Kemble.
By the time Olmedo and Beatriz had begun to retrace2 their steps to their homes, Tolta’s hesitation3 had vanished, and he prepared to seize them. If his anger had been aroused by the scene between Kiana and the maiden4, he was now furious with rage and jealousy5 at the discovery of the mutual6 love of Olmedo and Beatriz. Of their motives7 and resolves he could appreciate nothing. He saw only that they loved. Their devout8 prayer had astonished him, but that over, his imagination acted as a slow-match to explode his passions.
At a sign from him, his warriors9 stealthily encircled the two, and stepping out suddenly from their retreat, seized and bound them before they could either resist or effectually cry out. Tolta, unable to repress his satisfaction, walked up to Olmedo and hissed10 in his ear, “Catholic maidens11 are not kept solely12 for the dalliance of Catholic priests. You shall soon see her fonder of an Aztec priest than she has been of you, most chaste13 monk14,” and he leered upon him with such a demoniacal meaning,[157] as for an instant to paralyze the speech of Olmedo, who almost fancied the devil himself had bodily entrapped16 him.
Soon recognizing Tolta, he exclaimed, “What means this violence? Are you mad? Release us, or evil will come upon you.”
“Not so fast, monk, we have a journey to make first. I wish to introduce you to one who is as fond of Spanish blood as your countrymen are of Mexican.”
“Do with me as you will, but send back Beatriz to her brother. She has never injured you,” urged Olmedo.
“Beatriz is my prize, you are another’s,” said Tolta, with a look so full of dark insinuation that his captive shuddered,—not for himself, but for the maiden.
He would have again entreated17, but Tolta fearing to lose time, ordered his men to gag him and drive him before them, while he whispered to Beatriz, “If you attempt an outcry, these infidels will kill Olmedo. His sole hope is in your keeping quiet.” This he said with cunning forethought, and it had the immediate18 effect he wished, to keep her silent, for he dreaded19 the influence of her voice quite as much as he feared any alarm she could give.
Compelling her to walk before him, the party passed in single file through the forest in the direction of the mountain, till they reached its outskirts20, and came to the more scantily21 wooded uplands. Here they were joined by another and larger band,[158] bearing a “manele,” a sort of palanquin, into which Beatriz was placed, and borne rapidly on by four stout22 warriors, who were relieved each hour by others. In this way allowing no intercourse23 between the captives, but hurrying on at a dog trot24 by a circuitous25 course that took them away from the inhabited portions of the country, they made rapid progress for several hours without a halt or seeing any one.
Their course lay along the eastern and southern flank of Mauna Kea, which was then a wilderness26, much broken up by precipitous ravines and irregular plains, dotted with groves27 of a beautiful species of laurel, whose pendant branches, with small dark green leaves intermingled with delicate white blossoms, all but swept the ground, affording by day a shade impervious28 to the sun, and by night not an unwelcome shelter. Not a word had been uttered by which either of the captives could get a clue to their probable fate. Each was most anxious for the other. At the same time both felt a certain degree of relief and even pleasure in their mutual presence, and had the choice to be free and apart been given to either, while thus uncertain as to their future, neither would have accepted it. Beatriz alone had some suspicion as to the object of Tolta in their abduction. Olmedo on the contrary, notwithstanding the dark hints of the Mexican, could not persuade himself that any real danger awaited either. Calm in his own soul-peace, he patiently bided29 a solution of the mystery.
As night approached, Tolta gave orders to encamp[159] under one of the laurel groves. Being now beyond immediate danger of a recapture, Olmedo’s gag was removed, and he was permitted to warm himself by the fire, which, at that altitude, was agreeable even in July. He was kept apart from Beatriz, each being under the charge of a distinct company of warriors. They were fierce, athletic30 men, quite capable of executing any orders their chief,—for such by the command of Pohaku, they now considered the Mexican,—might give, but at the same time they regarded their captives, especially Beatriz, more with curiosity than hostility31. Her quiet, resigned demeanor32, had made some impression upon them, and involuntarily they treated her with a degree of respect, that did not pass unnoticed by their crafty33 leader. He was not at all satisfied with himself, although his expedition promised such complete success. While away from Beatriz, he could plot against her honor and her brother’s life without compunction, but it was quite a different thing when she was an unresisting captive in his power. Her apparent feebleness and moral security were more formidable barriers than an armed defence. She had not once appealed to him by voice, but her mournful look, excited rather at his treachery than her danger, recalled to him those moments which, under other auspices34, had impelled35 him to peril36 his life for hers. Besides, he thought of Pohaku, and feared the effect of her beauty on his sensual appetite. He might claim the woman as well as the man, and how could he resist.
