Why did you not appear sooner from
the sea, my lord Hurachi, be you god or man?"
Then, with something like a sob, she rose, made obeisance, and fled
away.
That evening, when we were alone in my chamber where none could hear us,
I told Kari that Quilla was promised in marriage to a prince who would
be Inca of all the land.
"Is it so?" said Kari. "Well, learn, Master, that this prince is my
brother, he whom I hate, he who has done me bitter wrong, he who stole
away my wife and poisoned me. Urco is his name. Does this lady Quilla
love him?"
"I think not. I think that like you she hates him, yet will marry him
for reasons of policy."
"Doubtless she hates him now, whatever she did a week ago," said Kari in
a dry voice. "But what fruit will this tree bear? Master, are you minded
to come with me to-morrow to visit the temple of Pachacamac in the inner
sanctuary of which sits the god Rimac who speaks oracles?"
"For what purpose, Kari?" I answered moodily.
"That we may hear oracles, Master. I think that if you choose to go the
lady Quilla would come with us, since perhaps she would like also to
hear oracles.
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