Thenhavingbeencleansedandclothed，I
wasledintothesanctuaryofthegodQuetzalandstoodfacetofacewiththehideousimagethere，staringatthegoldencenserthatwastohavereceivedmyheartwhilethepriestsutteredprayers。
ThenceIwassupporteddownthewindingroadofthepyramidtillIcametoitsfoot，wheremycaptorthecaciquetookmebythehandandledmethroughthepeoplewho，itseemed，nowregardedmewithsomestrangeveneration。
ThefirstpersonthatI
sawwhenwereachedthehousewasMarina，wholookedatmeandmurmuredsomesoftwordsthatIcouldnotunderstand。
ThenIwassufferedtogotomychamber，andthereIpassedtherestofthedayprostratedbyallthatIhadundergone。
TrulyIhadcometoalandofdevils！
AndnowIwilltellhowitwasthatIcametobesavedfromtheknife。
Marinahavingtakensomelikingtome，pitiedmysadfate，andbeingveryquick-witted，shefoundawaytorescueme。
ForwhenIhadbeenledofftosacrifice，shespoketothecacique，herlord，bringingittohismindthat，bycommonreportMontezuma，theEmperorofAnahuac，wasdisturbedastotheTeulesorSpaniards，anddesiredmuchtoseeone。
Now，shesaid，IwasevidentlyaTeule，andMontezumawouldbeangered，indeed，ifIweresacrificedinafar-offtown，insteadofbeingsenttohimtosacrificeifhesawfit。
Tothisthecaciqueansweredthatthewordswerewise，butthatsheshouldhavespokenthembefore，fornowthepriestshadgotholdofme，anditwashopelesstosavemefromtheirgrip。
’Nay，’answeredMarina，’thereisthistobesaid。
Quetzal，thegodtowhomthisTeuleistobeoffered，wasawhiteman，*anditmaywellhappenthatthismanisoneofhischildren。
Willitpleasethegodthathischildshouldbeofferedtohim？
Attheleast，ifthegodisnotangered，Montezumawillcertainlybewroth，andwreakavengeanceonyouandonthepriests。’
*Quetzal，ormoreproperlyQuetzalcoatl，wasthedivinitywhoisfabledtohavetaughtthenativesofAnahuacalltheusefularts，includingthoseofgovernmentandpolicy，hewaswhite-skinnedanddark-haired。
FinallyhesailedfromtheshoresofAnahuacforthefabulouscountryofTlapallaninabarkofserpents’skins。
Butbeforehesailedhepromisedthathewouldreturnagainwithanumerousprogeny。
ThispromisewasrememberedbytheAztecs，anditwaslargelyonaccountofitthattheSpaniardswereenabledtoconquerthecountry，fortheyweresupposedtobehisdescendants。
PerhapsQuetzalcoatlwasaNorseman！
VideSagasofErictheRedandofThorfinnKarlsefne——AUTHOR。
NowwhenthecaciqueheardthishesawthatMarinaspoketruth，andhurryinguptheteocalli，hecaughttheknifeasitwasintheactoffallinguponme。
Atfirsttheheadpriestwasangeredandcalledoutthatthiswassacrilege，butwhenthecaciquehadtoldhimhismind，heunderstoodthathewoulddowiselynottorunariskofthewrathofMontezuma。
SoIwasloosedandledintothesanctuary，andwhenIcameoutthepabaannouncedtothepeoplethatthegodhaddeclaredmetobeoneofhischildren，anditwasforthisreasonthatthenandthereaftertheytreatedmewithreverence。
NowafterthisdreadfuldayIwaskindlydealtwithbythepeopleofTobasco，whogavemethenameofTeuleorSpaniard，andnolongersoughttoputmetosacrifice。
Farfromitindeed，Iwaswellclothedandfed，andsufferedtowanderwhereIwould，thoughalwaysunderthecareofguardswho，hadIescaped，wouldhavepaidforitwiththeirlives。
Ilearnedthatonthemorrowofmyrescuefromthepriests，messengersweredespatchedtoMontezuma，thegreatking，acquaintinghimwiththehistoryofmycapture，andseekingtoknowhispleasureconcerningme。
ButthewaytoTenoctitlanwasfar，andmanyweekspassedbeforethemessengersreturnedagain。
MeanwhileIfilledthedaysinlearningtheMayalanguage，andalsosomethingofthatoftheAztecs，whichI
practisedwithMarinaandothers。
ForMarinawasnotaTobascan，havingbeenbornatPainalla，onthesoutheasternbordersoftheempire。
