WhenIsaidthemIwasexpectingdeathindeed，buttorenouncethemnowthatitsshadowwasliftedfromme，ifonlyforalittlewhile，wouldhavebeentheactofacoward。
　　ForgoodorevilIhadgivenmyselftoMontezuma’sdaughter，andImustabidebyitorbeshamed。
　　StillsuchwasthenoblenessofthisIndianladythateventhenshewouldnottakemeatmyword。
　　Foralittlewhileshestoodsmilingsadlyanddrawingalockofherlonghairthroughthehollowofherhand。
　　Thenshespoke:
　　’Youarenotyourself，Teule，andIshouldbebaseindeedifImadesosolemnacompactwithonewhodoesnotknowwhathesells。
　　Yonderonthealtarandinamomentofdeathyousaidthatyoulovedme，anddoubtlessitwastrue。
　　Butnowyouhavecomebacktolife，andsay，lord，whosetthatgoldenringuponyourhandandwhatiswritteninitscircle？
　　Yetevenifthewordsaretruethatyouhavespokenandyoulovemealittle，thereisoneacrosstheseawhomyoulovebetter。
　　ThatIcouldbear，formyheartisfixedonyoualoneamongmen，andattheleastyouwouldbekindtome，andIshouldmoveinthesunlightofyourpresence。
　　Buthavingknownthelight，Icannotlivetowanderinthedarkness。
　　Youdonotunderstand。
　　IwilltellyouwhatIfear。
　　Ifearthatif——ifwewerewed，youwouldwearyofmeasmendo，andthatmemorywouldgrowtoostrongforyou。
　　Thenbyandbyitmightbepossibleforyoutofindyourwaybackacrossthewaterstoyourownlandandyourownlove，andsoyouwoulddesertme，Teule。
　　ThisiswhatI
　　couldnotbear，Teule。
　　Icanforegoyounow，ay，andremainyourfriend。
　　ButIcannotbeputasidelikeadancinggirl，thecompanionofamonth，I，Montezuma’sdaughter，aladyofmyownland。
　　Shouldyouwedme，itmustbeformylife，Teule，andthatisperhapsmorethanyouwouldwishtopromise，thoughyoucouldkissmeonyonderstoneandthereisbloodfellowshipbetweenus，’
　　andsheglancedattheredstaininthelinenrobethatcoveredthewounduponherside。
　　’Andnow，Teule，Ileaveyouawhile，thatImayfindGuatemoc，ifhestilllives，andotherswho，nowthatthestrengthofthepriestsisshattered，havepowertoprotectyouandadvanceyoutohonour。
　　ThinkthenonallthatIhavesaid，anddonotbehastytodecide。
　　OrwouldyoumakeanendatonceandflytothewhitemenifIcanfindameansofescape？’
　　’Iamtoowearytoflyanywhere，’Ianswered，’evenifIcould。
　　Moreover，Iforget。
　　MyenemyisamongtheSpaniards，hewhomI
　　havesworntokill，thereforehisfriendsaremyfoesandhisfoesmyfriends。
　　Iwillnotfly，Otomie。’
　　’Thereyouarewise，’shesaid，’forifyoucomeamongtheTeulesthatmanwillmurderyou；byfairmeansorfoulhewillmurderyouwithinaday，Isawitinhiseyes。
　　NowrestwhileIseekyoursafety，ifthereisanysafetyinthisblood-stainedland。’
　　Otomieturnedandwent。
　　Iwatchedthegoldencurtainsclosebehindher；thenIsankbackuponthecouchandinstantlywaslostinsleep，forIwasfaintandweak，andsodazedwithweariness，thatatthetimeIscarcelyknewwhathadhappened，orthepurposeofourtalk。
　　Afterwards，however，itcamebacktome。
　　Imusthavesleptformanyhours，forwhenIawokeitwasfaronintothenight。
　　Itwasnightbutnotdark，forthroughthebarredwindowplacescamethesoundoftumultandfighting，andredraysoflightcastbytheflamesofburninghouses。
