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diff --git a/3153.txt b/3153.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b90f613 --- /dev/null +++ b/3153.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10276 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Virgin of the Sun, by H. R. Haggard + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Virgin of the Sun + +Author: H. R. Haggard + +Release Date: April 5, 2006 [EBook #3153] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VIRGIN OF THE SUN *** + + + + +Produced by John Bickers; Dagny + + + + + +THE VIRGIN OF THE SUN + +By H. Rider Haggard + + +First Published in 1922. + + + + +DEDICATION + +My Dear Little, + +Some five-and-thirty years ago it was our custom to discuss many +matters, among them, I think, the history and romance of the vanished +Empires of Central America. + +In memory of those far-off days will you accept a tale that deals with +one of them, that of the marvellous Incas of Peru; with the legend also +that, long before the Spanish Conquerors entered on their mission of +robbery and ruin, there in that undiscovered land lived and died a White +God risen from the sea? + +Ever sincerely yours, H. Rider Haggard. Ditchingham, Oct. 24, 1921. + +James Stanley Little, Esq. + + + + + +THE VIRGIN OF THE SUN + + + +INTRODUCTORY + +There are some who find great interest, and even consolation, amid the +worries and anxieties of life in the collection of relics of the past, +drift or long-sunk treasures that the sea of time has washed up upon our +modern shore. + +The great collectors are not of this class. Having large sums at their +disposal, these acquire any rarity that comes upon the market and add +it to their store which in due course, perhaps immediately upon their +deaths, also will be put upon the market and pass to the possession of +other connoisseurs. Nor are the dealers who buy to sell again and thus +grow wealthy. Nor are the agents of museums in many lands, who purchase +for the national benefit things that are gathered together in certain +great public buildings which perhaps, some day, though the thought +makes one shiver, will be looted or given to the flames by enemies or by +furious, thieving mobs. + +Those that this Editor has in mind, from one of whom indeed he obtained +the history printed in these pages, belong to a quite different +category, men of small means often, who collect old things, for the most +part at out-of-the-way sales or privately, because they love them, and +sometimes sell them again because they must. Frequently these old things +appeal, not because of any intrinsic value that they may have, not +even for their beauty, for they may be quite unattractive even to the +cultivated eye, but rather for their associations. Such folk love to +reflect upon and to speculate about the long-dead individuals who have +owned the relics, who have supped their soup from the worn Elizabethan +spoon, who have sat at the rickety oak table found in a kitchen or an +out-house, or upon the broken, ancient chair. They love to think of the +little children whose skilful, tired hands wrought the faded sampler and +whose bright eyes smarted over its innumerable stitches. + +Who, for instance, was the May Shore ("Fairy" broidered in a bracket +underneath, was her pet name), who finished yonder elaborate example on +her tenth birthday, the 1st of May--doubtless that is where she got +her name--in the year 1702, and on what far shore does she keep her +birthdays now? None will ever know. She has vanished into the great +sea of mystery whence she came, and there she lives and has her being, +forgotten upon earth, or sleeps and sleeps and sleeps. Did she die young +or old, married or single? Did she ever set _her_ children to work other +samplers, or had she none? was she happy or unhappy, was she homely or +beautiful? Was she a sinner or a saint? Again none will ever know. She +was born on the 1st of May, 1692, and certainly she died on some date +unrecorded. So far as human knowledge goes that is all her history, just +as much or as little as will be left of most of us who breathe to-day +when this earth has completed two hundred and eighteen more revolutions +round the sun. + +But the kind of collector alluded to can best be exemplified in the +individual instance of him from whom the manuscript was obtained, of +which a somewhat modernized version is printed on these pages. He has +been dead some years, leaving no kin; and under his will, such of his +motley treasures as it cared to accept went to a local museum, while +the rest and his other property were sold for the benefit of a mystical +brotherhood, for the old fellow was a kind of spiritualist. Therefore, +there is no harm in giving his plebeian name, which was Potts. Mr. +Potts had a small draper's shop in an undistinguished and rarely visited +country town in the east of England, which shop he ran with the help +of an assistant almost as old and peculiar as himself. Whether he made +anything out of it or whether he lived upon private means is now unknown +and does not matter. Anyway, when there was something of antiquarian +interest or value to be bought, generally he had the money to pay for +it, though at times, in order to do so, he was forced to sell something +else. Indeed these were the only occasions when it was possible to +purchase anything, indifferent hosiery excepted, from Mr. Potts. + +Now, I, the Editor, who also love old things, and to whom therefore Mr. +Potts was a sympathetic soul, was aware of this fact and entered into +an arrangement with the peculiar assistant to whom I have alluded, to +advise me of such crises which arose whenever the local bank called Mr. +Potts's attention to the state of his account. Thus it came about that +one day I received the following letter:-- + +Sir, + +The Guv'nor has gone a bust upon some cracked china, the ugliest that +ever I saw though no judge. So if you want to get that old tall clock at +the first price or any other of his rubbish, I think now is your chance. +Anyhow, keep this dark as per agreement. + +Your obedient, Tom. + +(He always signed himself Tom, I suppose to mystify, although I believe +his real name was Betterly.) + +The result of this epistle was a long and disagreeable bicycle ride in +wet autumn weather, and a visit to the shop of Mr. Potts. Tom, alias +Betterly, who was trying to sell some mysterious undergarments to a fat +old woman, caught sight of me, the Editor aforesaid, and winked. In a +shadowed corner of the shop sat Mr. Potts himself upon a high stool, a +wizened little old man with a bent back, a bald head, and a hooked +nose upon which were set a pair of enormous horn-rimmed spectacles that +accentuated his general resemblance to an owl perched upon the edge of +its nest-hole. He was busily engaged in doing nothing, and in staring +into nothingness as, according to Tom, was his habit when communing with +what he, Tom, called his "dratted speerits." + +"Customer!" said Tom in a harsh voice. "Sorry to disturb you at your +prayers, Guv'nor, but not having two pair of hands I can't serve a +crowd," meaning the old woman of the undergarments and myself. + +Mr. Potts slid off his stool and prepared for action. When he saw, +however, who the customer was he bristled--that is the only word for it. +The truth is that although between us there was an inward and spiritual +sympathy, there was also an outward and visible hostility. Twice I +had outbid Mr. Potts at a local auction for articles which he desired. +Moreover, after the fashion of every good collector he felt it to be +his duty to hate me as another collector. Lastly, several times I +had offered him smaller sums for antiques upon which he set a certain +monetary value. It is true that long ago I had given up this bargaining +for the reason that Mr. Potts would never take less than he asked. +Indeed he followed the example of the vendor of the Sibylline books in +ancient Rome. He did not destroy the goods indeed after the fashion +of that person and demand the price of all of them for the one that +remained, but invariably he put up his figure by 10 per cent. and +nothing would induce him to take off one farthing. + +"What do _you_ want, sir?" he said grumpily. "Vests, hose, collars, or +socks?" + +"Oh, socks, I think," I replied at hazard, thinking that they would +be easiest to carry, whereupon Mr. Potts produced some peculiarly +objectionable and shapeless woollen articles which he almost threw at +me, saying that they were all he had in stock. Now I detest woollen +socks and never wear them. Still, I made a purchase, thinking with +sympathy of my old gardener whose feet they would soon be scratching, +and while the parcel was being tied up, said in an insinuating voice, +"Anything fresh upstairs, Mr. Potts?" + +"No, sir," he answered shortly, "at least, not much, and if there were +what's the use of showing them to you after the business about that +clock?" + +"It was L15 you wanted for it, Mr. Potts?" I asked. + +"No, sir, it was L17 and now it's 10 per cent. on to that; you can work +out the sum for yourself." + +"Well, let's have another look at it, Mr. Potts," I replied humbly, +whereon with a grunt and a muttered injunction to Tom to mind the shop, +he led the way upstairs. + +Now the house in which Mr. Potts dwelt had once been of considerable +pretensions and was very, very old, Elizabethan, I should think, +although it had been refronted with a horrible stucco to suit modern +tastes. The oak staircase was good though narrow, and led to numerous +small rooms upon two floors above, some of which rooms were panelled +and had oak beams, now whitewashed like the panelling--at least they had +once been whitewashed, probably in the last generation. + +These rooms were literally crammed with every sort of old furniture, +most of it decrepit, though for many of the articles dealers would have +given a good price. But at dealers Mr. Potts drew the line; not one of +them had ever set a foot upon that oaken stair. To the attics the place +was filled with this furniture and other articles such as books, china, +samplers with the glass broken, and I know not what besides, piled in +heaps upon the floor. Indeed where Mr. Potts slept was a mystery; either +it must have been under the counter in his shop, or perhaps at nights he +inhabited a worm-eaten Jacobean bedstead which stood in an attic, for +I observed a kind of pathway to it running through a number of legless +chairs, also some dirty blankets between the moth-riddled curtains. + +Not far from this bedstead, propped in an intoxicated way against the +sloping wall of the old house, stood the clock which I desired. It was +one of the first "regulator" clocks with a wooden pendulum, used by the +maker himself to check the time-keeping of all his other clocks, and +enclosed in a chaste and perfect mahogany case of the very best style of +its period. So beautiful was it, indeed, that it had been an instance of +"love at first sight" between us, and although there was an estrangement +on the matter of settlements, or in other words over the question of +price, now I felt that never more could that clock and I be parted. + +So I agreed to give old Potts the L20 or, to be accurate, L18 14s. which +he asked on the 10 per cent. rise principle, thankful in my heart that +he had not made it more, and prepared to go. As I turned, however, my +eye fell upon a large chest of the almost indestructible yellow cypress +wood of which were made, it is said, the doors of St. Peter's at Rome +that stood for eight hundred years and, for aught I know, are still +standing, as good as on the day when they were put up. + +"Marriage coffer," said Potts, answering my unspoken question. + +"Italian, about 1600?" I suggested. + +"May be so, or perhaps Dutch made by Italian artists; but older than +that, for somebody has burnt 1597 on the lid with a hot iron. Not for +sale, not for sale at all, much too good to sell. Just you look inside +it, the old key is tied to the spring lock. Never saw such poker-work in +my life. Gods and goddesses and I don't know what; and Venus sitting +in the middle in a wreath of flowers with nothing on, and holding two +hearts in her hands, which shows that it was a marriage chest. Once it +was full of some bride's outfit, sheets and linen and clothes, and God +knows what. I wonder where she has got to to-day. Some place where the +moth don't eat clothes, I hope. Bought it at the break-up of an +ancient family who fled to Norfolk on the revocation of the Edict of +Nantes--Huguenot, of course. Years ago, years ago! Haven't looked into +it for many years, indeed, but think there's nothing there but rubbish +now." + +Thus he mumbled on while he found and untied the old key. The spring +lock had grown stiff from disuse and want of oil, but at length it +turned and reopened the chest revealing the poker-work glories on the +inner side of the lid and elsewhere. Glories they were indeed, never had +I seen such artistry of the sort. + +"Can't see it properly," muttered Potts, "windows want washing, haven't +been done since my wife died, and that's twenty years ago. Miss her +very much, of course, but thank God there's no spring-cleaning now. The +things I've seen broken in spring-cleaning! yes, and lost, too. It was +after one of them that I told my wife that now I understood why the +Mahomedans declare that women have no souls. When she came to understand +what I meant, which it took her a long time to do, we had a row, a +regular row, and she threw a Dresden figure at my head. Luckily I caught +it, having been a cricketer when young. Well, she's gone now, and no +doubt heaven's a tidier place than it used to be--that is, if they will +stand her rummagings there, which I doubt. Look at that Venus, ain't she +a beauty? Might have been done by Titian when his paints ran out, and +he had to take to a hot iron to express his art. What, you can't see +her well? Wait a bit and I'll get a lantern. Can't have a naked candle +here--things too valuable; no money could buy them again. My wife and +I had another row about naked candles, or it may have been a paraffin +lamp. You sit in that old prayer-stool and look at the work." + +Off he went crawling down the dusky stairs and leaving me wondering +what Mrs. Potts, of whom now I heard for the first time, could have been +like. An aggravating woman, I felt sure, for upon whatever points men +differ, as to "spring-cleaning" they are all of one mind. No doubt he +was better without her, for what did that dried-up old artist want with +a wife? + +Dismissing Mrs. Potts from my mind, which, to tell the truth, seemed +to have no room for her shadowy and hypothetical entity, I fell to +examining the chest. Oh! it was lovely. In two minutes the clock was +deposed and that chest became the sultana in my seraglio of beauteous +things. The clock had only been the light love of an hour. Here was +the eternal queen, that is, unless there existed a still better chest +somewhere else, and I should happen to find it. Meanwhile, whatever +price that old slave-dealer Potts wanted for it, must be paid to him +even if I had to overdraw my somewhat slender account. Seraglios, of +whatever sort, it must be remembered, are expensive luxuries of the rich +indeed, though, if of antiques, they can be sold again, which cannot be +said of the human kind for who wants to buy a lot of antique frumps? + +There were plenty of things in the chest, such as some odds and ends of +tapestry and old clothes of a Queen Anne character, put here, no doubt, +for preservation, as moth does not like this cypress wood. Also there +were some books and a mysterious bundle tied up in a curious shawl with +stripes of colour running through it. That bundle excited me, and I drew +the fringes of the shawl apart and looked in. So far as I could see it +contained another dress of rich colours, also a thick packet of what +looked like parchment, badly prepared and much rotted upon one side +as though by damp, which parchment appeared to be covered with faint +black-letter writing, done by some careless scribe with poor ink that +had faded very much. There were other things, too, within the shawl, +such as a box made of some red foreign wood, but I had not time to +investigate further for just then I heard old Potts's foot upon the +stair, and thought it best to replace the bundle. He arrived with the +lantern and by its light we examined the chest and the poker work. + +"Very nice," I said, "very nice, though a good deal knocked about." + +"Yes, sir," he replied with sarcasm, "I suppose you'd like to see it +neat and new after four hundred years of wear, and if so, I think I can +tell you where you can get one to your liking. I made the designs for +it myself five years ago for a fellow who wanted to learn how to +manufacture antiques. He's in quod now and his antiques are for sale +cheap. I helped to put him there to get him out of the way as a danger +to Society." + +"What's the price?" I asked with airy detachment. + +"Haven't I told you it ain't for sale. Wait till I'm dead and come and +buy it at my auction. No, you won't, though, for it's going somewhere +else." + +I made no answer but continued my examination while Potts took his +seat on the prayer-stool and seemed to go off into one of his fits of +abstraction. + +"Well," I said at length when decency told me that I could remain no +longer, "if you won't sell it's no use my looking. No doubt you want to +keep it for a richer man, and of course you are quite right. Will you +arrange with the carrier about sending the clock, Mr. Potts, and I will +let you have a cheque. Now I must be off, as I've ten miles to ride and +it will be dark in an hour." + +"Stop where you are," said Potts in a hollow voice. "What's a ride in +the dark compared with a matter like this, even if you haven't a lamp +and get hauled before your own bench? Stop where you are, I'm listening +to something." + +So I stopped and began to fill my pipe. + +"Put that pipe away," said Potts, coming out of his reverie, "pipes mean +matches; no matches here." + +I obeyed, and he went on thinking till at last what between the chest +and the worm-eaten Jacobean bed and old Potts on the prayer-stool, I +began to feel as if I were being mesmerized. At length he rose and said +in the same hollow voice: + +"Young man, you may have that chest, and the price is L50. Now for +heaven's sake don't offer me L40, or it will be L100 before you leave +this room." + +"With the contents?" I said casually. + +"Yes, with the contents. It's the contents I'm told you are to have." + +"Look here, Potts," I said, exasperated, "what the devil do you mean? +There's no one in this room except you and me, so who can have told you +anything unless it was old Tom downstairs." + +"Tom," he said with unutterable sarcasm, "Tom! Perhaps you mean the +mawkin that was put up to scare birds from the peas in the garden, for +it has more in its head than Tom. No one here? Oh! what fools some men +are. Why, the place is thick with them." + +"Thick with whom?" + +"Who? why, ghosts, of course, as you would call them in your ignorance. +Spirits of the dead I name them. Beautiful enough, too, some of them. +Look at that one there," and he lifted the lantern and pointed to a pile +of old bed posts of Chippendale design. + +"Good day, Potts," I said hastily. + +"Stop where you are," repeated Potts. "You don't believe me yet, but +when you are as old as I am you will remember my words and believe--more +than I do and see--clearer than I do, because it's in your soul, yes, +the seed is in your soul, though as yet it is choked by the world, the +flesh, and the devil. Wait till your sins have brought you trouble; wait +till the fires of trouble have burned the flesh away; wait till you have +sought Light and found Light and live in Light, then you will believe; +_then_ you will see." + +All this he said very solemnly, and standing there in that dusky room +surrounded by the wreck of things that once had been dear to dead men +and women, waving the lantern in his hand and staring--at what was he +staring?--really old Potts looked most impressive. His twisted shape and +ugly countenance became spiritual; he was one who had "found Light and +lived in Light." + +"You won't believe me," he went on, "but I pass on to you what a woman +has been telling me. She's a queer sort of woman; I never saw her +like before, a foreigner and dark-hued with strange rich garments and +something on her head. There, that, _that_," and he pointed through the +dirty window-place to the crescent of a young moon which appeared in +the sky. "A fine figure of a woman," he went on, "and oh! heaven, what +eyes--I never saw such eyes before. Big and tender, something like those +of the deer in the park yonder. Proud, too, she is, one who has ruled, +and a lady, though foreign. Well, I never fell in love before, but I +feel like it now, and so would you, young man, if you could see her, and +so I think did someone else in his day." + +"What did she say to you?" I asked, for by now I was interested enough. +Who wouldn't be when old Potts took to describing beautiful women? + +"It's a little difficult to tell you for she spoke in a strange tongue, +and I had to translate it in my head, as it were. But this is the gist +of it. That you were to have that chest and what was in it. There's a +writing there, she says, or part of a writing for some has gone--rotted +away. You are to read that writing or to get it read and to print it so +that the world may read it also. She said that 'Hubert' wishes you to +do so. I am sure the name was Hubert, though she also spoke of him with +some other title which I do not understand. That's all I can remember, +except something about a city, yes, a City of Gold and a last great +battle in which Hubert fell, covered with glory and conquering. I +understood that she wanted to talk about that because it isn't in the +writing, but you interrupted and of course she's gone. Yes, the price is +L50 and not a farthing less, but you can pay it when you like for I know +you're as honest as most, and whether you pay it or not, you must have +that chest and what's in it and no one else." + +"All right," I said, "but don't trust it to the carrier. I'll send a +cart for it to-morrow morning. Lock it now and give me the key." + + + +In due course the chest arrived, and I examined the bundle for the other +contents do not matter, although some of them were interesting. Pinned +inside the shawl I found a paper, undated and unsigned, but which from +the character and style of the writing was, I should say, penned by a +lady about sixty years ago. It ran thus:-- + +"My late father, who was such a great traveller in his young days and so +fond of exploring strange places, brought these things home from one of +his journeys before his marriage, I think from South America. He told +me once that the dress was found upon the body of a woman in a tomb and +that she must have been a great lady, for she was surrounded by a number +of other women, perhaps her servants who were brought to be buried with +her here when they died. They were all seated about a stone table at the +end of which were the remains of a man. My father saw the bodies near +the ruins of some forest city, in the tomb over which was heaped a great +mound of earth. That of the lady, which had a kind of shroud made of the +skins of long-wooled sheep wrapped about it as though to preserve the +dress beneath, had been embalmed in some way, which the natives of the +place, wherever it was, told him showed that she was royal. The others +were mere skeletons, held together by the skin, but the man had a long +fair beard and hair still hanging to his skull, and by his side was a +great cross-hilted sword that crumbled to fragments when it was touched, +except the hilt and the knob of amber upon it which had turned almost +black with age. I think my father said that the packet of skins or +parchment of which the underside is badly rotted with damp was set under +the feet of the man. He told me that he gave those who found the tomb a +great deal of money for the dress, gold ornaments, and emerald necklace, +as nothing so perfect had been found before, and the cloth is all worked +with gold thread. My father told me, too, that he did not wish the +things to be sold." + +This was the end of the writing. + +Having read it I examined the dress. It was of a sort that I had never +seen before, though experts to whom I have shown it say that it is +certainly South American of a very early date, and like the ornaments, +probably pre-Inca Peruvian. It is full of rich colours such as I have +seen in old Indian shawls which give a general effect of crimson. This +crimson robe clearly was worn over a skirt of linen that had a purple +border. In the box that I have spoken of were the ornaments, all of +plain dull gold: a waist-band; a circlet of gold for the head from which +rose the crescent of the young moon and a necklace of emeralds, uncut +stones now much flawed, for what reason I do not know, but polished and +set rather roughly in red gold. Also there were two rings. Round one +of these a bit of paper was wrapped upon which was written, in another +hand, probably that of the father of the writer of the memorandum:-- + +"Taken from the first finger of the right hand of a lady's mummy which I +am sorry, in our circumstances, it was quite impossible to carry away." + +This ring is a broad band of gold with a flat bezel upon which something +was once engraved that owing to long and hard wear now cannot be +distinguished. In short, it appears to be a signet of old European make +but of what age and from what country it is impossible to determine. +The other ring was in a small leathery pouch, elaborately embroidered +in gold thread or very thin wire, which I suppose was part of the lady's +costume. It is like a very massive wedding ring, but six or eight times +as thick, and engraved all over with an embossed conventional design of +what look like stars with rays round them, or possibly petalled flowers. +Lastly there was the sword-hilt, of which presently. + +Such were the trinkets, if so they may be called. They are of little +value intrinsically except for their weight in gold, because, as I have +said, the emeralds are flawed as though they have been through a fire or +some other unknown cause. Moreover, there is about them nothing of the +grace and charm of ancient Egyptian jewellery; evidently they belonged +to a ruder age and civilization. Yet they had, and still have, to my +imagining, a certain dignity of their own. + +Also--here I became infected with the spirit of the peculiar +Potts--without doubt these things were rich in human associations. Who +had worn that dress of crimson with the crosses worked on it in gold +wire (they cannot have been Christian crosses), and the purple-bordered +skirt underneath, and the emerald necklace and the golden circlet from +which rose the crescent of the young moon? Apparently a mummy in a tomb, +the mummy of some long-dead lady of a strange and alien race. Was she +such a one as that old lunatic Potts had dreamed he saw standing before +him in the filthy, cumbered upper-chamber of a ruinous house in an +England market town, I wondered, one with great eyes like to those of a +doe and a regal bearing? + +No, that was nonsense. Potts had lived with shadows until he believed in +shadows that came out of his own imagination and into it returned again. +Still, she was a woman of some sort, and apparently she had a lover or +a husband, a man with a great fair beard. How at this date, which must +have been remote, did a golden-bearded man come to foregather with a +woman who wore such robes and ornaments as these? And that sword hilt, +worn smooth by handling and with an amber knob? Whence came it? To my +mind--this was before expert examination confirmed my view--it looked +very Norse. I had read the Sagas and I remembered a tale recovered in +them of some bold Norsemen who about the years eight or nine hundred +had wandered to the coast of what is known now to be America--I think a +certain Eric was their captain. Could the fair-haired man in the grave +have been one of these? + +Thus I speculated before I looked at the pile of parchments so evidently +prepared from sheep skins by one who had only a very rudimentary +knowledge of how to work such stuff, not knowing that in those +parchments was hid the answer to many of my questions. To these I turned +last of all, for we all shrink from parchments; their contents are +generally so dull. There was a great bundle of them that had been lashed +together with a kind of straw rope, fine straw that reminded me of that +used to make Panama hats. But this had rotted underneath together with +all the bottom part of the parchments, many sheets of them, of which +only fragments remained, covered with dry mould and crumbling. Therefore +the rope was easy to remove and beneath it, holding the sheets in place, +was only some stout and comparatively modern string--it had a red thread +in it that marked it as navy cord of an old pattern. + +I slipped these fastenings off and lifted a blank piece of skin set upon +the top. Beneath appeared the first sheet of parchment, closely, very +closely covered with small "black-letter" writing, so faint and faded +that even if I were able to read black-letter, which I cannot, of it +I could have made nothing at all. The thing was hopeless. Doubtless +in that writing lay the key to the mystery, but it could never be +deciphered by me or any one else. The lady with the eyes like a deer had +appeared to old Potts in vain; in vain had she bidden him to hand over +this manuscript to me. + +So I thought at the time, not knowing the resources of science. +Afterwards, however, I took that huge bundle to a friend, a learned +friend whose business in life it was and is, to deal with and to +decipher old manuscripts. + +"Looks pretty hopeless," he said, after staring at these. "Still, let's +have a try; one never knows till one tries." + +Then he went to a cupboard in his muniment room and produced a bottle +full of some straw-coloured fluid into which he dipped an ordinary +painting brush. This charged brush he rubbed backwards and forwards over +the first lines of the writing and waited. Within a minute, before my +astonished eyes, that faint, indistinguishable script turned coal-black, +as black as though it had been written with the best modern ink +yesterday. + +"It's all right," he said triumphantly, "it's vegetable ink, and this +stuff has the power to bring it up as it was on the day when it was +used. It will stay like that for a fortnight and then fade away again. +Your manuscript is pretty ancient, my friend, time of Richard II, I +should say, but I can read it easily enough. Look, it begins, 'I, Hubert +de Hastings, write this in the land of Tavantinsuyu, far from England +where I was born, whither I shall never more return, being a wanderer +as the rune upon the sword of my ancestor, Thorgrimmer, foretold that +I should be, which sword my mother gave me on the day of the burning of +Hastings by the French,' and so on." Here he stopped. + +"Then for heaven's sake, do read it," I said. + +"My dear friend," he answered, "it looks to me as though it would mean +several months' work, and forgive me for saying that I am paid a salary +for my time. Now I'll tell you what you have to do. All this stuff +must be treated, sheet by sheet, and when it turns black it must +be photographed before the writing fades once more. Then a skilled +person--so-and-so, or so-and-so, are two names that occur to me--must be +employed to decipher it again, sheet by sheet. It will cost you money, +but I should say that it was worth while. Where the devil is, or was, +the land of Tavantinsuyu?" + +"I know," I answered, glad to be able to show myself superior to my +learned friend in one humble instance. "Tavantinsuyu was the native name +for the Empire of Peru before the Spanish Invasion. But how did this +Hubert get there in the time of Richard II? That is some centuries +earlier than Pizarro set foot upon its shores." + +"Go and find out," he answered. "It will amuse you for quite a long +while and perhaps the results may meet the expenses of decipherment, if +they are worth publishing. I expect they are not, but then, I have read +so many old manuscripts and found most of them so jolly dull." + +Well, that business was accomplished at a cost that I do not like to +record, and here are the results, more or less modernised, since often +Hubert of Hastings expressed himself in a queer and archaic fashion. +Also sometimes he used Indian words as though he had talked the tongue +of these Peruvians, or rather the Chanca variety of it, so long that he +had begun to forget his own language. Myself I have found his story very +romantic and interesting, and I hope that some others will be of the +same opinion. Let them judge. + +But oh, I do wonder what was the end of it, some of which doubtless was +recorded on the rotted sheets though of course there can have been no +account of the great battle in which he fell, since Quilla could not +write at all, least of all in English, though I suppose she survived it +and him. + +The only hint of that end is to be found in old Potts's dream or vision, +and what is the worth of dreams and visions? + + + + +BOOK I + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE SWORD AND THE RING + +I, Hubert of Hastings, write this in the land of Tavantinsuyu, far from +England, where I was born, whither I shall never more return, being +a wanderer as the rune upon the sword of my ancestor, Thorgrimmer, +foretold that I should be, which sword my mother gave me 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 not--that 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 taken by a hawk, +which hawk I shot afterwards with an arrow out of revenge. + +Also this elm is impressed upon me by the fact that on that morning when +I halted by it, I noted how green and full of leaf it was. Next morning, +after the fire, I saw it again, all charred and blackened, with its +beautiful foliage withered by the heat. This contrast remained upon my +memory, and whenever I see any great change of fortune from prosperity +to ruin, or from life to death, always I bethink me of that elm. For +it is by little things which we ourselves have seen and not by those +written of or told by others, that we measure and compare events. + +The reason that I ran so hard and then paused by the elm, was because +my widowed mother lived in that house. Knowing that the French meant +mischief for a good reason, because one of their arrows, or perhaps a +quarrel from a cross-bow, whistled just past my head out there upon the +sea, my first thought was to get her away to some place of safety, no +easy task seeing that she was infirm with age. My second, that which +caused me to pause by the tree, was how I should break the news to her +in such a fashion that she would not be over-frightened. Having thought +this over I went on into the house. + +The door opened into the sitting-room that had a low roof of plaster and +big oak beams. There I found my mother kneeling by the table upon which +food was set for breakfast: fried herrings, cold meat, and a jug of ale. +She was saying her prayers after her custom, being very religious +though in a new fashion, since she was a follower of a preacher called +Wycliffe, who troubled the Church in those days. She seemed to have gone +to sleep at her prayers, and I watched her for a moment, hesitating to +waken her. My mother, as even then I noted, was a very handsome woman, +though old, for I was born when she had been married twenty years or +more, with white hair and well-cut features that showed the good blood +of which she came, for she was better bred than my father and quarrelled +with her kin to marry him. + +At the sound of my footsteps she woke up and saw me. + +"Strange," she said, "I slept at my prayers who did so little last +night, as has become a habit with me when you are out a-fishing, for +which God forgive me, and dreamed that there was some trouble forward. +Scold me not, Hubert, for when the sea has taken the father and two +sons, it is scarcely wonderful that I should be fearful for the last of +my blood. Help me to rise, Hubert, for this water seems to gather in my +limbs and makes them heavy. One day, the leech says, it will get to the +heart and then all will be over." + +I obeyed, first kissing her on the brow, and when she was seated in her +armed chair by the table, I said, + +"You dream too well, Mother. There is trouble. Hark! St. Clement's +bells are talking of it. The French come to visit Hastings. I know for I +sailed through their fleet just after dawn." + +"Is it so?" she asked quietly. "I feared worse. I feared lest the dream +meant that you had gone to join your brothers in the deep. Well, the +French are not here yet, as thank God you are. So eat and drink, for we +of England fight best on full bellies." + +Again I obeyed who was very hungry after that long night and needed food +and ale, and as I swallowed them we heard the sound of folk shouting and +running. + +"You are in haste, Hubert, to join the others on the quay and send +a Frenchman or two to hell with that big bow of yours?" she said +inquiringly. + +"Nay," I answered, "I am in haste to get you out of this town, which I +fear may be burnt. There is a certain cave up yonder by the Minnes Rock +where I think you might lie safe, Mother." + +"It has come down to me from my fathers, Hubert, that it was never the +fashion of the women of the north to keep their men to shield them when +duty called them otherwhere. I am helpless in my limbs and heavy, and +cannot climb, or be borne up yonder hill to any cave. Here I stop where +I have dwelt these five-and-forty years, to live or die as God pleases. +Get you to your duty, man. Stay. Call those wenches and bid them fly +inland to their folk, out Burwash way. They are young and fleet of foot, +and no Frenchman will catch them." + +I summoned the girls who were staring, white-faced, from the attic +window-place. In three minutes they were gone, though it is true that +one of them, the braver, wished to bide with her mistress. + +I watched them start up the street with other fugitives who were pouring +out of Hastings, and came back to my mother. As I did so a great shout +told me that the French fleet had been sighted. + +"Hubert," she said, "take this key and go to the oak chest in my +sleeping room, lift out the linen at the top and bring me that which +lies wrapped in cloth beneath." + +I did so, returning with a bundle that was long and thin. With a knife +she cut the string that tied it. Within were a bag of money and a sword +in an ancient scabbard covered with a rough skin which I took to be that +of a shark, which scabbard in parts was inlaid with gold. + +"Draw it," said my mother. + +I did so, and there came to light a two-edged blade of blue steel, +such as I had never seen before, for on the blade were engraved strange +characters whereof I could make nothing, although as it chanced I could +read and write, having been taught by the monks in my childhood. The +hilt, also, that was in the form of a cross, had gold inlaid upon it; +at the top of it, a large knob or apple of amber, much worn by handling. +For the rest it was a beauteous weapon and well balanced. + +"What of this sword?" I asked. + +"This, Son. With the black bow that you have," and she pointed to the +case that leaned against the table, "it has come down in my family +for many generations. My father told me that it was the sword of one +Thorgrimmer, his ancestor, a Norseman, a Viking he called him, who came +with those who took England before the Norman time; which I can well +believe since my father's name, like mine, till I married, was Grimmer. +This sword, also, has a name and it is Wave-Flame. With it, the tale +tells, Thorgrimmer did great deeds, slaying many after their heathen +fashion in his battles by land and sea. For he was a wanderer, and it is +said of him that once he sailed to a new land far across the ocean, and +won home again after many strange adventures, to die at last here in +England in some fray. That is all I know, save that a learned man from +the north once told my father's father that the writing on the sword +means:-- + + "He who lifts Wave-Flame on high + In love shall live and in battle die; + Storm-tossed o'er wide seas shall roam + And in strange lands shall make his home. + Conquering, conquered shall he be, + And far away shall sleep with me. + +"Those were the words which I remember because of the jingle of them; +also because such seems to have been the fate of Thorgrimmer and the +sword that his grandson took from his tomb." + +Here I would have asked about this grandson and the tomb, but having no +time, held my peace. + +"All my life have I kept that sword," went on my mother, "not giving it +to your father or brothers, lest the fate written on it should befall +them, for those old wizards of the north, who fashioned such weapons +with toil and skill, could foresee the future--as at times I can, for +it is in my blood. Yet now I am moved to bid you take it, Hubert, and go +where its flame leads you and dree your gloom, whatever it may be, for I +know you will use it like Thorgrimmer's self." + +She paused for a moment, then went on: + +"Hubert, perhaps we part for the last time, for I think that my hour +is at hand. But let not that trouble you, since I am glad to go to join +those who went before, and others with them, perchance Thorgrimmer's +self. Hearken, Hubert. If aught befalls me, or this place, stay not +here. Go to London town and seek out John Grimmer, my brother, the rich +merchant and goldsmith who dwells in the place called Cheap. He knew you +as a child and loved you, and lacking offspring of his own will welcome +you for both our sakes. My father would not give John the sword lest its +fate should be on him, but I say that John will be glad to welcome one +of our race who holds it in his hand. Take it then, and with it that bag +of gold, which may prove of service ere all be done. + +"Aye, and there is one more thing--this ring which, so says the tale, +came down with the sword and the bow, and once had writing on it like +the sword, though that is long since rubbed away. Take it and wear it +till perchance, in some day to come, you give it to another as I did." + +Wondering at all this tale which, after her secret fashion, my mother +had kept from me till that hour, I set the ring upon my finger. + +"I gave yonder ring to your father on the day that we were betrothed," +went on my mother, "and I took it back again from his corpse after he +had been found floating in the sea. Now I pass it on to you who soon +will be all that is left of both of us." + +"Hark!" she continued, "the crier summons all men with their arms to the +market-place to fight England's foes. Therefore one word more while I +buckle the sword Wave-Flame on to you, as doubtless his women folk did +on to Thorgrimmer, your ancestor. My blessing on you, Hubert. Be you +such a one as Thorgrimmer was, for we of the Norse blood desire that +our loves and sons should prove not backward when swords are aloft +and arrows fly. But be you more than he, be you a Christian also, +remembering that however long you live, and the Battle-maidens have not +marked you yet, at last you must die and give account. + +"Hubert, you are such a one as women will love; one, too, who, I fear +me, will be a lover of women, for that weakness goes with strength and +manhood by Nature's laws. Be careful of women, Hubert, and if you may, +choose those who are not false and cling to her who is most true. Oh, +you will wander far; I read it in your eyes that you will wander far, +yet shall your heart stay English. Kiss me and begone! Lad, are you +forgetting your spare arrows and the bull-hide jerkin that was your +father's? You will want them both to-day. Farewell, farewell! God and +His Christ be with you--and shoot you straight and smite you hard. Nay, +no tears, lest my eyes should be dimmed, for I'll climb to the attic and +watch you fight." + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE LADY BLANCHE + +So I went, with a sore heart, for I remembered that when my father and +brothers were drowned, although I was then but a little one, my mother +had foreseen it, and I feared much lest it might be thus in her own case +also. I loved my mother. She was a stern woman, it was true, with little +softness about her, which I think came with her blood, but she had a +high heart, and oh! her last words were noble. Yet through it all I +was pleased, as any young man would have been, with the gift of the +wonderful sword which once had been that of Thorgrimmer, the sea-rover, +whose blood ran in my body against which it lay, and I hoped that +this day I might have chance to use it worthily as Thorgrimmer did in +forgotten battles. Having imagination, I wondered also whether the sword +knew that after its long sleep it had come forth again to drink the +blood of foes. + +Also I was pleased with another thing, namely, that my mother had +told me that I should live my life and not die that day by the hand +of Frenchmen; and that in my life I should find love, of which to tell +truth already I knew a little of a humble sort, for I was a comely +youth, and women did not run away from me, or if they did, soon they +stopped. I wanted to live my life, I wanted to see great adventures and +to win great love. The only part of the business which was not to my +taste was that command of my mother's, that I should go to London to sit +in a goldsmith's shop. Still, I had heard that there was much to be seen +in London, and at least it would be different from Hastings. + +The street outside our doors was crowded with folk, some of the men +making their way to the market-place, about whom hung women and children +weeping; others, old people, wives and girls and little ones fleeing +from the town. I found the two sailormen who had been with me on the +boat, waiting for me. They were brawny fellows named Jack Grieves and +William Bull, who had been in our service since my childhood, good +fishermen and fighters both; indeed one of them, William Bull, had +served in the French wars. + +"We knew that you were coming, Master, so we bided here for you," said +William, who having once been an archer was armed with a bow and a short +sword, whereas Jack had only an axe, also a knife such as we used on the +smacks for cleaning fish. + +I nodded, and we went on to the market-place and joined the throng of +men, a vast number of them, who were gathered there to defend Hastings +and their homes. Nor were we too soon, for the French ships were already +beaching within a few yards of the shore or on it, their draught being +but small, while the sailors and men-at-arms were pushing off in small +boats or wading to the strand. + +There was great confusion in the market-place, for as is common in +England, no preparation had been made against attack though such was +always to be feared. + +The bailiff ran about shouting orders, as did others, but proper +officers were lacking, so that in the end men acted as the fancy took +them. Some went down towards the beach and shot with arrows at the +Frenchmen. Others took refuge in houses, others stood irresolute, +waiting, knowing not which way to turn. I and my two men were with those +who went on to the beach where I loosed some arrows from my big black +bow, and saw a man fall before one of them. + +But we could do little or nothing, for these Frenchmen were trained +soldiers under proper command. They formed themselves into companies +and advanced, and we were driven back. I stopped as long as I dared, +and drawing the sword, Wave-Flame, fought with a Frenchman who was in +advance of the others. What is more, making a great blow at his head +which I missed, I struck him on the arm and cut it off, for I saw it +fall to the ground. Then others rushed up at me and I fled to save my +life. + +Somehow I found myself being pressed up the steep Castle Hill with a +number of Hastings folk, followed by the French. We reached the Castle +and got into it, but the old portcullis would not close, and in sundry +places the walls were broken down. Here we found a number of women who +had climbed for refuge, thinking that the place would be safe. Among +these was a beautiful and high-born maiden whom I knew by sight. Her +father was Sir Robert Aleys who, I believe, was then the Warden of the +Castle of Pevensey, and she was named the lady Blanche. Once, indeed, I +had spoken with her on an occasion too long to tell. Then her large blue +eyes, which she knew well how to use, had left me with a swimming head, +for she was very fair and very sweet and gracious, with a most soft +voice, and quite unlike any other woman I had ever seen, nor did she +seem at all proud. Soon her father, an old knight, who had no name for +gentleness in the countryside, but was said to be a great lover of gold, +had come up and swept her away, asking her what she did, talking with a +common fishing churl. This had happened some months before. + +Well, there I found her in the Castle, alone it seemed, and knowing me +again, which I thought strange, she ran to me, praying me to protect +her. More, she began to tell me some long tale, to which I had not time +to listen, of how she had come to Hastings with her father, Sir Robert, +and a young lord named Deleroy, who, I understood, was some kinsman of +hers, and slept there. How, too, she had been separated from them in the +throng when they were attempting to return to Pevensey which her father +must go to guard, because her horse was frightened and ran away, and +of how finally men took her by the arm and brought her to this castle, +saying that it was the safest place. + +"Then here you must bide, Lady Blanche," I answered, cutting her short. +"Cling to me and I will save you if I can, even if it costs me my life." + +Certainly she did cling to me for all the rest of that terrible day, as +will be seen. + +From this height we saw Hastings beginning to burn, for the Frenchmen +had fired the town in sundry places, and being built of wood, it burnt +furiously. Also we saw and heard horrible scenes and sounds of rapine, +such as chance in this Christian world of ours where a savage foe finds +peaceful folk of another race at his mercy. In the houses people were +burnt; in the streets they were being murdered, or worse. Yes, even +children were murdered, for afterwards I saw the bodies of some of them. + +Awhile later through the wreaths of smoke we perceived companies of the +French advancing to attack the Castle. There may have been three hundred +of them in all, and we did not count more than fifty men, some of +us ill-armed, together with a mob of aged people and many women and +children. What had become of the other men I do not know, but orders +had been shouted from all quarters, and some had gone this way and some +that. Some, too, I think, had fled, lacking leaders. + +The French having climbed the hill, began to attack our ill-fenced +gateways, bringing up beams of timber to force them in. Those of us who +had bows shot some of them, though, their armour being good, for the +most part the arrows glanced. But few had bows. Moreover, whenever we +showed ourselves they poured such a rain of quarrels and other shafts +upon us that we could not face it, lacking mail as we did, and a number +of us were killed or wounded. At last they forced the easternmost gate +which was the weakest, and got in there and over a place in the wall +were it was broken. We fought them as well as we could; myself I cut +down two with the sword, Wave-Flame, hewing right through the helm of +one, for the steel of that sword was good. Here, too, Jack Grieves was +killed by my side by a pike thrust, and died calling to me to fight on +for old England and Hastings town; after which he said something about +beer and breathed his last. + +The end of it was that those who were left were driven out of the Castle +together with the women and children, the murdering French killing every +man who fell wounded where he lay, and trying to make prisoner any women +they thought young and fair enough. Especially did they seek to capture +the lady Blanche because they saw that she was beautiful and of high +station. But by good fortune more than aught else, I saved her from this +fate. + +As it chanced we were among the last to leave the Castle, whence, to +tell the truth, I was loath to go, for by now my blood was up, and with +a few others fought till I was driven out. I prayed the lady Blanche to +run forward with the other women. But she would not, answering that she +trusted no one else, but would stay to die with me, as though that would +help either of us. + +Thus it came about that a tall French knight who had set his eyes on +her, outclimbed his fellows upon the slope of the hill, for they were +weary and gathering to re-form, and catching her round the middle, +strove to drag her away. I fell on him and we fought. He had fine armour +and a shield while I had none, but I held the long sword while he only +wielded a battle-axe. I knew that if he could get in a blow with that +battle-axe, I was sped, since the bull's hide of my jerkin would never +stand against it. Therefore it was my business to keep out of his reach. +This, being young and active, for the most part I made shift to do, +especially as he could not move very quickly in his mail. The end of it +was that I cut him on the arm through a joint in his harness, whereon he +rushed at me, swearing French oaths. + +I leapt on one side and as he passed, smote with all my strength. The +blow fell between neck and shoulder, from behind as it were, and such +was the temper of that sword named Wave-Flame that it shore through his +mail deep into the flesh beneath, to the backbone as I believe. At least +he went down in a heap--I remember the rattle of his armour as he fell, +and there lay still. Then we fled on down the steep path, I holding the +bloody sword with one hand and Lady Blanche with the other, while she +thanked me with her eyes. + +At length we were in the town again, running up my own street. On either +side of us the houses burned, and behind us came another body of the +French. The reek got into our eyes and we stumbled over dead or fainting +people. + +Looking to the left I caught sight of the elm tree of which I have +spoken, that grew in front of our door, and saw that the house behind +it was burning. Yes, and I saw more, for at the attic window, which was +open, the flames making an arch round her, sat my mother. Moreover, she +was singing for I heard her voice and the wild words she sang, though +this was a strange thing for a woman to do in the hour of such a death. +Further, she saw and knew me, for she waved her hands to me, then +pointed towards the sea, why, I did not guess at the time. I stopped, +purposing to try to rescue her though the front of the house was +flaming, and the attempt must have ended in my death. But at that moment +the roof fell in, causing the fire to spout upwards and outwards. This +was the last that I saw of my mother, though afterwards we found her +body and gave it burial with those of many other victims. + +There was no time to stay, for the conquering French were pouring up the +street behind us, shooting as they came and murdering any laggards whom +they could catch. On we went up the steep slope of the Minnes Rock. I +would have fled on into the open country, but the lady Blanche had no +strength left. Twice she sank to the ground, stricken with terror and +weariness, and each time prayed me not to leave her; nor indeed did I +wish to do so. The end of it was that William Bull and I between us +half carried her with much toil to the cave of which I had spoken to my +mother. The task was heavy and slow, since always we must scramble over +sheer ground. What is more, a party of the French, seeing our plight, +followed us. Perhaps some of them guessed who the lady was, for there +were many spies in Hastings who might have told them, and desired to +capture and hold her to ransom. + +At the least they came on after us and a few others, women all of them, +who had joined our company, being unable to travel further, or trusting +to William Bull and myself to protect them. + +We reached the cave, and thrusting the women along it, William and I +stood in the mouth and waited. He had no bow and all my arrows were gone +save three, but of these I, who was noted for my archery, determined +to make the best use I could. So I drew them out, and having strung +the bow, sat down to get my breath. On came the French, shouting and +jabbering at us to the effect that they would cut our throats and carry +off _la belle dame_ to be their sport. + +"She shall be mine!" yelled a big fellow with a flattened nose and a +wide mouth who was ahead of the others, and not more than fifty yards +away. + +I rose, and praying my patron, good St. Hubert after whom I was named +because I first saw light upon his day, the 23rd of November, to give +me skill, I drew the great bow to my ear, aimed, and loosed. Nor did +St. Hubert, a lover of fine shooting, fail me in my need, for that arrow +rushed out and found its home in the big mouth of the Frenchman, through +which it passed, pinning his foul tongue to his neck bone. + +Down he went, and cheered by the sight I refitted and loosed at the +next. Him, too, the arrow caught, so that he fell almost on the other. + +I set the third and last arrow on the string and waited a space. Behind +these two was a squat, broad man, a knight I suppose, for he wore +armour, and had a shield with a cock painted on it. This man, frightened +by the fate of his companions, yet not minded to give up the venture +for those in rear of him urged him on, bent himself almost double, and +holding the shield over his helm which was closed, so as to protect his +head and body, came on at a good pace. + +I waited till he was within five-and-twenty yards or so, hoping that +the roughness of the ground would cause him to stumble and the shield to +shift so that I could get a chance at him behind it. But I did not, so +at last, again praying to St. Hubert, I drew the big bow till the string +touched my ear, and let drive. The shaft, pointed with tempered steel, +struck the shield full in the centre, and by Heaven, pierced it, aye, +and the mail behind, aye, and the flesh it covered, so that he, too, got +his death. + +"A great shot, Master," said William, "that no other bow in Hastings +could have sped." + +"Not so ill," I answered, "but it is my last. Now we must fight as we +can with sword and axe until we be sped." + +William nodded, and the women in the cave began to wail while I unstrung +my bow and set it in its case, from habit I think, seeing that I never +hoped to look upon it again. + +Just then from the French ships in the harbour there came a great +blaring of trumpets giving some alarm, and the Frenchmen of a sudden, +ceasing from their attack, turned and ran towards the shore. I stepped +out of the cave with William and looked. There on the sea, drawing near +from the east before a good wind, I saw ships, and saw, too, that from +their masts flew the pennons of England, for the golden leopards gleamed +in the sun. + +"It is our fleet, William," I said, "come to talk with these French." + +"Then I would that it had come sooner," answered William. "Still, better +now than not at all." + + + +Thus were we saved, through Hamo de Offyngton, the Abbot of Battle +Abbey, or so I was told afterwards, who collected a force by land and +sea and drove off the French after they had ravaged the Isle of Wight, +attacked Winchelsea, and burned the greater part of Hastings. So it +came about that in the end these pirates took little benefit by their +wickedness, since they lost sundry ships with all on board, and others +left in such haste that their people remained on shore where they were +slain by the mob that gathered as soon as it was seen that they were +deserted, helped by a company of the Abbot's men who had marched from +Battle. But with all this I had nothing to do who now that the fight +was over, felt weak as a child and could think of little save that I had +seen my mother burning. + +Presently, however, that happened which woke me from my grief and caused +my blood which had grown sluggish to run again. For when she knew that +she was safe the lady Blanche came out of the cave and addressed me as I +stood there leaning against the rock with the red sword Wave-Flame in my +hand, as I had drawn it to make ready for the last fight to the death. +All sorts