No
longer can these two lions dwell in the same forest; one of them must
devour the other; nor shall I fight alone, since on our side are all the
Yuncas of the coast who, as you report to me, are ripe for rebellion.
But, as you also report, and as I have learned from others, they are not
yet ready. Moons must go by before their armies are joined to mine and I
throw off the mask. Is it not so?'
"I answered that it was so, and my father went on:
"'Then during that time, Daughter, a dust must be raised that will hide
the shining of my spears, and, Daughter, you are that dust. To-morrow
the old Inca Upanqui visits me here with a small army. I read your
thought. It is--Why do you not kill him and his army? Daughter, for this
reason. He is very aged and about to lay down his sceptre, who grows
feeble of mind and body. If I killed him what would it serve me, seeing
that he has left his son, Urco, who will be Inca, ruling at Cuzco, and
that of his soldiers not one in fifty will be with him here? Moreover,
he is my guest, and the gods frown on those who slay their guests, nor
will men ever trust them more.
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