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diff --git a/43340-0.txt b/43340-0.txt index c37824a..ebd429e 100644 --- a/43340-0.txt +++ b/43340-0.txt @@ -1,35 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fair God, by Lew Wallace - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Fair God - or, the last of the 'Tzins - -Author: Lew Wallace - -Illustrator: Eric Pape - -Release Date: July 28, 2013 [EBook #43340] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAIR GOD *** - - - - -Produced by KD Weeks, Juliet Sutherland and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43340 *** Transcriber's Note @@ -21730,364 +21699,4 @@ or spelling variants to be noted. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Fair God - or, the last of the 'Tzins - -Author: Lew Wallace - -Illustrator: Eric Pape - -Release Date: July 28, 2013 [EBook #43340] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAIR GOD *** - - - - -Produced by KD Weeks, Juliet Sutherland and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - -Transcriber's Note - -This original of this text contained numerous punctuation errors -and several other obvious printer's errors. It also suffered from -the age of the volume, particularly near the margins, both left -and right. Wherever the correct characters could be reliably -confirmed, they have been corrected or restored. - -Please consult the detailed notes at the end of the text for an -list of those issues, and their resolution, as well as any other -issues that arose during the preparation of this text. - -The current format could not reproduce italics characters, which -were used to emphasize non-English words. Italics will be denoted -here with the underscore character as _italics_. The use of "small -capitals" was also not possible, and have all been simply shifted -up to all capital letters. The 'oe' ligature, which appears twice, -has been separated. - -The 53 footnotes have been gathered at the end of each chapter. The -symbols used in the text (e.g., "*") have replaced with sequential -numbers. - - - - -[Illustration: OVER THE BRIDGES, THE HORSEMEN GALLOPED] - - - - - THE FAIR GOD - - OR, THE LAST OF THE 'TZINS - - A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico - - BY - - LEW WALLACE - - WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY - ERIC PAPE - - From Mexico ... a civilization that might have instructed Europe was - crushed out.... It has been her [Spain's] evil destiny to ruin two - civilizations, Oriental and Occidental, and to be ruined thereby - herself.... In America she destroyed races more civilized than - herself.--DRAPER, _Intellectual Development of Europe_. - - [Illustration] - - NEW YORK - - GROSSET & DUNLAP - - PUBLISHERS - - COPYRIGHT 1873 BY JAMES R. OSGOOD & CO. - - COPYRIGHT 1898 BY HOUGHTON MIFFLIN & CO. - - COPYRIGHT 1901 BY LEW WALLACE - - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - - - - - NOTE BY THE AUTHOR. - - -A personal experience, though ever so plainly told, is, generally -speaking, more attractive to listeners and readers than fiction. A -circumstance from the tongue or pen of one to whom it actually happened, -or who was its hero or victim, or even its spectator, is always more -interesting than if given second-hand. If the makers of history, -contradistinguished from its writers, could teach it to us directly, one -telling would suffice to secure our lasting remembrance. The reason is, -that the narrative so proceeding derives a personality and reality not -otherwise attainable, which assist in making way to our imagination and -the sources of our sympathy. - -With this theory or bit of philosophy in mind, when the annexed book was -resolved upon, I judged best to assume the character of a translator, -which would enable me to write in the style and spirit of one who not -merely lived at the time of the occurrences woven in the text, but was -acquainted with many of the historical personages who figure therein, -and was a native of the beautiful valley in which the story is located. -Thinking to make the descriptions yet more real, and therefore more -impressive, I took the liberty of attributing the composition to a -literator who, whatever may be thought of his works, was not himself a -fiction. Without meaning to insinuate that THE FAIR GOD would have been -the worse for creation by Don Fernando de Alva, the Tezcucan, I wish -merely to say that it is not a translation. Having been so written, -however, now that publication is at hand, change is impossible; hence, -nothing is omitted,--title-page, introductory, and conclusion are given -to the reader exactly as they were brought to the publisher by the -author. - - L.W. - Boston Mass. August 8, 1873. - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - BOOK ONE. - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. OUR MOTHER HAS A FORTUNE WAITING US YONDER 1 - - II. QUETZAL', THE FAIR GOD 7 - - III. A CHALLENGE 13 - - IV. TENOCHTITLAN AT NIGHT 16 - - V. THE CHILD OF THE TEMPLE 20 - - VI. THE CÛ OF QUETZAL', AND MUALOX, THE PABA 25 - - VII. THE PROPHECY ON THE WALL 30 - - VIII. A BUSINESS MAN IN TENOCHTITLAN 39 - - IX. THE QUESTIONER OF THE MORNING 46 - - X. GOING TO THE COMBAT 50 - - XI. THE COMBAT 59 - - XII. MUALOX, AND HIS WORLD 68 - - XIII. THE SEARCH FOR QUETZAL' 74 - - - BOOK TWO. - - I. WHO ARE THE STRANGERS? 83 - - II. A TEZCUCAN LOVER 89 - - III. THE BANISHMENT OF GUATAMOZIN 95 - - IV. GUATAMOZIN AT HOME 103 - - V. NIGHT AT THE CHALCAN'S 112 - - VI. THE CHINAMPA 120 - - VII. COURT GOSSIP 126 - - VIII. GUATAMOZIN AND MUALOX 130 - - IX. A KING'S BANQUET 135 - - X. THE 'TZIN'S LOVE 141 - - XI. THE CHANT 150 - - - BOOK THREE. - - I. THE FIRST COMBAT 162 - - II. THE SECOND COMBAT 169 - - III. THE PORTRAIT 180 - - IV. THE TRIAL 183 - - - BOOK FOUR. - - I. THE KING GIVES A TRUST TO HUALPA 192 - - II. THE KING AND THE 'TZIN 198 - - III. LOVE ON THE LAKE 207 - - IV. THE KING DEMANDS A SIGN OF MUALOX 214 - - V. THE MASSACRE IN CHOLULA 220 - - VI. THE CONQUEROR WILL COME 230 - - VII. MONTEZUMA GOES TO MEET CORTEZ 239 - - VIII. THE ENTRY 246 - - - BOOK FIVE. - - I. PUBLIC OPINION 257 - - II. A MESSAGE FROM THE GODS 261 - - III. HOW ILLS OF STATE BECOME ILLS OF SOCIETY 267 - - IV. ENNUYÉ IN THE OLD PALACE 275 - - V. ALVARADO FINDS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD 282 - - VI. THE IRON CROSS 291 - - VII. THE CHRISTIANS IN THE TOILS 299 - - VIII. THE IRON CROSS COMES BACK TO ITS GIVER 306 - - IX. TRULY WONDERFUL--A FORTUNATE MAN HATH A MEMORY 315 - - X. HOW THE IRON CROSS CAME BACK 317 - - XI. THE CHRISTIAN TAKES CARE OF HIS OWN 325 - - - BOOK SIX. - - I. THE LORD HUALPA FLEES HIS FORTUNE 339 - - II. WHOM THE GODS DESTROY THEY FIRST MAKE MAD 347 - - III. THE PUBLIC OPINION MAKES WAY 357 - - IV. THE 'TZIN'S FAREWELL TO QUETZAL' 364 - - V. THE CELLS OF QUETZAL' AGAIN 374 - - VI. LOST IN THE OLD CÛ 379 - - VII. HOW THE HOLY MOTHER HELPS HER CHILDREN 385 - - VIII. THE PABA'S ANGEL 392 - - IX. LIFE IN THE PABA'S WORLD 404 - - X. THE ANGEL BECOMES A BEADSWOMAN 410 - - XI. THE PUBLIC OPINION PROCLAIMS ITSELF--BATTLE 427 - - - BOOK SEVEN. - - I. THE HEART CAN BE WISER THAN THE HEAD 438 - - II. THE CONQUEROR ON THE CAUSEWAY AGAIN 449 - - III. LA VIRUELA 454 - - IV. MONTEZUMA A PROPHET.--HIS PROPHECY 455 - - V. HOW TO YIELD A CROWN 462 - - VI. IN THE LEAGUER 465 - - VII. IN THE LEAGUER YET 473 - - VIII. THE BATTLE OF THE MANTAS 481 - - IX. OVER THE WALL,--INTO THE PALACE 489 - - X. THE WAY THROUGH THE WALL 499 - - XI. BATTLE IN THE AIR 510 - - XII. IN THE INTERVAL OF THE BATTLE--LOVE 524 - - XIII. THE BEGINNING OF THE END 527 - - XIV. THE KING BEFORE HIS PEOPLE AGAIN 532 - - XV. THE DEATH OF MONTEZUMA 544 - - XVI. ADIEU TO THE PALACE 550 - - XVII. THE PURSUIT BEGINS 559 - - XVIII. LA NOCHE TRISTE 562 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - OVER THE BRIDGES, THE HORSEMEN GALLOPED (p. 427) _Frontispiece_ - - A CLANG OF SANDALED FEET 30 - - THE FORTUNATE HERO, STANDING SO CALMLY BEFORE THEM 70 - - THE MONARCH'S FACE CHANGED VISIBLY 158 - - "OUT OF THE WAY, DOG!" SHOUTED SANDOVAL 246 - - LOOKED GLOOMILY INTO THE WATER 358 - - SHE GAVE HIM THE SIGNAL 462 - - CORTES DREW REIN ONLY AT ITS FOOT 478 - - - - - THE FAIR GOD. - - FROM THE SPANISH OF - - FERNANDO DE ALVA. - - - - - INTRODUCTORY. - - -Fernando De Alva,[1] a noble Tezcucan, flourished, we are told, in the -beginning of the sixteenth century. He was a man of great learning, -familiar with the Mexican and Spanish languages, and the hieroglyphics -of Anahuac. Ambitious to rescue his race from oblivion, and inspired by -love of learning, he collected a library, availed himself of his -knowledge of picture-writing, became master of the songs and traditions, -and, in the Castilian language, composed books of merit. - -It was scarcely possible that his labors should escape the researches of -Mr. Prescott, who, with such incomparable genius, has given the world a -history of the Conquest of Mexico. From him we have a criticism upon the -labors of the learned Fernando, from which the following paragraph is -extracted. - -"Iztlilzochitl's writings have many of the defects belonging to his age. -He often crowds the page with incidents of a trivial and sometimes -improbable character. The improbability increases with the distance of -the period; for distance, which diminishes objects to the natural eye, -exaggerates them to the mental. His chronology, as I have more than once -noticed, is inextricably entangled. He has often lent a too willing ear -to traditions and reports which would startle the more sceptical -criticism of the present time. Yet there is an appearance of good faith -and simplicity in his writings, which may convince the reader that, when -he errs, it is from no worse cause than the national partiality. And -surely such partiality is excusable in the descendant of a proud line, -shorn of its ancient splendors, which it was soothing to his own -feelings to revive again--though with something more than their -legitimate lustre--on the canvas of history. It should also be -considered that, if his narrative is sometimes startling, his researches -penetrate into the mysterious depths of antiquity, where light and -darkness meet and melt into each other; and where everything is still -further liable to distortion, as seen through the misty medium of -hieroglyphics." - -Besides his _Relaciones_ and _Historia Chichemeca_, De Alva composed -works of a lighter nature, though equally based upon history. Some were -lost; others fell into the hands of persons ignorant of their value; a -few only were rescued and given to the press. For a considerable period -he served as interpreter to the Spanish Viceroy. His duties as such were -trifling; he had ample time for literary pursuits; his enthusiasm as a -scholar permitted him no relaxation or idleness. Thus favored, it is -believed he composed the books now for the first time given to the -world. - -The MSS. were found among a heap of old despatches from the Viceroy -Mendoza to the Emperor. It is quite probable that they became mixed with -the State papers through accident; if, however, they were purposely -addressed to His Majesty, it must have been to give him a completer idea -of the Aztecan people and their civilization, or to lighten the burthens -of royalty by an amusement to which, it is known, Charles V. was not -averse. Besides, Mendoza, in his difficulty with the Marquess of the -Valley (Cortes), failed not to avail himself of every means likely to -propitiate his cause with the court, and especially with the Royal -Council of the Indies. It is not altogether improbable, therefore, that -the MSS. were forwarded for the entertainment of the members of the -Council and the lordly personages of the Court, who not only devoured -with avidity, but, as the wily Mendoza well knew, were vastly obliged -for, everything relative to the New World, and particularly the dazzling -conquest of Mexico. - -In the translation, certain liberties have been taken, for which, if -wrong has been done, pardon is besought both from the public and the -shade of the author. Thus, The Books in the original are unbroken -narratives; but, with infinite care and trouble, they have all been -brought out of the confusion, and arranged into chapters. So, there were -names, some of which have been altogether changed; while others, for the -sake of euphony, have been abbreviated, though without sacrificing the -identity of the heroes who wore them so proudly. - -And thus beginneth the FIRST BOOK. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [1] Fernando De Alva Iztlilzochitl. - - - - - THE FAIR GOD. - - - - - BOOK ONE. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - OUR MOTHER HAS A FORTUNE WAITING US YONDER. - - -The Spanish Calendar is simpler than the Aztecan. In fact, Christian -methods, of whatever nature, are better than heathen. - -So, then, by the Spanish Calendar, March, 1519, had about half spent -itself in the valley of Anahuac, which was as yet untrodden by -gold-seeker, with cross-hilted sword at his side, and on his lips a -Catholic oath. Near noon of one of its fairest days a traveller came -descending the western slope of the Sierra de Ahualco. Since the dawn -his path had been amongst hills and crags; at times traversing bald -rocks that towered to where the winds blew chill, then dipping into warm -valleys, where were grass, flowers, and streamlets, and sometimes -forests of cedar and fir,--labyrinths in which there reigned a perpetual -twilight. - -Toilsome as was the way, the traveller, young and strong, marched -lightly. His dress, of the kind prevalent in his country, was -provincial, and with few signs of rank. He had sandals of buffalo-hide, -fitted for climbing rocks and threading pathless woods; a sort of white -tunic, covering his body from the neck to the knees, leaving bare the -arms from the shoulder; _maxtlatl_ and _tilmatli_--sash and mantle--of -cotton, blue tinted, and void of ornament; on the wrist of his left arm -he wore a substantial golden bracelet, and in both ears jewelled -pendants; while an ebony band, encircling his head, kept his straight -black locks in place, and permitted a snow-white bird's-wing for -decoration. There was a shield on his left arm, framed of wood, and -covered with padded cloth, and in the left hand a javelin barbed with -'itzli; at his back swung a _maquahuitl_, and a quiver filled with -arrows; an unstrung bow in his right hand completed his equipments, and -served him in lieu of staff. An ocelot, trudging stealthily behind him, -was his sole companion. - -In the course of his journey he came to a crag that sank bluffly down -several hundred feet, commanding a fine prospect. Though the air was -cold, he halted. Away to the northwest stretched the beautiful valley of -Anahuac, dotted with hamlets and farm-houses, and marked with the silver -tracery of streams. Far across the plain, he caught a view of the fresh -waters of Lake Chalco, and beyond that, blue in the distance and faintly -relieved against the sky, the royal hill of Chapultepec, with its -palaces and cypress forests. In all the New World there was no scene -comparable with that he looked upon,--none its rival for beauty, none -where the heavens seemed so perfectly melted into earth. There were the -most renowned cities of the Empire; from that plain went the armies -whose marches were all triumphs; in that air hovered the gods awaiting -sacrifices; into that sky rose the smoke of the inextinguishable fires; -there shone the brightest suns, and lingered the longest summers; and -yonder dwelt that king--in youth a priest, then a warrior, now the -terror of all nations--whose signet on the hand of a slave could fill -the land with rustling of banners. - -No traveller, I ween, could look unmoved on the picture; ours sat down, -and gazed with brimful eyes and a beating heart. For the first time he -was beholding the matchless vale so overhung with loveliness and full of -the monuments of a strange civilization. So rapt was he that he did not -observe the ocelot come and lay its head in his lap, like a dog seeking -caresses. "Come, boy!" he said, at last rousing himself; "let us on. Our -Mother[2] has a fortune waiting us yonder." - -And they resumed the journey. Half an hour's brisk walk brought them to -the foot of the mountain. Suddenly they came upon company. - -It was on the bank of a considerable stream, which, pouring in noisy -torrent over a rocky bed, appeared to rush with a song forward into the -valley. A clump of giant oaks shaded a level sward. Under them a crowd -of _tamanes_,[3] tawny, half-clad, broad-shouldered men, devoured loaves -of cold maize bread. Near the roots of the trees their masters reclined -comfortably on _petates_, or mats, without which an Aztec trader's -outfit was incomplete. Our traveller understood at a glance the -character of the strangers; so that, as his road led directly to them, -he went on without hesitation. As he came near, some of them sat up to -observe him. - -"A warrior going to the city," said one. - -"Or rather a king's courier," suggested another. - -"Is not that an ocelot at his heels?" asked a third. - -"That it is. Bring me my javelin!" - -"And mine! And mine!" cried several of them at once, all springing to -their feet. - -By the time the young man came up, the whole party stood ready to give -him an armed welcome. - -"I am very sorry to have disturbed you," he said, quietly finding -himself obliged to stop. - -"You seem friendly enough," answered one of the older men; "but your -comrade there,--what of him?" - -The traveller smiled. "See, he is muzzled." - -The party laughed at their own fears. The old merchant, however, stepped -forward to the young stranger. - -"I confess you have greatly relieved me. I feared the brute might set on -and wound somebody. Come up, and sit down with us." - -The traveller was nowise disinclined, being tempted by the prospect of -cheer from the provision-baskets lying around. - -"Bring a mat for the warrior," said the friendly trader. "Now give him -bread and meat." - -From an abundance of bread, fowl, and fruit the wayfarer helped himself. -A running conversation was meantime maintained. - -"My ocelot? The story is simple; for your sakes, good friends, I wish it -were better. I killed his mother, and took him when a whelp. Now he does -me good service hunting. You should see him in pursuit of an antelope!" - -"Then you are not a warrior?" - -"To be a warrior," replied the hunter, modestly, "is to have been in -many battles, and taken many captives. I have practised arms, and, at -times, boasted of skill,--foolishly, perhaps; yet, I confess, I never -marched a day under the banner of the great king." - -"Ah!" said the old man, quizzically, "I understand you. You have served -some free-trading company like our own." - -"You are shrewd. My father is a merchant. At times he has travelled with -strong trains, and even attacked cities that have refused him admission -to their market." - -"Indeed! He must be of renown. In what province does he live, my son?" - -"In Tihuanco." - -"Tepaja! old Tepaja, of Tihuanco! Are you son of his?" The good man -grasped the young one's hand enthusiastically. "I knew him well; many -years ago we were as brothers together; we travelled and traded through -many provinces. That was the day of the elder Montezuma, when the Empire -was not as large as now; when, in fact, most gates were closed against -us, because our king was an Aztec, and we had to storm a town, then turn -its square into a market for the sale of our wares. Sometimes we marched -an army, each of us carrying a thousand slaves; and yet our tasks were -not always easy. I remember once, down on the bank of the Great River, -we were beaten back from a walled town, and succeeded only after a four -days' fight. Ah, but we made it win! We led three thousand slaves back -to Tenochtitlan, besides five hundred captives,--a present for the -gods." - -So the merchant talked until the hunger of his new acquaintance was -appeased; then he offered a pipe, which was declined. - -"I am fond of a pipe after a good meal; and this one has been worthy a -king. But now I have no leisure for the luxury; the city to which I am -bound is too far ahead of me." - -"If it is your first visit, you are right. Fail not to be there before -the market closes. Such a sight never gladdened your dreams!" - -"So I have heard my father say." - -"O, it never was as it will be to-night! The roads for days have been -thronged with visitors going up in processions." - -"What is the occasion?" - -"Why, to-morrow is the celebration of Quetzal'! Certainly, my son, you -have heard the prophecies concerning that god." - -"In rumors only. I believe he was to return to Anahuac." - -"Well, the story is long, and you are in a hurry. We also are going to -the city, but will halt our slaves at Iztapalapan for the night, and -cross the causeway before the sun to-morrow. If you care to keep us -company, we will start at once; on the way I will tell you a few things -that may not be unacceptable." - -"I see," said the hunter, pleasantly, "I have reason to be proud of my -father's good report. Certainly, I will go a distance with you at least, -and thank you for information. To speak frankly, I am seeking my -fortune." - -The merchant spoke to his companions, and raising a huge conch-shell to -his mouth, blew a blast that started every slave to his feet. For a few -minutes all was commotion. The mats were rolled up, and, with the -provision-baskets, slung upon broad shoulders; each _tamane_ resumed his -load of wares, and took his place; those armed put themselves, with -their masters, at the head; and at another peal from the shell all set -forward. The column, if such it may be called, was long, and not without -a certain picturesqueness as it crossed the stream, and entered a tract -covered with tall trees, amongst which the palm was strangely -intermingled with the oak and the cypress. The whole valley, from the -lake to the mountains, was irrigated, and under cultivation. Full of -wonder, the hunter marched beside the merchant. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [2] The goddess Cioacoatl, called "Our Lady and Mother." Sahagun, - Hist. de Nueva Esp. - - [3] Carrier slaves, or porters. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - QUETZAL', THE FAIR GOD. - - -"I was speaking about Quetzal', I believe," said the old man, when all -were fairly on the way. "His real name was Quetzalcoatl.[4] He was a -wonderfully kind god, who, many ages ago, came into the valley here, and -dwelt awhile. The people were then rude and savage; but he taught them -agriculture, and other arts, of which you will see signs as we get on. -He changed the manners and customs; while he stayed, famine was unknown; -the harvests were abundant, and happiness universal. Above all, he -taught the princes wisdom in their government. If to-day the Aztec -Empire is the strongest in the world, it is owing to Quetzal'. Where he -came from, or how long he stayed, is not known. The people and their -governors after a time proved ungrateful, and banished him; they also -overthrew his religion, and set up idols again, and sacrificed men, both -of which he had prohibited. Driven away, he went to Cholula; thence to -the sea-coast, where, it is said, he built him a canoe of -serpent-skins, and departed for Tlapallan, a heaven lying somewhere -toward the rising sun. But before he went, he promised to return some -day, and wrest away the Empire and restore his own religion. In -appearance he was not like our race; his skin was white, his hair long -and wavy and black. He is said to have been wise as a god, and more -beautiful than men. Such is his history; and, as the prophecy has it, -the time of his return is at hand. The king and Tlalac, the -_teotuctli_,[5] are looking for him; they expect him every hour, and, -they say, live in continued dread of him. Wishing to propitiate him, -they have called the people together, and celebrate to-morrow, with -sacrifices and combats and more pomp than was ever seen before, not -excepting the time of the king's coronation." - -The hunter listened closely, and at the conclusion said, "Thank you, -uncle. Tell me now of the combats." - -"Yes. In the days of the first kings it was the custom to go into the -temples, choose the bravest warriors there set apart for sacrifice, -bring them into the _tianguez_, and make them do battle in the presence -of the people. If they conquered, they were set free and sent home with -presents."[6] - -"With whom did they combat?" - -"True enough, my son. The fight was deemed a point of honor amongst the -Aztecs, and the best of them volunteered. Indeed, those were royal -times! Of late, I am sorry to say, the custom of which I was speaking -has been neglected, but to-morrow it is to be revived. The scene will be -very grand. The king and all the nobles will be there." - -The description excited the listener's fancy, and he said, with flushed -cheeks, "I would not lose the chance for the world. Can you tell me who -of the Aztecs will combat?" - -"In the city we could easily find out; but you must recollect I am going -home after a long absence. The shields of the combatants are always -exhibited in the _tianguez_ the evening before the day of the fight. In -that way the public are notified beforehand of those who take the field. -As the city is full of caciques, you may be assured our champions will -be noble." - -"Thank you again, uncle. And now, as one looking for service, like -myself, is anxious to know with whom to engage, tell me of the caciques -and chiefs." - -"Then you intend entering the army?" - -"Well, yes. I am tired of hunting; and though trading is honorable, I -have no taste for it." - -The merchant, as if deliberating, took out a box of snuff and helped -himself; and then he replied,-- - -"The caciques are very numerous; in no former reign, probably, were -there so many of ability and renown. With some of them I have personal -acquaintance; others I know only by sight or reputation. You had better -mention those of whom you have been thinking." - -"Well," said the hunter, "there is Iztlil', the Tezcucan."[7] - -"Do not think of him, I pray you!" And the good man spoke earnestly. "He -is brave as any, and perhaps as skilful, but proud, haughty, soured, and -treacherous. Everybody fears him. I suppose you have heard of his -father." - -"You mean the wise 'Hualpilli?" - -"Yes. Upon his death, not long since, Iztlil' denied his brother's right -to the Tezcucan throne. There was a quarrel which would have ended in -blood, had not Montezuma interfered, and given the city to Cacama, and -all the northern part of the province to Iztlil'. Since that, the latter -has been discontented with the great king. So, I say again, do not think -of him, unless you are careless about honor." - -"Then what of Cacama?[8] Tezcuco is a goodly city." - -"He has courage, but is too effeminate to be a great warrior. A garden -and a soft couch delight him more than camps, and dancing women better -than fighting men. You might grow rich with him, but not renowned. Look -elsewhere." - -"Then there is the lord Cuitlahua."[9] - -"The king's brother, and governor of Iztapalapan!" said the merchant, -promptly. "Some have thought him better qualified for Chapultepec than -Montezuma, but it is not wise to say so. His people are prosperous, and -he has the most beautiful gardens in the world; unlike Cacama, he cares -nothing for them, when there is a field to be fought. Considering his -influence at court and his love of war, you would do well to bear shield -for him; but, on the other hand, he is old. Were I in your place, my -son, I would attach myself to some young man." - -"That brings me to Maxtla, the Tesoyucan." - -"I know him only by repute. With scarcely a beard, he is chief of the -king's guard. There was never anything like his fortune. Listen now, I -will tell you a secret which may be of value to you some time. The king -is not as young as he used to be by quite forty summers." - -The hunter smiled at the caution with which the old man spoke of the -monarch. - -"You see," the speaker continued, "time and palace life have changed -him: he no longer leads the armies; his days are passed in the temples -with the priests, or in the gardens with his women, of whom there are -several hundreds; his most active amusement now is to cross the lake to -his forests, and kill birds and rabbits by blowing little arrows at them -through a reed. Thus changed, you can very well understand how he can be -amused by songs and wit, and make favorites of those who best lighten -his hours of satiety and indolence. In that way Maxtla rose,--a -marvellous courtier, but a very common soldier." - -The description amused the young man, but he said gravely, "You have -spoken wisely, uncle, and I am satisfied you know the men well. Really, -I had no intention of entering the suite of either of them: they are not -of my ideal; but there is a cacique, if reports are to be credited, -beyond all exception,--learned and brave, honored alike by high and -low." - -"Ah! you need not name him to me. I know him, as who does not?" And now -the merchant spoke warmly. "A nobler than Guatamozin,[10]--or, as he is -more commonly called, the 'tzin Guatamo--never dwelt in Anahuac. He is -the people's friend, and the Empire's hope. His valor and wisdom,--ah, -you should see him, my son! Such a face! His manner is so full of sweet -dignity! But I will give you other evidence." - -He clapped his hands three times, and a soldier sprang forward at the -signal. - -"Do you know the 'tzin Guatamo?" asked the merchant. - -"I am an humble soldier, my master, and the 'tzin is the great king's -nephew; but I know him. When he was only a boy, I served under him in -Tlascala. He is the best chief in Anahuac." - -"That will do." - -The man retired. - -"So I might call up my _tamanes_," the merchant resumed, "and not one -but would speak of him in the same way." - -"Strange!" said the Tihuancan, in a low tone. - -"No; if you allude to his popularity, it is not strange: if you mean the -man himself, you are right. The gods seldom give the qualities that -belong to him. He is more learned than Tlalac or the king; he is -generous as becomes a prince; in action he is a hero. You have probably -heard of the Tlascalan wall in the eastern valley;[11] few warriors ever -passed it and lived; yet he did so when almost a boy. I myself have -seen him send an arrow to the heart of an eagle in its flight. He has a -palace and garden in Iztapalapan; in one of the halls stand the figures -of three kings, two of Michuaca, and one of the Ottomies. He took them -prisoners in battle, and now they hold torches at his feasts." - -"Enough, enough!" cried the hunter. "I have been dreaming of him while -among the hills. I want no better leader." - -The merchant cast an admiring glance at his beaming countenance, and -said, "You are right; enter his service." - -In such manner the conversation was continued, until the sun fast -declined towards the western mountains. Meantime, they had passed -through several hamlets and considerable towns. In nearly the whole -progress, the way on either hand had been lined with plantations. -Besides the presence of a busy, thriving population, they everywhere saw -evidences of a cultivation and science, constituting the real -superiority of the Aztecs over their neighbors. The country was thus -preparing the stranger for the city, unrivalled in splendor and beauty. -Casting a look toward the sun, he at length said, "Uncle, I have much to -thank you for,--you and your friends. But it is growing late, and I must -hurry on, if I would see the _tianguez_ before the market closes." - -"Very well," returned the old trader. "We will be in the city to-morrow. -The gods go with you!" - -Whistling to his ocelot, the adventurer quickened his pace, and was soon -far in the advance. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [4] In Aztec mythology, God of the Air. - - [5] Equivalent to Pontiff or Pope. - - [6] Sahagun, Hist. de Nueva Esp. - - [7] Ixtlilxochitl, son of Nezahualpilli, king of Tezcuco. - - [8] King of Tezcuco. - - [9] See Prescott's Conq. of Mexico. - - [10] Guatamozin, nephew to Montezuma. Of him Bernal Diaz says: "This - monarch was between twenty-three and twenty-four years of age, - and could in all truth be called a handsome man, both as regards - his countenance and figure. His face was rather of an elongated - form, with a cheerful look; his eye had great expression, both - when he assumed a majestic expression, or when he looked - pleasantly around; the color of his face inclined to white more - than to the copper-brown tint of the Indians in general."--DIAZ, - _Conquest of Mexico_, Lockhart's Trans., Vol. IV., p. 110. - - [11] Prescott's Conq. of Mexico, Vol. I., p. 417. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - A CHALLENGE. - - -In the valley of Anahuac, at the time I write, are four -lakes,--Xaltocan, Chalco, Xochichalco, and Tezcuco. The latter, besides -being the largest, washed the walls of Tenochtitlan, and was the -especial pride of the Aztecs, who, familiar with its ways as with the -city, traversed them all the days of the year, and even the nights. - -"Ho, there!" shouted a _voyageur_, in a voice that might have been heard -a long distance over the calm expanse of the lake. "Ho, the canoe!" - -The hail was answered. - -"Is it Guatamozin?" asked the first speaker. - -"Yes." - -"And going to Tenochtitlan?" - -"The gods willing,--yes." - -The canoes of the _voyageurs_--I use that term because it more nearly -expresses the meaning of the word the Aztecs themselves were wont to -apply to persons thus abroad--were, at the time, about the middle of the -little sea. After the 'tzin's reply, they were soon alongside, when -lashings were applied, and together they swept on rapidly, for the -slaves at the paddles vied in skill and discipline. - -"Iztlil', of Tezcuco!" said the 'tzin, lightly. "He is welcome; but had -a messenger asked me where at this hour he would most likely be found, I -should have bade him search the _chinampas_, especially those most -notable for their perfume and music." - -The speech was courteous, yet the moment of reply was allowed to pass. -The 'tzin waited until the delay excited his wonder. - -"There is a rumor of a great battle with the Tlascalans," he said again, -this time with a direct question. "Has my friend heard of it?" - -"The winds that carry rumors seldom come to me," answered Iztlil'. - -"Couriers from Tlascala pass directly through your capital--" - -The Tezcucan laid his hand on the speaker's shoulder. - -"My capital!" he said. "Do you speak of the city of Tezcuco?" - -The 'tzin dashed the hand away, and arose, saying, "Your meaning is dark -in this dimness of stars." - -"Be seated," said the other. - -"If I sit, is it as friend or foe?" - -"Hear me; then be yourself the judge." - -The Aztec folded his cloak about him and resumed his seat, very -watchful. - -"Montezuma, the king--" - -"Beware! The great king is my kinsman, and I am his faithful subject." - -The Tezcucan continued. "In the valley the king is next to the gods; yet -to his nephew I say I hate him, and will teach him that my hate is no -idleness, like a passing love. 'Tzin, a hundred years ago our races were -distinct and independent. The birds of the woods, the winds of the -prairie, were not more free than the people of Tezcuco. We had our -capital, our temples, our worship, and our gods; we celebrated our own -festivals, our kings commanded their own armies, our priesthood -prescribed their own sacrifices. But where now are king, country, and -gods? Alas! you have seen the children of 'Hualpilli, of the blood of -the Acolhuan, suppliants of Montezuma, the Aztec." And, as if overcome -by the recollection, he burst into apostrophe. "I mourn thee, O Tezcuco, -garden of my childhood, palace of my fathers, inheritance of my right! -Against me are thy gates closed. The stars may come, and as of old -garland thy towers with their rays; but in thy echoing halls and -princely courts never, never shall I be known again!" - -The silence that ensued, the 'tzin was the first to break. - -"You would have me understand," he said, "that the king has done you -wrong. Be it so. But, for such cause, why quarrel with me?" - -"Ah, yes!" answered the Tezcucan, in an altered voice. "Come closer, -that the slaves may not hear." - -The Aztec kept his attitude of dignity. Yet lower Iztlil' dropped his -voice. - -"The king has a daughter whom he calls Tula, and loves as the light of -his palace." - -The 'tzin started, but held his peace. - -"You know her?" continued the Tezcucan. - -"Name her not!" said Guatamozin, passionately. - -"Why not? I love her, and but for you, O 'tzin, she would have loved me. -You, too, have done me wrong." - -With thoughts dark as the waters he rode, the Aztec looked long at the -light of fire painted on the sky above the distant city. - -"Is Guatamozin turned woman?" asked Iztlil', tauntingly. - -"Tula is my cousin. We have lived the lives of brother and sister. In -hall, in garden, on the lake, always together, I could not help loving -her." - -"You mistake me," said the other. "I seek her for wife, but you seek her -for ambition; in her eyes you see only her father's throne." - -Then the Aztec's manner changed, and he assumed the mastery. - -"Enough, Tezcucan! I listened calmly while you reviled the king, and -now I have somewhat to say. In your youth the wise men prophesied evil -from you; they said you were ingrate and blasphemer then: your whole -life has but verified their judgment. Well for your royal father and his -beautiful city had he cut you off as they counselled him to do. Treason -to the king,--defiance to me! By the holy Sun, for each offence you -should answer me shield to shield! But I recollect that I am neither -priest to slay a victim nor officer to execute the law. I mourn a feud, -still more the blood of countrymen shed by my hand; yet the wrongs shall -not go unavenged or without challenge. To-morrow is the sacrifice to -Quetzal'. There will be combat with the best captives in the temples; -the arena will be in the _tianguez_; Tenochtitlan, and all the valley, -and all the nobility of the Empire, will look on. Dare you prove your -kingly blood? I challenge the son of 'Hualpilli to share the danger with -me." - -The cacique was silent, and the 'tzin did not disturb him. At his order, -however, the slaves bent their dusky forms, and the vessels sped on, -like wingless birds. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - TENOCHTITLAN AT NIGHT. - - -The site of the city of Tenochtitlan was chosen by the gods. In the -southwestern border of Lake Tezcuco, one morning in 1300, a wandering -tribe of Aztecs saw an eagle perched, with outspread wings, upon a -cactus, and holding a serpent in its talons. At a word from their -priests, they took possession of the marsh, and there stayed their -migration and founded the city: such is the tradition. As men love to -trace their descent back to some storied greatness, nations delight to -associate the gods with their origin. - -Originally the Aztecs were barbarous. In their southern march, they -brought with them only their arms and a spirit of sovereignty. The -valley of Anahuac, when they reached it, was already peopled; in fact, -had been so for ages. The cultivation and progress they found and -conquered there reacted upon them. They grew apace; and as they carried -their shields into neighboring territory, as by intercourse and commerce -they crept from out their shell of barbarism, as they strengthened in -opulence and dominion, they repudiated the reeds and rushes of which -their primal houses were built, and erected enduring temples and -residences of Oriental splendor. - -Under the smiles of the gods, whom countless victims kept propitiated, -the city threw abroad its arms, and, before the passage of a century, -became the emporium of the valley. Its people climbed the mountains -around, and, in pursuit of captives to grace their festivals, made the -conquest of "Mexico." Then the kings began to centralize. They made -Tenochtitlan their capital; under their encouragement, the arts grew and -flourished; its market became famous; the nobles and privileged orders -made it their dwelling-place; wealth abounded; as a consequence, a vast -population speedily filled its walls and extended them as required. At -the coming of the "conquistadores," it contained sixty thousand houses -and three hundred thousand souls. Its plat testifies to a high degree of -order and regularity, with all the streets running north and south, and -intersected by canals, so as to leave quadrilateral blocks. An ancient -map, exhibiting the city proper, presents the face of a checker-board, -each square, except those of some of the temples and palaces, being -meted with mathematical certainty. - -Such was the city the 'tzin and the cacique were approaching. Left of -them, half a league distant, lay the towers and embattled gate of Xoloc. -On the horizon behind paled the fires of Iztapalapan, while those of -Tenochtitlan at each moment threw brighter hues into the sky, and more -richly empurpled the face of the lake. In mid air, high over all others, -like a great torch, blazed the pyre of Huitzil'.[12] Out on the sea, the -course of the _voyageurs_ was occasionally obstructed by _chinampas_ at -anchor, or afloat before the light wind; nearer the walls, the floating -gardens multiplied until the passage was as if through an archipelago in -miniature. From many of them poured the light of torches; others gave to -the grateful sense the melody of flutes and blended voices; while over -them the radiance from the temples fell softly, revealing white -pavilions, orange-trees, flowering shrubs, and nameless varieties of the -unrivalled tropical vegetation. A breeze, strong enough to gently ripple -the lake, hovered around the undulating retreats, scattering a largesse -of perfume, and so ministering to the voluptuous floramour of the -locality. - -As the _voyageurs_ proceeded, the city, rising to view, underwent a -number of transformations. At first, amidst the light of its own -fires,[13] it looked like a black sea-shore; directly its towers and -turrets became visible, some looming vaguely and dark, others glowing -and purpled, the whole magnified by the dim duplication below; then it -seemed like a cloud, one half kindled by the sun, the other obscured by -the night. As they swept yet nearer, it changed to the likeness of a -long, ill-defined wall, over which crept a hum wing-like and -strange,--the hum of myriad life. - -In silence still they hurried forward. Vessels like their own, but with -lanterns of stained _aguave_ at the prows, seeking some favorite -_chinampa_, sped by with benisons from the crews. At length they reached -the wall, and, passing through an interval that formed the outlet of a -canal, entered the city. Instantly the water became waveless; houses -encompassed them; lights gleamed across their way; the hum that hovered -over them while out on the lake realized itself in the voices of men and -the notes of labor. - -Yet farther into the city, the light from the temples increased. From -towers, turreted like a Moresco castle, they heard the night-watchers -proclaiming the hour. Canoes, in flocks, darted by them, decked with -garlands, and laden with the wealth of a merchant, or the trade of a -market-man, or full of revellers singing choruses to the stars or to the -fair denizens of the palaces. Here and there the canal was bordered with -sidewalks of masonry, and sometimes with steps leading from the water up -to a portal, about which were companies whose flaunting, parti-colored -costumes, brilliant in the mellowed light, had all the appearance of -Venetian masqueraders. - -At last the canoes gained the great street that continued from the -causeway at the south through the whole city; then the Tezcucan touched -the 'tzin, and said,-- - -"The son of 'Hualpilli accepts the challenge, Aztec. In the _tianguez_ -to-morrow." - -Without further speech, the foemen leaped on the landing, and separated. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [12] The God of War,--aptly called the "Mexican Mars." - - [13] There was a fire for each altar in the temples which was - inextinguishable; and so numerous were the altars, and so - brilliant their fires, that they kept the city illuminated - throughout the darkest nights. Prescott, Conq. of Mexico, Vol. - I., p 72. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - THE CHILD OF THE TEMPLE. - - -There were two royal palaces in the city; one built by Axaya', the other -by Montezuma, the reigning king, who naturally preferred his own -structure, and so resided there. It was a low, irregular pile, embracing -not only the king's abode proper, but also quarters for his guard, and -edifices for an armory, an aviary, and a menagerie. Attached to it was a -garden, adorned with the choicest shrubbery and plants, with fruit and -forest trees, with walks strewn with shells, and fountains of pure water -conducted from the reservoir of Chapultepec. - -At night, except when the moon shone, the garden was lighted with lamps; -and, whether in day or night, it was a favorite lounging-place. During -fair evenings, particularly, its walks, of the whiteness of snow, were -thronged by nobles and courtiers. - -Shortly after the arrival of Iztlil' and Guatamozin, a party, mostly of -the sons of provincial governors kept at the palace as hostages, were -gathered in the garden, under a canopy used to shield a fountain from -the noonday sun. The place was fairly lighted, the air fresh with the -breath of flowers, and delightful with the sound of falling water. - -Maxtla, chief of the guard, was there, his juvenility well hidden under -an ostentatious display. That he was "a very common soldier" in the -opinion of the people was of small moment: he had the king's ear; and -that, without wit and courtierly tact, would have made him what he -was,--the oracle of the party around him. - -In the midst of his gossip, Iztlil', the Tezcucan, came suddenly to the -fountain. He coldly surveyed the assembly. Maxtla alone saluted him. - -"Will the prince of Tezcuco be seated?" said the chief. - -"The place is pleasant, and the company looks inviting," returned -Iztlil', grimly. - -Since his affair with Guatamozin, he had donned the uniform of an Aztec -chieftain. Over his shoulders was carelessly flung a crimson -_tilmatli_,--a short, square cloak, fantastically embroidered with gold, -and so sprinkled with jewels as to flash at every movement; his body was -wrapped closely in an _escaupil_, or tunic, of cotton lightly quilted, -over which, and around his waist, was a _maxtlatl_, or sash, inseparable -from the warrior. A casque of silver, thin, burnished, and topped with -plumes, surmounted his head. His features were gracefully moulded, and -he would have been handsome but that his complexion was deepened by -black, frowning eyebrows. He was excessively arrogant; though sometimes, -when deeply stirred by passion, his manner rose into the royal. His -character I leave to history. - -"I have just come from Iztapalapan," he said, as he sat upon the -proffered stool. "The lake is calm, the way was very pleasant, I had the -'tzin Guatamo' for comrade." - -"You were fortunate. The 'tzin is good company," said Maxtla. - -Iztlil' frowned, and became silent. - -"To-morrow," continued the courtier, upon whom the discontent, slight as -it was, had not been lost, "is the sacrifice to Quetzal'. I am reminded, -gracious prince, that, at a recent celebration, you put up a thousand -cocoa,[14] to be forfeited if you failed to see the daughter of Mualox, -the paba. If not improper, how runs the wager, and what of the result?" - -The cacique shrugged his broad shoulders. - -"The man trembles!" whispered one of the party. - -"Well he may! Old Mualox is more than a man." - -Maxtla bowed and laughed. "Mualox is a magician; the stars deal with -him. And my brother will not speak, lest he may cover the sky of his -fortune with clouds." - -"No," said the Tezcucan, proudly; "the wager was not a sacrilege to the -paba or his god; if it was, the god, not the man, should be a warrior's -fear." - -"Does Maxtla believe Mualox a prophet?" asked Tlahua, a noble Otompan. - -"The gods have power in the sun; why not on earth?" - -"You do not like the paba," observed Iztlil', gloomily. - -"Who has seen him, O prince, and thought of love? And the walls and -towers of his dusty temple,--are they not hung with dread, as the sky on -a dark day with clouds?" - -The party, however they might dislike the cacique, could not listen -coldly to this conversation. They were mostly of that mystic race of -Azatlan, who, ages before, had descended into the valley, like an -inundation, from the north; the race whose religion was founded upon -credulity; the race full of chivalry, but horribly governed by a crafty -priesthood. None of them disbelieved in star-dealing. So every eye fixed -on the Tezcucan, every ear drank the musical syllables of Maxtla. They -were startled when the former said abruptly,-- - -"Comrades, the wrath of the old paba is not to be lightly provoked; he -has gifts not of men. But, as there is nothing I do not dare, I will -tell the story." - -The company now gathered close around the speaker. - -"Probably you have all heard," he began, "that Mualox keeps in his -temple somewhere a child or woman too beautiful to be mortal. The story -may be true; yet it is only a belief; no eye has seen footprint or -shadow of her. A certain lord in the palace, who goes thrice a week to -the shrine of Quetzal', has faith in the gossip and the paba. He says -the mystery is Quetzal' himself, already returned, and waiting, -concealed in the temple, the ripening of the time when he is to burst in -vengeance on Tenochtitlan. I heard him talking about it one day, and -wagered him a thousand cocoa that, if there was such a being I would see -her before the next sacrifice to Quetzal'." - -The Tezcucan hesitated. - -"Is the believer to boast himself wealthier by the wager?" said Maxtla, -profoundly interested. "A thousand cocoa would buy a jewel or a slave: -surely, O prince, surely they were worth the winning!" - -Iztlil' frowned again, and said bitterly, "A thousand cocoa I cannot -well spare; they do not grow on my hard northern hills like flowers in -Xochimilco. I did my best to save the wager. Old habit lures me to the -great _teocallis_;[15] for I am of those who believe that a warrior's -worship is meet for no god but Huitzil'. But, as the girl was supposed -to be down in the cells of the old temple, and none but Mualox could -satisfy me, I began going there, thinking to bargain humilities for -favor. I played my part studiously, if not well; but no offering of -tongue or gold ever won me word of friendship or smile of confidence. -Hopeless and weary, I at last gave up, and went back to the _teocallis_. -But now hear my parting with the paba. A short time ago a mystery was -enacted in the temple. At the end, I turned to go away, determined that -it should be my last visit. At the eastern steps, as I was about -descending, I felt a hand laid on my arm. It was Mualox; and not more -terrible looks Tlalac when he has sacrificed a thousand victims. There -was no blood on his hands; his beard and surplice were white and -stainless; the terror was in his eyes, that seemed to burn and shoot -lightning. You know, good chief, that I could have crushed him with a -blow; yet I trembled. Looking back now, I cannot explain the awe that -seized me. I remember how my will deserted me,--how another's came in -its stead. With a glance he bound me hand and foot. While I looked at -him, he dilated, until I was covered by his shadow. He magnified himself -into the stature of a god. 'Prince of Tezcuco,' he said, 'son of the -wise 'Hualpilli, from the sun Quetzal' looks down on the earth. Alike -over land and sea he looks. Before him space melts into a span, and -darkness puts on the glow of day. Did you think to deceive my god, O -prince?' I could not answer; my tongue was like stone. 'Go hence, go -hence!' he cried, waving his hand. 'Your presence darkens his mood. His -wrath is on your soul; he has cursed you. Hence, abandoned of the gods!' -So saying, he went back to the tower again, and my will returned, and I -fled. And now," said the cacique, turning suddenly and sternly upon his -hearers, "who will deny the magic of Mualox? How may I be assured that -his curse that day spoken was not indeed a curse from Quetzal'?" - -There was neither word nor laugh,--not even a smile. The gay Maxtla -appeared infected with a sombreness of spirit; and it was not long until -the party broke up, and went each his way. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [14] The Aztec currency consisted of bits of tin, in shape like a - capital T, of quills of gold-dust, and of bags of cocoa, - containing a stated number of grains. Sahagun, Hist. de Nueva - Esp. - - [15] Temple. The term appears to have applied particularly to the - temples of the god Huitzil'.--TR. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE CÛ OF QUETZAL', AND MUALOX, THE PABA. - - -Over the city from temple to temple passed the wail of the watchers, and -a quarter of the night was gone. Few heard the cry without pleasure; for -to-morrow was Quetzal's day, which would bring feasting, music, combat, -crowd, and flowers. - -Among others the proclamation of the passing time was made from a temple -in the neighborhood of the Tlateloco _tianguez_, or market-place, which -had been built by one of the first kings of Tenochtitlan, and, like all -edifices of that date properly called Cûs, was of but one story, and had -but one tower. At the south its base was washed by a canal; on all the -other sides it was enclosed by stone walls high, probably, as a man's -head. The three sides so walled were bounded by streets, and faced by -houses, some of which were higher than the Cû itself, and adorned with -beautiful porticos. The canal on the south ran parallel with the -Tlacopan causeway, and intersected the Iztapalapan street at a point -nearly half a mile above the great pyramid. - -The antique pile thus formed a square of vast extent. According to the -belief that there were blessings in the orient rays of the sun, the -front was to the east, where a flight of steps, wide as the whole -building, led from the ground to the _azoteas_, a paved area -constituting the roof, crowned in the centre by a round tower of wood -most quaintly carved with religious symbols. Entering the door of the -tower, the devotee might at once kneel before the sacred image of -Quetzal'. - -A circuitous stairway outside the tower conducted to its summit, where -blazed the fire. Another flight of steps about midway the tower and the -western verge of the _azoteas_ descended into a court-yard, around -which, in the shade of a colonnade, were doors and windows of habitable -apartments and passages leading far into the interior. And there, -shrouded in a perpetual twilight and darkness, once slept, ate, prayed, -and studied or dreamed the members of a fraternity powerful as the -Templars and gloomy as the Fratres Minores. - -The interior was cut into rooms, and long, winding halls, and countless -cellular dens. - -Such was the Cû of Quetzal',--stern, sombre, and massive as in its first -days; unchanged in all save the prosperity of its priesthood and the -popularity of its shrine. Time was when every cell contained its -votaries, and kings, returning from battle, bowed before the altar. But -Montezuma had built a new edifice, and set up there a new idol; and as -if a king could better make a god than custom, the people abandoned the -old ones to desuetude. Up in the ancient cupola, however, sat the image -said to have been carved by Quetzal's own hand. Still the fair face -looked out benignly on its realm of air; carelessly the winds waved "the -plumes of fire" that decked its awful head; and one stony hand yet -grasped a golden sceptre, while the other held aloft the painted -shield,--symbols of its dominion.[16] But the servitors and surpliced -mystics were gone; the cells were very solitudes; the last paba lingered -to protect the image and its mansion, all unwitting how, in his -faithfulness of love, he himself had assumed the highest prerogative of -a god. - -The fire from the urn on the tower flashed a red glow down over the -_azoteas_, near a corner of which Mualox stood, his beard white and -flowing as his surplice. Thought of days palmier for himself and more -glorious for his temple and god struggled to his lips. - -"Children of Azatlan, ye have strayed from his shrine, and dust is on -his shield. The temple is of his handiwork, but its chambers are -voiceless; the morning comes and falls asleep on its steps, and no foot -disturbs it, no one seeks its blessings. Where is the hymn of the choir? -Where the prayer? Where the holiness that rested, like a spell, around -the altar? Is the valley fruitless, and are the gardens without flowers, -that he should be without offering or sacrifice?... Ah! well ye know -that the day is not distant when he will glister again in the valley; -when he will come, not as of old he departed, the full harvest quick -ripening in his footsteps, but with the power of Mictlan,[17] the owl on -his skirt, and death in his hand. Return, O children, and Tenochtitlan -may yet live!" - -In the midst of his pleadings there was a clang of sandalled feet on the -pavement, and two men came near him, and stopped. One of them wore the -hood and long black gown of a priest; the other the full military -garb,--burnished casque crested with plumes, a fur-trimmed _tilmatli_, -_escaupil_, and _maxtlatl_, and sandals the thongs of which were -embossed with silver. He also carried a javelin, and a shield with an -owl painted on its face. Indeed, one will travel far before finding, -among Christians or unbelievers, his peer. He was then not more than -twenty-five years old, tall and nobly proportioned, and with a bearing -truly royal. In Spain I have seen eyes as large and lustrous, but none -of such power and variety of expression. His complexion was merely the -brown of the sun. Though very masculine, his features, especially when -the spirit was in repose, were softened by an expression unusually -gentle and attractive. Such was the 'tzin Guatamo', or, as he is more -commonly known in history, Guatamozin,--the highest, noblest type of his -race, blending in one its genius and heroism, with but few of its -debasements. - -"Mualox," said the priestly stranger. - -The paba turned, and knelt, and kissed the pavement. - -"O king, pardon your slave! He was dreaming of his country." - -"No slave of mine, but Quetzal's. Up, Mualox!" said Montezuma, throwing -back the hood that covered his head. "Holy should be the dust that -mingles in your beard!" - -And the light from the tower shone full on the face of him,--the priest -of lore profound, and monarch wise of thought, for whom Heaven was -preparing a destiny most memorable among the melancholy episodes of -history. - -A slight mustache shaded his upper lip, and thin, dark beard covered his -chin and throat; his nose was straight; his brows curved archly; his -forehead was broad and full, while he seemed possessed of height and -strength. His neck was round, muscular, and encircled by a collar of -golden wires. His manner was winsome, and he spoke to the kneeling man -in a voice clear, distinct, and sufficiently emphatic for the king he -was.[18] - -Mualox arose, and stood with downcast eyes, and hands crossed over his -breast. - -"Many a coming of stars it has been," he said, "since the old shrine has -known the favor of gift from Montezuma. Gloom of clouds in a vale of -firs is not darker than the mood of Quetzal'; but to the poor paba, your -voice, O king, is welcome as the song of the river in the ear of the -thirsty." - -The king looked up at the fire on the tower. - -"Why should the mood of Quetzal' be dark? A new _teocallis_ holds his -image. His priests are proud; and they say he is happy, and that when he -comes from the golden land his canoe will be full of blessings." - -Mualox sighed, and when he ventured to raise his eyes to the king's, -they were wet with tears. - -"O king, have you forgotten that chapter of the _teoamoxtli_,[19] in -which is written how this Cû was built, and its first fires lighted, by -Quetzal' himself? The new pyramid may be grand; its towers may be -numberless, and its fires far reaching as the sun itself; but hope not -that will satisfy the god, while his own house is desolate. In the name -of Quetzal', I, his true servant, tell you, never again look for smile -from Tlapallan." - -The paba's speech was bold, and the king frowned; but in the eyes of the -venerable man there was the unaccountable fascination mentioned by -Iztlil'. - -"I remember the Mualox of my father's day; surely he was not as you -are!" Then, laying his hand on the 'tzin's arm, the monarch added, "Did -you not say the holy man had something to tell me?" - -Mualox answered, "Even so, O king! Few are the friends left the paba, -now that his religion and god are mocked; but the 'tzin is faithful. At -my bidding he went to the palace. Will Montezuma go with his servant?" - -"Where?" - -"Only into the Cû." - -The monarch faltered. - -"Dread be from you!" said Mualox. "Think you it is as hard to be -faithful to a king as to a god whom even he has abandoned?" - -Montezuma was touched. "Let us go," he said to the 'tzin. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [16] Sahagun, Hist. de Nueva Esp. - - [17] The Mexican Hell. The owl was the symbol of the Devil, whose - name signifies "the rational owl." - - [18] Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista. - - [19] The Divine Book, or Bible. Ixtlil's Relaciones M.S. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - THE PROPHECY ON THE WALL. - - -Mualox led them into the tower. The light of purpled lamps filled the -sacred place, and played softly around the idol, before which they -bowed. Then he took a light from the altar, and conducted them to the -_azoteas_, and down into the court-yard, from whence they entered a hall -leading on into the Cû. - -The way was labyrinthine, and both the king and the 'tzin became -bewildered; they only knew that they descended several stairways, and -walked a considerable distance; nevertheless, they submitted themselves -entirely to their guide, who went forward without hesitancy. At last he -stopped; and, by the light which he held up for the purpose, they saw in -a wall an aperture roughly excavated, and large enough to admit them -singly. - -"You have read the Holy Book, wise king," said Mualox. "Can you not -recall its saying that, before the founding of Tenochtitlan, a Cû was -begun, with chambers to lie under the bed of the lake? Especially, do -you not remember the declaration that, in some of those chambers, -besides a store of wealth so vast as to be beyond the calculation of -men, there were prophecies to be read, written on the walls by a god?" - -"I remember it," said the king. - -"Give me faith, then, and I will show you all you there read." - -Thereupon the paba stepped into the aperture, saying,-- - -"Mark! I am now standing under the eastern wall of the old Cû." - -[Illustration: A CLANG OF SANDALED FEET] - -He passed through, and they followed him, and were amazed. - -"Look around, O king! You are in one of the chambers mentioned in the -Holy Book." - -The light penetrated but a short distance, so that Montezuma could form -no idea of the extent of the apartment. He would have thought it a great -natural cavern but for the floor smoothly paved with alternate red and -gray flags, and some massive stone blocks rudely piled up in places to -support the roof. - -As they proceeded, Mualox said, "On every side of us there are rooms -through which we might go till, in stormy weather, the waves of the lake -can be heard breaking overhead." - -In a short time they again stopped. - -"We are nearly there. Son of a king, is your heart strong?" said Mualox, -solemnly. - -Montezuma made no answer. - -"Many a time," continued the paba, "your glance has rested on the tower -of the old Cû, then flashed to where, in prouder state, your pyramids -rise. You never thought the gray pile you smiled at was the humblest of -all Quetzal's works. Can a man, though a king, outdo a god?" - -"I never thought so, I never thought so!" - -But the mystic did not notice the deprecation. - -"See," he said, speaking louder, "the pride of man says, I will build -upward that the sun may show my power; but the gods are too great for -pride; so the sun shines not on their especial glories, which as -frequently lie in the earth and sea as in the air and heavens. O mighty -king! You crush the worm under your sandal, never thinking that its -humble life is more wonderful than all your temples and state. It was -the same folly that laughed at the simple tower of Quetzal', which has -mysteries--" - -"Mysteries!" said the king. - -"I will show you wealth enough to restock the mines and visited valleys -with all their plundered gold and jewels." - -"You are dreaming, paba." - -"Come, then; let us see!" - -They moved past some columns, and came before a great, arched doorway, -through which streamed a brilliance like day. - -"Now, let your souls be strong!" - -They entered the door, and for a while were blinded by the glare, and -could see only the floor covered with grains of gold large as wheat. -Moving on, they came to a great stone table, and stopped. - -"You wonder; and so did I, until I was reminded that a god had been -here. Look up, O king! look up, and see the handiwork of Quetzal'!" - -The chamber was broad and square. The obstruction of many pillars, -forming the stay of the roof, was compensated by their lightness and -wonderful carving. Lamps, lit by Mualox in anticipation of the royal -coming, blazed in all quarters. The ceiling was covered with -lattice-work of shining white and yellow metals, the preciousness of -which was palpable to eyes accustomed like the monarch's. Where the bars -crossed each other, there were fanciful representations of flowers, -wrought in gold, some of them large as shields, and garnished with -jewels that burned with star-like fires. Between the columns, up and -down ran rows of brazen tables, bearing urns and vases of the royal -metals, higher than tall men, and carved all over with gods in -_bas-relief_, not as hideous caricatures, but beautiful as love and -Grecian skill could make them. Between the vases and urns there were -heaps of rubies and pearls and brilliants, amongst which looked out -softly the familiar, pale-green lustre of the _chalchuites_, or -priceless Aztecan diamond.[20] And here and there, like guardians of the -buried beauty and treasure, statues looked down from tall pedestals, -crowned and armed, as became the kings and demi-gods of a great and -martial people. The monarch was speechless. Again and again he surveyed -the golden chamber. As if seeking an explanation, but too overwhelmed -for words, he turned to Mualox. - -"And now does Montezuma believe his servant dreaming?" said the paba. -"Quetzal' directed the discovery of the chamber. I knew of it, O king, -before you were born. And here is the wealth of which I spoke. If it so -confounds you, how much more will the other mystery! I have dug up a -prophecy; from darkness plucked a treasure richer than all these. O -king, I will give you to read a message from the gods!" - -The monarch's face became bloodless, and it had now not a trace of -scepticism. - -"I will show you from Quetzal' himself that the end of your Empire is at -hand, and that every wind of the earth is full sown with woe to you and -yours. The writing is on the walls. Come!" - -And he led the king, followed by Guatamozin, to the northern corner of -the eastern wall, on which, in square marble panels, _bas-relief_ style, -were hierograms and sculptured pictures of men, executed apparently by -the same hand that chiselled the statues in the room. The ground of the -carvings was coated with coarse gray coral, which had the effect to -bring out the white figures with marvellous perfection. - -"This, O king, is the writing," said Mualox, "which begins here, and -continues around the walls. I will read, if you please to hear." - -Montezuma waved his hand, and the paba proceeded. - -"This figure is that of the first king of Tenochtitlan; the others are -his followers. The letters record the time of the march from the north. -Observe that the first of the writing--its commencement--is here in the -north." - -After a little while, they moved on to the second panel. - -"Here," said Mualox, "is represented the march of the king. It was -accompanied with battles. See, he stands with lifted javelin, his foot -on the breast of a prostrate foe. His followers dance and sound shells; -the priests sacrifice a victim. The king has won a great victory." - -They stopped before the third panel. - -"And here the monarch is still on the march. He is in the midst of his -warriors; no doubt the crown he is receiving is that of the ruler of a -conquered city." - -This cartoon Montezuma examined closely. The chief, or king, was -distinguished by a crown in all respects like that then in the palace; -the priests, by their long gowns; and the warriors, by their arms, -which, as they were counterparts of those still in use, sufficiently -identified the wanderers. Greatly was the royal inspector troubled. And -as the paba slowly conducted him from panel to panel, he forgot the -treasure with which the chamber was stored. What he read was the story -of his race, the record of their glory. The whole eastern wall, he -found, when he had passed before it, given to illustrations of the -crusade from Azatlan, the fatherland, northward so far that corn was -gathered in the snow, and flowers were the wonder of the six weeks' -summer. - -In front of the first panel on the southern wall Mualox said,-- - -"All we have passed is the first era in the history; this is the -beginning of the second; and the first writing on the western wall will -commence a third. Here the king stands on a rock; a priest points him to -an eagle on a cactus, holding a serpent. At last they have reached the -place where Tenochtitlan is to be founded." - -The paba passed on. - -"Here," he said, "are temples and palaces. The king reclines on a couch; -the city has been founded." - -And before another panel,--"Look well to this, O king. A new character -is introduced; here it is before an altar, offering a sacrifice of -fruits and flowers. It is Quetzal'! In his worship, you recollect, there -is no slaughter of victims. My hands are pure of blood." - -The Quetzal', with its pleasant face, flowing curls, and simple costume, -seemed to have a charm for Montezuma, for he mused over it a long time. -Some distance on, the figure again appeared, stepping into a canoe, -while the people, temples, and palaces of the city were behind it. -Mualox explained, "See, O king! The fair god is departing from -Tenochtitlan; he has been banished. Saddest of all the days was that!" - -And so, the holy man interpreting, they moved along the southern wall. -Not a scene but was illustrative of some incident memorable in the -Aztecan history. And the reviewers were struck with the faithfulness of -the record not less than with the beauty of the work. - -On the western wall, the first cartoon represented a young man sweeping -the steps of a temple. Montezuma paused before it amazed, and Guatamozin -for the first time cried out, "It is the king! It is the king!" The -likeness was perfect. - -After that came a coronation scene. The _teotuctli_ was placing a -_panache_[21] on Montezuma's head. In the third cartoon, he was with the -army, going to battle. In the fourth, he was seated, while a man clad -in _nequen_,[22] but crowned, stood before him. - -"You have grown familiar with triumphs, and it is many summers since, O -king," said Mualox; "but you have not yet forgotten the gladness of your -first conquest. Here is its record. As we go on, recall the kings who -were thus made to stand before you." - -And counting as they proceeded, Montezuma found that in every cartoon -there was an additional figure crowned and in _nequen_. When they came -to the one next the last on the western wall, he said,-- - -"Show me the meaning of all this: here are thirty kings." - -"Will the king tell his slave the number of cities he has conquered?" - -He thought awhile, and replied, "Thirty." - -"Then the record is faithful. It started with the first king of -Tenochtitlan; it came down to your coronation; now, it has numbered your -conquests. See you not, O king? Behind us, all the writing is of the -past; this is Montezuma and Tenochtitlan as they are: the present is -before us! Could the hand that set this chamber and carved these walls -have been a man's? Who but a god six cycles ago could have foreseen that -a son of the son of Axaya' would carry the rulers of thirty conquered -cities in his train?" - -The royal visitor listened breathlessly. He began to comprehend the -writing, and thrill with fast-coming presentiments. Yet he struggled -with his fears. - -"Prophecy has to do with the future," he said; "and you have shown me -nothing that the sculptors and jewellers in my palace cannot do. Would -you have me believe all this from Quetzal', show me something that is to -come." - -Mualox led him to the next scene which represented the king sitting in -state; above him a canopy; his nobles and the women of his household -around him; at his feet the people; and all were looking at a combat -going on between warriors. - -"You have asked for prophecy,--behold!" said Mualox. - -"I see nothing," replied the king. - -"Nothing! Is not this the celebration to-morrow? Since it was ordered, -could your sculptors have executed what you see?" - -Back to the monarch's face stole the pallor. - -"Look again, O king! You only saw yourself, your people and warriors. -But what is this?" - -Walking up, he laid his finger on the representation of a man landing -from a canoe. - -"The last we beheld of Quetzal'," he continued, "was on the southern -wall; his back was to Tenochtitlan, which he was leaving with a curse. -All you have heard about his promise to return is true. He himself has -written the very day, and here it is. Look! While the king, his warriors -and people, are gathered to the combat, Quetzal' steps from the canoe to -the sea-shore." - -The figure in the carving was scarcely two hands high, but exquisitely -wrought. With terror poorly concealed, Montezuma recognized it. - -"And now my promise is redeemed. I said I would give you to read a -message from the sun." - -"Read, Mualox: I cannot." - -The holy man turned to the writing, and said, with a swelling voice, -"Thus writes Quetzal' to Montezuma, the king! In the last day he will -seek to stay my vengeance; he will call together his people; there will -be combat in Tenochtitlan; but in the midst of the rejoicing I will land -on the sea-shore, and end the days of Azatlan forever." - -"Forever!" said the unhappy monarch. "No, no! Read the next writing." - -"There is no other; this is the last." - -The eastern, southern, and western walls had been successively passed, -and interpreted. Now the king turned to the northern wall: _it was -blank!_ His eyes flashed, and he almost shouted,-- - -"Liar! Quetzal' may come to-morrow, but it will be as friend. There is -no curse!" - -The paba humbled himself before the speaker, and said, slowly and -tearfully, "The wise king is blinded by his hope. When Quetzal' finished -this chapter, his task was done; he had recorded the last day of perfect -glory, and ceased to write because, Azatlan being now to perish, there -was nothing more to record. O unhappy king! that is the curse, and it -needed no writing!" - -Montezuma shook with passion. - -"Lead me hence, lead me hence!" he cried. "I will watch; and if Quetzal' -comes not on the morrow,--comes not during the celebration,--I swear to -level this temple, and let the lake into its chambers! And you, paba -though you be, I will drown you like a slave! Lead on!" - -Mualox obeyed without a word. Lamp in hand, he led his visitors from the -splendid chamber up to the _azoteas_ of the ancient house. As they -descended the eastern steps, he knelt, and kissed the pavement. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [20] A kind of emerald, used altogether by the nobility. Sahagun, - Hist. de Nueva Esp. - - [21] Or _capilli_,--the king's crown. A _panache_ was the head-dress - of a warrior. - - [22] A garment of coarse white material, made from the fibre of the - aloe, and by court etiquette required to be worn by courtiers and - suitors in the king's presence. The rule appears to have been of - universal application. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - A BUSINESS MAN IN TENOCHTITLAN. - - -Xoli, the Chalcan, was supposed to be the richest citizen, exclusive of -the nobles, in Tenochtitlan. Amongst other properties, he owned a house -on the eastern side of the Tlateloco _tianguez_, or market-place; which, -whether considered architecturally, or with reference to the business to -which it was devoted, or as the device of an unassoilzied heathen, was -certainly very remarkable. Its portico had six great columns of white -marble alternating six others of green porphyry, with a roof guarded by -a parapet intricately and tastefully carved; while cushioned lounges, -heavy curtains festooned and flashing with cochineal, and a fountain of -water pure enough for the draught of a king, all within the columns, -perfected it as a retreat from the sultry summer sun. - -The house thus elegantly garnished was not a _meson_, or a café, or a -theatre, or a broker's office; but rather a combination of them all, and -therefore divided into many apartments; of which one was for the sale of -beverages favorite among the wealthy and noble Aztecs,--Bacchic -inventions, with _pulque_ for chief staple, since it had the sanction of -antiquity and was mildly intoxicating; another was a restaurant, where -the _cuisine_ was only excelled at the royal table; indeed, there was a -story abroad that the king had several times borrowed the services of -the Chalcan's _artistes_; but, whether derived from the master or his -slaves, the shrewd reader will conclude from it, that the science of -advertising was known and practised as well in Tenochtitlan as in -Madrid. Nor were those all. Under the same roof were rooms for the -amusement of patrons,--for reading, smoking, and games; one in especial -for a play of hazard called _totoloque_, then very popular, because a -passion of Montezuma's. Finally, as entertainments not prohibited by the -_teotuctli_, a signal would, at any time, summon a minstrel, a juggler, -or a dancing-girl. Hardly need I say that the establishment was -successful. Always ringing with music, and of nights always resplendent -with lamps, it was always overflowing with custom. - -"So old Tepaja wanted you to be a merchant," said the Chalcan, in his -full, round voice, as, comfortably seated under the curtains of his -portico, he smoked his pipe, and talked with our young friend, the -Tihuancan. - -"Yes. Now that he is old, he thinks war dangerous." - -"You mistake him, boy. He merely thinks with me, that there is something -more real in wealth and many slaves. As he has grown older, he has grown -wiser." - -"As you will. I could not be a merchant." - -"Whom did you think of serving?" - -"The 'tzin Guatamo."[23] - -"I know him. He comes to my portico sometimes, but not to borrow money. -You see, I frequently act as broker, and take deposits from the -merchants and securities from the spendthrift nobles; he, however, has -no vices. When not with the army, he passes the time in study; though -they do say he goes a great deal to the palace to make love to the -princess. And now that I reflect, I doubt if you can get place with -him." - -"Why so?" - -"Well, he keeps no idle train, and the time is very quiet. If he were -going to the frontier it would be different." - -"Indeed!" - -"You see, boy, he is the bravest man and best fighter in the army; and -the sensible fellows of moderate skill and ambition have no fancy for -the hot place in a fight, which is generally where he is." - -"The discredit is not to him, by Our Mother!" said Hualpa, laughing. - -The broker stopped to cherish the fire in his pipe,--an act which the -inexperienced consider wholly incompatible with the profound reflection -he certainly indulged. When next he spoke, it was with smoke wreathing -his round face, as white clouds sometimes wreathe the full moon. - -"About an hour ago a fellow came here, and said he had heard that -Iztlil', the Tezcucan, had challenged the 'tzin to go into the arena -with him to-morrow. Not a bad thing for the god Quetzal', if all I hear -be true!" - -Again the pipe, and then the continuation. - -"You see, when the combat was determined on, there happened to be in the -temples two Othmies and two Tlascalans, warriors of very great report. -As soon as it became known that, by the king's choice, they were the -challengers, the young fellows about the palace shunned the sport, and -there was danger that the god would find himself without a champion. To -avoid such a disgrace, the 'tzin was coming here to-night to hang his -shield in the portico. If he and the Tezcucan both take up the fight, it -will be a great day indeed." - -The silence that ensued was broken by the hunter, whom the gossip had -plunged into revery. - -"I pray your pardon, Xoli; but you said, I think, that the lords hang -back from the danger. Can any one volunteer?" - -"Certainly; any one who is a warrior, and is in time. Are you of that -mind?" - -The Chalcan took down the pipe, and looked at him earnestly. - -"If I had the arms--" - -"But you know nothing about it,--not even how such combats are -conducted!" - -The broker was now astonished. - -"Listen to me," he said. "These combats are always in honor of some one -or more of the Aztecan gods,--generally of Huitzil', god of war. They -used to be very simple affairs. A small platform of stone, of the height -of a man, was put up in the midst of the _tianguez_, so as to be seen by -the people standing around; and upon it, in pairs, the champions fought -their duels. This, however, was too plain to suit the tastes of the last -Montezuma; and he changed the ceremony into a spectacle really honorable -and great. Now, the arena is first prepared,--a central space in a great -many rows of seats erected so as to rise one above the other. At the -proper time, the people, the priests, and the soldiers go in and take -possession of their allotted places. Some time previous, the quarters of -the prisoners taken in battle are examined and two or more of the best -of the warriors found there are chosen by the king, and put in training -for the occasion. They are treated fairly, and are told that, if they -fight and win, they shall be crowned as heroes, and returned to their -tribes. No need, I think, to tell you how brave men fight when -stimulated by hope of glory and hope of life. When chosen, their names -are published, and their shields hung up in a portico on the other side -of the square yonder; after which they are understood to be the -challengers of any equal number of warriors who dare become champions of -the god or gods in whose honor the celebration is had. Think of the -approved skill and valor of the foe; think of the thousands who will be -present; think of your own inexperience in war, and of your youth, your -stature hardly gained, your muscles hardly matured; think of everything -tending to weaken your chances of success,--and then speak to me." - -Hualpa met the sharp gaze of the Chalcan steadily, and answered, "I am -thought to have some skill with the bow and _maquahuitl_. Get me the -opportunity, and I will fight." - -And Xoli, who was a sincere friend, reflected awhile. "There is peril in -the undertaking, to be sure; but then he is resolved to be a warrior, -and if he survives, it is glory at once gained, fortune at once made." -Then he arose, and, smiling, said aloud, "Let us go to the portico. If -the list be not full, you shall have the arms,--yes, by the Sun! as the -lordly Aztecs swear,--the very best in Tenochtitlan." - -And they lifted the curtains, and stepped into the _tianguez_.[24] The -light of the fires on the temples was hardly more in strength than the -shine of the moon; so that torches had to be set up at intervals over -the celebrated square. On an ordinary occasion, with a visitation of -forty thousand busy buyers and sellers, it was a show of merchants and -merchantable staples worthy the chief mart of an empire so notable; but -now, drawn by the double attraction of market and celebration, the -multitude that thronged it was trebly greater; yet the order was -perfect. - -An officer, at the head of a patrol, passed them with a prisoner. - -"Ho, Chalcan! If you would see justice done, follow me." - -"Thanks, thanks, good friend; I have been before the judges too often -already." - -So the preservation of the peace was no mystery. - -The friends made way slowly, giving the Tihuancan time to gratify his -curiosity. He found the place like a great national fair, in which few -branches of industry were unrepresented. There were smiths who worked in -the coarser metals, and jewellers skilful as those of Europe; there -were makers and dealers in furniture, and sandals, and _plumaje_; at one -place men were disposing of fruits, flowers, and vegetables; not far -away fishermen boasted their stock caught that day in the fresh waters -of Chalco; tables of pastry and maize bread were set next the quarters -of the hunters of Xilotepec; the armorers, clothiers, and dealers in -cotton were each of them a separate host. In no land where a science has -been taught or a book written have the fine arts been dishonored; and so -in the great market of Tenochtitlan there were no galleries so rich as -those of the painters, nor was any craft allowed such space for their -exhibitions as the sculptors. - -They halted an instant before a porch full of slaves. A rapid glance at -the miserable wretches, and Xoli said, pitilessly, "Bah! Mictlan has -many such. Let us go." - -Farther on they came to a platform on which a band of mountebanks was -performing. Hualpa would have stayed to witness their tableaux, but Xoli -was impatient. - -"You see yon barber's shop," he said; "next to it is the portico we -seek. Come on!" - -At last they arrived there, and mixed with the crowd curious like -themselves. - -"Ah, boy, you are too late! The list is full." - -The Chalcan spoke regretfully. - -Hualpa looked for himself. On a clear white wall, that fairly glistened -with the flood of light pouring upon it, he counted eight shields, or -gages of battle. Over the four to the left were picture-written, -"Othmies," "Tlascalans." They belonged to the challengers, and were -battered and stained, proving that their gathering had been in no field -of peace. The four to the right were of the Aztecs, and all bore devices -except one. A sentinel stood silently beneath them. - -"Welcome, Chalcan!" said a citizen, saluting the broker. "You are in -good time to tell us the owners of the shields here." - -"Of the Aztecs?" - -"Yes." - -"Well," said Xoli, slowly and gravely. "The shields I do not know are -few and of little note. At one time or another I have seen them all pass -my portico going to battle." - -A bystander, listening, whispered to his friends,-- - -"The braggart! He says nothing of the times the owners passed his door -to get a pinch of his snuff." - -"Or to get drunk on his abominable _pulque_," said another. - -"Or to get a loan, leaving their palaces in pawn," said a third party. - -But Xoli went on impressively,-- - -"Those two to the left belong to a surly Otompan and a girl-faced -Cholulan. They had a quarrel in the king's garden, and this is the -upshot. That other,--surely, O citizens, you know the shield of Iztlil', -the Tezcucan!" - -"Yes; but its neighbor?" - -"The plain shield! Its owner has a name to win. I can find you enough -such here in the market to equip an army. Say, soldier, whose gage is -that?" - -The sentinel shook his head. "A page came not long ago, and asked me to -hang it up by the side of the Tezcucan's. He said not whom he served." - -"Well, maybe you know the challengers." - -"Two of the shields belong to a father and son of the tribe of Othmies. -In the last battle the son alone slew eight Cempoallan warriors for us. -Tlascalans, whose names I do not know, own the others." - -"Do you think they will escape?" asked a citizen. - -The sentinel smiled grimly, and said, "Not if it be true that yon plain -shield belongs to Guatamo, the 'tzin." - -Directly a patrol, rudely thrusting the citizens aside, came to relieve -the guard. In the confusion, the Chalcan whispered to his friend, "Let -us go back. There is no chance for you in the arena to-morrow; and this -new fellow is sullen; his tongue would not wag though I promised him -drink from the king's vase." - -Soon after they reached the Chalcan's portico and disappeared in the -building, the cry of the night-watchers arose from the temples, and the -market was closed. The great crowd vanished; in stall and portico the -lights were extinguished; but at once another scene equally tumultuous -usurped the _tianguez_. Thousands of half-naked _tamanes_ rushed into -the deserted place, and all night long it resounded, like a Babel, with -clamor of tongues, and notes of mighty preparation. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [23] _'Tzin_ was a title equivalent to _lord_ in English. - _Guatamotzin_, as compounded, signifies _Lord Guatamo_. - - [24] The great market-place or square of Tlateloco. The Spaniards - called it _tianguez_. For description, see Prescott, Conq. of - Mexico, Vol. II., Book IV. Bernal Diaz's Work, Hist. de la Conq. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - THE QUESTIONER OF THE MORNING. - - -When Montezuma departed from the old Cû for his palace, it was not to -sleep or rest. The revelation that so disturbed him, that held him -wordless on the street, and made him shrink from his people, wild with -the promise of pomp and combat, would not be shut out by gates and -guards; it clung to his memory, and with him stood by the fountain, -walked in the garden, and laid down on his couch. Royalty had no -medicine for the trouble; he was restless as a fevered slave, and at -times muttered prayers, pronouncing no name but Quetzal's. When the -morning approached, he called Maxtla, and bade him get ready his canoe: -from Chapultepec, the palace and tomb of his fathers, he would see the -sun rise. - -From one of the westerly canals they put out. The lake was still rocking -the night on its bosom, and no light other than of the stars shone in -the east. The gurgling sound of waters parted by the rushing vessel, and -the regular dip of the paddles, were all that disturbed the brooding of -majesty abroad thus early on Tezcuco. - -The canoe struck the white pebbles that strewed the landing at the -princely property just as dawn was dappling the sky. On the highest -point of the hill there was a tower from which the kings were accustomed -to observe the stars. Thither Montezuma went. Maxtla, who alone dared -follow, spread a mat for him on the tiles; kneeling upon it, and folding -his hands worshipfully upon his breast, he looked to the east. - -And the king was learned; indeed, one more so was not in all his realm. -In his student days, and in his priesthood, before he was taken from -sweeping the temple to be arch-ruler, he had gained astrological craft, -and yet practised it from habit. The heavens, with their blazonry, were -to him as pictured parchments. He loved the stars for their sublime -mystery, and had faith in them as oracles. He consulted them always; his -armies marched at their bidding; and they and the gods controlled every -movement of his civil polity. But as he had never before been moved by -so great a trouble, and as the knowledge he now sought directly -concerned his throne and nations, he came to consult and question the -Morning, that intelligence higher and purer than the stars. If Quetzal' -was angered, and would that day land for vengeance, he naturally -supposed the Sun, his dwelling-place, would give some warning. So he -came seeking the mood of the god from the Sun. - -And while he knelt, gradually the gray dawn melted into purple and gold. -The stars went softly out. Long rays, like radiant spears, shot up and -athwart the sky. As the indications multiplied, his hopes arose. -Farther back he threw the hood from his brow; the sun seemed coming -clear and cloudless above the mountains, kindling his heart no less than -the air and earth. - -A wide territory, wrapped in the dim light, extended beneath his feet. -There slept Tenochtitlan, with her shining temples and blazing towers, -her streets and resistless nationality; there were the four lakes, with -their blue waters, their shores set with cities, villages and gardens; -beyond them lay eastern Anahuac, the princeliest jewel of the Empire. -What with its harvests, its orchards, and its homesteads, its forests of -oak, sycamore, and cedar, its population busy, happy, and faithful, -contented as tillers of the soil, and brave as lions in time of need, it -was all of Aden he had ever known or dreamed. - -In the southeast, above a long range of mountains, rose the volcanic -peaks poetized by the Aztecs into "The White Woman"[25] and "The Smoking -Hill."[26] Mythology had covered them with sanctifying faith, as, in a -different age and more classic clime, it clothed the serene mountain of -Thessaly. - -But the king saw little of all this beauty; he observed nothing but the -sun, which was rising a few degrees north of "The Smoking Hill." In all -the heavens round there was not a fleck; and already his heart throbbed -with delight, when suddenly a cloud of smoke rushed upward from the -mountain, and commenced gathering darkly about its white summit. Quick -to behold it, he scarcely hushed a cry of fear, and instinctively waved -his hand, as if, by a kingly gesture, to stay the eruption. Slowly the -vapor crept over the roseate sky, and, breathless and motionless, the -seeker of the god's mood and questioner of the Morning watched its -progress. Across the pathway of the sun it stretched, so that when the -disk wheeled fairly above the mountain-range, it looked like a ball of -blood. - -The king was a reader of picture-writing, and skilful in deducing the -meaning of men from cipher and hieroglyph. Straightway he interpreted -the phenomenon as a direful portent; and because he came looking for -omens, the idea that this was a message sent him expressly from the gods -was but a right royal vanity. He drew the hood over his face again, and -drooped his head disconsolately upon his breast. His mind filled with a -host of gloomy thoughts. The revelation of Mualox was prophecy here -confirmed,--Quetzal' was coming! Throne, power, people,--all the glories -of his country and Empire,--he saw snatched from his nerveless grasp, -and floating away, like the dust of the valley. - -After a while he arose to depart. One more look he gave the sun before -descending from the roof, and shuddered at the sight of city, lake, -valley, the cloud itself, and the sky above it, all colored with an -ominous crimson. - -"Behold!" he said, tremulously, to Maxtla, "to-day we will sacrifice to -Quetzal': how long until Quetzal' sacrifices to himself?" - -The chief cast down his eyes; for he knew how dangerous it was to look -on royalty humbled by fear. Then Montezuma shaded his face again, and -left the proud old hill, with a sigh for its palaces and the beauty of -its great cypress-groves. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [25] Iztacoihuatl. - - [26] Popocatepetl. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - GOING TO THE COMBAT. - - -As the morning advanced, the city grew fully animate. A festal spirit -was abroad, seeking display in masks, mimes, and processions. Jugglers -performed on the street-corners; dancing-girls, with tambours, and long -elf-locks dressed in flowers, possessed themselves of the smooth -sidewalks. Very plainly, the evil omen of the morning affected the king -more than his people. - -The day advanced clear and beautiful. In the eastern sky the smoke of -the volcano still lingered; but the sun rose above it, and smiled on the -valley, like a loving god. - -At length the tambour in the great temple sounded the signal of -assemblage. Its deep tones, penetrating every recess of the town and -rushing across the lake, were heard in the villages on the distant -shores. Then, in steady currents, the multitudes set forward for the -_tianguez_. The _chinampas_ were deserted; hovels and palaces gave up -their tenantry; canoes, gay with garlands, were abandoned in the -waveless canals. The women and children came down from the roofs; from -all the temples--all but the old one with the solitary gray tower and -echoless court--poured the priesthood in processions, headed by chanting -choirs, and interspersed with countless sacred symbols. Many were the -pomps, but that of the warriors surpassed all others. Marching in -columns of thousands, they filled the streets with flashing arms and -gorgeous regalia, roar of _attabals_ and peals of minstrelsy. - -About the same time the royal palanquin stood at the palace portal, -engoldened, jewelled, and surmounted with a _panache_ of green plumes. -Cuitlahua, Cacama, Maxtla, and the lords of Tlacopan, Tepejaca, and -Cholula, with other nobles from the provinces far and near, were -collected about it in waiting, sporting on their persons the wealth of -principalities. When the monarch came out, they knelt, and every one of -them placed his palm on the ground before him. On the last stone at the -portal he stopped, and raised his eyes to the sky. A piece of _aguave_, -fluttering like a leaf, fell so near him that he reached out his hand -and caught it. - -"Read it, my lords," he said, after a moment's study. - -The paper contained only the picture of an eagle attacked by an owl, and -passed from hand to hand. Intent on deciphering the writing, none -thought of inquiring whether its coming was of design or accident. - -"What does it mean, my lord Cacama?" asked the monarch, gravely. - -Cacama's eyes dropped as he replied,-- - -"When we write of you, O king, we paint an eagle; When we write of the -'tzin Guatamo, we paint an owl." - -"What!" said the lord Cuitlahua, "would the 'tzin attack his king?" - -And the monarch looked from one to the other strangely, saying only, -"The owl is the device on his shield." - -Then he entered the palanquin; whereupon some of the nobles lifted it on -their shoulders, and the company, in procession, set out for the -_tianguez_. On the way they were joined by Iztlil', the Tezcucan; and it -was remarkable that, of them all, he was the only one silent about the -paper. - -The Iztapalapan street, of great width, and on both sides lined with -gardens, palaces, and temples, was not only the boast of Tenochtitlan; -its beauty was told in song and story throughout the Empire. The signal -of assemblage for the day's great pastime found Xoli and his provincial -friend lounging along the broad pave of the beautiful thoroughfare. They -at once started for the _tianguez_. The broker was fat, and it was -troublesome for him to keep pace with the hunter; nevertheless, they -overtook a party of _tamanes_ going in the same direction, and bearing a -palanquin richly caparisoned. The slaves, very sumptuously clad, -proceeded slowly and with downcast eyes, and so steadily that the -carriage had the onward, gliding motion of a boat. - -"Lower,--down, boy! See you not the green _panache_?" whispered Xoli, -half frightened. - -Too late. The Chalcan, even as he whispered, touched the pavement, but -Hualpa remained erect: not only that; he looked boldly into the eyes of -the occupants of the palanquin,--two women, whose beauty shone upon him -like a sudden light. Then he bent his head, and his heart closed upon -the recollection of what he saw so that it never escaped. The picture -was of a girl, almost a woman, laughing; opposite her, and rather in the -shade of the fringed curtain, one older, though young, and grave and -stately; her hair black, her face oval, her eyes large and lustrous. To -her he made his involuntary obeisance. Afterwards she reminded many a -Spaniard of the dark-eyed _hermosura_ with whom he had left love-tokens -in his native land. - -"They are the king's daughters, the princesses Tula and Nenetzin," said -Xoli, when fairly past the carriage. "And as you have just come up from -the country, listen. Green is the royal color, and belongs to the king's -family; and wherever met, in the city or on the lake, the people salute -it. Though what they meet be but a green feather in a slave's hand, they -salute. Remember the lesson. By the way, the gossips say that Guatamozin -will marry Tula, the eldest one." - -"She is very beautiful," said the hunter, as to himself, and slackening -his steps. - -"Are you mad?" cried the broker, seizing his arm. "Would you bring the -patrol upon us? They are not for such as you. Come on. It may be we can -get seats to see the king and his whole household." - -At the entrance to the arena there was a press which the police could -hardly control. In the midst of it, Xoli pulled his companion to one -side, saying, "The king comes! Let us under the staging here until he -passes." - -They found themselves, then, close by the spears, which, planted in the -ground, upheld the shields of the combatants; and when the Tihuancan -heard the people, as they streamed in, cheer the champions of the god, -he grieved sorely that he was not one of them. - -The heralds then came up, clearing the way; and all thereabout knelt, -and so received the monarch. He stopped to inspect the shields; for in -all his realm there was not one better versed in its heraldry. A diadem, -not unlike the papal tiara, crowned his head; his tunic and cloak were -of the skins of green humming-birds brilliantly iridescent; a rope of -pearls large as grapes hung, many times doubled, from his neck down over -his breast; his sandals and sandal-thongs were embossed with gold, and -besides anklets of massive gold, _cuishes_ of the same metal guarded his -legs from knee to anklet. Save the transparent, lustrous gray of the -pearls, his dress was of the two colors, green and yellow, and the -effect was indescribably royal; yet all the bravery of his trappings -could not hide from Hualpa, beholding him for the first time, that, like -any common soul, he was suffering from some trouble of mind. - -"So, Cacama," he said, pleasantly, after a look at the gages, "your -brother has a mind to make peace with the gods. It is well!" - -And thereupon Iztlil' himself stepped out and knelt before him in battle -array, the javelin in his hand, and bow, quiver, and _maquahuitl_ at his -back; and in his homage the floating feathers of his helm brushed the -dust from the royal feet. - -"It is well!" repeated the king, smiling. "But, son of my friend, where -are your comrades?" - -Tlahua, the Otompan, and the young Cholulan, equipped like Iztlil', -rendered their homage also. Over their heads he extended his hands, and -said, softly, "They who love the gods, the gods love. Put your trust in -them, O my children. And upon you be their blessing!" - -And already he had passed the spears: one gage was forgotten, one -combatant unblessed. Suddenly he looked back. - -"Whose shield is that, my lords?" - -All eyes rested upon the plain gage, but no one replied. - -"Who is he that thus mocks the holy cause of Quetzal'? Go, Maxtla, and -bring him to me!" - -Then outspake Iztlil'. - -"The shield is Guatamozin's. Last night he challenged me to this combat, -and he is not here. O king, the owl may be looking for the eagle." - -A moment the sadly serene countenance of the monarch knit and flushed as -from a passing pain; a moment he regarded the Tezcucan. Then he turned -to the shields of the Othmies and Tlascalans. - -"They are a sturdy foe, and I warrant will fight hard," he said, -quietly. "But such victims are the delight of the gods. Fail me not, O -children!" - -When the Tihuancan and his chaperone climbed half-way to the upper row -of seats, in the quarter assigned to the people, the former was amazed. -He looked down on a circular arena, strewn with white sand from the -lake, and large enough for man[oe]uvring half a thousand men. It was -bounded by a rope, outside of which was a broad margin crowded with -rank on rank of common soldiery, whose shields were arranged before them -like a wall impervious to a glancing arrow. Back from the arena extended -the staging, rising gradually seat above seat, platform above platform, -until the whole area of the _tianguez_ was occupied. - -"Is the king a magician, that he can do this thing in a single night?" -asked Hualpa. - -Xoli laughed. "He has done many things much greater. The timbers you see -were wrought long ago, and have been lying in the temples; the _tamanes_ -had only to bring them out and put them together." - -In the east there was a platform, carpeted, furnished with lounges, and -protected from the sun by a red canopy; broad passages of entrance -separated it from the ruder structure erected for the commonalty; it was -also the highest of the platforms, so that its occupants could overlook -the whole amphitheatre. This lordlier preparation belonged to the king, -his household and nobles. So, besides his wives and daughters, under the -red canopy sat the three hundred women of his harem,--soft testimony -that Orientalism dwelt not alone in the sky and palm-trees of the -valley. - -As remarked, the margin around the arena belonged to the soldiery; the -citizens had seats in the north and south; while the priesthood, -superior to either of them in sanctity of character, sat aloof in the -west, also screened by a canopy. And, as the celebration was regarded in -the light of a religious exercise, not only did women crowd the place, -but mothers brought their children, that, from the examples of the -arena, they might learn to be warriors. - -Upon the appearance of the monarch there was a perfect calm. Standing -awhile by his couch, he looked over the scene; and not often has royal -vision been better filled with all that constitutes royalty. Opposite -him he saw the servitors of his religion; at his feet were his warriors -and people almost innumerable. When, at last, the minstrels of the -soldiery poured their wild music over the theatre, he thrilled with the -ecstasy of power. - -The champions for the god then came in; and as they strode across to the -western side of the arena the air was filled with plaudits and flying -garlands; but hardly was the welcome ended before there was a great hum -and stir, as the spectators asked each other why the fourth combatant -came not with the others. - -"The one with the bright _panache_, asked you? That is Iztlil', the -Tezcucan," said Xoli. - -"Is he not too fine?" - -"No. Only think of the friends the glitter has made him among the women -and children." - -The Chalcan laughed heartily at the cynicism. - -"And the broad-shouldered fellow now fixing the thong of his shield?" - -"The Otompan,--a good warrior. They say he goes to battle with the will -a girl goes to a feast. The other is the Cholulan; he has his renown to -win, and is too young." - -"But he may have other qualities," suggested Hualpa. "I have heard it -said that, in a battle of arrows, a quick eye is better than a strong -arm." - -The broker yawned. "Well, I like not those Cholulans. They are proud; -they scorn the other nations, even the Aztecs. Probably it is well they -are better priests than soldiers. Under the red canopy yonder I see his -father." - -"Listen, good Xoli. I hear the people talking about the 'tzin? Where can -he be?" - -Just then within the wall of shields there came a warrior, who strode -swiftly toward the solitary gage. His array was less splendid than his -comrades'; his helm was of plain leather without ornament; his -_escaupil_ was secured by a simple loop: yet the people knew him, and -shouted; and when he took down the plain shield and fixed it to his -arm, the approbation of the common soldiery arose like a storm. As they -bore such shields to battle, he became, as it were, their peculiar -representative. It was Guatamozin. - -And under the royal canopy there was rapid exchange of whispers and -looks; every mind reverted to the paper dropped so mysteriously into the -king's hand at the palace door; and some there were, acuter than the -rest, who saw corroboration of the meaning given the writing in the fact -that the shield the 'tzin now chose was without the owl, his usual -device. Whether the monarch himself was one of them might not be said; -his face was as impassive as bronze. - -Next, the Othmies and Tlascalans, dignified into common challengers of -the proudest chiefs of Tenochtitlan, were conducted into the arena. - -The Tlascalans were strong men used to battle; and though, like their -companions in danger, at first bewildered by the sudden introduction to -so vast a multitude, they became quickly inured to the situation. Of the -Othmies, a more promising pair of gladiators never exhibited before a -Roman audience. The father was past the prime of life, but erect, -broad-shouldered, and of unusual dignity; the son was slighter, and not -so tall, but his limbs were round and beautiful, and he looked as if he -might outleap an antelope. The people were delighted, and cheered the -challengers with scarcely less heartiness than their own champions. -Still, the younger Othmi appeared hesitant, and, when the clamor -somewhat abated, the sire touched him, and said,-- - -"Does my boy dream? What voice is in his ear that his heart is so -melted? Awake! the shield is on the arm of the foe." - -The young man aroused. "I saw the sun on the green hills of Othmi. But -see!" he said, proudly, and with flashing eyes, "there is no weakness in -the dreamer's arm." And with the words, he seized a bow at his feet, -fitted an arrow upon the cord, and, drawing full to the head, sent it -cleaving the sunshine far above them. Every eye followed its flight but -his own. "The arm, O chief, is not stronger than the heart," he added, -carelessly dropping the bow. - -The old warrior gazed at him tenderly; but as that was no time for the -indulgence of affection, he turned to the Tlascalans, and said, "We must -be ready: let us arm." - -Each donned a leathern helm, and wrapped himself in a quilted -_escaupil_; each buckled the shield on his arm, and tightened the thongs -of his sandals. Their arms lay at hand. - -Such were the preparations for the combat, such the combatants. And as -the foemen faced each other, awaiting the signal for the mortal strife, -I fancy no Christian has seen anything more beautiful than the theatre. -Among the faces the gaze swam as in a sea; the gleaming of arms and -ornaments was bewildering; while the diversity of colors in the costumes -of the vast audience was without comparison. With the exception of the -arena, the royal platform was the cynosure. Behind the king, with a -shield faced with silver, stood Maxtla, vigilant against treachery or -despair. The array of nobles about the couch was imperial; and what with -them, and the dark-eyed beauties of his household, and the canopy -tingeing the air and softly undulating above him, and the mighty -congregation of subjects at his feet, it was with Montezuma like a -revival of the glory of the Hystaspes. Yet the presence of his power but -increased his gloom; in a short time he heard no music and saw no -splendor; everything reminded him of the last picture on the western -wall of the golden chamber. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - THE COMBAT. - - -The champions for the god drew themselves up in the west, while their -challengers occupied the east of the arena. This position of parties was -the subject of much speculation with the spectators, who saw it might -prove a point of great importance if the engagement assumed the form of -single combats. - -Considering age and appearance, the Tlascalans were adjudged most -dangerous of the challengers,--a palm readily awarded to the Tezcucan -and the 'tzin on their side. The common opinion held also, that the -Cholulan, the youngest and least experienced of the Aztecs, should have -been the antagonist of the elder Othmi, whose vigor was presumed to be -affected by his age; as it was, that combat belonged to Tlahua, the -Otompan, while the younger Othmi confronted the Cholulan. - -And now the theatre grew profoundly still with expectancy. - -"The day grows old. Let the signal be given." And so saying, the king -waved his hand, and sunk indolently back upon his couch. - -A moment after there was a burst of martial symphony, and the combat -began. - -It was opened with arrows; and to determine, if possible, the -comparative skill of the combatants, the spectators watched the -commencement with closest attention. The younger Othmi sent his missile -straight into the shield of the Cholulan, who, from precipitation -probably, was not so successful. The elder Othmi and his antagonist each -planted his arrow fairly, as did Iztlil' and the Tlascalans. But a -great outcry of applause attended Guatamozin, when his bolt, flying -across the space, buried its barb in the crest of his adversary. A score -of feathers, shorn away, floated slowly to the sand. - -"It was well done; by Our Mother, it was well done!" murmured Hualpa. - -"Wait!" said the Chalcan patronizingly. "Wait till they come to the -_maquahuitl_!" - -Quite a number of arrows were thus interchanged by the parties without -effect, as they were always dexterously intercepted. The passage was but -the preluding skirmish, participated in by all but the 'tzin, who, after -his first shot, stood a little apart from his comrades, and, resting his -long bow on the ground, watched the trial with apparent indifference. -Like the Chalcan, he seemed to regard it as play; and the populace after -a while fell into the same opinion: there was not enough danger to fully -interest them. So there began to arise murmurs and cries, which the -Cholulan was the first to observe and interpret. Under an impulse which -had relation, probably, to his first failure, he resolved to avail -himself of the growing feeling. Throwing down his bow, he seized the -_maquahuitl_ at his back, and, without a word to his friends, started -impetuously across the arena. The peril was great, for every foeman at -once turned his arrow against him. - -Then the 'tzin stirred himself. "The boy is mad, and will die if we do -not go with him," he said; and already his foot was advanced to follow, -when the young Othmi sprang forward from the other side to meet the -Cholulan. - -The eagerness lest an incident should be lost became intense; even the -king sat up to see the duel. The theatre rang with cries of -encouragement,--none, however, so cheery as that of the elder Othmi, -whose feelings of paternity were, for the moment, lost in his passion of -warrior. - -"On, boy! Remember the green hills, and the hammock by the stream. -Strike hard, strike hard!" - -The combatants were apparently well matched, being about equal in height -and age; both brandished the _maquahuitl_, the deadliest weapon known to -their wars. Wielded by both hands and swung high above the head, its -blades of glass generally clove their way to the life. About midway the -arena the foemen met. At the instant of contact the Cholulan brought a -downward blow, well aimed, at the head of his antagonist; but the lithe -Othmi, though at full speed, swerved like a bird on the wing. A great -shout attested the appreciation of the audience. The Cholulan wheeled, -with his weapon uplifted for another blow; the action called his left -arm into play, and drew his shield from its guard. The Othmi saw the -advantage. One step he took nearer, and then, with a sweep of his arm -and an upward stroke, he drove every blade deep into the side of his -enemy. The lifted weapon dropped in its half-finished circle, the shield -flew wildly up, and, with a groan, the victim fell heavily to the sand, -struggled once to rise, fell back again, and his battles were ended -forever. A cry of anguish went out from under the royal canopy. - -"Hark!" cried Xoli. "Did you hear the old Cholulan? See! They are -leading him from the platform!" - -Except that cry, however, not a voice was heard; from rising -apprehension as to the result of the combat, or touched by a passing -sympathy for the early death, the multitude was perfectly hushed. - -"That was a brave blow, Xoli; but let him beware now!" said Hualpa, -excitedly. - -And in expectation of instant vengeance, all eyes watched the Othmi. -Around the arena he glanced, then back to his friends. Retreat would -forfeit the honor gained: death was preferable. So he knelt upon the -breast of his enemy, and, setting his shield before him, waited sternly -and in silence the result. And Iztlil' and Tlahua launched their arrows -at him in quick succession, but Guatamozin was as indifferent as ever. - -"What ails the 'tzin?" said Maxtla to the king. "The Othmi is at his -mercy." - -The monarch deigned no reply. - -The spirit of the old Othmi rose. On the sand behind him, prepared for -service, was a dart with three points of copper, and a long cord by -which to recover it when once thrown. Catching the weapon up, and -shouting, "I am coming, I am coming!" he ran to avert or share the -danger. The space to be crossed was inconsiderable, yet such his -animation that, as he ran, he poised the dart, and exposed his hand -above the shield. The 'tzin raised his bow, and let the arrow fly. It -struck right amongst the supple joints of the veteran's wrist. The -unhappy man stopped bewildered; over the theatre he looked, then at the -wound; in despair he tore the shaft out with his teeth, and rushed on -till he reached the boy. - -The outburst of acclamation shook the theatre. - -"To have seen such archery, Xoli, were worth all the years of a hunter's -life!" said Hualpa. - -The Chalcan smiled like a connoisseur, and replied, "It is nothing. -Wait!" - -And now the combat again presented a show of equality. The advantage, if -there was any, was thought to be with the Aztecs, since the loss of the -Cholulan was not to be weighed against the disability of the Othmi. Thus -the populace were released from apprehension, without any abatement of -interest; indeed, the excitement increased, for there was a promise of -change in the character of the contest; from quiet archery was growing -bloody action. - -The Tlascalans, alive to the necessity of supporting their friends, -advanced to where the Cholulan lay, but more cautiously. When they were -come up, the Othmies both arose, and calmly perfected the front. The -astonishment at this was very great. - -"Brave fellow! He is worth ten live Cholulans!" said Xoli. "But now -look, boy! The challengers have advanced half-way; the Aztecs must meet -them." - -The conjecture was speedily verified. Iztlil' had, in fact, ill brooked -the superior skill, or better fortune, of the 'tzin; the applause of the -populace had been worse than wounds to his jealous heart. Till this -time, however, he had restrained his passion; now the foe were ranged as -if challenging attack: he threw away his useless bow, and laid his hand -on his _maquahuitl_. - -"It is not for an Aztec god that we are fighting, O comrade!" he cried -to Tlahua. "It is for ourselves. Come, let us show yon king a better -war!" - -And without waiting, he set on. The Otompan followed, leaving the 'tzin -alone. The call had not been to him, and as he was fighting for the god, -and the Tezcucan for himself, he merely placed another arrow on his bow, -and observed the attack. - -Leaving the Otompan to engage the Othmies, the fierce Tezcucan assaulted -the Tlascalans, an encounter in which there was no equality; but the -eyes of Tenochtitlan were upon him, and at his back was a hated rival. -His antagonists each sent an arrow to meet him; but, as he skilfully -caught them on his shield, they, too, betook themselves to the -_maquahuitl_. Right on he kept, until his shield struck theirs; it was -gallantly done, and won a furious outburst from the people. Again -Montezuma sat up, momentarily animated. - -"Ah, my lord Cacama!" he said, "if your brother's love were but equal to -his courage, I would give him an army." - -"All the gods forfend!" replied the jealous prince. "The viper would -recover his fangs." - -The speed with which he went was all that saved Iztlil' from the blades -of the Tlascalans. Striking no blow himself, he strove to make way -between them, and get behind, so that, facing about to repel his -returning onset, their backs would be to the 'tzin. But they were wary, -and did not yield. As they pushed against him, one, dropping his more -cumbrous weapon, struck him in the breast with a copper knife. The blow -was distinctly seen by the spectators. - -Hualpa started from his seat. "He has it; they will finish him now! No, -he recovers. Our Mother, what a blow!" - -The Tezcucan disengaged himself, and, maddened by the blood that began -to flow down his quilted armor, assaulted furiously. He was strong, -quick of eye, and skilful; the blades of his weapon gleamed in circles -around his head, and resounded against the shields. At length a -desperate blow beat down the guard of one of the Tlascalans; ere it -could be recovered, or Iztlil' avail himself of the advantage, there -came a sharp whirring through the air, and an arrow from the 'tzin -pierced to the warrior's heart. Up he leaped, dead before he touched the -sand. Again Iztlil' heard the acclamation of his rival. Without a pause, -he rushed upon the surviving Tlascalan, as if to bear him down by stormy -dint. - -Meantime, the combat of Tlahua, the Otompan, was not without its -difficulties, since it was not singly with the young Othmi. - -"Mictlan take the old man!" cried the lord Cuitlahua, bending from his -seat. "I thought him done for; but, see! he defends, the other fights." - -And so it was. The Otompan struck hard, but was distracted by the -tactics of his foemen: if he aimed at the younger, both their shields -warded the blow; if he assaulted the elder, he was in turn attacked by -the younger; and so, without advantage to either, their strife continued -until the fall of the Tlascalan. Then, inspired by despairing valor, the -boy threw down his _maquahuitl_, and endeavored to push aside the -Otompan's shield. Once within its guard, the knife would finish the -contest. Tlahua retreated; but the foe clung to him,--one wrenching at -his shield, the other intercepting his blows, and both carefully -avoiding the deadly archery of the 'tzin, who, seeing the extremity of -the danger, started to the rescue. All the people shouted, "The 'tzin, -the 'tzin!" Xoli burst into ecstasy, and clapped his hands. "There he -goes! Now look for something!" - -The rescuer went as a swift wind; but the clamor had been as a warning -to the young Othmi. By a great effort he tore away the Otompan's shield. -In vain the latter struggled. There was a flash, sharp, vivid, like the -sparkle of the sun upon restless waters. Then his head drooped forward, -and he staggered blindly. Once only the death-stroke was repeated; and -so still was the multitude that the dull sound of the knife driving home -was heard. The 'tzin was too late. - -The prospect for the Aztecs was now gloomy. The Cholulan and Otompan -were dead; the Tezcucan, wounded and bleeding, was engaged in a doubtful -struggle with the Tlascalan; the 'tzin was the last hope of his party. -Upon him devolved the fight with the Othmies. In the interest thus -excited Iztlil's battle was forgotten. - -Twice had the younger Othmi been victor, and still he was scathless. -Instead of the _maquahuitl_, he was now armed with the javelin, which, -while effective as a dart, was excellent to repel assault. - -From the crowded seats of the theatre not a sound was heard. At no time -had the excitement risen to such a pitch. Breathless and motionless, -the spectators awaited the advance of the 'tzin. He was, as I have said, -a general favorite, beloved by priest and citizen, and with the wild -soldiery an object of rude idolatry. And if, under the royal canopy -there were eyes that looked not lovingly upon him, there were lips there -murmuring soft words of prayer for his success. - -When within a few steps of the waiting Othmies, he halted. They glared -at him an instant in silence; then the old chief said tauntingly, and -loud enough to be heard above the noise of the conflict at his side,-- - -"A woman may wield a bow, and from a distance slay a warrior; but the -_maquahuitl_ is heavy in the hand of the coward, looking in the face of -his foeman." - -The Aztec made no answer; he was familiar with the wile. Looking at the -speaker as if against him he intended his first attack, with right hand -back he swung the heavy weapon above his shoulder till it sung in -quickening circles; when its force was fully collected, he suddenly -hurled it from him. The old Othmi crouched low behind his shield: but -his was not the form in the 'tzin's eyes; for right in the centre of the -young victor's guard the flying danger struck. Nor arm nor shield might -bar its way. The boy was lifted sheer above the body of the Otompan, and -driven backward as if shot from a catapult. - -Guatamozin advanced no further. A thrust of his javelin would have -disposed of the old Othmi, now unarmed and helpless. The acclamation of -the audience, in which was blent the shrill voices of women, failed to -arouse his passion. - -The sturdy chief arose from his crouching; he looked for the boy to whom -he had so lately spoken of home; he saw him lying outstretched, his face -in the sand, and his shield, so often bound with wreaths and garlands, -twain-broken beneath him; and his will, that in the fight had been -tougher than the gold of his bracelets, gave way; forgetful of all -else, he ran, and, with a great cry, threw himself upon the body. - -The Chalcan was as exultant as if the achievement had been his own. Even -the prouder souls under the red canopy yielded their tardy praise; only -the king was silent. - -As none now remained of the challengers but the Tlascalan occupied with -Iztlil',--none whom he might in honor engage,--Guatamozin moved away -from the Othmies; and as he went, once he allowed his glance to wander -to the royal platform, but with thought of love, not wrong. - -The attention of the people was again directed to the combat of the -Tezcucan. The death of his comrades nowise daunted the Tlascalan; he -rather struck the harder for revenge; his shield was racked, the -feathers in his crest torn away, while the blades were red with his -blood. Still it fared but ill with Iztlil' fighting for himself. His -wound in the breast bled freely, and his equipments were in no better -plight than his antagonist's. The struggle was that of the hewing and -hacking which, whether giving or taking, soon exhausts the strongest -frame. At last, faint with loss of blood, he went down. The Tlascalan -attempted to strike a final blow, but darkness rushed upon him; he -staggered, the blades sunk into the sand, and he rolled beside his -enemy. - -With that the combat was done. The challengers might not behold their -"land of bread" again; nevermore for them was hammock by the stream or -echo of tambour amongst the hills. - -And all the multitude arose and gave way to their rejoicing; they -embraced each other, and shouted and sang; the pabas waved their -ensigns, and the soldiers saluted with voice and pealing shells; and up -to the sun ascended the name of Quetzal' with form and circumstance to -soften the mood of the most demanding god; but all the time the -audience saw only the fortunate hero, standing so calmly before them, -the dead at his feet, and the golden light about him. - -And the king was happy as the rest, and talked gayly, caring little for -the living or the dead. The combat was over, and Quetzal' not come. -Mualox was a madman, not a prophet; the Aztecs had won, and the god was -propitiated: so the questioner of the Morning flattered himself! - -"If the Othmi cannot fight, he can serve for sacrifice. Let him be -removed. And the dead--But hold!" he cried, and his cheeks blanched -with mortal pallor. "Who comes yonder? Look to the arena,--nay, to the -people! By my father's ashes, the paba shall perish! White hairs and -prophet's gifts shall not save him." - -While the king was speaking, Mualox, the keeper of the temple, rushed -within the wall of shields. His dress was disordered, and he was -bareheaded and unsandalled. Over his shoulders and down his breast -flowed his hair and beard, tangled and unkempt, wavy as a billow and -white as the foam. Excitement flashed from every feature; and far as his -vision ranged,--in every quarter, on every platform,--in the blood of -others he kindled his own unwonted passion. - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - - MUALOX AND HIS WORLD. - - -Mualox, after the departure of the king and 'tzin, ascended the tower of -the old Cû, and remained there all night, stooped beside the sacred -fire, sorrowing and dreaming, hearkening to the voices of the city, or -watching the mild-eyed stars. So the morning found him. He, too, beheld -the coming of the sun, and trembled when the Smoking Hill sent up its -cloud. Then he heaped fresh fagots on the dying fire, and went down to -the court-yard. It was the hour when in all the other temples -worshippers came to pray. - -He took a lighted lamp from a table in his cell, and followed a passage -on deeper into the building. The way, like that to the golden chamber, -was intricate and bewildering. Before a door at the foot of a flight of -steps he stopped. A number of earthen jars and ovens stood near; while -from the room to which the door gave entrance there came a strong, -savory perfume, very grateful to the sense of a hungry man. Here was the -kitchen of the ancient house. The paba went in. - -This was on a level with the water of the canal at the south base; and -when the good man came out, and descended another stairway, he was in a -hall, which, though below the canal, was dusty and perfectly dry. Down -the hall further he came to a doorway in the floor, or rather an -aperture, which had at one time been covered and hidden by a ponderous -flag-stone yet lying close by. A rope ladder was coiled up on the stone. -Flinging the ladder through the door, he heard it rattle on the floor -beneath; then he stooped, and called,-- - -"Tecetl, Tecetl!" - -No one replied. He repeated the call. - -"Poor child! She is asleep," he said, in a low voice. "I will go down -without her." - -Leaving the lamp above, he committed himself to the unsteady rope, like -one accustomed to it. Below all was darkness; but, pushing boldly on, he -suddenly flung aside a curtain which had small silver bells in the -fringing; and, ushered by the tiny ringing, he stepped into a chamber -lighted and full of beauty,--a grotto carven with infinite labor from -the bed-rock of the lake. - -And here, in the day mourned by the paba, when the temple was honored, -and its god had worshippers, and the name of Quetzal' was second to no -other, not even Huitzil's, must have been held the secret conclaves of -the priesthood,--so great were the dimensions of the chamber, and so far -was it below the roll of waters. But now it might be a place for -dwelling, or for thought and dreaming, or for pleasure, or in which the -eaters of the African lotus might spend their hours and days of -semi-consciousness sounding of a life earthly yet purely spiritual. -There were long aisles for walking, and couches for rest; there were -pictures, flowers, and a fountain; the walls and ceiling glowed with -frescoing; and wherever the eye turned it rested upon some cunning -device intended to instruct, gladden, comfort, and content. Lamplight -streamed into every corner, ill supplying the perfect sunshine, yet -serving its grand purpose. The effect was more than beautiful. The world -above was counterfeited, so that one ignorant of the original and -dwelling in the counterfeit could have been happy all his life long. -Scarcely is it too much to say of the master who designed and finished -the grotto, that, could he have borrowed the materials of nature, he had -the taste and genius to set a star with the variety and harmony that -mark the setting of the earth's surface, and of themselves prove its -Creator divine. - -[Illustration: THE FORTUNATE HERO, STANDING SO CALMLY BEFORE THEM] - -In the enchantment of the place there was a peculiarity indicative of a -purpose higher than mere enjoyment, and that was the total absence of -humanity in the host of things visible. Painted on the ceiling and walls -were animals of almost every kind common to the clime; birds of wondrous -plumage darted hither and thither, twittering and singing; there, also, -were flowers the fairest and most fragrant, and orange and laurel -shrubs, and pines and cedars and oaks, and other trees of the forest, -dwarfed, and arranged for convenient carriage to the _azoteas_; in the -pictures, moreover, were the objects most remarkable in the face of -nature,--rivers, woods, plains, mountains, oceans, the heavens in storm -and calm; but nowhere was the picture of man, woman, or child. In the -frescoing were houses and temples, grouped as in hamlets and cities, or -standing alone on a river's bank, or in the shadow of great trees; but -of their habitants and builders there was not a trace. In fine, the -knowledge there taught was that of a singular book. A mind receiving -impressions, like a child's, would be carried by it far enough in the -progressive education of life to form vivid ideas of the world, and yet -be left in a dream of unintelligence to people it with fairies, angels, -or gods. Almost everything had there a representation but humanity, the -brightest fallen nature. - -Mualox entered as one habituated to the chamber. The air was soft, -balmy, and pleasant, and the illumination mellowed, as if the morning -were shut out by curtains of gossamer tinted with roses and gold. Near -the centre of the room he came to a fountain of water crystal clear and -in full play, the jet shooting from a sculptured stone up almost to the -ceiling. Around it were tables, ottomans, couches, and things of -_vertu_, such as would have adorned the palace; there, also, were vases -of flowers, culled and growing, and of such color and perfume as would -have been estimable in Cholula, and musical instrument, and pencils and -paints. - -It was hardly possible that this conception, so like the Restful World -of Brahma, should be without its angel; for the atmosphere and all were -for a spirit of earth or heaven softer than man's. And by the fountain -it was,--a soul fresh and pure as the laughing water. - -The girl of whom I speak was asleep. Her head lay upon a cushion; over -the face, clear and almost white, shone a lambent transparency, which -might have been the reflection of the sparkling water. The garments -gathered close about her did not conceal the delicacy and childlike -grace of her form. One foot was exposed, and it was bare, small, and -nearly lost in the tufted mattress of her couch. Under a profusion of -dark hair, covering the cushion like the floss of silk, lay an arm; a -hand, dimpled and soft, rested lightly on her breast. The slumber was -very deep, giving the face the expression of dreamless repose, with the -promise of health and happiness upon waking. - -The paba approached her tenderly, and knelt down. His face was full of -holy affection. He bent his cheek close to her parted lips, listening to -her breathing. He brought the straying locks back, and laid them across -her neck. Now and then a bird came and lighted on the table, and he -waved his mantle to scare it away. And when the voice of the fountain -seemed, under an increased pulsation of the water, to grow louder, he -looked around, frowning lest it might disturb her. She slept on, his -love about her like a silent prayer that has found its consummation in -perfect peace. - -And as he knelt, he became sad and thoughtful. The events that were to -come, and his faith in their coming, were as actual sorrows. His -reflections were like a plea addressed to his conscience. - -"God pardon me, if, after all, I should be mistaken! The wrong would be -so very great as to bar me from the Sun. Is any vanity like that which -makes sorrows for our fellows? And such is not only the vanity of the -warrior, and that of the ruler of tribes; sometimes it is of the priests -who go into the temples thinking of things that do not pertain to the -gods. What if mine were such? - -"The holy Quetzal' knows that I intended to be kind to the child. I -thought my knowledge greater than that of ordinary mortals; I thought it -moved in fields where only the gods walk, sowing wisdom. The same -vanity, taking words, told me, 'Look up! There is no abyss between you -and the gods; they cannot make themselves of the dust, but you can -reach their summit almost a god.' And I labored, seeking the principles -that would accomplish my dream, if such it were. Heaven forgive me, but -I once thought I had found them! Other men looking out on creation could -see nothing but Wisdom--Wisdom everywhere; but I looked with a stronger -vision, and wherever there was a trace of infinite WISDOM, there was -also for me an infinite WILL. - -"Here were the principles, but they were not enough. Something said to -me, 'What were the Wisdom and Will of the gods without subjects?' It was -a great idea: I thought I stood almost upon the summit! - -"And I set about building me a world, I took the treasure of Quetzal', -and collected these marvels, and bought me the labor of art. Weavers, -florists, painters, masons,--all toiled for me. Gold, labor, and time -are here,--there is little beauty without them. Here is my world," he -said aloud, glancing around the great hall. - -"I had my world; next I wanted a subject for my will. But where to go? -Not among men,--alas, they are their own slaves! One day I stood in the -_tianguez_ where a woman was being sold. A baby in her arms smiled, it -might have been at the sunshine, it might have been at me. The mother -said, 'Buy.' A light flashed upon me--I bought you, my poor child. Men -say of the bud, It will be a rose, and of the plant, It will be a tree; -you were so young then that I said, 'It will be a mind.' And into my -world I brought you, thinking, as I had made it, so I would make a -subject. This, I told you, was your birthplace; and here passed your -infancy and childhood; here you have dwelt. Your cheeks are pale, my -little one, but full and fresh; your breath is sweet as the air above a -garden; and you have grown in beauty, knowing nothing living but the -birds and me. My will has a subject, O Tecetl, and my heart a child. -And judge me, holy Quetzal', if I have not tried to make her happy! I -have given her knowledge of everything but humanity, and ignorance of -that is happiness. My world has thus far been a heaven to her; her -dreams have been of it; I am its god!" - -And yet unwilling to disturb her slumber, Mualox arose, and walked away. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - THE SEARCH FOR QUETZAL'. - - -By and by he returned, and standing by the couch, passed his hand -several times above her face. Silent as the movements were, she awoke, -and threw her arms around his neck. - -"You have been gone a long while," she said, in a childish voice. "I -waited for you; but the lamps burned down low, and the shadows, from -their hiding among the bushes, came creeping in upon the fountain, and I -slept." - -"I saw you," he answered, playing with her hair. "I saw you; I always -see you." - -"I tried to paint the fountain," she went on; "but when I watched the -water to catch its colors, I thought its singing changed to voices, and, -listening to them, they stole my thoughts away. Then I tried to blend my -voice with them, and sing as they sung; but whenever mine sank low -enough, it seemed sad, while they went on gayer and more ringing than -ever. I can paint the flowers, but not the water; I can sing with the -birds, but not with the fountain. But you promised to call me,--that you -would always call me." - -"I knew you were asleep." - -"But you had only to think to waken me." - -He smiled at this acknowledgment of the power of his will. Just then a -bell sounded faintly through the chamber; hastening away, he shortly -returned with breakfast on a great shell waiter; there were maize bread -and honey, quails and chocolate, figs and oranges. Placing them on a -table, he rolled up an ottoman for the girl; and, though she talked much -and lightly, the meal was soon over. Then he composed himself upon the -couch, and in the quiet, unbroken save by Tecetl, forgot the night and -its incidents. - -His rest was calm; when he awoke, she was sitting by the basin of the -fountain talking to her birds gleefully as a child. She had given them -names, words more of sound pleasant to the ear than of signification; so -she understood the birds, whose varied cries were to her a language. And -they were fearless and tame, perching on her hand, and courting her -caresses; while she was as artless, with a knowledge as innocent, and a -nature as happy. If Quetzal' was the paba's idol in religion, she was -his idol in affection. - -He watched her awhile, then suddenly sat up; though he said not a word, -she flung her birds off, and came to him smiling. - -"You called me, father." - -He laid his hand upon her shoulder, all overflowed with the dark hair, -and said in a low voice, "The time approaches when Quetzal' is to come -from the home of the gods; it may be he is near. I will send you over -the sea and the land to find him; you shall have wings to carry you into -the air; and you shall fly swifter than the birds you have been talking -to." - -Her smile deepened. - -"Have you not told me that Quetzal' is good, and that his voice is like -the fountain's, and that when he speaks it is like singing? I am ready." - -He kissed her, and nearer the basin rolled the couch, upon which she -sat reclined against a heap of cushions, her hands clasped over her -breast. - -"Do not let me be long gone!" she said. "The lamps will burn low again, -and I do not like to have the shadows come and fold up my flowers." - -The paba took a pearl from the folds of his gown, and laid it before -her; then he sat down, and fixed his eyes upon her face; she looked at -the jewel, and composed herself as for sleep. Her hands settled upon her -bosom, her features grew impassive, the lips slowly parted; gradually -her eyelids drooped, and the life running in the veins of her cheeks and -forehead went back into her heart. Out of the pearl seemed to issue a -spell that stole upon her spirits gently as an atomy settles through the -still air. Finally, there was a sigh, a sob, and over the soul of the -maiden the will of Mualox became absolute. He took her hand in his. - -"Wings swifter than the winds are yours, Tecetl. Go," he said, "search -for the god; search the land." - -She moved not, and scarcely breathed. - -"Speak," he continued; "let me know that I am obeyed." - -The will was absolute; she spoke, and though at first the words came -slowly, yet he listened like a prophet waiting for revelation. She spoke -of the land, of its rivers, forests, and mountains; she spoke of the -cities, of their streets and buildings, and of their people, for whom -she knew no name. She spoke of events transpiring in distant provinces, -as well as in Tenochtitlan. She went into the temples, markets, and -palaces. Wherever men travelled, thither her spirit flew. When the -flight was done, and her broken description ceased, the holy man sighed. - -"Not yet, Tecetl; he is not found. The god is not on the land. Search -the air." - -And still the will was absolute, though the theme of the seer changed; -it was not of the land now, but of the higher realm; she spoke of the -sunshine and the cloud, of the wind rushing and chill, of the earth far -down, and grown so small that the mountains levelled with the plains. - -"Not yet, not yet," he cried; "the god is not in the air. Go search the -sea!" - -In the hollow of his hand he lifted water, and sprinkled her face; and -when he resumed his seat she spoke, not slowly as before, but fast and -free. - -"The land is passed; behind me are the cities and lakes, and the great -houses and blue waters, such as I have seen in my pictures. I am -hovering now, father, where there is nothing before me but waves and -distance. White birds go skimming about careless of the foam; the winds -pour upon me steadily; and in my ear is a sound as of a great voice. I -listen, and it is the sea; or, father, it may be the voice of the god -whom you seek." - -She was silent, as if waiting for an answer. - -"The water, is it? Well, well,--whither shall I go now?" - -"Follow the shore; it may lead where only gods have been." - -"Still the waves and the distance, and the land, where it goes down into -the sea sprinkled with shells. Still the deep voice in my ear, and the -wind about me. I hurry on, but it is all alike,--all water and sound. -No! Out of the waves rises a new land, the sea, a girdle of billows, -encircling it everywhere; yet there are blue clouds ascending from the -fields, and I see palm-trees and temples. May not thy god dwell here?" - -"No. You see but an island. On!" - -"Well, well. Behind me fades the island; before me is nothing but sheen -and waves and distance again; far around runs the line separating the -sea and sky. Waste, all waste; the sea all green, the sky all blue; no -life; no god. But stay!" - -"Something moves on the waste: speak, child!" - -But for a time she was still. - -"Speak!" he said, earnestly. "Speak, Tecetl!" - -"They are far off,--far off," she replied, slowly and in a doubting way. -"They move and live, but I cannot tell whether they come or go, or what -they are. Their course is unsteady, and, like the flight of birds, now -upon the sea, then in air, a moment seeming of the waves, then of the -sky. They look like white clouds." - -"You are fleeter than birds or clouds,--nearer!" he said, sternly, the -fire in his eyes all alight. - -"I go,--I approach them,--I now see them coming. O father, father! I -know not what your god is like, nor what shape he takes, nor in what -manner he travels; but surely these are his! There are many of them, and -as they sweep along they are a sight to be looked at with trembling." - -"What are they, Tecetl?" - -"How can I answer? They are not of the things I have seen in my -pictures, nor heard in my songs. The face of the sea is whitened by -them; the largest leads the way, looking like a shell,--of them I have -heard you speak as coming from the sea,--a great shell streaked with -light and shade, and hollow, so that the sides rise above the reach of -the waves,--wings--." - -"Nay, what would a god of the air with wings to journey upon the sea!" - -"Above it are clouds,--clouds white as the foam, and such as a god might -choose to waft him on his way. I can see them sway and toss, but as the -shell rushes into the hollow places, they lift it up, and drive it on." - -A brighter light flashed from his eyes. "It is the canoe, the canoe!" he -exclaimed. "The canoe from Tlapallan!" - -"The canoe, father! The waves rush joyously around it; they lift -themselves in its path, and roll on to meet it; then, as if they knew -it to be a god's, in peace make way for its coming. Upon the temples in -my pictures I have seen signs floating in the air--" - -"You mean banners,--banners, child," he said, tremulously. - -"I remember now. Above the foremost canoe, above its clouds, there is a -banner, and it is black--" - -"'Tis Quetzal's! 'Tis Quetzal's!" he muttered. - -"It is black, with golden embroidery, and something picture-written on -it, but what I cannot tell." - -"Look in the canoe." - -"I see--O, I know not what to call them." - -"Of what shape are they, child?" - -"Yours, father." - -"Go on: they are gods!" he said, and still the naming of men was unheard -in the great chamber. - -"There are many of them," she continued; "their garments flash and -gleam; around one like themselves they are met; to me he seems the -superior god; he is speaking, they are listening. He is taller than you, -father, and has a fair face, and hair and beard like the hue of his -banner. His garments are the brightest of all." - -"You have described a god; it is Quetzal', the holy, beautiful -Quetzal'!" he said, with rising voice. "Look if his course be toward the -land." - -"Every canoe moves toward the shore." - -"Enough!" he cried. "The writing on the wall is the god's!" And, rising, -he awoke the girl. - -As Tecetl awake had no recollection of her journey, or of what she had -seen in its course, she wondered at his trouble and excitement, and -spoke to him, without answer. - -"Father, what has Tecetl done that you should be so troubled?" - -He put aside her arms, and in silence turned slowly from the pleasant -place, and retraced his steps back through the halls of the Cû to the -court-yard and _azoteas_. - -The weight of the secret did not oppress him; it rested upon him lightly -as the surplice upon his shoulders; for the humble servant of his god -was lifted above his poverty and trembling, and, vivified by the -consciousness of inspiration, felt more than a warrior's strength. But -what should he do? Where proclaim the revelation? Upon the temple? - -"The streets are deserted; the people are in the theatre; the king is -there with all Anahuac," he muttered. "The coming of Quetzal' concerns -the Empire, and it shall hear the announcement: so not on the temple, -but to the _tianguez_. The god speaks to me! To the _tianguez_!" - -In the chapel he exchanged his white surplice for the regalia of -sacrifice. Never before, to his fancy, wore the idol such seeming of -life. Satisfaction played grimly about its mouth; upon its brow, like a -coronet, sat the infinite Will. From the chapel he descended to the -street that led to the great square. Insensibly, as he hurried on, his -steps quickened; and bareheaded and unsandalled, his white beard and -hair loose and flowing, and his face beaming with excitement, he looked -the very embodiment of direful prophecy. On the streets he met only -slaves. At the theatre the entrance was blocked by people; soldiery -guarded the arena: but guard and people shrunk at his approach; and -thus, without word or cry, he rushed within the wall of shields, where -were none but the combatants, living and dead. - -Midway the arena he halted, his face to the king. Around ran his -wondrous glance, and, regardless of the royalty present, the people -shouted, "The paba, the paba!" and their many voices shook the theatre. -Flinging the white locks back on his shoulders, he tossed his arms -aloft; and the tumult rose into the welkin, and a calm settled over the -multitude. Montezuma, with the malediction warm on his lips, bent from -his couch to hear his words. - -"Woe is Tenochtitlan, the beautiful!" he cried, in the unmeasured -accents of grief. "Woe to homes, and people, and armies, and king! Why -this gathering of dwellers on the hills and in the valleys! Why the -combat of warriors? Quetzal' is at hand. He comes for vengeance. Woe is -Tenochtitlan, the beautiful! * * * * This, O king, is the day of the -fulfilment of prophecy. From out the sea, wafted by clouds, even now the -canoes of the god are coming. His power whitens the waves, and the -garments of his warriors gleam with the light of the sky. Woe is -Tenochtitlan! This day is the last of her perfect glory; to-morrow -Quetzal' will glisten on the sea-shore, and her Empire vanish forever. -* * * * People, say farewell to peace! Keepers of the temples, holy men, -go feed the fires, and say the prayer, and sacrifice the victim! And -thou, O king! summon thy strong men, leaders in battle, and be thy -banners counted, and thy nations marshalled. In vain! Woe is -Tenochtitlan! Sitting in the lake, she shines lustrously as a star; and -though in a valley of gardens, she is like a great tree shadowing in a -desert. But the ravager comes, and the tree shall be felled, and the -star go out darkling forever. The fires shall fade, the bones of the -dead kings be scattered, altars and gods overthrown, and every temple -levelled with the streets. Woe is Tenochtitlan! Ended,--ended forever is -the march of Azatlan, the mighty!" - -His arms fell down, and, without further word, his head bowed upon his -breast, the prophet departed. The spell he left behind him remained -unbroken. As they recovered from the effects of his bodement, the people -left the theatre, their minds full of indefinite dread. If perchance -they spoke of the scene as they went, it was in whispers, and rather to -sound the depths of each other's alarm. And for the rest of the day they -remained in their houses, brooding alone, or collected in groups, -talking in low voices, wondering about the prescience of the paba, and -looking each moment for the development of something more terrible. - -The king watched the holy man until he disappeared in the crowded -passage; then a deadly paleness overspread his face, and he sunk almost -to the platform. The nobles rushed around, and bore him to his -palanquin, their brave souls astonished that the warrior and priest and -mighty monarch could be so overcome. They carried him to his palace, and -left him to a solitude full of unkingly superstitions. - -Guatamozin, serene amid the confusion, called the _tamanes_, and ordered -the old Othmi and the dead removed. The Tezcucan still breathed. - -"The reviler of the gods shall be cared for," he said to himself. "If he -lives, their justice will convict him." - -Before the setting of the sun, the structure in the _tianguez_ was taken -down and restored to the temples, never again to be used. Yet the -market-place remained deserted and vacant; the whole city seemed -plague-smitten. - -And the common terror was not without cause, any more than Mualox was -without inspiration. That night the ships of Cortes, eleven in number, -and freighted with the materials of conquest, from the east of Yucatan, -came sweeping down the bay of Campeachy. Next morning they sailed up the -Rio de Tabasco, beautiful with its pure water and its banks fringed with -mangroves. Tecetl had described the fleet, the sails of which from afar -looked like clouds, while they did, indeed, whiten the sea. - -Next evening a courier sped hotly over the causeway and up the street, -stopping at the gate of the royal palace. He was taken before the king; -and, shortly after, it went flying over the city how Quetzal' had -arrived, in canoes larger than temples, wafted by clouds, and full of -thunder and lightning. Then sank the monarch's heart; and, though the -Spaniard knew it not, his marvellous conquest was half completed before -his iron shoe smote the shore at San Juan de Ulloa.[27] - -FOOTNOTES: - - [27] Cortes' squadron reached the mouth of the river Tabasco on the - 12th of March, 1519. - - - - - BOOK TWO. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - WHO ARE THE STRANGERS? - - -March passed, and April came, and still the strangers, in their great -canoes, lingered on the coast. Montezuma observed them with becoming -prudence; through his lookouts, he was informed of their progress from -the time they left the Rio de Tabasco. - -The constant anxiety to which he was subjected affected his temper; and, -though roused from the torpor into which he had been plunged by the -visit to the golden chamber, and the subsequent prophecy of Mualox, his -melancholy was a thing of common observation. He renounced his ordinary -amusements, even _totoloque_, and went no more to the hunting-grounds on -the shore of the lake; in preference, he took long walks in the gardens, -and reclined in the audience-chamber of his palace; yet more remarkable, -conversation with his councillors and nobles delighted him more than the -dances of his women or the songs of his minstrels. In truth, the monarch -was himself a victim of the delusions he had perfected for his people. -Polytheism had come to him with the Empire; but he had enlarged upon it, -and covered it with dogmas; and so earnestly, through a long and -glorious reign, had he preached them, that, at last, he had become his -own most zealous convert. In all his dominions, there was not one whom -faith more inclined to absolute fear of Quetzal' than himself. - -One evening he passed from his bath to the dining-hall for the last meal -of the day. Invigorated, and, as was his custom, attired for the fourth -time since morning in fresh garments, he walked briskly, and even droned -a song. - -No monarch in Europe fared more sumptuously than Montezuma. The room -devoted to the purpose was spacious, and, on this occasion, brilliantly -lighted. The floor was spread with figured matting, and the walls hung -with beautiful tapestry; and in the centre of the apartment a luxurious -couch had been rolled for him, it being his habit to eat reclining; -while, to hide him from the curious, a screen had been contrived, and -set up between the couch and principal door. The viands set down by his -steward as the substantials of the first course were arranged upon the -floor before the couch, and kept warm and smoking by chafing-dishes. The -table, if such it may be called, was supplied by contributions from the -provinces, and furnished, in fact, no contemptible proof of his -authority, and the perfection with which it was exercised. The ware was -of the finest Cholulan manufacture, and, like his clothes, never used by -him but the once, a royal custom requiring him to present it to his -friends.[28] - -When he entered the room, the evening I have mentioned, there were -present only his steward, four or five aged councillors, whom he was -accustomed to address as "uncles," and a couple of women, who occupied -themselves in preparing certain wafers and confections which he -particularly affected. He stretched himself comfortably upon the couch, -much, I presume, after the style of the Romans, and at once began the -meal. The ancients moved back several steps, and a score of boys, noble, -yet clad in the inevitable _nequen_, responding to a bell, came in and -posted themselves to answer his requests. - -Sometimes, by invitation, the councillors were permitted to share the -feast; oftener, however, the only object of their presence was to afford -him the gratification of remark. The conversation was usually irregular, -and hushed and renewed as he prompted, and not unfrequently extended to -the gravest political and religious subjects. On the evening in question -he spoke to them kindly. - -"I feel better this evening, uncles. My good star is rising above the -mists that have clouded it. We ought not to complain of what we cannot -help; still, I have thought that when the gods retained the power to -afflict us with sorrows, they should have given us some power to correct -them." - -One of the old men answered reverentially, "A king should be too great -for sorrows; he should wear his crown against them as we wear our -mantles against the cold winds." - -"A good idea," said the monarch, smiling; "but you forget that the -crown, instead of protecting, is itself the trouble. Come nearer, -uncles; there is a matter more serious about which I would hear your -minds." - -They obeyed him, and he went on. - -"The last courier brought me word that the strangers were yet on the -coast, hovering about the islands. Tell me, who say you they are, and -whence do they come?" - -"How may we know more than our wise master?" said one of them. - -"And our thoughts,--do we not borrow them from you, O king?" added -another. - -"What! Call you those answers? Nay, uncles, my fools can better serve -me; if they cannot instruct, they can at least amuse." - -The king spoke bitterly, and looking at one, probably the oldest of them -all, said,-- - -"Uncle, you are the poorest courtier, but you are discreet and honest. I -want opinions that have in them more wisdom than flattery. Speak to me -truly: who are these strangers?" - -"For your sake, O my good king, I wish I were wise; for the trouble they -have given my poor understanding is indeed very great. I believe them to -be gods, landed from the Sun." And the old man went on to fortify his -belief with arguments. In the excited state of his fancy, it was easy -for him to convert the cannon of the Spaniards into engines of thunder -and lightning, and transform their horses into creatures of Mictlan -mightier than men. Right summarily he also concluded, that none but gods -could traverse the dominions of Haloc,[29] subjecting the variant winds -to their will. Finally, to prove the strangers irresistible, he referred -to the battle of Tabasco, then lately fought between Cortes and the -Indians. - -Montezuma heard him in silence, and replied, "Not badly given, uncle; -your friends may profit by your example; but you have not talked as a -warrior. You have forgotten that we, too, have beaten the lazy -Tabascans. That reference proves as much for my caciques as for your -gods." - -He waved his hand, and the first course was removed. The second -consisted for the most part of delicacies in the preparation of which -his _artistes_ delighted; at this time appeared the _choclatl_, a rich, -frothy beverage served in _xicaras_, or small golden goblets. Girls, -selected for their rank and beauty, succeeded the boys. Flocking around -him with light and echoless feet, very graceful, very happy, theirs was -indeed the service that awaits the faithful in Mahomet's Paradise. To -each of his ancients he passed a goblet of _choclatl_, then continued -his eating and talking. - -"Yes. Be they gods or men, I would give a province to know their -intention; that, uncles, would enable me to determine my -policy,--whether to give them war or peace. As yet, they have asked -nothing but the privilege of trading with us; and, judging them by our -nations, I want not better warrant of friendship. As you know, strangers -have twice before been upon our coast in such canoes, and with such -arms;[30] and in both instances they sought gold, and getting it they -departed. Will these go like them?" - -"Has my master forgotten the words of Mualox?" - -"To Mictlan with the paba!" said the king, violently. "He has filled my -cities and people with trouble." - -"Yet he is a prophet," retorted the old councillor, boldly. "How knew he -of the coming of the strangers before it was known in the palace?" - -The flush of the king's face faded. - -"It is a mystery, uncle,--a mystery too deep for me. All the day and -night before he was in his Cû; he went not into the city even." - -"If the wise master will listen to the words of his slave, he will not -again curse the paba, but make him a friend." - -The monarch's lip curled derisively. - -"My palace is now a house of prayer and sober life; he would turn it -into a place of revelry." - -All the ancients but the one laughed at the irony; that one repeated his -words. - -"A friend; but how?" asked Montezuma. - -"Call him from the Cû to the palace; let him stand here with us; in the -councils give him a voice. He can read the future; make of him an -oracle. O king, who like him can stand between you and Quetzal'?" - -For a while Montezuma toyed idly with the _xicara_. He also believed in -the prophetic gifts of Mualox, and it was not the first time he had -pondered the question of how the holy man had learned the coming of the -strangers; to satisfy himself as to his means of information, he had -even instituted inquiries outside the palace. And yet it was but one of -several mysteries; behind it, if not superior, were the golden chamber, -its wealth, and the writing on the walls. They were not to be attributed -to the paba: works so wondrous could not have been done in one lifetime. -They were the handiwork of a god, who had chosen Mualox for his servant -and prophet; such was the judgment of the king. - -Nor was that all. The monarch had come to believe that the strangers on -the coast were Quetzal' and his followers, whom it were vain to resist, -if their object was vengeance. But the human heart is seldom without its -suggestion of hope; and he thought, though resistance was impossible, -might he not propitiate? This policy had occupied his thoughts, and most -likely without result, for the words of the councillor seemed welcome. -Indeed, he could scarcely fail to recognize the bold idea they -conveyed,--nothing less, in fact, than meeting the god with his own -prophet. - -"Very well," he said, in his heart. "I will use the paba. He shall come -and stand between me and the woe." - -Then he arose, took a string of pearls from his neck, and with his own -hand placed it around that of the ancient. - -"Your place is with me, uncle. I will have a chamber fitted for you here -in the palace. Go no more away. Ho, steward! The supper is done; let the -pipes be brought, and give me music and dance. Bid the minstrels come. A -song of the olden time may make me strong again." - -FOOTNOTES: - - [28] Prescott, Conq. of Mexico. - - [29] God of the sea. - - [30] The allusion was doubtless to the expeditions of Hernandez - de Cordova, in 1517, and Juan de Grijalva, in 1518. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - A TEZCUCAN LOVER. - - -Traces of the supper speedily disappeared. The screen was rolled away, -and pipes placed in the monarch's hand for distribution amongst his -familiars. Blue vapor began to ascend to the carved rafters, when the -tapestry on both sides of the room was flung aside, and the sound of -cornets and flutes poured in from an adjoining apartment; and, as if -answering the summons of the music, a company of dancing-girls entered, -and filled the space in front of the monarch; half nude were they, and -flashing with ornaments, and aerial with gauze and flying ribbons; -silver bells tinkled with each step, and on their heads were wreaths, -and in their hands garlands of flowers. Voluptuous children were they of -the voluptuous valley. - -Saluting the monarch, they glided away, and commenced a dance. With -dreamy, half-shut eyes, through the scented cloud momently deepening -around him, he watched them; and in the sensuous, animated scene was -disclosed one of the enchantments that had weaned him from the martial -love of his youth. - -Every movement of the figure had been carefully studied, and a kind of -æsthetic philosophy was blent with its perfect time and elegance of -motion. Slow and stately at first, it gradually quickened; then, as if -to excite the blood and fancy, it became more mazy and voluptuous; and -finally, as that is the sweetest song that ends with a long decadence, -it was so concluded as to soothe the transports itself had awakened. -Sweeping along, it reached a point, a very climax of abandon and beauty, -in which the dancers appeared to forget the music and the method of the -figure; then the eyes of the king shone brightly, and the pipe lingered -on his lips forgotten; and then the musicians began, one by one, to -withdraw from the harmony, and the dancers to vanish singly from the -room, until, at last, there was but one flute to be heard, while but one -girl remained. Finally, she also disappeared, and all grew still again. - -And the king sat silent and listless, surrendered to the enjoyment which -was the object of the diversion; yet he heard the music; yet he saw the -lithe and palpitating forms of the dancers in posture and motion; yet he -felt the sweet influence of their youth and grace and beauty, not as a -passion, but rather a spell full of the suggestions of passion, when a -number of men came noiselessly in, and, kneeling, saluted him. Their -costume was that of priests, and each of them carried an instrument of -music fashioned somewhat like a Hebrew lyre. - -"Ah, my minstrels, my minstrels!" he said, his face flushing with -pleasure. "Welcome in the streets, welcome in the camp, welcome in the -palace, also! What have you to-night?" - -"When last we were admitted to your presence, O king, you bade us -compose hymns to the god Quetzal'--" - -"Yes; I remember." - -"We pray you not to think ill of your slaves if we say that the verses -which come unbidden are the best; no song of the bird's so beautiful as -the one it sings when its heart is full." - -The monarch sat up. - -"Nay, I did not command. I know something of the spirit of poetry. It is -not a thing to be driven by the will, like a canoe by a strong arm; -neither is it a slave, to come or go at a signal. I bid my warriors -march; I order the sacrifice; but the lays of my minstrels have ever -been of their free will. Leave me now. To you are my gardens and -palaces. I warrant the verses you have are good; but go ask your hearts -for better." - -They retired with their faces toward him until hidden behind the -tapestry. - -"I love a song, uncles," continued the king; "I love a hymn to the gods, -and a story of battle chanted in a deep voice. In the halls of the Sun -every soul is a minstrel, and every tale a song. But let them go; it is -well enough. I promised Iztlil', the Tezcucan, to give him audience -to-night. He comes to the palace but seldom, and he has not asked a -favor since I settled his quarrel with the lord Cacama. Send one to see -if he is now at the door." - -Thereupon he fell to reflecting and smoking; and when next he spoke, it -was from the midst of an aromatic cloud. - -"I loved the wise 'Hualpilli; for his sake, I would have his children -happy. He was a lover of peace, and gave more to policy than to war. It -were grievous to let his city be disturbed by feuds and fighting men; -therefore I gave it to the eldest son. His claim was best; and, besides, -he has the friendly heart to serve me. Still--still, I wish there had -been two Tezcucos." - -"There was but one voice about the judgment in Tezcuco, O king; the -citizens all said it was just." - -"And they would have said the same if I had given them Iztlil'. I know -the knaves, uncle. It was not their applause I cared for; but, you see, -in gaining a servant, I lost one. Iztlil' is a warrior. Had he the will, -he could serve me in the field as well as his brother in the council. I -must attach him to me. A strong arm is pleasant to lean on; it is better -than a staff." - -Addressing himself to the pipe again, he sat smoking, and moodily -observing the vapor vanish above him. There was silence until Iztlil' -was ushered in. - -The cacique was still suffering from his wounds. His step was feeble, so -that his obeisance was stopped by the monarch himself. - -"Let the salutation go, my lord Iztlil'. Your courage has cost you much. -I remember you are the son of my old friend, and bid you welcome." - -"The Tlascalans are good warriors," said the Tezcucan, coldly. - -"And for that reason better victims," added the king, quickly. "By the -Sun, I know not what we would do without them. Their hills supply our -temples." - -"And I, good king--I am but a warrior. My heart is not softened by -things pertaining to religion. Enough for me to worship the gods." - -"Then you are not a student?" - -"I never studied in the academies." - -"I understand," said the king, with a low laugh. "You cannot name as -many stars as enemies whom you have slain. No matter. I have places for -such scholars. Have you commanded an army?" - -"It pleased you to give me that confidence. I led my companies within -the Tlascalan wall, and came back with captives." - -"I recollect now. But as most good warriors are modest, my son, I will -not tell you what the chiefs said of your conduct; you would blush--" - -Iztlil' started. - -"Content you, content you; your blush would not be for shame." - -There was a pause, which the king gave to his pipe. Suddenly he said, -"There have been tongues busy with your fame, my son. I have heard you -were greatly dissatisfied because I gave your father's city to your -elder brother. But I consider that men are never without detractors, and -I cannot forget that you have perilled your life for the gods. Actions -I accept as the proofs of will. If the favor that brought you here be -reasonable, it is yours for the asking. I have the wish to serve you." - -"I am not surprised that I have enemies," said Iztlil', calmly. "I will -abuse no one on that account; for I am an enemy, and can forgive in -others what I deem virtue in myself. But it moves me greatly, O king, -that my enemies should steal into your palace, and, in my absence, wrong -me in your opinion. But pardon me; I did not come to defend myself--" - -"You have taken my words in an evil sense," interposed the king, with an -impatient gesture. - -"Or to conceal the truth," the Tezcucan continued. "There is kingly -blood in me, and I dare speak as my father's son. So if they said merely -that I was dissatisfied with your judgment, they said truly." - -Montezuma frowned. - -"I intend my words to be respectful, most mighty king. A common wisdom -teaches us to respect the brave man and dread the coward. And there is -not in your garden a flower as beautiful, nor in your power a privilege -as precious, as free speech; and it would sound ill of one so great and -secure as my father's friend if he permitted in the streets and in the -farmer's hut what he forbade in his palace. I spoke of dissatisfaction; -but think not it was because you gave Tezcuco to my brother, and to me -the bare hills that have scarcely herbage enough for a wolf-covert. I am -less a prince than a warrior; all places are alike to me; the earth -affords me royal slumber, while no jewelled canopy is equal to the -starred heavens; and as there is a weakness in pleasant memories, I have -none. To such as I am, O king, what matters a barren hill or a proud -palace? I murmured, nay, I did more, because, in judging my quarrel, you -overthrew the independence of my country. When my father visited you -from across the lake, he was not accustomed to stand before you, or hide -his kingly robes beneath a slave's garb." - -Montezuma half started from his seat. "Holy gods! Is rebellion so bold?" - -"I meant no disrespect, great king. I only sought to justify myself, and -in your royal presence say what I have thought while fighting under your -banner. But, without more abuse of your patience, I will to my purpose, -especially as I came for peace and friendship." - -"The son of my friend forgets that I have ways to make peace without -treating for it," said the king. - -The Tezcucan smothered an angry reply. - -"By service done, I have shown a disposition to serve you, O king. Very -soon every warrior will be needed. A throne may be laid amid hymns and -priestly prayers, yet have no strength; to endure, it must rest upon the -allegiance of love. Though I have spoken unpleasant words, I came to ask -that, by a simple boon, you give me cause to love. I have reflected that -I, too, am of royal blood, and, as the son of a king, may lead your -armies, and look for alliance in your house. By marriage, O king, I -desire, come good or evil, to link my fortune to yours." - -Montezuma's countenance was stolid; no eye could have detected upon it -so much as surprise. He quietly asked, "Which of my daughters has found -favor in your eyes?" - -"They are all beautiful, but only one of them is fitted for a warrior's -wife." - -"Tula?" - -Iztlil' bowed. - -"She is dear to me," said the king, softly, "dearer than a city; she is -holy as a temple, and lovelier than the morning; her voice is sweet as -the summer wind, and her presence as the summer itself. Have you spoken -to her of this thing?" - -"I love her, so that her love is nothing to me. Her feelings are her -own, but she is yours; and you are more powerful to give than she to -withhold." - -"Well, well," said the monarch, after a little thought; "in my realm -there are none of better quality than the children of 'Hualpilli,--none -from whom such demand is as proper. Yet it is worthy deliberation. It is -true, I have the power to bestow, but there are others who have the -right to be consulted. I study the happiness of my people, and it were -unnatural if I cared less for that of my children. So leave me now, but -take with you, brave prince, the assurance that I am friendly to your -suit. The gods go with you!" - -And Iztlil', after a low obeisance, withdrew; and then the overture was -fully discussed. Montezuma spoke freely, welcoming the opportunity of -securing the bold, free-spoken cacique, and seeing in the demand only a -question of policy. As might be expected, the ancients made no -opposition; they could see no danger in the alliance, and had no care -for the parties. It was policy. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - THE BANISHMENT OF GUATAMOZIN. - - -The palace of Montezuma was regarded as of very great sanctity, so that -his household, its economy, and the exact relation its members bore to -each other were mysteries to the public. From the best information, -however, it would seem that he had two lawful and acknowledged wives, -the queens Tecalco and Acatlan,[31] who, with their families, occupied -spacious apartments secure from intrusion. They were good-looking, -middle-aged women, whom the monarch honored with the highest respect and -confidence. By the first one, he had a son and daughter; by the second, -two daughters. - -"Help me, Acatlan! I appeal to your friendship, to the love you bear -your children,--help me in my trouble." So the queen Tecalco prayed the -queen Acatlan in the palace the morning after the audience given the -Tezcucan by the king. - -The two were sitting in a room furnished with some taste. Through the -great windows, shaded by purple curtains, streamed the fresh breath of -the early day. There were female slaves around them in waiting; while a -boy nearly grown, at the eastern end of the apartment, was pitching the -golden balls in _totoloque_. This was prince Io', the brother of Tula, -and son of Tecalco. - -"What is the trouble? What can I do?" asked Acatlan. - -"Listen to me," said Tecalco. "The king has just gone. He came in better -mood than usual, and talked pleasantly. Something had happened; some -point of policy had been gained. Nowadays, you know, he talks and thinks -of nothing but policy; formerly it was all of war. We cannot deny, -Acatlan, that he is much changed. Well, he played a game with Io', then -sat down, saying he had news which he thought would please me. You will -hardly believe it, but he said that Iztlil', the proud Tezcucan, asked -Tula in marriage last night. Think of it! Tula, my blossom, my soul! and -to that vile cacique!" - -"Well, he is brave, and the son of 'Hualpilli," said Acatlan. - -"What! You!" said Tecalco, despairingly. "Do you, too, turn against me? -I do not like him, and would not if he were the son of a god. Tula hates -him!" - -"I will not turn against you, Tecalco. Be calmer, and tell me what more -the king said." - -"I told him I was surprised, but not glad to hear the news. He frowned, -and paced the floor, now here, now there. I was frightened, but could -bear his anger better than the idea of my Tula, so good, so beautiful, -the wife of the base Tezcucan. He said the marriage must go on; it was -required by policy, and would help quiet the Empire, which was never so -threatened. You will hardly believe I ventured to tell him that it -should not be, as Tula was already contracted to Guatamozin. I supposed -that announcement would quiet the matter, but it only enraged him; he -spoke bitterly of the 'tzin. I could scarcely believe my ears. He used -to love him. What has happened to change his feeling?" - -Acatlan thrummed her pretty mouth with her fingers, and thought awhile. - -"Yes, I have heard some stories about the 'tzin--" - -"Indeed!" said Tecalco, opening her eyes. - -"He too has changed, as you may have observed," continued Acatlan. "He -used to be gay and talkative, fond of company, and dance; latterly, he -stays at home, and when abroad, mopes, and is silent; while we all know -that no great private or public misfortune has happened him. The king -appears to have noticed it. And, my dear sister,"--the queen lowered her -voice to a confidential whisper,--"they say the 'tzin aspires to the -throne." - -"What! Do you believe it? Does the king?" cried Tecalco, more in anger -than surprise. - -"I believe nothing yet, though there are some grounds for his accusers -to go upon. They say he entertains at his palace near Iztapalapan none -but men of the army, and that while in Tenochtitlan, he studies the -favor of the people, and uses his wealth to win popularity with all -classes. Indeed, Tecalco, somehow the king learned that, on the day of -the celebration of Quetzal', the 'tzin was engaged in a direct -conspiracy against him." - -"It is false, Acatlan, it is false! The king has not a more faithful -subject. I know the 'tzin. He is worth a thousand of the Tezcucan, who -is himself the traitor." And the vexed queen beat the floor with her -sandalled foot. - -"As to that, Tecalco, I know nothing. But what more from the king?" - -"He told me that Tula should never marry the 'tzin; he would use all his -power against it; he would banish him from the city first. And his rage -increased until, finally, he swore by the gods he would order a banquet, -and, in presence of all the lords of the Empire, publicly betroth Tula -and the Tezcucan. He said he would do anything the safety of the throne -and the gods required of him. He never was so angry. And that, O -Acatlan, my sister, that is my trouble. How can I save my child from -such a horrid betrothal?" - -Acatlan shook her head gloomily. "The king brooks defeat better than -opposition. We would not be safe to do anything openly. I acknowledge -myself afraid, and unable to advise you." - -Tecalco burst into tears, and wrung her hands, overcome by fear and -rage. Io' then left his game, and came to her. He was not handsome, -being too large for his years, and ungraceful; this tendency to -homeliness was increased by the smallness of his face and head; the -features were actually childish. - -"Say no more, mother," he said, tears standing in his eyes, as if to -prove his sympathy and kindliness. "You know it would be better to play -with the tigers than stir the king to anger." - -"Ah, Io', what shall I do? I always heard you speak well of the 'tzin. -You loved him once." - -"And I love him yet." - -Tecalco was less pacified than ever. - -"What would I not give to know who set the king so against him! Upon the -traitor be the harm there is in a mother's curse! If my child must be -sacrificed, let it be by a priest, and as a victim to the gods." - -"Do not speak so. Be wise, Tecalco. Recollect such sorrows belong to our -rank." - -"Our rank, Acatlan! I can forget it sooner than that I am a mother! O, -you do not know how long I have nursed the idea of wedding Tula to the -'tzin! Since their childhood I have prayed, plotted, and hoped for it. -With what pride I have seen them grow up,--he so brave, generous, and -princely, she so staid and beautiful! I have never allowed her to think -of other destiny: the gods made them for each other." - -"Mother," said Io', thoughtfully, "I have heard you say that Guatamozin -was wise. Why not send him word of what has happened, and put our trust -in him?" - -The poor queen caught at the suggestion eagerly; for with a promise of -aid, at the same time it relieved her of responsibility, of all burthens -the most dreadful to a woman. And Acatlan, really desirous of helping -her friend, but at a loss for a plan, and terrified by the idea of the -monarch's wrath incurred, wondered they had not thought of the proposal -sooner, and urged the 'tzin's right to be informed of the occurrence. - -"There must be secrecy, Tecalco. The king must never know us as -traitors: that would be our ruin." - -"There shall be no danger; I can go myself," said Io'. "It is long since -I was at Iztapalapan, and they say the 'tzin has such beautiful gardens. -I want to see the three kings who hold torches in his hall; I want to -try a bow with him." After some entreaty, Tecalco assented. She -required him, however, to put on a costume less likely to attract -attention, and take some other than a royal canoe across the lake. Half -an hour later, he passed out of a garden gate, and, by a circuitous -route, hurried to the canal in which lay the vessels of the Iztapalapan -watermen. He found one, and was bargaining with its owner, when a young -man walked briskly up, and stepped into a canoe close by. Something in -the gay dress of the stranger made Io' look at him a second time, and he -was hardly less pleased than surprised at being addressed,-- - -"Ho, friend! I am going to your city. Save your cocoa, and go with me." - -Io' was confused. - -"Come on!" the stranger persisted, with a pleasant smile. "Come on! I -want company. You were never so welcome." - -The smile decided the boy. He set one foot in the vessel, but instantly -retreated--an ocelot, crouched in the bottom, raised its round head, and -stared fixedly at him. The stranger laughed, and reassured him, after -which he walked boldly forward. Then the canoe swung from its mooring, -and in a few minutes, under the impulsion of three strong slaves, went -flying down the canal. Under bridges, through incoming flotillas, and -past the great houses on either hand they darted, until the city was -left behind, and the lake, colored with the borrowed blue of the sky, -spread out rich and billowy before them. The eyes of the stranger -brightened at the prospect. - -"I like this. By Our Mother, I like it!" he said, earnestly. "We have -lakes in Tihuanco on which I have spent days riding waves and spearing -fish; but they were dull to this. See the stretch of the water! Look -yonder at the villages, and here at the city and Chapultepec! Ah, that -you were born in Tenochtitlan be proud. There is no grander birthplace -this side of the Sun!" - -"I am an Aztec," said Io', moved by the words. - -The other smiled, and added, "Why not go further, and say, 'and son of -the king?'" - -Io' was startled. - -"Surprised! Good prince, I am a hunter. From habit, I observe -everything; a track, a tree, a place, once seen is never forgotten; and -since I came to the city, the night before the combat of Quetzal', the -habit has not left me. That day you were seated under the red canopy, -with the princesses Tula and Nenetzin. So I came to know the king's -son." - -"Then you saw the combat?" - -"And how brave it was! There never was its match,--never such archery as -the 'tzin's. Then the blow with which he killed the Othmi! I only -regretted that the Tezcucan escaped. I do not like him; he is envious -and spiteful; it would have been better had he fallen instead of the -Otompan. You know Iztlil'?" - -"Not to love him," said Io'. - -"Is he like the 'tzin?" - -"Not at all." - -"So I have heard," said the hunter, shrugging his shoulders. "But---- -Down, fellow!" he cried to the ocelot, whose approaches discomposed the -prince. "I was going to say," he resumed, with a look which, as an -invitation to confidence, was irresistible, "that there is no reason why -you and I should not be friends. We are both going to see the 'tzin----" - -Io' was again much confused. - -"I only heard you say so to the waterman on the landing. If your visit, -good prince, was intended as a secret, you are a careless messenger. But -have no fear. I intend entering the 'tzin's service; that is, if he will -take me." - -"Is the 'tzin enlisting men?" asked Io'. - -"No. I am merely weary of hunting. My father is a good merchant whose -trading life is too tame for me. I love excitement. Even hunting deer -and chasing wolves are too tame. I will now try war, and there is but -one whom I care to follow. Together we will see and talk to him." - -"You speak as if you were used to arms." - -"My skill may be counted nothing. I seek the service more from what I -imagine it to be. The march, the camp, the battle, the taking captives, -the perilling life, when it is but a secondary object, as it must be -with every warrior of true ambition, all have charms for my fancy. -Besides, I am discontented with my condition. I want honor, rank, and -command,--wealth I have. Hence, for me, the army is the surest road. -Beset with trials, and needing a good heart and arm, yet it travels -upward, upward, and that is all I seek to know." - -The _naïveté_ and enthusiasm of the hunter were new and charming to the -prince, who was impelled to study him once more. He noticed how exactly -the arms were rounded; that the neck was long, muscular, and widened at -the base, like the trunk of an oak; that the features, excited by the -passing feeling, were noble and good; that the very carriage of the head -was significant of aptitude for brave things, if not command. Could the -better gods have thrown Io' in such company for self-comparison? Was -that the time they had chosen to wake within him the longings of mind -natural to coming manhood? He felt the inspiration of an idea new to -him. All his life had been passed in the splendid monotony of his -father's palace; he had been permitted merely to hear of war, and that -from a distance; of the noble passion for arms he knew nothing. -Accustomed to childish wants, with authority to gratify them, ambition -for power had not yet disturbed him. But, as he listened, it was given -him to see the emptiness of his past life, and understand the advantages -he already possessed; he said to himself, "Am I not master of grade and -opportunities, so coveted by this unknown hunter, and so far above his -reach?" In that moment the contentment which had canopied his existence, -like a calm sky, full of stars and silence and peace, was taken up, and -whirled away; his spirit strengthened with a rising ambition and a -courage royally descended. - -"You are going to study with the 'tzin. I would like to be your -comrade," he said. - -"I accept you, I give you my heart!" replied the hunter, with beaming -face. "We will march, and sleep, and fight, and practise together. I -will be true to you as shield to the warrior. Hereafter, O prince, when -you would speak of me, call me Hualpa; and if you would make me happy, -say of me, 'He is my comrade!'" - -The sun stood high in the heavens when they reached the landing. -Mounting a few steps that led from the water's edge, they found -themselves in a garden rich with flowers, beautiful trees, running -streams, and trellised summer-houses,--the garden of a prince,--of -Guatamozin, the true hero of his country. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [31] These are the proper names of the queens. MSS of Muñoz. Also, - note to Prescott, Conq. of Mexico, Vol. II., p. 351. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - GUATAMOZIN AT HOME. - - -Guatamozin inherited a great fortune, ducal rank, and an estate near -Iztapalapan. Outside the city, midst a garden that extended for miles -around, stood his palace, built in the prevalent style, one story high, -but broad and wide enough to comfortably accommodate several thousand -men. His retainers, a legion in themselves, inhabited it for the most -part; and whether soldier, artisan, or farmer, each had his quarters, -his exclusive possession as against every one but the 'tzin. - -The garden was almost entirely devoted to the cultivation of fruits and -flowers. Hundreds of slaves, toiling there constantly under tasteful -supervision, made and kept it beautiful past description. Rivulets of -pure water, spanned by bridges and bordered with flowers, ran through -every part over beds of sand yellow as gold. The paths frequently led to -artificial lagoons, delightful for the coolness that lingered about -them, when the sun looked with his burning eye down upon the valley; for -they were fringed with willow and sycamore trees, all clad with vines as -with garments; and some were further garnished with little islands, -plumed with palms, and made attractive by kiosks. Nor were these all. -Fountains and cascades filled the air with sleepy songs; orange-groves -rose up, testifying to the clime they adorned; and in every path small -_teules_, on pedestals of stone, so mingled religion with the loveliness -that there could be no admiration without worship. - -Io' and Hualpa, marvelling at the beauty they beheld, pursued a path, -strewn with white sand, and leading across the garden, to the palace. A -few armed men loitered about the portal, but allowed them to approach -without question. From the antechamber they sent their names to the -'tzin, and directly the slave returned with word to Io' to follow him. - -The study into which the prince was presently shown was furnished with -severe plainness. An arm-chair, if such it may be called, some rude -tables and uncushioned benches, offered small encouragement to idleness. - -Sand, glittering like crushed crystal, covered the floor, and, instead -of tapestry, the walls were hung with maps of the Empire, and provinces -the most distant. Several piles of MSS.,--the books of the Aztecs,--with -parchment and writing-materials, lay on a table; and half concealed -amongst them was a harp, such as we have seen in the hands of the royal -minstrels. - -"Welcome, Io', welcome!" said the 'tzin, in his full voice. "You have -come at length, after so many promises,--come last of all my friends. -When you were here before, you were a child, and I a boy like you now. -Let us go and talk it over." And leading him to a bench by a window, -they sat down. - -"I remember the visit," said Io'. "It was many years ago. You were -studying then, and I find you studying yet." - -A serious thought rose to the 'tzin's mind, and his smile was clouded. - -"You do not understand me, Io'. Shut up in your father's palace, your -life is passing too dreamily. The days with you are like waves of the -lake: one rolls up, and, scarcely murmuring, breaks on the shore; -another succeeds,--that is all. Hear, and believe me. He who would be -wise must study. There are many who live for themselves, a few who live -for their race. Of the first class, no thought is required; they eat, -sleep, are merry, and die, and have no hall in heaven: but the second -must think, toil, and be patient; they must know, and, if possible, know -everything. God and ourselves are the only sources of knowledge. I would -not have you despise humanity, but all that is from ourselves is soon -learned. There is but one inexhaustible fountain of intelligence, and -that is Nature, the God Supreme. See those volumes; they are of men, -full of wisdom, but nothing original; they are borrowed from the book of -deity,--the always-opened book, of which the sky is one chapter, and -earth the other. Very deep are the lessons of life and heaven there -taught. I confess to you, Io', that I aspire to be of those whose lives -are void of selfishness, who live for others, for their country. Your -father's servant, I would serve him understandingly; to do so, I must be -wise; and I cannot be wise without patient study." - -Io's unpractised mind but half understood the philosophy to which he -listened; but when the 'tzin called himself his father's servant, -Acatlan's words recurred to the boy. - -"O 'tzin," he said, "they are not all like you, so good, so true. There -have been some telling strange stories about you to the king." - -"About me?" - -"They say you want to be king,"--the listener's face was passive,--"and -that on Quetzal's day you were looking for opportunity to attack my -father." Still there was no sign of emotion. "Your staying at home, they -say, is but a pretence to cover your designs." - -"And what more, Io'?" - -"They say you are taking soldiers into your pay; that you give money, -and practise all manner of arts, to become popular in Tenochtitlan; and -that your delay in entering the arena on the day of the combat had -something to do with your conspiracy." - -For a moment the noble countenance of the 'tzin was disturbed. - -"A lying catalogue! But is that all?" - -"No,"--and Io's voice trembled,--"I am a secret messenger from the queen -Tecalco, my mother. She bade me say to you, that last night Iztlil', the -Tezcucan, had audience with the king, and asked Tula for his wife." - -Guatamozin sprang from his seat more pallid than ever in battle. - -"And what said Montezuma?" - -"This morning he came to the queen, my mother, and told her about it; -on your account she objected; but he became angry, spoke harshly of you, -and swore Tula should not wed with you; he would banish you first." - -Through the silent cell the 'tzin strode gloomily; the blow weakened -him. Mualox was wrong; men cannot make themselves almost gods; by having -many ills, and bearing them bravely, they can only become heroes. After -a long struggle he resumed his calmness and seat. - -"What more from the queen?" - -"Only, that as she was helpless, she left everything to you. She dares -not oppose the king." - -"I understand!" exclaimed the 'tzin, starting from the bench again. "The -Tezcucan is my enemy. Crossing the lake, night before the combat, he -told me he loved Tula, and charged me with designs against the Empire, -and cursed the king and his crown. Next day he fought under my -challenge. The malice of a mean soul cannot be allayed by kindness. But -for me the _tamanes_ would have buried him with the Tlascalans. I sent -him to my house; my slaves tended him; yet his hate was only sharpened." - -He paced the floor to and fro, speaking vehemently. - -"The ingrate charges me with aspiring to the throne. Judge me, holy -gods! Judge how willingly I would lay down my life to keep the crown -where it is! He says my palace has been open to men of the army. It was -always so,--I am a warrior. I have consulted them about the Empire, but -always as a subject, never for its ill. Such charges I laugh at; but -that I sought to slay the king is too horrible for endurance. On the day -of the combat, about the time of the assemblage, I went to the Cû of -Quetzal' for blessing. I saw no smoke or other sign of fire upon the -tower. Mualox was gone, and I trembled lest the fire should be dead. I -climbed up, and found only a few living embers. There were no fagots on -the roof, nor in the court-yard; the shrine was abandoned, Mualox old. -The desolation appealed to me. The god seemed to claim my service. I -broke my spear and shield, and flung the fragments into the urn, then -hastened to the palace, loaded some _tamanes_ with wood, and went back -to the Cû. I was not too late there; but, hurrying to the _tianguez_, I -found myself almost dishonored. So was I kept from the arena; that -service to the god is now helping my enemy as proof that I was waiting -on a housetop to murder my king and kinsman! Alas! I have only slaves to -bear witness to the holy work that kept me on the temple. Much I fear -the gods are making the king blind for his ruin and the ruin of us all. -He believes the strangers on the coast are from the Sun, when they are -but men. Instead of war against them, he is thinking of embassies and -presents. Now, more than ever, he needs the support of friends; but he -divides his family against itself, and confers favors on enemies. I see -the danger. Unfriendly gods are moving against us, not in the strangers, -but in our own divisions. Remember the prophecy of Mualox, 'The race of -Azatlan is ended forever.'" - -The speaker stopped his walking, and his voice became low and tremulous. - -"Yet I love him; he has been kind; he gave me command; through his -graciousness I have dwelt unmolested in this palace of my father. I am -bound to him by love and law. As he has been my friend, I will be his; -when his peril is greatest, I will be truest. Nothing but ill from him -to Anahuac can make me his enemy. So, so,--let it pass. I trust the -future to the gods." - -Then, as if seeking to rid himself of the bitter subject, he turned to -Io'. "Did not some one come with you?" - -The boy told what he knew of Hualpa. - -"I take him to be no common fellow; he has some proud ideas. I think you -would like him." - -"I will try your hunter, Io'. And if he is what you say of him, I will -accept his service." - -And they went immediately to the antechamber, where Hualpa saluted the -'tzin. The latter surveyed his fine person approvingly, and said, "I am -told you wish to enter my service. Were you ever in battle?" - -The hunter told his story with his wonted modesty. - -"Well, the chase is a good school for warriors. It trains the thews, -teaches patience and endurance, and sharpens the spirit's edge. Let us -to the garden. A hand to retain skill must continue its practice; like a -good memory, it is the better for exercise. Come, and I will show you -how I keep prepared for every emergency of combat." And so saying, the -'tzin led the visitors out. - -They went to the garden, followed by the retainers lounging at the door. -A short walk brought them to a space surrounded by a copse of -orange-trees, strewn with sand, and broad enough for a mock battle; a -few benches about the margin afforded accommodation to spectators; a -stone house at the northern end served for armory, and was full of arms -and armor. A glance assured the visitors that the place had been -prepared expressly for training. Some score or more of warriors, in the -military livery of the 'tzin, already occupied a portion of the field. -Upon his appearance they quitted their games, and closed around him with -respectful salutations. - -"How now, my good Chinantlan!" he said, pleasantly. "Did I not award you -a prize yesterday? There are few in the valley who can excel you in -launching the spear." - -"The plume is mine no longer," replied the warrior. "I was beaten last -night. The winner, however, is a countryman." - -"A countryman! You Chinantlans seem born to the spear. Where is the -man?" - -The victor stepped forward, and drew up before the master, who regarded -his brawny limbs, sinewy neck, and bold eyes with undisguised -admiration; so an artist would regard a picture or a statue. Above the -fellow's helm floated a plume of scarlet feathers, the trophy of his -superior skill. - -"Get your spear," said the 'tzin. "I bring you a competitor." - -The spear was brought, an ugly weapon in any hand. The head was of -copper, and the shaft sixteen feet long. The rough Chinantlan handled it -with a loving grip. - -"Have you such in Tihuanco?" asked Guatamozin. - -Hualpa balanced the weapon and laughed. - -"We have only javelins,--mere reeds to this. Unless to hold an enemy at -bay, I hardly know its use. Certainly, it is not for casting." - -"Set the mark, men. We will give the stranger a lesson. Set it to the -farthest throw." - -A pine picket was then set up a hundred feet away, presenting a target -of the height and breadth of a man, to which a shield was bolted -breast-high from the sand. - -"Now give the Chinantlan room!" - -The wearer of the plume took his place; advancing one foot, he lifted -the spear above his head with the right hand, poised it a moment, then -hurled it from him, and struck the picket a palm's breadth below the -shield. - -"Out, out!" cried the 'tzin. "Bring me the spear; I have a mind to wear -the plume myself." - -When it was brought him, he cast it lightly as a child would toss a -weed; yet the point drove clanging through the brazen base of the -shield, and into the picket behind. Amid the applause of the sturdy -warriors he said to Hualpa,-- - -"Get ready; the hunter must do something for the honor of his native -hills." - -"I cannot use a spear in competition with Guatamozin," said Hualpa, -with brightening eyes; "but if he will have brought a javelin, a good -comely weapon, I will show him my practice." - -A slender-shafted missile, about half the length of the spear, was -produced from the armory, and examined carefully. - -"See, good 'tzin, it is not true. Let me have another." - -The next one was to his satisfaction. - -"Now," he said, "set the target thrice a hundred feet away. If the -dainty living of Xoli have not weakened my arm, I will at least strike -yon shield." - -The bystanders looked at each other wonderingly, and the 'tzin was -pleased. He had not lost a word or a motion of Hualpa's. The feat -undertaken was difficult and but seldom achieved successfully; but the -aspirant was confident, and he manifested the will to which all -achievable things are possible. - -The target was reset, and the Tihuancan took the stand. Resting the -shaft on the palm of his left hand, he placed the fingers of his right -against the butt, and drew the graceful weapon arm-length backward. It -described an arc in the air, and to the astonishment of all fell in the -shield a little left of the centre. - -"Tell me, Hualpa," said Guatamozin, "are there more hunters in Tihuanco -who can do such a deed? I will have you bring them to me." - -The Tihuancan lowered his eyes. "I grieve to say, good 'tzin, that I -know of none. I excelled them all. But I can promise that in my native -province there are hundreds braver than I, ready to serve you to the -death." - -"Well, it is enough. I intended to try you further, and with other -weapons, but not now. He who can so wield a javelin must know to bend a -bow and strike with a _maquahuitl_. I accept your service. Let us to the -palace." - -Hualpa thrilled with delight. Already he felt himself in the warrior's -path, with a glory won. All his dreams were about to be realized. In -respectful silence he followed Guatamozin, and as they reached the -portal steps, Io' touched his arm: - -"Remember our compact on the lake," he whispered. - -The hunter put his arm lovingly about the prince, and so they entered -the house. And that day Fate wove a brotherhood of three hearts which -was broken only by death. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - NIGHT AT THE CHALCAN'S. - - -The same day, in the evening, Xoli lay on a lounge by the fountain under -his portico. His position gave him the range of the rooms, which glowed -like day, and resounded with life. He could even distinguish the -occupations of some of his guests. In fair view a group was listening to -a minstrel; beyond them he occasionally caught sight of girls dancing; -and every moment peals of laughter floated out from the chambers of -play. A number of persons, whose arms and attire published them of the -nobler class, sat around the Chalcan in the screen of the curtains, -conversing, or listlessly gazing out on the square. - -Gradually Xoli's revery became more dreamy; sleep stole upon his senses, -and shut out the lullaby of the fountain, and drowned the influence of -his _cuisine_. His patrons after a while disappeared, and the watchers -on the temples told the passing time without awakening him. Very happy -was the Chalcan. - -The slumber was yet strong upon him, when an old man and a girl came to -the portico. The former, decrepit and ragged, seated himself on the -step. Scanty hair hung in white locks over his face; and grasping a -staff, he rested his head wearily upon his hands, and talked to himself. - -The girl approached the Chalcan with the muffled tread of fear. She was -clad in the usual dress of her class,--a white chemise, with several -skirts short and embroidered, over which, after being crossed at the -throat, a red scarf dropped its tasseled ends nearly to her heels. The -neatness of the garments more than offset their cheapness. Above her -forehead, in the fillet that held the mass of black hair off her face, -leaving it fully exposed, there was the gleam of a common jewel; -otherwise she was without ornament. In all beauty there is--nay, must -be--an idea; so that a countenance to be handsome even, must in some way -at sight quicken a sentiment or stir a memory in the beholder. It was so -here. To look at the old man's guardian was to know that she had a -sorrow to tell, and to pity her before it was told; to be sure that -under her tremulous anxiety there was a darksome story and an -extraordinary purpose, the signs of which, too fine for the materialism -of words, but plain to the sympathetic inner consciousness, lurked in -the corners of her mouth, looked from her great black eyes, and blent -with every action. - -Gliding over the marble, she stopped behind the sleeper, and spoke, -without awakening him; her voice was too like the murmur of the -fountain. Frightened at the words, low as they were, she hesitated; but -a look at the old man reassured her, and she called again. Xoli started. - -"How now, mistress!" he said, angrily, reaching for her hand. - -"I want to see Xoli, the Chalcan," she replied, escaping his touch. - -"What have you to do with him?" - -He sat up, and looked at her in wonder. - -"What have you to do with him?" he repeated, in a kindlier tone. - -Her face kindled with a sudden intelligence. "Xoli! The gods be praised! -And their blessing on you, if you will do a kind deed for a countryman!" - -"Well! But what beggar is that? Came he with you?" - -"It is of him I would speak. Hear me!" she asked drawing near him again. -"He is poor, but a Chalcan. If you have memory of the city of your -birth, be merciful to his child." - -"His child! Who? Nay, it is a beggar's tale! Ho, fellow! How many times -have I driven you away already! How dare you return!" - -Slowly the old man raised his head from his staff, and turned his face -to the speaker; there was no light there: he was blind! - -"By the holy fires, no trick this! Say on, girl. He is a Chalcan, you -said." - -"A countryman of yours,"--and her tears fell fast. "A hut is standing -where the causeway leads from Chalco to Iztapalapan; it is my father's. -He was happy under its roof; for, though blind and poor, he could hear -my mother's voice, which was the kindliest thing on earth to him. But -Our Mother called her on the coming of a bright morning, and since then -he has asked for bread, when I had not a _tuna_[32] to give him. O Xoli! -did you but know what it is to ask for bread, when there is none! I am -his child, and can think of but one way to quiet his cry." And she -paused, looking in his face for encouragement. - -"Tell me your name, girl; tell me your name, then go on," he said, with -a trembling lip, for his soul was clever. - -At that instant the old man moaned querulously, "Yeteve, Yeteve!" - -She went, and clasped his neck, and spoke to him soothingly. Xoli's eyes -became humid; down in the depths of his heart an emotion grew strangely -warm. - -"Yeteve, Yeteve!" he repeated, musingly, thinking the syllables soft and -pretty. "Come; stand here again, Yeteve," said he, aloud, when the -dotard was pacified. "He wants bread, you say: how would you supply -him?" - -"You are rich. You want many slaves; and the law permits the poor to -sell themselves.[33] I would be your slave,--asking no price, except -that you give the beggar bread." - -"A slave! Sell yourself!" he cried, in dismay. "A slave! Why, you are -beautiful, Yeteve, and have not bethought yourself that some day the -gods may want you for a victim." - -She was silent. - -"What can you do? Dance? Sing? Can you weave soft veils and embroider -golden flowers, like ladies in the palaces? If you can, no slave in -Anahuac will be so peerless; the lords will bid more cocoa than you can -carry; you will be rich." - -"If so, then can I do all you have said." - -And she ran, and embraced the old man, saying, "Patience, patience! In a -little while we will have bread, and be rich. Yes," she continued, -returning to the Chalcan, "they taught me in the _teocallis_, where they -would have had me as priestess." - -"It is good to be a priestess, Yeteve; you should have stayed there." - -"But I did so love the little hut by the causeway. And I loved the -beggar, and they let me go." - -"And now you wish to sell yourself? I want slaves, but not such as you, -Yeteve. I want those who can work,--slaves whom the lash will hurt, but -not kill. Besides, you are worth more cocoa than I can spare. Keep back -your tears. I will do better than buy you myself. I will sell you, and -to-night. Here in my house you shall dance for the bidders. I know them -all. He shall be brave and rich and clever who buys,--clever and brave, -and the owner of a palace, full of bread for the beggar, and love for -Yeteve." - -Clapping his hands, a slave appeared at the door. - -"Take yon beggar, and give him to eat. Lead him,--he is blind. Come, -child, follow me." - -He summoned his servants, and bade them publish the sale in every -apartment; then he led the girl to the hall used for the exhibition of -his own dancing-girls. It was roomy and finely lighted; the floor was of -polished marble; a blue drop-curtain extended across the northern end, -in front of which were rows of stools, handsomely cushioned, for -spectators. Music, measured for the dance, greeted the poor priestess, -and had a magical effect upon her; her eyes brightened, a smile played -about her mouth. Never was the chamber of the rich Chalcan graced by a -creature fairer or more devoted. - -"A priestess of the dance needs no teaching from me," said Xoli, patting -her flushed cheek. "Get ready; they are coming. Beware of the marble; -and when I clap my hands, begin." - -She looked around the hall once; not a point escaped her. Springing to -the great curtain, and throwing her robe away, she stood before it in -her simple attire; and no studied effect of art could have been more -beautiful; motionless and lovely, against the relief of the blue -background, she seemed actually _spirituelle_. - -Upon the announcement of the auction, the patrons of the house hurried -to the scene. Voluntary renunciation of freedom was common enough among -the poorer classes in Tenochtitlan, but a transaction of the kind under -the auspices of the rich broker was a novelty; so that curiosity and -expectation ran high. The nobles, as they arrived, occupied the space in -front of the curtain, or seated themselves, marvelling at the expression -of her countenance. - -The music had not ceased; and the bidders being gathered, Xoli, smiling -with satisfaction, stepped forward to give the signal, when an uproar of -merriment announced the arrival of a party of the younger dignitaries of -the court,--amongst them Iztlil', the Tezcucan, and Maxtla, chief of the -guard, the former showing signs of quick recovery from his wounds, the -latter superbly attired. - -"Hold! What have we here?" cried the Tezcucan, surveying the girl. "Has -this son of Chalco been robbing the palace?" - -"The temples, my lord Iztlil'! He has robbed the temples! By all the -gods, it is the priestess Yeteve!" answered Maxtla, amazed. "Say, -Chalcan, what does priestess of the Blessed Lady in such unhallowed -den?" - -The broker explained. - -"Good, good!" shouted the new-comers. - -"Begin, Xoli! A thousand cocoa for the priestess,--millions of bread for -the beggar!" This from Maxtla. - -"Only a thousand?" said Iztlil', scornfully. "Only a thousand? Five -thousand to begin with, more after she dances." - -Xoli gave the signal, and the soul of the Chalcan girl broke forth in -motion. Dancing had been her _rôle_ in the religious rites of the -temple; many a time the pabas around the altar, allured by her matchless -grace, had turned from the bleeding heart indifferent to its auguration. -And she had always danced moved by no warmer impulse than duty; so that -the prompting of the spirit in the presence of a strange auditory free -to express itself, like that she now faced, came to her for the first -time. The dance chosen was one of the wild, quick, pulsating figures -wont to be given in thanksgiving for favorable tokens from the deity. -The steps were irregular and difficult; a great variety of posturing was -required; the head, arms, and feet had each their parts, all to be -rendered in harmony. At the commencement she was frightened by the -ecstasy that possessed her; suddenly the crowd vanished, and she saw -only the beggar, and him wanting bread. Then her form became divinely -gifted; she bounded as if winged; advanced and retreated, a moment -swaying like a reed, the next whirling like a leaf in a circling wind. -The expression of her countenance throughout was so full of soul, so -intense, rapt, and beautiful, that the lords were spell-bound. When the -figure was ended, there was an outburst of voices, some bidding, others -applauding; though most of the spectators were silent from pity and -admiration. - -Of the competitors the loudest was Iztlil'. In his excitement, he would -have sacrificed his province to become the owner of the girl. Maxtla -opposed him. - -"Five thousand cocoa! Hear, Chalcan!" shouted the Tezcucan. - -"A thousand better!" answered Maxtla, laughing at the cacique's rage. - -"By all the gods, I will have her! Put me down a thousand quills of -gold!" - -"A thousand quills above him! Not bread, but riches for the beggar!" -replied Maxtla, half in derision. - -"Two thousand,--only two thousand quills! More, noble lords! She is -worth a palace!" sung Xoli, trembling with excitement; for in such large -bids he saw an extraordinary loan. Just then, under the parted curtain -of the principal doorway, he beheld one dear to every lover of -Tenochtitlan; he stopped. All eyes turned in that direction, and a -general exclamation followed,--"The 'tzin, the 'tzin!" - -Guatamozin was in full military garb, and armed. As he lingered by the -door to comprehend the scene, what with his height, brassy helm, and -embossed shield, he looked like a Greek returned from Troy. - -"Yeteve, the priestess!" he said. "Impossible!" - -He strode to the front. - -"How?" he said, placing his hand on her head. "Has Yeteve flown the -temple to become a slave?" - -Up to this time, it would seem that, in the fixedness of her purpose, -she had been blind to all but the beggar, and deaf to everything but the -music. Now she knelt at the feet of the noble Aztec, sobbing -broken-heartedly. The spectators were moved with sympathy,--all save -one. - -"Who stays the sale? By all the gods, Chalcan, you shall proceed!" - -Scarcely had the words been spoken, or the duller faculties understood -them, before Guatamozin confronted the speaker, his javelin drawn, and -his shield in readiness. Naturally his countenance was womanly gentle; -but the transition of feeling was mighty, and those looking upon him -then shrank with dread; it was as if their calm blue lake had in an -instant darkened with storm. Face to face he stood with the Tezcucan, -the latter unprepared for combat, but in nowise daunted. In their angry -attitude a seer might have read the destiny of Anahuac. - -One thrust of the javelin would have sent the traitor to Mictlan; the -Empire, as well as the wrongs of the lover, called for it; but before -the veterans, recovering from their panic, could rush between the -foemen, all the 'tzin's calmness returned. - -"Xoli," he said, "a priestess belongs to the temple, and cannot be sold; -such is the law. The sale would have sent your heart, and that of her -purchaser, to the Blessed Lady. Remove the girl. I will see that she is -taken to a place of safety. Here is gold; give the beggar what he wants, -and keep him until to-morrow.--And, my lords and brethren," he added, -turning to the company, "I did not think to behave so unseemly. It is -only against the enemies of our country that we should turn our arms. -Blood is sacred, and accursed is his hand who sheds that of a countryman -in petty quarrel. I pray you, forget all that has passed." And with a -low obeisance to them, he walked away, taking with him the possibility -of further rencounter. - -He had just arrived from his palace at Iztapalapan. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [32] A species of fig. - - [33] Prescott, Conq. of Mexico. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE CHINAMPA. - - -Between Tula, the child of Tecalco, and Nenetzin, daughter and child of -Acatlan, there existed a sisterly affection. The same sports had engaged -them, and they had been, and yet were, inseparable. Their mothers, -themselves friends, encouraged the intimacy; and so their past lives had -vanished, like two summer clouds borne away by a soft south wind. - -The evening after Iztlil's overture of marriage was deepening over lake -Tezcuco; the breeze became murmurous and like a breath, and all the -heavens filled with starlight. Cloudless must be the morrow to such a -night! - -So thought the princess Tula. Won by the beauty of the evening, she had -flown from the city to her _chinampa_, which was lying anchored in a -quarter of the lake east of the causeway to Tepejaca, beyond the noise -of the town, and where no sound less agreeable than the plash of light -waves could disturb her dreams. - -A retreat more delightful would be a task for fancy. The artisan who -knitted the timbers of the _chinampa_ had doubtless been a lover of the -luxuriant, and built as only a lover can build. The waves of the lake -had not been overlooked in his plan; he had measured their height, and -the depth and width of their troughs, when the weather was calm and the -water gentle. So he knew both what rocking they would make, and what -rocking would be pleasantest to a delicate soul; for, as there were such -souls, there were also such artisans in Tenochtitlan. - -Viewed from a distance, the _chinampa_ looked like an island of flowers. -Except where the canopy of a white pavilion rose from the midst of the -green beauty, it was covered to the water's edge with blooming -shrubbery, which, this evening, was luminous with the light of lamps. -The radiance, glinting through the foliage, tinted the atmosphere above -it with mellow rays, and seemed the visible presence of enchantment. - -The humid night breeze blew softly under the raised walls of the -pavilion, within which, in a hammock that swung to and fro regularly as -the _chinampa_ obeyed the waves, lay Tula and Nenetzin. - -They were both beautiful, but different in their beauty. Tula's face was -round and of a transparent olive complexion, without being fair; her -eyes were hazel, large, clear, and full of melancholy earnestness; -masses of black hair, evenly parted, fell over her temples, and were -gathered behind in a simple knot; with a tall, full form, her presence -and manner were grave and very queenly. Whereas, Nenetzin's eyes, though -dark, were bright with the light of laughter; her voice was low and -sweet, and her manner that of a hoyden. One was the noble woman, the -other a jocund child. - -"It is late, Tula; our father may want us. Let us return." - -"Be patient a little longer. The 'tzin will come for us; he promised to, -and you know he never forgets." - -"Patience, sister! Ah! you may say it, you who _know_; but how am I to -practise it,--I, who have only a _hope_?" - -"What do you mean, Nenetzin?" - -The girl leaned back, and struck a suspended hoop, in which was perched -a large parrot. The touch, though light, interrupted the pendulous -motion of the bird, and it pecked at her hand, uttering a gruff scream -of rage. - -"You spoke of something I know, and you hope. What do you mean, child?" - -Nenetzin withdrew her hand from the perch, looked in the questioner's -face, then crept up to win her embrace. - -"O Tula, I know you are learned and thoughtful. Often after the banquet, -when the hall was cleared, and the music begun, have I seen you stand -apart, silent, while all others danced or laughed. See, your eyes are on -me now, but more in thought than love. O, indeed, you are wise! Tell me, -did you ever think of me as a woman?" - -The smile deepened on the lips, and burned in the eyes of the queenly -auditor. - -"No, never as a woman," continued Nenetzin. "Listen to me, Tula. The -other night I was asleep in your arms,--I felt them in love around -me,--and I dreamed so strangely." - -"Of what?" asked Tula, seeing she hesitated. - -"I dreamed there entered at the palace door a being with a countenance -white like snow, while its hair and beard were yellow, like the silk of -the maize; its eyes were blue, like the deep water of the lake, but -bright, so bright that they terrified while they charmed me. Thinking of -it now, O Tula, it was a man, though it looked like a god. He entered -at the palace door, and came into the great chamber where our father sat -with his chiefs; but he came not barefooted and in _nequen_; he spoke as -he were master, and our father a slave. Looking and listening, a feeling -thrilled me,--thrilled warm and deep, and was a sense of joy, like a -blessing of Tlalac. Since then, though I have acted as a girl, I have -felt as a woman." - -"Very strange, indeed, Nenetzin!" said Tula, playfully. "But you forget: -I asked you what I know, and you only hope?" - -"I will explain directly; but as you are wise, first tell me what that -feeling was." - -"Nay, I can tell you whence the water flows, but I cannot tell you what -it is." - -"Well, since then I have had a hope--" - -"Well?" - -"A hope of seeing the white face and blue eyes." - -"I begin to understand you, Nenetzin. But go on: what is it I know?" - -"What I dreamed,--a great warrior, who loves you. You will see him -to-night, and then, O Tula,--then you may tell of the feeling that -thrilled me so in my dream." - -And with a blush and a laugh, she laid her face in Tula's bosom. - -Both were silent awhile, Nenetzin with her face hidden, and Tula looking -wistfully up at the parrot swinging lazily in the perch. The dream was -singular, and made an impression on the mind of the one as it had on the -heart of the other. - -"Look up, O Nenetzin!" said Tula, after a while. "Look up, and I will -tell you something that has seemed as strange to me as the dream to -you." - -The girl raised her head. - -"Did you ever see Mualox, the old paba of Quetzal'? No? Well, he is said -to be a prophet; a look of his will make a warrior tremble. He is the -friend of Guatamozin, who always goes to his shrine to worship the god. -I went there once to make an offering. I climbed the steps, went in -where the image is, laid my gift on the altar, and turned to depart, -when a man came and stood by the door, wearing a surplice, and with -long, flowing white beard. He looked at me, then bowed, and kissed the -pavement at my feet. I shrank away. 'Fear not, O Tula!' he said. 'I bow -to you, not for what you are, but for what you shall be. _You shall be -queen in your father's palace!_' With that he arose, and left me to -descend." - -"Said he so? How did he know you were Tula, the king's daughter?" - -"That is part of the mystery. I never saw him before; nor, until I told -the story to the 'tzin, did I know the paba. Now, O sister, can the -believer of a dream refuse to believe a priest and prophet?" - -"A queen! You a queen! I will kiss you now, and pray for you then." And -they threw their arms lovingly around each other. - -Then the bird above them awoke, and, with a fluttering of its scarlet -wings, cried, "Guatamo! Guatamo!"--taught it by the patient love of -Tula. - -"O, what a time that will be!" Nenetzin went on, with sparkling eyes. -"What a garden we will make of Anahuac! How happy we shall be! None but -the brave and beautiful shall come around us; for you will be queen, my -Tula." - -"Yes; and Nenetzin shall have a lord, he whom she loves best, for she -will be as peerless as I am powerful," answered Tula, humoring the mood. -"Whom will she take? Let us decide now,--there are so many to choose -from. What says she to Cacama, lord of Tezcuco?" - -The girl made no answer. - -"There is the lord of Chinantla, once a king, who has already asked our -father for a wife." - -Still Nenetzin was silent. - -"Neither of them! Then there are left but the lord of Tlacopan, and -Iztlil', the Tezcucan." - -At the mention of the last name, a strong expression of disgust burst -from Nenetzin. - -"A tiger from the museum first! It could be taught to love me. No, none -of them for me; none, Tula, if you let me have my way, but the white -face and blue eyes I saw in my dream." - -"You are mad, Nenetzin. That was a god, not a man." - -"All the better, Tula! The god will forgive me for loving him." - -Before Tula spoke again, Guatamozin stepped within the pavilion. -Nenetzin was noisy in expressing her gladness, while the elder sister -betrayed no feeling by words; only her smile and the glow of her eyes -intensified. - -The 'tzin sat down by the hammock, and with his strong hand staying its -oscillation, talked lightly. As yet Tula knew nothing of the proposal of -the Tezcucan, or of the favor the king had given it; but the ken of love -is as acute as an angel's; sorrow of the cherished heart cannot be -hidden from it; so in his very jests she detected a trouble; but, -thinking it had relation to the condition of the Empire, she asked -nothing, while he, loath to disturb her happiness, counselled darkly of -his own soul. - -After a while, as Nenetzin prayed to return to the city, they left the -pavilion; and, following a little path through the teeming shrubbery, -and under the boughs of orange-trees, overarched like an arbor, they -came to the 'tzin's canoe. The keeper of the _chinampa_ was there with -great bundles of flowers. Tula and Nenetzin entered the vessel; then was -the time for the slave; so he threw in the bundles until they were -nearly buried under them,--his gifts of love and allegiance. When the -rowers pushed off, he knelt with his face to the earth. - -Gliding homeward through the dusk, Guatamozin told the story of Yeteve; -and Tula, moved by the girl's devotion, consented to take her into -service,--at least, until the temple claimed its own. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - COURT GOSSIP. - - -"A pinch of your snuff, Xoli! To be out thus early dulls a nice brain, -which nothing clarifies like snuff. By the way, it is very strange that -when one wants a good article of any kind, he can only get it at the -palace or of you. So, a pinch, my fat fellow!" - -"I can commend my snuff," said the Chalcan, bowing very low, "only a -little less than the good taste of the most noble Maxtla." - -While speaking,--the scene being in his _pulque_ room,--he uncovered a -gilded jar sitting upon the counter. - -"Help yourself; it is good to sneeze." - -Maxtla snuffed the scented drug freely, then rushed to the door, and -through eyes misty with tears of pleasure looked at the sun rising over -the mountains. A fit of sneezing seized him, at the end of which, a -slave stood by his elbow with a ewer of water and a napkin. He bathed -his face. Altogether, it was apparent that sneezing had been reduced to -an Aztec science. - -"Elegant! By the Sun, I feel inspired!" - -"No doubt," responded the Chalcan. "Such ought to be the effect of -tobacco and rose-leaves, moistened with dew. But tell me; that -_tilmatli_ you are wearing is quite royal,--is it from the king?" - -The young chief raised the folds of the mantle of _plumaje_, which he -was sporting for the first time. "From the king? No; my tailor has just -finished it." - -"Certainly, my lord. How dull I was! You are preparing for the banquet -at the palace to-morrow night." - -"You recollect the two thousand quills of gold I bid for your priestess -the other evening," said Maxtla, paying no attention to the remark. "I -concluded to change the investment; they are all in that collar and -loop." - -Xoli examined the loop. - -"A _chalchuite_! What jeweller in the city could sell you one so rich?" - -"Not one. I bought it of Cacama. It is a crown jewel of Tezcuco." - -"You were lucky, my lord. But, if you will allow me, what became of the -priestess? Saw you ever such dancing?" - -"You are late inquiring, Chalcan. The beggar was fast by starvation that -night; but you were nearer death. The story was told the king,--ah! you -turn pale. Well you may,--and he swore, by the fires of the temple, if -the girl had been sold he would have flayed alive both buyer and seller. -Hereafter we had both better look more closely to the law." - -"But she moved my pity as it was never moved before; moreover, she told -me they had discharged her from the temple." - -"No matter; the peril is over, and our hearts are our own. Yesterday I -saw her in the train of the princess Tula. The 'tzin cared for her. But -speaking of the princess,--the banquet to-morrow night will be spicy." - -The Chalcan dropped the precious loop. Gossip that concerned the court -was one of his special weaknesses. - -"You know," continued Maxtla, "that the 'tzin has always been a favorite -of the king's--" - -"As he always deserved to be." - -"Not so fast, Chalcan! Keep your praise. You ought to know that nothing -is so fickle as fortune; that what was most popular yesterday may be -most unpopular to-day. Hear me out. You also know that Iztlil', the -Tezcucan, was down in the royal estimation quite as much as the 'tzin -was up; on which account, more than anything else, he lost his father's -city." - -Xoli rested his elbow on the counter, and listened eagerly. - -"It has been agreed on all sides for years," continued Maxtla, in his -modulated voice, "that the 'tzin and Tula were to be married upon her -coming of age. No one else has presumed to pay her court, lest it might -be an interference. Now, the whole thing is at an end. Iztlil', not the -'tzin, is the fortunate man." - -"Iztlil'! And to-morrow night!" - -"The palace was alive last evening as with a swarming of bees. Some were -indignant,--all astonished. In fact, Xoli, I believe the 'tzin had as -many friends as the king. Several courtiers openly defended him, -notwithstanding his fall,--something that, to my knowledge, never -happened before. The upshot was, that a herald went in state to -Iztapalapan with a decree prohibiting the 'tzin from visiting -Tenochtitlan, under any pretence, until the further pleasure of the king -is made known to him." - -"Banished, banished! But that the noble Maxtla told me, I could not -believe what I hear." - -"Certainly. The affair is mysterious, as were the means by which the -result was brought about. Look you, Chalcan: the 'tzin loved the -princess, and was contracted to her, and now comes this banishment just -the day before the valley is called to witness her betrothal to the -Tezcucan. Certainly, it would ill become the 'tzin to be a guest at such -a banquet." - -"I understand," said Xoli, with a cunning smile. "It was to save his -pride that he was banished." - -"If to be a Chalcan is to be so stupid, I thank the gods for making me -what I am!" cried Maxtla, impatiently. "What cares the great king for -the pride of the enemy he would humble! The banishment is a penalty,--it -is ruin." - -There was a pause, during which the Chalcan hung his head. - -"Ah, Xoli! The king has changed; he used to be a warrior, loving -warriors as the eagle loves its young. Now--alas! I dare not speak. Time -was when no envious-hearted knave could have made him believe that -Guatamozin was hatching treason in his garden at Iztapalapan. Now, -surrounded by mewling priests, he sits in the depths of his palace, and -trembles, and, like a credulous child, believes everything. 'Woe is -Tenochtitlan!' said Mualox; and the days strengthen the prophecy. But -enough,--more than enough! Hist, Chalcan! What I have said and you -listened to--yea, the mere listening--would suffice, if told in the -right ears, to send us both straightway to the tigers. I have paid you -for your snuff, and the divine sneeze. In retailing, recollect, I am not -the manufacturer. Farewell." - -"Stay a moment, most noble chief,--but a moment," said the Chalcan. "I -have invented a drink which I desire you to inaugurate. If I may be -counted a judge, it is fit for a god." - -"A judge! You? Where is the man who would deny you that excellence? -Your days have been spent in the practice; nay, your whole life has been -one long, long drink. Make haste. I will wager _pulque_ is chief in the -compound." - -The broker went out, and directly returned, bearing on a waiter a -Cholulan goblet full of cool liquor, exquisitely colored with the rich -blood of the cactus apple. Maxtla sipped, drank, then swore the drink -was without a rival. - -"Look you, Chalcan. They say we are indebted to our heroes, our -minstrels, and our priests, and I believe so; but hereafter I shall go -farther in the faith. This drink is worth a victory, is pleasant as a -song, and has all the virtues of a prayer. Do not laugh. I am in -earnest. You shall be canonized with the best of them. To show that I am -no vain boaster, you shall come to the banquet to-morrow, and the king -shall thank you. Put on your best _tilmatli_, and above all else, beware -that the vase holding this liquor is not empty when I call for it. -Farewell!" - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - GUATAMOZIN AND MUALOX. - - -Up the steps of the old Cû of Quetzal', early in the evening of the -banquet, went Guatamozin unattended. As the royal interdiction rested -upon his coming to the capital, he was muffled in a priestly garb, which -hid his face and person, but could not all disguise the stately bearing -that so distinguished him. Climbing the steps slowly, and without -halting at the top to note the signs of the city, all astir with life, -he crossed the _azoteas_, entered the chamber most sanctified by the -presence of the god, and before the image bowed awhile in prayer. Soon -Mualox came in. - -"Ask anything that is not evil, O best beloved of Quetzal', and it shall -be granted," said the paba, solemnly, laying a hand upon the visitor's -shoulder. "I knew you were coming; I saw you on the lake. Arise, my -son." - -Guatamozin stood up, and flung back his hood. - -"The house is holy, Mualox, and I have come to speak of the things of -life that have little to do with religion." - -"That is not possible. Everything has to do with life, which has all to -do with heaven. Speak out. This presence will keep you wise; if your -thoughts be of wrong, it is not likely you will give them speech in the -very ear of Quetzal'." - -Slowly the 'tzin then said,-- - -"Thanks, father. In what I have to say, I will be brief, and endeavor -not to forget the presence. You love me, and I am come for counsel. You -know how often those most discreet in the affairs of others are foolish -in what concerns themselves. Long time ago you taught me the importance -of knowledge; how it was the divine secret of happiness, and stronger -than a spear to win victories, and better in danger than a shield seven -times quilted. Now I have come to say that my habits of study have -brought evil upon me; out of the solitude in which I was toiling to lay -up a great knowledge, a misfortune has arisen, father to my ruin. My -stay at home has been misconstrued. Enemies have said I loved books less -than power; they charge that in the quiet of my gardens I have been -taking council of my ambition, which nothing satisfies but the throne; -and so they have estranged from me the love of the king. Here against -his order, forbidden the city,"--and as he spoke he raised his head -proudly,--"forbidden the city, behold me, paba, a banished man!" - -Mualox smiled, and grim satisfaction was in the smile. - -"If you seek sympathy," he said, "the errand is fruitless. I have no -sorrow for what you call your misfortune." - -"Let me understand you, father." - -"I repeat, I have no sorrow for you. Why should I? I see you as you -should see yourself. You confirm the lessons of which you complain. Not -vainly that you wrought in solitude for knowledge, which, while I knew -it would make you a mark for even kingly envy, I also intended should -make you superior to misfortunes and kings. Understand you now? What -matters that you are maligned? What is banishment? They only liken you -the more to Quetzal', whose coming triumph,--heed me well, O -'tzin,--whose coming triumph shall be your triumph." - -The look and voice of the holy man were those of one with authority. - -"For this time," he continued, "and others like it, yet to come, I -thought to arm your soul with a strong intelligence. Your life is to be -a battle against evil; fail not yourself in the beginning. Success will -be equal to your wisdom and courage. But your story was not all told." - -The 'tzin's face flushed, and he replied, with some faltering,-- - -"You have known and encouraged the love I bear the princess Tula, and -counted on it as the means of some great fortune in store for me. Yet, -in part at least, I am banished on that account. O Mualox, the banquet -which the king holds to-night is to make public the betrothal of Tula to -Iztlil', the Tezcucan!" - -"Well, what do you intend?" - -"Nothing. Had the trouble been a friend's, I might have advised him; but -being my own, I have no confidence in myself. I repose on your -discretion and friendship." - -Mualox softened his manner, and said, pleasantly at first, "O 'tzin, is -humanity all frailty? Must chief and philosopher bow to the passion, -like a slave or a dealer in wares?" Suddenly he became serious; his eyes -shone full of the magnetism he used so often and so well. "Can -Guatamozin find nothing higher to occupy his mind than a trouble born of -a silly love? Unmanned by such a trifle? Arouse! Ponder the mightier -interests in peril! What is a woman, with all a lover's gild about her, -to the nation?" - -"The nation?" repeated the 'tzin, slowly. - -The paba looked reverently up to the idol. "I have withdrawn from the -world, I live but for Quetzal' and Anahuac. O, generously has the god -repaid me! He has given me to look out upon the future; all that is to -come affecting my country he has shown me." Turning to the 'tzin again, -he said with emphasis, "I could tell marvels,--let this content you: -words cannot paint the danger impending over our country, over Anahuac, -the beautiful and beloved; her existence, and the glory and power that -make her so worthy love like ours, are linked to your action. Your fate, -O 'tzin, and hers, and that of the many nations, are one and the same. -Accept the words as a prophecy; wear them in memory; and when, as now, -you are moved by a trifling fear or anger, they should and will keep you -from shame and folly." - -Both then became silent. The paba might have been observing the events -of the future, as, one by one, they rose and passed before his -abstracted vision. Certain it was, with the thoughts of the warrior -there mixed an ambition no longer selfish, but all his country's. - -Mualox finally concluded. "The future belongs to the gods; only the -present is ours. Of that let us think. Admit your troubles worthy -vengeance: dare you tell me what you thought of doing? My son, why are -you here?" - -"Does my father seek to mortify me?" - -"Would the 'tzin have me encourage folly, if not worse? And that in the -presence of my god and his?" - -"Speak plainly, Mualox." - -"So I will. Obey the king. Go not to the palace to-night. If the thought -of giving the woman to another is so hard, could you endure the sight? -Think: if present, what could you do to prevent the betrothal?" - -A savage anger flashed from the 'tzin's face, and he answered, "What -could I? Slay the Tezcucan on the step of the throne, though I died!" - -"It would come to that. And Anahuac! What then of her?" said Mualox, in -a voice of exceeding sorrow. - -The love the warrior bore his country at that moment surpassed all -others, and his rage passed away. - -"True, most true! If it should be as you say, that my destiny--" - -"If! O 'tzin, if you live! If Anahuac lives! If there are gods!--" - -"Enough, Mualox! I know what you would say. Content you; I give you all -faith. The wrong that tortures me is not altogether that the woman is to -be given to another; her memory I could pluck from my heart as a feather -from my helm. If that were all, I could curse the fate, and submit; but -there is more: for the sake of a cowardly policy I have been put to -shame; treachery and treason have been crowned, loyalty and blood -disgraced. Hear me, father! After the decree of interdiction was served -upon me, I ventured to send a messenger to the king, and he was spurned -from the palace. Next went the lord Cuitlahua, uncle of mine, and true -lover of Anahuac; he was forbidden the mention of my name. I am not -withdrawn from the world; my pride will not down at a word; so wronged, -I cannot reason; therefore I am here." - -"And the coming is a breach of duty; the risk is great. Return to -Iztapalapan before the midnight is out. And I,--but you do not know, my -son, what a fortune has befallen me." The paba smiled faintly. "I have -been promoted to the palace; I am a councillor at the royal table." - -"A councillor! You, father?" - -The good man's face grew serious again. "I accepted the appointment, -thinking good might result. But, alas! the hope was vain. Montezuma, -once so wise, is past counsel. He will take no guidance. And what a -vanity! O 'tzin, the asking me to the palace was itself a crime, since -it was to make me a weapon in his hand with which to resist the holy -Quetzal'. As though I could not see the design!" - -He laughed scornfully, and then said, "But be not detained, my son. What -I can, I will do for you; at the council-table, and elsewhere, as -opportunity may offer, I will exert my influence for your restoration to -the city and palace. Go now. Farewell; peace be with you. To-morrow I -will send you tidings." - -Thereupon he went out of the tower, and down into the temple. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - A KING'S BANQUET. - - -At last the evening of the royal banquet arrived,--theme of incessant -talk and object of preparation for two days and a night, out of the -capital no less than in it; for all the nobler classes within a -convenient radius of the lake had been bidden, and, with them, people of -distinction, such as successful artists, artisans, and merchants. - -It is not to be supposed that a king of Montezuma's subtlety in matters -governmental could overlook the importance of the social element, or -neglect it. Education imports a society; more yet, academies, such as -were in Tenochtitlan for the culture of women, always import a refined -and cultivated society. And such there was in the beautiful valley. - -My picture of the entertainment will be feeble, I know, and I give it -rather as a suggestion of the reality, which was gorgeous enough to be -interesting to any nursling even of the court of His Most Catholic -Majesty; for, though heathen in religion, Montezuma was not altogether -barbarian in taste; and, sooth to say, no monarch in Christendom better -understood the influence of kingliness splendidly maintained. About it, -moreover, was all that makes chivalry adorable,--the dance, the feast, -the wassail; brave men, fair women, and the majesty of royalty in state -amidst its most absolute proofs of power. - -On such occasions it was the custom of the great king to throw open the -palace, with all its accompaniments, for the delight of his guests, -admitting them freely to aviary, menagerie, and garden, the latter -itself spacious enough for the recreation of thirty thousand persons. - -The house, it must be remembered, formed a vast square, with _patios_ or -court-yards in the interior, around which the rooms were ranged. The -part devoted to domestic uses was magnificently furnished. Another very -considerable portion was necessary to the state and high duties of the -monarch; such were offices for his functionaries, quarters for his -guards, and chambers for the safe deposit of the archives of the Empire, -consisting of maps, laws, decrees and proclamations, accounts and -reports financial and military, and the accumulated trophies of -campaigns and conquests innumerable. When we consider the regard in -which the king was held by his people, amounting almost to worship, and -their curiosity to see all that pertained to his establishment, an idea -may be formed of what the palace and its appurtenances were as -accessaries to one of his entertainments. - -Passing from the endless succession of rooms, the visitor might go into -the garden, where the walks were freshly strewn with shells, the -shrubbery studded with colored lamps, the fountains all at play, and the -air loaded with the perfume of flowers, which were an Aztec passion, and -seemed everywhere a part of everything. - -And all this convenience and splendor was not wasted upon an -inappreciative horde,--ferocious Caribs or simple children of -Hispaniola. At such times the order requiring the wearing of _nequen_ -was suspended; so that in the matter of costume there were no limits -upon the guest, except such as were prescribed by his taste or -condition. In the animated current that swept from room to room and from -house to garden might be seen citizens in plain attire, and warriors -arrayed in regalia which permitted all dazzling colors, and pabas -hooded, surpliced, and gowned, brooding darkly even there, and stoled -minstrels, with their harps, and pages, gay as butterflies, while over -all was the beauty of the presence of lovely women. - -Yet, withal, the presence of Montezuma was more attractive than the calm -night in the garden; neither stars, nor perfumed summer airs, nor -singing fountains, nor walks strewn with shells, nor chant of minstrels -could keep the guests from the great hall where he sat in state; so that -it was alike the centre of all coming and all going. There the aged and -sedate whiled away the hours in conversation; the young danced, laughed, -and were happy; and in the common joyousness none exceeded the beauties -of the harem, transiently released from the jealous thraldom that made -the palace their prison. - -From the house-tops, or from the dykes, or out on the water, the common -people of the capital, in vast multitudes, witnessed the coming of the -guests across the lake. The rivalry of the great lords and families was -at all times extravagant in the matter of pomp and show; a king's -banquet, however, seemed its special opportunity, and the lake its -particular field of display. The king Cacama, for example, left his city -in a canoe of exquisite workmanship, pranked with pennons, ribbons, and -garlands; behind him, or at his right and left, constantly ploying and -deploying, attended a flotilla of hundreds of canoes only a little less -rich in decoration than his own, and timed in every movement, even that -of the paddles, by the music of conch-shells and tambours; yet princely -as the turn-out was, it did not exceed that of the lord Cuitlahua, -governor of Iztapalapan. And if others were inferior to them in -extravagance, nevertheless they helped clothe the beloved sea with a -beauty and interest scarcely to be imagined by people who never -witnessed or read of the grand Venetian pageants. - -Arrived at the capital, the younger warriors proceeded to the palace -afoot; while the matrons and maids, and the older and more dignified -lords, were borne thither in palanquins. By evening the whole were -assembled. - -About the second quarter of the night two men came up the great street -to the palace, and made their way through the palanquins stationed there -in waiting. They were guests; so their garbs bespoke them. One wore the -gown and carried the harp of a minstrel; very white locks escaped from -his hood, and a staff was required to assist his enfeebled steps. The -other was younger, and with consistent vanity sported a military -costume. To say the truth, his extremely warlike demeanor lost nothing -by the flash of a dauntless eye and a step that made the pave ring -again. - -An official received them at the door, and, by request, conducted them -to the garden. - -"This is indeed royal!" the warrior said to the minstrel. "It bewilders -me. Be yours the lead." - -"I know the walks as a deer his paths, or a bird the brake that -shelters its mate. Come," and the voice was strangely firm for one so -aged,--"come, let us see the company." - -Now and then they passed ladies, escorted by gallants, and frequently -there were pauses to send second looks after the handsome soldier, and -words of pity for his feeble companion. By and by, coming to an -intersection of the walk they were pursuing, they were hailed,--"Stay, -minstrel, and give us a song." - -By the door of a summer-house they saw, upon stopping, a girl whose -beauty was worthy the tribute she sought. The elder sat down upon a -bench and replied,-- - -"A song is gentle medicine for sorrows. Have you such? You are very -young." - -Her look of sympathy gave place to one of surprise. - -"I would I were assured that minstrelsy is your proper calling." - -"You doubt it! Here is my harp: a soldier is known by his shield." - -"But I have heard your voice before," she persisted. - -"The children of Tenochtitlan, and many who are old now, have heard me -sing." - -"But I am a Chalcan." - -"I have sung in Chalco." - -"May I ask your name?" - -"There are many streets in the city, and on each they call me -differently." - -The girl was still perplexed. - -"Minstrels have patrons," she said, directly, "who--" - -"Nay, child, this soldier here is all the friend I have." - -Some one then threw aside the vine that draped the door. While the -minstrel looked to see who the intruder was, his inquisitor gazed at the -soldier, who, on his part, saw neither of them; he was making an -obeisance so very low that his face and hand both touched the ground. - -"Does the minstrel intend to sing, Yeteve?" asked Nenetzin, stepping -into the light that flooded the walk. - -The old man bent forward on his seat. - -"Heaven's best blessing on the child of the king! It should be a nobler -hand than mine that strikes a string to one so beautiful." - -The comely princess replied, her face beaming with pleasure, "Verily, -minstrel, much familiarity with song has given you courtly speech." - -"I have courtly friends, and only borrow their words. This place is -fair, but to my dull fancy it seems that a maiden would prefer the great -hall, unless she has a grief to indulge." - -"O, I have a great grief," she returned; "though I do borrow it as you -your words." - -"Then you love some one who is unhappy. I understand. Is this child in -your service?" he asked, looking at Yeteve. - -"Call it mine. She loves me well enough to serve me." - -The minstrel struck the strings of his harp softly, as if commencing a -mournful story. - -"I have a friend," he said, "a prince and warrior, whose presence here -is banned. He sits in his palace to-night, and is visited by thoughts -such as make men old in their youth. He has seen much of life, and won -fame, but is fast finding that glory does not sweeten misfortune, and -that of all things, ingratitude is the most bitter. His heart is set -upon a noble woman; and now, when his love is strongest, he is separated -from her, and may not say farewell. O, it is not in the ear of a true -woman that lover so unhappy could breathe his story in vain. What would -the princess Nenetzin do, if she knew a service of hers might soothe his -great grief?" - -Nenetzin's eyes were dewy with tears. - -"Good minstrel, I know the story; it is the 'tzin's. Are you a friend of -his?" - -"His true friend. I bring his farewell to Tula." - -"I will serve him." And, stepping to the old man, she laid her hand on -his. "Tell me what to do, and what you would have." - -"Only a moment's speech with her." - -"With Tula?" - -"A moment to say the farewell he cannot. Go to the palace, and tell her -what I seek. I will follow directly. Tell her she may know me in the -throng by these locks, whose whiteness will prove my sincerity and -devotion. And further, I will twine my harp with a branch of this vine; -its leaves will mark me, and at the same time tell her that his love is -green as in the day a king's smile sunned it into ripeness. Be quick. -The moment comes when she cannot in honor listen to the message I am to -speak." - -He bent over his harp again, and Nenetzin and Yeteve hurried away. