The Fan-Maker's Inquisition by Rikki Ducornet Read Free Book Online Page A

maize; ixlaul, laurel; nicte, plumaria.…Pointing to a bird painted above the towns he says: “This is the ixyalchamil, which is always there where people have planted gardens. And here is the magpie, who scolds the Spanish when they pass.” Landa chooses to ignore this discourtesy, at least temporarily .
    “It is painted fair,” Landa acknowledges, causing the color in Melchor’s face to rise. “The Indian’s touch is light and vivid. But tell me,” he says, turning to Kukum, “what is the significance of these signs painted at the border all around?”
    “The sacred and secular calendars circumscribe the map like two snakes sleeping side by side,” Kukum explains, “because the cities are all laid out according to celestial patterns and recall rituals that close and open the cycles of time.”
    “And these? “Where Landa points, his nail leaves a mark .
    “They identify geographical accidents: This one keeps alive the memory of a pestilence—one that foretold the present time; and this carries the thoughts back to a unique celestial event. Here one is in danger of being bitten by red ants, and here by snakes.”
    “How often their thoughts turn to snakes,” says Melchor darkly .
    “Nevertheless, how clever it is,” Landa responds. Taking the other things Kukum has brought, Landa has him escorted to a cell for safekeeping. “What you know is interesting and useful to me,” Landa tells Kukum as he is led away. “You will not be treated badly.”
    “My people’s memory is in your keeping now,” Kukum says with dignity, as if among gentlemen .
    Once Kukum has been removed, Landa asks Melchor why his map is so unlike the Maya’s. “For,” he says, “it is high time I told you that our soldiers have looked for the lake you have drawn so clearly and cleverly smack in the middle of the northern lowlands, and so far they have not found it.”
    “Each time our soldiers go into the country,” Melchor replies, “they are bewitched by devils disguised as daughters of men. I have seen them return from the country reeling and laughing like drunks, and all because of the deeds of witches. For weeks they are tormented by nightmares, or sexual fire, or seized by fits of outrageous laughter, and only after their ardor is cooled with aspersions of holy water, and their minds with prayer and fasting, may they proceed with things. The lake is there; it shall be found. I, myself, have seen it and walked its circumference, which took me a full day. “Melchor does not tell Landa that he had in fact seen the lake—and received it as a revelation—in a dream .
    “I believe you,” Landa says. “But still…” He fingers the map, folding and unfolding it, marveling at the cleverness of its construction. “What do you make of the apparent care with which it has been done? And this man, Kukum, is no fool, although…how oddly made these people are! All as ugly as dogs!”
    “Ugly as their own bald dogs!” Melchor agrees .
    —It is true that the natives of the New World are ugly, for I have seen a mummy on display in the gardens of the royal palace during the summer fair, and it was hideous.
    —[The fan-maker ignores this and continues:]
    “Such things have been found beside their altars spattered with blood,” says Landa. He lifts the map to his nose and frowns. “Just as I thought,” he says. “The map stinks of copal.”
    With growing excitement, Melchor tugs at the hair of his beard and twists and untwists it around his thumb. “A filthy thing,” he says. “Its red border may be poisoned. See the devils painted all around!” Pointing to things more unknown to him and so incomprehensible, Melchor adds with conviction: “Here are the seals and characters of Lucifer and Astaroth—and lo! Beelzebuth, too!”
    “Faith!” Landa agrees. “I know these well, and now I perceive them! Here is the obscene character of Clawneck—so like the male genital robbed of potency by means of sorcery or, by fire,