To those invaders who had not yet witnessed with their own eyes the
peculiar wonders of the interior, the approach to Tlascala was full of
surprise and interest. As the sun sank, the four hills on which lay the
republican city, and the pyramids and towers that crowned them, sent
their long shadows over the plain to the feet of the cavaliers; and in
the gloom, they beheld a vast multitude,--the armies of the four tribes
which composed the nation, under their several banners, glittering with
feathers, and marching in regular divisions to the sound of wild music,
as well as a host of women and children waving knots of flowers, and
uttering cries of welcome,--advancing to do them honour. Don Amador
forgot the valiant appearance of the warriors of Chinantla, while gazing
on the superior splendour of the armed Tlascalans. These warlike people,
in imitation of their Christian confederates, had learned to divide
their confused throngs into squadrons and companies, ranked under
separate leaders, and now approached in what seemed well-ordered
columns. Bunches of red and white feathers waved among their long
locks, and ornamented their wickered shields; the short tunic of
_nequen_, a coarse white cloth of the maguey, left their muscular and
well-sculptured limbs free for action; and as they strode along,
brandishing their swords of obsidian, (the _maquahuitl_,--a heavy
bludgeon, armed on either side with blades of volcanic glass,) or
whirling in their slings those missiles of hardened copper armed with
sharp horns, which were capable of piercing the toughest armour,--and
ever and anon, mingling their fierce cries with the savage sound of drum
and flute, they made a show not more remarkable than glorious. At the
head of each division, under his peculiar standard, (the image of some
bird of prey, or wild beast, very gorgeously decorated,) marched each
chieftain, with the great plume of distinction, or _penacho_, as it was
called, rising full two feet above his head, and nodding with a more
than barbarous magnificence. Thus appareled and thus displayed, they
advanced to the head of the Christian army, and dividing on either side,
so as to surround the Spanish host with a guard of honour, each
individual, from the naked slinger to the feather-crowned chief, did
homage to the Christian general, by touching the earth with his hand,
and then kissing the humbled member; while at the same moment, a number
of priests with black robes and hair trailing almost to the ground,
waved certain pots of incense before him, as if to a demigod; a mark of
distinction which they afterwards extended to the cavaliers that
surrounded him. The religious ire of Don Amador de Leste was inflamed,
when it became his turn to receive this fragrant compliment; and looking
down fiercely upon the innocent censer-bearer, and somewhat forgetting
that Castilian was not the language of the realm, he cried;--
"What dost thou mean, thou pagan dog! to smoke me in this idolatrous
manner, who am neither a god nor a saint?"
"Senor," said De Morla, who sat at his side, "be not offended at this
mark of reverence, which the customs of the country cause to be rendered
to every man of dignity; and which is a harmless compliment, and no
idolatrous homage, as was first thought among us. Thou wilt presently
see them smoke their own generals and senatorial lawgivers, the last of
whom thou mayest see yonder approaching us in a group;--those old men
with the feather fans in their hands."
As De Morla predicted, the priests were no sooner done smoking their
Christian visiters, than they turned to do similar reverence to their
own dignitaries; and Don Amador's concern was soon changed to admiration
to behold with what lofty state these noble savages received the tribute
due to their rank.
"This fellow with the red plume, and the sword that seems heavy enough
for a giant's battle-axe," he cried,--"the knave over whom they hold a
great, white bird like an ostrich?--He must needs be a king! He bends to
Cortes, like an emperor doing courtesy to some brother monarch."
