Roger the Bold: A Tale of the Conquest of Mexico Page 13

  CHAPTER XIII

  A Sentence of Death

  "Run quickly, dog, and do not drag so behind," suddenly exclaimed thetrooper who had made Roger's leading rope fast to the pummel of hissaddle. "There is no need to pull behind as if you were afraid that thisbeast of mine would stumble and fall. Or perhaps you are fearful of him,like all the other natives. Come, long legs make long paces."

  He gave a violent jerk to the rope, which caused the utmost pain.Indeed, Roger had already suffered considerably, for his hands werefirmly lashed together, and the slightest pull on them caused him agony.And yet a little pain now might be life for all he knew. For that reasonhe had steadily dragged on the rope, causing the man to fall behind hiscomrades.

  "Perhaps we shall come to some difficult part," thought Roger, "when Iwill give a tug and then jump at the horse. A good push, with all myweight behind my foot, might send him rolling over, and kill the rider.It is worth trying, and even if unsuccessful the sudden execution whichwould follow would only anticipate my fate by an hour or two."

  But he affected to be unacquainted with the Spanish language, and stilldragged, in spite of the man's words, till suddenly the Spaniard turnedin his saddle with a curse and a savage jerk of the rope. He pulled onhis rein, and having brought the animal to a stop, vaulted from hissaddle, while his comrades pulled up beside him.

  "Now, what is the trouble? Why are you delaying?" demanded the officer,fretfully. "Do you not know that we are in the enemy's country, and thata halt may mean capture and more besides?"

  He shuddered as he spoke, for even now, when reinforcements of men andhorses had come to Cortes, and the campaign was about to be resumed, adread fear of capture lurked in the minds of all. For that meant a visitto the summit of the huge tower in Mexico, and death on the altar. Itwas a hideous nightmare to scores of these Spaniards--these adventurerswho had by now proved their bravery in many and many an unequal tussle.The very mention of the sacrifice appalled him, though these same menthought nothing of the awful tortures inflicted by their own side, or ofthe hangings and burnings which were often practised. And this leader ofthe little band which had captured Roger was one of the many who hadfears, only he thought more of the matter perhaps than did others.

  "Hasten," he said fretfully. "Do not let us waste a minute that can besaved. Come, Juan, what ails you, man? Why dismount now?"

  "To let you or some other fool take the captive," was the cool answer,discipline in the invading army being none of the strictest. "If you arein haste, take the rope and lead this dog yourself while we ride on. Iwarrant that within a little while your leg will chafe against therope, and you will find this fellow dragging like a load which is dead.And slowly you will fall behind, till your comrades are well in advance.Then, captain, a push from this captive's shoulder does the work, andyou and your steed fall heavily. Mayhap you are killed, and better foryou. Mayhap you live, and this dog, having smothered your voice,contrives to free his hands and carry you off. Then--ah, then comes thetrouble."

  He grinned at his comrades, who enjoyed his subtle joke, and sat theirhorses, smiling openly; for their leader was a weak and an unpopularman, and they openly derided him.

  "Then comes the trouble," repeated Juan, with relish. "The dog smothersyou, cuts his bonds, and then whistles to his friends. You are taken,and that very night the Mexicans enjoy a royal feast, to which theyinvite all friends. Spaniards are rare morsels, captain, and a leader ofSpaniards a dainty bit which will not meet with refusal."

  There was a shout, while the leader stamped angrily on the ground,gnawing at his moustache in his annoyance. His face was flushed, and itwas clear that he was thoroughly angry. But beyond that, in his heart ofhearts these words brought terror to his mind; for the Mexican customwas not only to offer prisoners before the altars, but to roast and eatthe bodies, the captor being given this special privilege.

  "Cease your chatter!" he exclaimed wrathfully, "and let us move on. Whatcaused you to halt?"

  "The prisoner and the rope," was the smooth answer. "The dog hasattempted to do what I spoke of; he was gradually pulling me back. ButI will make an end of the matter. See here!"

  He had been busily loosening the rope from the pummel of his saddle, andnow that it was free he took the slack in his hand, and, grasping itfirmly, jerked on it with such force that Roger turned suddenly, thepain causing him to twist round.

