CHAPTER XI.
The dancers had fled from the terrace; the fire had smouldered away; butin the light of the moon, which shed a far lovelier radiance, DonAmador, as he was hurried to the steps, saw in place of the gaycavaliers, a few sentries striding in front of the towers, and among theartillery which frowned on either edge of the platform. Nevertheless, ifhis rage had left him inquisitive, he was not allowed time to indulgehis observations. He was hurried down the steps, carried a few pacesfurther, and instantly immured in the stone dwelling of some nativechief, which, by the substitution of a door of plank for the cottoncurtain, and other simple contrivances, had been easily converted into aprison.
In the meanwhile, the rage of the governor burned with a fury that wasnot much lessened by the remonstrances of his officers; and to thecounsel of Duero,--the personal secretary of Don Diego Velasquez,accompanying the expedition less as an adviser than as a spy over thegeneral, and therefore necessarily held in some respect,--he answeredonly with heat and sarcasm.
"I have ever found the senor Don Andres," he cried, without regardingthe presence of Botello, "to be more friendly with the friends of Cortesthan may seem fitting in the honourable and confidential secretary ofVelasquez!"
"I will not deny that such is my temper," said Duero; "nor will Iconceal from you that such leniency springs less from affection thaninterest. Sure am I, that had your excellency, from the first, held outthe arms of conciliation, instead of the banners of vengeance, at thismoment, instead of being arrayed against you in desperate hostility, theforces of Cortes would have been found enrolled under your ownstandard, and Cortes himself among the humblest and faithfullest of yourcaptains."
"While I doubt that effect," said the general sharply, "I cannot but beassured of the strength of Don Andres's interest, while I listen to thewhispers of his enemies."
Duero coloured, but replied calmly:
"It is not unknown to me, that certain ill-advised persons have chargedme with being under the influence of a secret compact with Cortes,formed before his appointment to the command of the first army ofinvasion; whereby I was to share a full third of the profits of hisenterprise. Without pretending to show the improbability of such anagreement, I will, for an instant, allow your excellency to take it forgranted, in order that your excellency may give me credit for my presentdisinterestedness, in doing all I can to ruin my colleague; in which Ireckon, as no slight matter, taking every opportunity to decoy away hisfollowers."
"If thou wilt show me in what manner submission to the whims and insultsof this insolent boy could have detached any of the mutineers fromCortes, I will confess myself in error, and liberate him forthwith,"said the general.
"The insult has been passed, the blow has been struck," said Duerogravely, "and unless your excellency chooses to measure swords with himimmediately after his liberation, nothing can be gained by such a step.I should rather counsel your excellency to have the prison watched witha double guard. But, in arresting him, you have, besides giving deepoffence to your colleague, the admiral, for ever won the hate andhostility of the knight of Rhodes; and when this is told him in the campof Cortes, it will harden the hearts of all against us."
"When it is told in the camp of Cortes," said Narvaez, with a bittersmile, "it shall be with mine own lips; and if I hang not upon a tree,afterwards, the knight Calavar himself, it will be more out of regardto his madness, than to the dignity of his knighthood. I will attack therebel to-morrow!"
"Your excellency is heated by anger," said Duero temperately; "or youwould observe you have a follower of the rebel for a listener."
"Ay! Botello!" cried the general, with a laugh of scorn. "He will carrymy counsels to Cortes when the cony carries food to the serpent, and thesick ox to the carrion crow. Hark, sirrah,--thou hast read the fate ofthy master: will I attack him to-morrow?"
"Thou wilt not," said Botello, with an unmoved countenance.
"Hah!" cried Narvaez; "art thou so sure of this that thou wilt pledgethy head on the prophecy? Thou shall live to be hanged at sunset, withthy old comrades for spectators."
"Heaven has written another history for to-morrow," said Botello,gravely; "and I have read that as closely as the page of to-day; butwhat is for myself, is, and no man may know it: The fate in store forthe vain pride and the quick anger, may, in part, be spoken."
