the virgin of the sun-第42部分

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could　he　neglect　the　opportunity　of　an　honourable　peace；　seeing　that
another　battle　might　mean　destruction。　Also　he　pointed　out　that　he　was
hurt　and　I　who　had　been　general　under　him　was　a　prisoner　and　bound　by
my　oath　to　return　to　prison；　so　that　the　Chancas　had　lost　their
leaders。

After　this　we　parted；　I　promising　to　work　for　his　cause　and　to　come　to
see　him　again；　if　I　might。

These　matters　finished　I　went　aside　with　Kari　to　a　place　where　none
could　hear　us；　and　there　laid　before　him　the　offers　of　Larico；　the
high…priest；　showing　him　how　the　case　stood。　Of　Quilla；　however；　I
said　nothing　to　him；　though　it　pained　me　to　keep　back　part　of　the
truth　even　from　Kari。　Yet；　what　was　I　to　do；　who　knew　that　if　I　told
him　all　and　he　became　Inca；　or　the　Inca's　acknowledged　heir；　he　would
work　against　me　because　of　his　superstitious　madness；　and　perhaps
cause　Quilla　to　be　killed　by　the　priests；　as　one　whose　feet　were　set
in　the　path　of　sacrilege？　So　on　this　matter　I　held　my　peace；　nor　did
he　ask　me　anything　concerning　Quilla　who；　I　think；　wished　to　hear
nothing　of　that　lady　and　what　had　befallen　her。

When　he　had　learned　all；　he　said：

〃This　may　be　a　trap；　Lord。　I　do　not　trust　yonder　Larico；　who　has
always　been　my　enemy　and　Urco's　friend。〃

〃I　think　he　is　his　own　friend　first；〃　I　answered；　〃who　knows　that　if
Urco　recovers　he　will　kill　him；　because　he　has　taken　the　part　of　your
father；　Upanqui；　in　their　quarrels；　and　suspects　him。〃

〃I　am　not　sure；〃　said　Kari。　〃Yet　something　must　be　risked。　Did　I　not
tell　you　when　we　were　sailing　down　the　English　river　that　we　must　put
faith　in　our　gods；　yes；　afterwards　also；　and　more　than　once？　And　did
not　the　gods　save　us？　Well；　now　again　I　trust　to　my　god；〃　and　drawing
out　the　image　of　Pachacamac；　which　he　wore　round　his　neck；　he　kissed
it；　then　turning；　bowed　and　prayed　to　the　Sun。

〃I　will　come　with　you；〃　he　said；　when　he　had　finished　his　devotions；
〃to　live　to　be　Inca；　or　to　die；　as　the　Sun　decrees。〃

So　he　came　and　with　him　some　of　his　friends；　captains　of　those　who　had
deserted　to　him　in　the　battle。　But　the　five　thousand　soldiers；　or
those　who　were　left　of　them；　did　not　come　as　yet　because　they　feared
lest　they　should　be　set　upon　and　butchered　by　the　regiments　of　Urco。



That　night；　when　we　were　back　safe　in　Cuzco；　Kari　and　the　high…priest；
Larico　talked　together　in　secret。　Of　what　passed　between　them　he　only
told　me　that　they　had　come　to　an　agreement　which　satisfied　them　both。
Larico　said　the　same　to　me　when　next　I　saw　him；　adding：

〃You　have　kept　your　word　and　served　my　turn；　Lord…from…the…Sea；
therefore　I　will　keep　mine　and　serve　yours　when　the　time　comes。　Yet　be
warned　by　me　and　say　nothing　of　a　certain　lady　to　the　prince　Kari；
since　when　I　spoke　a　word　to　him　on　the　matter；　hinting　that　her
surrender　to　her　father　Huaracha　would　make　peace　with　him　more　easy
and　lasting；　he　answered　that　first　would　he　fight　Huaracha；　and　the
Yuncas　as　well；　to　the　last　man　in　Cuzco。

〃To　the　Sun　she　has　gone；〃　he　said；　〃and　with　the　Sun　she　must　stay；
lest　the　curse　of　the　Sun　and　of　Pachacamac；　the　Spirit　above　the　sun；
should　fall　on　me　and　all　of　us。〃

Larico　told　me　also　that；　fearing　something；　the　great　lords；　who　were
of　Urco's　party；　had　borne　him　away　in　a　litter　to　a　strong　city　in
the　mountains　about　five　leagues　from　Cuzco；　escorted　by　thousands　of
picked　men　who　would　stay　in　and　about　that　city。