  "See here, dog of a Mexican, I have no desire to make the feast for thytables, and, so that you may not attempt to take me, will have a newarrangement. Drive a pig, not lead one, is the right motto, and thatshall be my plan. I will drive you, and will hold this lance at yourback so that you may have sharp reminder should you feel disposed tofall back. Now, on to your place, and, remember, fall back at yourperil."

  Again he jerked the rope, but Roger affected not to understand, and madeno movement till the soldier took him roughly, and by dint of signsaccompanied by many an oath, intimated to him what was to happen.

  "Recollect," he said again, in his fierce voice, staring into hiscaptive's face till Roger could have killed him--"recollect, behindthere is a lance which has run through many a Mexican dog, and wouldpierce you as if you were made of paper."

  "Come, come, gently, Juan!" exclaimed the officer, still scowling in hisanger. "Even if he is a dog of a Mexican, treat him fairly and well, forit may happen that I shall have to report. His Honour, Fernando Cortes,generalissimo in this country, sent me here for a certain purpose,namely, to capture the giant who was leading the Mexicans, and of whosejourney his spies had given him information. Well, I have succeeded,but if one of my men should spoil that success, if he should kill whenthe order was 'bring the dog alive,' then perhaps even I could not saveyour neck from the rope."

  It was an excellent counter-thrust, and Juan scowled and swore under hisbreath with a heartiness never even exceeded by a British sailor. As forhis comrades, though they did not favour their captain, still they couldenjoy a joke, and they roared at the expense of their comrade.

  "We will come and look on. We will encourage you and keep up yourcourage till the noose pulls tight," laughed one, in a husky whisper.

  "Silence! Let us be going," ordered the captain. "Lead us, Juan, and wewill see that you are secure."

  They set out again down the side of the mountain, Roger in advance. Allhis plans were thus destroyed, and he ran on moodily, wondering where hewould be taken to and how long he would be allowed to live.

  "Rescue will be attempted; of that I am sure," he said to himself, byway of comfort. "Teotlili and the Mexican lords will never allow me toperish without making an attempt, for there is no doubt that they lookup to me as to one of their hateful deities. How strange it all is, andhow my father's eyes would open were he here to see and know all thathas happened."

  How strange, indeed, that he, a simple crossbow youth, should now bevirtually ruler of Mexico; for his lightest word was obeyed, andGuatemozin and his lords deferred every question to him. Indeed, hadRoger desired it, he could have been elected as king, the rightful lordtaking place as his minister. But he declined the suggestion made by thepriests. In any case, he occupied a position which his wildest fancieshad never attained to; and if he were successful, then there would bewealth on his return home, and even honour, for had he not already wonpraise and promotion on the brigantine?

  "Halt! What is the report?"

  The cavalcade had come to the base of the hill, and had met some threehundred natives, allies of the Spaniards. One of these lifted his handto signal the horsemen to stop, and then advanced with an interpreter.

  "There is huge commotion in the country," he said. "Since early morningmen have been hurrying to and fro, and some cross the track between thisand Tlascala. You must ride faster if you wish to pass there in safety."

  "Then mount the prisoner. Let the lightest man take him."

  "And get his throat cut for his pains," growled Juan, as he prepared tofree the rope.

  "But no. We want a strong man, above all,"
suddenly added the captain."Juan, I think you lay claim to strength, for I have heard you challengeany of your comrades to combat with you. You shall still hold thecaptive. Put him behind you, facing about, and we will surround you."

  The task was not an enviable one, and Juan made his preparations for itwith a very ill grace, while a sinister smile played about the cornersof his leader's face. However, delay was to be avoided if they wished toreach their quarters in safety, and very soon Roger was astride thehorse, his ankles lashed together, while a rope was passed about hiswaist, securing him to Juan. The troop got in motion again, and,breaking into a canter--a movement which made riding comfortable andeasy for our hero--bore straight across the open towards a distant town,that of Tlascala, where Cortes then resided, and where his brigantineswere in course of construction. An hour later, as the party approached alittle closer, and the wall which surrounded the town became clearlyvisible, some three hundred dark figures burst from a ravine a little tothe left, and raced towards the horsemen, uttering shrill whistles andshouts. Roger turned his head, and thought he saw Teotlili at theirhead, while the dress of the natives proclaimed them as friends andallies of the Mexicans. Then an attempt at rescue was about to be made.His late captors were true to him.