"Sirrah," said Narvaez, "remember, that though the vain pride mightoverlook one so contemptible as thyself, the quick anger is not yetallayed; and if thou wilt not have me beat thee in the morning, proceedforthwith to discourse of our destinies."
"Blows shall be struck," said the magician, earnestly; "but whether uponmy own head or another's, whether in this temple or another place,whether in the morning or the evening, I am not permitted to divulge.Repent of thy sins; call in a confessor, and pray; for wrath cometh, andsorrow is behind! By the spirits that live in the stars, by the elvesthat dwell in stones and shrubs, by the virtues that are caged in matterwhere the ignorant man findeth naught but ignorance, have I been madeacquainted with many things appertaining to thy fate, but not all. Ifthou wilt, I will speak thee the things I am permitted."
"Speak then," cried the general; "for whether thy knowledge be truth orlies, whether it come from the revelations of angels, or the diabolicalinstructions of fiends, I will listen without fear."
"_Adonai Melech!_ under the heaven, and above the abyss,--with my handon the cross, and the rosary in my bosom,--in Rome, near to thefootsteps of his holiness, and with one who was his favouriteastrologer, studied I mine art; and there is nothing in it that is notblessed," said Botello, with a solemn enthusiasm, that made a deepimpression upon all.--"Give me a staff, that I may draw the curtain fromthis loop," he continued.
The sword of a younger officer was instantly extended, the curtainremoved, and the moon, climbing the blue hills of paradise, looked downinto the apartment. The cavaliers stared at the astrologer and magician,for Botello was both, some with an unconcealed awe, and others, thegeneral among the rest, with an endeavour at looks of contempt not ingood character with the interest they betrayed in all his proceedings.He raised his eyes to the beautiful luminary--enough to create by hermystic splendour the elements of superstition in the breast of arhapsodist,--crossed himself devoutly twice or thrice, mumbled certaininexplicable words, and then said aloud, with a mournful emphasis,
"Wo to him that sits in the high place, when the moon shines from thehouse Allatha! But the time has not come; and I dare not speak the hourof its visitation."
"And what shall it advantage me to know my peril, if I have not suchknowledge as may enable me to prevent it?" demanded Narvaez, with afrown.
"And what would it benefit thee to know the time of thy peril," said theastrologer, "when God has not given thee the power to avert it? What iswritten must be fulfilled; what is declared must be accomplished.Listen--the queen of night is in the eighteenth mansion; and under thatinfluence, discord is sown in the hearts of men, sedition comes to theearth, and conspiracy hatches under the green leaf."
The general turned quickly upon his officers, and surveyed them with aneye of suspicion. They looked blankly one upon another, until Duero,laughing in a forced and unnatural manner, cried,
"Why should we listen to this madman, if we are so affected by hisravings? Senor general, you will straightway look upon us all astraitors!"
"There have been villains about us before," muttered the general, "but Iwill not take the moon's word for it; and the more especially that Imust receive it through this man's interpretation."
"It is the influence, too, that is good for the friendless captive,"continued the magician; "and many a heart that beats under bondsto-night, will leap in freedom to-morrow."
"Every way this is bad for us," said Duero, banteringly. "I would adviseyour excellency to clap chains on the legs of De Leste and the scribe,who are, I think, saving the few rogues of Cortes who have craved toenter into our service, the only prisoners in our possession."
"And dost thou
think this gibberish will move me to any suchprecaution?" cried Narvaez, with a compelled smile. "Thou canst notbelieve I listen to it for aught but diversion?"
"Surely not, if your excellency says so. But still may we guard theprisoners, without fear of being laughed at for our superstition,--aslong as we have faith in the discretion of all present."
"Guard them thyself, if thou wilt," said the general; "I am not movedenough for such condescension.--Continue thy mummeries, Botello," hewent on, "and when thou art done with the moon, of which I am heartilytired, I will look for thee to introduce me to some essence that speaksa clearer language."
