They went out last year in the ninth moon. While on the way, for
some unknown reason, a quarrel arose among the men at midnight; and
in less than two hours more than eighty boats and over seven hundred
men were burned, besides the many who were drowned. All this augured
evil. And thus we sent you a memorial asking that you should give
audience on matters concerning the good government of the kingdom,
according to the will of Heaven. You answered, "Now it is cold, now
hot; I am indisposed and unable to do it; I shall choose another day
to go out, or you may choose it." We the mandarins, together, chose
the seventh day of the same moon, which was convenient. You, however,
did not answer favorably, but instead threw the memorial into the fire.
Furthermore, we learned from the province of Xansinque, this third
moon, that a man suddenly appeared dressed in yellow, with a green cap
[_bonete_], and a little fan of feathers in his hand. He called out,
"Vanlle (which is the name of the king here) [66] is a king without
a government, although he has ruled a long time. He is always asleep
in his palace, wherefore the kingdom is about to be lost. The men
of the people must perish of hunger, and the great captains must die
by the sword and the lance." With this he disappeared. The viceroy,
Chaien, and the mandarins were greatly terrified, and made vigorous
efforts to find him and to learn who he was and where he lived,
but they never found further trace of him.
Pages:
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204