CHAPTER XIV
THE SAVING OF GUATEMOC
Now after this dreadful day I was kindly dealt with by the people ofTobasco, who gave me the name of Teule or Spaniard, and no longer soughtto put me to sacrifice. Far from it indeed, I was well clothed and fed,and suffered to wander where I would, though always under the care ofguards who, had I escaped, would have paid for it with their lives. Ilearned that on the morrow of my rescue from the priests, messengerswere despatched to Montezuma, the great king, acquainting him with thehistory of my capture, and seeking to know his pleasure concerning me.But the way to Tenoctitlan was far, and many weeks passed before themessengers returned again. Meanwhile I filled the days in learningthe Maya language, and also something of that of the Aztecs, which Ipractised with Marina and others. For Marina was not a Tobascan, havingbeen born at Painalla, on the southeastern borders of the empire. Buther mother sold her to merchants in order that Marina's inheritancemight come to another child of hers by a second marriage, and thus inthe end the girl fell into the hands of the cacique of Tobasco.
Also I learned something of the history and customs, and of the picturewriting of the land, and how to read it, and moreover I obtained greatrepute among the Tobascans by my skill in medicine, so that in time theygrew to believe that I was indeed a child of Quetzal, the good god. Andthe more I studied this people the less I could understand of them. Inmost ways they were equal to any nation of our own world of which I hadknowledge. None are more skilled in the arts, few are better architectsor boast purer laws. Moreover, they were brave and had patience. Buttheir faith was the canker at the root of the tree. In precept it wasnoble and had much in common with our own, such as the rite of baptism,but I have told what it was in practice. And yet, when all is said, isit more cruel to offer up victims to the gods than to torture themin the vaults of the Holy Office or to immure them in the walls ofnunneries?
When I had lived a month in Tobasco I had learned enough of the languageto talk with Marina, with whom I grew friendly, though no more, and itwas from her that I gathered the most of my knowledge, and also manyhints as to the conduct necessary to my safety. In return I taught hersomething of my own faith, and of the customs of the Europeans, and itwas the knowledge that she gained from me which afterwards made herso useful to the Spaniards, and prepared her to accept their religion,giving her insight into the ways of white people.
So I abode for four months and more in the house of the cacique ofTobasco, who carried his kindness towards me to the length of offeringme his sister in marriage. To this proposal I said no as gently as Imight, and he marvelled at it, for the girl was fair. Indeed, so wellwas I treated, that had it not been that my heart was far away, andbecause of the horrible rites of their religion which I was forced towitness almost daily, I could have learned to love this gentle, skilled,and industrious people.
At length, when full four months had passed away, the messengersreturned from the court of Montezuma, having been much delayedby swollen rivers and other accidents of travel. So great was theimportance that the Emperor attached to the fact of my capture, andso desirous was he to see me at his capital, that he had sent his ownnephew, the Prince Guatemoc, to fetch me and a great escort of warriorswith him.
Never shall I forget my first meeting with this prince who afterwardsbecame my dear companion and brother in arms. When the escort arrived Iwas away from the town shooting deer with the bow and arrow, a weapon inthe use of which I had such skill that all the Indians wondered atme, not knowing that twice I had won the prize at the butts on BungayCommon. Our party being summoned by a messenger, we returned bearing ourdeer with us. On reaching the courtyard of the cacique's house, I foundit filled with warriors most gorgeously attired, and among them one moresplendid than the rest. He was young, very tall and broad, most handsomein face, and having eyes like those of an eagle, while his whole aspectbreathed majesty and command. His body was encased in a cuirass of gold,over which hung a mantle made of the most gorgeous feathers, exquisitelyset in bands of different colours. On his head he wore a helmet of goldsurmounted by the royal crest, an eagle, standing on a snake fashionedin gold and gems. On his arms, and beneath his knees, he wore circletsof gold and gems, and in his hand was a copper-bladed spear. Round thisman were many nobles dressed in a somewhat similar fashion, except thatthe most of them wore a vest of quilted cotton in place of the goldcuirass, and a jewelled panache of the plumes of birds instead of theroyal symbol.
This was Guatemoc, Montezuma's nephew, and afterwards the last emperorof Anahuac. So soon as I saw him I saluted him in the Indian fashion bytouching the earth with my right hand, which I then raised to my head.But Guatemoc, having scanned me with his eye as I stood, bow in hand,attired in my simple hunter's dress, smiled frankly and said:
'Surely, Teule, if I know anything of the looks of men, we are too equalin our birth, as in our age, for you to salute me as a slave greets hismaster.' And he held his hand to me.
I took it, answering with the help of Marina, who was watching thisgreat lord with eager eyes.
'It may be so, prince, but though in my own country I am a man of reputeand wealth, here I am nothing but a slave snatched from the sacrifice.'
'I know it,' he said frowning. 'It is well for all here that you were sosnatched before the breath of life had left you, else Montezuma's wrathhad fallen on this city.' And he looked at the cacique who trembled,such in those days was the terror of Montezuma's name.