of sweet names she called me--a hero, her deliverer, and I +know not what besides. + +In the end, as I made no answer, being dazed, also hurt by an axe blow +on the breast which I had not felt before, dealt by that Frenchman whom +I slew near the Castle, she did more. Throwing her arms about me she +kissed me thrice, on either cheek and on the lips, doubtless because she +was overwrought, and in her thankfulness forgot her maidenly reserve, +though as William Bull said afterwards, this forgetfulness did not cause +her to kiss him who had also helped her up the hill. + +Those kisses were like wine to me, for it is strange how, if we love +her, by the decree of Nature the touch of a beautiful woman's lips, felt +for the first time, affects us in our youth. Whatever else we forget, +that we always remember, however false those lips afterwards be proved. +For then the wax is soft and the die sinks deep, so deep that no +after-heats can melt its stamp and no fretting wear it out while we live +beneath the sun. + +Now my young blood being awakened, I was minded to return those kisses, +and began to do so with a Jew's interest, when I heard a rough voice +swearing many strange oaths, and heard also the other women who had +sheltered with us in the cave begin to titter, for the moment forgetting +all their private woes, as those of their sex will do when there is +kissing in the wind. + +"God's blood!" said the rough voice, "who is this that handles my +daughter as though they had been but an hour wed? Take those lips of +yours from her, fellow, or I'll cut them from your chops." + +I looked round astonished, to see Sir Robert Aleys mounted on a grey +horse, and followed by a company of men-at-arms who appeared to be under +the command of a well-favoured, dark-eyed young captain with long hair, +and dressed more wondrously than any man I had ever seen before. Had he +put on Joseph's coat over his mail, he could not have worn more colours, +and I noted that the toes of his shoes curled up so high that I wondered +however he worked them through his stirrups, and what would happen to +him if by chance he were unhorsed. + +Being taken aback I made no answer, but William Bull, who, if a rough +fellow, had a tongue in his head and a ready wit, spoke up for me. + +"If you want to know," he said in his Sussex drawl, "I'll tell you who +he is, Sir Robert Aleys. He is my worshipful master, Hubert of Hastings, +ship-owner, householder, and trader of this town. Or at least he was +these things, but now it seems that his ships and house are burnt and +his mother with them; also that there will be no trade in Hastings for +many a day." + +"Mayhap," answered Sir Robert, adding other oaths, "but why does he buss +my daughter?" + +"Perchance because he must give as good as he got, which is a law among +honest merchants, noble Sir Robert. Or perchance because he has a better +right to buss her than any man alive, seeing that but for him, by now +she would be but stinking clay, or a Frenchman's leman." + +Here the fine young captain cut in, saying, + +"Whatever else this worshipful trader may need, he does not lack a +trumpeter." + +"That is so, my Lord Deleroy," replied William, unmoved, "for when I +find a good song I like to sing it. Go now and look at those three men +who lie yonder on the slope, and see whether the arrows in them bear my +master's mark. Go also and look upon the Castle hill and find a knight +with his head well-nigh hewn from his shoulders, and see whether yonder +sword fits into the cut. Aye, and at others that I could tell you of, +slain, every one of them, to save this fair lady. Aye, go you whose +garments are so fine and unstained, and then come back and talk of +trumpeters." + +"Pish!" said my Lord Deleroy with a shrug of his shoulders, "a lady who +is over-wrought and hangs to some common fellow, like one who kisses the +feet of a wooden saint that she thinks has saved her from calamity!" + +At these words I, who had been listening like a man in a dream, awoke, +as it were, for they stung me. Moreover, I had heard that this fine +Deleroy was one of those who owed his place and rank to the King's +favour, as he did his high name, being, it was reported, by birth but a +prince's bastard sprung from some relative of Sir Robert whom therefore +he called cousin. + +"Sir," I said, "you know best whether I am more common than you are. +Let that be. At least I hold in my hand the sword of one who begat my +forefather hundreds of years ago, a certain Thorgrimmer who was great in +his time. Now I have had my fill of fighting to-day, and you, doubtless +through no fault of your own, have had none; you also are clad in mail +and I, a common fellow, have none. Deign then to descend from that horse +and take a turn with me though I be tired, and thus prove my commonness +upon my body. Of your nobility do this, seeing that after all we are of +one flesh." + +Now, stung in his turn, he made as though he would do what I prayed, +when for the first time, after glancing at her father who sat +still--puzzled, it would seem--the lady Blanche spoke. + +"Be not mad, Cousin," she said. "I tell you that this gentleman has +saved my life and honour, twice at least to-day. Is it wonderful, then, +if I thanked him in the best fashion that a woman can, and thus brought +your insults on him?" + +He hesitated, though one of his curled-up shoes was out of the stirrup, +when suddenly Sir Robert broke in in his big voice, saying: + +"God's truth, Cousin, I think that you will do well to leave this young +cock alone, since I like not the look of that red spur of his," and he +glanced at the sword Wave-Flame. "Though he be weary, he may have a kick +or two in him yet." + +Then he turned to me and added: + +"Sir, you have fought well; many a man has earned knighthood for less, +and if a fair maid thanked you in her own fashion, you are not to blame. +I, her father, also thank you and wish you all good fortune till we meet +again. Farewell. Daughter, make shift to share this horse with me, and +let us away out of this stricken town to Pevensey, where perchance it +will please those French to call to-morrow." + +A minute later they were gone, and I noted with a pang that as they went +the lady Blanche, having waved her good-bye to me, talked fast to her +cousin Deleroy and that he held her hand to steady her upon her father's +horse. + + + +CHAPTER III + +HUBERT COMES TO LONDON + +When the lady Blanche was out of sight, followed by the women who had +sheltered with us in the cave, William and I went to a stream we knew of +not far away and drank our fill. Then we walked to the three whom I had +shot with my big bow, hoping to regain the arrows, for I had none left. +This, however, could not be done though all the men were dead, for one +of the shafts, the last, was broken, and the other two were so fixed in +flesh and bone that only a surgeon's saw would loose them. + +So we left them where they were, and before the men were buried many +came to marvel at the sight, thinking it a wonderful thing that I should +have killed these three with three arrows, and that any bow which arm +might bend could have driven the last of them through an iron shield and +a breastplate behind it. + +This armour, I should tell, William took for himself, since it was of +his size. Also on the morrow, returning to the Castle Hill, I stripped +the knight whom I had slain with the sword, Wave-Flame, of his splendid +Milan mail, whereof the _plastron_, or breast-plate, was inlaid with +gold, having over it a _camail_ of chain to cover the joints, through +which my good sword had shorn into his neck. The cognizance on his +shield strangely enough was three barbed arrows, but what was the name +of the knight who bore it I never learned. This mail, which must have +cost a great sum, the Bailiff of Hastings granted me to keep, since I +had slain its wearer and borne myself well in the fight. Moreover, I +took the three arrows for my own cognizance, though in truth I had no +right to any, being in those days but a trader. (Little did I know then +how well this mail was to serve me in the after years.) + +By now night was coming on, and as we could see from the cave mouth +that the part of Hastings which lies towards the village of St. Leonards +seemed to have escaped the fire, thitherward we went by the beach to +avoid the heat and falling timbers in the burning town. On our way we +met others and from them heard all that had befallen. It would seem that +the French loss in life was heavier than our own, since many of them +were cut off when they tried to fly to their ships, and some of these +could not be floated from the beach or were rammed and sunk with all +aboard by the English vessels. But the damage done to Hastings was as +much as could scarcely be made good in a generation, for the most of it +was burnt or burning. Also many, like my own mother, had perished in +the fire, being sick or aged or in childbed, or for this reason and that +forgotten and unable to move. Indeed on the beach were hundreds of +folk in despair, nor was it only the women and children who wept that +evening. + +For my part, with William I went beyond the burning to the house of a +certain old priest who was my confessor, and the friend of my father +before me, and there we found food and slept, he returning thanks to God +for my escape and offering me consolation for the loss of my mother and +goods. + +I rested but ill that night, as those do who are over-weary. Moreover, +this had been my first taste of battle, and again and again I saw those +men falling before my sword and arrows. Very proud was I to have slain +them, wicked ravishers as they were, and very glad that from my boyhood +I had practised myself with sword and bow till I could fence with any, +and was perhaps the most skilled marksman in Hastings, having won the +silver arrow at the butts at the last meeting, and from archers of all +ages. Yet the sight of their deaths haunted me who remembered how well +their fate might have been my own, had they got in the first shot or +blow. + +Where had they gone to, I wondered? To the priest's Heaven or Hell? Were +they now telling their sins to some hard-faced angel while he checked +the count from his book, reminding them of many that they had forgotten? +Or were they fast asleep for ever and ever as a shrewd thinker whom I +knew had told me secretly he was sure would be the fate of all of us, +whatever the priests might teach and believe. And where was my mother +whom I had loved and who loved me well, although outwardly she was so +stern a woman, my mother whom I had seen burned alive, singing as she +burned? Oh! it was a vile world, and it seemed strange that God should +cause men and women to be born that they might come to such cruel ends. +Yet who were we to question His decrees of which we knew neither the +beginning nor the finish? + +Anyway, I was glad I was not dead, for now that all was over I trembled +and felt afraid, which I had never done during the fighting, even when +my hour seemed very near. + +Lastly there was this high-born lady, Blanche Aleys, with whom fortune +had thrown me so strangely that day. Those blue eyes of hers had pierced +my heart like darts, and do what I would I might not rid my mind of the +thought of her, or my ears of the sound of her soft voice, while her +kisses seemed still to burn upon my lips. It wrung me to think that +perhaps I should never see her again, or that if I did I might not speak +with her, being so far beneath her in condition, and having already +earned the wrath of her father, and, as I guessed, the jealousy of that +scented cousin of hers whom they said the King loved like a brother. + +What had my mother told me? To leave this place and go to London, there +to find my uncle, John Grimmer, goldsmith and merchant, who was my +godfather, and to ask him to take me into his business. I remembered +this uncle of mine, for some seven or eight years before, when I was a +growing lad, because there was a plague in London he had come down to +Hastings to visit us. He only stayed a week, however, because he said +that the sea air tied up his stomach and that he would rather risk +the plague with a good stomach than leave it behind him with a bad +one--though I think it was his business he thought of, not his stomach. + +He was a strange old man, not unlike my mother, but with a nose more +hooked, small dark eyes, and a bald head on which he set a cap of +velvet. Even in the heat of summer he was always cold and wore a frayed +fur robe, complaining much if he came into a draught of air. Indeed he +looked like a Jew, though a good Christian enough, and laughed about +it, because he said that this appearance of his served him well in his +trade, since Jews were always feared, and it was held to be impossible +to overreach them. + +For the rest I only recalled that he examined me as to my book learning +which did not satisfy him, and went about valuing all our goods and +fishing-boats, showing my mother how we were being cheated and might +earn more than we did. When he departed he gave me a gold piece and said +that Life was nothing but vanity, and that I must pray for his soul when +he was dead as he was sure it would need such help, also that I ought +to put the gold piece out to interest. This I did by buying with it a +certain fierce mastiff dog I coveted that had been brought on a ship +from Norway, which dog bit some great man in our town, who hauled my +mother before the bailiff about it and caused the poor beast to be +killed, to my great wrath. + +Now that I came to think of it, I had liked my Uncle John well enough +although he was so different from others. Why should I not go to him? +Because I did not wish to sit in a shop in London, I who loved the sea +and the open air; also because I feared he might ask me what I had done +with that gold piece and make a mock of me about the dog. Yet my mother +had bidden me go, and it was her last command to me, her dying words +which it would be unlucky to disobey. Moreover, our boats and house +were burnt and I must work hard and long before these could be replaced. +Lastly, in London I should see no more of the lady Blanche Aleys, and +there could learn to forget the lights in her blue eyes. So I determined +that I would go, and at last fell asleep. + +Next morning I made my confession to the old priest that, amongst other +matters, he might shrive me of the blood which I had shed, though this +he said needed no forgiveness from God or man, being, as I think, a +stout Englishman at heart. Also I took counsel with him as to what I +should do, and he told me it was my duty to obey my mother's wishes, +since such last words were often inspired from on high and declared the +will of Heaven. Further he pointed out that I should do well to avoid +the lady Blanche Aleys who was one far above me in degree, the following +of whom might bring me to trouble, or even to death; moreover, that I +might mend my broken fortunes through the help of my uncle, a very rich +man as he had heard, to whom he would write a letter about me. + +Thus this matter was settled. + +Still some days went by before I left Hastings, since first I must wait +until the ashes of our house were cool enough to search in them for my +mother's body. Those who found her at length said that she was not so +much burned as might have been expected, but as to this I am uncertain, +since I could not bring myself to look upon her who desired to remember +her as she had been in life. She was buried by the side of my father, +who was drowned, in the churchyard of St. Clement's, and when all had +gone away I wept a little on her grave. + +The rest of that day I spent making ready for my journey. As it chanced +when the house was burnt the outbuildings which lay on the farther side +of the yard behind escaped the fire, and in the stable were two good +horses, one a grey riding-gelding and the other a mare that used to drag +the nets to the quay and bring back the fish, which horses, although +frightened and alarmed, were unharmed. Also there was a quantity of +stores, nets, salt, dried fish in barrels, and I know not what besides. +The horses I kept, but all the rest of the gear, together with the +premises, the ground on which the house had stood, and the other +property I made over to William, my man, who promised me to pay me their +value when he could earn it in better times. + +Next morning I rode away for London upon the grey horse, loading the +armour of the knight I had killed and such other possessions as remained +to me upon the mare which I led with a rope. Save William there was none +to say me good-bye, for the misery in Hastings was so great that all +were concerned with their own affairs or in mourning their dead. I +was not sorry that it fell out thus, since I was so full of sadness at +leaving the place where I was born and had lived all my life, that I +think I should have shed tears if any who had been my friends had spoken +kind words to me, which would have been unmanly. Never had I felt +so lonely as when from the high ground I gazed back to the ruins of +Hastings over which still hung a thin pall of smoke. My courage seemed +to fail me altogether; I looked forward to the future with fear, +believing that I had been born unlucky, that it held no good for me +who probably should end my days as a common soldier or a fisherman, or +mayhap in prison or on the gallows. From childhood I had suffered these +fits of gloom, but as yet this was the blackest of them that I had +known. + +At length, the sun that had been hidden shone out and with its coming my +temper changed. I remembered that I who might so easily have been dead, +was sound, young, and healthy, that I had sword, bow, and armour of the +best, also twenty or more of gold pieces, for I had not counted them, in +the bag which my mother gave me with Wave-Flame. Further, I hoped that +my uncle would befriend me, and if he did not, there were plenty of +captains engaged in the wars who might be glad of a squire, one who +could shoot against any man and handle a sword as well as most. + +So putting up a prayer to St. Hubert after my simple fashion, I pushed +on blithely to the crest of a long rise and there came face to face with +a gay company who, hawk on wrist and hound at heel, were, I guessed, +on their way to hunt in the Pevensey marshes. While they were still a +little way off I knew these to be no other than Sir Robert Aleys, his +daughter Blanche, and the King's favourite, young Lord Deleroy, with +their servants, and was minded to turn aside to avoid them. Then I +remembered that I had as much right to the King's Highway as they, and +my pride aiding me, determined to ride on taking no note of them, unless +first they took note of me. Also they knew me, for my ears being very +sharp, I heard Sir Robert say in his big voice: + +"Here comes that young fisherman again. Pass him in silence, Daughter"; +heard, too, Lord Deleroy drawl it, "It seems that he has been gathering +gear from the slain, and like a good chapman bears it away for secret +sale." + +Only the lady Blanche answered neither the one nor the other, but rode +forward with her eyes fixed before her, pretending to talk to the hawk +upon her wrist, and now that she was rested and at ease, looking even +more beautiful than she had done on the day of the burning. + +So we met and passed, I glancing at them idly and guiding my horses to +the side of the road. When there were perhaps ten yards between us I +heard Lady Blanche cry: + +"Oh, my hawk!" I looked round to see that the falcon on her wrist had in +some way loosed itself, or been loosed, and being hooded, had fallen to +the ground where one of the dogs was trying to catch and kill it. Now +there was great confusion, the eyes of all being fixed upon the hawk and +the dog, in the midst of which the lady Blanche very quietly turned her +head, and lifting her hand as though to see how the hawk had fallen from +it, with a swift movement laid her fingers against her lips and threw a +kiss to me. + +As swiftly I bowed back and went on my way with a beating heart. For a +few moments I was filled with joy, since I could not mistake the meaning +of this signalled kiss. Then came sorrow like an April cloud, since my +wound which was in the way of healing was all re-opened. I had begun to +forget the lady Blanche, or rather by an effort of the will, to thrust +her from my thought, as my confessor had bidden me. But now on the wings +of that blown kiss thither she had flown back again, not to be frighted +out for many a day. + +That night I slept at an inn at Tonbridge, a comfortable place where the +host stared at the gold piece from the bag which I tendered in payment, +and at first would not take what was due to him out of it, because it +bore the head of some ancient king. However, in the end a merchant of +Tonbridge who came in for his morning ale showed him that it was good, +so that trouble passed. + +About two in the afternoon I came to Southwark, a town that to me seemed +as big as Hastings before it was burned, where was a fine inn called the +Tabard at which I stopped to bait my horses and to take a bite and drink +of ale. Then I rode on over the great Thames where floated a multitude +of ships and boats, crossing it by London Bridge, a work so wonderful +that I marvelled that it could be made by the hand of man, and so broad +that it had shops on either side of the roadway, in which were sold all +sorts of merchandise. Thence I inquired my way to Cheapside, and came +there at last thrusting a path through a roaring multitude of people, +or so it seemed to me who never before had seen so many men and women +gathered together, all going on their way and, it would appear, ignorant +of each other. + +Here I found a long and crowded thoroughfare with gabled houses on +either side in which all kinds of trades were carried on. Down this I +wandered, being cursed at more than once because my pack mare, growing +frightened, dragged away from me and crossed the path of carts which had +to stop till I could pull her free. After the third of these tangles I +halted by the side of the footway behind a wain with barrels on it, and +looked about me bewildered. + +To my left was a house somewhat set back from the general line that +had a little patch of garden ground in front of it in which grew some +untended and thriftless-looking shrubs. This house seemed to be a place +of business because from an iron fastened to the front of it hung a +board on which was painted an open boat, high at the prow and stern, +with a tall beak fashioned to the likeness of a dragon's head and round +shields all down the rail. + +While I was staring at this sign and wondering emptily what kind of a +boat it was and of what nation were the folk who had sailed in her, a +man came down the garden path and leaned upon the gate, staring in turn +at me. He was old and strange-looking, being clad in a rusty gown with +a hood to it that was pulled over his head, so that I could only see a +white, peaked beard and a pair of brilliant black eyes which seemed to +pierce me as a shoemaker's awl pierces leather. + +"What do you, young man," he asked in a high thin voice, "cumbering my +gate with those nags of yours? Would you sell that mail you have on the +pack-horse? If so I do not deal in such stuff, though it seems good of +its kind. So get on with it elsewhere." + +"Nay, sir," I answered, "I have naught to sell who in this hive of +traders seek one bee and cannot find him." + +"Hive of traders! Truly the great merchants of the Cheap would be +honoured. Have they stung you, then, already, young bumpkin from the +countryside, for such I write you down? But what bee do you seek? Stay, +now, let me guess. Is it a certain old knave named John Grimmer, who +trades in gold and jewels and other precious things and who, if he had +his deserts, should be jail?" + +"Aye, aye, that's the man," I said. + +"Surely he also will be honoured," exclaimed the old fellow with a +cackle. "He's a friend of mine and I will tell him the jest." + +"If you would tell me where to find him it would be more seasonable." + +"All in good time. But first, young sir, where did you get that fine +armour? If you stole it, it should be better hid." + +"Stole it!" I began in wrath. "Am I a London chapman----?" + +"I think not, though you may be before all is done, for who knows what +vile tricks Fortune will play us? Well, if you did not steal it, mayhap +you slew the wearer and are a murderer, for I see black blood on the +steel." + +"Murderer!" I gasped. + +"Aye, just as you say John Grimmer is a knave. But if not, then +perchance you slew the French knight who wore it on Hastings Hill, ere +you loosed the three arrows at the mouth of the cave near Minnes Rock." + +Now I gaped at him. + +"Shut your mouth, young man, lest those teeth of yours should fall +out. You wonder how I know? Well, my friend John Grimmer, the goldsmith +knave, has a magic crystal which he purchased from one who brought it +from the East, and I saw it in that crystal." + +As he spoke, as though by chance he pushed back the hood that covered +his head, revealing a wrinkled old face with a mocking mouth which +drooped at one corner, a mouth that I knew again, although many years +had passed since I looked upon it as a boy. + +"You are John Grimmer!" I muttered. + +"Yes, Hubert of Hastings, I am that knave himself. And now tell me, what +did you do with the gold piece I gave you some twelve summers gone?" + +Then I was minded to lie, for I feared this old man. But thinking better +of it, I answered that I had spent it on a dog. He laughed outright and +said: + +"Pray that it is not an omen and that you may not follow the gold +piece to the dogs. Well, I like you for speaking the truth when you +are tempted to do otherwise. Will you be pleased to shelter for a while +beneath the roof of John Grimmer, the merchant knave?" + +"You mock me, sir," I stammered. + +"Perhaps, perhaps! But there's many a true word spoken in jest; for +if you do not know it now you will learn it afterwards that we are all +knaves, each in his own fashion, who if we do not deceive others, +at least deceive ourselves, and I perhaps more than most. Vanity of +vanities! All is vanity." + +Then, waiting for no reply, he drew a silver whistle from under his +dusty robe and blew it, whereon--so swiftly that I marvelled whether he +were waiting--a stout-built serving man appeared to whom he said: + +"Take these horses to the stable and treat them as though they were my +own. Unload the pack beast, and when it has been cleaned, set the mail +and the other gear upon it in the room that has been made ready for this +young master, Hubert of Hastings, my nephew." + +Without a word the man led off the horses. + +"Be not afraid," chuckled John Grimmer, "for though I am a knave, dog +does not eat dog and what is yours is safe with me and those who +serve me. Now enter," and he led the way into the house, opening the +iron-studded oak door with a key from his pouch. + +Within was a shop where I saw precious things such as furs and gold +ornaments lying about. + +"The crumbs to catch the birds, especially the ladybirds," he said with +a sweep of his hand, then took me through the shop into a passage +and thence to a room on the right. It was not a large room but more +wonderfully furnished than any I had ever seen. In the centre was a +table of black oak with cunningly carved legs, on which stood cups of +silver and a noble centre piece that seemed to be of gold. From the +ceiling, too, hung silver lamps that already had been lit, for the +evening was closing in, and gave a sweet smell. There was a hearth also +with what was rare, a chimney, upon which burned a little fire of logs, +while the walls were hung with tapestries and broidered silks. + +Whilst I stared about me, my uncle took off his cloak beneath which he +was clothed in some rich but rather threadbare stuff, only retaining the +velvet skullcap that he wore. Then he bade me do the same, and when I +had laid my outer garment aside, looked me all over in the lamplight. + +"A proper young man," he muttered to himself, "and I'd give all I have +to be his age and like him. I suppose those limbs and sinews of his came +from his father, for I was ever thin and spare, as was my father before +me. Nephew Hubert, I have heard all the tale of your dealings with the +Frenchmen, on whom be God's curse, at Hastings yonder; and I say that I +am proud of you, though whether I shall stay so is another matter. Come +hither." + +I obeyed, and taking me by my curling hair with his delicate hand, he +drew down my head and kissed me on the brow, muttering, "Neither chick +nor child for me and only this one left of the ancient blood. May he do +it honour." + +Then he motioned to me to be seated and rang a little silver bell that +stood upon the table. As in the case of the man without, it was answered +instantly from which I judged that Master Grimmer was well served. +Before the echoes of the bell died away a door opened, the tapestry +swung aside, and there appeared two most comely serving maids, tall and +well-shaped both of them, bearing food. + +"Pretty women, Nephew, no wonder that you look at them," he said when +they had gone away to fetch other things, "such as I like to have about +me although I am old. Women for within and men for without, that is +Nature's law, and ill will be the day when it is changed. Yet beware of +pretty women, Nephew, and I pray you kiss not those as you did the lady +Blanche Aleys at Hastings, lest it should upset my household and turn +servants into mistresses." + +I made no answer, being confounded by the knowledge that my uncle showed +of me and my affairs, which afterwards I discovered he had, in part at +any rate, from the old priest, my confessor, who had written to +commend me to him, telling my story and sending the letter by a King's +messenger, who left for London on the morrow of the Burning. Nor did he +wait for any, for he bade me sit down and eat, plying me with more meats +than I could swallow, all most delicately dressed, also with rare wines +such as I had never tasted, which he took from a cupboard where they +were kept in curious flasks of glass. Yet as I noted, himself he ate but +little, only picking at the breast of a fowl and drinking but the half +of a small silver goblet filled with wine. + +"Appetite, like all other good things, for the young," he said with a +sigh as he watched my hearty feasting. "Yet remember, Nephew, that if +you live to reach it, a day will come when yours will be as mine is. +Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, all is vanity!" + +At length, when I could eat no more, again he rang the silver bell and +those fair waiting girls dressed alike in green appeared and cleared +away the broken meats. After they were gone he crouched over the fire +rubbing his thin hands to warm them, and said suddenly: + +"Now tell me of my sister's death and all the rest of your tale." + +So as well as I was able I told him everything from the hour when I had +first sighted the French fleet on board my fishing-boat to the end. + +"You are no fool," he said when I had finished, "who can talk like any +clerk and bring things that have happened clearly to the listener's eye, +which I have noted few are able to do. So that's the story. Well, your +mother had a great heart, and she made a great end, such an one as was +loved of our northern race, and that even I, the old merchant knave, +desire and shall not win, who doubtless am doomed to die a cow's death +in the straw. Pray the All-Father Odin--nay, that is heresy for which +I might burn if you or the wenches told it to the priests--pray God, I +mean, that He may grant you a better, as He did to old Thorgrimmer, +if the tale be true, Thorgrimmer whose sword you wear and have wielded +shrewdly, as that French knight knows in hell to-day." + +"Who was Odin?" I asked. + +"The great god of the North. Did not your mother tell you of him? Nay, +doubtless she was too good a Christian. Yet he lives on, Nephew. I say +that Odin lives in the blood of every fighting man, as Freya lives in +the heart of every lad and girl who loves. The gods change their names, +but hush! hush! talk not of Odin and of Freya, for I say that it is +heresy, or pagan, which is worse. What would you do now? Why came you to +London?" + +"Because my mother bade me and to seek my fortune." + +"Fortune--what is fortune? Youth and health are the best fortune, +though, if they know how to use it, those who have wealth as well may go +further than the rest. Also beauteous things are pleasant to the sight +and there is joy in gathering them. Yet at the last they mean nothing, +for naked we came out of the blackness and naked we return there. Vanity +of vanities, all is vanity!" + + + +CHAPTER IV + +KARI + +Thus began my life in London in the house of my uncle, John Grimmer, +who was called the Goldsmith. In truth, however, he was more than this, +since not only did he fashion and trade in costly things; he lent out +moneys to interest upon security to great people who needed it, and +even to the king Richard and his Court. Also he owned ships and did much +commerce with Holland, France, yes, and with Spain and Italy. Indeed, +although he appeared so humble, his wealth was very large and always +increased, like a snowball rolling down a hill; moreover, he owned much +land, especially in the neighbourhood of London where it was likely to +grow in value. + +"Money melts," he would say, "furs corrupt with moth and time, and +thieves break in and steal. But land--if the title be good--remains. +Therefore buy land, which none can carry away, near to a market or a +growing town if may be, and hire it out to fools to farm, or sell it +to other fools who wish to build great houses and spend their goods in +feeding a multitude of idle servants. Houses eat, Hubert, and the larger +they are, the more they eat." + +No word did he say to me as to my dwelling on with him, yet there I +remained, by common consent, as it were. Indeed on the morrow of my +coming a tailor appeared to measure me for such garments as he thought +I should wear, by his command, I suppose, as I was never asked for +payment, and he bade me furnish my chamber to my own liking, also +another room at the back of the house that was much larger than it +seemed, which he told me was to be mine to work in, though at what I was +to work he did not say. + +For a day or two I remained idle, staring at the sights of London +and only meeting my uncle at meals which sometimes we ate alone and +sometimes in the company of sea-captains and learned clerks or of other +merchants, all of whom treated him with great deference and as I soon +guessed, were in truth his servants. At night, however, we were always +alone and then he would pour out his wisdom on me while I listened, +saying little. On the sixth day, growing weary of this idleness, I made +bold to ask him if there was aught that I could do. + +"Aye, plenty if you have a mind to work," he answered. "Sit down now, +and take pen and paper and write what I shall tell you." + +Then he dictated a short letter to me as to shipping wine from Spain, +and when it was sanded, read it carefully. + +"You have it right," he said, seeming pleased, "and your script is +clear if boyish. They taught you none so ill yonder at Hastings where +I thought you had only learned to handle ropes and arrows. Work? Yes, +there is plenty of it of the more private sort which I do not give to +this scribe or to that who might betray my secrets. For know," he went +on in a stern voice, "there is one thing which I never pardon, and it is +betrayal. Remember that, nephew Hubert, even in the arms of your loves, +if you should be fool enough to seek them, or in your cups." + +So he talked on, and while he did so went to an iron chest that he +unlocked, and thence drew out a parchment roll which he bade me take to +my workroom and copy there. I did so, and found that it was an inventory +of his goods and estates, and oh! before I had done I wished that there +were fewer of them. All the long day I laboured, only stopping for a +bite at noon, till my head swam and my fingers ached. Yet as I did so +I felt proud, for I guessed that my uncle had set me this task for two +reasons: first, to show his trust in me, and, secondly, to acquaint +me with the state of his possessions, but as it were in the way of +business. By nightfall I had finished and checked the copy which with +the original I hid in my robe when the green-robed waiting maid summoned +me to eat. + +At our meal my uncle asked me what I had seen that day and I +replied--naught but figures and crabbed writing--and handed him the +parchments which he compared item by item. + +"I am pleased with you," he said at last, "for heresofar I find but a +single error and that is my fault, not yours; also you have done two +days' work in one. Still, it is not fit that you who are accustomed +to the open air should bend continually over deeds and inventories. +Therefore, to-morrow I shall have another task for you, for like +yourself your horse needs exercise." + +And so he had, for with two stout servants riding with me and guiding +me, he sent me out of London to view a fair estate of his upon the +borders of the Thames and to visit his tenants there and make report of +their husbandry, also of certain woods where he proposed to fell oak for +shipbuilding. This I did, for the servants made me known to the tenants, +and got back at night-fall, able to tell him all which he was glad to +learn, since it seemed that he had not seen this estate for five long +years. + +On another day he sent me to visit ships in which goods of his were +being laden at the wharf, and on another took me with him to a sale of +furs that came from the far north where I was told the snow never melts +and there is always ice in the sea. + +Also he made me known to merchants with whom he traded, and to his +agents who were many, though for the most part secret, together with +other goldsmiths who held moneys of his, and in a sense were partners, +forming a kind of company so that they could find great sums in sudden +need. Lastly, his clerks and dependents were made to understand that if +I gave an order it must be obeyed, though this did not happen until I +had been with him for some time. + +Thus it came about that within a year I knew all the threads of John +Grimmer's great business, and within two it drifted more and more into +my hands. The last part of it with which he made me acquainted was that +of lending money to those in high places, and even to the State itself, +but at length I was taught this also and came to know sundry of these +men, who in private were humble borrowers, but if they met us in the +street passed us with the nod that the great give to their inferiors. +Then my uncle would bow low, keeping his eyes fixed upon the ground and +bid me do the same. But when they were out of hearing he would chuckle +and say, + +"Fish in my net, goldfish in my net! See how they shine who presently +must wriggle on the shore. Vanity of vanities! All is vanity, and +doubtless Solomon knew such in his day." + +Hard I worked, and ever harder, toiling at the mill of all these large +affairs and keeping myself in health during such time as I could spare +by shooting at the butts with my big bow where I found that none could +beat me, or practising sword play in a school of arms that was kept by +a master of the craft from Italy. Also on holidays and on Sundays after +mass I rode out of London to visit my uncle's estates where sometimes I +slept a night, and once or twice sailed to Holland or to Calais with his +cargoes. + +One day, it was when I had been with him about eighteen months, he said +to me suddenly. + +"You plough the field, Hubert, and do not tithe the crop, but live upon +the bounty of the husbandman. Henceforward take as much of it as you +will. I ask no account." + +So I found myself rich, though in truth I spent but little, both because +my tastes were simple and it was part of my uncle's policy to make no +show which he said would bring envy on us. From this time forward he +began to withdraw himself from business, the truth being that age took +hold of him and he grew feeble. The highest of the affairs he left to +me, only inquiring of them and giving his counsel from time to time. +Still, because he must do something, he busied himself in the shop +which, as he said, he kept as a trap for the birds, chaffering in +ornaments and furs as though his bread depended upon his earning a gold +piece, and directing the manufacture of beautiful jewels and cups which +he, who was an artist, designed to be made by his skilled and highly +paid workmen, some of whom were foreigners. + +"We end where we began," he would say. "A smith was I from my +childhood and a smith I shall die. What a fate for one of the blood of +Thorgrimmer! Yet I am selling you into the same bondage, or so it would +seem. But who knows? Who knows? We design, but God decrees." + +It is to be noted that when old men cease from the occupation of their +lives, often enough within a very little time they also cease from life +itself. So it was with my uncle. Day by day he faded till at last at +the beginning of the third winter after I came to him he took to his bed +where he lay growing ever weaker till at length he died in the hour of +the birth of the new year. + +To the last his mind remained clear and strong, and never more so than +on the night of his death. That evening after I had eaten I went to his +room as usual and found him reading a beautiful manuscript of the book +of the Wisdom of Solomon that is called Ecclesiastes, a work which he +preferred to all others, since its thoughts were his. "I gathered me +also silver and gold and the peculiar treasures of kings," he read +aloud, whether to himself or to me I knew not, and went on, "So I was +great, and increased more than all that were before me. . . . Then I +looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour +that I had laboured to do; and behold all was vanity and vexation of +spirit, and there was no profit under the sun." + +He closed the book, saying, + +"So shall you find, Nephew, you, and every man in the evil days of age +when you shall say, 'I have no pleasure in them.' Hubert, I am going to +my long home, nor do I grieve. In youth I met with sorrow, for though I +have never told you, I was married then and had one son, a bright boy, +and oh! I loved him and his mother. Then came the plague and took them +both. So having naught left and being by nature one of those who could +wean himself from women, which I fear that you are not, Hubert, noting +all the misery there is in the world and how those who are called noble +whom I hate, grind down the humble and the poor, I turned myself to good +works. Half of all my gains I have given and still give to those who +minister to poverty and sickness; you will find a list of them when I am +gone should you wish to continue the bounty, as to which I do not desire +to bind you in any way. For know, Hubert, that I have left you all that +is mine; the gold and the ships with the movables and chattels to +be your own, but the lands which are the main wealth, for life and +afterwards to be your children's, or if you should die childless, then +to go to certain hospitals where the sick are tended." + +Now I would have thanked him, but he waved my words aside and went on: + +"You will be a very rich man, Hubert, one of the richest in all London; +yet set not your heart on wealth, and above all do not ape nobility or +strive to climb from the honest class of which you come into the ranks +of those idle and dissolute cut-throats and pick-brains who are called +the great. Lighten their pockets if you will, but do not seek to wear +their silken, scented garments. That is my counsel to you." + +He paused a while, picking at the bedclothes as the dying do, and +continued, + +"You told me that your mother thought you would be a wanderer, and it +is strange that now my mind should be as hers was in this matter. For +I seem to see you far away amidst war and love and splendour, holding +Wave-Flame aloft as did that Thorgrimmer who begat us. Well, go where +you are called or as occasion drives, though you have much to keep you +at home. I would that you were wed, since marriage is an anchor that few +ships can drag. Yet I am not sure, for how know I whom you should wed, +and once that anchor is down no windlass will wind it up and death alone +can cut its chain. One word more. Though you are so young and strong +remember that as I am, so shall you be. To-day for me, to-morrow for +thee, said the wise old man, and thus it ever was and is. + +"Hubert, I do not know why we are born to struggle and to suffer and at +last be noosed with the rope of Doom. Yet I hope the priests are right +and that we live again, though Solomon thought not so; that is, if we +live where there is neither sin nor sorrow nor fear of death. If so, be +sure that in some new land we shall meet afresh, and there I shall ask +account of you of the wealth I entrusted to your keeping. Think of me +kindly at times, for I have learned to love you who are of my blood, and +while we live on in the hearts of those we love, we are not truly dead. +Come hither that I may bless you in your coming in and going out while +you still look upon the sun." + +So he blessed me in beautiful and tender words, and kissed me on the +brow, after which he bade me leave him and send the woman to watch him, +because he desired to sleep. + +When she looked at him at midnight just as the bells rang in the new +year, he was dead. + +According to his wish John Grimmer, the last of that name, was buried by +the bones of his forgotten wife and child, who had left the world over +fifty years before, in the chancel of that church in the Cheap which +was within a stone's throw of his dwelling house. By his desire also +the funeral was without pomp, yet many came to it, some of them of high +distinction, although the day was cold and snowy. I noted, moreover, the +deference they showed to me who by now was known to be his heir, even +if they had never spoken with me before, as was the case with certain +of them, taking occasion to draw me aside and say that they trusted that +their ancient friendship with my honoured uncle would be continued by +myself. + +Afterwards I looked up their names in his private book and found that +one and all of those who had spoken thus owed moneys to his estate. + +When the will was sworn and I found myself the master of many legions, +or rather of more money, land, and other wealth than I had ever dreamed +of, at first I was minded to be rid of trade and to take up my abode +upon one or other of my manors, where I might live in plenty for the +rest of my days. In the end, however, I did not do so, partly because +I shrank from new faces and surroundings, and partly because I was sure +that such would not have been my uncle's wish. + +Instead I set myself to play and outpass his game. He had died very +rich; I determined that I would die five or ten times richer; the +richest man in England if I could, not because I cared for money, of +which indeed I spent but little upon myself, but because the getting +of it and the power that it brought, seemed to me the highest kind +of sport. So bending my mind to the matter I doubled and trebled his +enterprises on this line and on that, and won and won again, for even +where skill and foresight failed, Fortune stood my friend with a such +strange persistence that at length I became superstitious and grew +frightened of her gifts. Also I took pains to hide my great riches from +the public eye, placing much of them in the names of others whom I could +trust, and living most modestly in the same old house, lest I should +become a man envied by the hungry and marked for plunder by the +spendthrift great. + + + +It was during the summer following my uncle's death that I went to the +wharves to see to the unloading of a ship that came in from Venice, +bearing many goods from the East on my account, such as ivory, silks, +spices, glass, carpets, and I know not what. Having finished my business +and seen these precious things warehoused, I handed over the checking of +a list of them to another and turned to seek my horse. + +Then it was that I saw a number of half-grown lads and other idlers +mobbing a man who stood among them wrapped in a robe of what looked like +tattered sheepskin, yet was not because the wool on it was of a reddish +hue and very long and soft, which robe was thrown over his head hiding +his face. At this man--a tall figure who stood there patiently like +a martyr at the stake--these lewd fellows were hurling offal, such as +fishes' heads and rotted fruits that lay in plenty on the quay, together +with coarse words. "Blackamoor" was one I caught. + +Such sights were common enough, but there was a quiet dignity of +bearing about this victim which moved me, so that I went to the rabble +commanding them to desist. One of them, a rough bumpkin, not knowing +who I was, pushed me aside, bidding me mind my own business, whereupon, +being very strong, I dealt him such a blow between the eyes that he +went down like a felled ox and lay there half stunned. His companions +beginning to threaten me, I blew upon my whistle, whereon two of my +serving-men, without whom I seldom rode in those troublous times, ran +up from behind a shed, laying hands upon their short swords, on seeing +which the idlers took to their heels. + +When they had gone I turned to look at the stranger, whose hood had +fallen back in the hustling, and saw that he was about thirty years of +age, and of a dark and noble countenance, beardless, but with straight +black hair, black flashing eyes, and an aquiline nose. Another thing +I noted about him was that the lobe of his ear was pierced and in a +strange fashion, since the gristle was stretched to such a size that +a small apple could have been placed within its ring. For the rest the +man's limbs were so thin as though from hunger, that everywhere his +bones showed, while his skin was scarred with cuts and scratches, and +on his forehead was a large bruise. He seemed bewildered also and very +weak, yet I think he understood that I was playing a friend's part to +him, for he bowed towards me in a stately, courteous way and kissed the +air thrice, but what this meant at the time I did not know. + +I spoke to him in English, but he shook his head gently to show that he +did not understand. Then, as though by an afterthought, he touched his +breast several times, and after each touch, said in a voice of strange +softness, "Kari," which I took it he meant was his name. At any rate, +from that time forward I called him Kari. + +Now the question was how to deal with him. Leave him there to be mocked +or to perish I could not, nor was there anywhere whither I could send +him. Therefore it seemed the only thing to do was to take him home with +me. So grasping his arm gently I led him off the quay where our horses +were and motioned to him to mount one that had been ridden by a servant +whom I bade to walk. At the sight of these horses, however, a great +terror took hold of him for he trembled all over, a sweat bursting +out upon his face, and clung to me as though for protection, making it +evident that he had never seen such an animal before. Indeed, nothing +would persuade him to go near them, for he shook his head and pointed +to his feet, thus showing me that he preferred to walk, however weak his +state. + +The end of it was that walk he did and I with him from Thames side to +the Cheap, since I dared not leave him alone for fear lest he should +run away. A strange sight we presented, I leading this dusky wanderer +through the streets, and glad was I that night was falling so that few +saw us and those who did thought, I believe, that I was bringing some +foreign thief to jail. + +At length we reached the Boat House as my dwelling was called, from the +image of the old Viking vessel that my uncle had carved and set above +the door, and I led him in staring about him with all his eyes, which in +his thin face looked large as those of an owl, taking him up the stairs, +which seemed to puzzle him much, for at every step he lifted his leg +high into the air, to an empty guest room. + +Here besides the bed and other furniture was a silver basin with its +jug, one of the beautiful things that John Grimmer had brought I know +not whence. On these Kari fixed his eyes at once, staring at them in +the light of the candles that I had lit, as though they were familiar to +him. Indeed, after glancing at me as though for permission, he went to +the jug that was kept full of water in case of visitors of whom I had +many on business, lifted it, and after pouring a few drops of the water +on to the floor as though he made some offering, drank deeply, thus +showing that he was parched with thirst. + +Then without more ado he filled the basin and throwing off his tattered +robe began to wash himself to the waist, round which he wore another +garment, of dirty cotton I thought, which looked like a woman's +petticoat. Watching him I noted two things, that his poor body was as +scratched and scarred as though by old thorn wounds, as were his face +and hands, also marked with great bruises as though from kicks and +blows, and secondly that hung about his neck was a wondrous golden image +about four inches in length. It was of rude workmanship with knees bent +up under the chin, but the face, in which little emeralds were set for +eyes, was of a great and solemn dignity. + +This image Kari washed before he touched himself with water, bowing to +it the while, and when he saw me observing him, looked upwards to the +sky and said a word that sounded like _Pachacamac_, from which I took +it to be some idol that the poor man worshipped. Lastly, tied about his +middle was a hide bag filled with I knew not what. + +Now I found a washball made of oil of olives mixed with beech ash and +showed him the use of it. At first he shrank from this strange thing, +but coming to understand its office, served himself of it readily, +smiling when he saw how well it cleansed his flesh. Further, I fetched +a shirt of silk with a pair of easy shoes and a fur-lined robe that had +belonged to my uncle, also hosen, and showed him how to put them on, +which he learned quickly enough. A comb and a brush that were on the +table he seemed to understand already, for with them he dressed his +tangled hair. + +When all was finished in a fashion, I led him down the stairs again to +the eating-room where supper was waiting, and offered him food, at +the sight of which his eyes glistened, for clearly he was well-nigh +starving. The chair I gave him he would not sit on, whether from respect +for me or because it was strange to him, I do not know, but seeing a low +stool of tapestry which my uncle had used to rest his feet, he crouched +upon this, and thus ate of whatever I gave him, very delicately though +he was so hungry. Then I poured wine from Portugal into a goblet and +drank some myself to show him that it was harmless, which, after tasting +it, he swallowed to the last drop. + +The meal being finished which I thought it was well to shorten lest +he should eat too much who was so weak, again he lifted up his eyes as +though in gratitude, and as a sign of thankfulness, or so I suppose, +knelt before me, took my hand, and pressed it against his forehead, +thereby, although I did not know it at the time, vowing himself to +my service. Then seeing how weary he was I conducted him back to the +chamber and pointed out the bed to him, shutting my eyes to show that +he should sleep there. But this he would not do until he had dragged the +bedding on to the floor, from which I gathered that his people, whoever +they might be, had the habit of sleeping on the ground. + +Greatly did I wonder who this man was and from what race he sprang, +since never had I seen any human being who resembled him at all. Of one +thing only was I certain, namely, that his rank was high, since no noble +of the countries that I knew had a bearing so gentle or manners so fine. +Of black men I had seen several, who were called negroes, and others of +a higher sort called Moors; gross, vulgar fellows for the most part and +cut-throats if in an ill-humour, but never a one of them like this Kari. + +It was long before my curiosity was satisfied, and even then I did not +gather much. By slow degrees Kari learned English, or something of it, +though never enough to talk fluently in that tongue into which he always +seemed to translate in his mind from another full of strange figures of +thought and speech. When after many months he had mastered sufficient of +our language, I asked him to tell me his story which he tried to do. All +I could make of it, however, came to this. + +He was, he said, the son of a king who ruled over a mighty empire far +far away, across thousands of miles of sea towards that part of the sky +where the sun sank. He declared that he was the eldest lawful son, born +of the King's sister, which seemed dreadful to my ideas though perhaps +he meant cousin or relative, but that there were scores of other +children of his father, which, if true, showed that this king must be +a very loose-living man who resembled in his domesticities the wise +Solomon of whom my uncle was so fond. + +It appeared, further, according to the tale, that this king, his father, +had another son born of a different mother, and that of this son he was +fonder than of my guest, Kari. His name was Urco, and he was jealous +of and hated Kari the lawful heir. Moreover, as is common, a woman came +into the business, since Kari had a wife, the loveliest lady in all the +land, though as I understood, not of the same tribe or blood as himself, +and with this wife of his Urco fell in love. So greatly did he desire +her, although he had plenty of wives of his own, that being the general +of the King's troops, he sent Kari, with the consent of their father, to +command an army that was to fight a distant savage nation, hoping +that he would be killed, much as David did in the matter of Uriah +and Bathsheba, of whom the Bible tells the story. But as it happened, +instead of being killed like Uriah, Kari conquered the distant nation, +and after two years returned to the King's court, where he found that +his brother Urco had led astray his wife whom he had taken into his +household. Being very angry, Kari recovered his wife by command of the +King, and put her to death because of her faithlessness. + +Thereon the King, his father, a stern man, ordered him into banishment +because he had broken the laws of the land, which did not permit of +private vengeance over a matter of a woman who was not even of the royal +blood, however fair she might be. Before he went, however, Urco, who was +mad at the loss of his love, caused some kind of poison to be given to +Kari, which although it does not kill, for he dared not kill him because +of his station, deprives him who takes it of his reason, sometimes +for ever and sometimes for a year or more. After this, said Kari, he +remembered little or nothing, save long travellings in boats and through +forests, and then again upon a raft or boat on which he was driven +alone, for many, many days, drinking a jar of water which he had with +him, and eating some dried flesh and with it a marvellous drug of his +people, some of which remained to him in the leathern bag that has power +to keep the life in a man for weeks, even if he is labouring hard. + +At last, he declared, he was picked up by a great ship such as he had +never seen before, though of this ship he recalled little. Indeed he +remembered nothing more until he found himself upon the quay where I +discovered him, and of a sudden his mind seemed to return but he said +he believed that he had come ashore in a boat in which were fishermen, +having been thrown into it by the people on the ship which went on +elsewhere, and that he had walked up the shores of a river. This story +the bruises on his forehead and body seemed to bear out, but it was far +from clear, and by the time I learned it months afterwards of course no +traces of the fishermen or their boat could be found. I asked him the +name of the country from which he came. He answered that it was called +_Tavantinsuyu_. He added that it was a wonderful country in which were +cities and churches and great snow-clad mountains and fertile valleys +and high plains and hot forests through which ran wide rivers. + +From all the learned men whom I could meet, especially those who +had travelled far, I made inquiries concerning this country called +Tavantinsuyu, but none of them had so much as heard its name. Indeed, +they declared that my brown man must have come from Africa, and that his +mind being disordered, he had invented this wondrous land which he said +lay far away to the west where the sun sank. + +So there I must leave this matter, though for my part I was sure that +Kari was not mad, whatever he might have been in the past. A great +dreamer he was, it is true, who declared that the poison which his +brother had given him had "eaten a hole in his mind" through which he +could see and hear things which others could not. Thus he was able to +read the secret motives of men and women with wonderful clearness, so +much so that sometimes I asked him, laughing, if he could not give me +some of that poison that I might see into the hearts of those with whom +I dealt. Of another thing, too, he was always certain, namely, that he +would return to his country Tavantinsuyu of which he thought day and +night, and that _I should accompany him_. At this I laughed again and +said that if so it would be after we were both dead. + +By degrees he learned English quite well and even how to read and write +it, teaching me in return much of his own language which he called +_Quichua_, a soft and beautiful tongue, though he said that there were +also many others in his country, including one that was secret to the +King and his family, which he was not allowed to reveal although he knew +it. In time I mastered enough of this Quichua to be able to talk to Kari +in brief sentences of it when I did not wish others to understand what I +said. + +To tell the truth, while I studied thus and listened to his marvellous +tales, a great desire arose in me to see this land of his and to open +up a trade with it, since there he declared gold was as plentiful as +was iron with us. I thought even of making a voyage of discovery to +the west, but when I spoke of it to certain sea-captains, even the most +venturesome mocked at me and said that they would wait for that journey +till they "went west" themselves, by which in their sea parlance that +they had learned in the Mediterranean, they meant until they died.