The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, August 22, 1894, Image 2
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THE SUMTER W
Establish ed April? i S S O.
"Be Just and Fear not-Let all the Ends thou Aims't at, be thy Country's, thy God's .and Truth's."
Consolidated Aug. 2,1881.
SUMTER, 3. G-, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 1894.
THE TRUE SOUTHRON, Established Jone. 1366
New Series-Vol. XIV. No. 4.
&k lib?ra: amit ?^OM?ijron.
Published ggacy Wednesday,
-BY
STOTERy C.
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oorvRfONT, an, mr YUK AUTHOR.
!
jj CESLPXKE TTTTT j
'?BGS??S BECOMES A GOD? *
Little did L plain Thomas Wingfield,
gentleman, know when I rose that morn?
ing that before sunset I should be a god,
*. and, after Montezuma, the emperor, thc
moss honored man, or rather god, in the
City of Mexico.
It came about thus: When I bad break?
fasted with the household of thc Prince
Guatemoc, I was led to thc hall of justice,
which was named the "tribunal of God."
Here on a golden throne sat Montezuma,
administering justice In such pomp as I
cannot describe. About him were his
counselors and great lords, and before him
was placed a human skull crowned with
emeralds so large that ablaze of light went
up from them. In his hand also he held
an arrow for a scepter. Certain chiefs or ca
z?ques were on their trial. *for*treasori, nor
were they left long in doubt as to their
fate, for when some evidence had been
heard they we^asked?what they had to
ch of them told
. sho?tfe ?p3h?Bj|
nad sa?d ai?c^
?nte&?crbU of
their mdicta??t? and^e?ked it with the
arrow in bis hand where the picture of
each prisoner appeared upon thc scroll.
Thenjtbey were- led away to death, but how
they coed l ao not know.
When this trial was finished, certain
priests entered the hall clothed in sable
robes, their matted hair hanging down
theirbecks ^JThexwerjufie^ ."w?i eyed
men of great dignity, and I shivered when
I saw them. I noticed also that they
alone made small reverence to the majesty
of Montezuma. The counselors and no?
bles having fallen back, these priests en?
tered intS talk with the emperor, and
presently two of them came forward, and
taking me from the custody-of the guards
led me forward before the throne. Then
of a sudden I was commanded to strip my?
self of my garments, and this I did, with
no little shame, till I stood naked before,
them all Now the priests: came forward '
and examined every part of me closely.
On my arms were the scars left by De Gar?
cia's sword, and on my breast the scarcely
healed marks of the puma's teeth and
claws. These wounds they scanned, ask?
ing how I had come by them I told them,
and thereupon they carried on adiscussion
among themselves and out of my bearing,
which grew so warm that at length they
appealed to the emperor to decide the poin t
He thought awhile, and. I beard him say: I
"The blemishes do hot come from with?
in the body, nor were they upon it at birth,
but have been inflicted by the violence of
man and beast."
Then the priests consulted together
again, and presently their leader spoke
some words into the ear of Montezuma.
He nodded, and rising from his throne
came toward me, who stood naked and
shivering before him, for the air of Mexi?
co is keen. As. he advanced he loosed a
chain of emeralds andi gold that hung
about his neck and unclasped the royal
cloak from his shoulders. Then with his
own hand he put the chain about my
throat and the cloak upon my shoulders,
and having humbly bent the knee before
me, as though in adoration, he cast his
arms about me and embraced me.
"Hail, most blessed," he said, "divine
son of Quetzal, holder of the spirit of Tez?
cat, soul of the world, creator of the
world What have we done that you
should honor TIS th us with your presence
for a season* What can we do to pay the
honor back? You created us and all this
country; behold, while you tarry with us,
it is yones, and we aie nothing but your
servants! Order and your commands shall
be obeyed; think and your thought shall
be executed before it can pass your Mps.
O Tezcat, L Montezuma, your servant, of?
fer you my adoration and through me the
adoration of all my people, ' ' and again he
bowed the knee.
"We adore you, O Tezcati" chimed in
the priests.
