ButOtomie，ceasingfromhertears，kissedhisclayandcriedaloud:
　　’Omyfather，itiswellthatyouaredead，fornonewholovedyoucoulddesiretoseeyouliveoninshameandservitude。
　　Maythegodsyouworshippedgivemestrengthtoavengeyou，oriftheybenogods，thenmayIfinditinmyself。
　　Iswearthis，myfather，thatwhileamanislefttomeIwillnotceasefromseekingtoavengeyou。’
　　Thentakingmyhand，withoutanotherwordsheturnedandpassedthence。
　　Aswillbeseen，shekeptheroath。
　　OnthatdayandonthemorrowtherewasfightingwiththeSpaniards，whosalliedouttofillupthegapsinthedykesofthecauseway，ataskinwhichtheysucceeded，thoughwithsomeloss。
　　Butitavailedthemnothing，forsosoonastheirbackswereturnedweopenedthedykesagain。
　　ItwasonthesedaysthatforthefirsttimeIhadexperienceofwar，andarmedwithmybowmadeaftertheEnglishpattern，Ididgoodservice。
　　Asitchanced，theveryfirstarrowthatIdrewwasonmyhatedfoedeGarcia，butheremycommonfortunepursuedme，forbeingoutofpractice，orover-anxious，I
　　aimedtoohigh，thoughthemarkwasaneasyone，andtheshaftpiercedtheironofhiscasque，causinghimtoreelinhissaddle，butdoinghimnofurtherhurt。
　　Stillthismarksmanship，poorasitwas，gainedmegreatrenownamongtheAztecs，whowerebutfeeblearchers，fortheyhadneverbeforeseenanarrowpiercethroughtheSpanishmail。
　　NorwouldminehavedonesohadInotcollectedtheironbarbsoffthecrossbowboltsoftheSpaniards，andfittedthemtomyownshafts。
　　Iseldomfoundthemailthatwouldwithstandarrowsmadethus，whentherangewasshortandtheaimgood。
　　Afterthefirstday’sfightIwasappointedgeneraloverabodyofthreethousandarchers，andwasgivenabannertobebornebeforemeandagorgeouscaptain’sdresstowear。
　　ButwhatpleasedmebetterwasachainshirtwhichcamefromthebodyofaSpanishcavalier。
　　FormanyyearsIalwaysworethisshirtbeneathmycottonmail，anditsavedmylifemorethanonce，forevenbulletswouldnotpiercethetwoofthem。
　　Ihadtakenoverthecommandofmyarchersbutforty-eighthours，ascanttimeinwhichtoteachthemdisciplinewhereoftheyhadlittle，thoughtheywerebraveenough，whentheoccasioncametousethemingoodearnest，andwithitthenightofdisasterthatisstillknownamongtheSpaniardsasthenochetriste。
　　OntheafternoonbeforethatnightacouncilwasheldinthepalaceatwhichIspoke，saying，IwascertainthattheTeulesthoughtofretreatfromthecity，andinthedark，forotherwisetheywouldnothavebeensoeagertofillupthecanalsinthecauseway。
　　TothisCuitlahua，whonowthatMontezumawasdeadwouldbeemperor，thoughhewasnotyetchosenandcrowned，answeredthatitmightwellbethattheTeulesmeditatedflight，butthattheycouldneverattemptitinthedarkness，sinceinsodoingtheymustbecomeentangledinthestreetsanddykes。
　　IrepliedthatthoughitwasnottheAztechabittomarchandfightatnight，suchthingswerecommonenoughamongwhitemenastheyhadseenalready，andthatbecausetheSpaniardsknewitwasnottheirhabit，theywouldbethemorelikelytoattemptescapeundercoverofthedarkness，whentheythoughttheirenemiesasleep。
　　ThereforeIcounselledthatsentriesshouldbesetatalltheentrancestoeverycauseway。
　　TothisCuitlahuaassented，andassignedthecausewayofTlacopantoGuatemocandmyself，makingustheguardiansofitssafety。
　　ThatnightGuatemocandI，withsomesoldiers，wentouttowardsmidnighttovisittheguardthatwehadplaceduponthecauseway。
