〃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 mewill 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 titlestake 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 youwill 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