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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。 ButI 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；