The end of it was that he
called to his aid a stern-faced, shifty-eyed, middle-aged minister, whom
after I came to know as the High-priest Larico, the private Councillor
of himself and of his son, Urco, and one of the most powerful men in
the kingdom. This noble, I noted, was one who had the rank of an Earman,
that is, he wore in his ear, which like that of Kari was stretched
out to receive it, a golden disc of the size of an apple, whereon was
embossed the image of the sun.
At a sign and a word from his dotard master this Larico began to speak
for him as though he were the Inca himself, saying:
"Hearken, O Huaracha. I have undertaken this toilsome journey, the last
I shall make as Inca, for be it known to you that I purpose to divest
myself of the royal Fringe in favour of the prince, Urco, begotten to
me in the body and of the Sun in spirit, and to retire to end my days in
peace at my palace of Yucay, waiting there patiently until it pleases my
father, the Sun, to take me to his bosom."
Here Larico paused to allow this great news to sink into the minds of
his hearers, and I thought to myself that when I died I would choose to
be gathered to any bosom rather than to that of the Sun, which put me in
mind of hell.
Pages:
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302