The Law of Love

The Law of Love Summary | Chapter 1 Summary

When Hernando Cortés conquers Mexico, he constructs a new city on the site of the ancient city of Tenochtitlán. He levels Tenochtitlán, reasoning that if he leaves ruins, they will become a monument to the Aztecs and lead them, sooner or later, to try to recapture their city. Rodrigo Díaz, one of Cortés' foot soldiers, is granted a sacred pyramid as a place to build his home. The pyramid is a religious site for the Indians and a place where pagan ceremonies have been conducted to honor a goddess of love. Capping the pyramid is a stone, which Rodrigo discards when the holy site is torn down to build his house.

Along with the pyramid, Rodrigo is also granted ownership of fifty Indians. Among them is Citlali, a woman of proud and noble heritage among the Aztecs. Citlali leads the Indians as they approach Rodrigo atop the pyramid. Rodrigo killed Citlali's newborn son and her husband during the conquest and destroyed her home and the city she loved. Her presence and her movements, coupled with the location on the mountain of love, so incite Rodrigo that he sends the other Indians away and rapes her. Citlali is outraged at the attack not only because of its savage nature but because it occurs on the holy site dedicated to the goddess of love.

Not only is Rodrigo obligated, for purposes of combating idolatry, to build a church on his land within six months, but he must also marry to meet the requirements to receive the grant of land. He sends to Spain to bring Doña Isabel de Góngora to Tlatelolco to become his wife. Citlali is placed in Isabel's service as a maid-in-waiting. Isabel and Citlali do not speak the same language and there is no communication between them. Isabel hates Tlatelolco and Citlali loves it because it is her home. Isabel loves and longs for Spain and Citlali hates Spain because it is where Rodrigo learned to kill. Both women are stubborn, arrogant and set in their prejudices.

Teo, Divine Singer, lives in Tlatelolco and entertains children by dancing small gods on the palm of his hand. Teo has shaped the little gods and they can speak, wage war and sing in the voices of animals. Citlali cherishes her childhood memories of Teo.

Citlali and Isabel become pregnant by Rodrigo. Isabel awaits her son with great joy, but Citlali aborts the child within her. Rodrigo's marriage to Isabel is a marriage of convenience, but he is obsessed with Citlali and believes that he is showing his love when he constantly demands sex from her.

Citlali only asks something of Rodrigo once, but in that single instance he can do nothing to satisfy her wish. Teo has been driven mad by the conquest and has been wandering about. He has been picked up and is being brought to the Viceroy, who is dining at Rodrigo's house. Teo's hands have already been severed and now the Viceroy decrees that his tongue must also be cut out. Even though Citlali pleads with Rodrigo, he can do nothing because he is already suspected of treating the Indians with too much kindness. Had Rodrigo spoken, his Indians would have been taken from him and he cannot risk losing Citlali.

Citlali never speaks to Rodrigo again. The house is now occupied by people who never communicate with each other. The true reason, we are told, is the location. The house was built on the House of Love, which intended to take the mount back. Citlali's strategy is to take revenge and she soon has an opportunity. She intentionally drops and kills Isabel's newborn son. Rodrigo kills Citlali and himself. Isabel dies immediately afterward.