’WemustseekshelterintheCityofPines，orflyacrossthewater；thereisnootherchoice，husband。’
　　’Wecannottrythesea，Otomie，foralltheshipsthatcomehereareSpanish，andIdonotknowhowtheywillgreetusintheCityofPinesnowthatourcauseislost，andwithitsomanythousandsoftheirwarriors。’
　　’Wemusttaketherisk，husband。
　　TherearestilltrueheartsinAnahuac，whowillstandbyusinoursorrowandtheirown。
　　Attheleastwehaveescapedfromgreaterdangers。
　　Nowletmedressyourwoundsandrestawhile。’
　　SoforthreemoredaysIlayinthecaveofthemountainsandOtomietendedme，andattheendofthattimemystatewassuchthatIcouldtravelinalitter，thoughforsomeweeksIwasunabletosetfoottotheground。
　　Onthefourthdaywestartedbynight，andIwascarriedonmen’sshoulderstillatlengthwepassedupthegorgethatleadstotheCityofPines。
　　HerewewerestoppedbysentriestowhomOtomietoldourtale，biddingsomeofthemgoforwardandrepeatittothecaptainsofthecity。
　　Wefollowedthemessengersslowly，formybearerswereweary，andcametothegatesofthebeautifultownjustastheredraysofsunsetstruckuponthesnowypinnacleofXacathattowersbehindit，turninghercapofsmoketoasullenred，likethatofmolteniron。
　　Thenewsofourcominghadspreadabout，andhereandthereknotsofpeopleweregatheredtowatchuspass。
　　Forthemostparttheystoodsilent，butnowandagainsomewomanwhosehusbandorsonhadperishedinthesiege，wouldhissacurseatus。
　　Alas！howdifferentwasourstatethisdaytowhatithadbeenwhennotayearbeforeweenteredtheCityofPinesforthefirsttime。
　　Thenwewereescortedbyanarmytenthousandstrong，thenmusicianshadsungbeforeusandourpathwasstrewnwithflowers。
　　Andnow！
　　NowwecametwofugitivesfromthevengeanceoftheTeules，Iborneinalitterbyfourtiredsoldiers，whileOtomie，theprincessofthispeople，stillcladinherwanton’srobe，atwhichthewomenmocked，forshehadbeenabletocomebynoother，trampedatmyside，sincetherewerenonetocarryher，andtheinhabitantsoftheplacecursedusastheauthorsoftheirwoes。
　　Nordidweknowiftheywouldstopatwords。
　　Atlengthwecrossedthesquarebeneaththeshadowoftheteocalli，andreachedtheancientandsculpturedpalaceasthelightfailed，andthesmokeonXaca，theholyhill，begantoglowwiththefireinitsheart。
　　Heresmallpreparationhadbeenmadetoreceiveus，andthatnightwesuppedbythelightofatorchupontortillasormealcakesandwater，likethehumblestintheland。
　　Thenwecrepttoourrest，andasIlayawakebecauseofthepainofmyhurts，I
　　heardOtomie，whothoughtthatIslept，breakintolowsobbingatmyside。
　　Herproudspiritwashumbledatlast，andshe，whomIhadneverknowntoweepexceptonce，whenourfirstborndiedinthesiege，weptbitterly。
　　’Whydoyousorrowthus，Otomie？’Iaskedatlength。
　　’Ididnotknowthatyouwereawake，husband，’shesobbedinanswer，’orIwouldhavecheckedmygrief。
　　Husband，Isorrowoverallthathasbefallenusandmypeople——also，thoughthesearebutlittlethings，becauseyouarebroughtlowandtreatedasamanofnoestate，andofthecoldcomfortthatwefindhere。’
　　’Youhavecause，wife，’Ianswered。
　　’Say，whatwilltheseOtomiesdowithus——killus，orgiveusuptotheTeules？’
　　’Idonotknow；to-morrowweshalllearn，butformypartIwillnotbesurrenderedliving。’
　　’NorI，wife。
　　DeathisbetterthanthetendermerciesofCortesandhisminister，deGarcia。
　　Isthereanyhope？’
　　’Yes，thereishope，beloved。
　　NowtheOtomiearecastdownandtheyrememberthatweledthefloweroftheirlandtodeath。
　　Buttheyarebraveandgenerousatheart，andifIcantouchthemthere，allmayyetbewell。
