the virgin of the sun-第38部分

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its　palaces；　its　open　squares；　and　its　countless　streets　bordered　by
low　houses。　Moreover；　beyond　and　around　it　we　saw　other　things；
namely；　the　camps　of　a　vast　army　dotted　with　thousands　of　white　tents。

〃Urco　is　ready　for　us；〃　said　Kari　to　me　grimly　as　he　pointed　to　these
tents。

We　camped　upon　the　hill　Carmenca　and　that　night　there　came　to　us　an
embassy　which　spoke　in　the　names　of　Upanqui　and　Urco；　as　though　they
reigned　jointly。　This　embassy　of　great　lords　who　all　wore　discs　of
gold　in　their　ears　asked　us　what　was　our　purpose。　Huaracha　answered
to　avenge　the　murder　of　the　lady　Quilla；　his　daughter；　that　he　heard
had　been　poisoned　by　Urco。

〃How　know　you　that　she　is　dead？〃　asked　the　spokesman。

〃If　she　is　not　dead；〃　replied　Huaracha；　〃show　her　to　us。〃

〃That　may　not　be；〃　replied　the　spokesman；　〃since　if　she　lives；　it　is
in　the　House　of　the　Virgins　of　the　Sun；　whence　none　come　out　and　where
none　go　in。　Hearken；　O　Huaracha。　Go　back　whence　you　came；　or　the
countless　army　of　the　Incas　will　fall　upon　you　and　destroy　you；　you
and　your　handful　together。〃

〃That　is　yet　to　be　seen；〃　answered　Huaracha；　and　without　more　words
the　embassy　withdrew。

That　night　also　men　crept　into　our　camp　secretly；　who　were　of　the
party　of　Kari。　Of　Quilla　they　seemed　to　know　nothing；　for　none　spoke
of　those　over　whom　the　veil　of　the　Sun　had　fallen。　They　told　us；
however；　that　the　old　Inca；　Upanqui；　was　still　in　Cuzco　and　had
recovered　somewhat　from　his　sickness。　Also　they　said　that　now　the　feud
between　him　and　Urco　was　bitter；　but　that　Urco　had　the　upper　hand　and
was　still　in　command　of　the　armies。　These　armies；　they　declared；　were
immense　and　would　fight　us　on　the　morrow；　adding；　however；　that
certain　regiments　of　them　who　were　of　the　party　of　Kari　would　desert
to　us　in　the　battle。　Lastly；　they　said　that　there　was　great　fear　in
Cuzco；　since　none　knew　how　that　battle　would　end；　which　was　understood
by　all　to　be　one　for　the　dominion　of　Tavantinsuyu。

They　had　nothing　more　to　say　except　that　they　prayed　the　Sun　for　our
success　to　save　them　from　the　tyranny　of　Urco。　This　prince；　it
appeared；　suspected　their　conspiracy；　for　now　the　rumour　that　Kari
lived　was　everywhere；　and　having　obtained　the　names　of　some　who　were
connected　with　it　through　his　spies；　he　pursued　them　with　murder　and
sudden　death。　They　were　poisoned　at　their　food；　they　were　stabbed　as
they　walked　through　the　streets　at　night；　their　wives；　if　young　and
fair；　vanished　away；　as　they　believed　into　the　houses　of　those　who
desired　them；　even　their　children　were　kidnapped；　doubtless　to　become
the　servants　of　whom　they　knew　not。　They　had　complained　of　these
things　to　the　old　Inca　Upanqui；　but　without　avail；　since　in　such
matters　he　was　powerless　before　Urco　who　had　command　of　the　armies。
Therefore　they　would　even　welcome　the　triumph　of　Huaracha；　which　meant
that　Kari　would　become　Inca　if　with　lessened　territory。

Before　they　parted　to　play　their　parts；　Kari　brought　them　before　me；
whom　in　their　foolishness　they　worshipped；　believing　me　to　be　in　truth
a　god。　Then　he　told　them　to　have　no　fear；　since　I　would　command　the
armies　of　Huaracha　in　the　battle。

