An alliance between the Mexican and Tezcucan kings, for the purpose of
engaging in a crusade against the Tepanec monarch, was duly effected,
and the usual preliminaries--a declaration of war, etc.--were gone
through with, preparatory to the opening of hostilities.
Maxtla had reconstructed his imperial army, and his faith in its
ability to cope with the combined armies of his adversaries led him to
meet the demands made upon him with reckless defiance. He reckoned on
having all the advantages of a defensive warfare on his side in which
his opponents would be compelled to meet him on ground of his own
choosing--a situation which would put him in a position of vantage not
to be contemned.
Hualcoyotl, meanwhile, made many kindly advances with a view to
reconciling Itlza to their contemplated union. She received his
attentions with due respect, and at the same time tried to be affable,
but there was that in her conduct which was not natural--a lack of
spontaneity of manner, so marked in her former naive, unaffected
bearing. The prince saw that he was not succeeding to any appreciable
degree, and decided to let matters rest as they were, for the present,
hoping that time, and a proper consideration of the advantages held out
to her in a marriage with him, would work a favorable change in her
inexplicable attitude, thus avoiding a resort to compulsory measures.
Having decided on this course, he turned his attention wholly to state
affairs, and the necessary preparations for leading his army to the
field against his old enemy.
Ixtlilchoatl was again placed where he could exercise his wonderful
genius as a leader of armies, by being put in command of the combined
forces of Mexico and Tezcuco, leaving the kings to lead their
respective warriors. The great aggregation, with the hermit chief at
its head, was soon on the move, and the fight began. The campaign was a
vigorous one, which, after a series of hard-fought battles, ended in
Maxtla being forced back behind the walls of his capital, where he was
encompassed and a close siege of the royal city entered upon.
In his confidence of being able to repel the invaders of his imperial
domain the Tepanec monarch had neglected to provide against such an
emergency as a siege, and was, therefore, wholly unprepared for it.
Under such conditions it became, in due time, a question of surrender,
or marching out and giving the beleaguerants battle. The result was a
mass sally, and the ensuance of a desperate and bloody struggle, which
terminated in the complete rout and dispersion of the beleaguered army,
and Maxtla's undiscovered flight for personal safety.
The proud city of Azcapozalco was totally destroyed, and those of its
inhabitants who were not killed, or did not get away, were doomed to a
life of slavery, or death by sacrifice, while the territory of the once
dominant empire was converted into a great slave mart--which, in after
years, became the central market for that nefarious traffic for the
whole of Anahuac.
Maxtla was hunted down, captured and turned over to the mercies of the
Aztec king, who condemned him to death at the hands of the priests--a
victim of sacrifice to the Mexican gods. Thus perished the most cruel
and despotic of all the named princes of Anahuac, and was avenged one
who proved himself to be the peer of the noblest.
In the destruction of the Tepanec domination was removed the only cause
of apprehension to the new king of Tezcuco. He returned to his capital
in the confidence of a perfect security, and engaged in his kingly
duties with a mind free from the fear of invasion or opposition, and
with the determination to make his reign a successful and brilliant
one, which he did, as history records; in fact, it excelled in wisdom
and grandeur that of any known prince of Anahuac, not excepting the
Montezumas.
The king was again brought into daily intercourse with his household, a
member of which Itlza continued to be. She had kept her own counsel, so
far as her affairs with the prince and Cacami were concerned, leaving
her family in ignorance of what had transpired. There had come a
settled purpose in the expression of her face, which was careworn and
deeply thoughtful.
Feeling secure in his rights as the king of Tezcuco, Hualcoyotl now
felt that his palace should have a queen, and he resolved to bring
matters between himself and Itlza to a crisis. So the first opportunity
which should offer itself was to be improved to inform her that the
marriage must take place at an early day. He had gone too far to recede
from his purpose of making her his wife. He was a man of firmness, and
would not be defeated in the accomplishment of designs so closely
affecting his honor. He was a king, and the wish of a king was law.
