Thenweenteredonthegreatcausewayofstonebuiltlikearoadrestingonthewaters，andwiththeafternoonwecametothetownofCuitlahuac。
　　ThencewepassedontoIztapalapan，andhereGuatemocwouldhaverestedforthenightintheroyalhouseofhisuncleCuitlahua。
　　ButwhenwereachedthetownwefoundthatMontezuma，whohadbeenadvisedofourapproachbyrunners，hadsentordersthatweweretopushontoTenoctitlan，andthatpalanquinshadbeenmadereadytobearus。
　　Soweenteredthepalanquins，andleavingthatlovelycityofgardens，wereborneswiftlyalongthesoutherncauseway。
　　Onwewentpasttownsbuiltuponpilesfixedinthebottomofthelake，pastgardensthatwerelaidoutonreedsandfloatedoverthewaterslikeaboat，pastteocallisandglisteningtempleswithoutnumber，throughfleetsoflightcanoesandthousandsofIndiansgoingtoandfroabouttheirbusiness，tillatlengthtowardssunsetwereachedthebattlementedfortthatiscalledXolocwhichstandsuponthedyke。
　　Isaystands，butalas！itstandsnomore。
　　Corteshasdestroyedit，andwithitallthosegloriouscitieswhichmyeyesbeheldthatday。
　　AtXolocwebegantoenterthecityofTenoctitlanorMexico，themightiestcitythateverIhadseen。
　　Thehousesontheoutskirts，indeed，werebuiltofmudoradobe，butthoseinthericherpartswereconstructedofredstone。
　　Eachhousesurroundedacourtyardandwasinturnsurroundedbyagarden，whilebetweenthemrancanals，havingfootpathsoneitherside。
　　Thenthereweresquares，andinthesquarespyramids，palaces，andtempleswithoutend。
　　I
　　gazedonthemtillIwasbewildered，butallseemedasnothingwhenatlengthIsawthegreattemplewithitsstonegatewaysopeningtothenorthandthesouth，theeastandthewest，itswallcarveneverywherewithserpents，itspolishedpavements，itsteocallisdeckedwithhumanskulls，thousandsuponthousandsofthem，anditsvastsurroundingtianquez，ormarketplace。
　　Icaughtbutaglimpseofitthen，forthedarknesswasfalling，andafterwardswewereborneonthroughthedarkness，Ididnotknowwhither。
　　AwhilewentbyandIsawthatwehadleftthecity，andwerepassingupasteephillbeneaththeshadowofmightycedartrees。
　　PresentlywehaltedinacourtyardandhereIwasbiddentoalight。
　　ThentheprinceGuatemocledmeintoawondroushouse，ofwhichalltheroomswereroofedwithcedarwood，anditswallshungwithrichly-colouredcloths，andinthathousegoldseemedasplentifulasbricksandoakarewithusinEngland。
　　Ledbydomesticswhoborecedarwandsintheirhands，wewentthroughmanypassagesandrooms，tillatlengthwecametoachamberwhereotherdomesticswereawaitingus，whowasheduswithscentedwatersandclothedusingorgeousapparel。
　　Thencetheyconductedustoadoorwherewewerebiddentoremoveourshoes，andacoarsecolouredrobewasgiventoeachofustohideoursplendiddress。
　　Therobeshavingbeenputon，weweresufferedtopassthedoor，andfoundourselvesinavastchamberinwhichweremanynoblemenandsomewomen，allstandingandcladincoarserobes。
　　Atthefarendofthischamberwasagildedscreen，andfrombehinditfloatedsoundsofsweetmusic。
　　Nowaswestoodinthegreatchamberthatwaslightedwithsweet-
　　smellingtorches，manymenadvancedandgreetedGuatemoctheprince，andInoticedthatallofthemlookeduponmecuriously。
　　PresentlyawomancameandIsawthatherbeautywasgreat。
　　Shewastallandstately，andbeneathherroughouterrobesplendidlyattiredinworkedandjewelledgarments。
　　WearyandbewilderedasI
　　was，herlovelinessseizedmeasitwereinavice，neverbeforehadIseensuchloveliness。
