"Very strange," I said. "It seems to me sad also that this beauteous
Quilla should be immured in a nunnery for life. To tell you the truth,
High-priest, since it is not good for man to live alone, rather than
that such a thing should have happened I would have married her myself,
to which perchance she might have consented."
Again we looked at each other and I went on:
"I hinted as much to Kari after we heard she was numbered amongst the
Virgins, and asked him whether, should he become Inca, he would take her
thence and give her to me."
"What did he answer, Lord?"
"He said that though he loved me like a brother, first he would kill me
with his own hand, since such a deed would be sacrilege against the Sun.
Last night also the Inca himself said much the same."
"Is it so, Lord? Well, we priests bring up our Incas to think thus. If
we did not, where would our power be, seeing that we are the Voice of
the Sun upon earth and issue his decrees?"
"But do you always think thus yourselves, O High-priest?"
"Not quite always. There are loopholes in every law of gods and men.
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