"What wouldst thou have?" cried the astrologer; "what plainer languagewouldst thou have spoken? In the house Allatha is written the defectionof friends, the dethronement of princes, the fall of citadels in asiege."
"Villain and caitiff! dost thou dare to insinuate that this citadel ofZempoala is in a state of siege?" cried the Biscayan, with a ferociousfrown.
"I speak of the things that are to come;" said Botello. "What more thanthis wilt thou have?"
"It will doubtless be well," interrupted Duero, significantly, "toevacuate this city in the morning. By encamping in the fields, we cancertainly avoid the danger of a besieged citadel."
"Dost thou gibe me, Don Andres?" said Narvaez, with a brow on whichjealousy struggled with rage.
The secretary of Velasquez laid his hand on his heart, with a gesture ofrespectful deprecation.
"Ay! I see thou art stirred by these phantasms!" cried the governor,with a harsh laugh, looking from Duero to the other cavaliers. "Whatmeans this, my masters? Do ye all stare as if ye had got among you adead Samuel, telling ye of your deaths on the morrow? Cheer up,--for,by'r lady, I intend, if this old fellow's command of the black art runsso far, to divert you with a more horrible companion. What sayest thou,Botello? It is whispered thou canst raise devils, and force them tospeak to thee!"
"Ay!" said Botello, with a ghastly grin, staring the general in theface, until the latter faltered before him. "Wilt thou adventure then sofar? Canst _thou_, whose eyes tremble at the gaze of a living creature,think to look upon the face of a fallen angel? Hast thou confessedto-day, and been absolved? hast thou been free, since the sunrise, ofthoughts of treachery and feelings of wrath? The pentacle and the circlethe consecrated sword and the crucifix, the sign of the cross and themuttered paternoster, will not protect the unshriven sinner from theclaws of a raised demon."
"If thou canst raise him," said Narvaez stoutly, "do so, and quickly. Ifortify myself in the name of God and the Holy Ones, against all spiritsand devils. It will be much satisfaction to my curiosity to look uponone of the accursed."
"They are about us in the air--they are at our elbows and ears," saidBotello; "and it needs but a spell to be spoken to bring them before us.But wo to him that hath thought a sin to day, when the Evil One looks onhim!"
"Senor Narvaez," cried Duero, with a most expressive and contagiousalarm, "if it be your inclination to raise the devil, you must indulgeit alone. For my part, I confess there have been, this day, certainsinful thoughts about my bosom, which have unfitted me for such aninterview; and--I care not who knows it--my valour has in it so littleof the fire of faith, I would sooner, at any moment, speak with ten menthan one devil. God be with you, senor,--I wish you a good evening."
"Tarry, Duero; stay, cavaliers!" cried Narvaez, losing much of his owndread in the contemplation of the apprehension of others. "Why, you aresuch a knot of sinners as I dreamed not I had about me! Faith, I amashamed of you, and of you in particular, Duero; for I thought thyshrewdness would have seen in this knave's attempt to frighten us fromthe exhibition, an excellent evidence of his inability to make it."
"I could show thee more than thou couldst see," said Botello, "and, Iknow, more things will come to thee than thou _shall_ see. I know, withall thy vaunting, thou wouldst perish in the gaze of an angel of hell;for thy heart would be the heart of a boy, and it flutters already, evenat the thought of the spectacle.--I will show thee an essence thoumayest look upon without alarm."
"Do so," said Narvaez, sternly; "and remember, while saying what may benecessary by way of explanation, that thou speakest to the chief andgovernor of these lands, who will whip thy head from thy neck, in spiteof all the devils, if thou discoursest not with more becomingreverence."