　　Oneofthesewindowswasabovemycouch，andstandingonthebedIseizedthesillwithmyhands。
　　Withmuchpain，becauseofthefleshwoundinmyside，I
　　drewmyselfuptillIcouldlookthroughthebars。
　　ThenIsawthattheSpaniards，notcontentwiththecaptureoftheteocalli，hadmadeanightattackandsetfiretohundredsofhousesinthecity。
　　Theglareoftheflameswasthatofaluridday，andbyitIcouldseethewhitemenretreatingtotheirquarters，pursuedbythousandsofAztecs，whohungupontheirflanks，shootingatthemwithstonesandarrows。
　　NowIdroppeddownfromthewindowplaceandbegantothinkastowhatIshoulddo，foragainmymindwaswavering。
　　ShouldIdesertOtomieandescapetotheSpaniardsifthatwerepossible，takingmychanceofdeathatthehandsofdeGarcia？
　　OrshouldIstayamongtheAztecsiftheywouldgivemeshelter，andwedOtomie？
　　Therewasathirdchoice，indeed，tostaywiththemandleaveOtomiealone，thoughitwouldbedifficulttodothisandkeepmyhonour。
　　OnethingIunderstood，ifImarriedOtomieitmustbeatherownprice，forthenImustbecomeanIndianandgiveoverallhopeofreturningtoEnglandandtomybetrothed。
　　Ofthis，indeed，therewaslittlechance，still，whilemyliferemainedtome，itmightcomeaboutifIwasfree。
　　ButoncemyhandsweretiedbythismarriageitcouldneverbeduringOtomie’slifetime，andsofarasLilyBozardwasconcernedIshouldbedead。
　　HowcouldIbethusfaithlesstohermemoryandmytroth，andontheotherhand，howcouldIdiscardthewomanwhohadriskedallforme，andwho，tospeaktruth，hadgrownsodeartome，thoughtherewasoneyetdearer？
　　Aherooranangelmightfindapathoutofthistangle，butalas！Iwasneithertheonenortheother，onlyamanafflictedasothermenarewithhumanweakness，andOtomiewasathand，andverysweetandfair。
　　Still，almostIdeterminedthatIwouldavailmyselfofhernobleness，thatIwouldgobackuponmywords，andbeghertodespisemeandseemenomore，inorderthatImightnotbeforcedtobreakthetroththatIhadpledgedbeneaththebeechatDitchingham。
　　ForIgreatlydreadedthisoathoflife-longfidelitywhichIshouldbeforcedtoswearifIchoseanyotherpath。
　　ThusIthoughtoninpitiableconfusionofmind，notknowingthatallthesematterswerebeyondmyordering，sinceapathwasalreadymadereadytomyfeet，whichImustfollowordie。
　　Andletthisbeaproofofthehonestyofmywords，since，hadIbeendesirousofglozingthetruth，Ineedhavewrittennothingofthesestrugglesofconscience，andofmyownweakness。
　　Forsoonitwastocometothis，thoughnotbyherwill，thatImusteitherwedOtomieordieatonce，andfewwouldblamemefordoingthefirstandnotthelast。
　　Indeed，thoughIdidwedher，Imightstillhavedeclaredmyselftomyaffiancedandtoalltheworldasaslaveofeventsfromwhichtherewasnoescape。
　　Butitisnotallthetruth，sincemymindwasdivided，andhaditnotbeensettledforme，Icannotsayhowthestrugglewouldhaveended。
　　Now，lookingbackonthedistantpast，andweighingmyactionsandcharacterasajudgemightdo，Icansee，however，thathadIfoundtimetoconsider，therewasanothermatterwhichwouldsurelyhaveturnedthescaleinfavourofOtomie。
　　DeGarciawasamongtheSpaniards，andmyhatredofdeGarciawastherulingpassionofmylife，astrongerpassioneventhanmyloveforthetwodearwomenwhohavebeenitsjoy。