  "Gallop! Lances down, and gallop!"

  The leader gave the order in high-pitched words, and then took his placeat the head of the troop.

  "Surround the prisoner; and, Juan, do you lean well forward in thesaddle, so as to stretch the prisoner and make movement difficult. Ourmen will protect you in front, while Pedro will hold his sword handy toslay the dog should he make an attempt to escape or to delay us."

  The advice given to Juan was undoubtedly good, for as the Spaniardcarried out the movement, Roger found that the lashing about his anklestautened, while the leaning-back attitude made struggling on his partalmost out of the question. Still, he resolved to make an effort if thetime came, even if a sword were held in his face. By now the troop wasgalloping at a sharp pace, the leader having selected a long stretch ofopen ground favourable to horses, and across this he led them at anangle which slightly inclined towards the Mexicans and their allies. Itlooked as if all his efforts were concentrated in an attempt to fly pastthem without giving them battle, and at the thought the natives swervedfrom their course, and raced to cut off the party. Soon they were soclose that Roger could hear their voices, and stirred uneasily, till theman who threatened him with his sword placed the point close to hisbreast.

  "Stir so much as a finger's breadth and I thrust the blade home," hegrowled, while he looked askance at the enemy. "One hand's breadth,remember!"

  "Give us our god of air! Halt, and hand him over, when you may go free!"came a ringing voice from the natives.

  "Charge! To the left! To the left!"

  The captain of the troop, who, to do him but fair justice, was, in spiteof his many fears of capture, a good and plucky leader, tugged at hisreins, and, standing in his stirrups, directed his troop at the heart ofthe rushing enemy; in fact, his plan from the first had been to deludethem, to make it appear as if he were about to escape to one side, andthen at the last moment to turn and plunge through the natives. Herelied for success upon the poor weapons which the Mexicans and theirallies possessed, and upon their horror of the horses, whose weightought to be able to burst a way through such footmen. But he counted hissuccess too quickly, for Roger's teaching was to bear excellent fruit.There was a shout of dismay as the natives saw the horses charging downupon them, and many fled for their lives. But suddenly a figure becameprominent in their midst, and all came to a stop.

  "Shout! Wave your arms and shout! Then throw yourselves on the groundand hack at the horses, or endeavour to seize the legs of the riders.Men with the crossbows to one side, and search their ranks with yourshafts. Beware of harming the prisoner. Death to the one who is soreckless."

  Had Teotlili had a force of pure Mexicans with him, men who hadundergone some training under Roger's orders, the success of his planwould perhaps have been perfect. But he had to deal with allies, men whohad heard of the new and wonderful white man and of his methods, but whohad not practised the latter. Still, if they had had no practice, theyhad at least the most abject and absolute faith in his advice, and atthe command all came to a stop. Then the men with the crossbows, but sixin number, ran to the side and placed shafts in their weapons, while theremainder waited, their eyes fixed on the noble who stood in theirmidst. And down upon them, lance lowered, or sword ready to deliverthrust or cut, rode the Spaniards, excellent masters of their horses,and with complete confidence in themselves. In fact, the horsemen hadnever known yet what it was to fail when opposed to the natives in thisNew Spain, for their weapons were even less terrifying to the Mexicansand their allies than were their horses. For the natives looked uponthese strange beasts as little short of gods, the superstition withwhich their whole systems were permeated leading them to attribute theutmost powers to the steeds ridden by the Spaniards. What wonder, too,when it is recollected that none in the whole country had ever seen sucha huge animal before, and that no form of animal labour was known of,the human being undertaking every sort.

  "Charge! Through them and then on to the town. Charge!"

  It was the Spanish captain's turn now, and he rose to his full height inhis stirrups; for he had at last caught a glimpse of the eyes of thenatives, an infallible sign that the moment for the crash was at hand.He had waited for it before on many an occasion, and had stood so in hisstirrups. Then the crash had come, his sword had whirled this way andthat, and the natives had disappeared as if they had sunk into theground. He selected Teotlili, and rode full at him.

