The Virgin of the Sun

to me, aye, and to be thrown to another whom she hated, to forward the dark policies of a great and warlike people. I had spoken to her with high words of hope, but of it in my h

ver, Kari was gone leaving me utterly alone among these strangers, and wheth

be found, whereat I affected surprise and anger. Still these others waited on me well enough, and I rose and ate in pomp a

er on the further side. Here, when my eyes grew accustomed to the half-darkness, I perceived a man of some sixty years of age, and behind him two soldiers. At once I noted that everything about this man was plain and simple; the chamber, which was little more than four whitewashed walls with a floor of stone, the stool he

d back to him. Then he motioned to one of the soldiers to give me another stool, upon which I s

rd Hurachi, I know not which, of whom I have heard so much and whom I

the while I perceived that they rested rather on my ar

ue he used though not so very well, whereon he began to speak about

you ten times their weight in gold, which, after all

an corrupt them," I answered

interrupted shrewdly. "I tho

live somewher

staring at my mail and sword, bade them go. When the heavy

matters not which, that her heart has turned towards you, as is not strange, seeing the manner of man you are, if indeed you b

Lady Quill

my lord Hurachi. You are my honoured guest and save one thing, all I have is y

plain which I saw would be useless,

y n

promised in marriage and if she lives that promise must be fulfilled, since on it hangs the fate of nations. Therefore, it is, although to grieve to part

ht awhile a

ide from you that I love your daughter well and that she, who i

eve for both of you,

a soldier and the lord of armies, and it has com

see far, W

ur that I wear, and none can stand before me in fight because of this magic sword I carry, and I can direct battles with a general's mind. In a great war, King, I might be usefu

is is so, O S

enemies, to them I might bring victory and to you defea

le of my armies under me. You shall have palaces and fields and gold and silver, and the fairest of its daughters for wives, and b

enough. Give me your daughter, Quil

t, since to do so I

ess you kill me first-if you are able-I

an remain a guest. To my country you have come, Lord, and in my country you shall stay, unless

all find the wi

sel to you is to stay here, taking such things as my poor country can give you, and not to try to foll

ose, then, as though struck by a sudden thought, said that he desired to speak with my servant, Zapana, he whom the lady Q

ht be and how I had first come into his company, when the door of the room opened and through it Quilla entered even mo

you that the Inca Upanqui draws n

, since it is my will that you depart with Upanqui who comes to escort you to Cuzco, the City of the

"but know, my father, that I love this White Lord as he loves me, and that therefore, although I may be give

f you can slip from the coils of this snake of an Urco unpoisoned, do so, since my bargain is fulfilled and my hono

eanwhile I play my part as you decree. Lord Hurachi

t, and presently without more

made of cloths of various colours. Here King Huaracha, simply dressed in a robe of white cotton but wearing a little crown of gold and carrying a large spear, took his seat upon a throne, while to his right, on a smaller throne, sat Quilla, and on his left stood y

ralds who carried spears and were fantastically dressed. These shouted that t

said Huaracha briefl

richly clothed men all of whom, I was told afterwards, were princes by blood, and surrounded by beautiful women who carried jewelled fans, and by c

d by two feathers, which he alone might bear, from which head-dress a scarlet fringe that was made of tasselled wool hung down upon his forehead. This was the Inca's crown, even to touch which was death, and its name was Lautu. He was a very old man for his white locks and beard hung down

the Chancas, O Upanqui

m for a moment, then an

aracha, Curaca

bowed a

my own people my title is n

lf up to his full

ghout the land of Tavantinsuyu

ho are unconquered, know a king, and

ght, was about to make some short answer, when suddenly h

o tell the truth that is why I came, just to look at him, not to bandy words with you, O Huaracha, who they say can

nk that he will worship. They s

aps he had better not draw too near to me, for I like not the look of that great big sword of his. By the Sun, my father, he is tall and big and strong" (I had risen from my chair) "and his beard is like a fire; it will set the hear

st, O Inca, and here he bid

he must come. But enough of him for the present. I came here to t

inister, whom after I came to know as the High-priest Larico, the private Councillor of himself and of his son, Urco, and one of the most powerful men in the kingdom. This noble, I noted, was one

ter this Larico began to speak for him a

o divest myself of the royal Fringe in favour of the prince, Urco, begotten to me in the body and of the Sun in spirit, and to retire

, and I thought to myself that when I died I would choose to be gathered to any b

eve them, that awhile ago I sent an embassy to ask your only child, the lady Quilla, in marriage to the prince Urco, promising, since he has no sister whom he may wed and since

received my answer, O

appen until she returned. But since then, O Huaracha, more rumours have reached me that you still prepare for war and seek to make alliances amo

Prince Urco come

othing. If the Prince had come, you might have set a tra

or you, his f

ire to anger the gods by the murder of an aged guest, and therefore I visit you sitting here in the midst of your armies with but a handful of followers, trusting to your honour and to my father the S

ening in silence to the words of Larico,

tand that the Inca will be his over-lord, sinc

daughter in marriage as I have promised, but that th

afterwards with Urco, and indeed with your daughter, who will be his queen and is your heiress, for I understand you have no other lawful child.

a sign. She descended from her chair and advancing, stood before the Inca, a vision of splend

ght if any one can. Well named, too, after the moon, for the moonlight seems to shine in your eyes, Lady Quilla. Ind

ke for the firs

ised in marriage to the Child of the

ne of them told me the other day that there was no one so handsome in the whole city, and earned a beautiful present for her pretty speech. What is it you say, Larico? Why are you always interfering with me? Well, perhaps you are right, an

t Huaracha

et all the notables of my kingdom. Secondly, you give me, who am a king, the title of a petty chief who owns your rule. Thirdly, you throw doubts upon my honour, hintin

lla, as they did in my own heart, for might they not mean that she would escape from

never care to eat, except at night; also that the chill of the air after my father the Sun

one," broke in the furious Huaracha, who would not b

igh-priest, Larico, who had been noting all t

r all that has been sworn, you withhold your daughter, the lady Quilla, from the house of Urco who is her lord to be, it will breed instant war, since as soon as word of it comes to Cuzco, which will be within twenty hours, for messengers wait all along the road, the great armies of the Inca that are gathered there will begin to move. Judge, then, if you have the strength to withstand them,

ought, and the old Inca Upanqui

r all nothing but the tongue in my mouth. You don't really want to die, Huaracha, do you, after seeing most of your people killed and your country wasted? For you know that is what must happen. If you do not send your daugh

k part of the pavilion behind and a little to the left of the chair on which I sat where none could hear their talk save me,

Before you answer remember that if I refuse to s

nother thing I think much. Tell me, my father, if the Inca

we lack sufficient men. Moreover, we are not rea

until you are ready, or perhaps for always, because I shall be the peace-offering and it will be thought that I, y

ned to the Land of the Chancas, and not that of the Chancas to that of the Incas, so that in a da

out of the corners of my eyes

ure glories, since for these I care nothing. It is for our people that I care. You swear to me tha

n your mother, also that I

she glanced towards me, "and give myself to shame, whi

our far-seeing mind. Still, now that your heart has changed, I would not hold you to your bargain, who d

m the sea?" asked Quilla in a piercing whis

would be saved, if she remained perchance she would be my wife if only for a while. For the Chancas I cared nothing and for the Quichuas I cared nothing, but Quilla was all that re

" she whis

something spoke t

e Moon, for what is love without honour? P

t," she whispered for the third time, then liftin

at I will wed this Ur