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Eternal Life;Cursed Gift 84
During his next visit to Rome, Stefanio unexpectedly met Roberto Bantini at the Quirinal Palace.“Owl,” Stephanio rushed to him and then noticed that the old friend was dressed in cardinal clothes. The Bishop stood up in amazement, as if rooted to the spot.“Yes, yes,” Roberto smiled, “now I am a cardinal and I live here in Rome.“Congratulations,” Stephanio said sincerely. Of course, he felt a little annoyed that Bantini was ahead of him, but in fact he was glad for his friend. It's strange that I haven't heard about it.- Really weird. Where you stopped?- Cardinal Dethy's.Why not Mario? I heard he got married...“I don’t want to disturb the young ones,” Stephanio laughed.- Well, next time I ask you to me.- Well, since you are in Rome now, then, of course, I will not pass by.***“My dear Andrea, the unfortunate brother Siro writes to you. I still live in Mantua with a few servants, and my position is unenviable. However, I took up the pen not to upset you with the details of my
Eternal Life;Cursed Gift 85
Dr. Gold sighed raggedly, his lips trembling.“Wait a second, John, now I’ll catch my breath and continue. I'm sorry, it's hard to remember.“Of course I understand,” the vicar nodded hastily.Ten minutes passed before Gold spoke again:- At first I was going to call on Roberto Bantini to inform him of what had happened and change clothes. But when Algardi told the details of the case, I decided not to waste time and immediately went to the inquisitorial tribunal.However, the gatherings refused to let me in: by the evening, if there were no urgent interrogations, the priests and secretaries dispersed. I tried to convince them, explained that I was the Bishop of Trevi and I needed to see a prisoner on urgent business, but they only laughed, because I was in secular clothes.Desperate, I was about to go to Bantini's to change into a cassock and return again, but at that moment the heavy sashes of the window above our heads parted and a voice was heard from above:- Let him go.The guar
Eternal Life;Cursed Gift 86
Istvan crossed the ocean for the first time. However, outwardly, he could not find any differences from the Mediterranean Sea, along which he sailed a hundred years ago on the Starfish. The same boundless water surface, closing on the horizon with the sky, the same waves with cheerful foamy lambs and a light breeze.Listening to the creaking of the masts and the flapping of the sails in the wind, Istvan recalled the years spent on the Starfish, the brave and loving Blanca, the adventures in Tangier, the attack of the pirates. Why does fate take away everyone he loves from him?The priest stood at the side of the brig, licking his lips, salty from sea spray, and thought, thought, thought ... After the murder of Calvo, he did not have time to comprehend what had happened, but now, on the way, the pain from the loss of his son returned with renewed vigor. "My poor Mario! It's terrible to think what they did to you!" Istvan also had other thoughts: "None of my children lived to be twenty
Eternal Life;Cursed Gift 87
At the end of the fourth month of the journey in the water of the Amazon, Istvan noticed distinct streams of light. At one of the camps, he drew the attention of the captain to them, and Don Teixeira cheerfully replied:“This is the waters of Madeira, Father. Believe it or not, here each river has its own color, and for many leagues ahead the streams do not mix.“So we’ll reach the tributary soon?”- Take your time, - the captain laughed, - we will sail to Madeira for at least a week.He wasn't wrong. Only ten days later, on the left of the course, they saw a wide tributary, carrying its golden waters to the Amazon. It seemed to István that the bed of the river had split in two, but Sebastian Gomes, to whom he addressed the question, shook his head.No, this is Madeira.Directly opposite the mouth, travelers noticed a group of islands with sandy shores. This is where the expedition dropped anchor.“We’ll spend the night here,” Don Pedro informed the chief helmsman, “and in the morning
Eternal Life;Cursed Gift 88
Several days have passed, but nothing has changed. In the mornings, the old doctor came, examined the prisoner's chest and nodded, in every possible way showing that everything was going well. Isstvan's wound had healed, his weakness was almost gone, and he felt great. Only the constant expectation of death unnerved and unsettled. But the Indians did not touch him. From time to time one of them came into the hut, asked something, tried to explain, but Istvan did not understand a word.He lay for days on end, remembering Agnieszka, Lucrezia, Mario... He saw them equally distant, almost unreal. Here, under a roof of skins, it was almost impossible to believe that his life in Europe was a reality. Istvan was separated from her by thousands of kilometers, but it seemed like thousands of years.That morning, as usual, the same girl woke him up, she brought breakfast. Istvan ate the corn porridge with pleasure, washed it down with a tart, cloudy liquid, and took up the Bible again. But with
Eternal Life;Cursed Gift 89
Religion occupied a huge place in the life of the tribe. Everywhere in the village and beyond there were so-called waki - sacred things and places. Uakoy could be anything - a bunch of stones stacked in a special way, a rock, a hill, a stream, a spring, an idol carved from wood, like standing on a kurikancha. The Indians carefully looked after all the Huacas. A special place of worship was Nayakuna Pirka - a long stone wall built to the east of the village, which consisted of separate cavities. In them, the inhabitants of the village buried the dead, closing each niche with a wooden door.As Istvan mastered Quechua, he learned more and more about the views of the Indians.“There are three worlds around us,” said Sampa Anka, “underground, earthly and divine. The underworld, Uku Pacha, is ruled by the ferocious god of death, Supai. All dead, unborn babies, some snakes, worms and seeds live there. In the earthly world, Kai Pacha, we are people, but also animals, birds, plants and ghosts.