[*] +When I told Kari this he smiled in his mysterious way and answered that +all the same, I and he should make that journey together and this before +we died, a thing that came about, indeed, though, not by my own will or +his. + + [*] Of late there has been much dispute as to the origin of + the phrase "to go west," or in other words, to die. Surely + it arises from the custom of the Ancient Egyptians who, + after death, were ferried across the Nile and entombed upon + the western shore.--Ed. + +For the rest when Kari saw my workmen fashioning gold and setting +jewels in it for sale to the nobles and ladies of the Court, he was much +interested and asked if he might be allowed to follow this craft, of +which he said he understood something, and thus earn the bread he ate. I +answered, yes, for I knew that it irked his proud nature to be dependent +on me, and gave him gold and silver with a little room having a furnace +in it where he could labour. The first thing he made was an object about +two inches across, round and with a groove at the back of it, on the +front of which he fashioned an image of the sun having a human face and +rays of light projecting all about. I asked him what was its purpose, +whereon he took the piece and thrust it into the lobe of his ear where +the gristle had been stretched in the fashion that I have described, +which it fitted exactly. Then he told me that in his country all +the nobles wore such ornaments and that those who did so were called +"ear-men" to distinguish them from the common people. Also he told me +many other things too long to set out, which made me desire more than +ever to see this empire with my eyes, for an empire and no less he +declared it to be. + +Afterwards Kari made many such ornaments which I sold for brooches with +a pin set at the back of them. Also he shaped other things, for his +skill as a goldsmith was wonderful, such as cups and platters of strange +design and rich ornamentation which commanded a great price. But on +every one of them, in the centre or some other part of the embossment, +appeared this image of the sun. I asked him why. He answered because the +sun was his god and his people were Sun-worshippers. I reminded him that +he had said that a certain Pachacamac whose image he wore about his neck +was his god. To this he replied: + +"Yes, Pachacamac is the god above gods, the Creator, the Spirit of the +World, but the Sun is his visible house and raiment that all may see +and worship," a saying that I thought had truth in it, seeing that all +Nature is the raiment of God. + +I tried to instruct him in our faith, but although he listened patiently +and I think understood, he would not become a Christian, making it +very plain to me that he thought that a man should live and die in the +religion in which he was born and that from what he saw in London he did +not hold that Christians were any better than those who worshipped +the sun and the great spirit, Pachacamac. So I abandoned this attempt, +although there was danger to him while he remained a heathen. Indeed +twice or thrice the priests made inquiry concerning his faith, being +curious as to all that had to do with him. However, I silenced them by +pretending that I was instructing him as well as I was able and that as +yet he did not know enough English to hearken to their holy expositions. +Also when they became persistent I made gifts to the monasteries to +which they belonged, or if they were parish priests, then to their cures +or churches. + +Still I was troubled about this matter, for some of these priests were +very fierce and intolerant, and I was sure that in time they would push +the business further. + +One more thing I noticed about Kari, namely, that he shrank from women +and indeed seemed to hate them. The maids who had remained with me since +my uncle's death noticed this, by nature as it were, and in revenge +would not serve him. The end of it was that, fearing lest they should do +him some evil turn with the priests or otherwise, I sent them away and +hired men to take their place. This distaste of Kari for women I set +down to all that he had suffered at the hands of his false and beautiful +wife not wrongly as I think. + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE COMING OF BLANCHE + +One day, it was the last of the year, the anniversary of the death of my +uncle whose goodness and wisdom I pondered on more and more as time went +by, having a little time to spare from larger affairs, I chanced to be +in the shop in the front of the house, which, as John Grimmer had said, +he kept as a trap to "snare the ladybirds," and I continued, because I +knew that he would not wish that anything should be changed. Here I was +pleasing myself by looking over such pieces as we had to sell which the +head craftsman was showing to me, since myself I knew little of them, +except as a matter of account. + +Whilst I was thus engaged there entered the shop a very fine lady +accompanied by a still finer lordling arrayed so similarly that, at +first sight, in their hooded ermine cloaks it was difficult to know +which was man and which was woman. When they threw these aside, however, +for the shop was warm after the open air, I knew more than that, since +with a sudden stoppage of the heart I saw before me none other than the +lady Blanche Aleys and her relative, the lord Deleroy. + +She, who in the old days of the Hastings burnings had been but a lily +bud, was now an open flower and beautiful exceedingly; indeed in her own +fashion the most beautiful woman that ever I beheld. Tall she was and +stately as a lily bloom, white as a lily also, save for those wondrous +blue eyes over which curled the dark lashes. In shape, too, she was +perfect, full-breasted, yet not too full, small-waisted, and with +delicate limbs, a very Venus, such an one as I had seen in ancient +marble brought in a ship from Italy and given, as I believe, to the +King, who loved such things, to be set up in his palace. + +My lord also was yet handsomer than he had been, more set and manly, +though still he affected his coxcomb party-coloured dress with the +turned-up shoes of which the points were fastened by little golden +chains beneath the knee. Still he was a fine man with his roving black +eyes, his loose mouth and little pointed beard from which, as from his +hair, came an odour of scents. Seeing me in my merchant's gown, for I +remained mindful of my uncle's advice as regards attire, he spoke to me +as great men do to shop-keepers. + +"Well met, Goldsmith," he said in his round, well-trained voice, "I +would make a new-year gift to the lady here, and I am told that you have +plate-wares of the best; gold cups and jewels of rich and rare design, +stamped all of them with the image of the sun which one would wish to +remember on such a day as this. But hearken, let John Grimmer himself +come to serve me for I would treat with no underlings, or take me to him +where he is." + +Now I bowed before him, rubbing my hands, and answered, for so the +humour led me: "Then I fear that I must take my lord farther than my +lord would wish to travel just at present, though who knows? Perchance, +like the rest of us, he may take that journey sooner than he thinks." + +Now at the sound of my voice I saw the lady Blanche stare at me, trying +to catch sight of my face beneath the hood which I wore on this cold +day, while Deleroy started and said briefly: + +"Your meaning?" + +"It is plain, my lord. John Grimmer is dead and I know not where +he dwells at present since he took that secret with him. But I, who +unworthily carry on his trade, am at your lordship's service." + +Then I turned and bade the shopman command Kari to come hither and bring +with him the choicest of our cups and jewels. + +He went and I busied myself in setting stools for these noble customers +to rest on before the fire. As I did so by chance my hand touched that +of the lady Blanche, whereat once more she strove to peer beneath my +hood. It was as though the nature in her knew that touch again, as by +some instinct every woman does, if once the toucher's lips have been +near her own, though it be long ago. But I only turned my head away and +drew that hood the closer. + +Now Kari came and with him the shopman, bearing the precious wares. Kari +wore a wool-lined robe, very plain, which yet became him so well that +with his fine-cut face and flashing eyes he looked like an Eastern +prince disguised. At him this fine pair stared, for never had they seen +such a man, but taking no note, with many bows he showed the jewels one +by one. Among these was a gem of great value, a large, heart-shaped ruby +that Kari had set in a surround of twisted golden serpents with heads +raised to strike and little eyes of diamonds. Upon this brooch the lady +Blanche fixed her gaze and discarding all others, began to play with it, +till at length the lord Deleroy asked the price. I consulted with Kari, +explaining that myself I did not handle this branch of my business, then +named it carelessly; it was a great sum. + +"God's truth! Blanche," said Deleroy, "this merchant thinks I am made of +gold. You must choose a cheaper ornament for your new year's gift, or he +will have to wait for payment." + +"Which mayhap I should be willing to do from one of your quality, my +lord," I interrupted, bowing. + +He looked at me and said: + +"Can I have a word apart with you, merchant?" + +Again I bowed and led him to the eating-room where he gazed about him, +amazed at the richness of the furnishings. He sat him down upon a carven +chair while I stood before him humbly and waited. + +"I am told," he said at length, "that John Grimmer did other business +besides that of selling jewels." + +"Yes, my lord, some foreign trade." + +"And some home trade also. I mean that he lent money." + +"At times, my lord, and on good security, if he chanced to have any at +command, and at a certain interest. Perhaps my lord will come to his +point." + +"It is short and clear. Those of us who are at Court always want money +where it is needful if we would have advancement and earn the royal +favour of one who does not pay, at least in gold." + +"Be pleased to state the amount and the security offered, my lord." + +He did so. The sum was high and the security was bad. + +"Are there any who would stand surety for my lord?" + +"Yes, one of great estate, Sir Robert Aleys, who has wide lands in +Sussex." + +"I have heard the name, and if my lord will bid his lawyers put the +matter in writing, I will cause the lands to be valued and give an +answer as quickly as may be." + +"For a young man you are careful, merchant." + +"Alas! such as I need to be who must guard our small earnings in these +troublous times of war and tumult. Such a sum as you speak of would take +all that John Grimmer and I have laid by after years of toil." + +Again he looked at the furnishings of the room and shrugged his +shoulders, then said: + +"Good, it shall be done for the need is urgent. To whom is the letter to +be sent?" + +"To John Grimmer, at the Boat House, Cheapside." + +"But you told me that John Grimmer was dead." + +"And so he is, my lord, but his name remains." + +Then we returned to the sop and as we went I said, + +"If your lordship's lady should set her heart upon the ruby the cost of +it can stand over a while, since I know that it is hard for a husband to +disappoint a wife of what she desires." + +"Man, she is my distant cousin, not my wife. I would she were, but how +can two high-placed paupers wed?" + +"Perhaps it is for this reason that my lord wishes to borrow money." + +Again he shrugged his shoulders, and as we entered the shop I threw back +the hood from off my head upon which I wore a merchant's cap of velvet. +The lady Blanche caught sight of me and started. + +"Surely, surely," she began, "you are he who shot the three arrows at +the cave's mouth at Hastings." + +"Yes, my lady, and did your hawk escape the dogs upon the London road?" + +"Nay, it was crippled and died, which was the first of many troubles, +for I think my luck rode away with you that day, Master Hubert of +Hastings," she added with a sigh. + +"There are other hawks and luck returns," I replied, bowing. "Perhaps +this trinket will bring it back to you, my lady," and taking the +snake-surrounded ruby heart, I proffered it to her with another bow. + +"Oh!" she said, her blue eyes shining with pleasure, "oh! it is +beautiful, but whence is the price to come for so costly a thing?" + +"I think the matter is one that can wait." + +At that moment the lord Deleroy broke in, saying, + +"So you are the man who slew the French knight with an ancient sword, +and afterwards shot three other Frenchmen with three shafts, sending +one of them through shield and mail and body, a tale that was spoken of +afterwards, even in London. God's truth! you should be serving the King +in the wars, not yourself behind the counter." + +"There are many ways of serving, my lord," I answered, "by pen and +merchandise as well as by steel and shafts. Now with me it is the turn +of the former, though perhaps the ancient sword and the great black bow +wait till their time comes again." + +He stared at me and muttered, half to himself: + +"A strange merchant and a grim, as those dead Frenchmen may have +thought. I tell you, Sir Trader, that your talk and the eyes of that +tall Moor of yours turn my back cold; it is as though someone walked +over my grave. Come, Blanche, let us begone ere our horses be chilled as +I am. Master Grimmer, or Hastings, you shall hear from me, unless I can +do my business otherwise, and for the trinket send me a note at your +leisure." + +Then they went, but as the lady Blanche left the shop she caught her +robe and turned to free it, while she did so flashing at me one of her +sweet looks such as I remembered well. + +Kari followed to the door and watched them mount their horses at the +gate, then he searched the ground with his eyes. + +"What was it hooked her cloak?" I asked. + +"A dream, or the air, Master, for there is nothing else to which it +could have hung. Those who would throw spears behind them must first +turn round." + +"What think you of those two, Kari?" + +"I think that they will not pay for your jewel, but perhaps this was but +a bait upon the hook." + +"And what more, Kari?" + +"I think that the lady is very fair and false, and that the great lord's +heart is as black as are his eyes. Also I think that they are dear to +each other and well matched. But it seems that you have met them both +before, Master, so you will know better about them than your slave." + +"Yes, I have met them," I answered sharply, for his words about Blanche +angered me, adding, "I have noted, Kari, that you have never a good word +for any one whom I favour. You are jealous-natured, Kari, especially of +women." + +"You ask, I answer," he replied, falling into broken English, as was his +fashion when moved, "and it is true that those who have much love, are +much jealous. That is a fault in my people. Also I love not women. Now +I go make another piece for that which Master give the lady. Only this +time it all snake and no heart." + +He went, taking the tray of jewels with him, and I, too, went to the +eating-room to think. + +How strange was this meeting. I had never forgotten the lady Blanche, +but in a sense I had lived her memory down and mindful of my uncle's +counsel, had not sought to look upon her again, for which reason I kept +away from Hastings where I thought that I should find her. And now here +she was in London and in my house, brought thither by fate. Nor was that +all, since those blue eyes of hers had re-lighted the dead fires in my +heart and, seated there alone, I knew that I loved her; indeed had never +ceased to love her. She was more to me than all my wealth, more than +anything, and alas! between us there was still a great gulf fixed. + +She was not wed, it was true, but she was a highly placed lady, and I +but a merchant who could not even call myself a squire, or by law wear +garments made of certain stuffs which I handled daily in my trade. How +might that gulf be crossed? + +Then as I mused there rose in my mind a memory of certain sayings of my +wise old uncle, and with it an answer to the question. Gold would bridge +the widest streams of human difference. These fine folk for all their +flauntings were poor. They came to me to borrow money wherewith to gild +their coronets and satisfy the importunate creditors at their door, lest +they should be pulled from their high place and forced back into the +number of the common herd as those who could no longer either give or +pay. + +And after all, was this difference between them and me so wide? The +grandsire of Sir Robert Aleys, I had been told, gathered his wealth by +trade and usury in the old wars; indeed, it was said that he was one who +dealt in cattle, while Lord Deleroy was reported to be a bastard, if of +the bluest blood, so blue that it ran nigh to the royal purple. Well, +what was mine? On the father's side, Saxon descended from that of Thanes +who went down before the Normans and thereafter became humble landed +folk of the lesser sort. On the mother's, of the race of the old +sea-kings who slew and conquered through all the world they knew. Was I +then so far beneath these others? Nay, but like my father and my uncle I +was one who bought and sold and the hand of the dyer was stained to the +colour of his vat. + +Thus stood the business. I, a stubborn man, not ill-favoured, to whom +Fortune had given wealth, was determined to win this woman who, it +seemed to me, looked upon me with no unkind eye since I had saved her +from certain perils. To myself then and there I swore I would win her. +The question was--how could it be done? I might enter the service of +the King and fight his battles and doubtless win myself a knighthood, or +more, which would open the closed gate. + +Nay, it would take too long, and something warned me that time pressed. +That strange foreign man, Kari, said that Blanche was enamoured of this +Deleroy, and although I was wrath with him, setting his words down to +jealousy of any on whom I looked with kindness, I knew well that Kari +saw far. If I tarried, this rare white bird would slip from my hand into +another's cage. I must stir at once or let the matter be. Well, I had +wealth, so let wealth be my friend. Time enough to try war when it +failed me. + + + +On the third day of the new year, which at this time of Court revelry +showed that the matter must indeed be pressing, I received those +particulars for which I had asked, together with a list of the lands and +tenements that Sir Robert Aleys was ready to put in pawn on behalf of +his friend and relative, the lord Deleroy. Why should he do this, I +wondered? There could only be one answer: because he and not Deleroy was +to receive the money, or most of it. + +Nay, another came into my mind as probable. Because he looked upon +Deleroy as his heir, which, should he marry the lady Blanche, he would +become. If this were so I must act, and quickly, that is, if I would +ever see more of the lady Blanche, as perchance I might do by treading +this gold-paved road, but not otherwise. I studied the list of lands. +As it chanced I knew most of them, for they lay about Pevensey and +Hastings, and saw that they were scarcely worth the moneys which were +asked of me. Well, what of it? This matter was not one of trade and +large as the sum might be, I would risk it for the chance of winning +Blanche. + +The end of it was that waiting for no valuings I wrote that on proof of +title clean and unencumbered and completion of all deeds, I would pay +over the gold to whoever might be appointed to receive it. + +This letter of mine proved to be but the beginning of a long business +whereof the details may be left untold. On the very next day indeed +I was summoned to the house of Sir Robert Aleys which was near to the +palace and abbey of Westminster. Here I found the gruff old knight grown +greyer and having, as it seemed to me, a hunted air, and with him the +lord Deleroy and two foxy lawyers of whom I did not like the look. +Indeed, for the first, I suspected that I was being tricked and had it +not been for the lady Blanche, would have broken off the loan. Because +of her, however, this I did not do, but having stated my terms anew, and +the rate and dates of interest, sat for a long while saying as little +as possible, while the others unfolded parchments and talked and talked, +telling tales that often contradicted each other, till at length the +lord Deleroy, who seemed ill at ease, grew weary and left the chamber. +At last all was done that could be done at that sitting and it being +past the hour of dinner, I was taken in to eat, consenting, because I +hoped that I should see the lady Blanche. + +A butler, or chamber-groom, led me to the dining-hall and sat me with +the lawyers at a table beneath the dais. Presently on this dais appeared +Sir Robert Aleys, his daughter Blanche, the lord Deleroy, and perhaps +eight or ten other fine folk whom I had never seen. She, looking about +her, saw me seated at the lower table, and spoke to her father and +Deleroy, reasoning with the latter, as it would appear. Indeed, in +a sudden hush I caught some of her words. They were, "If you are not +ashamed to take his money, you should not be ashamed to sit at meat with +him." + +Deleroy stamped his foot, but the end of it was that I was summoned +to the high table where the lady Blanche made place for me beside her, +while Deleroy sat himself down between two splendid dames at the other +end of the board. + +Here, then, I stayed by Blanche who, I noted, wore the ruby heart +encircled by serpents. Indeed, this was the first thing of which she +spoke to me, saying, + +"It looks well upon my robe, does it not, and I thank you for it, Master +Hubert, who know surely that it is not my cousin Deleroy's gift, but +yours, since for it you will never see your money." + +By way of answer I looked at the sumptuous plate and furnishings, the +profusion of the viands, and the number of the serving-men. Reading my +thought, she replied, + +"Aye, but pledged, all of it. I tell you, Master Hubert, that we are +starved hounds, though we live in a kennel with golden bars. And now +they would pawn you that kennel also." + +Then, while I wondered what to say, she began to talk of our great +adventure in bygone years, recalling every tiny thing that had happened +and every word that had been spoken between us, some of which I had +forgotten. Of one thing only she said nothing--the kisses with which we +parted. Amongst much else, she spoke of how the ancient sword had shorn +through the armour of the French knight, and I told her that the sword +was named Wave-Flame and that it had come down to me from my ancestor, +Thorgrimmer the Viking, and of what was written on its blade, to all of +which she listened greedily. + +"And they thought you not fit to sit at meat with them, you whose race +is so old and who are so great a warrior, as you showed that day. And +it is to you that I owe my life and more than life, to you and not to +them." + +So saying she shot a glance at me that pierced me through and through, +as my arrows had pierced the Frenchmen, and what is more beneath the +cover of the board for a moment let her slim hand rest upon my own. + +After this for a while we were silent, for indeed I could not speak. +Then we talked on as we could do well enough, since there was no one on +my left where the board ended, and on Blanche's right was a fat old +lord who seemed to be deaf and occupied himself in drinking more than he +should have done. I told her much about myself, also what my mother had +said to me on the day of the Burning, and of how she had prophesied that +I should be a wanderer, words at which Blanche sighed and answered: + +"Yet you seem to be well planted in London and in rich soil, Master +Hubert." + +"Aye, Lady, but it is not my native soil and for the rest we go where +Fate leads us." + +"Fate! What does that word bring to my mind? I have it; yonder Moor of +yours who makes those jewels. He has the very eyes of Fate and I fear +him." + +"That is strange, Lady, and yet not so strange, for about this man there +is something fateful. Ever he swears to me that I shall accompany him to +some dim land where he was born, of which land he is a prince." + +Then I told her all the story of Kari, to which she listened open-eyed +and wondering, saying when I had finished, + +"So you saved this poor wanderer also, and doubtless he loves you well." + +"Yes, Lady, almost too well, seeing that at times he is jealous of me, +though God knows I did little for him save pick him from a crowd upon +the quay." + +"Ah! I guess it, who saw him watching you the other day. Yet it is +strange, for I thought that only women could be jealous of men, and men +of women. Hush! they are mocking us because we talk so friendly." + +I looked up, following her glance, and saw that Deleroy and the two fine +ladies between whom he sat, all of whom appeared to have had enough of +wine, were pointing at us. Indeed, in a silence, such as now and again +happens at feasts, I heard one of them say, + +"You had best beware lest that fair white dove of yours does not slip +your hand and begin to coo in another's ear, my Lord Deleroy," and heard +his answer, + +"Nay, I have her too fast, and who cares for a pining dove whereof the +feathers adorn another's cap?" + +Whilst I was wondering what this dark talk might mean the company broke +up, the lady Blanche gliding away through a door at the back of the +dais, followed, as I noted, by Deleroy who seemed flushed and angry. + +Many times I visited that prodigal house which seemed to me to be the +haunt of folk who, however highly placed and greatly favoured at +Court, were as loose in their lives as they were in their talk. Indeed, +although I was no saint, I liked them not at all, especially the men +with their scented hair, turned-up shoes, and party-coloured clothes. +Nor as I thought, did Sir Robert Aleys like them, who, whatever his +faults, was a bluff knight of the older sort, who had fought with credit +in the French wars. Yet I noted that he seemed to be helpless in their +hands, or rather in those of Deleroy, the King's favourite, who was the +chief of all the gang. It was as though that gay and handsome young man +had some hold over the old soldier, yes, and over his daughter also, +though what this might be I could not guess. + +Now I will move on with the tale. In due course the parchments were +signed and delivered, and the money in good gold was paid over on my +behalf, after which the great household at Westminster became more +prodigal than before. But when the time came for the discharge of the +interest due not a groat was forthcoming. Then afterwards there was talk +of my taking over certain of the pledged lands in lieu of this interest. +Sir Robert suggested this and I assented, because Blanche had told me +that it would help her father. Only when the matter was set on foot +by my lawyers was it found that these lands were not his to transfer, +inasmuch as they had been already mortgaged to their value. + +Then there was a fierce quarrel between Sir Robert Aleys and the lord +Deleroy, at which I was present. Sir Robert with many oaths accused his +cousin of having forged his name when he was absent in France, while +Deleroy declared that what he did was done with due authority. Almost +they drew swords on each other, till at length Deleroy took Aleys aside +and with a fierce grin whispered something into his ear which caused the +old knight to sink down on a stool and call out, + +"Get you gone, you false rogue! Get out of this house, aye, and out +of England. If I meet you again, by God's Blood I swear that King's +favourite or no King's favourite, I'll throat you like a hog!" + +To which Deleroy mocked in answer: + +"Good! I'll go, my gentle cousin, which it suits me well to do who have +certain business of the King's awaiting me in France. Aye, I'll go and +leave you to settle with this worthy trader who may hold that you have +duped him. Do it as you will, except in one fashion, of which you know. +Now a word with my cousin Blanche and another at the Palace and I ride +for Dover. Farewell, Cousin Aleys. Farewell, worthy merchant for whose +loss I should grieve, did I not know that soon you will recoup yourself +out of gentle pockets. Mourn not over me over much, either of you, since +doubtless ere so very long I shall return." + +Now my blood flamed up and I answered: + +"I pray you do not hurry, my lord, lest you should find me waiting for +you with a shield and a sword in place of a warrant and a pen." + +He heard and called out, "Fore God, this chapman thinks himself a +knight!" + +Then with a mocking laugh he went. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +MARRIAGE--AND AFTER + +Sir Robert and I stood facing each other speechless with rage, both of +us. At length he said in a hoarse voice: + +"Your pardon, Master Hastings, for the affronts that this bastard +lordling has put upon you, an honest man. I tell you that he is a +loose-living knave, as you would agree if you knew all his story, a +cockatrice that for my sins I have nurtured in my bosom. 'Tis he that +has wasted all my substance; 'tis he that has made free of my name, so +that I fear me you are defrauded. 'Tis he that uses my house as though +it were his own, bringing into it vile women of the Court, and men that +are viler still, however high their names and gaudy their attire," and +he choked with his wrath and stopped. + +"Why do you suffer these things, sir?" I asked. + +"Forsooth because I must," he answered sullenly, "for he has me and mine +by the throat. This Deleroy is very powerful, Master Hastings. At a word +from him whispered in the King's ear, I, or you, or any man might find +ourselves in the Tower accused of treason, whence we should appear no +more." + +Then, as though he wished to get away from the subject of Deleroy and +his hold upon him, he went on: + +"I fear me that your money, or much of it, is in danger for Deleroy's +bond is worthless, and since the land is already pledged without my +knowledge, I have nowhere to turn for gold. I tell you that I am an +honest man if one who has fallen into ill company, and this wickedness +cuts me deep, for I know not how you will be repaid." + +Now a thought came to me, and as was my bold fashion in all business, I +acted on it instantly. + +"Sir Robert Aleys," I said, "should it be pleasing to you and another, +I can see a way in which this debt may be cancelled without shame to you +and yet to my profit." + +"Then in God's name speak it! For I see none." + +"Sir, in bygone time, as it chanced I was able yonder at Hastings to do +some service to your daughter and in that hour she took my heart." + +He started but motioned to me to continue. + +"Sir, I love her truly and desire more than anything to make her my +wife. I know she is far above me in station, still although but a +merchant, I am of good descent as I can prove to you. Moreover, I +am rich, for this money that I have advanced to you, or to the lord +Deleroy, is but a small part of my wealth which grows day by day through +honest trade. Sir, if my suit were accepted I should be ready, not only +to help you further on certain terms, but by deed and will to settle +most of it upon the lady Blanche and upon our children. Sir, what say +you?" + +Sir Robert tugged at his red beard and stared down at the floor. +Presently he lifted his head and I saw that his face was troubled, the +face of a man, indeed, who is struggling with himself, or, as I thought, +with his pride. + +"A fair offer fairly put," he said, "but the question is, not what I +say, but what says Blanche." + +"Sir, I do not know who have never asked her. Yet at times I have +thought that her mind towards me is not unkind." + +"Is it so? Well, perhaps now that he--well, let that lie. Master +Hastings, you have my leave to try your fortune and I tell you straight +that I hope it will be good. With your wealth your rank may be soon +mended and you are an honest man whom I should be glad to welcome as a +son, for I have had enough of these Court knaves and painted Jezebels. +But if such is your fancy towards Blanche, my counsel to you is that you +put it quickly to the proof--aye, man, at once. Mark my words, for such +a swan as she is many snares are set beneath the dirty waters of this +Court." + +"The sooner the better, sir." + +"Good. I'll send her to you and, one word more--be not over shy, or +ready to take the first 'no' for an answer, or to listen to the tale of +bygone fancies, such as all women have." + +Then suddenly he went, leaving me there wondering at his words and +manner, which I did not understand. This I understood, however, that he +desired that I should marry Blanche, which considering all things I held +somewhat strange, although I had the wealth she lacked. Doubtless, I +thought, it must be because his honour had been touched on the matter +of the trick that had been played upon him without his knowledge. Then I +ceased from these wonderings and gave my thought to what I should say to +Blanche. + +I waited a long while and still she did not come, till at last I +believed that she was away from the house, or guessing my business, had +refused to see me. At length, however, she entered the room, so silently +that I who was staring at the great abbey through a window-place never +heard the door open or close. I think that some sense of her presence +must have drawn me, since suddenly I turned to see her standing before +me. She was clad all in white, having a round cap or coronet upon her +head beneath which her shining fair hair was looped in braids. Her +little coat, trimmed with ermine, was fastened with a single jewel, that +ruby heart embraced by serpents which I had given her. She wore no other +ornament. Thus seen she looked most lovely and most sweet and all my +heart went out in yearning for her. + +"My father tells me that you wish to speak with me, so I have come," she +said in her low clear voice, searching my face curiously with her large +eyes. + +I bowed my head and paused, not knowing how to begin. + +"How can I serve you, who, I fear, have been ill served?" she went on +with a little smile as though she found amusement in my confusion. + +"In one way only," I exclaimed, "by giving yourself in marriage to me. +For that I seek, no less." + +Now her fair face that had been pale became stained with red and she +let her eyes fall as though she were searching for something among the +rushes that strewed the floor. + +"Hearken before you answer," I continued. "When first I spoke with you +on that bloody day at Hastings and you had but just come to womanhood, I +loved you and swore to myself that I would die to save you. I saved you +and we kissed and were parted. Afterwards I tried to put you out of my +heart, knowing that you were set far above me and no meat for such as I, +though still for your sake I wooed no other woman in marriage. The years +went by and fortune brought us together again, and lo! the old love was +stronger than before. I know that I am not worthy of you who are so high +and good and pure. Still----" and I stopped, lacking words. + +She moved uneasily and the red colour left her cheeks as though she had +been suddenly pained. + +"Bethink you," she said with a touch of hardness in her voice, "can +one who lives the life I live and keeps my company, remain as holy and +unstained as you believe? If you would gather such a lily, surely you +should seek it in a country garden, not in the reek of London." + +"I neither know nor care," I answered, whose blood was all afire. "I +know only that wherever you grow and from whatever soil, you are the +flower I would pluck." + +"Bethink you again; an ugly slug might have smeared my whiteness." + +"If so the honest sun and rain will recover and wash it and I am a +gardener who scatters lime to shrivel slugs." + +"If to this one you will not listen, then hear another argument. +Perchance I do not love you. Would you win a loveless bride?" + +"Perchance you can learn of love, or if not, I have enough to serve for +two." + +"By my faith! it should not be difficult with a man so honest and so +well favoured. And yet--a further plea. My cousin Deleroy has cheated +you" (here her face hardened), "and I think I am offered to you by my +father in satisfaction of his honour, as men who have no gold offer a +house or a horse to close a debt." + +"It is not so. I prayed you of your father. The loss, if loss there be, +is but a chance of trade, such as I face every day. Still, I will be +plain and tell you that I risked it with open eyes, expecting nothing +less, that I might come near to you." + +Now she sat herself down in a chair, covering her face with her hands, +and I saw from the trembling of her body that she was sobbing. While I +wondered what to do, for the sight wrung me, she let fall her hands and +there were tears upon her face. + +"Shall I tell you all my story, you good, simple gentleman?" she asked. + +"Nay, only two things. Are you the wife of some other man?" + +"Not so, though perhaps--once I went near to it. What is the other +question?" + +"Do you love some other man so that your heart tells you it is not +possible that you should ever love me?" + +"No, I do not," she answered almost fiercely, "but by the Rood! I hate +one." + +"Which is no affair of mine," I said, laughing. "For the rest, let it +sleep. Few are they that know life's wars who have no scar to hide, and +I am not one of them, though in truth your lips made the deepest yonder +by the cave at Hastings." + +When she heard this she coloured to her brow and forgetting her tears, +laughed outright, while I went on: + +"Therefore let the past be and if it is your will, let us set our eyes +upon the future. Only one promise would I ask of you, that never again +will you be alone with the lord Deleroy, since one so light-fingered +with a pen would, I think, steal other things." + +"By my soul! the last thing I desire is to be alone with my cousin +Deleroy." + +Now she rose from the chair and for a little while we stood facing +each other. Then she very slightly opened her arms and lifted her face +towards me. + +Thus did Blanche Aleys and I become affianced, though afterwards, when I +thought the business over, I remembered that never once did she say that +she would marry me. This, however, troubled me little, since in such +matters it is what women do that weighs, not what they say. For the rest +I was mad with love of her, also both then and as the days went by, more +and more did she seem to be travelling on this same road of Love. If +not, indeed she acted well. + +Within a month we were wed on a certain October day in the church of +St. Margaret's at Westminster. Once it was agreed all desired to push on +this marriage, and not least Blanche herself. Sir Robert Aleys said that +he wished to be gone from London to his estates in Sussex, having had +enough of the Court and its ways, desiring there to live quietly till +the end; I, being so much in love, was on fire for my bride, and Blanche +herself vowed that she was eager to become my wife, saying that our +courtship, which began on Hastings Hill, had lasted long enough. For the +rest, there was nothing to cause delay. I cancelled Sir Robert's debt +to me and signed a deed in favour of his daughter and her offspring, +whereof I gave a copy to his lawyer and there was nought else to be done +except to prepare my house for her which, with money at command, was +easy. + +No great business was made of this marriage, since neither his kin nor +Sir Robert himself wished to noise it about that his only child, the +last of his House, was taking a merchant for her husband to save her and +him from wreck. Nor did I, the merchant, wish to provoke talk amongst +those of my own station, especially as it was known that I had advanced +moneys to these fine folks of the Court. So it came about that few were +asked to the ceremony that was fixed for an early hour, and of these +not many came, because on that day, although it was but October, a great +gale with storms of rain began to blow, the greatest indeed that I had +known in my life. + +Thus it chanced that we were wed in an almost empty church while the +fierce wind, thundering against the windows, overcame the feeble voice +of the old priest, so that he looked like one acting in a show without +words. The darkness caused by the thick rain was so deep, also, that +scarce could I see my bride's lovely face or find the finger upon which +I must set the ring. + +At length it was done and we went down the aisle to find our horses +whereon we must ride to my house in Cheapside, where there was to be +a feast for my dependents and such of my few friends as cared to come, +among whom were not numbered any grand folk from Westminster. As we +drew near the church door I noted among those who were present those +two gaudy ladies between whom Deleroy had sat at that meal after the +business of the loan was settled. Moreover, I heard one of them say: + +"What will Deleroy do when he comes back to find his darling gone?" and +the other answer with a high laugh: + +"Seek another, doubtless, or borrow more money from the merchant, +and----" Here I lost their talk in the rush of the wind through the +opened door. + +In the porch was old Sir Robert Aleys. + +"Mother of God!" he shouted, "may the rest of the lives of you two be +smoother than your nuptials. No Cheapside feast for me, I'm for home +in such fiend's weather. Farewell, son Hubert, and all joy to you. +Farewell, Blanche. Learn to be obedient as a wife and keep your eyes for +your husband's face, that is my counsel to you. Till we meet again at +Christmastide in Sussex, whither I ride to-morrow, farewell to both of +you." + +Farewell, it was indeed, for never did either of us look on him again. + +Wrapped close in our cloaks we battled through the storm and at length, +somewhat breathless, reached my house in the Cheap where the garlands of +autumn flowers and greenery that I had caused to be wreathed from posts +before the door were all torn away by the gale. Here I welcomed my wife +as best I could, kissing her as she crossed the threshold and saying +certain sweet words that I had prepared, to which she smiled an answer. +Then the women took her to her chamber to make herself ready and +afterwards came the feast, which was sumptuous of its sort, though the +evil weather kept some of the guests away. + +Scarcely had it begun when Kari, who of late had been sad-faced and +brooding, and who did not eat with us, entered and whispered to me that +my Master of Lading from the docks prayed to see me at once on a matter +which would brook no delay. Making excuse to Blanche and the company, +I went out to see him in the shop and found the man much disturbed. It +seemed that a certain vessel of mine that I had rechristened _Blanche_ +in honour of my wife, which lay in the stream ready to sail, was in +great danger because of the tempest. Indeed, she was dragging at her +anchor, and it was feared that unless more anchors could be let down she +would come ashore and be wrecked against the jetty-heads or otherwise. +The reason why this had not been done, was that only the master and one +sailor were on board the vessel; the rest were feasting ashore in honour +of my marriage, and refused to row out to her, saying that the boat +would be swamped in the gale. + +Now this ship, although not very large, was the best and staunchest that +I owned, being almost new; moreover, the cargo on board of her, laden +for the Mediterranean, was of great value, so great indeed that its loss +would have been very grievous to me. Therefore, it was plain that I must +see to the matter without delay, since from my servant's account there +was no hope that these rebellious sailors would listen to any lesser man +than myself. So, if I would save the ship and her cargo, I must ride for +the docks at once. + +Going back to the eating-chamber, in a few words I told my wife and the +guests how the matter stood, praying the oldest man among the latter +to take my place by the bride, which he did unwillingly, muttering that +this was an unlucky marriage feast. + +Then it was that Blanche rose, beseeching me earnestly and almost with +tears that I would take her with me to the docks. I laughed at her, as +did the company, but still she besought with much persistence, till I +began to believe that she must be afraid of something, though the others +cried that it was but love and fear lest I should come to harm. + +In the end I made her drink a cup of wine with me, but her hand shook so +much that she spilled the cup and the rich red wine ran down her breast, +staining the whiteness of her robe, whereat some women among the company +murmured, thinking it a bad omen. At length with a kiss I tore myself +away, for I could bide no longer and the horses were waiting presently. +So I was riding for the docks as fast as the storm would suffer, with +tiles from the roofs, and when we were clear of these the torn-off limbs +of trees hurtling round me. Kari, I should say, would have accompanied +me, but I took a serving-man, bidding Kari bide where he was in the +house in case he might be of service. + +At last we came safely to the docks where I found all as my cargo-master +had described. The ship _Blanche_ was in great peril and dragging every +minute towards a pierhead which, if she struck, would stave her in and +make an end of her. The men, too, were still feasting in the inn with +their wharfside trollops, and some of them half drunk. I spoke to them, +showing them their shame, and saying that if they would not come, I and +my man would take a boat and get aboard alone and this upon my wedding +day. Then they hung their heads and came. + +We won to the ship safely though with much toil and danger, and there +found the master almost crazed with fear and doubt of the issue, and the +man with him injured by a falling block. Indeed, this poor captain clung +to the rail, watching the cable as it dragged the anchor and fearing +every moment lest it should part. + +The rest is soon told. We got out two more anchors and did other things +such as sailors know, to help in such a case. When all was as safe as +it could be made, I and my man and four sailors started for the quay, +telling the master that I would return upon the morrow. The wind and +current aiding us, we landed safe and sound and at once I rode back to +Cheapside. + +Now, though it is short to tell, all this had taken a long while, also +the way was far to ride in such a storm. Thus it came about that it was +nigh to ten o'clock at night when, thanking God, I dismounted at the +gate of my house and bade the servant take the horses to the stable. As +I drew near the door, it opened, which astonished me and, as the light +within showed, there stood Kari. What astonished me still more, he had +the great sword, Wave-Flame, in his hand, though not drawn, which sword +he must have fetched from where it was kept with the French knight's +armour and the shield that bore three arrows as a cognizance. + +Laying his finger on his lips he shut the door softly, then said in a +low voice: + +"Master, there is a man up yonder with the lady." + +"What man?" I asked. + +"That same lord, Master, who came here with her once before to buy +jewels and borrow gold. Hearken. The feast being finished the guests +went away at fall of night, but the wife-lady withdrew herself into the +chamber that is called sun-room (the solar), that up the stairs, which +looks out on the street. About one hour gone there came a knock at the +door. I who was watching, opened, thinking it was you returned, and +there stood that lord. He spoke to me, saying: + +"'Moor-man, I know that your master is from home, but that the lady is +here. I would speak with her.' + +"Now I would have turned him away, but at that moment the lady herself, +who it seemed was watching, came down the stairs, looking very white, +and said: + +"'Kari, let the lord come in. I have matters of your master's business +about which I must talk with him.' So, Master, knowing that you had lent +money to this lord, I obeyed, though I liked it not, and having fetched +the sword which I thought perchance might be needed, I waited." + +This was the substance of what he said, though his talk was more broken +since he never learned to speak English well and helped it out with +words of his own tongue, of which, as I have told, he had taught me +something. + +"I do not understand," I exclaimed, when he had finished. "Doubtless +it is little or nothing. Yet give me the sword, for who knows? and come +with me." + +Kari obeyed, and as I went up the stairs I buckled Wave-Flame about me. +Also Kari brought two candles of Italian wax lighted upon their stands. +Coming to the door of the solar I tried to open it, but it was bolted. + +"God's truth!" I said, "this is strange," and hammered on the panel with +my fist. + +Presently it opened, but before entering it, for I feared some trick, +I stood without and looked in. The room was lit by a hanging lamp and +a fire burned brightly on the hearth, for the night was cold. In an oak +chair by the fire and staring into it sat Blanche still as any statue. +She glanced round and saw me in the light of the candles that Kari held, +and again stared into the fire. Half-way between her and the door stood +Deleroy, dressed as ever in fine clothes, though I noted that his cape +was off and hung over a stool near the fire as though to dry. I noted +also that he wore a sword and a dagger. I entered the room, followed by +Kari, shut the door behind me and shot the bolt. Then I spoke, asking: + +"Why are you here with my wife, Lord Deleroy?" + +"It is strange, Master merchant," he answered, "but I was about to put +much the same question to you: namely, why is _my_ wife in your house?" + +Now, while I reeled beneath these words, without turning her head, +Blanche by the fire said: + +"He lies, Hubert. I am not his wife." + +"Why are you here, my Lord Deleroy?" I repeated. + +"Well, if you would know, Master merchant, I bring a paper for you, or +rather a copy of it, for the writ itself will be served on you to-morrow +by the King's officers. It commits you to the Tower under the royal +seal for trading with the King's enemies, a treason that can be proved +against you, of which as you know, or will shortly learn, the punishment +is death," and as he spoke he threw a writing down upon a side table. + +"I see the plot," I answered coldly. "The King's unworthy favourite, +forger and thief, uses the King's authority to try to bring the King's +honest subject to bonds and death by a false accusation. It is a common +trick in these days. But let that be. For the third time I ask you--why +are you here with my new-wed wife and at this hour of the night?" + +"So courteous a question demands a courteous answer, Master merchant, +but to give it I must trouble you to listen to a tale." + +"Then let it be like my patience, brief," I replied. + +"It shall," he said with a mocking bow. + +Then very clearly and quietly he set out a dreadful story, giving dates +and circumstances. Let that story be. The substance of it was that he +had married Blanche soon after she reached womanhood and that she had +borne him a child which died. + +"Blanche," I said when he had done, "you have heard. Is this true?" + +"Much of it is true," she answered in that strange, cold voice, still +staring at the fire. "Only the marriage was a false one by which I +was deceived. He who celebrated it was a companion of the Lord Deleroy +tricked out as a priest." + +"Do not let us wrangle of this matter," said Deleroy. "A man who mixes +with the world like yourself, Master merchant, will know that women in a +trap rarely lack excuses. Still if it be admitted that this marriage +did not fulfil all formalities, then so much the better for Blanche +and myself. If she be your lawful wife and not mine, you, I learn, have +signed a writing in her favour under which she will inherit your great +wealth. That indenture I think you can find no opportunity to dispute, +and if you do I have a promise that the property of a certain traitor +shall pass to me, the revealer of his treachery. Let it console you in +your last moments, Master merchant, to remember that the lady whom you +have honoured with your fancy will pass her days in wealth and comfort +in the company of him whom she has honoured with her love." + +"Draw!" I said briefly as I unsheathed my sword. + +"Why should I fight with a base, trading usurer?" he asked, still +mocking me, though I thought that there was doubt in his voice. + +"Answer your own question, thief. Fight if you will, or die without +fighting if you will not. For know that until I am dead you do not leave +this room living." + +"Until I dead too, O Lord," broke in Kari in his gentle voice, bowing in +his courteous foreign fashion. + +As he did so with a sudden motion Kari shook the cloak back from his +body and for the first time I saw that thrust through his leathern belt +was a long weapon, half sword and half dagger, also that its sharpened +steel was bare. + +"Oh!" exclaimed Deleroy, "now I understand that I am trapped and that +when you told me, Blanche, that this man would not return to-night and +that therefore we were safe together, you lied. Well, my Lady Blanche, +you shall pay for this trick later." + +Whilst he spoke thus, slowly, as though to gain time, he was looking +about him, and as the last word left his lips, knowing that the door was +locked, he dashed for the window, hoping, I suppose, to leap through the +casement, or if that failed, to shout for help. But Kari, who had set +the candles he bore on a side table, that where the writing lay, read +his mind. With a movement more swift than that of a polecat leaping on +its prey, the swiftest indeed that ever I saw, he sprang between him and +the casement, so that Deleroy scarce escaped pinning himself upon the +steel that he held in his long, outstretched arm. Indeed, I think it +pricked his throat, for he checked himself with an oath and drew +his sword, a double-edged weapon with a sharp point, as long as mine +perhaps, but not so heavy. + +"I see that I must finish the pair of you. Perchance, Blanche, you will +protect my back as a loving wife should do, until this lout is done +with," he said, swaggering to the last. + +"Kari," I commanded, "hold the candles aloft that the light may be good, +and leave this man to me." + +Kari bowed and took the copper taper stands, one in either hand, and +held them aloft. But first he placed his long dagger, not back in his +belt, but between his teeth with the handle towards his right hand. Even +then in some strange fashion I noted how terrible looked this grim dark +man holding the candles high with the knife gripped between his white +teeth. + +Deleroy and I faced each other in the open space between the fire and +the door. Blanche turned round upon her stool and watched, uttering no +sound. But I laughed aloud for of the end I had no doubt. Had there been +ten Deleroys I would have slain them all. Still presently I found there +was cause to doubt, for when, parrying his first thrust, I drove at him +with all my strength, instead of piercing him through and through the +ancient sword, Wave-Flame, bent in my hand like a bow as it is strung, +telling me that beneath his Joseph's coat of silk Deleroy wore a shirt +of mail. + +Then I cried: "_A-hoi!