Now I remained silent and bewildered,
for of all this foolery I could understand
nothing, and while I stood thus Montezu?
ma clapped his hands and women entered,
bearing beautiful clothing with them and
a wreath of flowers. The clothing they
put upon my body and thc wreath of flow?
ers on my head, worshiping me the while
and saying: "Tezcat, who died yesterday,
is comoaga|n. Be joyful; Tezcat has come
again in the body of the captivo Teule. "
Then I understood that I was now a
god and the greatest of gods, though at
that moment within myself I felt more of
a fool than I had ever been before.
And now men appeared, grave and rev?
erend in appearance, bearing lutes in their
hands. I was told that these were my
tutors, and with them a train of royal
pages, who were to be my servants. They
led me forth from the hall, making music
as they went, and before me marched a
herald, calling out that this was the god
Tezcat, soul of the world, creator of the
world, who had come again to visit his
people. They led me through all the courts
and endless chambers of the palace, and
wherever I went man, woman and child
bowed themselves to the earth before me
and worshiped me, Thomas Wingfield of
Ditchingham, in the county of Norfolk,
till I thought that I must be mad
Then they placed me in a litter and car?
ried me down the hill Chapoltepec and
along causeways and through streets till
we came to the great square of the temple.
Before me went heralds and priests, af
me followed pages and nobles, and ever
we passed the multitudes prostrated the
selves till I began to understand h<
wearisome a thing it is to be a god Nt
they carried me through the wall of s
pents and up the winding paths of t
mighty teocalli till we reached the su
mit, where the temples and idols sto<
and here a great drum beat, and the pries
sacrificed victim after victim in my hon<
and I grew sick with the sight of wickc
ness and blood. Presently they invited i
to descend from th? litter, laying rich a
pets and flowers for my feet' to tread o
and I was much afraid, for I thought th
they were about to sacrifice mc to my?
or some other divinity. But this was n
so. They led me to the edge of the pyx
mid, or as near as I would go, for I shrai
back lest they should seize me sudden
and cast me over the edge. And there ?
? high priest called out my dignity to
thousands who were assembled beneat
and every one of them bent the knee
adoration of me, the priests above and tl
multitudes below. And so it went on t:
I grew dizzy with thc worship, and tl
shooting, and the music, and the sights
death, and very thankful was I when
last they carried me back to Chapoltepec
j Here new honors awaited me, for I w,
conducted to a splendid range of apar
? men ts next io those of the emperor hil
self, and I was told that all Montezuma
! household were at my command and th;
he who refused to do my bidding shou
die
So at last I spoke and said it was n
i bidding that I should be suffered tore
? awhile till a feast was prepared for me i
the apartments of Guatemoc the prrac
i for there I hoped to meet Otomie.
My tutors and the nobles who attende
? me answered that Montezuma, my servan
had trusted that I would feast with hu
that night. Still my command should t
done Then they left me, saying that the
would come again in an hour to lead n
to the banquet. Now I threw oif the en
blems of my godhead and cast myself dow
i on cushions to rest and think, and a ce
tain exultation took possession of me, fe
I was I not a god, and bad I not power a
! most, absolute? Still, being of a cautiot
mind, X wondered why I was a god an
how long my power would last.
Before the hour had gone by, pages an
nobles entered, bearing new robes, whic
S were put upon my body, and fresh flowe:
&> crown my nead, and I Was led away t
4hfe ?apartments of G?ste?pc^fair werne
i||pi9K$efjfte ?ne who^lajpd^npon irt?rt
mem'tsrbf music. J .' , -J ,
j Here Guatemoc the prince wai ted to r?
t ceivo me, which he did as though I, hi
captive and companion, was the first o
kings. And yet I thought that I saw mei
riment in his eye, mingled with sorrow
.Bending forward, I spoke to him in ;
whisper:
4'What does all this mean, prince?"
said. ' Am I "befooled, or am T indeed ;
god?"
