BOOK SEVEN.

I. THE HEART CAN BE WISER THAN THE HEAD 438

II. THE CONQUEROR ON THE CAUSEWAY AGAIN 449

III. LA VIRUELA 454

IV. MONTEZUMA A PROPHET.--HIS PROPHECY 455

V. HOW TO YIELD A CROWN 462

VI. IN THE LEAGUER 465

VII. IN THE LEAGUER YET 473

VIII. THE BATTLE OF THE MANTAS 481

IX. OVER THE WALL,--INTO THE PALACE 489

X. THE WAY THROUGH THE WALL 499

XI. BATTLE IN THE AIR 510

XII. IN THE INTERVAL OF THE BATTLE--LOVE 524

XIII. THE BEGINNING OF THE END 527

XIV. THE KING BEFORE HIS PEOPLE AGAIN 532

XV. THE DEATH OF MONTEZUMA 544

XVI. ADIEU TO THE PALACE 550

XVII. THE PURSUIT BEGINS 559

XVIII. LA NOCHE TRISTE 562

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

OVER THE BRIDGES, THE HORSEMEN GALLOPED (p. 427) _Frontispiece_

A CLANG OF SANDALED FEET 30

THE FORTUNATE HERO, STANDING SO CALMLY BEFORE THEM 70

THE MONARCH'S FACE CHANGED VISIBLY 158

"OUT OF THE WAY, DOG!" SHOUTED SANDOVAL 246

LOOKED GLOOMILY INTO THE WATER 358

SHE GAVE HIM THE SIGNAL 462

CORTES DREW REIN ONLY AT ITS FOOT 478

THE FAIR GOD.

FROM THE SPANISH OF

FERNANDO DE ALVA.

INTRODUCTORY.

Fernando De Alva,[1] a noble Tezcucan, flourished, we are told, in the beginning of the sixteenth century. He was a man of great learning, familiar with the Mexican and Spanish languages, and the hieroglyphics of Anahuac. Ambitious to rescue his race from oblivion, and inspired by love of learning, he collected a library, availed himself of his knowledge of picture-writing, became master of the songs and traditions, and, in the Castilian language, composed books of merit.

It was scarcely possible that his labors should escape the researches of Mr. Prescott, who, with such incomparable genius, has given the world a history of the Conquest of Mexico. From him we have a criticism upon the labors of the learned Fernando, from which the following paragraph is extracted.

"Iztlilzochitl's writings have many of the defects belonging to his age. He often crowds the page with incidents of a trivial and sometimes improbable character. The improbability increases with the distance of the period; for distance, which diminishes objects to the natural eye, exaggerates them to the mental. His chronology, as I have more than once noticed, is inextricably entangled. He has often lent a too willing ear to traditions and reports which would startle the more sceptical criticism of the present time. Yet there is an appearance of good faith and simplicity in his writings, which may convince the reader that, when he errs, it is from no worse cause than the national partiality. And surely such partiality is excusable in the descendant of a proud line, shorn of its ancient splendors, which it was soothing to his own feelings to revive again--though with something more than their legitimate lustre--on the canvas of history. It should also be considered that, if his narrative is sometimes startling, his researches penetrate into the mysterious depths of antiquity, where light and darkness meet and melt into each other; and where everything is still further liable to distortion, as seen through the misty medium of hieroglyphics."

Besides his _Relaciones_ and _Historia Chichemeca_, De Alva composed works of a lighter nature, though equally based upon history. Some were lost; others fell into the hands of persons ignorant of their value; a few only were rescued and given to the press. For a considerable period he served as interpreter to the Spanish Viceroy. His duties as such were trifling; he had ample time for literary pursuits; his enthusiasm as a scholar permitted him no relaxation or idleness. Thus favored, it is believed he composed the books now for the first time given to the world.

The MSS. were found among a heap of old despatches from the Viceroy Mendoza to the Emperor. It is quite probable that they became mixed with the State papers through accident; if, however, they were purposely addressed to His Majesty, it must have been to give him a completer idea of the Aztecan people and their civilization, or to lighten the burthens of royalty by an amusement to which, it is known, Charles V. was not averse. Besides, Mendoza, in his difficulty with the Marquess of the Valley (Cortes), failed not to avail himself of every means likely to propitiate his cause with the court, and especially with the Royal Council of the Indies. It is not altogether improbable, therefore, that the MSS. were forwarded for the entertainment of the members of the Council and the lordly personages of the Court, who not only devoured with avidity, but, as the wily Mendoza well knew, were vastly obliged for, everything relative to the New World, and particularly the dazzling conquest of Mexico.

In the translation, certain liberties have been taken, for which, if wrong has been done, pardon is besought both from the public and the shade of the author. Thus, The Books in the original are unbroken narratives; but, with infinite care and trouble, they have all been brought out of the confusion, and arranged into chapters. So, there were names, some of which have been altogether changed; while others, for the sake of euphony, have been abbreviated, though without sacrificing the identity of the heroes who wore them so proudly.

And thus beginneth the FIRST BOOK.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Fernando De Alva Iztlilzochitl.

THE FAIR GOD.