as　I　think。　This　is　a　great　people；
almost　as　great　as　that　of　the　Incas　who　live　at　Cuzco。　Come　now　into
the　tent　and　put　on　your　armour；　that　you　may　be　ready　to　meet　them。〃

I　did　so；　and；　stepping　forth　clad　in　the　shining　steel；　took　my　stand
where　Kari　showed　me；　upon　a　rise　of　ground。　On　my　right　at　a　little
distance　stood　Quilla；　more　splendidly　arrayed　than　I　had　ever　seen
her；　and　behind　her　her　maidens　and　the　captains　and　counsellors　of
her　following。

The　army　drew　nearer；　marshalled　in　regiments　and　halted　on　the　plain
some　two　hundred　yards　away。　Presently　from　it　advanced　generals　and
old　men；　clad　in　white；　whom　I　took　to　be　priests　and　elders。　They
approached　to　the　number　of　twenty　or　more　and　bowed　deeply；　first　to
Quilla；　who　bent　her　head　in　acknowledgment　and　then　to　myself。　After
this　they　went　to　speak　with　Quilla　and　her　following；　but　what　they
said　I　did　not　know。　All　the　while；　however；　their　eyes　were　fixed　on
me。　Then　Quilla　brought　them　to　me　and　one　by　one　they　bowed　before
me；　saying　something　in　a　language　which　I　did　not　understand　well；
for　it　was　somewhat　different　from　that　which　Kari　had　taught　me。

After　this　we　entered　the　litters；　and；　escorted　by　that　great　army；
were　borne　forward　down　valleys　and　over　ridges　till　about　sunset　we
came　to　a　large　cup…like　plain　in　the　centre　of　which　stood　the　city
called　Chanca。　Of　this　city　I　did　not　see　much　except　that　it　was　very
great　as　the　darkness　was　falling　when　we　entered；　and　afterwards　I
could　not　go　out　because　of　the　crowds　that　pressed　about　me。　I　was
borne　down　a　wide　street　to　a　house　that　stood　in　a　large　garden　which
was　walled　about。　Here　in　this　fine　house　I　found　food　prepared　for
me；　and　drink；　all　of　it　served　in　dishes　and　cups　of　gold　and　silver；
also　there　were　women　who　waited　upon　me；　as　did　Kari　who　now　was
called　Zapana　and　seemed　to　be　my　slave。

When　I　had　eaten　I　went　out　alone　into　the　garden；　for　on　this　plain
the　air　was　very　warm　and　pleasant。　It　was　a　beautiful　garden；　and　I
wandered　about　among　its　avenues　and　flowering　bushes；　glad　to　be
solitary　and　to　have　time　to　think。　Amongst　other　things　I　wondered
where　Quilla　might　be；　for　of　her　I　had　seen　nothing　from　th