按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 cert