"Hush!" ho answered, bowing low an<
speaking beneath his breath. "It mean
both good and ill for you, my friend Teule
Another time I will tell yon/' Then ht
added aloud: "Does it please you, O Tez
cat, god of gods, that we should sit a
meat with you, or will you eat alone?"
''The gods like good company, prince,'
I said
Now, during this talk I had discoverce
that among those gathered in the hail wa*
the Princess Otomie. So when wc passet
to the low table around which we were U
sit on cushions I hung back, watching
where she would place herself, and thei
at once seated myself beside her. Thii
caused some little confusion among th<
company, for the place of honor had beer
prepared for me at thc head of the table
the seat of Guatemoc being to my right
and that ofhis wife, th? royal Tecuichpo,
to my left.
^ ' "**?our seat is yonder,'O Tezcat," sh(
said, blushing beneath her olive skin as
she spoke
"Surely a god may sit where he chooses,
royal Otomie," I answered. "Besides," j
added in a low voice, ''what better place
can he find than by the side of the most
lovely goddess on the earth?"
Again she blushed and answered; "Alas,
I am no goddess, but only a mortal maid!
listen. If you desire that I should be youi
companion at our feasts, you must issue
it as a command None will dare to diso?
bey you, not even Montezuma, my father. "
So I rose and said in very halting Aztec
to the nobles who waited on me, "It is
my will that my place shall always be set
by thc side of the Princess Otomie"
At these words Otomie blushed even
more, and a murmur went round among
the guests, while Guatemoc first looked
angry and then laughed. But the nobles,
my attendants, bowed, and their spokes?
man answered:
'Th? words of Tezcat shall be obeyed.
Let thc seat of Otomie, the royal princess,
the favored of Tezcat, bc placed by the side
of the god"
Afterward this was always done, except
when I ate with Montezuma himself.
Moreover, the - Princess Otomie became
known throughout the city as* "thc blessed
princess, thc favored of Tezcat," for so
strong a hold had custom and superstition
upon this people that they thought it thc
greatest of honors to her, who was among
the first ladies in the land, that ho who for
a little space was supposed to hold the
spirit of thc soul of the world should deign
to desire her companionship when ho ate.
Now thc feast went on, and presently I
made shift to ask Otomie what all this
might mean.
"Alas!" she whispered, "you do not
know, nor dare I tell you now. But I will
say this, though you who arc a god may
sit where you will today an hour shall
come when you must lie where you would
not. Listen. When we have finished eat?
ing, say that it is your wish to walk in the
gardens of the palace, and that I should
accompany you. Then I may lind a chance
to speak."
Accordingly, when thc feast was over, I
said that I desired to walk in thc gardons
with the Princess Otomie, and we went
out and wandered under the solemn trees
that are draped in a winding sheet of gray
moss, which, hanging from every bongil
as though the forest had been decked with
the white beards of an army of aged men,
waved and rustled sadly in the keen night
air. But, alas! wc might not bc alone, for
after us at a distance of 29 paces followed
all my crowd of attendant nobles, together
with fair dancing girls and minstrels, arm
ad with their accursed flutes, on which they
blew in season and out of it, dancing as
they blew. In vain did I command them
to be silent, telling them that it was writ?
ten of old that there is a time to play and
dance and a time to cease from dancing,
for in this alone they would not obey me.
Sever could I bc at peace because of t
then or thereafter, and not till now d
learn how great a treasure is solitude.
Still we were allowed to walk toge
under the trees, and though the clame
music pursued us wherever wo went)
were soon deep in talk. Then it was 1
I learned how dreadful was the fate wi
overshadowed me.
"Know, O Teule," said Otomie, for
would call me by the old name when tl
was none to hear, "this is the custon
our land-that every year a young cap
t should be. chosen to be the earthly im
of the god Tezcat, who ?reatea the wo
Only two th ings are necessary to this c
tive-namely, that his blood should be
ble and that his person should be bea
g ful and without flaw or blemish. The?
that you came hither, Teule, chanced
be the day of choosing a new captive
personate the god, and you have b
chosen because you are both noble i
more beautiful than any man in Ariah u
; and also because, being of the people of
Teules, the children of Quetzal, of wh
1 so many rumors have reached us, i
whose coming my father, Montezm
< dreads more than anything in the woi
it was thought by the priests that you n
avert their anger from us and the ange]
the gods."
