The Fair God; or, The Last of the 'Tzins: A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico

by Lew Wallace

  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 thatwhen one wants a good article of any kind, he can only get it at thepalace or of you. So, a pinch, my fat fellow!"

  "I can commend my snuff," said the Chalcan, bowing very low, "only alittle less than the good taste of the most noble Maxtla."

  While speaking,--the scene being in his _pulque_ room,--he uncovered agilded jar sitting upon the counter.

  "Help yourself; it is good to sneeze."

  Maxtla snuffed the scented drug freely, then rushed to the door, andthrough eyes misty with tears of pleasure looked at the sun rising overthe mountains. A fit of sneezing seized him, at the end of which, aslave stood by his elbow with a ewer of water and a napkin. He bathedhis face. Altogether, it was apparent that sneezing had been reduced toan Aztec science.

  "Elegant! By the Sun, I feel inspired!"

  "No doubt," responded the Chalcan. "Such ought to be the effect oftobacco 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 hewas sporting for the first time. "From the king? No; my tailor has justfinished it."

  "Certainly, my lord. How dull I was! You are preparing for the banquetat the palace to-morrow night."

  "You recollect the two thousand quills of gold I bid for your priestessthe other evening," said Maxtla, paying no attention to the remark. "Iconcluded to change the investment; they are all in that collar andloop."

  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 thepriestess? Saw you ever such dancing?"

  "You are late inquiring, Chalcan. The beggar was fast by starvation thatnight; but you were nearer death. The story was told the king,--ah! youturn pale. Well you may,--and he swore, by the fires of the temple, ifthe 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 toldme they had discharged her from the temple."

  "No matter; the peril is over, and our hearts are our own. Yesterday Isaw her in the train of the princess Tula. The 'tzin cared for her. Butspeaking of the princess,--the banquet to-morrow night will be spicy."

  The Chalcan dropped the precious loop. Gossip that concerned the courtwas one of his special weaknesses.

  "You know," continued Maxtla, "that the 'tzin has always been a favoriteof the king's--"

  "As he always deserved to be."

  "Not so fast, Chalcan! Keep your praise. You ought to know that nothingis so fickle as fortune; that what was most popular yesterday may bemost unpopular to-day. Hear me out. You also know that Iztlil', theTezcucan, was down in the royal estimation quite as much as the 'tzinwas up; on which account, more than anything else, he lost his father'scity."

  Xoli rested his elbow on the counter, and listened eagerly.

  "It has been agreed on all sides for years," continued Maxtla, in hismodulated voice, "that the 'tzin and Tula were to be married upon hercoming of age. No one else has presumed to pay her court, lest it mightbe 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 wereindignant,--all astonished. In fact, Xoli, I believe the 'tzin had asmany friends as the king. Several courtiers openly defended him,notwithstanding his fall,--something that, to my knowledge, neverhappened before. The upshot was, that a herald went in state toIztapalapan with a decree prohibiting the 'tzin from visitingTenochtitlan, under any pretence, until the further pleasure of the kingis made known to him."

  "Banished, banished! But that the noble Maxtla told me, I could notbelieve what I hear."

  "Certainly. The affair is mysterious, as were the means by which theresult was brought about. Look you, Chalcan: the 'tzin loved theprincess, and was contracted to her, and now comes this banishment justthe day before the valley is called to witness her betrothal to theTezcucan. Certainly, it would ill become the 'tzin to be a guest at sucha banquet."

  "I understand," said Xoli, with a cunning smile. "It was to save hispride that he was banished."

  "If to be a Chalcan is to be so stupid, I thank the gods for making mewhat I am!" cried Maxtla, impatiently. "What cares the great king forthe pride of the enemy he would humble! The banishment is a penalty,--itis ruin."

  There was a pause, during which the Chalcan hung his head.

  "Ah, Xoli! The king has changed; he used to be a warrior, lovingwarriors as the eagle loves its young. Now--alas! I dare not speak. Timewas when no envious-hearted knave could have made him believe thatGuatamozin was hatching treason in his garden at Iztapalapan. Now,surrounded by mewling priests, he sits in the depths of his palace, andtrembles, and, like a credulous child, believes everything. 'Woe isTenochtitlan!' said Mualox; and the days strengthen the prophecy. Butenough,--more than enough! Hist, Chalcan! What I have said and youlistened to--yea, the mere listening--would suffice, if told in theright ears, to send us both straightway to the tigers. I have paid youfor your snuff, and the divine sneeze. In retailing, recollect, I am notthe manufacturer. Farewell."

  "Stay a moment, most noble chief,--but a moment," said the Chalcan. "Ihave invented a drink which I desire you to inaugurate. If I may becounted 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 beenone long, long drink. Make haste. I will wager _pulque_ is chief in thecompound."

  The broker went out, and directly returned, bearing on a waiter aCholulan goblet full of cool liquor, exquisitely colored with the richblood of the cactus apple. Maxtla sipped, drank, then swore the drinkwas without a rival.

  "Look you, Chalcan. They say we are indebted to our heroes, ourminstrels, and our priests, and I believe so; but hereafter I shall gofarther in the faith. This drink is worth a victory, is pleasant as asong, and has all the virtues of a prayer. Do not laugh. I am inearnest. You shall be canonized with the best of them. To show that I amno vain boaster, you shall come to the banquet to-morrow, and the kingshall thank you. Put on your best _tilmatli_, and above all else, bewarethat the vase holding this liquor is not empty when I call for it.Farewell!"