Calavar; or, The Knight of The Conquest, A Romance of Mexico

by Robert Montgomery Bird

  CHAPTER XXXVII.

  The same solitude, which had covered the city the preceding evening, nowseemed again to invest it. Corses were here and there strown in thestreet, as of fugitives dying in their flight; and once a wounded manwas seen staggering blindly along, as if wholly insensible to theapproach of his foes. The sight of this solitary wretch did more todisarm the fury of Don Amador, than did the spectacle of thousands lyingdead on the square; and certain grievous reflections, such as sometimesassailed him, after a battle, were beginning to intrude upon his mind,when a cavalier, darting forward with a loud cry, and couching hislance, as if at a worthier enemy, thrust the wounded barbarian throughthe body, and killed him on the spot. A few hidalgos, and most of thefootmen, rewarded this feat of dexterity with a loud cheer; but therewere many, who, like the neophyte, met the triumphant looks of thechampion, Alvarado, with glances of infinite disgust and frowningdisdain.

  As the party approached the neighbourhood of the great temple, theybegan to perceive in the streets groups of men, who, being altogetherunarmed, commonly fled at the first sight of the Christians; though,sometimes, they stood aside, with submissive and dejected countenances,as if awaiting any punishment the Teuctli might choose to inflict uponthem. But Cortes, reading in this humility the proofs of penitence, orwilling to suppose that these men had not shared in the hostilities ofthe day, commanded his followers not to attack them; and thusrestrained, they rode slowly and cautiously onwards, their furygradually abating, and the fears which had been excited by the lateassault, giving place to the hope, that it indicated no general spirit,and no deep-laid plan, of insurrection.

  The groups of Mexicans increased, both in numbers and frequency, as theChristians proceeded, but still they betrayed no disposition to make useof the arms, which were sometimes seen in their hands; and theSpaniards, regulating their own conduct by that of the barbarians, rodeonwards with so pacific an air, that a stranger, arriving that moment inthe city, might have deemed them associated together on the mostfriendly terms, and proceeding in company, to take part in some generalfestivity. Nevertheless, the same stranger would have quickly observed,that these friends, besides keeping as far separated as the streetswould allow, and even, where that was possible, removing from eachother's presence, entirely, eyed each other, at times, with looks ofjealousy, which became more marked as the Mexicans grew more numerous.In truth, the feelings which had so quickly passed from rage totranquillity, were now in danger of another revulsion; and many an eyewas riveted on the countenance of the general, as if to read aconfirmation of the common anxiety, as, ever and anon, it turned fromthe prospect of multitudes in front, to the spectacle of crowdsgathering, at a distance, on the rear.

  "All that is needful," whispered, rather than spoke, Don Hernan, thoughhis words were caught by every ear, "is to trust in God, and our sharpspears. There is, doubtless, some idolatrous rite about to be enacted inthe temple, which draws these varlets thitherward; and the gratitudewith which they remember our exploits of this morning, will account fortheir present hang-dog looks. If they mean any treachery, such as adecoy and ambuscado, why, by my conscience! we must e'en allow themtheir humour, and punish them, when 'tis made manifest. I counsel myfriends to be of good heart; for, I think, the dogs have had fightingenough to-day. Nevertheless, I will not quarrel with any man, who keepshis hands in readiness, and puts his eyes and ears to their properuses."

  As if to set them an example, Don Hernan now began to look about himwith redoubled vigilance; and it was remarked that he passed no house,without eyeing its terrace keenly and steadfastly, as if dreading moreto discover an enemy in such places than in the street. This was, infact, a situation from which an enemy might annoy the Spaniards with thegreatest advantage, and at the least risk.

  The houses of this quarter were evidently inhabited by the rich, perhapsby the nobles, of Mexico. They were of solid stone, spacious, andfrequently of two floors, lofty, and their terraces crowned withbattlements and turrets. Each stood separated from its neighbour by alittle garden or alley, and sometimes by a narrow canal, which crossedthe great street, and was furnished with a strong wooden bridge of suchwidth that five horsemen could pass it at a time. Often, too, thedwelling of some man of power stood so far back, as to allow the canalto be carried quite round it, without infringing upon the street; butmore frequently it was fronted only with a little bed of flowers. Thestones of which such structures were composed, were often sculpturedinto rude reliefs representing huge serpents, which twined in afantastic and frightful manner about the windows and doors, as if toprotect them from the invasion of robbers. Indeed, these were almost theonly defences; for the green bulrush lying across the threshold, coulddeter none but a Mexican from entering; and, perhaps, none but abarbarian would have seen, in the string of cacao berries, or of littlevessels of earthenware, hanging at the door, the bell to announce hisvisitation. A curtain commonly hung flapping at the entrance; butneither plank nor bar gave security to the sanctity of the interior.