"That," said De Morla, "is Xicotencal, of the tribe of the White-Bird,
the most famous general of the Tlascalans, and, in fact, the
captain-in-chief of all their armies. He is not less valiant than
famous, and not less arrogant than valiant; and at this moment, beshrew
me, I think he would rather be knocking his bludgeon over our heads, out
of pure love of war, than kissing his fingers in friendship. This is the
man who commanded the armies which fought us on our first approach; and
truly I may say, he fought us so well, that had he not been commanded by
the senators, who are the civil rulers of Tlascala, to make peace with
us, there is much suspicion we should have seen heaven sooner than the
vale of Mexico. For, senor, after having supplied us with food, as
scorning to be assisted in his victory by famine, which was somewhat
pressing with us, he fell upon us to win it in person; and I must
confess, as will be recorded in history, he quite broke and confounded,
and would have utterly destroyed us, had it not been for a providential
mutiny in his camp in the very midst of his triumph; whereby we had time
to rally, and take advantage of his distresses. The same good fortune
might have been his, another time, without so inconvenient an
interruption. But it seems the senators of Tlascala only made war on us,
to prove whether or not we were valiant men, and worthy to be received
as their allies, according to our wish; which being now proved to their
satisfaction, they ordered the war to be ended, and welcomed us as
friends. There never were more valiant men than these soldiers of
Tlascala."
"Of a surety," said Don Amador, "I begin to think the captain Gomez of
the caravel was somewhat mistaken as to the courage of these
barbarians."
"Thou seest the second chief,--he of the green penacho, with whom Cortes
confers so very courteously! That is Talmeccahua, chief of the tribe
Tizatlan, a very young warrior, but second in fame only to Xicotencal;
and being more docile and friendly, he is much a favourite with our
general, and doubtless will be selected to accompany us to the great
city. Of those reverend old senators I could also give you an account;
but we who are soldiers, care not for lawgivers. It is enough to assure
you, that they are the rulers of Tlascala; and that though these proud
people, the commoners, call themselves free republicans, they are to all
intents and purposes the servants of many masters; a sort of freedom
somewhat more questionable than that of a nation governed by one king.
Thou seest, they kiss their hands to us, as we enter their city. For my
part, I think them rogues to love us, their truest enemies, better than
their domestic rivals, the people of Tenochtitlan. Wo betide them, who
help us to conquer their foes, when their foes _are_ conquered!"
As De Morla spoke, Don Amador found himself entering the city of
Tlascala. Twilight had darkened over the hills, and in the obscurity,
(for the moon had not yet risen) he perceived long masses of houses,
not very lofty, but strong, on the terraced roofs of which stood many
human beings, chiefly women and children, who waved a multitude of
torches, and, as they sung what De Morla told him were songs of welcome,
threw flowers down upon their guests.
Flambeaux were also carried before them in the streets; and with this
sort of pomp, they were ushered to a great building with extensive
courts, sufficient to lodge the whole army, which was assigned them for
their quarters.
While the cannoniers were arranging the artillery, the officers of the
guard choosing their watchmen, and preparations were made to hold a
conference with the chiefs of the republic, the neophyte was invited by
De Morla to accompany him to a pyramid on one of the four hills, whence,
as he assured him, was a noble prospect of those huge mountains which
separated them from the valley of Tenochtitlan. Don Amador looked about
him for his kinsman. He had retired with the chaplain of the army, in
some sudden disorder of spirit, for prayer or confession; and Don Amador
sighed, as he bethought him that yearly, about the time of midsummer,
the knight's disease seemed to reach its intensest point.
"If thou couldst but sing to him that holy song of the Virgin, written
many years back by the priest of Hita,
Quiero seguir a ti, Flor de las flores!"
said Don Amador to the Moorish page, (for it was Jacinto who gave him
this information,) "I have no doubt thou wouldst do him more good than
the reverend father Olmedo; for, though I know not why it should be so,
he ever seems to me more troubled than relieved by confession."
"It was a song chanted the evening before that had thrown the knight's
spirit into disorder; and Baltasar had commanded him never to sing
again;" so said Jacinto.
"Baltasar is an ass! though very zealous for his master," said the
neophyte in a heat, "and thinks there is nothing comforts my kinsman's
heart, save the clanging of swords and bucklers; whereas, I know very
well, thy ditties are true medicine to him; and, with heaven's blessing,
thou shall sing him very many more."
