westward ho-第108节

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t　fashion；　began　whining　to　some　one　within。

〃Ask　what　he　is　about；　boy。〃

The　lad　asked　the　old　cacique；　who　had　accompanied　them；　and　received　for　answer；　that　he　was　consulting　the　Daughter　of　the　Sun。

〃Here　is　our　mare's　nest　at　last；〃　quoth　Cary；　as　the　Piache　from　whines　rose　to　screams　and　gesticulations；　and　then　to　violent　convulsions；　foaming　at　the　mouth；　and　rolling　of　the　eyeballs；　till　he　suddenly　sank　exhausted；　and　lay　for　dead。

〃As　good　as　a　stage　play。〃

〃The　devil　has　played　his　part；〃　says　Jack；　〃and　now　by　the　rules　of　all　plays　Vice　should　come　on。〃

〃And　a　very　fair　Vice　it　will　be；　I　suspect；　a　right　sweet　Iniquity；　my　Jack！　　Listen。〃

And　from　the　interior　of　the　hut　rose　a　low　sweet　song；　at　which　all　the　simple　Indians　bowed　their　heads　in　reverence；　and　the　English　were　hushed　in　astonishment；　for　the　voice　was　not　shrill　or　guttural；　like　that　of　an　Indian；　but　round；　clear；　and　rich；　like　a　European's；　and　as　it　swelled　and　rose　louder　and　louder；　showed　a　compass　and　power　which　would　have　been　extraordinary　anywhere　（and　many　a　man　of　the　party；　as　was　usual　in　musical　old　England；　was　a　good　judge　enough　of　such　a　matter；　and　could　hold　his　part　right　well　in　glee；　and　catch；　and　roundelay；　and　psalm）。　And　as　it　leaped；　and　ran；　and　sank　again；　and　rose　once　more　to　fall　once　more；　all　but　inarticulate；　yet　perfect　in　melody；　like　the　voice　of　bird　on　bough；　the　wild　wanderers　were　rapt　in　new　delight；　and　did　not　wonder　at　the　Indians　as　they　bowed　their　heads；　and　welcomed　the　notes　as　messengers　from　some　higher　world。　At　last　one　triumphant　burst；　so　shrill　that　all　ears　rang　again；　and　then　dead　silence。　　The　Piache；　suddenly　restored　to　life；　jumped　upright；　and　recommenced　preaching　at　Amyas。

〃Tell　the　howling　villain　to　make　short　work　of　it；　lad！　　His　tune　won't　do　after　that　last　one。〃

The　lad；　grinning；　informed　Amyas　that　the　Piache　signified　their　acceptance　as　friends　by　the　Daughter　of　the　Sun；　that　her　friends　were　theirs；　and　her　foes　theirs。　　Whereon　the　Indians　set　up　a　scream　of　delight；　and　Amyas；　rolling　another　tobacco　leaf　up　in　another　strip　of　plantain；　answered；

〃Then　let　her　give　us　some　cassava；〃　and　lighted　a　fresh　cigar。

Whereon　the　door　of　the　hut　opened；　and　the　Indians　prostrated　themselves　to　the　earth；　as　there　came　forth　the　same　fair　apparition　which　they　had　encountered　upon　the　island；　but　decked　now　in　feather…robes；　and　plumes　of　every　imaginable　hue。

Slowly　and　stately；　as　one　accustomed　to　command；　she　walked　up　to　Amyas；　glancing　proudly　round　on　her　prostrate　adorers；　and　pointing　with　graceful　arms　to　the　trees；　the　gardens；　and　the　huts；　gave　him　to　understand　by　signs　（so　expressive　were　her　looks；　that　no　words　were　needed）　that　all　was　at　his　service；　after　which；　taking　his　hand；　she　lifted　it　gently　to　her　forehead。

