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

by Lew Wallace

  CHAPTER II.

  WHOM THE GODS DESTROY THEY FIRST MAKE MAD.

  The morning after Hualpa's return Xoli, the Chalcan, as was his wont,passed through his many rooms, making what may be called a domesticreconnoissance.

  "What!" he cried, perplexed. "How is this? The house is empty! Where areall the lords?"

  The slaves to whom he spoke shook their heads.

  "Have there been none for breakfast?"

  Again they shook their heads.

  "Nor for _pulque_?"

  "Not one this morning," they replied.

  "Not even for a draught of _pulque_! Wonderful!" cried the broker,bewildered and amazed. Then he hurried to his steward, soliloquizing ashe went, "Not one for breakfast; not even a draught of _pulque_! Holygods, to what is the generation coming?"

  The perplexity of the good man was not without cause. The day the kingremoved to the palace of Axaya', the royal hospitality went with him,and had thenceforth been administered there; but though no less princelyand profuse than before, under the new _regime_ it was overshadowed bythe presence of the strangers, and for that reason became distasteful tothe titled personages accustomed to its enjoyment. Consequently, ownersof palaces in the city betook themselves to their own boards; others,especially non-residents, quartered with the Chalcan; as a furtherresult, his house assumed the style of a _meson_, with accommodationsequal to those of the palace; such, at least, was the disloyal whisper,and I am sorry to say Xoli did not repudiate the impeachment as became alover of the king. And such eating, drinking, playing, such conspiringand plotting, such political discussion, such transactions in brokeragewent on daily and nightly under his roof as were never before known. Nowall this was broken off. The silence was not more frightful thanunprofitable.

  "Steward, steward!" said Xoli to that functionary, distinguished by thesurpassing whiteness of his apron. "What has befallen? Where are thepatrons this morning?"

  "Good master, the most your slave knows is, that last night a paba fromthe great temple passed through the chambers, after which, very shortly,every guest departed."

  "A paba, a paba!" And Xoli was more than ever perplexed. "Heard you whathe said?"

  "Not a word."

  "About what time did he come?"

  "After midnight."

  "And that is all you know?"

  The steward bowed, and Xoli passed distractedly to the front door, onlyto find the portico as deserted as the chambers. Sight of the peoplebeginning to collect in the square, however, brought him some relief,and he hailed the first passing acquaintance.

  "A pleasant morning to you, neighbor."

  "The same to you."

  "Have you any news?"

  "None, except I hear of a crowd of pabas in the city, come, as rumorsays, from Tezcuco, Cholula, Iztapalapan, and other lake towns."

  "When did they come?"

  "In the night."

  "Oho! There's something afoot." And Xoli wiped the perspiration from hisforehead.

  "So there is," the neighbor replied. "The king goes to the temple toworship to-day."

  A light broke in upon the Chalcan. "True, true; I had forgotten."

  "Such is the talk," the citizen continued. "Will you be there? Everybodyis going."

  "Certainly," answered Xoli, dryly. "If I do not go, everybody will notbe there. Look for me. The gods keep you!"

  And with that, he re-entered his house, satisfied, but not altogetherquieted; wandering restlessly from chamber to chamber, he asked himselfcontinually, "Why so many pabas? And why do they come in the night? Andwhat can have taken the lords away so silently, and at such atime,--without breakfast,--without even a draught of _pulque_?"

  Invariably these interrogatories were followed by appeals to the greatebony jar of snuff; after sneezing, he would answer himself, "Pabas forworship, lords and soldiers for fighting; but pabas and soldierstogether! Something is afoot. I will stay at home, and patronize myself.And yet--and yet--they might have told me something about it!"

  * * * * *

  About ten o'clock--to count the time as Christians do--the king issuedfrom the old palace, going in state to the _teocallis_, attended by aprocession of courtiers, warriors, and pabas. He was borne in an openpalanquin, shaded by the detached canopy, the whole presenting aspectacle of imperial splendor.

