While he still talked with the Morisco, Don Amador was able to cast his
eyes about him, and to perceive on either side a great multitude of low
houses of wickered cane, which seemed to him more to resemble gigantic
baskets than the habitations of men; but which, even in these latter
days, are found sufficient to protect the humble aborigines from the
vicissitudes of that benignant clime. Each stood by itself in an
enclosure of shrubs and flowers, and where it happened that the inmates
were within, with torches or fires burning, the blaze, streaming through
the wattled walls, illuminated every thing around, and disclosed the
figures of the habitants moving about like shadows in the flame. Other
buildings, equally humble in size, were constructed of less remarkable
but not less romantic materials; and where the moonbeams fell over their
earthen walls and palmy roofs, both were often concealed by such a
drapery of vines and creeping flowers, perhaps the odoriferous vanilla
and the beautiful convolvulus, as might have satisfied the longings of a
wood-nymph. As he approached nearer to the centre of the town, these
lowly and lovely cottages were exchanged for fabrics of stone, many of
them of considerable size, and several with walls covered with the
bright and silvery plaster which ornamented the temples. Each of these,
the dwellings of the _Tlatoani_, or, as the Spaniards called them, in
the language of Santo Domingo, the _Caciques_ of the city,--stood alone
in its garden of flowers, with vines trailing, and palm-trees bending
over its roof, commonly in darkness, though sometimes the myrtle-taper
of a fair Totonac, (for such was the name of this provincial people of
the coast,) or the oily cresset of a Spanish captain, who had made his
quarters wherever was a house to his fancy, might be seen gleaming from
behind the curtains of cotton stuff, which were hung at the doors and
windows. These sights had been seen by Amador, while yet engaged in
conversation with Abdalla; but when the Morisco dropped sorrowfully
away, he found himself on the great square of the city, immediately
fronting the sanctuaries, and gazing upon a scene of peculiarly wild and
novel character. The centre of the square was occupied by a broad, and
indeed a vast platform of earth, raised to a height of eight or ten
feet, ascended from all sides by half as many steps,--having the
appearance of a low truncated pyramid, serving as a base to the three
towers which crowned it. Upon its summit or terrace, immediately in
advance of the towers, was kindled a great fire, the blaze of which,
besides illuminating the temple itself and all the buildings which
surrounded the square, fell upon sundry groups of Indian tumblers,
engaged in feats of activity, as well as upon a host of cavaliers who
surveyed them close at hand, and many throngs of common soldiers and
natives who looked on at a distance from the square.
Here the detachment was halted; the burthens of the Tlameme were
deposited on the earth; the horses were freed from their packs; and
Amador, at the suggestion of Salvatierra, dismounted, and leaving Fogoso
to the care of his attendants, and these again to the disposition of the
captain, ascended the pyramid, followed by the secretary. He was
somewhat surprised, when this worthy commander, whom he looked for to
conduct him to the general, resuming much of the stately dignity he had
found it inconvenient to support on the march, made him a low bow, and
informed him with much gravity he would find the commander-in-chief
either on the terrace among his officers, or at his head-quarters in the
middle tower. The feeling of indignation which for a moment beset him,
would have been expressed, had not Salvatierra with another bow retired,
and had he not perceived, at the same moment, the young Fabueno draw
from his girdle the letter which was doubtless to secure him the
good-will of Narvaez. Checking therefore his anger, he straightway
ascended the platform. Arrived at its summit, he now beheld the scene
which he had imperfectly witnessed from below. The great fire, crackling
and roaring, added the ruddy glare of a volcano to the pallid
illumination of the moon; and in the combined light, the operations of
the gymnasts and dancers, the athletes and jugglers, were as visible as
if performed in the glitter of noon-day. For a moment Amador thought, as
had been thought by all other Spaniards, when looking for the first time
on the sports of these barbarous races, that he had got among a group of
devils, or at least of devilish magicians; and he crossed himself with
an instinctive horror, when he beheld, so to speak, three piles of men,
each composed of three individuals, half-naked, standing one upon the
head or shoulders of another, whirling about in a circle, and each, as
he whirled, dancing on the head or shoulders of his supporter, and
tossing abroad his _penacho_, or long plume of feathers, as if diverting
himself on the solid earth. This spectacle entirely distracted his
attention from others scarcely less worthy of observation,--as was
indeed that, where two men see-sawed on a pole, in the air, and, as
might be said, without support, except that which was occasionally
rendered by the feet of a sinewy pagan, who lay on his back, and ever
and anon, as the flying phantoms descended, spurned them again into the
air. Such also was that magical dance of the cords, brought from the
unknown tribes of the South, wherein a score of men, each holding to a
rope of some brilliant colour, and each decorated with the feathers of
the parrot and the flamingo, whirled in fleet gyrations round a
garlanded post, till their cords were twisted together in a net of
incomprehensible complexity, but which, before the observer had leisure
to digest his amazement, were again unravelled in the rapid and
mysterious evolutions of the dance. A thousand other such exhibitions,