At　that　sign　of　submission　a　shout　of　rapture　rose　from　the　crowd；　and　as　the　mysterious　maiden　retired　again　to　her　hut；　they　pressed　round　the　English；　caressing　and　admiring；　pointing　with　equal　surprise　to　their　swords；　to　their　Indian　bows　and　blow…guns；　and　to　the　trophies　of　wild　beasts　with　which　they　were　clothed；　while　women　hastened　off　to　bring　fruit；　and　flowers；　and　cassava；　and　（to　Amyas's　great　anxiety）　calabashes　of　intoxicating　drink；　and；　to　make　a　long　story　short；　the　English　sat　down　beneath　the　trees；　and　feasted　merrily；　while　the　drums　and　trumpets　made　hideous　music；　and　lithe　young　girls　and　lads　danced　uncouth　dances；　which　so　scandalized　both　Brimblecombe　and　Yeo；　that　they　persuaded　Amyas　to　beat　an　early　retreat。　　He　was　willing　enough　to　get　back　to　the　island　while　the　men　were　still　sober；　so　there　were　many　leave…　takings　and　promises　of　return　on　the　morrow；　and　the　party　paddled　back　to　their　island…fortress；　racking　their　wits　as　to　who　or　what　the　mysterious　maid　could　be。

Amyas；　however；　had　settled　in　his　mind　that　she　was　one　of　the　lost　Inca　race；　perhaps　a　descendant　of　that　very　fair　girl；　wife　of　the　Inca　Manco；　whom　Pizarro；　forty　years　before；　had；　merely　to　torture　the　fugitive　king's　heart；　as　his　body　was　safe　from　the　tyrant's　reach；　stripped；　scourged；　and　shot　to　death　with　arrows；　uncomplaining　to　the　last。

They　all　assembled　for　the　evening　service　（hardly　a　day　had　passed　since　they　left　England　on　which　they　had　not　done　the　same）；　and　after　it　was　over；　they　must　needs　sing　a　Psalm；　and　then　a　catch　or　two；　ere　they　went　to　sleep；　and　till　the　moon　was　high　in　heaven；　twenty　mellow　voices　rang　out　above　the　roar　of　the　cataract；　in　many　a　good　old　tune。　　Once　or　twice　they　thought　they　heard　an　echo　to　their　song：　but　they　took　no　note　of　it；　till　Cary；　who　had　gone　apart　for　a　few　minutes；　returned；　and　whispered　Amyas　away。

〃The　sweet　Iniquity　is　mimicking　us；　lad。〃

They　went　to　the　brink　of　the　river；　and　there　（for　their　ears　were　by　this　time　dead　to　the　noise　of　the　torrent）　they　could　hear　plainly　the　same　voice　which　had　so　surprised　them　in　the　hut；　repeating；　clear　and　true；　snatches　of　the　airs　which　they　had　sung。　　Strange　and　solemn　enough　was　the　effect　of　the　men's　deep　voices　on　the　island；　answered　out　of　the　dark　forest　by　those　sweet　treble　notes；　and　the　two　young　men　stood　a　long　while　listening　and　looking　out　across　the　eddies；　which　swirled　down　golden　in　the　moonlight：　but　they　could　see　nothing　beyond　save　the　black　wall　of　trees。　　After　a　while　the　voice　ceased；　and　the　two　returned　to　dream　of　Incas　and　nightingales。

They　visited　the　village　again　next　day；　and　every　day　for　a　week　or　more：　but　the　maiden　appeared　but　rarely；　and　when　she　did；　kept　her　distance　as　haughtily　as　a　queen。

Amyas；　of　course；　as　soon　as　he　could　converse　somewhat　better　with　his　new　friends；　was　not　long　before　he　questioned　the　cacique　about　her。　　But　the　old　man　made　an　owl's　face　at　her　name；　and　intimated　by　mysterious　shakes　of　the　head；　that　she　was　a　very　strange　personage；　and　the　less　said　about　her　the　better。　　She　was　〃a　child　of　the　Sun；〃　and　that　was　enough。

