clever, she set herself to
charm him, so that soon he began to dote upon her, as old, worn-out men
sometimes do upon young and beautiful women. She, too, pretended to grow
fond of him and at last told him in so many words that she grieved it
was not he that she was to marry whose wisdom she hung upon, in place of
a prince who, she heard, was not wise. This, she said, because she knew
well that the Inca would never marry any more and indeed had lived alone
for years. Still, being flattered, he told her it was hard that she
should be forced to wed one to whom she had no mind, whereon she prayed
him, even with tears, to save her from such a fate. At last he vowed
that he would do so by setting her among the Virgins of the Sun on whom
no man may look. She thanked him and said that she would consider the
matter, since, for reasons that you may guess, Lord, she did not desire
to become a Virgin of the Sun and to pass the rest of her days in prayer
and the weaving of the Inca's garments.

"So it went on until when we were a day's march from Cuzco, Urco, my
brother, came to meet his promised bride. Now, Urco is a huge man and
hideous, one whom none would believe to have been born of the Inca
blood. Coarse he is, and dissolute, given to drink also, though a great
fighter and brave in battle, and quick-brained when he is sober. I was
present when they met and I saw the lady Quilla shiver and turn pale
at the sight of him, while he on his part devoured her beauty with his
eyes. They spoke but few words together, yet before these were done,
he told her it was his will that they should be wed at once on the day
after she came to Cuzco, nor would he listen to the Inca Upanqui who
said, being cunning and wishing to gain time, that due preparation must
be made for so great a business.

"Thereupon Urco grew angry with his father, who both fears and loves
him, and answered that, being almost Inca, this matter was one which he
would settle for himself. So fierce was he that Upanqui became afraid
and went away. When they were alone Urco strove to embrace Quilla, but
she fled from him and hid with her maidens in a private place. After
this, at the feast Urco took too much drink according to his custom and
was led away to sleep by his lords. Then Quilla waited upon the Inca and
said:

"'O Inca, I have seen the Prince and I claim your promise to save me
from him. O Inca, abandoning all thought of marriage, I will become the
bride of our F