　　Forhereyewasproudandfullliketheeyeofabuck，hercurlinghairfelluponhershoulders，andherfeatureswereverynoble，yettenderalmosttosadness，thoughattimesshecouldseemfierceenough。
　　Thisladywasyetinherfirstyouth，perchanceshemayhaveseensomeeighteenyears，buthershapewasthatofafull-grownwomanandmostroyal。
　　’Greeting，Guatemocmycousin，’shesaidinasweetvoice；’soyouarecomeatlast。
　　Myroyalfatherhasawaitedyouforlongandwillaskquestionsastoyourdelay。
　　Mysisteryourwifehaswonderedalsowhyyoutarried。’
　　NowasshespokeIfeltratherthansawthatthisladywassearchingmewithhereyes。
　　’Greeting，Otomiemycousin，’answeredtheprince。
　　’Ihavebeendelayedbytheaccidentsoftravel。
　　Tobascoisfaraway，alsomychargeandcompanion，Teule，’andhenoddedtowardsme，’metwithanaccidentontheroad。’
　　’Whatwastheaccident？’sheasked。
　　’Onlythis，thathesavedmefromthejawsofapumaattheriskofhislifewhenalltheothersfledfromme，andwassomewhathurtinthedeed。
　　Hesavedmethus——’andinfewwordshetoldthestory。
　　ShelistenedandIsawthathereyessparkledatthetale。
　　Whenitwasdoneshespokeagain，andthistimetome。
　　’Welcome，Teule，’shesaidsmiling。
　　’Youarenotofourpeople，yetmyheartgoesouttosuchaman。’
　　Andstillsmilingsheleftus。
　　’Whoisthatgreatlady？’IaskedofGuatemoc。
　　’ThatismycousinOtomie，theprincessoftheOtomie，myuncleMontezuma’sfavouritedaughter，’heanswered。
　　’Shelikesyou，Teule，andthatiswellforyouformanyreasons。
　　Hush！’
　　Ashespokethescreenatthefarendofthechamberwasdrawnaside。
　　Beyonditamansatuponabroideredcushion，whowasinhalingthefumesofthetobaccoweedfromagildedpipeofwoodaftertheIndianfashion。
　　Thisman，whowasnootherthanthemonarchMontezuma，wasofatallbuildandmelancholycountenance，havingaverypalefaceforoneofhisnation，andthinblackhair。
　　Hewasdressedinawhiterobeofthepurestcotton，andworeagoldenbeltandsandalssetwithpearls，andonhisheadaplumeoffeathersoftheroyalgreen。
　　Behindhimwereabandofbeautifulgirlssomewhatslightlyclothed，someofwhomplayedonlutesandotherinstrumentsofmusic，andoneithersidestoodfourancientcounsellors，allofthembarefootedandcladinthecoarsestgarments。
　　Sosoonasthescreenwasdrawnallthecompanyinthechamberprostratedthemselvesupontheirknees，anexamplethatIhastenedtofollow，andthustheyremainedtilltheemperormadeasignwiththegildedbowlofhispipe，whentheyrosetotheirfeetagainandstoodwithfoldedhandsandeyesfixedabjectlyuponthefloor。
　　PresentlyMontezumamadeanothersignal，andthreeagedmenwhomI
　　understoodtobeambassadors，advancedandaskedsomeprayerofhim。
　　Heansweredthemwithanodoftheheadandtheyretreatedfromhispresence，makingobeisanceandsteppingbackwardtilltheymingledwiththecrowd。
　　Thentheemperorspokeawordtooneofthecounsellors，whobowedandcameslowlydownthehalllookingtotherightandtotheleft。
　　PresentlyhiseyefelluponGuatemoc，and，indeed，hewaseasytosee，forhestoodaheadtallerthananythere。
　　’Hail，prince，’hesaid。
　　’TheroyalMontezumadesirestospeakwithyou，andwiththeTeule，yourcompanion。’
　　’DoasIdo，Teule，’saidGuatemoc，andledthewayupthechamber，tillwereachedtheplacewherethewoodenscreenhadbeen，which，aswepassedit，wasdrawnbehindus，shuttingusofffromthehall。
　　Herewestoodawhile，withfoldedhandsanddowncasteyes，tillasignalwasmadetoustoadvance。
　　’Yourreport，nephew，’saidMontezumainalowvoiceofcommand。
