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

by Lew Wallace

  CHAPTER II.

  A MESSAGE FROM THE GODS.

  "It is done!" said the 'tzin, in a whisper. "It is done! One moreservice, O comrade, if--"

  "Do not spare me, good 'tzin. I am happiest when serving you."

  "Then stay in the city to-night, and be here early after the discovery.Take part with the crowd, and, if opportunity offer, direct it. I mustreturn to my exile. Report when all is over. The gods keep you!Farewell."

  Hualpa, familiar with the square, went to the portico of the Chalcan;and as the lamps were out, and the curtains of the door drawn for thenight, with the privilege of an _habitue_ he stretched himself upon oneof the lounges, and, lulled by the fountain, fell asleep.

  A shout awoke him. He looked out to see the day breaking in gloom. Theold sky of blue, in which the summer had so long and lovingly nestled,was turned to lead; the smoke seemed to have fallen from the temples,and, burdening the atmosphere, was driving along slowly and heavily,like something belonging to the vanishing night. Another cry louder thanthe first; then the door, or, rather, the screen, behind him was opened,and the Chalcan himself came forth.

  "Ah, son of my friend!--Hark! Some maudlin fellow hallooes. The foolwould like to end his sleep, hard enough out there, in the temple. Butyou,--where have you been?"

  "Here, good Xoli, on this lounge."

  "The night? Ah! the _pulque_ was too much for you. For your father'ssake, boy, I give you advice: To be perfectly happy in Tenochtitlan, itis necessary to remember, first, how the judges punish drunkenness;next, that there is no pure liquor in the city except in the king'sjars, and--There, the shout again! two of them! a third!"

  And the broker also looked out of the portico.

  "Holy gods, what a smoke! There go some sober citizens, neighbors ofmine,--and running. Something of interest! Come, Hualpa, let us go also.The times are wonderful. You know there are gods in Tenochtitlan besidesthose we worship. Come!"

  "I am hungry."

  "I will feed you to bursting when we get back. Come on."

  As they left the portico, people were hastening to the centre of thesquare, where the outcry was now continuous and growing.

  "Room for the Chalcan!" said a citizen, already on the ground. "Let himsee what is here fallen from the clouds."

  Great was the astonishment of the broker when his eyes first rested onthe stately figure of the horse, and the terrible head on the lanceabove it. Hualpa affected the same feeling, but, having a part to play,shouted, as in alarm,--

  "It is one of the fighting beasts of Malinche! Beware, O citizens! Yourlives may be in danger."

  The crowd, easily persuaded, fell back.

  "Let us get arms!" shouted one.

  "Arms! Get arms!" then rose, in full chorus.

  Hualpa ventured nearer, and cried out, "The beast is dead!"

  "Keep off, boy!" said Xoli, himself at a respectable distance. "Trust itnot; such things do not die."

  Never speech more opportune for the Tihuancan.

  "Be it of the earth or Sun, I tell you, friends, it is dead," hereplied, more loudly. "Who knows but that the holy Huitzil' has set itup here to be seen of all of us, that we may know Malinche is not a god.Is there one among you who has a javelin?"

  A weapon was passed to him over the heads of the fast increasing crowd.

  "Stand aside! I will see."

  Without more ado, the adventurer thrust deep in the horse's flank. Thosedirectly about held their breath from fear; and when the brute stirrednot, they looked at each other, not knowing what to say. That it wasdead, was past doubt.

  "Who will gainsay me now?" continued Hualpa. "It is dead, and so is heto whom yon head belonged. Gods fall not so low."

  It was one of those moments when simple minds are easily converted toany belief.

  "Gods they are not," said a voice in the throng; "but whence came they?"

  "And who put them here?" asked another.

  Hualpa answered swiftly,--

  "Well said! The gods speak not directly to those whom they wouldadmonish or favor. And if this be the handiwork of Huitzil',--and whatmore likely?--should we not inquire if it have a meaning? It may be amessage. Is there a reader of pictures among you, friends?"

  "Here is one!"

  "Let him come! Make way for him!"

  A citizen, from his dress a merchant, was pushed forward.

  "What experience have you?"

  "I studied in the _calmecac_!"[45]

  The man raised his eyes to the head on the lance, and they becametransfixed with horror.

  "Look, then, to what we have here, and, saying it is a message from theholy Huitzil', read it for us. Speak out, that all may hear."

  The citizen was incapable of speech, and the people cried out, "He is ashame to the heroic god! Off with him, off with him!"

  But Hualpa interfered. "No. He still believes Malinche a god. Let himalone! I can use him." Then he spoke to the merchant. "Hear me, myfriend, and I will read. If I err, stop me."