Eternal Life;Cursed Gift 90
Listening to the leader, Istvan could not recover from amazement. So the Templars were in the West Indies long before Señor Columbus?“The Order was rich,” he reflected, “and could well equip an expedition to search for new lands. The Templars sailed here and found huge reserves of silver and gold. So that's where the legends about the untold wealth of the order came from! Some came to rule the Incas, others left, taking away priceless treasures on ships. And then what? They returned forever ... Probably, it was under Philip the Handsome, who banned the order and arrested everyone he could find. But many Templars escaped and lived here until their deaths. Why didn't they leave offspring? Posing as gods? Of course, they were monks! They could not have intercourse with women and remained faithful to their vow even in such conditions. How many times have I broken my vow of chastity? Eh..."This discovery shocked Istvan. All his knowledge of the history of the conquest of the West Indies
Eternal Life;Cursed Gift 91
Returning to his room, Istvan was lost in thought. Let's say the evil Aya Naya really kills the Indians, but how and why? However, the methods may be different, for example, to send damage. For what purpose does he do this? And, most importantly, why do corpses disappear? Perhaps the spirit of the deceased raises his body and takes him somewhere? No, what nonsense!Isstvan's mind was in confusion. But he was a man of action, and therefore he soon questioned the leader and his son about all the details. It turned out that the bodies disappear on the third night after the funeral.When an old man died two weeks later at the other end of the village, Istvan decided to follow his grave.“This is unreasonable, brother,” Apu Uma admonished him, “and very dangerous. Only Viracocha knows what happens when the body disappears. Suddenly all living things around perish?“Believe me, Great Leader, I will find out the truth,” Isstvan replied grimly. “I don’t want an incomprehensible curse weighing
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- Eternal Life;Cursed Gift
Epilogue
Michael Gold paused, trying to catch his breath. He seemed to be reliving the terror that had seized him in the mountains of South America.“And Plath is gone?” exclaimed the vicar ruefully.Alas, John, yes. A strange insanity has deprived me of this most valuable relic!- What a pity! What do you think it was?“I have puzzled over this for three hundred years, explaining everything as the revenge of higher powers. It was only three years ago that I read an article in The Sunday Times that I think explains the panic attack that happened to me then. The article said that a certain John Balderston, director of the London Lyric Theater, was preparing a play for staging, where the characters were transported into the past as the action progressed. He wanted to come up with something spectacular so that the audience at that moment felt the psychological tension. And Mr. Balderston turned to his friend, the physicist Robert Wood, for help. He made a pipe, like an organ, but longer and thick
- Eternal Life;Cursed Gift
96
Gold wearily rubbed his face with his hands.“Those days are hard for me to remember, John. Then I committed one of the most shameful acts of my entire life. But I swear I'll be completely honest about everything.'I have no doubt, my friend,' nodded the vicar. - Few people could speak so frankly about themselves, not only good, but also bad.— So, we got into a small pirogue and sailed up the river. Usually, for the construction of boats, the Indians took a tree with a wide trunk and burned out the middle. But this boat turned out to be wicker and very light. The current here was weak, so Anka and Yakumama rowed tirelessly.About five hours later we landed on the shore, and I saw a path cut through the jungle, as wide as I had ever seen in these places. It turned out that the Indians dragged boats along it to another river, which they called the Serpent, and the Europeans - Madre de Dios. Even such a light pirogue as ours was not easy to drag, but we managed and by the evening reache
- Eternal Life;Cursed Gift
95
On one of the days of the Month of Seva, Apu Uma sent for Istvan. He hurried to the leader and found him in great agitation. Forgetting to offer mate to the guest, the Indian said:“Our scouts have spotted a white party, Amauta. They go through the jungle towards Antavara.The priest's heart jumped with joy, but at the same moment he thought - if the Europeans capture the village, they will also learn about the mines. No, this cannot be allowed.- How is it - "go"? After all, the selva is impassable.- How do we go? Cut through the road with knives and axes.— How many of them?The chief frowned and drew seven parallel lines on the dirt floor. Thirty-five people, Isstvan realized."And when will they get to us?"- In two or three days. We need to organize protection.“No,” the priest said thoughtfully. “We have to set up an ambush. Then, firstly, they will not find the village, and secondly, thanks to a surprise attack, we will have an advantage.After thinking for a moment, Apu Uma n
- Eternal Life;Cursed Gift
94