"My fate is written!" cried Botello, with neither indignation or alarm;and drawing calmly from his bosom an implement of his art, he advancedto the light, and displayed it freely to the cavaliers. It was, orseemed to be, an antique jewel of rock-crystal, not bigger than apigeon's egg, set in the centre of a triangular disk of gold, on whichlast, were engraved many unknown characters and figures. Crossinghimself twice or thrice, the enchanter swung it by a little silver chainto which it was pendent, in the full blaze of the lamp; so that eitherof the persons present might have handled it, had any been so disposed.But, in truth, the superstition of an age for which no marvel was toogross, no miracle too wonderful, was more or less shared by all; andthey merely surveyed it at a distance with curiosity and fear.
"This," said the magician,--"a gem more precious to the wise than theadamant of the East, but in the hands of the unfaithful, more perniciousthan the tooth of a viper,--is the prison-house of an essence that wasonce powerful among the spirits of night. The great Agrippa wedged himin this stone; and from Agrippa, when I rested at his feet in the holycity, did I receive the inestimable gift.--Kalidon-Sadabath! the nightis thy season, the midnight thy time of power! The lord of men callsthee from thy prison-house, the armed man calls thee with the sword--Lo!he wakes from his slumber, and will image out the destiny of theseeker!"
The cavaliers, starting, gazed behind them with fear, as if expecting tobehold some mighty fiend rising shadowy from the floor; but nointelligence more lofty or more ignoble than themselves was visible inthe sanctuary. They bent their eyes upon the crystal, and beheld, somewith surprise and others with deep awe, a little drop as of some blackliquid, glittering in the very centre of the jewel.
The haughty soldiers who would have rushed with cries of joy upon anarmy of infidels, shrank away with murmurs of hesitation, when Botelloextended the talisman towards them. But they mistook the gesture of themagician; his arm was outstretched more to display the wonder than topart with it. He surveyed it himself a moment with much satisfaction;then turning to Narvaez, he said,
"Lay thy hand upon the cross of thy sword, say a paternoster over in thyheart, and thou shalt be protected from the mischief of thisinquisition, while I tell thee what I behold in the face ofKalidon-Sadabath."
"With your favour," cried Narvaez, suddenly and boldly snatching theenchanted crystal from the hands of Botello, "I will choose rather tosee his visage myself, than trust to your interpretations; and as forthe protection, I can con over a paternoster while I am looking: though,why it needs to bestow so much piety upon this juggler's gewgaw, is morethan I can understand."
"Say at least the prayer," cried Botello, earnestly, "for neitherenchanted crystal nor consecrated gold can hold the strong spirit fromthe wicked and self-sufficient."
"I have much trust in the saints, and in myself," said the governor,coolly, greatly assured and inspirited by the harmless appearance of thelittle mystery. "Nevertheless, I will follow your counsel, in the matterof the prayer,--the more readily that it will keep my mind fromwandering to more important affairs; and because, in part, I am somewhatburdened with the sin of neglecting such duties, when there is moreoccasion for them."
He drew the lamp to him, grasped the crystal firmly in his hands, andbending over it so closely that his warm breath sullied its lustre,regarded it with a fixed attention. The cavaliers noted the proceedingwith interest; they gazed now at the jewel almost concealed in hisgrasp, and now at the general, as his lips muttered over the inaudibleprayer.--Suddenly, and before he had half accomplished the task, theyobserved his brows knit, and his lip fall; his eye dilated with a stareof terror,--a deadly paleness came over his visage,-
-and starting up andloosing the talisman from his grasp, he exclaimed wildly,
"By heaven, there is a living creature in the stone!"
The sorcerer caught the magical implement as it fell from the hands ofNarvaez; and throwing himself upon his knees, while the cavaliers lookedon in mute astonishment, exclaimed:--
"Forget not the prayer! and be content to hear what is revealed by theimp of the crystal. Kalidon-Sadabath! He flingeth abroad his arms, andis in wrath and trouble!"
