The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-03-17
CHAPTER XXI
THE MARRIAGE OF MAYA

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THE MARRIAGE OF MAYA
Presently the door opened, and the
senior was brought into the sanctuary
as he thought to his DEATH for | saw
that his teeth were set, and that his
hand clenched, as though TO defend
himself, but as he came the most of the
council rose and bowed to him, saying:
Hail to you! Son of the Sea, Fa-
vored of Heaven. Father foreordained
of the Deliverer to comet"
Then he knew that the plot had sue
ceeded, and uttered great sigh Of re-
lief.
"Hearkcn, white lord" said Natal,
for Tikal sat still and scowled on him
in silence, "the gods have spoken by
their oracle. As Zibalbay thought &c
it is, and your feet have been led for q
purpose to the gates of the City of the
Heart. Listen to the words of the
gods, and, taking the tablet, he read
10 him the false prophecy Nov
choose, white man. win you take the
Lady Maya TO wife, or will you be put
to death, in that, having wandered
to the City Of the Heart, you refuse TO
obey the command of the gods?"
Now the senior thought, and an
swercd:
The man would be foolish who hest
tuted between death and SO fair and
sweet bride. Still, this is a matter
that cannot decide alone What SAYS
the Lady Maya?'
'Shc says" answered Maya, 'that
although this Is marriage for which
she did not look and it is a new thing
that Il daughter of the Heart should
take stranger of less ancient blood to
husband, the will of Heaven is her
will, and the lord that Heaven chooses
for her shall be her lord and she
stretched out her hand to him.
He took it, and, bending down, kissed
her fingers, saying;
May be worthy of your choice,
lady"
Now. thought that the ceremonies
were finished and was glad, for | grew
weary Of assisting at this farce. but
the old priest, Zibalbay's foster broth
err, rose and said:
zone thing more must be done,
brethren, before we leave this sanctua-
ry, and it is to swear in these strangers
as members OF the council"
"Ay! it is well thought OF. Let them
be sworn, and remember that to break
the oath is DEATH" was the answer.
Then we went out, accompanied bv
Maya. Natal and the escort of priests,
passed through the halls and passages
out into the courtyard OF the temple
and thence to apartments in the palace,
where we refreshed ourselves with
food, Tor we were weary. The trick had
succeeded, the ordeal was past, and for
the present at least we were no longer
In danger of our lives; more, the power
OF Natal was confirmed, and his
daughter was assured in her position
as the wife Of TilSal, and the senior and
the Lady Maya were about to attain
the fullness OF their desire and to be de-
clared one in the presence of the peo-
pie.
Well, the thing was done, and IL was
useless to regret it or to think of the
future, SO turning to Natal | asked
him what was to happen on the pyra-
mia.
There will be great gathering of
the people" he answered, "as is Gus
tomary at dawn after the night Of the
Rising OF Waters, and there they will be
told oil that has happened in the sane
tuary. and then, II it is their will, I'll
kal will be confirmed as caciuue, ac-
cording to the bargain, and either
to-day or tomorrow the white man
here will become the husband OF the
Lady Maya, in order" he added, with a
sneer, that of their union may be
born the Deliverer who is to be. Now,
II you ready, it is time for us to 20,
for the multitude is gathered and an
escort awaits us without"
Leaving the palace we placed our
selves In the center of party of no
bles and guards who were IN attend
nnce, and marched across the courtyard
and up the steps of the pyramid. The
night was growing gray with the breal.
ing OF the dawn, and in the pearly light
through which the stars shone family
we perceived that bands of priests and
mobiles, wrapped in their broidered SER
apes, for the morning air was chilly.
stood in their appointed places round
the altar.
In front of them were ranged the
dense masses Of the people, drawn here
to make their prayers upon this feast
day, and also by desire to learn the
truth as to the death OF Zibalbay, the
tate OF the strangers who had accompa
MED him from the unknown lands, the
decision of the council as to the success
sor to the place and power of cacique,
and, lastly, whether or no the oracle of
the god had spoken to his priests upon
this or any other matter when the lost
talisman was set In its place upon the
altar.
Vh iVhciillK tnc altAr seats were
given to us among the Mobiles Of the
Heart those Of Maya and the senior be-
ing placed in such fashion that they
would be visible to the whole multi
tude.
To the People OF the Heart the occa-
sion was great one, seeing that but
little rain falls in their country, and
thus they depended for bountiful har-
vest upon the inundation of the island
and of the low shores that lay around
the lake, by its waters swollen with the
melted snow of the great mountains on
the mainland. When the waters re-
treated then they planted their grain
in rich land, made fertile without labor
to themselves by the mud, whence be-
fore the lake rose again they gathered
their corn and other crops.
When they had ended their PRAYING,
and gifts of fresh flowers had been
laid upon the altar by beautiful chill
drep chosen for that purpose, Tikal
blessed the people rs high priest, and
the simple ceremony came to an end.
Then Natal rose to speak, telling
the people all things that had hap
pened. or so much of them us was ex-
pedient that they should know He
told them of the death Of Zibalbay, OF
the setting of the lost talisman in the
symbol, and of the writing that was
found therein. which he read aloud to
them amid n dead silence.
Then he told them how the Lady
Maya and the senior had consented to
be married in obedience to the voice of
the oracle, and lastly. how she, the
LADY, Mnx.p hol 1,s;~s.l ~ l.