　　Itwasverydarkandafinerainfell，sothatamancouldseenofurtherbeforehiseyesthanhecanateveningthroughaNorfolkrokeinautumn。
　　Wefoundandrelievedtheguard，whichreportedthatallwasquiet，andwewerereturningtowardsthegreatsquarewhenofasuddenIheardadullsoundasofthousandsofmentramping。
　　’Listen，’Isaid。
　　’ItistheTeuleswhoescape，’whisperedGuatemoc。
　　Quicklywerantowherethestreetfromthegreatsquareopensontothecauseway，andthereeventhroughthedarknessandrainwecaughtthegleamofarmour。
　　ThenIcriedaloudinagreatvoice，’Toarms！
　　Toarms！
　　TheTeulesescapebythecausewayofTlacopan。’
　　Instantlymywordswerecaughtupbythesentriesandpassedfromposttoposttillthecityrangwiththem。
　　Theywerecriedineverystreetandcanal，theyechoedfromtheroofsofhouses，andamongthesummitsofahundredtemples。
　　Thecityawokewithamurmur，fromthelakecamethesoundofwaterbeatenbytenthousandoars，asthoughmyriadsofwild-fowlhadsprungsuddenlyfromtheirreedybeds。
　　Here，there，andeverywheretorchesflashedoutlikefallingstars，wildnoteswereblownonhornsandshells，andaboveallarosetheboomingofthesnakeskindrumwhichthepriestsupontheteocallibeatfuriously。
　　Presentlythemurmurgrewtoaroar，andfromthisdirectionandfromthat，armedmenpouredtowardsthecausewayofTlacopan。
　　Somecameonfoot，butthemostofthemwereincanoeswhichcoveredthewatersofthelakefurtherthantheearcouldhear。
　　NowtheSpaniardstothenumberoffifteenhundredorso，accompaniedbysomesixoreightthousandTlascalans，wereemergingonthecausewayinalongthinline。
　　GuatemocandIrushedbeforethem，collectingmenaswewent，tillwecametothefirstcanal，wherecanoeswerealreadygatheringbyscores。
　　TheheadoftheSpanishcolumnreachedthecanalandthefightbegan，whichsofarastheAztecswereconcernedwasafraywithoutplanororder，forinthatdarknessandconfusionthecaptainscouldnotseetheirmenorthemenheartheircaptains。
　　Buttheywerethereincountlessnumbersandhadonlyonedesireintheirbreasts，tokilltheTeules。
　　A
　　cannonroared，sendingastormofbulletsthroughus，andbyitsflashwesawthattheSpaniardscarriedatimberbridgewiththem，whichtheywereplacingacrossthecanal。
　　Thenwefellonthem，everymanfightingforhimself。
　　GuatemocandIweresweptoverthatbridgebythefirstrushoftheenemy，asleavesaresweptinagale，andthoughbothofuswonthroughsafelywesaweachothernomorethatnight。
　　WithusandafteruscamethelongarrayofSpaniardsandTlascalans，andfromeverysidetheAztecspoureduponthem，clingingtotheirstrugglinglineasantsclingtoawoundedworm。
　　HowcanItellallthatcametopassthatnight？
　　Icannot，forI
　　sawbutlittleofit。
　　AllIknowisthatfortwohoursIwasfightinglikeamadman。
　　Thefoecrossedthefirstcanal，butwhenallwereoverthebridgewassunksodeepinthemudthatitcouldnotbestirred，andthreefurlongsonranasecondcanaldeeperandwiderthanthefirst。
　　Overthistheycouldnotcrosstillitwasbridgedwiththedead。
　　Itseemedasthoughallhellhadbrokenlooseuponthatnarrowridgeofground。
　　Thesoundofcannonsandofarquebusses，theshrieksofagonyandfear，theshoutsoftheSpanishsoldiers，thewar-criesoftheAztecs，thescreamsofwoundedhorses，thewailofwomen，thehissofhurtlingdartsandarrows，andthedullnoiseoffallingblowswentuptoheaveninonehideoushurly-burly。
