The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-01-04
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Z left the city upon a. certain MISS
I Before they departed it was agreed
that i should rule as next heir dl1ririiH
the absence of Zibalbay and his da11 i ystl,5
y ter, and that if they should not turn N
within two years then their heritage
< should be mine forever. assal 5ssS,,
ssTo this agreement set my name
with sorrow, for then, as now held
that my uncle was mad. and in his mad
ness went to doom, taking with him his
q daughter whom / loved. Yet when
they were gone T fulfilled it to the let
ter, but trouble arose among the poo
pie. for they will not listen to the voice
Of one who is not their anoilted lord,
but saw: 'We will wait until Zibalbay
comes again, and hear his command
upon these matters II s@ VI
$50 it came about that many pressed
it on me that Cor the sake of the people
and the welfare of the place, should
shorten the period Of my regency and
suffer myself to be anois1ted. But re-
Numbering my promise l answered
them sharply, saying that come what
might two full years must be COM
), pleted before I sat me down in the
place of my fathers
no this mind then held till three
DAYS since, when some of the people
refused to get them to their Ia Dor, say
ing that the high priest alone had au-
thority over them, and there was no
high priest in the city. Then in MY
perplexity took counsel with the lord
Natal, master of the stars, and he COM
suited with the stars on my behalf
'.All night long he searched the heav-
ems, and he read in them that Zibalbay,
who, led by lying dream, broke
through the laws Of tho land and wan-
dered across the mountains, has paid
the price of his folly and is dead IN the
wilderness, together with his daughter
that was my afhanced and the Lady OF
the Heart. Is 1t not so, Mattai?'
Now the person addressed, stout
man with bald head and quick, shift
ing eyes and thick and grszzled beard,
eff my wisdom was not at fault such
was 1he message Of the stars, Q lord.
"Noples," went on Tikal, ''you
have heard my testimony and
the testimony OF Mattel, whoset
voice is thevotce OF truth. For these
reasons also, she to whom I was afH-
anced being dead, have taken to wife
Nahua, the daughter of Mattai. Say,
do YOU accept us?" .es.
Now some few of the company werei
I'VE accept you, Tikal and Nahua,
and long may you rule over us accord
ing to the ancient customs OF the land.
ut is we'll, my brethren," answered
Tikal. "And now, before we drink the
parting cup, have any OF you ausht TO
say to n,e?"
IT have something to say" cried Il
balhay in loud voice from the sllad.
ows where we stood at the tag end OF
ho Iat1 nn nf
the tones Of which he seemed 70 know,
Tilsal started and rose In fear, but res
covering himself said:
advance from the shadow, whoever
you are, and say your say where men
may see YOU"
Turning to his daughter and to us,
Zibal bay babe us follow him and do as
he did. Then, yelling his face with al
corner of his robe, he walked up the
hall, the crowd of mobiles and ladies
opening path, till we stood before tho
throne. Here he uncovered himself. as
we did also, and, standing sideways, SO
that he should be seen both by Jikal
and all that company, he opened Ills
lips to speak. Before word could pass
them cry Of astonishnent broke from
the mobiles, and of {. sudden the scepter
fell from the hand Of Tilsal and rolled
along the floor.
''Zibalbay!" said the cry. SIT is Zi-
balbay come back, Or the ghost Of him,
and with him the Lady Of the Hearth"
cay, nobles,' he said il, Il quiet voice,
although his hand shook with rage, lit
is Z, Zfbalbay, your lord, cosne home,
and not too soon, ais 1t would seem.
What: my nephew, were You SO hungry
for my place and power: that yon must
break the oath you swore upon the
Heart and seize them before the ap-
pointed time? And you Natal, have
you lost your SKILL, or have the gods
sn1itten you with q curse, that you
prophecy falsely, saying that it was
written in the stars that we who are
alive were dead, and thereby lifting mp
your daughter to the seat OF the Lady
of the Heart
stNay, do not answer me. Standing
yonder I have heard all your story.
And say to you, Tilral, that you are a
foresyvorn traitor, and to you, Natal, 4
that YOU gre Il charlatan and q liar, who
have dared to use the holy art for your
own ends and the advancement of your
house. On both of you will be
avenged, ay,. and on all these who have
Allotted you in your crimes. Guards,
seize that man, and the lord Natal
with him, and let them be held fast till
l shall Judge them"
The soldiers that stood on either side
of the thrones hesitatcd for moment,
then advanced toward Tikal as though
to lay hands upon him in obedience to
Zibalbay's order. But Nahua rose and
waved them of, saying.
What! you dare to touch your
anointed lord? Back. I say to you, il
you would save yourself from the doom
of sacrilege. Living Or dead, the day
of ziba] bay is done, for the Council Of
the Heart has set his crown upon the
brow of Tikal, and, whether for good
or Ill, their decree cannot be changed. n
"Ay!" said Tilal, whose courage had
come back to him. "The lady Nahua
speaks truth aTouch me not Il you
would live 30 look upon the SUM-"
a. But all the while he spoke his eyes
were fixed upon Maya, whose beautiful
face he watched as though II were thai
of some lost love risen from the dead. VIZ
Now, as Zibalbay was aboutto speak
again, Mnttai, the astronomer; bowed
before him and said: 5s$:f$
''Be not wroth, bNtIhear me, my lord. Il
You have travelled far and you are
weary, and a wearyman is aptat wrath
You think that you have been wronHed II
and oubtsessg.l this that has chanced
is strange To you, but now is not the
time for us to give count Of our acts and I
stewardship, or for you to hearken.
Rest this night, and tomorrow on the
pyramid, in the presence of the people,
all things shall be made clear to You,
and justice done to ALL - -, mi
Now Zibalbav paused awhile, look