THE FAIR GOD;
OR,
THE LAST OF THE
'TZINS.A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico.
BYLEW. WALLACE
"From Mexico . . . . a civilization that might have instructed Europe was crushed out. . . . . It has been her [Spain's] evil destiny to ruin two civilizations, Oriental and Occidental, and to be ruined thereby herself. . . . . In America she destroyed races more civilized than herself."DRAPER, Int. Development of Europe.
BOSTON: HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY. The Riverside Press, Cambridge. 1881.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875,
BY
JAMES R. OSGOOD & CO.,
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress,
at Washington.
UNIVERSITY PRESS: JOHN WILSON & SON,
CAMBRIDGE.
NOTE BY THE AUTHOR.
A PERSONAL experience, though ever so plainly told, is, generally speaking, more attractive to listeners and readers than fiction. A circumstance from the tongue or pen of one to whom it actually happened, or who was its hero or victim, or even its spectator, is always more interesting than if given second-hand. If the makers of history, contradistinguished from its writers, could teach it to us directly, one telling would suffice to secure our lasting remembrance. The reason is, that the narrative so proceeding derives a personality and reality not otherwise attainable, which assist in making way to our imagination and the sources of our sympathy.
With this theory or bit of philosophy in mind, when the annexed book was resolved upon, I judged best to assume the character of a translator, which would enable me to write in the style and spirit of one who not merely lived at the time of the occurrences woven in the text, but was acquainted with many of the historical personages who figure therein, and was a native page: iv[View Page iv] of the beautiful valley in which the story is located. Thinking to make the descriptions yet more real, and therefore more impressive, I took the liberty of attributing the composition to a literator who, whatever may be thought of his works, was not himself a fiction. Without meaning to insinuate that THE FAIR GOD would have been the worse for creation by Don Fernando de Alva, the Tezcucan, I wish merely to say that it is not a translation. Having been so written, however, now that publication is at hand, change is impossible; hence, nothing is omitted,title-page, introductory, and conclusion are given to the reader exactly as they were brought to the publisher by the author.
L. W. BOSTON, MASS., August 8, 1872.
page: [v][View Page [v]]CONTENTS.
BOOK ONE.
- I. OUR MOTHER HAS A FORTUNE WAITING US YONDER 1
- II. QUETZAL', THE FAIR GOD 7
- III. A CHALLENGE 13
- IV. TENOCHTITLAN AT NIGHT 16
- V. THE CHILD OF THE TEMPLE 20
- VI. THE C OF QUETZAL', AND MUALOX, THE PABA 25
- VII. THE PROPHECY ON THE WALL 30
- VIII. A BUSINESS MAN IN TENOCHTITLAN 39
- IX. THE QUESTIONER OF THE MORNING 46
- X. GOING TO THE COMBAT 50
- XI. THE COMBAT 59
- XII. MUALOX, AND HIS WORLD 68
- XIII. THE SEARCH FOR QUETZAL' 74
BOOK TWO.
- I. WHO ARE THE STRANGERS? 83
- II. A TEZCUCAN LOVER 89
- III. THE BANISHMENT OF GUATAMOZIN 95
- IV. GUATAMOZIN AT HOME 103
- V. NIGHT AT THE CHALCAN'S 112
- VI. THE CHINAMPA 120
- VII. COURT GOSSIP 126
- VIII. GUATAMOZIN AND MUALOX 130
- IX. A KING'S BANQUET 135
- X. THE 'TZIN'S LOVE 141
- XI. THE CHANT 150
BOOK THREE.
BOOK FOUR.
- I. THE KING GIVES A TRUST TO HUALPA 192
- II. THE KING AND THE 'TZIN 198
- III. LOVE ON THE LAKE 207
- IV. THE KING DEMANDS A SIGN OF MUALOX 214
- V. THE MASSACRE IN CHOLULA 220
- VI. THE CONQUEROR WILL COME 230
- VII. MONTEZUMA GOES TO MEET CORTEZ 239
- VIII. THE ENTRY 246
BOOK FIVE.
- I. PUBLIC OPINION 257
- II. A MESSAGE FROM THE GODS 261
- III. HOW ILLS OF STATE BECOME ILLS OF SOCIETY 267
- IV. ENNUYÉ IN THE OLD PALACE 275
- V. ALVARADO FINDS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD 282
- VI. THE IRON CROSS 291
- VII. THE CHRISTIANS IN THE TOILS 299
- VIII. THE IRON CROSS COMES BACK TO ITS GIVER 306
- IX. TRULY WONDERFUL--A FORTUNATE MAN HATH A MEMORY 315
- X. HOW THE IRON CROSS CAME BACK 317
- XI. THE CHRISTIAN TAKES CARE OF HIS OWN 325
BOOK SIX.
- I. THE LORD HUALPA FLEES HIS FORTUNE 339
- II. WHOM THE GODS DESTROY THEY FIRST MAKE MAD 347
- page: vii[View Page vii]
- III. THE PUBLIC OPINION MAKES WAY 357
- IV. THE 'TZIN'S FAREWELL TO QUETZAL' 364
- V. THE CELLS OF QUETZAL' AGAIN 374
- VI. LOST IN THE OLD CÛ 379
- VII. HOW THE HOLY MOTHER HELPS HER CHILDREN 385
- VIII. THE PABA'S ANGEL 392
- IX. LIFE IN THE PABA'S WORLD 404
- X. THE ANGEL BECOMES A BEADSWOMAN 410
- XI. THE PUBLIC OPINION PROCLAIMS ITSELF--BATTLE 427
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
THE FAIR GOD.
FROM THE SPANISH OF
FERNANDO DE ALVA.
INTRODUCTORY.
FERNANDO DE ALVA, *
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 page: xii[View Page xii] 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 againthough with something more than their legitimate lustreon 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; page: xiii[View Page xiii] 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; page: xiv[View Page xiv] 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.
