“I, the cacique,” said Zibalbay. “Open.”
“Indeed! That is strange,” answered the man, “seeing that this night the cacique holds his marriage-feast at the palace yonder, and there is but one cacique of the People of the Heart! Get back to the mainland, wanderers, and return in the day-time, when the gates stand wide.”
Now when Zibalbay heard these words, he cursed aloud in his anger, but Maya started as though with joy.
“I tell you that I am Zibalbay, come home again, your lord, and no other,” he cried, “and you will be wise to do my bidding.”
The man stared, and hesitated, till the captain of the boat spoke to him, saying:
“Fool, would you become food for fishes? This is the Lord Zibalbay, returned from the dead.”
Then he hastened to open the gate, as fast as his fear would let him.
“Pardon, father, pardon,” he cried, prostrating himself, “but the Lord Tikal, who rules in your place, has given it out that you were dead in the wilderness, and commanded that your name should be spoken no more in the city.”
Zibalbay swept by him without a word. When he had passed up the marble steps, and through the water-way, pierced in the thickness of the frowning walls, he halted, and, addressing the captain of the boatmen, said:
“Let this man be scourged to-morrow at noon in the market-place, that henceforth he may learn not to sleep at his post!”