Then he asked me if I was a Teule or Spaniard. I told him that I wasno Spaniard but one of another white race who had Spanish blood in hisveins. This saying seemed to puzzle him, for he had never so much asheard of any other white race, so I told him something of my story, atleast so much of it as had to do with my being cast away.
When I had finished, he said, 'If I have understood aright, Teule, yousay that you are no Spaniard, yet that you have Spanish blood in you,and came hither in a Spanish ship, and I find this story strange. Well,it is for Montezuma to judge of these matters, so let us talk of them nomore. Come and show me how you handle that great bow of yours. Did youbring it with you or did you fashion it here? They tell me, Teule, thatthere is no such archer in the land.'
So I came up and showed him the bow which was of my own make, and wouldshoot an arrow some sixty paces further than any that I saw in Anahuac,and we fell into talk on matters of sport and war, Marina helping out mywant of language, and before that day was done we had grown friendly.
For a week the prince Guatemoc and his company rested in the town ofTobasco, and all this time we three talked much together. Soon I sawthat Marina looked with eyes of longing on the great lord, partlybecause of his beauty rank and might, and partly because she wearied ofher captivity in the house of the cacique, and would share Guatemoc'spower, for Marina was ambitious. She tried to win his heart in manyways, but he seemed not to notice her, so that at last she spoke moreplainly and in my hearing.
'You go hence to-morrow, prince,' she said softly, 'and I have a favourto ask of you, if you will listen to your handmaid.'
'Speak on, maiden,' he answered.
'I would ask this, that if it pleases you, you will buy me of thecacique my master, or command him to give me up to you, and take me withyou to Tenoctitlan.'
Guatemoc laughed aloud. 'You put things plainly, maiden,' he said,'but know that in the city of Tenoctitlan, my wife and royal cousin,Tecuichpo, awaits me, and with her three other ladies, who as it chancesare somewhat jealous.'
Now Marina flushed beneath her brown skin, and for the first and lasttime I saw her gentle eyes grow hard with anger as she answered:
'I asked you to take me with you, prince; I did not ask to be your wifeor love.'
'But perchance you meant it,' he said dryly.
'Whatever I may have meant, prince, it is now forgotten. I wished to seethe great city and the great king, because I weary of my life here andwould myself grow great. You have refused me, but perhaps a time willcome when I shall grow great in spite of you,
and then I may rememberthe shame that has been put upon me against you, prince, and all yourroyal house.'
Again Guatemoc laughed, then of a sudden grew stern.
'You are over-bold, girl,' he said; 'for less words than these many aone might find herself stretched upon the stone of sacrifice. But I willforget them, for your woman's pride is stung, and you know not what yousay. Do you forget them also, Teule, if you have understood.'
Then Marina turned and went, her bosom heaving with anger and outragedlove or pride, and as she passed me I heard her mutter, 'Yes, prince,you may forget, but I shall not.'
Often since that day I have wondered if some vision of the futureentered into the girl's breast in that hour, or if in her wrath shespoke at random. I have wondered also whether this scene between her andGuatemoc had anything to do with the history of her after life; or didMarina, as she avowed to me in days to come, bring shame and ruin onher country for the love of Cortes alone? It is hard to say, and perhapsthese things had nothing to do with what followed, for when great eventshave happened, we are apt to search out causes for them in the past thatwere no cause. This may have been but a passing mood of hers and onesoon put out of mind, for it is certain that few build up the templesof their lives upon some firm foundation of hope or hate, of desire ordespair, though it has happened to me to do so, but rather take chancefor their architect--and indeed whether they take him or no, he is stillthe master builder. Still that Marina did not forget this talk I know,for in after times I heard her remind this very prince of the words thathad passed between them, ay, and heard his noble answer to her.
Now I have but one more thing to tell of my stay in Tobasco, and thenlet me on to Mexico, and to the tale of how Montezuma's daughter becamemy wife, and of my further dealings with de Garcia.
On the day of our departure a great sacrifice of slaves was held uponthe teocalli to propitiate the gods, so that they might give us a safejourney, and also in honour of some festival, for to the festivals ofthe Indians there was no end. Thither we went up the sides of thesteep pyramid, since I must look upon these horrors daily. When all wasprepared, and we stood around the stone of sacrifice while the multitudewatched below, that fierce paba who once had felt the beatings of myheart, came forth from the sanctuary of the god Quetzal and signed tohis companions to stretch the first of the victims on the stone. Thenof a sudden the prince Guatemoc stepped forward, and addressing thepriests, pointed to their chief, and said:
'Seize that man!'
They hesitated, for though he who commanded was a prince of the bloodroyal, to lay hands upon a high priest was sacrilege. Then with a smileGuatemoc drew forth a ring having a dull blue stone set in its bezel,on which was engraved a strange device. With the ring he drew out alsoa scroll of picture-writing, and held them both before the eyes of thepabas. Now the ring was the ring of Montezuma, and the scroll was signedby the great high priest of Tenoctitlan, and those who looked on thering and the scroll knew well that to disobey the mandate of him whobore them was death and dishonour in one. So without more ado theyseized their chief and held him. Then Guatemoc spoke again and shortly:
'Lay him on the stone and sacrifice him to the god Quetzal.'
