CHAPTER I.
THE LORD HUALPA FLEES HIS FORTUNE.
The 'tzin Guatamo sat at breakfast alone in his palace near Iztapalapan.The fare was simple,--a pheasant, bread of maize, oranges and bananas,and water from the spring; and the repast would have been soondespatched but for the announcement, by a slave in waiting, of the lordHualpa. At mention of the name the 'tzin's countenance assumed a gladexpression.
"The lord Hualpa! The gods be praised! Bid him come."
Directly the visitor appeared at the door, and paused there, his eyesfixed upon the floor, his body bent, like one half risen from asalutation. The 'tzin went to him, and taking his hand said,--
"Welcome, comrade. Come and account for yourself. I know not yet how topunish you; but for the present, sit there, and eat. If you come fromTenochtitlan this morning, you must bring with you the appetite which isone of the blessings of the lake. Sit, and I will order your breakfast."
"No, good 'tzin, not for me, I pray you. I am from the lake, but do notbring any blessing."
The 'tzin resumed his seat, looking searchingly and curiously at hisguest, and pained by his manner and appearance. His face was careworn;his frame bent and emaciated; his look constantly downward; the voicefeeble and of uncertain tone; in short, his aspect was that of one comeup from a battle in which shame and grief had striven with youth of bodyand soul, and, fierce as the struggle had been, the end was not yet. Hewas the counterpart of his former self.
"You have been sick," said the 'tzin, afterwhile.
"Very sick, in spirit," replied Hualpa, without raising his eyes.
The 'tzin went on. "After your desertion, I caused inquiry to be madefor you everywhere,--at the Chalcan's, and at your palace. No one couldgive me any tidings. I sent a messenger to Tihuanco, and your father wasno better informed. Your truancy has been grievous to your friends, noless than to yourself. I have a right to call you to account."
"So you have; only let us to the garden. The air outside is sweet, andthere is a relief in freedom from walls."
From habit, I suppose, they proceeded to the arena set apart formilitary exercise. No one was there. The 'tzin seated himself on abench, making room for Hualpa, who still declined the courtesy,saying,--
"I will give an account of myself to you, brave 'tzin, not only becauseI should, but because I stand in need of your counsel. Look for nothingstrange; mine is a simple story of shame and failure. You know itsorigin already. You remember the last night I spent with you here. I do,at least. That day the king made me happier than I shall ever be again.When I met you at the landing, the kiss of my betrothed was sweet uponmy lips, and I had but one sorrow in the world,--that you were an exile,and could not take part, as you so wished and deserved, in the battlewhich my hand was to precipitate next noon. I left you, and by dawn wasat my post in the temple. The hours were long. At last the time came.All was ready. The ten thousand warriors chosen for the assault were intheir quarters. The lord Cuitlahua was in the tower of Huitzil', withthe _teotuctli_ and his pabas, at prayer. We awaited only the king'sword. Finally, Io' appeared. I saw him coming. I raised the stick, myblood was warm, another instant and the signal would have been given--"Hualpa's voice trembled, and he stopped.
"Go on," said the 'tzin. "What restrained you?"
"I remembered the words of the king,--'Io' will come to you at noon withmy commands,'--those were the words. I waited. 'Strike!' said Io'. 'Thecommand,--quick!' I cried. 'As you love life, strike!' he shouted.Something unusual had taken place; I hesitated. 'Does the king socommand?' I asked. 'Time never was as precious! Give me the stick!' hereplied. But the duty was mine. 'With your own hand give thesignal,'--such was the order. I resisted, and he gave over the effort,and, throwing himself at my feet, prayed me to strike. I refused theprayer, also. Suddenly he sprang up, and ran out to the verge of thetemple overlooking the street. Lest he should cast himself off, Ifollowed. He turned to me, as I approached, and cried, with upraisedhands, 'Too late, too late! We are undone. Look where they carry himoff!' 'Whom?' I asked. 'The king--my father--a prisoner!' Below, pastthe _coatapantli_, the royal palanquin was being borne, guarded by thestrangers. The blood stood still in my heart. I turned to the prince; hewas gone. A sense of calamity seized me. I ran to the tower, and calledthe lord Cuitlahua, who was in time to see the procession. I shall neverforget the awful look he gave me, or his words." Hualpa again paused.
