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Then she turned and passed away into the shadow of the trees; I heard her graveclothes sweep upon the grass. Now a fury seized Montezuma and he raved aloud, saying: 'Curses on you, Papantzin, my sister! Why then do you come back from the dead to bring me such evil tidings? Had you brought hope with you, had you shown a way of escape, then I would have welcomed you.
* For the history of the resurrection of Papantzin, see note to Jourdanet's translation of Sahagun, page 870. Now some months passed between the date of my naming as the god Tezcat and the entry of the Spaniards into Mexico, and during all this space the city was in a state of ferment.
Now Montezuma stepped from the shadow and stood face to face with the dead. 'Who are you? he said, 'who wear the shape of one dead and are dressed in the garments of the dead? 'I am Papantzin, she answered, 'and I am risen out of death to bring you a message, Montezuma, my brother. 'What message do you bring me? he asked hoarsely. 'I bring you a message of doom, my brother.
Near to us sat another royal lady, Papantzin, the sister of Montezuma, but she was neither young nor lovely, and yet most sweet faced and sad as though with the presage of death. Indeed she died not many weeks after but could not rest quiet in her grave, as shall be told.
On she came toward us, gliding like one who walks in her sleep, till she stopped before the bush in the shadow of which we stood. Now Papantzin, or the ghost of Papantzin, looked at us with blind eyes, that is with eyes that were open and yet did not seem to see. 'Are you there, Montezuma, my brother? she said in the voice of Papantzin; 'surely I feel your presence though I cannot see you.
'You said it, Teule, she answered, 'and it is accursed. Then we went into the palace, and even in this hour of fear, after me came the minstrels as before. On the morrow Papantzin died, and was buried with great pomp that same evening in the burial-ground at Chapoltepec, by the side of the emperor's royal ancestors. But, as will be seen, she was not content with their company.
Now in front of these gates was an open space of turf on which the moonlight shone brightly, and in the centre of this space lay something white, shaped like a woman. Here Montezuma halted and looked at the gates, then said: 'These gates opened four days since for Papantzin, my sister; how long, I wonder, will pass before they open for me?
That Papantzin rose from the dead is true, though perhaps she only swooned and never really died. At the least she did not go back there for a while, for though I never saw her again, it is said that she lived to become a Christian and told strange tales of what she had seen in the land of Death.*
'O king, forgive the tongue that must tell such tidings. Your royal sister Papantzin was seized with terror at yonder dreadful sight, and he pointed to the heavens; 'she lies dying in the palace! Now when the emperor heard that his sister whom he loved was dying, he said nothing, but covering his face with his royal mantle, he passed slowly back to the palace.
Because of the worship of these demon gods the people of Anahuac is destined to destruction. 'Have you no word of comfort for me, Papantzin, my sister? he asked. 'None, she answered. 'Perchance if you abandon the worship of the false gods you may save your soul; your life you cannot save, nor the lives of your people.
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