“Not here unwelcome, tho’ unknown. Enter and rest!” the Friar said. The moon, that thro’ the portal shone, Shone on his reverend head. Thro’ many a court and gallery dim Slowly he led, the burial-hymn Swelling from the distant choir. But now the holy men retire; The arched cloisters issuing thro’ In long long order, two and two. * * * * * When other sounds had died away, And the waves were heard alone, They enter’d, tho’ unus’d to pray, Where God was worshipp’d, night and day, And the dead knelt round in stone; They enter’d, and from aisle to aisle Wander’d with folded arms awhile, Where on his altar-tomb reclin’d[z] The crosier’d Abbot; and the Knight In harness for the Christian fight, His hands in supplication join’d;— Then said as in a solemn mood, “Now stand we where COLUMBUS stood!” * * * * * “PEREZ,[4] thou good old man,” they cried, “And art thou in thy place of rest?— Tho’ in the western world His grave,[5] [a] That other world, the gift He gave,[6] Would ye were sleeping side by side! Of all his friends He lov’d thee best.” * * * * * The supper in the chamber done, Much of a Southern Sea they spake, And of that glorious City[7] won Near the setting of the Sun, Thron’d in a silver lake; Of seven kings in chains of gold[8]— And deeds of death by tongue untold, Deeds such as breath’d in secret there Had shaken the Confession-chair! The Eldest swore by our Lady,[9] the Youngest by his conscience;[10] while the Franciscan, sitting by in his grey habit, turned away and crossed himself again and again. “Here is a little book,” said he at last, “the work of one in his shroud below. It tells of things you have mentioned; and, were Cortes and Pizarro here, it might perhaps make them reflect for a moment.” The Youngest smiled as he took it into his hand. He read it aloud to his companion with an unfaltering voice; but, when he laid it down, a silence ensued; nor was he seen to smile again that night.[11] “The curse is heavy,” said he at parting, “but Cortes may live to disappoint it.”—“Aye, and Pizarro too!” [1] The Convent of Rábida. [2] See Bernal Diaz, c. 203; and also a well-known portrait of Cortes, ascribed to Titian. Cortes was now in the 43d, Pizarro in the 60th year of his age. [3] Augustin Zaratè, lib. iv. c. 9. [4] Late Superior of the House. [5] In the chancel of the cathedral of St. Domingo. [6] The words of the epitaph. “A Castilia y a Leon nuevo Mundo dio Colon.” [7] Mexico. [8] Afterwards the arms of Cortes and his descendants. [9] Fernandez, lib. ii. c. 63. [10] B. Diaz, c. 203. [11] ‘After the death of Guatimotzin,’ says B. Diaz, ‘he became gloomy and restless; rising continually from his bed, and wandering about in the dark.’.—‘Nothing prospered with him; and it was ascribed to the curses he was loaded with.’