’DoyourememberhowonceyourejectedmedownyonderinTobasco，Guatemoc，andwhatItoldyouthen？——thatIshouldgrowgreatinspiteofyou？
　　Youseeithasallcometrueandmorethantrue，andyouarebroughttothis。
　　Areyounotsorry，Guatemoc？
　　Iamsorry，thoughwereIassomewomenare，perchanceImightrejoicetoseeyouthus。’
　　’Woman，’theprinceansweredinathickvoice，’youhavebetrayedyourcountryandyouhavebroughtmetoshameandtorment。
　　Yes，haditnotbeenforyou，thesethingshadneverbeen。
　　Iamsorry，indeedIamsorry——thatIdidnotkillyou。
　　Fortherest，mayyournamebeshamefulforeverintheearsofhonestmenandyoursoulbeeverlastinglyaccursed，andmayyouyourself，evenbeforeyoudie，knowthebitternessofdishonourandbetrayal！
　　Yourwordswerefulfilled，andsoshallminebealso。’
　　Sheheardandturnedawaytrembling，andforawhilewassilent。
　　Thenherglancefelluponmeandshebegantoweep。
　　’Alas！poorman，’shesaid；’alas！myfriend。’
　　’Weepnotoverme，Marina，’Ianswered，speakinginAztec，’forourtearsareofnoworth，buthelpmeifyoumay。’
　　’AhthatIcould！’shesobbed，andturningfledfromtheplace，followedpresentlybyCortes。
　　NowtheSpaniardscameinagainandremovedGuatemocandthecaciqueofTacuba，carryingthemintheirarms，fortheycouldnotwalk，andindeedthecaciquewasinaswoon。
　　’Farewell，Teule，’saidGuatemocashepassedme；’youareindeedatruesonofQuetzalandagallantman。
　　Maythegodsrewardyouintimestocomeforallthatyouhavesufferedformeandmine，sinceIcannot。’
　　ThenhewasborneoutandthesewerethelastwordsthatIeverheardhimutter。
　　NowIwasleftalonewiththeTlascalansanddeGarcia，whomockedmeasbefore。
　　’Alittletired，eh，friendWingfield？’hesaidsneering。
　　’Well，theplayisroughtillyougetusedtoit。
　　Anight’ssleepwillrefreshyou，andto-morrowyouwillbeanewman。
　　PerhapsyoubelievethatIhavedonemyworst。
　　Fool，thisisbutabeginning。
　　Alsoyouthinkdoubtlessthatyourobstinacyangersme？
　　Wrongagain，myfriend，Ionlypraythatyoumaykeepyourlipssealedtothelast。
　　GladlywouldIgivemyshareofthishiddengoldinpaymentfortwomoresuchdayswithyou。
　　Ihavestillmuchtopayyouback，andlookyou，Ihavefoundawaytodoit。
　　Therearemorewaysofhurtingamanthanthroughhisownflesh——forinstance，whenIwishedtoberevengeduponyourfather，Istruckhimthroughherwhomheloved。
　　NowIhavetouchedyouandyouwonderwhatImean。
　　Well，Iwilltellyou。
　　PerhapsyoumayknowanAztecladyofroyalbloodwhoisnamedOtomie？’
　　’Otomie，whatofher？’Icried，speakingforthefirsttime，sincefearforherstirredmemorethanallthetormentsIhadborne。
　　’Atriumphindeed；Ihavefoundawaytomakeyouspeakatlast；
　　why，then，to-morrowyouwillbefullofwords。
　　Onlythis，CousinWingfield；Otomie，Montezuma’sdaughter，averylovelywomanbytheway，isyourwifeaccordingtotheIndiancustoms。
　　Well，Iknowallthestoryand——sheisinmypower。
　　Iwillproveittoyou，forsheshallbebroughtherepresentlyandthenyoucanconsoleeachother。
　　Forlisten，dog，to-morrowshewillsitwhereyouaresitting，andbeforeyoureyessheshallbedealtwithasyouhavebeendealtwith。
　　Ah！thenyouwilltalkfastenough，butperhapsitwillbetoolate。’
　　AndnowforthefirsttimeIbrokedownandprayedformercyevenofmyfoe。
