comehere，OTezcat，accordingtotheancientcustom，becauseIamchargedwithamessagetoyou。
　　Thosewhomyoushallwedarechosen。
　　Iamthebeareroftheirnames。’
　　’Speakon，princessoftheOtomie。’
　　’Theyare’——andshenamedthreeladieswhomIknewtobeamongtheloveliestintheland。
　　’Ithoughtthattherewerefour，’Isaidwithabitterlaugh。
　　’AmItobedefraudedofthefourth？’
　　’Thereisafourth，’sheanswered，andwassilent。
　　’Givemehername，’Icried。
　　’Whatothersluthasbeenfoundtomarryafelondoomedtosacrifice？’
　　’Onehasbeenfound，OTezcat，whohasborneothertitlesthanthisyougiveher。’
　　NowIlookedatherquestioningly，andshespokeagaininalowvoice。
　　’I，Otomie，princessoftheOtomie，Montezuma’sdaughter，amthefourthandthefirst。’
　　’You！’Isaid，sinkingbackuponmycushions。
　　’YOU！’
　　’Yes，I。
　　Listen:Iwaschosenbythepriestsasthemostlovelyintheland，howeverunworthily。
　　Myfather，theemperor，wasangryandsaidthatwhateverbefell，Ishouldneverbethewifeofacaptivewhomustdieuponthealtarofsacrifice。
　　Butthepriestsansweredthatthiswasnotimeforhimtoclaimexceptionforhisblood，nowwhenthegodswerewroth。
　　Wasthefirstladyinthelandtobewithheldfromthegod？theyasked。
　　ThenmyfathersighedandsaidthatitshouldbeasIwilled。
　　AndIsaidwiththepriests，thatnowinoursoredistresstheproudmusthumblethemselvestothedust，eventothemarryingofacaptiveslavewhoisnamedagodanddoomedtosacrifice。
　　SoI，princessoftheOtomie，haveconsentedtobecomeyourwife，OTezcat，thoughperchancehadIknownallthatIreadinyoureyesthishour，I
　　shouldnothaveconsented。
　　ItmayhappenthatinthisshameI
　　hopedtofindloveifonlyforoneshorthour，andthatIpurposedtovarythecustomofourpeople，andtocompletemymarriagebythesideofthevictimonthealtar，as，ifIwill，Ihavetherighttodo。
　　ButIseewellthatIamnotwelcome，andthoughitistoolatetogobackuponmyword，havenofear。
　　Thereareothers，andIshallnottroubleyou。
　　Ihavegivenmymessage，isityourpleasurethatIshouldgo？
　　Thesolemnceremonyofwedlockwillbeonthetwelfthdayfromnow，OTezcat。’
　　NowIrosefrommyseatandtookherhand，saying:
　　’Ithankyou，Otomie，foryournoblenessofmind。
　　HaditnotbeenforthecomfortandfriendshipwhichyouandGuatemocyourcousinhavegivenme，IthinkthaterenowIshouldbedead。
　　Soyoudesiretocomfortmetothelast；itseemsthatyouevenpurposedtodiewithme。
　　HowamItointerpretthis，Otomie？
　　Inourlandawomanwouldneedtoloveamanafternocommonfashionbeforesheconsentedtosharesuchabedasawaitsmeonyonderpyramid。
　　AndyetImayscarcelythinkthatyouwhomkingshavesuedforcanplaceyourheartsolow。
　　HowamItoreadthewritingofyourwords，princessoftheOtomie？’
　　’Readitwithyourheart，’shewhisperedlow，andIfeltherhandtrembleinmyown。
　　Ilookedatherbeauty，itwasgreat；Ithoughtofherdevotion，adevotionthatdidnotshrinkfromthemosthorribleofdeaths，andawindoffeelingwhichwasakintolovesweptthroughmysoul。
　　ButevenasIlookedandthought，IrememberedtheEnglishgardenandtheEnglishmaidfromwhomIhadpartedbeneaththebeechatDitchingham，andthewordsthatwehadspokenthen。
　　Doubtlessshestilllivedandwastruetome；whileIlivedshouldInotkeeptrueathearttoher？
　　IfImustwedtheseIndiangirls，Imustwedthem，butifonceItoldOtomiethatIlovedher，thenIbrokemytroth，andwithnothinglesswouldshebesatisfied。
