the virgin of the sun-第4部分

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Your　manuscript　is　pretty　ancient；　my　friend；　time　of　Richard　II；　I
should　say；　but　I　can　read　it　easily　enough。　Look；　it　begins；　'I；
Hubert　de　Hastings；　write　this　in　the　land　of　Tavantinsuyu；　far　from
England　where　I　was　born；　whither　I　shall　never　more　return；　being　a
wanderer　as　the　rune　upon　the　sword　of　my　ancestor；　Thorgrimmer；
foretold　that　I　should　be；　which　sword　my　mother　gave　me　on　the　day　of
the　burning　of　Hastings　by　the　French；'　and　so　on。〃　Here　he　stopped。

〃Then　for　heaven's　sake；　do　read　it；〃　I　said。

〃My　dear　friend；〃　he　answered；　〃it　looks　to　me　as　though　it　would　mean
several　months'　work；　and　forgive　me　for　saying　that　I　am　paid　a
salary　for　my　time。　Now　I'll　tell　you　what　you　have　to　do。　All　this
stuff　must　be　treated；　sheet　by　sheet；　and　when　it　turns　black　it　must
be　photographed　before　the　writing　fades　once　more。　Then　a　skilled
personso…and…so；　or　so…and…so；　are　two　names　that　occur　to　memust
be　employed　to　decipher　it　again；　sheet　by　sheet。　It　will　cost　you
money；　but　I　should　say　that　it　was　worth　while。　Where　the　devil　is；
or　was；　the　land　of　Tavantinsuyu？〃

〃I　know；〃　I　answered；　glad　to　be　able　to　show　myself　superior　to　my
learned　friend　in　one　humble　instance。　〃Tavantinsuyu　was　the　native
name　for　the　Empire　of　Peru　before　the　Spanish　Invasion。　But　how　did
this　Hubert　get　there　in　the　time　of　Richard　II？　That　is　some
centuries　earlier　than　Pizarro　set　foot　upon　its　shores。〃

〃Go　and　find　out；〃　he　answered。　〃It　will　amuse　you　for　quite　a　long
while　and　perhaps　the　results　may　meet　the　expenses　of　decipherment；
if　they　are　worth　publishing。　I　expect　they　are　not；　but　then；　I　have
read　so　many　old　manuscripts　and　found　most　of　them　so　jolly　dull。〃

Well；　that　business　was　accomplished　at　a　cost　that　I　do　not　like　to
record；　and　here　are　the　results；　more　or　less　modernised；　since　often
Hubert　of　Hastings　expressed　himself　in　a　queer　and　archaic　fashion。
Also　sometimes　he　used　Indian　words　as　though　he　had　talked　the　tongue
of　these　Peruvians；　or　rather　the　Chanca　variety　of　it；　so　long　that
he　had　begun　to　forget　his　own　language。　Myself　I　have　found　his　story
very　romantic　and　interesting；　and　I　hope　that　some　others　will　be　of
the　same　opinion。　Let　them　judge。

But　oh；　I　do　wonder　what　was　the　end　of　it；　some　of　which　doubtless
was　recorded　on　the　rotted　sheets　though　of　course　there　can　have　been
no　account　of　the　great　battle　in　which　he　fell；　since　Quilla　could
not　write　at　all；　least　of　all　in　English；　though　I　suppose　she
survived　it　and　him。

The　only　hint　of　that　end　is　to　be　found　in　old　Potts's　dream　or
vision；　and　what　is　the　worth　of　dreams　and　visions？







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　I



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　I

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　SWORD　AND　THE　RING

I；　Hubert　of　Hastings；　write　this　in　the　land　of　Tavantinsuyu；　far
from　England；　where　I　was　born；　whither　I　shall　never　more　return；
being　a　wanderer　as　the　rune　upon　the　sword　of　my　ancestor；
Thorgrimmer；　foretold　that　I　should　be；　which　sword　my　mother　gave　me
on　the　day　of　the　burning　of　Hastings　by　the　French。　I　write　it　with　a
pen　that　I　have　shaped　from　a　wing　feather　of　the　great　eagle　of　the
mountains；　with　ink　that　I　have　made　from　the　juices　of　certain　herbs
which　I　discovered；　and　on　parchment　that　I　have　split　from　the　skins
of　native　sheep；　with　my　own　hands；　but　badly　I　fear；　though　I　have
seen　that　art　practised　when　I　was　a　merchant　of　the　Cheap　in　London
Town。

