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 hav