_THE GODS MUST AVENGE THEMSELVES._
The wooden platters, leaf baskets, and rough earthen bowls brought by
the Indians full of good things were not long in being emptied, and
then the Spaniards were at leisure once more to indulge in curiosity.
"What think you, father, was our captain about to say to us before the
wherewithal for a dinner was so seasonably provided?"
Morla looked anxious for the answer, for although he had caught the
infection of the late sudden outburst of enthusiasm, and had shouted
as lustily as any one--"To Mexico! to Mexico!" he had a bad foot at
the present time, and contemplated with very great apprehension the
prospect of a number of days' long marches. But Juan Diaz could give
him neither news nor consolation.
"Take a siesta," was the priest's advice. "I doubt not Cortes is doing
so himself. And when he hath fed well and slept well, he will perchance
think well to inform us of his lordly will, whether half-a-dozen or so
more of his betters are to be hanged, perhaps, to do him pleasure."
"Thou the first, for an ill-conditioned, surly knave that thou art,"
muttered Alvarado under his breath, as he came up in time to hear most
of the priest's speech. Passing a few yards farther on he raised his
voice, and summoned the little army once more to assemble without delay
to hear the proposed plan of future movements.
Within ten minutes the whole force had crowded up together around
Cortes, and in breathless silence awaited the coming news. The first
words were somewhat startling. They were a repetition of their own at
the outset of that morning's tumult.
"Comrades, our ships are burnt."
Then--a long, startling pause following startling words. Men turned
their heads slowly from side to side, and gazed into each others' eyes.
Were those words and the silence ominous of evil to come? of passionate
accusations or of dark forebodings? But before one could mutter these
and many another doubt to his fellow, the words were repeated, and the
short speech continued to its end.
"Our ships are burnt. Now we go to burn the heathen gods of this
benighted land. We are helpless in our own strength; in the power of
the one true God we are invincible. Let us invite His aid and mercy by
showing due honour to the most holy faith. We go, my comrades, to hurl
the idols from their altars to make way for the Blessed Mother, and
once for all to blot out human sacrifices from this polluted land, by
raising on high the cross of Him who has become the one sacrifice for
all mankind."
The short speech of Hernando Cortes was ended, and although it
contained no hint for any one there of gain, of gold, or glory, it
went home--straight home from the speaker's heart to the hearts of his
hearers.
Intensely ambitious, and burdened with many faults, was that dauntless
leader; wild, reckless, and cruel were many of his followers; but in
some strange way they held to the Christian faith as they knew it, and
were at any time willing to lay down their life in its cause, although
none of their sins.
The emotions that closed that day were stronger and deeper than those
with which it opened. Even the turbulent priest, Juan Diaz, put on an
appearance of satisfaction now, whatever he might really still feel as
to the discomforts of pestilent marshes, uncertain commons, and the
faint prospect of better things for the future.
"Before all things spread the Catholic faith," was the watchword in
that age, of all exploring expeditions, the one universal plea for
their aid and countenance. Cortes held to it with the intense fervour
natural to his strong nature. So did his followers; but all the same
that Merry Andrew, Juan de Cabrera, took occasion during the course of
the afternoon to remark to Alvarado--
"Now, my most estimable and dearly-beloved friend, when we get into
those heathen temples do the friendly part by me, and just give me a
quiet hint where to lay my fingers on any easily-portable little bits
of gold."
"If you don't take better heed to that impudent tongue of thine,"
interfered Escalante with a laugh, "he is more likely to introduce thee
to a good cudgelling."
Alvarado himself as usual shrugged his shoulders with calm
indifference. Words that would have led to fatal combats amongst those
fiery, proud Spaniards if spoken by any one else were uttered by the
young, laughing-eyed Cabrera with perfect impunity.
"Did thy mother never think," said Don Pedro with an air of kind pity,
"of putting thee in the way of earning an honest livelihood as Court
fool?"
"Ay, that did she," was the instant reply; "but thy mother heard of it,
and begged of her not to stand in thy light. She said there were so
many comfortable little pickings--"
"Now, now, Cabrera! Hold!" sharply interrupted Montoro; "it is enough.
Verily thou dost allow that tongue of thine too much licence. Alvarado,
I would a few words in private with you, if you can for awhile forego
this youngster's company."
So saying, he linked his hand in the other's arm and drew him away,
before amusement should change into anger. And for the next hour and
more even Cabrera was deep in converse of the gravest nature with
Escalante, Alonzo de Grado, Velasquez de Leon, and Gonzalo de Sandoval.
Not a man in that little camp-city slept much that night, from Hernando
Cortes the leader down to the meanest soldier amongst his followers.
All felt that they were on the eve of great things. What had gone
before was, as it were, drill-work; but now there loomed before them
the true tug of war.
"And, in the prospect facing us there is one thing, I confess, that
fills me with an almost abject terror."