On　the　next　morning　I　was　summoned　to　wait　upon　the　Inca　Upanqui；　and
went；　wearing　my　armour。　I　found　him　in　the　same　great　chamber　as
before；　only　now　he　was　more　royally　arrayed；　and　with　him　were　sundry
of　his　high　lords　of　the　Inca　blood；　also　certain　priests；　among　them
the　/Villaorna/　Larico。

The　old　king；　who　on　that　day　seemed　clear　in　his　mind　and　well；
greeted　me　in　his　kindly　fashion　and　bade　me　set　out　all　that　had
passed　between　me　and　Huaracha　in　the　Chanca　camp。　This　I　did；　only　I
hid　from　him　how　great　had　been　the　Chanca　losses　in　the　battle　and
how　glad　they　were　to　declare　a　truce　and　rest。

Upanqui　said　that　the　matter　should　be　attended　to；　speaking　in　a
royal　fashion　as　though　it　were　one　of　little　moment；　which　showed　me
how　great　an　emperor　he　must　be。　Great　he　was；　indeed；　seeing　that　all
the　broad　land　of　England　would　have　made　but　one　province　of　his　vast
dominions；　which　in　every　part　were　filled　with　people　who；　unless
they　chanced　to　be　in　rebellion　like　the　Yuncas；　lived　but　to　do　his
will。

After　this；　when　I　thought　the　audience　was　ended；　a　chamberlain
advanced　to　the　foot　of　the　throne；　and　kneeling；　said　that　a
suppliant　prayed　speech　with　the　Inca。　Upanqui　waved　his　sceptre；　that
long　staff　which　I　have　described；　in　token　that　he　should　be
admitted。　Then　presently　up　the　chamber　came　Kari　arrayed　in　the　tunic
and　cloak　of　an　Inca　prince；　wearing　in　his　ear　a　disc　carved　with　the
image　of　the　Sun；　and　a　chain　of　emeralds　and　gold　about　his　neck。　Nor
did　he　come　alone；　for　he　was　attended　by　a　brilliant　band　of　those
lords　and　captains　who　had　deserted　to　him　on　the　day　of　the　great
battle。　He　advanced　and　knelt　before　the　throne。

〃Who　is　this　that　carries　the　emblems　of　the　Holy　Blood　and　is　clothed
like　a　Prince　of　the　Sun？〃　asked　Upanqui；　affecting　ignorance　and
unconcern；　though　I　saw　the　colour　mount　to　his　cheeks　and　the　sceptre
shake　in　his　withered　hand。

〃One　who　is　indeed　of　the　holy　Inca　blood；　one　sprung　from　the　purest
lineage　of　the　Sun；〃　answered　the　stately　Kari　in　his　quiet　voice。

〃How　then　is　he　named？〃　asked　the　Inca　again。

〃He　is　named　Kari；　first…born　son　of　Upanqui；　O　Inca。〃

〃Such　a　son　I　had　once；　but　he　is　long　dead；　or　so　they　told　me；〃　said
Upanqui　in　a　trembling　voice。

〃He　is　not　dead；　O　Inca。　He　lives　and　he　kneels　before　you。　Urco
poisoned　him；　but　the　Sun　his　Father　recovered　him；　and　the　Spirit
that　is　above　all　gods　supported　him。　The　sea　bore　him　to　a　far　land；
where　he　found　a　white　god　who　befriended　and　cared　for　him；〃　here　he
turned　his　head　towards　me。　〃With　this　god　he　returned　to　his　own
country　and　here　he　kneels　before　you；　O　Inca。〃

〃It　cannot　be；〃　said　the　Inca。　〃What　sign　do　you　bring　who　name
yourself　Kari？　Show　me　the　image　of　the　Spirit　above　the　gods　that
from　his　childhood　for　generations　has　been　hung　about　the　neck　of　the
Inca's　eldest　son；　born　from　the　Queen。〃

Kari　opened　his　robe　and　drew　out　that　golden　effigy　of　Pachacamac
which　he　always　wore。

Upanqui　examined　it；　holding　it　close　to　his　rheumy　eyes。

〃It　seems　to　be　the　same；〃　he　said；　〃as　I　should　know　upon　whose
breast　it　lay　until　my　first　son　was　born。　And　yet　who　can　be　sure
since　such　things　may　be　copied？〃

Then　he　handed　back　the　image　to　Kari　and　after　reflecting　awhile；
said：

〃Bring　hither　the　Mother　of　the　Royal　Nurses。〃

Apparently　this　lady　was　in　waiting；　for　in　a　minute　she　appeared
before　the　throne；　an　old　and　withered　woman　with　beady　eyes。