The Indians made a noise, and Istvan could not believe his ears. What nonsense? This is impossible! But no, he saw the living dead with his own eyes!"But the corpses didn't disappear until the third night," he muttered.The sorcerer chuckled and nodded again.— Yes, but here they bury in the wall. Apparently, in the ground they deteriorate faster. At first I did not know this and could not understand why they did not turn into nzambi. The first two had to be killed, their minds barely affected. Then I realized that here the body was lying in the wall and tried to pick it up later. This is how I determined from experience that it is best to raise the "dead" on the third night.- Can they be cured somehow? Return to normal life?- Of course not.How long do they exist in this state?- Who is like. If you feed them on time, then some of them last for four or five years.“Now tell me, why can’t they be killed?”- Why, maybe. They just don't feel pain and follow orders as long as they can
- Eternal Life;Cursed Gift
93
The Incas got up early. Not finding Istvan, they were alarmed. When he, half-dead from fatigue and experienced horror, dragged himself to the gate, he was greeted with a joyful uproar. Sampa Anka grabbed him under the armpits and helped him to the hut.“What happened to you, white brother? he kept asking. - Where have you been?"I'm sorry, Anka," Isstvan whispered, sinking onto the couch. “I’ll tell you everything, but right now I don’t have the strength.”He slept for almost a day and woke up cheerful, completely recovered from the shock of the night. Hardly waiting for the morning, Istvan went to Apu Uma and told about everything that he had to endure.Sampa Anka, who sat silently beside him, stared in horror at the priest, while the chief shook his head grimly.“You broke my ban, Amauta,” he said when Istvan finished his story.“Sorry, Great Leader, but I couldn’t help but watch your people die.“I understand that you were guided by a kind and brave heart. But what have you achieve
- Eternal Life;Cursed Gift
92
The next morning, having somewhat calmed down, they again retired to the hut.- Understand, spirits are not like that at all! Istvan admonished his friend. “They were real flesh and blood people. There must be some other explanation.“Okay,” he nodded obediently, “then explain to me what the secret is.”“That is what we must find out. Tell everything you know about them.Sampa Anka shrugged.- There is nothing to tell. Ordinary guys.What could unite them?- Nothing. Only that they all died.- When exactly?The young man frowned as he remembered.“Well… Vira eight moons ago. Llapi four moons earlier. The other two, it seems, shortly before your arrival.This information did not give Isstvan anything, but he stubbornly bombarded Anka with questions, trying to find at least some thread.Did any of them get sick?- It seems not.- So all four died according to the prediction of the sorcerer?After thinking, Sampa Anka nodded confidently."And their bodies disappeared on the third night?"
- Eternal Life;Cursed Gift
91
Returning to his room, Istvan was lost in thought. Let's say the evil Aya Naya really kills the Indians, but how and why? However, the methods may be different, for example, to send damage. For what purpose does he do this? And, most importantly, why do corpses disappear? Perhaps the spirit of the deceased raises his body and takes him somewhere? No, what nonsense!Isstvan's mind was in confusion. But he was a man of action, and therefore he soon questioned the leader and his son about all the details. It turned out that the bodies disappear on the third night after the funeral.When an old man died two weeks later at the other end of the village, Istvan decided to follow his grave.“This is unreasonable, brother,” Apu Uma admonished him, “and very dangerous. Only Viracocha knows what happens when the body disappears. Suddenly all living things around perish?“Believe me, Great Leader, I will find out the truth,” Isstvan replied grimly. “I don’t want an incomprehensible curse weighing
- Eternal Life;Cursed Gift
90
Listening to the leader, Istvan could not recover from amazement. So the Templars were in the West Indies long before Señor Columbus?“The Order was rich,” he reflected, “and could well equip an expedition to search for new lands. The Templars sailed here and found huge reserves of silver and gold. So that's where the legends about the untold wealth of the order came from! Some came to rule the Incas, others left, taking away priceless treasures on ships. And then what? They returned forever ... Probably, it was under Philip the Handsome, who banned the order and arrested everyone he could find. But many Templars escaped and lived here until their deaths. Why didn't they leave offspring? Posing as gods? Of course, they were monks! They could not have intercourse with women and remained faithful to their vow even in such conditions. How many times have I broken my vow of chastity? Eh..."This discovery shocked Istvan. All his knowledge of the history of the conquest of the West Indies
- Eternal Life;Cursed Gift
89
Religion occupied a huge place in the life of the tribe. Everywhere in the village and beyond there were so-called waki - sacred things and places. Uakoy could be anything - a bunch of stones stacked in a special way, a rock, a hill, a stream, a spring, an idol carved from wood, like standing on a kurikancha. The Indians carefully looked after all the Huacas. A special place of worship was Nayakuna Pirka - a long stone wall built to the east of the village, which consisted of separate cavities. In them, the inhabitants of the village buried the dead, closing each niche with a wooden door.As Istvan mastered Quechua, he learned more and more about the views of the Indians.“There are three worlds around us,” said Sampa Anka, “underground, earthly and divine. The underworld, Uku Pacha, is ruled by the ferocious god of death, Supai. All dead, unborn babies, some snakes, worms and seeds live there. In the earthly world, Kai Pacha, we are people, but also animals, birds, plants and ghosts.