  Notwithstanding the fears of the general, he beheld no Mexicans lurkingamong the terraces, or peering from the windows, but his anxiety was notthe less goading for that reason; for having now drawn nigh to the greatsquare, it seemed to him that he had, at last, thrust himself into thatpart of the city, where all the multitudes of Tenochtitlan wereassembled to meet him,--and whether for purposes of pacification orvengeance, he dared not inquire.

  The appearance of things, as the party issued upon the square, and facedthe House of Skulls, was indeed menacing. That enormous pyramid, whichDon Amador had surveyed, with awe, in the gloom of evening, was nowconcealed under a more impressive veil;--it was invested and darkened bya cloud of human beings, which surged over its vast summit, and rolledalong its huge sides like a living storm. The great court thatsurrounded it, was also filled with barbarians; for though theCoatepantli, or Wall of Serpents, with its monstrous battlements andgloomy towers, concealed them from the eye, there came such a hum ofvoices from behind, as could not have been produced alone, even by themyriads that covered the temple. In addition to these, the great squareitself was alive with Mexicans; and the sudden sight of them brought athrill of alarm into the heart of the bravest cavalier.

  The people of Tenochtitlan, thus, as it were, hunted by their invaders,even to their sanctuaries, turned upon them with frowns, yet parted awayfrom before them in deep silence. Nevertheless, at this spectacle, theChristians came to an immediate stand, in doubt whether to entanglethemselves further, or to take counsel of their fears, and retreat,without delay, to their quarters. While they stood yet hesitating, andin some confusion, suddenly, and with a tone that pierced to theirinmost souls, there came a horrid shriek from the top of the pyramid;and fifty Castilian voices exclaimed, "A sacrifice! a humansacrifice!--and under the cross of Christ, that we raised on thetemple!"

  "The place of God is defiled by the rites of hell!" cried Cortes,furiously, his apprehensions vanishing, at once, before his fanaticism."Set on, and avenge! Couch your lances, draw your swords; and if anyresist, call on God, and slay!" So saying, he drew his sword, spurredhis dun steed, and rushed towards the temple.

  The half-naked herds fled, yelling, away from the infuriated Christian,opening him a free path to the walls; and had that fearful cry beenrepeated, there is no doubt he would have led his followers even withinthe Coatepantli, though at the risk of irretrievable and universaldestruction. Before, however, he had yet reached the wall, he had timefor reflection; and, though greatly excited, he could no longer concealfrom himself the consequences of provoking the pagans at their verytemple, and during the worship of their god. He was, at this moment,well befriended, and numerously, indeed; but at a distance from thegarrison, without cannon, and almost without musketry, surrounded byenemies whom the eye could not number, and who had not feared to assailhim, even when fortified in a situation almost impregnable, and assistedby three times his present force, as well as several thousand boldTlascalans; and in addition to all these disadvantages, there ca
meneither such sound of trumpet, nor such distant commotion among theIndians, as might admonish him of the approach of Sandoval.

  He checked his horse, and waving to his followers to halt, again casthis eyes around on the multitude as if to determine in what manner tobegin his retreat, for he felt that this measure could be no longerdelayed. The Mexicans gazed upon him with angry visages, but still insilence. Not an arm was yet raised; and they seemed prepared to give himpassage, whichever way he might choose to direct his course.

  While hesitating an instant, Don Hernan perceived a stir among thecrowds, close under the Wall of Serpents, accompanied by a low butgeneral murmur of voices; and immediately the eyes of the pagans wereturned from him towards the Coatepantli, as if to catch a view of somesight still more attractive and important. His first thought was, thatthese movements indicated the sudden presence of Sandoval and his party;a conceit that was, however, immediately put to flight by the eventswhich ensued.