It so happened that he met Itlza at the entrance to the conservatory,
and, deeming it a favorable opportunity to make known his wishes, he
requested her to accompany him within. He conducted her to the same
bench on which she was seated at their former meeting.
Itlza divined the object he had in asking her to go with him to that
sadly memorable spot, and her soul was filled with apprehension as to
what would follow. When she was seated, Hualcoyotl, who continued to
occupy a standing posture before her, began by saying:
"Itlza, you no doubt understand why I have brought you here. It is to
talk with you about our marriage. You asked me for time. I have granted
it to you to an extent which should satisfy you that I am desirous of
showing you the greatest consideration. I have chosen to exalt you by
making you my queen; in doing which I feel that I am conferring
honorable distinction upon a most worthy family, as well as gratifying
the fondest wish of my heart. I now ask that you will prepare to wed me
at an early day. Let us have done with pleadings and expostulations,
and look forward to our union with that happy anticipation which should
mark the period of an approaching coronation of a lovely queen."
"You and yours, O King, have ever been friends of my people. From time
immemorial my ancestors have served yours, and will doubtless continue
to do so, faithfully and loyally. May I not ask, as the child of
Euzelmozin, O Hualcoyotl, and, still, as the sister of your loyal
servitor and friend, Euetzin, that you will deal kindly with us--me and
mine, in this hour of my distress? I am sorely troubled, yes, even unto
death."
Her pleading look and words were strangely at variance with the subject
of marriage which the king had introduced, and he looked deeply
perplexed--dazed--in consequence.
"Those are strange words, Itlza, very strange, indeed, coming from you,
whom it is proposed to raise to the highest place a woman can fill in
our country. What is the matter? It can not be that I am so repulsive,
so repellant. Speak, Itlza, tell me; is this so?"
"O, no! no! You are the peer of the greatest and best, and worthy to
wed whom you will; but, Hualcoyotl, I can not be your queen. I throw
myself at your feet, and upon your compassion, imploring that you will
send me away--forget me." She had dropped upon her knees in front of
him, and was looking beseechingly up into his face. He gazed at her in
confused amazement, and presently said:
"What have I done, O Itlza, to merit this remarkable rejection of my
proposal?"
"You have done nothing, O best of friends. It is all my own doing; I
have put an impassable barrier between us," she answered, dropping her
head as if to hide her face from an expected blow.
"A barrier between us! What do you mean? Speak, I beseech you, and end
this unparalleled and humiliating scene," spoke the patience-tried
prince.
With head bowed down, the kneeling maiden answered in a shrinking
voice:
"I mean, O king, that I am the wife of another."
Now, indeed, was Hualcoyotl dumbfounded. Had the earth opened at his
feet he could not have been more astounded. He finally said, becoming
angry and excited:
"Who has dared to come between the king and his chosen--his intended
queen?"
Itlza was almost prostrated from the strain upon her feelings; and now,
at hearing the prince's angry tones, began to sink, but managed, in a
hoarse whisper, to say "Cacami," and then fell to the ground
insensible.
Hualcoyotl was staggered as by a blow when he heard the name of Cacami
fall from Itlza's lips. That estimable young warrior, counted among his
closest friends, had deceived him. He turned away for a moment to
strive with his rising anger and feelings of resentment; then back to
where Itlza was lying. He looked at her in a commiserating manner, and
exclaimed in a hard, pained voice:
"Itlza! Itlza! this from you, whom Hualcoyotl would have delighted to
honor, and been so proud!" Her appearance seemed to stir the nobler
impulses within the man, for he knelt down and began trying to bring
about her resuscitation. While thus engaged he was suddenly made aware
of the presence of Itzalmo, who, in passing through the conservatory,
had discovered him striving with the unconscious maiden, and, becoming
alarmed, cried out:
"Father of Light! what is the meaning of this? Is the child dead?"