_" as Thorgrimmer my ancestor may have done when +he wielded this same sword, and while Deleroy still staggered beneath +my thrust I grasped Wave-Flame with both hands, wheeled it aloft, and +smote. He lifted his arm round which he had wound his cloak, to protect +his head, but the sword shore through cloak and arm, so that his hand +with the glittering rings upon it fell to the floor. + +Again I smote for, as both of us knew, this business was to the death, +and Deleroy fell down dead, smitten through the brain. + +Kari smiled gently, and lifting the cloak, shook it out and threw it +over what had been Deleroy. Then he took my sword and while I watched +him idly, cleansed it with rushes from the floor. + +Next I heard a sound from the neighbourhood of the fire, and bethinking +me of Blanche turned to speak to her, though what I was going to say God +knows for I do not. + +A terrible sight met my eyes and burned itself into my very soul so that +it could never be forgot. Blanche was leaning back in the oak chair over +which flowed her long, fair locks, and the front of her robe was red. I +remembered how she had spilt the wine at the feast and thought I saw its +stain, till presently, still staring, I noted that it grew and knew it +to be caused by another wine, that of her blood. Also I noted that from +the midst of it seen in the lamplight, just beneath the snake-encircled +ruby heart, appeared the little handle of a dagger. + +I sprang to her, but she lifted her hand and waved me back. + +"Touch me not," she whispered, "I am not fit, also the thrust is mortal. +If you draw the knife I shall die at once, and first I would speak. I +would have you know that I love you and hoped to be a good wife to you. +What I said was true. That dead man tricked me with a false marriage +when I was scarcely more than a child, and afterwards he would not +mend it with an honest. Perchance he himself was wed, or he had other +reasons, I do not know. My father guessed much but not all. I tried +to warn you when you offered yourself, but you were deaf and blind and +would not see or listen. Then I gave way, liking you well and thinking +that I should find rest, as indeed I do; thinking also that I should be +wealthy and able to shut that villain's mouth with gold. I never knew +he was coming here or even that he had sailed home from France, but he +broke in upon me, having learned that you were away, and was about to +leave when you returned. He came for money for which he believed that +I had wed, and thinking to win me back from one doomed by his lies to a +traitor's death. You know the rest, and for me there was but one thing +to do. Be glad that you are no longer burdened with me and go find +happiness in the arms of a more fortunate or a better woman. Fly, and +swiftly, for Deleroy had many friends and the King himself loved him +as a brother--as well he may. Fly, I say, and forgive--forgive! Hubert, +farewell!" + +Thus she spoke, ever more slowly and lower, till with the last word her +life left her lips. + + + +Thus ended the story of my marriage with Blanche Aleys. + + + + +BOOK II + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE NEW WORLD + +They were forever silent now, who, but a breath before, had been so full +of life and the stir of mortal passion; Deleroy dead beneath the cloak +upon the floor, Blanche dead in the oaken chair. We who remained alive +were silent also. I glanced at Kari's face; it was as that of a stone +statue on a tomb, only in it his large eyes shone, noting all things +and, as I imagined in my distraught fancy, filled with triumph and +foreknowledge. Considering it in that strange calm of the spirit which +sometimes supervenes on great and terrible events that for a while crush +its mortality from the soul and set it free to marvel at the temporal +pettiness of all we consider immediate and mighty, I wondered what was +the aspect of my own. + +At the moment, I, who on this day had passed the portals of so many +emotions: that of the lover's longing for his bride won at last, only to +be lost again, that of acute and necessary business, that of the ancient +joy of battle and vengeance wreaked upon an evil man; that of the +unshuttering of my own eyes to the flame of a hellish truth, that of the +self-murder and turning to cold clay before those same eyes of her whom +I had hoped to clasp in honest love--I, I say, felt as though I, too, +were dead. Indeed all within was dead, only the shell of flesh remained +alive, and in my heart I echoed the words of my old uncle and of a wiser +than he who went before him--"Vanity of vanities! All is vanity!" + +It was Kari who spoke first, Kari as ever calm and even-voiced, saying +in his broken English of which but the substance is recorded: + +"Things have happened, good things I hold, though you, Master, may think +otherwise for a little while. Yet in this rough land of savages and +small justice these things may bring trouble. That lord brought a +writing," and he nodded towards the document on the table, "and talked +of death for _you_, Master--not for himself. And the lady, while she +still lived, she say--'Fly, fly or die!' And now?" and he glanced at the +two bodies. + +I looked at him vacantly for the numbness following the first shock was +passing away and all the eating agony of my loss began to fix its fangs +upon my heart. + +"Whither can I fly?" I asked. "And why should I fly? I am an innocent +man and for the rest, the sooner I am dead the better." + +"My Master must fly," answered Kari in swift, broken words, "because he +still live and is free. Also sorrow behind, joy before. Kari, who hate +women and read heart, Kari who drink this same bitter water long ago, +guess these things coming and think and think. No need that Master +trouble, Kari settle all and tell Master that if he do what he say, +everything come right." + +"What am I to do?" I asked with a groan. + +"Ship _Blanche_ on great river ready for sea. Master and Kari sail in +her before daybreak. Here leave everything: much land, much wealth--what +matter? Life more than these things which can get again. Come. No, one +minute, wait." + +Then he went to the body of Deleroy and with wonderful swiftness took +off it the chain coat he wore beneath his tunic, which he put on his +own body. Also he took his sword and buckled it about him, while the +parchment writ he threw upon the fire. Then he extinguished the hanging +lamp and gave me one of the candles, taking the other himself. + +At the door I held up my candle and by the light of it looked my last +upon the ashen face of Blanche, which face I knew must go with me +through all my life's days. + +Kari locked the stout oaken door of the solar from the outside and took +me into my chamber, where was the armour of the knight whom I had killed +on Hastings Hill, which armour I had caused to be altered to fit myself. +Swiftly he buckled it on to me, throwing over all a long, dark robe such +as merchants wear. From the cupboard, too, he brought the big black bow +and a sheath of arrows, also a purseful of gold pieces from where they +were kept, and with them the leathern bag which he had worn when I found +him on the quay. + +We went into the room where the feast had been held and there drank +some wine, though eat I could not. The cup from which I drank was, as it +chanced, the same in which I had pledged Blanche at the bride feast. Now +I pledged her spirit whereon I prayed God's mercy. + +We left the house and in the stable saddled two horses, strong, quiet +beasts. Then by way of the back yard we rode out into the night, none +seeing us, for by now all were asleep, and in that weather the streets +were empty, even of such as walked them in darkness. + +We reached the quay I know not how long afterwards whose mind was +full of thoughts that blotted out all else. How strange had been my +life--that was one of them. Within a few years I had risen to great +wealth, and won the woman I desired. And now where was the wealth and +where was the woman, and what was I? One flying his native land by night +with blood upon his hands, the blood of a King's favourite that, if he +were taken, would bring him to the noose. Oh! how great was the contrast +between the morn and the midnight of that day for me! "Vanity of +vanities. All is vanity!" + +I think that my mind must have wandered, for when my soul was swallowed +in this deepest pit of hell, it seemed to me that he whom I had +worshipped as a heavenly patron, St. Hubert, appeared striding by my +horse with a shining countenance and said to me: + +"Have good courage, Godson, and remember your mother's words--a wanderer +shall you be, but where'er you go the good bow and the good sword shall +keep you safe and I wander with you. Nor does all love die with one +woman's passing breath." + +This phantasy, as it were, lanced the abscess of my pain and for a +while I was easier. Also something of hope came back to me. I no longer +desired to die but rather to live and in life, not in the tomb, to find +forgetfulness. + +We reached the quay and placed the horses in a shed that served as +stables there, ridding them of their bits and saddles that they might +eat of the hay in the racks. The thought to do this came to me, which +showed that my mind was working again since still I could attend to the +wants of other creatures. Then we went to the quayside where was made +fast that boat in which I had come ashore some hours gone. There was a +moon which now and again showed between the drifting clouds, and by +the light of it I saw that the _Blanche_ lay safe at her anchors not a +bowshot away. The gale had fallen much with the rising of the moon, +as it often does, and so it came about that although the boat was +over-large for two men to handle rightly, Kari and I, by watching our +chance, were able to row it to the ship, on to which we climbed by the +ladder. + +Here we found a sailor on watch who was amazed to see us, and with his +help, made the boat fast by the tow rope to the stern of the ship. + +This done I caused the captain to be awakened and told him briefly that +as the gale had abated and tide and wind served, I desired to sail +at once. He stared at me, thinking me mad, whom he knew to have been +married but that day. + +Surely, he said, I should wait for the light and to gather up those of +the ship's company who were still ashore. I answered that I would wait +for nothing, and when he asked why, was inspired to tell him that it was +because I went about the King's business, having letters from his Grace +to deliver to his Envoys in the South Seas that brooked of no delay, +since on them hung peace or war. + +"Beware," I said to him, "how you, or any of you, dare to disobey the +King's orders, for you know that the fate of such is a short shrift and +a long rope." + +Then that captain grew frightened and summoned the sailors, who by +now had slept off their drink, and to them he told my commands. They +murmured, pointing to the sky, but when they saw me standing there, +wearing a knight's armour and looking very stern with my hand upon my +sword, when also through Kari I promised them double pay for the voyage, +they, too, grew frightened, and having set some small sails, got up the +anchors. + +So it came about that within little more than an hour of our boarding of +that ship she was running out towards the sea as fast as tide and wind +could drive her. I think that it was not too soon, for as the quay +vanished in the gloom I saw men with lanterns moving on it, and thought +to myself that perhaps an alarm had been given and they were come to +take me. + +This captain was one who knew the river well, and with the help of +another sailor he steered us down its reaches safely. By dawn we had +passed Tilbury and at full light were off Gravesend racing for the open +sea. Now it was that behind us we perceived from the rushing clouds that +the gale, which had lulled during the night, was coming up more strongly +than ever and still easterly. The sailors grew afraid again and together +with the captain vowed that it was madness to face the sea in such +weather, and that we must anchor, or make the shore if we could. + +I refused to listen to them, whereat they seemed to give way. + +At that moment Kari, who had gone forward, called to me. I went to +him and he pointed out to me men galloping along the bank and waving +kerchiefs, as though to signal to us to stop. + +"I think, Master," said Kari, "that some have entered the sun-room at +your house." + +I nodded and watched the men who galloped and waved. For some minutes I +watched them till suddenly I saw that the ship was altering her course +so that her bow pointed first one way and then another, as though she +were no longer being steered. We ran aft to learn the cause, and found +this. + +That crew of dastards, every man of them and the captain with them, had +drawn up the boat in which Kari and I came aboard, that was still tied +to the ship's stern, and slid down the rope into her, purposing to +win ashore before it was too late. Kari smiled as though he were not +astonished, but in my rage I shouted at them, calling them curs and +traitors. I think that the captain heard my words for I saw him turn +his head and look away as though in shame, but not the others. They were +engaged in hunting for the oars, only to find them gone, for it would +seem that they had been washed or had fallen overboard. + +Then they tried to set some kind of sail by aid of a boathook, but while +they were doing this, the boat, which had drifted side on to the great +waves raised by the gale upon the face of the broad river, overturned. I +saw some of the men clinging to the boat and one or two scrambling on to +her keel, but what chanced to them and the others I do not know, who had +rushed to the steering gear to set the ship upon her course again, +lest her fate should be that of the boat, or we should go ashore and be +captured by those who galloped on the bank, or be drowned. This was the +last I ever saw or heard of the crew of the _Blanche_. + +The ship's bow came round and, driven by the ever-increasing gale, she +rushed on her course towards the sea, bearing us with her, two weak and +lonely men. + +"Kari," I said, "what shall we do? Try to run ashore, or sail on?" + +He thought awhile then answered, pointing to those who galloped, now but +tiny figures on the distant bank: + +"Master, yonder is death, sure death; and yonder," here he pointed to +the sea, "is death--perhaps. Master, you have a God, and I, Kari, have +another God, mayhap same God with different name. I say--Trust our Gods +and sail on, for Gods better than men. If we die in water, what matter? +Water softer than rope, but I think not die." + +I nodded, for the reasoning seemed good. Rather would I be drowned than +fall into the hands of those who were galloping on the shore, to be +dragged back to London and a felon's doom. + +So I pressed upon the tiller to bring the _Blanche_ more into +mid-channel, and headed for the sea. Wider and wider grew the estuary +and farther and farther away the shores as the _Blanche_ scudded on +beneath her small sails with the weight of the gale behind her, till at +last there was the open sea. + +Within a few feet of the tiller was a deck-house, in which the crew ate, +built of solid oak and clamped with iron. Here was food in plenty, ale, +too, and with these we filled ourselves. Also, leaving Kari to hold the +tiller, I took off my armour and in place of it clothed myself in the +rough sea garments that lay about with tall greased boots, and then sent +him to do likewise. + +Soon we lost sight of land and were climbing the great ocean billows, +whose foamy crests rolled and spurted wherever the eye fell. We could +set no course but must go where the gale drove us, away, away we knew +not whither. As I have said, the _Blanche_ was new and strong and the +best ship that ever I had sailed in upon a heavy sea. Moreover, her +hatches were closed down, for this the sailors had done after we +weighed, so she rode the waters like a duck, taking no harm. Oh! well +it was for me that from my childhood I had had to do with ships and the +sailing of them, and flying from the following waves thus was able to +steer and keep the _Blanche's_ poop right in the wind, which seemed to +blow first from one quarter and then from that. + + + +Now over my memory of these events there comes a great confusion and +sense of amazement. All became fragmentary and disjointed, separated +also by what seemed to be considerable periods of time--days or weeks +perhaps. There was a sense of endless roaring seas before which the ship +fled on and on, driven by a screaming gale that I noted dimly seemed to +blow first from the northwest and then steadily from the east. + +I see myself, very distinctly, lashing the tiller to iron rings that +were screwed in the deck beams, and know that I did this because I +was too weak to hold it any longer and desired to set it so that the +_Blanche_ should continue to drive straight before the gale. I see +myself lying in the deck-house of which I have spoken, while Kari fed me +with food and water and sometimes thrust into my mouth little pellets of +I knew not what, which he took from the leathern bag he wore about him. +I remembered that bag. It had been on his person when I rescued him at +the quay, for I had seen it first as he washed himself afterwards, half +full of something, and wondered what it contained. Later, I had seen it +in his hand again when we left my house after the death of Blanche. I +noted that whenever he gave me one of these pellets I seemed to grow +strong for a while, and then to fall into sleep, deep and prolonged. + +After more days--or weeks, I began to behold marvels and to hear strange +voices. I thought that I was talking with my mother and with my patron, +St. Hubert; also that Blanche came to me and explained everything, +showing how little she had been to blame for all that had happened to me +and her. These things made me certain that I was dead and I was glad to +be dead, since now I knew there would be no more pain or strivings; that +the endeavours which make up life from hour to hour had ceased and +that rest was won. Only then appeared my uncle, John Grimmer, who kept +quoting his favourite text at me--"Vanity of vanities. All is vanity," +he said, adding: "Did I not tell you that it was thus years ago? Now you +have learned it for yourself. Only, Nephew Hubert, don't think that you +have finished with vanities yet, as I have, for I say that there are +plenty more to come for you." + +Thus he seemed to talk on about this and other matters, such as what +would happen to his wealth and whether the hospitals would be quick +to seize the lands to which he had given it the reversion, till I grew +quite tired of him and wished that he would go away. + +Then at length there was a great crash that I think disturbed him, +for he did go, saying that it was only another "vanity," after which I +seemed to fall asleep for weeks and weeks. + +I woke up again for a warmth and brightness on my face caused me to open +my eyes. I lifted my hand to shield them from the brightness and noted +with a kind of wonder that it was so thin that the light shone through +it as it does through parchment, and that the bones were visible beneath +the skin. I let it fall from weakness, and it dropped on to hair which I +knew must be that of a beard, which set me wondering, for it had been my +fashion to go clean-shaven. How, then, did I come by a beard? I looked +about me and saw that I was lying on the deck of a ship, yes, of the +_Blanche_ itself, for I knew the shape of her stern, also certain knots +in one of the uprights of the deck-house that formed a rude resemblance +to a human face. Nothing of this deck-house was left now, except the +corner posts between which I lay, and to the tops of these was lashed a +piece of canvas as though to keep off the sun and the weather. + +With difficulty I lifted my head a little and looked about me. The +bulwarks of the ship had gone, but some of the uprights to which +the planks had been nailed remained, and between them I perceived +tall-stemmed trees with tufts of great leaves at the top of them, which +trees seemed to be within a few yards of me. Bright-winged birds flew +about them and in their crowns I saw apes such as the sailors used to +bring home from Barbary. It would seem, then, that I must be in a river +(in fact, it was a little bay or creek, on either side of which these +trees appeared). + +Noting these and the creeping plants with beautiful flowers, such as I +had never seen, that climbed up them, and the sweet scents that floated +on the air, and the clear light, now I grew sure that I was dead and had +reached Paradise. Only then how came it that I still lay on the ship, +for never had I heard that such things also went to Paradise? Nay, +I must dream; it was nothing but a dream that I wished were true, +remembering as I did the terrors of that gale-tossed sea. Or, if I did +not dream, then I was in some new world. + +While I mused thus I heard a sound of soft footsteps and presently saw +a figure bending over me. It was Kari, very thin and hollow-eyed, much, +indeed, as he had been when I found him on the quay in London, but still +Kari without doubt. He looked at me in his grave fashion, then said +softly: + +"Master awake?" + +"Yes, Kari," I said, "but tell me, where am I?" + +He did not answer at once but went away and returned presently with +a bowl from which he bade me drink, holding it to my lips. I did +so, swallowing what seemed to be broth though I thought it strangely +flavoured, after which I felt much stronger, for whatever was in that +broth ran through my veins like wine. At last he spoke in his queer +English. + +"Master," he said, "when we still in Thames River, you ask me whether we +should run ashore into the hands of the hunters who try to catch us, +or sail on. I answer, 'You have God and I have God and better fall into +hands of gods than into hands of men.' So we sail on into the big storm. +For long we sail, and though once it turn, always the great wind blew, +behind us. You grow weak and your mind leave you, but I keep you alive +with medicine that I have and for many days I stay awake and steer. Then +at last my mind leave me, too, and I know no more. Three days ago I wake +up and find the ship in this place. Then I eat more medicine and get +strength, also food from people on the shore who think us gods. That all +the story, except that you live, not die. Your God and my God bring us +here safe." + +"Yes, Kari, but where are we?" + +"Master, I think in that country from which I come; not in my own land +which is still far away, but still in that country. You remember," he +added with a flash of his dark eyes, "I always say that you and I go +there together one day." + +"But what is the country, Kari?" + +"Master, not know its name. It big and have many names, but you first +white man who ever come here, that why people think you God. Now you go +sleep again; to-morrow we talk." + +I shut my eyes, being so very tired, and as I learned afterwards, slept +for twelve hours or more, to awake on the morning of the following day, +feeling wonderfully stronger and able to eat with appetite. Also Kari +brought me water and washed me, and clean clothes which he had found in +the ship that I put on. + +Thus it went on for a long while and day by day I recovered strength +till at length I was almost as I had been when I married Blanche Aleys +in the church of St. Margaret at Westminster. Only now sorrow had +changed me within and without my face had grown more serious, while +to it hung a short yellow beard which, when I looked at my reflection, +seemed to become me well enough. That beard puzzled me much, since +such are not grown in a day, although it is true that as yet it was not +over-long. Weeks must have passed since it began to sprout upon my chin +and as we had been but three days in this place when I woke up, those +weeks without doubt were spent upon the sea. + +Whither, then, had we come? Driving all the while before a great gale, +that for most of our voyage had blown from the east, as, if Kari were +right, we had done, this country must be very far away from England. +That it was so, indeed there could be no doubt, since here everything +was different. For example, having been a mariner from my childhood, I +had been taught and observed something of the stars, and noted that the +constellations had changed their places in the heavens, also that +some with which I was familiar were missing, while other new ones had +appeared. Further, the heat was great and constant, even at night +being more than that of our hottest summer day, and the air was full of +stinging insects, which at first troubled me much, though afterwards +I grew hardened to them. In short, everything was changed, and I was +indeed in a new world that was not told of in Europe, but what world? +What world? At least the sea joined it to the old, for beneath me was +still the _Blanche_, which timber by timber I had seen built up upon the +shores of Thames from oaks cut in my own woods. + +As soon as I was strong enough, I went over the ship, or what was left +of her. It was a marvel that she had floated for so long, since her hull +was shattered. Indeed, I do not think she could have done so, save for +the fine wool that was packed into the lower part of her, which wool +seemed to have swollen when it grew wet and to have kept the water out. +For the rest she was but a hulk, since both her masts were gone, and +much of the deck with them. Still she had kept afloat and driving into +this creek, had beached herself upon the mud as though it were the +harbour that she sought. + +How had we lived through such a journey? The answer seemed to be, after +we were too weak to find or take food, by means of the drug that Kari +cherished in his skin bag, and water of which there was plenty left at +hand in barrels, since the _Blanche_ had been provisioned for a long +voyage to Italy and farther. At least we had lived for weeks, and weeks, +being still young and very strong, and not having been called upon +to suffer great cold, since it would appear that although the gale +continued after the first few days of our flight before it, the weather +had turned warm. + +During this time of my recovery, every morning Kari would go ashore, +which he did by means of planks set upon the mud, since we were within +a few feet of the bank of the creek into which a streamlet ran. Later +he would return, bringing with him fish and wildfowl, and corn of a +sort that I did not know, for its grains were a dozen times the size of +wheat, flat-sided, and if ripe, of a yellow colour, which he said he +had purchased from those who dwelt upon the land. On this good food +I feasted, washing it down with ale and wine from the ship's stores; +indeed never before did I eat so much, not even when I was a boy. + +At length, one morning Kari made me put on my armour, the same which I +had taken from the French knight, and fled in from London, that he had +burnished till it shone like silver, and seat myself in a chair upon +what remained of the poop of the ship. When I asked him why, he answered +in order that he might show me to the inhabitants of that land. In this +chair he bade me sit and wait, holding the shield upon my arm and the +bare sword in my right hand. + +As I had come to know that Kari never did anything without a reason and +remembered that I was in a strange country where, lacking him, I should +not have lived or could continue to do so, I fell into his humour. +Moreover, I promised that I would remain still and neither speak, +nor smile, nor rise from my chair unless he bade me. So there I sat +glittering in the hot sunshine which burned me through the armour. + +Then Kari went ashore and was absent for some time. At length among the +trees and undergrowth I heard the sound of people talking in a strange +tongue. Presently they appeared on the bank of the creek, a great number +of them, very curious people, brown-skinned with long, lank black hair +and large eyes, but not over-tall in stature; men, women and children +together. + +Among them were some who wore white robes whom I took to be their +gentlefolk, but the most of them had only cloths or girdles about their +middles. Leading the throng was Kari, who, as it appeared from the +bushes, waved his hand and pointed me out seated in the shining armour +on the ship, the visor up to show my face and the long sword in my hand. +They stared, then, with a low, sighing exclamation, one and all fell +upon their faces and rubbed their brows upon the ground. + +As they lay there Kari addressed them, waving his arms and pointing +towards me from time to time. Afterwards I learned that he was telling +them I was a god, for which lie may his soul be forgiven. + +The end of it was that he bade them rise and led certain of them who +wore the white robes across the planks to the ship. Here, while they +hung back, he advanced towards me, bowing and kissing the air till +he drew near, then he went upon his knees and laid his hands upon my +steel-clad feet. More, from the bosom of his robe he drew out flowers +which he placed upon my knees as though in offering. + +"Now, Master," he whispered to me, "rise and wave your sword and shout +aloud, to show that you are alive and not an image." + +So up I sprang, circling Wave-Flame about my head and roaring like any +bull of Bashan, for my voice was always loud and carried far. When +they saw the bright sword whirling through the air and heard these +bellowings, uttering cries of fear, those poor folk fled. Indeed most of +them fell from the plank into the mud, where one stuck fast and was like +to drown, had not Kari rescued him, which his brethren were in too great +haste to do. + +After they had gone Kari came and said that everything went well and +that henceforward I was not a man but the Spirit of the Sea come to +earth, such a spirit as had never been dreamed of even by the wizards. + + + +Thus then did Hubert of Hastings become a god among those simple people, +who had never before so much as heard of a white man, or seen armour or +a sword of steel. + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE ROCKY ISLE + +For another week or more I remained upon the _Blanche_ waiting till +my full strength returned, also because Kari said I must do so. When +I asked him why, he replied for the reason that he wished news of my +coming to spread far and wide throughout the land from one tribe to +another, which it would do with great swiftness, flying, as he put it, +like a bird. Meanwhile, every day I sat upon the poop in the armour for +an hour or more, and both these people and others from afar came to look +at me, bringing me presents in such quantity that we knew not what to do +with them. Indeed, they built an altar and sacrificed wild creatures to +me, and birds, burning them with fire. Both those that I had seen and +the other folk from a long way off made this offering. + +At last one night, when, having eaten, Kari and I were seated together +in the moonshine before we slept, I turned on him suddenly, hoping thus +to surprise the truth out of his secret heart, and said: + +"What is your plan, Kari? For, know, I weary of this life." + +"I was waiting for the Master to ask that question," he replied with +his gentle smile. (Again, I give not the very words he spoke in his bad +English, but the substance of them.) "Now will the Master be pleased to +listen? As I have told the Master, I believe that the gods, his God and +my God, have brought me back to that part of the world which is unknown +to the Master, where I was born. I believed this from the first hour +that my eyes opened on it after our swoon, for I knew the trees and +the flowers and the smell of the earth, and saw that the stars in the +heavens stood where I used to see them. When I went ashore and mingled +with the natives, I discovered that this belief was right, since I could +understand something of their talk and they could understand something +of mine. Moreover, among them was a man who came from far away, who said +that he had seen me in past years, wandering like one mad, only that +this man whom he had seen wore the image of a certain god about his +neck, whose name was too high for him to mention. Then I opened my robe +and showed him that which I wear about my neck, and he fell down and +worshipped it, crying out that I was the very man." + +"If so, it is marvellous," I said. "But what shall we do?" + +"The Master can do one of two things. He can stop here, where these +simple people will make him their king and give him wives and all that +he desires, and so live out his life, since of return to the land whence +he came there is no hope." + +"And if there were I would not go," I interrupted. + +"Or," went on Kari, "he can try to travel to my country. But that is +very far away. Something of the journey which I made when I was mad +comes back and tells me that it is very, very far away. First, yonder +mountains must be crossed till another sea is reached, which is no +great journey, though rough. Then the coast of that sea must be followed +southward, for I know not how far, but, as I think, for months or years +of journeying, till at length the country of my people is reached. +Moreover, that journeying is hard and terrible, since the road runs +through forests and deserts where dwell savage tribes and huge snakes +and wild beasts, like those planted on the flag of your country, and +where famine and sicknesses are common. Therefore my counsel to the +Master is that he should leave it unattempted." + +Now I thought awhile, and asked what he meant to do if I took this +counsel of his. To which he replied: + +"I shall wait here awhile till I see the Master made a king among these +people and established in his rule. Then I shall start on that journey +alone, hoping that what I could do when I was mad I shall be able to do +again when I am not mad." + +"I thought it," I said. "But tell me, Kari, if we were to make this +journey and perchance live to reach your people, how would they welcome +us?" + +"I do not know, Master; but I think that of the master they would make +a god, as will all the other people of this country. Perhaps, too, they +will sacrifice this god that his strength and beauty may enter into +them. As for me, some of them will try to kill me and others will cling +to me. Who will conquer I do not know, and to me it matters little. I +go to take my own and to be avenged, and if in seeking vengeance I +die--well, I die in honour." + +"I understand," I said. "And now, Kari, let us start as soon as possible +before I become as mad from staring at those trees and flowers and those +big-eyed natives, that you say would make me a king, as you tell me you +were when you left your country. Whether we shall ever find that country +I cannot say. But at least we shall have done our best and, if we fail, +shall perish seeking, as in this way or in that it is the lot of all +brave men to do." + +"The Master has spoken," said Kari, even more quietly than usual, though +as he spoke I saw his dark eyes flash and a trembling as of joy run down +his body. "Knowing all, he has made his choice, and whatever happens, +being what it is, he will not blame me. Yet because the Master has thus +chosen, I say this--that if we reach my country, and if, perchance, +I become a king there, even more than before I shall be the Master's +servant." + +"That is easy to promise now, Kari, but it will be time to talk of it +when we do reach your land," I said, laughing, and asked him when we +were to start. + +He replied not yet awhile, as he must make plans, and that in the +meantime I must walk upon the shore so that my legs might grow strong +again. So there every day I walked in the cool of the morning and in the +evening, not going out of sight of the wreck. I went armed and carrying +my big bow, but saw no one, since the natives had been warned that I +should walk and must not be looked upon while I did so. Therefore, even +when I passed through one of their villages of huts built of mud and +thatched with leaves, it seemed to be deserted. + +Still, in the end the bow did not come amiss, for one evening, hearing a +little noise in a big tree under which I was about to pass that reminded +me of the purring of a cat, I looked up and saw a great beast of the +tiger sort lying on the bough of the tree and watching me. Then I drew +the bow and sent an arrow through that beast, piercing it from side to +side, and down it came roaring and writhing, and biting at the arrow +till it died. + +After this I returned to the ship and told Kari what had happened. He +said it was fortunate I had killed the beast, which was of a very fierce +kind, and if I had not seen it, would have leapt on me as I passed under +the tree. Also he sent natives to skin it who when they saw that it was +pierced through and through by the arrow, were amazed and thought me an +even greater god than before, their own bows being but feeble and their +arrows tipped with bone. + + + +Three days after the killing of this beast we started on our journey +into a land unknown. For a long while before Kari and I had been engaged +in collecting all the knives we could find in the ship, also arrows, +nails, axes, tools of carpentering, clothes, and I know not what else +besides, which goods we tied up in bundles wrapped in sailcloth, each +bundle weighing from thirty to forty pounds, to serve as presents to +natives or to trade away with them. When I asked who would carry them, +Kari answered that I should see. This I did at dawn on the following +morning when there arrived upon the shore a great number of men, quite +a hundred indeed, who brought with them two litters made of light wood +jointed like reeds, only harder, in which Kari said he and I were to be +carried. Among these men he parcelled out the loads which they were to +bear upon their heads, and then said that it was time for us to start in +the litters. + +So we started, but first I went down into a cabin and kneeling on my +knees, thanked God for having brought me safe so far, and prayed Him +and St. Hubert to protect me on my further wanderings, and if I died, to +receive my soul. This done I left the ship and while the natives bowed +themselves about me, entered my litter, which was comfortable enough, +having grass mats to lie on and other mats for curtains, very finely +woven, so that they would turn even the heaviest rain. + +Then away we went, eight men bearing the pole to which each litter was +slung on their shoulders, while others carried the bundles upon their +heads. Our road ran through forest uphill, and on the crest of the first +hill I descended from the litter and looked back. + +There in the creek below lay the wreck of the _Blanche_, now but a small +black blot showing against the water, and beyond it the great sea over +which we had travelled. Yonder broken hulk was the last link which bound +me to my distant home thousands of miles across the ocean, that home, +which my heart told me I should never see again, for how could I win +back from a land that no white foot had ever trod? + +On the deck of this ship Blanche herself had stood and smiled and +talked, for once we visited it together shortly before our marriage, and +I remembered how I had kissed her in its cabin. Now Blanche was dead +by her own hand and I, the great London merchant, was an outcast among +savages in a country of which I did not even know the name, where +everything was new and different. And there the ship with her rich +cargo, after bearing us so bravely through weeks of tempest, must lie +until she rotted in the sun and rain and never again would my eyes +behold her. Oh! then it was that a sense of all my misery and loneliness +gripped my heart as it had not done before since I rode away after +killing Deleroy with the sword Wave-Flame, and I wondered why I had been +born, and almost hoped that soon I might die and go to seek the reason. + +Back into the litter I crept and there hid my face and wept like a +child. Truly I, the prosperous merchant of London town who might have +lived to become its mayor and magistrate and win nobility, was now an +outcast adventurer of the humblest. Well, so God had decreed, and there +was no more to say. + +That night we encamped upon a hilltop past which rushed a river in the +vale below and were troubled with heat and insects that hummed and bit, +for to these as yet I was not accustomed, and ate of the food that we +had brought with us, dried flesh and corn. + +Next morning with the light we started on again, up and down mountains +and through more forests, following the course of the river and the +shores of a lake. So it went on until on the third evening from high +land we saw the sea beneath us, a different sea from that which we had +left, for it seemed that we had been crossing an isthmus, not so wide +but that if any had the skill, a canal might be cut across it joining +those two great seas. + +Now it was that our real travels began, for here, after staring at the +stars and brooding apart for a long while, Kari turned southwards. With +this I had nothing to do who did not greatly care which way he turned. +Nor did he speak to me of the matter, except to say that his god and +such memory as remained to him through his time of madness told him that +the land of his people lay towards the south, though very far away. + +So southwards we went, following paths through the forests with the +ocean on our right hand. After a week of this wearisome marching we came +to another tribe of natives of whose talk those with us could understand +enough to tell them our story. Indeed the rumour that a white god +had appeared in the land out of the sea had already reached them, and +therefore they were prepared to worship me. Here our people left us, +saying that they dared not go further from their own country. + +The scene of the departure was strange, since every one of them came and +rubbed his forehead in the dust before me and then went away, walking +backwards and bowing. Still their going did not make a great difference +to us, since the new tribe was much as the old one, though if anything, +rather less clothed and more dirty. Also it accepted me as a god without +question and gave us all the food we needed. Moreover, when we left +their land men were provided to carry the litters and the loads. + +Thus, then, passing from tribe to tribe, we travelled on southward, ever +southwards, finding always that the rumour of the coming of "the god" +had gone before us. So gentle were all these people, that not once did +we meet with any who tried to harm us or to steal our goods, or who +refused us the best of what they had. Our adventures, it is true, were +many. Thus, twice we came to tribes that were at war with other tribes, +though on my appearance they laid down their arms, at any rate, for a +time, and bore our litters forward. + +Again, sometimes we met tribes who were cannibals and then we suffered +much from want of meat, since we dared not touch their food unless it +were grain. In the town of the first of these cannibal people, being +moved with fury, I killed a man whom I found about to murder a child and +eat her, sweeping off his head with my sword. For this deed I expected +that they would murder us, but they did not. They only shrugged their +shoulders and saying that a god can do as he pleases, took away the +slain man and ate him. + +Sometimes our road ran through terrible forests where the great trees +shut out the light of day, and a path must be hacked through the +undergrowth. Sometimes it was haunted by tigers or tree lions such as I +have spoken of, against which we must watch continuously, especially +at night, keeping the brutes off by means of fires. Sometimes we were +forced to wade great rivers, or worse still, to walk over them on +swaying bridges made of cables of twisted reeds that until I grew +accustomed to them caused my head to swim, though never did I permit +myself to show fear before the natives. Again, once we came to swampy +lands that were full of snakes which terrified me much, especially after +I had seen some natives whom they bit, die within a few minutes. + +Other snakes there were also, as thick as a man's body, and four or five +paces in length, which lived in trees and killed their food by coiling +round it and pressing it to death. These snakes, it was said, would take +men in this fashion, though I never saw one of them do so. At any rate, +they were terrible to look on, and reminded me of their forefather +through whose mouth Satan talked with Mother Eve in the Garden of Eden, +and thus brought us all to woe. + +Once, too, on the bank of a great river, I saw such a snake that at +the sight of it my knees knocked together. By St. Hubert, the beast was +sixty feet or more in length; its head was of the bigness of a barrel, +and its skin was of all the colours of the rainbow. Moreover, it seemed +to hold me with its eyes, for till it slipped away into the river I +could not move a foot. + +Month after month we travelled thus, covering a matter of perhaps five +miles a day, since sometimes the country was open and we crossed it with +speed. Yet although our dangers were so many, strangely enough, during +all this time, even in that heat neither of us fell sick, as I think +because of the herb which Kari carried in his bag, that I found was +named _Coca_, whereof we obtained more as we went and ate from time to +time. Nor did we ever really suffer from starvation, since when we were +hungry we took more of this herb which supported us until we could +find food. These mercies I set down to the good offices of St. Hubert +watching from Heaven over me, his poor namesake and godson, though +perhaps the skill and courage of Kari which provided against everything +had something to do with them. + +At length, in the ninth month of our travelling, as Kari reckoned it by +means of knots which he tied on pieces of native string, for I had long +lost count of time, we came to the borders of a great desert that the +natives said stretched southwards for a hundred leagues and more and +was without water. Moreover, to the east of this desert rose a chain +of mountains bordered by precipices up which no man could climb. Here, +therefore, it seemed as though our journey must end, since Kari had no +knowledge of how he crossed or went round this desert in his madness of +bygone years, if indeed he ever travelled that road at all, a matter of +which I was not certain. + +For a week or more we remained among the tribe that lived in a beautiful +watered valley upon the borders of this desert, wondering what we should +do. For my part I was by now so tired of travelling upon an endless +quest that I should have been glad to stay among that tribe, a very +gentle and friendly people, who like all the rest believed me to be a +god, and make my home there till I died. But this was not Kari's mind, +which was set fiercely upon winning back to his own country that he +believed to lie towards the south. + +Day by day we sat there regaining our strength upon the good food of +that valley, and staring first at the desert to the south, then at the +precipices on our left hand, and lastly at the ocean upon our right. +Now this people, I should say, drew their wealth from the sea as well as +from the land, since they were great fishermen and went out upon it in +rude boats or rafts made of a wooden frame to which were lashed blown-up +skins and bundles of dried reeds. Upon these boats, frail as they +seemed, such as further south were called balsas, they made considerable +journeys to distant islands where they caught vast quantities of fish, +some of which they used to manure their land. Moreover, besides the +oars, they rigged a square cotton sail upon the balsas which enabled +them to run before the wind without labour, steering the craft by means +of a paddle at the stern. + +While we were there I observed that on the springing up of a wind from +the north, although it was of no great strength, the _balsas_ all came +to shore and were drawn up out of reach of the waves. When I inquired +why through Kari, the answer given was because the fishing season was +over, since that wind from the north would blow for a long time without +changing and those who went out in it upon the sea might be driven +southwards to return no more. They stated, indeed, that often this had +happened to venturesome men who had vanished away and been lost. + +"If you wish to travel south, there is a way of doing so," I said to +Kari. + +At the time he made no answer, but on the following day asked me +suddenly if I dared attempt such a journey. + +"Why not?" I answered. "It is as easy to die in the water as on land and +I weary of journeying through endless swamps and forests or of crossing +torrents and climbing mountain ridges." + +The end of it was that for a knife and a few nails Kari purchased the +largest _balsa_ that these people had, provisioning it with as much +dried fish, corn and water in earthenware jars as it would carry +together with ourselves, and such of our remaining goods as we wished to +take with us. Then we announced that I, the god who had come out of the +sea, desired to return into the sea with himself, my servant. + +So on a certain fine morning when the wind was blowing steadily but not +too strongly from the north, we embarked upon that _balsa_ while the +simple savages made obeisance with wonder in their eyes, hoisted the +square canvas, and sailed away upon what I suppose was one of the +maddest voyages ever made by man. + +Although it was so clumsy the _balsa_ moved through the water at a good +rate, covering quite two leagues the hour, I should say, before that +strong and steady wind. Soon the village that we had left vanished; then +the mountains behind it grew dim and in time vanished also, and there +remained nothing but the great wilderness upon our left and the vast +sea around. Steering clear of the land so as to avoid sunken rocks, we +sailed on all that day and all the night that followed, and when the +light came again perceived that we were running past a coastline that +was backed by high mountains on some of which lay snow. By the second +evening these mountains had become tremendous, and between them I saw +valleys down which ran streams of water. + +Thus we went on for three days and nights, the wind from the north +blowing all the while and the _balsa_ taking no hurt, by the end of +which time I reckon that we had travelled as far along the coast as we +had done in six months when we journeyed over land, at which I rejoiced. +Kari rejoiced also, because he said that the shape and greatness of the +mountains we were passing reminded him of those of his own country, to +which he believed that we were drawing near. + +On the fourth morning, however, our troubles began, since the friendly +wind from the north grew steadily stronger, till at length it rose to a +gale. Soon our little rag of canvas was torn away, but still we rushed +on before the following seas at a very great speed. + +Now I thought of trying to make the land, but found that we could not do +so with the oars, because of the current that set out towards the ocean +against which it was impossible to urge our clumsy craft. Therefore we +must content ourselves with trying to keep her head straight with the +steering oar, but even then we were often whirled round and round. + +About two hours after noon the sky clouded over, and there burst upon us +a great thunder-storm with torrents of rain; also the wind grew stronger +and stronger. + +Now we could no longer steer or do anything except lie flat upon +the bottom of the _balsa_, gripping the cords with which it was tied +together, to save ourselves from being washed overboard, since often +the foaming crests of the waves broke upon us. Indeed, it was marvellous +that this frail craft should hang together at all, but owing to the +lightness of the reeds and the blown-up skins that were tied in them, +still she floated and, whirling round and round, sped upon her southward +path. Yet I knew that this could not endure for very long, and committed +my soul to God as well as I was able in my half-drowned state, wishing +that my miseries were ended. + +The darkness came down, but still the thunder roared and the lightning +blazed, and by the flare of it I caught sight of snow-capped mountains +far away upon the coast, also of Kari clinging to the reeds of the +_balsa_ at my side, and from time to time kissing the golden image of +Pachacamac which hung about his neck. Presently he set his lips against +my ear and shouted: + +"Be bold! Our gods are still with us in storm." + +"Yes," I answered, "and soon we shall be with our gods--in peace." + +After this I heard no more of him, and fell to thinking with such wits +as were left to me of how many perils we had passed since we saw the +shores of Thames, and that it seemed sad that all should have been for +nothing, since it would have been better to die at the beginning than +now at the end, after so much misery. Then the glare of the lightning +shone upon the handle of the sword Wave-Flame, which was still strapped +about me, and I remembered the rune written upon it which my mother had +rendered to me upon the morning of the fight against the Frenchmen. How +did it run? + + He who lifts Wave-Flame on high + In love shall live and in battle die. + Storm-tossed o'er wide seas shall roam + And in strange lands shall make his home. + Conquering, conquered shall he be + And far away shall sleep with me. + +It fitted well, though of the love I had known little and that most +unhappy, and the battle in which I must die was one with water. Also, +I had conquered nothing who myself was conquered by Fate. In short, the +thing could be read two ways, like all prophecies, and only one line of +it was true beyond a doubt--namely, that Wave-Flame and I should sleep +together. + +Awhile later the lightning shone awesomely, like to the swords of a +whole army of destroying angels, so that the sky became alive with fire. +In its light for an instant I saw ahead of us great breakers, and beyond +them what looked like a dark mass of land. Now we were in them, for +the first of those hungry, curling waves got a hold of the _balsa_ and +tossed it up dizzily, then flung it down into a deep valley of water. +Another came and another, till my senses reeled and went. I cried to +St. Hubert, but he was a land saint and could not help me; so I cried to +Another greater than he. + +My last vision was of myself riding a huge breaker as though it were a +horse. Then there came a crash and darkness. + + + +Lo! it seemed to me as though one were calling me back from the depths +of sleep. With trouble I opened my eyes only to shut them again because +of the glare of the light. Then after a while I sat up, which gave me +pain, for I felt as if I had been beaten all over, and looked once more. +Above me shone the sun in a sky of deepest blue; before me was the sea +almost calm, while around were rocks and sand, among which crawled great +reptiles that I knew for turtles, as I had seen many of them in our +wanderings. Moreover, kneeling at my side, with the sword that he had +taken from the body of Deleroy still strapped about him, was Kari, +who bled from some wound and was almost white with encrusted salt, but +otherwise seemed unharmed. I stared at him, unable to open my mouth from +amazement, so it was he who spoke the first, saying, in a voice that had +a note of triumph in it: + +"Did I not tell you that the gods were with us? Where is your faith, +O White Man! Look! They have brought me back to the land of which I am +Prince." + +Now there was that in Kari's tone which in my weak state angered me. +Why did he scold me about faith? Why did he address me as "White Man" +instead of "Master"? Was it because he had reached a country where he +was great and I was nothing? I supposed so, and answered; + +"And are these your subjects, O noble Kari?" and I pointed to the +crawling turtles. "And is this the rich and wondrous land where gold and +silver are as mud?" and I pointed to the barren rocks and sand around. + +He smiled at my jest, and answered more humbly: + +"Nay, Master, yonder is my land." + +Then I looked, following his glance, and saw many leagues way across the +water two snowclad peaks rising above a bank of clouds. + +"I know those mountains," he went on; "without doubt they are one of the +gateways of my land." + +"Then we might as well be in London for all the hope we have of passing +that gate, Kari. But tell me what has chanced." + +"This, I think. A very great wave caught us and threw us right over +those rocks on to the shore. Look--there is the _balsa_," and he pointed +to a broken heap of reeds and pierced skins. + +With his help I rose and went to it. Now none could know that it had +been a boat. Still, the _balsa_ it was and nothing else, and tied in its +tangled mass still remained those things which we had brought with us, +such as my black bow and armour, though all the jars were broken. + +"It has borne us well, but will never bear us again," I said. + +"That is so, Master. But if we were in my own country yonder I would set +its fragments in a case of gold and place them in the Temple of the Sun +as a memorial." + +Then we went to a pool of rainwater that lay in a hollow rock near by, +and drank our fill, for we were very thirsty. Also among the ruins of +the _balsa_ we found some of the dried fish that was left to us, and +having washed it, filled ourselves. After this we limped to the crest of +the land behind and perceived that we were on a little island, perhaps +two hundred English acres in extent, whereon nothing grew except some +coarse grass. This island, however, was the haunt of great numbers of +seafowl which nested there, also of the turtles that I have mentioned, +and of certain beasts like seals or otters. + +"At least we shall not starve," I said, "though in the dry season we may +die of thirst." + + + +Now there on that island we remained for four long months. For food we +ate the turtles, which we cooked over fires that Kari made by cunningly +twirling a pointed piece of driftwood in the hollow of another piece +that he filled with the dust of dried grass. Had he lacked that +knowledge we must have starved or lived on raw flesh. As it was, we had +plenty with this meat and that of birds and their eggs, also of fish +that we caught in the pools when the tide was down. From the shells of +the turtles, by the help of stones, we built us a kind of hut to +keep off the sun and the rain, which in that hot place was sufficient +shelter; also, when the stench was out of them, we used other shells in +which to catch rainwater that we stored as best we could against seasons +of drought. Lastly, with my big bow which was saved with the armour, I +shot sea-otters, and from their pelts we made us garments after rubbing +the skins with turtle fat and handling them to make them soft. + +Thus, then, we lived from moon to moon upon that desert place, till I +thought I should go mad with loneliness and despair, for no help came +near us. There were the mountains of the mainland far away, but between +them and us stretched leagues of sea that we could not swim, nor had we +anything of which to make a boat. + +"Here we must remain until we die!" at last I cried in my wretchedness. + +"Nay," answered Kari, "our gods are still with us and will save us in +their season." + + + +This, indeed, they did in a strange fashion. + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE DAUGHTER OF THE MOON + +For the fourth time since we were cast away on this island the huge full +moon shone in a sky of wondrous blue. Kari and I watched it rise between +the two snow-clad peaks far away that he had called a gateway to his +land, which was so near to us and yet it would seem more distant than +Heaven itself. Heaven we might hope to reach upon the wings of spirit +when we died, but to that country how could we come? + +We watched that great moon climb higher and higher up a ladder of little +bar-like clouds, till wearying we let our eyes fall upon the glittering +pathway which its light made upon the bosom of the placid sea. Suddenly +Kari stared and stared. + +"What is it?" I asked idly. + +"I thought I saw something yonder far away where Quilla's footsteps make +the waters bright," he said, speaking in his own language in which now +we often talked together. + +"Quilla's?" I exclaimed. "Oh! I forgot: that is the lady moon's name in +your tongue, is it not? Well, come, Quilla, and I will wed and worship +you, as 'tis said the ancients did, and never turn to look upon another, +be she woman, or goddess, or both. Only come and take me from this +accursed isle and in payment I'll die for you, if need be, when first +I've taught you how to love as star or woman never loved before." + +"Hush!" said Kari in a grave voice, when he had listened to this mad +stuff that burst through my lips from the spring of a mind distraught by +misery and despair. + +"Why should I hush?" I asked. "Is it not pleasant to think of the moon +wearing a lovely woman's shape and descending to give a lonely mortal +love and comfort?" + +"Because, Master, to me and my people the moon is a goddess who hears +prayer and answers it. Suppose, then, that she heard you and answered +you and came to you and claimed your love, what then?" + +"Why, then, friend Kari," I raved on, "then I should welcome her, for +love goes a begging, ready as ripe fruit to be plucked by the first hand +if it be fair enough, ready to melt beneath the first lips if they be +warm enough. 