  "Shout! Shout and wave your arms!"

  The gallant noble never moved, for he had braced his courage to thetask, a task which might well have caused the boldest to give way,particularly under the circumstances. He stood firmly, and at his signalthe natives shouted lustily and tossed their hands into the air. Shrillwhistles came from others, while at the same moment six crossbow shafts,tipped with iron taken from Spaniards who had fallen at Mexico, flewtowards the horsemen. One struck the armour of the leader with a dullmetallic sound, dinting it deeply but failing to penetrate. A secondcaught one of the troopers beneath the arm as he swung his sword abovehis shoulder, and, penetrating to his heart, brought him to the groundlike a stone. Of the remainder, two found a mark in the horses, bringingthem with a terrific concussion to the soil, where their riders wereimmediately surrounded. But the main body still swept on till close tothe natives. Then indeed did Roger's advice bear good fruit. Forsuddenly the horses reared and pawed the air. Some swerved to one side,one of the last throwing his rider, while others turned, and charginginto those who followed, caused the utmost confusion. But a considerablenumber who occupied a position in rear still kept on, and rode rightover the enemy. Once clear, they halted for a few moments, and then,seeing some of their comrades had fallen, they turned and charged backagain. However, a flight of crossbow shafts and the determined attitudeof the natives caused them to reconsider their decision. They werestunned by their unusual want of success, and by the methods adopted byan enemy who had hitherto been almost helpless. Then, as the latter rantowards them, eager to renew the conflict, they swept round and gallopedoff to Tlascala, carrying their prisoner with them. The unfortunateSpaniards who had been left behind, and who were not already dead, werepounced upon with eagerness, and carried off to the nearest town, thereto suffer the horrible fate which had almost come to Roger. But thegreater portion of the enemy gathered about Teotlili, and discussedtheir plans for rescue.

  "Halt! Let us count our losses. A curse on the villains! Who could haveexpected such a manoeuvre?"

  The Spanish leader threw his sword blade above his head, and at thesignal the troop came to a halt, the men eyeing one another askance, andas if they were ashamed. For this particular branch of the invading armyhad been wont to accept the praise of all, and to hold their heads veryhigh. Time and again had their mere presence
awed a multitude of manythousands of native enemies, till it came to be a saying in FernandoCortes' force that the horsemen could subdue a nation if given time. Andnow----!

  "A curse on them!" growled the captain again, as he looked round at hismen and noticed the gaps in their ranks. "I would that we had never hadcause to go on this expedition. For here have we one prisoner alone toshow, and there are--how many are gone?"

  "Five, captain. Pedro killed by an arrow. Never have I seen one of theirshafts strike so true and so forcibly. Leon thrown by his horse, andAlonso dragged from his saddle by that man who led the enemy. Then thereis Peter of Arragon, and John his brother, both thrown by their horses,which were struck by shafts. May mercy be shown to them!"

  The second in command told them off on his fingers, nodding sadly ateach name, while the captain listened with glowering looks. The menglanced uneasily at one another, while they peered over their shouldersat the pursuing natives.

  "Five gone, and all for this dog. Hah! He is safe, then, though theprice is dear. But listen, my men. We have never had such a tale to tellbefore."

  "And hope never to have such evil fortune again," growled the second incommand.

  "Nor such a low task to perform," said Juan, feeling the weight of hisprisoner, and fearful lest he should yet lead to his own captivity anddeath.

  "We have always been the victors, and men who have been taken havestrayed from the line of march. We were met in the early hours by a hugeforce. You will recollect that."

  He held his hand up and motioned with his forefinger as if to impresshis words.

  "A big force, in the half light of the early morning. We hastened tocarry out our orders by dashing in to capture this tall native. We werebeset on every side, and this is the result. We have the prisoner, butthe five are gone. The tale will make good telling. Adhere to thefacts."

