ItwasthevoiceofOtomiecryingforhelp。
　　’Saveus，Teules；theymurderus！’sheshriekedinsopiercinganotethatitreachedtheearsoftheSpaniards，foroneshoutedinanswerandintheCastiliantongue，’On，mycomrades，on！
　　Thedogsdomurderontheiraltars！’
　　ThentherewasamightyrushandthedefendingAztecsweresweptinuponthealtar，liftingthepriestofsacrificefromhisfeetandthrowinghimacrossmybody。
　　Thricethatrushcamelikearushofthesea，andeachtimethestandoftheAztecsweakened。
　　NowtheircirclewasbrokenandtheswordsoftheSpaniardsflasheduponeveryside，andnowtheredraylaywithintheringuponmyheart。
　　’Smite，priestofTezcat，’screamedthevoiceoftheastronomer；
　　’smitehomeforthegloryofyourgods！’
　　Withafearfulyellthepriestliftedtheknife；Isawthegoldensunbeamthatrestedfulluponmyheartshineonit。
　　ThenasitwasdescendingIsawthesamesunbeamshineuponayardofsteelthatflashedacrossmeandlostitselfinthebreastofthemurdererpriest。
　　Downcamethegreatflintknife，butitsaimwaslost。
　　Itstruckindeed，butnotuponmybosom，thoughIdidnotescapeitaltogether。
　　Fulluponthealtarofsacrificeitfellandwasshatteredthere，piercingbetweenmysideandthatofOtomie，andgashingthefleshofbothsothatourbloodwasmingleduponthestone，makingusoneindeed。
　　Downtoocamethepriestacrossourbodiesforthesecondtime，buttorisenomore，forhewritheddyingonthosewhomhewouldhaveslain。
　　ThenasinadreamIheardthewailoftheastronomersingingthedirgeofthegodsofAnahuac。
　　’Thepriestisdeadandhisgodsarefallen，’hecried。
　　’Tezcathasrejectedhisvictimandisfallen；doomedarethegodsofAnahuac！
　　VictoryistotheCrossoftheChristians！’
　　Thushewailed，thencamethesoundofswordblowsandIknewthatthisprophetwasdeadalso。
　　Nowastrongarmpulledthedyingpriestfromoffus，andhestaggeredbacktillhefelloverthealtarwheretheeternalfireburned，quenchingitwithhisbloodandbodyafterithadflaredformanygenerations，andaknifecuttheropethatboundus。
　　Isatupstaringroundmewildly，andavoicespokeabovemeinCastilian，nottomeindeedbuttosomecomrade。
　　’Thesetwowentneartoit，poordevils，’saidthevoice。
　　’Hadmycutbeenonesecondlater，thatsavagewouldhavedrilledaholeinhimasbigasmyhead。
　　Byallthesaints！thegirlislovely，orwouldbeifshewerewashed。
　　IshallbegherofCortesasmyprize。’
　　ThevoicespokeandIknewthevoice。
　　Noneothereverhadthathardclearring。
　　Iknewiteventhenandlookedup，slippingoffthedeath-stoneasIlooked。
　　NowIsaw。
　　Beforemefullycladinmailwasmyenemy，deGarcia。
　　ItwasHISswordthatbythegoodprovidenceofGodhadpiercedthebreastofthepriest。
　　Hehadsavedmewho，hadheknown，wouldassoonhaveturnedhissteelagainsthisownheartasonthatofmydestroyer。
　　Igazedathim，wonderingifIdreamed，thenmylipsspoke，withoutmywillasitwere:
　　’DEGARCIA！’
　　Hestaggeredbackatthesoundofmyvoice，likeamanstruckbyashot，thenstaredatme，rubbedhiseyeswithhishand，andstaredagain。
　　Nowatlengthheknewmethroughmypaint。
　　’MotherofGod！’hegasped，’itisthatknaveThomasWingfield，AND
　　IHAVESAVEDHISLIFE！’
　　Bythistimemysenseshadcomebacktome，andknowingallmyfolly，Iturnedseekingescape。
　　ButdeGarciahadnomindtosufferthis。
　　Liftinghissword，hesprangatmewithabeastlikescreamofrageandhate。
　　SwiftlyasthoughtIslippedroundthestoneofsacrificeandaftermecametheupliftedswordofmyenemy。
