the virgin of the sun-第43部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


acknowledged　Prince；　when　I　went　to　meet　him　in　his　grandeur；
〃Brother；　did　I　not　tell　you　always　that　we　must　trust　to　our　gods？
See；　I　have　not　trusted　in　vain　though　it　is　true　that　dangers　still
lie　ahead　of　me；　and　perhaps　civil　war。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃your　gods　are　in　the　way　of　giving　you　all　you
want；　but　it　is　not　so　with　mine　and　me。〃

〃What　then　do　you　desire；　Brother；　who　can　have　even　to　the　half　of
the　kingdom？〃

〃Kari；〃　I　replied；　〃I　cry　not　for　the　Earth；　but　for　the　Moon。〃

He　understood；　and　his　face　grew　stern。

〃Brother；　the　Moon　alone　is　beyond　you；　for　she　inhabits　the　sky　while
you　still　dwell　upon　the　earth；〃　he　answered　with　a　frown；　and　then
began　to　talk　of　the　peace　with　Huaracha。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　X

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　GREAT　HORROR

The　day　of　the　new　moon　came　and　with　it　the　great　horror　that　caused
all　the　Empire　of　Tavantinsuyu　to　tremble；　fearing　lest　Heaven　should
be　avenged　upon　it。

Since　Upanqui　had　found　his　elder　son　again　he　began　to　dote　upon　him；
as　in　such　a　case　the　old　and　weak…minded　often　do；　and　would　walk
about　the　gardens　and　palaces　with　his　arm　around　his　neck　babbling　to
him　of　whatever　was　uppermost　in　his　mind。　Moreover；　his　soul　was
oppressed　because　he　had　done　Kari　wrong　in　the　past；　and　preferred
Urco　to　him　under　the　urging　of　that　prince's　mother。

〃The　truth　is；　Son；〃　I　myself　heard　him　say　to　Kari；　〃that　we　men　who
seem　to　rule　the　world　do　not　rule　it　at　all；　because　always　women
rule　us。　This　they　do　through　our　passions　which　the　gods　planted　in
us　for　their　own　ends；　also　because　they　are　more　single　in　their
minds。　The　man　thinks　of　many　things；　the　woman　only　thinks　of　what
she　desires。　Therefore　the　man　whom　Nature　already　has　bemused；　only
brings　a　little　piece　of　his　mind　to　fight　against　her　whole　mind；　and
so　is　conquered；　he　who　was　made　for　one　thing　only；　to　be　the　mate　of
the　woman　that　she　may　mother　more　men　in　order　to　serve　the　wills　of
other　women　who　yet　seem　to　be　those　men's　slaves。〃

〃So　I　have　learned；　Father；〃　answered　the　grave　Kari；　〃and　for　this
reason　having　suffered　in　the　past；　I　am　determined　to　have　as　little
to　do　with　women　as　is　possible　for　one　in　my　place。　During　my　travels
in　other　lands；　as　in　this　country；　I　have　seen　men　great　and　noble
brought　to　nothingness　and　ruin　by　their　love　for　women；　down　into　the
dirt；　indeed；　when　their　hands　were　full　of　the　world's　wealth　and
glory。　Moreover；　I　have　noticed　that　they　seldom　learn　wisdom；　and
that　what　they　have　done　before；　they　are　ready　to　do　again；　who
believe　anything　that　soft　lips　swear　to　them。　Yes；　even　that　they　are
loved　for　themselves　alone；　as　I　own　to　my　sorrow；　once　I　did　myself。
Urco　could　not　have　taken　that　fair　wife　of　mine；　Father；　if　she　had
not　been　willing　to　go　when　she　saw　that　I　had　lost　your　favour　and
with　it　the　hope　of　the　Scarlet　Fringe。〃

Here　Kari　looked　at　me；　of　whom　I　knew　he　was　thinking　all　this　time；
and　seeing　that　I　could　overhear　his　talk；　began　to　speak　of　something
else。



On　the　appointed　day　there　was　a　great　gathering　of　the　nobles　of　the
land；　especially　of　those　of　the　Inca　blood；　and　of　all　that　were
〃earmen；〃　a　class　of　the　same　rank　as　our　peers　in　England；　to　hear
the　proclamation　of　Kari　as　the　Inca's　heir。　It　was　made　before　this
gorgeous　company　in　the　Great　Temple　of　the　Sun；　which　now　I　saw　for
the　first　time。