I Now Otomie .paused as one who 1
something to' say that she can scarcely ?
words to fit, but, I remembering only wi
had been said, swelled inwardly with i
sense of my own greatness and beca
this lovely princess had declared tha
was the most beautiful man in Anahu
I, who, though I was well looking enouj
had never before been called "beautifi
by man, woman or child. But in t
case, as in many another, pride went
fore a fall.
"It must be spoken, Teule," Ot?n
continued. "Alas, that it should bc
who am fated to tell you. Fora y<
you will rule as god in this city of T.
noctitlan, and except for certain ceremon
that you must undergo and certain a
which you must learn.none will trout
you. Your slightest wish will be a la
and when you smile on any it shall be
omen of good to them, and they will bli
. you. Even my father, Montezuma, w
treat you with reverence as an equal
more. Every delight shall be yours exec
that of marriage, and this will be wit
held till the twelfth month of the jet
Then the four most beautiful maidens
the land will be given to you as brides. '
"And who will choose them?" I askec
"Nay, I know not, Teule, who do n
meddle in such mysteries," she answer
hurriedly. "Sometimes the god is judg
and sometimes the priests judge for hil
It is as it may chance. Listen now to t!
end of my tale, and you will surely forg
the rest. For one month you will li
with your wives, and this month you w
pass in feasting at all the noblest nous
in the city. On the last day of the mont
however, you will be placed in a roy
barge, and, together with your wives, pa
died across the lake to a place that
named Melting of Metals. Thence ye
will be led to tho teocalli, named House <
Weapons, where your wives will bid far
well to you forever, and there, Teule-ala
that I must say it!-you are doomed to 1
offered as a sacrifice to the god whose spi
it you hold, the great god Tezcat, for yoi
heart will be torn from your body, an
your head will be struck from your shou
ders and set upon the stake that is know
as 'post of heads. ' "
Now, when I heard this dreadful doon
I groaned aloud, and my knees tremble
so that I almost fell to the ground. The
a great fury seized me, and forgetting m
father's counsel I blasphemed the gods c
that country and the people who worshij
ed them, first in thc Aztec and Maya lar
guages, then, when my knowledge of thes
tongues failed me, in Spanish and goo
English. But Otomie, who heard some c
my words and guessed more, was seize
with fear and lifted her hands, saying
"Curse not the awful gods, I beseec!
you, lest some terrible thing befall you a
once. If you are overheard, it will b
thought that you have an evil spirit am
nota good one, and then you must di
now and by torment. At the least th
gods, who are everywhere, will hear you. '
"Let them hear, " I answered. "The;
are false gods, and that country is accursei
which worships then*. They are doomed
I say, and all their worshipers are doomed
Nay, I care not if I am heard-as well di<
now-by torment as live a year in the tor
ment of approaching death. But I sha!
not die alone., All the sea of blood thai
your priests have shed cries out for veDge
ance to the true God, and he will avenge. '
Thus I raved on, being mad with fea:
and impotent anger, while the Princes?
Otomie stood terrified and amazed at m j
blasphemies, and the flutes piped and thc
dancers danced behind us. And as I raved
I saw that the mind of Otomie wandered
from my words, for she was staring to?
ward the cast like one who secs a vision.
Then I looked also toward tho east and
saw thc sky was alight there, for from
t hc ??c'?e of the horizon to the highest parts
of heaven spread a fan of pale and fearful
ligh t powdered over with sparks of fire,
the handle of the fan resting on the earth,
as it were, while its wings covered the
?istern sky. Now I ceased my cursing and
stood transfixed, and as I stood a cry of
terror arose from all the precincts of the
palace, and people poured from every door
to gaze upon the portent that flared and
blazed in thc east. Presently Montezuma
himself came out, attended by his great
lords, and in that ghastly light I saw that
his lips worked and his hands writhed
over each other. Nor was thc miracle done
with, for anon from the clear sky that
hung over the city descended a ball of fire,
which seemed to rest upon the points of
the lofty temple in the great square, light?
ing up the teocalli as with tho glare of
day. It vanished, but where it had been
another light now burned, for the temple
of Quetzal was afire.
