THE LUCK OF THE OPAL.
The red ray dies in the opal stone,
The god hath spoken,
Arrow and bow and spear be broken,
Red of war is the fiery token,
And lo! in the zone,
It pales, and fades, and faints, and dies,
As sunsets wane in the eastern skies.
The blue ray glows in the opal's heart,
The god is smiling,
Victims no more need we be piling,
On altar stone for his dread beguiling;
The blue rays dart
To tell us war must surely cease,
So in the land let there be peace.
Jack at once proceeded to execute his project. Fortunately Padre
Ignatius had gone south in _The Iturbide_, thinking his ministrations
might be required by the wounded, else Duval would never have gained
the good priest's consent to such a desecration of his chapel. As it
was, Jack hoped to carry out his scheme, and restore the chapel to its
original state before the return of the old man. The actual elevation
of a heathen idol on the shrine of the Virgin, not being seen by Padre
Ignatius, he would think less of the sacrilegious act, more especially
when he would find on his return the altar in nearly the same state as
when he left it. Being a Protestant, Jack had no scruples about the
matter, and Cocom was such a queer mixture of paganism and Catholicism,
that his views were not very decided. He believed in the Virgin
certainly; but seeing that her altar was required to save the city,
Cocom thought that she surely would not object to the conversion for a
time of her chapel into a heathen temple. Besides, if this was not
done, the Indians would be sure to destroy the shrine, so it was best
to make an attempt to avert such a disaster, even in such an
illegitimate way, rather than risk the whole place being destroyed by
the savages. This was Cocom's idea in the matter, therefore he
proceeded to put an image of Huitzilopochtli in the place occupied by
the cross. Father Ignatius would have died of horror had he witnessed
such daring.
All the afternoon they laboured to transfer the chapel into a semblance
of the temple of the war-god, and at length succeeded in making it a
very fair representation. Huitzilopochtli, his left foot decked with
humming-bird feathers, was set up on the shrine itself, a small altar
on which a fire was lighted burned before him, and the walls were
draped with mats of featherwork and pictured linen, whereon were
depicted the hideous forms of Aztec deities. From the roof, by a golden
thread, hung the famous opal, spinning in the dim light. After some
calculation, Cocom made a hole in the roof of the chapel, so that when
the sun rose over the walls of the city his beams would pour through
the opening and bathe the gem in floods of gold.
Where Cocom had discovered all this idolatrous paraphernalia Jack could
not make out, nor would the old Indian tell. But it confirmed Duval in
his belief that in the near neighbourhood of Tlatonac the natives still
worshipped the gods of their ancestors, for the celerity with which
Cocom had produced statue, pictured linen, and altar, pointed to the
existence of some hidden temple close at hand. In fact, despite Cocom's
asseverations to the contrary, Jack began to be doubtful as to his
really being a Christian, for he betrayed far too much knowledge of
paganism in its worst form to be quite orthodox. One thing, however,
was certain, that, pagan or not, Cocom was greatly incensed against
Ixtlilxochitli for maiming him, and was doing his best to thwart the
plans of the savage old priest.
Things having been thus arranged, towards sunset Jack tried to persuade
Cocom to return with him to the city, and leave the opal to work out
its own spell. This the obstinate octogenarian refused to do, averring
that without his personal superintendence the scheme would fail. Jack
unwilling that a man from whom he had derived so many benefits should
be left unprotected amid a horde of bloodthirsty savages, insisted on
remaining with him to keep vigil during the night. This offer Cocom
also refused, and implored Jack to return at once to the city, and have
the gates closed, as it was near sunset, and the Indian army would soon
be close at hand.
"Leave me here, Señor," he said, with quiet obstinacy. "It may be that
I fall not into their hands. They may take the opal--that is sure--but
they may not take me. If you remain, your white skin will attract their
fury, and they may sacrifice you before that very altar you have
assisted to rear. I am an Indian, a Maya. Dog does not bite dog. It may
be that I shall escape."
"Not if Ixtlilxochitli can help it."
"Oh, that evil one! He would have my blood, I know, Don Juan. But
behold, Señor, if I--as the Indians, my countrymen, think--took the
opal from Totatzine, I now bring it back again. That may save me!"
"But, Cocom----"
"Depart, Señor; I have my own plans. What says the proverb of the white
people? 'Every one is master of his own soul.' Go! I save mine as I
will!"
It seemed to Jack that Cocom was desirous of wearing the crown of
martyrdom. However, it was useless to turn him from his purpose, as he
was obstinately set on daring the fury of the Indians. Jack, for a
moment, thought of employing force, and looked at the spare frame of
the old man, with the idea of picking him up and bearing him inside the
city. Perhaps something of his purpose showed itself in his eyes, for
Cocom suddenly darted out of the chapel and disappeared. Though he
searched everywhere, Jack was unable to find him, so proceeded to the
Puerta de la Culebra, and reported his arrival to Don Sebastian, who
was stationed there in command of the guard.
"And the Indian, Señor?"
"Refuses to come within, Don Sebastian. He says he is safe outside."
De Ahumada shrugged his shoulders, and made the same remark as had
Cocom some quarter of an hour before.
