CHAPTER XXIX
DE GARCIA SPEAKS HIS MIND
At first I was not taken into the chamber that I had left, but placed ina little room opening out of it where the guard slept. Here I waiteda while, bound hand and foot and watched by two soldiers with drawnswords. As I waited, torn by rage and fear, I heard the noise ofhammering through the wall, followed by a sound of groans. At lengththe suspense came to an end; a door was opened, and two fierce TlascalanIndians came through it and seized me by the hair and ears, dragging methus into my own chamber.
'Poor devil!' I heard one of the Spanish soldiers say as I went.'Apostate or no, I am sorry for him; this is bloody work.'
Then the door closed and I was in the place of torment. The room wasdarkened, for a cloth had been hung in front of the window bars, but itsgloom was relieved by certain fires that burned in braziers. It was bythe light of these fires chiefly that I saw the sight. On the floor ofthe chamber were placed three solid chairs, one of them empty. The othertwo were filled by none other than Guatemoc, Emperor of the Aztecs, andby his friend and mine the cacique of Tacuba. They were bound in thechairs, the burning braziers were placed at their feet, behind themstood a clerk with paper and an inkhorn, and around them Indians werebusy at some dreadful task, directed to it by two Spanish soldiers. Nearthe third chair stood another Spaniard who as yet took no part inthe play; it was de Garcia. As I looked, an Indian lifted one of thebraziers and seizing the naked foot of the Tacuban prince, thrust itdown upon the glowing coals. For a while there was silence, then theTacuban broke into groans. Guatemoc turned his head towards him andspoke, and as he spoke I saw that his foot also was resting in theflames of a brazier. 'Why do you complain, friend,' he said, in a steadyvoice, 'when I keep silence? Am I then taking my pleasure in a bed?Follow me now as always, friend, and be silent beneath your sufferings.'
The clerk wrote down his words, for I heard the quill scratching on thepaper, and as he wrote, Guatemoc turned his head and saw me. His facewas grey with pain, still he spoke as a hundred times I had heard himspeak at council, slowly and clearly. 'Alas! are you also here, myfriend Teule?' he said; 'I hoped that they had spared you. See how theseSpaniards keep faith. Malinche swore to treat me with all honour; beholdhow he honours me, with hot coals for my feet and pincers for my flesh.They think that we have buried treasure, Teule, and would wring itssecret from us. You know that it is a lie. If we had treasure would wenot give it gladly to our conquerors, the god-born sons of Quetzal? Youknow that there is nothing left except the ruins of our cities and thebones of our dead.'
Here he ceased suddenly, for the demon who tormented him struck himacross the mouth saying, 'Silence, dog.'
But I understood, and I swore in my heart that I would die ere Irevealed my brother's secret. This was the last triumph that Guatemoccould win, to keep his gold from the grasp of the greedy Spaniard, andthat victory at least he should not lose through me. So I swore, andvery soon my oath must be put to the test, for at a motion from deGarcia the Tlascalans seized me and bound me to the third chair.
Then he spoke into my ear in Castilian: 'Strange are the ways ofProvidence, Cousin Wingfield. You have hunted me across the world, andseveral times we have met, always to your sorrow. I thought I had youin the slave ship, I thought that the sharks had you in the water, butsomehow you escaped me whom you came to hunt. When I knew it I grieved,but now I grieve no more, for I see that you were reserved for thismoment. Cousin Wingfield, it shall go hard if you escape me this time,and yet I think that we shall spend some days together before we part.Now I will be courteous with you. You may have a choice of evils. Howshall we begin? The resources at my command are not all that we couldwish, alas! the Holy Office is not yet here with its unholy armoury, butstill I have done my best. These fellows do not understand their art:hot coals are their only inspiration. I, you see, have several,' and hepointed to various instruments of torture. 'Which will you select?'
I made no answer, for I had determined that I would speak no word andutter no cry, do what they might with me.
'Let me think, let me think,' went on de Garcia, smoothing his beard.'Ah, I have it. Here, slaves.'