Having　surveyed　the　ground　while　the　light　lasted；　for　the　most　of
that　night；　together　with　Huaracha　and　Kari；　I　toiled；　making　plans
for　the　great　fight　that　was　to　come。　All　being　ready；　I　lay　down　to
sleep　awhile；　wondering　whether　it　were　the　last　time　I　should　do　so
upon　the　earth　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　not　caring　overmuch　who；
believing　that　Quilla　was　dead；　had　it　not　been　for　my　sins　which
weighed　upon　me　with　none　to　whom　I　might　confess　them；　should　have
been　glad　to　leave　the　world　and　its　troubles　for　whatever　might　lie
beyond；　even　if　it　were　but　sleep。

There　comes　a　time　to　most　men　when　above　everything　they　desire　rest；
and　now　that　hour　was　with　me；　the　exiled　and　the　desolate。　Here　in
this　strange　country　and　among　these　alien　people　I　had　found　one　soul
which　was　akin　to　mine；　that　of　a　beautiful　woman　who　loved　me　and
whom　I　had　come　to　love　and　desire。　But　what　was　the　end　of　it？　Owing
to　the　necessities　of　statecraft　and　her　own　nobleness；　she　had　been
separated　from　me　and　although；　as　it　would　seem；　she　had　as　yet
escaped　defilement；　was　spirited　away　into　the　temple　of　some
barbarous　worship　where　I　was　almost　sure　death　had　found　her。

At　the　best　she　was　blinded；　and　where　she　lay　in　her　darkness　no　man
might　come　because　of　the　superstitions　of　these　folk。　Even　if　Kari
became　Inca；　it　would　not　help　me　or　her；　should　she　still　live；　since
he　was　the　fiercest　bigot　of　them　all　and　swore　that　he　would　kill　me；
his　friend；　rather　than　that　I　should　touch　her；　the　vowed　to　his
false　gods。

Or　perhaps；　through　the　priests；　to　save　himself　such　sorrow；　he　would
kill　her。　At　the　least；　dead　or　not；　she　was　lost　to　me；　while　I
utterly　alonemust　fight　for　a　cause　in　which　I　had　but　one　concern；
to　bring　some　savage　prince　to　his　end　because　of　his　crime　against
Quilla。　And；　if　things　went　well　and　this　chanced；　what　of　the　Future？
Of　what　use　to　me　were　rewards　that　I　did　not　want；　and　the　worship　of
the　vulgar　which　I　hated？　Rather　would　I　have　lived　out　my　life　as　the
humblest　fisherman　on　Hastings　beach；　than　be　made　a　king　over　these
glittering　barbarians　with　their　gold　and　gems　which　could　buy　nothing
that　I　needed；　not　even　a　Book　of　Hours　to　feed　my　soul；　or　the　sound
of　the　English　tongue　to　comfort　my　empty　heart。

At　length　I　fell　asleep；　and　as　it　seemed　but　a　few　minutes　later；
though　really　six　hours　had　gone　by；　was　awakened　by　Kari；　who　told　me
that　the　dawn　was　not　far　off　and　came　to　help　me　to　buckle　on　my
armour。　Then　I　went　forth　and　together　with　Huaracha　arranged　our　army
for　battle。　Our　plan　was　to　advance　from　our　rising　ground　across　a
great　plain　beneath　us　which　was　called　Xaqui；　but　afterwards　became
known　by　the　name　of　Yahuar…pampa；　or　Field　of　Blood。

This　plain　lay　between　us　and　the　city　of　Cuzco；　and　my　thought　was
that　we　would　march　or　fight　our　way　across　it　and　rush　into　the　city
which　was　unwalled；　and　there　amidst　its　streets　and　houses　await　the
attack　of　the　Inca　hosts　that　were　encamped　upon　its　farther　side；　for
thus　protected　by　their　walls　we　hoped　that　we　should　be　more　equal　to
them。　Yet　things　happened　otherwise；　since　with　the　first　light；
without　which　we　did　not　dare　to　move　over　unknown　ground；　we
perceived　that　during　the　darkness　the　Inca　armies　had　moved　round　and
through　the　town　and　were　gathered　by　the　ten　thousand　in　dense
battalions　upon　the　farther　side　of　the　plain。