Now cries of fear and lamentation arose
from all who beheld these wonders on the
hill of Chapoltepec and also from the city
below. Even I was frightened, I do not
know why, for it may well be that the
blaze of light which we saw on that and
after nights was nothing but the bright?
ness of a comet, and that the fire in tho
temple was caused by a thunderbolt. But
to these people, and more especially to
Montezuma, whose mind was filled already
with rumors of the coming of a strange
white race, which, as it was truly prophe?
sied, would brinp his empire to nothing?
ness, tho omen seemed very evil. Indeed,
if they had any doubt as to their meaning,
it was soon to Ix; dispelled, in their mind
at least, for as we stood, wonder struck,
a messenger, panting and 6oiled with trav?
el, arrived among us, and prostrating him
? messenger, panting and soiled with
travel, arrived.
self before tbe majesty of the emperor he
drew a painted scroll from his robe and
handed it to an attendant noble. So de?
sirous was Montezuma to know its con
tents that, contrary to all custom, he
snatched the roll from the hands of the
counselor, and unrolling it he began to
read the picture writing by the baleful
light of the blazing sky and temple. Pres?
ently, as he watched and he read, Monte?
zuma groaned aloud, and casting down
the writing he covered his face with his
hands. As it chanced, it fell near to where
I stood, and I saw painted over it rude
pictures of ships of the Spanish rig and of
men in the Spanish armor. Then I un?
derstood why Montezuma groaned. The
Spaniards had landed on his shores!
Now some of his counselors approached
him to console him, but he thrust them
aside, saying:
uLet me mourn-the doom that was
foretold has fallen upon the children of
Anahuac The children of Quetzal muster
on our shores and slay my people Let me
mourn, I say."
At that moment another messenger came
from the palace, having grief written on
his face.
"Speak," said Montezuma.
"0 king, forgive the tongue that must
tell such tidings. Your royal sister Pa
pantzin was seized with terror at yonder
dreadful sight," and he pointed to the
heavens. "She lies dying in the palace!"
Now, when the emperor heard that his
sister, whom he loved, was dying, he said
nothing, but covering his face with his
royal mantle he passed slowly back to the
palace.
And all the while the crimson light
gleamed and sparkled in the east like some
monstrous and unnatural dawn, while the
temple of Quetzal bumed fiercely in the
city beneath.
Now I turned to the Princess Otomie,
who had stood by my side throughout,
overcome with wonder and trembling.
"Did I not say that this company was
accursed, princess of the Otomie?"
"You said it, Teule," she answered,
"and it is accursed."
Then we went into the palace, and even
in this hour of fear after me came the
minstrels, as before.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE AKISISG OF FAPAKTZIN.
On the morrow Papantzin died and was
buried with great pomp that same evening
in the burial ground at Chapoltepec, by
the side of the emperor's royal ancestors.
! But, as will be seen, sho was not content
j with their company. On that day also I
learned that to be a god is not all pleasure,
' since it was expected of me that I must
master various arts, and chiefly the horrid
art of music, to which I never had any de
? sire. Still my own wishes were not allow?
ed to weigh in the matter, for there came
to me tutors, aged men who might have
found better employment, to instruct me
j in the use of the lute, and on this instru?
ment I must learn to strum. Others there
were also who taught me letters, poetry
and art, as they were understood among
the Aztecs, and all this knowledge I was
glad of.
As to this matter of my sacrifice I was
at first desperate. But reflection told me
that I had already passed many dangers
and come out unscathed, and therefore it
was possible that I might escape this one
also. At least death was still a long way
off, and for the present I was a god. So I
' determined that, whether I died or lived,
! while I lived I would live like a god and
take such pleasures as came to my hand,
and I acted on this resolve.