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - THE 'TZIN'S LOVE. - - -The minstrel stayed a while to dress his harp with the vine. - -"A woman would have done it better; they have a special cunning for such -things; yet it will serve the purpose. Now let us on!" he said, when the -task was finished. - -To the palace they then turned their steps. As they approached it, the -walk became more crowded with guests. Several times the minstrel was -petitioned to stay and sing, but he excused himself. He proceeded, -looking steadily at the ground, as is the custom of the very aged. -Amongst others, they met Maxtla, gay in his trappings as a parrot from -the Great River. - -"Good minstrel," he said, "in your wanderings through the garden, have -you seen Iztlil', the Tezcucan?" - -"I have not seen the Tezcucan. I should look for him in the great hall, -where his bride is, rather than in the garden, dreaming of his bridal." - -"Well said, uncle! I infer your harp is not carried for show; you can -sing! I will try you after a while." - -When he was gone, the minstrel spoke bitterly,-- - -"Beware of the thing known in the great house yonder as policy. A week -ago the lord Maxtla would have scorned to be seen hunting the Tezcucan, -whom he hates." - -They came to a portal above which, in a niche of the wall, sat the -_teotl_[34] of the house, grimly claiming attention and worship. Under -the portal, past the guard on duty there, through many apartments full -of objects of wonder to the stranger, they proceeded, and, at last, with -a current of guests slowly moving in the same direction, reached the -hall dominated by the king, where the minstrel thought to find the -princess Tula. - -"O my friend, I pray you, let me stay here a moment," said the warrior, -abashed by dread of the sudden introduction to the royal presence. The -singer heard not, but went on. - -Standing by the door, the young stranger looked down a hall of great -depth eastwardly, broken by two rows of pillars supporting vast oaken -girders, upon which rested rafters of red cedar. The walls were divided -into panels, with borders broad and intricately arabesqued. A massive -bracket in the centre of each panel held the image of a deity, the -duplicate of the idol in the proper sanctuary; and from the feet of the -image radiated long arms of wood, well carved, crooked upward at the -elbows, and ending with shapely hands, clasping lanterns of _aguave_ -which emitted lights of every tint. In the central space, between the -rows of pillars, immense chandeliers dropped from the rafters, so -covered with lamps that they looked like pyramids aglow. And arms, and -images, and chandeliers, and even the huge pillars, were wreathed in -garlands of cedar boughs and flowers, from which the air drew a -redolence as of morning in a garden. - -Through all these splendors, the gaze of the visitor sped to the further -end of the hall, and there stayed as charmed. He saw a stage, bright -with crimson carpeting, rising three steps above the floor, and -extending from wall to wall; and on that, covered with green _plumaje_, -a dais, on which, in a chair or throne glittering with burnished gold, -the king sat. Above him spread a canopy fashioned like a broad sunshade, -the staff resting on the floor behind the throne, sustained by two -full-armed warriors, who, while motionless as statues, were yet vigilant -as sentinels. Around the dais, their costumes and personal decorations -sharing the monarch's splendor, were collected his queens, and their -children, and all who might claim connection with the royal family. The -light shone about them as the noonday, so full that all that portion of -the hall seemed bursting with sunshine. Never satin richer than the -emerald cloth of the canopy, inwoven, as it was, with feathers of -humming-birds! Never sheen of stars, to the eyes of the wondering -stranger, sharper than the glinting of the jewels with which it was -fringed! - -And the king appeared in happier mood than common, though the deep, -serious look which always accompanies a great care came often to his -face. He had intervals of silence also; yet his shrewdest guests were -not permitted to see that he did not enjoy their enjoyment. - -His queens were seated at his left, Tecalco deeply troubled, sometimes -tearful, and Acatlan cold and distant; for, in thought of her own child, -the beautiful Nenetzin, she trembled before the remorseless policy. - -And Tula, next to the king the recipient of attention, sat in front of -her mother, never more queenly, never so unhappy. Compliments came to -her, and congratulations, given in courtly style; minstrels extolled her -grace and beauty, and the prowess and martial qualities of the high-born -Tezcucan; and priest and warrior laid their homage at her feet. Yet her -demeanor was not that of the glad young bride; she never smiled, and her -eyes, commonly so lustrous, were dim and hopeless; her thoughts were -with her heart, across the lake with the banished 'tzin. - -As may be conjectured, it was no easy game to steal her from place so -conspicuous; nevertheless, Nenetzin awaited the opportunity. - -It happened that Maxtla was quite as anxious to get the monarch's ear -for the benefit of his friend, the Chalcan,--in fact, for the -introduction of the latter's newly invented drink. Experience taught the -chief when the felicitous moment arrived. He had then but to say the -word: a page was sent, the liquor brought. Montezuma sipped, smiled, -quaffed deeper, and was delighted. - -"There is nothing like it!" he said. "Bring goblets for my friends, and -fill up again!" - -All the lordly personages about him had then to follow his example,--to -drink and approve. At the end, Xoli was summoned. - -Nenetzin saw the chance, and said, "O Tula, such a song as we have -heard! It was sweeter than that of the bird that wakes us in the -morning, sweeter than all the flutes in the hall." - -"And the singer,--who was he?" - -Neither Nenetzin nor Yeteve could tell his name. - -"He charmed us so," said the former, "that we thought only of taking you -to hear him. Come, go with us. There never was such music or musician." - -And the three came down from the platform unobserved by the king. When -the minstrel's message was delivered, then was shown how well the -Tezcucan had spoken when he said of the royal children, "They are all -beautiful, but only one is fitted to be a warrior's wife." - -"Let us see the man," said Tula. "How may we know him, Nenetzin?" - -And they went about eagerly looking for the singer with the gray locks -and the vine-wreathed harp. They found him at last about midway the -hall, leaning on his staff, a solitary amidst the throng. No one thought -of asking him for a song; he was too old, too like one come from a tomb -with unfashionable stories. - -"Father," said Tula, "we claim your service. You look weary, yet you -must know the ancient chants, which, though I would not like to say it -everywhere, please me best. Will you sing?" - -He raised his head, and looked at her: she started. Something she saw in -his eyes that had escaped her friends. - -"A song from me!" he replied, as if astonished. "No, it cannot be. I -have known some gentle hearts, and studied them to remember; but long -since they went to dust. You do not know me. Imagining you discerned of -what I was thinking, you were moved; you only pitied me, here so -desolate." - -As he talked, she recovered her composure. - -"Will you sing for me, father?" she again asked. - -"O willingly! My memory is not so good as it used to be; yet one song, -at least, I will give you from the numberless ills that crowd it." - -He looked slowly and tremulously around at the guests who had followed -her, or stopped, as they were passing, to hear the conversation. - -"As you say," he then continued, "I am old and feeble, and it is -wearisome to stand here; besides, my theme will be sad, and such as -should be heard in quiet. Time was when my harp had honor,--to me it -seems but yesterday; but now--enough! Here it were not well that my -voice should be heard." - -She caught his meaning, and her whole face kindled; but Nenetzin spoke -first. - -"O yes; let us to the garden!" - -The minstrel bowed reverently. As they started, a woman, who had been -listening, said, "Surely, the noble Tula is not going! The man is a -dotard; he cannot sing; he is palsied." - -But they proceeded, and through the crowd and out of the hall guided the -trembling minstrel. Coming to a passage that seemed to be deserted, they -turned into it, and Nenetzin, at Tula's request, went back to the king. -Then a change came over the good man; his stooping left him, his step -became firm, and, placing himself in front, he said, in a deep, strong -voice,-- - -"It is mine to lead now. I remember these halls. Once again, O Tula, let -me lead you here, as I have a thousand times in childhood." - -And to a chamber overlooking the garden, by the hand he led her, -followed by Yeteve, sobbing like a child. A dim light from the lamps -without disclosed the walls hung with trophies captured in wars with the -surrounding tribes and nations. Where the rays were strongest, he -stopped, and removed the hood, and said, earnestly,-- - -"Against the king's command, and loving you better than life, O Tula, -Guatamozin has come to say farewell." - -There was a great silence; each heard the beating of the other's heart. - -"You have passed from me," he continued, "and I send my grief after you. -I look into your face, and see fade our youth, our hopes, and our love, -and all the past that bore it relation. The days of pleasantness are -ended; the spring that fed the running brook is dry. O Tula, dear one, -the bird that made us such sweet music is songless forever!" - -Her anguish was too deep for the comfort of words or tears. Closer he -clasped her hand. - -"O, that power should be so faithless! Here are banners that I have -taken. Yonder is a shield of a king of Michuaca whom I slew. I well -remember the day. Montezuma led the army; the fight was hard, the peril -great; and after I struck the blow, he said I had saved his life, and -vowed me boundless love and a splendid reward. What a passion the field -of fighting men was! And yet there was another always greater. I had -dwelt in the palace, and learned that in the smile of the noble Tula -there was to my life what the sunshine is to the flower." - -He faltered, then continued brokenly,-- - -"He had honors, palaces, provinces, and crowns to bestow; but witness, O -gods, whose sacred duty it is to punish ingratitude,--witness that I -cared more to call Tula wife than for all the multitude of his -princeliest gifts!" - -And now fast ran the tears of the princess, through sorrow rising to -full womanhood, while the murky chamber echoed with the sobs of Yeteve. -If the ghost of the barbarian king yet cared for the shield he died -defending, if it were there present, seeing and hearing, its revenge was -perfect. - -"If Guatamozin--so dear to me now, so dear always--will overlook the -womanly selfishness that could find a pleasure in his grief, I will -prove that he has not loved unworthily. You have asked nothing of me, -nor urged any counsel, and I thank you for the moderation. I thank you, -also, that you have spoken as if this sorrow were not yours more than -mine. Most of all, O 'tzin, I thank you for not accusing me. Need I say -how I hate the Tezcucan? or that I am given away against my will? I am -to go as a price, as so much _cocoa_, in purchase of the fealty of a -wretch who would league with Mictlan to humble my father. I am a weak -woman, without tribes or banner, and therefore the wrong is put upon me. -But have I no power?" And, trembling with the strong purpose, she laid -her hand upon his breast. "Wife will I never be except of Guatamozin. I -am the daughter of a king. My father, at least, should know me. He may -sell me, but, thank the holy gods, I am the keeper of my own life. And -what would life be with the base Tezcucan for my master? Royal power in -a palace of pearl and gold would not make it worth the keeping. O 'tzin, -you never threw a worthless leaf upon the lake more carelessly than I -would then fling this poor body there!" - -Closer to his heart he pressed the hand on his breast. - -"To you, to you, O Tula, be the one blessing greater than all others -which the gods keep back in the Sun! So only can you be rewarded. I take -your words as an oath. Keep them, only keep them, and I will win for you -all that can be won by man. What a time is coming--" - -Just then a joyous cry and a burst of laughter from the garden -interrupted his passionate speech, and recalled him to himself and the -present,--to the present, which was not to be satisfied with lovers' -rhapsodies. And so he said, when next he spoke,-- - -"You have answered my most jealous wish. Go back now; make no objection -to the Tezcucan: the betrothal is not the bridal. The king and Iztlil' -cannot abide together in peace. I know them." - -And sinking his voice, he added, "Your hand is on my heart, and by its -beating you cannot fail to know how full it is of love. Take my blessing -to strengthen you. Farewell. I will return to my gardens and dreams." - -"To dreams! And with such a storm coming upon Anahuac!" said Tula. "No, -no; to dream is mine." - -Up, clear to his vision, rose the destiny prophesied for him by Mualox. -As he pondered it, she said, tearfully,-- - -"I love my father, and he is blind or mad. Now is his peril greatest, -now most he needs friendship and help. O 'tzin, leave him not,--I -conjure you by his past kindness! Remember I am his child." - -Thereupon he dropped her hand, and walked the floor, while the banners -and the shields upon the walls, and the mute glory they perpetuated, -whispered of the wrong and shame he was enduring. When he answered, she -knew how great the struggle had been, and that the end was scarcely a -victory. - -"You have asked that of me, my beloved, which is a sore trial," he said. -"I will not deny that the great love I bore your father is disturbed by -bitterness. Think how excessive my injury is,--I who revered as a son, -and have already put myself in death's way for him. In the halls, and -out in the gardens, my name has been a jest to-night. And how the -Tezcucan has exulted! It is hard for the sufferer to love his -wrong-doer,--O so hard! But this I will, and as an oath take the -promise: as long as the king acts for Anahuac, not imperilling her -safety or glory, so long will I uphold him; this, O Tula, from love of -country, and nothing more!" - -And as the future was veiled against the woman and dutiful child, she -replied simply, "I accept the oath. Now lead me hence." - -He took her hand again, and said, "In peril of life I came to say -farewell forever; but I will leave a kiss upon your forehead, and plant -its memory in your heart, and some day come again to claim you mine." - -And he put his arm around her, and left the kiss on her forehead, and, -as the ancient he entered, conducted the unhappy princess from the -chamber of banners back to the hall of betrothal. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [34] A household god. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - THE CHANT. - - -"If you have there anything for laughter, Maxtla, I bid you welcome," -said the king, his guests around him. - -And the young chief knelt on the step before the throne, and answered -with mock solemnity, "Your servant, O king, knows your great love of -minstrelsy, and how it delights you to make rich the keeper of a harp -who sings a good song well. I have taken one who bears him like a noble -singer, and has age to warrant his experience." - -"Call you that the man?" asked the king, pointing to Guatamozin. - -"He is the man." - -The monarch laughed, and all the guests listening laughed. Now, -minstrels were common on all festive occasions; indeed, an Aztec banquet -was no more perfect without them than without guests: but it was seldom -the royal halls were graced by one so very aged; so that the bent form -and gray locks, that at other places and times would have insured safety -and respect, now excited derision. The men thought his presence there -presumptuous, the women laughed at him as a dotard. In brief, the -'tzin's peril was very great. - -He seemed, however, the picture of aged innocence, and stood before the -throne, his head bowed, his face shaded by the hood, leaning humbly on -his staff, and clasping the harp close to his breast, the vines yet -about it. So well did he observe his disguise, that none there, save -Tula and Yeteve, might dream that the hood and dark gown concealed the -boldest warrior in Tenochtitlan. The face of the priestess was turned -away; but the princess sat a calm witness of the scene; either she had -too much pride to betray her solicitude, or a confidence in his address -so absolute that she felt none. - -"He is none of ours," said the king, when he had several times scanned -the minstrel. "If the palace ever knew him, it was in the days of -Axaya', from whose tomb he seems to have come." - -"As I came in from the garden, I met him going out," said Maxtla, in -explanation. "I could not bear that my master should lose such a promise -of song. Besides, I have heard the veterans in service often say that -the ancient chants were the best, and I thought it a good time to test -the boast." - -The gray courtiers frowned, and the king laughed again. - -"My minstrel here represented that old time so well," continued Maxtla, -"that at first I was full of reverence; therefore I besought him to -come, and before you, O king, sing the chants that used to charm your -mighty father. I thought it no dishonor for him to compete with the -singers now in favor, they giving us something of the present time. He -declined in courtliest style; saying that, though his voice was good, he -was too old, and might shame the ancient minstrelsy; and that, from what -he had heard, my master delighted only in things of modern invention. A -javelin in the hand of a sentinel ended the argument, and he finally -consented. Wherefore, O king, I claim him captive, to whom, if it be -your royal pleasure, I offer liberty, if he will sing in competition -before this noble company." - -What sport could be more royal than such poetic contest,--the old reign -against the new? Montezuma welcomed the idea. - -"The condition is reasonable," he said. "Is there a minstrel in the -valley to call it otherwise?" - -In a tone scarcely audible, though all were silent that they might hear, -the 'tzin answered,-- - -"Obedience was the first lesson of every minstrel of the old time; but -as the master we served loved us as his children, we never had occasion -to sing for the purchase of our liberty. And more,--the capture of a -harmless singer, though he were not aged as your poor slave, O king, was -not deemed so brave a deed as to be rewarded by our master's smile." - -The speech, though feebly spoken, struck both the king and his chief. - -"Well done, uncle!" said the former, laughing. "And since you have -tongue so sharp, we remove the condition--" - -"Thanks, many thanks, most mighty king! May the gods mete you nothing -but good! I will depart." And the 'tzin stooped till his harp struck the -floor. - -The monarch waved his hand. "Stay. I merely spoke of the condition that -made your liberty depend upon your song. Go, some of you, and call my -singers." A courtier hurried away, then the king added, "It shall be -well for him who best strikes the strings. I promise a prize that shall -raise him above trouble, and make his life what a poet's ought to be." - -Guatamozin advanced, and knelt on the step from which Maxtla had risen, -and said, his voice sounding tremulous with age and infirmity,-- - -"If the great king will deign to heed his servant again,--I am old and -weak. There was a time when I would have rejoiced to hear a prize so -princely offered in such a trial. But that was many, many summers ago. -And this afternoon, in my hut by the lake-shore, when I took my harp, -all covered with dust, from the shelf where it had so long lain -untouched and neglected, and wreathed it with this fresh vine, thinking -a gay dress might give it the appearance of use, and myself a deceitful -likeness to the minstrel I once was, alas! I did not think of my -trembling hand and my shattered memory, or of trial like this. I only -knew that a singer, however humble, was privileged at your banquet, and -that the privilege was a custom of the monarchs now in their halls in -the Sun,--true, kingly men, who, at time like this, would have put gold -in my hand, and bade me arise, and go in peace. Is Montezuma more -careless of his glory? Will he compel my song, and dishonor my gray -hair, that I may go abroad in Tenochtitlan and tell the story? In pity, -O king, suffer me to depart." - -The courtiers murmured, and even Maxtla relented, but the king said, -"Good uncle, you excite my curiosity the more. If your common speech -have in it such a vein of poetry, what must the poetry be? And then, -does not your obstinacy outmeasure my cruelty? Get ready, I hold the -fortune. Win it, and I am no king if it be not yours." - -The interest of the bystanders now exceeded their pity. It was novel to -find one refusing reward so rich, when the followers of his art were -accustomed to gratify an audience, even one listener, upon request. - -And, seeing that escape from the trial was impossible, this 'tzin arose, -resolved to act boldly. Minstrelsy, as practised by the Aztecs, it must -be remembered, was not singing so much as a form of chanting, -accompanied by rhythmical touches of the lyre or harp,--of all kinds of -choral music the most primitive. This he had practised, but in the -solitude of his study. The people present knew the 'tzin Guatamo, -supposed to be in his palace across the lake, as soldier, scholar, and -prince, but not as poet or singer of heroic tales. So that confident -minstrelsy was now but another, if not a surer, disguise. And the eyes -of the princess Tula shining upon him calmly and steadily, he said, his -voice this time trembling with suppressed wrath,-- - -"Be it so, O king! Let the singers come,--let them come. Your slave will -fancy himself before the great Axaya', or your father, not less royal. -He will forget his age, and put his trust in the god whose story he will -sing." - -Then other amusements were abandoned, and, intelligence of the trial -flying far and fast, lords and ladies, soldiers and priests crowded -about the throne and filled the hall. That any power of song could -belong to one so old and unknown was incredible. - -"He is a provincial,--the musician of one of the hamlets," said a -courtier, derisively. - -"Yes," sneered another, "he will tell how the flood came, and drowned -the harvest in his neighborhood." - -"Or," ventured a third, "how a ravenous vulture once descended from the -hills, and carried off his pet rabbit." - -By and by the royal minstrels came,--sleek, comely men, wearing long -stoles fringed with gold, and having harps inlaid with pearl, and strung -with silver wires. With scarce a glance at their humble competitor, they -ranged themselves before the monarch. - -The trial began. One after another, the favorites were called upon. The -first sang of love, the next of his mistress, the third of Lake Tezcuco, -the fourth of Montezuma, his power, wisdom, and glory. Before all were -through, the patience of the king and crowd was exhausted. The pabas -wanted something touching religion, the soldiers something heroic and -resounding with war; and all waited for the stranger, as men listening -to a story wait for the laughter it may chance to excite. How were they -surprised! Before the womanly tones of the last singer ceased, the old -man dropped his staff, and, lifting his harp against his breast, struck -its chords, and in a voice clear and vibratory as the blast of a shell, -a voice that filled the whole hall, and startled maid and king alike, -began his chant. - - - QUETZAL'. - - Beloved of the Sun! Mother of the - Brave! Azatlan, the North-born! Heard be thou - In my far launched voice! I sing to thy - Listening children of thee and Heaven. - Vale in the Sun, where dwell the Gods! Sum of - The beautiful art thou! Thy forests are - Flowering trees; of crystal and gold thy - Mountains; and liquid light are thy rivers - Flowing, all murmurous with songs, over - Beds of stars. O Vale of Gods, the summery - Sheen that flecks Earth's seas, and kisses its mountains, - And fairly floods its plains, we know is of thee,-- - A sign sent us from afar, that we may - Feebly learn how beautiful is Heaven! - -The singer rested a moment; then, looking in the eyes of the king, with -a rising voice, he continued,-- - - Richest hall in all the Vale is Quetzal's-- - -At that name Montezuma started. The minstrel noted well the sign. - - O, none so fair as Quetzal's! The winds that - Play among its silver columns are Love's - Light laughter, while of Love is all the air - About. From its orient porch the young - Mornings glean the glory with which they rise - On earth. - First God and fairest was Quetzal'. - As him O none so full of holiness, - And by none were men so lov'd! Sat he always - In his hall, in deity rob'd, watching - Humanity, its genius, and its struggles - Upward. But most he watch'd its wars,--no hero - Fell but he call'd the wand'ring soul in love - To rest with him forever. - Sat he once - Thus watching, and where least expected, in - The far North, by stormy Winter rul'd, up - From the snows he saw a Nation rise. Shook - Their bolts, glistened their shields, flashed the - Light of their fierce eyes. A king, in wolf-skin - Girt, pointed Southward, and up the hills, through - The air, to the Sun, flew the name--Azatlan. - Then march'd they; by day and night they march'd,--march'd - Ever South, across the desert, up the - Mountains, down the mountains; leaping rivers, - Smiting foes, taking cities,--thus they march'd; - Thus, a cloud of eagles, roll'd they from the - North; thus on the South they fell, as autumn - Frosts upon the fruits of summer fall. - -And now the priests were glad,--the singer sung of Heaven; and the -warriors were aroused,--his voice was like a battle-cry, and the theme -was the proud tradition of the conquering march of their fathers from -the distant North. Sitting with clasped hands and drooped head, the king -followed the chant, like one listening to an oracle. Yet stronger grew -the minstrel's voice,-- - - Pass'd - Many years of toil, and still the Nation march'd; - Still Southward strode the king; still Sunward rose - The cry of _Azatlan! Azatlan!_ And - Warmer, truer, brighter grew the human - Love of Quetzal'. He saw them reach a lake; - As dew its waves were clear; like lover's breath - The wind flew o'er it. 'Twas in the clime of - Starry nights,--the clime of orange-groves and - Plumy palms. - Then Quetzal' from his watching - Rose. Aside he flung his sunly symbols. - Like a falling star, from the Vale of Gods - He dropp'd, like a falling star shot through the - Shoreless space; like a golden morning reach'd - The earth,--reach'd the lake. Then stay'd the Nation's - March. Still Sunward rose the cry, but Southward - Strode the king no more. - In his roomy heart, in - The chambers of its love, Quetzal' took the - Nation. He swore its kings should be his sons,-- - They should conquer, by the Sun, he swore! In - The laughing Lake he bade them build; and up - Sprang Tenochtitlan, of the human love - Of Quetzal child; up rose its fire-lit towers, - Outspread its piles, outstretched its streets - Of stone and wave. And as the city grew, - Still stronger grew the love of Quetzal'. - Thine - Is the Empire. To the shields again, O - Azatlan! 'Twas thus he spoke; and feather'd - Crest and oaken spear, the same that from the - North came conquering, through the valley, - On a wave of war went swiftly floating. - Down before the flaming shields fell all the - Neighb'ring tribes; open flew the cities' gates; - Fighting kings gave up their crowns; from the hills - The Chichimecan fled; on temple towers - The Toltec fires to scattering ashes - Died. Like a scourge upon the city, like - A fire across the plain, like storms adown - The mountain,--such was Azatlan that day - It went to battle! Like a monarch 'mid - His people, like a god amid the Heavens, - O such was Azatlan, victor from the - Battle, the Empire in its hand! - -At this point the excitement of the audience rose into interruption: -they clapped their hands and stamped; some shouted. As the strong voice -rolled the grand story on, even the king's dread of the god disappeared; -and had the 'tzin concluded then, the prize had certainly been his. But -when the silence was restored, he resumed the attitude so proper to his -disguise, and, sinking his voice and changing the measure of the chant, -solemnly proceeded,-- - - As the river runneth ever, like the river ran the love of - Quetzal'. The clime grew softer, and the Vale fairer. To weave, and - trade, - And sow, and build, he taught, with countless other ways of peace. - He broke - The seals of knowledge, and unveiled the mystic paths of wisdom; - Gathered gold from the earth, and jewels from the streams; and happy - Peace, as terrible in war, became Azatlan. Only one more - Blessing,--a religion sounding of a quiet heaven and a - Godly love,--this only wanted Azatlan. And alas, for the - Sunly Quetzal'! He built a temple, with a single tower, a - Temple over many chambers. - -Slowly the 'tzin repeated the last sentence, and under his gaze the -monarch's face changed visibly. - - Worship he asked, and offerings, - And sacrifices, not of captives, heart-broken and complaining, - But of blooming flowers, and ripened fruits, emblems of love, and - peace, - And beauty. Alas, for the gentle Quetzal'! Cold grew the people - Lov'd so well. A little while they worshipped; then, as bees go no - More to a withered flower, they forsook his shrine, and mock'd his - Image. His love, longest lingering, went down at last, but slowly - Went, as the brook, drop by drop, runs dry in the drought of a - rainless - Summer. Wrath 'rose instead. Down in a chamber below the temple, - A chamber full of gold and unveiled splendor, beneath the Lake that - Long had ceased its laughing, thither went the god, and on the walls, - On the marble and the gold, he wrote-- - -The improvisation, if such it was, now wrought its full effect upon -Montezuma, who saw the recital coming nearer and nearer to the dread -mysteries of the golden chamber in the old Cû. At the beginning of the -last sentence, the blood left his face, and he leaned forward as if to -check the speech, at the same time some master influence held him -wordless. His look was that of one seeing a vision. The vagaries of a -mind shaken by days and nights of trouble are wonderful; sometimes they -are fearful. How easy for his distempered fancy to change the minstrel, -with his white locks and venerable countenance, into a servant of -Quetzal', sent by the god to confirm the interpretation and prophecies -of his other servant Mualox. At the last word, he arose, and, with an -imperial gesture, cried,-- - -"Peace--enough!" - -[Illustration: THE MONARCH'S FACE CHANGED VISIBLY] - -Then his utterance failed him,--another vision seemed to fix his -gaze. The audience, thrilling with fear, turned to see what he saw, and -heard a commotion, which, from the further end of the hall, drew slowly -near the throne, and ceased not until Mualox, in his sacrificial robes, -knelt upon the step in the minstrel's place. Montezuma dropped into his -throne, and, covering his eyes with his hands, said faintly,-- - -"Evil betides me, father, evil betides me! But I am a king. Speak what -you can!" - -Mualox prostrated himself until his white hair covered his master's -feet. - -"Again, O king, your servant comes speaking for his god." - -"For the god, Mualox?" - -The hall became silent as a tomb. - -"I come," the holy man continued, "to tell the king that Quetzal' has -landed, this time on the sea-shore in Cempoalla. At set of sun his power -was collected on the beach. Summon all your wisdom,--the end is at -hand." - -All present and hearing listened awe-struck. Of the warriors, not one, -however battle-tried, but trembled with undefined terror. And who may -accuse them? The weakness was from fear of a supposed god; their heathen -souls, after the manner of the Christian, asked, Who may war against -Heaven? - -"Rise, Mualox! You love me; I have no better servant," said the king, -with dignity, but so sadly that even the prophet's heart was touched. -"It is not for me to say if your news be good or evil. All things, even -my Empire, are in the care of the gods. To-morrow I will hold a council -to determine how this visit may be best met." With a mighty effort he -freed his spirit of the influence of the untimely visitation, and said, -with a show of unconcern, "Leave the morrow to whom it belongs, my -children. Let us now to the ceremony which was to crown the night. Come -forward, son of 'Hualpilli! Room for the lord Iztlil', my friends!" - -Tula looked down, and the queen Tecalco bowed her face upon the shoulder -of the queen Acatlan; and immediately, all differences lost in loving -loyalty, the caciques and chiefs gathered before him,--a nobility as -true and chivalric as ever fought beneath an infidel banner. - -And they waited, but the Tezcucan came not. - -"Go, Maxtla. Seek the lord Iztlil', and bring him to my presence." - -Through the palace and through the gardens they sought the recreant -lover. And the silence of the waiting in the great hall was painful. -Guest looked in the face of guest, mute, yet asking much. The prince -Cacama whispered to the prince Cuitlahua, "It is a happy interference of -the gods!" - -Tecalco wept on, but not from sorrow, and the eyes of the devoted -princess were lustrous for the first time; hope had come back to the -darkened soul. - -And the monarch said little, and erelong retired. A great portion of the -company, despite his injunction, speedily followed his example, leaving -the younger guests, with what humor they could command, to continue the -revel till morning. - -Next day at noon couriers from Cempoalla confirmed the announcement of -Mualox. Cortes had indeed landed; and that Good Friday was the last of -the perfect glory of Anahuac. - -Poor king! Not long now until I may sing for thee the lamentation of the -Gothic Roderick, whose story is but little less melancholy than thine. - - He look'd for the brave captains that led the hosts of Spain, - But all were fled, except the dead,--and who could count the slain? - Where'er his eye could wander all bloody was the plain; - And while thus he said the tears he shed ran down his cheeks like - rain. - - Last night I was the king of Spain: to-day no king am I. - Last night fair castles held my train: to-night where shall I lie? - Last night a hundred pages did serve me on the knee, - To-night not one I call my own,--not one pertains to me.[35] - -FOOTNOTES: - - [35] The fifth and sixth verses of the famous Spanish ballad, "The - Lamentation of Don Roderic." The translation I have borrowed - from Lockhart's Spanish Ballads.--TR. - - - - - BOOK THREE. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - THE FIRST COMBAT. - - -The 'tzin's companion the night of the banquet, as the reader has no -doubt anticipated, was Hualpa, the Tihuancan. To an adventure of his, -more luckless than his friend's, I now turn. - -It will be remembered that the 'tzin left him at the door of the great -hall. In a strange scene, without a guide, it was natural for him to be -ill at ease; light-hearted and fearless, however, he strolled leisurely -about, at one place stopping to hear a minstrel, at another to observe a -dance, and all the time half confused by the maze and splendor of all he -beheld. In such awe stood he of the monarch, that he gave the throne a -wide margin, contented from a distance to view the accustomed -interchanges of courtesy between the guests and their master. Finding, -at last, that he could not break through the bashfulness acquired in his -solitary life among the hills, and imitate the ease and nonchalance of -those born, as it were, to the lordliness of the hour, he left the -house, and once more sought the retiracy of the gardens. Out of doors, -beneath the stars, with the fresh air in his nostrils, he felt at home -again, the whilom hunter, ready for any emprise. - -As to the walk he should follow he had no choice, for in every direction -he heard laughter, music, and conversation; everywhere were flowers and -the glow of lamps. Merest chance put him in a path that led to the -neighborhood of the museum. - -Since the night shut in,--be it said in a whisper,--a memory of -wonderful brightness had taken possession of his mind. Nenetzin's face, -as he saw it laughing in the door of the kiosk when Yeteve called the -'tzin for a song, he thought outshone the lamplight, the flowers, and -everything most beautiful about his path; her eyes were as stars, -rivalling the insensate ones in the mead above him. He remembered them, -too, as all the brighter for the tears through which they had looked -down,--alas! not on him, but upon his reverend comrade. If Hualpa was -not in love, he was, at least, borrowing wings for a flight of that -kind. - -Indulging the delicious revery, he came upon some nobles, conversing, -and quite blocking up the way, though going in his direction. He -hesitated; but, considering that, as a guest, the freedom of the garden -belonged equally to him, he proceeded, and became a listener. - -"People call him a warrior. They know nothing of what makes a warrior; -they mistake good fortune, or what the traders in the _tianguez_ call -luck, for skill. Take his conduct at the combat of Quetzal' as an -example; say he threw his arrows well: yet it was a cowardly war. How -much braver to grasp the _maquahuitl_, and rush to blows! That requires -manhood, strength, skill. To stand back, and kill with a chance -arrow,--a woman could do as much." - -The 'tzin was the subject of discussion, and the voice that of Iztlil', -the Tezcucan. Hualpa moved closer to the party. - -"I thought his course in that combat good," said a stranger; "it gave -him opportunities not otherwise to be had. That he did not join the -assault cannot be urged against his courage. Had you, my lord Iztlil', -fallen like the Otompan, he would have been left alone to fight the -challengers. A fool would have seen the risk; a coward would not have -courted it." - -"That argument," replied Iztlil', "is crediting him with too much -shrewdness. By the gods, he never doubted the result,--not he! He knew -the Tlascalans would never pass my shield; he knew the victory was mine, -two against me as there were. A prince of Tezcuco was never conquered!" - -The spirit of the hunter was fast rising; yet he followed, listening. - -"And, my friends," the Tezcucan continued, "who better judged the -conduct of the combatants that day than the king? See the result. -To-night I take from the faint heart his bride, the woman he has loved -from boyhood. Then this banquet. In whose honor is it? What does it -celebrate? There is a prize to be awarded,--the prize of courage and -skill; and who gets it? And further, of the nobles and chiefs of the -valley, but one is absent,--he whose prudence exceeds his valor." - -In such strain the Tezcucan proceeded. And Hualpa, fully aroused, pushed -through the company to the speaker, but so quietly that those who -observed him asked no questions. Assured that the 'tzin must have -friends present, he waited for some one to take up his cause. His own -impulse was restrained by his great dread of the king, whose gardens he -knew were not fighting-grounds at any time or in any quarrel. But, as -the boastful prince continued, the resolve to punish him took definite -form with the Tihuancan,--to such degree had his admiration for the -'tzin already risen! Gradually the auditors dropped behind or -disappeared; finally but one remained,--a middle-aged, portly noble, -whose demeanor was not of the kind to shake the resolution taken. - -Hualpa made his first advance close by the eastern gate of the garden, -to which point he held himself in check lest the want of arms should -prove an apology for refusing the fight. - -"Will the lord Iztlil' stop?" he said, laying his hand on the Tezcucan's -arm. - -"I do not know you," was the answer. - -The sleek courtier also stopped, and stared broadly. - -"You do not know me! I will mend my fortune in that respect," returned -the hunter, mildly. "I have heard what you said so ungraciously -of my friend and comrade,"--the last word he emphasized -strongly,--"Guatamozin." Then he repeated the offensive words as -correctly as if he had been a practised herald, and concluded, "Now, you -know the 'tzin cannot be here to-night; you also know the reason; but, -for him and in his place, I say, prince though you are, you have basely -slandered an absent enemy." - -"Who are you?" asked the Tezcucan, surprised. - -"The comrade of Guatamozin, here to take up his quarrel." - -"You challenge me?" said Iztlil', in disdain. - -"Does a prince of Tezcuco, son of 'Hualpilli, require a blow? Take it -then." - -The blow was given. - -"See! Do I not bring you princely blood?" And, in his turn, Hualpa -laughed scornfully. - -The Tezcucan was almost choked with rage. "This to me,--to me,--a prince -and warrior!" he cried. - -A danger not considered by the rash hunter now offered itself. An outcry -would bring down the guard; and, in the event of his arrest, the united -representations of Iztlil' and his friend would be sufficient to have -him sent forthwith to the tigers. The pride of the prince saved him. - -"Have a care,--'tis an assassin! I will call the guard at the gate!" -said the courtier, alarmed. - -"Call them not, call them not! I am equal to my own revenge. O, for a -spear or knife,--anything to kill!" - -"Will you hear me,--a word?" the hunter said. "I am without arms also; -but they can be had." - -"The arms, the arms!" cried Iztlil', passionately. - -"We can make the sentinels at the gate clever by a few quills of gold; -and here are enough to satisfy them." Hualpa produced a handful of the -money. "Let us try them. Outside the gate the street is clear." - -The courtier protested, but the prince was determined. - -"The arms! Pledge my province and palaces,--everything for a -_maquahuitl_ now." - -They went to the gate and obtained the use of two of the weapons and as -many shields. Then the party passed into the street, which they found -deserted. To avoid the great thoroughfare to Iztapalapan, they turned to -the north, and kept on as far as the corner of the garden wall. - -"Stay we here," said the courtier. "Short time is all you want, lord -Iztlil'. The feathers on the hawk's wings are not full-fledged." - -The man spoke confidently; and it must be confessed that the Tezcucan's -reputation and experience justified the assurance. One advantage the -hunter had which his enemies both overlooked,--a surpassing composure. -From a temple near by a red light flared broadly over the place, -redeeming it from what would otherwise have been vague starlight; by its -aid they might have seen his countenance without a trace of excitement -or passion. One wish, and but one, he had,--that Guatamozin could -witness the trial. - -The impatience of the Tezcucan permitted but few preliminaries. - -"The gods of Mictlan require no prayers. Stand out!" he said. - -"Strike!" answered Hualpa. - -Up rose the glassy blades of the Tezcucan, flashing in the light; quick -and strong the blow, yet it clove but the empty air. "For the 'tzin!" -shouted the hunter, striking back before the other was half recovered. -The shield was dashed aside; a groan acknowledged a wound in the breast, -and Iztlil' staggered; another blow stretched him on the pavement. A -stream of blood, black in the night, stole slowly out over the flags. -The fight was over. The victor dropped the bladed end of his weapon, and -surveyed his foe, with astonishment, then pity. - -"Your friend is hurt; help him!" he said, turning to the courtier; but -he was alone,--the craven had run. For one fresh from the hills, this -was indeed a dilemma! A duel and a death in sight of the royal palace! A -chill tingled through his veins. He thought rapidly of the alarm, the -arrest, the king's wrath, and himself given to glut the monsters in the -menagerie. Up rose, also, the many fastnesses amid the cedared glades of -Tihuanco. Could he but reach them! The slaves of Montezuma, to please a -whim, might pursue and capture a quail or an eagle; but there he could -laugh at pursuit, while in Tenochtitlan he was nowhere safe. - -Sight of the flowing blood brought him out of the panic. He raised the -Tezcucan's arm, and tore the rich vestments from his breast. The wound -was a glancing one; it might not be fatal after all; to save him were -worth the trial. Taking off his own _maxtlatl_, he wound it tightly -round the body and over the cut. Across the street there was a small, -open house; lifting the wounded man gently as possible, he carried him -thither, and laid him in a darkened passage. Where else to convey him he -knew not; that was all he could do. Now for flight,--for Tihuanco. -Tireless and swift of foot shall they be who catch him on the way! - -He started for the lake, intending to cross in a canoe rather than by -the causeway; already a square was put behind, when it occurred to him -that the Tezcucan might have slaves and a palanquin waiting before the -palace door. He began, also, to reproach himself for the baseness of the -desertion. How would the 'tzin have acted? When the same Tezcucan lay -with the dead in the arena, who nursed him back to life? - -If Hualpa had wished his patron's presence at the beginning of the -combat, now, flying from imaginary dangers,--flying, like a startled -coward, from his very victory,--much did he thank the gods that he was -alone and unseen. In a kind of alcove, or resting-place for weary -walkers, with which, by the way, the thoroughfares of Tenochtitlan were -well provided, he sat down, recalled his wonted courage, and determined -on a course more manly, whatever the risk. - -Then he retraced his steps, and went boldly to the portal of the palace, -where he found the Tezcucan's palanquin. The slaves in charge followed -him without objection. - -"Take your master to his own palace. Be quick!" he said to them, when -the wounded man was transferred to the carriage. - -"It is in Tecuba," said one of them. - -"To Tecuba then." - -He did more; he accompanied the slaves. Along the street, across the -causeway, which never seemed of such weary length, they proceeded. On -the road the Tezcucan revived. He said little, and was passive in his -enemy's hands. From Tecuba the latter hastened back to Tenochtitlan, and -reached the portico of Xoli, the Chalcan, just as day broke over the -valley. - -And such was the hunter's first emprise as a warrior. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - THE SECOND COMBAT. - - -It is hardly worth while to detail the debate between Hualpa and Xoli; -enough to know that the latter, anticipating pursuit, hid the son of his -friend in a closet attached to his restaurant. - -That day, and many others, the police went up and down, ferreting for -the assassin of the noble Iztlil'. Few premises escaped their search. -The Chalcan's, amongst others, was examined, but without discovery. Thus -safely concealed, the hunter throve on the _cuisine_, and for the loss -of liberty was consoled by the gossip and wordy wisdom of his accessory, -and, by what was better, the gratitude of Guatamozin. In such manner two -weeks passed away, the longest and most wearisome of his existence. How -sick at heart he grew in his luxurious imprisonment; how he pined for -the old hills and woodlands; how he longed once more to go down the -shaded vales free-footed and fearless, stalking deer or following his -ocelot. Ah, what is ambition gratified to freedom lost! - -Unused to the confinement, it became irksome to him, and at length -intolerable. "When," he asked himself, "is this to end? Will the king -ever withdraw his huntsmen? Through whom am I to look or hope for -pardon?" He sighed, paced the narrow closet, and determined that night -to walk out and see if his old friends the stars were still in their -places, and take a draught of the fresh air, to his remembrance sweeter -than the new beverage of the Chalcan. And when the night came he was -true to his resolution. - -Pass we his impatience while waiting an opportunity to leave the house -unobserved; his attempts unsuccessfully repeated; his vexation at the -"noble patrons" who lounged in the apartments and talked so long over -their goblets. At a late hour he made good his exit. In the _tianguez_, -which was the first to receive him, booths and porticos were closed for -the night; lights were everywhere extinguished, except on the towers of -the temples. As morning would end his furlough and drive him back to the -hated captivity, he resolved to make the most of the night; he would -visit the lake, he would stroll through the streets. By the gods! he -would play freeman to the full. - -In his situation, all places were alike perilous,--houses, streets, -temples, and palaces. As, for that reason, one direction was good as -another, he started up the Iztapalapan street from the _tianguez_. -Passengers met him now and then; otherwise the great thoroughfare was -unusually quiet. Sauntering along in excellent imitation of careless -enjoyment, he strove to feel cheerful; but, in spite of his efforts, he -became lonesome, while his dread of the patrols kept him uneasy. Such -freedom, he ascertained, was not all his fancy colored it; yet it was -not so bad as his prison. On he went. Sometimes on a step, or in the -shade of a portico, he would sit and gaze at the houses as if they were -old friends basking in the moonlight; at the bridges he would also stop, -and, leaning over the balustrades, watch the waveless water in the canal -below, and envy the watermen asleep in their open canoes. The result was -a feeling of recklessness, sharpened by a yearning for something to do, -some place to visit, some person to see; in short, a thousand wishes, so -vague, however, that they amounted to nothing. - -In this mood he thought of Nenetzin, who, in the tedium of his -imprisonment, had become to him a constant dream,--a vision by which his -fancy was amused and his impatience soothed; a vision that faded not -with the morning, but at noon was sweet as at night. With the thought -came another,--the idea of an adventure excusable only in a lover. - -"The garden!" he said, stopping and thinking. "The garden! It is the -king's; so is the street. It is guarded; so is the city. I will be in -danger; but that is around me everywhere. By the gods! I will go to the -garden, and look at the house in which she sleeps." - -Invade the gardens of the great king at midnight! The project would have -terrified the Chalcan; the 'tzin would have forbade it; at any other -time, the adventurer himself would rather have gone unarmed into the den -of a tiger. The gardens were chosen places sacred to royalty; otherwise -they would have been without walls and without sentinels at the gates. -In the event of detection and arrest, the intrusion at such a time would -be without excuse; death was the penalty. - -But the venture was agreeable to the mood he was in; he welcomed it as a -relief from loneliness, as a rescue from his tormenting void of purpose; -if he saw the dangers, they were viewed in the charm of his gentle -passion,--griffins and goblins masked by Love, the enchanter. He started -at once; and now that he had an object before him, there was no more -loitering under porticos or on the bridges. As the squares were put -behind him, he repeated over and over, as a magical exorcism, "I will -look at the house in which she sleeps,--the house in which she sleeps." - -Once in his progress, he turned aside from the great street, and went up -a footway bordering a canal. At the next street, however, he crossed a -bridge, and proceeded to the north again. Almost before he was aware of -it, he reached the corner of the royal garden, always to be remembered -by him as the place of his combat with the Tezcucan. But so intent was -he upon his present project he scarcely gave it a second look. - -The wall was but little higher than his head, and covered with snowy -stucco; and where, over the coping, motionless in the moonshine, a -palm-tree lifted its graceful head, he boldly climbed, and entered the -sacred enclosure. Drawing his mantle close about him, he stole toward -the palace, selecting the narrow walks most protected by overhanging -shrubbery. - -A man's instinct is a good counsellor in danger; often it is the only -counsellor. Gliding through the shadows, cautiously as if hunting, he -seemed to hear a recurrent whisper,-- - -"Have a care, O hunter! This is not one of thy familiar places. The -gardens of the great king have other guardians than the stars. Death -awaits thee at every gate." - -But as often came the reply, "Nenetzin,--I will see the house in which -she sleeps." - -He held on toward the palace, never stopping until the top, here and -there crowned with low turrets, rose above the highest trees. Then he -listened intently, but heard not a sound of life from the princely pile. -He sought next a retreat, where, secure from observation, he might sit -in the pleasant air, and give wings to his lover's fancy. At last he -found one, a little retired from the central walk, and not far from a -tank, which had once been, if it were not now, the basin of a fountain. -Upon a bench, well shaded by a clump of flowering bushes, he stretched -himself at ease, and was soon absorbed. - -The course of his thought, in keeping with his youth, was to the future. -Most of the time, however, he had no distinct idea; revery, like an -evening mist, settled upon him. Sometimes he lay with closed eyes, -shutting himself in, as it were, from the world; then he stared vacantly -at the stars, or into those blue places in the mighty vault too deep for -stars; but most he loved to look at the white walls of the palace. And -for the time he was happy; his soul may be said to have been singing a -silent song to the unconscious Nenetzin. - -Once or twice he was disturbed by a noise, like the suppressed cry of a -child; but he attributed it to some of the restless animals in the -museum at the farther side of the garden. Half the night was gone; so -the watchers on the temples proclaimed; and still he stayed,--still -dreamed. - -About that time, however, he was startled by footsteps coming apparently -from the palace. He sat up, ready for action. The appearance of a man -alone and unarmed allayed his apprehension for the moment. Up the walk, -directly by the hiding-place, the stranger came. As he passed slowly on, -the intruder thrilled at beholding, not a guard or an officer, but -Montezuma in person! As far as the tank the monarch walked; there he -stopped, put his hands behind him, and looked moodily down into the -pool. - -Garden, palace, Nenetzin,--everything but the motionless figure by the -tank faded from Hualpa's mind. Fear came upon him; and no wonder: there, -almost within reach, at midnight, unattended, stood what was to him the -positive realization of power, ruler of the Empire, dispenser of richest -gifts, keeper of life and death! Guilty, and tremulously apprehensive -that he had been discovered, Hualpa looked each instant to be dragged -from his hiding. - -The space around the tank was clear, and strewn with shells perfectly -white in the moonlight. While the adventurer sat fixed to his seat, -watching the king, watching, also, a chance of escape, he saw something -come from the shrubbery, move stealthily out into the walk, then crouch -down. Now, as I have shown, he was brave; but this tested all his -courage. Out further crept the object, moving with the stillness of a -spirit. Scarcely could he persuade himself at first that it was not an -illusion begotten of his fears; but its form and movements, the very -stillness of its advance, at last identified it. In all his hunter's -experience, he had never seen an ocelot so large. The screams he had -heard were now explained,--the monster had escaped from the menagerie! - -I cannot say the recognition wrought a subsidence of Hualpa's fears. He -felt instinctively for his arms,--he had nothing but a knife of brittle -_itzli_. Then he thought of the stories he had heard of the ferocity of -the royal tigers, and of unhappy wretches flung, by way of punishment, -into their dens. He shuddered, and turned to the king, who still gazed -thoughtfully over the wall of the tank. - -Holy Huitzil'! the ocelot was creeping upon the monarch! The flash of -understanding that revealed the fact to Hualpa was like the lightning. -Breathlessly he noticed the course the brute was taking; there could be -no doubt. Another flash, and he understood the monarch's peril,--alone, -unarmed, before the guards at the gates or in the palace could come, the -struggle would be over; child of the Sun though he was, there remained -for him but one hope of rescue. - -As, in common with provincials generally, he cherished a reverence for -the monarch hardly secondary to that he felt for the gods, the Tihuancan -was inexpressibly shocked to see him subject to such a danger. An -impulse aside from native chivalry urged him to confront the ocelot; but -under the circumstances,--and he recounted them rapidly,--he feared the -king more than the brute. Brief time was there for consideration; each -moment the peril increased. He thought of the 'tzin, then of Nenetzin. - -"Now or never!" he said. "If the gods do but help me, I will prove -myself!" - -And he unlooped the mantle, and wound it about his left arm; the knife, -poor as it was, he took from his _maxtlatl_; then he was ready. Ah, if -he only had a javelin! - -To place himself between the king and his enemy was what he next set -about. Experience had taught him how much such animals are governed by -curiosity, and upon that he proceeded to act. On his hands and knees he -crept out into the walk. The moment he became exposed, the ocelot -stopped, raised its round head, and watched him with a gaze as intent as -his own. The advance was slow and stealthy; when the point was almost -gained, the king turned about. - -"Speak not, stir not, O king!" he cried, without stopping. "I will save -you,--no other can." - -From creeping man the monarch looked to crouching beast, and -comprehended the situation. - -Forward went Hualpa, now the chief object of attraction to the monster. -At last he was directly in front of it. - -"Call the guard and fly! It is coming now!" - -And through the garden rang the call. Verily, the hunter had become the -king! - -A moment after the ocelot lowered its head, and leaped. The Tihuancan -had barely time to put himself in posture to receive the attack, his -left arm serving as shield; upon his knee, he struck with the knife. The -blood flew, and there was a howl so loud that the shouts of the monarch -were drowned. The mantle was rent to ribbons; and through the feathers, -cloth, and flesh, the long fangs craunched to the bone,--but not without -return. This time the knife, better directed, was driven to the heart, -where it snapped short off, and remained. The clenched jaws relaxed. -Rushing suddenly in, Hualpa contrived to push the fainting brute into -the tank. He saw it sink, saw the pool subside to its calm, then turned -to Montezuma, who, though calling lustily for the guard, had stayed to -the end. Kneeling upon the stained shells, he laid the broken knife at -the monarch's feet, and waited for him to speak. - -"Arise!" the king said, kindly. - -The hunter stood up, splashed with blood, the fragments of his -_tilmatli_ clinging in shreds to his arm, his tunic torn, the hair -fallen over his face,--a most uncourtierlike figure. - -"You are hurt," said the king, directly. "I was once thought skilful -with medicines. Let me see." - -He found the wounds, and untying his own sash, rich with embroidery, -wrapped it in many folds around the bleeding arm. - -Meantime there was commotion in many quarters. - -"Evil take the careless watchers!" he said, sternly, noticing the rising -clamor. "Had I trusted them,--but are you not of the guard?" - -"I am the great king's slave,--his poorest slave, but not of his guard." - -Montezuma regarded him attentively. - -"It cannot be; an assassin would not have interfered with the ocelot. -Take up the knife, and follow me." - -Hualpa obeyed. On the way they met a number of the guard running in -great perplexity; but without a word to them, the monarch walked on, and -into the palace. In a room where there were tables and seats, books and -writing materials, maps on the walls and piles of them on the floor, he -stopped, and seated himself. - -"You know what truth is, and how the gods punish falsehood," he began; -then, abruptly, "How came you in the garden?" - -Hualpa fell on his knees, laid his palm on the floor, and answered -without looking up, for such he knew to be a courtly custom. - -"Who may deceive the wise king Montezuma? I will answer as to the gods: -the gardens are famous in song and story, and I was tempted to see them, -and climbed the wall. When you came to the fountain, I was close by; and -while waiting a chance to escape, I saw the ocelot creeping upon you; -and--and--the great king is too generous to deny his slave the pardon he -risked his life for." - -"Who are you?" - -"I am from the province of Tihuanco. My name is Hualpa." - -"Hualpa, Hualpa," repeated the king, slowly. "You serve Guatamozin." - -"He is my friend and master, O king." - -Montezuma started. "Holy gods, what madness! My people have sought you -far and wide to feed you to the tiger in the tank." - -Hualpa faltered not. - -"O king, I know I am charged with the murder of Iztlil', the Tezcucan. -Will it please you to hear my story?" - -And taking the assent, he gave the particulars of the combat, not -omitting the cause. "I did not murder him," he concluded. "If he is -dead, I slew him in fair fight, shield to shield, as a warrior may, with -honor, slay a foeman." - -"And you carried him to Tecuba?" - -"Before the judges, if you choose, I will make the account good." - -"Be it so!" the monarch said, emphatically. "Two days hence, in the -court, I will accuse you. Have there your witnesses: it is a matter of -life and death. Now, what of your master, the 'tzin?" - -The question was dangerous, and Hualpa trembled, but resolved to be -bold. - -"If it be not too presumptuous, most mighty king,--if a slave may seem -to judge his master's judgment by the offer of a word--" - -"Speak! I give you liberty." - -"I wish to say," continued Hualpa, "that in the court there are many -noble courtiers who would die for you, O king; but, of them all, there -is not one who so loves you, or whose love could be made so profitable, -being backed by skill, courage, and wisdom, as the generous prince whom -you call my master. In his banishment he has chosen to serve you; for -the night the strangers landed in Cempoalla, he left his palace in -Iztapalapan, and entered their camp in the train of the governor of -Cotastlan. Yesterday a courier, whom you rewarded richly for his speed -in coming, brought you portraits of the strangers, and pictures of their -arms and camp; that courier was Guatamozin, and his was the hand that -wrought the artist's work. O, much as your faculties become a king, you -have been deceived: he is not a traitor." - -"Who told you such a fine minstrel's tale?" - -"The gods judge me, O king, if, without your leave, I had so much as -dared kiss the dust at your feet. What you have graciously permitted me -to tell I heard from the 'tzin himself." - -Montezuma sat a long time silent, then asked, "Did your master speak of -the strangers, or of the things he saw?" - -"The noble 'tzin regards me kindly, and therefore spoke with freedom. He -said, mourning much that he could not be at your last council to declare -his opinion, that you were mistaken." - -The speaker's face was cast down, so that he could not see the frown -with which the plain words were received, and he continued,-- - -"'They are not _teules_,'[36] so the 'tzin said, 'but men, as you and I -are; they eat, sleep, drink, like us; nor is that all,--they die like -us; for in the night,' he said, 'I was in their camp, and saw them, by -torchlight, bury the body of one that day dead.' And then he asked, 'Is -that a practice among the gods?' Your slave, O king, is not learned as a -paba, and therefore believed him." - -Montezuma stood up. - -"Not _teules_! How thinks he they should be dealt with?" - -"He says that, as they are men, they are also invaders, with whom an -Aztec cannot treat. Nothing for them but war!" - -To and fro the monarch walked. After which he returned to Hualpa and -said,-- - -"Go home now. To-morrow I will send you a _tilmatli_ for the one you -wear. Look to your wounds, and recollect the trial. As you love life, -have there your proof. I will be your accuser." - -"As the great king is merciful to his children, the gods will be -merciful to him. I will give myself to the guards," said the hunter, to -whom anything was preferable to the closet in the restaurant. - -"No, you are free." - -Hualpa kissed the floor, and arose, and hurried from the palace to the -house of Xoli on the _tianguez_. The effect of his appearance upon that -worthy, and the effect of the story afterwards, may be imagined. -Attention to the wounds, a bath, and sound slumber put the adventurer in -a better condition by the next noon. - -And from that night he thought more than ever of glory and Nenetzin. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [36] Gods. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - THE PORTRAIT. - - -Next day, after the removal of the noon comfitures, and when the -princess Tula had gone to the hammock for the usual _siesta_, Nenetzin -rushed into her apartment unusually excited. - -"O, I have something so strange to tell you,--something so strange!" she -cried, throwing herself upon the hammock. - -Her face was bright and very beautiful. Tula looked at her a moment, -then put her lips lovingly to the smooth forehead. - -"By the Sun! as our royal father sometimes swears, my sister seems in -earnest." - -"Indeed I am; and you will go with me, will you not?" - -"Ah! you want to take me to the garden to see the dead tiger, or, -perhaps, the warrior who slew it, or--now I have it--you have seen -another minstrel." - -Tula expected the girl to laugh, but was surprised to see her eyes fill -with tears. She changed her manner instantly, and bade the slave who had -been sitting by the hammock fanning her, to retire. Then she said,-- - -"You jest so much, Nenetzin, that I do not know when you are serious. I -love you: now tell me what has happened." - -The answer was given in a low voice. - -"You will think me foolish, and so I am, but I cannot help it. Do you -recollect the dream I told you the night on the _chinampa_?" - -"The night Yeteve came to us? I recollect." - -"You know I saw a man come and sit down in our father's palace,--a -stranger with blue eyes and fair face, and hair and beard like the silk -of the ripening maize. I told you I loved him, and would have none but -him; and you laughed at me, and said he was the god Quetzal'. O Tula, -the dream has come back to me many times since; so often that it seems, -when I am awake, to have been a reality. I am childish, you think, and -very weak; you may even pity me; but I have grown to look upon the -blue-eyed as something lovable and great, and thought of him is a part -of my mind; so much so that it is useless for me to say he is not, or -that I am loving a shadow. And now, O dear Tula, now comes the strange -part of my story. Yesterday, you know, a courier from Cempoalla brought -our father some pictures of the strangers lately landed from the sea. -This morning I heard there were portraits among them, and could not -resist a curiosity to see them; so I went, and almost the first one I -came to,--do not laugh,--almost the first one I came to was the picture -of him who comes to me so often in my dreams. I looked and trembled. -There indeed he was; there were the blue eyes, the yellow hair, the -white face, even the dress, shining as silver, and the plumed crest. I -did not stay to look at anything else, but hurried here, scarcely -knowing whether to be glad or afraid. I thought if you went with me I -would not be afraid. Go you must; we will look at the portrait -together." And she hid her face, sobbing like a child. - -"It is too wonderful for belief. I will go," said Tula. - -She arose, and the slave brought and threw over her shoulders the long -white scarf so invariably a part of an Aztec woman's costume. Then the -sisters took their way to the chamber where the pictures were kept,--the -same into which Hualpa had been led the night before. The king was -elsewhere giving audience, and his clerks and attendants were with him. -So the two were allowed to indulge their curiosity undisturbed. - -Nenetzin went to a pile of manuscripts lying on the floor. The elder -sister was startled by the first picture exposed; for she recognized the -handiwork, long since familiar to her, of the 'tzin. Nor was she less -surprised by the subject, which was a horse, apparently a nobler -instrument for a god's revenge than man himself. - -Next she saw pictured a horse, its rider mounted, and in Christian -armor, and bearing shield, lance, and sword. Then came a cannon, the -gunner by the carriage, his match lighted, while a volume of flame and -smoke was bursting from the throat of the piece. A portrait followed; -she lifted it up, and trembled to see the hero of Nenetzin's dream! - -"Did I not tell you so, O Tula?" said the girl, in a whisper. - -"The face is pleasant and noble," the other answered, thoughtfully; "but -I am afraid. There is evil in the smile, evil in the blue eyes." - -The rest of the manuscripts they left untouched. The one absorbed them; -but with what different feelings! Nenetzin was a-flutter with pleasure, -restrained by awe. Impressed by the singularity of the vision, as thus -realized, a passionate wish to see the man or god, whichever he was, and -hear his voice, may be called her nearest semblance to reflection. Like -a lover in the presence of the beloved, she was glad and contented, and -asked nothing of the future. But with Tula, older and wiser, it was -different. She was conscious of the novelty of the incident; at the same -time a presentiment, a gloomy foreboding, filled her soul. In slumber we -sometimes see spectres, and they sit by us and smile; yet we shrink, and -cannot keep down anticipations of ill. So Tula was affected by what she -beheld. - -She laid the portrait softly down, and turned to Nenetzin, who had now -no need to deprecate her laugh. - -"The ways of the gods are most strange. Something tells me this is their -work. I am afraid; let us go." - -And they retired, and the rest of the day, swinging in the hammock, they -talked of the dream and the portrait, and wondered what would come of -them. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - THE TRIAL - - -Hualpa's adventure in the garden made a great stir in the palace and the -city. Profound was the astonishment, therefore, when it became known -that the savior of the king and the murderer of the Tezcucan were one -and the same person, and that, in the latter character, he was to be -taken into court and tried for his life, Montezuma himself acting as -accuser. Though universally discredited, the story had the effect of -drawing an immense attendance at the trial. - -"Ho, Chalcan! Fly not your friends in that way!" - -So the broker was saluted by some men nobly dressed, whom he was about -passing on the great street. He stopped, and bowed very low. - -"A pleasant day, my lords! Your invitation honors me; the will of his -patrons should always be law to the poor keeper of a portico. I am -hurrying to the trial." - -"Then stay with us. We also have a curiosity to see the assassin." - -"My good lord speaks harshly. The boy, whom I love as a son, cannot be -what you call him." - -The noble laughed. "Take it not ill, Chalcan. So much do I honor the -hand that slew the base Tezcucan that I care not whether it was in fair -fight or by vantage taken. But what do you know about the king being -accuser to-day?" - -"So he told the boy." - -"Incredible!" - -"I will not quarrel with my lord on that account," rejoined the broker. -"A more generous master than Montezuma never lived. Are not the people -always complaining of his liberality? At the last banquet, for inventing -a simple drink, did he not give me, his humblest slave, a goblet fit for -another king?" - -"And what is your drink, though ever so excellent, to the saving his -life? Is not that your argument, Chalcan?" - -"Yes, my lord, and at such peril! Ah, you should have seen the ocelot -when taken from the tank! The keepers told me it was the largest and -fiercest in the museum." - -Then Xoli proceeded to edify his noble audience with all the gossip -pertaining to the adventure; and as his object was to take into court -some friends for the luckless hunter more influential than himself, he -succeeded admirably. Every few steps there were such expressions as, "It -would be pitiful if so brave a fellow should die!" "If I were king, by -the Sun, I would enrich him from the possessions of the Tezcucan!" And -as they showed no disposition to interrupt him, his pleading lasted to -the house of justice, where the company arrived not any too soon to -procure comfortable seats. - -The court-house stood at the left of the street, a little retired from -the regular line of buildings. The visitors had first to pass through a -spacious hall, which brought them to a court-yard cemented under foot, -and on all sides bounded with beautiful houses. Then, on the right, they -saw the entrance to the chamber of justice, grotesquely called the -Tribunal of God,[37] in which, for ages, had been administered a code, -vindictive, but not without equity. The great door was richly carved; -the windows high and broad, and lined with fluted marble; while a -projecting cornice, tastefully finished, gave airiness and beauty to the -venerable structure. - -The party entered the room with profoundest reverence. On a dais sat the -judge; in front of him was the stool bearing the skull with the emerald -crown and gay plumes. Turning from the plain tapestry along the walls, -the spectators failed not to admire the jewels that blazed with almost -starry splendor from the centre of the canopy above him. - -The broker, not being of the class of privileged nobles, found a seat -with difficulty. To his comfort, however, he was placed by the side of -an acquaintance. - -"You should have come earlier, Chalcan; the judge has twice used the -arrow this morning." - -"Indeed!" - -"Once against a boy too much given to _pulque_,--a drunkard. With the -other doubtless you were acquainted." - -"Was he noble?" - -"He had good blood, at least, being the son of a Tetzmellocan, who died -immensely rich. The witnesses said the fellow squandered his father's -estate almost as soon as it came to him." - -"Better had he been born a thief,"[38] said Xoli, coolly. - -Suddenly, four heralds, with silver maces, entered the court-room, -announcing the monarch. The people fell upon their knees, and so -remained until he was seated before the dais. Then they arose, and, with -staring eyes, devoured the beauty of his costume, and the mysterious -sanction of manner, office, power, and custom, which the lovers of -royalty throughout the world have delighted to sum up in the one -word,--majesty. The hum of voices filled the chamber. Then, by another -door, in charge of officers, Hualpa appeared, and was led to the dais -opposite the king. Before an Aztecan court there was no ceremony. The -highest and the lowliest stood upon a level: such, at least, was the -beautiful theory. - -So intense was the curiosity to see the prisoner that the spectators -pressed upon each other, for the moment mindless of the monarch's -presence. - -"A handsome fellow!" said an old cacique, approvingly. - -"Only a boy, my lord!" suggested the critic. - -"And not fierce-looking, either." - -"Yes--" - -"No--" - -"He might kill, but in fair fight: so I judge him." - -And that became the opinion amongst the nobles. - -"Your friend seems confident, Xoli. I like him," remarked the Chalcan's -acquaintance. - -"Hush! The king accuses." - -"The king, said you!" And the good man, representing the commonalty, was -frozen into silence. - -In another quarter, one asked, "Does he not wear the 'tzin's livery?" - -The person interrogated covered his mouth with both hands, then drew to -the other's ear, and whispered,-- - -"Yes, he's a 'tzin's man, and that, they say, is his crime." - -The sharp voice of the executive officer of the court rang out, and -there was stillness almost breathless. Up rose the clerk, a learned man, -keeper of the records, and read the indictment; that done, he laid the -portrait of the accused on the table before the judge; then the trial -began. - -The judge, playing carelessly with the fatal arrow, said,--"Hualpa, son -of Tepaja, the Tihuancan, stand up, and answer." - -And the prisoner arose, and saluted court and king, and answered, "It -is true, that on the night of the banquet, I fought the Tezcucan; by -favor of the gods, I defeated, without slaying him. He is here in person -to acquit me." - -"Bring the witness," said the judge. - -Some of the officers retired; during their absence a solemn hush -prevailed; directly they returned, carrying a palanquin. Right before -the dais they set it down, and drew aside the curtains. Then slowly the -Tezcucan came forth,--weak, but unconquered. At the judge he looked, and -at the king, and all the fire of his haughty soul burned in the glance. -Borrowing strength from his pride, he raised his head high, and said, -scornfully,-- - -"The power of my father's friend is exceeding great; he speaks, and all -things obey him. I am sick and suffering; but he bade me come, and I am -here. What new shame awaits me?" - -Montezuma answered, never more a king than then: "'Hualpill was wise; -his son is foolish; for the memory of the one I spare the other. The -keeper of this sacred place will answer why you are brought here. Look -that he pardons you lightly as I have." - -Then the judge said, "Prince of Tezcuco, you are here by my order. There -stands one charged with your murder. Would you have had him suffer the -penalty? You have dared be insolent. See, O prince, that before -to-morrow you pay the treasurer ten thousand quills of gold. See to it." -And, returning the portrait to the clerk, he added, "Let the accused go -acquit." - -"Ah! said I not so, said I not so?" muttered the Chalcan, rubbing his -hands joyfully, and disturbing the attentive people about him. - -"Hist, hist!" they said, impatiently. "What more? hearken!" - -Hualpa was kneeling before the monarch. - -"Most mighty king," he said, "if what I have done be worthy reward, -grant me the discharge of this fine." - -"How!" said Montezuma, amazed. "The Tezcucan is your enemy!" - -"Yet he fought me fairly, and is a warrior." - -The eyes of the king sought those of Iztlil'. - -"What says the son of 'Hualpilli?" - -The latter raised his head with a flash of the old pride. "He is a slave -of Guatamozin's: I scorn the intercession. I am yet a prince of -Tezcuco." - -Then the monarch went forward, and sat by the judge. Not a sound was -heard, till he spoke. - -"Arise, and come near," he said to Hualpa. "I will do what becomes me." - -His voice was low and tremulous with feeling, and over his face came the -peculiar suffusion of sadness afterwards its habitual expression. The -hunter kissed the floor at his feet, and remained kneeling. Then he -continued,-- - -"Son of the Tihuancan, I acknowledge I owe my life to you, and I call -all to hear the acknowledgment. If the people have thought this -prosecution part of my gratitude,--if they have marvelled at my -appearing as your accuser, much have they wronged me. I thought of -reward higher than they could have asked for you; but I also thought to -try you. A slave is not fit to be a chief, nor is every chief fit to be -a king. I thought to try you: I am satisfied. When your fame goes -abroad, as it will; when the minstrels sing your valor; when -Tenochtitlan talks of the merchant's son, who, in the garden, slew the -tiger, and saved the life of Montezuma,--let them also tell how -Montezuma rewarded him; let them say I made him noble." - -Thereupon he arose, and transferred the _panache_ from his head to -Hualpa's. Those close by looked at the gift, and saw, for the first -time, that it was not the crown, but the crest of a chief or cacique. -Then they knew that the trial was merely to make more public the honors -designed. - -"Let them say further," he continued, "that with my own hand I made him -a warrior of the highest grade." And, bending over the adventurer, he -clasped around his neck the collar of the supreme military order of the -realm.[39] "Nor is that all. Rank, without competence, is a vexation and -shame. At the foot of Chapultepec, on the shore of the lake, lie an -estate and a palace of which I have been proud. Let it be said, finally, -that I gave them to enrich him and his forever." He paused, and turned -coldly to the Tezcucan. "But as to the son of 'Hualpilli, his fine must -stand; such pride must be punished. He shall pay the gold, or forfeit -his province." Then, outstretching toward the audience both his arms, he -said, so as to be heard throughout the chamber, "Now, O my children, -justice has been done!" - -The words were simple; but the manner, royal as a king's and patriarchal -as a pontiff's, brought every listener to his knees. - -"Stand up, my lord Hualpa! Take your place in my train. I will return to -the palace." - -With that he passed out. - -And soon there was but one person remaining,--Iztlil', the Tezcucan. -Brought from Tlacopan by officers of the court, too weak to walk, -without slaves to help him, at sight of the deserted hall his -countenance became haggard, the light in his hollow eyes came and went, -and his broad breast heaved passionately; in that long, slow look he -measured the depth of his fall. - -"O Tezcuco, Tezcuco, city of my fathers!" he cried aloud. "This is the -last wrong to the last of thy race of kings." - -A little after he was upon a bench exhausted, his head covered by his -mantle. Then a hand was laid upon his shoulder; he looked up and saw -Hualpa. - -"How now! Has the base-born come to enjoy his triumph? I cannot strike. -Laugh and revile me; but remember, mine is the blood of kings. The gods -loved my father, and will not abandon his son. In their names I curse -you!" - -"Tezcucan, you are proud to foolishness," said the hunter, calmly. "I -came to serve you. Within an hour I have become master of slaves--" - -"And were yourself a slave!" - -"Well, I won my freedom; I slew a beast and conquered a--But, prince, my -slaves are at the door. Command them to Tlacopan." - -"Play courtier to those who have influence; lean your ambition upon one -who can advance it. I am undone." - -"I am not a courtier. The service I offer you springs from a warrior's -motive. I propose it, not to a man of power, but to a prince whose -courage is superior to his fortune." - -For a moment the Tezcucan studied the glowing face; then his brows -relaxed, and, sighing like a woman, and like a woman overcome by the -unexpected gentleness, he bowed his head, and covered his face with his -hands, that he might not be accused of tears. - -"Let me call the slaves, O prince," said Hualpa. - -Thrice he clapped his hands, whereat four tattooed tamanes stalked into -the chamber with a palanquin. Iztlil' took seat in the carriage, and was -being borne away, when he called the hunter. - -"A word," he said, in a voice from which all passion was gone. "Though -my enemy, you have been generous, and remembered my misfortunes when all -others forsook me. Take with you this mark. I do not ask you to wear it, -for the time is nearly come when the son of 'Hualpilli will be -proscribed throughout the valley; but keep it in witness that I, the son -of a king, acknowledged your right and fitness to be a noble. Farewell." - -Hualpa could not refuse a present so delicately given; extending his -hand, he received a bracelet of gold, set with an Aztec diamond of -immense value. He clasped it upon his arm, and followed the carriage -into the street. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [37] Prescott, Conq. of Mexico, Vol. I. p. 33. - - [38] A thief might be punished with slavery: death was the penalty for - prodigalism and drunkenness. - - [39] The authorities touching the military orders of the Aztecs are - full and complete. Prescott, Conq. of Mexico, Vol. I. p. 45; - Acosta, Book VI. ch. 26; Mendoza's Collec. Antiq. of Mexico, - Vol. I, p. 65. - - - - - BOOK FOUR. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - THE KING GIVES A TRUST TO HUALPA. - - -And now was come the time of all the year most pleasant,--the time when -the _maguey_ was greenest, when the cacti burst into flowers, and in -every field women and children, with the strong men, went to pluck the -ripened maize. Of the summer, only the wealth and beauty remained. The -Goddess of Abundance divided the worship which, at other seasons, was -mostly given to Huitzil' and Tezca';[40] in her temples the days were -all of prayer, hymning, and priestly ceremony. No other towers sent up -such columns of the blue smoke so grateful to the dwellers in the Sun; -in no other places were there such incessant burning of censers, -presentation of gifts, and sacrifice of victims. Throughout the valley -the people carolled those songs the sweetest and most millennial of -men,--the songs of harvest, peace, and plenty. - -I have before said that Tezcuco, the lake, was the especial pride of the -Aztecs. When the sky was clear, and the air tranquil, it was very -beautiful; but when the king, with his court, all in state, set out for -the hunting-grounds on the northern shore, its beauty rose to splendor. -By his invitation great numbers of citizens, in style suited to the -honor, joined their canoes to the flotilla composing the retinue. And -let it not be forgotten that the Aztec loved his canoe as in Christendom -the good knight loves his steed, and decorated it with all he knew of -art; that its prow, rising high above the water, and touched by the -master sculptors, was dressed in garlands and fantastic symbols; that -its light and shapely canopy, elegantly trimmed within, was shaded by -curtains, and surmounted by trailing streamers; and that the slaves, -four, six, and sometimes twelve in number, dipped and drew their -flashing paddles in faultless time, and shone afar brilliant in livery. -So, when the multitude of vessels cleared the city walls, and with music -and songs dashed into the open lake, the very water seemed to dance and -quiver with a sensuous pleasure. - -In such style did Montezuma one pleasant morning leave his capital. Calm -was the lake, and so clear that the reflection of the sky above seemed a -bed of blue below. There were music, and shouts, and merry songs, and -from the city the cheers and plaudits of the thousands who, from the -walls and housetops, witnessed the pageant. And his canoe was the soul -of the pomp, and he had with him his favorite minstrel and jester, and -Maxtla; yet there was something on his mind that made him indifferent to -the scene and prospective sport. Some distance out, by his direction, -the slaves so man[oe]uvred that all the flotilla passed him; then he -said to Maxtla, "The will has left me. I will not hunt to-day; yet the -pastime must go on; a recall now were unkingly. Look out for a way to -follow the train, while I return." - -The chief arose, and swept the lake with a bright glance. "Yonder is a -chinampa; I can take its master's canoe." - -"Do so. Give this ring to the lord Cuitlahua, and tell him to conduct -the hunt." - -And soon Maxtla was hurrying to the north with the signet, while the -monarch was speeding more swiftly to the south. - -"For Iztapalapan," said the latter to his slaves. "Take me there before -the lords reach the hunting-grounds, and you shall have a feast -to-night." - -They bent to the paddles, and rested not until he saw the white houses -of the city, built far into the lake in imitation of the capital. - -"Not to the town, but the palace of Guatamozin," he then said. "Speed! -the sun is rising high." - -Arrived at the landing, Montezuma set forward alone to the palace. The -path led into a grove of cedar and wild orange-trees, interspersed with -_ceibas_, the true kings of the forests of New Mexico. The air was sweet -with perfume; birds sang to each other from the coverts; the adjacent -cascades played their steady, muffled music; and altogether morning on -the lake was less beautiful than morning in the tzin's garden. In the -multitude of walks he became bewildered; but, as he was pleased by all -he beheld, he walked on without consulting the sun. At length, guided by -the sound of voices, he came to the arena for martial games; and there -he found Hualpa and Io' practising with the bow. - -He had been wont to regard Io' as a child, unripe for any but childish -amusements, and hardly to be trusted alone. Absorbed in his business of -governing, he had not observed how increase of years brought the boy -strength, stature, and corresponding tastes. Now he was admonished of -his neglect: the stripling should have been familiarized with bow, -sling, and _maquahuitl_; men ought to have been given him for comrades; -the warrior's school, even the actual field, had been better for him -than the nursery. An idea of ambition also occurred to the monarch. When -he himself was gathered to his fathers, who was to succeed him on the -throne? Cuitlahua, Cacama, the lord of Tlacopan? Why not Io'? - -Meanwhile the two diligently pursued their sport. At the moment the king -came upon them, Hualpa was giving some directions as to the mode of -holding the brave weapon. The boy listened eagerly,--a sign that pleased -the observer, for nothing is so easy as to flatter the hope of a dreamy -heart. Observing them further, he saw Io' take the stand, draw the arrow -quite to the head, and strike the target. At the second trial, he -pierced the centre. Hualpa embraced the scholar joyously; and thereupon -the king warmed toward the warrior, and tears blinded his eyes. -Advancing into the arena, the clanging of his golden sandals announced -his presence. - -And they knelt and kissed the earth. - -"Stand up!" he said, with the smile which gave his countenance a womanly -beauty. And to Hualpa he added, "I thought your palace by Chapultepec -would be more attractive than the practice of arms; more credit should -have been given the habits of a hunter. I was right to make you noble. -But what can you make of Io'?" - -"If you will give the time, O king, I can make him of excellent skill." - -"And what says the son of Tecalco?" - -Io' knelt again, saying, "I have a pardon to ask--" - -"A pardon! For wishing to be a warrior?" - -"If the king will hear me,--I have heard you say that in your youth you -divided your days between the camp and the temples, learning at the same -time the duties of the priest and the warrior. That I may be able some -day to serve you, O king, I have stolen away from Tenochtitlan--" - -Montezuma laid his hand tenderly on the boy's head, and said, "No more. -I know all you would say, and will ask the great Huitzil' to give you -strength and courage. Take my permission to be a warrior. Arise, now, -and give me the bow. It is long since I pulled the cord, and my hand -may have weakened, and my eyes become dim; but I challenge you both! I -have a shield wrought of pearl and gold, unfit for the field, yet -beautiful as a prize of skill. Who plants an arrow nearest yon target's -heart, his the shield shall be." - -The challenge was accepted, and after preparation, the monarch dropped -his mantle, and took the stand. He drew the shaft to his ear with a -careless show of skill; and when it quivered in the target about a -palm's breadth below the mark, he said, laughing, "I am at least within -the line of the good bowman. A Tlascalan would not have escaped -scarless." - -Io' next took the bow, and was so fortunate as to hit the lower edge of -the heart squarely above the king's bolt. - -"Mine is the shield, mine is the shield!" he cried, exultantly. "O that -a minstrel were here! I would have a song,--my first song!" - -"Very proud!" said the king, good-humoredly. "Know you, boy, the warrior -counts his captives only when the battle is ended. Here, lord Hualpa, -the boaster should be beaten. Prove your quality. To you there may be -more in this trial than a song or a golden shield." - -The hunter took the vacant place; his arrow whistled away, and the -report came back from the target. By a happy accident, if such it were, -the copper point was planted exactly in the middle of the space between -the other two. - -More joyous than before arose the cry of Io', "I have beaten a king and -a warrior! Mine is the shield, mine is the shield!" - -And the king, listening, said to himself, "I remember my own youth, and -its earliest victory, and how I passed from successes at first the most -trifling. Ah! who but Huitzil', father of all the gods, can tell the -end? Blessed the day when I can set before him the prospect of a throne -instead of a shield!" - -The target was brought him, and he measured the distance of each arrow -from the centre; and when he saw how exactly Hualpa's was planted -between the others, his subtile mind detected the purpose and the -generosity. - -"The victory is yours, O my son, and so is the shield," he said, slowly -and thoughtfully. "But ah! were it given you to look with eyes like -mine,--with eyes sharpened by age for the discovery of blessings, your -rejoicing would be over a friend found, whose love is proof against -vanity and the hope of reward." - -Hualpa understood him, and was proud. What was the prize lost to -Montezuma gained? - -"It grows late; my time is sacred," said the king. "Lord Hualpa, stay -and guide me to the palace. And Io', be you my courier to the 'tzin. Go -before, and tell him I am coming." - -The boy ran ahead, and as they leisurely followed him, the monarch -relapsed into melancholy. In the shade of a _ceiba_ tree he stopped, and -said, "There is a service you might do me, that lies nearer my heart -than any other." - -"The will of the great king is mine," Hualpa replied, with a low -reverence. - -"When I am old," pursued Montezuma, "when the things of earth begin to -recede from me, it would be pleasant to have a son worthy to lift the -Empire from my shoulders. While I am going up the steps of the temple, a -seeker of the holy peace that lies in worship and prayer, the government -would not then be a care to disturb me. But I am sensible that no one -could thus relieve me unless he had the strong hand of a warrior, and -was fearless except of the gods. Io' is my only hope. From you he first -caught the desire of greatness, and you can make him great. Take him as -a comrade; love him as a brother; teach him the elements of war,--to -wield spear and _maquahuitl_; to bear shield, to command, and to be -brave and generous. Show him the ways of ambition. Above all,"--as he -spoke he raised his head and hand, and looked the impersonation of his -idea,--"above all, let him know that a king may find his glory as much -in the love of his people as in his power. Am I understood?" - -Hualpa did not look up, but said, "Am I worthy? I have the skill of -hand; but have I the learning?" - -"To make him learned belongs to the priests. I only asked you to make -him a warrior." - -"Does not that belong to the gods?" - -"No: he derives nothing from them but the soul. They will not teach him -to launch the arrow." - -"Then I accept the charge. Shall he go with me?" - -"Always,--even to battle." - -O mighty king! was the shadow of the coming fate upon thy spirit then? - -FOOTNOTES: - - [40] Tezcatlipoca, a god next in rank to the Supreme Being. - Supposed creator of the world. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - THE KING AND THE 'TZIN. - - - The visit was unexpected to Guatamozin, and its object a mystery; but he -thought only of paying the guest meet honor and respect, for he was -still the great king. And so, bareheaded and unarmed, he went forth, and -meeting him in the garden, knelt, and saluted him after the manner of -the court. - -"I am glad to say the word of welcome to my father's brother. Know, O -king, that my house, my garden, and all you behold are yours." - -Hualpa left them; then Montezuma replied, the sadness of his voice -softening the austerity of his manner,-- - -"I have loved you well, Guatamozin. Very good it was to mark you come up -from boyhood, and day by day grow in strength and thought. I never knew -one so rich in promise. Ours is a proud race, and you seemed to have all -its genius. From the beginning you were thoughtful and provident; in the -field there was always a victory for you, and in council your words were -the soul of policy. O, ill was the day evil came between us, and -suspicion shattered the love I bore you! Arise! I have not crossed the -lake for explanations; there is that to speak of more important to us -both." - -The 'tzin arose, and looked into the monarch's face, his own suffused -with grief. - -"Is not a king punished for the wrong he does?" - -Montezuma's brows lowered, chilling the fixed look which was his only -answer; and the 'tzin spoke on. - -"I cannot accuse you directly; but this I will say, O king: a just man, -and a brave, never condemns another upon suspicion." - -The monarch's eyes blazed with sudden fire, and from his _maxtlatl_ he -drew a knife. The 'tzin moved not; the armed hand stopped; an instant -each met the other's gaze, then the weapon was flung away. - -"I am a child," said the king, vexed and ashamed. "When I came here I -did not think of the past, I thought only of the Empire; but trouble has -devoured my strength of purpose, until my power mocks me, and, most -miserable of men, I yearn to fly from myself, without knowing where to -find relief. A vague impulse--whence derived, except from intolerable -suffering of mind, I know not--brought me to you. O 'tzin, silent be the -differences that separate us. Yours I know to be a tongue of undefiled -truth; and if not for me now, for our country, and the renown of our -fathers, I believe you will speak." - -The shame, the grief, and the self-accusation moved the 'tzin more than -the deadly menace. - -"Set my feet, O king! set my feet in the way to serve or save my -country, and I will tread it, though every step be sown with the terrors -of Mictlan." - -"I did not misjudge you, my son," the king said, when he had again -perfectly mastered his feelings. - -And Guatamozin, yet more softened, would have given him all the old -love, but that Tula, contracted to the Tezcucan, rose to memory. -Checking the impulse, he regarded the unhappy monarch sorrowfully. - -And the latter, glancing up at the sun, said,-- - -"It is getting late. I left the train going to the hunting-grounds. By -noon they will return, and I wish to be at the city before them. My -canoe lies at the landing; walk there with me, and on the way I will -speak of the purpose of my visit." - -Their steps as they went were slow, and their faces downcast and solemn. -The king was first to speak. - -"As the time requires, I have held many councils, and taken the voice of -priest, warrior, and merchant; and they agree in nothing but their -confusion and fear." - -"The king forgets,--I have been barred his councils, and know not what -they considered." - -"True, true; yet there is but one topic in all Anahuac,--in the Empire. -Of that, the _tamanes_ talk gravely as their masters; only one class -asks, 'Who are the white men making all this trouble?' while the other -argues, 'They are here; they are gods. What are we to do?'" - -"And what say the councils, O king?" - -"It could not be that all would speak as one man. Of different castes, -they are differently moved. The pabas believe the Sun has sent us some -godly warriors, whom nothing earthly can subdue. They advise patience, -friendship, and peace. 'The eye of Huitzil' is on them, numbering their -marches. In the shade of the great temple he awaits, and there he will -consume them with a breath,'--so say the pabas. The warriors are dumb, -or else borrow and reassert the opinions of the holy men. 'Give them -gold, if they will depart; if not that, give them peace, and leave the -issue to the gods,'--so they say. Cuitlahua says war; so does Cacama. -The merchants and the people have no opinion,--nothing but fear. For -myself, yesterday I was for war, to-day I am for peace. So far I have -chosen to act upon the advice of the pabas. I have sent the strangers -many presents and friendly messages, and kept ambassadors in their camp; -but while preserving such relations, I have continually forbade their -coming to Tenochtitlan. They seem bolder than men. Who but they would -have undertaken the march from Cempoalla? What tribes or people could -have conquered Tlascala, as they have? You have heard of their battles. -Did they not in a day what we have failed to do in a hundred years? With -Tlascala for ally, they have set my word at naught, and, whether they be -of the sun or the earth, they are now marching upon Cholula, most sacred -city of the gods. And from Cholula there is but one more march. Already -from the mountains they have looked wistfully down on our valley of -gardens, upon Tenochtitlan. O 'tzin, 'tzin, can we forget the prophecy?" - -"Shall I say what I think? Will the king hear me?" asked Guatamozin. - -"For that I came. Speak!" - -"I obey gladly. The opportunity is dearer to me than any honor. And, -speaking, I will remember of what race I am." - -"Speak as if you were king." - -"Then--I condemn your policy." - -The monarch's face remained placid. If the bluff words wounded him, he -dissembled consummately. - -"It was not well to go so often to the temple," Guatamozin continued. -"Huitzil' is not there; the pabas have only his name, his image and -altar; your breast is his true temple; there ought you to find him. -Yesterday, you say, you were for war; the god was with you then: to-day -you are for peace; the god has abandoned you. I know not in what words -the lords Cuitlahua and Cacama urged their counsel, nor on what grounds. -By the Sun! theirs is the only policy that comports with the fame of a -ruler of Aztecs. Why speak of any other? For me, I would seek the -strangers in battle and die, sooner than a minstrel should sing, or -tradition tell, how Guatamozin, overcome by fear, dwelt in their camp -praying peace as the beggar prays for bread." - -Literally, Guatamozin was speaking like a king. - -"I have heard your pearl-divers say," he continued, "that they never -venture into a strange sea without dread. Like the new sea to them, this -subject has been to your people; but however the declaration may strike -your ears, O king, I have sounded all its depths. While your priests -were asking questions of speechless hearts; while your lords were -nursing their love of ease in the shade and perfume of your palace; -while your warriors, forgetful of their glory, indulged the fancy that -the new enemy were gods; while Montezuma was watching stars, and -studying omens, and listening to oracles which the gods know not, hoping -for wisdom to be found nowhere as certainly as in his own royal -instincts,--face to face with the strangers, in their very camp, I -studied them, their customs, language, and nature. Take heart, O king! -Gods, indeed! Why, like men, I have seen them hunger and thirst; like -men, heard them complain; on the other hand, like men, I have seen them -feed and drink to surfeit, and heard them sing from gladness. What means -their love of gold? If they come from the Sun, where the dwellings of -the gods, and the hills they are built on, are all of gold, why should -they be seeking it here? Nor is that all. I listened to the interpreter, -through whom their leader explained his religion, and they are -worshippers, like us, only they adore a woman, instead of a great, -heroic god--" - -"A woman!" exclaimed the king. - -"Nay, the argument is that they worship at all. Gods do not adore each -other!" - -They had now walked some distance, and so absorbed had Montezuma been -that he had not observed the direction they were pursuing. Emerging -suddenly from a cypress-grove, he was surprised to find the path -terminate in a small lake, which, at any other time, would have excited -his admiration. Tall trees, draped to their topmost boughs in luxuriant -vines, encircled the little expanse of water, and in its midst there was -an island, crowned with a kiosk or summer-house, and covered with orange -shrubs and tapering palms. - -"Bear with me, O king," said Guatamozin, observing his wonder. "I -brought you here that you may be absolutely convinced of the nature of -our enemies. On that island I have an argument stronger than the -vagaries of pabas or the fancies of warriors,--a visible argument." - -He stepped into a canoe lying at the foot of the path, and, with a sweep -of the paddle, drove across to the island. Remaining there, he pushed -the vessel back. - -"Come over, O king, come over, and see." - -Montezuma followed boldly, and was led to the kiosk. The retreat was not -one of frequent resort. Several times they were stopped by vines grown -across the path. Inside the house, the visitor had no leisure for -observation; he was at once arrested by an object that filled him with -horror. On a table was a human head. Squarely severed from the body, it -stood upright on the base of the neck, looking, with its ghastly, white -face, directly toward the entrance. The features were swollen and -ferocious; the black brows locked in a frown, with which, as was plainly -to be seen, nature had as much to do as death; the hair was short, and -on the crown almost worn away; heavy, matted beard covered the cheeks -and chin; finally, other means of identification being wanted, the -coarse, upturned mustache would have betrayed the Spaniard. Montezuma -surveyed the head for some time; at length, mastering his deep loathing, -he advanced to the table. - -"A _teule_!" he said, in a low voice. - -"A man,--only a man!" exclaimed Guatamozin, so sternly that the monarch -shrank as if the blue lips of the dead had spoken to him. "Ask yourself, -O king, Do the gods die?" - -Montezuma smiled, either at his own alarm or at the ghastly argument. - -"Whence came the trophy?" he asked. - -"Have you not heard of the battle of Nauhtlan?" - -"Surely; but tell it again." - -"When the strangers marched to Tlascala," the 'tzin began, "their chief -left a garrison behind him in the town he founded. I was then on the -coast. To convince the people, and particularly the army, that they were -men, I determined to attack them. An opportunity soon occurred. Your -tax-gatherers happening to visit Nauhtlan, the township revolted, and -claimed protection of the garrison, who marched to their relief. At my -instance, the caciques drew their bands together, and we set upon the -enemy. The Totonaques fled at our first war-cry; but the strangers -welcomed us with a new kind of war. They were few in number, but the -thunder seemed theirs, and they hailed great stones upon us, and after a -while came against us upon their fierce animals. When my warriors saw -them come leaping on, they fled. All was lost. I had but one thought -more,--a captive taken might save the Empire. I ran where the strangers -clove their bloody way. This"--and he pointed to the head--"was the -chief, and I met him in the rout, raging like a tiger in a herd of deer. -He was bold and strong, and, shouting his battle-cry, he rushed upon me. -His spear went through my shield. I wrenched it from him, and slew the -beast; then I dragged him away, intending to bring him alive to -Tenochtitlan; but he slew himself. So look again! What likeness is there -in that to a god? O king, I ask you, did ever its sightless eyes see the -glories of the Sun, or its rotting lips sing a song in heaven? Is -Huitzil' or Tezca' made of such stuff?" - -The monarch, turning away, laid his hand familiarly on the 'tzin's arm, -and said,-- - -"Come, I am content. Let us go." - -And they started for the landing. - -"The strangers, as I have said, my son, are marching to Cholula. And -Malinche--so their chief is called--now says he is coming to -Tenochtitlan." - -"To Tenochtitlan! In its honored name, in the name of its kings and -gods, I protest against his coming!" - -"Too late, too late!" replied Montezuma, his face working as though a -pang were at his heart. "I have invited him to come." - -"Alas, alas!" cried Guatamozin, solemnly. "The day he enters the capital -will be the commencement of the woe, if it has not already commenced. -The many victories will have been in vain. The provinces will drop away, -like threaded pearls when the string is broken. O king, better had you -buried your crown,--better for your people, better for your own glory!" - -"Your words are bitter," said the monarch, gloomily. - -"I speak from the fulness of a heart darkened by a vision of Anahuac -blasted, and her glory gone," returned the 'tzin. Then in a lament, -vivid with poetic coloring, he set forth a picture of the national -ruin,--the armies overthrown, the city wasted, the old religion -supplanted by a new. At the shore where the canoe was waiting, Montezuma -stopped, and said,-- - -"You have spoken boldly, and I have listened patiently. One thing more: -What does Guatamozin say the king should do?" - -"It is not enough for the servant to know his own place; he should know -his master's also. I say not what the king should do, but I will say -what I would do if I were king." - -Rising from the obeisance with which he accompanied the words, he said, -boldly,-- - -"Cholula should be the grave of the invaders. The whole population -should strike them in the narrow streets where they can be best -assailed. Shut up in some square or temple, hunger will fight them for -us, and win. But I would not trust the citizens alone. In sight of the -temples, so close that a conch could summon them to the attack, I would -encamp a hundred thousand warriors. Better the desolation of Cholula -than Tenochtitlan. If all things else failed, I would take to the last -resort; I would call in the waters of Tezcuco and drown the city to the -highest _azoteas_. So would I, O king, if the crown and signet were -mine." - -Montezuma looked from the speaker to the lake. - -"The project is bold," he said, musingly; "but if it failed, my son?" - -"The failure should be but the beginning of the war." - -"What would the nations say?" - -"They would say, 'Montezuma is still the great king.' If they do not -that--" - -"What then?" - -"Call on the _teotuctli_. The gods can be made speak whatever your -policy demands." - -"Does my son blaspheme?" said Montezuma, angrily. - -"Nay, I but spoke of what has happened. Long rule the good god of our -fathers!" - -Yet the monarch was not satisfied. Never before had discourse been -addressed to him in strain so bold. - -"They see all things, even our hearts," he said, turning coldly away. -"Farewell. A courier will come for you when your presence is wanted in -the city." - -And so they separated, conscious that no healing had been brought to -their broken friendship. As the canoe moved off, the 'tzin knelt, but -the king looked not that way again. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - LOVE ON THE LAKE. - - -"What can they mean? Here have they been loitering since morning, as if -the lake, like the _tianguez_, were a place for idlers. As I love the -gods, if I knew them, they should be punished!" - -So the farmer of the _chinampa_ heretofore described as the property of -the princess Tula gave expression to his wrath; after which he returned -to his employment; that is, he went crawling among the shrubs and -flowers, pruning-knife in hand, here clipping a limb, there loosening -the loam. Emerging from the thicket after a protracted stay, his ire was -again aroused. - -"Still there! Thieves maybe, watching a chance to steal. But we shall -see. My work is done, and I will not take eyes off of them again." - -The good man's alarm was occasioned by the occupants of a canoe, which, -since sunrise, had been plying about the garden, never stationary, -seldom more than three hundred yards away, yet always keeping on the -side next the city. Once in a while the slaves withdrew their paddles, -leaving the vessel to the breeze; at such times it drifted so near that -swells, something like those of the sea when settling into calm, tumbled -the surface; far to the south, however, he discerned the canoe, looking -no larger than a blue-winged gull. - -"It is coming; I see the prow this way. Is the vase ready?" - -"The vase! You forget; there are two of them." - -Hualpa looked down confused. - -"Does the 'tzin intend them both for Tula?" - -Hualpa was the more embarrassed. - -"Flowers have a meaning; sometimes they tell tales. Let me see if I -cannot read what the 'tzin would say to Tula." - -And Io' went forward and brought the vases, and, placing them before -him, began to study each flower. - -"Io'," said Hualpa, in a low voice, "but one of the vases is the -'tzin's." - -"And the other?" asked the prince, looking up. - -Hualpa's face flushed deeper. - -"The other is mine. Have you not two sisters?" - -Io's eyes dilated; a moment he was serious, then he burst out laughing. - -"I have you now! Nenetzin,--she, too, has a lover." - -The hunter never found himself so at loss; he played with the loops of -his _escaupil_, and refused to take his eyes off the coming canoe. -Through his veins the blood ran merrily; in his brain it intoxicated, -like wine. - -"And pleasanter yet to be made noble and master of a palace over by -Chapultepec," Io' answered. "But see! Yonder is a canoe." - -"From the city?" - -"It is too far off; wait awhile." - -But Hualpa, impatient, leaned over the side, and looked for himself. At -the time they were up in the northern part of the lake, at least a -league from the capital. Long, regular he could see the _voyageurs_ -reclining in the shade of the blue canopy, wrapped in _escaupils_ such -as none but lords or distinguished merchants were permitted to wear. - -The leisurely _voyageurs_, on their part, appeared to have a perfect -understanding of the light in which they were viewed from the -_chinampa_. - -"There he is again! See!" said one of them. - -The other lifted the curtain, and looked, and laughed. - -"Ah! if we could send an arrow there, just near enough to whistle -through the orange-trees. Tula would never hear the end of the story. He -would tell her how two thieves came to plunder him; how they shot at -him; how narrowly he escaped--" - -"And how valiantly he defended the garden. By Our Mother, Io', I have a -mind to try him!" - -Hualpa half rose to measure the distance, but fell back at once. "No. -Better that we get into no difficulty. We are messengers, and have these -flowers to deliver. Besides, the judge is not to my liking." - -"Tula is merciful, and would forgive you for the 'tzin's sake." - -"I meant the judge of the court," Hualpa said, soberly. "You never saw -him lift the golden arrow, as if to draw it across your portrait. It is -pleasanter sitting here, in the shade, rocked by the water." - -"I have heard how love makes women of warriors; now I will see,--I will -see how brave you are." - -"Ho, slaves! Put the canoe about; yonder are those whom I would meet," -Hualpa shouted. - -The vessel was headed to the south. A long distance had to be passed, -and in the time the ambassador recovered himself. Lying down again, and -twanging the chord of his bow, he endeavored to compose a speech to -accompany the delivery of the vase to Tula. But his thoughts would -return to his own love; the laugh with which Io' received his -explanation flattered him; and, true to the logic of the passion, he -already saw the vase accepted, and himself the favored of Nenetzin. From -that point the world of dreams was but a step distant; he took the step, -but was brought back by Io'. - -"They recognize us; Nenetzin waves her scarf!" - -The approaching vessel was elegant as the art of the Aztecan shipmaster -could make it. The prow was sculptured into the head and slender, curved -neck of a swan. The passengers, fair as ever journeyed on sea wave, sat -under a canopy of royal green, above which floated a _panache_ of long, -trailing feathers, colored like the canopy. Like a creature of the -water, so lightly, so gracefully, the boat drew nigh the messengers. -When alongside, Io' sprang aboard, and, with boyish ardor, embraced his -sisters. - -"What has kept you so?" - -"We stayed to see twenty thousand warriors cross the causeway," replied -Nenetzin. - -"Where can they be going?" - -"To Cholula." - -The news excited the boy; turning to speak to Hualpa, he was reminded of -his duty. - -"Here is a messenger from Guatamozin,--the lord Hualpa, who slew the -tiger in the garden." - -The heart of the young warrior beat violently; he touched the floor of -the canoe with his palm. - -And Tula spoke. "We have heard the minstrels sing the story. Arise, lord -Hualpa." - -"The words of the noble Tula are pleasanter than any song. Will she hear -the message I bring?" - -She looked at Io' and Nenetzin, and assented. - -"Guatamozin salutes the noble Tula. He hopes the blessings of the gods -are about her. He bade me say, that four mornings ago the king visited -him at his palace, but talked of nothing but the strangers; so that the -contract with Iztlil', the Tezcucan, still holds good. Further, the king -asked his counsel as to what should be done with the strangers. He -advised war, whereupon the king became angry, and departed, saying that -a courier would come for the 'tzin when his presence was wanted in the -city; so the banishment also holds good. And so, finally, there is no -more hope from interviews with the king. All that remains is to leave -the cause to time and the gods." - -A moment her calm face was troubled; but she recovered, and said, with -simple dignity,-- - -"I thank you. Is the 'tzin well and patient?" - -"He is a warrior, noble Tula, and foemen are marching through the -provinces, like welcome guests; he thinks of them, and curses the peace -as a season fruitful of dishonor." - -Nenetzin, who had been quietly listening, was aroused. - -"Has he heard the news? Does he not know a battle is to be fought in -Cholula?" - -"Such tidings will be medicine to his spirit." - -"A battle!" cried Io'. "Tell me about it, Nenetzin." - -"I, too, will listen," said Hualpa; "for the gods have given me a love -of words spoken with a voice sweeter than the flutes of Tezca'." - -The girl laughed aloud, and was well pleased, although she answered,-- - -"My father gave me a bracelet this morning, but he did not carry his -love so far as to tell me his purposes; and I am not yet a warrior to -talk to warriors about battles. The lord Maxtla, even Tula here, can -better tell you of such things." - -"Of what?" asked Tula. - -"Io' and his friend wish to know all about the war." - -The elder princess mused a moment, and then said gravely, "You may tell -the 'tzin, as from me, lord Hualpa, that twenty thousand warriors this -morning marched for Cholula; that the citizens there have been armed; -and to-morrow, the gods willing, Malinche will be attacked. The king at -one time thought of conducting the expedition himself; but, by -persuasion of the paba, Mualox, he has given the command to the lord -Cuitlahua." - -Io' clapped his hands. "The gods are kind; let us rejoice, O Hualpa! -What marching of armies there will be! What battles! Hasten, and let us -to Cholula; we can be there before the night sets in." - -"What!" said Nenetzin. "Would you fight, Io'? No, no; come home with us, -and I will put my parrot in a tree, and you may shoot at him all day." - -The boy went to his own canoe, and, returning, held up a shield of pearl -and gold. "See! With a bow I beat our father and the lord Hualpa, and -this was the prize." - -"That a shield!" Nenetzin said. "A toy,--a mere brooch to a Tlascalan, I -have a tortoise-shell that will serve you better." - -The boy frowned, and a rejoinder was on his lips when Tula spoke. - -"The flowers in your vases are very beautiful, lord Hualpa. What altar -is to receive the tribute?" - -Nenetzin's badinage had charmed the ambassador into forgetfulness of his -embassy; so he answered confusedly, "The noble Tula reminds me of my -duty. Before now, standing upon the hills of Tihuanco, watching the -morning brightening in the east, I have forgotten myself. I pray -pardon--" - -Tula glanced archly at Nenetzin. "The morning looks pleasant; doubtless, -its worshipper will be forgiven." - -And then he knew the woman's sharp eyes had seen into his inner heart, -and that the audacious dream he there cherished was exposed; yet his -confusion gave place to delight, for the discovery had been published -with a smile. Thereupon, he set one of the vases at her feet, and -touched the floor with his palm, and said,-- - -"I was charged by Guatamozin to salute you again, and say that these -flowers would tell you all his hopes and wishes." - -As she raised the gift, her hand trembled; then he discovered how -precious a simple Cholulan vase could become; and with that his real -task was before him. Taking the other vase, he knelt before Nenetzin. - -"I have but little skill in courtierly ways," he said. "In flowers I see -nothing but their beauty; and what I would have these say is, that if -Nenetzin, the beautiful Nenetzin, will accept them, she will make me -very happy." - -The girl looked at Tula, then at him; then she raised the vase, and, -laughing, hid her face in the flowers. - -But little more was said; and soon the lashings were cast off, and the -vessels separated. - -On the return Hualpa stopped at Tenochtitlan, and in the shade of the -portico, over a cup of the new beverage, now all the fashion, received -from Xoli the particulars of the contemplated attack upon the strangers -in Cholula; for, with his usual diligence in the fields of gossip, the -broker had early informed himself of all that was to be heard of the -affair. And that night, while Io' dreamed of war, and the hunter of -love, the 'tzin paced his study or wandered through his gardens, -feverishly solicitous about the result of the expedition. - -"If it fail," he repeated over and over,--"if it fail, Malinche will -enter Tenochtitlan as a god!" - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - THE KING DEMANDS A SIGN OF MUALOX. - - -Next morning Mualox ascended the tower of his old Cû. The hour was so -early that the stars were still shining in the east. He fed the fire in -the great urn until it burst into cheery flame; then, spreading his -mantle on the roof, he laid down to woo back the slumber from which he -had been taken. By and by, a man, armed with a javelin, and clad in -cotton mail, came up the steps, and spoke to the paba. - -"Does the servant of his god sleep this morning?" - -Mualox arose, and kissed the pavement. - -"Montezuma is welcome. The blessing of the gods upon him!" - -"Of all the gods, Mualox?" - -"Of all,--even Quetzal's, O king!" - -"Arise! Last night I bade you wait me here. I said I would come with the -morning star; yonder it is, and I am faithful. The time is fittest for -my business." - -Mualox arose, and stood before the monarch with bowed head and crossed -hands. - -"Montezuma knows his servant." - -"Yet I seek to know him better. Mualox, Mualox, have you room for a -perfect love aside from Quetzal'? What would you do for me?" - -"Ask me rather what I would not do." - -"Hear me, then. Lately you have been a counsellor in my palace; with my -policy and purposes you are acquainted; you knew of the march to -Cholula, and the order to attack the strangers; you were present when -they were resolved--" - -"And opposed them. Witness for me to Quetzal', O king!" - -"Yes, you prophesied evil and failure from them, and for that I seek you -now. Tell me, O Mualox, spake you then as a prophet?" - -The paba ventured to look up and study the face of the questioner as -well as he could in the flickering light. - -"I know the vulgar have called me a magician," he said, slowly; "and -sometimes they have spoken of my commerce with the stars. To say that -either report is true, were wrong to the gods. Regardful of them, I -cannot answer you; but I can say--and its sufficiency depends on your -wisdom--your slave, O king, is warned of your intention. You come asking -a sign; you would have me prove my power, that it may be seen." - -"By the Sun--" - -"Nay,--if my master will permit,--another word." - -"I came to hear you; say on." - -"You spoke of me as a councillor in the palace. How may we measure the -value of honors? By the intent with which they are given? O king, had -you not thought the poor paba would use his power for the betrayal of -his god; had you not thought he could stand between you and the wrath--" - -"No more, Mualox, no more!" said Montezuma. "I confess I asked you to -the palace that you might befriend me. Was I wrong to count on your -loyalty? Are you not of Anahuac? And further; I confess I come now -seeking a sign. I command you to show me the future!" - -"If you do indeed believe me the beloved of Quetzal' and his prophet, -then are you bold,--even for a king." - -"Until I wrong the gods, why should I fear? I, too, am a priest." - -"Be wise, O my master! Let the future alone; it is sown with sorrows to -all you love." - -"Have done, paba!" the king exclaimed, angrily. "I am weary,--by the -Sun! I am weary of such words." - -The holy man bowed reverently, and touched the floor with his palm, -saying,-- - -"Mualox lays his heart at his master's feet. In the time when his beard -was black and his spirit young, he began the singing of two songs,--one -of worship to Quetzal', the other of love for Montezuma." - -These words he said tremulously; and there was that in the manner, in -the bent form, in the low obeisance, which soothed the impatience of the -king, so that he turned away, and looked out over the city. And day -began to gild the east; in a short time the sun would claim his own. -Still the monarch thought, still Mualox stood humbly waiting his -pleasure. At length the former approached the fire. - -"Mualox," he said, speaking slowly, "I crossed the lake the other day, -and talked with Guatamozin about the strangers. He satisfied me they are -not _teules_, and, more, he urged me to attack them in Cholula." - -"The 'tzin!" exclaimed Mualox, in strong surprise. - -Montezuma knew the love of the paba for the young cacique rested upon -his supposed love of Quetzal'; so he continued,-- - -"The attack was planned by him; only he would have sent a hundred -thousand warriors to help the citizens. The order is out; the companies -are there; blood will run in the streets of the holy city to-day. The -battle waits on the sun, and it is nearly up. Mualox,"--his manner -became solemn,--"Mualox, on this day's work bides my peace. The morning -comes: by all your prophet's power, tell me what the night will bring!" - -Sorely was the paba troubled. The king's faith in his qualities as -prophet he saw was absolute, and that it was too late to deny the -character. - -"Does Montezuma believe the Sun would tell me what it withholds from its -child?" - -"Quetzal', not the Sun, will speak to you." - -"But Quetzal' is your enemy." - -Montezuma laid his hand on the paba's. "I have heard you speak of love -for me; prove it now, and your reward shall be princely. I will give you -a palace, and many slaves, and riches beyond count." - -Mualox bent his head, and was silent. Enjoyment of a palace meant -abandonment of the old Cû and sacred service. Just then the wail of a -watcher from a distant temple swept faintly by; he heard the cry, and -from his surplice drew a trumpet, and through it sung with a swelling -voice,-- - -"Morning is come! Morning is come! To the temples, O worshippers! -Morning is come!" - -And the warning hymn, the same that had been heard from the old tower -for so many ages, heard heralding suns while the city was founding, -given now, amid the singer's sore perplexity, was an assurance to his -listening deity that he was faithful against kingly blandishments as -well as kingly neglect. While the words were being repeated from the -many temples, he stood attentive to them, then he turned, and said,-- - -"Montezuma is generous to his slave; but ambition is a goodly tree gone -to dust in my heart; and if it were not, O king, what are all your -treasures to that in the golden chamber? Nay, keep your offerings, and -let me keep the temple. I hunger after no riches except such as lie in -the love of Quetzal'." - -"Then tell me," said the monarch, impatiently,--"without price, tell me -his will." - -"I cannot, I am but a man; but this much I can--" He faltered; the hands -crossed upon his breast closed tightly, and the breast labored -painfully. - -"I am waiting. Speak! What can you?" - -"Will the king trust his servant, and go with him down into the Cû -again?" - -"To talk with the Morning, this is the place," said the monarch, too -well remembering the former introduction to the mysteries of the ancient -house. - -"My master mistakes me for a juggling soothsayer; he thinks I will look -into the halls of the Sun through burning drugs, and the magic of -unmeaning words. I have nothing to do with the Morning; I have no -incantations. I am but the dutiful slave of Quetzal', the god, and -Montezuma, the king." - -The royal listener looked away again, debating with his fears, which, it -is but just to say, were not of harm from the paba. Men unfamiliar with -the custom do not think lightly of encountering things unnatural; in -this instance, moreover, favor was not to be hoped from the god through -whom the forbidden knowledge was to come. But curiosity and an -uncontrollable interest in the result of the affair in Cholula overcame -his apprehensions. - -"I will go with you. I am ready," he said. - -The old man stooped, and touched the roof, and, rising, said, "I have a -little world of my own, O king; and though without sun and stars, and -the grand harmony which only the gods can give, it has its wonders and -beauty, and is to me a place of perpetual delight. Bide my return a -little while. I will go and prepare the way for you." - -Resuming his mantle, he departed, leaving the king to study the new-born -day. When he came back, the valley and the sky were full of the glory of -the sun full risen. And they descended to the _azoteas_, thence to the -court-yard. Taking a lamp hanging in a passage-door, the holy man, with -the utmost reverence, conducted his guest into the labyrinth. At first, -the latter tried to recollect the course taken, the halls and stairs -passed, and the stories descended; but the thread was too often broken, -the light too dim, the way too intricate. Soon he yielded himself -entirely to his guide, and followed, wondering much at the massiveness -of the building, and the courage necessary to live there alone. Ignorant -of the zeal which had become the motive of the paba's life, inspiring -him with incredible cunning and industry, and equally without a -conception of the power there is in one idea long awake in the soul and -nursed into mania, it was not singular that, as they went, the monarch -should turn the very walls into witnesses corroborant of the traditions -of the temple and the weird claims of its keeper. - -Passing the kitchen, and descending the last flight of steps, they came -to the trap-door in the passage, beside which lay the ladder of ropes. - -"Be of courage a little longer, O king," said Mualox, flinging the -ladder through the doorway. "We are almost there." - -And the paba, leaving the lamp above, committed himself confidently to -the ropes and darkness below. A suspicion of his madness occurred to the -king, whose situation called for consideration; in fact, he hesitated to -follow farther; twice he was called to; and when, finally, he did go -down, the secret of his courage was an idea that they were about to -emerge from the dusty caverns into the freer air of day; for, while yet -in the passage, he heard the whistle of a bird, and fancied he detected -a fragrance as of flowers. - -"Your hand now, O king, and Mualox will lead you into his world." - -The motives that constrained the holy man to this step are not easily -divined. Of all the mysteries of the house, that hall was by him the -most cherished; and of all men the king was the last whom he would have -voluntarily chosen as a participant in its secrets, since he alone had -power to break them up. The necessity must have been very great; -possibly he felt his influence and peculiar character dependent upon -yielding to the pressure; the moment the step was resolved upon, -however, nothing remained but to use the mysteries for the protection of -the abode; and with that purpose he went to prepare the way. - -Much study would most of us have required to know what was essential to -the purpose; not so the paba. He merely trimmed the lamps already -lighted, and lighted and disposed others. His plan was to overwhelm the -visitor by the first glance; without warning, without time to study -details, to flash upon him a crowd of impossibilities. In the mass, the -generality, the whole together, a god's hand was to be made apparent to -a superstitious fancy. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - THE MASSACRE IN CHOLULA. - - -Inside the hall, scarcely a step from the curtain, the monarch stopped -bewildered; half amazed, half alarmed, he surveyed the chamber, now -glowing as with day. Flowers blooming, birds singing, shrubbery, thick -and green as in his own garden. Whence came they? how were they -nurtured down so far? And the countless subjects painted on the ceiling -and walls, and woven in colors on the tapestry,--surely they were the -work of the same master who had wrought so marvellously in the golden -chamber. The extent of the hall, exaggerated by the light, impressed -him. Filled with the presence of what seemed impossibilities, he cried -out,-- - -"The abode of Quetzal'!" - -"No," answered Mualox, "not his abode, only his temple,--the temple of -his own building." - -And from that time it was with the king as if the god were actually -present. - -The paba read the effect in the monarch's manner,--in his attitude, in -the softness of his tread, in the cloudy, saddened expression of his -countenance, in the whisper with which he spoke; he read it, and was -assured. - -"This way, O king! Though your servant cannot let you see into the Sun, -or give you the sign required, follow him, and he will bring you to hear -of events in Cholula even as they transpire. Remember, however, he says -now that the Cholulans and the twenty thousand warriors will fail, and -the night bring you but sorrow and repentance." - -Along the aisles he conducted him, until they came to the fountain, -where the monarch stopped again. The light there was brighter than in -the rest of the hall. A number of birds flew up, scared by the stranger; -in the space around the marble basin stood vases crowned with flowers; -the floor was strewn with wreaths and garlands; the water sparkled with -silvery lustre; yet all were lost on the wondering guest, who saw only -Tecetl,--a vision, once seen, to be looked at again and again. - -Upon a couch, a little apart from the fountain, she sat, leaning against -a pile of cushions, which was covered by a mantle of _plumaje_. Her -garments were white, and wholly without ornament; her hair strayed -lightly from a wreath upon her head; the childish hands lay clasped in -her lap; upon the soft mattress rested the delicate limbs, covered, but -not concealed, the soles of the small feet tinted with warmth and life, -like the pink and rose lining of certain shells. So fragile, innocent, -and beautiful looked she, and so hushed and motionless withal,--so like -a spirituality,--that the monarch's quick sensation of sympathy shot -through his heart an absolute pain. - -"Disturb her not; let her sleep," he whispered, waving his hand. - -Mualox smiled. - -"Nay, the full battle-cry of your armies would not waken her." - -The influence of the Will was upon her, stronger than slumber. Not yet -was she to see a human being other than the paba,--not even the great -king. A little longer was she to be happy in ignorance of the actual -world. Ah, many, many are the victims of affection unwise in its very -fulness! - -Again and again the monarch scanned the girl's face, charmed, yet awed. -The paba had said the sleep was wakeless; and that was a mystery -unreported by tradition, unknown to his philosophy, and rarer, if not -greater, than death. If life at all, what kind was it? The longer he -looked and reflected, the lovelier she grew. So completely was his -credulity gained that he thought not once of questioning Mualox about -her; he was content with believing. - -The paba, meantime, had been holding one of her hands, and gazing -intently in her face. When he looked up, the monarch was startled by his -appearance; his air was imposing, his eyes lighted with the mesmeric -force. - -"Sit, O king, and give ear. Through the lips of his child, Quetzal' -will speak, and tell you of the day in Cholula." - -He spoke imperiously, and the monarch obeyed. Then, disturbed only by -the chiming of the fountain, and sometimes by the whistling of the -birds, Tecetl began, and softly, brokenly, unconsciously told of the -massacre in the holy city of Cholula. Not a question was asked her. -There was little prompting aloud. Much did the king marvel, never once -doubted he. - -"The sky is very clear," said Tecetl. "I rise into the air; I leave the -city in the lake, and the lake itself; now the mountains are below me. -Lo, another city! I descend again; the _azoteas_ of a temple receives -me; around are great houses. Who are these I see? There, in front of the -temple, they stand, in lines; even in the shade their garments glisten. -They have shields; some bear long lances, some sit on strange animals -that have eyes of fire and ring the pavement with their stamping." - -"Does the king understand?" asked Mualox. - -"She describes the strangers," was the reply. - -And Tecetl resumed. "There is one standing in the midst of a throng; he -speaks, they listen. I cannot repeat his words, or understand them, for -they are not like ours. Now I see his face, and it is white; his eyes -are black, and his cheeks bearded; he is angry; he points to the city -around the temple, and his voice grows harsh, and his face dark." - -The king approached a step, and whispered, "Malinche!" - -But Mualox replied with flashing eyes, "The servant knows his god; it is -Quetzal'!" - -"He speaks, I listen," Tecetl continued, after a rest, and thenceforth -her sentences were given at longer intervals. "Now he is through; he -waves his hand, and the listeners retire, and go to different quarters; -in places they kindle fires; the gates are open, and some station -themselves there." - -"Named she where this is happening?" asked Montezuma. - -"She describes the strangers; and are they not in Cholula, O king? She -also spoke of the _azoteas_ of a temple--" - -"True, true," replied the king, moodily. "The preparations must be going -on in the square of the temple in which Malinche was lodged last night." - -Tecetl continued. "And now I look down the street; a crowd approaches -from the city--" - -"Speak of them," said Mualox. "I would know who they are." - -"Most of them wear long beards and robes, like yours, father,--robes -white and reaching to their feet; in front a few come, swinging -censers--" - -"They are pabas from the temples," said Mualox. - -"Behind them I see a greater crowd," she continued. "How stately their -step! how beautiful their plumes!" - -"The twenty thousand! the army!" said Mualox. - -"No, she speaks of them as plumed. They must be lords and caciques going -to the temple." While speaking, the monarch's eyes wandered restlessly, -and he sighed, saying, "Where can the companies be? It is time they were -in the city." - -So his anxiety betrayed itself. - -Then Mualox said, grimly, "Hope not, O king. The priests and caciques go -to death; the army would but swell the flow of blood." - -Montezuma clapped his hands, and drooped his head. - -"Yet more," said Tecetl, almost immediately; "another crowd comes on, a -band reaching far down the street; they are naked, and come without -order, bringing--" - -"The _tamanes_," said Mualox, without looking from her face. - -"And now," she said, "the city begins to stir. I look, and on the -house-tops and temples hosts collect; from all the towers the smoke goes -up in bluer columns: yet all is still. Those who carry the censers come -near the gate below me; now they are within it; the plumed train follows -them, and the square begins to fill. Back by the great door, on one of -the animals, the god--" - -"Quetzal'," muttered Mualox. - -"A company, glistening, surrounds him; his face seems whiter than -before, his eyes darker; a shield is on his arm, white plumes toss above -his head. The censer-bearers cross the square, and the air thickens with -a sweet perfume. Now he speaks to them; his voice is harsh and high; -they are frightened; some kneel, and begin to pray as to a god; others -turn and start quickly for the gate." - -"Take heed, take heed, O king!" said Mualox, his eyes aflame. - -And Montezuma answered, trembling with fear and rage, "Has Anahuac no -gods to care for her children?" - -"What can they against the Supreme Quetzal'? It is a trial of power. The -end is at hand!" - -Never man spoke more confidently than the paba. - -By this time Tecetl's face was flushed, and her voice faint. Mualox -filled the hollow of his hand with water, and laved her forehead. And -she sighed wearily and continued,-- - -"The fair-faced god--" - -"Mark the words, O king,--mark the words!" said the paba. - -"The fair-faced god quits speaking; he waves his hand, and one of his -company on the steps of the temple answers with a shout. Lo! a stream of -fire, and a noise like the bursting of a cloud! a rising, rolling cloud -of smoke veils the whole front of the house. How the smoke thickens! How -the strangers rush into the square! The square itself trembles! I do not -understand it, father--" - -"It is battle! On, child! a king waits to see a god in battle." - -"In my pictures there is nothing like this, nor have you told me of -anything like it. O, it is fearful!" she said. "The crowd in the middle -of the square, those who came from the city, are broken, and rush here -and there; at the gates they are beaten back; some, climbing the walls, -are struck by arrows, and fall down screaming. Hark! how they call on -the gods,--Huitzil', Tezca', Quetzal'. And why are they not heard? -Where, father, where is the good Quetzal'?" - -Flashed the paba's eyes with the superhuman light,--other answer he -deigned not; and she proceeded. - -"What a change has come over the square! Where are they that awhile ago -filled it with white robes and dancing plumes?" - -She shuddered visibly. - -"I look again. The pavement is covered with heaps of the fallen, and -among them I see some with plumes and some with robes; even the -censer-bearers lie still. What can it mean? And all the time the horror -grows. When the thunder and fire and smoke burst from near the -temple-steps, how the helpless in the square shriek with terror and run -blindly about! How many are torn to pieces! Down they go; I cannot count -them, they fall so fast, and in such heaps! Then--ah, the pavement looks -red! O father, it is blood!" - -She stopped. Montezuma covered his face with his hands; the good heart -that so loved his people sickened at their slaughter. - -Again Mualox bathed her face. Joy flamed in his eyes; Quetzal' was -consummating his vengeance, and confirming the prophecies of his -servant. - -"Go on; stay not!" he said, sternly. "The story is not told." - -"Still the running to and fro, and the screaming; still the fire -flashing, and the smoke rising, and the hissing of arrows and sound of -blows; still the prayers to Huitzil'!" said Tecetl. "I look down, and -under the smoke, which has a choking smell, I see the fallen. Red pools -gather in the hollow places, plumes are broken, and robes are no longer -white. O, the piteous looks I see, the moans I hear, the many faces, -brown like oak-leaves faded, turned stilly up to the sun!" - -"The people of the god,--tell of them," said Mualox. - -"I search for them,--I see them on the steps and out by the walls and -the gates. They are all in their places yet; not one of them is down; -theirs the arrows, and the fire and thunder." - -"Does the king hear?" asked Mualox. "Only the pabas and caciques perish. -Who may presume to oppose Quetzal'? Look further, child. Tell us of the -city." - -"Gladly, most gladly! Now, abroad over the city. The people quit the -house-tops; they run from all directions to the troubled temple; they -crowd the streets; about the gates, where the gods are, they struggle to -get into the square, and the air thickens with their arrows. The god--" - -"What god?" asked Mualox. - -"The white-plumed one." - -"Quetzal'! Go on!" - -"He has--" She faltered. - -"What?" - -"In my pictures, father, there is nothing like them. Fire leaps from -their mouths, and smoke, and the air and earth tremble when they speak; -and see--ah, how the crowds in the streets go down before them!" - -Again she shuddered, and faltered. - -"Hear, O king!" said Mualox, who not only recognized the cannon of the -Spaniards in the description, but saw their weight at that moment as an -argument. "What can the slingers, and the spearmen of Chinantla, and the -swords-men of Tenochtitlan, against warriors of the Sun, with their -lightning and thunder!" - -And he looked at the monarch, sitting with his face covered, and was -satisfied. With faculties sharpened by a zeal too fervid for sympathy, -he saw the fears of the proud but kindly soul, and rejoiced in them. Yet -he permitted no delay. - -"Go on, child! Look for the fair-faced god; he holds the battle in his -hand." - -"I see him,--I see his white plumes nodding in a group of spears. Now he -is at the main gate of the temple, and speaks. Hark! The earth is shaken -by another roar,--from the street another great cry; and through the -smoke, out of the gate, he leads his band. And the animals,--what shall -I call them?" - -"Tell us of the god!" replied the enthusiast, himself ignorant of the -name and nature of the horse. - -"Well, well,--they run like deer; on them the god and his comrades -plunge into the masses in the street; beating back and pursuing, -striking with their spears, and trampling down all in their way. Stones -and arrows are flung from the houses, but they avail nothing. The god -shouts joyously, he plunges on; and the blood flows faster than before; -it reddens the shields, it drips from the spear-points--" - -"Enough, Mualox!" said Montezuma, starting from his seat, and speaking -firmly. "I want no more. Guide me hence!" - -The paba was surprised; rising slowly, he asked,-- - -"Will not the king stay to the end?" - -"Stay!" repeated the monarch, with curling lip. "Are my people of -Cholula wolves that I should be glad at their slaughter? It is murder, -massacre, not battle! Show me to the roof again. Come!" - -Mualox turned to Tecetl; touching her hand, he found it cold; the sunken -eyes, and the lips, vermeil no longer, admonished him of the delicacy of -her spirit and body. He filled a vase at the fountain, and laved her -face, the while soothingly repeating, "Tecetl, Tecetl, child!" Some -minutes were thus devoted; then kissing her, and replacing the hand -tenderly in the other lying in her lap, he said to the monarch,-- - -"Until to-day, O king, this sacredness has been sealed from the -generations that forsook the religion of Quetzal'. Eye of mocker has not -seen, nor foot of unbeliever trod this purlieu, the last to receive his -blessing. You alone--I am of the god--you alone can go abroad knowing -what is here. Never before were you so nearly face to face with the -Ruler of the Winds! And now, with what force a servant may, I charge -you, by the glory of the Sun, respect this house; and when you think of -it, or of what here you have seen, be it as friend, lover, and -worshipper. If the king will follow me, I am ready." - -"I am neither mocker nor unbeliever. Lead on," replied Montezuma. - -And after that, the king paid no attention to the chamber; he moved -along the aisles too unhappy to be curious. The twenty thousand warriors -had not been mentioned by Tecetl; they had not, it would seem, entered -the city or the battle, so there was a chance of the victory; yet was he -hopeless, for never a doubt had he of her story. Wherefore, his -lamentation was twofold,--for his people and for himself. - -And Mualox was silent as the king, though for a different cause. To him, -suddenly, the object of his life put on the garb of quick possibility. -Quetzal', he was sure, would fill the streets of Cholula with the dead, -and crown his wrath amid the ruins of the city. In the face of example -so dreadful, none would dare oppose him, not even Montezuma, whose pride -broken was next to his faith gained. And around the new-born hope, as -cherubs around the Madonna, rustled the wings of fancies most exalted. -He saw the supremacy of Quetzal' acknowledged above all others, the Cû -restored to its first glory, and the silent cells repeopled. O happy -day! Already he heard the court-yard resounding with solemn chants as of -old; and before the altar, in the presence-chamber, from morn till night -he stood, receiving offerings, and dispensing blessings to the -worshippers who, with a faith equal to his own, believed the ancient -image the ONE SUPREME GOD. - -At the head of the eastern steps of the temple, as the king began the -descent, the holy man knelt, and said,-- - -"For peace to his people let the wise Montezuma look to Quetzal'. Mualox -gives him his blessing. Farewell." - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE CONQUEROR WILL COME. - - -A few weeks more,--weeks of pain, vacillation, embassies, and distracted -councils to Montezuma; of doubt and anxiety to the nobles; of sacrifice -and ceremonies by the priests; of fear and wonder to the people. In that -time, if never before, the Spaniards became the one subject of discourse -throughout Anahuac. In the _tianguez_, merchants bargaining paused to -interchange opinions about them; craftsmen in the shops entertained and -frightened each other with stories of their marvellous strength and -ferocity; porters, bending under burdens, speculated on their character -and mission; and never a waterman passed an acquaintance on the lake, -without lingering awhile to ask or give the latest news from the Holy -City, which, with the best grace it could, still entertained its -scourgers. - -What Malinche--for by that name Cortes was now universally known--would -do was the first conjecture; what the great king intended was the next. - -As a matter of policy, the dismal massacre in Cholula accomplished all -Cortes proposed; it made him a national terror; it smoothed the causeway -for his march, and held the gates of Xoloc open for peaceful entry into -Tenochtitlan. Yet the question on the many tongues was, Would he come? - -And he himself answered. One day a courier ran up the great street of -Tenochtitlan to the king's palace; immediately the portal was thronged -by anxious citizens. That morning Malinche began his march to the -capital,--he was coming, was actually on the way. The thousands trembled -as they heard the news. - -After that the city was not an hour without messengers reporting the -progress of the Spaniards, whose every step and halt and camping-place -was watched with the distrust of fear and the sleeplessness of jealousy. -The horsemen and footmen were all numbered; the personal appearance of -each leader was painted over and over again with brush and tongue; the -devices on the shields and pennons were described with heraldic -accuracy. And though, from long service and constant exposure and -repeated battles, the equipments of the adventurers had lost the -freshness that belonged to them the day of the departure from Cuba; -though plumes and scarfs were stained, and casques and breastplates -tarnished, and good steeds tamed by strange fare and wearisome marches, -nevertheless the accounts that went abroad concerning them were -sufficiently splendid and terrible to confirm the prophecies by which -they were preceded. - -And the people, made swift by alarm and curiosity, out-marched Cortes -many days. Before he reached Iztapalapan, the capital was full of them; -in multitudes, lords and slaves, men, women, and children, like Jews to -the Passover, scaled the mountains, and hurried through the valley and -across the lakes. Better opportunity to study the characteristics of the -tribes was never afforded. - -All day and night the public resorts--streets, houses, temples--were -burdened with the multitude, whose fear, as the hour of entry drew nigh, -yielded to their curiosity. And when, at last, the road the visitors -would come by was settled, the whole city seemed to breathe easier. From -the village of Iscalpan, so ran the word, they had boldly plunged into -the passes of the Sierra, and thence taken the directest route by way of -Tlalmanalco. And now they were at Ayotzinco, a town on the eastern shore -of lake Tezcuco; to-morrow they would reach Iztapalapan, and then -Tenochtitlan. Not a long time to wait, if they brought the vengeance of -Quetzal'; yet thousands took canoes, and crossed to the village, and, -catching the first view, hurried back, each with a fancy more than ever -inflamed. - -A soldier, sauntering down the street, is beset with citizens. - -"A pleasant day, O son of Huitzil'!" - -"A pleasant day; may all that shine on Tenochtitlan be like it!" he -answers. - -"What news?" - -"I have been to the temple." - -"And what says the _teotuctli_ now?" - -"Nothing. There are no signs. Like the stars, the hearts of the victims -will not answer." - -"What! Did not Huitzil' speak last night?" - -"O yes!" And the warrior smiles with satisfaction. "Last night he bade -the priests tell the king not to oppose the entry of Malinche." - -"Then what?" - -"Why, here in the city he would cut the strangers off to the last one." - -And all the citizens cry in chorus, "Praised be Huitzil'!" - -Farther on the warrior overtakes a comrade in arms. - -"Are we to take our shields to the field, O my brother?" he asks. - -"All is peaceful yet,--nothing but embassies." - -"Is it true that the lord Cacama is to go in state, and invite Malinche -to Tenochtitlan?" - -"He sets out to-day." - -"Ha, ha! Of all voices for war, his was the loudest. Where caught he the -merchant's cry for peace?" - -"In the temples; it may be from Huitzil'." - -The answer is given in a low voice, and with an ironic laugh. - -"Well, well, comrade, there are but two lords fit, in time like this, -for the love of warriors,--Cuitlahua and Guatamozin. They still talk of -war." - -"Cuitlahua, Cuitlahua!" And the laugh rises to boisterous contempt. -"Why, he has consented to receive Malinche in Iztapalapan, and entertain -him with a banquet in his palace. He has gone for that purpose now. The -lord of Cojohuaca is with him." - -"Then we have only the 'tzin!" - -The fellow sighs like one sincerely grieved. - -"Only the 'tzin, brother, only the 'tzin! and he is banished!" - -They shake their heads, and look what they dare not speak, and go their -ways. The gloom they take with them is a sample of that which rests over -the whole valley. - -When the Spaniards reached Iztapalapan, the excitement in the capital -became irrepressible. The cities were but an easy march apart, most of -it along the causeway. The going and coming may be imagined. The miles -of dike were covered by a continuous procession, while the lake, in a -broad line from town to town, was darkened by canoes. Cortes' progress -through the streets of Iztapalapan was antitypical of the grander -reception awaiting him in Tenochtitlan. - -In the latter city there was no sleep that night. The _tianguez_ in -particular was densely filled, not by traders, but by a mass of -newsmongers, who hardly knew whether they were most pleased or alarmed. -The general neglect of business had exceptions; at least one portico -shone with unusual brilliancy till morning. Every great merchant is a -philosopher; in the midst of calamities, he is serene, because it is -profit's time; before the famine, he buys up all the corn; in -forethought of pestilence, he secures all the medicine: and the world, -counting his gains, says delightedly, What a wise man! I will not say -the Chalcan was of that honored class; he thought himself a benefactor, -and was happy to accommodate the lords, and help them divide their time -between his palace and that of the king. It is hardly necessary to add, -that his apartments were well patronized, though, in truth, his _pulque_ -was in greater demand than his _choclatl_. - -The drinking-chamber, about the close of the third quarter of the night, -presented a lively picture. For the convenience of the many patrons, -tables from other rooms had been brought in. Some of the older lords -were far gone in intoxication; slaves darted to and fro, removing -goblets, or bringing them back replenished. A few minstrels found -listeners among those who happened to be too stupid to talk, though not -too sleepy to drink. Every little while a newcomer would enter, when, -if he were from Iztapalapan, a crowd would surround him, allowing -neither rest nor refreshment until he had told the things he had seen or -heard. Amongst others, Hualpa and Io' chanced to find their way thither. -Maxtla, seated at a table with some friends, including the Chalcan, -called them to him; and, as they had attended the banquet of the lord -Cuitlahua, they were quickly provided with seats, goblets, and an -audience of eager listeners. - -"Certainly, my good chief, I have seen Malinche, and passed the -afternoon looking at him and his people," said Hualpa to Maxtla. "It may -be that I am too much influenced by the 'tzin to judge them; but, if -they are _teules_, so are we. I longed to try my javelin on them." - -"Was their behavior unseemly?" - -"Call it as you please. I was in the train when, after the banquet, the -lord Cuitlahua took them to see his gardens. As they strode the walks, -and snuffed the flowers, and plucked the fruit; as they moved along the -canal with its lining of stone, and stopped to drink at the -fountains,--I was made feel that they thought everything, not merely my -lord's property, but my lord himself, belonged to them; they said as -much by their looks and actions, by their insolent swagger." - -"Was the 'tzin there?" - -"From the _azoteas_ of a temple he saw them enter the city; but he was -not at the banquet. I heard a story showing how he would treat the -strangers, if he had the power. One of their priests, out with a party, -came to the temple where he happened to be, and went up to the tower. In -the sanctuary one of them raised his spear and struck the image of the -god. The pabas threw up their hands and shrieked; he rushed upon the -impious wretch, and carried him to the sacrificial stone, stretched him -out, and called to the pabas, 'Come, the victim is ready!' When the -other _teules_ would have attacked him, he offered to fight them all. -The strange priest interfered, and they departed." - -The applause of the bystanders was loud and protracted; when it had -somewhat abated, Xoli, whose thoughts, from habit, ran chiefly upon the -edibles, said,-- - -"My lord Cuitlahua is a giver of good suppers. Pray, tell us about the -courses--" - -"Peace! be still, Chalcan!" cried Maxtla, angrily. "What care we whether -Malinche ate wolf-meat or quail?" - -Xoli bowed; the lords laughed. - -Then a gray-haired cacique behind Io' asked, "Tell us rather what -Malinche said." - -Hualpa shook his head. "The conversation was tedious. Everything was -said through an interpreter,--a woman born in the province Painalla; so -I paid little attention. I recollect, however, he asked many questions -about the great king, and about the Empire, and Tenochtitlan. He said -his master, the governor of the universe, had sent him here. He gave -much time, also, to explaining his religion. I might have understood -him, uncle, but my ears were too full of the rattle of arms." - -"What! Sat they at the table armed?" asked Maxtla. - -"All of them; even Malinche." - -"That was not the worst," said Io', earnestly. "At the same table my -lord Cuitlahua entertained a band of beggarly Tlascalan chiefs. Sooner -should my tongue have been torn out!" - -The bystanders made haste to approve the sentiment, and for a time it -diverted the conversation. Meanwhile, at Hualpa's order, the goblets -were refilled. - -"Dares the noble Maxtla," he then asked, "tell what the king will do?" - -"The question is very broad." And the chief smiled. "What special -information does my comrade seek?" - -"Can you tell us when Malinche will enter Tenochtitlan?" - -"Certainly. Xoli published that in the _tianguez_ before the sun was -up." - -"To be sure," answered the Chalcan. "The lord Maxtla knows the news cost -me a bowl of _pulque_." - -There was much laughter, in which the chief joined. Then he said, -gravely,-- - -"The king has arranged everything. As advised by the gods, Malinche -enters Tenochtitlan day after to-morrow. He will leave Iztapalapan at -sunrise, and march to the causeway by the lake shore. Cuitlahua, with -Cacama, the lord of Tecuba, and others of like importance, will meet him -at Xoloc. The king will follow them in state. As to the procession, I -will only say it were ill to lose the sight. Such splendor was never -seen on the causeway." - -Ordinarily the mention of such a prospect would have kindled the -liveliest enthusiasm; for the Aztecs were lovers of spectacles, and -never so glad as when the great green banner of the Empire was brought -forth to shed its solemn beauty over the legions, and along the storied -street of Tenochtitlan. Much, therefore, was Maxtla surprised at the -coldness that fell upon the company. - -"Ho, friends! One would think the reception not much to your liking," he -said. - -"We are the king's,--dust under his feet,--and it is not for us to -murmur," said a sturdy cacique, first to break the disagreeable silence. -"Yet our fathers gave their enemies bolts instead of banquets." - -"Who may disobey the gods?" asked Maxtla. - -The argument was not more sententious than unanswerable. - -"Well, well!" said Hualpa. "I will get ready. Advise me, good chief: had -I better take a canoe?" - -"The procession will doubtless be better seen from the lake; but to hear -what passes between the king and Malinche, you should be in the train. -By the way, will the 'tzin be present?" - -"As the king may order," replied Hualpa. - -Maxtla threw back his look, and said with enthusiasm, real or affected, -"Much would I like to see and hear him when the Tlascalans come flying -their banners into the city! How he will flame with wrath!" - -Then Hualpa considerately changed the direction of the discourse. - -"Malinche will be a troublesome guest, if only from the number of his -following. Will he be lodged in one of the temples?" - -"A temple, indeed!" And Maxtla laughed scornfully. "A temple would be -fitter lodging for the gods of Mictlan! At Cempoalla, you recollect, the -_teules_ threw down the sacred gods, and butchered the pabas at the -altars. Lest they should desecrate a holy house here, they are assigned -to the old palace of Axaya'. To-morrow the _tamanes_ will put it in -order." - -Io' then asked, "Is it known how long they will stay?" - -Maxtla shrugged his shoulders, and drank his _pulque_. - -"Hist!" whistled a cacique. "That is what the king would give half his -kingdom to know!" - -"And why?" asked the boy, reddening. "Is he not master? Does it not -depend upon him?" - -"It depends upon no other!" cried Maxtla, dashing his palm upon the -table until the goblets danced. "By the holy gods, he has but to speak -the word, and these guests will turn to victims!" - -And Hualpa, surprised at the display of spirit, seconded the chief: -"Brave words, O my lord Maxtla! They give us hope." - -"He will treat them graciously," Maxtla continued, "because they come by -his request; but when he tells them to depart, if they obey not,--if -they obey not,--when was his vengeance other than a king's? Who dares -say he cannot, by a word, end this visit?" - -"No one!" cried Io'. - -"Ay, no one! But the goblets are empty. See! Io', good prince,"--and -Maxtla's voice changed at once,--"would another draught be too much for -us? We drink slowly; one more, only one. And while we drink, we will -forget Malinche." - -"Would that were possible!" sighed the boy. - -They sent up the goblets, and continued the session until daylight. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - MONTEZUMA GOES TO MEET CORTES. - - -Came the eighth of November, which no Spaniard, himself a Conquistador, -can ever forget; that day Cortes entered Tenochtitlan. - -The morning dawned over Anahuac as sometimes it dawns over the Bay of -Naples, bringing an azure haze in which the world seemed set afloat. - -"Look you, uncles," said Montezuma, yet at breakfast, and speaking to -his councillors: "they are to go before me, my heralds; and as Malinche -is the servant of a king, and used to courtly styles, I would not have -them shame me. Admit them with the _nequen_ off. As they will appear -before him, let them come to me." - -And thereupon four nobles were ushered in, full-armed, even to the -shield. Their helms were of glittering silver; their _escaupiles_, or -tunics of quilted mail, were stained vivid green, and at the neck and -borders sparkled with pearls; over their shoulders hung graceful mantles -of _plumaje_, softer than cramoisy velvet; upon their breasts blazed -decorations and military insignia; from wrist to elbow, and from knee to -sandal-strap, their arms and legs were sheathed in scales of gold. And -so, ready for peaceful show or mortal combat,--his heroes and -ambassadors,--they bided the monarch's careful review. - -"Health to you, my brothers! and to you, my children!" he said, with -satisfaction. "What of the morning? How looks the sun?" - -"Like the beginning of a great day, O king, which we pray may end -happily for you," replied Cuitlahua. - -"It is the work of Huitzil'; doubt not! I have called you, O my -children, to see how well my fame will be maintained. I wish to show -Malinche a power and beauty such as he has never seen, unless he come -from the Sun itself. Earth has but one valley of Anahuac, one city of -Tenochtitlan: so he shall acknowledge. Have you directed his march as I -ordered?" - -And Cacama replied, "Through the towns and gardens, he is to follow the -shore of the lake to the great causeway. By this time he is on the -road." - -Then Montezuma's face flushed; and, lifting his head as it were to look -at objects afar off, he said aloud, yet like one talking to himself,-- - -"He is a lover of gold, and has been heard speak of cities and temples -and armies; of his people numberless as the sands. O, if he be a man, -with human weaknesses,--if he has hope, or folly of thought, to make him -less than a god,--ere the night fall he shall give me reverence. Sign of -my power shall he find at every step: cities built upon the waves; -temples solid and high as the hills; the lake covered with canoes and -gardens; people at his feet, like stalks in the meadow; my warriors; and -Tenochtitlan, city of empire! And then, if he greet me with hope or -thought of conquest,--then--" He shuddered. - -"And then what?" said Cuitlahua, upon whom not a word had been lost. - -The thinker, startled, looked at him coldly, saying,-- - -"I will take council of the gods." - -And for a while he returned to his _choclatl_. When next he looked up, -and spoke, his face was bright and smiling. - -"With a train, my children, you are to go in advance of me, and meet -Malinche at Xoloc. Embrace him, speak to him honorably, return with him, -and I will be at the first bridge outside the city. Cuitlahua and -Cacama, be near when he steps forward to salute me. I will lean upon -your shoulders. Get you gone now. Remember Anahuac!" - -Shortly afterward a train of nobles, magnificently arrayed, issued from -the palace, and marched down the great street leading to the Iztapalapan -causeway. The house-tops, the porticos, even the roofs and towers of -temples, and the pavements and cross-streets, were already occupied by -spectators. At the head of the procession strode the four heralds. -Silently they marched, in silence the populace received them. The -spectacle reminded very old men of the day the great Axaya' was borne in -mournful pomp to Chapultepec. Once only there was a cheer, or, rather, a -war-cry from the warriors looking down from the terraces of a temple. So -the cortege passed from the city; so, through a continuous lane of men, -they moved along the causeway; so they reached the gates of Xoloc, at -which the two dikes, one from Iztapalapan, the other from Cojohuaca, -intersected each other. There they halted, waiting for Cortes. - -And while the train was on the road, out of one of the gates of the -royal garden passed a palanquin, borne by four slaves in the king's -livery. The occupants were the princesses Tula and Nenetzin, with Yeteve -in attendance. In any of the towns of old Spain there would have been -much remark upon the style of carriage, but no denial of their beauty, -or that they were Spanish born. The elder sister was thoughtful and -anxious; the younger kept constant lookout; the priestess, at their -feet, wove the flowers with which they were profusely supplied into -_ramilletes_, and threw them to the passers-by. The slaves, when in the -great street, turned to the north. - -"Blessed Lady!" cried Yeteve. "Was the like ever seen?" - -"What is it?" asked Nenetzin. - -"Such a crowd of people!" - -Nenetzin looked out again, saying, "I wish I could see a noble or a -warrior." - -"That may not be," said Tula. "The nobles are gone to receive Malinche, -the warriors are shut up in the temples." - -"Why so?" - -"They may be needed." - -"Ah! was it thought there is such danger? But look, see!" And Nenetzin -drew back alarmed, yet laughing. - -There was a crash outside, and a loud shout, and the palanquin stopped. -Tula drew the curtain quickly, not knowing but that the peril requiring -the soldiery was at hand. A vendor of little stone images,--_teotls_, or -household gods,--unable to get out of the way, had been run upon by the -slaves, and the pavement sprinkled with the broken heads and legs of the -luckless _lares_. Aside, surveying the wreck, stood the pedler, clad as -usual with his class. In his girdle he carried a mallet, significant of -his trade. He was uncommonly tall, and of a complexion darker than the -lowest slaves. While the commiserate princess observed him, he raised -his eyes; a moment he stood uncertain what to do; then he stepped to the -palanquin, and from the folds of his tunic drew an image elaborately -carved upon the face of an agate. - -"The good princess," he said, bending so low as to hide his face, "did -not laugh at the misfortune of her poor slave. She has a friendly heart, -and is loved by every artisan in Tenochtitlan. This carving is of a -sacred god, who will watch over and bless her, as I now do. If she will -take it, I shall be glad." - -"It is very valuable, and maybe you are not rich," she replied. - -"Rich! When it is told that the princess Tula was pleased with a _teotl_ -of my carving, I shall have patrons without end. And if it were not so, -the recollection will make me rich enough. Will she please me so much?" - -She took from her finger a ring set with a jewel that, in any city of -Europe, would have bought fifty such cameos, and handed it to him. - -"Certainly; but take this from me. I warrant you are a gentle artist." - -The pedler took the gift, and kissed the pavement, and, after the -palanquin was gone, picked up such of his wares as were uninjured, and -went his way well pleased. - -At the gate of the temple of Huitzil' the three alighted, and made their -way to the _azoteas_. The lofty place was occupied by pabas and -citizens, yet a sun-shade of gaudy feather-work was pitched for them -close by the eastern verge, overlooking the palace of Axaya', and -commanding the street up which the array was to come. In the area below, -encompassed by the _Coatapantli_, or Wall of Serpents, ten thousand -warriors were closely ranked, ready to march at beat of the great drum -hanging in the tower. Thus, comfortably situated, the daughters of the -king awaited the strangers. - -When Montezuma started to meet his guests, the morning was far advanced. -A vast audience, in front of his palace, waited to catch a view of his -person. Of his policy the mass knew but the little gleaned from a -thousand rumors,--enough to fill them with forebodings of evil. Was he -going out as king or slave? At last he came, looking their ideal of a -child of the Sun, and ready for the scrutiny. Standing in the portal, he -received their homage; not one but kissed the ground before him. - -He stepped out, and the sun, as if acknowledging his presence, seemed to -pour a double glory about him. In the time of despair and overthrow that -came, alas! too soon, those who saw him, in that moment of pride, spread -his arms in general benediction, remembered his princeliness, and spoke -of him ever after in the language of poetry. The _tilmatli_, looped at -the throat, and falling gracefully from his shoulders, was beaded with -jewels and precious stones; the long, dark-green plumes in his _panache_ -drooped with pearls; his sash was in keeping with the mantle; the thongs -of his sandals were edged with gold, and the soles were entirely of -gold. Upon his breast, relieved against the rich embroidery of his -tunic, symbols of the military orders of the realm literally blazed with -gems. - -About the royal palanquin, in front of the portal, bareheaded and -barefooted, stood its complement of bearers, lords of the first rank, -proud of the service. Between the carriage and the doorway a carpet of -white cloth was stretched: common dust might not soil his feet. As he -stepped out, he was saluted by a roar of attabals and conch-shells. The -music warmed his blood; the homage was agreeable to him,--was to his -soul what incense is to the gods. He gazed proudly around, and it was -easy to see how much he was in love with his own royalty. - -Taking his place in the palanquin, the cortege moved slowly down the -street. In advance walked stately caciques with wands, clearing the way. -The carriers of the canopy, which was separate from the carriage, -followed next; and behind them, reverently, and with downcast faces, -marched an escort of armed lords indescribably splendid. - -The street traversed was the same Malinche was to traverse. Often and -again did the subtle monarch look to paves and house-tops, and to the -canals and temples. Well he knew the cunning guest would sweep them all, -searching for evidences of his power; that nothing would escape -examination; that the myriads of spectators, the extent of the city, its -position in the lake, and thousands of things not to be written would -find places in the calculation inevitable if the visit were with other -than peaceful intent. - -At a palace near the edge of the city the escort halted to abide the -coming. - -Soon, from the lake, a sound of music was heard, more plaintive than -that of the conchs. - -"They are coming, they are coming! The _teules_ are coming!" shouted the -people; and every heart, even the king's, beat quicker. Up the street -the cry passed, like a hurly gust of wind. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE ENTRY. - - -It is hardly worth while to eulogize the Christians who took part in -Cortes' crusade. History has assumed their commemoration. I may say, -however, they were men who had acquired fitness for the task by service -in almost every clime. Some had tilted with the Moor under the walls of -Granada; some had fought the Islamite on the blue Danube; some had -performed the first Atlantic voyage with Columbus; all of them had -hunted the Carib in the glades of Hispaniola. It is not enough to -describe them as fortune-hunters, credulous, imaginative, tireless; -neither is it enough to write them soldiers, bold, skilful, confident, -cruel to enemies, gentle to each other. They were characters of the age -in which they lived, unseen before, unseen since; knights errant, who -believed in hippogriff and dragon, but sought them only in lands of -gold; missionaries, who complacently broke the body of the converted -that Christ might the sooner receive his soul; palmers of pike and -shield, who, in care of the Virgin, followed the morning round the -world, assured that Heaven stooped lowest over the most profitable -plantations. - -[Illustration: "OUT OF THE WAY, DOG!" SHOUTED SANDOVAL] - -The wonders of the way from the coast to Iztapalapan had so beguiled the -little host that they took but partial account of its dangers. When, -this morning, they stepped upon the causeway, and began the march out -into the lake, a sense of insecurity fell upon them, like the shadow of -a cloud; back to the land they looked, as to a friend from whom they -might be parting forever; and as they proceeded, and the water spread -around them, wider, deeper, and up-bearing denser multitudes of -people, the enterprise suddenly grew in proportions, and challenged -their self-sufficiency; yet, as I have heard them confess, they did not -wake to a perfect comprehension of their situation, and its dangers and -difficulties, until they passed the gates of Xoloc: then Tenochtitlan -shone upon them,--a city of enchantment! And then each one felt that to -advance was like marching in the face of death, at the same time each -one saw there was no hope except in advance. Every hand grasped closer -the weapon with which it was armed, while the ranks were intuitively -closed. What most impressed them, they said, was the silence of the -people; a word, a shout, a curse, or a battle-cry would have been a -relief from the fears and fancies that beset them; as it was, though in -the midst of myriad life, they heard only their own tramp, or the clang -and rattle of their own arms. As if aware of the influence, and fearful -of its effect upon his weaker followers, Cortes spoke to the musicians, -and trumpet and clarion burst into a strain which, with beat of drum and -clash of cymbal, was heard in the city. - -"_Ola_, Sandoval, Alvarado! Here, at my right and left!" cried Cortes. - -They spurred forward at the call. - -"Out of the way, dog!" shouted Sandoval, thrusting a naked _tamene_ over -the edge of the dike with the butt of his lance. - -"By my conscience, Señores," Cortes said, "I think true Christian in a -land of unbelievers never beheld city like this. If it be wrong to the -royal good knight, Richard, of England, or that valorous captain, the -Flemish Duke Godfrey, may the saints pardon me; but I dare say the -walled towns they took, and, for that matter, I care not if you number -Antioch and the Holy City of the Sepulchre among them, were not to be -put in comparison with this infidel stronghold." - -And as they ride, listening to his comments, let me bring them -particularly to view. - -They were in full armor, except that Alvarado's squire carried his -helmet for him. In preparation for the entry, their skilful furbishers -had well renewed the original lustre of helm, gorget, breastplate, -glaive, greave, and shield. The plumes in their crests, like the scarfs -across their breasts, had been carefully preserved for such ceremonies. -At the saddle-bows hung heavy hammers, better known as battle-axes. -Rested upon the iron shoe, and balanced in the right hand, each carried -a lance, to which, as the occasion was peaceful, a silken pennon was -attached. The horses, opportunely rested in Iztapalapan, and glistening -in mail, trod the causeway as if conscious of the terror they inspired. - -Cortes, between his favorite captains, rode with lifted visor, smiling -and confident. His complexion was bloodless and ashy, a singularity the -more noticeable on account of his thin, black beard. The lower lip was -seamed with a scar. He was of fine stature, broad-shouldered, and thin, -but strong, active, and enduring. His skill in all manner of martial -exercises was extraordinary. He conversed in Latin, composed poetry, -wrote unexceptionable prose, and, except when in passion, spoke gravely -and with well-turned periods.[41] In argument he was both dogmatic and -convincing, and especially artful in addressing soldiers, of whom, by -constitution, mind, will, and courage, he was a natural leader. Now, gay -and assured, he managed his steed with as little concern and talked -carelessly as a knight returning victorious from some joyous passage of -arms. - -Gonzalo de Sandoval, not twenty-three years of age, was better looking, -having a larger frame and fuller face. His beard was auburn, and curled -agreeably to the prevalent fashion. Next to his knightly honor, he loved -his beautiful chestnut horse, Motilla.[42] - -Handsomest man of the party, however, was Don Pedro de Alvarado. -Generous as a brother to a Christian, he hated a heathen with the fervor -of a crusader. And now, in scorn of Aztecan treachery, he was riding -unhelmed, his locks, long and yellow, flowing freely over his shoulders. -His face was fair as a gentlewoman's, and neither sun nor weather could -alter it. Except in battle, his countenance expressed the friendliest -disposition. He cultivated his beard assiduously, training it to fall in -ringlets upon his breast,--and there was reason for the weakness, if -such it was; yellow as gold, with the help of his fair face and clear -blue eyes, it gave him a peculiar expression of sunniness, from which -the Aztecs called him _Tonitiah_, child of the Sun.[43] - -And over what a following of cavaliers the leader looked when, turning -in his saddle, he now and then glanced down the column,--Christobal de -Oli, Juan Velasquez de Leon, Francisco de Montejo, Luis Marin, Andreas -de Tapia, Alonzo de Avila, Francisco de Lugo, the Manjarezes, Andreas -and Gregorio, Diego de Ordas, Francisco de Morla, Christobal de Olea, -Gonzalo de Dominguez, Rodriques Magarino, Alonzo Hernandez -Carrero,--most of them gentlemen of the class who knew the songs of -Rodrigo, and the stories of Amadis and the Paladins! - -And much shame would there be to me if I omitted mention of two -others,--Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who, after the conquest, became its -faithful historian, and Father Bartolomé de Olmedo,[44] sweet singer, -good man, and devoted servant of God, the first to whisper the names of -Christ and the Holy Mother in the ear of New Spain. In the column behind -the cavaliers, with his assistant, Juan de las Varillas, he rode -bareheaded, and clad simply in a black serge gown. The tinkle of the -little silver bell, which the soldiers, in token of love, had tied to -the neck of his mule, sounded, amid the harsher notes of war, like a -gentle reminder of shepherds and grazing flocks in peaceful pastures -near Old World homes. - -After the holy men, in care of a chosen guard of honor, the flag of -Spain was carried; and then came the artillery, drawn by slaves; next, -in close order, followed the cross-bowmen and arquebusiers, the latter -with their matches lighted. Rearward still, in savage pomp and pride, -strode the two thousand Tlascalans, first of their race to bear shield -and fly banner along the causeway into Tenochtitlan. And so the -Christians, in order of battle, but scarcely four hundred strong, -marched into a capital of full three hundred thousand inhabitants, -swollen by the innumerable multitudes of the valley. - -As they drew nigh the city, the cavaliers became silent and thoughtful. -With astonishment, which none of them sought to conceal, they gazed at -the white walls and crowded houses, and, with sharpened visions, traced -against the sky the outlines of temples and temple-towers, more numerous -than those of papal Rome. Well they knew that the story of what they saw -so magnificently before them would be received with incredulity in all -the courts of Christendom. Indeed, some of the humbler soldiers marched -convinced that all they beheld was a magical delusion. Not so Cortes. - -"Ride on, gentlemen, ride on!" he said. "There is a question I would ask -of a good man behind us. I will rejoin you shortly." - -From the artillerists he singled a soldier. - -"Martin Lopez! Martin Lopez!" - -The man came to him. - -"Martin, look out on this lake. Beareth it resemblance to the blue bays -on the southern shore of old Spain? As thou art a crafty sailor, comrade -mine, look carefully." - -Lopez raised his morion, and, leaning on his pike, glanced over the -expanse. - -"Señor, the water is fair enough, and, for that, looks like bayous I -have seen without coming so far; but I doubt if a two-decker could float -on it long enough for Father Olmedo to say mass for our souls in peril." - -"Peril! Plague take thee, man! Before the hour of vespers, by the -Blessed Lady, whose image thou wearest, this lake, yon city, its master, -and all thou seest here, not excepting the common spawn of idolatry at -our feet, shall be the property of our sovereign lord. But, Martin -Lopez, thou hast hauled sail and tacked ship in less room than this. -What say'st thou to sailing a brigantine here?" - -The sailor's spirit rose; he looked over the lake again. - -"It might be done, it might be done!" - -"Then, by my conscience, it shall be! Confess thyself an Admiral -to-night." - -And Cortes rode to the front. Conquest might not be, he saw, without -vessels; and true to his promise, it came to pass that Lopez sailed, not -one, but a fleet of brigantines on the gentle waters. - -When the Christians were come to the first bridge outside the walls, -their attention was suddenly drawn from the city. Down the street came -Montezuma and his retinue. Curious as they were to see the arch-infidel, -the soldiers kept their ranks; but Cortes, taking with him the -cavaliers, advanced to meet the monarch. When the palanquin stopped, the -Spaniards dismounted. About the same time an Indian woman, of comely -features, came forward. - -"Stay thou here, Marina," said Cortes. "I will embrace the heathen, then -call thee to speak to him." - -"_Jésu!_" cried Alvarado. "There is gold enough on his litter to furnish -a cathedral." - -"Take thou the gold, Señor; I choose the jewels on his mantle," said De -Ordas. - -"By my patron saint of excellent memory!" said Sandoval, lisping his -words, "I think for noble cavaliers ye are easily content. Take the -jewels and the gold; but give me that train of stalwart dogs, and a -plantation worthy of my degree here by Tezcuco." - -So the captains talked. - -Meantime, the cotton cloth was stretched along the dike. Then on land -and sea a hush prevailed. - -Montezuma came forward supported by the lords Cuitlahua and Cacama. -Cortes met him half-way. When face to face, they paused, and looked at -each other. Alas, for the Aztec then! In the mailed stranger he beheld a -visitant from the Sun,--a god! The Spaniard saw, wrapped in the rich -vestments, only a man,--a king, yet a heathen! He opened his arms: -Montezuma stirred not. Cuitlahua uttered a cry to Huitzil', and caught -one of the extended arms. Long did Cortes keep in mind the cacique's -look at that moment; long did he remember the dark brown face, swollen -with indignation and horror. Alvarado laid his hand on his sword. - -"Peace, Don Pedro!" said Cortes. "The knave knows nothing of respectable -customs. Instead of taking to thy sword, bless the Virgin that a -Christian knight hath been saved the sin of embracing an unbeliever. -Call Marina." - -The woman came, and stood by the Spaniard, and in a sweet voice -interpreted the speeches. The monarch expressed delight at seeing his -visitors, and welcomed them to Tenochtitlan; his manner and courteous -words won even Alvarado. Cortes answered, acknowledging surprise at the -beauty and extent of the city, and in token of his gratification at -being at last before a king so rich and powerful begged him to accept a -present. Into the royal hand he then placed a string of precious stones, -variously colored, and strongly perfumed with musk. Thereupon the -ceremony ended. Two of the princes were left to conduct the strangers to -their quarters. Resuming his palanquin, Montezuma himself led the -procession as far as his own palace. - -And Cortes swung himself into the saddle. "Let the trumpets sound. -Forward!" - -Again the music,--again the advance; then the pageant passed from the -causeway and lake into the expectant city. - -Theretofore, the Christians had been silent from discipline, now they -were silent from wonder. Even Cortes held his peace. They had seen the -irregular towns of Tlascala, and the pretentious beauty of Cholula, and -Iztapalapan, in whose streets the lake contended with the land for -mastery, yet were they unprepared for Tenochtitlan. Here, it was plain, -wealth and power and time and labor, under the presidency of genius, had -wrought their perfect works, everywhere visible: under foot, a sounding -bridge, or a broad paved way, dustless, and unworn by wheel or hoof; on -the right and left, airy windows, figured portals, jutting balconies, -embattled cornices, porticos with columns of sculptured marble, and here -a palace, there a temple; overhead pyramidal heights crowned with towers -and smoking braziers, or lower roofs, from which, as from hanging -gardens, floated waftures sweet as the perfumed airs of the Indian -isles; and everywhere, looking up from the canals, down from the -porticos, houses, and pyramids, and out of the doors and windows, -crowding the pavement, clinging to the walls,--everywhere the PEOPLE! -After ages of decay I know it has been otherwise; but I also know that -conquerors have generally found the builders of a great state able and -willing to defend it. - -"St. James absolve me, Señor! but I like not the coldness of these -dogs," said Monjarez to Avila. - -"Nor I," was the reply. "Seest thou the women on yon balcony? I would -give my helmet full of ducats, if they would but once cry, "_Viva -España!_" - -"Nay, that would I if they would but wave a scarf." - -The progress of the pageant was necessarily slow; but at last the -spectators on the temple of Huitzil' heard its music; at last the -daughters of the king beheld it in the street below them. - -"Gods of my fathers!" thought Tula, awed and trembling, "what manner of -beings are these?" - -And the cross-bowmen and arquebusiers, their weapons and glittering iron -caps, the guns, and slaves that dragged them, even the flag of -Spain,--objects of mighty interest to others,--drew from Nenetzin but a -passing glance. Very beautiful to her, however, were the cavaliers, -insomuch that she cared only for their gay pennons, their shields, their -plumes nodding bravely above their helms, their armor of strange metal, -on which the sun seemed to play with a fiery love, and their steeds, -creatures tamed for the service of gods. Suddenly her eyes fixed, her -heart stopped; pointing to where the good Captain Alvarado rode, -scanning, with upturned face, the great pile, "O Tula, Tula!" she cried. -"See! There goes the blue-eyed warrior of my dream!" - -But it happened that Tula was, at the moment, too much occupied to -listen or look. The handsome vendor of images, standing near the royal -party, had attracted the attention of Yeteve, the priestess. - -"The noble Tula is unhappy. She is thinking of--" - -A glance checked the name. - -Then Yeteve whispered, "Look at the image-maker." - -The prompting was not to be resisted. She looked, and recognized -Guatamozin. Not that only; through his low disguise, in his attitude, -his eyes bright with angry fire, she discerned his spirit, its pride and -heroism. Not for her was it to dispute the justice of his banishment. -Love scorned the argument. There he stood, the man for the time; -strong-armed, stronger-hearted, prince by birth, king by nature, -watching afar off a scene in which valor and genius entitled him to -prominence. Then there were tears for him, and a love higher, if not -purer, than ever. - -Suddenly he leaned over the verge, and shouted, "Al-a-lala! Al-a-lala!" -and with such energy that he was heard in the street below. Tula looked -down, and saw the cause of the excitement,--the Tlascalans were marching -by! Again his cry, the same with which he had so often led his -countrymen to battle. No one took it up. The companies inside the sacred -wall turned their faces, and stared at him in dull wonder. And he -covered his eyes with his hands, while every thought was a fierce -invective. Little he then knew how soon, and how splendidly, they were -to purchase his forgiveness! - -When the Tlascalans were gone, he dropped his hands, and found -the--mallet! So it was the artisan, the image-maker, not the 'tzin, who -had failed to wake the army to war! He turned quickly, and took his way -through the crowd, and disappeared; and none but Tula and Yeteve ever -knew that, from the _teocallis_, Guatamozin had witnessed the entry of -the _teules_. - -And so poor Nenetzin had been left to follow the warrior of her dream; -the shock and the pleasure were hers alone. - -The palace of Axaya' faced the temple of Huitzil' on the west. In one of -the halls Montezuma received Cortes and the cavaliers; and all their -lives they recollected his gentleness, courtesy, and unaffected royalty -in that ceremony. Putting a golden collar around the neck of his chief -guest, he said, "This palace belongs to you, Malinche, and to your -brethren. Rest after your fatigues; you have much need to do so. In a -little while I will come again." - -And when he was gone, straightway the guest so honored proceeded to -change the palace into a fort. Along the massive walls that encircled -it he stationed sentinels; at every gate planted cannon; and, like the -enemy he was, he began, and from that time enforced, a discipline -sterner than before. - -The rest of the day the citizens, from the top of the temple, kept -incessant watch upon the palace. When the shades of evening were -collecting over the city, and the thousands, grouped along the streets, -were whispering of the incidents they had seen, a thunderous report -broke the solemn stillness; and they looked at each other, and trembled, -and called the evening guns of Cortes "Voices of the Gods." - -FOOTNOTES: - - [41] Bernal Diaz, Hist. of the Conq. of Mexico. - - [42] Ib. - - [43] Bernal Diaz, Hist. of the Conq. of Mexico. - - [44] Ib. - - - - - BOOK FIVE. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - PUBLIC OPINION. - - -Guatamozin, accompanied by Hualpa, left the city a little after -nightfall. Impressed, doubtless, by the great event of the day, the two -journeyed in silence, until so far out that the fires of the capital -faded into a rosy tint low on the horizon. - -Then the 'tzin said, "I am tired, body and spirit; yet must I go back to -Tenochtitlan." - -"To-night?" Hualpa asked. - -"To-night; and I need help." - -"What I can, O 'tzin, that will I." - -"You are weary, also." - -"I could follow a wounded deer till dawn, if you so wished." - -"It is well." - -After a while the 'tzin again spoke. - -"To-day I have unlearned all the lessons of my youth. The faith I -thought part of my life is not; I have seen the great king conquered -without a blow!" - -There was a sigh such as only shame can wring from a strong man. - -"At the Chalcan's, where the many discontented meet to-night, there will -be," he resumed, "much talk of war without the king. Such conferences -are criminal; and yet there shall be war." - -He spoke with emphasis. - -"In my exile without a cause," he next said, "I have learned to -distinguish between the king and country. I have even reflected upon -conditions when the choosing between them may become a duty. Far be they -hence! but when they come, Anahuac shall have her son. To accomplish -their purpose, the lords in the city rely upon their united power, which -is nothing; with the signet in his hand, Maxtla alone could disperse -their forces. There is that, however, by which what they seek can be -wrought rightfully,--something under the throne, not above it, where -they are looking, and only the gods are,--a power known to every ruler -as his servant when wisely cared for, and his master when disregarded; -public opinion we call it, meaning the judgment and will of the many. In -this garb of artisan, I have been with the people all day, and for a -purpose higher than sight of what I abhorred. I talked with them. I know -them. In the march from Xoloc there was not a shout. In the awful -silence, what of welcome was there? Honor to the people! Before they are -conquered the lake will wear a red not of the sun! Imagine them of one -mind, and zealous for war: how long until the army catches the -sentiment? Imagine the streets and temples resounding with a constant -cry, 'Death to the strangers!' how long until the king yields to the -clamor? O comrade, that would be the lawful triumph of public opinion; -and so, I say, war shall be." - -After that the 'tzin remained sunk in thought until the canoe touched -the landing at his garden. Leaving the boatmen there, he proceeded, with -Hualpa, to the palace. In his study, he said, "You have seen the head of -the stranger whom I slew at Nauhtlan. I have another trophy. Come with -me." - -Providing himself with a lamp, he led the way to what seemed a kind of -workshop. Upon the walls, mixed with strange banners, hung all kinds of -Aztec armor; a bench stood by one of the windows, covered with tools; on -the floor lay bows, arrows, and lances, of such fashion as to betray the -experimentalist. The corners were decorated, if the term may be used, -with effigies of warriors preserved by the process peculiar to the -people. In the centre of the room, a superior attraction to Hualpa, -stood a horse, which had been subjected to the same process, but was so -lifelike now that he could hardly think it dead. The posture chosen for -the animal was that of partial repose, its head erect, its ears thrown -sharply forward, its nostrils distended, the forefeet firmly planted; so -it had, in life, often stood watching the approach or disappearance of -its comrades. The housings were upon it precisely as when taken from the -field. - -"I promised there should be war," the 'tzin said, when he supposed -Hualpa's wonder spent, "and that the people should bring it about. Now I -say, that the opinion I rely upon would ripen to-morrow, were there not -a thick cloud about it. The faith that Malinche and his followers are -_teules_ has spread from the palace throughout the valley. Unless it be -dispelled, Anahuac must remain the prey of the spoiler. Mualox, the -keeper of the old Cû of Quetzal', taught me long ago, that in the common -mind mystery can only be assailed by mystery; and that, O comrade, is -what I now propose. This nameless thing here belonged to the stranger -whom I slew at Nauhtlan. Come closer, and lay your hand upon it; mount -it, and you may know how its master felt the day he rode it to death. -There is his lance, there his shield, here his helm and whole array; -take them, and learn what little is required to make a god of a man." - -For a moment he busied himself getting the property of the unfortunate -Christian together; then he stopped before the Tihuancan, saying, "Let -others choose their parts, O comrade. All a warrior may do, that will I. -If the Empire must die, it shall be like a fighting man,--a hero's song -for future minstrels. Help me now. We will take the trophy to the city, -and set it up in the _tianguez_ along with the shield, arms, and armor. -The rotting head in the summer-house we will fix near by on the lance. -To-morrow, when the traders open their stalls, and the thousands so -shamelessly sold come back to their bartering and business, a mystery -shall meet them which no man can look upon and afterwards believe -Malinche a god. I see the scene,--the rush of the people, their -surprise, their pointing fingers. I hear the eager questions, 'What are -they?' 'Whence came they?' I hear the ready answer, 'Death to the -strangers!' Then, O comrade, will begin the Opinion, by force of which, -the gods willing, we shall yet hear the drum of Huitzil'. Lay hold now, -and let us to the canoe with the trophies." - -"If it be heavy as it seems, good 'tzin," said Hualpa, stooping to the -wooden slab which served as the base of the effigy, "I fear we shall be -overtasked." - -"It is not heavy; two children could carry it. A word more before we -proceed. In what I propose there is a peril aside from the patrols in -the _tianguez_. Malinche will hear of--" - -Hualpa laughed. "Was ever a victim sacrificed before he was caught?" - -"Hear further," said the 'tzin, gravely. "I took the king to the -summer-house, and showed him the head, which he will recognize. Your -heart, as well as mine, may pay the forfeit. Consider." - -"Lay hold, O 'tzin! Did you not but now call me comrade? Lay hold!" - -Thereupon they carried the once good steed out to the landing. Then the -'tzin went to the kiosk for the Spaniard's head, while Hualpa returned -to the palace for the arms and equipments. The head, wrapped in a cloth, -was dropped in the bow of the boat, and the horse and trappings carried -on board. Trusting in the gods, the _voyageurs_ pushed off, and were -landed, without interruption, near the great _tianguez_. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - A MESSAGE FROM THE GODS. - - -"It is done!" said the 'tzin, in a whisper. "It is done! One more -service, O comrade, if--" - -"Do not spare me, good 'tzin. I am happiest when serving you." - -"Then stay in the city to-night, and be here early after the discovery. -Take part with the crowd, and, if opportunity offer, direct it. I must -return to my exile. Report when all is over. The gods keep you! -Farewell." - -Hualpa, familiar with the square, went to the portico of the Chalcan; -and as the lamps were out, and the curtains of the door drawn for the -night, with the privilege of an _habitué_ he stretched himself upon one -of the lounges, and, lulled by the fountain, fell asleep. - -A shout awoke him. He looked out to see the day breaking in gloom. The -old sky of blue, in which the summer had so long and lovingly nestled, -was turned to lead; the smoke seemed to have fallen from the temples, -and, burdening the atmosphere, was driving along slowly and heavily, -like something belonging to the vanishing night. Another cry louder than -the first; then the door, or, rather, the screen, behind him was opened, -and the Chalcan himself came forth. - -"Ah, son of my friend!--Hark! Some maudlin fellow hallooes. The fool -would like to end his sleep, hard enough out there, in the temple. But -you,--where have you been?" - -"Here, good Xoli, on this lounge." - -"The night? Ah! the _pulque_ was too much for you. For your father's -sake, boy, I give you advice: To be perfectly happy in Tenochtitlan, it -is necessary to remember, first, how the judges punish drunkenness; -next, that there is no pure liquor in the city except in the king's -jars, and--There, the shout again! two of them! a third!" - -And the broker also looked out of the portico. - -"Holy gods, what a smoke! There go some sober citizens, neighbors of -mine,--and running. Something of interest! Come, Hualpa, let us go also. -The times are wonderful. You know there are gods in Tenochtitlan besides -those we worship. Come!" - -"I am hungry." - -"I will feed you to bursting when we get back. Come on." - -As they left the portico, people were hastening to the centre of the -square, where the outcry was now continuous and growing. - -"Room for the Chalcan!" said a citizen, already on the ground. "Let him -see what is here fallen from the clouds." - -Great was the astonishment of the broker when his eyes first rested on -the stately figure of the horse, and the terrible head on the lance -above it. Hualpa affected the same feeling, but, having a part to play, -shouted, as in alarm,-- - -"It is one of the fighting beasts of Malinche! Beware, O citizens! Your -lives may be in danger." - -The crowd, easily persuaded, fell back. - -"Let us get arms!" shouted one. - -"Arms! Get arms!" then rose, in full chorus. - -Hualpa ventured nearer, and cried out, "The beast is dead!" - -"Keep off, boy!" said Xoli, himself at a respectable distance. "Trust it -not; such things do not die." - -Never speech more opportune for the Tihuancan. - -"Be it of the earth or Sun, I tell you, friends, it is dead," he -replied, more loudly. "Who knows but that the holy Huitzil' has set it -up here to be seen of all of us, that we may know Malinche is not a god. -Is there one among you who has a javelin?" - -A weapon was passed to him over the heads of the fast increasing crowd. - -"Stand aside! I will see." - -Without more ado, the adventurer thrust deep in the horse's flank. Those -directly about held their breath from fear; and when the brute stirred -not, they looked at each other, not knowing what to say. That it was -dead, was past doubt. - -"Who will gainsay me now?" continued Hualpa. "It is dead, and so is he -to whom yon head belonged. Gods fall not so low." - -It was one of those moments when simple minds are easily converted to -any belief. - -"Gods they are not," said a voice in the throng; "but whence came they?" - -"And who put them here?" asked another. - -Hualpa answered swiftly,-- - -"Well said! The gods speak not directly to those whom they would -admonish or favor. And if this be the handiwork of Huitzil',--and what -more likely?--should we not inquire if it have a meaning? It may be a -message. Is there a reader of pictures among you, friends?" - -"Here is one!" - -"Let him come! Make way for him!" - -A citizen, from his dress a merchant, was pushed forward. - -"What experience have you?" - -"I studied in the _calmecac_!"[45] - -The man raised his eyes to the head on the lance, and they became -transfixed with horror. - -"Look, then, to what we have here, and, saying it is a message from the -holy Huitzil', read it for us. Speak out, that all may hear." - -The citizen was incapable of speech, and the people cried out, "He is a -shame to the heroic god! Off with him, off with him!" - -But Hualpa interfered. "No. He still believes Malinche a god. Let him -alone! I can use him." Then he spoke to the merchant. "Hear me, my -friend, and I will read. If I err, stop me." - -"Read, read!" went up on all sides. - -Hualpa turned to the group as if studying it. Around him fell the -silence of keen expectancy. - -"Thus writes Huitzil', greatest of gods, to the children of Anahuac, -greatest of peoples!"--so Hualpa began. "'The strangers in Tenochtitlan -are my enemies, and yours, O people. They come to overthrow my altars, -and make you a nation of slaves. You have sacrificed and prayed to me, -and now I say to you, Arise! Take arms before it is too late. Malinche -and his followers are but men. Strike them, and they will die. To -convince you that they are not gods, lo! here is one of them dead. So I -say, slay them, and everything that owns them master, even the beasts -they ride!'--Ho, friend, is not that correct?" - -"So I would have read," said the merchant. - -"Praised be Huitzil'!" cried Hualpa, devoutly. - -"Live the good god of our fathers! Death to the strangers!" answered the -people. - -And amid the stir and hum of many voices, the comrade of the 'tzin, -listening, heard his words repeated, and passed from man to man; so that -he knew his mission done, and that by noon the story of the effigy would -be common throughout the city, and in flight over the valley, with his -exposition of its meaning accepted and beyond counteraction. - -After a while the Chalcan caught his arm, saying, "The smell is dreadful -to a cultivated nose sharpened by an empty stomach. Snuff for one, -breakfast for the other. Let us go." - -Hualpa followed him. - -"Who is he? who is he?" asked the bystanders, eagerly. - -"Him! Not know him! It is the brave lad who slew the tiger and saved the -king's life." - -And the answer was to the exposition like an illuminated seal to a royal -writ. - -Morning advanced, curtained with clouds; and, as the account of the -spectacle flew, the multitude in the _tianguez_ increased, until there -was not room left for business. All who caught the news hurried to see -the sight, and for themselves read the miraculous message of Huitzil'. -The clamor of tongues the while was like the clamor of waves, and not -singularly; for thus was fought the first great battle,--the battle of -the mysteries,--and with this result: if a believer in the divinity of -Cortes looked once at the rotting head on the lance, he went away of the -'tzin's opinion, impatient for war. - -About noon a party of Spaniards, footmen, armed and out inspecting the -city, entered the square. The multitude daunted them not the least. -Talking, sometimes laughing, they sauntered along, peering into the open -booths and stalls, and watching with practised eyes for gold. - -"Holy mass!" exclaimed one of them, stopping. "The heathen are at -sacrifice." - -"Sacrifice, saidst thou? This is their market-place." - -"That as thou wilt. I tell thee they have been at worship. My eyes are -not dim as my mother's, who was past fifty the day we sailed from -Cuba,--may the saints preserve her! If they were, yet could I swear that -yonder hangs the head of a victim." - -Over the restless crowd they looked at the ghastly object, eager yet -uncertain. - -"Now I bethink me, the poor wretch who hath suffered the death may have -been one of the half-assoilzied sons of Tlascala. If we are in a -stronghold of enemies, as I have concluded from the wicked, Carib looks -of these savages, Heaven and St. James defend us! We are a score with -weapons; in the Mother's name, let us to the bloody sign!" - -The unarmed mass into which, without further consideration, they -plunged, was probably awed by the effrontery of the movement, for the -leader had not once occasion to shorten his advancing step. Halted -before the spectacle, they looked first at the horse, then at the head. -Remembrance was faithful: in one, they recognized the remains of a -comrade; in the other, his property. - -"Arguella, Arguella! Good captain! Santa Maria!" burst from them. - -As they gazed, tears of pity and rage filled their eyes, and coursed -down their bronzed cheeks. - -"Peace!" said the sterner fellow at whose suggestion they had come. "Are -ye soldiers, or whimpering women? Do as I bid! Save your tears for -Father Bartolomé to mix with masses for the poor fellow's soul. Look to -the infidels! I will take down the head." - -He lowered the lance, and took off the loathsome object. - -"We will carry it to the Señor Hernan. It shall have burial, and masses, -and a cross. Hands to the horse now! Arguella loved it well; many a day -I have seen him comb its mane kindly as if it had been the locks of his -sweetheart. Nay, it is too unwieldy. Let it stand, but take the armor. -Hug the good sword close. Heaven willing, it shall redden in the -carcasses of some of these hounds of hell. Are we ready? To quarters, -then! As we go, mark the unbelievers, and cleave the first that lifts a -hand or bars the way." - -They reached the old palace in safety. Needless to depict the grief and -rage of the Christians at sight of the countenance of the unfortunate -Arguella. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [45] The University. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - HOW ILLS OF STATE BECOME ILLS OF SOCIETY. - - -By this time, Io', the prince, had acquired somewhat of the importance -of a man. Thanks to Hualpa, and his own industry, he could hurl a -javelin, strike stoutly with a _maquahuitl_, and boast of skill with the -bow. As well he might, he smiled at thought of the maternal care, and -from his sisters demanded a treatment due to one of his accomplishments -and dignity. - -The day after the incidents narrated in the preceding chapter, he -entered Tula's apartment, and requested her to dismiss her attendants. - -"Sit down, my brother," she said, when they were alone. "You look vexed. -What has happened?" - -Going to a table close by, he commenced despoiling a vase of flowers. -She repeated the question. - -"I am glad," he answered, "to find one whom the coming of the strangers -has not changed." - -"What now?" - -"I have been again and again to see Nenetzin, but she refuses me. Is she -sick?" - -"Not that I know." - -"Then why is she so provoking?" - -"My brother, you know not what it is for a girl to find her lover. -Nenetzin has found hers." - -"It is to talk about him I want to see her." - -"You know him! How? when?" - -"Do I not see him every day? Is he not my comrade?" - -"Your comrade!" - -"The lord Hualpa! He came to you once with a message from the 'tzin." - -To a woman, the most interesting stories are those that have to do with -the gentle passion. Seeing his mistake, she encouraged it. - -"Yes, I remember him. He is both brave and handsome." - -Io' left the vase, and came to her side. His curiosity was piqued. - -"How came you to know he was her lover? He would hardly confess it to -me." - -"Yet he did tell you?" she answered, evasively. - -"Yes. One day, tired of practising with our slings, we lay down in the -shade of a ceiba-tree. We talked about what I should do when I became a -man. I should be a warrior, and command armies, and conquer Tlascala; he -should be a warrior also, and in my command. That should not be, I told -him, as he would always be the most skilful. He laughed, but not as -merrily as I have heard him. Then he said, 'There are many things you -will have learned by that time; such as what rank is, and especially -what it is to be of the king's blood.' I asked him why he spoke so. He -said he would tell me some day, but not then. And I thought of the time -we went to meet you at the _chinampa_, and of how he gave you a vase -from the 'tzin, and one to Nenetzin from himself. Then I thought I -understood him, but insisted on his telling. He put me off; at last he -said he was a foolish fellow, and in his lonely haunts in Tihuanco had -acquired a habit of dreaming, which was not broken as he would like. He -had first seen Nenetzin at the Quetzal' combat, and thought her -handsomer than any one he had ever met. The day on the lake he ventured -to speak to her; she smiled, and took his gift; and since that he had -not been strong enough to quit thinking about her. It was great folly, -he said. 'Why so?' I asked him. He hid his face in the grass, and -answered, 'I am the son of a merchant; she is of the king's blood, and -would mock me.' 'But,' said I, 'you are now noble, and owner of a -palace.' He raised his head, and looked at me; had she been there, she -would not have mocked him. 'Ah,' he said, 'if I could only get her to -cease thinking of me as the trader's son!' 'Now you are foolish,' I told -him. 'Did you not win your rank by fighting? Why not fight -for'--Nenetzin, I was about to say, but he sprang up and ran off, and it -was long before I could get him to speak of her again. The other day, -however, he consented to let me try and find out what she thought of -him. To-morrow I rejoin him; and if he asks me about her, what can I -say?" - -"So you wished to help your poor comrade. Tell me what you intended -saying to her." - -"I intended to tell her how I was passing the time, and then to praise -him for his courage and skill, his desire to be great, his -gentleness--O, there are a thousand things to say!" - -Tula smiled sorrowfully. "Did you imagine she would learn to love him -from that?" - -"Why not?" asked Io', innocently. - -"I cannot explain now; time will teach you. My brother, long will an -Aztec woo before he wins our wayward sister!" - -"Well," he said, taking her hand, "what I wanted to say to her will come -better from you. Ah, if you but knew him as I and the 'tzin do!" - -"Does the 'tzin so love him?" - -"Was he not a chosen messenger to you?" - -She shook her head doubtfully. "I fear she is beyond our little arts. -Fine speeches alone will not do. Though we painted him fair as Quetzal', -and set the picture before her every hour in the day, still it would not -be enough. Does he come often to the city?" - -"Never, except for the 'tzin." - -"We must get them together. Let me see,--ah, yes; the _chinampa_! We -have not been there for a long time, and that will be an excuse for -going to-morrow. You can bring the lord Hualpa, and I will take a -minstrel, and have him sing, and tell stories of love and lovers." - -She stopped, and sighed, thinking, doubtless, how the 'tzin's presence -would add to the pleasure of the meeting. At that moment the curtain of -the door was flung aside, and Nenetzin herself came in, looking vexed -and pouting. - -"Yesterday was too much for my sister," said Tula, pleasantly. "I hope -she is well again." - -"I slept poorly," was the reply. - -"If you are sick, we will send to the temples--" - -"No, I hate the herb-dealers." - -"What ails you, Nenetzin?" asked Io', irritated. - -"Who would not be ailing, afflicted as I have been? One graceless fellow -after another calling to see me, until I am out of patience!" - -Io' colored, and turned away. - -"But what if they had news," said Tula; "something from the strangers?" - -Nenetzin's face brightened. "What of them? Have they waited on our -father?" - -"Have they, Io'?" Tula asked. - -He made no answer; he was angry. - -"Well, well! what folly! You, Io', I shall have to send back to the -'tzin; and, Nenetzin, fie! the young lords would be afraid to see you -now." - -"The monkeys!" - -Io', without a word, left the room. - -"You are too hard, Nenetzin. Our brother wants to be treated like a man. -Many of the young lords are his friends. When you came in, he was -telling me of the fine fellow who saved our father's life." - -Nenetzin appeared uninterested. - -"From Io's account, he must be equal to the 'tzin. Have you forgotten -him?" - -"I have his vase somewhere." - -"Somewhere! I hope you have not lost it. I received one at the same -time; there mine is,--that one filled with flowers." - -Nenetzin did not look. - -"When he made you the gift, I think he meant more than a compliment. He -is a lover to be proud of, and, sister, a smile might win him." - -"I do not care for lovers." - -"Not care to be loved?" - -Nenetzin turned to her with tearful eyes. "Just now you said Io' wanted -to be treated as a man; for the same reason, O Tula, I want to be -treated as a woman. I do want to be loved, but not as children are." - -Tula put her arm around her, lovingly. "Never mind. I will learn better -afterwhile. I treat you as a child from habit, and because of the warm, -sweet love of our childhood. O that the love would last always!" - -They were silent then, each intent upon her separate thought, both -unconscious that the path theretofore so peacefully travelled together -was now divergent, and that the fates were leading them apart forever. -Of all the evil angels of humanity, that one is the most cruel whose -mission it is to sunder the loves of the household. - -"Nenetzin, you have been crying,--over what? Lean on me, confide in me!" - -"You will make light of what I say." - -"When was I a jester? You have had ills before, childish ills; if I did -not mock them, am I likely to laugh at your woman's troubles?" - -"But this is something you cannot help." - -"The gods can." - -"A god is the trouble. I saw him, and love him better than any our -father worships." - -Bold confirmation that of the elder sister's fears. "You saw him?" she -asked, musingly. - -"And know him by name. _Tonatiah, Tonatiah_: is it not pretty?" - -"Are you not afraid?" - -"Of what? Him? Yes, but he is so handsome! You saw him also. Did you not -notice his white forehead, and the brightness of his blue eyes, the -sunshine of his face? As against him, ah, Tula! what are the lords you -would have me love?" - -"He is our father's enemy." - -"His guest; he came by invitation." - -"All the gods of our race threaten him." - -"Yet I love him, and would quit everything to follow him." - -"Gods ask not the love we give each other." - -"You mean he would despise me. Never! I am the daughter of a king." - -"You are mad, Nenetzin." - -"Then love is madness, and I am very mad. O, I was so happy yesterday! -Once I thought he saw me. It was when he was passing the _coatapantli_. -The base artisan was shouting, and he heard him, or seemed to, for he -raised his glance to the _azoteas_. My heart stood still; the air -brightened around me; if I had been set down in the Sun itself, I could -not have been happier." - -"Have you mentioned this to the queen Acatlan?" - -"Why should I? I will choose my own love. No one, not even my mother, -would object to the king Cacama: why should she when my choice is -nobler, handsomer, mightier than he?" - -"What do you know of the strangers?" - -"Nothing. He is one of them; that is enough." - -"I meant of their customs; marriage, for instance." - -"The thought is new." - -"Tell me, Nenetzin: would you go with him, except as his wife?" - -She turned away her glowing eyes, confused. "I know not what I would do. -If I went with him except as his wife, our father would curse me, and my -mother would die. I shudder; yet I remember how his look from a distance -made me tremble with strange delight." - -"It was magic, like Mualox's." - -"I do not know. I was about to say, if such was his power over me at a -distance, what may it be near by? Could I refuse to follow him, if he -should ask me face to face, as we now are?" - -"Avoid him, then." - -"Stay here, as in a prison! Never look out of doors for fear of seeing -him whom I confess I so love! And then, the music, marching, banquets: -shall I lose them, and for such a cause?" - -"Nenetzin, the strangers will not abide here in peace. War there will -be. The gods have so declared, and in every temple preparation is now -going on." - -"Who told you so?" the girl asked, tremulously. - -"This morning I was in the garden, culling flowers. I met Mualox. He -seemed sad. I saluted him, and gave him the sweetest of my collection, -and said something about them as a cure for ills of the mind. 'Thank -you, daughter,' he said, 'the ills I mourn are your father's. If you can -get him to forego his thoughts of war against Malinche, do so at any -price. If flowers influence him, come yourself, and bring your maidens, -and gather them all for him. Leave not a bud in the garden.' 'Is he so -bent on war?' I asked. 'That is he. In the temples every hand is making -ready.' 'But my father counsels otherwise.' The old man shook his head. -'I know every purpose of his soul.'" - -"And is that all?" asked Nenetzin. - -"No. Have you not heard what took place in the _tianguez_ this morning?" - -And Tula told of the appearance of the horse and the stranger's head; -how nobody knew who placed them there; how they were thought to have -come from Huitzil', and with what design; and how the wish for war was -spread, until the beggars in the street were clamoring. "War there will -be, O my sister, right around us. Our father will lead the companies -against Malinche. The 'tzin, Cuitlahua, Io', and all we love best of our -countrymen will take part. O Nenetzin, of the children of the Sun, will -you alone side with the strangers? _Tonatiah_ may slay our great -father." - -"And yet I would go with him," the girl said, slowly, and with sobs. - -"Then you are not an Aztec," cried Tula, pushing her away. - -Nenetzin stepped back speechless, and throwing her scarf over her head, -turned to go. - -The elder sister sprang up, conscience-struck, and caught her. "Pardon, -Nenetzin. I did not know what I was saying. Stay--" - -"Not now. I cannot help loving the stranger." - -"The love shall not divide us; we are sisters!" And Tula clung to her -passionately. - -"Too late, too late!" sobbed Nenetzin. - -And she passed out the door; the curtain dropped behind her; and Tula -went to the couch, and wept as if her heart were breaking. - -Not yet have all the modes in which ills of state become ills of society -been written. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - ENNUYÉ IN THE OLD PALACE. - - -"Father, holy father!--and by my sword, as belted knight, Olmedo, I call -thee so in love and honor,--I have heard thee talk in learned phrase -about the saints, and quote the sayings of monks, mere makers of books, -which I will swear are for the most part dust, or, at least, not half so -well preserved as the bones of their scribblers,--I say I have thus -heard thee talk and quote for hours at a time, until I have come to -think thy store of knowledge is but jargon of that kind. Shake thy head! -Jargon, I say a second time." - -"It is knowledge that leadeth to righteousness. _Bien quisto!_ Thou -wouldst do well to study it," replied the padre, curtly. - -A mocking smile curled the red-haired lip of the cavalier. "Knowledge -truly! I recollect hearing the Señor Hernan once speak of thee. He said -thou wert to him a magazine, full of learning precious as breadstuffs." - -"Right, my son! Breadstuffs for the souls of sinners irreverent as--" - -"Out with it!" - -"As thou." - -"_Picaro!_ Only last night thou didst absolve me, and, by the Palmerins, -I have just told my beads!" - -"I think I have heard of the Palmerins," said the priest, gravely; -"indeed, I am certain of it; but I never heard of them as things to -swear by before. Hast thou a license as coiner of oaths?" - -"_Cierto_, father, thou dost remind me of my first purpose; which was to -test thy knowledge of matters, both ancient and serious, outside of what -thou callest the sermons of the schoolmen. And I will not take thee at -disadvantage. O no! If I would play fairly with the vilest heathen, and -slay him with none but an honest trick of the sword, surely I cannot -less with thee." - -"Slay me!" - -"That will I,--in a bout at dialectics. I will be fair, I say. I will -begin by taking thee in a field which every knight hath traversed, if, -perchance, he hath advanced so far in clerkliness as to read,--a field -divided between heralds, troubadours, and poets, and not forbidden to -monks; with which thou shouldst be well acquainted, seeing that, of late -days at least, thou hast been more prone to knightly than saintly -association!" - -"Santa Maria!" said Olmedo, crossing himself. "It is our nature to be -prone to things sinful." - -"I smell the cloister in thy words. Have at thee! Stay thy steps." - -The two had been pacing the roof of the palace during the foregoing -passage. Both stopped now, and Alvarado said, "Firstly,--nay, I will -none of that; numbering the heads of a discourse is a priestly trick. To -begin, by my conscience!--ho, father, that oath offends thee not, for it -is the Señor Hernan's, and by him thou art thyself always ready to -swear." - -"If thou wouldst not get lost in a confusion of ideas, to thy purpose -quickly." - -"Thank thee. Who was Amadis de Gaul?" - -"Hero of the oldest Spanish poem." - -"Right!" said the knight, stroking his beard. "And who was Oriana?" - -"Heroine of the same story; more particularly, daughter of Lisuarte, -King of England." - -"Thou didst reprove me for swearing by the Palmerins; who were they?" - -"Famous knights, who founded chivalry by going about slaying dragons, -working charities, and overthrowing armies of heathen, for the Mother's -sake." - -"Excellently answered, by my troth! I will have to lead thee into deeper -water. Pass we the stories of Ruy Diaz, and Del Carpio, and Pelayo. I -will even grant that thou hast heard of Hernan Gonzales; but canst thou -tell in how many ballads his prowess hath been sung?" - -Olmedo was silent. - -"Already!" cried Alvarado, exultant. "Already! By the cross on my sword, -I have heard of thirty. But to proceed. Omitting Roland, and -Roncesvalles, and the brethren of the Round Table, canst thou tell me of -the Seven Lords of Lares?" - -"No. But there is a Lord of whom I can tell thee, and of whom it will be -far more profitable for thee to inquire." - -"I knew a minstrel--a rare fellow--who had a wondrous voice and memory, -and who sang fifteen songs all about the Lords of Lares; and he told me -there were as many more. O, for the time of the true chivalry, when our -Spanish people were song-lovers, and honor was of higher esteem than -gold! In one respect, Olmedo, I am more Moslem than Christian." - -The padre crossed himself. - -"Mahomet--so saith history--taught his warriors that Paradise lieth in -the shade of crossing scimitars,--as unlike thy doctrine as a stone is -unlike a plum. _Picaro!_ It pleaseth me; it hardeneth the heart and -grip; it is more inspiring than clarions and drums." - -Olmedo looked into the blue eyes of the knight, now unusually bright, -and said, "Thou didst jest at my knowledge; now I ask thee, son, is it -not better to have a mind full of saintly lore than one which nothing -holds but swords and lances and high-bred steeds? What dost thou know -but war?" - -"The taste of good wine," said Alvarado, seriously; "and by Sta. Agnes, -holy father, I would I had my canteen full; the smoke from these dens is -turning me into a Dutch sausage. Look to the towers of yon temple,--the -great one just before us. How the clouds ascending from them poison the -morning air! When my sword is at the throats of the fire-keepers, Heaven -help me to slay them!" - -Alvarado then took the tassels of the cord around the good man's waist, -and pulled him forward. "Come briskly, father! This roof is all the -field left us for exercise; and much do I fear that we will dream many -times of green meadows before we see them again." Half dragging him, the -knight lengthened his strides. "Step longer, father! Thou dost mince the -pace, like a woman." - -"Hands off, irreverent!" cried the padre, holding back. "My feet are not -iron-shod, like thine." - -"What! Didst thou not climb the mountains on the way hither barefooted? -And dost now growl at these tiles? Last night Sandoval shod his mare, -the gay Motilla, with silver, which he swore was cheaper, if not better, -than iron. When next we take a morning trot, like this, _cierto_, I will -borrow two of the precious shoes for thee." - -Olmedo's gown, of coarse, black woollen serge, was not a garment a -Greek, preparing for a race, would have chosen; the long skirts hampered -his legs; he stumbled, and would have fallen, but for his tormentor. - -"Stay thee, father! Hast been drinking? Not here shouldst thou kneel -unless in prayer; and for that, bethink thee, house-tops are for none -but Jews." And the rough knight laughed heartily. "Nay, talking will -tire thee," he continued. "Take breath first. If my shield were at hand, -I would fan thee. Or wouldst thou prefer to sit? or better still, to lie -down? Do so, if thou wouldst truly oblige me; for, by my conscience, as -Cortes sweareth, I have not done testing thy knowledge of worthy things -outside the convent libraries. I will take thee into a new field, and -ask of the Moorish lays; for, as thou shouldst know, if thou dost not, -they have had their minstrels and heroes as fanciful and valiant as -infidels ever were; in truth, but little inferior to the best of old -Castile." - -Olmedo attempted to speak. - -"Open not thy mouth, father, except to breathe. I will talk until thy -tire is over. I was on the Moors. A fine race they were, bating always -their religion. Of their songs, thou hast probably heard that mournful -roundelay, the Loves of Gazul and Abindarraez; probably listened to -Tales of the Arabian Nights, or to verses celebrating the tournaments in -the Bivarrambla. Certainly, thou hast heard recitals of the rencontres, -scimitar in hand, between the Zegris and Abencerrages. By Sta. Agnes! -they have had warriors fit for the noblest songs. At least, father, thou -knowest--" He stopped abruptly, while a lad mounted the roof and -approached them, cap in hand. - -"Excellent Señor, so it please thee, my master hath somewhat to say to -thee in his chamber below. And"--crossing himself to Olmedo--"if the -holy father will remember me in his next prayer, I will tell him that -Bernal Diaz is looking for him." - -"Doth thy master want me also?" - -"That is Diaz's massage." - -"What can be in the wind now?" asked Alvarado, musingly. - -"Hadst thou asked me that question--" - -"Couldst thou have answered? Take the chance! What doth thy master -intend?" - -"Look, Don Pedro, and thou, good father," replied the page; "look to the -top of yon pile so ridiculously called a temple of--" - -"Speak it, as thou lovest me," cried Alvarado. - -"Wilt thou pronounce it after me?" - -"That will I; though, _cierto_, I will not promise my horse if I fail." - -"_Huitzilpotchli_," said the boy, slowly. - -"The saints defend us!" exclaimed the knight, crossing himself. "Where -didst thou get so foul a name?" - -"Of the Doña Marina. Well, the Señor Hernan, my master, designeth -visiting those towers, and seeing what horrors they hold." - -Olmedo's countenance became unusually grave. "Holy Mother, keep his -temper in check, that nothing rash be done!" - -Alvarado received the news differently. "Thou art a good boy, -Orteguilla," he said. "I owe thee a ducat. Remind me of the debt when -next thou seest me with gold. _Espiritu Santo!_ Now will I take the rust -out of my knees, and the dull out of my head, and the spite from my -stomach! Now will I give my sword, that hath hungered so long, to -surfeit on the heart-eaters! _Bien Quisto!_ What jargon didst thou use a -moment ago when speaking of the temple?" - -"_Huitzilpotchli_," said the boy, laughing. - -"Murrain take the idol, if only for his name's sake! Come; we shall have -a good time." - -The knight turned to descend. Orteguilla caught him by the mantle. "A -word, Don Pedro." - -"_Picaro!_ A thousand of them, quickly!" - -"Thou didst promise me a ducat--" - -"Truly, and thou shalt have it. Only wait till the division cometh, and -thy master saith to me, 'Take thy share.'" - -"Thou hearest, father?" - -"How! Dost doubt me?" - -The boy stepped back. "No. Alvarado's promise is good against the world. -But dost thou not think the Señor Hernan will attack the temple?" - -"_Cierto_, with horse, foot, guns, Tlascalans, and all." - -"He goeth merely on a visit, and by invitation of Montezuma, the king." - -Olmedo's face relaxed, and he rubbed his hands; but the captain said, -dismally, "By invitation! _Picaro!_ Instead of the ducat, that for thy -news!" And he struck open-handedly at the page, but with such good-will -that the latter gave him wide margin the rest of the day. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - ALVARADO FINDS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. - - -There was a bluster of trumpets and drums, and out of the main gate of -the palace in which he was lodged, under the eyes of a concourse of -spectators too vast to be nearly estimated, Cortes marched with the -greater part of his Christians. The column was spirited, even brilliant. -Good steeds had improved with rest; while good fare, not to speak of the -luxury of royal baths, had reconstituted both footmen and riders. At the -head, as guides, walked four commissioners of the king,--stately men, -gorgeous in _escaupiles_ and plumed helms. - -The Spaniards were full of glee, vented broad exaggerations, and -manifested the abandon I have seen in sailors ashore the first time -after a long voyage. - -"Be done, good horse!" said Sandoval to Motilla, whose blood warmed -under the outcry of trumpet and clarion. "Be done!" - -Montejo laughed. "Chide her not! She feels the silver on her heels as a -fine lady the ribbons on her head." - -"No," said Alvarado, laying his lance half in rest, "Motilla is a -Christian, and the scent of the pagan is in her nostrils." - -"Up with thy lance, _Señor Capitan_! The guides, if they were to look -back, would leave us without so much as good day." - -"_Cierto_, thou 'rt right! But how pleasant it would be to impale two of -them at once!" - -"Such thy speculation? I cannot believe thee. I have been thy comrade -too long," said Leon, gravely. - -Alvarado turned curtly, as if to say, "Explain thyself." - -"The gold in their ears and on their wrists, Señor,--there were thine -eyes. And thou didst look as if summing up,--ear-rings, four; bracelets, -six; sundries, three; total, thirteen ounces pure. Confess thee, confess -thee!" - -The laugh was loud and long. - -I have already given the reader an idea of the _tianguez_, or market, -whither Cortes, by request, was first conducted. It is sufficient to say -now, that the exhibition of the jewellers attracted most attention; in -front of their booths many of the footmen actually broke ranks, -determined to satisfy themselves if all they there saw was indeed of the -royal metal. Years after, they vaunted the sight as something surpassing -all the cities of Europe could display. - -Cortes occupied himself questioning the guides; for which purpose Marina -was brought forward. Nothing of importance escaped him. - -At one of the corners, while the interpreter was in the midst of a -reply, Cortes' horse suddenly stopped, startled by an obstacle in the -way. Scarcely a lance-length off, pictures of terror, stood four slaves, -richly liveried, and bearing a palanquin crowned by a green _panache_. - -"By Our Lady, I will see what is here contained!" - -So saying, Alvarado spurred impetuously forward. The guides threw -themselves in his way; he nearly rode one of them down; and, laughing at -the fright of the slaves, he drew aside the curtain of the carriage, and -peered in. - -"_Jesu!_" he cried, dropping the cloth, and reining his horse back. - -"Hast thou the fiend there? Or only a woman?" asked Cortes. - -"A paragon, an houri, your excellency! What a rude fellow I have been! -She is frightened. Come hither, Marina. Say to the girl--" - -"Not now, not now!" said Cortes, abruptly. "If she is pretty, thou wilt -see her again." - -Alvarado frowned. - -"What! angry?" continued the general. "Out on thee, captain! How can an -untaught infidel, though paragon and houri, understand knightly phrases? -What the merit of an apology in her eyes? Pass on!" - -"Perhaps thou 'rt right. Stand aside! Out of the way there!" And as if -to make amends, he cleared a passage for the slaves and their burden. - -"To the devil all of ye!" he replied, to the laughter of his comrades. -"Ye did not see her, nor know ye if she is old or young, harridan or -angel." - -From the market, the column marched back to the great temple, with -which, as it rose, broad and high, like a terraced hill, between the -palace they occupied and the sun at rising, they were somewhat familiar. -Yet, when fairly in view of the pile, Cortes called Olmedo to his side. - -"I thank thee, Father Bartolomé. That thou art near, I feel better. A -good surcoat and shield, as thou knowest, give a soldier confidence in -battle; and so, as I come nigh yon abomination, full of bloody -mysteries, called worship, and carven stones, called gods,--may they be -accursed from the earth!--I am pleased to make use of thee and thy -holiness. Doubtless the air of the place is thick with sorceries and -evil charms; if so, thy crucifix hath more of safeguard than my sword. -Ride nearer, father, and hearken, that thou mayst answer what more I -have to say. Would not this pile look the better of a cross upon every -tower?" - -"Thy zeal, my son, I commend, and thy question strictly hath but one -answer," Olmedo replied. "The impulse, moreover, is to do at once what -thou hast suggested. Roll away a stone, and in its bed plant a rose, and -the blooming will be never so sweet; and so, never looketh the cross so -beautiful as when it taketh the place of an idol. And for the conversion -of heathen, the Holy Mother careth not if the worship be under Christian -dome or in pagan chamber." - -"Say'st thou so!" said Cortes, checking his horse. "By my conscience, I -will order a cross!" - -"Be not so fast, I pray you. What armed hand now putteth up, armed hand -must keep; and that is war. May not the good end be reached without such -resort? In my judgment we should first consult the heathen king. How -knowest thou that he is not already inclined to Christian ways? Let us -ask him." - -Cortes relaxed the rein, and rode on convinced. - -Through the gate of the _coatapantli_, amid much din and clangor, the -entire column entered the yard of the temple. On a pavement, -glassy-smooth, and spotless as a good housewife's floor, the horsemen -dismounted, and the footmen stood at rest. Then Cortes, with his -captains and Marina, approached the steps, where he was received by some -pabas, who offered to carry him to the _azoteas_,--a courtesy he -declined with many protestations of thanks. - -At the top, under a green canopy, and surrounded by courtiers and -attendants, Montezuma stood, in the robes of a priest, and with only his -sceptre to indicate his royalty. - -"You have my welcome, Malinche. The ascent is wearisome. Where are the -pabas whom I sent to assist you?" - -The monarch's simple dignity affected his visitors, Cortes as much as -the others. - -"I accept thy welcome, good king," he replied, after the interpretation. -"Assure thyself that it is given to a friend. The priests proffered -their service as you directed; they said your custom was to be carried -up the steps, which I grant accords with a sovereign, but not with a -warrior, who should be superior to fatigue." - -To favor a view of the city, which was after a while suggested, the -king conducted Cortes to the southern side of the _azoteas_, where were -also presented a great part of the lake, bordered with white towns, and -the valley stretching away to the purple sierras. The train followed -them with mats and stools, and erected the canopy to intercept the sun; -and thus at ease, the host explained, and the guest listened. Often, -during the descriptions, the monarch's eyes rested wistfully on his -auditor's face; what he sought, we can imagine; but well I ween there -was more revelation in a cloudy sky than in that bloodless countenance. -The demeanor of the Spaniard was courtierly; he failed not to follow -every gesture of the royal hand; and if the meaning of what he heard was -lost because of the strange language, the voice was not. In the low, sad -intonations, unmarked by positive emphasis, he divined more than the -speaker read in his face,--a soul goodly in all but its irresolution. If -now and then the grave attention relaxed, or the eye wandered from the -point indicated, it was because the city and lake, and the valley to the -mountains, were, in the visitor's mind, more a military problem than a -picture of power or beauty. - -The interview was at length interrupted. Two great towers crowned the -broad _azoteas_ of the temple, one dedicated to Tezca', the other to -Huitzil'. Out of the door of the latter issued a procession of pabas, -preceded by boys swinging censers, the smoke of which was sickening -sweet. Tlalac, the _teotuctli_, came last, walking slowly, bareheaded, -barefooted, his gown trailing behind him, its sleeves and front, like -his hands and face, red with the blood of recent sacrifice. While the -gloomy train gathered about the astonished Christians, the heathen -pontiff, as if unconscious of their presence, addressed himself to the -king. His words were afterwards translated by Marina. - -"To your application, O king, there is no answer. What you do will be -of your own inspiration. The victims are removed; the servants of the -god, save whom you see, are in their cells. If such be thy will, the -chamber is ready for the strangers." - -Montezuma sat a moment hesitant, his color coming and going; then, -feeling the gaze of his guest upon him, he arose, and said kindly, but -with dignity, "It is well. I thank you." Turning to Cortes, he -continued, "If you will go with me, Malinche, I will show you our god, -and the place in which we celebrate his worship. I will explain our -religion, and you may explain yours. Only give me respect for respect." - -Bowing low, Cortes replied, "I will go with thee, and thou shalt suffer -no wrong from the confidence. The hand or tongue that doeth grievance to -anything pertaining to thy god or his worship shall repeat it never." -The last sentence was spoken with a raised voice, and a glance to the -captains around; then, observing the frowns with which some of them -received the notice, he added, almost without a pause, to Olmedo, "What -saith the Church of Christ?" - -"That thou hast spoken well, for this time," answered the priest, -kissing the crucifix chained to his girdle. "Go on. I will go with -thee." - -Then they followed the king into the sanctuary, leaving the _teotuctli_ -and his train on the _azoteas_. - -I turn gladly from that horrible chamber. With quite as much -satisfaction, I turn from the conversation of the king and Cortes. Not -even the sweet voice of Marina could make the Aztec theogony clear, or -the Catholic commentary of the Spaniard interesting. - -Alvarado approached the turret door with loathing. Staggered by the -stench that smote him from within, he stopped a moment. Orteguilla, the -page, pulled his mantle, and said, "I have news for thee. Wilt thou -hear?" - -"_Picaro!_ To-morrow, if the Mother doth spare me so long, I will give -thee a lash for every breath of this sin-laden air thou makest me draw -with open mouth. As thou lovest life, speak, and have done!" - -"What if I bring thee a message of love?" - -"If thou couldst bring me such a message from a comely Christian maiden, -I would kiss thee, lad." - -Orteguilla held out an exquisite _ramillete_. "Seest thou this? If thou -carest and wilt follow me, I will show thee an infidel to swear by -forever." - -"Give me the flowers, and lead me to the infidel. If thou speakest -truly, thy fortune is made; if thou liest, I will fling thee from the -temple." - -He turned from the door, and was conducted to the shade of the turret of -Tezca'. - -"I was loitering after the tall priest, the one with the bloody face and -hands,--what a monster he is!" said the page, crossing himself,--"when a -slave came in my way, offering some flowers, and making signs. I spoke -to him. 'What do you want?' 'Here is a message from the princess -Nenetzin.' 'Who is she?' 'Daughter of the great king.' 'Well, what did -she say?' 'She bade me'--and, _señor capitan_, these are almost his -words,--'she bade me give these flowers to one of the _teules_, that he -might give them to _Tonatiah_, him with the red beard.' I took the -present, and asked, 'What does the princess say to the _Tonatiah_?' 'Let -him read the flowers,' the fellow answered. I remembered then that it is -a custom of this people to send messages in that form. I asked him where -his mistress was; he told me, and I went to see her." - -"What of her? Is she handsome?" - -"Here she is; judge thou." - -"Holy Mother! 'Tis the girl I so frightened on the street. She is the -pearl of the valley, the light of the world!" exclaimed Alvarado. "Stay -thou, sir page. Interpret for me. I will speak to her." - -"Simply, then. Thou knowest I am not so good an Aztec as Marina." - -Nenetzin was sitting in the shade of the turret. Apart several paces -stood her carriage-bearers. Her garments of finest cotton, white as -snow, were held close to her waist by a green sash. Her -ornaments--necklace, bracelets, and anklets--were of gold, enriched by -_chalchuites_. Softest sandals protected her feet; and the long scarf, -heavy with embroidery, and half covering her face, fell from her head to -the mat of scarlet feathers upon which she was sitting. - -When the tall Spaniard, in full armor, except the helmet, stopped thus -suddenly before her, the large eyes dilated, the blood left her cheeks, -and she shrank almost to the roof. Was it not as if the dream, so -strange in the coming, had vitalized its subject, and sent it to her, a -Fate the more irresistible because of its peculiarities,--the blue eyes, -the forehead womanly white, the hair long and waving, the beard dyed, -apparently, in the extremest brightness of the sun,--all so unheard of -among the brown and olive children of Anahuac? And what if the Fate had -come demandingly? Refuse! Can the chrysalis, joyous in the beauty of -wings just perfected, refuse the sun? - -The cavalier could not mistake the look with which she regarded him. In -pity for her fear, in admiration of her beauty, in the native gallantry -of his soul, he knelt, and took her hand, and kissed it; then, giving it -back, and looking into her face with an expression as unmistakable as -her own, he said,-- - -"My beautiful princess must not be afraid. I would die sooner than harm -her." - -While the page interpreted, as best he could, the captain smiled so -winsomely that she sat up, and listened with a smile in return. She was -won, and shall we say lost? The future comes rapidly now to answer for -itself. - -"Here is the message," Alvarado continued, "which I could not read; but -if it meant to tell me of love, what better can I than give it back to -tell the same story for me?" - -He kissed the flowers, and laid them before her. Picking them up, she -said, with a laugh, "_Tonatiah_ is a poet,--a god and a poet." - -He heard the interpretation, and spoke again, without relaxing his -ardent gaze. - -"_Jesu Christo!_ That one so beautiful should be an infidel! She shall -not be,--by the holy sepulchre, she shall not! Here, lad, take off the -chain which is about my neck. It hath an iron crucifix, the very same my -mother--rested be her soul!--gave me, with her blessing and prayer, what -time I last bade her farewell." - -Orteguilla took off the chain and crucifix, and put them in the -cavalier's hand. - -"Will my beautiful princess deign to receive these gifts from me, her -slave forever? And in my presence will she put them on? And for my sake, -will she always wear them? They have God's blessing, which cannot be -better bestowed." - -Instead of laying the presents down to be taken or not, this time he -held them out to her directly; and she took them, and, childlike, hung -them around her neck. In the act, the scarf fell, and left bare her head -and face. He saw the glowing countenance, and was about to speak -further, when Orteguilla stopped him. - -"Moderate thyself, I pray thee, Don Pedro. Look at the hounds; they are -closing us in. The way to the turret is already cut off. Have a care, I -pray!" - -The tone of alarm had instant effect. - -"How! Cut off, say'st thou, lad?" And Alvarado sprang up, his hand upon -his sword. He swept the circle with a falcon's glance; then turning once -more to the girl, he said, resuming the tenderness of voice and manner, -"By what name may I know my love hereafter?" - -"Nenetzin,--the princess Nenetzin." - -"Then farewell, Nenetzin. Ill betide the man or fortune that keepeth -thee from me hereafter! May I forfeit life, and the Holy Mother's love, -if I see thee not again! Farewell." - -He kissed his mailed hand to her, and, facing the array of scowling -pabas, strode to them, and through their circle, with a laugh of -knightly scorn. - -At the door of the turret of Huitzil' he said to the page, "The love of -yon girl, heathen no longer, but Christian, by the cross she -weareth,--her love, and the brightness of her presence, for the foulness -and sin of this devil's den,--what an exchange! _Valgame Dios!