I abode in Mexico ten days, wandering
sadly about the city and up to the hill of Chapoltepec, where
Montezuma's pleasure-house had been, and where I had met Otomie. Nothing
was left of its glories except some of the ancient cedar trees. On the
eighth day of my stay an Indian stopped me in the street, saying that an
old friend had charged him to say that she wished to see me.
I followed the Indian, wondering who the friend might be, for I had no
friends, and he led me to a fine stone house in a new street. Here I was
seated in a darkened chamber and waited there a while, till suddenly
a sad and sweet voice that seemed familiar to me, addressed me in the
Aztec tongue, saying, 'Welcome, Teule.'
I looked and there before me, dressed in the Spanish fashion, stood
a lady, an Indian, still beautiful, but very feeble and much worn, as
though with sickness and sorrow.
'Do you not know Marina, Teule?' she said again, but before the words
had left her lips I knew her. 'Well, I will say this, that I should
scarcely have known YOU, Teule. Trouble and time have done their work
with both of us.'
I took her hand and kissed it.
'Where then is Cortes?' I asked.
Now a great trembling seized her.
'Cortes is in Spain, pleading his suit. He has wed a new wife there,
Teule. Many years ago he put me away, giving me in marriage to Don
Juan Xaramillo, who took me because of my possessions, for Cortes dealt
liberally with me, his discarded mistress.
Pages:
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537