similar in novelty but different in character, were displayed at the
same moment; but the eyes of the neophyte were lost to all but that
which had first astounded him; and it was not till the voice of the
secretary roused him from his bewitchment, that he collected his senses,
and observed an officer of the household of the general standing before
him, and doing him such reverence as was evidently the right of his
dignity. It was then that Don Amador looked from the dancers to the
cavaliers whom they were diverting. The fire flashed over the walls of
the square and lofty towers up to the shelving thatch of palm-leaves,
under which they were grouped, making, with the glitter of their
half-armed persons, a suitable addition to the romance of the scene. In
the centre of that group which lounged before the middle and loftiest
tower, in a chair, or indeed, as it might be called, a throne, of such
barbaric beauty as was known only to the magnificos of this singular
people, sat a cavalier, tall and somewhat majestic of stature, with a
ruddy beard, and yellow locks falling over an agreeable countenance; in
whom, not so much from the character of his deportment and the quality
of his decorations, as from the evident homage rendered him by the
officers around, Don Amador did not doubt he beheld the Biscayan
general. At the very moment when his eyes fell upon this smiling
dignitary, he was himself perceived by the general; and Narvaez started
up with a sort of confusion, as if ashamed to be discovered in such
trivial enjoyment by so gallant a cavalier. In fact, the glittering
casque of steel had supplanted the velvet cap on the head of the novice;
and as he approached in full armour, clad also in the dignity with which
he was wont to approach his fellows in rank, Don Amador presented a
figure, to say the least, equally noble with that of the
commander,--and, what was no slight advantage in those days, with the
additional manifestation of high blood, such as was certainly less
questionable in him than in Narvaez. It seemed for a moment, as if the
general would have retreated into the temple, doubtless with the view of
assuming a more stately character for the interview; but perceiving that
Don Amador had already recognised him, and was advancing, he changed his
purpose, and making a step forward to do honour to his visiter, he stood
still to receive him. The eyes of all those gallant adventurers were
turned from the dancers to the new-comer; but Don Amador, not much moved
by such a circumstance, as indifferent to their curiosity as their
admiration, approached with a stately gravity, and, making a courteous
reverence to the general, said,--
"I have no doubt it is my felicity at this present moment to offer my
devoirs to the noble and very respected senor, the general Don Panfilo
de Narvaez; on the presumption of which, I, Amador de Leste, of Cuenza,
a novice of the holy hospital of St. John of Jerusalem, do not hesitate
to claim the hospitalities, which, as an hidalgo of Spain, and kinsman
of the noble senor, the admiral Cavallero, your excellency's
confederate, I hold myself entitled to expect."
"The very noble and valiant senor Don Amador de Leste shall not claim
those hospitalities in vain," said the general, with a voice whose
natural and voluminous harshness did not conceal an attempt at amenity;
"and I hope he will not anticipate in them too little of the roughness
of a soldier, by reason that he has seen us unbending a little from the
toils of war to the foolish diversions of these ingenious barbarians."
"I will not take upon me to judge either of the tactics or the
recreations of your excellency," said Amador, very coolly. "I will only
demand of your favour to accept, at this present moment, such
protestations of respect as become me in my function of suitor; and, in
especial, to accredit my companion, the secretary Fabueno, the messenger
of the admiral, who is charged with certain letters to your excellency,
of which, I believe, I am myself, in part, the subject."
"I receive them with respect, and I welcome the very distinguished Don
Amador with much joy," said Narvaez; "in token of which I must beg him
to allow himself to be considered, at least so long as he honours my
command with his presence, as my own peculiar guest: and that I may the
sooner know in what it may be my happiness to do him service, I must
entreat him to enter with me into my poor quarters."
With such superb expressions of etiquette, the common compliments of an
over-chivalrous age and people, Don Amador was ushered into the interior
of the temple. A curtain of a certain strong and checkered matting, that
served the purpose of a door, was pushed aside, and, entering with the
general and two or three of his most favoured officers, he found himself
in the heathen sanctuary. A table covered with brilliant drapery of
cotton--a product of the country--and strewed over with pieces of
armour, as well as with divers vessels wherein glowed some of the rich
wines ripened by the breath of the Solano, contained also a great silver
cresset filled with oil tempered with liquidambar, which, besides
pervading the whole atmosphere with a delicious odour, shed abroad such
a light as enabled Don Amador to survey the apartment. It was of good
height, and spacious: the walls were hung with arras of a sombre-hued
cotton, and the floor covered with thick matting. In one corner was a
ladder, leading to the upper chambers. Two sides of it were occupied by
a low platform, on which lay several mattresses stuffed with the down of
the ceiba; over one of which, on a small altar of wood, illuminated by
tapers of the myrtle wax, was a little image of the Virgin. In this
chamber, the chief adoratory of the temple, where now flashed the
weapons of the iconoclasts, stood once the altar of an idol, whose
fiendish lips had been often died with the blood of human sacrifices.