Now I will not renew my own agonies, or awake the horror of any who maychance to read what I have written by describing what befell me afterthis. Suffice it to say that for two hours and more this devil, helpedin his task by the Tlascalans, worked his wicked will upon me. One byone torments were administered to me with a skill and ingenuity thatcannot often have been surpassed, and when at times I fainted I wasrecovered by cold water being dashed upon me and spirits poured downmy throat. And yet, I say it with some pride, during those two dreadfulhours I uttered no groan however great my sufferings, and spoke no wordgood or bad.
Nor was it only bodily pain that I must bear, for all this while myenemy mocked me with bitter words, which tormented my soul as hisinstruments and hot coals tormented my body. At length he pausedexhausted, and cursed me for an obstinate pig of an Englishman, and atthat moment Cortes entered the shambles and with him Marina.
'How goes it?' he said lightly, though his face turned pale at the sightof horror.
'The cacique of Tacuba has confessed that gold is buried in his garden,the other two have said nothing, general,' the clerk answered, glancingdown his paper.
'Brave men, indeed!' I heard Cortes mutter to himself; then said aloud,'Let the cacique be carried to-morrow to the garden of which he speaks,that he may point out the gold. As for the other two, cease tormentingthem for this day. Perhaps they may find another mind before to-morrow.I trust so, for their own sakes I trust so!'
Then he drew to the corner of the room and consulted with Sarceda andthe other torturers, leaving Marina face to face with Guatemoc and withme. For a while she stared at the prince as though in horror, then astrange light came into her beautiful eyes, and she spoke to him in alow voice, saying in the Aztec tongue:
'Do you remember how once you rejected me down yonder in Tobasco,Guatemoc, and what I told you then?--that I should grow great in spiteof you? You see it has all come true and more than true, and you arebrought to this. Are you not sorry, Guatemoc? I am sorry, though were Ias some women are, perchance I might rejoice to see you thus.'
'Woman,' the prince answered in a thick voice, 'you have betrayed yourcountry and you have brought me to shame and torment. Yes, had it notbeen for you, these things had never been. I am sorry, indeed I amsorry--that I did not kill you. For the rest, may your name be shamefulfor ever in the ears of honest men and your soul be everlastinglyaccursed, and may you yourself, even before you die, know the bitternessof dishonour and betrayal! Your words were fulfilled, and so shall minebe also.'
She heard and turned away trembling, and for a while was silent. Thenher glance fell upon me and she began to weep.
'Alas! poor man,' she said; 'alas! my friend.'
'Weep not over me, Marina,' I answered, speaking in Aztec, 'for ourtears are of no worth, but help me if you may.'
'Ah that I could!' she sobbed, and turning fled from the place, followedpresently by Cortes.
Now the Spaniards came in again and removed Guatemoc and the cacique ofTacuba, carrying them in their arms, for they could not walk, and indeedthe cacique was in a swoon.
'Farewell, Teule,' said Guatemoc as he passed me; 'you are indeed a trueson of Quetzal and a gallant man. May the gods reward you in times tocome for all that you have suffered for me and mine, since I cannot.'
Then he was borne out and these were the last words that I ever heardhim utter.
Now I was left alone with the Tlascalans and de Garcia, who mocked me asbefore.
'A little tired, eh, friend Wingfield?' he said sneering. 'Well, theplay is rough till you get used to it. A night's sleep will refresh you,and to-morrow you will be a new man. Perhaps you believe that I havedone my worst. Fool, this is but a beginning. Also you think doubtlessthat your obstinacy angers me? Wrong again, my friend, I only pray thatyou may keep your lips sealed to the last. Gladly would I give m
y shareof this hidden gold in payment for two more such days with you. I havestill much to pay you back, and look you, I have found a way to do it.There are more ways of hurting a man than through his own flesh--forinstance, when I wished to be revenged upon your father, I struck himthrough her whom he loved. Now I have touched you and you wonder what Imean. Well, I will tell you. Perhaps you may know an Aztec lady of royalblood who is named Otomie?'
