the virgin of the sun-第26章

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door；　passing　through　which　we　found　ourselves　in　a　second　temple；
smaller　than　that　which　we　had　visited；　but　like　to　it　rich　with　gold。
In　the　centre　of　this　temple　sat　the　image　of　a　man　rudely　fashioned
of　gold。

〃Behold　Rimac　the　Speaker！〃　whispered　Kari。

〃How　can　gold　speak？〃　I　asked。

Kari　made　no　answer。

Presently　the　priests　began　to　mutter　prayers　and　incantations　that　I
thought　unholy；　after　which　they　laid　offerings　of　what　looked　like
raw　flesh　set　in　cups　of　gold　before　the　idol；　that　I　thought　unholier
still。　Lastly　they　drew　back　and　asked　of　what　we　would　learn。

I　made　no　answer　who　did　not　like　the　business。　Nor　did　Kari　say
anything；　but　Quilla　spoke　out　boldly；　saying　that　we　would　learn　of
the　future　and　what　would　befall　us。

Now　there　was　a　long　silence；　and　I　confess　that　fear　got　hold　of　me；
for　it　seemed　to　me　as　though　spirits　were　moving　in　the　air　and
through　the　darkness　behind　usyes；　as　though　I　could　hear　their
whisperings　and　the　rustle　of　their　wings。　Suddenly；　at　the　end　of
this　silence；　the　golden　image　in　front　of　us　began　to　glow　as　though
it　were　molten；　and　the　emerald　eyes　that　were　set　in　its　head　to
sparkle　terribly；　which　frightened　me　so　much　that　had　it　not　been　for
shame's　sake　I　would　have　run　away；　but　because　of　this　stood　still
and　prayed　to　St。　Hubert　to　protect　me　from　the　devil　and　his　works。
Presently　I　prayed　still　harder；　for　the　image　began　to　speakyes；　in
a　horrid；　whistling　voice　it　spoke；　although　no　one　was　near　to　it。
These　were　the　words　it　said：

〃Who　is　this　clad　in　silver　whose　skin　is　white　and　whose　hair　is
yellow？　Such　an　one　I　have　not　seen　for　a　thousand　years；　and　such　as
he　it　is　that　shall　possess　themselves　of　the　Land　of　Tavantinsuyu；
shall　steal　its　wealth；　shall　slay　its　people；　and　shall　cast　down　its
gods。　But　not　yet；　not　yet！　Therefore　this　is　the　command　of
Pachacamac；　uttered　by　the　voice　of　Rimac　the　Speaker；　that　none　do
harm　to　or　cross　the　will　of　this　mighty　seaborn　lord；　since　he　shall
be　as　a　strong　wall　to　many　and　his　sword　shall　be　red　with　the　blood
of　the　wicked。〃

The　whistling　voice　ceased　while　the　priests　and　all　there　stared　at
me；　for　they　seemed　to　think　its　words　fateful。　Then　suddenly　it　began
again：

〃And　who　is　this　that　came　out　of　the　sea　with　the　Shining　One；　having
wandered　further　than　any　of　his　ancient　blood？　I　know。　I　know；　yet　I
may　not　say；　since　the　Spirit　of　spirits　whose　image　he　wears　upon　his
heart　bids　me　be　silent。　Be　bold！　Be　bold！　Prosper　and　grow　great；
Child　of　Pachacamac；　for　thy　wanderings　are　not　yet　done。　Still　there
is　a　mountain　to　be　climbed；　and　on　the　crest　of　it　hangs　a　fringe　of
Heaven's　gold。〃

Again　the　voice　ceased；　while　this　time　all　stared　at　Kari；　who　shook
his　head　humbly　as　though　bewildered　by　what　he　could　not　understand。
Once　more　the　image　spoke：

〃Who　is　this　daughter　of　the　Sun；　in　whose　veins　play　moonbeams　and
who　is　fairer　than　the　evening　star？　One；　I　think；　whom　men　shall
desire　and　because　of　whom　shall　flow　the　blood　of　the　great。　One
whose　thought　is　swift　as　the　lightning　and　subtle　as　the　snake；　one
in　whom　passion　burns　like　fire　in　the　womb　of　the　mountain；　but　who
is　filled　with　spirit　that　dances　above　the　fire　and　who　longs　for
things　that　are　afar。　Daughter　of　the　Sun　in　whose　blood　run　the
moonbeams；　thou　shalt　slip　from　the　hated　arms　and　the　Sun　shall　be
thy　shelter；　and　in　the　beloved　arms　thou　shalt　sleep　at　last。　Yet
from　the　vengeance　of　the　god　betrayed　fly　fast　and　far！〃

Again　the　voice　ceased；　and　I　thought　that　all　was　over。　But　it　was
not　so；　for　after　a　little　space　the　golden　figure　of　the　oracle
glowed　more　fiercely　than　before　and　the　emerald　eyes　shone　more
terribly；　and　in　a　kind　of　scream　it　spoke；　saying：