  The movement was slow and stately, through masses of people on thepavements, under the gaze of other thousands on the housetops; butneither the banners, nor the music, nor the pomp, nor the king himself,though fully exposed to view, amused or deceived the people; for at theright and left of the carriage walked Lugo, Alvarado, Avila, and Leon;next, Olmedo, distinguishable from the native clergy by his shavencrown, and the cross he carried aloft on the shaft of a lance; afterhim, concluding the procession, one hundred and fifty Spaniards, readyfor battle. Priesthood,--king,--the strangers! Clearer, closer, moreinevitable, in the eyes of the people, arose the curse of Quetzal'.

  When the monarch alighted at the foot of the first stairway of thetemple, the multitude far and near knelt, and so remained until thepabas, delegated for the purpose, took him in their arms to carry him tothe _azoteas_. Four times in the passage of the terraces the cortegecame in view from the side toward the palace, climbing, as it were, tothe Sun;--dimmer the holy symbols, fainter the solemn music; and eachtime the people knelt. The unfortunate going to worship was still thegreat king!

  A detachment of Christians, under De Morla, preceded the procession asan advance-guard. Greatly were they surprised at what they found on the_azoteas_. Behind Tlalac, at the head of the last stairway, were a scoreor more of naked boys, swinging smoking censers; yet farther toward thetower or sanctuary of Huitzil' was an assemblage of dancing priestesses,veiled, rather than dressed, in gauzy robes and scarfs; from the stepsto the door of the sanctuary a passage-way had been left; elsewhere thesacred area was occupied by pabas, drawn up in ranks close andscrupulously ordered. Like their pontiff, each of them wore a gown ofblack; but while his head was bare, theirs were covered by hoods. Thusarranged,--silent, motionless, more like phantoms than men,--they bothshocked and disquieted the Spaniards. Indeed, so sensible were thelatter of the danger of their position, alone and unsupported in theface of an array so dismal and solid, that many of them fell to countingtheir beads and muttering _Aves_.

  A savage dissonance greeted the king when he was set down on the_azoteas_, and simultaneously the pabas burst into a hymn, and from theurn over the tower a denser column of smoke arose, slow mounting, buterelong visible throughout the valley. Half bending, he received theblessing of Tlalac; then the censer-bearers swept around him; then, too,jangling silver bells and beating calabashes, the priestesses began todance; in the midst of the salutation, the arch-priest, moving backward,conducted him slowly toward the entrance of the sanctuary. At his sidestrode the four cavaliers. The escort of Christians remained outside;yet the pabas knew the meaning of their presence, and their hymndeepened into a wail; the great king had gone before his god--aprisoner!

  The interior of the sanctuary was in ordinary condition; the floor andthe walls black with the blood of victims; the air foul and sickening,despite the smoking censers and perfuming pans. The previous visit hadprepared the cavaliers for these horrors; nevertheless, a cry broke fromthem upon their entrance. In a chafing-dish before the altar four humanhearts were slowly burning to coals!

  "_Jesu Christo!_" exclaimed Alvarado. "Did not the pagans promise thereshould be no sacrifice? Shrieve me never, if I toss not the contents ofyon dish into the god's face!"

  "Stay!" cried Olmedo, seizing his arm. "Stir not! The business is mine.As thou lovest God,--the true God,--get thee to thy place!"

  The father spoke firmly, and the captain, grinding his teeth with rage,submitted.

  The pedestal of the idol was of stone, square in form, and placed inthe centre of the sanctuary. Several broad steps, fronting thedoorway,--door there was not,--assisted devotees up
to a platform, uponwhich stood a table curiously carved, and resting, as it were, under theeyes of the god. The chamber, bare of furniture, was crowded with pabas,kneeling and hooded and ranked, like their brethren outside. Thecavaliers took post by the entrance, with Olmedo between them and thealtar. Two priests, standing on the lower step, seemed waiting to assistin the ceremonial, although, at the time, apparently absorbed in prayer.

  Tlalac led the monarch by the hand up the steps.

