CHAPTER V.
ALVARADO FINDS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.
There was a bluster of trumpets and drums, and out of the main gate ofthe palace in which he was lodged, under the eyes of a concourse ofspectators too vast to be nearly estimated, Cortes marched with thegreater part of his Christians. The column was spirited, even brilliant.Good steeds had improved with rest; while good fare, not to speak of theluxury of royal baths, had reconstituted both footmen and riders. At thehead, as guides, walked four commissioners of the king,--stately men,gorgeous in _escaupiles_ and plumed helms.
The Spaniards were full of glee, vented broad exaggerations, andmanifested the abandon I have seen in sailors ashore the first timeafter a long voyage.
"Be done, good horse!" said Sandoval to Motilla, whose blood warmedunder the outcry of trumpet and clarion. "Be done!"
Montejo laughed. "Chide her not! She feels the silver on her heels as afine lady the ribbons on her head."
"No," said Alvarado, laying his lance half in rest, "Motilla is aChristian, and the scent of the pagan is in her nostrils."
"Up with thy lance, _Senor Capitan_! The guides, if they were to lookback, would leave us without so much as good day."
"_Cierto_, thou 'rt right! But how pleasant it would be to impale two ofthem at once!"
"Such thy speculation? I cannot believe thee. I have been thy comradetoo long," said Leon, gravely.
Alvarado turned curtly, as if to say, "Explain thyself."
"The gold in their ears and on their wrists, Senor,--there were thineeyes. And thou didst look as if summing up,--ear-rings, four; bracelets,six; sundries, three; total, thirteen ounces pure. Confess thee, confessthee!"
The laugh was loud and long.
I have already given the reader an idea of the _tianguez_, or market,whither Cortes, by request, was first conducted. It is sufficient to saynow, that the exhibition of the jewellers attracted most attention; infront of their booths many of the footmen actually broke ranks,determined to satisfy themselves if all they there saw was indeed of theroyal metal. Years after, they vaunted the sight as something surpassingall the cities of Europe could display.
Cortes occupied himself questioning the guides; for which purpose Marinawas brought forward. Nothing of importance escaped him.
At one of the corners, while the interpreter was in the midst of areply, Cortes' horse suddenly stopped, startled by an obstacle in theway. Scarcely a lance-length off, pictures of terror, stood four slaves,richly liveried, and bearing a palanquin crowned by a green _panache_.
"By Our Lady, I will see what is here contained!"
So saying, Alvarado spurred impetuously forward. The guides threwthemselves in his way; he nearly rode one of them down; and, laughing atthe fright of the slaves, he drew aside the curtain of the carriage, andpeered in.
"_Jesu!_" he cried, dropping the cloth, and reining his horse back.
"Hast thou the fiend there? Or only a woman?" asked Cortes.
"A paragon, an houri, your excellency! What a rude fellow I have been!She is frightened. Come hither, Marina. Say to the girl--"
"Not now, not now!" said Cortes, abruptly. "If she is pretty, thou wiltsee her again."
Alvarado frowned.
"What! angry?" continued the general. "Out on thee, captain! How can anuntaught infidel, though paragon and houri, understand knightly phrases?What the merit of an apology in her eyes? Pass on!"
"Perhaps thou 'rt right. Stand aside! Out of the way there!" And as ifto make amends, he cleared a passage for the slaves and their burden.
"To the devil all of ye!" he replied, to the laughter of his comrades."Ye did not see her, nor know ye if she is old or young, harridan orangel."
From the market, the column marched back to the great temple, withwhich, as it rose, broad and high, like a terraced hill, between thepalace they occupied and the sun at rising, they were somewhat familiar.Yet, when fairly in view of the pile, Cortes called Olmedo to his side.
"I thank thee, Father Bartolome. That thou art near, I feel better. Agood surcoat and shield, as thou knowest, give a soldier confidence inbattle; and so, as I come nigh yon abomination, full of bloodymysteries, called worship, and carven stones, called gods,--may they beaccursed from the earth!--I am pleased to make use of thee and thyholiness. Doubtless the air of the place is thick with sorceries andevil charms; if so, thy crucifix hath more of safeguard than my sword.Ride nearer, father, and hearken, that thou mayst answer what more Ihave to say. Would not this pile look the better of a cross upon everytower?"
"Thy zeal, my son, I commend, and thy question strictly hath but oneanswer," Olmedo replied. "The impulse, moreover, is to do at once whatthou hast suggested. Roll away a stone, and in its bed plant a rose, andthe blooming will be never so sweet; and so, never looketh the cross sobeautiful as when it taketh the place of an idol. And for the conversionof heathen, the Holy Mother careth not if the worship be under Christiandome or in pagan chamber."
"Say'st thou so!" said Cortes, checking his horse. "By my conscience, Iwill order a cross!"
"Be not so fast, I pray you. What armed hand now putteth up, armed handmust keep; and that is war. May not the good end be reached without suchresort? In my judgment we should first consult the heathen king. Howknowest thou that he is not already inclined to Christian ways? Let usask him."