　　’IwenttothecityofTobasco，OgloriousMontezuma。
　　IfoundtheTeuleandbroughthimhither。
　　AlsoIcausedthehighpriesttobesacrificedaccordingtotheroyalcommand，andnowIhandbacktheimperialsignet，’andhegavetheringtoacounsellor。
　　’Whydidyoudelaysolongupontheroad，nephew？’
　　’Becauseofthechancesofthejourney；whilesavingmylife，royalMontezuma，theTeulemyprisonerwasbittenbyapuma。
　　Itsskinisbroughttoyouasanoffering。’
　　NowMontezumalookedatmeforthefirsttime，thenopenedapicturescrollthatoneofthecounsellorshandedtohim，andreadinit，glancingatmefromtimetotime。
　　’Thedescriptionisgood，’hesaidatlength，’inallsaveonething——itdoesnotsaythatthisprisoneristhehandsomestmaninAnahuac。
　　Say，Teule，whyhaveyourcountrymenlandedonmydominionsandslainmypeople？’
　　’Iknownothingofit，Oking，’IansweredaswellasImightwiththehelpofGuatemoc，’andtheyarenotmycountrymen。’
　　’ThereportsaysthatyouconfesstohavingthebloodoftheseTeulesinyourveins，andthatyoucametotheseshores，ornearthem，inoneoftheirgreatcanoes。’
　　’Thatisso，Oking，yetIamnotoftheirpeople，andIcametotheshorefloatingonabarrel。’
　　’Iholdthatyoulie，’answeredMontezumafrowning，’forthesharksandcrocodileswoulddevouronewhoswamthus。’
　　Thenheaddedanxiously，’Say，areyouofthedescendantsofQuetzal？’
　　’Idonotknow，Oking。
　　Iamofawhiterace，andourforefatherwasnamedAdam。’
　　’PerchancethatisanothernameforQuetzal，’hesaid。
　　’Ithaslongbeenprophesiedthathischildrenwouldreturn，andnowitseemsthatthehouroftheircomingisathand，’andhesighedheavily，thenadded:’Gonow。
　　To-morrowyoushalltellmeoftheseTeules，andthecouncilofthepriestsshalldecideyourfate。’
　　NowwhenIheardthenameofthepriestsItrembledinallmybonesandcried，claspingmyhandsinsupplication:
　　’Slaymeifyouwill，Oking，butIbeseechyoudelivermenotagainintothehandsofthepriests。’
　　’Weareallinthehandsofthepriests，whoarethemouthofGod，’
　　heansweredcoldly。
　　’Besides，Iholdthatyouhaveliedtome。’
　　ThenIwentforebodingevil，andGuatemocalsolookeddowncast。
　　BitterlydidIcursethehourwhenIhadsaidthatIwasoftheSpanishbloodandyetnoSpaniard。
　　HadIknownevenwhatIknewthatday，torturewouldnothavewrungthosewordsfromme。
　　Butnowitwastoolate。
　　NowGuatemocledmetocertainapartmentsofthispalaceofChapoltepec，wherehiswife，theroyalprincessTecuichpo，waswaitinghim，averylovelylady，andwithherotherladies，amongthemtheprincessOtomie，Montezuma’sdaughter，andsomenobles。
　　Herearichrepastwasservedtous，andIwasseatednexttotheprincessOtomie，whospoketomemostgraciously，askingmemanythingsconcerningmylandandthepeopleoftheTeules。
　　ItwasfromherthatIlearnedfirstthattheemperorwasmuchdisturbedatheartbecauseoftheseTeulesorSpaniards，forhewassuperstitious，andheldthemtobethechildrenofthegodQuetzal，whoaccordingtoancientprophecywouldcometotaketheland。
　　Indeed，sograciouswasshe，andsoroyallylovely，thatforthefirsttimeIfeltmyheartstirredbyanyotherwomanthanmybetrothedwhomIhadleftfarawayinEngland，andwhom，asI
　　thought，Ishouldneverseeagain。
　　AndasIlearnedinafterdaysminewasnottheonlyheartthatwasstirredthatnight。
　　Neartoussatanotherroyallady，Papantzin，thesisterofMontezuma，butshewasneitheryoungnorlovely，andyetmostsweetfacedandsadasthoughwiththepresageofdeath。
　　Indeedshediednotmanyweeksafterbutcouldnotrestquietinhergrave，asshallbetold。