have no recollection
whatever of any former state of existence."

"My Lords," said Tiahuana, "the young man asserts, with perfect candour,
that he has no recollection whatever of any former state of existence;
therefore he is unable to furnish those further proofs demanded by the
Lord Huanacocha. But what of that? Does this absence of recollection
invalidate all the other proofs that have been given? How many of us
remember any of our former states of existence distinctly enough to
recall any of their happenings? I confess that I do not. Does my Lord
Huanacocha, or do any of you?"

A long and profound silence followed this pointed question. So
prolonged, indeed, was it that it at length became evident that no one
in that assembly had a reply to it; whereupon Tiahuana, his eyes
gleaming with triumph, once more stepped forward and said:

"My Lords, your silence is a complete and sufficient answer to my
question, and proves that the objection raised by my Lord Huanacocha was
an unreasonable one. I must therefore again call upon him to say
whether he is or is not satisfied with the other proofs advanced."

There was no pause or hesitation this time; Huanacocha at once rose and
said:

"I have no fault to find with the other proofs; but I contend that they
do not go far enough. I am still strongly of opinion that when the
divine Manco returns to us he will come in the guise of one of
ourselves, an Indian of the blood-royal; and therefore I must refuse to
accept the dictum of my Lord Tiahuana that the young white man is the
re-incarnation of the first Manco, the founder of our nation." And he
resumed his seat.

This bold and defiant speech created, as might be expected, a most
tremendous sensation among the other occupants of the hall; but
Tiahuana, with a slight gesture of impatience, at once threw up his hand
to demand silence, and said:

"You have all heard the objections raised by my Lord Huanacocha, and are
as well able as I am to weigh and judge their value. Let now the other
lords arise, each in his turn, and express his opinion."

The man on Huanacocha's right at once arose, and said:

"I am quite satisfied with the proofs adduced by the High Priest. To me
they are complete and perfectly convincing."

The man on the left of Huanacocha then sprang to his feet and said:

"I find it quite impossible to come to a definite decision, one way or
the other. On the one hand, I regard the proofs adduced