During the days that followed the death
of Papantzin the palace and the city also
were plunged in ferment The minds of
men were shaken strangely because of the
rumors that filled the air. Every night
the fiery portent blazed in the cast, every
day a new wonder or omen was reported,
and with it some wild talc of thc doings
of thc Spaniards, who by most were held
to be white gods, thc children of Quetzal,
come back to take the land which their
forefathers ruled.
But of all that were troubled none were
in such bad case as the emperor himself,
who during these weeks scarcely ate, drank
or slept, so heavy were his fears upon "him
In this trait he sent messengers to his an?
cient rival, that wisc and severe man, No?
za, the king of the allied state of Tezcuco,
begging that ho would visit him This
king came, an old man with a fierce and
gleaming eye, and I was witness to the in
terview that followed, for in my quality
of god I had full liberty of the palace and
even to be present at the councils of the
emperor and his nobles. When the two
monarchs had feasted together, Montezu- ,
ma spoke to Neza of thc matter of the
omens and of the coming of the Teules,
asking him to lighten the darkness by his
wisdom. Then Neza pulled his long gray
beard and answered that heavy as thc
heart of Montezuma might be it must
grow still heavier before the end.
"See, lord,"he said, *lI am so sure that
the days of our empire aro numbered that
I will play you at dice for my kingdoms
which you and your forefathers have ever
desired to win. "
"For what wager?" asked Montezuma
"I will play you thus," answered Neza.
"You shall stake three fighting cocks of
which, should I win, I ask the spurs only.
I set them against all tho wide empire of
Tezcuco."
"A small stake," said Montezuma.
"Cocks are many, and kingdoms are few. "
"Still it shall serve our turn," answer- ?
ed the aged king, "for know that we play
against fate. As the game goes, so snail
the issue be. If you win my kingdoms, all
is well; if I win the cocks, then goodby to
the glory of Anahuac, for its people will
cease to be a people, and strangers shall
possess the land."
1 'Let us play and see, ' ' said Montezuma.
And they went down to the place that is
called tlachco, where the games are set.
Here they began the match with dice, and
at first all went well for Montzeuma, so
that ho called aloud that already he was
lord of Tezcuco.
"May it be so, " answered the aged Neza,
and from that moment the chance dian ged,
for, strive as he would, Montezuma could
not win another point, and presently the
set was finished, and Neza had won the
cocks. Now the music played, and court?
iers came forward to give the king hom
age on his success. But he rose, sighing,
and said:
"I would far sooner lose my kingdoms
than have won these fowls, for if I had
lost my kingdoms they would still have
passed into the hands of one of my own
race. Now, alas! my possessions and his
must come under the hand of strangers,
who shall cast down our gods and bring
our names to nothing. ' '
And having spoken thus, he rose, and
taking farewell of the emperor he departed
for his own land, where, as it chanced, he
died very shortly without living to see the
fulfillment of his fears.
On the morrow of his departure came
further accounts of the doings of the
Spaniards that plunged Montezuma into
still greater alarm. In his terror he sent
for an astronomer noted throughout the
land for the truth of his divinations. The
astronomer came and was received by the
emperor privately. What he told him I do
not know, but at least it was nothing
pleasant, for that very night men were
commanded to pulldown the house of this
sage, who was buried in its ruins.
Two days after the death of the astron?
omer Montezuma bethought h rm that, as
he believed, I also was a Teule and could
give him information. So at the hour of
sunset he sent for me, bidding me walk
with him in the gardens. I went thither,
followed by my musicians and attendants,
who would never leave me in peace, but
he commanded that all should stand aside,
as he wished to speak with me alona
Then he began to walk beneath the mighty
cedar trees, and I with him, but keeping
one pace behind.
"Teule," he said at length, "tell me of
your countrymen and why they have come
to these shores. See that you speak truth."
4* They are no countrymen of mine, O
Montezuma," I answered, "though my
mother was one of them."