'Otomie, what of her?' I cried, speaking for the first time, since fearfor her stirred me more than all the torments I had borne.
'A triumph indeed; I have found a way to make you speak at last; why,then, to-morrow you will be full of words. Only this, Cousin Wingfield;Otomie, Montezuma's daughter, a very lovely woman by the way, isyour wife according to the Indian customs. Well, I know all the storyand--she is in my power. I will prove it to you, for she shall bebrought here presently and then you can console each other. For listen,dog, to-morrow she will sit where you are sitting, and before your eyesshe shall be dealt with as you have been dealt with. Ah! then you willtalk fast enough, but perhaps it will be too late.'
And now for the first time I broke down and prayed for mercy even of myfoe.
'Spare her,' I groaned; 'do what you will with me, but spare her! Surelyyou must have a heart, even you, for you are human. You can never dothis thing, and Cortes would not suffer it.'
'As for Cortes,' he answered, 'he will know nothing of it--till it isdone. I have my warrant that charges me to use every means in my powerto force the truth from you. Torture has failed; this alone is left. Andfor the rest, you must read me ill. You know what it is to hate, for youhate me; multiply your hate by ten and you may find the sum of minefor you. I hate you for your blood, I hate you because you have yourmother's eyes, but much more do I hate you for yourself, for did you notbeat me, a gentleman of Spain, with a stick as though I were a hound?Shall I then shrink from such a deed when I can satisfy my hate by it?Also perhaps, though you are a brave man, at this moment you know whatit is to fear, and are tasting of its agony. Now I will be open withyou; Thomas Wingfield, I fear you. When first I saw you I feared you asI had reason to do, and that is why I tried to kill you, and as time hasgone by I have feared you more and more, so much indeed, that at timesI cannot rest because of a nameless terror that dogs me and which hasto do with you. Because of you I fled from Spain, because of you I haveplayed the coward in more frays than one. The luck has always been minein this duel between us, and yet I tell you that even as you are, Ifear you still. If I dared I would kill you at once, only then you wouldhaunt me as your mother haunts me, and also I must answer for it toCortes. Fear, Cousin Wingfield, is the father of cruelty, and mine makesme cruel to you. Living or dead, I know that you will triumph over meat the last, but it is my turn now, and while you breathe, or while onebreathes who is dear to you, I will spend my life to bring you and themto shame and misery and death, as I brought your mother, my cousin,though she forced me to it to save myself. Why not? There is noforgiveness for me, I cannot undo the past. You came to take vengeanceon me, and soon or late by you, or through you, it will be glutted, buttill then I triumph, ay, even when I must sink to this butcher's work todo it,' and suddenly he turned and left the place.
Then weakness and suffering overcame me and I swooned away. When I awokeit was to find that my bonds had been loosed and that I lay on some sortof bed, while a woman bent over me, tending me with murmured words ofpity and love. The night had fallen, but there was light in the chamber,and by it I saw that the woman was none other than Otomie, no longerstarved and wretched, but almost as lovely as before the days of siegeand hunger.
'Otomie! you here!' I gasped through my wounded lips, for with my sensescame the memory of de Garcia's threats.
'Yes, beloved, it is I,' she murmured; 'they have suffered that I nurseyou, devils though they are. Oh! that I must see you thus and yet behelpless to avenge you,' and she burst into weeping.
'Hush,' I said, 'hush. Have we food?'
'In plenty. A woman brought it from Marina.'
'Give me to eat, Otomie.'
Now for a while she fed me and the deadly sickness passed from me,though my poor flesh burned with a hundred agonies.
'Listen, Otomie: have you seen de Garcia?'
'No, husband. Two days since I was separated from my sister Tecuichpoand the other ladies, but I have been well treated and have seen noSpaniard except the soldiers who led me here, telling me that you weresick. Alas! I knew not from what cause,' and again she began to weep.
'Still some have seen you and it is reported that you are my wife.'
'It is likely enough,' she answered, 'for it was known throughout theAztec hosts, and such secrets cannot be kept. But why have they treatedyou thus? Because you fought against them?'
'Are we alone?' I asked.