It　was　a　huge　and　most　wondrous　place　well　named　the　〃House　of　Gold。〃
For　here　everything　was　gold。　On　the　western　wall　hung　an　image　of　the
Sun　twenty　feet　or　more　across；　an　enormous　graven　plate　of　gold　set
about　with　gems　and　having　eyes　and　teeth　of　great　emeralds。　The　roof；
too；　and　the　walls　were　all　panelled　with　gold；　even　the　cornices　and
column　heads　were　of　solid　gold。

Opening　out　of　this　temple　also　were　others　dedicated　to　the　Moon　and
Stars；　that　of　the　Moon　being　clothed　in　silver；　with　her　radiant　face
shaped　in　silver　fixed　to　the　western　wall。　So　it　was　with　the　temple
of　the　Stars；　of　the　Lightnings　and　of　the　Rainbow；　which　perhaps　with
its　many　colours　that　sprang　from　jewels；　was　the　most　dazzling　of
them　all。

The　sight　of　so　much　glory　overwhelmed　me；　and　it　came　into　my　mind
that　if　only　it　were　known　of　in　Europe；　men　would　die　by　the　ten
thousand　on　the　chance　that　they　might　conquer　this　country　and　make
its　wealth　theirs。　Yet　here；　save　for　these　purposes　of　ornament　and
to　be　used　as　offerings　to　the　gods　and　Incas；　it　was　of　no　account　at
all。

But　in　this　temple　of　the　Sun　was　a　marvel　greater　than　its　gold。　For
on　either　side　of　the　carved　likenesses　of　the　sun；　seated　upon　chairs
of　gold；　sat　the　dead　Incas　and　their　queens。　Yes；　clothed　in　their
royal　robes　and　emblems；　with　the　Fringe　upon　their　brows；　there　they
sat　with　their　heads　bent　forward；　so　wonderfully　preserved　by　the
arts　these　people　have；　that　except　for　the　stamp　of　death　upon　their
countenances；　they　might　have　been　sleeping　men　and　women。　Thus　in　the
dead　face　of　the　mother　of　Kari　I　could　read　her　likeness　to　her　son。
Of　these　departed　kings　and　queens　there　were　many；　since　from　the
first　Inca　of　whom　history　told　all　were　gathered　here　in　the　holy
House　and　under　the　guardianship　of　the　effigy　of　their　god；　the　Sun；
from　whom　they　believed　themselves　to　be　descended。　The　sight　was　so
solemn　that　it　awed　me；　as　it　did　all　that　congregation；　for　I　noted
that　here　men　walked　with　unsandalled　feet　and　that　in　speaking　none
raised　their　voices　high。

The　old　Inca；　Upanqui；　entered；　gloriously　apparelled　and　accompanied
by　lords　and　priests；　while　after　him　came　Kari　with　his　retinue　of
great　men。　The　Inca　bowed　to　the　company　whereon　everyone　in　the　great
temple；　save　myself　alone　whose　British　pride　kept　me　on　my　feet；
standing　like　one　left　living　on　a　battlefield　among　a　multitude　of
slain；　prostrated　himself　before　his　divine　majesty。　At　a　sign　they
rose　again　and　the　Inca　seated　himself　upon　his　jewelled　golden　throne
beneath　the　effigy　of　the　Sun；　while　Kari　took　his　place　upon　a　lesser
throne　to　the　Inca's　right。

Looking　at　him　there　in　his　splendour　on　this　day　when　he　came　into
his　own　again；　I　bethought　me　of　the　wretched；　starving　Indian　marked
with　blows　and　foul　with　filth　whom　I　had　rescued　from　the　cruel　mob
upon　the　Thames…side　wharf；　and　wondered　at　this　enormous　change　of
fortune　and　the　chain　of　wonderful　events　by　which　it　had　been　brought
about。

My　fortune　also　had　changed；　for　then　I　was　great　in　my　own　fashion；
who　now　had　become　but　a　wanderer；　welcomed　indeed　in　this　glittering
new　world　of　which　yonder　we　knew　nothing；　because　I　was　strange　and
different；　also　full　of　unheard…of　learning　and　skilled　in　war；　but
still　nothing　but　an　outcast　wanderer；　and　so　doomed　to　live　and　die。
And　as　I　thought；　so　thought　Kari；　for　our　glances　met；　and　I　read　it
in　his　eyes。