Cortes relaxed the rein, and rode on convinced.
Through the gate of the _coatapantli_, amid much din and clangor, theentire column entered the yard of the temple. On a pavement,glassy-smooth, and spotless as a good housewife's floor, the horsemendismounted, and the footmen stood at rest. Then Cortes, with hiscaptains and Marina, approached the steps, where he was received by somepabas, who offered to carry him to the _azoteas_,--a courtesy hedeclined with many protestations of thanks.
At the top, under a green canopy, and surrounded by courtiers andattendants, Montezuma stood, in the robes of a priest, and with only hissceptre to indicate his royalty.
"You have my welcome, Malinche. The ascent is wearisome. Where are thepabas whom I sent to assist you?"
The monarch's simple dignity affected his visitors, Cortes as much asthe others.
"I accept thy welcome, good king," he replied, after the interpretation."Assure thyself that it is given to a friend. The priests profferedtheir service as you directed; they said your custom was to be carriedup the steps, which I grant accords with a sovereign, but not with awarrior, who should be superior to fatigue."
To favor a view of the city, which was after a while suggested, theking conducted Cortes to the southern side of the _azoteas_, where werealso presented a great part of the lake, bordered with white towns, andthe valley stretching away to the purple sierras. The train followedthem with mats and stools, and erected the canopy to intercept the sun;and thus at ease, the host explained, and the guest listened. Often,during the descriptions, the monarch's eyes rested wistfully on hisauditor's face; what he sought, we can imagine; but well I ween therewas more revelation in a cloudy sky than in that bloodless countenance.The demeanor of the Spaniard was courtierly; he failed not to followevery gesture of the royal hand; and if the meaning of what he heard waslost because of the strange language, the voice was not. In the low, sadintonations, unmarked by positive emphasis, he divined more than thespeaker read in his face,--a soul goodly in all but its irresolution. Ifnow and then the grave attention relaxed, or the eye wandered from thepoint indicated, it was because the city and lake, and the valley to themountains, were, in the visitor's mind, more a military problem than apicture of power or beauty.
The interview was at length interrupted. Two great towers crowned thebroad _azoteas_ of the temple, one dedicated to Tezca', the other toHuitzil'. Out of the door of the latter issued a procession of pabas,preceded by boys swinging censers, the smoke of which was sickeningsweet. Tlalac, the _teotuctli_, came last, walking slowly, bareheaded,barefooted, his gown trailing behind him, its sleeves and front, likehis han
ds and face, red with the blood of recent sacrifice. While thegloomy train gathered about the astonished Christians, the heathenpontiff, as if unconscious of their presence, addressed himself to theking. His words were afterwards translated by Marina.
"To your application, O king, there is no answer. What you do will beof your own inspiration. The victims are removed; the servants of thegod, save whom you see, are in their cells. If such be thy will, thechamber is ready for the strangers."
Montezuma sat a moment hesitant, his color coming and going; then,feeling the gaze of his guest upon him, he arose, and said kindly, butwith dignity, "It is well. I thank you." Turning to Cortes, hecontinued, "If you will go with me, Malinche, I will show you our god,and the place in which we celebrate his worship. I will explain ourreligion, and you may explain yours. Only give me respect for respect."
Bowing low, Cortes replied, "I will go with thee, and thou shalt sufferno wrong from the confidence. The hand or tongue that doeth grievance toanything pertaining to thy god or his worship shall repeat it never."The last sentence was spoken with a raised voice, and a glance to thecaptains around; then, observing the frowns with which some of themreceived the notice, he added, almost without a pause, to Olmedo, "Whatsaith the Church of Christ?"
"That thou hast spoken well, for this time," answered the priest,kissing the crucifix chained to his girdle. "Go on. I will go withthee."
Then they followed the king into the sanctuary, leaving the _teotuctli_and his train on the _azoteas_.
I turn gladly from that horrible chamber. With quite as muchsatisfaction, I turn from the conversation of the king and Cortes. Noteven the sweet voice of Marina could make the Aztec theogony clear, orthe Catholic commentary of the Spaniard interesting.
Alvarado approached the turret door with loathing. Staggered by thestench that smote him from within, he stopped a moment. Orteguilla, thepage, pulled his mantle, and said, "I have news for thee. Wilt thouhear?"
"_Picaro!_ To-morrow, if the Mother doth spare me so long, I will givethee a lash for every breath of this sin-laden air thou makest me drawwith open mouth. As thou lovest life, speak, and have done!"
"What if I bring thee a message of love?"
"If thou couldst bring me such a message from a comely Christian maiden,I would kiss thee, lad."
Orteguilla held out an exquisite _ramillete_. "Seest thou this? If thoucarest and wilt follow me, I will show thee an infidel to swear byforever."
"Give me the flowers, and lead me to the infidel. If thou speakesttruly, thy fortune is made; if thou liest, I will fling thee from thetemple."
