Now as I gazed the light began to creep down the sides of the volcans, revealing the forests on their flanks.
But still the vast valley was filled with mist that lay in dense billows resembling those of the sea, through which hills and temple tops started up like islands.
By slow degrees as we passed upon our downward road the vapours cleared away, and the lakes of Tezcuco, Chalco, and Xochicalco shone in the sunlight like giant mirrors.
On their banks stood many cities, indeed the greatest of these, Mexico, seemed to float upon the waters; beyond them and about them were green fields of corn and aloe, and groves of forest trees, while far away towered the black wall of rock that hedges in the valley.
All day we journeyed swiftly through this fairy land.
We passed through the cities of Amaquem and Ajotzinco, which I will not stay to describe, and many a lovely village that nestled upon the borders of Lake Chalco.
Then we entered on the great causeway of stone built like a road resting on the waters, and with the afternoon we came to the town of Cuitlahuac.
Thence we passed on to Iztapalapan, and here Guatemoc would have rested for the night in the royal house of his uncle Cuitlahua.
But when we reached the town we found that Montezuma, who had been advised of our approach by runners, had sent orders that we were to push on to Tenoctitlan, and that palanquins had been made ready to bear us.
So we entered the palanquins, and leaving that lovely city of gardens, were borne swiftly along the southern causeway.
On we went past towns built upon piles fixed in the bottom of the lake, past gardens that were laid out on reeds and floated over the waters like a boat, past teocallis and glistening temples without number, through fleets of light canoes and thousands of Indians going to and fro about their business, till at length towards sunset we reached the battlemented fort that is called Xoloc which stands upon the dyke.
I say stands, but alas! it stands no more.
Cortes has destroyed it, and with it all those glorious cities which my eyes beheld that day.
At Xoloc we began to enter the city of Tenoctitlan or Mexico, the mightiest city that ever I had seen.
The houses on the outskirts, indeed, were built of mud or adobe, but those in the richer parts were constructed of red stone.
Each house surrounded a courtyard and was in turn surrounded by a garden, while between them ran canals, having footpaths on either side.
Then there were squares, and in the squares pyramids, palaces, and temples without end.
I gazed on them till I was bewildered, but all seemed as nothing when at length I saw the great temple with its stone gateways opening to the north and the south, the east and the west, its wall carven everywhere with serpents, its polished pavements, its teocallis decked with human skulls, thousands upon thousands of them, and its vast surrounding tianquez, or market place.
I caught but a glimpse of it then, for the darkness was falling, and afterwards we were borne on through the darkness, I did not know whither.
A while went by and I saw that we had left the city, and were passing up a steep hill beneath the shadow of mighty cedar trees.
Presently we halted in a courtyard and here I was bidden to alight.
Then the prince Guatemoc led me into a wondrous house, of which all the rooms were roofed with cedar wood, and its walls hung with richly-coloured cloths, and in that house gold seemed as plentiful as bricks and oak are with us in England.
Led by domestics who bore cedar wands in their hands, we went through many passages and rooms, till at length we came to a chamber where other domestics were awaiting us, who washed us with scented waters and clothed us in gorgeous apparel. Thence they conducted us to a door where we were bidden to remove our shoes, and a coarse coloured robe was given to each of us to hide our splendid dress.
The robes having been put on, we were suffered to pass the door, and found ourselves in a vast chamber in which were many noble men and some women, all standing and clad in coarse robes.
At the far end of this chamber was a gilded screen, and from behind it floated sounds of sweet music.
Now as we stood in the great chamber that was lighted with sweet-smelling torches, many men advanced and greeted Guatemoc the prince, and I noticed that all of them looked upon me curiously.
Presently a woman came and I saw that her beauty was great.
She was tall and stately, and beneath her rough outer robe splendidly attired in worked and jewelled garments.
Weary and bewildered as I was, her loveliness seized me as it were in a vice, never before had I seen such loveliness.
For her eye was proud and full like the eye of a buck, her curling hair fell upon her shoulders, and her features were very noble, yet tender almost to sadness, though at times she could seem fierce enough.
This lady was yet in her first youth, perchance she may have seen some eighteen years, but her shape was that of a full-grown woman and most royal.
‘Greeting, Guatemoc my cousin,’ she said in a sweet voice; ‘so you are come at last.
My royal father has awaited you for long and will ask questions as to your delay.
My sister your wife has wondered also why you tarried.’
Now as she spoke I felt rather than saw that this lady was searching me with her eyes.
‘Greeting, Otomie my cousin,’ answered the prince.
‘I have been delayed by the accidents of travel.
Tobasco is far away, also my charge and companion, Teule,’ and he nodded towards me, ‘met with an accident on the road.’
‘What was the accident?’ she asked.
‘Only this, that he saved me from the jaws of a puma at the risk of his life when all the others fled from me, and was somewhat hurt in the deed.
He saved me thus—’ and in few words he told the story.
She listened and I saw that her eyes sparkled at the tale.
When it was done she spoke again, and this time to me.
‘Welcome, Teule,’ she said smiling.
‘You are not of our people, yet my heart goes out to such a man.’
And still smiling she left us.
‘Who is that great lady?’ I asked of Guatemoc.
‘That is my cousin Otomie, the princess of the Otomie, my uncle Montezuma’s favourite daughter,’ he answered.
‘She likes you, Teule, and that is well for you for many reasons.
Hush!’