The Virgin of the Sun

d to me, and very glad was I to see Wave-Flame again. After I had eaten and, escorted by servants, walked in the gardens, for never could I b

ame stern-faced, cunning-eyed lord who had been the spokesman of the Inca when he visited th

all were sent from the cham

of the Sun, to desire that you will go on an embassy for him to the camp of the Chancas. First, however,

I answered that I would swear by my own god, by the Sun, and by my sword, unless

o in the

n the Inca's mind, and in the minds of us, his councillors, to proclaim the Prince Kari as heir to the throne which soon he would be called upon to fill. But the matter is very dan

y, is like to die, and if so all t

ile. Therefore we must act while he is sick, since it is not lawful to bring about his end, even if he could be come at. Time presses, Lord, for

are the chief priest, and those behind

ecause he has lost that witch, the lady Quilla, whom he desires madly and lays the blame on me, and it has come to my knowledge that when he succeeds to the throne it is his purpose to kill me, which doubtless he will do if he can, or at the least to cast me from my place and power, which is as bad as death. Therefore, I desire to make my peace with Kari, if he will swear to continue me in my office, and this I can only do through you. Bring this peace

ing that he is my friend with whom I have shared

the City of the Chancas. By the way, how lovely is that lady Quilla and how royal a woman.

d at eac

or life. To tell you the truth, High-priest, since it is not good for man to live alone, rather than that su

d at each othe

d amongst the Virgins, and asked him whether, should he

he answe

ll me with his own hand, since such a deed would be sacrilege agai

thus. If we did not, where would our power be, seeing that w

think thus yourselv

illa. But before we waste more time in talking-tell me, White Lord, do you desire her, and if so, are you ready to pay me my price? I

st, and that if I can I will obtain from Kari the pro

marriage. Still, if the point came up before me as high-priest, I might perhaps find that it applied also to those who were maimed after marriage. The case is rare, for which precedents cann

y? The Incas you declare are always bigot

elp me if you can, though I daresay that in the end you, who are not a bigot, must take the law int

that he would gain me access to the lady Quilla and help me to fly with her, if so we both wished, while I on my part swore to plead his cause with

rmies in certain valleys near to Cuzco where they would be fed until peace was declared, which peace would give them all they needed, namely, their freed

ition who was not a bigot, and who, being the High-priest of the Sun, knew too much of his god to fear him or to believe that he should come down to earth and burn it up should one of the hundreds of his brides seek another husband. Of course this Larico might betray me and Quilla, but I did not thin

nca's own litters back to the camp of the Chan

d came to the ridge whence we had charged on the yester morn. Here sentries stopped us and I descended from my litter. When the Chancas saw me in

e he thought that I might have been killed after I was captured, and asked how I came to appear in his camp in the company of our enemies. I told him at once what had chanced and that I was sworn to return to

the food they needed until a peace could be offered such as he would be willing to accept. Indeed, the Chancas were glad to agree to this plan for their losses in the battle had been

ould be made within thirty days or sooner, and

ow the fate of Quilla must be left in the hands of the gods and mine, since not even for her could he neglect the opportunity of an honourable peace, seeing that another battle might mean

g to work for his cause and to c

e to keep back part of the truth even from Kari. Yet, what was I to do, who knew that if I told him all and he became Inca, or the Inca's acknowledged heir, he would work against me because of his superstitious madness, and perhaps cause Qui

learned al

trust yonder Larico, who has alway

t if Urco recovers he will kill him, because he has taken the pa

ust put faith in our gods, yes, afterwards also, and more than once? And did not the gods save us? Well, now again I trust to my go

had finished his devotions, "to live to

he battle. But the five thousand soldiers, or those who were left of them, did not come as

ether in secret. Of what passed between them he only told me that they had come to an ag

and say nothing of a certain lady to the prince Kari, since when I spoke a word to him on the matter, hinting that her surrender to her father Huara

must stay, lest the curse of the Sun and of Pachacamac,

, had borne him away in a litter to a strong city in the mountains about five leagues

und him in the same great chamber as before, only now he was more royally arrayed, and with him wer

e me set out all that had passed between me and Huaracha in the Chanca camp. This I did, only I hid from

great an emperor he must be. Great he was, indeed, seeing that all the broad land of England would have made but one province of his vast

ave described, in token that he should be admitted. Then presently up the chamber came Kari arrayed in the tunic and cloak of an Inca prince, wearing in his ear a disc carved with the image of the Sun, and a chain of e

Prince of the Sun?" asked Upanqui, affecting ignorance and unconcern, though I

e sprung from the purest lineage of the Sun,"

named?" asked

first-born son of

long dead, or so they told me,"

rit that is above all gods supported him. The sea bore him to a far land, where he found a white god who befriended and cared fo

how me the image of the Spirit above the gods that from his childhood for genera

out that golden effigy of Pa

, holding it close

pon whose breast it lay until my first son was born. An

image to Kari and after

he Mother of th

n a minute she appeared before the throne,

n gathered to the Sun, when her boy was born, and afterwards nursed him for year

, O

, Mo

s, the Sun, the Moon, and the planet Venus), "which were the marks of good fortune sta

ou willing that this old crone sho

and other garments and stood before us naked to the middle. Then he turned his bac

Yuti, Quilla, and Chasca, set one above the other, though Chasca is almost hidden by a hurt. Oh! my fosterling, O my Prince whom I nursed at

s about him and kissed him. Nor did he shame

e," said Upanqui, "and bring hither the

took it from Larico, and beckoning Kari to him, with the priest's help bound it about his brow, thereby acknowledging him an

councillors of Inca blood and as I learned from Larico afterwards, told each other t

ld of Blood, who had returned to Cuzco from the camp of Huaracha now that Kari was accepted as the royal heir. Also other troops who were loyal to the Inca were stationed near by, while those who clung to Urco departed secretly to that town where he lay sick. Moreover, proclamation was made t

meet him in his grandeur, "Brother, did I not tell you always that we must trust to our gods? See, I

the way of giving you all you want,

rother, who can have even t

cry not for the Eart

, and his fac

sky while you still dwell upon the earth," he answered with