"Let the boy follow with us," said De Morla: "I like his piping well;
and methinks, if he have not forgotten that tender love-song about the
Christian knight who adored a pagan Morisca, I can listen to it again
with much good will, as I look towards the mountains of Montezuma."
"I am loath to have him away, for perhaps my good knight may call for
him when the confession is over; and there is something raw in this
night air, that may be prejudicial to the youth."
"_Yo seguire a mi senor_--I will follow my master," said Jacinto, with
simplicity. "My lord the knight bade me this night to remain by the side
of my lord, lest some evil should happen to me among the infidels."
"Take up thine instrument then," said the neophyte, "for thou seemest
to-night to remain by me in good will; and I am ever glad to have thy
foolish company, when such is the case. If thou wilt carry a torch also,
'tis very well: 'twill be some half hour yet ere moonrise."
The two cavaliers, followed by the page bearing a torch, as well as his
lute, strode through the streets, which were still thronged with their
savage allies, as in a gala-day, singing and shouting; many of whom,
from affection or curiosity, seemed disposed to add themselves to the
little party. Nevertheless, such inquisitive individuals were easily
repelled by De Morla pointing in the direction he was pursuing, and
pronouncing a few words in their language, the effect of which, as Don
Amador observed, was always to check their ardour, and cover their
visages, when these could be seen, with sadness and awe.
"I tell them," said De Morla, in answer to the inquiries of the
neophyte, "that we are going to the hill to look upon the
fire-mountain, Popocatepetl; and why they are so stricken with
superstition at the name, I will explain to thee when we reach the
temple."
The temple was soon reached. The city,--a congregation of cabins and
rude stone dwellings, of vast size,--lying on the prolonged base of a
great mountain, reared its principal sanctuaries on the spurs of this
elevation, on the highest of which stood that consecrated to the god of
the air. This was an earthen pyramid, huge and lofty, surmounted by
towers such as Don Amador had seen at Zempoala. As the friends
approached this, the deep silence that surrounded it was broken by the
voices of men speaking vehemently in a strange tongue; and as they
advanced, they beheld two or three figures glide behind the pyramid, as
if to escape observation. This would not perhaps have attracted the
notice of the neophyte, had not his companion exclaimed,--
"Sidi, the cannonier, again! plotting his knaveries with the two Moorish
slaves of Cortes! There is some villany in the wind: I have twice or
thrice seen Abdalla in close conference with these two varlets, and he
is often seen talking with his other countrymen that we have in the
army. I will represent this matter to the general; for there can no good
come of such secret proceedings.--I have all along distrusted that
infidel cannonier to have some mischief in him."
"Please my lord, my father is no infidel," said Jacinto, trembling,
perhaps as much at his presumption in contradicting a noble hidalgo, as
at the presumed danger of his parent,--"no infidel, but a Christian
Moor; as the good padre Olmedo will witness to my lord."
"Young page," said De Morla, pleasantly, "I should not have said so
grievous a thing of thy father, but that I forgot thou wert in hearing.
I will grant thee Abdalla to be a good Christian, if the padre say so;
but, if thou art as much of a wit as a singer, tell me, how is it thy
father is found so often skulking about by night, in company with the
Moorish slaves, who are yet unbelievers, instead of resting with
Christian soldiers?"
"Though the Moors be slaves and Mahometans," said the page, with much of
the submissiveness of his father, though recovering from his
trepidation, "they were born in the same land with my father, and are
his countrymen. As for the Christian soldiers, they will not forget,
that though a Christian, he was born of the poor Moriscos: and, my lord
knows, it is hard to rest with those who hate us."
"I should give thee a ducat for thy argument," said De Morla,
good-humouredly, "but that I know thou art so unsophisticated as to
prefer sweet praise to gold; and I intend soon to bestow some of that
upon thee. Thy oration has utterly persuaded me I have wronged Abdalla;
in token of my penitence for which, I will relieve thee of the burthen
of the torch, whilst thou art climbing up these steps, which are none of
the smoothest nor shortest."
