Heart of the World
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HEART OF THE WORLD
mad and would bring you to shame and ruin; or me, who have sworn to preserve your ancient laws?»
«We choose you, Tikal, Tikal!» came the answer.
«I thank you», he cried, «but what then shall be done with this old man, and those whom he has brought with him to spy out our secrets and to rob us?»
«Kill them before the altar!» they shouted, waving their swords.
Tikal thought for a moment, then pointed towards us and said,
«Seize those men».
At his word a hundred or more of the nobles, who evidently had been instructed to execute his orders, rushed at us suddenly. As they came across the open space I saw the señor put his hand to his belt, and said to him:
«For the love of God! do not strike, for should you touch one of them they will certainly kill us».
«That they will do in any case – but as you wish», he answered.
Then they broke on us. As they came, all those nobles who had followed Zibalbay to the crest of the pyramid gave way before their rush, leaving the three of us and the Lady Maya standing alone.
«Cowards!» said Zibalbay, glancing behind him. Then he drew his machete and with a great shout cut down the foremost of those who assailed us – a great noble. In another instant the weapon was struck from him, and the señor and I were being dragged towards the altar, followed by Zibalbay
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and the Lady Maya, upon whom, however, our assailants laid no hand.
«What shall we do with these men?» cried Tikal again. And again the nobles answered, «Kill them!»
So they threw us down, and men came at us with swords to make an end of us, which indeed they would have done quickly, had not the Lady Maya sprung forward, and, standing over the señor, cried «Hold!» in so piercing a voice that they stayed their hands.
«Listen, people of the Heart», she said, «would you do murder upon your own holy altar, staining it with the blood of innocent men? You talk of broken laws. Is there not a law in the city that none can be put to death except after trial before the cacique and his Council? Have these men been tried, and if so, by whom? You say that my father, your lawful ruler, is deposed. If that is so, not Tikal, but I, who am his heir, rule in his stead, and I have passed no judgment on them».
Now at her words there was a murmur of mingled doubt and applause, but Tikal answered her, saying:
«Lady, the law you quote holds good for you, for your father, and for every citizen of the Heart, however humble; but in the case of these men it does not hold, for they are wandering strangers and spies, who can claim no protection from our justice, and therefore it is right that they should die».
«It is not right that they should die», she answered passionately. «You, Tikal, have usurped my father’s place, and now you would celebrate the beginning of your rule by a deed of the foulest murder. I tell you that these men are innocent of all offence. If any are guilty it is my father and I, and if any
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should suffer we should suffer. More», she went on, with flashing eyes, «if these men to whom we have sworn safe-conduct must die, then for my part I will die with them, and whether I pass by your hands or by my own, may the curse of my blood rest upon you for ever and for ever».
As she spoke she snatched a knife from her jewelled girdle, and stood before them, its bare blade glittering in the sunlight, looking so beautiful and fierce that the nobles fell back from her, and hundreds of the people applauded, saying:
«Hear the Lady Maya, and obey her. She is cacique, and no other».
Now Zibalbay, who had covered his eyes with his hands, looked up and said:
«You are right, daughter. Since the people reject us, and we cannot even protect our guests, it is best that we should die with them», and once more he covered his eyes with his hands.
Then there came a pause and a sound of whispering. I looked up between the sword-blades which were pointed at my throat, and saw that Nahua was standing at the side of her lord, and pleading with him. They were so close to me that my hearing, always keen, being sharpened moreover by the fear of instant death, enabled me to catch some of their talk.
«She will do what she says», said Nahua, «and that will be your ruin; for if her father is hated, she is beloved, and many will arise to avenge her».
«Why should she kill herself because of a white wanderer?» he asked.
Nahua shrugged her shoulders, and smiled darkly, as she answered:
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«Who can tell; he is her friend, and women have been known to give their lives for their friends. Do as you will, but if Maya dies I do not think that we shall live to see another dawn», and, leaving his side, she sought her chair again.
Now Tikal looked at the señor, who was stretched upon the ground beside me, and seeing that there was hate in his eyes I trembled, thinking that the end had come, then turned my head aside, and began to commend my soul to the care of Heaven. As I prayed he spoke, addressing himself to Maya:
«Lady», he said, «you have appealed to the law on behalf of these wanderers, of your father, and of yourself, and by the law you shall be dealt with. To-morrow the judges shall be chosen, and hold their court here before the people».