"She is not dead, but 'twere better if she was," returned the prince,
without pausing in his efforts to restore her to consciousness.
"Your words, O King, are very strange. Why do you speak thus?"
"I can not explain to you now, Itzalmo. You will retire, and at the
instance of the king have Cacami arrested immediately. Go at once, and
seek not to know more at present," returned he, showing great but
restrained excitement.
Itzalmo left the conservatory in a state of wonderment at what he had
seen and heard, and went immediately to execute the command of the
king.
Itlza gradually returned to consciousness, through the endeavors of the
prince, and, when sufficiently recovered to walk, was conducted in
silence to her mother, who was told that she had fainted.
In a semiconscious condition she was taken charge of by her attendants,
while the king passed to his private apartments to compose, if
possible, his overwrought feelings.
In obedience to the king's fiat, Itzalmo had Cacami arrested and placed
in confinement, to await the further action of his royal master.
Cacami was not surprised at his apprehension. He felt quite certain
that a disclosure of his secret marriage would take place, should the
king persist in pressing his suit with Itlza, which he did not doubt he
would do, and which would be followed by his arrest and committal. He
had taken the fatal step, knowing the consequences which would in all
probability ensue, and now met them as became a man of courage, which
he had on more than one occasion proven himself to be.
The king was distracted to the verge of madness at what he considered
his humiliation, and in the heat of passion could think of nothing but
punishment for the man who had brought it upon him. He therefore
permitted no delay to occur in entering his charge against Cacami. In
placing his charge, he put the case beyond his authority, and at the
absolute disposal of a Tezcucan court of justice.
Hualcoyotl, in reestablishing the Tezcucan government, among other
things, we may presume, adopted the laws and means of enforcing them
which had prevailed at the close of his esteemed father's reign.
Although the governments of Anahuac were to a certain extent despotic,
there was to be found much in them that was commendable; especially was
this true of Tezcuco.
The enforcement of the laws was vested in a tribunal of justice,
composed of judges appointed by the king, an appeal from which might be
taken to a supreme magistrate, the highest authority in the government,
from whose decision there was no appeal, not even to the king himself,
though he had the power to make or unmake the court. We infer that,
under certain circumstances, these courts were combined, forming a
court whose findings were final. In the hands of such a tribunal rested
the fate of Cacami and Itlza, the latter depending on the result of the
former's arraignment.
We are told that the court proceedings were conducted with the greatest
decorum. The judges wore a peculiar and appropriate dress, and were
attended by officers whose duty it was to preserve order, while others
summoned and brought the parties into court.
The court records were portrayed in hieroglyphical paintings, from
which the decision of the judges was made. If the sentence proved to be
capital, it was indicated by a line traced with an arrow across the
portrait of the condemned, which was always a part of the record.
When the lovers determined to stake their lives on their fidelity to
each other, they proceeded to settle the matter, at once and for all,
by uniting themselves in marriage, which they did just before the
armies of Mexico and Tezcuco marched against Maxtla, in which campaign
Cacami bore a brave and honorable part. The ceremony of marriage was
performed by a priest, in the prescribed form, and no earthly power
could nullify its force, except a due process of law, and then only on
just grounds for divorce, so strict was the law of marriage among these
semicivilized people.
When Euetzin and his mother learned the true situation of affairs, the
latter was horrified at the terrible dilemma into which her child had
been brought, and was entirely overcome and prostrated from the effects
of it. Euetzin was greatly troubled, dividing his sympathy between his
friends. Having so lately experienced the power of love in his own
case, with Mitla, he was deeply moved with compassion for his
much-loved sister, and also felt a deep, friendly interest for Cacami.
He was more hopeful of a favorable termination of the matter than
anyone else, if, as he suspected, there was reason in the mad step they
had taken. He resolved to enter the case, and, if in his power, clear
the good name of his beloved sister, and that of his friend, from all
opprobrium, and restore to them their freedom and their love.