Now he who had taken such fierce joy in the death of others on this samestone, began to tremble and weep, for he did not desire to drink of hisown medicine.
'Why must I be offered up, O prince?' he cried, 'I who have been afaithful servant to the gods and to the Emperor.'
'Because you dared to try to offer up this Teule,' answered Guatemoc,pointing to me, 'without leave from your master Montezuma, and becauseof the other evils that you have done, all of which are written in thisscroll. The Teule is a son of Quetzal, as you have yourself declared,and Quetzal will be avenged because of his son. Away with him, here isyour warrant.'
Then the priests, who till this moment had been his servants, draggedtheir chief to the stone, and there, notwithstanding his prayers andbellowings, one who had donned his mantle practised his own art uponhim, and presently his body was cast down the side of the pyramid. Formy part I am not sufficient of a Christian to pretend that I was sorryto see him die in that same fashion by which he had caused the death ofso many better men.
When it was done Guatemoc turned to me and said, 'So perish all yourenemies, my friend Teule.'
Within an hour of this event, which revealed to me how great was thepower of Montezuma, seeing that the sight of a ring from his fingercould bring about the instant death of a high priest at the hands ofhis disciples, we started on our long journey. But before I went I bid awarm farewell to my friend the cacique, and also to Marina, who wept atmy going. The cacique I never saw again, but Marina I did see.
For a whole month we travelled, for the way was far and the road rough,and sometimes we must cut our path through forests and sometimes we mustwait upon the banks of rivers. Many were the strange sights that I sawupon that journey, and many the cities in which we sojourned in muchstate and honour, but I cannot stop to tell of all these.
One thing I will relate, however, though briefly, because it changedthe regard that the prince Guatemoc and I felt one to the other into afriendship which lasted till his death, and indeed endures in my heartto this hour.
One day we were delayed by the banks of a swollen river, and in pastimewent out to hunt for deer. When we had hunted a while and killed threedeer, it chanced that Guatemoc perceived a buck standing on a hillock,and we set out to stalk it, five of us in all. But the buck was in theopen, and the trees and bush ceased a full hundred yards away from wherehe stood, so that there was no way by which we might draw near to him.Then Guatemoc began to mock me, saying, 'Now, Teule, they tell tales ofyour archery, and this deer is thrice as far as we Aztecs can make sureof killing. Let us see your skill.'
'I will try,' I answered, 'though the shot is long.'
So we drew beneath the cover of a ceiba tree, of which the lowestbranches drooped to within fifteen feet of the ground, and having setan arrow on the string of the great bow that I had fashioned after theshape of those we use in merry England, I aimed and drew it. Straightsped the arrow and struck the buck fair, passing through its heart, anda low murmur of wonderment went up from those who saw the feat.
Then, just as we prepared to go to the fallen deer, a male puma, whichis nothing but a cat, though fifty times as big, that had been watchingthe buck from above, dropped down from the boughs of the ceiba tree fullon to the shoulders of the prince Guatemoc, felling him to the ground,where he lay face downwards while the fierce brute clawed and bit at hisback. Indeed had it not been for his golden cuirass and helm Guatemocwould never have lived to be emperor of Anahuac, and perhaps it mighthave been better so.
Now when they saw the puma snarling and tearing at the person of theirprince, though brave men enough, the three nobles who were with us wereseized by sudden panic and ran, thinking him dead. But I did not run,though I should have been glad enough to do so. At my side hung one ofthe Indian weapons that serve them instead of swords, a club of wood seton both sides with spikes of obsidian, like the teeth in the bill of aswordfish. Snatching it from its loop I gave the puma battle, striking ablow upon his head that rolled him over and caused the blood to pour.In a moment he was up and at me roaring with rage. Whirling the woodensword with both hands I smote him in mid air, the blow passing betweenhis open paws and catching him full on the snout and head. So hard wasthis stroke that my weapon was shattered, still it did not stop thepuma. In a second I was cast to the earth with a great shock, and thebrute was on me tearing and biting at my chest and neck. It was well forme at that moment that I wore a garment of quilted cotton, otherwiseI must have been ripped open, and even with this covering I was sadlytorn, and to this day I bear the marks of the beast's claws upon mybody. But now when I seemed to be lost the great blow that I had strucktook effect on him, for one of the points of glass had pierced to hisbrain. He lifted his head, his claws contracted themselves in my flesh,then he howled like a dog in pain and fell dead upon my
body. So Ilay upon the ground unable to stir, for I was much hurt, until mycompanions, having taken heart, came back and pulled the puma off me.By this time Guatemoc, who saw all, but till now was unable to move fromlack of breath, had found his feet again.
'Teule,' he gasped, 'you are a brave man indeed, and if you live I swearthat I will always stand your friend to the death as you have stoodmine.'
Thus he spoke to me; but to the others he said nothing, casting noreproaches at them.
Then I fainted away.