Now　we　took　council　together　and　in　the　end　decided　not　to　attack　as
we　had　proposed；　but　to　await　their　onslaught　on　the　rocky　ridge　up
which　they　must　climb。　So　we　commanded　that　our　army；　which　was
marshalled　in　three　divisions　abreast　and　two　wings　with　the　Yuncas　as
a　reserve　behind；　should　eat　and　make　ready。　In　the　centre　of　our　main
division；　which　numbered　some　fifteen　thousand　of　the　Chanca　troops；
and　a　little　in　front　of　it；　was　a　low　long　hill　upon　the　highest
point　of　which　I　took　my　place；　standing　upon　a　rock　with　a　group　of
captains　and　messengers　behind　me　and　a　guard　of　about　a　thousand
picked　men　massed　upon　the　slopes　and　around　the　hill。　From　this　high
point　I　could　see　everything；　and　in　my　glittering　armour　was　visible
to　all；　friends　and　foes　together。

After　a　pause；　during　which　the　priests　of　the　Chancas　and　of　the
Yuncas　behind　us　sacrificed　sheep　to　the　moon　and　the　many　other　gods
they　worshipped；　and　those　of　the　Quichuas；　as　I　could　see　from　my
rock；　made　prayers　and　offerings　to　the　rising　sun；　with　a　mighty
shouting　the　Inca　hosts　began　to　advance　across　the　plain　towards　us。
Reckoning　them　with　my　eye　I　saw　that　they　outnumbered　us　by　two　or
three　to　one；　indeed　their　hordes　seemed　to　be　countless；　and　always
more　of　them　came　on　behind　from　the　dim　recesses　of　the　city。　Divided
into　three　great　armies　they　crept　across　the　plain；　a　wild　and
gorgeous　spectacle；　the　sunlight　shining　upon　the　forest　of　their
spears　and　on　their　rich　barbaric　uniforms。

A　furlong　or　more　away　they　halted　and　took　counsel；　pointing　to　me
with　their　spears　as　though　they　feared　me。　We　stood　quite　still；
though　some　of　our　generals　urged　that　we　should　charge；　but　this　I
counselled　Huaracha　not　to　do；　who　desired　that　the　Quichuas　should
break　their　strength　upon　us。　At　length　some　word　was　given；　the
splendid　〃rainbow　Banner〃　of　the　Incas　was　unfurled　and；　still　divided
into　three　armies　with　a　wide　stretch　of　plain　between　each　of　them
they　attacked；　yelling　like　all　the　fiends　of　hell。

Now　they　had　reached　us　and　there　began　the　most　terrible　battle　that
was　told　of　in　the　history　of　that　land。　Wave　after　wave　of　them
rolled　up　against　us；　but　our　battalions　which　I　had　not　trained　in
vain　stood　like　rocks　and　slew　and　slew　and　slew　till　the　dead　could
be　counted　by　the　thousand。　Again　and　again　they　strove　to　storm　the
hill　on　which　I　stood；　hoping　to　kill　me；　and　each　time　we　beat　them
back。　Picking　out　their　generals　I　loosed　shaft　after　shaft　from　my
long　bow；　and　seldom　did　I　miss；　nor　could　their　cotton…quilted　armour
turn　those　bitter　arrows。

〃/The　shafts　of　the　god！　The　shafts　of　the　god！/〃　they　cried；　and
shrank　back　from　before　me。

There　appeared　a　man　with　a　yellow　fillet　on　his　head　and　a　robe　that
was　studded　with　precious　stones；　a　huge　man　with　great　limbs　and
flaming　eyes；　a　loose…mouthed；　hideous　man　who　wielded　a　big　axe　of
copper　and　carried　a　bow　longer　than　any　I　had　seen　in　that　land。
Hooking　the　axe　to　his　belt；　he　set　an　arrow　on　the　bow　and　let　drive
at　me。　It　sped　true　and　struck　me　full　upon　the　breast；　only　to
shatter　on　the　good　French　mail；　which　copper　could　not　pierce。

Again　he　shot；　and　this　time　the　arrow　glanced　from　my　helm。　Then　I
drew　on　him　and　my　shaft；　that　I　had　aimed　at　his　head；　cut　away　the
fringe　about　his　brow　and　carried　it　far　away。　At　this　sight　a　groan
went　up　from　the　lords　about　him；　and　one　cried：

〃An　omen；　O　Urco；　an　evil　omen！〃

〃Aye；〃　he　shouted；　〃for　the　White　Wizard　who　shot　the　arrow。〃

Dropping　the　bow；　he　rushed　up　the　hill　at　me　roaring；　axe　aloft；　and
foll