He turned from the door, and was conducted to the shade of the turret ofTezca'.
"I was loitering after the tall priest, the one with the bloody face andhands,--what a monster he is!" said the page, crossing himself,--"when aslave came in my way, offering some flowers, and making signs. I spoketo him. 'What do you want?' 'Here is a message from the princessNenetzin.' 'Who is she?' 'Daughter of the great king.' 'Well, what didshe say?' 'She bade me'--and, _senor capitan_, these are almost hiswords,--'she bade me give these flowers to one of the _teules_, that hemight give them to _Tonatiah_, him with the red beard.' I took thepresent, and asked, 'What does the princess say to the _Tonatiah_?' 'Lethim read the flowers,' the fellow answered. I remembered then that it isa custom of this people to send messages in that form. I asked him wherehis mistress was; he told me, and I went to see her."
"What of her? Is she handsome?"
"Here she is; judge thou."
"Holy Mother! 'Tis the girl I so frightened on the street. She is thepearl of the valley, the light of the world!" exclaimed Alvarado. "Staythou, sir page. Interpret for me. I will speak to her."
"Simply, then. Thou knowest I am not so good an Aztec as Marina."
Nenetzin was sitting in the shade of the turret. Apart several pacesstood her carriage-bearers. Her garments of finest cotton, white assnow, were held close to her waist by a green sash. Herornaments--necklace, bracelets, and anklets--were of gold, enriched by_chalchuites_. Softest sandals protected her feet; and the long scarf,heavy with embroidery, and half covering her face, fell from her head tothe mat of scarlet feathers upon which she was sitting.
When the tall Spaniard, in full armor, except the helmet, stopped thussuddenly before her, the large eyes dilated, the blood left her cheeks,and she shrank almost to the roof. Was it not as if the dream, sostrange in the coming, had vitalized its subject, and sent it to her, aFate the more irresistible because of its peculiarities,--the blue eyes,the forehead womanly white, the hair long and waving, the beard dyed,apparently, in the extremest brightness of the sun,--all so unheard ofamong the brown and olive children of Anahuac? And what if the Fate hadcome demandingly? Refuse! Can the chrysalis, joyous in the beauty ofwings just perfected, refuse the sun?
The cavalier could not mistake the look with which she regarded him. Inpity for her fear, in admiration of her beauty, in the native gallantryof his soul, he knelt, and took her hand, and kissed it; then, giving itback, and looking into her face with an expression as unmistakable asher own, he said,--
"My beautiful princess must not be afraid. I would die sooner than harmher."
While the page interpreted, as best he could, the captain smiled sowinsomely that she sat up, and listened with a smile in return. She waswon, and shall we say lost? The future comes rapidly now to answer foritself.
"Here is the message," Alvarado continued, "which I could not read; butif it meant to tell me of love, what better can I than give it back totell the same story for me?"
He kissed the flowers, and laid them before her. Picking them up, shesaid, with a laugh, "_Tonatiah_ is a poet,--a god and a poet."
He heard the interpretation, and spoke again, without relaxing hisardent gaze.
"_Jesu Christo!_ That one so beautiful should be an infidel! She shallnot be,--by the holy sepulchre, she shall not! Here, lad, take off thechain which is about my neck. It hath an iron crucifix, the very same mymother--rested be her soul!--gave me, with her blessing and prayer, whattime I last bade her farewell."
Orteguilla took off the chain and crucifix, and put them in thecavalier's hand.
"Will my beautiful princess deign to receive these gifts from me, herslave forever? And in my presence will she put them on? And for my sake,will she always wear them? They have God's blessing, which cannot bebetter bestowed."
Instead of laying the presents down to be taken or not, this time heheld them out to her directly; and she took them, and, childlike, hungthem around her neck. In the act, the scarf fell, and left bare her headand face. He saw the glowing countenance, and was about to speakfurther, when Orteguilla stopped him.
"Moderate thyself, I pray thee, Don Pedro. Look at the hounds; they areclosing us in. The way to the turret is already cut off. Have a care, Ipray!"
The tone of alarm had instant effect.
"How! Cut off, say'st thou, lad?" And Alvarado sprang up, his hand uponhis sword. He swept the circle with a falcon's glance; then turning oncemore to the girl, he said, resuming the tenderness of voice and manner,"By what name may I know my love hereafter?"
"Nenetzin,--the princess Nenetzin."
"Then farewell, Nenetzin. Ill betide the man or fortune that keepeththee from me hereafter! May I forfeit life, and the Holy Mother's love,if I see thee not again! Farewell."
He kissed his mailed hand to her, and, facing the array of scowlingpabas, strode to them, and through their circle, with a laugh ofknightly scorn.
At the door of the turret of Huitzil' he said to the page, "The love ofyon girl, heathen no longer, but Christian, by the cross sheweareth,--her love, and the brightness of her presence, for the foulnessand sin of this devil's den,--what an exchange! _Valgame Dios!_ Thoushalt have the ducat. She is the glory of the world!"