CHAPTER XXXI.
Tzin Euet was a prisoner, and very severely wounded. Eagerness to engage the enemy, and the impetuosity with which he led his warriors to the support of the allies, brought him, quickly, into the thickest of the fray. He fought as men only fight who realize the importance of a complete victory, which, in this instance, depended on the tenacity of the right wing of the army in holding the foe in check and calling for the engagement of his whole force by pressing him vigorously, which was according to Ixtlilchoatl's plan of defense, and of which Euetzin was fully advised.
When the Tezcucan battle-cry was heard coming from the sixth grand division as it fell upon the enemy's right flank, and was carried from left to right by the sister organizations, a fresh impetus was given to the momentum of the whole repelling army, and the battle, if possible, grew more fierce and sanguinary. In the struggle which ensued the tzin was carried into the very midst of the seething mass of human tigers, where he became separated from his men. When too late to extricate himself, he discovered, to his dismay, that he was surrounded by Tepanec warriors, who, seeing in him an important capture, struck him down with the javelin, and bore him, a bleeding prisoner, from the field.
In the retreat of the defeated army the prisoners were placed in the van—the severely wounded borne on stretchers. Euetzin was among the latter, feeling very much discouraged in view of his almost helpless condition, though glad of heart for the splendid victory his people had won.
Soon after darkness came on, Maxtla called a halt and his shattered forces went into camp. In the arrangement of the bivouac the wounded were placed apart from the regular organizations, and put in charge of surgeons, with which the armies were well supplied, and of whom the historian has said, in commendation: "Not with a view to prolonging the ill to extend the bill," as might be said of some modern practitioners, "was their skill directed, but to a speedy restoration of the patient to health."
Such a thing as a night attack was never considered by the Anahuacans in carrying on a war, and, so long as darkness covered the earth, an army of warriors could go to sleep with the assurance that they would not be disturbed by the enemy. A guard, therefore, was not established anywhere in Maxtla's army, except about the prisoners. This left the wounded almost free from surveillance.
Soon after the Tepanec forces went into camp a lad, apparently about fourteen or fifteen years of age, and rather stoutly built, might have been seen moving about among the soldiers. His dress was somewhat odd, indicating no particular connection or occupation. When asked as to who he was and where he lived, he answered, evasively, that he lived over near the lake, which was not a league away. He did not appear to be a person who might be suspected of having a special object in being there, and require watching. He was, therefore, permitted to move about of his own free will.
During the evening the youngster found opportunity to go among the wounded. He appeared to be searching for someone, for he scrutinized each person closely, as he passed. When he came to the tzin, and got a good look at him, his countenance quickly brightened—he had discovered the object of his search. Gaining Euetzin's attention, he gave him a sign of caution, and moved carelessly on.
The tzin recognized in the strange visitor a lad he had seen on several occasions, in the last few days before the battle, apparently doing duty as a messenger for someone in the allied army, and wondered greatly at his being in the Tepanec camp. He was sure from the boy's actions that he had something to communicate, and kept on the lookout for his return. He came, sure enough, and unconcernedly approached the tzin, who said:
"Do you wish to speak to me?"
In response to the inquiry the lad came quite close, and whispered:
"When the fires have burned out, and darkness hides you, come to a tree just beyond the camp—almost to the west—where you will find help to escape. Do not hesitate." Without waiting for a reply the strange youth turned slowly away, and disappeared.
Euetzin was greatly astonished. "What interest can the boy have in me, that he is here to aid in my escape?" he questioned. "And yet," he pursued, "he may be the agent of another. If I only might," he concluded, realizing his seemingly helpless condition. He had quite a little while in which to think over the matter before the fires would burn sufficiently low to enable him to withdraw from the camp unseen. He doubted his ability to succeed, for he was feeling very sore. His wound was a serious one, and that he might try to get away was not thought of by the doctors. He knew that it would be endangering his life to make the attempt, but when he considered that death was ahead of him if he remained a prisoner, he concluded that it had better be met in an effort to escape than at the hands of the Tepanec priests, later. Thus persuaded, he decided to take the risk.
When the time arrived at which he thought he might safely attempt to go he raised himself to a sitting posture, and looked about him to be assured that everything was favorable. Nothing could be seen or heard to deter him from starting at once, and quietly rolling from the stretcher onto his hands and knees, he crawled slowly and noiselessly from among the wounded warriors, careless as to whether they were sleeping or not, so long as his movements were not discovered. He almost forgot his suffering in the excitement he experienced from the hope of a possible escape, which grew stronger as, by degrees, he approached the limits of the camp. After getting safely beyond he attempted to rise to his feet, but found the exertion too painful to be endured, and sank back upon the ground, where he lay until the pain subsided, when he again started off, crawling. He had pursued, as nearly as he could estimate, a westerly course from the camp, and when he had gone a short distance farther from it, stopped to look for the tree alluded to by the boy. He discovered one off to his right, which he concluded must be the right one, and again resumed his slow and painful movement in its direction. It proved to be the tree referred to, for, on coming close to it, he was discovered by the lad, who was on the watch for him, and seemed highly delighted at his appearance.
"I am so glad!" he exclaimed, "for I feared you would not come."
"What is it to you, boy, whether I come or stay?" asked the tzin, abruptly.
"It is much to me, which I hope you will live to learn. But now, tzin Euet, let it be enough for you to know that I am here to help you," returned the lad in some confusion, caused by tzin's abruptness.
"But I would like to know who you are, that takes so much interest in my welfare."
"My name is Hualla, tzin—just Hualla, but you must not question me. Time is precious to us, and we must hasten. In yonder woods, toward the lake, we may find security. When we are there you shall know where I came from."