  "O king," he said, "the ears of the god are open. He will hear you. Andas to these companions in devotion," he pointed to the assistants as hespoke, "avoid them not: they are here to pray for you; if need be, todie for you. If they speak, be not surprised, but heed them well; whatthey say will concern you, and all you best love."

  Thereupon the arch-infidel let go the royal hand, and descended thesteps, moving backward; upon the floor he continued his movement.Suddenly he stopped, turned, and was face to face with Olmedo; all thepassions of his savage nature blazed in his countenance; in reply, theChristian priest calmly held up the cross, and smiled, and was content.

  Meantime the monarch kissed the altar, and, folding his hands upon hisbreast, was beginning to be abstracted in prayer, when he heard himselfaddressed.

  "Look not this way, O king, nor stir; but listen."

  The words, audible throughout the chamber, proceeded from the nearestdevotee,--a tall man, well muffled in gown and hood. The monarchcontrolled himself, and listened, while the speaker continued in a slow,monotonous manner, designed to leave the cavaliers, whom he knew to beobserving him, in doubt whether he was praying or intoning some part ofthe service of the occasion,--

  "It is in the streets and in the palaces, and has gone forth into theprovinces, that Montezuma is the willing guest of the strangers, andthat from great love of them and their society, he will not come away,although his Empire is dissolving, and the religion of his fathersmenaced by a new one; but know, O king, that the chiefs and caciquesrefuse to credit the evil spoken of you, and, believing you a prisoner,are resolved to restore you to freedom. Know further, O king, that thisis the time chosen for the rescue. The way back to the throne is clear;you have only to go hence. What says the king? The nation awaits hisanswer."

  "The throne is inseparable from me,--is where I am, under my feetalways," answered the monarch, coldly.

  "And there may it remain forever!" said the devotee, with fervor. "Ionly meant to pray you to come from amongst the strangers, and set itonce more where it belongs,--amongst the loving hearts that gave it toyou. Misunderstand me not, O king. Short time have we for words. Theenemy is present. I offer you rescue and liberty."

  "To offer me liberty is to deny that I am free. Who is he that proposesto give me what is mine alone to give? I am with Huitzil'. Who comesthus between me and the god?"

  From the pabas in the chamber there was a loud murmur; but as the kingand devotee retained their composure, and, like praying men, lookedsteadily at the face of Huitzil', the cavaliers remained unsuspiciousobservers of what was to them merely a sinful ceremony.

  "I am the humblest, though not the least loving, of all your subjects,"the devotee answered.

  "The name?" said the king. "You ask me to go hence: whither and withwhom?"

  "Know me without speaking my name, O king. I am your brother's son."

  Montezuma was visibly affected. Afterwhile he said,--

  "Speak further. Consider what you have said true,--that I am a prisoner,that the strangers present are my guards,--what are the means of rescue?Speak, that I may judge of them. Conspiracy is abroad, and I do notchoose to be blindly led from what is called my prison to a tomb."

  To the reasonable demand the 'tzin calmly replied, "That you were comingto worship to-day, and the conditions upon which you had permission tocome, I learned from the _teotuctli_. I saw the opportunity, andproposed to attempt your rescue. In Tlalac the gods have a faithfulservant, and you, O king, a true lover. When you were received upon the_azoteas_, you did not fail to notice the pabas. Never before in any onetemple have there been so many assembled. They are the instruments ofthe rescue."

  "The instruments!" exclaimed the king, unable to repress his scorn.

  The 'tzin interposed hastily. "Beware! Though what we say is notunderstood by the strangers, their faculties are sharp, and very littlemay awaken their suspicion and alarm; and if our offer be rejected,better for you, O king, that they go hence ignorant of their danger andour design. Yes, if your conjecture were true, if we did indeed proposeto face the _teules_ with barehanded pabas, your scorn would bejustified; but know that the concourse on the _azoteas_ is, in fact, ofchiefs and caciques, whose gowns do but conceal their preparation forbattle."

  A pang contracted the monarch's face, and his hands closed harder uponhis breast; possibly he shuddered at the necessity so thrust upon him ofdeciding between Malinche whom he feared, and the people whom he soloved.