　　LikeafrightenedmobofcattlethelongSpanisharrayswayedthiswayandthat，bellowingasitswayed。
　　Manyrolleddownthesidesofthecausewaytobeslaughteredinthewaterofthelake，orborneawaytosacrificeinthecanoes，manyweredrownedinthecanals，andyetmoreweretrampledtodeathinthemud。
　　HundredsoftheAztecsperishedalso，forthemostpartbeneaththeweaponsoftheirownfriends，whostruckandshotnotknowingonwhomtheblowshouldfallorinwhosebreastthearrowwouldfinditshome。
　　FormypartIfoughtonwithalittlebandofmenwhohadgatheredaboutme，tillatlastthedawnbrokeandshowedanawfulsight。
　　ThemostofthosewhowereleftaliveoftheSpaniardsandtheirallieshadcrossedthesecondcanaluponabridgemadeofthedeadbodiesoftheirfellowsmixedupwithawreckofbaggage，cannon，andpackagesoftreasure。
　　Nowthefightwasragingbeyondit。
　　A
　　mobofSpaniardsandTlascalanswerestillcrossingthesecondbreach，andontheseIfellwithsuchmenaswerewithme。
　　I
　　plungedrightintotheheartofthem，andsuddenlybeforemeIsawthefaceofdeGarcia。
　　WithashoutIrushedathim。
　　Heheardmyvoiceandknewme。
　　Withanoathhestruckatmyhead。
　　Theheavyswordcamedownuponmyhelmetofpaintedwood，shearingawayonesideofitandfellingme，butereIfellIsmotehimonthebreastwiththeclubIcarried，tumblinghimtotheearth。
　　NowhalfstunnedandblindedIcrepttowardshimthroughthepress。
　　AllthatIcouldseewasagleamofarmourinthemud。
　　Ithrewmyselfuponit，grippingatthewearer’sthroat，andtogetherwerolleddownthesideofthecausewayintotheshallowwaterattheedgeofthelake。
　　Iwasuppermost，andwithafiercejoyIdashedthebloodfrommyeyesthatImightseetokillmyenemycaughtatlast。
　　Hisbodywasinthelakebuthisheadlayupontheslopingbank，andmyplanwastoholdhimbeneaththewatertillhewasdrowned，forIhadlostmyclub。
　　’Atlength，deGarcia！’IcriedinSpanishasIshiftedmygrip。
　　’FortheloveofGodletmego！’gaspedaroughvoicebeneathme。
　　’Fool，IamnoIndiandog。’
　　NowIpeeredintotheman’sfacebewildered。
　　IhadseizeddeGarcia，butthevoicewasnothisvoice，norwasthefacehisface，butthatofaroughSpanishsoldier。
　　’Whoareyou？’Iasked，slackeningmyhold。
　　’WhereisdeGarcia——
　　hewhomyounameSarceda？’
　　’Sarceda？
　　Idon’tknow。
　　Aminuteagohewasonhisbackonthecauseway。
　　Thefellowpulledmedownandrolledbehindme。
　　LetmebeIsay。
　　IamnotSarceda，andifIwere，isthisatimetosettleprivatequarrels？
　　Iamyourcomrade，BernalDiaz。
　　HolyMother！whoareyou？
　　AnAztecwhospeaksCastilian？’
　　’IamnoAztec，’Ianswered。
　　’IamanEnglishmanandIfightwiththeAztecsthatImayslayhimwhomyounameSarceda。
　　ButwithyouIhavenoquarrel，BernalDiaz。
　　Begoneandescapeifyoucan。
　　No，Iwillkeeptheswordwithyourleave。’
　　’Englishman，Spaniard，Aztec，ordevil，’gruntedthemanashedrewhimselffromhisbedofooze，’youareagoodfellow，andIpromiseyouthatifIlivethroughthis，anditshouldevercomeaboutthatIgetYOUbythethroat，Iwillremembertheturnyoudidme。
　　Farewell；’andwithoutmoreadoherushedupthebankandplungedintoaknotofhisflyingcountrymen，leavinghisgoodswordinmyhand。
　　IstrovetofollowhimthatImightfindmyenemy，whooncemorehadescapedmebycraft，butmystrengthfailedme，fordeGarcia’sswordhadbittendeepandIbledmuch。
　　SoImustsitwhereIwastillacanoecameandboremebacktoOtomietobenursed，andtendayswentbybeforeIcouldwalkagain。