"What were they?" asked the 'tzin.
"'My lord Hualpa,' he said, 'had you given the signal when Io' came toyou first, I could have interposed my companies, and saved him. It isnow too late; he is lost. May the gods forgive you! A ruined countrycannot.'"
"Said he so?" exclaimed the 'tzin, indignantly. "By all the gods, he waswrong!"
At these words, Hualpa for the first time dared look into the 'tzin'sface, surprised, glad, yet doubtful.
"How?" he asked. "Did you say I was right?"
"Yes."
Tears glistened in the Tihuancan's eyes, and he seized and kissed hisfriend's hand with transport.
"I begin to understand you," the 'tzin said, still more kindly. "Youthought it your fault that the king was a prisoner; you fled for shame."
"Yes,--for shame."
"My poor friend!"
"But consider," said Hualpa,--"consider how rapidly I had risen, and towhat height. Admitting my self-accusations, when before did man fall sofar and so low? What wonder that I fled?"
"Well, you have my judgment. Seat yourself, and hear me further."
Hualpa took the seat this time; after which the 'tzin continued. "Theseizure was made in the palace. The king yielded to threats of death. Hecould not resist. While the strangers were bearing him past the_teocallis_, and you were looking at them, their weapons were at histhroat. Had you yielded to Io's prayer, and given the signal, and hadCuitlahua obeyed, and with his bands attempted a rescue, your benefactorwould have been slain. Do not think me dealing in conjectures. I went tohim in the street, and prayed to be allowed to save him; he forbade me.Therefore, hold not yourself in scorn; be happy; you saved his life asecond time."
Again Hualpa gave way to his gratitude.
"Nor is that all," the 'tzin continued. "In my opinion, the last rescuewas nobler than the first. As to the lord Cuitlahua, be at rest. He wasnot himself when he chid you so cruelly; he now thinks as I do; heexonerates you; his messengers have frequently come, asking if you hadreturned. So, no more of shame. Give me now what else you did."
The sudden recall to the past appeared to throw Hualpa back; his headsunk upon his breast again, and for a time he was silent; at length hereplied, "As I see now, good 'tzin, I have been very foolish. Before Igo on, assure me that you will listen with charity."
"With charity and love."
"I have hardly the composure to tell what more I did; yet the story willcome to you in some form. Judge me mercifully, and let the subject benever again recalled."
"You have spoken."
"Very well. I have told you the words of the lord Cuitlahua; they burntme, like fire. Thinking myself forever disgraced, I descended from the_azoteas_ to the street, and there saw the people's confusion, and heardtheir cries and curses. I could not endure myself. I fled the city, likea guilty wretch. Instinctively, I hurried to Tihuanco. There I avoidedevery habitation, even my father's. News of evil travels fast. The oldmerchant, I knew, must needs hear of the king's seizure and what Iregarded as my crime. So I cared not to meet his eyes. I passed the daysin the jungles hunting, but the charm of the old occupation was gone;somehow my arrows flew amiss, and my limbs refused a long pursuit. How Isubsisted, I scarcely know. At last, however, my ideas began to takeform, and I was able to interrogate myself. Through the king's bounty, Iwas a lord, and owner of a palace; by his favor, I further reflected,Nenetzin was bound to me in solemn betrothal. What would she think ofme? What right had I, so responsible for his great misfortune, to retainhis gifts? I could release her from the odious engagement. At his
feet Icould lay down the title and property; and then, if you refused me as asoldier or slave, I could hide myself somewhere; for the grief-struckand unhappy, like me, earth has its caverns and ocean its islands. Andso once more I hurried to Tenochtitlan. Yesterday I crossed the lake.From the Chalcan I heard the story which alone was needed to make myhumiliation complete,--how Nenetzin, false to me, betrayed the greatpurpose of her father, betook herself to the stranger's house, adoptedhis religion, and became his wife or--spare me the word, good 'tzin.After that, I lost no time, but went to the palace, made way through thepale-faced guards at the gate and doors, each of whom seemed placedthere to attest the good king's condition and my infamy. Suitors andlords of all degrees crowded the audience-chamber when I entered, andupon every face was the same look of sorrow and dejection which I hadnoticed upon the faces of the people whom I passed in the street. Allwho turned eyes upon me appeared to become accusers, and say, 'Traitor,behold thy victim!' Imagine the pressure upon my spirit. I made haste toget away,--unseemly haste. What my salutation was I hardly know. I onlyremember that, in some form of speech, I publicly resigned all hishonorable gifts. I remember, also, that when I took what I thought wasmy last look at him,--friend, patron, king, father,--may the gods, whohave forbidden the relation, forgive the allusion!--I could not see himfor tears. My heart is in my throat now; then it nearly choked me. Andso ends my account. And once more, true friend, I come to you, Hualpa,the Tihuancan, without title, palace, or privilege; withoutdistinction, except as the hero and victim of a marvellous fortune."