  "Yes," continued the 'tzin, "here are the chosen of the realm,--thenoblest and the best,--each with his life in his hand, an offering toyou. What need of further words? You have not forgotten the habits ofwar; you divine the object of the concourse of priests; you understandthey are formed in ranks, that, upon a signal, they may throw themselvesas one man upon the strangers. Here in the sanctuary are fifty more with_maquahuitls_; behind them a door has been constructed to pass youquickly to the _azoteas_; they will help me keep the door, and staypursuit, while you descend to the street. And now, O king, said I notrightly? What have you to do more than go hence? Dread not for us. Inthe presence of Huitzil', and in defence of his altar, we will fight. Ifwe fall in such glorious combat, he will waft our souls straightway tothe Sun."

  "My son," the king answered, after a pause, "if I were a prisoner, Iwould say you and the lords have done well; but, being free and pursuingmy own policy, I reject the rescue. Go your ways in peace; leave me tomy prayers. In a few days the strangers will depart; then, if notsooner, I will come back as you wish, and bring the old time with me,and make all the land happy."

  The monarch ceased. He imagined the question answered and passed; but amurmur, almost a groan, recalled him from the effort to abstracthimself. And then the _teotuctli_, exercising his privilege, went tohim, and, laying a hand upon his arm, and pointing up to the god,said,--

  "Hearken, O king! The strangers have already asked you to allow them toset up an altar here in the house of Huitzil', that they may worshiptheir god after their manner. The request was sacrilege; listening toit, a sin; to grant it would make you accursed forever. Save yourselfand the god, by going hence as the lords have besought. Be wise intime."

  "I have decided," said the poor king, in a trembling voice,--"I havedecided."

  Tlalac looked to the 'tzin despairingly. The appeal to the monarch'sveneration for the god of his fathers had failed; what else remained?And the 'tzin for the first time looked to the king, sayingsorrowfully,--

  "Anahuac is the common mother, as Huitzil' is the father. The foot ofthe stranger is heavy on her breast, and she cries aloud, 'Where isMontezuma? Where is the Lord of the Earth? Where is the Child of theSun?'"

  And silence hung heavy in the sanctuary, and the waiting was painful.Again the 'tzin's voice,--

  "A bride sits in the house waiting. Love puts its songs in her mouth,and kindles her smiles with the dazzle of stars. But the bridegroomlingers, and the evening and the morning bring him not. Ah, what is she,though ever so beautiful and sweet-singing, when he comes not, and maynever come? O king, you are the lingering lord, and Anahuac the waitingbride; as you love her, come."

  The fated king covered his face with his hands, as if, by shutting outthe light, to find relief from pangs too acute for endurance. Minutespassed,--minutes of torture to him, and of breathless expectancy to allpresent, except the cavaliers, who, unconscious of peril, watched thescene with indifference, or rather the scornful curiosity natural to menprofessing a purer and diviner faith. At last his hand dropped, and hesaid with dignity,--

  "Let t
his end now,--so I command. My explanation must be accepted. Icannot understand why, if you love me as you say, you should receive myword with so little credit; and if you can devote yourselves so entirelyto me, why can you not believe me capable of equal devotion to myself?Hear me once more. I do not love the strangers. I hope yet to see themsacrificed to Huitzil'. They promise in a few days to leave the country,and I stay with them to hasten their departure, and, in the mean time,shield you, the nation, the temples, and the gods, from their power,which is past finding out. Therefore, let no blow be struck at them,here or elsewhere, without my order. I am yet the king. Let me havepeace. Peace be with you! I have spoken."

  The 'tzin looked once to heaven, as if uttering a last appeal, orcalling it to witness a vow, then he fell upon his knees; he, too, haddespaired. And as if the feeling were contagious, the _teotuctli_ knelt,and in the sanctuary there was stillness consistent with worship, savewhen some overburdened breast relieved itself by a sigh, a murmur, or agroan.

  And history tells how Montezuma remained a little while at the altar,and went peacefully back to his residence with the strangers.