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

by Lew Wallace

  CHAPTER I.

  THE KING GIVES A TRUST TO HUALPA.

  And now was come the time of all the year most pleasant,--the time whenthe _maguey_ was greenest, when the cacti burst into flowers, and inevery field women and children, with the strong men, went to pluck theripened maize. Of the summer, only the wealth and beauty remained. TheGoddess of Abundance divided the worship which, at other seasons, wasmostly given to Huitzil' and Tezca';[40] in her temples the days wereall of prayer, hymning, and priestly ceremony. No other towers sent upsuch 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 valleythe people carolled those songs the sweetest and most millennial ofmen,--the songs of harvest, peace, and plenty.

  I have before said that Tezcuco, the lake, was the especial pride of theAztecs. When the sky was clear, and the air tranquil, it was verybeautiful; but when the king, with his court, all in state, set out forthe hunting-grounds on the northern shore, its beauty rose to splendor.By his invitation great numbers of citizens, in style suited to thehonor, joined their canoes to the flotilla composing the retinue. Andlet it not be forgotten that the Aztec loved his canoe as in Christendomthe good knight loves his steed, and decorated it with all he knew ofart; that its prow, rising high above the water, and touched by themaster sculptors, was dressed in garlands and fantastic symbols; thatits light and shapely canopy, elegantly trimmed within, was shaded bycurtains, and surmounted by trailing streamers; and that the slaves,four, six, and sometimes twelve in number, dipped and drew theirflashing paddles in faultless time, and shone afar brilliant in livery.So, when the multitude of vessels cleared the city walls, and with musicand songs dashed into the open lake, the very water seemed to dance andquiver with a sensuous pleasure.

  In such style did Montezuma one pleasant morning leave his capital. Calmwas the lake, and so clear that the reflection of the sky above seemed abed of blue below. There were music, and shouts, and merry songs, andfrom the city the cheers and plaudits of the thousands who, from thewalls and housetops, witnessed the pageant. And his canoe was the soulof the pomp, and he had with him his favorite minstrel and jester, andMaxtla; yet there was something on his mind that made him indifferent tothe scene and prospective sport. Some distance out, by his direction,the slaves so man[oe]uvred that all the flotilla passed him; then hesaid to Maxtla, "The will has left me. I will not hunt to-day; yet thepastime must go on; a recall now were unkingly. Look out for a way tofollow the train, while I return."

  The chief arose, and swept the lake with a bright glance. "Yonder is achinampa; I can take its master's canoe."

  "Do so. Give this ring to the lord Cuitlahua, and tell him to conductthe hunt."

  And soon Maxtla was hurrying to the north with the signet, while themonarch was speeding more swiftly to the south.

  "For Iztapalapan," said the latter to his slaves. "Take me there beforethe lords reach the hunting-grounds, and you shall have a feastto-night."

  They bent to the paddles, and rested not until he saw the white housesof 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. Thepath 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 sweetwith perfume; birds sang to each other from the coverts; the adjacentcascades played their steady, muffled music; and altogether morning onthe lake was less beautiful than morning in the tzin's garden. In themultitude of walks he became bewildered; but, as he was pleased by allhe beheld, he walked on without consulting the sun. At length, guided bythe sound of voices, he came to the arena for martial games; and therehe found Hualpa and Io' practising with the bow.

  He had been wont to regard Io' as a child, unripe for any but childishamusements, and hardly to be trusted alone. Absorbed in his business ofgoverning, he had not observed how increase of years brought the boystrength, stature, and corresponding tastes. Now he was admonished ofhis 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 himthan the nursery. An idea of ambition also occurred to the monarch. Whenhe himself was gathered to his fathers, who was to succeed him on thethrone? Cuitlahua, Cacama, the lord of Tlacopan? Why not Io'?

  Meanwhile the two diligently pursued their sport. At the moment the kingcame upon them, Hualpa was giving some directions as to the mode ofholding the brave weapon. The boy listened eagerly,--a sign that pleasedthe observer, for nothing is so easy as to flatter the hope of a dreamyheart. Observing them further, he saw Io' take the stand, draw the arrowquite to the head, and strike the target. At the second trial, hepierced the centre. Hualpa embraced the scholar joyously; and thereuponthe king warmed toward the warrior, and tears blinded his eyes.Advancing into the arena, the clanging of his golden sandals announcedhis presence.