It was Escalante who spoke, brave, firm, calm-natured Escalante, than
whom there was no officer more justly honoured in the whole band for
his wise spirit and unflinching courage. And yet now he uttered those
craven-seeming words in low, hushed tones, and with eyes filled with
a nameless horror that said even more than the words had done. His
companions gazed at him in amazement.
"It is well for his present peace," said Cabrera, "that it is thyself
and not another that has said that for thee, Escalante."
"Ay, indeed," ejaculated Gonzalo de Sandoval. "But what mystery lies
there, Escalante, at the back of thy words?"
"No mystery," was the reply--"nought but a plain truth. The idea of
falling alive into some of these heathens' hands in battle, and of then
being offered up in sacrifice to their idols, and eaten after in their
ghastly cannibal feasts, in very deed seemeth to me, when I think on
it, to--"
"Ah! to pluck the heart out of thy breast before those fiendish
hands can do it," exclaimed Cabrera, starting to his feet in sudden
excitement. "I grant thee, Escalante, one has need to learn a new kind
of courage to that we have hitherto required, to hold a stiff face
before these thoughts."
"Not the terrors of the Inquisition itself," muttered Alonzo de Grado,
"can compare with them."
But Velasquez had had enough, and more than enough, for his part, of
such discourse, and flinging back his head with impetuous hauteur, he
said indignantly--
"In very truth I marvel at ye all, discussing as though it were a
possibility, the chance of a Spanish nobleman falling alive into the
hands of a base redskin! Let us turn our tongues to themes that shall
be more profitable."
"To pleasanter ones, with all my heart," said Juan de Cabrera readily.
"But see, who comes yonder in such haste?"
"Morla, for a gold button," said Sandoval.
"An easy guess enough," laughed Velasquez. "And none will take thy bet,
my friend. Was there ever another man with so huge a head as Morla!"
"Never mind, Morla, it hath brains inside," said Escalante
good-naturedly to the man, who had now come up to the party of
officers, and stood before them awaiting permission and opportunity to
speak. Curiosity gave him them soon enough.
"Brains or no brains, thou hanged rascal," said Cabrera, "what wouldst
thou with us. To have another try at thy neck by way of practice for
the natives, if they turn restive on their gods' behalf?"
A grim smile flitted for a moment over the soldier's face.
"I thank thee, my Señor, I would rather that practising were
undertaken with the Don Montoro de Diego by to witness it, and to make
sure that the lesson were not too well learnt. Meantime, I have a
message from the Captain-General to the Don Juan de Escalante, to the
effect that he will repair without delay to the Captain's tent."
The order was obeyed with alacrity, and when the officer returned, some
time later, to his brethren in arms his face wore an expression of
mingled elation and satisfaction. The confidence felt in his abilities
and integrity had received full proof, for he was to be left in charge
of the new city of Villa Rica de Vera Cruz, and of its small garrison,
of which Morla was to form one, and of the company of slaves and
attendants.
"You will at any rate be safe from the perils of the sacrificial altar,
seeing that here you will have neither priests, false gods, nor altars
for the sacrifice," said the fine young officer Gonzalo de Sandoval,
with just a touch of envy at his companion's elevation to a post of
so much trust and honour. But Cabrera looked at the matter in another
light--
"Neither will he have here the rich prizes that we go to gather from
the golden palaces of Mexico."
"I agree with you," said Velasquez. "Wealth and action, with any peril
you please, for me, sooner than poverty and a safe tranquillity."
And so the band of high-spirited young adventurers discussed their
prospects gaily, none seeing into the veiled future, nor knowing that
the one they thought to leave to such safety was doomed to deadly
peril, none dreaming that the remaining days of life of their gallant
comrade were so few, and that they were about to bid him a final
farewell. But more of that in its due course.
With the first dawn of the morrow after the day of mutiny, clamour, and
expectation, the whole camp was astir, and in no long time after, the
army was on its way through a country beautiful enough for the Garden
of Paradise, to the Indian city of Cempoalla, one of the centres of the
civilization of the Western World.
Delighted feelings of new hope arose in the soldiers' minds as
they came in sight of fruit-laden orchards in the highest state of
cultivation, and gardens evidencing a care and knowledge, in their
wonderful beauty and luxuriance, that few indeed of the gardens of
Europe could boast in that warlike age.
Hernando Cortes and his men marched on. Cortes himself maintained
a closely observant silence, but his officers and men were not so
reticent, and on all sides there were exclamations of wonder, at the
unexpected signs of an advanced civilization and refinement so utterly
unlooked-for in those regions.
And now their progress began to be somewhat impeded by the innumerable
processions that met them from the city,[5] some coming to welcome the
strange visitors, some coming as sightseers, to enjoy an early view of
the new-comers and their marvellous four-footed companions, whom they
took, like the ancients of the old world, to form with their riders one
extraordinary animal.
[Footnote 5: 'Hist. Conquest of Mexico,' Vol. I., p. 288.--Prescott.]