〃The　snows　of　Tavantinsuyu　shall　be　red　with　blood；　the　waters　of　her
rivers　shall　be　full　of　blood。　Yes；　ye　three　shall　wade　through　blood；
and　in　a　rain　of　blood　shall　pluck　the　fruit　of　your　desires。　Still
for　a　while　the　gods　of　Tavantinsuyu　shall　endure　and　its　kings　shall
reign　and　its　children　shall　be　free。　But　in　the　end　death　for　the
gods　and　death　for　the　kings　and　death　for　the　people。　Still；　not　yet
not　yet！　None　who　live　shall　see　it；　nor　their　children；　nor　their
children's　children。　Rimac　the　Voice　has　spoken；　treasure　ye　his　words
and　interpret　them　as　ye　will。〃



The　whistling　voice　died　away　like　the　thin　cry　of　some　starving　child
in　a　desert；　and　there　was　a　great　silence。　Then　in　a　moment　the
figure　of　gold　ceased　to　glow　and　the　eyes　of　emerald　to　burn；　leaving
the　thing　but　a　dead　lump　of　metal。　The　priests　prostrated　themselves；
and　rising；　led　us　from　the　place　without　a　word；　but　in　the　light　of
the　lamps　I　saw　that　their　faces　were　full　of　terrorso　full　that　I
doubted　whether　it　could　be　feigned。

As　we　had　come；　so　we　went；　and　at　last　found　ourselves　outside　the
glittering　temple　doors　where　the　litters　awaited　us。

〃What　did　it　mean？〃　I　whispered　to　Quilla；　who　was　by　my　side。

〃For　you　and　the　other　I　know　not；〃　she　answered　hurriedly；　〃but　for
me　I　think　that　it　means　death。　Yet；　not　untilnot　until〃　And　she
ceased。

At　that　moment　the　moon　appeared　from　behind　the　rain…clouds　and　shone
upon　her　upturned　face；　and　in　her　eyes　there　was　a　glory。



Now；　as　I　learned　afterwards；　these　words　of　its　most　famous　oracle
went　all　through　the　land　and　caused　great　talk　and　wonder　mixed　with
fear；　for　none　of　such　import　had　been　spoken　by　it　for　generations。
More；　they　shaped　my　own　fortunes；　for；　as　I　came　to　know；　Quismancu
and　his　people　had　determined　that　I　should　not　be　allowed　to　go　from
among　them。　Not　every　day　did　a　white　god　rise　from　the　sea；　and　they
desired　that　having　come　to　them；　there　he　should　bide　to　be　their
defence　and　boast；　and　with　him　that　hermit　named　Zapana；　to　whom；　as
they　believed；　he　had　appeared　upon　the　desert　isle。　But　after　Rimac
had　spoken　all　this　was　changed；　and　when　I　said　it　was　my　will　to
depart　and　accompany　Quilla　upon　her　journey　home　to　her　father；
Huaracha；　King　of　the　Chancas；　as　by　swift　messenger　this　King
invited　me　to　do；　Quismancu　answered　that　if　I　so　desired　I　must　be
obeyed　as　the　god　Rimac　had　commanded；　but　that　nevertheless　he　was
sure　that　we　should　meet　again。

Now；　thinking　these　things　over；　I　wondered　much　whether　that　oracle
came　out　of　the　golden　Rimac　or　perchance　from　the　heart　of　Quilla；　or
of　Kari；　or　of　both　of　them；　who　desired　that　I　should　leave　the
Yuncas　and　travel　to　the　Chancas　and　further。　I　did　not　know；　nor　was
I　ever　to　learn；　since　about　matters　to　do　with　their　gods　these
people　are　as　secret　as　the　grave。　I　asked　Kari　and　I　asked　Quilla；
but　both　of　them　stared　at　me　with　innocent　eyes；　and　replied　who　were
they　to　inspire　the　golden　tongue　of　Rimac？　Nor；　indeed；　did　I　ever
learn　whether　Rimac　the　Speaker　was　a　spirit　or　but　a　lump　of　metal
through　which　some　priest　talked。　All　I　know　is　that　from　one　end　of
Tavantinsuyu　to　the　other　he　was　believed　to　be　a　spirit　who　spoke　the
very　will　of　God　to　those　who　could　understand　his　words；　though　this
as　a　Christian　man　I　could　not　credit。

So　it　came　about　that　some　days　later；　with　Quilla　and　Kari　and
certain　old　men　who；　I　took　it；　were　priests　or　ambassadors；　or　both；
I　departed　on　our　journey。　As　we　went　the　people　wept　around　my　litter
for　sorrow；　real　or　feigned；　for　we　travelled　in　litters　guarded　by
some　two　hundred　soldiers　armed　with　axes　of　copper　and　bows；　and　cast
flowers　before　the　feet　of　the　bearers。　But　I　did　not　weep；　for　though
I　had　been　very　kindly　treated　there　and；　indeed；　worshipped；　glad　was
I　to　see　the　last　of　that　city　and　its　people　who　wearied　me。