  And they knelt and kissed the earth.

  "Stand up!" he said, with the smile which gave his countenance a womanlybeauty. And to Hualpa he added, "I thought your palace by Chapultepecwould be more attractive than the practice of arms; more credit shouldhave 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 youdivided your days between the camp and the temples, learning at the sametime the duties of the priest and the warrior. That I may be able someday 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 youstrength 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 handmay have weakened, and my eyes become dim; but I challenge you both! Ihave a shield wrought of pearl and gold, unfit for the field, yetbeautiful as a prize of skill. Who plants an arrow nearest yon target'sheart, his the shield shall be."

  The challenge was accepted, and after preparation, the monarch droppedhis mantle, and took the stand. He drew the shaft to his ear with acareless show of skill; and when it quivered in the target about apalm's breadth below the mark, he said, laughing, "I am at least withinthe line of the good bowman. A Tlascalan would not have escapedscarless."

  Io' next took the bow, and was so fortunate as to hit the lower edge ofthe heart squarely above the king's bolt.

  "Mine is the shield, mine is the shield!" he cried, exultantly. "O thata minstrel were here! I would have a song,--my first song!"

  "Very proud!" said the king, good-humoredly. "Know you, boy, the warriorcounts his captives only when the battle is ended. Here, lord Hualpa,the boaster should be beaten. Prove your quality. To you there may bemore in this trial than a song or a golden shield."

  The hunter took the vacant place; his arrow whistled away, and thereport 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 betweenthe other two.

  More joyous than before arose the cry of Io', "I have beaten a king anda warrior! Mine is the shield, mine is the shield!"

  And the king, listening, said to himself, "I remember my own youth, andits earliest victory, and how I passed from successes at first the mosttrifling. Ah! who but Huitzil', father of all the gods, can tell theend? Blessed the day when I can set before him the prospect of a throneinstead of a shield!"

  The target was brought him, and he measured the
distance of each arrowfrom the centre; and when he saw how exactly Hualpa's was plantedbetween the others, his subtile mind detected the purpose and thegenerosity.

  "The victory is yours, O my son, and so is the shield," he said, slowlyand thoughtfully. "But ah! were it given you to look with eyes likemine,--with eyes sharpened by age for the discovery of blessings, yourrejoicing would be over a friend found, whose love is proof againstvanity and the hope of reward."

  Hualpa understood him, and was proud. What was the prize lost toMontezuma gained?

  "It grows late; my time is sacred," said the king. "Lord Hualpa, stayand guide me to the palace. And Io', be you my courier to the 'tzin. Gobefore, and tell him I am coming."

  The boy ran ahead, and as they leisurely followed him, the monarchrelapsed into melancholy. In the shade of a _ceiba_ tree he stopped, andsaid, "There is a service you might do me, that lies nearer my heartthan any other."

  "The will of the great king is mine," Hualpa replied, with a lowreverence.

  "When I am old," pursued Montezuma, "when the things of earth begin torecede from me, it would be pleasant to have a son worthy to lift theEmpire from my shoulders. While I am going up the steps of the temple, aseeker of the holy peace that lies in worship and prayer, the governmentwould not then be a care to disturb me. But I am sensible that no onecould thus relieve me unless he had the strong hand of a warrior, andwas fearless except of the gods. Io' is my only hope. From you he firstcaught the desire of greatness, and you can make him great. Take him asa comrade; love him as a brother; teach him the elements of war,--towield spear and _maquahuitl_; to bear shield, to command, and to bebrave and generous. Show him the ways of ambition. Above all,"--as hespoke he raised his head and hand, and looked the impersonation of hisidea,--"above all, let him know that a king may find his glory as muchin 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 ofhand; but have I the learning?"

  "To make him learned belongs to the priests. I only asked you to makehim a warrior."

  "Does not that belong to the gods?"

  "No: he derives nothing from them but the soul. They will not teach himto 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.