ButhermothersoldhertomerchantsinorderthatMarina’sinheritancemightcometoanotherchildofhersbyasecondmarriage，andthusintheendthegirlfellintothehandsofthecaciqueofTobasco。
AlsoIlearnedsomethingofthehistoryandcustoms，andofthepicturewritingoftheland，andhowtoreadit，andmoreoverI
obtainedgreatreputeamongtheTobascansbymyskillinmedicine，sothatintimetheygrewtobelievethatIwasindeedachildofQuetzal，thegoodgod。
AndthemoreIstudiedthispeoplethelessIcouldunderstandofthem。
InmostwaystheywereequaltoanynationofourownworldofwhichIhadknowledge。
Nonearemoreskilledinthearts，fewarebetterarchitectsorboastpurerlaws。
Moreover，theywerebraveandhadpatience。
Buttheirfaithwasthecankerattherootofthetree。
Inpreceptitwasnobleandhadmuchincommonwithourown，suchastheriteofbaptism，butI
havetoldwhatitwasinpractice。
Andyet，whenallissaid，isitmorecrueltoofferupvictimstothegodsthantotorturetheminthevaultsoftheHolyOfficeortoimmuretheminthewallsofnunneries？
WhenIhadlivedamonthinTobascoIhadlearnedenoughofthelanguagetotalkwithMarina，withwhomIgrewfriendly，thoughnomore，anditwasfromherthatIgatheredthemostofmyknowledge，andalsomanyhintsastotheconductnecessarytomysafety。
InreturnItaughthersomethingofmyownfaith，andofthecustomsoftheEuropeans，anditwastheknowledgethatshegainedfrommewhichafterwardsmadehersousefultotheSpaniards，andpreparedhertoaccepttheirreligion，givingherinsightintothewaysofwhitepeople。
SoIabodeforfourmonthsandmoreinthehouseofthecaciqueofTobasco，whocarriedhiskindnesstowardsmetothelengthofofferingmehissisterinmarriage。
TothisproposalIsaidnoasgentlyasImight，andhemarvelledatit，forthegirlwasfair。
Indeed，sowellwasItreated，thathaditnotbeenthatmyheartwasfaraway，andbecauseofthehorribleritesoftheirreligionwhichIwasforcedtowitnessalmostdaily，Icouldhavelearnedtolovethisgentle，skilled，andindustriouspeople。
Atlength，whenfullfourmonthshadpassedaway，themessengersreturnedfromthecourtofMontezuma，havingbeenmuchdelayedbyswollenriversandotheraccidentsoftravel。
SogreatwastheimportancethattheEmperorattachedtothefactofmycapture，andsodesirouswashetoseemeathiscapital，thathehadsenthisownnephew，thePrinceGuatemoc，tofetchmeandagreatescortofwarriorswithhim。
NevershallIforgetmyfirstmeetingwiththisprincewhoafterwardsbecamemydearcompanionandbrotherinarms。
WhentheescortarrivedIwasawayfromthetownshootingdeerwiththebowandarrow，aweaponintheuseofwhichIhadsuchskillthatalltheIndianswonderedatme，notknowingthattwiceIhadwontheprizeatthebuttsonBungayCommon。
Ourpartybeingsummonedbyamessenger，wereturnedbearingourdeerwithus。
Onreachingthecourtyardofthecacique’shouse，Ifounditfilledwithwarriorsmostgorgeouslyattired，andamongthemonemoresplendidthantherest。
Hewasyoung，verytallandbroad，mosthandsomeinface，andhavingeyeslikethoseofaneagle，whilehiswholeaspectbreathedmajestyandcommand。
Hisbodywasencasedinacuirassofgold，overwhichhungamantlemadeofthemostgorgeousfeathers，exquisitelysetinbandsofdifferentcolours。
Onhisheadheworeahelmetofgoldsurmountedbytheroyalcrest，aneagle，standingonasnakefashionedingoldandgems。
Onhisarms，andbeneathhisknees，heworecircletsofgoldandgems，andinhishandwasacopper-bladedspear。
Roundthismanweremanynoblesdressedinasomewhatsimilarfashion，exceptthatthemostofthemworeavestofquiltedcottoninplaceofthegoldcuirass，andajewelledpanacheoftheplumesofbirdsinsteadoftheroyalsymbol。
ThiswasGuatemoc，Montezuma’snephew，andafterwardsthelastemperorofAnahuac。
SosoonasIsawhimIsalutedhimintheIndianfashionbytouchingtheearthwithmyrighthand，whichI