"I already know where you came from, for I have seen you in our army; but I would know more: I would know why you are interested in me," persisted the tzin.
"We are losing time; let us be off," returned the youth, evasively, and with increasing anxiety.
"Is there no one with you?" questioned the tzin.
"No one; I am alone."
"My young friend, I can not walk; how then, do you imagine, am I going to reach those woods without assistance?" Spoken in a tone of disappointment.
"I will assist you. I am strong, if not very large," was the confident reply.
"You are very good, Hualla, in being so willing and anxious to help me, but I fear you will not be equal to the demands which my crippled condition will require in an effort to gain the cover of yon woods."
"You will let me try, tzin; I may be stronger than you think," said the lad, taking hold of Euetzin's arm to assist him to rise.
"Yes, you may try. Until you have done so, we will not despair; our combined efforts may prove successful," said Euetzin, getting onto his feet, with the assistance of the youth.
"Now lean on me," said Hualla, putting his arm around the tzin's body. "In this way I think we can get on."
A heroic effort was now made by both to get away from the vicinity of Maxtla's camp. The tzin suffered intensely at every step, and his face, could it have been seen, would have shown a deathly pallor. While the effort continued he found it necessary to gradually lean more heavily upon his support, until the youth, from sheer inability to proceed farther, allowed his burden to sink to the ground.
They had covered in the effort quite a little distance, and the lad, though considerably exhausted, was encouraged. But just here a new complication entered into the situation: the bandages which confined the tzin's wound had become disarranged by his exertions, and hemorrhage ensued. There was no alternative in the matter: they must stop and rearrange the disordered bandages.
Stretching himself on the ground, the tzin gave directions to Hualla as to how he should proceed, and the bleeding was checked. In performing the operation, no woman's fingers ever worked more gently than did Hualla's.
The tzin once more endeavored to rise to his feet, but failed in the attempt because of the extreme pain it caused him.
"I can go no farther, Hualla," he said, in deep distress.
The lad appeared to be greatly affected by the failure, as Euetzin could discern, even in the darkness. He walked away a few steps, as if to hide his emotion. Returning presently, he said, in an excited tone of voice:
"Tzin Euet, you must escape. Macua, my master, and Hualcoyotl—yes, Ixtlilchoatl, too, would have it so. I will carry you."
Euetzin was astonished at the vehemence in the youth's actions, and also at his allusion to Ix and the two princes. He quickly inquired:
"Are you a servant to Macua, and here at his bidding?"
"Yes, I am a servant to Macua, but he knows nothing of my being here. I heard the voice of sorrow when it was discovered that you were missing, and in that moment resolved to save you, if it could be done," replied the youth, fervidly.
"You are a noble lad, Hualla, and should I escape to live, your conduct shall be richly rewarded."
"You must escape," repeated the youth in a voice of great earnestness. "Get upon my back, and I will bear you to the woods."
"I do not think you have the strength, Hualla, to do that; and if you had, it would be too much to expect of you."
"Yes, it would be much to expect of me, if it were not a case of life and death. That makes the difference, tzin, and you must allow me to make the attempt."
Euetzin was silent for a moment, and then said:
"Hualla, I think we will have to give your proposition a trial, as it appears to be our only hope, though a slight one, of reaching those woods."
The tzin was not a small man, nor was he large, but, nevertheless, a heavy load for such a person as Hualla to carry for any considerable distance. The feat was undertaken with some degree of success; and as the tzin was borne along on the back of the youth a tinge of shame might have been seen to redden his tawny brow, brought there by a thought of his unmanly position, and the boy's wonderful and almost superhuman efforts to get him into the woods.
Hualla succeeded in covering more than half the distance they had to go, but it was a fearful draught upon his strength, and he finally had to succumb from complete exhaustion. He said not a word, but dropped upon the ground and fairly gasped for breath.
Euetzin was deeply moved by the evident distress of the brave lad, who lay panting at his side, and for whom he could do nothing. He silently waited for him to recover, wondering the while if there was not some other incentive than that of devotion to his master back of the prodigious efforts he was making in his behalf.
Hualla lay perfectly still for some time, when he suddenly got up and said:
"Another effort like that, tzin, will bring us safely within the woods. If you are ready, I will try again."
"You will not try again, Hualla," replied the tzin, firmly. "If we can not gain the woods in some other way I will remain where I am. You shall not again exhaust yourself thus for my sake."
"I will do anything, tzin Euet, to secure your safety," was the lad's earnest rejoinder.
"I believe you would, Hualla. Still, I do not intend that you shall hurt yourself in doing it. I can not understand why you—a stranger—should exert yourself to the extent you are doing to secure my safety. The thought of it amazes me."
"Do not think of it, then, tzin. So long as I am pleased to help you, it should not be so very wonderful. I have my own reasons for doing it; let that satisfy you—until you are safe, at least."
"It is wonderful, nevertheless, my lad. However, if it pleases you to serve me in this way, and the service is accepted—which it is, with unbounded gratitude—its acceptance should be without question. So, Hualla, I'll trouble you no more about it. If you will permit me to lean on you for support, we will make another effort—such as we made in starting out. I will try my best to endure the attendant suffering," said the tzin.
Hualla assisted him to his feet, and caught him about the waist, holding him for a moment, until he was assured of his ability to proceed. The pain, which the effort cost him, was great, but, shutting hard his teeth, and leaning heavily on the lad, who put forth his best efforts, the tzin slowly, but surely, reduced the distance to the woods, until, finally, after several successful efforts, he entered its sheltering confines, where the two—one bruised and sore, the other almost exhausted—laid themselves down to await the coming morn, which was not very far away.