the virgin of the sun-第4章

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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；　but　who
will　ever　find　that　tomb　again？　Still　I　write　because　something　in　my
heart　urges　me　to　the　task。



I　return　to　the　far…off　days。　Our　boat　being　full　with　merry　hearts　we
set　sail　before　a　faint　wind　for　Hastings　beach。　As　yet　there　was
little　light　and　much　fog；　still　the　landward　breeze　was　enough　to
draw　us　forward。　Then　of　a　sudden　we　heard　sounds　as　of　men　talking
upon　ships　and　the　clank　of　spars　and　blocks。　Presently　came　a　puff　of
air　lifting　the　fog　for　a　little　and　we　saw　that　we　were　in　the　midst
of　a　great　fleet；　a　French　fleet；　for　the　Lilies　of　France　flew　at
their　mast…heads；　saw；　too；　that　their　prows　were　set　for　Hastings；
though　for　the　while　they　were　becalmed；　since　the　wind　that　was
enough　for　our　light；　large…sailed　fishing…boat　could　not　stir　their
bulk。　Moreover；　they　saw　us；　for　the　men…at…arms　on　the　nearest　ship
shouted　threats　and　curses　at　us　and　followed　the　shouts　with　arrows
that　almost　hit　us。

Then　the　fog　closed　down　again；　and　in　it　we　slipped　through　the
French　fleet。

It　may　have　been　the　best　part　of　an　hour　later　that　we　reached
Hastings。　Before　the　boat　was　made　fast　to　the　jetty；　I　sprang　to　it
shouting：

〃Stir！　stir！　the　French　are　upon　you！　To　arms！　We　have　slipped　through
a　whole　fleet　of　them　in　the　mist。〃

Instantly　the　sleepy　quay　seemed　to　awaken。　From　the　neighbouring　fish
market；　from　everywhere　sailormen　and　others　came　running；　followed　by
children　with　gaping　mouths；　while　from　the　doors　of　houses　far　away
shot　women　with　scared　faces；　like　ferreted　rabbits　from　their
burrows。　In　a　minute　the　crowd　had　surrounded　me；　all　asking　questions
at　once　in　such　a　fashion　that　I　could　only　answer　them　with　my　cry
of：

〃Stir！　the　French　are　upon　you。　To　arms；　I　say。　To　arms！〃

Presently　through　the　throng　advanced　an　old　white…bearded　man　who
wore　a　badge　of　office；　crying　as　he　came；　〃Make　way　for　the　bailiff！〃

The　crowd　obeyed；　opening　a　path；　and　soon　we　were　face　to　face。

〃What　is　it；　Hubert　of　Hastings？〃　he　asked。　〃Is　there　fire　that　you
shout　so　loudly？〃

〃Aye；　Worship；〃　I　answered。　〃Fire　and　murder　and　all　the　gifts　that
the　French　have　for　England。　The　Fleet　of　France　is　beating　up　for
Hastings；　fifty　sail　of　them　or　more。　We　crept　through　them　in　the
fog；　for　the　wind　which　would　scarce　move　them　served　our　turn　and
beyond　an　arrow　or　two；　they　took　no　note　of　a　fishing…boat。〃

〃Whence　come　they？〃　asked　the　bailiff；　bewildered。

〃I　know　not；　but　those　in　another　boat　we　passed　in　the　midst　shouted
that　these　French　were　ravaging　the　coast　and　heading　for　Hastings　to
put　it　to　fire　and　sword。　Then　that　boat　vanished　away；　I　know　not
where；　and　that　is　all　I　have　to　tell　save　that　the　French　will　be
here　within　an　hour。〃

Without　staying　to　ask　more　questions；　the　bailiff　turned　and　ran
towards　the　town；　and　presently　the　alarm　bells　rang　out　from　the
towers　of　All　Saints　and　St。　Clement's；　while　criers　summoned　all　men
to　the　market…place。　Meanwhile　I；　not　without　a　sad　look　at　my　boat
and　the　rich　catch　within；　made　my　way　into　the　town；　followed　by　my
two　men。

Presently　I　reached　an　ancient；　timbered　house；　long；　low；　and
rambling；　with　a　yard　by　its　side　full　of　barrels；　anchors；　and　other
marine　stores　such　as　rope；　that　had　to　do　with　the　trade　I　carried　on
at　this　place。

I；　Hubert；　with　a　mind　full　of　fears；　though　not　for　myself；　and　a
stirring　of　the　blood　such　as　was　natural　to　my　age　at　the　approach　of
my　first　taste　of　battle；　ran　fast　up　to　that　house　which　I　have
described；　and　paused　for　a　moment　by　the　big　elm　tree　that　grew　in
front　of　the　door；　of　which　the　lower　boughs　were　sawn　off　because
they　shut　out　the　light　from　the　windows。　I　remember　that　elm　tree
very　well；　first　because　when　I　was　a　child　starlings　nested　in　a　hole
in　the　trunk；　and　I　reared　one　in　a　wicker　cage　and　made　a　talking
bird　of　it　which　I　kept　for　several　years。　It　was　so　tame　that　it　used
to　go　about　sitting　on　my　shoulder；　till　at　last；　outside　the　town　a
cat　frightened　it　thence；　and　before　I　could　recapture　it；　it　was
tak