Yonder　sat　my　servant　who　had　become　my　lord；　and　though　he　was　still
my　friend；　soon　I　felt　he　would　be　lost　in　the　state　matters　of　that
great　empire；　leaving　me　more　lonely　than　before。　Also　his　mind　was
not　as　my　mind；　as　his　blood　was　not　my　blood；　and　he　was　the　slave　of
a　faith　that　to　me　was　a　hateful　superstition　doubtless　begotten　by
the　Devil；　who　under　the　name　of　/Cupay/；　some　worshipped　in　that
land；　though　others　declared　that　this　/Cupay/　was　the　God　of　the
Dead。

Oh！　that　I　could　flee　away　with　Quilla　and　at　her　side　live　out　what
was　left　to　me　of　life；　since　of　all　these　multitudes　she　alone
understood　and　was　akin　to　me；　because　the　sacred　fire　of　love　had
burned　away　our　differences　and　opened　her　eyes。　But　Quilla　was
snatched　from　me　by　the　law　of　their　accursed　faith；　and　whatever　else
Kari　might　give；　he　would　never　give　me　this　lady　of　the　Moon；　since；
as　he　had　said；　to　him　this　would　be　sacrilege。

The　ceremonies　began。　First　Larico；　the　high…priest　of　the　Sun；
clothed　in　his　white　sacerdotal　robes；　made　sacrifice　upon　a　little
altar　which　stood　in　front　of　the　Inca's　throne。

It　was　a　very　simple　sacrifice　of　fruit　and　corn　and　flowers；　with
what　seemed　to　be　strange…shaped　pieces　of　gold。　At　least　I　saw
nothing　else；　and　am　sure　that　nothing　that　had　life　was　laid　upon
that　altar　after　the　fashion　of　the　bloody　offerings　of　the　Jews；　and
indeed　of　those　of　some　of　the　other　peoples　of　that　great　land。

Prayers；　however；　were　spoken；　very　fine　prayers　and　pure　so　far　as　I
could　understand　them；　for　their　language　was　more　ancient　and
somewhat　different　to　that　which　was　used　in　common　speech；　also　the
priests　moved　about；　bowing　and　bending　the　knees　much　as　our　own　do
in　celebrating　the　mass；　though　whether　these　motions　were　in　honour
of　the　god　or　of　the　Inca；　I　am　not　sure。

When　the　sacrifice　was　over；　and　the　little　fire　that　burned　upon　the
altar　had　sunk　low；　though　I　was　told　that　for　hundreds　of　years　it
had　never　been　extinguished；　suddenly　the　Inca　began　to　speak。　With
many　particulars　that　I　had　not　heard　before　he　told　the　tale　of　Kari
and　of　his　estrangement　from　him　in　past　years　through　the　plottings
of　the　mother　of　Urco　who　now　was　dead；　like　the　mother　of　Kari。　This
woman；　it　would　appear；　had　persuaded　him；　the　Inca；　that　Kari　was
conspiring　against　him；　and　therefore　Urco　was　ordered　to　take　him
prisoner；　but　returned　only　with　Kari's　wife；　saying　that　Kari　had
killed　himself。

Here　Upanqui　became　overcome　with　emotion　as　the　aged　are　apt　to　do；
and　beat　his　breast；　even　shedding　tears　because　most　unjustly　he　had
allowed　these　things　to　happen　and　the　wicked　triumph　over　the　good；
for　which　sin　he　said　he　felt　sure　his　father　the　Sun　would　bring　some
punishment　on　him；　as　indeed　was　to　chance　sooner　than　he　thought。
Then　he　continued　his　story；　setting　out　all　Urco's　iniquities　and
sacrileges　against　the　gods；　also　his　murders　of　people　of　high　and
low　degree　and　his　stealing　of　their　wives　and　daughters。　Lastly　he
told　of　the　coming　of　Kari　who　was　supposed　to　be　dead；　and　all　that
story　which　I　have　set　out。

Having　finished　his　tale；　with　much　solemn　ceremonial　he　deposed　Urco
from　his　heirship　to　the　Empire　which　he　gave　back　to　Kari　to　whom　it
belonged　by　ri