〃Tell　him；　boy；〃　quoth　Cary；　〃that　we　are　the　children　of　the　Sun　by　his　first　wife；　and　have　orders　from　him　to　inquire　how　the　Indians　have　behaved　to　our　step…sister；　for　he　cannot　see　all　their　tricks　down　here；　the　trees　are　so　thick。　　So　let　him　tell　us；　or　all　the　cassava　plants　shall　be　blighted。〃

〃Will；　Will；　don't　play　with　lying！〃　said　Amyas：　but　the　threat　was　enough　for　the　cacique；　and　taking　them　in　his　canoe　a　full　mile　down　the　stream；　as　if　in　fear　that　the　wonderful　maiden　should　overhear　him；　he　told　them；　in　a　sort　of　rhythmic　chant；　how；　many　moons　ago　（he　could　not　tell　how　many）；　his　tribe　was　a　mighty　nation；　and　dwelt　in　Papamene；　till　the　Spaniards　drove　them　forth。　And　how；　as　they　wandered　northward；　far　away　upon　the　mountain　spurs　beneath　the　flaming　cone　of　Cotopaxi；　they　had　found　this　fair　creature　wandering　in　the　forest；　about　the　bigness　of　a　seven　years'　child。　　Wondering　at　her　white　skin　and　her　delicate　beauty；　the　simple　Indians　worshipped　her　as　a　god；　and　led　her　home　with　them。　　And　when　they　found　that　she　was　human　like　themselves；　their　wonder　scarcely　lessened。　　How　could　so　tender　a　being　have　sustained　life　in　those　forests；　and　escaped　the　jaguar　and　the　snake？　　She　must　be　under　some　Divine　protection：　she　must　be　a　daughter　of　the　Sun；　one　of　that　mighty　Inca　race；　the　news　of　whose　fearful　fall　had　reached　even　those　lonely　wildernesses；　who　had；　many　of　them；　haunted　for　years　as　exiles　the　eastern　slopes　of　the　Andes；　about　the　Ucalayi　and　the　Maranon；　who　would；　as　all　Indians　knew；　rise　again　some　day　to　power；　when　bearded　white　men　should　come　across　the　seas　to　restore　them　to　their　ancient　throne。

So；　as　the　girl　grew　up　among　them；　she　was　tended　with　royal　honors；　by　command　of　the　conjuror　of　the　tribe；　that　so　her　forefather　the　Sun　might　be　propitious　to　them；　and　the　Incas　might　show　favor　to　the　poor　ruined　Omaguas；　in　the　day　of　their　coming　glory。　　And　as　she　grew；　she　had　become；　it　seemed；　somewhat　of　a　prophetess　among　them；　as　well　as　an　object　of　fetish…worship；　for　she　was　more　prudent　in　council；　valiant　in　war；　and　cunning　in　the　chase；　than　all　the　elders　of　the　tribe；　and　those　strange　and　sweet　songs　of　hers；　which　had　so　surprised　the　white　men；　were　full　of　mysterious　wisdom　about　the　birds；　and　the　animals；　and　the　flowers；　and　the　rivers；　which　the　Sun　and　the　Good　Spirit　taught　her　from　above。　　So　she　had　lived　among　them；　unmarried　still；　not　only　because　she　despised　the　addresses　of　all　Indian　youths；　but　because　the　conjuror　had　declared　it　to　be　profane　in　them　to　mingle　with　the　race　of　the　Sun；　and　had　assigned　her　a　cabin　near　his　own；　where　she　was　served　in　state；　and　gave　some　sort　of　oracular　responses；　as　they　had　seen；　to　the　questions　which　be　put　to　her。

Such　was　the　cacique's　tale；　on　which　Cary　remarked；　probably　not　unjustly；　that　he　〃dared　to　say　the　conjuror　made　a　very　good　thing　of　it：〃　but　Amyas　was　silent；　full　of　dreams；　if　not　about　Manoa；　still　about　the　remnant　of　the　Inca　race。　　What　if　they　were　still　to　be　found　about　the　southern　sources　of　the　Amazon？　　He　must　have　been　very　near　them　already；　in　that　case。　　It　was　vexatious；　but