The Fair God; or, The Last of the 'Tzins: A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico

e latter, besides being the largest, washed the walls of Tenochtitlan, and was the especial pride of the Azte

at might have been heard a long distance over

l was a

zin?" asked th

es

g to Teno

s willin

t to apply to persons thus abroad-were, at the time, about the middle of the little sea. After the 'tzin's reply, they were soon al

r asked me where at this hour he would most likely be found, I should have bade hi

of reply was allowed to pass. The 'tzin w

Tlascalans," he said again, this time with a

rumors seldom come to

ala pass directly th

his hand on the

d. "Do you speak of

nd arose, saying, "Your meaning i

d," said

is it as fr

en be yourse

ak about him and resumed

uma, th

is my kinsman, and I a

had our capital, our temples, our worship, and our gods; we celebrated our own festivals, our kings commanded their own armies, our priesthood prescribed their own sacrifices. But where now are king, country, and gods? Alas! you have seen the children of 'Hualpilli, of the blood of the Acolhuan, suppliants of Montezuma, the Aztec." And, a

sued, the 'tzin was

that the king has done you wrong. Be it so

in an altered voice. "Come close

de of dignity. Yet lower

om he calls Tula, and loves

arted, but h

?" continued

said Guatamozi

you, O 'tzin, she would have loved

the Aztec looked long at the light of fire

ned woman?" asked

rother and sister. In hall, in garden, on the la

r for wife, but you seek her for ambition; i

ner changed, and he

lled him to do. Treason to the king,-defiance to me! By the holy Sun, for each offence you should answer me shield to shield! But I recollect that I am neither priest to slay a victim nor officer to execute the law. I mourn a feud, still more the blood of countrymen shed by my hand; yet the wrongs shall not go unavenged or witho

him. At his order, however, the slaves bent their dusk