Thricewedrovethembackwithourspearsandarrows，butatthefourthchargethewaveofmensweptoverourdefence，andpouredintothedryditchbeyond。
　　Nowwewereforcedtoflytothenextearthwork，forwecouldnothopetofightsomanyintheopenstreet，whither，sosoonasapassagehadbeenmadefortheirhorseandordnance，theenemyfollowedus。
　　Herethefightwasrenewed，andthisbarricadebeingverystrong，wehelditforhardupontwohourswithmuchlosstoourselvesandtotheSpanishforce。
　　Againweretreatedandagainwewereassailed，andsothestrugglewentonthroughoutthelive-
　　longday。
　　Everyhourournumbersgrewfewerandourarmsfainter，butstillwefoughtondesperately。
　　Atthetwolastbarricades，hundredsofthewomenoftheOtomiefoughtbythesidesoftheirhusbandsandtheirbrothers。
　　ThelastearthworkwascapturedbytheSpaniardsjustasthesunsank，andundertheshadowofapproachingdarknessthoseofusthatremainedalivefledtotherefugewhichwehadpreparedupontheteocalli，norwasthereanyfurtherfightingduringthatnight。
　　Hereinthecourtyardoftheteocalli，bythelightofburninghouses，forastheyadvancedtheSpaniardsfiredthetown，wemusteredourarraytofindthattherewerelefttousinallsomefourhundredfightingmen，togetherwithacrowdofnearlytwothousandwomenandmanychildren。
　　NowalthoughthisteocalliwasnotquitesoloftyasthatofthegreattempleofMexico，itssidesweresteeperandeverywherefacedwithdressedstone，andtheopenspaceuponitssummitwasalmostasgreat，measuringindeedmorethanahundredpaceseveryway。
　　Thisareawaspavedwithblocksofmarble，andinitscentrestoodthetempleofthewar-god，wherehisstatuestillsat，althoughnoworshiphadbeenofferedtohimformanyyears；thestoneofsacrifice，thealtaroffire，andthestorehousesofthepriests。
　　Moreoverinfrontofthetemple，andbetweenitandthestoneofsacrifice，wasadeepcementedholethesizeofalargeroom，whichoncehadbeenusedasaplaceforthesafekeepingofgrainintimesoffamine。
　　ThispitIhadcausedtobefilledwithwaterbornewithgreattoiltothetopofthepyramid，andinthetempleitselfIstoredagreatquantityoffood，sothatwehadnocausetofearpresentdeathfromthirstorfamine。
　　Butnowwewerefacetofacewithanewtrouble。
　　Largeaswasthesummitofthepyramid，itwouldnotgivesheltertoahalfofournumbers，andifwedesiredtodefenditsomeofthemultitudeherdedrounditsbasemustseekrefugeelsewhere。
　　Callingtheleadersofthepeopletogether，Iputthematterbeforetheminfewwords，leavingthemtodecidewhatmustbedone。
　　Theyinturnconsultedamongthemselves，andatlengthgavemethisanswer:thatitwasagreedthatallthewoundedandagedthere，togetherwithmostofthechildren，andwiththemanyotherswhowishedtogo，shouldleavetheteocallithatnight，tofindtheirwayoutofthecityiftheycould，orifnot，totrusttothemercyoftheSpaniards。
　　Isaidthatitwaswell，fordeathwasoneveryside，anditmatteredlittlewhichwaymenturnedtomeetit。
　　Sotheyweresortedout，fifteenhundredormoreofthem，andatmidnightthegatesofthecourtyardwerethrownopen，andtheyleft。
　　Oh！itwasdreadfultoseethefarewellsthattookplaceinthathour。
　　Hereadaughterclungtotheneckofheragedfather，herehusbandsandwivesbadeeachotheralastfarewell，heremotherskissedtheirlittlechildren，andoneverysideroseupthesoundsofbitteragony，theagonyofthosewhopartedforever。
　　Iburiedmyfaceinmyhands，wonderingasIhadoftenwonderedbefore，howaGodwhosenameisMercycanbeartolookuponsightsthatbreaktheheartsofsinfulmentowitness。