　　Itwouldhaveovertakenmesoonenough，forIwasweakwithfearandfasting，andmylimbswerecrampedwithbonds，butatthatmomentacavalierwhombyhisdressandportIguessedtobenoneotherthanCorteshimself，struckupdeGarcia’ssword，saying:
　　’Hownow，Sarceda？
　　AreyoumadwiththelustofbloodthatyouwouldtaketosacrificingvictimslikeanIndianpriest？
　　Letthepoordevilgo。’
　　’HeisnoIndian，heisanEnglishspy，’crieddeGarcia，andoncemorestruggledtogetatme。
　　’Decidedlyourfriendismad，’saidCortes，scanningme；’hesaysthatthiswretchedcreatureisanEnglishman。
　　Come，beoffbothofyou，orsomebodyelsemaymakethesamemistake，’andhewavedhisswordintokentoustogo，deemingthatIcouldnotunderstandhiswords；thenaddedangrily，asdeGarcia，speechlesswithrage，madeanewattempttogetatme:
　　’No，byheaven！
　　Iwillnotsufferit。
　　WeareChristiansandcometosavevictims，nottoslaythem。
　　Here，comrades，holdthisfoolwhowouldstainhissoulwithmurder。’
　　NowtheSpaniardsclutcheddeGarciabythearms，andhecursedandravedatthem，forasIhavesaid，hisragewasthatofabeastratherthanofaman。
　　ButIstoodbewildered，notknowingwhithertofly。
　　FortunateitwasformeindeedthatonewasbywhothoughsheunderstoodnoSpanish，yethadaquickerwit。
　　ForwhileI
　　stoodthus，Otomieclaspedmyhand，andwhispering，’Fly，flyswiftly！’ledmeawayfromthestoneofsacrifice。
　　’Whithershallwego？’Isaidatlength。
　　’WereitnotbettertotrusttothemercyoftheSpaniards？’
　　’Tothemercyofthatman-devilwiththesword？’sheanswered。
　　’Peace，Teule，andfollowme。’
　　Nowsheledmeon，andtheSpaniardsletusbyunharmed，ay，andevenspokewordsofpityaswepassed，fortheyknewthatwewerevictimssnatchedfromsacrifice。
　　Indeed，whenacertainbrute，aTlascalanIndian，rushedatus，purposingtoslayuswithaclub，oneoftheSpaniardsranhimthroughtheshouldersothathefellwoundedtothepavement。
　　Sowewenton，andattheedgeofthepyramidweglancedbackandsawthatdeGarciahadbrokenfromthosewhoheldhim，orperhapshefoundhistongueandhadexplainedthetruthtothem。
　　Attheleasthewasboundingfromthealtarofsacrificenearlyfiftyyardsaway，andcomingtowardsuswithupliftedsword。
　　Thenfeargaveusstrength，andwefledlikethewind。
　　Alongthesteeppathwerushedsidebyside，leapingdownthestepsandoverthehundredsofdeadanddying，onlypausingnowandagaintosaveourselvesfrombeingsmittenintospacebythebodiesofthepriestswhomtheSpaniardswerehurlingfromthecrestoftheteocalli。
　　Oncelookingup，IcaughtsightofdeGarciapursuingfaraboveus，butafterthatwesawhimnomore；doubtlessheweariedofthechase，orfearedtofallintothehandsofsuchoftheAztecwarriorsasstillclusteredroundthefootofthepyramid。
　　Wehadlivedthroughmanydangersthatday，theprincessOtomieandI，butonemoreawaitedusbeforeeverwefoundshelterforawhile。
　　Afterwehadreachedthefootofthepyramidandturnedtominglewiththeterrifiedrabblethatsurgedandflowedthroughthecourtyardofthetemple，bearingawaythedeadandwoundedastheseaatfloodreclaimsitswasteandwreckage，anoiselikethundercaughtmyear。
　　Ilookedup，forthesoundcamefromabove，andsawahugemassboundingdownthesteepsideofthepyramid。
　　EventhenIknewitagain；itwastheidolofthegodTezcatthattheSpaniardshadtornfromitsshrine，andlikeanavengingdemonitrushedstraightontome。