　　Asyet，thoughIwasdeeplymovedandthetemptationwasgreat，Ihadnotcometothis。
　　’Beseated，Otomie，’Isaid，’andlistentome。
　　Youseethisgoldentoken，’andIdrewLily’sposyringfrommyhand，’andyouseethewritingwithinit。’
　　Shebentherheadbutdidnotspeak，andIsawthattherewasfearinhereyes。
　　’Iwillreadyouthewords，Otomie，’andItranslatedintotheAztectonguethequaintcouplet:
　　Hearttoheart，Thoughfarapart。
　　Thenatlastshespoke。
　　’Whatdoesthewritingmean？’shesaid。
　　’Icanonlyreadinpictures，Teule。’
　　’Itmeans，Otomie，thatinthefarlandwhenceIcome，thereisawomanwholovesme，andwhoismylove。’
　　’Issheyourwifethen？’
　　’Sheisnotmywife，Otomie，butsheisvowedtomeinmarriage。’
　　’Sheisvowedtoyouinmarriage，’sheansweredbitterly:’why，thenweareequal，forsoamI，Teule。
　　Butthereisthisdifferencebetweenus；youloveher，andmeyoudonotlove。
　　Thatiswhatyouwouldmakecleartome。
　　Sparememorewords，I
　　understandall。
　　StillitseemsthatifIhavelost，sheisalsointhepathofloss。
　　Greatseasrollbetweenyouandthisloveofyours，Teule，seasofwater，andthealtarofsacrifice，andthenothingnessofdeath。
　　Nowletmego。
　　YourwifeImustbe，forthereisnoescape，butIshallnottroubleyouovermuch，anditwillsoonbedonewith。
　　ThenyoumayseekyourdesireintheHousesoftheStarswhitheryoumustwander，anditismyprayerthatyoushallwinit。
　　AllthesemonthsIhavebeenplanningtofindhopeforyou，andIthoughtthatIhadfoundit。
　　Butitwasbuiltuponafalsebelief，anditisended。
　　Hadyoubeenabletosayfromyourheartthatyoulovedme，itmighthavebeenwellforbothofus；shouldyoubeabletosayitbeforetheend，itmaystillbewell。
　　ButIdonotaskyoutosayit，andbewarehowyoutellmealie。
　　Ileaveyou，Teule，butbeforeIgoIwillsaythatIhonouryoumoreinthishourthanIhavehonouredyoubefore，becauseyouhavedaredtospeakthetruthtome，Montezuma’sdaughter，whenaliehadbeensoeasyandsosafe。
　　Thatwomanbeyondtheseasshouldbegratefultoyou，butthoughIbearhernoillwill，betweenmeandherthereisastruggletothedeath。
　　Wearestrangerstoeachother，andstrangersweshallremain，butshehastouchedyourhandasItouchitnow；youlinkustogetherandareourbondofenmity。
　　Farewellmyhusbandthatistobe。
　　Weshallmeetnomoretillthatsorrydaywhena“slut“shallbegiventoa“felon“inmarriage。
　　Iuseyourownwords，Teule！’
　　Thenrising，Otomiecastherveilaboutherfaceandpassedslowlyfromthechamber，leavingmemuchdisturbed。
　　Itwasabolddeedtohaverejectedtheprofferedloveofthisqueenamongwomen，andnowthatIhaddonesoIwasnotaltogetherglad。
　　WouldLily，I
　　wondered，haveofferedtodescendfromsuchstate，tocastoffthepurpleofherroyalrankthatshemightlieatmysideontheredstoneofsacrifice？
　　Perhapsnot，forthisfiercefidelityisonlytobefoundinwomenofanotherbreed。
　　ThesedaughtersoftheSunlovewhollywhentheyloveatall，andastheylovetheyhate。
　　Theyasknopriesttoconsecratetheirvows，norifthesebecomehateful，willtheybeboundbythemforduty’ssake。
　　Theirowndesireistheirlaw，butwhileitrulesthemtheyfollowitunflinchingly，andifneedbe，theyseekitsconsummationinthegatesofdeath，orfailingthat，forgetfulness。
　　Somewearytimewentby，andatlastcamethedayoftheentryintoMexicoofCortesandhisconquerors。