  It was a rough and ready and a none too honest method of making theirown actions appear all that was desirable before their comrades andtheir generalissimo, and the men took to the tale eagerly. They setspurs then to their horses, and galloped on to the town, the nativesfollowing some little way, till the appearance of others, allies of theSpaniards, caused them to beat a tardy retreat. Then the troop slackenedits pace, and trotted through the big gateway into the long, wide streetof Tlascala, the houses of which were defended by a magnificent wallsuch as the invaders had never seen in their lives before. And here theyfound thousands of natives, all bustling with preparations for thecoming siege of Mexico, and for the review which Fernando Cortes wasabout to hold of all his troops, Spanish and allies. In one spot, wherethere was a wide clearing, Roger saw many hundreds at work upon massesof woodwork, which they seemed to be taking to pieces. These were, infact, the many brigantines of various sizes which Cortes had had built,under the able guidance of a shipwright in his company; and having beenerected, they were now under process of disunion, so that they mighteasily be conveyed to the lake of Tezcuco. A few minutes later the troopcame to the Spanish quarters, and having halted and dismounted, handedtheir horses over to native servants, of whom each soldier had severalto attend to his wants. Roger was dragged from the saddle as soon as hisankles had been unlashed. Then a guard fell in beside him, and thecaptain led the way.

  "To the generalissimo's quarters," he said, in grand tones, pointing tothe broad flag of Castile which flew from one of the finest buildings."There we will tell our tale and leave this dog. Hah! I have scarcelylooked at him before. He is tall and very fair! Surely not unlike ourown people, or those other fellows who have pestered the coast."

  "His fine feathers make him a native, but in appearance he is English,"ventured the commander of the guard.

  "Not far from the mark, I should say," agreed the captain, staringclosely at his prisoner, and taking careful stock of him. "And were Iasked I would swear almost that he understood every word spoken by us.There is a movement of his eye which seems to tell that he listens toevery word."

  "Then he would know of our ill-luck, and might----"

  "He had better keep a still tongue between his fine white teeth," saidthe captain, in threatening tones. "He who tells tales of our branch ofthe service will have need to make them of the right sort, or else----"

  "We shall quarrel with him, captain," smiled the commander of the guard,sardonically. "It would be a bad day when the troops looked at thecavalry as common arquebusiers, or as men who wield the crossbow."

  For a little while they discussed the matter in low tones, theirconclusion being that their prisoner was undoubtedly an Englishman,though as to his knowledge of Spanish they were more than doubtful.However, their doubts were set at rest within a little while, while thecaptain and his men went hot and cold at the thought of the easy revengewhich Roger might take; for already the tale of their losses, and of themanner in which a huge force had been attacked, had been sent round thecamp in Tlascala. Roger was marched along the main street--a streetwhich, compared with ours of to-day, would still be awarded the prizefor general excellence of design, ample width and air space, andaccommodation for any possible amount of traffic, and was ushered intothe huge building over which the flag waved. In a courtyard behind, acouncil of officers was sitting, and the guard and their captive came toa halt opposite them. At once all eyes went to the tall figure of thecaptive, while Roger himself allowed his gaze to wander calmly aroundthe circle, from the gaudily dressed native caciques and nobles intheir feather cloaks to the Spaniards. Lastly, his eye riveted itselfupon one of medium height, who occupied a central position. He was fairfor a Spaniard, though he had the usual swarthy complexion of the race.But there was a certain dignity about this man which marked him as aleader--a decision of manner which his lips, his nose, the set of hischin, and the general poise of his head and body seemed to indicate. Andyet, though he had not said a word so far, and none had addressed him,Roger felt sure that he was the redoubtable Fernando Cortes, the man whohad come to Cuba as a debtor, with nothing before him, and who, owing tosome little favour which the governor of that island had shown him, hadat length attained to the leadership of one of the numerous expeditionswhich left the new Spanish possessions every year without a singleexception. The reader will recollect how that command had been snatchedaway again within an hour almost of its having been given. And herebefore him Roger saw the man who had dared so much, who had defiedauthority, had so skilfully managed his men that they had fought andclung to him even through adversity, while they had not grumbled whenhis reckless and wilful act of destroying the fleet had left a paltryfive hundred Spaniards face to face with races already bitterly hostile,and able to put armies into the field amounting to many hundreds ofthousands.

  "Cool and calm," thought Roger. "Says what he means, and sees that hisorders are carried out. Trusts his inferiors, and believes that he andhis men are born fighters."