I　will　begin　at　the　beginning。

I　am　the　son　of　a　fishing…boat　owner　and　was　a　trader　in　the　ancient
town　of　Hastings；　and　my　father　was　drowned　while　following　his　trade
at　sea。　Afterwards；　being　the　only　child　left　of　his；　I　took　on　his
business；　and　on　a　certain　day　went　out　to　sea　to　net　fish　with　two　of
my　serving　men。　I　was　then　a　young　man　of　about　three　and　twenty　years
of　age　and　not　uncomely。　My　hair；　which　I　wore　long；　was　fair　in
colour　and　curled。　My　eyes；　set　wide　apart；　were　and　still　are　large
and　blue；　although　they　have　darkened　somewhat　and　sunk　into　the　head
in　this　land　of　heat　and　sunshine。　My　nose　was　wide…nostrilled　and
large；　my　mouth　also　was　over…large；　although　my　mother　and　some
others　used　to　think　it　well…shaped。　In　truth；　I　was　large　all　over
though　not　so　tall；　being　burly；　with　a　great　breadth　of　chest　and
uncommon　thickness　through　the　body；　and　very　strong；　so　strong　that
there　were　few　who　could　throw　me　when　I　was　young。

For　the　rest；　like　King　David；　I；　who　am　now　so　tanned　and　weather
worn　that　at　a　little　distance　were　my　hair　and　beard　hidden　I　might
almost　be　taken　for　one　of　the　Indian　chiefs　about　me；　was　of　a　ruddy
and　a　pleasant　countenance；　perhaps　because　of　my　wonderful　health；
who　had　never　known　a　day　of　sickness；　and　of　an　easy　nature　that
often　goes　with　health。　I　will　add　this；　for　why　should　I　notthat　I
was　no　fool；　but　one　of　those　who　succeed　in　that　upon　which　they　set
their　minds。　Had　I　been　a　fool　I　should　not　to…day　be　the　king　of　a
great　people　and　the　husband　of　their　queen；　indeed；　I　should　not　be
alive。

But　enough　of　myself　and　my　appearance　in　those　years　that　seem　as　far
off　as　though　they　had　never　been　save　in　the　land　of　dreams。

Now　I　and　my　two　serving　men；　sailors　both　of　them　like　myself　and
most　of　the　folk　of　Hastings　set　out　upon　a　summer　eve；　purposing　to
fish　all　night　and　return　at　dawn。　We　came　to　our　chosen　ground　and
cast　out　the　net；　meeting　with　wonderful　fortune　since　by　three　in　the
morning　the　big　boat　was　full　of　every　kind　of　fish。　Never　before；
indeed；　had　we　made　so　large　a　haul。

Looking　back　at　that　great　catch；　as　here　in　this　far　land　it　is　my
habit　to　do　upon　everything；　however　small；　that　happened　to　me　in　my
youth　before　I　became　a　wanderer　and　an　exile；　I　seem　to　see　in　it　an
omen。　For　has　it　not　always　been　my　lot　in　life　to　be　kissed　of
fortune　and　to　gather　great　store；　and　then　of　a　sudden　to　lose　it　all
as　I　was　to　lose　that　rich　multitude　of　fishes？

To…day；　when　I　write　this；　once　more　I　have　great　wealth　of　pomp　and
love　and　power；　of　gold　also；　more　than　I　can　count。　When　I　go　forth；
my　armies；　who　still　look　on　me　as　half　a　god；　shout　their　welcome　and
kiss　the　air　after　their　heathen　fashion。　My　beauteous　queen　bows　down
to　me　and　the　women　of　my　household　abase　themselves　into　the　dust。
The　people　of　the　Ancient　City　of　Gold　turn　their　faces　to　the　wall
and　the　children　cover　their　eyes　with　their　hands　that　they　may　not
look　upon　my　splendour　as　I　pass；　while　maidens　throw　flowers　for　my
feet　to　tread。　Upon　my　judgment　hangs　life　or　death；　and　my　lightest
word　is　as　though　it　were　spoken　from　heaven。　These　and　many　other
things　are　mine；　the　trappings　of　power；　the　prerogative　of　the　Lord…
from…the…Sea　who　brought　victory　to　the　Chanca　people　and　led　them
back　to　their　ancient　home　where　they　might　live　safe；　far　from　the
Inca's　rage。

