’Inthepresenceandthenameofgodourlord，whoiseverywhereandseesallthings，Isignyouwiththisbloodandmakeyouofthisblood。
　　Inthepresenceandthenameofgodourlord，whoiseverywhereandseesallthings，Ipourforthyourbloodupontheearth！’herehepouredashespoke。
　　’Asthisbloodofyourssinksintotheearth，somaythememoryofyourpastlifesinkandbeforgotten，foryouarebornagainofthepeopleofAnahuac。
　　Inthepresenceandthenameofgodourlord，whoiseverywhereandseesallthings，Iminglethesebloods’herehepouredfromonebowlintotheother，’andwiththemItouchyourtongue’heredippinghisfingerintothebowlhetouchedthetipofmytonguewithit’andbidyouswearthus:
　　’“Mayeveryeviltowhichthefleshofmanissubjectenterintomyflesh，mayIliveinmiseryanddieintormentbythedreadfuldeath，maymysoulberejectedfromtheHousesoftheSun，mayitwanderhomelessforeverinthedarknessthatisbehindtheStars，ifIdepartfromthismyoath。
　　I，Teule，sweartobefaithfultothepeopleofAnahuacandtotheirlawfulgovernors。
　　Isweartowagewarupontheirfoesandtocompasstheirdestruction，andmoreespeciallyupontheTeulestilltheyaredrivenintothesea。
　　I
　　sweartooffernoaffronttothegodsofAnahuac。
　　IswearmyselfinmarriagetoOtomie，princessoftheOtomie，thedaughterofMontezumamylord，forsolongasherlifeshallendure。
　　Isweartoattemptnoescapefromtheseshores。
　　Isweartorenouncemyfatherandmymother，andthelandwhereIwasborn，andtoclingtothislandofmynewbirth；andthismyoathshallenduretillthevolcanPopoceasestovomitsmokeandfire，tillthereisnokinginTenoctitlan，tillnopriestservesthealtarsofthegods，andthepeopleofAnahuacarenomoreapeople。“
　　’Doyouswearthesethings，oneandall？’
　　’OneandallIswearthem，’IansweredbecauseImust，thoughtherewasmuchintheoaththatIlikedlittleenough。
　　Andyetmarkhowstrangelythingscametopass。
　　WithinfifteenyearsfromthatnightthevolcanPopohadceasedtovomitsmokeandfire，thekingshadceasedtoreigninTenoctitlan，thepriestshadceasedtoservethealtarsofthegods，thepeopleofAnahuacwerenomoreapeople，andmyvowwasnullandvoid。
　　Yetthepriestswhoframedthisformchosethesethingsasexamplesofwhatwasimmortal！
　　WhenIhadswornGuatemoccameforwardandembracedme，saying:
　　’Welcome，Teule，mybrotherinbloodandheart。
　　Nowyouareoneofus，andwelooktoyouforhelpandcounsel。
　　Come，beseatedbyme。’
　　IlookedtowardsCuitlahuadoubtfully，buthesmiledgraciously，andsaid:’Teule，yourtrialisover。
　　Wehaveacceptedyou，andyouhaveswornthesolemnoathofbrotherhood，tobreakwhichistodiehorriblyinthisworld，andtobetorturedthrougheternitybydemonsinthenext。
　　Forgetallthatmayhavebeensaidinthehourofyourweighing，forthebalanceisinyourfavour，andbesurethatifyougiveusnocausetodoubtyou，youshallfindnonetodoubtus。
　　NowasthehusbandofOtomie，youarealordamongthelords，havinghonourandgreatpossessions，andassuchbeseatedbyyourbrotherGuatemoc，andjoinourcouncil。’
　　Ididashebademe，andOtomiewithdrewfromourpresence。
　　ThenCuitlahuaspokeagain，nolongerofmeandmymatters，butoftheurgentaffairsofstate。
　　Hespokeinslowwordsandweighty，andmorethanoncehisvoicebrokeinhissorrow。
　　Hetoldofthegrievousmisfortunesthathadovercomethecountry，ofthedeathofhundredsofitsbravestwarriors，oftheslaughterofthepriestsandsoldiersthatdayontheteocalli，andthedesecrationofhisnation’sgods。
　　Whatwastobedoneinthisextremity？heasked。
　　Montezumalaydying，aprisonerinthecampoftheTeules，andthefirethathehadnursedwithhisbreathdevouredtheland。
