Part 31 (1/2)

”But methinks that, upon such work as the Spaniards are engaged in, a man were better without a wife, both for his sake and her own. A man who goes into battle with no one but himself to think of may take joy in the strife; for he knows that, if he falls, it makes no very great matter to anyone. But if he has a wife hard by, who will be left a widow if he is slain, it must be ever present to him while he is fighting; and though he may not fight less stoutly, it must cause him grievous anxiety, and take away the pleasure of fighting.”

”You have already told us that the white men are good husbands,” the queen said.

”I do not know that they are in any way better, in that respect, than your own people, Queen Maclutha. There are good and bad--men who treat their wives well, and men who neglect them.”

”But you told us that they only had one wife, each,” she said; ”and that even kings are kept to this rule, as well as their humblest subjects.”

”That is so,” Roger said. ”One man one wife, whatever his rank. There is no occasion for the palaces of our king to be as extensive as those of Montezuma.”

”And if these officers who have married here were to return home, and leave their wives behind them, could they not marry again?”

”No,” Roger said; ”as the ladies have become Christians, and been married according to the rites of the Church, they could not be lawfully set aside.”

”And you have no wife in England, Roger Hawkshaw?” Cacama asked.

Roger laughed merrily.

”Why, I was but a boy when I left home; and as far as marriage goes, I am but a boy still. We consider it young enough, if we take a wife at five and twenty; and I lack six years of that, yet.”

”You are a man,” Cacama said gravely. ”You are a man in size and strength, and a man in courage; as you well showed, the other day, when you were attacked by numbers of our best soldiers. You are thoughtful and prudent. Years go for nothing. You are a man, and even in years you are not, according to our customs, too young to marry.

”Now, tell me--we have heard much of that bad business at Cholula--tell me, do you think that there was treachery on the part of the people, or was it a mere pretext of the Spaniards to fall upon the inhabitants, and sack the town?”

”I am sure that treachery was intended,” Roger said. ”We learned it from three people, a lady and two priests; and the Cholula n.o.bles, themselves, when taxed by Cortez with their intention to fall upon us, admitted that the accusation was true. Besides, the whole people were under arms and ready to attack, and poured out under their leaders to the a.s.sault, the moment the first gun told that their intentions were discovered. No, there is no doubt, whatever, that a general destruction of the white men was intended; and although the punishment inflicted was terrible, I cannot say that it was not justified, under the circ.u.mstances.

”Moreover, we knew that there was a Mexican army, lying but a short distance away, in readiness to enter the town and join in the attack against us.”

”It was a terrible error, as well as a crime on the part of the emperor, if it be true that he was concerned in it,” Cacama said. ”If so, he took no one here into his counsel, but acted wholly on the advice of the priests.”

”That is where the general considers the danger lies. He would trust the caziques, for men of rank in whatever country are faithful to their word, and do not pretend friends.h.i.+p when they mean hostility. Were Montezuma guided by them, there would be no fear of treachery; but as he has given himself to the priests, and they can, by means of the oracles, persuade him to almost anything, Cortez feels that the danger is great.”

”Well now, we had better to rest,” Cacama said, rising. ”You are to start with the first streak of light, so as to be back before the sun is high, and it is long past midnight now.

”Cuitcatl, it would, I think, be well for you to accompany our friend. A rumor may have got abroad that he is again our guest, and those who longed for his blood, before, may long for it again. I would not that he should cross the lake unattended.”

”I was about to propose doing so,” the young n.o.ble said. ”I know the priests, and can guess that, at present, a white victim is what they most of all desire. Therefore, I will certainly accompany him to Mexico.”

Roger and his Mexican friend were taken across the lake in a canoe, rowed by four strong men. It was one of the private canoes of the palace, without the royal insignia; used for the conveyance of messengers, and built for speed. She took them across to the capital in a very short time and, entering one of the ca.n.a.ls, landed them close to the palace occupied by the Spaniards.

The sentry at the gate was surprised at the height of the young Aztec chief who approached, and did not recognize him until he spoke. Even then he would not let him pa.s.s, until he called an officer.

”I have been absent by the order of the general,” Roger said.

”I have no doubt it is all right,” the officer replied, ”but I must take you to him.”

Cortez had only just risen, for the hour was still very early, and the sun was but now showing himself over the mountains to the east. He was taking a cup of chocolate.

”That is all right,” he said to the officer, as soon as he saw Roger. ”Sancho has been absent upon my orders.”

He then called Malinche from an adjoining room.