'Tis said that it is the man who loves and the woman who +accepts the love. But that is not true. It is the man, Kari, who waits +to be loved and pays back just as much as is given to him, and no more, +like an honest merchant; for if he does otherwise, then he suffers for +it, as I have learned. Therefore, come, Quilla, and love as a Celestial +can and I swear that step by step I'll keep pace with you in flesh +and spirit through Heaven, or through Hell, since love I must have, or +death." + +"I pray you, talk not so," said Kari again, in a frightened voice, +"since those words of yours come from the heart and will be heard. The +goddess is a woman, too, and what woman will turn from such a bait?" + +"Let her take it, then. Why not?" + +"Because, O friend, because _Quilla_ is wed to _Yuti_; the Moon is the +Sun's wife, and if the Sun grows jealous what will happen to the man who +has robbed the greatest of the world's gods?" + +"I do not know and I do not care. If Quilla would but come and love me, +I'd take my chance of Yuti whom as a Christian I defy." + +Kari shuddered at this blasphemy, then having once more scanned that +silver pathway on the waters, but without avail for the great fish +or drifting tree or whatever he had seen, was gone, prayed after his +fashion at night, to Pachacamac, Spirit of the Universe, or to the Sun +his servant, god of the world, I know not which, and rolling himself in +his rug of skins, crept into our little hut to sleep. + +But as yet I did not sleep, for though Kari hated both, this talk of +love and women had stirred my blood and made me wakeful. So I took a +rough comb that I had fashioned from the shell of a turtle, and dragged +it through my long fair beard, which, growing fast, now hung down far +upon my breast, and through the curling hair that lay upon my shoulders, +for I had become as other wild men are, and sang to myself there by the +little fire which we kept burning day and night and tried to think of +happy things that never should I know again. + +At length the fit passed and I grew weary and laid myself down by the +fire, for the night being so fine and warm I would not go into the hut, +and there sleep found me. + +I dreamed in my sleep. I dreamed that a very beautiful woman who wore +upon her naked breast the emblem of the moon fashioned in crystal, stood +over me, looking down upon me with large dark eyes. And as she looked +she sighed. Thrice she sighed, each time more deeply than the last. Then +she knelt down by me--or so it seemed in my dream, and laid a tress of +her long dark hair against my yellow locks, as though she would match +them together. She did more, indeed--in my dream--for lifting that tress +of fragrant hair, she let it fall like thistledown across my face and +mouth, and then kissed the hair, for I felt her breath reach me through +its strands. + +The dream ended thus, though I wished very much that it would go on, and +I felt as though it had gone away as such visions do. Awhile later, as I +suppose, I awoke quite suddenly, and opened my eyes. There, near to me, +glittering in the full light of the brilliant moon, stood the woman of +my dream, only now her naked breast was covered with a splendid cloak +broidered with silver, and on her dark locks was a feathered headdress +in front of which rose the crescent of the moon, likewise fashioned in +silver. Also in her hand she held a little silver spear. + +I stared at her, for move I could not. Then remembering my crazy talk +with Kari, uttered one word, only one. It was--_Quilla_. + +She bowed her head and answered in a voice soft as the murmur of the +wind through rushes, speaking in the rich language called Quichua that +Kari had taught me. In this tongue, as I have told, we talked together +for practice during our journeys and on the island. So that now I knew +it well. + +"So indeed am I named after my mother, the 'Moon,'" she said. "But how +did you know it, O Wanderer, whose skin is white as the foam of the sea +and whose hair is yellow as the fine gold in the temples?" + +"I think you must have told me when you knelt over me just now," I said. + +I saw the red blood run to her brow, but she only shook her head, and +answered: + +"Nay, my mother, the Moon, must have told you; or perchance you learned +it in the spirit. At least, Quilla am I named and you called me aright." + +Now I stood up and stared at her, overcome by the strangeness of the +business, and she stared at me. A marvellously beautiful woman she was +in her dazzling robe and headdress, and lighter coloured than any native +I had seen, almost white, indeed, in the moonlight save for the copper +tinge that marked her race; tall, too, yet not over-tall; slim and +straight as an arrow, but high-breasted and round-limbed, and with a +wild grace in her movements like to that of a hawk upon the wing. Also +to my fancy in her face there was something more than common youthful +beauty, something spiritual, such as great artists show upon the carven +countenances of saints. + +Indeed she might well have been one whose human blood was mixed with +some other alien strain--as she had called herself, a daughter of the +Moon. + +A question rose to my lips and burst from them; it was: + +"Tell me, O Quilla, are you wife or maid?" + +"Maid am I," she answered, "yet one who is promised as a wife," and she +sighed, then went on quickly as though this matter were something of +which she did not wish to talk, "And tell me, O Wanderer, are you god or +man?" + +Now I grew cunning and answered, + +"I am a Son of the Sea as you are a Daughter of the Moon." + +She turned her head and glanced at the radiance which lay upon the face +of the deep, then said as though to herself: + +"The moon shines upon the sea and the sea mirrors back the moon, yet +they are far apart and never may draw near." + +"Not so, O Quilla. Out of the sea does the moon rise and, her course +run, into the sea's white arms she sinks to sleep at last." + +Again the red blood ran to her brow and her great eyes fell, those eyes +of which never before had I seen the like. + +"It seems that they speak our tongue in the sea, and prettily," she +murmured, adding, "But is it not from and into Heaven that the Moon +rises and departs?" + +At that moment to my grief our talk came to an end, for out of the +hut crept Kari. He rose to his feet and stood there as ever calm and +dignified, looking first at Quilla and then at me. + +"What did I tell you, Master?" he said in English. "Did I not say that +prayers such as yours are answered? Lo! here is that Child of the Moon +for whom you sought, clothed in beauty and bringing her gifts of love +and woe." + +"Yes," I exclaimed, "and I am glad that she is here. For the rest, were +she but mine, I think I should not grudge her price whate'er it be." + +Quilla looked at Kari frowning over the spear that when he appeared she +had lifted, as though to defend herself, which in my case she had not +thought needful. + +"So the sea breeds men of my own race also," she said, addressing him. +"Tell me, O Stranger, how did you and yonder white god come to this +isle?" + +"Riding on the ocean billows, riding for thousands of leagues," he +answered. "And you, O Lady, how did you come to this isle?" + +"Riding on the moonbeams," she replied, smiling, "I, the daughter of the +Moon, who am named Moon and wear her symbol on my brow." + +"Did I not tell you so?" exclaimed Kari to me with a gloomy air. + +Then Quilla went on: + +"Strangers, I was out fishing with two of my maidens and we had drifted +far from land. As the sun sank I caught sight of the smoke of your fire, +and having been told that this isle was desert, my heart drew me to +discover who had lit it. So, though my maidens were afraid, hither +I sailed and paddled, and the rest you know. Hearken! I will declare +myself. I am the only child of Huaracha, King of the People of the +Chancas, born of his wife, a princess of the Inca blood who now has been +gathered to her Father, the Sun. I am here on a visit to my mother's +kinsman, Quismancu, the Chief of the Yuncas of the Coastlands, to whom +my father, the King, has sent an embassy on matters of which I know +nothing. Behind yonder rock is my _balsa_ and with it are the two +maidens. Say, is it your wish to bide here upon this isle, or to return +into the sea, or to accompany me back to the town of Quismancu? If so, +we must sail ere the weather breaks, lest we should be drowned." + +"Certainly it is my wish to accompany you, Lady, though a god of the sea +cannot be drowned," I said quickly before Kari could speak. Indeed, he +did not speak at all, he only shrugged his shoulders and sighed, like +one who accepts some evil gift from Fate because he must. + +"So be it!" exclaimed Quilla. "Now I go to make ready the _balsa_ and to +warn the maidens lest they be frightened. When you are prepared you will +find us yonder behind the rock." + +Then she bowed in a stately fashion an departed, walking with the proud, +light step of a deer. + +From our little hut I took out my armour and with Kari's help, put +it on, because he declared that thus it would be more easily carried, +though I think he had other reasons in his mind. + +"Yes," I answered, "unless the _balsa_ oversets, when I shall find mail +hard to swim in." + +"The _balsa_ will not overset, sailing beneath the moon with that +Moon-lady for a pilot," he replied heavily. "Had the sun been up, it +might have been different. Moreover, the path into a net is always wide +and easy." + +"What net?" I asked. + +"One that is woven of women's hair, I think. Already, if I mistake not, +such a net has been about your throat, Master, and next time it will +stay there. Hearken now to me. The gods thrust us into high matters. The +Yuncas of whose chief this lady is a guest are a great people whom my +people have conquered in war, but who wait the opportunity to rebel, +if they have not already done so. The Chancas, of those king she is the +daughter, are a still greater people who for years have threatened war +upon my people." + +"Well, what of it, Kari? With such questions this lady will have nothing +to do." + +"I think she has much to do with them. I think that she knows more than +she seems to know, and that she is an envoy from the Chancas to the +Yuncas. To whom is she affianced, I wonder? Some Great One, doubtless. +Well, we shall learn in time; and meanwhile, I pray you, Master, +remember that she says she _is_ affianced, and that in this land men are +very jealous even of a white god who rises from the sea." + +"Of course I shall remember," I answered sharply. "Have I not had enough +of women who are affianced?" + +"By your prayer of the moon this night, which the moon answered so well +and quickly, one might think not. Also this daughter of hers is fair, +and perchance when she gave her hand she kept her heart. Listen again, +Master. Of me and of whom I am, say nothing, save that you found me on +this island where I dwelt a hermit when you rose from the sea. As for +my name, why, it is Zapana. Remember that if you breathe my rank and +history, however much sweet lips may try to cozen them out of you, you +bring me to my death, who now do not wish to die, having a vengeance to +accomplish and a throne to win. Therefore treat me as a dog, as one of +no account, and be silent even in your sleep." + +"I will remember, Kari." + +"That is not enough--swear it." + +"Good. I swear it--by the moon." + +"Nay, not by the moon, for the moon is woman and changes. Swear it by +this," and from beneath his skin robe he drew out the golden image of +Pachacamac. "Swear it by the Spirit of the Universe, of whom Sun and +Moon and Stars are but servants, the Spirit whom all men worship in this +shape or in that." + +So to please him I laid my hand upon the golden symbol and swore. Then, +very hurriedly, we made up a tale of how, clad in my armour, I had risen +from the sea and found him on the island, and how knowing me for a white +god who once in ages past had visited that land and who, as prophecy +foretold, should return to it in days to come, he had worshipped me and +become my slave. + +This done we went down to the rock, Kari walking after me and bearing +all our small possessions and with them Deleroy's sword. Passing round +the rock we saw the _balsa_ drawn up to the sand, and by it the lady +Quilla, who now had put off her fine robes and again was attired as a +fishing-girl as I had seen her in my dream, and with her two tall girls +in the same scanty garments. When these saw me in the glittering armour, +which in our long idle hours we had polished till it shone like silver, +with the shield upon my arm and the casque upon my head and the great +sword girded about my middle and the black bow in my hand, they screamed +with fear and fell upon their faces, while even Quilla started back and +glanced towards the boat. + +"Fear not," I said. "The gods are kind to those who do them service, +though to those who would harm them they are terrible." + +Kari also went to them and whispered in their ears what tale I know not. +In the end they rose trembling, and having motioned to me to be seated +in it, with the help of Kari pushed the _balsa_, which I noted with joy +was large and well made, down into the sea. Then one by one they climbed +in, Quilla taking the steering-oar, while Kari and the two maidens +hoisted the little sail and paddled till we were clear of the island, +where the gentle wind caught the _balsa_. Then they shipped the paddles, +and although full laden, we sailed quietly towards the mainland. + +Now I was at the bow of the _balsa_ and Quilla was at its stern, and +between us were the others, so that during all that long night's journey +I had no speech with her and must content myself with gazing over my +shoulder at her beauty as best I could, which was not well, because of +Kari, who ever seemed to come between my eyes and hers. + +Thus the long hours went by till at length when we were near the land +the moon sank, and we sailed on through the twilight. Then came the +dawn, and there in front of us we saw the lovely strand green with palms +within a ring of snow-clad mountains, two of them the great peaks that +we had seen from our isle. + +On the shore was a city of white, flat-roofed houses, and rising above +it, perchance the half of a mile from the sea, a hill four or five +hundred feet in height and terraced. On the top of the hill stood a +mighty building, painted red, that from the look of it I took to be one +of the churches of these people, in the centre of which gleamed great +doors that, as I found afterwards, were covered with plates of gold. + +"Behold the temple of Pachacamac, Master," whispered Kari, bowing his +head and kissing the air in token of reverence. + +By this time watchmen, who had been set there to search the sea or the +boat of Quilla, had noted our approach. They shouted and pointed to me +who sat in the prow clad in my armour upon which the sun glittered, then +began to run to and fro as though in fear or excitement, so that ere we +reached the shore a great crowd had gathered. Meanwhile, Quilla had put +on her silver-broidered mantle and her head-dress of feathers, crowned +with the crescent of the moon. As we touched the beach she came forward, +and for the first time during that night spoke to me saying: + +"Remain here in the _balsa_, Lord, while I talk with these people, and +when I summon you be pleased to come. Fear not--none will harm you." + +Then she sprang from the prow of the _balsa_ to the shore, followed by +her two maidens, who dragged it further up the beach, and went forward +to talk with certain white-robed men in the crowd. For a long while +she talked, turning now and again to point at me. At length these men, +accompanied by a number of others, ran forward. At first I thought they +meant mischief and grasped my sword-hilt, then, remembering what Quilla +had said, remained seated and silent. + +Indeed, there was no cause for fear, for when the white-robed chiefs or +priests and their following were close to me, suddenly they prostrated +themselves and beat their heads upon the sand, from which I learned that +they, too, believed me to be a god. Thereon I bowed to them and, drawing +my sword--at the sight of which I saw them stare and shiver, for to +these people steel was unknown--held it straight up in front of me in my +right hand, the shield with the cognizance of the three arrows being on +my left arm. + +Now all the men rose, and some of them of the humbler sort, creeping +to the _balsa_, suddenly seized it and lifted it on to their shoulders, +which, being but a light thing of reeds and blown-out skins, they could +do easily enough. Then, preceded by the chiefs, they advanced up the +beach into the town, I still remaining seated in the boat with Kari +crouching behind me. So strange was the business that almost I laughed +aloud, wondering what those grave merchants of the Cheap whom I had +known in London would think if they could see me thus. + +"Kari," I said, without turning my head, "what are they going to do with +us? Set us in yonder temple to be worshipped with nothing to eat?" + +"I think not, Master," answered Kari, "since there the lady Quilla could +not come to speak with you if she would. I think that they will take +you to the house of the king of this country where, I understand, she is +dwelling." + +This, indeed, proved to be the case, for we were borne solemnly up the +main street of the town, that now was packed with thousands of people, +some of whom threw flowers before the feet of the bearers, bowing and +staring till I thought that their eyes would fall out, to a large, +flat-roofed house set in a walled courtyard. Passing through the gates +the bearers placed the _balsa_ on the ground and fell back. Then from +out of the door of the house appeared Quilla, accompanied by a tall, +stately looking man who wore a fine robe, and a woman of middle age also +gorgeously apparelled. + +"O Lord," said Quilla, bowing, "behold my kinsman the _Caraca_" (which +is the name for a lesser sort of king) "of the Yuncas, named Quismancu, +and his wife, Mira." + +"Hail, Lord Risen from the Sea!" cried Quismancu. "Hail, White God +clothed in silver! Hail, _Hurachi_!" + +Why he called me "Hurachi" at the time I could not guess, but afterwards +I learned that it was because of the arrows painted on my shield, +_hurachi_ being their name for arrows. At any rate, thenceforth by this +name of Hurachi I was known throughout the land, though when addressed +for the most part I was called "Lord-from-the-Sea" or "God-of-the-Sea." + +Then Quilla and the lady Mira came forward and, placing their hands +beneath my elbows, assisted me to climb out of that _balsa_, which I +think was the strangest way that ever a shipwrecked wanderer came to +land. + +They led me into a large room with a flat roof that was being hastily +prepared for me by the hanging of beautiful broideries on the walls, +and sat me on a carven stool, where presently Quilla and other ladies +brought me food and a kind of intoxicating drink which they called +_chicha_, that after so many months of water drinking I found cheering +and pleasant to the taste. This food, I noted, was served to me on +platters of gold and silver, and the cups also were of gold strangely +fashioned, by which I knew that I had come to a very rich land. +Afterwards I learned, however, that in it there was no money, all the +gold and silver that it produced being used for ornament or to decorate +the temples and the palaces of the _Incas_, as they called their kings, +and other great lords. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE ORACLE OF RIMAC + +In this town of Quismancu I remained for seven days, going abroad but +little, for when I did so the people pressed about me and stared me out +of countenance. There was a garden at the back of the hose surrounded +by a wall built of mud bricks. Here for the most part I sat and here the +great ones of the place came to visit me, bringing me offerings of robes +and golden vessels and I know not what besides. To all of them I told +the same story--or, rather, Kari told it for me--namely, that I had +risen out of the sea and found him a hermit, named Zapana, on the desert +island. What is more, they believed it and, indeed, it was true, for had +I not risen out of the sea? + +From time to time Quilla came to see me also in this garden, bearing +gifts of flowers, and with her I talked alone. She would sit upon a +low stool, considering me with her beautiful eyes, as though she would +search out my soul. One day she said to me: + +"Tell me, Lord, are you a god or a man?" + +"What is a god?" I asked. + +"A god is that which is adored and loved." + +"And is a man never adored and loved, Quilla? For instance, I understand +that you are to be married, and doubtless you adore and love him who +will be your husband." + +She shivered a little and answered: + +"It is not so. I hate him." + +"Then why are you going to marry him? Are you forced to do so, Quilla?" + +"No, Lord. I marry him for my people's sake. He desires me for my +inheritance and my beauty, and by my beauty I may lead him down that +road on which my people wish that he should go." + +"An old story, Quilla, but will you be happy thus?" + +"No, Lord, I shall be very unhappy. But what does it matter? I am only a +woman, and such is the lot of women." + +"Women, like gods and men, are also sometimes loved and adored, Quilla." + +She flushed at the words and answered: + +"Ah! if that were so life might be different. But even if it were so and +I found the man who could love and adore even for a year, for me it is +now too late. I am sworn away by an oath that may not be broken, for to +break it might bring death upon my people." + +"To whom are you sworn?" + +"To the Child of the Sun, no less a man; to the god who will be Inca of +all this land." + +"And what is this god like?" + +"They say that he is huge and swarthy, with a large mouth, and I know +that he has the heart of a brute. He is cruel and false also, and he +counts his women by the score. Yet his father, the Inca, loves him more +than any of his children, and ere long he will be king after him." + +"And would you, who are sweet and lovely as the moon after which you are +named, give yourself body and soul to such a one?" + +Again she flushed. + +"Do my own ears hear the White-God-from-the-Sea call me sweet and lovely +as the moon? If so, I thank him, and pray him to remember that the +perfect and lovely are always chosen to be the sacrifice of gods." + +"But, Quilla, the sacrifice may be all in vain. How long will you hold +the fancy of this loose-living prince?" + +"Long enough to serve my purpose, Lord--or, at least," she added with +flashing eyes, "long enough to kill him if he will not go my country's +road. Oh! ask me no more, for your words stir something in my breast, +a new spirit of which I never dreamed. Had I heard them but three moons +gone, it might have been otherwise. Why did you not appear sooner from +the sea, my lord Hurachi, be you god or man?" + +Then, with something like a sob, she rose, made obeisance, and fled +away. + + + +That evening, when we were alone in my chamber where none could hear us, +I told Kari that Quilla was promised in marriage to a prince who would +be Inca of all the land. + +"Is it so?" said Kari. "Well, learn, Master, that this prince is my +brother, he whom I hate, he who has done me bitter wrong, he who stole +away my wife and poisoned me. Urco is his name. Does this lady Quilla +love him?" + +"I think not. I think that like you she hates him, yet will marry him +for reasons of policy." + +"Doubtless she hates him now, whatever she did a week ago," said Kari in +a dry voice. "But what fruit will this tree bear? Master, are you minded +to come with me to-morrow to visit the temple of Pachacamac in the inner +sanctuary of which sits the god Rimac who speaks oracles?" + +"For what purpose, Kari?" I answered moodily. + +"That we may hear oracles, Master. I think that if you choose to go the +lady Quilla would come with us, since perhaps she would like also to +hear oracles." + +"I will go if it can be done in secret, say at night, for I weary of +being stared at by these people." + +This I said because I desired to learn of the religion of this nation +and to see new things. + +"Perhaps it can be so ordered, Master. I will ask of the matter." + +It seemed that Kari did ask, perhaps of the high priest of Pachacamac, +for between all the worshippers of this god there was a brotherhood; +perhaps of the lord Quismancu, or perhaps of Quilla herself--I do not +know. At least, on this same day Quismancu inquired whether it would +please me to visit the temple that night, and so the matter was settled. + +Accordingly, after the darkness had fallen, two litters were brought +into which we entered, Quilla and a waiting woman seating themselves in +one of them and Kari and I in the other, for Quismancu and his wife did +not come--why I cannot say. Then, preceded by another litter in which +was a priest of the god, and surrounded by a guard of soldiers, through +a rain-storm we were borne up the hill--it was but a little way--to the +temple. + +Here, before the golden doors on which the lightning glimmered fitfully, +we descended and were led by white-robed men bearing lanterns, through +various courts to the inner sanctuary of the god, on the threshold of +which I crossed myself, not loving the company of heathen idols. So far +as I could see by the lamplight it was a great and glorious place, and +everywhere that the eye fell was gold--places of gold on the walls, +offerings of gold upon the floor, stars of gold upon the roof. The +strange thing about this holy place, however, was that it seemed to be +quite empty except for the aforesaid gold. There was neither altar nor +image--nothing but a lamp-lit void. + +Here all prostrated themselves, save I alone, and prayed in silence. +When they rose again, in a whisper I asked of Kari where was the god. +To which he answered: "Nowhere, yet everywhere." This I thought a true +saying, and indeed so solemn was that place that I felt as though I were +surrounded by that which is divine. + +After a while the priests, who were gorgeously apparelled, led us across +the sanctuary to a door that opened upon some stairs. Down these stairs +we went into a long passage that seemed to run beneath the earth, for +the air in it was heavy. When we had walked a hundred paces or more +in this narrow place, we came to other steps and another 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 us--yes, 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 speak--yes, 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 terror--so 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 until--not 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 +Quilla--Quilla, 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 friendship--dark 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 women who were +promised in marriage to other men, and should do well to let her be. + +Thinking thus, desolation took hold of me and I sat myself down on a +rock and covered my face with my hands that I might not see the tears, +which I knew were gathering in my eyes, as they fell from them. Yes, +there in the midst of that awful solitude, I, Hubert of Hastings, whose +soul it filled, sat down like a lost child and wept. + +Presently I felt a touch upon my shoulder and let fall my hands, +thinking that Kari had found me out, to hear a soft voice, the voice of +Quilla, say: + +"So it seems that the gods can weep. Why do you weep, O +God-from-the-Waves who here are named Hurachi?" + +"I weep," I answered, "because I am a stranger in a strange land; I weep +because I have not wings whereon I can fly away like that great bird +above us." + +She looked at me awhile, then said, most gently: + +"And whither would you fly, O God-from-the-Sea? Back into the sea?" + +"Cease to call me a god," I answered, "who, as you know well, am but a +man though of another race than yours." + +"I thought it but I did not know. But whither would you fly, O Lord +Hurachi?" + +"To the land where I was born, Lady Quilla; the land that I shall never +see again." + +"Ah! doubtless there you have wives and children for whom your heart is +hungry." + +"Nay, now I have neither wife nor child." + +"Then once you had a wife. Tell me of that wife. Was she fair?" + +"Why should I tell you a sad story? She is dead." + +"Dead or living, you still love her, and where there is love there is no +death." + +"Nay, I only love what I thought she was." + +"Was she false, then?" + +"Yes, false and yet true. So true that she died because she was false." + +"How can a woman be both false and true?" + +"Woman can be all things. Ask the question of your own heart. Can you +not perchance be both false and true?" + +She thought awhile and, leaving this matter, said: + +"So, having once loved, you can never love again." + +"Why not? Perchance I can love too much. But what would be the use when +more love would but mean more loss and pain?" + +"Whom should you love, my lord Hurachi, seeing that the women of your +own folk are far away?" + +"I think one who is very near, if she would pay back love for love." + +Quilla made no answer, and I thought that she was angry and would go +away. But she did not; indeed, she sat herself down upon the stone at my +side and covered her face with her hands as I had done and began to weep +as I had done. Now in my turn I asked her: + +"Why do you weep?" + +"Because I, too, must know loneliness, and with it shame, Lord Hurachi." + +At these words my heart beat and passion flamed up in me. Stretching +out my hand I drew hers away and in the dying light gazed at the face +beneath. Lo! on its loveliness there was a look which could not be +misread. + +"Do you, then, also love?" I whispered. + +"Aye, more, I think, than ever woman loved before. From the moment when +first I saw you sleeping in the moonbeams on the desert isle, I knew my +fate had found me, and that I loved. I fought against it because I must, +but that love has grown and grown, till now I am all love, and, having +given everything, have no more left to give." + +When I heard this, making no answer, I swept her into my arms and kissed +her, and there she lay upon my breast and kissed me back. + +"Let me go, and hear me," she murmured presently, "for you are strong +and I am weak." + +I obeyed, and she sank back upon the stone. + +"My lord," she said, "our case is very sad, or at least my case is sad, +since though you being a man may love often, I can love but once, and, +my lord, it may not be." + +"Why not?" I asked hoarsely. "Your people think me a god; cannot a god +take whom he wills to wife?" + +"Not when she is vowed to another god, he who will be Inca; not when on +her, mayhap, hangs the fate of nations." + +"We might fly, Quilla." + +"Whither could the God-from-the-Sea fly and whither could fly the +daughter of the Moon, who is vowed to the son of the Sun in marriage, +save to death?" + +"There are worse things than death, Quilla." + +"Aye, but my life is in pawn. I must live that my people may not die. +Myself I offered it to this cause and now, being royal, I cannot take it +back again for my own joy. It is better to be shamed with honour than to +be loved in the lap of shame." + +"What then?" I asked hopelessly. + +"Only this, that above us are the gods, and--heard you not the oracle of +Rimac that declared to me that I should slip from the hated arms, that +the Sun should be my shelter, and in the beloved arms I should sleep at +last, though from the vengeance of the god betrayed I must fly fast +and far? I think that this means death, but also it means life in death +and--O arms beloved, you shall fold me yet. I know not how, but have +faith--for you shall fold me yet. Meanwhile, tempt me not from the path +of honour, since this I know, that it alone can lead me to my home. Yet +who is the god betrayed from whom I must fly? Who, who?" + +Thus she spoke and was silent, and I, too, was silent. Yes, there we +sat, both silent in the darkness, searching the heavens for a guiding +star. And as we sat, presently I heard the voice of Kari saying: + +"Have I found you, Lord, and you also, Lady Quilla? Return, I pray you, +for all search and are frightened." + +"Why?" I answered. "The lady Quilla and I study this wondrous scene." + +"Yes, Lord, though to those who are not god-born it would be difficult +in this darkness. Suffer, now that I show you the path." + + + +CHAPTER V + +KARI GOES + +As it chanced during the remaining days of that journey, Quilla and I +were not again alone together (that is to say, except once for a few +minutes), for we were never out of eyeshot of someone in our company. +Thus Kari clung to me very closely, indeed, and when I asked him why, +told me bluntly that it was for my safety's sake. A god to remain a god, +he said, should live alone in a temple. When he began to mix with others +of the earth and to do those things they did, to eat and to drink, +to laugh and to frown; even to slip in the mud or to stumble over the +stones in the common path, those others would come to think that there +was small difference between god and man. Especially would they think +so if he were observed to love the company of women or to melt beneath +their soft glances. + +Now I grew sore at the sting of these arrows which of late he had +loved to shoot at me, and without pretending to misunderstand him, said +outright: + +"The truth is, Kari, that you are jealous of the lady Quilla as once you +were jealous of another." + +He considered the matter in his grave fashion, and answered: + +"Yes, Master, that is the truth, or part of it. You saved my life, and +sheltered me when I was alone in a strange land, and for this and for +yourself I came to love you very greatly, and love, if it be true, is +always jealous and always hates a rival." + +"There are different sorts of loves," I said; "that of a man for man is +one, that of man for woman is another." + +"Yes, Master, and that of woman for man is a third; moreover, there is +this about it--it is the acid which turns all other loves sour. Where +are a man's friends when a woman has him by the heart?--although +perchance they love him better than ever will the woman who at bottom +loves herself best of all. Still, let that be, for so Nature works, and +who can fight against Nature? What Quilla takes, Kari loses, and Kari +must be content to lose." + +"Have you done?" I asked angrily, who wearied of his homilies. + +"No, Master. The matter of jealousy is small and private; so is the +matter of love. But, Master, you have not told me outright whether you +love the lady Quilla, and, what is more important, whether she loves +you." + +"Then I will tell you now. I do and she does." + +"You love the lady Quilla and she says that she loves you, which may or +may not be true, or if true to-day may be false to-morrow. For your sake +I hope that it is not true." + +"Why?" I said in a rage. + +"Because, Master, in this land there are many sorts of poison, as I have +learned to my cost. Also there are knives, if not of steel, and many who +might wish to discover whether a god who courts women like a man can be +harmed by poisons or pierced by knives. Oh!" he added, in another tone, +ceasing from his bitter jests, "believe me that I would shield, not mock +you. This Lady Quilla is a queen in a great game of pieces such as you +taught me to play far away in England, and without her perchance that +game cannot be won, or so those who play it think. Now you would steal +that queen and thereby, as they also think, bring death and destruction +on a country. It is not safe, Master. There are plenty of fair women in +this land; take your pick of them, but leave that one queen alone." + +"Kari," I answered, "if there be such a game, are you not perchance one +of the players on this side or on that?" + +"It may be so, Master, and if you have not guessed it, perhaps one day +I will tell you upon which side I play. It may even be that for my own +sake I should be glad to see you lift this queen from off the board, and +that what I tell you is for love of you and not of myself, also of the +lady Quilla, who, if you fall, falls with you down through the black +night into the arms of the Moon, her mother. But I have said enough, and +indeed it is foolish to waste breath in such talk, since Fate will have +its way with both of you, and the end of the game in which we play is +already written in Pachacamac's book for every one of us. Did not Rimac +speak of it the other night? So play on, play on, and let Destiny fulfil +itself. If I dared to give counsel it was only because he who watches +the battle with a general's eye sees more of it than he who fights." + +Then he bowed in his stately fashion and left me, and it was long ere he +spoke to me again of this matter of Quilla and our love for one another. + +When he was gone my anger against him passed, since I saw that he was +warning me of more than he dared to say, not for himself, but because +he loved me. Moreover, I was afraid, for I felt that I was moving in the +web of a great plot that I did not understand, of which Quilla and those +cold-eyed lordlings of her company and the chief whose guest I had +been, and Kari himself, and many others as yet unknown to me, spun the +invisible threads. One day these might choke me. Well, if they did, what +then? Only I feared for Quilla--greatly I feared for Quilla. + +On the day following my talk with Kari at length we reached the great +city of the Chancas, which, after them, was called Chanca--at least I +always knew it by that name. From the dawn we had been passing through +rich valleys where dwelt thousands of these Chancas who, I could see, +were a mighty people that bore themselves proudly and like soldiers. +In multitudes they gathered themselves together upon either side of the +road, chiefly to catch a sight of me, the white god who had risen from +the ocean, but also to greet their princess, the lady Quilla. + +Indeed, now I learned for the first time how high a princess she was, +since when her litter passed, these folk prostrated themselves, kissing +the air and the dust. Moreover, as soon as she came among them Quilla's +bearing changed, for her carriage grew more haughty and her words +fewer. Now she seldom spoke save to issue a command, not even to myself, +although I noted that she studied me with her eyes when she thought that +I was not observing her. + +During our midday halt I looked up and saw that an army was approaching +us, five thousand men or more, and asked Kari its meaning. + +"These," he answered, "are some of the troops of Huaracha, King of the +Chancas, whom he sends out to greet his daughter and only child, also +his guest, the White God." + +"Some of the troops! Has he more, then?" + +"Aye, Master, ten times as many, as I think. This is a great people; +almost as great as that of the Incas who live at Cuzco. Come now into +the tent and put on your armour, that you may be ready to meet them." + +I did so, and, stepping forth clad in the shining steel, took my stand +where Kari showed me, upon a rise of ground. On my right at a little +distance stood Quilla, more splendidly arrayed than I had ever seen +her, and behind her her maidens and the captains and counsellors of her +following. + +The army drew nearer, marshalled in regiments and halted on the plain +some two hundred yards away. Presently from it advanced generals and +old men, clad in white, whom I took to be priests and elders. They +approached to the number of twenty or more and bowed deeply, first to +Quilla, who bent her head in acknowledgment and then to myself. After +this they went to speak with Quilla and her following, but what they +said I did not know. All the while, however, their eyes were fixed on +me. Then Quilla brought them to me and one by one they bowed before me, +saying something in a language which I did not understand well, for it +was somewhat different from that which Kari had taught me. + +After this we entered the litters, and, escorted by that great army, +were borne forward down valleys and over ridges till about sunset we +came to a large cup-like plain in the centre of which stood the city +called Chanca. Of this city I did not see much except that it was very +great as the darkness was falling when we entered, and afterwards I +could not go out because of the crowds that pressed about me. I was +borne down a wide street to a house that stood in a large garden which +was walled about. Here in this fine house I found food prepared for me, +and drink, all of it served in dishes and cups of gold and silver; also +there were women who waited upon me, as did Kari who now was called +Zapana and seemed to be my slave. + +When I had eaten I went out alone into the garden, for on this plain +the air was very warm and pleasant. It was a beautiful garden, and +I wandered about among its avenues and flowering bushes, glad to be +solitary and to have time to think. Amongst other things I wondered +where Quilla might be, for of her I had seen nothing from the time that +we entered the town. I hated to be parted from her, because in this vast +strange land into which I had wandered she was the only one for whom I +had come to care and without whom I felt I should die of loneliness. + +There was Kari, it is true, who I knew loved me in his fashion, but +between him and me there was a great gulf fixed, not only of race and +faith, but of something now which I did not wholly understand. In London +he had been my servant and his ends were my ends; on our wandering he +had been my companion in great adventures. But now I knew that other +interests and desires had taken a hold of him, and that he trod a road +of which I could not see the goal; and no longer thought much of me save +when what I did or desired to do came between him and that goal. + +Therefore Quilla alone was left to me, and Quilla was about to be taken +away. Oh! I wearied of this strange land with its snowclad mountains and +rich valleys, its hordes of dark-skinned people with large eyes, smiling +faces, and secret hearts; its great cities, temples, and palaces filled +with useless gold and silver; its brilliant sunshine and rushing rivers, +its gods, kings, and policies. They were alien to me, every one of +them, and if Quilla were taken away and I were left quite alone, then I +thought that it would be well to die. + +Something moved behind a palm trunk of the avenue in which I walked, and +not knowing whether it were beast or man, I laid my hand upon my sword +which I still wore, although I had taken off the armour. Before I could +draw it my wrist was grasped and a soft voice whispered in my ear: + +"Fear nothing; it is I--Quilla." + +Quilla it was, wrapped in a long hooded cloak such as the peasant women +wear in the cold country, for she threw back the hood and a beam of +starlight fell upon her face. + +"Hearken!" she said. "It is dangerous to both of us, but I have come to +bid you farewell." + +"Farewell! I feared it would be thus, but why so soon, Quilla?" + +"For this reason, Love and Lord. I have seen my father the King, and +made my report to him of the matter with which I was sent to deal among +the Yuncas. It pleased him, and since his mood was gracious, I opened +my heart to him and told him that no longer did I wish to be given in +marriage to Urco, who will soon put on the Inca fringe, for, as you +know, it is to him that I am promised!" + +"What did he answer, Quilla?" + +"He answered: 'This means, Daughter, that you have met some other man to +whom you do wish to be given in marriage. I will not ask his name, since +if I knew it it would be my duty to kill him, however high and noble he +might be.'" + +"Then he guesses, Quilla?" + +"I think he guesses; I think that already some have whispered in his +ear, but he does not wish to listen who desires to remain deaf and +blind." + +"Did he say no more, Quilla?" + +"He said much more; he said this--now I tell you secrets, Lord, and +place my honour in your keeping, for having given you all the rest, why +should I not give you that also? He said: 'Daughter, you who have been +my ambassador, you, my only child, who know all my counsel, know also +that there is about to be the greatest war that the land of Tavantinsuyu +has ever known, war between the two mighty nations of the Quichuas of +Cuzco whereof the old Upanqui is king and god, and the Chancas whereof +I am king and you, if you live, in a day to come will be the queen. No +longer can these two lions dwell in the same forest; one of them must +devour the other; nor shall I fight alone, since on our side are all the +Yuncas of the coast who, as you report to me, are ripe for rebellion. +But, as you also report, and as I have learned from others, they are not +yet ready. Moons must go by before their armies are joined to mine and I +throw off the mask. Is it not so?' + +"I answered that it was so, and my father went on: + +"'Then during that time, Daughter, a dust must be raised that will hide +the shining of my spears, and, Daughter, you are that dust. To-morrow +the old Inca Upanqui visits me here with a small army. I read your +thought. It is--Why do you not kill him and his army? Daughter, for this +reason. He is very aged and about to lay down his sceptre, who grows +feeble of mind and body. If I killed him what would it serve me, seeing +that he has left his son, Urco, who will be Inca, ruling at Cuzco, and +that of his soldiers not one in fifty will be with him here? Moreover, +he is my guest, and the gods frown on those who slay their guests, nor +will men ever trust them more.' + +"Now I answered: 'You spoke of me as a cloud of dust, Father; how, then, +can this poor dust serve your ends and those of the Chanca people?' + +"'Thus Daughter,' he answered. 'With your own consent you are promised +in marriage to Urco. Upanqui the Inca has heard rumours that the Chancas +prepare for war. Therefore, he who travels on his last journey through +certain of his dominions comes to lead you away, to be Urco's bride, +saying to himself, "If those rumours are true, King Huaracha will +withhold his only child and heiress, since never will he make war upon +Cuzco if she rules there as its queen." Therefore, if I refuse you to +him, he will withdraw and begin the war, rolling down his thousands +upon us before we are ready, and bringing the Chancas to destruction and +enslavement. Therefore also not only my fate, but the fate of all your +country lies in your hand.' + +"'Father,' I said, 'tell me, who was ever dear to you that lack sons, is +there no escape? Must I eat this bitter bread? Before you answer, learn +that you have guessed aright, and that I who, when I made that promise, +cared for no man, have come to feel the burning of love's fire!' + +"Now he looked at me awhile, then said: 'Child of the Moon, there is but +one escape, and it must be sought--in the moon. The dead cannot be given +in marriage. If your strait is so sore, though it would cut me to +the heart, perchance it is better that you should die and go whither +doubtless he whom you love will soon follow you. Depart now and counsel +with Heaven in your sleep. To-morrow, before Upanqui comes, we will talk +again.' + +"So I knelt and kissed the hand of the King, my father, and left him, +wondering at his nobleness who could show such a road to his only child, +though its treading would mean woe to him and mayhap the ruin of his +hopes. Still that road is an old one among the women of my people, and +why should I not walk it, as thousands have done before me?" + +"How came you here?" I asked hoarsely. + +"Lord, I guessed that you would be walking in this garden which joins on +to that of the palace, and--none were about, and--the door in the +wall was open. Indeed, it was almost as though I were left alone and +unwatched of set purpose. So I came and sought--and found, having a +question to put to you." + +"What question, Quilla?" + +"This: Shall I live or shall I die? Speak the word and I obey. Yet ere +you speak, remember that if I live we meet for the last time, since very +soon I go hence to become the wife of Urco and play the part that is +prepared for me?" + +Now when I, Hubert, heard these words, I felt as though my heart would +burst within my breast and knew not what to say. So to gain time I asked +her: + +"Which do you desire--to live or to die?" + +She laughed a little as she answered: + +"That is a strange question, Lord. Have I not told you that if I live +I must do so befouled as one of Urco's women, whereas, if I die, I die +clean and take my love with me to where Urco cannot come, but where, +mayhap, another may follow at the appointed time." + +"Which time would be very soon, I think, Quilla, seeing that he who had +spoiled all this pretty plot would scarcely be left long upon the earth, +even if he wished to stay there. Yet I say: Do not die--live on." + +"To become Urco's woman! That is strange counsel from a lover's lips, +Lord; such as would scarcely have been given by any of our nobles." + +"Aye, Quilla, and it is given because I am not of your people and do not +think as they think, who reject their customs. You are not yet Urco's +wife, and may be rid of him by other paths than that of death, but from +the grave there is no escape." + +"And in the grave there is no more fear, Lord. Thither Urco cannot come; +there are neither wars nor plottings; there honour does not beckon +and love hold back. I say that I will die and make an end, as for like +causes many of my blood have done, though not here and now. When I am +about to be delivered to Urco then I will die, and perchance not alone. +Perchance he will accompany me," she added slowly. + +"And if this happens, what shall I do?" + +"Live on, Lord, and find other women to love you, as a god should. There +are many in this land fairer and wiser than I, and, save myself, you may +take whom you will." + +"Listen, Quilla. I have a story to tell you." + +Then, as briefly as I could, I set out the tale of Blanche and of her +end, while she hung upon my every word. + +"Oh! I grieve for you," she said, when I had finished. + +"You grieve for me, and yet, what she did for my sake you would do also, +so that, as it were, both my hands must be dyed with blood. This first +terror I have borne, but if a second falls upon me then I know that I +shall go mad and perish in this way or in that, and you, Quilla, will be +my murderess." + +"No, no, not that!" she murmured. + +"Then swear to me by your god and by your spirit, that you will do +yourself no harm, whatever chances, and that if die you must, it shall +be with me for company." + +"Is your love so great that you would dare this for my sake, Lord?" + +"I think so, though not till all else had failed. I think that if you +were taken from me, Quilla, I could not live on here in loneliness and +exile--however great the sin. But do you swear?" + +"Aye, Love and Lord, I swear, for your sake. Moreover, I add to the +oath. If perhaps we should escape these perils and come together, I will +be such a wife to you as never man has had. I will wrap you round with +love and lift you up to be a king, that you may live in glory forgetting +your home across the sea, and all the sorrows that befell you there. +Children you shall have also of whom you need not be ashamed, though my +dark blood runs in them, and armies at command and palaces filled with +gold, and all royal joys. And if perchance the gods declare against us, +and we pass from the world together, then I think, oh! then I think that +I shall give you finer gifts than these, though what they are I know not +yet, since to the power of love there is no end--here on earth or yonder +in the skies." + +I stared at her face in the starlight, and oh! it had grown splendid. +No longer was it that of a woman, since through it, like light through +pearl, shone a soul divine. It might have been a goddess who stood +beside me, for those eyes were holy and her embrace that wrapped me +close was not that of the flesh alone. + +"I must be gone," she whispered, "but now I go without fear. Perchance +we may not speak again for long, but trust me always. Play your part and +I will play mine. Follow me wherever I am taken and keep near to me, +if you may, as ever my spirit shall be near to you. Then what matters +anything, even if we are slain? Farewell, beloved, kiss me and +farewell." + +Another moment and she had glided away and was lost in the shadows. + + + +She was gone, and I stood amazed and overcome. Oh! what a love it was +that this alien woman had given to me and how could I be worthy of it? +Now I forgot my griefs; now I no longer mourned because I was an outcast +who nevermore might look upon the land where I was born, nor see the +face of one my own race or blood. All my loss was paid back to me again +and yet again, in the coin of the glory of this woman whom I had won. +Dangers rose about us, but I feared them no more, because I knew that +her love's conquering feet would stamp them flat and lead me safe to a +joyful treasure-house of splendour of spirit and of body where we should +dwell side by side, triumphant and unafraid. + +Whilst I thought thus, lost in a rapture such as I had not felt since +Blanche kissed me at the mouth of the Hastings cave after I had killed +the three Frenchmen with as many arrows from my black bow, I heard a +sound and looked up to see a man standing before me. + +"Who is it?" I asked, grasping my sword, for his face was hidden in the +shadows. + +"I," answered a voice which I knew to be that of Kari. + +"Then how did you come here? I saw no one pass the open ground." + +"Master, you are not the only one who loves to walk in gardens in the +quiet of the night. I was here before yourself, behind yonder tree," and +he pointed to a palm not three paces distant. + +"Then, Kari, you must have seen----" + +"Yes, Master, I saw and heard, not everything, because there came a +point at which I shut my eyes and stopped my ears, but still much." + +"I am minded to kill you, Kari," I said between my teeth, "who play the +spy upon me." + +"I guessed it would be so, Master," he replied in his gentlest voice, +"and for that reason, as you will notice, I am standing out of reach of +your sword. You wonder why I am here. I will tell you. It is not from +any desire to watch your love-makings which weary me, who have seen such +before, but rather that I might find secrets, of which love is always +the loser, and those secrets I have learned. How could I have come by +them otherwise, Master?" + +"Surely you deserve to die," I exclaimed furiously. + +"I think not, Master. But listen and judge for yourself. I have told you +something of my story, now you shall hear more, after which we will talk +of what I do or do not deserve. I am the eldest son of the Inca Upanqui, +and Urco, of whom you have been talking is my younger brother. But +Upanqui, our father, loved Urco's mother while mine he did not love, and +swore to her before she died that against right and law, Urco, her +son, should be Inca after him. Therefore he hated me because I stood in +Urco's path; therefore too many troubles befell me, and I was given over +into Urco's hand, so that he took my wife and tried to poison me, and +the rest you know. Now it was needful to me to learn how things went, +and for this reason I listened to the talk between you and a certain +lady. It told me that Upanqui, my father, comes here to-morrow, which +indeed I knew already, and much else that I had not heard. This being +so I must vanish away, since doubtless Upanqui or his councillors would +know me again, and as they are all of them friends of Urco, perhaps I +should taste more poison and of a stronger sort." + +"Whither will you vanish, Kari?" + +"I know not, Master, or if I know, I will not say, who have but just +been taught afresh how secrets can pass from ear to ear. I must lie hid, +that is enough. Yet do not think that therefore I shall desert you--I, +while I live, will watch over you, a stranger in my country, as you +watched over me when I was a stranger in your England." + +"I thank you," I answered, "and certainly you watch well--too well, +sometimes, as I have found to-night." + +"You think it pleases me to spy upon you and a certain lady," went on +Kari with an unruffled voice, "but it is not so. What I do is for good +reasons, amongst others that I may protect you both, and if I can, bring +about what you desire. That lady has a great heart, as I learned but +now, and after all you did well to love her, as she does well to love +you. Therefore, although the dangers are so many, if I am able, I will +help you in your love and bring you together, yes, and save her from the +arms of Urco. Nay, ask me not how, for I do not know, and the case seems +desperate." + +"But if you go, what shall I do alone?" I asked, alarmed. + +"Bide here, I think, Lord, giving it out that your servant Zapana has +deserted you. Indeed it seems that this you must do, since the king +of this country will scarcely suffer you to be the companion of his +daughter upon her marriage journey to Cuzco, even if Upanqui so desires. +Nor would it be wise, for if he did, misfortune might befall you on +the road. There are some women, Lord, who cannot keep their love out of +their eyes, and henceforward there will be plenty to watch the eyes and +hearken to the most secret sighings of one of the greatest of them. Now +farewell until I come to you again or send others on my behalf. Trust +me, I pray you, since to whomever else I may seem false, to you I am +true; yes, to you and to another because she has become a part of you." + +Then before I could answer, Kari took my hand and touched it with his +lips. Another moment and I had lost sight of him in the shadows. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE CHOICE + +That night I slept but ill who was overwhelmed with all that had +befallen me of good and evil. I had gained a wondrous love, but she who +gave it was, it seemed, about to be lost 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 heart there was little. She would follow what she held to be her +duty to the end, and that end, if she kept her promise and did not die +as she desired to do--was--the arms of Urco. From these I could see no +escape for her, and the thought maddened me. Moreover, Kari was gone +leaving me utterly alone among these strangers, and whether he would +return again I did not know. Oh! almost I wished that I were dead. + +The morning broke at last and I arose and called for Zapana. Then came +others who said that my servant, Zapana, could not be found, whereat +I affected surprise and anger. Still these others waited on me well +enough, and I rose and ate in pomp and luxury. Scarcely had I finished +my meal than there appeared heralds who summoned me to the presence of +the king Huaracha. + +I went, borne in a litter, although an arrow from my black bow would +have flown from door to door. At the portal of the palace, which was +like others I had seen, only finer, I was met by soldiers and gaily +dressed servants and led across a courtyard within, which I could see +was prepared for some ceremony, to a small chamber 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 sat on, even his apparel. Here were no gold or silver or +broidered cloths, or gems, or other rich and costly things such as these +people love, but rather those that are suited to a soldier. A soldier he +looked indeed, being burly and broad and scarred upon his homely face, +in which gleamed eyes that were steady and piercing. + +As I entered, the king Huaracha, for it was he, rose from his stool and +bowed to me, and I bowed back to him. Then he motioned to one of the +soldiers to give me another stool, upon which I sat myself, and speaking +in a strong, low voice, using that tongue which Kari had taught me, +said: + +"Greeting, White-God-from-the-Sea, or golden-bearded man named the lord +Hurachi, I know not which, of whom I have heard so much and whom I am +glad to behold in my poor city. Say, can you understand my talk?" + +Thus he spoke, searching me with his eyes, though all the while I +perceived that they rested rather on my armour and the great sword, +Wave-Flame, than on my face. + +I gave him back his greeting and answered that I understood the tongue +he used though not so very well, whereon he began to speak about the +armour and the sword, which puzzled him who had never seen steel. + +"Make me some like them," he said, "and I will give you ten times their +weight in gold, which, after all, is of no use since with it one cannot +kill enemies." + +"In my country with it one can corrupt them," I answered, "or buy them +to be friends." + +"So you have a country," he interrupted shrewdly. "I thought that the +gods had none." + +"Even the gods live somewhere," I replied. + +He laughed, and turning to the two soldiers, who also were staring at my +mail and sword, bade them go. When the heavy door had shut behind them +and we were quite alone, he said: + +"My lord Hurachi, I have heard from my daughter how she found you in +the sea, a story indeed. I have also heard, or guessed, it matters not +which, that her heart has turned towards you, as is not strange, seeing +the manner of man you are, if indeed you be not more than man, and that +women are ever prone to love those whom they think they have saved. Is +this true, my lord Hurachi?" + +"Ask of the Lady Quilla, O King." + +"Mayhap I have asked and at last it seems that you make no denial. Now +hearken, my lord Hurachi. You are my honoured guest and save one thing, +all I have is yours, but you must talk no more alone with the lady +Quilla in gardens at night." + +Now, making no attempt to deny or explain which I saw would be useless, +since he knew it all, I asked boldly: + +"Why not?" + +"I thought that perchance my daughter had told you, Lord Hurachi, but if +you desire to hear it from my own lips also, for this reason. The lady +Quilla is 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 such a pair, that you and she must meet no +more in gardens or elsewhere. Know that if you do, you will bring about +her death and your own, if gods can die." + +Now I thought awhile and answered: + +"These are heavy words, King Huaracha, seeing that I will not hide from +you that I love your daughter well and that she, who is great-hearted, +loves me well and desires me for her husband." + +"I know it and I grieve for both of you," he said courteously. + +"King Huaracha," I went on, "I see that you are a soldier and the lord +of armies, and it has come into my mind that perchance you dream of +war." + +"The gods see far, White Lord." + +"Now god or man, I also am a soldier, King, and I know arts of battle +which perhaps are hidden from you and your people; also I cannot be +harmed by weapons because of magic armour 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 +useful to you were I the husband of your daughter and therefore your +son and friend, and perchance by my skill make the difference to you and +your nation between victory and defeat." + +"Doubtless this is so, O Son-of-the-Sea." + +"In the same fashion, King, were I upon the side of your enemies, to +them I might bring victory and to you defeat. Whom do you desire that I +should serve, you or them?" + +"I desire that you should serve me," he replied with eagerness. "Do +so and all the wealth of this land shall be yours, with the rule of my +armies under me. You shall have palaces and fields and gold and silver, +and the fairest of its daughters for wives, and be worshipped as a +god, and for aught I know, be king after me, not only of my country but +mayhap of another that is even greater." + +"It is a good offer, King, but not enough. Give me your daughter, +Quilla, and you may keep all the rest." + +"White Lord, I cannot, since to do so I must break my word." + +"Then, King, I cannot serve you, and unless you kill me first--if you +are able--I will be, not your friend, but your enemy." + +"Can a god be killed, and if so can a guest be killed? Lord, you know +that he cannot. Yet he can remain a guest. To my country you have come, +Lord, and in my country you shall stay, unless you have wings beneath +that silver coat. Quilla goes hence but here you bide, my lord Hurachi." + +"Perchance I shall find the wings," I answered. + +"Aye, Lord, for it is said that the dead fly, and if I may not kill you, +others may. Therefore my counsel to you is to stay here, taking such +things as my poor country can give you, and not to try to follow the +moon (by this he meant Quilla) to the golden city of Cuzco, which +henceforth must be her home." + +Now having no more to say, since war had been declared between us, as +it were, I rose to bid this king farewell. He also rose, then, as +though struck by a sudden thought, said that he desired to speak with my +servant, Zapana, he whom the lady Quilla had found with me in the island +of the sea. I replied that he could not since Zapana had vanished, I +knew not where. + +At this intelligence he appeared to be disturbed and was beginning to +question me somewhat sternly as to who Zapana might be and how I had +first come into his company, when the door of the room opened and +through it Quilla entered even more gorgeously robed and looking +lovelier than ever I had seen her. She bowed, first to the King and then +to me, saying: + +"Lord and Father, I come to tell you that the Inca Upanqui draws near +with his princes and captains." + +"Is it so, Daughter?" he answered. "Then make your farewell here and now +to this White-Son-of-the-Sea, since it is my will that you depart with +Upanqui who comes to escort you to Cuzco, the City of the Sun, there to +be given as wife to the prince Urco, son of the Sun, who will sit on the +Inca's throne." + +"I make my farewell to the lord Hurachi as you command," she answered, +curtseying, and in a very quiet voice, "but know, my father, that I +love this White Lord as he loves me, and that therefore, although I +may be given to the Prince Urco, as a gold cup is given, never shall he +drink from the cup and never will I be his wife." + +"You have courage, Daughter, and I like courage," said Huaracha. "For +the rest, settle the matter as you will and if you can slip from the +coils of this snake of an Urco unpoisoned, do so, since my bargain is +fulfilled and my honour satisfied. Only hither you shall not return to +the lord Hurachi, nor shall the lord Hurachi go to you at Cuzco." + +"That shall be as the gods decree, my father, and meanwhile I play my +part as _you_ decree. Lord Hurachi, fare you well till in life or death +we meet again." + +Then she bowed to me, and went, and presently without more words we +followed after her. + + + +In front of the palace there was a great square of open ground +surrounded by houses, except towards the east, and on this square +was marshalled an army of men all splendidly arrayed and carrying +copper-headed spears. In front of these was pitched a great pavilion +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 yet another throne +ornamented with gold, that was empty. Between the throne of Huaracha and +that which was empty stood a chair covered with silver on which I was +bidden to take my seat, so placed that all could see me, while behind +and around were lords and generals. + +Scarcely were we arranged when from the dip beyond the open space +appeared heralds who carried spears and were fantastically dressed. +These shouted that the Inca Upanqui, the Child of the Sun, the god who +ruled the earth, drew near. + +"Let him approach!" said Huaracha briefly, and they departed. + +Awhile later there arose a sound of barbarous music and of chanting and +from the dip below emerged a glittering litter borne upon the shoulders +of 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 councillors. It was the litter of the Inca Upanqui, and after +it marched a guard of picked warriors, perhaps there were a hundred of +them, not more. + +The litter was set down in front of the throne; gilded curtains were +drawn and out of it came a man whose attire dazzled the eyes. It seemed +to consist of gold and precious stones sewn on to a mantle of crimson +wool. He wore a head-dress also of as many colours as Joseph's coat, +surmounted 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 upon his splendid garments and he supported +himself upon his royal staff that was headed by a great emerald. His +fine-cut face also, though still kingly, was weak with age and his eyes +were blear. At the sight of him all rose and Huaracha descended from his +throne, saying in a loud voice: + +"Welcome to the land of the Chancas, O Upanqui, Inca of the Quichuas." + +The old monarch eyed him for a moment, then answered in a thin voice: + +"Greeting to Huaracha, _Curaca_ of the Chancas." + +Huaracha bowed and said: + +"I thank you, but here among my own people my title is not _Curaca_, but +King, O Inca." + +Upanqui drew himself up to his full height and replied: + +"The Incas know no kings throughout the land of Tavantinsuyu save +themselves, O Huaracha." + +"Be it so, O Inca; yet the Chancas, who are unconquered, know a king, +and I am he. I pray you be seated, O Inca." + +Upanqui stood still for a moment frowning, and, as I thought, was about +to make some short answer, when suddenly his glance fell upon me and +changed the current of his mind. + +"Is that the White-god-from-the-Sea?" he asked, with an almost childish +curiosity. "I heard that he was here, and to 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 only be talked to with a spear point. What a red beard +he has and how his coat shines. Let him come and worship me." + +"He will come, but I do not think that he will worship. They say he is a +god himself, O Inca." + +"Do they? Well, now I remember there are strange prophecies about a +white god who should rise out of the sea, as did the forefather of the +Incas. They say, too, that this god shall do much mischief to the land +when he comes. So perhaps 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 hearts of all the women burning, +though perhaps if he is a god he does not care for women. I must consult +my magicians about it, and the head priest of the Temple of the Sun. +Tell the White God to make ready to return with me to Cuzco." + +"The lord Hurachi is my guest, O Inca, and here he bides with me," said +Huaracha. + +"Nonsense, nonsense! When the Inca invites any one to his court, he must +come. But enough of him for the present. I came here to talk of other +matters. What were they? Let me sit down and think." + +So he was conducted to his throne upon which he sat trying to collect +his mind, which I saw was weak with age. The end of it was that he +called to his aid a stern-faced, shifty-eyed, middle-aged minister, 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 who had the rank of an Earman, +that is, he wore in his ear, which like that of Kari was stretched +out to receive it, a golden disc of the size of an apple, whereon was +embossed the image of the sun. + +At a sign and a word from his dotard master this Larico began to speak +for him as though he were the Inca himself, saying: + +"Hearken, O Huaracha. I have undertaken this toilsome journey, the last +I shall make as Inca, for be it known to you that I purpose to 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 to end my days in +peace at my palace of Yucay, waiting there patiently until it pleases my +father, the Sun, to take me to his bosom." + +Here Larico paused to allow this great news to sink into the minds of +his hearers, and I thought to myself that when I died I would choose to +be gathered to any bosom rather than to that of the Sun, which put me in +mind of hell. Then he went on: + +"Rumours have reached me, the Inca, that you, Huaracha, Chief of the +Chancas, are making ready to wage war upon my empire. It was to test +these rumours, although I did not believe 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 +on the mother's side she, your daughter, has the holy Inca blood in her +veins, that she should become his _Coya_, or Queen, and the mother of +him who shall succeed to the throne." + +"The embassy came, and received my answer, O Inca," said Huaracha. + +"Yes, and the answer was that the lady Quilla should be given in +marriage to the Prince Urco, but as she was absent on a visit, this +could not happen until she returned. But since then, O Huaracha, more +rumours have reached me that you still prepare for war and seek to +make alliances among my subjects, tempting them to rebel against me. +Therefore I am here myself to lead away the lady Quilla and to deliver +her to the Prince Urco." + +"Why did not the Prince Urco come in person, O Inca?" + +"For this reason, Huaracha, from whom I desire to hide nothing. If the +Prince had come, you might have set a trap for him and killed him, who +is the hope of the Empire." + +"So I might for you, his father, O Inca." + +"Aye, I know it, but what would that avail you while the Prince sits +safe at Cuzco ready to assume the Fringe? Also I am old and care not +when or how I die, whose work is done. Moreover, few would desire 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 Sun to protect +me. Now answer me--will you give the hand of your daughter to my son and +thereby make alliance with me, or will you wage war upon my empire and +be destroyed, you and your people together?" + +Here Upanqui, who hitherto had been listening in silence to the words of +Larico, spoken on his behalf, broke in, saying: + +"Yes, yes, that is right, only make him understand that the Inca will be +his over-lord, since the Inca can have no rivals in all the land." + +"My answer is," said Huaracha, "that I will give my daughter in marriage +as I have promised, but that the Chancas are a free people and accept no +over-lord." + +"Foolishness, foolishness!" said Upanqui. "As well might the tree say +that it would not bend before the wind. However, you can settle that +matter 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. Why talk of war and other troubles when thus your kingdom falls +to us by marriage? Now let me see this lady Quilla who is to become my +daughter." + +Huaracha, who had listened to all this babble with a stern set face, +turned to Quilla and made a sign. She descended from her chair and +advancing, stood before the Inca, a vision of splendour and of beauty, +and bowed to him. He stared at her awhile, as did all his company, then +said: + +"So you are the lady Quilla. A fair woman, a very fair woman, and a +proud, one who ought to be able to lead Urco aright if any one can. Well +named, too, after the moon, for the moonlight seems to shine in your +eyes, Lady Quilla. Indeed and indeed were I but a score of years younger +I should tell Urco to seek another queen and keep you for myself." + +Then Quilla spoke for the first time, saying: + +"Be it as you will, O Inca. I am promised in marriage to the Child of +the Sun and which child is nothing to me." + +"Well said, Lady Quilla, and why should I wonder? Though I grow old they +tell me that I am still handsome, a great deal better looking than Urco, +in fact, who is a rough man and of a coarser type. You ask my wives when +you come to Cuzco; one 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, and, Lady Quilla, if +you are ready, it is time to start. No, no, I thank you, Curaca, but I +will not stop for any feasting who desire to be back at my camp before +dark, since who knows what may happen to one in the dark in a strange +country?" + +Then at last Huaracha grew angry. + +"Be it as you will, O Inca," he said, "but know that you offer me a +threefold insult. First you refuse the feast that has been made ready +for you whereat you were to meet 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, hinting that I +may cause you to be murdered in the dark. Now I am minded to say to +you, 'Begone from my poor country, Lord Inca, in safety, but leave my +daughter behind you.'" + +Now at these words, I, Hubert, saw the fires of hope burn up in the +large eyes of Quilla, as they did in my own heart, for might they not +mean that she would escape from Urco after all? But, alas, they were +extinguished like a brand that is dipped in water. + +"Tush, tush!" said the old dotard, "what a fire-eater are you, friend +Huaracha. Know that I never care to eat, except at night; also that the +chill of the air after my father the Sun has set makes my bones ache, +and as for titles--take any one you like, except that of Inca." + +"Mayhap that is the one I shall take before all is done," broke in the +furious Huaracha, who would not be quieted by the councillors whispering +in his ears. + +It was at this moment that the minister and high-priest, Larico, who had +been noting all that passed with an impassive face, said coldly: + +"Be not wroth, O King Huaracha, and lay not too much weight upon the +idle words of the glorious Inca, since even the gods will doze at times +when they are weighed down by the cares of empire. No affront was meant +to you and least of all does the Inca or any one of us, dream that you +would tarnish your honour by offering violence to your guests by day +or by night. Yet know this, that if, after 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, and choose whether you will live on in glory and honour, or +bring yourself to death and your people to slavery. Now, King Huaracha, +speaking on behalf of Urco, who within some few moons will be Inca, I +ask you--will you suffer the lady Quilla to journey with us to Cuzco +and thereby proclaim peace between our peoples or will you keep her here +against your oath and hers, and thereby declare war?" + +Huaracha sat silent, lost in thought, and the old Inca Upanqui began to +babble again, saying: + +"Very well put, I could not have said it better myself; indeed, I did +say it, for this coxcomb of a Larico, who thinks himself so clever +just because I made him high-priest of the Sun under me and he is of my +blood, is after 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 daughter as you promised, within a few hours a hundred +thousand men will be marching on you and another hundred thousand +gathering behind them. Anyhow, please make up your mind one way or +another, as I wish to leave this place." + +Huaracha thought on awhile. Then he descended from his throne and +beckoned to Quilla. She came and he led her towards the back 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, of whom he seemed to take no +note, perhaps because he had forgotten me, or perhaps because he desired +that I should know all. + +"Daughter," he said in a low voice, "what word? Before you answer +remember that if I refuse to send you, now for the first time I break my +oath." + +"Of such oaths I think little," answered Quilla. "Yet of another thing I +think much. Tell me, my father, if the Inca declares war and attacks us, +can we withstand his armies?" + +"No, Daughter, not until the Yuncas join us for we lack sufficient +men. Moreover, we are not ready, nor shall be for another two moons, or +more." + +"Then it stands thus, Father. If I do not go the war will begin, and +if I do go it seems that it will be staved off until you are ready, or +perhaps for always, because I shall be the peace-offering and it will be +thought that I, your heiress, take your kingdom as my marriage portion +to be joined to that of the Incas at your death. Is it thus?" + +"It is, Quilla. Only then you will work to bring it about that the Land +of the Incas shall be joined to the Land of the Chancas, and not that of +the Chancas to that of the Incas, so that in a day to come as Queen of +the Chancas you shall reign over both of them and your children after +you." + +Now I, Hubert, watching Quilla out of the corners of my eyes, saw her +turn pale and tremble. + +"Speak not to me of children," she said, "for I think that there will be +none, and talk not of future glories, since for these I care nothing. It +is for our people that I care. You swear to me that if I do not go your +armies will be defeated and that those who escape the spear will be +enslaved?" + +"Aye, I swear it by the Moon your mother, also that I will die with my +soldiers." + +"Yet if I go I leave behind me that which I love," here she glanced +towards me, "and give myself to shame, which is worse than death. Is +that your desire, my father?" + +"That is not my desire. Remember, Daughter, that you were party to this +plan, aye, that it sprang from your far-seeing mind. Still, now that +your heart has changed, I would not hold you to your bargain, who desire +most of all things to see you happy at my side. Choose, therefore, and I +obey. On your head be it." + +"What shall I say, O Lord, whom I saved from the sea?" asked Quilla in a +piercing whisper, but without turning her head towards me. + +Now an agony took hold of me for I knew that what I bade her, that she +would say, and that perchance upon my answer hung the fate of all this +great Chanca people. If she went they 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 remained to me in the world and if she went, it was to another man. +I would bid her bide. And yet--and yet if her case were mine and the +fate of England hung upon my breath, what then? + +"Be swift," she whispered again. + +Then I spoke, or something spoke through me, saying: + +"Do what honour bids you, O Daughter of the Moon, for what is love +without honour? Perchance both shall still be yours at last." + +"I thank you, Lord, whose heart speaks as my heart," she whispered for +the third time, then lifting her head and looking Huaracha in the eyes, +said: + +"Father, I go, but that I will wed this Urco I do not promise." + + + +CHAPTER VII + +THE RETURN OF KARI + +So Quilla, seated in a golden litter and accompanied by maidens as +became her rank, soon was borne away in the train of the Inca Upanqui, +leaving me desolate. Before she went, under pretence of bidding me +farewell, none denying her, she gained private speech with me for a +little while. + +"Lord and Lover," she said, "I go to what fate I know not, leaving you +to what fate I know not, and as your lips have said, it is right that I +should go. Now I have something to ask of you--that you will not follow +me 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 +must be married to this Urco, I would not have you see me in my shame. +And if I escape marriage you cannot help me, since I may only do so by +death or by taking refuge where you cannot come. Also I have another +reason." + +"What reason, Quilla?" I asked. + +"This: I ask that you will stop with my father and give him your help in +the war that must come. I would see this Urco crushed, but without that +help I am sure that the Chancas and the 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 stay here and help to lead the Chanca armies, and say +it swiftly, since that dotard, Upanqui, frets to be gone. Hark! his +messengers call and search; my women can hold them back no more." + +"I will stay," I answered hoarsely. + +"I thank you, and now farewell, till in life or death we meet again. +Thoughts come to my mind which I have no time to utter." + +"To mine also, Quilla, and here is one of them. You know the man who was +with me on the island. Well, he is more than he seems." + +"So I guessed, but where is he now?" + +"In hiding, Quilla. If you should chance to find him, bear in mind that +he is an enemy of Urco and one not friendless; also that he loves me +after his fashion. Trust him, I pray you. Urco is not the only one of +the Inca blood, Quilla." + +She glanced at me quickly and nodded her head. Then without more words, +for officers were pressing towards us, she drew a ring off her finger, +a thick and ancient golden ring on which were cut what looked like +flowers, or images of the sun, and gave it to me. + +"Wear this for my sake. It is very old and has a story of true love that +I have no time to tell," she said. + +I took it and in exchange passed to her that ancient ring which my +mother had given to me, the ring that had come down to her with the +sword Wave-Flame, saying: + +"This, too, is old and has a story; wear it in memory of me." + +Then we parted and presently she was gone. + +I stood watching her litter till it vanished in the evening haze. Then I +turned to go to find myself face to face with Huaracha. + +"Lord-from-the-Sea," he said, "you have played a man's--or a god's--part +to-day. Had you bidden my daughter bide here, she would have 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 of my oath would have +been taken as a declaration of instant war. Now we have breathing time, +and in the end things may go otherwise." + +"Yes," I answered, "but what of Quilla and what of me?" + +"I know not your creed or what with you is honour, White Lord, but among +us whom perhaps you think of small account, it is thought 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 the many who cling to them +for guidance and for safety. This you and my daughter have done and +therefore I honour both of you." + +"To what end is the sacrifice made?" I asked bitterly. "That one people +may struggle for dominion over another people, no more." + +"You are mistaken, Lord. Not for victory or to increase my dominions +do I desire to war upon the Incas, but because unless I strike I shall +presently be struck, though for a 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 remain free +amongst many nations of slaved. Therefore for ages these Incas, like +those who ruled before them at Cuzco, have sworn to destroy us, and Urco +has sworn it above all." + +"Urco might die or be deposed, Huaracha." + +"If so another would put on the Fringe and be vowed to the ancient +policy that does not change from generation to generation. Therefore I +must fight or perish with my people. Hearken, Lord-from-the-Sea! Stay +here with me and become as my brother and a general of my armies, for +where will they not follow when you lead, who are 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 no more, unless, indeed, you are a spirit. Here your +lot is cast till death. Therefore make it glorious. Perchance you might +fly to the Inca and there become a marvel and a show, furnished with +gold and palaces and lands, but always you would be a servant, while I +offer to you a crown and the rule of a people great and free." + +"I care nothing for crowns," I answered, sighing. "Still, such was +Quilla's prayer, perchance the last that ever she will make to me. +Therefore I accept and will serve you and your cause, that seems noble, +faithfully to the end, O Huaracha." + +Then I stretched out my hand to him and so our compact was sealed. + + + +On the very next day my work began. Huaracha made me known to his +captains, commanding them to obey me in all things, which, looking on me +as half divine, they did readily enough. + +Now, of soldiering I knew little who was a seaman bred, yet as I had +learned, a man of the English race in however strange a country he finds +himself can make a path there to his ends. + +Moreover, in London I had heard much talk of armies and their ordering +and often watched troops at their exercise; also I know how to handle +bow and sword, and was accustomed to the management of men. So putting +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 could find, +collecting in each regiment so far as possible the people of a certain +town or district. These companies I drilled and exercised, teaching them +to use such weapons as they had to the best purpose. + +Also I caused them to shape stronger bows on the model of my own with +which I had shot the three Frenchmen far away at Hastings that, as it +was said, once had been the battle-bow of Thorgrimmer the Norseman +my ancestor, as the sword Wave-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 quilting by +settings sheets of leather (since in that country there is no iron) +taken from the hides of wild animals and of their long-haired native +sheep, between the layers of cotton. Other things I did also, too many +and long to record. + +The end of it was that within three months Huaracha had an army of some +fifty thousand men who, if not well trained, still kept discipline, and +could move in regiments; who knew also how to shoot with their bows and +to use their copper-headed spears and axes of that metal, or of hard +stone, to the best purpose. + +Then at length came the Yuncas to join us, thirty or forty thousand of +them, wild fellows and brave enough, but undisciplined. With these I +could do little since time was lacking, save send some of the officers +whom I had trained to teach their chiefs and captains what they were +able. + +Thus I was employed from dawn till dark and often after it, in talk with +Huaracha and his generals, or in drawing plans with ink that I found a +means to make, upon parchment of sheepskin and noting down numbers and +other things, a sight at which these 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's church with Blanche Aleys. Indeed, every cranny of my time +and mind being thus filled with things finished or attempted, I forgot +my great loneliness as an alien in a strange land, and once more became +as I had been when I trafficked in the Cheap. + +But toil as I would, I could not forget Quilla. During the day I might +mask her memory in its urgent business, but when I lay down to rest she +seemed to come to me as a ghost might do and to stand by my bed, looking +at me with sad and longing eyes. So real was her presence that sometimes +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 awake and +afterwards when I slept, and I know not whether her strange company +joyed or pained me more. For alas! she could not talk to me, or tell me +how it fared with her, and, to speak truth, now that she was the wife of +another man, as I supposed, I desired to forget her if I could. + +For of Quilla no word reached us. We heard that she had come safely to +Cuzco and after that nothing more. Of her marriage there was no tidings; +indeed she seemed to have vanished away. Certain of Huaracha's spies +reported 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 +Quilla, whose person was the price of peace? Perhaps she was hidden +away during the preparations for her nuptials; at least I could think +of nothing else, unless indeed she had chosen to kill herself or died +naturally. + +Soon, however, all news ceased, for Huaracha shut his frontiers, hoping +that thus Urco might not learn that he was gathering armies. + +At length, when our forces were almost ready to march, Kari came, Kari +whom I thought lost. + +One night when I was seated at my work by lamplight, writing down +numbers upon a parchment, a shadow fell across it, and looking up I saw +Kari standing before me, travel-worn and weary, but Kari without doubt, +unless I dreamed. + +"Have you food, Lord?" he asked while I stared at him. "I need it and +would eat before I speak." + +I found meat and native beer and brought them to him, for it was late +and my servants were asleep, waiting till he had filled himself, for by +this time I had learned something of the patience of these people. At +length he spoke, saying: + +"Huaracha's watch is good, and to pass it I must journey far into the +mountains and sleep three nights without food amid their snows." + +"Whence come you?" I asked. + +"From Cuzco, Lord." + +"Then what of the lady Quilla? Does she still live? Is she wed to Urco?" + +"She lives, or lived fourteen days ago, and she is not wed. But where +she is no man may ever come. You have looked your last upon the lady +Quilla, Lord." + +"If she lives and is unwed, why?" I asked, trembling. + +"Because she is numbered among the Virgins of the Sun our Father, and +therefore inviolate to man. Were I the Inca, though I love you and know +all, should you attempt to take her, yes, even you, I would kill you if +I could, and 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 the man who works the crime, before he passes +to eternal vengeance he and all his house and the town whence he came +must perish utterly, and that false virgin who has betrayed our father, +the Sun, must die slowly and by fire." + +"Has this ever chanced?" I asked. + +"History does not tell it, Lord, since none have been so wicked, but +such is the law." + +I thought to myself that it was a very evil law, and cruel; also that I +would break it if I found opportunity, but made no answer, knowing when +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 +faith. After all, could I blame him, seeing that we held the same of +the sacredness of nuns and, it was said, killed them if they broke their +vows? + +"What news, Kari?" I asked. + +"Much, Lord. Hearken. Disguised as a peasant who had come into this +country to barter wool from a village near to Cuzco, I joined myself to +the train of the Inca Upanqui, among whose lords I found a friend who +had loved me in 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 litter and thus was always about her and +at times had speech with her in secret, for she knew me again +notwithstanding my disguise and uniform. So I became one of those who +waited on her when she ate and noted all that passed. + +"After the first day the Inca Upanqui, he who is my father and whose +lawful heir I am, although he discarded me for Urco and believes me +dead, made it a habit to take his food in the same tent or rest-house +chamber as the lady Quilla. Lord, being very clever, she set herself to +charm him, so that soon he began to dote upon her, as old, worn-out men +sometimes do upon young and beautiful women. She, too, pretended 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 mind, whereon she prayed +him, even with tears, to save her from such a fate. At last he vowed +that he would do so by setting her among the Virgins of the Sun on whom +no man may look. She thanked him and said that she would consider the +matter, since, for reasons that you may guess, Lord, she did not desire +to become a Virgin of the Sun and to pass the rest of her days in prayer +and the weaving of the Inca's garments. + +"So it went on until when we were a day's march from Cuzco, Urco, my +brother, came to meet his promised bride. Now, Urco is a huge man and +hideous, one whom none would believe to have been born of the Inca +blood. Coarse he is, and dissolute, given to drink also, though 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 before these were done, +he told her it was his will that they should be wed at once on the day +after she came to Cuzco, nor would he listen to the Inca Upanqui who +said, being cunning and wishing to gain time, that due preparation must +be made for so great a business. + +"Thereupon Urco grew angry with his father, who both fears and loves +him, and answered that, being almost Inca, this matter was one which he +would settle for himself. 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 private place. After +this, at the feast Urco took too much drink according to his custom and +was led away to sleep by his lords. Then Quilla waited upon the Inca and +said: + +"'O Inca, I have seen the Prince and I claim your promise to save me +from him. O Inca, abandoning all thought of marriage, I will become the +bride of our Father the Sun.' + +"Upanqui, who was wroth with Urco because he had crossed his will, swore +by the Sun itself that he would not fail her, come what might, since +Urco should learn that he was not yet Inca." + +"What happened then?" I asked, staring him in the eyes. + +"After this, Lord, when we were halted before making the state entry +into Cuzco, for a moment the lady Quilla found opportunity for private +speech with me. This is what she said: + +"'Tell my father, King Huaracha, that I have fulfilled his oath, but +that I cannot marry Urco. Therefore I seek refuge in the arms of the +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 has +befallen me and bid him farewell to me. Still say that he must keep a +good heart, since I do not believe that all is ended between us.' + +"Then we were parted and I saw her no more." + +"And did you hear no more, Kari?" + +"I heard much, Lord. I heard that when Urco learned that the lady Quilla +had vanished away into the House of Virgins, whither he might not come, +and that he was robbed of the bride whom he desired, he grew mad with +rage. Indeed, of this I saw something myself. Two days later, with +thousands of others I was 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 danger of war with the Chancas +had passed away. Scarcely had the ceremony begun when Urco appeared at +the head of a number of lords and princes of the Inca blood, who are of +his clan, and I noticed that he was drunk and furious. He advanced to +the foot of the throne, almost without obeisance, and shouted: + +"'Where is the lady Quilla, daughter of Huaracha, who is promised to me +in marriage, Inca? Why have you hidden her away, Inca?' + +"'Because the Sun, our Father, has claimed her as his bride and has +taken her to dwell in his holy house, where never again may the eyes of +man behold her, Prince!' answered Upanqui. + +"'You mean that robbing me, you have taken her for yourself, Inca,' +shouted Urco again. + +"Then Upanqui stood up and swore by the Sun that this was not so and +that what he had done was done by the decree of the god and at the +prayer of the lady Quilla, who having seen Urco, had declared that +either she would be wed to the god or die by her own hand, which would +bring the vengeance of the Sun upon the people. + +"Then Urco went mad. He raved at the Inca and while all present shivered +with fear, he cursed the Sun our Father, yes, even when a cloud came up +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 +would be Inca and that then, if he must tear the House of Virgins stone +from stone, as Inca he would drag forth the lady Quilla and make her his +wife. + +"Now at these words Upanqui stood up and rent his robes. + +"'Must my ears be outraged with such blasphemies?' he cried. 'Know, Son +Urco, that this day I was minded to take off the Royal Fringe and to set +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. This I shall not do. My life is not done and strength returns +to my mind and body. Here I stay as Inca. Now I see that I am punished +for my sin.' + +"'What sin?' shouted Urco. + +"'The sin of setting you before my eldest lawful son, Kari, whose wife +you stole; Kari, whom also it is said you poisoned and who at least has +vanished and is doubtless dead.' + +"Now, Lord, when I, Kari, heard this my heart melted in me and I was +minded to declare myself to Upanqui my father. But while I weighed the +matter for a moment, knowing that if I did so, such 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 physicians bore him away. Urco followed and +presently the multitude departed this way and that. Afterwards we were +told that the Inca had recovered but must not be disturbed for many +days." + +"Did you hear more of Quilla, Kari?" + +"Yes, Lord," he answered gravely. "It was commonly reported that, +through some priestess in his pay, Urco had poisoned her, saying that as +she had chosen the Sun as husband, to the Sun she would go." + +"Poisoned her!" I muttered, well-nigh falling to the ground. "Poisoned +her!" + +"Aye, Lord, but be comforted for this was added--that she who gave +the poison was taken in the act by her who is named the Mother of the +Virgins, and handed over to the women who cast her into the den of +serpents, where she perished, screaming that it was Urco who had forced +her to the deed." + +"That does not comfort me, man. What of Quilla? Did she die?" + +"Lord, it is said not. It is said that the Mother of the Virgins dashed +away the cup as it touched her lips. But this is said also, that some of +the poison flew into her eyes and blinded her." + +I groaned, for the thought of Quilla blinded was horrible. + +"Again take comfort, Lord, since perchance she may recover from this +blindness. Also I was told, that although she can see nothing, her +beauty is not marred; that the venom indeed has made her eyes seem +larger and more lovely even than they were before." + +I made no answer, who feared that Kari was deceiving me or perhaps was +himself deceived and that Quilla was dead. Presently he continued his +story in the same quiet, even voice, saying: + +"Lord, after this I sought out certain of my friends who had loved me in +my youth and my mother also while she lived, revealing myself to them. +We made plans together, but before aught could be done in earnest, it +was needful that I should see my father Upanqui. While I was waiting +till 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. Moreover, it was agreed that if I returned with soldiers at my +back, they and their followers would come out to join me to the number +of thousands, and help me to take my own again so that I may be Inca +after Upanqui my father. Therefore I have come back here to talk with +you and Huaracha. + +"Such is my tale." + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +THE FIELD OF BLOOD + +When on the morrow Huaracha, King of the Chancas, heard all this story +and that Urco had given poison to his daughter Quilla, who, if she still +lived at all, did so, it was said, as a blind woman, a kind of madness +took hold of him. + +"Now let war come; I will not rest or stay," he cried, "till I see +this hound, Urco, dead, and hang up his skin stuffed with straw as an +offering to his own god, the Sun." + +"Yet it was you, King Huaracha, who sent the lady Quilla to this Urco +for your own purposes," said Kari in his quiet fashion. + +"Who and what are you that reprove me?" asked Huaracha turning on him. +"I only know you as the servant or slave of the White-Lord-from-the-Sea, +though it is true I have heard stories concerning you," he added. + +"I am Kari, the first-born lawful son of Upanqui and by right heir to +the Inca throne, no less, O Huaracha. Urco my brother robbed me of my +wife, as through the folly of my father, upon whose heart Urco's mother +worked, he had already robbed me of my inheritance. Then, to make sure, +he strove to poison me as he has poisoned your daughter, with a +poison that would make me mad and incapable of rule, yet leave me +living--because he feared lest the curse of the Sun should fall upon +him if he murdered me. I recovered from that bane and wandered to a far +land. Now I have returned to take my own, if I am able. All that I say I +can prove to you." + +For a while Huaracha stared at him astonished, then said: + +"And if you prove it, what do you ask of me, O Kari?" + +"The help of your armies to enable me to overthrow Urco, who is very +strong, being the Commander of the Quichua hosts." + +"And if your tale be true and Urco is overthrown, what do you promise me +in return?" + +"The independence of the Chanca people, who otherwise must soon be +destroyed, and certain other added territories which you covet, while I +am Inca." + +"And with this my daughter, if she still lives?" asked Huaracha looking +at him. + +"Nay," replied Kari firmly. "As to the lady Quilla I promise nothing. +She has vowed herself to my Father the Sun, and what I have already told +the Lord Hurachi here, who loves her I tell you. Henceforward no man +may look upon her, who is the Bride of the Sun, for if I suffered this, +certainly the curse of the Sun would fall upon me and upon my people. +He who lays a hand upon her I will strive to slay"--here he looked at me +with meaning--"because I must or be accurst. Take all else, but let the +lady Quilla be. What the Sun has, he holds forever." + +"Perhaps the Moon, her mother, may have something to say in that +matter," said Huaracha gloomily. "Still, let it lie for the while." + +Then they fell to discussing the terms of their alliance and, when it +came to battle, what help Kari could bring from among those who clung to +him in Cuzco. + +After this Huaracha took me to another chamber, where we debated the +business. + +"This Kari, if he be Kari himself, is a bigot," he said, "and if he has +his way, neither you nor I will ever set eyes on Quilla again, because +to him it is sacrilege. So, what say you?" + +I answered that it would be best to make an alliance with Kari, whom +I knew to be honest and no Pretender, since without his help I did not +think that it would be possible to defeat the armies of the People of +the Incas. For the rest, we must trust to chance, making no promises as +to Quilla. + +"If we did they would avail little," said Huaracha, "seeing that without +doubt she is dead and only vengeance remains to us. There is more poison +in Cuzco, White Lord!" + + + +Eight days later we were marching on Cuzco, a great host of us, +numbering at least forty thousand Chancas and twenty-five thousand of +the rebellious Yuncas, who had joined our standard. + +On we marched by the great road over mountains and across plains, +driving with us numberless herds of the native sheep for food, but +meeting no man, since so soon as we were out of the territory of the +Chancas all fled at our approach. At length one night we camped upon a +hill named Carmenca and saw beneath us at a distance the mighty city of +Cuzco standing in a valley through which a river ran. There it was with +its huge fortresses built of great blocks of stone, its temples, its +palaces, its open squares, and its countless streets bordered by low +houses. Moreover, beyond and around it we saw other things, namely, the +camps of a vast army dotted with thousands of white tents. + +"Urco is ready for us," said Kari to me grimly as he pointed to these +tents. + +We camped upon the hill Carmenca and that night there came to us an +embassy which spoke in the names of Upanqui and Urco, as though they +reigned jointly. This embassy of great lords who all wore discs of +gold in their ears asked us what was our purpose. Huaracha answered--to +avenge the murder of the lady Quilla, his daughter, that he heard had +been poisoned by Urco. + +"How know you that she is dead?" asked the spokesman. + +"If she is not dead," replied Huaracha, "show her to us." + +"That may not be," replied the spokesman, "since if she lives, it is in +the House of the Virgins of the Sun, whence none come out and where none +go in. Hearken, O Huaracha. Go back whence you came, or the countless +army of the Incas will fall upon you and destroy you, you and your +handful together." + +"That is yet to be seen," answered Huaracha, and without more words the +embassy withdrew. + +That night also men crept into our camp secretly, who were of the party +of Kari. Of Quilla they seemed to know nothing, for none spoke of those +over whom the veil of the Sun had fallen. They told us, however, that +the old Inca, Upanqui, was still in Cuzco and had recovered somewhat +from his sickness. Also they said that now the feud between him and Urco +was bitter, but that Urco had the upper hand and was still in command of +the armies. These armies, they declared, were immense and would fight us +on the morrow, adding, however, that certain regiments of them who were +of the party of Kari would desert to us in the battle. Lastly, they +said that there was great fear in Cuzco, since none knew how that battle +would end, which was understood by all to be one for the dominion of +Tavantinsuyu. + +They had nothing more to say except that they prayed the Sun for our +success to save them from the tyranny of Urco. This prince, it appeared, +suspected their conspiracy, for now the rumour that Kari lived was +everywhere, and having obtained the names of some who were connected +with it through his spies, he pursued them with murder and sudden death. +They were poisoned at their food; they were stabbed as they walked +through the streets at night; their wives, if young and fair, vanished +away, as they believed into the houses of those who desired them; even +their children were kidnapped, doubtless to become the servants of +whom they knew not. They had complained of these things to the old +Inca Upanqui, but without avail, since in such matters he was powerless +before Urco who had command of the armies. Therefore they would even +welcome the triumph of Huaracha, which meant that Kari would become Inca +if with lessened territory. + +Before they parted to play their parts, Kari brought them before me, +whom in their foolishness they worshipped, believing me to be in truth a +god. Then he told them to have no fear, since I would command the armies +of Huaracha in the battle. + +Having surveyed the ground while the light lasted, for the most of that +night, together with Huaracha and Kari, I toiled, making plans for +the great fight that was to come. All being ready, I lay down to sleep +awhile, wondering whether it were the last time I should do so upon the +earth and, to tell the truth, not caring overmuch who, believing that +Quilla was dead, had it not been for my sins which weighed upon me with +none to whom I might confess them, should have been glad to leave the +world and its troubles for whatever might lie beyond, even if it were +but sleep. + +There comes a time to most men when above everything they desire rest, +and now that hour was with me, the exiled and the desolate. Here in this +strange country and among these alien people I had found one soul which +was akin to mine, that of a beautiful woman who loved me and whom I +had come to love and desire. But what was the end of it? Owing to the +necessities of statecraft and her own nobleness, she had been separated +from me and although, as it would seem, she had as yet escaped +defilement, was spirited away into the temple of some barbarous worship +where I was almost sure death had found her. + +At the best she was blinded, and where she lay in her darkness no man +might come because of the superstitions of these folk. Even if Kari +became Inca, it would not help me or her, should she still live, since +he was the fiercest bigot of them all and swore that he would kill me, +his friend, rather than that I should touch her, the vowed to his false +gods. + +Or perhaps, through the priests, to save himself such sorrow, he +would kill her. At the least, dead or not, she was lost to me, while +I--utterly alone--must fight for a cause in which I had but one concern, +to bring some savage prince to his end because of his crime against +Quilla. And, if things went well and this chanced, what of the Future? +Of what use to me were rewards that I did not want, and the worship of +the vulgar which I hated? Rather would I have lived out my life as the +humblest fisherman on Hastings beach, than be made a king over these +glittering barbarians with their gold and gems which could buy nothing +that I needed, not even a Book of Hours to feed my soul, or the sound of +the English tongue to comfort my empty heart. + +At length I fell asleep, and as it seemed but a few minutes later, +though really six hours had gone by, was awakened by Kari, who told +me that the dawn was not far off and came to help me to buckle on my +armour. Then I went forth and together with Huaracha arranged our army +for battle. Our plan was to advance from our rising ground across a +great plain beneath us which was called Xaqui, but afterwards became +known by the name of Yahuar-pampa, or Field of Blood. + +This plain lay between us and the city of Cuzco, and my thought was that +we would march or fight our way across it and rush into the city which +was unwalled, and there amidst its streets and houses await the attack +of the Inca hosts that were encamped upon its farther side, for thus +protected by their walls we hoped that we should be more equal to them. +Yet things happened otherwise, since with the first light, without which +we did not dare to move over unknown ground, we perceived that during +the darkness the Inca armies had moved round and through the town and +were gathered by the ten thousand in dense battalions upon the farther +side of the plain. + +Now we took council together and in the end decided not to attack as we +had proposed, but to await their onslaught on the rocky ridge up which +they must climb. So we commanded that our army, which was marshalled +in three divisions abreast and two wings with the Yuncas as a reserve +behind, should eat and make ready. In the centre of our main division, +which numbered some fifteen thousand of the Chanca troops, and a little +in front of it, was a low long hill upon the highest point of which +I took my place, standing upon a rock with a group of captains and +messengers behind me and a guard of about a thousand picked men massed +upon the slopes and around the hill. From this high point I could see +everything, and in my glittering armour was visible to all, friends and +foes together. + +After a pause, during which the priests of the Chancas and of the Yuncas +behind us sacrificed sheep to the moon and the many other gods they +worshipped, and those of the Quichuas, as I could see from my rock, made +prayers and offerings to the rising sun, with a mighty shouting the Inca +hosts began to advance across the plain towards us. Reckoning them with +my eye I saw that they outnumbered us by two or three to one; indeed +their hordes seemed to be countless, and always more of them came on +behind from the dim recesses of the city. Divided into three great +armies they crept across the plain, a wild and gorgeous spectacle, +the sunlight shining upon the forest of their spears and on their rich +barbaric uniforms. + +A furlong or more away they halted and took counsel, pointing to me with +their spears as though they feared me. We stood quite still, though +some of our generals urged that we should charge, but this I counselled +Huaracha not to do, who desired that the Quichuas should break their +strength upon us. At length some word was given; the splendid "rainbow +Banner" of the Incas was unfurled and, still divided into three armies +with a wide stretch of plain between each of them they attacked, yelling +like all the fiends of hell. + +Now they had reached us and there began the most terrible battle that +was told of in the history of that land. Wave after wave of them rolled +up against us, but our battalions which I had not trained in vain stood +like rocks and slew and slew and slew till the dead could be counted by +the thousand. Again and again they strove to storm the hill on which I +stood, hoping to kill me, and each time we beat them back. Picking out +their generals I loosed shaft after shaft from my long bow, and seldom +did I miss, nor could their cotton-quilted armour turn those bitter +arrows. + +"_The shafts of the god! The shafts of the god!_" they cried, and shrank +back from before me. + +There appeared a man with a yellow fillet on his head and a robe that +was studded with precious stones; a huge man with great limbs and +flaming eyes; a loose-mouthed, hideous man who wielded a big axe of +copper and carried a bow longer than any I had seen in that land. +Hooking the axe to his belt, he set an arrow on the bow and let drive at +me. It sped true and struck me full upon the breast, only to shatter on +the good French mail, which copper could not pierce. + +Again he shot, and this time the arrow glanced from my helm. Then I drew +on him and my shaft, that I had aimed at his head, cut away the fringe +about his brow and carried it far away. At this sight a groan went up +from the lords about him, and one cried: + +"An omen, O Urco, an evil omen!" + +"Aye," he shouted, "for the White Wizard who shot the arrow." + +Dropping the bow, he rushed up the hill at me roaring, axe aloft, and +followed by his company. He smote, and I caught the blow upon my shield, +and striking back with Wave-Flame, shore through the shaft of the axe +that he had lifted to guard his head as though it had been made of reed, +aye, and through the quilted cotton on his shoulder strengthened with +strips of gold, and to the bone beneath. + +Then a man slipped past me. It was Kari, striking at Urco with Deleroy's +sword. They closed and rolled down the slope locked in each other's +arms. What chanced after this I do not know, for others rushed in and +all grew confused, but presently Kari limped back somewhat shaken and +bleeding, and I caught sight of Urco, little hurt, as it seemed, amidst +his lords at the bottom of the slope. + +At this moment I heard a great shouting and looking round, saw that the +Quichuas had broken through our left and were slaughtering many, while +the rest fled, also that our right was wavering. I sent messengers to +Huaracha, bidding him call up the Yunca rear guard. They were slow in +coming and I began to fear that all was lost for little by little the +hordes of the men of Cuzco were surrounding us. + +Then it was that Kari, or some with him, lifted a banner that had been +wrapped upon a pole, a blue banner upon which was embroidered a +golden sun. At the sight of it there was tumult in the Inca ranks, and +presently a great body of men, five or six thousand of them that had +seemed to be in reserve, ran forward shouting, "_Kari! Kari!