Imentionthisgirlherefortworeasons，firstbecauseshesavedmeoncefromsacrificeandoncefromtorture，andsecondlybecauseshewasnoneotherthanthatwomanwhoafterwardsbecameknownasMarina，themistressofCortes，withoutwhoseaidhehadneverconqueredMexico。
　　ButatthistimeshedidnotguessthatitwasherdestinytobringhercountryofAnahuacbeneaththecruelyokeoftheSpaniard。
　　FromthemomentofmyentryIsawthatMarina，asIwillcallher，forherIndiannameistoolongtobewritten，tookpityonmyforlornstate，anddidwhatlayinherpowertoprotectmefromvulgarcuriosityandtoministertomywants。
　　Itwasshewhobroughtmewatertowashin，andacleanrobeoflinentoreplacemyfoulandtatteredgarments，andacloakfashionedofbrightfeathersformyshoulders。
　　Whensupperwasdoneamatwasgivenmetosleeponinalittleroomapart，andhereIlaydown，thinkingthatthoughImightbelostforevertomyownworld，atleastIhadfallenamongapeoplewhoweregentleandkindly，andmoreover，asIsawfrommanytokens，nosavages。
　　Onething，however，disturbedme；IdiscoveredthatthoughIwaswelltreated，alsoIwasaprisoner，foramanarmedwithacopperspearsleptacrossthedoorwayofmylittleroom。
　　BeforeIlaydownIlookedthroughthewoodenbarswhichservedasaprotectiontothewindowplace，andsawthatthehousestoodupontheborderofalargeopenspace，inthemidstofwhichagreatpyramidtoweredahundredfeetormoreintotheair。
　　OnthetopofthispyramidwasabuildingofstonethatItooktobeatemple，andrightly，infrontofwhichafireburned。
　　Marvellingwhatthepurposeofthisgreatworkmightbe，andinhonourofwhatfaithitwaserected，Iwenttosleep。
　　OnthemorrowIwastolearn。
　　Hereitmaybeconvenientformetostate，whatIdidnotdiscovertillafterwards，thatIwasinthecityofTobasco，thecapitalofoneofthesouthernprovincesofAnahuac，whichissituatedatadistanceofsomehundredsofmilesfromthecentralcityofTenoctitlan，orMexico。
　　TheriverwhereIhadbeencastawaywastheRiodeTobasco，whereCorteslandedinthefollowingyear，andmyhost，orrathermycaptor，wasthecaciqueorchiefofTobasco，thesamemanwhosubsequentlypresentedMarinatoCortes。
　　Thusitcameaboutthat，withtheexceptionofacertainAguilar，whowithsomecompanionswaswreckedonthecoastofYucatansixyearsbefore，IwasthefirstwhitemanwhoeverdweltamongtheIndians。
　　ThisAguilarwasrescuedbyCortes，thoughhiscompanionswereallsacrificedtoHuitzel，thehorriblewar-godofthecountry。
　　ButthenameoftheSpaniardswasalreadyknowntotheIndians，wholookedonthemwithsuperstitiousfear，forintheyearprevioustomybeingcastaway，thehidalgoHernandezdeCordovahadvisitedthecoastofYucatanandfoughtseveralbattleswiththenatives，andearlierinthesameyearofmyarrival，JuandeGrigalvahadcometothisveryriverofTobasco。
　　ThusitcameaboutthatIwassetdownasoneofthisstrangenewnationofTeules，astheIndiansnamedtheSpaniards，andthereforeasanenemyforwhosebloodthegodswerethirsting。
　　Iawokeatdawnmuchrefreshedwithsleep，andhavingwashedandclothedmyselfinthelinenrobesthatwereprovidedforme，Icameintothelargeroom，wherefoodwasgivenme。
　　ScarcelyhadI
　　finishedmymealwhenmycaptor，thecacique，entered，accompaniedbytwomenwhoseappearancestruckterrortomyheart。
　　Incountenancetheywerefierceandhorrible；theyworeblackrobesembroideredwithmysticcharactersinred，andtheirlongandtangledhairwasmattedtogetherwithsomestrangesubstance。
　　Thesemen，whomallpresent，includingthechieforcacique，seemedtolookonwiththeutmostreverence，glaredatmewithafiercegleethatmademybloodruncold。