The 'tzin was too deeply touched, too full of sympathy, to replyimmediately. He arose, and paced the arena awhile. Resuming his seatagain, he asked simply, "And what said the king?"
"To what?"
"Your resignation."
"He refused to take back his gifts. They could not revert, he said,except for crime."
"And he was right. You should have known him better. A king cannotrevoke a gift in any form."
After a spell of silence, the 'tzin spoke again.
"One matter remains. You are not guilty, as you supposed; your friendshave not lost their faith in you; such being the case, it were strangeif your feelings are as when you came here; and as purposes too oftenfollow feelings, I ask about the future. What do you intend? What wish?"
"I see you understand me well, good 'tzin. My folly has been so greatthat I feel myself unworthy to be my own master. I ought not to claim apurpose, much less a wish. I came to your door seeking to be taken backinto service; that was all the purpose I had. I rely upon your exceedingkindness."
Hualpa moved as if to kneel; but the 'tzin caught him, and said, "Keepyour seat." And rising, he continued, severely, "Lord Hualpa,--for suchyou still are,--all men, even the best, are criminals; but as for themost part their crimes are against themselves, we take no notice ofthem. In that sense you are guilty, and in such degree that you deserveforfeiture of all the king refused to take back. Put pass we that,--passthe folly, the misconduct. I will not take you into service; you haveyour old place of friend and comrade, more fitting your rank."
Hualpa's face brightened, and he answered,--
"Command me, O 'tzin! With you I can be brave warrior, good citizen,true friend; without you, I am nothing. Whatever the world thinks of me,this I know,--I can reinstate myself in its good opinion before I can inmy own. Show me the way back to self-respect; restore me that, and Iwill be your slave, soldier, comrade,--what you will."
"It is well," said Guatamozin, smiling at his earnestness. "It is well.I can show you the way. Listen. The war, about which we have so oftentalked, thanks to the gods! is finally at hand. The public opinion hasdone its work. The whole nation would throw itself upon the strangersto-morrow, but for the king, who has become their shield; and he must berescued; otherwise, we must educate the people to see in him an enemy tobe removed. We cannot spare the time for that, and consequently havetried rescue in many ways, so far in vain. To-morrow we try again. Theplot is arranged and cannot fail, except by the king's own default.Reserving explanation, I congratulate you. You are in time; the goodfortune clings to you. To-morrow I will set your feet in the way youseek."
Hualpa gazed at him doubtingly. "To-morrow!" he said. "Will you trust meso soon, and in a matter so high?"
"Yes."
"Will my part take me from you?"
"No."
"Then I thank you for the opportunity. On the _teocallis_, that dreadfulmorning, I lost my assurance; whether it will ever return is doubtful;but with you, at your side, I dare walk in any way."
"I understand you," the 'tzin replied. "Go now, and get ready. Unlessthe king fail us, we will have combat requiring all our strength. To thebath first, then to breakfast, then to find more seemly garments, thento rest. I give you to midnight. Go."