  The murmurs of the multitude were soon stilled, and the pagans thatcovered the pyramid were seen to cast their eyes earnestly down to thesquare, as the sound of many flutes, and other soft wind-instruments,rose on the air, and crept, not unmusically, along the Wall of Serpents,and thence to the ears of the Spaniards. Before these had yet time toexpress their wonder at the presence of such peaceful music amidst ascene of war and sacrifice, the crowds slowly parted asunder, and theyplainly beheld (for the Mexicans had opened a wide vista to theprincipal gate,) a procession, seemingly of little children, clad inwhite garments, waving pots of incense, conducted by priests, in gownsof black and flame colour, and headed by musicians and men bearinglittle flags, issue from the throng, and bend their steps towards thesavage portal. In the centre of the train, on a sort of litter, veryrich and gorgeous, borne on men's shoulders, and sheltered by a royalcanopy of green and crimson feathers, stood a figure, which might havebeen some maiden princess, arrayed for the festival, or, as she seemedto one or two of the more superstitious Castilians, some fiendishgoddess, conjured up by the diabolical arts of the priests, to add theinspiration of her presence to the wild fury of her adorers. She stooderect, her body concealed in long flowing vestments of white, on whichwere embroidered serpents, of some green material; in her hand she helda rod, imitative of the same reptile; and on her forehead was a coronetof feathers, surrounding what seemed a knot of little snakes, writhinground a star, or sun, of burnished gold.

  As this fair apparition was carried through their ranks, between thegreat wall and the House of Skulls, the Mexicans were seen to throwthemselves reverently on the earth, as if to a divinity; and those thatstood most remote, no sooner beheld her, than they bowed their headswith the deepest humility.

  Meanwhile, the Spaniards gazed on with both admiration and wonder, untilthe train had reached the open portal; at which place, and just as shewas about to be concealed from them for ever, the divinity, priestess,or princess, whichever she was, turned her body slowly round, andrevealed to them a face of a paler hue than any they had yet seen in thenew world, and, as they afterwards affirmed, of the most incomparableand ravishing beauty. At this sight, all uttered exclamations ofsurprise, which were carried to the ears of the vision: but Don Amadorde Leste, fetching a cry that thrilled through the hearts of all, brokefrom the ranks, as if beset by some sudden demon, and dashed madlytowards the apparition.

  Before the Spaniards could recover from their astonishment, the membersof the procession,--deity, priests, censer-bearers, and musicians,--withloud screams vanished under the portals; and the infidels, starting upin a rage that could be suppressed no longer, rushed upon the novice, toavenge, in his blood, the insult he had offered to their deity.

  "Quick, a-God's name! and rescue!" cried Cortes, "for the young man ismad!"

  There seemed grounds for this imputation; for, besides the inexplicablefolly of his first act, Don Amador appeared now, for a moment, to belost in such a maze, that blows of the heavy maquahuitl were rained uponhis stout armour, and several furious hands had clutched not only uponhis spear, but upon himself, to drag him from the saddle, before hebethought him to draw his sword and defend his life. But his sword was,at last, drawn, his fit dispelled; and before his countrymen had yetreached him, he was dealing such blows around him, and so urging hiscourageous steed upon the assailants, as quickly to put himself out ofthe danger of immediate death.

  The passions of the multitude, restrained, for a moment, by theirsuperstition or their rulers, were now fully and unappeasably roused;and with yells that came at once from the pyramid, from the temple yard,from the great square, and the neighbouring streets, they rushed uponthe Christians, surrounding them, and displaying such ferociousdetermination, as left them but small hopes of escape.

  "God and Spain! honour and fame!" cried Alvarado, spearing a barbarianat each word, "what do you think of my Mexicans now, true friends?"

  His cheer was lost in the roar of screams; and nothing but the voice ofDon Hernan, well known to be as clear and powerful in battle as thetrumpet which he invoked, was heard pealing above the din.

  "Now show yourselves Spaniards and soldiers, and strike for the blood ofChrist!--Ho, trumpeter! thy flourish! and find me where lags my lazyGonzalo?"

  As he spoke, he fought; for so violent had been the attack of theinfidels, that they were mingled among, and fighting hand to hand withthe Christians,--a confused and sanguinary chaos. Scarcely, indeed, hadthe trumpeter time to wind his instrument, before it was struck out ofhis hand by a brawny savage; and the same blow which robbed him of it,left the arm that held it a shattered and useless member. The blast,however, had sounded; and, almost instantaneously, it was answered by abugle, afar indeed, and blown hurriedly as if the musician were in asmuch jeopardy as his fellow, but still full of joy and good cheer to theChristian combatants.

  "Close and turn!--Footmen, to your square!" cried Cortes; "and, valiantcavaliers, charge me now as though ye fought against devils, with angelsfor your lookers-on!"

  "To the temple! to the temple!" cried Amador, with a voice rivalling thegeneral's in loudness, and turning in a frenzy towards the pyramid, downwhose sides the infidels were seen rushing with frantic speed.

  But the head of Fogoso was seized by two friendly followers, and whileDon Amador glared fiercely at the pale but not affrighted secretary, heheard, on the other side, the tranquil voice of Lazaro:

  "Master," said the faithful servant, "if we separate from our friends,we are dead men; and Don Gabriel is left without a kinsman in this landof demoniacs."