There were rude chairs about the table; and Amador, at the invitation of
the general, did not hesitate to seat himself, and cast an eye of
observation on his companions, while Narvaez, with the assistance of the
secretary, proceeded to decipher the advices of the admiral.
The individuals with whom Amador found himself in contact, were of a
genteel and manly presence: and though evidently burning with desire to
make the acquaintance of the novice of Rhodes, and certainly also with
curiosity to know what strange event had cast him among themselves, had
yet sufficient breeding to conceal their anxieties,--excepting one, who,
although of riper years than the rest, and even of more gravity of
deportment, was nevertheless twice or thrice guilty of a very
inquisitive stare. This Don Amador did himself at last perceive, and
felt greatly moved to discover the cause of so remarkable a scrutiny.
Nevertheless, before he had resolved in what manner to commence the
investigation, and before the general had well looked into the advices
of the admiral, they were both interrupted in their purpose by the
abrupt intrusion of an officer, who, approaching Narvaez, said something
to him in a low voice, of which all that Amador could distinguish were
the words, twice or thrice repeated, of _nigromante_ and _astrologo_.
The officer received a direction equally obscure with his information;
and Amador observed that as Narvaez gave it, his face flushed over with
some sudden excitement. The speculations of the neophyte were soon
terminated. Before the curtain had yet closed upon the retreating
officer, the cavalier whose curious looks had attracted his own
attention, rose and addressed the general.
"Senor general and governor," he cried, "I doubt whether this knavish
impostor be worthy your attention. He is accounted both a liar and
traitor, and he can tell us nothing that will not be spoken to deceive
us."
"The senor Don Andres de Duero cannot be better persuaded of the man's
character than myself," said the general; "and he will not assure me
that a good general can refuse to listen to any intelligence of his
enemy, though it be brought by a traitor.--The noble Don Amador de Leste
will pardon me, if I make so free with him, as in his presence to
introduce and examine a prisoner, or deserter, I know not which, on
matters which it concerns me as a commander to know. And moreover,"
continued the Biscayan, with a laugh, "I know not what better diversion
I can give my guest, than to make him acquainted with a man who pretends
to read the mysteries of the stars by night, and to have a devil who
gives him knowledge of men's destinies by daylight."
Before Amador could reply to this appeal, the senor Duero spoke again.
"Surely he can bring us no information of Cortes which we have not
received at better hands; and as for his magical art, I think your
excellency holds that in too much doubt and contempt to set much store
by its crazy revelations."
"What may be my doubt, and what my contempt for his art," said the
general, "is more than I have yet resolved: only there is one thing of
which I am quite certain, and that is, that, with the blessing of Our
Holy and Immaculate Lady, I defy the devil and all his imps, whether
they come at the bidding of a heathenish magician or a Christian
enchanter; and, moreover, that if there be any knowledge to be gained of
the devil, without jeopardy of soul, one is a fool not to receive it.
Senor," continued Narvaez, addressing himself again to Amador, "I may as
well tell you, that the magician Botello, whom you will presently
behold, is a favourite soldier and chief enchanter to that infidel
rebel, Cortes, (whom God confound, with all his mutinous friends and
upholders, high and low, strong and feeble, Amen!)--I say, senor, his
chief magician," continued the general, speaking so rapidly and
impetuously, as utterly to prevent Don Amador from making the amendment
he meditated to the curse, and insisting that Narvaez should revoke it,
as far at least as it concerned his kinsman, the knight,--"his chief
magician, by whose aid, it is supposed, the runagate desperado has been
enabled to imprison the Indian emperor. And, knave or not Don Amador, it
cannot be denied, that when struck down, after surrendering himself,
this morning, by the currish soldier, Caboban, he cursed the smiter with
'a short life and a long death;' which curse was fulfilled upon him on
the instant; for striking Botello with his spear again, his horse
plunged, threw him violently, and, falling, he was instantly spitted on
the spear of a footman. He has been dying ever since; and sometime,
doubtless, his agony will be over; but he is as good as a dead man now."
"I am by no means certain," said Don Amador, "that there was any
connexion between the curse of the magician and the calamity of the
soldier; though, as it appears to me, heaven could not visit with
judgment any one more righteously than the dastard who strikes an enemy
after he has rendered himself a captive. Nevertheless, and though I am
somewhat impatient your excellency should determine upon my own affairs,
I have such respect for the superior claims of your duties, that I will
willingly defer my anxiety until your excellency has examined the
prisoner."
There were several very meaning glances exchanged among the cavaliers at
this speech, which seemed to imply a feeling of neglect and resentment
on the part of the speaker; but Narvaez did not notice it, or if he did,
the impression was immediately driven from his mind by the entrance of
the enchanter, conducted by several soldiers and officers, among whom
was the captain Salvatierra.