"Are we once more fighting on the battle-fields of Granada, think you!"
ejaculated Alvarado to Montoro, as he pointed to a long train of men
then approaching the Captain-General, and glittering in the sunlight as
they came on, clad in richly-coloured mantles worn over the shoulders
in the Moorish fashion, gorgeous sashes of every rainbow tint, or
girdles, while splendid jewels of gold adorned their necks, their ears
and nostrils.
Montoro gazed at them in equal wonder.
"But see," he murmured, almost breathless with amaze,--"see yonder,
friend Pedro. Let thine eyes travel on a little farther. Is not yon a
singular sight to behold in a country where we had taught ourselves to
expect nought but savage wilds, and inhabitants sunk in the depths of a
miserable degradation? I feel as though I had fallen asleep, to awake
in dreamland."
"And a fair enough dreamland too," replied Juan de Cabrera. "I care
not, for my part, how long I may remain there, so I be not altogether
smothered with their flowers."
That hope as to the smothering seemed almost needful with reference to
the trains of women and young maidens to whom Montoro had directed his
companion's notice. Beautifully clad from the neck to the ankles in
robes of exquisitely-wrought fine cotton, ornamented with finely-worked
golden necklets, bracelets, and earrings, and surrounded by crowds of
obsequious attendants, the graceful processions advanced, literally
laden with brilliant blossoms, the products of that most lovely
country.
Hastening gaily forward, they surrounded the warriors with their dainty
offerings. They hung a chaplet of roses about the general's helmet, and
wreaths about his charger's neck. As for the yellow-haired Alvarado
and the laughing Cabrera, they were very soon converted into tolerable
imitations of the English Maypole, or the May-day Jack-in-the-green,
their fine Spanish eyes beaming out of the midst of their bright
coverings, upon their decorators, with a smiling good-humour that gave
little warning of future headlong and annihilating cruelty.
At length the Europeans reached the city, and silence fell upon them
as they slowly entered the narrow, crowded streets, and paced along to
a temple assigned them by the Cacique for their quarters, during their
stay in his dominion.
Not one of the band would have now retreated from the enterprise on
hand had he been able. At the same time, for a company of about six or
seven hundred men to be cooped up within a close-built town, of whose
ins and outs they knew nothing, and in this position to be surrounded
by thirty thousand people who might prove to be crafty enemies, was a
state of affairs to make even the most reckless feel just a little bit
like wishing that they had at least two pairs of eyes, and one of them
situated in the back of their heads.
No one saw fit to demur when Cortes announced, on arriving at the
temple, that he intended to double the usual number of the sentinels
to keep watch at night, and that the whole force was to maintain a
constant state of the utmost vigilance, and readiness for any surprise.
"Moreover," concluded the General, with resolute determination of
manner, "moreover, comrades, it is my absolute command, on pain of
death, that none leave the precincts of our present quarters without
my leave, on any pretext whatsoever. I will myself shoot the first who
does."
"Umph," muttered Cabrera with a little raising of his eyebrows. "You
speak very positively, my Captain. How would it be with your word if
you did not get the chance!"
"Just so," returned Alvarado in the same tone. "My fears of being
caught hold of by those bloodthirsty idol-priests would do more to keep
me from straying, than any threats of being shot if I were lucky enough
to get back to camp again. Meantime, here comes a party of well-laden
cooks. Whatever other fate they intend for us, it is apparently not
starvation."
As those two thus talked together, Montoro de Diego was no little
startled by one of the women, with a flower-decked basket of maize
cakes in her hands, and cheeks streaming with tears, separating herself
with some quiet caution from her fellows, and coming up to him with
her gift, and with eyes that besought, with all the power of mute
eloquence, for a hearing for some tale of sorrow.
Montoro had been wandering with a vivid interest through some of the
numerous apartments of the temple, opening on to the courtyard where
the rest of his comrades were assembled, and he was standing within
one of the halls, and alone, when the woman caught sight of him. The
bringing of the maize bread was but a pretext for an interview.
"Be comforted. Trust me; I will do what I can," said Montoro, with the
flush of deep excitement on his face, after listening for a few moments
to the poor creature's broken utterances.
Then he dismissed her, and made his way to Cortes, asking a private
audience. But the General was in something less than his usual cordial
mood. Cortes was preoccupied, and oppressed with many anxieties that
night, and little disposed to speech or interviews with even those whom
he most esteemed.
"What is it, Diego?" he asked rather hastily--"any news of treachery
without or within? For matters of high importance one must have always
leisure; for others--I crave your pardon,--they must wait."
Montoro bowed with a certain degree of haughtiness.
"I am not accustomed to seek private interviews concerning
trivialities. But,--I will crave your pardon as you have craved
mine,--methinks, now I give second thoughts to the affair, that thou
mightest even pronounce my present matter unworthy of your present
favourable attention, and with disfavour I can well dispense."
"As I with thine unseasonable anger, friend Toro," said Hernando with
grave reproach.
But the angered cavalier had already retired.
"To brood over his fancied causes of complaint against me, no doubt,
like the most unreasonable amongst my company," muttered Cortes in a
tone of vexation.
Union was so abundantly necessary just now.