"Did I not bid you speak the truth,
Teule? If your mother was one of them,
must you not also be of them, for are you
not of your mother's bone and blood?"
"As the king pleases," I answered, bow?
ing. Then I began and told him of the
Spaniards-of their country, their great?
ness, their cruelty and their greed of gold,
and ho listened eagerly, though I think
that he believed little of what I said, for
his fear had made him very suspicious.
When I had done, he spoke and said:
t4Why do they come here to Anahuac?"
"I fear, O king, that they come to take
the land, or at the least to rob it of all its
treasure and to destroy its faiths."
"What, then, is your counsel, Teule?
How can I defend myself against these
mighty men, who are clothed in metal
and ride upon fierce wild beasts, who have
instruments and make a noise like thun?
der, at the sound of which their adversa?
ries fall dead by hundreds, and who bear
weapons of shining silver in their hands?
Alas, there is no defense possible, for they
are the children of Quetzal come back to
take the land! From my childhood I have
known that this evil overshadowed rae,
and now it is at my door."
"If I, who am only a god, may venture
to speak to the lord of the earth," I an?
swered, "I say that the reply is easy. Meet
force by force. The Teules are few, and
you can muster 1,000 soldiers for every
one of theirs. Fall on them at once; do
not hesitate till their prowess finds them
friends, but crush them."
"Such is the counsel of one whose moth?
er was a Teule," the emperor answered,
with sarcasm and bitter meaning. "Tell
me now, counselor, how am I to know
that in fighting against them I shall not
be fighting against the gods; how even am
I to learn the true wishes and purposes of
men or gods who cannot speak my tongue
and whose tongue I cannot speak?"
"It is easy, O Montezuma," I answered.
"I can speak their tongue. Send me to
discover for you."
Now, as I spoke thus, my heart bounded
with hope, for if once I could come among
the Spaniards perhaps I might escape the
altar of sacrifice; also they seemed a link
between me and home. They had sailed
hither in ships, and. 6hips can retrace their
path, for though at present my lot was
not all sorrow it will be guessed that 1
should have been glad indeed to find my- ]
self once more among Christian men.
Montezuma looked at me awhile and
answered:
"You must think me very foolish, !
Teule. What, shall I send you to tell my
fears and weakness to your countrymen 1
and to show them tho joints in my bar
Thcy began the match with dice.
ness? Do you then suppose that I do not
know you for a spy sent to this land by
these same Teules to gather knowledge of
the land? Fool, I knew it from the first.
Highest of all in Leavening Poi
and, by Huitze?, were yon notvowe?Tto
Tezcat your heart should smoke tomorrow
on the altar of HuitzeL Be warned and,
give me no more false counsels, lest your
end prove swifter than you think. Learn
that I have asked these questions of you
i to a purpose, and by the command of the
gods, as it was written on the hearts of
those sacrificed this day. This was the
purpose and this was the command that I
might discover your secret mind, and that
I should shun whatever advice you chanced
to give Y' i counsel me to fight the
Teales; therefore I will not fight them,
but meet them with gifts and -fair words,
for I know well that you would have me
to do that which would bring me to my
doom."
Thus he spoke very fiercely and in a low
voice,- his head held low and his arms
crossed upon his breast, and I saw that he
shook with passion. Even then, though I
was very much afraid, for god as I was a
nod from this mighty king would have
.seat me to death by torment, I wondered
at the folly of one who in everything else .
was sc wise. Why should he doubt me
thus and allow superstition to drag him
down to ruin? Today I see the answer.
Montezuma did not these things himself, j
but because the hand of destiny worked
with his hand and the voice of destiny
spoke in his voice. The gods of the Aztecs
were false gods indeed, but I for one be?
lieve that they had life and intelligence,
for those hideous shapes of, stone were the
habitations of devils, and the priests spoke
truth when they said that the sacrifice of
men was pleasing to their gods.
To these devils the king went for coun?
sel through the priests, and now this doom
was on them, that they must give false
counsel to their own destruction, and to
the destruction of those who worshiped'
them, as was decreed by one more power?
ful than they.