　　PresentlyIraisedmyeyesandspoketoOtomie，whowasatmyside，askingherifshewouldnotsendoursonawaywiththeothers，passinghimoffasthechildofcommonpeople。
　　’Nay，husband，’sheanswered，’itisbetterforhimtodiewithus，thantoliveasaslaveoftheSpaniards。’
　　Atlengthitwasoverandthegateshadshutbehindthelastofthem。
　　SoonweheardthedistantchallengeoftheSpanishsentriesastheyperceivedthem，andthesoundsofsomeshotsfollowedbycries。
　　’DoubtlesstheTlascalansaremassacringthem，’Isaid。
　　Butitwasnotso。
　　WhenafewhadbeenkilledtheleadersoftheSpaniardsfoundthattheywagedwaruponanunarmedmob，madeupforthemostpartofagedpeople，womenandchildren，andtheircommander，BernalDiaz，amercifulmanifaroughone，orderedthattheonslaughtshouldcease。
　　Indeedhedidmore，forwhenalltheable-
　　bodiedmen，togetherwithsuchchildrenasweresufficientlystrongtobearthefatiguesoftravel，hadbeensortedouttobesoldasslaves，hesufferedtherestofthatmelancholycompanytodepartwhithertheywould。
　　Andsotheywent，thoughwhatbecameofthemI
　　donotknow。
　　Thatnightwespentinthecourtyardoftheteocalli，butbeforeitwaslightIcausedthewomenandchildrenwhoremainedwithus，perhapssomesixhundredinall，forveryfewoftheformerwhowereunmarried，orwhobeingmarriedwerestillyoungandcomely，hadchosentodesertourrefuge，toascendthepyramid，guessingthattheSpaniardswouldattackusatdawn。
　　Istayed，however，withthethreehundredfightingmenthatwerelefttome，ahundredormorehavingthrownthemselvesuponthemercyoftheSpaniards，withtherefugees，toawaittheSpanishonsetundershelterofthewallsofthecourtyard。
　　Atdawnitbegan，andbymidday，dowhatwecouldtostayit，thewallwasstormed，andleavingnearlyahundreddeadandwoundedbehindme，Iwasdriventothewindingwaythatledtothesummitofthepyramid。
　　Heretheyassaultedusagain，buttheroadwassteepandnarrow，andtheirnumbersgavethemnogreatadvantageonit，sothattheendofitwasthatwebeatthembackwithloss，andtherewasnomorefightingthatday。
　　Thenightwhichfollowedwespentuponthesummitofthepyramid，andformypartIwassowearythatafterIhadeatenIneversleptmoresoundly。
　　Nextmorningthestrugglebegananew；andthistimewithbettersuccesstotheSpaniards。
　　Inchbyinchundercoveroftheheavyfirefromtheirarquebussesandpieces，theyforcedusupwardandbackward。
　　Alldaylongthefightcontinueduponthenarrowroadthatwoundfromstagetostageofthepyramid。
　　Atlength，asthesunsank，acompanyofourfoes，theiradvanceguard，withshoutsofvictory，emergedupontheflatsummit，andrushedtowardsthetempleinitscentre。
　　Allthiswhilethewomenhadbeenwatching，butnowoneofthemsprangup，cryingwithaloudvoice:
　　’Seizethem；theyarebutfew。’
　　Thenwithafearfulscreamofrage，themobofwomencastthemselvesuponthewearySpaniardsandTlascalans，bearingthemdownbytheweightoftheirnumbers。
　　Manyofthemwereslainindeed，butintheendthewomenconquered，ay，andmadetheirvictimscaptive，fasteningthemwithcordstotheringsofcopperthatwereletintothestonesofthepavement，towhichinformerdaysthosedoomedtosacrificehadbeensecured，whentheirnumbersweresogreatthatthepriestsfearedlesttheyshouldescape。
　　I
　　andthesoldierswithmewatchedthissightwondering，thenIcriedout:
　　’What！menoftheOtomie，shallitbesaidthatourwomenoutdidusincourage？’andwithoutfurtherado，followedbyahundredormoreofmycompanions，Irusheddesperatelydownthesteepandnarrowpath。
　　AtthefirstcornerwemetthemainarrayofSpaniardsandtheirallies，comingupslowly，fornowtheyweresureofvictory，andsogreatwastheshockofourencounterthatmanyofthemwerehurledovertheedgeofthepath，torolldownthesteepsidesofthepyramid。