'The guard is without, but there are none else in the chamber.'
'Then bend down your head and I will tell you,' and I told her all.
When I had done so she sprang up with flashing eyes and her hand pressedupon her breast, and said:
'Oh! if I loved you before, now I love you more if that is possible, whocould suffer thus horribly and yet be faithful to the fallen and youroath. Blessed be the day when first I looked upon your face, O myhusband, most true of men. But they who could do this--what of them?Still it is done with and I will nurse you back to health. Surely it isdone with, or they had not suffered me to come to you?'
'Alas! Otomie, I must tell all--it is NOT done with,' and with falteringvoice I went on with the tale, yes, and since I must, I told her forwhat purpose she had been brought here. She listened without a word,though her lips turned pale.
'Truly,' she said when I had done, 'these Teules far surpass the pabasof our people, for if the priests torture and sacrifice, it is tothe gods and not for gold and secret hate. Now, husband, what is yourcounsel? Surely you have some counsel.'
'I have none that I dare offer, wife,' I groaned.
'You are timid as a girl who will not utter the love she burns to tell,'Otomie answered with a proud and bitter laugh. 'Well, I will speak itfor you. It is in your mind that we must die to-night.'
'It is,' I said; 'death now, or shame and agony to-morrow and then deathat last, that is our choice. Since God will not protect us, we mustprotect ourselves if we can find the means.'
'God! there is no God. At times I have doubted the gods of my people andturned to yours; now I renounce and reject Him. If there were a God ofmercy such as you cling to, could He suffer that such things be? You aremy god, husband, to you and for you I pray, and you alone. Let us havedone now with pleading to those who are not, or who, if they live,are deaf to our cries and blind to our misery, and befriend ourselves.Yonder lies rope, that window has bars, very soon we can be beyond thesun and the cruelty of Teules, or sound asleep. But there is time yet;let us talk a while, they will scarcely begin their torments before thedawn, and ere dawn we shall be far.'
So we talked as well as my sufferings would allow. We talked of how wefirst had met, of how Otomie had been vowed to me as the wife of Tezcat,Soul of the World, of that day when we had lain side by side upon thestone of sacrifice, of our true marriage thereafter, of the siegeof Tenoctitlan and the death of our first-born. Thus we talked tillmidnight was two hours gone. Then there came a silence.
'Husband,' said Otomie at last in a hushed and solemn voice, 'you areworn with suffering, and I am weary. It is time to do that which mustbe done. Sad is our fate, but at least rest is before us. I thank you,husband, for your gentleness, I thank you more for your faithfulness tomy house and people. Shall I make ready for our last journey?'
'Make ready!' I answered.
Then she rose and soon was busy with the ropes. At length all wasprepared and the moment of death was at hand.
'You must aid me, Otomie,' I said; 'I cannot walk by myself.'
She came and lifted me with her strong and tender arms, till I stoodupon a stool beneath the window bars. There she placed the rope about
mythroat, then taking her stand by me she fitted the second rope upon herown. Now we kissed in solemn silence, for there was nothing more to say.Yet Otomie said something, asking:
'Of whom do you think in this moment, husband? Of me and of my deadchild, or of that lady who lives far across the sea? Nay, I will notask. I have been happy in my love, it is enough. Now love and life mustend together, and it is well for me, but for you I grieve. Say, shall Ithrust away the stool?'
'Yes, Otomie, since there is no hope but death. I cannot break my faithwith Guatemoc, nor can I live to see you shamed and tortured.'
'Then kiss me first and for the last time.'
We kissed again and then, as she was in the very act of pushing thestool from beneath us, the door opened and shut, and a veiled womanstood before us, bearing a torch in one hand and a bundle in the other.She looked, and seeing us and our dreadful purpose, ran to us.
'What do you?' she cried, and I knew the voice for that of Marina. 'Areyou then mad, Teule?'
'Who is this who knows you so well, husband, and will not even sufferthat we die in peace?' asked Otomie.
'I am Marina,' answered the veiled woman, 'and I come to save you if Ican.'
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