Now, while we were talking the sun had
sunk swiftly, so that all the world was
dark. But the light still lingered on the.
snowy crests of the volcanoes Popo and
Iztac, staining them an awful red. Never;
before to my sight had the shape of the;
dead woman whose everlasting bier is,'
Ixtac's bulk seemed so clear and wonder?
ful as on th?t night, for either it was so.
or my fancy gave it the very shape and
color of a woman's corse steeped in blood;
and laid out for burial. Nor was it myi
phantasy alone, for when Montezuma had*
finished upbraiding me he chanced to look
up, and his eyes falling on the mountain1
remained fixed there.
"Look now, Teule!" he said presently,
with a solemn laugh; "yonder lies the
corse of the nations of Anahuao washed
in a water of blood and made ready for
burial Is she not terrible in death?"
As he spoke the words and turned to go,
a sound of doleful wailing came from the
direction of the mountain, a very wild
and unearthly sound that caused the blood'
in my veins to stand still. Now Monte?
zuma caught my arm in his fear, and we
gazed together on Ixtac, and it seemed to
us that this wonder happened, for in
that red and fearful light the red figure of
the sleeping woman arose, or appeared to.
rise, from its bier of stone It arose slow-'
ly, like one who awakes from sleep, and
presently it stood upright upon the moun?
tain's brow, towering high in the air.
There it stood, a giant and awakened
corpse, its white trappings stained with
blood, and we trembled to see it.
For awhile the wraith remained thus
gazing toward the city of Tenoctitlan; then
suddenly it threw its vast arms upward as
though in grief, and at that moment tho;
night rushed in upon it and covered it,
while the sound of wailing died slowly
away.
''Say, Teule," gasped thc emperor, "do
I not well to be afraid when such portents
as these meet my eyes day by day? Heark?
en to the lamentations in the city; we
have not seen this sight alone. Listen how
the people cry aloud with fear and the.
priests beat their drums toavert the coen. ?
Weep on, ye people, and ye priests pray
and do sacrifice! It is very fitting, for the
day of your doom is upon you. O Tenoc?
titlan, queen of cities, I sec you ruined
and desolate, your palaces blackened with]
fire, your temples desecrated, your pleas?
ant gardens a wilderness. I see your high
born women thc wantons of stranger lords
and your princes their servants: the canals -
run red with the blood of your children:.
your gateways are blocked with their bones.,
j Death is about you everywhere; dishonor
? is your daily bread; desolation is yourpor
I tion. Farewell to you, queen of the cities,.
i cradle of my forefathers in which. I was
; nursed!"
When Montezuma had made an end of
crying his prophecies, I asked him hum?
bly if I should summon to him the lords
who were in attendance upon him, but
who stood at some distance.
"Nay," he answered, "I would not have,
them see me thus with grief and terror
upon my face. Whoever fears, at least I
? must seem brave. Walk with me awhile,
Teule, and if it is in your mind to murder
me I shall not grieve."
I made no answer, bat followed him as
he lcd the way down the darkest of the
winding paths that ran between the ce
I dar trees, where it would have been easy
! for .me to kill him if I wished, but I could
I not see how I should be advantaged by
; the deed; also, though I knew tliat Mon
' tezuma was my enemy, my heart shrank
! from the thought of murder. For awhile
; or more he walked on without speaking,
i now beneath the shadow of tho trees, and
now through open spaces of garden plant?
ed with lovely flowers, till at last we came
j 'to the gates of thc place where the royal
j dead are said to rest. Now, in front of
these gates was an open space of turf on
'. which the moonlight shone brightly, and
in the center of this space lay something
? white, shaped like a woman. Here Monte
j zuma halted and looked at the gates, then
j said:
"These gates opened four days since for
! Papantzin, my sister. How long, I won
! der, will pass before they open for me?"
As he spoke the white shape upon the
! grass, which I had seen and he had not
j seen, stirred like an awaking sleeper,
j As thc snow shape upon the mountain
had stirred, so this shape stirred; as it had
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