  "The white giant, the interpreter of the party. At last the net hasfallen round them," Cortes was saying to himself as he looked at Roger,and yet without giving those who were present the impression that he didmore than glance at the prisoner. "A bold fighter, I am told. Skilledwith the crossbow, and not without skill in ordering battle. His fewweeks of authority have made a man of him, and he looks dignified andstrong, though only a lad; but he must be frightened."

  "The captive," said the leader of the troop of horse, anxious to makehis voice heard. "According to orders, generalissimo, I rode from thetown last night, and----"

  "You have done well, though I like not the loss of five men," exclaimedCortes, cutting him short, and showing that every piece of informationwas brought to him. Indeed, he was wonderfully served by numerous spies."Stand back while I question the man. Your name?"

  Roger could see the captain of his escort turn sallow under his bronzedskin as the words were addressed in Spanish, and almost smiled at theflush and the startled look which the unhappy leader of horse displayedas he answered.

  "You are the interpreter of this beggarly ship which came from England.You went ashore to the south, a
nd the ship left you there, being chasedby a Spaniard. You then made your way to Mexico, where I hear that youoccupy the position once given to me by their hateful priests."

  "It is true. You have the story correctly," said Roger.

  "And your comrades sailed for these parts because of a golden discwhich was captured. Who has that disc? Speak."

  For a moment Roger wondered whether he should tell his story. Then hereflected that the probabilities were that Alvarez, the traitor, stillhad it, though he could not be sure. Perhaps there was some trick inthis question, and, in any case, if Alvarez still had the disc, and waskeeping it for his own private services, as seemed now to be mostlikely, then it would be better to leave that matter a secret. He couldanswer truthfully with a denial of any knowledge.

  "The golden disc," he said quietly; "the one with the sun on one sideand a plan on the other? I cannot say where it is. Doubtless Sir Thomascould tell you."

  "He cannot. He refuses to speak. But I will find a means to alter hisdecision." A scowl came over his face, and he glowered upon Roger,hoping to see his prisoner quail. But he was disappointed. However, onething he did accomplish. He startled our hero by his words.

  "Captured! Can the men of the brigantine be captured?"

  "Yes," continued Cortes, as if answering Roger's question, "this SirThomas and his men can say nothing of the disc. I have questioned them.They are prisoners. But you might know."

  "I have already answered. I do not know," said Roger, firmly.

  "Then we must employ other means to this leader of yours. But you canand will speak of other matters. You have been an honoured noble--a godeven!" he sneered. "Mexico welcomed you with open arms, and made you ageneral. Therefore you can speak of the defences--of measures taken tohold our attacks in check. You have been brought here for that purpose.Speak, now, so that all may hear."

  "To do so would be to betray those who are my friends. I am on theirside, and their secrets are mine, and are safe."

  Roger faced the general quietly, his arms folded, and his head andshoulders towering over the members of the meeting. His eye swept alongthe line, and he looked coldly into every face till he arrived at thatof the captain who had effected his capture.

  "You mean that you will not speak?"

  Roger nodded.

  "I give you two minutes to tell your tale. If you fail when the time isgone, you shall be hanged. To-morrow morning at dawn you will be tossedfrom the branch of a tree and left to dangle."

  The general looked at Roger with scowling brows, while the companyleaned forward expectantly. But Roger was not to be frightened, thoughhe had expected death from the moment of being captured.

  "Why wait till to-morrow, general?" he asked coldly. "I have said thatthey are my friends. Would you act the part of traitor? Then do not askme to do such a thing. Hang me if you wish it, but let me be true to myside."

  "One minute has passed," was the answer, as the general drew out acumbersome watch. "Less than one minute remains. Afterwards----"

  He greeted his prisoner with another ominous look; but Roger stood hisground without flinching. He looked calmly at his enemies, and bowedwhen the time had passed--bowed so coolly, and showed so little concern,that there was a murmur of applause, while Fernando Cortes, though hewas bound to preserve an immovable countenance, displayed someadmiration. But he was a stern man, and his word was his word.

  "At six of the clock to-morrow morning," he said, snapping the watch to."Captain, you will see to the execution. I shall be there. March theprisoner out."