_ Thou -shalt have the ducat. She is the glory of the world!" - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE IRON CROSS. - - -"My lord Maxtla, go see if there be none coming this way now." - -And while the chief touched the ground with his palm, the king added, as -to himself, and impatiently, "Surely it is time." - -"Of whom speak you?" asked Cuitlahua, standing by. Only the brother -would have so presumed. - -The monarch looked into the branches of the cypress-tree above him; he -seemed holding the words in ear, while he followed a thought. - -They were in the grove of Chapultepec at the time. About them were the -famous trees, apparently old as the hill itself, with trunks so massive -that they had likeness to things of cunning labor, products of some -divine art. The sun touched them here and there with slanting yellow -rays, by contrast deepening the shadows that purpled the air. From the -gnarled limbs the gray moss drooped, like listless drapery. Nesting -birds sang from the topmost boughs, and parrots, flitting to and fro, -lit the gloaming with transient gleams of scarlet and gold: yet the -effect of the place was mysterious; the hush of the solitude softened -reflection into dreaming; the silence was a solemn presence in which -speech sunk to a whisper, and laughter would have been profanation. In -such primeval temples men walk with Time, as in paradise Adam walked -with God. - -"I am waiting for the lord Hualpa," the king at last replied, turning -his sad eyes to his brother's face. - -"Hualpa!" said Cuitlahua, marvelling, as well he might, to find the -great king waiting for the merchant's son, so lately a simple hunter. - -"Yes. He serves me in an affair of importance. His appointment was for -noon; he tarries, I fear, in the city. Next time I will choose an older -messenger." - -The manner of the explanation was that of one who has in mind something -of which he desires to speak, yet doubts the wisdom of speaking. So the -cacique seemed to understand, for he relapsed into silence, while the -monarch again looked upwards. Was the object he studied in the sky or in -his heart? - -Maxtla returned; saluting, he said, "The lake is thronged with canoes, O -king, but none come this way." - -The sadness of the royal face deepened. - -"Montezuma, my brother," said Cuitlahua. - -"Well." - -"Give me a moment's audience." - -"Certainly. The laggard comes not; the rest of the day is yours." And to -Maxtla he said, "In the palace are the queens, and the princesses Tula -and Nenetzin. Inform them that I am coming." - -When the chief was gone, the monarch turned to Cuitlahua, smiling: "Yes, -the rest of the day is yours, and the night also; for I must wait for -the merchant's son; and our mother, were she here, would say it was good -of you to share my waiting." - -The pleasantry and the tender allusion were hardly observed by the -cacique. "I wished to call your attention to Iztlil', the Tezcucan," he -said, gravely. - -"Iztlil'? what of him now?" - -"Trouble. What else can come of him? Last night at the house of Xoli, -the Chalcan, he drank too much _pulque_, quarrelled with the good man's -guests, and abused everybody loyal,--abused you, my brother. I sent a -servant to watch him. You must know--if not, you should--that all -Tenochtitlan believes the Tezcucan to be in alliance with Malinche and -his robbers." - -"Robbers!" said Montezuma, starting. - -The cacique went on. "That he has corresponded with the Tlascalans is -well understood. Only last night he spoke of a confederacy of tribes and -cities to overturn the Empire." - -"Goes he so far?" exclaimed the king, now very attentive. - -"He is a traitor!" replied Cuitlahua, emphatically. "So I sent a servant -to follow him. From the Chalcan's, he was seen go to the gates of the -palace of Axaya'. Malinche received him. He is there now." - -The two were silent awhile, the cacique observing the king, the king -gazing upon the ground. - -"Well," said the latter, at length, "is that all?" - -"Is it not enough?" - -"You are right. He must be arrested. Keep close watch on the gates of -the palace, and upon his coming out, seize him, and put him safely away -in the temple." - -"But if he comes not out?" - -"To-morrow, at noon, if he be yet within, go to Malinche and demand him. -Here is your authority." - -At that, the monarch took from a finger of his left hand a ring of gold, -set with an oval green malachite, on which his likeness was exquisitely -cut. - -"But," said the other, while the royal hand was outstretched, "if -Malinche refuses your demand?" - -"Then--then--" And the speaker paused so long that his indecision was -apparent. - -"Behind the refusal,--see you what lies there?" asked Cuitlahua, -bluntly. - -The king reflected. - -"Is it not war?" the cacique persisted. - -The hand fell down, and closed upon the signet. - -"The demand is just, and will not be refused. Take the ring, my brother; -we will at least test Malinche's disposition. Say to him that the lord -Iztlil' is a traitor; that he is conspiring against me; and that I -require his person for punishment. So say to him; but go not yet. The -messenger I await may bring me something to make your mission -unnecessary." - -The cacique smiled grimly. "If the Tezcucan is guilty, so is Malinche," -he said. "Is it well to tell him what you know?" - -"Yes. He will then be careful; at least, he will not be deceived." - -"Be it so," said Cuitlahua, taking the ring. "I will bring you his -answer; then--" - -"Well?" - -"Bear with me, O king. The subject I now wish to speak of is a tender -one, though I know not why. To win the good-will of the Tezcucan, was -not Guatamozin, our nephew, banished the city?" - -"Well?" - -"Now that the Tezcucan is lost, why should not the 'tzin return? He is a -happy man, O my brother, who discovers an enemy; happier is he who, at -the same time, discovers a friend." - -Montezuma studied the cacique's face, then, with his eyes upon the -ground, walked on. Cuitlahua went with him. Past the great trees, under -the gray moss, up the hill to the summit, and along the summit to the -verge of the rocky bluff, they went. At the king's side, when he -stopped, was a porphyritic rock, bearing, in bas-relief, his own image, -and that of his father. Below him, westwardly, spread the placid lake; -above it, the setting sun; in its midst, a fair child on a fair mother's -breast, Tenochtitlan. - -"See! a canoe goes swiftly round yon _chinampa_; now it outstrips its -neighbors, and turns this way. How the slaves bend to the paddles! My -laggards at last!" - -The king, while speaking, rubbed his hands gleefully. For the time, -Cuitlahua and his question were forgotten. - -"The lord Hualpa has company," observed the brother, quietly. - -"Yes. Io'." - -Another spell of silence, during which both watched the canoe. - -"Come, let us to the palace. Lingering here is useless." And with -another look to the city and lake, and a last one at the speeding -vessel, yet too far off to be identified, the king finally turned away. -And Guatamozin was still an exile. - -Tecalco and Acatlan, the queens, and Tula, and their attendants, sitting -on the _azoteas_ of the ancient house, taking the air of the declining -day, arose to salute the monarch and his brother. The latter took the -hand of each, saying, "The gods of our fathers be good to you." Tula's -forehead he touched with his lips. His countenance, like his figure and -nature, Indian in type, softened somewhat under her glance. He knew her -sorrow, and in sympathy thought of the 'tzin, and of the petition in his -behalf, as yet unanswered. - -"All are not here, one is absent,--Nenetzin. Where is she? I may not -sleep well without hearing her laugh once more." - -Acatlan said, "You are very good, my lord, to remember my child. She -chose to remain below." - -"She is not sick, I hope." - -"Not sick, yet not well." - -"Ah! the trouble is of the mind, perhaps. How old is she now." - -"Old enough to be in love, if that is your meaning." - -Cuitlahua smiled. "That is not a sickness, but a happiness; so, at -least, the minstrels say." - -"What ails Nenetzin?" asked the king. - -Acatlan cast down her eyes, and hesitated. - -"Speak! What ails her?" - -"I hardly know. She hardly knows herself," the queen answered. "If I am -to believe what she tells me, the lord Cuitlahua is right; she is in -love." - -"With Tula, I suppose," said the king, laughing. - -"Would it were! She says her lover is called _Tonatiah_. Much I fear, -however, that what she thinks love is really a delusion, wrought by -magic. She is not herself. When did Malinche go to the temple?" - -"Four days ago," the king replied. - -"Well, the _teule_ met her there, and spoke to her, and gave her a -present. Since that, like a child, she has done little else than play -with the trinket." - -Montezuma became interested. He seated himself, and asked, "You said the -spell proceeds from the present: why do you think so?" - -"The giver said the gift was a symbol of his religion, and whoever wore -it became of his faith, and belonged to his god." - -"Mictlan!" muttered Cuitlahua. - -"Strange! what is the thing?" the king persisted. - -"Something of unknown metal, white, like silver, about a hand in length, -and attached to a chain." - -"Of unknown metal,--a symbol of religion! Where is the marvel now?" - -"Around the child's neck, where I believe it has been since she came -from the temple. Once she allowed me to see if I could tell what the -metal was, but only for a moment, and then her eyes never quit me. She -sits hours by herself, with the bauble clasped in both hands, and sighs, -and mopes, and has no interest in what used to please her most." - -The king mused awhile. The power of the strangers was very great; what -if the gift was the secret of the power? - -"Go, Acatlan," he said, "and call Nenetzin. See that she brings the -charm with her." - -Then he arose, and began moodily to walk. Cuitlahua talked with Tecalco -and Tula. The hour was very pleasant. The sun, lingering above the -horizon, poured a flood of brilliance upon the hill and palace, and over -the flowers, trailing vines, and dwarfed palm and banana trees, with -which the _azoteas_ was provided. - -Upon the return of the queen with Nenetzin, the king resumed his seat. -The girl knelt before him, her face very pale, her eyes full of tears. -So lately a child, scarce a woman, yet so weighted with womanly griefs, -the father could not view her except with compassion; so he raised her, -and, holding her hand, said, "What is this I hear, Nenetzin? Yesterday I -was thinking of sending you to school. Nowadays lovers are very -exacting; they require of their sweethearts knowledge as well as beauty; -but you outrun my plans, you have a lover already. Is it so?" - -Nenetzin looked down, blushing. - -"And no common lover either," continued the king. "Not a 'tzin, or a -cacique, or a governor; not a lord or a prince,--a god! Brave child!" - -Still Nenetzin was silent. - -"You cannot call your lover by name, nor speak to him in his language; -nor can he speak to you in yours. Talking by signs must be tedious for -the uses of love, which I understand to be but another name for -impatience; yet you are far advanced; you have seen your beloved, talked -with him, and received--what?" - -Nenetzin clasped the iron cross upon her breast firmly,--not as a good -Catholic, seeking its protection; for she would have laid the same hands -on Alvarado rather than Christ,--and for the first time she looked in -the questioner's face straight and fearlessly. A moment he regarded her; -in the moment his smile faded away; and for her it came never -again--never. - -"Give me what you have there," he said sternly, extending his hand. - -"It is but a simple present," she said, holding back. - -"No, it has to do with religion, and that not of our fathers." - -"It is mine," she persisted, and the queen mother turned pale at sight -of her firmness. - -"The child is bewitched," interposed Cuitlahua. - -"And for that I should have the symbol. Obey me, or--" - -Awed by the look, now dark with anger, Nenetzin took the chain from her -neck, and put the cross in his hand. "There! I pray you, return them to -me." - -Now, the cross, as a religious symbol, was not new to the monarch; in -Cozumel it was an object of worship; in Tabasco it had been reverenced -for ages as emblematic of the God of Rain; in Palenque, the Palmyra of -the New World, it is sculptured on the fadeless walls, and a child held -up to adore it (in the same picture) proves its holy character; it was -not new to the heathen king; but the cross of Christ was; and singularly -enough, he received the latter for the first time with no thought of -saving virtues, but as a problem in metallurgy. - -"To-morrow I will send the trinkets to the jewellers," he said, after -close examination. "They shall try them in the fire. Strange, indeed, -if, in all my dominions, they do not find whereof they are made." - -He was about to pass the symbol to Maxtla, when a messenger came up, and -announced the lord Hualpa and the prince Io'. Instantly, the cross, and -Nenetzin, and her tears and troubles, vanished out of his mind. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - THE CHRISTIANS IN THE TOILS. - - -"Let the _azoteas_ be cleared of all but my family. You, my brother, will -remain." - -So saying, the king arose, and began walking again. As he did so, the -cross slipped from his fingers, and fell, ringing sharply upon the roof. -Nenetzin sprang forward and picked the symbol up. - -"Now, call the messengers." - -When the chief was gone, the monarch stepped to Cuitlahua, and, laying a -hand upon his arm, said, "At last, O brother, at last! The time so long -prayed for is come. The enemy is in the snare, and he is mine. So the -god of our fathers has promised. The messengers bring me his permission -to make war." - -"At last! Praised be Huitzil'!" exclaimed Cuitlahua, with upraised hands -and eyes. - -"Praised be Huitzil'!" cried Tula, with equal fervor. - -"Malinche began his march to Tenochtitlan against my order, which, for a -purpose, I afterwards changed to invitation. Since that, my people, my -army, the lords, the pabas, the Empire, have upbraided me for weakness. -I only bided my time, and the assent of Huitzil'. And the result? The -palace of Axaya' shall be the tomb of the insolent strangers." - -As he spoke, the monarch's bosom swelled with the old warrior spirit. - -"You would have had me go meet Malinche, and in the open field array my -people to be trodden down by his beasts of war. Now, ours is the -advantage. We will shut him in with walls of men as well as of houses. -Over them he may ride, but the first bridge will be the end of his -journey; it will be raised. Mictlan take our legions, if they cannot -conquer him at last!" - -He laughed scornfully. - -"In the temples are seventy thousand fighting men, gathered unknown to -all but Tlalac. They are tired of their prison, and cry for freedom and -battle. Two other measures taken, and the war begins,--only two. -Malinche has no stores; he is dependent upon me for to-morrow's bread. -What if I say, not a grain of corn, not a mouthful of meat shall pass -his palace gate? As to the other step,--what if I bid you raise the -bridges? What then? His beasts must starve; so must his people, unless -they can fly. Let him use his engines of fire; the material he serves -them with cannot last always, so that want will silence them also. The -measures depend on my word, which, by the blessing of Huitzil', I will -speak, and"-- - -"When?" asked Cuitlahua, earnestly. - -"To-morrow--" - -"The day,--O my kingly brother!--the day will be memorable in Anahuac -forever!" - -The monarch's eyes flashed with evil fire. "It shall be so. Part of the -invaders will not content me; none shall escape,--not one! In the world -shall not one be left!" - -All present listened eagerly. Nenetzin alone gave no sign of feeling, -though she heard every word. - -The couriers now appeared. Over their uniforms was the inevitable -_nequen_. Instead of helms, they wore broad bands, ornamented with -plumes and brilliants. At their backs hung their shields. The prince, -proud and happy, kissed his mother's hand, and nodded to the sisters. -Hualpa went to the king, and knelt in salute. - -"I have been waiting since noon," said Montezuma, coldly. - -"We pray your pardon, O king, good master. The fault was not ours. Since -yesterday at noon we have not ate or drank or slept; neither have we -been out of the great temple, except to embark and come here, which was -with all possible speed." - -"It is well. Arise! What says the god?" - -Every ear was strained to hear. - -"We followed your orders in all things, O king. In the temple we found -the _teotuctli_, and the pabas of the city, with many from Tezcuco and -Cholula." - -"Saw you Mualox, of the old Cû of Quetzal'?" - -"Mualox was not there." - -The king waved his hand. - -"We presented ourselves to the _teotuctli_, and gave him your message; -in proof of our authority, we showed him the signet, which we now -return." - -The seal was taken in silence. - -"In presence, then, of all the pabas, the sacrifices were begun. I -counted the victims,--nine hundred in all. The afternoon and night, and -to-day, to the time of our departure, the service lasted. The sound of -prayer from the holy men was unintermitted and loud. I looked once to -the palace of Axaya', and saw the _azoteas_ crowded with the strangers -and their Tlascalans." - -The king and the lord Cuitlahua exchanged glances of satisfaction. - -"At last the labors of the _teotuctli_ were rewarded. I saw him tear a -heart from a victim's breast, and study the signs; then, with a loud -cry, he ran and flung the heart into the fire before the altar of -Huitzil'; and all there joined in the cry, which was of rejoicing, and -washed their hands in the blood. The holy man then came to me, and said, -'Say to Montezuma, the wise king, that Huitzil', the Supreme God, has -answered, and bids him begin the war. Say to him, also, to be of cheer; -for the land shall be delivered from the strangers, and the strangers -shall be delivered to him, in trust for the god.' Then he stood in the -door of the sanctuary, and made proclamation of the divine will. And -that was all, O king." - -"To Huitzil' be the praise!" exclaimed the king, piously. - -"And to Montezuma the glory!" said Cuitlahua. - -And the queens and Tula kissed the monarch's hand, and at his feet Io' -knelt, and laid his shield, saying,-- - -"A favor, O king, a favor!" - -"Well." - -"Let not my years be counted, but give me a warrior's part in the sacred -war." - -And Cuitlahua went to the suppliant, and laid a hand upon his head, and -said, his massive features glowing with honest pride, "It was well -spoken, O my brother, well spoken. The blood and spirit of our race will -survive us. I, the oldest, rejoice, and, with the youngest, pray; give -us each to do a warrior's part." - -Brighter grew the monarch's eyes. - -"Your will be done," he said to Io'. "Arise!" Then looking toward the -sun, he added, with majestic fervor, "The inspiration is from you, O -holy gods! strengthen it, I pray, and help him in the way he would go." -A moment after, he turned to Cuitlahua, "My brother, have your wish -also. I give you the command. You have my signet already. To-morrow the -drum of Huitzil' will be beaten. At the sound, let the bridges next the -palace of Axaya' on all the causeways be taken up. Close the market -to-night. Supplies for one day more Malinche may have, and that is all. -Around the _teocallis_, in hearing of a shell, are ten thousand -warriors; take them, and, after the beating of the drum, see that the -strangers come not out of the palace, and that nothing goes through its -gates for them. But until the signal, let there be friendship and -perfect peace. And"--he looked around slowly and solemnly--"what I have -here spoken is between ourselves and the gods." - -And Cuitlahua knelt and kissed his hand, in token of loyalty. - -While the scene was passing, as the only one present not of the royal -family, Hualpa stood by, with downcast eyes; and as he listened to the -brave words of the king, involving so much of weal or woe to the realm, -he wondered at the fortune which had brought him such rich confidence, -not as the slow result of years of service, but, as it were, in a day. -Suddenly, the monarch turned to him. - -"Thanks are not enough, lord Hualpa, for the report you bring. As a -messenger between me and the mighty Huitzil', you shall have reason to -rejoice with us. Lands and rank you have, and a palace; now,"--a smile -broke through his seriousness,--"now I will give you a wife. Here she -is." And to the amazement of all, he pointed to Nenetzin. "A wild bird, -by the Sun! What say you, lord Hualpa? Is she not beautiful? Yet," he -became grave in an instant, "I warn you that she is self-willed, and -spoiled, and now suffers from a distemper which she fancies to be love. -I warn you, lest one of the enemy, of whom we were but now talking, lure -her from you, as he seems to have lured her from us and our gods. To -save her, and place her in good keeping, as well as to bestow a proper -reward, I will give her to you for wife." - -Tecalco looked at Acatlan, who governed her feelings well; possibly she -was satisfied, for the waywardness of the girl had, of late, caused her -anxiety, while, if not a prince, like Cacama, Hualpa was young, brave, -handsome, ennobled, and, as the proposal itself proved, on the high road -to princely honors. Tula openly rejoiced; so did Io'. The lord Cuitlahua -was indifferent; his new command, and the prospects of the morrow, so -absorbed him that a betrothal or a wedding was a trifle. As for Hualpa, -it was as if the flowery land of the Aztec heaven had opened around him. -He was speechless; but in the step half taken, his flushed face, his -quick breathing, Nenetzin read all he could have said, and more; and so -he waited a sign from her,--a sign, though but a glance or a motion of -the lip or hand. And she gave him a smile,--not like that the bold -Spaniard received on the temple, nor warm, as if prompted by the loving -soul,--a smile, witnessed by all present, and by all accepted as her -expression of assent. - -"I will give her to you for wife," the monarch repeated, slowly and -distinctly. "This is the betrothal; the wedding shall be when the war is -over, when not a white-faced stranger is left in all my domain." - -While yet he spoke, Nenetzin ran to her mother, and hid her face in her -bosom. - -"Listen further, lord Hualpa," said the king. "In the great business of -to-morrow I give you a part. At daylight return to the temple, and -remain there in the turret where hangs the drum of Huitzil'. Io' will -come to you about noon, with my command; then, if such be its effect, -with your own hand give the signal for which the lord Cuitlahua will be -waiting. Strike so as to be heard by the city, and by the cities on the -shores of the lake. Afterwards, with Io', go to the lord Cuitlahua. Here -is the signet again. The _teotuctli_ may want proof of your authority." - -Hualpa, kneeling to receive the seal, kissed the monarch's hand. - -"And now," the latter said, addressing himself to Cuitlahua, "the -interview is ended. You have much to do. Go. The gods keep you." - -Hualpa, at last released, went and paid homage to his betrothed, and was -made still more happy by her words, and the congratulations of the -queens. - -Tula alone lingered at the king's side, her large eyes fixed appealingly -on his face. - -"What now, Tula?" he asked, tenderly. - -And she answered, "You have need, O king and good father, of faithful, -loving warriors. I know of one. He should be here, but is not. Of -to-morrow, its braveries and sacrifices, the minstrels will sing for -ages to come; and the burden of their songs will be how nobly the people -fought, and died, and conquered for you. Shall the opportunity be for -all but him? Do not so wrong yourself, be not so cruel to--to me," she -said, clasping her hands. - -His look of tenderness vanished, and he walked away, and from the -parapet of the _azoteas_ gazed long and fixedly, apparently observing -the day dying in the west, or the royal gardens that stretched out of -sight from the base of the castled hill. - -She waited expectantly, but no answer came,--none ever came. - -And when, directly, she joined the group about Nenetzin and Hualpa, and -leaned confidingly upon Io', she little thought that his was the shadow -darkening her love; that the dreamy monarch, looking forward to the -succession, saw, in the far future, a struggle for the crown between the -prince and the 'tzin; that for the former hope there was not, except in -what might now be done; and that yet there was not hope, if the -opportunities of war were as open to the one as to the other. So the -exile continued. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE IRON CROSS COMES BACK TO ITS GIVER. - - -Admitting that the intent with which the Spaniards came to Tenochtitlan -took from them the sanctity accorded by Christians to guests, and at the -same time justified any measure in prevention,--a subject belonging to -the casuist rather than the teller of a story,--their situation has now -become so perilous, and possibly so interesting to my sympathetic -reader, that he may be anxious to enter the old palace, and see what -they are doing. - -The dull report of the evening gun had long since spent itself over the -lake, and along the gardened shores. So, too, mass had been said in the -chapel, newly improvised, and very limited for such high ceremony; yet, -as Father Bartolomé observed, roomy enough for prayer and penitence. Nor -had the usual precautions against surprise been omitted; on the -contrary, extra devices in that way had been resorted to; the guards had -been doubled; the horses stood caparisoned; by the guns at the gates -low fires were burning, to light, in an instant, the matches of the -gunners; and at intervals, under cover of the walls, lay or lounged -detachments of both Christians and Tlascalans, apparently told off for -battle. A yell without or a shot within, and the palace would bristle -with defenders. A careful captain was Cortes. - -In his room, once the audience-chamber of the kings, paced the stout -_conquistador_. He was alone, and, as usual, in armor, except of the -head and hands. On a table were his helm, iron gloves, and battle-axe, -fair to view, as was the chamber, in the cheerful, ruddy light of a -brazen lamp. As he walked, he used his sword for staff; and its clang, -joined to the sharp concussion of the sollerets smiting the tessellated -floor at each step, gave notice in the adjoining chamber, and out in the -_patio_, that the general--or, as he was more familiarly called, the -Señor Hernan--was awake and uncommonly restless. After a while the -curtains of the doorway parted, and Father Bartolomé entered without -challenge. The good man was clad in a cassock of black serge, much -frayed, and girt to the waist by a leathern belt, to which hung an ivory -cross, and a string of amber beads. At sight of him, Cortes halted, and, -leaning on his sword, said, "Bring thy bones here, father; or, if such -womanly habit suit thee better, rest them on the settle yonder. Anyhow, -thou'rt welcome. I assure thee of the fact in advance of thy report." - -"Thank thee, Señor," he replied. "The cross, as thou mayst have heard, -is proverbially heavy; but its weight is to the spirit, not the body, -like the iron with which thou keep'st thyself so constantly clothed. I -will come and stand by thee, especially as my words must be few, and to -our own ears." - -He went near, and continued in a low voice, and rapidly, "A deputation, -appointed to confer with thee, is now coming. I sounded the men. I told -them our condition; how we are enclosed in the city, dependent upon an -inconstant king for bread, without hope of succor, without a road of -retreat. Following thy direction, I drew the picture darkly. Very soon -they began asking, 'What think'st thou ought to be done?' As agreed -between us, I suggested the seizure of Montezuma. They adopted the idea -instantly; and, that no consideration like personal affection for the -king may influence thee to reject the proposal, the deputation cometh, -with Diaz del Castillo at the head." - -A gleam of humor twinkled in Cortes's eyes. - -"Art sure they do not suspect me as the author of the scheme?" - -"They will urge it earnestly as their own, and support it with arguments -which"--the father paused a moment--"I am sure thou wilt find -irresistible." - -Cortes raised himself from the sword, and indulged a laugh while he -crossed the room and returned. - -"I thank thee, father," he said, resuming his habitual gravity. "So men -are managed; nothing more simple, if we do but know how. The project -hath been in my mind since we left Tlascala; but, as thou know'st, I -feared it might be made of account against me with our imperial master. -Now, it cometh back as business of urgency to the army, to which men -think I cannot say nay. Let them come; I am ready." - -He began walking again, thumping the floor with his sword, while Olmedo -took possession of a bench by the table. Presently, there was heard at -the door the sound of many feet, which you may be sure were not those of -slippered damsels; for, at the bidding of Cortes, twelve soldiers came -in, followed by several officers, and after them yet other soldiers. The -general went to the table and seated himself. They ranged themselves -about him, standing. - -And for a time the chamber went back to its primitive use; but what were -the audiences of Axaya' compared with this? Here was no painted cotton, -or feather-work gaudy with the spoils of humming-birds and parrots: in -their stead, the gleam and lustre blent with the brown of iron. One such -Christian warrior was worth a hundred heathen chiefs. So thought Cortes, -as he glanced at the faces before him, bearded, mustachioed, and shaded -down to the eyes by well-worn morions. - -"Good evening, gentlemen and soldiers," he said, kindly, but without a -bow. "This hath the appearance of business." - -Diaz advanced a step, and replied,-- - -"Señor, we are a deputation from the army, appointed to beg attention to -a matter which to us looketh serious; enough so, at least, to justify -this appearance. We have been, and are, thy faithful soldiers, in whom -thou mayst trust to the death, as our conduct all the way from the coast -doth certify. Nor do we come to complain; on that score be at rest. But -we are men of experience; a long campaign hath given us eyes to see and -ability to consider a situation; while we submit willingly to all thy -orders, trusting in thy superior sense, we yet think thou wilt not take -it badly, nor judge us wanting in discipline and respect, if we venture -the opinion that, despite the courtesies and fair seeming of the -unbelieving king, Montezuma, we are, in fact, cooped up in this strong -city as in a cage." - -"I see the business already," said Cortes; "and, by my conscience! ye -are welcome to help me consider it. Speak out, Bernal Diaz." - -"Thank thee, Señor. The question in our minds is, What shall be done -next? We know that but few things bearing anywise upon our expedition -escape thy eyes, and that of what is observed by thee nothing is -forgotten; therefore, what I wish, first, is to refer some points to thy -memory. When we left Cuba, we put ourselves in the keeping of the Holy -Virgin, without any certain purpose. We believed there was in this -direction somewhere a land peopled and full of gold for the finding. Of -that we were assured when we set out from the coast to come here. And -now that we are come, safe from so many dangers, and hardships, and -battles, we think it no shame to admit that we were not prepared for -what we find, so far doth the fact exceed all our imaginings; neither -can we be charged justly with weakness or fear, if we all desire to know -whether the expedition is at an end, and whether the time hath arrived -to collect our gains, and divide them, and set our faces homeward. There -are in the army some who think that time come; but I, and my associates -here, are not of that opinion. We believe with Father Olmedo, that God -and the Holy Mother brought us to this land, and that we are their -instruments; and that, in reward for our toils, and for setting up the -cross in all these abominable temples, and bringing about the conversion -of these heathen hordes, the country, and all that is in it, are ours." - -"They are ours!" cried Cortes, dashing his sword against the floor until -the chamber rang. "They are ours, all ours; subject only to the will of -our master, the Emperor." - -The latter words he said slowly, meaning that they should be remembered. - -"We are glad, Señor, to hear thy approval so heartily given," Diaz -resumed. "If we are not mistaken in the opinion, and, following it up, -decide to reduce the country to possession and the true -belief,--something, I confess, not difficult to determine, since we have -no ships in which to sail away,--then we think a plan of action should -be adopted immediately. If the reduction can be best effected from the -city, let us abide here, by all means; if not, the sooner we are beyond -the dikes and bridges, and out of the valley, the better. Whether we -shall remain, Señor, is for thee to say. The army hath simply chosen us -to make a suggestion, which we hope thou wilt accept as its sense; and -that is, to seize the person of Montezuma, and bring him to these -quarters, after which there will be no difficulty in providing for our -wants and safety, and controlling, as may be best, the people, the city, -the provinces, and all things else yet undiscovered." - -"_Jesu Christo!_" exclaimed Cortes, like one surprised. "Whence got ye -this idea? Much I fear the Devil is abroad again." And he began to walk -the floor, using long strides, and muttering to himself; retaking his -seat, he said,-- - -"The proposition hath a bold look, soldiers and comrades, and for our -lives' sake requireth careful thought. That we can govern the Empire -through Montezuma, I have always held, and with that idea I marched you -here, as the cavaliers now present can testify; but the taking and -holding him prisoner,--by my conscience! ye out-travel me, and I must -have time to think about the business. But, gentlemen,"--turning to the -Captains Leon, Ordas, Sandoval, and Alvarado, who, as part of the -delegation, had stationed themselves behind him,--"ye have reflected -upon the business, and are of made-up minds. Upon two points I would -have your judgments: first, can we justify the seizure to his Majesty, -the Emperor? secondly, how is the arrest to be accomplished? Speak thou, -Sandoval." - -"As thou know'st, Señor Hernan, what I say must be said bluntly, and -with little regard for qualifications," Sandoval replied, lisping. "To -me the seizure is a necessity, and as such justifiable to our royal -master, himself so good a soldier. I have come to regard the heathen -king as faithless, and therefore unworthy, except as an instrument in -our hands. I cannot forget how we were cautioned against him in all the -lower towns, and how, from all quarters, we were assured he meant to -follow the pretended instructions of his god, allow us to enter the -capital quietly, then fall upon us without notice and at disadvantage. -And now that we are enclosed, he hath only to cut off our supplies of -bread and water, and break down the bridges. So, Señor, I avouch that, -in my opinion, there is but one question for consideration,--Shall we -move against him, or wait until he is ready to move against us? I would -rather surprise my enemy than be surprised by him." - -"And what sayest thou, Leon?" - -"The good Captain Sandoval hath spoken for me, Señor. I would add, that -some of us have to-day noticed that the king's steward, besides being -insolent, hath failed to supply our tables as formerly. And from -Aguilar, the interpreter, who hath his news from the Tlascalans, I learn -that the Mexicans certainly have some evil plot in progress." - -"And yet further, captain, say for me," cried Alvarado, impetuously, -"that the prince now with us, his name--The fiend take his name!" - -"Thou would'st say, the Prince of Tezcuco; never mind his name," Cortes -said, gravely. - -"Ay, never mind his name," Olmedo repeated, with a scarce perceptible -gleam of humor. "At the baptism to-morrow I will give him something more -Christian." - -"As ye will, as ye will!" Alvarado rejoined, impatiently. "I was about -to say, that the Tezcucan averreth most roundly that the yells we heard -this afternoon from the temple over the way signified a grand utterance -from the god of war; and of opinion that we will now be soon attacked, -he refuseth to go into the city again." - -"And thou, Ordas." - -"Señor," that captain replied, "I am in favor of the seizure. If, as all -believe, Montezuma is bent to make war upon us, the best way to meet the -danger is to arrest him in time. The question, simply stated, is, his -liberty or our lives. Moreover, I want an end to the uncertainty that so -vexeth us night and day; worse, by far, than any battle the heathen can -offer." - -Cortes played with the knot of his sword, and reflected. - -"Such, then, is the judgment of the army," he finally said. "And such, -gentlemen, is mine, also. But is that enough? What we do as matter of -policy may be approved of man, even our imperial master, of whom I am -always regardful; but, as matter of conscience, the approval of Heaven -must be looked for. Stand out, Father Bartolomé! Upon thy brow is the -finger of St. Peter, at thy girdle the cross of Christ. What saith the -Church?" - -The good man arose, and held out the cross, saying,-- - -"My children, upon the Church, by Christ himself, this solemn hest hath -been placed, good for all places, to be parted from never: 'Go ye into -all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.' The way hither -hath been through strange seas and deadly climates. Hear me, that ye may -know yourselves. Ye are the swords of the Church. In Cempoalla she -preached; so in Tlascala; so in Cholula; and in all, she cast out false -gods, and converted whole tribes. Only in this city hath the gospel not -been proclaimed. And why? Because of a king who to-day, almost in our -view, sacrificed men to his idols. Swords of the Church, which go before -to make smooth her path, Christ and the Holy Mother must be taught in -yon temple of sin. So saith the Church!" - -There was much crossing of forehead and breast, and "Amen," and the -sweet name "Ave Maria" sounded through the chamber, not in the murmur of -a cathedral response, but outspokenly as became the swords of Christ. -The sensation was hardly done, when some one at the door called loudly -for Alvarado. - -"Who is he that so calleth?" the captain asked, angrily. "Let him choose -another time." - -The name was repeated more loudly. - -"Tell the mouther to seek me to-morrow." - -A third time the captain was called. - -"May the Devil fly away with the fellow! I will not go." - -"Bid the man enter," said Cortes. "The disturbance is strange." - -A soldier appeared, whom Alvarado, still angry, addressed, "How now? -Dost thou take me for a kitchen girl, apprenticed to answer thee at all -times? What hast thou? Be brief. This goodly company waiteth." - -"I crave thy pardon, captain. I crave pardon of the company," the -soldier answered, saluting Cortes. "I am on duty at the main gate. A -little while ago, a woman--" - -"_Picaro!_" cried Alvarado, contemptuously. "Only a woman!" - -"Peace, captain! Let the man proceed," said Cortes, whose habit it was -to hear his common soldiers gravely. - -"As I was about saying, Señor, a woman came running to the gate. She was -challenged. I could not understand her, and she was much scared, for -behind her on the street was a party that seemed to have been in -pursuit. She cried, and pressed for admittance. My order is -strict,--Admit no one after the evening gun. While I was trying to make -her understand me, some arrows were shot by the party outside, and one -passed through her arm. She then flung herself on the pavement, and gave -me this cross, and said 'Tonatiah, Tonatiah!' As that is what the people -call thee, Señor Alvarado, I judged she wanted it given to thee for some -purpose. The shooting at her made me think that possibly the business -might be of importance. If I am mistaken, I again pray pardon. Here is -the cross. Shall I admit the woman?" - -Alvarado took the cross, and looked at it once. - -"By the saints! my mother's gift to me, and mine to the princess -Nenetzin." Of the soldier he asked, in a suppressed voice, "Is the woman -old or young?" - -"A girl, little more than a child." - -"'Tis she! Mother of Christ, 'tis Nenetzin!" - -And through the company, without apology, he rushed. The soldier -saluted, and followed him. - -"To the gate, Sandoval! See the rest of this affair, and report," said -Cortes, quietly. "We will stay the business until you return." - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - TRULY WONDERFUL.--A FORTUNATE MAN HATH A MEMORY. - - -Two canoes, tied to the strand, attested that the royal party, and Io' -and Hualpa, were yet at Chapultepec, which was no doubt as pleasant at -night, seen of all the stars, as in the day, kissed by the softest of -tropical suns. - -That the lord Hualpa should linger there was most natural. Raised, -almost as one is transported in dreams, from hunting to warriorship; -from that again to riches and nobility; so lately contented, though at -peril of life, to look from afar at the house in which the princess -Nenetzin slept; now her betrothed, and so pronounced by the great king -himself,--what wonder that he loitered at the palace? Yet it was not -late,--in fact, on the horizon still shone the tint, the last and -faintest of the day,--when he and Io' came out, and, arm in arm, took -their way down the hill to the landing. What betides the lover? Is the -mistress coy? Or runs he away at call of some grim duty? - -Out of the high gate, down the terraced descent, past the avenue of -ghostly cypresses, until their sandals struck the white shells of the -landing, they silently went. - -"Is it not well with you, my brother?" asked the prince, stopping where -the boats, in keeping of their crews, were lying. - -"Thank you for that word," Hualpa replied. "It is better even than -comrade. Well with me? I look my fortune in the face, and am dumb. If I -should belie expectation, if I should fall from such a height! O Mother -of the World, save me from that! I would rather die!" - -"But you will not fail," said Io', sympathetically. - -"The gods keep the future; they only know. The thought came to me as I -sat at the feet of Tula and Nenetzin,--came to me like a taste of bitter -in a cup of sweets. Close after followed another even stronger,--how -could I be so happy, and our comrade over the lake so miserable? We know -how he has hoped and worked and lived for what the morrow is to bring: -shall he not be notified even of its nearness? You have heard the sound -of the war-drum: what is it like?" - -"Like the roll of thunder." - -"Well, when the thunder crosses the lake, and strikes his ear, saying, -'Up, the war is here!' he will come to the door, and down to the water's -edge; there he must stop; and as he looks wistfully to the city, and -strains his ear to catch the notes of the combat, will he not ask for -us, and, accuse us of forgetfulness? Rather than that, O my brother, let -my fortune all go back to its giver." - -"I understand you now," said the prince, softly. - -"Yes," Hualpa continued, "I am to be at the temple by the break of day; -but the night is mine, and I will go to the 'tzin, my first friend, of -Anahuac the soul, as Nenetzin is the flower." - -"And I will go with you." - -"No, you cannot. You have not permission. So farewell." - -"Until to-morrow," said Io'. - -"In the temple," answered Hualpa. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - HOW THE IRON CROSS CAME BACK. - - -Io' stayed at the landing awhile, nursing the thought left him by his -comrade. And he was still there, the plash of the rowers of the receding -canoe in his ear, when the great gate of the palace gave exit to another -person, this time a girl. The guards on duty paid her no attention. She -was clad simply and poorly, and carried a basket. Around the hill were -scores of gardeners' daughters like her. - -From the avenue she turned into a path which, through one of the fields -below, led her to an inlet of the lake, where the market-people were -accustomed to moor their canoes. The stars gave light, but too feebly to -reclaim anything from the darkness. Groping amongst the vessels, she at -length entered one, and, seating herself, pushed clear of the land, and -out in the lake toward the glow in the sky beneath which reposed the -city. - -Like the night, the lake was calm; therefore, no fear for the -adventuress. The boat, under her hand, had not the speed of the king's -when driven by his twelve practised rowers; yet she was its mistress, -and it obeyed her kindly. But why the journey? Why alone on the water at -such a time? - -Half an hour of steady work. The city was, of course, much nearer. At -the same time, the labor began to tell; the reach of her paddle was not -so great as at the beginning, nor was the dip so deep; her breathing was -less free, and sometimes she stopped to draw a dripping hand across her -forehead. Surely, this is not a gardener's daughter. - -_Voyageurs_ now became frequent. Most of them passed by with the -salutation usual on the lake,--"The blessings of the gods upon you!" -Once she was in danger. A canoe full of singers, and the singers full of -_pulque_, came down at speed upon her vessel. Happily, the blow was -given obliquely; the crash suspended the song; the wassailers sprang to -their feet; seeing only a girl, and no harm done, they drew off, -laughing. "Out with your lamp next time!" shouted one of them. A law of -the lake required some such signal at night. - -In the flurry of the collision, a _tamane_, leaning over the bow of the -strange canoe, swung a light almost in the girl's face. With a cry, she -shrank away; as she did so, from her bosom fell a shining cross. To the -dull slave the symbol told no tale; but, good reader, we know that there -is but one maiden in all Anahuac who wears such a jewel, and we know for -whom she wears that one. By the light of that cross, we also know the -weary passenger is, not a gardener's daughter, but Nenetzin, the -princess. - -And the wonder grows. What does the 'tzin Nene--so they called her in -the days they swung her to sleep in the swinging cradle--out so far -alone on the lake? And where goes she in such guise, this night of all -others, and now when the kiss of her betrothed is scarcely cold on her -lips? Where are the slaves? Where the signs of royalty? As prayed by the -gentle _voyageurs_, the blessings of the gods may be upon her, but much -I doubt if she has her mother's, almost as holy. - -Slowly now she wins her way. The paddle grows heavier in her -unaccustomed hands. On her brow gathers a dew which is neither of the -night nor the lake. She is not within the radius of the temple lights, -yet stops to rest, and bathe her palms in the cooling waves. Later, when -the wall of the city, close by, stretches away on either side, far -reaching, a margin of darkness under the illuminated sky, the canoe -seems at last to conquer; it floats at will idly as a log; and in that -time the princess sits motionless as the boat, lapsed in revery. Her -purpose, if she has one, may have chilled in the solitude or weakened -under the labor. Alas, if the purpose be good! If evil, help her, O -sweet Mary, Mother! - -The sound of paddles behind her broke the spell. With a hurried glance -over her shoulder, she bent again to the task, and there was no more -hesitation. She gained the wall, and passed in, taking the first canal. -By the houses, and through the press of canoes, and under the bridges, -to the heart of the city, she went. On the steps bordering a basin close -to the street which had been Cortes' line of march the day of the entry, -she landed, and, ascending to the thoroughfare, set out briskly, basket -in hand, her face to the south. With never a look to the right or left, -never a response to the idlers on the pavement, she hurried down the -street. The watchers on the towers sung the hour; she scarcely heard -them. At last she reached the great temple. A glance at the -_coatapantli_, one at the shadowy sanctuaries, to be sure of the -locality; then her eyes fell upon the palace of Axaya', and she stopped. -The street to this point had been thronged with people; here there were -none; the strangers were by themselves. The main gate of the ancient -house stood half open, and she saw the wheels of gun-carriages, and now -and then a Christian soldier pacing his round, slowly and grimly; of the -little host, he alone gave signs of life. Over the walls she heard the -stamp of horses' feet, and once a neigh, shrill and loud. The awe of the -Indian in presence of the white man seized her, and she looked and -listened, half frightened, half worshipful, with but one clear sense, -and that was of the nearness of the _Tonatiah_. - -A sound of approaching feet disturbed her, and she ran across to the -gate; at once the purpose which had held her silent on the _azoteas_, -which prompted her ready acquiescence in the betrothal to Hualpa, which -had sustained her in the passage of the lake, was revealed. She was -seeking her lover to save him. - -She would have passed through the gateway, but for a number of lances -dropped with their points almost against her breast. What with fear of -those behind and of those before her, she almost died. On the pavement, -outside the entrance, she was lying when Alvarado came to the rescue. -The guard made way for him quickly; for in his manner was the warning -which nothing takes from words, not even threats; verily, it had been as -well to attempt to hinder a leaping panther. He threw the lances up, and -knelt by her, saying tenderly, "Nenetzin, Nenetzin, poor child! It is -I,--come to save you!" - -She half arose, and, smiling through her tears, clasped her hands, and -cried, "_Tonatiah! Tonatiah!_" - -There are times when a look, a gesture, a tone of the voice, do all a -herald's part. What need of speech to tell the Spaniard why the truant -was there? The poor disguise, the basket, told of flight; her presence -at that hour said, "I have come to thee"; the cross returned, the tears, -the joy at sight of him, certified her love; and so, when she put her -arm around his neck, and the arrow, not yet taken away, rattled against -his corselet, to his heart there shot a pain so sharp and quick it -seemed as if the very soul of him was going out. - -He raised her gently, and carried her through the entrance. The rough -men looking on saw upon his cheek what, if the cheek had been a woman's, -they would have sworn was a tear. - -"Ho, Marina!" he cried to the wondering interpreter. "I bring thee a -bird dropped too soon from the nest. The hunter hath chased the poor -thing, and here is a bolt in its wing. Give place in thy cot, while I go -for a doctor, and room with thee, that malice hurt not a good name." - -And at the sight the Indian woman was touched; she ran to the cot, -smoothed the pillow of feathers, and said, "Here, rest her here, and run -quickly. I will care for her." - -He laid her down tenderly, but she clung to his hand, and said to -Marina, "He must not go. Let him first hear what I have to say." - -"But you are hurt." - -"It is nothing, nothing. He must stay." - -So earnestly did she speak, that the captain changed his mind. "Very -well. What is spoken in pain should be spoken quickly. I will stay." - -Nenetzin caught the assent, and went on rapidly. "Let him know that -to-morrow at noon the drum in the great temple will be beaten, and the -bridges taken up, and then there will be war." - -"By the saints! she bringeth doughty news," said Alvarado, in his voice -of soldier. "Ask her where she got it; ask her, as you love us, Marina." - -"From my father,--from the king himself." - -"And this is child of Montezuma!" cried Marina. - -"The princess Nenetzin," said the cavalier. "But stay not so. Ask her -when and where she heard the news." - -"To-day, at Chapultepec." - -"What of the particulars? How is the war to be made? What are the -preparations?" - -"The lord Cuitlahua is to take up the bridges. Maize and meat will be -furnished to-morrow only. About the great temple now there are ten -thousand warriors for an attack, and elsewhere in the city there are -seventy thousand more." - -"Enough," said Alvarado, kissing the little hand. "Look now to the hurt, -Marina. Bring the light; mayhap we can take the bolt away ourselves." - -Marina knelt, and examined the wounded arm, and shortly held up the -arrow. - -"Good!" the cavalier said. "Thou art a doctor, indeed, Marina. In the -schools at home they give students big-lettered parchments. I will do -better by thee; I will cover the arm that did this surgery with -bracelets of gold. Run now, and bring cloth and water. The blood thou -seest trickling here is from her heart, which loveth me too dearly to -suffer such waste. Haste thee! haste thee!" - -They bathed the wound, and applied the bandages, though all too roughly -to suit the cavalier, who, thereupon, turned to go, saying, "Sit thou -there, Marina, and leave her not, except to do her will. Tell her I will -return, and to be at rest, for she is safe as in her father's house. If -any do but look at her wrongfully, they shall account to me. So, by my -mother's cross, I swear!" - -And he hurried back to the audience-chamber, where the council was yet -in session. While he related what had been told by Nenetzin, a deep -silence pervaded the assemblage, and the brave men, from looking at each -other, turned, with singular unanimity, to Cortes; who, thus appealed -to, threw off his affectation, and standing up, spoke, so as to be heard -by all,-- - -"Comrades, soldiers, gentlemen, let there be no words more. The step you -have urged upon me, in the name of the army, I hesitated to take. I -grant you, I hesitated; but not from love of the soft-tongued, lying, -pagan king. Bethink ye. We left Cuba hastily, as ye all remember, -because of a design to arrest us there as malefactors and traitors. Now, -when our enemies in that island hear from our expedition, and have told -them all its results,--the wealth we have won, and the country, cities, -peoples, and empire discovered,--envy and jealousy will pursue us, and -false tongues go back to Spain, and fill the ears of our royal master -with reports intended to rob us of our glory and despoil us of our hire. -How could I know but the seizure in question might be magnified into -impolicy and cruelty, and furnish cause for disgrace, imprisonment, and -forfeiture? For that I hesitated. This news, however, endeth doubt and -debate. The over-cunning king hath put himself outside of mercy or -compassion; we are compelled to undo him. So far, well. Let me remind ye -now, that the news of which I speak hath in it a warning which it were -sinful not to heed. Yesterday the great infidel was at our mercy; not -more difficult his capture then than a visit to his palace; but now, in -all the histories of bold performances, nothing bolder,--nothing of the -Cid's, nothing of King Arthur's. In the heart of his capital we are to -make prisoner him, the head of millions, the political ruler and -religious chief, not merely secure in the love and fear of his subjects, -but in the height of his careful preparation for war, in the centre of -his camp, within call, nay, under the eyes, of his legions, numbering -thousands where we number tens. Take ye each, my brave brethren, the -full measure of the design, and then tell me, in simple words, how it -may be best done. And among ye, let him speak who can truly say, I dare -do what my tongue delivereth. I wait your answer." - -And in the chamber there again fell a hush so deep that those present -might well have been taken for ghosts. The idea as first seen by them -was commonplace; under his description, it became heroic; and -struggling, as he suggested, to measure it each for himself, all were -dumb. - -"Good gentlemen," said Cortes, smiling, "why so laggard now? Speak, Diaz -del Castillo. Offer what thou canst." - -The good soldier, and afterward good chronicler, of the conquest and its -trials, this one among the rest, replied, "I confess, Señor, the -enterprise is difficult beyond my first thought. I confess, also, to -more reflection about its necessity than its achievement. To answer -truthfully, at this time I see but one way to the end; and that is, to -invite the monarch here under some sufficient pretence, and then lay -hands on him." - -"Are ye all of the same minds, gentlemen?" - -There was a murmur of assent, whereupon Cortes arose from leaning upon -his sword, and said, sharply,-- - -"To hear ye, gentlemen, one would think the summer all before us in -which to interchange courtesies with the royal barbarian. What is the -fact? At noon to-morrow our hours of grace expire. A beat of drum, and -then assault, and after that,"--he paused, looking grimly round the -circle,--"and after that, sacrifices to the gods, I suppose." - -There was a general movement and outcry. Some griped their arms, others -crossed themselves. Cortes saw and pressed his advantage. - -"I shall not take your advice, Bernal Diaz; not I, by my conscience! -Heaven helping me, I expect to see old Spain again; and more, I expect -to take these comrades back with me, rich in glory and gold." Then, to -the officers behind him, he said, in his ordinary tone of command, -"Ordas, do thou bid the carpenters prepare quarters in this palace for -Montezuma and his court; and let them begin their work to-night, for he -will be our guest before noon to-morrow. And thou, Leon, thou, Lugo, -thou, Avila, and thou, Sandoval, get ye ready to go with me to the--" - -"And I?" asked Alvarado. - -"Thou shalt go also." - -"And the army, Señor?" Diaz suggested. - -"The army shall remain in quarters." - -Never man's manner more calm, never man more absolutely assured. The -listeners warmed with admiration. As unconscious of the effect he was -working, he went on,-- - -"I have shown the difficulties of the enterprise; now I say further, the -crisis of the expedition is upon us: if I succeed, all is won; if I -fail, all is lost. In such strait, what should we do between this and -then? Let us not trust in our cunning and strength: we are Christians; -as such, put we our faith in Christ and the Holy Mother. Olmedo, father, -go thou to the chapel, and get ready the altar. The night to confession -and prayer; and let the morning find us on our knees shrieved and -blessed. We are done, comrades. Let the chamber be cleared. To the -chapel all." - -And they did the bidding cheerfully. All night the good father was -engaged in holy work, confessing, shrieving, praying. So the morning -found them. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - THE CHRISTIAN TAKES CARE OF HIS OWN. - - -Hualpa returned to the city about the time the stars, which in that -clime and season herald the morning, take their places in the sky. He -had lightened his heart, and received the sympathy of a lover in return; -he had told the great things done and promised by the king, and sorrowed -that his friend could take no part in the events which, he imagined, -were to make the day heroic forever; and now, his enthusiasm of youth -sobered by the plaints to which he had listened while traversing the -dusky walks of the beautiful garden, he clomb the stairs of the -_teocallis_. Before the day was fairly dawned, he was at his post, -waiting, dreaming of Nenetzin, and hearkening to the spirit-songs of -ambition, always so charming to unpractised souls. - -And the lord Cuitlahua perfected his measures. On all the dikes, and at -the entrance of all the canals, guards were stationed. The bridges -nearest the palace occupied by the strangers were held by chosen -detachments. Except those thus detailed, the entire military in the city -were pent in the temples. And to all, including the lord steward, the -proper orders were confided. All awaited the signal. - -And the king, early in the night, ignorant of the flight of Nenetzin, -had come from Chapultepec to his palace in the capital. He retired as he -was wont, and slept the sleep as restful to a mind long distracted by -irresolution as to a body exhausted by labor; such slumber as comes to -him who, in time of doubt, involving all dearest interests, at last -discovers what his duty is, and, fully determined, simply awaits the -hour of performance, trustful of the action taken, and of the good-will -of the god or gods of his faith. - -On the side of the Christians, the preparation, more simple, was also -complete. From mass the little host went to breakfast, then to arms. The -companies formed; even the Tlascalans behaved as if impressed with a -sense that their fate had been challenged. - -To the captains, again convoked in the audience-chamber, Cortes detailed -his plan of operation. His salutation of each was grave and calm. Though -very watchful, they heard him without question; and when they went out, -they might have said, The hour of trial is come, and now will be seen -which holds the conquering destiny,--the God of the Christian or that of -the Aztec. - -From the council, Alvarado went first to Marina; finding that Nenetzin -slept, he joined his companions in the great court, where, gay and -careless, he carolled a song, and twirled his sword, and, in thought of -smiling fortune and a princely Indian love, walked complacently to and -fro. And so wait, ready for action, the Christian lover and the -heathen,--one in the palace, the other in the temple,--both, in fancy, -lord of the same sweet mistress. - -At the stated hour, as had been the custom, the three lords came, in -splendid costume, and with stately ceremonial, bringing the king's -compliments, and asking Cortes will for the day. And they returned with -compliments equally courteous and deceptive, taking with them -Orteguilla, the page, instructed to inform the monarch that directly, if -such were the royal pleasure, Malinche would be happy to visit him in -his palace. - -A little later there went out parties of soldiers, apparently to view -the city; yet the point was noticeable that, besides being fully armed, -each was in charge of a chosen subordinate. Later, the army was drawn -up, massed in the garden; the matches of the gunners were lighted; the -horsemen stood at their bridles; the Tlascalans were stationed to defend -the outer walls. De Oli, Morla, Marin, and Monjarez passed through the -lines in careful inspection. - -"Heard'st thou when the drum was to be sounded?" asked De Oli, looking -to the sun. - -"At noon," answered Marin. - -"Three hours yet, as I judge. Short time, by Our Lady!" - -The party was impatient. To their relief, Cortes at last came out, with -his five chosen cavaliers, Sandoval, Alvarado, Leon, Avila, and Lugo. As -he proceeded to the gate, all eyes turned to him, all hearts became -confident,--so much of power over the weak is there in the look of one -master spirit. - -At the gate he waited for the Doña Marina. - -"Are ye ready, gentlemen?" - -"All ready," they replied. - -"With thee, De Oli, I leave the command. At sight or sound of attack or -combat, come quickly. Charge straight to the palace, lances in the lead. -Bring our horses. Farewell. Christ and the Mother for us!" And with -that, Cortes stepped into the street. - -For a time the party proceeded silently. - -"Is not this what the pagans call the beautiful street?" Sandoval asked. - -"Why the question?" - -"I have gone through graveyards not more deserted." - -"Thou'rt right," said Lugo. "By Our Lady! when last we went this way, I -remember the pavements, doors, porticos, and roofs were crowded. Now, -not a woman or a child." - -"In faith, Señor, we are a show suddenly become stale." - -"Be it so," replied Leon, sneeringly. "We will give the public a new -trick." - -"_Mirad, Señores!_" said Cortes. "Last night, all through this district, -particularly along this street, there went patrols, removing the -inhabitants, and making ready for what the drum is advertised to let -loose upon us. Don Pedro, thy princess hath told the truth." And looking -back to the towers of the _teocallis_, he added, after a fit of -laughter, "The fools, the swine! They have undone themselves; or, -rather,"--his face became grave on the instant,--"the Holy Mother hath -undone them for us. Give thanks, gentlemen, our emprise is already won! -Yonder the infidel general hath his army in waiting for the word of the -king. Keep we that unspoken or undelivered,--only that,--and the way of -our return, prisoner in hand, will be as clear of armed men as the going -is." - -The customary guard of nobles kept the portal of the palace; the -antechamber, however, was crowded to its full capacity with unarmed -courtiers, through whom the Christians passed with grave assurance. To -acquaintances Cortes bowed courteously. Close by the door of the -audience-chamber, he found Orteguilla conversing with Maxtla, who, at -sight of him, knelt, and, touching the floor with his palm, offered to -conduct the party to the royal presence; such were his orders. Cortes -stopped an instant. - -"Hath the king company?" he asked Orteguilla. - -"None of account,--a boy and three or four old men." - -"He is ours. Let us on, gentlemen!" - -And forthwith they passed under the curtains held aside for them by -Maxtla. - -On a dais covered with a carpet of _plumaje_, the monarch sat. Three -venerable men stood behind him. At his feet, a little to the right, was -the prince Io', in uniform. A flood of light poured through a window on -the northern side of the chamber, and fell full on the group, bringing -out with intense clearness the rich habiliments of the monarch, and -every feature of his face. The Christians numbered the attendance, and, -trained to measure dangers and discover advantages by a glance, smiled -at the confidence of the treacherous heathen. Upon the stillness, broken -only by their ringing tread, sped the voice of Cortes. - -"Alvarado, Lugo, all of ye, watch well whom we have here. On your lives, -see that the boy escape not." - -Montezuma kept his seat. - -"The gods keep you this pleasant morning," he said. "I am glad to see -you." - -They bowed to him, and Cortes replied,-- - -"We thank thee, good king. May the Holy Virgin, of our Christian faith, -have thee in care. Thus pray we, than whom thou hast no truer servants." - -"If you prefer to sit, I will have seats brought." - -"We thank thee again. In the presence of our master, it is the custom to -stand, and he would hold us discourteous if we did otherwise before a -sovereign friend as dear to him as thou art, great king." - -The monarch waved his hand. - -"Your master is no doubt a rare and excellent sovereign," he said, then -changed the subject. "The lords, whom I sent to you this morning, -reported that all goes well with you in the palace. I hope so. If -anything is wanted, you have only to speak. My provinces are at your -service." - -"The lords reported truly." - -"I am very glad. Thinking of you, Malinche, and studying to make your -contentment perfect, I have wondered if you have any amusements or games -with which to pass the time." - -As there were not in all the New World, however it might be in the Old, -more desperate gamblers than the cavaliers, they looked at each other -when the translation was concluded, and smiled at the simplicity of the -speaker. Nevertheless, Cortes replied with becoming gravity,-- - -"We have our pastimes, good king, as all must have; for without them, -nature hath ordered that the body shall grow old and the mind incapable. -Our pastimes, however, relate almost entirely to war." - -"That is labor, Malinche." - -"So is hunting," said Cortes, smiling. - -"My practice is not," answered the monarch, taking the remark as an -allusion to his own love of the sport, and laughing. "The lords drive -the game to me, and my pleasure is in exercising the skill required to -take it. Some day you must go with me to my preserves over the lake, and -I will show you my modes; but I did not mean that kind of amusement. I -will explain my meaning. Io'," he said to the prince, who had arisen, -"bid Maxtla bring hither the silver balls. I will teach Malinche to play -_totoloque_." - -"Have a care, gentlemen!" said Cortes, divining the speech from the -action of the speaker. "The lad must stay. And thou, Marina, tell him -so." - -The comely, gentle-hearted Indian woman hastened tremulously to say, -"Most mighty king, Malinche bids me tell thee that he has heard of the -beautiful game, and will be glad to learn it, but not now. He wishes the -prince to remain." - -One step Io' had in the mean time taken,--but one; in front of him Leon -stepped, hand on sword, and menace on his brow. The blood fled the -monarch's face. - -"Go not," he at length said to the boy; and to Cortes, "I do not -understand you, Malinche." - -The time of demand was come. Cortes moved nearer the dais, and replied, -his eyes fixed coldly and steadily on those of the victim,-- - -"I have business with thee, king; and until it is concluded, thou, the -prince, and thy councillors must stay. Outcry, or attempt at escape, -will be at peril of life." - -The monarch sat upright, pale and rigid; the ancients dropped upon their -knees. Io' alone was brave; he stepped upon the platform, as if to -defend the royal person. Then in the same cold, inflexible manner, -Cortes proceeded,-- - -"I have been thy guest, false king, long enough to learn thee well. The -power which, on all occasions, thou hast been so careful to impress upon -me, hath but made thy hypocrisy the more astonishing. Listen, while I -expose thee to thyself. We started hither at thy invitation. In Cholula, -nevertheless, we were set upon by the army. No thanks to thee that we -are alive to-day. And, in the same connection, when thou wert upbraided -for inviting us, the lords and princes were told that such was the -instruction of one of thy bloody gods, who had promised here in the -capital to deliver us prisoners for sacrifice." Montezuma offered to -speak. - -"Deny it not, deny it not!" said Cortes, with the slightest show of -passion. "In god or man, such perfidy cannot be excused. But that is not -all. Say nothing about the command sent the troops near Tuzpan to attack -my people; nor about the demand upon townships under protection of my -royal master for women and children to feed to thy hungry idols; now--" - -Here the king broke in upon the interpreter,-- - -"I do not understand what Malinche says about my troops attacking his -people at Tuzpan." - -"Thy governor killed one of my captains." - -"Not by my order." - -"Then make good the denial, by sending for the officer who did the -murder, that he may be punished according to the wickedness of his -crime." - -The king took a signet from his wrist, and said to one of his -councillors, "Let this be shown to the governor of that province. I -require him to come here immediately, with all who were concerned with -him at the time spoken of by Malinche." - -The smile with which the monarch then turned to the Spaniard was lost -upon him, for he continued, pitilessly as before,-- - -"The punishment of the governor is not enough. I accuse thee further. -Thou treacherous king! Go with me to the temple, and now,--this -instant,--I will show thee thy brother, with an army at call, waiting -thy signal to attack us in the palace where so lately we received thy -royal welcome." - -The listener started from his seat. Upon his bewildered faculties -flashed the remembrance of how carefully and with what solemn injunction -he had locked his plans of war in the breasts of the members of his -family, gathered about him on the _azoteas_ at Chapultepec. His faith -in them forbade suspicion. Whence then the exposure? And to the dealer -in mysteries Mystery answered, "The gods!" If his former faith in the -divinity of the stranger came not back, now, at least, he knew him -sustained by powers with which contention were folly. He sunk down -again; his head dropped upon his struggling breast;--HE WAS CONQUERED! - -And the stern Spaniard, as if moved by the sight, said, in a softened -voice,-- - -"I know not of thy religion; but there is a law of ours,--a mercy of the -dear Christ who hath us in his almighty keeping,--by which every sin may -be atoned by sacrifices, not of innocent victims, but of the sinner's -self. In the world I come from, so much is the law esteemed, that kings -greater than thou have laid down their crowns, the better to avail -themselves of its salvation. Thou art an unbeliever, and I may do -wrong,--if so, I pray pardon of the Holy Ghost that heareth me,--I may -do wrong, I say, but, infidel as thou art, if thou wilt obey the -precept, thou shalt have the benefit of the privilege. I do not want war -which would end in thy destruction and the ruin of thy city and people; -therefore I make thee a proposal. Hear me!" - -The unhappy king raised his head, and listened eagerly. - -"Arise, and go with us to our quarters, and take up thy abode there. -King shalt thou continue. Thy court can go with thee, and thou canst -govern from one palace as well as another. To make an end of -speech,"--and Cortes raised his hand tightly clenched,--"to make an end -of speech, finally and plainly, choose now: go with us or die! I have -not brought these officers without a purpose." - -All eyes centred on the pale face of the monarch, and the stillness of -the waiting was painful and breathless. At last, from the depths of his -tortured soul, up rose a sparkle of resentment. - -"Who ever heard of a great prince, like myself, voluntarily leaving his -own palace to become a prisoner in the hands of a stranger?" - -"Prisoner! Not so. Hear me again. Court, household, and power, with full -freedom for its exercise, and the treatment due a crowned prince,--all -these shalt thou have. So, in my master's name, I pledge thee." - -"No, Malinche, press me not so hardly. Were I to consent to such a -degradation, my people would not. Take one of my sons rather. This -one,"--and he laid his hand on Io's shoulder,--"whom I love best, and -have thought to make my successor. Take him as hostage; but spare me -this infamy." - -The debate continued; an hour passed. - -"Gentlemen, why waste words on this wretched barbarian?" exclaimed Leon, -at last, half drawing his sword, while his face darkened with dreadful -purpose. "We cannot recede now. In Christ's name, let us seize him, or -plunge our swords in his body!" - -The captains advanced, baring their swords; Cortes retired a step, as if -to make way for them. Brief time remained for decision. Trembling and -confused, the monarch turned to Marina, and asked, "What did the _teule_ -say?" - -As became a gentle woman, fearful lest death be done before her, she -replied,-- - -"O king, I pray you make no further objection. If you yield, they will -treat you kindly; if you refuse, they will kill you. Go with them, I -pray you." - -Upon the advance of the captains, Io' stepped in front of the king; as -they hesitated, either waiting Cortes' order or the answer to Marina's -prayer, he knelt, and clasped his father's knees, and cried tearfully,-- - -"Do not go, O king! Rather than endure such shame, let us die!" - -Stupefied, almost distraught, the monarch seemed not to hear the heroic -entreaty. His gaze was on the face of Cortes, now as impenetrable and -iron-like as the armor on his breast. "The gods have abandoned me!" he -cried, despairingly. "I am lost! Malinche, I will go with you!" His head -drooped, and his hands fell nerveless on the chair. - -The boy arose, and turned to the conquerors, every feature convulsed -with hate. - -"Thanks, good king, thanks!" said Cortes, smiling. "Thou hast saved my -soul a sin. I will be thy friend till death!" - -Thereupon, he stepped forward, and kissed the royal hand, which fell -from his lips as if palsied--I will not say profaned--by the touch. And, -one after another, Leon, Lugo, Avila, Alvarado, and Sandoval approached, -and knelt on the dais, and in like manner saluted the fallen prince. - -"Are you done, Malinche?" the victim asked, when somewhat revived. - -"What I wish now, above all things," was the reply, spoken with rare -pretence of feeling, "is to be assured, good king, that we are forgiven -the pain we have caused thee, since, though of our doing, it was not of -our will as much as of the ambition of some of thy own lords and chiefs. -What I desire next is, that thy goodness may not be without immediate -results. I and my officers, thy son and these councillors, are witnesses -that thou didst consent to my proposal out of great love of peace and -thy people. To secure the object,--noble beyond praise,--the lords here -in the palace, and those of influence throughout the provinces, must be -convinced that thou dost go with me of thine own free will; not as -prisoner, but as trusted guest returning the favor of guest. How to do -that best is in thy knowledge more than mine. Only, what thy judgment -approveth, set about quickly. We wait thy orders." - -"Io', uncles," said Montezuma, his eyes dim with tears, "as you love me, -be silent as to what has here taken place. I charge you that you tell it -to no man, while I live. Bid Maxtla come." - -Summoning all his strength to meet the shrewd eyes of the chief, the -monarch sat up with a show of cheerfulness. - -"Bring my palanquin," he said, after Maxtla's salutation, "and direct -some of the elder lords to be ready to accompany me without arms or -ceremony. As advised by Huitzil', and these good uncles, I have resolved -to go, and for a time abide with Malinche in the old palace. Send an -officer, with the workmen, to prepare quarters for my use and that of -the court. Publish my intention. Go quickly." - -Afterwhile from the palace issued a procession which no man, uninformed, -might look upon and say was not a funeral: in the palanquin, the dead; -on its right and left, the guard of honor; behind, the friends, a long -train, speechless and sorrowing. The movement was quiet and solemn; -three squares and as many bridges were passed, when, from down the -street, a man came running with all speed. He gained the rear of the -cortege, and spoke a few hurried words there; a murmur arose, and -spread, and grew into a furious outcry,--a moment more, and the cortege -was dissolved in tumult. At the last corner on the way, the cavaliers -had been joined by some of the armed parties, who, for the purpose, had -preceded them into the city in the early morning; these closed firmly -around, a welcome support. - -"_Mirad!_" cried Cortes, loudly. "The varlets are without arms. Let no -one strike until I say so." - -The demonstration increased. Closer drew the mob, some adjuring the -monarch, some threatening the Christians. That an understanding of the -situation was abroad was no longer doubtful; still Cortes held his men -in check, for he knew, if blood were shed now, the common-sense of the -people would refuse the story he so relied upon,--that the king's -coming was voluntary. - -"Can our guest," he asked of Sandoval, "be sleeping the while?" - -"Treachery, Señor." - -"By God's love, captain, if it so turn out, drive thy sword first of all -things through him!" - -While yet he spoke, the curtains of the carriage were drawn aside; the -carriers halted instantly; and of the concourse, all the natives fell -upon their knees, and became still, so that the voice of the monarch was -distinctly heard. - -"The noise disturbs me," he said, in ordinary tone. "Let the street be -cleared." - -The lords whom he addressed kept their faces to the ground. - -"What is the cause of the clamor?" - -No one answered. A frown was gathering upon his face, when an Aztec -sprang up, and drew near him. He was dressed as a citizen of the lower -class. At the side of the carriage he stopped, and touched the pavement -with his palm. - -"Guatamozin!" said the king, more in astonishment than anger. - -"Even so. O king,--father,--to bear a soldier's part to-day, I have -dared your judgment." Lifting his eyes to the monarch's, he endured his -gaze steadily, but, at the same time, with such an expression of -sympathy that reproof was impossible. "I am prepared for any sentence; -but first, let me know, let these lords and all the people know, is this -going in truth of your own free will?" - -Montezuma regarded him fixedly, but not in wrath. - -"I conjure you, uncle, father, king,--I conjure you, by our royal blood, -by our country, by all the gods,--are these strangers guests or guards? -Speak,--I pray you, speak but one word." - -The poor, stricken monarch heard, and was penetrated by the tone of -anguish; yet he replied,-- - -"My brother's son insults me by his question. I am still the king,--free -to go and come, to reward and punish." - -He would have spoken further, and kindly, but for the interruption of -Cortes, who cried impatiently,-- - -"Ho, there! Why this delay? Forward!" - -And thereupon Avila stepped rudely and insolently between the king and -'tzin. The latter's broad breast swelled, and his eyes blazed; he seemed -like a tiger about to leap. - -"Beware!" said the king, and the warning was in time. "Beware! Not here, -not now!" - -The 'tzin turned to him with a quick, anxious look of inquiry; a -revulsion of feeling ensued; he arose, and said, with bowed head, "I -understand. O king, if we help not ourselves, we are lost. 'Not here, -not now.' I catch the permission." Pointing to Avila, he added, "This -man's life is in my hands, but I pass it by; thine, O uncle, is the most -precious. We will punish these insolents, but _not here_; we will give -you rescue, but _not now_. Be of cheer." - -He stepped aside, and the melancholy cortege passed on, leaving the -lords and people and the empire, as represented by them, in the dust. -Before the _teocallis_, under the eyes of Cuitlahua, within hailing -distance of the ten thousand warriors, the doughty cavaliers bore their -prize unchallenged. - -And through the gates of the old palace, through the files of Spaniards -in order of battle waiting, they also carried what they thought was the -empire, won without a blow, to be parcelled at pleasure,--its lands, its -treasure, its cities, and its people. - - - - - BOOK SIX. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - THE LORD HUALPA FLEES HIS FORTUNE. - - -The 'tzin Guatamo sat at breakfast alone in his palace near Iztapalapan. -The fare was simple,--a pheasant, bread of maize, oranges and bananas, -and water from the spring; and the repast would have been soon -despatched but for the announcement, by a slave in waiting, of the lord -Hualpa. At mention of the name the 'tzin's countenance assumed a glad -expression. - -"The lord Hualpa! The gods be praised! Bid him come." - -Directly the visitor appeared at the door, and paused there, his eyes -fixed upon the floor, his body bent, like one half risen from a -salutation. The 'tzin went to him, and taking his hand said,-- - -"Welcome, comrade. Come and account for yourself. I know not yet how to -punish you; but for the present, sit there, and eat. If you come from -Tenochtitlan this morning, you must bring with you the appetite which is -one of the blessings of the lake. Sit, and I will order your breakfast." - -"No, good 'tzin, not for me, I pray you. I am from the lake, but do not -bring any blessing." - -The 'tzin resumed his seat, looking searchingly and curiously at his -guest, and pained by his manner and appearance. His face was careworn; -his frame bent and emaciated; his look constantly downward; the voice -feeble and of uncertain tone; in short, his aspect was that of one come -up from a battle in which shame and grief had striven with youth of body -and soul, and, fierce as the struggle had been, the end was not yet. He -was the counterpart of his former self. - -"You have been sick," said the 'tzin, afterwhile. - -"Very sick, in spirit," replied Hualpa, without raising his eyes. - -The 'tzin went on. "After your desertion, I caused inquiry to be made -for you everywhere,--at the Chalcan's, and at your palace. No one could -give me any tidings. I sent a messenger to Tihuanco, and your father was -no better informed. Your truancy has been grievous to your friends, no -less than to yourself. I have a right to call you to account." - -"So you have; only let us to the garden. The air outside is sweet, and -there is a relief in freedom from walls." - -From habit, I suppose, they proceeded to the arena set apart for -military exercise. No one was there. The 'tzin seated himself on a -bench, making room for Hualpa, who still declined the courtesy, -saying,-- - -"I will give an account of myself to you, brave 'tzin, not only because -I should, but because I stand in need of your counsel. Look for nothing -strange; mine is a simple story of shame and failure. You know its -origin already. You remember the last night I spent with you here. I do, -at least. That day the king made me happier than I shall ever be again. -When I met you at the landing, the kiss of my betrothed was sweet upon -my lips, and I had but one sorrow in the world,--that you were an exile, -and could not take part, as you so wished and deserved, in the battle -which my hand was to precipitate next noon. I left you, and by dawn was -at my post in the temple. The hours were long. At last the time came. -All was ready. The ten thousand warriors chosen for the assault were in -their quarters. The lord Cuitlahua was in the tower of Huitzil', with -the _teotuctli_ and his pabas, at prayer. We awaited only the king's -word. Finally, Io' appeared. I saw him coming. I raised the stick, my -blood was warm, another instant and the signal would have been given--" -Hualpa's voice trembled, and he stopped. - -"Go on," said the 'tzin. "What restrained you?" - -"I remembered the words of the king,--'Io' will come to you at noon with -my commands,'--those were the words. I waited. 'Strike!' said Io'. 'The -command,--quick!' I cried. 'As you love life, strike!' he shouted. -Something unusual had taken place; I hesitated. 'Does the king so -command?' I asked. 'Time never was as precious! Give me the stick!' he -replied. But the duty was mine. 'With your own hand give the -signal,'--such was the order. I resisted, and he gave over the effort, -and, throwing himself at my feet, prayed me to strike. I refused the -prayer, also. Suddenly he sprang up, and ran out to the verge of the -temple overlooking the street. Lest he should cast himself off, I -followed. He turned to me, as I approached, and cried, with upraised -hands, 'Too late, too late! We are undone. Look where they carry him -off!' 'Whom?' I asked. 'The king--my father--a prisoner!' Below, past -the _coatapantli_, the royal palanquin was being borne, guarded by the -strangers. The blood stood still in my heart. I turned to the prince; he -was gone. A sense of calamity seized me. I ran to the tower, and called -the lord Cuitlahua, who was in time to see the procession. I shall never -forget the awful look he gave me, or his words." Hualpa again paused. - -"What were they?" asked the 'tzin. - -"'My lord Hualpa,' he said, 'had you given the signal when Io' came to -you first, I could have interposed my companies, and saved him. It is -now too late; he is lost. May the gods forgive you! A ruined country -cannot.'" - -"Said he so?" exclaimed the 'tzin, indignantly. "By all the gods, he was -wrong!" - -At these words, Hualpa for the first time dared look into the 'tzin's -face, surprised, glad, yet doubtful. - -"How?" he asked. "Did you say I was right?" - -"Yes." - -Tears glistened in the Tihuancan's eyes, and he seized and kissed his -friend's hand with transport. - -"I begin to understand you," the 'tzin said, still more kindly. "You -thought it your fault that the king was a prisoner; you fled for shame." - -"Yes,--for shame." - -"My poor friend!" - -"But consider," said Hualpa,--"consider how rapidly I had risen, and to -what height. Admitting my self-accusations, when before did man fall so -far and so low? What wonder that I fled?" - -"Well, you have my judgment. Seat yourself, and hear me further." - -Hualpa took the seat this time; after which the 'tzin continued. "The -seizure was made in the palace. The king yielded to threats of death. He -could not resist. While the strangers were bearing him past the -_teocallis_, and you were looking at them, their weapons were at his -throat. Had you yielded to Io's prayer, and given the signal, and had -Cuitlahua obeyed, and with his bands attempted a rescue, your benefactor -would have been slain. Do not think me dealing in conjectures. I went to -him in the street, and prayed to be allowed to save him; he forbade me. -Therefore, hold not yourself in scorn; be happy; you saved his life a -second time." - -Again Hualpa gave way to his gratitude. - -"Nor is that all," the 'tzin continued. "In my opinion, the last rescue -was nobler than the first. As to the lord Cuitlahua, be at rest. He was -not himself when he chid you so cruelly; he now thinks as I do; he -exonerates you; his messengers have frequently come, asking if you had -returned. So, no more of shame. Give me now what else you did." - -The sudden recall to the past appeared to throw Hualpa back; his head -sunk upon his breast again, and for a time he was silent; at length he -replied, "As I see now, good 'tzin, I have been very foolish. Before I -go on, assure me that you will listen with charity." - -"With charity and love." - -"I have hardly the composure to tell what more I did; yet the story will -come to you in some form. Judge me mercifully, and let the subject be -never again recalled." - -"You have spoken." - -"Very well. I have told you the words of the lord Cuitlahua; they burnt -me, like fire. Thinking myself forever disgraced, I descended from the -_azoteas_ to the street, and there saw the people's confusion, and heard -their cries and curses. I could not endure myself. I fled the city, like -a guilty wretch. Instinctively, I hurried to Tihuanco. There I avoided -every habitation, even my father's. News of evil travels fast. The old -merchant, I knew, must needs hear of the king's seizure and what I -regarded as my crime. So I cared not to meet his eyes. I passed the days -in the jungles hunting, but the charm of the old occupation was gone; -somehow my arrows flew amiss, and my limbs refused a long pursuit. How I -subsisted, I scarcely know. At last, however, my ideas began to take -form, and I was able to interrogate myself. Through the king's bounty, I -was a lord, and owner of a palace; by his favor, I further reflected, -Nenetzin was bound to me in solemn betrothal. What would she think of -me? What right had I, so responsible for his great misfortune, to retain -his gifts? I could release her from the odious engagement. At his feet I -could lay down the title and property; and then, if you refused me as a -soldier or slave, I could hide myself somewhere; for the grief-struck -and unhappy, like me, earth has its caverns and ocean its islands. And -so once more I hurried to Tenochtitlan. Yesterday I crossed the lake. -From the Chalcan I heard the story which alone was needed to make my -humiliation complete,--how Nenetzin, false to me, betrayed the great -purpose of her father, betook herself to the stranger's house, adopted -his religion, and became his wife or--spare me the word, good 'tzin. -After that, I lost no time, but went to the palace, made way through the -pale-faced guards at the gate and doors, each of whom seemed placed -there to attest the good king's condition and my infamy. Suitors and -lords of all degrees crowded the audience-chamber when I entered, and -upon every face was the same look of sorrow and dejection which I had -noticed upon the faces of the people whom I passed in the street. All -who turned eyes upon me appeared to become accusers, and say, 'Traitor, -behold thy victim!' Imagine the pressure upon my spirit. I made haste to -get away,--unseemly haste. What my salutation was I hardly know. I only -remember that, in some form of speech, I publicly resigned all his -honorable gifts. I remember, also, that when I took what I thought was -my last look at him,--friend, patron, king, father,--may the gods, who -have forbidden the relation, forgive the allusion!--I could not see him -for tears. My heart is in my throat now; then it nearly choked me. And -so ends my account. And once more, true friend, I come to you, Hualpa, -the Tihuancan, without title, palace, or privilege; without -distinction, except as the hero and victim of a marvellous fortune." - -The 'tzin was too deeply touched, too full of sympathy, to reply -immediately. He arose, and paced the arena awhile. Resuming his seat -again, he asked simply, "And what said the king?" - -"To what?" - -"Your resignation." - -"He refused to take back his gifts. They could not revert, he said, -except for crime." - -"And he was right. You should have known him better. A king cannot -revoke a gift in any form." - -After a spell of silence, the 'tzin spoke again. - -"One matter remains. You are not guilty, as you supposed; your friends -have not lost their faith in you; such being the case, it were strange -if your feelings are as when you came here; and as purposes too often -follow feelings, I ask about the future. What do you intend? What wish?" - -"I see you understand me well, good 'tzin. My folly has been so great -that I feel myself unworthy to be my own master. I ought not to claim a -purpose, much less a wish. I came to your door seeking to be taken back -into service; that was all the purpose I had. I rely upon your exceeding -kindness." - -Hualpa moved as if to kneel; but the 'tzin caught him, and said, "Keep -your seat." And rising, he continued, severely, "Lord Hualpa,--for such -you still are,--all men, even the best, are criminals; but as for the -most part their crimes are against themselves, we take no notice of -them. In that sense you are guilty, and in such degree that you deserve -forfeiture of all the king refused to take back. Put pass we that,--pass -the folly, the misconduct. I will not take you into service; you have -your old place of friend and comrade, more fitting your rank." - -Hualpa's face brightened, and he answered,-- - -"Command me, O 'tzin! With you I can be brave warrior, good citizen, -true friend; without you, I am nothing. Whatever the world thinks of me, -this I know,--I can reinstate myself in its good opinion before I can in -my own. Show me the way back to self-respect; restore me that, and I -will be your slave, soldier, comrade,--what you will." - -"It is well," said Guatamozin, smiling at his earnestness. "It is well. -I can show you the way. Listen. The war, about which we have so often -talked, thanks to the gods! is finally at hand. The public opinion has -done its work. The whole nation would throw itself upon the strangers -to-morrow, but for the king, who has become their shield; and he must be -rescued; otherwise, we must educate the people to see in him an enemy to -be removed. We cannot spare the time for that, and consequently have -tried rescue in many ways, so far in vain. To-morrow we try again. The -plot is arranged and cannot fail, except by the king's own default. -Reserving explanation, I congratulate you. You are in time; the good -fortune clings to you. To-morrow I will set your feet in the way you -seek." - -Hualpa gazed at him doubtingly. "To-morrow!" he said. "Will you trust me -so soon, and in a matter so high?" - -"Yes." - -"Will my part take me from you?" - -"No." - -"Then I thank you for the opportunity. On the _teocallis_, that dreadful -morning, I lost my assurance; whether it will ever return is doubtful; -but with you, at your side, I dare walk in any way." - -"I understand you," the 'tzin replied. "Go now, and get ready. Unless -the king fail us, we will have combat requiring all our strength. To the -bath first, then to breakfast, then to find more seemly garments, then -to rest. I give you to midnight. Go." - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - WHOM THE GODS DESTROY THEY FIRST MAKE MAD. - - -The morning after Hualpa's return Xoli, the Chalcan, as was his wont, -passed through his many rooms, making what may be called a domestic -reconnoissance. - -"What!" he cried, perplexed. "How is this? The house is empty! Where are -all the lords?" - -The slaves to whom he spoke shook their heads. - -"Have there been none for breakfast?" - -Again they shook their heads. - -"Nor for _pulque_?" - -"Not one this morning," they replied. - -"Not even for a draught of _pulque_! Wonderful!" cried the broker, -bewildered and amazed. Then he hurried to his steward, soliloquizing as -he went, "Not one for breakfast; not even a draught of _pulque_! Holy -gods, to what is the generation coming?" - -The perplexity of the good man was not without cause. The day the king -removed to the palace of Axaya', the royal hospitality went with him, -and had thenceforth been administered there; but though no less princely -and profuse than before, under the new _régime_ it was overshadowed by -the presence of the strangers, and for that reason became distasteful to -the titled personages accustomed to its enjoyment. Consequently, owners -of palaces in the city betook themselves to their own boards; others, -especially non-residents, quartered with the Chalcan; as a further -result, his house assumed the style of a _meson_, with accommodations -equal to those of the palace; such, at least, was the disloyal whisper, -and I am sorry to say Xoli did not repudiate the impeachment as became a -lover of the king. And such eating, drinking, playing, such conspiring -and plotting, such political discussion, such transactions in brokerage -went on daily and nightly under his roof as were never before known. Now -all this was broken off. The silence was not more frightful than -unprofitable. - -"Steward, steward!" said Xoli to that functionary, distinguished by the -surpassing whiteness of his apron. "What has befallen? Where are the -patrons this morning?" - -"Good master, the most your slave knows is, that last night a paba from -the great temple passed through the chambers, after which, very shortly, -every guest departed." - -"A paba, a paba!" And Xoli was more than ever perplexed. "Heard you what -he said?" - -"Not a word." - -"About what time did he come?" - -"After midnight." - -"And that is all you know?" - -The steward bowed, and Xoli passed distractedly to the front door, only -to find the portico as deserted as the chambers. Sight of the people -beginning to collect in the square, however, brought him some relief, -and he hailed the first passing acquaintance. - -"A pleasant morning to you, neighbor." - -"The same to you." - -"Have you any news?" - -"None, except I hear of a crowd of pabas in the city, come, as rumor -says, from Tezcuco, Cholula, Iztapalapan, and other lake towns." - -"When did they come?" - -"In the night." - -"Oho! There's something afoot." And Xoli wiped the perspiration from his -forehead. - -"So there is," the neighbor replied. "The king goes to the temple to -worship to-day." - -A light broke in upon the Chalcan. "True, true; I had forgotten." - -"Such is the talk," the citizen continued. "Will you be there? Everybody -is going." - -"Certainly," answered Xoli, dryly. "If I do not go, everybody will not -be there. Look for me. The gods keep you!" - -And with that, he re-entered his house, satisfied, but not altogether -quieted; wandering restlessly from chamber to chamber, he asked himself -continually, "Why so many pabas? And why do they come in the night? And -what can have taken the lords away so silently, and at such a -time,--without breakfast,--without even a draught of _pulque_?" - -Invariably these interrogatories were followed by appeals to the great -ebony jar of snuff; after sneezing, he would answer himself, "Pabas for -worship, lords and soldiers for fighting; but pabas and soldiers -together! Something is afoot. I will stay at home, and patronize myself. -And yet--and yet--they might have told me something about it!" - - * * * * * - -About ten o'clock--to count the time as Christians do--the king issued -from the old palace, going in state to the _teocallis_, attended by a -procession of courtiers, warriors, and pabas. He was borne in an open -palanquin, shaded by the detached canopy, the whole presenting a -spectacle of imperial splendor. - -The movement was slow and stately, through masses of people on the -pavements, under the gaze of other thousands on the housetops; but -neither the banners, nor the music, nor the pomp, nor the king himself, -though fully exposed to view, amused or deceived the people; for at the -right and left of the carriage walked Lugo, Alvarado, Avila, and Leon; -next, Olmedo, distinguishable from the native clergy by his shaven -crown, and the cross he carried aloft on the shaft of a lance; after -him, concluding the procession, one hundred and fifty Spaniards, ready -for battle. Priesthood,--king,--the strangers! Clearer, closer, more -inevitable, in the eyes of the people, arose the curse of Quetzal'. - -When the monarch alighted at the foot of the first stairway of the -temple, the multitude far and near knelt, and so remained until the -pabas, delegated for the purpose, took him in their arms to carry him to -the _azoteas_. Four times in the passage of the terraces the cortege -came in view from the side toward the palace, climbing, as it were, to -the Sun;--dimmer the holy symbols, fainter the solemn music; and each -time the people knelt. The unfortunate going to worship was still the -great king! - -A detachment of Christians, under De Morla, preceded the procession as -an advance-guard. Greatly were they surprised at what they found on the -_azoteas_. Behind Tlalac, at the head of the last stairway, were a score -or more of naked boys, swinging smoking censers; yet farther toward the -tower or sanctuary of Huitzil' was an assemblage of dancing priestesses, -veiled, rather than dressed, in gauzy robes and scarfs; from the steps -to the door of the sanctuary a passage-way had been left; elsewhere the -sacred area was occupied by pabas, drawn up in ranks close and -scrupulously ordered. Like their pontiff, each of them wore a gown of -black; but while his head was bare, theirs were covered by hoods. Thus -arranged,--silent, motionless, more like phantoms than men,--they both -shocked and disquieted the Spaniards. Indeed, so sensible were the -latter of the danger of their position, alone and unsupported in the -face of an array so dismal and solid, that many of them fell to counting -their beads and muttering _Aves_. - -A savage dissonance greeted the king when he was set down on the -_azoteas_, and simultaneously the pabas burst into a hymn, and from the -urn over the tower a denser column of smoke arose, slow mounting, but -erelong visible throughout the valley. Half bending, he received the -blessing of Tlalac; then the censer-bearers swept around him; then, too, -jangling silver bells and beating calabashes, the priestesses began to -dance; in the midst of the salutation, the arch-priest, moving backward, -conducted him slowly toward the entrance of the sanctuary. At his side -strode the four cavaliers. The escort of Christians remained outside; -yet the pabas knew the meaning of their presence, and their hymn -deepened into a wail; the great king had gone before his god--a -prisoner! - -The interior of the sanctuary was in ordinary condition; the floor and -the walls black with the blood of victims; the air foul and sickening, -despite the smoking censers and perfuming pans. The previous visit had -prepared the cavaliers for these horrors; nevertheless, a cry broke from -them upon their entrance. In a chafing-dish before the altar four human -hearts were slowly burning to coals! - -"_Jesu Christo!_" exclaimed Alvarado. "Did not the pagans promise there -should be no sacrifice? Shrieve me never, if I toss not the contents of -yon dish into the god's face!" - -"Stay!" cried Olmedo, seizing his arm. "Stir not! The business is mine. -As thou lovest God,--the true God,--get thee to thy place!" - -The father spoke firmly, and the captain, grinding his teeth with rage, -submitted. - -The pedestal of the idol was of stone, square in form, and placed in -the centre of the sanctuary. Several broad steps, fronting the -doorway,--door there was not,--assisted devotees up to a platform, upon -which stood a table curiously carved, and resting, as it were, under the -eyes of the god. The chamber, bare of furniture, was crowded with pabas, -kneeling and hooded and ranked, like their brethren outside. The -cavaliers took post by the entrance, with Olmedo between them and the -altar. Two priests, standing on the lower step, seemed waiting to assist -in the ceremonial, although, at the time, apparently absorbed in prayer. - -Tlalac led the monarch by the hand up the steps. - -"O king," he said, "the ears of the god are open. He will hear you. And -as to these companions in devotion," he pointed to the assistants as he -spoke, "avoid them not: they are here to pray for you; if need be, to -die for you. If they speak, be not surprised, but heed them well; what -they say will concern you, and all you best love." - -Thereupon the arch-infidel let go the royal hand, and descended the -steps, moving backward; upon the floor he continued his movement. -Suddenly he stopped, turned, and was face to face with Olmedo; all the -passions of his savage nature blazed in his countenance; in reply, the -Christian priest calmly held up the cross, and smiled, and was content. - -Meantime the monarch kissed the altar, and, folding his hands upon his -breast, was beginning to be abstracted in prayer, when he heard himself -addressed. - -"Look not this way, O king, nor stir; but listen." - -The words, audible throughout the chamber, proceeded from the nearest -devotee,--a tall man, well muffled in gown and hood. The monarch -controlled himself, and listened, while the speaker continued in a slow, -monotonous manner, designed to leave the cavaliers, whom he knew to be -observing him, in doubt whether he was praying or intoning some part of -the service of the occasion,-- - -"It is in the streets and in the palaces, and has gone forth into the -provinces, that Montezuma is the willing guest of the strangers, and -that from great love of them and their society, he will not come away, -although his Empire is dissolving, and the religion of his fathers -menaced by a new one; but know, O king, that the chiefs and caciques -refuse to credit the evil spoken of you, and, believing you a prisoner, -are resolved to restore you to freedom. Know further, O king, that this -is the time chosen for the rescue. The way back to the throne is clear; -you have only to go hence. What says the king? The nation awaits his -answer." - -"The throne is inseparable from me,--is where I am, under my feet -always," answered the monarch, coldly. - -"And there may it remain forever!" said the devotee, with fervor. "I -only meant to pray you to come from amongst the strangers, and set it -once more where it belongs,--amongst the loving hearts that gave it to -you. Misunderstand me not, O king. Short time have we for words. The -enemy is present. I offer you rescue and liberty." - -"To offer me liberty is to deny that I am free. Who is he that proposes -to give me what is mine alone to give? I am with Huitzil'. Who comes -thus between me and the god?" - -From the pabas in the chamber there was a loud murmur; but as the king -and devotee retained their composure, and, like praying men, looked -steadily at the face of Huitzil', the cavaliers remained unsuspicious -observers of what was to them merely a sinful ceremony. - -"I am the humblest, though not the least loving, of all your subjects," -the devotee answered. - -"The name?" said the king. "You ask me to go hence: whither and with -whom?" - -"Know me without speaking my name, O king. I am your brother's son." - -Montezuma was visibly affected. Afterwhile he said,-- - -"Speak further. Consider what you have said true,--that I am a prisoner, -that the strangers present are my guards,--what are the means of rescue? -Speak, that I may judge of them. Conspiracy is abroad, and I do not -choose to be blindly led from what is called my prison to a tomb." - -To the reasonable demand the 'tzin calmly replied, "That you were coming -to worship to-day, and the conditions upon which you had permission to -come, I learned from the _teotuctli_. I saw the opportunity, and -proposed to attempt your rescue. In Tlalac the gods have a faithful -servant, and you, O king, a true lover. When you were received upon the -_azoteas_, you did not fail to notice the pabas. Never before in any one -temple have there been so many assembled. They are the instruments of -the rescue." - -"The instruments!" exclaimed the king, unable to repress his scorn. - -The 'tzin interposed hastily. "Beware! Though what we say is not -understood by the strangers, their faculties are sharp, and very little -may awaken their suspicion and alarm; and if our offer be rejected, -better for you, O king, that they go hence ignorant of their danger and -our design. Yes, if your conjecture were true, if we did indeed propose -to face the _teules_ with barehanded pabas, your scorn would be -justified; but know that the concourse on the _azoteas_ is, in fact, of -chiefs and caciques, whose gowns do but conceal their preparation for -battle." - -A pang contracted the monarch's face, and his hands closed harder upon -his breast; possibly he shuddered at the necessity so thrust upon him of -deciding between Malinche whom he feared, and the people whom he so -loved. - -"Yes," continued the 'tzin, "here are the chosen of the realm,--the -noblest and the best,--each with his life in his hand, an offering to -you. What need of further words? You have not forgotten the habits of -war; you divine the object of the concourse of priests; you understand -they are formed in ranks, that, upon a signal, they may throw themselves -as one man upon the strangers. Here in the sanctuary are fifty more with -_maquahuitls_; behind them a door has been constructed to pass you -quickly to the _azoteas_; they will help me keep the door, and stay -pursuit, while you descend to the street. And now, O king, said I not -rightly? What have you to do more than go hence? Dread not for us. In -the presence of Huitzil', and in defence of his altar, we will fight. If -we fall in such glorious combat, he will waft our souls straightway to -the Sun." - -"My son," the king answered, after a pause, "if I were a prisoner, I -would say you and the lords have done well; but, being free and pursuing -my own policy, I reject the rescue. Go your ways in peace; leave me to -my prayers. In a few days the strangers will depart; then, if not -sooner, I will come back as you wish, and bring the old time with me, -and make all the land happy." - -The monarch ceased. He imagined the question answered and passed; but a -murmur, almost a groan, recalled him from the effort to abstract -himself. And then the _teotuctli_, exercising his privilege, went to -him, and, laying a hand upon his arm, and pointing up to the god, -said,-- - -"Hearken, O king! The strangers have already asked you to allow them to -set up an altar here in the house of Huitzil', that they may worship -their god after their manner. The request was sacrilege; listening to -it, a sin; to grant it would make you accursed forever. Save yourself -and the god, by going hence as the lords have besought. Be wise in -time." - -"I have decided," said the poor king, in a trembling voice,--"I have -decided." - -Tlalac looked to the 'tzin despairingly. The appeal to the monarch's -veneration for the god of his fathers had failed; what else remained? -And the 'tzin for the first time looked to the king, saying -sorrowfully,-- - -"Anahuac is the common mother, as Huitzil' is the father. The foot of -the stranger is heavy on her breast, and she cries aloud, 'Where is -Montezuma? Where is the Lord of the Earth? Where is the Child of the -Sun?'" - -And silence hung heavy in the sanctuary, and the waiting was painful. -Again the 'tzin's voice,-- - -"A bride sits in the house waiting. Love puts its songs in her mouth, -and kindles her smiles with the dazzle of stars. But the bridegroom -lingers, and the evening and the morning bring him not. Ah, what is she, -though ever so beautiful and sweet-singing, when he comes not, and may -never come? O king, you are the lingering lord, and Anahuac the waiting -bride; as you love her, come." - -The fated king covered his face with his hands, as if, by shutting out -the light, to find relief from pangs too acute for endurance. Minutes -passed,--minutes of torture to him, and of breathless expectancy to all -present, except the cavaliers, who, unconscious of peril, watched the -scene with indifference, or rather the scornful curiosity natural to men -professing a purer and diviner faith. At last his hand dropped, and he -said with dignity,-- - -"Let this end now,--so I command. My explanation must be accepted. I -cannot understand why, if you love me as you say, you should receive my -word with so little credit; and if you can devote yourselves so entirely -to me, why can you not believe me capable of equal devotion to myself? -Hear me once more. I do not love the strangers. I hope yet to see them -sacrificed to Huitzil'. They promise in a few days to leave the country, -and I stay with them to hasten their departure, and, in the mean time, -shield you, the nation, the temples, and the gods, from their power, -which is past finding out. Therefore, let no blow be struck at them, -here or elsewhere, without my order. I am yet the king. Let me have -peace. Peace be with you! I have spoken." - -The 'tzin looked once to heaven, as if uttering a last appeal, or -calling it to witness a vow, then he fell upon his knees; he, too, had -despaired. And as if the feeling were contagious, the _teotuctli_ knelt, -and in the sanctuary there was stillness consistent with worship, save -when some overburdened breast relieved itself by a sigh, a murmur, or a -groan. - -And history tells how Montezuma remained a little while at the altar, -and went peacefully back to his residence with the strangers. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - THE PUBLIC OPINION MAKES WAY. - - -In the _tianguez_, one market-day, there was an immense crowd, yet trade -was dull; indeed, comparatively nothing in that way was being done, -although the display of commodities was rich and tempting. - -"Holy gods, what is to become of us?" cried a Cholulan merchant. - -"You! You are rich. Dulness of the market cannot hurt you. But I,--I am -going to ruin." - -The second speaker was a slave-dealer. Only the day before, he had, at -great cost, driven into the city a large train of his "stock" from the -wilderness beyond the Great River. - -"Tell me, my friend," said a third party, addressing the slave-dealer, -though in hearing of the whole company, "heard you ever of a slave -owning a slave?" - -"Not I." - -"Heard you ever of a man going into the market to buy a slave, when he -was looking to become one himself?" - -"Never." - -"You have it then,--the reason nobody has been to your exhibition." - -The bystanders appeared to assent to the proposition, which all -understood but the dealer in men, who begged an explanation. - -"Yes, yes. You have just come home. I had forgotten. A bad time to be -abroad. But listen, friend." The speaker quietly took his pipe from his -mouth, and knocked the ashes out of the bowl. "We belong to Malinche; -you know who he is." - -"I am not so certain," the dealer replied, gravely. "The most I can say -is, I have heard of him." - -"O, he is a god--" - -"With all a man's wants and appetites," interposed one. - -"Yes, I was about to say that. For instance, day before yesterday he -sent down the king's order for three thousand _escaupiles_. What need--" - -"They were for his Tlascalans." - -"O, possibly. For whom were the cargoes of cotton cloth delivered -yesterday?" - -"His women," answered the other, quickly. - -"And the two thousand sandals?" - -"For his soldiers?" - -"And the gold of which the market was cleaned last week? And the gold -now being hunted in Tustepec and Chinantla? And the tribute being levied -so harshly in all the provinces,--for whom are they?" - -"For Malinche himself." - -[Illustration: LOOKED GLOOMILY INTO THE WATER] - -"Yes, the god Malinche. Slave of a slave! My friend," said the chief -speaker to the slave-dealer, "there is no such relation known to the -law, and for that reason we cannot buy of you. Better go back with -all you have, and let the wilderness have its own again." - -"But the goods of which you spoke; certainly they were paid for," said -the dealer, turning pale. - -"No. There is nothing left of the royal revenue. Even the treasure which -the last king amassed, and walled up in the old palace, has been given -to Malinche. The empire is like a man in one respect, at least,--when -beggared, it cannot pay." - -"And the king?" - -"He is Malinche's, too." - -"Yes," added the bystander; "for nowadays we never see his signet, -except in the hands of one of the strangers." - -The dealer in men drew a long breath, something as near a sigh as could -come from one of his habits, and said, "I remember Mualox and his -prophecy; and, hearing these things, I know not what to think." - -"We have yet one hope," said the chief spokesman, as if desirous of -concluding the conversation. - -"And that?" - -"Is the 'tzin Guatamo." - - * * * * * - -"What luck, Pepite?" - -"Bad, very bad." - -The questioner was the wife of the man questioned, who had just returned -from the market. Throwing aside his empty baskets, he sat down in the -shade of a bridge spanning one of the canals, and, locking his hands -across his bare knees, looked gloomily in the water. His canoe, with -others, was close at hand. - -The wife, without seeming to notice his dejection, busied herself -setting out their dinner, which was humble as themselves, being of -boiled maize, tuna figs, and _tecuitlatl_, or cheese of the lake. When -the man began to eat, he began to talk,--a peculiarity in which he was -not altogether singular. - -"Bad luck, very bad," he repeated. "I took my baskets to the old stand. -The flowers were fresh and sweet, gathered, you know, only last night. -The market was full of people, many of whom I knew to be rich enough to -buy at two prices; they came, and looked, and said, 'They are very nice, -Pepite, very nice,' but did not offer to buy. By and by the sun went up, -and stood overhead, and still no purchaser, not even an offer. It was -very discouraging, I tell you; and it would have been much more so, if I -had not pretty soon noticed that the market-people around me, fruiterers -and florists, were doing no better than I. Then I walked about to see my -friends; and in the porticos and booths as elsewhere in the square,--no -trade; plenty of people, but no trade. The jewellers had covered their -fronts with flowers,--I never saw richer,--you should have been -there!--and crowds stood about breathing the sweet perfume; but as to -purchasing, they did nothing of the sort. In fact, may the _mitlou_[46] -of our little house fly away to-night, if, in the whole day, I saw an -instance of trade, or so much as a cocoa-bean pass from one hand to -another!" - -"It has been so many days now, only not quite so bad, Pepite," the wife -said, struggling to talk cheerfully. "What did they say was the cause? -Did any one speak of that?" - -"O yes, everybody. Nothing else was talked. 'What is the use of working? -Why buy or sell? We have no longer a king or country. We are all slaves -now. We belong to Malinche. Afterwhile, because we are poor, he will -take us off to some of his farms, like that one he has down in Oajaca, -and set us to working, and keep the fruits, while he gives us the pains. -No, we do not want anything; the less we have, the lighter will be our -going down.' That is the way the talk went all day." - -For the first time the woman threw off her pretence of cheerfulness, and -was still, absorbed in listening and thinking. - -"Belong to Malinche! We? And our little ones at home? Not while the gods -live!" she said, confidently. - -"Why not? You forget. Malinche is himself a god." - -A doubt shook the strong faith of the wife; and soon, gloomy and -hopeless as Pepite, she sat down by him, and partook of the humble fare. - - * * * * * - -"The nation is dying. Let us elect another king," said an old cacique to -a crowd of nobles, of whom he was the centre, in the _pulque_ chamber of -the Chalcan. Bold words, which, half a year before, would have been -punished on the spot; now, they were heard in silence, if not with -approbation. "A king has no right to survive his glory," the veteran -continued; "and how may one describe his shame and guilt, when, from -fear of death, he suffers an enemy to use him, and turn his power -against his people!" - -He stopped, and for a time the hush was threatening; then there was -clapping of hands, and voices cried out,--"Good, good!" - -"May the gods forgive me, and witness that the speech was from love of -country, not hatred of Montezuma," said the cacique, deferentially. - -"Whom would you have in his place? Name him," shouted an auditor. - -"Montezuma,--if he will come back to us." - -"He will not; he has already refused. Another,--give us another!" - -"Be it so!" said the veteran, with decision. "My life is forfeit for -what I have said. The cell that holds the king Cacama and the good lord -Cuitlahua yawns for me also. I will speak." Quaffing a bowl of _pulque_, -he added, "Of all Anahuac, O my brothers, who, with the fewest years, is -wisest of head and bravest of heart, and therefore fittest to be king in -time like this?" - -The question was of the kind that addresses itself peculiarly to -individual preferences,--the kind which has afflicted the world with its -saddest and greatest wars; yet, strange to say, the company, as with one -voice, and instantly, answered,-- - -"The 'tzin, the 'tzin. Guatamo, the 'tzin!" - - * * * * * - -In the evening time three pabas clomb the stairs by which the top of the -turret of Huitzil' on the _teocallis_ was reached from the _azoteas_. -Arrived at the top, they found there the night-watcher, who recognized -the _teotuctli_, and knelt to him. - -"Arise, and get you down now," the arch-priest said; "we would be alone -awhile." - -On a pedestal of stone, or rather of many stones, rested the brazier, or -urn, that held the sacred fire. In it crackled the consuming fagots, -while over it, with unsteady brilliancy, leaped the flames which, for so -many leagues away, were as a beacon in the valley. The three stopped in -the shadow of the urn, and might have studied the city, or those -subjects greater and more fascinating,--mysteries now, to-night, -forever,--Space, and its children, the Stars; but it was not to indulge -a common passion or uncertain speculations that Tlalac had brought from -their temples and altars his companions, the high-priests of Cholula and -Tezcuco. And there for a long time they remained, the grave and holy -servants of the gods of the New World, talking earnestly, on what -subject and with what conclusion we may gather. - -"He is of us no longer," said Tlalac, impressively. "He has abandoned -his people; to a stranger he has surrendered himself, his throne and -power; he spends his days learning, from a new priesthood, a new creed, -and the things that pertain to a god of whom everything is unknown to -us, except that he is the enemy of our gods. I bore his desertion -patiently, as we always bear with those we love. By permission, as you -heard, he came one day to worship Huitzil'; the permission was on -condition that there should be no sacrifices. Worship without sacrifice, -my brethren! Can such thing be? When he came, he was offered rescue; the -preparations were detailed to him; he knew they could not fail; the -nobles begged him to accept the offer; I warned him against refusal; -yet, of choice, he went back to Malinche. Then patience almost forsook -me. Next, as you also know, came the unpardonable sin. In the chamber -below--the chamber sanctified by the presence of the mighty Huitzil'--I -will give you to see, if you wish, a profanation the like of which came -never to the most wicked dream of the most wicked Aztec,--an altar to -the new and unknown God. And to-morrow, if you have the curiosity, I -will give you to see the further sight,--a service, mixed of singing and -prayer, by priests of the strange God, at the same time, and side by -side with the worship of our gods,--all with the assent--nay, by -order--of Montezuma. Witness these crimes once, and your patience will -go quickly, whereas mine went slowly; but it is gone, and in its stead -lives only the purpose to do what the gods command." - -"Let us obey the gods!" said the reverend high-priest of Cholula. - -"Let us obey the gods!" echoed his holy brother of Tezcuco. - -"Hear me, then," said Tlalac, with increased fervor. "I will give their -command. 'Raise up a new king, and save yourselves, by saving our -worship in the land!' so the gods say. And I am ready." - -"But the law," said the Tezcucan. - -"By the law," answered Tlalac, "there can be kings only in the order of -election." - -"And so?" - -"Montezuma--_must_--DIE!" - -Tlalac said these terrible words slowly, but firmly. - -"And who will be the instrument?" they asked. - -"Let us trust the gods," he answered. "For love of them men go down to -death every day; and of the many lovers, doubt not some one will be -found to do their bidding." - -And so it was agreed. - - * * * * * - -And so, slowly but surely, the Public Opinion made its way, permeating -all classes,--laborers, merchants, warriors, and priests. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [46] Household god of the lowest grade. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - THE 'TZIN'S FAREWELL TO QUETZAL'. - - -If I were writing history, it would delight me to linger over the -details of Cortes' management after the arrest of Montezuma; for in them -were blent, fairly as ever before seen, the grand diversities of war, -politics, and governmental administration. Anticipating interference -from the headquarters in Cuba, he exercised all his industry and craft -to recommend himself directly to his Majesty, the Emperor Charles. The -interference at last came in the form of a grand expedition under -Panfilo de Narvaez; but in the interval,--a period of little more than -five months,--he had practically reduced the new discovery to -possession, as attested by numerous acts of sovereignty,--such, for -instance, as the coast of the gulf surveyed; colonies established; -plantations opened and worked with profit; tribute levied: high -officials arrested, disseized, and executed; the collection and division -of a treasure greater than ever before seen by Christians in the New -World; communication with the capital secured by armed brigantines on -the lakes; the cross set up and maintained in the _teocallis_; and last, -and, by custom of the civilized world, most absolute, Montezuma brought -to acknowledge vassalage and swear allegiance to the Emperor; and -withal, so perfect was the administration of affairs, that a Spaniard, -though alone, was as safe in the defiles between Vera Cruz and -Tenochtitlan as he would have been in the _caminos reales_ of old Spain, -as free in the great _tianguez_ as on the quay of Cadiz. - -Narvaez's expedition landed in May, six months after Cortes entered -Tenochtitlan; and to that time I now beg to advance my reader. - -Cortes himself is down in Cempoalla; having defeated Narvaez, he is -lingering to gather the fruits of his extraordinary victory. In the -capital Alvarado is commanding, supported by the Tlascalans, and about -one hundred and fifty Christians. Under his administration, affairs have -gone rapidly from bad to worse; and in selecting him for a trust so -delicate and important, Cortes has made his first serious mistake. - - * * * * * - -At an early hour in the evening Mualox came out of the sanctuary of his -Cû, bearing an armful of the flowers which had been used in the -decoration of the altar. The good man's hair and beard were whiter than -when last I noticed him; he was also feebler, and more stooped; so the -time is not far distant when Quetzal' will lose his last and most -faithful servant. As he was about to ascend the stairway of the tower, -his name was called, and, stopping, he was overtaken by two men. - -"Guatamozin!" he exclaimed, in surprise. - -"Be not alarmed, father, but put down your burden, and rest awhile. My -friend here, the lord Hualpa, has brought me news, which calls me away. -Rest, therefore, and give me time for thanks and explanation." - -"What folly is this?" asked Mualox, hastily, and without noticing -Hualpa's salutation. "Go back to the cell. The hunters are abroad and -vigilant as ever. I will cast these faded offerings into the fire, and -come to you." - -The 'tzin was in the guise of a paba. To quiet the good man's alarm, he -drew closer the hood that covered his head, remarking, "The hunters will -not come. Give Hualpa the offerings; he will carry them for you." - -Hualpa took them, and left; then Mualox said, "I am ready to hear. -Speak." - -"Good father," the 'tzin began, "not long since, in the sanctuary there, -you told me--I well remember the words--that the existence of my country -depended upon my action; by which I understood you to prefigure for me -an honorable, if not fortunate, destiny. I believe you had faith in what -you said; for on many occasions since you have exerted yourself in my -behalf. That I am not now a prisoner in the old palace with Cacama and -the lord Cuitlahua is due to you; indeed, if it be true, as I was told, -that the king gave me to Malinche to be dealt with as he chose, I owe -you my life. These are the greatest debts a man can be bound for; I -acknowledge them, and, if the destiny should be fortunate as we hope, -will pay them richly; but now all I can give you is my thanks, and what -I know you will better regard,--my solemn promise to protect this sacred -property of the holy Quetzal'. Take the thanks and the promise, and let -me have your blessing. I wish now to go." - -"Whither?" asked Mualox. - -"To the people. They have called me; the lord Hualpa brings me their -message." - -"No, you will not go," said the paba, reproachfully. "Your resolution is -only an impulse; impatience is not a purpose; and--and here are peace, -and safety, and a holy presence." - -"But honor, father,--" - -"That will come by waiting." - -"Alas!" said the 'tzin, bitterly, "I have waited too long already. I -have most dismal news. When Malinche marched to Cempoalla, he left in -command here the red-haired chief whom we call _Tonatiah_. This, you -know, is the day of the incensing of Huitzil'--" - -"I know, my son,--an awful day! The day of cruel sacrifice, itself a -defiance of Quetzal'." - -"What!" said Guatamozin, in angry surprise. "Are you not an Aztec?" - -"Yes, an Aztec, and a lover of his god, the true god, whose return he -knows to be near, and,"--to gather energy of expression, he paused, then -raised his hands as if flinging the words to a listener overhead,--"and -whom he would welcome, though the land be swimming in the blood of -unbelievers." - -The violence and incoherency astonished the 'tzin, and as he looked at -the paba fixedly, he was sensible for the first time of a fear that the -good man's mind was affected. And he considered his age and habits, his -days and years spent in a great, cavernous house, without amusement, -without companionship, without varied occupation; for the thinker, it -must be remembered, knew nothing of Tecetl or the world she made so -delightful. Moreover, was not mania the effect of long brooding over -wrongs, actual or imaginary? Or, to put the thought in another form, how -natural that the solitary watcher of decay, where of all places decay -is most affecting, midst antique and templed splendor, should make the -cause of Quetzal' his, until, at last, as the one idea of his being, it -mastered him so absolutely that a division of his love was no longer -possible. If the misgiving had come alone, the pain that wrung the 'tzin -would have resolved itself in pity for the victim, so old, so faithful, -so passionate; but a dreadful consequence at once presented itself. By a -strange fatality, the mystic had been taken into the royal councils, -where, from force of faith, he had gained faith. Now,--and this was the -dread,--what if he had cast the glamour of his mind over the king's, and -superinduced a policy which had for object and end the peaceable -transfer of the nation to the strangers? - -This thought thrilled the 'tzin indefinably, and in a moment his pity -changed to deep distrust. To master himself, he walked away; coming -back, he said quietly, "The day you pray for has come; rejoice, if you -can." - -"I do not understand you," said Mualox. - -"I will explain. This is the day of the incensing of Huitzil', which, -you know, has been celebrated for ages as a festival religious and -national. This morning, as customary, lords and priests, personages the -noblest and most venerated, assembled in the court-yard of the temples. -To bring the great wrong out in clearer view, I ought to say, father, -that permission to celebrate had been asked of _Tonatiah_, and -given,--to such a depth have we fallen! And, as if to plunge us into a -yet lower deep, he forbade the king's attendance, and said to the -_teotuctli_, 'There shall be no sacrifice.'" - -"No victims, no blood!" cried Mualox, clasping his hands. "Blessed be -Quetzal'!" - -The 'tzin bore the interruption, though with an effort. - -"In the midst of the service," he continued, "when the yard was most -crowded, and the revelry gayest, and the good company most happy and -unsuspecting, dancing, singing, feasting, suddenly _Tonatiah_ and his -people rushed upon them, and began to kill, and stayed not their hands -until, of all the revellers, not one was left alive; leaders in battle, -ministers at the altar, old and young,--all were slain![47] O such a -piteous sight! The court is a pool of blood. Who will restore the flower -this day torn from the nation? O holy gods, what have we done to merit -such calamity?" - -Mualox listened, his hands still clasped. - -"Not one left alive! Not one, did you say?" - -"Not one." - -The paba arose from his stooping, and upon the 'tzin flashed the old -magnetic flame. - -"What have you done, ask you? Sinned against the true and only god--" - -"I?" said the 'tzin, for the moment shrinking. - -"The nation,--the nation, blind to its crimes, no less blind to the -beginning of its punishment! What you call calamity, I call vengeance. -Starting in the house of Huitzil',--the god for whom my god was -forsaken,--it will next go to the city; and if the lords so perish, how -may the people escape? Let them tremble! He is come, he is come! I knew -him afar, I know him here. I heard his step in the valley, I see his -hand in the court. Rejoice, O 'tzin! He has drunk the blood of the -sacrificers. To-morrow his house must be made ready to receive him. Go -not away! Stay, and help me! I am old. Of the treasure below I might -make use to buy help; but such preparation, like an offering at the -altar, is most acceptable when induced by love. Love for love. So said -Quetzal' in the beginning; so he says now." - -"Let me be sure I understand you, father. What do you offer me?" asked -the 'tzin, quietly. - -"Escape from the wrath," replied Mualox. - -"And what is required of me?" - -"To stay here, and, with me, serve his altar." - -"Is the king also to be saved?" - -"Surely; he is already a servant of the god's." - -Under his gown the 'tzin's heart beat quicker, for the question and -answer were close upon the fear newly come to him, as I have said; yet, -to leave the point unguarded in the paba's mind, he asked,-- - -"And the people: if I become what you ask, will they be saved?" - -"No. They have forgotten Quetzal' utterly." - -"When the king became your fellow-servant, father, made he no terms for -his dependants, for the nation, for his family?" - -"None." - -Guatamozin dropped the hood upon his shoulders, and looked at Mualox -sternly and steadily; and between them ensued one of those struggles of -spirit against spirit in which glances are as glittering swords, and the -will holds the place of skill. - -"Father," he said, at length, "I have been accustomed to love and obey -you. I thought you good and wise, and conversant with things divine, and -that one so faithful to his god must be as faithful to his country; for -to me, love of one is love of the other. But now I know you better. You -tell me that Quetzal' has come, and for vengeance; and that, in the fire -of his wrath, the nation will be destroyed; yet you exult, and endeavor -to speed the day by prayer. And now, too, I understand the destiny you -had in store for me. By hiding in this gown, and becoming a priest at -your altar, I was to escape the universal death. What the king did, I -was to do. Hear me now: I cut myself loose from you. With my own eyes I -look into the future. I spurn the destiny, and for myself will carve out -a better one by saving or perishing with my race. No more waiting on -others! no more weakness! I will go hence and strike--" - -"Whom?" asked Mualox, impulsively. "The king and the god?" - -"He is not my god," said the 'tzin, interrupting him in turn. "The enemy -of my race is my enemy, whether he be king or god. As for -Montezuma,"--at the name his voice and manner changed,--"I will go -humbly, and, from the dust into which he flung them, pick up his royal -duties. Alas! no other can. Cuitlahua is a prisoner; so is Cacama; and -in the court-yard yonder, cold in death, lie the lords who might with -them contest the crown and its tribulations. I alone am left. And as to -Quetzal',--I accept the doom of my country,--into the heart of his -divinity I cast my spear! So, farewell, father. As a faithful servant, -you cannot bless whom your god has cursed. With you, however, be all the -peace and safety that abide here. Farewell." - -"Go not, go not!" cried Mualox, as the 'tzin, calling to Hualpa, turned -his back upon him. "We have been as father and son. I am old. See how -sorrow shakes these hands, stretched toward you in love." - -Seeing the appeal was vain, the paba stepped forward and caught the -'tzin's arm, and said, "I pray you stay,--stay. The destiny follows -Quetzal', and is close at hand, and brings in its arms the throne." - -Neither the tempter nor the temptation moved the 'tzin; he called Hualpa -again; then the holy man let go his arm, and said, sadly, "Go thy -way,--one scoffer more! Or, if you stay, hear of what the god will -accuse you, so that, when your calamity comes, as come it will, you may -not accuse him." - -"I will hear." - -"Know, then, O 'tzin, that Quetzal', the day he landed from Tlapallan, -took you in his care; a little later, he caused you to be sent into -exile--" - -"Your god did that!" exclaimed the 'tzin. "And why?" - -"Out of the city there was safety," replied Mualox, sententiously; in a -moment, he continued, "Such, I say, was the beginning. Attend to what -has followed. After Montezuma went to dwell with the strangers, the king -of Tezcuco revolted, and drew after him the lords of Iztapalapan, -Tlacopan, and others; to-day they are prisoners, while you are free. -Next, aided by Tlalac, you planned the rescue of the king by force in -the _teocallis_; for that offence the officers hunted you, and have not -given over their quest; but the cells of Quetzal' are deep and dark; I -called you in, and yet you are safe. To-day Quetzal' appeared amongst -the celebrants, and to-night there is mourning throughout the valley, -and the city groans under the bloody sorrow; still you are safe. A few -days ago, in the old palace of Axaya', the king assembled his lords, and -there he and they became the avowed subjects of a new king, Malinche's -master; since that the people, in their ignorance, have rung the heavens -with their curses. You alone escaped that bond; so that, if Montezuma -were to join his fathers, asleep in Chapultepec, whom would soldier, -priest, and citizen call to the throne? Of the nobles living, how many -are free to be king? And of all the empire, how many are there of whom I -might say, 'He forgot not Quetzal''? One only. And now, O son, ask you -of what you will be accused, if you abandon this house and its god? or -what will be forfeit, if now you turn your back upon them? Is there a -measure for the iniquity of ingratitude? If you go hence for any purpose -of war, remember Quetzal' neither forgets nor forgives; better that you -had never been born." - -By this time, Hualpa had joined the party. Resting his hand upon the -young man's shoulder, the 'tzin fixed on Mualox a look severe and steady -as his own, and replied,--"Father, a man knows not himself; still less -knows he other men; if so, how should I know a being so great as you -claim your god to be? Heretofore, I have been contented to see Quetzal' -as you have painted him,--a fair-faced, gentle, loving deity, to whom -human sacrifice was especially abhorrent; but what shall I say of him -whom you have now given me to study? If he neither forgets nor forgives, -wherein is he better than the gods of Mictlan? Hating, as you have said, -the sacrifice of one man, he now proposes, you say, not as a process of -ages, but at once, by a blow or a breath, to slay a nation numbering -millions. When was Huitzil' so awfully worshipped? He will spare the -king, you further say, because he has become his servant; and I can find -grace by a like submission. Father,"--and as he spoke the 'tzin's manner -became inexpressibly noble,--"father, who of choice would live to be the -last of his race? The destiny brings me a crown: tell me, when your god -has glutted himself, where shall I find subjects? Comes he in person or -by representative? Am I to be his crowned slave or Malinche's? Once for -all, let Quetzal' enlarge his doom; it is sweeter than what you call his -love. I will go fight; and, if the gods of my fathers--in this hour -become dearer and holier than ever--so decree, will die with my people. -Again, father, farewell." - -Again the withered hands arose tremulously, and a look of exceeding -anguish came to the paba's help. - -"If not for love of me, or of self, or of Quetzal', then for love of -woman, stay." - -Guatamozin turned quickly. "What of her?" - -"O 'tzin, the destiny you put aside is hers no less than yours." - -The 'tzin raised higher his princely head, and answered, smiling -joyously,-- - -"Then, father, by whatever charm, or incantation, or virtue of prayer -you possess, hasten the destiny,--hasten it, I conjure you. A tomb would -be a palace with her, a palace would be a tomb without her." - -And with the smile still upon his face, and the resolution yet in his -heart, he again, and for the last time, turned his back upon Mualox. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [47] Sahagun, Hist. de Nueva Esp. Gomara, Cronica. Prescott, Conq. - of Mexico. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - THE CELLS OF QUETZAL' AGAIN. - - -"A victim! A victim!" - -"Hi, hi!" - -"Catch him!" - -"Stone him!" - -"Kill him!" - -So cried a mob, at the time in furious motion up the beautiful street. -Numbering hundreds already, it increased momentarily, and howled as only -such a monster can. Scarce eighty yards in front ran its -game,--Orteguilla, the page. - -The boy was in desperate strait. His bonnet, secured by a braid, danced -behind him; his short cloak, of purple velvet, a little faded, fluttered -as if struggling to burst the throat-loop; his hands were clenched; his -face pale with fear and labor. He ran with all his might, often looking -back; and as his course was up the street, the old palace of Axaya' must -have been the goal he sought,--a long, long way off for one unused to -such exertion and so fiercely pressed. At every backward glance, he -cried, in agony of terror, "Help me, O Mother of Christ! By God's love, -help me!" The enemy was gaining upon him. - -The lad, as I think I have before remarked, had been detailed by Cortes -to attend Montezuma, with whom, as he was handsome and witty, and had -soon acquired the Aztecan tongue and uncommon skill at _totoloque_, he -had become an accepted favorite; so that, while useful to the monarch as -a servant, he was no less useful to the Christian as a detective. In the -course of his service, he had been frequently intrusted with his royal -master's signet, the very highest mark of confidence. Every day he -executed errands in the _tianguez_, and sometimes in even remoter -quarters of the city. As a consequence he had come to be quite well -known, and to this day nothing harmful or menacing had befallen him, -although, as was not hard to discern, the people would have been better -satisfied had Maxtla been charged with such duties. - -On this occasion,--the day after the interview between the 'tzin and -Mualox,--while executing some trifling commission in the market, he -became conscious of a change in the demeanor of those whom he met; of -courtesies, there were none; he was not once saluted; even the jewellers -with whom he dealt viewed him coldly, and asked not a word about the -king; yet, unaware of danger, he went to the portico of the Chalcan, and -sat awhile, enjoying the shade and the fountain, and listening to the -noisy commerce without. - -Presently, he heard a din of conchs and attabals, the martial music of -the Aztecs. Somewhat startled, and half hidden by the curtains, he -looked out, and beheld, coming from the direction of the king's palace, -a procession bearing ensigns and banners of all shapes, designs, and -colors. - -At the first sound of the music, the people, of whom, as usual, there -were great numbers in the _tianguez_, quitted their occupations, and ran -to meet the spectacle, which, without halting, came swiftly down to the -Chalcan's; so that there passed within a few feet of the adventurous -page a procession rarely beautiful,--a procession of warriors marching -in deep files, each one helmeted, and with a shield at his back, and a -banner in his hand,--an army with banners. - -At the head, apart from the others, strode a chief whom all eyes -followed. Even Orteguilla was impressed with his appearance. He wore a -tunic of very brilliant feather-work, the skirt of which fell almost to -his knees; from the skirt to the ankles his lower limbs were bare; -around the ankles, over the thongs of the sandals, were rings of -furbished silver; on his left arm he carried a shield of shining metal, -probably brass, its rim fringed with locks of flowing hair, and in the -centre the device of an owl, snow-white, and wrought of the plumage of -the bird; over his temples, fixed firmly in the golden head-band, there -were wings of a parrot, green as emerald, and half spread. He exceeded -his followers in stature, which appeared the greater by reason of the -long Chinantlan spear in his right hand, used as a staff. To the whole -was added an air severely grand; for, as he marched, he looked neither -to the right nor left,--apparently too absorbed to notice the people, -many of whom even knelt upon his approach. From the cries that saluted -the chief, together with the descriptions he had often heard of him, -Orteguilla recognized Guatamozin. - -The procession wellnigh passed, and the young Spaniard was studying the -devices on the ensigns, when a hand was laid upon his shoulder; turning -quickly to the intruder, he saw the prince Io', whom he was in the habit -of meeting daily in the audience-chamber of the king. The prince met his -smile and pleasantry with a sombre face, and said, coldly,-- - -"You have been kind to the king, my father; he loves you; on your hand I -see his signet; therefore I will serve you. Arise, and begone; stay not -a moment. You were never nearer death than now." - -Orteguilla, scarce comprehending, would have questioned him, but the -prince spoke on. - -"The chiefs who inhabit here are in the procession. Had they found you, -Huitzil' would have had a victim before sunset. Stay not; begone!" - -While speaking, Io' moved to the curtained doorway from which he had -just come. "Beware of the people in the square; trust not to the signet. -My father is still the king; but the lords and pabas have given his -power to another,--him whom you saw pass just now before the banners. In -all Anahuac Guatamozin's word is the law, and that word is--War." And -with that he passed into the house. - -The page was a soldier, not so much in strength as experience, and brave -from habit; now, however, his heart stood still, and a deadly coldness -came over him; his life was in peril. What was to be done? - -The procession passed by, with the multitude in a fever of enthusiasm; -then the lad ventured to leave the portico, and start for his quarters, -to gain which he had first to traverse the side of the square he was on; -that done, he would be in the beautiful street, going directly to the -desired place. He strove to carry his ordinary air of confidence; but -the quick step, pale face, and furtive glance would have been tell-tales -to the shopkeepers and slaves whom he passed, if they had been the least -observant. As it was, he had almost reached the street, and was -felicitating himself, when he heard a yell behind him. He looked back, -and beheld a party of warriors coming at full speed. Their cries and -gestures left no room to doubt that he was their object. He started at -once for life. - -The noise drew everybody to the doors, and forthwith everybody joined -the chase. After passing several bridges, the leading pursuers were -about seventy yards behind him, followed by a stream of supporters -extending to the _tianguez_ and beyond. So we have the scene with which -the chapter opens. - -The page's situation was indeed desperate. He had not yet reached the -king's palace, on the other side of which, as he knew, lay a stretch of -street frightful to think of in such a strait. The mob was coming -rapidly. To add to his horror, in front appeared a body of men armed and -marching toward him; at the sight, they halted; then they formed a line -of interception. His steps flagged; fainter, but more agonizing, arose -his prayer to Christ and the Mother. Into the recesses on either hand, -and into the doors and windows, and up to the roofs, and down into the -canals, he cast despairing glances; but chance there was not; capture -was certain, and then the--SACRIFICE! - -That moment he reached a temple of the ancient construction,--properly -speaking, a Cû,--low, broad, massive, in architecture not unlike the -Egyptian, and with steps along the whole front. He took no thought of -its appearance, nor of what it might contain; he saw no place of refuge -within; his terror had become a blind, unreasoning madness. To escape -the sacrifice was his sole impulse; and I am not sure but that he would -have regarded death in any form other than at the hands of the pabas as -an escape. So he turned, and darted up the steps; before his foremost -pursuer was at the bottom, he was at the top. - -With a glance he swept the _azoteas_. Through the wide, doorless -entrance of a turret, he saw an altar of stainless white marble, -decorated profusely with flowers; imagining there might be pabas -present, and possibly devotees, he ran around the holy place, and came -to a flight of steps, down which he passed to a court-yard bounded on -every side by a colonnade. A narrow doorway at his right hand, full of -darkness, offered him a hiding-place. - -In calmer mood, I doubt if the young Spaniard could have been induced -alone to try the interior of the Cû. He would at least have studied the -building with reference to the cardinal points of direction; now, -however, driven by the terrible fear, without thought or question, -without precaution of any kind, taking no more note of distance than -course, into the doorway, into the unknown, headlong he plunged. The -darkness swallowed him instantly; yet he did not abate his speed, for -behind him he heard--at least he fancied so--the swift feet of pursuers. -Either the dear Mother of his prayers, or some ministering angel, had -him in keeping during the blind flight; but at last he struck obliquely -against a wall; in the effort to recover himself, he reeled against -another; then he measured his length upon the floor, and remained -exhausted and fainting. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - LOST IN THE OLD CÛ. - - -The page at last awoke from his stupor. With difficulty he recalled his -wandering senses. He sat up, and was confronted everywhere by a darkness -like that in sealed tombs. Could he be blind? He rubbed his eyes, and -strained their vision; he saw nothing. Baffled in the appeal to that -sense, he resorted to another; he felt of his head, arms, limbs, and was -reassured: he not only lived, but, save a few bruises, was sound of -body. Then he extended the examination; he felt of the floor, and, -stretching his arms right and left, discovered a wall, which, like the -floor, was of masonry. The cold stone, responding to the touch, sent its -chill along his sluggish veins; the close air made breathing hard; the -silence, absolutely lifeless,--and in that respect so unlike what we -call silence in the outer world, which, after all, is but the time -chosen by small things, the entities of the dust and grass and winds, -for their hymnal service, heard full-toned in heaven, if not by us,--the -dead, stagnant, unresonant silence, such as haunts the depths of old -mines and lingers in the sunken crypts of abandoned castles, awed and -overwhelmed his soul. - -Where was he? How came he there? With head drooping, and hands and arms -resting limp upon the floor, weak in body and spirit, he sat a long time -motionless, struggling to recall the past, which came slowly, enabling -him to set the race again with all its incidents: the enemy in rear, the -enemy in front; the temple stairs, with their offer of escape; the -_azoteas_, the court, the dash into the doorway under the -colonnade,--all came back slowly, I say, bringing a dread that he was -lost, and that, in a frantic effort to avoid death in one form, he had -run open-eyed to embrace it in another even more horrible. - -The dread gave him strength. He arose to his feet, and stood awhile, -straining his memory to recall the direction of the door which had -admitted him to the passage. Could he find that door, he would wait a -fitting time to slip from the temple; for which he would trust the -Mother and watch. But now, what was done must needs be done quickly; -for, though but an ill-timed fancy, he thought he felt a sensation of -hunger, indicating that he had been a long time lying there; how long, -of course, he knew not. - -Memory served him illy, or rather not at all; so that nothing would do -now but to feel his way out. O for a light, if only a spark from a -gunner's match, or the moony gleam of a Cuban glow-worm! - -As every faculty was now alert, he was conscious of the importance of -the start; if that were in the wrong direction, every inch would be from -the door, and, possibly, toward his grave. First, then, was he in a hall -or a chamber? He hoped the former, for then there would be but two -directions from which to choose; and if he took the wrong one, no -matter; he had only to keep on until the fact was made clear by the -trial, and then retrace his steps. "Thanks, O Holy Mother! In the -darkness thou art with thy children no less than in the day!" And with -the pious words, he crossed himself, forehead and breast, and set about -the work. - -To find if he were in a passage,--that was the first point. He laid his -hand upon the wall again, and started in the course most likely, as he -believed, to take him to the daylight, never before so beautiful to his -mind. - -The first step suggested a danger. There might be traps in the floor. He -had heard the question often at the camp-fire, What is done with the -bodies of the victims offered up in the heathen worship? Some said they -were eaten; others, that there were vast receptacles for them in the -ungodly temples,--miles and miles of catacombs, filled with myriads of -bones of priests and victims. If he should step off into a pit devoted -to such a use! His hair bristled at the thought. Carefully, slowly, -therefore, his hands pressed against the rough wall, his steps short, -one foot advanced to feel the way for the other, so he went, and such -was the necessity. - -Scarcely three steps on he found another dilemma. The wall suddenly fell -away under his hand; he had come to the angle of a corner. He stopped to -consider. Should he follow the wall in its new course? It occurred to -him that the angle was made by a crossing of passages, that he was then -in the square of their intersection; so the chances of finding the right -outlet were three to one against him. He was more than ever confused. -Hope went into low ebb. Would he ever get out? Had he been missed in -the old palace? If hostilities had broken out, as intimated by the -prince Io', would his friends be permitted to look for him in the city? -The king was his friend, but, alas! his power had been given to another. -No, there was no help for him; he must stay there as in his tomb, and -die of hunger and thirst,--die slowly, hour by hour, minute by minute. -Already the fever of famine was in his blood,--next to the fact is the -fancy. If his organism had begun to consume itself, how long could he -last? Never were moments so precious to him. Each one carried off a -fraction of the strength upon which his escape depended; each one must, -therefore, be employed. No more loitering; action, action! In the -darkness he looked to heaven, and prayed tearfully to the Mother. - -The better to understand his situation, and what he did, it may be well -enough to say here, that the steps by which he descended into the -court-yard faced the west; and as, from the court, he took shelter in a -door to his right, the passage must have run due north. When, upon -recovery from the fainting-spell, he started to regain the door, he was -still in the passage, but unhappily followed its continuation northward; -every step, in that course, consequently, was so much into instead of -out of the labyrinth. And now, to make the situation worse, he weakly -clung to the wall, and at the corner turned to the right; after which -his painful, toilsome progress was to the east, where the chances were -sure to be complicated. - -If the reader has ever tried to pass through a strange hall totally -darkened, he can imagine the young Spaniard in motion. Each respiration, -each movement, was doubly loud; the slide and shuffle of the feet, -changing position, filled the rock-bound space with echoes, which, by a -cooler head than his, might have been made tell the width and height of -the passage, and something of its depth. There were times when the -sounds seemed startlingly like the noise of another person close by; -then he would stop, lay hand on his dagger, the only weapon he had, and -listen nervously, undetermined what to do. - -In the course of the tedious movement, he came to narrow apertures at -intervals in the wall, which he surmised to be doors of apartments. -Before some of them he paused, thinking they might be occupied; but -nothing came from them, or was heard within, but the hollow -reverberations usual to empty chambers. The crackle of cement underfoot -and the crevices in the wall filled with dust assured him that a long -time had passed since a saving hand had been there; yet the evidences -that the old pile had once been populous made its present desertion all -the more impressive. Afterwhile he began to wish for the appearance of -somebody, though an enemy. Yet farther on, when the awful silence and -darkness fully kindled his imagination, and gave him for companionship -the spirits of the pagans who had once--how far back, who could -say?--made the cells animate with their prayers and orgies, the yearning -for the company of anything living and susceptible of association became -almost insupportable. - -Several times, as he advanced, he came to cross passages. Of the -distance made, he could form no idea. Once he descended a flight of -steps, and at the bottom judged himself a story below the level of the -court and street; reflecting, however, that he could not have clomb them -on the way in without some knowledge of them, he again paused for -consideration. The end of the passage was not reached: he could not say -the door he sought was not there; he simply believed not; still he -resolved to go back to the starting-point and begin anew. - -He set out bravely, and proceeded with less caution than in coming. -Suddenly he stopped. He had neglected to count the doors and -intersecting passages along the way; consequently he could not identify -the starting-point when he reached it. Merciful God! _he was now indeed_ -LOST! - -For a time he struggled against the conviction; but when the condition -was actually realized, a paroxysm seized him. He raised his hands -wildly, and shouted, _Ola! Ola!_ The cry smote the walls near by until -they rang again, and, flying down the passage, died lingeringly in the -many chambers, leaving him so shaken by the discordance that he cowered -nearly to the floor, as if, instead of human help, he had conjured a -demon, and looked for its instant appearance. Summoning all his -resolution, he again shouted the challenge, but with the same result; no -reply except the mocking echoes, no help. He was in a tomb, buried -alive! And at that moment, resulting doubtless from the fever of mind -and body, he was conscious of the first decided sensation of thirst, -accompanied by the thought of running water, cool, sweet, and limpid; as -if to add to his torture, he saw then, not only that he was immured -alive, but how and of what he was to die. Then also he saw why his -enemies gave up the pursuit at the passage-door. Lost in the depths of -the Cû, out of reach of help, groping here and there through the -darkness, in hours condensing years of suffering, dead, finally, of -hunger and thirst,--was he not as much a victim as if formally butchered -by the _teotuctli_? And if, in the eyes of the heathen god, suffering -made the sacrifice appreciable, when was there one more perfect? - -"No, no," he cried, "I am a Christian, in care of the Christian's God. I -am too young, too strong. I can walk; if need be, run; and there are -hours and days before me. I will find the door. Courage, courage! And -thou, dear, blessed Mother! if ever thou dost permit a shrine in the -chapel of this heathen house, all that which the Señor Hernan may -apportion to me thou shalt have. Hear my vow, O sweet Mother, and help -me!" - -How many heroisms, attributed to duty, or courage, or some high passion, -are in fact due to the utter hopelessness, the blindness past seeing, -the fainting of the soul called despair! In that last motive what mighty -energy! How it now nerved Orteguilla! Down the passage he went, and with -alacrity. Not that he had a plan, or with the mind's eye even saw the -way,--not at all. He went because in motion there was soothing to his -very despair; in motion he could make himself believe there was still a -hope; in motion he could expect each moment to hail the welcome door and -the glory of the light. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - HOW THE HOLY MOTHER HELPS HER CHILDREN. - - -I doubt not my reader is gentle, good, and tender-hearted, easily moved -by tales of suffering, and nothing delighting in them; and that, with -such benignant qualities of heart and such commendable virtues of taste, -he will excuse me if I turn from following the young Spaniard, who has -now come to be temporarily a hero of my story, and leave to the -imagination the details of the long round of misery he endured in his -wanderings through the interior of the old Cû. - -Pathologists will admit they are never at fault or loss in the diagnosis -of cases of hunger and thirst. Whether considered as disease or -accident, their marks are unmistakable, and their symptoms before -dissolution, like their effects afterwards, invariable. Both may be -simply described as consumption of the body by its own organs; precisely -as if, to preserve life, one devoured his own flesh and drank his own -blood. Not without reason, therefore, the suicide, what time he thinks -of his crime, always, when possible, chooses some mode easier and more -expeditious. The gradations to the end are, an intense desire for food -and drink; a fever, accompanied by exquisite pain; then delirium; -finally, death. It is in the second and third stages that the -peculiarities show most strangely; then the mind cheats the body with -visions of Tantalus. If the sufferer be thirst-stricken, he is permitted -to see fountains and sparkling streams, and water in draughts and -rivers; if he be starving, the same mocking fancy spreads Apician feasts -before his eyes, and stimulates the intolerable misery by the sight and -scent of all things delicious and appetizing. I have had personal -experience of the anguish and delusions of which I speak. I know what -they are. I pray the dear Mother, who has us all in holy care, to keep -them far from my gentle friends. - - * * * * * - -A day and night in the temple,--another day and night,--morning of the -third day, and we discover the page sitting upon the last of a flight of -steps. No water, no food in all that time. He slept once; how long, he -did not know. A stone floor does not conduce to rest even where there is -sleep. All that time, too, the wearisome search for the door; groping -along the wall, feeling the way ell by ell; always at fault and lost -utterly. His condition can be understood almost without the aid of -description. He sits on the step in a kind of stupor; his cries for help -have become a dull, unmeaning moan; before him pass the fantasies of -food and water; and could the light--the precious, beautiful light, so -long sought, so earnestly prayed and struggled for--fall upon him, we -should have a sad picture of the gay youth who, in the market, sported -his velvet cloak and feathered bonnet, and half disdainfully flashed the -royal signet in the faces of the wondering merchants,--the picture of a -despairing creature whom much misery was rapidly bringing down to death. - -And of his thoughts, or, rather, the vagaries that had taken the place -of thoughts,--ah, how well they can be divined! Awhile given to the -far-off native land, and the loved ones there,--land and loved ones -never again to be seen; then to the New World, full of all things -strange; but mostly to his situation, lost so hopelessly, suffering so -dreadfully. There were yet ideas of escape, reawakenings of the energy -of despair, but less frequent every hour; indeed, he was becoming -submissive to the fate. He prayed, also; but his prayers had more -relation to the life to come than to this one. To die without Christian -rite, to leave his bones in such unhallowed place! O, for one shrieving -word from Father Bartolomé! - -In the midst of his wretchedness, and of the sighs and sobs and tears -which were its actual expression, suddenly the ceiling overhead and all -the rugged sides of the passage above the line of the upper step of the -stairway at the foot of which he was sitting were illumined by a faint -red glow of light. He started to his feet. Could it be? Was it not a -delusion? Were not his eyes deceiving him? In the darkness he had seen -banquets, and the chambers thereof, and had heard the gurgle of pouring -wine and water. Was not this a similar trick of the imagination? or had -the Blessed Mother at last heard his supplications? - -He looked steadily; the glow deepened. O wondrous charm of life! To be, -after dying so nearly, brought back with such strength, so quickly, and -by such a trifle! - -While he looked, his doubts gave way to certainty. Light there -was,--essential, revealing, beautiful light. He clasped his hands, and -the tears of despair became tears of joy; all the hopes of his being, -which, in the dreary hours just passed, had gone out as stars go behind -a spreading cloud, rose up whirring, like a flock of startled birds, -and, filling all his heart, once more endued him with strength of mind -and body. He passed his hands across his eyes: still the light remained. -Surer than a fantasy, good as a miracle, there it was, growing brighter, -and approaching, and that, too, by the very passage in which he was -standing; whether borne by man or spirit, friend or foe, it would -speedily reach the head of the steps, and then-- - -Out of the very certainty of aid at hand, a reaction of feeling came. A -singular caution seized him. What if those bearing the light were -enemies? Through the glow dimly lighting the part of the passage below -the stairway, he looked eagerly for a place of concealment. Actually, -though starving, the prospect of relief filled him with all the -instincts of life renewed. A door caught his eye. He ran to the cell, -and hid, but in position to see whomsoever might pass. He had no -purpose: he would wait and see,--that was all. - -The light approached slowly,--in his suspense, how slowly! Gradually the -glow in the passage became a fair illumination. There were no sounds of -feet, no forerunning echoes; the coming was noiseless as that of -spirits. Out of the door, nevertheless, he thrust his head, in time to -see the figure of a man on the upper step, bareheaded, barefooted, half -wrapped in a cotton cloak, and carrying a broad wooden tray or waiter, -covered with what seemed table-ware; the whole brought boldly into view -by the glare of a lamp fastened, like a miner's, to his forehead. - -The man was alone; with that observation, Orteguilla drew back, and -waited, his hand upon his dagger. He trembled with excitement. Here was -an instrument of escape; what should he do? If he exposed himself -suddenly, might not the stranger drop his burden, and run, and in the -race extinguish the lamp? If he attacked, might he not have to kill? Yet -the chance must not be lost. Life depended upon it, and it was, -therefore, precious as life. - -The man descended the steps carefully, and drew near the cell door. -Orteguilla held his breath. The stepping of bare feet became distinct. A -gleam of light, almost blinding, flashed through the doorway, and, -narrow at first but rapidly widening, began to wheel across the floor. -At length the cell filled with brightness; the stranger was passing the -door, not a yard away. - -The young Spaniard beheld an old man, half naked, and bearing a tray. -That he was a servant was clear; that there was no danger to be -apprehended from him was equally clear: he was too old. These were the -observations of a glance. From the unshorn, unshaven head and face, the -eyes of the lad dropped to the tray; at the same instant, the smell of -meat, fresh from the coals, saluted him, mixed with the aroma of -chocolate, still smoking, and sweeter to the starving fugitive than -incense to a devotee. Another note: the servant was carrying a meal to -somebody, his master or mistress. Still another note: the temple was -inhabited, and the inhabitants were near by. The impulse to rush out and -snatch the tray, and eat and drink, was almost irresistible. The urgency -there is in a parched throat, and in a stomach three days empty, cannot -be imagined. Yet he restrained himself. - -The lamp, the food, the human being--the three things most -desirable--had come, and were going, and the page still undetermined -what to do. Instinct and hunger and thirst, and a dread of the darkness, -and of the death so lately imminent, moved him to follow, and he obeyed. -He had cunning enough left to take off his boots. That done, he stepped -into the passage, and, moving a few paces behind, put himself in the -guidance of the servant, sustained by a hope that daylight and liberty -were but a short way off. - -For a hundred steps or more the man went his way, when he came to a -great flat rock or flag cumbering the passage; there he stopped, and set -down the tray; and taking the lamp from the fastening on his head, he -knelt by the side of a trap, or doorway, in the floor. Orteguilla -stopped at the same time, drawing, as a precaution, close to the left -wall. Immediately he heard the tinkling of a bell, which he took to be a -signal to some one in a chamber below. His eyes fixed hungrily upon the -savory viands. He saw the slave fasten a rope to the tray, and begin to -lower it through the trap; he heard the noise of the contact with the -floor beneath: still he was unresolved. The man arose, lamp in hand, and -without more ado, as if a familiar task were finished, started in -return. And now the two must come within reach of each other; now the -page must discover himself or be discovered. Should he remain? Was not -retreat merely going back into the terrible labyrinth? He debated; and -while he debated, chance came along and took control. The servant, -relieved of his load, walked swiftly, trying, while in motion, to -replace the lamp over his forehead; failing in that, he stopped; and as -fortune ordered, stopped within two steps of the fugitive. A -moment,--and the old man's eyes, dull as they were, became transfixed; -then the lamp fell from his hand and rolled upon the floor, and with a -scream, he darted forward in a flight which the object of his fear could -not hope to outstrip. The lamp went out, and darkness dropped from the -ceiling, and leaped from the walls, reclaiming everything. - -Orteguilla stood overwhelmed by the misfortune. All the former horrors -returned to plague him. He upbraided himself for irresolution. Why -allow the man to escape? Why not seize, or, at least, speak to him? The -chance had been sent, he could now see, by the Holy Mother; would she -send another? If not, and he died there, who would be to blame but -himself? He wrung his hands, and gave way to bitter tears. - -Eventually the unintermitting craving of hunger aroused him by a lively -suggestion. The smell of the meat and chocolate haunted him. What had -become of them? Then he remembered the ringing of the bell, and their -disappearance through the trap. There they were; and more,--somebody was -there enjoying them! Why not have his share? Ay, though he fought for -it! Should an infidel feed while a Christian starved? The thought lent -him new strength. Such could not be God's will. Then, as often happens, -indignation begat a certain shrewdness to discern points, and put them -together. The temple was not vacant, as he at first feared. Indeed, its -tenants were thereabouts. Neither was he alone; on the floor below, he -had neighbors. "Ave Maria!" he cried, and crossed himself. - -His neighbors, he thought,--advancing to another conclusion,--his -neighbors, whoever they were, had communication with the world; -otherwise, they would perish, as he was perishing. Moreover, the old -servant was the medium of the communication, and would certainly come -again. Courage, courage! - -A sense of comfort, derived from the bare idea of neighborship with -something human, for the time at least, lulled him into forgetfulness of -misery. - -Upon his hands and knees, he went to the great stone, and to the edge of -the trap. - -"_Salvado! Soy salvado!_ I am saved!" And with tears of joy he -rapturously repeated the sweet salutation of the angels to the Virgin. -_The space below was lighted!_ - -The light, as he discovered upon a second look, came through curtains -stretched across a passage similar to the one he was in, and was faint, -but enough to disclose two objects, the sight of which touched him with -a fierce delight,--the tray on the floor, its contents untouched, and a -rope ladder by which to descend. - -He lost no time now. Placing his dagger between his teeth, he swung off, -though with some trouble, and landed safely. At his feet, then, lay a -repast to satisfy the daintiest appetite,--fish, white bread, chocolate, -in silver cups and beaten into honeyed foam, and fruits from vine and -tree. He clasped his hands and looked to Heaven, and, as became a pious -Spaniard, restrained the maladies that afflicted him, while he said the -old Paternoster,--dear, hallowed utterance taught him in childhood by -the mother who, but for this godsend, would have lost him forever. Then -he stooped to help himself, and while his hand was upon the bread the -curtain parted, and he saw, amidst a flood of light pouring in over her -head and shoulders, a girl, very young and very beautiful. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE PABA'S ANGEL. - - -If I were writing a tale less true, or were at all accomplished in the -charming art of the story-teller, which has come to be regarded as but -little inferior to that of the poet, possibly I could have disguised the -incidents of the preceding chapters so as to have checked anticipation. -But many pages back the reader no doubt discovered that the Cû in which -the page took shelter was that of Quetzal'; and now, while to believe I -could, by any arrangement or conceit consistent with truth, agreeably -surprise a friend, I must admit that he is a dull witling who failed, at -the parting of the curtain as above given, to recognize the child of the -paba,--Tecetl, to whom, beyond peradventure, the memory of all who -follow me to this point has often returned, in tender sympathy for the -victim of an insanity so strange or--as the critic must decide--a -philosophy so cruel. - -Now, however, she glides again into the current of my story, one of -those wingless waifs which we have all at one time or another seen, and -which, if not from heaven, as their purity and beauty suggest, are, at -least, ready to be wafted there. - -I stop to say that, during the months past, as before, her life had gone -sweetly, pleasantly, without ruffle or labor or care or sickness, or -division, even, into hours and days and nights,--a flowing onward, like -time,--an existence so serenely perfect as not to be a subject of -consciousness. Her occupation was a round of gentle ministrations to the -paba. Her experience was still limited to the chamber, its contents and -expositions. If the philosophy of the venerable mystic--that ignorance -of humanity is happiness--was correct, then was she happy as mortal can -be, for as yet she had not seen a human being other than himself. Her -pleasure was still to chatter and chirrup with the friendly birds; or to -gather flowers and fashion them into wreaths and garlands to be offered -at the altar of the god to whom she herself had been so relentlessly -devoted; or to lie at rest upon the couch, and listen to the tinkling -voices of the fountain, or join in their melody. And as I do not know -why, in speaking of her life, I should be silent as to that part which -is lost in slumber, particularly when the allusion will help me -illustrate her matchless innocency of nature, I will say, further, that -sleep came to her as to children, irregularly and in the midst of play, -and waking was followed by no interval of heaviness, or brooding over a -daily task, or bracing the soul for a duty. In fact, she was still a -child; though not to be thought dealing with anything seraphic, I will -add, that in the months past she had in height become quite womanly, -while the tone of her voice had gained an equality, and her figure a -fulness, indicative of quick maturity. - -Nor had the "World" undergone any change. The universal exposition on -the walls and ceiling remained the same surpassing marvel of art. At -stated periods, workmen had come, and, through the shaft constructed for -the purpose, like those in deep mines, lifted to the _azoteas_ such -plants and shrubs as showed signs of suffering for the indispensable -sun; but as, on such occasions, others were let down, and rolled to the -vacant places, there was never an abatement of the garden freshness that -prevailed in the chamber. The noise of the work disturbed the birds, but -never Tecetl, whose spirit during the time was under the mesmeric Will -of the paba. - -There was a particular, however, in which the god who was supposed to -have the house in keeping had not been so gracious. A few days before -the page appeared at the door,--exactness requires me to say the day of -the paba's last interview with Guatamozin,--Mualox came down from the -sanctuary in an unusual state of mind and body. He was silent and -exhausted; his knees tottered, as, with never a smile or pleasant word, -or kiss in reply to the salutation he received, he went to the couch to -lie down. He seemed like one asleep; yet he did not sleep, but lay with -his eyes fixed vacantly on the ceiling, his hand idly stroking his -beard. - -In vain Tecetl plied all her little arts; she sang to him, caressed him, -brought her vases and choicest flowers and sweetest singing-birds, and -asked a thousand questions about the fair, good Quetzal',--a topic -theretofore of never-failing interest to the holy man. - -She had never known sickness,--so kindly had the god dealt by her. Her -acquaintance with infirmity of any kind was limited to the fatigue of -play, and the weariness of tending flowers and birds. Her saddest -experience had been to see the latter sicken and die. All her further -knowledge of death was when it came and touched a plant, withering leaf -and bud. To die was the end of such things; but they--the paba and -herself--were not as such: they were above death; Quetzal' was immortal, -and, happy souls! they were to serve him for ever and ever. Possessed of -such faith, she was not alarmed by the good man's condition; on the -contrary, taking his silence as a wish to be let alone, she turned and -sought her amusements. - -And as to his ailment. If there be such a thing as a broken heart, his -was broken. He had lived, as noticed before, for a single purpose, hope -of which had kept him alive, survivor of a mighty brotherhood. That hope -the 'tzin in the last interview took away with him; and an old man -without a hope is already dead. - -Measuring time in the chamber by its upper-world divisions, noon and -night came, and still the paba lay in the dismal coma. Twice the slave -had appeared at the door with the customary meals. Tecetl heard and -answered his signals. Meantime,--last and heaviest of misfortunes,--the -fire of the temple went out. When the sacred flame was first kindled is -not known; relighted at the end of the last great cycle of fifty-two -years, however, it had burned ever since, served by the paba. Year after -year his steps, ascending and descending, had grown feebler; now they -utterly failed. "Where is the fire on the old Cû?" asked the -night-watchers of each other. "Dead," was the answer. "Then is Mualox -dead." - -And still another day like the other; and at its close the faded hands -of the sufferer dropped upon his breast. Many times did Tecetl come to -the couch, and speak to him, and call him father, and offer him food and -drink, and go away unnoticed. "He is with Quetzal'," she would say to -herself and the birds. "How the dear god loves him!" - -Yet another, the fourth day; still the sleep, now become a likeness of -death. And Tecetl,--she missed his voice, and the love-look of his great -eyes, and his fondnesses of touch and smile; she missed his presence, -also. True, he was there, but not with her; he was with Quetzal'. -Strange that they should forget her so long! She hovered around the -couch, a little jealous of the god, and disquieted, though she knew not -by what. She was very, very lonesome. - -And in that time what suspense would one familiar with perils have -suffered in her situation! If the paba dies, what will become of her? We -know somewhat of the difficulties of the passages in the Cû. Can she -find the way out alone? The slave will, doubtless, continue to bring -food to the door, so that she may not starve; and at the fountain she -will get drink. Suppose, therefore, the supplies come for years, and she -live so long; how will the solitude affect her? We know its results upon -prisoners accustomed to society; but that is not her case: she never -knew society, its sweets or sorrows. With her the human life of the -great outside world is not a thing of conjecture, or of dreams, hopes, -and fears, as the future life with a Christian; she does not even know -there is such a state of being. Changes will take place in the chamber; -the birds and plants, all of life there besides herself, will die; the -body of the good man, through sickening stages of decay, will return to -the dust, leaving a ghastly skeleton on the couch. Consequently, hers -will come to be a solitude without relief, without amusement or -occupation or society, and with but few memories, and nothing to rest a -hope upon. Can a mind support itself, any more than a body? In other -words, if Mualox dies, how long until she becomes what it were charity -to kill? Ah, never mortal more dependent or more terribly threatened! -Yet she saw neither the cloud nor its shadow, but followed her pastimes -as usual, and sang her little songs, and slept when tired,--a -simple-hearted child. - -I am not an abstractionist; and the reader, whom I charitably take to be -what I am in that respect, has reason to be thankful; for the thought of -this girl, so strangely educated,--if the word may be so applied,--this -pretty plaything of a fortune so eccentric, opens the gates of many a -misty field of metaphysics. But I pass them by, and, following the lead -of my story, proceed to say that, in the evening of the fourth day of -the paba's sickness, the bell, as usual, announced the last meal at the -door of the chamber. Tecetl went to the couch, and, putting her arms -around the sleeper's neck, tried to wake him; but he lay still, his eyes -closed, his lips apart,--in appearance, he was dying. - -"Father, father, why do you stay away so long?" she said. "Come -back,--speak to me,--say one word,--call me once more!" - -The dull ear heard not; the hand used to caressing was still. - -Tenderly she smoothed the white beard upon his breast. - -"Is Quetzal' angry with me? I love him. Tell him how lonely I am, and -that the birds are not enough to keep me happy when you stay so long; -tell him how dear you are to me. Ask him to let you come back now." - -Yet no answer. - -"O Quetzal', fair, beautiful god! hear me," she continued. "Your finger -is on his lips, or he would speak. Your veil is over his eyes, or he -would see me. I am his child, and love him so much; and he is hungry, -and here are bread and meat. Let him come for a little while, and I will -love you more than ever." - -And so she prayed and promised, but in vain. Quetzal' was obdurate. With -tears fast flowing, she arose, and stood by the couch, and gazed upon -the face now sadly changed by the long abstinence. And as she looked, -there came upon her own face a new expression, that which the very young -always have when at the side of the dying,--half dread, half -curiosity,--wonder at the manifestation, awe of the power that invokes -it,--the look we can imagine on the countenance of a simple soul in the -presence of Death interpreting himself. - -At last she turned away, and went to the door. Twice she hesitated, and -looked back. Wherefore? Was she pondering the mystery of the deep sleep, -or expecting the sleeper to awake, or listening to the whisper of a -premonition fainter in her ears than the voice of the faintest breeze? -She went on, nevertheless; she reached the door, and drew the curtain; -and there, in the full light, was Orteguilla. - -That we may judge the impression, let us recall what kind of youth the -page was. I never saw him myself, but those who knew him well have told -me he was a handsome fellow; tall, graceful, and in manner and feature -essentially Spanish. He wore at the time the bonnet and jaunty feather, -and the purple mantle, of which I have spoken, and under that a close -black jerkin, with hose to correspond; half-boots, usual to the period, -and a crimson sash about the waist, its fringed ends hanging down the -left side, completed his attire. Altogether, a goodly young man; not as -gay, probably, as some then loitering amongst the _alamedas_ of Seville; -for rough service long continued had tarnished his finery and abused his -complexion, to say nothing of the imprints of present suffering; yet he -was enough so to excite admiration in eyes older than Tecetl's, and more -familiar with the race. - -The two gazed at each other, wonder-struck. - -"Holy Mother!" exclaimed Orteguilla, the bread in his hand. "Into what -world have I been brought? Is this a spirit thou hast sent me?" - -In his eyes, she was an angel; in hers, he was more. She went to him, -and knelt, and said, "Quetzal', dear Quetzal',--beautiful god! You are -come to bring my father back to me. He is asleep by the fountain." - -In her eyes, the page was a god. - -The paba's descriptions of Quetzal' had given her the ideal of a youth -like Orteguilla. Of late, moreover, he had been constantly expected from -Tlapallan, his isle of the blest; indeed, he had come,--so the father -said. And the house was his. Whither would he go, if not there? So, from -tradition oft repeated, from descriptions colored by passionate love, -she knew the god; and as to the man,--between the image and his maker -there is a likeness; so saith a book holier than the _teoamoxtli_. - -The page, as we have seen, was witty and shrewd, and acquainted well -with the world; his first impression went quickly; her voice assured him -that he was not come to any spirit land. The pangs of hunger, for the -moment forgotten, returned, and I am sorry to say that he at once -yielded to their urgency, and began to eat as heroes in romances never -do. When the edge of his appetite was dulled, and he could think of -something else, an impulse of courtesy moved him, and he said,-- - -"I crave thy pardon, fair mistress. I have been so much an animal as to -forget that this food is thine, and required to subsist thee, and, -perhaps, some other inhabiting here. I admit, moreover, that ordinarily -the invitation should proceed from the owner of the feast; but claim thy -own, and partake with me; else it may befall that in my great hunger thy -share will be wanting. Fall to, I pray thee." - -Still kneeling, she stared at him, and, folding her hands upon her -breast, replied, "Quetzal' knows that I am his servant. Let him speak so -that I may understand." - -"_Por cierto!_--it is true! What knoweth she of my mother tongue?" - -And thereupon, in the Aztecan, he asked her to help herself. - -"No," said she. "The house and all belong to you. I am glad you have -come." - -"Mine? Whom do you take me for?" - -"The good god of my father, to whom I say all my prayers,--Quetzal'!" - -"Quetzal', Quetzal'!" he repeated, looking steadily in her face; then, -as if assured that he understood her, he took one of the goblets of -chocolate, and tried to drink, but failed; the liquid had been beaten -into foam. - -"In the world I come from, good girl," he said, replacing the cup, -"people find need of water, which, just now, would be sweeter to my -tongue than all the honey in the valley. Canst thou give me a drink?" - -She arose, and answered eagerly, "Yes, at the fountain. Let us go. By -this time my father is awake." - -"So, so!" he said to himself. "Her father, indeed! I have eaten his -supper or dinner, according to the time of day outside, and he may not -be as civil as his daughter. I will first know something about him." And -he asked, "Your father is old, is he not?" - -"His beard and hair are very white. They have always been so." - -Again he looked at her doubtingly. "Always, said you?" - -"Always." - -"Is he a priest?" - -She smiled, and asked, "Does not Quetzal' know his own servant?" - -"Has he company?" - -"The birds may be with him." - -He quit eating, and, much puzzled by the answer, reflected. - -"Birds, birds! Am I so near daylight and freedom? Grant it, O Blessed -Mother!" And he crossed himself devoutly. - -Then Tecetl said, earnestly, "Now that you have eaten, good Quetzal', -come and let us go to my father." - -Orteguilla made up his mind speedily: he could not do worse than go back -the way he came; and the light here was so beautiful, and the darkness -there so terrible: and here was company. Just then, also, as a further -inducement, he heard the whistle of a bird, and fancied he distinguished -the smell of flowers. - -"A garden," he said, in his soul,--"a garden, and birds, and liberty!" -The welcome thought thrilled him inexpressibly. "Yes, I will go"; and, -aloud, "I am ready." - -Thereupon she took his hand, and put the curtains aside, and led him -into the paba's World, never but once before seen by a stranger. - -This time forethought had not gone in advance to prepare for the -visitor. The master's eye was dim, and his careful hand still, in the -sleep by the fountain. The neglect that darkened the fire on the turret -was gloaming the lamps in the chamber; one by one they had gone out, as -all would have gone but for Tecetl, to whom the darkness and the shadows -were hated enemies. Nevertheless, the light, falling suddenly upon eyes -so long filled with blackness as his had been, was blinding bright, -insomuch that he clapped his hand over his face. Yet she led him on -eagerly, saying,-- - -"Here, here, good Quetzal'. Here by the fountain he lies." - -All her concern was for the paba. - -And through the many pillars of stone, and along a walk bounded by -shrubs and all manner of dwarfed tropical trees, half blinded by the -light, but with the scent of flowers and living vegetation in his -nostrils, and the carol of birds in his ears, and full of wonder -unspeakable, he was taken, without pause, to the fountain. At sight of -the sparkling jet, his fever of thirst raged more intensely than ever. - -"Here he is. Speak to him,--call him back to me! As you love him, call -him back, O Quetzal'?" - -He scarcely heard her. - -"Water, water! Blessed Mother, I see it again! A cup,--quick,--a cup!" - -He seized one on the table, and drank, and drank again crying between -each breath, "To the Mother the praise!" Not until he was fully -satisfied did he give ear to the girl's entreaty. - -Looking to the couch, whither she had gone, he saw the figure of the -paba stretched out like a corpse. He approached, and, searching the -face, and laying his hand upon the breast over the heart, asked, in a -low voice, "How long has your father been asleep?" - -"A long time," she replied. - -"_Jesu Christo!_ He is dead, and she does not know it!" he thought, -amazed at her simplicity. - -Again he regarded her closely, and for the first time was struck by her -beauty of face and form, by the brightness of her eyes, by the hair, -wavy on the head and curling over the shoulders, by the simple, childish -dress, and sweet voice; above all, by the innocence and ineffable purity -of her look and manner, all then discernible in the full glare of the -lamps. And with what feeling he made discovery of her loveliness may be -judged passably well by the softened tone in which he said, "Poor girl! -your father will never, never wake." - -Her eyes opened wide. - -"Never, never wake! Why?" - -"He is dead." - -She looked at him wistfully, and he, seeing that she did not understand, -added, "He is in heaven; or, as he himself would have said, in the Sun." - -"Yes, but you will let him come back." - -He took note of the trustful, beseeching look with which she accompanied -the words, and shook his head, and, returning to the fountain, took a -seat upon a bench, reflecting. - -"What kind of girl is this? Not know death when he showeth so plainly! -Where hath she been living? And I am possessed of St. Peter's keys. I -open Heaven's gate to let the heathen out! By the bones of the saints! -let him get there first! The Devil hath him!" - -He picked up a withered flower lying by the bowl of the fountain, and -went back to Tecetl. - -"You remember how beautiful this was when taken from the vine?" - -"Yes." - -"What ails it now?" - -"It is dead." - -"Well, did you ever know one of these, after dying, to come back to -life?" - -"No." - -"No more can thy father regain his life. He, too, is dead. From what you -see, he will go to dust; therefore, leave him now, and let us sit by the -fountain, and talk of escape; for surely you know the way out of this." - -From the flower, she looked to the dead, and, comprehending the -illustration, sat by the body, and cried. And so it happened that -knowledge of death was her first lesson in life. - -And he respected her grief, and went and took a bench by the basin, and -thought. - -"Quetzal', Quetzal',--who is he? A god, no doubt; yes, the one of whom -the king so liveth in dread. I have heard his name. And I am Quetzal'! -And this is his house--that is, my house! A scurvy trick, by St. James! -Lost in my own house,--a god lost in his own temple!" - -And as he could then well afford, being full-fed, he laughed at the -absurd idea; and in such mood, fell into a revery, and grew drowsy, and -finally composed himself on the bench, and sunk to sleep. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - LIFE IN THE PABA'S WORLD. - - -When the page awoke, after a long, refreshing sleep, he saw the fountain -first, and Tecetl next. She was sitting a little way off, upon a mat -stretched on the floor. A number of birds were about her, whistling and -coquetting with each other. One or two of very beautiful plumage -balanced themselves on the edge of the basin, and bathed their wings in -the crystal water. Through half-shut eyes, he studied her. She was -quiet,--thinking of what? Of what do children think in their waking -dreams? Yet he might have known, from her pensive look and frequent -sighs, that the fountain was singing to deaf ears, and the birds playing -their tricks before sightless eyes. She was most probably thinking of -what he had so lately taught her, and nursed the great mystery as -something past finding out; many a wiser head has done the same thing. - -Now, Orteguilla was very sensible of her loveliness; he was no less -sensible, also, that she was a mystery out of the common way of life; -and had he been in a place of safety, in the palace of Axaya', he would -have stayed a long time pretending sleep, in order to study her -unobserved. But his situation presently rose to mind; the yellow glow of -the lamps suggested the day outside; the birds, liberty; the fountain -and shrubbery, the world he had lost; and the girl, life,--his life, and -all its innumerable strong attachments. And so, in his mind, he ran over -his adventures in the house. He surveyed all of the chamber that was -visible from the bench. The light, the fountain, the vegetation, the -decorated walls,--everything in view dependent upon the care of man. -Where so much was to be done constantly, was there not something to be -done at once,--something to save life? There were the lamps: how were -they supplied? They might go out. And, _Jesu Christo_! the corpse of the -paba! He sat up, as if touched by a spear: there it was, in all the -repulsiveness of death. - -The movement attracted the girl's attention; she arose, and waited for -him to speak. - -"Good morning,--if morning it be," he said. - -She made no reply. - -"Come here," he continued. "I have some questions to ask." - -She drew a few steps nearer. A bird with breast of purple and wings of -snow flew around her for a while, then settled upon her hand, and was -drawn close to her bosom. He remembered, from Father Bartolomé's -reading, how the love of God once before took a bird's form; and -forthwith his piety and superstition hedged her about with sanctity. -What with the white wings upon her breast, and the whiter innocency -within, she was safe as if bound by walls of brass. - -"Have no fear, I pray you," he said, misinterpreting her respectful -sentiment. "You and I are two people in a difficult strait, and, if I -mistake not, much dependent upon each other. A God, of whom you never -heard, but whom I will tell you all about, took your father away, and -sent me in his stead. The road thither, I confess, has been toilsome and -dreadful. Ah me, I shudder at the thought!" - -He emphasized his feelings by a true Spanish shrug of the shoulders. - -"This is a strange place," he next said. "How long have you been here?" - -"I cannot say." - -"Can you remember coming, and who brought you?" - -"No." - -"You must have been a baby." He looked at her with pity. "Have you never -been elsewhere?" - -"No, never." - -"Ah, by the Mother that keeps me! Always here! And the sky, and sun, and -stars, and all God's glory of nature, seen in the valleys, mountains, -and rivers, and seas,--have they been denied you, poor girl?" - -"I have seen them all," she answered. - -"Where?" - -"On the ceiling and walls." - -He looked up at the former, and noticed its excellence of -representation. - -"Very good,--beautiful!" he said, in the way of criticism. "Who did the -work?" - -"Quetzal'." - -"And who is Quetzal'?" - -"Who should know better than the god himself?" - -"Me?" - -"Yes." - -Again he shrugged his shoulders. - -"My name, then, is Quetzal'. Now, what is yours?" - -"Tecetl." - -"Well, then, Tecetl, let me undeceive you. In the first place, I am not -Quetzal', or any god. I am a man, as your father there was. My name is -Orteguilla; and for the time I am page to the great king Montezuma. And -before long, if I live, and get out of this place, as I most devoutly -pray, I will be a soldier. In the next place you are a girl, and soon -will be a woman. You have been cheated of life. By God's help, I will -take you out of this. Do you understand me?" - -"No; unless men and gods are the same." - -"Heaven forbid!" He crossed himself fervently. "Do you not know what men -are?" - -"All my knowledge of things is from the pictures on the walls, and what -else you see here." - -"_Jesu Christo!_" he cried, in open astonishment. "And did the good man -never tell you of the world outside,--of its creation, and its millions -upon millions of people?" - -"No." - -"Of the world in which you may find the originals of all that is painted -on the walls, more beautiful than colors can make them?" - -He received the same reply, but, still incredulous, went on. - -"Who takes care of these plants?" - -"My father." - -"A servant brings your food to the door--may he do so again! Have you -not seen him?" - -"No." - -"Where does the oil that feeds the lamps come from?" - -"From Quetzal'." - -Just then a lamp went out. He arose hastily, and saw that the contents -of the cup were entirely consumed. "Tecetl, is there plenty of oil? -Where do you keep it? Tell me." - -"In a jar, there by the door. While you were asleep, I refilled the -cups, and now the jar is empty." - -He turned pale. Who better than he knew the value of the liquid that -saved them from the darkness so horribly peopled by hunger and thirst? -If exhausted, where could they get more? Without further question, he -went through the chamber, and collected the lamps, and put them all out -except one. Then he brought the jar from the door, and poured the oil -back, losing not a drop. - -Tecetl remonstrated, and cried when she saw the darkness invade the -chamber, blotting out the walls, and driving the birds to their perches, -or to the fountain yet faintly illuminated. But he was firm. - -"Fie, fie!" he said. "You should laugh, not cry. Did I not tell you -about the world above this, so great, and so full of people, like -ourselves? And did I not promise to take you there? I am come in your -father's stead. Everything must contribute to our escape. We must think -of nothing else. Do you understand? This chamber is but one of many, in -a house big as a mountain, and full of passages in which, if we get -lost, we might wander days and days, and then not get out, unless we had -a light to show us the way. So we must save the oil. When this supply -gives out, as it soon will if we are not careful, the darkness that so -frightens you will come and swallow us, and we shall die, as did your -father there." - -The last suggestion sufficed; she dried her tears, and drew closer to -him, as if to say, "I confide in you; save me." - -Nature teaches fear of death; so that separation from the breathless -thing upon the couch was not like parting from Mualox. Whether she -touched his hand or looked in his face now, "Go hence, go hence!" was -what she seemed to hear. The stony repulsion that substituted his living -love reconciled her to the idea of leaving home, for such the chamber -had been to her. - -Here I may as well confess the page began to do a great deal of -talking,--a consequence, probably, of having a good listener; or he may -have thought it a duty to teach all that was necessary to prepare his -disciple for life in the new world. In the midst of a lecture, the -tinkle of a bell brought him to a hasty pause. - -"Now, O Blessed Mother, now I am happy! Thou hast not forsaken me! I -shall see the sun again, and brave old Spain. Live my heart!" he cried, -as the last tinkle trembled, and died in the silence. - -Seeing that she regarded him with surprise, he said, in her tongue, "I -was thanking the Mother, Tecetl. She will save us both. Go now, and -bring the breakfast,--I say breakfast, not knowing better,--and while we -eat I will tell you why I am so glad. When you have heard me, you will -be glad as I am." - -She went at once, and, coming back, found him bathing his face and head -in the water of the basin,--a healthful act, but not one to strengthen -the idea of his godship. She placed the tray upon the table, and helped -him to napkin and comb; then they took places opposite each other, with -the lamp between them; whereupon she had other proof of his kind of -being; for it is difficult to think of a deity at table, eating. The -Greeks felt the incongruity, and dined their gods on nectar and -ambrosia, leaving us to imagine them partaken in some other than the -ordinary, vulgar way. Verily, Tecetl was becoming accustomed to the -stranger! - -And while they ate, he explained his plans, and talked of the upper -world, and described its wonders and people, until, her curiosity -aroused, she plied him with questions; and as point after point was -given, we may suppose nature asserted itself, and taught her, by what -power there is in handsome youth, with its bright eyes, smooth face, and -tongue more winsome than wise, that life in the said world was a -desirable exchange for the monotonous drifting to which she had been so -long subjected. We may also suppose that she was not slow to observe the -difference between Mualox and the page; which was that between age and -youth, or, more philosophically, that between a creature to be revered -and a creature to be admired. - - * * * * * - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - THE ANGEL BECOMES A BEADSWOMAN. - - -The stars at the foot of the last chapter I called in as an easy bridge -by which to cross an interval of two days,--a trick never to be resorted -to except when there is nothing of interest to record, as was the case -here. - -Orteguilla occupied the interval very industriously, if not pleasantly. -He had in hand two tasks,--one to instruct Tecetl about the world to -which he had vowed to lead her; the other to fix upon a plan of escape. -The first he found easy, the latter difficult; yet he had decided, and -his preparations for the attempt, sufficient, he thought, though simple, -lay upon the floor by the fountain. A lamp shed a dim light over the -scene. - -"So, so, Tecetl: are we ready now?" he asked. - -"You are the master," she replied. - -"Very good, I will be assured." - -He went through a thorough inspection. - -"Here are the paint and brush; here the oil and lamp; here the bread and -meat, and the calabash of water. So far, good, very good. And here is -the mat,--very comfortable, Tecetl, if you have to make your bed upon a -stone in the floor. Now, are we ready?" - -"Yes, if you say so." - -"Good again! The Mother is with us. Courage! You shall see the sun and -sky, or I am not a Spaniard. Listen, now, and I will explain." - -They took seats upon the bench, this time together; for the strangeness -was wellnigh gone, and they had come to have an interest in a common -purpose. - -"You must know, then, that I have two reliances: first, the man who -brings the tray to the door; next, the Blessed Mother." - -"I will begin with the first," he said, after a pause. "The man is a -slave, and, therefore, easy to impose upon. If he is like his class, -from habit, he asks no questions of his superiors. Your father--I speak -from what you have told me--was thoughtful and dreamy, and spoke but -little to anybody, and seldom, if ever, to his servants. You are not -well versed in human nature; one day, no doubt, you will be; then you -will be able to decide whether I am right in believing that the traits -of master and slave, which I have mentioned, are likely to help us. I -carried your father's body over to the corner yonder,--you were asleep -at the time,--and laid it upon the floor, as we Christians serve our -dead. I made two crosses, and put one upon his lips, the other on his -breast; he will sleep all the better for them. As you would have done, -had you been present, I also covered him with flowers. One other thing I -did." - -He took a lamp, and was gone a moment. - -"Here are your father's gown and hood," he said, coming back. "I doubt -whether they would sell readily in the market. He will never need them -again. I took them to help save your life,--a purpose for which he would -certainly have given them, had he been alive. I will put them on." - -He laid his bonnet on the bench; then took off his boots, and put on -the gown,--a garment of coarse black _manta_, loose in body and sleeves, -and hanging nearly to the feet. Tying the cord about his waist, and -drawing the hood over his head, he walked away a few steps, saying,-- - -"Look at me, Tecetl. Your father was very old. Did he stoop much? as -much as this?" - -He struck the good man's habitual posture, and, in a moment after, his -slow, careful gait. At the sight, she could not repress her tears. - -"What, crying again!" he said. "I shall be ashamed of you soon. If we -fail, then you may cry, and--I do not know but that I will join you. -People who weep much cannot hear as they ought, and I want you to hear -every word. To go on, then: In this guise I mean to wait for the old -slave. When he lets the tray down, I will be there to climb the ladder. -He will see the hood and gown, and think me his old master. He will not -speak, nor will I. He will let me get to his side, and then--" - -After reflection, he continued,-- - -"Ah, Tecetl! you know not what troubles women sometimes are. Here am I -now. How easy for me, in this guise, to follow the slave out of the -temple! The most I would have to do would be to hold my tongue. But -you,--I cannot go and leave you; the Señor Hernan would not forgive me, -and I could not forgive myself. Nevertheless, you are a trouble. For -instance, when the slave sees you with me, will he not be afraid, and -run? or, to prevent that, shall I not have to make him a prisoner? That -involves a struggle. I may have to fight him, to wound him. I may get -hurt myself, and then--alas! what would become of us?" - -Again, he stopped, but at length proceeded,-- - -"So much for that. Now for my other reliance,--the Blessed Lady. If the -slave escapes me, you see, Tecetl, I must trust to what the infidels -call Fortune,--a wicked spirit, sometimes good, sometimes bad. I mean we -shall then have to hunt the way out ourselves; and, having already tried -that, I know what will happen. Hence these preparations. With the paint, -I will mark the corners we pass, that I may know them again; the lamp -will enable me to see the marks and keep the direction; if we get -hungry, here are bread and meat, saved, as you know, from our meals; if -we get thirsty, the calabash will be at hand. That is what I call -trusting to ourselves; yet the Blessed Mother enabled me to anticipate -all these wants, and provide for them, as we have done; therefore I call -her my reliance. Now you have my plans. I said you were my trouble; you -cannot work, or think, or fight; yet there is something you can do. -Tecetl, you can be my pretty beadswoman. I see you do not know what that -is. I will explain. Take these beads." - -While speaking, he took a string of them from his neck. - -"Take these beads, and begin now to say, 'O Blessed Mother, beautiful -Mother, save us for Christ's sake.' Repeat! Good!" he said, his eyes -sparkling. "I think the prayer never sounded as sweetly before; nor was -there ever cavalier with such a beadswoman. Again." - -And again she said the prayer. - -"Now," he said, "take the string in your own hand,--thus; drop one -bead,--thus; and keep on praying, and for every prayer drop one bead. -Only think, Tecetl, how I shall be comforted, as I go along the gloomy -passages, to know that right behind me comes one, so lately a heathen -but now a Christian, at every step calling on the Mother. Who knows but -we shall be out and in the beautiful day before the beads are twice -counted? If so, then shall we know that she cared for us; and when we -reach the palace we will go to the chapel, with good Father Bartolomé, -and say the prayer together once for every bead on the string. So I -vow, and do you the same." - -"So I vow," she said, with a pretty submission. - -Then, by ropes fixed for the purpose, he raised the calabash, and mat, -and bundle of provisions, and swung them lightly over his shoulders. -Under his arm he took an earthen vase filled with oil. - -"Let us to the door now. The slave should be there. Before we start, -look around: you are leaving this place forever." - -The thought went to her heart. - -"O my birds! What will become of them?" - -"Leave them to God," he replied, laconically. - -There were tears and sobs, in the midst of which he started off, lamp in -hand. She gave a look to the fountain, within the circle of whose voice -nearly all her years had been passed. In her absence, it would play and -sing, would go on as of old; but in her absence who would be there to -see and hear? In the silence and darkness it would live, but nevermore -for her. - -And she looked to the corner of the chamber where Orteguilla had carried -the body of the paba. Her tears attested her undiminished affection for -him. The recollection of his love outlived the influence of his Will. -His World was being abandoned, having first become a tomb, capacious and -magnificent,--his tomb. But Quetzal' had not come. Broken are thy -dreams, O Mualox, wasted thy wealth of devotion! Yet, at this parting, -thou hast tears,--first and last gift of Love, the sweetest of human -principles, and the strongest,--stronger than the Will; for if the -latter cannot make God of a man, the former can take him to God. - -And while she looked, came again the bird of the breast of purple and -wings of snow, which she placed in her bosom; then she followed the -page, saying, trustfully, "O Blessed Mother, beautiful Mother, save us -for Christ's sake!" - -Outside the curtain door he deposited his load, and carefully explained -to Tecetl the use of the ladder. Then he placed a stool for her. - -"Sit now; you can do nothing more. Everything depends on the slave: if -he behaves well, we shall have no need of these preparations, and they -may be left here. But whether he behave well or ill, remember this, -Tecetl,--cease not to pray; forget not the beads." - -And so saying, he tossed a stout cord up through the trap; then, leaving -the lamp below, he clomb to the floor above. His anxiety may be -imagined. Fortunately, the waiting was not long. Through the gallery -distantly he saw a light, which--praise to the Mother!--came his way. He -descended the ladder. - -"He comes, and is alone. Be of cheer, Tecetl; be of cheer, and pray. O -if the Mother but stay with us now!" - -Faster fell the beads. - -When the sound of footsteps overhead announced the arrival of the slave, -Orteguilla put his dagger between his teeth, drew the hood over his -head, and began to ascend. He dared not look up; he trusted in the -prayers of the little beadswoman, and clomb on. - -His head reached the level of the floor, and with the trap gaping wide -around, he knew himself under the man's eyes. Another moment, and his -hand was upon the floor; slowly he raised himself clear of the rope; he -stood up, then turned to the slave, and saw him to be old, and feeble, -and almost naked; the lamp was on his forehead, the tray at his feet; -his face was downcast, his posture humble. The Spaniard's blood leaped -exultantly; nevertheless, carefully and deliberately, as became his -assumed character, he moved to one side of the passage, to clear the -way to the trap. The servant accepted the movement, and without a word -took the lamp from his head, crossed the great stone, fixed the ropes, -and stooped to lower the tray. - -Orteguilla had anticipated everything, even this action, which gave him -his supreme advantage; so he picked up the cord lying near, and stepped -to the old man's side. When the tray was landed below, the latter raised -himself upon his knees; in an instant the cord was around his body; -before he understood the assault, escape was impossible. - -Orteguilla, his head yet covered by the hood, said calmly, "Be quiet, -and you are safe." - -The man looked up, and replied, "I am the paba's servant now, even as I -was when a youth. I have done no wrong, and am not afraid." - -"I want you to live. Only move not." - -Then the page called, "Tecetl! Tecetl!" - -"Here," she answered. - -"Try, now, to come up. Be careful lest you fall. If you need help, tell -me." - -"What shall I do with the bread and meat, and--" - -"Leave them. The Mother has been with us. Come up." - -The climbing was really a sailor's feat, and difficult for her; finally, -she raised her head through the trap. At the sight, the slave shrank -back, as if to run. Orteguilla spoke to him. - -"Be not afraid of the child. I have raised her to help me take care of -the temple. We are going to the chapel now." - -The man turned to him curiously; possibly he detected a strange accent -under the hood. When, on her part, Tecetl saw him, she stopped, full of -wonder as of fear. Old and ugly as he was, he yet confirmed the page's -story, and brought the new world directly to her. So a child stops, and -regards the first person met at the door of a strange house,--attracted, -curious, afraid. - -"Come on," said Orteguilla. - -She raised her hand overhead, and held up the bird with the white wings. - -"Take it," she said. - -Used as he was to wonderful things in connection with his old master, -the servant held back. A girl and a bird from the cells,--a mystery, -indeed! - -"Take it," said Orteguilla. - -He did so; whereupon the page assisted her to the floor. - -"We are almost there,--almost," he said, cheerfully. "Have you kept -count of the prayers? Let me see the beads." - -She held out the rosary. - -"Ten beads more,--ten prayers yet. The Mother is with us. Courage!" - -Then of the slave he asked,-- - -"How is the day without?" - -"There is not a cloud in the sky." - -"Is it morning or evening?" - -"About midday." - -"Is the city quiet?" - -"I cannot say." - -"Very well. Give the girl her bird, and lead to the court-yard." - -And they started, the slave ahead, held in check by the cord in the -Spaniard's hand. The light was faint and unsteady. Once they ascended a -flight of steps, and twice changed direction. When the page saw the many -cells on either side, and the number of intersecting passages, all equal -in height and width, and bounded by the same walls of rough red stone, -he understood how he became lost; and with a shuddering recollection of -his wanderings through the great house, he could not sufficiently thank -the Providence that was now befriending him. - -They clomb yet another stairway, and again changed direction; after -that, a little farther walk, and Orteguilla caught sight of a doorway -penetrated by a pure white light, which he recognized as day. Words -cannot express his emotion; his spirit could hardly be controlled; he -would have shouted, sung, danced,--anything to relieve himself of this -oppression of happiness. But he thought, if he were out of the temple, -he would not yet be out of danger; that he had to make way, by the great -street from which he had been driven, to the quarters of his friends, -before he could promise himself rest and safety; the disguise was the -secret of his present good-fortune, and must help him further. So he -restrained himself, saying to Tecetl,-- - -"For the time, cease your prayers, little one. The world I promised to -bring you to is close by. I see the daylight." - -There was indeed a door into the _patio_, or court-yard, of the temple. -Under the lintel the page lingered a moment,--the court was clear. Then -he gave the cord into the servant's hand, with the usual parting -salutation, and stepped once more into the air, fresh with the moisture -of the lake and the fragrance of the valley. He looked to the sky, blue -as ever; and through its serenity, up sped his grateful Ave Maria. In -the exulting sense of rescue, he forgot all else, and was well across -the court to the steps leading to the _azoteas_, when he thought of -Tecetl. He looked back, and did not see her; he ran to the door; she was -there. The bird had fallen to the floor, and was fluttering blindly -about; her hands were pressed hard over her face. - -"What ails you?" he asked, petulantly. "This is not a time to halt and -cry. Come on." - -"I cannot--" - -"Cannot! Give me your hand." - -He led her through the door, under the colonnade, out into the court. - -"Look up, Tecetl, look up! See the sky, drink the air. You are free!" - -She uncovered her eyes; they filled as with fiery arrows. She screamed, -staggered as if struck, and cried, "Where are you? I am lost, I am -blind!" - -"_O Madre de Dios!_" said Orteguilla, comprehending the calamity, and -all its inconveniences to her and himself. "Help me, most miserable of -wretches,--help me to a little wisdom!" - -To save her from falling, he had put his arm around her; and as they -stood thus,--she the picture of suffering, and he overwhelmed by -perplexity,--help from any quarter would have been welcome; had the -slave been near, he might have abandoned her; but aid there was not. So -he led her tenderly to the steps, and seated her. - -"How stupid," he said in Spanish,--"how stupid not to think of this! If, -the moment I was born, they had carried me out to take a look at the -sun, shining as he is here, I would have been blinder than any beggar on -the Prado, blinder than the Bernardo of whom I have heard Don Pedro -tell. My nurse was a sensible woman." - -Debating what to do, he looked at Tecetl; and for the first time since -she had come out of the door, he noticed her dress,--simply a cotton -chemise, a skirt of the same reaching below the knees, a blue sash -around the waist,--very simple, but very clean. He noticed, also, the -exceeding delicacy of her person, the transparency of her complexion, -the profusion of her hair, which was brown in the sun. Finally, he -observed the rosary. - -"She is not clad according to the laws which govern high-born ladies -over the water; yet she is beautiful, and--by the Mother! she is a -Christian. Enough. By God's love, I, who taught her to pray, will save -her, though I die. Help me, all the saints!" - -He adjusted the hood once more, and, stooping, said, in his kindliest -tone, "Pshaw, Tecetl, you are not blind. The light of the sun is so much -stronger than that of your lamps that your eyes could not bear it. Cheer -up, cheer up! And now put your arm around my neck. I will carry you to -the top of these steps. We cannot stay here." - -She stretched out her arms. - -"Hark!" he cried. "What is that?" - -He stood up and listened. The air above the temple seemed full of -confused sounds; now resembling the distant roar of the sea, now the hum -of insects, now the yells of men. - -"_Jesu!_ I know that sound. There,--there!" - -He listened again. Through the soaring, muffled din, came another -report, as of thunder below the horizon. - -"It is the artillery! By the mother that bore me, the guns of Mesa!" - -The words of Io', spoken in Xoli's portico, came back to him. - -"Battle! As I live, they are fighting on the street!" - -And he, too, sat down, listening, thinking. How was he to get to his -countrymen? - -The sounds overhead continued, at intervals intensified by the bellowing -guns. Battle has a fascination which draws men as birds are said to be -drawn by serpents. They listen; then wish to see; lingering upon the -edge, they catch its spirit, and finally thrill with fierce delight to -find themselves within the heat and fury of its deadly circle. The page -knew the feeling then. To see the fight was an overmastering desire. - -"Tecetl, poor child, you are better now?" - -"I dare not open my eyes." - -"Well, I will see for you. Put your arms around my neck." - -And with that, he carried her up the steps. All the time, he gave ear to -the battle. - -"Listen, Tecetl; hear that noise! A battle is going on out in the -street, and seems to be coming this way. I will lead you into the chapel -here,--a holy place, so your father would have said. In the shade, -perhaps, you can find relief." - -"How pleasant the air is!" she said, as they entered. - -"Yes, and there is Quetzal',"--he pointed to the idol,--"and here the -step before the altar upon which, I venture, your father spent half his -life in worship. Sit, and rest until I return." - -"Do not leave me," she said. - -"A little while only. I must see the fight. Some good may come of -it,--who knows? Be patient; I will not leave you." - -He went to the door. The sounds were much louder and nearer. All the air -above the city apparently was filled with them. Amongst the medley, he -distinguished the yells of men and peals of horns. Shots were frequent, -and now and then came the heavy, pounding report of cannon. He had been -at Tabasco, at Tzimpantzinco, and in the three pitched battles in -Tlascala, and was familiar with what he heard. - -"How they fight!" he said to himself. "Don Pedro is a good sword and -brave gentlemen, but--ah! if the Señor Hernan were there, I should feel -better: he is a good sword, brave gentleman, and wise general, also. -Heaven fights for him. Ill betide Narvaez! Why could he not have put off -his coming until the city was reduced? _Jesu!_ The sounds come this way -now. Victory! The guns have quit, the infidels fly, on their heels ride -the cavaliers. Victory!" - -And so, intent upon the conflict, insensibly he approached the front of -the temple, before described as one great stairway. On the topmost step -he paused. A man looking at him from the street below would have said, -"It is only a paba"; and considering, further, that he was a paba -serving the forsaken shrine, he would have passed by without a second -look. - -What he looked down upon was a broad street, crowded with men,--not -citizens, but warriors, and warriors in such splendor of costume that he -was fairly dazzled. Their movement suggested a retreat, whereat pride -dashed his eyes with the spray of tears; he dared not shout. - -More and more eagerly he listened to the coming tumult. At last, finding -the attraction irresistible, he descended the steps. - -The enemy were not in rout. They moved rapidly, but in ranks extending -the width of the street, and perfectly ordered. The right of their -column swept by the Spaniard almost within arm's reach. He heard the -breathing of the men, saw their arms,--their shields of quilted cotton, -embossed with brass; their armor, likewise of quilted cotton, but -fire-red with the blood of the cochineal; he saw their musicians, -drummers, and conch-blowers, the latter making a roar ragged and harsh, -and so loud that a groan or death-shriek could not be heard; he saw, -too, their chiefs, with helms richly plumed or grotesquely adorned with -heads of wild animals, with _escaupiles_ of plumage, gorgeous as hues of -sunset, with lances and _maquahuitls_, and shields of bison-hide or -burnished silver, mottoed and deviced, like those of Christians; amongst -them, also, he saw pabas, bareheaded, without arms, frocked like -himself, singing wild hymns, or chanting wilder epics, or shouting names -of heroic gods, or blessing the brave and cursing the craven,--the Sun -for the one, Mictlan for the other. The seeing all these things, it must -be remembered, was very different from their enumeration; but a glance -was required. - -The actual struggle, as he knew, was at the rear of the passing column. -In fancy he could see horsemen plunging through the ranks, plying sword, -lance, and battle-axe. And nearer they came. He could tell by the signs, -as well as the sounds; by the files beginning to crowd each other; by -the chiefs laboring to keep their men from falling into confused masses. -At length the bolt of a cross-bow, striking a man, fell almost at his -feet. Only the hand of a Spaniard could have launched the missile. - -"They come,--they are almost here!" he thought, and then, "_O Madre de -Dios!_ If they drive the infidels past this temple, I am saved. And they -will. Don Pedro's blood is up, and in pursuit he thinks of nothing but -to slay, slay. They will come; they are coming! There--_Jesu Christo!_ -That was a Christian shout!" - -The cross-bow bolts now came in numbers. The warriors protected -themselves by holding their shields over the shoulder behind; yet some -dropped, and were trampled under foot. Orteguilla was himself in danger, -but his suspense was so great that he thought only of escape; each bolt -was a welcome messenger, with tidings from friends. - -The column, meantime, seemed to become more disordered; finally, its -formation disappeared utterly; chiefs and warriors were inextricably -mixed together; the conch-blowers blew hideously, but could not -altogether drown the yells of the fighting men. - -Directly the page saw a rush, a parting in the crowd as of waters before -a ship; scores of dark faces, each a picture of dismay, turned suddenly -to look back; he also looked, and over the heads and upraised shields, -half obscured by a shower of stones and arrows, he saw a figure which -might well have been taken for the fiend of slaughter,--a horse and -rider, in whose action there were a correspondence and unity that made -them for the time one fighting animal. A frontleted head, tossed up for -a forward plunge, was what he saw of the horse; a steel-clad form, -swinging a battle-axe with the regularity of a machine, now to the -right, now to the left of the horse's neck, was all he saw of the rider. -He fell upon his knees, muttering what he dared not shout, "Don Pedro, -brave gentleman! I am saved! I am saved!" Instantly he sprang to his -feet. "O my God! Tecetl,--I had almost forgotten her!" - -He climbed the steps again fast as the gown would permit. - -"My poor girl, come; the Mother offers us rescue. Can you not see a -little?" - -She smiled faintly, and replied, "I cannot say. I have tried to look at -Quetzal' here. He was said to be very beautiful; my father always so -described him; but this thing is ugly. I fear I cannot see." - -"It is a devil's image, Tecetl, a devil's image,--Satan himself," said -the page, vehemently. "Let him not lose us a moment; for each one is of -more worth to us than the gold on his shield there. If you cannot see, -give me your hand. Come!" - -He led her to the steps. The infidels below seemed to have held their -ground awhile, fighting desperately. Eight or ten horsemen were driving -them, though slowly; if one was struck down, another took his place. The -street was dusty as with the sweeping of a whirlwind. Under the yellow -cloud lay the dead and wounded. The air was alive with missiles, of -which some flew above the temple, others dashed against the steps. It -looked like madness to go down into such a vortex; but there was no -other chance. What moment Don Pedro might tire of killing no one could -tell; whenever he did, the recall would be sounded. - -"What do I hear? What dreadful sounds!" said Tecetl, shrinking from the -tumult. - -"Battle," he answered; "and what that is I have not time to tell; we -must go down and see." - -He waited until the fighting was well past the front of the old Cû, -leaving a space behind the cavaliers clear of all save those who might -never fight again; then he threw back the hood, loosed the cord from his -waist, and flung the disguise from him. - -"Now, my pretty beadswoman, now is the time! Begin the prayer again: 'O -Mother, beautiful Mother, save us for Christ's sake!' Keep the count -with one hand; put the other about my neck. Life or death,--now we go!" - -He carried her down the steps. Over a number of wounded wretches who had -dragged themselves, half dead, out of the blood and trample, he crossed -the pavement. A horseman caught sight of him, and rode to his side, and -lifted the battle-axe. - -"Hold, Señor! I am Orteguilla. _Viva España!_" - -The axe dropped harmless; up went the visor. - -"In time, boy,--in time! An instant more, and thy soul had been in -Paradise," cried Alvarado, laughing heartily. "What hast thou there? -Something from the temple? But stay not to answer. To the rear, fast as -thy legs can carry thee! Faster! Put the baggage down. We are tired of -the slaughter; but for thy sake, we will push the dogs a little farther. -Begone! Or stay! Arrows are thicker here than curses in hell, and thou -hast no armor. Take my shield, which I have not used to-day. Now be -off!" - -Orteguilla set the girl upon her feet, took the shield, and proceeded to -buckle it upon his arm, while Alvarado rode into the fight again. A -moment more, and he would have protected her with the good steel wall. -Before he could complete the preparation, he heard a cry, quick, shrill, -and sharp, that seemed to pierce his ear like a knife,--the cry by which -one in battle announces himself death-struck,--the cry once heard, never -forgotten. He raised the shield,--too late; she reeled and fell, -dragging him half down. - -"What ails thee now?" he cried, in Spanish, forgetting himself. "What -ails thee? Hast thou looked at the sun again?" - -He lifted her head upon his knee. - -"Mother of Christ, she is slain!" he cried, in horror. - -An arrow descending had gone through her neck to the heart. The blood -gushed from her mouth. He took her in his arms, and carried her to the -steps of the temple. As he laid her down, she tried to speak, but -failed; then she opened her eyes wide: the light poured into them as -into the windows of an empty house; the soul was gone; she was dead. - -In so short a space habitant of three worlds,--when was there the like? - -From the peace of the old chamber to the din of battle, from the din of -battle to the calm of paradise,--brief time, short way! - -From the sinless life to the sinful she had come; from the sinful life -sinless she had gone; and in the going what fulness of the mercy of God! - -I cannot say the Spaniard loved her; most likely his feeling was the -simple affection we all have for things gentle and helpless,--a bird, a -lamb, a child; now, however, he knelt over her with tears; and as he did -so, he saw the rosary, and that all the beads but one were wet with her -blood. He took the string from the slender neck and laid her head upon -the stone, and thought the unstained bead was for a prayer uncounted,--a -prayer begun on earth and finished in heaven. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - THE PUBLIC OPINION PROCLAIMS ITSELF.--BATTLE. - - -"How now, thou here yet? In God's name, what madness hast thou? Up, -idiot! up, and fly, or in mercy I will slay thee here!" - -As he spoke, Alvarado touched Orteguilla with the handle of his axe. The -latter sprang up, alarmed. - -"_Mira, Señor!_ She is just dead. I could not leave her dying. I had a -vow." - -The cavalier looked at the dead girl; his heart softened. - -"I give thee honor, lad, I give thee honor. Hadst thou left her living, -shame would have been to thee forever. But waste not time in maudlin. -Hell's spawn is loose." With raised visor, he stood in his stirrups. -"See, far as eye can reach, the street is full! And hark to their yells! -Here, mount behind me; we must go at speed." - -The infidels, faced about, were coming back. The page gave them one -glance, then caught the hand reached out to him, and placing his foot on -the captain's swung himself behind. At a word, up the street, over the -bridges, by the palaces and temples, the horsemen galloped. The -detachment, at the head of which they had sallied from the -palace,--gunners, arquebusiers, and cross-bowmen,--had been started in -return some time before; upon overtaking them, Alvarado rode to a -broad-shouldered fellow, whose grizzly beard overflowed the chin-piece -of his morion:-- - -"Ho, Mesa! the hounds we followed so merrily were only feigning; they -have turned upon us. Do thou take the rear, with thy guns. We will to -the front, and cut a path to the gate. Follow closely." - -"Doubt not, captain. I know the trick. I caught it in Italy." - -"_Cierto!_ What thou knowest not about a gun is not worth the knowing," -Alvarado said; then to the page, "Dismount, lad, and take place with -these. What we have ahead may require free man and free horse. _Picaro!_ -If anybody is killed, thou hast permission to use his arms. What say ye, -_compañeros mios_?" he cried, facing the detachment. "What say ye? Here -I bring one whom we thought roasted and eaten by the cannibals in the -temples. Either he hath escaped by miracle, or they are not judges of -bones good to mess upon. He is without arms. Will ye take care of him? I -leave him my shield. Will ye take care of that also?" - -And Najerra, the hunchback, replied, "The shield we will take, Señor; -but--" - -"But what?" - -"Señor, may a Christian lawfully take what the infidels have refused?" - -And they looked at Orteguilla, and laughed roundly,--the bold, confident -adventurers; in the midst of the jollity, however, down the street came -a sound deeper than that of the guns,--a sound of abysmal depth, like -thunder, but without its continuity,--a divided, throbbing sound, such -as has been heard in the throat of a volcano. Alvarado threw up his -visor. - -"What now?" asked Serrano, first to speak. - -"One, two, three,--I have it!" the captain replied. "Count ye the -strokes,--one, two, three. By the bones of the saints, the drum in the -great temple! Forward, comrades! Our friends are in peril! If they are -lost, so are we. Forward, in Christ's name!" - -Afterwards they became familiar with the sound; but now, heard the first -time in battle, every man of them was affected. They moved off rapidly, -and there was no jesting,--none of the grim wit with which old soldiers -sometimes cover the nervousness preceding the primary plunge into a -doubtful fight. - -"Close the files. Be ready!" shouted Serrano. - -And ready they were,--matches lighted, steel-cords full drawn. Every -drum-beat welded them a firmer unit. - -The roar of the combat in progress around the palace had been all the -time audible to the returning party; now they beheld the _teocallis_ -covered with infidels, and the street blockaded with them, while a cloud -of smoke, slowly rising and slowly fading, bespoke the toils and -braveries of the defence enacting under its dun shade. Suddenly, -Alvarado stood in his stirrups,-- - -"_Ola!_ what have we here?" - -A body of Aztecs, in excellent order, armed with spears of unusual -length, and with a front that swept the street from wall to wall, was -marching swiftly to meet him. - -"There is wood enough in those spears to build a ship," said a horseman. - -A few steps on another spoke,-- - -"If I may be allowed, Señor, I suggest that Mesa be called up to play -upon them awhile." - -But Alvarado's spirit rose. - -"No; there is an enemy fast coming behind us; turn thy ear in that -direction, and thou mayest hear them already. We cannot wait. Battle-axe -and horse first; if they fail, then the guns. Look to girth and -buckle!" - -Rode they then without halt or speech until the space between them and -the coming line was not more than forty yards. - -"Are ye ready?" asked Alvarado, closing his visor. - -"Ready, Señor." - -"Axes, then! Follow me. Forward! _Christo y Santiago!_" - -At the last word, the riders loosed reins, and standing in their -stirrups bent forward over the saddle-bow, as well to guard the horse as -to discover points of attack; each poised his shield to protect his -breast and left side,--the axe and right arm would take care of the -right side; each took up the cry, _Christo y Santiago_; then, like -pillars of iron on steeds of iron, they charged. From the infidels one -answering yell, and down they sank, each upon his knee; and thereupon, -the spears, planted on the ground, presented a front so bristling that -leader less reckless than Alvarado would have stopped in mid-career. -Forward, foremost in the charge, he drove, right upon the brazen points, -a score or more of which rattled against his mail or that of his steed, -and glanced harmlessly, or were dashed aside by the axe whirled from -right to left with wonderful strength and skill. Something similar -happened to each of his followers. A moment of confusion,--man and beast -in furious action, clang of blows, splintering of wood, and -battle-cries,--then two results: the Christians were repulsed, and that -before the second infidel rank had been reached; and while they were in -amongst the long spears, fencing and striking, clear above the medley of -the _mêlée_ they heard a shout, _Al-a-lala! Al-a-lala!_ Alvarado looked -that way; looked through the yellow shafts and brazen points. Brief time -had he; yet he beheld and recognized the opposing leader. Behind the -kneeling ranks he stood, without trappings, without a shield even; a -_maquahuitl_, edged with flint, sharp as glass, hard as steel, was his -only weapon; behind him appeared an irregular mass of probably half a -thousand men, unarmed and almost naked. Even as the good captain looked, -the horde sprang forward, and by pressing between the files of spearmen, -or leaping panther-like over their shoulders, gained the front. There -they rushed upon the horsemen, entangled amidst the spears,--to capture, -not slay them; for, by the Aztec code of honor, the measure of a -warrior's greatness was the number of prisoners he brought out of -battle, a present to the gods, not the number of foemen he slew. The -rush was like that of wolves upon a herd of deer. First to encounter a -Christian was the chief. The exchange of blows was incredibly quick. The -horse reared, plunged blindly, then rolled upon the ground; the flinty -_maquahuitl_, surer than the axe, had broken its leg. A cry, sharpened -by mortal terror,--a Spanish cry for help, in the Mother's name. -Christians and infidels looked that way, and from the latter burst a -jubilant yell,-- - -"The 'tzin! The 'tzin!" - -The successful leader stooped, and wrenched the shield from the fallen -man; then he swung the _maquahuitl_ twice, and brought it down on the -mailed head of the horse: the weapon broke in pieces; the steed lay -still forever. - -Now, Alvarado was not the man to let the cry of a comrade go unheeded. - -"Turn, gentlemen! One of us is down; hear ye not the name of Christ and -the Mother? To the rescue! Charge! _Christo y Santiago!_" - -Forward the brave men spurred; the spears closed around them as before, -while the unarmed foe, encouraged by the 'tzin's achievement, redoubled -their efforts to drag them from their saddles. In disregard of blows, -given fast as skilled hands could rise and fall, some flung themselves -upon the legs and necks of the horses, where they seemed to cling after -the axe had spattered their brains or the hoofs crushed their bones; -some caught the bridle-reins, and hung to them full weight; others -struggled with the riders directly, hauling at them, leaping behind -them, catching sword-arm and shield; and so did the peril finally grow -that the Christians were forced to give up the rescue, the better to -take care of themselves. - -"God's curses upon the dogs!" shouted Alvarado, in fury at sight of the -Spaniard dragged away. "Back, some of ye, who can, to Serrano! Bid him -advance. Quick, or we, too, are lost!" - -No need; Serrano was coming. To the very spears he advanced, and opened -with cross-bow and arquebus; yet the infidels remained firm. Then the -dullest of the Christians discerned the 'tzin's strategy, and knew well, -if the line in front of them were not broken before the companies coming -up the street closed upon their rear, they were indeed lost. So at the -word, Mesa came, his guns charged to the muzzles. To avoid his own -people, he sent one piece to the right of the centre of combat, and the -other to the left, and trained both to obtain the deepest lines of -cross-fire. The effect was indescribable; yet the lanes cloven through -the kneeling ranks were instantly refilled. - -The 'tzin became anxious. - -"Look, Hualpa!" he said. "The companies should be up by this time. Can -you see them?" - -"The smoke is too great; I cannot see." - -Some of his people attacking the horsemen began to retreat behind the -spearmen. He caught up the axe of the Spaniard, and ran where the smoke -was most blinding. In a moment he was at the front; clear, inspiring, -joyous even, rose his cry. He rushed upon a bowman, caught him in his -arms, and bore him off with all his armor on. A hundred ready hands -seized the unfortunate. Again the cry,-- - -"The 'tzin! The 'tzin!" - -"Another victim for the gods!" he answered. "Hold fast, O my countrymen! -Behind the strangers come the companies. Do what I say, and Anahuac -shall live." - -At his word, they arose; at his word again, they advanced, with levelled -spears. Faster the missiles smote them; the horsemen raged; each -Spaniard felt, unless that line were broken his doom was come. Alvarado -fought, never thinking of defence. The bowmen and arquebusiers recoiled. -Twice Mesa drew back his guns. Finally, Don Pedro outdid himself, and -broke the fence of spears; his troop followed him; right and left they -plunged, killing at every step. At places, the onset of the infidels -slackened, halted; then the ranks began to break into small groups; at -last, they dropped their arms, and fairly fled, bearing the 'tzin away -in the mighty press for life. At their backs rode the vengeful horsemen, -and behind the horsemen, over the dead and shrieking wretches, moved -Serrano and Mesa. - -And to the very gates of the palace the fight continued. A ship in its -passage displaces a body of water; behind, however, follows an equal -reflux: so with the Christians, except that the masses who closed in -upon their rear outnumbered those they put to rout in front. Their rapid -movement had the appearance of flight; on the other hand, that of the -infidels had the appearance of pursuit. The sortie was not again -repeated. - - * * * * * - -Seven days the assault went on,--a week of fighting, intermitted only at -night, under cover of which the Aztecs carried off their dead and -wounded,--the former to the lake, the latter to the hospitals. Among the -Christians some there were who had seen grand wars; some had even served -under the Great Captain: but, as they freely averred, never had they -seen such courage, devotion, and endurance, such indifference to wounds -and death, as here. At times, the struggle was hand to hand; then, -standing upon their point of honor, the infidels perished by scores in -vain attempts to take alive whom they might easily have slain; and this -it was,--this fatal point of honor,--more than superiority in any -respect, that made great battles so bloodless to the Spaniards. Still, -nearly all of the latter were wounded, a few disabled, and seven killed -outright. Upon the Tlascalans the losses chiefly fell; hundreds of them -were killed; hundreds more lay wounded in the chambers of the palace. - -The evening of the seventh day, the 'tzin, standing on the western verge -of the _teocallis_, from which he had constantly directed the assault, -saw coming the results which could alone console him for the awful -sacrifice of his countrymen. The yells of the Tlascalans were not as -defiant as formerly; the men of iron, the Christians, were seen to sink -wearily down at their posts, and sleep, despite the tumult of the -battle; the guns were more slowly and carefully served; and whereas, -before Cortes departure there had been three meals a day, now there were -but two: the supply of provisions was failing. The ancient house, where -constructed of wood, showed signs of demolition; fuel was becoming -scant. Where the garrison obtained its supply of water was a marvel. He -had not then heard of what Father Bartolomé afterwards celebrated as a -miracle of Christ,--the accidental finding of a spring in the middle of -the garden. - -Then the assault was discontinued, and a blockade established. Another -week, during which nothing entered the gates of the palace to sustain -man or beast. Then there was but one meal a day, and the sentinels on -the walls began to show the effect. - -One day the main gate opened, and a woman and a man came out. The 'tzin -descended from his perch to meet them. At the foot of the steps they -knelt to him,--the princess Tula and the prince Io'. - -"See, O 'tzin," said the princess, "see the king's signet. We bring you -a message from him. He has not wherewith to supply his table. Yesterday -he was hungry. He bids you re-open the market, and send of the tributes -of the provinces without stint,--all that is his kingly right." - -"And if I fail?" asked Guatamozin. - -"He said not what, for no one has ever failed his order." - -And the 'tzin looked at Io'. - -"What shall I do, O son of the king?" - -In all the fighting, Io' had stayed in the palace with his father. -Through the long days he had heard the voices of the battle calling to -him. Many times he walked to the merlons of the _azoteas_, and saw the -'tzin on the temple, or listened to his familiar cry in the street. And -where,--so ran his thought the while,--where is Hualpa? Happy fellow! -What glory he must have won,--true warrior-glory to flourish in song -forever! A heroic jealousy would creep upon him, and he would go back -miserable to his chamber. - -"One day more, O 'tzin, and all there is in the palace--king and -stranger alike--is yours," Io' made answer. "More I need not say." - -"Then you go not back?" - -"No," said Tula. - -"No," said Io'. "I came out to fight. Anahuac is our mother. Let us save -her, O 'tzin!" - -And the 'tzin looked to the sun; his eyes withstood its piercing -splendors awhile, then he said, calmly,-- - -"Go with the princess Tula where she chooses, Io'; then come back. The -gods shall have one day more, though it be my last. Farewell." - -They arose and went away. He returned to the _azoteas_. - -Next day there was not one meal in the palace. Starvation had come. And -now the final battle, or surrender! Morning passed; noon came; later, -the sun began to go down the sky. In the streets stood the -thousands,--on all the housetops, on the temple, they stood,--waiting -and looking, now at the leaguered house, now at the 'tzin seated at the -verge of the _teocallis_, also waiting. - -Suddenly a procession appeared on the central turret of the palace, and -in its midst, Montezuma. - -"The king! the king!" burst from every throat; then upon the multitude -fell a silence, which could not have been deeper if the earth had opened -and swallowed the city. - -The four heralds waved their silver wands; the white carpet was spread, -and the canopy brought and set close by the eastern battlement of the -turret; then the king came and stood in the shade before the people. At -sight of him and his familiar royalty the old love came back to them, -and they fell upon their knees. He spoke, asserting his privileges; he -bade them home, and the army to its quarters. He promised that in a -short time the strangers, whose guest he was, would leave the country; -they were already preparing to depart, he said. How wicked the revolt -would then be! How guilty the chiefs who had taken arms against his -order! He spoke as one not doubtful of his position, but as king and -priest, and was successful. Stunned, confused, uncertain as to duty, -nigh broken-hearted, the fighting people and disciplined companies -arose, and, like a conquered mob, turned to go away. - -Down from his perch rushed the 'tzin. He put himself in the midst of the -retiring warriors. He appealed to them in vain. The chiefs gathered -around him, and knelt, and kissed his hands, and bathed his feet with -their tears; they acknowledged his heroism,--they would die with him, -but while the king lived, under the gods, he was master, and to disobey -him was sacrilege. - -Then the 'tzin saw, as if it were a god's decree, that Anahuac and -Montezuma could not both live. ONE OR THE OTHER MUST DIE! And never so -wise as in his patience, he submitted, and told them,-- - -"I will send food to the palace, and cease the war now, and until we -have the voice of Huitzil' to determine what we shall do. Go, collect -the companies, and put them in their quarters. This night we will to -Tlalac; together, from his sacred lips, we will hear our fate, and our -country's. Go now. At midnight come to the _teocallis_." - -At midnight the sanctuary of Huitzil' was crowded; so was all the -_azoteas_. Till the breaking of dawn the sacrifices continued. At last, -the _teotuctli_, with a loud cry, ran and laid a heart in the fire -before the idol; then turning to the spectators, he said, in a loud -voice,-- - -"Let the war go on! So saith the mighty Huitzil'! Woe to him who refuses -to hear!" - -And the heart that attested the will was the heart of a Spaniard. - - - - - BOOK SEVENTH. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - THE HEART CAN BE WISER THAN THE HEAD. - - -I will now ask the reader to make a note of the passage of a fortnight. -By so doing he will find himself close upon the 24th of June,--another -memorable day in the drama of the conquest. - -'Tzin Guatamo, as is already known, had many times proven himself a -warrior after the manner of his country, and, in consequence, had long -been the idol of the army; now he gave token of a ruling faculty which -brought the whole people to his feet; so that in Tenochtitlan, for the -first time in her history, were seen a sceptre unknown to the law and a -royalty not the king's. - -He ruled in the valley everywhere, except in the palace of Axaya'; and -around that he built works, and set guards, and so contrived that -nothing passed in or out without his permission. His policy was to wait -patiently, and in the mean time organize the nation for war; and the -nation obeyed him, seeing that in obedience there was life; such, -moreover, was the will of Huitzil'. - -As may be thought, the Christians thus pent up fared illy; in fact, they -would have suffered before the fortnight was gone but for the king, who -stinted himself and his household in order to divide with his keepers -the supplies sent in for his use. - -In the estimation of the people of the empire, it was great glory to -have shut so many _teules_ in a palace, and held them there; but the -success did not deceive the 'tzin: in his view, that achievement was not -the victory, but only the beginning of the war; every hour he had news -of Malinche, the real antagonist, who had the mind, the will, and the -hand of a warrior, and was coming with another army, more numerous, if -not braver, than the first one. In pure, strong love there is an element -akin to the power of prophecy,--something that gives the spirit eyes to -see what is to happen. Such an inspiration quickened the 'tzin, and told -him Anahuac was not saved, though she should be: if not, the conquerors -should take an empty prize; he would leave them nothing,--so he -swore,--neither gods, gold, slaves, city, nor people. He set about the -great idea by inviting the New World--I speak as a Spaniard--to take -part in the struggle. And he was answered. To the beloved city, turned -into a rendezvous for the purpose, flocked the fighting vassals of the -great caciques, the men of the cities, and their dependencies, the -_calpulli_, or tribes of the loyal provinces, and, mixed with them, -wild-eyed bands from the Unknown, the wildernesses,--in all, a multitude -such as had never been seen in the valley. At the altars he had but one -prayer, "Time, time, O gods of my fathers! Give me time!" He knew the -difference between a man and a soldier, and that, likewise, between a -multitude and an army. As he used the word, time meant organization and -discipline. He not only prayed, he worked; and into his work, as into -his prayers, he poured all his soul. - -The organization was simple: first, a company of three or four hundred -men; next an army of thirty or forty companies,--a system which allowed -the preservation of the identity of tribes and cities. The companies of -Cholula, for example, were separate from those of Tezcuco; while the -Acolmanes marched and fought side by side with the Coatopecs, but under -their own chiefs and flags. The system also gave him a number of armies, -and he divided them,--one to raise supplies, another to bring the -supplies to the depots, a third to prepare material of war; the fourth -was the active or fighting division; and each was subject to take the -place of the other. To the labor of so many hands, systematized and -industriously exerted, though for a fortnight, almost everything is -possible. One strong will, absolutely operative over thousands, is -nearer omnipotency than anything else human. - -The climate of the valley, milder and more equable than that of Naples, -permits the bivouac in all seasons. The sierra west of the capital, and -bending around it like a half-drawn bow, is marked on its interior, or -city side by verdant and watered vales; these were seized; and the -bordering cliffs, which theretofore had shaded the toiling husbandman, -or been themselves the scenes of the hunter's daring, now hid the hosts -of New World's men, in the bivouac, biding the day of battle. - -War, good reader, never touches anything and leaves it as it was. And -the daughter of the lake, fair Tenochtitlan, was no exception to the -law. The young master, having reduced the question of strategy to the -formula,--a street or a plain, chose the street, and thereby dedicated -the city to all of ruin or horror the destroyer could bring. Not long, -therefore, until its presence could have been detected by the idlest -glance: the streets were given up to the warriors; the palaces were -deserted by families; houses conveniently situated for the use were -turned into forts; the shrubbery garnishing roofs that dominated the -main streets concealed heaps of stones made ready for the hand; the -bridges were taken up, or put in condition to be raised; the canoes on -the lakes were multiplied, and converted to the public service; the -great markets were suspended; even the sacred temple were changed into -vast arsenals. When the 'tzin, going hither and thither, never idle, -observed the change, he would sigh, but say to himself, "'Tis well. If -we win, we can restore; if we lose,--if we lose,--then, to the -strangers, waste, to the waters, welcome!" - -And up and down, from city to bivouac and back again, passed the -minstrels, singing of war, and the pabas, proclaiming the oracles and -divine promises; and the services in the temples were unintermitted; -those in the _teocallis_ were especially grand; the smoke from its -turrets overhung the city, and at night the fire of Huitzil', a new star -reddening in the sky, was seen from the remotest hamlet in the valley. -The 'tzin had faith in moral effects, and he studied them, and was -successful. The army soon came to have, like himself, but one -prayer,--"Set us before the strangers; let us fight!" - -And the time they prayed for was come. - - * * * * * - -The night of the 23d of June was pleasant as night can be in that region -of pleasant nights. The sky was clear and starry. The breeze abroad -brought coolness to outliers on the housetops, without threshing the -lake to the disturbance of its _voyageurs_. - -Up in the northeastern part of the little sea lay a _chinampa_ at -anchor. Over its landing, at the very edge of the water, burned a -flambeau of resinous pine. Two canoes, richly decorated, swung at the -mooring. The path from the landing to the pavilion was carpeted, and -lighted by lamps pendent in the adjoining shrubbery. In the canoes the -slaves lay at rest, talking idly, and in low voices crooning Indian -songs. Close by the landing, on a bench, over which swayed the leaves of -an immense banana-tree, rested a couple of warriors, silent, and -nodding, as it were, to the nodding leaves. From the rising to the -setting of the day's sun, many a weary league, from the city to the -vales of the Sierra in which bivouacked the hope of Anahuac, had they -travelled,--Hualpa and Io'. One familiar with the streets in these later -days, at sight of them would have said, "Beware! the 'tzin is hereaway." -The three were almost as one,--so had their friendship grown. The -pavilion, a circular canopy, spread like a Bedouin's tent, was brightly -lighted; and there, in fact, was the 'tzin, with Tula and Yeteve, the -priestess. - -Once before, I believe, I described this pavilion; and now I know the -imagination of the reader will give the floating garden richer colors -than lie within compass of my pen; will surround it with light, and with -air delicious with the freshness of the lake and the exhalations of the -flowers; will hover about the guardian palm and willow trees, the latter -with boughs lithe and swinging, and leaves long and fine as a woman's -locks; will linger about the retreat, I say, and, in thought of its -fitness for meeting of lovers, admit the poetry and respect the passion -of the noble Aztec. - -Within, the furniture was as formerly; there were yet the carven stools, -the table with its bowl-like top, now a mass of flowers, a couch draped -with brilliant plumage, the floor covered with matting of woven grasses, -the hammock, and the bird-cage,--all as when we first saw them. Nenetzin -was absent, and alas! might never come again. - -And if we enter now, we shall find the 'tzin standing a little apart -from Tula, who is in the hammock, with Yeteve by her side. On a stool at -his feet is a waiter of ebony, with spoons of tortoise-shell, and some -_xicaras_, or cups, used for chocolate. - -Their faces are grave and earnest. - -"And Malinche?" asked Tula, as if pursuing a question. - -"The gods have given me time; I am ready for him," he replied. - -"When will he come?" - -"Yesterday, about noon, he set out from Tezcuco, by way of the shore of -the lake; to-night he lodges in Iztapalapan; to-morrow, marching by the -old causeway, he will re-enter the city." - -"Poor, poor country!" she said, after a long silence. - -The words touched him, and he replied, in a low voice, "You have a good -heart, O Tula,--a good heart and true. Your words were what I repeat -every hour in the day. You were seeing what I see all the time--" - -"The battle!" she said, shuddering. - -"Yes. I wish it could be avoided; its conditions are such that against -the advantage of arms I can only oppose the advantage of numbers; so -that the dearest of all things will be the cheapest. I must take no -account of lives. I have seen the streets run with blood already, and -now,--Enough! we must do what the gods decree. Yet the slaughter shall -not be, as heretofore, on one side alone." - -She looked at him inquiringly. - -"You know the custom of our people to take prisoners rather than kill in -battle. As against the Tlascalans and tribes, that was well enough; but -new conditions require new laws, and my order now is, Save nothing but -the arms and armor of the strangers. Life for life as against Malinche! -And I could conquer him, but--" - -He stopped, and their glances met,--his full of fire, hers sad and -thoughtful. - -"Ah, Tula! your woman's soul prompts you already of whom I would -speak,--the king." - -"Spare me," she said, covering her face with her hands. "I am his child; -I love him yet." - -"So I know," he replied; "and I would not have you do else. The love is -proof of fitness to be loved. Nature cannot be silenced. He is not as -near to me as to you; yet I feel the impulse that moves you, though in -a less degree. In memory, he is a part of my youth. For that matter, who -does not love him? He has charmed the strangers; even the guards at his -chamber-door have been known to weep at sight of his sorrow. And the -heroes who so lately died before his prison-gates, did not they love -him? And those who will die to-morrow and the next day, what else may be -said of them? In arms here, see the children of the valley. What seek -they? In their eyes, he is Anahuac. And yet--" - -He paused again; her hands had fallen; her cheeks glistened with tears. - -"If I may not speak plainly now, I may not ever. Strengthen yourself to -hear me, and hear me pitifully. To begin, you know that I have been -using the king's power without his permission,--that, I say, you know, -and have forgiven, because the usurpation was not of choice but -necessity, and to save the empire; but you will hear now, for the first -time probably, that I could have been king in fact." - -Her gaze became intent, and she listened breathlessly. - -"Three times," he continued, "three times have the caciques, for -themselves and the army, offered me the crown. The last time, they were -accompanied by the electors,[48] and deputations from all the great -cities." - -"And you refused," she said, confidently. - -"Yes. I will not deny the offer was tempting,--that for the truth. I -thought of it often; and at such times came revenge, and told me I had -been wronged, and ambition, whispering of glory, and, with ready -subtlety, making acceptance appear a duty. But, Tula, you prevailed; -your love was dearer to me than the crown. For your sake, I refused the -overture. You never said so,--there was no need of the saying,--yet I -knew you could never be queen while your father lived." - -Not often has a woman heard such a story of love, or been given such -proofs of devotion; her face mantled, and she dropped her gaze, -saying,-- - -"Better to be so loved than to be queen. If not here, O 'tzin, look for -reward in the Sun. Surely, the gods take note of such things!" - -"Your approval is my full reward," he replied. "But hear me further. -What I have said was easy to say; that which I go to now is hard, and -requires all my will; for the utterance may forfeit not merely the -blessing just given me, but your love,--more precious, as I have shown, -than the crown. You were in the palace the day the king appeared and -bade the people home. The strangers were in my hand at the time. O, a -glad time,--so long had we toiled, so many had died! Then he came, and -snatched away our triumph. I have not forgotten, I never can forget the -disappointment. In all the labor of the preparation since, I have seen -the scene, sometimes as a threat, sometimes as a warning, always a -recurring dream whose dreaming leaves me less resolved in the course I -am running. Continually I find myself saying to myself, 'The work is all -in vain; what has been will be again; while he lives, you cannot win.' O -Tula, such influence was bad enough of itself. Hear now how the gods -came in to direct me. Last night I was at the altar of Huitzil', -praying, when the _teotuctli_ appeared, and said, ''Tzin Guatamo, pray -you for your country?' 'For country and king,' I answered. He laid his -hand upon my shoulder, 'If you seek the will of the god with intent to -do what he imposes, hear then: The king is the shield of the strangers; -they are safe while he lives; and if he lives, Anahuac dies. Let him who -leads choose between them. So the god says. Consider!' He was gone -before I could answer. Since that I have been like one moving in a -cloud, seeing nothing clearly, and the duty least of all. When I should -be strongest, I am weakest. My spirit faints under the load. If the -king lives, the empire dies: if it is to die, why the battle, and its -sacrifices? This night have I in which to choose; to-morrow, Malinche -and action! Help me, O Tula, help me to do right! Love of country, of -king, and of me,--you have them all. Speak." - -And she answered him,-- - -"I may not doubt that you love me; you have told me so many times, but -never as to-night. I thank you, O 'tzin! Your duties are heavy. I do not -wonder that you bend under them. I might say they are yours by gift of -the gods, and not to be divided with another, not even with me; but I -will give you love for love, and, as I hope to share your fortunes, I -will share your trials. I am a woman, without judgment by which to -answer you; from my heart I will answer." - -"From your heart be it, O Tula." - -"Has the king heard the things of which you have spoken?" - -"I cannot say." - -"Does he know you were offered the crown?" - -"No; the offer was treason." - -"Ah, poor king, proud father! The love of the people, that of which you -were proudest, is lost. What wretchedness awaits you!" - -She bowed her head, and there was a silence broken only by her sobs. The -grief spent itself; then she said, earnestly,-- - -"I know him. He, too, is a lover of Anahuac. More than once he has -exposed himself to death for her. Such loves age not, nor do they die, -except with the hearts they animate. There was a time--but now--No -matter, I will try. 'Let him who leads choose': was not that the decree, -good 'tzin?" - -"Yes," he replied. - -"Must the choice be made to-night?" - -"I may delay until to-morrow." - -"To-morrow; what time?" - -"Malinche will pass the causeway in the cool of the morning; by noon he -will have joined his people in the old palace; the decision must then be -made." - -"Can you set me down at the gate before he passes in?" - -The 'tzin started. "Of the old palace?" he asked. - -"I wish to see the king." - -"For what?" - -"To tell him the things you have told me to-night." - -"All?" - -"Yes." - -His face clouded with dissatisfaction. - -"Yes," she continued, calmly; "that, as becomes a king, he may choose -which shall live,--himself or Anahuac." - -So she answered the 'tzin's appeal, and the answer was from her heart; -and, seeing of what heroism she dreamed, his dark eyes glowed with -admiration. Yet his reply was full of hopelessness. - -"I give you honor, Tula,--I give you honor for the thought; but forgive -me if I think you beguiled by your love. There was a time when he was -capable of what you have imagined. Alas! he is changed; he will never -choose,--never!" - -She looked at him reproachfully, and said, with a sad smile, "Such -changes are not always of years. Who is he that to-night, only to-night, -driven by a faltering of the will, which in the king, my father, is -called weakness, brought himself prayerfully to a woman's feet, and -begged her to divide with him a burden imposed upon his conscience by a -decree of the gods? Who is he, indeed? Study yourself, O 'tzin, and -commiserate him, and bethink you, if he choose not, it will be yours to -choose for him. His duty will then become yours, to be done without -remorse, and--" - -She hesitated, and held out her hand, as if to say, "And I can love you -still." - -He caught the meaning of the action, and went to her, and kissed her -forehead tenderly, and said,-- - -"I see now that the heart can be wiser than the head. Have your way. I -will set you down at the gate, and of war there shall be neither sign -nor sound until you return." - -"Until I return! May be I cannot. Malinche may hold me prisoner." - -From love to war,--the step was short. - -"True," he said. "The armies will await my signal of attack, and they -must not wait upon uncertainties." - -He arose and paced the floor, and when he paused he said, firmly,-- - -"I will set you down at the gate in the early morning, that you may see -your father before Malinche sees him. And when you speak to him, ask not -if I may make the war: on that I am resolved; but tell him what no other -can,--that I look forward to the time when Malinche, like the -_Tonatiah_, will bring him from his chamber, and show him to the people, -to distract them again. And when you have told him that, speak of what -the gods have laid upon me, and then say that I say, 'Comes he so, -whether of choice or by force, the dread duty shall be done. The gods -helping me, I will strike for Anahuac.' And if he ask what I would have -him do, answer, A king's duty to his people,--die that they may live!" - -Tula heard him to the end, and buried her face in her hands, and there -was a long silence. - -"Poor king! poor father!" she said at last. "For me to ask him to die! A -heavy, heavy burden, O 'tzin!" - -"The gods help you!" he replied. - -"If Malinche hold me prisoner, how will the answer avail you?" - -"Have you not there two scarfs,--the one green, the other white?" - -"Yes." - -"Take them with you, and from the roof, if your father resolve not, show -the green one. Alas, then, for me! If, in its stead, you wave the white -one, I shall know that he comes, if so he does, by force, and that"--his -voice trembled--"_it is his will Anahuac should live_." - -She listened wistfully, and replied, "I understand; Anahuac saved means -Montezuma lost. But doubt him not, doubt him not; he will remember his -glory's day, and die as he has lived." - - * * * * * - -An hour later, and the canoe of the 'tzin passed into one of the canals -of the city. The parting on the _chinampa_ may be imagined. Love will -have its way even in war. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [48] The monarchy was elective.--PRESCOTT, _Conq. of - Mexico_, Vol. I., p. 24 - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - THE CONQUEROR ON THE CAUSEWAY AGAIN. - - -As predicted by the 'tzin, the Spaniards set out early next morning--the -morning of the 24th of June--by the causeway from Iztapalapan, already -notable in this story. - -At their head rode the Señor Hernan, silent, thoughtful, and not well -pleased; pondering, doubtless, the misconduct of the _adelantado_ in the -old palace to which he was marching, and the rueful condition it might -impose upon the expedition. - -The cavaliers next in the order of march, which was that of battle, rode -and talked as men are wont when drawing nigh the end of a long and -toilsome task. This the leader at length interrupted,-- - -"_Señores_, come near. Yonder ye may see the gate of Xoloc," he -continued, when they were up. "If the heathen captains think to obstruct -our entry, they would do well, now that our ships lie sunken in the -lake, to give us battle there. Ride we forward to explore what -preparations, if any, they have made." - -So they rode, at quickened pace, arms rattling, spurs jingling, and -found the gate deserted. - -"_Viva compañeros!_" cried Cortes, riding through the shadow of the -battlements. "Give the scabbards their swords again. There will be no -battle; the way to the palace is open." And, waiting till the column was -at their heels, he turned to the trumpeters, and shouted, cheerily, -"_Ola_, ye lazy knaves! Since the march began, ye have not been heard -from. Out now, and blow! Blow as if ye were each a Roland, with Roland's -horn. Blow merrily a triumphal march, that our brethren in the leaguer -ahead may know deliverance at hand." - -The feeling of the chief spread rapidly; first, to the cavaliers; then -to the ranks, where soon there were shouting and singing; and -simultaneous with the trumpetry, over the still waters sped the -minstrelsy of the Tlascalans. Ere long they had the answer of the -garrison; every gun in the palace thundered welcome. - -Cortes settled in his saddle smiling: he was easy in mind; the junction -with Alvarado was assured; the city and the king were his, and he could -now hold them; nevertheless, back of his smile there was much thought. -True, his enemies in Spain would halloo spitefully over the doughty deed -he had just done down in Cempoalla. No matter. The Court and the -Council had pockets, and he could fill them with gold,--gold by the -caravel, if necessary; and for the pacification of his most Catholic -master, the Emperor, had he not the New World? And over the schedule of -guerdons sure to follow such a gift to such a master he lingered -complacently, as well he might. Patronage, and titles, and high -employments, and lordly estates danced before his eyes, as danced the -sun's glozing upon the crinkling water. - -One thought, however,--only one,--brought him trouble. The soldiers of -Narvaez were new men, ill-disciplined, footsore, grumbling, -discontented, disappointed. He remembered the roseate pictures by which -they had been won from their leader before the battle was joined. 'The -Empire was already in possession; there would be no fighting; the march -would be a promenade through grand landscapes, and by towns and cities, -whose inhabitants would meet them in processions, loaded with fruits and -flowers, tributes of love and fear,'--so he had told them through his -spokesmen, Olmedo, the priest, and Duero, the secretary. Nor failed he -now to recall the chief inducements in the argument,--the charms of the -heathen capital, and the easy life there waiting,--a life whose sole -vexation would be apportionment of the lands conquered and the gold -gathered. And the wonderful city,--here it was, placid as ever; and -neither the valley, nor the lake, nor the summering climate, nor the -abundance of which he had spoken, failed his description; nothing was -wanting but _the people_, THE PEOPLE! Where were they? He looked at the -prize ahead; gyres of smoke, slowly rising and purpling as they rose, -were all the proofs of life within its walls. He swept the little sea -with angry eyes; in the distance a canoe, stationary, and with a -solitary occupant, and he a spy! And this was the grand reception -promised the retainers of Narvaez! He struck his mailed thigh with his -mailed hand fiercely, and, turning in his saddle, looked back. The -column was moving forward compactly, the new men distinguishable by the -freshness of their apparel and equipments. "_Bien!_" he said, with a -grim smile and cunning solace, "_Bien!_ they will fight for life, if not -for majesty and me." - -Close by the wall Father Bartolomé overtook him, and, after giving rein -to his mule, and readjusting his hood, said gravely, "If the tinkle of -my servant's bell disturb not thy musing, Señor,--I have been through -the files, and bring thee wot of the new men." - -"Welcome, father," said Cortes, laughing. "I am not an evil spirit to -fly the exorcisement of thy bell, not I; and so I bid thee welcome. But -as for whereof thou comest to tell, no more, I pray. I know of what the -varlets speak. And as I am a Christian, I blame them not. We promised -them much, and--this is all: fair sky, fair land, strange city,--and all -without people! Rueful enough, I grant; but, as matter more serious, -what say the veterans? Came they within thy soundings?" - -"Thou mayest trust them, Señor. Their tongues go with their swords. They -return to the day of our first entry here, and with excusable -enlargement tell what they saw then in contrast with the present." - -"And whom blame they for the failure now?" - -"The captain Alvarado." - -Cortes' brows dropped, and he became thoughtful again, and in such -temper rode into the city. - -Within the walls, everywhere the visitors looked, were signs of life, -but nowhere a living thing; neither on the street, nor in the houses, -nor on the housetops,--not even a bird in the sky. A stillness possessed -the place, peculiar in that it seemed to assert a presence, and palpably -lurk in the shade, lie on the doorsteps, issue from the windows, and -pervade the air; giving notice so that not a man, new or veteran, but -was conscious that, in some way, he was menaced with danger. There is -nothing so appalling as the unaccountable absence of life in places -habitually populous; nothing so desolate as a deserted city. - -"_Por Dios!_" said Olmedo, toying with the beads at his side, "I had -rather the former reception than the present. Pleasanter the sullen -multitude than the silence without the multitude." - -Cortes made him no answer, but rode on abstractedly, until stopped by -his advance-guard. - -"At rest!" he said, angrily. "Had ye the signal? I heard it not." - -"Nor did we, Señor," replied the officer in charge. "But, craving thy -pardon, approach, and see what the infidels have done here." - -Cortes drew near, and found himself on the brink of the first canal. He -swore a great oath; the bridge was dismantled. On the hither side, -however, lay the timbers, frame and floor. The _tamanes_ detailed from -the guns replaced them. - -"Bartolomé, good father," said Cortes, confidentially, when the march -was resumed, "thou hast a commendable habit of holding what thou -hearest, and therefore I shame not to confess that I, too, prefer the -first reception. The absence of the heathen and the condition of yon -bridge are parts of one plan, and signs certain of battle now ready to -be delivered." - -"If it be God's will, amen!" replied the priest, calmly. "We are -stronger than when we went out." - -"So is the enemy, for he hath organized his people. The hordes that -stared at us so stupidly when we first came--be the curse of the saints -upon them!--are now fighting men." - -Olmedo searched his face, and said, coldly, "To doubt is to dread the -result." - -"Nay, by my conscience! I neither doubt nor dread. Yet I hold it not -unseemly to confess that I had rather meet the brunt on the firm land, -with room for what the occasion offers. I like not yon canal, with its -broken bridge, too wide for horse, too deep for weighted man; it putteth -us to disadvantage, and hath a hateful reminder of the brigantines, -which, as thou mayest remember, we left at anchor, mistresses of the -lake; in our absence they have been lost,--a most measureless folly, -father! But let it pass, let it pass! The Mother--blessed be her -name!--hath not forsaken us. Montezuma is ours, and--" - -"He is victory," said Olmedo, zealously. - -"He is the New World!" answered Cortes. - -And so it chanced that the poor king was centre of thought for both the -'tzin and his enemy,--the dread of one and the hope of the other. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - LA VIRUELA. - - -A long interval behind the rear-guard--indeed, the very last of the -army, and quite two hours behind--came four Indian slaves, bringing a -man stretched upon a litter. - -And the litter was open, and the sun beat cruelly on the man's face; but -plaint he made not, nor motion, except that his head rolled now right, -now left, responsive to the cadenced steps of his hearers. - -Was he sick or wounded? - -Nathless, into the city they carried him. - -And in front of the new palace of the king, they stopped, less wearied -than overcome by curiosity. And as they stared at the great house, -imagining vaguely the splendor within, a groan startled them. They -looked at their charge; he was dead! Then they looked at each other, and -fled. - -And in less than twice seven days they too died, and died horribly; and -in dying recognized their disease as that of the stranger they had -abandoned before the palace,--the small-pox, or, in the language which -hath a matchless trick of melting everything, even the most ghastly, -into music, _la viruela_ of the Spaniard. - -The sick man on the litter was a negro,--first of his race on the new -continent! - -And most singular, in dying, he gave his masters another servant -stronger than himself, and deadlier to the infidels than swords of -steel,--a servant that found way everywhere in the crowded city, and -rested not. And everywhere its breath, like its touch, was mortal; -insomuch that a score and ten died of it where one fell in battle. - -Of the myriads who thus perished, one was a KING. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - MONTEZUMA A PROPHET.--HIS PROPHECY. - - -Scarce five weeks before, Cortes sallied from the palace with seventy -soldiers, ragged, yet curiously bedight with gold and silver; now he -returned full-handed, at his back thirteen hundred infantry, a hundred -horse, additional guns and Tlascalans. Surely, he could hold what he had -gained. - -The garrison stood in the court-yard to receive him. Trumpet replied to -trumpet, and the reverberation of drums shook the ancient house. When -all were assigned to quarters, the ranks were broken, and the -veterans--those who had remained, and those who had followed their -chief--rushed clamorously into each other's arms. Comradeship, with its -strange love, born of toil and danger, and nursed by red-handed battle, -asserted itself. The men of Narvaez looked on indifferently, or clomb -the palace, and from the roof surveyed the vicinage, especially the -great temple, apparently as forsaken as the city. - -And in the court-yard Cortes met Alvarado, saluting him coldly. The -latter excused his conduct as best he could; but the palliations were -unsatisfactory. The general turned from him with bitter denunciations; -and as he did so, a procession approached: four nobles, carrying silver -wands; then a train in doubled files; then Montezuma, in the royal -regalia, splendid from head to foot. The shade of the canopy borne above -him wrapped his person in purpled softness, but did not hide that other -shadow discernible in the slow, uncertain step, the bent form, the -wistful eyes,--the shadow of the coming Fate. Such of his family as -shared his captivity brought up the cortege. - -At the sight, Cortes waited; his blood was hot, and his head filled with -the fumes of victory; from a great height, as it were, he looked upon -the retinue, and its sorrowful master; and his eyes wandered fitfully -from the Christians, worn by watching and hunger, to the sumptuousness -of the infidels; so that when the monarch drew nigh him, the temper of -his heart was as the temper of his corselet. - -"I salute you, O Malinche, and welcome your return," said Montezuma, -according to the interpretation of Marina. - -The Spaniard heard him without a sign of recognition. - -"The good Lady of your trust has had you in care; she has given you the -victory. I congratulate you, Malinche." - -Still the Spaniard was obstinate. - -The king hesitated, dropped his eyes under the cold stare, and was -frozen into silence. Then Cortes turned upon his heel, and, without a -word, sought his chamber. - -The insult was plain, and the witnesses, Christian and infidel, were -shocked; and while they stood surprised, Tula rushed up, and threw her -arms around the victim's neck, and laid her head upon his breast. The -retinue closed around them, as if to hide the shame; and thus the -unhappy monarch went back to his quarters,--back to his captivity, to -his remorse, and the keener pangs of pride savagely lacerated. - -For a time he was like one dazed; but, half waking, he wrung his hands, -and said, feebly, "It cannot be, it cannot be! Maxtla, take the -councillors and go to Malinche, and say that I wish to see him. Tell him -the business is urgent, and will not wait. Bring me his answer, omitting -nothing." - -The young chief and the four nobles departed, and the king relapsed into -his dazement, muttering, "It cannot be, it cannot be!" - -The commissioners delivered the message. Olid, Leon, and others who were -present begged Cortes to be considerate. - -"No," he replied; "the dog of a king would have betrayed us to Narvaez; -before his eyes we are allowed to hunger. Why are the markets closed? I -have nothing to do with him." - -And to the commissioners he said, "Tell your master to open the markets, -or we will for him. Begone!" - -And they went back and reported, omitting nothing, not even the -insulting epithet. The king heard them silently; as they proceeded, he -gathered strength; when they ceased, he was calm and resolved. - -"Return to Malinche," he said, "and tell him what I wished to say: that -my people are ready to attack him, and that the only means I know to -divert them from their purpose is to release the lord Cuitlahua, my -brother, and send him to them to enforce my orders. There is now no -other of authority upon whom I can depend to keep the peace, and open -the markets; he is the last hope. Go." - -The messengers departed; and when they were gone the monarch said, -"Leave the chamber now, all but Tula." - -At the last outgoing footstep she went near, and knelt before him; -knowing, with the divination which is only of woman, that she was now to -have reply to the 'tzin's message, delivered by her in the early -morning. Her tearful look he answered with a smile, saying tenderly, "I -do not know whether I gave you welcome. If I did not, I will amend the -fault. Come near." - -She arose, and, putting an arm over his shoulder, knelt closer by his -side; he kissed her forehead, and pressed her close to his breast. -Nothing could exceed the gentleness of the caress, unless it was the -accompanying look. She replied with tears, and such breaking sobs as are -only permitted to passion and childhood. - -"Now, if never before," he continued, "you are my best beloved, because -your faith in me fell not away with that of all the world besides; -especially, O good heart! especially because you have to-day shown me an -escape from my intolerable misery and misfortunes,--for which may the -gods who have abandoned me bless you!" - -He stroked the dark locks under his hand lovingly. - -"Tears? Let there be none for me. I am happy. I have been unresolved, -drifting with uncertain currents, doubtful, yet hopeful, seeing nothing, -and imagining everything; waiting, sometimes on men, sometimes on the -gods,--and that so long,--ah, so long! But now the weakness is past. -Rejoice with me, O Tula! In this hour I have recovered dominion over -myself; with every faculty restored, the very king whom erst you knew, I -will make answer to the 'tzin. Listen well. I give you my last decree, -after which I shall regard myself as lost to the world. If I live, I -shall never rule again. Somewhere in the temples I shall find a cell -like that from which they took me to be king. The sweetness of the -solitude I remember yet. There I will wait for death; and my waiting -shall be so seemly that his coming shall be as the coming of a restful -sleep. Hear then, and these words give the 'tzin: Not as king to -subject, nor as priest to penitent, but as father to son, I send him my -blessing. Of pardon I say nothing. All he has done for Anahuac, and all -he hopes to do for her, I approve. Say to him, also, that in the last -hour Malinche will come for me to go with him to the people, and that I -will go. Then, I say, let the 'tzin remember what the gods have laid -upon him, and with his own hand do the duty, that it may be certainly -done. A man's last prayer belongs to the gods, his last look to those -who love him. In dying there is no horror like lingering long amidst -enemies." - -His voice trembled, and he paused. She raised her eyes to his face, -which was placid, but rapt, as if his spirit had been caught by a sudden -vision. - -"To the world," he said, in a little while, "I have bid farewell. I see -its vanities go from me one by one; last in the train, and most -glittering, most loved, Power,--and in its hands is my heart. A shadow -creeps upon me, darkening all without, but brightening all within; and -in the brightness, lo, my People and their Future!" - -He stopped again, then resumed:-- - -"The long, long cycles--two,--four,--eight--pass away, and I see the -tribes newly risen, like the trodden grass, and in their midst a -Priesthood and a Cross. An age of battles more, and, lo! the Cross but -not the priests; in their stead Freedom and God." - -And with the last word, as if to indicate the Christian God, the report -of a gun without broke the spell of the seer; the two started, and -looked at each other, listening for what might follow; but there was -nothing more, and he went on quietly talking to her. - -"I know the children of the Aztec, crushed now, will live, and -more,--after ages of wrong suffered by them, they will rise up, and take -their place--a place of splendor--amongst the deathless nations of the -earth. What I saw was revelation. Cherish the words, O Tula; repeat them -often; make them an utterance of the people, a sacred tradition; let -them go down with the generations, one of which will, at last, rightly -interpret the meaning of the words Freedom and God, now dark to my -understanding; and then, not till then, will be the new birth and new -career. And so shall my name become of the land a part, suggested by all -things,--by the sun mildly tempering its winds; by the rivers singing in -its valleys; by the stars seen from its mountain-tops; by its cities, -and their palaces and halls; and so shall its red races of whatever -blood learn to call me father, and in their glory, as well as misery, -pray for and bless me." - -In the progress of this speech his voice grew stronger, and insensibly -his manner ennobled; at the conclusion, his appearance was majestic. -Tula regarded him with awe, and accepted his utterances, not as the song -habitual to the Aztec warrior at the approach of death, nor as the -rhapsody of pride soothing itself; she accepted them as prophecy, and as -a holy trust,--a promise to be passed down through time, to a generation -of her race, the first to understand truly the simple words,--FREEDOM -and GOD. And they were silent a long time. - -At length there was a warning at the door; the little bells filled the -room with music strangely inharmonious. The king looked that way, -frowning. The intruder entered without _nequen_; as he drew near the -monarch's seat, his steps became slower, and his head drooped upon his -breast. - -"Cuitlahua! my brother!" said Montezuma, surprised. - -"Brother and king!" answered the cacique, as he knelt and placed both -palms upon the floor. - -"You bring me a message. Arise and speak." - -"No," said Cuitlahua, rising. "I have come to receive your signet and -orders. I am free. The guard is at the door to pass me through the gate. -Malinche would have me go and send the people home, and open the -markets; he said such were your orders. But from him I take nothing -except liberty. But you, O king, what will you,--peace or war?" - -Tula looked anxiously at the monarch; would the old vacillation return? -He replied firmly and gravely,-- - -"I have given my last order as king. Tula will go with you from the -palace, and deliver it to you." - -He arose while speaking, and gave the cacique a ring; then for a moment -he regarded the two with suffused eyes, and said, "I divide my love -between you and my people. For their sake, I say, go hence quickly, lest -Malinche change his mind. You, O my brother, and you, my child, take my -blessing and that of the gods! Farewell." - -He embraced them both. To Tula he clung long and passionately. More than -his ambassadress to the 'tzin, she bore his prophecy to the generations -of the future. His last kiss was dewy with her tears. With their faces -to him, they moved to the door; as they passed out, each gave a last -look, and caught his image then,--the image of a man breaking because he -happened to be in God's way. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - HOW TO YIELD A CROWN. - - -As the guard passed the old lord and the princess out of the gate -opposite the _teocallis_, the latter looked up to the _azoteas_ of the -sacred pile, and saw the 'tzin standing near the verge; taking off the -white scarf that covered her head, and fell from her shoulders, after -passing once around her neck, she gave him the signal. He waved his hand -in reply, and disappeared. - -The lord Cuitlahua, just released from imprisonment and ignorant of the -situation, scarcely knowing whither to turn yet impatient to set his -revenge in motion, accepted the suggestion of Tula, and accompanied her -to the temple. The ascent was laborious, especially to him; at the top, -however, they were received by Io' and Hualpa, and with every show of -respect conducted to the 'tzin. He saluted them gravely, yet -affectionately. Cuitlahua told him the circumstances of his release from -imprisonment. - -"So," said the 'tzin, "Malinche expects you to open the market, and -forbid the war; but the king,--what of him?" - -"To Tula he gave his will; hear her." - -[Illustration: SHE GAVE HIM THE SIGNAL] - -And she repeated the message of her father. At the end, the calm of the -'tzin's temper was much disturbed. At his instance she again and again -recited the prophecy. The words "Freedom and God" were as dark to him as -to the king, and he wondered at them. But that was not all. Clearly, -Montezuma approved the war; that he intended its continuance was equally -certain; unhappily, there was no designation of a commander. And in -thought of the omission, the young chief hesitated; never did -ambition appeal to him more strongly; but he brushed the allurement -away, and said to Cuitlahua,-- - -"The king has been pleased to be silent as to which of us should govern -in his absence; but we are both of one mind: the right is yours -naturally, and your coming at this time, good uncle, looks as if the -gods sent you. Take the government, therefore, and give me your orders. -Malinche is stronger than ever." He turned thoughtfully to the palace -below, over which the flag of Spain and that of Cortes were now -displayed. "He will require of us days of toil and fighting, and many -assaults. In conquering him there will be great glory, which I pray you -will let me divide with you." - -The lord Cuitlahua heard the patriotic speech with glistening eyes. -Undoubtedly he appreciated the self-denial that made it beautiful; for -he said, with emotion, "I accept the government, and, as its cares -demand, will take my brother's place in the palace; do you take what -else would be my place under him in the field. And may the gods help us -each to do his duty!" - -He held out his hand, which the 'tzin kissed in token of fealty, and so -yielded the crown; and as if the great act were already out of mind, he -said, ---- - -"Come, now, good uncle,--and you, also, Tula,--come both of you, and I -will show what use I made of the kingly power." - -He led them closer to the verge of the _azoteas_, so close that they saw -below them the whole western side of the city, and beyond that the lake -and its shore, clear to the sierra bounding the valley in that -direction. - -"There," said he, in the same strain of simplicity, "there, in the -shadow of the hills, I gathered the people of the valley, and the flower -of all the tribes that pay us tribute. They make an army the like of -which was never seen. The chiefs are chosen; you may depend upon them, -uncle. The whole great host will die for you." - -"Say, rather, for us," said the lord Cuitlahua. - -"No, you are now Anahuac"; and, as deeming the point settled, the 'tzin -turned to Tula. "O good heart," he said, "you have been a witness to all -the preparation. At your signal, given there by the palace gate, I -kindled the piles which yet burn, as you see, at the four corners of the -temple. Through them I spoke to the chiefs and armies waiting on the -lake-shore. Look now, and see their answers." - -They looked, and from the shore and from each pretentious summit of the -sierra, saw columns of smoke rising and melting into the sky. - -"In that way the chiefs tell me, 'We are ready,' or 'We are coming.' And -we cannot doubt them; for see, a dark line on the white face of the -causeway to Cojohuacan, its head nearly touching the gates at Xoloc; and -another from Tlacopan; and from the north a third; and yonder on the -lake, in the shadow of Chapultepec, a yet deeper shadow." - -"I see them," said Cuitlahua. - -"And I," said Tula. "What are they?" - -For the first time the 'tzin acknowledged a passing sentiment; he raised -his head and swept the air with a haughty gesture. - -"What are they? Wait a little, and you shall see the lines on the -causeways grow into ordered companies, and the shadows under Chapultepec -become a multitude of canoes; wait a little longer, and you shall see -the companies fill all the great streets, and the canoes girdle the city -round about; wait a little longer, and you may see the battle." - -And silence fell upon the three,--the silence, however, in which hearts -beat like drums. From point to point they turned their eager -eyes,--from the causeways to the lake, from the lake to the palace. - -Slowly the converging lines crawled toward the city; slowly the dark -mass under the royal hill, sweeping out on the lake, broke into -divisions; slowly the banners came into view, of every color and form, -and then the shields and uniforms, until, at last, each host on its -separate way looked like an endless unrolling ribbon. - -When the column approaching by the causeway from Tlacopan touched the -city with its advance, it halted, waiting for the others, which, having -farther to march, were yet some distance out. Then the three on the -_teocallis_ separated; the princess retired to her _chinampa_; the lord -Cuitlahua, with some nobles of the 'tzin's train, betook himself to the -new palace, there to choose a household; the 'tzin, for purposes of -observation, remained on the _azoteas_. - -And all the time the threatened palace was a picture of peace; the flags -hung idly down; only the sentinels were in motion, and they gossiped -with each other, or lingered lazily at places where a wall or a -battlement flung them a friendly shade. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - IN THE LEAGUER. - - -By and by a Spaniard came out through the main gateway of the palace; -after brief leave-taking with the guard there, he walked rapidly down -the street. The 'tzin, observing that the man was equipped for a -journey, surmised him to be a courier, and smiled at the confidence of -the master who sent him forth alone at such a time. - -The courier went his way, and the great movement proceeded. - -After a while Hualpa and Io' came down from the turret where, under the -urn of fire, they too had been watching, and the former said,-- - -"Your orders, O 'tzin, are executed. The armies all stand halted at the -gates of the city, and at the outlet of each canal I saw a division of -canoes lying in wait." - -The 'tzin looked up at the sun, then past meridian, and replied, "It is -well. When the chiefs see but one smoke from this temple they will enter -the city. Go, therefore, and put out all the fires except that of -Huitzil'." - -And soon but one smoke was to be seen. - -A little afterwards there was a loud cry from the street, and, looking -down, the 'tzin saw the Spanish courier, without morion or lance, -staggering as he ran, and shouting. Instantly the great gate was flung -open, and the man taken in; and instantly a trumpet rang out, and then -another and another. Guatamozin sprang up. The alarm-note thrilled him -no less than the Christians. - -The palace, before so slumberous, became alive. The Tlascalans poured -from the sheds, that at places lined the interior of the parapet, and -from the main building forth rushed the Spaniards,--bowmen, slingers, -and arquebusiers; and the gunners took post by their guns, while the -cavalry clothed their horses, and stood by the bridles. There was no -tumult, no confusion; and when the 'tzin saw them in their -places--placid, confident, ready--his heart beat hard: he would win,--on -that he was resolved,--but ah, at what mighty cost! - -Soon, half drowned by the voices of the captains mustering the enemy -below, he heard another sound rising from every quarter of the city, -but deeper and more sustained, where the great columns marched. -He listened intently. Though far and faint, he recognized the -_susurrante_,--literally the commingled war-cries of almost all the -known fighting tribes of the New World. The chiefs were faithful; they -were coming,--by the canals, and up and down the great streets, they -were coming; and he listened, measuring their speed by the growing -distinctness of the clamor. As they came nearer, he became confident, -then eager. Suddenly, everything,--objects far and near, the old palace, -and the hated flags, the lake, and the purple distance, and the -unflecked sky,--all melted into mist, for he looked at them through -tears. So the Last of the 'Tzins welcomed his tawny legions. - -While he indulged the heroic weakness, Io' and Hualpa rejoined him. -About the same time Cortes and some of his cavaliers appeared on the -_azoteas_ of the central and higher part of the palace. They were in -armor, but with raised visors, and seemed to be conjecturing one with -another, and listening to the portentous sounds that now filled the -welkin. And as the 'tzin, in keen enjoyment, watched the wonder that -plainly possessed the enemy, there was a flutter of gay garments upon -the palace, and two women joined the party. - -"Nenetzin!" said Io', in a low voice. - -"Nenetzin!" echoed Hualpa. - -And sharper grew his gaze, while down stooped the sun to illumine the -face of the faithless, as, smiling the old smile, she rested lovingly -upon Alvarado's arm. He turned away, and covered his head. But soon a -hand was laid upon his shoulder, and he heard a voice,--the voice of the -'tzin,---- - -"Lord Hualpa, as once before you were charged, I charge you now. With -your own hand make the signal. Io' will bring you the word. Go now." -Then the voice sunk to a whisper. "Patience, comrade. The days for many -to come will be days of opportunity. Already the wrong-doer is in the -toils; yet a little longer. Patience!" - -The noise of the infidels had now come to be a vast uproar, astonishing -to the bravest of the listeners. Even Cortes shared the common feeling. -That war was intended he knew; but he had not sufficiently credited the -Aztec genius. The whole valley appeared to be in arms. His face became a -shade more ashy as he thought, either this was of the king, or the -people were capable of grand action without the king; and he griped his -sword-hand hard in emphasis of the oath he swore, to set the monarch and -his people face to face; that would he, by his conscience,--by the blood -of the saints! - -And as he swore, here and there upon the adjacent houses armed men -showed themselves; and directly the heads of columns came up, and, -turning right and left at the corners, began to occupy all the streets -around the royal enclosure. - -If one would fancy what the cavaliers then saw, let him first recall the -place. It was in the heart of the city. Eastward arose the -_teocallis_,--a terraced hill in fact, and every terrace a -vantage-point. On all other sides of the palace were edifices each -higher than its highest part; and each fronted with a wall resembling a -parapet, except that its outer face was in general richly ornamented -with fretwork and mouldings and arches and grotesque corbals and -cantilevers. Every roof was occupied by infidels; over the sculptured -walls they looked down into the fortress, if I may so call it, of the -strangers. - -As the columns marched and countermarched in the streets thus -beautifully bounded, they were a spectacle of extraordinary animation. -Over them played the semi-transparent shimmer or thrill of air, so to -speak, peculiar to armies in rapid movement,--curious effect of changing -colors and multitudinous motion. The Christians studied them with an -interest inappreciable to such as have never known the sensations of a -soldier watching the foe taking post for combat. - -Of arms there were in the array every variety known to the Aztecan -service,--the long bow; the javelin; slings of the ancient fashion, -fitted for casting stones a pound or more in weight; the _maquahuitl_, -limited to the officers; and here and there long lances with heads of -bronze or sharpened flint. The arms, it must be confessed, added little -to the general appearance of the mass,--a deficiency amply compensated -by the equipments. The quivers of the bowmen, and the pouches of the -slingers, and the broad straps that held them to the person were -brilliantly decorated. Equally striking were the costumes of the several -branches of the service: the fillet, holding back the long, straight -hair, and full of feathers, mostly of the eagle and turkey, though not -unfrequently of the ostrich,--costly prizes come, in the way of trade, -from the far _llanos_ of the south; the _escaupil_, of brightest -crimson; the shield, faced with brazen plates, and edged with flying -tufts of buffalo hair, and sometimes with longer and brighter locks, the -gift of a mistress or a trophy of war. These articles, though half -barbaric, lost nothing by contrast with the naked, dark-brown necks and -limbs of the warriors,--lithe and stately men, from whom the officers -were distinguished by helmets of hideous device and mantles -indescribably splendid. Over all shone the ensigns, _indicia_ of the -tribes: here a shining sphere; there a star, or a crescent, or a radial -sun; but most usually a floating cloth covered with blazonry. - -With each company marched a number of priests, bareheaded and frocked, -and a corps of musicians, of whom some blew unearthly discords from -conchs, while others clashed cymbals, and beat atabals fashioned like -the copper tam-tams of the Hindoos. - -Even the marching of the companies was peculiar. Instead of the slow, -laborious step of the European, they came on at a pace which, between -sunrise and sunset, habitually carried them from the bivouac twenty -leagues away. - -And as they marched, the ensigns tossed to and fro; the priests sang -monotonous canticles; the cymbalists danced and leaped joyously at the -head of their companies; and the warriors in the ranks flung their -shields aloft, and yelled their war-cries, as if drunk with happiness. - -As the inundation of war swept around the palace, a cavalier raised his -eyes to the temple. - -"_Valgame Dios!_" he cried, in genuine alarm. "The levies of the valley -are not enough. Lo, the legions of the air!" - -On the _azoteas_ where but the moment before only the 'tzin and Io' were -to be seen, there were hundreds of caparisoned warriors; and as the -Christians looked at them, they all knelt, leaving but one man standing; -simultaneously the companies on the street stopped, and, with those on -the house-tops, hushed their yells, and turned up to him their faces -countless and glistening. - -"Who is he?" the cavaliers asked each other. - -Cortes, cooler than the rest, turned to Marina: "Ask the princess -Nenetzin if she knows him." - -And Nenetzin answered,-- - -"The 'tzin Guatamo." - -As the two chiefs surveyed each other in full recognition, down from the -sky, as it were, broke an intonation so deep that the Christians were -startled, and the women fled from the roof. - -"_Ola!_" cried Alvarado, with a laugh. "I have heard that thunder -before. Down with your visors, gentlemen, as ye care for the faces your -mothers love!" - -Three times Hualpa struck the great drum in the sanctuary of Huitzil'; -and as the last intonation rolled down over the city the clamor of the -infidels broke out anew, and into the enclosure of the palace they -poured a cloud of missiles so thick that place of safety there was not -anywhere outside the building. - -To this time the garrison had kept silence; now, standing each at his -post, they answered. In the days of the former siege, besides preparing -banquettes for the repulsion of escalades, they had pierced the outer -walls, generally but little higher than a man's head, with loop-holes -and embrasures, out of which the guns, great and small, were suddenly -pointed and discharged. No need of aim; outside, not farther than the -leap of the flames, stood the assailants. The effect, especially of the -artillery, was dreadful; and the prodigious noise, and the dense, -choking smoke, stupefied and blinded the masses, so unused to such -enginery. And from the wall they shrank staggering, and thousands turned -to fly; but in pressed the chiefs and the priests, and louder rose the -clangor of conchs and cymbals: the very density of the multitude helped -stay the panic. - -And down from the temple came the 'tzin, not merely to give the effect -of his presence, but to direct the assault. In the sanctuary he had -arrayed himself; his _escaupil_ and _tilmatli_, of richest feather-work, -fairly blazed; his helm and shield sparkled; and behind, scarcely less -splendid, walked Io' and Hualpa. He crossed the street, shouting his -war-cry. At sight of him, men struggling to get away turned to fight -again. - -Next the wall of the palace the shrinking of the infidels had left a -clear margin; and there, the better to be seen by his people, the 'tzin -betook himself. In front of the embrasures he cleared the lines of fire, -so that the guns were often ineffectual; he directed attention to the -loopholes, so that the appearance of an arbalist or arquebus drew a -hundred arrows to the spot. Taught by his example, the warriors found -that under the walls there was a place of safety; then he set them to -climbing; for that purpose some stuck their javelins in the cracks of -the masonry; some formed groups over which others raised themselves; -altogether the crest of the wall was threatened in a thousand places, -insomuch that the Tlascalans occupied themselves exclusively in its -defence; and as often as one raised to strike a climber down, he made -himself a target for the quick bowmen on the opposite houses. - -And so, wherever the 'tzin went he inspired his countrymen; the wounded, -and the many dead and dying, and the blood maddened instead of daunting -them. They rained missiles into the enclosure; upon the wall they fought -hand to hand with the defenders; in their inconsiderate fury, many -leaped down inside, and perished instantly,--but all in vain. - -Then the 'tzin had great timbers brought up, thinking to batter in the -parapet. Again and again they were hurled against the face of the -masonry, but without effect. - -Yet another resort. He had balls of cotton steeped in oil shot blazing -into the palace-yard. Against the building, and on its tiled roof, they -fell harmless. It happened, however, that the sheds in which the -Tlascalans quartered consisted almost entirely of reeds, with roofs of -rushes and palm-leaves; they burst into flames. Water could not be -spared by the garrison, for the drought was great; in the extremity, the -Tlascalans and many Christians were drawn from the defences, and set to -casting earth upon the new enemy. Hundreds of the former were killed or -disabled. The flames spread to the wooden outworks of the wall. The -smoke almost blotted out the day. After a while a part of the wall fell -down, and the infidels rushed in; a steady fire of arquebuses swept -them away, and choked the chasm with the slain; still others braved the -peril; company after company dashed into the fatal snare uselessly, as -waves roll forward and spend themselves in the gorge of a sea-wall. - -The conflict lasted without abatement through long hours. The sun went -down. In the twilight the great host withdrew,--all that could. The -smoke from the conflagration and guns melted into the shades of night; -and the stars, mild-eyed as ever, came out one by one to see the wrecks -heaped and ghastly lying in the bloody street and palace-yard. - -All night the defenders lay upon their arms, or, told off in working -parties, labored to restore the breach. - -All night the infidels collected their dead and wounded, thousands in -number. They did not offer to attack,--custom forbade that; yet over the -walls they sent their vengeful warnings. - -All night the listening sentinels on the parapet noted the darkness -filled with sounds of preparation from every quarter of the city. And -they crossed themselves, and muttered the names of saints and good -angels, and thought shudderingly of the morrow. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - IN THE LEAGUER YET. - - -Guatamozin took little rest that night. The very uncertainty of the -combat multiplied his cares. It was not to be supposed that his enemy -would keep to the palace, content day after day with receiving assaults; -that was neither his character nor his policy. To-morrow he would -certainly open the gates, and try conclusions in the streets The first -duty, therefore, was to provide for such a contingency. So the 'tzin -went along all the streets leading to the old palace, followed by strong -working-parties; and where the highest houses fronted each other, he -stopped, and thereat the details fell to making barricades, and carrying -stones and logs to the roofs. As a final measure of importance, he cut -passages through the walls of the houses and gardens, that companies -might be passed quickly and secretly from one thoroughfare to another. - -Everywhere he found great cause for mourning; but the stories of the day -were necessarily lost in the demands of the morrow. - -He visited his caciques, and waited on the lord Cuitlahua to take his -orders; then he passed to the temples, whence, as he well knew, the -multitudes in great part derived their inspiration. The duties of the -soldier, politician, and devotee discharged, he betook himself to the -_chinampa_, and to Tula told the heroisms of the combat, and his plans -and hopes; there he renewed his own inspirations. - -Toward morning he returned to the great temple. Hualpa and Io', having -followed him throughout his round, spread their mantles on the roof, and -slept: he could not; between the work of yesterday and that to come, his -mind played pendulously, and with such forceful activity as forbade -slumber. From the quarters of the strangers, moreover, he heard -constantly the ringing of hammers, the neighing and trampling of steeds, -and voices of direction. It was a long night to him; but at last over -the crown of the White Woman the dawn flung its first light into the -valley; and then he saw the palace, its walls manned, the gunners by -their pieces, and in the great court lines of footmen, and at the main -gate horsemen standing by their bridles. - -"Thanks, O gods!" he cried. "Walls will not separate my people from -their enemies to-day!" - -With the sunrise the assault began,--a repetition of that of the day -before. - -Then the guns opened; and while the infidels reeled under the fire, out -of the gates rode Cortes and his chivalry, a hundred men-at-arms. Into -the mass they dashed. Space sufficient having been won, they wheeled -southward down the beautiful street, followed by detachments of bowmen -and arquebusiers and Tlascalans. With them also went Mesa and his guns. - -When fairly in the street, environed with walls, the 'tzin's tactics and -preparation appeared. Upon the approach of the cavalry, the companies -took to the houses; only those fell who stopped to fight or had not time -to make the exit. All the time, however, the horsemen were exposed to -the missiles tossed upon them from the roofs. Soon as they passed, out -rushed the infidels in hordes, to fall upon the flanks and rear of the -supporting detachments. Never was Mesa so hard pressed; never were helm -and corselet so nearly useless; never gave up the ghost so many of the -veteran Tlascalans. - -At length the easy way of the cavalry was brought to a stop; before them -was the first barricade,--a work of earth and stones too high to be -leaped, and defended by Chinantlan spears, of all native weapons the -most dreaded. Nevertheless, Cortes drew rein only at its foot. On the -instant his shield and mail warded off a score of bronzed points, -whirled his axe, crash went the spears,--that was all. - -Meantime, the eager horsemen in the rear, not knowing of the obstacle in -front, pressed on; the narrow space became packed; then from the roofs -on the right hand and the left descended a tempest of stones and lances, -blent with beams of wood, against which no guard was strong enough. Six -men and horses fell there. A cry of dismay arose from the pack, and much -calling was there on patron saints, much writhing and swaying of men -and plunging of steeds, and vain looking upward through bars of steel. -Cortes quitted smashing spears over the barricade. - -"Out! out! Back, in Christ's name!" he cried. - -The jam was finally relieved. - -Again his voice,-- - -"To Mesa, some of ye; bring the guns! Speed!" - -Then he, too, rode slowly back; and sharper than the shame of the -retreat, sharper than the arrows or the taunts of the foe, sharper than -all of them together, was the sight of the six riders in their armor -left to quick despoilment,--they and their good steeds. - -It was not easy for Mesa to come; but he did, opening within a hundred -feet of the barricade. Again and again he fired; the smoke wreathed -blinding white about him. - -"What sayest thou now?" asked Cortes, impatiently. - -"That thou mayest go, and thou wilt. The saints go with thee!" - -The barricade was a ruin. - -At the first bridge again there was a fierce struggle; when taken, the -floor was heaped with dead and wounded infidels. - -And so for hours. Only at the last gate, that opening on the causeway to -Iztapalapan, did Cortes stay the sally. There, riding to the rear, now -become the front, he started in return. Needless to tell how well the -Christians fought, or how devotedly the pagans resisted and perished. -Enough that the going back was more difficult than the coming. Four more -of the Spaniards perished on the way. - -At a late hour that night Sandoval entered Cortes' room, and gave him a -parchment. The chief went to the lamp and read; then, snatching his -sword from the table, he walked to and fro, as was his wont when much -disturbed; only his strides were longer, and the gride of the weapon on -the tiled floor more relentless than common. - -He stopped abruptly. - -"Dead, ten of them! And their horses, captain?" - -"Three were saved," replied Sandoval. - -"By my conscience, I like it not! and thou?" - -"I like it less," said the captain, naïvely. - -"What say the men?" - -"They demand to be led from the city while yet they have strength to -go." - -Cortes frowned and continued his walk. When next he stopped, he said, in -the tone of a man whose mind was made up,-- - -"Good night, captain. See that the sentinels sleep not; and, captain, as -thou goest, send hither Martin Lopez, and mind him to bring one or two -of his master carpenters. Good night." - -The mind of the leader, never so quick as in time of trouble, had in the -few minutes reviewed the sortie. True, he had broken through the -barricades, taken bridge after bridge, and driven the enemy often as -they opposed him; he had gone triumphantly to the very gates of the -city, and returned, and joined Olmedo in unctuous celebration of the -achievement; yet the good was not as clear and immediate as at first -appeared. - -He recalled the tactics of his enemy: how, on his approach, they had -vanished from the street and assailed him from the roofs; how, when he -had passed, they poured into the street again, and flung themselves hand -to hand upon the infantry and artillery. And the result,--ten riders and -seven horses were dead; of the Tlascalans in the column nearly all had -perished; every Christian foot-soldier had one or more wounds. At -Cempoalla he himself had been hurt in the left hand; now he was sore -with contusions. He set his teeth hard at thought of the moral effect of -the day's work; how it would raise the spirit of the infidels, and -depress that of his own people. Already the latter were clamoring to be -led from the city,--so the blunt Captain Sandoval had said. - -The enemy's advantage was in the possession of the houses. The -roofs dominated the streets. Were there no means by which he could -dominate the roofs? He bent his whole soul to the problem. Somewhere -he had read or heard of the device known in ancient warfare as -_mantelets_,--literally, a kind of portable roof, under which besiegers -approached and sapped or battered a wall. The recollection was welcome; -the occasion called for an extraordinary resort. He laid the sword -gently upon the table, gently as he would a sleeping child, and sent for -Lopez. - -That worthy came, and with him two carpenters, each as rough as himself. -And it was a picture, if not a comedy, to watch the four bending over -the table to follow Cortes, while, with his dagger-point, he drew lines -illustrative of the strange machine. They separated with a perfect -understanding. The chief slept soundly, his confidence stronger than -ever. - -Another day,--the third. From morn till noon and night, the clamor of -assault and the exertion of defence, the roar of guns from within, the -rain of missiles from without,--Death everywhere. - -All the day Cortes held to the palace. On the other side, the 'tzin kept -close watch from the _teocallis_. That morning early he had seen workmen -bring from the palace some stout timbers, and in the great court-yard -proceed to frame them. He plied the party with stones and arrows; again -and again, best of all the good bowmen of the valley, he himself sent -his shafts at the man who seemed the director of the work; as often did -they splinter upon his helm or corselet, or drop harmless from the close -links of tempered steel defending his limbs. The work went steadily on, -and by noon had taken the form of towers, two in number, and high as -ordinary houses. By sunset both were under roof. - -[Illustration: CORTES DREW REIN ONLY AT ITS FOOT] - -When the night came, the garrison were not rested; and as to the -infidels, the lake received some hundreds more of them, which was only -room made for other hundreds as brave and devoted. - -Over the palace walls the besiegers sent words ominous and disquieting, -and not to be confounded with the half-sung formulas of the watchers -keeping time on the temples by the movement of the stars. - -"Malinche, Malinche, we are a thousand to your one. Our gods hunger for -vengeance. You cannot escape them." - -So the Spaniards heard in their intervals of unrest. - -"O false sons of Anahuac, the festival is making ready; your hearts are -Huitzil's; the cages are open to receive you." - -The Tlascalans heard, and trembled. - -The fourth day. Still Cortes kept within the palace, and still the -assault; nor with all the slaughter could there be perceived any -decrease either in the number of the infidels or the spirit of their -attack. - -Meantime the workmen in the court-yard clung to the construction of the -towers. Lopez was skilful, Cortes impatient. At last they were finished. - -That night the 'tzin visited Tula. At parting, she followed him to the -landing. Yeteve went with her. "The blessing of the gods be upon you!" -she said; and the benediction, so trustful and sweetly spoken, was -itself a blessing. Even the slaves, under their poised oars, looked at -her and forgot themselves, as well they might. The light of the great -torch, kindled by the keeper of the _chinampa_, revealed her perfectly. -The head slightly bent, and the hands crossed over the breast, helped -the prayerful speech. Her eyes were not upon the slaves, yet their -effect was; and they were such eyes as give to night the beauty of -stars, while taking nothing from it, neither depth nor darkness. - -The canoe put off. - -"Farewell," said Io'. His warrior-life was yet in its youth. - -"Farewell," said Hualpa. And she heard him, and knew him thinking of his -lost love. - -In the 'tzin's absence the garrison of the temple had been heavily -reinforced. The _azoteas_, when he returned, was covered with warriors, -asleep on their mantles, and pillowed on their shields. He bade his -companions catch what slumber they could, and went into the grimy but -full-lighted presence-chamber, and seated himself on the step of the -altar. In a little while Hualpa came in, and stopped before him as if -for speech. - -"You have somewhat to say," said the 'tzin, kindly. "Speak." - -"A word, good 'tzin, a single word. Io' lies upon his mantle; he is -weary, and sleeps well. I am weary, but cannot sleep. I suffer--" - -"What?" asked the 'tzin. - -"Discontent." - -"Discontent!" - -"O 'tzin, to follow you and win your praise has been my greatest -happiness; but as yet I have done nothing by myself. I pray you, give me -liberty to go where I please, if only for a day." - -"Where would you go?" - -"Where so many have tried and failed,--over the wall, into the palace." - -There was a long silence, during which the supplicant looked on the -floor, and the master at him. - -"I think I understand you," the latter at length said. "To-morrow I will -give you answer. Go now." - -Hualpa touched the floor with his palm, and left the chamber. The 'tzin -remained thoughtful, motionless. An hour passed. - -"Over the wall, into the palace!" he said, musingly. "Not for country, -not for glory,--for Nenetzin. Alas, poor lad! From his life she has -taken the life. Over the wall into the--Sun. To-morrow comes swiftly; -good or ill, the gifts it brings are from the gods. Patience!" - -And upon the step he spread his mantle, and slept, muttering, "Over the -wall, into the palace, and she has not called him! Poor lad!" - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE BATTLE OF THE MANTAS. - - -The report of a gun awoke the 'tzin in the morning. The great uproar of -the assault, now become familiar to him, filled the chamber. He knelt on -the step and prayed, for there was a cloud upon his spirit, and over the -idol's stony face there seemed to be a cloud. He put on his helm and -mantle; at the door Hualpa offered him his arms. - -"No," he said, "bring me those we took from the stranger." - -Hualpa marked the gravity of his manner, and with a rising heart and a -smile, the first seen on his lips for many a day, he brought a Spanish -shield and battle-axe, and gave them to him. - -Then the din below, bursting out in greater volume, drew the 'tzin to -the verge of the temple. The warriors made way for him reverently. He -looked down into the square, and through a veil of smoke semilucent saw -Cortes and his cavaliers charge the ranks massed in front of the palace -gate. The gate stood open, and a crowd of the Tlascalans were pouring -out of the portal, hauling one of the towers whose construction had been -the mystery of the days last passed; they bent low to the work, and -cheered each other with their war-cries; yet the _manta_--so called by -Cortes--moved slowly, as if loath to leave. In the same manner the other -tower was drawn out of the court; then, side by side, both were started -down the street, which they filled so nearly that room was hardly left -for the detachments that guarded the Tlascalans on the flanks. - -The fighting ceased, and silently the enemies stared at the -spectacle,--such power is there in curiosity. - -At sight of the structures, rolling, rocking, rumbling, and creaking -dismally in every wheel, Cortes' eyes sparkled fire-like through his -visor. The 'tzin, on the other hand, was disturbed and anxious, although -outwardly calm; for the objects of the common wonder were enclosed on -every side, and he knew as little what they contained as of their use -and operation. - -Slowly they rolled on, until past the intersection of the streets; there -they stopped. Right and left of them were beautiful houses covered with -warriors for the moment converted into spectators. A hush of expectancy -everywhere prevailed. The 'tzin shaded his eyes with his hand, and leant -eagerly forward. Suddenly, from the sides of the machine next the walls, -masked doors dropped out, and guns, charged to the muzzle, glared over -the house-tops, then swept them with fire. - -A horrible scream flew along the street and up to the _azoteas_ of the -temple; at the same time, by ladders extended to the coping of the -walls, the Christians leaped on the roofs, like boarders on a ship's -deck, and mastered them at once; whereupon they returned, and were about -taking in the ladders, when Cortes galloped back, and, riding from one -to the other, shouted,-- - -"Ordas! Avila! _Mirad!_ Where are the torches I gave ye? Out again! -Leave not a stone to shelter the dogs! Leave nothing but ashes! _Pronto, -pronto!_" - -The captains answered promptly. With _flambeaux_ of resinous pine and -cotton, they fired all the wood-work of the interior of the buildings. -Smoke burst from the doors and windows; then the detachments retreated, -and were rolled on without the loss of a man. - -Behind the _mantas_ there was a strong rear-guard of infantry and -artillery; with which, and the guards on the flanks, and the cavaliers -forcing way at the front, it seemed impossible to avert, or even -interrupt, an attack at once so novel and successful. - -The smoke from the burning houses, momentarily thickening and widening, -was seen afar, and by the heathen hailed with cries of alarm: not so -Cortes; riding everywhere, in the van, to the rear, often stopping by -the _mantas_, which he regarded with natural affection, as an artist -does his last work, he tasted the joy of successful genius. The smoke -rising, as it were, to Heaven, carried up his vows not to stop until the -city, with all its idolatries, was a heap of ashes and lime,--a -holocaust to the Mother such as had never been seen. The cheeriness of -his constant cry, "_Christo, Christo y Santiago!_" communicated to his -people, and they marched laughing and fighting. - -Opposition had now almost ceased; at the approach of the _mantas_, the -house-tops were given up without resistance. A general panic appeared to -have seized the pagans; they even vacated the street, so that the -cavaliers had little else to do than ride leisurely, turning now and -then to see the fires behind them, and the tall machines come lumbering -on. - -As remarked, when the _mantas_ stopped at the intersection of the -streets, the 'tzin watched them eagerly, for he knew the time had come -to make their use manifest; he saw a door drop, and the jet of flame and -smoke leap from a gun; he heard the cry of agony from the house-tops, -and the deeper cry from all the people; to the chiefs around him he -said, with steady voice, and as became a leader,-- - -"Courage, friends! We have them now. Malinche is mad to put his people -in such traps. Lord Hualpa, go round the place of combat and see that -the first bridge is impassable; for there, unless the towers have wings, -and can fly, they must stop. And to you, Io'," he spoke to the lad -tenderly, "I give a command and sacred trust. Stay here, and take care -of the gods." - -Io' kissed his hand, and said, fervently, "May the gods care for me as I -will for them!" - -To other chiefs, calling them by name, he gave directions for the -renewal of the assault on the palace, now weakened by the sortie, and -for the concentration of fresh companies in the rear of the enemy, to -contest their return. - -"And now, my good lord," he said to a cacique, gray-headed, but of -magnificent frame, "you have a company of Tezcucans, formerly the guards -of king Cacama's palace. Bring them, and follow me. Come." - -A number of houses covering quite half a square were by this time on -fire. Those of wood burned furiously; the morning, however, was almost -breathless, so that the cinders did little harm. On the left side of the -street stood a building of red stone, its front profusely carved, and -further ornamented with a marble portico,--a palace, in fact, massively -built, and somewhat higher than the _mantas_. Its entrances were -barricaded, and on the roof, where an enemy might be looked for, there -was not a spear, helm, or sign of life, except some fan-palms and long -banana-branches. Before the stately front the _mantas_ were at length -hauled. Immediately the door on that side was dropped, and the ladder -fixed, and Avila, who had the command, started with his followers to -take possession and apply the torch. Suddenly, the coping of the -palace-front flamed with feathered helms and points of bronze. - -Avila was probably as skilful and intrepid as any of Cortes' captains; -but now he was surprised: directly before him stood Guatamozin, whom -every Spaniard had come to know and respect as the most rodoubted of all -the warriors of Anahuac; and he shone on the captain a truly martial -figure, confronting him with Spanish arms, a shield with a face of iron -and a battle-axe of steel. Avila hesitated; and as he did so, the end of -the ladder was lifted from the wall, poised a moment in the air, then -flung off. - -The 'tzin had not time to observe the effect of the fall, for a score of -men came quickly up, bringing a beam of wood as long and large as the -spar of a brigantine; a trailing rope at its further end strengthened -the likeness. Resting the beam on the coping of the wall, at a word, -they plunged it forward against the _manta_, which rocked under the -blow. A yell of fear issued from within. The Tlascalans strove to haul -the machine away, but the Tezcucans from their height tossed logs and -stones upon them, crushing many to death, and putting the rest in such -fear that their efforts were vain. Meantime, the beam was again shot -forward over the coping, and with such effect that the roof of the -_manta_ sprang from its fastenings, and nearly toppled off. - -The handiwork so rudely treated was not as stout as the ships Martin -Lopez sailed on the lake. It was simply a square tower, two stories -high, erected on wheels. The frame was enclosed with slabs, pinned on -vertically, and pierced with loopholes. On the sides there were -apertures defended by doors. The roof, sloping hip-fashion, had an outer -covering of undressed skins as protection against fire. The lower floor -was for the Tlascalans, should they be driven from the drag-ropes; in -the second story there was a gun, some arquebusiers, and a body of -pikemen to storm the house-tops; so that altogether the contrivance -could hardly stand hauling over the street, much less a battery like -that it was then receiving. At the third blow it became an untenable -wreck. - -"Avila!" cried Cortes. "Where art thou?" - -The good captain, with four of his bravest men, lay insensible, if not -dead, under the ladder. - -"Mercy, O Mother of God, mercy!" groaned Cortes; next moment he was -himself again. - -"What do ye here, men? Out and away before these timbers tumble and -crush ye!" - -One man stayed. - -"The gun, Señor, the gun!" he protested. - -Spurring close to the door, Cortes said, "As thou art a Christian, get -thee down, comrade, and quickly. I can better spare the gun than so good -a gunner." - -Then the beam came again, and, with a great crash, tore away the side of -the _manta_. The gun rolled backward, and burst through the opposite -wall of the room. The veteran disappeared. - -By this time all eyes were turned to the scene. The bowmen and -arquebusiers in the column exerted themselves to cover their unfortunate -comrades. Upon the neighboring houses a few infidels, on the watch, -yelled joyously,--"The 'tzin! the 'tzin!" From them the shout, spread -through the cowering army, became, indeed, a battle-cry significant of -success. - -To me, good reader, the miracles of the world, if any there be, are not -the things men do in masses, but the sublimer things done by one man -over the many; they testify most loudly of God, since without him they -could not have been. I am too good a Christian to say this of a -heathen; nevertheless, without the 'tzin his country had perished that -morning. Back to the roofs came the defenders, into the street poured -the companies again; no leisure now for the cavaliers. With the other -_manta_ Ordas moved on gallantly, but the work was hard; at some houses -he failed, others he dared not attack. From front to rear the contest -became a battle. In the low places of the street and pavement the blood -flowed warm, then cooled in blackening pools. The smoke of the consuming -houses, distinguishable from that of the temples, collected into a -cloud, and hung wide-spread over the combat. The yells of Christians and -infidels, fusing into a vast monotone, roared like the sea. Twice Mesa -went to the front,--the cavaliers had need of him,--twice he returned to -the rear. - -The wrath of the Aztecs seemed especially directed against the -Tlascalans tugging at the ropes of the _manta_; as a consequence, their -quilted armor was torn to rags, and so many of them were wounded, so -many killed, that at every stoppage the wheels were more difficult to -start; and to make the movement still more slow and uncertain, the -carcasses of the dead had to be rolled or carried out of the way; and -the dead, sooth to say, were not always Aztecs. - -Luis Marin halted to breathe. - -"_Ola, compañero!_ What dost thou there?" - -"By all the saints!" answered Alvarado, on foot, tightening his -saddle-girth. "Was ever the like? It hath been strike, strike,--kill, -kill,--for an hour. I am dead in the right arm from finger to shoulder. -And now here is a buckle that refuseth its work. _Caramba!_ My glove is -slippery with blood!" - -And so step by step,--each one bought with a life,--the Christians won -their way to the first bridge: the floor was gone! Cortes reined his -horse, bloody from hoof to frontlet, by the edge of the chasm. Since -daybreak fighting, and but a square gained! The water, never so placid, -was the utmost limit of his going. He looked at the _manta_, now, like -that of Avila, a mocking failure. He looked again, and a blasphemy -beyond the absolution of Olmedo, I fear, broke the clenching of his -jaws,--not for the machines, or the hopes they had raised, but the days -their construction lost him. As he looked, through a rift in the cloud -still rising along the battle's track, he saw the great temple; gay -banners and gorgeous regalia, all the splendor of barbaric war, filled -that view, and inspired him. To the cavaliers, close around and in -waiting, he turned. The arrows smote his mail and theirs, yet he raised -his visor: the face was calm, even smiling, for the will is a quality -apart from mind and passion. - -"We will go back, gentlemen," he said. "The city is on fire,--enough for -one day. And hark ye, gentlemen. We have had enough of common blood. Let -us go now and see of what the heathen gods are made." - -His hearers were in the mood; they raised their shields and shouted,-- - -"To the temple! To the temple! For the love of Christ, to the temple!" - -The cry sped down the column; and as the men caught its meaning they -faced about of their own will. Wounds, weariness, and disappointments -were forgotten; the rudest soldier became a zealot on the instant. _Al -templo! Adelante, adelante!_ rose like a new chorus, piercing the -battle's monotone. - -Cortes stood in his stirrups, and lo! the enemy, ranked close, like corn -in the full ear, yet outreaching his vision,--plumed, bannered, -brilliant, and terrible. - -"Close and steady, swords of the Church! What ye see is but grass for -the cutting. Yonder is the temple we seek. Follow me. _Adelante! Christo -y Santiago!_" - -So saying, he spurred in deep amongst the infidels. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - OVER THE WALL,--INTO THE PALACE. - - -The duty Hualpa had been charged with by the 'tzin was not difficult of -performance; for the bridges of the capital, even those along the -beautiful street, were much simpler structures than they appeared. When -he had seen the balustrades and flooring and the great timbers that -spanned the canal--the first one south of the old palace--torn from -their places, and hauled off by the canoemen whom he had collected for -the purpose, he returned to the temple to rejoin his master. - -The assault upon the palace, when he reached that point, was more -furious than at any previous time. The companies in the street were -fighting with marvellous courage, while the missiles from the _azoteas_ -and westward terraces of the temple, and all the houses around, -literally darkened the air. Amidst the clamor Hualpa caught at intervals -the cry,--"The 'tzin, the 'tzin!" He listened, and all the loyal -thousands seemed shouting, "The 'tzin, the 'tzin! _Al-a-lala!_" - -"Has anything befallen the 'tzin?" he asked of an acquaintance. - -"Yes, thanks to Huitzil'! He has broken one of Malinche's towers to -pieces, and killed everybody in it." - -Hualpa's love quickened suddenly. "Blessed be all the gods!" he cried, -and, passing on, ascended to the _azoteas_. It may have been the battle, -full of invocations, as battles always are; or it may have been that -Io', in full enjoyment of his command, and so earnest in its -performance, stimulated his ambition; or it may have been the influence -of his peculiar sorrow, the haunting memories of his love, and she, its -star, separated from him by so little,--something made him restless and -feverish. He talked with the caciques and priests; he clomb the turret, -and watched the smoke go softly up, and hide itself in the deeper blue -of the sky; with Io', he stood on the temple's verge, and witnessed the -fight, at times using bow and sling; but nothing brought him relief. The -opportunity he had so long desired was here calling him, and passing -away. O for an hour of liberty to enact himself! - -Unable to endure the excitement, he started in search of the 'tzin, -knowing that, wherever he was, there was action, if not opportunity. At -that moment he saw a cacique in the street plant a ladder against the -wall of the palace not far from the main gate. The Tlascalans defending -at that point tried to throw it off, but a shower of stones from the -terrace of the temple deluged them, and they disappeared. Up went the -cacique, up went his followers; they gained the crest; then the conflict -passed from Hualpa's view. - -"Io'," he said, "when the 'tzin comes back, tell him I have gone to make -a way for him through yon wall." - -"Have a care, comrade; have a care!" - -Hualpa put an arm around him, and replied, smiling, "There is one over -the wall now: if he fears not, shall I? And then,"--he whispered -low,--"Nenetzin will despise me if I come not soon." - -A dawning fell upon Io', and from that time he knew the power of love. - -"The gods go with you! Farewell." - -Hualpa set about his purpose deliberately. Near the door of the -presence-chamber there was a pile of trophies, shields, arms, and armor -of men and horses; he made some selections from the heap, and carried -them into the chamber. When he came out, under his _panache_ there was -a steel cap, and under his mantle a cuirass; and to some dead Spaniard -he was further beholden for a shield and battle-axe,--the latter so -called, notwithstanding it had a head like a hammer, and a handle of -steel pointed at the end and more than a yard in length. - -Thus prepared, he went down into the street, and forced his way to the -ladder planted near the gate; thence to the crest of the wall. A hundred -arrows splintered against his shield, as he looked down upon the combat -yet maintained by the brave cacique at the foot of the banquette. - -The wall, as I think I have elsewhere said, was built of blocks of -wrought stone, laid in cement only a little less hard than the stone, -and consequently impervious to any battery against its base; at the same -time, taken piece by piece from the top, its demolition was easy. Hualpa -paused not; between the blocks he drove the pointed handle of his axe: a -moment, and down fell the capping-stone; another followed, and another. -Alike indifferent to the arrows of the garrison and the acclamations of -the witnesses outside, looking neither here nor there, bending every -faculty to the task, he did in a few minutes what seemed impossible: -through a breach wide enough for the passage of a double sedan, foemen -within and without the wall saw each other. - -And there was hastening thither of detachments. Up the ladder and over -the wall leaped the devoted infidels, nothing deterred by waiting swords -and lances; striking or dying, they shouted, "The 'tzin, the 'tzin! -_Al-a-lala!_" Live or die, they strove to cover the steadfast workman in -the breach. - -De Olid, at the time in charge of the palace, drew nigh, attracted by -the increasing uproar. - -"Ye fools! Out on ye! See ye not that the dog is hiding behind a -Christian shield! Run, fly, bring a brace of arquebusiers! Bring the -reserve guns! Upon them, gentlemen! Swords and axes! The Mother for us -all! _Christo, Christo!_" - -And on foot, and in full armor, he pushed into the press; for, true to -his training, he saw that the laborer behind the shining shield was more -worthy instant notice than the hordes clambering over the wall. - -Still the breach widened and deepened, and every rock that tumbled from -its place contributed to the roadway forming on both sides of the wall -to facilitate the attack. But now the guns were coming, and the -arquebusiers made haste to plant their pieces, against which the good -shield might not defend. Suddenly Hualpa stood up, his surcoat whitened -with the dust of the mortar; without a word he descended to the street: -the work was done,--_a way for the 'tzin was ready_! Scarcely had he -touched the pavement before the guns opened; scarcely had the guns -opened before the gorge was crowded with infidels rushing in. The -palace, wanting the column absent with Cortes, was in danger. To the one -point every Christian was withdrawn; even the sick and wounded staggered -from the hospital to repel the attack. With all his gallantry, De Olid -was beaten slowly back to the house. Cursed he the infidels, prayed he -the return of Cortes,--still he went back. In the midst of his -perplexity, a messenger came to tell him the enemy was breaking through -the wall of the western front. - -Hualpa had not only made another breach,--De Olid found him inside the -enclosure, with a support already too strong for the Tlascalans. - -The fight the good captain was called to witness was that of native -against native; and, had the peril been less demanding, he would have -enjoyed its novelties. An astonishing rattle of shields and spears, -mixed with the clash of _maquahuitls_, and a deafening outcry from the -contending tribes saluted him. Over the fighting lines the air was -thick with stones and flying javelins and tossing banners. Quarter was -not once asked. The grim combatants engaged each other to conquer or -die. Hither and thither danced the priests, heedless of the danger, now -cursing the laggards, now blessing the brave. And at times so shrilly -blew the conchs that where they were nothing might be heard but the -shriller medley of war-cry answering war-cry. - -I doubt if the captain took other note of the fight than its menace to -the palace; and if he prayed the return of Cortes a little more -fervently than before, it was not from fear, or confusion of mind; for -straightway he appealed to that arm which had been the last and saving -resort of the Christians in many a former strait. Soon every disengaged -gun was in position before the western door of the palace, loaded full -of stones not larger than bird's-eggs, and trained, through the crowd, -upon the breach,--and afterwards there were those who charged that the -captain did not wait for all his Tlascalans to get out of the way. The -guns opened with united voices; palace and paved earth trembled; and the -smoke, returning upon the pieces, enveloped everything, insomuch that -the door of the house was not to be seen, nor was friend distinguishable -from enemy. - -If my reader has been in battle, he knows the effect of that fire too -well to require description of me; he can hear the cries of the wounded, -and see the ghastly wrecks on the pavement; he can see, too, the recoil -of the Aztecs, and the rush of the Tlascalans, savagely eager to follow -up their advantage. I leave the scene to his fancy, and choose rather to -go with a warrior who, availing himself of the shrouding of the smoke, -pushed through the throng behind the guns, and passed into the palace. -His steps were hurried, and he looked neither to the right nor left; -those whom he brushed out of the way had but time to see him pass, or to -catch an instant's view of a figure of motley appurtenances,--a -Christian shield and battle-axe, a close cap of steel, and the gleam of -a corselet under the colorless tatters of a surcoat of feather-work,--a -figure impossible to identify as friend or foe. The reader, however, -will recognize Hualpa coming out of the depths of the battle, but -going--whither? - -Once before, as may be remembered, he had been in the ancient -house,--the time when, in a fit of shame and remorse, he had come to lay -his lordship and castle at the king's feet; then he had entered by the -eastern portal, and passed to the royal presence under guidance: this -time his entry was from the west, and he was alone, and unacquainted -with the vast interior, its halls, passages, courts, and chambers. In -his first visit, moreover, peace had been the rule, and he could not go -amiss for friends: now the palace was a leaguered citadel, and he could -hardly go amiss for enemies. - -Whatever his purpose, he held boldly on. It is possible he counted on -the necessities of the battle requiring, as in fact they did, the -presence of every serviceable man of the garrison. The few he met passed -him in haste, and without question. He avoided the courts and occupied -rooms. In the heart of the building he was sensible that the walls and -very air vibrated to the roar without; and as the guns in the eastern -front answered those in the western, he was advised momentarily of the -direction in which he was proceeding, and that his friends still -maintained the combat. - -Directly three men passed clad in _nequen_; they were talking earnestly, -and scarcely noticed him; after them came another, very old, and -distinguished by a green _maxtlatl_ over his white tunic,--one of the -king's councillors. - -"Stay, uncle," said Hualpa, "stay; I have a question to ask you." - -The old man seemed startled. - -"Who are you?" he inquired. - -Hualpa did not appear to hear him, but asked, "Is not the princess -Nenetzin with the king, her father?" - -"Follow this hall to its end," replied the ancient, coldly. "She is -there, but not with the king, her father. Who is he," he continued, -after a pause,--"who is he that asks for the false princess?" - -With a groan Hualpa passed on. - -The hall ended in a small _patio_, which, at sight, declared itself a -retreat for love. The walls were finished with a confusion of arabesque -moulding, brilliantly and variously colored; the tracery around the open -doors and windows was a marvel of the art; there were flowers on the -floor, and in curious stands, urns, and swinging baskets; there were -also delicate vines, and tropical trees dwarfed for the place, amongst -which one full grown banana lifted its long branches of velvet green, -and seemed to temper the light with dewy coolness; in the centre, there -was a dead fountain. Indeed, the patio could have been but for the one -purpose. Here, walled in from the cares of empire, where only the day -was bold enough to come unbidden, the wise Axaya' and his less fortunate -successors, Tecociatzin and Avizotl, forgot their state, and drank their -cups of love, and were as other men. - -All the beauty of the place, however, was lost on Hualpa. He saw only -Nenetzin. She was sitting, at the time, in a low sedilium, her white -garments faintly tinted by the scarlet stripes of a canopy extended high -overhead, to protect her from the too ardent sun. - -At the sound of his sandals, she started; and as he approached her, she -arose in alarm. In sooth, his toilette was not that most affected for -the wooing of women; he brought with him the odor of battle; and as he -knelt but a little way from her, she saw there was blood upon his hands, -and upon the axe and shield he laid beside him. - -"Who are you?" she asked. - -He took off the steel cap and shapeless _panache_, and looked up in her -face. - -"The lord Hualpa!" she exclaimed. Then a thought flashed upon her -mind, and with terror in every feature, she cried, "Ah, you have -taken the palace! And the _Tonatiah_?"--she clasped her hands -despairingly,--"dead? a captive? Where is he? I will save him. Take me -to him." - -At these words, the uncertain expression with which he had looked up to -her upon baring his head changed to utter hopelessness. The hurried -sentences tore his heart, like talons. For this he had come to her -through so much peril! For this he was then braving death at her feet! -His head sunk upon his breast, and he said,-- - -"The palace is not ours. The _Tonatiah_ yet lives, and is free." - -With a sigh of relief, she resumed her seat, asking,-- - -"How came you here?" - -He answered without raising his eyes, "The keepers of the palace are -strong; they can stay the thousands, but they could not keep me out." - -The face of the listener softened; she saw his love, and all his -heroism, but said, coldly,-- - -"I have heard that wise men do such things only of necessity." - -"I do not pretend to wisdom," he replied. "Had I been wise, I would not -have loved you. Since our parting at Chapultepec, where I was so happy, -I have thought you might be a prisoner here, and in my dreams I have -heard you call me. And a little while ago, on the temple, I said to Io', -'Nenetzin will despise me, if I come not soon.' Tell me, O Nenetzin, -that you are a prisoner, and I will take you away. Tell me that the -stories told of you on the streets are not true, and--" - -"What stories?" she asked. - -"Alas, that it should be mine to tell them! And to you, Nenetzin, my -beautiful!" - -With a strong effort, he put down the feeling, and went on,-- - -"There be those who say that the good king, your father, is in this -prison by your betrayal; they say, too, that you are the keeper of a -shrine unknown to the gods of Anahuac; and yet more shamelessly, they -say you abide here with the _Tonatiah_, unmindful of honor, father, or -gods known or unknown. Tell me, O Nenetzin, tell me, I pray you, that -these are the tales of liars. If you cannot be mine, at least let me go -hence with cause to think you in purity like the snow on the mountain -top. My heart is at your feet,--O crush me not utterly!" - -Thereupon, she arose, with flushed face and flashing eyes, never so -proud, never so womanly. - -"Lord Hualpa, were you more or less to me than you are, I would make -outcry, and have you sent to death. You cannot understand me; yet I will -answer--because of the love which brought you here, I will answer." - -She went into a chamber, and returning, held up the iron cross, more -precious to her, I fear, as the gift of Alvarado than as the symbol of -Christ. - -"Look, lord Hualpa! This speaks to me of a religion better than that -practised in the temples, and of a God mightier than all those known in -Anahuac,--a God whom it is useless to resist, who may not be -resisted,--the only God. There, in my chamber, is an altar to Him, upon -which rests only this cross and such flowers as I can gather here in the -morning; that is the shrine of which you have heard upon the street. I -worship at no other. As to the king, I did come and tell the strangers -of the attack he ordered. Lord Hualpa, to me, as is the destiny of every -woman, the hour came to choose between love and father. I could not -else. What harm has come of my choice? Is not the king safe?" - -At that moment, the noise which had all the time been heard in the -_patio_, as of a battle up in the air, swelled trebly loud. The tendrils -of the vines shook; the floor trembled. - -"Hark!" she said, with an expression of dread. "Is he not safer than -that other for whom I forsook him? Yet I thought to save them both; and -saved they shall be!" she added, with a confident smile. "The God I -worship can save them, and He will." - -Then she became silent; and as he could tell by her face that she was -struggling with a painful thought, he waited, listening intently. At -length she spoke, this time with downcast eyes:-- - -"It would be very pleasant, O Hualpa, to have you go away thinking me -pure as snow on the mountain-top. And if--if I am not,--then in this -cross"--and she kissed the symbol tearfully--"there is safety for me. I -know there is a love that can purify all things." - -The sensibilities are not alike in all persons; but it is not true, as -some philosophers think, that infidels, merely because they are such, -are incapable of either great joy or great grief. The mother of El Chico -reviled him because he took his last look at Granada through tears; not -less poignant was the sorrow of Hualpa, looking at his love, by her own -confession lost to him forever; his head drooped, and he settled down -and fell forward upon his face, crushed by the breath of a woman,--he -whom a hundred shields had not sufficed to stay! - -For a time nothing was heard in the _patio_ but the battle. Nenetzin -stirred not; she was in the mood superinduced by pity and remorse, when -the mind merges itself in the heart, and is lost in excess of feeling. - -At length the spell was broken. A woman rushed in, clapping her hands -joyfully, and crying,-- - -"Be glad, be glad, O Nenetzin! Malinche has come back, and we are -saved!" - -And more the Doña Marina would have said, but her eyes fell upon the -fallen man, and she stopped. - -Nenetzin told his story,--the story women never tire of hearing. - -"If he stays here, he dies," said Marina, weeping. - -"He shall not die. I will save him too," said Nenetzin, and she went to -him, and took his hands, bloody as they were, and, by gentle words, woke -him from his stupor. Mechanically he took his cap, shield, and mace, and -followed her,--he knew not whither. - -And she paused not until he was safely delivered to Maxtla, in the -quarters occupied by the king. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - THE WAY THROUGH THE WALL. - - -"Al templo, _al templo_! to the temple!" shouted Cortes, as he charged -the close ranks of the enemy. - -"_Al templo!_" answered the cavaliers, plunging forward in chivalric -rivalry. - -And from the column behind them rolled the hoarse echo, with the words -of command superadded,-- - -"_Al templo! Adelante, adelante!_--forward!" - -Not a Spaniard there but felt the inspiration of the cry; felt himself a -soldier of Christ, marching to a battle of the gods, the true against -the false; yet the way was hard, harder than ever; so much so, indeed, -that the noon came before Cortes at last spurred into the space in -front of the old palace. - -The first object to claim attention there was the temple against which -the bigotry of the Christians had been so suddenly and shrewdly -directed,--shrewdly, because in the glory of its conquest the failure of -the _mantas_ was certain to be forgotten. In such intervals of the fight -as he could snatch, the leader measured the pile with a view to the -attack. Standing in his stirrups, he traced out the path to its summit, -beginning at the gate of the _coatapantli_, then up the broad stairs, -and around the four terraces to the _azoteas_,--a distance of nearly a -mile, the whole crowded with warriors, whose splendid regalia published -them lords and men of note, in arms to die, if need be, for glory and -the gods. As he looked, Sandoval rode to him. - -"Turn thine eyes hither, Señor,--to the palace, the palace!" - -Cortes dropped back into his saddle, and glanced that way. - -"By the Mother of Christ, they have broken through the wall!" - -He checked his horse. - -"Escobar," he said, calmly, through his half-raised visor, "take thou -one hundred men, the last in the column, and attack the temple. Hearest -thou? Kill all thou findest! Nay, I recollect it is a people with two -heads, of which I have but one. Bring me the other, if thou canst find -him. I mean the butcher they call the high priest. And more, Señor -Alonzo: when thou hast taken the idolatrous mountain, burn the towers, -and fear not to tumble the bloody gods into the square. Thy battle will -be glorious. On thy side God, the Son, and Mother! Thou canst not fail." - -"And thou, Olea," he added to another, "get thee down the street, and -hasten Mesa and his supports. Tell them the infidels are at the door of -the palace, and that the captain Christobal hath scarce room to lift his -axe. And further,--as speed is everything now,--bid Ordas out with the -gun, and fire the _manta_, which hath done its work. Spare not thy -horse!" - -With the last word, Cortes shut his visor, and, griping his axe, spurred -to the front, shouting,-- - -"To the palace, gentlemen! for love of Christ and good comrades. Rescue, -rescue!" - -Down the column sped the word,--then forward resistlessly, through the -embattled gate, into the enclosure; and none too soon, for, as Cortes -had said, though at the time witless of the truth, the Aztecs were -threatening the very doors of the palace. - -Escobar, elated with the task assigned him, arranged his men, and made -ready for the assault. The infidels beheld his preparation with -astonishment. All eyes, theretofore bent upon the conflict in the palace -yard, now fixed upon the little band so boldly proposing to scale the -sacred heights. A cry came up the street: "The 'tzin, the 'tzin!" then -the 'tzin himself came; and as he passed through the gate of the -_coatapantli_, the thousands recognized him, and breathed freely. "The -'tzin has come! The gods are safe!" so they cheered each other. - -The good captain led his men to the gate of the _coatapantli_. With -difficulty he gained entrance. As if to madden the infidels, already -fired by a zeal as great as his own, the dismal thunder of the great -drum of Huitzil' rolled down from the temple, overwhelming all other -sounds. Slowly he penetrated the enclosure; closely his command followed -him; yet not all of them; before he reached the stairway he was fighting -for, the hundred were but ninety. - -Twenty minutes,--thirty: at last Escobar set his foot on the first step -of the ascent. There he stopped; a shield of iron clashed against his; -his helmet rang with a deadly blow. When he saw light again, he was -outside the sacred wall, borne away by his retreating countrymen, of -whom not one re-entered the palace unwounded. - -Cortes, meantime, with sword and axe, cleared the palace of assailants; -and, as if the day's work were done, he prepared to dismount. Don -Christobal, holding his stirrup, said,-- - -"_Cierto, Señor_, thou art welcome. I do indeed kiss thy hand. I thank -thee." - -"Not so, captain, not so. By my conscience, we are the debtors! I will -hear nothing else. It is true we came not a moment too soon,"--he -glanced at the breach in the wall, and shook his head gravely,--"but--I -speak what may not be gainsaid--thou hast saved the palace." - -More he would have said in the same strain, but that a sentinel on the -roof cried out,-- - -"_Ola, Señores!_" - -"What wouldst thou?" asked Cortes, quickly. - -"I am an old soldier, Señor Hernan,--" - -"To the purpose, varlet, to the purpose!" - -"--whom much experience hath taught not to express himself hastily; -therefore, if thy orders were well done, Señor, whither would our -comrades over the way be going?" - -"To the top of the temple," said Cortes, gravely, while all around him -laughed. - -"Then I may say safely, Señor, that they will go round the world before -they arrive there. They come this way fast as men can who have to--" - -A long, exulting cry from the infidels cut the speech short; and the -party, turning to the temple, saw it alive with waving sashes and -tossing shields. - -"To horse, gentlemen!" said Cortes, quietly, but with flashing eyes. -"Satan hath ruled yon pile long enough. I will now tilt with him. Let -the trumpets be sounded! Muster the army! God's service hath become our -necessity. Haste ye!" - -Out of the gate, opened to receive Escobar and his bruised followers, -marched three hundred chosen Christians, with as many thousand -Tlascalans. In their midst went Olmedo, under his gown a suit of armor, -in his hand a lance, and on that a brazen crucifix. Other ensign there -was not. Cortes and his cavalry led the column, which was of all the -arms except artillery; that remained with De Olid to take care of the -palace. - -And never was precaution more timely; for hardly had the gate closed -upon the outgoers, before the good captain sent his garrison to the -walls, once more menaced by the infidels. - -The preparations of Escobar, as we have seen, had been under Io's view; -so the prince, divining the object, drew after him a strong support, and -hastened to keep the advantage of the stairways. On one of the eastern -terraces he met the 'tzin ascending. There was hurried salutation -between them. - -"Look you for Hualpa?" asked Io', observing the 'tzin search the company -inquiringly. - -"Yes. He should be here." - -The boy's face and voice fell. - -"I would he were, good 'tzin. He left me on the _azoteas_. With the look -of one who had devoted himself, he embraced me. His last words were, -'Tell the 'tzin I have gone to make for him a way into the palace.'" And -thereupon Io' told the story through, simply and sorrowfully; at the end -the listener kissed him, and said,-- - -"I will find the way he made for me." - -There was a silence, very brief, however, for a burst of yells from -below warned them of the fight begun. Then the 'tzin, recalled to -himself, gave orders. - -"Care of the gods is mine now. Leave me these friends and go, and with -the people at command, bring stones and timbers, all you find, and heap -them ready for use on the terraces at the head of each stairway. Go -quickly, so may you earn the double blessing of Huitzil' and Tezca'!" - -In a little time the 'tzin stood upon the last step of the lowest -stairway; nor did he lift hand until Escobar, half spent with exertion, -confronted him shield to shield. The result has been told. - -And then were shown the qualities which, as a fighting man, raised the -'tzin above rivalry amongst his people. The axe in his hand was but -another form of the _maquahuitl_; and that his shield was of the -Christian style mattered not,--he was its perfect master. With a joyous -cry, he rushed upon the arms outstretched to save the fallen captain; -played his shield like a shifting mirror; rose and fell the axe, now in -feint, now in foil, but always in circles swifter than eye could follow; -striking a victim but once, he amazed and dazzled the Spaniards, as in -the Moorish wars El Zagel, the Moor, amazed and dazzled their fathers. -Nor did he want support. His followers, inspired by his example, -struggled to keep pace with him. On the flanks poured the masses of his -countrymen, in blind fury, content if, with their naked hands, they -could clutch the weapons that slew them. Such valor was not to be -resisted by the lessening band of Christians, who yielded, at first inch -by inch, then step by step; at length, in disorder, almost in rout, they -were driven from the sacred enclosure. - -The victory was decided; the temple was safe, and the insult punished! -The air shook with the deep music of the drum; in the streets the -companies yelled as if drunk; the temple was beautiful with waving -sashes and tossing shields and banners; and on the _azoteas_ of the -great pile, in presence of the people, the priests appeared and danced -their dance of triumph,--a horrible saturnalia. The fight had been a -trial of power between the gods Christian and Aztec, and lo, Huitzil' -was master! - -The 'tzin felt the sweetness of the victory, and his breast filled with -heroic impulses. Standing in the gate of the _coatapantli_, he saw the -breach Hualpa had made in the wall enclosing the palace, noticed that -the ascent to the base of the gorge was easy, and the gorge itself now -wide enough to admit of the passage of several men side by side. The -temptation was strong, the possibilities alluring, and he fixed his -purpose. - -"It is the way he made for me, and I will tread it. Help me, O God of my -fathers!" - -So he resolved, so he prayed. - -And forthwith messengers ran to the chiefs on the four sides of the -palace with orders for them to pass the wall. From the dead Spaniards -the armor was stript, and arms taken; and the robbers, fourteen -caciques, men notable for skill and courage, stood up under cuirass, and -helm or morion, and with pike and battle-axe of Christian manufacture, -covered, nevertheless, with pagan trappings. - -Still standing in the gateway, the 'tzin saw the companies in the street -begin the assault. Swelled their war-cries as never before, for the -inspiration of the victory was upon them also; rattled the tambours, -brayed the conchs, danced the priests, and from the temple and housetops -poured the missiles in a darkening cloud. Within his view a hundred -ladders were planted, and crowded with eager climbers. At the gorge of -the breach men struggled with each other to make the passage first. He -called a messenger:-- - -"Take this ring to the prince Io'," he said. "Tell him the house of the -gods is once more in his care." Then to his chosen caciques he turned, -saying,--"Follow me, O countrymen!" - -With that, he walked swiftly to the breach; calm, collected, watchful, -silent, he walked. His companions shouted his war-cry. From mouth to -mouth it passed, thrilling and inspiring,-- - -"Up, up, Tlateloco! Up, up, over the wall! The 'tzin is with us!" - -Meantime the beseiged were not idle; over the crest of the parapet the -Tlascalans fought successfully; through the ports and embrasures the -Christians kept up their fire of guns great and small. Nevertheless, to -the breach the 'tzin went without stopping. - -"Clear the way!" he cried. - -The guns within made answer; a shower of blood drenched him from head to -foot. Except of the dead, the way was clear! A rush through the slippery -gorge,--a shout,--and he was inside the enclosure, backed by his -caciques. And as he went in, Cortes passed out, marching to storm the -temple. - -No doubt or hesitation on the 'tzin's part now; no looking about, -uncertain what to do, while bowmen and gunners made a mark of him. He -spoke to his supporters, and with them faced to the right, and cleared -the banquette of Tlascalans. Over the wall, thus cleared, and through -the breach leaped his people; and as they came, the iron shields covered -them, and they multiplied rapidly. - -About eight hundred Spaniards, chiefly Narvaez' men, defended the -palace. They fought, but not with the spirit of the veterans, and were -pushed slowly backward. As they retired, wider grew the space of -undefended wall; like waves over a ship's side, in poured the companies; -the Aztecs fell by scores, yet they increased by hundreds. - -Again the sick and wounded staggered from their quarters; again De Olid -brought his reserves into action; again the volleys shook the palace, -and wrapped it in curtains of smoke, whiter and softer than bridal -veils: still the infidels continued to master the walls and the space -within. By and by the gates fell into their hands; and then, indeed, all -seemed lost to the Christians. - -The stout heart of the good Captain Christobal was well tempered for the -trial. To the windows and lesser entrances of the buildings he sent -guards, stationing them inside; then, in front of the four great doors, -he drew his men back, and fought on, so that the palace was literally -girt with a belt of battle. - -An hour like that I write of seems a long time to a combatant; on this -occasion, however, one there was, not a combatant, to whom, possibly, -the time seemed much longer. In his darkened chamber sat the king, -neither speaking nor spoken to, though surrounded by his court. He must -have heard the cries of his people; knowing them so near, in fancy, at -least, he must have seen their heroism and slaughter. Had he no thought -in sympathy with them? no prayer for their success? no hope for himself -even? Who may answer?--so many there are dead in the midst of life. - -At length the 'tzin became weary of the mode of attack, which, after -all, was but a series of hand-to-hand combats along lengthened lines, -that might last till night, or, indeed, as long as there were men to -fill the places of the fallen. To the companies crowding the conquered -space before the eastern front of the palace, he passed an order: a -simultaneous forward movement from the rear took place; the intervals -between the ranks were closed up; a moment of fusion,--a pressure; then -a welding together of the whole mass followed. After that words may not -convey the scene. The unfortunates who happened to be engaged were first -pushed, then driven, and finally shot forward, like dead weights. -Useless all skill, useless strength; the opposite lines met; blood flew -as from a hundred fountains; men, impaled on opposing weapons, died, -nailed together face to face. As the only chance for life, very many -fell down, and were smothered. - -The defenders broke in an instant. Back, back they went,--back to the -guns, which, for a time, served as breakwaters to the wave; then past -the guns, almost to the wall, forced there by the awful impetus of the -rush. - -The truly great leaders of men are those who, invoking storms, stand out -and brave them when they come. Such was Guatamozin. The surge I have so -faintly described caught him foremost in the fighting line of his -people, and flung him upon his antagonists. With his shield he broke the -force of the collision; the cuirass saved him from their points; close -wedged amongst them, they could not strike him. Tossed like so much -drift, backward they went, forward he. Numbers of them fell and -disappeared. When, at last, the impetus of the movement was nigh spent, -he found himself close by the principal door of the palace. But one man -stood before him,--a warrior with _maquahuitl_ lifted to strike. The -'tzin raised his shield, and caught the blow; then, upon his knee, he -looked up, and saw the face, and heard the exulting yell, of--Iztlil', -the Tezcucan! Whirled the weapon again. The noble Aztec summoned all his -spirit; death glared upon him through the burning eyes of his hated -rival; up, clear to vision, rose all dearest things,--gods, country, -glory, love. Suddenly the raised arm fell; down dropped the -_maquahuitl_; and upon the shield down dropped Iztlil' himself, carrying -the 'tzin with him. - -The Tezcucan seemed dead. - -A friendly hand helped the 'tzin to his feet. He was conscious, as he -arose, of a strange calm in the air; the clamor and furious stir of the -combat were dying away; he stood in the midst of enemies, but they were -still, and did not even look at him. A shield not his own covered his -breast; he turned, and lo! the face of Hualpa! - -"Whence came you?" asked the 'tzin. - -"From the palace." - -"Thanks--" - -"Not now, not now," said Hualpa, in a low voice. "The gods who permitted -me to save you, O 'tzin, have not been able to save themselves. Look! to -the temple!" - -His eyes followed Hualpa's directing finger, and the same astonishment -that held his enemies motionless around him, the same horror that, in -the full tide of successful battle, had so instantly stayed his -countrymen, seized him also. He stood transfixed,--a man turned to -stone! - -The towers of the temple were in flames; and, yet more awful, the image -of Huitzil', rolled to the verge of the _azoteas_, was tottering to its -fall! A thousand hands were held up instinctively,--a groan,--a long -cry,--and down the stairway and terraces, grinding and crashing, -thundered the idol. Tezca' followed after, and the sacrificial stone; -then the religion of the Aztecs was ended forever. - -As if to assure the great fact, when next the spectators raised their -eyes to the _azoteas_, lo! Olmedo and his crucifix! The faithful servant -of Christ had performed his mission; he had burst the last gate, and -gained the last mountain in the way; and now, with bared head, and face -radiant with sublime emotion, he raised the symbol of salvation high up -in view of all the tribes, and, in the name of his Master, and for his -Master's Church, forever, by that simple ceremony, took possession of -the New World. - -And marvellous to relate further, the tribes, awed if not conquered, -bowed their heads in peace. Even the companies in the palace-yard -marched out over their dead, and gave up the victory so nearly won. -Guatamozin and Hualpa followed them, but with their faces to the foe. -Needless the defiance: as they went, not a word was spoken, not a hand -lifted. For the time, all was peace. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - BATTLE IN THE AIR. - - -As Cortes, at the head of his column, drew near the gate of the -_coatapantli_, he saw the inclosure and the terraces on that side of the -temple occupied by warriors, and the edge of the azoteas above lined -with _pabas_, chanting in dismal harmony with the deep music of the -great drum. Ensigns and symbols of unknown meaning, and rich regalia -pranked the dull gray faces of the pile with holiday splendors. Little -note, however, gave he to the beautiful effect. - -"God helping us," he said to his cavaliers,--and with such gravity that -they knew him unusually impressed with the task before them,--"God -helping us, gentlemen, we will do a deed now that hath no likeness in -the wars of men. Commend we ourselves each, and all who follow us, to -the holy Christ, who cometh yonder on the staff of Father Olmedo." - -So saying, he reversed his sword, and carried the crossed handle softly -and reverently to the bars of his helmet, and all who heard him did -likewise. - -In front of the gate, under a shower of arrows, he stopped to adjust the -armlets of his shield, for his hand was yet sore; then, settling in his -saddle again, he spurred his horse through the entrance into the -enclosure. - -Right into the mass waiting to receive him he broke, and whom his sword -left untouched the trained steed bore down. After him charged the -choicest spirits of the conquest, animated with generous rivalry and -the sublime idea that this time the fight was for God and His Church. -And so, with every thrust of sword and every plunge of horse, out rang -their cries. - -"On, on, for love of Christ! Death to the infidels! Down with the false -gods!" - -On the side of the infidels there was no yielding, for the ground was -holy ground to them. When their frail weapons were broken, they flung -themselves empty-handed upon the nearest rider, or under the horses, -and, dying even, tried to hold fast locked the hoofs that beat them to -death. In their aid, the pavement became heaped with bodies, and so -slippery with blood that a number of the horses fell down; and, in such -cases, if the rescue came not quickly they and their riders were lost. -Indeed, so much did this peril increase that Cortes, when his footmen -were fairly in the yard, dismounted the horsemen the better to wage the -fight. - -At length resistance ceased: the inclosure was won. The marble floor -bore awful evidences of the prowess of one party and the desperation of -the other. - -The Christians took up their wounded, and carried them tenderly to the -shade, for the sun blazed down from the cloudless sky. - -Around Cortes gathered the captains, resting themselves. - -"The Tlascalans must hold the yard," he said, well pleased, and with -raised visor. "That charge I commit to thee, Lugo." - -Lugo bared his face, and said, sullenly,-- - -"Thou knowest, Señor, that I am accustomed to obey thee questionless; -but this liketh me not. I--" - -"By the love of Christ--" - -"Even so, Señor," said Lugo, interrupting him in turn. "I feel bidden by -love of Christ to go up, and help cast down the accursed idols." - -The face of the crafty leader changed quickly. - -"_Ola_, father!" he said. "Here is one malcontent, because I would have -him stay and take care of us while we climb the stairways. What say'st -thou?" - -Olmedo answered solemnly, "What ye have in mind now, Señores,--the -disgrace of the false gods who abide in this temple of abominations,--is -what hath led us here. And now that the end is at hand, the least -circumstance is to be noted; for the wise hear God as often in the small -voice as in the thunder. Doubt not, doubt not; the prompting of the good -captain is from Him. Be this lower duty to the unassoilzied Tlascalans: -go we as the love of Christ calleth. Verily, he who doeth this work -well, though his sins be many as the sands of the sea, yet shall he -become as purity itself, and be blessed forever. Take thy measures -quickly, Señor, and let us be gone." - -"Amen, amen!" said the cavaliers; and Cortes, crossing himself, hastened -in person to make dispositions for the further emprise. - -The Tlascalans he set to hold the _coatapantli_ from attack without. To -the arquebusiers and cross-bowmen he gave orders to cover him with their -fire while he climbed the stairways and was driving the enemy around the -terraces. When the _azoteas_ was gained, they were to ascend, and take -part in the crowning struggle for the sanctuaries. The cavalry, already -dismounted, were to go with him in the assault. To the latter, upon -rejoining them, he said,-- - -"In my judgment, gentlemen, the fighting we go to now is of the kind -wherein the sword is better than axe or lance; therefore, put away all -else." - -He took place at the head, with Alvarado and Sandoval next him in the -column. - -"And thou, father?" he asked. - -Olmedo raised his crucifix, and, looking up, said,-- - -"_Hagase tu voluntad en la tierra asi como en el cielo._"[49] Then to -Cortes, "I will follow these, my children." - -"Forward, then! Christ with us, and all the saints!" cried Cortes. -"_Adelante! Christo y Santiago!_" - -In a moment they were swiftly climbing the lower stair way of the -temple. - -Meantime Io', from the _azoteas_, kept watch on the combats below. Two -figures charmed his gaze,--that of Cortes and that of the 'tzin,--both, -in their separate ways, moving forward slowly but certainly. Before he -thought of descending, the Christians were in the precinct of the -_coatapantli_, and after them streamed the long line of Tlascalans. - -As we have seen, the prince had been in battles, and more than once felt -the joyous frenzy nowhere else to be found; but now a dread fell upon -him. Did Malinche's dream of conquest reach the gods? Again and again he -turned to the sanctuaries, but the divine wrath came not forth,--only -the sonorous throbs of the drum. Once he went into the presence chamber, -which was full of kneeling _pabas_. The _teotuctli_ stood before the -altar praying. Io' joined in the invocation; but miracle there was not, -neither was there help; for when he came out, all the yard around the -temple was Malinche's. - -Then Io' comprehended that this attack, unlike Escobar's, was of method; -for the ways of succor, which were also those of retreat, were all -closed. The supreme trial had come early in his career. His spirit -arose; he saw himself the stay of the religion of his fathers; the gods -leaned upon him. On the roof and terraces were some two thousand -warriors, the fighting children of the valley: Tezcucans, with countless -glorious memories to sustain their native pride; Cholulans, eager to -avenge the sack of their city and the massacre of their countrymen; -Aztecs, full of the superiority of race, and the inspiration of ages of -empire. They would fight to the last man. He could trust them, as the -'tzin had trusted him. The struggle, moreover, besides being of special -interest on account of its religious character, would be in mid-air, -with the strangers and all the tribes and companies as witnesses. So, -with his caciques, he went down to the landing at the top of the lower -stairway. - -A yell saluted Cortes when, at the head of the cavaliers, he appeared on -the steps, and, sword in hand and shield overhead, commenced the -perilous ascent. At the same time javelins and spears began to rain upon -the party from the first terrace. Up they hurried. Half the height was -gained and not a man hurt,--not a foot delayed! Then, slowly at first, -but with longer leaps and increasing force, a block of stone was started -down the stairs. Fortunately, the steps were broad, having been built -for the accommodation of processions. Down sped a warning cry; down as -swiftly plunged the danger. Olmedo saw three figures of men in iron -follow it headlong to the bottom; fast they fell, but not too fast for -his words of absolution; before the victims touched the pavement, their -sins were forgiven, and their souls at rest in Paradise. - -The stones and timbers placed on the landing by the 'tzin's order were -now laid hold of, and rolled and dragged to the steps and hurled down. -Thus ten Christians more were slain. Even Cortes, deeming escape -impossible, turned his battle-cry into a prayer, and not in vain! From -below, the arquebusiers and cross-bowmen suddenly opened fire, which -they kept so close that, on the landing, the dead and wounded speedily -outnumbered the living. - -"The saints are with us! Forward, swords of the Church!" cried Cortes. - -Before the infidels recovered from their panic, he passed the last step, -and stood upon the terrace. And there, first in front of him, first to -meet him, was Io', whom pride and zeal would not permit to retire. - -The meeting--combat it can hardly be called--was very brief. The blades -of Io's _maquahuitl_ broke at the first blow. Cortes replied with a -thrust of the sword,--quick, but true, riving both the shield and the -arm. A cacique dragged the hapless boy out of reach of the second -thrust, and took his place before the conqueror. - -The terrace so hardly gained was smoothly paved, and wide enough for ten -men to securely walk abreast; on the outer side there was no railing or -guard of any kind, nothing but a descent of such height as to make a -fall certainly fatal. Four times the smooth, foot-worn pavement extended -around the temple, broken in its course by six grand stairways, the last -of which landed on the _azoteas_, one hundred and fifty feet above the -level of the street. Such was the highway of the gods, up which the -adventurous Christians essayed to march, fighting. - -"To my side, Sandoval! And ye, Alvarado, Morla, Lugo, Ordas, Duero,--to -my side!" said Cortes, defending himself the while. "Make with me a line -of shields across the way. Let me hear your voices. No battle-cry here -but Christ and St. James! When ye are ready, shout, that I may hear ye!" - -One by one the brave gentlemen took their places; then rose the cry, -"_Christo y Santiago! Christo y Santiago!_" - -And then the voice of Cortes,-- - -"Forward, my friends! Push the dogs! No quarter! _Christo y Santiago!_" - -Behind the line of shields moved the other cavaliers, eager to help when -help should be needed. - -And then were shown the excellences of the sword in a master's hand. The -best shields of the infidels could not bar its point; it overcame -resistance so quietly that men fell, wounded, or slain outright, before -they thought themselves in danger; it won the terrace, and so rapidly -that the Christians were themselves astonished. - -"_Ola, compañeros!_" said Cortes, who in the fiercest _mêleé_ was still -the watchful captain. "_Ola!_ Yonder riseth the second stairway. That -the heathen may not use the vantage against us, keep we close to this -pack. On their heels! Closer!" - -So they mounted the steps of the second stairway, fighting; and the -crowd which they kept between them and the enemy on the landing was a -better cover even than the fire of the bowmen and arquebusiers. And so -the terraces were all taken. Of the eight other Christians who fell -under the stones and logs rolled upon them from the heights above, two -lived long enough to be shrived by the faithful Olmedo. - -The _azoteas_ of the temple has been already described as a broad, paved -area, unobstructed except by the sacrificial stones and the sanctuaries -of Huitzil' and Tezca'. A more dreadful place for battle cannot be -imagined. The coming and going of worshippers, singly or in processions, -and of barefooted pabas, to whom the dizzy height was all the world, had -worn its surface smooth as furbished iron. If, as the combat rolled -slowly around the terraces, rising higher, and nearer the chiefs and -warriors on the summit,--if, in faintness of heart or hope, they looked -for a way of escape, the sky and the remote horizon were all they saw: -escape was impossible. - -With many others disabled by wounds, Io' ascended to the _azoteas_ in -advance of the fight; not in despair, but as the faithful might, never -doubting that, when the human effort failed, Huitzil', the Omnipotent, -would defend himself. He passed through the ranks, and with brave words -encouraged the common resolve to conquer or die. Stopping upon the -western verge, he looked down upon the palace, and lo! there was a rest -in the assault, except where the 'tzin fought, with his back to the -temple; and the thousands were standing still, their faces -upturned,--each where the strange truce found him,--to behold the hunted -gods in some majestic form at last assert their divinity. So Io' knew, -by the whisperings of his own faith. - -Again he turned prayerfully to the sanctuaries. At that instant Cortes -mounted the last step of the last stairway,--after him the line of -shields, and all the cavaliers,--after them again, Olmedo with his -crucifix! Then was wrought an effect, simple enough of itself, but so -timely that the good man--forgetful that the image of Christ dead on the -cross is nothing without the story of his perfect love and sorrowful -death--found believers when he afterwards proclaimed it a miracle. He -held the sacred effigy up to be seen by all the infidels; they gazed at -it as at a god unfriendly to their gods, and waited in awe for the -beginning of a struggle between the divine rivals; and while they -waited, Cortes and his cavaliers perfected their formation upon the -_azoteas_, and the bowmen and arquebusiers began to climb the second -stairway of the ascent. The moment of advantage was lost to the Aztecs, -and they paid the penalty. - -Io' waited with the rest; from crucifix to sanctuary, and sanctuary to -crucifix, he turned; yet the gods nursed their power. At last he awoke; -too late! there was no escape. Help of man was not possible, and the -gods seemed to have abandoned him. - -"Tezcuco! Cholula! Tenochtitlan! Up, up, Tlateloco, up!" - -Over the azoteas his words rang piercing clear, and through the ranks -towards the Christians he rushed. The binding of the spell was broken. -Shook the banners, pealed war-cry, conch, and atabal,--and the battle -was joined. - -"Hold fast until our brethren come; then shall our swords drink their -fill! _Christo y Santiago!_" - -Never was the voice of Cortes more confident. - -Need, nevertheless, had the cavaliers for all their strength and skill, -even the nicest cunning of fence and thrust. Every joint of their -harness was searched by javelin and spear, and the clang of -_maquahuitls_ against the faces of their shields was as the noise of a -thousand _armeros_ at work. The line swayed and bent before the surge, -now yielding, now recovering, at times ready to break, and then--death -awaited them all on the terraces below. For life they plied their -swords,--no, not for life alone; behind them to and fro strode Olmedo. - -"Strike, and spare not!" he cried. "Lo, the gates of hell yonder, but -they shall not prevail. Strike for Holy Church, whose swords ye are! For -Holy Cross, and room to worship above the Baals of heathendom! For glory -here, and eternal life hereafter!" - -So he cried as he strode; and the crucifix on his lance and the saintly -words on his lips were better than trumpets, better than a hundred Cids -in reserve. - -The great drum, which had been for a while silent, at this juncture -burst out again; and still more to inflame the infidels, forth from the -sanctuaries the pabas poured, and dispersed themselves, leaping, -dancing, singing, through the ranks. Doubtless they answered the -Christian priest, promise for promise, and with even greater effect; the -calm and self-possessed among their people became zealots, and the -zealots became frantic madmen. - -At last the bowmen and arquebusiers appeared upon the scene. When Cortes -saw them,--their line formed, matches lighted, bows drawn,--he drew out -of the combat to give them directions. - -"_Viva compañeros!_" he said, with a vivacity peculiar to himself, "I -bid ye welcome. The temple and its keepers are ours. We with swords will -now go forward. Keep ye the stairway, and take care of our flanks. Ply -your bolts,--ply them fast,--and spare not a cur in the kennel!" - -They made no answer, spake not a word. Stolidly, grimly they gazed at -him under their morions; they knew their duty, and he knew them. Once -more he turned to the fight. - -"To the sanctuaries!" he shouted, to the cavaliers. "We have come for -the false gods: let us at them. Charge, gentlemen, Christ with us! -Forward all!" - -Back came their response, "Forward! _Christo y Santiago!_" - -They advanced their shields suddenly; the play of their swords -redoubled; the weapons in front of them splintered like reeds; war-cries -half uttered turned to screams; under foot blood ran like water, and -feathered panoply and fallen men, dying and dead, blotted out the -pavement. Surprised, bewildered, baffled, the bravest of the infidels -perished; the rest gave way or were pushed helplessly back; and the -dismay thus excited rose to panic when the bowmen and arquebusiers -joined in the combat. A horrible confusion ensued. Hundreds threw away -their arms, and ran wildly around the _azoteas_; some flung themselves -from the height; some climbed the sanctuaries; some took to piteous -imploration of the doomed idols; others, in blind fury, rushed -empty-handed upon the dripping swords. - -Steadily, as a good craft divides the current and its eddies, Cortes -made way to the sanctuaries, impatient to possess the idols, that, at -one blow, he might crush the faith they represented, after which he made -no doubt of the submission of the nations in arms. A rare faculty that -which, in the heat of battle, can weave webs of policy, and in the -mind's eye trace out lines of wise conduct. - -When, at last, the end was nigh, such of the pabas as survived withdrew -themselves from the delirious mob, and assembled around the sacrificial -stones. Some of them were wounded; on many the black gowns hung in -shreds; all of them had one purpose more, usually the last to linger in -an enthusiast's heart. There, where they had witnessed so many -sacrifices, and, in eager observance of auguries, overlooked or savagely -enjoyed the agony of the victims, they came themselves to die,--there -the sword found them; and from their brave, patient death we may learn -that Satan hath had his martyrs as well as Christ. - -About the same time another body collected in the space before the -presence chamber of Huitzil'. They were the surviving caciques, with Io' -in their midst. Having borne him out of the fray, they now took up a -last position to defend him and the gods. - -Upon them also the battle had laid a heavy hand; most of them were hurt -and bleeding; of their beautiful regalia only fragments remained; some -were without arms of any kind, some bore headless javelins or spears; a -few had _maquahuitls_. Not a word was spoken: they, too, had come to -die, and the pride of their race forbade repining. - -They saw the last of the pabas fall; then the rapacious swords, to -complete the work, came to them. In the front strode Cortes. His armor -shone brightly, and his shield, though spotted with blood, was as a -mirror from which the sun's rays shot, like darts, into the eyes of the -infidels attracted by its brightness. - -Suddenly, three warriors, unarmed, rushed upon him; his sword passed -through one of them; the others caught him in their arms. So quick, so -bold and desperate was the action that, before he could resist or his -captains help him, he was lifted from his feet and borne away. - -"Help, gentlemen! Rescue!" he cried. - -Forward sprang Sandoval, forward Alvarado, forward the whole line. The -caciques interposed themselves. Played the swords then never so fast and -deadly,--still the wall of men endured. - -Cortes with all his armor was a cumbrous burthen; yet the warriors bore -him swiftly toward the verge of the _azoteas_. No doubt of their -purpose: fair and stately were the halls awaiting them in the Sun, if -they but took the leap with him! He struggled for life, and called on -the saints, and vowed vows; at the last moment, one of them stumbled and -fell; thereupon he broke away, regained his feet, and slew them both. - -In the door of the sanctuary of Huitzil', meantime, Io' stood, biding -the sure result of the unequal struggle. Again and again he had striven -to get to the enemy; but the devoted caciques closed their circle -against him as compactly as against them. Nearer shone the resistless -blades,--nearer the inevitable death. The rumble and roar of the drum -poured from the chamber in mighty throbs; at times he caught glimpses of -the _azoteas_ strewn with bloody wreck; a sense of the greatness of the -calamity seized him, followed by the sullen calm which, in brave men -dying, is more an accusation of fate than courage, resignation, or -despair; upon his faculties came a mist; he shouted the old war-cry of -the 'tzin, and scarcely heard himself; the loves and hopes that had made -his young life beautiful seemed to rise up and fly away, not in the -air-line of birds, but with the slow, eccentric flight of star-winged -butterflies; then the light faded and the sky darkened; he reeled and -staggered, but while falling, felt himself drawn into the presence -chamber, and looking up saw the face of the _teotuctli_, and heard the -words, "I loved your father, and he loved the god, who may yet save us. -Come, come!" The loving hands took off his warlike trappings, and -covering him with the frock of a paba set him on the step of the altar -at the feet of the god; then the darkness became perfect, and he knew no -more. - -Directly there was a great shout within the chamber, blent with the -clang of armor and iron-shod feet; the _teotuctli_ turned, and -confronted Olmedo, with Cortes and the cavaliers. - -The Christian priest dropped his lance to the floor, threw back his -cowl, raised his visor, and pointing to the crucifix gazed proudly into -the face of the infidel pontiff, who answered with a look high and -scornful, as became the first and last servant of a god so lately the -ruler of the universe. And while they faced each other, the beating of -the drum ceased, and the clamor stilled, until nothing was heard but the -breathing of the conquerors, tired with slaughter. - -Then Cortes said,-- - -"Glory to Christ, whose victory this is! Thou, father, art his priest, -let thy will be done. Speak!" - -Olmedo turned to that quarter of the chamber where, by permission of -Montezuma, a Christian shrine and cross had been erected: shrine and -cross were gone! Answered he then,-- - -"The despoiler hath done his work. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. -Take this man," pointing to the _teotuctli_, "and bind him, and lead him -hence." - -Alvarado stepped forward, and took off the massive silver chain which he -habitually wore twice encircling his neck, and falling down low over his -breast-plate; with it he bound the wrists of the prisoner, who once, and -once only, cast an appealing glance up to the stony face of the idol. As -they started to lead him off, his eyes fell upon Io'; by a sign and look -of pity, he directed their attention to the boy. - -"He is not dead," said Sandoval, after examination. - -"Take him hence, also," Olmedo ordered. "At leisure to-morrow we can -learn what importance he hath." - -Hardly were the captives out when the chamber became a scene of wild -iconoclasm. The smoking censers were overthrown; the sculpturings on the -walls were defaced; the altar was rifled of the rich accumulation of -gifts; fagots snatched from the undying fires in front of the -sanctuaries were applied to the carved and gilded wood-work; and amid -the smoke, and with shouting and laughter and the noisy abandon of -school-boys at play, the zealots despoiled the gigantic image of its -ornaments and treasure,--of the bow and golden arrows in its hands; the -feathers of humming birds on its left foot; the necklace of gold and -silver hearts; the serpent enfolding its waist in coils glistening with -pearls and precious stones. A hundred hands then pushed the monster from -its sitting-place, and rolled it out of the door, and finally off the -_azoteas_. Tezca' shared the same fate. The greedy flames mounted to the -towers, and soon not a trace of the ages of horrible worship remained, -except the smoking walls of the ruined sanctuaries. - -Down from the heights marched the victors; into the palace they marched; -and not a hand was raised against them on the way; the streets were -almost deserted. - -"_Bien!_" said Cortes, as he dismounted once more in front of his -quarters. "_Muy bien!_ We have their king and chief-priests; we have -burned their churches, disgraced their gods, and slain their nobles by -the thousand. The war is over, gentlemen; let us to our couches. Welcome -rest! welcome peace!" - -And the weary army, accepting his words as verity, went to rest, though -the sun flamed in the brassy sky; but rest there was not; ere dreams -could follow slumber, the trumpets sounded, and the battle was on again, -fiercer than ever. - -The sun set, and the night came; then the companies thought to rest; -but Cortes, made tireless by rage, went out after them, and burned a -vast district of houses. - -And the flames so filled the sky with brilliance that the sun seemed to -have stood still just below the horizon. - -During the lurid twilight, Olmedo laid away, in shallow graves dug for -them in the palace-garden, more than fifty Christians, of whom six and -forty perished on the temple and its terraces. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [49] Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - - IN THE INTERVAL OF THE BATTLE--LOVE. - - -The _chinampa_, at its anchorage, swung lightly, like an Indian cradle -pendulous in the air. Over it stooped the night, its wings of darkness -brilliant with the plumage of stars. The fire in the city kindled by -Cortes still fitfully reddened the horizon in that direction,--a direful -answer to those who, remembering the sweetness of peace in the beautiful -valley, prayed for its return with the morning. - -Yeteve, in the hammock, had lulled herself into the sleep of dreams; -while, in the canoe, Hualpa and the oarsmen slept the sleep of the -warrior and laborer,--the sleep too deep for dreams. Only Tula and the -'tzin kept vigils. - -Just outside the canopy, in sight of the meridian stars, and where the -night winds came sighing through the thicket of flowers, a _petate_ had -been spread for them; and now she listened, while he, lying at length, -his head in her lap, talked of the sorrowful time that had befallen. - -He told her of the _mantas_, and their destruction; of how Hualpa had -made way to the presence of Nenetzin, and how she had saved his life; -and as the narrative went on, the listener's head drooped low over the -speaker's face, and there were sighs and tears which might have been -apportioned between the lost sister and the unhappy lover; he told of -the attack upon the palace, and of the fall of Iztlil', and how, when -the victory was won, Malinche flung the gods from the temple, and so -terrified the companies that they fled. - -"Then, O Tula, my hopes fell down. A people without gods, broken in -spirit, and with duty divided between two kings, are but grass to be -trodden. And Io',--so young, so brave, so faithful--" - -He paused, and there was a long silence, devoted to the prince's memory. -Then he resumed,-- - -"In looking out over the lake, you may have noticed that the city has -been girdled with men in canoes,--an army, indeed, unaffected by the -awful spectacle of the overthrow of the gods. I brought them up, and in -their places sent the companies that had failed me. So, as the sun went -down, I was able to pour fresh thousands upon Malinche. How I rejoiced -to see them pass the wall with Hualpa, and grapple with the strangers! -All my hopes came back again. That the enemy fought feebly was not a -fancy. Watching, wounds, battle, and care have wrought upon them. They -are wasting away. A little longer,--two days,--a day even,--patience, -sweetheart, patience!" - -There was silence again,--the golden silence of lovers, under the stars, -hand-in-hand, dreaming. - -The 'tzin broke the spell to say, in lower tones and with longer -intervals,-- - -"Men must worship, O Tula, and there can be no worship without faith. So -I had next to renew the sacred fire and restore the gods. The first was -easy: I had only to start a flame from the embers of the sanctuaries; -the fire that burned them was borrowed from that kept immemorially on -the old altars. The next duty was harder. The images were not of -themselves more estimable than other stones; neither were the jewels -that adorned them more precious than others of the same kind: their -sanctity was from faith alone. The art of arts is to evoke the faith of -men: make me, O sweetheart, make me master of that art, and, as the -least of possibilities, I will make gods of things least godly. In the -places where they had fallen, at the foot of the temple, I set the -images up, and gave each an altar, with censers, holy fire, and all the -furniture of worship. By and by, they shall be raised again to the -_azoteas_; and when we renew the empire, we will build for them -sanctuaries richer even than those of Cholula. If the faith of our -people demand more, then--" - -He hesitated. - -"Then, what?" she asked. - -He shuddered, and said lower than ever, "I will unseal the caverns of -Quetzal', and,--more I cannot answer now." - -The influence of Mualox was upon him yet. - -"And if that fail?" she persisted. - -Not until the stars at the time overhead had passed and been succeeded -by others as lustrous, did he answer,-- - -"And if that fail? Then we will build a temple,--one without images,--a -temple to the One Supreme God. So, O Tula, shall the prophecy of the -king, your father, be fulfilled in our day." - -And with that up sprang a breeze of summery warmth, lingering awhile to -wanton with the tresses of the willow, and swing the flowery island half -round the circle of its anchorage; and from the soothing hand on his -forehead, or the reposeful motion of the _chinampa_, the languor of -sleep stole upon his senses; yet recollection of the battle and its -cares was hard to be put away:-- - -"I should have told you," he said, in a vanishing voice, "that when the -companies abandoned us, I went first to see our uncle, the lord -Cuitlahua. The guards at the door refused me admittance; the king was -sick, they said." - -A tremor shook the hand on his forehead, and larger grew the great eyes -bending over him. - -"Did they say of what he was sick?" she asked. - -"Of the plague." - -"And what is that?" - -"Death," he answered, and next moment fell asleep. - -Over her heart, to hush the loudness of its beating, she clasped her -hands; for out of the chamber of the almost forgotten, actual as in -life, stalked Mualox, the paba, saying, as once on the temple he said, -"You shall be queen in your father's palace." She saw his beard of -fleecy white, and his eyes of mystery, and asked herself again and -again, "Was he indeed a prophet?" - -And the loving child and faithful subject strove hard to hide from the -alluring promise, for in its way she descried two living kings, her -father and her uncle; but it sought her continually, and found her, and -at last held her as a dream holds a sleeper,--held her until the stars -heralded the dawn, and the 'tzin awoke to go back to the city, back to -the battle,--from love to battle. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - THE BEGINNING OF THE END. - - -"Leave the city, now so nearly won! Surely, father, surely thou dost -jest with me!" - -So Cortes said as he sat in his chamber, resting his arm on the table, -the while Olmedo poured cold water on his wounded hand. - -The father answered without lifting his face,-- - -"Go, I say, that we may come back assured of holding what we have won." - -"Sayest thou so,--thou! By my conscience, here are honor, glory, empire! -Abandon them, and the treasure, a part of which, as thou knowest, I have -already accounted to his Majesty? No, no; not yet, father! I -cannot--though thou may'st--forget what Velasquez and my enemies, the -velveted minions of the court, would say." - -"Then it is as I feared," said Olmedo, suspending his work, and tossing -his hood farther back on his shoulders. "It is as I feared. The good -judgment which hath led us so far so well, and given riches to those who -care for riches, and planted the Cross over so many heathen temples is, -at last, at fault." - -The father's manner was solemn and reproachful. Cortes turned to him -inquiringly. - -"Señor, thou knowest I may be trusted. Heed me. I speak for Christ's -sake," continued Olmedo. "Leave the city we must. There is not corn for -two days more; the army is worn down with wounds and watching; scarcely -canst thou thyself hold an axe; the men of Narvaez are mutineers; the -garden is full of graves, and it hath been said of me that, for want of -time, I have shorn the burial service of essential Catholic rites. And -the enemy, Señor, the legions that broke through the wall last evening, -were new tribes for the first time in battle. Of what effect on them -were yesterday's defeats? The gods tumbled from the temple have their -altars and worship already. Thou may'st see them from the central -turret." - -The good man was interrupted. Sandoval appeared at the door. - -"Come," said Cortes, impatiently. - -The captain advanced to the table, and saluting, said, in his calm, -straightforward way,-- - -"The store for the horses is out; we fed them to-night from the rations -of the men. I gave Motilla half of mine, and yet she is hungry." - -At these words, the hand Olmedo was nursing closed, despite its wound, -as upon a sword-hilt, vice-like, and up the master arose, brow and cheek -gray as if powdered with ashes, and began to walk the floor furiously; -at last he stopped abruptly:-- - -"Sandoval, go bid the captains come. I would have their opinions as to -what we should do. Omit none of them. Those who say nothing may be -witnesses hereafter." - -The order was given quietly, with a smile even. A moment the captain -studied his leader's face, and I would not say he did not understand the -meaning of the simple words; for of him Cortes afterwards said, "He is -fit to command great armies." - -Cortes sat down, and held out the hand for Olmedo's ministrations; but -the father touched him caressingly, and said, when Sandoval was gone,-- - -"I commend thee, son, with all my soul. Men are never so much on trial -as when they stand face to face with necessity; the weak fight it, and -fall; the wise accept it as a servant. So do thou now." - -Cortes' countenance became chill and sullen. "I cannot see the -necessity--" - -"Good!" exclaimed Olmedo. "Whatsoever thou dost, hold fast to that. The -captains will tell thee otherwise, but--" - -"What?" asked Cortes, with a sneer. "The treasure is vast,--a million -_pesos_ or more. Dost thou believe they will go and leave it?" - -But Olmedo was intent upon his own thought. - -"_Mira!_" he said. "If the captains say there is a necessity, do thou -put in thy denial; stand on thy opinion boldly; and when thou givest up, -at last, yield thee to that other necessity, the demand of the army. And -so--" - -"And so," Cortes said with a smile, which was also a sneer, "and so thou -wouldst make a servant of one necessity by invoking another." - -"Yes; another which may be admitted without danger or dishonor. Thou -hast the idea, my son." - -"So be it, so be it,--_aguardamonos!_" - -Thereupon Cortes retired within himself, and the father began again to -nurse the wounded hand. - -And by and by the chamber was filled with captains, soldiers, and -caciques, whose persons, darkly visible in the murky light, testified to -the severity of the situation: rusted armor, ragged apparel, faded -trappings, bandaged limbs, countenances heavy with anxiety, or knit hard -by suffering,--such were the evidences. - -In good time Cortes arose. - -"_Ola_, my friends," he said, bluntly. "I have heard that there are -among ye many who think the time come to give the city, and all we have -taken, back to the infidels. I have sent for ye that I may know the -truth. As the matter concerneth interests of our royal master aside from -his dominion,--property, for example,--the Secretary Duero will make -note of all that passeth. Let him come forward and take place here." - -The secretary seated himself by the table with manuscript and pen. - -"Now, gentlemen, begin." - -So saying, the chief dropped back into his seat, and held the sore hand -to Olmedo for further care,--never speech more bluff, never face more -calm. For a time, nothing was heard but the silvery tinkle of the -falling water. At length one was found sturdy enough to speak; others -followed him; and, at last, when the opinion was taken, not a voice said -stay; on the contrary, the clamor to go was, by some, indecently loud. - -Cortes then stood up. - -"The opinion is all one way. Hast thou so written, Señor Duero?" - -The secretary bowed. - -"Then write again,--write that I, Hernan Cortes, to this retreat said, -No; write that, if I yield my judgment, it is not to any necessity of -which we have heard as coming from the enemy, but to the demand of my -people. Hast thou so written?" - -The secretary nodded. - -"Write again, that upon this demand I ordered Alonzo Avila and Gonzalo -Mexia to take account of all the treasure belonging to our master, the -most Christian king; with leave to the soldiers, when the total hath -been perfected and the retreat made ready, to help themselves from the -balance, as each one may wish. Those gentlemen will see that their task -be concluded by noon to-morrow. Hast written, Duero?" - -"Word for word," answered the secretary. - -"Very well. And now,"--Cortes raised his head, and spoke loudly,--"and -now, rest and sleep who can. This business is bad. Get ye gone!" - -And when they were alone, he said to Olmedo,-- - -"I have done ill--" - -"Nay," said the father, smiling, "thou hast done well." - -"_Bastante_,--we shall see. Never had knaves such need of all their -strength as when this retreat is begun; yet of what account will they be -when loaded down with the gold they cannot consent to leave behind?" - -"Why then the permission?" asked the father. - -Cortes smiled blandly,-- - -"If I cannot make them friends, by my conscience! I can at least seal -their mouths in the day of my calamity." - -Then bowing his head, he added,-- - -"Thy benediction, father." - -The blessing was given. - -"Amen!" said Cortes. - -And the priest departed; but the steps of the iron-hearted soldier were -heard long after,--not quick and determined as usual, but slow and -measured, and with many and long pauses between. So ambition walks when -marshalling its resources; so walks a heroic soul at war with itself and -fortune! He flung himself upon his couch at last, saying,-- - -"In my quiver there are two bolts left. The saints help me! I will speed -them first." - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - THE KING BEFORE HIS PEOPLE AGAIN. - - -Guatamozin's call at the royal palace to see the king, Cuitlahua, had -not been without result. When told that the monarch was too sick of the -plague to be seen, he called for the officer who had charge of the -accounts of tribute received for the royal support. - -"Show me," said the 'tzin, "how much corn was delivered to Montezuma for -Malinche." - -A package of folded _aguave_ leaves was brought and laid at the -accountant's feet. In a moment he took out a leaf well covered with -picture-writing, and gave it to the 'tzin, who, after study, said to a -cacique in waiting, "Bring me one of the couriers," and to another, -"Bring me wherewith to write." - -When the latter was brought, he sat down, and dipping a brush into a -vessel of liquid color, drew upon a clear, yellow-tinted leaf a picture -of a mother duck leading her brood from the shore into the water; by way -of signature, he appended in one corner the figure of an owl in flight. -On five other sheets he repeated the writing; then the missives were -given each to a separate courier with verbal directions for their -delivery. - -When he left the palace, the 'tzin laid his hand upon Hualpa's shoulder, -and said, joyfully,-- - -"Better than I thought, O comrade. Malinche has corn for one day only!" - -The blood quickened in Hualpa's heart, as he asked,--"Then the end is -near?" - -"To-morrow, or the next day," said the 'tzin. - -"But Montezuma is generous,--" - -"Can he give what he has not? To-night there will be delivered for his -use and that of his household, whom I have had numbered for the purpose, -provisions for one day, not more." - -"Then it is so! Praised be the gods! and you, O my master, wiser than -other men!" cried Hualpa, with upraised face, and a gladness which was -of youth again, and love so blind that he saw Nenetzin,--not the -stars,--and so deaf that he heard not the other words of the 'tzin,-- - -"The couriers bear my orders to bring up all the armies. And they will -be here in the morning." - - * * * * * - -In the depth of the night, while Cortes lay restlessly dreaming, his -sentinels on the palace were attracted by music apparently from every -quarter; at first, so mellowed by distance as to seem like the night -singing to itself; afterwhile, swollen into the familiar dissonant -minstrelsy of conch and atabal, mixed with chanting of many voices. - -"O ho!" shouted the outliers on the neighboring houses, "O ho, accursed -strangers! Think no more of conquest,--not even of escape; think only of -death by sacrifice! If you are indeed _teules_, the night, though -deepened by the smoke of our burning houses, cannot hinder you from -seeing the children of Anahuac coming in answer to the call of Huitzil'. -If you are men, open wide your ears that you may hear their paddles on -the lake and their tramp on the causeway. O victims! one day more, -then,--the sacrifice!" - -Even the Christians, leaning on their lances, and listening, felt the -heaviness of heart which is all of fear the brave can know, and crossed -themselves, and repeated such pater nosters as they could recollect. - -And so it was. The reserve armies which had been reposing in the vales -behind Chapultepec all marched to the city; and the noise of their -shouting, drumming, and trumpeting, when they arrived and began to -occupy its thoroughfares and strong places, was like the roar of the -sea. - -To the garrison, under arms meantime, and suffering from the influence -of all they heard, the dawn was a long time coming; but at last the sun -came, and poured its full light over the leaguered palace and courtly -precincts. - -But the foemen stood idly looking at each other; for in the night, -Cortes, on his side, had made preparations for peace. Two caciques went -from him to the king Cuitlahua, proposing a parley; and the king replied -that he would come in the morning, and hear what he had to say. So there -was truce as well as sunshine. - -"Tell me truly, Don Pedro,--as thou art a gentleman, tell me,--didst -thou ever see a sight like this?" - -Whereupon, Alvarado, who, with others, was leaning against the parapet -which formed part of the battlements of the eastern gate of the palace, -looked again, and critically, over that portion of the square visible -from his position, and replied,--"I will answer truly and lovingly as -if thou wert my little princess yonder in the _patio_. Sight like this I -never saw, and"--he added, with a quizzical smile--"never care to see -again." - -Orteguilla persisted,-- - -"Nay, didst thou ever see anything that surpassed it?" - -Once more Alvarado surveyed the scene,--of men a myriad, in the streets -rank upon rank; so on the houses and temple,--everywhere the glinting of -arms, and the brown faces of warriors glistening above their glistening -shields; everywhere _escaupiles_ of flaming red, and banners; everywhere -the ineffable beauty and splendor of royal war. The good captain -withdrew his enamoured gaze slowly:-- - -"No, never!" he said. - -Even he, the prince of gibes and strange oaths, forgot his tricks in -presence of the pageant. - -While the foemen looked at each other so idly, up the beautiful street -came heralds announcing Cuitlahua. Soon his palanquin, attended by a -great retinue of nobles, was brought and set down in front of the -eastern gate of the palace. Upon its appearance, the people knelt, and -touched the ground with their palms. Then there was a blare of Christian -trumpets, and Cortes, with Olmedo and Marina, came upon the turret. - -The heralds waved their silver wands: the hush became absolute; then the -curtains of the palanquin were rolled away, and the king turned his head -languidly, and looked up to Cortes, who raised his visor, and looked -down on him; and in the style of a conqueror demanded peace and quick -return to obedience. - -"If thou dost not," he said, "I will make thy city a ruin." - -The shrill voice of Marina, interpreting, flew wide over the space, so -peopled, yet so still; at the last word, there was a mighty stir, but -the heralds waved their wands, and the hush came back. - -On Cuitlahua's face the pallor of sickness gave place to a flush of -anger; he sat up, and signed to Guatamozin, and upon his shoulder laid -his hand trustingly, saying,-- - -"My son, lend me your voice; answer." - -The 'tzin, unmindful that the breath he drew upon his cheek was the -breath of the plague, put his arm around the king, and said, so as to be -heard to the temple's top,-- - -"The king Cuitlahua answers for himself and his people. Give ear, O -Malinche! You have desolated our temples, and broken the images of our -gods; the smoke of our city offends the sky; your swords are -terrible,--many have fallen before them, and many more will fall; yet we -are content to exchange in death a thousand of ours for one of yours. -Behold how many of us are left; then count your losses, and know that -you cannot escape. Two suns shall not pass, until, amidst our plenty, we -shall laugh to see you sick from hunger. For further answer, O Malinche, -as becomes the king of his people, Cuitlahua gives you the war-cry of -his fathers." - -The 'tzin withdrew his arm, and snatching the green _panache_ from the -palanquin, whirled it overhead, crying, "Up, up, Tlateloco! Up, -Tlateloco!" - -At sight of the long feathers streaming over the group, like a banner, -the multitude sprang to foot, and with horrible clamor and a tempest of -missiles drove the Christians from the turret. - -And of the two bolts in Cortes' quiver, such was the speeding of the -FIRST ONE! - - * * * * * - -An hour passed,--an hour of battle without and dispute within the -palace. - -To Cortes in his chamber then came Orteguilla, reporting. - -"I gave the king the message, Señor; and he bade me tell thee thy -purpose is too late. He will not come." - -The passion-vein[50] on Cortes' neck and forehead rose, and stood out -like a purple cord. - -"The heathen dog!" he cried. "Will not! He is a slave, and shall come. -By the holy blood of Christ, he shall come, or die!" - -Then Olmedo spoke,-- - -"If thou wilt hear, Señor, Montezuma affects me and the good Captain Oli -tenderly; suffer us to go to him, and see what we can do." - -"So be it, so be it! If thou canst bring him, in God's name, go. If he -refuse, then--I have sworn! Hearken to the hell's roar without! Let me -have report quickly. I will wait thee here. Begone!" - -Olmedo started. Cortes caught his sleeve, and looked at him fixedly. - -"_Mira!_" he said, in a whisper. "As thou lovest me do this work well. -If he fail--if he fail--" - -"Well?" said Olmedo, in the same tone. - -"Then--then get thee to prayers! Go." - -The audience chamber whither Oli and the priest betook themselves, with -Orteguilla to interpret, was crowded with courtiers, who made way for -them to the dais upon which Montezuma sat. They kissed his hand, and -declining the invitation to be seated began their mission. - -"Good king," said the father, "we bring thee a message from Malinche; -and as its object is to stay the bloody battle which is so grievous to -us all, and the slaughter which must otherwise go on, we pray thy pardon -if we make haste to speak." - -The monarch's face chilled, and drawing his mantle close he said, -coldly,-- - -"I am listening." - -Olmedo proceeded,-- - -"The Señor Hernan commiserates the hard lot which compels thee to listen -here to the struggle which hath lasted so many days, and always with the -same result,--the wasting of thy people. The contest hath become a -rebellion against thee as well as against his sovereign and thine. -Finally there will be no one left to govern,--nothing, indeed, but an -empty valley and a naked lake. In pity for the multitude, he is disposed -to help save them from their false leaders. He hath sent us, therefore, -to ask thee to join him in one more effort to that end." - -"Said he how I could help him?" asked the king. - -"Come and speak to the people, and disperse them, as once before thou -didst. And to strengthen thy words, and as his part of the trial, he -saith thou mayst pledge him to leave the city as soon as the way is -open. Only let there be no delay. He is in waiting to go with thee, good -king." - -The monarch listened intently. - -"Too late, too late!" he cried. "The ears of my people are turned from -me. I am king in name and form only; the power is another's. I am -lost,--so is Malinche. I will not go. Tell him so." - -There was a stir in the chamber, and a groan from the bystanders; but -the messengers remained looking at the poor king, as at one who had -rashly taken a fatal vow. - -"Why do you stay?" he continued, with a glowing face. "What more have I -to do with Malinche? See the state to which my serving him has already -reduced me." - -"Remember thy people!" said Olmedo, solemnly. - -Flashed the monarch's eyes as he answered,-- - -"My brave people! I hear them now. They are in arms to save themselves; -and they will not believe me or the promises of Malinche. I have -spoken." - -Then Oli moved a step toward the dais, and kissing the royal hand, said, -with suffused eyes,-- - -"Thou knowest I love thee, O king; and I say, _if thou carest for -thyself_, go." - -Something there was in the words, in the utterance, probably, that drew -the monarch's attention; leaning forward, he studied the cavalier -curiously; over his face the while came the look of a man suddenly -called by his fate. His lips parted, his eyes fixed; and but that battle -has voices which only the dead may refuse to hear his spirit would have -drifted off into unseemly reverie. Recalling himself with an effort, he -arose, and said, half-smiling,-- - -"A man, much less a king, is unfit to live when his friends think to -move him from his resolve by appeals to his fears." And rising, and -drawing himself to his full stature, he added, so as to be heard -throughout the chamber, "Very soon, if not now, you will understand me -when I say I do not care for myself. I desire to die. Go, my friends, -and tell Malinche that I will do as he asks, and straightway." - -Oli and Olmedo kissed his hands, and withdrew; whereupon he calmly gave -his orders. - -Very soon the 'tzin, who was directing the battle from a point near the -gate of the _coatapantli_, saw a warrior appear on the turret so lately -occupied by Cortes, and wave a royal _panache_. He raised his shield -overhead at once, and held it there until on his side the combat ceased. -The Christians, glad of a breathing spell, quit almost as soon. All eyes -then turned to the turret; even the combatants who had been fighting -hand to hand across the crest of the parapet, ventured to look that way, -when, according to the usage of the infidel court, the heralds came, and -to the four quarters of the earth waved their silver wands. - -Too well the 'tzin divined the meaning of the ceremony. "Peace," he -seemed to hear, and then, "Lover of Anahuac, servant of the -gods,--choose now between king and country. Now or never!" The ecstasy -of battle fled from him; his will became infirm as a child's. In the -space between him and the turret the smoke of the guns curled and -writhed sensuously, each moment growing fainter and weaker, as did the -great purpose to which he thought he had steeled himself. When he -brought the shield down, his face was that of a man whom long sickness -had laid close to the gates of death. Then came the image of Tula, and -then the royal permission to do what the gods enjoined,--nay, more than -permission, a charge which left the deed to his hand, that there might -be no lingering amongst the strangers. "O sweetheart!" he said, to -himself, "if this duty leave me stainless, whom may I thank but you!" - -Then he spoke to Hualpa, though with a choking voice,-- - -"The king is coming. I must go and meet him. Get my bow, and stand by me -with an arrow in place for instant use." - -Hualpa moved away slowly, watching the 'tzin; then he returned, and -asked, in a manner as full of meaning as the words themselves,-- - -"Is there not great need that the arrow should be very true?" - -The master's eyes met his as he answered, "Yes; be careful." - -Yet the hunter stayed. - -"O 'tzin," he said, "his blood is not in my veins. He is only my -benefactor. Your days are not numbered, like mine, and as yet you are -blameless; for the sake of the peace that makes life sweet, I pray you -let my hand do this service." - -And the 'tzin took his hand, and replied, fervently,-- - -"There is nothing so precious as the sight that is quick to see the -sorrows of others, unless it be the heart that hurries to help them. -After this, I may never doubt your love; but the duty is mine,--made so -by the gods,--and he has asked it of me. Lo, the heralds appear!" - -"He has asked it of you! that is enough," and Hualpa stayed no longer. - -Upon the turret the carpet was spread and the canopy set up, and forth -came a throng of cavaliers and infidel lords, the latter splendidly -bedight; then appeared Montezuma and Cortes. - -As the king moved forward a cry, blent of all feelings,--love, fear, -admiration, hate, reverence,--burst from the great audience; after which -only Guatamozin and Hualpa, in front of the gate, were left standing. - -And such splendor flashed from the monarch's person, from his sandals of -gold, tunic of feathers, _tilmatli_ of white, and _copilli_[51] -inestimably jeweled; from his face and mien issued such majesty that, -after the stormy salutation, the multitude became of the place a part, -motionless as the stones, the dead not more silent. - -With his hands crossed upon his breast he stood awhile, seeing and being -seen, and all things waited for him to speak; even the air seemed -waiting, it was so very hushed. He looked to the sky, flecked with -unhallowed smoke; to the sun, whose heaven, just behind the curtain of -brightness, was nearer to him than ever before; to the temple, place of -many a royal ceremony, his own coronation the grandest of all; to the -city, beautiful in its despoilment; to the people, for whom, though they -knew it not, he had come to die; at last his gaze settled upon -Guatamozin, and as their eyes met, he smiled; then shaking the -_tilmatli_ from his shoulder, he raised his head, and said, in a voice -from which all weakness was gone, his manner never so kingly,-- - -"I know, O my people, that you took up arms to set me free, and that was -right; but how often since then have I told you that I am not a -prisoner; that the strangers are my guests; that I am free to leave them -when I please, and that I live with them because I love them?" - -As in a calm a wind sometimes blows down, and breaks the placid surface -of a lake into countless ripples, driving them hither and thither in -sparkling confusion, these words fell upon the listening mass; a yell of -anger rose, and from the temple descended bitter reproaches. - -Yet the 'tzin was steady; and when the outcry ended, the king went on,-- - -"I am told your excuse now is, that you want to drive my friends from -the city. My children, here stands Malinche himself. He hears me say for -him that, if you will open the way, he and all with him will leave of -their own will." - -Again the people broke out in revilements, but the monarch waved his -hand angrily, and said,-- - -"As I am yet your king, I bid you lay down your arms--" - -Then the 'tzin took the ready bow from Hualpa; full to the ear he drew -the arrow. Steady the arm, strong the hand,--an instant, and the deed -was done! In the purple shadow of the canopy, amidst his pomp of -royalty, Montezuma fell down, covered, when too late, by a score of -Christian shields. Around him at the same time fell a shower of stones -from the temple. - -Then, with a shout of terror, the companies arose as at a word and fled, -and, panic-blind, tossed the 'tzin here and there, and finally left him -alone in the square with Hualpa. - -"All is lost!" said the latter, disconsolately. - -"Lost!" said the 'tzin. "On the temple yonder lies Malinche's last hope. -No need now to assail the palace. When the king comes out, hunger will -go in and fight for us." - -"But the people,--where are they?" - -The 'tzin raised his hand and pointed to the palace,-- - -"So the strangers have asked. See!" - -Hualpa turned, and saw the gate open and the cavaliers begin to ride -forth. - -"Go they this way, or yon," continued the 'tzin, "they will find the -same answer. Five armies hold the city; a sixth keeps the lake." - -Down the beautiful street the Christians rode unchallenged until they -came to the first canal. While restoring the bridge there, they heard -the clamor of an army, and lo! out of the gardens, houses, and temples, -far as the vision reached, the infidels poured and blocked the way. - -Then the cavaliers rode back, and took the way to Tlacopan. There, too, -the first canal was bridgeless; and as they stood looking across the -chasm, they heard the same clamor and beheld the same martial -apparition. - -Once more they rode, this time up the street toward the northern dike, -and with the same result. - -"_Ola_, father!" said Cortes, returned to the palace, "we may not stay -here after to-morrow." - -"Amen!" cried Olmedo. - -"Look thou to the sick and wounded; such as can march or move, get them -ready." - -"And the others?" asked the good man. - -"Do for them what thou dost for the dying. Shrieve them!" - -So saying, the Christian leader sank on his seat, and gave himself to -sombre thought. - -He had sped his _second and_--LAST BOLT! - -The rest of the day was spent in preparation for retreat. - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - - THE DEATH OF MONTEZUMA. - - -Again Martin Lopez had long conference with Cortes; after which, with -his assistant carpenters, he went to work, and, until evening time, the -echoes of the court-yard danced to the sounds of saw and hammer. - -And while they worked, to Cortes came Avila and Mexia. - -"What thou didst intrust to us, Señor, we have done. Here is a full -account of all the treasure, our royal master's included." - -Cortes read the statement, then called his chamberlain, Christobal de -Guzman. - -"Go thou, Don Christobal, and bring what is here reported into one -chamber, where it may be seen of all. And send hither the royal -secretaries, and Pedro Hernandez, my own clerk." - -The secretaries came. - -"Now, Señores Avila and Mexia, follow my chamberlain, and in his -presence and that of these gentlemen, take from the treasure the portion -belonging to his Majesty, the emperor. Of our wounded horses, then -choose ye eight, and of the Tlascalans, eighty, and load them with the -royal dividend, and what more they can carry; and have them always ready -to go. And as leaving anything of value where the infidels may be -profited is sinful, I direct,--and of this let all bear witness, -Hernandez for me, and the secretaries for his Majesty,--I direct, I say, -that ye set the remainder apart accessible to the soldiers, with leave -to each one of them to take therefrom as much as he may wish. Make note, -further, that what is possible to save all this treasure hath been -done. Write it, good gentlemen, write it; for if any one thinketh -differently, let him say what more I can do. I am waiting to hear. -Speak!" - -No one spoke. - -And while the division of the large plunder went on, and afterwards the -men scrambled for the remainder, Montezuma was dying. - -In the night a messenger sought Cortes. - -"Señor," he said, "the king hath something to ask of you. He will not -die comforted without seeing you." - -"Die, say'st thou?" and Cortes arose hastily. "I had word that his hurts -were not deadly." - -"If he die, Señor, it will be by his own hand. The stones wrought him -but bruises; and if he would let the bandages alone the arrow-cut would -shortly stop bleeding." - -"Yes, yes," said Cortes. "Thou wouldst tell me that this barbarian, -merely from being long a king, hath a spirit of such exceeding fineness -that, though the arrow had not cut him deeper than thy dull rowel -marketh thy horse's flank, yet would he die. Where is he now?" - -"In the audience chamber." - -"_Bastante!_ I will see him. Tell him so." - -Cortes stood fast, thinking. - -"This man hath been useful to me; may not some profit be eked out of him -dead? So many saw him get his wounds, and so many will see him die of -them, that the manner of his taking off may not be denied. What if I -send his body out and indict his murderers? If I could take from them -the popular faith even, then--By my conscience, I will try the trick!" - -And taking his sword and plumed hat and tossing a cloak over his -shoulder he sought the audience chamber. - -There was no guard at the door. The little bells, as he threw aside the -curtains, greeted him accusingly. Within, all was shadow, except where -a flickering lamplight played over and around the dais; nevertheless, he -saw the floor covered with people, some prostrate, others on their knees -or crouching face down; and the grim speculator thought, as he passed -slowly on, Verily, this king must also have been a good man and a -generous. - -The couch of the dying monarch was on the dais in the accustomed place -of the throne. At one side stood the ancients; at the other his queens -knelt, weeping. Nenetzin hid her face in his hand, and sobbed as if her -heart were breaking; she had been forgiven. Now and then Maxtla bent -over him to cleanse his face of the flowing blood. A group of cavaliers -were off a little way, silent witnesses; and as Cortes drew near, -Olmedo, who had been in prayer, extended toward the sufferer the ivory -cross worn usually at his girdle. - -"O king," said the good man imploringly, "thou hast yet a moment of -life, which, I pray thee, waste not. Take this holy symbol upon thy -breast, cross thy hands upon it, and say after me: I believe in One God, -the Father Almighty, in our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of -God, and in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life. Then pray thou: -O God the Father of Heaven, O God the Son, Redeemer of the World, O God -the Holy Ghost, O Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy upon my soul! Do -these things, say these words, O king, and thou shalt live after thy -bones have gone to dust. Thou shalt live forever, eternally happy." - -Courtiers and cavaliers, the queens, Nenetzin, even Cortes, watched the -monarch's waning face; never yet were people indifferent to the -issue--the old, old issue--of true god against false. Marina finished -the interpretation; then he raised his hand tremulously, and put the -holy sign away, saying,-- - -"I have but a moment to live, and will not desert the faith of my -fathers now." - -A great sigh of relief broke from the infidels; the Christians -shuddered, and crossed themselves; then Cortes stepped to Olmedo's side. - -"I received your message, and am here," said he, sternly. He had seen -the cross rejected. - -The king turned his pale face, and fixed his glazing eyes upon the -conqueror; and such power was there in the look that the latter added, -with softening manner, "What I can do for thee I will do. I have always -been thy true friend." - -"O Malinche, I hear you, and your words make dying easy," answered -Montezuma, smiling faintly. - -With an effort he sought Cortes' hand, and looking at Acatlan and -Tecalco, continued,-- - -"Let me intrust these women and their children to you and your lord. Of -all that which was mine but now is yours,--lands, people, -empire,--enough to save them from want and shame were small indeed. -Promise me; in the hearing of all these, promise, Malinche." - -Taint of anger was there no longer on the soul of the great Spaniard. - -"Rest thee, good king!" he said, with feeling. "Thy queens and their -children shall be my wards. In the hearing of all these, I so swear." - -The listener smiled again; his eyes closed, his hand fell down; and so -still was he that they began to think him dead. Suddenly he stirred, and -said faintly, but distinctly,-- - -"Nearer, uncles, nearer." - -The old men bent over him, listening. - -"A message to Guatamozin,--to whom I give my last thought as king. Say -to him, that this lingering in death is no fault of his; the aim was -true, but the arrow splintered upon leaving the bow. And lest the world -hold him to account for my blood, hear me say, all of you, that I bade -him do what he did. And in sign that I love him, take my sceptre, and -give it to him--" - -The voice fell away, yet the lips moved; lower the ancients stooped,-- - -"Tula and the empire go with the sceptre," he murmured, and they were -his last words,--his will. - -A wail from the women proclaimed him dead. - -The unassoilzied great may not see heaven; they pass from life into -history, where, as in a silent sky, they shine for ever and ever. So the -light of the Indian King comes to us, a glow rather than a brilliance; -for, of all fates, his was the saddest. Better not to be than to become -the ornament of another's triumph. Alas for him whose death is an -immortal sorrow! - -Out of the palace-gate in the early morning passed the lords of the -court in procession, carrying the remains of the monarch. The bier was -heavy with royal insignia; nothing of funeral circumstance was omitted; -honor to the dead was policy. At the same time the body was delivered, -Cortes indicted the murderers; the ancients through whom he spoke were -also the bearers of the dead king's last will; back to the bold -Spaniard, therefore, came the reply,-- - -"Cowards, who at the last moment beg for peace! you are not two suns -away from your own graves! Think only of them!" - -And while Cortes was listening to the answer, the streets about the -palace filled with companies, and crumbling parapet and solid wall shook -under the shock of a new assault. - -Then Cortes' spirit arose. - -"Mount, gentlemen!" he cried. "The hounds come scrambling for the -scourge; shame on us, if we do not meet them. And hearken! The prisoners -report a plague in the city, of which the new king is dying, and -hundreds are sick. It is the small-pox." - -"_Viva la viruela!_" shouted Alvarado. - -The shout spread through the palace. - -"Where God's curse is," continued Cortes, "Christians need not stay. -To-night we will go. To clear the way and make this day memorable let us -ride. Are ye ready?" - -They answered joyously. - -Again the gates were opened, and with a goodly following of infantry, -into the street they rode. Nothing withstood them; they passed the -canals by repairing the bridges or filling up the chasms; they rode the -whole length of the street until the causeway clear to Tlacopan was -visible. St. James fought at their head; even the Holy Mother stooped -from her high place, and threw handfuls of dust in the enemy's eyes. - -In the heat of the struggle suddenly the companies fell back, and made -open space around the Christians; then came word that commissioners from -king Cuitlahua waited in the palace to treat of peace. - -"The heathen is an animal!" said Cortes, unable to repress his -exultation. "To cure him of temper and win his love, there is nothing -like the scourge. Let us ride back, gentlemen." - -In the court-yard stood four caciques, stately men in peaceful garb. -They touched the pavement with their palms. - -"We are come to say, O Malinche, that the lord Cuitlahua, our king, -yields to your demand for peace. He prays you to give your terms to the -pabas whom you captured on the temple, that they may bring them to him -forthwith." - -The holy men were brought from their cells, one leaning upon the other. -The instructions were given; then the two, with the stately -commissioners, were set without the gate, and Cortes and his army went -to rest, never so contented. - -They waited and waited; but the envoys came not. When the sun went down, -they knew themselves deceived; and then there were sworn many full, -round, Christian oaths, none so full, so round, and so Christian as -Cortes'. - -A canoe, meantime, bore Io' to Tula. In the quiet and perfumed shade of -the _chinampa_ he rested, and soothed the fever of his wound. - -Meanwhile, also, a courier from the _teotuctli_ passed from temple to -temple; short the message, but portentous,-- - -"Blessed be Huitzil', and all the gods of our fathers! And, as he at -last saved his people, blessed be the memory of Montezuma! Purify the -altars, and make ready for the sacrifice, for to-morrow there will be -victims!" - -FOOTNOTES: - - [50] Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conq. - - [51] The crown. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - ADIEU TO THE PALACE. - - -At sunset a cold wind blew from the north, followed by a cloud which -soon filled the valley with mist; soon the mist turned to rain; then the -rain turned to night, and the night to deepest blackness. - -The Christians, thinking only of escape from the city, saw the change of -weather with sinking hearts. With one voice they had chosen the night as -most favorable for the movement, but they had in mind then a -semi-darkness warmed by south winds and brilliant with stars; not a time -like this so unexpectedly come upon them,--tempest added to gloom, icy -wind splashing the earth with icy water. - -Under the walls the sentinels cowered shivering and listening and, as is -the habit of wanderers surrounded by discomforts and miseries, musing of -their homes so far away, and of the path thither; on the land so beset, -on the sea so viewless. Recalled to present duty, they saw nothing but -the fires of the nearest temple faintly iridescent, and heard only the -moans of the blast and the pattering of the rain, always so in harmony -with the spirit when it is oppressed by loneliness and danger. - -Meantime, the final preparation for retreat went on with the -completeness of discipline. - -About the close of the second watch of the night, Cortes, with his -personal attendants,--page, equerry, and secretaries,--left his chamber -and proceeded to the eastern gate, where he could best receive reports, -and assure himself, as the divisions filed past him, that the column was -formed as he had ordered. The superstructure of the gate offered him -shelter; but he stood out, bridle in hand, his back to the storm. There -he waited, grimly silent, absorbed in reflections gloomy as the night -itself. - -Everything incident to the preparation which required light had been -done before the day expired; outside the house, therefore, there was not -a spark to betray the movement to the enemy; in fact, nothing to betray -it except the beat of horses' hoofs and the rumble of gun-carriages, and -they were nigh drowned by the tempest. If the saints would but help him -clear of the streets of the city, would help him to the causeway even, -without bringing the infidels upon him, sword and lance would win the -rest: so the leader prayed and trusted the while he waited. - -"My son, is it thou?" asked a man, close at his side. - -He turned quickly, and replied, "Father Bartolomé! Welcome! What dost -thou bring?" - -"Report of the sick and wounded." - -"I remember, I remember! Of all this bad business, by my conscience! no -part so troubled me as to say what should be done with them. At the last -moment thou wert good enough to take the task upon thyself. Speak: what -did thy judgment dictate? What did thy conscience permit?" - -The good man arranged his hood, the better to shield his face from the -rain, and answered,-- - -"Of the Christians, all who are able will take their places in the line; -the very sick will be borne by Tlascalans; the litters are ready for -them." - -"Very well," said Cortes. - -"The Tlascalans--" - -"_Cierto_, there the trouble began!" and Cortes laid his hand heavily on -the priest's shoulder. "Three hundred and more of them too weak to rise -from the straw, which yet hath not kept their bones from bruising the -stony floor! Good heart, what didst thou with them?" - -"They are dead." - -"Mother of God! Didst thou kill them?" Cortes griped the shoulder until -Olmedo groaned. "Didst thou kill them?" - -The father shook himself loose, saying, "There is no blood on my hands. -The Holy Mother came to my help; and this was the way. Remembrance of -the love of Christ forbade the leaving one Christian behind; but the -heathen born had no such appeal; they must be left,--necessity said so. -I could not kill them. By priestly office, I could prepare them for -death; and so I went from man to man with holy formula and sacramental -wafer. The caciques were with me the while, and when I had concluded, -they spoke some words to the sufferers: then I saw what never Christian -saw before. Hardly wilt thou believe me, but, Señor, I beheld the poor -wretches, with smiles, bare their breasts, and the chiefs begin and -thrust their javelins into the hearts of all there lying." - -An exclamation of horror burst from Cortes,-- - -"'Twas murder, murder! What didst thou?" - -Olmedo replied quickly, "Trust me, my son, I rushed in, and stayed the -work until the victims themselves prayed the chiefs to go on. Not even -then did I give over my efforts,--not until they made me understand the -purpose of the butchery." - -"And that? Haste thee, father. What thou tellest will stagger -Christendom!" - -Again Cortes caught the priest's shoulder. - -"Nay," said the latter, shrinking back, "thy hand is hard enough without -its glove of steel." - -"Pardon, father; but,--" - -"In good time, my son, in good time! What, but for thy impatience, I -would have said ere this is, that the object was to save the honor of -the tribe, and, by killing the unfortunates, rescue them from the gods -of their enemy. Accordingly, the bands who are first to enter the palace -to-night or to-morrow will find treasure,--much treasure as thou -knowest,--but not one victim." - -The father spoke solemnly, for in the circumstance there was a strain of -pious exaltation that found an echo in his own devoted nature; greatly -was he shocked to hear Cortes laugh. - -"_Valgame Dios!_" he cried, crossing himself; "the man blasphemes!" - -"Blasphemes, saidst thou?" and Cortes checked himself. "May the saints -forget me forever, if I laughed at the tragedy thou wert telling! I -laughed at thy simplicity, father." - -"Is this a time for jesting?" asked Olmedo. - -"Good father," said Cortes, gravely, "the bands that take the palace -to-night or to-morrow will find no treasure,--not enough to buy a -Christmas ribbon for a country girl. Look now. I went to the -treasure-room a little while before coming here, and there I found the -varlets of Narvaez loading themselves with bars of silver and gold; -they had sacks and pouches belted to their waists and shoulders, and -were filling them to bursting. Possibly some gold-dust spilled on the -floor may remain for those who succeed us; but nothing more. Pray thou, -good priest, good friend, pray thou that the treasure be not found in -the road we travel to-night." - -A body of men crossing the court-yard attracted Cortes; then four -horsemen approached, and stopped before him. - -"Is it thou, Sandoval?" he asked. - -"Yes, Señor." - -"And Ordas, Lugo, and Tapia?" - -"Here," they replied. - -"And thy following, Sandoval?" - -"The cavaliers of Narvaez whom thou gavest me, one hundred chosen -soldiers, and the Tlascalans to the number thou didst order." - -"_Bien!_ Lead out of the gate, and halt after making what thou deemest -room for the other divisions. Christ and St. James go with thee!" - -"Amen!" responded Olmedo. - -And so the vanguard passed him,--a long succession of shadowy files that -he heard rather than saw. Hardly were they gone when another body -approached, led by an officer on foot. - -"Who art thou?" asked Cortes. - -"Magarino," the man replied. - -"Whom have you?" - -"One hundred and fifty Christians, and four hundred Tlascalans." - -"And the bridge?" - -"We have it here." - -"As thou lovest life and honor, captain, heed well thine orders. Move -on, and join thyself to Sandoval." - -The bridge spoken of was a portable platform of hewn plank bolted to a -frame of stout timbers, designed to pass the column over the three -canals intersecting the causeway to Tlacopan, which, in the sally of the -afternoon, had been found to be bridgeless. If the canals were deep as -had been reported, well might Magarino be charged with particular care! - -In the order of march next came the centre or main body, Cortes' -immediate command. The baggage was in their charge, also the greater -part of the artillery, making of itself a long train, and one of vast -interest; for, though in the midst of a confession of failure, the -leader did not abate his intention of conquest,--such was a peculiarity -of his genius. - -"Mexia, Avila, good gentlemen," he said, halting the royal treasurers, -"let me assure myself of what beyond peradventure ye are assured." - -And he counted the horses and men bearing away the golden dividend of -the emperor, knowing if what they had in keeping were safely lodged in -the royal depositaries, there was nothing which might not be -condoned,--not usurpation, defeat even. Most literally, they bore his -fortune. - -A moment after there came upon him a procession of motley composition: -disabled Christians; servants, mostly females, carrying the trifles they -most affected,--here a bundle of wearing apparel, there a cage with a -bird; prisoners, amongst others the prince Cacama, heart-broken by his -misfortunes; women of importance and rank, comfortably housed in -curtained palanquins. So went Marina, her slaves side by side with those -of Nenetzin, in whose mind the fears, sorrows, and emotions of the -thousands setting out in the march had no place, for Alvarado had -wrapped her in his cloak, and lifted her into the carriage, and left a -kiss on her lips, with a promise of oversight and protection. - -As if to make good the promise, almost on the heels of her slaves rode -the deft cavalier, blithe of spirit, because of the happy chance which -made the place of the lover that of duty also. Behind him, well -apportioned of Christians and Tlascalans and much the largest of the -divisions, moved the rear-guard, of which he and Leon were chiefs. His -bay mare, Bradamante, however, seemed not to share his gayety, but -tossed her head, and champed the bit, and frequently shied as if scared. - -"Have done, my pretty girl!" he said to her. "Frightened, art thou? 'Tis -only the wind, ugly enough, I trow, but nothing worse. Or art thou -jealous? _Verguenza!_ To-morrow she shall find thee in the green -pasture, and kiss thee as I will her." - -"_Ola_, captain!" said Cortes, approaching him. "To whom speakest thou?" - -"To my mistress, Bradamante, Señor," he replied, checking the rein -impatiently. "Sometimes she hath airs prettier, as thou knowest, than -the prettinesses of a woman; but now,--So ho, girl!--now she--Have done, -I say!--now she hath a devil. And where she got it I know not, unless -from the knave Botello."[52] - -"What of him? Where is he?" asked Cortes, with sudden interest. - -"Back with Leon, talking, as is his wont, about certain subtleties, -nameless by good Christians, but which he nevertheless calleth -prophecies." - -"What saith the man now?" - -"Out of the mass of his follies, I remember three: that thou, Señor, -from extreme misfortune, shalt at last attain great honor; that to-night -hundreds of us will be lost,--which last I can forgive in him, if only -his third prediction come true." - -"And that?" - -"Nay, Señor, except as serving to show that the rogue hath in him a -savor of uncommon fairness, it is the least important of all; he saith -he himself will be amongst the lost." - -Then Cortes laughed, saying, "Wilt thou never be done with thy quips? -Lead on. I will wait here a little longer." - -Alvarado vanished, being in haste to recover his place behind Nenetzin. -Before Cortes then, with the echoless tread of panthers in the glade, -hurried the long array of Tlascalans; after them, the cross-bowmen and -arquebusiers, their implements clashing against their heavy armor; yet -he stood silent, pondering the words of Botello. Not until, with wheels -grinding and shaking the pavement, the guns reached him did he wake from -his thinking. - -"Ho, Mesa, well met!" he said to the veteran, whom he distinguished amid -a troop of slaves dragging the first piece. "This is not a night like -those in Italy where thou didst learn the cunning of thy craft; yet -there might be worse for us." - -"_Mira_, Señor!" and Mesa went to him, and said in a low voice, "What -thou saidst was cheerily spoken, that I might borrow encouragement; and -I thank thee, for I have much need of all the comfort thou hast to give. -A poor return have I, Señor. If the infidels attack us, rely not upon -the guns, not even mine: if the wind did not whisk the priming away, the -rain would drown it,--and then,"--his voice sunk to a whisper; "_our -matches will not burn!_" - -At that moment a gust dashed Cortes with water, and for the first time -he was chilled,--chilled until his teeth chattered; for simultaneously a -presentiment of calamity touched him with what in a man less brave would -have been fear. He saw how, without the guns, Botello's second -prediction was possible! Nevertheless, he replied,-- - -"The saints can help their own in the dark as well as in the light. Do -thy best. To-morrow thou shalt be captain." - -Then Cortes mounted his horse, and took his shield, and to his wrist -chained his battle-axe: still he waited. A company of horsemen brushed -past him, followed by a solitary rider. - -"Leon!" said Cortes. - -The cavalier stopped, and replied,-- - -"What wouldst thou, Señor?" - -"Are the guards withdrawn?" - -"All of them." - -"And the sentinels?" - -"I have been to every post; not a man is left." - -Cortes spoke to his attendants and they, too, rode off; when they were -gone he said to Leon,-- - -"Now we may go." - -And with that together they passed out into the street. Cortes turned, -and looked toward the palace, now deserted; but the night seemed to have -snatched the pile away, and in its place left a blackened void. Fugitive -as he was, riding he knew not to what end, he settled in his saddle -again with a sigh--not for the old house itself, nor for the comfort of -its roof, nor for the refuge in time of danger; not for the Christian -dead reposing in its gardens, their valor wasted and their graves -abandoned, nor for that other victim there sacrificed in his cause, -whose weaknesses might not be separated from a thousand services, and a -royalty superbly Eastern: these were things to wake the emotions of -youths and maidens, young in the world, and of poets, dreamy and -simple-minded; he sighed for the power he had there enjoyed,--the weeks -and months when his word was law for an empire of shadowy vastness, and -he was master, in fact, of a king of kings,--immeasurable power now -lost, apparently forever. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - THE PURSUIT BEGINS. - - -In the afternoon the king Cuitlahua, whose sickness had greatly -increased, caused himself to be taken to Chapultepec, where he judged he -would be safer from the enemy and better situated for treatment by his -doctors and nurses. Before leaving, however, he appointed a deputation -of ancients, and sent them, with his signet and a message, to -Guatamozin. - -The 'tzin, about the same time, changed his quarters from the -_teocallis_, now but a bare pavement high in air, to the old Cû of -Quetzal'. That the strangers must shortly attempt to leave the city he -knew; so giving up the assault on the palace, he took measures to -destroy them, if possible, while in retreat. The road they would move by -was the only point in the connection about which he was undecided. -Anyhow, they must seek the land by one of the causeways. Those by -Tlacopan and Tepejaca were the shortest; therefore, he believed one or -the other of them would be selected. Upon that theory, he accommodated -all his preparations to an attack from the lake, while the foe were -outstretched on the narrow dike. As sufficient obstructions in their -front, he relied upon the bridgeless canals; their rear he would himself -assail with a force chosen from the matchless children of the capital, -whose native valor was terribly inflamed by the ruin and suffering they -had seen and endured. The old Cû was well located for his part of the -operation; and there, in the sanctuary, surrounded by a throng of armed -caciques and lords, the deputies of the king Cuitlahua found him. - -If the shade of Mualox lingered about the altar of the peaceful god, no -doubt it thrilled to see the profanation of the holy place; if it sought -refuge in the cells below, alas! they were filled by an army in -concealment; and if it went further, down to what the paba, in his -poetic madness, had lovingly called his World, alas again! the birds -were dead, the shrubs withered, the angel gone; only the fountain lived, -of Darkness a sweet voice singing in the ear of Silence. - -So the 'tzin being found, this was the message delivered to him from the -king Cuitlahua:-- - -"May the gods love you as I do! I am sick with the sickness of the -strangers. Come not near me, lest you be taken also. I go to Chapultepec -to get ready for death. If I die, the empire is yours. Meantime, I give -you all power." - -Guatamozin took the signet, and was once more master, if not king, in -the city of his fathers. The deputies kissed his hand; the chiefs -saluted him; and when the tidings reached the companies below, the cells -rang as never before, not even with the hymns of their first tenants. - -While yet the incense of the ovation sweetened the air about him, he -looked up at the image of the god,--web of spider on its golden sceptre, -dust on its painted shield, dust bending its plumes of fire; he looked -up into the face, yet fair and benignant, and back to him rushed the -speech of Mualox, clear as if freshly spoken,--"Anahuac, the -beautiful,--her existence, and the glory and power that make it a thing -of worth, are linked to your action. O 'tzin, your fate and hers, and -that of the many nations, is one and the same!" and the beating of his -pulse quickened thrice; for now he could see that the words were -prophetic of his country saved by him. - -Then up the broad steps of the Cû, into the sanctuary, and through the -crowd, rushed Hualpa; the rain streamed from his quilted armor; and upon -the floor in front of the 'tzin, with a noise like the fall of a heavy -hammer, he dropped the butt of a lance to which was affixed a Christian -sword-blade. - -"At last, at last, O 'tzin!" he said, "the strangers are in the street, -marching toward Tlacopan." - -The company hushed their very breathing. - -"All of them?" asked the 'tzin. - -"All but the dead." - -Then on the 'tzin's lip a smile, in his eyes a flash as of flame. - -"Hear you, friends?" he said. "The time of vengeance has come. You know -your places and duty. Go, each one. May the gods go with you!" - -In a moment he and Hualpa were alone. The latter bent his head, and -crossing his hands upon his breast said,-- - -"When the burthen of my griefs has been greatest, and I cried out -continually, O 'tzin, you have held me back, promising that my time -would come. I doubt not your better judgment, but--but I have no more -patience. My enemy is abroad, and she, whom I cannot forget, goes with -him. Is not the time come?" - -Guatamozin laid his hand on Hualpa's:-- - -"Be glad, O comrade! The time has come; and as you have prepared for it -like a warrior, go now, and get the revenge so long delayed. I give you -more than permission,--I give you my prayers. Where are the people who -are to go with you?" - -"In the canoes, waiting." - -They were silent awhile. Then the 'tzin took the lance, and looked at -the long, straight blade admiringly; under its blue gleam lay the secret -of its composition, by which the few were able to mock the many, and -ravage the capital and country. - -"Dread nothing; it will conquer," he said, handing the weapon back. - -Hualpa kissed his hand, and replied, "I thought to make return for your -preferments, O 'tzin, by serving you well when you were king; but the -service need not be put off so long. I thank the gods for this night's -opportunity. If I come not with the rising of the sun to-morrow, -Nenetzin can tell you my story. Farewell!" - -With his face to his benefactor, he moved away. - -"Have a care for yourself!" said the 'tzin, regarding him earnestly; -"and remember there must be no sign of attack until the strangers have -advanced to the first causeway. I will look for you to-morrow. -Farewell!" - -While yet the 'tzin's thoughts went out compassionately after his -unhappy friend, up from their irksome hiding in the cells came the -companies he was to lead,--a long array in white tunics of quilted -cotton. At their head, the uniform covering a Christian cuirass, and -with Christian helm and battle-axe, he marched; and so, through the -darkness and the storm, the pursuit began. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [52] A reputed soothsayer. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - LA NOCHE TRISTE. - - -The movement of the fugitive army was necessarily slow. Stretched out in -the street, it formed a column of irregular front and great depth. A -considerable portion was of non-combatants, such as the sick and -wounded, the servants, women, and prisoners; to whom might be added the -Indians carrying the baggage and ammunition, and laboriously dragging -the guns. The darkness, and the rain beaten into the faces of the -sufferers by the wind, made the keeping order impossible; at each step -the intervals between individuals and between the divisions grew wider -and wider. After crossing two or three of the bridges, a general -confusion began to prevail; the officers, in dread of the enemy, failed -to call out, and the soldiers, bending low to protect their faces, and -hugging their arms or their treasure, marched in dogged silence, -indifferent to all but themselves. Soon what was at first a fair column -in close order became an irregular procession; here a crowd of all the -arms mixed, there a thin line of stragglers. - -It is a simple thing, I know, yet nothing has so much to do with what we -habitually call our spirits as the condition in which we are at the -time. Under an open sky, with the breath of a glowing morning in our -nostrils, we sing, laugh, and are brave; but let the cloud hide the blue -expanse and cover our walk with shadow, and we shrink within ourselves; -or worse, let the walk be in the night, through a strange place, with -rain and cold added, and straightway the fine thing we call courage -merges itself into a sense of duty or sinks into humbler concern for -comfort and safety. So, not a man in all the column,--not a cavalier, -not a slave,--but felt himself oppressed by the circumstances of the -situation; those who, only that afternoon, had charged like lions along -that very street now yielded to the indefinable effect, and were weak of -heart even to timidity. The imagination took hold of most of them, -especially of the humbler class, and, lining the way with terrors all -its own, reduced them to the state when panic rushes in to complete what -fear begins. They started at the soughing of the wind; drew to strike -each other; cursed the rattle of their arms, the hoof-beats of the -horses, the rumble of the carriage-wheels; on the houses, vaguely -defined against the sky, they saw sentinels ready to give the alarm, -and down the intersecting streets heard the infidel legions rushing upon -them; very frequently they stumbled over corpses yet cumbering the way -after the day's fight, and then they whispered the names of saints, and -crossed themselves: the dead, always suggestive of death, were never so -much so to them. - -And so, for many squares, across canals, past palaces and temples, they -marched, and nothing to indicate an enemy; the city seemed deserted. - -"Hist, Señor!" said Duero, speaking with bated breath. "Hast thou not -heard of the army of unbelievers that, in the night, while resting in -their camp, were by a breath put to final sleep? Verily, the same good -angel of the Lord hath been here also." - -"Nay, _compadre mio_," replied Cortes, bending in his saddle, "I cannot -so persuade myself. If the infidels meant to let us go, the going would -not be so peaceful. From some house-top we should have had their -barbarous farewell,--a stone, a lance, an arrow, at least a curse. By -many signs,--for that matter, by the rain which, driven through the -visor bars, is finding its way down the doublet under my -breastplate,--by many signs, I know we are in the midst of a storm. Good -Mother forfend, lest, bad as it is, it presage something worse!" - -At that moment a watcher on the _azoteas_ of a temple near by chanted -the hour of midnight. - -"Didst hear?" asked Cortes. "They are not asleep! Olmedo! father! Where -art thou?" - -"What wouldst thou, my son?" - -"That thou shouldst not get lost in this Tophet; more especially, that -thou shouldst keep to thy prayers." - -And about that time Sandoval, at the head of his advanced guard, rode -from the street out on the open causeway. Farther on, but at no great -distance, he came to the first canal. While there, waiting for the -bridge to be brought forward, he heard from the lake to his right the -peal long and loud of a conch-shell. His heart, in battle steadfast as a -rock, throbbed faster; and with raised shield and close-griped sword, he -listened, as did all with him, while other shells took up and carried -the blast back to the city, and far out over the lake. - -In the long array none failed to interpret the sound aright; all -recognized a signal of attack, and halted, the slave by his prolong, the -knight on his horse, each one as the moment found him. They said not a -word, but listened; and as they heard the peal multiply countlessly in -every direction,--now close by, now far off,--surprise, the first -emotion, turned to dismay. Flight,--darkness,--storm,--and now the -infidels! "May God have mercy on us!" murmured the brave, making ready -to fight. "May God have mercy on us!" echoed the timid, ready to fly. - -The play of the wind upon the lake seemed somewhat neutralized by the -density of the rain; still the waves splashed lustily against the -grass-grown sides of the causeway; and while Sandoval was wondering if -there were many, who, in frail canoes, would venture upon the waste at -such a time, another sound, heard, as it were, under that of the conchs, -yet too strong to be confounded with wind or surging water, challenged -his attention; then he was assured. - -"Now, gentlemen," he said, "get ye ready; they are coming. Pass the -word, and ride one to Magarino,--speed to him, speed him here! His -bridge laid now were worth a hundred lives!" - -As the yells of the infidels--or, rather, their yell, for the many -voices rolled over the water in one great volume--grew clearer their -design became manifest. - -Cortes touched Olmedo:-- - -"Dost thou remember the brigantines?" - -"What of them?" - -"Only, father, that what will happen to-night would not if they were -afloat. Now shall we pay the penalty of their loss. _Ay de mi!_" Then he -said aloud to the cavaliers, Morla, Olid, Avila, and others. "By my -conscience, a dark day for us was that in which the lake went back to -the heathen,--brewer, it, of this darker night! An end of loitering! Bid -the trumpeters blow the advance! One ride forward to hasten Magarino; -another to the rear that the division may be closed up. No space for the -dogs to land from their canoes. Hearken!" - -The report of a gun, apparently back in the city, reached them. - -"They are attacking the rear-guard! Mesa spoke then. On the right hear -them, and on the left! Mother of God, if our people stand not firm now, -better prayers for our souls than fighting for our lives!" - -A stone then struck Avila, startling the group with its clang upon his -armor. - -"A slinger!" cried Cortes. "On the right here,--can ye see him?" - -They looked that way, but saw nothing. Then the sense of helplessness in -exposure smote them, and, knightly as they were, they also felt the -common fear. - -"Make way! Room, room!" shouted Magarino, rushing to the front, through -the advance-guard. His Tlascalans were many and stout; to swim the -canal,--with ropes to draw the bridge after them,--to plant it across -the chasm, were things achieved in a moment. - -"Well done, Magarino! Forward, gentlemen,--forward all!" so saying, -Sandoval spurred across; after him, in reckless haste, his whole -division rushed. The platform, quivering throughout, was stancher than -the stone revetments upon which its ends were planted; calcined by fire, -they crumbled like chalk. The crowd then crossing, sensible that the -floor was giving way under them, yelled with terror, and in their -frantic struggle to escape toppled some of them into the canal. None -paused to look after the unfortunates; for the shouting of the infidels, -which had been coming nearer and nearer, now rose close at hand, -muffling the thunder of the horses plunging on the sinking bridge. -Moreover, stones and arrows began to fall in that quarter with effect, -quickening the hurry to get away. - -Cortes reached the bridge at the same time the infidels reached the -causeway. He called to Magarino; before the good captain could answer, -the waves to the right hand became luminous with the plashing of -countless paddles, and a fleet of canoes burst out of the darkness. Up -rose the crews, ghost-like in their white armor, and showered the -Christians with missiles. A cry of terror,--a rush,--and the cavaliers -were pushed on the bridge, which they jammed deeper in the rocks. Some -horses, wild with fright, leaped into the lake, and, iron-clad, like -their riders, were seen no more. - -On the further side, Cortes wheeled about, and shouted to his friends. -Olmedo answered, so did Morla; then they were swept onward. - -Alone, and in peril of being forced down the side of the dike, Cortes -held his horse to the place. The occasional boom of guns, a straggling -fire of small arms, and the unintermitted cries of the infidels, in tone -exultant and merciless, assured him that the attack was the same -everywhere down the column. One look he gave the scene near by,--on the -bridge, a mass of men struggling, cursing, praying; wretches falling, -their shrieks shrill with despair; the lake whitening with assailants! -He shuddered, and called on the saints; then the instinct of the soldier -prevailed:-- - -"_Ola_, comrades!" he cried. "It is nothing. Stand, if ye love life. -Stand, and fight, as ye so well know how! Holy Cross! _Christo y -Santiago!_" - -He spurred into the thick of the throng. In vain: the current was too -strong; the good steed seconded him with hoof and frontlet; now he -prayed, now cursed; at last he yielded, seeing that on the other side of -the bridge was Fear, on his side Panic. - -When the signal I have described, borne from the lake to the city, began -to resound from temple to temple, the rear-guard were yet many squares -from the causeway, and had, for the most part, become merely a -procession of drenched and cowering stragglers. The sound alarmed them; -and divining its meaning, they assembled in accidental groups, and so -hurried forward. - -Nenetzin and Marina, yet in company, were also startled by the noisy -shells. The latter stayed not to question or argue; at her word, sharply -spoken, her slaves followed fast after the central division, and rested -not until they had gained a place well in advance of the non-combatants, -whose slow and toilsome progress she had shrewdly dreaded. Not so -Nenetzin: the alarm proceeded from her countrymen; feared she, -therefore, for her lover; and when, vigilant as he was gallant, he rode -to her, and kissed her hand, and spoke to her in lover's phrase, she -laughed, though not understanding a word, and bade her slaves stay with -him. - -Last man in the column was Leon, brave gentleman, good captain. With his -horsemen, he closed upon the artillery. - -"Friend," he said to Mesa, "the devil is in the night. As thou art -familiar with wars as Father Olmedo with mass, how readest thou the -noise we hear?" - -The veteran, walking at the moment between two of his guns, replied,-- - -"Interpret we each for himself, Señor. I am ready to fight. See!" - -And drawing his cloak aside, he showed the ruddy spark of a lighted -match. - -"As thou seest, I am ready; yet"--and he lowered his voice--"I shame not -to confess that I wish we were well out of this." - -"Good soldier art thou!" said Leon. "I will stay with thee. _A la Madre -todos!_" - -The exclamation had scarcely passed his lips when to their left and -front the darkness became peopled with men in white, rushing upon them, -and shouting, "Up, up, Tlateloco! _O, O luilones, luilones!_"[53] - -"Turn thy guns quickly, Mesa, or we are lost!" cried Leon; and to his -comrades, "Swords and axes! Upon them, gentlemen! _Santiago, Santiago!_" - -The veteran as promptly resolved himself into action. A word to his -men,--then he caught a wheel with one hand, and swung the carriage -round, and applied the match. The gun failed fire, but up sprang a -hissing flame, and in its lurid light out came all the scene about: the -infidels pouring into the street, the Tlascalans and many Spaniards in -flight, Leon charging almost alone, and right amongst the guns a -fighting man,--by his armor, half pagan, half Christian,--all this Mesa -saw, and more,--that the slaves had abandoned the ropes, and that of the -gunners the few who stood their ground were struggling for life hand to -hand; still more, that the gun he was standing by looked point-blank -into the densest ranks of the foe. Never word spoke he; repriming the -piece, he applied the match again. The report shook the earth, and was -heard and recognized by Cortes out on the causeway; but it was the -veteran's last shot. To his side sprang the 'tzin: in his ear a war-cry, -on his morion a blow, and under the gun he died. When Duty loses a good -servant Honor gains a hero. - -The fight--or, rather, the struggle of the few against the many--went -on. The 'tzin led his people boldly, and they failed him not. Leon drew -together all he could of Christians and Tlascalans; then, as game to be -taken at leisure, his enemy left him. Soon the fugitives following -Alvarado heard a strange cry coming swiftly after them, "_O, O luilones! -O luilones!_" - -And through the rain and the night, doubly dark in the canals, Hualpa -sped to the open lake, followed by nine canoes, fashioned for speed, -each driven by six oarsmen, and carrying four warriors; so there were -with him nine and thirty chosen men, with linked mail under their white -tunics, and swords of steel on their long lances,--arms and armor of the -Christians. - -Off the causeway, beyond the first canal, he waited, until the great -flotillas, answering his signal, closed in on the right hand and left; -then he started for the canal, chafing at the delay of his vessels. - -"Faster, faster, my men!" he said aloud; then to himself, "Now will I -wrest her from the robber, and after that she will give me her love -again. O happy, happy hour!" - -He sought the canal, thinking, doubtless, that the Christians would find -it impassable, and that in their front, as the place of safety, they -would most certainly place Nenetzin. There, into the press he drove. - -"Not here! Back, my men!" he shouted. - -The chasm was bridged. - -And marvelling at the skill of the strangers, which overcame -difficulties as by magic, and trembling lest they should escape and his -love be lost to him after all, he turned his canoe,--if possible, to be -the first at the next canal. Others of his people were going in the same -direction, but he out-stript them. - -"Faster, faster!" he cried; and the paddles threshed the water,--wings -of the lake-birds not more light and free. Into the causeway he bent, so -close as to hear the tramp of horses; sometimes shading his eyes against -the rain, and looking up, he saw the fugitives, black against the -clouds,--strangers and Tlascalans,--plumes of men, but never scarf of -woman. - -Very soon the people on the causeway heard his call to the boatmen, and -the plash of the paddles, and they quickened their pace. - -"_Adelante! adelante!_" cried Sandoval, and forward dashed the -cavaliers. - -"O my men, land us at the canal before the strangers come up, and in my -palace at ease you shall eat and drink all your lives! Faster, faster!" - -So Hualpa urged his rowers, and in their sinewy hands the oaken blades -bent like bows. - -Behind dropped the footmen,--even the Tlascalans; and weak from hunger -and wounds, behind dropped some of the horses. Shook the causeway, -foamed the water. A hundred yards,--and the coursers of the lake were -swift as the coursers of the land; half a mile,--and the appeal of the -infidel and the cheering cry of the Christian went down the wind on the -same gale. At last, as Hualpa leaped from his boat, Sandoval checked his -horse,--both at the canal. - -Up the dike the infidels clambered to the attack. And there was clang of -swords and axes, and rearing and plunging of steeds; then the voice of -the good captain,-- - -"God's curse upon them! They have our shields!" - -A horse, pierced to the heart, leaped blindly down the bank, and from -the water rose the rider's imploration: "Help, help, comrades! For the -love of Christ, help! I am drowning!" - -Again Sandoval,-- - -"_Cuidado_,--beware! They have our swords on their lances!" Then, -observing his horsemen giving ground, "Stand fast! Unless we hold the -canal for Magarino, all is lost! Upon them! _Santiago, Santiago!_" - -A rally and a charge! The sword-blades did their work well; horses, -wounded to death or dead, began to cumber the causeway, and the groans -and prayers of their masters caught under them were horrible to hear. -Once, with laughter and taunting jests, the infidels retreated down the -slope; and once, some of them, close pressed, leaped into the canal. The -lake received them kindly; with all their harness on they swam ashore. -Never was Sandoval so distressed. - -Meantime, the footmen began to come up; and as they were intolerably -galled by the enemy, who sometimes landed and engaged them hand to hand, -they clamored for those in front to move on. "Magarino! The bridge, the -bridge! Forward!" With such cries, they pressed upon the horsemen, and -reduced the space left them for action. - -At length Sandoval shouted,-- - -"_Ola_, all who can swim! Follow me!" - -And riding down the bank, he spurred into the water. Many were bold -enough to follow; and though some were drowned, the greater part made -the passage safely. Then the cowering, shivering mass left behind -without a leader, became an easy prey; and steadily, pitilessly, -silently, Hualpa and his people fought,--silently, for all the time he -was listening for a woman's voice, the voice of his beloved. - -And now, fast riding, Cortes came to the second canal, with some -cavaliers whom he rallied on the way; behind him, as if in pursuit, so -madly did they run, followed all of the central division who succeeded -in passing the bridge. The sick and wounded, the prisoners, even king -Cacama and the women, abandoned by their escort, were slain and -captured,--all save Marina, rescued by some Tlascalans, and a Spanish -Amazon, who defended herself with sword and shield. - -At points along the line of flight the infidels intercepted the -fugitives. Many terrible combats ensued. When the Christians kept in -groups, as did most of the veterans, they generally beat off the -assailants. The loss fell chiefly upon the Tlascalans, the cross-bowmen, -and arquebusiers, whose arms the rain had ruined, and the recruits of -Narvaez, who, weighted down by their treasure and overcome by fear, ran -blindly along, and fell almost without resistance. - -One great effort Cortes made at the canal to restore order before the -mob could come up. - -"God help us!" he cried at last to the gentlemen with him. "Here are -bowmen and gunners without arms, and horsemen without room to charge. -Nothing now but to save ourselves! And that we may not do, if we wait. -Let us follow Sandoval. Hearken to the howling! How fast they come! And -by my conscience, with them they bring the lake alive with fiends! -Olmedo, thou with me! Come, Morla, Avila, Olid! Come, all who care for -life!" - -And through the _mêlée_ they pushed, through the murderous lancers, down -the bank,--Cortes first, and good knights on the right and left of the -father. There was plunging and floundering of horses, and yells of -infidels, and the sound of deadly blows, and from the swimmers shrieks -for help, now to comrades, now to saints, now to Christ. - -"Ho, Sandoval, right glad am I to find thee!" said Cortes, on the -further side of the canal. "Why waitest thou?" - -"For the coming of the bridge, Señor." - -"_Bastante!_ Take what thou hast, and gallop to the next canal. I will -do thy part here." - -And dripping from the plunge in the lake, chilled by the calamity more -than by the chill wind, and careless of the stones and arrows that -hurtled about him, he faced the fight, and waited, saying simply,--"O -good Mother, hasten Magarino!" - -Never prayer more hearty, never prayer more needed! For the central -division had passed, and Alvarado had come and gone, and down the -causeway to the city no voice of Christian was to be heard; at hand, -only the infidels with their melancholy cry, of unknown import, "_O, O -luilones! O, O luilones!_" Then Magarino summoned his Tlascalans and -Christians to raise the bridge. How many of them had died the death of -the faithful, how many had basely fled, he knew not; the darkness -covered the glory as well as the shame. To work he went. And what -sickness of the spirit, what agony ineffable seized him! The platform -was too fast fixed in the rocks to be moved! Awhile he fought, awhile -toiled, awhile prayed; all without avail. In his ears lingered the -parting words of Cortes, and he stayed though his hope was gone. Every -moment added to the dead and wounded around him, yet he stayed. He was -the dependence of the army: how could he leave the bridge? His men -deserted him; at last he was almost alone; before him was a warrior -whose shield when struck gave back the ring of iron, and whose blows -came with the weight of iron; while around closer and closer circled the -white uniforms of the infidels; then he cried,-- - -"God's curse upon the bridge! What mortals can, my men, we have done to -save it; enough now, if we save ourselves!" - -And drawn by the great law, supreme in times of such peril, they came -together, and retired across the bridge. - -Then rose the cry, "_Todo es perdido!_ All is lost! The bridge cannot be -raised!" And along the causeway from mouth to mouth the warning flew, of -such dolorous effect as not merely to unman all who heard it, but to -take from them the instincts to which life so painfully intrusts itself -when there is no judgment left. Those defending themselves quitted -fighting, and turned to fly; except the gold, which they clutched all -the closer, many flung away everything that impeded them, even the -arquebuses, so precious in Cortes' eyes; guns dragged safely so far were -rolled into the lake or left on the road; the horses caught the -contagion, and, becoming unmanageable, ran madly upon the footmen. - -When the cry, outflying the fugitives with whom it began, reached the -thousands at the second canal, it had somewhere borrowed a phrase yet -more demoralizing. "The bridge cannot be raised! All is lost! _Save -yourselves, save yourselves!_" Such was its form there. And about that -time, as ill-fortune ordered, the infidels had gathered around the fatal -place until, by their yells and missiles there seemed to be myriads of -them. Along the causeway their canoes lay wedged in, like a great raft; -and bolder grown, they flung themselves bodily on the unfortunates, and -strove to carry them off alive. Enough if they dragged them down the -slope,--innumerable hands were ready at the water's edge to take them -speedily beyond rescue. Momentarily, also, the yell of the fighting men -of Tenochtitlan, surging from the city under the 'tzin, drew nearer and -nearer, driving the rear upon the front, already on the verge of the -canal with barely room for defense against Hualpa and his people. All -that held the sufferers passive, all that gave them endurance, the -virtue rarer and greater than patience, was the hope of the coming of -Magarino; and the announcement, at last, that the bridge could not be -raised, was as the voice of doom over their heads. Instantly, they saw -death behind them, and life nowhere but forward,--so always with panic. -An impulse moved them,--they rushed on, they pushed each with the might -of despair. "Save yourselves, save yourselves!" they screamed, at the -same time no one thought of any but himself. - -To make the scene clear to the reader, he should remember that the -causeway was but eight yards across its superior slope; while the canal, -about as wide, and crossing at right angles, was on both sides walled -with dressed masonry to the height, probably, of twelve feet, with, -water at least deep enough to drown a horse. Ordinarily, the peril of -the passage would have been scorned by a stout swimmer; but, alas! such -were not all who must make the attempt now. - -The first victims of the movement I have described were those in the -front fighting Hualpa. No time for preparation: with shields on their -arms, if footmen, on their horses, if riders,--a struggle on the verge, -a cry for pity, a despairing shriek, and into the yawning chasm they -were plunged; nor had the water time to close above their heads before -as many others were dashed in upon them. - -Cortes, on the further side, could only hear what took place in the -canal, for the darkness hid it from view; yet he knew that at his feet -was a struggle for life impossible to be imagined except as something -that might happen in the heart of the vortex left by a ship foundering -at sea. The screams, groans, prayers, and execrations of men; the -neighing, snorting, and plunging of horses; the bubbling, hissing, and -plashing of water; the writhing and fighting,--a wretch a moment risen, -in a moment gone, his death-cry half uttered; the rolling of the mass, -or rather its impulsion onward, which, horrible to think, might be the -fast filling up of the passage; now and then a piteous appeal for help -under the wall, reached at last (and by what mighty exertion!) only to -mock the hopes of the swimmers,--all this Cortes heard, and more. No -need of light to make the scene visible; no need to see the dying and -the drowning, or the last look of eyes fixed upon him as they went down, -a look as likely to be a curse as a prayer! If never before or never -again, his courage failed him then; and turning his horse he fled the -place, shouting as he went,-- - -"_Todo es perdido!_ all is lost! Save yourselves, save yourselves!" - -And in his absence the horror continued,--continued until the canal from -side to side was filled with the bodies of men and horses, blent with -arms and ensigns, baggage, and guns, and gun-carriages, and munitions in -boxes and carts,--the rich plunder of the empire, royal fifth as well as -humbler dividend,--and all the paraphernalia of armies, infidel and -Christian; filled, until most of those who escaped clambered over the -warm and writhing heap of what had so lately been friends and comrades. -And the gods of the heathen were not forgotten by their children; for -sufferers there were who, snatching at hands offered in help, were -dragged into canoes, and never heard of more. Tears and prayers and the -saving grace of the Holy Mother and Son for them! Better death in the -canal, however dreadful, than death in the temples,--for the soul's -rest, better! - -Slowly along the causeway, meantime, Alvarado toiled with the -rear-guard. Very early he had given up Leon and Mesa, and all with them, -as lost. And to say truth, little time had he to think of them; for now, -indeed, he found the duties of lover and soldier difficult as they had -been pleasant. Gay of spirit, boastful but not less generous and brave, -skilful and reckless, he was of the kind to attract and dazzle the -adventurers with whom he had cast his lot; and now they were ready to do -his bidding, and equally ready to share his fate, life or death. Of them -he constituted a body-guard for Nenetzin. Rough riders were they, yet -around her they formed, more careful of her than themselves; against -them rattled and rang the stones and arrows; against them dashed the -infidels landed from their canoes; sometimes a cry announced a hurt, -sometimes a fall announced a death; but never hand of foe or flying -missile reached the curtained carriage in which rode the little -princess. - -Nor can it be said that Alvarado, so careful as lover, failed his duty -as captain. Sometimes at the rear, facing the 'tzin; sometimes, with a -laugh or a kiss of the hand, by the palanquin; and always his cry, -blasphemous yet cheerful. "_Viva á Christo! Viva Santa Cruz! Santiago, -Santiago!_" So from mistress and men he kept off the evil bird Fear. The -stout mare Bradamante gave him most concern; she obeyed -willingly,--indeed, seemed better when in action; yet was restless and -uneasy, and tossed her head, and--unpardonable as a habit in the horse -of a soldier--cried for company. - -"So-a, girl!" he would say, as never doubting that she understood him. -"What seest thou that I do not? or is it what thou hearest? Fear! If one -did but say to me that thou wert cowardly, better for him that he spoke -ill of my mother! But here they come again! Upon them now! Upon them, -sweetheart! _Viva á Christo! Viva la Santa Cruz!_" - -And so, fighting, he crossed the bridge; and still all went well with -him. Out of the way he chased the foe; on the flanks they were beaten -off; only at the rear were they troublesome, for there the 'tzin led the -pursuit. - -Finally, the rear-guard closed upon the central division, which, having -reached the second canal, stood, in what condition we have seen, waiting -for Magarino. Then Alvarado hurried to the palanquin; and while there, -now checking Bradamante, whose uneasiness seemed to increase as they -advanced, now cheering Nenetzin, he heard the fatal cry proclaiming the -loss of the bridge. On his lips the jest faded, in his heart the blood -stood still. A hundred voices took up the cry, and there was hurry and -alarm around him, and he felt the first pressure of the impulsive -movement forward. The warning was not lost:-- - -"_Ola_, my friends!" he said, at once aroused, "Hell's door of brass -hath been opened, and the devils are loose! Keep we together--" - -As he spoke the pressure strengthened, and the crowd yelled "_Todo es -perdido!_ Save yourselves!" - -Up went his visor, out rang his voice in fierce appeal,-- - -"Together let us bide, gentlemen. We are Spaniards, and in our saddles, -with swords and shields. The foe are the dogs who have bayed us so to -their cost for days and weeks. On the right and left, as ye are! -Remember, the woman we have here is a Christian; she hath broken the -bread and drunken the wine; her God is our God; and if we abandon her, -may he abandon us!" - -Not a rider left his place. The division went to pieces, and rushed -forward, sweeping all before it except the palanquin; as a boat in a -current, that floated on,--fierce the current, yet placid the motion of -the boat. And nestled warm within, Nenetzin heard the tumult as -something terrible afar off. - -And all the time Hualpa kept the fight by the canal. Hours passed. The -dead covered the slopes of the causeway; on the top they lay in heaps; -the canal choked with them; still the stream of enemies poured on -roaring and fighting. Over the horrible bridge he saw some Tlascalans -carry two women,--neither of them Nenetzin. Another woman came up and -crossed, but she had sword and shield, and used them, shrilly shouting -the war-cries of the strangers. Out towards the land the battle followed -the fugitives,--beyond the third canal even,--and everywhere victory! -Surely, the Aztecan gods had vindicated themselves; and for the 'tzin -there was glory immeasurable. But where was Nenetzin? where the hated -_Tonatiah_? Why came they not? In the intervals of the slaughter he -began to be shaken by visions of the laughing lips and dimpled cheeks of -the loved face out in the rain crushed by a hoof or a wheel. At other -times, when the awful chorus of the struggle swelled loudest, he fancied -he heard her voice in agony of fear and pain. Almost he regretted not -having sought her, instead of waiting as he had. - -Near morning from the causeway toward the city he heard two -cries,--"_Al-a-lala!_" one, "_Viva á Christo!_" the other. Friend most -loved, foe most hated, woman most adored! How good the gods were to send -them! His spirit rose, all its strength returned. - -Of his warriors, six were with the slain; the others he called together, -and said,-- - -"The 'tzin comes, and the _Tonatiah_. Now, O my friends, I claim your -service. But forget not, I charge you, forget not her of whom I spoke. -Harm her not. Be ready to follow me." - -He waited until the guardians of the palanquin were close by,--until he -heard their horses' tread; then he shouted, "Now, O my countrymen! Be -the 'tzin's cry our cry! Follow me. _Al-a-lala, al-a-lala!_" - -The rough riders faced the attack, thinking it a repetition of others -they had lightly turned aside on the way; but when their weapons glanced -from iron-faced shields, and they recognized the thrust of steel; when -their horses shrunk from the contact or staggered with mortal hurts, and -some of them fell down dying, then they gave way to a torrent of -exclamations so seasoned with holy names that they could be as well -taken for prayers as curses. Surprised, dismayed, retreating,--with -scarce room for defence and none for attack, still they struggled to -maintain themselves. Sharp the clangor of axes on shields, merciless the -thrust of the blades,--cry answered cry. Death to the horse, if he but -reared; to the rider death, if his horse but stumbled. Nevertheless, -step by step the patient Indian lover approached the palanquin. Then -that which had been as a living wall around the girl was broken. One of -her slaves fell down, struck by a stone. Her scream, though shrill with -sudden fear, was faint amid the discordances of storm and fight; yet two -of the combatants heard it, and rushed to the rescue. And now Hualpa's -hand was on the fallen carriage--happy moment! "_Viva á Christo! -Santiago, Santiago!_" thundered Alvarado. The exultant infidel looked -up: right over him, hiding the leaden sky,--a dark impending -danger,--reared Bradamante. He thrust quickly, and the blade on the -lance was true; with a cry, in its excess of agony almost human, the -mare reared, fell back, and died. As she fell, one foot, heavy with its -silver shoe, struck him to the ground; and would that were all! - -"_Ola_, comrades!" cried Alvarado, upon his feet again, to some horsemen -dismounted like himself. "Look! the girl is dying! Help me! as ye hope -for life, stay and help me!" - -They laid hold of the mare, and rolled her away. The morning light -rested upon the place feebly, as if afraid of its own revelations. On -the causeway, in the lake, in the canal, were many horrors to melt a -heart of stone; one fixed Alvarado's gaze,-- - -"Dead! she is dead!" he said, falling upon his knees, and covering his -eyes with his hands, "O mother of Christ! What have I done that this -should befall me?" - -Under the palanquin,--its roof of aromatic cedar, thin as tortoise -shell, and its frame of bamboo, light as the cane of the maize, all a -heap of fragments now,--under the wreck lay Nenetzin. About her head the -blue curtains of the carriage were wrapped in accidental folds, making -the pallor of the face more pallid; the lips so given to laughter were -dark with flowing blood; and the eyes had looked their love the last -time; one little hand rested palm upward upon the head of a dead -warrior, and in it shone the iron cross of Christ. Bradamante had -crushed her to death! And this, the crowning horror of the melancholy -night, was what the good mare saw on the way that her master did -not,--so the master ever after believed. - -The pain of grief was new to the good captain; while yet it so overcame -him, a man laid a hand roughly on his shoulder, and said,-- - -"Look thou, Señor! She is in Paradise, while of those who, at thy call, -stayed to help thee save her but seven are left. If not thyself, up and -help us!" - -The justice of the rude appeal aroused him, and he retook his sword and -shield, and joined in the fight,--eight against the many. About them -closed the lancers; facing whom one by one the brave men died, until -only Alvarado remained. Over the clashing of arms then rang the 'tzin's -voice,-- - -"It is the _Tonatiah_! Take him, O my children, but harm him not; his -life belongs to the gods!" - -Fortunately for Alvarado a swell of Christian war-cries and the beat of -galloping horses came, about the same time, from the further side of the -canal to distract the attention of his foemen. Immediately Cortes -appeared, with Sandoval, Morla, Avila, and others,--brave gentlemen come -back from the land, which they had safely gained, to save whom they -might of the rear-guard. At the dread passage all of them drew rein -except Morla; down the slope of the dyke he rode, and spurring into the -lake, through the canoes and floating _débris_, he headed to save his -friend. Useless the gallantry! The assault upon Alvarado had -ceased,--with what purpose he knew. Never should they take him alive! -Hualpa's lance, of great length, was lying at his feet. Suddenly, -casting away his sword and shield, he snatched up his enemy's weapon, -broke the ring that girdled him, ran to the edge of the canal, and -vaulted in air. Loud the cry of the Christians, louder that of the -infidels! An instant he seemed to halt in his flight; an instant more, -and his famous feat was performed,--the chasm was cleared, and he stood -amongst his people saved. - -Alas for Morla! An infidel sprang down the dike, and by running and -leaping from canoe to canoe overtook him while in the lake. - -"Sword and shield, Señor Francisco! Sword and shield! Look! The foe is -upon thee!" - -So he was warned; but quick the action. First, a blow with a Christian -axe: down sank the horse; then a blow upon the helmet, and the wave that -swallowed the steed received the rider also. - -"_Al-a-lala!_" shouted the victor. - -"The 'tzin, the 'tzin!" answered his people; and forward they sprang, -over the canoes, over the bridge of the dead,--forward to get at their -hated enemies again. - -"Welcome art thou!" said Cortes to Alvarado. "Welcome as from the grave, -whither Morla--God rest his soul!--hath gone. Where is Leon?" - -"With Morla," answered the captain. - -"And Mesa?" - -"Nay, Señor Hernan, if thou stayest here for any of the rear-guard, know -that I am the last of them." - -"_Bastante!_ Hear ye, gentlemen?" said Cortes. "Our duty is done. Let us -to the land again. Here is my foot, here my hand: mount, captain, and -quickly!" - -Alvarado took the seat offered behind Cortes, and the party set out in -retreat again. Closely, across the third canal, along the causeway to -the village of Popotla, the 'tzin kept the pursuit. From the village, -and from Tlacopan the city, he drove the bleeding and bewildered -fugitives. At last they took possession of a temple, from which, as -from a fortress, they successfully defended themselves. Then the 'tzin -gave over, and returned to the capital. - -And his return was as the savior of his country,--the victorious -companies behind him, the great flotillas on his right and left, and the -clouds overhead rent by the sounding of conchs and tambours and the -singing and shouting of the proud and happy people. - -Fast throbbed his heart, for now he knew, if the crown were not indeed -his, its prestige and power were; and amidst fast-coming schemes for the -restoration of the empire, he thought of the noble Tula, and then,--he -halted suddenly:-- - -"Where is the lord Hualpa?" he asked. - -"At the second canal," answered a cacique. - -"And he is--" - -"Dead!" - -The proud head drooped, and the hero forgot his greatness and his -dreams; he was the loving friend again, and as such, sorrowing and -silent, repassed the second canal, and stood upon the causeway beyond. -And the people, with quick understanding of what he sought, made way for -him. Over the wrecks of the battle,--sword and shield, helm and -breastplate, men and horses,--he walked to where the lover and his -beloved lay. - -At sight of her face, more childlike and beautiful than ever, memory -brought to him the sad look, the low voice, and the last words of -Hualpa,--"If I come not with the rising sun to-morrow, Nenetzin can tell -you my story,"--such were the words. The iron cross was yet in her hand, -and the hand yet rested on the head of a warrior lying near. The 'tzin -stooped, and turned the dead man over, and lo! the lord Hualpa. From one -to the other the princely mourner looked; a mist, not of the lake or the -cloud, rose and hid them from his view; he turned away,--_she had told -him all the story_. - -In a canoe, side by side, the two victims were borne to the city, never -to be separated. At Chapultepec they were laid in the same tomb; so that -one day the dust of the hunter, with that of kings, may feed the grass -and color the flowers of the royal hill. - -HE HAD FOUND HIS FORTUNE! - - * * * * * - -Here the chronicles of the learned Don Fernando abruptly terminate. For -the satisfaction of the reader, a professional story-teller would no -doubt have devoted several pages to the careers of some of the -characters whom he leaves surviving the catastrophe. The translator is -not disposed to think his author less courteous than literators -generally; on the contrary, the books abound with evidences of the -tender regard he had for those who might chance to occupy themselves -with his pages; consequently, there must have been a reason for the -apparent neglect in question. - -If the worthy gentleman were alive, and the objection made to him in -person, he would most likely have replied: "Gentle critic, what you take -for neglect was but a compliment to your intelligence. The characters -with which I dealt were for the most part furnished me by history. The -few of my own creation were exclusively heathen, and of them, except the -lord Maxtla and Xoli, the Chalcan, disposition is made in one part or -another of the story. The two survivors named, it is to be supposed, -were submerged in the ruin that fell upon the country after the conquest -was finally completed. The other personages being real, for perfect -satisfaction as to them, permit me, with the profoundest respect, to -refer you to your histories again." - -The translator has nothing to add to the explanation except brief -mention that the king Cuitlahua's reign lasted but two months in all. -The small-pox, which desolated the city and valley, and contributed, -more than any other cause, to the ultimate overthrow of the empire, sent -him to the tombs of Chapultepec. Guatamozin then took the vacant throne, -and as king exemplified still further the qualities which had made him -already the idol of his people and the hero of his race. Some time also, -but whether before or after his coronation we are not told, he married -the noble Tula,--an event which will leave the readers of the excellent -Don Fernando in doubt whether Mualox, the paba, was not more prophet -than monomaniac. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [53] Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conq. - - -Transcriber's Notes - -There were a number of issues in the original text, including obvious -printer's errors, or those due to the condition of the text itself, -especially on the margins. - -Where the issue is very clear, they have been corrected here. Many -hyphenation characters on the right margin are illegible, and those -words have been joined here--unless the hyphen itself appears in the -same word elsewhere in the text. - -In general, punctuation errors, especially those involving single or -double quotation marks, were quite frequent, and in the interest of -keeping the narrative flowing, they have been corrected. The use -of the single quotation as a abbreviating mark in proper names (e.g. -"Huitzil'")seems to have confused the printer more than once when -other punctuation directly follows, on pp. 135, 509, and 525. - -There were several questionable spelling issues (e.g., "beseiged", -"rodoubted") which were retained. The name "Cortez" (vs. "Cortes") -appears only in the table of contents. "'Hualpilli" appears once as -"'Huapill". - -Some compound words appear both with and without hyphens. Where the -hyphenation occurs at a line break, the hyphen is retained (or removed) -if there are other mid-line examples. - -The following list contains the details of corrections made to the text -or spelling variants to be noted. - - p. 13 the moment of reply wa[s] allowed to pass Added. - - p. 28 his canoe wil[l] be full of blessings Added. - - p. 35 Look well to this, O king[.] Added. May have - been '!'. - - p. 40 and the time is very quiet[.] Added. - - p. 54 [F]ail me not, my children. Added. - - p. 91 I promised I[tz/zt]lil' Reversed. - - p. 109 I am told you wish to enter my service[.] Added. - - p. 143 [t]he glinting of the jewels Added. - - p. 157 Temple over many chambers.["] Removed. - - p. 178 he is not a trai[tor.]" Added. - - p. 202 nor on what grounds[.] Added. - - p. 236 ["/']Come, the victim is ready!["/'] Should have been - single quotes. - - p. 241 "That is Diaz's [massage]." Sic. - - p. 290 Alvarado continued[./,] "which I could Added. - - p. 302 in trust for the god.['] Added. - - p. 311 and all things else yet undiscovered.["] Added. - - p. 334 Go with them, I pray you.['/"] Corrected. - - p. 341 The hours were long[.] Added. - - p. 342 What wonder that I fled?["] Added. - - p. 402 To the Mother the praise!['\"] Corrected. - - p. 406 has been toilsome and dreadful[.] Ah me, - I shudder at the thought!["] Added. - - "Have you never been elsewhere[?]" Added. - - have they been denied you, poor girl?["] Added. - - p. 488 Yonder is the temple we seek[.] Added. - - p. 499 "_Al templo! Adelante, adelante!_--forward!["] - Added. - - p. 500 to the palace, the palace!["] Added. - - p. 504 Then the [']tzin, recalled to himself Added. - - p. 512 The footnote reference for #49 was missing. Added. - - p. 513 and all the saints!