_" and fell +upon those who were pursuing our shattered left, breaking them up and +dispersing them. Also at last the Yuncas came up and drove back the +regiments that assailed our right, while from Urco's armies there rose a +cry of "Treachery!" + +Trumpets blew and the Inca host, gathering itself together and +abandoning its dead and wounded, drew back sullenly on to the plain, and +there halted in three bodies as before, though much lessened in number. + +Huaracha appeared, saying: + +"Strike, White Lord! It is our hour! The heart is out of them." + +The signal was given, and roaring like a hurricane, presently the +Chancas charged. Down the slope they went, I at the head of them with +Huaracha on one side and Kari on the other. The swift-footed Chancas +outran me who was hindered by my mail. We charged in three masses as we +had stood on the ridge, following those open lanes of ground up which +the foe had not come, because these were less cumbered with dead and +wounded. Presently I saw why those of Cuzco had left these lanes untrod, +for of a sudden some warriors, who had outstripped me, vanished. They +had fallen into a pit covered over with earth laid upon canes, of which +the bottom was set with sharp stakes. Others, who were running along +the lanes of open ground to right and left, also fell into pits of which +there were scores all carefully prepared against the day of battle. +With trouble the Chancas were halted, but not before we had lost some +hundreds of men. Then we advanced again across that ground over which +the Inca host had retreated. + +At length we reached their lines, passing through a storm of arrows, and +there began such a battle as I had never heard of or even dreamed. With +axes, stone-headed clubs and spears, both armies fought furiously, +and though the Incas still outnumbered us by two to one, because of my +training our regiments drove them back. Lord after lord rushed at me +with glaring eyes, but my mail turned their copper spears and knives +of flint. Oh! Wave-Flame fed full that day, and if Thorgrimmer my +forefather could have seen us from his home in Valhalla, surely he must +have sworn by Odin that never had he given it such a feast. + +The Inca warriors grew afraid and shrank back. + +"This Red-Beard from the sea is indeed a god. He cannot be slain!" I +heard them cry. + +Then Urco appeared, bloody and furious, shouting: + +"Cowards! I will show you whether he cannot be slain." + +He rushed onward to meet--not me, but Huaracha, who seeing that I was +weary, had leapt in front of me. They fought, and Huaracha went down and +was dragged away by some of his servants. + +Now Urco and I were face to face, he wielding a huge copper-headed club +with which, as my mail could not be pierced, he thought to batter out +my life. I caught the blow upon my shield, but so great was the giant's +strength that it brought me to my knees. Next second I was up and at +him. Shouting, I smote with both hands, for my shield had fallen. The +thick, turban-like headdress that Urco wore was severed, cut through as +the axe had been, and Wave-Flame bit deep into the skull beneath. + +Urco fell like a stunned ox and I sprang upon him to make an end. Then +it was that a rope was flung about my shoulders, a noosed rope that was +hauled tight. In vain I struggled. I was thrown down; I was seized by a +score of hands and dragged away into the heart of Urco's host. + +Waiting till a litter could be brought, they set me on my feet again, my +arms still bound by the noose that these Indians call _laso_, which they +know so well how to throw, the red sword Wave-Flame still hanging by its +thong from my right wrist. Whilst I stood thus, like a bull in a net, +they gathered round, staring at me, not with hate as it seemed to me, +but in fear and with reverence. When at length the litter came they +aided me to enter it quite gently. + +As I did so I looked back. The battle still raged but it seemed to me +with less fury than before. It was as though both sides were weary of +slaughter, their leaders being fallen. The litter was borne forward, +till at length the noise of shouting and tumult grew low. Twisting +myself round I peered through the back curtains and saw that the Inca +host and that of the Chancas were separating sullenly, neither of them +broken since they carried their wounded away with them. It was plain +that the battle remained drawn for there was no rout and no triumph. + +I saw, too, that I was entering the great city of Cuzco, where women +and children stood at the doors of the houses gazing, and some of them +wringing their hands with tears upon their faces. + +Passing down long streets and across a bridge, I came to a vast square +round which stood mighty buildings, low, massive, and constructed of +huge stones. At the door of one of these the litter halted and I was +helped to descend. Men beautifully clad in broidered linen led me +through a gateway and across a garden where I noted a marvellous thing, +namely: that all the plants therein were fashioned of solid gold with +silver flowers, or sometimes of silver with golden flowers. Also there +were trees on which were perched birds of gold and silver. When I saw +this I thought that I must be mad, but it was not so, for having no +other use for the precious metals, of which they had so much abundance, +thus did these Incas adorn their palaces. + +Leaving the golden garden, I reached a courtyard surrounded by rooms, +to one of which I was conducted. Passing its door, I found myself in a +splendid chamber hung with tapestries fantastically wrought and having +cushioned seats, and tables of rich woods incrusted with precious +stones. Here servants or slaves appeared with a chamberlain who bowed +deeply and welcomed me in the name of the Inca. + +Then, as though I were something half divine, gently enough, they loosed +the sword from my wrist, took the long bow from my back, with the few +arrows that remained, also my dagger, and hid them away. They unbound +me, and freeing me from my armour, as I told them how, and the garments +beneath, laved me with warm, scented water, rubbed my bruised limbs, and +clothed me in wonderful soft garments, also scented and fastened about +my middle with a golden belt. This done, food and spiced drinks of their +native wine were brought to me in golden vessels. I ate and drank and, +being very weary, laid myself down upon one of the couches to sleep. +For now I no longer took any thought as to what might befall me, but +received all as it came, good and ill together, entrusting my body and +soul to the care of God and St. Hubert. Indeed, what else could I do who +was disarmed and a prisoner? + +When I awoke again, very stiff and bruised, but much refreshed, night +had fallen, for hanging lamps were lit about the room. By their light +I saw the chamberlain of whom I have spoken standing before me. I asked +him his errand. With many bows he said that if I were rested the Inca +Upanqui desired my presence that he might speak with me. + +I bade him lead on, and, with others who waited without, he conducted +me through a maze of passages into a glorious chamber where everything +seemed to be gold, for even the walls were panelled with it. Never had +I dreamt of so much gold; indeed the sight of it wearied me till I could +have welcomed that of humble brick or wood. At the end of this chamber +that was also lit with lamps, were curtains. Presently these were drawn +by two beautiful women in jewelled skirts and head-dresses, and behind +them on a dais I saw a couch and on the couch the old Inca Upanqui +looking feebler than when I had last beheld him in the Chanca city, +and very simply clad in a white tunic. Only on his head he wore the red +fringe from which I suppose he never parted day or night. He looked up +and said: + +"Greeting, White-Lord-from-the-Sea. So you have come to visit me after +all, though you said that you would not." + +"I have been brought to visit you, Inca," I answered. + +"Yes, yes, they tell me they captured you in the battle, though I expect +that was by your own will as you had wearied of those Chancas. For what +_laso_ can hold a god?" + +"None," I answered boldly. + +"Of course not, and that you are a kind of god there is no doubt because +of the things you did in that battle. They say that the arrows and +spears melted when they touched you and that you shot and cut down men +by scores. Also that when the prince Urco tried to kill you, although +he is the strongest man in my kingdom, you knocked him over as though +he had been a little child and hacked his head open so that they do not +know whether he will live or die. I think I hope he will die, for you +see I have quarrelled with him." + +I thought to myself that so did I, but I only asked: + +"How did the battle end, Inca?" + +"As it began, Lord Hurachi. A great many men have been killed on +both sides, thousands and thousands of them, and neither army has the +victory. They have drawn back and sit growling at each other like two +angry lions which are afraid to fight again. Indeed, I do not want them +to fight, and now that Urco cannot interfere, I shall put a stop to all +this bloodshed if I am able. Tell me, for you were with him, why does +this Huaracha, who I hear is also wounded, want to make war on me with +those troublesome Chancas of his?" + +"Because your son, the prince Urco, has poisoned, or tried to poison, +his only child, Quilla." + +"Yes, yes, I know, and it was a wicked thing to do. You see, Lord, what +happened was this: That lovely Quilla, who is fairer than her mother the +Moon, was to have married Urco. But, Lord, as it chanced on our journey +together, although I am old--well, she became enamoured of me, and +prayed me to protect her from Urco. Such things happen to women, Lord, +whose hearts, when they behold the divine, are apt to carry them away +from the vulgar," and he laughed in a silly fashion like the vain old +fool that he was. + +"Naturally. How could she help it, Inca? Who, after seeing you, would +wish to turn to Urco?" + +"No one, especially as Urco is a coarse and brutal fellow. Well, what +was I to do? There are reasons why I do not wish to marry again at my +age; indeed I am tired of the sight of women, who want time to pray and +think of holy things; also if I had done what she wished, some might +have thought that I had behaved badly to Urco. At the same time, a +woman's heart is sacred and I could not do violence to that of one so +sweet and understanding and lovely. So I put her into the House of the +Virgins of the Sun where she will be quite safe." + +"It seems that she was not safe, Inca." + +"No, because that violent man, Urco, being disappointed and very +jealous, through some low creature of his, who waited on the Virgins, +tried to poison her with a drug which would have made her all swollen +and hideous and covered her face with blotches, also perhaps have sent +her mad. Luckily one of the matrons, whom we call _Mama-conas_, knocked +the cup away before she drank, but some of the horrible poison went into +her eyes and blinded her." + +"So she lives, Inca." + +"Certainly she lives. I have learnt that for myself, because in this +country it is not wise to trust what they tell you. You know as Inca I +have privileges, and although even I do not talk to them, I caused those +Virgins of the Sun to be led in front of me, which in strictness even +I ought not to have done. It was a dreary business, Lord Hurachi, for +though those Virgins may be so holy, some of them are very old and +hideous and of course Quilla as a novice came last in the line conducted +by two _Mama-conas_ who are cousins of my own. The odd thing is that the +poison seems to have made her much more beautiful than before, for her +eyes have grown bigger and are glorious, shining like stars seen when +there is frost. Well, there she is safe from Urco and every other man, +however wicked and impious. But what does this Huaracha want?" + +"He wants his blinded daughter back, Inca." + +"Impossible, impossible! Who ever heard of such a thing! Why, Heaven and +Earth would come together and the Sun, my father, and her husband, +would burn us all up. Still, perhaps, we could come to an agreement for +Huaracha must have had enough fighting and very likely he will die. +Now I am tired of talking about the lady Quilla and I want to ask you +something." + +"Speak on, Inca." + +Suddenly the old dotard's manner changed: he became quick and shrewd, as +doubtless he was in his prime, for this Upanqui had been a great king. +At the beginning of our talk the two women of whom I have spoken and the +chamberlain had withdrawn to the end of the chamber where they waited +with their hands folded, like those who adore before an altar. Still he +peered about him to make sure that none were within hearing, and in the +end beckoned to me to ascend the dais and sit upon the couch beside him, +saying: + +"You see I trust you although you are a god from the sea who has been +fighting against me. Now hearken. You had a servant with you, a very +strange man, who is said also to have come out of the sea, though that I +cannot believe since he is like one of our princes. Where is that man?" + +"With the army of Huaracha, Inca." + +"So I have heard. I heard also that in the battle he hoisted a banner +with the sun blazoned on it, and that thereon certain regiments of mine +deserted to Huaracha. Now, why did they do that?" + +"I understand, O Inca, that the kings of this land have many children. +Perhaps he might be one of them." + +"Ah! You are clever as a god should be. Well, I am a god also and the +same thought has come to me, although as a fact I have only had two +legitimate sons and the others are of no account. The eldest of these +was an able and beautiful prince named Kari, but we quarrelled, and to +tell the truth there was a woman in the matter, or rather two women, for +Kari's mother fought with Urco's mother whom I loved, because she never +scolded me, which the other did. So Urco was named to be Inca after me. +Yet that was not enough for him who remained jealous of his brother Kari +who outpassed him in all things save strength of body. They wooed the +same beautiful woman and Kari won her, whereon Urco seduced her from +him, and afterwards he or someone killed her. At least she died, I +forget how. Then the lords of the Inca blood began to turn towards Kari +because he was royal and wise, which would have meant civil war when I +had been gathered to the Sun. Therefore Urco poisoned him, or so it was +rumoured; at any rate, he vanished away, and often since then I have +mourned him." + +"The dead come to life again sometimes, Inca." + +"Yes, yes, Lord-from-the-Sea, that happens; the gods who took them away +bring them back--and this servant of yours--they say he is so like +to Kari that he might be the same man grown older. And--why did those +regiments, all of them officered by men who used to love Kari, go over +to Huaracha to-day, and why do rumours run through the land like the +wind that springs up suddenly in fine weather? Tell me of this servant +of yours and how you found him in the sea." + +"Why should I tell you, Inca? Is it because you want to kill him who is +so like to this lost Kari of yours?" + +"No, no--gods can keep each other's counsel, can they not? It is because +I would give--oh! half my godship to know that he is alive. Hark you, +Urco wearies me so much that sometimes I wonder whether he really is my +son. Who can tell? There was a certain lord of the coastlands, a hairy +giant who, they said, could eat half a sheep at a sitting and break the +backs of men in his hands, of whom Urco's mother used to think much. +But who can tell? No one except my father, the Sun, and he guards his +secrets--for the present. At least Urco wearies me with his coarse +crimes and his drunkenness, though the army loves him because he is a +butcher and liberal. We quarrelled the other day over the small matter +of this lady Quilla, and he threatened me till I grew wrath and said +that I would not hand him my crown as I had purposed to do. Yes, I +grew wrath and hated him for whose sake I had sinned because his mother +bewitched me. Lord-from-the-Sea," here his voice dropped to a whisper, +"I am afraid of Urco. Even a god such as I am can be murdered, +Lord-from-the-Sea. That is why I will not go to Yucay, for there I might +die and none know it, whereas here I still am Inca and a god whom it is +sacrilege to touch." + +"I understand, but how can I help you, Inca, who am but a prisoner in +your palace?" + +"No, no, you are only a prisoner in name. At the worst Urco will be +sick for a long while, since the physicians say that sword of yours has +bitten deep, and during that time all power is mine. Messengers are +at your service; you are free to come and go as you will. Bring this +servant of yours to my presence, for doubtless he trusts you. I would +speak with him, O Lord-from-the-Sea." + +"If I should do this, Inca, will the lady Quilla be given back to her +father?" + +"Nay, it would be sacrilege. Ask what else you will, lands and rule and +palaces and wives--not that. Myself I should not dare to lay a finger +on her who rests in the arms of the Sun. What does it matter about this +Quilla who is but one fair woman among thousands?" + +I thought awhile, then answered, "I think it matters much, Inca. Still, +that this bloodshed may be stayed, I will do my best to bring him who +was my servant to your presence if you can find me the means to come at +him, and afterwards we will talk again." + +"Yes, I am weary now. Afterwards we will talk again. Farewell, +Lord-from-the-Sea." + + + +CHAPTER IX + +KARI COMES TO HIS OWN + +When I awoke on the following morning in the splendid chamber of which I +have spoken, it was to find that my armour and arms had been restored 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 be left +alone, marvelling at the wondrous golden fruits and flowers, a messenger +came to me, saying that the _Villaorna_ desired speech with me. I +wondered who this _Villaorna_ might be, but when he entered I saw that +he was Larico, that same stern-faced, cunning-eyed lord who had been the +spokesman of the Inca when he visited the city of the Chancas. Also I +learned that _Villaorna_ was his title and meant "Chief priest." + +We bowed to each other and all were sent from the chamber, leaving us +quite alone. + +"Lord-from-the-Sea," he said, "the Inca sends me, his Councillor and +blood relative, who am head priest of the Sun, to desire that you will +go on an embassy for him to the camp of the Chancas. First, however, it +is needful that you should swear by the Sun that you will return thence +to Cuzco. Will you do this?" + +Now as there was nothing I desired more than to return to Cuzco where +Quilla was, I answered that I would swear by my own god, by the Sun, and +by my sword, unless the Chancas detained me by force. Further, I prayed +him to set out his business. + +He did so in these words: + +"Lord, we have come to know, it matters not how, that the man who +appeared with you in this land is no other than Kari, the elder son of +the Inca, whom we thought dead. Now it is in 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 dangerous, seeing that Urco still commands the army and many of +the great lords who are of his mother's House cling to him, hoping to +receive advancement from him when he becomes Inca." + +"But, Priest Larico, Urco, they say, is like to die, and if so all this +trouble will melt like a cloud." + +"Your sword bit deep, Lord, but I have it from his physicians that as +the brain is uncut he will not die, although he will be sick for a long +while. 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 as you have seen, the Inca is old and feeble and his mind is weak. +Indeed at times he has no mind, though at others his strength returns to +him." + +"Which means that I deal with you who are the chief priest, and those +behind you," I said, looking him in the eyes. + +"That is what it means, Lord. Now hearken while I tell you the truth. +After the Inca I am the most powerful man in Tavantinsuyu, indeed for +the most part the Inca speaks with my voice although I seem to speak +with his. Yet I am in a snare. Heretofore I have supported Urco because +there was no other who could become Inca, although he is a brutal and +an evil man. Of late, however, since my return from the City of the +Chancas, I have quarrelled with Urco because 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 about, Lord, and I will promise you anything you may wish, even +perchance to the Incaship itself, should aught happen to Kari or should +he refuse my offers. I think that the Quichuas might welcome a white god +from the Sea who has shown himself so great a general and so brave in +battle, and who has knowledge and wisdom more than theirs, to rule over +them," he added reflectively. "Only then, Lord, it would be needful to +be rid of Kari as well as of Urco." + +"To which I would never consent," I replied, "seeing that he is my +friend with whom I have shared many dangers. Moreover, I do not wish to +be Inca." + +"Is there then anything else that you wish very much, Lord? A thought +came to me, yonder at the City of the Chancas. By the way, how lovely +is that lady Quilla and how royal a woman. It is most strange that she +should have turned her mind towards an aged man like Upanqui." + +We looked at each other. + +"Very strange," I said. "It seems to me sad also that this beauteous +Quilla should be immured in a nunnery for life. To tell you the truth, +High-priest, since it is not good for man to live alone, rather than +that such a thing should have happened I would have married her myself, +to which perchance she might have consented." + +Again we looked at each other and I went on: + +"I hinted as much to Kari after we heard she was numbered amongst the +Virgins, and asked him whether, should he become Inca, he would take her +thence and give her to me." + +"What did he answer, Lord?" + +"He said that though he loved me like a brother, first he would kill me +with his own hand, since such a deed would be sacrilege against the Sun. +Last night also the Inca himself said much the same." + +"Is it so, Lord? Well, we priests bring up our Incas to think thus. If +we did not, where would our power be, seeing that we are the Voice of +the Sun upon earth and issue his decrees?" + +"But do you always think thus yourselves, O High-priest?" + +"Not quite always. There are loopholes in every law of gods and men. For +example, I believe I see one in the instance of this lady Quilla. 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? It is that you shall +assure to me the friendship of the prince Kari, should he become Inca, +and the continuance of my power and office." + +"My answer is that I do desire this lady, O High-priest, and that if I +can I will obtain from Kari the promise of what you seek. And now where +is the loophole?" + +"I seem to remember, Lord, that there is an ancient law which says--that +none who are maimed may be the wives of the Sun. It is true that this +law applies to them _before_ they contract the holy 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 cannot be found if the search be thorough. +Now through the wickedness of Urco, as it happens, this lady Quilla has +been blinded, and therefore is no longer perfect in her body. Do you +understand?" + +"Quite. But what would Upanqui or Kari say? The Incas you declare are +always bigots and might interpret this law otherwise." + +"I cannot tell, Lord, but let us cease from beating bushes. I will help +you if I can, if you will help me if _you_ can, though I daresay that in +the end you, who are not a bigot, must take the law into your own hands, +as perhaps the lady Quilla, who is a moon-worshipper, would be willing +to do also." + +The finish of it was that this cunning priest and statesman and I made a +bargain. If I could win Kari over to his interests, then he swore by the +Sun 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 Kari. Moreover, as he showed me, there was little fear that +either of us would break these oaths since henceforth each lay in the +power of the other. + +After this we passed on to public matters. I was charged to offer an +honourable truce to Huaracha and the Chancas with permission to them to +camp their armies 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 freedom and safeguards from attack. For the rest +I was to bring Kari and those who had deserted to him on the yesterday +into Cuzco where none would molest them. + +Then he went, leaving me happier than I had been since I bade farewell +to Quilla. For now at last I saw light, a faint uncertain light, it was +true, only to be reached, if reached at all, through many difficulties +and dangers, but still light. At last I had found someone in this +land of black superstition 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 think he would, since he had +nothing to gain thereby, and might have much to lose, for the reason +that I was able, or he thought that I was able, to set Kari against him. +At least I could only go forward and trust to fortune, though in fact +hitherto she had never shown me favour where woman was concerned. + + + +Awhile later I was being borne in one of the Inca's own litters back to +the camp of the Chancas, accompanied by an embassy of great lords. + +We passed over that dreadful, bloodstained plain where, under a flag of +truce, both sides were engaged in burying the thousands of their dead, +and 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 my armour come back to them alive, they set up a great shouting +and presently I and the lords with me were led to the pavilion of King +Huaracha. + +We found him lying sick upon a couch, for though he showed no wound he +had been badly bruised upon the body by a blow from Urco's club and, as +I feared, was hurt in the bowels. He greeted me with delight, since 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 Cuzco +when I had done my business. Then the Inca's ambassadors set out their +proposals for a truce, and retired, while Huaracha discussed them with +his generals and Kari, who also was overjoyed to see me safe. + +The end of it was that they were accepted on the terms offered, namely, +that Huaracha and his army should withdraw to the valleys of which I +have spoken, and there camp, receiving all 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 very great and they were in no state to renew the attack +upon Cuzco, which was still defended by such mighty hordes of brave +warriors fighting for their homes, families, and freedom. + +So all was agreed on the promise that peace should be made within thirty +days or sooner, and that if it were not the war should re-commence. + +Then privately, I told Huaracha all that I had learned about Quilla and +that I had still hopes of saving her though what these were I did not +tell him. When he had thought, he said that now 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 destruction. Also he pointed out that he was hurt and +I who had been general under him was a prisoner and bound by my oath to +return to prison, so that the Chancas had lost their leaders. + +After this we parted, I promising to work for his cause and to come to +see him again, if I might. + +These matters finished I went aside with Kari to a place where none +could hear us, and there laid before him the offers of Larico, the +high-priest, showing him how the case stood. Of Quilla, however, I said +nothing to him, though it pained me 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 Quilla to +be killed by the priests, as one whose feet were set in the path of +sacrilege? So on this matter I held my peace, nor did he ask me anything +concerning Quilla who, I think, wished to hear nothing of that lady and +what had befallen her. + +When he had learned all, he said: + +"This may be a trap, Lord. I do not trust yonder Larico, who has always +been my enemy and Urco's friend." + +"I think he is his own friend first," I answered, "who knows that if +Urco recovers he will kill him, because he has taken the part of your +father, Upanqui, in their quarrels, and suspects him." + +"I am not sure," said Kari. "Yet something must be risked. Did I not +tell you when we were sailing down the English river that we must 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 god," and drawing out +the image of Pachacamac, which he wore round his neck, he kissed it, +then turning, bowed and prayed to the Sun. + +"I will come with you," he said, when he had finished his devotions, "to +live to be Inca, or to die, as the Sun decrees." + +So he came and with him some of his friends, captains of those who had +deserted to him in the battle. But the five thousand soldiers, or those +who were left of them, did not come as yet because they feared lest they +should be set upon and butchered by the regiments of Urco. + + + +That night, when we were back safe in Cuzco, Kari and the high-priest, +Larico talked together in secret. Of what passed between them he only +told me that they had come to an agreement which satisfied them both. +Larico said the same to me when next I saw him, adding: + +"You have kept your word and served my turn, Lord-from-the-Sea, +therefore I will keep mine and serve yours when the time comes. Yet be +warned by me 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 Huaracha would make peace with him more easy and lasting, he +answered that first would he fight Huaracha, and the Yuncas as well, to +the last man in Cuzco. + +"To the Sun she has gone," he said, "and with the Sun she must stay, +lest the curse of the Sun and of Pachacamac, the Spirit above the sun, +should fall on me and all of us." + +Larico told me also that, fearing something, the great lords, who were +of Urco's party, had borne him away in a litter to a strong city in the +mountains about five leagues from Cuzco, escorted by thousands of picked +men who would stay in and about that city. + +On the next morning I was summoned to wait upon the Inca Upanqui, +and went, wearing my armour. I found him in the same great chamber as +before, only now he was more royally arrayed, and with him were sundry +of his high lords of the Inca blood, also certain priests, among them +the _Villaorna_ Larico. + +The old king, who on that day seemed clear in his mind and well, greeted +me in his kindly fashion and bade me set out all that had passed between +me and Huaracha in the Chanca camp. This I did, only I hid from him how +great had been the Chanca losses in the battle and how glad they were to +declare a truce and rest. + +Upanqui said that the matter should be attended to, speaking in a royal +fashion as though it were one of little moment, which showed me how +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 +dominions, which in every part were filled with people who, unless they +chanced to be in rebellion like the Yuncas, lived but to do his will. + +After this, when I thought the audience was ended, a chamberlain +advanced to the foot of the throne, and kneeling, said that a suppliant +prayed speech with the Inca. Upanqui waved his sceptre, that long +staff which I have 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 emeralds and gold about his neck. Nor did he come alone, +for he was attended by a brilliant band of those lords and captains +who had deserted to him on the day of the great battle. He advanced and +knelt before the throne. + +"Who is this that carries the emblems of the Holy Blood and is clothed +like a Prince of the Sun?" asked Upanqui, affecting ignorance and +unconcern, though I saw the colour mount to his cheeks and the sceptre +shake in his withered hand. + +"One who is indeed of the holy Inca blood; one sprung from the purest +lineage of the Sun," answered the stately Kari in his quiet voice. + +"How then is he named?" asked the Inca again. + +"He is named Kari, first-born son of Upanqui, O Inca." + +"Such a son I had once, but he is long dead, or so they told me," said +Upanqui in a trembling voice. + +"He is not dead, O Inca. He lives and he kneels before you. Urco +poisoned him, but the Sun his Father recovered him, and the Spirit 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 for him," here he turned +his head towards me. "With this god he returned to his own country and +here he kneels before you, O Inca." + +"It cannot be," said the Inca. "What sign do you bring who name yourself +Kari? Show me the image of the Spirit above the gods that from his +childhood for generations has been hung about the neck of the Inca's +eldest son, born from the Queen." + +Kari opened his robe and drew out that golden effigy of Pachacamac which +he always wore. + +Upanqui examined it, holding it close to his rheumy eyes. + +"It seems to be the same," he said, "as I should know upon whose breast +it lay until my first son was born. And yet who can be sure since such +things may be copied?" + +Then he handed back the image to Kari and after reflecting awhile, said: + +"Bring hither the Mother of the Royal Nurses." + +Apparently this lady was in waiting, for in a minute she appeared before +the throne, an old and withered woman with beady eyes. + +"Mother," said the Inca, "you were with the _Coya_ (that is the Queen) +who has been gathered to the Sun, when her boy was born, and afterwards +nursed him for years. If you saw it, would you know his body again after +he has come to middle age?" + +"Aye, O Inca." + +"How, Mother?" + +"By three moles, O Inca, which we women used to call _Yuti_, _Quilla_, +and _Chasca_" (that is, the Sun, the Moon, and the planet Venus), "which +were the marks of good fortune stamped by the gods upon the Prince's +back between the shoulders, set one above the other." + +"Man who call yourself Kari, are you willing that this old crone should +see your flesh?" asked Upanqui. + +By way of answer Kari with a little smile stripped himself of his +broidered tunic and other garments and stood before us naked to the +middle. Then he turned his back to the Mother of the Nurses. She hobbled +up and searched it with her bright eyes. + +"Many scars," she muttered, "scars in front and scars behind. This +warrior has known battles and blows. But what have we here? Look, O +Inca, _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 these withered breasts, are you come back from the dead to +take your own again? O Kari of the Holy Blood; Kari the lost who is Kari +the found!" + +Then sobbing and muttering she threw her arms about him and kissed him. +Nor did he shame to kiss her in return, there before them all. + +"Restore his garments to the royal Prince," said Upanqui, "and bring +hither the Fringe that is worn by the Inca's heir." + +It was produced without delay by the high-priest Larico, which told +me at once that all this scene had been prepared. Upanqui took it from +Larico, and beckoning Kari to him, with the priest's help bound it about +his brow, thereby acknowledging him and restoring him as heir-apparent +to the Empire. Then he kissed him on the brow and Kari knelt down and +did his father homage. + +After this they went away together accompanied only by Larico and two +or three of the councillors of Inca blood and as I learned from Larico +afterwards, told each other their tales and made plans to outwit, and if +need were to destroy, Urco and his faction. + +On the following day Kari was established in a house of his own that was +more of a fortress than a palace, for it was built of great stones with +narrow gates, and surrounded by an open space. Upon this space, as a +guard, were encamped all those who had deserted to him in the battle of +the Field 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 that on the day of the new moon, which the magicians declared +to be auspicious, Kari would be publicly presented to the people in +the Temple of the Sun as the Inca's lawful heir, in place of Urco +disinherited for crimes that he had committed against the Sun, the +Empire, and the Inca his father. + +"Brother," said Kari to me, for so he called me now that he was an +acknowledged Prince, when I went to meet him in his grandeur, "Brother, +did I not tell you always that we must trust to our gods? See, I have +not trusted in vain though it is true that dangers still lie ahead of +me, and perhaps civil war." + +"Yes," I answered, "your gods are in the way of giving you all you want, +but it is not so with mine and me." + +"What then do you desire, Brother, who can have even to the half of the +kingdom?" + +"Kari," I replied, "I cry not for the Earth, but for the Moon." + +He understood, and his face grew stern. + +"Brother, the Moon alone is beyond you, for she inhabits the sky while +you still dwell upon the earth," he answered with a frown, and then +began to talk of the peace with Huaracha. + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE GREAT HORROR + +The day of the new moon came and with it the great horror that caused +all the Empire of Tavantinsuyu to tremble, fearing lest Heaven should be +avenged upon it. + +Since Upanqui had found his elder son again he began to dote upon him, +as in such a case the old and weak-minded often do, and would walk about +the gardens and palaces with his arm around his neck babbling to him +of whatever was uppermost in his mind. Moreover, his soul was oppressed +because he had done Kari wrong in the past, and preferred Urco to him +under the urging of that prince's mother. + +"The truth is, Son," I myself heard him say to Kari, "that we men who +seem to rule the world do not rule it at all, because always women rule +us. This they do through our passions which the gods planted in us for +their own ends, also because they are more single in their minds. The +man thinks of many things, the woman only thinks of what she desires. +Therefore the man whom Nature already has bemused, only brings a little +piece of his mind to fight against her whole mind, and so is conquered; +he who was made for one thing only, to be the mate of the woman that she +may mother more men in order to serve the wills of other women who yet +seem to be those men's slaves." + +"So I have learned, Father," answered the grave Kari, "and for this +reason having suffered in the past, I am determined to have as little to +do with women as is possible for one in my place. During my travels in +other lands, as in this country, I have seen men great and noble brought +to nothingness and ruin by their love for women; down into the dirt, +indeed, when their hands were full of the world's wealth and glory. +Moreover, I have noticed that they seldom learn wisdom, and that what +they have done before, they are ready to do again, who believe anything +that soft lips swear to them. Yes, even that they are loved for +themselves alone, as I own to my sorrow, once I did myself. Urco could +not have taken that fair wife of mine, Father, if she had not been +willing to go when she saw that I had lost your favour and with it the +hope of the Scarlet Fringe." + +Here Kari looked at me, of whom I knew he was thinking all this time, +and seeing that I could overhear his talk, began to speak of something +else. + + + +On the appointed day there was a great gathering of the nobles of +the land, especially of those of the Inca blood, and of all that were +"earmen," a class of the same rank as our peers in England, to hear +the proclamation of Kari as the Inca's heir. It was made before this +gorgeous company in the Great Temple of the Sun, which now I saw for the +first time. + +It was a huge and most wondrous place well named the "House of Gold." +For here everything was gold. On the western wall hung an image of the +Sun twenty feet or more across, an enormous graven plate of gold set +about with gems and having eyes and teeth of great emeralds. The roof, +too, and the walls were all panelled with gold, even the cornices and +column heads were of solid gold. + +Opening out of this temple also were others dedicated to the Moon and +Stars, that of the Moon being clothed in silver, with her radiant face +shaped in silver fixed to the western wall. So it was with the temple of +the Stars, of the Lightnings and of the Rainbow, which perhaps with its +many colours that sprang from jewels, was the most dazzling of them all. + +The sight of so much glory overwhelmed me, and it came into my mind that +if only it were known of in Europe, men would die by the ten thousand +on the chance that they might conquer this country and make its wealth +theirs. Yet here, save for these purposes of ornament and to be used as +offerings to the gods and Incas, it was of no account at all. + +But in this temple of the Sun was a marvel greater than its gold. For on +either side of the carved likenesses of the sun, seated upon chairs of +gold, sat the dead Incas and their queens. Yes, clothed in their royal +robes and emblems, with the Fringe upon their brows, there they sat with +their heads bent forward, so wonderfully preserved by the arts these +people have, that except for the stamp of death upon their countenances, +they might have been sleeping men and women. Thus in the dead face +of the mother of Kari I could read her likeness to her son. Of these +departed kings and queens there were many, since from the first Inca of +whom history told all were gathered here in the holy House and under +the guardianship of the effigy of their god, the Sun, from whom they +believed themselves to be descended. The sight was so solemn that it +awed me, as it did all that congregation, for I noted that here men +walked with unsandalled feet and that in speaking none raised their +voices high. + +The old Inca, Upanqui, entered, gloriously apparelled and accompanied by +lords and priests, while after him came Kari with his retinue of great +men. The Inca bowed to the company whereon everyone in the great temple, +save myself alone whose British pride kept me on my feet, standing like +one left living on a battlefield among a multitude of slain, prostrated +himself before his divine majesty. At a sign they rose again and the +Inca seated himself upon his jewelled golden throne beneath the effigy +of the Sun, while Kari took his place upon a lesser throne to the Inca's +right. + +Looking at him there in his splendour on this day when he came into his +own again, I bethought me of the wretched, starving Indian marked with +blows and foul with filth whom I had rescued from the cruel mob upon the +Thames-side wharf, and wondered at this enormous change of fortune and +the chain of wonderful events by which it had been brought about. + +My fortune also had changed, for then I was great in my own fashion, who +now had become but a wanderer, welcomed indeed in this glittering +new world of which yonder we knew nothing, because I was strange and +different, also full of unheard-of learning and skilled in war, but +still nothing but an outcast wanderer, and so doomed to live and die. +And as I thought, so thought Kari, for our glances met, and I read it in +his eyes. + +Yonder sat my servant who had become my lord, and though he was still my +friend, soon I felt he would be lost in the state matters of that great +empire, leaving me more lonely than before. Also his mind was not as +my mind, as his blood was not my blood, and he was the slave of a faith +that to me was a hateful superstition doubtless begotten by the Devil, +who under the name of _Cupay_, some worshipped in that land, though +others declared that this _Cupay_ was the God of the Dead. + +Oh! that I could flee away with Quilla and at her side live out what was +left to me of life, since of all these multitudes she alone understood +and was akin to me, because the sacred fire of love had burned away our +differences and opened her eyes. But Quilla was snatched from me by the +law of their accursed faith, and whatever else Kari might give, he would +never give me this lady of the Moon, since, as he had said, to him this +would be sacrilege. + +The ceremonies began. First Larico, the high-priest of the Sun, clothed +in his white sacerdotal robes, made sacrifice upon a little altar which +stood in front of the Inca's throne. + +It was a very simple sacrifice of fruit and corn and flowers, with what +seemed to be strange-shaped pieces of gold. At least I saw nothing else, +and am sure that nothing that had life was laid upon that altar after +the fashion of the bloody offerings of the Jews, and indeed of those of +some of the other peoples of that great land. + +Prayers, however, were spoken, very fine prayers and pure so far as I +could understand them, for their language was more ancient and somewhat +different to that which was used in common speech; also the priests +moved about, bowing and bending the knees much as our own do in +celebrating the mass, though whether these motions were in honour of the +god or of the Inca, I am not sure. + +When the sacrifice was over, and the little fire that burned upon the +altar had sunk low, though I was told that for hundreds of years it had +never been extinguished, suddenly the Inca began to speak. With many +particulars that I had not heard before he told the tale of Kari and +of his estrangement from him in past years through the plottings of the +mother of Urco who now was dead, like the mother of Kari. This woman, +it would appear, had persuaded him, the Inca, that Kari was conspiring +against him, and therefore Urco was ordered to take him prisoner, but +returned only with Kari's wife, saying that Kari had killed himself. + +Here Upanqui became overcome with emotion as the aged are apt to do, +and beat his breast, even shedding tears because most unjustly he had +allowed these things to happen and the wicked triumph over the good, +for which sin he said he felt sure his father the Sun would bring some +punishment on him, as indeed was to chance sooner than he thought. Then +he continued his story, setting out all Urco's iniquities and sacrileges +against the gods, also his murders of people of high and low degree and +his stealing of their wives and daughters. Lastly he told of the coming +of Kari who was supposed to be dead, and all that story which I have set +out. + +Having finished his tale, with much solemn ceremonial he deposed Urco +from his heirship to the Empire which he gave back to Kari to whom it +belonged by right of birth and calling upon his dead forefathers, one by +one, to be witness to the act, with great formality once more he bound +the Prince's Fringe about his brow. As he did this, he said these words: + +"Soon, O Prince Kari, you must change this yellow circlet for that which +I wear, and take with it all the burden of empire, for know that as +quickly as may be I purpose to withdraw to my palace at Yucay, there to +make my peace with God before I am called hence to dwell in the Mansions +of the Sun." + +When he had finished Kari did homage to his father, and in that quiet, +even voice of his, told his tale of the wrongs that he had suffered +at the hands of Urco his brother and of how he had escaped, living but +maddened, from his hate. He told also how he had wandered across the +sea, though of England he said nothing, and been saved from misery and +death by myself, a very great person in my own country. Still, since I +had suffered wrong there, as he, Kari, had in his, he had persuaded me +to accompany him back to his own land, that there my wisdom might shine +upon its darkness, and owing to my divine and magical gifts hither we +had come in safety. Lastly, he asked the assembled priests and lords if +they were content to accept him as the Inca to be, and to stand by him +in any war that Urco might wage against him. + +To this they answered that they were content and would stand by him. + +Then followed many other rites such as the informing of the dead +Incas, one by one, of this solemn declaration, through the mouth of the +high-priest, and the offering of many prayers to them and to the Sun +their father. So long were these prayers with the chants from choirs +hidden in side chapels by which they were interspersed, that the day +drew towards its close before all was done. + +Thus it came about that the dusk was gathering when the Inca, followed +by Kari, myself, the priests, and all the congregation, left the temple +to present Kari as the heir to the throne to the vast crowd which waited +upon the open square outside its doors. + +Here the ceremony went on. The Inca and most of us, for there was not +space for all, although we were packed as closely together as Hastings +herrings in a basket, took our stand upon a platform that was surrounded +by a marvellous cable made of links of solid gold which, it was said, +needed fifty men to lift it from the ground. Then Upanqui, whose +strength seemed restored to him, perhaps because of some drug that he +had eaten, or under the spur of this great event, stepped forward to the +edge of the low platform and addressed the multitude in eloquent words, +setting out the matter as he had done in the temple. He ended his speech +by asking the formal question: + +"Do you, Children of the Sun, accept the prince Kari, my first-born, to +be Inca after me?" + +There was a roar of assent, and as it died away Upanqui turned to call +Kari to him that he might present him to the people. + +At this very moment in the gathering twilight I saw a great fierce-faced +man with a bandaged head, whom I knew to be Urco, leap over the golden +chain. He sprang upon the platform and with a shout of "I do not accept +him, and thus I pay back treachery," plunged a gleaming copper knife or +sword into the Inca's breast. + +In an instant, before any could stir in that packed crowd, Urco had +leapt back over the golden chain, and from the edge of the platform, to +vanish amongst those beneath, who doubtless were men of his following +disguised as citizens or peasants. + +Indeed all who beheld seemed frozen with horror. One great sigh went up +and then there was silence, since no such deed as this was known in +the annals of that empire. For a moment the aged Upanqui stood upon his +feet, the blood pouring down his white beard and jewelled robe. Then he +turned a little and said in a clear and gentle voice: + +"Kari, you will be Inca sooner than I thought. Receive me, O God my +Father, and pardon this murderer who, I think, can be no true son of +mine." + +Then he fell forward on his face and when we lifted him he was dead. + +Still the silence hung; it was as though the tongues of men were smitten +with dumbness. At length Kari stepped forward and cried: + +"The Inca is dead, but I, the Inca, live on to avenge him. I declare war +upon Urco the murderer and all who cling to Urco!" + +Now the spell was lifted, and from those dim hordes there went up a yell +of hatred against Urco the butcher and parricide, while men rushed to +and fro searching for him. In vain! for he had escaped in the darkness. + +On the following day, with more ceremonies, though many of these were +omitted because of the terror and trouble of the times, Kari was crowned +Inca, exchanging the yellow for the crimson Fringe and taking the throne +name of Upanqui after his father. In Cuzco there was none to say him nay +for the whole city was horror-struck because of the sacrilege that had +been committed. Also those who clung to Urco had fled away with him to +a town named Huarina on the borders of the great lake called Titicaca, +where was an island with marvellous temples full of gold, which town lay +at a distance from Cuzco. + + + +Then the civil war began and raged for three whole months, though of +all that happened in that time because of the labour of it, I set down +little, who would get forward with my story. + +In this war I played a great part. The fear of Kari was that the +Chancas, seeing the Inca realm thus rent in two, would once more attack +Cuzco. This it became my business to prevent. As the ambassador of Kari +I visited the camp of Huaracha, bearing offers of peace which gave to +him more than he could ever hope to win by strength of arms. I found the +old warrior-king still sick and wasted because of the hurt from Urco's +club, though now he could walk upon crutches, and set out the case. He +answered that he had no wish to fight against Kari who had offered him +such honourable terms, especially when he was waging war against Urco +whom he, Huaracha, hated, because he had striven to poison his daughter +and dealt him a blow which he was sure would end in his death. Therefore +he was ready to make a firm peace with the new Inca, if in addition to +what he offered he would surrender to him Quilla who was his heiress and +would be Queen of the Chancas after him. + +With these words I went back to Kari, only to find that on this matter +he was hard as a rock of the mountains. In vain did I plead with him, +and in vain did the high-priest, Larico, by subtle hints and arguments, +strive to gentle his mind. + +"My brother," said Kari in that soft even voice of his, when he had +heard me patiently to the end, "forgive me if I tell you that in +advancing this prayer, for one word you say on behalf of King Huaracha, +you say two for yourself, who having unhappily been bewitched by her, +desire this Virgin of the Sun, the lady Quilla, to be your wife. My +brother, take everything else that I have to give, but leave this lady +alone. If I handed her over to Huaracha or to you, as I have told you +before, I should bring upon myself and upon my people the curse of my +father the Sun, and of Pachacamac, the Spirit who is above the Sun. It +was because Upanqui, my father according to the flesh, dared to look +upon her after she had entered the House of the Sun, as I have learned +he did, that a bloody and a cruel death came upon him, for so the +magicians and the wise men have assured me that the oracles declare. +Therefore, rather than do this crime of crimes, I would choose that +Huaracha should renew the war against us and that you should join +yourself to him, or even to Urco, and strive to tear me from the Throne, +for then even if I were slain, I should die with honour." + +"That I could never do," I answered sadly. + +"No, my brother Hubert (for now he called me by my English name again), +that you could never do, being what you are, as I know well. So like the +rest of us you must bear your burden. Mayhap it may please my gods, or +your gods in the end, and in some way that I cannot foresee, to give you +this woman whom you seek. But of my free will I will never give her to +you. To me the deed would be as though in your land of England the King +commanded the consecrated bread and cups of wine to be snatched from the +hands of the priests of your temples and cast to the dogs, or given to +cheer the infidels within your gates, or dragged away the nuns from your +convents to become their lemans. What would you think of such a king +in your own country? And what," he added with meaning, "would you have +thought of me if there I had stolen one of these nuns because she was +beautiful and I desired her as a wife?" + +Now although Kari's words stung me because of the truth that was in +them, I answered that to me this matter wore another face. Also that +Quilla had become a Virgin of the Sun, not of her own free will, but to +escape from Urco. + +"Yes, my brother," he answered, "because you believe my religion to be +idolatry, and do not understand that the Sun to me is the symbol and +garment of God, and that when we of the Inca blood, or those of us who +have the inner knowledge, talk of him as our Father, we mean that we are +the children of God, though the common people are taught otherwise. For +the rest, this lady took her vows of her own free will and of her secret +reasons I know nothing, any more than I know why she offered herself in +marriage to Urco before she found you upon the island. For you I grieve, +and for her also; yet I would have you remember that, as your own +priests teach, in every life that is not brutal there must be loss, +sorrow, and sacrifice, since by these steps only man can climb towards +the things of the spirit. Pluck then such flowers as you will from the +garden that Fate gives you, but leave this one white bloom alone." + +In such words as these he preached at me, till at length I could bear no +more, and said roughly: + +"To me it is a very evil thing, O Inca, to separate those who love each +other, and one that cannot be pleasing to Heaven. Therefore, great as +you are, and friend of mine as you are, I tell you to your face that if +I can take the lady Quilla out of that golden grave of hers I shall do +so." + +"I know it, my brother," he answered, "and therefore, were I as some +Incas have been, I should cause this holy Spouse to travel more quickly +to the skies than Nature will take her. But this I will not do because +I know also that Destiny is above all things and that which Destiny +decrees will happen unhelped by man. Still I tell you that I will thwart +you if I can and that should you succeed in your ends, I will kill you +if I can and the lady also, because you have committed sacrilege. Yes, +although I love you better than any other man, I will kill you. And if +King Huaracha should be able to snatch her away by force I will make war +on him until either I and my people or he and his people are destroyed. +And now let us talk no more of this matter, but rather of our plans +against Urco, since in these at least, where no woman is concerned, I +know that you will be faithful to me and I sorely need your help." + + + +So with a heavy heart I went back to the camp of Huaracha and told him +Kari's words. He was very wroth when he heard them, since his gods were +different to those of the Incas and he thought nothing of the holiness +of the Virgins of the Sun, and once again talked of renewing the war. +Still it came to nothing for sundry reasons of which the greatest was +that his sickness increased on him as the days went by. Also I told him +that much as I desired Quilla, I could not fight upon his side since +I was sworn to aid Kari against Urco and my word might not be broken. +Moreover, the Yuncas who had been our allies, wearying of their long +absence from home and satisfied with the gentle forgiveness and the +redress of their grievances which the new Inca had promised them, were +gone, having departed on their long march to the coast, while many +of the Chancas themselves were slipping back to their own country. +Therefore Huaracha's hour had passed by. + +So at length we agreed that it would be foolish to attack Cuzco in +order to try to rescue Quilla, since even if Huaracha won in face of a +desperate defence, probably it would be only to find that his daughter +was dead or had vanished away to some unknown and distant convent. All +that we could do was to trust to fortune to deliver her into our hands. +We agreed further that, having obtained an honourable peace and all +else that he desired, it would be well for Huaracha to return to his own +land, leaving me a body of five thousand picked men who were willing to +serve under me, to assist in the war against Urco, to be my guard and +that of Quilla, if perchance I could deliver her from the House of the +Sun. + +When this was known five thousand of the best and bravest of the +Chancas, young soldiers who sought adventure and battle and whom I had +trained, stepped forward at once and swore themselves to my service. +Bidding farewell to Huaracha, with these troops I returned to Cuzco, +sending messengers ahead to explain the reason of their coming to Kari, +who welcomed them well and gave them quarters round the palace which was +allotted to me. + +A few days later we advanced on the town Huarina, a great host of us, +and outside of it met the yet greater host of Urco in a mighty battle +that endured for a day and a night, and yet, like that of the Field of +Blood, remained neither lost nor won. When the thousands of the dead had +been buried and the wounded sent back to Cuzco, we attacked the city +of Huarina, I leading the van with my Chancas, and stormed the place, +driving Urco and his forces out on the farther side. + +They retreated to the mountains and there followed a long and tedious +war without great battles. At length, although the Inca's armies had +suffered sorely, we forced those of Urco to the shores of the Lake +Titicaca, where most of them melted away into the swamps and certain +tree-clad, low-lying valleys. Urco himself, however, with a number of +followers, escaped in boats to the holy island in the lake. + +We built a fleet of _balsas_ with reeds and blown-out sheepskins, and +followed him. Landing on the isle we stormed the city of temples which +were more wondrous and even fuller of gold and precious things than +those of Cuzco. Here the men of Urco fought desperately, but driving +them from street to street, at length we penned them in one of the +largest of the temples of which by some mischance a reed roof was set +on fire, so that there they perished miserably. It was a dreadful scene +such as I never wish to behold again. Also, after all Urco and some +of his captains, breaking out of the burning temple under cover of the +smoke escaped, either in _balsas_ or, as many declare, by swimming the +lake. At least they were gone nor search as we might on the mainland +could they be found. + +So all being finished, except for the escape of Urco, we returned to +Cuzco which Kari entered in triumph, I marching at his side, wearied out +with war and bloodshed. + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE HOUSE OF DEATH + +Now at one time during this long war against Urco victory smiled +upon him, though afterwards the scale went down against him. Kari was +defeated in a pitched battle and I who commanded another army was +almost surrounded in a valley. When everything seemed lost, afterwards +I escaped by leading my soldiers round up the slope of a mountain and +surprising Urco in the rear, but as it ended well for us I need not +speak of that matter. + +It was while all was at its blackest for us that a certain officer was +brought to me who was captured while striving to desert, or at least to +pass our outposts. As it happened I knew this man again having, +unseen myself, noted him on the previous day talking earnestly to +the high-priest Larico, who, with other priests, accompanied my army, +perhaps to keep a watch on me. I took this captain apart and questioned +him alone, threatening him with death by torment if he did not reveal +his errand to me. + +In the end, being very much afraid, he spoke. From him I learned that +he was a messenger from Larico to Urco. Believing that our defeat was +almost certain, Larico had sent him to make his peace with Urco by +betraying all Kari's and my own plans to him and revealing how he might +most easily destroy us. He said also that he, Larico, had only joined +the party of Upanqui, and of Kari after him, under threats of death and +that always in his heart he had been true to Urco, whom he acknowledged +as his Lord and as the rightful Inca whom he would help to restore to +the Throne with all the power of the Priesthood of the Sun. Further, +he sent by this spy a secret message by means of little cords cunningly +knotted, which knots served these people as writing, since they could +read them as we read a book. + +Now, being always desirous of knowledge, I had caused myself to be +instructed in the plan of this knot-writing which by this time I could +read well enough. Therefore I was able to spell out this message. It +said shortly but plainly, that knowing he still desired her, he, Larico, +as high-priest would hand over to Urco the lady Quilla, daughter to +the King of the Chancas who unlawfully had been hidden away among +the Virgins of the Sun, also that he would betray me, the +White-God-from-the-Sea who sought to steal her away, into Urco's hands, +that he might kill me if he could. + +When I had mastered all this I was filled with rage and bethought me +that I would cause Larico to be taken and suffer the fate of traitors. +Soon, however, I changed this mind of mine and placing the spy in close +keeping where none could come at him, I set a watch on Larico but said +nothing to him or to Kari of all that I had learned. + +A few days later our fortunes changed and Urco, defeated, was in full +flight to the shores of Lake Titicaca. After this I knew we had nothing +more to fear from this fox-hearted high-priest who above everything +desired to be on the winning side and to continue in his place and +power. So knowing that I held him fast I bided my time, because through +him alone I could hope to come at Quilla. That time came after the +war was over and we had returned to Cuzco in triumph. As soon as the +rejoicings were over and Kari was firmly seated on his throne, I sent +for Larico, which, as the greatest man in the kingdom after the Inca, I +was able to do. + +He appeared in answer to my summons and we bowed to each other, after +which he began to praise me for my generalship, saying that had it not +been for me, Urco would have won the war and that the Inca had done well +to name me his Brother before the people and to say that to me he owed +his throne. + +"Yes, that is true," I answered, "and now, since through me, you, +Larico, are the third greatest man in the kingdom and remain High-Priest +of the Sun and Whisperer in the Inca's ear, I would put you in mind of +a certain bargain that we made when I promised you all these things, +Larico." + +"What bargain, Lord-of-the-Sea." + +"That you would bring me and a Virgin of the Sun, who while she was of +the earth was named Quilla, together, Larico, and enable her to return +from those of the Sun to my arms, Larico." + +Now his face grew troubled and he answered: + +"Lord, I have thought much of this matter, desiring above all things to +fulfil my word and I grieve to tell you that it is impossible." + +"Why, Larico?" + +"Because I find that the law of my faith is against it, Lord." + +"Is that all, Larico?" I asked with a smile. + +"No, Lord. Because I find that the Inca would not suffer it and swears +to kill all who attempt to touch the lady Quilla." + +"Is that all, Larico?" + +"No, Lord. Because I find that a woman who has been betrothed to one of +the royal blood may never pass to another man." + +"Now perhaps we come nearer to it, Larico. You mean that if this +happened and perchance after all Urco should come to the throne, as he +might do if Kari his brother died--as any man may die--he would hold you +to account." + +"Yes, Lord, if that chanced, as chance it may, since Urco still lives +and I hear is gathering new armies among the mountains, certainly he +would hold me to account for I have heard as much. Also our father +the Sun would hold me to account and so would the Inca who wields his +sceptre upon earth." + +I asked him why he did not think of all these things before when he had +much to gain instead of now when he had gained them through me, and he +answered because he had not considered them enough. Then I pretended to +grow angry and exclaimed: + +"You are a rogue, Larico! You promise and take your pay and you do not +perform. Henceforth I am your enemy and one to whom the Inca hearkens." + +"He hearkens still more to this god the Sun and to me who am the voice +of God, White