"Bueno! Dog does not bite dog."
Then he ordered the gates to be closed, which was accordingly done. It
was now too late to alter existing circumstances, and the whole chances
of detaching the Indian host from the cause of Xuarez lay with Cocom
and the opal. Jack went off to the Casa Maraquando, in order to inform
Don Miguel of all that had been done, and then rewarded himself for
that wearisome afternoon by chatting with Dolores. It had been deemed
advisable, by Don Miguel, to keep Jack's scheme secret, lest, should
the attempt fail, and the opal be lost, the populace should lose heart
in the forthcoming struggle with Xuarez. So long as the opal was in the
city, they deemed themselves invincible; so, whether the attempt to
detach the Indians succeeded or failed, Maraquando determined that the
people of Tlatonac should still think that the sacred stone was in the
possession of his niece.
Late that night Jack went on the walls with Tim, and together they
watched the Indians gather round the walls. Above the Puerta de la
Culebra was fixed a powerful electric light, which irradiated a
considerable portion of the space beyond the gate. Without the walls
there was quite a town, as the huts of the peons stretched away in long
lines, alternating with palms, cacti, aloes, and densely foliaged ombú
trees. Close to the gate these huts clustered thickly together, but
after a time became scattered, and finally ceased on the verge of the
plains, where the ground was thickly covered with brushwood.
The Indians, fearful of the guns protruding from the walls, and
doubtful of the weird glare of the electric light, kept away beyond the
line of huts, and finally camped in the open ground beyond.
Notwithstanding the distance they kept from the town the powerful rays
of electric light blazed full on their camp, and caused them
considerable uneasiness. The two Englishmen could see their tall, dark
forms, gliding like ghosts through the white radiance, and at times a
mounted troop of horsemen would dash furiously across the circle of
light, disappearing into the further darkness. Just below, a stone's
throw from the wall, arose the little chapel of Father Ignatius,
beneath whose roof Cocom, with the opal, awaited the dawn.
For some hours Jack watched the strange sight that savage picture,
starting out of the surrounding darkness, and ultimately retired to his
house, hopeful that before noon of the next day all the Indians would
have disappeared. Tim remained behind, talking to Don Sebastian, and
scribbling notes in his book; but at last he also went to rest, and the
wall was left in possession of De Ahumada and his guard. All night long
the electric light flashed its beams on the camp, so as to guard
against an unexpected attack by the Indians.
At dawn, the savages were up and doing before sunrise. They gathered
together in groups, and talked of how they were to attack this
formidable city, whose colossal walls bid defiance to their puny
weapons. They could see soldiers moving along the ramparts, the black
muzzles of the guns frowning fiercely down, and wondered at the
absolute indifference of the Republic, who thus permitted her
hereditary enemies to camp before the gates of her principal city.
Everything within the town was quiet, the gates were firmly closed, no
peons were to be seen moving about the suburbs, and the Indians,
blackening the plain with their thousands of men and horses stood
perplexed before this intensely silent town.
The east was flaming redly over the ocean waves. The Indians could see
the long line of battlements black against the clear crimson sky. No
wind blew across the desert, and the great banner of the opal hung
motionless from its tall staff. Suddenly, in the red sky, a yellow beam
shot up into the cold blue of the zenith; another and another followed,
spreading like a gigantic fan. The savages threw themselves on their
knees, and held up their hands in supplication to the great deity, who
was even now being invoked with sacrifice in the hidden town of
Totatzine.
The gold of the sky seemed to boil up behind the walls of the town, as
though it would run over in yellow streams. Then the dazzling orb
appeared, and fierce arrows shot across the green suburbs to the sandy
desert, where those thousands of naked Indians were kneeling. Suddenly
a man started in surprise, and looked inquiringly at his companions.
They listened as he had done, and also looked astonished. In a
miraculously short space of time the whole host were in a state of
commotion. Those in front stood still in a listening attitude, those
behind pressed forward to hear this miracle which had startled their
companions. Loud and shrill arose the song from the chapel of Padre
Ignatius. It was the hymn of the opal daily chaunted by the priests of
Huitzilopochtli in the city of Totatzine.
The chiefs hastily gathered together, and consulted as to the meaning
of this prodigy. Never before had the sacred song been heard beyond the
shrine of the sacred city, and now its music was thrilling through the
still morning air under the very walls of the capital. The mystery must
be solved at any cost, and commanding their warriors to wait in the
camp, all five chiefs, the leaders of the host, flung themselves on
their horses, and galloped bravely up to the chapel. It was a dangerous
thing to do, for at any moment those terrible guns might vomit forth
fire and death; but the chiefs did not care. Fanaticism, dread of the
gods, was their most powerful characteristic, and dismounting from
their horses, they entered the door of the chapel whence the chaunt of
the opal proceeded.
At the entrance they stood transfixed with surprise, and for the moment
deemed they were in the Shrine of the Opal at Totatzine. Half-veiled by
clouds of white smoke rolling upward from a small altar, they could see
the terrible features of Huitzilopochtli, in all his blood-stained
glory. The mats of feather-work hung glittering from the walls; they
marked the grotesque visages of their deities scowling from pictured
walls, and behind the altar, the hidden minstrel chaunted the hymn of
the opal.
