The White Conquerors: A Tale of Toltec and Aztec by Kirk Munroe
CHAPTER XXXIV.
SORROW TURNED INTO JOY, AND DARKNESS INTO LIGHT
The first impulse of Marina's preservers was to escape as quickly aspossible from their awful surroundings. The spell that had held them inthat vicinity was broken. They had snatched one victim from the jawsof death, and now they must remove her beyond reach of further danger.Instinctively they headed their canoe in the direction of the littlehut, on the opposite side of the lake, that had for so long been theirhome. They had not gone far when, as though moved by a single impulse,both stopped paddling at the same instant.
"It is no longer possible that we should go back," said the old man.
"For we should be taking another into slavery," continued the old woman.
"Nor would we return to slavery for ourselves, even if there were noother."
"It is certain that we would not," agreed the wife.
"But whither shall we fly?" asked the old man, irresolutely.
"Ask the child; since she called on the son of Tlahuicol for aid shemust be of our friends, and also she must be possessed of wisdom."
Marina, who had ceased to sob, and now lay quietly beneath the warmrabbit-hair blanket that the old woman had spread over her, listened tothis conversation. Who could these people be? They did not talk likeenemies bearing her to the altar of sacrifice. At any rate, a questioncould do no harm.
"Whither are you taking me?" she asked.
"Whither you would go," replied the gentle voice of the old woman.
"I would go to my friends. To Huetzin, and Sandoval, and Malinche, andthe daughters of the king, who are captives."
"Where are they?"
"I know not, but I fear me they are dead. Who are you? You are notAztecs."
"We are Tlascalans, and friends of the son of Tlahuicol, whom we seek,"was the proud answer.
"I thought you were Tlascalans from your speech!" cried the girl,joyfully. "As such you must be my friends, and as friends of Huetzinyou must be doubly my friends."
"Is he thy brother?" queried the old man, remembering that Huetzin hadspoken of a sister.
"No."
"Thy husband?"
"No."
"What then----?"
"Hush, thou stupid!" exclaimed the old woman, "and waste not time inidle questionings. We be escaped Tlascalan slaves," she continued,speaking to Marina, "seeking the son of Tlahuicol, who has someknowledge of us, and who we trusted would aid us to freedom. Now weknow not which way to turn, and would ask thy counsel."
"Will you in truth do as I advise?" asked Marina, who could scarcelycredit her good fortune in falling into such friendly hands.
"In truth we will."
"Then," said the Indian girl. "I would advise that you seek no landbefore daybreak, but avoid all canoes. With daylight, if the fight beover, as ere then it must be, make thy way to Tlacopan, where we arealmost certain to discover our friends--thy friends and my friends."
This advice was considered so sensible that it was acted upon, and thecanoe lay motionless. After they had sat awhile in silence, listeningto the distant din of battle, the old woman asked: "Were you nottalking to some person, whom you called by name, just before we foundyou?"
"Yes," replied Marina, sadly. "I was speaking to poor, brave Cocotin,but she was not a person. She was a horse belonging to the son ofTlahuicol, and deeply will he grieve at her loss."
As these simple folk had never before heard of a horse, Marina foundmuch difficulty in explaining its nature to them. When they finallycomprehended, after a fashion, they returned to the name, Cocotin.
"It was the name of our little one," explained the old woman.
"Was she a babe but a year old, and left behind when you both werecaptured by the Aztecs?" inquired the Indian girl, with interest.
"Yes. But how knew you that?"
"Huetzin has told me of it, and his horse was named for that child;and you must be the brave Tlascalans who assisted his escape from thepriests of Tenochtitlan!"
"That honor and joy were indeed ours," answered the old man; "but ourpart in his escape was so slight that he might readily have forgottenit."
"Indeed he has not!" cried Marina, "and his joy will be great when heagain sets eyes on you, for his gratitude to you is like the love of anown son."