«It cannot be, Tikal», she answered calmly, «there is but one court which can try us four, all of whom are Brethren of the Heart, and that is the Council of the Heart sitting in the Sanctuary, which assembles on the eighth day from now, on the night of the Rising of Waters. Is it not so, nobles?»
«If you are of the number of the Brethren of the Heart, all of you, it is so», they answered.
«So be it», said Tikal; «but till then I must hold you in safekeeping. Will it please you to follow Mattai, Lady, and you, my Lord Zibalbay. Guards, bring these men to the watch-house yonder, and keep them there till I come to you».
Maya bowed, and, turning to the audience, she said in a clear voice, «Farewell, my people. If we are seen no more you will know that my father and I have been done to death by Tikal, who has usurped our place, and to you I leave it to take vengeance for our blood».
CHAPTER XVII
THE CURSE OF ZIBALBAY
Thankful enough was I to rise from the ground feeling my life whole in me.
«Death has been near to us», said the señor with something between a sob and a laugh, as we followed Zibalbay and Maya into the guard-house.
«He is near to us still», I answered, «but at least, unless Tikal changes his mind, we have won some days of respite».
«Thanks to her», he said, nodding to Maya, and as he spoke we entered the guard-house, a small chamber with a massive door, somewhat roughly furnished.
So soon as we were in, the door was shut upon us, and we found ourselves alone. Zibalbay sat himself down, and, fixing his eyes upon the wall, stared at it as though it offered no hindrance to his sight, but the rest of us stood together near the door, listening to the turmoil of the multitude without. Clearly argument ran high among them, for we could hear the sound of angry voices, of shouting, and of the hurrying footfalls of the people leaving the pyramid by way of the great stair.
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«You have saved our lives for a while, for which we owe you thanks», said the señor to Maya presently, «but tell me, what will they do with us now?»
«I cannot say», she answered, «but in this pyramid are chambers where we shall be hidden away until our day of trial. At the least I think so, for they dare not let us out among the people, lest we should cause a tumult in the city».
Before the words had left her lips the door was opened, and through it came Tikal, Mattai, and other of the great lords who were hostile to Zibalbay.
«What is your pleasure with us?» asked Zibalbay, awaking from his dream.
«That you should follow me», answered Tikal sternly, «you and the others» – adding, with a low bow to Maya, «forgive me, Lady, that I must exercise this violence towards you and your father, but I have no other choice if I would save you from the vengeance of the people».
«It is not the vengeance of the people that we have to fear, Tikal», she answered quietly, «but rather your hate».
«Which it is in your power to appease, lady», he said in a low voice.
«It may be in my power, but it is not in my will», she answered, setting her lips. «Come, cousin, take us to the dungeon that you have prepared for us».
«As you wish», he said; «follow me». And he led the way across the guard-house, through a sleeping-chamber of the priests that lay behind it, to the further wall that was hidden by a curtain.
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This curtain, on being drawn, revealed a small stone door, which Mattai, having first lit some lamps that stood ready in the chamber, unlocked with a key which hung at his girdle. One by one we passed through the door, Tikal preceding us, and Mattai, with others of the great lords, to the number of six, following after us. Beyond the door lay a flight of twenty steps, then came a gate of copper bars. On the further side of this gate were flight upon flight of steps, joined together by landings, and running, now in this direction now in that, into the bowels of the mighty pyramid. At length, when my limbs were weary of descending so many stairs, we found ourselves in front of other gates, larger and more beautifully worked than those that we had already passed. Presently they clanged behind us, and we stood in a vast apartment or hall that was built in the heart of the pyramid. It would seem that this hall had been made ready for our coming, for it was lighted with many silver lamps, and in one part of it rugs were laid and on them stood tables and seats. So great was the place that the light of the lamps shone in it only as stars shine in the sky, still, as we passed down it, we saw that its roof was vaulted, and that its walls and floor were of white marble finely polished. Once, as we learned afterwards, it had served as the assembly-rooms for the priests of the temple, but now that they were so few it was not used, except from time to time as a prison for offenders of high rank. At intervals along its length were doors leading to sleeping and other chambers. Some of the doors were open, and as we passed them Mattai told us that these were to be our bed-chambers. Then, having announced that food would be brought to us, the nobles, headed by Tikal, withdrew, and we
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heard the copper gates clash and the echo of their footsteps into nothingness upon the endless stairs.