　　’Spareher，’Igroaned；’dowhatyouwillwithme，butspareher！
　　Surelyyoumusthaveaheart，evenyou，foryouarehuman。
　　Youcanneverdothisthing，andCorteswouldnotsufferit。’
　　’AsforCortes，’heanswered，’hewillknownothingofit——tillitisdone。
　　Ihavemywarrantthatchargesmetouseeverymeansinmypowertoforcethetruthfromyou。
　　Torturehasfailed；thisaloneisleft。
　　Andfortherest，youmustreadmeill。
　　Youknowwhatitistohate，foryouhateme；multiplyyourhatebytenandyoumayfindthesumofmineforyou。
　　Ihateyouforyourblood，I
　　hateyoubecauseyouhaveyourmother’seyes，butmuchmoredoI
　　hateyouforyourself，fordidyounotbeatme，agentlemanofSpain，withastickasthoughIwereahound？
　　ShallIthenshrinkfromsuchadeedwhenIcansatisfymyhatebyit？
　　Alsoperhaps，thoughyouareabraveman，atthismomentyouknowwhatitistofear，andaretastingofitsagony。
　　NowIwillbeopenwithyou；
　　ThomasWingfield，Ifearyou。
　　WhenfirstIsawyouIfearedyouasIhadreasontodo，andthatiswhyItriedtokillyou，andastimehasgonebyIhavefearedyoumoreandmore，somuchindeed，thatattimesIcannotrestbecauseofanamelessterrorthatdogsmeandwhichhastodowithyou。
　　BecauseofyouIfledfromSpain，becauseofyouIhaveplayedthecowardinmorefraysthanone。
　　Theluckhasalwaysbeenmineinthisduelbetweenus，andyetI
　　tellyouthatevenasyouare，Ifearyoustill。
　　IfIdaredI
　　wouldkillyouatonce，onlythenyouwouldhauntmeasyourmotherhauntsme，andalsoImustanswerforittoCortes。
　　Fear，CousinWingfield，isthefatherofcruelty，andminemakesmecrueltoyou。
　　Livingordead，Iknowthatyouwilltriumphovermeatthelast，butitismyturnnow，andwhileyoubreathe，orwhileonebreatheswhoisdeartoyou，Iwillspendmylifetobringyouandthemtoshameandmiseryanddeath，asIbroughtyourmother，mycousin，thoughsheforcedmetoittosavemyself。
　　Whynot？
　　Thereisnoforgivenessforme，Icannotundothepast。
　　Youcametotakevengeanceonme，andsoonorlatebyyou，orthroughyou，itwillbeglutted，buttillthenItriumph，ay，evenwhenImustsinktothisbutcher’sworktodoit，’andsuddenlyheturnedandlefttheplace。
　　ThenweaknessandsufferingovercamemeandIswoonedaway。
　　WhenI
　　awokeitwastofindthatmybondshadbeenloosedandthatIlayonsomesortofbed，whileawomanbentoverme，tendingmewithmurmuredwordsofpityandlove。
　　Thenighthadfallen，buttherewaslightinthechamber，andbyitIsawthatthewomanwasnoneotherthanOtomie，nolongerstarvedandwretched，butalmostaslovelyasbeforethedaysofsiegeandhunger。
　　’Otomie！youhere！’Igaspedthroughmywoundedlips，forwithmysensescamethememoryofdeGarcia’sthreats。
　　’Yes，beloved，itisI，’shemurmured；’theyhavesufferedthatI
　　nurseyou，devilsthoughtheyare。
　　Oh！thatImustseeyouthusandyetbehelplesstoavengeyou，’andsheburstintoweeping。
　　’Hush，’Isaid，’hush。
　　Havewefood？’
　　’Inplenty。
　　AwomanbroughtitfromMarina。’
　　’Givemetoeat，Otomie。’
　　Nowforawhileshefedmeandthedeadlysicknesspassedfromme，thoughmypoorfleshburnedwithahundredagonies。
　　’Listen，Otomie:haveyouseendeGarcia？’
　　’No，husband。
　　TwodayssinceIwasseparatedfrommysisterTecuichpoandtheotherladies，butIhavebeenwelltreatedandhaveseennoSpaniardexceptthesoldierswholedmehere，tellingmethatyouweresick。