　　Oneofthem，indeed，toreopenmywhiterobeandplacedhisfilthyhanduponmyheart，whichbeatquicklyenough，countingitsthrobsaloudwhiletheothernoddedathiswords。
　　AfterwardsIlearnedthathewassayingthatIwasverystrong。
　　Glancingroundtofindtheinterpretationofthisactuponthefacesofthoseaboutme，myeyescaughtthoseofthegirlMarina，andtherewasthatinthemwhichleftmeinlittledoubt。
　　Horrorandpitywerewrittenthere，andIknewthatsomedreadfuldeathovershadowedme。
　　BeforeIcoulddoanything，beforeIcouldeventhink，Iwasseizedbythepriests，orpabasastheIndiansnamethem，anddraggedfromtheroom，allthehouseholdfollowingusexceptMarinaandthecacique。
　　NowIfoundmyselfinagreatsquareormarketplaceborderedbymanyfinehousesofstoneandlime，andsomeofmud，whichwasfillingrapidlywithavastnumberofpeople，menwomenandchildren，whoallstaredatmeasIwenttowardsthepyramidonthetopofwhichthefireburned。
　　AtthefootofthispyramidIwasledintoalittlechamberhollowedinitsthickness，andheremydresswastornfrommebymorepriests，leavingmenakedexceptforaclothaboutmyloinsandachapletofbrightflowerswhichwassetuponmyhead。
　　Inthischamberwerethreeothermen，Indians，whofromthehorrorontheirfacesI
　　judgedtobealsodoomedtodeath。
　　Presentlyadrumbegantobeathighaboveus，andweweretakenfromthechamberandplacedinaprocessionofmanypriests，I
　　beingthefirstamongthevictims。
　　Thenthepriestssetupachantandwebegantheascentofthepyramid，followingaroadthatwoundroundandrounditsbulktillitendedonaplatformatitssummit，whichmayhavemeasuredfortypacesinthesquare。
　　Hencetheviewofthesurroundingcountrywasveryfine，butinthathourI
　　scarcelynoticedit，havingnocareforprospects，howeverpleasing。
　　Onthefurthersideoftheplatformweretwowoodentowersfiftyfeetorsoinheight。
　　Thesewerethetemplesofthegods，HuitzelGodofWarandQuetzalGodoftheAir，whosehideouseffigiescarvedinstonegrinnedatusthroughtheopendoorways。
　　Inthechambersofthesetemplesstoodsmallaltars，andonthealtarswerelargedishesofgold，containingtheheartsofthosewhohadbeensacrificedontheyesterday。
　　Thesechambers，moreover，wereencrustedwitheverysortoffilth。
　　Infrontofthetemplesstoodthealtarwhereonthefireburnedeternally，andbeforeitwereahog-backedblockofblackmarbleofthesizeofaninndrinkingtable，andagreatcarvenstoneshapedlikeawheel，measuringsometenfeetacrosswithacopperringinitscentre。
　　AllthesethingsIrememberedafterwards，thoughatthetimeI
　　scarcelyseemedtoseethem，forhardlywerewearrivedontheplatformwhenIwasseizedanddraggedtothewheel-shapedstone。
　　Hereahidegirdlewasputroundmywaistandsecuredtotheringbyaropelongenoughtoenablemetoruntotheedgeofthestoneandnofurther。
　　Thenaflint-pointedspearwasgiventomeandspearsweregivenalsotothetwocaptiveswhoaccompaniedme，anditwasmadecleartomebysignsthatImustfightwiththem，itbeingtheirparttoleapuponthestoneandminetodefendit。
　　NowIthoughtthatifIcouldkillthesetwopoorcreatures，perhapsI
　　myselfshouldbeallowedtogofree，andsotosavemylifeI
　　preparedtotaketheirsifIcould。
　　Presentlytheheadpriestgaveasignalcommandingthetwomentoattackme，buttheyweresolostinfearthattheydidnotevenstir。
　　Thenthepriestsbegantoflogthemwithleathergirdlestillatlengthcryingoutwithpain，theyranatme。
　　Onereachedthestoneandleaptuponitalittlebeforetheother，andIstruckthespearthroughhisarm。
　　Instantlyhedroppedhisweaponandfled，andtheothermanfledalso，fortherewasnofightinthem，norwouldanyfloggingbringthemtofacemeagain。