　　Indeed，thoughheisdeadthesemanyyearsIstillhatehim，andevilthoughthedesirebe，eveninmyageI
　　longthatmyvengeancewasstilltowreak。
　　WhileIremainedamongtheAztecsdeGarciawouldbetheirenemyandmine，andImightmeethiminwarandkillhimthere。
　　ButifIsucceededinreachingtheSpanishcamp，thenitwasalmostsurethathewouldbringaboutmyinstantdeath。
　　Doubtlesshehadtoldsuchataleofmealready，thatwithinanhourIshouldbehungasaspy，orotherwisemadeawaywith。
　　ButIwillceasefromtheseunprofitablewonderingswhichhavebutonevalue，thatofsettingoutmystrangenecessityofchoicebetweenanabsentandapresentlove，andgoonwiththestoryofaneventinwhichtherewasnoroomtobalancescruples。
　　WhileIsatmusingonthecouchthecurtainwasdrawn，andamanenteredbearingatorch。
　　ItwasGuatemocashehadcomefromthefray，which，exceptforitsharvestofburninghouses，wasfinishedforthatnight。
　　Theplumeswereshornfromhishead，hisgoldenarmourwashackedbytheSpanishswords，andhebledfromashotwoundintheneck。
　　’Greeting，Teule，’hesaid。
　　’CertainlyIneverthoughttoseeyoualiveto-night，ormyselfeitherforthatmatter。
　　Butitisastrangeworld，andnow，ifneverbeforeinTenoctitlan，thosethingshappenforwhichwelooktheleast。
　　ButIhavenotimeforwords。
　　Icametosummonyoubeforethecouncil。’
　　’Whatistobemyfate？’Iasked。
　　’Tobedraggedbacktothestoneofsacrifice？’
　　’Nay，havenofearofthat。
　　ButfortherestIcannotsay。
　　Inanhouryoumaybedeadorgreatamongus，ifanyofuscanbecalledgreatinthesedaysofshame。
　　Otomiehasworkedwellforyouamongtheprincesandthecounsellors，soshesays，andifyouhaveaheart，youshouldbegratefultoher，foritseemstomethatfewwomenhavelovedamansomuch。
　　Asforme，Ihavebeenemployedelsewhere，’andheglancedathisrentarmour，’butIwillliftupmyvoiceforyou。
　　Nowcome，friend，forthetorchburnslow。
　　Bythistimeyoumustbewellseasonedindangers；onemoreorlesswillmatteraslittletoyouastome。’
　　ThenIroseandfollowedhimintothegreatcedar-panelledhall，wherethatverymorningIhadreceivedadorationasagod。
　　NowI
　　wasagodnolonger，butaprisonerontrialforhislife。
　　UponthedaiswhereIhadstoodinthehourofmygodheadweregatheredthoseoftheprincesandcounsellorswhowereleftalive。
　　Someofthem，likeGuatemoc，werecladinrentandbloodymail，othersintheircustomarydress，andoneinapriest’srobe。
　　Theyhadonlytwothingsincommonamongthem，thesternnessoftheirfacesandthegreatnessoftheirrank，andtheysattherethisnightnottodecidemyfate，whichwasbutalittlething，buttotakecounselastohowtheymightexpeltheSpaniardsbeforethecitywasdestroyed。
　　WhenIentered，amaninmail，whosatinthecentreofthehalfcircle，andinwhomIknewCuitlahua，whowouldbeemperorshouldMontezumadie，lookedupquicklyandsaid:
　　’Whoisthis，Guatemoc，thatyoubringwithyou？
　　Ah！Iremember；
　　theTeulethatwasthegodTezcat，andwhoescapedthesacrificeto-day。
　　Listen，nobles。
　　Whatistobedonewiththisman？
　　Say，isitlawfulthathebeledbacktosacrifice？’
　　Thenthepriestanswered:’Igrievetosaythatitisnotlawfulmostnobleprince。
　　Thismanhaslainonthealtarofthegod，hehasevenbeenwoundedbytheholyknife。