[160]
Having fully37 embarked38 in his career of deceit and revenge, Tolta saw at a glance he had gone too far to withdraw, for the fiery39 Juan would never forgive the insult to his sister, however lenient40 she might prove. The future began already to wear a different and more problematical aspect than it did when he first meditated41 his treachery. The apparent ease with which he had done so much, but magnified what remained to be done. In fact, his conflicting emotions all but paralyzed his evil energies, which threatened to leave him midway in his career an imbecile villain42, sure to die like a torpid43 serpent from the blows of the first that discovered him. This hesitation arose from the influence Beatriz exercised over him, despite his jealousy, which at intervals44 somewhat cooled from having his rival in his power. He was therefore, restless, suspicious and wavering. While his captives slept peacefully on the rude couches of tapa and dried leaves their guards had prepared for them, he sat apart gloomily brooding over his projects.
It was clear star-light. Through the thick foliage45 an occasional bright ray at times found its way, as if to hint to his troubled soul there still was light for it if he would but look upward. But his eyes were either bent46 upon the ground, or peered out between the pendulous47 branches into the mysterious horizon around, out of which grew strange, spectral48 shapes, with long arms sweeping49 the night-air. In the daytime they were but common trees, like those under which he sat, but to him they now became demon15 ambassadors from his terrible war-god to[161] arouse him to vengeance50. Through the overhanging branches, the chill breeze sent hoarse51 sounds as they chafed52 against each other, at times grinding heavily with a dismal53 noise like the crushing of bones, while the more distant trees responded with fitful shrieks54 or deep sighings as the winds by turns rose or sunk in varying gusts55; now wholly silent, then swelling56 into a diapason that thrilled Tolta’s heart with horrible fancies. Owls57 flapped their white wings, and lighted near by, hooting58, with their great staring eyes fixed59 on him. Then gathered about him a chorus of furies that excited every passion to avenge60 his father, massacred by Cortez at the foot of the altar, on which still reeked61 a human sacrifice; his mother violated and slain62 by the savage63 allies of the inhuman64 Christian65; himself, wounded and senseless in her defence, mangled66 and taunted67 by his Tezcucan foes,—but, but what? that but for the instant exorcised the vision, for it recalled to him that Juan, indignant at the wanton barbarity, had rescued him from their hands, and that Beatriz had bound up his wounds, and spoken to him the first words of kindness he had ever heard from the lips of a Spaniard.