And　yet　often；　as　I　sit　alone　in　my　splendour　upon　the　roof　of　the
ancient　halls　or　wander　through　the　starlit　palace　gardens；　I　call　to
mind　that　great　catch　of　fishes　in　the　English　sea　and　of　what
followed　after。　I　call　to　mind　also　my　prosperity　and　wealth　as　one　of
the　first　merchants　of　London　Town　and　what　followed　after。　I　call　to
mind；　too；　the　winning　of　Blanche　Aleys；　the　lady　so　far　above　me　in
rank　and　station　and　what　followed　after。　Then　it　is　that　I　grow
afraid　of　what　may　follow　after　this　present　hour　of　peace　and　love
and　plenty。

Certainly　one　thing　will　follow；　and　that　is　death。　It　may　come　late
or　it　may　come　soon。　But　yesterday　a　rumour　reached　me　through　my
spies　that　Kari　Upanqui；　the　Inca　of　Tavantinsuyu；　he　who　once　was　as
my　brother；　but　who　now　hates　me　because　of　his　superstitions；　and
because　I　took　a　Virgin　of　the　Sun　to　be　my　wife；　gathers　a　great　host
to　follow　on　the　path　we　trod　many　years　ago　when　the　Chancas　fled
from　the　Inca　tyranny　back　to　their　home　in　the　ancient　City　of　Gold
and　to　smite　us　here。　That　host；　said　the　rumours；　cannot　march　till
next　year；　and　then　will　be　another　year　upon　its　journey。　Still；
knowing　Kari；　I　am　sure　that　it　will　march；　yes；　and　arrive；　after
which　must　befall　the　great　battle　in　the　mountain　passes　wherein；　as
of　old；　I　shall　lead　the　Chanca　armies。

Perchance　I　am　doomed　to　fall　in　that　battle。　Does　not　the　rune　upon
Wave…Flame；　the　sword　of　Thorgrimmer　my　ancestor；　say　of　him　that
holds　it　that；

　〃Conquering；　conquered　shall　he　be；
　　And　far　away　shall　sleep　with　me〃？

Well；　if　the　Chancas　conquer；　what　care　I　if　I　am　conquered？　'Twould
be　a　good　death　and　a　clean；　to　fall　by　Kari's　spear；　if　I　knew　that
Kari　and　his　host　fell　also；　as　I　swear　that　fall　they　shall；　St。
Hubert　helping　me。　Then　at　least　Quilla　and　her　children　would　live　on
in　peace　and　greatness　since　they　can　have　no　other　foe　to　fear。

Death；　what　is　death？　I　say　that　it　is　the　hope　of　every　one　of　us　and
most　of　all　the　exile　and　the　wanderer。　At　the　best　it　may　be　glory；
at　the　worst　it　must　be　sleep。　Moreover；　am　I　so　happy　that　I　should
fear　to　die？　Quilla　cannot　read　this　writing；　and　therefore　I　will
answer；　No。　I　am　a　Christian；　but　she　and　those　about　her；　aye；　my　own
children　with　them；　worship　the　moon　and　the　host　of　heaven。　I　am
white…skinned；　they　are　the　hue　of　copper；　though　it　is　true　that　my
little　daughter；　Gudruda；　whom　I　named　so　after　my　mother；　is　almost
white。　There　are　secrets　in　their　hearts　that　I　shall　never　learn　and
there　are　secrets　in　mine　from　which　they　cannot　draw　the　veil　because
our　bloods　are　different。　Yet　God　knows；　I　love　them　well　enough；　and
most　of　all　that　greatest　of　women；　Quilla。

Oh！　the　truth　is　that　here　on　earth　there　is　no　happiness　for　man。

It　is　because　of　this　rumour　of　the　coming　of　Kari　with　his　host　that
I　set　myself　to　this　task；　that　I　have　long　had　in　my　mind；　to　write
down　something　of　my　history；　both　in　England　and　in　this　land　which；
at　any　rate　for　hundreds　of　years；　mine　is　the　first　white　foot　to
press。　It　seems　a　foolish　thing　to　do　since　when　I　have　written　who
will　read；　and　what　will　chance　to　that　which　I　have　written？　I　shall
leave　orders　that　it　be　placed　beneath　my　feet　in　the　tomb；　bu