In our land, Lord, there is one crime
which has no forgiveness, and that is to lay hands upon a Virgin of the
Sun. We believe, Lord, that if this is done, great curses will fall upon
our country, while as for the man who works the crime, before he passes
to eternal vengeance he and all his house and the town whence he came
must perish utterly, and that false virgin who has betrayed our father,
the Sun, must die slowly and by fire."
"Has this ever chanced?" I asked.
"History does not tell it, Lord, since none have been so wicked, but
such is the law."
I thought to myself that it was a very evil law, and cruel; also that I
would break it if I found opportunity, but made no answer, knowing when
to be silent and that I might as well strive to move a mountain from
its base as to turn Kari from the blindness of his folly bred of false
faith. After all, could I blame him, seeing that we held the same of
the sacredness of nuns and, it was said, killed them if they broke their
vows?
"What news, Kari?" I asked.
"Much, Lord. Hearken. Disguised as a peasant who had come into this
country to barter wool from a village near to Cuzco, I joined myself to
the train of the Inca Upanqui, among whose lords I found a friend who
had loved me in past years and kept my secret as he was bound to do,
having passed into the brotherhood of knights with me while we were
lads.
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