CHAPTER XXIX
CHRISTMASTIDE, a year from the sinking of the _Santa Maria_, came tonigh two thousand Christian men dwelling in some manner of houses bya river in a land that, so short time before, had never heard theword "Christmas." Now, in Spain and elsewhere, men and women, hearingChristmas bells, might wonder, "What are they doing--are they alsogoing to mass--those adventurers across the Sea of Darkness? Have theyconverted the Indies? Are they moving happily in the golden, spicylands? Great marvel! Christ now is born there as here!"
Juan Lepe chanced to be walking in the cool of the evening with DonFrancisco de Las Casas, a sensible, strong man, not unread in thephilosophers. He spoke to me of his son, a young man whom he loved, whowould sooner or later come out to him to Hispaniola, if he, the elder,stayed here. So soon as this we had begun to speak thus, "Come out toHispaniola." "Come out to Isabella in Hispaniola." What a strong wind islife, leaping from continent to continent and crying, "Home wherever Ican breathe and move!" This young man was Bartolome, then at Salamanca,at the University. Bartolome de Las Casas, whom Juan Lepe should liveto know and work with. But this evening I heard the father talk, as anyfather of any promising son.
With us, too, was Don Juan Ponce de Leon, who had a story out ofMandeville of a well by the city of Polombe in Prester John's country.If you drank of the well, though you were dying you would never morehave sickness, and though you were white-bearded you would come youngagain!
The palms waved above Isabella that was building behind the camp by theriver. It was beginning, it was planned out; the stone church, the stonehouse of the Viceroy were already breast-high. A Spanish city building,and the bells of Europe ringing.
Out sprang the noise of a brawl.--There was that in the Admiral thatwould have when it could outward no less than inward magnificence.He could go like a Spartan or Diogenes the Cynic, but when the chancecame--magnificence! With him from Spain traveled a Viceroy's household.He had no less than thirty personal servants and retainers. Hidalgoshere at Isabella had also servants, but no one more than two or three.It was among these folk that first arose our amazing jealousies andenvies. Now and again the masters must take part. Not the Viceroy who insuch matters went very stately, but certain of our gentlemen. Loud andangry voices rose under the palms, under a sky of pale gold.
Sent for, I found the Admiral lying on his bed, not yet in his stonehouse but in a rich and large pavilion brought out especially for theViceroy and now pitched upon the river bank, under palms. I came to himpast numbers out of that thirty. Idle here; they certainly were idlehere! With him I found a secretary, but when he could he preferredalways to write his own letters, in his small, clear, strong hand, andnow he was doing this, propped in bed, in his brow a knot of pain. Hewrote many letters. Long afterwards I heard that it had become a sayingin Spain, "Write of your matters as often as Christopherus Columbus!"
I sat waiting for him to finish and he saw my eyes upon yet unfoldedpages strewing the table taken from the _Marigalante_ and set herebeside him. "Read if you like," he said. "The ships set sail day afterto-morrow."
I took and read in part his letter to a learned man with whom, once ortwice, Jayme de Marchena had talked. It was a long letter in which theAdmiral, thinker to thinker, set forth his second voyage and now hiscity building, and at last certain things for the mind not only of Spainbut of France and Italy and England and Germany. "All lands and allmen whom so far we have come to," wrote the Admiral, "are heathen andidolaters. In the providence of God all such are given unto Christendom.Christendom must take possession through the acts of Christian princes,under the sanction of Holy Church, allowed by the Pope who is Christ ourKing's Viceroy. Seeming hardship bringeth great gain! Millions of soulsconverted, are baptized. Every infant feeleth the saving water. Soulsthat were lost now are found. Christ beameth on them! To that, what isit that the earthly King of a country be changed?"
His quill traveled on over paper. Another sheet came into my hand. Iread it, then sat pondering. He sighed with pain, pushed all aside andpresently bade the secretary forth. When the man was gone he told meof an agony behind his eyes that now stabbed and now laid him in adrowsiness. I did what I could for him then waited until the access wasover. It passed, and he took again his pen.
I said, "You advise that there be made a market for Carib slaves,balancing thus the negroes the Portuguese are bringing in, and providinga fund for our needs--"
He said, "They are eaters of men's flesh, intractable and abominable,not like the gentler people we find hereabouts! It is certain thatbefore long, fleet after fleet coming, our two thousand here growinginto many thousands, more cities than Isabella arising, commerce andlife as in Europe beginning--Well, these fiercer, Caribal islands willbe overrun, taken for Spain! What better to do with their people? I donot wish to slay them and eat them!"
"Slaves--"
"How many Moors in Castile and Arragon, slaves and none the worsefor it, being baptized, being kindly enough entreated! And now thePortuguese bring Negroes, and are they the worse off, being taken froma deep damnation? Long ago, I have read, the English were taken to Romeand sold in the market place, and the blessed Gregory, seeing them,cried, 'Christ shall be preached in their nation!' Whereupon he sentAugustine and all England was saved.--Look you, this world is rude andworketh rudely! But it climbs in the teeth of its imperfections!"
"I do not doubt that," I said. "When it wills to climb."
"I do but lay it before the Sovereigns," he answered. "I do not knowwhat they will think of it there. But truly I know not what else to dowith these Asiatics when they withstand us! And even in slavery theymust gain from Christians! What matters masters when they find the TrueMaster?"
Juan Lepe brooded still while the pen scratched and scratched across thepage. The noise ceased. I looked up to see if he were in pain again, andmet gray-blue eyes as longing as a child's. "What I would," he said,"is that the Lord would give to me forever to sail a great ship, and tofind, forever to find! The sea is wider than the land, and it sends itswaves upon all lands. Not Viceroy, but the Navigator, the Finder--"
Juan Lepe also thought that there streamed his Genius. Here he was able,but there played the Fire. But he, like many another, had bound himself.Don Cristoval Colon--Viceroy--and eighths and tenths!