　　Seeingthefateoftheircomrades，thosebehindthemhalted，thenbegantoretreat。
　　Presentlytheweightofourrushstruckthemalso，andtheyinturnpusheduponthosebelow，tillatlengthpanicseizedthem，andwithagreatcryingthelonglineofmenthatwoundroundandroundthepyramidfromitsbasealmosttoitssummit，soughttheirsafetyinflight。
　　Butsomeofthemfoundnone，fortherushofthoseabovepressingwitheverincreasingforceupontheirfriendsbelow，drovemanytotheirdeath，sincehereonthepyramidtherewasnothingtoclingto，andifonceamanlosthisfootholdonthepath，hisfallwasbrokenonlywhenhisbodyreachedthecourtbeneath。
　　ThusinfifteenshortminutesallthattheSpaniardshadwonthisdaywaslostagain，forexcepttheprisonersatitssummit，noneofthemremainedaliveupontheteocalli；indeedsogreataterrortookthem，thatbearingwiththemtheirdeadandwounded，theyretreatedundercoverofthenighttotheircampwithoutthewallsofthecourtyard。
　　Now，wearybuttriumphant，wewendedbacktowardsthecrestofthepyramid，butasIturnedthecornerofthesecondanglethatwasperhapsnearlyonehundredfeetabovetheleveloftheground，athoughtstruckmeandIsetthosewithmeatatask。
　　Looseningtheblocksofstonethatformedtheedgeoftheroadway，werolledthemdownthesidesofthepyramid，andsolabouredonremovinglayeruponlayerofstonesandoftheearthbeneath，tillwherethepathhadbeen，wasnothingbutayawninggapthirtyfeetormoreinwidth。
　　’Now，’Isaid，surveyingourhandiworkbythelightoftherisingmoon，’thatSpaniardwhowouldwinournestmustfindwingstoflywith。’
　　’Ay，Teule，’answeredoneatmyside，’butsaywhatwingsshallWE
　　find？’
　　’ThewingsofDeath，’Isaidgrimly，andwentonmyupwardway。
　　ItwasnearmidnightwhenIreachedthetemple，forthelabouroflevellingtheroadtookmanyhoursandfoodhadbeensenttousfromabove。
　　AsIdrewnighIwasamazedtohearthesoundofsolemnchanting，andstillmorewasIamazedwhenIsawthatthedoorsofthetempleofHuitzelwereopen，andthatthesacredfirewhichhadnotshonethereformanyyearsoncemoreflaredfiercelyuponhisaltar。
　　Istoodstilllistening。
　　Didmyearstrickme，ordidIhearthedreadfulsongofsacrifice？
　　Nay，againitswildrefrainrangoutuponthesilence:
　　ToTheewesacrifice！
　　Saveus，OHuitzel，Huitzel，lordgod！
　　Irushedforward，andturningtheangleofthetempleIfoundmyselffacetofacewiththepast，forthereasinbygoneyearswerethepabascladintheirblackrobes，theirlonghairhangingabouttheirshoulders，thedreadfulknifeofglassfixedintheirgirdles；theretotherightofthestoneofsacrificewerethosedestinedtothegod，andtherebeingledtowardsitwasthefirstvictim，aTlascalanprisoner，hislimbsheldbymencladinthedressofpriests。
　　Nearhim，arrayedinthescarletrobeofsacrifice，stoodoneofmyowncaptains，whoIrememberedhadonceservedasapriestofTezcatbeforeidolatrywasforbiddenintheCityofPines，andaroundwereawidecircleofwomenthatwatched，andfromwhoselipsswelledtheawfulchant。
　　NowIunderstooditall。
　　Intheirlastdespair，maddenedbythelossoffathers，husbands，andchildren，bytheircruelfate，andstandingfacetofacewithcertaindeath，thefireoftheoldfaithhadburntupintheirsavagehearts。
　　Therewasthetemple，therewerethestoneandimplimentsofsacrifice，andtheretotheirhandswerethevictimstakeninwar。
　　Theywouldglutalastrevenge，theywouldsacrificetotheirfathers’godsastheirfathershaddonebeforethem，andthevictimsshouldbetakenfromtheirownvictoriousfoes。