　　Seeingthattheycouldnotmakethembrave，thepriestsdeterminedtohavedonewiththem。
　　Amidstagreatnoiseofmusicandchanting，hewhomIhadsmittenwasseizedanddraggedtothehog-
　　backedblockofmarble，whichintruthwasastoneofsacrifice。
　　Onthishewascastdown，breastupwards，andheldsobyfivepriests，twogrippinghishands，twohislegs，andonehishead。
　　Then，havingdonnedascarletcloak，theheadpriest，thatsamewhohadfeltmyheart，utteredsomekindofprayer，and，raisingacurvedknifeoftheflint-likeglassoritztli，struckopenthepoorwretch’sbreastatasingleblow，andmadetheancientofferingtothesun。
　　Ashedidthisallthemultitudeintheplacebelow，infullviewofwhomthisbloodygamewasplayed，prostratedthemselves，remainingontheirkneestilltheofferinghadbeenthrownintothegoldencenserbeforethestatueofthegodHuitzel。
　　Thereonthehorriblepriests，castingthemselvesonthebody，carrieditwithshoutstotheedgeofthepyramidorteocalli，androlleditdownthesteepsides。
　　Atthefootoftheslopeitwasliftedandborneawaybycertainmenwhowerewaiting，forwhatpurposeIdidnotknowatthattime。
　　Scarcelywasthefirstvictimdeadwhenthesecondwasseizedandtreatedinalikefashion，themultitudeprostratingthemselvesasbefore。
　　Andthenlastofallcamemyturn。
　　Ifeltmyselfseizedandmysensesswam，nordidIrecoverthemtillIfoundmyselflyingontheaccursedstone，thepriestsdraggingatmylimbsandhead，mybreaststrainedupwardstilltheskinwasstretchedtightasthatofadrum，whileovermestoodthehumandevilinhisredmantle，theglassknifeinhishand。
　　NevershallIforgethiswickedfacemaddenedwiththelustforblood，ortheglareinhiseyesashetossedbackhismattedlocks。
　　Buthedidnotstrikeatonce，hegloatedoverme，prickingmewiththepointoftheknife。
　　ItseemedtomethatIlaythereforyearswhilethepabaaimedandpointedwiththeknife，butatlastthroughamistthatgatheredbeforemyeyes，Isawitflashupward。
　　ThenwhenIthoughtthatmyhourhadcome，ahandcaughthisarminmid-airandhelditandI
　　heardavoicewhispering。
　　Whatwassaiddidnotpleasethepriest，forsuddenlyhehowledaloudandmadeadashtowardsmetokillme，butagainhisarmwascaughtbeforetheknifefell。
　　ThenhewithdrewintothetempleofthegodQuetzal，andforalongwhileIlayuponthestonesufferingtheagoniesofahundreddeaths，forIbelievedthatitwasdeterminedtotorturemebeforeIdied，andthatmyslaughterhadbeenstayedforthispurpose。
　　ThereIlayuponthestone，thefiercesunlightbeatingonmybreast，whilefrombelowcamethefaintmurmurofthethousandsofthewonderingpeople。
　　AllmylifeseemedtopassbeforemeasI
　　wasstretcheduponthatawfulbed，ahundredlittlethingswhichI
　　hadforgottencamebacktome，andwiththemmemoriesofchildhood，ofmyoathtomyfather，ofLily’sfarewellkissandwords，ofdeGarcia’sfaceasIwashurledintothesea，ofthedeathofIsabelladeSiguenza，andlastlyavaguewonderastowhyallpriestsweresocruel！
　　AtlengthIheardfootstepsandshutmyeyes，forIcouldbearthesightofthatdreadfulknifenolonger。
　　Butbehold！noknifefell。
　　SuddenlymyhandswereloosedandIwasliftedtomyfeet，onwhichIneverhopedtostandagain。
　　ThenIwasbornetotheedgeoftheteocalli，forIcouldnotwalk，andheremywould-bemurderer，thepriest，havingfirstshoutedsomewordstothespectatorsbelow，thatcausedthemtomurmurlikeaforestwhenthewindstirsit，claspedmeinhisblood-stainedarmsandkissedmeontheforehead。
　　NowitwasforthefirsttimethatInoticedmycaptor，thecacique，standingatmyside，grave，courteous，andsmiling。
　　Ashehadsmiledwhenhehandedmetothepabas，sohesmiledwhenhetookmebackfromthem。