Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-08-15
CHAPTER XIII.


gentleman, know when rose that morn
ing that before sunset I should be a god,
and, after Montezuma, the emperor, the
most honored man, or rather god, In the
City of Mexico.
1t came about thus: When had break
tasted with the household Of the Prince
Guatemoc, was led to the hall Of justice,
which was named the Tribunal of God" ;"
Hero on golden throne sat Montezuma,
administering justice in such pomp as
cannot describe. About him were his
counselors and great lords, and before him
was placed human skull crowned with
emeralds so large that blaze of light went
I'D from them. In his hand also he held
an arrow for scepter. Certain chiefs or ca
zioues were on their trial for treason, nor
were they left long in doubt as to their
fate, fo- when some evidence had been
heard they were asked what they had to
say in their defense Each of them told
his tale in few words and short. Then
Montezuma, who till now had said and
done nothing, took the painted scroll OF
their indictments and pricked it with the
arrow in his hand where the picture OF
each prisoner appeared upon the scroll
Then they were led away to death, but how
they died I do not knew.
When this trial was finished, certain
priests entered the hall clothed in sable
robes, their matted hair hanging down
their backs. They were fierce, wild eyed
men Of great dignity, and shivered when
I saw them. noticed also that they
alone made small reverence to the majesty
Of Montezuma. The counselors and no.
bles having fallen back, these priests en-
tered into talk with the emperor, and
presently two of them came forward, and
taking me from the custody of the guards
led me forward before the throne. Then
of a sudden I was commanded to strip my
self of my garments and this did, with
no little shame till stood naked before
them all. Now the priests came forward
and examined every part of me closely.
On my arms were the scars left by De Gar
cias sword, and on my breast the scarcely
healed marks of the puma's teeth and
claws. These wounds they scanned, ask
ing how I had come by them. told them,
and thereupon they carried on discussion
among themselves and out of my hearing
which grew so warm that at length they
appealed to the emperor to decide the point.
He thought awhile, and heard him say:
1.-The blemishcs do not come from with
in the body, nor were they upon it at birth,
but have been inflicted 5y the violence OF
man and beast. j."
Then the priests consulted together
again, and presently their leader spoke
some words into the ear of MonteZuma
He nodded, and rising from his throne
came toward me, who stood naked and
shivering before him, for the air Of Mexi.
co is keen. AS he advanced he looscd a
chain of emeralds and gold that hung
about his neck and unclaspcd the royal
cloak from his shoulders. Then with his
own hand he put the chain about my
throat and tho cloak upon my shoulders,
and having humbly bent tho knee before
me- as though in alteration, he cast his
arms about me and embraced me.
Hail, most blessed" he said, ''divine
son of Quetzal, holder of the spirit of Tez-
cat soul of the world, creator Of the
world What have we done that you
should honor US thus with your presence
for seasonf What can we do to pay the
honor back? You created US and all this
country; behold, while you tarry with us,
1t Is yours, and we are nothing but your
be oheyed; think and your thought shall
be executed before 1t can pass your lips
o Tezcat, I, Montezuma, your servant, Of
fer you my alteration and through me the
alteration Of all my people," and again he
bowed the knee.
1--WE adore you, o Tezcatr' chimed in
the priests.
Now I remained silent and bewildered,
for of all this foolery could understand
nothing, and while stood thus Montezu-
ma clapped his hands and women entered,
bearing beautiful clothing with them and
a wreath of flowers The clothing they
put upon my body and the wreath Of flow
ers on my head, worshiping mc the while
End saying: "Tezcat, who died yesterday,
is come again. Be joyful; Tezcat has come
again in the body of the captive Tcule. ="
Then I understood that I was now q
god and the greatest Of gods, though at
that moment within myself felt more of
q fool than had ever been before
And now men appeared, grave and rev.
erena in appearance, bearing lutes in their
hands. I was told that these were my
tutors, and with them a train Of royal
pages, who were to be my servants They
led me forth from the hall, making music
as they went, and before me marched q
herald, calling out that this was the god
Tezcat, soul Of the world, creator Of the
world, who had come again to visit his
people They led me through all the courts
and endless chambers Of the palace, and
wherever went man, woman and child
bowed themselves to the earth before me
and worshiped me, Thomas Wingfeld of
buckingham, in the county Of Norfolk,
till thought that must be mad.
Then they placed me in litter and car
ried me down the hill Chapoltepec and
along causeways and through streets till
we came to the great square Of the temple.
Before me went heralds and priests, after
me followed pages and mobiles, and ever as
we passed the multitudes prostreted them
selves till I began to understand how
wearisome thing it is to be god. Next
they carried mo through the wall OF ser
pents and up the winding paths OF the
mighty teocalli till we reached the sum-
init, where the temples and idols stood,
and here great drum beat and the priests
sacrificed victim after victim in my honor,
and I grew sick with the sight Of wicked
ness and blood. Presently they invited me
10 ueSCSuu lCOlll GuS llOVSIp ing AlSAA N<1A
pets and flowers for my feet to tread on,
and I was much afraid, for thought that
they were about to sacrifice me to myself
or some other divinity. But this was not
So They led me to the edge of the pyra-
mid, or as near as would go, for shrank
back lest they should seize me suddenly
and cast me over the edge. And there the
high priest called out my dignity to the
thousands who were assembled beneath,
and every ono of them bent tho knee In
alteration Of mo, the priests above and the
multitudes below. And SO it went on till
I grew dizzy with tho worship, and the
shouting, and the music, and the sights OF
death, and very thankful was when ut
last they carried me back to Chapoltepeo.
Here new honors awaited me, for was
conducted to splendid range of apart
ments next to those Of the emperor him
self, and was told that oil Montezuma's s
household were at my command and that
he who refused TO do nv bidding should