The opal! There it hung in the centre of the white smoke. A ray of
golden light, like a finger from heaven, smote it with terrible glory.
It was turning rapidly, as they had seen it in the temple of the god at
Totatzine.
"Chalchuih Tlatonac!" they cried, and all five prostrated themselves
before the sacred gem. High and shrill rang out the song from the
hidden singer, and the chiefs, with reverential awe, watched the
spinning opal. Red, yellow, blue, green, the rays flashed out jets of
many-coloured fire every second. It began to revolve more slowly.
Slower and slower! a pause!--it hung motionless, and a ray of azure
shone benignly from its breast.
The song ceased, and a tall man, arrayed in white garments, came from
behind the shrine, holding a blue cloak full length in his arms. This
was the ritual prescribed at the shrine of Huitzilopochtli when the god
spoke through the opal.
"The god proclaims peace!"
His voice broke the spell. The Indians dashed forward, and strove to
seize him, but he eluded their grip, and vanished.
"Peace! Peace! Peace!" they heard him cry three times. Their attention
was fixed on the opal, and they did not pursue him.
"The sacred stone!" cried the supreme chief; "we must bear it back to
the shrine of the god. Forgive us, oh, holy one."
He snapped the stone off the string, and darted out of the door,
followed by his four companions. At the door an old Indian, now
divested of his sacerdotal garments, met them, and rushed on their
principal with a cry of anger.
"The opal! Give me back the sacred gem!"
"Cocom!" cried the chief, raising his tomahawk. "It was thou who
thieved the gem! Die, vile wretch, who desecrated the shrine of the
god."
His companions restrained his wrath. The fear of the opal was on them.
"Nay, Tezuco. The god says peace! The stone burns blue rays."
"Bind him, then, and we will take him to Totatzine; there to be
sacrificed on the altar of the offended god."
In a moment Cocom, in spite of his struggles, was thrown across the
back of the horse of one of the chiefs, and they all rode off rapidly
towards the camp. In the centre of the throng, Tezuco halted, and held
up his hand. Therein flashed the opal, and a cry of delight arose from
the host, who in a moment recognised the gem, and at once prostrated
themselves before its glory.
"Children of the war-god. This hath been given to us again. We saw the
stone revolve--we saw it stay. Blue was the ray of the gem. Blue, my
children, is the sign of peace. Huitzilopochtli, the lord of war, is
appeased. He proclaims peace. No longer wait we here. To Totatzine!"
"To Totatzine!" roared the vast host, and, at a signal, rushed for
their horses. War, plunder, Xuarez, all was forgotten. The blue ray of
the opal proclaimed peace, and this vast host, laying down its arms,
departed at the bidding of the god.
The townspeople on the walls of the city saw with amazement the Indians
suddenly, without any apparent reason, strike their camp, and file off
in long lines towards the north. Astonished at the sight, Don Sebastian
sent off a message to the President.
In a quarter of an hour he arrived at the Puerta de la Culebra,
followed by Jack and Tim.
"Behold, Señor!" cried Jack, triumphantly pointing to the myriads
tramping across the plain. "Did I not speak truly? The opal has done
its work."
"The opal! The opal!" murmured those around him, and the cry being
caught up by the populace, passed from one mouth to another. The crowd
on the walls, seeing in the departure of the Indians the influence of
the opal, began to cry out madly. They deemed that the opal was still
within the walls of Tlatonac.
"Viva el opale! El Chalchuih Tlatonac!"
"Bueno!" said Maraquando, with satisfaction, shaking Jack by the hand;
"you were right, Señor. The Indians will give us no more trouble. Now
we can crush Xuarez in the south. Señor de Ahumada open the gates!"
In a few moments His Excellency, followed by Jack, Tim, and Don
Sebastian, was galloping in the direction of the chapel. They reached
it, dismounted, and entered. The opal was gone and Cocom also!
"I knew we would lose the opal," said Jack, cheerfully; "but I thought
they would kill Cocom. Fortunately they have only taken him prisoner."
"To reserve him for a more cruel death in Totatzine, Señor," replied
Maraquando, his delight slightly damped. "He has served the Republic
well. I would he could have been saved."
"Poor devil!" murmured Tim, in English, as they remounted their horses.
"In any case, Jack, his death has saved the Republic. Now the savages
have gone away, it won't be difficult to thrash Don Hypolito."
At the city gates a new surprise awaited them. Don Rafael, mounted on a
mustang, came galloping through the gate, and reined up his steed in
front of his astonished father.
"My father! Great news; good news! I have just returned in _The
Montezuma_. We have captured _The Cortes_ and the transports."
Don Miguel looked incredulous. This news, coming after the departure of
the Indians, seemed too good to be true.
"It is true, my father," said Rafael, proudly. "By noon to-day you will
see them in the harbour. Now Don Hypolito has no fleet."
"Hurrah!" cried Jack, tossing his hat in the air. "The luck of the
opal!"
Those near repeated his exclamation. It swelled into a roar, and
throughout Tlatonac only one cry could be heard, "Vive el opale."