Could he have forgotten this, he would have gone straight on to his revenge without a single soul-qualm. As it was, fortified70 by his jealousy, and impelled by the gathering71 force of reawakened passions, the struggle of personal gratitude72 became gradually weaker, until there was nothing between him and his victims, except the love which he felt for Beatriz, and which jealousy had now all but[162] turned into hate. From out of the gloom of nature around him, there spoke68 voices and issued shapes, kindred to all the darker purposes of his soul. Guatimotzin, his butchered sovereign, whose blood was in his own veins73, called to him from his bed of hot coals, not to forget his martyrdom. The spirits of myriads74 of Mexicans slain by famine were waving their gaunt arms, and clawing with feeble fingers at him, while hollow voices muttered, “Avenge us, art thou not our kin69?” and they pointed75 to the sleeping Spaniards, and wound their dark limbs over them in a death embrace. The flames of Mexico, once the pride and glory of the Aztec empire, now in ashes, burst upon his vision. He once more saw her towers and palaces glowing with heat and crumbling76 to the ground, while fire and smoke shut out the bright heaven above, and settled like a hellish pall77 upon his native city. His eye-balls became blood-shot as he strove to penetrate78 the darkness to gainsay79 his vision. It was in vain. Far into the deep shadow beyond, and high above him, there glowed a bright red spot growing larger each minute, with flames and smoke intermingled, and ever and anon there faintly reached him a crashing sound like the fall of heavy bodies from a great elevation80. There was a reality in the sight he could not dissipate by reason, or by gazing. The longer he looked, the more true it became. At last, tired out by his watchings, he too sunk into an uneasy slumber81, saying to himself as his original purpose, with renewed craft returned to him, “Away with doubt; I will obey your call, my[163] countrymen, or join you in the dark abodes82 whence you urge me to vengeance,”—then mingling83 with his patriotic84 frenzy85 his personal desires, he added, “I will circumvent86 them all. The Spaniards shall be sacrificed, and Juan slain. Kiana and Pohaku must perish in the coming war. Olmedo and Beatriz shall believe that I have taken them away to save them. He shall die in attempting to escape, and she shall be rescued by me. It will then be time enough to use my opportunity, if she still resists my love. Alone! whom else can she look to? Chiefs and people all curse Pohaku, brute87 that he is. Many already hail me as their deliverer from his tyranny. Yes, love and revenge are both sweet to an Aztec. My parents’ slaughter88 shall be avenged89, and these sacrilegious Spaniards shall learn that an Aztec’s hate never dies.”
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1
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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retrace
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| v.折回；追溯，探源 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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devout
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| adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness) | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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maidens
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| 处女( maiden的名词复数 )； 少女； 未婚女子； （板球运动）未得分的一轮投球 | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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chaste
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| adj.贞洁的；有道德的；善良的；简朴的 | |
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monk
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| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
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demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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entrapped
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| v.使陷入圈套，使入陷阱( entrap的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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entreated
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| 恳求，乞求( entreat的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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scantily
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| adv.缺乏地；不充足地；吝啬地；狭窄地 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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24
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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circuitous
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| adj.迂回的路的，迂曲的，绕行的 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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impervious
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| adj.不能渗透的，不能穿过的，不易伤害的 | |
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bided
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| v.等待，停留( bide的过去式 )；居住；等待；面临 | |
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athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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31
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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32
demeanor
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| n.行为；风度 | |
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crafty
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| adj.狡猾的，诡诈的 | |
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auspices
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| n.资助，赞助 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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40
lenient
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| adj.宽大的，仁慈的 | |
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41
meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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42
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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torpid
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| adj.麻痹的，麻木的，迟钝的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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45
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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46
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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pendulous
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| adj.下垂的；摆动的 | |
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spectral
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| adj.幽灵的，鬼魂的 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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51
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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52
chafed
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| v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的过去式 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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53
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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54
shrieks
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| n.尖叫声( shriek的名词复数 )v.尖叫( shriek的第三人称单数 ) | |
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gusts
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| 一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作 | |
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56
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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57
owls
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| n.猫头鹰( owl的名词复数 ) | |
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58
hooting
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| （使）作汽笛声响，作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 )； 倒好儿； 倒彩 | |
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59
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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60
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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61
reeked
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| v.发出浓烈的臭气( reek的过去式和过去分词 )；散发臭气；发出难闻的气味 (of sth)；明显带有（令人不快或生疑的跡象） | |
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62
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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63
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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mangled
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| vt.乱砍（mangle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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taunted
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| 嘲讽( taunt的过去式和过去分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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68
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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69
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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fortified
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| adj. 加强的 | |
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71
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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72
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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73
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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myriads
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| n.无数，极大数量( myriad的名词复数 ) | |
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75
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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crumbling
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| adj.摇摇欲坠的 | |
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pall
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| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
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penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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gainsay
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| v.否认，反驳 | |
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80
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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81
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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82
abodes
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| 住所( abode的名词复数 )； 公寓； （在某地的）暂住； 逗留 | |
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83
mingling
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| adj.混合的 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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85
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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86
circumvent
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| vt.环绕，包围；对…用计取胜，智胜 | |
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87
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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88
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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89
avenged
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复 | |
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