　　Weariness，painandmemorymakeusweak，whoshouldbefullofcourage，havingescapedsomanyills。
　　Sleep，myhusband，andleavemetothink。
　　Allshallyetgowell，forevenmisfortunehasanend。’
　　SoIslept，andwokeinthemorningsomewhatrefreshedandwithahappiermind，forwhoistherethatisnotbolderwhenthelightshinesonhimandheisrenewedbyrest？
　　WhenIopenedmyeyesthesunwasalreadyhigh，butOtomiehadrisenwiththedawnandshehadnotbeenidleduringthosethreehours。
　　Foronethingshehadcontrivedtoobtainfoodandfreshraimentmorebefittingtoourrankthantheragsinwhichwewereclothed。
　　Alsoshehadbroughttogethercertainmenofconditionwhowerefriendlyandloyaltoherinmisfortune，andtheseshesentaboutthecity，lettingitbeknownthatshewouldaddressthepeopleatmid-dayfromthestepsofthepalace，forasOtomieknewwell，theheartstringsofacrowdaretouchedmoreeasilythanthoseofcoldandancientcounsellors。
　　’Willtheycometolisten？’Iasked。
　　’Havenofear，’sheanswered。
　　’Thedesiretolookuponuswhohavesurvivedthesiege，andtoknowthetruthofwhathashappened，willbringthem。
　　Moreover，somewillbethereseekingvengeanceonus。’
　　Otomiewasright，forasthemorningdrewontowardsmid-day，IsawthedwellersintheCityofPinesgatheringinthousands，tillthespacebetweenthestepsofthepalaceandthefaceofthepyramidwasblackwiththem。
　　NowOtomiecombedhercurlinghairandplacedflowersinit，andsetagleamingfeathercloakabouthershoulders，sothatithungdownoverherwhiterobes，andonherbreastthatsplendidnecklaceofemeraldswhichGuatemochadgiventomeinthetreasurechamber，andwhichshehadpreservedsafelythroughallourevilfortune，andagoldengirdleaboutherwaist。
　　Inherhandalsoshetookalittlesceptreofebonytippedwithgold，thatwasinthepalace，withotherornamentsandemblemsofrank，andthusattired，thoughshewaswornwithtravelandsuffering，andgriefhaddimmedherbeautyforawhile，sheseemedthequeenliestwomanthatmyeyeshaveseen。
　　Nextshecausedmetobelaiduponmyrudelitter，andwhenthehourofnoonwascome，shecommandedthosesoldierswhohadbornemeacrossthemountainstocarrymebyherside。
　　Thusweissuedfromthewidedoorwayofthepalaceandtookourstandupontheplatformattheheadofthesteps。
　　Aswecameagreatcryrosefromthethousandsofthepeople，afiercecrylikethatofwildbeastshowlingfortheirprey。
　　Higherandhigheritrose，asoundtostriketerrorintothebravestheart，andbydegreesIcaughtitspurport。
　　’Killthem！’saidthecry。
　　’GivetheliarstotheTeules。’
　　Otomiesteppedforwardtotheedgeoftheplatform，andliftingtheebonysceptreshestoodsilent，thesunlightbeatingonherlovelyfaceandform。
　　Butthemultitudescreamedathousandtauntsandthreatsatus，andstillthetumultgrew。
　　Oncetheyrushedtowardsherasthoughtotearhertopieces，butfellbackatthelaststair，asawavefallsfromarock，andonceaspearwasthrownthatpassedbetweenherneckandshoulder。
　　Nowthesoldierswhohadcarriedme，makingcertainthatourdeathwasathand，andhavingnowishtoshareit，setmylitterdownuponthestonesandslippedbackintothepalace，butallthiswhileOtomieneversomuchasmoved，no，notevenwhenthespearhissedpasther。
　　Shestoodbeforethemstatelyandscornful，averyqueenamongwomen，andlittlebylittlethemajestyofherpresenceandthegreatnessofhercouragehushedthemtosilence。
　　Whentherewasquietatlength，shespokeinaclearvoicethatcarriedfar。
　　’AmIamongmyownpeopleoftheOtomie？’sheaskedbitterly，’orhavewelostourpathandwanderedperchanceamongsomesavageTlascalantribe？