For a while we stood staring at each other in silence. It was Zibalbay who broke it, and his voice rang strangely in the vaulted place.
«It is his hour now», he said, shaking his fist towards the stair by which Tikal had left us, «but let him pray that mine may never come», and suddenly he turned and, walking to a couch, flung himself upon it and buried his face in his hands.
Maya followed him and, bending down, strove to comfort him, but he waved her away and she came back to us.
«This is a gloomy place», said the señor, in a half whisper, for here one scarcely dared to speak aloud because of the echoes that ran about the walls, «but, dark though it is, it seems safer than the summit of the pyramid, where sword-points are so many», and he pointed to a little cut upon his throat.
«It is safe enough», Maya answered, with a bitter laugh, «and safely will it keep our bones till the world’s end, for through those gates and the men that guard them there is no escape, and the death that threatened us in the sunshine shall overtake us in the shadow. Did I not warn you against this mad quest and the seeking of the city of my people? I warned you both, and you would not listen, and now the trouble is at hand and your lives will pay the forfeit for your folly and my father’s».
«What must be, must be», answered the señor with a sigh, «but for my part I hope that the worst is past and that they will
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not kill us. It was your father’s rashness which brought these evils on us, and perhaps misfortune may teach him wisdom».
«Never», she answered, shaking her head, «for they are right; on this matter he is mad, as you, Ignatio, are mad also. Come, let us look at our prison, for I have not seen it till this hour», and, taking one of the hand-lamps that stood near, she walked down the length of the hall. At its further end were gates similar to those by which we had entered, and through them came a draught of air.
«Where do they lead?» I asked.
«I do not know», she answered, «perhaps to the Sanctuary by a secret way. At least the pyramid is full of these chambers, that in old days were used for many things, such as the storage of corn and weapons, and the burying-places of priests, thousands of whom are at rest within it. Now they are empty and deserted».
As we walked back again I stopped before a wooden door that stood ajar, leading into one of the chambers of which I have spoken.
«Let us go in», said Maya, pushing it open, and we entered, to find ourselves in a small room lined with shelves. On these shelves, each of which was numbered, lay hundreds of rolls thickly covered with dust. Maya took up one of them at a hazard and unrolled the parchment, revealing a manuscript beautifully executed in the picture-painting of the Indians.
«This must be nearly a thousand years old», she said; «I know it by the style of the painting. Well, we shall not lack history to read while we sojourn here», and she threw the priceless roll back on to its shelf and left the chamber.
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A few steps further on we came to another room of which the door was closed, but so rotten was the woodwork with age that a push freed it from its fastenings, and we entered. Here also there were shelves, packed some of them with yellow and some with white bars of metal.
«Copper and lead», said the señor glancing at them.
«Not so», answered Maya with a laugh, «but that which you white men covet, gold and silver. Look what is painted upon the shelves», and she held up the lamp and read: «Pure metal from the southern mines, set apart for the services of the Temple of the Heart, and of the Temples of the East and West. Of gold – such a weight; of silver – such a weight».
I stared and my eyes grew greedy, for here in this one room, neglected and forgotten, was enough wealth to carry out my purpose three times over, stored there by the forefathers of this strange rust-eaten race. Ah, if only I could see one half of it safe across the mountains, how great might be my future and that of the people which I lived to serve.
«Perhaps you may win it after all, Ignatio», said Maya, interpreting my thoughts, «but, to be frank, I fear that you will gain nothing except a sepulchre in these gloomy vaults».
After this we visited several chambers that were empty, or filled only with the wreck of moth-eaten tapestries and curious furnitures, till at length we came to a room, or rather a large cupboard, piled from floor to ceiling with golden vessels of the most quaint and ancient workmanship, which had been discarded by the priests and cast aside as worthless – why, I do not know. In front of this gleaming pile stood a chest, unlocked, that the señor opened. It was packed with priestly
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