　　Noeffortsoftheirscouldbreaktheironstrengthofthesewhitedevils，armedastheywerewithstrangeandterribleweapons。
　　DaybydaydisasterovertookthearmsoftheAztecs。
　　Whatwisdomhadtheynowthattheprotectinggodswereshatteredintheirveryshrines，whenthealtarsranredwiththebloodoftheirministeringpriests，whentheoraclesweredumboransweredonlyintheaccentsofdespair？
　　Thenonebyoneprincesandgeneralsaroseandgavecounselaccordingtotheirlights。
　　Atlengthallhadspoken，andCuitlahuasaid，lookingtowardsme:
　　’Wehaveanewcounselloramongus，whoisskilledinthewarfareandcustomsofthewhitemen，whotillanhouragowashimselfawhiteman。
　　Hashenowordofcomfortforus？’
　　’Speak，mybrother？’saidGuatemoc。
　　ThenIspoke。
　　’MostnobleCuitlahua，andyoulordsandprinces。
　　Youhonourmebyaskingmycounsel，anditisthisinfewwordsandbrief。
　　YouwasteyourstrengthbyhurlingyourarmiescontinuallyagainststonewallsandtheweaponsoftheTeules。
　　Soyoushallnotprevailagainstthem。
　　Yourdevicesmustbechangedifyouwouldwinvictory。
　　TheSpaniardsarelikeothermen；theyarenogodsastheignorantimagine，andthecreaturesonwhichtheyridearenotdemonsbutbeastsofburden，suchasareusedformanypurposesinthelandwhereIwasborn。
　　TheSpaniardsaremenI
　　say，anddonotmenhungerandthirst？
　　Cannotmenbewornoutbywantofsleep，andbekilledinmanyways？
　　ArenottheseTeulesalreadywearytothedeath？
　　Thisthenismywordofcomforttoyou。
　　CeasetoattacktheSpaniardsandinvesttheircampsocloselythatnofoodcanreachthemandtheiralliestheTlascalans。
　　Ifthisisdone，withintendaysfromnow，eithertheywillsurrenderortheywillstrivetobreaktheirwaybacktothecoast。
　　Buttodothis，firsttheymustwinoutofthecity，andifdykesarecutthroughthecauseways，thatwillbenoeasymatter。
　　Thenwhentheystrivetoescapecumberedwiththegoldtheycovetandcameheretoseek，thenIsaywillbethehourtoattackthemandtodestroythemutterly。’
　　Iceased，andamurmurofapplausewentroundthecouncil。
　　’Itseemsthatwecametoawisejudgmentwhenwedeterminedtosparethisman’slife，’saidCuitlahua，’forallthathetellsusistrue，andIwouldthatwehadfollowedthispolicyfromthefirst。
　　Now，lords，Igivemyvoiceforactingasourbrotherpointstheway。
　　Whatsayyou？’
　　’Wesaywithyouthatourbrother’swordsaregood，’answeredGuatemocpresently，’andnowletusfollowthemtotheend。’
　　Then，aftersomefurthertalk，thecouncilbrokeupandIsoughtmychamberwellnighblindwithwearinessandcrushedbytheweightofallthatIhadsufferedonthateventfulday。
　　Thedawnwasflaringintheeasternsky，andbyitsglimmerIfoundmypathdowntheemptycorridors，tillatlengthIcametothecurtainsofmysleepingplace。
　　Idrewthemandpassedthrough。
　　There，faruptheroom，thefaintlightgleamingonhersnowydress，herravenhairandornamentsofgold，stoodOtomiemybride。
　　Iwenttowardsher，andasIcamesheglidedtomeetmewithoutstretchedarms。
　　Presentlytheywereaboutmyneckandherkisswasonmybrow。
　　’Nowallisdone，myloveandlord，’shewhispered，’andcomegoodorill，orboth，weareonetilldeath，forsuchvowsasourscannotbebroken。’
　　’Allisdoneindeed，Otomie，andouroathsarelifelong，thoughotheroathshavebeenbrokenthattheymightbesworn，’Ianswered。
　　ThusthenI，ThomasWingfield，waswedtoOtomie，princessoftheOtomie，Montezuma’sdaughter。
　　LongbeforeIawokethatdaythecommandsofthecouncilhadbeencarriedout，andthebridgesinthegreatcausewayswerebrokendownwhereverdykescrossedtheraisedroadsthatranthroughthewatersofthelake。