"Take thou my hand, Jacinto," said the novice, benevolently; "for, as my
friend says, these steps are indeed very rugged; and I am willing to
show thee, that though thou art of Moorish blood, I myself do by no
means either hate or despise thee."
The page humbly and hesitatingly placed his hand in the grasp of Don
Amador, and ascending at his side, soon stood on the summit of the
pyramid.
Here, besides two towers of stone that reared their lofty bulk over
head, the novice perceived in advance of them, two great urns of rude
workmanship, each apparently carved out of a solid block of stone, and
each glowing with the remains of a fire not yet extinguished,--though no
priests stood by, to guard and replenish them.--They had forsaken their
altars, to join in the festivities of the evening.
"Let us break these idolatrous censers!" said Don Amador, "for my blood
boils to look upon them."
"Nay," said the moderate De Morla, "let us wait for heaven's own time,
as is strenuously advised by our wise and holy chaplain, who must know
better than ourselves how to attack the impieties of the land. We have
ever found these heathens more easily converted by gentle persuasions
than by violent assaults on their prejudices; and father Olmedo has
shown us how persecution strengthens instead of overturning an abused
superstition. He has also proved to the satisfaction of most of us, that
it is our bounden duty to subdue the arms of the pagans, and leave their
faith to be conquered by the good priests who will follow in our
path.--Turn, senor, from these pigmy vases to the great censers, which
God has himself raised to his majesty!"
As De Morla spoke, he turned from the altars, and Don Amador, following
with his eyes the direction in which he pointed, beheld a spectacle
which instantly drove from his mind the thought of the idolatrous urns.
Far away in the south-west, at the distance of eight or ten leagues,
among a mass of hills that upheld their brows in gloomy obscurity, a
colossal cone elevated its majestic bulk to heaven, while the snows
which invested its resplendent sides, glittered in the fires that
crowned its summit. A pillar of smoke, of awful hue and volume, rose to
an enormous altitude above its head, and then parting and spreading on
either side through the serene heaven, lay still and solemn, like a
funeral canopy, over its radiant pedestal. From the crater, out of which
issued this portentous column, arose also, time by time, great flames
with a sort of lambent playfulness, in strange and obvious contrast with
their measureless mass and power; while ever and anon globes of fire,
rushing up through the pillar of vapour, as through a transparent
cylinder, burst at the top, and spangled the grim canopy with stars. No
shock creeping through the earth, no heavy roar stealing along the
atmosphere, attested the vigour of this sublime furnace; but all in
silence and solemn tranquillity, the spectacle went on,--now darkling,
now waxing temporarily into an oppressive splendour, as if for the
amusement of those shadowy phantoms who seemed to sit in watch upon the
neighbouring peaks.
"This is indeed," said Don Amador, reverently; "if God should require an
altar of fire, such a high place as might be meeter for his worship than
any shrine raised by the hands of man. God is very great and powerful!
The sight of such a spectacle doth humble me in mine own thoughts: for
what is man, though full of vanity and arrogance, in the sight of Him
who builds the fire-mountains?"
"Padre Olmedo," said his companion, "will ask you, what is this
fire-mountain, though to the eye so majestic, and to appearance so
eternal, to the creeping thing whose spark of immortality will burn on,
when the flames of yonder volcano are quenched forever?"
"It is very true," said the neophyte, "the mountains burn away, the sea
wastes itself into air, but the soul that God has given us consumes not.
The life of the body passes away like these flames; the vitality that is
in the spirit, is a gift that heaven has not extended to the stars!"
