When, gradually, she came out of the abyss of darkness and dreams into which she could be plunged5 almost instantly by the sacred sachets always ready in the hideous6 fists of the three living mummies; the mammaconas, too, had terrible perfumes which they burned round her in precious vases, sandia more pungent7 than incense8, more hallucinating than opium9, which transformed the Bride of the Sun into a beautiful living statue. Then they could sing their songs uninterruptedly, for Maria-Teresa had gone to another world, and heard nothing of what happened about her.
Curiously10 enough, her spirit then carried her back to the hour when the knock had come at her window in Callao and when, dropping the big green register to the floor, she had run to meet Dick. She was worried, too, by the everpresent memory of an unfinished letter to their agent in Antwerp, which she had been writing when that other knock at the window had sent her running to Dick again. She remembered with horrible distinctness the appearance of the three living mummies, swaying in the darkness, and the feel on her mouth and face of the hands made parchment-like by the eternal night of the catacombs. Waking from this lethargic11 slumber12, she thought she had shaken off a dream, but when her eyes opened, she no longer knew whether she had not just entered into a terrible dreamland.
When Maria-Teresa opened her eyes this time, she was in the House of the Serpent. She knew, for the mammaconas had told her, that when she, awoke there she would be near unto death. There it was that Huayna Capac, father of the last King of the Incas, would come to fetch the bride offered to Atahualpa, and take her with him to the Enchanted13 Realms of the Sun. In the lucid14 moments left to her during the voyage, when she was given the nectar that kept her alive, the mammaconas had taught her the duties of the Bride, and the first principles of the faith to which she was to be sacrificed.
At first, Maria-Teresa had hoped that she would be happy enough to lose her reason, or that the terrible fever which took her would free the troubled soul before the body was taken to martyrdom. But the mammaconas knew the secrets which cure such fevers, and had given her to drink a reddish liquid, chanting the while: “Fever has spread over you its poisoned robe. The hated race shall never know our secrets, but our love for Atahualpa’s bride is greater than our hatred15. Drink and be well, in the name of Atahualpa, who awaits thee!”
So she had returned to life, only to die again, and so, a nerveless statue, she had traveled right across Peru, to the little adobe16 house at Arequipa, the last stopping-place before the House of the Serpent. There she had seen Huascar for the first time, bearing in his arms something covered with a veil. Careless of all the listening ears about her, she had risen, and called to him as to a savior. He had answered: “Thou belongest to the Sun, but before he takes you, thou shalt have a great joy. Thou shalt see thy little brother again.” Then he lifted the veil and showed her Christobal, sleeping. She had run forward, while he had retreated in terror. None but the appointed may touch the Bride of the Sun, and the three guardians17 of the Temple were there, armed, and swaying gently. One of them signed to a mammacona, who carried the sleeping boy to his sister; she burst into tears, for the first time since her captivity18. The child opened his eyes and clung to her, sobbing19, “Maria-Teresa! Maria-Teresa!”
“How did he come here? You would not hurt him!”
“We shall do as he wishes. He came to us, not we to him. He himself shall decide his fate. Let him beware of his words. That is all I can say to you, all I can do for you. Is that not so, ye Guardians of the Temple?”
Maria-Teresa, clutching the child to her, looked at them with fresh terror painted on her features; at Huascar, calm and motionless; at the three living mummies, gently swaying.
“What do you mean? How can a child beware of his words?”
Huascar, without moving, then spoke20 to little Christobal.
“Child, will you come with me? I will take you to your father.”
“No! I will stop with Maria-Teresa!”
“The child has spoken,” said Huascar. “So it is ordered. Is it not so, Guardians of the Temple?”
The three horrible skulls21 swayed gently.
Then Huascar, before leaving, had chanted the words of an Almara psalm22: “Blessed are those who shall come pure to the Kingdom of the Sun, pure as the hearts of little children, at the dawn of the world.”
“Huascar, have pity! Remember my mother! Have pity!”
Huascar bowed to the Guardians of the Temple and went out silently.
Maria-Teresa, crooning over little Christobal, covered him with kisses. “Why did you come, little one? Why did you come?”
“To tell you not to be afraid, Maria-Teresa. Papa and Dick are coming. They are following, and will save us both. But if you must die, little sister, I will die with you.”
The mammaconas, moving silently, had lit the sandia in their precious vases; brother and sister slept together, in each other’s arms.
Now she had awakened in the House of the Serpent, and Christobal was not with her. She struggled to regain23 consciousness, heard his cries near by, and rose from the cushioned couch on which she had been reclining. There was Christobal, naked, struggling in the hands of the mammaconas. Terrified, she made as if to rush to his assistance, but six of the women surrounded her, calmed her with fluttering hands. No harm would come to the child; he was being dressed, as she would be dressed, in a robe made of bat skins. They spoke with infinite respect, giving her a title she had not heard before; they called her Coya, which, in Inca, means queen.
The mammaconas took her in their powerful arms, lifting her like a child, and took off the sulphur-hued robes with which she had been adorned24 in the deserted25 hacienda. Again they anointed her with sweet oils and perfumed creams, chanting the while a slow and restful lullaby, stilling to the senses. They were tall women from the province of Puno, born on the shores of Titicaca, strong and beautiful; their walk was almost rhythmic26, supple27 and harmonious28, while their rounded arms showed golden against the black of their veils. They had splendid eyes, all that could be seen of their faces.
Maria-Teresa and little Christobal were afraid of them, but they were not cruel. Two of their number were to die with Maria-Teresa, to prepare the nuptial29 chamber30 in the Palace of the Sun, and they were the most lively, the happiest, the most consoling and understanding. They were wholly happy, and were sad that the Bride did not share that happiness, doing all they could to make her understand the joy of being chosen among all as the Goya. On their ankles they wore great golden bracelets31, and in their ears heavy circlets.
The child was no longer crying. They had promised him that if he was good he would return to Maria-Teresa’s arms. She also obeyed the mammaconas docilely32. The chant with which they filled her ears lulled33 her spirit, still heavy with the magic sleep.
There was a thought, too, which gave her courage. Those who were dearest to her knew where she was, what had happened to her, who had carried her off, and why. If little Christobal had been able to find her, surely her father and Dick could do so. They would both be saved. If Dick had not appeared before, it was because he delayed until he was sure of success. At any moment they might appear with the police and soldiers, all these savages34 would vanish in the mountains, and the horrible dream would be ended. She felt as weak as a child face to face with Destiny.
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1
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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pungent
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| adj.（气味、味道）刺激性的，辛辣的；尖锐的 | |
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incense
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| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
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opium
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| n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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lethargic
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| adj.昏睡的，懒洋洋的 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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lucid
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| adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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adobe
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| n.泥砖，土坯，美国Adobe公司 | |
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guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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captivity
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| n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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skulls
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| 颅骨( skull的名词复数 )； 脑袋； 脑子； 脑瓜 | |
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psalm
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| n.赞美诗，圣诗 | |
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regain
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| vt.重新获得，收复，恢复 | |
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adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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rhythmic
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| adj.有节奏的，有韵律的 | |
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supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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harmonious
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| adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的 | |
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nuptial
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| adj.婚姻的，婚礼的 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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bracelets
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| n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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docilely
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| adv.容易教地，易驾驶地，驯服地 | |
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33
lulled
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| vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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