The Infidel; or, the Fall of Mexico. Vol. II.

by Robert Montgomery Bird

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  The feelings of Juan Lerma were throughout, strange, bewildering andoverwhelming; and he gazed upon the three combats, each fought andfinished in an inconceivably short space of time, in a species of tranceor stupefaction. Great, and doubtless just, as was his detestation ofGuzman, there was something both noble and afflicting in the couragewith which the unfortunate man bore himself in the midst of savage foes,who, if they awarded him a shout of approbation for every valiant blow,yet screamed with a more cordial delight, at every wound inflicted by anantagonist. Even while Juan doubted not that Guzman's skill andfortitude would insure him a full triumph, and final liberation, hecould not but be struck with horror, at beholding a Christian man boundto a stone, and baited like a muzzled bear. How much more overpowering,then, were his feelings, when he perceived, from the complexion given toevents by the last contest, that it must end, and perhaps soon, in thedestruction of the prisoner.

  His emotions became indeed irresistible, when he looked up at the thirdshout of the multitude,--for he had closed his eyes with dread, whileGuzman despatched his third foe,--and saw him, bleeding at threedifferent wounds, and staggering with dizziness, extend his macana, nowalmost reduced by the fracture of the blades, to a mere bludgeon,towards the king, and exclaim, bitterly and despairingly,

  "King of Mexico, if thou knowest either honour or God, give me a freshsword!"

  His words ran through Juan's spirit like sharp knives, and he was seizedwith a faintiness, so that he could scarce maintain himself on his feet.But while his brain whirled and his eyes swam, he beheld a fourthwarrior spring upon the mound, and, yelling as he rose, dart, without amoment's pause, against the captive.

  It was now apparent to all, and to none more than the miserable victimhimself, that his situation was become wholly desperate. His skill couldavail him nothing, while he was so insufficiently armed; his strengthwas wasting away with his blood; his courage could not long maintainitself against all hope; and even the pride that uplifted him so farabove his barbarous antagonists, only exasperated him into frenzy, whenhe perceived, that, despised as they were, he was in their power, andmust soon expire under their blows. His rage was like that of thegallant puma, knotted in the _lazo_ of a hunter, and torn to pieces bydogs, which, were he at liberty, would be but as grass and dust underthe might of his talons.

  Hopeless of any relief from the king, and maddened by the exultingshouts with which the infidels hailed every symptom of his defeat, heturned furiously upon his new opponent; but not until the Mexican, moreskilful or more lucky than his predecessors, had struck him a violentblow upon the side, which he followed up, at intervals, with others,while running round the stone, in imitation of his less fortunatecountryman. His success was rewarded by the spectators with screams ofdelight, which he re-echoed with his own wild outcries.

  Yet Guzman was not altogether subdued. Wretched as was his weapon, hehandled it with some effect, and struck his assailant two or three suchblows as would have ended the combat, had they been inflicted by abetter. With one, he staggered the pagan; with a second, he struck himdown to his knee; and with a third, he snapped off the last blade ofobsidian, upon the scales of the Indian helmet, and now brandished aharmless wooden wand.

  At that moment, a Spanish sword, thrown by an unseen hand; fell at hisfeet,--but fell in vain. Badly aimed, it struck short upon the stone,and rolled back to the mound; and the infidel, recovering his feet,though still staggering, uttered his war-cry, and raised his macana, tostrike down the defenceless Christian.

  Human nature could withstand the scene of butchery no longer. Juan Lermaforgot that the captive was his foe and destroyer, and the unprincipledoppressor of all he held dear. He saw a man of his own country and faithcruelly assassinated before his eyes, among thousands of pitiless andrejoicing barbarians. He thought not of the impossibility of affordinghim any real relief, nor of the fate to himself that must follow anattempt so full of folly. His brain burned, his eyes flamed as if insockets of fire; and obeying an impulse that converted him for a momentinto a madman, he rushed through the few nobles who separated him fromthe mound, and in an instant was at the side of the victim.

  To snatch up the weapon he had so vainly cast, to spurn the exhaustedwarrior from his prey, and to cut the thong that bound Guzman to thestone, were all the work of a second. Almost before the idea had enteredthe mind of the Mexicans, that the combat was interrupted, solightning-like were his motions, he had leaped with Guzman from theplatform, and, grasping his hand, made his way over the narrow andunoccupied portion of the square, which led to the garden. Even then,the Mexicans stood for awhile dumb with surprise and consternation; forthe act was so unexpected, so entirely inexplicable upon any of theirprinciples of action, that they scarce knew if it might not be theirMexitli himself, who thus snatched a victim from the stone of battle.

  It has been already mentioned, that the garden wall had, in thisquarter, fallen down, and that its place was supplied only by a fence ofshrubs and brambles. Its ruins choked the ditch, and gave a passage,which had been formerly effected by a wooden bridge, now buried underthe heavy fragments. A single plank spanned over the only gap that wastoo wide to be passed, except by a bold leap. It was a knowledge ofthese circumstances, that, in the very tempest of his impulses,determined the course of Juan Lerma, and decided every step he now tookto secure life to his wretched companion. He had breathed but a wordinto Guzman's ear, but it was enough to communicate strength to hisheart, and agility to his limbs; and wonderfully adapting hisresolutions and movements to those of his guide, he ran with him overthe square and across the canal, with such speed, that he rather aidedthan retarded the steps of his preserver.--They had crossed the plankbefore the yells of pursuit burst from the astounded assembly, and Juan,striking it now into the ditch with his foot, dragged Guzman through thebrambles, exclaiming,

  "Quick! quick! If we can but reach the palace, we are saved."