"My friend," said De Morla, willing to pass to more interesting
discussions, "will now perceive for what reason it was that the
Tlascalans were dismayed and sorrowful when I pronounced the name of
Popocatepetl. The name signifies the Mountain of Smoke; for this great
chimney, though ever pouring forth dark vapours, has not often been
known to kindle into flames. The present eruption, beginning about the
time of our descent upon the coast, has ever since continued; and was
considered to have heralded our appearance. The Tlascalans, though as
securely fettered under the sway of their senators, as are the people of
Anahuac under their kings, are, as I told thee, very intolerant of such
chiefs as carry the open names of masters. Nay, so bitterly do they
detest all tyrants, that they have constructed a fable, which they now
believe as a truth,--namely, that the souls of such persons are
concocted and elaborated among the flames of yonder awful crater;
whence, at the times of eruptions, they are sent forth, in the shape of
meteors and fire-balls, to afflict and desolate the world. The globes
that fall back into the cavity, they think, are despots recalled by
their relenting gods; whereas, those that fall beyond the brim and roll
down the sides of the mountain, are tyrants let loose upon them without
restraint. This being their belief, it may seem strange to you, they
have conceived so preposterous an affection for ourselves, who are much
liker to prove their tyrants than any of the lords of Anahuac; but yet,
so savage is their detestation of these native kings, that, though
nightly terrified with the spectacle of so many fiery tyrants flying
through the air, they seem quite to have lost sight of the danger of
entrusting their liberties to our care."
"I hope," said Don Amador, "we have come to rid them of the bondage of
idolatry, not to reduce them to a new slavery."
"We will see that by-and-by," said De Morla. "We broke the chains of
superstition in the islands, but we followed them with more galling
fetters; and what better fate awaits the good Montezuma, is more than I
can tell."
"Dost thou call that savage emperor the good Montezuma?" demanded the
novice.
"I cannot do otherwise," said De Morla, mildly, "A thousand times might
he have swept us from the face of the earth; for his armies are
numberless. A grain of sand from the hand of each of his warriors, would
have covered us with a mountain. But age has come to him with a disgust
of blood; and all his actions have proved him rather a humane host than
a barbarous destroyer. I must confess, we have repaid his gentleness and
beneficence both with perfidy and cruelty; yet, notwithstanding all
this, and notwithstanding that he is sorely afflicted by our harshness,
such is the goodness of his heart, that he will not permit his people to
do us any injury, nor, by any violence, rescue him out of our hands."
"I have heard another story from Don Hernan," said Amador: "and, truly,
I thought these ferocious assaults upon the garrison left with the senor
Alvarado in the city, were proof enough of his deceitful malice."
"I will not take upon me to contradict what is averred by Don Hernan,"
said De Morla. "But, senor, we have had other representations of these
tumults, by envoys from Montezuma himself, which, if Cortes had not
refused to hear them, would have entirely changed the nature of our
belief. I have myself spoken with these ambassadors," continued the
young cavalier earnestly, "some of whom were sent to us at Zempoala, and
others have met us at divers places since, though without being
hearkened to,--and having no inducements to remain in a rage, like
Cortes himself, I was very easily persuaded, to my shame, that the fault
lay all on the side of the garrison.--Senor, for the sake of lucre, we
have done many unjust things! We were received with all hospitality by
Montezuma, the great lord of Tenochtitlan; he gave us a palace to live
in, supplied us with food and raiment, and enriched us with many costly
presents. We repaid all this kindness, by seizing him, in a moment of
confidence, and conveying him to our dwelling, where we have kept him
ever since a prisoner, forcing him, by the fear of death, to submit to
many indignities unworthy his high rank and benevolent character; and
once even forcing him to sit in chains and witness the cruel execution
of some of his own officers for a certain crime in which he could have
had no part. He forgave us this, as well as other insults, and, while we
were absent against Zempoala, preserved his promise sacred, to remain in
ward of Alvarado until our return. Now, senor, you shall hear the truth
of the assault, of which so much is said by Cortes, as fully proving the
iniquitous duplicity of the captive emperor. While we were gone, there
occurred the anniversary of the great festival of Mexitli, the war-god,
in which it is customary for all the nobles, arrayed in their richest
attire, to dance on the terrace of the great pyramid, before the
emperor. Alvarado, dreading lest such an assemblage of chiefs, heated,
as we well knew them to be, on account of the imprisonment of their
king, might encourage them to rescue him from his thrall, refused to let
the _Mitotes_, (for so they call this ceremony,) be danced on the
temple; and, at his invitation, the Tlatoani assembled in the court-yard
of the palace which Montezuma gave us for our quarters; and here the
rite began. Now, senor," continued De Morla, speaking indignantly, "you
will blush to hear, that our Christian garrison were so inflamed with
cupidity at the sight of the rich and precious jewels, with which their
guests were decorated, that they resolved to possess them, though at the
cost of blood-guiltiness; and falling upon these poor unsuspicious and
unarmed revellers, when wearied with the dance, and calling out
'_Treason!_' as if to justify themselves, though there was no treason,
except that in their own hearts, they butchered all that could not leap
the high walls, and rifled the corses, even in the sight of the emperor.