"It is true," said Narvaez, looking to his officers in perturbation."While I looked into the shining stone, the black drop increased insize, and grew into the similitude of a being, whose arms were tossedout as if in agony, while spots of fire gathered round his visage!"
"Say the prayer, if thou wilt not die miserably before the time that isotherwise ordained!" cried Botello with a stern voice, that wasremarkable enough, to be addressed by one of his station to the proudand powerful commander. "Once, twice--Ay! is there no more to bereckoned by thee, Sadabath? Once, twice--Yea, as the star sayeth, sosayest thou--Once, twice!"
"What sayest thou?" said Narvaez, ceasing the prayer he had resumed, toquestion the oraculous adept.
"To thy prayer! Listen, and ask not.--Ay! thou speakest in mystery! Iturn thee to the north, which thou knowest not, and the south, wherethou hadst thy dwelling,--to the east, which thou abhorrest, and to thewest, where was thy dark chamber; to the heaven, whose light thou lovestnot,--to the pit under the earth, where thou wast a wanderer,--and toman's heart, which was pleasanter to thee than the bonds of the crystal.In the name of the Seven that are of power under the earth, and of theSeven that are mighty above, I call to thee, Kalidon-Sadabath, thebright star that is quenched! In shadows, in fire and smoke,--in thunderand with spears--with blows and with bloodshed, thou speakest, and Ihear thee!"
"_I_ hear nothing save thy accursed croaking, worse than that of thecrows of Biscay," cried Narvaez, hotly. "If thy devil have no moreintelligible gabble, cast him out, and call another."
"He speaks not, but by images and phantasms pictured on thecrystal.--Now listen, for thy story cometh. I see a great house onfire--"
"Ay, I shall perish then in a conflagration!" said the governor,hastily. "I have ever had a horror of burning houses."
"The smoke eddies, the flame roars, and one sitteth blindfold under theeaves, with the flakes and cinders falling about him, which he seesnot."
"If thou meanest, that I shall rest, in that stupid state, under suchperil, thy devil Sadabath is a liar, and I defy him!"
"And he that takes thee by the hand," cried Botello, without regardingthe interruptions,--"is he thy friend?"
"Ay, answer me that question," said the governor; "for if I am to be ledout of the fire by a foeman, I will straightway forswear my friends, andgive my heart to the magnanimous."
"Thou doest him obeisance!" cried the magician, with extraordinaryemphasis--
"Villain!" exclaimed the general.
"Thou placest thy neck upon the earth, and he tramples it!"
"Liar and traitor!" roared the Biscayan, spurning the magician with hisfoot, and, in his fury, snatching up a weapon to despatch him.
"Why shouldst thou stain thy hand with the blood of the dotard?" criedDuero, interposing for a second time between the intemperate commanderand the object of his anger. "He is a madman, incapable of understandingwhat he says; and were he even sane, and speaking the truth, yourcommands to have him entertain you with his mummeries, should haveensured him against your anger."
"Very true," said Narvaez, with a scowl; "I was a fool to strikehim.--Trample on my neck! Thou grizzly and cheating villain!--Go!begone!--Thy devil, though he cannot tell thee what awaits thee in themorning, may show thee what thou deservest."
"I deserved not to be spurned," said Botello tranquilly, after havinggathered up his enchanted crystal, and raised himself to his feet; "andthe dishonour will fall not on the side that was bruised, but on thelimb that was raised against it.--Once already, to-day, have I cursedthe man that struck me in my captivity; and he lies a corse on hiscouch."
"It is true," said a young cavalier, shuddering. "I inquired afterCaboban, when I came from the prison with Botello--he was dead!"
"I will curse no more to-day," said the magician, sorrowfully; "for itis a sin upon the soul to kill with maledictions; and, moreover, thou,that hast done me this wrong, wilt suffer enough, without a newretribution!"
The general waved his hand angrily and impatiently, and Botello was ledaway, followed by most of the cavaliers.