  "Close, and turn, I bid ye!" cried Cortes, furiously. "Heed not thewolves that are fast to your sides. Charge on the herds, charge on theherds! and over-throw with the weight of your hoofs! Charge, I bid ye;and care not though ye should find your lances striking against thebreast of Sandoval. Charge on the herds!--charge on the herds!"

  So saying, Don Hernan set an example, followed by the cavaliers; and asthe fifty horsemen spurred violently upon the mob, shouting andcheering, the naked multitudes quailed from before them, though only togather again on their flanks with renewed desperation.

  "Will ye desert us that are afoot?" cried voices from behind, withdolorous cries.

  "Ho, Sandoval! art thou sleeping?"

  "Santiago! and God be thanked!--'tis the voice of the general!" criedSandoval, in the distance. His voice came from the surge of battle, likethe cheer of a sailor who recks not for the tempest. It filled thecavaliers with joy.

  "Good heart now, brave hearts!" shouted Cortes; "for my son Sandovalanswers me! Rein me round and charge me back to the infantry!"

  Backwards galloped the fifty cavaliers, strewing the earth with trampledpagans; and the footmen shouted with delight, as they again beheld theirleader. But the relief and the joy were only momentary.

  "Fight ye, my dogs! and slay your own sheep! Be firm; wall yourselveswith spears; and presently ye shall be lookers-on.--Sweep the squareagain, brave cavaliers! Goad flanks! couch spears! and, this time, letme see the red face of my lieutenant!"
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  Turning, and shouting with a louder cheer, (for the experience of thetwo first charges had warned the Mexicans of their destructive efficacy,and they now recoiled with a more visible alarm,) the cavaliers againrushed through their foes like a whirlwind; and brushing them aside, asthe meteor brushes the fogs of evening, they dashed onwards, until theirshouts were loudly re-echoed, and they found themselves confronted withDon Gonzalo and his party.

  The greetings of the friends were brief and few, for the same myriads,attacking with the same frenzied desperation, invested them with adanger that did not seem to diminish.

  "Bring thy foot in front," cried Cortes, "and, while they follow me,charge thou behind them. Be quick, and be brave. March fast, ye idlespearmen: and stare not, for these are not devils, but men!--God andSpain!--Santiago, and at them again, peerless cavaliers!--We fight forChrist and immortal honour!"

  The valiant band of cavaliers again turned at the voice of their leader,and again they swept the corse-encumbered square, rushing to the reliefof their own infantry. Following the counsel he had given to Sandoval,the wary general passed by his foot-soldiers, and bidding them marchboldly forwards, and join themselves with the infantry of Don Gonzalo,he charged the infidels from their rear with a fury they could notresist; and then rushing backwards with equal resolution, discovered thefoot-soldiers in the position in which it had been his aim to placethem. The united infantry, full seven hundred men in number, were nowprotected, both in front and rear, by a band of cavalry; their flankslooking, on one side, to the temple, and, on the other, to a greatstreet that opened opposite. Arranging them, at a word, in two lines,standing back to back, and seconding himself the manoeuvre which hedictated to Sandoval, the general swept instantly to that flank whichbordered on the Wall of Serpents, while Gonzalo rode to the other. Thusarranged, the little army presented the figure of a hollow square, orrather of a narrow parallelogram, the chief sides of which, were made bydouble rows of spearmen, and the smaller by bands of horsemen. Thusarranged, too, the Christians fought with greater resolution andsuccess; for, parting at once from a common centre, the infantry drovethe assailants from before them on two sides, while the cavalry carrieddeath and horror to the others; until, at a given signal, all again fellback to their position, and presented a wall altogether inexpugnable tothe weak though untiring savages.

  It was the persuasion of Don Hernan, that, in this advantageousposition, he could, in a short time, so punish his enemies, as to teachthem the folly of contending with Christian men, and perhaps end the warin a day. But, for a full hour, he repeated his charges, now pinning hisfoes against the wall, or the steps of the House of Skulls, now fallingback to breathe; and, at each charge, adding to the number of the dead,until their corses literally obstructed his path, and left it nearlyimpassable. At every charge, too, his cavaliers waxed more weary, andstruck more faintly, while the horses obeyed the spur and voice withdiminishing vigour; and it seemed that they must soon be left unable,from sheer fatigue, to continue the work of slaughter. The pagansperished in crowds at each charge, and at each volley of bow-shots; butneither their spirit, nor their numbers, seemed to decrease. Their yellswere as loud, their countenances as bold, their assaults as violent asat first; and the Spaniards beheld the sun rising high in the heavens,without any termination to their labours, or their sufferings. TwentyChristians already lay dead on the square, or had been dragged, perhaps,while yet breathing, to be sacrificed on the pyramid. This was asuspicion that shocked the souls of many; for, twice or thrice, theyheard, among the crowds, who still stood on the lofty terrace, shootingarrows down on the square, such shouts of triumphant delight as, theythought, could be caused by nothing but the immolation of a victim.