This, as you may well believe, excited the people to fury, and drove
them to vengeance. They assaulted the palace, killed many of the
perfidious garrison, and would have destroyed all, but that Montezuma,
whom they call the traitor and murderer, moved by the intreaties and
excuses of Alvarado, commanded them to retire; and such are their love
and subjection to this monarch, that they instantly obeyed him, and have
remained in peace ever since, waiting the return and the judgment of Don
Hernan.--And Don Hernan will doubtless command us to give them justice,
by slaying as many as shall dare to demand it."
"By heaven!" said Don Amador, "if this be the truth, there are more
barbarians than those who worship pagan idols; and I vow to God, if I
find thy narrative well confirmed, I will draw no sword, not even at the
bidding of my knight Calavar, on the people of Tenochtitlan. Were I even
sworn, like a vowed knight of Rhodes, to keep no peace with the
infidel, I could not fight in an unjust cause."
"I am glad to hear you say so," said De Morla, frankly; "for I have
often, ever since I have been assured of the friendly and docile
character of the Mexicans, been persuaded it would be wiser, as well as
juster, to teach them than to destroy. Your favour will find the nobles
very civilized; and surely their daughters, if converted to the true
faith, would make more honourable wives for Spanish hidalgos than the
Moorish ladies of our own land."
A sigh came from the lips of Jacinto, as he heard this narrative, to
which he had listened with boyish interest, terminated with a slur so
degrading to his people. But his mortification was appeased by Don
Amador, exclaiming with great emphasis,--
"That these Mexican princesses may make very good wives, when true
Christians, I can well believe; but I have my doubts whether they have
any such superiority over the Moorish ladies of Granada, who possess the
religion of Christ. I have, once or twice, known very noble Moriscas,
honoured among the wives of Granada as much as those who boasted the
pure blood of Castile; and for myself, without pretending to say I shall
ever condescend to such a marriage, I may aver, that I have seen at
least one fair maiden, and she of no very royal descent, whom,--that is,
if I had loved her,--I should not have scorned to wed. But these things
go by fate: a Christian Moor is perhaps as much regarded by heaven as a
Christian Spaniard; and surely there are some of them very lovely to
look on, and with most angelical eyes!"
The gentle cavalier smiled in his own conceits, as he listened to the
argument of his friend; but, without answering it, he said,--
"While we have the authority of the Cid Ramon of Leon before our eyes, I
am much disposed to agree with Don Amador; for the Cid adored an
infidel, and why should not we love proselytes? Come, now, my pretty
page: of all thy ballads, I like best that which treats of the loves of
Cid Ramon; and if thou hast not forgotten it, I shall rejoice to hear
thee chant it once more, while we sit under the tower and gaze on the
fire-mountain, that looks down on Mexico."
The boy agreed with unusual alacrity, and sitting down at the feet of
the cavaliers, on the flags that surrounded the sanctuary, with the
torch stuck in the earth near him, he tuned his instrument with a
willing hand.