　　Alas！Iknewnotfromwhatcause，’andagainshebegantoweep。
　　’Stillsomehaveseenyouanditisreportedthatyouaremywife。’
　　’Itislikelyenough，’sheanswered，’foritwasknownthroughouttheAztechosts，andsuchsecretscannotbekept。
　　Butwhyhavetheytreatedyouthus？
　　Becauseyoufoughtagainstthem？’
　　’Arewealone？’Iasked。
　　’Theguardiswithout，buttherearenoneelseinthechamber。’
　　’ThenbenddownyourheadandIwilltellyou，’andItoldherall。
　　WhenIhaddonesoshesprangupwithflashingeyesandherhandpresseduponherbreast，andsaid:
　　’Oh！ifIlovedyoubefore，nowIloveyoumoreifthatispossible，whocouldsufferthushorriblyandyetbefaithfultothefallenandyouroath。
　　BlessedbethedaywhenfirstIlookeduponyourface，Omyhusband，mosttrueofmen。
　　Buttheywhocoulddothis——whatofthem？
　　StillitisdonewithandIwillnurseyoubacktohealth。
　　Surelyitisdonewith，ortheyhadnotsufferedmetocometoyou？’
　　’Alas！Otomie，Imusttellall——itisNOTdonewith，’andwithfalteringvoiceIwentonwiththetale，yes，andsinceImust，I
　　toldherforwhatpurposeshehadbeenbroughthere。
　　Shelistenedwithoutaword，thoughherlipsturnedpale。
　　’Truly，’shesaidwhenIhaddone，’theseTeulesfarsurpassthepabasofourpeople，foriftheprieststortureandsacrifice，itistothegodsandnotforgoldandsecrethate。
　　Now，husband，whatisyourcounsel？
　　Surelyyouhavesomecounsel。’
　　’IhavenonethatIdareoffer，wife，’Igroaned。
　　’Youaretimidasagirlwhowillnotutterthelovesheburnstotell，’Otomieansweredwithaproudandbitterlaugh。
　　’Well，I
　　willspeakitforyou。
　　Itisinyourmindthatwemustdieto-
　　night。’
　　’Itis，’Isaid；’deathnow，orshameandagonyto-morrowandthendeathatlast，thatisourchoice。
　　SinceGodwillnotprotectus，wemustprotectourselvesifwecanfindthemeans。’
　　’God！thereisnoGod。
　　AttimesIhavedoubtedthegodsofmypeopleandturnedtoyours；nowIrenounceandrejectHim。
　　IftherewereaGodofmercysuchasyouclingto，couldHesufferthatsuchthingsbe？
　　Youaremygod，husband，toyouandforyouI
　　pray，andyoualone。
　　Letushavedonenowwithpleadingtothosewhoarenot，orwho，iftheylive，aredeaftoourcriesandblindtoourmisery，andbefriendourselves。
　　Yonderliesrope，thatwindowhasbars，verysoonwecanbebeyondthesunandthecrueltyofTeules，orsoundasleep。
　　Butthereistimeyet；letustalkawhile，theywillscarcelybegintheirtormentsbeforethedawn，anderedawnweshallbefar。’
　　Sowetalkedaswellasmysufferingswouldallow。
　　Wetalkedofhowwefirsthadmet，ofhowOtomiehadbeenvowedtomeasthewifeofTezcat，SouloftheWorld，ofthatdaywhenwehadlainsidebysideuponthestoneofsacrifice，ofourtruemarriagethereafter，ofthesiegeofTenoctitlanandthedeathofourfirst-
　　born。
　　Thuswetalkedtillmidnightwastwohoursgone。
　　Thentherecameasilence。
　　’Husband，’saidOtomieatlastinahushedandsolemnvoice，’youarewornwithsuffering，andIamweary。
　　Itistimetodothatwhichmustbedone。
　　Sadisourfate，butatleastrestisbeforeus。
　　Ithankyou，husband，foryourgentleness，Ithankyoumoreforyourfaithfulnesstomyhouseandpeople。
　　ShallImakereadyforourlastjourney？’