  Grief and rage lay heavily on the heart of Cortes; but though theapprehension, that, if much longer over-worn by combat, his followersmight be left unable even to fly, added its sting to the others, shamedeterred him, for a time, from giving the mortifying order. Harassed,and even wounded, (for a defective link in his mail had yielded to anarrow-head, and the stone was buried in his shoulder,) he neverthelesspreserved a good countenance; cheered his people with the assurance ofvictory; fought on, exposing himself like the meanest of his soldiers;and several times, at the imminent risk of his life, rescued certainfoot-soldiers from the consequences of their foolhardiness.

  There was among the infantry, a man of great courage and strength, bythe name of Lezcano, whose only weapon was a huge two-handed sword, thevaliant use of which had gained him among his companions, the title of_Dos Manos_, or Two-Hands. No spearman of his company advanced to thecharge with more readiness than did this fellow with his giganticweapon, and none retreated with more constant reluctance. Indeed, hecommonly fell back so leisurely as to draw three or four foes upon himat once; and it seemed to be his pleasure, to meet these in such a way,as should call for the praises of his companions. His daring, that day,would have left him with the additional name of the bravest of thebrave, had it been tempered with a little discretion. But inflamed bythe encomiums of his comrades, and not less by the complimentary rebukesof his captain, his rashness knew no bounds; and twice or thrice hethrust himself into situations of peril, from which he was rescued withgreat difficulty. He had been saved once by Don Hernan. It was his fate,a second time, to draw the notice of the general; who, falling back onthe infantry, beheld him beset by a dozen foes, surrounded, and usinghis great scimitar furiously, yet, as it seemed, in vain; for he wasunhelmed.

  "What ho, Don Amador!" cried Cortes to the cavalier, who was at hisside, "let us rescue _Dos Manos_, the mad!"

  In an instant of time, the two hidalgos had reached the group, andraised their voices in encouragement, while each struck down a savage.At that moment, and while Lezcano elevated his scimitar, to ward off theblow of a maquahuitl, the massive blade, shivered as if by athunderbolt, fell to the earth; but, before it reached it, the sharpglass of the Indian sword had entered his brain. The cavaliers struckfast and hard, on either hand; the barbarians fled; but, Lezcano, theTwo-handed, lay rolling his eyes to heaven, his head cloven to themouth.

  "If we slay a thousand foes for every Christian man that dies, yet shallwe be vanquished!" said Cortes, turning an eye of despair on hiscompanion, and speaking the feelings he had concealed from all others.Indeed, he seemed to rejoice that destiny had given him one follower, towhom he might unbosom himself without the apprehension of creatingalarm--he hesitated not to relieve himself of his grief to Don Amador;for he knew him to be inaccessible to fear. "Be of good heart, myfriend. I have drawn thee into a den of devils. We must retreat, ordie."

  "I will advance or retreat, as thou wilt," said Amador, with a visage,in which Don Hernan now for the first time, beheld an expression so wildand ghastly, that he was reminded of Calavar. "It matters nothing--hereor at the palace! But it is my duty to assure thee of mine ownpersuasion: Retreat may bring us relief--there is no victory for us,to-day."

  "God help thee! art thou wounded?" cried Cortes.

  "A little hurt by the skilless hand of Fabueno," said the novice,tranquilly, "who, not yet being perfected in the use of the spear,thrust his weapon into my back, while aiming at the throat of acacique.--But that is not it. I have, this day, seen a sight, whichconvinces me we are among magicians and devils; and persuades me, alongwith certain other recent occurrences, that the time of some of us isreckoned. Therefore I say to thee, I will advance with thee or retreat,as thou thinkest best. To me it matters not. But my counsel is, to fly.We may save others."

  "It is needful," replied Don Hernan, mournfully.--He gave his orders tocertain officers; and the retreat was commenced in the order in whichthey had fought,--that is to say, the infantry, drawing their linescloser together, and facing to the flank, began to march down thestreet, preceded by Sandoval, charging the opponents from the front,while Cortes and his band, at intervals, rushing back upon the pursuers,kept the triumphant barbarians from the rear.