thenraisedtomyhead。
ButGuatemoc，havingscannedmewithhiseyeasIstood，bowinhand，attiredinmysimplehunter’sdress，smiledfranklyandsaid:
’Surely，Teule，ifIknowanythingofthelooksofmen，wearetooequalinourbirth，asinourage，foryoutosalutemeasaslavegreetshismaster。’
Andheheldhishandtome。
Itookit，answeringwiththehelpofMarina，whowaswatchingthisgreatlordwitheagereyes。
’Itmaybeso，prince，butthoughinmyowncountryIamamanofreputeandwealth，hereIamnothingbutaslavesnatchedfromthesacrifice。’
’Iknowit，’hesaidfrowning。
’Itiswellforallherethatyouweresosnatchedbeforethebreathoflifehadleftyou，elseMontezuma’swrathhadfallenonthiscity。’
Andhelookedatthecaciquewhotrembled，suchinthosedayswastheterrorofMontezuma’sname。
ThenheaskedmeifIwasaTeuleorSpaniard。
ItoldhimthatI
wasnoSpaniardbutoneofanotherwhiteracewhohadSpanishbloodinhisveins。
Thissayingseemedtopuzzlehim，forhehadneversomuchasheardofanyotherwhiterace，soItoldhimsomethingofmystory，atleastsomuchofitashadtodowithmybeingcastaway。
WhenIhadfinished，hesaid，’IfIhaveunderstoodaright，Teule，yousaythatyouarenoSpaniard，yetthatyouhaveSpanishbloodinyou，andcamehitherinaSpanishship，andIfindthisstorystrange。
Well，itisforMontezumatojudgeofthesematters，soletustalkofthemnomore。
Comeandshowmehowyouhandlethatgreatbowofyours。
Didyoubringitwithyouordidyoufashionithere？
Theytellme，Teule，thatthereisnosucharcherintheland。’
SoIcameupandshowedhimthebowwhichwasofmyownmake，andwouldshootanarrowsomesixtypacesfurtherthananythatIsawinAnahuac，andwefellintotalkonmattersofsportandwar，Marinahelpingoutmywantoflanguage，andbeforethatdaywasdonewehadgrownfriendly。
ForaweektheprinceGuatemocandhiscompanyrestedinthetownofTobasco，andallthistimewethreetalkedmuchtogether。
SoonIsawthatMarinalookedwitheyesoflongingonthegreatlord，partlybecauseofhisbeautyrankandmight，andpartlybecausesheweariedofhercaptivityinthehouseofthecacique，andwouldshareGuatemoc’spower，forMarinawasambitious。
Shetriedtowinhisheartinmanyways，butheseemednottonoticeher，sothatatlastshespokemoreplainlyandinmyhearing。
’Yougohenceto-morrow，prince，’shesaidsoftly，’andIhaveafavourtoaskofyou，ifyouwilllistentoyourhandmaid。’
’Speakon，maiden，’heanswered。
’Iwouldaskthis，thatifitpleasesyou，youwillbuymeofthecaciquemymaster，orcommandhimtogivemeuptoyou，andtakemewithyoutoTenoctitlan。’
Guatemoclaughedaloud。
’Youputthingsplainly，maiden，’hesaid，’butknowthatinthecityofTenoctitlan，mywifeandroyalcousin，Tecuichpo，awaitsme，andwithherthreeotherladies，whoasitchancesaresomewhatjealous。’
NowMarinaflushedbeneathherbrownskin，andforthefirstandlasttimeIsawhergentleeyesgrowhardwithangerassheanswered:
’Iaskedyoutotakemewithyou，prince；Ididnotasktobeyourwifeorlove。’
’Butperchanceyoumeantit，’hesaiddryly。
’WhateverImayhavemeant，prince，itisnowforgotten。
Iwishedtoseethegreatcityandthegreatking，becauseIwearyofmylifehereandwouldmyselfgrowgreat。
Youhaverefusedme，butperhapsatimewillcomewhenIshallgrowgreatinspiteofyou，andthenImayremembertheshamethathasbeenputuponmeagainstyou，prince，andallyourroyalhouse。’
AgainGuatemoclaughed，thenofasuddengrewstern。
’Youareover-bold，girl，’hesaid；’forlesswordsthanthesemanyaonemightfindherselfstretcheduponthestoneofsacrifice。
ButIwillforgetthem，foryourwoman’sprideisstung，andyouknownotwhatyousay。
Doyouforgetthemalso，Teule，ifyouhaveunderstood。’
ThenMarinaturnedandwent，herbosomheavingwithangerandoutragedloveorpride，andasshepassedmeIheardhermutter，’Yes，prince，youmayforget，butIshallnot。’
