But it was not
so, for after a little space the golden figure of the oracle glowed more
fiercely than before and the emerald eyes shone more terribly, and in a
kind of scream it spoke, saying:

"The snows of Tavantinsuyu shall be red with blood, the waters of her
rivers shall be full of blood. Yes, ye three shall wade through blood,
and in a rain of blood shall pluck the fruit of your desires. Still for
a while the gods of Tavantinsuyu shall endure and its kings shall reign
and its children shall be free. But in the end death for the gods and
death for the kings and death for the people. Still, not yet--not yet!
None who live shall see it, nor their children, nor their children's
children. Rimac the Voice has spoken; treasure ye his words and
interpret them as ye will."

The whistling voice died away like the thin cry of some starving child
in a desert, and there was a great silence. Then in a moment the figure
of gold ceased to glow and the eyes of emerald to burn, leaving the
thing but a dead lump of metal. The priests prostrated themselves, and
rising, led us from the place without a word, but in the light of the
lamps I saw that their faces were full of terror--so full that I doubted
whether it could be feigned.

As we had come, so we went, and at last found ourselves outside the
glittering temple doors where the litters awaited us.

"What did it mean?" I whispered to Quilla, who was by my side.

"For you and the other I know not," she answered hurriedly; "but for
me I think that it means death. Yet, not until--not until----" And she
ceased.

At that moment the moon appeared from behind the rain-clouds and shone
upon her upturned face, and in her eyes there was a glory.

Now, as I learned afterwards, these words of its most famous oracle went
all through the land and caused great talk and wonder mixed with fear,
for none of such import had been spoken by it for generations. More,
they shaped my own fortunes, for, as I came to know, Quismancu and his
people had determined that I should not be allowed to go from among
them. Not every day did a white god rise from the sea, and they desired
that having come to them, there he should bide to be their defence and
boast, and with him that hermit named Zapana, to whom, as they believed,
he had appeared upon the desert isle. But after Rimac had spoken all
this was changed, and when I said it was my will to depart and accompany
Quilla upon her journey home to