  "Read, read!" went up on all sides.

  Hualpa turned to the group as if studying it. Around him fell thesilence of keen expectancy.

  "Thus writes Huitzil', greatest of gods, to the children of Anahuac,greatest of peoples!"--so Hualpa began. "'The strangers in Tenochtitlanare my enemies, and yours, O people. They come to overthrow my altars,and make you a nation of slaves. You have sacrificed and prayed to me,and now I say to you, Arise! Take arms before it is too late. Malincheand his followers are but men. Strike them, and they will die. Toconvince you that they are not gods, lo! here is one of them dead. So Isay, slay them, and everything that owns them master, even the beaststhey ride!'--Ho, friend, is not that correct?"

  "So I would have read," said the merchant.

  "Praised be Huitzil'!" cried Hualpa, devoutly.

  "Live the good god of our fathers! Death to the strangers!" answered thepeople.

  And amid the stir and hum of many voices, the comrade of the 'tzin,listening, heard his words repeated, and passed from man to man; so thathe knew his mission done, and that by noon the story of the effigy wouldbe common throughout the city, and in flight over the valley, with hisexposition of its meaning accepted and beyond counteraction.

  After a while the Chalcan caught his arm, saying, "The smell is dreadfulto a cultivated nose sharpened by an empty stomach. Snuff for one,breakfast for the other. Let us go."

  Hualpa followed him.

  "Who is he? who is he?" asked the bystanders, eagerly.

  "Him! Not know him! It is the brave lad who slew the tiger and saved theking's life."

  And the answer was to the exposition like an illuminated seal to a royalwrit.

  Morning advanced, curtained with clouds; and, as the account of thespectacle flew, the multitude in the _tianguez_ increased, until therewas not room left for business. All who caught the news hurried to seethe sight, and for themselves read the miraculous message of Huitzil'.The clamor of tongues the while was like the clamor of waves, and notsingularly; for thus was fought the first great battle,--the battle ofthe mysteries,--and with this result: if a believer in the divinity ofCortes looked once at the rotting head on the lance, he went away of the'tzin's opinion, impatient for war.

  About noon a party of Spaniards, footmen, armed and out inspecting thecity, entered the square. The multitude daunted them not the least.Talking, sometimes laughing, they sauntered along, peering into the openbooths and stalls, and watching with practised eyes for gold.

  "Holy mass!" exclaimed one of them, stopping. "The heathen are atsacrifice."

  "Sacrifice, saidst thou? This is their market-place."

  "That as thou wilt. I tell thee they have been at worship. My eyes arenot dim as my mother's, who was past fifty the day we sailed fromCuba,--may the saints preserve her! If they were, yet could I swear thatyonder hangs the head of a victim."

  Over the restless crowd they looked at the ghastly object, eager yetuncertain.

  "
Now I bethink me, the poor wretch who hath suffered the death may havebeen one of the half-assoilzied sons of Tlascala. If we are in astronghold of enemies, as I have concluded from the wicked, Carib looksof these savages, Heaven and St. James defend us! We are a score withweapons; in the Mother's name, let us to the bloody sign!"

  The unarmed mass into which, without further consideration, theyplunged, was probably awed by the effrontery of the movement, for theleader had not once occasion to shorten his advancing step. Haltedbefore the spectacle, they looked first at the horse, then at the head.Remembrance was faithful: in one, they recognized the remains of acomrade; in the other, his property.

  "Arguella, Arguella! Good captain! Santa Maria!" burst from them.

  As they gazed, tears of pity and rage filled their eyes, and courseddown their bronzed cheeks.

  "Peace!" said the sterner fellow at whose suggestion they had come. "Areye soldiers, or whimpering women? Do as I bid! Save your tears forFather Bartolome to mix with masses for the poor fellow's soul. Look tothe infidels! I will take down the head."

  He lowered the lance, and took off the loathsome object.

  "We will carry it to the Senor Hernan. It shall have burial, and masses,and a cross. Hands to the horse now! Arguella loved it well; many a dayI have seen him comb its mane kindly as if it had been the locks of hissweetheart. Nay, it is too unwieldy. Let it stand, but take the armor.Hug the good sword close. Heaven willing, it shall redden in thecarcasses of some of these hounds of hell. Are we ready? To quarters,then! As we go, mark the unbelievers, and cleave the first that lifts ahand or bars the way."

  They reached the old palace in safety. Needless to depict the grief andrage of the Christians at sight of the countenance of the unfortunateArguella.

  FOOTNOTES:

  [45] The University.