  "Is it _thou_, indeed, Juan Lerma?" cried Guzman, with a voicesingularly wild and piteous, but struggling onward.--"Now then thoucanst kill me thyself, since thou wouldst not be avenged by infidels."

  "Quick! quick! they are following us! they are crossing the ditch!--Butfifty paces more!"

  "Ten will serve me--and ten words will make up my reckoning--that is,_here_: the rest hereafter. Stop, fool,--I am dying."

  "Courage! courage!" exclaimed Juan, endeavouring, but in vain, to dragfurther the wretch, for whom his rash humanity seemed to have purchasedonly the right of expiring in a Christian's arms. "Courage, and moveon,--we are close followed."

  "Hark,--listen, and speak not," said Guzman, sinking to the earth, forhis wounds were mortal, and the exertions of flight caused them to throwout blood with tenfold violence--He was indeed upon the verge ofdissolution: "Listen, listen!" he cried, gasping for breath, yetstruggling to speak with such extraordinary eagerness, that it seemed asif he held life and salvation to depend upon his giving utterance towhat was in his mind. "Listen, Juan Lerma, for I am a snake and a devil.I hated thee for--But, brief, brief, brief! First, Cortes--Hah! theycome!--Drag me into a bush, that I may speak and die. No--here--There isno time--Listen. Saints, give me powers of speech! or devils--either! Alittle reparation--Why not? I belied thee to Cortes--Hark! hark!" healmost screamed, in the fear that he might not be understood, for he wasconscious of the incoherency of his expressions; "hark! hark!--Bleedingto death--Concerning--Cortes--his wife--Dona Catalina--jealousy,_jealousy_!--Poisoned his ear. Understand me! understand me!"

  Wild as were his words and confused as was the mind of Juan, yet withthese broken expressions, the dying cavalier threw a sudden and terrificlight upon the understanding of the outcast.

  "Good heaven!" he cried, "my benefactress! my noble lady! Oh villain,how couldst thou?--"

  "More--more!" murmured Guzman, with impatient, yet vain ardour. "I knowall--Thy father--thy sister--Camarga--killed--Aha! Magdalena--theprincess--"

  "Ay! the princess?" echoed Juan, imploringly: "the
princess? theprincess?"

  But all he could hear in reply to his frantic demand, was "Garci,Garci--" and this name was immediately lost in the roaring shouts of theinfidels, who now surrounded the pair.

  Had Guzman been able to continue the flight at half the speed with whichhe had begun it, it is certain they would have reached the palace,considerably in advance of the pursuers; though it is not certain, thatwould have proved a city of refuge. But his strength failed almostimmediately after entering the garden, of which as soon as he becamesensible, he began to make his disclosures; and perhaps the haste intowhich he was driven by the almost instant appearance of the Mexicans,thronging over the broken wall, served as much as the distractions andagonies of death, to make them confused and insufficient. The firstword--the name of the lady Catalina,--revealing at once the dreadfuldelusion, which had converted his best friend into his deadliest enemy,so excited and unsettled Juan's mind, that, in his eagerness to learnstill more of the fatal secret, he almost forgot the presence of so manyMexicans, rushing upon him with yells of fury. It was in vain, when theyhad reached him, that he brandished his sword, and assumed an attitudeof defence, calling loudly upon the king. He was thrown down andoverpowered,--nay, he was severely wounded, and handled altogether soroughly, that it seemed as if the enraged Mexicans were resolved to draghim to the sacrifice, from which he had rescued Guzman, if not to murderhim on the spot; some calling out to kill him, and others roaring, 'TheTemalacatl! the Temalacatl!' Their cries were not even stilled when thenobles who waited about the person of the king, drove them away withrods, and Guatimozin himself stalked up to the prisoner. The frown whichJuan's rash, and, as he esteemed it, impious act, had brought upon hisvisage, darkened into one still sterner, when having laid his hand uponthe Christian's shoulder, to signify that his person was sacred, theexpression of protection was answered only by cries of the most mutinouscharacter.

  "We will have the blood of the Spaniard," they screamed. "What saidAzcamatzin? It is true--this is a bear we have, that embraces us, andtears open our hearts. He struck the Lord of Death--he takes the victimfrom Mexitli: he shall be a victim himself--he shall die on the stone!"

  It was in vain that Guatimozin employed threats, menaces, and entreatiesto allay their passions. Sufferings of a nature and extent so horriblethat we have scarce dared to hint at them, had already made them sullenand refractory; and misery and wrath are no observers of allegiance ordecorum. The unhappy monarch, now such less in power than in name,feigned to yield to their clamour, for he perceived he could no longeropenly save. He commanded Juan to be bound with cords, and carried intoa remote corner of the palace, promising, that, when he had recovered alittle of his strength and spirits, he should be given up to them, todie on the Temalacatl.

  It was perhaps fortunate for Juan, that he was dragged away too suddenlyto behold the fate of his rival, who was now in the hands of thepriests, apparently reviving--a circumstance hailed with such shouts ofjoy, that Juan was himself almost forgotten. The infidels carried DonFrancisco again from the garden, and hurried him towards the littletemple. But before they had passed the square, he expired in theirarms--happy only in this, that he fell not by the knives of the priests.

  Before the day was over, the citizens were called upon again to resistthe Spaniards who had now resumed the offensive, and who continued theirapproaches with such fierce, determined, and incessant efforts, thatthey employed the whole time, as well as the whole thoughts, of thebesieged.