〃Mother；〃　said　the　Inca；　〃you　were　with　the　/Coya/　（that　is　the　Queen）
who　has　been　gathered　to　the　Sun；　when　her　boy　was　born；　and
afterwards　nursed　him　for　years。　If　you　saw　it；　would　you　know　his
body　again　after　he　has　come　to　middle　age？〃

〃Aye；　O　Inca。〃

〃How；　Mother？〃

〃By　three　moles；　O　Inca；　which　we　women　used　to　call　/Yuti/；　/Quilla/；
and　/Chasca/〃　（that　is；　the　Sun；　the　Moon；　and　the　planet　Venus）；
〃which　were　the　marks　of　good　fortune　stamped　by　the　gods　upon　the
Prince's　back　between　the　shoulders；　set　one　above　the　other。〃

〃Man　who　call　yourself　Kari；　are　you　willing　that　this　old　crone
should　see　your　flesh？〃　asked　Upanqui。

By　way　of　answer　Kari　with　a　little　smile　stripped　himself　of　his
broidered　tunic　and　other　garments　and　stood　before　us　naked　to　the
middle。　Then　he　turned　his　back　to　the　Mother　of　the　Nurses。　She
hobbled　up　and　searched　it　with　her　bright　eyes。

〃Many　scars；〃　she　muttered；　〃scars　in　front　and　scars　behind。　This
warrior　has　known　battles　and　blows。　But　what　have　we　here？　Look；　O
Inca；　/Yuti/；　/Quilla/；　and　/Chasca/；　set　one　above　the　other；　though
/Chasca/　is　almost　hidden　by　a　hurt。　Oh！　my　fosterling；　O　my　Prince
whom　I　nursed　at　these　withered　breasts；　are　you　come　back　from　the
dead　to　take　your　own　again？　O　Kari　of　the　Holy　Blood；　Kari　the　lost
who　is　Kari　the　found！〃

Then　sobbing　and　muttering　she　threw　her　arms　about　him　and　kissed
him。　Nor　did　he　shame　to　kiss　her　in　return；　there　before　them　all。

〃Restore　his　garments　to　the　royal　Prince；〃　said　Upanqui；　〃and　bring
hither　the　Fringe　that　is　worn　by　the　Inca's　heir。〃

It　was　produced　without　delay　by　the　high…priest　Larico；　which　told　me
at　once　that　all　this　scene　had　been　prepared。　Upanqui　took　it　from
Larico；　and　beckoning　Kari　to　him；　with　the　priest's　help　bound　it
about　his　brow；　thereby　acknowledging　him　and　restoring　him　as　heir…
apparent　to　the　Empire。　Then　he　kissed　him　on　the　brow　and　Kari　knelt
down　and　did　his　father　homage。

After　this　they　went　away　together　accompanied　only　by　Larico　and　two
or　three　of　the　councillors　of　Inca　blood　and　as　I　learned　from　Larico
afterwards；　told　each　other　their　tales　and　made　plans　to　outwit；　and
if　need　were　to　destroy；　Urco　and　his　faction。

On　the　following　day　Kari　was　established　in　a　house　of　his　own　that
was　more　of　a　fortress　than　a　palace；　for　it　was　built　of　great　stones
with　narrow　gates；　and　surrounded　by　an　open　space。　Upon　this　space；
as　a　guard；　were　encamped　all　those　who　had　deserted　to　him　in　the
battle　of　the　Field　of　Blood；　who　had　returned　to　Cuzco　from　the　camp
of　Huaracha　now　that　Kari　was　accepted　as　the　royal　heir。　Also　other
troops　who　were　loyal　to　the　Inca　were　stationed　near　by；　while　those
who　clung　to　Urco　departed　secretly　to　that　town　where　he　lay　sick。
Moreover；　proclamation　was　made　that　on　the　day　of　the　new　moon；　which
the　magicians　declared　to　be　auspicious；　Kari　would　be　publicly
presented　to　the　people　in　the　Temple　of　the　Sun　as　the　Inca's　lawful
heir；　in　place　of　Urco　disinherited　for　crimes　that　he　had　committed
against　the　Sun；　the　Empire；　and　the　Inca　his　father。

〃Brother；〃　said　Kari　to　me；　for　so　he　called　me　now　that　he　was　an
acknowledged　Prince；　when　I　went　to　meet　him　in　his　grandeur；
〃Brother；　did　I　not　te