　　ThatafternoonalsoIwentdressedasanIndianwarriorwithGuatemocandtheothergenerals，toaparleywhichwasheldwithCortes，whotookhisstandonthesametowerofthepalacethatMontezumahadstoodonwhenthearrowofGuatemocstruckhimdown。
　　Thereislittletobesaidofthisparley，andI
　　rememberitchieflybecauseitwasthenforthefirsttimesinceI
　　hadlefttheTobascansthatIsawMarinaclose，andheardhersweetandgentlevoice。
　　FornowasevershewasbythesideofCortes，translatinghisproposalsofpeacetotheAztecs。
　　AmongthoseproposalswasonewhichshowedmethatdeGarciahadnotbeenidle。
　　ItaskedthatthefalsewhitemanwhohadbeenrescuedfromthealtarsofthegodsupontheteocallishouldbegiveninexchangeforcertainAztecprisoners，inorderthathemightbehungaccordingtohismeritsasaspyanddeserter，atraitortotheemperorofSpain。
　　IwonderedasIheard，ifMarinaknewwhenshespokethewords，that’thefalsewhiteman’wasnoneotherthanthefriendofherTobascandays。
　　’YouseethatyouarefortunateinhavingfoundplaceamongusAztecs，Teule，’saidGuatemocwithalaugh，’foryourownpeoplewouldgreetyouwitharope。’
　　ThenheansweredCortes，sayingnothingofme，butbiddinghimandalltheSpaniardspreparefordeath:
　　’Manyofushaveperished，’hesaid；’youalsomustperish，Teules。
　　Youshallperishofhungerandthirst，youshallperishonthealtarsofthegods。
　　ThereisnoescapeforyouTeules；thebridgesarebroken。’
　　Andallthemultitudetookupthewordsandthunderedout，’ThereisnoescapeforyouTeules；thebridgesarebroken！’
　　Thentheshootingofarrowsbegan，andIsoughtthepalacetotellOtomiemywifewhatIhadgatheredofthestateofherfatherMontezuma，whotheSpaniardssaidstilllaydying，andofhertwosisterswhowerehostagesintheirquarters。
　　AlsoItoldherhowmysurrenderhadbeensought，andshekissedme，andsaidsmiling，thatthoughmylifewasnowburdenedwithher，stillitwasbettersothanthatIshouldfallintothehandsoftheSpaniards。
　　TwodayslatercamethenewsthatMontezumawasdead，andshortlyafterithisbody，whichtheSpaniardshandedovertotheAztecsforburial，attiredinthegorgeousrobesofroyalty。
　　Theylaiditinthehallofthepalace，whenceitwashurriedsecretlyandatnighttoChapoltepec，andtherehiddenawaywithsmallceremony，foritwasfearedthatthepeoplemightrenditlimbfromlimbintheirrage。
　　WithOtomieweepingatmyside，Ilookedforthelasttimeonthefaceofthatmostunhappyking，whosereignsogloriousinitsbeginninghadendedthus。
　　AndwhileIlookedIwonderedwhatsufferingcouldhaveequalledhis，asfallenfromhisestateandhatedbythesubjectswhomhehadbetrayed，helaydying，aprisonerinthepoweroftheforeignwolveswhoweretearingouthiscountry’sheart。
　　ItislittlewonderindeedthatMontezumarentthebandagesfromhiswoundsandwouldnotsufferthemtotendhishurts。
　　Fortherealhurtwasinhissoul；theretheironhadentereddeeply，andnoleechcouldcureitexceptonecalledDeath。
　　Andyetthefaultwasnotallhis，thedevilswhomheworshippedasgodswererevengeduponhim，fortheyhadfilledhimwiththesuperstitionsoftheirwickedfaith，andbecauseofthesethegodsandtheirhighpriestmustsinkintoacommonruin。
　　Wereitnotfortheseunsubstantialterrorsthathauntedhim，theSpaniardshadneverwonafootholdinTenoctitlan，andtheAztecswouldhaveremainedfreeformanyayeartocome。
　　ButProvidencewilleditotherwise，andthisdeadanddisgracedmonarchwasbutitsinstrument。
　　SuchwerethethoughtsthatpassedthroughmymindasIgazeduponthebodyofthegreatMontezuma。