Moreover；　I　felt　that　there　I　was　in　the　midst　of　plots；　though　of
what　these　were　I　knew　nothing；　save　that　Quilla；　who　to　the　outward
eye　was　but　a　lovely；　innocent　maiden；　had　a　hand　in　them。　Plots　there
were　indeed；　for；　as　I　came　to　understand　in　time；　they　were　nothing
less　than　the　preparing　of　a　great　war　which　the　Chancas　and　the
Yuncas　were　to　wage　against　their　over…lord；　the　Inca；　the　king　of　the
mighty　nation　of　the　Quichuas；　who　had　his　home　at　a　city　called　Cuzco
far　inland。　Indeed；　there　and　then　this　alliance　was　arranged；　and　by
QuillaQuilla；　who　proposed　to　sacrifice　herself　and　by　the　gift　of
her　person　to　his　heir；　to　throw　dust　in　the　eyes　of　the　Inca；　whose
dominion　her　father　planned　to　take　and　with　it　the　imperial　crown　of
Tavantinsuyu。



Leaving　the　coastland；　we　were　borne　forward　through　the　passes　of
great　mountains；　upon　a　wonderful　road　so　finely　made　that　never　had　I
seen　its　like　in　England。　At　times　we　crossed　rivers；　but　over　these
were　thrown　bridges　of　stone。　Or　mayhap　we　came　to　swamps；　yet　there
the　road　still　ran；　built　upon　deep　foundations　in　the　mud。　Never　did
it　turn　aside；　always　it　went　on；　conquering　every　hindrance；　for　this
was　one　of　the　Inca's　roads　that　pierced　Tavantinsuyu　from　end　to　end。
We　came　to　many　towns；　for　this　land　was　thickly　populated；　and　for
the　most　part　slept　in　one　of　them　each　night。　But　always　my　fame　had
gone　before　me；　and　the　/Curacas/；　or　chiefs　of　the　towns；　waited　upon
me　with　offerings　as　though　I　were　indeed　divine。

For　the　first　five　days　of　that　journey　I　saw　little　of　Quilla；　but　at
length　one　night　we　were　forced　to　camp　at　a　kind　of　rest…house　upon
the　top　of　a　high　mountain　pass；　where　it　was　very　cold；　for　the　deep
snow　lay　all　about。　At　this　place；　as　here　were　no　/Curacas/　to
trouble　me；　I　went　out　alone　when　Kari　was　elsewhere；　and　climbed　a
certain　peak　which　was　not　far　from　the　rest…house；　that　thence　I
might　see　the　sunset　and　think　in　quiet。

Very　glorious　was　the　scene　from　that　high　point。　All　round　me　stood
the　cold　crests　of　snow…clad　mountains　towering　to　the　very　skies；
while　between　them　lay　deep　valleys　where　rivers　ran　like　veins　of
silver。　So　immense　was　the　landscape　that　it　seemed　to　have　no　end；
and　so　grand　that　it　crushed　the　spirit；　while　above　arched　the
perfect　sky　in　whose　rich　blue　the　gorgeous　lights　of　evening　began　to
gather　as　the　great　sun　sank　behind　the　snowy　peaks。

Far　up　in　the　heavens　floated　one　wide…winged　bird；　the　eagle　of　the
mountains；　which　is　larger　than　any　other　fowl　that　I　have　ever　seen；
and　the　red　light　playing　on　it　turned　it　to　a　thing　of　fire。　I
watched　that　bird　and　wished　that　I　too　had　pinions　which　could　bear
me　far　away　to　the　sea　and　over　it。

And　yet　did　I　wish　to　go　who　had　no　home　left　on　all　the　earth　and　no
kind　heart　that　would　welcome　me？　Awhile　ago　I　should　have　answered；
〃Yes；　anywhere　out　of　this　loneliness；〃　but　now　I　was　not　so　sure。
Here　at　least　Kari　was　my　friend　if　a　jealous　one；　though　of　late；　as
I　could　see；　he　was　thinking　of　other　things　than　friendshipdark
plottings　and　high　ambitions　of　which　as　yet　he　said　little　to　me。

Then　there　was　that　strange　and　beautiful　woman；　Quilla；　to　whom　my
heart　went　out　and　not　only　because　she　was　beautiful；　and　who；　as　I
thought；　at　times　looked　kindly　on　me。　But　if　so；　what　did　it　avail；
seeing　that　she　was　promised　in　marriage　to　some　high…placed　native
man　who　would　be　a　king？　Surely　I　had　known　enough　of　wome