10. The sovereigns waited here with impatience, their eyes! fixed on the lofty tower of the Alhambra, watching for the appointed signal of possession. 11. The time that had elapsed since the departure of the detachment, seemed to them more than necessary for the purpose; and the anxious mind of Ferdinand began to entertain doubts of some commotion in the city. 12. At length they saw the silver cross, the great standard of this crusade, elevated on the Torre de la Vela, or great watch-tower, and sparkling in the sunbeams. This was done by Hernando de Talavera, bishop of Avila. 13. Beside it was planted the penon of the glorious apostle St. James; and a great shout of "Santiago! Santiago!" rose throughout the army. Lastly was reared the royal standard, by the king of arms; with the shout of "Castile! Castile! For King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella!" 14. The words were echoed by the whole army, with acclamations that resounded across the vega. CHAPTER IV. THE TALE OF AN INDIAN MAID.—[BRYANT.] There was a maid, The fairest of the Indian maids, bright eyed, Incestuous, and she struggled hard and long In vain. To weep where no eye saw, and was not found The keen eyed Indian dames Would whisper to each other, as they saw 5 10 A playmate of her young and innocent years, She poured her griefs. Thou knowest, and thou alone She said, for I have told thee, all my love, And guilt and sorrow. I am sick of life. 15 All night! I weep in darkness, and the morn Have an unnatural horror in mine ear. 20 In dreams my mother from the land of souls, 25 Lay garlands, ears of maize, and shaggy skins 1 Rule X. Rule I., Rem. 5. 30 Doth walk on the high places and affect The earth-o'erlooking mountains. She had on1 To deck the beauty of his bright eyed girl, And bade her wear2 when stranger warriors came 3 To be his guests. Beautiful lay the region of her tribe Below her- - waters resting in the embrace Of the wide forest, and maize-planted glades 10 She gazed upon it long, and at sight Of her own village, peeping through the trees, And her own dwelling, and the cabin roof Of him she loved with an unlawful love, And came to die for, a warm gush of tears 15 Run from her eyes. But when the sun grew low And the hill shadows long, she threw herself From the steep rock and perished. WHAT IS GLORY? WHAT IS FAME?—[MOTHERWELL.] What is Glory? What is Fame? The echo of a long lost name; 20 A breath, an idle hour's brief talk; 25 A stream that hurries on its way, The last drop of a bootless shower, A rose stuck in a dead man's breast;— 30 Rule X. What is Fame? and what is Glory? To tickle fools withal, or be A theme for second infancy; A joke scrawled on an epitaph; 5 A grin at Death's own ghastly laugh; A visioning that tempts the eye, O'er hill-top to more distant height, A bubble blown by fond conceit, A word of praise perchance of blame; 10 15 CHAPTER V. MONTEZUMA.—[PRESCOTT.] 1. Montezuma displayed all the energy and enterprise in the commencement of his reign, which had been anticipated from him. 2. His first expedition against a rebel province in the neighborhood was crowned with success, and he led back in triumph a throng of captives for the bloody sacrifice that was to grace his coronation. This was celebrated with uncommon pomp. › Rule II. * Rule XXI., Rem. 13. 3. Games and religious ceremonies continued for several days, and among the spectators who flocked from distant quarters, were soine noble Tlascalans, the hereditary enemies of Mexico. They were in disguise, hoping thus to elude detection. 4. They were recognized, however, and reported to the monarch. But he only availed himself of the infor mation to provide them with honorable entertainment and a good place for witnessing the games. This was a magnanimous act, considering the long cherished hostil ity between the nations. 5. In his first years, Montezuma was constantly engaged in war, and frequently led his armies in person. The Aztec banners were seen in the furthest provinces or the Gulf of Mexico, and the distant regions of Nicaragua and Honduras. The expeditions were generally successful; and the limits of the empire were more widely extended than at any preceding period. 6. Meanwhile the monarch was not inattentive to the interior concerns of the kingdom. He made some important changes in the courts of justice; and carefully watched over the execution of the laws, which he enforced with stern severity. 7. He was in the habit of patrolling the streets of his capitol in disguise, to make1 himself personally acquainted with the abuses in it. 8. And with more questionable policy, it is said, he would sometimes try the integrity of his judges by tempting them with large bribes to swerve from their duty, and then call the delinquent to strict account for yielding to the temptation. |