　　Listen，peopleoftheOtomie。
　　Ihavebutonevoiceandnonecanreasonwithamultitude。
　　Chooseyouatonguetospeakforyou，andlethimsetoutthedesireofyourhearts。’
　　Nowthetumultbeganagain，forsomeshoutedonenameandsomeanother，butintheendapriestandnoblenamedMaxtlasteppedforward，amanofgreatpoweramongtheOtomie，who，aboveallhadfavouredanalliancewiththeSpaniardsandopposedthesendingofanarmytoaidGuatemocinthedefenceofTenoctitlan。
　　Nordidhecomealone，forwithhimwerefourchiefs，whombytheirdressI
　　knewtobeTlascalansandenvoysfromCortes。
　　Thenmyheartsank，foritwasnotdifficulttoguesstheobjectoftheircoming。
　　’Speakon，Maxtla，’saidOtomie，’forwemusthearwhatthereisforustoanswer，andyou，peopleoftheOtomie，Iprayyoukeepsilence，thatyoumayjudgebetweenuswhenthereisanendoftalking。’
　　Nowagreatsilencefelluponthemultitude，whopressedtogetherlikesheepinapen，andstrainedtheirearstocatchthewordsofMaxtla。
　　’Myspeechwithyou，princess，andtheTeuleyouroutlawedhusband，shallbeshortandsharp，’hebeganroughly。
　　’AwhilehenceyoucamehithertoseekanarmytoaidCuitlahua，EmperoroftheAztecs，inhisstrugglewiththeTeules，thesonsofQuetzal。
　　Thatarmywasgivenyou，againstthewishesofmanyofus，foryouwonoverthecouncilbythehoneyofyourwords，andwewhourgedcaution，orevenanalliancewiththewhitemen，thechildrenofgod，wereoverruled。
　　Youwenthence，andtwentythousandmen，theflowerofourpeople，followedyoutoTenoctitlan。
　　Wherearetheynow？
　　Iwilltellyou。
　　Sometwohundredofthemhavecreptbackhome，therestflytoandfrothroughtheairinthegizzardsofthezaphilotes，orcrouchontheearthinthebelliesofjackals。
　　Deathhasthemall，andyouledthemtotheirdeaths。
　　Isitthenmuchthatweshouldseekthelivesofyoutwoinpaymentforthoseoftwentythousandofoursons，ourhusbands，andourfathers？
　　Butwedonotevenaskthis。
　　HerebesidemestandambassadorsfromMalinche，thecaptainoftheTeules，whoreachedourcitybutanhourago。
　　ThisisthedemandthattheybringfromMalinche，andinhisownwords:
　　’“DeliverbacktomeOtomie，thedaughterofMontezuma，andtherenegadeherparamour，whoisknownasTeule，andwhohasfledfromthejusticeduetohiscrimes，anditshallbewellwithyou，peopleoftheOtomie。
　　Hidethemorrefusetodeliverthem，andthefateoftheCityofPinesshallbeasthefateofTenoctitlan，queenofthevalley。
　　Choosethenbetweenmyloveandmywrath，peopleoftheOtomie。
　　Ifyouobey，thepastshallbeforgivenandmyyokewillbelightuponyou；ifyourefuse，yourcityshallbestampedflatandyourverynamewipedoutoftherecordsoftheworld。“
　　’Say，messengersofMalinche，arenotthesethewordsofMalinche？’
　　’Theyarehisverywords，Maxtla，’saidthespokesmanoftheembassy。
　　Nowagaintherewasatumultamongthepeople，andvoicescried，’Givethemup，givethemtoMalincheasapeaceoffering。’
　　Otomiestoodforwardtospeakanditdiedaway，foralldesiredtohearherwords。
　　Thenshespoke:
　　’Itseems，peopleoftheOtomie，thatIamonmytrialbeforemyownvassals，andmyhusbandwithme。
　　Well，Iwillpleadourcauseaswellasawomanmay，andhavingthepower，youshalljudgebetweenusandMaxtlaandhisallies，MalincheandtheTlascalans。
　　Whatisouroffence？
　　ItisthatwecamehitherbythecommandofCuitlahuatoseekyouraidinhiswarwiththeTeules。
　　WhatdidI
　　tellyouthen？
　　ItoldyouthatifthepeopleofAnahuacwouldnotstandtogetheragainstthewhitemen，theymustbebrokenonebyonelikethesticksofanunboundfaggot，andcastintotheflames。