　　Alreadyitwasuponus，therewasnoretreatfrominstantdeath，wehadbutescapedsacrificetothespiritofthegodtobecrushedtopowderbeneaththebulkofhismarbleemblem。
　　OnhecamewhileonhightheSpaniardsshoutedintriumph。
　　Hisbasehadstruckthestonesideofthepyramidfiftyfeetaboveus，nowhewhirledroundandroundintheairtostrikeagainwithinthreepacesofwherewestood。
　　Ifeltthesolidmountainshakebeneaththeblow，andnextinstanttheairwasfilledwithhugefragmentsofmarble，thatwhizzedoverusandpastusasthoughamineofpowderhadbeenfiredbeneathourfeet，tearingtherocksfromtheirbase。
　　ThegodTezcathadburstintoascoreofpieces，andthesefellrounduslikeaflightofarrows，andyetwewerenottouched。
　　Myheadwasgrazedbyhishead，hisfeetdugapitbeforemyfeet，butIstoodthereunhurt，thefalsegodhadnopoweroverthevictimwhohadescapedhim！
　　AfterthatIremembernothingtillIfoundmyselfoncemoreinmyapartmentsinMontezuma’spalace，whichIneverhopedtoseeagain。
　　Otomiewasbyme，andshebroughtmewatertowashthepaintfrommybodyandthebloodfrommywound，which，leavingherownuntended，shedressedskilfully，forthecutofthepriest’sknifewasdeepandIhadbledmuch。
　　Alsosheclothedherselfafreshinawhiterobeandbroughtmeraimenttowear，withfoodanddrink，andIpartookofthem。
　　ThenIbadehereatsomethingherself，andwhenshehaddonesoIgatheredmywitstogetherandspoketoher。
　　’Whatnext？’Isaid。
　　’Presentlythepriestswillbeonus，andweshallbedraggedbacktosacrifice。
　　Thereisnohopeformehere，ImustflytotheSpaniardsandtrusttotheirmercy。’
　　’Tothemercyofthatmanwiththesword？
　　Say，Teule，whoishe？’
　　’HeisthatSpaniardofwhomIhavespokentoyou，Otomie；heismymortalenemywhomIhavefollowedacrosstheseas。’
　　’Andnowyouwouldputyourselfintohispower。
　　Truly，youarefoolish，Teule。’
　　’ItisbettertofallintothehandsofChristianmenthanintothoseofyourpriests，’Ianswered。
　　’Havenofear，’shesaid；’thepriestsareharmlessforyou。
　　Youhaveescapedthemandthere’sanend。
　　Fewhaveevercomealivefromtheirclutchesbefore，andhewhodoessoisawizardindeed。
　　FortherestIthinkthatyourGodisstrongerthanourgods，forsurelyHemusthavecastHismantleoveruswhenwelayyonderonthestone。
　　Ah！Teule，towhathaveyoubroughtmethatIshouldlivetodoubtmygods，ay，andtocalluponthefoesofmycountryforsuccourinyourneed。
　　Believeme，Ihadnotdoneitformyownsake，sinceIwouldhavediedwithyourkissuponmylipsandyourwordofloveechoinginmyears，whonowmustliveknowingthatthesejoyshavepassedfromme。’
　　’Howso？’Ianswered。
　　’WhatIhavesaid，Ihavesaid。
　　Otomie，youwouldhavediedwithme，andyousavedmylifebyyourwitincallingontheSpaniards。
　　Henceforthitisyours，forthereisnootherwomanintheworldsotenderandsobrave，andIsayitagain，Otomie，mywife，Iloveyou。
　　Ourbloodhasmingledonthestoneofsacrificeandtherewekissed；letthesebeourmarriagerites。
　　PerhapsIhavenotlongtolive，buttillIdieIamyours，Otomiemywife。’
　　ThusIspokefromthefulnessofmyheart，formystrengthandcouragewereshattered，horrorandlonelinesshadtakenholdofme。
　　Buttwothingswerelefttomeintheworld，mytrustinProvidenceandtheloveofthiswoman，whohaddaredsomuchforme。
　　ThereforeIforgotmytrothandclungtoherasachildclingstoitsmother。
　　Doubtlessitwaswrong，butIwillbeboldtosaythatfewmensoplacedwouldhaveactedotherwise。
　　Moreover，IcouldnottakebackthefatefulwordsthatIhadspokenonthestoneofsacrifice。