["] Added. - - p. 537 If he fail--if he fail--["] Added. - - p. 543 and gave himself to sombre thought[.] Added. - - p. 552 What didst thou?["] Added. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fair God, by Lew Wallace - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAIR GOD *** - -***** This file should be named 43340-8.txt or 43340-8.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/3/4/43340/ - -Produced by KD Weeks, Juliet Sutherland and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: The Fair God - or, the last of the 'Tzins - -Author: Lew Wallace - -Illustrator: Eric Pape - -Release Date: July 28, 2013 [EBook #43340] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAIR GOD *** - - - - -Produced by KD Weeks, Juliet Sutherland and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - -Transcriber's Note - -This original of this text contained numerous punctuation errors -and several other obvious printer's errors. It also suffered from -the age of the volume, particularly near the margins, both left -and right. Wherever the correct characters could be reliably -confirmed, they have been corrected or restored. - -Please consult the detailed notes at the end of the text for an -list of those issues, and their resolution, as well as any other -issues that arose during the preparation of this text. - -The current format could not reproduce italics characters, which -were used to emphasize non-English words. Italics will be denoted -here with the underscore character as _italics_. The use of "small -capitals" was also not possible, and have all been simply shifted -up to all capital letters. The 'oe' ligature, which appears twice, -has been separated. - -The 53 footnotes have been gathered at the end of each chapter. The -symbols used in the text (e.g., "*") have replaced with sequential -numbers. - - - - -[Illustration: OVER THE BRIDGES, THE HORSEMEN GALLOPED] - - - - - THE FAIR GOD - - OR, THE LAST OF THE 'TZINS - - A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico - - BY - - LEW WALLACE - - WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY - ERIC PAPE - - From Mexico ... a civilization that might have instructed Europe was - crushed out.... It has been her [Spain's] evil destiny to ruin two - civilizations, Oriental and Occidental, and to be ruined thereby - herself.... In America she destroyed races more civilized than - herself.--DRAPER, _Intellectual Development of Europe_. - - [Illustration] - - NEW YORK - - GROSSET & DUNLAP - - PUBLISHERS - - COPYRIGHT 1873 BY JAMES R. OSGOOD & CO. - - COPYRIGHT 1898 BY HOUGHTON MIFFLIN & CO. - - COPYRIGHT 1901 BY LEW WALLACE - - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED - - - - - NOTE BY THE AUTHOR. - - -A personal experience, though ever so plainly told, is, generally -speaking, more attractive to listeners and readers than fiction. A -circumstance from the tongue or pen of one to whom it actually happened, -or who was its hero or victim, or even its spectator, is always more -interesting than if given second-hand. If the makers of history, -contradistinguished from its writers, could teach it to us directly, one -telling would suffice to secure our lasting remembrance. The reason is, -that the narrative so proceeding derives a personality and reality not -otherwise attainable, which assist in making way to our imagination and -the sources of our sympathy. - -With this theory or bit of philosophy in mind, when the annexed book was -resolved upon, I judged best to assume the character of a translator, -which would enable me to write in the style and spirit of one who not -merely lived at the time of the occurrences woven in the text, but was -acquainted with many of the historical personages who figure therein, -and was a native of the beautiful valley in which the story is located. -Thinking to make the descriptions yet more real, and therefore more -impressive, I took the liberty of attributing the composition to a -literator who, whatever may be thought of his works, was not himself a -fiction. Without meaning to insinuate that THE FAIR GOD would have been -the worse for creation by Don Fernando de Alva, the Tezcucan, I wish -merely to say that it is not a translation. Having been so written, -however, now that publication is at hand, change is impossible; hence, -nothing is omitted,--title-page, introductory, and conclusion are given -to the reader exactly as they were brought to the publisher by the -author. - - L.W. - Boston Mass. August 8, 1873. - - - - - CONTENTS. - - - BOOK ONE. - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. OUR MOTHER HAS A FORTUNE WAITING US YONDER 1 - - II. QUETZAL', THE FAIR GOD 7 - - III. A CHALLENGE 13 - - IV. TENOCHTITLAN AT NIGHT 16 - - V. THE CHILD OF THE TEMPLE 20 - - VI. THE CU OF QUETZAL', AND MUALOX, THE PABA 25 - - VII. THE PROPHECY ON THE WALL 30 - - VIII. A BUSINESS MAN IN TENOCHTITLAN 39 - - IX. THE QUESTIONER OF THE MORNING 46 - - X. GOING TO THE COMBAT 50 - - XI. THE COMBAT 59 - - XII. MUALOX, AND HIS WORLD 68 - - XIII. THE SEARCH FOR QUETZAL' 74 - - - BOOK TWO. - - I. WHO ARE THE STRANGERS? 83 - - II. A TEZCUCAN LOVER 89 - - III. THE BANISHMENT OF GUATAMOZIN 95 - - IV. GUATAMOZIN AT HOME 103 - - V. NIGHT AT THE CHALCAN'S 112 - - VI. THE CHINAMPA 120 - - VII. COURT GOSSIP 126 - - VIII. GUATAMOZIN AND MUALOX 130 - - IX. A KING'S BANQUET 135 - - X. THE 'TZIN'S LOVE 141 - - XI. THE CHANT 150 - - - BOOK THREE. - - I. THE FIRST COMBAT 162 - - II. THE SECOND COMBAT 169 - - III. THE PORTRAIT 180 - - IV. THE TRIAL 183 - - - BOOK FOUR. - - I. THE KING GIVES A TRUST TO HUALPA 192 - - II. THE KING AND THE 'TZIN 198 - - III. LOVE ON THE LAKE 207 - - IV. THE KING DEMANDS A SIGN OF MUALOX 214 - - V. THE MASSACRE IN CHOLULA 220 - - VI. THE CONQUEROR WILL COME 230 - - VII. MONTEZUMA GOES TO MEET CORTEZ 239 - - VIII. THE ENTRY 246 - - - BOOK FIVE. - - I. PUBLIC OPINION 257 - - II. A MESSAGE FROM THE GODS 261 - - III. HOW ILLS OF STATE BECOME ILLS OF SOCIETY 267 - - IV. ENNUYE IN THE OLD PALACE 275 - - V. ALVARADO FINDS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD 282 - - VI. THE IRON CROSS 291 - - VII. THE CHRISTIANS IN THE TOILS 299 - - VIII. THE IRON CROSS COMES BACK TO ITS GIVER 306 - - IX. TRULY WONDERFUL--A FORTUNATE MAN HATH A MEMORY 315 - - X. HOW THE IRON CROSS CAME BACK 317 - - XI. THE CHRISTIAN TAKES CARE OF HIS OWN 325 - - - BOOK SIX. - - I. THE LORD HUALPA FLEES HIS FORTUNE 339 - - II. WHOM THE GODS DESTROY THEY FIRST MAKE MAD 347 - - III. THE PUBLIC OPINION MAKES WAY 357 - - IV. THE 'TZIN'S FAREWELL TO QUETZAL' 364 - - V. THE CELLS OF QUETZAL' AGAIN 374 - - VI. LOST IN THE OLD CU 379 - - VII. HOW THE HOLY MOTHER HELPS HER CHILDREN 385 - - VIII. THE PABA'S ANGEL 392 - - IX. LIFE IN THE PABA'S WORLD 404 - - X. THE ANGEL BECOMES A BEADSWOMAN 410 - - XI. THE PUBLIC OPINION PROCLAIMS ITSELF--BATTLE 427 - - - BOOK SEVEN. - - I. THE HEART CAN BE WISER THAN THE HEAD 438 - - II. THE CONQUEROR ON THE CAUSEWAY AGAIN 449 - - III. LA VIRUELA 454 - - IV. MONTEZUMA A PROPHET.--HIS PROPHECY 455 - - V. HOW TO YIELD A CROWN 462 - - VI. IN THE LEAGUER 465 - - VII. IN THE LEAGUER YET 473 - - VIII. THE BATTLE OF THE MANTAS 481 - - IX. OVER THE WALL,--INTO THE PALACE 489 - - X. THE WAY THROUGH THE WALL 499 - - XI. BATTLE IN THE AIR 510 - - XII. IN THE INTERVAL OF THE BATTLE--LOVE 524 - - XIII. THE BEGINNING OF THE END 527 - - XIV. THE KING BEFORE HIS PEOPLE AGAIN 532 - - XV. THE DEATH OF MONTEZUMA 544 - - XVI. ADIEU TO THE PALACE 550 - - XVII. THE PURSUIT BEGINS 559 - - XVIII. LA NOCHE TRISTE 562 - - - - - LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - OVER THE BRIDGES, THE HORSEMEN GALLOPED (p. 427) _Frontispiece_ - - A CLANG OF SANDALED FEET 30 - - THE FORTUNATE HERO, STANDING SO CALMLY BEFORE THEM 70 - - THE MONARCH'S FACE CHANGED VISIBLY 158 - - "OUT OF THE WAY, DOG!" SHOUTED SANDOVAL 246 - - LOOKED GLOOMILY INTO THE WATER 358 - - SHE GAVE HIM THE SIGNAL 462 - - CORTES DREW REIN ONLY AT ITS FOOT 478 - - - - - THE FAIR GOD. - - FROM THE SPANISH OF - - FERNANDO DE ALVA. - - - - - INTRODUCTORY. - - -Fernando De Alva,[1] a noble Tezcucan, flourished, we are told, in the -beginning of the sixteenth century. He was a man of great learning, -familiar with the Mexican and Spanish languages, and the hieroglyphics -of Anahuac. Ambitious to rescue his race from oblivion, and inspired by -love of learning, he collected a library, availed himself of his -knowledge of picture-writing, became master of the songs and traditions, -and, in the Castilian language, composed books of merit. - -It was scarcely possible that his labors should escape the researches of -Mr. Prescott, who, with such incomparable genius, has given the world a -history of the Conquest of Mexico. From him we have a criticism upon the -labors of the learned Fernando, from which the following paragraph is -extracted. - -"Iztlilzochitl's writings have many of the defects belonging to his age. -He often crowds the page with incidents of a trivial and sometimes -improbable character. The improbability increases with the distance of -the period; for distance, which diminishes objects to the natural eye, -exaggerates them to the mental. His chronology, as I have more than once -noticed, is inextricably entangled. He has often lent a too willing ear -to traditions and reports which would startle the more sceptical -criticism of the present time. Yet there is an appearance of good faith -and simplicity in his writings, which may convince the reader that, when -he errs, it is from no worse cause than the national partiality. And -surely such partiality is excusable in the descendant of a proud line, -shorn of its ancient splendors, which it was soothing to his own -feelings to revive again--though with something more than their -legitimate lustre--on the canvas of history. It should also be -considered that, if his narrative is sometimes startling, his researches -penetrate into the mysterious depths of antiquity, where light and -darkness meet and melt into each other; and where everything is still -further liable to distortion, as seen through the misty medium of -hieroglyphics." - -Besides his _Relaciones_ and _Historia Chichemeca_, De Alva composed -works of a lighter nature, though equally based upon history. Some were -lost; others fell into the hands of persons ignorant of their value; a -few only were rescued and given to the press. For a considerable period -he served as interpreter to the Spanish Viceroy. His duties as such were -trifling; he had ample time for literary pursuits; his enthusiasm as a -scholar permitted him no relaxation or idleness. Thus favored, it is -believed he composed the books now for the first time given to the -world. - -The MSS. were found among a heap of old despatches from the Viceroy -Mendoza to the Emperor. It is quite probable that they became mixed with -the State papers through accident; if, however, they were purposely -addressed to His Majesty, it must have been to give him a completer idea -of the Aztecan people and their civilization, or to lighten the burthens -of royalty by an amusement to which, it is known, Charles V. was not -averse. Besides, Mendoza, in his difficulty with the Marquess of the -Valley (Cortes), failed not to avail himself of every means likely to -propitiate his cause with the court, and especially with the Royal -Council of the Indies. It is not altogether improbable, therefore, that -the MSS. were forwarded for the entertainment of the members of the -Council and the lordly personages of the Court, who not only devoured -with avidity, but, as the wily Mendoza well knew, were vastly obliged -for, everything relative to the New World, and particularly the dazzling -conquest of Mexico. - -In the translation, certain liberties have been taken, for which, if -wrong has been done, pardon is besought both from the public and the -shade of the author. Thus, The Books in the original are unbroken -narratives; but, with infinite care and trouble, they have all been -brought out of the confusion, and arranged into chapters. So, there were -names, some of which have been altogether changed; while others, for the -sake of euphony, have been abbreviated, though without sacrificing the -identity of the heroes who wore them so proudly. - -And thus beginneth the FIRST BOOK. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [1] Fernando De Alva Iztlilzochitl. - - - - - THE FAIR GOD. - - - - - BOOK ONE. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - OUR MOTHER HAS A FORTUNE WAITING US YONDER. - - -The Spanish Calendar is simpler than the Aztecan. In fact, Christian -methods, of whatever nature, are better than heathen. - -So, then, by the Spanish Calendar, March, 1519, had about half spent -itself in the valley of Anahuac, which was as yet untrodden by -gold-seeker, with cross-hilted sword at his side, and on his lips a -Catholic oath. Near noon of one of its fairest days a traveller came -descending the western slope of the Sierra de Ahualco. Since the dawn -his path had been amongst hills and crags; at times traversing bald -rocks that towered to where the winds blew chill, then dipping into warm -valleys, where were grass, flowers, and streamlets, and sometimes -forests of cedar and fir,--labyrinths in which there reigned a perpetual -twilight. - -Toilsome as was the way, the traveller, young and strong, marched -lightly. His dress, of the kind prevalent in his country, was -provincial, and with few signs of rank. He had sandals of buffalo-hide, -fitted for climbing rocks and threading pathless woods; a sort of white -tunic, covering his body from the neck to the knees, leaving bare the -arms from the shoulder; _maxtlatl_ and _tilmatli_--sash and mantle--of -cotton, blue tinted, and void of ornament; on the wrist of his left arm -he wore a substantial golden bracelet, and in both ears jewelled -pendants; while an ebony band, encircling his head, kept his straight -black locks in place, and permitted a snow-white bird's-wing for -decoration. There was a shield on his left arm, framed of wood, and -covered with padded cloth, and in the left hand a javelin barbed with -'itzli; at his back swung a _maquahuitl_, and a quiver filled with -arrows; an unstrung bow in his right hand completed his equipments, and -served him in lieu of staff. An ocelot, trudging stealthily behind him, -was his sole companion. - -In the course of his journey he came to a crag that sank bluffly down -several hundred feet, commanding a fine prospect. Though the air was -cold, he halted. Away to the northwest stretched the beautiful valley of -Anahuac, dotted with hamlets and farm-houses, and marked with the silver -tracery of streams. Far across the plain, he caught a view of the fresh -waters of Lake Chalco, and beyond that, blue in the distance and faintly -relieved against the sky, the royal hill of Chapultepec, with its -palaces and cypress forests. In all the New World there was no scene -comparable with that he looked upon,--none its rival for beauty, none -where the heavens seemed so perfectly melted into earth. There were the -most renowned cities of the Empire; from that plain went the armies -whose marches were all triumphs; in that air hovered the gods awaiting -sacrifices; into that sky rose the smoke of the inextinguishable fires; -there shone the brightest suns, and lingered the longest summers; and -yonder dwelt that king--in youth a priest, then a warrior, now the -terror of all nations--whose signet on the hand of a slave could fill -the land with rustling of banners. - -No traveller, I ween, could look unmoved on the picture; ours sat down, -and gazed with brimful eyes and a beating heart. For the first time he -was beholding the matchless vale so overhung with loveliness and full of -the monuments of a strange civilization. So rapt was he that he did not -observe the ocelot come and lay its head in his lap, like a dog seeking -caresses. "Come, boy!" he said, at last rousing himself; "let us on. Our -Mother[2] has a fortune waiting us yonder." - -And they resumed the journey. Half an hour's brisk walk brought them to -the foot of the mountain. Suddenly they came upon company. - -It was on the bank of a considerable stream, which, pouring in noisy -torrent over a rocky bed, appeared to rush with a song forward into the -valley. A clump of giant oaks shaded a level sward. Under them a crowd -of _tamanes_,[3] tawny, half-clad, broad-shouldered men, devoured loaves -of cold maize bread. Near the roots of the trees their masters reclined -comfortably on _petates_, or mats, without which an Aztec trader's -outfit was incomplete. Our traveller understood at a glance the -character of the strangers; so that, as his road led directly to them, -he went on without hesitation. As he came near, some of them sat up to -observe him. - -"A warrior going to the city," said one. - -"Or rather a king's courier," suggested another. - -"Is not that an ocelot at his heels?" asked a third. - -"That it is. Bring me my javelin!" - -"And mine! And mine!" cried several of them at once, all springing to -their feet. - -By the time the young man came up, the whole party stood ready to give -him an armed welcome. - -"I am very sorry to have disturbed you," he said, quietly finding -himself obliged to stop. - -"You seem friendly enough," answered one of the older men; "but your -comrade there,--what of him?" - -The traveller smiled. "See, he is muzzled." - -The party laughed at their own fears. The old merchant, however, stepped -forward to the young stranger. - -"I confess you have greatly relieved me. I feared the brute might set on -and wound somebody. Come up, and sit down with us." - -The traveller was nowise disinclined, being tempted by the prospect of -cheer from the provision-baskets lying around. - -"Bring a mat for the warrior," said the friendly trader. "Now give him -bread and meat." - -From an abundance of bread, fowl, and fruit the wayfarer helped himself. -A running conversation was meantime maintained. - -"My ocelot? The story is simple; for your sakes, good friends, I wish it -were better. I killed his mother, and took him when a whelp. Now he does -me good service hunting. You should see him in pursuit of an antelope!" - -"Then you are not a warrior?" - -"To be a warrior," replied the hunter, modestly, "is to have been in -many battles, and taken many captives. I have practised arms, and, at -times, boasted of skill,--foolishly, perhaps; yet, I confess, I never -marched a day under the banner of the great king." - -"Ah!" said the old man, quizzically, "I understand you. You have served -some free-trading company like our own." - -"You are shrewd. My father is a merchant. At times he has travelled with -strong trains, and even attacked cities that have refused him admission -to their market." - -"Indeed! He must be of renown. In what province does he live, my son?" - -"In Tihuanco." - -"Tepaja! old Tepaja, of Tihuanco! Are you son of his?" The good man -grasped the young one's hand enthusiastically. "I knew him well; many -years ago we were as brothers together; we travelled and traded through -many provinces. That was the day of the elder Montezuma, when the Empire -was not as large as now; when, in fact, most gates were closed against -us, because our king was an Aztec, and we had to storm a town, then turn -its square into a market for the sale of our wares. Sometimes we marched -an army, each of us carrying a thousand slaves; and yet our tasks were -not always easy. I remember once, down on the bank of the Great River, -we were beaten back from a walled town, and succeeded only after a four -days' fight. Ah, but we made it win! We led three thousand slaves back -to Tenochtitlan, besides five hundred captives,--a present for the -gods." - -So the merchant talked until the hunger of his new acquaintance was -appeased; then he offered a pipe, which was declined. - -"I am fond of a pipe after a good meal; and this one has been worthy a -king. But now I have no leisure for the luxury; the city to which I am -bound is too far ahead of me." - -"If it is your first visit, you are right. Fail not to be there before -the market closes. Such a sight never gladdened your dreams!" - -"So I have heard my father say." - -"O, it never was as it will be to-night! The roads for days have been -thronged with visitors going up in processions." - -"What is the occasion?" - -"Why, to-morrow is the celebration of Quetzal'! Certainly, my son, you -have heard the prophecies concerning that god." - -"In rumors only. I believe he was to return to Anahuac." - -"Well, the story is long, and you are in a hurry. We also are going to -the city, but will halt our slaves at Iztapalapan for the night, and -cross the causeway before the sun to-morrow. If you care to keep us -company, we will start at once; on the way I will tell you a few things -that may not be unacceptable." - -"I see," said the hunter, pleasantly, "I have reason to be proud of my -father's good report. Certainly, I will go a distance with you at least, -and thank you for information. To speak frankly, I am seeking my -fortune." - -The merchant spoke to his companions, and raising a huge conch-shell to -his mouth, blew a blast that started every slave to his feet. For a few -minutes all was commotion. The mats were rolled up, and, with the -provision-baskets, slung upon broad shoulders; each _tamane_ resumed his -load of wares, and took his place; those armed put themselves, with -their masters, at the head; and at another peal from the shell all set -forward. The column, if such it may be called, was long, and not without -a certain picturesqueness as it crossed the stream, and entered a tract -covered with tall trees, amongst which the palm was strangely -intermingled with the oak and the cypress. The whole valley, from the -lake to the mountains, was irrigated, and under cultivation. Full of -wonder, the hunter marched beside the merchant. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [2] The goddess Cioacoatl, called "Our Lady and Mother." Sahagun, - Hist. de Nueva Esp. - - [3] Carrier slaves, or porters. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - QUETZAL', THE FAIR GOD. - - -"I was speaking about Quetzal', I believe," said the old man, when all -were fairly on the way. "His real name was Quetzalcoatl.[4] He was a -wonderfully kind god, who, many ages ago, came into the valley here, and -dwelt awhile. The people were then rude and savage; but he taught them -agriculture, and other arts, of which you will see signs as we get on. -He changed the manners and customs; while he stayed, famine was unknown; -the harvests were abundant, and happiness universal. Above all, he -taught the princes wisdom in their government. If to-day the Aztec -Empire is the strongest in the world, it is owing to Quetzal'. Where he -came from, or how long he stayed, is not known. The people and their -governors after a time proved ungrateful, and banished him; they also -overthrew his religion, and set up idols again, and sacrificed men, both -of which he had prohibited. Driven away, he went to Cholula; thence to -the sea-coast, where, it is said, he built him a canoe of -serpent-skins, and departed for Tlapallan, a heaven lying somewhere -toward the rising sun. But before he went, he promised to return some -day, and wrest away the Empire and restore his own religion. In -appearance he was not like our race; his skin was white, his hair long -and wavy and black. He is said to have been wise as a god, and more -beautiful than men. Such is his history; and, as the prophecy has it, -the time of his return is at hand. The king and Tlalac, the -_teotuctli_,[5] are looking for him; they expect him every hour, and, -they say, live in continued dread of him. Wishing to propitiate him, -they have called the people together, and celebrate to-morrow, with -sacrifices and combats and more pomp than was ever seen before, not -excepting the time of the king's coronation." - -The hunter listened closely, and at the conclusion said, "Thank you, -uncle. Tell me now of the combats." - -"Yes. In the days of the first kings it was the custom to go into the -temples, choose the bravest warriors there set apart for sacrifice, -bring them into the _tianguez_, and make them do battle in the presence -of the people. If they conquered, they were set free and sent home with -presents."[6] - -"With whom did they combat?" - -"True enough, my son. The fight was deemed a point of honor amongst the -Aztecs, and the best of them volunteered. Indeed, those were royal -times! Of late, I am sorry to say, the custom of which I was speaking -has been neglected, but to-morrow it is to be revived. The scene will be -very grand. The king and all the nobles will be there." - -The description excited the listener's fancy, and he said, with flushed -cheeks, "I would not lose the chance for the world. Can you tell me who -of the Aztecs will combat?" - -"In the city we could easily find out; but you must recollect I am going -home after a long absence. The shields of the combatants are always -exhibited in the _tianguez_ the evening before the day of the fight. In -that way the public are notified beforehand of those who take the field. -As the city is full of caciques, you may be assured our champions will -be noble." - -"Thank you again, uncle. And now, as one looking for service, like -myself, is anxious to know with whom to engage, tell me of the caciques -and chiefs." - -"Then you intend entering the army?" - -"Well, yes. I am tired of hunting; and though trading is honorable, I -have no taste for it." - -The merchant, as if deliberating, took out a box of snuff and helped -himself; and then he replied,-- - -"The caciques are very numerous; in no former reign, probably, were -there so many of ability and renown. With some of them I have personal -acquaintance; others I know only by sight or reputation. You had better -mention those of whom you have been thinking." - -"Well," said the hunter, "there is Iztlil', the Tezcucan."[7] - -"Do not think of him, I pray you!" And the good man spoke earnestly. "He -is brave as any, and perhaps as skilful, but proud, haughty, soured, and -treacherous. Everybody fears him. I suppose you have heard of his -father." - -"You mean the wise 'Hualpilli?" - -"Yes. Upon his death, not long since, Iztlil' denied his brother's right -to the Tezcucan throne. There was a quarrel which would have ended in -blood, had not Montezuma interfered, and given the city to Cacama, and -all the northern part of the province to Iztlil'. Since that, the latter -has been discontented with the great king. So, I say again, do not think -of him, unless you are careless about honor." - -"Then what of Cacama?[8] Tezcuco is a goodly city." - -"He has courage, but is too effeminate to be a great warrior. A garden -and a soft couch delight him more than camps, and dancing women better -than fighting men. You might grow rich with him, but not renowned. Look -elsewhere." - -"Then there is the lord Cuitlahua."[9] - -"The king's brother, and governor of Iztapalapan!" said the merchant, -promptly. "Some have thought him better qualified for Chapultepec than -Montezuma, but it is not wise to say so. His people are prosperous, and -he has the most beautiful gardens in the world; unlike Cacama, he cares -nothing for them, when there is a field to be fought. Considering his -influence at court and his love of war, you would do well to bear shield -for him; but, on the other hand, he is old. Were I in your place, my -son, I would attach myself to some young man." - -"That brings me to Maxtla, the Tesoyucan." - -"I know him only by repute. With scarcely a beard, he is chief of the -king's guard. There was never anything like his fortune. Listen now, I -will tell you a secret which may be of value to you some time. The king -is not as young as he used to be by quite forty summers." - -The hunter smiled at the caution with which the old man spoke of the -monarch. - -"You see," the speaker continued, "time and palace life have changed -him: he no longer leads the armies; his days are passed in the temples -with the priests, or in the gardens with his women, of whom there are -several hundreds; his most active amusement now is to cross the lake to -his forests, and kill birds and rabbits by blowing little arrows at them -through a reed. Thus changed, you can very well understand how he can be -amused by songs and wit, and make favorites of those who best lighten -his hours of satiety and indolence. In that way Maxtla rose,--a -marvellous courtier, but a very common soldier." - -The description amused the young man, but he said gravely, "You have -spoken wisely, uncle, and I am satisfied you know the men well. Really, -I had no intention of entering the suite of either of them: they are not -of my ideal; but there is a cacique, if reports are to be credited, -beyond all exception,--learned and brave, honored alike by high and -low." - -"Ah! you need not name him to me. I know him, as who does not?" And now -the merchant spoke warmly. "A nobler than Guatamozin,[10]--or, as he is -more commonly called, the 'tzin Guatamo--never dwelt in Anahuac. He is -the people's friend, and the Empire's hope. His valor and wisdom,--ah, -you should see him, my son! Such a face! His manner is so full of sweet -dignity! But I will give you other evidence." - -He clapped his hands three times, and a soldier sprang forward at the -signal. - -"Do you know the 'tzin Guatamo?" asked the merchant. - -"I am an humble soldier, my master, and the 'tzin is the great king's -nephew; but I know him. When he was only a boy, I served under him in -Tlascala. He is the best chief in Anahuac." - -"That will do." - -The man retired. - -"So I might call up my _tamanes_," the merchant resumed, "and not one -but would speak of him in the same way." - -"Strange!" said the Tihuancan, in a low tone. - -"No; if you allude to his popularity, it is not strange: if you mean the -man himself, you are right. The gods seldom give the qualities that -belong to him. He is more learned than Tlalac or the king; he is -generous as becomes a prince; in action he is a hero. You have probably -heard of the Tlascalan wall in the eastern valley;[11] few warriors ever -passed it and lived; yet he did so when almost a boy. I myself have -seen him send an arrow to the heart of an eagle in its flight. He has a -palace and garden in Iztapalapan; in one of the halls stand the figures -of three kings, two of Michuaca, and one of the Ottomies. He took them -prisoners in battle, and now they hold torches at his feasts." - -"Enough, enough!" cried the hunter. "I have been dreaming of him while -among the hills. I want no better leader." - -The merchant cast an admiring glance at his beaming countenance, and -said, "You are right; enter his service." - -In such manner the conversation was continued, until the sun fast -declined towards the western mountains. Meantime, they had passed -through several hamlets and considerable towns. In nearly the whole -progress, the way on either hand had been lined with plantations. -Besides the presence of a busy, thriving population, they everywhere saw -evidences of a cultivation and science, constituting the real -superiority of the Aztecs over their neighbors. The country was thus -preparing the stranger for the city, unrivalled in splendor and beauty. -Casting a look toward the sun, he at length said, "Uncle, I have much to -thank you for,--you and your friends. But it is growing late, and I must -hurry on, if I would see the _tianguez_ before the market closes." - -"Very well," returned the old trader. "We will be in the city to-morrow. -The gods go with you!" - -Whistling to his ocelot, the adventurer quickened his pace, and was soon -far in the advance. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [4] In Aztec mythology, God of the Air. - - [5] Equivalent to Pontiff or Pope. - - [6] Sahagun, Hist. de Nueva Esp. - - [7] Ixtlilxochitl, son of Nezahualpilli, king of Tezcuco. - - [8] King of Tezcuco. - - [9] See Prescott's Conq. of Mexico. - - [10] Guatamozin, nephew to Montezuma. Of him Bernal Diaz says: "This - monarch was between twenty-three and twenty-four years of age, - and could in all truth be called a handsome man, both as regards - his countenance and figure. His face was rather of an elongated - form, with a cheerful look; his eye had great expression, both - when he assumed a majestic expression, or when he looked - pleasantly around; the color of his face inclined to white more - than to the copper-brown tint of the Indians in general."--DIAZ, - _Conquest of Mexico_, Lockhart's Trans., Vol. IV., p. 110. - - [11] Prescott's Conq. of Mexico, Vol. I., p. 417. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - A CHALLENGE. - - -In the valley of Anahuac, at the time I write, are four -lakes,--Xaltocan, Chalco, Xochichalco, and Tezcuco. The latter, besides -being the largest, washed the walls of Tenochtitlan, and was the -especial pride of the Aztecs, who, familiar with its ways as with the -city, traversed them all the days of the year, and even the nights. - -"Ho, there!" shouted a _voyageur_, in a voice that might have been heard -a long distance over the calm expanse of the lake. "Ho, the canoe!" - -The hail was answered. - -"Is it Guatamozin?" asked the first speaker. - -"Yes." - -"And going to Tenochtitlan?" - -"The gods willing,--yes." - -The canoes of the _voyageurs_--I use that term because it more nearly -expresses the meaning of the word the Aztecs themselves were wont to -apply to persons thus abroad--were, at the time, about the middle of the -little sea. After the 'tzin's reply, they were soon alongside, when -lashings were applied, and together they swept on rapidly, for the -slaves at the paddles vied in skill and discipline. - -"Iztlil', of Tezcuco!" said the 'tzin, lightly. "He is welcome; but had -a messenger asked me where at this hour he would most likely be found, I -should have bade him search the _chinampas_, especially those most -notable for their perfume and music." - -The speech was courteous, yet the moment of reply was allowed to pass. -The 'tzin waited until the delay excited his wonder. - -"There is a rumor of a great battle with the Tlascalans," he said again, -this time with a direct question. "Has my friend heard of it?" - -"The winds that carry rumors seldom come to me," answered Iztlil'. - -"Couriers from Tlascala pass directly through your capital--" - -The Tezcucan laid his hand on the speaker's shoulder. - -"My capital!" he said. "Do you speak of the city of Tezcuco?" - -The 'tzin dashed the hand away, and arose, saying, "Your meaning is dark -in this dimness of stars." - -"Be seated," said the other. - -"If I sit, is it as friend or foe?" - -"Hear me; then be yourself the judge." - -The Aztec folded his cloak about him and resumed his seat, very -watchful. - -"Montezuma, the king--" - -"Beware! The great king is my kinsman, and I am his faithful subject." - -The Tezcucan continued. "In the valley the king is next to the gods; yet -to his nephew I say I hate him, and will teach him that my hate is no -idleness, like a passing love. 'Tzin, a hundred years ago our races were -distinct and independent. The birds of the woods, the winds of the -prairie, were not more free than the people of Tezcuco. We had our -capital, our temples, our worship, and our gods; we celebrated our own -festivals, our kings commanded their own armies, our priesthood -prescribed their own sacrifices. But where now are king, country, and -gods? Alas! you have seen the children of 'Hualpilli, of the blood of -the Acolhuan, suppliants of Montezuma, the Aztec." And, as if overcome -by the recollection, he burst into apostrophe. "I mourn thee, O Tezcuco, -garden of my childhood, palace of my fathers, inheritance of my right! -Against me are thy gates closed. The stars may come, and as of old -garland thy towers with their rays; but in thy echoing halls and -princely courts never, never shall I be known again!" - -The silence that ensued, the 'tzin was the first to break. - -"You would have me understand," he said, "that the king has done you -wrong. Be it so. But, for such cause, why quarrel with me?" - -"Ah, yes!" answered the Tezcucan, in an altered voice. "Come closer, -that the slaves may not hear." - -The Aztec kept his attitude of dignity. Yet lower Iztlil' dropped his -voice. - -"The king has a daughter whom he calls Tula, and loves as the light of -his palace." - -The 'tzin started, but held his peace. - -"You know her?" continued the Tezcucan. - -"Name her not!" said Guatamozin, passionately. - -"Why not? I love her, and but for you, O 'tzin, she would have loved me. -You, too, have done me wrong." - -With thoughts dark as the waters he rode, the Aztec looked long at the -light of fire painted on the sky above the distant city. - -"Is Guatamozin turned woman?" asked Iztlil', tauntingly. - -"Tula is my cousin. We have lived the lives of brother and sister. In -hall, in garden, on the lake, always together, I could not help loving -her." - -"You mistake me," said the other. "I seek her for wife, but you seek her -for ambition; in her eyes you see only her father's throne." - -Then the Aztec's manner changed, and he assumed the mastery. - -"Enough, Tezcucan! I listened calmly while you reviled the king, and -now I have somewhat to say. In your youth the wise men prophesied evil -from you; they said you were ingrate and blasphemer then: your whole -life has but verified their judgment. Well for your royal father and his -beautiful city had he cut you off as they counselled him to do. Treason -to the king,--defiance to me! By the holy Sun, for each offence you -should answer me shield to shield! But I recollect that I am neither -priest to slay a victim nor officer to execute the law. I mourn a feud, -still more the blood of countrymen shed by my hand; yet the wrongs shall -not go unavenged or without challenge. To-morrow is the sacrifice to -Quetzal'. There will be combat with the best captives in the temples; -the arena will be in the _tianguez_; Tenochtitlan, and all the valley, -and all the nobility of the Empire, will look on. Dare you prove your -kingly blood? I challenge the son of 'Hualpilli to share the danger with -me." - -The cacique was silent, and the 'tzin did not disturb him. At his order, -however, the slaves bent their dusky forms, and the vessels sped on, -like wingless birds. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - TENOCHTITLAN AT NIGHT. - - -The site of the city of Tenochtitlan was chosen by the gods. In the -southwestern border of Lake Tezcuco, one morning in 1300, a wandering -tribe of Aztecs saw an eagle perched, with outspread wings, upon a -cactus, and holding a serpent in its talons. At a word from their -priests, they took possession of the marsh, and there stayed their -migration and founded the city: such is the tradition. As men love to -trace their descent back to some storied greatness, nations delight to -associate the gods with their origin. - -Originally the Aztecs were barbarous. In their southern march, they -brought with them only their arms and a spirit of sovereignty. The -valley of Anahuac, when they reached it, was already peopled; in fact, -had been so for ages. The cultivation and progress they found and -conquered there reacted upon them. They grew apace; and as they carried -their shields into neighboring territory, as by intercourse and commerce -they crept from out their shell of barbarism, as they strengthened in -opulence and dominion, they repudiated the reeds and rushes of which -their primal houses were built, and erected enduring temples and -residences of Oriental splendor. - -Under the smiles of the gods, whom countless victims kept propitiated, -the city threw abroad its arms, and, before the passage of a century, -became the emporium of the valley. Its people climbed the mountains -around, and, in pursuit of captives to grace their festivals, made the -conquest of "Mexico." Then the kings began to centralize. They made -Tenochtitlan their capital; under their encouragement, the arts grew and -flourished; its market became famous; the nobles and privileged orders -made it their dwelling-place; wealth abounded; as a consequence, a vast -population speedily filled its walls and extended them as required. At -the coming of the "conquistadores," it contained sixty thousand houses -and three hundred thousand souls. Its plat testifies to a high degree of -order and regularity, with all the streets running north and south, and -intersected by canals, so as to leave quadrilateral blocks. An ancient -map, exhibiting the city proper, presents the face of a checker-board, -each square, except those of some of the temples and palaces, being -meted with mathematical certainty. - -Such was the city the 'tzin and the cacique were approaching. Left of -them, half a league distant, lay the towers and embattled gate of Xoloc. -On the horizon behind paled the fires of Iztapalapan, while those of -Tenochtitlan at each moment threw brighter hues into the sky, and more -richly empurpled the face of the lake. In mid air, high over all others, -like a great torch, blazed the pyre of Huitzil'.[12] Out on the sea, the -course of the _voyageurs_ was occasionally obstructed by _chinampas_ at -anchor, or afloat before the light wind; nearer the walls, the floating -gardens multiplied until the passage was as if through an archipelago in -miniature. From many of them poured the light of torches; others gave to -the grateful sense the melody of flutes and blended voices; while over -them the radiance from the temples fell softly, revealing white -pavilions, orange-trees, flowering shrubs, and nameless varieties of the -unrivalled tropical vegetation. A breeze, strong enough to gently ripple -the lake, hovered around the undulating retreats, scattering a largesse -of perfume, and so ministering to the voluptuous floramour of the -locality. - -As the _voyageurs_ proceeded, the city, rising to view, underwent a -number of transformations. At first, amidst the light of its own -fires,[13] it looked like a black sea-shore; directly its towers and -turrets became visible, some looming vaguely and dark, others glowing -and purpled, the whole magnified by the dim duplication below; then it -seemed like a cloud, one half kindled by the sun, the other obscured by -the night. As they swept yet nearer, it changed to the likeness of a -long, ill-defined wall, over which crept a hum wing-like and -strange,--the hum of myriad life. - -In silence still they hurried forward. Vessels like their own, but with -lanterns of stained _aguave_ at the prows, seeking some favorite -_chinampa_, sped by with benisons from the crews. At length they reached -the wall, and, passing through an interval that formed the outlet of a -canal, entered the city. Instantly the water became waveless; houses -encompassed them; lights gleamed across their way; the hum that hovered -over them while out on the lake realized itself in the voices of men and -the notes of labor. - -Yet farther into the city, the light from the temples increased. From -towers, turreted like a Moresco castle, they heard the night-watchers -proclaiming the hour. Canoes, in flocks, darted by them, decked with -garlands, and laden with the wealth of a merchant, or the trade of a -market-man, or full of revellers singing choruses to the stars or to the -fair denizens of the palaces. Here and there the canal was bordered with -sidewalks of masonry, and sometimes with steps leading from the water up -to a portal, about which were companies whose flaunting, parti-colored -costumes, brilliant in the mellowed light, had all the appearance of -Venetian masqueraders. - -At last the canoes gained the great street that continued from the -causeway at the south through the whole city; then the Tezcucan touched -the 'tzin, and said,-- - -"The son of 'Hualpilli accepts the challenge, Aztec. In the _tianguez_ -to-morrow." - -Without further speech, the foemen leaped on the landing, and separated. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [12] The God of War,--aptly called the "Mexican Mars." - - [13] There was a fire for each altar in the temples which was - inextinguishable; and so numerous were the altars, and so - brilliant their fires, that they kept the city illuminated - throughout the darkest nights. Prescott, Conq. of Mexico, Vol. - I., p 72. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - THE CHILD OF THE TEMPLE. - - -There were two royal palaces in the city; one built by Axaya', the other -by Montezuma, the reigning king, who naturally preferred his own -structure, and so resided there. It was a low, irregular pile, embracing -not only the king's abode proper, but also quarters for his guard, and -edifices for an armory, an aviary, and a menagerie. Attached to it was a -garden, adorned with the choicest shrubbery and plants, with fruit and -forest trees, with walks strewn with shells, and fountains of pure water -conducted from the reservoir of Chapultepec. - -At night, except when the moon shone, the garden was lighted with lamps; -and, whether in day or night, it was a favorite lounging-place. During -fair evenings, particularly, its walks, of the whiteness of snow, were -thronged by nobles and courtiers. - -Shortly after the arrival of Iztlil' and Guatamozin, a party, mostly of -the sons of provincial governors kept at the palace as hostages, were -gathered in the garden, under a canopy used to shield a fountain from -the noonday sun. The place was fairly lighted, the air fresh with the -breath of flowers, and delightful with the sound of falling water. - -Maxtla, chief of the guard, was there, his juvenility well hidden under -an ostentatious display. That he was "a very common soldier" in the -opinion of the people was of small moment: he had the king's ear; and -that, without wit and courtierly tact, would have made him what he -was,--the oracle of the party around him. - -In the midst of his gossip, Iztlil', the Tezcucan, came suddenly to the -fountain. He coldly surveyed the assembly. Maxtla alone saluted him. - -"Will the prince of Tezcuco be seated?" said the chief. - -"The place is pleasant, and the company looks inviting," returned -Iztlil', grimly. - -Since his affair with Guatamozin, he had donned the uniform of an Aztec -chieftain. Over his shoulders was carelessly flung a crimson -_tilmatli_,--a short, square cloak, fantastically embroidered with gold, -and so sprinkled with jewels as to flash at every movement; his body was -wrapped closely in an _escaupil_, or tunic, of cotton lightly quilted, -over which, and around his waist, was a _maxtlatl_, or sash, inseparable -from the warrior. A casque of silver, thin, burnished, and topped with -plumes, surmounted his head. His features were gracefully moulded, and -he would have been handsome but that his complexion was deepened by -black, frowning eyebrows. He was excessively arrogant; though sometimes, -when deeply stirred by passion, his manner rose into the royal. His -character I leave to history. - -"I have just come from Iztapalapan," he said, as he sat upon the -proffered stool. "The lake is calm, the way was very pleasant, I had the -'tzin Guatamo' for comrade." - -"You were fortunate. The 'tzin is good company," said Maxtla. - -Iztlil' frowned, and became silent. - -"To-morrow," continued the courtier, upon whom the discontent, slight as -it was, had not been lost, "is the sacrifice to Quetzal'. I am reminded, -gracious prince, that, at a recent celebration, you put up a thousand -cocoa,[14] to be forfeited if you failed to see the daughter of Mualox, -the paba. If not improper, how runs the wager, and what of the result?" - -The cacique shrugged his broad shoulders. - -"The man trembles!" whispered one of the party. - -"Well he may! Old Mualox is more than a man." - -Maxtla bowed and laughed. "Mualox is a magician; the stars deal with -him. And my brother will not speak, lest he may cover the sky of his -fortune with clouds." - -"No," said the Tezcucan, proudly; "the wager was not a sacrilege to the -paba or his god; if it was, the god, not the man, should be a warrior's -fear." - -"Does Maxtla believe Mualox a prophet?" asked Tlahua, a noble Otompan. - -"The gods have power in the sun; why not on earth?" - -"You do not like the paba," observed Iztlil', gloomily. - -"Who has seen him, O prince, and thought of love? And the walls and -towers of his dusty temple,--are they not hung with dread, as the sky on -a dark day with clouds?" - -The party, however they might dislike the cacique, could not listen -coldly to this conversation. They were mostly of that mystic race of -Azatlan, who, ages before, had descended into the valley, like an -inundation, from the north; the race whose religion was founded upon -credulity; the race full of chivalry, but horribly governed by a crafty -priesthood. None of them disbelieved in star-dealing. So every eye fixed -on the Tezcucan, every ear drank the musical syllables of Maxtla. They -were startled when the former said abruptly,-- - -"Comrades, the wrath of the old paba is not to be lightly provoked; he -has gifts not of men. But, as there is nothing I do not dare, I will -tell the story." - -The company now gathered close around the speaker. - -"Probably you have all heard," he began, "that Mualox keeps in his -temple somewhere a child or woman too beautiful to be mortal. The story -may be true; yet it is only a belief; no eye has seen footprint or -shadow of her. A certain lord in the palace, who goes thrice a week to -the shrine of Quetzal', has faith in the gossip and the paba. He says -the mystery is Quetzal' himself, already returned, and waiting, -concealed in the temple, the ripening of the time when he is to burst in -vengeance on Tenochtitlan. I heard him talking about it one day, and -wagered him a thousand cocoa that, if there was such a being I would see -her before the next sacrifice to Quetzal'." - -The Tezcucan hesitated. - -"Is the believer to boast himself wealthier by the wager?" said Maxtla, -profoundly interested. "A thousand cocoa would buy a jewel or a slave: -surely, O prince, surely they were worth the winning!" - -Iztlil' frowned again, and said bitterly, "A thousand cocoa I cannot -well spare; they do not grow on my hard northern hills like flowers in -Xochimilco. I did my best to save the wager. Old habit lures me to the -great _teocallis_;[15] for I am of those who believe that a warrior's -worship is meet for no god but Huitzil'. But, as the girl was supposed -to be down in the cells of the old temple, and none but Mualox could -satisfy me, I began going there, thinking to bargain humilities for -favor. I played my part studiously, if not well; but no offering of -tongue or gold ever won me word of friendship or smile of confidence. -Hopeless and weary, I at last gave up, and went back to the _teocallis_. -But now hear my parting with the paba. A short time ago a mystery was -enacted in the temple. At the end, I turned to go away, determined that -it should be my last visit. At the eastern steps, as I was about -descending, I felt a hand laid on my arm. It was Mualox; and not more -terrible looks Tlalac when he has sacrificed a thousand victims. There -was no blood on his hands; his beard and surplice were white and -stainless; the terror was in his eyes, that seemed to burn and shoot -lightning. You know, good chief, that I could have crushed him with a -blow; yet I trembled. Looking back now, I cannot explain the awe that -seized me. I remember how my will deserted me,--how another's came in -its stead. With a glance he bound me hand and foot. While I looked at -him, he dilated, until I was covered by his shadow. He magnified himself -into the stature of a god. 'Prince of Tezcuco,' he said, 'son of the -wise 'Hualpilli, from the sun Quetzal' looks down on the earth. Alike -over land and sea he looks. Before him space melts into a span, and -darkness puts on the glow of day. Did you think to deceive my god, O -prince?' I could not answer; my tongue was like stone. 'Go hence, go -hence!' he cried, waving his hand. 'Your presence darkens his mood. His -wrath is on your soul; he has cursed you. Hence, abandoned of the gods!' -So saying, he went back to the tower again, and my will returned, and I -fled. And now," said the cacique, turning suddenly and sternly upon his -hearers, "who will deny the magic of Mualox? How may I be assured that -his curse that day spoken was not indeed a curse from Quetzal'?" - -There was neither word nor laugh,--not even a smile. The gay Maxtla -appeared infected with a sombreness of spirit; and it was not long until -the party broke up, and went each his way. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [14] The Aztec currency consisted of bits of tin, in shape like a - capital T, of quills of gold-dust, and of bags of cocoa, - containing a stated number of grains. Sahagun, Hist. de Nueva - Esp. - - [15] Temple. The term appears to have applied particularly to the - temples of the god Huitzil'.--TR. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE CU OF QUETZAL', AND MUALOX, THE PABA. - - -Over the city from temple to temple passed the wail of the watchers, and -a quarter of the night was gone. Few heard the cry without pleasure; for -to-morrow was Quetzal's day, which would bring feasting, music, combat, -crowd, and flowers. - -Among others the proclamation of the passing time was made from a temple -in the neighborhood of the Tlateloco _tianguez_, or market-place, which -had been built by one of the first kings of Tenochtitlan, and, like all -edifices of that date properly called Cus, was of but one story, and had -but one tower. At the south its base was washed by a canal; on all the -other sides it was enclosed by stone walls high, probably, as a man's -head. The three sides so walled were bounded by streets, and faced by -houses, some of which were higher than the Cu itself, and adorned with -beautiful porticos. The canal on the south ran parallel with the -Tlacopan causeway, and intersected the Iztapalapan street at a point -nearly half a mile above the great pyramid. - -The antique pile thus formed a square of vast extent. According to the -belief that there were blessings in the orient rays of the sun, the -front was to the east, where a flight of steps, wide as the whole -building, led from the ground to the _azoteas_, a paved area -constituting the roof, crowned in the centre by a round tower of wood -most quaintly carved with religious symbols. Entering the door of the -tower, the devotee might at once kneel before the sacred image of -Quetzal'. - -A circuitous stairway outside the tower conducted to its summit, where -blazed the fire. Another flight of steps about midway the tower and the -western verge of the _azoteas_ descended into a court-yard, around -which, in the shade of a colonnade, were doors and windows of habitable -apartments and passages leading far into the interior. And there, -shrouded in a perpetual twilight and darkness, once slept, ate, prayed, -and studied or dreamed the members of a fraternity powerful as the -Templars and gloomy as the Fratres Minores. - -The interior was cut into rooms, and long, winding halls, and countless -cellular dens. - -Such was the Cu of Quetzal',--stern, sombre, and massive as in its first -days; unchanged in all save the prosperity of its priesthood and the -popularity of its shrine. Time was when every cell contained its -votaries, and kings, returning from battle, bowed before the altar. But -Montezuma had built a new edifice, and set up there a new idol; and as -if a king could better make a god than custom, the people abandoned the -old ones to desuetude. Up in the ancient cupola, however, sat the image -said to have been carved by Quetzal's own hand. Still the fair face -looked out benignly on its realm of air; carelessly the winds waved "the -plumes of fire" that decked its awful head; and one stony hand yet -grasped a golden sceptre, while the other held aloft the painted -shield,--symbols of its dominion.[16] But the servitors and surpliced -mystics were gone; the cells were very solitudes; the last paba lingered -to protect the image and its mansion, all unwitting how, in his -faithfulness of love, he himself had assumed the highest prerogative of -a god. - -The fire from the urn on the tower flashed a red glow down over the -_azoteas_, near a corner of which Mualox stood, his beard white and -flowing as his surplice. Thought of days palmier for himself and more -glorious for his temple and god struggled to his lips. - -"Children of Azatlan, ye have strayed from his shrine, and dust is on -his shield. The temple is of his handiwork, but its chambers are -voiceless; the morning comes and falls asleep on its steps, and no foot -disturbs it, no one seeks its blessings. Where is the hymn of the choir? -Where the prayer? Where the holiness that rested, like a spell, around -the altar? Is the valley fruitless, and are the gardens without flowers, -that he should be without offering or sacrifice?... Ah! well ye know -that the day is not distant when he will glister again in the valley; -when he will come, not as of old he departed, the full harvest quick -ripening in his footsteps, but with the power of Mictlan,[17] the owl on -his skirt, and death in his hand. Return, O children, and Tenochtitlan -may yet live!" - -In the midst of his pleadings there was a clang of sandalled feet on the -pavement, and two men came near him, and stopped. One of them wore the -hood and long black gown of a priest; the other the full military -garb,--burnished casque crested with plumes, a fur-trimmed _tilmatli_, -_escaupil_, and _maxtlatl_, and sandals the thongs of which were -embossed with silver. He also carried a javelin, and a shield with an -owl painted on its face. Indeed, one will travel far before finding, -among Christians or unbelievers, his peer. He was then not more than -twenty-five years old, tall and nobly proportioned, and with a bearing -truly royal. In Spain I have seen eyes as large and lustrous, but none -of such power and variety of expression. His complexion was merely the -brown of the sun. Though very masculine, his features, especially when -the spirit was in repose, were softened by an expression unusually -gentle and attractive. Such was the 'tzin Guatamo', or, as he is more -commonly known in history, Guatamozin,--the highest, noblest type of his -race, blending in one its genius and heroism, with but few of its -debasements. - -"Mualox," said the priestly stranger. - -The paba turned, and knelt, and kissed the pavement. - -"O king, pardon your slave! He was dreaming of his country." - -"No slave of mine, but Quetzal's. Up, Mualox!" said Montezuma, throwing -back the hood that covered his head. "Holy should be the dust that -mingles in your beard!" - -And the light from the tower shone full on the face of him,--the priest -of lore profound, and monarch wise of thought, for whom Heaven was -preparing a destiny most memorable among the melancholy episodes of -history. - -A slight mustache shaded his upper lip, and thin, dark beard covered his -chin and throat; his nose was straight; his brows curved archly; his -forehead was broad and full, while he seemed possessed of height and -strength. His neck was round, muscular, and encircled by a collar of -golden wires. His manner was winsome, and he spoke to the kneeling man -in a voice clear, distinct, and sufficiently emphatic for the king he -was.[18] - -Mualox arose, and stood with downcast eyes, and hands crossed over his -breast. - -"Many a coming of stars it has been," he said, "since the old shrine has -known the favor of gift from Montezuma. Gloom of clouds in a vale of -firs is not darker than the mood of Quetzal'; but to the poor paba, your -voice, O king, is welcome as the song of the river in the ear of the -thirsty." - -The king looked up at the fire on the tower. - -"Why should the mood of Quetzal' be dark? A new _teocallis_ holds his -image. His priests are proud; and they say he is happy, and that when he -comes from the golden land his canoe will be full of blessings." - -Mualox sighed, and when he ventured to raise his eyes to the king's, -they were wet with tears. - -"O king, have you forgotten that chapter of the _teoamoxtli_,[19] in -which is written how this Cu was built, and its first fires lighted, by -Quetzal' himself? The new pyramid may be grand; its towers may be -numberless, and its fires far reaching as the sun itself; but hope not -that will satisfy the god, while his own house is desolate. In the name -of Quetzal', I, his true servant, tell you, never again look for smile -from Tlapallan." - -The paba's speech was bold, and the king frowned; but in the eyes of the -venerable man there was the unaccountable fascination mentioned by -Iztlil'. - -"I remember the Mualox of my father's day; surely he was not as you -are!" Then, laying his hand on the 'tzin's arm, the monarch added, "Did -you not say the holy man had something to tell me?" - -Mualox answered, "Even so, O king! Few are the friends left the paba, -now that his religion and god are mocked; but the 'tzin is faithful. At -my bidding he went to the palace. Will Montezuma go with his servant?" - -"Where?" - -"Only into the Cu." - -The monarch faltered. - -"Dread be from you!" said Mualox. "Think you it is as hard to be -faithful to a king as to a god whom even he has abandoned?" - -Montezuma was touched. "Let us go," he said to the 'tzin. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [16] Sahagun, Hist. de Nueva Esp. - - [17] The Mexican Hell. The owl was the symbol of the Devil, whose - name signifies "the rational owl." - - [18] Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conquista. - - [19] The Divine Book, or Bible. Ixtlil's Relaciones M.S. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - THE PROPHECY ON THE WALL. - - -Mualox led them into the tower. The light of purpled lamps filled the -sacred place, and played softly around the idol, before which they -bowed. Then he took a light from the altar, and conducted them to the -_azoteas_, and down into the court-yard, from whence they entered a hall -leading on into the Cu. - -The way was labyrinthine, and both the king and the 'tzin became -bewildered; they only knew that they descended several stairways, and -walked a considerable distance; nevertheless, they submitted themselves -entirely to their guide, who went forward without hesitancy. At last he -stopped; and, by the light which he held up for the purpose, they saw in -a wall an aperture roughly excavated, and large enough to admit them -singly. - -"You have read the Holy Book, wise king," said Mualox. "Can you not -recall its saying that, before the founding of Tenochtitlan, a Cu was -begun, with chambers to lie under the bed of the lake? Especially, do -you not remember the declaration that, in some of those chambers, -besides a store of wealth so vast as to be beyond the calculation of -men, there were prophecies to be read, written on the walls by a god?" - -"I remember it," said the king. - -"Give me faith, then, and I will show you all you there read." - -Thereupon the paba stepped into the aperture, saying,-- - -"Mark! I am now standing under the eastern wall of the old Cu." - -[Illustration: A CLANG OF SANDALED FEET] - -He passed through, and they followed him, and were amazed. - -"Look around, O king! You are in one of the chambers mentioned in the -Holy Book." - -The light penetrated but a short distance, so that Montezuma could form -no idea of the extent of the apartment. He would have thought it a great -natural cavern but for the floor smoothly paved with alternate red and -gray flags, and some massive stone blocks rudely piled up in places to -support the roof. - -As they proceeded, Mualox said, "On every side of us there are rooms -through which we might go till, in stormy weather, the waves of the lake -can be heard breaking overhead." - -In a short time they again stopped. - -"We are nearly there. Son of a king, is your heart strong?" said Mualox, -solemnly. - -Montezuma made no answer. - -"Many a time," continued the paba, "your glance has rested on the tower -of the old Cu, then flashed to where, in prouder state, your pyramids -rise. You never thought the gray pile you smiled at was the humblest of -all Quetzal's works. Can a man, though a king, outdo a god?" - -"I never thought so, I never thought so!" - -But the mystic did not notice the deprecation. - -"See," he said, speaking louder, "the pride of man says, I will build -upward that the sun may show my power; but the gods are too great for -pride; so the sun shines not on their especial glories, which as -frequently lie in the earth and sea as in the air and heavens. O mighty -king! You crush the worm under your sandal, never thinking that its -humble life is more wonderful than all your temples and state. It was -the same folly that laughed at the simple tower of Quetzal', which has -mysteries--" - -"Mysteries!" said the king. - -"I will show you wealth enough to restock the mines and visited valleys -with all their plundered gold and jewels." - -"You are dreaming, paba." - -"Come, then; let us see!" - -They moved past some columns, and came before a great, arched doorway, -through which streamed a brilliance like day. - -"Now, let your souls be strong!" - -They entered the door, and for a while were blinded by the glare, and -could see only the floor covered with grains of gold large as wheat. -Moving on, they came to a great stone table, and stopped. - -"You wonder; and so did I, until I was reminded that a god had been -here. Look up, O king! look up, and see the handiwork of Quetzal'!" - -The chamber was broad and square. The obstruction of many pillars, -forming the stay of the roof, was compensated by their lightness and -wonderful carving. Lamps, lit by Mualox in anticipation of the royal -coming, blazed in all quarters. The ceiling was covered with -lattice-work of shining white and yellow metals, the preciousness of -which was palpable to eyes accustomed like the monarch's. Where the bars -crossed each other, there were fanciful representations of flowers, -wrought in gold, some of them large as shields, and garnished with -jewels that burned with star-like fires. Between the columns, up and -down ran rows of brazen tables, bearing urns and vases of the royal -metals, higher than tall men, and carved all over with gods in -_bas-relief_, not as hideous caricatures, but beautiful as love and -Grecian skill could make them. Between the vases and urns there were -heaps of rubies and pearls and brilliants, amongst which looked out -softly the familiar, pale-green lustre of the _chalchuites_, or -priceless Aztecan diamond.[20] And here and there, like guardians of the -buried beauty and treasure, statues looked down from tall pedestals, -crowned and armed, as became the kings and demi-gods of a great and -martial people. The monarch was speechless. Again and again he surveyed -the golden chamber. As if seeking an explanation, but too overwhelmed -for words, he turned to Mualox. - -"And now does Montezuma believe his servant dreaming?" said the paba. -"Quetzal' directed the discovery of the chamber. I knew of it, O king, -before you were born. And here is the wealth of which I spoke. If it so -confounds you, how much more will the other mystery! I have dug up a -prophecy; from darkness plucked a treasure richer than all these. O -king, I will give you to read a message from the gods!" - -The monarch's face became bloodless, and it had now not a trace of -scepticism. - -"I will show you from Quetzal' himself that the end of your Empire is at -hand, and that every wind of the earth is full sown with woe to you and -yours. The writing is on the walls. Come!" - -And he led the king, followed by Guatamozin, to the northern corner of -the eastern wall, on which, in square marble panels, _bas-relief_ style, -were hierograms and sculptured pictures of men, executed apparently by -the same hand that chiselled the statues in the room. The ground of the -carvings was coated with coarse gray coral, which had the effect to -bring out the white figures with marvellous perfection. - -"This, O king, is the writing," said Mualox, "which begins here, and -continues around the walls. I will read, if you please to hear." - -Montezuma waved his hand, and the paba proceeded. - -"This figure is that of the first king of Tenochtitlan; the others are -his followers. The letters record the time of the march from the north. -Observe that the first of the writing--its commencement--is here in the -north." - -After a little while, they moved on to the second panel. - -"Here," said Mualox, "is represented the march of the king. It was -accompanied with battles. See, he stands with lifted javelin, his foot -on the breast of a prostrate foe. His followers dance and sound shells; -the priests sacrifice a victim. The king has won a great victory." - -They stopped before the third panel. - -"And here the monarch is still on the march. He is in the midst of his -warriors; no doubt the crown he is receiving is that of the ruler of a -conquered city." - -This cartoon Montezuma examined closely. The chief, or king, was -distinguished by a crown in all respects like that then in the palace; -the priests, by their long gowns; and the warriors, by their arms, -which, as they were counterparts of those still in use, sufficiently -identified the wanderers. Greatly was the royal inspector troubled. And -as the paba slowly conducted him from panel to panel, he forgot the -treasure with which the chamber was stored. What he read was the story -of his race, the record of their glory. The whole eastern wall, he -found, when he had passed before it, given to illustrations of the -crusade from Azatlan, the fatherland, northward so far that corn was -gathered in the snow, and flowers were the wonder of the six weeks' -summer. - -In front of the first panel on the southern wall Mualox said,-- - -"All we have passed is the first era in the history; this is the -beginning of the second; and the first writing on the western wall will -commence a third. Here the king stands on a rock; a priest points him to -an eagle on a cactus, holding a serpent. At last they have reached the -place where Tenochtitlan is to be founded." - -The paba passed on. - -"Here," he said, "are temples and palaces. The king reclines on a couch; -the city has been founded." - -And before another panel,--"Look well to this, O king. A new character -is introduced; here it is before an altar, offering a sacrifice of -fruits and flowers. It is Quetzal'! In his worship, you recollect, there -is no slaughter of victims. My hands are pure of blood." - -The Quetzal', with its pleasant face, flowing curls, and simple costume, -seemed to have a charm for Montezuma, for he mused over it a long time. -Some distance on, the figure again appeared, stepping into a canoe, -while the people, temples, and palaces of the city were behind it. -Mualox explained, "See, O king! The fair god is departing from -Tenochtitlan; he has been banished. Saddest of all the days was that!" - -And so, the holy man interpreting, they moved along the southern wall. -Not a scene but was illustrative of some incident memorable in the -Aztecan history. And the reviewers were struck with the faithfulness of -the record not less than with the beauty of the work. - -On the western wall, the first cartoon represented a young man sweeping -the steps of a temple. Montezuma paused before it amazed, and Guatamozin -for the first time cried out, "It is the king! It is the king!" The -likeness was perfect. - -After that came a coronation scene. The _teotuctli_ was placing a -_panache_[21] on Montezuma's head. In the third cartoon, he was with the -army, going to battle. In the fourth, he was seated, while a man clad -in _nequen_,[22] but crowned, stood before him. - -"You have grown familiar with triumphs, and it is many summers since, O -king," said Mualox; "but you have not yet forgotten the gladness of your -first conquest. Here is its record. As we go on, recall the kings who -were thus made to stand before you." - -And counting as they proceeded, Montezuma found that in every cartoon -there was an additional figure crowned and in _nequen_. When they came -to the one next the last on the western wall, he said,-- - -"Show me the meaning of all this: here are thirty kings." - -"Will the king tell his slave the number of cities he has conquered?" - -He thought awhile, and replied, "Thirty." - -"Then the record is faithful. It started with the first king of -Tenochtitlan; it came down to your coronation; now, it has numbered your -conquests. See you not, O king? Behind us, all the writing is of the -past; this is Montezuma and Tenochtitlan as they are: the present is -before us! Could the hand that set this chamber and carved these walls -have been a man's? Who but a god six cycles ago could have foreseen that -a son of the son of Axaya' would carry the rulers of thirty conquered -cities in his train?" - -The royal visitor listened breathlessly. He began to comprehend the -writing, and thrill with fast-coming presentiments. Yet he struggled -with his fears. - -"Prophecy has to do with the future," he said; "and you have shown me -nothing that the sculptors and jewellers in my palace cannot do. Would -you have me believe all this from Quetzal', show me something that is to -come." - -Mualox led him to the next scene which represented the king sitting in -state; above him a canopy; his nobles and the women of his household -around him; at his feet the people; and all were looking at a combat -going on between warriors. - -"You have asked for prophecy,--behold!" said Mualox. - -"I see nothing," replied the king. - -"Nothing! Is not this the celebration to-morrow? Since it was ordered, -could your sculptors have executed what you see?" - -Back to the monarch's face stole the pallor. - -"Look again, O king! You only saw yourself, your people and warriors. -But what is this?" - -Walking up, he laid his finger on the representation of a man landing -from a canoe. - -"The last we beheld of Quetzal'," he continued, "was on the southern -wall; his back was to Tenochtitlan, which he was leaving with a curse. -All you have heard about his promise to return is true. He himself has -written the very day, and here it is. Look! While the king, his warriors -and people, are gathered to the combat, Quetzal' steps from the canoe to -the sea-shore." - -The figure in the carving was scarcely two hands high, but exquisitely -wrought. With terror poorly concealed, Montezuma recognized it. - -"And now my promise is redeemed. I said I would give you to read a -message from the sun." - -"Read, Mualox: I cannot." - -The holy man turned to the writing, and said, with a swelling voice, -"Thus writes Quetzal' to Montezuma, the king! In the last day he will -seek to stay my vengeance; he will call together his people; there will -be combat in Tenochtitlan; but in the midst of the rejoicing I will land -on the sea-shore, and end the days of Azatlan forever." - -"Forever!" said the unhappy monarch. "No, no! Read the next writing." - -"There is no other; this is the last." - -The eastern, southern, and western walls had been successively passed, -and interpreted. Now the king turned to the northern wall: _it was -blank!_ His eyes flashed, and he almost shouted,-- - -"Liar! Quetzal' may come to-morrow, but it will be as friend. There is -no curse!" - -The paba humbled himself before the speaker, and said, slowly and -tearfully, "The wise king is blinded by his hope. When Quetzal' finished -this chapter, his task was done; he had recorded the last day of perfect -glory, and ceased to write because, Azatlan being now to perish, there -was nothing more to record. O unhappy king! that is the curse, and it -needed no writing!" - -Montezuma shook with passion. - -"Lead me hence, lead me hence!" he cried. "I will watch; and if Quetzal' -comes not on the morrow,--comes not during the celebration,--I swear to -level this temple, and let the lake into its chambers! And you, paba -though you be, I will drown you like a slave! Lead on!" - -Mualox obeyed without a word. Lamp in hand, he led his visitors from the -splendid chamber up to the _azoteas_ of the ancient house. As they -descended the eastern steps, he knelt, and kissed the pavement. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [20] A kind of emerald, used altogether by the nobility. Sahagun, - Hist. de Nueva Esp. - - [21] Or _capilli_,--the king's crown. A _panache_ was the head-dress - of a warrior. - - [22] A garment of coarse white material, made from the fibre of the - aloe, and by court etiquette required to be worn by courtiers and - suitors in the king's presence. The rule appears to have been of - universal application. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - A BUSINESS MAN IN TENOCHTITLAN. - - -Xoli, the Chalcan, was supposed to be the richest citizen, exclusive of -the nobles, in Tenochtitlan. Amongst other properties, he owned a house -on the eastern side of the Tlateloco _tianguez_, or market-place; which, -whether considered architecturally, or with reference to the business to -which it was devoted, or as the device of an unassoilzied heathen, was -certainly very remarkable. Its portico had six great columns of white -marble alternating six others of green porphyry, with a roof guarded by -a parapet intricately and tastefully carved; while cushioned lounges, -heavy curtains festooned and flashing with cochineal, and a fountain of -water pure enough for the draught of a king, all within the columns, -perfected it as a retreat from the sultry summer sun. - -The house thus elegantly garnished was not a _meson_, or a cafe, or a -theatre, or a broker's office; but rather a combination of them all, and -therefore divided into many apartments; of which one was for the sale of -beverages favorite among the wealthy and noble Aztecs,--Bacchic -inventions, with _pulque_ for chief staple, since it had the sanction of -antiquity and was mildly intoxicating; another was a restaurant, where -the _cuisine_ was only excelled at the royal table; indeed, there was a -story abroad that the king had several times borrowed the services of -the Chalcan's _artistes_; but, whether derived from the master or his -slaves, the shrewd reader will conclude from it, that the science of -advertising was known and practised as well in Tenochtitlan as in -Madrid. Nor were those all. Under the same roof were rooms for the -amusement of patrons,--for reading, smoking, and games; one in especial -for a play of hazard called _totoloque_, then very popular, because a -passion of Montezuma's. Finally, as entertainments not prohibited by the -_teotuctli_, a signal would, at any time, summon a minstrel, a juggler, -or a dancing-girl. Hardly need I say that the establishment was -successful. Always ringing with music, and of nights always resplendent -with lamps, it was always overflowing with custom. - -"So old Tepaja wanted you to be a merchant," said the Chalcan, in his -full, round voice, as, comfortably seated under the curtains of his -portico, he smoked his pipe, and talked with our young friend, the -Tihuancan. - -"Yes. Now that he is old, he thinks war dangerous." - -"You mistake him, boy. He merely thinks with me, that there is something -more real in wealth and many slaves. As he has grown older, he has grown -wiser." - -"As you will. I could not be a merchant." - -"Whom did you think of serving?" - -"The 'tzin Guatamo."[23] - -"I know him. He comes to my portico sometimes, but not to borrow money. -You see, I frequently act as broker, and take deposits from the -merchants and securities from the spendthrift nobles; he, however, has -no vices. When not with the army, he passes the time in study; though -they do say he goes a great deal to the palace to make love to the -princess. And now that I reflect, I doubt if you can get place with -him." - -"Why so?" - -"Well, he keeps no idle train, and the time is very quiet. If he were -going to the frontier it would be different." - -"Indeed!" - -"You see, boy, he is the bravest man and best fighter in the army; and -the sensible fellows of moderate skill and ambition have no fancy for -the hot place in a fight, which is generally where he is." - -"The discredit is not to him, by Our Mother!" said Hualpa, laughing. - -The broker stopped to cherish the fire in his pipe,--an act which the -inexperienced consider wholly incompatible with the profound reflection -he certainly indulged. When next he spoke, it was with smoke wreathing -his round face, as white clouds sometimes wreathe the full moon. - -"About an hour ago a fellow came here, and said he had heard that -Iztlil', the Tezcucan, had challenged the 'tzin to go into the arena -with him to-morrow. Not a bad thing for the god Quetzal', if all I hear -be true!" - -Again the pipe, and then the continuation. - -"You see, when the combat was determined on, there happened to be in the -temples two Othmies and two Tlascalans, warriors of very great report. -As soon as it became known that, by the king's choice, they were the -challengers, the young fellows about the palace shunned the sport, and -there was danger that the god would find himself without a champion. To -avoid such a disgrace, the 'tzin was coming here to-night to hang his -shield in the portico. If he and the Tezcucan both take up the fight, it -will be a great day indeed." - -The silence that ensued was broken by the hunter, whom the gossip had -plunged into revery. - -"I pray your pardon, Xoli; but you said, I think, that the lords hang -back from the danger. Can any one volunteer?" - -"Certainly; any one who is a warrior, and is in time. Are you of that -mind?" - -The Chalcan took down the pipe, and looked at him earnestly. - -"If I had the arms--" - -"But you know nothing about it,--not even how such combats are -conducted!" - -The broker was now astonished. - -"Listen to me," he said. "These combats are always in honor of some one -or more of the Aztecan gods,--generally of Huitzil', god of war. They -used to be very simple affairs. A small platform of stone, of the height -of a man, was put up in the midst of the _tianguez_, so as to be seen by -the people standing around; and upon it, in pairs, the champions fought -their duels. This, however, was too plain to suit the tastes of the last -Montezuma; and he changed the ceremony into a spectacle really honorable -and great. Now, the arena is first prepared,--a central space in a great -many rows of seats erected so as to rise one above the other. At the -proper time, the people, the priests, and the soldiers go in and take -possession of their allotted places. Some time previous, the quarters of -the prisoners taken in battle are examined and two or more of the best -of the warriors found there are chosen by the king, and put in training -for the occasion. They are treated fairly, and are told that, if they -fight and win, they shall be crowned as heroes, and returned to their -tribes. No need, I think, to tell you how brave men fight when -stimulated by hope of glory and hope of life. When chosen, their names -are published, and their shields hung up in a portico on the other side -of the square yonder; after which they are understood to be the -challengers of any equal number of warriors who dare become champions of -the god or gods in whose honor the celebration is had. Think of the -approved skill and valor of the foe; think of the thousands who will be -present; think of your own inexperience in war, and of your youth, your -stature hardly gained, your muscles hardly matured; think of everything -tending to weaken your chances of success,--and then speak to me." - -Hualpa met the sharp gaze of the Chalcan steadily, and answered, "I am -thought to have some skill with the bow and _maquahuitl_. Get me the -opportunity, and I will fight." - -And Xoli, who was a sincere friend, reflected awhile. "There is peril in -the undertaking, to be sure; but then he is resolved to be a warrior, -and if he survives, it is glory at once gained, fortune at once made." -Then he arose, and, smiling, said aloud, "Let us go to the portico. If -the list be not full, you shall have the arms,--yes, by the Sun! as the -lordly Aztecs swear,--the very best in Tenochtitlan." - -And they lifted the curtains, and stepped into the _tianguez_.[24] The -light of the fires on the temples was hardly more in strength than the -shine of the moon; so that torches had to be set up at intervals over -the celebrated square. On an ordinary occasion, with a visitation of -forty thousand busy buyers and sellers, it was a show of merchants and -merchantable staples worthy the chief mart of an empire so notable; but -now, drawn by the double attraction of market and celebration, the -multitude that thronged it was trebly greater; yet the order was -perfect. - -An officer, at the head of a patrol, passed them with a prisoner. - -"Ho, Chalcan! If you would see justice done, follow me." - -"Thanks, thanks, good friend; I have been before the judges too often -already." - -So the preservation of the peace was no mystery. - -The friends made way slowly, giving the Tihuancan time to gratify his -curiosity. He found the place like a great national fair, in which few -branches of industry were unrepresented. There were smiths who worked in -the coarser metals, and jewellers skilful as those of Europe; there -were makers and dealers in furniture, and sandals, and _plumaje_; at one -place men were disposing of fruits, flowers, and vegetables; not far -away fishermen boasted their stock caught that day in the fresh waters -of Chalco; tables of pastry and maize bread were set next the quarters -of the hunters of Xilotepec; the armorers, clothiers, and dealers in -cotton were each of them a separate host. In no land where a science has -been taught or a book written have the fine arts been dishonored; and so -in the great market of Tenochtitlan there were no galleries so rich as -those of the painters, nor was any craft allowed such space for their -exhibitions as the sculptors. - -They halted an instant before a porch full of slaves. A rapid glance at -the miserable wretches, and Xoli said, pitilessly, "Bah! Mictlan has -many such. Let us go." - -Farther on they came to a platform on which a band of mountebanks was -performing. Hualpa would have stayed to witness their tableaux, but Xoli -was impatient. - -"You see yon barber's shop," he said; "next to it is the portico we -seek. Come on!" - -At last they arrived there, and mixed with the crowd curious like -themselves. - -"Ah, boy, you are too late! The list is full." - -The Chalcan spoke regretfully. - -Hualpa looked for himself. On a clear white wall, that fairly glistened -with the flood of light pouring upon it, he counted eight shields, or -gages of battle. Over the four to the left were picture-written, -"Othmies," "Tlascalans." They belonged to the challengers, and were -battered and stained, proving that their gathering had been in no field -of peace. The four to the right were of the Aztecs, and all bore devices -except one. A sentinel stood silently beneath them. - -"Welcome, Chalcan!" said a citizen, saluting the broker. "You are in -good time to tell us the owners of the shields here." - -"Of the Aztecs?" - -"Yes." - -"Well," said Xoli, slowly and gravely. "The shields I do not know are -few and of little note. At one time or another I have seen them all pass -my portico going to battle." - -A bystander, listening, whispered to his friends,-- - -"The braggart! He says nothing of the times the owners passed his door -to get a pinch of his snuff." - -"Or to get drunk on his abominable _pulque_," said another. - -"Or to get a loan, leaving their palaces in pawn," said a third party. - -But Xoli went on impressively,-- - -"Those two to the left belong to a surly Otompan and a girl-faced -Cholulan. They had a quarrel in the king's garden, and this is the -upshot. That other,--surely, O citizens, you know the shield of Iztlil', -the Tezcucan!" - -"Yes; but its neighbor?" - -"The plain shield! Its owner has a name to win. I can find you enough -such here in the market to equip an army. Say, soldier, whose gage is -that?" - -The sentinel shook his head. "A page came not long ago, and asked me to -hang it up by the side of the Tezcucan's. He said not whom he served." - -"Well, maybe you know the challengers." - -"Two of the shields belong to a father and son of the tribe of Othmies. -In the last battle the son alone slew eight Cempoallan warriors for us. -Tlascalans, whose names I do not know, own the others." - -"Do you think they will escape?" asked a citizen. - -The sentinel smiled grimly, and said, "Not if it be true that yon plain -shield belongs to Guatamo, the 'tzin." - -Directly a patrol, rudely thrusting the citizens aside, came to relieve -the guard. In the confusion, the Chalcan whispered to his friend, "Let -us go back. There is no chance for you in the arena to-morrow; and this -new fellow is sullen; his tongue would not wag though I promised him -drink from the king's vase." - -Soon after they reached the Chalcan's portico and disappeared in the -building, the cry of the night-watchers arose from the temples, and the -market was closed. The great crowd vanished; in stall and portico the -lights were extinguished; but at once another scene equally tumultuous -usurped the _tianguez_. Thousands of half-naked _tamanes_ rushed into -the deserted place, and all night long it resounded, like a Babel, with -clamor of tongues, and notes of mighty preparation. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [23] _'Tzin_ was a title equivalent to _lord_ in English. - _Guatamotzin_, as compounded, signifies _Lord Guatamo_. - - [24] The great market-place or square of Tlateloco. The Spaniards - called it _tianguez_. For description, see Prescott, Conq. of - Mexico, Vol. II., Book IV. Bernal Diaz's Work, Hist. de la Conq. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - THE QUESTIONER OF THE MORNING. - - -When Montezuma departed from the old Cu for his palace, it was not to -sleep or rest. The revelation that so disturbed him, that held him -wordless on the street, and made him shrink from his people, wild with -the promise of pomp and combat, would not be shut out by gates and -guards; it clung to his memory, and with him stood by the fountain, -walked in the garden, and laid down on his couch. Royalty had no -medicine for the trouble; he was restless as a fevered slave, and at -times muttered prayers, pronouncing no name but Quetzal's. When the -morning approached, he called Maxtla, and bade him get ready his canoe: -from Chapultepec, the palace and tomb of his fathers, he would see the -sun rise. - -From one of the westerly canals they put out. The lake was still rocking -the night on its bosom, and no light other than of the stars shone in -the east. The gurgling sound of waters parted by the rushing vessel, and -the regular dip of the paddles, were all that disturbed the brooding of -majesty abroad thus early on Tezcuco. - -The canoe struck the white pebbles that strewed the landing at the -princely property just as dawn was dappling the sky. On the highest -point of the hill there was a tower from which the kings were accustomed -to observe the stars. Thither Montezuma went. Maxtla, who alone dared -follow, spread a mat for him on the tiles; kneeling upon it, and folding -his hands worshipfully upon his breast, he looked to the east. - -And the king was learned; indeed, one more so was not in all his realm. -In his student days, and in his priesthood, before he was taken from -sweeping the temple to be arch-ruler, he had gained astrological craft, -and yet practised it from habit. The heavens, with their blazonry, were -to him as pictured parchments. He loved the stars for their sublime -mystery, and had faith in them as oracles. He consulted them always; his -armies marched at their bidding; and they and the gods controlled every -movement of his civil polity. But as he had never before been moved by -so great a trouble, and as the knowledge he now sought directly -concerned his throne and nations, he came to consult and question the -Morning, that intelligence higher and purer than the stars. If Quetzal' -was angered, and would that day land for vengeance, he naturally -supposed the Sun, his dwelling-place, would give some warning. So he -came seeking the mood of the god from the Sun. - -And while he knelt, gradually the gray dawn melted into purple and gold. -The stars went softly out. Long rays, like radiant spears, shot up and -athwart the sky. As the indications multiplied, his hopes arose. -Farther back he threw the hood from his brow; the sun seemed coming -clear and cloudless above the mountains, kindling his heart no less than -the air and earth. - -A wide territory, wrapped in the dim light, extended beneath his feet. -There slept Tenochtitlan, with her shining temples and blazing towers, -her streets and resistless nationality; there were the four lakes, with -their blue waters, their shores set with cities, villages and gardens; -beyond them lay eastern Anahuac, the princeliest jewel of the Empire. -What with its harvests, its orchards, and its homesteads, its forests of -oak, sycamore, and cedar, its population busy, happy, and faithful, -contented as tillers of the soil, and brave as lions in time of need, it -was all of Aden he had ever known or dreamed. - -In the southeast, above a long range of mountains, rose the volcanic -peaks poetized by the Aztecs into "The White Woman"[25] and "The Smoking -Hill."[26] Mythology had covered them with sanctifying faith, as, in a -different age and more classic clime, it clothed the serene mountain of -Thessaly. - -But the king saw little of all this beauty; he observed nothing but the -sun, which was rising a few degrees north of "The Smoking Hill." In all -the heavens round there was not a fleck; and already his heart throbbed -with delight, when suddenly a cloud of smoke rushed upward from the -mountain, and commenced gathering darkly about its white summit. Quick -to behold it, he scarcely hushed a cry of fear, and instinctively waved -his hand, as if, by a kingly gesture, to stay the eruption. Slowly the -vapor crept over the roseate sky, and, breathless and motionless, the -seeker of the god's mood and questioner of the Morning watched its -progress. Across the pathway of the sun it stretched, so that when the -disk wheeled fairly above the mountain-range, it looked like a ball of -blood. - -The king was a reader of picture-writing, and skilful in deducing the -meaning of men from cipher and hieroglyph. Straightway he interpreted -the phenomenon as a direful portent; and because he came looking for -omens, the idea that this was a message sent him expressly from the gods -was but a right royal vanity. He drew the hood over his face again, and -drooped his head disconsolately upon his breast. His mind filled with a -host of gloomy thoughts. The revelation of Mualox was prophecy here -confirmed,--Quetzal' was coming! Throne, power, people,--all the glories -of his country and Empire,--he saw snatched from his nerveless grasp, -and floating away, like the dust of the valley. - -After a while he arose to depart. One more look he gave the sun before -descending from the roof, and shuddered at the sight of city, lake, -valley, the cloud itself, and the sky above it, all colored with an -ominous crimson. - -"Behold!" he said, tremulously, to Maxtla, "to-day we will sacrifice to -Quetzal': how long until Quetzal' sacrifices to himself?" - -The chief cast down his eyes; for he knew how dangerous it was to look -on royalty humbled by fear. Then Montezuma shaded his face again, and -left the proud old hill, with a sigh for its palaces and the beauty of -its great cypress-groves. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [25] Iztacoihuatl. - - [26] Popocatepetl. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - GOING TO THE COMBAT. - - -As the morning advanced, the city grew fully animate. A festal spirit -was abroad, seeking display in masks, mimes, and processions. Jugglers -performed on the street-corners; dancing-girls, with tambours, and long -elf-locks dressed in flowers, possessed themselves of the smooth -sidewalks. Very plainly, the evil omen of the morning affected the king -more than his people. - -The day advanced clear and beautiful. In the eastern sky the smoke of -the volcano still lingered; but the sun rose above it, and smiled on the -valley, like a loving god. - -At length the tambour in the great temple sounded the signal of -assemblage. Its deep tones, penetrating every recess of the town and -rushing across the lake, were heard in the villages on the distant -shores. Then, in steady currents, the multitudes set forward for the -_tianguez_. The _chinampas_ were deserted; hovels and palaces gave up -their tenantry; canoes, gay with garlands, were abandoned in the -waveless canals. The women and children came down from the roofs; from -all the temples--all but the old one with the solitary gray tower and -echoless court--poured the priesthood in processions, headed by chanting -choirs, and interspersed with countless sacred symbols. Many were the -pomps, but that of the warriors surpassed all others. Marching in -columns of thousands, they filled the streets with flashing arms and -gorgeous regalia, roar of _attabals_ and peals of minstrelsy. - -About the same time the royal palanquin stood at the palace portal, -engoldened, jewelled, and surmounted with a _panache_ of green plumes. -Cuitlahua, Cacama, Maxtla, and the lords of Tlacopan, Tepejaca, and -Cholula, with other nobles from the provinces far and near, were -collected about it in waiting, sporting on their persons the wealth of -principalities. When the monarch came out, they knelt, and every one of -them placed his palm on the ground before him. On the last stone at the -portal he stopped, and raised his eyes to the sky. A piece of _aguave_, -fluttering like a leaf, fell so near him that he reached out his hand -and caught it. - -"Read it, my lords," he said, after a moment's study. - -The paper contained only the picture of an eagle attacked by an owl, and -passed from hand to hand. Intent on deciphering the writing, none -thought of inquiring whether its coming was of design or accident. - -"What does it mean, my lord Cacama?" asked the monarch, gravely. - -Cacama's eyes dropped as he replied,-- - -"When we write of you, O king, we paint an eagle; When we write of the -'tzin Guatamo, we paint an owl." - -"What!" said the lord Cuitlahua, "would the 'tzin attack his king?" - -And the monarch looked from one to the other strangely, saying only, -"The owl is the device on his shield." - -Then he entered the palanquin; whereupon some of the nobles lifted it on -their shoulders, and the company, in procession, set out for the -_tianguez_. On the way they were joined by Iztlil', the Tezcucan; and it -was remarkable that, of them all, he was the only one silent about the -paper. - -The Iztapalapan street, of great width, and on both sides lined with -gardens, palaces, and temples, was not only the boast of Tenochtitlan; -its beauty was told in song and story throughout the Empire. The signal -of assemblage for the day's great pastime found Xoli and his provincial -friend lounging along the broad pave of the beautiful thoroughfare. They -at once started for the _tianguez_. The broker was fat, and it was -troublesome for him to keep pace with the hunter; nevertheless, they -overtook a party of _tamanes_ going in the same direction, and bearing a -palanquin richly caparisoned. The slaves, very sumptuously clad, -proceeded slowly and with downcast eyes, and so steadily that the -carriage had the onward, gliding motion of a boat. - -"Lower,--down, boy! See you not the green _panache_?" whispered Xoli, -half frightened. - -Too late. The Chalcan, even as he whispered, touched the pavement, but -Hualpa remained erect: not only that; he looked boldly into the eyes of -the occupants of the palanquin,--two women, whose beauty shone upon him -like a sudden light. Then he bent his head, and his heart closed upon -the recollection of what he saw so that it never escaped. The picture -was of a girl, almost a woman, laughing; opposite her, and rather in the -shade of the fringed curtain, one older, though young, and grave and -stately; her hair black, her face oval, her eyes large and lustrous. To -her he made his involuntary obeisance. Afterwards she reminded many a -Spaniard of the dark-eyed _hermosura_ with whom he had left love-tokens -in his native land. - -"They are the king's daughters, the princesses Tula and Nenetzin," said -Xoli, when fairly past the carriage. "And as you have just come up from -the country, listen. Green is the royal color, and belongs to the king's -family; and wherever met, in the city or on the lake, the people salute -it. Though what they meet be but a green feather in a slave's hand, they -salute. Remember the lesson. By the way, the gossips say that Guatamozin -will marry Tula, the eldest one." - -"She is very beautiful," said the hunter, as to himself, and slackening -his steps. - -"Are you mad?" cried the broker, seizing his arm. "Would you bring the -patrol upon us? They are not for such as you. Come on. It may be we can -get seats to see the king and his whole household." - -At the entrance to the arena there was a press which the police could -hardly control. In the midst of it, Xoli pulled his companion to one -side, saying, "The king comes! Let us under the staging here until he -passes." - -They found themselves, then, close by the spears, which, planted in the -ground, upheld the shields of the combatants; and when the Tihuancan -heard the people, as they streamed in, cheer the champions of the god, -he grieved sorely that he was not one of them. - -The heralds then came up, clearing the way; and all thereabout knelt, -and so received the monarch. He stopped to inspect the shields; for in -all his realm there was not one better versed in its heraldry. A diadem, -not unlike the papal tiara, crowned his head; his tunic and cloak were -of the skins of green humming-birds brilliantly iridescent; a rope of -pearls large as grapes hung, many times doubled, from his neck down over -his breast; his sandals and sandal-thongs were embossed with gold, and -besides anklets of massive gold, _cuishes_ of the same metal guarded his -legs from knee to anklet. Save the transparent, lustrous gray of the -pearls, his dress was of the two colors, green and yellow, and the -effect was indescribably royal; yet all the bravery of his trappings -could not hide from Hualpa, beholding him for the first time, that, like -any common soul, he was suffering from some trouble of mind. - -"So, Cacama," he said, pleasantly, after a look at the gages, "your -brother has a mind to make peace with the gods. It is well!" - -And thereupon Iztlil' himself stepped out and knelt before him in battle -array, the javelin in his hand, and bow, quiver, and _maquahuitl_ at his -back; and in his homage the floating feathers of his helm brushed the -dust from the royal feet. - -"It is well!" repeated the king, smiling. "But, son of my friend, where -are your comrades?" - -Tlahua, the Otompan, and the young Cholulan, equipped like Iztlil', -rendered their homage also. Over their heads he extended his hands, and -said, softly, "They who love the gods, the gods love. Put your trust in -them, O my children. And upon you be their blessing!" - -And already he had passed the spears: one gage was forgotten, one -combatant unblessed. Suddenly he looked back. - -"Whose shield is that, my lords?" - -All eyes rested upon the plain gage, but no one replied. - -"Who is he that thus mocks the holy cause of Quetzal'? Go, Maxtla, and -bring him to me!" - -Then outspake Iztlil'. - -"The shield is Guatamozin's. Last night he challenged me to this combat, -and he is not here. O king, the owl may be looking for the eagle." - -A moment the sadly serene countenance of the monarch knit and flushed as -from a passing pain; a moment he regarded the Tezcucan. Then he turned -to the shields of the Othmies and Tlascalans. - -"They are a sturdy foe, and I warrant will fight hard," he said, -quietly. "But such victims are the delight of the gods. Fail me not, O -children!" - -When the Tihuancan and his chaperone climbed half-way to the upper row -of seats, in the quarter assigned to the people, the former was amazed. -He looked down on a circular arena, strewn with white sand from the -lake, and large enough for man[oe]uvring half a thousand men. It was -bounded by a rope, outside of which was a broad margin crowded with -rank on rank of common soldiery, whose shields were arranged before them -like a wall impervious to a glancing arrow. Back from the arena extended -the staging, rising gradually seat above seat, platform above platform, -until the whole area of the _tianguez_ was occupied. - -"Is the king a magician, that he can do this thing in a single night?" -asked Hualpa. - -Xoli laughed. "He has done many things much greater. The timbers you see -were wrought long ago, and have been lying in the temples; the _tamanes_ -had only to bring them out and put them together." - -In the east there was a platform, carpeted, furnished with lounges, and -protected from the sun by a red canopy; broad passages of entrance -separated it from the ruder structure erected for the commonalty; it was -also the highest of the platforms, so that its occupants could overlook -the whole amphitheatre. This lordlier preparation belonged to the king, -his household and nobles. So, besides his wives and daughters, under the -red canopy sat the three hundred women of his harem,--soft testimony -that Orientalism dwelt not alone in the sky and palm-trees of the -valley. - -As remarked, the margin around the arena belonged to the soldiery; the -citizens had seats in the north and south; while the priesthood, -superior to either of them in sanctity of character, sat aloof in the -west, also screened by a canopy. And, as the celebration was regarded in -the light of a religious exercise, not only did women crowd the place, -but mothers brought their children, that, from the examples of the -arena, they might learn to be warriors. - -Upon the appearance of the monarch there was a perfect calm. Standing -awhile by his couch, he looked over the scene; and not often has royal -vision been better filled with all that constitutes royalty. Opposite -him he saw the servitors of his religion; at his feet were his warriors -and people almost innumerable. When, at last, the minstrels of the -soldiery poured their wild music over the theatre, he thrilled with the -ecstasy of power. - -The champions for the god then came in; and as they strode across to the -western side of the arena the air was filled with plaudits and flying -garlands; but hardly was the welcome ended before there was a great hum -and stir, as the spectators asked each other why the fourth combatant -came not with the others. - -"The one with the bright _panache_, asked you? That is Iztlil', the -Tezcucan," said Xoli. - -"Is he not too fine?" - -"No. Only think of the friends the glitter has made him among the women -and children." - -The Chalcan laughed heartily at the cynicism. - -"And the broad-shouldered fellow now fixing the thong of his shield?" - -"The Otompan,--a good warrior. They say he goes to battle with the will -a girl goes to a feast. The other is the Cholulan; he has his renown to -win, and is too young." - -"But he may have other qualities," suggested Hualpa. "I have heard it -said that, in a battle of arrows, a quick eye is better than a strong -arm." - -The broker yawned. "Well, I like not those Cholulans. They are proud; -they scorn the other nations, even the Aztecs. Probably it is well they -are better priests than soldiers. Under the red canopy yonder I see his -father." - -"Listen, good Xoli. I hear the people talking about the 'tzin? Where can -he be?" - -Just then within the wall of shields there came a warrior, who strode -swiftly toward the solitary gage. His array was less splendid than his -comrades'; his helm was of plain leather without ornament; his -_escaupil_ was secured by a simple loop: yet the people knew him, and -shouted; and when he took down the plain shield and fixed it to his -arm, the approbation of the common soldiery arose like a storm. As they -bore such shields to battle, he became, as it were, their peculiar -representative. It was Guatamozin. - -And under the royal canopy there was rapid exchange of whispers and -looks; every mind reverted to the paper dropped so mysteriously into the -king's hand at the palace door; and some there were, acuter than the -rest, who saw corroboration of the meaning given the writing in the fact -that the shield the 'tzin now chose was without the owl, his usual -device. Whether the monarch himself was one of them might not be said; -his face was as impassive as bronze. - -Next, the Othmies and Tlascalans, dignified into common challengers of -the proudest chiefs of Tenochtitlan, were conducted into the arena. - -The Tlascalans were strong men used to battle; and though, like their -companions in danger, at first bewildered by the sudden introduction to -so vast a multitude, they became quickly inured to the situation. Of the -Othmies, a more promising pair of gladiators never exhibited before a -Roman audience. The father was past the prime of life, but erect, -broad-shouldered, and of unusual dignity; the son was slighter, and not -so tall, but his limbs were round and beautiful, and he looked as if he -might outleap an antelope. The people were delighted, and cheered the -challengers with scarcely less heartiness than their own champions. -Still, the younger Othmi appeared hesitant, and, when the clamor -somewhat abated, the sire touched him, and said,-- - -"Does my boy dream? What voice is in his ear that his heart is so -melted? Awake! the shield is on the arm of the foe." - -The young man aroused. "I saw the sun on the green hills of Othmi. But -see!" he said, proudly, and with flashing eyes, "there is no weakness in -the dreamer's arm." And with the words, he seized a bow at his feet, -fitted an arrow upon the cord, and, drawing full to the head, sent it -cleaving the sunshine far above them. Every eye followed its flight but -his own. "The arm, O chief, is not stronger than the heart," he added, -carelessly dropping the bow. - -The old warrior gazed at him tenderly; but as that was no time for the -indulgence of affection, he turned to the Tlascalans, and said, "We must -be ready: let us arm." - -Each donned a leathern helm, and wrapped himself in a quilted -_escaupil_; each buckled the shield on his arm, and tightened the thongs -of his sandals. Their arms lay at hand. - -Such were the preparations for the combat, such the combatants. And as -the foemen faced each other, awaiting the signal for the mortal strife, -I fancy no Christian has seen anything more beautiful than the theatre. -Among the faces the gaze swam as in a sea; the gleaming of arms and -ornaments was bewildering; while the diversity of colors in the costumes -of the vast audience was without comparison. With the exception of the -arena, the royal platform was the cynosure. Behind the king, with a -shield faced with silver, stood Maxtla, vigilant against treachery or -despair. The array of nobles about the couch was imperial; and what with -them, and the dark-eyed beauties of his household, and the canopy -tingeing the air and softly undulating above him, and the mighty -congregation of subjects at his feet, it was with Montezuma like a -revival of the glory of the Hystaspes. Yet the presence of his power but -increased his gloom; in a short time he heard no music and saw no -splendor; everything reminded him of the last picture on the western -wall of the golden chamber. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - THE COMBAT. - - -The champions for the god drew themselves up in the west, while their -challengers occupied the east of the arena. This position of parties was -the subject of much speculation with the spectators, who saw it might -prove a point of great importance if the engagement assumed the form of -single combats. - -Considering age and appearance, the Tlascalans were adjudged most -dangerous of the challengers,--a palm readily awarded to the Tezcucan -and the 'tzin on their side. The common opinion held also, that the -Cholulan, the youngest and least experienced of the Aztecs, should have -been the antagonist of the elder Othmi, whose vigor was presumed to be -affected by his age; as it was, that combat belonged to Tlahua, the -Otompan, while the younger Othmi confronted the Cholulan. - -And now the theatre grew profoundly still with expectancy. - -"The day grows old. Let the signal be given." And so saying, the king -waved his hand, and sunk indolently back upon his couch. - -A moment after there was a burst of martial symphony, and the combat -began. - -It was opened with arrows; and to determine, if possible, the -comparative skill of the combatants, the spectators watched the -commencement with closest attention. The younger Othmi sent his missile -straight into the shield of the Cholulan, who, from precipitation -probably, was not so successful. The elder Othmi and his antagonist each -planted his arrow fairly, as did Iztlil' and the Tlascalans. But a -great outcry of applause attended Guatamozin, when his bolt, flying -across the space, buried its barb in the crest of his adversary. A score -of feathers, shorn away, floated slowly to the sand. - -"It was well done; by Our Mother, it was well done!" murmured Hualpa. - -"Wait!" said the Chalcan patronizingly. "Wait till they come to the -_maquahuitl_!" - -Quite a number of arrows were thus interchanged by the parties without -effect, as they were always dexterously intercepted. The passage was but -the preluding skirmish, participated in by all but the 'tzin, who, after -his first shot, stood a little apart from his comrades, and, resting his -long bow on the ground, watched the trial with apparent indifference. -Like the Chalcan, he seemed to regard it as play; and the populace after -a while fell into the same opinion: there was not enough danger to fully -interest them. So there began to arise murmurs and cries, which the -Cholulan was the first to observe and interpret. Under an impulse which -had relation, probably, to his first failure, he resolved to avail -himself of the growing feeling. Throwing down his bow, he seized the -_maquahuitl_ at his back, and, without a word to his friends, started -impetuously across the arena. The peril was great, for every foeman at -once turned his arrow against him. - -Then the 'tzin stirred himself. "The boy is mad, and will die if we do -not go with him," he said; and already his foot was advanced to follow, -when the young Othmi sprang forward from the other side to meet the -Cholulan. - -The eagerness lest an incident should be lost became intense; even the -king sat up to see the duel. The theatre rang with cries of -encouragement,--none, however, so cheery as that of the elder Othmi, -whose feelings of paternity were, for the moment, lost in his passion of -warrior. - -"On, boy! Remember the green hills, and the hammock by the stream. -Strike hard, strike hard!" - -The combatants were apparently well matched, being about equal in height -and age; both brandished the _maquahuitl_, the deadliest weapon known to -their wars. Wielded by both hands and swung high above the head, its -blades of glass generally clove their way to the life. About midway the -arena the foemen met. At the instant of contact the Cholulan brought a -downward blow, well aimed, at the head of his antagonist; but the lithe -Othmi, though at full speed, swerved like a bird on the wing. A great -shout attested the appreciation of the audience. The Cholulan wheeled, -with his weapon uplifted for another blow; the action called his left -arm into play, and drew his shield from its guard. The Othmi saw the -advantage. One step he took nearer, and then, with a sweep of his arm -and an upward stroke, he drove every blade deep into the side of his -enemy. The lifted weapon dropped in its half-finished circle, the shield -flew wildly up, and, with a groan, the victim fell heavily to the sand, -struggled once to rise, fell back again, and his battles were ended -forever. A cry of anguish went out from under the royal canopy. - -"Hark!" cried Xoli. "Did you hear the old Cholulan? See! They are -leading him from the platform!" - -Except that cry, however, not a voice was heard; from rising -apprehension as to the result of the combat, or touched by a passing -sympathy for the early death, the multitude was perfectly hushed. - -"That was a brave blow, Xoli; but let him beware now!" said Hualpa, -excitedly. - -And in expectation of instant vengeance, all eyes watched the Othmi. -Around the arena he glanced, then back to his friends. Retreat would -forfeit the honor gained: death was preferable. So he knelt upon the -breast of his enemy, and, setting his shield before him, waited sternly -and in silence the result. And Iztlil' and Tlahua launched their arrows -at him in quick succession, but Guatamozin was as indifferent as ever. - -"What ails the 'tzin?" said Maxtla to the king. "The Othmi is at his -mercy." - -The monarch deigned no reply. - -The spirit of the old Othmi rose. On the sand behind him, prepared for -service, was a dart with three points of copper, and a long cord by -which to recover it when once thrown. Catching the weapon up, and -shouting, "I am coming, I am coming!" he ran to avert or share the -danger. The space to be crossed was inconsiderable, yet such his -animation that, as he ran, he poised the dart, and exposed his hand -above the shield. The 'tzin raised his bow, and let the arrow fly. It -struck right amongst the supple joints of the veteran's wrist. The -unhappy man stopped bewildered; over the theatre he looked, then at the -wound; in despair he tore the shaft out with his teeth, and rushed on -till he reached the boy. - -The outburst of acclamation shook the theatre. - -"To have seen such archery, Xoli, were worth all the years of a hunter's -life!" said Hualpa. - -The Chalcan smiled like a connoisseur, and replied, "It is nothing. -Wait!" - -And now the combat again presented a show of equality. The advantage, if -there was any, was thought to be with the Aztecs, since the loss of the -Cholulan was not to be weighed against the disability of the Othmi. Thus -the populace were released from apprehension, without any abatement of -interest; indeed, the excitement increased, for there was a promise of -change in the character of the contest; from quiet archery was growing -bloody action. - -The Tlascalans, alive to the necessity of supporting their friends, -advanced to where the Cholulan lay, but more cautiously. When they were -come up, the Othmies both arose, and calmly perfected the front. The -astonishment at this was very great. - -"Brave fellow! He is worth ten live Cholulans!" said Xoli. "But now -look, boy! The challengers have advanced half-way; the Aztecs must meet -them." - -The conjecture was speedily verified. Iztlil' had, in fact, ill brooked -the superior skill, or better fortune, of the 'tzin; the applause of the -populace had been worse than wounds to his jealous heart. Till this -time, however, he had restrained his passion; now the foe were ranged as -if challenging attack: he threw away his useless bow, and laid his hand -on his _maquahuitl_. - -"It is not for an Aztec god that we are fighting, O comrade!" he cried -to Tlahua. "It is for ourselves. Come, let us show yon king a better -war!" - -And without waiting, he set on. The Otompan followed, leaving the 'tzin -alone. The call had not been to him, and as he was fighting for the god, -and the Tezcucan for himself, he merely placed another arrow on his bow, -and observed the attack. - -Leaving the Otompan to engage the Othmies, the fierce Tezcucan assaulted -the Tlascalans, an encounter in which there was no equality; but the -eyes of Tenochtitlan were upon him, and at his back was a hated rival. -His antagonists each sent an arrow to meet him; but, as he skilfully -caught them on his shield, they, too, betook themselves to the -_maquahuitl_. Right on he kept, until his shield struck theirs; it was -gallantly done, and won a furious outburst from the people. Again -Montezuma sat up, momentarily animated. - -"Ah, my lord Cacama!" he said, "if your brother's love were but equal to -his courage, I would give him an army." - -"All the gods forfend!" replied the jealous prince. "The viper would -recover his fangs." - -The speed with which he went was all that saved Iztlil' from the blades -of the Tlascalans. Striking no blow himself, he strove to make way -between them, and get behind, so that, facing about to repel his -returning onset, their backs would be to the 'tzin. But they were wary, -and did not yield. As they pushed against him, one, dropping his more -cumbrous weapon, struck him in the breast with a copper knife. The blow -was distinctly seen by the spectators. - -Hualpa started from his seat. "He has it; they will finish him now! No, -he recovers. Our Mother, what a blow!" - -The Tezcucan disengaged himself, and, maddened by the blood that began -to flow down his quilted armor, assaulted furiously. He was strong, -quick of eye, and skilful; the blades of his weapon gleamed in circles -around his head, and resounded against the shields. At length a -desperate blow beat down the guard of one of the Tlascalans; ere it -could be recovered, or Iztlil' avail himself of the advantage, there -came a sharp whirring through the air, and an arrow from the 'tzin -pierced to the warrior's heart. Up he leaped, dead before he touched the -sand. Again Iztlil' heard the acclamation of his rival. Without a pause, -he rushed upon the surviving Tlascalan, as if to bear him down by stormy -dint. - -Meantime, the combat of Tlahua, the Otompan, was not without its -difficulties, since it was not singly with the young Othmi. - -"Mictlan take the old man!" cried the lord Cuitlahua, bending from his -seat. "I thought him done for; but, see! he defends, the other fights." - -And so it was. The Otompan struck hard, but was distracted by the -tactics of his foemen: if he aimed at the younger, both their shields -warded the blow; if he assaulted the elder, he was in turn attacked by -the younger; and so, without advantage to either, their strife continued -until the fall of the Tlascalan. Then, inspired by despairing valor, the -boy threw down his _maquahuitl_, and endeavored to push aside the -Otompan's shield. Once within its guard, the knife would finish the -contest. Tlahua retreated; but the foe clung to him,--one wrenching at -his shield, the other intercepting his blows, and both carefully -avoiding the deadly archery of the 'tzin, who, seeing the extremity of -the danger, started to the rescue. All the people shouted, "The 'tzin, -the 'tzin!" Xoli burst into ecstasy, and clapped his hands. "There he -goes! Now look for something!" - -The rescuer went as a swift wind; but the clamor had been as a warning -to the young Othmi. By a great effort he tore away the Otompan's shield. -In vain the latter struggled. There was a flash, sharp, vivid, like the -sparkle of the sun upon restless waters. Then his head drooped forward, -and he staggered blindly. Once only the death-stroke was repeated; and -so still was the multitude that the dull sound of the knife driving home -was heard. The 'tzin was too late. - -The prospect for the Aztecs was now gloomy. The Cholulan and Otompan -were dead; the Tezcucan, wounded and bleeding, was engaged in a doubtful -struggle with the Tlascalan; the 'tzin was the last hope of his party. -Upon him devolved the fight with the Othmies. In the interest thus -excited Iztlil's battle was forgotten. - -Twice had the younger Othmi been victor, and still he was scathless. -Instead of the _maquahuitl_, he was now armed with the javelin, which, -while effective as a dart, was excellent to repel assault. - -From the crowded seats of the theatre not a sound was heard. At no time -had the excitement risen to such a pitch. Breathless and motionless, -the spectators awaited the advance of the 'tzin. He was, as I have said, -a general favorite, beloved by priest and citizen, and with the wild -soldiery an object of rude idolatry. And if, under the royal canopy -there were eyes that looked not lovingly upon him, there were lips there -murmuring soft words of prayer for his success. - -When within a few steps of the waiting Othmies, he halted. They glared -at him an instant in silence; then the old chief said tauntingly, and -loud enough to be heard above the noise of the conflict at his side,-- - -"A woman may wield a bow, and from a distance slay a warrior; but the -_maquahuitl_ is heavy in the hand of the coward, looking in the face of -his foeman." - -The Aztec made no answer; he was familiar with the wile. Looking at the -speaker as if against him he intended his first attack, with right hand -back he swung the heavy weapon above his shoulder till it sung in -quickening circles; when its force was fully collected, he suddenly -hurled it from him. The old Othmi crouched low behind his shield: but -his was not the form in the 'tzin's eyes; for right in the centre of the -young victor's guard the flying danger struck. Nor arm nor shield might -bar its way. The boy was lifted sheer above the body of the Otompan, and -driven backward as if shot from a catapult. - -Guatamozin advanced no further. A thrust of his javelin would have -disposed of the old Othmi, now unarmed and helpless. The acclamation of -the audience, in which was blent the shrill voices of women, failed to -arouse his passion. - -The sturdy chief arose from his crouching; he looked for the boy to whom -he had so lately spoken of home; he saw him lying outstretched, his face -in the sand, and his shield, so often bound with wreaths and garlands, -twain-broken beneath him; and his will, that in the fight had been -tougher than the gold of his bracelets, gave way; forgetful of all -else, he ran, and, with a great cry, threw himself upon the body. - -The Chalcan was as exultant as if the achievement had been his own. Even -the prouder souls under the red canopy yielded their tardy praise; only -the king was silent. - -As none now remained of the challengers but the Tlascalan occupied with -Iztlil',--none whom he might in honor engage,--Guatamozin moved away -from the Othmies; and as he went, once he allowed his glance to wander -to the royal platform, but with thought of love, not wrong. - -The attention of the people was again directed to the combat of the -Tezcucan. The death of his comrades nowise daunted the Tlascalan; he -rather struck the harder for revenge; his shield was racked, the -feathers in his crest torn away, while the blades were red with his -blood. Still it fared but ill with Iztlil' fighting for himself. His -wound in the breast bled freely, and his equipments were in no better -plight than his antagonist's. The struggle was that of the hewing and -hacking which, whether giving or taking, soon exhausts the strongest -frame. At last, faint with loss of blood, he went down. The Tlascalan -attempted to strike a final blow, but darkness rushed upon him; he -staggered, the blades sunk into the sand, and he rolled beside his -enemy. - -With that the combat was done. The challengers might not behold their -"land of bread" again; nevermore for them was hammock by the stream or -echo of tambour amongst the hills. - -And all the multitude arose and gave way to their rejoicing; they -embraced each other, and shouted and sang; the pabas waved their -ensigns, and the soldiers saluted with voice and pealing shells; and up -to the sun ascended the name of Quetzal' with form and circumstance to -soften the mood of the most demanding god; but all the time the -audience saw only the fortunate hero, standing so calmly before them, -the dead at his feet, and the golden light about him. - -And the king was happy as the rest, and talked gayly, caring little for -the living or the dead. The combat was over, and Quetzal' not come. -Mualox was a madman, not a prophet; the Aztecs had won, and the god was -propitiated: so the questioner of the Morning flattered himself! - -"If the Othmi cannot fight, he can serve for sacrifice. Let him be -removed. And the dead--But hold!" he cried, and his cheeks blanched -with mortal pallor. "Who comes yonder? Look to the arena,--nay, to the -people! By my father's ashes, the paba shall perish! White hairs and -prophet's gifts shall not save him." - -While the king was speaking, Mualox, the keeper of the temple, rushed -within the wall of shields. His dress was disordered, and he was -bareheaded and unsandalled. Over his shoulders and down his breast -flowed his hair and beard, tangled and unkempt, wavy as a billow and -white as the foam. Excitement flashed from every feature; and far as his -vision ranged,--in every quarter, on every platform,--in the blood of -others he kindled his own unwonted passion. - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - - MUALOX AND HIS WORLD. - - -Mualox, after the departure of the king and 'tzin, ascended the tower of -the old Cu, and remained there all night, stooped beside the sacred -fire, sorrowing and dreaming, hearkening to the voices of the city, or -watching the mild-eyed stars. So the morning found him. He, too, beheld -the coming of the sun, and trembled when the Smoking Hill sent up its -cloud. Then he heaped fresh fagots on the dying fire, and went down to -the court-yard. It was the hour when in all the other temples -worshippers came to pray. - -He took a lighted lamp from a table in his cell, and followed a passage -on deeper into the building. The way, like that to the golden chamber, -was intricate and bewildering. Before a door at the foot of a flight of -steps he stopped. A number of earthen jars and ovens stood near; while -from the room to which the door gave entrance there came a strong, -savory perfume, very grateful to the sense of a hungry man. Here was the -kitchen of the ancient house. The paba went in. - -This was on a level with the water of the canal at the south base; and -when the good man came out, and descended another stairway, he was in a -hall, which, though below the canal, was dusty and perfectly dry. Down -the hall further he came to a doorway in the floor, or rather an -aperture, which had at one time been covered and hidden by a ponderous -flag-stone yet lying close by. A rope ladder was coiled up on the stone. -Flinging the ladder through the door, he heard it rattle on the floor -beneath; then he stooped, and called,-- - -"Tecetl, Tecetl!" - -No one replied. He repeated the call. - -"Poor child! She is asleep," he said, in a low voice. "I will go down -without her." - -Leaving the lamp above, he committed himself to the unsteady rope, like -one accustomed to it. Below all was darkness; but, pushing boldly on, he -suddenly flung aside a curtain which had small silver bells in the -fringing; and, ushered by the tiny ringing, he stepped into a chamber -lighted and full of beauty,--a grotto carven with infinite labor from -the bed-rock of the lake. - -And here, in the day mourned by the paba, when the temple was honored, -and its god had worshippers, and the name of Quetzal' was second to no -other, not even Huitzil's, must have been held the secret conclaves of -the priesthood,--so great were the dimensions of the chamber, and so far -was it below the roll of waters. But now it might be a place for -dwelling, or for thought and dreaming, or for pleasure, or in which the -eaters of the African lotus might spend their hours and days of -semi-consciousness sounding of a life earthly yet purely spiritual. -There were long aisles for walking, and couches for rest; there were -pictures, flowers, and a fountain; the walls and ceiling glowed with -frescoing; and wherever the eye turned it rested upon some cunning -device intended to instruct, gladden, comfort, and content. Lamplight -streamed into every corner, ill supplying the perfect sunshine, yet -serving its grand purpose. The effect was more than beautiful. The world -above was counterfeited, so that one ignorant of the original and -dwelling in the counterfeit could have been happy all his life long. -Scarcely is it too much to say of the master who designed and finished -the grotto, that, could he have borrowed the materials of nature, he had -the taste and genius to set a star with the variety and harmony that -mark the setting of the earth's surface, and of themselves prove its -Creator divine. - -[Illustration: THE FORTUNATE HERO, STANDING SO CALMLY BEFORE THEM] - -In the enchantment of the place there was a peculiarity indicative of a -purpose higher than mere enjoyment, and that was the total absence of -humanity in the host of things visible. Painted on the ceiling and walls -were animals of almost every kind common to the clime; birds of wondrous -plumage darted hither and thither, twittering and singing; there, also, -were flowers the fairest and most fragrant, and orange and laurel -shrubs, and pines and cedars and oaks, and other trees of the forest, -dwarfed, and arranged for convenient carriage to the _azoteas_; in the -pictures, moreover, were the objects most remarkable in the face of -nature,--rivers, woods, plains, mountains, oceans, the heavens in storm -and calm; but nowhere was the picture of man, woman, or child. In the -frescoing were houses and temples, grouped as in hamlets and cities, or -standing alone on a river's bank, or in the shadow of great trees; but -of their habitants and builders there was not a trace. In fine, the -knowledge there taught was that of a singular book. A mind receiving -impressions, like a child's, would be carried by it far enough in the -progressive education of life to form vivid ideas of the world, and yet -be left in a dream of unintelligence to people it with fairies, angels, -or gods. Almost everything had there a representation but humanity, the -brightest fallen nature. - -Mualox entered as one habituated to the chamber. The air was soft, -balmy, and pleasant, and the illumination mellowed, as if the morning -were shut out by curtains of gossamer tinted with roses and gold. Near -the centre of the room he came to a fountain of water crystal clear and -in full play, the jet shooting from a sculptured stone up almost to the -ceiling. Around it were tables, ottomans, couches, and things of -_vertu_, such as would have adorned the palace; there, also, were vases -of flowers, culled and growing, and of such color and perfume as would -have been estimable in Cholula, and musical instrument, and pencils and -paints. - -It was hardly possible that this conception, so like the Restful World -of Brahma, should be without its angel; for the atmosphere and all were -for a spirit of earth or heaven softer than man's. And by the fountain -it was,--a soul fresh and pure as the laughing water. - -The girl of whom I speak was asleep. Her head lay upon a cushion; over -the face, clear and almost white, shone a lambent transparency, which -might have been the reflection of the sparkling water. The garments -gathered close about her did not conceal the delicacy and childlike -grace of her form. One foot was exposed, and it was bare, small, and -nearly lost in the tufted mattress of her couch. Under a profusion of -dark hair, covering the cushion like the floss of silk, lay an arm; a -hand, dimpled and soft, rested lightly on her breast. The slumber was -very deep, giving the face the expression of dreamless repose, with the -promise of health and happiness upon waking. - -The paba approached her tenderly, and knelt down. His face was full of -holy affection. He bent his cheek close to her parted lips, listening to -her breathing. He brought the straying locks back, and laid them across -her neck. Now and then a bird came and lighted on the table, and he -waved his mantle to scare it away. And when the voice of the fountain -seemed, under an increased pulsation of the water, to grow louder, he -looked around, frowning lest it might disturb her. She slept on, his -love about her like a silent prayer that has found its consummation in -perfect peace. - -And as he knelt, he became sad and thoughtful. The events that were to -come, and his faith in their coming, were as actual sorrows. His -reflections were like a plea addressed to his conscience. - -"God pardon me, if, after all, I should be mistaken! The wrong would be -so very great as to bar me from the Sun. Is any vanity like that which -makes sorrows for our fellows? And such is not only the vanity of the -warrior, and that of the ruler of tribes; sometimes it is of the priests -who go into the temples thinking of things that do not pertain to the -gods. What if mine were such? - -"The holy Quetzal' knows that I intended to be kind to the child. I -thought my knowledge greater than that of ordinary mortals; I thought it -moved in fields where only the gods walk, sowing wisdom. The same -vanity, taking words, told me, 'Look up! There is no abyss between you -and the gods; they cannot make themselves of the dust, but you can -reach their summit almost a god.' And I labored, seeking the principles -that would accomplish my dream, if such it were. Heaven forgive me, but -I once thought I had found them! Other men looking out on creation could -see nothing but Wisdom--Wisdom everywhere; but I looked with a stronger -vision, and wherever there was a trace of infinite WISDOM, there was -also for me an infinite WILL. - -"Here were the principles, but they were not enough. Something said to -me, 'What were the Wisdom and Will of the gods without subjects?' It was -a great idea: I thought I stood almost upon the summit! - -"And I set about building me a world, I took the treasure of Quetzal', -and collected these marvels, and bought me the labor of art. Weavers, -florists, painters, masons,--all toiled for me. Gold, labor, and time -are here,--there is little beauty without them. Here is my world," he -said aloud, glancing around the great hall. - -"I had my world; next I wanted a subject for my will. But where to go? -Not among men,--alas, they are their own slaves! One day I stood in the -_tianguez_ where a woman was being sold. A baby in her arms smiled, it -might have been at the sunshine, it might have been at me. The mother -said, 'Buy.' A light flashed upon me--I bought you, my poor child. Men -say of the bud, It will be a rose, and of the plant, It will be a tree; -you were so young then that I said, 'It will be a mind.' And into my -world I brought you, thinking, as I had made it, so I would make a -subject. This, I told you, was your birthplace; and here passed your -infancy and childhood; here you have dwelt. Your cheeks are pale, my -little one, but full and fresh; your breath is sweet as the air above a -garden; and you have grown in beauty, knowing nothing living but the -birds and me. My will has a subject, O Tecetl, and my heart a child. -And judge me, holy Quetzal', if I have not tried to make her happy! I -have given her knowledge of everything but humanity, and ignorance of -that is happiness. My world has thus far been a heaven to her; her -dreams have been of it; I am its god!" - -And yet unwilling to disturb her slumber, Mualox arose, and walked away. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - THE SEARCH FOR QUETZAL'. - - -By and by he returned, and standing by the couch, passed his hand -several times above her face. Silent as the movements were, she awoke, -and threw her arms around his neck. - -"You have been gone a long while," she said, in a childish voice. "I -waited for you; but the lamps burned down low, and the shadows, from -their hiding among the bushes, came creeping in upon the fountain, and I -slept." - -"I saw you," he answered, playing with her hair. "I saw you; I always -see you." - -"I tried to paint the fountain," she went on; "but when I watched the -water to catch its colors, I thought its singing changed to voices, and, -listening to them, they stole my thoughts away. Then I tried to blend my -voice with them, and sing as they sung; but whenever mine sank low -enough, it seemed sad, while they went on gayer and more ringing than -ever. I can paint the flowers, but not the water; I can sing with the -birds, but not with the fountain. But you promised to call me,--that you -would always call me." - -"I knew you were asleep." - -"But you had only to think to waken me." - -He smiled at this acknowledgment of the power of his will. Just then a -bell sounded faintly through the chamber; hastening away, he shortly -returned with breakfast on a great shell waiter; there were maize bread -and honey, quails and chocolate, figs and oranges. Placing them on a -table, he rolled up an ottoman for the girl; and, though she talked much -and lightly, the meal was soon over. Then he composed himself upon the -couch, and in the quiet, unbroken save by Tecetl, forgot the night and -its incidents. - -His rest was calm; when he awoke, she was sitting by the basin of the -fountain talking to her birds gleefully as a child. She had given them -names, words more of sound pleasant to the ear than of signification; so -she understood the birds, whose varied cries were to her a language. And -they were fearless and tame, perching on her hand, and courting her -caresses; while she was as artless, with a knowledge as innocent, and a -nature as happy. If Quetzal' was the paba's idol in religion, she was -his idol in affection. - -He watched her awhile, then suddenly sat up; though he said not a word, -she flung her birds off, and came to him smiling. - -"You called me, father." - -He laid his hand upon her shoulder, all overflowed with the dark hair, -and said in a low voice, "The time approaches when Quetzal' is to come -from the home of the gods; it may be he is near. I will send you over -the sea and the land to find him; you shall have wings to carry you into -the air; and you shall fly swifter than the birds you have been talking -to." - -Her smile deepened. - -"Have you not told me that Quetzal' is good, and that his voice is like -the fountain's, and that when he speaks it is like singing? I am ready." - -He kissed her, and nearer the basin rolled the couch, upon which she -sat reclined against a heap of cushions, her hands clasped over her -breast. - -"Do not let me be long gone!" she said. "The lamps will burn low again, -and I do not like to have the shadows come and fold up my flowers." - -The paba took a pearl from the folds of his gown, and laid it before -her; then he sat down, and fixed his eyes upon her face; she looked at -the jewel, and composed herself as for sleep. Her hands settled upon her -bosom, her features grew impassive, the lips slowly parted; gradually -her eyelids drooped, and the life running in the veins of her cheeks and -forehead went back into her heart. Out of the pearl seemed to issue a -spell that stole upon her spirits gently as an atomy settles through the -still air. Finally, there was a sigh, a sob, and over the soul of the -maiden the will of Mualox became absolute. He took her hand in his. - -"Wings swifter than the winds are yours, Tecetl. Go," he said, "search -for the god; search the land." - -She moved not, and scarcely breathed. - -"Speak," he continued; "let me know that I am obeyed." - -The will was absolute; she spoke, and though at first the words came -slowly, yet he listened like a prophet waiting for revelation. She spoke -of the land, of its rivers, forests, and mountains; she spoke of the -cities, of their streets and buildings, and of their people, for whom -she knew no name. She spoke of events transpiring in distant provinces, -as well as in Tenochtitlan. She went into the temples, markets, and -palaces. Wherever men travelled, thither her spirit flew. When the -flight was done, and her broken description ceased, the holy man sighed. - -"Not yet, Tecetl; he is not found. The god is not on the land. Search -the air." - -And still the will was absolute, though the theme of the seer changed; -it was not of the land now, but of the higher realm; she spoke of the -sunshine and the cloud, of the wind rushing and chill, of the earth far -down, and grown so small that the mountains levelled with the plains. - -"Not yet, not yet," he cried; "the god is not in the air. Go search the -sea!" - -In the hollow of his hand he lifted water, and sprinkled her face; and -when he resumed his seat she spoke, not slowly as before, but fast and -free. - -"The land is passed; behind me are the cities and lakes, and the great -houses and blue waters, such as I have seen in my pictures. I am -hovering now, father, where there is nothing before me but waves and -distance. White birds go skimming about careless of the foam; the winds -pour upon me steadily; and in my ear is a sound as of a great voice. I -listen, and it is the sea; or, father, it may be the voice of the god -whom you seek." - -She was silent, as if waiting for an answer. - -"The water, is it? Well, well,--whither shall I go now?" - -"Follow the shore; it may lead where only gods have been." - -"Still the waves and the distance, and the land, where it goes down into -the sea sprinkled with shells. Still the deep voice in my ear, and the -wind about me. I hurry on, but it is all alike,--all water and sound. -No! Out of the waves rises a new land, the sea, a girdle of billows, -encircling it everywhere; yet there are blue clouds ascending from the -fields, and I see palm-trees and temples. May not thy god dwell here?" - -"No. You see but an island. On!" - -"Well, well. Behind me fades the island; before me is nothing but sheen -and waves and distance again; far around runs the line separating the -sea and sky. Waste, all waste; the sea all green, the sky all blue; no -life; no god. But stay!" - -"Something moves on the waste: speak, child!" - -But for a time she was still. - -"Speak!" he said, earnestly. "Speak, Tecetl!" - -"They are far off,--far off," she replied, slowly and in a doubting way. -"They move and live, but I cannot tell whether they come or go, or what -they are. Their course is unsteady, and, like the flight of birds, now -upon the sea, then in air, a moment seeming of the waves, then of the -sky. They look like white clouds." - -"You are fleeter than birds or clouds,--nearer!" he said, sternly, the -fire in his eyes all alight. - -"I go,--I approach them,--I now see them coming. O father, father! I -know not what your god is like, nor what shape he takes, nor in what -manner he travels; but surely these are his! There are many of them, and -as they sweep along they are a sight to be looked at with trembling." - -"What are they, Tecetl?" - -"How can I answer? They are not of the things I have seen in my -pictures, nor heard in my songs. The face of the sea is whitened by -them; the largest leads the way, looking like a shell,--of them I have -heard you speak as coming from the sea,--a great shell streaked with -light and shade, and hollow, so that the sides rise above the reach of -the waves,--wings--." - -"Nay, what would a god of the air with wings to journey upon the sea!" - -"Above it are clouds,--clouds white as the foam, and such as a god might -choose to waft him on his way. I can see them sway and toss, but as the -shell rushes into the hollow places, they lift it up, and drive it on." - -A brighter light flashed from his eyes. "It is the canoe, the canoe!" he -exclaimed. "The canoe from Tlapallan!" - -"The canoe, father! The waves rush joyously around it; they lift -themselves in its path, and roll on to meet it; then, as if they knew -it to be a god's, in peace make way for its coming. Upon the temples in -my pictures I have seen signs floating in the air--" - -"You mean banners,--banners, child," he said, tremulously. - -"I remember now. Above the foremost canoe, above its clouds, there is a -banner, and it is black--" - -"'Tis Quetzal's! 'Tis Quetzal's!" he muttered. - -"It is black, with golden embroidery, and something picture-written on -it, but what I cannot tell." - -"Look in the canoe." - -"I see--O, I know not what to call them." - -"Of what shape are they, child?" - -"Yours, father." - -"Go on: they are gods!" he said, and still the naming of men was unheard -in the great chamber. - -"There are many of them," she continued; "their garments flash and -gleam; around one like themselves they are met; to me he seems the -superior god; he is speaking, they are listening. He is taller than you, -father, and has a fair face, and hair and beard like the hue of his -banner. His garments are the brightest of all." - -"You have described a god; it is Quetzal', the holy, beautiful -Quetzal'!" he said, with rising voice. "Look if his course be toward the -land." - -"Every canoe moves toward the shore." - -"Enough!" he cried. "The writing on the wall is the god's!" And, rising, -he awoke the girl. - -As Tecetl awake had no recollection of her journey, or of what she had -seen in its course, she wondered at his trouble and excitement, and -spoke to him, without answer. - -"Father, what has Tecetl done that you should be so troubled?" - -He put aside her arms, and in silence turned slowly from the pleasant -place, and retraced his steps back through the halls of the Cu to the -court-yard and _azoteas_. - -The weight of the secret did not oppress him; it rested upon him lightly -as the surplice upon his shoulders; for the humble servant of his god -was lifted above his poverty and trembling, and, vivified by the -consciousness of inspiration, felt more than a warrior's strength. But -what should he do? Where proclaim the revelation? Upon the temple? - -"The streets are deserted; the people are in the theatre; the king is -there with all Anahuac," he muttered. "The coming of Quetzal' concerns -the Empire, and it shall hear the announcement: so not on the temple, -but to the _tianguez_. The god speaks to me! To the _tianguez_!" - -In the chapel he exchanged his white surplice for the regalia of -sacrifice. Never before, to his fancy, wore the idol such seeming of -life. Satisfaction played grimly about its mouth; upon its brow, like a -coronet, sat the infinite Will. From the chapel he descended to the -street that led to the great square. Insensibly, as he hurried on, his -steps quickened; and bareheaded and unsandalled, his white beard and -hair loose and flowing, and his face beaming with excitement, he looked -the very embodiment of direful prophecy. On the streets he met only -slaves. At the theatre the entrance was blocked by people; soldiery -guarded the arena: but guard and people shrunk at his approach; and -thus, without word or cry, he rushed within the wall of shields, where -were none but the combatants, living and dead. - -Midway the arena he halted, his face to the king. Around ran his -wondrous glance, and, regardless of the royalty present, the people -shouted, "The paba, the paba!" and their many voices shook the theatre. -Flinging the white locks back on his shoulders, he tossed his arms -aloft; and the tumult rose into the welkin, and a calm settled over the -multitude. Montezuma, with the malediction warm on his lips, bent from -his couch to hear his words. - -"Woe is Tenochtitlan, the beautiful!" he cried, in the unmeasured -accents of grief. "Woe to homes, and people, and armies, and king! Why -this gathering of dwellers on the hills and in the valleys! Why the -combat of warriors? Quetzal' is at hand. He comes for vengeance. Woe is -Tenochtitlan, the beautiful! * * * * This, O king, is the day of the -fulfilment of prophecy. From out the sea, wafted by clouds, even now the -canoes of the god are coming. His power whitens the waves, and the -garments of his warriors gleam with the light of the sky. Woe is -Tenochtitlan! This day is the last of her perfect glory; to-morrow -Quetzal' will glisten on the sea-shore, and her Empire vanish forever. -* * * * People, say farewell to peace! Keepers of the temples, holy men, -go feed the fires, and say the prayer, and sacrifice the victim! And -thou, O king! summon thy strong men, leaders in battle, and be thy -banners counted, and thy nations marshalled. In vain! Woe is -Tenochtitlan! Sitting in the lake, she shines lustrously as a star; and -though in a valley of gardens, she is like a great tree shadowing in a -desert. But the ravager comes, and the tree shall be felled, and the -star go out darkling forever. The fires shall fade, the bones of the -dead kings be scattered, altars and gods overthrown, and every temple -levelled with the streets. Woe is Tenochtitlan! Ended,--ended forever is -the march of Azatlan, the mighty!" - -His arms fell down, and, without further word, his head bowed upon his -breast, the prophet departed. The spell he left behind him remained -unbroken. As they recovered from the effects of his bodement, the people -left the theatre, their minds full of indefinite dread. If perchance -they spoke of the scene as they went, it was in whispers, and rather to -sound the depths of each other's alarm. And for the rest of the day they -remained in their houses, brooding alone, or collected in groups, -talking in low voices, wondering about the prescience of the paba, and -looking each moment for the development of something more terrible. - -The king watched the holy man until he disappeared in the crowded -passage; then a deadly paleness overspread his face, and he sunk almost -to the platform. The nobles rushed around, and bore him to his -palanquin, their brave souls astonished that the warrior and priest and -mighty monarch could be so overcome. They carried him to his palace, and -left him to a solitude full of unkingly superstitions. - -Guatamozin, serene amid the confusion, called the _tamanes_, and ordered -the old Othmi and the dead removed. The Tezcucan still breathed. - -"The reviler of the gods shall be cared for," he said to himself. "If he -lives, their justice will convict him." - -Before the setting of the sun, the structure in the _tianguez_ was taken -down and restored to the temples, never again to be used. Yet the -market-place remained deserted and vacant; the whole city seemed -plague-smitten. - -And the common terror was not without cause, any more than Mualox was -without inspiration. That night the ships of Cortes, eleven in number, -and freighted with the materials of conquest, from the east of Yucatan, -came sweeping down the bay of Campeachy. Next morning they sailed up the -Rio de Tabasco, beautiful with its pure water and its banks fringed with -mangroves. Tecetl had described the fleet, the sails of which from afar -looked like clouds, while they did, indeed, whiten the sea. - -Next evening a courier sped hotly over the causeway and up the street, -stopping at the gate of the royal palace. He was taken before the king; -and, shortly after, it went flying over the city how Quetzal' had -arrived, in canoes larger than temples, wafted by clouds, and full of -thunder and lightning. Then sank the monarch's heart; and, though the -Spaniard knew it not, his marvellous conquest was half completed before -his iron shoe smote the shore at San Juan de Ulloa.[27] - -FOOTNOTES: - - [27] Cortes' squadron reached the mouth of the river Tabasco on the - 12th of March, 1519. - - - - - BOOK TWO. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - WHO ARE THE STRANGERS? - - -March passed, and April came, and still the strangers, in their great -canoes, lingered on the coast. Montezuma observed them with becoming -prudence; through his lookouts, he was informed of their progress from -the time they left the Rio de Tabasco. - -The constant anxiety to which he was subjected affected his temper; and, -though roused from the torpor into which he had been plunged by the -visit to the golden chamber, and the subsequent prophecy of Mualox, his -melancholy was a thing of common observation. He renounced his ordinary -amusements, even _totoloque_, and went no more to the hunting-grounds on -the shore of the lake; in preference, he took long walks in the gardens, -and reclined in the audience-chamber of his palace; yet more remarkable, -conversation with his councillors and nobles delighted him more than the -dances of his women or the songs of his minstrels. In truth, the monarch -was himself a victim of the delusions he had perfected for his people. -Polytheism had come to him with the Empire; but he had enlarged upon it, -and covered it with dogmas; and so earnestly, through a long and -glorious reign, had he preached them, that, at last, he had become his -own most zealous convert. In all his dominions, there was not one whom -faith more inclined to absolute fear of Quetzal' than himself. - -One evening he passed from his bath to the dining-hall for the last meal -of the day. Invigorated, and, as was his custom, attired for the fourth -time since morning in fresh garments, he walked briskly, and even droned -a song. - -No monarch in Europe fared more sumptuously than Montezuma. The room -devoted to the purpose was spacious, and, on this occasion, brilliantly -lighted. The floor was spread with figured matting, and the walls hung -with beautiful tapestry; and in the centre of the apartment a luxurious -couch had been rolled for him, it being his habit to eat reclining; -while, to hide him from the curious, a screen had been contrived, and -set up between the couch and principal door. The viands set down by his -steward as the substantials of the first course were arranged upon the -floor before the couch, and kept warm and smoking by chafing-dishes. The -table, if such it may be called, was supplied by contributions from the -provinces, and furnished, in fact, no contemptible proof of his -authority, and the perfection with which it was exercised. The ware was -of the finest Cholulan manufacture, and, like his clothes, never used by -him but the once, a royal custom requiring him to present it to his -friends.[28] - -When he entered the room, the evening I have mentioned, there were -present only his steward, four or five aged councillors, whom he was -accustomed to address as "uncles," and a couple of women, who occupied -themselves in preparing certain wafers and confections which he -particularly affected. He stretched himself comfortably upon the couch, -much, I presume, after the style of the Romans, and at once began the -meal. The ancients moved back several steps, and a score of boys, noble, -yet clad in the inevitable _nequen_, responding to a bell, came in and -posted themselves to answer his requests. - -Sometimes, by invitation, the councillors were permitted to share the -feast; oftener, however, the only object of their presence was to afford -him the gratification of remark. The conversation was usually irregular, -and hushed and renewed as he prompted, and not unfrequently extended to -the gravest political and religious subjects. On the evening in question -he spoke to them kindly. - -"I feel better this evening, uncles. My good star is rising above the -mists that have clouded it. We ought not to complain of what we cannot -help; still, I have thought that when the gods retained the power to -afflict us with sorrows, they should have given us some power to correct -them." - -One of the old men answered reverentially, "A king should be too great -for sorrows; he should wear his crown against them as we wear our -mantles against the cold winds." - -"A good idea," said the monarch, smiling; "but you forget that the -crown, instead of protecting, is itself the trouble. Come nearer, -uncles; there is a matter more serious about which I would hear your -minds." - -They obeyed him, and he went on. - -"The last courier brought me word that the strangers were yet on the -coast, hovering about the islands. Tell me, who say you they are, and -whence do they come?" - -"How may we know more than our wise master?" said one of them. - -"And our thoughts,--do we not borrow them from you, O king?" added -another. - -"What! Call you those answers? Nay, uncles, my fools can better serve -me; if they cannot instruct, they can at least amuse." - -The king spoke bitterly, and looking at one, probably the oldest of them -all, said,-- - -"Uncle, you are the poorest courtier, but you are discreet and honest. I -want opinions that have in them more wisdom than flattery. Speak to me -truly: who are these strangers?" - -"For your sake, O my good king, I wish I were wise; for the trouble they -have given my poor understanding is indeed very great. I believe them to -be gods, landed from the Sun." And the old man went on to fortify his -belief with arguments. In the excited state of his fancy, it was easy -for him to convert the cannon of the Spaniards into engines of thunder -and lightning, and transform their horses into creatures of Mictlan -mightier than men. Right summarily he also concluded, that none but gods -could traverse the dominions of Haloc,[29] subjecting the variant winds -to their will. Finally, to prove the strangers irresistible, he referred -to the battle of Tabasco, then lately fought between Cortes and the -Indians. - -Montezuma heard him in silence, and replied, "Not badly given, uncle; -your friends may profit by your example; but you have not talked as a -warrior. You have forgotten that we, too, have beaten the lazy -Tabascans. That reference proves as much for my caciques as for your -gods." - -He waved his hand, and the first course was removed. The second -consisted for the most part of delicacies in the preparation of which -his _artistes_ delighted; at this time appeared the _choclatl_, a rich, -frothy beverage served in _xicaras_, or small golden goblets. Girls, -selected for their rank and beauty, succeeded the boys. Flocking around -him with light and echoless feet, very graceful, very happy, theirs was -indeed the service that awaits the faithful in Mahomet's Paradise. To -each of his ancients he passed a goblet of _choclatl_, then continued -his eating and talking. - -"Yes. Be they gods or men, I would give a province to know their -intention; that, uncles, would enable me to determine my -policy,--whether to give them war or peace. As yet, they have asked -nothing but the privilege of trading with us; and, judging them by our -nations, I want not better warrant of friendship. As you know, strangers -have twice before been upon our coast in such canoes, and with such -arms;[30] and in both instances they sought gold, and getting it they -departed. Will these go like them?" - -"Has my master forgotten the words of Mualox?" - -"To Mictlan with the paba!" said the king, violently. "He has filled my -cities and people with trouble." - -"Yet he is a prophet," retorted the old councillor, boldly. "How knew he -of the coming of the strangers before it was known in the palace?" - -The flush of the king's face faded. - -"It is a mystery, uncle,--a mystery too deep for me. All the day and -night before he was in his Cu; he went not into the city even." - -"If the wise master will listen to the words of his slave, he will not -again curse the paba, but make him a friend." - -The monarch's lip curled derisively. - -"My palace is now a house of prayer and sober life; he would turn it -into a place of revelry." - -All the ancients but the one laughed at the irony; that one repeated his -words. - -"A friend; but how?" asked Montezuma. - -"Call him from the Cu to the palace; let him stand here with us; in the -councils give him a voice. He can read the future; make of him an -oracle. O king, who like him can stand between you and Quetzal'?" - -For a while Montezuma toyed idly with the _xicara_. He also believed in -the prophetic gifts of Mualox, and it was not the first time he had -pondered the question of how the holy man had learned the coming of the -strangers; to satisfy himself as to his means of information, he had -even instituted inquiries outside the palace. And yet it was but one of -several mysteries; behind it, if not superior, were the golden chamber, -its wealth, and the writing on the walls. They were not to be attributed -to the paba: works so wondrous could not have been done in one lifetime. -They were the handiwork of a god, who had chosen Mualox for his servant -and prophet; such was the judgment of the king. - -Nor was that all. The monarch had come to believe that the strangers on -the coast were Quetzal' and his followers, whom it were vain to resist, -if their object was vengeance. But the human heart is seldom without its -suggestion of hope; and he thought, though resistance was impossible, -might he not propitiate? This policy had occupied his thoughts, and most -likely without result, for the words of the councillor seemed welcome. -Indeed, he could scarcely fail to recognize the bold idea they -conveyed,--nothing less, in fact, than meeting the god with his own -prophet. - -"Very well," he said, in his heart. "I will use the paba. He shall come -and stand between me and the woe." - -Then he arose, took a string of pearls from his neck, and with his own -hand placed it around that of the ancient. - -"Your place is with me, uncle. I will have a chamber fitted for you here -in the palace. Go no more away. Ho, steward! The supper is done; let the -pipes be brought, and give me music and dance. Bid the minstrels come. A -song of the olden time may make me strong again." - -FOOTNOTES: - - [28] Prescott, Conq. of Mexico. - - [29] God of the sea. - - [30] The allusion was doubtless to the expeditions of Hernandez - de Cordova, in 1517, and Juan de Grijalva, in 1518. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - A TEZCUCAN LOVER. - - -Traces of the supper speedily disappeared. The screen was rolled away, -and pipes placed in the monarch's hand for distribution amongst his -familiars. Blue vapor began to ascend to the carved rafters, when the -tapestry on both sides of the room was flung aside, and the sound of -cornets and flutes poured in from an adjoining apartment; and, as if -answering the summons of the music, a company of dancing-girls entered, -and filled the space in front of the monarch; half nude were they, and -flashing with ornaments, and aerial with gauze and flying ribbons; -silver bells tinkled with each step, and on their heads were wreaths, -and in their hands garlands of flowers. Voluptuous children were they of -the voluptuous valley. - -Saluting the monarch, they glided away, and commenced a dance. With -dreamy, half-shut eyes, through the scented cloud momently deepening -around him, he watched them; and in the sensuous, animated scene was -disclosed one of the enchantments that had weaned him from the martial -love of his youth. - -Every movement of the figure had been carefully studied, and a kind of -aesthetic philosophy was blent with its perfect time and elegance of -motion. Slow and stately at first, it gradually quickened; then, as if -to excite the blood and fancy, it became more mazy and voluptuous; and -finally, as that is the sweetest song that ends with a long decadence, -it was so concluded as to soothe the transports itself had awakened. -Sweeping along, it reached a point, a very climax of abandon and beauty, -in which the dancers appeared to forget the music and the method of the -figure; then the eyes of the king shone brightly, and the pipe lingered -on his lips forgotten; and then the musicians began, one by one, to -withdraw from the harmony, and the dancers to vanish singly from the -room, until, at last, there was but one flute to be heard, while but one -girl remained. Finally, she also disappeared, and all grew still again. - -And the king sat silent and listless, surrendered to the enjoyment which -was the object of the diversion; yet he heard the music; yet he saw the -lithe and palpitating forms of the dancers in posture and motion; yet he -felt the sweet influence of their youth and grace and beauty, not as a -passion, but rather a spell full of the suggestions of passion, when a -number of men came noiselessly in, and, kneeling, saluted him. Their -costume was that of priests, and each of them carried an instrument of -music fashioned somewhat like a Hebrew lyre. - -"Ah, my minstrels, my minstrels!" he said, his face flushing with -pleasure. "Welcome in the streets, welcome in the camp, welcome in the -palace, also! What have you to-night?" - -"When last we were admitted to your presence, O king, you bade us -compose hymns to the god Quetzal'--" - -"Yes; I remember." - -"We pray you not to think ill of your slaves if we say that the verses -which come unbidden are the best; no song of the bird's so beautiful as -the one it sings when its heart is full." - -The monarch sat up. - -"Nay, I did not command. I know something of the spirit of poetry. It is -not a thing to be driven by the will, like a canoe by a strong arm; -neither is it a slave, to come or go at a signal. I bid my warriors -march; I order the sacrifice; but the lays of my minstrels have ever -been of their free will. Leave me now. To you are my gardens and -palaces. I warrant the verses you have are good; but go ask your hearts -for better." - -They retired with their faces toward him until hidden behind the -tapestry. - -"I love a song, uncles," continued the king; "I love a hymn to the gods, -and a story of battle chanted in a deep voice. In the halls of the Sun -every soul is a minstrel, and every tale a song. But let them go; it is -well enough. I promised Iztlil', the Tezcucan, to give him audience -to-night. He comes to the palace but seldom, and he has not asked a -favor since I settled his quarrel with the lord Cacama. Send one to see -if he is now at the door." - -Thereupon he fell to reflecting and smoking; and when next he spoke, it -was from the midst of an aromatic cloud. - -"I loved the wise 'Hualpilli; for his sake, I would have his children -happy. He was a lover of peace, and gave more to policy than to war. It -were grievous to let his city be disturbed by feuds and fighting men; -therefore I gave it to the eldest son. His claim was best; and, besides, -he has the friendly heart to serve me. Still--still, I wish there had -been two Tezcucos." - -"There was but one voice about the judgment in Tezcuco, O king; the -citizens all said it was just." - -"And they would have said the same if I had given them Iztlil'. I know -the knaves, uncle. It was not their applause I cared for; but, you see, -in gaining a servant, I lost one. Iztlil' is a warrior. Had he the will, -he could serve me in the field as well as his brother in the council. I -must attach him to me. A strong arm is pleasant to lean on; it is better -than a staff." - -Addressing himself to the pipe again, he sat smoking, and moodily -observing the vapor vanish above him. There was silence until Iztlil' -was ushered in. - -The cacique was still suffering from his wounds. His step was feeble, so -that his obeisance was stopped by the monarch himself. - -"Let the salutation go, my lord Iztlil'. Your courage has cost you much. -I remember you are the son of my old friend, and bid you welcome." - -"The Tlascalans are good warriors," said the Tezcucan, coldly. - -"And for that reason better victims," added the king, quickly. "By the -Sun, I know not what we would do without them. Their hills supply our -temples." - -"And I, good king--I am but a warrior. My heart is not softened by -things pertaining to religion. Enough for me to worship the gods." - -"Then you are not a student?" - -"I never studied in the academies." - -"I understand," said the king, with a low laugh. "You cannot name as -many stars as enemies whom you have slain. No matter. I have places for -such scholars. Have you commanded an army?" - -"It pleased you to give me that confidence. I led my companies within -the Tlascalan wall, and came back with captives." - -"I recollect now. But as most good warriors are modest, my son, I will -not tell you what the chiefs said of your conduct; you would blush--" - -Iztlil' started. - -"Content you, content you; your blush would not be for shame." - -There was a pause, which the king gave to his pipe. Suddenly he said, -"There have been tongues busy with your fame, my son. I have heard you -were greatly dissatisfied because I gave your father's city to your -elder brother. But I consider that men are never without detractors, and -I cannot forget that you have perilled your life for the gods. Actions -I accept as the proofs of will. If the favor that brought you here be -reasonable, it is yours for the asking. I have the wish to serve you." - -"I am not surprised that I have enemies," said Iztlil', calmly. "I will -abuse no one on that account; for I am an enemy, and can forgive in -others what I deem virtue in myself. But it moves me greatly, O king, -that my enemies should steal into your palace, and, in my absence, wrong -me in your opinion. But pardon me; I did not come to defend myself--" - -"You have taken my words in an evil sense," interposed the king, with an -impatient gesture. - -"Or to conceal the truth," the Tezcucan continued. "There is kingly -blood in me, and I dare speak as my father's son. So if they said merely -that I was dissatisfied with your judgment, they said truly." - -Montezuma frowned. - -"I intend my words to be respectful, most mighty king. A common wisdom -teaches us to respect the brave man and dread the coward. And there is -not in your garden a flower as beautiful, nor in your power a privilege -as precious, as free speech; and it would sound ill of one so great and -secure as my father's friend if he permitted in the streets and in the -farmer's hut what he forbade in his palace. I spoke of dissatisfaction; -but think not it was because you gave Tezcuco to my brother, and to me -the bare hills that have scarcely herbage enough for a wolf-covert. I am -less a prince than a warrior; all places are alike to me; the earth -affords me royal slumber, while no jewelled canopy is equal to the -starred heavens; and as there is a weakness in pleasant memories, I have -none. To such as I am, O king, what matters a barren hill or a proud -palace? I murmured, nay, I did more, because, in judging my quarrel, you -overthrew the independence of my country. When my father visited you -from across the lake, he was not accustomed to stand before you, or hide -his kingly robes beneath a slave's garb." - -Montezuma half started from his seat. "Holy gods! Is rebellion so bold?" - -"I meant no disrespect, great king. I only sought to justify myself, and -in your royal presence say what I have thought while fighting under your -banner. But, without more abuse of your patience, I will to my purpose, -especially as I came for peace and friendship." - -"The son of my friend forgets that I have ways to make peace without -treating for it," said the king. - -The Tezcucan smothered an angry reply. - -"By service done, I have shown a disposition to serve you, O king. Very -soon every warrior will be needed. A throne may be laid amid hymns and -priestly prayers, yet have no strength; to endure, it must rest upon the -allegiance of love. Though I have spoken unpleasant words, I came to ask -that, by a simple boon, you give me cause to love. I have reflected that -I, too, am of royal blood, and, as the son of a king, may lead your -armies, and look for alliance in your house. By marriage, O king, I -desire, come good or evil, to link my fortune to yours." - -Montezuma's countenance was stolid; no eye could have detected upon it -so much as surprise. He quietly asked, "Which of my daughters has found -favor in your eyes?" - -"They are all beautiful, but only one of them is fitted for a warrior's -wife." - -"Tula?" - -Iztlil' bowed. - -"She is dear to me," said the king, softly, "dearer than a city; she is -holy as a temple, and lovelier than the morning; her voice is sweet as -the summer wind, and her presence as the summer itself. Have you spoken -to her of this thing?" - -"I love her, so that her love is nothing to me. Her feelings are her -own, but she is yours; and you are more powerful to give than she to -withhold." - -"Well, well," said the monarch, after a little thought; "in my realm -there are none of better quality than the children of 'Hualpilli,--none -from whom such demand is as proper. Yet it is worthy deliberation. It is -true, I have the power to bestow, but there are others who have the -right to be consulted. I study the happiness of my people, and it were -unnatural if I cared less for that of my children. So leave me now, but -take with you, brave prince, the assurance that I am friendly to your -suit. The gods go with you!" - -And Iztlil', after a low obeisance, withdrew; and then the overture was -fully discussed. Montezuma spoke freely, welcoming the opportunity of -securing the bold, free-spoken cacique, and seeing in the demand only a -question of policy. As might be expected, the ancients made no -opposition; they could see no danger in the alliance, and had no care -for the parties. It was policy. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - THE BANISHMENT OF GUATAMOZIN. - - -The palace of Montezuma was regarded as of very great sanctity, so that -his household, its economy, and the exact relation its members bore to -each other were mysteries to the public. From the best information, -however, it would seem that he had two lawful and acknowledged wives, -the queens Tecalco and Acatlan,[31] who, with their families, occupied -spacious apartments secure from intrusion. They were good-looking, -middle-aged women, whom the monarch honored with the highest respect and -confidence. By the first one, he had a son and daughter; by the second, -two daughters. - -"Help me, Acatlan! I appeal to your friendship, to the love you bear -your children,--help me in my trouble." So the queen Tecalco prayed the -queen Acatlan in the palace the morning after the audience given the -Tezcucan by the king. - -The two were sitting in a room furnished with some taste. Through the -great windows, shaded by purple curtains, streamed the fresh breath of -the early day. There were female slaves around them in waiting; while a -boy nearly grown, at the eastern end of the apartment, was pitching the -golden balls in _totoloque_. This was prince Io', the brother of Tula, -and son of Tecalco. - -"What is the trouble? What can I do?" asked Acatlan. - -"Listen to me," said Tecalco. "The king has just gone. He came in better -mood than usual, and talked pleasantly. Something had happened; some -point of policy had been gained. Nowadays, you know, he talks and thinks -of nothing but policy; formerly it was all of war. We cannot deny, -Acatlan, that he is much changed. Well, he played a game with Io', then -sat down, saying he had news which he thought would please me. You will -hardly believe it, but he said that Iztlil', the proud Tezcucan, asked -Tula in marriage last night. Think of it! Tula, my blossom, my soul! and -to that vile cacique!" - -"Well, he is brave, and the son of 'Hualpilli," said Acatlan. - -"What! You!" said Tecalco, despairingly. "Do you, too, turn against me? -I do not like him, and would not if he were the son of a god. Tula hates -him!" - -"I will not turn against you, Tecalco. Be calmer, and tell me what more -the king said." - -"I told him I was surprised, but not glad to hear the news. He frowned, -and paced the floor, now here, now there. I was frightened, but could -bear his anger better than the idea of my Tula, so good, so beautiful, -the wife of the base Tezcucan. He said the marriage must go on; it was -required by policy, and would help quiet the Empire, which was never so -threatened. You will hardly believe I ventured to tell him that it -should not be, as Tula was already contracted to Guatamozin. I supposed -that announcement would quiet the matter, but it only enraged him; he -spoke bitterly of the 'tzin. I could scarcely believe my ears. He used -to love him. What has happened to change his feeling?" - -Acatlan thrummed her pretty mouth with her fingers, and thought awhile. - -"Yes, I have heard some stories about the 'tzin--" - -"Indeed!" said Tecalco, opening her eyes. - -"He too has changed, as you may have observed," continued Acatlan. "He -used to be gay and talkative, fond of company, and dance; latterly, he -stays at home, and when abroad, mopes, and is silent; while we all know -that no great private or public misfortune has happened him. The king -appears to have noticed it. And, my dear sister,"--the queen lowered her -voice to a confidential whisper,--"they say the 'tzin aspires to the -throne." - -"What! Do you believe it? Does the king?" cried Tecalco, more in anger -than surprise. - -"I believe nothing yet, though there are some grounds for his accusers -to go upon. They say he entertains at his palace near Iztapalapan none -but men of the army, and that while in Tenochtitlan, he studies the -favor of the people, and uses his wealth to win popularity with all -classes. Indeed, Tecalco, somehow the king learned that, on the day of -the celebration of Quetzal', the 'tzin was engaged in a direct -conspiracy against him." - -"It is false, Acatlan, it is false! The king has not a more faithful -subject. I know the 'tzin. He is worth a thousand of the Tezcucan, who -is himself the traitor." And the vexed queen beat the floor with her -sandalled foot. - -"As to that, Tecalco, I know nothing. But what more from the king?" - -"He told me that Tula should never marry the 'tzin; he would use all his -power against it; he would banish him from the city first. And his rage -increased until, finally, he swore by the gods he would order a banquet, -and, in presence of all the lords of the Empire, publicly betroth Tula -and the Tezcucan. He said he would do anything the safety of the throne -and the gods required of him. He never was so angry. And that, O -Acatlan, my sister, that is my trouble. How can I save my child from -such a horrid betrothal?" - -Acatlan shook her head gloomily. "The king brooks defeat better than -opposition. We would not be safe to do anything openly. I acknowledge -myself afraid, and unable to advise you." - -Tecalco burst into tears, and wrung her hands, overcome by fear and -rage. Io' then left his game, and came to her. He was not handsome, -being too large for his years, and ungraceful; this tendency to -homeliness was increased by the smallness of his face and head; the -features were actually childish. - -"Say no more, mother," he said, tears standing in his eyes, as if to -prove his sympathy and kindliness. "You know it would be better to play -with the tigers than stir the king to anger." - -"Ah, Io', what shall I do? I always heard you speak well of the 'tzin. -You loved him once." - -"And I love him yet." - -Tecalco was less pacified than ever. - -"What would I not give to know who set the king so against him! Upon the -traitor be the harm there is in a mother's curse! If my child must be -sacrificed, let it be by a priest, and as a victim to the gods." - -"Do not speak so. Be wise, Tecalco. Recollect such sorrows belong to our -rank." - -"Our rank, Acatlan! I can forget it sooner than that I am a mother! O, -you do not know how long I have nursed the idea of wedding Tula to the -'tzin! Since their childhood I have prayed, plotted, and hoped for it. -With what pride I have seen them grow up,--he so brave, generous, and -princely, she so staid and beautiful! I have never allowed her to think -of other destiny: the gods made them for each other." - -"Mother," said Io', thoughtfully, "I have heard you say that Guatamozin -was wise. Why not send him word of what has happened, and put our trust -in him?" - -The poor queen caught at the suggestion eagerly; for with a promise of -aid, at the same time it relieved her of responsibility, of all burthens -the most dreadful to a woman. And Acatlan, really desirous of helping -her friend, but at a loss for a plan, and terrified by the idea of the -monarch's wrath incurred, wondered they had not thought of the proposal -sooner, and urged the 'tzin's right to be informed of the occurrence. - -"There must be secrecy, Tecalco. The king must never know us as -traitors: that would be our ruin." - -"There shall be no danger; I can go myself," said Io'. "It is long since -I was at Iztapalapan, and they say the 'tzin has such beautiful gardens. -I want to see the three kings who hold torches in his hall; I want to -try a bow with him." After some entreaty, Tecalco assented. She -required him, however, to put on a costume less likely to attract -attention, and take some other than a royal canoe across the lake. Half -an hour later, he passed out of a garden gate, and, by a circuitous -route, hurried to the canal in which lay the vessels of the Iztapalapan -watermen. He found one, and was bargaining with its owner, when a young -man walked briskly up, and stepped into a canoe close by. Something in -the gay dress of the stranger made Io' look at him a second time, and he -was hardly less pleased than surprised at being addressed,-- - -"Ho, friend! I am going to your city. Save your cocoa, and go with me." - -Io' was confused. - -"Come on!" the stranger persisted, with a pleasant smile. "Come on! I -want company. You were never so welcome." - -The smile decided the boy. He set one foot in the vessel, but instantly -retreated--an ocelot, crouched in the bottom, raised its round head, and -stared fixedly at him. The stranger laughed, and reassured him, after -which he walked boldly forward. Then the canoe swung from its mooring, -and in a few minutes, under the impulsion of three strong slaves, went -flying down the canal. Under bridges, through incoming flotillas, and -past the great houses on either hand they darted, until the city was -left behind, and the lake, colored with the borrowed blue of the sky, -spread out rich and billowy before them. The eyes of the stranger -brightened at the prospect. - -"I like this. By Our Mother, I like it!" he said, earnestly. "We have -lakes in Tihuanco on which I have spent days riding waves and spearing -fish; but they were dull to this. See the stretch of the water! Look -yonder at the villages, and here at the city and Chapultepec! Ah, that -you were born in Tenochtitlan be proud. There is no grander birthplace -this side of the Sun!" - -"I am an Aztec," said Io', moved by the words. - -The other smiled, and added, "Why not go further, and say, 'and son of -the king?'" - -Io' was startled. - -"Surprised! Good prince, I am a hunter. From habit, I observe -everything; a track, a tree, a place, once seen is never forgotten; and -since I came to the city, the night before the combat of Quetzal', the -habit has not left me. That day you were seated under the red canopy, -with the princesses Tula and Nenetzin. So I came to know the king's -son." - -"Then you saw the combat?" - -"And how brave it was! There never was its match,--never such archery as -the 'tzin's. Then the blow with which he killed the Othmi! I only -regretted that the Tezcucan escaped. I do not like him; he is envious -and spiteful; it would have been better had he fallen instead of the -Otompan. You know Iztlil'?" - -"Not to love him," said Io'. - -"Is he like the 'tzin?" - -"Not at all." - -"So I have heard," said the hunter, shrugging his shoulders. "But---- -Down, fellow!" he cried to the ocelot, whose approaches discomposed the -prince. "I was going to say," he resumed, with a look which, as an -invitation to confidence, was irresistible, "that there is no reason why -you and I should not be friends. We are both going to see the 'tzin----" - -Io' was again much confused. - -"I only heard you say so to the waterman on the landing. If your visit, -good prince, was intended as a secret, you are a careless messenger. But -have no fear. I intend entering the 'tzin's service; that is, if he will -take me." - -"Is the 'tzin enlisting men?" asked Io'. - -"No. I am merely weary of hunting. My father is a good merchant whose -trading life is too tame for me. I love excitement. Even hunting deer -and chasing wolves are too tame. I will now try war, and there is but -one whom I care to follow. Together we will see and talk to him." - -"You speak as if you were used to arms." - -"My skill may be counted nothing. I seek the service more from what I -imagine it to be. The march, the camp, the battle, the taking captives, -the perilling life, when it is but a secondary object, as it must be -with every warrior of true ambition, all have charms for my fancy. -Besides, I am discontented with my condition. I want honor, rank, and -command,--wealth I have. Hence, for me, the army is the surest road. -Beset with trials, and needing a good heart and arm, yet it travels -upward, upward, and that is all I seek to know." - -The _naivete_ and enthusiasm of the hunter were new and charming to the -prince, who was impelled to study him once more. He noticed how exactly -the arms were rounded; that the neck was long, muscular, and widened at -the base, like the trunk of an oak; that the features, excited by the -passing feeling, were noble and good; that the very carriage of the head -was significant of aptitude for brave things, if not command. Could the -better gods have thrown Io' in such company for self-comparison? Was -that the time they had chosen to wake within him the longings of mind -natural to coming manhood? He felt the inspiration of an idea new to -him. All his life had been passed in the splendid monotony of his -father's palace; he had been permitted merely to hear of war, and that -from a distance; of the noble passion for arms he knew nothing. -Accustomed to childish wants, with authority to gratify them, ambition -for power had not yet disturbed him. But, as he listened, it was given -him to see the emptiness of his past life, and understand the advantages -he already possessed; he said to himself, "Am I not master of grade and -opportunities, so coveted by this unknown hunter, and so far above his -reach?" In that moment the contentment which had canopied his existence, -like a calm sky, full of stars and silence and peace, was taken up, and -whirled away; his spirit strengthened with a rising ambition and a -courage royally descended. - -"You are going to study with the 'tzin. I would like to be your -comrade," he said. - -"I accept you, I give you my heart!" replied the hunter, with beaming -face. "We will march, and sleep, and fight, and practise together. I -will be true to you as shield to the warrior. Hereafter, O prince, when -you would speak of me, call me Hualpa; and if you would make me happy, -say of me, 'He is my comrade!'" - -The sun stood high in the heavens when they reached the landing. -Mounting a few steps that led from the water's edge, they found -themselves in a garden rich with flowers, beautiful trees, running -streams, and trellised summer-houses,--the garden of a prince,--of -Guatamozin, the true hero of his country. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [31] These are the proper names of the queens. MSS of Munoz. Also, - note to Prescott, Conq. of Mexico, Vol. II., p. 351. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - GUATAMOZIN AT HOME. - - -Guatamozin inherited a great fortune, ducal rank, and an estate near -Iztapalapan. Outside the city, midst a garden that extended for miles -around, stood his palace, built in the prevalent style, one story high, -but broad and wide enough to comfortably accommodate several thousand -men. His retainers, a legion in themselves, inhabited it for the most -part; and whether soldier, artisan, or farmer, each had his quarters, -his exclusive possession as against every one but the 'tzin. - -The garden was almost entirely devoted to the cultivation of fruits and -flowers. Hundreds of slaves, toiling there constantly under tasteful -supervision, made and kept it beautiful past description. Rivulets of -pure water, spanned by bridges and bordered with flowers, ran through -every part over beds of sand yellow as gold. The paths frequently led to -artificial lagoons, delightful for the coolness that lingered about -them, when the sun looked with his burning eye down upon the valley; for -they were fringed with willow and sycamore trees, all clad with vines as -with garments; and some were further garnished with little islands, -plumed with palms, and made attractive by kiosks. Nor were these all. -Fountains and cascades filled the air with sleepy songs; orange-groves -rose up, testifying to the clime they adorned; and in every path small -_teules_, on pedestals of stone, so mingled religion with the loveliness -that there could be no admiration without worship. - -Io' and Hualpa, marvelling at the beauty they beheld, pursued a path, -strewn with white sand, and leading across the garden, to the palace. A -few armed men loitered about the portal, but allowed them to approach -without question. From the antechamber they sent their names to the -'tzin, and directly the slave returned with word to Io' to follow him. - -The study into which the prince was presently shown was furnished with -severe plainness. An arm-chair, if such it may be called, some rude -tables and uncushioned benches, offered small encouragement to idleness. - -Sand, glittering like crushed crystal, covered the floor, and, instead -of tapestry, the walls were hung with maps of the Empire, and provinces -the most distant. Several piles of MSS.,--the books of the Aztecs,--with -parchment and writing-materials, lay on a table; and half concealed -amongst them was a harp, such as we have seen in the hands of the royal -minstrels. - -"Welcome, Io', welcome!" said the 'tzin, in his full voice. "You have -come at length, after so many promises,--come last of all my friends. -When you were here before, you were a child, and I a boy like you now. -Let us go and talk it over." And leading him to a bench by a window, -they sat down. - -"I remember the visit," said Io'. "It was many years ago. You were -studying then, and I find you studying yet." - -A serious thought rose to the 'tzin's mind, and his smile was clouded. - -"You do not understand me, Io'. Shut up in your father's palace, your -life is passing too dreamily. The days with you are like waves of the -lake: one rolls up, and, scarcely murmuring, breaks on the shore; -another succeeds,--that is all. Hear, and believe me. He who would be -wise must study. There are many who live for themselves, a few who live -for their race. Of the first class, no thought is required; they eat, -sleep, are merry, and die, and have no hall in heaven: but the second -must think, toil, and be patient; they must know, and, if possible, know -everything. God and ourselves are the only sources of knowledge. I would -not have you despise humanity, but all that is from ourselves is soon -learned. There is but one inexhaustible fountain of intelligence, and -that is Nature, the God Supreme. See those volumes; they are of men, -full of wisdom, but nothing original; they are borrowed from the book of -deity,--the always-opened book, of which the sky is one chapter, and -earth the other. Very deep are the lessons of life and heaven there -taught. I confess to you, Io', that I aspire to be of those whose lives -are void of selfishness, who live for others, for their country. Your -father's servant, I would serve him understandingly; to do so, I must be -wise; and I cannot be wise without patient study." - -Io's unpractised mind but half understood the philosophy to which he -listened; but when the 'tzin called himself his father's servant, -Acatlan's words recurred to the boy. - -"O 'tzin," he said, "they are not all like you, so good, so true. There -have been some telling strange stories about you to the king." - -"About me?" - -"They say you want to be king,"--the listener's face was passive,--"and -that on Quetzal's day you were looking for opportunity to attack my -father." Still there was no sign of emotion. "Your staying at home, they -say, is but a pretence to cover your designs." - -"And what more, Io'?" - -"They say you are taking soldiers into your pay; that you give money, -and practise all manner of arts, to become popular in Tenochtitlan; and -that your delay in entering the arena on the day of the combat had -something to do with your conspiracy." - -For a moment the noble countenance of the 'tzin was disturbed. - -"A lying catalogue! But is that all?" - -"No,"--and Io's voice trembled,--"I am a secret messenger from the queen -Tecalco, my mother. She bade me say to you, that last night Iztlil', the -Tezcucan, had audience with the king, and asked Tula for his wife." - -Guatamozin sprang from his seat more pallid than ever in battle. - -"And what said Montezuma?" - -"This morning he came to the queen, my mother, and told her about it; -on your account she objected; but he became angry, spoke harshly of you, -and swore Tula should not wed with you; he would banish you first." - -Through the silent cell the 'tzin strode gloomily; the blow weakened -him. Mualox was wrong; men cannot make themselves almost gods; by having -many ills, and bearing them bravely, they can only become heroes. After -a long struggle he resumed his calmness and seat. - -"What more from the queen?" - -"Only, that as she was helpless, she left everything to you. She dares -not oppose the king." - -"I understand!" exclaimed the 'tzin, starting from the bench again. "The -Tezcucan is my enemy. Crossing the lake, night before the combat, he -told me he loved Tula, and charged me with designs against the Empire, -and cursed the king and his crown. Next day he fought under my -challenge. The malice of a mean soul cannot be allayed by kindness. But -for me the _tamanes_ would have buried him with the Tlascalans. I sent -him to my house; my slaves tended him; yet his hate was only sharpened." - -He paced the floor to and fro, speaking vehemently. - -"The ingrate charges me with aspiring to the throne. Judge me, holy -gods! Judge how willingly I would lay down my life to keep the crown -where it is! He says my palace has been open to men of the army. It was -always so,--I am a warrior. I have consulted them about the Empire, but -always as a subject, never for its ill. Such charges I laugh at; but -that I sought to slay the king is too horrible for endurance. On the day -of the combat, about the time of the assemblage, I went to the Cu of -Quetzal' for blessing. I saw no smoke or other sign of fire upon the -tower. Mualox was gone, and I trembled lest the fire should be dead. I -climbed up, and found only a few living embers. There were no fagots on -the roof, nor in the court-yard; the shrine was abandoned, Mualox old. -The desolation appealed to me. The god seemed to claim my service. I -broke my spear and shield, and flung the fragments into the urn, then -hastened to the palace, loaded some _tamanes_ with wood, and went back -to the Cu. I was not too late there; but, hurrying to the _tianguez_, I -found myself almost dishonored. So was I kept from the arena; that -service to the god is now helping my enemy as proof that I was waiting -on a housetop to murder my king and kinsman! Alas! I have only slaves to -bear witness to the holy work that kept me on the temple. Much I fear -the gods are making the king blind for his ruin and the ruin of us all. -He believes the strangers on the coast are from the Sun, when they are -but men. Instead of war against them, he is thinking of embassies and -presents. Now, more than ever, he needs the support of friends; but he -divides his family against itself, and confers favors on enemies. I see -the danger. Unfriendly gods are moving against us, not in the strangers, -but in our own divisions. Remember the prophecy of Mualox, 'The race of -Azatlan is ended forever.'" - -The speaker stopped his walking, and his voice became low and tremulous. - -"Yet I love him; he has been kind; he gave me command; through his -graciousness I have dwelt unmolested in this palace of my father. I am -bound to him by love and law. As he has been my friend, I will be his; -when his peril is greatest, I will be truest. Nothing but ill from him -to Anahuac can make me his enemy. So, so,--let it pass. I trust the -future to the gods." - -Then, as if seeking to rid himself of the bitter subject, he turned to -Io'. "Did not some one come with you?" - -The boy told what he knew of Hualpa. - -"I take him to be no common fellow; he has some proud ideas. I think you -would like him." - -"I will try your hunter, Io'. And if he is what you say of him, I will -accept his service." - -And they went immediately to the antechamber, where Hualpa saluted the -'tzin. The latter surveyed his fine person approvingly, and said, "I am -told you wish to enter my service. Were you ever in battle?" - -The hunter told his story with his wonted modesty. - -"Well, the chase is a good school for warriors. It trains the thews, -teaches patience and endurance, and sharpens the spirit's edge. Let us -to the garden. A hand to retain skill must continue its practice; like a -good memory, it is the better for exercise. Come, and I will show you -how I keep prepared for every emergency of combat." And so saying, the -'tzin led the visitors out. - -They went to the garden, followed by the retainers lounging at the door. -A short walk brought them to a space surrounded by a copse of -orange-trees, strewn with sand, and broad enough for a mock battle; a -few benches about the margin afforded accommodation to spectators; a -stone house at the northern end served for armory, and was full of arms -and armor. A glance assured the visitors that the place had been -prepared expressly for training. Some score or more of warriors, in the -military livery of the 'tzin, already occupied a portion of the field. -Upon his appearance they quitted their games, and closed around him with -respectful salutations. - -"How now, my good Chinantlan!" he said, pleasantly. "Did I not award you -a prize yesterday? There are few in the valley who can excel you in -launching the spear." - -"The plume is mine no longer," replied the warrior. "I was beaten last -night. The winner, however, is a countryman." - -"A countryman! You Chinantlans seem born to the spear. Where is the -man?" - -The victor stepped forward, and drew up before the master, who regarded -his brawny limbs, sinewy neck, and bold eyes with undisguised -admiration; so an artist would regard a picture or a statue. Above the -fellow's helm floated a plume of scarlet feathers, the trophy of his -superior skill. - -"Get your spear," said the 'tzin. "I bring you a competitor." - -The spear was brought, an ugly weapon in any hand. The head was of -copper, and the shaft sixteen feet long. The rough Chinantlan handled it -with a loving grip. - -"Have you such in Tihuanco?" asked Guatamozin. - -Hualpa balanced the weapon and laughed. - -"We have only javelins,--mere reeds to this. Unless to hold an enemy at -bay, I hardly know its use. Certainly, it is not for casting." - -"Set the mark, men. We will give the stranger a lesson. Set it to the -farthest throw." - -A pine picket was then set up a hundred feet away, presenting a target -of the height and breadth of a man, to which a shield was bolted -breast-high from the sand. - -"Now give the Chinantlan room!" - -The wearer of the plume took his place; advancing one foot, he lifted -the spear above his head with the right hand, poised it a moment, then -hurled it from him, and struck the picket a palm's breadth below the -shield. - -"Out, out!" cried the 'tzin. "Bring me the spear; I have a mind to wear -the plume myself." - -When it was brought him, he cast it lightly as a child would toss a -weed; yet the point drove clanging through the brazen base of the -shield, and into the picket behind. Amid the applause of the sturdy -warriors he said to Hualpa,-- - -"Get ready; the hunter must do something for the honor of his native -hills." - -"I cannot use a spear in competition with Guatamozin," said Hualpa, -with brightening eyes; "but if he will have brought a javelin, a good -comely weapon, I will show him my practice." - -A slender-shafted missile, about half the length of the spear, was -produced from the armory, and examined carefully. - -"See, good 'tzin, it is not true. Let me have another." - -The next one was to his satisfaction. - -"Now," he said, "set the target thrice a hundred feet away. If the -dainty living of Xoli have not weakened my arm, I will at least strike -yon shield." - -The bystanders looked at each other wonderingly, and the 'tzin was -pleased. He had not lost a word or a motion of Hualpa's. The feat -undertaken was difficult and but seldom achieved successfully; but the -aspirant was confident, and he manifested the will to which all -achievable things are possible. - -The target was reset, and the Tihuancan took the stand. Resting the -shaft on the palm of his left hand, he placed the fingers of his right -against the butt, and drew the graceful weapon arm-length backward. It -described an arc in the air, and to the astonishment of all fell in the -shield a little left of the centre. - -"Tell me, Hualpa," said Guatamozin, "are there more hunters in Tihuanco -who can do such a deed? I will have you bring them to me." - -The Tihuancan lowered his eyes. "I grieve to say, good 'tzin, that I -know of none. I excelled them all. But I can promise that in my native -province there are hundreds braver than I, ready to serve you to the -death." - -"Well, it is enough. I intended to try you further, and with other -weapons, but not now. He who can so wield a javelin must know to bend a -bow and strike with a _maquahuitl_. I accept your service. Let us to the -palace." - -Hualpa thrilled with delight. Already he felt himself in the warrior's -path, with a glory won. All his dreams were about to be realized. In -respectful silence he followed Guatamozin, and as they reached the -portal steps, Io' touched his arm: - -"Remember our compact on the lake," he whispered. - -The hunter put his arm lovingly about the prince, and so they entered -the house. And that day Fate wove a brotherhood of three hearts which -was broken only by death. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - NIGHT AT THE CHALCAN'S. - - -The same day, in the evening, Xoli lay on a lounge by the fountain under -his portico. His position gave him the range of the rooms, which glowed -like day, and resounded with life. He could even distinguish the -occupations of some of his guests. In fair view a group was listening to -a minstrel; beyond them he occasionally caught sight of girls dancing; -and every moment peals of laughter floated out from the chambers of -play. A number of persons, whose arms and attire published them of the -nobler class, sat around the Chalcan in the screen of the curtains, -conversing, or listlessly gazing out on the square. - -Gradually Xoli's revery became more dreamy; sleep stole upon his senses, -and shut out the lullaby of the fountain, and drowned the influence of -his _cuisine_. His patrons after a while disappeared, and the watchers -on the temples told the passing time without awakening him. Very happy -was the Chalcan. - -The slumber was yet strong upon him, when an old man and a girl came to -the portico. The former, decrepit and ragged, seated himself on the -step. Scanty hair hung in white locks over his face; and grasping a -staff, he rested his head wearily upon his hands, and talked to himself. - -The girl approached the Chalcan with the muffled tread of fear. She was -clad in the usual dress of her class,--a white chemise, with several -skirts short and embroidered, over which, after being crossed at the -throat, a red scarf dropped its tasseled ends nearly to her heels. The -neatness of the garments more than offset their cheapness. Above her -forehead, in the fillet that held the mass of black hair off her face, -leaving it fully exposed, there was the gleam of a common jewel; -otherwise she was without ornament. In all beauty there is--nay, must -be--an idea; so that a countenance to be handsome even, must in some way -at sight quicken a sentiment or stir a memory in the beholder. It was so -here. To look at the old man's guardian was to know that she had a -sorrow to tell, and to pity her before it was told; to be sure that -under her tremulous anxiety there was a darksome story and an -extraordinary purpose, the signs of which, too fine for the materialism -of words, but plain to the sympathetic inner consciousness, lurked in -the corners of her mouth, looked from her great black eyes, and blent -with every action. - -Gliding over the marble, she stopped behind the sleeper, and spoke, -without awakening him; her voice was too like the murmur of the -fountain. Frightened at the words, low as they were, she hesitated; but -a look at the old man reassured her, and she called again. Xoli started. - -"How now, mistress!" he said, angrily, reaching for her hand. - -"I want to see Xoli, the Chalcan," she replied, escaping his touch. - -"What have you to do with him?" - -He sat up, and looked at her in wonder. - -"What have you to do with him?" he repeated, in a kindlier tone. - -Her face kindled with a sudden intelligence. "Xoli! The gods be praised! -And their blessing on you, if you will do a kind deed for a countryman!" - -"Well! But what beggar is that? Came he with you?" - -"It is of him I would speak. Hear me!" she asked drawing near him again. -"He is poor, but a Chalcan. If you have memory of the city of your -birth, be merciful to his child." - -"His child! Who? Nay, it is a beggar's tale! Ho, fellow! How many times -have I driven you away already! How dare you return!" - -Slowly the old man raised his head from his staff, and turned his face -to the speaker; there was no light there: he was blind! - -"By the holy fires, no trick this! Say on, girl. He is a Chalcan, you -said." - -"A countryman of yours,"--and her tears fell fast. "A hut is standing -where the causeway leads from Chalco to Iztapalapan; it is my father's. -He was happy under its roof; for, though blind and poor, he could hear -my mother's voice, which was the kindliest thing on earth to him. But -Our Mother called her on the coming of a bright morning, and since then -he has asked for bread, when I had not a _tuna_[32] to give him. O Xoli! -did you but know what it is to ask for bread, when there is none! I am -his child, and can think of but one way to quiet his cry." And she -paused, looking in his face for encouragement. - -"Tell me your name, girl; tell me your name, then go on," he said, with -a trembling lip, for his soul was clever. - -At that instant the old man moaned querulously, "Yeteve, Yeteve!" - -She went, and clasped his neck, and spoke to him soothingly. Xoli's eyes -became humid; down in the depths of his heart an emotion grew strangely -warm. - -"Yeteve, Yeteve!" he repeated, musingly, thinking the syllables soft and -pretty. "Come; stand here again, Yeteve," said he, aloud, when the -dotard was pacified. "He wants bread, you say: how would you supply -him?" - -"You are rich. You want many slaves; and the law permits the poor to -sell themselves.[33] I would be your slave,--asking no price, except -that you give the beggar bread." - -"A slave! Sell yourself!" he cried, in dismay. "A slave! Why, you are -beautiful, Yeteve, and have not bethought yourself that some day the -gods may want you for a victim." - -She was silent. - -"What can you do? Dance? Sing? Can you weave soft veils and embroider -golden flowers, like ladies in the palaces? If you can, no slave in -Anahuac will be so peerless; the lords will bid more cocoa than you can -carry; you will be rich." - -"If so, then can I do all you have said." - -And she ran, and embraced the old man, saying, "Patience, patience! In a -little while we will have bread, and be rich. Yes," she continued, -returning to the Chalcan, "they taught me in the _teocallis_, where they -would have had me as priestess." - -"It is good to be a priestess, Yeteve; you should have stayed there." - -"But I did so love the little hut by the causeway. And I loved the -beggar, and they let me go." - -"And now you wish to sell yourself? I want slaves, but not such as you, -Yeteve. I want those who can work,--slaves whom the lash will hurt, but -not kill. Besides, you are worth more cocoa than I can spare. Keep back -your tears. I will do better than buy you myself. I will sell you, and -to-night. Here in my house you shall dance for the bidders. I know them -all. He shall be brave and rich and clever who buys,--clever and brave, -and the owner of a palace, full of bread for the beggar, and love for -Yeteve." - -Clapping his hands, a slave appeared at the door. - -"Take yon beggar, and give him to eat. Lead him,--he is blind. Come, -child, follow me." - -He summoned his servants, and bade them publish the sale in every -apartment; then he led the girl to the hall used for the exhibition of -his own dancing-girls. It was roomy and finely lighted; the floor was of -polished marble; a blue drop-curtain extended across the northern end, -in front of which were rows of stools, handsomely cushioned, for -spectators. Music, measured for the dance, greeted the poor priestess, -and had a magical effect upon her; her eyes brightened, a smile played -about her mouth. Never was the chamber of the rich Chalcan graced by a -creature fairer or more devoted. - -"A priestess of the dance needs no teaching from me," said Xoli, patting -her flushed cheek. "Get ready; they are coming. Beware of the marble; -and when I clap my hands, begin." - -She looked around the hall once; not a point escaped her. Springing to -the great curtain, and throwing her robe away, she stood before it in -her simple attire; and no studied effect of art could have been more -beautiful; motionless and lovely, against the relief of the blue -background, she seemed actually _spirituelle_. - -Upon the announcement of the auction, the patrons of the house hurried -to the scene. Voluntary renunciation of freedom was common enough among -the poorer classes in Tenochtitlan, but a transaction of the kind under -the auspices of the rich broker was a novelty; so that curiosity and -expectation ran high. The nobles, as they arrived, occupied the space in -front of the curtain, or seated themselves, marvelling at the expression -of her countenance. - -The music had not ceased; and the bidders being gathered, Xoli, smiling -with satisfaction, stepped forward to give the signal, when an uproar of -merriment announced the arrival of a party of the younger dignitaries of -the court,--amongst them Iztlil', the Tezcucan, and Maxtla, chief of the -guard, the former showing signs of quick recovery from his wounds, the -latter superbly attired. - -"Hold! What have we here?" cried the Tezcucan, surveying the girl. "Has -this son of Chalco been robbing the palace?" - -"The temples, my lord Iztlil'! He has robbed the temples! By all the -gods, it is the priestess Yeteve!" answered Maxtla, amazed. "Say, -Chalcan, what does priestess of the Blessed Lady in such unhallowed -den?" - -The broker explained. - -"Good, good!" shouted the new-comers. - -"Begin, Xoli! A thousand cocoa for the priestess,--millions of bread for -the beggar!" This from Maxtla. - -"Only a thousand?" said Iztlil', scornfully. "Only a thousand? Five -thousand to begin with, more after she dances." - -Xoli gave the signal, and the soul of the Chalcan girl broke forth in -motion. Dancing had been her _role_ in the religious rites of the -temple; many a time the pabas around the altar, allured by her matchless -grace, had turned from the bleeding heart indifferent to its auguration. -And she had always danced moved by no warmer impulse than duty; so that -the prompting of the spirit in the presence of a strange auditory free -to express itself, like that she now faced, came to her for the first -time. The dance chosen was one of the wild, quick, pulsating figures -wont to be given in thanksgiving for favorable tokens from the deity. -The steps were irregular and difficult; a great variety of posturing was -required; the head, arms, and feet had each their parts, all to be -rendered in harmony. At the commencement she was frightened by the -ecstasy that possessed her; suddenly the crowd vanished, and she saw -only the beggar, and him wanting bread. Then her form became divinely -gifted; she bounded as if winged; advanced and retreated, a moment -swaying like a reed, the next whirling like a leaf in a circling wind. -The expression of her countenance throughout was so full of soul, so -intense, rapt, and beautiful, that the lords were spell-bound. When the -figure was ended, there was an outburst of voices, some bidding, others -applauding; though most of the spectators were silent from pity and -admiration. - -Of the competitors the loudest was Iztlil'. In his excitement, he would -have sacrificed his province to become the owner of the girl. Maxtla -opposed him. - -"Five thousand cocoa! Hear, Chalcan!" shouted the Tezcucan. - -"A thousand better!" answered Maxtla, laughing at the cacique's rage. - -"By all the gods, I will have her! Put me down a thousand quills of -gold!" - -"A thousand quills above him! Not bread, but riches for the beggar!" -replied Maxtla, half in derision. - -"Two thousand,--only two thousand quills! More, noble lords! She is -worth a palace!" sung Xoli, trembling with excitement; for in such large -bids he saw an extraordinary loan. Just then, under the parted curtain -of the principal doorway, he beheld one dear to every lover of -Tenochtitlan; he stopped. All eyes turned in that direction, and a -general exclamation followed,--"The 'tzin, the 'tzin!" - -Guatamozin was in full military garb, and armed. As he lingered by the -door to comprehend the scene, what with his height, brassy helm, and -embossed shield, he looked like a Greek returned from Troy. - -"Yeteve, the priestess!" he said. "Impossible!" - -He strode to the front. - -"How?" he said, placing his hand on her head. "Has Yeteve flown the -temple to become a slave?" - -Up to this time, it would seem that, in the fixedness of her purpose, -she had been blind to all but the beggar, and deaf to everything but the -music. Now she knelt at the feet of the noble Aztec, sobbing -broken-heartedly. The spectators were moved with sympathy,--all save -one. - -"Who stays the sale? By all the gods, Chalcan, you shall proceed!" - -Scarcely had the words been spoken, or the duller faculties understood -them, before Guatamozin confronted the speaker, his javelin drawn, and -his shield in readiness. Naturally his countenance was womanly gentle; -but the transition of feeling was mighty, and those looking upon him -then shrank with dread; it was as if their calm blue lake had in an -instant darkened with storm. Face to face he stood with the Tezcucan, -the latter unprepared for combat, but in nowise daunted. In their angry -attitude a seer might have read the destiny of Anahuac. - -One thrust of the javelin would have sent the traitor to Mictlan; the -Empire, as well as the wrongs of the lover, called for it; but before -the veterans, recovering from their panic, could rush between the -foemen, all the 'tzin's calmness returned. - -"Xoli," he said, "a priestess belongs to the temple, and cannot be sold; -such is the law. The sale would have sent your heart, and that of her -purchaser, to the Blessed Lady. Remove the girl. I will see that she is -taken to a place of safety. Here is gold; give the beggar what he wants, -and keep him until to-morrow.--And, my lords and brethren," he added, -turning to the company, "I did not think to behave so unseemly. It is -only against the enemies of our country that we should turn our arms. -Blood is sacred, and accursed is his hand who sheds that of a countryman -in petty quarrel. I pray you, forget all that has passed." And with a -low obeisance to them, he walked away, taking with him the possibility -of further rencounter. - -He had just arrived from his palace at Iztapalapan. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [32] A species of fig. - - [33] Prescott, Conq. of Mexico. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE CHINAMPA. - - -Between Tula, the child of Tecalco, and Nenetzin, daughter and child of -Acatlan, there existed a sisterly affection. The same sports had engaged -them, and they had been, and yet were, inseparable. Their mothers, -themselves friends, encouraged the intimacy; and so their past lives had -vanished, like two summer clouds borne away by a soft south wind. - -The evening after Iztlil's overture of marriage was deepening over lake -Tezcuco; the breeze became murmurous and like a breath, and all the -heavens filled with starlight. Cloudless must be the morrow to such a -night! - -So thought the princess Tula. Won by the beauty of the evening, she had -flown from the city to her _chinampa_, which was lying anchored in a -quarter of the lake east of the causeway to Tepejaca, beyond the noise -of the town, and where no sound less agreeable than the plash of light -waves could disturb her dreams. - -A retreat more delightful would be a task for fancy. The artisan who -knitted the timbers of the _chinampa_ had doubtless been a lover of the -luxuriant, and built as only a lover can build. The waves of the lake -had not been overlooked in his plan; he had measured their height, and -the depth and width of their troughs, when the weather was calm and the -water gentle. So he knew both what rocking they would make, and what -rocking would be pleasantest to a delicate soul; for, as there were such -souls, there were also such artisans in Tenochtitlan. - -Viewed from a distance, the _chinampa_ looked like an island of flowers. -Except where the canopy of a white pavilion rose from the midst of the -green beauty, it was covered to the water's edge with blooming -shrubbery, which, this evening, was luminous with the light of lamps. -The radiance, glinting through the foliage, tinted the atmosphere above -it with mellow rays, and seemed the visible presence of enchantment. - -The humid night breeze blew softly under the raised walls of the -pavilion, within which, in a hammock that swung to and fro regularly as -the _chinampa_ obeyed the waves, lay Tula and Nenetzin. - -They were both beautiful, but different in their beauty. Tula's face was -round and of a transparent olive complexion, without being fair; her -eyes were hazel, large, clear, and full of melancholy earnestness; -masses of black hair, evenly parted, fell over her temples, and were -gathered behind in a simple knot; with a tall, full form, her presence -and manner were grave and very queenly. Whereas, Nenetzin's eyes, though -dark, were bright with the light of laughter; her voice was low and -sweet, and her manner that of a hoyden. One was the noble woman, the -other a jocund child. - -"It is late, Tula; our father may want us. Let us return." - -"Be patient a little longer. The 'tzin will come for us; he promised to, -and you know he never forgets." - -"Patience, sister! Ah! you may say it, you who _know_; but how am I to -practise it,--I, who have only a _hope_?" - -"What do you mean, Nenetzin?" - -The girl leaned back, and struck a suspended hoop, in which was perched -a large parrot. The touch, though light, interrupted the pendulous -motion of the bird, and it pecked at her hand, uttering a gruff scream -of rage. - -"You spoke of something I know, and you hope. What do you mean, child?" - -Nenetzin withdrew her hand from the perch, looked in the questioner's -face, then crept up to win her embrace. - -"O Tula, I know you are learned and thoughtful. Often after the banquet, -when the hall was cleared, and the music begun, have I seen you stand -apart, silent, while all others danced or laughed. See, your eyes are on -me now, but more in thought than love. O, indeed, you are wise! Tell me, -did you ever think of me as a woman?" - -The smile deepened on the lips, and burned in the eyes of the queenly -auditor. - -"No, never as a woman," continued Nenetzin. "Listen to me, Tula. The -other night I was asleep in your arms,--I felt them in love around -me,--and I dreamed so strangely." - -"Of what?" asked Tula, seeing she hesitated. - -"I dreamed there entered at the palace door a being with a countenance -white like snow, while its hair and beard were yellow, like the silk of -the maize; its eyes were blue, like the deep water of the lake, but -bright, so bright that they terrified while they charmed me. Thinking of -it now, O Tula, it was a man, though it looked like a god. He entered -at the palace door, and came into the great chamber where our father sat -with his chiefs; but he came not barefooted and in _nequen_; he spoke as -he were master, and our father a slave. Looking and listening, a feeling -thrilled me,--thrilled warm and deep, and was a sense of joy, like a -blessing of Tlalac. Since then, though I have acted as a girl, I have -felt as a woman." - -"Very strange, indeed, Nenetzin!" said Tula, playfully. "But you forget: -I asked you what I know, and you only hope?" - -"I will explain directly; but as you are wise, first tell me what that -feeling was." - -"Nay, I can tell you whence the water flows, but I cannot tell you what -it is." - -"Well, since then I have had a hope--" - -"Well?" - -"A hope of seeing the white face and blue eyes." - -"I begin to understand you, Nenetzin. But go on: what is it I know?" - -"What I dreamed,--a great warrior, who loves you. You will see him -to-night, and then, O Tula,--then you may tell of the feeling that -thrilled me so in my dream." - -And with a blush and a laugh, she laid her face in Tula's bosom. - -Both were silent awhile, Nenetzin with her face hidden, and Tula looking -wistfully up at the parrot swinging lazily in the perch. The dream was -singular, and made an impression on the mind of the one as it had on the -heart of the other. - -"Look up, O Nenetzin!" said Tula, after a while. "Look up, and I will -tell you something that has seemed as strange to me as the dream to -you." - -The girl raised her head. - -"Did you ever see Mualox, the old paba of Quetzal'? No? Well, he is said -to be a prophet; a look of his will make a warrior tremble. He is the -friend of Guatamozin, who always goes to his shrine to worship the god. -I went there once to make an offering. I climbed the steps, went in -where the image is, laid my gift on the altar, and turned to depart, -when a man came and stood by the door, wearing a surplice, and with -long, flowing white beard. He looked at me, then bowed, and kissed the -pavement at my feet. I shrank away. 'Fear not, O Tula!' he said. 'I bow -to you, not for what you are, but for what you shall be. _You shall be -queen in your father's palace!_' With that he arose, and left me to -descend." - -"Said he so? How did he know you were Tula, the king's daughter?" - -"That is part of the mystery. I never saw him before; nor, until I told -the story to the 'tzin, did I know the paba. Now, O sister, can the -believer of a dream refuse to believe a priest and prophet?" - -"A queen! You a queen! I will kiss you now, and pray for you then." And -they threw their arms lovingly around each other. - -Then the bird above them awoke, and, with a fluttering of its scarlet -wings, cried, "Guatamo! Guatamo!"--taught it by the patient love of -Tula. - -"O, what a time that will be!" Nenetzin went on, with sparkling eyes. -"What a garden we will make of Anahuac! How happy we shall be! None but -the brave and beautiful shall come around us; for you will be queen, my -Tula." - -"Yes; and Nenetzin shall have a lord, he whom she loves best, for she -will be as peerless as I am powerful," answered Tula, humoring the mood. -"Whom will she take? Let us decide now,--there are so many to choose -from. What says she to Cacama, lord of Tezcuco?" - -The girl made no answer. - -"There is the lord of Chinantla, once a king, who has already asked our -father for a wife." - -Still Nenetzin was silent. - -"Neither of them! Then there are left but the lord of Tlacopan, and -Iztlil', the Tezcucan." - -At the mention of the last name, a strong expression of disgust burst -from Nenetzin. - -"A tiger from the museum first! It could be taught to love me. No, none -of them for me; none, Tula, if you let me have my way, but the white -face and blue eyes I saw in my dream." - -"You are mad, Nenetzin. That was a god, not a man." - -"All the better, Tula! The god will forgive me for loving him." - -Before Tula spoke again, Guatamozin stepped within the pavilion. -Nenetzin was noisy in expressing her gladness, while the elder sister -betrayed no feeling by words; only her smile and the glow of her eyes -intensified. - -The 'tzin sat down by the hammock, and with his strong hand staying its -oscillation, talked lightly. As yet Tula knew nothing of the proposal of -the Tezcucan, or of the favor the king had given it; but the ken of love -is as acute as an angel's; sorrow of the cherished heart cannot be -hidden from it; so in his very jests she detected a trouble; but, -thinking it had relation to the condition of the Empire, she asked -nothing, while he, loath to disturb her happiness, counselled darkly of -his own soul. - -After a while, as Nenetzin prayed to return to the city, they left the -pavilion; and, following a little path through the teeming shrubbery, -and under the boughs of orange-trees, overarched like an arbor, they -came to the 'tzin's canoe. The keeper of the _chinampa_ was there with -great bundles of flowers. Tula and Nenetzin entered the vessel; then was -the time for the slave; so he threw in the bundles until they were -nearly buried under them,--his gifts of love and allegiance. When the -rowers pushed off, he knelt with his face to the earth. - -Gliding homeward through the dusk, Guatamozin told the story of Yeteve; -and Tula, moved by the girl's devotion, consented to take her into -service,--at least, until the temple claimed its own. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - COURT GOSSIP. - - -"A pinch of your snuff, Xoli! To be out thus early dulls a nice brain, -which nothing clarifies like snuff. By the way, it is very strange that -when one wants a good article of any kind, he can only get it at the -palace or of you. So, a pinch, my fat fellow!" - -"I can commend my snuff," said the Chalcan, bowing very low, "only a -little less than the good taste of the most noble Maxtla." - -While speaking,--the scene being in his _pulque_ room,--he uncovered a -gilded jar sitting upon the counter. - -"Help yourself; it is good to sneeze." - -Maxtla snuffed the scented drug freely, then rushed to the door, and -through eyes misty with tears of pleasure looked at the sun rising over -the mountains. A fit of sneezing seized him, at the end of which, a -slave stood by his elbow with a ewer of water and a napkin. He bathed -his face. Altogether, it was apparent that sneezing had been reduced to -an Aztec science. - -"Elegant! By the Sun, I feel inspired!" - -"No doubt," responded the Chalcan. "Such ought to be the effect of -tobacco and rose-leaves, moistened with dew. But tell me; that -_tilmatli_ you are wearing is quite royal,--is it from the king?" - -The young chief raised the folds of the mantle of _plumaje_, which he -was sporting for the first time. "From the king? No; my tailor has just -finished it." - -"Certainly, my lord. How dull I was! You are preparing for the banquet -at the palace to-morrow night." - -"You recollect the two thousand quills of gold I bid for your priestess -the other evening," said Maxtla, paying no attention to the remark. "I -concluded to change the investment; they are all in that collar and -loop." - -Xoli examined the loop. - -"A _chalchuite_! What jeweller in the city could sell you one so rich?" - -"Not one. I bought it of Cacama. It is a crown jewel of Tezcuco." - -"You were lucky, my lord. But, if you will allow me, what became of the -priestess? Saw you ever such dancing?" - -"You are late inquiring, Chalcan. The beggar was fast by starvation that -night; but you were nearer death. The story was told the king,--ah! you -turn pale. Well you may,--and he swore, by the fires of the temple, if -the girl had been sold he would have flayed alive both buyer and seller. -Hereafter we had both better look more closely to the law." - -"But she moved my pity as it was never moved before; moreover, she told -me they had discharged her from the temple." - -"No matter; the peril is over, and our hearts are our own. Yesterday I -saw her in the train of the princess Tula. The 'tzin cared for her. But -speaking of the princess,--the banquet to-morrow night will be spicy." - -The Chalcan dropped the precious loop. Gossip that concerned the court -was one of his special weaknesses. - -"You know," continued Maxtla, "that the 'tzin has always been a favorite -of the king's--" - -"As he always deserved to be." - -"Not so fast, Chalcan! Keep your praise. You ought to know that nothing -is so fickle as fortune; that what was most popular yesterday may be -most unpopular to-day. Hear me out. You also know that Iztlil', the -Tezcucan, was down in the royal estimation quite as much as the 'tzin -was up; on which account, more than anything else, he lost his father's -city." - -Xoli rested his elbow on the counter, and listened eagerly. - -"It has been agreed on all sides for years," continued Maxtla, in his -modulated voice, "that the 'tzin and Tula were to be married upon her -coming of age. No one else has presumed to pay her court, lest it might -be an interference. Now, the whole thing is at an end. Iztlil', not the -'tzin, is the fortunate man." - -"Iztlil'! And to-morrow night!" - -"The palace was alive last evening as with a swarming of bees. Some were -indignant,--all astonished. In fact, Xoli, I believe the 'tzin had as -many friends as the king. Several courtiers openly defended him, -notwithstanding his fall,--something that, to my knowledge, never -happened before. The upshot was, that a herald went in state to -Iztapalapan with a decree prohibiting the 'tzin from visiting -Tenochtitlan, under any pretence, until the further pleasure of the king -is made known to him." - -"Banished, banished! But that the noble Maxtla told me, I could not -believe what I hear." - -"Certainly. The affair is mysterious, as were the means by which the -result was brought about. Look you, Chalcan: the 'tzin loved the -princess, and was contracted to her, and now comes this banishment just -the day before the valley is called to witness her betrothal to the -Tezcucan. Certainly, it would ill become the 'tzin to be a guest at such -a banquet." - -"I understand," said Xoli, with a cunning smile. "It was to save his -pride that he was banished." - -"If to be a Chalcan is to be so stupid, I thank the gods for making me -what I am!" cried Maxtla, impatiently. "What cares the great king for -the pride of the enemy he would humble! The banishment is a penalty,--it -is ruin." - -There was a pause, during which the Chalcan hung his head. - -"Ah, Xoli! The king has changed; he used to be a warrior, loving -warriors as the eagle loves its young. Now--alas! I dare not speak. Time -was when no envious-hearted knave could have made him believe that -Guatamozin was hatching treason in his garden at Iztapalapan. Now, -surrounded by mewling priests, he sits in the depths of his palace, and -trembles, and, like a credulous child, believes everything. 'Woe is -Tenochtitlan!' said Mualox; and the days strengthen the prophecy. But -enough,--more than enough! Hist, Chalcan! What I have said and you -listened to--yea, the mere listening--would suffice, if told in the -right ears, to send us both straightway to the tigers. I have paid you -for your snuff, and the divine sneeze. In retailing, recollect, I am not -the manufacturer. Farewell." - -"Stay a moment, most noble chief,--but a moment," said the Chalcan. "I -have invented a drink which I desire you to inaugurate. If I may be -counted a judge, it is fit for a god." - -"A judge! You? Where is the man who would deny you that excellence? -Your days have been spent in the practice; nay, your whole life has been -one long, long drink. Make haste. I will wager _pulque_ is chief in the -compound." - -The broker went out, and directly returned, bearing on a waiter a -Cholulan goblet full of cool liquor, exquisitely colored with the rich -blood of the cactus apple. Maxtla sipped, drank, then swore the drink -was without a rival. - -"Look you, Chalcan. They say we are indebted to our heroes, our -minstrels, and our priests, and I believe so; but hereafter I shall go -farther in the faith. This drink is worth a victory, is pleasant as a -song, and has all the virtues of a prayer. Do not laugh. I am in -earnest. You shall be canonized with the best of them. To show that I am -no vain boaster, you shall come to the banquet to-morrow, and the king -shall thank you. Put on your best _tilmatli_, and above all else, beware -that the vase holding this liquor is not empty when I call for it. -Farewell!" - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - GUATAMOZIN AND MUALOX. - - -Up the steps of the old Cu of Quetzal', early in the evening of the -banquet, went Guatamozin unattended. As the royal interdiction rested -upon his coming to the capital, he was muffled in a priestly garb, which -hid his face and person, but could not all disguise the stately bearing -that so distinguished him. Climbing the steps slowly, and without -halting at the top to note the signs of the city, all astir with life, -he crossed the _azoteas_, entered the chamber most sanctified by the -presence of the god, and before the image bowed awhile in prayer. Soon -Mualox came in. - -"Ask anything that is not evil, O best beloved of Quetzal', and it shall -be granted," said the paba, solemnly, laying a hand upon the visitor's -shoulder. "I knew you were coming; I saw you on the lake. Arise, my -son." - -Guatamozin stood up, and flung back his hood. - -"The house is holy, Mualox, and I have come to speak of the things of -life that have little to do with religion." - -"That is not possible. Everything has to do with life, which has all to -do with heaven. Speak out. This presence will keep you wise; if your -thoughts be of wrong, it is not likely you will give them speech in the -very ear of Quetzal'." - -Slowly the 'tzin then said,-- - -"Thanks, father. In what I have to say, I will be brief, and endeavor -not to forget the presence. You love me, and I am come for counsel. You -know how often those most discreet in the affairs of others are foolish -in what concerns themselves. Long time ago you taught me the importance -of knowledge; how it was the divine secret of happiness, and stronger -than a spear to win victories, and better in danger than a shield seven -times quilted. Now I have come to say that my habits of study have -brought evil upon me; out of the solitude in which I was toiling to lay -up a great knowledge, a misfortune has arisen, father to my ruin. My -stay at home has been misconstrued. Enemies have said I loved books less -than power; they charge that in the quiet of my gardens I have been -taking council of my ambition, which nothing satisfies but the throne; -and so they have estranged from me the love of the king. Here against -his order, forbidden the city,"--and as he spoke he raised his head -proudly,--"forbidden the city, behold me, paba, a banished man!" - -Mualox smiled, and grim satisfaction was in the smile. - -"If you seek sympathy," he said, "the errand is fruitless. I have no -sorrow for what you call your misfortune." - -"Let me understand you, father." - -"I repeat, I have no sorrow for you. Why should I? I see you as you -should see yourself. You confirm the lessons of which you complain. Not -vainly that you wrought in solitude for knowledge, which, while I knew -it would make you a mark for even kingly envy, I also intended should -make you superior to misfortunes and kings. Understand you now? What -matters that you are maligned? What is banishment? They only liken you -the more to Quetzal', whose coming triumph,--heed me well, O -'tzin,--whose coming triumph shall be your triumph." - -The look and voice of the holy man were those of one with authority. - -"For this time," he continued, "and others like it, yet to come, I -thought to arm your soul with a strong intelligence. Your life is to be -a battle against evil; fail not yourself in the beginning. Success will -be equal to your wisdom and courage. But your story was not all told." - -The 'tzin's face flushed, and he replied, with some faltering,-- - -"You have known and encouraged the love I bear the princess Tula, and -counted on it as the means of some great fortune in store for me. Yet, -in part at least, I am banished on that account. O Mualox, the banquet -which the king holds to-night is to make public the betrothal of Tula to -Iztlil', the Tezcucan!" - -"Well, what do you intend?" - -"Nothing. Had the trouble been a friend's, I might have advised him; but -being my own, I have no confidence in myself. I repose on your -discretion and friendship." - -Mualox softened his manner, and said, pleasantly at first, "O 'tzin, is -humanity all frailty? Must chief and philosopher bow to the passion, -like a slave or a dealer in wares?" Suddenly he became serious; his eyes -shone full of the magnetism he used so often and so well. "Can -Guatamozin find nothing higher to occupy his mind than a trouble born of -a silly love? Unmanned by such a trifle? Arouse! Ponder the mightier -interests in peril! What is a woman, with all a lover's gild about her, -to the nation?" - -"The nation?" repeated the 'tzin, slowly. - -The paba looked reverently up to the idol. "I have withdrawn from the -world, I live but for Quetzal' and Anahuac. O, generously has the god -repaid me! He has given me to look out upon the future; all that is to -come affecting my country he has shown me." Turning to the 'tzin again, -he said with emphasis, "I could tell marvels,--let this content you: -words cannot paint the danger impending over our country, over Anahuac, -the beautiful and beloved; her existence, and the glory and power that -make her so worthy love like ours, are linked to your action. Your fate, -O 'tzin, and hers, and that of the many nations, are one and the same. -Accept the words as a prophecy; wear them in memory; and when, as now, -you are moved by a trifling fear or anger, they should and will keep you -from shame and folly." - -Both then became silent. The paba might have been observing the events -of the future, as, one by one, they rose and passed before his -abstracted vision. Certain it was, with the thoughts of the warrior -there mixed an ambition no longer selfish, but all his country's. - -Mualox finally concluded. "The future belongs to the gods; only the -present is ours. Of that let us think. Admit your troubles worthy -vengeance: dare you tell me what you thought of doing? My son, why are -you here?" - -"Does my father seek to mortify me?" - -"Would the 'tzin have me encourage folly, if not worse? And that in the -presence of my god and his?" - -"Speak plainly, Mualox." - -"So I will. Obey the king. Go not to the palace to-night. If the thought -of giving the woman to another is so hard, could you endure the sight? -Think: if present, what could you do to prevent the betrothal?" - -A savage anger flashed from the 'tzin's face, and he answered, "What -could I? Slay the Tezcucan on the step of the throne, though I died!" - -"It would come to that. And Anahuac! What then of her?" said Mualox, in -a voice of exceeding sorrow. - -The love the warrior bore his country at that moment surpassed all -others, and his rage passed away. - -"True, most true! If it should be as you say, that my destiny--" - -"If! O 'tzin, if you live! If Anahuac lives! If there are gods!--" - -"Enough, Mualox! I know what you would say. Content you; I give you all -faith. The wrong that tortures me is not altogether that the woman is to -be given to another; her memory I could pluck from my heart as a feather -from my helm. If that were all, I could curse the fate, and submit; but -there is more: for the sake of a cowardly policy I have been put to -shame; treachery and treason have been crowned, loyalty and blood -disgraced. Hear me, father! After the decree of interdiction was served -upon me, I ventured to send a messenger to the king, and he was spurned -from the palace. Next went the lord Cuitlahua, uncle of mine, and true -lover of Anahuac; he was forbidden the mention of my name. I am not -withdrawn from the world; my pride will not down at a word; so wronged, -I cannot reason; therefore I am here." - -"And the coming is a breach of duty; the risk is great. Return to -Iztapalapan before the midnight is out. And I,--but you do not know, my -son, what a fortune has befallen me." The paba smiled faintly. "I have -been promoted to the palace; I am a councillor at the royal table." - -"A councillor! You, father?" - -The good man's face grew serious again. "I accepted the appointment, -thinking good might result. But, alas! the hope was vain. Montezuma, -once so wise, is past counsel. He will take no guidance. And what a -vanity! O 'tzin, the asking me to the palace was itself a crime, since -it was to make me a weapon in his hand with which to resist the holy -Quetzal'. As though I could not see the design!" - -He laughed scornfully, and then said, "But be not detained, my son. What -I can, I will do for you; at the council-table, and elsewhere, as -opportunity may offer, I will exert my influence for your restoration to -the city and palace. Go now. Farewell; peace be with you. To-morrow I -will send you tidings." - -Thereupon he went out of the tower, and down into the temple. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - A KING'S BANQUET. - - -At last the evening of the royal banquet arrived,--theme of incessant -talk and object of preparation for two days and a night, out of the -capital no less than in it; for all the nobler classes within a -convenient radius of the lake had been bidden, and, with them, people of -distinction, such as successful artists, artisans, and merchants. - -It is not to be supposed that a king of Montezuma's subtlety in matters -governmental could overlook the importance of the social element, or -neglect it. Education imports a society; more yet, academies, such as -were in Tenochtitlan for the culture of women, always import a refined -and cultivated society. And such there was in the beautiful valley. - -My picture of the entertainment will be feeble, I know, and I give it -rather as a suggestion of the reality, which was gorgeous enough to be -interesting to any nursling even of the court of His Most Catholic -Majesty; for, though heathen in religion, Montezuma was not altogether -barbarian in taste; and, sooth to say, no monarch in Christendom better -understood the influence of kingliness splendidly maintained. About it, -moreover, was all that makes chivalry adorable,--the dance, the feast, -the wassail; brave men, fair women, and the majesty of royalty in state -amidst its most absolute proofs of power. - -On such occasions it was the custom of the great king to throw open the -palace, with all its accompaniments, for the delight of his guests, -admitting them freely to aviary, menagerie, and garden, the latter -itself spacious enough for the recreation of thirty thousand persons. - -The house, it must be remembered, formed a vast square, with _patios_ or -court-yards in the interior, around which the rooms were ranged. The -part devoted to domestic uses was magnificently furnished. Another very -considerable portion was necessary to the state and high duties of the -monarch; such were offices for his functionaries, quarters for his -guards, and chambers for the safe deposit of the archives of the Empire, -consisting of maps, laws, decrees and proclamations, accounts and -reports financial and military, and the accumulated trophies of -campaigns and conquests innumerable. When we consider the regard in -which the king was held by his people, amounting almost to worship, and -their curiosity to see all that pertained to his establishment, an idea -may be formed of what the palace and its appurtenances were as -accessaries to one of his entertainments. - -Passing from the endless succession of rooms, the visitor might go into -the garden, where the walks were freshly strewn with shells, the -shrubbery studded with colored lamps, the fountains all at play, and the -air loaded with the perfume of flowers, which were an Aztec passion, and -seemed everywhere a part of everything. - -And all this convenience and splendor was not wasted upon an -inappreciative horde,--ferocious Caribs or simple children of -Hispaniola. At such times the order requiring the wearing of _nequen_ -was suspended; so that in the matter of costume there were no limits -upon the guest, except such as were prescribed by his taste or -condition. In the animated current that swept from room to room and from -house to garden might be seen citizens in plain attire, and warriors -arrayed in regalia which permitted all dazzling colors, and pabas -hooded, surpliced, and gowned, brooding darkly even there, and stoled -minstrels, with their harps, and pages, gay as butterflies, while over -all was the beauty of the presence of lovely women. - -Yet, withal, the presence of Montezuma was more attractive than the calm -night in the garden; neither stars, nor perfumed summer airs, nor -singing fountains, nor walks strewn with shells, nor chant of minstrels -could keep the guests from the great hall where he sat in state; so that -it was alike the centre of all coming and all going. There the aged and -sedate whiled away the hours in conversation; the young danced, laughed, -and were happy; and in the common joyousness none exceeded the beauties -of the harem, transiently released from the jealous thraldom that made -the palace their prison. - -From the house-tops, or from the dykes, or out on the water, the common -people of the capital, in vast multitudes, witnessed the coming of the -guests across the lake. The rivalry of the great lords and families was -at all times extravagant in the matter of pomp and show; a king's -banquet, however, seemed its special opportunity, and the lake its -particular field of display. The king Cacama, for example, left his city -in a canoe of exquisite workmanship, pranked with pennons, ribbons, and -garlands; behind him, or at his right and left, constantly ploying and -deploying, attended a flotilla of hundreds of canoes only a little less -rich in decoration than his own, and timed in every movement, even that -of the paddles, by the music of conch-shells and tambours; yet princely -as the turn-out was, it did not exceed that of the lord Cuitlahua, -governor of Iztapalapan. And if others were inferior to them in -extravagance, nevertheless they helped clothe the beloved sea with a -beauty and interest scarcely to be imagined by people who never -witnessed or read of the grand Venetian pageants. - -Arrived at the capital, the younger warriors proceeded to the palace -afoot; while the matrons and maids, and the older and more dignified -lords, were borne thither in palanquins. By evening the whole were -assembled. - -About the second quarter of the night two men came up the great street -to the palace, and made their way through the palanquins stationed there -in waiting. They were guests; so their garbs bespoke them. One wore the -gown and carried the harp of a minstrel; very white locks escaped from -his hood, and a staff was required to assist his enfeebled steps. The -other was younger, and with consistent vanity sported a military -costume. To say the truth, his extremely warlike demeanor lost nothing -by the flash of a dauntless eye and a step that made the pave ring -again. - -An official received them at the door, and, by request, conducted them -to the garden. - -"This is indeed royal!" the warrior said to the minstrel. "It bewilders -me. Be yours the lead." - -"I know the walks as a deer his paths, or a bird the brake that -shelters its mate. Come," and the voice was strangely firm for one so -aged,--"come, let us see the company." - -Now and then they passed ladies, escorted by gallants, and frequently -there were pauses to send second looks after the handsome soldier, and -words of pity for his feeble companion. By and by, coming to an -intersection of the walk they were pursuing, they were hailed,--"Stay, -minstrel, and give us a song." - -By the door of a summer-house they saw, upon stopping, a girl whose -beauty was worthy the tribute she sought. The elder sat down upon a -bench and replied,-- - -"A song is gentle medicine for sorrows. Have you such? You are very -young." - -Her look of sympathy gave place to one of surprise. - -"I would I were assured that minstrelsy is your proper calling." - -"You doubt it! Here is my harp: a soldier is known by his shield." - -"But I have heard your voice before," she persisted. - -"The children of Tenochtitlan, and many who are old now, have heard me -sing." - -"But I am a Chalcan." - -"I have sung in Chalco." - -"May I ask your name?" - -"There are many streets in the city, and on each they call me -differently." - -The girl was still perplexed. - -"Minstrels have patrons," she said, directly, "who--" - -"Nay, child, this soldier here is all the friend I have." - -Some one then threw aside the vine that draped the door. While the -minstrel looked to see who the intruder was, his inquisitor gazed at the -soldier, who, on his part, saw neither of them; he was making an -obeisance so very low that his face and hand both touched the ground. - -"Does the minstrel intend to sing, Yeteve?" asked Nenetzin, stepping -into the light that flooded the walk. - -The old man bent forward on his seat. - -"Heaven's best blessing on the child of the king! It should be a nobler -hand than mine that strikes a string to one so beautiful." - -The comely princess replied, her face beaming with pleasure, "Verily, -minstrel, much familiarity with song has given you courtly speech." - -"I have courtly friends, and only borrow their words. This place is -fair, but to my dull fancy it seems that a maiden would prefer the great -hall, unless she has a grief to indulge." - -"O, I have a great grief," she returned; "though I do borrow it as you -your words." - -"Then you love some one who is unhappy. I understand. Is this child in -your service?" he asked, looking at Yeteve. - -"Call it mine. She loves me well enough to serve me." - -The minstrel struck the strings of his harp softly, as if commencing a -mournful story. - -"I have a friend," he said, "a prince and warrior, whose presence here -is banned. He sits in his palace to-night, and is visited by thoughts -such as make men old in their youth. He has seen much of life, and won -fame, but is fast finding that glory does not sweeten misfortune, and -that of all things, ingratitude is the most bitter. His heart is set -upon a noble woman; and now, when his love is strongest, he is separated -from her, and may not say farewell. O, it is not in the ear of a true -woman that lover so unhappy could breathe his story in vain. What would -the princess Nenetzin do, if she knew a service of hers might soothe his -great grief?" - -Nenetzin's eyes were dewy with tears. - -"Good minstrel, I know the story; it is the 'tzin's. Are you a friend of -his?" - -"His true friend. I bring his farewell to Tula." - -"I will serve him." And, stepping to the old man, she laid her hand on -his. "Tell me what to do, and what you would have." - -"Only a moment's speech with her." - -"With Tula?" - -"A moment to say the farewell he cannot. Go to the palace, and tell her -what I seek. I will follow directly. Tell her she may know me in the -throng by these locks, whose whiteness will prove my sincerity and -devotion. And further, I will twine my harp with a branch of this vine; -its leaves will mark me, and at the same time tell her that his love is -green as in the day a king's smile sunned it into ripeness. Be quick. -The moment comes when she cannot in honor listen to the message I am to -speak." - -He bent over his harp again, and Nenetzin and Yeteve hurried away. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - THE 'TZIN'S LOVE. - - -The minstrel stayed a while to dress his harp with the vine. - -"A woman would have done it better; they have a special cunning for such -things; yet it will serve the purpose. Now let us on!" he said, when the -task was finished. - -To the palace they then turned their steps. As they approached it, the -walk became more crowded with guests. Several times the minstrel was -petitioned to stay and sing, but he excused himself. He proceeded, -looking steadily at the ground, as is the custom of the very aged. -Amongst others, they met Maxtla, gay in his trappings as a parrot from -the Great River. - -"Good minstrel," he said, "in your wanderings through the garden, have -you seen Iztlil', the Tezcucan?" - -"I have not seen the Tezcucan. I should look for him in the great hall, -where his bride is, rather than in the garden, dreaming of his bridal." - -"Well said, uncle! I infer your harp is not carried for show; you can -sing! I will try you after a while." - -When he was gone, the minstrel spoke bitterly,-- - -"Beware of the thing known in the great house yonder as policy. A week -ago the lord Maxtla would have scorned to be seen hunting the Tezcucan, -whom he hates." - -They came to a portal above which, in a niche of the wall, sat the -_teotl_[34] of the house, grimly claiming attention and worship. Under -the portal, past the guard on duty there, through many apartments full -of objects of wonder to the stranger, they proceeded, and, at last, with -a current of guests slowly moving in the same direction, reached the -hall dominated by the king, where the minstrel thought to find the -princess Tula. - -"O my friend, I pray you, let me stay here a moment," said the warrior, -abashed by dread of the sudden introduction to the royal presence. The -singer heard not, but went on. - -Standing by the door, the young stranger looked down a hall of great -depth eastwardly, broken by two rows of pillars supporting vast oaken -girders, upon which rested rafters of red cedar. The walls were divided -into panels, with borders broad and intricately arabesqued. A massive -bracket in the centre of each panel held the image of a deity, the -duplicate of the idol in the proper sanctuary; and from the feet of the -image radiated long arms of wood, well carved, crooked upward at the -elbows, and ending with shapely hands, clasping lanterns of _aguave_ -which emitted lights of every tint. In the central space, between the -rows of pillars, immense chandeliers dropped from the rafters, so -covered with lamps that they looked like pyramids aglow. And arms, and -images, and chandeliers, and even the huge pillars, were wreathed in -garlands of cedar boughs and flowers, from which the air drew a -redolence as of morning in a garden. - -Through all these splendors, the gaze of the visitor sped to the further -end of the hall, and there stayed as charmed. He saw a stage, bright -with crimson carpeting, rising three steps above the floor, and -extending from wall to wall; and on that, covered with green _plumaje_, -a dais, on which, in a chair or throne glittering with burnished gold, -the king sat. Above him spread a canopy fashioned like a broad sunshade, -the staff resting on the floor behind the throne, sustained by two -full-armed warriors, who, while motionless as statues, were yet vigilant -as sentinels. Around the dais, their costumes and personal decorations -sharing the monarch's splendor, were collected his queens, and their -children, and all who might claim connection with the royal family. The -light shone about them as the noonday, so full that all that portion of -the hall seemed bursting with sunshine. Never satin richer than the -emerald cloth of the canopy, inwoven, as it was, with feathers of -humming-birds! Never sheen of stars, to the eyes of the wondering -stranger, sharper than the glinting of the jewels with which it was -fringed! - -And the king appeared in happier mood than common, though the deep, -serious look which always accompanies a great care came often to his -face. He had intervals of silence also; yet his shrewdest guests were -not permitted to see that he did not enjoy their enjoyment. - -His queens were seated at his left, Tecalco deeply troubled, sometimes -tearful, and Acatlan cold and distant; for, in thought of her own child, -the beautiful Nenetzin, she trembled before the remorseless policy. - -And Tula, next to the king the recipient of attention, sat in front of -her mother, never more queenly, never so unhappy. Compliments came to -her, and congratulations, given in courtly style; minstrels extolled her -grace and beauty, and the prowess and martial qualities of the high-born -Tezcucan; and priest and warrior laid their homage at her feet. Yet her -demeanor was not that of the glad young bride; she never smiled, and her -eyes, commonly so lustrous, were dim and hopeless; her thoughts were -with her heart, across the lake with the banished 'tzin. - -As may be conjectured, it was no easy game to steal her from place so -conspicuous; nevertheless, Nenetzin awaited the opportunity. - -It happened that Maxtla was quite as anxious to get the monarch's ear -for the benefit of his friend, the Chalcan,--in fact, for the -introduction of the latter's newly invented drink. Experience taught the -chief when the felicitous moment arrived. He had then but to say the -word: a page was sent, the liquor brought. Montezuma sipped, smiled, -quaffed deeper, and was delighted. - -"There is nothing like it!" he said. "Bring goblets for my friends, and -fill up again!" - -All the lordly personages about him had then to follow his example,--to -drink and approve. At the end, Xoli was summoned. - -Nenetzin saw the chance, and said, "O Tula, such a song as we have -heard! It was sweeter than that of the bird that wakes us in the -morning, sweeter than all the flutes in the hall." - -"And the singer,--who was he?" - -Neither Nenetzin nor Yeteve could tell his name. - -"He charmed us so," said the former, "that we thought only of taking you -to hear him. Come, go with us. There never was such music or musician." - -And the three came down from the platform unobserved by the king. When -the minstrel's message was delivered, then was shown how well the -Tezcucan had spoken when he said of the royal children, "They are all -beautiful, but only one is fitted to be a warrior's wife." - -"Let us see the man," said Tula. "How may we know him, Nenetzin?" - -And they went about eagerly looking for the singer with the gray locks -and the vine-wreathed harp. They found him at last about midway the -hall, leaning on his staff, a solitary amidst the throng. No one thought -of asking him for a song; he was too old, too like one come from a tomb -with unfashionable stories. - -"Father," said Tula, "we claim your service. You look weary, yet you -must know the ancient chants, which, though I would not like to say it -everywhere, please me best. Will you sing?" - -He raised his head, and looked at her: she started. Something she saw in -his eyes that had escaped her friends. - -"A song from me!" he replied, as if astonished. "No, it cannot be. I -have known some gentle hearts, and studied them to remember; but long -since they went to dust. You do not know me. Imagining you discerned of -what I was thinking, you were moved; you only pitied me, here so -desolate." - -As he talked, she recovered her composure. - -"Will you sing for me, father?" she again asked. - -"O willingly! My memory is not so good as it used to be; yet one song, -at least, I will give you from the numberless ills that crowd it." - -He looked slowly and tremulously around at the guests who had followed -her, or stopped, as they were passing, to hear the conversation. - -"As you say," he then continued, "I am old and feeble, and it is -wearisome to stand here; besides, my theme will be sad, and such as -should be heard in quiet. Time was when my harp had honor,--to me it -seems but yesterday; but now--enough! Here it were not well that my -voice should be heard." - -She caught his meaning, and her whole face kindled; but Nenetzin spoke -first. - -"O yes; let us to the garden!" - -The minstrel bowed reverently. As they started, a woman, who had been -listening, said, "Surely, the noble Tula is not going! The man is a -dotard; he cannot sing; he is palsied." - -But they proceeded, and through the crowd and out of the hall guided the -trembling minstrel. Coming to a passage that seemed to be deserted, they -turned into it, and Nenetzin, at Tula's request, went back to the king. -Then a change came over the good man; his stooping left him, his step -became firm, and, placing himself in front, he said, in a deep, strong -voice,-- - -"It is mine to lead now. I remember these halls. Once again, O Tula, let -me lead you here, as I have a thousand times in childhood." - -And to a chamber overlooking the garden, by the hand he led her, -followed by Yeteve, sobbing like a child. A dim light from the lamps -without disclosed the walls hung with trophies captured in wars with the -surrounding tribes and nations. Where the rays were strongest, he -stopped, and removed the hood, and said, earnestly,-- - -"Against the king's command, and loving you better than life, O Tula, -Guatamozin has come to say farewell." - -There was a great silence; each heard the beating of the other's heart. - -"You have passed from me," he continued, "and I send my grief after you. -I look into your face, and see fade our youth, our hopes, and our love, -and all the past that bore it relation. The days of pleasantness are -ended; the spring that fed the running brook is dry. O Tula, dear one, -the bird that made us such sweet music is songless forever!" - -Her anguish was too deep for the comfort of words or tears. Closer he -clasped her hand. - -"O, that power should be so faithless! Here are banners that I have -taken. Yonder is a shield of a king of Michuaca whom I slew. I well -remember the day. Montezuma led the army; the fight was hard, the peril -great; and after I struck the blow, he said I had saved his life, and -vowed me boundless love and a splendid reward. What a passion the field -of fighting men was! And yet there was another always greater. I had -dwelt in the palace, and learned that in the smile of the noble Tula -there was to my life what the sunshine is to the flower." - -He faltered, then continued brokenly,-- - -"He had honors, palaces, provinces, and crowns to bestow; but witness, O -gods, whose sacred duty it is to punish ingratitude,--witness that I -cared more to call Tula wife than for all the multitude of his -princeliest gifts!" - -And now fast ran the tears of the princess, through sorrow rising to -full womanhood, while the murky chamber echoed with the sobs of Yeteve. -If the ghost of the barbarian king yet cared for the shield he died -defending, if it were there present, seeing and hearing, its revenge was -perfect. - -"If Guatamozin--so dear to me now, so dear always--will overlook the -womanly selfishness that could find a pleasure in his grief, I will -prove that he has not loved unworthily. You have asked nothing of me, -nor urged any counsel, and I thank you for the moderation. I thank you, -also, that you have spoken as if this sorrow were not yours more than -mine. Most of all, O 'tzin, I thank you for not accusing me. Need I say -how I hate the Tezcucan? or that I am given away against my will? I am -to go as a price, as so much _cocoa_, in purchase of the fealty of a -wretch who would league with Mictlan to humble my father. I am a weak -woman, without tribes or banner, and therefore the wrong is put upon me. -But have I no power?" And, trembling with the strong purpose, she laid -her hand upon his breast. "Wife will I never be except of Guatamozin. I -am the daughter of a king. My father, at least, should know me. He may -sell me, but, thank the holy gods, I am the keeper of my own life. And -what would life be with the base Tezcucan for my master? Royal power in -a palace of pearl and gold would not make it worth the keeping. O 'tzin, -you never threw a worthless leaf upon the lake more carelessly than I -would then fling this poor body there!" - -Closer to his heart he pressed the hand on his breast. - -"To you, to you, O Tula, be the one blessing greater than all others -which the gods keep back in the Sun! So only can you be rewarded. I take -your words as an oath. Keep them, only keep them, and I will win for you -all that can be won by man. What a time is coming--" - -Just then a joyous cry and a burst of laughter from the garden -interrupted his passionate speech, and recalled him to himself and the -present,--to the present, which was not to be satisfied with lovers' -rhapsodies. And so he said, when next he spoke,-- - -"You have answered my most jealous wish. Go back now; make no objection -to the Tezcucan: the betrothal is not the bridal. The king and Iztlil' -cannot abide together in peace. I know them." - -And sinking his voice, he added, "Your hand is on my heart, and by its -beating you cannot fail to know how full it is of love. Take my blessing -to strengthen you. Farewell. I will return to my gardens and dreams." - -"To dreams! And with such a storm coming upon Anahuac!" said Tula. "No, -no; to dream is mine." - -Up, clear to his vision, rose the destiny prophesied for him by Mualox. -As he pondered it, she said, tearfully,-- - -"I love my father, and he is blind or mad. Now is his peril greatest, -now most he needs friendship and help. O 'tzin, leave him not,--I -conjure you by his past kindness! Remember I am his child." - -Thereupon he dropped her hand, and walked the floor, while the banners -and the shields upon the walls, and the mute glory they perpetuated, -whispered of the wrong and shame he was enduring. When he answered, she -knew how great the struggle had been, and that the end was scarcely a -victory. - -"You have asked that of me, my beloved, which is a sore trial," he said. -"I will not deny that the great love I bore your father is disturbed by -bitterness. Think how excessive my injury is,--I who revered as a son, -and have already put myself in death's way for him. In the halls, and -out in the gardens, my name has been a jest to-night. And how the -Tezcucan has exulted! It is hard for the sufferer to love his -wrong-doer,--O so hard! But this I will, and as an oath take the -promise: as long as the king acts for Anahuac, not imperilling her -safety or glory, so long will I uphold him; this, O Tula, from love of -country, and nothing more!" - -And as the future was veiled against the woman and dutiful child, she -replied simply, "I accept the oath. Now lead me hence." - -He took her hand again, and said, "In peril of life I came to say -farewell forever; but I will leave a kiss upon your forehead, and plant -its memory in your heart, and some day come again to claim you mine." - -And he put his arm around her, and left the kiss on her forehead, and, -as the ancient he entered, conducted the unhappy princess from the -chamber of banners back to the hall of betrothal. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [34] A household god. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - THE CHANT. - - -"If you have there anything for laughter, Maxtla, I bid you welcome," -said the king, his guests around him. - -And the young chief knelt on the step before the throne, and answered -with mock solemnity, "Your servant, O king, knows your great love of -minstrelsy, and how it delights you to make rich the keeper of a harp -who sings a good song well. I have taken one who bears him like a noble -singer, and has age to warrant his experience." - -"Call you that the man?" asked the king, pointing to Guatamozin. - -"He is the man." - -The monarch laughed, and all the guests listening laughed. Now, -minstrels were common on all festive occasions; indeed, an Aztec banquet -was no more perfect without them than without guests: but it was seldom -the royal halls were graced by one so very aged; so that the bent form -and gray locks, that at other places and times would have insured safety -and respect, now excited derision. The men thought his presence there -presumptuous, the women laughed at him as a dotard. In brief, the -'tzin's peril was very great. - -He seemed, however, the picture of aged innocence, and stood before the -throne, his head bowed, his face shaded by the hood, leaning humbly on -his staff, and clasping the harp close to his breast, the vines yet -about it. So well did he observe his disguise, that none there, save -Tula and Yeteve, might dream that the hood and dark gown concealed the -boldest warrior in Tenochtitlan. The face of the priestess was turned -away; but the princess sat a calm witness of the scene; either she had -too much pride to betray her solicitude, or a confidence in his address -so absolute that she felt none. - -"He is none of ours," said the king, when he had several times scanned -the minstrel. "If the palace ever knew him, it was in the days of -Axaya', from whose tomb he seems to have come." - -"As I came in from the garden, I met him going out," said Maxtla, in -explanation. "I could not bear that my master should lose such a promise -of song. Besides, I have heard the veterans in service often say that -the ancient chants were the best, and I thought it a good time to test -the boast." - -The gray courtiers frowned, and the king laughed again. - -"My minstrel here represented that old time so well," continued Maxtla, -"that at first I was full of reverence; therefore I besought him to -come, and before you, O king, sing the chants that used to charm your -mighty father. I thought it no dishonor for him to compete with the -singers now in favor, they giving us something of the present time. He -declined in courtliest style; saying that, though his voice was good, he -was too old, and might shame the ancient minstrelsy; and that, from what -he had heard, my master delighted only in things of modern invention. A -javelin in the hand of a sentinel ended the argument, and he finally -consented. Wherefore, O king, I claim him captive, to whom, if it be -your royal pleasure, I offer liberty, if he will sing in competition -before this noble company." - -What sport could be more royal than such poetic contest,--the old reign -against the new? Montezuma welcomed the idea. - -"The condition is reasonable," he said. "Is there a minstrel in the -valley to call it otherwise?" - -In a tone scarcely audible, though all were silent that they might hear, -the 'tzin answered,-- - -"Obedience was the first lesson of every minstrel of the old time; but -as the master we served loved us as his children, we never had occasion -to sing for the purchase of our liberty. And more,--the capture of a -harmless singer, though he were not aged as your poor slave, O king, was -not deemed so brave a deed as to be rewarded by our master's smile." - -The speech, though feebly spoken, struck both the king and his chief. - -"Well done, uncle!" said the former, laughing. "And since you have -tongue so sharp, we remove the condition--" - -"Thanks, many thanks, most mighty king! May the gods mete you nothing -but good! I will depart." And the 'tzin stooped till his harp struck the -floor. - -The monarch waved his hand. "Stay. I merely spoke of the condition that -made your liberty depend upon your song. Go, some of you, and call my -singers." A courtier hurried away, then the king added, "It shall be -well for him who best strikes the strings. I promise a prize that shall -raise him above trouble, and make his life what a poet's ought to be." - -Guatamozin advanced, and knelt on the step from which Maxtla had risen, -and said, his voice sounding tremulous with age and infirmity,-- - -"If the great king will deign to heed his servant again,--I am old and -weak. There was a time when I would have rejoiced to hear a prize so -princely offered in such a trial. But that was many, many summers ago. -And this afternoon, in my hut by the lake-shore, when I took my harp, -all covered with dust, from the shelf where it had so long lain -untouched and neglected, and wreathed it with this fresh vine, thinking -a gay dress might give it the appearance of use, and myself a deceitful -likeness to the minstrel I once was, alas! I did not think of my -trembling hand and my shattered memory, or of trial like this. I only -knew that a singer, however humble, was privileged at your banquet, and -that the privilege was a custom of the monarchs now in their halls in -the Sun,--true, kingly men, who, at time like this, would have put gold -in my hand, and bade me arise, and go in peace. Is Montezuma more -careless of his glory? Will he compel my song, and dishonor my gray -hair, that I may go abroad in Tenochtitlan and tell the story? In pity, -O king, suffer me to depart." - -The courtiers murmured, and even Maxtla relented, but the king said, -"Good uncle, you excite my curiosity the more. If your common speech -have in it such a vein of poetry, what must the poetry be? And then, -does not your obstinacy outmeasure my cruelty? Get ready, I hold the -fortune. Win it, and I am no king if it be not yours." - -The interest of the bystanders now exceeded their pity. It was novel to -find one refusing reward so rich, when the followers of his art were -accustomed to gratify an audience, even one listener, upon request. - -And, seeing that escape from the trial was impossible, this 'tzin arose, -resolved to act boldly. Minstrelsy, as practised by the Aztecs, it must -be remembered, was not singing so much as a form of chanting, -accompanied by rhythmical touches of the lyre or harp,--of all kinds of -choral music the most primitive. This he had practised, but in the -solitude of his study. The people present knew the 'tzin Guatamo, -supposed to be in his palace across the lake, as soldier, scholar, and -prince, but not as poet or singer of heroic tales. So that confident -minstrelsy was now but another, if not a surer, disguise. And the eyes -of the princess Tula shining upon him calmly and steadily, he said, his -voice this time trembling with suppressed wrath,-- - -"Be it so, O king! Let the singers come,--let them come. Your slave will -fancy himself before the great Axaya', or your father, not less royal. -He will forget his age, and put his trust in the god whose story he will -sing." - -Then other amusements were abandoned, and, intelligence of the trial -flying far and fast, lords and ladies, soldiers and priests crowded -about the throne and filled the hall. That any power of song could -belong to one so old and unknown was incredible. - -"He is a provincial,--the musician of one of the hamlets," said a -courtier, derisively. - -"Yes," sneered another, "he will tell how the flood came, and drowned -the harvest in his neighborhood." - -"Or," ventured a third, "how a ravenous vulture once descended from the -hills, and carried off his pet rabbit." - -By and by the royal minstrels came,--sleek, comely men, wearing long -stoles fringed with gold, and having harps inlaid with pearl, and strung -with silver wires. With scarce a glance at their humble competitor, they -ranged themselves before the monarch. - -The trial began. One after another, the favorites were called upon. The -first sang of love, the next of his mistress, the third of Lake Tezcuco, -the fourth of Montezuma, his power, wisdom, and glory. Before all were -through, the patience of the king and crowd was exhausted. The pabas -wanted something touching religion, the soldiers something heroic and -resounding with war; and all waited for the stranger, as men listening -to a story wait for the laughter it may chance to excite. How were they -surprised! Before the womanly tones of the last singer ceased, the old -man dropped his staff, and, lifting his harp against his breast, struck -its chords, and in a voice clear and vibratory as the blast of a shell, -a voice that filled the whole hall, and startled maid and king alike, -began his chant. - - - QUETZAL'. - - Beloved of the Sun! Mother of the - Brave! Azatlan, the North-born! Heard be thou - In my far launched voice! I sing to thy - Listening children of thee and Heaven. - Vale in the Sun, where dwell the Gods! Sum of - The beautiful art thou! Thy forests are - Flowering trees; of crystal and gold thy - Mountains; and liquid light are thy rivers - Flowing, all murmurous with songs, over - Beds of stars. O Vale of Gods, the summery - Sheen that flecks Earth's seas, and kisses its mountains, - And fairly floods its plains, we know is of thee,-- - A sign sent us from afar, that we may - Feebly learn how beautiful is Heaven! - -The singer rested a moment; then, looking in the eyes of the king, with -a rising voice, he continued,-- - - Richest hall in all the Vale is Quetzal's-- - -At that name Montezuma started. The minstrel noted well the sign. - - O, none so fair as Quetzal's! The winds that - Play among its silver columns are Love's - Light laughter, while of Love is all the air - About. From its orient porch the young - Mornings glean the glory with which they rise - On earth. - First God and fairest was Quetzal'. - As him O none so full of holiness, - And by none were men so lov'd! Sat he always - In his hall, in deity rob'd, watching - Humanity, its genius, and its struggles - Upward. But most he watch'd its wars,--no hero - Fell but he call'd the wand'ring soul in love - To rest with him forever. - Sat he once - Thus watching, and where least expected, in - The far North, by stormy Winter rul'd, up - From the snows he saw a Nation rise. Shook - Their bolts, glistened their shields, flashed the - Light of their fierce eyes. A king, in wolf-skin - Girt, pointed Southward, and up the hills, through - The air, to the Sun, flew the name--Azatlan. - Then march'd they; by day and night they march'd,--march'd - Ever South, across the desert, up the - Mountains, down the mountains; leaping rivers, - Smiting foes, taking cities,--thus they march'd; - Thus, a cloud of eagles, roll'd they from the - North; thus on the South they fell, as autumn - Frosts upon the fruits of summer fall. - -And now the priests were glad,--the singer sung of Heaven; and the -warriors were aroused,--his voice was like a battle-cry, and the theme -was the proud tradition of the conquering march of their fathers from -the distant North. Sitting with clasped hands and drooped head, the king -followed the chant, like one listening to an oracle. Yet stronger grew -the minstrel's voice,-- - - Pass'd - Many years of toil, and still the Nation march'd; - Still Southward strode the king; still Sunward rose - The cry of _Azatlan! Azatlan!_ And - Warmer, truer, brighter grew the human - Love of Quetzal'. He saw them reach a lake; - As dew its waves were clear; like lover's breath - The wind flew o'er it. 'Twas in the clime of - Starry nights,--the clime of orange-groves and - Plumy palms. - Then Quetzal' from his watching - Rose. Aside he flung his sunly symbols. - Like a falling star, from the Vale of Gods - He dropp'd, like a falling star shot through the - Shoreless space; like a golden morning reach'd - The earth,--reach'd the lake. Then stay'd the Nation's - March. Still Sunward rose the cry, but Southward - Strode the king no more. - In his roomy heart, in - The chambers of its love, Quetzal' took the - Nation. He swore its kings should be his sons,-- - They should conquer, by the Sun, he swore! In - The laughing Lake he bade them build; and up - Sprang Tenochtitlan, of the human love - Of Quetzal child; up rose its fire-lit towers, - Outspread its piles, outstretched its streets - Of stone and wave. And as the city grew, - Still stronger grew the love of Quetzal'. - Thine - Is the Empire. To the shields again, O - Azatlan! 'Twas thus he spoke; and feather'd - Crest and oaken spear, the same that from the - North came conquering, through the valley, - On a wave of war went swiftly floating. - Down before the flaming shields fell all the - Neighb'ring tribes; open flew the cities' gates; - Fighting kings gave up their crowns; from the hills - The Chichimecan fled; on temple towers - The Toltec fires to scattering ashes - Died. Like a scourge upon the city, like - A fire across the plain, like storms adown - The mountain,--such was Azatlan that day - It went to battle! Like a monarch 'mid - His people, like a god amid the Heavens, - O such was Azatlan, victor from the - Battle, the Empire in its hand! - -At this point the excitement of the audience rose into interruption: -they clapped their hands and stamped; some shouted. As the strong voice -rolled the grand story on, even the king's dread of the god disappeared; -and had the 'tzin concluded then, the prize had certainly been his. But -when the silence was restored, he resumed the attitude so proper to his -disguise, and, sinking his voice and changing the measure of the chant, -solemnly proceeded,-- - - As the river runneth ever, like the river ran the love of - Quetzal'. The clime grew softer, and the Vale fairer. To weave, and - trade, - And sow, and build, he taught, with countless other ways of peace. - He broke - The seals of knowledge, and unveiled the mystic paths of wisdom; - Gathered gold from the earth, and jewels from the streams; and happy - Peace, as terrible in war, became Azatlan. Only one more - Blessing,--a religion sounding of a quiet heaven and a - Godly love,--this only wanted Azatlan. And alas, for the - Sunly Quetzal'! He built a temple, with a single tower, a - Temple over many chambers. - -Slowly the 'tzin repeated the last sentence, and under his gaze the -monarch's face changed visibly. - - Worship he asked, and offerings, - And sacrifices, not of captives, heart-broken and complaining, - But of blooming flowers, and ripened fruits, emblems of love, and - peace, - And beauty. Alas, for the gentle Quetzal'! Cold grew the people - Lov'd so well. A little while they worshipped; then, as bees go no - More to a withered flower, they forsook his shrine, and mock'd his - Image. His love, longest lingering, went down at last, but slowly - Went, as the brook, drop by drop, runs dry in the drought of a - rainless - Summer. Wrath 'rose instead. Down in a chamber below the temple, - A chamber full of gold and unveiled splendor, beneath the Lake that - Long had ceased its laughing, thither went the god, and on the walls, - On the marble and the gold, he wrote-- - -The improvisation, if such it was, now wrought its full effect upon -Montezuma, who saw the recital coming nearer and nearer to the dread -mysteries of the golden chamber in the old Cu. At the beginning of the -last sentence, the blood left his face, and he leaned forward as if to -check the speech, at the same time some master influence held him -wordless. His look was that of one seeing a vision. The vagaries of a -mind shaken by days and nights of trouble are wonderful; sometimes they -are fearful. How easy for his distempered fancy to change the minstrel, -with his white locks and venerable countenance, into a servant of -Quetzal', sent by the god to confirm the interpretation and prophecies -of his other servant Mualox. At the last word, he arose, and, with an -imperial gesture, cried,-- - -"Peace--enough!" - -[Illustration: THE MONARCH'S FACE CHANGED VISIBLY] - -Then his utterance failed him,--another vision seemed to fix his -gaze. The audience, thrilling with fear, turned to see what he saw, and -heard a commotion, which, from the further end of the hall, drew slowly -near the throne, and ceased not until Mualox, in his sacrificial robes, -knelt upon the step in the minstrel's place. Montezuma dropped into his -throne, and, covering his eyes with his hands, said faintly,-- - -"Evil betides me, father, evil betides me! But I am a king. Speak what -you can!" - -Mualox prostrated himself until his white hair covered his master's -feet. - -"Again, O king, your servant comes speaking for his god." - -"For the god, Mualox?" - -The hall became silent as a tomb. - -"I come," the holy man continued, "to tell the king that Quetzal' has -landed, this time on the sea-shore in Cempoalla. At set of sun his power -was collected on the beach. Summon all your wisdom,--the end is at -hand." - -All present and hearing listened awe-struck. Of the warriors, not one, -however battle-tried, but trembled with undefined terror. And who may -accuse them? The weakness was from fear of a supposed god; their heathen -souls, after the manner of the Christian, asked, Who may war against -Heaven? - -"Rise, Mualox! You love me; I have no better servant," said the king, -with dignity, but so sadly that even the prophet's heart was touched. -"It is not for me to say if your news be good or evil. All things, even -my Empire, are in the care of the gods. To-morrow I will hold a council -to determine how this visit may be best met." With a mighty effort he -freed his spirit of the influence of the untimely visitation, and said, -with a show of unconcern, "Leave the morrow to whom it belongs, my -children. Let us now to the ceremony which was to crown the night. Come -forward, son of 'Hualpilli! Room for the lord Iztlil', my friends!" - -Tula looked down, and the queen Tecalco bowed her face upon the shoulder -of the queen Acatlan; and immediately, all differences lost in loving -loyalty, the caciques and chiefs gathered before him,--a nobility as -true and chivalric as ever fought beneath an infidel banner. - -And they waited, but the Tezcucan came not. - -"Go, Maxtla. Seek the lord Iztlil', and bring him to my presence." - -Through the palace and through the gardens they sought the recreant -lover. And the silence of the waiting in the great hall was painful. -Guest looked in the face of guest, mute, yet asking much. The prince -Cacama whispered to the prince Cuitlahua, "It is a happy interference of -the gods!" - -Tecalco wept on, but not from sorrow, and the eyes of the devoted -princess were lustrous for the first time; hope had come back to the -darkened soul. - -And the monarch said little, and erelong retired. A great portion of the -company, despite his injunction, speedily followed his example, leaving -the younger guests, with what humor they could command, to continue the -revel till morning. - -Next day at noon couriers from Cempoalla confirmed the announcement of -Mualox. Cortes had indeed landed; and that Good Friday was the last of -the perfect glory of Anahuac. - -Poor king! Not long now until I may sing for thee the lamentation of the -Gothic Roderick, whose story is but little less melancholy than thine. - - He look'd for the brave captains that led the hosts of Spain, - But all were fled, except the dead,--and who could count the slain? - Where'er his eye could wander all bloody was the plain; - And while thus he said the tears he shed ran down his cheeks like - rain. - - Last night I was the king of Spain: to-day no king am I. - Last night fair castles held my train: to-night where shall I lie? - Last night a hundred pages did serve me on the knee, - To-night not one I call my own,--not one pertains to me.[35] - -FOOTNOTES: - - [35] The fifth and sixth verses of the famous Spanish ballad, "The - Lamentation of Don Roderic." The translation I have borrowed - from Lockhart's Spanish Ballads.--TR. - - - - - BOOK THREE. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - THE FIRST COMBAT. - - -The 'tzin's companion the night of the banquet, as the reader has no -doubt anticipated, was Hualpa, the Tihuancan. To an adventure of his, -more luckless than his friend's, I now turn. - -It will be remembered that the 'tzin left him at the door of the great -hall. In a strange scene, without a guide, it was natural for him to be -ill at ease; light-hearted and fearless, however, he strolled leisurely -about, at one place stopping to hear a minstrel, at another to observe a -dance, and all the time half confused by the maze and splendor of all he -beheld. In such awe stood he of the monarch, that he gave the throne a -wide margin, contented from a distance to view the accustomed -interchanges of courtesy between the guests and their master. Finding, -at last, that he could not break through the bashfulness acquired in his -solitary life among the hills, and imitate the ease and nonchalance of -those born, as it were, to the lordliness of the hour, he left the -house, and once more sought the retiracy of the gardens. Out of doors, -beneath the stars, with the fresh air in his nostrils, he felt at home -again, the whilom hunter, ready for any emprise. - -As to the walk he should follow he had no choice, for in every direction -he heard laughter, music, and conversation; everywhere were flowers and -the glow of lamps. Merest chance put him in a path that led to the -neighborhood of the museum. - -Since the night shut in,--be it said in a whisper,--a memory of -wonderful brightness had taken possession of his mind. Nenetzin's face, -as he saw it laughing in the door of the kiosk when Yeteve called the -'tzin for a song, he thought outshone the lamplight, the flowers, and -everything most beautiful about his path; her eyes were as stars, -rivalling the insensate ones in the mead above him. He remembered them, -too, as all the brighter for the tears through which they had looked -down,--alas! not on him, but upon his reverend comrade. If Hualpa was -not in love, he was, at least, borrowing wings for a flight of that -kind. - -Indulging the delicious revery, he came upon some nobles, conversing, -and quite blocking up the way, though going in his direction. He -hesitated; but, considering that, as a guest, the freedom of the garden -belonged equally to him, he proceeded, and became a listener. - -"People call him a warrior. They know nothing of what makes a warrior; -they mistake good fortune, or what the traders in the _tianguez_ call -luck, for skill. Take his conduct at the combat of Quetzal' as an -example; say he threw his arrows well: yet it was a cowardly war. How -much braver to grasp the _maquahuitl_, and rush to blows! That requires -manhood, strength, skill. To stand back, and kill with a chance -arrow,--a woman could do as much." - -The 'tzin was the subject of discussion, and the voice that of Iztlil', -the Tezcucan. Hualpa moved closer to the party. - -"I thought his course in that combat good," said a stranger; "it gave -him opportunities not otherwise to be had. That he did not join the -assault cannot be urged against his courage. Had you, my lord Iztlil', -fallen like the Otompan, he would have been left alone to fight the -challengers. A fool would have seen the risk; a coward would not have -courted it." - -"That argument," replied Iztlil', "is crediting him with too much -shrewdness. By the gods, he never doubted the result,--not he! He knew -the Tlascalans would never pass my shield; he knew the victory was mine, -two against me as there were. A prince of Tezcuco was never conquered!" - -The spirit of the hunter was fast rising; yet he followed, listening. - -"And, my friends," the Tezcucan continued, "who better judged the -conduct of the combatants that day than the king? See the result. -To-night I take from the faint heart his bride, the woman he has loved -from boyhood. Then this banquet. In whose honor is it? What does it -celebrate? There is a prize to be awarded,--the prize of courage and -skill; and who gets it? And further, of the nobles and chiefs of the -valley, but one is absent,--he whose prudence exceeds his valor." - -In such strain the Tezcucan proceeded. And Hualpa, fully aroused, pushed -through the company to the speaker, but so quietly that those who -observed him asked no questions. Assured that the 'tzin must have -friends present, he waited for some one to take up his cause. His own -impulse was restrained by his great dread of the king, whose gardens he -knew were not fighting-grounds at any time or in any quarrel. But, as -the boastful prince continued, the resolve to punish him took definite -form with the Tihuancan,--to such degree had his admiration for the -'tzin already risen! Gradually the auditors dropped behind or -disappeared; finally but one remained,--a middle-aged, portly noble, -whose demeanor was not of the kind to shake the resolution taken. - -Hualpa made his first advance close by the eastern gate of the garden, -to which point he held himself in check lest the want of arms should -prove an apology for refusing the fight. - -"Will the lord Iztlil' stop?" he said, laying his hand on the Tezcucan's -arm. - -"I do not know you," was the answer. - -The sleek courtier also stopped, and stared broadly. - -"You do not know me! I will mend my fortune in that respect," returned -the hunter, mildly. "I have heard what you said so ungraciously -of my friend and comrade,"--the last word he emphasized -strongly,--"Guatamozin." Then he repeated the offensive words as -correctly as if he had been a practised herald, and concluded, "Now, you -know the 'tzin cannot be here to-night; you also know the reason; but, -for him and in his place, I say, prince though you are, you have basely -slandered an absent enemy." - -"Who are you?" asked the Tezcucan, surprised. - -"The comrade of Guatamozin, here to take up his quarrel." - -"You challenge me?" said Iztlil', in disdain. - -"Does a prince of Tezcuco, son of 'Hualpilli, require a blow? Take it -then." - -The blow was given. - -"See! Do I not bring you princely blood?" And, in his turn, Hualpa -laughed scornfully. - -The Tezcucan was almost choked with rage. "This to me,--to me,--a prince -and warrior!" he cried. - -A danger not considered by the rash hunter now offered itself. An outcry -would bring down the guard; and, in the event of his arrest, the united -representations of Iztlil' and his friend would be sufficient to have -him sent forthwith to the tigers. The pride of the prince saved him. - -"Have a care,--'tis an assassin! I will call the guard at the gate!" -said the courtier, alarmed. - -"Call them not, call them not! I am equal to my own revenge. O, for a -spear or knife,--anything to kill!" - -"Will you hear me,--a word?" the hunter said. "I am without arms also; -but they can be had." - -"The arms, the arms!" cried Iztlil', passionately. - -"We can make the sentinels at the gate clever by a few quills of gold; -and here are enough to satisfy them." Hualpa produced a handful of the -money. "Let us try them. Outside the gate the street is clear." - -The courtier protested, but the prince was determined. - -"The arms! Pledge my province and palaces,--everything for a -_maquahuitl_ now." - -They went to the gate and obtained the use of two of the weapons and as -many shields. Then the party passed into the street, which they found -deserted. To avoid the great thoroughfare to Iztapalapan, they turned to -the north, and kept on as far as the corner of the garden wall. - -"Stay we here," said the courtier. "Short time is all you want, lord -Iztlil'. The feathers on the hawk's wings are not full-fledged." - -The man spoke confidently; and it must be confessed that the Tezcucan's -reputation and experience justified the assurance. One advantage the -hunter had which his enemies both overlooked,--a surpassing composure. -From a temple near by a red light flared broadly over the place, -redeeming it from what would otherwise have been vague starlight; by its -aid they might have seen his countenance without a trace of excitement -or passion. One wish, and but one, he had,--that Guatamozin could -witness the trial. - -The impatience of the Tezcucan permitted but few preliminaries. - -"The gods of Mictlan require no prayers. Stand out!" he said. - -"Strike!" answered Hualpa. - -Up rose the glassy blades of the Tezcucan, flashing in the light; quick -and strong the blow, yet it clove but the empty air. "For the 'tzin!" -shouted the hunter, striking back before the other was half recovered. -The shield was dashed aside; a groan acknowledged a wound in the breast, -and Iztlil' staggered; another blow stretched him on the pavement. A -stream of blood, black in the night, stole slowly out over the flags. -The fight was over. The victor dropped the bladed end of his weapon, and -surveyed his foe, with astonishment, then pity. - -"Your friend is hurt; help him!" he said, turning to the courtier; but -he was alone,--the craven had run. For one fresh from the hills, this -was indeed a dilemma! A duel and a death in sight of the royal palace! A -chill tingled through his veins. He thought rapidly of the alarm, the -arrest, the king's wrath, and himself given to glut the monsters in the -menagerie. Up rose, also, the many fastnesses amid the cedared glades of -Tihuanco. Could he but reach them! The slaves of Montezuma, to please a -whim, might pursue and capture a quail or an eagle; but there he could -laugh at pursuit, while in Tenochtitlan he was nowhere safe. - -Sight of the flowing blood brought him out of the panic. He raised the -Tezcucan's arm, and tore the rich vestments from his breast. The wound -was a glancing one; it might not be fatal after all; to save him were -worth the trial. Taking off his own _maxtlatl_, he wound it tightly -round the body and over the cut. Across the street there was a small, -open house; lifting the wounded man gently as possible, he carried him -thither, and laid him in a darkened passage. Where else to convey him he -knew not; that was all he could do. Now for flight,--for Tihuanco. -Tireless and swift of foot shall they be who catch him on the way! - -He started for the lake, intending to cross in a canoe rather than by -the causeway; already a square was put behind, when it occurred to him -that the Tezcucan might have slaves and a palanquin waiting before the -palace door. He began, also, to reproach himself for the baseness of the -desertion. How would the 'tzin have acted? When the same Tezcucan lay -with the dead in the arena, who nursed him back to life? - -If Hualpa had wished his patron's presence at the beginning of the -combat, now, flying from imaginary dangers,--flying, like a startled -coward, from his very victory,--much did he thank the gods that he was -alone and unseen. In a kind of alcove, or resting-place for weary -walkers, with which, by the way, the thoroughfares of Tenochtitlan were -well provided, he sat down, recalled his wonted courage, and determined -on a course more manly, whatever the risk. - -Then he retraced his steps, and went boldly to the portal of the palace, -where he found the Tezcucan's palanquin. The slaves in charge followed -him without objection. - -"Take your master to his own palace. Be quick!" he said to them, when -the wounded man was transferred to the carriage. - -"It is in Tecuba," said one of them. - -"To Tecuba then." - -He did more; he accompanied the slaves. Along the street, across the -causeway, which never seemed of such weary length, they proceeded. On -the road the Tezcucan revived. He said little, and was passive in his -enemy's hands. From Tecuba the latter hastened back to Tenochtitlan, and -reached the portico of Xoli, the Chalcan, just as day broke over the -valley. - -And such was the hunter's first emprise as a warrior. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - THE SECOND COMBAT. - - -It is hardly worth while to detail the debate between Hualpa and Xoli; -enough to know that the latter, anticipating pursuit, hid the son of his -friend in a closet attached to his restaurant. - -That day, and many others, the police went up and down, ferreting for -the assassin of the noble Iztlil'. Few premises escaped their search. -The Chalcan's, amongst others, was examined, but without discovery. Thus -safely concealed, the hunter throve on the _cuisine_, and for the loss -of liberty was consoled by the gossip and wordy wisdom of his accessory, -and, by what was better, the gratitude of Guatamozin. In such manner two -weeks passed away, the longest and most wearisome of his existence. How -sick at heart he grew in his luxurious imprisonment; how he pined for -the old hills and woodlands; how he longed once more to go down the -shaded vales free-footed and fearless, stalking deer or following his -ocelot. Ah, what is ambition gratified to freedom lost! - -Unused to the confinement, it became irksome to him, and at length -intolerable. "When," he asked himself, "is this to end? Will the king -ever withdraw his huntsmen? Through whom am I to look or hope for -pardon?" He sighed, paced the narrow closet, and determined that night -to walk out and see if his old friends the stars were still in their -places, and take a draught of the fresh air, to his remembrance sweeter -than the new beverage of the Chalcan. And when the night came he was -true to his resolution. - -Pass we his impatience while waiting an opportunity to leave the house -unobserved; his attempts unsuccessfully repeated; his vexation at the -"noble patrons" who lounged in the apartments and talked so long over -their goblets. At a late hour he made good his exit. In the _tianguez_, -which was the first to receive him, booths and porticos were closed for -the night; lights were everywhere extinguished, except on the towers of -the temples. As morning would end his furlough and drive him back to the -hated captivity, he resolved to make the most of the night; he would -visit the lake, he would stroll through the streets. By the gods! he -would play freeman to the full. - -In his situation, all places were alike perilous,--houses, streets, -temples, and palaces. As, for that reason, one direction was good as -another, he started up the Iztapalapan street from the _tianguez_. -Passengers met him now and then; otherwise the great thoroughfare was -unusually quiet. Sauntering along in excellent imitation of careless -enjoyment, he strove to feel cheerful; but, in spite of his efforts, he -became lonesome, while his dread of the patrols kept him uneasy. Such -freedom, he ascertained, was not all his fancy colored it; yet it was -not so bad as his prison. On he went. Sometimes on a step, or in the -shade of a portico, he would sit and gaze at the houses as if they were -old friends basking in the moonlight; at the bridges he would also stop, -and, leaning over the balustrades, watch the waveless water in the canal -below, and envy the watermen asleep in their open canoes. The result was -a feeling of recklessness, sharpened by a yearning for something to do, -some place to visit, some person to see; in short, a thousand wishes, so -vague, however, that they amounted to nothing. - -In this mood he thought of Nenetzin, who, in the tedium of his -imprisonment, had become to him a constant dream,--a vision by which his -fancy was amused and his impatience soothed; a vision that faded not -with the morning, but at noon was sweet as at night. With the thought -came another,--the idea of an adventure excusable only in a lover. - -"The garden!" he said, stopping and thinking. "The garden! It is the -king's; so is the street. It is guarded; so is the city. I will be in -danger; but that is around me everywhere. By the gods! I will go to the -garden, and look at the house in which she sleeps." - -Invade the gardens of the great king at midnight! The project would have -terrified the Chalcan; the 'tzin would have forbade it; at any other -time, the adventurer himself would rather have gone unarmed into the den -of a tiger. The gardens were chosen places sacred to royalty; otherwise -they would have been without walls and without sentinels at the gates. -In the event of detection and arrest, the intrusion at such a time would -be without excuse; death was the penalty. - -But the venture was agreeable to the mood he was in; he welcomed it as a -relief from loneliness, as a rescue from his tormenting void of purpose; -if he saw the dangers, they were viewed in the charm of his gentle -passion,--griffins and goblins masked by Love, the enchanter. He started -at once; and now that he had an object before him, there was no more -loitering under porticos or on the bridges. As the squares were put -behind him, he repeated over and over, as a magical exorcism, "I will -look at the house in which she sleeps,--the house in which she sleeps." - -Once in his progress, he turned aside from the great street, and went up -a footway bordering a canal. At the next street, however, he crossed a -bridge, and proceeded to the north again. Almost before he was aware of -it, he reached the corner of the royal garden, always to be remembered -by him as the place of his combat with the Tezcucan. But so intent was -he upon his present project he scarcely gave it a second look. - -The wall was but little higher than his head, and covered with snowy -stucco; and where, over the coping, motionless in the moonshine, a -palm-tree lifted its graceful head, he boldly climbed, and entered the -sacred enclosure. Drawing his mantle close about him, he stole toward -the palace, selecting the narrow walks most protected by overhanging -shrubbery. - -A man's instinct is a good counsellor in danger; often it is the only -counsellor. Gliding through the shadows, cautiously as if hunting, he -seemed to hear a recurrent whisper,-- - -"Have a care, O hunter! This is not one of thy familiar places. The -gardens of the great king have other guardians than the stars. Death -awaits thee at every gate." - -But as often came the reply, "Nenetzin,--I will see the house in which -she sleeps." - -He held on toward the palace, never stopping until the top, here and -there crowned with low turrets, rose above the highest trees. Then he -listened intently, but heard not a sound of life from the princely pile. -He sought next a retreat, where, secure from observation, he might sit -in the pleasant air, and give wings to his lover's fancy. At last he -found one, a little retired from the central walk, and not far from a -tank, which had once been, if it were not now, the basin of a fountain. -Upon a bench, well shaded by a clump of flowering bushes, he stretched -himself at ease, and was soon absorbed. - -The course of his thought, in keeping with his youth, was to the future. -Most of the time, however, he had no distinct idea; revery, like an -evening mist, settled upon him. Sometimes he lay with closed eyes, -shutting himself in, as it were, from the world; then he stared vacantly -at the stars, or into those blue places in the mighty vault too deep for -stars; but most he loved to look at the white walls of the palace. And -for the time he was happy; his soul may be said to have been singing a -silent song to the unconscious Nenetzin. - -Once or twice he was disturbed by a noise, like the suppressed cry of a -child; but he attributed it to some of the restless animals in the -museum at the farther side of the garden. Half the night was gone; so -the watchers on the temples proclaimed; and still he stayed,--still -dreamed. - -About that time, however, he was startled by footsteps coming apparently -from the palace. He sat up, ready for action. The appearance of a man -alone and unarmed allayed his apprehension for the moment. Up the walk, -directly by the hiding-place, the stranger came. As he passed slowly on, -the intruder thrilled at beholding, not a guard or an officer, but -Montezuma in person! As far as the tank the monarch walked; there he -stopped, put his hands behind him, and looked moodily down into the -pool. - -Garden, palace, Nenetzin,--everything but the motionless figure by the -tank faded from Hualpa's mind. Fear came upon him; and no wonder: there, -almost within reach, at midnight, unattended, stood what was to him the -positive realization of power, ruler of the Empire, dispenser of richest -gifts, keeper of life and death! Guilty, and tremulously apprehensive -that he had been discovered, Hualpa looked each instant to be dragged -from his hiding. - -The space around the tank was clear, and strewn with shells perfectly -white in the moonlight. While the adventurer sat fixed to his seat, -watching the king, watching, also, a chance of escape, he saw something -come from the shrubbery, move stealthily out into the walk, then crouch -down. Now, as I have shown, he was brave; but this tested all his -courage. Out further crept the object, moving with the stillness of a -spirit. Scarcely could he persuade himself at first that it was not an -illusion begotten of his fears; but its form and movements, the very -stillness of its advance, at last identified it. In all his hunter's -experience, he had never seen an ocelot so large. The screams he had -heard were now explained,--the monster had escaped from the menagerie! - -I cannot say the recognition wrought a subsidence of Hualpa's fears. He -felt instinctively for his arms,--he had nothing but a knife of brittle -_itzli_. Then he thought of the stories he had heard of the ferocity of -the royal tigers, and of unhappy wretches flung, by way of punishment, -into their dens. He shuddered, and turned to the king, who still gazed -thoughtfully over the wall of the tank. - -Holy Huitzil'! the ocelot was creeping upon the monarch! The flash of -understanding that revealed the fact to Hualpa was like the lightning. -Breathlessly he noticed the course the brute was taking; there could be -no doubt. Another flash, and he understood the monarch's peril,--alone, -unarmed, before the guards at the gates or in the palace could come, the -struggle would be over; child of the Sun though he was, there remained -for him but one hope of rescue. - -As, in common with provincials generally, he cherished a reverence for -the monarch hardly secondary to that he felt for the gods, the Tihuancan -was inexpressibly shocked to see him subject to such a danger. An -impulse aside from native chivalry urged him to confront the ocelot; but -under the circumstances,--and he recounted them rapidly,--he feared the -king more than the brute. Brief time was there for consideration; each -moment the peril increased. He thought of the 'tzin, then of Nenetzin. - -"Now or never!" he said. "If the gods do but help me, I will prove -myself!" - -And he unlooped the mantle, and wound it about his left arm; the knife, -poor as it was, he took from his _maxtlatl_; then he was ready. Ah, if -he only had a javelin! - -To place himself between the king and his enemy was what he next set -about. Experience had taught him how much such animals are governed by -curiosity, and upon that he proceeded to act. On his hands and knees he -crept out into the walk. The moment he became exposed, the ocelot -stopped, raised its round head, and watched him with a gaze as intent as -his own. The advance was slow and stealthy; when the point was almost -gained, the king turned about. - -"Speak not, stir not, O king!" he cried, without stopping. "I will save -you,--no other can." - -From creeping man the monarch looked to crouching beast, and -comprehended the situation. - -Forward went Hualpa, now the chief object of attraction to the monster. -At last he was directly in front of it. - -"Call the guard and fly! It is coming now!" - -And through the garden rang the call. Verily, the hunter had become the -king! - -A moment after the ocelot lowered its head, and leaped. The Tihuancan -had barely time to put himself in posture to receive the attack, his -left arm serving as shield; upon his knee, he struck with the knife. The -blood flew, and there was a howl so loud that the shouts of the monarch -were drowned. The mantle was rent to ribbons; and through the feathers, -cloth, and flesh, the long fangs craunched to the bone,--but not without -return. This time the knife, better directed, was driven to the heart, -where it snapped short off, and remained. The clenched jaws relaxed. -Rushing suddenly in, Hualpa contrived to push the fainting brute into -the tank. He saw it sink, saw the pool subside to its calm, then turned -to Montezuma, who, though calling lustily for the guard, had stayed to -the end. Kneeling upon the stained shells, he laid the broken knife at -the monarch's feet, and waited for him to speak. - -"Arise!" the king said, kindly. - -The hunter stood up, splashed with blood, the fragments of his -_tilmatli_ clinging in shreds to his arm, his tunic torn, the hair -fallen over his face,--a most uncourtierlike figure. - -"You are hurt," said the king, directly. "I was once thought skilful -with medicines. Let me see." - -He found the wounds, and untying his own sash, rich with embroidery, -wrapped it in many folds around the bleeding arm. - -Meantime there was commotion in many quarters. - -"Evil take the careless watchers!" he said, sternly, noticing the rising -clamor. "Had I trusted them,--but are you not of the guard?" - -"I am the great king's slave,--his poorest slave, but not of his guard." - -Montezuma regarded him attentively. - -"It cannot be; an assassin would not have interfered with the ocelot. -Take up the knife, and follow me." - -Hualpa obeyed. On the way they met a number of the guard running in -great perplexity; but without a word to them, the monarch walked on, and -into the palace. In a room where there were tables and seats, books and -writing materials, maps on the walls and piles of them on the floor, he -stopped, and seated himself. - -"You know what truth is, and how the gods punish falsehood," he began; -then, abruptly, "How came you in the garden?" - -Hualpa fell on his knees, laid his palm on the floor, and answered -without looking up, for such he knew to be a courtly custom. - -"Who may deceive the wise king Montezuma? I will answer as to the gods: -the gardens are famous in song and story, and I was tempted to see them, -and climbed the wall. When you came to the fountain, I was close by; and -while waiting a chance to escape, I saw the ocelot creeping upon you; -and--and--the great king is too generous to deny his slave the pardon he -risked his life for." - -"Who are you?" - -"I am from the province of Tihuanco. My name is Hualpa." - -"Hualpa, Hualpa," repeated the king, slowly. "You serve Guatamozin." - -"He is my friend and master, O king." - -Montezuma started. "Holy gods, what madness! My people have sought you -far and wide to feed you to the tiger in the tank." - -Hualpa faltered not. - -"O king, I know I am charged with the murder of Iztlil', the Tezcucan. -Will it please you to hear my story?" - -And taking the assent, he gave the particulars of the combat, not -omitting the cause. "I did not murder him," he concluded. "If he is -dead, I slew him in fair fight, shield to shield, as a warrior may, with -honor, slay a foeman." - -"And you carried him to Tecuba?" - -"Before the judges, if you choose, I will make the account good." - -"Be it so!" the monarch said, emphatically. "Two days hence, in the -court, I will accuse you. Have there your witnesses: it is a matter of -life and death. Now, what of your master, the 'tzin?" - -The question was dangerous, and Hualpa trembled, but resolved to be -bold. - -"If it be not too presumptuous, most mighty king,--if a slave may seem -to judge his master's judgment by the offer of a word--" - -"Speak! I give you liberty." - -"I wish to say," continued Hualpa, "that in the court there are many -noble courtiers who would die for you, O king; but, of them all, there -is not one who so loves you, or whose love could be made so profitable, -being backed by skill, courage, and wisdom, as the generous prince whom -you call my master. In his banishment he has chosen to serve you; for -the night the strangers landed in Cempoalla, he left his palace in -Iztapalapan, and entered their camp in the train of the governor of -Cotastlan. Yesterday a courier, whom you rewarded richly for his speed -in coming, brought you portraits of the strangers, and pictures of their -arms and camp; that courier was Guatamozin, and his was the hand that -wrought the artist's work. O, much as your faculties become a king, you -have been deceived: he is not a traitor." - -"Who told you such a fine minstrel's tale?" - -"The gods judge me, O king, if, without your leave, I had so much as -dared kiss the dust at your feet. What you have graciously permitted me -to tell I heard from the 'tzin himself." - -Montezuma sat a long time silent, then asked, "Did your master speak of -the strangers, or of the things he saw?" - -"The noble 'tzin regards me kindly, and therefore spoke with freedom. He -said, mourning much that he could not be at your last council to declare -his opinion, that you were mistaken." - -The speaker's face was cast down, so that he could not see the frown -with which the plain words were received, and he continued,-- - -"'They are not _teules_,'[36] so the 'tzin said, 'but men, as you and I -are; they eat, sleep, drink, like us; nor is that all,--they die like -us; for in the night,' he said, 'I was in their camp, and saw them, by -torchlight, bury the body of one that day dead.' And then he asked, 'Is -that a practice among the gods?' Your slave, O king, is not learned as a -paba, and therefore believed him." - -Montezuma stood up. - -"Not _teules_! How thinks he they should be dealt with?" - -"He says that, as they are men, they are also invaders, with whom an -Aztec cannot treat. Nothing for them but war!" - -To and fro the monarch walked. After which he returned to Hualpa and -said,-- - -"Go home now. To-morrow I will send you a _tilmatli_ for the one you -wear. Look to your wounds, and recollect the trial. As you love life, -have there your proof. I will be your accuser." - -"As the great king is merciful to his children, the gods will be -merciful to him. I will give myself to the guards," said the hunter, to -whom anything was preferable to the closet in the restaurant. - -"No, you are free." - -Hualpa kissed the floor, and arose, and hurried from the palace to the -house of Xoli on the _tianguez_. The effect of his appearance upon that -worthy, and the effect of the story afterwards, may be imagined. -Attention to the wounds, a bath, and sound slumber put the adventurer in -a better condition by the next noon. - -And from that night he thought more than ever of glory and Nenetzin. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [36] Gods. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - THE PORTRAIT. - - -Next day, after the removal of the noon comfitures, and when the -princess Tula had gone to the hammock for the usual _siesta_, Nenetzin -rushed into her apartment unusually excited. - -"O, I have something so strange to tell you,--something so strange!" she -cried, throwing herself upon the hammock. - -Her face was bright and very beautiful. Tula looked at her a moment, -then put her lips lovingly to the smooth forehead. - -"By the Sun! as our royal father sometimes swears, my sister seems in -earnest." - -"Indeed I am; and you will go with me, will you not?" - -"Ah! you want to take me to the garden to see the dead tiger, or, -perhaps, the warrior who slew it, or--now I have it--you have seen -another minstrel." - -Tula expected the girl to laugh, but was surprised to see her eyes fill -with tears. She changed her manner instantly, and bade the slave who had -been sitting by the hammock fanning her, to retire. Then she said,-- - -"You jest so much, Nenetzin, that I do not know when you are serious. I -love you: now tell me what has happened." - -The answer was given in a low voice. - -"You will think me foolish, and so I am, but I cannot help it. Do you -recollect the dream I told you the night on the _chinampa_?" - -"The night Yeteve came to us? I recollect." - -"You know I saw a man come and sit down in our father's palace,--a -stranger with blue eyes and fair face, and hair and beard like the silk -of the ripening maize. I told you I loved him, and would have none but -him; and you laughed at me, and said he was the god Quetzal'. O Tula, -the dream has come back to me many times since; so often that it seems, -when I am awake, to have been a reality. I am childish, you think, and -very weak; you may even pity me; but I have grown to look upon the -blue-eyed as something lovable and great, and thought of him is a part -of my mind; so much so that it is useless for me to say he is not, or -that I am loving a shadow. And now, O dear Tula, now comes the strange -part of my story. Yesterday, you know, a courier from Cempoalla brought -our father some pictures of the strangers lately landed from the sea. -This morning I heard there were portraits among them, and could not -resist a curiosity to see them; so I went, and almost the first one I -came to,--do not laugh,--almost the first one I came to was the picture -of him who comes to me so often in my dreams. I looked and trembled. -There indeed he was; there were the blue eyes, the yellow hair, the -white face, even the dress, shining as silver, and the plumed crest. I -did not stay to look at anything else, but hurried here, scarcely -knowing whether to be glad or afraid. I thought if you went with me I -would not be afraid. Go you must; we will look at the portrait -together." And she hid her face, sobbing like a child. - -"It is too wonderful for belief. I will go," said Tula. - -She arose, and the slave brought and threw over her shoulders the long -white scarf so invariably a part of an Aztec woman's costume. Then the -sisters took their way to the chamber where the pictures were kept,--the -same into which Hualpa had been led the night before. The king was -elsewhere giving audience, and his clerks and attendants were with him. -So the two were allowed to indulge their curiosity undisturbed. - -Nenetzin went to a pile of manuscripts lying on the floor. The elder -sister was startled by the first picture exposed; for she recognized the -handiwork, long since familiar to her, of the 'tzin. Nor was she less -surprised by the subject, which was a horse, apparently a nobler -instrument for a god's revenge than man himself. - -Next she saw pictured a horse, its rider mounted, and in Christian -armor, and bearing shield, lance, and sword. Then came a cannon, the -gunner by the carriage, his match lighted, while a volume of flame and -smoke was bursting from the throat of the piece. A portrait followed; -she lifted it up, and trembled to see the hero of Nenetzin's dream! - -"Did I not tell you so, O Tula?" said the girl, in a whisper. - -"The face is pleasant and noble," the other answered, thoughtfully; "but -I am afraid. There is evil in the smile, evil in the blue eyes." - -The rest of the manuscripts they left untouched. The one absorbed them; -but with what different feelings! Nenetzin was a-flutter with pleasure, -restrained by awe. Impressed by the singularity of the vision, as thus -realized, a passionate wish to see the man or god, whichever he was, and -hear his voice, may be called her nearest semblance to reflection. Like -a lover in the presence of the beloved, she was glad and contented, and -asked nothing of the future. But with Tula, older and wiser, it was -different. She was conscious of the novelty of the incident; at the same -time a presentiment, a gloomy foreboding, filled her soul. In slumber we -sometimes see spectres, and they sit by us and smile; yet we shrink, and -cannot keep down anticipations of ill. So Tula was affected by what she -beheld. - -She laid the portrait softly down, and turned to Nenetzin, who had now -no need to deprecate her laugh. - -"The ways of the gods are most strange. Something tells me this is their -work. I am afraid; let us go." - -And they retired, and the rest of the day, swinging in the hammock, they -talked of the dream and the portrait, and wondered what would come of -them. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - THE TRIAL - - -Hualpa's adventure in the garden made a great stir in the palace and the -city. Profound was the astonishment, therefore, when it became known -that the savior of the king and the murderer of the Tezcucan were one -and the same person, and that, in the latter character, he was to be -taken into court and tried for his life, Montezuma himself acting as -accuser. Though universally discredited, the story had the effect of -drawing an immense attendance at the trial. - -"Ho, Chalcan! Fly not your friends in that way!" - -So the broker was saluted by some men nobly dressed, whom he was about -passing on the great street. He stopped, and bowed very low. - -"A pleasant day, my lords! Your invitation honors me; the will of his -patrons should always be law to the poor keeper of a portico. I am -hurrying to the trial." - -"Then stay with us. We also have a curiosity to see the assassin." - -"My good lord speaks harshly. The boy, whom I love as a son, cannot be -what you call him." - -The noble laughed. "Take it not ill, Chalcan. So much do I honor the -hand that slew the base Tezcucan that I care not whether it was in fair -fight or by vantage taken. But what do you know about the king being -accuser to-day?" - -"So he told the boy." - -"Incredible!" - -"I will not quarrel with my lord on that account," rejoined the broker. -"A more generous master than Montezuma never lived. Are not the people -always complaining of his liberality? At the last banquet, for inventing -a simple drink, did he not give me, his humblest slave, a goblet fit for -another king?" - -"And what is your drink, though ever so excellent, to the saving his -life? Is not that your argument, Chalcan?" - -"Yes, my lord, and at such peril! Ah, you should have seen the ocelot -when taken from the tank! The keepers told me it was the largest and -fiercest in the museum." - -Then Xoli proceeded to edify his noble audience with all the gossip -pertaining to the adventure; and as his object was to take into court -some friends for the luckless hunter more influential than himself, he -succeeded admirably. Every few steps there were such expressions as, "It -would be pitiful if so brave a fellow should die!" "If I were king, by -the Sun, I would enrich him from the possessions of the Tezcucan!" And -as they showed no disposition to interrupt him, his pleading lasted to -the house of justice, where the company arrived not any too soon to -procure comfortable seats. - -The court-house stood at the left of the street, a little retired from -the regular line of buildings. The visitors had first to pass through a -spacious hall, which brought them to a court-yard cemented under foot, -and on all sides bounded with beautiful houses. Then, on the right, they -saw the entrance to the chamber of justice, grotesquely called the -Tribunal of God,[37] in which, for ages, had been administered a code, -vindictive, but not without equity. The great door was richly carved; -the windows high and broad, and lined with fluted marble; while a -projecting cornice, tastefully finished, gave airiness and beauty to the -venerable structure. - -The party entered the room with profoundest reverence. On a dais sat the -judge; in front of him was the stool bearing the skull with the emerald -crown and gay plumes. Turning from the plain tapestry along the walls, -the spectators failed not to admire the jewels that blazed with almost -starry splendor from the centre of the canopy above him. - -The broker, not being of the class of privileged nobles, found a seat -with difficulty. To his comfort, however, he was placed by the side of -an acquaintance. - -"You should have come earlier, Chalcan; the judge has twice used the -arrow this morning." - -"Indeed!" - -"Once against a boy too much given to _pulque_,--a drunkard. With the -other doubtless you were acquainted." - -"Was he noble?" - -"He had good blood, at least, being the son of a Tetzmellocan, who died -immensely rich. The witnesses said the fellow squandered his father's -estate almost as soon as it came to him." - -"Better had he been born a thief,"[38] said Xoli, coolly. - -Suddenly, four heralds, with silver maces, entered the court-room, -announcing the monarch. The people fell upon their knees, and so -remained until he was seated before the dais. Then they arose, and, with -staring eyes, devoured the beauty of his costume, and the mysterious -sanction of manner, office, power, and custom, which the lovers of -royalty throughout the world have delighted to sum up in the one -word,--majesty. The hum of voices filled the chamber. Then, by another -door, in charge of officers, Hualpa appeared, and was led to the dais -opposite the king. Before an Aztecan court there was no ceremony. The -highest and the lowliest stood upon a level: such, at least, was the -beautiful theory. - -So intense was the curiosity to see the prisoner that the spectators -pressed upon each other, for the moment mindless of the monarch's -presence. - -"A handsome fellow!" said an old cacique, approvingly. - -"Only a boy, my lord!" suggested the critic. - -"And not fierce-looking, either." - -"Yes--" - -"No--" - -"He might kill, but in fair fight: so I judge him." - -And that became the opinion amongst the nobles. - -"Your friend seems confident, Xoli. I like him," remarked the Chalcan's -acquaintance. - -"Hush! The king accuses." - -"The king, said you!" And the good man, representing the commonalty, was -frozen into silence. - -In another quarter, one asked, "Does he not wear the 'tzin's livery?" - -The person interrogated covered his mouth with both hands, then drew to -the other's ear, and whispered,-- - -"Yes, he's a 'tzin's man, and that, they say, is his crime." - -The sharp voice of the executive officer of the court rang out, and -there was stillness almost breathless. Up rose the clerk, a learned man, -keeper of the records, and read the indictment; that done, he laid the -portrait of the accused on the table before the judge; then the trial -began. - -The judge, playing carelessly with the fatal arrow, said,--"Hualpa, son -of Tepaja, the Tihuancan, stand up, and answer." - -And the prisoner arose, and saluted court and king, and answered, "It -is true, that on the night of the banquet, I fought the Tezcucan; by -favor of the gods, I defeated, without slaying him. He is here in person -to acquit me." - -"Bring the witness," said the judge. - -Some of the officers retired; during their absence a solemn hush -prevailed; directly they returned, carrying a palanquin. Right before -the dais they set it down, and drew aside the curtains. Then slowly the -Tezcucan came forth,--weak, but unconquered. At the judge he looked, and -at the king, and all the fire of his haughty soul burned in the glance. -Borrowing strength from his pride, he raised his head high, and said, -scornfully,-- - -"The power of my father's friend is exceeding great; he speaks, and all -things obey him. I am sick and suffering; but he bade me come, and I am -here. What new shame awaits me?" - -Montezuma answered, never more a king than then: "'Hualpill was wise; -his son is foolish; for the memory of the one I spare the other. The -keeper of this sacred place will answer why you are brought here. Look -that he pardons you lightly as I have." - -Then the judge said, "Prince of Tezcuco, you are here by my order. There -stands one charged with your murder. Would you have had him suffer the -penalty? You have dared be insolent. See, O prince, that before -to-morrow you pay the treasurer ten thousand quills of gold. See to it." -And, returning the portrait to the clerk, he added, "Let the accused go -acquit." - -"Ah! said I not so, said I not so?" muttered the Chalcan, rubbing his -hands joyfully, and disturbing the attentive people about him. - -"Hist, hist!" they said, impatiently. "What more? hearken!" - -Hualpa was kneeling before the monarch. - -"Most mighty king," he said, "if what I have done be worthy reward, -grant me the discharge of this fine." - -"How!" said Montezuma, amazed. "The Tezcucan is your enemy!" - -"Yet he fought me fairly, and is a warrior." - -The eyes of the king sought those of Iztlil'. - -"What says the son of 'Hualpilli?" - -The latter raised his head with a flash of the old pride. "He is a slave -of Guatamozin's: I scorn the intercession. I am yet a prince of -Tezcuco." - -Then the monarch went forward, and sat by the judge. Not a sound was -heard, till he spoke. - -"Arise, and come near," he said to Hualpa. "I will do what becomes me." - -His voice was low and tremulous with feeling, and over his face came the -peculiar suffusion of sadness afterwards its habitual expression. The -hunter kissed the floor at his feet, and remained kneeling. Then he -continued,-- - -"Son of the Tihuancan, I acknowledge I owe my life to you, and I call -all to hear the acknowledgment. If the people have thought this -prosecution part of my gratitude,--if they have marvelled at my -appearing as your accuser, much have they wronged me. I thought of -reward higher than they could have asked for you; but I also thought to -try you. A slave is not fit to be a chief, nor is every chief fit to be -a king. I thought to try you: I am satisfied. When your fame goes -abroad, as it will; when the minstrels sing your valor; when -Tenochtitlan talks of the merchant's son, who, in the garden, slew the -tiger, and saved the life of Montezuma,--let them also tell how -Montezuma rewarded him; let them say I made him noble." - -Thereupon he arose, and transferred the _panache_ from his head to -Hualpa's. Those close by looked at the gift, and saw, for the first -time, that it was not the crown, but the crest of a chief or cacique. -Then they knew that the trial was merely to make more public the honors -designed. - -"Let them say further," he continued, "that with my own hand I made him -a warrior of the highest grade." And, bending over the adventurer, he -clasped around his neck the collar of the supreme military order of the -realm.[39] "Nor is that all. Rank, without competence, is a vexation and -shame. At the foot of Chapultepec, on the shore of the lake, lie an -estate and a palace of which I have been proud. Let it be said, finally, -that I gave them to enrich him and his forever." He paused, and turned -coldly to the Tezcucan. "But as to the son of 'Hualpilli, his fine must -stand; such pride must be punished. He shall pay the gold, or forfeit -his province." Then, outstretching toward the audience both his arms, he -said, so as to be heard throughout the chamber, "Now, O my children, -justice has been done!" - -The words were simple; but the manner, royal as a king's and patriarchal -as a pontiff's, brought every listener to his knees. - -"Stand up, my lord Hualpa! Take your place in my train. I will return to -the palace." - -With that he passed out. - -And soon there was but one person remaining,--Iztlil', the Tezcucan. -Brought from Tlacopan by officers of the court, too weak to walk, -without slaves to help him, at sight of the deserted hall his -countenance became haggard, the light in his hollow eyes came and went, -and his broad breast heaved passionately; in that long, slow look he -measured the depth of his fall. - -"O Tezcuco, Tezcuco, city of my fathers!" he cried aloud. "This is the -last wrong to the last of thy race of kings." - -A little after he was upon a bench exhausted, his head covered by his -mantle. Then a hand was laid upon his shoulder; he looked up and saw -Hualpa. - -"How now! Has the base-born come to enjoy his triumph? I cannot strike. -Laugh and revile me; but remember, mine is the blood of kings. The gods -loved my father, and will not abandon his son. In their names I curse -you!" - -"Tezcucan, you are proud to foolishness," said the hunter, calmly. "I -came to serve you. Within an hour I have become master of slaves--" - -"And were yourself a slave!" - -"Well, I won my freedom; I slew a beast and conquered a--But, prince, my -slaves are at the door. Command them to Tlacopan." - -"Play courtier to those who have influence; lean your ambition upon one -who can advance it. I am undone." - -"I am not a courtier. The service I offer you springs from a warrior's -motive. I propose it, not to a man of power, but to a prince whose -courage is superior to his fortune." - -For a moment the Tezcucan studied the glowing face; then his brows -relaxed, and, sighing like a woman, and like a woman overcome by the -unexpected gentleness, he bowed his head, and covered his face with his -hands, that he might not be accused of tears. - -"Let me call the slaves, O prince," said Hualpa. - -Thrice he clapped his hands, whereat four tattooed tamanes stalked into -the chamber with a palanquin. Iztlil' took seat in the carriage, and was -being borne away, when he called the hunter. - -"A word," he said, in a voice from which all passion was gone. "Though -my enemy, you have been generous, and remembered my misfortunes when all -others forsook me. Take with you this mark. I do not ask you to wear it, -for the time is nearly come when the son of 'Hualpilli will be -proscribed throughout the valley; but keep it in witness that I, the son -of a king, acknowledged your right and fitness to be a noble. Farewell." - -Hualpa could not refuse a present so delicately given; extending his -hand, he received a bracelet of gold, set with an Aztec diamond of -immense value. He clasped it upon his arm, and followed the carriage -into the street. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [37] Prescott, Conq. of Mexico, Vol. I. p. 33. - - [38] A thief might be punished with slavery: death was the penalty for - prodigalism and drunkenness. - - [39] The authorities touching the military orders of the Aztecs are - full and complete. Prescott, Conq. of Mexico, Vol. I. p. 45; - Acosta, Book VI. ch. 26; Mendoza's Collec. Antiq. of Mexico, - Vol. I, p. 65. - - - - - BOOK FOUR. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - THE KING GIVES A TRUST TO HUALPA. - - -And now was come the time of all the year most pleasant,--the time when -the _maguey_ was greenest, when the cacti burst into flowers, and in -every field women and children, with the strong men, went to pluck the -ripened maize. Of the summer, only the wealth and beauty remained. The -Goddess of Abundance divided the worship which, at other seasons, was -mostly given to Huitzil' and Tezca';[40] in her temples the days were -all of prayer, hymning, and priestly ceremony. No other towers sent up -such columns of the blue smoke so grateful to the dwellers in the Sun; -in no other places were there such incessant burning of censers, -presentation of gifts, and sacrifice of victims. Throughout the valley -the people carolled those songs the sweetest and most millennial of -men,--the songs of harvest, peace, and plenty. - -I have before said that Tezcuco, the lake, was the especial pride of the -Aztecs. When the sky was clear, and the air tranquil, it was very -beautiful; but when the king, with his court, all in state, set out for -the hunting-grounds on the northern shore, its beauty rose to splendor. -By his invitation great numbers of citizens, in style suited to the -honor, joined their canoes to the flotilla composing the retinue. And -let it not be forgotten that the Aztec loved his canoe as in Christendom -the good knight loves his steed, and decorated it with all he knew of -art; that its prow, rising high above the water, and touched by the -master sculptors, was dressed in garlands and fantastic symbols; that -its light and shapely canopy, elegantly trimmed within, was shaded by -curtains, and surmounted by trailing streamers; and that the slaves, -four, six, and sometimes twelve in number, dipped and drew their -flashing paddles in faultless time, and shone afar brilliant in livery. -So, when the multitude of vessels cleared the city walls, and with music -and songs dashed into the open lake, the very water seemed to dance and -quiver with a sensuous pleasure. - -In such style did Montezuma one pleasant morning leave his capital. Calm -was the lake, and so clear that the reflection of the sky above seemed a -bed of blue below. There were music, and shouts, and merry songs, and -from the city the cheers and plaudits of the thousands who, from the -walls and housetops, witnessed the pageant. And his canoe was the soul -of the pomp, and he had with him his favorite minstrel and jester, and -Maxtla; yet there was something on his mind that made him indifferent to -the scene and prospective sport. Some distance out, by his direction, -the slaves so man[oe]uvred that all the flotilla passed him; then he -said to Maxtla, "The will has left me. I will not hunt to-day; yet the -pastime must go on; a recall now were unkingly. Look out for a way to -follow the train, while I return." - -The chief arose, and swept the lake with a bright glance. "Yonder is a -chinampa; I can take its master's canoe." - -"Do so. Give this ring to the lord Cuitlahua, and tell him to conduct -the hunt." - -And soon Maxtla was hurrying to the north with the signet, while the -monarch was speeding more swiftly to the south. - -"For Iztapalapan," said the latter to his slaves. "Take me there before -the lords reach the hunting-grounds, and you shall have a feast -to-night." - -They bent to the paddles, and rested not until he saw the white houses -of the city, built far into the lake in imitation of the capital. - -"Not to the town, but the palace of Guatamozin," he then said. "Speed! -the sun is rising high." - -Arrived at the landing, Montezuma set forward alone to the palace. The -path led into a grove of cedar and wild orange-trees, interspersed with -_ceibas_, the true kings of the forests of New Mexico. The air was sweet -with perfume; birds sang to each other from the coverts; the adjacent -cascades played their steady, muffled music; and altogether morning on -the lake was less beautiful than morning in the tzin's garden. In the -multitude of walks he became bewildered; but, as he was pleased by all -he beheld, he walked on without consulting the sun. At length, guided by -the sound of voices, he came to the arena for martial games; and there -he found Hualpa and Io' practising with the bow. - -He had been wont to regard Io' as a child, unripe for any but childish -amusements, and hardly to be trusted alone. Absorbed in his business of -governing, he had not observed how increase of years brought the boy -strength, stature, and corresponding tastes. Now he was admonished of -his neglect: the stripling should have been familiarized with bow, -sling, and _maquahuitl_; men ought to have been given him for comrades; -the warrior's school, even the actual field, had been better for him -than the nursery. An idea of ambition also occurred to the monarch. When -he himself was gathered to his fathers, who was to succeed him on the -throne? Cuitlahua, Cacama, the lord of Tlacopan? Why not Io'? - -Meanwhile the two diligently pursued their sport. At the moment the king -came upon them, Hualpa was giving some directions as to the mode of -holding the brave weapon. The boy listened eagerly,--a sign that pleased -the observer, for nothing is so easy as to flatter the hope of a dreamy -heart. Observing them further, he saw Io' take the stand, draw the arrow -quite to the head, and strike the target. At the second trial, he -pierced the centre. Hualpa embraced the scholar joyously; and thereupon -the king warmed toward the warrior, and tears blinded his eyes. -Advancing into the arena, the clanging of his golden sandals announced -his presence. - -And they knelt and kissed the earth. - -"Stand up!" he said, with the smile which gave his countenance a womanly -beauty. And to Hualpa he added, "I thought your palace by Chapultepec -would be more attractive than the practice of arms; more credit should -have been given the habits of a hunter. I was right to make you noble. -But what can you make of Io'?" - -"If you will give the time, O king, I can make him of excellent skill." - -"And what says the son of Tecalco?" - -Io' knelt again, saying, "I have a pardon to ask--" - -"A pardon! For wishing to be a warrior?" - -"If the king will hear me,--I have heard you say that in your youth you -divided your days between the camp and the temples, learning at the same -time the duties of the priest and the warrior. That I may be able some -day to serve you, O king, I have stolen away from Tenochtitlan--" - -Montezuma laid his hand tenderly on the boy's head, and said, "No more. -I know all you would say, and will ask the great Huitzil' to give you -strength and courage. Take my permission to be a warrior. Arise, now, -and give me the bow. It is long since I pulled the cord, and my hand -may have weakened, and my eyes become dim; but I challenge you both! I -have a shield wrought of pearl and gold, unfit for the field, yet -beautiful as a prize of skill. Who plants an arrow nearest yon target's -heart, his the shield shall be." - -The challenge was accepted, and after preparation, the monarch dropped -his mantle, and took the stand. He drew the shaft to his ear with a -careless show of skill; and when it quivered in the target about a -palm's breadth below the mark, he said, laughing, "I am at least within -the line of the good bowman. A Tlascalan would not have escaped -scarless." - -Io' next took the bow, and was so fortunate as to hit the lower edge of -the heart squarely above the king's bolt. - -"Mine is the shield, mine is the shield!" he cried, exultantly. "O that -a minstrel were here! I would have a song,--my first song!" - -"Very proud!" said the king, good-humoredly. "Know you, boy, the warrior -counts his captives only when the battle is ended. Here, lord Hualpa, -the boaster should be beaten. Prove your quality. To you there may be -more in this trial than a song or a golden shield." - -The hunter took the vacant place; his arrow whistled away, and the -report came back from the target. By a happy accident, if such it were, -the copper point was planted exactly in the middle of the space between -the other two. - -More joyous than before arose the cry of Io', "I have beaten a king and -a warrior! Mine is the shield, mine is the shield!" - -And the king, listening, said to himself, "I remember my own youth, and -its earliest victory, and how I passed from successes at first the most -trifling. Ah! who but Huitzil', father of all the gods, can tell the -end? Blessed the day when I can set before him the prospect of a throne -instead of a shield!" - -The target was brought him, and he measured the distance of each arrow -from the centre; and when he saw how exactly Hualpa's was planted -between the others, his subtile mind detected the purpose and the -generosity. - -"The victory is yours, O my son, and so is the shield," he said, slowly -and thoughtfully. "But ah! were it given you to look with eyes like -mine,--with eyes sharpened by age for the discovery of blessings, your -rejoicing would be over a friend found, whose love is proof against -vanity and the hope of reward." - -Hualpa understood him, and was proud. What was the prize lost to -Montezuma gained? - -"It grows late; my time is sacred," said the king. "Lord Hualpa, stay -and guide me to the palace. And Io', be you my courier to the 'tzin. Go -before, and tell him I am coming." - -The boy ran ahead, and as they leisurely followed him, the monarch -relapsed into melancholy. In the shade of a _ceiba_ tree he stopped, and -said, "There is a service you might do me, that lies nearer my heart -than any other." - -"The will of the great king is mine," Hualpa replied, with a low -reverence. - -"When I am old," pursued Montezuma, "when the things of earth begin to -recede from me, it would be pleasant to have a son worthy to lift the -Empire from my shoulders. While I am going up the steps of the temple, a -seeker of the holy peace that lies in worship and prayer, the government -would not then be a care to disturb me. But I am sensible that no one -could thus relieve me unless he had the strong hand of a warrior, and -was fearless except of the gods. Io' is my only hope. From you he first -caught the desire of greatness, and you can make him great. Take him as -a comrade; love him as a brother; teach him the elements of war,--to -wield spear and _maquahuitl_; to bear shield, to command, and to be -brave and generous. Show him the ways of ambition. Above all,"--as he -spoke he raised his head and hand, and looked the impersonation of his -idea,--"above all, let him know that a king may find his glory as much -in the love of his people as in his power. Am I understood?" - -Hualpa did not look up, but said, "Am I worthy? I have the skill of -hand; but have I the learning?" - -"To make him learned belongs to the priests. I only asked you to make -him a warrior." - -"Does not that belong to the gods?" - -"No: he derives nothing from them but the soul. They will not teach him -to launch the arrow." - -"Then I accept the charge. Shall he go with me?" - -"Always,--even to battle." - -O mighty king! was the shadow of the coming fate upon thy spirit then? - -FOOTNOTES: - - [40] Tezcatlipoca, a god next in rank to the Supreme Being. - Supposed creator of the world. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - THE KING AND THE 'TZIN. - - - The visit was unexpected to Guatamozin, and its object a mystery; but he -thought only of paying the guest meet honor and respect, for he was -still the great king. And so, bareheaded and unarmed, he went forth, and -meeting him in the garden, knelt, and saluted him after the manner of -the court. - -"I am glad to say the word of welcome to my father's brother. Know, O -king, that my house, my garden, and all you behold are yours." - -Hualpa left them; then Montezuma replied, the sadness of his voice -softening the austerity of his manner,-- - -"I have loved you well, Guatamozin. Very good it was to mark you come up -from boyhood, and day by day grow in strength and thought. I never knew -one so rich in promise. Ours is a proud race, and you seemed to have all -its genius. From the beginning you were thoughtful and provident; in the -field there was always a victory for you, and in council your words were -the soul of policy. O, ill was the day evil came between us, and -suspicion shattered the love I bore you! Arise! I have not crossed the -lake for explanations; there is that to speak of more important to us -both." - -The 'tzin arose, and looked into the monarch's face, his own suffused -with grief. - -"Is not a king punished for the wrong he does?" - -Montezuma's brows lowered, chilling the fixed look which was his only -answer; and the 'tzin spoke on. - -"I cannot accuse you directly; but this I will say, O king: a just man, -and a brave, never condemns another upon suspicion." - -The monarch's eyes blazed with sudden fire, and from his _maxtlatl_ he -drew a knife. The 'tzin moved not; the armed hand stopped; an instant -each met the other's gaze, then the weapon was flung away. - -"I am a child," said the king, vexed and ashamed. "When I came here I -did not think of the past, I thought only of the Empire; but trouble has -devoured my strength of purpose, until my power mocks me, and, most -miserable of men, I yearn to fly from myself, without knowing where to -find relief. A vague impulse--whence derived, except from intolerable -suffering of mind, I know not--brought me to you. O 'tzin, silent be the -differences that separate us. Yours I know to be a tongue of undefiled -truth; and if not for me now, for our country, and the renown of our -fathers, I believe you will speak." - -The shame, the grief, and the self-accusation moved the 'tzin more than -the deadly menace. - -"Set my feet, O king! set my feet in the way to serve or save my -country, and I will tread it, though every step be sown with the terrors -of Mictlan." - -"I did not misjudge you, my son," the king said, when he had again -perfectly mastered his feelings. - -And Guatamozin, yet more softened, would have given him all the old -love, but that Tula, contracted to the Tezcucan, rose to memory. -Checking the impulse, he regarded the unhappy monarch sorrowfully. - -And the latter, glancing up at the sun, said,-- - -"It is getting late. I left the train going to the hunting-grounds. By -noon they will return, and I wish to be at the city before them. My -canoe lies at the landing; walk there with me, and on the way I will -speak of the purpose of my visit." - -Their steps as they went were slow, and their faces downcast and solemn. -The king was first to speak. - -"As the time requires, I have held many councils, and taken the voice of -priest, warrior, and merchant; and they agree in nothing but their -confusion and fear." - -"The king forgets,--I have been barred his councils, and know not what -they considered." - -"True, true; yet there is but one topic in all Anahuac,--in the Empire. -Of that, the _tamanes_ talk gravely as their masters; only one class -asks, 'Who are the white men making all this trouble?' while the other -argues, 'They are here; they are gods. What are we to do?'" - -"And what say the councils, O king?" - -"It could not be that all would speak as one man. Of different castes, -they are differently moved. The pabas believe the Sun has sent us some -godly warriors, whom nothing earthly can subdue. They advise patience, -friendship, and peace. 'The eye of Huitzil' is on them, numbering their -marches. In the shade of the great temple he awaits, and there he will -consume them with a breath,'--so say the pabas. The warriors are dumb, -or else borrow and reassert the opinions of the holy men. 'Give them -gold, if they will depart; if not that, give them peace, and leave the -issue to the gods,'--so they say. Cuitlahua says war; so does Cacama. -The merchants and the people have no opinion,--nothing but fear. For -myself, yesterday I was for war, to-day I am for peace. So far I have -chosen to act upon the advice of the pabas. I have sent the strangers -many presents and friendly messages, and kept ambassadors in their camp; -but while preserving such relations, I have continually forbade their -coming to Tenochtitlan. They seem bolder than men. Who but they would -have undertaken the march from Cempoalla? What tribes or people could -have conquered Tlascala, as they have? You have heard of their battles. -Did they not in a day what we have failed to do in a hundred years? With -Tlascala for ally, they have set my word at naught, and, whether they be -of the sun or the earth, they are now marching upon Cholula, most sacred -city of the gods. And from Cholula there is but one more march. Already -from the mountains they have looked wistfully down on our valley of -gardens, upon Tenochtitlan. O 'tzin, 'tzin, can we forget the prophecy?" - -"Shall I say what I think? Will the king hear me?" asked Guatamozin. - -"For that I came. Speak!" - -"I obey gladly. The opportunity is dearer to me than any honor. And, -speaking, I will remember of what race I am." - -"Speak as if you were king." - -"Then--I condemn your policy." - -The monarch's face remained placid. If the bluff words wounded him, he -dissembled consummately. - -"It was not well to go so often to the temple," Guatamozin continued. -"Huitzil' is not there; the pabas have only his name, his image and -altar; your breast is his true temple; there ought you to find him. -Yesterday, you say, you were for war; the god was with you then: to-day -you are for peace; the god has abandoned you. I know not in what words -the lords Cuitlahua and Cacama urged their counsel, nor on what grounds. -By the Sun! theirs is the only policy that comports with the fame of a -ruler of Aztecs. Why speak of any other? For me, I would seek the -strangers in battle and die, sooner than a minstrel should sing, or -tradition tell, how Guatamozin, overcome by fear, dwelt in their camp -praying peace as the beggar prays for bread." - -Literally, Guatamozin was speaking like a king. - -"I have heard your pearl-divers say," he continued, "that they never -venture into a strange sea without dread. Like the new sea to them, this -subject has been to your people; but however the declaration may strike -your ears, O king, I have sounded all its depths. While your priests -were asking questions of speechless hearts; while your lords were -nursing their love of ease in the shade and perfume of your palace; -while your warriors, forgetful of their glory, indulged the fancy that -the new enemy were gods; while Montezuma was watching stars, and -studying omens, and listening to oracles which the gods know not, hoping -for wisdom to be found nowhere as certainly as in his own royal -instincts,--face to face with the strangers, in their very camp, I -studied them, their customs, language, and nature. Take heart, O king! -Gods, indeed! Why, like men, I have seen them hunger and thirst; like -men, heard them complain; on the other hand, like men, I have seen them -feed and drink to surfeit, and heard them sing from gladness. What means -their love of gold? If they come from the Sun, where the dwellings of -the gods, and the hills they are built on, are all of gold, why should -they be seeking it here? Nor is that all. I listened to the interpreter, -through whom their leader explained his religion, and they are -worshippers, like us, only they adore a woman, instead of a great, -heroic god--" - -"A woman!" exclaimed the king. - -"Nay, the argument is that they worship at all. Gods do not adore each -other!" - -They had now walked some distance, and so absorbed had Montezuma been -that he had not observed the direction they were pursuing. Emerging -suddenly from a cypress-grove, he was surprised to find the path -terminate in a small lake, which, at any other time, would have excited -his admiration. Tall trees, draped to their topmost boughs in luxuriant -vines, encircled the little expanse of water, and in its midst there was -an island, crowned with a kiosk or summer-house, and covered with orange -shrubs and tapering palms. - -"Bear with me, O king," said Guatamozin, observing his wonder. "I -brought you here that you may be absolutely convinced of the nature of -our enemies. On that island I have an argument stronger than the -vagaries of pabas or the fancies of warriors,--a visible argument." - -He stepped into a canoe lying at the foot of the path, and, with a sweep -of the paddle, drove across to the island. Remaining there, he pushed -the vessel back. - -"Come over, O king, come over, and see." - -Montezuma followed boldly, and was led to the kiosk. The retreat was not -one of frequent resort. Several times they were stopped by vines grown -across the path. Inside the house, the visitor had no leisure for -observation; he was at once arrested by an object that filled him with -horror. On a table was a human head. Squarely severed from the body, it -stood upright on the base of the neck, looking, with its ghastly, white -face, directly toward the entrance. The features were swollen and -ferocious; the black brows locked in a frown, with which, as was plainly -to be seen, nature had as much to do as death; the hair was short, and -on the crown almost worn away; heavy, matted beard covered the cheeks -and chin; finally, other means of identification being wanted, the -coarse, upturned mustache would have betrayed the Spaniard. Montezuma -surveyed the head for some time; at length, mastering his deep loathing, -he advanced to the table. - -"A _teule_!" he said, in a low voice. - -"A man,--only a man!" exclaimed Guatamozin, so sternly that the monarch -shrank as if the blue lips of the dead had spoken to him. "Ask yourself, -O king, Do the gods die?" - -Montezuma smiled, either at his own alarm or at the ghastly argument. - -"Whence came the trophy?" he asked. - -"Have you not heard of the battle of Nauhtlan?" - -"Surely; but tell it again." - -"When the strangers marched to Tlascala," the 'tzin began, "their chief -left a garrison behind him in the town he founded. I was then on the -coast. To convince the people, and particularly the army, that they were -men, I determined to attack them. An opportunity soon occurred. Your -tax-gatherers happening to visit Nauhtlan, the township revolted, and -claimed protection of the garrison, who marched to their relief. At my -instance, the caciques drew their bands together, and we set upon the -enemy. The Totonaques fled at our first war-cry; but the strangers -welcomed us with a new kind of war. They were few in number, but the -thunder seemed theirs, and they hailed great stones upon us, and after a -while came against us upon their fierce animals. When my warriors saw -them come leaping on, they fled. All was lost. I had but one thought -more,--a captive taken might save the Empire. I ran where the strangers -clove their bloody way. This"--and he pointed to the head--"was the -chief, and I met him in the rout, raging like a tiger in a herd of deer. -He was bold and strong, and, shouting his battle-cry, he rushed upon me. -His spear went through my shield. I wrenched it from him, and slew the -beast; then I dragged him away, intending to bring him alive to -Tenochtitlan; but he slew himself. So look again! What likeness is there -in that to a god? O king, I ask you, did ever its sightless eyes see the -glories of the Sun, or its rotting lips sing a song in heaven? Is -Huitzil' or Tezca' made of such stuff?" - -The monarch, turning away, laid his hand familiarly on the 'tzin's arm, -and said,-- - -"Come, I am content. Let us go." - -And they started for the landing. - -"The strangers, as I have said, my son, are marching to Cholula. And -Malinche--so their chief is called--now says he is coming to -Tenochtitlan." - -"To Tenochtitlan! In its honored name, in the name of its kings and -gods, I protest against his coming!" - -"Too late, too late!" replied Montezuma, his face working as though a -pang were at his heart. "I have invited him to come." - -"Alas, alas!" cried Guatamozin, solemnly. "The day he enters the capital -will be the commencement of the woe, if it has not already commenced. -The many victories will have been in vain. The provinces will drop away, -like threaded pearls when the string is broken. O king, better had you -buried your crown,--better for your people, better for your own glory!" - -"Your words are bitter," said the monarch, gloomily. - -"I speak from the fulness of a heart darkened by a vision of Anahuac -blasted, and her glory gone," returned the 'tzin. Then in a lament, -vivid with poetic coloring, he set forth a picture of the national -ruin,--the armies overthrown, the city wasted, the old religion -supplanted by a new. At the shore where the canoe was waiting, Montezuma -stopped, and said,-- - -"You have spoken boldly, and I have listened patiently. One thing more: -What does Guatamozin say the king should do?" - -"It is not enough for the servant to know his own place; he should know -his master's also. I say not what the king should do, but I will say -what I would do if I were king." - -Rising from the obeisance with which he accompanied the words, he said, -boldly,-- - -"Cholula should be the grave of the invaders. The whole population -should strike them in the narrow streets where they can be best -assailed. Shut up in some square or temple, hunger will fight them for -us, and win. But I would not trust the citizens alone. In sight of the -temples, so close that a conch could summon them to the attack, I would -encamp a hundred thousand warriors. Better the desolation of Cholula -than Tenochtitlan. If all things else failed, I would take to the last -resort; I would call in the waters of Tezcuco and drown the city to the -highest _azoteas_. So would I, O king, if the crown and signet were -mine." - -Montezuma looked from the speaker to the lake. - -"The project is bold," he said, musingly; "but if it failed, my son?" - -"The failure should be but the beginning of the war." - -"What would the nations say?" - -"They would say, 'Montezuma is still the great king.' If they do not -that--" - -"What then?" - -"Call on the _teotuctli_. The gods can be made speak whatever your -policy demands." - -"Does my son blaspheme?" said Montezuma, angrily. - -"Nay, I but spoke of what has happened. Long rule the good god of our -fathers!" - -Yet the monarch was not satisfied. Never before had discourse been -addressed to him in strain so bold. - -"They see all things, even our hearts," he said, turning coldly away. -"Farewell. A courier will come for you when your presence is wanted in -the city." - -And so they separated, conscious that no healing had been brought to -their broken friendship. As the canoe moved off, the 'tzin knelt, but -the king looked not that way again. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - LOVE ON THE LAKE. - - -"What can they mean? Here have they been loitering since morning, as if -the lake, like the _tianguez_, were a place for idlers. As I love the -gods, if I knew them, they should be punished!" - -So the farmer of the _chinampa_ heretofore described as the property of -the princess Tula gave expression to his wrath; after which he returned -to his employment; that is, he went crawling among the shrubs and -flowers, pruning-knife in hand, here clipping a limb, there loosening -the loam. Emerging from the thicket after a protracted stay, his ire was -again aroused. - -"Still there! Thieves maybe, watching a chance to steal. But we shall -see. My work is done, and I will not take eyes off of them again." - -The good man's alarm was occasioned by the occupants of a canoe, which, -since sunrise, had been plying about the garden, never stationary, -seldom more than three hundred yards away, yet always keeping on the -side next the city. Once in a while the slaves withdrew their paddles, -leaving the vessel to the breeze; at such times it drifted so near that -swells, something like those of the sea when settling into calm, tumbled -the surface; far to the south, however, he discerned the canoe, looking -no larger than a blue-winged gull. - -"It is coming; I see the prow this way. Is the vase ready?" - -"The vase! You forget; there are two of them." - -Hualpa looked down confused. - -"Does the 'tzin intend them both for Tula?" - -Hualpa was the more embarrassed. - -"Flowers have a meaning; sometimes they tell tales. Let me see if I -cannot read what the 'tzin would say to Tula." - -And Io' went forward and brought the vases, and, placing them before -him, began to study each flower. - -"Io'," said Hualpa, in a low voice, "but one of the vases is the -'tzin's." - -"And the other?" asked the prince, looking up. - -Hualpa's face flushed deeper. - -"The other is mine. Have you not two sisters?" - -Io's eyes dilated; a moment he was serious, then he burst out laughing. - -"I have you now! Nenetzin,--she, too, has a lover." - -The hunter never found himself so at loss; he played with the loops of -his _escaupil_, and refused to take his eyes off the coming canoe. -Through his veins the blood ran merrily; in his brain it intoxicated, -like wine. - -"And pleasanter yet to be made noble and master of a palace over by -Chapultepec," Io' answered. "But see! Yonder is a canoe." - -"From the city?" - -"It is too far off; wait awhile." - -But Hualpa, impatient, leaned over the side, and looked for himself. At -the time they were up in the northern part of the lake, at least a -league from the capital. Long, regular he could see the _voyageurs_ -reclining in the shade of the blue canopy, wrapped in _escaupils_ such -as none but lords or distinguished merchants were permitted to wear. - -The leisurely _voyageurs_, on their part, appeared to have a perfect -understanding of the light in which they were viewed from the -_chinampa_. - -"There he is again! See!" said one of them. - -The other lifted the curtain, and looked, and laughed. - -"Ah! if we could send an arrow there, just near enough to whistle -through the orange-trees. Tula would never hear the end of the story. He -would tell her how two thieves came to plunder him; how they shot at -him; how narrowly he escaped--" - -"And how valiantly he defended the garden. By Our Mother, Io', I have a -mind to try him!" - -Hualpa half rose to measure the distance, but fell back at once. "No. -Better that we get into no difficulty. We are messengers, and have these -flowers to deliver. Besides, the judge is not to my liking." - -"Tula is merciful, and would forgive you for the 'tzin's sake." - -"I meant the judge of the court," Hualpa said, soberly. "You never saw -him lift the golden arrow, as if to draw it across your portrait. It is -pleasanter sitting here, in the shade, rocked by the water." - -"I have heard how love makes women of warriors; now I will see,--I will -see how brave you are." - -"Ho, slaves! Put the canoe about; yonder are those whom I would meet," -Hualpa shouted. - -The vessel was headed to the south. A long distance had to be passed, -and in the time the ambassador recovered himself. Lying down again, and -twanging the chord of his bow, he endeavored to compose a speech to -accompany the delivery of the vase to Tula. But his thoughts would -return to his own love; the laugh with which Io' received his -explanation flattered him; and, true to the logic of the passion, he -already saw the vase accepted, and himself the favored of Nenetzin. From -that point the world of dreams was but a step distant; he took the step, -but was brought back by Io'. - -"They recognize us; Nenetzin waves her scarf!" - -The approaching vessel was elegant as the art of the Aztecan shipmaster -could make it. The prow was sculptured into the head and slender, curved -neck of a swan. The passengers, fair as ever journeyed on sea wave, sat -under a canopy of royal green, above which floated a _panache_ of long, -trailing feathers, colored like the canopy. Like a creature of the -water, so lightly, so gracefully, the boat drew nigh the messengers. -When alongside, Io' sprang aboard, and, with boyish ardor, embraced his -sisters. - -"What has kept you so?" - -"We stayed to see twenty thousand warriors cross the causeway," replied -Nenetzin. - -"Where can they be going?" - -"To Cholula." - -The news excited the boy; turning to speak to Hualpa, he was reminded of -his duty. - -"Here is a messenger from Guatamozin,--the lord Hualpa, who slew the -tiger in the garden." - -The heart of the young warrior beat violently; he touched the floor of -the canoe with his palm. - -And Tula spoke. "We have heard the minstrels sing the story. Arise, lord -Hualpa." - -"The words of the noble Tula are pleasanter than any song. Will she hear -the message I bring?" - -She looked at Io' and Nenetzin, and assented. - -"Guatamozin salutes the noble Tula. He hopes the blessings of the gods -are about her. He bade me say, that four mornings ago the king visited -him at his palace, but talked of nothing but the strangers; so that the -contract with Iztlil', the Tezcucan, still holds good. Further, the king -asked his counsel as to what should be done with the strangers. He -advised war, whereupon the king became angry, and departed, saying that -a courier would come for the 'tzin when his presence was wanted in the -city; so the banishment also holds good. And so, finally, there is no -more hope from interviews with the king. All that remains is to leave -the cause to time and the gods." - -A moment her calm face was troubled; but she recovered, and said, with -simple dignity,-- - -"I thank you. Is the 'tzin well and patient?" - -"He is a warrior, noble Tula, and foemen are marching through the -provinces, like welcome guests; he thinks of them, and curses the peace -as a season fruitful of dishonor." - -Nenetzin, who had been quietly listening, was aroused. - -"Has he heard the news? Does he not know a battle is to be fought in -Cholula?" - -"Such tidings will be medicine to his spirit." - -"A battle!" cried Io'. "Tell me about it, Nenetzin." - -"I, too, will listen," said Hualpa; "for the gods have given me a love -of words spoken with a voice sweeter than the flutes of Tezca'." - -The girl laughed aloud, and was well pleased, although she answered,-- - -"My father gave me a bracelet this morning, but he did not carry his -love so far as to tell me his purposes; and I am not yet a warrior to -talk to warriors about battles. The lord Maxtla, even Tula here, can -better tell you of such things." - -"Of what?" asked Tula. - -"Io' and his friend wish to know all about the war." - -The elder princess mused a moment, and then said gravely, "You may tell -the 'tzin, as from me, lord Hualpa, that twenty thousand warriors this -morning marched for Cholula; that the citizens there have been armed; -and to-morrow, the gods willing, Malinche will be attacked. The king at -one time thought of conducting the expedition himself; but, by -persuasion of the paba, Mualox, he has given the command to the lord -Cuitlahua." - -Io' clapped his hands. "The gods are kind; let us rejoice, O Hualpa! -What marching of armies there will be! What battles! Hasten, and let us -to Cholula; we can be there before the night sets in." - -"What!" said Nenetzin. "Would you fight, Io'? No, no; come home with us, -and I will put my parrot in a tree, and you may shoot at him all day." - -The boy went to his own canoe, and, returning, held up a shield of pearl -and gold. "See! With a bow I beat our father and the lord Hualpa, and -this was the prize." - -"That a shield!" Nenetzin said. "A toy,--a mere brooch to a Tlascalan, I -have a tortoise-shell that will serve you better." - -The boy frowned, and a rejoinder was on his lips when Tula spoke. - -"The flowers in your vases are very beautiful, lord Hualpa. What altar -is to receive the tribute?" - -Nenetzin's badinage had charmed the ambassador into forgetfulness of his -embassy; so he answered confusedly, "The noble Tula reminds me of my -duty. Before now, standing upon the hills of Tihuanco, watching the -morning brightening in the east, I have forgotten myself. I pray -pardon--" - -Tula glanced archly at Nenetzin. "The morning looks pleasant; doubtless, -its worshipper will be forgiven." - -And then he knew the woman's sharp eyes had seen into his inner heart, -and that the audacious dream he there cherished was exposed; yet his -confusion gave place to delight, for the discovery had been published -with a smile. Thereupon, he set one of the vases at her feet, and -touched the floor with his palm, and said,-- - -"I was charged by Guatamozin to salute you again, and say that these -flowers would tell you all his hopes and wishes." - -As she raised the gift, her hand trembled; then he discovered how -precious a simple Cholulan vase could become; and with that his real -task was before him. Taking the other vase, he knelt before Nenetzin. - -"I have but little skill in courtierly ways," he said. "In flowers I see -nothing but their beauty; and what I would have these say is, that if -Nenetzin, the beautiful Nenetzin, will accept them, she will make me -very happy." - -The girl looked at Tula, then at him; then she raised the vase, and, -laughing, hid her face in the flowers. - -But little more was said; and soon the lashings were cast off, and the -vessels separated. - -On the return Hualpa stopped at Tenochtitlan, and in the shade of the -portico, over a cup of the new beverage, now all the fashion, received -from Xoli the particulars of the contemplated attack upon the strangers -in Cholula; for, with his usual diligence in the fields of gossip, the -broker had early informed himself of all that was to be heard of the -affair. And that night, while Io' dreamed of war, and the hunter of -love, the 'tzin paced his study or wandered through his gardens, -feverishly solicitous about the result of the expedition. - -"If it fail," he repeated over and over,--"if it fail, Malinche will -enter Tenochtitlan as a god!" - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - THE KING DEMANDS A SIGN OF MUALOX. - - -Next morning Mualox ascended the tower of his old Cu. The hour was so -early that the stars were still shining in the east. He fed the fire in -the great urn until it burst into cheery flame; then, spreading his -mantle on the roof, he laid down to woo back the slumber from which he -had been taken. By and by, a man, armed with a javelin, and clad in -cotton mail, came up the steps, and spoke to the paba. - -"Does the servant of his god sleep this morning?" - -Mualox arose, and kissed the pavement. - -"Montezuma is welcome. The blessing of the gods upon him!" - -"Of all the gods, Mualox?" - -"Of all,--even Quetzal's, O king!" - -"Arise! Last night I bade you wait me here. I said I would come with the -morning star; yonder it is, and I am faithful. The time is fittest for -my business." - -Mualox arose, and stood before the monarch with bowed head and crossed -hands. - -"Montezuma knows his servant." - -"Yet I seek to know him better. Mualox, Mualox, have you room for a -perfect love aside from Quetzal'? What would you do for me?" - -"Ask me rather what I would not do." - -"Hear me, then. Lately you have been a counsellor in my palace; with my -policy and purposes you are acquainted; you knew of the march to -Cholula, and the order to attack the strangers; you were present when -they were resolved--" - -"And opposed them. Witness for me to Quetzal', O king!" - -"Yes, you prophesied evil and failure from them, and for that I seek you -now. Tell me, O Mualox, spake you then as a prophet?" - -The paba ventured to look up and study the face of the questioner as -well as he could in the flickering light. - -"I know the vulgar have called me a magician," he said, slowly; "and -sometimes they have spoken of my commerce with the stars. To say that -either report is true, were wrong to the gods. Regardful of them, I -cannot answer you; but I can say--and its sufficiency depends on your -wisdom--your slave, O king, is warned of your intention. You come asking -a sign; you would have me prove my power, that it may be seen." - -"By the Sun--" - -"Nay,--if my master will permit,--another word." - -"I came to hear you; say on." - -"You spoke of me as a councillor in the palace. How may we measure the -value of honors? By the intent with which they are given? O king, had -you not thought the poor paba would use his power for the betrayal of -his god; had you not thought he could stand between you and the wrath--" - -"No more, Mualox, no more!" said Montezuma. "I confess I asked you to -the palace that you might befriend me. Was I wrong to count on your -loyalty? Are you not of Anahuac? And further; I confess I come now -seeking a sign. I command you to show me the future!" - -"If you do indeed believe me the beloved of Quetzal' and his prophet, -then are you bold,--even for a king." - -"Until I wrong the gods, why should I fear? I, too, am a priest." - -"Be wise, O my master! Let the future alone; it is sown with sorrows to -all you love." - -"Have done, paba!" the king exclaimed, angrily. "I am weary,--by the -Sun! I am weary of such words." - -The holy man bowed reverently, and touched the floor with his palm, -saying,-- - -"Mualox lays his heart at his master's feet. In the time when his beard -was black and his spirit young, he began the singing of two songs,--one -of worship to Quetzal', the other of love for Montezuma." - -These words he said tremulously; and there was that in the manner, in -the bent form, in the low obeisance, which soothed the impatience of the -king, so that he turned away, and looked out over the city. And day -began to gild the east; in a short time the sun would claim his own. -Still the monarch thought, still Mualox stood humbly waiting his -pleasure. At length the former approached the fire. - -"Mualox," he said, speaking slowly, "I crossed the lake the other day, -and talked with Guatamozin about the strangers. He satisfied me they are -not _teules_, and, more, he urged me to attack them in Cholula." - -"The 'tzin!" exclaimed Mualox, in strong surprise. - -Montezuma knew the love of the paba for the young cacique rested upon -his supposed love of Quetzal'; so he continued,-- - -"The attack was planned by him; only he would have sent a hundred -thousand warriors to help the citizens. The order is out; the companies -are there; blood will run in the streets of the holy city to-day. The -battle waits on the sun, and it is nearly up. Mualox,"--his manner -became solemn,--"Mualox, on this day's work bides my peace. The morning -comes: by all your prophet's power, tell me what the night will bring!" - -Sorely was the paba troubled. The king's faith in his qualities as -prophet he saw was absolute, and that it was too late to deny the -character. - -"Does Montezuma believe the Sun would tell me what it withholds from its -child?" - -"Quetzal', not the Sun, will speak to you." - -"But Quetzal' is your enemy." - -Montezuma laid his hand on the paba's. "I have heard you speak of love -for me; prove it now, and your reward shall be princely. I will give you -a palace, and many slaves, and riches beyond count." - -Mualox bent his head, and was silent. Enjoyment of a palace meant -abandonment of the old Cu and sacred service. Just then the wail of a -watcher from a distant temple swept faintly by; he heard the cry, and -from his surplice drew a trumpet, and through it sung with a swelling -voice,-- - -"Morning is come! Morning is come! To the temples, O worshippers! -Morning is come!" - -And the warning hymn, the same that had been heard from the old tower -for so many ages, heard heralding suns while the city was founding, -given now, amid the singer's sore perplexity, was an assurance to his -listening deity that he was faithful against kingly blandishments as -well as kingly neglect. While the words were being repeated from the -many temples, he stood attentive to them, then he turned, and said,-- - -"Montezuma is generous to his slave; but ambition is a goodly tree gone -to dust in my heart; and if it were not, O king, what are all your -treasures to that in the golden chamber? Nay, keep your offerings, and -let me keep the temple. I hunger after no riches except such as lie in -the love of Quetzal'." - -"Then tell me," said the monarch, impatiently,--"without price, tell me -his will." - -"I cannot, I am but a man; but this much I can--" He faltered; the hands -crossed upon his breast closed tightly, and the breast labored -painfully. - -"I am waiting. Speak! What can you?" - -"Will the king trust his servant, and go with him down into the Cu -again?" - -"To talk with the Morning, this is the place," said the monarch, too -well remembering the former introduction to the mysteries of the ancient -house. - -"My master mistakes me for a juggling soothsayer; he thinks I will look -into the halls of the Sun through burning drugs, and the magic of -unmeaning words. I have nothing to do with the Morning; I have no -incantations. I am but the dutiful slave of Quetzal', the god, and -Montezuma, the king." - -The royal listener looked away again, debating with his fears, which, it -is but just to say, were not of harm from the paba. Men unfamiliar with -the custom do not think lightly of encountering things unnatural; in -this instance, moreover, favor was not to be hoped from the god through -whom the forbidden knowledge was to come. But curiosity and an -uncontrollable interest in the result of the affair in Cholula overcame -his apprehensions. - -"I will go with you. I am ready," he said. - -The old man stooped, and touched the roof, and, rising, said, "I have a -little world of my own, O king; and though without sun and stars, and -the grand harmony which only the gods can give, it has its wonders and -beauty, and is to me a place of perpetual delight. Bide my return a -little while. I will go and prepare the way for you." - -Resuming his mantle, he departed, leaving the king to study the new-born -day. When he came back, the valley and the sky were full of the glory of -the sun full risen. And they descended to the _azoteas_, thence to the -court-yard. Taking a lamp hanging in a passage-door, the holy man, with -the utmost reverence, conducted his guest into the labyrinth. At first, -the latter tried to recollect the course taken, the halls and stairs -passed, and the stories descended; but the thread was too often broken, -the light too dim, the way too intricate. Soon he yielded himself -entirely to his guide, and followed, wondering much at the massiveness -of the building, and the courage necessary to live there alone. Ignorant -of the zeal which had become the motive of the paba's life, inspiring -him with incredible cunning and industry, and equally without a -conception of the power there is in one idea long awake in the soul and -nursed into mania, it was not singular that, as they went, the monarch -should turn the very walls into witnesses corroborant of the traditions -of the temple and the weird claims of its keeper. - -Passing the kitchen, and descending the last flight of steps, they came -to the trap-door in the passage, beside which lay the ladder of ropes. - -"Be of courage a little longer, O king," said Mualox, flinging the -ladder through the doorway. "We are almost there." - -And the paba, leaving the lamp above, committed himself confidently to -the ropes and darkness below. A suspicion of his madness occurred to the -king, whose situation called for consideration; in fact, he hesitated to -follow farther; twice he was called to; and when, finally, he did go -down, the secret of his courage was an idea that they were about to -emerge from the dusty caverns into the freer air of day; for, while yet -in the passage, he heard the whistle of a bird, and fancied he detected -a fragrance as of flowers. - -"Your hand now, O king, and Mualox will lead you into his world." - -The motives that constrained the holy man to this step are not easily -divined. Of all the mysteries of the house, that hall was by him the -most cherished; and of all men the king was the last whom he would have -voluntarily chosen as a participant in its secrets, since he alone had -power to break them up. The necessity must have been very great; -possibly he felt his influence and peculiar character dependent upon -yielding to the pressure; the moment the step was resolved upon, -however, nothing remained but to use the mysteries for the protection of -the abode; and with that purpose he went to prepare the way. - -Much study would most of us have required to know what was essential to -the purpose; not so the paba. He merely trimmed the lamps already -lighted, and lighted and disposed others. His plan was to overwhelm the -visitor by the first glance; without warning, without time to study -details, to flash upon him a crowd of impossibilities. In the mass, the -generality, the whole together, a god's hand was to be made apparent to -a superstitious fancy. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - THE MASSACRE IN CHOLULA. - - -Inside the hall, scarcely a step from the curtain, the monarch stopped -bewildered; half amazed, half alarmed, he surveyed the chamber, now -glowing as with day. Flowers blooming, birds singing, shrubbery, thick -and green as in his own garden. Whence came they? how were they -nurtured down so far? And the countless subjects painted on the ceiling -and walls, and woven in colors on the tapestry,--surely they were the -work of the same master who had wrought so marvellously in the golden -chamber. The extent of the hall, exaggerated by the light, impressed -him. Filled with the presence of what seemed impossibilities, he cried -out,-- - -"The abode of Quetzal'!" - -"No," answered Mualox, "not his abode, only his temple,--the temple of -his own building." - -And from that time it was with the king as if the god were actually -present. - -The paba read the effect in the monarch's manner,--in his attitude, in -the softness of his tread, in the cloudy, saddened expression of his -countenance, in the whisper with which he spoke; he read it, and was -assured. - -"This way, O king! Though your servant cannot let you see into the Sun, -or give you the sign required, follow him, and he will bring you to hear -of events in Cholula even as they transpire. Remember, however, he says -now that the Cholulans and the twenty thousand warriors will fail, and -the night bring you but sorrow and repentance." - -Along the aisles he conducted him, until they came to the fountain, -where the monarch stopped again. The light there was brighter than in -the rest of the hall. A number of birds flew up, scared by the stranger; -in the space around the marble basin stood vases crowned with flowers; -the floor was strewn with wreaths and garlands; the water sparkled with -silvery lustre; yet all were lost on the wondering guest, who saw only -Tecetl,--a vision, once seen, to be looked at again and again. - -Upon a couch, a little apart from the fountain, she sat, leaning against -a pile of cushions, which was covered by a mantle of _plumaje_. Her -garments were white, and wholly without ornament; her hair strayed -lightly from a wreath upon her head; the childish hands lay clasped in -her lap; upon the soft mattress rested the delicate limbs, covered, but -not concealed, the soles of the small feet tinted with warmth and life, -like the pink and rose lining of certain shells. So fragile, innocent, -and beautiful looked she, and so hushed and motionless withal,--so like -a spirituality,--that the monarch's quick sensation of sympathy shot -through his heart an absolute pain. - -"Disturb her not; let her sleep," he whispered, waving his hand. - -Mualox smiled. - -"Nay, the full battle-cry of your armies would not waken her." - -The influence of the Will was upon her, stronger than slumber. Not yet -was she to see a human being other than the paba,--not even the great -king. A little longer was she to be happy in ignorance of the actual -world. Ah, many, many are the victims of affection unwise in its very -fulness! - -Again and again the monarch scanned the girl's face, charmed, yet awed. -The paba had said the sleep was wakeless; and that was a mystery -unreported by tradition, unknown to his philosophy, and rarer, if not -greater, than death. If life at all, what kind was it? The longer he -looked and reflected, the lovelier she grew. So completely was his -credulity gained that he thought not once of questioning Mualox about -her; he was content with believing. - -The paba, meantime, had been holding one of her hands, and gazing -intently in her face. When he looked up, the monarch was startled by his -appearance; his air was imposing, his eyes lighted with the mesmeric -force. - -"Sit, O king, and give ear. Through the lips of his child, Quetzal' -will speak, and tell you of the day in Cholula." - -He spoke imperiously, and the monarch obeyed. Then, disturbed only by -the chiming of the fountain, and sometimes by the whistling of the -birds, Tecetl began, and softly, brokenly, unconsciously told of the -massacre in the holy city of Cholula. Not a question was asked her. -There was little prompting aloud. Much did the king marvel, never once -doubted he. - -"The sky is very clear," said Tecetl. "I rise into the air; I leave the -city in the lake, and the lake itself; now the mountains are below me. -Lo, another city! I descend again; the _azoteas_ of a temple receives -me; around are great houses. Who are these I see? There, in front of the -temple, they stand, in lines; even in the shade their garments glisten. -They have shields; some bear long lances, some sit on strange animals -that have eyes of fire and ring the pavement with their stamping." - -"Does the king understand?" asked Mualox. - -"She describes the strangers," was the reply. - -And Tecetl resumed. "There is one standing in the midst of a throng; he -speaks, they listen. I cannot repeat his words, or understand them, for -they are not like ours. Now I see his face, and it is white; his eyes -are black, and his cheeks bearded; he is angry; he points to the city -around the temple, and his voice grows harsh, and his face dark." - -The king approached a step, and whispered, "Malinche!" - -But Mualox replied with flashing eyes, "The servant knows his god; it is -Quetzal'!" - -"He speaks, I listen," Tecetl continued, after a rest, and thenceforth -her sentences were given at longer intervals. "Now he is through; he -waves his hand, and the listeners retire, and go to different quarters; -in places they kindle fires; the gates are open, and some station -themselves there." - -"Named she where this is happening?" asked Montezuma. - -"She describes the strangers; and are they not in Cholula, O king? She -also spoke of the _azoteas_ of a temple--" - -"True, true," replied the king, moodily. "The preparations must be going -on in the square of the temple in which Malinche was lodged last night." - -Tecetl continued. "And now I look down the street; a crowd approaches -from the city--" - -"Speak of them," said Mualox. "I would know who they are." - -"Most of them wear long beards and robes, like yours, father,--robes -white and reaching to their feet; in front a few come, swinging -censers--" - -"They are pabas from the temples," said Mualox. - -"Behind them I see a greater crowd," she continued. "How stately their -step! how beautiful their plumes!" - -"The twenty thousand! the army!" said Mualox. - -"No, she speaks of them as plumed. They must be lords and caciques going -to the temple." While speaking, the monarch's eyes wandered restlessly, -and he sighed, saying, "Where can the companies be? It is time they were -in the city." - -So his anxiety betrayed itself. - -Then Mualox said, grimly, "Hope not, O king. The priests and caciques go -to death; the army would but swell the flow of blood." - -Montezuma clapped his hands, and drooped his head. - -"Yet more," said Tecetl, almost immediately; "another crowd comes on, a -band reaching far down the street; they are naked, and come without -order, bringing--" - -"The _tamanes_," said Mualox, without looking from her face. - -"And now," she said, "the city begins to stir. I look, and on the -house-tops and temples hosts collect; from all the towers the smoke goes -up in bluer columns: yet all is still. Those who carry the censers come -near the gate below me; now they are within it; the plumed train follows -them, and the square begins to fill. Back by the great door, on one of -the animals, the god--" - -"Quetzal'," muttered Mualox. - -"A company, glistening, surrounds him; his face seems whiter than -before, his eyes darker; a shield is on his arm, white plumes toss above -his head. The censer-bearers cross the square, and the air thickens with -a sweet perfume. Now he speaks to them; his voice is harsh and high; -they are frightened; some kneel, and begin to pray as to a god; others -turn and start quickly for the gate." - -"Take heed, take heed, O king!" said Mualox, his eyes aflame. - -And Montezuma answered, trembling with fear and rage, "Has Anahuac no -gods to care for her children?" - -"What can they against the Supreme Quetzal'? It is a trial of power. The -end is at hand!" - -Never man spoke more confidently than the paba. - -By this time Tecetl's face was flushed, and her voice faint. Mualox -filled the hollow of his hand with water, and laved her forehead. And -she sighed wearily and continued,-- - -"The fair-faced god--" - -"Mark the words, O king,--mark the words!" said the paba. - -"The fair-faced god quits speaking; he waves his hand, and one of his -company on the steps of the temple answers with a shout. Lo! a stream of -fire, and a noise like the bursting of a cloud! a rising, rolling cloud -of smoke veils the whole front of the house. How the smoke thickens! How -the strangers rush into the square! The square itself trembles! I do not -understand it, father--" - -"It is battle! On, child! a king waits to see a god in battle." - -"In my pictures there is nothing like this, nor have you told me of -anything like it. O, it is fearful!" she said. "The crowd in the middle -of the square, those who came from the city, are broken, and rush here -and there; at the gates they are beaten back; some, climbing the walls, -are struck by arrows, and fall down screaming. Hark! how they call on -the gods,--Huitzil', Tezca', Quetzal'. And why are they not heard? -Where, father, where is the good Quetzal'?" - -Flashed the paba's eyes with the superhuman light,--other answer he -deigned not; and she proceeded. - -"What a change has come over the square! Where are they that awhile ago -filled it with white robes and dancing plumes?" - -She shuddered visibly. - -"I look again. The pavement is covered with heaps of the fallen, and -among them I see some with plumes and some with robes; even the -censer-bearers lie still. What can it mean? And all the time the horror -grows. When the thunder and fire and smoke burst from near the -temple-steps, how the helpless in the square shriek with terror and run -blindly about! How many are torn to pieces! Down they go; I cannot count -them, they fall so fast, and in such heaps! Then--ah, the pavement looks -red! O father, it is blood!" - -She stopped. Montezuma covered his face with his hands; the good heart -that so loved his people sickened at their slaughter. - -Again Mualox bathed her face. Joy flamed in his eyes; Quetzal' was -consummating his vengeance, and confirming the prophecies of his -servant. - -"Go on; stay not!" he said, sternly. "The story is not told." - -"Still the running to and fro, and the screaming; still the fire -flashing, and the smoke rising, and the hissing of arrows and sound of -blows; still the prayers to Huitzil'!" said Tecetl. "I look down, and -under the smoke, which has a choking smell, I see the fallen. Red pools -gather in the hollow places, plumes are broken, and robes are no longer -white. O, the piteous looks I see, the moans I hear, the many faces, -brown like oak-leaves faded, turned stilly up to the sun!" - -"The people of the god,--tell of them," said Mualox. - -"I search for them,--I see them on the steps and out by the walls and -the gates. They are all in their places yet; not one of them is down; -theirs the arrows, and the fire and thunder." - -"Does the king hear?" asked Mualox. "Only the pabas and caciques perish. -Who may presume to oppose Quetzal'? Look further, child. Tell us of the -city." - -"Gladly, most gladly! Now, abroad over the city. The people quit the -house-tops; they run from all directions to the troubled temple; they -crowd the streets; about the gates, where the gods are, they struggle to -get into the square, and the air thickens with their arrows. The god--" - -"What god?" asked Mualox. - -"The white-plumed one." - -"Quetzal'! Go on!" - -"He has--" She faltered. - -"What?" - -"In my pictures, father, there is nothing like them. Fire leaps from -their mouths, and smoke, and the air and earth tremble when they speak; -and see--ah, how the crowds in the streets go down before them!" - -Again she shuddered, and faltered. - -"Hear, O king!" said Mualox, who not only recognized the cannon of the -Spaniards in the description, but saw their weight at that moment as an -argument. "What can the slingers, and the spearmen of Chinantla, and the -swords-men of Tenochtitlan, against warriors of the Sun, with their -lightning and thunder!" - -And he looked at the monarch, sitting with his face covered, and was -satisfied. With faculties sharpened by a zeal too fervid for sympathy, -he saw the fears of the proud but kindly soul, and rejoiced in them. Yet -he permitted no delay. - -"Go on, child! Look for the fair-faced god; he holds the battle in his -hand." - -"I see him,--I see his white plumes nodding in a group of spears. Now he -is at the main gate of the temple, and speaks. Hark! The earth is shaken -by another roar,--from the street another great cry; and through the -smoke, out of the gate, he leads his band. And the animals,--what shall -I call them?" - -"Tell us of the god!" replied the enthusiast, himself ignorant of the -name and nature of the horse. - -"Well, well,--they run like deer; on them the god and his comrades -plunge into the masses in the street; beating back and pursuing, -striking with their spears, and trampling down all in their way. Stones -and arrows are flung from the houses, but they avail nothing. The god -shouts joyously, he plunges on; and the blood flows faster than before; -it reddens the shields, it drips from the spear-points--" - -"Enough, Mualox!" said Montezuma, starting from his seat, and speaking -firmly. "I want no more. Guide me hence!" - -The paba was surprised; rising slowly, he asked,-- - -"Will not the king stay to the end?" - -"Stay!" repeated the monarch, with curling lip. "Are my people of -Cholula wolves that I should be glad at their slaughter? It is murder, -massacre, not battle! Show me to the roof again. Come!" - -Mualox turned to Tecetl; touching her hand, he found it cold; the sunken -eyes, and the lips, vermeil no longer, admonished him of the delicacy of -her spirit and body. He filled a vase at the fountain, and laved her -face, the while soothingly repeating, "Tecetl, Tecetl, child!" Some -minutes were thus devoted; then kissing her, and replacing the hand -tenderly in the other lying in her lap, he said to the monarch,-- - -"Until to-day, O king, this sacredness has been sealed from the -generations that forsook the religion of Quetzal'. Eye of mocker has not -seen, nor foot of unbeliever trod this purlieu, the last to receive his -blessing. You alone--I am of the god--you alone can go abroad knowing -what is here. Never before were you so nearly face to face with the -Ruler of the Winds! And now, with what force a servant may, I charge -you, by the glory of the Sun, respect this house; and when you think of -it, or of what here you have seen, be it as friend, lover, and -worshipper. If the king will follow me, I am ready." - -"I am neither mocker nor unbeliever. Lead on," replied Montezuma. - -And after that, the king paid no attention to the chamber; he moved -along the aisles too unhappy to be curious. The twenty thousand warriors -had not been mentioned by Tecetl; they had not, it would seem, entered -the city or the battle, so there was a chance of the victory; yet was he -hopeless, for never a doubt had he of her story. Wherefore, his -lamentation was twofold,--for his people and for himself. - -And Mualox was silent as the king, though for a different cause. To him, -suddenly, the object of his life put on the garb of quick possibility. -Quetzal', he was sure, would fill the streets of Cholula with the dead, -and crown his wrath amid the ruins of the city. In the face of example -so dreadful, none would dare oppose him, not even Montezuma, whose pride -broken was next to his faith gained. And around the new-born hope, as -cherubs around the Madonna, rustled the wings of fancies most exalted. -He saw the supremacy of Quetzal' acknowledged above all others, the Cu -restored to its first glory, and the silent cells repeopled. O happy -day! Already he heard the court-yard resounding with solemn chants as of -old; and before the altar, in the presence-chamber, from morn till night -he stood, receiving offerings, and dispensing blessings to the -worshippers who, with a faith equal to his own, believed the ancient -image the ONE SUPREME GOD. - -At the head of the eastern steps of the temple, as the king began the -descent, the holy man knelt, and said,-- - -"For peace to his people let the wise Montezuma look to Quetzal'. Mualox -gives him his blessing. Farewell." - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE CONQUEROR WILL COME. - - -A few weeks more,--weeks of pain, vacillation, embassies, and distracted -councils to Montezuma; of doubt and anxiety to the nobles; of sacrifice -and ceremonies by the priests; of fear and wonder to the people. In that -time, if never before, the Spaniards became the one subject of discourse -throughout Anahuac. In the _tianguez_, merchants bargaining paused to -interchange opinions about them; craftsmen in the shops entertained and -frightened each other with stories of their marvellous strength and -ferocity; porters, bending under burdens, speculated on their character -and mission; and never a waterman passed an acquaintance on the lake, -without lingering awhile to ask or give the latest news from the Holy -City, which, with the best grace it could, still entertained its -scourgers. - -What Malinche--for by that name Cortes was now universally known--would -do was the first conjecture; what the great king intended was the next. - -As a matter of policy, the dismal massacre in Cholula accomplished all -Cortes proposed; it made him a national terror; it smoothed the causeway -for his march, and held the gates of Xoloc open for peaceful entry into -Tenochtitlan. Yet the question on the many tongues was, Would he come? - -And he himself answered. One day a courier ran up the great street of -Tenochtitlan to the king's palace; immediately the portal was thronged -by anxious citizens. That morning Malinche began his march to the -capital,--he was coming, was actually on the way. The thousands trembled -as they heard the news. - -After that the city was not an hour without messengers reporting the -progress of the Spaniards, whose every step and halt and camping-place -was watched with the distrust of fear and the sleeplessness of jealousy. -The horsemen and footmen were all numbered; the personal appearance of -each leader was painted over and over again with brush and tongue; the -devices on the shields and pennons were described with heraldic -accuracy. And though, from long service and constant exposure and -repeated battles, the equipments of the adventurers had lost the -freshness that belonged to them the day of the departure from Cuba; -though plumes and scarfs were stained, and casques and breastplates -tarnished, and good steeds tamed by strange fare and wearisome marches, -nevertheless the accounts that went abroad concerning them were -sufficiently splendid and terrible to confirm the prophecies by which -they were preceded. - -And the people, made swift by alarm and curiosity, out-marched Cortes -many days. Before he reached Iztapalapan, the capital was full of them; -in multitudes, lords and slaves, men, women, and children, like Jews to -the Passover, scaled the mountains, and hurried through the valley and -across the lakes. Better opportunity to study the characteristics of the -tribes was never afforded. - -All day and night the public resorts--streets, houses, temples--were -burdened with the multitude, whose fear, as the hour of entry drew nigh, -yielded to their curiosity. And when, at last, the road the visitors -would come by was settled, the whole city seemed to breathe easier. From -the village of Iscalpan, so ran the word, they had boldly plunged into -the passes of the Sierra, and thence taken the directest route by way of -Tlalmanalco. And now they were at Ayotzinco, a town on the eastern shore -of lake Tezcuco; to-morrow they would reach Iztapalapan, and then -Tenochtitlan. Not a long time to wait, if they brought the vengeance of -Quetzal'; yet thousands took canoes, and crossed to the village, and, -catching the first view, hurried back, each with a fancy more than ever -inflamed. - -A soldier, sauntering down the street, is beset with citizens. - -"A pleasant day, O son of Huitzil'!" - -"A pleasant day; may all that shine on Tenochtitlan be like it!" he -answers. - -"What news?" - -"I have been to the temple." - -"And what says the _teotuctli_ now?" - -"Nothing. There are no signs. Like the stars, the hearts of the victims -will not answer." - -"What! Did not Huitzil' speak last night?" - -"O yes!" And the warrior smiles with satisfaction. "Last night he bade -the priests tell the king not to oppose the entry of Malinche." - -"Then what?" - -"Why, here in the city he would cut the strangers off to the last one." - -And all the citizens cry in chorus, "Praised be Huitzil'!" - -Farther on the warrior overtakes a comrade in arms. - -"Are we to take our shields to the field, O my brother?" he asks. - -"All is peaceful yet,--nothing but embassies." - -"Is it true that the lord Cacama is to go in state, and invite Malinche -to Tenochtitlan?" - -"He sets out to-day." - -"Ha, ha! Of all voices for war, his was the loudest. Where caught he the -merchant's cry for peace?" - -"In the temples; it may be from Huitzil'." - -The answer is given in a low voice, and with an ironic laugh. - -"Well, well, comrade, there are but two lords fit, in time like this, -for the love of warriors,--Cuitlahua and Guatamozin. They still talk of -war." - -"Cuitlahua, Cuitlahua!" And the laugh rises to boisterous contempt. -"Why, he has consented to receive Malinche in Iztapalapan, and entertain -him with a banquet in his palace. He has gone for that purpose now. The -lord of Cojohuaca is with him." - -"Then we have only the 'tzin!" - -The fellow sighs like one sincerely grieved. - -"Only the 'tzin, brother, only the 'tzin! and he is banished!" - -They shake their heads, and look what they dare not speak, and go their -ways. The gloom they take with them is a sample of that which rests over -the whole valley. - -When the Spaniards reached Iztapalapan, the excitement in the capital -became irrepressible. The cities were but an easy march apart, most of -it along the causeway. The going and coming may be imagined. The miles -of dike were covered by a continuous procession, while the lake, in a -broad line from town to town, was darkened by canoes. Cortes' progress -through the streets of Iztapalapan was antitypical of the grander -reception awaiting him in Tenochtitlan. - -In the latter city there was no sleep that night. The _tianguez_ in -particular was densely filled, not by traders, but by a mass of -newsmongers, who hardly knew whether they were most pleased or alarmed. -The general neglect of business had exceptions; at least one portico -shone with unusual brilliancy till morning. Every great merchant is a -philosopher; in the midst of calamities, he is serene, because it is -profit's time; before the famine, he buys up all the corn; in -forethought of pestilence, he secures all the medicine: and the world, -counting his gains, says delightedly, What a wise man! I will not say -the Chalcan was of that honored class; he thought himself a benefactor, -and was happy to accommodate the lords, and help them divide their time -between his palace and that of the king. It is hardly necessary to add, -that his apartments were well patronized, though, in truth, his _pulque_ -was in greater demand than his _choclatl_. - -The drinking-chamber, about the close of the third quarter of the night, -presented a lively picture. For the convenience of the many patrons, -tables from other rooms had been brought in. Some of the older lords -were far gone in intoxication; slaves darted to and fro, removing -goblets, or bringing them back replenished. A few minstrels found -listeners among those who happened to be too stupid to talk, though not -too sleepy to drink. Every little while a newcomer would enter, when, -if he were from Iztapalapan, a crowd would surround him, allowing -neither rest nor refreshment until he had told the things he had seen or -heard. Amongst others, Hualpa and Io' chanced to find their way thither. -Maxtla, seated at a table with some friends, including the Chalcan, -called them to him; and, as they had attended the banquet of the lord -Cuitlahua, they were quickly provided with seats, goblets, and an -audience of eager listeners. - -"Certainly, my good chief, I have seen Malinche, and passed the -afternoon looking at him and his people," said Hualpa to Maxtla. "It may -be that I am too much influenced by the 'tzin to judge them; but, if -they are _teules_, so are we. I longed to try my javelin on them." - -"Was their behavior unseemly?" - -"Call it as you please. I was in the train when, after the banquet, the -lord Cuitlahua took them to see his gardens. As they strode the walks, -and snuffed the flowers, and plucked the fruit; as they moved along the -canal with its lining of stone, and stopped to drink at the -fountains,--I was made feel that they thought everything, not merely my -lord's property, but my lord himself, belonged to them; they said as -much by their looks and actions, by their insolent swagger." - -"Was the 'tzin there?" - -"From the _azoteas_ of a temple he saw them enter the city; but he was -not at the banquet. I heard a story showing how he would treat the -strangers, if he had the power. One of their priests, out with a party, -came to the temple where he happened to be, and went up to the tower. In -the sanctuary one of them raised his spear and struck the image of the -god. The pabas threw up their hands and shrieked; he rushed upon the -impious wretch, and carried him to the sacrificial stone, stretched him -out, and called to the pabas, 'Come, the victim is ready!' When the -other _teules_ would have attacked him, he offered to fight them all. -The strange priest interfered, and they departed." - -The applause of the bystanders was loud and protracted; when it had -somewhat abated, Xoli, whose thoughts, from habit, ran chiefly upon the -edibles, said,-- - -"My lord Cuitlahua is a giver of good suppers. Pray, tell us about the -courses--" - -"Peace! be still, Chalcan!" cried Maxtla, angrily. "What care we whether -Malinche ate wolf-meat or quail?" - -Xoli bowed; the lords laughed. - -Then a gray-haired cacique behind Io' asked, "Tell us rather what -Malinche said." - -Hualpa shook his head. "The conversation was tedious. Everything was -said through an interpreter,--a woman born in the province Painalla; so -I paid little attention. I recollect, however, he asked many questions -about the great king, and about the Empire, and Tenochtitlan. He said -his master, the governor of the universe, had sent him here. He gave -much time, also, to explaining his religion. I might have understood -him, uncle, but my ears were too full of the rattle of arms." - -"What! Sat they at the table armed?" asked Maxtla. - -"All of them; even Malinche." - -"That was not the worst," said Io', earnestly. "At the same table my -lord Cuitlahua entertained a band of beggarly Tlascalan chiefs. Sooner -should my tongue have been torn out!" - -The bystanders made haste to approve the sentiment, and for a time it -diverted the conversation. Meanwhile, at Hualpa's order, the goblets -were refilled. - -"Dares the noble Maxtla," he then asked, "tell what the king will do?" - -"The question is very broad." And the chief smiled. "What special -information does my comrade seek?" - -"Can you tell us when Malinche will enter Tenochtitlan?" - -"Certainly. Xoli published that in the _tianguez_ before the sun was -up." - -"To be sure," answered the Chalcan. "The lord Maxtla knows the news cost -me a bowl of _pulque_." - -There was much laughter, in which the chief joined. Then he said, -gravely,-- - -"The king has arranged everything. As advised by the gods, Malinche -enters Tenochtitlan day after to-morrow. He will leave Iztapalapan at -sunrise, and march to the causeway by the lake shore. Cuitlahua, with -Cacama, the lord of Tecuba, and others of like importance, will meet him -at Xoloc. The king will follow them in state. As to the procession, I -will only say it were ill to lose the sight. Such splendor was never -seen on the causeway." - -Ordinarily the mention of such a prospect would have kindled the -liveliest enthusiasm; for the Aztecs were lovers of spectacles, and -never so glad as when the great green banner of the Empire was brought -forth to shed its solemn beauty over the legions, and along the storied -street of Tenochtitlan. Much, therefore, was Maxtla surprised at the -coldness that fell upon the company. - -"Ho, friends! One would think the reception not much to your liking," he -said. - -"We are the king's,--dust under his feet,--and it is not for us to -murmur," said a sturdy cacique, first to break the disagreeable silence. -"Yet our fathers gave their enemies bolts instead of banquets." - -"Who may disobey the gods?" asked Maxtla. - -The argument was not more sententious than unanswerable. - -"Well, well!" said Hualpa. "I will get ready. Advise me, good chief: had -I better take a canoe?" - -"The procession will doubtless be better seen from the lake; but to hear -what passes between the king and Malinche, you should be in the train. -By the way, will the 'tzin be present?" - -"As the king may order," replied Hualpa. - -Maxtla threw back his look, and said with enthusiasm, real or affected, -"Much would I like to see and hear him when the Tlascalans come flying -their banners into the city! How he will flame with wrath!" - -Then Hualpa considerately changed the direction of the discourse. - -"Malinche will be a troublesome guest, if only from the number of his -following. Will he be lodged in one of the temples?" - -"A temple, indeed!" And Maxtla laughed scornfully. "A temple would be -fitter lodging for the gods of Mictlan! At Cempoalla, you recollect, the -_teules_ threw down the sacred gods, and butchered the pabas at the -altars. Lest they should desecrate a holy house here, they are assigned -to the old palace of Axaya'. To-morrow the _tamanes_ will put it in -order." - -Io' then asked, "Is it known how long they will stay?" - -Maxtla shrugged his shoulders, and drank his _pulque_. - -"Hist!" whistled a cacique. "That is what the king would give half his -kingdom to know!" - -"And why?" asked the boy, reddening. "Is he not master? Does it not -depend upon him?" - -"It depends upon no other!" cried Maxtla, dashing his palm upon the -table until the goblets danced. "By the holy gods, he has but to speak -the word, and these guests will turn to victims!" - -And Hualpa, surprised at the display of spirit, seconded the chief: -"Brave words, O my lord Maxtla! They give us hope." - -"He will treat them graciously," Maxtla continued, "because they come by -his request; but when he tells them to depart, if they obey not,--if -they obey not,--when was his vengeance other than a king's? Who dares -say he cannot, by a word, end this visit?" - -"No one!" cried Io'. - -"Ay, no one! But the goblets are empty. See! Io', good prince,"--and -Maxtla's voice changed at once,--"would another draught be too much for -us? We drink slowly; one more, only one. And while we drink, we will -forget Malinche." - -"Would that were possible!" sighed the boy. - -They sent up the goblets, and continued the session until daylight. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - MONTEZUMA GOES TO MEET CORTES. - - -Came the eighth of November, which no Spaniard, himself a Conquistador, -can ever forget; that day Cortes entered Tenochtitlan. - -The morning dawned over Anahuac as sometimes it dawns over the Bay of -Naples, bringing an azure haze in which the world seemed set afloat. - -"Look you, uncles," said Montezuma, yet at breakfast, and speaking to -his councillors: "they are to go before me, my heralds; and as Malinche -is the servant of a king, and used to courtly styles, I would not have -them shame me. Admit them with the _nequen_ off. As they will appear -before him, let them come to me." - -And thereupon four nobles were ushered in, full-armed, even to the -shield. Their helms were of glittering silver; their _escaupiles_, or -tunics of quilted mail, were stained vivid green, and at the neck and -borders sparkled with pearls; over their shoulders hung graceful mantles -of _plumaje_, softer than cramoisy velvet; upon their breasts blazed -decorations and military insignia; from wrist to elbow, and from knee to -sandal-strap, their arms and legs were sheathed in scales of gold. And -so, ready for peaceful show or mortal combat,--his heroes and -ambassadors,--they bided the monarch's careful review. - -"Health to you, my brothers! and to you, my children!" he said, with -satisfaction. "What of the morning? How looks the sun?" - -"Like the beginning of a great day, O king, which we pray may end -happily for you," replied Cuitlahua. - -"It is the work of Huitzil'; doubt not! I have called you, O my -children, to see how well my fame will be maintained. I wish to show -Malinche a power and beauty such as he has never seen, unless he come -from the Sun itself. Earth has but one valley of Anahuac, one city of -Tenochtitlan: so he shall acknowledge. Have you directed his march as I -ordered?" - -And Cacama replied, "Through the towns and gardens, he is to follow the -shore of the lake to the great causeway. By this time he is on the -road." - -Then Montezuma's face flushed; and, lifting his head as it were to look -at objects afar off, he said aloud, yet like one talking to himself,-- - -"He is a lover of gold, and has been heard speak of cities and temples -and armies; of his people numberless as the sands. O, if he be a man, -with human weaknesses,--if he has hope, or folly of thought, to make him -less than a god,--ere the night fall he shall give me reverence. Sign of -my power shall he find at every step: cities built upon the waves; -temples solid and high as the hills; the lake covered with canoes and -gardens; people at his feet, like stalks in the meadow; my warriors; and -Tenochtitlan, city of empire! And then, if he greet me with hope or -thought of conquest,--then--" He shuddered. - -"And then what?" said Cuitlahua, upon whom not a word had been lost. - -The thinker, startled, looked at him coldly, saying,-- - -"I will take council of the gods." - -And for a while he returned to his _choclatl_. When next he looked up, -and spoke, his face was bright and smiling. - -"With a train, my children, you are to go in advance of me, and meet -Malinche at Xoloc. Embrace him, speak to him honorably, return with him, -and I will be at the first bridge outside the city. Cuitlahua and -Cacama, be near when he steps forward to salute me. I will lean upon -your shoulders. Get you gone now. Remember Anahuac!" - -Shortly afterward a train of nobles, magnificently arrayed, issued from -the palace, and marched down the great street leading to the Iztapalapan -causeway. The house-tops, the porticos, even the roofs and towers of -temples, and the pavements and cross-streets, were already occupied by -spectators. At the head of the procession strode the four heralds. -Silently they marched, in silence the populace received them. The -spectacle reminded very old men of the day the great Axaya' was borne in -mournful pomp to Chapultepec. Once only there was a cheer, or, rather, a -war-cry from the warriors looking down from the terraces of a temple. So -the cortege passed from the city; so, through a continuous lane of men, -they moved along the causeway; so they reached the gates of Xoloc, at -which the two dikes, one from Iztapalapan, the other from Cojohuaca, -intersected each other. There they halted, waiting for Cortes. - -And while the train was on the road, out of one of the gates of the -royal garden passed a palanquin, borne by four slaves in the king's -livery. The occupants were the princesses Tula and Nenetzin, with Yeteve -in attendance. In any of the towns of old Spain there would have been -much remark upon the style of carriage, but no denial of their beauty, -or that they were Spanish born. The elder sister was thoughtful and -anxious; the younger kept constant lookout; the priestess, at their -feet, wove the flowers with which they were profusely supplied into -_ramilletes_, and threw them to the passers-by. The slaves, when in the -great street, turned to the north. - -"Blessed Lady!" cried Yeteve. "Was the like ever seen?" - -"What is it?" asked Nenetzin. - -"Such a crowd of people!" - -Nenetzin looked out again, saying, "I wish I could see a noble or a -warrior." - -"That may not be," said Tula. "The nobles are gone to receive Malinche, -the warriors are shut up in the temples." - -"Why so?" - -"They may be needed." - -"Ah! was it thought there is such danger? But look, see!" And Nenetzin -drew back alarmed, yet laughing. - -There was a crash outside, and a loud shout, and the palanquin stopped. -Tula drew the curtain quickly, not knowing but that the peril requiring -the soldiery was at hand. A vendor of little stone images,--_teotls_, or -household gods,--unable to get out of the way, had been run upon by the -slaves, and the pavement sprinkled with the broken heads and legs of the -luckless _lares_. Aside, surveying the wreck, stood the pedler, clad as -usual with his class. In his girdle he carried a mallet, significant of -his trade. He was uncommonly tall, and of a complexion darker than the -lowest slaves. While the commiserate princess observed him, he raised -his eyes; a moment he stood uncertain what to do; then he stepped to the -palanquin, and from the folds of his tunic drew an image elaborately -carved upon the face of an agate. - -"The good princess," he said, bending so low as to hide his face, "did -not laugh at the misfortune of her poor slave. She has a friendly heart, -and is loved by every artisan in Tenochtitlan. This carving is of a -sacred god, who will watch over and bless her, as I now do. If she will -take it, I shall be glad." - -"It is very valuable, and maybe you are not rich," she replied. - -"Rich! When it is told that the princess Tula was pleased with a _teotl_ -of my carving, I shall have patrons without end. And if it were not so, -the recollection will make me rich enough. Will she please me so much?" - -She took from her finger a ring set with a jewel that, in any city of -Europe, would have bought fifty such cameos, and handed it to him. - -"Certainly; but take this from me. I warrant you are a gentle artist." - -The pedler took the gift, and kissed the pavement, and, after the -palanquin was gone, picked up such of his wares as were uninjured, and -went his way well pleased. - -At the gate of the temple of Huitzil' the three alighted, and made their -way to the _azoteas_. The lofty place was occupied by pabas and -citizens, yet a sun-shade of gaudy feather-work was pitched for them -close by the eastern verge, overlooking the palace of Axaya', and -commanding the street up which the array was to come. In the area below, -encompassed by the _Coatapantli_, or Wall of Serpents, ten thousand -warriors were closely ranked, ready to march at beat of the great drum -hanging in the tower. Thus, comfortably situated, the daughters of the -king awaited the strangers. - -When Montezuma started to meet his guests, the morning was far advanced. -A vast audience, in front of his palace, waited to catch a view of his -person. Of his policy the mass knew but the little gleaned from a -thousand rumors,--enough to fill them with forebodings of evil. Was he -going out as king or slave? At last he came, looking their ideal of a -child of the Sun, and ready for the scrutiny. Standing in the portal, he -received their homage; not one but kissed the ground before him. - -He stepped out, and the sun, as if acknowledging his presence, seemed to -pour a double glory about him. In the time of despair and overthrow that -came, alas! too soon, those who saw him, in that moment of pride, spread -his arms in general benediction, remembered his princeliness, and spoke -of him ever after in the language of poetry. The _tilmatli_, looped at -the throat, and falling gracefully from his shoulders, was beaded with -jewels and precious stones; the long, dark-green plumes in his _panache_ -drooped with pearls; his sash was in keeping with the mantle; the thongs -of his sandals were edged with gold, and the soles were entirely of -gold. Upon his breast, relieved against the rich embroidery of his -tunic, symbols of the military orders of the realm literally blazed with -gems. - -About the royal palanquin, in front of the portal, bareheaded and -barefooted, stood its complement of bearers, lords of the first rank, -proud of the service. Between the carriage and the doorway a carpet of -white cloth was stretched: common dust might not soil his feet. As he -stepped out, he was saluted by a roar of attabals and conch-shells. The -music warmed his blood; the homage was agreeable to him,--was to his -soul what incense is to the gods. He gazed proudly around, and it was -easy to see how much he was in love with his own royalty. - -Taking his place in the palanquin, the cortege moved slowly down the -street. In advance walked stately caciques with wands, clearing the way. -The carriers of the canopy, which was separate from the carriage, -followed next; and behind them, reverently, and with downcast faces, -marched an escort of armed lords indescribably splendid. - -The street traversed was the same Malinche was to traverse. Often and -again did the subtle monarch look to paves and house-tops, and to the -canals and temples. Well he knew the cunning guest would sweep them all, -searching for evidences of his power; that nothing would escape -examination; that the myriads of spectators, the extent of the city, its -position in the lake, and thousands of things not to be written would -find places in the calculation inevitable if the visit were with other -than peaceful intent. - -At a palace near the edge of the city the escort halted to abide the -coming. - -Soon, from the lake, a sound of music was heard, more plaintive than -that of the conchs. - -"They are coming, they are coming! The _teules_ are coming!" shouted the -people; and every heart, even the king's, beat quicker. Up the street -the cry passed, like a hurly gust of wind. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE ENTRY. - - -It is hardly worth while to eulogize the Christians who took part in -Cortes' crusade. History has assumed their commemoration. I may say, -however, they were men who had acquired fitness for the task by service -in almost every clime. Some had tilted with the Moor under the walls of -Granada; some had fought the Islamite on the blue Danube; some had -performed the first Atlantic voyage with Columbus; all of them had -hunted the Carib in the glades of Hispaniola. It is not enough to -describe them as fortune-hunters, credulous, imaginative, tireless; -neither is it enough to write them soldiers, bold, skilful, confident, -cruel to enemies, gentle to each other. They were characters of the age -in which they lived, unseen before, unseen since; knights errant, who -believed in hippogriff and dragon, but sought them only in lands of -gold; missionaries, who complacently broke the body of the converted -that Christ might the sooner receive his soul; palmers of pike and -shield, who, in care of the Virgin, followed the morning round the -world, assured that Heaven stooped lowest over the most profitable -plantations. - -[Illustration: "OUT OF THE WAY, DOG!" SHOUTED SANDOVAL] - -The wonders of the way from the coast to Iztapalapan had so beguiled the -little host that they took but partial account of its dangers. When, -this morning, they stepped upon the causeway, and began the march out -into the lake, a sense of insecurity fell upon them, like the shadow of -a cloud; back to the land they looked, as to a friend from whom they -might be parting forever; and as they proceeded, and the water spread -around them, wider, deeper, and up-bearing denser multitudes of -people, the enterprise suddenly grew in proportions, and challenged -their self-sufficiency; yet, as I have heard them confess, they did not -wake to a perfect comprehension of their situation, and its dangers and -difficulties, until they passed the gates of Xoloc: then Tenochtitlan -shone upon them,--a city of enchantment! And then each one felt that to -advance was like marching in the face of death, at the same time each -one saw there was no hope except in advance. Every hand grasped closer -the weapon with which it was armed, while the ranks were intuitively -closed. What most impressed them, they said, was the silence of the -people; a word, a shout, a curse, or a battle-cry would have been a -relief from the fears and fancies that beset them; as it was, though in -the midst of myriad life, they heard only their own tramp, or the clang -and rattle of their own arms. As if aware of the influence, and fearful -of its effect upon his weaker followers, Cortes spoke to the musicians, -and trumpet and clarion burst into a strain which, with beat of drum and -clash of cymbal, was heard in the city. - -"_Ola_, Sandoval, Alvarado! Here, at my right and left!" cried Cortes. - -They spurred forward at the call. - -"Out of the way, dog!" shouted Sandoval, thrusting a naked _tamene_ over -the edge of the dike with the butt of his lance. - -"By my conscience, Senores," Cortes said, "I think true Christian in a -land of unbelievers never beheld city like this. If it be wrong to the -royal good knight, Richard, of England, or that valorous captain, the -Flemish Duke Godfrey, may the saints pardon me; but I dare say the -walled towns they took, and, for that matter, I care not if you number -Antioch and the Holy City of the Sepulchre among them, were not to be -put in comparison with this infidel stronghold." - -And as they ride, listening to his comments, let me bring them -particularly to view. - -They were in full armor, except that Alvarado's squire carried his -helmet for him. In preparation for the entry, their skilful furbishers -had well renewed the original lustre of helm, gorget, breastplate, -glaive, greave, and shield. The plumes in their crests, like the scarfs -across their breasts, had been carefully preserved for such ceremonies. -At the saddle-bows hung heavy hammers, better known as battle-axes. -Rested upon the iron shoe, and balanced in the right hand, each carried -a lance, to which, as the occasion was peaceful, a silken pennon was -attached. The horses, opportunely rested in Iztapalapan, and glistening -in mail, trod the causeway as if conscious of the terror they inspired. - -Cortes, between his favorite captains, rode with lifted visor, smiling -and confident. His complexion was bloodless and ashy, a singularity the -more noticeable on account of his thin, black beard. The lower lip was -seamed with a scar. He was of fine stature, broad-shouldered, and thin, -but strong, active, and enduring. His skill in all manner of martial -exercises was extraordinary. He conversed in Latin, composed poetry, -wrote unexceptionable prose, and, except when in passion, spoke gravely -and with well-turned periods.[41] In argument he was both dogmatic and -convincing, and especially artful in addressing soldiers, of whom, by -constitution, mind, will, and courage, he was a natural leader. Now, gay -and assured, he managed his steed with as little concern and talked -carelessly as a knight returning victorious from some joyous passage of -arms. - -Gonzalo de Sandoval, not twenty-three years of age, was better looking, -having a larger frame and fuller face. His beard was auburn, and curled -agreeably to the prevalent fashion. Next to his knightly honor, he loved -his beautiful chestnut horse, Motilla.[42] - -Handsomest man of the party, however, was Don Pedro de Alvarado. -Generous as a brother to a Christian, he hated a heathen with the fervor -of a crusader. And now, in scorn of Aztecan treachery, he was riding -unhelmed, his locks, long and yellow, flowing freely over his shoulders. -His face was fair as a gentlewoman's, and neither sun nor weather could -alter it. Except in battle, his countenance expressed the friendliest -disposition. He cultivated his beard assiduously, training it to fall in -ringlets upon his breast,--and there was reason for the weakness, if -such it was; yellow as gold, with the help of his fair face and clear -blue eyes, it gave him a peculiar expression of sunniness, from which -the Aztecs called him _Tonitiah_, child of the Sun.[43] - -And over what a following of cavaliers the leader looked when, turning -in his saddle, he now and then glanced down the column,--Christobal de -Oli, Juan Velasquez de Leon, Francisco de Montejo, Luis Marin, Andreas -de Tapia, Alonzo de Avila, Francisco de Lugo, the Manjarezes, Andreas -and Gregorio, Diego de Ordas, Francisco de Morla, Christobal de Olea, -Gonzalo de Dominguez, Rodriques Magarino, Alonzo Hernandez -Carrero,--most of them gentlemen of the class who knew the songs of -Rodrigo, and the stories of Amadis and the Paladins! - -And much shame would there be to me if I omitted mention of two -others,--Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who, after the conquest, became its -faithful historian, and Father Bartolome de Olmedo,[44] sweet singer, -good man, and devoted servant of God, the first to whisper the names of -Christ and the Holy Mother in the ear of New Spain. In the column behind -the cavaliers, with his assistant, Juan de las Varillas, he rode -bareheaded, and clad simply in a black serge gown. The tinkle of the -little silver bell, which the soldiers, in token of love, had tied to -the neck of his mule, sounded, amid the harsher notes of war, like a -gentle reminder of shepherds and grazing flocks in peaceful pastures -near Old World homes. - -After the holy men, in care of a chosen guard of honor, the flag of -Spain was carried; and then came the artillery, drawn by slaves; next, -in close order, followed the cross-bowmen and arquebusiers, the latter -with their matches lighted. Rearward still, in savage pomp and pride, -strode the two thousand Tlascalans, first of their race to bear shield -and fly banner along the causeway into Tenochtitlan. And so the -Christians, in order of battle, but scarcely four hundred strong, -marched into a capital of full three hundred thousand inhabitants, -swollen by the innumerable multitudes of the valley. - -As they drew nigh the city, the cavaliers became silent and thoughtful. -With astonishment, which none of them sought to conceal, they gazed at -the white walls and crowded houses, and, with sharpened visions, traced -against the sky the outlines of temples and temple-towers, more numerous -than those of papal Rome. Well they knew that the story of what they saw -so magnificently before them would be received with incredulity in all -the courts of Christendom. Indeed, some of the humbler soldiers marched -convinced that all they beheld was a magical delusion. Not so Cortes. - -"Ride on, gentlemen, ride on!" he said. "There is a question I would ask -of a good man behind us. I will rejoin you shortly." - -From the artillerists he singled a soldier. - -"Martin Lopez! Martin Lopez!" - -The man came to him. - -"Martin, look out on this lake. Beareth it resemblance to the blue bays -on the southern shore of old Spain? As thou art a crafty sailor, comrade -mine, look carefully." - -Lopez raised his morion, and, leaning on his pike, glanced over the -expanse. - -"Senor, the water is fair enough, and, for that, looks like bayous I -have seen without coming so far; but I doubt if a two-decker could float -on it long enough for Father Olmedo to say mass for our souls in peril." - -"Peril! Plague take thee, man! Before the hour of vespers, by the -Blessed Lady, whose image thou wearest, this lake, yon city, its master, -and all thou seest here, not excepting the common spawn of idolatry at -our feet, shall be the property of our sovereign lord. But, Martin -Lopez, thou hast hauled sail and tacked ship in less room than this. -What say'st thou to sailing a brigantine here?" - -The sailor's spirit rose; he looked over the lake again. - -"It might be done, it might be done!" - -"Then, by my conscience, it shall be! Confess thyself an Admiral -to-night." - -And Cortes rode to the front. Conquest might not be, he saw, without -vessels; and true to his promise, it came to pass that Lopez sailed, not -one, but a fleet of brigantines on the gentle waters. - -When the Christians were come to the first bridge outside the walls, -their attention was suddenly drawn from the city. Down the street came -Montezuma and his retinue. Curious as they were to see the arch-infidel, -the soldiers kept their ranks; but Cortes, taking with him the -cavaliers, advanced to meet the monarch. When the palanquin stopped, the -Spaniards dismounted. About the same time an Indian woman, of comely -features, came forward. - -"Stay thou here, Marina," said Cortes. "I will embrace the heathen, then -call thee to speak to him." - -"_Jesu!_" cried Alvarado. "There is gold enough on his litter to furnish -a cathedral." - -"Take thou the gold, Senor; I choose the jewels on his mantle," said De -Ordas. - -"By my patron saint of excellent memory!" said Sandoval, lisping his -words, "I think for noble cavaliers ye are easily content. Take the -jewels and the gold; but give me that train of stalwart dogs, and a -plantation worthy of my degree here by Tezcuco." - -So the captains talked. - -Meantime, the cotton cloth was stretched along the dike. Then on land -and sea a hush prevailed. - -Montezuma came forward supported by the lords Cuitlahua and Cacama. -Cortes met him half-way. When face to face, they paused, and looked at -each other. Alas, for the Aztec then! In the mailed stranger he beheld a -visitant from the Sun,--a god! The Spaniard saw, wrapped in the rich -vestments, only a man,--a king, yet a heathen! He opened his arms: -Montezuma stirred not. Cuitlahua uttered a cry to Huitzil', and caught -one of the extended arms. Long did Cortes keep in mind the cacique's -look at that moment; long did he remember the dark brown face, swollen -with indignation and horror. Alvarado laid his hand on his sword. - -"Peace, Don Pedro!" said Cortes. "The knave knows nothing of respectable -customs. Instead of taking to thy sword, bless the Virgin that a -Christian knight hath been saved the sin of embracing an unbeliever. -Call Marina." - -The woman came, and stood by the Spaniard, and in a sweet voice -interpreted the speeches. The monarch expressed delight at seeing his -visitors, and welcomed them to Tenochtitlan; his manner and courteous -words won even Alvarado. Cortes answered, acknowledging surprise at the -beauty and extent of the city, and in token of his gratification at -being at last before a king so rich and powerful begged him to accept a -present. Into the royal hand he then placed a string of precious stones, -variously colored, and strongly perfumed with musk. Thereupon the -ceremony ended. Two of the princes were left to conduct the strangers to -their quarters. Resuming his palanquin, Montezuma himself led the -procession as far as his own palace. - -And Cortes swung himself into the saddle. "Let the trumpets sound. -Forward!" - -Again the music,--again the advance; then the pageant passed from the -causeway and lake into the expectant city. - -Theretofore, the Christians had been silent from discipline, now they -were silent from wonder. Even Cortes held his peace. They had seen the -irregular towns of Tlascala, and the pretentious beauty of Cholula, and -Iztapalapan, in whose streets the lake contended with the land for -mastery, yet were they unprepared for Tenochtitlan. Here, it was plain, -wealth and power and time and labor, under the presidency of genius, had -wrought their perfect works, everywhere visible: under foot, a sounding -bridge, or a broad paved way, dustless, and unworn by wheel or hoof; on -the right and left, airy windows, figured portals, jutting balconies, -embattled cornices, porticos with columns of sculptured marble, and here -a palace, there a temple; overhead pyramidal heights crowned with towers -and smoking braziers, or lower roofs, from which, as from hanging -gardens, floated waftures sweet as the perfumed airs of the Indian -isles; and everywhere, looking up from the canals, down from the -porticos, houses, and pyramids, and out of the doors and windows, -crowding the pavement, clinging to the walls,--everywhere the PEOPLE! -After ages of decay I know it has been otherwise; but I also know that -conquerors have generally found the builders of a great state able and -willing to defend it. - -"St. James absolve me, Senor! but I like not the coldness of these -dogs," said Monjarez to Avila. - -"Nor I," was the reply. "Seest thou the women on yon balcony? I would -give my helmet full of ducats, if they would but once cry, "_Viva -Espana!_" - -"Nay, that would I if they would but wave a scarf." - -The progress of the pageant was necessarily slow; but at last the -spectators on the temple of Huitzil' heard its music; at last the -daughters of the king beheld it in the street below them. - -"Gods of my fathers!" thought Tula, awed and trembling, "what manner of -beings are these?" - -And the cross-bowmen and arquebusiers, their weapons and glittering iron -caps, the guns, and slaves that dragged them, even the flag of -Spain,--objects of mighty interest to others,--drew from Nenetzin but a -passing glance. Very beautiful to her, however, were the cavaliers, -insomuch that she cared only for their gay pennons, their shields, their -plumes nodding bravely above their helms, their armor of strange metal, -on which the sun seemed to play with a fiery love, and their steeds, -creatures tamed for the service of gods. Suddenly her eyes fixed, her -heart stopped; pointing to where the good Captain Alvarado rode, -scanning, with upturned face, the great pile, "O Tula, Tula!" she cried. -"See! There goes the blue-eyed warrior of my dream!" - -But it happened that Tula was, at the moment, too much occupied to -listen or look. The handsome vendor of images, standing near the royal -party, had attracted the attention of Yeteve, the priestess. - -"The noble Tula is unhappy. She is thinking of--" - -A glance checked the name. - -Then Yeteve whispered, "Look at the image-maker." - -The prompting was not to be resisted. She looked, and recognized -Guatamozin. Not that only; through his low disguise, in his attitude, -his eyes bright with angry fire, she discerned his spirit, its pride and -heroism. Not for her was it to dispute the justice of his banishment. -Love scorned the argument. There he stood, the man for the time; -strong-armed, stronger-hearted, prince by birth, king by nature, -watching afar off a scene in which valor and genius entitled him to -prominence. Then there were tears for him, and a love higher, if not -purer, than ever. - -Suddenly he leaned over the verge, and shouted, "Al-a-lala! Al-a-lala!" -and with such energy that he was heard in the street below. Tula looked -down, and saw the cause of the excitement,--the Tlascalans were marching -by! Again his cry, the same with which he had so often led his -countrymen to battle. No one took it up. The companies inside the sacred -wall turned their faces, and stared at him in dull wonder. And he -covered his eyes with his hands, while every thought was a fierce -invective. Little he then knew how soon, and how splendidly, they were -to purchase his forgiveness! - -When the Tlascalans were gone, he dropped his hands, and found -the--mallet! So it was the artisan, the image-maker, not the 'tzin, who -had failed to wake the army to war! He turned quickly, and took his way -through the crowd, and disappeared; and none but Tula and Yeteve ever -knew that, from the _teocallis_, Guatamozin had witnessed the entry of -the _teules_. - -And so poor Nenetzin had been left to follow the warrior of her dream; -the shock and the pleasure were hers alone. - -The palace of Axaya' faced the temple of Huitzil' on the west. In one of -the halls Montezuma received Cortes and the cavaliers; and all their -lives they recollected his gentleness, courtesy, and unaffected royalty -in that ceremony. Putting a golden collar around the neck of his chief -guest, he said, "This palace belongs to you, Malinche, and to your -brethren. Rest after your fatigues; you have much need to do so. In a -little while I will come again." - -And when he was gone, straightway the guest so honored proceeded to -change the palace into a fort. Along the massive walls that encircled -it he stationed sentinels; at every gate planted cannon; and, like the -enemy he was, he began, and from that time enforced, a discipline -sterner than before. - -The rest of the day the citizens, from the top of the temple, kept -incessant watch upon the palace. When the shades of evening were -collecting over the city, and the thousands, grouped along the streets, -were whispering of the incidents they had seen, a thunderous report -broke the solemn stillness; and they looked at each other, and trembled, -and called the evening guns of Cortes "Voices of the Gods." - -FOOTNOTES: - - [41] Bernal Diaz, Hist. of the Conq. of Mexico. - - [42] Ib. - - [43] Bernal Diaz, Hist. of the Conq. of Mexico. - - [44] Ib. - - - - - BOOK FIVE. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - PUBLIC OPINION. - - -Guatamozin, accompanied by Hualpa, left the city a little after -nightfall. Impressed, doubtless, by the great event of the day, the two -journeyed in silence, until so far out that the fires of the capital -faded into a rosy tint low on the horizon. - -Then the 'tzin said, "I am tired, body and spirit; yet must I go back to -Tenochtitlan." - -"To-night?" Hualpa asked. - -"To-night; and I need help." - -"What I can, O 'tzin, that will I." - -"You are weary, also." - -"I could follow a wounded deer till dawn, if you so wished." - -"It is well." - -After a while the 'tzin again spoke. - -"To-day I have unlearned all the lessons of my youth. The faith I -thought part of my life is not; I have seen the great king conquered -without a blow!" - -There was a sigh such as only shame can wring from a strong man. - -"At the Chalcan's, where the many discontented meet to-night, there will -be," he resumed, "much talk of war without the king. Such conferences -are criminal; and yet there shall be war." - -He spoke with emphasis. - -"In my exile without a cause," he next said, "I have learned to -distinguish between the king and country. I have even reflected upon -conditions when the choosing between them may become a duty. Far be they -hence! but when they come, Anahuac shall have her son. To accomplish -their purpose, the lords in the city rely upon their united power, which -is nothing; with the signet in his hand, Maxtla alone could disperse -their forces. There is that, however, by which what they seek can be -wrought rightfully,--something under the throne, not above it, where -they are looking, and only the gods are,--a power known to every ruler -as his servant when wisely cared for, and his master when disregarded; -public opinion we call it, meaning the judgment and will of the many. In -this garb of artisan, I have been with the people all day, and for a -purpose higher than sight of what I abhorred. I talked with them. I know -them. In the march from Xoloc there was not a shout. In the awful -silence, what of welcome was there? Honor to the people! Before they are -conquered the lake will wear a red not of the sun! Imagine them of one -mind, and zealous for war: how long until the army catches the -sentiment? Imagine the streets and temples resounding with a constant -cry, 'Death to the strangers!' how long until the king yields to the -clamor? O comrade, that would be the lawful triumph of public opinion; -and so, I say, war shall be." - -After that the 'tzin remained sunk in thought until the canoe touched -the landing at his garden. Leaving the boatmen there, he proceeded, with -Hualpa, to the palace. In his study, he said, "You have seen the head of -the stranger whom I slew at Nauhtlan. I have another trophy. Come with -me." - -Providing himself with a lamp, he led the way to what seemed a kind of -workshop. Upon the walls, mixed with strange banners, hung all kinds of -Aztec armor; a bench stood by one of the windows, covered with tools; on -the floor lay bows, arrows, and lances, of such fashion as to betray the -experimentalist. The corners were decorated, if the term may be used, -with effigies of warriors preserved by the process peculiar to the -people. In the centre of the room, a superior attraction to Hualpa, -stood a horse, which had been subjected to the same process, but was so -lifelike now that he could hardly think it dead. The posture chosen for -the animal was that of partial repose, its head erect, its ears thrown -sharply forward, its nostrils distended, the forefeet firmly planted; so -it had, in life, often stood watching the approach or disappearance of -its comrades. The housings were upon it precisely as when taken from the -field. - -"I promised there should be war," the 'tzin said, when he supposed -Hualpa's wonder spent, "and that the people should bring it about. Now I -say, that the opinion I rely upon would ripen to-morrow, were there not -a thick cloud about it. The faith that Malinche and his followers are -_teules_ has spread from the palace throughout the valley. Unless it be -dispelled, Anahuac must remain the prey of the spoiler. Mualox, the -keeper of the old Cu of Quetzal', taught me long ago, that in the common -mind mystery can only be assailed by mystery; and that, O comrade, is -what I now propose. This nameless thing here belonged to the stranger -whom I slew at Nauhtlan. Come closer, and lay your hand upon it; mount -it, and you may know how its master felt the day he rode it to death. -There is his lance, there his shield, here his helm and whole array; -take them, and learn what little is required to make a god of a man." - -For a moment he busied himself getting the property of the unfortunate -Christian together; then he stopped before the Tihuancan, saying, "Let -others choose their parts, O comrade. All a warrior may do, that will I. -If the Empire must die, it shall be like a fighting man,--a hero's song -for future minstrels. Help me now. We will take the trophy to the city, -and set it up in the _tianguez_ along with the shield, arms, and armor. -The rotting head in the summer-house we will fix near by on the lance. -To-morrow, when the traders open their stalls, and the thousands so -shamelessly sold come back to their bartering and business, a mystery -shall meet them which no man can look upon and afterwards believe -Malinche a god. I see the scene,--the rush of the people, their -surprise, their pointing fingers. I hear the eager questions, 'What are -they?' 'Whence came they?' I hear the ready answer, 'Death to the -strangers!' Then, O comrade, will begin the Opinion, by force of which, -the gods willing, we shall yet hear the drum of Huitzil'. Lay hold now, -and let us to the canoe with the trophies." - -"If it be heavy as it seems, good 'tzin," said Hualpa, stooping to the -wooden slab which served as the base of the effigy, "I fear we shall be -overtasked." - -"It is not heavy; two children could carry it. A word more before we -proceed. In what I propose there is a peril aside from the patrols in -the _tianguez_. Malinche will hear of--" - -Hualpa laughed. "Was ever a victim sacrificed before he was caught?" - -"Hear further," said the 'tzin, gravely. "I took the king to the -summer-house, and showed him the head, which he will recognize. Your -heart, as well as mine, may pay the forfeit. Consider." - -"Lay hold, O 'tzin! Did you not but now call me comrade? Lay hold!" - -Thereupon they carried the once good steed out to the landing. Then the -'tzin went to the kiosk for the Spaniard's head, while Hualpa returned -to the palace for the arms and equipments. The head, wrapped in a cloth, -was dropped in the bow of the boat, and the horse and trappings carried -on board. Trusting in the gods, the _voyageurs_ pushed off, and were -landed, without interruption, near the great _tianguez_. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - A MESSAGE FROM THE GODS. - - -"It is done!" said the 'tzin, in a whisper. "It is done! One more -service, O comrade, if--" - -"Do not spare me, good 'tzin. I am happiest when serving you." - -"Then stay in the city to-night, and be here early after the discovery. -Take part with the crowd, and, if opportunity offer, direct it. I must -return to my exile. Report when all is over. The gods keep you! -Farewell." - -Hualpa, familiar with the square, went to the portico of the Chalcan; -and as the lamps were out, and the curtains of the door drawn for the -night, with the privilege of an _habitue_ he stretched himself upon one -of the lounges, and, lulled by the fountain, fell asleep. - -A shout awoke him. He looked out to see the day breaking in gloom. The -old sky of blue, in which the summer had so long and lovingly nestled, -was turned to lead; the smoke seemed to have fallen from the temples, -and, burdening the atmosphere, was driving along slowly and heavily, -like something belonging to the vanishing night. Another cry louder than -the first; then the door, or, rather, the screen, behind him was opened, -and the Chalcan himself came forth. - -"Ah, son of my friend!--Hark! Some maudlin fellow hallooes. The fool -would like to end his sleep, hard enough out there, in the temple. But -you,--where have you been?" - -"Here, good Xoli, on this lounge." - -"The night? Ah! the _pulque_ was too much for you. For your father's -sake, boy, I give you advice: To be perfectly happy in Tenochtitlan, it -is necessary to remember, first, how the judges punish drunkenness; -next, that there is no pure liquor in the city except in the king's -jars, and--There, the shout again! two of them! a third!" - -And the broker also looked out of the portico. - -"Holy gods, what a smoke! There go some sober citizens, neighbors of -mine,--and running. Something of interest! Come, Hualpa, let us go also. -The times are wonderful. You know there are gods in Tenochtitlan besides -those we worship. Come!" - -"I am hungry." - -"I will feed you to bursting when we get back. Come on." - -As they left the portico, people were hastening to the centre of the -square, where the outcry was now continuous and growing. - -"Room for the Chalcan!" said a citizen, already on the ground. "Let him -see what is here fallen from the clouds." - -Great was the astonishment of the broker when his eyes first rested on -the stately figure of the horse, and the terrible head on the lance -above it. Hualpa affected the same feeling, but, having a part to play, -shouted, as in alarm,-- - -"It is one of the fighting beasts of Malinche! Beware, O citizens! Your -lives may be in danger." - -The crowd, easily persuaded, fell back. - -"Let us get arms!" shouted one. - -"Arms! Get arms!" then rose, in full chorus. - -Hualpa ventured nearer, and cried out, "The beast is dead!" - -"Keep off, boy!" said Xoli, himself at a respectable distance. "Trust it -not; such things do not die." - -Never speech more opportune for the Tihuancan. - -"Be it of the earth or Sun, I tell you, friends, it is dead," he -replied, more loudly. "Who knows but that the holy Huitzil' has set it -up here to be seen of all of us, that we may know Malinche is not a god. -Is there one among you who has a javelin?" - -A weapon was passed to him over the heads of the fast increasing crowd. - -"Stand aside! I will see." - -Without more ado, the adventurer thrust deep in the horse's flank. Those -directly about held their breath from fear; and when the brute stirred -not, they looked at each other, not knowing what to say. That it was -dead, was past doubt. - -"Who will gainsay me now?" continued Hualpa. "It is dead, and so is he -to whom yon head belonged. Gods fall not so low." - -It was one of those moments when simple minds are easily converted to -any belief. - -"Gods they are not," said a voice in the throng; "but whence came they?" - -"And who put them here?" asked another. - -Hualpa answered swiftly,-- - -"Well said! The gods speak not directly to those whom they would -admonish or favor. And if this be the handiwork of Huitzil',--and what -more likely?--should we not inquire if it have a meaning? It may be a -message. Is there a reader of pictures among you, friends?" - -"Here is one!" - -"Let him come! Make way for him!" - -A citizen, from his dress a merchant, was pushed forward. - -"What experience have you?" - -"I studied in the _calmecac_!"[45] - -The man raised his eyes to the head on the lance, and they became -transfixed with horror. - -"Look, then, to what we have here, and, saying it is a message from the -holy Huitzil', read it for us. Speak out, that all may hear." - -The citizen was incapable of speech, and the people cried out, "He is a -shame to the heroic god! Off with him, off with him!" - -But Hualpa interfered. "No. He still believes Malinche a god. Let him -alone! I can use him." Then he spoke to the merchant. "Hear me, my -friend, and I will read. If I err, stop me." - -"Read, read!" went up on all sides. - -Hualpa turned to the group as if studying it. Around him fell the -silence of keen expectancy. - -"Thus writes Huitzil', greatest of gods, to the children of Anahuac, -greatest of peoples!"--so Hualpa began. "'The strangers in Tenochtitlan -are my enemies, and yours, O people. They come to overthrow my altars, -and make you a nation of slaves. You have sacrificed and prayed to me, -and now I say to you, Arise! Take arms before it is too late. Malinche -and his followers are but men. Strike them, and they will die. To -convince you that they are not gods, lo! here is one of them dead. So I -say, slay them, and everything that owns them master, even the beasts -they ride!'--Ho, friend, is not that correct?" - -"So I would have read," said the merchant. - -"Praised be Huitzil'!" cried Hualpa, devoutly. - -"Live the good god of our fathers! Death to the strangers!" answered the -people. - -And amid the stir and hum of many voices, the comrade of the 'tzin, -listening, heard his words repeated, and passed from man to man; so that -he knew his mission done, and that by noon the story of the effigy would -be common throughout the city, and in flight over the valley, with his -exposition of its meaning accepted and beyond counteraction. - -After a while the Chalcan caught his arm, saying, "The smell is dreadful -to a cultivated nose sharpened by an empty stomach. Snuff for one, -breakfast for the other. Let us go." - -Hualpa followed him. - -"Who is he? who is he?" asked the bystanders, eagerly. - -"Him! Not know him! It is the brave lad who slew the tiger and saved the -king's life." - -And the answer was to the exposition like an illuminated seal to a royal -writ. - -Morning advanced, curtained with clouds; and, as the account of the -spectacle flew, the multitude in the _tianguez_ increased, until there -was not room left for business. All who caught the news hurried to see -the sight, and for themselves read the miraculous message of Huitzil'. -The clamor of tongues the while was like the clamor of waves, and not -singularly; for thus was fought the first great battle,--the battle of -the mysteries,--and with this result: if a believer in the divinity of -Cortes looked once at the rotting head on the lance, he went away of the -'tzin's opinion, impatient for war. - -About noon a party of Spaniards, footmen, armed and out inspecting the -city, entered the square. The multitude daunted them not the least. -Talking, sometimes laughing, they sauntered along, peering into the open -booths and stalls, and watching with practised eyes for gold. - -"Holy mass!" exclaimed one of them, stopping. "The heathen are at -sacrifice." - -"Sacrifice, saidst thou? This is their market-place." - -"That as thou wilt. I tell thee they have been at worship. My eyes are -not dim as my mother's, who was past fifty the day we sailed from -Cuba,--may the saints preserve her! If they were, yet could I swear that -yonder hangs the head of a victim." - -Over the restless crowd they looked at the ghastly object, eager yet -uncertain. - -"Now I bethink me, the poor wretch who hath suffered the death may have -been one of the half-assoilzied sons of Tlascala. If we are in a -stronghold of enemies, as I have concluded from the wicked, Carib looks -of these savages, Heaven and St. James defend us! We are a score with -weapons; in the Mother's name, let us to the bloody sign!" - -The unarmed mass into which, without further consideration, they -plunged, was probably awed by the effrontery of the movement, for the -leader had not once occasion to shorten his advancing step. Halted -before the spectacle, they looked first at the horse, then at the head. -Remembrance was faithful: in one, they recognized the remains of a -comrade; in the other, his property. - -"Arguella, Arguella! Good captain! Santa Maria!" burst from them. - -As they gazed, tears of pity and rage filled their eyes, and coursed -down their bronzed cheeks. - -"Peace!" said the sterner fellow at whose suggestion they had come. "Are -ye soldiers, or whimpering women? Do as I bid! Save your tears for -Father Bartolome to mix with masses for the poor fellow's soul. Look to -the infidels! I will take down the head." - -He lowered the lance, and took off the loathsome object. - -"We will carry it to the Senor Hernan. It shall have burial, and masses, -and a cross. Hands to the horse now! Arguella loved it well; many a day -I have seen him comb its mane kindly as if it had been the locks of his -sweetheart. Nay, it is too unwieldy. Let it stand, but take the armor. -Hug the good sword close. Heaven willing, it shall redden in the -carcasses of some of these hounds of hell. Are we ready? To quarters, -then! As we go, mark the unbelievers, and cleave the first that lifts a -hand or bars the way." - -They reached the old palace in safety. Needless to depict the grief and -rage of the Christians at sight of the countenance of the unfortunate -Arguella. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [45] The University. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - HOW ILLS OF STATE BECOME ILLS OF SOCIETY. - - -By this time, Io', the prince, had acquired somewhat of the importance -of a man. Thanks to Hualpa, and his own industry, he could hurl a -javelin, strike stoutly with a _maquahuitl_, and boast of skill with the -bow. As well he might, he smiled at thought of the maternal care, and -from his sisters demanded a treatment due to one of his accomplishments -and dignity. - -The day after the incidents narrated in the preceding chapter, he -entered Tula's apartment, and requested her to dismiss her attendants. - -"Sit down, my brother," she said, when they were alone. "You look vexed. -What has happened?" - -Going to a table close by, he commenced despoiling a vase of flowers. -She repeated the question. - -"I am glad," he answered, "to find one whom the coming of the strangers -has not changed." - -"What now?" - -"I have been again and again to see Nenetzin, but she refuses me. Is she -sick?" - -"Not that I know." - -"Then why is she so provoking?" - -"My brother, you know not what it is for a girl to find her lover. -Nenetzin has found hers." - -"It is to talk about him I want to see her." - -"You know him! How? when?" - -"Do I not see him every day? Is he not my comrade?" - -"Your comrade!" - -"The lord Hualpa! He came to you once with a message from the 'tzin." - -To a woman, the most interesting stories are those that have to do with -the gentle passion. Seeing his mistake, she encouraged it. - -"Yes, I remember him. He is both brave and handsome." - -Io' left the vase, and came to her side. His curiosity was piqued. - -"How came you to know he was her lover? He would hardly confess it to -me." - -"Yet he did tell you?" she answered, evasively. - -"Yes. One day, tired of practising with our slings, we lay down in the -shade of a ceiba-tree. We talked about what I should do when I became a -man. I should be a warrior, and command armies, and conquer Tlascala; he -should be a warrior also, and in my command. That should not be, I told -him, as he would always be the most skilful. He laughed, but not as -merrily as I have heard him. Then he said, 'There are many things you -will have learned by that time; such as what rank is, and especially -what it is to be of the king's blood.' I asked him why he spoke so. He -said he would tell me some day, but not then. And I thought of the time -we went to meet you at the _chinampa_, and of how he gave you a vase -from the 'tzin, and one to Nenetzin from himself. Then I thought I -understood him, but insisted on his telling. He put me off; at last he -said he was a foolish fellow, and in his lonely haunts in Tihuanco had -acquired a habit of dreaming, which was not broken as he would like. He -had first seen Nenetzin at the Quetzal' combat, and thought her -handsomer than any one he had ever met. The day on the lake he ventured -to speak to her; she smiled, and took his gift; and since that he had -not been strong enough to quit thinking about her. It was great folly, -he said. 'Why so?' I asked him. He hid his face in the grass, and -answered, 'I am the son of a merchant; she is of the king's blood, and -would mock me.' 'But,' said I, 'you are now noble, and owner of a -palace.' He raised his head, and looked at me; had she been there, she -would not have mocked him. 'Ah,' he said, 'if I could only get her to -cease thinking of me as the trader's son!' 'Now you are foolish,' I told -him. 'Did you not win your rank by fighting? Why not fight -for'--Nenetzin, I was about to say, but he sprang up and ran off, and it -was long before I could get him to speak of her again. The other day, -however, he consented to let me try and find out what she thought of -him. To-morrow I rejoin him; and if he asks me about her, what can I -say?" - -"So you wished to help your poor comrade. Tell me what you intended -saying to her." - -"I intended to tell her how I was passing the time, and then to praise -him for his courage and skill, his desire to be great, his -gentleness--O, there are a thousand things to say!" - -Tula smiled sorrowfully. "Did you imagine she would learn to love him -from that?" - -"Why not?" asked Io', innocently. - -"I cannot explain now; time will teach you. My brother, long will an -Aztec woo before he wins our wayward sister!" - -"Well," he said, taking her hand, "what I wanted to say to her will come -better from you. Ah, if you but knew him as I and the 'tzin do!" - -"Does the 'tzin so love him?" - -"Was he not a chosen messenger to you?" - -She shook her head doubtfully. "I fear she is beyond our little arts. -Fine speeches alone will not do. Though we painted him fair as Quetzal', -and set the picture before her every hour in the day, still it would not -be enough. Does he come often to the city?" - -"Never, except for the 'tzin." - -"We must get them together. Let me see,--ah, yes; the _chinampa_! We -have not been there for a long time, and that will be an excuse for -going to-morrow. You can bring the lord Hualpa, and I will take a -minstrel, and have him sing, and tell stories of love and lovers." - -She stopped, and sighed, thinking, doubtless, how the 'tzin's presence -would add to the pleasure of the meeting. At that moment the curtain of -the door was flung aside, and Nenetzin herself came in, looking vexed -and pouting. - -"Yesterday was too much for my sister," said Tula, pleasantly. "I hope -she is well again." - -"I slept poorly," was the reply. - -"If you are sick, we will send to the temples--" - -"No, I hate the herb-dealers." - -"What ails you, Nenetzin?" asked Io', irritated. - -"Who would not be ailing, afflicted as I have been? One graceless fellow -after another calling to see me, until I am out of patience!" - -Io' colored, and turned away. - -"But what if they had news," said Tula; "something from the strangers?" - -Nenetzin's face brightened. "What of them? Have they waited on our -father?" - -"Have they, Io'?" Tula asked. - -He made no answer; he was angry. - -"Well, well! what folly! You, Io', I shall have to send back to the -'tzin; and, Nenetzin, fie! the young lords would be afraid to see you -now." - -"The monkeys!" - -Io', without a word, left the room. - -"You are too hard, Nenetzin. Our brother wants to be treated like a man. -Many of the young lords are his friends. When you came in, he was -telling me of the fine fellow who saved our father's life." - -Nenetzin appeared uninterested. - -"From Io's account, he must be equal to the 'tzin. Have you forgotten -him?" - -"I have his vase somewhere." - -"Somewhere! I hope you have not lost it. I received one at the same -time; there mine is,--that one filled with flowers." - -Nenetzin did not look. - -"When he made you the gift, I think he meant more than a compliment. He -is a lover to be proud of, and, sister, a smile might win him." - -"I do not care for lovers." - -"Not care to be loved?" - -Nenetzin turned to her with tearful eyes. "Just now you said Io' wanted -to be treated as a man; for the same reason, O Tula, I want to be -treated as a woman. I do want to be loved, but not as children are." - -Tula put her arm around her, lovingly. "Never mind. I will learn better -afterwhile. I treat you as a child from habit, and because of the warm, -sweet love of our childhood. O that the love would last always!" - -They were silent then, each intent upon her separate thought, both -unconscious that the path theretofore so peacefully travelled together -was now divergent, and that the fates were leading them apart forever. -Of all the evil angels of humanity, that one is the most cruel whose -mission it is to sunder the loves of the household. - -"Nenetzin, you have been crying,--over what? Lean on me, confide in me!" - -"You will make light of what I say." - -"When was I a jester? You have had ills before, childish ills; if I did -not mock them, am I likely to laugh at your woman's troubles?" - -"But this is something you cannot help." - -"The gods can." - -"A god is the trouble. I saw him, and love him better than any our -father worships." - -Bold confirmation that of the elder sister's fears. "You saw him?" she -asked, musingly. - -"And know him by name. _Tonatiah, Tonatiah_: is it not pretty?" - -"Are you not afraid?" - -"Of what? Him? Yes, but he is so handsome! You saw him also. Did you not -notice his white forehead, and the brightness of his blue eyes, the -sunshine of his face? As against him, ah, Tula! what are the lords you -would have me love?" - -"He is our father's enemy." - -"His guest; he came by invitation." - -"All the gods of our race threaten him." - -"Yet I love him, and would quit everything to follow him." - -"Gods ask not the love we give each other." - -"You mean he would despise me. Never! I am the daughter of a king." - -"You are mad, Nenetzin." - -"Then love is madness, and I am very mad. O, I was so happy yesterday! -Once I thought he saw me. It was when he was passing the _coatapantli_. -The base artisan was shouting, and he heard him, or seemed to, for he -raised his glance to the _azoteas_. My heart stood still; the air -brightened around me; if I had been set down in the Sun itself, I could -not have been happier." - -"Have you mentioned this to the queen Acatlan?" - -"Why should I? I will choose my own love. No one, not even my mother, -would object to the king Cacama: why should she when my choice is -nobler, handsomer, mightier than he?" - -"What do you know of the strangers?" - -"Nothing. He is one of them; that is enough." - -"I meant of their customs; marriage, for instance." - -"The thought is new." - -"Tell me, Nenetzin: would you go with him, except as his wife?" - -She turned away her glowing eyes, confused. "I know not what I would do. -If I went with him except as his wife, our father would curse me, and my -mother would die. I shudder; yet I remember how his look from a distance -made me tremble with strange delight." - -"It was magic, like Mualox's." - -"I do not know. I was about to say, if such was his power over me at a -distance, what may it be near by? Could I refuse to follow him, if he -should ask me face to face, as we now are?" - -"Avoid him, then." - -"Stay here, as in a prison! Never look out of doors for fear of seeing -him whom I confess I so love! And then, the music, marching, banquets: -shall I lose them, and for such a cause?" - -"Nenetzin, the strangers will not abide here in peace. War there will -be. The gods have so declared, and in every temple preparation is now -going on." - -"Who told you so?" the girl asked, tremulously. - -"This morning I was in the garden, culling flowers. I met Mualox. He -seemed sad. I saluted him, and gave him the sweetest of my collection, -and said something about them as a cure for ills of the mind. 'Thank -you, daughter,' he said, 'the ills I mourn are your father's. If you can -get him to forego his thoughts of war against Malinche, do so at any -price. If flowers influence him, come yourself, and bring your maidens, -and gather them all for him. Leave not a bud in the garden.' 'Is he so -bent on war?' I asked. 'That is he. In the temples every hand is making -ready.' 'But my father counsels otherwise.' The old man shook his head. -'I know every purpose of his soul.'" - -"And is that all?" asked Nenetzin. - -"No. Have you not heard what took place in the _tianguez_ this morning?" - -And Tula told of the appearance of the horse and the stranger's head; -how nobody knew who placed them there; how they were thought to have -come from Huitzil', and with what design; and how the wish for war was -spread, until the beggars in the street were clamoring. "War there will -be, O my sister, right around us. Our father will lead the companies -against Malinche. The 'tzin, Cuitlahua, Io', and all we love best of our -countrymen will take part. O Nenetzin, of the children of the Sun, will -you alone side with the strangers? _Tonatiah_ may slay our great -father." - -"And yet I would go with him," the girl said, slowly, and with sobs. - -"Then you are not an Aztec," cried Tula, pushing her away. - -Nenetzin stepped back speechless, and throwing her scarf over her head, -turned to go. - -The elder sister sprang up, conscience-struck, and caught her. "Pardon, -Nenetzin. I did not know what I was saying. Stay--" - -"Not now. I cannot help loving the stranger." - -"The love shall not divide us; we are sisters!" And Tula clung to her -passionately. - -"Too late, too late!" sobbed Nenetzin. - -And she passed out the door; the curtain dropped behind her; and Tula -went to the couch, and wept as if her heart were breaking. - -Not yet have all the modes in which ills of state become ills of society -been written. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - ENNUYE IN THE OLD PALACE. - - -"Father, holy father!--and by my sword, as belted knight, Olmedo, I call -thee so in love and honor,--I have heard thee talk in learned phrase -about the saints, and quote the sayings of monks, mere makers of books, -which I will swear are for the most part dust, or, at least, not half so -well preserved as the bones of their scribblers,--I say I have thus -heard thee talk and quote for hours at a time, until I have come to -think thy store of knowledge is but jargon of that kind. Shake thy head! -Jargon, I say a second time." - -"It is knowledge that leadeth to righteousness. _Bien quisto!_ Thou -wouldst do well to study it," replied the padre, curtly. - -A mocking smile curled the red-haired lip of the cavalier. "Knowledge -truly! I recollect hearing the Senor Hernan once speak of thee. He said -thou wert to him a magazine, full of learning precious as breadstuffs." - -"Right, my son! Breadstuffs for the souls of sinners irreverent as--" - -"Out with it!" - -"As thou." - -"_Picaro!_ Only last night thou didst absolve me, and, by the Palmerins, -I have just told my beads!" - -"I think I have heard of the Palmerins," said the priest, gravely; -"indeed, I am certain of it; but I never heard of them as things to -swear by before. Hast thou a license as coiner of oaths?" - -"_Cierto_, father, thou dost remind me of my first purpose; which was to -test thy knowledge of matters, both ancient and serious, outside of what -thou callest the sermons of the schoolmen. And I will not take thee at -disadvantage. O no! If I would play fairly with the vilest heathen, and -slay him with none but an honest trick of the sword, surely I cannot -less with thee." - -"Slay me!" - -"That will I,--in a bout at dialectics. I will be fair, I say. I will -begin by taking thee in a field which every knight hath traversed, if, -perchance, he hath advanced so far in clerkliness as to read,--a field -divided between heralds, troubadours, and poets, and not forbidden to -monks; with which thou shouldst be well acquainted, seeing that, of late -days at least, thou hast been more prone to knightly than saintly -association!" - -"Santa Maria!" said Olmedo, crossing himself. "It is our nature to be -prone to things sinful." - -"I smell the cloister in thy words. Have at thee! Stay thy steps." - -The two had been pacing the roof of the palace during the foregoing -passage. Both stopped now, and Alvarado said, "Firstly,--nay, I will -none of that; numbering the heads of a discourse is a priestly trick. To -begin, by my conscience!--ho, father, that oath offends thee not, for it -is the Senor Hernan's, and by him thou art thyself always ready to -swear." - -"If thou wouldst not get lost in a confusion of ideas, to thy purpose -quickly." - -"Thank thee. Who was Amadis de Gaul?" - -"Hero of the oldest Spanish poem." - -"Right!" said the knight, stroking his beard. "And who was Oriana?" - -"Heroine of the same story; more particularly, daughter of Lisuarte, -King of England." - -"Thou didst reprove me for swearing by the Palmerins; who were they?" - -"Famous knights, who founded chivalry by going about slaying dragons, -working charities, and overthrowing armies of heathen, for the Mother's -sake." - -"Excellently answered, by my troth! I will have to lead thee into deeper -water. Pass we the stories of Ruy Diaz, and Del Carpio, and Pelayo. I -will even grant that thou hast heard of Hernan Gonzales; but canst thou -tell in how many ballads his prowess hath been sung?" - -Olmedo was silent. - -"Already!" cried Alvarado, exultant. "Already! By the cross on my sword, -I have heard of thirty. But to proceed. Omitting Roland, and -Roncesvalles, and the brethren of the Round Table, canst thou tell me of -the Seven Lords of Lares?" - -"No. But there is a Lord of whom I can tell thee, and of whom it will be -far more profitable for thee to inquire." - -"I knew a minstrel--a rare fellow--who had a wondrous voice and memory, -and who sang fifteen songs all about the Lords of Lares; and he told me -there were as many more. O, for the time of the true chivalry, when our -Spanish people were song-lovers, and honor was of higher esteem than -gold! In one respect, Olmedo, I am more Moslem than Christian." - -The padre crossed himself. - -"Mahomet--so saith history--taught his warriors that Paradise lieth in -the shade of crossing scimitars,--as unlike thy doctrine as a stone is -unlike a plum. _Picaro!_ It pleaseth me; it hardeneth the heart and -grip; it is more inspiring than clarions and drums." - -Olmedo looked into the blue eyes of the knight, now unusually bright, -and said, "Thou didst jest at my knowledge; now I ask thee, son, is it -not better to have a mind full of saintly lore than one which nothing -holds but swords and lances and high-bred steeds? What dost thou know -but war?" - -"The taste of good wine," said Alvarado, seriously; "and by Sta. Agnes, -holy father, I would I had my canteen full; the smoke from these dens is -turning me into a Dutch sausage. Look to the towers of yon temple,--the -great one just before us. How the clouds ascending from them poison the -morning air! When my sword is at the throats of the fire-keepers, Heaven -help me to slay them!" - -Alvarado then took the tassels of the cord around the good man's waist, -and pulled him forward. "Come briskly, father! This roof is all the -field left us for exercise; and much do I fear that we will dream many -times of green meadows before we see them again." Half dragging him, the -knight lengthened his strides. "Step longer, father! Thou dost mince the -pace, like a woman." - -"Hands off, irreverent!" cried the padre, holding back. "My feet are not -iron-shod, like thine." - -"What! Didst thou not climb the mountains on the way hither barefooted? -And dost now growl at these tiles? Last night Sandoval shod his mare, -the gay Motilla, with silver, which he swore was cheaper, if not better, -than iron. When next we take a morning trot, like this, _cierto_, I will -borrow two of the precious shoes for thee." - -Olmedo's gown, of coarse, black woollen serge, was not a garment a -Greek, preparing for a race, would have chosen; the long skirts hampered -his legs; he stumbled, and would have fallen, but for his tormentor. - -"Stay thee, father! Hast been drinking? Not here shouldst thou kneel -unless in prayer; and for that, bethink thee, house-tops are for none -but Jews." And the rough knight laughed heartily. "Nay, talking will -tire thee," he continued. "Take breath first. If my shield were at hand, -I would fan thee. Or wouldst thou prefer to sit? or better still, to lie -down? Do so, if thou wouldst truly oblige me; for, by my conscience, as -Cortes sweareth, I have not done testing thy knowledge of worthy things -outside the convent libraries. I will take thee into a new field, and -ask of the Moorish lays; for, as thou shouldst know, if thou dost not, -they have had their minstrels and heroes as fanciful and valiant as -infidels ever were; in truth, but little inferior to the best of old -Castile." - -Olmedo attempted to speak. - -"Open not thy mouth, father, except to breathe. I will talk until thy -tire is over. I was on the Moors. A fine race they were, bating always -their religion. Of their songs, thou hast probably heard that mournful -roundelay, the Loves of Gazul and Abindarraez; probably listened to -Tales of the Arabian Nights, or to verses celebrating the tournaments in -the Bivarrambla. Certainly, thou hast heard recitals of the rencontres, -scimitar in hand, between the Zegris and Abencerrages. By Sta. Agnes! -they have had warriors fit for the noblest songs. At least, father, thou -knowest--" He stopped abruptly, while a lad mounted the roof and -approached them, cap in hand. - -"Excellent Senor, so it please thee, my master hath somewhat to say to -thee in his chamber below. And"--crossing himself to Olmedo--"if the -holy father will remember me in his next prayer, I will tell him that -Bernal Diaz is looking for him." - -"Doth thy master want me also?" - -"That is Diaz's massage." - -"What can be in the wind now?" asked Alvarado, musingly. - -"Hadst thou asked me that question--" - -"Couldst thou have answered? Take the chance! What doth thy master -intend?" - -"Look, Don Pedro, and thou, good father," replied the page; "look to the -top of yon pile so ridiculously called a temple of--" - -"Speak it, as thou lovest me," cried Alvarado. - -"Wilt thou pronounce it after me?" - -"That will I; though, _cierto_, I will not promise my horse if I fail." - -"_Huitzilpotchli_," said the boy, slowly. - -"The saints defend us!" exclaimed the knight, crossing himself. "Where -didst thou get so foul a name?" - -"Of the Dona Marina. Well, the Senor Hernan, my master, designeth -visiting those towers, and seeing what horrors they hold." - -Olmedo's countenance became unusually grave. "Holy Mother, keep his -temper in check, that nothing rash be done!" - -Alvarado received the news differently. "Thou art a good boy, -Orteguilla," he said. "I owe thee a ducat. Remind me of the debt when -next thou seest me with gold. _Espiritu Santo!_ Now will I take the rust -out of my knees, and the dull out of my head, and the spite from my -stomach! Now will I give my sword, that hath hungered so long, to -surfeit on the heart-eaters! _Bien Quisto!_ What jargon didst thou use a -moment ago when speaking of the temple?" - -"_Huitzilpotchli_," said the boy, laughing. - -"Murrain take the idol, if only for his name's sake! Come; we shall have -a good time." - -The knight turned to descend. Orteguilla caught him by the mantle. "A -word, Don Pedro." - -"_Picaro!_ A thousand of them, quickly!" - -"Thou didst promise me a ducat--" - -"Truly, and thou shalt have it. Only wait till the division cometh, and -thy master saith to me, 'Take thy share.'" - -"Thou hearest, father?" - -"How! Dost doubt me?" - -The boy stepped back. "No. Alvarado's promise is good against the world. -But dost thou not think the Senor Hernan will attack the temple?" - -"_Cierto_, with horse, foot, guns, Tlascalans, and all." - -"He goeth merely on a visit, and by invitation of Montezuma, the king." - -Olmedo's face relaxed, and he rubbed his hands; but the captain said, -dismally, "By invitation! _Picaro!_ Instead of the ducat, that for thy -news!" And he struck open-handedly at the page, but with such good-will -that the latter gave him wide margin the rest of the day. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - ALVARADO FINDS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. - - -There was a bluster of trumpets and drums, and out of the main gate of -the palace in which he was lodged, under the eyes of a concourse of -spectators too vast to be nearly estimated, Cortes marched with the -greater part of his Christians. The column was spirited, even brilliant. -Good steeds had improved with rest; while good fare, not to speak of the -luxury of royal baths, had reconstituted both footmen and riders. At the -head, as guides, walked four commissioners of the king,--stately men, -gorgeous in _escaupiles_ and plumed helms. - -The Spaniards were full of glee, vented broad exaggerations, and -manifested the abandon I have seen in sailors ashore the first time -after a long voyage. - -"Be done, good horse!" said Sandoval to Motilla, whose blood warmed -under the outcry of trumpet and clarion. "Be done!" - -Montejo laughed. "Chide her not! She feels the silver on her heels as a -fine lady the ribbons on her head." - -"No," said Alvarado, laying his lance half in rest, "Motilla is a -Christian, and the scent of the pagan is in her nostrils." - -"Up with thy lance, _Senor Capitan_! The guides, if they were to look -back, would leave us without so much as good day." - -"_Cierto_, thou 'rt right! But how pleasant it would be to impale two of -them at once!" - -"Such thy speculation? I cannot believe thee. I have been thy comrade -too long," said Leon, gravely. - -Alvarado turned curtly, as if to say, "Explain thyself." - -"The gold in their ears and on their wrists, Senor,--there were thine -eyes. And thou didst look as if summing up,--ear-rings, four; bracelets, -six; sundries, three; total, thirteen ounces pure. Confess thee, confess -thee!" - -The laugh was loud and long. - -I have already given the reader an idea of the _tianguez_, or market, -whither Cortes, by request, was first conducted. It is sufficient to say -now, that the exhibition of the jewellers attracted most attention; in -front of their booths many of the footmen actually broke ranks, -determined to satisfy themselves if all they there saw was indeed of the -royal metal. Years after, they vaunted the sight as something surpassing -all the cities of Europe could display. - -Cortes occupied himself questioning the guides; for which purpose Marina -was brought forward. Nothing of importance escaped him. - -At one of the corners, while the interpreter was in the midst of a -reply, Cortes' horse suddenly stopped, startled by an obstacle in the -way. Scarcely a lance-length off, pictures of terror, stood four slaves, -richly liveried, and bearing a palanquin crowned by a green _panache_. - -"By Our Lady, I will see what is here contained!" - -So saying, Alvarado spurred impetuously forward. The guides threw -themselves in his way; he nearly rode one of them down; and, laughing at -the fright of the slaves, he drew aside the curtain of the carriage, and -peered in. - -"_Jesu!_" he cried, dropping the cloth, and reining his horse back. - -"Hast thou the fiend there? Or only a woman?" asked Cortes. - -"A paragon, an houri, your excellency! What a rude fellow I have been! -She is frightened. Come hither, Marina. Say to the girl--" - -"Not now, not now!" said Cortes, abruptly. "If she is pretty, thou wilt -see her again." - -Alvarado frowned. - -"What! angry?" continued the general. "Out on thee, captain! How can an -untaught infidel, though paragon and houri, understand knightly phrases? -What the merit of an apology in her eyes? Pass on!" - -"Perhaps thou 'rt right. Stand aside! Out of the way there!" And as if -to make amends, he cleared a passage for the slaves and their burden. - -"To the devil all of ye!" he replied, to the laughter of his comrades. -"Ye did not see her, nor know ye if she is old or young, harridan or -angel." - -From the market, the column marched back to the great temple, with -which, as it rose, broad and high, like a terraced hill, between the -palace they occupied and the sun at rising, they were somewhat familiar. -Yet, when fairly in view of the pile, Cortes called Olmedo to his side. - -"I thank thee, Father Bartolome. That thou art near, I feel better. A -good surcoat and shield, as thou knowest, give a soldier confidence in -battle; and so, as I come nigh yon abomination, full of bloody -mysteries, called worship, and carven stones, called gods,--may they be -accursed from the earth!--I am pleased to make use of thee and thy -holiness. Doubtless the air of the place is thick with sorceries and -evil charms; if so, thy crucifix hath more of safeguard than my sword. -Ride nearer, father, and hearken, that thou mayst answer what more I -have to say. Would not this pile look the better of a cross upon every -tower?" - -"Thy zeal, my son, I commend, and thy question strictly hath but one -answer," Olmedo replied. "The impulse, moreover, is to do at once what -thou hast suggested. Roll away a stone, and in its bed plant a rose, and -the blooming will be never so sweet; and so, never looketh the cross so -beautiful as when it taketh the place of an idol. And for the conversion -of heathen, the Holy Mother careth not if the worship be under Christian -dome or in pagan chamber." - -"Say'st thou so!" said Cortes, checking his horse. "By my conscience, I -will order a cross!" - -"Be not so fast, I pray you. What armed hand now putteth up, armed hand -must keep; and that is war. May not the good end be reached without such -resort? In my judgment we should first consult the heathen king. How -knowest thou that he is not already inclined to Christian ways? Let us -ask him." - -Cortes relaxed the rein, and rode on convinced. - -Through the gate of the _coatapantli_, amid much din and clangor, the -entire column entered the yard of the temple. On a pavement, -glassy-smooth, and spotless as a good housewife's floor, the horsemen -dismounted, and the footmen stood at rest. Then Cortes, with his -captains and Marina, approached the steps, where he was received by some -pabas, who offered to carry him to the _azoteas_,--a courtesy he -declined with many protestations of thanks. - -At the top, under a green canopy, and surrounded by courtiers and -attendants, Montezuma stood, in the robes of a priest, and with only his -sceptre to indicate his royalty. - -"You have my welcome, Malinche. The ascent is wearisome. Where are the -pabas whom I sent to assist you?" - -The monarch's simple dignity affected his visitors, Cortes as much as -the others. - -"I accept thy welcome, good king," he replied, after the interpretation. -"Assure thyself that it is given to a friend. The priests proffered -their service as you directed; they said your custom was to be carried -up the steps, which I grant accords with a sovereign, but not with a -warrior, who should be superior to fatigue." - -To favor a view of the city, which was after a while suggested, the -king conducted Cortes to the southern side of the _azoteas_, where were -also presented a great part of the lake, bordered with white towns, and -the valley stretching away to the purple sierras. The train followed -them with mats and stools, and erected the canopy to intercept the sun; -and thus at ease, the host explained, and the guest listened. Often, -during the descriptions, the monarch's eyes rested wistfully on his -auditor's face; what he sought, we can imagine; but well I ween there -was more revelation in a cloudy sky than in that bloodless countenance. -The demeanor of the Spaniard was courtierly; he failed not to follow -every gesture of the royal hand; and if the meaning of what he heard was -lost because of the strange language, the voice was not. In the low, sad -intonations, unmarked by positive emphasis, he divined more than the -speaker read in his face,--a soul goodly in all but its irresolution. If -now and then the grave attention relaxed, or the eye wandered from the -point indicated, it was because the city and lake, and the valley to the -mountains, were, in the visitor's mind, more a military problem than a -picture of power or beauty. - -The interview was at length interrupted. Two great towers crowned the -broad _azoteas_ of the temple, one dedicated to Tezca', the other to -Huitzil'. Out of the door of the latter issued a procession of pabas, -preceded by boys swinging censers, the smoke of which was sickening -sweet. Tlalac, the _teotuctli_, came last, walking slowly, bareheaded, -barefooted, his gown trailing behind him, its sleeves and front, like -his hands and face, red with the blood of recent sacrifice. While the -gloomy train gathered about the astonished Christians, the heathen -pontiff, as if unconscious of their presence, addressed himself to the -king. His words were afterwards translated by Marina. - -"To your application, O king, there is no answer. What you do will be -of your own inspiration. The victims are removed; the servants of the -god, save whom you see, are in their cells. If such be thy will, the -chamber is ready for the strangers." - -Montezuma sat a moment hesitant, his color coming and going; then, -feeling the gaze of his guest upon him, he arose, and said kindly, but -with dignity, "It is well. I thank you." Turning to Cortes, he -continued, "If you will go with me, Malinche, I will show you our god, -and the place in which we celebrate his worship. I will explain our -religion, and you may explain yours. Only give me respect for respect." - -Bowing low, Cortes replied, "I will go with thee, and thou shalt suffer -no wrong from the confidence. The hand or tongue that doeth grievance to -anything pertaining to thy god or his worship shall repeat it never." -The last sentence was spoken with a raised voice, and a glance to the -captains around; then, observing the frowns with which some of them -received the notice, he added, almost without a pause, to Olmedo, "What -saith the Church of Christ?" - -"That thou hast spoken well, for this time," answered the priest, -kissing the crucifix chained to his girdle. "Go on. I will go with -thee." - -Then they followed the king into the sanctuary, leaving the _teotuctli_ -and his train on the _azoteas_. - -I turn gladly from that horrible chamber. With quite as much -satisfaction, I turn from the conversation of the king and Cortes. Not -even the sweet voice of Marina could make the Aztec theogony clear, or -the Catholic commentary of the Spaniard interesting. - -Alvarado approached the turret door with loathing. Staggered by the -stench that smote him from within, he stopped a moment. Orteguilla, the -page, pulled his mantle, and said, "I have news for thee. Wilt thou -hear?" - -"_Picaro!_ To-morrow, if the Mother doth spare me so long, I will give -thee a lash for every breath of this sin-laden air thou makest me draw -with open mouth. As thou lovest life, speak, and have done!" - -"What if I bring thee a message of love?" - -"If thou couldst bring me such a message from a comely Christian maiden, -I would kiss thee, lad." - -Orteguilla held out an exquisite _ramillete_. "Seest thou this? If thou -carest and wilt follow me, I will show thee an infidel to swear by -forever." - -"Give me the flowers, and lead me to the infidel. If thou speakest -truly, thy fortune is made; if thou liest, I will fling thee from the -temple." - -He turned from the door, and was conducted to the shade of the turret of -Tezca'. - -"I was loitering after the tall priest, the one with the bloody face and -hands,--what a monster he is!" said the page, crossing himself,--"when a -slave came in my way, offering some flowers, and making signs. I spoke -to him. 'What do you want?' 'Here is a message from the princess -Nenetzin.' 'Who is she?' 'Daughter of the great king.' 'Well, what did -she say?' 'She bade me'--and, _senor capitan_, these are almost his -words,--'she bade me give these flowers to one of the _teules_, that he -might give them to _Tonatiah_, him with the red beard.' I took the -present, and asked, 'What does the princess say to the _Tonatiah_?' 'Let -him read the flowers,' the fellow answered. I remembered then that it is -a custom of this people to send messages in that form. I asked him where -his mistress was; he told me, and I went to see her." - -"What of her? Is she handsome?" - -"Here she is; judge thou." - -"Holy Mother! 'Tis the girl I so frightened on the street. She is the -pearl of the valley, the light of the world!" exclaimed Alvarado. "Stay -thou, sir page. Interpret for me. I will speak to her." - -"Simply, then. Thou knowest I am not so good an Aztec as Marina." - -Nenetzin was sitting in the shade of the turret. Apart several paces -stood her carriage-bearers. Her garments of finest cotton, white as -snow, were held close to her waist by a green sash. Her -ornaments--necklace, bracelets, and anklets--were of gold, enriched by -_chalchuites_. Softest sandals protected her feet; and the long scarf, -heavy with embroidery, and half covering her face, fell from her head to -the mat of scarlet feathers upon which she was sitting. - -When the tall Spaniard, in full armor, except the helmet, stopped thus -suddenly before her, the large eyes dilated, the blood left her cheeks, -and she shrank almost to the roof. Was it not as if the dream, so -strange in the coming, had vitalized its subject, and sent it to her, a -Fate the more irresistible because of its peculiarities,--the blue eyes, -the forehead womanly white, the hair long and waving, the beard dyed, -apparently, in the extremest brightness of the sun,--all so unheard of -among the brown and olive children of Anahuac? And what if the Fate had -come demandingly? Refuse! Can the chrysalis, joyous in the beauty of -wings just perfected, refuse the sun? - -The cavalier could not mistake the look with which she regarded him. In -pity for her fear, in admiration of her beauty, in the native gallantry -of his soul, he knelt, and took her hand, and kissed it; then, giving it -back, and looking into her face with an expression as unmistakable as -her own, he said,-- - -"My beautiful princess must not be afraid. I would die sooner than harm -her." - -While the page interpreted, as best he could, the captain smiled so -winsomely that she sat up, and listened with a smile in return. She was -won, and shall we say lost? The future comes rapidly now to answer for -itself. - -"Here is the message," Alvarado continued, "which I could not read; but -if it meant to tell me of love, what better can I than give it back to -tell the same story for me?" - -He kissed the flowers, and laid them before her. Picking them up, she -said, with a laugh, "_Tonatiah_ is a poet,--a god and a poet." - -He heard the interpretation, and spoke again, without relaxing his -ardent gaze. - -"_Jesu Christo!_ That one so beautiful should be an infidel! She shall -not be,--by the holy sepulchre, she shall not! Here, lad, take off the -chain which is about my neck. It hath an iron crucifix, the very same my -mother--rested be her soul!--gave me, with her blessing and prayer, what -time I last bade her farewell." - -Orteguilla took off the chain and crucifix, and put them in the -cavalier's hand. - -"Will my beautiful princess deign to receive these gifts from me, her -slave forever? And in my presence will she put them on? And for my sake, -will she always wear them? They have God's blessing, which cannot be -better bestowed." - -Instead of laying the presents down to be taken or not, this time he -held them out to her directly; and she took them, and, childlike, hung -them around her neck. In the act, the scarf fell, and left bare her head -and face. He saw the glowing countenance, and was about to speak -further, when Orteguilla stopped him. - -"Moderate thyself, I pray thee, Don Pedro. Look at the hounds; they are -closing us in. The way to the turret is already cut off. Have a care, I -pray!" - -The tone of alarm had instant effect. - -"How! Cut off, say'st thou, lad?" And Alvarado sprang up, his hand upon -his sword. He swept the circle with a falcon's glance; then turning once -more to the girl, he said, resuming the tenderness of voice and manner, -"By what name may I know my love hereafter?" - -"Nenetzin,--the princess Nenetzin." - -"Then farewell, Nenetzin. Ill betide the man or fortune that keepeth -thee from me hereafter! May I forfeit life, and the Holy Mother's love, -if I see thee not again! Farewell." - -He kissed his mailed hand to her, and, facing the array of scowling -pabas, strode to them, and through their circle, with a laugh of -knightly scorn. - -At the door of the turret of Huitzil' he said to the page, "The love of -yon girl, heathen no longer, but Christian, by the cross she -weareth,--her love, and the brightness of her presence, for the foulness -and sin of this devil's den,--what an exchange! _Valgame Dios!