　　NowofallthedoingsoftheSpaniardsaftertheyoccupiedthecity，Idonotproposetospeakatlength，forthesearemattersofhistory，andIhavemyownstorytotell。
　　SoIshallonlywriteofthoseofthemwithwhichI
　　wasconcernedmyself。
　　IdidnotseethemeetingbetweenMontezumaandCortes，thoughIsawtheemperorsetouttoitcladlikeSolomoninhisgloryandsurroundedbyhisnobles。
　　ButIamsureofthis，thatnoslavebeingledtosacrificecarriedaheavierheartinhisbreastthanthatofMontezumaonthisunluckyday。
　　Fornowhisfollyhadruinedhim，andIthinkheknewthathewasgoingtohisdoom。
　　Afterwards，towardsevening，Isawtheemperorcomebackinhisgoldenlitter，andpassovertothepalacebuiltbyAxahisfather，thatstoodoppositetoandsomefivehundredpacesfromhisown，facingthewesterngateofthetemple。
　　PresentlyIheardthesoundofamultitudeshouting，andamidstitthetrampofhorsesandarmedsoldiers，andfromaseatinmychamberIsawtheSpaniardsadvancedownthegreatstreet，andmyheartbeatatthesightofChristianmen。
　　Infront，cladinricharmour，rodetheirleaderCortes，amanofmiddlesizebutnoblebearing，withthoughtfuleyesthatnotedeverything，andafterhim，somefewonhorsebackbutthemostofthemonfoot，marchedhislittlearmyofconquerors，staringaboutthemwithboldwonderingeyesandjestingtoeachotherinCastilian。
　　Theywerebutahandful，bronzedwiththesunandscarredbybattle，someofthemill-armedandalmostinrags，andlookingonthemIcouldnotbutmarvelattheindomitablecouragethathadenabledthemtopiercetheirwaythroughhostilethousands，sickness，andwar，eventothehomeofMontezuma’spower。
　　BythesideofCortes，holdinghisstirrupinherhand，walkedabeautifulIndianwomandressedinwhiterobesandcrownedwithflowers。
　　Asshepassedthepalacesheturnedherface。
　　Iknewheratonce；itwasmyfriendMarina，whonowhadattainedtothegreatnesswhichshedesired，andwho，notwithstandingalltheevilthatshehadbroughtuponhercountry，lookedmosthappyinitandinhermaster’slove。
　　AstheSpaniardswentbyIsearchedtheirfacesonebyone，withthevaguehopeofhate。
　　Forthoughitmightwellchancethatdeathhadputusoutofeachother’sreach，IhalfthoughttoseedeGarciaamongthenumberoftheconquerors。
　　Suchaquestastheirs，withitspromiseofblood，andgold，andrapine，wouldcertainlycommenditselftohisevilheartshoulditbeinhispowertojoinit，andastrangeinstincttoldmethathewasNOTdead。
　　ButneitherdeadnorlivingwasheamongthosemenwhoenteredMexicothatday。
　　ThatnightIsawGuatemocandaskedhimhowthingswent。
　　’Wellforthekitethatroostsinthedove’snest，’heansweredwithabitterlaugh，’butveryillforthedove。
　　Montezuma，myuncle，hasbeencooingyonder，’andhepointedtothepalaceofAxa，’andthecaptainoftheTeuleshascooedinanswer，butthoughhetriedtohideit，Icouldhearthehawk’sshriekinhispigeon’snote。
　　ErelongtherewillbemerrydoingsinTenoctitlan。’
　　Hewasright。
　　WithinaweekMontezumawastreacherouslyseizedbytheSpaniardsandkeptaprisonerintheirquarters，watcheddayandnightbytheirsoldiers。
　　Thencameeventuponevent。
　　CertainlordsinthecoastlandshavingkilledsomeSpaniards，weresummonedtoMexicobytheinstigationofCortes。
　　Theycameandwereburnedaliveinthecourtyardofthepalace。
　　Norwasthisall，forMontezuma，theirmonarch，wasforcedtowitnesstheexecutionwithfettersonhisankles。
　　SolowhadtheemperoroftheAztecsfallen，thathemustbearchainslikeacommonfelon。