All this time Marina had not the least doubt of her hero's safety, forit did not occur to her that serious harm could come to one who hadescaped so often, and was so brave and skilful a warrior. Therefore,while he mourned her as dead, she was looking forward with confidenceto the joyful meeting that would take place as soon as daylightpermitted. Nor could she realize in the slightest what a terribledisaster had overtaken the army of the white conquerors. She had neverknown it as aught but victorious, and its defeat was something she didnot for a moment consider possible. Thus, instead of being a prey tothe feverish anxiety that would have absorbed every thought had sheknown the true state of affairs on the causeway, she entertained hernew friends with an account of her own life up to that moment. Herauditors listened with eager interest, though saying but little inreturn. After awhile the girl also grew silent, and then fell asleepwrapped in her rabbit-fur blanket.
The old people were careful not to disturb her, and only occasionallymoved their light craft when other canoes threatened to approachso close that there was danger of being discovered. This, however,happened infrequently, so great was the attraction at the causeway.Once the old woman said, musingly:
"Our own Cocotin would have been about her age."
"And by birth she is Tlascalan," replied the man, which showed thattheir thoughts tended in the same direction.
At length the night passed, and daylight came. By it they earnestlystudied the features of the sleeping girl.
"She is the image of what thou wast when first I knew thee!" exclaimedthe old man, in trembling tones.
"We will question her more closely when she wakes," answered the other,calmly, but with an intense longing in her voice. "Now let us toTlacopan; the way looks open."
So they made for the town, and, as the canoe grated on the beach,the girl awoke. She was at first bewildered by her surroundings, butreassured by the kindly words of the old people, quickly recovered herusual presence of mind, and exclaimed, with decision, "Now must we findour friends!"
The old man gathered up their scanty property, and they entered oneof the deserted streets. Most of the inhabitants had been drawn toTenochtitlan. Stopping at a humble hut to ask for food and information,they found it empty. Entering without further ceremony, they foundfood, of which they did not hesitate to partake, and a fire by whichthe girl's wet clothing could be dried. Leaving the two women here, theold man went out to seek for information.
He was gone the best part of an hour, and when he returned his wifegreeted him with tearful but joyous face. In trembling tones sheexclaimed, "Husband, she is indeed our own Cocotin, lost to us thesemany years and now restored to our old age by the gods! The marks areunmistakable." And then Marina, also tearful with her new-found joy,threw her arms about his neck and called him "father."
There was so much to tell and explain and wonder at, that the day waswell advanced ere they set out to follow the Spanish army. This, as theold man had learned, was camped, at no great distance, on the hill ofMontezuma. He had also heard rumors of the strong Aztec force alreadygathering to descend on them and complete their destruction at thatplace. To this news Marina listened with eager attention and all of herwonted alertness.
"Let us hasten!" she cried, when he had finished, "for it may be thatthis information will prove of the greatest importance."
So they set forth, the childless woman who had so marvellouslyrecovered a daughter, and the motherless girl who had found that shewas still possessed of the greatest of earthly blessings, walking handin hand.
With all their haste they made such slow progress, on account oftheir anxiety to avoid undesirable meetings, that the sun was in thewestern sky ere they climbed the hill of Montezuma, and received thecha
To Huetzin, roused out of a heavy sleep, she appeared like a visionfrom heaven, and her restoration to him like a miracle of theall-powerful gods. So overpowering was his happiness that it could findno expression in words, and he was as dumb, in the presence of herwhom he worshipped, as might have been Sandoval himself.
To the White Conqueror this joyful coming again of her whom he hadnamed his "right hand" seemed to render all things possible, and againthe future glowed with the sunrise of hope. He and the others gatheredin eager welcome, listened intently to her story, and, for her sake,the aged Tlascalans, whom she proudly claimed as father and mother,were treated with the courtesy due to princes.
When she told Cortes of the Aztec army gathering for the assault of hisplace of refuge, he exclaimed: "They shall have it and welcome, if theyhave the courage to take it; but, ere then, I trust we shall be farhence."
So, at midnight, the Spanish army, refreshed by its rest, and filledwith a new hope inspired by Marina's restoration to them, marchedsilently away from the temple, to continue its retreat; but leavingbehind them watch-fires that would burn until morning, for themisleading of the enemy.