The Virgin of the Sun

rne away in the train of the Inca Upanqui, leaving me desolate. Before she went, under pretence

e as it is in your heart to do. But last night I prayed of you to dog my steps and wherever I might go to keep close to me, that the knowledge of your presence might be my comfort. Now my mind is different. If I mus

on, Quilla

Yuncas are too weak to overthrow the Inca might. Remember that if I escape marriage thus only can you hope to win me, namely, by the defeat and death of Urco. Say, then, that you will s

y," I answe

ife or death we meet again. Thoughts come

them. You know the man who was with me on

d, but where

an enemy of Urco and one not friendless; also that he loves me after his fashi

ere pressing towards us, she drew a ring off her finger, a thick and ancient golden ri

old and has a story of true love th

ring which my mother had given to me, the ring that h

nd has a story; wear

and presently

ed in the evening haze. Then I turned to g

done so for love of you and the Chanca people must have been destroyed, for as that old Inca or his spokesman told us, the breaking

"but what of Quil

ght and held that there are times when a man or a woman, especially if they be highly placed, must do sacrifice for the good of

ed bitterly. "That one people may struggle

little while this marriage might hold back the blow. Alone in the midst of the vast territories over which the Incas rule, the Chancas stem their tide of conquest and remai

ie or be depo

e held to be a god? Then if we conquer, in reward, from a brother you shall become a son, and to you after me I swear shall pass the Chanca crown. Moreover, to you, if she can be saved, I will give in marriage her whom you love. Think before you refuse. I know not whence you come, but this I know: that you can return thither

er, perchance the last that ever she will make to me. Therefore I accept and wil

y hand to him and so o

to his captains, commanding them to obey me in all things,

s I had learned, a man of the English race in however strange

utting all these memories together, I set myself to the task of turning a mob of half-savage fellows with arms into an ordered host. I created regiments and officered them with the best captains that I cou

e-Flame was his battle-sword. When these Chancas saw how far and with what a good aim I could shoot with this bow, they strove day and night to learn to equal me, though it is true they never did. Also I bettered their body-armour of qu

ell trained, still kept discipline, and could move in regiments; who knew also how to shoot with their b

rave enough, but undisciplined. With these I could do little since time was lacking, save send

e people who knew nothing of writing marvelled very much. Great were my labours, yet in them I found more happiness than I had known since that fatal day when I, the rich London merchant, Hubert of Hastings, had stood before the altar of St. Margaret

etimes I began to believe that she must have died to the world and was in truth a ghost, or else that she had found the power to throw her soul afar, as it is said certain of these Indian folk, if so they should be called, can do. At least there she seemed to be while I remained aw

ported to him, however, that the great army which Urco had gathered to attack him had been partly disbanded, which seemed to show that the Inca no longer prepared for immediate war. Only then what had happened to Qu

shut his frontiers, hoping that thus Urco m

e almost ready to march, Kari

pon a parchment, a shadow fell across it, and looking up I saw Kari standin

while I stared at him. "I need i

ervants were asleep, waiting till he had filled himself, for by this time I ha

must journey far into the mountains and slee

ome you?"

Cuzco,

uilla? Does she still li

not wed. But where she is no man may ever come. You

is unwed, why?"

with my own sword. In our land, Lord, there is one crime which has no forgiveness, and that is to lay hands upon a Virgin of the Sun. We believe, Lord, that if this is done, great curses will fall upon our country, while as for

ver chanced

ord, since none have been so

to be silent and that I might as well strive to move a mountain from its base as to turn Kari from the blindness of his folly bred of false fa

s, Kari?"

n past years and kept my secret as he was bound to do, having passed into the brotherhood of knights with me while we were lads. Through him, in place of a man who was sick, I became one of the bearers of the lady Quilla's l

to grow fond of him and at last told him in so many words that she grieved it was not he that she was to marry whose wisdom she hung upon, in place of a prince who, she heard, was not wise. This, she said, because she knew well that the Inca would never marry any more and indeed had lived alone for years. Still, being flattered, he told her it was hard that she should be forced to wed one to whom she had no min

gh a great fighter and brave in battle, and quick-brained when he is sober. I was present when they met and I saw the lady Quilla shiver and turn pale at the sight of him, while he on his part devoured her beauty with his eyes. They spoke but few words together, yet

So fierce was he that Upanqui became afraid and went away. When they were alone Urco strove to embrace Quilla, but she fled from him and hid with her maidens in a priv

e to save me from him. O Inca, abandoning all thought of

ill, swore by the Sun itself that he would not fail her, come

n?" I asked, stari

ate entry into Cuzco, for a moment the lady Quilla found op

Sun, as the oracle Rimac foretold that I should do, having to choose between this fate and that of death. Tell my Lord-from-the-Sea what h

parted and I s

u hear no m

as in the great square in front of the Temple of the Sun, where the Inca Upanqui sat in state upon a golden throne to receive the praise of his people upon his safe return after his long and hard journey, and as some reported, to lay down his lordship in favour of Urco; also to tell the people that the d

aracha, who is promised to me in marriage,

and has taken her to dwell in his holy house, where never ag

ou have taken her for yoursel

decree of the god and at the prayer of the lady Quilla, who having seen Urco, had declared that either she

in the clear sky and veiled the face of the god, heedless of the omen, he continued his curses and blasphemy. Moreover, he said that soon he woul

s Upanqui stood up

it on your head, crowning you Inca in my place while I withdrew to pass the remainder of my days at Yucay in peace and prayer. My will is changed

in?' sho

, whose wife you stole; Kari, whom also it is said you poi

h words as these might well be my last since Urco had many of is following present, who perhaps would fall upon and kill me, suddenly my father Upanqui fell forward in a swoon. His lords and

r more of Qu

through some priestess in his pay, Urco had poisoned her, saying t

d, well-nigh falling to t

by her who is named the Mother of the Virgins, and handed over to the women who cast her into th

rt me, man. What of

dashed away the cup as it touched her lips. But this is said al

thought of Quilla b

I was told, that although she can see nothing, her beauty is not marred; that the v

rhaps was himself deceived and that Quilla was dead. Presentl

l he had recovered from the stroke that fell upon him, some spy betrayed me to Urco, who searched for me to kill me and well-nigh found me. The end of it was that I was forced to fly, though before I did so many swore themselves to my cause who would escape from the tyranny of Urco. Mo

is my