Man," he answered, adding insolently, "You would strike +too late; your power over me and my fortunes is gone, White Man." + +"I fear it is so," I replied, pretending to be frightened, "so let us +say no more of the matter. After all, there are other women in Cuzco +besides this fair bride of the Sun. Now before you go, High-Priest, will +you who are so learned help me who am ignorant? I have been striving to +master your method of conveying thoughts by means of knots. Here I have +a bundle of strings which I cannot altogether understand. Be pleased to +interpret them to me, O most holy and upright High-Priest." + +Then from my robe I drew out those knotted fibres that I had taken from +his messenger and held them before Larico's eyes. + +He stared at them and turned pale. His hand groped for his dagger till +he saw that mine was on the hilt of Wave-Flame, whereon he let it fall. +Next the thought took him that in truth I could not read the knots which +he began to interpret falsely. + +"Have done, Traitor," I laughed, "for I know them all. So Urco may wed +Quilla and I may not. Also cease to fret as to that messenger of +yours for whom you seek far and near, since he is safe in my keeping. +To-morrow I take him to deliver his message not to Urco, but to +Kari--and then, Traitor?" + +Now Larico who, notwithstanding his stern face and proud manner, was a +coward at heart, fell upon his knees before me trembling and prayed me +to spare his life which lay in my hand. Well he knew that if once it +came to Kari's ears, even a high priest of the Sun could not hope to +escape the reward of such treachery as his. + +"If I pardon you, what will you give me?" I asked. + +"The only thing that you will take, Lord--the lady Quilla herself. +Hearken, Lord. Outside the city is the palace of Upanqui whom Urco slew. +There in the great hall the divine Inca sits embalmed and into that holy +presence none dare enter save the Virgins of the Sun whose office it is +to wait upon the mighty dead. To-morrow one hour before the dawn, when +all men sleep, I will lead you to this hall disguised in the robes of a +priest of the Sun, so that on the way thither none can know you. There +you will find but one Virgin of the Sun, the lady whom you seek. Take +her and begone. The rest I leave to you." + +"How do I know that you will not set some trap for me, Larico?" + +"Thus, Lord, that I shall be with you and share your sacrilege. Also my +life will be in your hand." + +"Aye, Larico," I answered grimly, "and if aught of ill befalls me, +remember that this," and I touched the knotted cords, "will find its way +to Kari, and with it the man who was your messenger." + +He nodded and answered: + +"Be sure that I have but one desire, to know you, Lord, and this woman +whom, being mad, you seek so madly, far from Cuzco and never to look +upon your face again." + +Then we made our plans as to when and where we should meet and other +matters, after which he departed, bowing himself away with many smiles. + +I thought to myself that there went as big a rogue as I had ever known, +in London or elsewhere, and fell to wondering what snare he would set +for me, since that he planned some snare I was sure. Why, then, did I +prepare to fall into it? I asked myself. The answer was, for a double +reason. First, although my whole heart was sick with longing for the +sight of her, now, after months of seeking, I was no nearer to Quilla +than when we had parted in the city of the Chancas, nor ever should +be without Larico's aid. Secondly, some voice within me told me to go +forward taking all hazards, since if I did not, our parting would be for +always in this world. Yes, the voice warned me that unless I saved her +soon, Quilla would be no more. As Huaracha had said, there was more +poison in Cuzco, and murderers were not far to seek. Or despair might do +its work with her. Or she might kill herself as once she had proposed to +do. So I would go forward even though the path I walked should lead me +to my doom. + +That day I did many things. Now, being so great a general and man--or +god--among these people, I had those about me who were sworn to my +service and whom I could trust. For one of these, a prince of the Inca +blood, of the House of Kari's mother, I sent and gave to him those +knotted cords that were the proof of Larico's treachery, bidding him if +aught of evil overtook me, or if I could not be found, to deliver them +to the Inca on my behalf and with them the prisoned messenger who was in +his keeping, but meanwhile to show them to no man. He bowed and swore by +the Sun to do my bidding, thinking doubtless that, my work finished in +this land, I purposed to return into the sea out of which I had risen, +as doubtless a god could do. + +Next I summoned the captains of the Chancas who had fought under me +throughout the civil war, of whom about half remained alive, and bade +them gather their men upon the ridge where I had stood at the beginning +of the battle of the Field of Blood, and wait until I joined them +there. If it chanced, however, that I did not appear within six days +I commanded that they should march back to their own country and make +report to King Huaracha that I had "returned into the sea" for reasons +that he would guess. Also I commanded that eight famous warriors whom I +named, men of my own bodyguard who had fought with me in all our battles +and would have followed me through fire or water or the gates of Hell +themselves, should come to the courtyard of my palace after nightfall, +bringing a litter and disguised as its bearers, but having their arms +hidden beneath their cloaks. + +These matters settled, I waited upon the Inca Kari and craved of him +leave to take a journey. I told him that I was weary with so much +fighting and desired to rest amidst my friends the Chancas. + +He gazed at me awhile, then stretched out his sceptre to me in token +that my request was granted, and said in a sad voice: + +"So you would leave me, my brother, because I cannot give you that which +you desire. Bethink you. You will be no nearer to the Moon (by which +he meant Quilla) at Chanca than you are at Cuzco and here, next to the +Inca, you are the greatest in the Empire who by decree are named his +brother and the general of his armies." + +Now, though my gorge rose at it, I lied to him, saying: + +"The Moon is set for me, so let her sleep whom I shall see no more. For +the rest, learn, O Kari, that Huaracha has sworn to me that I shall be, +not his brother but his son, and Huaracha is sick--they say to death." + +"You mean that you would choose to be King over the Chancas rather +than stand next to the throne among the Quichuas?" he said, scanning me +sharply. + +"Aye, Kari," I replied, still lying. "Since I must dwell in this strange +land, I would do so as a king--no less." + +"To that you have a right, Brother, who are far above us all. But when +you are a king, what is your plan? Do you purpose to strive to conquer +me and rule over Tavantinsuyu, as perchance you could do?" + +"Nay, I shall never make war upon you, Kari, unless you break your +treaty with the Chancas and strive to subdue them." + +"Which I shall never do, Brother." + +Then he paused awhile and spoke again with more passion that I had ever +known in him, saying: + +"Would that this woman who comes between us were dead. Would that she +had never been born. In truth, I am minded to pray to my father, the +Sun, that he will be pleased to take her to himself, for then perchance +we two might be as we were in the old time yonder in your England, and +when we faced perils side by side upon the ocean and in the forests. A +curse on Woman the Divider, and all the curses of all the gods upon this +woman whom I may not give to you. Had she been of my Household I would +have bidden you to take her, yes, even if she were my wife, but she is +the wife of the god and therefore I may not--alas! I may not," and he +hid his face in his robe and groaned. + +Now when I heard these words I grew afraid who knew well that she of +whom the Inca prays the Sun that she may die, does die, and swiftly. + +"Do not add to this lady's wrongs by robbing her of life as well as of +sight and liberty, Kari," I said. + +"Have no fear, Brother," he answered, "she is safe from me. No word +shall pass my lips though it is true that in my heart I wish that she +would die. Go your ways, Brother and Friend, and when you grow weary +of kingship if it comes to you, as to tell truth already I grow weary, +return to me. Perchance, forgetting that we had been kings, we might +journey hence together over the world's edge." + +Then he stood up on his throne and bowed towards me, kissing the air as +though to a god, and taking the royal chain that every Inca wore from +about his neck, set it upon mine. This done, turning, he left me without +another word. + +With a heavy heart I returned to my palace where I dwelt. At sundown I +ate according to my custom, and dismissed those who waited upon me to +the servants' quarters. There were but two of them for my private life +was simple. Then I slept till past midnight and rising, went into +the courtyard where I found the eight Chanca captains disguised +as litter-bearers and with them the litter. I led them to an empty +guard-house and bade them stay there in silence. After this I returned +to my chamber and waited. + +About two hours before the dawn Larico came, knocking on the side-door +as we had planned. I opened to him and he entered disguised in a hooded +cloak of sheep's wool which covered his robes and his face, such as +priests wear when the weather is cold. He gave to me the garments of a +priest of the Sun which he had brought with him in a cloth. I clothed +myself in them though because of the fashion of them to do this I must +be rid of my armour which would have betrayed me. Larico desired that I +should take off the sword Wave-Flame also, but, mistrusting him, this +I would not do, but made shift to hide it and my dagger beneath the +priest's cloak. The armour I wrapped in a bundle and took with me. + +Presently we went out, having spoken few words since the time for speech +had gone by and peril or some fear of what might befall weighed upon our +tongues. In the guard-house I found the Chancas at whom Larico looked +curiously but said nothing. To them I gave the bundle of armour to be +hidden in the litter and with it my long bow, having first revealed +myself to them by lifting the hood of my cloak. Then I bade them follow +me. + +Larico and I walked in front and after us came the eight men, four of +them bearing the empty litter, and the other four marching behind. This +was well planned since if any saw us or if we met guards as once or +twice we did, these thought that we were priests taking one who was sick +or dead to be tended or to be made ready for burial. Once, however, we +were challenged, but Larico spoke some word and we passed on without +question. + +At length in the darkness before the dawn we came to the private palace +of dead Upanqui. At its garden gate Larico would have had me leave the +litter with the eight Chanca warriors disguised as bearers. I refused, +saying that they must come to the doors of the palace, and when he grew +urgent, tapped my sword, whispering to him fiercely that he had best +beware lest it should be he who stayed at the gate. Then he gave way +and we advanced all of us across the garden to the door of the palace. +Larico unlocked the door with a key and we entered, he and I alone, for +here I bade the Chancas await my return. + +We crept down a short passage that was curtained at its end. Passing +the curtains I found myself in Upanqui's banqueting-hall. This hall was +dimly lit with one hanging golden lamp. By its light I saw something +more wondrous and of its sort more awful than ever I had seen in that +strange land. + +There, on a dais, in his chair of gold, sat dead Upanqui arrayed in all +his gorgeous Inca robes and so marvellously preserved that he might have +been a man asleep. With arms crossed and his sceptre at his side, he sat +staring down the hall with fixed and empty eyes, a dreadful figure of +life in death. About him and around the dais were set all his riches, +vases and furniture of gold, and jewels piled in heaps, there to remain +till the roof fell in and buried them, since on this hallowed wealth +the boldest dared not lay a hand. In the centre of the hall, also, was +a table prepared as though for feasters, for amid jewelled cups and +platters stood the meats and wines which day by day were brought afresh +by the Virgins of the Sun. Doubtless there were more wonders, but these +I could not see because the light did not reach them, or to the doorways +of the chambers that opened from the hall. Moreover, there was something +else which caught my eye. + +At the foot of the dais crouched a figure which at first I took to be +that of some dead one also embalmed, perhaps a wife or daughter of the +dead Inca who had been set with him in this place. While I stared at +it the figure stirred, having heard our footsteps, rose and turned, +standing so that the light from the hanging lamp fell full upon it. It +was Quilla clad in white and purple with a golden likeness of the Sun +blazoned upon her breast! + +So beauteous did she look searching the darkness with great blind eyes +and her rich flowing hair flowing from beneath her jewelled headdress, +a diadem fashioned to resemble the Sun's rays, that my breath failed me +and my heart stood still. + +"There stands she whom you seek," muttered Larico in a mocking whisper, +for here even he did not seem to dare to talk aloud. "Go take her, you +whom men call a god, but I call a drunken fool ready to risk all for +a woman's lips. Go take her and ask the blessing upon your kisses of +yonder dead king whose holy rest you break." + +"Be silent," I whispered back and passed round the table till I came +face to face with Quilla. Then a strange dumbness fell upon me like a +spell or dead Upanqui's curse, so that I could not speak. + +I stood there staring at those beautiful blind eyes and the blind eyes +stared back at me. Presently a look of understanding gathered on the +face and Quilla spoke, or rather murmured to herself. + +"Strange--but I could have sworn! Strange, but I seemed to feel! Oh! I +slept in my vigils upon that dead old man who in life was so foolish +and in death appears to have become so wise, and sleeping I dreamed. I +dreamed I heard a step I shall never hear again. I dreamed one was near +me whom I shall never touch again. I will sleep once more, for in my +darkness what are left to me save sleep and--death?" + +Then at last I found my tongue and said hoarsely, + +"Love is left, Quilla, and--life." + +She heard and straightened herself. Her whole body seemed to become +rigid as though with an agony of joy. Her blind eyes flashed, her lips +quivered. She stretched out her hand, feeling at the darkness. Her +fingers touched my forehead, and thence she ran them swiftly over my +face. + +"It is--dead or living--it is----" and she opened her arms. + +Oh! was there ever anything more beautiful on the earth than this sight +of the blind Quilla thus opening her arms to me there in the gorgeous +house of death? + +We clung and kissed. Then I thrust her away, saying: + +"Come swiftly from this ill-omened place. All is ready. The Chancas +wait." + +She slipped her hand into mine and I turned to lead her away. + +Then it was that I heard a low, mocking laugh, Larico's, I thought, +heard also a sound of creeping footsteps around me. I looked. Out of the +darkness that hid the doors of the chamber on the right appeared a giant +form which I knew for that of Urco, and behind him others. I looked +to the left and there were more of them, while in front beyond the +gold-laid board stood the traitor, Larico, laughing. + +"You have the first fruits, but it seems that another will reap the +harvest, Lord-from-the-Sea," he jeered. + +"Seize her," cried Urco in his guttural voice, pointing to Quilla with +his mace, "and brain that white thief." + +I drew Wave-Flame and strove to get at him, but from both sides men +rushed in on me. One I cut down, but the others snatched Quilla away. +I was surrounded, with no room to wield my sword, and already weapons +flashed over me. A thought came to me. The Chancas were at the door. I +must reach them, for perhaps so Quilla might be saved. In front was +the table spread for the death feast. With a bound I leapt on to it, +shouting aloud and scattering its golden furnishings this way and that. +Beyond stood the traitor, Larico, who had trapped me--I sprang at him +and lifting Wave-Flame with both hands I smote with all my strength. He +fell, as it seemed to me, cloven to the middle. Then some spear cast at +me struck the lamp. + +It shattered and went out! + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE FIGHT TO THE DEATH + +There was tumult in the hall; shoutings, groans from him whom I had +first struck down, the sound of vases and vessels overthrown, and above +all those of a woman's shrieks echoing from the walls and roof, so that +I could not tell whence they came. + +Through the gross darkness I went on towards the curtains, or so I +hoped. Presently they were torn open, and by the faint light of the +breaking dawn I saw my eight Chancas rushing towards me. + +"Follow!" I cried, and at the head of them groped my way back up the +hall, seeking for Quilla. I stumbled over the dead body of Larico and +felt a path round the table. Then suddenly a door at the back of the +hall was thrown open and by the grey light which came through the +doorway I perceived the last of the ravishers departing. We scrambled +across the dais where the golden chair was overthrown and the embalmed +Upanqui lay, a stiff and huddled heap upon his back, staring at me with +jewelled eyes. + +We gained the door which, happily, none had remembered to close, and +passed out into the parklike grounds beyond. A hundred paces or more +ahead of us, by the glowing light, I saw a litter passing between the +trees surrounded by armed men, and knew that in it was Quilla being +borne to captivity and shame. + +After it we sped. It passed the gate of the park wall, but when we +reached that gate it was shut and barred and we must waste time breaking +it down, which we did by help of a felled tree that lay at hand. We were +through it, and now the rim of the sun had appeared so that through the +morning mist, which clung to the hillside beyond the town, we could +see the litter, the full half of a mile away. On we went up the hill, +gaining as we ran, for we had no litter to bear, nor aught else save the +sack of armour which one of the Chancas had thought to bring with him +when he rushed into the hall, and with it my long bow and shaft. + +Now, at a certain place between this hill and another there was a gorge +such as are common in that country, a gorge so deep and narrow that +in places the light of day scarcely struggles to the pathways at its +bottom. Into this tunnel the litter vanished and when we drew near I saw +that its mouth was held by armed men, six of them or more. Taking my bow +from the Chanca I strung it and shot swiftly. The man at whom I aimed +went down. Again I shot and another fell, whereon the rest of them took +cover behind stones. + +Throwing back the bow to the Chanca, for now it was useless, we charged. +That business was soon over, for presently all those of Urco's men who +remained there were dead, save one who, being cut off, fled down hill +towards the city, taking with him the news of what had passed in the +palace of dead Upanqui. + +We entered the mouth of the gorge, plunging towards the gloom, though as +it chanced this place faced towards the east, so that the low sun, which +now was fully up, shone down it and gave us light that later would have +been lacking. + +I, who was very swift of foot and to whom rage and fear gave wings, +outran my companions. Swinging myself round a rock which lay in the +pathway, I saw the litter again not a hundred yards ahead. It halted +because, as it seemed to me, one or more of the bearers stumbled and +fell among the stones. I rushed at them, roaring. Perhaps it had been +wiser to wait for my companions, but I was mad and feared nothing. They +saw me and a cry went up of: + +"The White God! The terrible White God!" + +Then fear took hold of them and they fled, leaving the litter on the +ground. Yes, all of them fled save one, Urco himself. + +He stood there rolling his eyes and gnashing his teeth, looking huge +and awful in those shadows, looking like a devil from hell. Suddenly a +thought seemed to take him, and leaping at the litter he tore aside its +curtains and dragged out Quilla, who fell prone upon the ground. + +"If I may not have her, you shall not, White Thief. See! I give back his +bride to the Sun," he shouted, and lifted his copper sword to pierce her +through. + +Now I was still ten paces or so away and saw that before I could reach +him that sword would be in her heart. What could I do? Oh! St. Hubert +must have helped me then for I knew in an instant. In my hand was +Wave-Flame and with all my strength I hurled it at his head. + +The great blade hurtled hissing through the air. I saw the sunlight +shine on it. He strove to leap clear, but too late, for it caught him +on the hand that he had lifted to protect his head, and shore off two of +his fingers so that he dropped his sword. Next instant, still roaring, +as doubtless old Thorgrimmer, my forefather, used to do when he fought +to the death, for blood is very strong, I leapt on the giant, who like +myself was swordless. There in the gulf we wrestled. He was a mighty +man, but now my strength was as that of ten. I threw him to the ground +by a Sussex trick I knew and there we rolled over and over each other. +Once he had me undermost and I think would have choked me, had it not +been that his right hand lacked two fingers. + +With a mighty heave I lifted him so that now we lay side by side. He +was groping for a knife--I did not see, but knew it. Near his head a +sharp-edged stone rose in the path to the height of a man's hand or +more. I saw it and bethought me what to do if I could. Again I heaved +and as at length he found the knife and stabbed at me, scratching my +face, I got his bull's neck upon that stone. Then I loosed my hand and +caught him by the hair. Back I pressed his great head, back and back +with all my might till something snapped. + +Urco's neck was broken. Urco quivered and was dead! + +I lay by his side, panting. A voice came from the white heap upon the +ground by whom and for whom this dreadful combat had been fought, the +voice of Quilla. + +"One died, but who lives?" asked the voice. + +I could not answer because I had no breath. All my strength was gone. +Still I sat up, supporting myself with my hand and hoping that it would +come back. Quilla turned her face towards me, or rather towards the +sound that I had made in moving, and I thought to myself how sad it was +that she should be blind. Presently she spoke again and now her voice +quavered: + +"I _see_ who it is that lives," she said. "Something has broken in my +eyes and, Lord and Love, I see that it is _you_ who live. You, you, and +oh! you bleed." + +Then the Chancas came bounding down the gorge and found us. + +They looked at the dead giant and saw how he had died, killed by +strength, not by the sword; they looked and bent the knee and praised +me, saying that I was indeed a god, since no man could have done this +deed, killing the huge Urco with his naked hands. Then they placed +Quilla back in her litter and six of them bore her down that black +gorge. The two who remained, for in that fight none of them had been +hurt, supported me till my strength came back, for the cut in the face +that I had received from Urco's dagger was but slight. We reached the +mouth of the gorge and took counsel. + +To return to Cuzco after what I had done, would be to seek death. So we +bore away to the right and, making a round, came about ten o'clock of +the morning unmolested by any, to that ridge on which I had stood at the +beginning of the battle of the Field of Blood. There I found the Chancas +encamped, some three thousand of them, as I had commanded. When they +saw me, living and but little hurt, they shouted for joy, and when they +learned who was in that litter they went well-nigh mad. + +Then the eight warriors with me told them all the tale of the saving +of Quilla and the death of the giant Urco at my hands, whereon their +captains came and kissed my feet, saying that I was in truth a god, +though heretofore some of them had held me to be but a man. + +"God or man," I answered, "I must rest. Let the women tend to lady +Quilla, and give me food and drink, after which I will sleep. At sunset +we march home to Huaracha, your king and mine, to give him back his +daughter. Till then there is naught to fear, since Kari has no troops at +hand with which to attack us. Still, set outposts." + +So I ate and drank, but little of the former and much of the latter, I +fear, and after that I slept as soundly as one who is dead, for I was +outworn. + +When the sun was within an hour of setting, captains awakened me and +said that an embassy from Cuzco, ten men only, waited outside our lines, +seeking speech with me. So I rose, and my face and wound having been +dressed, caused water to be poured over my body, and was rubbed with +oil; after which, clothed in the robes of a Chanca noble, but wearing no +armour, I went out with nine Chanca captains to receive the embassy on +the plain at the foot of the hill, at that very spot where first I had +fought with Urco. + +When we drew near, from out of the group of nobles advanced one man. I +looked and saw that he was Kari, yes, the Inca himself. + +I went forward to meet him and we spoke together just out of earshot of +our followers. + +"My brother," said Kari, "I have learned all that has passed and I +give you praise who are the most daring among men and the first among +warriors; you who slew the giant Urco with your naked hands." + +"And thus made your throne safe for you, Kari." + +"And thus made my throne safe for me. You also who clove Larico to the +breast in the death-house of Upanqui, my father----" + +"And thus delivered you from a traitor, Kari." + +"And thus delivered me from a traitor, as I have learned also from your +messenger who handed to me the knotted cord, and from the spy whom you +had in your keeping. I repeat that you are the most daring among men and +the first among warriors; almost a god as my people name you." + +I bowed, and after a little silence he went on: + +"Would that this were all that I have to say. But alas! it is not. You +have committed the great sacrilege against the Sun, my father, of which +I warned you, having robbed him of his bride, and, my brother, you have +lied to me, who told me but yesterday that you had put all thought of +her from your mind." + +"To me that was no sacrilege, Kari, but rather a righteous deed, to free +one from the bonds of a faith in which neither she nor I believe, and to +lead her from a living tomb back to life and love." + +"And was the lie righteous also, Brother?" + +"Aye," I answered boldly, "if ever a lie can be. Bethink you. You prayed +that this lady might die because she came between you and me, and those +that kings pray may die, do die, if not with their knowledge or by their +express command. Therefore I said that I had put her from my mind in +order that she might go on living." + +"To cherish you in her arms, Brother. Now hearken. Because of this deed +of yours, we who were more than friends have become more than foes. You +have declared war upon my god and me; therefore I declare war upon you. +Yet hearken again. I do not wish that thousands of men should perish +because of our quarrel. Therefore I make an offer to you. It is that you +should fight me here and now, man to man, and let the Sun, or Pachacamac +beyond the Sun, decide the matter as may be decreed." + +"Fight _you!_ Fight _you_ Kari, the Inca," I gasped. + +"Aye, fight me to the death, since between us all is over and done. In +England you nurtured me. Here in the land of Tavantinsuyu, which I rule +to-day, I have nurtured you, and in my shadow you have grown great, +though it is true that had it not been for your generalship, perchance +I should no longer be here to throw the shadow. Let us therefore set the +one thing against the other and, forgetting all between us that is past, +stand face to face as foes. Mayhap you will conquer me, being so mighty +a man of war. Mayhap, also, if that chances, my people who look upon you +as half a god will raise you up to be Inca after me, should such be your +desire." + +"It is not," I broke in. + +"I believe you," he answered, bowing his head, "but will it not be the +desire of that fair-faced harlot who has betrayed our Lord the Sun?" + +At this word I started and bit my lip. + +"Ah! that stings you," he went on, "as the truth always stings, and it +is well. Understand, White Lord who were once my brother, that either +you must fight me to the death, or I declare war upon you and upon the +Chanca people, which war I will wage from month to month and from year +to year until you are all destroyed, as destroyed you shall be. But +should you fight and should the Sun give me the victory, then justice +will be accomplished and I will keep the peace that I have sworn with +the Chanca people. Further, should you conquer me, in the name of my +people I swear that there shall still be peace between them and the +Chancas, since I shall have atoned your sacrilege with my blood. Now +summon those lords of yours and I will summon mine, and set out the +matter to them." + +So I turned and beckoned to my captains, and Kari beckoned to his. They +came, and in the hearing of all, very clearly and quietly as was his +fashion, he repeated every word that he had said to me, adding to +them others of like meaning. While he spoke I thought, not listening +over-much. + +This thing was hateful to me, yet I was in a snare, since according to +the customs of all these peoples I could not refuse such a challenge and +remain unshamed. Moreover, it was to the advantage of the Chancas, +aye, and of the Quichuas also, that I should not refuse it seeing +that whether I lived or died, peace would then reign between them who +otherwise must both be destroyed by war. I remembered how once Quilla +had sacrificed herself to prevent such a war, though in the end that war +had come; and what Quilla had done, should I not do also? Weary though +I was I did not fear Kari, brave and swift as he might be, indeed I +thought that I could kill him and perhaps take his throne, since the +Quichuas worshipped me, who so often had led their armies to triumph, +almost as much as did the Chancas. But--I could not kill Kari. As soon +would I kill one born of my own mother. Was there then no escape? + +The answer rose in my mind. There was an escape. I could suffer Kari to +kill me. Only if I did this, what of Quilla! After all that had come and +gone, must I lose Quilla thus, and must Quilla lose me? Surely she would +break her heart and die. My plight was desperate. I knew not what to do. +Then of a sudden, while I wavered, some voice seemed to whisper in my +ear; I thought it must be that of St. Hubert. It seemed to say to me, +"Kari trusts to his god, cannot you trust to yours, Hubert of Hastings, +you who are a Christian man? Go forward, and trust to yours, Hubert of +Hastings." + +Kari's gentle voice died away; he had finished his speech and all men +looked at me. + +"What word?" I said roughly to my captains. + +"Only this, Lord," answered their spokesman, "Fight you must, of that +there can be no doubt, but we would fight with you, the ten of the +Chancas against the ten of the Quichuas." + +"Aye, that is good," replied the first of Kari's nobles. "This business +is too great to set upon one man's skill and strength." + +"Have done!" I said. "It lies between the Inca and myself," while Kari +nodded, and repeated "Have done!" after me. + +Then I sent one of the captains back to the camp for my sword and Kari +commanded that his should be brought to him, since according to the +custom of these people when ambassadors meet, neither of us was armed. +Presently, the captain holding my sword returned, and with him servants +who brought my armour. Also after them streamed all the army of the +Chancas among whom the news had spread like wind-driven fire, and lined +themselves upon the ridge to watch. As he came, too, I noticed that this +captain sharpened Wave-Flame with a certain kind of stone that was used +to give a keen edge to weapons. + +He brought the ancient weapon and handed it to me on his knee. The +Inca's man also brought his sword and handed it to him, as he did so, +bowing his forehead to the dust. Well I knew that weapon, since once +before I had faced it in desperate battle for my life. It was the +ivory-handled sword of the lord Deleroy which Kari had taken from his +dead hand after I slew him in the Solar of my house in the Cheap at +London. Then the servant came to me with the armour, but I sent him +away, saying that as the Inca had none, I would not wear it, at which my +people murmured. + +Kari saw and heard. + +"Noble as ever," he said aloud. "Oh! that such bright honour should have +been tarnished by a woman's breath." + +Our lords discussed the manner of our fighting, but to them I paid +little heed. + +At length all was ready and we stepped forward to face each other at a +given word, clad much alike. I had thrown off my outer garment and stood +bareheaded in a jerkin of soft sheepskin. Kari, too, was stripped of his +splendid dress and clad in a tunic of sheepskin. Also, that we might +be quite equal, he had taken off his turban-like headgear and even the +royal Fringe, whereat his lords stared at each other for they thought +this a bad omen. + +It was just then I heard a sound behind me, and turning my head I saw +Quilla stumbling towards us down the stony slope as best her half-blind +eyes would let her, and crying as she came: + +"Oh! my Lord, fight not. Inca, I will return to the House of the Sun!" + +"Silence, accursed woman!" said Kari, frowning. "Does the Sun take back +such as you? Silence until the woe that you have wrought is finished, +and then wail on forever." + +She shrank back at his bitter, unjust words, and guided by the women who +had followed her, sank upon a stone, where she sat still as a statue or +as dead Upanqui in his hall. + +Now one called aloud the pledges of the fight which were as Kari had +spoken them. He listened and added: + +"Be it known, also, that this battle is to the death of one or both of +us, since if we live I take back my oaths and I will burn yonder witch +as a sacrifice to the Sun whom she has betrayed, and destroy her people +and her city according to the ancient law of Vengeance on the House of +those who have deceived the Sun." + +I heard but made no answer, who did not wish to waste my breath in +bandying words with a great man, whose brain had been turned by bigotry +and woman-hatred. + +A moment later the signal was given and we were at it. Kari leapt at me +like the tree-lion of his own forests, but I avoided and parried. Thrice +he leapt and thrice I did this; yes, even when I saw an opening and +might have cut him down. Almost I struck, then could not. The Chancas +watched me, wondering what game I played who was not wont to fight +in this fashion, and I also wondered, who still knew not what to do. +Something I must do, or presently I should be slain, since soon my guard +would fail and Deleroy's sword get home at last. + +I think that Kari grew perplexed at this patient defence of mine, and +never a blow struck back. At least he withdraw a little, then came for +me with a rush, holding his sword high above his head with the purpose +of striking me above that guard, or so I supposed. Then, of a sudden, I +knew what to do. Wheeling Wave-Flame with all my strength in both hands, +I smote, not at Kari but at the ivory handle of his sword. The keen and +ancient steel that might well have been some of that which, as legend +told, was forged by the dwarfs in Norseland, fell upon the ivory between +his hand-grip and the cross-piece and shore through it as I had hoped +that it would do, so that the blade of Kari's sword, severed just above +the hilt, fell to the ground and the hilt itself was jarred from his +hand. + +His nobles saw and groaned while the Chancas shouted with joy, for now +Kari was defenceless and save for the death itself, this fight to the +death was ended. + +Kari folded his arms upon his breast and bent his head. + +"It is the decree of my god," he said, "and I did ill to trust to the +sword of a villain whom you slew. Strike, Conqueror, and make an end." + +I rested myself upon Wave-Flame and answered: + +"If I strike not, O Inca, will you take back your words and let peace +reign between your people and the Chancas?" + +"Nay," he answered. "What I have said, I have said. If yonder false +woman is given up to suffer the fate of those who have betrayed the Sun, +then there shall be peace between the peoples, but not otherwise, since +while I live I will wage war upon her and you, and upon the Chancas who +shelter both of you." + +Now rage took hold of me, who remembered that while this woman-hater +lived blood must flow in streams, but that if he died there would be +peace and Quilla would be safe. So I lifted my sword a little, and as I +did so Quilla rose from her stone and stumbled forward, crying: + +"O Lord, shed not the Inca's holy blood for me. Let me be given up! Let +me be given up!" + +Then some spirit entered into me and I spoke, saying: + +"Lady, half of your prayer I grant and half I deny. I will not shed the +Inca's blood; as soon would I shed yours. Nor will I suffer you to be +given up who have done no wrong, since it was I who took you away by +force, as Urco would have done. Kari, hearken to me. Not once only when +we were in danger together in past days have you said to me that we +must put our faith in the gods we worship, and thus we did. Now again I +hearken to that counsel of yours and put my faith in the God I worship. +You threaten to gather all the strength of your mighty empire, and +because of what I hold to be your superstitions, to destroy the Chanca +people to the last babe and to level their city to the last stone. I +do not believe that the God I worship will suffer this to come about, +though how he will stay your vengeance I do not know. Kari, great +Inca of Tavantinsuyu, Lord of all this strange new world, I, the White +Wanderer-from-the-Sea, give you your life and save you as once before +I saved you in a far land, and with your life I give you my blessing in +all matters but this one alone. Kari, my brother, look your last on me +and go in peace." + +The Inca heard, and raising his head, stared at me with his fine, +melancholy eyes. Then suddenly from those eyes there came a gush of +tears. More, he knelt before me and kissed the ground, as the humblest +of his slaves might do before his own majesty. + +"Most noble of men," he said, lifting himself up again, "I worship you. +Yes, I, the Inca, worship you. Would that I might take back my oath, but +this I cannot do because my god hardens my heart and then would decree +destruction on my people. Mayhap he whom you serve will bring things to +pass as you foretell, as it would seem he has brought it to pass that +I should eat the dust before you. I hope that it may be so who love +not the sight of blood, but who like the shot arrow must yet follow my +course, driven by the strength that loosed me. Brother, honoured and +beloved, fare you well! May happiness be yours in life and death, and +there in death may we meet again and once more be brothers where no +women come to part us." + + + +Then Kari turned and went with bowed head, together with his nobles, who +followed him as sadly as those who surround a corpse, but not until they +had given to me that royal salute which is only rendered to the Inca in +his glory. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE KISS OF QUILLA + +Her women bore Quilla swooning from that ill-fated field, and sick and +sad she remained until once more we saw the City of the Chancas. Yet all +this while strength and sight were returning to her eyes, so that in +the end she could see as well as ever she had done, for which I thanked +Heaven. + +Messengers had gone before us, so that when we drew near all the people +of the Chancas came out to meet us, a mighty multitude, who spread +flowers before us and sang songs of joy. On the same evening I was +summoned by Huaracha and found him dying. There in the presence of +his chief captains Quilla and I told him all our story, to which he +listened, answering nothing. When it was finished he said: + +"I thank you, Lord-from-the-Sea, who through great perils have saved my +daughter and brought her home to bid farewell to me, untarnished as +she went. I understand now that it was an evil policy which led me to +promise her in marriage to the prince Urco. Through your valour it has +come to naught and I am glad. Great dangers still lie ahead of you and +of my people. Deal with them as you will and can, for henceforward, +Lord-from-the-Sea, they are your people, yours and my daughter's +together, since it is my desire and command that you two should wed so +soon as I am laid with my fathers. Perchance it had been better if you +had slain the Inca when he was in your hand, but man goes where his +spirit leads him. My blessing and the blessing of my gods be on you both +and on your children. Leave me, for I can say no more." + +That night King Huaracha died. + +Three days later he was buried with great pomp beneath the floor of the +Temple of the Moon, not being preserved and kept above ground after the +fashion of the Incas. + +On the last day of the mourning a council was summoned of all the great +ones in the country to the number of several hundreds, to which I was +bidden. This was done in the name of Quilla, who was now named by a +title which meant, "High Lady," or "Queen." I went to it eagerly enough +who had seen nothing of her since that night of her father's death, +for, according to the custom of this people, she had spent the time of +mourning alone with her women. + +To my surprise I was led by an officer, not into the great hall where I +knew the notables were assembling, but to that same little chamber where +first I had talked with Huaracha, Quilla's father. Here the officer +left me wondering. Presently I heard a sound and looking up, saw Quilla +herself standing between the curtains, like to a picture in its frame. +She was royally arrayed and wore upon her brow and breast the emblem +of the moon, so that she seemed to glitter in that dusky place, though +nothing about her shone with such a light as did her large and doe-like +eyes. + +"Greeting, my Lord," she said in her soft voice, curtseying to me as she +spoke. "Has my Lord aught to say to me? If so, it must be quick, since +the Great Council waits." + +Now I grew foolish and tongue-tied, but at length stammered out: + +"Nothing, except what I have said before--that I love you." + +She smiled a little in her slow fashion, then asked: + +"Is there naught to add?" + +"What can there be to add to love, Quilla?" + +"I know not," she answered, still smiling. "Yet in what does the love of +man and woman end?" + +I shook my head and answered: + +"In many things, all of them different. In hell sometimes, and more +rarely in heaven." + +"And on earth which lies between the two, should those who love escape +death and separation?" + +"Well, on earth--in marriage." + +She looked at me again and this time a new light shone in her eyes which +I could not misinterpret. + +"Do you mean that you will marry me, Quilla?" I muttered. + +"Such was my father's wish, Lord, but what is yours? Oh! have done," she +went on in a changed voice. "For what have we suffered all these things +and gone through such long partings and dangers so dreadful? Was it not +that if Fate should spare us we might come together at last? And has not +Fate spared us--for a while? What said the prophecy of me in the Temple +of Rimac? Was it not that the Sun should be my refuge and--I forget the +rest." + +"I remember it," I said. "That in the beloved arms you should sleep at +last." + +"Yes," she went on, the blood mounting to her cheeks, "that in the +beloved arms I should sleep at last. So, the first part of the prophecy +has come true." + +"As the rest shall come true," I broke in, awaking, and swept her to my +breast. + +"Are you sure," she murmured presently, "that you love me, a woman whom +you think savage, well enough to wed me?" + +"Aye, more than sure," I answered. + +"Hearken, Lord. I knew it always, but being woman I desired to hear it +from your own lips. Of this be certain: that though I am but what I am, +a maiden, wild-hearted and untaught, no man shall ever have a truer and +more loving wife. It is my hope, even that my love will be such that in +it at last you may learn to forget that other lady far away who once was +yours, if only for an hour." + +Now I shrank as from a sword prick, since first loves, whatever the tale +of them, as Quilla guessed or Nature taught her, are not easily forgot, +and even when they are dead their ghosts will rise and haunt us. + +"And my hope, most dear, is that you will be mine, not for an hour but +for all our life's days," I answered. + +"Aye," she said, sighing, "but who knows how many these will be? +Therefore let us pluck the flowers before they wither. I hear steps. The +lords come to summon us. Be pleased to enter the Council at my side and +holding me by the hand. There I have somewhat to say to the people. The +shadow of the Inca Kari, whom you spared, still lies cold upon us and +them." + +Before I could ask her meaning the lords entered, three of them, and +glancing at us curiously, said that all were gathered. Then they turned +and went before us to the great hall where every place was filled. Hand +in hand we mounted the dais, and as we came all the audience rose and +greeted us with a roar of welcome. + +Quilla seated herself upon a throne and motioned to me to take my place +upon another throne at her side, which I noted stood a little higher +than that on which she sat, and this, as I learned afterwards, not +by chance. It was planned so to tell the people, of the Chancas that +henceforth I was their king while she was but my wife. + +When the shouting had died away Quilla rose from her throne and began to +speak, which like many of the higher class of this people she could do +well enough. + +"Lords and Captains of the Chanca nation," she said, "my father, the +king Huaracha, being dead, leaving no lawful son, I have succeeded to +his dignities, and summoned you here to take counsel with me. + +"First, learn this, that I, your Queen and Lady, have been chosen as +wife by him who sits at my side." + +Here the company shouted again, thus announcing that this tidings +pleased them. For though by now only the common people still believed me +to be a god risen from the sea, all held that I was a great general and +a great man, one who knew much that they did not know, and who could +both lead and fight better than the best of them. Indeed, since I had +slain Urco with my hands and overcome Kari, who as Inca was believed to +be clothed with the strength of the Sun and therefore unconquerable, +I was held to be unmatched throughout Tavantinsuyu. Moreover, the army +that had fought under my command loved me as though I were their father +as well as their general. Therefore all greeted this tidings well enough +without astonishment, for they knew it was their dead king's wish that I +should wed his daughter and that to win her I had gone through much. + +In answer to their shoutings I, too, rose from my seat, and drawing the +sword Wave-Flame, which I wore girt about my dinted armour, with it I +saluted first Quilla and then the gathered nobles, saying: + +"Lords of the Chancas, when on an island in the sea, my eyes fell upon +this lady who to-day is your queen, I loved her and swore that I would +wed her if I might. Between that day and this much has befallen. She was +snatched away to be made the wife of Urco, heir to the Inca throne, and +afterwards, to escape him whom she hated, she took refuge in the House +of the Inca god. Then, people of the Chancas, came the great war which +we shared together, and in the end I rescued her from that house of +bondage, and slew Urco while he strove to steal or stab her. This done, +I conquered Kari the Inca, who was as my brother, yet because I saved +your lady from his god the Sun, became my enemy, and together she and +I returned to this, her land. Now it is her will to wed me, as it has +always been mine to wed her, and here in front of all of you I take her +to wife, as she takes me to husband, hoping that for many years it may +be given to us to rule over you, and to our children after us. Yet I +warn you that although in the great war that has been, if with much +loss, we have held our own against all the hosts of Cuzco and won an +honourable peace, by this marriage of ours, which robs the Inca god of +one of a thousand brides, that peace is broken. Therefore in the future, +as in the past, there will be war between the Quichua and the Chanca +peoples." + +"We know it," shouted the nobles. "War is decreed, let war come!" + +"What would you have had me do?" I went on. "Leave your queen to +languish in the House of the Sun, wed to nothingness, or suffer her to +be dragged away to be one of Urco's women, or hand her back to Kari to +be slain as a sacrifice to a god whom you do not accept?" + +"Nay!" they cried. "We would have her wed you, White Lord-from-the-Sea, +that she may become a mother of kings." + +"So I thought, Chancas. Yet I warn you that there is trouble near. The +storm gathers and soon it will burst, since Kari is not one who breaks +his oaths." + +"Why did you not kill him when he was in your hand, and take his +throne?" asked one. + +"Because I could not. Because it would not have been pleasing to Heaven +that I should slay a man who for years had been as my brother. Because +in this way or in that the deed would have fallen back upon my head, +upon the head of the lady Quilla, and upon your heads also, O people of +the Chancas, because----" + +At this moment there was disturbance at the end of the hall, and a +herald cried: + +"An embassy! An embassy from Kari, the Inca." + +"Let it be admitted," said Quilla. + +Presently up the central passage marched the embassy with pomp, great +lords and "earmen," every man of them, and bowed before us. + +"Your words?" said Quilla quietly. + +"They are these, Lady," answered the spokesman of the party. "For the +last time the Inca demands that you should surrender yourself to be +sacrificed as one who has betrayed the Sun. He asks it of you since he +has learned that your father Huaracha is no more." + +"And if I refuse to surrender myself, what then, O Ambassador?" + +"Then in the name of the Empire and in his own name the Inca declares +war upon you, war to the end, until not one of Chanca blood is left +living beneath the sun and not one stone marks where your city stood. It +may be that a while will pass before this sword of war falls upon your +head, since the Inca must gather his armies and give a breathing space +to his peoples after all the troubles that have been. Yet if not this +year, then next year, and if not next year, then the year after, that +sword shall fall." + +Quilla listened and turned pale, though more, I think, with wrath than +fear. Then she said: + +"You have heard, Chancas, and know how stands this case. If I surrender +myself to be sacrificed, the Inca in his mercy will spare you; if I do +not surrender myself, soon or late he will destroy you--if he can. Say, +then, shall I surrender myself?" + +Now every man in that great hall leapt up and from every throat there +arose a shout of, + +"Never!" + +When it had died away an aged chief and councillor, an uncle of +Huaracha, the dead King, came forward and stared at the envoys with his +horny eyes. + +"Go back to the Inca," he said, "and tell him that the threats of the +mouth are one thing and the deeds of the hand are another. In the late +war that has been he has learned something of our quality, both as foes +and friends, and perchance more remains for him to learn. Yonder is +one"--and he pointed to myself--"who is about to become our King and the +husband of our Queen. By the help of that one and of some of us the Inca +won his throne. From the mercy of that one, also, but a little while ago +the Inca won his life. Let him be careful lest through the might of +that one, behind whom stands every Chanca that breathes, the Inca Kari +Upanqui should yet lose both throne and life, and with them the ancient +empire of the Sun. Thus say we all." + +"Thus say we all!" repeated the great company with a roar that shook the +walls. + +In the silence that followed Quilla asked: + +"Have you aught to add, O Ambassadors?" + +"Ay, this," said the first of them. + +"The Chanca tree is about to be cut down, but the Inca still offers a +refuge to the Lion that hides among its branches because he has loved +that Lion from of old. Let the White Lord-from-the-Sea over whom you +have cast the net of your witcheries return with us and he shall be +saved and given place and power, and with them a brother's love." + +Now Quilla looked at me, and I rose to speak but could not, since all +that came from my lips was laughter. At length I said: + +"But the other day when I gave him his life, the Inca named me noble. +What would he think of me if I said yes to this offer? Would he call me +noble then and the Lion that dwells in the Chanca tree? Or, whatever his +lips might speak, would not his heart name me the basest of slaves and +no lion of the tree, but rather a snake that creeps at its roots? Get +you gone, my lords, and say that here I bide happy with her whom I have +won, and that the ancient sword Wave-Flame, on which Kari has looked +of late, is still sharp and the arm that wields it is still strong, and +that he will do well now that it has served his turn, to look on it no +more," and again I drew the great blade and flashed it before their eyes +there in that dusky hall. + +Then, bowing courteously, for every man of them knew me and some of +them loved me well, they turned and went. That was the last that ever I, +Hubert of Hastings, saw of nobles of the Inca blood, though perchance, +ere long, I shall meet them again in war. + +"Let them be escorted safely from the city," commanded Quilla, and +soldiers went to do her bidding. + +When they had gone she issued another order, that the door should be +closed and watchmen set about the hall, so that none could approach it +unseen. Then after a pause she rose and spoke: + +"My Lord," she said, "who soon, as I trust, will be my husband and +my king, and you, the chosen of my people, hearken to me for I have a +matter to lay before you. You have heard the Inca's message and you know +that his words are not vain. He who is great in many ways, in one is +small and narrow. He sets his god before his honour, and to satisfy his +god, whom he thinks that I have outraged, is prepared to sacrifice his +honour, and even to kill one to whom he owes all," and she touched me +with her hand. "Moreover, these things he can do, not at once but in +time to come, because for every man of ours he is able to gather ten. +Therefore we stand thus; death and destruction stare us in the face." + +She paused, and that old chief of whom I have spoken, asked in the midst +of a silence, as I think was planned that he should ask: + +"You have set our teeth in the bitter rind of truth. Is there no sweet +fruit within? Can you not show us a way of escape, O Quilla, Daughter of +the Moon, whose heart is fed with the wisdom of the Moon?" + +"I believe that I can show you such a way," she answered. "You know the +legend of our people--that in the old days, a thousand years ago--we +came to this country out of the forests. + +"You know, too, the legend tells that once far away, beyond the forest, +there was a mighty empire of which the king sat in a City of Gold hidden +within a ring of mountains. That king, it is said, had two sons, and +when he died these sons made war upon each other, and one of them, my +forefather, was defeated and driven away into the forests by those who +clung to him. By boats he descended the river that runs through the +forest, and at length with those who remained to him came to this land +and there once more grew to be a king. Is it not so?" + +"It is so," answered the aged chief. "The tale has come down to me +through ten generations, and with it the prophecy that in a day to come +the Chancas would return to that City of Gold whence they came and be +welcomed of its people." + +"I have heard that prophecy," said Quilla. "Moreover, of it I have +something to tell you. While I sat in despair and blindness in the +Convent of the Sun at Cuzco it came into my mind and I brooded upon +it much, who was always sure that the war between the Chancas and the +armies of the Incas was but begun. In my darkness I prayed to my Mother, +the Moon, for light and help. Long and often I prayed, and at length an +answer came. One night the Spirit of the Moon appeared to my soul as a +beautiful and shining goddess, and spoke to me. + +"'Be brave, Daughter,' she said, 'for all that seems to be lost shall +yet be found again, and the light of a certain flashing sword shall +pierce the blackness and give back vision to your eyes.' This, indeed, +happened, my people, since it was when the sword of my Lord saved me +from death at the hands of Urco that the first gleam of light returned +to my darkened eyes. + +"'Be not afraid, moreover, for the Children of the Chancas who bow to +me,' went on the shining Spirit of the Moon, 'since in the day of their +danger I will show them a path towards my place of resting in the west. +Yea, I will lead them far from wars and tyrannies back to that ancient +city whence they came, and there they shall sleep in peace till all +things are accomplished. Moreover, you shall be their ruler during your +appointed days, you and another whom I led to you out of the deeps of +the sea and showed to you sleeping in my beams.' + +"Thus that Spirit spoke to me, Councillors, though at the time I did not +know whether the vision were more than a happy dream. But now I do know +that it was no dream, but the truth. + +"For did not my sight begin to return to me in the flashing of the sword +that is named Flame-of-the-Wave? And if this were true, why should not +the rest be true also? People of the Chancas, I am your Queen to-day and +my counsel to you is that we flee from this land before the Inca's net +closes round us and the Inca's spears pierce our heart, to seek our +ancient home far in the depths of the western forest where, as I trust, +his armies cannot come. Is that your will, O my People? If so, by the +tongues of your Lords and Captains declare it here and now before it be +too late." + +Back thundered the answer: + +"It is our will, O Daughter of the Moon!" + +When its echoes had died away Quilla turned to me, lovely to look on as +the evening star and with eyes that shone like stars, and asked: + +"Is it your will also, O Lord-from-the-Sea?" + +"Your will is my will, Quilla," I answered, "and your heart is my home. +Lead on; where you go I follow, even to the edge of the world and beyond +the world." + +"So be it!" she cried in a triumphant voice. "Now the evil past +is finished with its fears and battles and before our feet, lit by +moonbeams, stretches the Future's shining road leading us to the mystery +in which all roads begin and for an hour are lost again. Now, too, our +separations end in a perfect unity that perchance we have known before +and shall know again in ages to be born and lands revisited. Now, +Lord-from-the-Sea, at whose coming my sleeping heart awoke to love and +whose sword saved me from shame and death, giving me back to life and +light, here, before this company of our people, I, the Daughter of the +Moon, defying the Sun who held me captive, and all his servants, take +you to husband with this kiss," and leaning forward Quilla pressed her +lips upon my own. . . . + + + The remaining parchment sheets of the ancient Manuscript are + rotted with the damp of the tomb in which it lay for centuries + and quite undecipherable. + Editor. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Virgin of the Sun, by H. R. 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