_ Thou -shalt have the ducat. She is the glory of the world!" - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - THE IRON CROSS. - - -"My lord Maxtla, go see if there be none coming this way now." - -And while the chief touched the ground with his palm, the king added, as -to himself, and impatiently, "Surely it is time." - -"Of whom speak you?" asked Cuitlahua, standing by. Only the brother -would have so presumed. - -The monarch looked into the branches of the cypress-tree above him; he -seemed holding the words in ear, while he followed a thought. - -They were in the grove of Chapultepec at the time. About them were the -famous trees, apparently old as the hill itself, with trunks so massive -that they had likeness to things of cunning labor, products of some -divine art. The sun touched them here and there with slanting yellow -rays, by contrast deepening the shadows that purpled the air. From the -gnarled limbs the gray moss drooped, like listless drapery. Nesting -birds sang from the topmost boughs, and parrots, flitting to and fro, -lit the gloaming with transient gleams of scarlet and gold: yet the -effect of the place was mysterious; the hush of the solitude softened -reflection into dreaming; the silence was a solemn presence in which -speech sunk to a whisper, and laughter would have been profanation. In -such primeval temples men walk with Time, as in paradise Adam walked -with God. - -"I am waiting for the lord Hualpa," the king at last replied, turning -his sad eyes to his brother's face. - -"Hualpa!" said Cuitlahua, marvelling, as well he might, to find the -great king waiting for the merchant's son, so lately a simple hunter. - -"Yes. He serves me in an affair of importance. His appointment was for -noon; he tarries, I fear, in the city. Next time I will choose an older -messenger." - -The manner of the explanation was that of one who has in mind something -of which he desires to speak, yet doubts the wisdom of speaking. So the -cacique seemed to understand, for he relapsed into silence, while the -monarch again looked upwards. Was the object he studied in the sky or in -his heart? - -Maxtla returned; saluting, he said, "The lake is thronged with canoes, O -king, but none come this way." - -The sadness of the royal face deepened. - -"Montezuma, my brother," said Cuitlahua. - -"Well." - -"Give me a moment's audience." - -"Certainly. The laggard comes not; the rest of the day is yours." And to -Maxtla he said, "In the palace are the queens, and the princesses Tula -and Nenetzin. Inform them that I am coming." - -When the chief was gone, the monarch turned to Cuitlahua, smiling: "Yes, -the rest of the day is yours, and the night also; for I must wait for -the merchant's son; and our mother, were she here, would say it was good -of you to share my waiting." - -The pleasantry and the tender allusion were hardly observed by the -cacique. "I wished to call your attention to Iztlil', the Tezcucan," he -said, gravely. - -"Iztlil'? what of him now?" - -"Trouble. What else can come of him? Last night at the house of Xoli, -the Chalcan, he drank too much _pulque_, quarrelled with the good man's -guests, and abused everybody loyal,--abused you, my brother. I sent a -servant to watch him. You must know--if not, you should--that all -Tenochtitlan believes the Tezcucan to be in alliance with Malinche and -his robbers." - -"Robbers!" said Montezuma, starting. - -The cacique went on. "That he has corresponded with the Tlascalans is -well understood. Only last night he spoke of a confederacy of tribes and -cities to overturn the Empire." - -"Goes he so far?" exclaimed the king, now very attentive. - -"He is a traitor!" replied Cuitlahua, emphatically. "So I sent a servant -to follow him. From the Chalcan's, he was seen go to the gates of the -palace of Axaya'. Malinche received him. He is there now." - -The two were silent awhile, the cacique observing the king, the king -gazing upon the ground. - -"Well," said the latter, at length, "is that all?" - -"Is it not enough?" - -"You are right. He must be arrested. Keep close watch on the gates of -the palace, and upon his coming out, seize him, and put him safely away -in the temple." - -"But if he comes not out?" - -"To-morrow, at noon, if he be yet within, go to Malinche and demand him. -Here is your authority." - -At that, the monarch took from a finger of his left hand a ring of gold, -set with an oval green malachite, on which his likeness was exquisitely -cut. - -"But," said the other, while the royal hand was outstretched, "if -Malinche refuses your demand?" - -"Then--then--" And the speaker paused so long that his indecision was -apparent. - -"Behind the refusal,--see you what lies there?" asked Cuitlahua, -bluntly. - -The king reflected. - -"Is it not war?" the cacique persisted. - -The hand fell down, and closed upon the signet. - -"The demand is just, and will not be refused. Take the ring, my brother; -we will at least test Malinche's disposition. Say to him that the lord -Iztlil' is a traitor; that he is conspiring against me; and that I -require his person for punishment. So say to him; but go not yet. The -messenger I await may bring me something to make your mission -unnecessary." - -The cacique smiled grimly. "If the Tezcucan is guilty, so is Malinche," -he said. "Is it well to tell him what you know?" - -"Yes. He will then be careful; at least, he will not be deceived." - -"Be it so," said Cuitlahua, taking the ring. "I will bring you his -answer; then--" - -"Well?" - -"Bear with me, O king. The subject I now wish to speak of is a tender -one, though I know not why. To win the good-will of the Tezcucan, was -not Guatamozin, our nephew, banished the city?" - -"Well?" - -"Now that the Tezcucan is lost, why should not the 'tzin return? He is a -happy man, O my brother, who discovers an enemy; happier is he who, at -the same time, discovers a friend." - -Montezuma studied the cacique's face, then, with his eyes upon the -ground, walked on. Cuitlahua went with him. Past the great trees, under -the gray moss, up the hill to the summit, and along the summit to the -verge of the rocky bluff, they went. At the king's side, when he -stopped, was a porphyritic rock, bearing, in bas-relief, his own image, -and that of his father. Below him, westwardly, spread the placid lake; -above it, the setting sun; in its midst, a fair child on a fair mother's -breast, Tenochtitlan. - -"See! a canoe goes swiftly round yon _chinampa_; now it outstrips its -neighbors, and turns this way. How the slaves bend to the paddles! My -laggards at last!" - -The king, while speaking, rubbed his hands gleefully. For the time, -Cuitlahua and his question were forgotten. - -"The lord Hualpa has company," observed the brother, quietly. - -"Yes. Io'." - -Another spell of silence, during which both watched the canoe. - -"Come, let us to the palace. Lingering here is useless." And with -another look to the city and lake, and a last one at the speeding -vessel, yet too far off to be identified, the king finally turned away. -And Guatamozin was still an exile. - -Tecalco and Acatlan, the queens, and Tula, and their attendants, sitting -on the _azoteas_ of the ancient house, taking the air of the declining -day, arose to salute the monarch and his brother. The latter took the -hand of each, saying, "The gods of our fathers be good to you." Tula's -forehead he touched with his lips. His countenance, like his figure and -nature, Indian in type, softened somewhat under her glance. He knew her -sorrow, and in sympathy thought of the 'tzin, and of the petition in his -behalf, as yet unanswered. - -"All are not here, one is absent,--Nenetzin. Where is she? I may not -sleep well without hearing her laugh once more." - -Acatlan said, "You are very good, my lord, to remember my child. She -chose to remain below." - -"She is not sick, I hope." - -"Not sick, yet not well." - -"Ah! the trouble is of the mind, perhaps. How old is she now." - -"Old enough to be in love, if that is your meaning." - -Cuitlahua smiled. "That is not a sickness, but a happiness; so, at -least, the minstrels say." - -"What ails Nenetzin?" asked the king. - -Acatlan cast down her eyes, and hesitated. - -"Speak! What ails her?" - -"I hardly know. She hardly knows herself," the queen answered. "If I am -to believe what she tells me, the lord Cuitlahua is right; she is in -love." - -"With Tula, I suppose," said the king, laughing. - -"Would it were! She says her lover is called _Tonatiah_. Much I fear, -however, that what she thinks love is really a delusion, wrought by -magic. She is not herself. When did Malinche go to the temple?" - -"Four days ago," the king replied. - -"Well, the _teule_ met her there, and spoke to her, and gave her a -present. Since that, like a child, she has done little else than play -with the trinket." - -Montezuma became interested. He seated himself, and asked, "You said the -spell proceeds from the present: why do you think so?" - -"The giver said the gift was a symbol of his religion, and whoever wore -it became of his faith, and belonged to his god." - -"Mictlan!" muttered Cuitlahua. - -"Strange! what is the thing?" the king persisted. - -"Something of unknown metal, white, like silver, about a hand in length, -and attached to a chain." - -"Of unknown metal,--a symbol of religion! Where is the marvel now?" - -"Around the child's neck, where I believe it has been since she came -from the temple. Once she allowed me to see if I could tell what the -metal was, but only for a moment, and then her eyes never quit me. She -sits hours by herself, with the bauble clasped in both hands, and sighs, -and mopes, and has no interest in what used to please her most." - -The king mused awhile. The power of the strangers was very great; what -if the gift was the secret of the power? - -"Go, Acatlan," he said, "and call Nenetzin. See that she brings the -charm with her." - -Then he arose, and began moodily to walk. Cuitlahua talked with Tecalco -and Tula. The hour was very pleasant. The sun, lingering above the -horizon, poured a flood of brilliance upon the hill and palace, and over -the flowers, trailing vines, and dwarfed palm and banana trees, with -which the _azoteas_ was provided. - -Upon the return of the queen with Nenetzin, the king resumed his seat. -The girl knelt before him, her face very pale, her eyes full of tears. -So lately a child, scarce a woman, yet so weighted with womanly griefs, -the father could not view her except with compassion; so he raised her, -and, holding her hand, said, "What is this I hear, Nenetzin? Yesterday I -was thinking of sending you to school. Nowadays lovers are very -exacting; they require of their sweethearts knowledge as well as beauty; -but you outrun my plans, you have a lover already. Is it so?" - -Nenetzin looked down, blushing. - -"And no common lover either," continued the king. "Not a 'tzin, or a -cacique, or a governor; not a lord or a prince,--a god! Brave child!" - -Still Nenetzin was silent. - -"You cannot call your lover by name, nor speak to him in his language; -nor can he speak to you in yours. Talking by signs must be tedious for -the uses of love, which I understand to be but another name for -impatience; yet you are far advanced; you have seen your beloved, talked -with him, and received--what?" - -Nenetzin clasped the iron cross upon her breast firmly,--not as a good -Catholic, seeking its protection; for she would have laid the same hands -on Alvarado rather than Christ,--and for the first time she looked in -the questioner's face straight and fearlessly. A moment he regarded her; -in the moment his smile faded away; and for her it came never -again--never. - -"Give me what you have there," he said sternly, extending his hand. - -"It is but a simple present," she said, holding back. - -"No, it has to do with religion, and that not of our fathers." - -"It is mine," she persisted, and the queen mother turned pale at sight -of her firmness. - -"The child is bewitched," interposed Cuitlahua. - -"And for that I should have the symbol. Obey me, or--" - -Awed by the look, now dark with anger, Nenetzin took the chain from her -neck, and put the cross in his hand. "There! I pray you, return them to -me." - -Now, the cross, as a religious symbol, was not new to the monarch; in -Cozumel it was an object of worship; in Tabasco it had been reverenced -for ages as emblematic of the God of Rain; in Palenque, the Palmyra of -the New World, it is sculptured on the fadeless walls, and a child held -up to adore it (in the same picture) proves its holy character; it was -not new to the heathen king; but the cross of Christ was; and singularly -enough, he received the latter for the first time with no thought of -saving virtues, but as a problem in metallurgy. - -"To-morrow I will send the trinkets to the jewellers," he said, after -close examination. "They shall try them in the fire. Strange, indeed, -if, in all my dominions, they do not find whereof they are made." - -He was about to pass the symbol to Maxtla, when a messenger came up, and -announced the lord Hualpa and the prince Io'. Instantly, the cross, and -Nenetzin, and her tears and troubles, vanished out of his mind. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - THE CHRISTIANS IN THE TOILS. - - -"Let the _azoteas_ be cleared of all but my family. You, my brother, will -remain." - -So saying, the king arose, and began walking again. As he did so, the -cross slipped from his fingers, and fell, ringing sharply upon the roof. -Nenetzin sprang forward and picked the symbol up. - -"Now, call the messengers." - -When the chief was gone, the monarch stepped to Cuitlahua, and, laying a -hand upon his arm, said, "At last, O brother, at last! The time so long -prayed for is come. The enemy is in the snare, and he is mine. So the -god of our fathers has promised. The messengers bring me his permission -to make war." - -"At last! Praised be Huitzil'!" exclaimed Cuitlahua, with upraised hands -and eyes. - -"Praised be Huitzil'!" cried Tula, with equal fervor. - -"Malinche began his march to Tenochtitlan against my order, which, for a -purpose, I afterwards changed to invitation. Since that, my people, my -army, the lords, the pabas, the Empire, have upbraided me for weakness. -I only bided my time, and the assent of Huitzil'. And the result? The -palace of Axaya' shall be the tomb of the insolent strangers." - -As he spoke, the monarch's bosom swelled with the old warrior spirit. - -"You would have had me go meet Malinche, and in the open field array my -people to be trodden down by his beasts of war. Now, ours is the -advantage. We will shut him in with walls of men as well as of houses. -Over them he may ride, but the first bridge will be the end of his -journey; it will be raised. Mictlan take our legions, if they cannot -conquer him at last!" - -He laughed scornfully. - -"In the temples are seventy thousand fighting men, gathered unknown to -all but Tlalac. They are tired of their prison, and cry for freedom and -battle. Two other measures taken, and the war begins,--only two. -Malinche has no stores; he is dependent upon me for to-morrow's bread. -What if I say, not a grain of corn, not a mouthful of meat shall pass -his palace gate? As to the other step,--what if I bid you raise the -bridges? What then? His beasts must starve; so must his people, unless -they can fly. Let him use his engines of fire; the material he serves -them with cannot last always, so that want will silence them also. The -measures depend on my word, which, by the blessing of Huitzil', I will -speak, and"-- - -"When?" asked Cuitlahua, earnestly. - -"To-morrow--" - -"The day,--O my kingly brother!--the day will be memorable in Anahuac -forever!" - -The monarch's eyes flashed with evil fire. "It shall be so. Part of the -invaders will not content me; none shall escape,--not one! In the world -shall not one be left!" - -All present listened eagerly. Nenetzin alone gave no sign of feeling, -though she heard every word. - -The couriers now appeared. Over their uniforms was the inevitable -_nequen_. Instead of helms, they wore broad bands, ornamented with -plumes and brilliants. At their backs hung their shields. The prince, -proud and happy, kissed his mother's hand, and nodded to the sisters. -Hualpa went to the king, and knelt in salute. - -"I have been waiting since noon," said Montezuma, coldly. - -"We pray your pardon, O king, good master. The fault was not ours. Since -yesterday at noon we have not ate or drank or slept; neither have we -been out of the great temple, except to embark and come here, which was -with all possible speed." - -"It is well. Arise! What says the god?" - -Every ear was strained to hear. - -"We followed your orders in all things, O king. In the temple we found -the _teotuctli_, and the pabas of the city, with many from Tezcuco and -Cholula." - -"Saw you Mualox, of the old Cu of Quetzal'?" - -"Mualox was not there." - -The king waved his hand. - -"We presented ourselves to the _teotuctli_, and gave him your message; -in proof of our authority, we showed him the signet, which we now -return." - -The seal was taken in silence. - -"In presence, then, of all the pabas, the sacrifices were begun. I -counted the victims,--nine hundred in all. The afternoon and night, and -to-day, to the time of our departure, the service lasted. The sound of -prayer from the holy men was unintermitted and loud. I looked once to -the palace of Axaya', and saw the _azoteas_ crowded with the strangers -and their Tlascalans." - -The king and the lord Cuitlahua exchanged glances of satisfaction. - -"At last the labors of the _teotuctli_ were rewarded. I saw him tear a -heart from a victim's breast, and study the signs; then, with a loud -cry, he ran and flung the heart into the fire before the altar of -Huitzil'; and all there joined in the cry, which was of rejoicing, and -washed their hands in the blood. The holy man then came to me, and said, -'Say to Montezuma, the wise king, that Huitzil', the Supreme God, has -answered, and bids him begin the war. Say to him, also, to be of cheer; -for the land shall be delivered from the strangers, and the strangers -shall be delivered to him, in trust for the god.' Then he stood in the -door of the sanctuary, and made proclamation of the divine will. And -that was all, O king." - -"To Huitzil' be the praise!" exclaimed the king, piously. - -"And to Montezuma the glory!" said Cuitlahua. - -And the queens and Tula kissed the monarch's hand, and at his feet Io' -knelt, and laid his shield, saying,-- - -"A favor, O king, a favor!" - -"Well." - -"Let not my years be counted, but give me a warrior's part in the sacred -war." - -And Cuitlahua went to the suppliant, and laid a hand upon his head, and -said, his massive features glowing with honest pride, "It was well -spoken, O my brother, well spoken. The blood and spirit of our race will -survive us. I, the oldest, rejoice, and, with the youngest, pray; give -us each to do a warrior's part." - -Brighter grew the monarch's eyes. - -"Your will be done," he said to Io'. "Arise!" Then looking toward the -sun, he added, with majestic fervor, "The inspiration is from you, O -holy gods! strengthen it, I pray, and help him in the way he would go." -A moment after, he turned to Cuitlahua, "My brother, have your wish -also. I give you the command. You have my signet already. To-morrow the -drum of Huitzil' will be beaten. At the sound, let the bridges next the -palace of Axaya' on all the causeways be taken up. Close the market -to-night. Supplies for one day more Malinche may have, and that is all. -Around the _teocallis_, in hearing of a shell, are ten thousand -warriors; take them, and, after the beating of the drum, see that the -strangers come not out of the palace, and that nothing goes through its -gates for them. But until the signal, let there be friendship and -perfect peace. And"--he looked around slowly and solemnly--"what I have -here spoken is between ourselves and the gods." - -And Cuitlahua knelt and kissed his hand, in token of loyalty. - -While the scene was passing, as the only one present not of the royal -family, Hualpa stood by, with downcast eyes; and as he listened to the -brave words of the king, involving so much of weal or woe to the realm, -he wondered at the fortune which had brought him such rich confidence, -not as the slow result of years of service, but, as it were, in a day. -Suddenly, the monarch turned to him. - -"Thanks are not enough, lord Hualpa, for the report you bring. As a -messenger between me and the mighty Huitzil', you shall have reason to -rejoice with us. Lands and rank you have, and a palace; now,"--a smile -broke through his seriousness,--"now I will give you a wife. Here she -is." And to the amazement of all, he pointed to Nenetzin. "A wild bird, -by the Sun! What say you, lord Hualpa? Is she not beautiful? Yet," he -became grave in an instant, "I warn you that she is self-willed, and -spoiled, and now suffers from a distemper which she fancies to be love. -I warn you, lest one of the enemy, of whom we were but now talking, lure -her from you, as he seems to have lured her from us and our gods. To -save her, and place her in good keeping, as well as to bestow a proper -reward, I will give her to you for wife." - -Tecalco looked at Acatlan, who governed her feelings well; possibly she -was satisfied, for the waywardness of the girl had, of late, caused her -anxiety, while, if not a prince, like Cacama, Hualpa was young, brave, -handsome, ennobled, and, as the proposal itself proved, on the high road -to princely honors. Tula openly rejoiced; so did Io'. The lord Cuitlahua -was indifferent; his new command, and the prospects of the morrow, so -absorbed him that a betrothal or a wedding was a trifle. As for Hualpa, -it was as if the flowery land of the Aztec heaven had opened around him. -He was speechless; but in the step half taken, his flushed face, his -quick breathing, Nenetzin read all he could have said, and more; and so -he waited a sign from her,--a sign, though but a glance or a motion of -the lip or hand. And she gave him a smile,--not like that the bold -Spaniard received on the temple, nor warm, as if prompted by the loving -soul,--a smile, witnessed by all present, and by all accepted as her -expression of assent. - -"I will give her to you for wife," the monarch repeated, slowly and -distinctly. "This is the betrothal; the wedding shall be when the war is -over, when not a white-faced stranger is left in all my domain." - -While yet he spoke, Nenetzin ran to her mother, and hid her face in her -bosom. - -"Listen further, lord Hualpa," said the king. "In the great business of -to-morrow I give you a part. At daylight return to the temple, and -remain there in the turret where hangs the drum of Huitzil'. Io' will -come to you about noon, with my command; then, if such be its effect, -with your own hand give the signal for which the lord Cuitlahua will be -waiting. Strike so as to be heard by the city, and by the cities on the -shores of the lake. Afterwards, with Io', go to the lord Cuitlahua. Here -is the signet again. The _teotuctli_ may want proof of your authority." - -Hualpa, kneeling to receive the seal, kissed the monarch's hand. - -"And now," the latter said, addressing himself to Cuitlahua, "the -interview is ended. You have much to do. Go. The gods keep you." - -Hualpa, at last released, went and paid homage to his betrothed, and was -made still more happy by her words, and the congratulations of the -queens. - -Tula alone lingered at the king's side, her large eyes fixed appealingly -on his face. - -"What now, Tula?" he asked, tenderly. - -And she answered, "You have need, O king and good father, of faithful, -loving warriors. I know of one. He should be here, but is not. Of -to-morrow, its braveries and sacrifices, the minstrels will sing for -ages to come; and the burden of their songs will be how nobly the people -fought, and died, and conquered for you. Shall the opportunity be for -all but him? Do not so wrong yourself, be not so cruel to--to me," she -said, clasping her hands. - -His look of tenderness vanished, and he walked away, and from the -parapet of the _azoteas_ gazed long and fixedly, apparently observing -the day dying in the west, or the royal gardens that stretched out of -sight from the base of the castled hill. - -She waited expectantly, but no answer came,--none ever came. - -And when, directly, she joined the group about Nenetzin and Hualpa, and -leaned confidingly upon Io', she little thought that his was the shadow -darkening her love; that the dreamy monarch, looking forward to the -succession, saw, in the far future, a struggle for the crown between the -prince and the 'tzin; that for the former hope there was not, except in -what might now be done; and that yet there was not hope, if the -opportunities of war were as open to the one as to the other. So the -exile continued. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE IRON CROSS COMES BACK TO ITS GIVER. - - -Admitting that the intent with which the Spaniards came to Tenochtitlan -took from them the sanctity accorded by Christians to guests, and at the -same time justified any measure in prevention,--a subject belonging to -the casuist rather than the teller of a story,--their situation has now -become so perilous, and possibly so interesting to my sympathetic -reader, that he may be anxious to enter the old palace, and see what -they are doing. - -The dull report of the evening gun had long since spent itself over the -lake, and along the gardened shores. So, too, mass had been said in the -chapel, newly improvised, and very limited for such high ceremony; yet, -as Father Bartolome observed, roomy enough for prayer and penitence. Nor -had the usual precautions against surprise been omitted; on the -contrary, extra devices in that way had been resorted to; the guards had -been doubled; the horses stood caparisoned; by the guns at the gates -low fires were burning, to light, in an instant, the matches of the -gunners; and at intervals, under cover of the walls, lay or lounged -detachments of both Christians and Tlascalans, apparently told off for -battle. A yell without or a shot within, and the palace would bristle -with defenders. A careful captain was Cortes. - -In his room, once the audience-chamber of the kings, paced the stout -_conquistador_. He was alone, and, as usual, in armor, except of the -head and hands. On a table were his helm, iron gloves, and battle-axe, -fair to view, as was the chamber, in the cheerful, ruddy light of a -brazen lamp. As he walked, he used his sword for staff; and its clang, -joined to the sharp concussion of the sollerets smiting the tessellated -floor at each step, gave notice in the adjoining chamber, and out in the -_patio_, that the general--or, as he was more familiarly called, the -Senor Hernan--was awake and uncommonly restless. After a while the -curtains of the doorway parted, and Father Bartolome entered without -challenge. The good man was clad in a cassock of black serge, much -frayed, and girt to the waist by a leathern belt, to which hung an ivory -cross, and a string of amber beads. At sight of him, Cortes halted, and, -leaning on his sword, said, "Bring thy bones here, father; or, if such -womanly habit suit thee better, rest them on the settle yonder. Anyhow, -thou'rt welcome. I assure thee of the fact in advance of thy report." - -"Thank thee, Senor," he replied. "The cross, as thou mayst have heard, -is proverbially heavy; but its weight is to the spirit, not the body, -like the iron with which thou keep'st thyself so constantly clothed. I -will come and stand by thee, especially as my words must be few, and to -our own ears." - -He went near, and continued in a low voice, and rapidly, "A deputation, -appointed to confer with thee, is now coming. I sounded the men. I told -them our condition; how we are enclosed in the city, dependent upon an -inconstant king for bread, without hope of succor, without a road of -retreat. Following thy direction, I drew the picture darkly. Very soon -they began asking, 'What think'st thou ought to be done?' As agreed -between us, I suggested the seizure of Montezuma. They adopted the idea -instantly; and, that no consideration like personal affection for the -king may influence thee to reject the proposal, the deputation cometh, -with Diaz del Castillo at the head." - -A gleam of humor twinkled in Cortes's eyes. - -"Art sure they do not suspect me as the author of the scheme?" - -"They will urge it earnestly as their own, and support it with arguments -which"--the father paused a moment--"I am sure thou wilt find -irresistible." - -Cortes raised himself from the sword, and indulged a laugh while he -crossed the room and returned. - -"I thank thee, father," he said, resuming his habitual gravity. "So men -are managed; nothing more simple, if we do but know how. The project -hath been in my mind since we left Tlascala; but, as thou know'st, I -feared it might be made of account against me with our imperial master. -Now, it cometh back as business of urgency to the army, to which men -think I cannot say nay. Let them come; I am ready." - -He began walking again, thumping the floor with his sword, while Olmedo -took possession of a bench by the table. Presently, there was heard at -the door the sound of many feet, which you may be sure were not those of -slippered damsels; for, at the bidding of Cortes, twelve soldiers came -in, followed by several officers, and after them yet other soldiers. The -general went to the table and seated himself. They ranged themselves -about him, standing. - -And for a time the chamber went back to its primitive use; but what were -the audiences of Axaya' compared with this? Here was no painted cotton, -or feather-work gaudy with the spoils of humming-birds and parrots: in -their stead, the gleam and lustre blent with the brown of iron. One such -Christian warrior was worth a hundred heathen chiefs. So thought Cortes, -as he glanced at the faces before him, bearded, mustachioed, and shaded -down to the eyes by well-worn morions. - -"Good evening, gentlemen and soldiers," he said, kindly, but without a -bow. "This hath the appearance of business." - -Diaz advanced a step, and replied,-- - -"Senor, we are a deputation from the army, appointed to beg attention to -a matter which to us looketh serious; enough so, at least, to justify -this appearance. We have been, and are, thy faithful soldiers, in whom -thou mayst trust to the death, as our conduct all the way from the coast -doth certify. Nor do we come to complain; on that score be at rest. But -we are men of experience; a long campaign hath given us eyes to see and -ability to consider a situation; while we submit willingly to all thy -orders, trusting in thy superior sense, we yet think thou wilt not take -it badly, nor judge us wanting in discipline and respect, if we venture -the opinion that, despite the courtesies and fair seeming of the -unbelieving king, Montezuma, we are, in fact, cooped up in this strong -city as in a cage." - -"I see the business already," said Cortes; "and, by my conscience! ye -are welcome to help me consider it. Speak out, Bernal Diaz." - -"Thank thee, Senor. The question in our minds is, What shall be done -next? We know that but few things bearing anywise upon our expedition -escape thy eyes, and that of what is observed by thee nothing is -forgotten; therefore, what I wish, first, is to refer some points to thy -memory. When we left Cuba, we put ourselves in the keeping of the Holy -Virgin, without any certain purpose. We believed there was in this -direction somewhere a land peopled and full of gold for the finding. Of -that we were assured when we set out from the coast to come here. And -now that we are come, safe from so many dangers, and hardships, and -battles, we think it no shame to admit that we were not prepared for -what we find, so far doth the fact exceed all our imaginings; neither -can we be charged justly with weakness or fear, if we all desire to know -whether the expedition is at an end, and whether the time hath arrived -to collect our gains, and divide them, and set our faces homeward. There -are in the army some who think that time come; but I, and my associates -here, are not of that opinion. We believe with Father Olmedo, that God -and the Holy Mother brought us to this land, and that we are their -instruments; and that, in reward for our toils, and for setting up the -cross in all these abominable temples, and bringing about the conversion -of these heathen hordes, the country, and all that is in it, are ours." - -"They are ours!" cried Cortes, dashing his sword against the floor until -the chamber rang. "They are ours, all ours; subject only to the will of -our master, the Emperor." - -The latter words he said slowly, meaning that they should be remembered. - -"We are glad, Senor, to hear thy approval so heartily given," Diaz -resumed. "If we are not mistaken in the opinion, and, following it up, -decide to reduce the country to possession and the true -belief,--something, I confess, not difficult to determine, since we have -no ships in which to sail away,--then we think a plan of action should -be adopted immediately. If the reduction can be best effected from the -city, let us abide here, by all means; if not, the sooner we are beyond -the dikes and bridges, and out of the valley, the better. Whether we -shall remain, Senor, is for thee to say. The army hath simply chosen us -to make a suggestion, which we hope thou wilt accept as its sense; and -that is, to seize the person of Montezuma, and bring him to these -quarters, after which there will be no difficulty in providing for our -wants and safety, and controlling, as may be best, the people, the city, -the provinces, and all things else yet undiscovered." - -"_Jesu Christo!_" exclaimed Cortes, like one surprised. "Whence got ye -this idea? Much I fear the Devil is abroad again." And he began to walk -the floor, using long strides, and muttering to himself; retaking his -seat, he said,-- - -"The proposition hath a bold look, soldiers and comrades, and for our -lives' sake requireth careful thought. That we can govern the Empire -through Montezuma, I have always held, and with that idea I marched you -here, as the cavaliers now present can testify; but the taking and -holding him prisoner,--by my conscience! ye out-travel me, and I must -have time to think about the business. But, gentlemen,"--turning to the -Captains Leon, Ordas, Sandoval, and Alvarado, who, as part of the -delegation, had stationed themselves behind him,--"ye have reflected -upon the business, and are of made-up minds. Upon two points I would -have your judgments: first, can we justify the seizure to his Majesty, -the Emperor? secondly, how is the arrest to be accomplished? Speak thou, -Sandoval." - -"As thou know'st, Senor Hernan, what I say must be said bluntly, and -with little regard for qualifications," Sandoval replied, lisping. "To -me the seizure is a necessity, and as such justifiable to our royal -master, himself so good a soldier. I have come to regard the heathen -king as faithless, and therefore unworthy, except as an instrument in -our hands. I cannot forget how we were cautioned against him in all the -lower towns, and how, from all quarters, we were assured he meant to -follow the pretended instructions of his god, allow us to enter the -capital quietly, then fall upon us without notice and at disadvantage. -And now that we are enclosed, he hath only to cut off our supplies of -bread and water, and break down the bridges. So, Senor, I avouch that, -in my opinion, there is but one question for consideration,--Shall we -move against him, or wait until he is ready to move against us? I would -rather surprise my enemy than be surprised by him." - -"And what sayest thou, Leon?" - -"The good Captain Sandoval hath spoken for me, Senor. I would add, that -some of us have to-day noticed that the king's steward, besides being -insolent, hath failed to supply our tables as formerly. And from -Aguilar, the interpreter, who hath his news from the Tlascalans, I learn -that the Mexicans certainly have some evil plot in progress." - -"And yet further, captain, say for me," cried Alvarado, impetuously, -"that the prince now with us, his name--The fiend take his name!" - -"Thou would'st say, the Prince of Tezcuco; never mind his name," Cortes -said, gravely. - -"Ay, never mind his name," Olmedo repeated, with a scarce perceptible -gleam of humor. "At the baptism to-morrow I will give him something more -Christian." - -"As ye will, as ye will!" Alvarado rejoined, impatiently. "I was about -to say, that the Tezcucan averreth most roundly that the yells we heard -this afternoon from the temple over the way signified a grand utterance -from the god of war; and of opinion that we will now be soon attacked, -he refuseth to go into the city again." - -"And thou, Ordas." - -"Senor," that captain replied, "I am in favor of the seizure. If, as all -believe, Montezuma is bent to make war upon us, the best way to meet the -danger is to arrest him in time. The question, simply stated, is, his -liberty or our lives. Moreover, I want an end to the uncertainty that so -vexeth us night and day; worse, by far, than any battle the heathen can -offer." - -Cortes played with the knot of his sword, and reflected. - -"Such, then, is the judgment of the army," he finally said. "And such, -gentlemen, is mine, also. But is that enough? What we do as matter of -policy may be approved of man, even our imperial master, of whom I am -always regardful; but, as matter of conscience, the approval of Heaven -must be looked for. Stand out, Father Bartolome! Upon thy brow is the -finger of St. Peter, at thy girdle the cross of Christ. What saith the -Church?" - -The good man arose, and held out the cross, saying,-- - -"My children, upon the Church, by Christ himself, this solemn hest hath -been placed, good for all places, to be parted from never: 'Go ye into -all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.' The way hither -hath been through strange seas and deadly climates. Hear me, that ye may -know yourselves. Ye are the swords of the Church. In Cempoalla she -preached; so in Tlascala; so in Cholula; and in all, she cast out false -gods, and converted whole tribes. Only in this city hath the gospel not -been proclaimed. And why? Because of a king who to-day, almost in our -view, sacrificed men to his idols. Swords of the Church, which go before -to make smooth her path, Christ and the Holy Mother must be taught in -yon temple of sin. So saith the Church!" - -There was much crossing of forehead and breast, and "Amen," and the -sweet name "Ave Maria" sounded through the chamber, not in the murmur of -a cathedral response, but outspokenly as became the swords of Christ. -The sensation was hardly done, when some one at the door called loudly -for Alvarado. - -"Who is he that so calleth?" the captain asked, angrily. "Let him choose -another time." - -The name was repeated more loudly. - -"Tell the mouther to seek me to-morrow." - -A third time the captain was called. - -"May the Devil fly away with the fellow! I will not go." - -"Bid the man enter," said Cortes. "The disturbance is strange." - -A soldier appeared, whom Alvarado, still angry, addressed, "How now? -Dost thou take me for a kitchen girl, apprenticed to answer thee at all -times? What hast thou? Be brief. This goodly company waiteth." - -"I crave thy pardon, captain. I crave pardon of the company," the -soldier answered, saluting Cortes. "I am on duty at the main gate. A -little while ago, a woman--" - -"_Picaro!_" cried Alvarado, contemptuously. "Only a woman!" - -"Peace, captain! Let the man proceed," said Cortes, whose habit it was -to hear his common soldiers gravely. - -"As I was about saying, Senor, a woman came running to the gate. She was -challenged. I could not understand her, and she was much scared, for -behind her on the street was a party that seemed to have been in -pursuit. She cried, and pressed for admittance. My order is -strict,--Admit no one after the evening gun. While I was trying to make -her understand me, some arrows were shot by the party outside, and one -passed through her arm. She then flung herself on the pavement, and gave -me this cross, and said 'Tonatiah, Tonatiah!' As that is what the people -call thee, Senor Alvarado, I judged she wanted it given to thee for some -purpose. The shooting at her made me think that possibly the business -might be of importance. If I am mistaken, I again pray pardon. Here is -the cross. Shall I admit the woman?" - -Alvarado took the cross, and looked at it once. - -"By the saints! my mother's gift to me, and mine to the princess -Nenetzin." Of the soldier he asked, in a suppressed voice, "Is the woman -old or young?" - -"A girl, little more than a child." - -"'Tis she! Mother of Christ, 'tis Nenetzin!" - -And through the company, without apology, he rushed. The soldier -saluted, and followed him. - -"To the gate, Sandoval! See the rest of this affair, and report," said -Cortes, quietly. "We will stay the business until you return." - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - TRULY WONDERFUL.--A FORTUNATE MAN HATH A MEMORY. - - -Two canoes, tied to the strand, attested that the royal party, and Io' -and Hualpa, were yet at Chapultepec, which was no doubt as pleasant at -night, seen of all the stars, as in the day, kissed by the softest of -tropical suns. - -That the lord Hualpa should linger there was most natural. Raised, -almost as one is transported in dreams, from hunting to warriorship; -from that again to riches and nobility; so lately contented, though at -peril of life, to look from afar at the house in which the princess -Nenetzin slept; now her betrothed, and so pronounced by the great king -himself,--what wonder that he loitered at the palace? Yet it was not -late,--in fact, on the horizon still shone the tint, the last and -faintest of the day,--when he and Io' came out, and, arm in arm, took -their way down the hill to the landing. What betides the lover? Is the -mistress coy? Or runs he away at call of some grim duty? - -Out of the high gate, down the terraced descent, past the avenue of -ghostly cypresses, until their sandals struck the white shells of the -landing, they silently went. - -"Is it not well with you, my brother?" asked the prince, stopping where -the boats, in keeping of their crews, were lying. - -"Thank you for that word," Hualpa replied. "It is better even than -comrade. Well with me? I look my fortune in the face, and am dumb. If I -should belie expectation, if I should fall from such a height! O Mother -of the World, save me from that! I would rather die!" - -"But you will not fail," said Io', sympathetically. - -"The gods keep the future; they only know. The thought came to me as I -sat at the feet of Tula and Nenetzin,--came to me like a taste of bitter -in a cup of sweets. Close after followed another even stronger,--how -could I be so happy, and our comrade over the lake so miserable? We know -how he has hoped and worked and lived for what the morrow is to bring: -shall he not be notified even of its nearness? You have heard the sound -of the war-drum: what is it like?" - -"Like the roll of thunder." - -"Well, when the thunder crosses the lake, and strikes his ear, saying, -'Up, the war is here!' he will come to the door, and down to the water's -edge; there he must stop; and as he looks wistfully to the city, and -strains his ear to catch the notes of the combat, will he not ask for -us, and, accuse us of forgetfulness? Rather than that, O my brother, let -my fortune all go back to its giver." - -"I understand you now," said the prince, softly. - -"Yes," Hualpa continued, "I am to be at the temple by the break of day; -but the night is mine, and I will go to the 'tzin, my first friend, of -Anahuac the soul, as Nenetzin is the flower." - -"And I will go with you." - -"No, you cannot. You have not permission. So farewell." - -"Until to-morrow," said Io'. - -"In the temple," answered Hualpa. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - HOW THE IRON CROSS CAME BACK. - - -Io' stayed at the landing awhile, nursing the thought left him by his -comrade. And he was still there, the plash of the rowers of the receding -canoe in his ear, when the great gate of the palace gave exit to another -person, this time a girl. The guards on duty paid her no attention. She -was clad simply and poorly, and carried a basket. Around the hill were -scores of gardeners' daughters like her. - -From the avenue she turned into a path which, through one of the fields -below, led her to an inlet of the lake, where the market-people were -accustomed to moor their canoes. The stars gave light, but too feebly to -reclaim anything from the darkness. Groping amongst the vessels, she at -length entered one, and, seating herself, pushed clear of the land, and -out in the lake toward the glow in the sky beneath which reposed the -city. - -Like the night, the lake was calm; therefore, no fear for the -adventuress. The boat, under her hand, had not the speed of the king's -when driven by his twelve practised rowers; yet she was its mistress, -and it obeyed her kindly. But why the journey? Why alone on the water at -such a time? - -Half an hour of steady work. The city was, of course, much nearer. At -the same time, the labor began to tell; the reach of her paddle was not -so great as at the beginning, nor was the dip so deep; her breathing was -less free, and sometimes she stopped to draw a dripping hand across her -forehead. Surely, this is not a gardener's daughter. - -_Voyageurs_ now became frequent. Most of them passed by with the -salutation usual on the lake,--"The blessings of the gods upon you!" -Once she was in danger. A canoe full of singers, and the singers full of -_pulque_, came down at speed upon her vessel. Happily, the blow was -given obliquely; the crash suspended the song; the wassailers sprang to -their feet; seeing only a girl, and no harm done, they drew off, -laughing. "Out with your lamp next time!" shouted one of them. A law of -the lake required some such signal at night. - -In the flurry of the collision, a _tamane_, leaning over the bow of the -strange canoe, swung a light almost in the girl's face. With a cry, she -shrank away; as she did so, from her bosom fell a shining cross. To the -dull slave the symbol told no tale; but, good reader, we know that there -is but one maiden in all Anahuac who wears such a jewel, and we know for -whom she wears that one. By the light of that cross, we also know the -weary passenger is, not a gardener's daughter, but Nenetzin, the -princess. - -And the wonder grows. What does the 'tzin Nene--so they called her in -the days they swung her to sleep in the swinging cradle--out so far -alone on the lake? And where goes she in such guise, this night of all -others, and now when the kiss of her betrothed is scarcely cold on her -lips? Where are the slaves? Where the signs of royalty? As prayed by the -gentle _voyageurs_, the blessings of the gods may be upon her, but much -I doubt if she has her mother's, almost as holy. - -Slowly now she wins her way. The paddle grows heavier in her -unaccustomed hands. On her brow gathers a dew which is neither of the -night nor the lake. She is not within the radius of the temple lights, -yet stops to rest, and bathe her palms in the cooling waves. Later, when -the wall of the city, close by, stretches away on either side, far -reaching, a margin of darkness under the illuminated sky, the canoe -seems at last to conquer; it floats at will idly as a log; and in that -time the princess sits motionless as the boat, lapsed in revery. Her -purpose, if she has one, may have chilled in the solitude or weakened -under the labor. Alas, if the purpose be good! If evil, help her, O -sweet Mary, Mother! - -The sound of paddles behind her broke the spell. With a hurried glance -over her shoulder, she bent again to the task, and there was no more -hesitation. She gained the wall, and passed in, taking the first canal. -By the houses, and through the press of canoes, and under the bridges, -to the heart of the city, she went. On the steps bordering a basin close -to the street which had been Cortes' line of march the day of the entry, -she landed, and, ascending to the thoroughfare, set out briskly, basket -in hand, her face to the south. With never a look to the right or left, -never a response to the idlers on the pavement, she hurried down the -street. The watchers on the towers sung the hour; she scarcely heard -them. At last she reached the great temple. A glance at the -_coatapantli_, one at the shadowy sanctuaries, to be sure of the -locality; then her eyes fell upon the palace of Axaya', and she stopped. -The street to this point had been thronged with people; here there were -none; the strangers were by themselves. The main gate of the ancient -house stood half open, and she saw the wheels of gun-carriages, and now -and then a Christian soldier pacing his round, slowly and grimly; of the -little host, he alone gave signs of life. Over the walls she heard the -stamp of horses' feet, and once a neigh, shrill and loud. The awe of the -Indian in presence of the white man seized her, and she looked and -listened, half frightened, half worshipful, with but one clear sense, -and that was of the nearness of the _Tonatiah_. - -A sound of approaching feet disturbed her, and she ran across to the -gate; at once the purpose which had held her silent on the _azoteas_, -which prompted her ready acquiescence in the betrothal to Hualpa, which -had sustained her in the passage of the lake, was revealed. She was -seeking her lover to save him. - -She would have passed through the gateway, but for a number of lances -dropped with their points almost against her breast. What with fear of -those behind and of those before her, she almost died. On the pavement, -outside the entrance, she was lying when Alvarado came to the rescue. -The guard made way for him quickly; for in his manner was the warning -which nothing takes from words, not even threats; verily, it had been as -well to attempt to hinder a leaping panther. He threw the lances up, and -knelt by her, saying tenderly, "Nenetzin, Nenetzin, poor child! It is -I,--come to save you!" - -She half arose, and, smiling through her tears, clasped her hands, and -cried, "_Tonatiah! Tonatiah!_" - -There are times when a look, a gesture, a tone of the voice, do all a -herald's part. What need of speech to tell the Spaniard why the truant -was there? The poor disguise, the basket, told of flight; her presence -at that hour said, "I have come to thee"; the cross returned, the tears, -the joy at sight of him, certified her love; and so, when she put her -arm around his neck, and the arrow, not yet taken away, rattled against -his corselet, to his heart there shot a pain so sharp and quick it -seemed as if the very soul of him was going out. - -He raised her gently, and carried her through the entrance. The rough -men looking on saw upon his cheek what, if the cheek had been a woman's, -they would have sworn was a tear. - -"Ho, Marina!" he cried to the wondering interpreter. "I bring thee a -bird dropped too soon from the nest. The hunter hath chased the poor -thing, and here is a bolt in its wing. Give place in thy cot, while I go -for a doctor, and room with thee, that malice hurt not a good name." - -And at the sight the Indian woman was touched; she ran to the cot, -smoothed the pillow of feathers, and said, "Here, rest her here, and run -quickly. I will care for her." - -He laid her down tenderly, but she clung to his hand, and said to -Marina, "He must not go. Let him first hear what I have to say." - -"But you are hurt." - -"It is nothing, nothing. He must stay." - -So earnestly did she speak, that the captain changed his mind. "Very -well. What is spoken in pain should be spoken quickly. I will stay." - -Nenetzin caught the assent, and went on rapidly. "Let him know that -to-morrow at noon the drum in the great temple will be beaten, and the -bridges taken up, and then there will be war." - -"By the saints! she bringeth doughty news," said Alvarado, in his voice -of soldier. "Ask her where she got it; ask her, as you love us, Marina." - -"From my father,--from the king himself." - -"And this is child of Montezuma!" cried Marina. - -"The princess Nenetzin," said the cavalier. "But stay not so. Ask her -when and where she heard the news." - -"To-day, at Chapultepec." - -"What of the particulars? How is the war to be made? What are the -preparations?" - -"The lord Cuitlahua is to take up the bridges. Maize and meat will be -furnished to-morrow only. About the great temple now there are ten -thousand warriors for an attack, and elsewhere in the city there are -seventy thousand more." - -"Enough," said Alvarado, kissing the little hand. "Look now to the hurt, -Marina. Bring the light; mayhap we can take the bolt away ourselves." - -Marina knelt, and examined the wounded arm, and shortly held up the -arrow. - -"Good!" the cavalier said. "Thou art a doctor, indeed, Marina. In the -schools at home they give students big-lettered parchments. I will do -better by thee; I will cover the arm that did this surgery with -bracelets of gold. Run now, and bring cloth and water. The blood thou -seest trickling here is from her heart, which loveth me too dearly to -suffer such waste. Haste thee! haste thee!" - -They bathed the wound, and applied the bandages, though all too roughly -to suit the cavalier, who, thereupon, turned to go, saying, "Sit thou -there, Marina, and leave her not, except to do her will. Tell her I will -return, and to be at rest, for she is safe as in her father's house. If -any do but look at her wrongfully, they shall account to me. So, by my -mother's cross, I swear!" - -And he hurried back to the audience-chamber, where the council was yet -in session. While he related what had been told by Nenetzin, a deep -silence pervaded the assemblage, and the brave men, from looking at each -other, turned, with singular unanimity, to Cortes; who, thus appealed -to, threw off his affectation, and standing up, spoke, so as to be heard -by all,-- - -"Comrades, soldiers, gentlemen, let there be no words more. The step you -have urged upon me, in the name of the army, I hesitated to take. I -grant you, I hesitated; but not from love of the soft-tongued, lying, -pagan king. Bethink ye. We left Cuba hastily, as ye all remember, -because of a design to arrest us there as malefactors and traitors. Now, -when our enemies in that island hear from our expedition, and have told -them all its results,--the wealth we have won, and the country, cities, -peoples, and empire discovered,--envy and jealousy will pursue us, and -false tongues go back to Spain, and fill the ears of our royal master -with reports intended to rob us of our glory and despoil us of our hire. -How could I know but the seizure in question might be magnified into -impolicy and cruelty, and furnish cause for disgrace, imprisonment, and -forfeiture? For that I hesitated. This news, however, endeth doubt and -debate. The over-cunning king hath put himself outside of mercy or -compassion; we are compelled to undo him. So far, well. Let me remind ye -now, that the news of which I speak hath in it a warning which it were -sinful not to heed. Yesterday the great infidel was at our mercy; not -more difficult his capture then than a visit to his palace; but now, in -all the histories of bold performances, nothing bolder,--nothing of the -Cid's, nothing of King Arthur's. In the heart of his capital we are to -make prisoner him, the head of millions, the political ruler and -religious chief, not merely secure in the love and fear of his subjects, -but in the height of his careful preparation for war, in the centre of -his camp, within call, nay, under the eyes, of his legions, numbering -thousands where we number tens. Take ye each, my brave brethren, the -full measure of the design, and then tell me, in simple words, how it -may be best done. And among ye, let him speak who can truly say, I dare -do what my tongue delivereth. I wait your answer." - -And in the chamber there again fell a hush so deep that those present -might well have been taken for ghosts. The idea as first seen by them -was commonplace; under his description, it became heroic; and -struggling, as he suggested, to measure it each for himself, all were -dumb. - -"Good gentlemen," said Cortes, smiling, "why so laggard now? Speak, Diaz -del Castillo. Offer what thou canst." - -The good soldier, and afterward good chronicler, of the conquest and its -trials, this one among the rest, replied, "I confess, Senor, the -enterprise is difficult beyond my first thought. I confess, also, to -more reflection about its necessity than its achievement. To answer -truthfully, at this time I see but one way to the end; and that is, to -invite the monarch here under some sufficient pretence, and then lay -hands on him." - -"Are ye all of the same minds, gentlemen?" - -There was a murmur of assent, whereupon Cortes arose from leaning upon -his sword, and said, sharply,-- - -"To hear ye, gentlemen, one would think the summer all before us in -which to interchange courtesies with the royal barbarian. What is the -fact? At noon to-morrow our hours of grace expire. A beat of drum, and -then assault, and after that,"--he paused, looking grimly round the -circle,--"and after that, sacrifices to the gods, I suppose." - -There was a general movement and outcry. Some griped their arms, others -crossed themselves. Cortes saw and pressed his advantage. - -"I shall not take your advice, Bernal Diaz; not I, by my conscience! -Heaven helping me, I expect to see old Spain again; and more, I expect -to take these comrades back with me, rich in glory and gold." Then, to -the officers behind him, he said, in his ordinary tone of command, -"Ordas, do thou bid the carpenters prepare quarters in this palace for -Montezuma and his court; and let them begin their work to-night, for he -will be our guest before noon to-morrow. And thou, Leon, thou, Lugo, -thou, Avila, and thou, Sandoval, get ye ready to go with me to the--" - -"And I?" asked Alvarado. - -"Thou shalt go also." - -"And the army, Senor?" Diaz suggested. - -"The army shall remain in quarters." - -Never man's manner more calm, never man more absolutely assured. The -listeners warmed with admiration. As unconscious of the effect he was -working, he went on,-- - -"I have shown the difficulties of the enterprise; now I say further, the -crisis of the expedition is upon us: if I succeed, all is won; if I -fail, all is lost. In such strait, what should we do between this and -then? Let us not trust in our cunning and strength: we are Christians; -as such, put we our faith in Christ and the Holy Mother. Olmedo, father, -go thou to the chapel, and get ready the altar. The night to confession -and prayer; and let the morning find us on our knees shrieved and -blessed. We are done, comrades. Let the chamber be cleared. To the -chapel all." - -And they did the bidding cheerfully. All night the good father was -engaged in holy work, confessing, shrieving, praying. So the morning -found them. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - THE CHRISTIAN TAKES CARE OF HIS OWN. - - -Hualpa returned to the city about the time the stars, which in that -clime and season herald the morning, take their places in the sky. He -had lightened his heart, and received the sympathy of a lover in return; -he had told the great things done and promised by the king, and sorrowed -that his friend could take no part in the events which, he imagined, -were to make the day heroic forever; and now, his enthusiasm of youth -sobered by the plaints to which he had listened while traversing the -dusky walks of the beautiful garden, he clomb the stairs of the -_teocallis_. Before the day was fairly dawned, he was at his post, -waiting, dreaming of Nenetzin, and hearkening to the spirit-songs of -ambition, always so charming to unpractised souls. - -And the lord Cuitlahua perfected his measures. On all the dikes, and at -the entrance of all the canals, guards were stationed. The bridges -nearest the palace occupied by the strangers were held by chosen -detachments. Except those thus detailed, the entire military in the city -were pent in the temples. And to all, including the lord steward, the -proper orders were confided. All awaited the signal. - -And the king, early in the night, ignorant of the flight of Nenetzin, -had come from Chapultepec to his palace in the capital. He retired as he -was wont, and slept the sleep as restful to a mind long distracted by -irresolution as to a body exhausted by labor; such slumber as comes to -him who, in time of doubt, involving all dearest interests, at last -discovers what his duty is, and, fully determined, simply awaits the -hour of performance, trustful of the action taken, and of the good-will -of the god or gods of his faith. - -On the side of the Christians, the preparation, more simple, was also -complete. From mass the little host went to breakfast, then to arms. The -companies formed; even the Tlascalans behaved as if impressed with a -sense that their fate had been challenged. - -To the captains, again convoked in the audience-chamber, Cortes detailed -his plan of operation. His salutation of each was grave and calm. Though -very watchful, they heard him without question; and when they went out, -they might have said, The hour of trial is come, and now will be seen -which holds the conquering destiny,--the God of the Christian or that of -the Aztec. - -From the council, Alvarado went first to Marina; finding that Nenetzin -slept, he joined his companions in the great court, where, gay and -careless, he carolled a song, and twirled his sword, and, in thought of -smiling fortune and a princely Indian love, walked complacently to and -fro. And so wait, ready for action, the Christian lover and the -heathen,--one in the palace, the other in the temple,--both, in fancy, -lord of the same sweet mistress. - -At the stated hour, as had been the custom, the three lords came, in -splendid costume, and with stately ceremonial, bringing the king's -compliments, and asking Cortes will for the day. And they returned with -compliments equally courteous and deceptive, taking with them -Orteguilla, the page, instructed to inform the monarch that directly, if -such were the royal pleasure, Malinche would be happy to visit him in -his palace. - -A little later there went out parties of soldiers, apparently to view -the city; yet the point was noticeable that, besides being fully armed, -each was in charge of a chosen subordinate. Later, the army was drawn -up, massed in the garden; the matches of the gunners were lighted; the -horsemen stood at their bridles; the Tlascalans were stationed to defend -the outer walls. De Oli, Morla, Marin, and Monjarez passed through the -lines in careful inspection. - -"Heard'st thou when the drum was to be sounded?" asked De Oli, looking -to the sun. - -"At noon," answered Marin. - -"Three hours yet, as I judge. Short time, by Our Lady!" - -The party was impatient. To their relief, Cortes at last came out, with -his five chosen cavaliers, Sandoval, Alvarado, Leon, Avila, and Lugo. As -he proceeded to the gate, all eyes turned to him, all hearts became -confident,--so much of power over the weak is there in the look of one -master spirit. - -At the gate he waited for the Dona Marina. - -"Are ye ready, gentlemen?" - -"All ready," they replied. - -"With thee, De Oli, I leave the command. At sight or sound of attack or -combat, come quickly. Charge straight to the palace, lances in the lead. -Bring our horses. Farewell. Christ and the Mother for us!" And with -that, Cortes stepped into the street. - -For a time the party proceeded silently. - -"Is not this what the pagans call the beautiful street?" Sandoval asked. - -"Why the question?" - -"I have gone through graveyards not more deserted." - -"Thou'rt right," said Lugo. "By Our Lady! when last we went this way, I -remember the pavements, doors, porticos, and roofs were crowded. Now, -not a woman or a child." - -"In faith, Senor, we are a show suddenly become stale." - -"Be it so," replied Leon, sneeringly. "We will give the public a new -trick." - -"_Mirad, Senores!_" said Cortes. "Last night, all through this district, -particularly along this street, there went patrols, removing the -inhabitants, and making ready for what the drum is advertised to let -loose upon us. Don Pedro, thy princess hath told the truth." And looking -back to the towers of the _teocallis_, he added, after a fit of -laughter, "The fools, the swine! They have undone themselves; or, -rather,"--his face became grave on the instant,--"the Holy Mother hath -undone them for us. Give thanks, gentlemen, our emprise is already won! -Yonder the infidel general hath his army in waiting for the word of the -king. Keep we that unspoken or undelivered,--only that,--and the way of -our return, prisoner in hand, will be as clear of armed men as the going -is." - -The customary guard of nobles kept the portal of the palace; the -antechamber, however, was crowded to its full capacity with unarmed -courtiers, through whom the Christians passed with grave assurance. To -acquaintances Cortes bowed courteously. Close by the door of the -audience-chamber, he found Orteguilla conversing with Maxtla, who, at -sight of him, knelt, and, touching the floor with his palm, offered to -conduct the party to the royal presence; such were his orders. Cortes -stopped an instant. - -"Hath the king company?" he asked Orteguilla. - -"None of account,--a boy and three or four old men." - -"He is ours. Let us on, gentlemen!" - -And forthwith they passed under the curtains held aside for them by -Maxtla. - -On a dais covered with a carpet of _plumaje_, the monarch sat. Three -venerable men stood behind him. At his feet, a little to the right, was -the prince Io', in uniform. A flood of light poured through a window on -the northern side of the chamber, and fell full on the group, bringing -out with intense clearness the rich habiliments of the monarch, and -every feature of his face. The Christians numbered the attendance, and, -trained to measure dangers and discover advantages by a glance, smiled -at the confidence of the treacherous heathen. Upon the stillness, broken -only by their ringing tread, sped the voice of Cortes. - -"Alvarado, Lugo, all of ye, watch well whom we have here. On your lives, -see that the boy escape not." - -Montezuma kept his seat. - -"The gods keep you this pleasant morning," he said. "I am glad to see -you." - -They bowed to him, and Cortes replied,-- - -"We thank thee, good king. May the Holy Virgin, of our Christian faith, -have thee in care. Thus pray we, than whom thou hast no truer servants." - -"If you prefer to sit, I will have seats brought." - -"We thank thee again. In the presence of our master, it is the custom to -stand, and he would hold us discourteous if we did otherwise before a -sovereign friend as dear to him as thou art, great king." - -The monarch waved his hand. - -"Your master is no doubt a rare and excellent sovereign," he said, then -changed the subject. "The lords, whom I sent to you this morning, -reported that all goes well with you in the palace. I hope so. If -anything is wanted, you have only to speak. My provinces are at your -service." - -"The lords reported truly." - -"I am very glad. Thinking of you, Malinche, and studying to make your -contentment perfect, I have wondered if you have any amusements or games -with which to pass the time." - -As there were not in all the New World, however it might be in the Old, -more desperate gamblers than the cavaliers, they looked at each other -when the translation was concluded, and smiled at the simplicity of the -speaker. Nevertheless, Cortes replied with becoming gravity,-- - -"We have our pastimes, good king, as all must have; for without them, -nature hath ordered that the body shall grow old and the mind incapable. -Our pastimes, however, relate almost entirely to war." - -"That is labor, Malinche." - -"So is hunting," said Cortes, smiling. - -"My practice is not," answered the monarch, taking the remark as an -allusion to his own love of the sport, and laughing. "The lords drive -the game to me, and my pleasure is in exercising the skill required to -take it. Some day you must go with me to my preserves over the lake, and -I will show you my modes; but I did not mean that kind of amusement. I -will explain my meaning. Io'," he said to the prince, who had arisen, -"bid Maxtla bring hither the silver balls. I will teach Malinche to play -_totoloque_." - -"Have a care, gentlemen!" said Cortes, divining the speech from the -action of the speaker. "The lad must stay. And thou, Marina, tell him -so." - -The comely, gentle-hearted Indian woman hastened tremulously to say, -"Most mighty king, Malinche bids me tell thee that he has heard of the -beautiful game, and will be glad to learn it, but not now. He wishes the -prince to remain." - -One step Io' had in the mean time taken,--but one; in front of him Leon -stepped, hand on sword, and menace on his brow. The blood fled the -monarch's face. - -"Go not," he at length said to the boy; and to Cortes, "I do not -understand you, Malinche." - -The time of demand was come. Cortes moved nearer the dais, and replied, -his eyes fixed coldly and steadily on those of the victim,-- - -"I have business with thee, king; and until it is concluded, thou, the -prince, and thy councillors must stay. Outcry, or attempt at escape, -will be at peril of life." - -The monarch sat upright, pale and rigid; the ancients dropped upon their -knees. Io' alone was brave; he stepped upon the platform, as if to -defend the royal person. Then in the same cold, inflexible manner, -Cortes proceeded,-- - -"I have been thy guest, false king, long enough to learn thee well. The -power which, on all occasions, thou hast been so careful to impress upon -me, hath but made thy hypocrisy the more astonishing. Listen, while I -expose thee to thyself. We started hither at thy invitation. In Cholula, -nevertheless, we were set upon by the army. No thanks to thee that we -are alive to-day. And, in the same connection, when thou wert upbraided -for inviting us, the lords and princes were told that such was the -instruction of one of thy bloody gods, who had promised here in the -capital to deliver us prisoners for sacrifice." Montezuma offered to -speak. - -"Deny it not, deny it not!" said Cortes, with the slightest show of -passion. "In god or man, such perfidy cannot be excused. But that is not -all. Say nothing about the command sent the troops near Tuzpan to attack -my people; nor about the demand upon townships under protection of my -royal master for women and children to feed to thy hungry idols; now--" - -Here the king broke in upon the interpreter,-- - -"I do not understand what Malinche says about my troops attacking his -people at Tuzpan." - -"Thy governor killed one of my captains." - -"Not by my order." - -"Then make good the denial, by sending for the officer who did the -murder, that he may be punished according to the wickedness of his -crime." - -The king took a signet from his wrist, and said to one of his -councillors, "Let this be shown to the governor of that province. I -require him to come here immediately, with all who were concerned with -him at the time spoken of by Malinche." - -The smile with which the monarch then turned to the Spaniard was lost -upon him, for he continued, pitilessly as before,-- - -"The punishment of the governor is not enough. I accuse thee further. -Thou treacherous king! Go with me to the temple, and now,--this -instant,--I will show thee thy brother, with an army at call, waiting -thy signal to attack us in the palace where so lately we received thy -royal welcome." - -The listener started from his seat. Upon his bewildered faculties -flashed the remembrance of how carefully and with what solemn injunction -he had locked his plans of war in the breasts of the members of his -family, gathered about him on the _azoteas_ at Chapultepec. His faith -in them forbade suspicion. Whence then the exposure? And to the dealer -in mysteries Mystery answered, "The gods!" If his former faith in the -divinity of the stranger came not back, now, at least, he knew him -sustained by powers with which contention were folly. He sunk down -again; his head dropped upon his struggling breast;--HE WAS CONQUERED! - -And the stern Spaniard, as if moved by the sight, said, in a softened -voice,-- - -"I know not of thy religion; but there is a law of ours,--a mercy of the -dear Christ who hath us in his almighty keeping,--by which every sin may -be atoned by sacrifices, not of innocent victims, but of the sinner's -self. In the world I come from, so much is the law esteemed, that kings -greater than thou have laid down their crowns, the better to avail -themselves of its salvation. Thou art an unbeliever, and I may do -wrong,--if so, I pray pardon of the Holy Ghost that heareth me,--I may -do wrong, I say, but, infidel as thou art, if thou wilt obey the -precept, thou shalt have the benefit of the privilege. I do not want war -which would end in thy destruction and the ruin of thy city and people; -therefore I make thee a proposal. Hear me!" - -The unhappy king raised his head, and listened eagerly. - -"Arise, and go with us to our quarters, and take up thy abode there. -King shalt thou continue. Thy court can go with thee, and thou canst -govern from one palace as well as another. To make an end of -speech,"--and Cortes raised his hand tightly clenched,--"to make an end -of speech, finally and plainly, choose now: go with us or die! I have -not brought these officers without a purpose." - -All eyes centred on the pale face of the monarch, and the stillness of -the waiting was painful and breathless. At last, from the depths of his -tortured soul, up rose a sparkle of resentment. - -"Who ever heard of a great prince, like myself, voluntarily leaving his -own palace to become a prisoner in the hands of a stranger?" - -"Prisoner! Not so. Hear me again. Court, household, and power, with full -freedom for its exercise, and the treatment due a crowned prince,--all -these shalt thou have. So, in my master's name, I pledge thee." - -"No, Malinche, press me not so hardly. Were I to consent to such a -degradation, my people would not. Take one of my sons rather. This -one,"--and he laid his hand on Io's shoulder,--"whom I love best, and -have thought to make my successor. Take him as hostage; but spare me -this infamy." - -The debate continued; an hour passed. - -"Gentlemen, why waste words on this wretched barbarian?" exclaimed Leon, -at last, half drawing his sword, while his face darkened with dreadful -purpose. "We cannot recede now. In Christ's name, let us seize him, or -plunge our swords in his body!" - -The captains advanced, baring their swords; Cortes retired a step, as if -to make way for them. Brief time remained for decision. Trembling and -confused, the monarch turned to Marina, and asked, "What did the _teule_ -say?" - -As became a gentle woman, fearful lest death be done before her, she -replied,-- - -"O king, I pray you make no further objection. If you yield, they will -treat you kindly; if you refuse, they will kill you. Go with them, I -pray you." - -Upon the advance of the captains, Io' stepped in front of the king; as -they hesitated, either waiting Cortes' order or the answer to Marina's -prayer, he knelt, and clasped his father's knees, and cried tearfully,-- - -"Do not go, O king! Rather than endure such shame, let us die!" - -Stupefied, almost distraught, the monarch seemed not to hear the heroic -entreaty. His gaze was on the face of Cortes, now as impenetrable and -iron-like as the armor on his breast. "The gods have abandoned me!" he -cried, despairingly. "I am lost! Malinche, I will go with you!" His head -drooped, and his hands fell nerveless on the chair. - -The boy arose, and turned to the conquerors, every feature convulsed -with hate. - -"Thanks, good king, thanks!" said Cortes, smiling. "Thou hast saved my -soul a sin. I will be thy friend till death!" - -Thereupon, he stepped forward, and kissed the royal hand, which fell -from his lips as if palsied--I will not say profaned--by the touch. And, -one after another, Leon, Lugo, Avila, Alvarado, and Sandoval approached, -and knelt on the dais, and in like manner saluted the fallen prince. - -"Are you done, Malinche?" the victim asked, when somewhat revived. - -"What I wish now, above all things," was the reply, spoken with rare -pretence of feeling, "is to be assured, good king, that we are forgiven -the pain we have caused thee, since, though of our doing, it was not of -our will as much as of the ambition of some of thy own lords and chiefs. -What I desire next is, that thy goodness may not be without immediate -results. I and my officers, thy son and these councillors, are witnesses -that thou didst consent to my proposal out of great love of peace and -thy people. To secure the object,--noble beyond praise,--the lords here -in the palace, and those of influence throughout the provinces, must be -convinced that thou dost go with me of thine own free will; not as -prisoner, but as trusted guest returning the favor of guest. How to do -that best is in thy knowledge more than mine. Only, what thy judgment -approveth, set about quickly. We wait thy orders." - -"Io', uncles," said Montezuma, his eyes dim with tears, "as you love me, -be silent as to what has here taken place. I charge you that you tell it -to no man, while I live. Bid Maxtla come." - -Summoning all his strength to meet the shrewd eyes of the chief, the -monarch sat up with a show of cheerfulness. - -"Bring my palanquin," he said, after Maxtla's salutation, "and direct -some of the elder lords to be ready to accompany me without arms or -ceremony. As advised by Huitzil', and these good uncles, I have resolved -to go, and for a time abide with Malinche in the old palace. Send an -officer, with the workmen, to prepare quarters for my use and that of -the court. Publish my intention. Go quickly." - -Afterwhile from the palace issued a procession which no man, uninformed, -might look upon and say was not a funeral: in the palanquin, the dead; -on its right and left, the guard of honor; behind, the friends, a long -train, speechless and sorrowing. The movement was quiet and solemn; -three squares and as many bridges were passed, when, from down the -street, a man came running with all speed. He gained the rear of the -cortege, and spoke a few hurried words there; a murmur arose, and -spread, and grew into a furious outcry,--a moment more, and the cortege -was dissolved in tumult. At the last corner on the way, the cavaliers -had been joined by some of the armed parties, who, for the purpose, had -preceded them into the city in the early morning; these closed firmly -around, a welcome support. - -"_Mirad!_" cried Cortes, loudly. "The varlets are without arms. Let no -one strike until I say so." - -The demonstration increased. Closer drew the mob, some adjuring the -monarch, some threatening the Christians. That an understanding of the -situation was abroad was no longer doubtful; still Cortes held his men -in check, for he knew, if blood were shed now, the common-sense of the -people would refuse the story he so relied upon,--that the king's -coming was voluntary. - -"Can our guest," he asked of Sandoval, "be sleeping the while?" - -"Treachery, Senor." - -"By God's love, captain, if it so turn out, drive thy sword first of all -things through him!" - -While yet he spoke, the curtains of the carriage were drawn aside; the -carriers halted instantly; and of the concourse, all the natives fell -upon their knees, and became still, so that the voice of the monarch was -distinctly heard. - -"The noise disturbs me," he said, in ordinary tone. "Let the street be -cleared." - -The lords whom he addressed kept their faces to the ground. - -"What is the cause of the clamor?" - -No one answered. A frown was gathering upon his face, when an Aztec -sprang up, and drew near him. He was dressed as a citizen of the lower -class. At the side of the carriage he stopped, and touched the pavement -with his palm. - -"Guatamozin!" said the king, more in astonishment than anger. - -"Even so. O king,--father,--to bear a soldier's part to-day, I have -dared your judgment." Lifting his eyes to the monarch's, he endured his -gaze steadily, but, at the same time, with such an expression of -sympathy that reproof was impossible. "I am prepared for any sentence; -but first, let me know, let these lords and all the people know, is this -going in truth of your own free will?" - -Montezuma regarded him fixedly, but not in wrath. - -"I conjure you, uncle, father, king,--I conjure you, by our royal blood, -by our country, by all the gods,--are these strangers guests or guards? -Speak,--I pray you, speak but one word." - -The poor, stricken monarch heard, and was penetrated by the tone of -anguish; yet he replied,-- - -"My brother's son insults me by his question. I am still the king,--free -to go and come, to reward and punish." - -He would have spoken further, and kindly, but for the interruption of -Cortes, who cried impatiently,-- - -"Ho, there! Why this delay? Forward!" - -And thereupon Avila stepped rudely and insolently between the king and -'tzin. The latter's broad breast swelled, and his eyes blazed; he seemed -like a tiger about to leap. - -"Beware!" said the king, and the warning was in time. "Beware! Not here, -not now!" - -The 'tzin turned to him with a quick, anxious look of inquiry; a -revulsion of feeling ensued; he arose, and said, with bowed head, "I -understand. O king, if we help not ourselves, we are lost. 'Not here, -not now.' I catch the permission." Pointing to Avila, he added, "This -man's life is in my hands, but I pass it by; thine, O uncle, is the most -precious. We will punish these insolents, but _not here_; we will give -you rescue, but _not now_. Be of cheer." - -He stepped aside, and the melancholy cortege passed on, leaving the -lords and people and the empire, as represented by them, in the dust. -Before the _teocallis_, under the eyes of Cuitlahua, within hailing -distance of the ten thousand warriors, the doughty cavaliers bore their -prize unchallenged. - -And through the gates of the old palace, through the files of Spaniards -in order of battle waiting, they also carried what they thought was the -empire, won without a blow, to be parcelled at pleasure,--its lands, its -treasure, its cities, and its people. - - - - - BOOK SIX. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - THE LORD HUALPA FLEES HIS FORTUNE. - - -The 'tzin Guatamo sat at breakfast alone in his palace near Iztapalapan. -The fare was simple,--a pheasant, bread of maize, oranges and bananas, -and water from the spring; and the repast would have been soon -despatched but for the announcement, by a slave in waiting, of the lord -Hualpa. At mention of the name the 'tzin's countenance assumed a glad -expression. - -"The lord Hualpa! The gods be praised! Bid him come." - -Directly the visitor appeared at the door, and paused there, his eyes -fixed upon the floor, his body bent, like one half risen from a -salutation. The 'tzin went to him, and taking his hand said,-- - -"Welcome, comrade. Come and account for yourself. I know not yet how to -punish you; but for the present, sit there, and eat. If you come from -Tenochtitlan this morning, you must bring with you the appetite which is -one of the blessings of the lake. Sit, and I will order your breakfast." - -"No, good 'tzin, not for me, I pray you. I am from the lake, but do not -bring any blessing." - -The 'tzin resumed his seat, looking searchingly and curiously at his -guest, and pained by his manner and appearance. His face was careworn; -his frame bent and emaciated; his look constantly downward; the voice -feeble and of uncertain tone; in short, his aspect was that of one come -up from a battle in which shame and grief had striven with youth of body -and soul, and, fierce as the struggle had been, the end was not yet. He -was the counterpart of his former self. - -"You have been sick," said the 'tzin, afterwhile. - -"Very sick, in spirit," replied Hualpa, without raising his eyes. - -The 'tzin went on. "After your desertion, I caused inquiry to be made -for you everywhere,--at the Chalcan's, and at your palace. No one could -give me any tidings. I sent a messenger to Tihuanco, and your father was -no better informed. Your truancy has been grievous to your friends, no -less than to yourself. I have a right to call you to account." - -"So you have; only let us to the garden. The air outside is sweet, and -there is a relief in freedom from walls." - -From habit, I suppose, they proceeded to the arena set apart for -military exercise. No one was there. The 'tzin seated himself on a -bench, making room for Hualpa, who still declined the courtesy, -saying,-- - -"I will give an account of myself to you, brave 'tzin, not only because -I should, but because I stand in need of your counsel. Look for nothing -strange; mine is a simple story of shame and failure. You know its -origin already. You remember the last night I spent with you here. I do, -at least. That day the king made me happier than I shall ever be again. -When I met you at the landing, the kiss of my betrothed was sweet upon -my lips, and I had but one sorrow in the world,--that you were an exile, -and could not take part, as you so wished and deserved, in the battle -which my hand was to precipitate next noon. I left you, and by dawn was -at my post in the temple. The hours were long. At last the time came. -All was ready. The ten thousand warriors chosen for the assault were in -their quarters. The lord Cuitlahua was in the tower of Huitzil', with -the _teotuctli_ and his pabas, at prayer. We awaited only the king's -word. Finally, Io' appeared. I saw him coming. I raised the stick, my -blood was warm, another instant and the signal would have been given--" -Hualpa's voice trembled, and he stopped. - -"Go on," said the 'tzin. "What restrained you?" - -"I remembered the words of the king,--'Io' will come to you at noon with -my commands,'--those were the words. I waited. 'Strike!' said Io'. 'The -command,--quick!' I cried. 'As you love life, strike!' he shouted. -Something unusual had taken place; I hesitated. 'Does the king so -command?' I asked. 'Time never was as precious! Give me the stick!' he -replied. But the duty was mine. 'With your own hand give the -signal,'--such was the order. I resisted, and he gave over the effort, -and, throwing himself at my feet, prayed me to strike. I refused the -prayer, also. Suddenly he sprang up, and ran out to the verge of the -temple overlooking the street. Lest he should cast himself off, I -followed. He turned to me, as I approached, and cried, with upraised -hands, 'Too late, too late! We are undone. Look where they carry him -off!' 'Whom?' I asked. 'The king--my father--a prisoner!' Below, past -the _coatapantli_, the royal palanquin was being borne, guarded by the -strangers. The blood stood still in my heart. I turned to the prince; he -was gone. A sense of calamity seized me. I ran to the tower, and called -the lord Cuitlahua, who was in time to see the procession. I shall never -forget the awful look he gave me, or his words." Hualpa again paused. - -"What were they?" asked the 'tzin. - -"'My lord Hualpa,' he said, 'had you given the signal when Io' came to -you first, I could have interposed my companies, and saved him. It is -now too late; he is lost. May the gods forgive you! A ruined country -cannot.'" - -"Said he so?" exclaimed the 'tzin, indignantly. "By all the gods, he was -wrong!" - -At these words, Hualpa for the first time dared look into the 'tzin's -face, surprised, glad, yet doubtful. - -"How?" he asked. "Did you say I was right?" - -"Yes." - -Tears glistened in the Tihuancan's eyes, and he seized and kissed his -friend's hand with transport. - -"I begin to understand you," the 'tzin said, still more kindly. "You -thought it your fault that the king was a prisoner; you fled for shame." - -"Yes,--for shame." - -"My poor friend!" - -"But consider," said Hualpa,--"consider how rapidly I had risen, and to -what height. Admitting my self-accusations, when before did man fall so -far and so low? What wonder that I fled?" - -"Well, you have my judgment. Seat yourself, and hear me further." - -Hualpa took the seat this time; after which the 'tzin continued. "The -seizure was made in the palace. The king yielded to threats of death. He -could not resist. While the strangers were bearing him past the -_teocallis_, and you were looking at them, their weapons were at his -throat. Had you yielded to Io's prayer, and given the signal, and had -Cuitlahua obeyed, and with his bands attempted a rescue, your benefactor -would have been slain. Do not think me dealing in conjectures. I went to -him in the street, and prayed to be allowed to save him; he forbade me. -Therefore, hold not yourself in scorn; be happy; you saved his life a -second time." - -Again Hualpa gave way to his gratitude. - -"Nor is that all," the 'tzin continued. "In my opinion, the last rescue -was nobler than the first. As to the lord Cuitlahua, be at rest. He was -not himself when he chid you so cruelly; he now thinks as I do; he -exonerates you; his messengers have frequently come, asking if you had -returned. So, no more of shame. Give me now what else you did." - -The sudden recall to the past appeared to throw Hualpa back; his head -sunk upon his breast again, and for a time he was silent; at length he -replied, "As I see now, good 'tzin, I have been very foolish. Before I -go on, assure me that you will listen with charity." - -"With charity and love." - -"I have hardly the composure to tell what more I did; yet the story will -come to you in some form. Judge me mercifully, and let the subject be -never again recalled." - -"You have spoken." - -"Very well. I have told you the words of the lord Cuitlahua; they burnt -me, like fire. Thinking myself forever disgraced, I descended from the -_azoteas_ to the street, and there saw the people's confusion, and heard -their cries and curses. I could not endure myself. I fled the city, like -a guilty wretch. Instinctively, I hurried to Tihuanco. There I avoided -every habitation, even my father's. News of evil travels fast. The old -merchant, I knew, must needs hear of the king's seizure and what I -regarded as my crime. So I cared not to meet his eyes. I passed the days -in the jungles hunting, but the charm of the old occupation was gone; -somehow my arrows flew amiss, and my limbs refused a long pursuit. How I -subsisted, I scarcely know. At last, however, my ideas began to take -form, and I was able to interrogate myself. Through the king's bounty, I -was a lord, and owner of a palace; by his favor, I further reflected, -Nenetzin was bound to me in solemn betrothal. What would she think of -me? What right had I, so responsible for his great misfortune, to retain -his gifts? I could release her from the odious engagement. At his feet I -could lay down the title and property; and then, if you refused me as a -soldier or slave, I could hide myself somewhere; for the grief-struck -and unhappy, like me, earth has its caverns and ocean its islands. And -so once more I hurried to Tenochtitlan. Yesterday I crossed the lake. -From the Chalcan I heard the story which alone was needed to make my -humiliation complete,--how Nenetzin, false to me, betrayed the great -purpose of her father, betook herself to the stranger's house, adopted -his religion, and became his wife or--spare me the word, good 'tzin. -After that, I lost no time, but went to the palace, made way through the -pale-faced guards at the gate and doors, each of whom seemed placed -there to attest the good king's condition and my infamy. Suitors and -lords of all degrees crowded the audience-chamber when I entered, and -upon every face was the same look of sorrow and dejection which I had -noticed upon the faces of the people whom I passed in the street. All -who turned eyes upon me appeared to become accusers, and say, 'Traitor, -behold thy victim!' Imagine the pressure upon my spirit. I made haste to -get away,--unseemly haste. What my salutation was I hardly know. I only -remember that, in some form of speech, I publicly resigned all his -honorable gifts. I remember, also, that when I took what I thought was -my last look at him,--friend, patron, king, father,--may the gods, who -have forbidden the relation, forgive the allusion!--I could not see him -for tears. My heart is in my throat now; then it nearly choked me. And -so ends my account. And once more, true friend, I come to you, Hualpa, -the Tihuancan, without title, palace, or privilege; without -distinction, except as the hero and victim of a marvellous fortune." - -The 'tzin was too deeply touched, too full of sympathy, to reply -immediately. He arose, and paced the arena awhile. Resuming his seat -again, he asked simply, "And what said the king?" - -"To what?" - -"Your resignation." - -"He refused to take back his gifts. They could not revert, he said, -except for crime." - -"And he was right. You should have known him better. A king cannot -revoke a gift in any form." - -After a spell of silence, the 'tzin spoke again. - -"One matter remains. You are not guilty, as you supposed; your friends -have not lost their faith in you; such being the case, it were strange -if your feelings are as when you came here; and as purposes too often -follow feelings, I ask about the future. What do you intend? What wish?" - -"I see you understand me well, good 'tzin. My folly has been so great -that I feel myself unworthy to be my own master. I ought not to claim a -purpose, much less a wish. I came to your door seeking to be taken back -into service; that was all the purpose I had. I rely upon your exceeding -kindness." - -Hualpa moved as if to kneel; but the 'tzin caught him, and said, "Keep -your seat." And rising, he continued, severely, "Lord Hualpa,--for such -you still are,--all men, even the best, are criminals; but as for the -most part their crimes are against themselves, we take no notice of -them. In that sense you are guilty, and in such degree that you deserve -forfeiture of all the king refused to take back. Put pass we that,--pass -the folly, the misconduct. I will not take you into service; you have -your old place of friend and comrade, more fitting your rank." - -Hualpa's face brightened, and he answered,-- - -"Command me, O 'tzin! With you I can be brave warrior, good citizen, -true friend; without you, I am nothing. Whatever the world thinks of me, -this I know,--I can reinstate myself in its good opinion before I can in -my own. Show me the way back to self-respect; restore me that, and I -will be your slave, soldier, comrade,--what you will." - -"It is well," said Guatamozin, smiling at his earnestness. "It is well. -I can show you the way. Listen. The war, about which we have so often -talked, thanks to the gods! is finally at hand. The public opinion has -done its work. The whole nation would throw itself upon the strangers -to-morrow, but for the king, who has become their shield; and he must be -rescued; otherwise, we must educate the people to see in him an enemy to -be removed. We cannot spare the time for that, and consequently have -tried rescue in many ways, so far in vain. To-morrow we try again. The -plot is arranged and cannot fail, except by the king's own default. -Reserving explanation, I congratulate you. You are in time; the good -fortune clings to you. To-morrow I will set your feet in the way you -seek." - -Hualpa gazed at him doubtingly. "To-morrow!" he said. "Will you trust me -so soon, and in a matter so high?" - -"Yes." - -"Will my part take me from you?" - -"No." - -"Then I thank you for the opportunity. On the _teocallis_, that dreadful -morning, I lost my assurance; whether it will ever return is doubtful; -but with you, at your side, I dare walk in any way." - -"I understand you," the 'tzin replied. "Go now, and get ready. Unless -the king fail us, we will have combat requiring all our strength. To the -bath first, then to breakfast, then to find more seemly garments, then -to rest. I give you to midnight. Go." - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - WHOM THE GODS DESTROY THEY FIRST MAKE MAD. - - -The morning after Hualpa's return Xoli, the Chalcan, as was his wont, -passed through his many rooms, making what may be called a domestic -reconnoissance. - -"What!" he cried, perplexed. "How is this? The house is empty! Where are -all the lords?" - -The slaves to whom he spoke shook their heads. - -"Have there been none for breakfast?" - -Again they shook their heads. - -"Nor for _pulque_?" - -"Not one this morning," they replied. - -"Not even for a draught of _pulque_! Wonderful!" cried the broker, -bewildered and amazed. Then he hurried to his steward, soliloquizing as -he went, "Not one for breakfast; not even a draught of _pulque_! Holy -gods, to what is the generation coming?" - -The perplexity of the good man was not without cause. The day the king -removed to the palace of Axaya', the royal hospitality went with him, -and had thenceforth been administered there; but though no less princely -and profuse than before, under the new _regime_ it was overshadowed by -the presence of the strangers, and for that reason became distasteful to -the titled personages accustomed to its enjoyment. Consequently, owners -of palaces in the city betook themselves to their own boards; others, -especially non-residents, quartered with the Chalcan; as a further -result, his house assumed the style of a _meson_, with accommodations -equal to those of the palace; such, at least, was the disloyal whisper, -and I am sorry to say Xoli did not repudiate the impeachment as became a -lover of the king. And such eating, drinking, playing, such conspiring -and plotting, such political discussion, such transactions in brokerage -went on daily and nightly under his roof as were never before known. Now -all this was broken off. The silence was not more frightful than -unprofitable. - -"Steward, steward!" said Xoli to that functionary, distinguished by the -surpassing whiteness of his apron. "What has befallen? Where are the -patrons this morning?" - -"Good master, the most your slave knows is, that last night a paba from -the great temple passed through the chambers, after which, very shortly, -every guest departed." - -"A paba, a paba!" And Xoli was more than ever perplexed. "Heard you what -he said?" - -"Not a word." - -"About what time did he come?" - -"After midnight." - -"And that is all you know?" - -The steward bowed, and Xoli passed distractedly to the front door, only -to find the portico as deserted as the chambers. Sight of the people -beginning to collect in the square, however, brought him some relief, -and he hailed the first passing acquaintance. - -"A pleasant morning to you, neighbor." - -"The same to you." - -"Have you any news?" - -"None, except I hear of a crowd of pabas in the city, come, as rumor -says, from Tezcuco, Cholula, Iztapalapan, and other lake towns." - -"When did they come?" - -"In the night." - -"Oho! There's something afoot." And Xoli wiped the perspiration from his -forehead. - -"So there is," the neighbor replied. "The king goes to the temple to -worship to-day." - -A light broke in upon the Chalcan. "True, true; I had forgotten." - -"Such is the talk," the citizen continued. "Will you be there? Everybody -is going." - -"Certainly," answered Xoli, dryly. "If I do not go, everybody will not -be there. Look for me. The gods keep you!" - -And with that, he re-entered his house, satisfied, but not altogether -quieted; wandering restlessly from chamber to chamber, he asked himself -continually, "Why so many pabas? And why do they come in the night? And -what can have taken the lords away so silently, and at such a -time,--without breakfast,--without even a draught of _pulque_?" - -Invariably these interrogatories were followed by appeals to the great -ebony jar of snuff; after sneezing, he would answer himself, "Pabas for -worship, lords and soldiers for fighting; but pabas and soldiers -together! Something is afoot. I will stay at home, and patronize myself. -And yet--and yet--they might have told me something about it!" - - * * * * * - -About ten o'clock--to count the time as Christians do--the king issued -from the old palace, going in state to the _teocallis_, attended by a -procession of courtiers, warriors, and pabas. He was borne in an open -palanquin, shaded by the detached canopy, the whole presenting a -spectacle of imperial splendor. - -The movement was slow and stately, through masses of people on the -pavements, under the gaze of other thousands on the housetops; but -neither the banners, nor the music, nor the pomp, nor the king himself, -though fully exposed to view, amused or deceived the people; for at the -right and left of the carriage walked Lugo, Alvarado, Avila, and Leon; -next, Olmedo, distinguishable from the native clergy by his shaven -crown, and the cross he carried aloft on the shaft of a lance; after -him, concluding the procession, one hundred and fifty Spaniards, ready -for battle. Priesthood,--king,--the strangers! Clearer, closer, more -inevitable, in the eyes of the people, arose the curse of Quetzal'. - -When the monarch alighted at the foot of the first stairway of the -temple, the multitude far and near knelt, and so remained until the -pabas, delegated for the purpose, took him in their arms to carry him to -the _azoteas_. Four times in the passage of the terraces the cortege -came in view from the side toward the palace, climbing, as it were, to -the Sun;--dimmer the holy symbols, fainter the solemn music; and each -time the people knelt. The unfortunate going to worship was still the -great king! - -A detachment of Christians, under De Morla, preceded the procession as -an advance-guard. Greatly were they surprised at what they found on the -_azoteas_. Behind Tlalac, at the head of the last stairway, were a score -or more of naked boys, swinging smoking censers; yet farther toward the -tower or sanctuary of Huitzil' was an assemblage of dancing priestesses, -veiled, rather than dressed, in gauzy robes and scarfs; from the steps -to the door of the sanctuary a passage-way had been left; elsewhere the -sacred area was occupied by pabas, drawn up in ranks close and -scrupulously ordered. Like their pontiff, each of them wore a gown of -black; but while his head was bare, theirs were covered by hoods. Thus -arranged,--silent, motionless, more like phantoms than men,--they both -shocked and disquieted the Spaniards. Indeed, so sensible were the -latter of the danger of their position, alone and unsupported in the -face of an array so dismal and solid, that many of them fell to counting -their beads and muttering _Aves_. - -A savage dissonance greeted the king when he was set down on the -_azoteas_, and simultaneously the pabas burst into a hymn, and from the -urn over the tower a denser column of smoke arose, slow mounting, but -erelong visible throughout the valley. Half bending, he received the -blessing of Tlalac; then the censer-bearers swept around him; then, too, -jangling silver bells and beating calabashes, the priestesses began to -dance; in the midst of the salutation, the arch-priest, moving backward, -conducted him slowly toward the entrance of the sanctuary. At his side -strode the four cavaliers. The escort of Christians remained outside; -yet the pabas knew the meaning of their presence, and their hymn -deepened into a wail; the great king had gone before his god--a -prisoner! - -The interior of the sanctuary was in ordinary condition; the floor and -the walls black with the blood of victims; the air foul and sickening, -despite the smoking censers and perfuming pans. The previous visit had -prepared the cavaliers for these horrors; nevertheless, a cry broke from -them upon their entrance. In a chafing-dish before the altar four human -hearts were slowly burning to coals! - -"_Jesu Christo!_" exclaimed Alvarado. "Did not the pagans promise there -should be no sacrifice? Shrieve me never, if I toss not the contents of -yon dish into the god's face!" - -"Stay!" cried Olmedo, seizing his arm. "Stir not! The business is mine. -As thou lovest God,--the true God,--get thee to thy place!" - -The father spoke firmly, and the captain, grinding his teeth with rage, -submitted. - -The pedestal of the idol was of stone, square in form, and placed in -the centre of the sanctuary. Several broad steps, fronting the -doorway,--door there was not,--assisted devotees up to a platform, upon -which stood a table curiously carved, and resting, as it were, under the -eyes of the god. The chamber, bare of furniture, was crowded with pabas, -kneeling and hooded and ranked, like their brethren outside. The -cavaliers took post by the entrance, with Olmedo between them and the -altar. Two priests, standing on the lower step, seemed waiting to assist -in the ceremonial, although, at the time, apparently absorbed in prayer. - -Tlalac led the monarch by the hand up the steps. - -"O king," he said, "the ears of the god are open. He will hear you. And -as to these companions in devotion," he pointed to the assistants as he -spoke, "avoid them not: they are here to pray for you; if need be, to -die for you. If they speak, be not surprised, but heed them well; what -they say will concern you, and all you best love." - -Thereupon the arch-infidel let go the royal hand, and descended the -steps, moving backward; upon the floor he continued his movement. -Suddenly he stopped, turned, and was face to face with Olmedo; all the -passions of his savage nature blazed in his countenance; in reply, the -Christian priest calmly held up the cross, and smiled, and was content. - -Meantime the monarch kissed the altar, and, folding his hands upon his -breast, was beginning to be abstracted in prayer, when he heard himself -addressed. - -"Look not this way, O king, nor stir; but listen." - -The words, audible throughout the chamber, proceeded from the nearest -devotee,--a tall man, well muffled in gown and hood. The monarch -controlled himself, and listened, while the speaker continued in a slow, -monotonous manner, designed to leave the cavaliers, whom he knew to be -observing him, in doubt whether he was praying or intoning some part of -the service of the occasion,-- - -"It is in the streets and in the palaces, and has gone forth into the -provinces, that Montezuma is the willing guest of the strangers, and -that from great love of them and their society, he will not come away, -although his Empire is dissolving, and the religion of his fathers -menaced by a new one; but know, O king, that the chiefs and caciques -refuse to credit the evil spoken of you, and, believing you a prisoner, -are resolved to restore you to freedom. Know further, O king, that this -is the time chosen for the rescue. The way back to the throne is clear; -you have only to go hence. What says the king? The nation awaits his -answer." - -"The throne is inseparable from me,--is where I am, under my feet -always," answered the monarch, coldly. - -"And there may it remain forever!" said the devotee, with fervor. "I -only meant to pray you to come from amongst the strangers, and set it -once more where it belongs,--amongst the loving hearts that gave it to -you. Misunderstand me not, O king. Short time have we for words. The -enemy is present. I offer you rescue and liberty." - -"To offer me liberty is to deny that I am free. Who is he that proposes -to give me what is mine alone to give? I am with Huitzil'. Who comes -thus between me and the god?" - -From the pabas in the chamber there was a loud murmur; but as the king -and devotee retained their composure, and, like praying men, looked -steadily at the face of Huitzil', the cavaliers remained unsuspicious -observers of what was to them merely a sinful ceremony. - -"I am the humblest, though not the least loving, of all your subjects," -the devotee answered. - -"The name?" said the king. "You ask me to go hence: whither and with -whom?" - -"Know me without speaking my name, O king. I am your brother's son." - -Montezuma was visibly affected. Afterwhile he said,-- - -"Speak further. Consider what you have said true,--that I am a prisoner, -that the strangers present are my guards,--what are the means of rescue? -Speak, that I may judge of them. Conspiracy is abroad, and I do not -choose to be blindly led from what is called my prison to a tomb." - -To the reasonable demand the 'tzin calmly replied, "That you were coming -to worship to-day, and the conditions upon which you had permission to -come, I learned from the _teotuctli_. I saw the opportunity, and -proposed to attempt your rescue. In Tlalac the gods have a faithful -servant, and you, O king, a true lover. When you were received upon the -_azoteas_, you did not fail to notice the pabas. Never before in any one -temple have there been so many assembled. They are the instruments of -the rescue." - -"The instruments!" exclaimed the king, unable to repress his scorn. - -The 'tzin interposed hastily. "Beware! Though what we say is not -understood by the strangers, their faculties are sharp, and very little -may awaken their suspicion and alarm; and if our offer be rejected, -better for you, O king, that they go hence ignorant of their danger and -our design. Yes, if your conjecture were true, if we did indeed propose -to face the _teules_ with barehanded pabas, your scorn would be -justified; but know that the concourse on the _azoteas_ is, in fact, of -chiefs and caciques, whose gowns do but conceal their preparation for -battle." - -A pang contracted the monarch's face, and his hands closed harder upon -his breast; possibly he shuddered at the necessity so thrust upon him of -deciding between Malinche whom he feared, and the people whom he so -loved. - -"Yes," continued the 'tzin, "here are the chosen of the realm,--the -noblest and the best,--each with his life in his hand, an offering to -you. What need of further words? You have not forgotten the habits of -war; you divine the object of the concourse of priests; you understand -they are formed in ranks, that, upon a signal, they may throw themselves -as one man upon the strangers. Here in the sanctuary are fifty more with -_maquahuitls_; behind them a door has been constructed to pass you -quickly to the _azoteas_; they will help me keep the door, and stay -pursuit, while you descend to the street. And now, O king, said I not -rightly? What have you to do more than go hence? Dread not for us. In -the presence of Huitzil', and in defence of his altar, we will fight. If -we fall in such glorious combat, he will waft our souls straightway to -the Sun." - -"My son," the king answered, after a pause, "if I were a prisoner, I -would say you and the lords have done well; but, being free and pursuing -my own policy, I reject the rescue. Go your ways in peace; leave me to -my prayers. In a few days the strangers will depart; then, if not -sooner, I will come back as you wish, and bring the old time with me, -and make all the land happy." - -The monarch ceased. He imagined the question answered and passed; but a -murmur, almost a groan, recalled him from the effort to abstract -himself. And then the _teotuctli_, exercising his privilege, went to -him, and, laying a hand upon his arm, and pointing up to the god, -said,-- - -"Hearken, O king! The strangers have already asked you to allow them to -set up an altar here in the house of Huitzil', that they may worship -their god after their manner. The request was sacrilege; listening to -it, a sin; to grant it would make you accursed forever. Save yourself -and the god, by going hence as the lords have besought. Be wise in -time." - -"I have decided," said the poor king, in a trembling voice,--"I have -decided." - -Tlalac looked to the 'tzin despairingly. The appeal to the monarch's -veneration for the god of his fathers had failed; what else remained? -And the 'tzin for the first time looked to the king, saying -sorrowfully,-- - -"Anahuac is the common mother, as Huitzil' is the father. The foot of -the stranger is heavy on her breast, and she cries aloud, 'Where is -Montezuma? Where is the Lord of the Earth? Where is the Child of the -Sun?'" - -And silence hung heavy in the sanctuary, and the waiting was painful. -Again the 'tzin's voice,-- - -"A bride sits in the house waiting. Love puts its songs in her mouth, -and kindles her smiles with the dazzle of stars. But the bridegroom -lingers, and the evening and the morning bring him not. Ah, what is she, -though ever so beautiful and sweet-singing, when he comes not, and may -never come? O king, you are the lingering lord, and Anahuac the waiting -bride; as you love her, come." - -The fated king covered his face with his hands, as if, by shutting out -the light, to find relief from pangs too acute for endurance. Minutes -passed,--minutes of torture to him, and of breathless expectancy to all -present, except the cavaliers, who, unconscious of peril, watched the -scene with indifference, or rather the scornful curiosity natural to men -professing a purer and diviner faith. At last his hand dropped, and he -said with dignity,-- - -"Let this end now,--so I command. My explanation must be accepted. I -cannot understand why, if you love me as you say, you should receive my -word with so little credit; and if you can devote yourselves so entirely -to me, why can you not believe me capable of equal devotion to myself? -Hear me once more. I do not love the strangers. I hope yet to see them -sacrificed to Huitzil'. They promise in a few days to leave the country, -and I stay with them to hasten their departure, and, in the mean time, -shield you, the nation, the temples, and the gods, from their power, -which is past finding out. Therefore, let no blow be struck at them, -here or elsewhere, without my order. I am yet the king. Let me have -peace. Peace be with you! I have spoken." - -The 'tzin looked once to heaven, as if uttering a last appeal, or -calling it to witness a vow, then he fell upon his knees; he, too, had -despaired. And as if the feeling were contagious, the _teotuctli_ knelt, -and in the sanctuary there was stillness consistent with worship, save -when some overburdened breast relieved itself by a sigh, a murmur, or a -groan. - -And history tells how Montezuma remained a little while at the altar, -and went peacefully back to his residence with the strangers. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - THE PUBLIC OPINION MAKES WAY. - - -In the _tianguez_, one market-day, there was an immense crowd, yet trade -was dull; indeed, comparatively nothing in that way was being done, -although the display of commodities was rich and tempting. - -"Holy gods, what is to become of us?" cried a Cholulan merchant. - -"You! You are rich. Dulness of the market cannot hurt you. But I,--I am -going to ruin." - -The second speaker was a slave-dealer. Only the day before, he had, at -great cost, driven into the city a large train of his "stock" from the -wilderness beyond the Great River. - -"Tell me, my friend," said a third party, addressing the slave-dealer, -though in hearing of the whole company, "heard you ever of a slave -owning a slave?" - -"Not I." - -"Heard you ever of a man going into the market to buy a slave, when he -was looking to become one himself?" - -"Never." - -"You have it then,--the reason nobody has been to your exhibition." - -The bystanders appeared to assent to the proposition, which all -understood but the dealer in men, who begged an explanation. - -"Yes, yes. You have just come home. I had forgotten. A bad time to be -abroad. But listen, friend." The speaker quietly took his pipe from his -mouth, and knocked the ashes out of the bowl. "We belong to Malinche; -you know who he is." - -"I am not so certain," the dealer replied, gravely. "The most I can say -is, I have heard of him." - -"O, he is a god--" - -"With all a man's wants and appetites," interposed one. - -"Yes, I was about to say that. For instance, day before yesterday he -sent down the king's order for three thousand _escaupiles_. What need--" - -"They were for his Tlascalans." - -"O, possibly. For whom were the cargoes of cotton cloth delivered -yesterday?" - -"His women," answered the other, quickly. - -"And the two thousand sandals?" - -"For his soldiers?" - -"And the gold of which the market was cleaned last week? And the gold -now being hunted in Tustepec and Chinantla? And the tribute being levied -so harshly in all the provinces,--for whom are they?" - -"For Malinche himself." - -[Illustration: LOOKED GLOOMILY INTO THE WATER] - -"Yes, the god Malinche. Slave of a slave! My friend," said the chief -speaker to the slave-dealer, "there is no such relation known to the -law, and for that reason we cannot buy of you. Better go back with -all you have, and let the wilderness have its own again." - -"But the goods of which you spoke; certainly they were paid for," said -the dealer, turning pale. - -"No. There is nothing left of the royal revenue. Even the treasure which -the last king amassed, and walled up in the old palace, has been given -to Malinche. The empire is like a man in one respect, at least,--when -beggared, it cannot pay." - -"And the king?" - -"He is Malinche's, too." - -"Yes," added the bystander; "for nowadays we never see his signet, -except in the hands of one of the strangers." - -The dealer in men drew a long breath, something as near a sigh as could -come from one of his habits, and said, "I remember Mualox and his -prophecy; and, hearing these things, I know not what to think." - -"We have yet one hope," said the chief spokesman, as if desirous of -concluding the conversation. - -"And that?" - -"Is the 'tzin Guatamo." - - * * * * * - -"What luck, Pepite?" - -"Bad, very bad." - -The questioner was the wife of the man questioned, who had just returned -from the market. Throwing aside his empty baskets, he sat down in the -shade of a bridge spanning one of the canals, and, locking his hands -across his bare knees, looked gloomily in the water. His canoe, with -others, was close at hand. - -The wife, without seeming to notice his dejection, busied herself -setting out their dinner, which was humble as themselves, being of -boiled maize, tuna figs, and _tecuitlatl_, or cheese of the lake. When -the man began to eat, he began to talk,--a peculiarity in which he was -not altogether singular. - -"Bad luck, very bad," he repeated. "I took my baskets to the old stand. -The flowers were fresh and sweet, gathered, you know, only last night. -The market was full of people, many of whom I knew to be rich enough to -buy at two prices; they came, and looked, and said, 'They are very nice, -Pepite, very nice,' but did not offer to buy. By and by the sun went up, -and stood overhead, and still no purchaser, not even an offer. It was -very discouraging, I tell you; and it would have been much more so, if I -had not pretty soon noticed that the market-people around me, fruiterers -and florists, were doing no better than I. Then I walked about to see my -friends; and in the porticos and booths as elsewhere in the square,--no -trade; plenty of people, but no trade. The jewellers had covered their -fronts with flowers,--I never saw richer,--you should have been -there!--and crowds stood about breathing the sweet perfume; but as to -purchasing, they did nothing of the sort. In fact, may the _mitlou_[46] -of our little house fly away to-night, if, in the whole day, I saw an -instance of trade, or so much as a cocoa-bean pass from one hand to -another!" - -"It has been so many days now, only not quite so bad, Pepite," the wife -said, struggling to talk cheerfully. "What did they say was the cause? -Did any one speak of that?" - -"O yes, everybody. Nothing else was talked. 'What is the use of working? -Why buy or sell? We have no longer a king or country. We are all slaves -now. We belong to Malinche. Afterwhile, because we are poor, he will -take us off to some of his farms, like that one he has down in Oajaca, -and set us to working, and keep the fruits, while he gives us the pains. -No, we do not want anything; the less we have, the lighter will be our -going down.' That is the way the talk went all day." - -For the first time the woman threw off her pretence of cheerfulness, and -was still, absorbed in listening and thinking. - -"Belong to Malinche! We? And our little ones at home? Not while the gods -live!" she said, confidently. - -"Why not? You forget. Malinche is himself a god." - -A doubt shook the strong faith of the wife; and soon, gloomy and -hopeless as Pepite, she sat down by him, and partook of the humble fare. - - * * * * * - -"The nation is dying. Let us elect another king," said an old cacique to -a crowd of nobles, of whom he was the centre, in the _pulque_ chamber of -the Chalcan. Bold words, which, half a year before, would have been -punished on the spot; now, they were heard in silence, if not with -approbation. "A king has no right to survive his glory," the veteran -continued; "and how may one describe his shame and guilt, when, from -fear of death, he suffers an enemy to use him, and turn his power -against his people!" - -He stopped, and for a time the hush was threatening; then there was -clapping of hands, and voices cried out,--"Good, good!" - -"May the gods forgive me, and witness that the speech was from love of -country, not hatred of Montezuma," said the cacique, deferentially. - -"Whom would you have in his place? Name him," shouted an auditor. - -"Montezuma,--if he will come back to us." - -"He will not; he has already refused. Another,--give us another!" - -"Be it so!" said the veteran, with decision. "My life is forfeit for -what I have said. The cell that holds the king Cacama and the good lord -Cuitlahua yawns for me also. I will speak." Quaffing a bowl of _pulque_, -he added, "Of all Anahuac, O my brothers, who, with the fewest years, is -wisest of head and bravest of heart, and therefore fittest to be king in -time like this?" - -The question was of the kind that addresses itself peculiarly to -individual preferences,--the kind which has afflicted the world with its -saddest and greatest wars; yet, strange to say, the company, as with one -voice, and instantly, answered,-- - -"The 'tzin, the 'tzin. Guatamo, the 'tzin!" - - * * * * * - -In the evening time three pabas clomb the stairs by which the top of the -turret of Huitzil' on the _teocallis_ was reached from the _azoteas_. -Arrived at the top, they found there the night-watcher, who recognized -the _teotuctli_, and knelt to him. - -"Arise, and get you down now," the arch-priest said; "we would be alone -awhile." - -On a pedestal of stone, or rather of many stones, rested the brazier, or -urn, that held the sacred fire. In it crackled the consuming fagots, -while over it, with unsteady brilliancy, leaped the flames which, for so -many leagues away, were as a beacon in the valley. The three stopped in -the shadow of the urn, and might have studied the city, or those -subjects greater and more fascinating,--mysteries now, to-night, -forever,--Space, and its children, the Stars; but it was not to indulge -a common passion or uncertain speculations that Tlalac had brought from -their temples and altars his companions, the high-priests of Cholula and -Tezcuco. And there for a long time they remained, the grave and holy -servants of the gods of the New World, talking earnestly, on what -subject and with what conclusion we may gather. - -"He is of us no longer," said Tlalac, impressively. "He has abandoned -his people; to a stranger he has surrendered himself, his throne and -power; he spends his days learning, from a new priesthood, a new creed, -and the things that pertain to a god of whom everything is unknown to -us, except that he is the enemy of our gods. I bore his desertion -patiently, as we always bear with those we love. By permission, as you -heard, he came one day to worship Huitzil'; the permission was on -condition that there should be no sacrifices. Worship without sacrifice, -my brethren! Can such thing be? When he came, he was offered rescue; the -preparations were detailed to him; he knew they could not fail; the -nobles begged him to accept the offer; I warned him against refusal; -yet, of choice, he went back to Malinche. Then patience almost forsook -me. Next, as you also know, came the unpardonable sin. In the chamber -below--the chamber sanctified by the presence of the mighty Huitzil'--I -will give you to see, if you wish, a profanation the like of which came -never to the most wicked dream of the most wicked Aztec,--an altar to -the new and unknown God. And to-morrow, if you have the curiosity, I -will give you to see the further sight,--a service, mixed of singing and -prayer, by priests of the strange God, at the same time, and side by -side with the worship of our gods,--all with the assent--nay, by -order--of Montezuma. Witness these crimes once, and your patience will -go quickly, whereas mine went slowly; but it is gone, and in its stead -lives only the purpose to do what the gods command." - -"Let us obey the gods!" said the reverend high-priest of Cholula. - -"Let us obey the gods!" echoed his holy brother of Tezcuco. - -"Hear me, then," said Tlalac, with increased fervor. "I will give their -command. 'Raise up a new king, and save yourselves, by saving our -worship in the land!' so the gods say. And I am ready." - -"But the law," said the Tezcucan. - -"By the law," answered Tlalac, "there can be kings only in the order of -election." - -"And so?" - -"Montezuma--_must_--DIE!" - -Tlalac said these terrible words slowly, but firmly. - -"And who will be the instrument?" they asked. - -"Let us trust the gods," he answered. "For love of them men go down to -death every day; and of the many lovers, doubt not some one will be -found to do their bidding." - -And so it was agreed. - - * * * * * - -And so, slowly but surely, the Public Opinion made its way, permeating -all classes,--laborers, merchants, warriors, and priests. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [46] Household god of the lowest grade. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - THE 'TZIN'S FAREWELL TO QUETZAL'. - - -If I were writing history, it would delight me to linger over the -details of Cortes' management after the arrest of Montezuma; for in them -were blent, fairly as ever before seen, the grand diversities of war, -politics, and governmental administration. Anticipating interference -from the headquarters in Cuba, he exercised all his industry and craft -to recommend himself directly to his Majesty, the Emperor Charles. The -interference at last came in the form of a grand expedition under -Panfilo de Narvaez; but in the interval,--a period of little more than -five months,--he had practically reduced the new discovery to -possession, as attested by numerous acts of sovereignty,--such, for -instance, as the coast of the gulf surveyed; colonies established; -plantations opened and worked with profit; tribute levied: high -officials arrested, disseized, and executed; the collection and division -of a treasure greater than ever before seen by Christians in the New -World; communication with the capital secured by armed brigantines on -the lakes; the cross set up and maintained in the _teocallis_; and last, -and, by custom of the civilized world, most absolute, Montezuma brought -to acknowledge vassalage and swear allegiance to the Emperor; and -withal, so perfect was the administration of affairs, that a Spaniard, -though alone, was as safe in the defiles between Vera Cruz and -Tenochtitlan as he would have been in the _caminos reales_ of old Spain, -as free in the great _tianguez_ as on the quay of Cadiz. - -Narvaez's expedition landed in May, six months after Cortes entered -Tenochtitlan; and to that time I now beg to advance my reader. - -Cortes himself is down in Cempoalla; having defeated Narvaez, he is -lingering to gather the fruits of his extraordinary victory. In the -capital Alvarado is commanding, supported by the Tlascalans, and about -one hundred and fifty Christians. Under his administration, affairs have -gone rapidly from bad to worse; and in selecting him for a trust so -delicate and important, Cortes has made his first serious mistake. - - * * * * * - -At an early hour in the evening Mualox came out of the sanctuary of his -Cu, bearing an armful of the flowers which had been used in the -decoration of the altar. The good man's hair and beard were whiter than -when last I noticed him; he was also feebler, and more stooped; so the -time is not far distant when Quetzal' will lose his last and most -faithful servant. As he was about to ascend the stairway of the tower, -his name was called, and, stopping, he was overtaken by two men. - -"Guatamozin!" he exclaimed, in surprise. - -"Be not alarmed, father, but put down your burden, and rest awhile. My -friend here, the lord Hualpa, has brought me news, which calls me away. -Rest, therefore, and give me time for thanks and explanation." - -"What folly is this?" asked Mualox, hastily, and without noticing -Hualpa's salutation. "Go back to the cell. The hunters are abroad and -vigilant as ever. I will cast these faded offerings into the fire, and -come to you." - -The 'tzin was in the guise of a paba. To quiet the good man's alarm, he -drew closer the hood that covered his head, remarking, "The hunters will -not come. Give Hualpa the offerings; he will carry them for you." - -Hualpa took them, and left; then Mualox said, "I am ready to hear. -Speak." - -"Good father," the 'tzin began, "not long since, in the sanctuary there, -you told me--I well remember the words--that the existence of my country -depended upon my action; by which I understood you to prefigure for me -an honorable, if not fortunate, destiny. I believe you had faith in what -you said; for on many occasions since you have exerted yourself in my -behalf. That I am not now a prisoner in the old palace with Cacama and -the lord Cuitlahua is due to you; indeed, if it be true, as I was told, -that the king gave me to Malinche to be dealt with as he chose, I owe -you my life. These are the greatest debts a man can be bound for; I -acknowledge them, and, if the destiny should be fortunate as we hope, -will pay them richly; but now all I can give you is my thanks, and what -I know you will better regard,--my solemn promise to protect this sacred -property of the holy Quetzal'. Take the thanks and the promise, and let -me have your blessing. I wish now to go." - -"Whither?" asked Mualox. - -"To the people. They have called me; the lord Hualpa brings me their -message." - -"No, you will not go," said the paba, reproachfully. "Your resolution is -only an impulse; impatience is not a purpose; and--and here are peace, -and safety, and a holy presence." - -"But honor, father,--" - -"That will come by waiting." - -"Alas!" said the 'tzin, bitterly, "I have waited too long already. I -have most dismal news. When Malinche marched to Cempoalla, he left in -command here the red-haired chief whom we call _Tonatiah_. This, you -know, is the day of the incensing of Huitzil'--" - -"I know, my son,--an awful day! The day of cruel sacrifice, itself a -defiance of Quetzal'." - -"What!" said Guatamozin, in angry surprise. "Are you not an Aztec?" - -"Yes, an Aztec, and a lover of his god, the true god, whose return he -knows to be near, and,"--to gather energy of expression, he paused, then -raised his hands as if flinging the words to a listener overhead,--"and -whom he would welcome, though the land be swimming in the blood of -unbelievers." - -The violence and incoherency astonished the 'tzin, and as he looked at -the paba fixedly, he was sensible for the first time of a fear that the -good man's mind was affected. And he considered his age and habits, his -days and years spent in a great, cavernous house, without amusement, -without companionship, without varied occupation; for the thinker, it -must be remembered, knew nothing of Tecetl or the world she made so -delightful. Moreover, was not mania the effect of long brooding over -wrongs, actual or imaginary? Or, to put the thought in another form, how -natural that the solitary watcher of decay, where of all places decay -is most affecting, midst antique and templed splendor, should make the -cause of Quetzal' his, until, at last, as the one idea of his being, it -mastered him so absolutely that a division of his love was no longer -possible. If the misgiving had come alone, the pain that wrung the 'tzin -would have resolved itself in pity for the victim, so old, so faithful, -so passionate; but a dreadful consequence at once presented itself. By a -strange fatality, the mystic had been taken into the royal councils, -where, from force of faith, he had gained faith. Now,--and this was the -dread,--what if he had cast the glamour of his mind over the king's, and -superinduced a policy which had for object and end the peaceable -transfer of the nation to the strangers? - -This thought thrilled the 'tzin indefinably, and in a moment his pity -changed to deep distrust. To master himself, he walked away; coming -back, he said quietly, "The day you pray for has come; rejoice, if you -can." - -"I do not understand you," said Mualox. - -"I will explain. This is the day of the incensing of Huitzil', which, -you know, has been celebrated for ages as a festival religious and -national. This morning, as customary, lords and priests, personages the -noblest and most venerated, assembled in the court-yard of the temples. -To bring the great wrong out in clearer view, I ought to say, father, -that permission to celebrate had been asked of _Tonatiah_, and -given,--to such a depth have we fallen! And, as if to plunge us into a -yet lower deep, he forbade the king's attendance, and said to the -_teotuctli_, 'There shall be no sacrifice.'" - -"No victims, no blood!" cried Mualox, clasping his hands. "Blessed be -Quetzal'!" - -The 'tzin bore the interruption, though with an effort. - -"In the midst of the service," he continued, "when the yard was most -crowded, and the revelry gayest, and the good company most happy and -unsuspecting, dancing, singing, feasting, suddenly _Tonatiah_ and his -people rushed upon them, and began to kill, and stayed not their hands -until, of all the revellers, not one was left alive; leaders in battle, -ministers at the altar, old and young,--all were slain![47] O such a -piteous sight! The court is a pool of blood. Who will restore the flower -this day torn from the nation? O holy gods, what have we done to merit -such calamity?" - -Mualox listened, his hands still clasped. - -"Not one left alive! Not one, did you say?" - -"Not one." - -The paba arose from his stooping, and upon the 'tzin flashed the old -magnetic flame. - -"What have you done, ask you? Sinned against the true and only god--" - -"I?" said the 'tzin, for the moment shrinking. - -"The nation,--the nation, blind to its crimes, no less blind to the -beginning of its punishment! What you call calamity, I call vengeance. -Starting in the house of Huitzil',--the god for whom my god was -forsaken,--it will next go to the city; and if the lords so perish, how -may the people escape? Let them tremble! He is come, he is come! I knew -him afar, I know him here. I heard his step in the valley, I see his -hand in the court. Rejoice, O 'tzin! He has drunk the blood of the -sacrificers. To-morrow his house must be made ready to receive him. Go -not away! Stay, and help me! I am old. Of the treasure below I might -make use to buy help; but such preparation, like an offering at the -altar, is most acceptable when induced by love. Love for love. So said -Quetzal' in the beginning; so he says now." - -"Let me be sure I understand you, father. What do you offer me?" asked -the 'tzin, quietly. - -"Escape from the wrath," replied Mualox. - -"And what is required of me?" - -"To stay here, and, with me, serve his altar." - -"Is the king also to be saved?" - -"Surely; he is already a servant of the god's." - -Under his gown the 'tzin's heart beat quicker, for the question and -answer were close upon the fear newly come to him, as I have said; yet, -to leave the point unguarded in the paba's mind, he asked,-- - -"And the people: if I become what you ask, will they be saved?" - -"No. They have forgotten Quetzal' utterly." - -"When the king became your fellow-servant, father, made he no terms for -his dependants, for the nation, for his family?" - -"None." - -Guatamozin dropped the hood upon his shoulders, and looked at Mualox -sternly and steadily; and between them ensued one of those struggles of -spirit against spirit in which glances are as glittering swords, and the -will holds the place of skill. - -"Father," he said, at length, "I have been accustomed to love and obey -you. I thought you good and wise, and conversant with things divine, and -that one so faithful to his god must be as faithful to his country; for -to me, love of one is love of the other. But now I know you better. You -tell me that Quetzal' has come, and for vengeance; and that, in the fire -of his wrath, the nation will be destroyed; yet you exult, and endeavor -to speed the day by prayer. And now, too, I understand the destiny you -had in store for me. By hiding in this gown, and becoming a priest at -your altar, I was to escape the universal death. What the king did, I -was to do. Hear me now: I cut myself loose from you. With my own eyes I -look into the future. I spurn the destiny, and for myself will carve out -a better one by saving or perishing with my race. No more waiting on -others! no more weakness! I will go hence and strike--" - -"Whom?" asked Mualox, impulsively. "The king and the god?" - -"He is not my god," said the 'tzin, interrupting him in turn. "The enemy -of my race is my enemy, whether he be king or god. As for -Montezuma,"--at the name his voice and manner changed,--"I will go -humbly, and, from the dust into which he flung them, pick up his royal -duties. Alas! no other can. Cuitlahua is a prisoner; so is Cacama; and -in the court-yard yonder, cold in death, lie the lords who might with -them contest the crown and its tribulations. I alone am left. And as to -Quetzal',--I accept the doom of my country,--into the heart of his -divinity I cast my spear! So, farewell, father. As a faithful servant, -you cannot bless whom your god has cursed. With you, however, be all the -peace and safety that abide here. Farewell." - -"Go not, go not!" cried Mualox, as the 'tzin, calling to Hualpa, turned -his back upon him. "We have been as father and son. I am old. See how -sorrow shakes these hands, stretched toward you in love." - -Seeing the appeal was vain, the paba stepped forward and caught the -'tzin's arm, and said, "I pray you stay,--stay. The destiny follows -Quetzal', and is close at hand, and brings in its arms the throne." - -Neither the tempter nor the temptation moved the 'tzin; he called Hualpa -again; then the holy man let go his arm, and said, sadly, "Go thy -way,--one scoffer more! Or, if you stay, hear of what the god will -accuse you, so that, when your calamity comes, as come it will, you may -not accuse him." - -"I will hear." - -"Know, then, O 'tzin, that Quetzal', the day he landed from Tlapallan, -took you in his care; a little later, he caused you to be sent into -exile--" - -"Your god did that!" exclaimed the 'tzin. "And why?" - -"Out of the city there was safety," replied Mualox, sententiously; in a -moment, he continued, "Such, I say, was the beginning. Attend to what -has followed. After Montezuma went to dwell with the strangers, the king -of Tezcuco revolted, and drew after him the lords of Iztapalapan, -Tlacopan, and others; to-day they are prisoners, while you are free. -Next, aided by Tlalac, you planned the rescue of the king by force in -the _teocallis_; for that offence the officers hunted you, and have not -given over their quest; but the cells of Quetzal' are deep and dark; I -called you in, and yet you are safe. To-day Quetzal' appeared amongst -the celebrants, and to-night there is mourning throughout the valley, -and the city groans under the bloody sorrow; still you are safe. A few -days ago, in the old palace of Axaya', the king assembled his lords, and -there he and they became the avowed subjects of a new king, Malinche's -master; since that the people, in their ignorance, have rung the heavens -with their curses. You alone escaped that bond; so that, if Montezuma -were to join his fathers, asleep in Chapultepec, whom would soldier, -priest, and citizen call to the throne? Of the nobles living, how many -are free to be king? And of all the empire, how many are there of whom I -might say, 'He forgot not Quetzal''? One only. And now, O son, ask you -of what you will be accused, if you abandon this house and its god? or -what will be forfeit, if now you turn your back upon them? Is there a -measure for the iniquity of ingratitude? If you go hence for any purpose -of war, remember Quetzal' neither forgets nor forgives; better that you -had never been born." - -By this time, Hualpa had joined the party. Resting his hand upon the -young man's shoulder, the 'tzin fixed on Mualox a look severe and steady -as his own, and replied,--"Father, a man knows not himself; still less -knows he other men; if so, how should I know a being so great as you -claim your god to be? Heretofore, I have been contented to see Quetzal' -as you have painted him,--a fair-faced, gentle, loving deity, to whom -human sacrifice was especially abhorrent; but what shall I say of him -whom you have now given me to study? If he neither forgets nor forgives, -wherein is he better than the gods of Mictlan? Hating, as you have said, -the sacrifice of one man, he now proposes, you say, not as a process of -ages, but at once, by a blow or a breath, to slay a nation numbering -millions. When was Huitzil' so awfully worshipped? He will spare the -king, you further say, because he has become his servant; and I can find -grace by a like submission. Father,"--and as he spoke the 'tzin's manner -became inexpressibly noble,--"father, who of choice would live to be the -last of his race? The destiny brings me a crown: tell me, when your god -has glutted himself, where shall I find subjects? Comes he in person or -by representative? Am I to be his crowned slave or Malinche's? Once for -all, let Quetzal' enlarge his doom; it is sweeter than what you call his -love. I will go fight; and, if the gods of my fathers--in this hour -become dearer and holier than ever--so decree, will die with my people. -Again, father, farewell." - -Again the withered hands arose tremulously, and a look of exceeding -anguish came to the paba's help. - -"If not for love of me, or of self, or of Quetzal', then for love of -woman, stay." - -Guatamozin turned quickly. "What of her?" - -"O 'tzin, the destiny you put aside is hers no less than yours." - -The 'tzin raised higher his princely head, and answered, smiling -joyously,-- - -"Then, father, by whatever charm, or incantation, or virtue of prayer -you possess, hasten the destiny,--hasten it, I conjure you. A tomb would -be a palace with her, a palace would be a tomb without her." - -And with the smile still upon his face, and the resolution yet in his -heart, he again, and for the last time, turned his back upon Mualox. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [47] Sahagun, Hist. de Nueva Esp. Gomara, Cronica. Prescott, Conq. - of Mexico. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - THE CELLS OF QUETZAL' AGAIN. - - -"A victim! A victim!" - -"Hi, hi!" - -"Catch him!" - -"Stone him!" - -"Kill him!" - -So cried a mob, at the time in furious motion up the beautiful street. -Numbering hundreds already, it increased momentarily, and howled as only -such a monster can. Scarce eighty yards in front ran its -game,--Orteguilla, the page. - -The boy was in desperate strait. His bonnet, secured by a braid, danced -behind him; his short cloak, of purple velvet, a little faded, fluttered -as if struggling to burst the throat-loop; his hands were clenched; his -face pale with fear and labor. He ran with all his might, often looking -back; and as his course was up the street, the old palace of Axaya' must -have been the goal he sought,--a long, long way off for one unused to -such exertion and so fiercely pressed. At every backward glance, he -cried, in agony of terror, "Help me, O Mother of Christ! By God's love, -help me!" The enemy was gaining upon him. - -The lad, as I think I have before remarked, had been detailed by Cortes -to attend Montezuma, with whom, as he was handsome and witty, and had -soon acquired the Aztecan tongue and uncommon skill at _totoloque_, he -had become an accepted favorite; so that, while useful to the monarch as -a servant, he was no less useful to the Christian as a detective. In the -course of his service, he had been frequently intrusted with his royal -master's signet, the very highest mark of confidence. Every day he -executed errands in the _tianguez_, and sometimes in even remoter -quarters of the city. As a consequence he had come to be quite well -known, and to this day nothing harmful or menacing had befallen him, -although, as was not hard to discern, the people would have been better -satisfied had Maxtla been charged with such duties. - -On this occasion,--the day after the interview between the 'tzin and -Mualox,--while executing some trifling commission in the market, he -became conscious of a change in the demeanor of those whom he met; of -courtesies, there were none; he was not once saluted; even the jewellers -with whom he dealt viewed him coldly, and asked not a word about the -king; yet, unaware of danger, he went to the portico of the Chalcan, and -sat awhile, enjoying the shade and the fountain, and listening to the -noisy commerce without. - -Presently, he heard a din of conchs and attabals, the martial music of -the Aztecs. Somewhat startled, and half hidden by the curtains, he -looked out, and beheld, coming from the direction of the king's palace, -a procession bearing ensigns and banners of all shapes, designs, and -colors. - -At the first sound of the music, the people, of whom, as usual, there -were great numbers in the _tianguez_, quitted their occupations, and ran -to meet the spectacle, which, without halting, came swiftly down to the -Chalcan's; so that there passed within a few feet of the adventurous -page a procession rarely beautiful,--a procession of warriors marching -in deep files, each one helmeted, and with a shield at his back, and a -banner in his hand,--an army with banners. - -At the head, apart from the others, strode a chief whom all eyes -followed. Even Orteguilla was impressed with his appearance. He wore a -tunic of very brilliant feather-work, the skirt of which fell almost to -his knees; from the skirt to the ankles his lower limbs were bare; -around the ankles, over the thongs of the sandals, were rings of -furbished silver; on his left arm he carried a shield of shining metal, -probably brass, its rim fringed with locks of flowing hair, and in the -centre the device of an owl, snow-white, and wrought of the plumage of -the bird; over his temples, fixed firmly in the golden head-band, there -were wings of a parrot, green as emerald, and half spread. He exceeded -his followers in stature, which appeared the greater by reason of the -long Chinantlan spear in his right hand, used as a staff. To the whole -was added an air severely grand; for, as he marched, he looked neither -to the right nor left,--apparently too absorbed to notice the people, -many of whom even knelt upon his approach. From the cries that saluted -the chief, together with the descriptions he had often heard of him, -Orteguilla recognized Guatamozin. - -The procession wellnigh passed, and the young Spaniard was studying the -devices on the ensigns, when a hand was laid upon his shoulder; turning -quickly to the intruder, he saw the prince Io', whom he was in the habit -of meeting daily in the audience-chamber of the king. The prince met his -smile and pleasantry with a sombre face, and said, coldly,-- - -"You have been kind to the king, my father; he loves you; on your hand I -see his signet; therefore I will serve you. Arise, and begone; stay not -a moment. You were never nearer death than now." - -Orteguilla, scarce comprehending, would have questioned him, but the -prince spoke on. - -"The chiefs who inhabit here are in the procession. Had they found you, -Huitzil' would have had a victim before sunset. Stay not; begone!" - -While speaking, Io' moved to the curtained doorway from which he had -just come. "Beware of the people in the square; trust not to the signet. -My father is still the king; but the lords and pabas have given his -power to another,--him whom you saw pass just now before the banners. In -all Anahuac Guatamozin's word is the law, and that word is--War." And -with that he passed into the house. - -The page was a soldier, not so much in strength as experience, and brave -from habit; now, however, his heart stood still, and a deadly coldness -came over him; his life was in peril. What was to be done? - -The procession passed by, with the multitude in a fever of enthusiasm; -then the lad ventured to leave the portico, and start for his quarters, -to gain which he had first to traverse the side of the square he was on; -that done, he would be in the beautiful street, going directly to the -desired place. He strove to carry his ordinary air of confidence; but -the quick step, pale face, and furtive glance would have been tell-tales -to the shopkeepers and slaves whom he passed, if they had been the least -observant. As it was, he had almost reached the street, and was -felicitating himself, when he heard a yell behind him. He looked back, -and beheld a party of warriors coming at full speed. Their cries and -gestures left no room to doubt that he was their object. He started at -once for life. - -The noise drew everybody to the doors, and forthwith everybody joined -the chase. After passing several bridges, the leading pursuers were -about seventy yards behind him, followed by a stream of supporters -extending to the _tianguez_ and beyond. So we have the scene with which -the chapter opens. - -The page's situation was indeed desperate. He had not yet reached the -king's palace, on the other side of which, as he knew, lay a stretch of -street frightful to think of in such a strait. The mob was coming -rapidly. To add to his horror, in front appeared a body of men armed and -marching toward him; at the sight, they halted; then they formed a line -of interception. His steps flagged; fainter, but more agonizing, arose -his prayer to Christ and the Mother. Into the recesses on either hand, -and into the doors and windows, and up to the roofs, and down into the -canals, he cast despairing glances; but chance there was not; capture -was certain, and then the--SACRIFICE! - -That moment he reached a temple of the ancient construction,--properly -speaking, a Cu,--low, broad, massive, in architecture not unlike the -Egyptian, and with steps along the whole front. He took no thought of -its appearance, nor of what it might contain; he saw no place of refuge -within; his terror had become a blind, unreasoning madness. To escape -the sacrifice was his sole impulse; and I am not sure but that he would -have regarded death in any form other than at the hands of the pabas as -an escape. So he turned, and darted up the steps; before his foremost -pursuer was at the bottom, he was at the top. - -With a glance he swept the _azoteas_. Through the wide, doorless -entrance of a turret, he saw an altar of stainless white marble, -decorated profusely with flowers; imagining there might be pabas -present, and possibly devotees, he ran around the holy place, and came -to a flight of steps, down which he passed to a court-yard bounded on -every side by a colonnade. A narrow doorway at his right hand, full of -darkness, offered him a hiding-place. - -In calmer mood, I doubt if the young Spaniard could have been induced -alone to try the interior of the Cu. He would at least have studied the -building with reference to the cardinal points of direction; now, -however, driven by the terrible fear, without thought or question, -without precaution of any kind, taking no more note of distance than -course, into the doorway, into the unknown, headlong he plunged. The -darkness swallowed him instantly; yet he did not abate his speed, for -behind him he heard--at least he fancied so--the swift feet of pursuers. -Either the dear Mother of his prayers, or some ministering angel, had -him in keeping during the blind flight; but at last he struck obliquely -against a wall; in the effort to recover himself, he reeled against -another; then he measured his length upon the floor, and remained -exhausted and fainting. - - - - - CHAPTER VI - - LOST IN THE OLD CU. - - -The page at last awoke from his stupor. With difficulty he recalled his -wandering senses. He sat up, and was confronted everywhere by a darkness -like that in sealed tombs. Could he be blind? He rubbed his eyes, and -strained their vision; he saw nothing. Baffled in the appeal to that -sense, he resorted to another; he felt of his head, arms, limbs, and was -reassured: he not only lived, but, save a few bruises, was sound of -body. Then he extended the examination; he felt of the floor, and, -stretching his arms right and left, discovered a wall, which, like the -floor, was of masonry. The cold stone, responding to the touch, sent its -chill along his sluggish veins; the close air made breathing hard; the -silence, absolutely lifeless,--and in that respect so unlike what we -call silence in the outer world, which, after all, is but the time -chosen by small things, the entities of the dust and grass and winds, -for their hymnal service, heard full-toned in heaven, if not by us,--the -dead, stagnant, unresonant silence, such as haunts the depths of old -mines and lingers in the sunken crypts of abandoned castles, awed and -overwhelmed his soul. - -Where was he? How came he there? With head drooping, and hands and arms -resting limp upon the floor, weak in body and spirit, he sat a long time -motionless, struggling to recall the past, which came slowly, enabling -him to set the race again with all its incidents: the enemy in rear, the -enemy in front; the temple stairs, with their offer of escape; the -_azoteas_, the court, the dash into the doorway under the -colonnade,--all came back slowly, I say, bringing a dread that he was -lost, and that, in a frantic effort to avoid death in one form, he had -run open-eyed to embrace it in another even more horrible. - -The dread gave him strength. He arose to his feet, and stood awhile, -straining his memory to recall the direction of the door which had -admitted him to the passage. Could he find that door, he would wait a -fitting time to slip from the temple; for which he would trust the -Mother and watch. But now, what was done must needs be done quickly; -for, though but an ill-timed fancy, he thought he felt a sensation of -hunger, indicating that he had been a long time lying there; how long, -of course, he knew not. - -Memory served him illy, or rather not at all; so that nothing would do -now but to feel his way out. O for a light, if only a spark from a -gunner's match, or the moony gleam of a Cuban glow-worm! - -As every faculty was now alert, he was conscious of the importance of -the start; if that were in the wrong direction, every inch would be from -the door, and, possibly, toward his grave. First, then, was he in a hall -or a chamber? He hoped the former, for then there would be but two -directions from which to choose; and if he took the wrong one, no -matter; he had only to keep on until the fact was made clear by the -trial, and then retrace his steps. "Thanks, O Holy Mother! In the -darkness thou art with thy children no less than in the day!" And with -the pious words, he crossed himself, forehead and breast, and set about -the work. - -To find if he were in a passage,--that was the first point. He laid his -hand upon the wall again, and started in the course most likely, as he -believed, to take him to the daylight, never before so beautiful to his -mind. - -The first step suggested a danger. There might be traps in the floor. He -had heard the question often at the camp-fire, What is done with the -bodies of the victims offered up in the heathen worship? Some said they -were eaten; others, that there were vast receptacles for them in the -ungodly temples,--miles and miles of catacombs, filled with myriads of -bones of priests and victims. If he should step off into a pit devoted -to such a use! His hair bristled at the thought. Carefully, slowly, -therefore, his hands pressed against the rough wall, his steps short, -one foot advanced to feel the way for the other, so he went, and such -was the necessity. - -Scarcely three steps on he found another dilemma. The wall suddenly fell -away under his hand; he had come to the angle of a corner. He stopped to -consider. Should he follow the wall in its new course? It occurred to -him that the angle was made by a crossing of passages, that he was then -in the square of their intersection; so the chances of finding the right -outlet were three to one against him. He was more than ever confused. -Hope went into low ebb. Would he ever get out? Had he been missed in -the old palace? If hostilities had broken out, as intimated by the -prince Io', would his friends be permitted to look for him in the city? -The king was his friend, but, alas! his power had been given to another. -No, there was no help for him; he must stay there as in his tomb, and -die of hunger and thirst,--die slowly, hour by hour, minute by minute. -Already the fever of famine was in his blood,--next to the fact is the -fancy. If his organism had begun to consume itself, how long could he -last? Never were moments so precious to him. Each one carried off a -fraction of the strength upon which his escape depended; each one must, -therefore, be employed. No more loitering; action, action! In the -darkness he looked to heaven, and prayed tearfully to the Mother. - -The better to understand his situation, and what he did, it may be well -enough to say here, that the steps by which he descended into the -court-yard faced the west; and as, from the court, he took shelter in a -door to his right, the passage must have run due north. When, upon -recovery from the fainting-spell, he started to regain the door, he was -still in the passage, but unhappily followed its continuation northward; -every step, in that course, consequently, was so much into instead of -out of the labyrinth. And now, to make the situation worse, he weakly -clung to the wall, and at the corner turned to the right; after which -his painful, toilsome progress was to the east, where the chances were -sure to be complicated. - -If the reader has ever tried to pass through a strange hall totally -darkened, he can imagine the young Spaniard in motion. Each respiration, -each movement, was doubly loud; the slide and shuffle of the feet, -changing position, filled the rock-bound space with echoes, which, by a -cooler head than his, might have been made tell the width and height of -the passage, and something of its depth. There were times when the -sounds seemed startlingly like the noise of another person close by; -then he would stop, lay hand on his dagger, the only weapon he had, and -listen nervously, undetermined what to do. - -In the course of the tedious movement, he came to narrow apertures at -intervals in the wall, which he surmised to be doors of apartments. -Before some of them he paused, thinking they might be occupied; but -nothing came from them, or was heard within, but the hollow -reverberations usual to empty chambers. The crackle of cement underfoot -and the crevices in the wall filled with dust assured him that a long -time had passed since a saving hand had been there; yet the evidences -that the old pile had once been populous made its present desertion all -the more impressive. Afterwhile he began to wish for the appearance of -somebody, though an enemy. Yet farther on, when the awful silence and -darkness fully kindled his imagination, and gave him for companionship -the spirits of the pagans who had once--how far back, who could -say?--made the cells animate with their prayers and orgies, the yearning -for the company of anything living and susceptible of association became -almost insupportable. - -Several times, as he advanced, he came to cross passages. Of the -distance made, he could form no idea. Once he descended a flight of -steps, and at the bottom judged himself a story below the level of the -court and street; reflecting, however, that he could not have clomb them -on the way in without some knowledge of them, he again paused for -consideration. The end of the passage was not reached: he could not say -the door he sought was not there; he simply believed not; still he -resolved to go back to the starting-point and begin anew. - -He set out bravely, and proceeded with less caution than in coming. -Suddenly he stopped. He had neglected to count the doors and -intersecting passages along the way; consequently he could not identify -the starting-point when he reached it. Merciful God! _he was now indeed_ -LOST! - -For a time he struggled against the conviction; but when the condition -was actually realized, a paroxysm seized him. He raised his hands -wildly, and shouted, _Ola! Ola!_ The cry smote the walls near by until -they rang again, and, flying down the passage, died lingeringly in the -many chambers, leaving him so shaken by the discordance that he cowered -nearly to the floor, as if, instead of human help, he had conjured a -demon, and looked for its instant appearance. Summoning all his -resolution, he again shouted the challenge, but with the same result; no -reply except the mocking echoes, no help. He was in a tomb, buried -alive! And at that moment, resulting doubtless from the fever of mind -and body, he was conscious of the first decided sensation of thirst, -accompanied by the thought of running water, cool, sweet, and limpid; as -if to add to his torture, he saw then, not only that he was immured -alive, but how and of what he was to die. Then also he saw why his -enemies gave up the pursuit at the passage-door. Lost in the depths of -the Cu, out of reach of help, groping here and there through the -darkness, in hours condensing years of suffering, dead, finally, of -hunger and thirst,--was he not as much a victim as if formally butchered -by the _teotuctli_? And if, in the eyes of the heathen god, suffering -made the sacrifice appreciable, when was there one more perfect? - -"No, no," he cried, "I am a Christian, in care of the Christian's God. I -am too young, too strong. I can walk; if need be, run; and there are -hours and days before me. I will find the door. Courage, courage! And -thou, dear, blessed Mother! if ever thou dost permit a shrine in the -chapel of this heathen house, all that which the Senor Hernan may -apportion to me thou shalt have. Hear my vow, O sweet Mother, and help -me!" - -How many heroisms, attributed to duty, or courage, or some high passion, -are in fact due to the utter hopelessness, the blindness past seeing, -the fainting of the soul called despair! In that last motive what mighty -energy! How it now nerved Orteguilla! Down the passage he went, and with -alacrity. Not that he had a plan, or with the mind's eye even saw the -way,--not at all. He went because in motion there was soothing to his -very despair; in motion he could make himself believe there was still a -hope; in motion he could expect each moment to hail the welcome door and -the glory of the light. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - HOW THE HOLY MOTHER HELPS HER CHILDREN. - - -I doubt not my reader is gentle, good, and tender-hearted, easily moved -by tales of suffering, and nothing delighting in them; and that, with -such benignant qualities of heart and such commendable virtues of taste, -he will excuse me if I turn from following the young Spaniard, who has -now come to be temporarily a hero of my story, and leave to the -imagination the details of the long round of misery he endured in his -wanderings through the interior of the old Cu. - -Pathologists will admit they are never at fault or loss in the diagnosis -of cases of hunger and thirst. Whether considered as disease or -accident, their marks are unmistakable, and their symptoms before -dissolution, like their effects afterwards, invariable. Both may be -simply described as consumption of the body by its own organs; precisely -as if, to preserve life, one devoured his own flesh and drank his own -blood. Not without reason, therefore, the suicide, what time he thinks -of his crime, always, when possible, chooses some mode easier and more -expeditious. The gradations to the end are, an intense desire for food -and drink; a fever, accompanied by exquisite pain; then delirium; -finally, death. It is in the second and third stages that the -peculiarities show most strangely; then the mind cheats the body with -visions of Tantalus. If the sufferer be thirst-stricken, he is permitted -to see fountains and sparkling streams, and water in draughts and -rivers; if he be starving, the same mocking fancy spreads Apician feasts -before his eyes, and stimulates the intolerable misery by the sight and -scent of all things delicious and appetizing. I have had personal -experience of the anguish and delusions of which I speak. I know what -they are. I pray the dear Mother, who has us all in holy care, to keep -them far from my gentle friends. - - * * * * * - -A day and night in the temple,--another day and night,--morning of the -third day, and we discover the page sitting upon the last of a flight of -steps. No water, no food in all that time. He slept once; how long, he -did not know. A stone floor does not conduce to rest even where there is -sleep. All that time, too, the wearisome search for the door; groping -along the wall, feeling the way ell by ell; always at fault and lost -utterly. His condition can be understood almost without the aid of -description. He sits on the step in a kind of stupor; his cries for help -have become a dull, unmeaning moan; before him pass the fantasies of -food and water; and could the light--the precious, beautiful light, so -long sought, so earnestly prayed and struggled for--fall upon him, we -should have a sad picture of the gay youth who, in the market, sported -his velvet cloak and feathered bonnet, and half disdainfully flashed the -royal signet in the faces of the wondering merchants,--the picture of a -despairing creature whom much misery was rapidly bringing down to death. - -And of his thoughts, or, rather, the vagaries that had taken the place -of thoughts,--ah, how well they can be divined! Awhile given to the -far-off native land, and the loved ones there,--land and loved ones -never again to be seen; then to the New World, full of all things -strange; but mostly to his situation, lost so hopelessly, suffering so -dreadfully. There were yet ideas of escape, reawakenings of the energy -of despair, but less frequent every hour; indeed, he was becoming -submissive to the fate. He prayed, also; but his prayers had more -relation to the life to come than to this one. To die without Christian -rite, to leave his bones in such unhallowed place! O, for one shrieving -word from Father Bartolome! - -In the midst of his wretchedness, and of the sighs and sobs and tears -which were its actual expression, suddenly the ceiling overhead and all -the rugged sides of the passage above the line of the upper step of the -stairway at the foot of which he was sitting were illumined by a faint -red glow of light. He started to his feet. Could it be? Was it not a -delusion? Were not his eyes deceiving him? In the darkness he had seen -banquets, and the chambers thereof, and had heard the gurgle of pouring -wine and water. Was not this a similar trick of the imagination? or had -the Blessed Mother at last heard his supplications? - -He looked steadily; the glow deepened. O wondrous charm of life! To be, -after dying so nearly, brought back with such strength, so quickly, and -by such a trifle! - -While he looked, his doubts gave way to certainty. Light there -was,--essential, revealing, beautiful light. He clasped his hands, and -the tears of despair became tears of joy; all the hopes of his being, -which, in the dreary hours just passed, had gone out as stars go behind -a spreading cloud, rose up whirring, like a flock of startled birds, -and, filling all his heart, once more endued him with strength of mind -and body. He passed his hands across his eyes: still the light remained. -Surer than a fantasy, good as a miracle, there it was, growing brighter, -and approaching, and that, too, by the very passage in which he was -standing; whether borne by man or spirit, friend or foe, it would -speedily reach the head of the steps, and then-- - -Out of the very certainty of aid at hand, a reaction of feeling came. A -singular caution seized him. What if those bearing the light were -enemies? Through the glow dimly lighting the part of the passage below -the stairway, he looked eagerly for a place of concealment. Actually, -though starving, the prospect of relief filled him with all the -instincts of life renewed. A door caught his eye. He ran to the cell, -and hid, but in position to see whomsoever might pass. He had no -purpose: he would wait and see,--that was all. - -The light approached slowly,--in his suspense, how slowly! Gradually the -glow in the passage became a fair illumination. There were no sounds of -feet, no forerunning echoes; the coming was noiseless as that of -spirits. Out of the door, nevertheless, he thrust his head, in time to -see the figure of a man on the upper step, bareheaded, barefooted, half -wrapped in a cotton cloak, and carrying a broad wooden tray or waiter, -covered with what seemed table-ware; the whole brought boldly into view -by the glare of a lamp fastened, like a miner's, to his forehead. - -The man was alone; with that observation, Orteguilla drew back, and -waited, his hand upon his dagger. He trembled with excitement. Here was -an instrument of escape; what should he do? If he exposed himself -suddenly, might not the stranger drop his burden, and run, and in the -race extinguish the lamp? If he attacked, might he not have to kill? Yet -the chance must not be lost. Life depended upon it, and it was, -therefore, precious as life. - -The man descended the steps carefully, and drew near the cell door. -Orteguilla held his breath. The stepping of bare feet became distinct. A -gleam of light, almost blinding, flashed through the doorway, and, -narrow at first but rapidly widening, began to wheel across the floor. -At length the cell filled with brightness; the stranger was passing the -door, not a yard away. - -The young Spaniard beheld an old man, half naked, and bearing a tray. -That he was a servant was clear; that there was no danger to be -apprehended from him was equally clear: he was too old. These were the -observations of a glance. From the unshorn, unshaven head and face, the -eyes of the lad dropped to the tray; at the same instant, the smell of -meat, fresh from the coals, saluted him, mixed with the aroma of -chocolate, still smoking, and sweeter to the starving fugitive than -incense to a devotee. Another note: the servant was carrying a meal to -somebody, his master or mistress. Still another note: the temple was -inhabited, and the inhabitants were near by. The impulse to rush out and -snatch the tray, and eat and drink, was almost irresistible. The urgency -there is in a parched throat, and in a stomach three days empty, cannot -be imagined. Yet he restrained himself. - -The lamp, the food, the human being--the three things most -desirable--had come, and were going, and the page still undetermined -what to do. Instinct and hunger and thirst, and a dread of the darkness, -and of the death so lately imminent, moved him to follow, and he obeyed. -He had cunning enough left to take off his boots. That done, he stepped -into the passage, and, moving a few paces behind, put himself in the -guidance of the servant, sustained by a hope that daylight and liberty -were but a short way off. - -For a hundred steps or more the man went his way, when he came to a -great flat rock or flag cumbering the passage; there he stopped, and set -down the tray; and taking the lamp from the fastening on his head, he -knelt by the side of a trap, or doorway, in the floor. Orteguilla -stopped at the same time, drawing, as a precaution, close to the left -wall. Immediately he heard the tinkling of a bell, which he took to be a -signal to some one in a chamber below. His eyes fixed hungrily upon the -savory viands. He saw the slave fasten a rope to the tray, and begin to -lower it through the trap; he heard the noise of the contact with the -floor beneath: still he was unresolved. The man arose, lamp in hand, and -without more ado, as if a familiar task were finished, started in -return. And now the two must come within reach of each other; now the -page must discover himself or be discovered. Should he remain? Was not -retreat merely going back into the terrible labyrinth? He debated; and -while he debated, chance came along and took control. The servant, -relieved of his load, walked swiftly, trying, while in motion, to -replace the lamp over his forehead; failing in that, he stopped; and as -fortune ordered, stopped within two steps of the fugitive. A -moment,--and the old man's eyes, dull as they were, became transfixed; -then the lamp fell from his hand and rolled upon the floor, and with a -scream, he darted forward in a flight which the object of his fear could -not hope to outstrip. The lamp went out, and darkness dropped from the -ceiling, and leaped from the walls, reclaiming everything. - -Orteguilla stood overwhelmed by the misfortune. All the former horrors -returned to plague him. He upbraided himself for irresolution. Why -allow the man to escape? Why not seize, or, at least, speak to him? The -chance had been sent, he could now see, by the Holy Mother; would she -send another? If not, and he died there, who would be to blame but -himself? He wrung his hands, and gave way to bitter tears. - -Eventually the unintermitting craving of hunger aroused him by a lively -suggestion. The smell of the meat and chocolate haunted him. What had -become of them? Then he remembered the ringing of the bell, and their -disappearance through the trap. There they were; and more,--somebody was -there enjoying them! Why not have his share? Ay, though he fought for -it! Should an infidel feed while a Christian starved? The thought lent -him new strength. Such could not be God's will. Then, as often happens, -indignation begat a certain shrewdness to discern points, and put them -together. The temple was not vacant, as he at first feared. Indeed, its -tenants were thereabouts. Neither was he alone; on the floor below, he -had neighbors. "Ave Maria!" he cried, and crossed himself. - -His neighbors, he thought,--advancing to another conclusion,--his -neighbors, whoever they were, had communication with the world; -otherwise, they would perish, as he was perishing. Moreover, the old -servant was the medium of the communication, and would certainly come -again. Courage, courage! - -A sense of comfort, derived from the bare idea of neighborship with -something human, for the time at least, lulled him into forgetfulness of -misery. - -Upon his hands and knees, he went to the great stone, and to the edge of -the trap. - -"_Salvado! Soy salvado!_ I am saved!" And with tears of joy he -rapturously repeated the sweet salutation of the angels to the Virgin. -_The space below was lighted!_ - -The light, as he discovered upon a second look, came through curtains -stretched across a passage similar to the one he was in, and was faint, -but enough to disclose two objects, the sight of which touched him with -a fierce delight,--the tray on the floor, its contents untouched, and a -rope ladder by which to descend. - -He lost no time now. Placing his dagger between his teeth, he swung off, -though with some trouble, and landed safely. At his feet, then, lay a -repast to satisfy the daintiest appetite,--fish, white bread, chocolate, -in silver cups and beaten into honeyed foam, and fruits from vine and -tree. He clasped his hands and looked to Heaven, and, as became a pious -Spaniard, restrained the maladies that afflicted him, while he said the -old Paternoster,--dear, hallowed utterance taught him in childhood by -the mother who, but for this godsend, would have lost him forever. Then -he stooped to help himself, and while his hand was upon the bread the -curtain parted, and he saw, amidst a flood of light pouring in over her -head and shoulders, a girl, very young and very beautiful. - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE PABA'S ANGEL. - - -If I were writing a tale less true, or were at all accomplished in the -charming art of the story-teller, which has come to be regarded as but -little inferior to that of the poet, possibly I could have disguised the -incidents of the preceding chapters so as to have checked anticipation. -But many pages back the reader no doubt discovered that the Cu in which -the page took shelter was that of Quetzal'; and now, while to believe I -could, by any arrangement or conceit consistent with truth, agreeably -surprise a friend, I must admit that he is a dull witling who failed, at -the parting of the curtain as above given, to recognize the child of the -paba,--Tecetl, to whom, beyond peradventure, the memory of all who -follow me to this point has often returned, in tender sympathy for the -victim of an insanity so strange or--as the critic must decide--a -philosophy so cruel. - -Now, however, she glides again into the current of my story, one of -those wingless waifs which we have all at one time or another seen, and -which, if not from heaven, as their purity and beauty suggest, are, at -least, ready to be wafted there. - -I stop to say that, during the months past, as before, her life had gone -sweetly, pleasantly, without ruffle or labor or care or sickness, or -division, even, into hours and days and nights,--a flowing onward, like -time,--an existence so serenely perfect as not to be a subject of -consciousness. Her occupation was a round of gentle ministrations to the -paba. Her experience was still limited to the chamber, its contents and -expositions. If the philosophy of the venerable mystic--that ignorance -of humanity is happiness--was correct, then was she happy as mortal can -be, for as yet she had not seen a human being other than himself. Her -pleasure was still to chatter and chirrup with the friendly birds; or to -gather flowers and fashion them into wreaths and garlands to be offered -at the altar of the god to whom she herself had been so relentlessly -devoted; or to lie at rest upon the couch, and listen to the tinkling -voices of the fountain, or join in their melody. And as I do not know -why, in speaking of her life, I should be silent as to that part which -is lost in slumber, particularly when the allusion will help me -illustrate her matchless innocency of nature, I will say, further, that -sleep came to her as to children, irregularly and in the midst of play, -and waking was followed by no interval of heaviness, or brooding over a -daily task, or bracing the soul for a duty. In fact, she was still a -child; though not to be thought dealing with anything seraphic, I will -add, that in the months past she had in height become quite womanly, -while the tone of her voice had gained an equality, and her figure a -fulness, indicative of quick maturity. - -Nor had the "World" undergone any change. The universal exposition on -the walls and ceiling remained the same surpassing marvel of art. At -stated periods, workmen had come, and, through the shaft constructed for -the purpose, like those in deep mines, lifted to the _azoteas_ such -plants and shrubs as showed signs of suffering for the indispensable -sun; but as, on such occasions, others were let down, and rolled to the -vacant places, there was never an abatement of the garden freshness that -prevailed in the chamber. The noise of the work disturbed the birds, but -never Tecetl, whose spirit during the time was under the mesmeric Will -of the paba. - -There was a particular, however, in which the god who was supposed to -have the house in keeping had not been so gracious. A few days before -the page appeared at the door,--exactness requires me to say the day of -the paba's last interview with Guatamozin,--Mualox came down from the -sanctuary in an unusual state of mind and body. He was silent and -exhausted; his knees tottered, as, with never a smile or pleasant word, -or kiss in reply to the salutation he received, he went to the couch to -lie down. He seemed like one asleep; yet he did not sleep, but lay with -his eyes fixed vacantly on the ceiling, his hand idly stroking his -beard. - -In vain Tecetl plied all her little arts; she sang to him, caressed him, -brought her vases and choicest flowers and sweetest singing-birds, and -asked a thousand questions about the fair, good Quetzal',--a topic -theretofore of never-failing interest to the holy man. - -She had never known sickness,--so kindly had the god dealt by her. Her -acquaintance with infirmity of any kind was limited to the fatigue of -play, and the weariness of tending flowers and birds. Her saddest -experience had been to see the latter sicken and die. All her further -knowledge of death was when it came and touched a plant, withering leaf -and bud. To die was the end of such things; but they--the paba and -herself--were not as such: they were above death; Quetzal' was immortal, -and, happy souls! they were to serve him for ever and ever. Possessed of -such faith, she was not alarmed by the good man's condition; on the -contrary, taking his silence as a wish to be let alone, she turned and -sought her amusements. - -And as to his ailment. If there be such a thing as a broken heart, his -was broken. He had lived, as noticed before, for a single purpose, hope -of which had kept him alive, survivor of a mighty brotherhood. That hope -the 'tzin in the last interview took away with him; and an old man -without a hope is already dead. - -Measuring time in the chamber by its upper-world divisions, noon and -night came, and still the paba lay in the dismal coma. Twice the slave -had appeared at the door with the customary meals. Tecetl heard and -answered his signals. Meantime,--last and heaviest of misfortunes,--the -fire of the temple went out. When the sacred flame was first kindled is -not known; relighted at the end of the last great cycle of fifty-two -years, however, it had burned ever since, served by the paba. Year after -year his steps, ascending and descending, had grown feebler; now they -utterly failed. "Where is the fire on the old Cu?" asked the -night-watchers of each other. "Dead," was the answer. "Then is Mualox -dead." - -And still another day like the other; and at its close the faded hands -of the sufferer dropped upon his breast. Many times did Tecetl come to -the couch, and speak to him, and call him father, and offer him food and -drink, and go away unnoticed. "He is with Quetzal'," she would say to -herself and the birds. "How the dear god loves him!" - -Yet another, the fourth day; still the sleep, now become a likeness of -death. And Tecetl,--she missed his voice, and the love-look of his great -eyes, and his fondnesses of touch and smile; she missed his presence, -also. True, he was there, but not with her; he was with Quetzal'. -Strange that they should forget her so long! She hovered around the -couch, a little jealous of the god, and disquieted, though she knew not -by what. She was very, very lonesome. - -And in that time what suspense would one familiar with perils have -suffered in her situation! If the paba dies, what will become of her? We -know somewhat of the difficulties of the passages in the Cu. Can she -find the way out alone? The slave will, doubtless, continue to bring -food to the door, so that she may not starve; and at the fountain she -will get drink. Suppose, therefore, the supplies come for years, and she -live so long; how will the solitude affect her? We know its results upon -prisoners accustomed to society; but that is not her case: she never -knew society, its sweets or sorrows. With her the human life of the -great outside world is not a thing of conjecture, or of dreams, hopes, -and fears, as the future life with a Christian; she does not even know -there is such a state of being. Changes will take place in the chamber; -the birds and plants, all of life there besides herself, will die; the -body of the good man, through sickening stages of decay, will return to -the dust, leaving a ghastly skeleton on the couch. Consequently, hers -will come to be a solitude without relief, without amusement or -occupation or society, and with but few memories, and nothing to rest a -hope upon. Can a mind support itself, any more than a body? In other -words, if Mualox dies, how long until she becomes what it were charity -to kill? Ah, never mortal more dependent or more terribly threatened! -Yet she saw neither the cloud nor its shadow, but followed her pastimes -as usual, and sang her little songs, and slept when tired,--a -simple-hearted child. - -I am not an abstractionist; and the reader, whom I charitably take to be -what I am in that respect, has reason to be thankful; for the thought of -this girl, so strangely educated,--if the word may be so applied,--this -pretty plaything of a fortune so eccentric, opens the gates of many a -misty field of metaphysics. But I pass them by, and, following the lead -of my story, proceed to say that, in the evening of the fourth day of -the paba's sickness, the bell, as usual, announced the last meal at the -door of the chamber. Tecetl went to the couch, and, putting her arms -around the sleeper's neck, tried to wake him; but he lay still, his eyes -closed, his lips apart,--in appearance, he was dying. - -"Father, father, why do you stay away so long?" she said. "Come -back,--speak to me,--say one word,--call me once more!" - -The dull ear heard not; the hand used to caressing was still. - -Tenderly she smoothed the white beard upon his breast. - -"Is Quetzal' angry with me? I love him. Tell him how lonely I am, and -that the birds are not enough to keep me happy when you stay so long; -tell him how dear you are to me. Ask him to let you come back now." - -Yet no answer. - -"O Quetzal', fair, beautiful god! hear me," she continued. "Your finger -is on his lips, or he would speak. Your veil is over his eyes, or he -would see me. I am his child, and love him so much; and he is hungry, -and here are bread and meat. Let him come for a little while, and I will -love you more than ever." - -And so she prayed and promised, but in vain. Quetzal' was obdurate. With -tears fast flowing, she arose, and stood by the couch, and gazed upon -the face now sadly changed by the long abstinence. And as she looked, -there came upon her own face a new expression, that which the very young -always have when at the side of the dying,--half dread, half -curiosity,--wonder at the manifestation, awe of the power that invokes -it,--the look we can imagine on the countenance of a simple soul in the -presence of Death interpreting himself. - -At last she turned away, and went to the door. Twice she hesitated, and -looked back. Wherefore? Was she pondering the mystery of the deep sleep, -or expecting the sleeper to awake, or listening to the whisper of a -premonition fainter in her ears than the voice of the faintest breeze? -She went on, nevertheless; she reached the door, and drew the curtain; -and there, in the full light, was Orteguilla. - -That we may judge the impression, let us recall what kind of youth the -page was. I never saw him myself, but those who knew him well have told -me he was a handsome fellow; tall, graceful, and in manner and feature -essentially Spanish. He wore at the time the bonnet and jaunty feather, -and the purple mantle, of which I have spoken, and under that a close -black jerkin, with hose to correspond; half-boots, usual to the period, -and a crimson sash about the waist, its fringed ends hanging down the -left side, completed his attire. Altogether, a goodly young man; not as -gay, probably, as some then loitering amongst the _alamedas_ of Seville; -for rough service long continued had tarnished his finery and abused his -complexion, to say nothing of the imprints of present suffering; yet he -was enough so to excite admiration in eyes older than Tecetl's, and more -familiar with the race. - -The two gazed at each other, wonder-struck. - -"Holy Mother!" exclaimed Orteguilla, the bread in his hand. "Into what -world have I been brought? Is this a spirit thou hast sent me?" - -In his eyes, she was an angel; in hers, he was more. She went to him, -and knelt, and said, "Quetzal', dear Quetzal',--beautiful god! You are -come to bring my father back to me. He is asleep by the fountain." - -In her eyes, the page was a god. - -The paba's descriptions of Quetzal' had given her the ideal of a youth -like Orteguilla. Of late, moreover, he had been constantly expected from -Tlapallan, his isle of the blest; indeed, he had come,--so the father -said. And the house was his. Whither would he go, if not there? So, from -tradition oft repeated, from descriptions colored by passionate love, -she knew the god; and as to the man,--between the image and his maker -there is a likeness; so saith a book holier than the _teoamoxtli_. - -The page, as we have seen, was witty and shrewd, and acquainted well -with the world; his first impression went quickly; her voice assured him -that he was not come to any spirit land. The pangs of hunger, for the -moment forgotten, returned, and I am sorry to say that he at once -yielded to their urgency, and began to eat as heroes in romances never -do. When the edge of his appetite was dulled, and he could think of -something else, an impulse of courtesy moved him, and he said,-- - -"I crave thy pardon, fair mistress. I have been so much an animal as to -forget that this food is thine, and required to subsist thee, and, -perhaps, some other inhabiting here. I admit, moreover, that ordinarily -the invitation should proceed from the owner of the feast; but claim thy -own, and partake with me; else it may befall that in my great hunger thy -share will be wanting. Fall to, I pray thee." - -Still kneeling, she stared at him, and, folding her hands upon her -breast, replied, "Quetzal' knows that I am his servant. Let him speak so -that I may understand." - -"_Por cierto!_--it is true! What knoweth she of my mother tongue?" - -And thereupon, in the Aztecan, he asked her to help herself. - -"No," said she. "The house and all belong to you. I am glad you have -come." - -"Mine? Whom do you take me for?" - -"The good god of my father, to whom I say all my prayers,--Quetzal'!" - -"Quetzal', Quetzal'!" he repeated, looking steadily in her face; then, -as if assured that he understood her, he took one of the goblets of -chocolate, and tried to drink, but failed; the liquid had been beaten -into foam. - -"In the world I come from, good girl," he said, replacing the cup, -"people find need of water, which, just now, would be sweeter to my -tongue than all the honey in the valley. Canst thou give me a drink?" - -She arose, and answered eagerly, "Yes, at the fountain. Let us go. By -this time my father is awake." - -"So, so!" he said to himself. "Her father, indeed! I have eaten his -supper or dinner, according to the time of day outside, and he may not -be as civil as his daughter. I will first know something about him." And -he asked, "Your father is old, is he not?" - -"His beard and hair are very white. They have always been so." - -Again he looked at her doubtingly. "Always, said you?" - -"Always." - -"Is he a priest?" - -She smiled, and asked, "Does not Quetzal' know his own servant?" - -"Has he company?" - -"The birds may be with him." - -He quit eating, and, much puzzled by the answer, reflected. - -"Birds, birds! Am I so near daylight and freedom? Grant it, O Blessed -Mother!" And he crossed himself devoutly. - -Then Tecetl said, earnestly, "Now that you have eaten, good Quetzal', -come and let us go to my father." - -Orteguilla made up his mind speedily: he could not do worse than go back -the way he came; and the light here was so beautiful, and the darkness -there so terrible: and here was company. Just then, also, as a further -inducement, he heard the whistle of a bird, and fancied he distinguished -the smell of flowers. - -"A garden," he said, in his soul,--"a garden, and birds, and liberty!" -The welcome thought thrilled him inexpressibly. "Yes, I will go"; and, -aloud, "I am ready." - -Thereupon she took his hand, and put the curtains aside, and led him -into the paba's World, never but once before seen by a stranger. - -This time forethought had not gone in advance to prepare for the -visitor. The master's eye was dim, and his careful hand still, in the -sleep by the fountain. The neglect that darkened the fire on the turret -was gloaming the lamps in the chamber; one by one they had gone out, as -all would have gone but for Tecetl, to whom the darkness and the shadows -were hated enemies. Nevertheless, the light, falling suddenly upon eyes -so long filled with blackness as his had been, was blinding bright, -insomuch that he clapped his hand over his face. Yet she led him on -eagerly, saying,-- - -"Here, here, good Quetzal'. Here by the fountain he lies." - -All her concern was for the paba. - -And through the many pillars of stone, and along a walk bounded by -shrubs and all manner of dwarfed tropical trees, half blinded by the -light, but with the scent of flowers and living vegetation in his -nostrils, and the carol of birds in his ears, and full of wonder -unspeakable, he was taken, without pause, to the fountain. At sight of -the sparkling jet, his fever of thirst raged more intensely than ever. - -"Here he is. Speak to him,--call him back to me! As you love him, call -him back, O Quetzal'?" - -He scarcely heard her. - -"Water, water! Blessed Mother, I see it again! A cup,--quick,--a cup!" - -He seized one on the table, and drank, and drank again crying between -each breath, "To the Mother the praise!" Not until he was fully -satisfied did he give ear to the girl's entreaty. - -Looking to the couch, whither she had gone, he saw the figure of the -paba stretched out like a corpse. He approached, and, searching the -face, and laying his hand upon the breast over the heart, asked, in a -low voice, "How long has your father been asleep?" - -"A long time," she replied. - -"_Jesu Christo!_ He is dead, and she does not know it!" he thought, -amazed at her simplicity. - -Again he regarded her closely, and for the first time was struck by her -beauty of face and form, by the brightness of her eyes, by the hair, -wavy on the head and curling over the shoulders, by the simple, childish -dress, and sweet voice; above all, by the innocence and ineffable purity -of her look and manner, all then discernible in the full glare of the -lamps. And with what feeling he made discovery of her loveliness may be -judged passably well by the softened tone in which he said, "Poor girl! -your father will never, never wake." - -Her eyes opened wide. - -"Never, never wake! Why?" - -"He is dead." - -She looked at him wistfully, and he, seeing that she did not understand, -added, "He is in heaven; or, as he himself would have said, in the Sun." - -"Yes, but you will let him come back." - -He took note of the trustful, beseeching look with which she accompanied -the words, and shook his head, and, returning to the fountain, took a -seat upon a bench, reflecting. - -"What kind of girl is this? Not know death when he showeth so plainly! -Where hath she been living? And I am possessed of St. Peter's keys. I -open Heaven's gate to let the heathen out! By the bones of the saints! -let him get there first! The Devil hath him!" - -He picked up a withered flower lying by the bowl of the fountain, and -went back to Tecetl. - -"You remember how beautiful this was when taken from the vine?" - -"Yes." - -"What ails it now?" - -"It is dead." - -"Well, did you ever know one of these, after dying, to come back to -life?" - -"No." - -"No more can thy father regain his life. He, too, is dead. From what you -see, he will go to dust; therefore, leave him now, and let us sit by the -fountain, and talk of escape; for surely you know the way out of this." - -From the flower, she looked to the dead, and, comprehending the -illustration, sat by the body, and cried. And so it happened that -knowledge of death was her first lesson in life. - -And he respected her grief, and went and took a bench by the basin, and -thought. - -"Quetzal', Quetzal',--who is he? A god, no doubt; yes, the one of whom -the king so liveth in dread. I have heard his name. And I am Quetzal'! -And this is his house--that is, my house! A scurvy trick, by St. James! -Lost in my own house,--a god lost in his own temple!" - -And as he could then well afford, being full-fed, he laughed at the -absurd idea; and in such mood, fell into a revery, and grew drowsy, and -finally composed himself on the bench, and sunk to sleep. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - LIFE IN THE PABA'S WORLD. - - -When the page awoke, after a long, refreshing sleep, he saw the fountain -first, and Tecetl next. She was sitting a little way off, upon a mat -stretched on the floor. A number of birds were about her, whistling and -coquetting with each other. One or two of very beautiful plumage -balanced themselves on the edge of the basin, and bathed their wings in -the crystal water. Through half-shut eyes, he studied her. She was -quiet,--thinking of what? Of what do children think in their waking -dreams? Yet he might have known, from her pensive look and frequent -sighs, that the fountain was singing to deaf ears, and the birds playing -their tricks before sightless eyes. She was most probably thinking of -what he had so lately taught her, and nursed the great mystery as -something past finding out; many a wiser head has done the same thing. - -Now, Orteguilla was very sensible of her loveliness; he was no less -sensible, also, that she was a mystery out of the common way of life; -and had he been in a place of safety, in the palace of Axaya', he would -have stayed a long time pretending sleep, in order to study her -unobserved. But his situation presently rose to mind; the yellow glow of -the lamps suggested the day outside; the birds, liberty; the fountain -and shrubbery, the world he had lost; and the girl, life,--his life, and -all its innumerable strong attachments. And so, in his mind, he ran over -his adventures in the house. He surveyed all of the chamber that was -visible from the bench. The light, the fountain, the vegetation, the -decorated walls,--everything in view dependent upon the care of man. -Where so much was to be done constantly, was there not something to be -done at once,--something to save life? There were the lamps: how were -they supplied? They might go out. And, _Jesu Christo_! the corpse of the -paba! He sat up, as if touched by a spear: there it was, in all the -repulsiveness of death. - -The movement attracted the girl's attention; she arose, and waited for -him to speak. - -"Good morning,--if morning it be," he said. - -She made no reply. - -"Come here," he continued. "I have some questions to ask." - -She drew a few steps nearer. A bird with breast of purple and wings of -snow flew around her for a while, then settled upon her hand, and was -drawn close to her bosom. He remembered, from Father Bartolome's -reading, how the love of God once before took a bird's form; and -forthwith his piety and superstition hedged her about with sanctity. -What with the white wings upon her breast, and the whiter innocency -within, she was safe as if bound by walls of brass. - -"Have no fear, I pray you," he said, misinterpreting her respectful -sentiment. "You and I are two people in a difficult strait, and, if I -mistake not, much dependent upon each other. A God, of whom you never -heard, but whom I will tell you all about, took your father away, and -sent me in his stead. The road thither, I confess, has been toilsome and -dreadful. Ah me, I shudder at the thought!" - -He emphasized his feelings by a true Spanish shrug of the shoulders. - -"This is a strange place," he next said. "How long have you been here?" - -"I cannot say." - -"Can you remember coming, and who brought you?" - -"No." - -"You must have been a baby." He looked at her with pity. "Have you never -been elsewhere?" - -"No, never." - -"Ah, by the Mother that keeps me! Always here! And the sky, and sun, and -stars, and all God's glory of nature, seen in the valleys, mountains, -and rivers, and seas,--have they been denied you, poor girl?" - -"I have seen them all," she answered. - -"Where?" - -"On the ceiling and walls." - -He looked up at the former, and noticed its excellence of -representation. - -"Very good,--beautiful!" he said, in the way of criticism. "Who did the -work?" - -"Quetzal'." - -"And who is Quetzal'?" - -"Who should know better than the god himself?" - -"Me?" - -"Yes." - -Again he shrugged his shoulders. - -"My name, then, is Quetzal'. Now, what is yours?" - -"Tecetl." - -"Well, then, Tecetl, let me undeceive you. In the first place, I am not -Quetzal', or any god. I am a man, as your father there was. My name is -Orteguilla; and for the time I am page to the great king Montezuma. And -before long, if I live, and get out of this place, as I most devoutly -pray, I will be a soldier. In the next place you are a girl, and soon -will be a woman. You have been cheated of life. By God's help, I will -take you out of this. Do you understand me?" - -"No; unless men and gods are the same." - -"Heaven forbid!" He crossed himself fervently. "Do you not know what men -are?" - -"All my knowledge of things is from the pictures on the walls, and what -else you see here." - -"_Jesu Christo!_" he cried, in open astonishment. "And did the good man -never tell you of the world outside,--of its creation, and its millions -upon millions of people?" - -"No." - -"Of the world in which you may find the originals of all that is painted -on the walls, more beautiful than colors can make them?" - -He received the same reply, but, still incredulous, went on. - -"Who takes care of these plants?" - -"My father." - -"A servant brings your food to the door--may he do so again! Have you -not seen him?" - -"No." - -"Where does the oil that feeds the lamps come from?" - -"From Quetzal'." - -Just then a lamp went out. He arose hastily, and saw that the contents -of the cup were entirely consumed. "Tecetl, is there plenty of oil? -Where do you keep it? Tell me." - -"In a jar, there by the door. While you were asleep, I refilled the -cups, and now the jar is empty." - -He turned pale. Who better than he knew the value of the liquid that -saved them from the darkness so horribly peopled by hunger and thirst? -If exhausted, where could they get more? Without further question, he -went through the chamber, and collected the lamps, and put them all out -except one. Then he brought the jar from the door, and poured the oil -back, losing not a drop. - -Tecetl remonstrated, and cried when she saw the darkness invade the -chamber, blotting out the walls, and driving the birds to their perches, -or to the fountain yet faintly illuminated. But he was firm. - -"Fie, fie!" he said. "You should laugh, not cry. Did I not tell you -about the world above this, so great, and so full of people, like -ourselves? And did I not promise to take you there? I am come in your -father's stead. Everything must contribute to our escape. We must think -of nothing else. Do you understand? This chamber is but one of many, in -a house big as a mountain, and full of passages in which, if we get -lost, we might wander days and days, and then not get out, unless we had -a light to show us the way. So we must save the oil. When this supply -gives out, as it soon will if we are not careful, the darkness that so -frightens you will come and swallow us, and we shall die, as did your -father there." - -The last suggestion sufficed; she dried her tears, and drew closer to -him, as if to say, "I confide in you; save me." - -Nature teaches fear of death; so that separation from the breathless -thing upon the couch was not like parting from Mualox. Whether she -touched his hand or looked in his face now, "Go hence, go hence!" was -what she seemed to hear. The stony repulsion that substituted his living -love reconciled her to the idea of leaving home, for such the chamber -had been to her. - -Here I may as well confess the page began to do a great deal of -talking,--a consequence, probably, of having a good listener; or he may -have thought it a duty to teach all that was necessary to prepare his -disciple for life in the new world. In the midst of a lecture, the -tinkle of a bell brought him to a hasty pause. - -"Now, O Blessed Mother, now I am happy! Thou hast not forsaken me! I -shall see the sun again, and brave old Spain. Live my heart!" he cried, -as the last tinkle trembled, and died in the silence. - -Seeing that she regarded him with surprise, he said, in her tongue, "I -was thanking the Mother, Tecetl. She will save us both. Go now, and -bring the breakfast,--I say breakfast, not knowing better,--and while we -eat I will tell you why I am so glad. When you have heard me, you will -be glad as I am." - -She went at once, and, coming back, found him bathing his face and head -in the water of the basin,--a healthful act, but not one to strengthen -the idea of his godship. She placed the tray upon the table, and helped -him to napkin and comb; then they took places opposite each other, with -the lamp between them; whereupon she had other proof of his kind of -being; for it is difficult to think of a deity at table, eating. The -Greeks felt the incongruity, and dined their gods on nectar and -ambrosia, leaving us to imagine them partaken in some other than the -ordinary, vulgar way. Verily, Tecetl was becoming accustomed to the -stranger! - -And while they ate, he explained his plans, and talked of the upper -world, and described its wonders and people, until, her curiosity -aroused, she plied him with questions; and as point after point was -given, we may suppose nature asserted itself, and taught her, by what -power there is in handsome youth, with its bright eyes, smooth face, and -tongue more winsome than wise, that life in the said world was a -desirable exchange for the monotonous drifting to which she had been so -long subjected. We may also suppose that she was not slow to observe the -difference between Mualox and the page; which was that between age and -youth, or, more philosophically, that between a creature to be revered -and a creature to be admired. - - * * * * * - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - THE ANGEL BECOMES A BEADSWOMAN. - - -The stars at the foot of the last chapter I called in as an easy bridge -by which to cross an interval of two days,--a trick never to be resorted -to except when there is nothing of interest to record, as was the case -here. - -Orteguilla occupied the interval very industriously, if not pleasantly. -He had in hand two tasks,--one to instruct Tecetl about the world to -which he had vowed to lead her; the other to fix upon a plan of escape. -The first he found easy, the latter difficult; yet he had decided, and -his preparations for the attempt, sufficient, he thought, though simple, -lay upon the floor by the fountain. A lamp shed a dim light over the -scene. - -"So, so, Tecetl: are we ready now?" he asked. - -"You are the master," she replied. - -"Very good, I will be assured." - -He went through a thorough inspection. - -"Here are the paint and brush; here the oil and lamp; here the bread and -meat, and the calabash of water. So far, good, very good. And here is -the mat,--very comfortable, Tecetl, if you have to make your bed upon a -stone in the floor. Now, are we ready?" - -"Yes, if you say so." - -"Good again! The Mother is with us. Courage! You shall see the sun and -sky, or I am not a Spaniard. Listen, now, and I will explain." - -They took seats upon the bench, this time together; for the strangeness -was wellnigh gone, and they had come to have an interest in a common -purpose. - -"You must know, then, that I have two reliances: first, the man who -brings the tray to the door; next, the Blessed Mother." - -"I will begin with the first," he said, after a pause. "The man is a -slave, and, therefore, easy to impose upon. If he is like his class, -from habit, he asks no questions of his superiors. Your father--I speak -from what you have told me--was thoughtful and dreamy, and spoke but -little to anybody, and seldom, if ever, to his servants. You are not -well versed in human nature; one day, no doubt, you will be; then you -will be able to decide whether I am right in believing that the traits -of master and slave, which I have mentioned, are likely to help us. I -carried your father's body over to the corner yonder,--you were asleep -at the time,--and laid it upon the floor, as we Christians serve our -dead. I made two crosses, and put one upon his lips, the other on his -breast; he will sleep all the better for them. As you would have done, -had you been present, I also covered him with flowers. One other thing I -did." - -He took a lamp, and was gone a moment. - -"Here are your father's gown and hood," he said, coming back. "I doubt -whether they would sell readily in the market. He will never need them -again. I took them to help save your life,--a purpose for which he would -certainly have given them, had he been alive. I will put them on." - -He laid his bonnet on the bench; then took off his boots, and put on -the gown,--a garment of coarse black _manta_, loose in body and sleeves, -and hanging nearly to the feet. Tying the cord about his waist, and -drawing the hood over his head, he walked away a few steps, saying,-- - -"Look at me, Tecetl. Your father was very old. Did he stoop much? as -much as this?" - -He struck the good man's habitual posture, and, in a moment after, his -slow, careful gait. At the sight, she could not repress her tears. - -"What, crying again!" he said. "I shall be ashamed of you soon. If we -fail, then you may cry, and--I do not know but that I will join you. -People who weep much cannot hear as they ought, and I want you to hear -every word. To go on, then: In this guise I mean to wait for the old -slave. When he lets the tray down, I will be there to climb the ladder. -He will see the hood and gown, and think me his old master. He will not -speak, nor will I. He will let me get to his side, and then--" - -After reflection, he continued,-- - -"Ah, Tecetl! you know not what troubles women sometimes are. Here am I -now. How easy for me, in this guise, to follow the slave out of the -temple! The most I would have to do would be to hold my tongue. But -you,--I cannot go and leave you; the Senor Hernan would not forgive me, -and I could not forgive myself. Nevertheless, you are a trouble. For -instance, when the slave sees you with me, will he not be afraid, and -run? or, to prevent that, shall I not have to make him a prisoner? That -involves a struggle. I may have to fight him, to wound him. I may get -hurt myself, and then--alas! what would become of us?" - -Again, he stopped, but at length proceeded,-- - -"So much for that. Now for my other reliance,--the Blessed Lady. If the -slave escapes me, you see, Tecetl, I must trust to what the infidels -call Fortune,--a wicked spirit, sometimes good, sometimes bad. I mean we -shall then have to hunt the way out ourselves; and, having already tried -that, I know what will happen. Hence these preparations. With the paint, -I will mark the corners we pass, that I may know them again; the lamp -will enable me to see the marks and keep the direction; if we get -hungry, here are bread and meat, saved, as you know, from our meals; if -we get thirsty, the calabash will be at hand. That is what I call -trusting to ourselves; yet the Blessed Mother enabled me to anticipate -all these wants, and provide for them, as we have done; therefore I call -her my reliance. Now you have my plans. I said you were my trouble; you -cannot work, or think, or fight; yet there is something you can do. -Tecetl, you can be my pretty beadswoman. I see you do not know what that -is. I will explain. Take these beads." - -While speaking, he took a string of them from his neck. - -"Take these beads, and begin now to say, 'O Blessed Mother, beautiful -Mother, save us for Christ's sake.' Repeat! Good!" he said, his eyes -sparkling. "I think the prayer never sounded as sweetly before; nor was -there ever cavalier with such a beadswoman. Again." - -And again she said the prayer. - -"Now," he said, "take the string in your own hand,--thus; drop one -bead,--thus; and keep on praying, and for every prayer drop one bead. -Only think, Tecetl, how I shall be comforted, as I go along the gloomy -passages, to know that right behind me comes one, so lately a heathen -but now a Christian, at every step calling on the Mother. Who knows but -we shall be out and in the beautiful day before the beads are twice -counted? If so, then shall we know that she cared for us; and when we -reach the palace we will go to the chapel, with good Father Bartolome, -and say the prayer together once for every bead on the string. So I -vow, and do you the same." - -"So I vow," she said, with a pretty submission. - -Then, by ropes fixed for the purpose, he raised the calabash, and mat, -and bundle of provisions, and swung them lightly over his shoulders. -Under his arm he took an earthen vase filled with oil. - -"Let us to the door now. The slave should be there. Before we start, -look around: you are leaving this place forever." - -The thought went to her heart. - -"O my birds! What will become of them?" - -"Leave them to God," he replied, laconically. - -There were tears and sobs, in the midst of which he started off, lamp in -hand. She gave a look to the fountain, within the circle of whose voice -nearly all her years had been passed. In her absence, it would play and -sing, would go on as of old; but in her absence who would be there to -see and hear? In the silence and darkness it would live, but nevermore -for her. - -And she looked to the corner of the chamber where Orteguilla had carried -the body of the paba. Her tears attested her undiminished affection for -him. The recollection of his love outlived the influence of his Will. -His World was being abandoned, having first become a tomb, capacious and -magnificent,--his tomb. But Quetzal' had not come. Broken are thy -dreams, O Mualox, wasted thy wealth of devotion! Yet, at this parting, -thou hast tears,--first and last gift of Love, the sweetest of human -principles, and the strongest,--stronger than the Will; for if the -latter cannot make God of a man, the former can take him to God. - -And while she looked, came again the bird of the breast of purple and -wings of snow, which she placed in her bosom; then she followed the -page, saying, trustfully, "O Blessed Mother, beautiful Mother, save us -for Christ's sake!" - -Outside the curtain door he deposited his load, and carefully explained -to Tecetl the use of the ladder. Then he placed a stool for her. - -"Sit now; you can do nothing more. Everything depends on the slave: if -he behaves well, we shall have no need of these preparations, and they -may be left here. But whether he behave well or ill, remember this, -Tecetl,--cease not to pray; forget not the beads." - -And so saying, he tossed a stout cord up through the trap; then, leaving -the lamp below, he clomb to the floor above. His anxiety may be -imagined. Fortunately, the waiting was not long. Through the gallery -distantly he saw a light, which--praise to the Mother!--came his way. He -descended the ladder. - -"He comes, and is alone. Be of cheer, Tecetl; be of cheer, and pray. O -if the Mother but stay with us now!" - -Faster fell the beads. - -When the sound of footsteps overhead announced the arrival of the slave, -Orteguilla put his dagger between his teeth, drew the hood over his -head, and began to ascend. He dared not look up; he trusted in the -prayers of the little beadswoman, and clomb on. - -His head reached the level of the floor, and with the trap gaping wide -around, he knew himself under the man's eyes. Another moment, and his -hand was upon the floor; slowly he raised himself clear of the rope; he -stood up, then turned to the slave, and saw him to be old, and feeble, -and almost naked; the lamp was on his forehead, the tray at his feet; -his face was downcast, his posture humble. The Spaniard's blood leaped -exultantly; nevertheless, carefully and deliberately, as became his -assumed character, he moved to one side of the passage, to clear the -way to the trap. The servant accepted the movement, and without a word -took the lamp from his head, crossed the great stone, fixed the ropes, -and stooped to lower the tray. - -Orteguilla had anticipated everything, even this action, which gave him -his supreme advantage; so he picked up the cord lying near, and stepped -to the old man's side. When the tray was landed below, the latter raised -himself upon his knees; in an instant the cord was around his body; -before he understood the assault, escape was impossible. - -Orteguilla, his head yet covered by the hood, said calmly, "Be quiet, -and you are safe." - -The man looked up, and replied, "I am the paba's servant now, even as I -was when a youth. I have done no wrong, and am not afraid." - -"I want you to live. Only move not." - -Then the page called, "Tecetl! Tecetl!" - -"Here," she answered. - -"Try, now, to come up. Be careful lest you fall. If you need help, tell -me." - -"What shall I do with the bread and meat, and--" - -"Leave them. The Mother has been with us. Come up." - -The climbing was really a sailor's feat, and difficult for her; finally, -she raised her head through the trap. At the sight, the slave shrank -back, as if to run. Orteguilla spoke to him. - -"Be not afraid of the child. I have raised her to help me take care of -the temple. We are going to the chapel now." - -The man turned to him curiously; possibly he detected a strange accent -under the hood. When, on her part, Tecetl saw him, she stopped, full of -wonder as of fear. Old and ugly as he was, he yet confirmed the page's -story, and brought the new world directly to her. So a child stops, and -regards the first person met at the door of a strange house,--attracted, -curious, afraid. - -"Come on," said Orteguilla. - -She raised her hand overhead, and held up the bird with the white wings. - -"Take it," she said. - -Used as he was to wonderful things in connection with his old master, -the servant held back. A girl and a bird from the cells,--a mystery, -indeed! - -"Take it," said Orteguilla. - -He did so; whereupon the page assisted her to the floor. - -"We are almost there,--almost," he said, cheerfully. "Have you kept -count of the prayers? Let me see the beads." - -She held out the rosary. - -"Ten beads more,--ten prayers yet. The Mother is with us. Courage!" - -Then of the slave he asked,-- - -"How is the day without?" - -"There is not a cloud in the sky." - -"Is it morning or evening?" - -"About midday." - -"Is the city quiet?" - -"I cannot say." - -"Very well. Give the girl her bird, and lead to the court-yard." - -And they started, the slave ahead, held in check by the cord in the -Spaniard's hand. The light was faint and unsteady. Once they ascended a -flight of steps, and twice changed direction. When the page saw the many -cells on either side, and the number of intersecting passages, all equal -in height and width, and bounded by the same walls of rough red stone, -he understood how he became lost; and with a shuddering recollection of -his wanderings through the great house, he could not sufficiently thank -the Providence that was now befriending him. - -They clomb yet another stairway, and again changed direction; after -that, a little farther walk, and Orteguilla caught sight of a doorway -penetrated by a pure white light, which he recognized as day. Words -cannot express his emotion; his spirit could hardly be controlled; he -would have shouted, sung, danced,--anything to relieve himself of this -oppression of happiness. But he thought, if he were out of the temple, -he would not yet be out of danger; that he had to make way, by the great -street from which he had been driven, to the quarters of his friends, -before he could promise himself rest and safety; the disguise was the -secret of his present good-fortune, and must help him further. So he -restrained himself, saying to Tecetl,-- - -"For the time, cease your prayers, little one. The world I promised to -bring you to is close by. I see the daylight." - -There was indeed a door into the _patio_, or court-yard, of the temple. -Under the lintel the page lingered a moment,--the court was clear. Then -he gave the cord into the servant's hand, with the usual parting -salutation, and stepped once more into the air, fresh with the moisture -of the lake and the fragrance of the valley. He looked to the sky, blue -as ever; and through its serenity, up sped his grateful Ave Maria. In -the exulting sense of rescue, he forgot all else, and was well across -the court to the steps leading to the _azoteas_, when he thought of -Tecetl. He looked back, and did not see her; he ran to the door; she was -there. The bird had fallen to the floor, and was fluttering blindly -about; her hands were pressed hard over her face. - -"What ails you?" he asked, petulantly. "This is not a time to halt and -cry. Come on." - -"I cannot--" - -"Cannot! Give me your hand." - -He led her through the door, under the colonnade, out into the court. - -"Look up, Tecetl, look up! See the sky, drink the air. You are free!" - -She uncovered her eyes; they filled as with fiery arrows. She screamed, -staggered as if struck, and cried, "Where are you? I am lost, I am -blind!" - -"_O Madre de Dios!_" said Orteguilla, comprehending the calamity, and -all its inconveniences to her and himself. "Help me, most miserable of -wretches,--help me to a little wisdom!" - -To save her from falling, he had put his arm around her; and as they -stood thus,--she the picture of suffering, and he overwhelmed by -perplexity,--help from any quarter would have been welcome; had the -slave been near, he might have abandoned her; but aid there was not. So -he led her tenderly to the steps, and seated her. - -"How stupid," he said in Spanish,--"how stupid not to think of this! If, -the moment I was born, they had carried me out to take a look at the -sun, shining as he is here, I would have been blinder than any beggar on -the Prado, blinder than the Bernardo of whom I have heard Don Pedro -tell. My nurse was a sensible woman." - -Debating what to do, he looked at Tecetl; and for the first time since -she had come out of the door, he noticed her dress,--simply a cotton -chemise, a skirt of the same reaching below the knees, a blue sash -around the waist,--very simple, but very clean. He noticed, also, the -exceeding delicacy of her person, the transparency of her complexion, -the profusion of her hair, which was brown in the sun. Finally, he -observed the rosary. - -"She is not clad according to the laws which govern high-born ladies -over the water; yet she is beautiful, and--by the Mother! she is a -Christian. Enough. By God's love, I, who taught her to pray, will save -her, though I die. Help me, all the saints!" - -He adjusted the hood once more, and, stooping, said, in his kindliest -tone, "Pshaw, Tecetl, you are not blind. The light of the sun is so much -stronger than that of your lamps that your eyes could not bear it. Cheer -up, cheer up! And now put your arm around my neck. I will carry you to -the top of these steps. We cannot stay here." - -She stretched out her arms. - -"Hark!" he cried. "What is that?" - -He stood up and listened. The air above the temple seemed full of -confused sounds; now resembling the distant roar of the sea, now the hum -of insects, now the yells of men. - -"_Jesu!_ I know that sound. There,--there!" - -He listened again. Through the soaring, muffled din, came another -report, as of thunder below the horizon. - -"It is the artillery! By the mother that bore me, the guns of Mesa!" - -The words of Io', spoken in Xoli's portico, came back to him. - -"Battle! As I live, they are fighting on the street!" - -And he, too, sat down, listening, thinking. How was he to get to his -countrymen? - -The sounds overhead continued, at intervals intensified by the bellowing -guns. Battle has a fascination which draws men as birds are said to be -drawn by serpents. They listen; then wish to see; lingering upon the -edge, they catch its spirit, and finally thrill with fierce delight to -find themselves within the heat and fury of its deadly circle. The page -knew the feeling then. To see the fight was an overmastering desire. - -"Tecetl, poor child, you are better now?" - -"I dare not open my eyes." - -"Well, I will see for you. Put your arms around my neck." - -And with that, he carried her up the steps. All the time, he gave ear to -the battle. - -"Listen, Tecetl; hear that noise! A battle is going on out in the -street, and seems to be coming this way. I will lead you into the chapel -here,--a holy place, so your father would have said. In the shade, -perhaps, you can find relief." - -"How pleasant the air is!" she said, as they entered. - -"Yes, and there is Quetzal',"--he pointed to the idol,--"and here the -step before the altar upon which, I venture, your father spent half his -life in worship. Sit, and rest until I return." - -"Do not leave me," she said. - -"A little while only. I must see the fight. Some good may come of -it,--who knows? Be patient; I will not leave you." - -He went to the door. The sounds were much louder and nearer. All the air -above the city apparently was filled with them. Amongst the medley, he -distinguished the yells of men and peals of horns. Shots were frequent, -and now and then came the heavy, pounding report of cannon. He had been -at Tabasco, at Tzimpantzinco, and in the three pitched battles in -Tlascala, and was familiar with what he heard. - -"How they fight!" he said to himself. "Don Pedro is a good sword and -brave gentlemen, but--ah! if the Senor Hernan were there, I should feel -better: he is a good sword, brave gentleman, and wise general, also. -Heaven fights for him. Ill betide Narvaez! Why could he not have put off -his coming until the city was reduced? _Jesu!_ The sounds come this way -now. Victory! The guns have quit, the infidels fly, on their heels ride -the cavaliers. Victory!" - -And so, intent upon the conflict, insensibly he approached the front of -the temple, before described as one great stairway. On the topmost step -he paused. A man looking at him from the street below would have said, -"It is only a paba"; and considering, further, that he was a paba -serving the forsaken shrine, he would have passed by without a second -look. - -What he looked down upon was a broad street, crowded with men,--not -citizens, but warriors, and warriors in such splendor of costume that he -was fairly dazzled. Their movement suggested a retreat, whereat pride -dashed his eyes with the spray of tears; he dared not shout. - -More and more eagerly he listened to the coming tumult. At last, finding -the attraction irresistible, he descended the steps. - -The enemy were not in rout. They moved rapidly, but in ranks extending -the width of the street, and perfectly ordered. The right of their -column swept by the Spaniard almost within arm's reach. He heard the -breathing of the men, saw their arms,--their shields of quilted cotton, -embossed with brass; their armor, likewise of quilted cotton, but -fire-red with the blood of the cochineal; he saw their musicians, -drummers, and conch-blowers, the latter making a roar ragged and harsh, -and so loud that a groan or death-shriek could not be heard; he saw, -too, their chiefs, with helms richly plumed or grotesquely adorned with -heads of wild animals, with _escaupiles_ of plumage, gorgeous as hues of -sunset, with lances and _maquahuitls_, and shields of bison-hide or -burnished silver, mottoed and deviced, like those of Christians; amongst -them, also, he saw pabas, bareheaded, without arms, frocked like -himself, singing wild hymns, or chanting wilder epics, or shouting names -of heroic gods, or blessing the brave and cursing the craven,--the Sun -for the one, Mictlan for the other. The seeing all these things, it must -be remembered, was very different from their enumeration; but a glance -was required. - -The actual struggle, as he knew, was at the rear of the passing column. -In fancy he could see horsemen plunging through the ranks, plying sword, -lance, and battle-axe. And nearer they came. He could tell by the signs, -as well as the sounds; by the files beginning to crowd each other; by -the chiefs laboring to keep their men from falling into confused masses. -At length the bolt of a cross-bow, striking a man, fell almost at his -feet. Only the hand of a Spaniard could have launched the missile. - -"They come,--they are almost here!" he thought, and then, "_O Madre de -Dios!_ If they drive the infidels past this temple, I am saved. And they -will. Don Pedro's blood is up, and in pursuit he thinks of nothing but -to slay, slay. They will come; they are coming! There--_Jesu Christo!_ -That was a Christian shout!" - -The cross-bow bolts now came in numbers. The warriors protected -themselves by holding their shields over the shoulder behind; yet some -dropped, and were trampled under foot. Orteguilla was himself in danger, -but his suspense was so great that he thought only of escape; each bolt -was a welcome messenger, with tidings from friends. - -The column, meantime, seemed to become more disordered; finally, its -formation disappeared utterly; chiefs and warriors were inextricably -mixed together; the conch-blowers blew hideously, but could not -altogether drown the yells of the fighting men. - -Directly the page saw a rush, a parting in the crowd as of waters before -a ship; scores of dark faces, each a picture of dismay, turned suddenly -to look back; he also looked, and over the heads and upraised shields, -half obscured by a shower of stones and arrows, he saw a figure which -might well have been taken for the fiend of slaughter,--a horse and -rider, in whose action there were a correspondence and unity that made -them for the time one fighting animal. A frontleted head, tossed up for -a forward plunge, was what he saw of the horse; a steel-clad form, -swinging a battle-axe with the regularity of a machine, now to the -right, now to the left of the horse's neck, was all he saw of the rider. -He fell upon his knees, muttering what he dared not shout, "Don Pedro, -brave gentleman! I am saved! I am saved!" Instantly he sprang to his -feet. "O my God! Tecetl,--I had almost forgotten her!" - -He climbed the steps again fast as the gown would permit. - -"My poor girl, come; the Mother offers us rescue. Can you not see a -little?" - -She smiled faintly, and replied, "I cannot say. I have tried to look at -Quetzal' here. He was said to be very beautiful; my father always so -described him; but this thing is ugly. I fear I cannot see." - -"It is a devil's image, Tecetl, a devil's image,--Satan himself," said -the page, vehemently. "Let him not lose us a moment; for each one is of -more worth to us than the gold on his shield there. If you cannot see, -give me your hand. Come!" - -He led her to the steps. The infidels below seemed to have held their -ground awhile, fighting desperately. Eight or ten horsemen were driving -them, though slowly; if one was struck down, another took his place. The -street was dusty as with the sweeping of a whirlwind. Under the yellow -cloud lay the dead and wounded. The air was alive with missiles, of -which some flew above the temple, others dashed against the steps. It -looked like madness to go down into such a vortex; but there was no -other chance. What moment Don Pedro might tire of killing no one could -tell; whenever he did, the recall would be sounded. - -"What do I hear? What dreadful sounds!" said Tecetl, shrinking from the -tumult. - -"Battle," he answered; "and what that is I have not time to tell; we -must go down and see." - -He waited until the fighting was well past the front of the old Cu, -leaving a space behind the cavaliers clear of all save those who might -never fight again; then he threw back the hood, loosed the cord from his -waist, and flung the disguise from him. - -"Now, my pretty beadswoman, now is the time! Begin the prayer again: 'O -Mother, beautiful Mother, save us for Christ's sake!' Keep the count -with one hand; put the other about my neck. Life or death,--now we go!" - -He carried her down the steps. Over a number of wounded wretches who had -dragged themselves, half dead, out of the blood and trample, he crossed -the pavement. A horseman caught sight of him, and rode to his side, and -lifted the battle-axe. - -"Hold, Senor! I am Orteguilla. _Viva Espana!_" - -The axe dropped harmless; up went the visor. - -"In time, boy,--in time! An instant more, and thy soul had been in -Paradise," cried Alvarado, laughing heartily. "What hast thou there? -Something from the temple? But stay not to answer. To the rear, fast as -thy legs can carry thee! Faster! Put the baggage down. We are tired of -the slaughter; but for thy sake, we will push the dogs a little farther. -Begone! Or stay! Arrows are thicker here than curses in hell, and thou -hast no armor. Take my shield, which I have not used to-day. Now be -off!" - -Orteguilla set the girl upon her feet, took the shield, and proceeded to -buckle it upon his arm, while Alvarado rode into the fight again. A -moment more, and he would have protected her with the good steel wall. -Before he could complete the preparation, he heard a cry, quick, shrill, -and sharp, that seemed to pierce his ear like a knife,--the cry by which -one in battle announces himself death-struck,--the cry once heard, never -forgotten. He raised the shield,--too late; she reeled and fell, -dragging him half down. - -"What ails thee now?" he cried, in Spanish, forgetting himself. "What -ails thee? Hast thou looked at the sun again?" - -He lifted her head upon his knee. - -"Mother of Christ, she is slain!" he cried, in horror. - -An arrow descending had gone through her neck to the heart. The blood -gushed from her mouth. He took her in his arms, and carried her to the -steps of the temple. As he laid her down, she tried to speak, but -failed; then she opened her eyes wide: the light poured into them as -into the windows of an empty house; the soul was gone; she was dead. - -In so short a space habitant of three worlds,--when was there the like? - -From the peace of the old chamber to the din of battle, from the din of -battle to the calm of paradise,--brief time, short way! - -From the sinless life to the sinful she had come; from the sinful life -sinless she had gone; and in the going what fulness of the mercy of God! - -I cannot say the Spaniard loved her; most likely his feeling was the -simple affection we all have for things gentle and helpless,--a bird, a -lamb, a child; now, however, he knelt over her with tears; and as he did -so, he saw the rosary, and that all the beads but one were wet with her -blood. He took the string from the slender neck and laid her head upon -the stone, and thought the unstained bead was for a prayer uncounted,--a -prayer begun on earth and finished in heaven. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - THE PUBLIC OPINION PROCLAIMS ITSELF.--BATTLE. - - -"How now, thou here yet? In God's name, what madness hast thou? Up, -idiot! up, and fly, or in mercy I will slay thee here!" - -As he spoke, Alvarado touched Orteguilla with the handle of his axe. The -latter sprang up, alarmed. - -"_Mira, Senor!_ She is just dead. I could not leave her dying. I had a -vow." - -The cavalier looked at the dead girl; his heart softened. - -"I give thee honor, lad, I give thee honor. Hadst thou left her living, -shame would have been to thee forever. But waste not time in maudlin. -Hell's spawn is loose." With raised visor, he stood in his stirrups. -"See, far as eye can reach, the street is full! And hark to their yells! -Here, mount behind me; we must go at speed." - -The infidels, faced about, were coming back. The page gave them one -glance, then caught the hand reached out to him, and placing his foot on -the captain's swung himself behind. At a word, up the street, over the -bridges, by the palaces and temples, the horsemen galloped. The -detachment, at the head of which they had sallied from the -palace,--gunners, arquebusiers, and cross-bowmen,--had been started in -return some time before; upon overtaking them, Alvarado rode to a -broad-shouldered fellow, whose grizzly beard overflowed the chin-piece -of his morion:-- - -"Ho, Mesa! the hounds we followed so merrily were only feigning; they -have turned upon us. Do thou take the rear, with thy guns. We will to -the front, and cut a path to the gate. Follow closely." - -"Doubt not, captain. I know the trick. I caught it in Italy." - -"_Cierto!_ What thou knowest not about a gun is not worth the knowing," -Alvarado said; then to the page, "Dismount, lad, and take place with -these. What we have ahead may require free man and free horse. _Picaro!_ -If anybody is killed, thou hast permission to use his arms. What say ye, -_companeros mios_?" he cried, facing the detachment. "What say ye? Here -I bring one whom we thought roasted and eaten by the cannibals in the -temples. Either he hath escaped by miracle, or they are not judges of -bones good to mess upon. He is without arms. Will ye take care of him? I -leave him my shield. Will ye take care of that also?" - -And Najerra, the hunchback, replied, "The shield we will take, Senor; -but--" - -"But what?" - -"Senor, may a Christian lawfully take what the infidels have refused?" - -And they looked at Orteguilla, and laughed roundly,--the bold, confident -adventurers; in the midst of the jollity, however, down the street came -a sound deeper than that of the guns,--a sound of abysmal depth, like -thunder, but without its continuity,--a divided, throbbing sound, such -as has been heard in the throat of a volcano. Alvarado threw up his -visor. - -"What now?" asked Serrano, first to speak. - -"One, two, three,--I have it!" the captain replied. "Count ye the -strokes,--one, two, three. By the bones of the saints, the drum in the -great temple! Forward, comrades! Our friends are in peril! If they are -lost, so are we. Forward, in Christ's name!" - -Afterwards they became familiar with the sound; but now, heard the first -time in battle, every man of them was affected. They moved off rapidly, -and there was no jesting,--none of the grim wit with which old soldiers -sometimes cover the nervousness preceding the primary plunge into a -doubtful fight. - -"Close the files. Be ready!" shouted Serrano. - -And ready they were,--matches lighted, steel-cords full drawn. Every -drum-beat welded them a firmer unit. - -The roar of the combat in progress around the palace had been all the -time audible to the returning party; now they beheld the _teocallis_ -covered with infidels, and the street blockaded with them, while a cloud -of smoke, slowly rising and slowly fading, bespoke the toils and -braveries of the defence enacting under its dun shade. Suddenly, -Alvarado stood in his stirrups,-- - -"_Ola!_ what have we here?" - -A body of Aztecs, in excellent order, armed with spears of unusual -length, and with a front that swept the street from wall to wall, was -marching swiftly to meet him. - -"There is wood enough in those spears to build a ship," said a horseman. - -A few steps on another spoke,-- - -"If I may be allowed, Senor, I suggest that Mesa be called up to play -upon them awhile." - -But Alvarado's spirit rose. - -"No; there is an enemy fast coming behind us; turn thy ear in that -direction, and thou mayest hear them already. We cannot wait. Battle-axe -and horse first; if they fail, then the guns. Look to girth and -buckle!" - -Rode they then without halt or speech until the space between them and -the coming line was not more than forty yards. - -"Are ye ready?" asked Alvarado, closing his visor. - -"Ready, Senor." - -"Axes, then! Follow me. Forward! _Christo y Santiago!_" - -At the last word, the riders loosed reins, and standing in their -stirrups bent forward over the saddle-bow, as well to guard the horse as -to discover points of attack; each poised his shield to protect his -breast and left side,--the axe and right arm would take care of the -right side; each took up the cry, _Christo y Santiago_; then, like -pillars of iron on steeds of iron, they charged. From the infidels one -answering yell, and down they sank, each upon his knee; and thereupon, -the spears, planted on the ground, presented a front so bristling that -leader less reckless than Alvarado would have stopped in mid-career. -Forward, foremost in the charge, he drove, right upon the brazen points, -a score or more of which rattled against his mail or that of his steed, -and glanced harmlessly, or were dashed aside by the axe whirled from -right to left with wonderful strength and skill. Something similar -happened to each of his followers. A moment of confusion,--man and beast -in furious action, clang of blows, splintering of wood, and -battle-cries,--then two results: the Christians were repulsed, and that -before the second infidel rank had been reached; and while they were in -amongst the long spears, fencing and striking, clear above the medley of -the _melee_ they heard a shout, _Al-a-lala! Al-a-lala!_ Alvarado looked -that way; looked through the yellow shafts and brazen points. Brief time -had he; yet he beheld and recognized the opposing leader. Behind the -kneeling ranks he stood, without trappings, without a shield even; a -_maquahuitl_, edged with flint, sharp as glass, hard as steel, was his -only weapon; behind him appeared an irregular mass of probably half a -thousand men, unarmed and almost naked. Even as the good captain looked, -the horde sprang forward, and by pressing between the files of spearmen, -or leaping panther-like over their shoulders, gained the front. There -they rushed upon the horsemen, entangled amidst the spears,--to capture, -not slay them; for, by the Aztec code of honor, the measure of a -warrior's greatness was the number of prisoners he brought out of -battle, a present to the gods, not the number of foemen he slew. The -rush was like that of wolves upon a herd of deer. First to encounter a -Christian was the chief. The exchange of blows was incredibly quick. The -horse reared, plunged blindly, then rolled upon the ground; the flinty -_maquahuitl_, surer than the axe, had broken its leg. A cry, sharpened -by mortal terror,--a Spanish cry for help, in the Mother's name. -Christians and infidels looked that way, and from the latter burst a -jubilant yell,-- - -"The 'tzin! The 'tzin!" - -The successful leader stooped, and wrenched the shield from the fallen -man; then he swung the _maquahuitl_ twice, and brought it down on the -mailed head of the horse: the weapon broke in pieces; the steed lay -still forever. - -Now, Alvarado was not the man to let the cry of a comrade go unheeded. - -"Turn, gentlemen! One of us is down; hear ye not the name of Christ and -the Mother? To the rescue! Charge! _Christo y Santiago!_" - -Forward the brave men spurred; the spears closed around them as before, -while the unarmed foe, encouraged by the 'tzin's achievement, redoubled -their efforts to drag them from their saddles. In disregard of blows, -given fast as skilled hands could rise and fall, some flung themselves -upon the legs and necks of the horses, where they seemed to cling after -the axe had spattered their brains or the hoofs crushed their bones; -some caught the bridle-reins, and hung to them full weight; others -struggled with the riders directly, hauling at them, leaping behind -them, catching sword-arm and shield; and so did the peril finally grow -that the Christians were forced to give up the rescue, the better to -take care of themselves. - -"God's curses upon the dogs!" shouted Alvarado, in fury at sight of the -Spaniard dragged away. "Back, some of ye, who can, to Serrano! Bid him -advance. Quick, or we, too, are lost!" - -No need; Serrano was coming. To the very spears he advanced, and opened -with cross-bow and arquebus; yet the infidels remained firm. Then the -dullest of the Christians discerned the 'tzin's strategy, and knew well, -if the line in front of them were not broken before the companies coming -up the street closed upon their rear, they were indeed lost. So at the -word, Mesa came, his guns charged to the muzzles. To avoid his own -people, he sent one piece to the right of the centre of combat, and the -other to the left, and trained both to obtain the deepest lines of -cross-fire. The effect was indescribable; yet the lanes cloven through -the kneeling ranks were instantly refilled. - -The 'tzin became anxious. - -"Look, Hualpa!" he said. "The companies should be up by this time. Can -you see them?" - -"The smoke is too great; I cannot see." - -Some of his people attacking the horsemen began to retreat behind the -spearmen. He caught up the axe of the Spaniard, and ran where the smoke -was most blinding. In a moment he was at the front; clear, inspiring, -joyous even, rose his cry. He rushed upon a bowman, caught him in his -arms, and bore him off with all his armor on. A hundred ready hands -seized the unfortunate. Again the cry,-- - -"The 'tzin! The 'tzin!" - -"Another victim for the gods!" he answered. "Hold fast, O my countrymen! -Behind the strangers come the companies. Do what I say, and Anahuac -shall live." - -At his word, they arose; at his word again, they advanced, with levelled -spears. Faster the missiles smote them; the horsemen raged; each -Spaniard felt, unless that line were broken his doom was come. Alvarado -fought, never thinking of defence. The bowmen and arquebusiers recoiled. -Twice Mesa drew back his guns. Finally, Don Pedro outdid himself, and -broke the fence of spears; his troop followed him; right and left they -plunged, killing at every step. At places, the onset of the infidels -slackened, halted; then the ranks began to break into small groups; at -last, they dropped their arms, and fairly fled, bearing the 'tzin away -in the mighty press for life. At their backs rode the vengeful horsemen, -and behind the horsemen, over the dead and shrieking wretches, moved -Serrano and Mesa. - -And to the very gates of the palace the fight continued. A ship in its -passage displaces a body of water; behind, however, follows an equal -reflux: so with the Christians, except that the masses who closed in -upon their rear outnumbered those they put to rout in front. Their rapid -movement had the appearance of flight; on the other hand, that of the -infidels had the appearance of pursuit. The sortie was not again -repeated. - - * * * * * - -Seven days the assault went on,--a week of fighting, intermitted only at -night, under cover of which the Aztecs carried off their dead and -wounded,--the former to the lake, the latter to the hospitals. Among the -Christians some there were who had seen grand wars; some had even served -under the Great Captain: but, as they freely averred, never had they -seen such courage, devotion, and endurance, such indifference to wounds -and death, as here. At times, the struggle was hand to hand; then, -standing upon their point of honor, the infidels perished by scores in -vain attempts to take alive whom they might easily have slain; and this -it was,--this fatal point of honor,--more than superiority in any -respect, that made great battles so bloodless to the Spaniards. Still, -nearly all of the latter were wounded, a few disabled, and seven killed -outright. Upon the Tlascalans the losses chiefly fell; hundreds of them -were killed; hundreds more lay wounded in the chambers of the palace. - -The evening of the seventh day, the 'tzin, standing on the western verge -of the _teocallis_, from which he had constantly directed the assault, -saw coming the results which could alone console him for the awful -sacrifice of his countrymen. The yells of the Tlascalans were not as -defiant as formerly; the men of iron, the Christians, were seen to sink -wearily down at their posts, and sleep, despite the tumult of the -battle; the guns were more slowly and carefully served; and whereas, -before Cortes departure there had been three meals a day, now there were -but two: the supply of provisions was failing. The ancient house, where -constructed of wood, showed signs of demolition; fuel was becoming -scant. Where the garrison obtained its supply of water was a marvel. He -had not then heard of what Father Bartolome afterwards celebrated as a -miracle of Christ,--the accidental finding of a spring in the middle of -the garden. - -Then the assault was discontinued, and a blockade established. Another -week, during which nothing entered the gates of the palace to sustain -man or beast. Then there was but one meal a day, and the sentinels on -the walls began to show the effect. - -One day the main gate opened, and a woman and a man came out. The 'tzin -descended from his perch to meet them. At the foot of the steps they -knelt to him,--the princess Tula and the prince Io'. - -"See, O 'tzin," said the princess, "see the king's signet. We bring you -a message from him. He has not wherewith to supply his table. Yesterday -he was hungry. He bids you re-open the market, and send of the tributes -of the provinces without stint,--all that is his kingly right." - -"And if I fail?" asked Guatamozin. - -"He said not what, for no one has ever failed his order." - -And the 'tzin looked at Io'. - -"What shall I do, O son of the king?" - -In all the fighting, Io' had stayed in the palace with his father. -Through the long days he had heard the voices of the battle calling to -him. Many times he walked to the merlons of the _azoteas_, and saw the -'tzin on the temple, or listened to his familiar cry in the street. And -where,--so ran his thought the while,--where is Hualpa? Happy fellow! -What glory he must have won,--true warrior-glory to flourish in song -forever! A heroic jealousy would creep upon him, and he would go back -miserable to his chamber. - -"One day more, O 'tzin, and all there is in the palace--king and -stranger alike--is yours," Io' made answer. "More I need not say." - -"Then you go not back?" - -"No," said Tula. - -"No," said Io'. "I came out to fight. Anahuac is our mother. Let us save -her, O 'tzin!" - -And the 'tzin looked to the sun; his eyes withstood its piercing -splendors awhile, then he said, calmly,-- - -"Go with the princess Tula where she chooses, Io'; then come back. The -gods shall have one day more, though it be my last. Farewell." - -They arose and went away. He returned to the _azoteas_. - -Next day there was not one meal in the palace. Starvation had come. And -now the final battle, or surrender! Morning passed; noon came; later, -the sun began to go down the sky. In the streets stood the -thousands,--on all the housetops, on the temple, they stood,--waiting -and looking, now at the leaguered house, now at the 'tzin seated at the -verge of the _teocallis_, also waiting. - -Suddenly a procession appeared on the central turret of the palace, and -in its midst, Montezuma. - -"The king! the king!" burst from every throat; then upon the multitude -fell a silence, which could not have been deeper if the earth had opened -and swallowed the city. - -The four heralds waved their silver wands; the white carpet was spread, -and the canopy brought and set close by the eastern battlement of the -turret; then the king came and stood in the shade before the people. At -sight of him and his familiar royalty the old love came back to them, -and they fell upon their knees. He spoke, asserting his privileges; he -bade them home, and the army to its quarters. He promised that in a -short time the strangers, whose guest he was, would leave the country; -they were already preparing to depart, he said. How wicked the revolt -would then be! How guilty the chiefs who had taken arms against his -order! He spoke as one not doubtful of his position, but as king and -priest, and was successful. Stunned, confused, uncertain as to duty, -nigh broken-hearted, the fighting people and disciplined companies -arose, and, like a conquered mob, turned to go away. - -Down from his perch rushed the 'tzin. He put himself in the midst of the -retiring warriors. He appealed to them in vain. The chiefs gathered -around him, and knelt, and kissed his hands, and bathed his feet with -their tears; they acknowledged his heroism,--they would die with him, -but while the king lived, under the gods, he was master, and to disobey -him was sacrilege. - -Then the 'tzin saw, as if it were a god's decree, that Anahuac and -Montezuma could not both live. ONE OR THE OTHER MUST DIE! And never so -wise as in his patience, he submitted, and told them,-- - -"I will send food to the palace, and cease the war now, and until we -have the voice of Huitzil' to determine what we shall do. Go, collect -the companies, and put them in their quarters. This night we will to -Tlalac; together, from his sacred lips, we will hear our fate, and our -country's. Go now. At midnight come to the _teocallis_." - -At midnight the sanctuary of Huitzil' was crowded; so was all the -_azoteas_. Till the breaking of dawn the sacrifices continued. At last, -the _teotuctli_, with a loud cry, ran and laid a heart in the fire -before the idol; then turning to the spectators, he said, in a loud -voice,-- - -"Let the war go on! So saith the mighty Huitzil'! Woe to him who refuses -to hear!" - -And the heart that attested the will was the heart of a Spaniard. - - - - - BOOK SEVENTH. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - THE HEART CAN BE WISER THAN THE HEAD. - - -I will now ask the reader to make a note of the passage of a fortnight. -By so doing he will find himself close upon the 24th of June,--another -memorable day in the drama of the conquest. - -'Tzin Guatamo, as is already known, had many times proven himself a -warrior after the manner of his country, and, in consequence, had long -been the idol of the army; now he gave token of a ruling faculty which -brought the whole people to his feet; so that in Tenochtitlan, for the -first time in her history, were seen a sceptre unknown to the law and a -royalty not the king's. - -He ruled in the valley everywhere, except in the palace of Axaya'; and -around that he built works, and set guards, and so contrived that -nothing passed in or out without his permission. His policy was to wait -patiently, and in the mean time organize the nation for war; and the -nation obeyed him, seeing that in obedience there was life; such, -moreover, was the will of Huitzil'. - -As may be thought, the Christians thus pent up fared illy; in fact, they -would have suffered before the fortnight was gone but for the king, who -stinted himself and his household in order to divide with his keepers -the supplies sent in for his use. - -In the estimation of the people of the empire, it was great glory to -have shut so many _teules_ in a palace, and held them there; but the -success did not deceive the 'tzin: in his view, that achievement was not -the victory, but only the beginning of the war; every hour he had news -of Malinche, the real antagonist, who had the mind, the will, and the -hand of a warrior, and was coming with another army, more numerous, if -not braver, than the first one. In pure, strong love there is an element -akin to the power of prophecy,--something that gives the spirit eyes to -see what is to happen. Such an inspiration quickened the 'tzin, and told -him Anahuac was not saved, though she should be: if not, the conquerors -should take an empty prize; he would leave them nothing,--so he -swore,--neither gods, gold, slaves, city, nor people. He set about the -great idea by inviting the New World--I speak as a Spaniard--to take -part in the struggle. And he was answered. To the beloved city, turned -into a rendezvous for the purpose, flocked the fighting vassals of the -great caciques, the men of the cities, and their dependencies, the -_calpulli_, or tribes of the loyal provinces, and, mixed with them, -wild-eyed bands from the Unknown, the wildernesses,--in all, a multitude -such as had never been seen in the valley. At the altars he had but one -prayer, "Time, time, O gods of my fathers! Give me time!" He knew the -difference between a man and a soldier, and that, likewise, between a -multitude and an army. As he used the word, time meant organization and -discipline. He not only prayed, he worked; and into his work, as into -his prayers, he poured all his soul. - -The organization was simple: first, a company of three or four hundred -men; next an army of thirty or forty companies,--a system which allowed -the preservation of the identity of tribes and cities. The companies of -Cholula, for example, were separate from those of Tezcuco; while the -Acolmanes marched and fought side by side with the Coatopecs, but under -their own chiefs and flags. The system also gave him a number of armies, -and he divided them,--one to raise supplies, another to bring the -supplies to the depots, a third to prepare material of war; the fourth -was the active or fighting division; and each was subject to take the -place of the other. To the labor of so many hands, systematized and -industriously exerted, though for a fortnight, almost everything is -possible. One strong will, absolutely operative over thousands, is -nearer omnipotency than anything else human. - -The climate of the valley, milder and more equable than that of Naples, -permits the bivouac in all seasons. The sierra west of the capital, and -bending around it like a half-drawn bow, is marked on its interior, or -city side by verdant and watered vales; these were seized; and the -bordering cliffs, which theretofore had shaded the toiling husbandman, -or been themselves the scenes of the hunter's daring, now hid the hosts -of New World's men, in the bivouac, biding the day of battle. - -War, good reader, never touches anything and leaves it as it was. And -the daughter of the lake, fair Tenochtitlan, was no exception to the -law. The young master, having reduced the question of strategy to the -formula,--a street or a plain, chose the street, and thereby dedicated -the city to all of ruin or horror the destroyer could bring. Not long, -therefore, until its presence could have been detected by the idlest -glance: the streets were given up to the warriors; the palaces were -deserted by families; houses conveniently situated for the use were -turned into forts; the shrubbery garnishing roofs that dominated the -main streets concealed heaps of stones made ready for the hand; the -bridges were taken up, or put in condition to be raised; the canoes on -the lakes were multiplied, and converted to the public service; the -great markets were suspended; even the sacred temple were changed into -vast arsenals. When the 'tzin, going hither and thither, never idle, -observed the change, he would sigh, but say to himself, "'Tis well. If -we win, we can restore; if we lose,--if we lose,--then, to the -strangers, waste, to the waters, welcome!" - -And up and down, from city to bivouac and back again, passed the -minstrels, singing of war, and the pabas, proclaiming the oracles and -divine promises; and the services in the temples were unintermitted; -those in the _teocallis_ were especially grand; the smoke from its -turrets overhung the city, and at night the fire of Huitzil', a new star -reddening in the sky, was seen from the remotest hamlet in the valley. -The 'tzin had faith in moral effects, and he studied them, and was -successful. The army soon came to have, like himself, but one -prayer,--"Set us before the strangers; let us fight!" - -And the time they prayed for was come. - - * * * * * - -The night of the 23d of June was pleasant as night can be in that region -of pleasant nights. The sky was clear and starry. The breeze abroad -brought coolness to outliers on the housetops, without threshing the -lake to the disturbance of its _voyageurs_. - -Up in the northeastern part of the little sea lay a _chinampa_ at -anchor. Over its landing, at the very edge of the water, burned a -flambeau of resinous pine. Two canoes, richly decorated, swung at the -mooring. The path from the landing to the pavilion was carpeted, and -lighted by lamps pendent in the adjoining shrubbery. In the canoes the -slaves lay at rest, talking idly, and in low voices crooning Indian -songs. Close by the landing, on a bench, over which swayed the leaves of -an immense banana-tree, rested a couple of warriors, silent, and -nodding, as it were, to the nodding leaves. From the rising to the -setting of the day's sun, many a weary league, from the city to the -vales of the Sierra in which bivouacked the hope of Anahuac, had they -travelled,--Hualpa and Io'. One familiar with the streets in these later -days, at sight of them would have said, "Beware! the 'tzin is hereaway." -The three were almost as one,--so had their friendship grown. The -pavilion, a circular canopy, spread like a Bedouin's tent, was brightly -lighted; and there, in fact, was the 'tzin, with Tula and Yeteve, the -priestess. - -Once before, I believe, I described this pavilion; and now I know the -imagination of the reader will give the floating garden richer colors -than lie within compass of my pen; will surround it with light, and with -air delicious with the freshness of the lake and the exhalations of the -flowers; will hover about the guardian palm and willow trees, the latter -with boughs lithe and swinging, and leaves long and fine as a woman's -locks; will linger about the retreat, I say, and, in thought of its -fitness for meeting of lovers, admit the poetry and respect the passion -of the noble Aztec. - -Within, the furniture was as formerly; there were yet the carven stools, -the table with its bowl-like top, now a mass of flowers, a couch draped -with brilliant plumage, the floor covered with matting of woven grasses, -the hammock, and the bird-cage,--all as when we first saw them. Nenetzin -was absent, and alas! might never come again. - -And if we enter now, we shall find the 'tzin standing a little apart -from Tula, who is in the hammock, with Yeteve by her side. On a stool at -his feet is a waiter of ebony, with spoons of tortoise-shell, and some -_xicaras_, or cups, used for chocolate. - -Their faces are grave and earnest. - -"And Malinche?" asked Tula, as if pursuing a question. - -"The gods have given me time; I am ready for him," he replied. - -"When will he come?" - -"Yesterday, about noon, he set out from Tezcuco, by way of the shore of -the lake; to-night he lodges in Iztapalapan; to-morrow, marching by the -old causeway, he will re-enter the city." - -"Poor, poor country!" she said, after a long silence. - -The words touched him, and he replied, in a low voice, "You have a good -heart, O Tula,--a good heart and true. Your words were what I repeat -every hour in the day. You were seeing what I see all the time--" - -"The battle!" she said, shuddering. - -"Yes. I wish it could be avoided; its conditions are such that against -the advantage of arms I can only oppose the advantage of numbers; so -that the dearest of all things will be the cheapest. I must take no -account of lives. I have seen the streets run with blood already, and -now,--Enough! we must do what the gods decree. Yet the slaughter shall -not be, as heretofore, on one side alone." - -She looked at him inquiringly. - -"You know the custom of our people to take prisoners rather than kill in -battle. As against the Tlascalans and tribes, that was well enough; but -new conditions require new laws, and my order now is, Save nothing but -the arms and armor of the strangers. Life for life as against Malinche! -And I could conquer him, but--" - -He stopped, and their glances met,--his full of fire, hers sad and -thoughtful. - -"Ah, Tula! your woman's soul prompts you already of whom I would -speak,--the king." - -"Spare me," she said, covering her face with her hands. "I am his child; -I love him yet." - -"So I know," he replied; "and I would not have you do else. The love is -proof of fitness to be loved. Nature cannot be silenced. He is not as -near to me as to you; yet I feel the impulse that moves you, though in -a less degree. In memory, he is a part of my youth. For that matter, who -does not love him? He has charmed the strangers; even the guards at his -chamber-door have been known to weep at sight of his sorrow. And the -heroes who so lately died before his prison-gates, did not they love -him? And those who will die to-morrow and the next day, what else may be -said of them? In arms here, see the children of the valley. What seek -they? In their eyes, he is Anahuac. And yet--" - -He paused again; her hands had fallen; her cheeks glistened with tears. - -"If I may not speak plainly now, I may not ever. Strengthen yourself to -hear me, and hear me pitifully. To begin, you know that I have been -using the king's power without his permission,--that, I say, you know, -and have forgiven, because the usurpation was not of choice but -necessity, and to save the empire; but you will hear now, for the first -time probably, that I could have been king in fact." - -Her gaze became intent, and she listened breathlessly. - -"Three times," he continued, "three times have the caciques, for -themselves and the army, offered me the crown. The last time, they were -accompanied by the electors,[48] and deputations from all the great -cities." - -"And you refused," she said, confidently. - -"Yes. I will not deny the offer was tempting,--that for the truth. I -thought of it often; and at such times came revenge, and told me I had -been wronged, and ambition, whispering of glory, and, with ready -subtlety, making acceptance appear a duty. But, Tula, you prevailed; -your love was dearer to me than the crown. For your sake, I refused the -overture. You never said so,--there was no need of the saying,--yet I -knew you could never be queen while your father lived." - -Not often has a woman heard such a story of love, or been given such -proofs of devotion; her face mantled, and she dropped her gaze, -saying,-- - -"Better to be so loved than to be queen. If not here, O 'tzin, look for -reward in the Sun. Surely, the gods take note of such things!" - -"Your approval is my full reward," he replied. "But hear me further. -What I have said was easy to say; that which I go to now is hard, and -requires all my will; for the utterance may forfeit not merely the -blessing just given me, but your love,--more precious, as I have shown, -than the crown. You were in the palace the day the king appeared and -bade the people home. The strangers were in my hand at the time. O, a -glad time,--so long had we toiled, so many had died! Then he came, and -snatched away our triumph. I have not forgotten, I never can forget the -disappointment. In all the labor of the preparation since, I have seen -the scene, sometimes as a threat, sometimes as a warning, always a -recurring dream whose dreaming leaves me less resolved in the course I -am running. Continually I find myself saying to myself, 'The work is all -in vain; what has been will be again; while he lives, you cannot win.' O -Tula, such influence was bad enough of itself. Hear now how the gods -came in to direct me. Last night I was at the altar of Huitzil', -praying, when the _teotuctli_ appeared, and said, ''Tzin Guatamo, pray -you for your country?' 'For country and king,' I answered. He laid his -hand upon my shoulder, 'If you seek the will of the god with intent to -do what he imposes, hear then: The king is the shield of the strangers; -they are safe while he lives; and if he lives, Anahuac dies. Let him who -leads choose between them. So the god says. Consider!' He was gone -before I could answer. Since that I have been like one moving in a -cloud, seeing nothing clearly, and the duty least of all. When I should -be strongest, I am weakest. My spirit faints under the load. If the -king lives, the empire dies: if it is to die, why the battle, and its -sacrifices? This night have I in which to choose; to-morrow, Malinche -and action! Help me, O Tula, help me to do right! Love of country, of -king, and of me,--you have them all. Speak." - -And she answered him,-- - -"I may not doubt that you love me; you have told me so many times, but -never as to-night. I thank you, O 'tzin! Your duties are heavy. I do not -wonder that you bend under them. I might say they are yours by gift of -the gods, and not to be divided with another, not even with me; but I -will give you love for love, and, as I hope to share your fortunes, I -will share your trials. I am a woman, without judgment by which to -answer you; from my heart I will answer." - -"From your heart be it, O Tula." - -"Has the king heard the things of which you have spoken?" - -"I cannot say." - -"Does he know you were offered the crown?" - -"No; the offer was treason." - -"Ah, poor king, proud father! The love of the people, that of which you -were proudest, is lost. What wretchedness awaits you!" - -She bowed her head, and there was a silence broken only by her sobs. The -grief spent itself; then she said, earnestly,-- - -"I know him. He, too, is a lover of Anahuac. More than once he has -exposed himself to death for her. Such loves age not, nor do they die, -except with the hearts they animate. There was a time--but now--No -matter, I will try. 'Let him who leads choose': was not that the decree, -good 'tzin?" - -"Yes," he replied. - -"Must the choice be made to-night?" - -"I may delay until to-morrow." - -"To-morrow; what time?" - -"Malinche will pass the causeway in the cool of the morning; by noon he -will have joined his people in the old palace; the decision must then be -made." - -"Can you set me down at the gate before he passes in?" - -The 'tzin started. "Of the old palace?" he asked. - -"I wish to see the king." - -"For what?" - -"To tell him the things you have told me to-night." - -"All?" - -"Yes." - -His face clouded with dissatisfaction. - -"Yes," she continued, calmly; "that, as becomes a king, he may choose -which shall live,--himself or Anahuac." - -So she answered the 'tzin's appeal, and the answer was from her heart; -and, seeing of what heroism she dreamed, his dark eyes glowed with -admiration. Yet his reply was full of hopelessness. - -"I give you honor, Tula,--I give you honor for the thought; but forgive -me if I think you beguiled by your love. There was a time when he was -capable of what you have imagined. Alas! he is changed; he will never -choose,--never!" - -She looked at him reproachfully, and said, with a sad smile, "Such -changes are not always of years. Who is he that to-night, only to-night, -driven by a faltering of the will, which in the king, my father, is -called weakness, brought himself prayerfully to a woman's feet, and -begged her to divide with him a burden imposed upon his conscience by a -decree of the gods? Who is he, indeed? Study yourself, O 'tzin, and -commiserate him, and bethink you, if he choose not, it will be yours to -choose for him. His duty will then become yours, to be done without -remorse, and--" - -She hesitated, and held out her hand, as if to say, "And I can love you -still." - -He caught the meaning of the action, and went to her, and kissed her -forehead tenderly, and said,-- - -"I see now that the heart can be wiser than the head. Have your way. I -will set you down at the gate, and of war there shall be neither sign -nor sound until you return." - -"Until I return! May be I cannot. Malinche may hold me prisoner." - -From love to war,--the step was short. - -"True," he said. "The armies will await my signal of attack, and they -must not wait upon uncertainties." - -He arose and paced the floor, and when he paused he said, firmly,-- - -"I will set you down at the gate in the early morning, that you may see -your father before Malinche sees him. And when you speak to him, ask not -if I may make the war: on that I am resolved; but tell him what no other -can,--that I look forward to the time when Malinche, like the -_Tonatiah_, will bring him from his chamber, and show him to the people, -to distract them again. And when you have told him that, speak of what -the gods have laid upon me, and then say that I say, 'Comes he so, -whether of choice or by force, the dread duty shall be done. The gods -helping me, I will strike for Anahuac.' And if he ask what I would have -him do, answer, A king's duty to his people,--die that they may live!" - -Tula heard him to the end, and buried her face in her hands, and there -was a long silence. - -"Poor king! poor father!" she said at last. "For me to ask him to die! A -heavy, heavy burden, O 'tzin!" - -"The gods help you!" he replied. - -"If Malinche hold me prisoner, how will the answer avail you?" - -"Have you not there two scarfs,--the one green, the other white?" - -"Yes." - -"Take them with you, and from the roof, if your father resolve not, show -the green one. Alas, then, for me! If, in its stead, you wave the white -one, I shall know that he comes, if so he does, by force, and that"--his -voice trembled--"_it is his will Anahuac should live_." - -She listened wistfully, and replied, "I understand; Anahuac saved means -Montezuma lost. But doubt him not, doubt him not; he will remember his -glory's day, and die as he has lived." - - * * * * * - -An hour later, and the canoe of the 'tzin passed into one of the canals -of the city. The parting on the _chinampa_ may be imagined. Love will -have its way even in war. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [48] The monarchy was elective.--PRESCOTT, _Conq. of - Mexico_, Vol. I., p. 24 - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - THE CONQUEROR ON THE CAUSEWAY AGAIN. - - -As predicted by the 'tzin, the Spaniards set out early next morning--the -morning of the 24th of June--by the causeway from Iztapalapan, already -notable in this story. - -At their head rode the Senor Hernan, silent, thoughtful, and not well -pleased; pondering, doubtless, the misconduct of the _adelantado_ in the -old palace to which he was marching, and the rueful condition it might -impose upon the expedition. - -The cavaliers next in the order of march, which was that of battle, rode -and talked as men are wont when drawing nigh the end of a long and -toilsome task. This the leader at length interrupted,-- - -"_Senores_, come near. Yonder ye may see the gate of Xoloc," he -continued, when they were up. "If the heathen captains think to obstruct -our entry, they would do well, now that our ships lie sunken in the -lake, to give us battle there. Ride we forward to explore what -preparations, if any, they have made." - -So they rode, at quickened pace, arms rattling, spurs jingling, and -found the gate deserted. - -"_Viva companeros!_" cried Cortes, riding through the shadow of the -battlements. "Give the scabbards their swords again. There will be no -battle; the way to the palace is open." And, waiting till the column was -at their heels, he turned to the trumpeters, and shouted, cheerily, -"_Ola_, ye lazy knaves! Since the march began, ye have not been heard -from. Out now, and blow! Blow as if ye were each a Roland, with Roland's -horn. Blow merrily a triumphal march, that our brethren in the leaguer -ahead may know deliverance at hand." - -The feeling of the chief spread rapidly; first, to the cavaliers; then -to the ranks, where soon there were shouting and singing; and -simultaneous with the trumpetry, over the still waters sped the -minstrelsy of the Tlascalans. Ere long they had the answer of the -garrison; every gun in the palace thundered welcome. - -Cortes settled in his saddle smiling: he was easy in mind; the junction -with Alvarado was assured; the city and the king were his, and he could -now hold them; nevertheless, back of his smile there was much thought. -True, his enemies in Spain would halloo spitefully over the doughty deed -he had just done down in Cempoalla. No matter. The Court and the -Council had pockets, and he could fill them with gold,--gold by the -caravel, if necessary; and for the pacification of his most Catholic -master, the Emperor, had he not the New World? And over the schedule of -guerdons sure to follow such a gift to such a master he lingered -complacently, as well he might. Patronage, and titles, and high -employments, and lordly estates danced before his eyes, as danced the -sun's glozing upon the crinkling water. - -One thought, however,--only one,--brought him trouble. The soldiers of -Narvaez were new men, ill-disciplined, footsore, grumbling, -discontented, disappointed. He remembered the roseate pictures by which -they had been won from their leader before the battle was joined. 'The -Empire was already in possession; there would be no fighting; the march -would be a promenade through grand landscapes, and by towns and cities, -whose inhabitants would meet them in processions, loaded with fruits and -flowers, tributes of love and fear,'--so he had told them through his -spokesmen, Olmedo, the priest, and Duero, the secretary. Nor failed he -now to recall the chief inducements in the argument,--the charms of the -heathen capital, and the easy life there waiting,--a life whose sole -vexation would be apportionment of the lands conquered and the gold -gathered. And the wonderful city,--here it was, placid as ever; and -neither the valley, nor the lake, nor the summering climate, nor the -abundance of which he had spoken, failed his description; nothing was -wanting but _the people_, THE PEOPLE! Where were they? He looked at the -prize ahead; gyres of smoke, slowly rising and purpling as they rose, -were all the proofs of life within its walls. He swept the little sea -with angry eyes; in the distance a canoe, stationary, and with a -solitary occupant, and he a spy! And this was the grand reception -promised the retainers of Narvaez! He struck his mailed thigh with his -mailed hand fiercely, and, turning in his saddle, looked back. The -column was moving forward compactly, the new men distinguishable by the -freshness of their apparel and equipments. "_Bien!_" he said, with a -grim smile and cunning solace, "_Bien!_ they will fight for life, if not -for majesty and me." - -Close by the wall Father Bartolome overtook him, and, after giving rein -to his mule, and readjusting his hood, said gravely, "If the tinkle of -my servant's bell disturb not thy musing, Senor,--I have been through -the files, and bring thee wot of the new men." - -"Welcome, father," said Cortes, laughing. "I am not an evil spirit to -fly the exorcisement of thy bell, not I; and so I bid thee welcome. But -as for whereof thou comest to tell, no more, I pray. I know of what the -varlets speak. And as I am a Christian, I blame them not. We promised -them much, and--this is all: fair sky, fair land, strange city,--and all -without people! Rueful enough, I grant; but, as matter more serious, -what say the veterans? Came they within thy soundings?" - -"Thou mayest trust them, Senor. Their tongues go with their swords. They -return to the day of our first entry here, and with excusable -enlargement tell what they saw then in contrast with the present." - -"And whom blame they for the failure now?" - -"The captain Alvarado." - -Cortes' brows dropped, and he became thoughtful again, and in such -temper rode into the city. - -Within the walls, everywhere the visitors looked, were signs of life, -but nowhere a living thing; neither on the street, nor in the houses, -nor on the housetops,--not even a bird in the sky. A stillness possessed -the place, peculiar in that it seemed to assert a presence, and palpably -lurk in the shade, lie on the doorsteps, issue from the windows, and -pervade the air; giving notice so that not a man, new or veteran, but -was conscious that, in some way, he was menaced with danger. There is -nothing so appalling as the unaccountable absence of life in places -habitually populous; nothing so desolate as a deserted city. - -"_Por Dios!_" said Olmedo, toying with the beads at his side, "I had -rather the former reception than the present. Pleasanter the sullen -multitude than the silence without the multitude." - -Cortes made him no answer, but rode on abstractedly, until stopped by -his advance-guard. - -"At rest!" he said, angrily. "Had ye the signal? I heard it not." - -"Nor did we, Senor," replied the officer in charge. "But, craving thy -pardon, approach, and see what the infidels have done here." - -Cortes drew near, and found himself on the brink of the first canal. He -swore a great oath; the bridge was dismantled. On the hither side, -however, lay the timbers, frame and floor. The _tamanes_ detailed from -the guns replaced them. - -"Bartolome, good father," said Cortes, confidentially, when the march -was resumed, "thou hast a commendable habit of holding what thou -hearest, and therefore I shame not to confess that I, too, prefer the -first reception. The absence of the heathen and the condition of yon -bridge are parts of one plan, and signs certain of battle now ready to -be delivered." - -"If it be God's will, amen!" replied the priest, calmly. "We are -stronger than when we went out." - -"So is the enemy, for he hath organized his people. The hordes that -stared at us so stupidly when we first came--be the curse of the saints -upon them!--are now fighting men." - -Olmedo searched his face, and said, coldly, "To doubt is to dread the -result." - -"Nay, by my conscience! I neither doubt nor dread. Yet I hold it not -unseemly to confess that I had rather meet the brunt on the firm land, -with room for what the occasion offers. I like not yon canal, with its -broken bridge, too wide for horse, too deep for weighted man; it putteth -us to disadvantage, and hath a hateful reminder of the brigantines, -which, as thou mayest remember, we left at anchor, mistresses of the -lake; in our absence they have been lost,--a most measureless folly, -father! But let it pass, let it pass! The Mother--blessed be her -name!--hath not forsaken us. Montezuma is ours, and--" - -"He is victory," said Olmedo, zealously. - -"He is the New World!" answered Cortes. - -And so it chanced that the poor king was centre of thought for both the -'tzin and his enemy,--the dread of one and the hope of the other. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - LA VIRUELA. - - -A long interval behind the rear-guard--indeed, the very last of the -army, and quite two hours behind--came four Indian slaves, bringing a -man stretched upon a litter. - -And the litter was open, and the sun beat cruelly on the man's face; but -plaint he made not, nor motion, except that his head rolled now right, -now left, responsive to the cadenced steps of his hearers. - -Was he sick or wounded? - -Nathless, into the city they carried him. - -And in front of the new palace of the king, they stopped, less wearied -than overcome by curiosity. And as they stared at the great house, -imagining vaguely the splendor within, a groan startled them. They -looked at their charge; he was dead! Then they looked at each other, and -fled. - -And in less than twice seven days they too died, and died horribly; and -in dying recognized their disease as that of the stranger they had -abandoned before the palace,--the small-pox, or, in the language which -hath a matchless trick of melting everything, even the most ghastly, -into music, _la viruela_ of the Spaniard. - -The sick man on the litter was a negro,--first of his race on the new -continent! - -And most singular, in dying, he gave his masters another servant -stronger than himself, and deadlier to the infidels than swords of -steel,--a servant that found way everywhere in the crowded city, and -rested not. And everywhere its breath, like its touch, was mortal; -insomuch that a score and ten died of it where one fell in battle. - -Of the myriads who thus perished, one was a KING. - - - - - CHAPTER IV. - - MONTEZUMA A PROPHET.--HIS PROPHECY. - - -Scarce five weeks before, Cortes sallied from the palace with seventy -soldiers, ragged, yet curiously bedight with gold and silver; now he -returned full-handed, at his back thirteen hundred infantry, a hundred -horse, additional guns and Tlascalans. Surely, he could hold what he had -gained. - -The garrison stood in the court-yard to receive him. Trumpet replied to -trumpet, and the reverberation of drums shook the ancient house. When -all were assigned to quarters, the ranks were broken, and the -veterans--those who had remained, and those who had followed their -chief--rushed clamorously into each other's arms. Comradeship, with its -strange love, born of toil and danger, and nursed by red-handed battle, -asserted itself. The men of Narvaez looked on indifferently, or clomb -the palace, and from the roof surveyed the vicinage, especially the -great temple, apparently as forsaken as the city. - -And in the court-yard Cortes met Alvarado, saluting him coldly. The -latter excused his conduct as best he could; but the palliations were -unsatisfactory. The general turned from him with bitter denunciations; -and as he did so, a procession approached: four nobles, carrying silver -wands; then a train in doubled files; then Montezuma, in the royal -regalia, splendid from head to foot. The shade of the canopy borne above -him wrapped his person in purpled softness, but did not hide that other -shadow discernible in the slow, uncertain step, the bent form, the -wistful eyes,--the shadow of the coming Fate. Such of his family as -shared his captivity brought up the cortege. - -At the sight, Cortes waited; his blood was hot, and his head filled with -the fumes of victory; from a great height, as it were, he looked upon -the retinue, and its sorrowful master; and his eyes wandered fitfully -from the Christians, worn by watching and hunger, to the sumptuousness -of the infidels; so that when the monarch drew nigh him, the temper of -his heart was as the temper of his corselet. - -"I salute you, O Malinche, and welcome your return," said Montezuma, -according to the interpretation of Marina. - -The Spaniard heard him without a sign of recognition. - -"The good Lady of your trust has had you in care; she has given you the -victory. I congratulate you, Malinche." - -Still the Spaniard was obstinate. - -The king hesitated, dropped his eyes under the cold stare, and was -frozen into silence. Then Cortes turned upon his heel, and, without a -word, sought his chamber. - -The insult was plain, and the witnesses, Christian and infidel, were -shocked; and while they stood surprised, Tula rushed up, and threw her -arms around the victim's neck, and laid her head upon his breast. The -retinue closed around them, as if to hide the shame; and thus the -unhappy monarch went back to his quarters,--back to his captivity, to -his remorse, and the keener pangs of pride savagely lacerated. - -For a time he was like one dazed; but, half waking, he wrung his hands, -and said, feebly, "It cannot be, it cannot be! Maxtla, take the -councillors and go to Malinche, and say that I wish to see him. Tell him -the business is urgent, and will not wait. Bring me his answer, omitting -nothing." - -The young chief and the four nobles departed, and the king relapsed into -his dazement, muttering, "It cannot be, it cannot be!" - -The commissioners delivered the message. Olid, Leon, and others who were -present begged Cortes to be considerate. - -"No," he replied; "the dog of a king would have betrayed us to Narvaez; -before his eyes we are allowed to hunger. Why are the markets closed? I -have nothing to do with him." - -And to the commissioners he said, "Tell your master to open the markets, -or we will for him. Begone!" - -And they went back and reported, omitting nothing, not even the -insulting epithet. The king heard them silently; as they proceeded, he -gathered strength; when they ceased, he was calm and resolved. - -"Return to Malinche," he said, "and tell him what I wished to say: that -my people are ready to attack him, and that the only means I know to -divert them from their purpose is to release the lord Cuitlahua, my -brother, and send him to them to enforce my orders. There is now no -other of authority upon whom I can depend to keep the peace, and open -the markets; he is the last hope. Go." - -The messengers departed; and when they were gone the monarch said, -"Leave the chamber now, all but Tula." - -At the last outgoing footstep she went near, and knelt before him; -knowing, with the divination which is only of woman, that she was now to -have reply to the 'tzin's message, delivered by her in the early -morning. Her tearful look he answered with a smile, saying tenderly, "I -do not know whether I gave you welcome. If I did not, I will amend the -fault. Come near." - -She arose, and, putting an arm over his shoulder, knelt closer by his -side; he kissed her forehead, and pressed her close to his breast. -Nothing could exceed the gentleness of the caress, unless it was the -accompanying look. She replied with tears, and such breaking sobs as are -only permitted to passion and childhood. - -"Now, if never before," he continued, "you are my best beloved, because -your faith in me fell not away with that of all the world besides; -especially, O good heart! especially because you have to-day shown me an -escape from my intolerable misery and misfortunes,--for which may the -gods who have abandoned me bless you!" - -He stroked the dark locks under his hand lovingly. - -"Tears? Let there be none for me. I am happy. I have been unresolved, -drifting with uncertain currents, doubtful, yet hopeful, seeing nothing, -and imagining everything; waiting, sometimes on men, sometimes on the -gods,--and that so long,--ah, so long! But now the weakness is past. -Rejoice with me, O Tula! In this hour I have recovered dominion over -myself; with every faculty restored, the very king whom erst you knew, I -will make answer to the 'tzin. Listen well. I give you my last decree, -after which I shall regard myself as lost to the world. If I live, I -shall never rule again. Somewhere in the temples I shall find a cell -like that from which they took me to be king. The sweetness of the -solitude I remember yet. There I will wait for death; and my waiting -shall be so seemly that his coming shall be as the coming of a restful -sleep. Hear then, and these words give the 'tzin: Not as king to -subject, nor as priest to penitent, but as father to son, I send him my -blessing. Of pardon I say nothing. All he has done for Anahuac, and all -he hopes to do for her, I approve. Say to him, also, that in the last -hour Malinche will come for me to go with him to the people, and that I -will go. Then, I say, let the 'tzin remember what the gods have laid -upon him, and with his own hand do the duty, that it may be certainly -done. A man's last prayer belongs to the gods, his last look to those -who love him. In dying there is no horror like lingering long amidst -enemies." - -His voice trembled, and he paused. She raised her eyes to his face, -which was placid, but rapt, as if his spirit had been caught by a sudden -vision. - -"To the world," he said, in a little while, "I have bid farewell. I see -its vanities go from me one by one; last in the train, and most -glittering, most loved, Power,--and in its hands is my heart. A shadow -creeps upon me, darkening all without, but brightening all within; and -in the brightness, lo, my People and their Future!" - -He stopped again, then resumed:-- - -"The long, long cycles--two,--four,--eight--pass away, and I see the -tribes newly risen, like the trodden grass, and in their midst a -Priesthood and a Cross. An age of battles more, and, lo! the Cross but -not the priests; in their stead Freedom and God." - -And with the last word, as if to indicate the Christian God, the report -of a gun without broke the spell of the seer; the two started, and -looked at each other, listening for what might follow; but there was -nothing more, and he went on quietly talking to her. - -"I know the children of the Aztec, crushed now, will live, and -more,--after ages of wrong suffered by them, they will rise up, and take -their place--a place of splendor--amongst the deathless nations of the -earth. What I saw was revelation. Cherish the words, O Tula; repeat them -often; make them an utterance of the people, a sacred tradition; let -them go down with the generations, one of which will, at last, rightly -interpret the meaning of the words Freedom and God, now dark to my -understanding; and then, not till then, will be the new birth and new -career. And so shall my name become of the land a part, suggested by all -things,--by the sun mildly tempering its winds; by the rivers singing in -its valleys; by the stars seen from its mountain-tops; by its cities, -and their palaces and halls; and so shall its red races of whatever -blood learn to call me father, and in their glory, as well as misery, -pray for and bless me." - -In the progress of this speech his voice grew stronger, and insensibly -his manner ennobled; at the conclusion, his appearance was majestic. -Tula regarded him with awe, and accepted his utterances, not as the song -habitual to the Aztec warrior at the approach of death, nor as the -rhapsody of pride soothing itself; she accepted them as prophecy, and as -a holy trust,--a promise to be passed down through time, to a generation -of her race, the first to understand truly the simple words,--FREEDOM -and GOD. And they were silent a long time. - -At length there was a warning at the door; the little bells filled the -room with music strangely inharmonious. The king looked that way, -frowning. The intruder entered without _nequen_; as he drew near the -monarch's seat, his steps became slower, and his head drooped upon his -breast. - -"Cuitlahua! my brother!" said Montezuma, surprised. - -"Brother and king!" answered the cacique, as he knelt and placed both -palms upon the floor. - -"You bring me a message. Arise and speak." - -"No," said Cuitlahua, rising. "I have come to receive your signet and -orders. I am free. The guard is at the door to pass me through the gate. -Malinche would have me go and send the people home, and open the -markets; he said such were your orders. But from him I take nothing -except liberty. But you, O king, what will you,--peace or war?" - -Tula looked anxiously at the monarch; would the old vacillation return? -He replied firmly and gravely,-- - -"I have given my last order as king. Tula will go with you from the -palace, and deliver it to you." - -He arose while speaking, and gave the cacique a ring; then for a moment -he regarded the two with suffused eyes, and said, "I divide my love -between you and my people. For their sake, I say, go hence quickly, lest -Malinche change his mind. You, O my brother, and you, my child, take my -blessing and that of the gods! Farewell." - -He embraced them both. To Tula he clung long and passionately. More than -his ambassadress to the 'tzin, she bore his prophecy to the generations -of the future. His last kiss was dewy with her tears. With their faces -to him, they moved to the door; as they passed out, each gave a last -look, and caught his image then,--the image of a man breaking because he -happened to be in God's way. - - - - - CHAPTER V. - - HOW TO YIELD A CROWN. - - -As the guard passed the old lord and the princess out of the gate -opposite the _teocallis_, the latter looked up to the _azoteas_ of the -sacred pile, and saw the 'tzin standing near the verge; taking off the -white scarf that covered her head, and fell from her shoulders, after -passing once around her neck, she gave him the signal. He waved his hand -in reply, and disappeared. - -The lord Cuitlahua, just released from imprisonment and ignorant of the -situation, scarcely knowing whither to turn yet impatient to set his -revenge in motion, accepted the suggestion of Tula, and accompanied her -to the temple. The ascent was laborious, especially to him; at the top, -however, they were received by Io' and Hualpa, and with every show of -respect conducted to the 'tzin. He saluted them gravely, yet -affectionately. Cuitlahua told him the circumstances of his release from -imprisonment. - -"So," said the 'tzin, "Malinche expects you to open the market, and -forbid the war; but the king,--what of him?" - -"To Tula he gave his will; hear her." - -[Illustration: SHE GAVE HIM THE SIGNAL] - -And she repeated the message of her father. At the end, the calm of the -'tzin's temper was much disturbed. At his instance she again and again -recited the prophecy. The words "Freedom and God" were as dark to him as -to the king, and he wondered at them. But that was not all. Clearly, -Montezuma approved the war; that he intended its continuance was equally -certain; unhappily, there was no designation of a commander. And in -thought of the omission, the young chief hesitated; never did -ambition appeal to him more strongly; but he brushed the allurement -away, and said to Cuitlahua,-- - -"The king has been pleased to be silent as to which of us should govern -in his absence; but we are both of one mind: the right is yours -naturally, and your coming at this time, good uncle, looks as if the -gods sent you. Take the government, therefore, and give me your orders. -Malinche is stronger than ever." He turned thoughtfully to the palace -below, over which the flag of Spain and that of Cortes were now -displayed. "He will require of us days of toil and fighting, and many -assaults. In conquering him there will be great glory, which I pray you -will let me divide with you." - -The lord Cuitlahua heard the patriotic speech with glistening eyes. -Undoubtedly he appreciated the self-denial that made it beautiful; for -he said, with emotion, "I accept the government, and, as its cares -demand, will take my brother's place in the palace; do you take what -else would be my place under him in the field. And may the gods help us -each to do his duty!" - -He held out his hand, which the 'tzin kissed in token of fealty, and so -yielded the crown; and as if the great act were already out of mind, he -said, ---- - -"Come, now, good uncle,--and you, also, Tula,--come both of you, and I -will show what use I made of the kingly power." - -He led them closer to the verge of the _azoteas_, so close that they saw -below them the whole western side of the city, and beyond that the lake -and its shore, clear to the sierra bounding the valley in that -direction. - -"There," said he, in the same strain of simplicity, "there, in the -shadow of the hills, I gathered the people of the valley, and the flower -of all the tribes that pay us tribute. They make an army the like of -which was never seen. The chiefs are chosen; you may depend upon them, -uncle. The whole great host will die for you." - -"Say, rather, for us," said the lord Cuitlahua. - -"No, you are now Anahuac"; and, as deeming the point settled, the 'tzin -turned to Tula. "O good heart," he said, "you have been a witness to all -the preparation. At your signal, given there by the palace gate, I -kindled the piles which yet burn, as you see, at the four corners of the -temple. Through them I spoke to the chiefs and armies waiting on the -lake-shore. Look now, and see their answers." - -They looked, and from the shore and from each pretentious summit of the -sierra, saw columns of smoke rising and melting into the sky. - -"In that way the chiefs tell me, 'We are ready,' or 'We are coming.' And -we cannot doubt them; for see, a dark line on the white face of the -causeway to Cojohuacan, its head nearly touching the gates at Xoloc; and -another from Tlacopan; and from the north a third; and yonder on the -lake, in the shadow of Chapultepec, a yet deeper shadow." - -"I see them," said Cuitlahua. - -"And I," said Tula. "What are they?" - -For the first time the 'tzin acknowledged a passing sentiment; he raised -his head and swept the air with a haughty gesture. - -"What are they? Wait a little, and you shall see the lines on the -causeways grow into ordered companies, and the shadows under Chapultepec -become a multitude of canoes; wait a little longer, and you shall see -the companies fill all the great streets, and the canoes girdle the city -round about; wait a little longer, and you may see the battle." - -And silence fell upon the three,--the silence, however, in which hearts -beat like drums. From point to point they turned their eager -eyes,--from the causeways to the lake, from the lake to the palace. - -Slowly the converging lines crawled toward the city; slowly the dark -mass under the royal hill, sweeping out on the lake, broke into -divisions; slowly the banners came into view, of every color and form, -and then the shields and uniforms, until, at last, each host on its -separate way looked like an endless unrolling ribbon. - -When the column approaching by the causeway from Tlacopan touched the -city with its advance, it halted, waiting for the others, which, having -farther to march, were yet some distance out. Then the three on the -_teocallis_ separated; the princess retired to her _chinampa_; the lord -Cuitlahua, with some nobles of the 'tzin's train, betook himself to the -new palace, there to choose a household; the 'tzin, for purposes of -observation, remained on the _azoteas_. - -And all the time the threatened palace was a picture of peace; the flags -hung idly down; only the sentinels were in motion, and they gossiped -with each other, or lingered lazily at places where a wall or a -battlement flung them a friendly shade. - - - - - CHAPTER VI. - - IN THE LEAGUER. - - -By and by a Spaniard came out through the main gateway of the palace; -after brief leave-taking with the guard there, he walked rapidly down -the street. The 'tzin, observing that the man was equipped for a -journey, surmised him to be a courier, and smiled at the confidence of -the master who sent him forth alone at such a time. - -The courier went his way, and the great movement proceeded. - -After a while Hualpa and Io' came down from the turret where, under the -urn of fire, they too had been watching, and the former said,-- - -"Your orders, O 'tzin, are executed. The armies all stand halted at the -gates of the city, and at the outlet of each canal I saw a division of -canoes lying in wait." - -The 'tzin looked up at the sun, then past meridian, and replied, "It is -well. When the chiefs see but one smoke from this temple they will enter -the city. Go, therefore, and put out all the fires except that of -Huitzil'." - -And soon but one smoke was to be seen. - -A little afterwards there was a loud cry from the street, and, looking -down, the 'tzin saw the Spanish courier, without morion or lance, -staggering as he ran, and shouting. Instantly the great gate was flung -open, and the man taken in; and instantly a trumpet rang out, and then -another and another. Guatamozin sprang up. The alarm-note thrilled him -no less than the Christians. - -The palace, before so slumberous, became alive. The Tlascalans poured -from the sheds, that at places lined the interior of the parapet, and -from the main building forth rushed the Spaniards,--bowmen, slingers, -and arquebusiers; and the gunners took post by their guns, while the -cavalry clothed their horses, and stood by the bridles. There was no -tumult, no confusion; and when the 'tzin saw them in their -places--placid, confident, ready--his heart beat hard: he would win,--on -that he was resolved,--but ah, at what mighty cost! - -Soon, half drowned by the voices of the captains mustering the enemy -below, he heard another sound rising from every quarter of the city, -but deeper and more sustained, where the great columns marched. -He listened intently. Though far and faint, he recognized the -_susurrante_,--literally the commingled war-cries of almost all the -known fighting tribes of the New World. The chiefs were faithful; they -were coming,--by the canals, and up and down the great streets, they -were coming; and he listened, measuring their speed by the growing -distinctness of the clamor. As they came nearer, he became confident, -then eager. Suddenly, everything,--objects far and near, the old palace, -and the hated flags, the lake, and the purple distance, and the -unflecked sky,--all melted into mist, for he looked at them through -tears. So the Last of the 'Tzins welcomed his tawny legions. - -While he indulged the heroic weakness, Io' and Hualpa rejoined him. -About the same time Cortes and some of his cavaliers appeared on the -_azoteas_ of the central and higher part of the palace. They were in -armor, but with raised visors, and seemed to be conjecturing one with -another, and listening to the portentous sounds that now filled the -welkin. And as the 'tzin, in keen enjoyment, watched the wonder that -plainly possessed the enemy, there was a flutter of gay garments upon -the palace, and two women joined the party. - -"Nenetzin!" said Io', in a low voice. - -"Nenetzin!" echoed Hualpa. - -And sharper grew his gaze, while down stooped the sun to illumine the -face of the faithless, as, smiling the old smile, she rested lovingly -upon Alvarado's arm. He turned away, and covered his head. But soon a -hand was laid upon his shoulder, and he heard a voice,--the voice of the -'tzin,---- - -"Lord Hualpa, as once before you were charged, I charge you now. With -your own hand make the signal. Io' will bring you the word. Go now." -Then the voice sunk to a whisper. "Patience, comrade. The days for many -to come will be days of opportunity. Already the wrong-doer is in the -toils; yet a little longer. Patience!" - -The noise of the infidels had now come to be a vast uproar, astonishing -to the bravest of the listeners. Even Cortes shared the common feeling. -That war was intended he knew; but he had not sufficiently credited the -Aztec genius. The whole valley appeared to be in arms. His face became a -shade more ashy as he thought, either this was of the king, or the -people were capable of grand action without the king; and he griped his -sword-hand hard in emphasis of the oath he swore, to set the monarch and -his people face to face; that would he, by his conscience,--by the blood -of the saints! - -And as he swore, here and there upon the adjacent houses armed men -showed themselves; and directly the heads of columns came up, and, -turning right and left at the corners, began to occupy all the streets -around the royal enclosure. - -If one would fancy what the cavaliers then saw, let him first recall the -place. It was in the heart of the city. Eastward arose the -_teocallis_,--a terraced hill in fact, and every terrace a -vantage-point. On all other sides of the palace were edifices each -higher than its highest part; and each fronted with a wall resembling a -parapet, except that its outer face was in general richly ornamented -with fretwork and mouldings and arches and grotesque corbals and -cantilevers. Every roof was occupied by infidels; over the sculptured -walls they looked down into the fortress, if I may so call it, of the -strangers. - -As the columns marched and countermarched in the streets thus -beautifully bounded, they were a spectacle of extraordinary animation. -Over them played the semi-transparent shimmer or thrill of air, so to -speak, peculiar to armies in rapid movement,--curious effect of changing -colors and multitudinous motion. The Christians studied them with an -interest inappreciable to such as have never known the sensations of a -soldier watching the foe taking post for combat. - -Of arms there were in the array every variety known to the Aztecan -service,--the long bow; the javelin; slings of the ancient fashion, -fitted for casting stones a pound or more in weight; the _maquahuitl_, -limited to the officers; and here and there long lances with heads of -bronze or sharpened flint. The arms, it must be confessed, added little -to the general appearance of the mass,--a deficiency amply compensated -by the equipments. The quivers of the bowmen, and the pouches of the -slingers, and the broad straps that held them to the person were -brilliantly decorated. Equally striking were the costumes of the several -branches of the service: the fillet, holding back the long, straight -hair, and full of feathers, mostly of the eagle and turkey, though not -unfrequently of the ostrich,--costly prizes come, in the way of trade, -from the far _llanos_ of the south; the _escaupil_, of brightest -crimson; the shield, faced with brazen plates, and edged with flying -tufts of buffalo hair, and sometimes with longer and brighter locks, the -gift of a mistress or a trophy of war. These articles, though half -barbaric, lost nothing by contrast with the naked, dark-brown necks and -limbs of the warriors,--lithe and stately men, from whom the officers -were distinguished by helmets of hideous device and mantles -indescribably splendid. Over all shone the ensigns, _indicia_ of the -tribes: here a shining sphere; there a star, or a crescent, or a radial -sun; but most usually a floating cloth covered with blazonry. - -With each company marched a number of priests, bareheaded and frocked, -and a corps of musicians, of whom some blew unearthly discords from -conchs, while others clashed cymbals, and beat atabals fashioned like -the copper tam-tams of the Hindoos. - -Even the marching of the companies was peculiar. Instead of the slow, -laborious step of the European, they came on at a pace which, between -sunrise and sunset, habitually carried them from the bivouac twenty -leagues away. - -And as they marched, the ensigns tossed to and fro; the priests sang -monotonous canticles; the cymbalists danced and leaped joyously at the -head of their companies; and the warriors in the ranks flung their -shields aloft, and yelled their war-cries, as if drunk with happiness. - -As the inundation of war swept around the palace, a cavalier raised his -eyes to the temple. - -"_Valgame Dios!_" he cried, in genuine alarm. "The levies of the valley -are not enough. Lo, the legions of the air!" - -On the _azoteas_ where but the moment before only the 'tzin and Io' were -to be seen, there were hundreds of caparisoned warriors; and as the -Christians looked at them, they all knelt, leaving but one man standing; -simultaneously the companies on the street stopped, and, with those on -the house-tops, hushed their yells, and turned up to him their faces -countless and glistening. - -"Who is he?" the cavaliers asked each other. - -Cortes, cooler than the rest, turned to Marina: "Ask the princess -Nenetzin if she knows him." - -And Nenetzin answered,-- - -"The 'tzin Guatamo." - -As the two chiefs surveyed each other in full recognition, down from the -sky, as it were, broke an intonation so deep that the Christians were -startled, and the women fled from the roof. - -"_Ola!_" cried Alvarado, with a laugh. "I have heard that thunder -before. Down with your visors, gentlemen, as ye care for the faces your -mothers love!" - -Three times Hualpa struck the great drum in the sanctuary of Huitzil'; -and as the last intonation rolled down over the city the clamor of the -infidels broke out anew, and into the enclosure of the palace they -poured a cloud of missiles so thick that place of safety there was not -anywhere outside the building. - -To this time the garrison had kept silence; now, standing each at his -post, they answered. In the days of the former siege, besides preparing -banquettes for the repulsion of escalades, they had pierced the outer -walls, generally but little higher than a man's head, with loop-holes -and embrasures, out of which the guns, great and small, were suddenly -pointed and discharged. No need of aim; outside, not farther than the -leap of the flames, stood the assailants. The effect, especially of the -artillery, was dreadful; and the prodigious noise, and the dense, -choking smoke, stupefied and blinded the masses, so unused to such -enginery. And from the wall they shrank staggering, and thousands turned -to fly; but in pressed the chiefs and the priests, and louder rose the -clangor of conchs and cymbals: the very density of the multitude helped -stay the panic. - -And down from the temple came the 'tzin, not merely to give the effect -of his presence, but to direct the assault. In the sanctuary he had -arrayed himself; his _escaupil_ and _tilmatli_, of richest feather-work, -fairly blazed; his helm and shield sparkled; and behind, scarcely less -splendid, walked Io' and Hualpa. He crossed the street, shouting his -war-cry. At sight of him, men struggling to get away turned to fight -again. - -Next the wall of the palace the shrinking of the infidels had left a -clear margin; and there, the better to be seen by his people, the 'tzin -betook himself. In front of the embrasures he cleared the lines of fire, -so that the guns were often ineffectual; he directed attention to the -loopholes, so that the appearance of an arbalist or arquebus drew a -hundred arrows to the spot. Taught by his example, the warriors found -that under the walls there was a place of safety; then he set them to -climbing; for that purpose some stuck their javelins in the cracks of -the masonry; some formed groups over which others raised themselves; -altogether the crest of the wall was threatened in a thousand places, -insomuch that the Tlascalans occupied themselves exclusively in its -defence; and as often as one raised to strike a climber down, he made -himself a target for the quick bowmen on the opposite houses. - -And so, wherever the 'tzin went he inspired his countrymen; the wounded, -and the many dead and dying, and the blood maddened instead of daunting -them. They rained missiles into the enclosure; upon the wall they fought -hand to hand with the defenders; in their inconsiderate fury, many -leaped down inside, and perished instantly,--but all in vain. - -Then the 'tzin had great timbers brought up, thinking to batter in the -parapet. Again and again they were hurled against the face of the -masonry, but without effect. - -Yet another resort. He had balls of cotton steeped in oil shot blazing -into the palace-yard. Against the building, and on its tiled roof, they -fell harmless. It happened, however, that the sheds in which the -Tlascalans quartered consisted almost entirely of reeds, with roofs of -rushes and palm-leaves; they burst into flames. Water could not be -spared by the garrison, for the drought was great; in the extremity, the -Tlascalans and many Christians were drawn from the defences, and set to -casting earth upon the new enemy. Hundreds of the former were killed or -disabled. The flames spread to the wooden outworks of the wall. The -smoke almost blotted out the day. After a while a part of the wall fell -down, and the infidels rushed in; a steady fire of arquebuses swept -them away, and choked the chasm with the slain; still others braved the -peril; company after company dashed into the fatal snare uselessly, as -waves roll forward and spend themselves in the gorge of a sea-wall. - -The conflict lasted without abatement through long hours. The sun went -down. In the twilight the great host withdrew,--all that could. The -smoke from the conflagration and guns melted into the shades of night; -and the stars, mild-eyed as ever, came out one by one to see the wrecks -heaped and ghastly lying in the bloody street and palace-yard. - -All night the defenders lay upon their arms, or, told off in working -parties, labored to restore the breach. - -All night the infidels collected their dead and wounded, thousands in -number. They did not offer to attack,--custom forbade that; yet over the -walls they sent their vengeful warnings. - -All night the listening sentinels on the parapet noted the darkness -filled with sounds of preparation from every quarter of the city. And -they crossed themselves, and muttered the names of saints and good -angels, and thought shudderingly of the morrow. - - - - - CHAPTER VII. - - IN THE LEAGUER YET. - - -Guatamozin took little rest that night. The very uncertainty of the -combat multiplied his cares. It was not to be supposed that his enemy -would keep to the palace, content day after day with receiving assaults; -that was neither his character nor his policy. To-morrow he would -certainly open the gates, and try conclusions in the streets The first -duty, therefore, was to provide for such a contingency. So the 'tzin -went along all the streets leading to the old palace, followed by strong -working-parties; and where the highest houses fronted each other, he -stopped, and thereat the details fell to making barricades, and carrying -stones and logs to the roofs. As a final measure of importance, he cut -passages through the walls of the houses and gardens, that companies -might be passed quickly and secretly from one thoroughfare to another. - -Everywhere he found great cause for mourning; but the stories of the day -were necessarily lost in the demands of the morrow. - -He visited his caciques, and waited on the lord Cuitlahua to take his -orders; then he passed to the temples, whence, as he well knew, the -multitudes in great part derived their inspiration. The duties of the -soldier, politician, and devotee discharged, he betook himself to the -_chinampa_, and to Tula told the heroisms of the combat, and his plans -and hopes; there he renewed his own inspirations. - -Toward morning he returned to the great temple. Hualpa and Io', having -followed him throughout his round, spread their mantles on the roof, and -slept: he could not; between the work of yesterday and that to come, his -mind played pendulously, and with such forceful activity as forbade -slumber. From the quarters of the strangers, moreover, he heard -constantly the ringing of hammers, the neighing and trampling of steeds, -and voices of direction. It was a long night to him; but at last over -the crown of the White Woman the dawn flung its first light into the -valley; and then he saw the palace, its walls manned, the gunners by -their pieces, and in the great court lines of footmen, and at the main -gate horsemen standing by their bridles. - -"Thanks, O gods!" he cried. "Walls will not separate my people from -their enemies to-day!" - -With the sunrise the assault began,--a repetition of that of the day -before. - -Then the guns opened; and while the infidels reeled under the fire, out -of the gates rode Cortes and his chivalry, a hundred men-at-arms. Into -the mass they dashed. Space sufficient having been won, they wheeled -southward down the beautiful street, followed by detachments of bowmen -and arquebusiers and Tlascalans. With them also went Mesa and his guns. - -When fairly in the street, environed with walls, the 'tzin's tactics and -preparation appeared. Upon the approach of the cavalry, the companies -took to the houses; only those fell who stopped to fight or had not time -to make the exit. All the time, however, the horsemen were exposed to -the missiles tossed upon them from the roofs. Soon as they passed, out -rushed the infidels in hordes, to fall upon the flanks and rear of the -supporting detachments. Never was Mesa so hard pressed; never were helm -and corselet so nearly useless; never gave up the ghost so many of the -veteran Tlascalans. - -At length the easy way of the cavalry was brought to a stop; before them -was the first barricade,--a work of earth and stones too high to be -leaped, and defended by Chinantlan spears, of all native weapons the -most dreaded. Nevertheless, Cortes drew rein only at its foot. On the -instant his shield and mail warded off a score of bronzed points, -whirled his axe, crash went the spears,--that was all. - -Meantime, the eager horsemen in the rear, not knowing of the obstacle in -front, pressed on; the narrow space became packed; then from the roofs -on the right hand and the left descended a tempest of stones and lances, -blent with beams of wood, against which no guard was strong enough. Six -men and horses fell there. A cry of dismay arose from the pack, and much -calling was there on patron saints, much writhing and swaying of men -and plunging of steeds, and vain looking upward through bars of steel. -Cortes quitted smashing spears over the barricade. - -"Out! out! Back, in Christ's name!" he cried. - -The jam was finally relieved. - -Again his voice,-- - -"To Mesa, some of ye; bring the guns! Speed!" - -Then he, too, rode slowly back; and sharper than the shame of the -retreat, sharper than the arrows or the taunts of the foe, sharper than -all of them together, was the sight of the six riders in their armor -left to quick despoilment,--they and their good steeds. - -It was not easy for Mesa to come; but he did, opening within a hundred -feet of the barricade. Again and again he fired; the smoke wreathed -blinding white about him. - -"What sayest thou now?" asked Cortes, impatiently. - -"That thou mayest go, and thou wilt. The saints go with thee!" - -The barricade was a ruin. - -At the first bridge again there was a fierce struggle; when taken, the -floor was heaped with dead and wounded infidels. - -And so for hours. Only at the last gate, that opening on the causeway to -Iztapalapan, did Cortes stay the sally. There, riding to the rear, now -become the front, he started in return. Needless to tell how well the -Christians fought, or how devotedly the pagans resisted and perished. -Enough that the going back was more difficult than the coming. Four more -of the Spaniards perished on the way. - -At a late hour that night Sandoval entered Cortes' room, and gave him a -parchment. The chief went to the lamp and read; then, snatching his -sword from the table, he walked to and fro, as was his wont when much -disturbed; only his strides were longer, and the gride of the weapon on -the tiled floor more relentless than common. - -He stopped abruptly. - -"Dead, ten of them! And their horses, captain?" - -"Three were saved," replied Sandoval. - -"By my conscience, I like it not! and thou?" - -"I like it less," said the captain, naively. - -"What say the men?" - -"They demand to be led from the city while yet they have strength to -go." - -Cortes frowned and continued his walk. When next he stopped, he said, in -the tone of a man whose mind was made up,-- - -"Good night, captain. See that the sentinels sleep not; and, captain, as -thou goest, send hither Martin Lopez, and mind him to bring one or two -of his master carpenters. Good night." - -The mind of the leader, never so quick as in time of trouble, had in the -few minutes reviewed the sortie. True, he had broken through the -barricades, taken bridge after bridge, and driven the enemy often as -they opposed him; he had gone triumphantly to the very gates of the -city, and returned, and joined Olmedo in unctuous celebration of the -achievement; yet the good was not as clear and immediate as at first -appeared. - -He recalled the tactics of his enemy: how, on his approach, they had -vanished from the street and assailed him from the roofs; how, when he -had passed, they poured into the street again, and flung themselves hand -to hand upon the infantry and artillery. And the result,--ten riders and -seven horses were dead; of the Tlascalans in the column nearly all had -perished; every Christian foot-soldier had one or more wounds. At -Cempoalla he himself had been hurt in the left hand; now he was sore -with contusions. He set his teeth hard at thought of the moral effect of -the day's work; how it would raise the spirit of the infidels, and -depress that of his own people. Already the latter were clamoring to be -led from the city,--so the blunt Captain Sandoval had said. - -The enemy's advantage was in the possession of the houses. The -roofs dominated the streets. Were there no means by which he could -dominate the roofs? He bent his whole soul to the problem. Somewhere -he had read or heard of the device known in ancient warfare as -_mantelets_,--literally, a kind of portable roof, under which besiegers -approached and sapped or battered a wall. The recollection was welcome; -the occasion called for an extraordinary resort. He laid the sword -gently upon the table, gently as he would a sleeping child, and sent for -Lopez. - -That worthy came, and with him two carpenters, each as rough as himself. -And it was a picture, if not a comedy, to watch the four bending over -the table to follow Cortes, while, with his dagger-point, he drew lines -illustrative of the strange machine. They separated with a perfect -understanding. The chief slept soundly, his confidence stronger than -ever. - -Another day,--the third. From morn till noon and night, the clamor of -assault and the exertion of defence, the roar of guns from within, the -rain of missiles from without,--Death everywhere. - -All the day Cortes held to the palace. On the other side, the 'tzin kept -close watch from the _teocallis_. That morning early he had seen workmen -bring from the palace some stout timbers, and in the great court-yard -proceed to frame them. He plied the party with stones and arrows; again -and again, best of all the good bowmen of the valley, he himself sent -his shafts at the man who seemed the director of the work; as often did -they splinter upon his helm or corselet, or drop harmless from the close -links of tempered steel defending his limbs. The work went steadily on, -and by noon had taken the form of towers, two in number, and high as -ordinary houses. By sunset both were under roof. - -[Illustration: CORTES DREW REIN ONLY AT ITS FOOT] - -When the night came, the garrison were not rested; and as to the -infidels, the lake received some hundreds more of them, which was only -room made for other hundreds as brave and devoted. - -Over the palace walls the besiegers sent words ominous and disquieting, -and not to be confounded with the half-sung formulas of the watchers -keeping time on the temples by the movement of the stars. - -"Malinche, Malinche, we are a thousand to your one. Our gods hunger for -vengeance. You cannot escape them." - -So the Spaniards heard in their intervals of unrest. - -"O false sons of Anahuac, the festival is making ready; your hearts are -Huitzil's; the cages are open to receive you." - -The Tlascalans heard, and trembled. - -The fourth day. Still Cortes kept within the palace, and still the -assault; nor with all the slaughter could there be perceived any -decrease either in the number of the infidels or the spirit of their -attack. - -Meantime the workmen in the court-yard clung to the construction of the -towers. Lopez was skilful, Cortes impatient. At last they were finished. - -That night the 'tzin visited Tula. At parting, she followed him to the -landing. Yeteve went with her. "The blessing of the gods be upon you!" -she said; and the benediction, so trustful and sweetly spoken, was -itself a blessing. Even the slaves, under their poised oars, looked at -her and forgot themselves, as well they might. The light of the great -torch, kindled by the keeper of the _chinampa_, revealed her perfectly. -The head slightly bent, and the hands crossed over the breast, helped -the prayerful speech. Her eyes were not upon the slaves, yet their -effect was; and they were such eyes as give to night the beauty of -stars, while taking nothing from it, neither depth nor darkness. - -The canoe put off. - -"Farewell," said Io'. His warrior-life was yet in its youth. - -"Farewell," said Hualpa. And she heard him, and knew him thinking of his -lost love. - -In the 'tzin's absence the garrison of the temple had been heavily -reinforced. The _azoteas_, when he returned, was covered with warriors, -asleep on their mantles, and pillowed on their shields. He bade his -companions catch what slumber they could, and went into the grimy but -full-lighted presence-chamber, and seated himself on the step of the -altar. In a little while Hualpa came in, and stopped before him as if -for speech. - -"You have somewhat to say," said the 'tzin, kindly. "Speak." - -"A word, good 'tzin, a single word. Io' lies upon his mantle; he is -weary, and sleeps well. I am weary, but cannot sleep. I suffer--" - -"What?" asked the 'tzin. - -"Discontent." - -"Discontent!" - -"O 'tzin, to follow you and win your praise has been my greatest -happiness; but as yet I have done nothing by myself. I pray you, give me -liberty to go where I please, if only for a day." - -"Where would you go?" - -"Where so many have tried and failed,--over the wall, into the palace." - -There was a long silence, during which the supplicant looked on the -floor, and the master at him. - -"I think I understand you," the latter at length said. "To-morrow I will -give you answer. Go now." - -Hualpa touched the floor with his palm, and left the chamber. The 'tzin -remained thoughtful, motionless. An hour passed. - -"Over the wall, into the palace!" he said, musingly. "Not for country, -not for glory,--for Nenetzin. Alas, poor lad! From his life she has -taken the life. Over the wall into the--Sun. To-morrow comes swiftly; -good or ill, the gifts it brings are from the gods. Patience!" - -And upon the step he spread his mantle, and slept, muttering, "Over the -wall, into the palace, and she has not called him! Poor lad!" - - - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - THE BATTLE OF THE MANTAS. - - -The report of a gun awoke the 'tzin in the morning. The great uproar of -the assault, now become familiar to him, filled the chamber. He knelt on -the step and prayed, for there was a cloud upon his spirit, and over the -idol's stony face there seemed to be a cloud. He put on his helm and -mantle; at the door Hualpa offered him his arms. - -"No," he said, "bring me those we took from the stranger." - -Hualpa marked the gravity of his manner, and with a rising heart and a -smile, the first seen on his lips for many a day, he brought a Spanish -shield and battle-axe, and gave them to him. - -Then the din below, bursting out in greater volume, drew the 'tzin to -the verge of the temple. The warriors made way for him reverently. He -looked down into the square, and through a veil of smoke semilucent saw -Cortes and his cavaliers charge the ranks massed in front of the palace -gate. The gate stood open, and a crowd of the Tlascalans were pouring -out of the portal, hauling one of the towers whose construction had been -the mystery of the days last passed; they bent low to the work, and -cheered each other with their war-cries; yet the _manta_--so called by -Cortes--moved slowly, as if loath to leave. In the same manner the other -tower was drawn out of the court; then, side by side, both were started -down the street, which they filled so nearly that room was hardly left -for the detachments that guarded the Tlascalans on the flanks. - -The fighting ceased, and silently the enemies stared at the -spectacle,--such power is there in curiosity. - -At sight of the structures, rolling, rocking, rumbling, and creaking -dismally in every wheel, Cortes' eyes sparkled fire-like through his -visor. The 'tzin, on the other hand, was disturbed and anxious, although -outwardly calm; for the objects of the common wonder were enclosed on -every side, and he knew as little what they contained as of their use -and operation. - -Slowly they rolled on, until past the intersection of the streets; there -they stopped. Right and left of them were beautiful houses covered with -warriors for the moment converted into spectators. A hush of expectancy -everywhere prevailed. The 'tzin shaded his eyes with his hand, and leant -eagerly forward. Suddenly, from the sides of the machine next the walls, -masked doors dropped out, and guns, charged to the muzzle, glared over -the house-tops, then swept them with fire. - -A horrible scream flew along the street and up to the _azoteas_ of the -temple; at the same time, by ladders extended to the coping of the -walls, the Christians leaped on the roofs, like boarders on a ship's -deck, and mastered them at once; whereupon they returned, and were about -taking in the ladders, when Cortes galloped back, and, riding from one -to the other, shouted,-- - -"Ordas! Avila! _Mirad!_ Where are the torches I gave ye? Out again! -Leave not a stone to shelter the dogs! Leave nothing but ashes! _Pronto, -pronto!_" - -The captains answered promptly. With _flambeaux_ of resinous pine and -cotton, they fired all the wood-work of the interior of the buildings. -Smoke burst from the doors and windows; then the detachments retreated, -and were rolled on without the loss of a man. - -Behind the _mantas_ there was a strong rear-guard of infantry and -artillery; with which, and the guards on the flanks, and the cavaliers -forcing way at the front, it seemed impossible to avert, or even -interrupt, an attack at once so novel and successful. - -The smoke from the burning houses, momentarily thickening and widening, -was seen afar, and by the heathen hailed with cries of alarm: not so -Cortes; riding everywhere, in the van, to the rear, often stopping by -the _mantas_, which he regarded with natural affection, as an artist -does his last work, he tasted the joy of successful genius. The smoke -rising, as it were, to Heaven, carried up his vows not to stop until the -city, with all its idolatries, was a heap of ashes and lime,--a -holocaust to the Mother such as had never been seen. The cheeriness of -his constant cry, "_Christo, Christo y Santiago!_" communicated to his -people, and they marched laughing and fighting. - -Opposition had now almost ceased; at the approach of the _mantas_, the -house-tops were given up without resistance. A general panic appeared to -have seized the pagans; they even vacated the street, so that the -cavaliers had little else to do than ride leisurely, turning now and -then to see the fires behind them, and the tall machines come lumbering -on. - -As remarked, when the _mantas_ stopped at the intersection of the -streets, the 'tzin watched them eagerly, for he knew the time had come -to make their use manifest; he saw a door drop, and the jet of flame and -smoke leap from a gun; he heard the cry of agony from the house-tops, -and the deeper cry from all the people; to the chiefs around him he -said, with steady voice, and as became a leader,-- - -"Courage, friends! We have them now. Malinche is mad to put his people -in such traps. Lord Hualpa, go round the place of combat and see that -the first bridge is impassable; for there, unless the towers have wings, -and can fly, they must stop. And to you, Io'," he spoke to the lad -tenderly, "I give a command and sacred trust. Stay here, and take care -of the gods." - -Io' kissed his hand, and said, fervently, "May the gods care for me as I -will for them!" - -To other chiefs, calling them by name, he gave directions for the -renewal of the assault on the palace, now weakened by the sortie, and -for the concentration of fresh companies in the rear of the enemy, to -contest their return. - -"And now, my good lord," he said to a cacique, gray-headed, but of -magnificent frame, "you have a company of Tezcucans, formerly the guards -of king Cacama's palace. Bring them, and follow me. Come." - -A number of houses covering quite half a square were by this time on -fire. Those of wood burned furiously; the morning, however, was almost -breathless, so that the cinders did little harm. On the left side of the -street stood a building of red stone, its front profusely carved, and -further ornamented with a marble portico,--a palace, in fact, massively -built, and somewhat higher than the _mantas_. Its entrances were -barricaded, and on the roof, where an enemy might be looked for, there -was not a spear, helm, or sign of life, except some fan-palms and long -banana-branches. Before the stately front the _mantas_ were at length -hauled. Immediately the door on that side was dropped, and the ladder -fixed, and Avila, who had the command, started with his followers to -take possession and apply the torch. Suddenly, the coping of the -palace-front flamed with feathered helms and points of bronze. - -Avila was probably as skilful and intrepid as any of Cortes' captains; -but now he was surprised: directly before him stood Guatamozin, whom -every Spaniard had come to know and respect as the most rodoubted of all -the warriors of Anahuac; and he shone on the captain a truly martial -figure, confronting him with Spanish arms, a shield with a face of iron -and a battle-axe of steel. Avila hesitated; and as he did so, the end of -the ladder was lifted from the wall, poised a moment in the air, then -flung off. - -The 'tzin had not time to observe the effect of the fall, for a score of -men came quickly up, bringing a beam of wood as long and large as the -spar of a brigantine; a trailing rope at its further end strengthened -the likeness. Resting the beam on the coping of the wall, at a word, -they plunged it forward against the _manta_, which rocked under the -blow. A yell of fear issued from within. The Tlascalans strove to haul -the machine away, but the Tezcucans from their height tossed logs and -stones upon them, crushing many to death, and putting the rest in such -fear that their efforts were vain. Meantime, the beam was again shot -forward over the coping, and with such effect that the roof of the -_manta_ sprang from its fastenings, and nearly toppled off. - -The handiwork so rudely treated was not as stout as the ships Martin -Lopez sailed on the lake. It was simply a square tower, two stories -high, erected on wheels. The frame was enclosed with slabs, pinned on -vertically, and pierced with loopholes. On the sides there were -apertures defended by doors. The roof, sloping hip-fashion, had an outer -covering of undressed skins as protection against fire. The lower floor -was for the Tlascalans, should they be driven from the drag-ropes; in -the second story there was a gun, some arquebusiers, and a body of -pikemen to storm the house-tops; so that altogether the contrivance -could hardly stand hauling over the street, much less a battery like -that it was then receiving. At the third blow it became an untenable -wreck. - -"Avila!" cried Cortes. "Where art thou?" - -The good captain, with four of his bravest men, lay insensible, if not -dead, under the ladder. - -"Mercy, O Mother of God, mercy!" groaned Cortes; next moment he was -himself again. - -"What do ye here, men? Out and away before these timbers tumble and -crush ye!" - -One man stayed. - -"The gun, Senor, the gun!" he protested. - -Spurring close to the door, Cortes said, "As thou art a Christian, get -thee down, comrade, and quickly. I can better spare the gun than so good -a gunner." - -Then the beam came again, and, with a great crash, tore away the side of -the _manta_. The gun rolled backward, and burst through the opposite -wall of the room. The veteran disappeared. - -By this time all eyes were turned to the scene. The bowmen and -arquebusiers in the column exerted themselves to cover their unfortunate -comrades. Upon the neighboring houses a few infidels, on the watch, -yelled joyously,--"The 'tzin! the 'tzin!" From them the shout, spread -through the cowering army, became, indeed, a battle-cry significant of -success. - -To me, good reader, the miracles of the world, if any there be, are not -the things men do in masses, but the sublimer things done by one man -over the many; they testify most loudly of God, since without him they -could not have been. I am too good a Christian to say this of a -heathen; nevertheless, without the 'tzin his country had perished that -morning. Back to the roofs came the defenders, into the street poured -the companies again; no leisure now for the cavaliers. With the other -_manta_ Ordas moved on gallantly, but the work was hard; at some houses -he failed, others he dared not attack. From front to rear the contest -became a battle. In the low places of the street and pavement the blood -flowed warm, then cooled in blackening pools. The smoke of the consuming -houses, distinguishable from that of the temples, collected into a -cloud, and hung wide-spread over the combat. The yells of Christians and -infidels, fusing into a vast monotone, roared like the sea. Twice Mesa -went to the front,--the cavaliers had need of him,--twice he returned to -the rear. - -The wrath of the Aztecs seemed especially directed against the -Tlascalans tugging at the ropes of the _manta_; as a consequence, their -quilted armor was torn to rags, and so many of them were wounded, so -many killed, that at every stoppage the wheels were more difficult to -start; and to make the movement still more slow and uncertain, the -carcasses of the dead had to be rolled or carried out of the way; and -the dead, sooth to say, were not always Aztecs. - -Luis Marin halted to breathe. - -"_Ola, companero!_ What dost thou there?" - -"By all the saints!" answered Alvarado, on foot, tightening his -saddle-girth. "Was ever the like? It hath been strike, strike,--kill, -kill,--for an hour. I am dead in the right arm from finger to shoulder. -And now here is a buckle that refuseth its work. _Caramba!_ My glove is -slippery with blood!" - -And so step by step,--each one bought with a life,--the Christians won -their way to the first bridge: the floor was gone! Cortes reined his -horse, bloody from hoof to frontlet, by the edge of the chasm. Since -daybreak fighting, and but a square gained! The water, never so placid, -was the utmost limit of his going. He looked at the _manta_, now, like -that of Avila, a mocking failure. He looked again, and a blasphemy -beyond the absolution of Olmedo, I fear, broke the clenching of his -jaws,--not for the machines, or the hopes they had raised, but the days -their construction lost him. As he looked, through a rift in the cloud -still rising along the battle's track, he saw the great temple; gay -banners and gorgeous regalia, all the splendor of barbaric war, filled -that view, and inspired him. To the cavaliers, close around and in -waiting, he turned. The arrows smote his mail and theirs, yet he raised -his visor: the face was calm, even smiling, for the will is a quality -apart from mind and passion. - -"We will go back, gentlemen," he said. "The city is on fire,--enough for -one day. And hark ye, gentlemen. We have had enough of common blood. Let -us go now and see of what the heathen gods are made." - -His hearers were in the mood; they raised their shields and shouted,-- - -"To the temple! To the temple! For the love of Christ, to the temple!" - -The cry sped down the column; and as the men caught its meaning they -faced about of their own will. Wounds, weariness, and disappointments -were forgotten; the rudest soldier became a zealot on the instant. _Al -templo! Adelante, adelante!_ rose like a new chorus, piercing the -battle's monotone. - -Cortes stood in his stirrups, and lo! the enemy, ranked close, like corn -in the full ear, yet outreaching his vision,--plumed, bannered, -brilliant, and terrible. - -"Close and steady, swords of the Church! What ye see is but grass for -the cutting. Yonder is the temple we seek. Follow me. _Adelante! Christo -y Santiago!_" - -So saying, he spurred in deep amongst the infidels. - - - - - CHAPTER IX. - - OVER THE WALL,--INTO THE PALACE. - - -The duty Hualpa had been charged with by the 'tzin was not difficult of -performance; for the bridges of the capital, even those along the -beautiful street, were much simpler structures than they appeared. When -he had seen the balustrades and flooring and the great timbers that -spanned the canal--the first one south of the old palace--torn from -their places, and hauled off by the canoemen whom he had collected for -the purpose, he returned to the temple to rejoin his master. - -The assault upon the palace, when he reached that point, was more -furious than at any previous time. The companies in the street were -fighting with marvellous courage, while the missiles from the _azoteas_ -and westward terraces of the temple, and all the houses around, -literally darkened the air. Amidst the clamor Hualpa caught at intervals -the cry,--"The 'tzin, the 'tzin!" He listened, and all the loyal -thousands seemed shouting, "The 'tzin, the 'tzin! _Al-a-lala!_" - -"Has anything befallen the 'tzin?" he asked of an acquaintance. - -"Yes, thanks to Huitzil'! He has broken one of Malinche's towers to -pieces, and killed everybody in it." - -Hualpa's love quickened suddenly. "Blessed be all the gods!" he cried, -and, passing on, ascended to the _azoteas_. It may have been the battle, -full of invocations, as battles always are; or it may have been that -Io', in full enjoyment of his command, and so earnest in its -performance, stimulated his ambition; or it may have been the influence -of his peculiar sorrow, the haunting memories of his love, and she, its -star, separated from him by so little,--something made him restless and -feverish. He talked with the caciques and priests; he clomb the turret, -and watched the smoke go softly up, and hide itself in the deeper blue -of the sky; with Io', he stood on the temple's verge, and witnessed the -fight, at times using bow and sling; but nothing brought him relief. The -opportunity he had so long desired was here calling him, and passing -away. O for an hour of liberty to enact himself! - -Unable to endure the excitement, he started in search of the 'tzin, -knowing that, wherever he was, there was action, if not opportunity. At -that moment he saw a cacique in the street plant a ladder against the -wall of the palace not far from the main gate. The Tlascalans defending -at that point tried to throw it off, but a shower of stones from the -terrace of the temple deluged them, and they disappeared. Up went the -cacique, up went his followers; they gained the crest; then the conflict -passed from Hualpa's view. - -"Io'," he said, "when the 'tzin comes back, tell him I have gone to make -a way for him through yon wall." - -"Have a care, comrade; have a care!" - -Hualpa put an arm around him, and replied, smiling, "There is one over -the wall now: if he fears not, shall I? And then,"--he whispered -low,--"Nenetzin will despise me if I come not soon." - -A dawning fell upon Io', and from that time he knew the power of love. - -"The gods go with you! Farewell." - -Hualpa set about his purpose deliberately. Near the door of the -presence-chamber there was a pile of trophies, shields, arms, and armor -of men and horses; he made some selections from the heap, and carried -them into the chamber. When he came out, under his _panache_ there was -a steel cap, and under his mantle a cuirass; and to some dead Spaniard -he was further beholden for a shield and battle-axe,--the latter so -called, notwithstanding it had a head like a hammer, and a handle of -steel pointed at the end and more than a yard in length. - -Thus prepared, he went down into the street, and forced his way to the -ladder planted near the gate; thence to the crest of the wall. A hundred -arrows splintered against his shield, as he looked down upon the combat -yet maintained by the brave cacique at the foot of the banquette. - -The wall, as I think I have elsewhere said, was built of blocks of -wrought stone, laid in cement only a little less hard than the stone, -and consequently impervious to any battery against its base; at the same -time, taken piece by piece from the top, its demolition was easy. Hualpa -paused not; between the blocks he drove the pointed handle of his axe: a -moment, and down fell the capping-stone; another followed, and another. -Alike indifferent to the arrows of the garrison and the acclamations of -the witnesses outside, looking neither here nor there, bending every -faculty to the task, he did in a few minutes what seemed impossible: -through a breach wide enough for the passage of a double sedan, foemen -within and without the wall saw each other. - -And there was hastening thither of detachments. Up the ladder and over -the wall leaped the devoted infidels, nothing deterred by waiting swords -and lances; striking or dying, they shouted, "The 'tzin, the 'tzin! -_Al-a-lala!_" Live or die, they strove to cover the steadfast workman in -the breach. - -De Olid, at the time in charge of the palace, drew nigh, attracted by -the increasing uproar. - -"Ye fools! Out on ye! See ye not that the dog is hiding behind a -Christian shield! Run, fly, bring a brace of arquebusiers! Bring the -reserve guns! Upon them, gentlemen! Swords and axes! The Mother for us -all! _Christo, Christo!_" - -And on foot, and in full armor, he pushed into the press; for, true to -his training, he saw that the laborer behind the shining shield was more -worthy instant notice than the hordes clambering over the wall. - -Still the breach widened and deepened, and every rock that tumbled from -its place contributed to the roadway forming on both sides of the wall -to facilitate the attack. But now the guns were coming, and the -arquebusiers made haste to plant their pieces, against which the good -shield might not defend. Suddenly Hualpa stood up, his surcoat whitened -with the dust of the mortar; without a word he descended to the street: -the work was done,--_a way for the 'tzin was ready_! Scarcely had he -touched the pavement before the guns opened; scarcely had the guns -opened before the gorge was crowded with infidels rushing in. The -palace, wanting the column absent with Cortes, was in danger. To the one -point every Christian was withdrawn; even the sick and wounded staggered -from the hospital to repel the attack. With all his gallantry, De Olid -was beaten slowly back to the house. Cursed he the infidels, prayed he -the return of Cortes,--still he went back. In the midst of his -perplexity, a messenger came to tell him the enemy was breaking through -the wall of the western front. - -Hualpa had not only made another breach,--De Olid found him inside the -enclosure, with a support already too strong for the Tlascalans. - -The fight the good captain was called to witness was that of native -against native; and, had the peril been less demanding, he would have -enjoyed its novelties. An astonishing rattle of shields and spears, -mixed with the clash of _maquahuitls_, and a deafening outcry from the -contending tribes saluted him. Over the fighting lines the air was -thick with stones and flying javelins and tossing banners. Quarter was -not once asked. The grim combatants engaged each other to conquer or -die. Hither and thither danced the priests, heedless of the danger, now -cursing the laggards, now blessing the brave. And at times so shrilly -blew the conchs that where they were nothing might be heard but the -shriller medley of war-cry answering war-cry. - -I doubt if the captain took other note of the fight than its menace to -the palace; and if he prayed the return of Cortes a little more -fervently than before, it was not from fear, or confusion of mind; for -straightway he appealed to that arm which had been the last and saving -resort of the Christians in many a former strait. Soon every disengaged -gun was in position before the western door of the palace, loaded full -of stones not larger than bird's-eggs, and trained, through the crowd, -upon the breach,--and afterwards there were those who charged that the -captain did not wait for all his Tlascalans to get out of the way. The -guns opened with united voices; palace and paved earth trembled; and the -smoke, returning upon the pieces, enveloped everything, insomuch that -the door of the house was not to be seen, nor was friend distinguishable -from enemy. - -If my reader has been in battle, he knows the effect of that fire too -well to require description of me; he can hear the cries of the wounded, -and see the ghastly wrecks on the pavement; he can see, too, the recoil -of the Aztecs, and the rush of the Tlascalans, savagely eager to follow -up their advantage. I leave the scene to his fancy, and choose rather to -go with a warrior who, availing himself of the shrouding of the smoke, -pushed through the throng behind the guns, and passed into the palace. -His steps were hurried, and he looked neither to the right nor left; -those whom he brushed out of the way had but time to see him pass, or to -catch an instant's view of a figure of motley appurtenances,--a -Christian shield and battle-axe, a close cap of steel, and the gleam of -a corselet under the colorless tatters of a surcoat of feather-work,--a -figure impossible to identify as friend or foe. The reader, however, -will recognize Hualpa coming out of the depths of the battle, but -going--whither? - -Once before, as may be remembered, he had been in the ancient -house,--the time when, in a fit of shame and remorse, he had come to lay -his lordship and castle at the king's feet; then he had entered by the -eastern portal, and passed to the royal presence under guidance: this -time his entry was from the west, and he was alone, and unacquainted -with the vast interior, its halls, passages, courts, and chambers. In -his first visit, moreover, peace had been the rule, and he could not go -amiss for friends: now the palace was a leaguered citadel, and he could -hardly go amiss for enemies. - -Whatever his purpose, he held boldly on. It is possible he counted on -the necessities of the battle requiring, as in fact they did, the -presence of every serviceable man of the garrison. The few he met passed -him in haste, and without question. He avoided the courts and occupied -rooms. In the heart of the building he was sensible that the walls and -very air vibrated to the roar without; and as the guns in the eastern -front answered those in the western, he was advised momentarily of the -direction in which he was proceeding, and that his friends still -maintained the combat. - -Directly three men passed clad in _nequen_; they were talking earnestly, -and scarcely noticed him; after them came another, very old, and -distinguished by a green _maxtlatl_ over his white tunic,--one of the -king's councillors. - -"Stay, uncle," said Hualpa, "stay; I have a question to ask you." - -The old man seemed startled. - -"Who are you?" he inquired. - -Hualpa did not appear to hear him, but asked, "Is not the princess -Nenetzin with the king, her father?" - -"Follow this hall to its end," replied the ancient, coldly. "She is -there, but not with the king, her father. Who is he," he continued, -after a pause,--"who is he that asks for the false princess?" - -With a groan Hualpa passed on. - -The hall ended in a small _patio_, which, at sight, declared itself a -retreat for love. The walls were finished with a confusion of arabesque -moulding, brilliantly and variously colored; the tracery around the open -doors and windows was a marvel of the art; there were flowers on the -floor, and in curious stands, urns, and swinging baskets; there were -also delicate vines, and tropical trees dwarfed for the place, amongst -which one full grown banana lifted its long branches of velvet green, -and seemed to temper the light with dewy coolness; in the centre, there -was a dead fountain. Indeed, the patio could have been but for the one -purpose. Here, walled in from the cares of empire, where only the day -was bold enough to come unbidden, the wise Axaya' and his less fortunate -successors, Tecociatzin and Avizotl, forgot their state, and drank their -cups of love, and were as other men. - -All the beauty of the place, however, was lost on Hualpa. He saw only -Nenetzin. She was sitting, at the time, in a low sedilium, her white -garments faintly tinted by the scarlet stripes of a canopy extended high -overhead, to protect her from the too ardent sun. - -At the sound of his sandals, she started; and as he approached her, she -arose in alarm. In sooth, his toilette was not that most affected for -the wooing of women; he brought with him the odor of battle; and as he -knelt but a little way from her, she saw there was blood upon his hands, -and upon the axe and shield he laid beside him. - -"Who are you?" she asked. - -He took off the steel cap and shapeless _panache_, and looked up in her -face. - -"The lord Hualpa!" she exclaimed. Then a thought flashed upon her -mind, and with terror in every feature, she cried, "Ah, you have -taken the palace! And the _Tonatiah_?"--she clasped her hands -despairingly,--"dead? a captive? Where is he? I will save him. Take me -to him." - -At these words, the uncertain expression with which he had looked up to -her upon baring his head changed to utter hopelessness. The hurried -sentences tore his heart, like talons. For this he had come to her -through so much peril! For this he was then braving death at her feet! -His head sunk upon his breast, and he said,-- - -"The palace is not ours. The _Tonatiah_ yet lives, and is free." - -With a sigh of relief, she resumed her seat, asking,-- - -"How came you here?" - -He answered without raising his eyes, "The keepers of the palace are -strong; they can stay the thousands, but they could not keep me out." - -The face of the listener softened; she saw his love, and all his -heroism, but said, coldly,-- - -"I have heard that wise men do such things only of necessity." - -"I do not pretend to wisdom," he replied. "Had I been wise, I would not -have loved you. Since our parting at Chapultepec, where I was so happy, -I have thought you might be a prisoner here, and in my dreams I have -heard you call me. And a little while ago, on the temple, I said to Io', -'Nenetzin will despise me, if I come not soon.' Tell me, O Nenetzin, -that you are a prisoner, and I will take you away. Tell me that the -stories told of you on the streets are not true, and--" - -"What stories?" she asked. - -"Alas, that it should be mine to tell them! And to you, Nenetzin, my -beautiful!" - -With a strong effort, he put down the feeling, and went on,-- - -"There be those who say that the good king, your father, is in this -prison by your betrayal; they say, too, that you are the keeper of a -shrine unknown to the gods of Anahuac; and yet more shamelessly, they -say you abide here with the _Tonatiah_, unmindful of honor, father, or -gods known or unknown. Tell me, O Nenetzin, tell me, I pray you, that -these are the tales of liars. If you cannot be mine, at least let me go -hence with cause to think you in purity like the snow on the mountain -top. My heart is at your feet,--O crush me not utterly!" - -Thereupon, she arose, with flushed face and flashing eyes, never so -proud, never so womanly. - -"Lord Hualpa, were you more or less to me than you are, I would make -outcry, and have you sent to death. You cannot understand me; yet I will -answer--because of the love which brought you here, I will answer." - -She went into a chamber, and returning, held up the iron cross, more -precious to her, I fear, as the gift of Alvarado than as the symbol of -Christ. - -"Look, lord Hualpa! This speaks to me of a religion better than that -practised in the temples, and of a God mightier than all those known in -Anahuac,--a God whom it is useless to resist, who may not be -resisted,--the only God. There, in my chamber, is an altar to Him, upon -which rests only this cross and such flowers as I can gather here in the -morning; that is the shrine of which you have heard upon the street. I -worship at no other. As to the king, I did come and tell the strangers -of the attack he ordered. Lord Hualpa, to me, as is the destiny of every -woman, the hour came to choose between love and father. I could not -else. What harm has come of my choice? Is not the king safe?" - -At that moment, the noise which had all the time been heard in the -_patio_, as of a battle up in the air, swelled trebly loud. The tendrils -of the vines shook; the floor trembled. - -"Hark!" she said, with an expression of dread. "Is he not safer than -that other for whom I forsook him? Yet I thought to save them both; and -saved they shall be!" she added, with a confident smile. "The God I -worship can save them, and He will." - -Then she became silent; and as he could tell by her face that she was -struggling with a painful thought, he waited, listening intently. At -length she spoke, this time with downcast eyes:-- - -"It would be very pleasant, O Hualpa, to have you go away thinking me -pure as snow on the mountain-top. And if--if I am not,--then in this -cross"--and she kissed the symbol tearfully--"there is safety for me. I -know there is a love that can purify all things." - -The sensibilities are not alike in all persons; but it is not true, as -some philosophers think, that infidels, merely because they are such, -are incapable of either great joy or great grief. The mother of El Chico -reviled him because he took his last look at Granada through tears; not -less poignant was the sorrow of Hualpa, looking at his love, by her own -confession lost to him forever; his head drooped, and he settled down -and fell forward upon his face, crushed by the breath of a woman,--he -whom a hundred shields had not sufficed to stay! - -For a time nothing was heard in the _patio_ but the battle. Nenetzin -stirred not; she was in the mood superinduced by pity and remorse, when -the mind merges itself in the heart, and is lost in excess of feeling. - -At length the spell was broken. A woman rushed in, clapping her hands -joyfully, and crying,-- - -"Be glad, be glad, O Nenetzin! Malinche has come back, and we are -saved!" - -And more the Dona Marina would have said, but her eyes fell upon the -fallen man, and she stopped. - -Nenetzin told his story,--the story women never tire of hearing. - -"If he stays here, he dies," said Marina, weeping. - -"He shall not die. I will save him too," said Nenetzin, and she went to -him, and took his hands, bloody as they were, and, by gentle words, woke -him from his stupor. Mechanically he took his cap, shield, and mace, and -followed her,--he knew not whither. - -And she paused not until he was safely delivered to Maxtla, in the -quarters occupied by the king. - - - - - CHAPTER X. - - THE WAY THROUGH THE WALL. - - -"Al templo, _al templo_! to the temple!" shouted Cortes, as he charged -the close ranks of the enemy. - -"_Al templo!_" answered the cavaliers, plunging forward in chivalric -rivalry. - -And from the column behind them rolled the hoarse echo, with the words -of command superadded,-- - -"_Al templo! Adelante, adelante!_--forward!" - -Not a Spaniard there but felt the inspiration of the cry; felt himself a -soldier of Christ, marching to a battle of the gods, the true against -the false; yet the way was hard, harder than ever; so much so, indeed, -that the noon came before Cortes at last spurred into the space in -front of the old palace. - -The first object to claim attention there was the temple against which -the bigotry of the Christians had been so suddenly and shrewdly -directed,--shrewdly, because in the glory of its conquest the failure of -the _mantas_ was certain to be forgotten. In such intervals of the fight -as he could snatch, the leader measured the pile with a view to the -attack. Standing in his stirrups, he traced out the path to its summit, -beginning at the gate of the _coatapantli_, then up the broad stairs, -and around the four terraces to the _azoteas_,--a distance of nearly a -mile, the whole crowded with warriors, whose splendid regalia published -them lords and men of note, in arms to die, if need be, for glory and -the gods. As he looked, Sandoval rode to him. - -"Turn thine eyes hither, Senor,--to the palace, the palace!" - -Cortes dropped back into his saddle, and glanced that way. - -"By the Mother of Christ, they have broken through the wall!" - -He checked his horse. - -"Escobar," he said, calmly, through his half-raised visor, "take thou -one hundred men, the last in the column, and attack the temple. Hearest -thou? Kill all thou findest! Nay, I recollect it is a people with two -heads, of which I have but one. Bring me the other, if thou canst find -him. I mean the butcher they call the high priest. And more, Senor -Alonzo: when thou hast taken the idolatrous mountain, burn the towers, -and fear not to tumble the bloody gods into the square. Thy battle will -be glorious. On thy side God, the Son, and Mother! Thou canst not fail." - -"And thou, Olea," he added to another, "get thee down the street, and -hasten Mesa and his supports. Tell them the infidels are at the door of -the palace, and that the captain Christobal hath scarce room to lift his -axe. And further,--as speed is everything now,--bid Ordas out with the -gun, and fire the _manta_, which hath done its work. Spare not thy -horse!" - -With the last word, Cortes shut his visor, and, griping his axe, spurred -to the front, shouting,-- - -"To the palace, gentlemen! for love of Christ and good comrades. Rescue, -rescue!" - -Down the column sped the word,--then forward resistlessly, through the -embattled gate, into the enclosure; and none too soon, for, as Cortes -had said, though at the time witless of the truth, the Aztecs were -threatening the very doors of the palace. - -Escobar, elated with the task assigned him, arranged his men, and made -ready for the assault. The infidels beheld his preparation with -astonishment. All eyes, theretofore bent upon the conflict in the palace -yard, now fixed upon the little band so boldly proposing to scale the -sacred heights. A cry came up the street: "The 'tzin, the 'tzin!" then -the 'tzin himself came; and as he passed through the gate of the -_coatapantli_, the thousands recognized him, and breathed freely. "The -'tzin has come! The gods are safe!" so they cheered each other. - -The good captain led his men to the gate of the _coatapantli_. With -difficulty he gained entrance. As if to madden the infidels, already -fired by a zeal as great as his own, the dismal thunder of the great -drum of Huitzil' rolled down from the temple, overwhelming all other -sounds. Slowly he penetrated the enclosure; closely his command followed -him; yet not all of them; before he reached the stairway he was fighting -for, the hundred were but ninety. - -Twenty minutes,--thirty: at last Escobar set his foot on the first step -of the ascent. There he stopped; a shield of iron clashed against his; -his helmet rang with a deadly blow. When he saw light again, he was -outside the sacred wall, borne away by his retreating countrymen, of -whom not one re-entered the palace unwounded. - -Cortes, meantime, with sword and axe, cleared the palace of assailants; -and, as if the day's work were done, he prepared to dismount. Don -Christobal, holding his stirrup, said,-- - -"_Cierto, Senor_, thou art welcome. I do indeed kiss thy hand. I thank -thee." - -"Not so, captain, not so. By my conscience, we are the debtors! I will -hear nothing else. It is true we came not a moment too soon,"--he -glanced at the breach in the wall, and shook his head gravely,--"but--I -speak what may not be gainsaid--thou hast saved the palace." - -More he would have said in the same strain, but that a sentinel on the -roof cried out,-- - -"_Ola, Senores!_" - -"What wouldst thou?" asked Cortes, quickly. - -"I am an old soldier, Senor Hernan,--" - -"To the purpose, varlet, to the purpose!" - -"--whom much experience hath taught not to express himself hastily; -therefore, if thy orders were well done, Senor, whither would our -comrades over the way be going?" - -"To the top of the temple," said Cortes, gravely, while all around him -laughed. - -"Then I may say safely, Senor, that they will go round the world before -they arrive there. They come this way fast as men can who have to--" - -A long, exulting cry from the infidels cut the speech short; and the -party, turning to the temple, saw it alive with waving sashes and -tossing shields. - -"To horse, gentlemen!" said Cortes, quietly, but with flashing eyes. -"Satan hath ruled yon pile long enough. I will now tilt with him. Let -the trumpets be sounded! Muster the army! God's service hath become our -necessity. Haste ye!" - -Out of the gate, opened to receive Escobar and his bruised followers, -marched three hundred chosen Christians, with as many thousand -Tlascalans. In their midst went Olmedo, under his gown a suit of armor, -in his hand a lance, and on that a brazen crucifix. Other ensign there -was not. Cortes and his cavalry led the column, which was of all the -arms except artillery; that remained with De Olid to take care of the -palace. - -And never was precaution more timely; for hardly had the gate closed -upon the outgoers, before the good captain sent his garrison to the -walls, once more menaced by the infidels. - -The preparations of Escobar, as we have seen, had been under Io's view; -so the prince, divining the object, drew after him a strong support, and -hastened to keep the advantage of the stairways. On one of the eastern -terraces he met the 'tzin ascending. There was hurried salutation -between them. - -"Look you for Hualpa?" asked Io', observing the 'tzin search the company -inquiringly. - -"Yes. He should be here." - -The boy's face and voice fell. - -"I would he were, good 'tzin. He left me on the _azoteas_. With the look -of one who had devoted himself, he embraced me. His last words were, -'Tell the 'tzin I have gone to make for him a way into the palace.'" And -thereupon Io' told the story through, simply and sorrowfully; at the end -the listener kissed him, and said,-- - -"I will find the way he made for me." - -There was a silence, very brief, however, for a burst of yells from -below warned them of the fight begun. Then the 'tzin, recalled to -himself, gave orders. - -"Care of the gods is mine now. Leave me these friends and go, and with -the people at command, bring stones and timbers, all you find, and heap -them ready for use on the terraces at the head of each stairway. Go -quickly, so may you earn the double blessing of Huitzil' and Tezca'!" - -In a little time the 'tzin stood upon the last step of the lowest -stairway; nor did he lift hand until Escobar, half spent with exertion, -confronted him shield to shield. The result has been told. - -And then were shown the qualities which, as a fighting man, raised the -'tzin above rivalry amongst his people. The axe in his hand was but -another form of the _maquahuitl_; and that his shield was of the -Christian style mattered not,--he was its perfect master. With a joyous -cry, he rushed upon the arms outstretched to save the fallen captain; -played his shield like a shifting mirror; rose and fell the axe, now in -feint, now in foil, but always in circles swifter than eye could follow; -striking a victim but once, he amazed and dazzled the Spaniards, as in -the Moorish wars El Zagel, the Moor, amazed and dazzled their fathers. -Nor did he want support. His followers, inspired by his example, -struggled to keep pace with him. On the flanks poured the masses of his -countrymen, in blind fury, content if, with their naked hands, they -could clutch the weapons that slew them. Such valor was not to be -resisted by the lessening band of Christians, who yielded, at first inch -by inch, then step by step; at length, in disorder, almost in rout, they -were driven from the sacred enclosure. - -The victory was decided; the temple was safe, and the insult punished! -The air shook with the deep music of the drum; in the streets the -companies yelled as if drunk; the temple was beautiful with waving -sashes and tossing shields and banners; and on the _azoteas_ of the -great pile, in presence of the people, the priests appeared and danced -their dance of triumph,--a horrible saturnalia. The fight had been a -trial of power between the gods Christian and Aztec, and lo, Huitzil' -was master! - -The 'tzin felt the sweetness of the victory, and his breast filled with -heroic impulses. Standing in the gate of the _coatapantli_, he saw the -breach Hualpa had made in the wall enclosing the palace, noticed that -the ascent to the base of the gorge was easy, and the gorge itself now -wide enough to admit of the passage of several men side by side. The -temptation was strong, the possibilities alluring, and he fixed his -purpose. - -"It is the way he made for me, and I will tread it. Help me, O God of my -fathers!" - -So he resolved, so he prayed. - -And forthwith messengers ran to the chiefs on the four sides of the -palace with orders for them to pass the wall. From the dead Spaniards -the armor was stript, and arms taken; and the robbers, fourteen -caciques, men notable for skill and courage, stood up under cuirass, and -helm or morion, and with pike and battle-axe of Christian manufacture, -covered, nevertheless, with pagan trappings. - -Still standing in the gateway, the 'tzin saw the companies in the street -begin the assault. Swelled their war-cries as never before, for the -inspiration of the victory was upon them also; rattled the tambours, -brayed the conchs, danced the priests, and from the temple and housetops -poured the missiles in a darkening cloud. Within his view a hundred -ladders were planted, and crowded with eager climbers. At the gorge of -the breach men struggled with each other to make the passage first. He -called a messenger:-- - -"Take this ring to the prince Io'," he said. "Tell him the house of the -gods is once more in his care." Then to his chosen caciques he turned, -saying,--"Follow me, O countrymen!" - -With that, he walked swiftly to the breach; calm, collected, watchful, -silent, he walked. His companions shouted his war-cry. From mouth to -mouth it passed, thrilling and inspiring,-- - -"Up, up, Tlateloco! Up, up, over the wall! The 'tzin is with us!" - -Meantime the beseiged were not idle; over the crest of the parapet the -Tlascalans fought successfully; through the ports and embrasures the -Christians kept up their fire of guns great and small. Nevertheless, to -the breach the 'tzin went without stopping. - -"Clear the way!" he cried. - -The guns within made answer; a shower of blood drenched him from head to -foot. Except of the dead, the way was clear! A rush through the slippery -gorge,--a shout,--and he was inside the enclosure, backed by his -caciques. And as he went in, Cortes passed out, marching to storm the -temple. - -No doubt or hesitation on the 'tzin's part now; no looking about, -uncertain what to do, while bowmen and gunners made a mark of him. He -spoke to his supporters, and with them faced to the right, and cleared -the banquette of Tlascalans. Over the wall, thus cleared, and through -the breach leaped his people; and as they came, the iron shields covered -them, and they multiplied rapidly. - -About eight hundred Spaniards, chiefly Narvaez' men, defended the -palace. They fought, but not with the spirit of the veterans, and were -pushed slowly backward. As they retired, wider grew the space of -undefended wall; like waves over a ship's side, in poured the companies; -the Aztecs fell by scores, yet they increased by hundreds. - -Again the sick and wounded staggered from their quarters; again De Olid -brought his reserves into action; again the volleys shook the palace, -and wrapped it in curtains of smoke, whiter and softer than bridal -veils: still the infidels continued to master the walls and the space -within. By and by the gates fell into their hands; and then, indeed, all -seemed lost to the Christians. - -The stout heart of the good Captain Christobal was well tempered for the -trial. To the windows and lesser entrances of the buildings he sent -guards, stationing them inside; then, in front of the four great doors, -he drew his men back, and fought on, so that the palace was literally -girt with a belt of battle. - -An hour like that I write of seems a long time to a combatant; on this -occasion, however, one there was, not a combatant, to whom, possibly, -the time seemed much longer. In his darkened chamber sat the king, -neither speaking nor spoken to, though surrounded by his court. He must -have heard the cries of his people; knowing them so near, in fancy, at -least, he must have seen their heroism and slaughter. Had he no thought -in sympathy with them? no prayer for their success? no hope for himself -even? Who may answer?--so many there are dead in the midst of life. - -At length the 'tzin became weary of the mode of attack, which, after -all, was but a series of hand-to-hand combats along lengthened lines, -that might last till night, or, indeed, as long as there were men to -fill the places of the fallen. To the companies crowding the conquered -space before the eastern front of the palace, he passed an order: a -simultaneous forward movement from the rear took place; the intervals -between the ranks were closed up; a moment of fusion,--a pressure; then -a welding together of the whole mass followed. After that words may not -convey the scene. The unfortunates who happened to be engaged were first -pushed, then driven, and finally shot forward, like dead weights. -Useless all skill, useless strength; the opposite lines met; blood flew -as from a hundred fountains; men, impaled on opposing weapons, died, -nailed together face to face. As the only chance for life, very many -fell down, and were smothered. - -The defenders broke in an instant. Back, back they went,--back to the -guns, which, for a time, served as breakwaters to the wave; then past -the guns, almost to the wall, forced there by the awful impetus of the -rush. - -The truly great leaders of men are those who, invoking storms, stand out -and brave them when they come. Such was Guatamozin. The surge I have so -faintly described caught him foremost in the fighting line of his -people, and flung him upon his antagonists. With his shield he broke the -force of the collision; the cuirass saved him from their points; close -wedged amongst them, they could not strike him. Tossed like so much -drift, backward they went, forward he. Numbers of them fell and -disappeared. When, at last, the impetus of the movement was nigh spent, -he found himself close by the principal door of the palace. But one man -stood before him,--a warrior with _maquahuitl_ lifted to strike. The -'tzin raised his shield, and caught the blow; then, upon his knee, he -looked up, and saw the face, and heard the exulting yell, of--Iztlil', -the Tezcucan! Whirled the weapon again. The noble Aztec summoned all his -spirit; death glared upon him through the burning eyes of his hated -rival; up, clear to vision, rose all dearest things,--gods, country, -glory, love. Suddenly the raised arm fell; down dropped the -_maquahuitl_; and upon the shield down dropped Iztlil' himself, carrying -the 'tzin with him. - -The Tezcucan seemed dead. - -A friendly hand helped the 'tzin to his feet. He was conscious, as he -arose, of a strange calm in the air; the clamor and furious stir of the -combat were dying away; he stood in the midst of enemies, but they were -still, and did not even look at him. A shield not his own covered his -breast; he turned, and lo! the face of Hualpa! - -"Whence came you?" asked the 'tzin. - -"From the palace." - -"Thanks--" - -"Not now, not now," said Hualpa, in a low voice. "The gods who permitted -me to save you, O 'tzin, have not been able to save themselves. Look! to -the temple!" - -His eyes followed Hualpa's directing finger, and the same astonishment -that held his enemies motionless around him, the same horror that, in -the full tide of successful battle, had so instantly stayed his -countrymen, seized him also. He stood transfixed,--a man turned to -stone! - -The towers of the temple were in flames; and, yet more awful, the image -of Huitzil', rolled to the verge of the _azoteas_, was tottering to its -fall! A thousand hands were held up instinctively,--a groan,--a long -cry,--and down the stairway and terraces, grinding and crashing, -thundered the idol. Tezca' followed after, and the sacrificial stone; -then the religion of the Aztecs was ended forever. - -As if to assure the great fact, when next the spectators raised their -eyes to the _azoteas_, lo! Olmedo and his crucifix! The faithful servant -of Christ had performed his mission; he had burst the last gate, and -gained the last mountain in the way; and now, with bared head, and face -radiant with sublime emotion, he raised the symbol of salvation high up -in view of all the tribes, and, in the name of his Master, and for his -Master's Church, forever, by that simple ceremony, took possession of -the New World. - -And marvellous to relate further, the tribes, awed if not conquered, -bowed their heads in peace. Even the companies in the palace-yard -marched out over their dead, and gave up the victory so nearly won. -Guatamozin and Hualpa followed them, but with their faces to the foe. -Needless the defiance: as they went, not a word was spoken, not a hand -lifted. For the time, all was peace. - - - - - CHAPTER XI. - - BATTLE IN THE AIR. - - -As Cortes, at the head of his column, drew near the gate of the -_coatapantli_, he saw the inclosure and the terraces on that side of the -temple occupied by warriors, and the edge of the azoteas above lined -with _pabas_, chanting in dismal harmony with the deep music of the -great drum. Ensigns and symbols of unknown meaning, and rich regalia -pranked the dull gray faces of the pile with holiday splendors. Little -note, however, gave he to the beautiful effect. - -"God helping us," he said to his cavaliers,--and with such gravity that -they knew him unusually impressed with the task before them,--"God -helping us, gentlemen, we will do a deed now that hath no likeness in -the wars of men. Commend we ourselves each, and all who follow us, to -the holy Christ, who cometh yonder on the staff of Father Olmedo." - -So saying, he reversed his sword, and carried the crossed handle softly -and reverently to the bars of his helmet, and all who heard him did -likewise. - -In front of the gate, under a shower of arrows, he stopped to adjust the -armlets of his shield, for his hand was yet sore; then, settling in his -saddle again, he spurred his horse through the entrance into the -enclosure. - -Right into the mass waiting to receive him he broke, and whom his sword -left untouched the trained steed bore down. After him charged the -choicest spirits of the conquest, animated with generous rivalry and -the sublime idea that this time the fight was for God and His Church. -And so, with every thrust of sword and every plunge of horse, out rang -their cries. - -"On, on, for love of Christ! Death to the infidels! Down with the false -gods!" - -On the side of the infidels there was no yielding, for the ground was -holy ground to them. When their frail weapons were broken, they flung -themselves empty-handed upon the nearest rider, or under the horses, -and, dying even, tried to hold fast locked the hoofs that beat them to -death. In their aid, the pavement became heaped with bodies, and so -slippery with blood that a number of the horses fell down; and, in such -cases, if the rescue came not quickly they and their riders were lost. -Indeed, so much did this peril increase that Cortes, when his footmen -were fairly in the yard, dismounted the horsemen the better to wage the -fight. - -At length resistance ceased: the inclosure was won. The marble floor -bore awful evidences of the prowess of one party and the desperation of -the other. - -The Christians took up their wounded, and carried them tenderly to the -shade, for the sun blazed down from the cloudless sky. - -Around Cortes gathered the captains, resting themselves. - -"The Tlascalans must hold the yard," he said, well pleased, and with -raised visor. "That charge I commit to thee, Lugo." - -Lugo bared his face, and said, sullenly,-- - -"Thou knowest, Senor, that I am accustomed to obey thee questionless; -but this liketh me not. I--" - -"By the love of Christ--" - -"Even so, Senor," said Lugo, interrupting him in turn. "I feel bidden by -love of Christ to go up, and help cast down the accursed idols." - -The face of the crafty leader changed quickly. - -"_Ola_, father!" he said. "Here is one malcontent, because I would have -him stay and take care of us while we climb the stairways. What say'st -thou?" - -Olmedo answered solemnly, "What ye have in mind now, Senores,--the -disgrace of the false gods who abide in this temple of abominations,--is -what hath led us here. And now that the end is at hand, the least -circumstance is to be noted; for the wise hear God as often in the small -voice as in the thunder. Doubt not, doubt not; the prompting of the good -captain is from Him. Be this lower duty to the unassoilzied Tlascalans: -go we as the love of Christ calleth. Verily, he who doeth this work -well, though his sins be many as the sands of the sea, yet shall he -become as purity itself, and be blessed forever. Take thy measures -quickly, Senor, and let us be gone." - -"Amen, amen!" said the cavaliers; and Cortes, crossing himself, hastened -in person to make dispositions for the further emprise. - -The Tlascalans he set to hold the _coatapantli_ from attack without. To -the arquebusiers and cross-bowmen he gave orders to cover him with their -fire while he climbed the stairways and was driving the enemy around the -terraces. When the _azoteas_ was gained, they were to ascend, and take -part in the crowning struggle for the sanctuaries. The cavalry, already -dismounted, were to go with him in the assault. To the latter, upon -rejoining them, he said,-- - -"In my judgment, gentlemen, the fighting we go to now is of the kind -wherein the sword is better than axe or lance; therefore, put away all -else." - -He took place at the head, with Alvarado and Sandoval next him in the -column. - -"And thou, father?" he asked. - -Olmedo raised his crucifix, and, looking up, said,-- - -"_Hagase tu voluntad en la tierra asi como en el cielo._"[49] Then to -Cortes, "I will follow these, my children." - -"Forward, then! Christ with us, and all the saints!" cried Cortes. -"_Adelante! Christo y Santiago!_" - -In a moment they were swiftly climbing the lower stair way of the -temple. - -Meantime Io', from the _azoteas_, kept watch on the combats below. Two -figures charmed his gaze,--that of Cortes and that of the 'tzin,--both, -in their separate ways, moving forward slowly but certainly. Before he -thought of descending, the Christians were in the precinct of the -_coatapantli_, and after them streamed the long line of Tlascalans. - -As we have seen, the prince had been in battles, and more than once felt -the joyous frenzy nowhere else to be found; but now a dread fell upon -him. Did Malinche's dream of conquest reach the gods? Again and again he -turned to the sanctuaries, but the divine wrath came not forth,--only -the sonorous throbs of the drum. Once he went into the presence chamber, -which was full of kneeling _pabas_. The _teotuctli_ stood before the -altar praying. Io' joined in the invocation; but miracle there was not, -neither was there help; for when he came out, all the yard around the -temple was Malinche's. - -Then Io' comprehended that this attack, unlike Escobar's, was of method; -for the ways of succor, which were also those of retreat, were all -closed. The supreme trial had come early in his career. His spirit -arose; he saw himself the stay of the religion of his fathers; the gods -leaned upon him. On the roof and terraces were some two thousand -warriors, the fighting children of the valley: Tezcucans, with countless -glorious memories to sustain their native pride; Cholulans, eager to -avenge the sack of their city and the massacre of their countrymen; -Aztecs, full of the superiority of race, and the inspiration of ages of -empire. They would fight to the last man. He could trust them, as the -'tzin had trusted him. The struggle, moreover, besides being of special -interest on account of its religious character, would be in mid-air, -with the strangers and all the tribes and companies as witnesses. So, -with his caciques, he went down to the landing at the top of the lower -stairway. - -A yell saluted Cortes when, at the head of the cavaliers, he appeared on -the steps, and, sword in hand and shield overhead, commenced the -perilous ascent. At the same time javelins and spears began to rain upon -the party from the first terrace. Up they hurried. Half the height was -gained and not a man hurt,--not a foot delayed! Then, slowly at first, -but with longer leaps and increasing force, a block of stone was started -down the stairs. Fortunately, the steps were broad, having been built -for the accommodation of processions. Down sped a warning cry; down as -swiftly plunged the danger. Olmedo saw three figures of men in iron -follow it headlong to the bottom; fast they fell, but not too fast for -his words of absolution; before the victims touched the pavement, their -sins were forgiven, and their souls at rest in Paradise. - -The stones and timbers placed on the landing by the 'tzin's order were -now laid hold of, and rolled and dragged to the steps and hurled down. -Thus ten Christians more were slain. Even Cortes, deeming escape -impossible, turned his battle-cry into a prayer, and not in vain! From -below, the arquebusiers and cross-bowmen suddenly opened fire, which -they kept so close that, on the landing, the dead and wounded speedily -outnumbered the living. - -"The saints are with us! Forward, swords of the Church!" cried Cortes. - -Before the infidels recovered from their panic, he passed the last step, -and stood upon the terrace. And there, first in front of him, first to -meet him, was Io', whom pride and zeal would not permit to retire. - -The meeting--combat it can hardly be called--was very brief. The blades -of Io's _maquahuitl_ broke at the first blow. Cortes replied with a -thrust of the sword,--quick, but true, riving both the shield and the -arm. A cacique dragged the hapless boy out of reach of the second -thrust, and took his place before the conqueror. - -The terrace so hardly gained was smoothly paved, and wide enough for ten -men to securely walk abreast; on the outer side there was no railing or -guard of any kind, nothing but a descent of such height as to make a -fall certainly fatal. Four times the smooth, foot-worn pavement extended -around the temple, broken in its course by six grand stairways, the last -of which landed on the _azoteas_, one hundred and fifty feet above the -level of the street. Such was the highway of the gods, up which the -adventurous Christians essayed to march, fighting. - -"To my side, Sandoval! And ye, Alvarado, Morla, Lugo, Ordas, Duero,--to -my side!" said Cortes, defending himself the while. "Make with me a line -of shields across the way. Let me hear your voices. No battle-cry here -but Christ and St. James! When ye are ready, shout, that I may hear ye!" - -One by one the brave gentlemen took their places; then rose the cry, -"_Christo y Santiago! Christo y Santiago!_" - -And then the voice of Cortes,-- - -"Forward, my friends! Push the dogs! No quarter! _Christo y Santiago!_" - -Behind the line of shields moved the other cavaliers, eager to help when -help should be needed. - -And then were shown the excellences of the sword in a master's hand. The -best shields of the infidels could not bar its point; it overcame -resistance so quietly that men fell, wounded, or slain outright, before -they thought themselves in danger; it won the terrace, and so rapidly -that the Christians were themselves astonished. - -"_Ola, companeros!_" said Cortes, who in the fiercest _melee_ was still -the watchful captain. "_Ola!_ Yonder riseth the second stairway. That -the heathen may not use the vantage against us, keep we close to this -pack. On their heels! Closer!" - -So they mounted the steps of the second stairway, fighting; and the -crowd which they kept between them and the enemy on the landing was a -better cover even than the fire of the bowmen and arquebusiers. And so -the terraces were all taken. Of the eight other Christians who fell -under the stones and logs rolled upon them from the heights above, two -lived long enough to be shrived by the faithful Olmedo. - -The _azoteas_ of the temple has been already described as a broad, paved -area, unobstructed except by the sacrificial stones and the sanctuaries -of Huitzil' and Tezca'. A more dreadful place for battle cannot be -imagined. The coming and going of worshippers, singly or in processions, -and of barefooted pabas, to whom the dizzy height was all the world, had -worn its surface smooth as furbished iron. If, as the combat rolled -slowly around the terraces, rising higher, and nearer the chiefs and -warriors on the summit,--if, in faintness of heart or hope, they looked -for a way of escape, the sky and the remote horizon were all they saw: -escape was impossible. - -With many others disabled by wounds, Io' ascended to the _azoteas_ in -advance of the fight; not in despair, but as the faithful might, never -doubting that, when the human effort failed, Huitzil', the Omnipotent, -would defend himself. He passed through the ranks, and with brave words -encouraged the common resolve to conquer or die. Stopping upon the -western verge, he looked down upon the palace, and lo! there was a rest -in the assault, except where the 'tzin fought, with his back to the -temple; and the thousands were standing still, their faces -upturned,--each where the strange truce found him,--to behold the hunted -gods in some majestic form at last assert their divinity. So Io' knew, -by the whisperings of his own faith. - -Again he turned prayerfully to the sanctuaries. At that instant Cortes -mounted the last step of the last stairway,--after him the line of -shields, and all the cavaliers,--after them again, Olmedo with his -crucifix! Then was wrought an effect, simple enough of itself, but so -timely that the good man--forgetful that the image of Christ dead on the -cross is nothing without the story of his perfect love and sorrowful -death--found believers when he afterwards proclaimed it a miracle. He -held the sacred effigy up to be seen by all the infidels; they gazed at -it as at a god unfriendly to their gods, and waited in awe for the -beginning of a struggle between the divine rivals; and while they -waited, Cortes and his cavaliers perfected their formation upon the -_azoteas_, and the bowmen and arquebusiers began to climb the second -stairway of the ascent. The moment of advantage was lost to the Aztecs, -and they paid the penalty. - -Io' waited with the rest; from crucifix to sanctuary, and sanctuary to -crucifix, he turned; yet the gods nursed their power. At last he awoke; -too late! there was no escape. Help of man was not possible, and the -gods seemed to have abandoned him. - -"Tezcuco! Cholula! Tenochtitlan! Up, up, Tlateloco, up!" - -Over the azoteas his words rang piercing clear, and through the ranks -towards the Christians he rushed. The binding of the spell was broken. -Shook the banners, pealed war-cry, conch, and atabal,--and the battle -was joined. - -"Hold fast until our brethren come; then shall our swords drink their -fill! _Christo y Santiago!_" - -Never was the voice of Cortes more confident. - -Need, nevertheless, had the cavaliers for all their strength and skill, -even the nicest cunning of fence and thrust. Every joint of their -harness was searched by javelin and spear, and the clang of -_maquahuitls_ against the faces of their shields was as the noise of a -thousand _armeros_ at work. The line swayed and bent before the surge, -now yielding, now recovering, at times ready to break, and then--death -awaited them all on the terraces below. For life they plied their -swords,--no, not for life alone; behind them to and fro strode Olmedo. - -"Strike, and spare not!" he cried. "Lo, the gates of hell yonder, but -they shall not prevail. Strike for Holy Church, whose swords ye are! For -Holy Cross, and room to worship above the Baals of heathendom! For glory -here, and eternal life hereafter!" - -So he cried as he strode; and the crucifix on his lance and the saintly -words on his lips were better than trumpets, better than a hundred Cids -in reserve. - -The great drum, which had been for a while silent, at this juncture -burst out again; and still more to inflame the infidels, forth from the -sanctuaries the pabas poured, and dispersed themselves, leaping, -dancing, singing, through the ranks. Doubtless they answered the -Christian priest, promise for promise, and with even greater effect; the -calm and self-possessed among their people became zealots, and the -zealots became frantic madmen. - -At last the bowmen and arquebusiers appeared upon the scene. When Cortes -saw them,--their line formed, matches lighted, bows drawn,--he drew out -of the combat to give them directions. - -"_Viva companeros!_" he said, with a vivacity peculiar to himself, "I -bid ye welcome. The temple and its keepers are ours. We with swords will -now go forward. Keep ye the stairway, and take care of our flanks. Ply -your bolts,--ply them fast,--and spare not a cur in the kennel!" - -They made no answer, spake not a word. Stolidly, grimly they gazed at -him under their morions; they knew their duty, and he knew them. Once -more he turned to the fight. - -"To the sanctuaries!" he shouted, to the cavaliers. "We have come for -the false gods: let us at them. Charge, gentlemen, Christ with us! -Forward all!" - -Back came their response, "Forward! _Christo y Santiago!_" - -They advanced their shields suddenly; the play of their swords -redoubled; the weapons in front of them splintered like reeds; war-cries -half uttered turned to screams; under foot blood ran like water, and -feathered panoply and fallen men, dying and dead, blotted out the -pavement. Surprised, bewildered, baffled, the bravest of the infidels -perished; the rest gave way or were pushed helplessly back; and the -dismay thus excited rose to panic when the bowmen and arquebusiers -joined in the combat. A horrible confusion ensued. Hundreds threw away -their arms, and ran wildly around the _azoteas_; some flung themselves -from the height; some climbed the sanctuaries; some took to piteous -imploration of the doomed idols; others, in blind fury, rushed -empty-handed upon the dripping swords. - -Steadily, as a good craft divides the current and its eddies, Cortes -made way to the sanctuaries, impatient to possess the idols, that, at -one blow, he might crush the faith they represented, after which he made -no doubt of the submission of the nations in arms. A rare faculty that -which, in the heat of battle, can weave webs of policy, and in the -mind's eye trace out lines of wise conduct. - -When, at last, the end was nigh, such of the pabas as survived withdrew -themselves from the delirious mob, and assembled around the sacrificial -stones. Some of them were wounded; on many the black gowns hung in -shreds; all of them had one purpose more, usually the last to linger in -an enthusiast's heart. There, where they had witnessed so many -sacrifices, and, in eager observance of auguries, overlooked or savagely -enjoyed the agony of the victims, they came themselves to die,--there -the sword found them; and from their brave, patient death we may learn -that Satan hath had his martyrs as well as Christ. - -About the same time another body collected in the space before the -presence chamber of Huitzil'. They were the surviving caciques, with Io' -in their midst. Having borne him out of the fray, they now took up a -last position to defend him and the gods. - -Upon them also the battle had laid a heavy hand; most of them were hurt -and bleeding; of their beautiful regalia only fragments remained; some -were without arms of any kind, some bore headless javelins or spears; a -few had _maquahuitls_. Not a word was spoken: they, too, had come to -die, and the pride of their race forbade repining. - -They saw the last of the pabas fall; then the rapacious swords, to -complete the work, came to them. In the front strode Cortes. His armor -shone brightly, and his shield, though spotted with blood, was as a -mirror from which the sun's rays shot, like darts, into the eyes of the -infidels attracted by its brightness. - -Suddenly, three warriors, unarmed, rushed upon him; his sword passed -through one of them; the others caught him in their arms. So quick, so -bold and desperate was the action that, before he could resist or his -captains help him, he was lifted from his feet and borne away. - -"Help, gentlemen! Rescue!" he cried. - -Forward sprang Sandoval, forward Alvarado, forward the whole line. The -caciques interposed themselves. Played the swords then never so fast and -deadly,--still the wall of men endured. - -Cortes with all his armor was a cumbrous burthen; yet the warriors bore -him swiftly toward the verge of the _azoteas_. No doubt of their -purpose: fair and stately were the halls awaiting them in the Sun, if -they but took the leap with him! He struggled for life, and called on -the saints, and vowed vows; at the last moment, one of them stumbled and -fell; thereupon he broke away, regained his feet, and slew them both. - -In the door of the sanctuary of Huitzil', meantime, Io' stood, biding -the sure result of the unequal struggle. Again and again he had striven -to get to the enemy; but the devoted caciques closed their circle -against him as compactly as against them. Nearer shone the resistless -blades,--nearer the inevitable death. The rumble and roar of the drum -poured from the chamber in mighty throbs; at times he caught glimpses of -the _azoteas_ strewn with bloody wreck; a sense of the greatness of the -calamity seized him, followed by the sullen calm which, in brave men -dying, is more an accusation of fate than courage, resignation, or -despair; upon his faculties came a mist; he shouted the old war-cry of -the 'tzin, and scarcely heard himself; the loves and hopes that had made -his young life beautiful seemed to rise up and fly away, not in the -air-line of birds, but with the slow, eccentric flight of star-winged -butterflies; then the light faded and the sky darkened; he reeled and -staggered, but while falling, felt himself drawn into the presence -chamber, and looking up saw the face of the _teotuctli_, and heard the -words, "I loved your father, and he loved the god, who may yet save us. -Come, come!" The loving hands took off his warlike trappings, and -covering him with the frock of a paba set him on the step of the altar -at the feet of the god; then the darkness became perfect, and he knew no -more. - -Directly there was a great shout within the chamber, blent with the -clang of armor and iron-shod feet; the _teotuctli_ turned, and -confronted Olmedo, with Cortes and the cavaliers. - -The Christian priest dropped his lance to the floor, threw back his -cowl, raised his visor, and pointing to the crucifix gazed proudly into -the face of the infidel pontiff, who answered with a look high and -scornful, as became the first and last servant of a god so lately the -ruler of the universe. And while they faced each other, the beating of -the drum ceased, and the clamor stilled, until nothing was heard but the -breathing of the conquerors, tired with slaughter. - -Then Cortes said,-- - -"Glory to Christ, whose victory this is! Thou, father, art his priest, -let thy will be done. Speak!" - -Olmedo turned to that quarter of the chamber where, by permission of -Montezuma, a Christian shrine and cross had been erected: shrine and -cross were gone! Answered he then,-- - -"The despoiler hath done his work. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. -Take this man," pointing to the _teotuctli_, "and bind him, and lead him -hence." - -Alvarado stepped forward, and took off the massive silver chain which he -habitually wore twice encircling his neck, and falling down low over his -breast-plate; with it he bound the wrists of the prisoner, who once, and -once only, cast an appealing glance up to the stony face of the idol. As -they started to lead him off, his eyes fell upon Io'; by a sign and look -of pity, he directed their attention to the boy. - -"He is not dead," said Sandoval, after examination. - -"Take him hence, also," Olmedo ordered. "At leisure to-morrow we can -learn what importance he hath." - -Hardly were the captives out when the chamber became a scene of wild -iconoclasm. The smoking censers were overthrown; the sculpturings on the -walls were defaced; the altar was rifled of the rich accumulation of -gifts; fagots snatched from the undying fires in front of the -sanctuaries were applied to the carved and gilded wood-work; and amid -the smoke, and with shouting and laughter and the noisy abandon of -school-boys at play, the zealots despoiled the gigantic image of its -ornaments and treasure,--of the bow and golden arrows in its hands; the -feathers of humming birds on its left foot; the necklace of gold and -silver hearts; the serpent enfolding its waist in coils glistening with -pearls and precious stones. A hundred hands then pushed the monster from -its sitting-place, and rolled it out of the door, and finally off the -_azoteas_. Tezca' shared the same fate. The greedy flames mounted to the -towers, and soon not a trace of the ages of horrible worship remained, -except the smoking walls of the ruined sanctuaries. - -Down from the heights marched the victors; into the palace they marched; -and not a hand was raised against them on the way; the streets were -almost deserted. - -"_Bien!_" said Cortes, as he dismounted once more in front of his -quarters. "_Muy bien!_ We have their king and chief-priests; we have -burned their churches, disgraced their gods, and slain their nobles by -the thousand. The war is over, gentlemen; let us to our couches. Welcome -rest! welcome peace!" - -And the weary army, accepting his words as verity, went to rest, though -the sun flamed in the brassy sky; but rest there was not; ere dreams -could follow slumber, the trumpets sounded, and the battle was on again, -fiercer than ever. - -The sun set, and the night came; then the companies thought to rest; -but Cortes, made tireless by rage, went out after them, and burned a -vast district of houses. - -And the flames so filled the sky with brilliance that the sun seemed to -have stood still just below the horizon. - -During the lurid twilight, Olmedo laid away, in shallow graves dug for -them in the palace-garden, more than fifty Christians, of whom six and -forty perished on the temple and its terraces. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [49] Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. - - - - - CHAPTER XII. - - IN THE INTERVAL OF THE BATTLE--LOVE. - - -The _chinampa_, at its anchorage, swung lightly, like an Indian cradle -pendulous in the air. Over it stooped the night, its wings of darkness -brilliant with the plumage of stars. The fire in the city kindled by -Cortes still fitfully reddened the horizon in that direction,--a direful -answer to those who, remembering the sweetness of peace in the beautiful -valley, prayed for its return with the morning. - -Yeteve, in the hammock, had lulled herself into the sleep of dreams; -while, in the canoe, Hualpa and the oarsmen slept the sleep of the -warrior and laborer,--the sleep too deep for dreams. Only Tula and the -'tzin kept vigils. - -Just outside the canopy, in sight of the meridian stars, and where the -night winds came sighing through the thicket of flowers, a _petate_ had -been spread for them; and now she listened, while he, lying at length, -his head in her lap, talked of the sorrowful time that had befallen. - -He told her of the _mantas_, and their destruction; of how Hualpa had -made way to the presence of Nenetzin, and how she had saved his life; -and as the narrative went on, the listener's head drooped low over the -speaker's face, and there were sighs and tears which might have been -apportioned between the lost sister and the unhappy lover; he told of -the attack upon the palace, and of the fall of Iztlil', and how, when -the victory was won, Malinche flung the gods from the temple, and so -terrified the companies that they fled. - -"Then, O Tula, my hopes fell down. A people without gods, broken in -spirit, and with duty divided between two kings, are but grass to be -trodden. And Io',--so young, so brave, so faithful--" - -He paused, and there was a long silence, devoted to the prince's memory. -Then he resumed,-- - -"In looking out over the lake, you may have noticed that the city has -been girdled with men in canoes,--an army, indeed, unaffected by the -awful spectacle of the overthrow of the gods. I brought them up, and in -their places sent the companies that had failed me. So, as the sun went -down, I was able to pour fresh thousands upon Malinche. How I rejoiced -to see them pass the wall with Hualpa, and grapple with the strangers! -All my hopes came back again. That the enemy fought feebly was not a -fancy. Watching, wounds, battle, and care have wrought upon them. They -are wasting away. A little longer,--two days,--a day even,--patience, -sweetheart, patience!" - -There was silence again,--the golden silence of lovers, under the stars, -hand-in-hand, dreaming. - -The 'tzin broke the spell to say, in lower tones and with longer -intervals,-- - -"Men must worship, O Tula, and there can be no worship without faith. So -I had next to renew the sacred fire and restore the gods. The first was -easy: I had only to start a flame from the embers of the sanctuaries; -the fire that burned them was borrowed from that kept immemorially on -the old altars. The next duty was harder. The images were not of -themselves more estimable than other stones; neither were the jewels -that adorned them more precious than others of the same kind: their -sanctity was from faith alone. The art of arts is to evoke the faith of -men: make me, O sweetheart, make me master of that art, and, as the -least of possibilities, I will make gods of things least godly. In the -places where they had fallen, at the foot of the temple, I set the -images up, and gave each an altar, with censers, holy fire, and all the -furniture of worship. By and by, they shall be raised again to the -_azoteas_; and when we renew the empire, we will build for them -sanctuaries richer even than those of Cholula. If the faith of our -people demand more, then--" - -He hesitated. - -"Then, what?" she asked. - -He shuddered, and said lower than ever, "I will unseal the caverns of -Quetzal', and,--more I cannot answer now." - -The influence of Mualox was upon him yet. - -"And if that fail?" she persisted. - -Not until the stars at the time overhead had passed and been succeeded -by others as lustrous, did he answer,-- - -"And if that fail? Then we will build a temple,--one without images,--a -temple to the One Supreme God. So, O Tula, shall the prophecy of the -king, your father, be fulfilled in our day." - -And with that up sprang a breeze of summery warmth, lingering awhile to -wanton with the tresses of the willow, and swing the flowery island half -round the circle of its anchorage; and from the soothing hand on his -forehead, or the reposeful motion of the _chinampa_, the languor of -sleep stole upon his senses; yet recollection of the battle and its -cares was hard to be put away:-- - -"I should have told you," he said, in a vanishing voice, "that when the -companies abandoned us, I went first to see our uncle, the lord -Cuitlahua. The guards at the door refused me admittance; the king was -sick, they said." - -A tremor shook the hand on his forehead, and larger grew the great eyes -bending over him. - -"Did they say of what he was sick?" she asked. - -"Of the plague." - -"And what is that?" - -"Death," he answered, and next moment fell asleep. - -Over her heart, to hush the loudness of its beating, she clasped her -hands; for out of the chamber of the almost forgotten, actual as in -life, stalked Mualox, the paba, saying, as once on the temple he said, -"You shall be queen in your father's palace." She saw his beard of -fleecy white, and his eyes of mystery, and asked herself again and -again, "Was he indeed a prophet?" - -And the loving child and faithful subject strove hard to hide from the -alluring promise, for in its way she descried two living kings, her -father and her uncle; but it sought her continually, and found her, and -at last held her as a dream holds a sleeper,--held her until the stars -heralded the dawn, and the 'tzin awoke to go back to the city, back to -the battle,--from love to battle. - - - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - THE BEGINNING OF THE END. - - -"Leave the city, now so nearly won! Surely, father, surely thou dost -jest with me!" - -So Cortes said as he sat in his chamber, resting his arm on the table, -the while Olmedo poured cold water on his wounded hand. - -The father answered without lifting his face,-- - -"Go, I say, that we may come back assured of holding what we have won." - -"Sayest thou so,--thou! By my conscience, here are honor, glory, empire! -Abandon them, and the treasure, a part of which, as thou knowest, I have -already accounted to his Majesty? No, no; not yet, father! I -cannot--though thou may'st--forget what Velasquez and my enemies, the -velveted minions of the court, would say." - -"Then it is as I feared," said Olmedo, suspending his work, and tossing -his hood farther back on his shoulders. "It is as I feared. The good -judgment which hath led us so far so well, and given riches to those who -care for riches, and planted the Cross over so many heathen temples is, -at last, at fault." - -The father's manner was solemn and reproachful. Cortes turned to him -inquiringly. - -"Senor, thou knowest I may be trusted. Heed me. I speak for Christ's -sake," continued Olmedo. "Leave the city we must. There is not corn for -two days more; the army is worn down with wounds and watching; scarcely -canst thou thyself hold an axe; the men of Narvaez are mutineers; the -garden is full of graves, and it hath been said of me that, for want of -time, I have shorn the burial service of essential Catholic rites. And -the enemy, Senor, the legions that broke through the wall last evening, -were new tribes for the first time in battle. Of what effect on them -were yesterday's defeats? The gods tumbled from the temple have their -altars and worship already. Thou may'st see them from the central -turret." - -The good man was interrupted. Sandoval appeared at the door. - -"Come," said Cortes, impatiently. - -The captain advanced to the table, and saluting, said, in his calm, -straightforward way,-- - -"The store for the horses is out; we fed them to-night from the rations -of the men. I gave Motilla half of mine, and yet she is hungry." - -At these words, the hand Olmedo was nursing closed, despite its wound, -as upon a sword-hilt, vice-like, and up the master arose, brow and cheek -gray as if powdered with ashes, and began to walk the floor furiously; -at last he stopped abruptly:-- - -"Sandoval, go bid the captains come. I would have their opinions as to -what we should do. Omit none of them. Those who say nothing may be -witnesses hereafter." - -The order was given quietly, with a smile even. A moment the captain -studied his leader's face, and I would not say he did not understand the -meaning of the simple words; for of him Cortes afterwards said, "He is -fit to command great armies." - -Cortes sat down, and held out the hand for Olmedo's ministrations; but -the father touched him caressingly, and said, when Sandoval was gone,-- - -"I commend thee, son, with all my soul. Men are never so much on trial -as when they stand face to face with necessity; the weak fight it, and -fall; the wise accept it as a servant. So do thou now." - -Cortes' countenance became chill and sullen. "I cannot see the -necessity--" - -"Good!" exclaimed Olmedo. "Whatsoever thou dost, hold fast to that. The -captains will tell thee otherwise, but--" - -"What?" asked Cortes, with a sneer. "The treasure is vast,--a million -_pesos_ or more. Dost thou believe they will go and leave it?" - -But Olmedo was intent upon his own thought. - -"_Mira!_" he said. "If the captains say there is a necessity, do thou -put in thy denial; stand on thy opinion boldly; and when thou givest up, -at last, yield thee to that other necessity, the demand of the army. And -so--" - -"And so," Cortes said with a smile, which was also a sneer, "and so thou -wouldst make a servant of one necessity by invoking another." - -"Yes; another which may be admitted without danger or dishonor. Thou -hast the idea, my son." - -"So be it, so be it,--_aguardamonos!_" - -Thereupon Cortes retired within himself, and the father began again to -nurse the wounded hand. - -And by and by the chamber was filled with captains, soldiers, and -caciques, whose persons, darkly visible in the murky light, testified to -the severity of the situation: rusted armor, ragged apparel, faded -trappings, bandaged limbs, countenances heavy with anxiety, or knit hard -by suffering,--such were the evidences. - -In good time Cortes arose. - -"_Ola_, my friends," he said, bluntly. "I have heard that there are -among ye many who think the time come to give the city, and all we have -taken, back to the infidels. I have sent for ye that I may know the -truth. As the matter concerneth interests of our royal master aside from -his dominion,--property, for example,--the Secretary Duero will make -note of all that passeth. Let him come forward and take place here." - -The secretary seated himself by the table with manuscript and pen. - -"Now, gentlemen, begin." - -So saying, the chief dropped back into his seat, and held the sore hand -to Olmedo for further care,--never speech more bluff, never face more -calm. For a time, nothing was heard but the silvery tinkle of the -falling water. At length one was found sturdy enough to speak; others -followed him; and, at last, when the opinion was taken, not a voice said -stay; on the contrary, the clamor to go was, by some, indecently loud. - -Cortes then stood up. - -"The opinion is all one way. Hast thou so written, Senor Duero?" - -The secretary bowed. - -"Then write again,--write that I, Hernan Cortes, to this retreat said, -No; write that, if I yield my judgment, it is not to any necessity of -which we have heard as coming from the enemy, but to the demand of my -people. Hast thou so written?" - -The secretary nodded. - -"Write again, that upon this demand I ordered Alonzo Avila and Gonzalo -Mexia to take account of all the treasure belonging to our master, the -most Christian king; with leave to the soldiers, when the total hath -been perfected and the retreat made ready, to help themselves from the -balance, as each one may wish. Those gentlemen will see that their task -be concluded by noon to-morrow. Hast written, Duero?" - -"Word for word," answered the secretary. - -"Very well. And now,"--Cortes raised his head, and spoke loudly,--"and -now, rest and sleep who can. This business is bad. Get ye gone!" - -And when they were alone, he said to Olmedo,-- - -"I have done ill--" - -"Nay," said the father, smiling, "thou hast done well." - -"_Bastante_,--we shall see. Never had knaves such need of all their -strength as when this retreat is begun; yet of what account will they be -when loaded down with the gold they cannot consent to leave behind?" - -"Why then the permission?" asked the father. - -Cortes smiled blandly,-- - -"If I cannot make them friends, by my conscience! I can at least seal -their mouths in the day of my calamity." - -Then bowing his head, he added,-- - -"Thy benediction, father." - -The blessing was given. - -"Amen!" said Cortes. - -And the priest departed; but the steps of the iron-hearted soldier were -heard long after,--not quick and determined as usual, but slow and -measured, and with many and long pauses between. So ambition walks when -marshalling its resources; so walks a heroic soul at war with itself and -fortune! He flung himself upon his couch at last, saying,-- - -"In my quiver there are two bolts left. The saints help me! I will speed -them first." - - - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - THE KING BEFORE HIS PEOPLE AGAIN. - - -Guatamozin's call at the royal palace to see the king, Cuitlahua, had -not been without result. When told that the monarch was too sick of the -plague to be seen, he called for the officer who had charge of the -accounts of tribute received for the royal support. - -"Show me," said the 'tzin, "how much corn was delivered to Montezuma for -Malinche." - -A package of folded _aguave_ leaves was brought and laid at the -accountant's feet. In a moment he took out a leaf well covered with -picture-writing, and gave it to the 'tzin, who, after study, said to a -cacique in waiting, "Bring me one of the couriers," and to another, -"Bring me wherewith to write." - -When the latter was brought, he sat down, and dipping a brush into a -vessel of liquid color, drew upon a clear, yellow-tinted leaf a picture -of a mother duck leading her brood from the shore into the water; by way -of signature, he appended in one corner the figure of an owl in flight. -On five other sheets he repeated the writing; then the missives were -given each to a separate courier with verbal directions for their -delivery. - -When he left the palace, the 'tzin laid his hand upon Hualpa's shoulder, -and said, joyfully,-- - -"Better than I thought, O comrade. Malinche has corn for one day only!" - -The blood quickened in Hualpa's heart, as he asked,--"Then the end is -near?" - -"To-morrow, or the next day," said the 'tzin. - -"But Montezuma is generous,--" - -"Can he give what he has not? To-night there will be delivered for his -use and that of his household, whom I have had numbered for the purpose, -provisions for one day, not more." - -"Then it is so! Praised be the gods! and you, O my master, wiser than -other men!" cried Hualpa, with upraised face, and a gladness which was -of youth again, and love so blind that he saw Nenetzin,--not the -stars,--and so deaf that he heard not the other words of the 'tzin,-- - -"The couriers bear my orders to bring up all the armies. And they will -be here in the morning." - - * * * * * - -In the depth of the night, while Cortes lay restlessly dreaming, his -sentinels on the palace were attracted by music apparently from every -quarter; at first, so mellowed by distance as to seem like the night -singing to itself; afterwhile, swollen into the familiar dissonant -minstrelsy of conch and atabal, mixed with chanting of many voices. - -"O ho!" shouted the outliers on the neighboring houses, "O ho, accursed -strangers! Think no more of conquest,--not even of escape; think only of -death by sacrifice! If you are indeed _teules_, the night, though -deepened by the smoke of our burning houses, cannot hinder you from -seeing the children of Anahuac coming in answer to the call of Huitzil'. -If you are men, open wide your ears that you may hear their paddles on -the lake and their tramp on the causeway. O victims! one day more, -then,--the sacrifice!" - -Even the Christians, leaning on their lances, and listening, felt the -heaviness of heart which is all of fear the brave can know, and crossed -themselves, and repeated such pater nosters as they could recollect. - -And so it was. The reserve armies which had been reposing in the vales -behind Chapultepec all marched to the city; and the noise of their -shouting, drumming, and trumpeting, when they arrived and began to -occupy its thoroughfares and strong places, was like the roar of the -sea. - -To the garrison, under arms meantime, and suffering from the influence -of all they heard, the dawn was a long time coming; but at last the sun -came, and poured its full light over the leaguered palace and courtly -precincts. - -But the foemen stood idly looking at each other; for in the night, -Cortes, on his side, had made preparations for peace. Two caciques went -from him to the king Cuitlahua, proposing a parley; and the king replied -that he would come in the morning, and hear what he had to say. So there -was truce as well as sunshine. - -"Tell me truly, Don Pedro,--as thou art a gentleman, tell me,--didst -thou ever see a sight like this?" - -Whereupon, Alvarado, who, with others, was leaning against the parapet -which formed part of the battlements of the eastern gate of the palace, -looked again, and critically, over that portion of the square visible -from his position, and replied,--"I will answer truly and lovingly as -if thou wert my little princess yonder in the _patio_. Sight like this I -never saw, and"--he added, with a quizzical smile--"never care to see -again." - -Orteguilla persisted,-- - -"Nay, didst thou ever see anything that surpassed it?" - -Once more Alvarado surveyed the scene,--of men a myriad, in the streets -rank upon rank; so on the houses and temple,--everywhere the glinting of -arms, and the brown faces of warriors glistening above their glistening -shields; everywhere _escaupiles_ of flaming red, and banners; everywhere -the ineffable beauty and splendor of royal war. The good captain -withdrew his enamoured gaze slowly:-- - -"No, never!" he said. - -Even he, the prince of gibes and strange oaths, forgot his tricks in -presence of the pageant. - -While the foemen looked at each other so idly, up the beautiful street -came heralds announcing Cuitlahua. Soon his palanquin, attended by a -great retinue of nobles, was brought and set down in front of the -eastern gate of the palace. Upon its appearance, the people knelt, and -touched the ground with their palms. Then there was a blare of Christian -trumpets, and Cortes, with Olmedo and Marina, came upon the turret. - -The heralds waved their silver wands: the hush became absolute; then the -curtains of the palanquin were rolled away, and the king turned his head -languidly, and looked up to Cortes, who raised his visor, and looked -down on him; and in the style of a conqueror demanded peace and quick -return to obedience. - -"If thou dost not," he said, "I will make thy city a ruin." - -The shrill voice of Marina, interpreting, flew wide over the space, so -peopled, yet so still; at the last word, there was a mighty stir, but -the heralds waved their wands, and the hush came back. - -On Cuitlahua's face the pallor of sickness gave place to a flush of -anger; he sat up, and signed to Guatamozin, and upon his shoulder laid -his hand trustingly, saying,-- - -"My son, lend me your voice; answer." - -The 'tzin, unmindful that the breath he drew upon his cheek was the -breath of the plague, put his arm around the king, and said, so as to be -heard to the temple's top,-- - -"The king Cuitlahua answers for himself and his people. Give ear, O -Malinche! You have desolated our temples, and broken the images of our -gods; the smoke of our city offends the sky; your swords are -terrible,--many have fallen before them, and many more will fall; yet we -are content to exchange in death a thousand of ours for one of yours. -Behold how many of us are left; then count your losses, and know that -you cannot escape. Two suns shall not pass, until, amidst our plenty, we -shall laugh to see you sick from hunger. For further answer, O Malinche, -as becomes the king of his people, Cuitlahua gives you the war-cry of -his fathers." - -The 'tzin withdrew his arm, and snatching the green _panache_ from the -palanquin, whirled it overhead, crying, "Up, up, Tlateloco! Up, -Tlateloco!" - -At sight of the long feathers streaming over the group, like a banner, -the multitude sprang to foot, and with horrible clamor and a tempest of -missiles drove the Christians from the turret. - -And of the two bolts in Cortes' quiver, such was the speeding of the -FIRST ONE! - - * * * * * - -An hour passed,--an hour of battle without and dispute within the -palace. - -To Cortes in his chamber then came Orteguilla, reporting. - -"I gave the king the message, Senor; and he bade me tell thee thy -purpose is too late. He will not come." - -The passion-vein[50] on Cortes' neck and forehead rose, and stood out -like a purple cord. - -"The heathen dog!" he cried. "Will not! He is a slave, and shall come. -By the holy blood of Christ, he shall come, or die!" - -Then Olmedo spoke,-- - -"If thou wilt hear, Senor, Montezuma affects me and the good Captain Oli -tenderly; suffer us to go to him, and see what we can do." - -"So be it, so be it! If thou canst bring him, in God's name, go. If he -refuse, then--I have sworn! Hearken to the hell's roar without! Let me -have report quickly. I will wait thee here. Begone!" - -Olmedo started. Cortes caught his sleeve, and looked at him fixedly. - -"_Mira!_" he said, in a whisper. "As thou lovest me do this work well. -If he fail--if he fail--" - -"Well?" said Olmedo, in the same tone. - -"Then--then get thee to prayers! Go." - -The audience chamber whither Oli and the priest betook themselves, with -Orteguilla to interpret, was crowded with courtiers, who made way for -them to the dais upon which Montezuma sat. They kissed his hand, and -declining the invitation to be seated began their mission. - -"Good king," said the father, "we bring thee a message from Malinche; -and as its object is to stay the bloody battle which is so grievous to -us all, and the slaughter which must otherwise go on, we pray thy pardon -if we make haste to speak." - -The monarch's face chilled, and drawing his mantle close he said, -coldly,-- - -"I am listening." - -Olmedo proceeded,-- - -"The Senor Hernan commiserates the hard lot which compels thee to listen -here to the struggle which hath lasted so many days, and always with the -same result,--the wasting of thy people. The contest hath become a -rebellion against thee as well as against his sovereign and thine. -Finally there will be no one left to govern,--nothing, indeed, but an -empty valley and a naked lake. In pity for the multitude, he is disposed -to help save them from their false leaders. He hath sent us, therefore, -to ask thee to join him in one more effort to that end." - -"Said he how I could help him?" asked the king. - -"Come and speak to the people, and disperse them, as once before thou -didst. And to strengthen thy words, and as his part of the trial, he -saith thou mayst pledge him to leave the city as soon as the way is -open. Only let there be no delay. He is in waiting to go with thee, good -king." - -The monarch listened intently. - -"Too late, too late!" he cried. "The ears of my people are turned from -me. I am king in name and form only; the power is another's. I am -lost,--so is Malinche. I will not go. Tell him so." - -There was a stir in the chamber, and a groan from the bystanders; but -the messengers remained looking at the poor king, as at one who had -rashly taken a fatal vow. - -"Why do you stay?" he continued, with a glowing face. "What more have I -to do with Malinche? See the state to which my serving him has already -reduced me." - -"Remember thy people!" said Olmedo, solemnly. - -Flashed the monarch's eyes as he answered,-- - -"My brave people! I hear them now. They are in arms to save themselves; -and they will not believe me or the promises of Malinche. I have -spoken." - -Then Oli moved a step toward the dais, and kissing the royal hand, said, -with suffused eyes,-- - -"Thou knowest I love thee, O king; and I say, _if thou carest for -thyself_, go." - -Something there was in the words, in the utterance, probably, that drew -the monarch's attention; leaning forward, he studied the cavalier -curiously; over his face the while came the look of a man suddenly -called by his fate. His lips parted, his eyes fixed; and but that battle -has voices which only the dead may refuse to hear his spirit would have -drifted off into unseemly reverie. Recalling himself with an effort, he -arose, and said, half-smiling,-- - -"A man, much less a king, is unfit to live when his friends think to -move him from his resolve by appeals to his fears." And rising, and -drawing himself to his full stature, he added, so as to be heard -throughout the chamber, "Very soon, if not now, you will understand me -when I say I do not care for myself. I desire to die. Go, my friends, -and tell Malinche that I will do as he asks, and straightway." - -Oli and Olmedo kissed his hands, and withdrew; whereupon he calmly gave -his orders. - -Very soon the 'tzin, who was directing the battle from a point near the -gate of the _coatapantli_, saw a warrior appear on the turret so lately -occupied by Cortes, and wave a royal _panache_. He raised his shield -overhead at once, and held it there until on his side the combat ceased. -The Christians, glad of a breathing spell, quit almost as soon. All eyes -then turned to the turret; even the combatants who had been fighting -hand to hand across the crest of the parapet, ventured to look that way, -when, according to the usage of the infidel court, the heralds came, and -to the four quarters of the earth waved their silver wands. - -Too well the 'tzin divined the meaning of the ceremony. "Peace," he -seemed to hear, and then, "Lover of Anahuac, servant of the -gods,--choose now between king and country. Now or never!" The ecstasy -of battle fled from him; his will became infirm as a child's. In the -space between him and the turret the smoke of the guns curled and -writhed sensuously, each moment growing fainter and weaker, as did the -great purpose to which he thought he had steeled himself. When he -brought the shield down, his face was that of a man whom long sickness -had laid close to the gates of death. Then came the image of Tula, and -then the royal permission to do what the gods enjoined,--nay, more than -permission, a charge which left the deed to his hand, that there might -be no lingering amongst the strangers. "O sweetheart!" he said, to -himself, "if this duty leave me stainless, whom may I thank but you!" - -Then he spoke to Hualpa, though with a choking voice,-- - -"The king is coming. I must go and meet him. Get my bow, and stand by me -with an arrow in place for instant use." - -Hualpa moved away slowly, watching the 'tzin; then he returned, and -asked, in a manner as full of meaning as the words themselves,-- - -"Is there not great need that the arrow should be very true?" - -The master's eyes met his as he answered, "Yes; be careful." - -Yet the hunter stayed. - -"O 'tzin," he said, "his blood is not in my veins. He is only my -benefactor. Your days are not numbered, like mine, and as yet you are -blameless; for the sake of the peace that makes life sweet, I pray you -let my hand do this service." - -And the 'tzin took his hand, and replied, fervently,-- - -"There is nothing so precious as the sight that is quick to see the -sorrows of others, unless it be the heart that hurries to help them. -After this, I may never doubt your love; but the duty is mine,--made so -by the gods,--and he has asked it of me. Lo, the heralds appear!" - -"He has asked it of you! that is enough," and Hualpa stayed no longer. - -Upon the turret the carpet was spread and the canopy set up, and forth -came a throng of cavaliers and infidel lords, the latter splendidly -bedight; then appeared Montezuma and Cortes. - -As the king moved forward a cry, blent of all feelings,--love, fear, -admiration, hate, reverence,--burst from the great audience; after which -only Guatamozin and Hualpa, in front of the gate, were left standing. - -And such splendor flashed from the monarch's person, from his sandals of -gold, tunic of feathers, _tilmatli_ of white, and _copilli_[51] -inestimably jeweled; from his face and mien issued such majesty that, -after the stormy salutation, the multitude became of the place a part, -motionless as the stones, the dead not more silent. - -With his hands crossed upon his breast he stood awhile, seeing and being -seen, and all things waited for him to speak; even the air seemed -waiting, it was so very hushed. He looked to the sky, flecked with -unhallowed smoke; to the sun, whose heaven, just behind the curtain of -brightness, was nearer to him than ever before; to the temple, place of -many a royal ceremony, his own coronation the grandest of all; to the -city, beautiful in its despoilment; to the people, for whom, though they -knew it not, he had come to die; at last his gaze settled upon -Guatamozin, and as their eyes met, he smiled; then shaking the -_tilmatli_ from his shoulder, he raised his head, and said, in a voice -from which all weakness was gone, his manner never so kingly,-- - -"I know, O my people, that you took up arms to set me free, and that was -right; but how often since then have I told you that I am not a -prisoner; that the strangers are my guests; that I am free to leave them -when I please, and that I live with them because I love them?" - -As in a calm a wind sometimes blows down, and breaks the placid surface -of a lake into countless ripples, driving them hither and thither in -sparkling confusion, these words fell upon the listening mass; a yell of -anger rose, and from the temple descended bitter reproaches. - -Yet the 'tzin was steady; and when the outcry ended, the king went on,-- - -"I am told your excuse now is, that you want to drive my friends from -the city. My children, here stands Malinche himself. He hears me say for -him that, if you will open the way, he and all with him will leave of -their own will." - -Again the people broke out in revilements, but the monarch waved his -hand angrily, and said,-- - -"As I am yet your king, I bid you lay down your arms--" - -Then the 'tzin took the ready bow from Hualpa; full to the ear he drew -the arrow. Steady the arm, strong the hand,--an instant, and the deed -was done! In the purple shadow of the canopy, amidst his pomp of -royalty, Montezuma fell down, covered, when too late, by a score of -Christian shields. Around him at the same time fell a shower of stones -from the temple. - -Then, with a shout of terror, the companies arose as at a word and fled, -and, panic-blind, tossed the 'tzin here and there, and finally left him -alone in the square with Hualpa. - -"All is lost!" said the latter, disconsolately. - -"Lost!" said the 'tzin. "On the temple yonder lies Malinche's last hope. -No need now to assail the palace. When the king comes out, hunger will -go in and fight for us." - -"But the people,--where are they?" - -The 'tzin raised his hand and pointed to the palace,-- - -"So the strangers have asked. See!" - -Hualpa turned, and saw the gate open and the cavaliers begin to ride -forth. - -"Go they this way, or yon," continued the 'tzin, "they will find the -same answer. Five armies hold the city; a sixth keeps the lake." - -Down the beautiful street the Christians rode unchallenged until they -came to the first canal. While restoring the bridge there, they heard -the clamor of an army, and lo! out of the gardens, houses, and temples, -far as the vision reached, the infidels poured and blocked the way. - -Then the cavaliers rode back, and took the way to Tlacopan. There, too, -the first canal was bridgeless; and as they stood looking across the -chasm, they heard the same clamor and beheld the same martial -apparition. - -Once more they rode, this time up the street toward the northern dike, -and with the same result. - -"_Ola_, father!" said Cortes, returned to the palace, "we may not stay -here after to-morrow." - -"Amen!" cried Olmedo. - -"Look thou to the sick and wounded; such as can march or move, get them -ready." - -"And the others?" asked the good man. - -"Do for them what thou dost for the dying. Shrieve them!" - -So saying, the Christian leader sank on his seat, and gave himself to -sombre thought. - -He had sped his _second and_--LAST BOLT! - -The rest of the day was spent in preparation for retreat. - - - - - CHAPTER XV. - - THE DEATH OF MONTEZUMA. - - -Again Martin Lopez had long conference with Cortes; after which, with -his assistant carpenters, he went to work, and, until evening time, the -echoes of the court-yard danced to the sounds of saw and hammer. - -And while they worked, to Cortes came Avila and Mexia. - -"What thou didst intrust to us, Senor, we have done. Here is a full -account of all the treasure, our royal master's included." - -Cortes read the statement, then called his chamberlain, Christobal de -Guzman. - -"Go thou, Don Christobal, and bring what is here reported into one -chamber, where it may be seen of all. And send hither the royal -secretaries, and Pedro Hernandez, my own clerk." - -The secretaries came. - -"Now, Senores Avila and Mexia, follow my chamberlain, and in his -presence and that of these gentlemen, take from the treasure the portion -belonging to his Majesty, the emperor. Of our wounded horses, then -choose ye eight, and of the Tlascalans, eighty, and load them with the -royal dividend, and what more they can carry; and have them always ready -to go. And as leaving anything of value where the infidels may be -profited is sinful, I direct,--and of this let all bear witness, -Hernandez for me, and the secretaries for his Majesty,--I direct, I say, -that ye set the remainder apart accessible to the soldiers, with leave -to each one of them to take therefrom as much as he may wish. Make note, -further, that what is possible to save all this treasure hath been -done. Write it, good gentlemen, write it; for if any one thinketh -differently, let him say what more I can do. I am waiting to hear. -Speak!" - -No one spoke. - -And while the division of the large plunder went on, and afterwards the -men scrambled for the remainder, Montezuma was dying. - -In the night a messenger sought Cortes. - -"Senor," he said, "the king hath something to ask of you. He will not -die comforted without seeing you." - -"Die, say'st thou?" and Cortes arose hastily. "I had word that his hurts -were not deadly." - -"If he die, Senor, it will be by his own hand. The stones wrought him -but bruises; and if he would let the bandages alone the arrow-cut would -shortly stop bleeding." - -"Yes, yes," said Cortes. "Thou wouldst tell me that this barbarian, -merely from being long a king, hath a spirit of such exceeding fineness -that, though the arrow had not cut him deeper than thy dull rowel -marketh thy horse's flank, yet would he die. Where is he now?" - -"In the audience chamber." - -"_Bastante!_ I will see him. Tell him so." - -Cortes stood fast, thinking. - -"This man hath been useful to me; may not some profit be eked out of him -dead? So many saw him get his wounds, and so many will see him die of -them, that the manner of his taking off may not be denied. What if I -send his body out and indict his murderers? If I could take from them -the popular faith even, then--By my conscience, I will try the trick!" - -And taking his sword and plumed hat and tossing a cloak over his -shoulder he sought the audience chamber. - -There was no guard at the door. The little bells, as he threw aside the -curtains, greeted him accusingly. Within, all was shadow, except where -a flickering lamplight played over and around the dais; nevertheless, he -saw the floor covered with people, some prostrate, others on their knees -or crouching face down; and the grim speculator thought, as he passed -slowly on, Verily, this king must also have been a good man and a -generous. - -The couch of the dying monarch was on the dais in the accustomed place -of the throne. At one side stood the ancients; at the other his queens -knelt, weeping. Nenetzin hid her face in his hand, and sobbed as if her -heart were breaking; she had been forgiven. Now and then Maxtla bent -over him to cleanse his face of the flowing blood. A group of cavaliers -were off a little way, silent witnesses; and as Cortes drew near, -Olmedo, who had been in prayer, extended toward the sufferer the ivory -cross worn usually at his girdle. - -"O king," said the good man imploringly, "thou hast yet a moment of -life, which, I pray thee, waste not. Take this holy symbol upon thy -breast, cross thy hands upon it, and say after me: I believe in One God, -the Father Almighty, in our Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of -God, and in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life. Then pray thou: -O God the Father of Heaven, O God the Son, Redeemer of the World, O God -the Holy Ghost, O Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy upon my soul! Do -these things, say these words, O king, and thou shalt live after thy -bones have gone to dust. Thou shalt live forever, eternally happy." - -Courtiers and cavaliers, the queens, Nenetzin, even Cortes, watched the -monarch's waning face; never yet were people indifferent to the -issue--the old, old issue--of true god against false. Marina finished -the interpretation; then he raised his hand tremulously, and put the -holy sign away, saying,-- - -"I have but a moment to live, and will not desert the faith of my -fathers now." - -A great sigh of relief broke from the infidels; the Christians -shuddered, and crossed themselves; then Cortes stepped to Olmedo's side. - -"I received your message, and am here," said he, sternly. He had seen -the cross rejected. - -The king turned his pale face, and fixed his glazing eyes upon the -conqueror; and such power was there in the look that the latter added, -with softening manner, "What I can do for thee I will do. I have always -been thy true friend." - -"O Malinche, I hear you, and your words make dying easy," answered -Montezuma, smiling faintly. - -With an effort he sought Cortes' hand, and looking at Acatlan and -Tecalco, continued,-- - -"Let me intrust these women and their children to you and your lord. Of -all that which was mine but now is yours,--lands, people, -empire,--enough to save them from want and shame were small indeed. -Promise me; in the hearing of all these, promise, Malinche." - -Taint of anger was there no longer on the soul of the great Spaniard. - -"Rest thee, good king!" he said, with feeling. "Thy queens and their -children shall be my wards. In the hearing of all these, I so swear." - -The listener smiled again; his eyes closed, his hand fell down; and so -still was he that they began to think him dead. Suddenly he stirred, and -said faintly, but distinctly,-- - -"Nearer, uncles, nearer." - -The old men bent over him, listening. - -"A message to Guatamozin,--to whom I give my last thought as king. Say -to him, that this lingering in death is no fault of his; the aim was -true, but the arrow splintered upon leaving the bow. And lest the world -hold him to account for my blood, hear me say, all of you, that I bade -him do what he did. And in sign that I love him, take my sceptre, and -give it to him--" - -The voice fell away, yet the lips moved; lower the ancients stooped,-- - -"Tula and the empire go with the sceptre," he murmured, and they were -his last words,--his will. - -A wail from the women proclaimed him dead. - -The unassoilzied great may not see heaven; they pass from life into -history, where, as in a silent sky, they shine for ever and ever. So the -light of the Indian King comes to us, a glow rather than a brilliance; -for, of all fates, his was the saddest. Better not to be than to become -the ornament of another's triumph. Alas for him whose death is an -immortal sorrow! - -Out of the palace-gate in the early morning passed the lords of the -court in procession, carrying the remains of the monarch. The bier was -heavy with royal insignia; nothing of funeral circumstance was omitted; -honor to the dead was policy. At the same time the body was delivered, -Cortes indicted the murderers; the ancients through whom he spoke were -also the bearers of the dead king's last will; back to the bold -Spaniard, therefore, came the reply,-- - -"Cowards, who at the last moment beg for peace! you are not two suns -away from your own graves! Think only of them!" - -And while Cortes was listening to the answer, the streets about the -palace filled with companies, and crumbling parapet and solid wall shook -under the shock of a new assault. - -Then Cortes' spirit arose. - -"Mount, gentlemen!" he cried. "The hounds come scrambling for the -scourge; shame on us, if we do not meet them. And hearken! The prisoners -report a plague in the city, of which the new king is dying, and -hundreds are sick. It is the small-pox." - -"_Viva la viruela!_" shouted Alvarado. - -The shout spread through the palace. - -"Where God's curse is," continued Cortes, "Christians need not stay. -To-night we will go. To clear the way and make this day memorable let us -ride. Are ye ready?" - -They answered joyously. - -Again the gates were opened, and with a goodly following of infantry, -into the street they rode. Nothing withstood them; they passed the -canals by repairing the bridges or filling up the chasms; they rode the -whole length of the street until the causeway clear to Tlacopan was -visible. St. James fought at their head; even the Holy Mother stooped -from her high place, and threw handfuls of dust in the enemy's eyes. - -In the heat of the struggle suddenly the companies fell back, and made -open space around the Christians; then came word that commissioners from -king Cuitlahua waited in the palace to treat of peace. - -"The heathen is an animal!" said Cortes, unable to repress his -exultation. "To cure him of temper and win his love, there is nothing -like the scourge. Let us ride back, gentlemen." - -In the court-yard stood four caciques, stately men in peaceful garb. -They touched the pavement with their palms. - -"We are come to say, O Malinche, that the lord Cuitlahua, our king, -yields to your demand for peace. He prays you to give your terms to the -pabas whom you captured on the temple, that they may bring them to him -forthwith." - -The holy men were brought from their cells, one leaning upon the other. -The instructions were given; then the two, with the stately -commissioners, were set without the gate, and Cortes and his army went -to rest, never so contented. - -They waited and waited; but the envoys came not. When the sun went down, -they knew themselves deceived; and then there were sworn many full, -round, Christian oaths, none so full, so round, and so Christian as -Cortes'. - -A canoe, meantime, bore Io' to Tula. In the quiet and perfumed shade of -the _chinampa_ he rested, and soothed the fever of his wound. - -Meanwhile, also, a courier from the _teotuctli_ passed from temple to -temple; short the message, but portentous,-- - -"Blessed be Huitzil', and all the gods of our fathers! And, as he at -last saved his people, blessed be the memory of Montezuma! Purify the -altars, and make ready for the sacrifice, for to-morrow there will be -victims!" - -FOOTNOTES: - - [50] Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conq. - - [51] The crown. - - - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - ADIEU TO THE PALACE. - - -At sunset a cold wind blew from the north, followed by a cloud which -soon filled the valley with mist; soon the mist turned to rain; then the -rain turned to night, and the night to deepest blackness. - -The Christians, thinking only of escape from the city, saw the change of -weather with sinking hearts. With one voice they had chosen the night as -most favorable for the movement, but they had in mind then a -semi-darkness warmed by south winds and brilliant with stars; not a time -like this so unexpectedly come upon them,--tempest added to gloom, icy -wind splashing the earth with icy water. - -Under the walls the sentinels cowered shivering and listening and, as is -the habit of wanderers surrounded by discomforts and miseries, musing of -their homes so far away, and of the path thither; on the land so beset, -on the sea so viewless. Recalled to present duty, they saw nothing but -the fires of the nearest temple faintly iridescent, and heard only the -moans of the blast and the pattering of the rain, always so in harmony -with the spirit when it is oppressed by loneliness and danger. - -Meantime, the final preparation for retreat went on with the -completeness of discipline. - -About the close of the second watch of the night, Cortes, with his -personal attendants,--page, equerry, and secretaries,--left his chamber -and proceeded to the eastern gate, where he could best receive reports, -and assure himself, as the divisions filed past him, that the column was -formed as he had ordered. The superstructure of the gate offered him -shelter; but he stood out, bridle in hand, his back to the storm. There -he waited, grimly silent, absorbed in reflections gloomy as the night -itself. - -Everything incident to the preparation which required light had been -done before the day expired; outside the house, therefore, there was not -a spark to betray the movement to the enemy; in fact, nothing to betray -it except the beat of horses' hoofs and the rumble of gun-carriages, and -they were nigh drowned by the tempest. If the saints would but help him -clear of the streets of the city, would help him to the causeway even, -without bringing the infidels upon him, sword and lance would win the -rest: so the leader prayed and trusted the while he waited. - -"My son, is it thou?" asked a man, close at his side. - -He turned quickly, and replied, "Father Bartolome! Welcome! What dost -thou bring?" - -"Report of the sick and wounded." - -"I remember, I remember! Of all this bad business, by my conscience! no -part so troubled me as to say what should be done with them. At the last -moment thou wert good enough to take the task upon thyself. Speak: what -did thy judgment dictate? What did thy conscience permit?" - -The good man arranged his hood, the better to shield his face from the -rain, and answered,-- - -"Of the Christians, all who are able will take their places in the line; -the very sick will be borne by Tlascalans; the litters are ready for -them." - -"Very well," said Cortes. - -"The Tlascalans--" - -"_Cierto_, there the trouble began!" and Cortes laid his hand heavily on -the priest's shoulder. "Three hundred and more of them too weak to rise -from the straw, which yet hath not kept their bones from bruising the -stony floor! Good heart, what didst thou with them?" - -"They are dead." - -"Mother of God! Didst thou kill them?" Cortes griped the shoulder until -Olmedo groaned. "Didst thou kill them?" - -The father shook himself loose, saying, "There is no blood on my hands. -The Holy Mother came to my help; and this was the way. Remembrance of -the love of Christ forbade the leaving one Christian behind; but the -heathen born had no such appeal; they must be left,--necessity said so. -I could not kill them. By priestly office, I could prepare them for -death; and so I went from man to man with holy formula and sacramental -wafer. The caciques were with me the while, and when I had concluded, -they spoke some words to the sufferers: then I saw what never Christian -saw before. Hardly wilt thou believe me, but, Senor, I beheld the poor -wretches, with smiles, bare their breasts, and the chiefs begin and -thrust their javelins into the hearts of all there lying." - -An exclamation of horror burst from Cortes,-- - -"'Twas murder, murder! What didst thou?" - -Olmedo replied quickly, "Trust me, my son, I rushed in, and stayed the -work until the victims themselves prayed the chiefs to go on. Not even -then did I give over my efforts,--not until they made me understand the -purpose of the butchery." - -"And that? Haste thee, father. What thou tellest will stagger -Christendom!" - -Again Cortes caught the priest's shoulder. - -"Nay," said the latter, shrinking back, "thy hand is hard enough without -its glove of steel." - -"Pardon, father; but,--" - -"In good time, my son, in good time! What, but for thy impatience, I -would have said ere this is, that the object was to save the honor of -the tribe, and, by killing the unfortunates, rescue them from the gods -of their enemy. Accordingly, the bands who are first to enter the palace -to-night or to-morrow will find treasure,--much treasure as thou -knowest,--but not one victim." - -The father spoke solemnly, for in the circumstance there was a strain of -pious exaltation that found an echo in his own devoted nature; greatly -was he shocked to hear Cortes laugh. - -"_Valgame Dios!_" he cried, crossing himself; "the man blasphemes!" - -"Blasphemes, saidst thou?" and Cortes checked himself. "May the saints -forget me forever, if I laughed at the tragedy thou wert telling! I -laughed at thy simplicity, father." - -"Is this a time for jesting?" asked Olmedo. - -"Good father," said Cortes, gravely, "the bands that take the palace -to-night or to-morrow will find no treasure,--not enough to buy a -Christmas ribbon for a country girl. Look now. I went to the -treasure-room a little while before coming here, and there I found the -varlets of Narvaez loading themselves with bars of silver and gold; -they had sacks and pouches belted to their waists and shoulders, and -were filling them to bursting. Possibly some gold-dust spilled on the -floor may remain for those who succeed us; but nothing more. Pray thou, -good priest, good friend, pray thou that the treasure be not found in -the road we travel to-night." - -A body of men crossing the court-yard attracted Cortes; then four -horsemen approached, and stopped before him. - -"Is it thou, Sandoval?" he asked. - -"Yes, Senor." - -"And Ordas, Lugo, and Tapia?" - -"Here," they replied. - -"And thy following, Sandoval?" - -"The cavaliers of Narvaez whom thou gavest me, one hundred chosen -soldiers, and the Tlascalans to the number thou didst order." - -"_Bien!_ Lead out of the gate, and halt after making what thou deemest -room for the other divisions. Christ and St. James go with thee!" - -"Amen!" responded Olmedo. - -And so the vanguard passed him,--a long succession of shadowy files that -he heard rather than saw. Hardly were they gone when another body -approached, led by an officer on foot. - -"Who art thou?" asked Cortes. - -"Magarino," the man replied. - -"Whom have you?" - -"One hundred and fifty Christians, and four hundred Tlascalans." - -"And the bridge?" - -"We have it here." - -"As thou lovest life and honor, captain, heed well thine orders. Move -on, and join thyself to Sandoval." - -The bridge spoken of was a portable platform of hewn plank bolted to a -frame of stout timbers, designed to pass the column over the three -canals intersecting the causeway to Tlacopan, which, in the sally of the -afternoon, had been found to be bridgeless. If the canals were deep as -had been reported, well might Magarino be charged with particular care! - -In the order of march next came the centre or main body, Cortes' -immediate command. The baggage was in their charge, also the greater -part of the artillery, making of itself a long train, and one of vast -interest; for, though in the midst of a confession of failure, the -leader did not abate his intention of conquest,--such was a peculiarity -of his genius. - -"Mexia, Avila, good gentlemen," he said, halting the royal treasurers, -"let me assure myself of what beyond peradventure ye are assured." - -And he counted the horses and men bearing away the golden dividend of -the emperor, knowing if what they had in keeping were safely lodged in -the royal depositaries, there was nothing which might not be -condoned,--not usurpation, defeat even. Most literally, they bore his -fortune. - -A moment after there came upon him a procession of motley composition: -disabled Christians; servants, mostly females, carrying the trifles they -most affected,--here a bundle of wearing apparel, there a cage with a -bird; prisoners, amongst others the prince Cacama, heart-broken by his -misfortunes; women of importance and rank, comfortably housed in -curtained palanquins. So went Marina, her slaves side by side with those -of Nenetzin, in whose mind the fears, sorrows, and emotions of the -thousands setting out in the march had no place, for Alvarado had -wrapped her in his cloak, and lifted her into the carriage, and left a -kiss on her lips, with a promise of oversight and protection. - -As if to make good the promise, almost on the heels of her slaves rode -the deft cavalier, blithe of spirit, because of the happy chance which -made the place of the lover that of duty also. Behind him, well -apportioned of Christians and Tlascalans and much the largest of the -divisions, moved the rear-guard, of which he and Leon were chiefs. His -bay mare, Bradamante, however, seemed not to share his gayety, but -tossed her head, and champed the bit, and frequently shied as if scared. - -"Have done, my pretty girl!" he said to her. "Frightened, art thou? 'Tis -only the wind, ugly enough, I trow, but nothing worse. Or art thou -jealous? _Verguenza!_ To-morrow she shall find thee in the green -pasture, and kiss thee as I will her." - -"_Ola_, captain!" said Cortes, approaching him. "To whom speakest thou?" - -"To my mistress, Bradamante, Senor," he replied, checking the rein -impatiently. "Sometimes she hath airs prettier, as thou knowest, than -the prettinesses of a woman; but now,--So ho, girl!--now she--Have done, -I say!--now she hath a devil. And where she got it I know not, unless -from the knave Botello."[52] - -"What of him? Where is he?" asked Cortes, with sudden interest. - -"Back with Leon, talking, as is his wont, about certain subtleties, -nameless by good Christians, but which he nevertheless calleth -prophecies." - -"What saith the man now?" - -"Out of the mass of his follies, I remember three: that thou, Senor, -from extreme misfortune, shalt at last attain great honor; that to-night -hundreds of us will be lost,--which last I can forgive in him, if only -his third prediction come true." - -"And that?" - -"Nay, Senor, except as serving to show that the rogue hath in him a -savor of uncommon fairness, it is the least important of all; he saith -he himself will be amongst the lost." - -Then Cortes laughed, saying, "Wilt thou never be done with thy quips? -Lead on. I will wait here a little longer." - -Alvarado vanished, being in haste to recover his place behind Nenetzin. -Before Cortes then, with the echoless tread of panthers in the glade, -hurried the long array of Tlascalans; after them, the cross-bowmen and -arquebusiers, their implements clashing against their heavy armor; yet -he stood silent, pondering the words of Botello. Not until, with wheels -grinding and shaking the pavement, the guns reached him did he wake from -his thinking. - -"Ho, Mesa, well met!" he said to the veteran, whom he distinguished amid -a troop of slaves dragging the first piece. "This is not a night like -those in Italy where thou didst learn the cunning of thy craft; yet -there might be worse for us." - -"_Mira_, Senor!" and Mesa went to him, and said in a low voice, "What -thou saidst was cheerily spoken, that I might borrow encouragement; and -I thank thee, for I have much need of all the comfort thou hast to give. -A poor return have I, Senor. If the infidels attack us, rely not upon -the guns, not even mine: if the wind did not whisk the priming away, the -rain would drown it,--and then,"--his voice sunk to a whisper; "_our -matches will not burn!_" - -At that moment a gust dashed Cortes with water, and for the first time -he was chilled,--chilled until his teeth chattered; for simultaneously a -presentiment of calamity touched him with what in a man less brave would -have been fear. He saw how, without the guns, Botello's second -prediction was possible! Nevertheless, he replied,-- - -"The saints can help their own in the dark as well as in the light. Do -thy best. To-morrow thou shalt be captain." - -Then Cortes mounted his horse, and took his shield, and to his wrist -chained his battle-axe: still he waited. A company of horsemen brushed -past him, followed by a solitary rider. - -"Leon!" said Cortes. - -The cavalier stopped, and replied,-- - -"What wouldst thou, Senor?" - -"Are the guards withdrawn?" - -"All of them." - -"And the sentinels?" - -"I have been to every post; not a man is left." - -Cortes spoke to his attendants and they, too, rode off; when they were -gone he said to Leon,-- - -"Now we may go." - -And with that together they passed out into the street. Cortes turned, -and looked toward the palace, now deserted; but the night seemed to have -snatched the pile away, and in its place left a blackened void. Fugitive -as he was, riding he knew not to what end, he settled in his saddle -again with a sigh--not for the old house itself, nor for the comfort of -its roof, nor for the refuge in time of danger; not for the Christian -dead reposing in its gardens, their valor wasted and their graves -abandoned, nor for that other victim there sacrificed in his cause, -whose weaknesses might not be separated from a thousand services, and a -royalty superbly Eastern: these were things to wake the emotions of -youths and maidens, young in the world, and of poets, dreamy and -simple-minded; he sighed for the power he had there enjoyed,--the weeks -and months when his word was law for an empire of shadowy vastness, and -he was master, in fact, of a king of kings,--immeasurable power now -lost, apparently forever. - - - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - THE PURSUIT BEGINS. - - -In the afternoon the king Cuitlahua, whose sickness had greatly -increased, caused himself to be taken to Chapultepec, where he judged he -would be safer from the enemy and better situated for treatment by his -doctors and nurses. Before leaving, however, he appointed a deputation -of ancients, and sent them, with his signet and a message, to -Guatamozin. - -The 'tzin, about the same time, changed his quarters from the -_teocallis_, now but a bare pavement high in air, to the old Cu of -Quetzal'. That the strangers must shortly attempt to leave the city he -knew; so giving up the assault on the palace, he took measures to -destroy them, if possible, while in retreat. The road they would move by -was the only point in the connection about which he was undecided. -Anyhow, they must seek the land by one of the causeways. Those by -Tlacopan and Tepejaca were the shortest; therefore, he believed one or -the other of them would be selected. Upon that theory, he accommodated -all his preparations to an attack from the lake, while the foe were -outstretched on the narrow dike. As sufficient obstructions in their -front, he relied upon the bridgeless canals; their rear he would himself -assail with a force chosen from the matchless children of the capital, -whose native valor was terribly inflamed by the ruin and suffering they -had seen and endured. The old Cu was well located for his part of the -operation; and there, in the sanctuary, surrounded by a throng of armed -caciques and lords, the deputies of the king Cuitlahua found him. - -If the shade of Mualox lingered about the altar of the peaceful god, no -doubt it thrilled to see the profanation of the holy place; if it sought -refuge in the cells below, alas! they were filled by an army in -concealment; and if it went further, down to what the paba, in his -poetic madness, had lovingly called his World, alas again! the birds -were dead, the shrubs withered, the angel gone; only the fountain lived, -of Darkness a sweet voice singing in the ear of Silence. - -So the 'tzin being found, this was the message delivered to him from the -king Cuitlahua:-- - -"May the gods love you as I do! I am sick with the sickness of the -strangers. Come not near me, lest you be taken also. I go to Chapultepec -to get ready for death. If I die, the empire is yours. Meantime, I give -you all power." - -Guatamozin took the signet, and was once more master, if not king, in -the city of his fathers. The deputies kissed his hand; the chiefs -saluted him; and when the tidings reached the companies below, the cells -rang as never before, not even with the hymns of their first tenants. - -While yet the incense of the ovation sweetened the air about him, he -looked up at the image of the god,--web of spider on its golden sceptre, -dust on its painted shield, dust bending its plumes of fire; he looked -up into the face, yet fair and benignant, and back to him rushed the -speech of Mualox, clear as if freshly spoken,--"Anahuac, the -beautiful,--her existence, and the glory and power that make it a thing -of worth, are linked to your action. O 'tzin, your fate and hers, and -that of the many nations, is one and the same!" and the beating of his -pulse quickened thrice; for now he could see that the words were -prophetic of his country saved by him. - -Then up the broad steps of the Cu, into the sanctuary, and through the -crowd, rushed Hualpa; the rain streamed from his quilted armor; and upon -the floor in front of the 'tzin, with a noise like the fall of a heavy -hammer, he dropped the butt of a lance to which was affixed a Christian -sword-blade. - -"At last, at last, O 'tzin!" he said, "the strangers are in the street, -marching toward Tlacopan." - -The company hushed their very breathing. - -"All of them?" asked the 'tzin. - -"All but the dead." - -Then on the 'tzin's lip a smile, in his eyes a flash as of flame. - -"Hear you, friends?" he said. "The time of vengeance has come. You know -your places and duty. Go, each one. May the gods go with you!" - -In a moment he and Hualpa were alone. The latter bent his head, and -crossing his hands upon his breast said,-- - -"When the burthen of my griefs has been greatest, and I cried out -continually, O 'tzin, you have held me back, promising that my time -would come. I doubt not your better judgment, but--but I have no more -patience. My enemy is abroad, and she, whom I cannot forget, goes with -him. Is not the time come?" - -Guatamozin laid his hand on Hualpa's:-- - -"Be glad, O comrade! The time has come; and as you have prepared for it -like a warrior, go now, and get the revenge so long delayed. I give you -more than permission,--I give you my prayers. Where are the people who -are to go with you?" - -"In the canoes, waiting." - -They were silent awhile. Then the 'tzin took the lance, and looked at -the long, straight blade admiringly; under its blue gleam lay the secret -of its composition, by which the few were able to mock the many, and -ravage the capital and country. - -"Dread nothing; it will conquer," he said, handing the weapon back. - -Hualpa kissed his hand, and replied, "I thought to make return for your -preferments, O 'tzin, by serving you well when you were king; but the -service need not be put off so long. I thank the gods for this night's -opportunity. If I come not with the rising of the sun to-morrow, -Nenetzin can tell you my story. Farewell!" - -With his face to his benefactor, he moved away. - -"Have a care for yourself!" said the 'tzin, regarding him earnestly; -"and remember there must be no sign of attack until the strangers have -advanced to the first causeway. I will look for you to-morrow. -Farewell!" - -While yet the 'tzin's thoughts went out compassionately after his -unhappy friend, up from their irksome hiding in the cells came the -companies he was to lead,--a long array in white tunics of quilted -cotton. At their head, the uniform covering a Christian cuirass, and -with Christian helm and battle-axe, he marched; and so, through the -darkness and the storm, the pursuit began. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [52] A reputed soothsayer. - - - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - LA NOCHE TRISTE. - - -The movement of the fugitive army was necessarily slow. Stretched out in -the street, it formed a column of irregular front and great depth. A -considerable portion was of non-combatants, such as the sick and -wounded, the servants, women, and prisoners; to whom might be added the -Indians carrying the baggage and ammunition, and laboriously dragging -the guns. The darkness, and the rain beaten into the faces of the -sufferers by the wind, made the keeping order impossible; at each step -the intervals between individuals and between the divisions grew wider -and wider. After crossing two or three of the bridges, a general -confusion began to prevail; the officers, in dread of the enemy, failed -to call out, and the soldiers, bending low to protect their faces, and -hugging their arms or their treasure, marched in dogged silence, -indifferent to all but themselves. Soon what was at first a fair column -in close order became an irregular procession; here a crowd of all the -arms mixed, there a thin line of stragglers. - -It is a simple thing, I know, yet nothing has so much to do with what we -habitually call our spirits as the condition in which we are at the -time. Under an open sky, with the breath of a glowing morning in our -nostrils, we sing, laugh, and are brave; but let the cloud hide the blue -expanse and cover our walk with shadow, and we shrink within ourselves; -or worse, let the walk be in the night, through a strange place, with -rain and cold added, and straightway the fine thing we call courage -merges itself into a sense of duty or sinks into humbler concern for -comfort and safety. So, not a man in all the column,--not a cavalier, -not a slave,--but felt himself oppressed by the circumstances of the -situation; those who, only that afternoon, had charged like lions along -that very street now yielded to the indefinable effect, and were weak of -heart even to timidity. The imagination took hold of most of them, -especially of the humbler class, and, lining the way with terrors all -its own, reduced them to the state when panic rushes in to complete what -fear begins. They started at the soughing of the wind; drew to strike -each other; cursed the rattle of their arms, the hoof-beats of the -horses, the rumble of the carriage-wheels; on the houses, vaguely -defined against the sky, they saw sentinels ready to give the alarm, -and down the intersecting streets heard the infidel legions rushing upon -them; very frequently they stumbled over corpses yet cumbering the way -after the day's fight, and then they whispered the names of saints, and -crossed themselves: the dead, always suggestive of death, were never so -much so to them. - -And so, for many squares, across canals, past palaces and temples, they -marched, and nothing to indicate an enemy; the city seemed deserted. - -"Hist, Senor!" said Duero, speaking with bated breath. "Hast thou not -heard of the army of unbelievers that, in the night, while resting in -their camp, were by a breath put to final sleep? Verily, the same good -angel of the Lord hath been here also." - -"Nay, _compadre mio_," replied Cortes, bending in his saddle, "I cannot -so persuade myself. If the infidels meant to let us go, the going would -not be so peaceful. From some house-top we should have had their -barbarous farewell,--a stone, a lance, an arrow, at least a curse. By -many signs,--for that matter, by the rain which, driven through the -visor bars, is finding its way down the doublet under my -breastplate,--by many signs, I know we are in the midst of a storm. Good -Mother forfend, lest, bad as it is, it presage something worse!" - -At that moment a watcher on the _azoteas_ of a temple near by chanted -the hour of midnight. - -"Didst hear?" asked Cortes. "They are not asleep! Olmedo! father! Where -art thou?" - -"What wouldst thou, my son?" - -"That thou shouldst not get lost in this Tophet; more especially, that -thou shouldst keep to thy prayers." - -And about that time Sandoval, at the head of his advanced guard, rode -from the street out on the open causeway. Farther on, but at no great -distance, he came to the first canal. While there, waiting for the -bridge to be brought forward, he heard from the lake to his right the -peal long and loud of a conch-shell. His heart, in battle steadfast as a -rock, throbbed faster; and with raised shield and close-griped sword, he -listened, as did all with him, while other shells took up and carried -the blast back to the city, and far out over the lake. - -In the long array none failed to interpret the sound aright; all -recognized a signal of attack, and halted, the slave by his prolong, the -knight on his horse, each one as the moment found him. They said not a -word, but listened; and as they heard the peal multiply countlessly in -every direction,--now close by, now far off,--surprise, the first -emotion, turned to dismay. Flight,--darkness,--storm,--and now the -infidels! "May God have mercy on us!" murmured the brave, making ready -to fight. "May God have mercy on us!" echoed the timid, ready to fly. - -The play of the wind upon the lake seemed somewhat neutralized by the -density of the rain; still the waves splashed lustily against the -grass-grown sides of the causeway; and while Sandoval was wondering if -there were many, who, in frail canoes, would venture upon the waste at -such a time, another sound, heard, as it were, under that of the conchs, -yet too strong to be confounded with wind or surging water, challenged -his attention; then he was assured. - -"Now, gentlemen," he said, "get ye ready; they are coming. Pass the -word, and ride one to Magarino,--speed to him, speed him here! His -bridge laid now were worth a hundred lives!" - -As the yells of the infidels--or, rather, their yell, for the many -voices rolled over the water in one great volume--grew clearer their -design became manifest. - -Cortes touched Olmedo:-- - -"Dost thou remember the brigantines?" - -"What of them?" - -"Only, father, that what will happen to-night would not if they were -afloat. Now shall we pay the penalty of their loss. _Ay de mi!_" Then he -said aloud to the cavaliers, Morla, Olid, Avila, and others. "By my -conscience, a dark day for us was that in which the lake went back to -the heathen,--brewer, it, of this darker night! An end of loitering! Bid -the trumpeters blow the advance! One ride forward to hasten Magarino; -another to the rear that the division may be closed up. No space for the -dogs to land from their canoes. Hearken!" - -The report of a gun, apparently back in the city, reached them. - -"They are attacking the rear-guard! Mesa spoke then. On the right hear -them, and on the left! Mother of God, if our people stand not firm now, -better prayers for our souls than fighting for our lives!" - -A stone then struck Avila, startling the group with its clang upon his -armor. - -"A slinger!" cried Cortes. "On the right here,--can ye see him?" - -They looked that way, but saw nothing. Then the sense of helplessness in -exposure smote them, and, knightly as they were, they also felt the -common fear. - -"Make way! Room, room!" shouted Magarino, rushing to the front, through -the advance-guard. His Tlascalans were many and stout; to swim the -canal,--with ropes to draw the bridge after them,--to plant it across -the chasm, were things achieved in a moment. - -"Well done, Magarino! Forward, gentlemen,--forward all!" so saying, -Sandoval spurred across; after him, in reckless haste, his whole -division rushed. The platform, quivering throughout, was stancher than -the stone revetments upon which its ends were planted; calcined by fire, -they crumbled like chalk. The crowd then crossing, sensible that the -floor was giving way under them, yelled with terror, and in their -frantic struggle to escape toppled some of them into the canal. None -paused to look after the unfortunates; for the shouting of the infidels, -which had been coming nearer and nearer, now rose close at hand, -muffling the thunder of the horses plunging on the sinking bridge. -Moreover, stones and arrows began to fall in that quarter with effect, -quickening the hurry to get away. - -Cortes reached the bridge at the same time the infidels reached the -causeway. He called to Magarino; before the good captain could answer, -the waves to the right hand became luminous with the plashing of -countless paddles, and a fleet of canoes burst out of the darkness. Up -rose the crews, ghost-like in their white armor, and showered the -Christians with missiles. A cry of terror,--a rush,--and the cavaliers -were pushed on the bridge, which they jammed deeper in the rocks. Some -horses, wild with fright, leaped into the lake, and, iron-clad, like -their riders, were seen no more. - -On the further side, Cortes wheeled about, and shouted to his friends. -Olmedo answered, so did Morla; then they were swept onward. - -Alone, and in peril of being forced down the side of the dike, Cortes -held his horse to the place. The occasional boom of guns, a straggling -fire of small arms, and the unintermitted cries of the infidels, in tone -exultant and merciless, assured him that the attack was the same -everywhere down the column. One look he gave the scene near by,--on the -bridge, a mass of men struggling, cursing, praying; wretches falling, -their shrieks shrill with despair; the lake whitening with assailants! -He shuddered, and called on the saints; then the instinct of the soldier -prevailed:-- - -"_Ola_, comrades!" he cried. "It is nothing. Stand, if ye love life. -Stand, and fight, as ye so well know how! Holy Cross! _Christo y -Santiago!_" - -He spurred into the thick of the throng. In vain: the current was too -strong; the good steed seconded him with hoof and frontlet; now he -prayed, now cursed; at last he yielded, seeing that on the other side of -the bridge was Fear, on his side Panic. - -When the signal I have described, borne from the lake to the city, began -to resound from temple to temple, the rear-guard were yet many squares -from the causeway, and had, for the most part, become merely a -procession of drenched and cowering stragglers. The sound alarmed them; -and divining its meaning, they assembled in accidental groups, and so -hurried forward. - -Nenetzin and Marina, yet in company, were also startled by the noisy -shells. The latter stayed not to question or argue; at her word, sharply -spoken, her slaves followed fast after the central division, and rested -not until they had gained a place well in advance of the non-combatants, -whose slow and toilsome progress she had shrewdly dreaded. Not so -Nenetzin: the alarm proceeded from her countrymen; feared she, -therefore, for her lover; and when, vigilant as he was gallant, he rode -to her, and kissed her hand, and spoke to her in lover's phrase, she -laughed, though not understanding a word, and bade her slaves stay with -him. - -Last man in the column was Leon, brave gentleman, good captain. With his -horsemen, he closed upon the artillery. - -"Friend," he said to Mesa, "the devil is in the night. As thou art -familiar with wars as Father Olmedo with mass, how readest thou the -noise we hear?" - -The veteran, walking at the moment between two of his guns, replied,-- - -"Interpret we each for himself, Senor. I am ready to fight. See!" - -And drawing his cloak aside, he showed the ruddy spark of a lighted -match. - -"As thou seest, I am ready; yet"--and he lowered his voice--"I shame not -to confess that I wish we were well out of this." - -"Good soldier art thou!" said Leon. "I will stay with thee. _A la Madre -todos!_" - -The exclamation had scarcely passed his lips when to their left and -front the darkness became peopled with men in white, rushing upon them, -and shouting, "Up, up, Tlateloco! _O, O luilones, luilones!_"[53] - -"Turn thy guns quickly, Mesa, or we are lost!" cried Leon; and to his -comrades, "Swords and axes! Upon them, gentlemen! _Santiago, Santiago!_" - -The veteran as promptly resolved himself into action. A word to his -men,--then he caught a wheel with one hand, and swung the carriage -round, and applied the match. The gun failed fire, but up sprang a -hissing flame, and in its lurid light out came all the scene about: the -infidels pouring into the street, the Tlascalans and many Spaniards in -flight, Leon charging almost alone, and right amongst the guns a -fighting man,--by his armor, half pagan, half Christian,--all this Mesa -saw, and more,--that the slaves had abandoned the ropes, and that of the -gunners the few who stood their ground were struggling for life hand to -hand; still more, that the gun he was standing by looked point-blank -into the densest ranks of the foe. Never word spoke he; repriming the -piece, he applied the match again. The report shook the earth, and was -heard and recognized by Cortes out on the causeway; but it was the -veteran's last shot. To his side sprang the 'tzin: in his ear a war-cry, -on his morion a blow, and under the gun he died. When Duty loses a good -servant Honor gains a hero. - -The fight--or, rather, the struggle of the few against the many--went -on. The 'tzin led his people boldly, and they failed him not. Leon drew -together all he could of Christians and Tlascalans; then, as game to be -taken at leisure, his enemy left him. Soon the fugitives following -Alvarado heard a strange cry coming swiftly after them, "_O, O luilones! -O luilones!_" - -And through the rain and the night, doubly dark in the canals, Hualpa -sped to the open lake, followed by nine canoes, fashioned for speed, -each driven by six oarsmen, and carrying four warriors; so there were -with him nine and thirty chosen men, with linked mail under their white -tunics, and swords of steel on their long lances,--arms and armor of the -Christians. - -Off the causeway, beyond the first canal, he waited, until the great -flotillas, answering his signal, closed in on the right hand and left; -then he started for the canal, chafing at the delay of his vessels. - -"Faster, faster, my men!" he said aloud; then to himself, "Now will I -wrest her from the robber, and after that she will give me her love -again. O happy, happy hour!" - -He sought the canal, thinking, doubtless, that the Christians would find -it impassable, and that in their front, as the place of safety, they -would most certainly place Nenetzin. There, into the press he drove. - -"Not here! Back, my men!" he shouted. - -The chasm was bridged. - -And marvelling at the skill of the strangers, which overcame -difficulties as by magic, and trembling lest they should escape and his -love be lost to him after all, he turned his canoe,--if possible, to be -the first at the next canal. Others of his people were going in the same -direction, but he out-stript them. - -"Faster, faster!" he cried; and the paddles threshed the water,--wings -of the lake-birds not more light and free. Into the causeway he bent, so -close as to hear the tramp of horses; sometimes shading his eyes against -the rain, and looking up, he saw the fugitives, black against the -clouds,--strangers and Tlascalans,--plumes of men, but never scarf of -woman. - -Very soon the people on the causeway heard his call to the boatmen, and -the plash of the paddles, and they quickened their pace. - -"_Adelante! adelante!_" cried Sandoval, and forward dashed the -cavaliers. - -"O my men, land us at the canal before the strangers come up, and in my -palace at ease you shall eat and drink all your lives! Faster, faster!" - -So Hualpa urged his rowers, and in their sinewy hands the oaken blades -bent like bows. - -Behind dropped the footmen,--even the Tlascalans; and weak from hunger -and wounds, behind dropped some of the horses. Shook the causeway, -foamed the water. A hundred yards,--and the coursers of the lake were -swift as the coursers of the land; half a mile,--and the appeal of the -infidel and the cheering cry of the Christian went down the wind on the -same gale. At last, as Hualpa leaped from his boat, Sandoval checked his -horse,--both at the canal. - -Up the dike the infidels clambered to the attack. And there was clang of -swords and axes, and rearing and plunging of steeds; then the voice of -the good captain,-- - -"God's curse upon them! They have our shields!" - -A horse, pierced to the heart, leaped blindly down the bank, and from -the water rose the rider's imploration: "Help, help, comrades! For the -love of Christ, help! I am drowning!" - -Again Sandoval,-- - -"_Cuidado_,--beware! They have our swords on their lances!" Then, -observing his horsemen giving ground, "Stand fast! Unless we hold the -canal for Magarino, all is lost! Upon them! _Santiago, Santiago!_" - -A rally and a charge! The sword-blades did their work well; horses, -wounded to death or dead, began to cumber the causeway, and the groans -and prayers of their masters caught under them were horrible to hear. -Once, with laughter and taunting jests, the infidels retreated down the -slope; and once, some of them, close pressed, leaped into the canal. The -lake received them kindly; with all their harness on they swam ashore. -Never was Sandoval so distressed. - -Meantime, the footmen began to come up; and as they were intolerably -galled by the enemy, who sometimes landed and engaged them hand to hand, -they clamored for those in front to move on. "Magarino! The bridge, the -bridge! Forward!" With such cries, they pressed upon the horsemen, and -reduced the space left them for action. - -At length Sandoval shouted,-- - -"_Ola_, all who can swim! Follow me!" - -And riding down the bank, he spurred into the water. Many were bold -enough to follow; and though some were drowned, the greater part made -the passage safely. Then the cowering, shivering mass left behind -without a leader, became an easy prey; and steadily, pitilessly, -silently, Hualpa and his people fought,--silently, for all the time he -was listening for a woman's voice, the voice of his beloved. - -And now, fast riding, Cortes came to the second canal, with some -cavaliers whom he rallied on the way; behind him, as if in pursuit, so -madly did they run, followed all of the central division who succeeded -in passing the bridge. The sick and wounded, the prisoners, even king -Cacama and the women, abandoned by their escort, were slain and -captured,--all save Marina, rescued by some Tlascalans, and a Spanish -Amazon, who defended herself with sword and shield. - -At points along the line of flight the infidels intercepted the -fugitives. Many terrible combats ensued. When the Christians kept in -groups, as did most of the veterans, they generally beat off the -assailants. The loss fell chiefly upon the Tlascalans, the cross-bowmen, -and arquebusiers, whose arms the rain had ruined, and the recruits of -Narvaez, who, weighted down by their treasure and overcome by fear, ran -blindly along, and fell almost without resistance. - -One great effort Cortes made at the canal to restore order before the -mob could come up. - -"God help us!" he cried at last to the gentlemen with him. "Here are -bowmen and gunners without arms, and horsemen without room to charge. -Nothing now but to save ourselves! And that we may not do, if we wait. -Let us follow Sandoval. Hearken to the howling! How fast they come! And -by my conscience, with them they bring the lake alive with fiends! -Olmedo, thou with me! Come, Morla, Avila, Olid! Come, all who care for -life!" - -And through the _melee_ they pushed, through the murderous lancers, down -the bank,--Cortes first, and good knights on the right and left of the -father. There was plunging and floundering of horses, and yells of -infidels, and the sound of deadly blows, and from the swimmers shrieks -for help, now to comrades, now to saints, now to Christ. - -"Ho, Sandoval, right glad am I to find thee!" said Cortes, on the -further side of the canal. "Why waitest thou?" - -"For the coming of the bridge, Senor." - -"_Bastante!_ Take what thou hast, and gallop to the next canal. I will -do thy part here." - -And dripping from the plunge in the lake, chilled by the calamity more -than by the chill wind, and careless of the stones and arrows that -hurtled about him, he faced the fight, and waited, saying simply,--"O -good Mother, hasten Magarino!" - -Never prayer more hearty, never prayer more needed! For the central -division had passed, and Alvarado had come and gone, and down the -causeway to the city no voice of Christian was to be heard; at hand, -only the infidels with their melancholy cry, of unknown import, "_O, O -luilones! O, O luilones!_" Then Magarino summoned his Tlascalans and -Christians to raise the bridge. How many of them had died the death of -the faithful, how many had basely fled, he knew not; the darkness -covered the glory as well as the shame. To work he went. And what -sickness of the spirit, what agony ineffable seized him! The platform -was too fast fixed in the rocks to be moved! Awhile he fought, awhile -toiled, awhile prayed; all without avail. In his ears lingered the -parting words of Cortes, and he stayed though his hope was gone. Every -moment added to the dead and wounded around him, yet he stayed. He was -the dependence of the army: how could he leave the bridge? His men -deserted him; at last he was almost alone; before him was a warrior -whose shield when struck gave back the ring of iron, and whose blows -came with the weight of iron; while around closer and closer circled the -white uniforms of the infidels; then he cried,-- - -"God's curse upon the bridge! What mortals can, my men, we have done to -save it; enough now, if we save ourselves!" - -And drawn by the great law, supreme in times of such peril, they came -together, and retired across the bridge. - -Then rose the cry, "_Todo es perdido!_ All is lost! The bridge cannot be -raised!" And along the causeway from mouth to mouth the warning flew, of -such dolorous effect as not merely to unman all who heard it, but to -take from them the instincts to which life so painfully intrusts itself -when there is no judgment left. Those defending themselves quitted -fighting, and turned to fly; except the gold, which they clutched all -the closer, many flung away everything that impeded them, even the -arquebuses, so precious in Cortes' eyes; guns dragged safely so far were -rolled into the lake or left on the road; the horses caught the -contagion, and, becoming unmanageable, ran madly upon the footmen. - -When the cry, outflying the fugitives with whom it began, reached the -thousands at the second canal, it had somewhere borrowed a phrase yet -more demoralizing. "The bridge cannot be raised! All is lost! _Save -yourselves, save yourselves!_" Such was its form there. And about that -time, as ill-fortune ordered, the infidels had gathered around the fatal -place until, by their yells and missiles there seemed to be myriads of -them. Along the causeway their canoes lay wedged in, like a great raft; -and bolder grown, they flung themselves bodily on the unfortunates, and -strove to carry them off alive. Enough if they dragged them down the -slope,--innumerable hands were ready at the water's edge to take them -speedily beyond rescue. Momentarily, also, the yell of the fighting men -of Tenochtitlan, surging from the city under the 'tzin, drew nearer and -nearer, driving the rear upon the front, already on the verge of the -canal with barely room for defense against Hualpa and his people. All -that held the sufferers passive, all that gave them endurance, the -virtue rarer and greater than patience, was the hope of the coming of -Magarino; and the announcement, at last, that the bridge could not be -raised, was as the voice of doom over their heads. Instantly, they saw -death behind them, and life nowhere but forward,--so always with panic. -An impulse moved them,--they rushed on, they pushed each with the might -of despair. "Save yourselves, save yourselves!" they screamed, at the -same time no one thought of any but himself. - -To make the scene clear to the reader, he should remember that the -causeway was but eight yards across its superior slope; while the canal, -about as wide, and crossing at right angles, was on both sides walled -with dressed masonry to the height, probably, of twelve feet, with, -water at least deep enough to drown a horse. Ordinarily, the peril of -the passage would have been scorned by a stout swimmer; but, alas! such -were not all who must make the attempt now. - -The first victims of the movement I have described were those in the -front fighting Hualpa. No time for preparation: with shields on their -arms, if footmen, on their horses, if riders,--a struggle on the verge, -a cry for pity, a despairing shriek, and into the yawning chasm they -were plunged; nor had the water time to close above their heads before -as many others were dashed in upon them. - -Cortes, on the further side, could only hear what took place in the -canal, for the darkness hid it from view; yet he knew that at his feet -was a struggle for life impossible to be imagined except as something -that might happen in the heart of the vortex left by a ship foundering -at sea. The screams, groans, prayers, and execrations of men; the -neighing, snorting, and plunging of horses; the bubbling, hissing, and -plashing of water; the writhing and fighting,--a wretch a moment risen, -in a moment gone, his death-cry half uttered; the rolling of the mass, -or rather its impulsion onward, which, horrible to think, might be the -fast filling up of the passage; now and then a piteous appeal for help -under the wall, reached at last (and by what mighty exertion!) only to -mock the hopes of the swimmers,--all this Cortes heard, and more. No -need of light to make the scene visible; no need to see the dying and -the drowning, or the last look of eyes fixed upon him as they went down, -a look as likely to be a curse as a prayer! If never before or never -again, his courage failed him then; and turning his horse he fled the -place, shouting as he went,-- - -"_Todo es perdido!_ all is lost! Save yourselves, save yourselves!" - -And in his absence the horror continued,--continued until the canal from -side to side was filled with the bodies of men and horses, blent with -arms and ensigns, baggage, and guns, and gun-carriages, and munitions in -boxes and carts,--the rich plunder of the empire, royal fifth as well as -humbler dividend,--and all the paraphernalia of armies, infidel and -Christian; filled, until most of those who escaped clambered over the -warm and writhing heap of what had so lately been friends and comrades. -And the gods of the heathen were not forgotten by their children; for -sufferers there were who, snatching at hands offered in help, were -dragged into canoes, and never heard of more. Tears and prayers and the -saving grace of the Holy Mother and Son for them! Better death in the -canal, however dreadful, than death in the temples,--for the soul's -rest, better! - -Slowly along the causeway, meantime, Alvarado toiled with the -rear-guard. Very early he had given up Leon and Mesa, and all with them, -as lost. And to say truth, little time had he to think of them; for now, -indeed, he found the duties of lover and soldier difficult as they had -been pleasant. Gay of spirit, boastful but not less generous and brave, -skilful and reckless, he was of the kind to attract and dazzle the -adventurers with whom he had cast his lot; and now they were ready to do -his bidding, and equally ready to share his fate, life or death. Of them -he constituted a body-guard for Nenetzin. Rough riders were they, yet -around her they formed, more careful of her than themselves; against -them rattled and rang the stones and arrows; against them dashed the -infidels landed from their canoes; sometimes a cry announced a hurt, -sometimes a fall announced a death; but never hand of foe or flying -missile reached the curtained carriage in which rode the little -princess. - -Nor can it be said that Alvarado, so careful as lover, failed his duty -as captain. Sometimes at the rear, facing the 'tzin; sometimes, with a -laugh or a kiss of the hand, by the palanquin; and always his cry, -blasphemous yet cheerful. "_Viva a Christo! Viva Santa Cruz! Santiago, -Santiago!_" So from mistress and men he kept off the evil bird Fear. The -stout mare Bradamante gave him most concern; she obeyed -willingly,--indeed, seemed better when in action; yet was restless and -uneasy, and tossed her head, and--unpardonable as a habit in the horse -of a soldier--cried for company. - -"So-a, girl!" he would say, as never doubting that she understood him. -"What seest thou that I do not? or is it what thou hearest? Fear! If one -did but say to me that thou wert cowardly, better for him that he spoke -ill of my mother! But here they come again! Upon them now! Upon them, -sweetheart! _Viva a Christo! Viva la Santa Cruz!_" - -And so, fighting, he crossed the bridge; and still all went well with -him. Out of the way he chased the foe; on the flanks they were beaten -off; only at the rear were they troublesome, for there the 'tzin led the -pursuit. - -Finally, the rear-guard closed upon the central division, which, having -reached the second canal, stood, in what condition we have seen, waiting -for Magarino. Then Alvarado hurried to the palanquin; and while there, -now checking Bradamante, whose uneasiness seemed to increase as they -advanced, now cheering Nenetzin, he heard the fatal cry proclaiming the -loss of the bridge. On his lips the jest faded, in his heart the blood -stood still. A hundred voices took up the cry, and there was hurry and -alarm around him, and he felt the first pressure of the impulsive -movement forward. The warning was not lost:-- - -"_Ola_, my friends!" he said, at once aroused, "Hell's door of brass -hath been opened, and the devils are loose! Keep we together--" - -As he spoke the pressure strengthened, and the crowd yelled "_Todo es -perdido!_ Save yourselves!" - -Up went his visor, out rang his voice in fierce appeal,-- - -"Together let us bide, gentlemen. We are Spaniards, and in our saddles, -with swords and shields. The foe are the dogs who have bayed us so to -their cost for days and weeks. On the right and left, as ye are! -Remember, the woman we have here is a Christian; she hath broken the -bread and drunken the wine; her God is our God; and if we abandon her, -may he abandon us!" - -Not a rider left his place. The division went to pieces, and rushed -forward, sweeping all before it except the palanquin; as a boat in a -current, that floated on,--fierce the current, yet placid the motion of -the boat. And nestled warm within, Nenetzin heard the tumult as -something terrible afar off. - -And all the time Hualpa kept the fight by the canal. Hours passed. The -dead covered the slopes of the causeway; on the top they lay in heaps; -the canal choked with them; still the stream of enemies poured on -roaring and fighting. Over the horrible bridge he saw some Tlascalans -carry two women,--neither of them Nenetzin. Another woman came up and -crossed, but she had sword and shield, and used them, shrilly shouting -the war-cries of the strangers. Out towards the land the battle followed -the fugitives,--beyond the third canal even,--and everywhere victory! -Surely, the Aztecan gods had vindicated themselves; and for the 'tzin -there was glory immeasurable. But where was Nenetzin? where the hated -_Tonatiah_? Why came they not? In the intervals of the slaughter he -began to be shaken by visions of the laughing lips and dimpled cheeks of -the loved face out in the rain crushed by a hoof or a wheel. At other -times, when the awful chorus of the struggle swelled loudest, he fancied -he heard her voice in agony of fear and pain. Almost he regretted not -having sought her, instead of waiting as he had. - -Near morning from the causeway toward the city he heard two -cries,--"_Al-a-lala!_" one, "_Viva a Christo!_" the other. Friend most -loved, foe most hated, woman most adored! How good the gods were to send -them! His spirit rose, all its strength returned. - -Of his warriors, six were with the slain; the others he called together, -and said,-- - -"The 'tzin comes, and the _Tonatiah_. Now, O my friends, I claim your -service. But forget not, I charge you, forget not her of whom I spoke. -Harm her not. Be ready to follow me." - -He waited until the guardians of the palanquin were close by,--until he -heard their horses' tread; then he shouted, "Now, O my countrymen! Be -the 'tzin's cry our cry! Follow me. _Al-a-lala, al-a-lala!_" - -The rough riders faced the attack, thinking it a repetition of others -they had lightly turned aside on the way; but when their weapons glanced -from iron-faced shields, and they recognized the thrust of steel; when -their horses shrunk from the contact or staggered with mortal hurts, and -some of them fell down dying, then they gave way to a torrent of -exclamations so seasoned with holy names that they could be as well -taken for prayers as curses. Surprised, dismayed, retreating,--with -scarce room for defence and none for attack, still they struggled to -maintain themselves. Sharp the clangor of axes on shields, merciless the -thrust of the blades,--cry answered cry. Death to the horse, if he but -reared; to the rider death, if his horse but stumbled. Nevertheless, -step by step the patient Indian lover approached the palanquin. Then -that which had been as a living wall around the girl was broken. One of -her slaves fell down, struck by a stone. Her scream, though shrill with -sudden fear, was faint amid the discordances of storm and fight; yet two -of the combatants heard it, and rushed to the rescue. And now Hualpa's -hand was on the fallen carriage--happy moment! "_Viva a Christo! -Santiago, Santiago!_" thundered Alvarado. The exultant infidel looked -up: right over him, hiding the leaden sky,--a dark impending -danger,--reared Bradamante. He thrust quickly, and the blade on the -lance was true; with a cry, in its excess of agony almost human, the -mare reared, fell back, and died. As she fell, one foot, heavy with its -silver shoe, struck him to the ground; and would that were all! - -"_Ola_, comrades!" cried Alvarado, upon his feet again, to some horsemen -dismounted like himself. "Look! the girl is dying! Help me! as ye hope -for life, stay and help me!" - -They laid hold of the mare, and rolled her away. The morning light -rested upon the place feebly, as if afraid of its own revelations. On -the causeway, in the lake, in the canal, were many horrors to melt a -heart of stone; one fixed Alvarado's gaze,-- - -"Dead! she is dead!" he said, falling upon his knees, and covering his -eyes with his hands, "O mother of Christ! What have I done that this -should befall me?" - -Under the palanquin,--its roof of aromatic cedar, thin as tortoise -shell, and its frame of bamboo, light as the cane of the maize, all a -heap of fragments now,--under the wreck lay Nenetzin. About her head the -blue curtains of the carriage were wrapped in accidental folds, making -the pallor of the face more pallid; the lips so given to laughter were -dark with flowing blood; and the eyes had looked their love the last -time; one little hand rested palm upward upon the head of a dead -warrior, and in it shone the iron cross of Christ. Bradamante had -crushed her to death! And this, the crowning horror of the melancholy -night, was what the good mare saw on the way that her master did -not,--so the master ever after believed. - -The pain of grief was new to the good captain; while yet it so overcame -him, a man laid a hand roughly on his shoulder, and said,-- - -"Look thou, Senor! She is in Paradise, while of those who, at thy call, -stayed to help thee save her but seven are left. If not thyself, up and -help us!" - -The justice of the rude appeal aroused him, and he retook his sword and -shield, and joined in the fight,--eight against the many. About them -closed the lancers; facing whom one by one the brave men died, until -only Alvarado remained. Over the clashing of arms then rang the 'tzin's -voice,-- - -"It is the _Tonatiah_! Take him, O my children, but harm him not; his -life belongs to the gods!" - -Fortunately for Alvarado a swell of Christian war-cries and the beat of -galloping horses came, about the same time, from the further side of the -canal to distract the attention of his foemen. Immediately Cortes -appeared, with Sandoval, Morla, Avila, and others,--brave gentlemen come -back from the land, which they had safely gained, to save whom they -might of the rear-guard. At the dread passage all of them drew rein -except Morla; down the slope of the dyke he rode, and spurring into the -lake, through the canoes and floating _debris_, he headed to save his -friend. Useless the gallantry! The assault upon Alvarado had -ceased,--with what purpose he knew. Never should they take him alive! -Hualpa's lance, of great length, was lying at his feet. Suddenly, -casting away his sword and shield, he snatched up his enemy's weapon, -broke the ring that girdled him, ran to the edge of the canal, and -vaulted in air. Loud the cry of the Christians, louder that of the -infidels! An instant he seemed to halt in his flight; an instant more, -and his famous feat was performed,--the chasm was cleared, and he stood -amongst his people saved. - -Alas for Morla! An infidel sprang down the dike, and by running and -leaping from canoe to canoe overtook him while in the lake. - -"Sword and shield, Senor Francisco! Sword and shield! Look! The foe is -upon thee!" - -So he was warned; but quick the action. First, a blow with a Christian -axe: down sank the horse; then a blow upon the helmet, and the wave that -swallowed the steed received the rider also. - -"_Al-a-lala!_" shouted the victor. - -"The 'tzin, the 'tzin!" answered his people; and forward they sprang, -over the canoes, over the bridge of the dead,--forward to get at their -hated enemies again. - -"Welcome art thou!" said Cortes to Alvarado. "Welcome as from the grave, -whither Morla--God rest his soul!--hath gone. Where is Leon?" - -"With Morla," answered the captain. - -"And Mesa?" - -"Nay, Senor Hernan, if thou stayest here for any of the rear-guard, know -that I am the last of them." - -"_Bastante!_ Hear ye, gentlemen?" said Cortes. "Our duty is done. Let us -to the land again. Here is my foot, here my hand: mount, captain, and -quickly!" - -Alvarado took the seat offered behind Cortes, and the party set out in -retreat again. Closely, across the third canal, along the causeway to -the village of Popotla, the 'tzin kept the pursuit. From the village, -and from Tlacopan the city, he drove the bleeding and bewildered -fugitives. At last they took possession of a temple, from which, as -from a fortress, they successfully defended themselves. Then the 'tzin -gave over, and returned to the capital. - -And his return was as the savior of his country,--the victorious -companies behind him, the great flotillas on his right and left, and the -clouds overhead rent by the sounding of conchs and tambours and the -singing and shouting of the proud and happy people. - -Fast throbbed his heart, for now he knew, if the crown were not indeed -his, its prestige and power were; and amidst fast-coming schemes for the -restoration of the empire, he thought of the noble Tula, and then,--he -halted suddenly:-- - -"Where is the lord Hualpa?" he asked. - -"At the second canal," answered a cacique. - -"And he is--" - -"Dead!" - -The proud head drooped, and the hero forgot his greatness and his -dreams; he was the loving friend again, and as such, sorrowing and -silent, repassed the second canal, and stood upon the causeway beyond. -And the people, with quick understanding of what he sought, made way for -him. Over the wrecks of the battle,--sword and shield, helm and -breastplate, men and horses,--he walked to where the lover and his -beloved lay. - -At sight of her face, more childlike and beautiful than ever, memory -brought to him the sad look, the low voice, and the last words of -Hualpa,--"If I come not with the rising sun to-morrow, Nenetzin can tell -you my story,"--such were the words. The iron cross was yet in her hand, -and the hand yet rested on the head of a warrior lying near. The 'tzin -stooped, and turned the dead man over, and lo! the lord Hualpa. From one -to the other the princely mourner looked; a mist, not of the lake or the -cloud, rose and hid them from his view; he turned away,--_she had told -him all the story_. - -In a canoe, side by side, the two victims were borne to the city, never -to be separated. At Chapultepec they were laid in the same tomb; so that -one day the dust of the hunter, with that of kings, may feed the grass -and color the flowers of the royal hill. - -HE HAD FOUND HIS FORTUNE! - - * * * * * - -Here the chronicles of the learned Don Fernando abruptly terminate. For -the satisfaction of the reader, a professional story-teller would no -doubt have devoted several pages to the careers of some of the -characters whom he leaves surviving the catastrophe. The translator is -not disposed to think his author less courteous than literators -generally; on the contrary, the books abound with evidences of the -tender regard he had for those who might chance to occupy themselves -with his pages; consequently, there must have been a reason for the -apparent neglect in question. - -If the worthy gentleman were alive, and the objection made to him in -person, he would most likely have replied: "Gentle critic, what you take -for neglect was but a compliment to your intelligence. The characters -with which I dealt were for the most part furnished me by history. The -few of my own creation were exclusively heathen, and of them, except the -lord Maxtla and Xoli, the Chalcan, disposition is made in one part or -another of the story. The two survivors named, it is to be supposed, -were submerged in the ruin that fell upon the country after the conquest -was finally completed. The other personages being real, for perfect -satisfaction as to them, permit me, with the profoundest respect, to -refer you to your histories again." - -The translator has nothing to add to the explanation except brief -mention that the king Cuitlahua's reign lasted but two months in all. -The small-pox, which desolated the city and valley, and contributed, -more than any other cause, to the ultimate overthrow of the empire, sent -him to the tombs of Chapultepec. Guatamozin then took the vacant throne, -and as king exemplified still further the qualities which had made him -already the idol of his people and the hero of his race. Some time also, -but whether before or after his coronation we are not told, he married -the noble Tula,--an event which will leave the readers of the excellent -Don Fernando in doubt whether Mualox, the paba, was not more prophet -than monomaniac. - -FOOTNOTES: - - [53] Bernal Diaz, Hist. de la Conq. - - -Transcriber's Notes - -There were a number of issues in the original text, including obvious -printer's errors, or those due to the condition of the text itself, -especially on the margins. - -Where the issue is very clear, they have been corrected here. Many -hyphenation characters on the right margin are illegible, and those -words have been joined here--unless the hyphen itself appears in the -same word elsewhere in the text. - -In general, punctuation errors, especially those involving single or -double quotation marks, were quite frequent, and in the interest of -keeping the narrative flowing, they have been corrected. The use -of the single quotation as a abbreviating mark in proper names (e.g. -"Huitzil'")seems to have confused the printer more than once when -other punctuation directly follows, on pp. 135, 509, and 525. - -There were several questionable spelling issues (e.g., "beseiged", -"rodoubted") which were retained. The name "Cortez" (vs. "Cortes") -appears only in the table of contents. "'Hualpilli" appears once as -"'Huapill". - -Some compound words appear both with and without hyphens. Where the -hyphenation occurs at a line break, the hyphen is retained (or removed) -if there are other mid-line examples. - -The following list contains the details of corrections made to the text -or spelling variants to be noted. - - p. 13 the moment of reply wa[s] allowed to pass Added. - - p. 28 his canoe wil[l] be full of blessings Added. - - p. 35 Look well to this, O king[.] Added. May have - been '!'. - - p. 40 and the time is very quiet[.] Added. - - p. 54 [F]ail me not, my children. Added. - - p. 91 I promised I[tz/zt]lil' Reversed. - - p. 109 I am told you wish to enter my service[.] Added. - - p. 143 [t]he glinting of the jewels Added. - - p. 157 Temple over many chambers.["] Removed. - - p. 178 he is not a trai[tor.]" Added. - - p. 202 nor on what grounds[.] Added. - - p. 236 ["/']Come, the victim is ready!["/'] Should have been - single quotes. - - p. 241 "That is Diaz's [massage]." Sic. - - p. 290 Alvarado continued[./,] "which I could Added. - - p. 302 in trust for the god.['] Added. - - p. 311 and all things else yet undiscovered.["] Added. - - p. 334 Go with them, I pray you.['/"] Corrected. - - p. 341 The hours were long[.] Added. - - p. 342 What wonder that I fled?["] Added. - - p. 402 To the Mother the praise!['\"] Corrected. - - p. 406 has been toilsome and dreadful[.] Ah me, - I shudder at the thought!["] Added. - - "Have you never been elsewhere[?]" Added. - - have they been denied you, poor girl?["] Added. - - p. 488 Yonder is the temple we seek[.] Added. - - p. 499 "_Al templo! Adelante, adelante!_--forward!["] - Added. - - p. 500 to the palace, the palace!["] Added. - - p. 504 Then the [']tzin, recalled to himself Added. - - p. 512 The footnote reference for #49 was missing. Added. - - p. 513 and all the saints!["] Added. - - p. 537 If he fail--if he fail--["] Added. - - p. 543 and gave himself to sombre thought[.] Added. - - p. 552 What didst thou?["] Added. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fair God, by Lew Wallace - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FAIR GOD *** - -***** This file should be named 43340.txt or 43340.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/3/3/4/43340/ - -Produced by KD Weeks, Juliet Sutherland and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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